Adapting a allometric equation to quantify carbon sequestration rates on the Middle Elbe floodplain.

Destructively sampling old Pedunculate oak () trees on the active floodplain of the Middle Elbe to create an allometric equation to estimate carbon stocks (CS) and carbon sequestration rates (CSR) would defeat the purpose of protecting increasingly vulnerable and threatened primeval floodplain forests. To nondestructively estimate CS and CSR, we have adapted a two-parameter allometric equation which uses tree height (H) and diameter at breast height (DBH) (Dik 1984, Zianis et al. 2005) into a 1-parameter equation that requires only DBH to quantify stocks and annual changes in carbon stock (carbon sequestration rates) for individual trees.

Identification of cardiovascular and molecular prognostic factors for the medium-term and long-term outcomes of sepsis (ICROS): protocol for a prospective monocentric cohort study.

Introduction: Sepsis is one of the most prevalent life-threatening conditions in the intensive care unit. Patients suffer from impaired organ function, