[Expectations And Motivations Of Young Occupational Medical Physicians: A Quantitative Survey Of Five German Academies].

Study Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of future occupational physicians and to evaluate their expectations from and motivations for undertaking postgraduate medical education courses in occupational medicine. This will provide a basis for further increasing the attractiveness of occupational medicine as a discipline in preventive medicine and counteracting the shortage of occupational medical physicians.

Methods: At five locations in Germany, physicians in postgraduate medical education courses in occupational medicine were asked about their expectations from occupational medicine, their reasons for starting postgraduate medical education courses, and their assessment of these courses.

[Effects of Wearing Face Masks to Prevent Infectious Diseases On Children's and Adolescents' Well-Being and Behavior: An Interview Study].

Aim: To investigate the effects of wearing masks in terms of well-being, behavior and psychosocial development on children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Expert interviews were conducted with educators (n=2), teachers from primary and secondary education (n=9), adolescent student representatives (n=5) as well as paediatricians from primary care (n=3) and the public health service (n=1), transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis using MAXQDA 2020.

Results: The most frequently reported short- and medium-term direct effects of mask-wearing were primarily in terms of limited communication due to a reduction in hearing and facial expressions.

[Pregnant Physicians in Surgical Specialties - Implementation of the Maternity Protection Act Among Female Physicians in Saxony].

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate compliance with occupational health and safety (OHS) among pregnant surgeons.

Methods: All female surgeons in Saxony up to 45 years of age received a written questionnaire about their work environment during pregnancy. Predefined and expert-based criteria of OHS were analyzed descriptively.

[Impact of wearing face masks in public to prevent infectious diseases on the psychosocial development in children and adolescents: a systematic review].

Background: Wearing face masks in public is recommended under certain circumstances in order to prevent infectious diseases transmitted through droplets.

Aim: The objective was to compile all German and English research results from peer-reviewed journal articles using a sensitive literature search on the effects of mask-wearing for preventing infectious diseases on the psychosocial development of children and adolescents.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted considering different study designs (search period up until 12 July 2021).

Are Healthcare Workers at an Increased Risk for Obstructive Respiratory Diseases Due to Cleaning and Disinfection Agents? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several reviews have reported an increased risk of obstructive respiratory diseases in workers exposed to cleaning or disinfection agents, but they have focused mainly on professional cleaners. Cleaning and disinfecting are frequently performed activities by healthcare workers. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to quantify the risk of obstructive respiratory diseases in healthcare workers exposed to cleaning and disinfection agents.

Imaging low-mass planets within the habitable zone of α Centauri.

Giant exoplanets on wide orbits have been directly imaged around young stars. If the thermal background in the mid-infrared can be mitigated, then exoplanets with lower masses can also be imaged. Here we present a ground-based mid-infrared observing approach that enables imaging low-mass temperate exoplanets around nearby stars, and in particular within the closest stellar system, α Centauri.

Vaccine-Preventable Infections in Childcare Workers.

Background: Adequate immunity to so-called childhood diseases can lower the occupational risk of vaccine-preventable infectious diseases in persons who work in day-care centers for children.

Methods: A systematic literature survey was carried out in PubMed and Embase for the period January 2000 to February 2019. Studies on immune status and vaccination status were included.

The Age-Related Risk of Severe Outcomes Due to COVID-19 Infection: A Rapid Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression.

Increased age appears to be a strong risk factor for COVID-19 severe outcomes. However, studies do not sufficiently consider the age-dependency of other important factors influencing the course of disease. The aim of this review was to quantify the isolated effect of age on severe COVID-19 outcomes.

The risk of cytomegalovirus infection in daycare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: The primary aim of this review was to summarize the evidence on the relationship between being a daycare worker working with children and the possible increased risk of cytomegalovirus infection.

Methods: We searched the Medline and Embase databases using search strings defined according to the population, exposure, comparison, and outcomes (PECO) applicable to our research questions in order to find studies published since 2000. Two independent reviewers evaluated the search hits using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

MRSA Point Prevalence among Health Care Workers in German Rehabilitation Centers: A Multi-Center, Cross-Sectional Study in a Non-Outbreak Setting.

People working in health care services have an increased risk of being infected with methicillin-resistant (MRSA), though little is known about the prevalence in rehabilitation centers. This cross-sectional study investigated the MRSA prevalence in employees from different rehabilitation centers and aimed to identify risk factors for MRSA transmission. We invited all staff (i.

Are Daycare Workers at a Higher Risk of Parvovirus B19 Infection? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

In this systematic review, we aimed to summarize the evidence on the association between being a daycare educator working with children and the possible increased risk of parvovirus B19 infection compared to the general population. The Medline and Embase databases were searched using a defined search to find studies published since 2000. Two reviewers evaluated the search hits using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Prevalence and predictors of MRSA carriage among employees in a non-outbreak setting: a cross-sectional study in an acute care hospital.

Background: Health care workers have an increased risk of being infected with Methicillin-resistant (MRSA), though little information is available about how prevalent (dormant) MRSA colonization is among health care workers. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and predictors of MRSA carriage in a non-outbreak setting in a university hospital in Germany.

Methods: The entire staff of a university hospital heart center for cardiologic maximum medical care and cardiac surgery were invited to participate in a cross-sectional study ( = 575).

Prediction of response factors for gas chromatography with flame ionization detection: Algorithm improvement, extension to silylated compounds, and application to the quantification of metabolites.

We previously showed that the relative response factors of volatile compounds were predictable from either combustion enthalpies or their molecular formulae only . We now extend this prediction to silylated derivatives by adding an increment in the ab initio calculation of combustion enthalpies. The accuracy of the experimental relative response factors database was also improved and its population increased to 490 values.

Development of a mirror-based endoscope for divertor spectroscopy on JET with the new ITER-like wall (invited).

A new endoscope with optimised divertor view has been developed in order to survey and monitor the emission of specific impurities such as tungsten and the remaining carbon as well as beryllium in the tungsten divertor of JET after the implementation of the ITER-like wall in 2011. The endoscope is a prototype for testing an ITER relevant design concept based on reflective optics only. It may be subject to high neutron fluxes as expected in ITER.

Feeding value of crambe press cake and extracted meal as well as production responses of growing-finishing pigs and dairy cows fed these by-products.

To analyse the feeding value of crambe press cake (CPC) and crambe extracted meal (CEM), and the incorporation limits in pig diets, a series of balance trials with a total of 12 male castrates was conducted. Additionally, in a feeding trial the effect of 5% and 10% CPC or CEM on growth performance and on pork quality was tested. The CP content of CPC and CEM was 207 and 331 g/kg DM, respectively, and the residual EE 144 and 26 g/kg DM, respectively.

The flight experiment ANITA--a high performance air analyser for manned space cabins.

Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air (ANITA) is a flight experiment as precursor for a permanent continuous trace gas monitoring system on the International Space Station (ISS). For over 10 years, under various ESA contracts the flight experiment was defined, designed, breadboarded and set up. For the safety of the crew, ANITA can detect and quantify quasi on-line and simultaneously 32 trace gases with ppm or sub-ppm detection limits.

Regulation of arterial tone by smooth muscle myosin type II.

The initiation of contractile force in arterial smooth muscle (SM) is believed to be regulated by the intracellular Ca2+ concentration and SM myosin type II phosphorylation. We tested the hypothesis that SM myosin type II operates as a molecular motor protein in electromechanical, but not in protein kinase C (PKC)-induced, contraction of small resistance-sized cerebral arteries. We utilized a SM type II myosin heavy chain (MHC) knockout mouse model and measured arterial wall Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+](i)) and the diameter of pressurized cerebral arteries (30-100 microm) by means of digital fluorescence video imaging.

Elevation of serum and urine levels of TIMP-1 and tenascin in patients with renal disease.

Background: Chronic kidney disease is characterized by increased synthesis and inhibited destruction of collagenous and non-collagenous matrix proteins. Elevation of collagen fragments has been demonstrated in the serum and urine of patients with renal disease, but the dynamics of renal matrix deposition remain difficult to determine.

Methods: To obtain a further insight into renal matrix metabolism we have assessed whether serum and urine concentrations of the non-collagenous protein, tenascin, and of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1) are altered in association with renal disease.

Four patients with AL amyloidosis treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation.

Four patients with AL amyloidosis underwent high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation at our institutions. Here, we report the clinical courses and outcomes in these patients. Two patients with multi-organ amyloid deposits including cardiac involvement died within 12 days after high-dose chemotherapy.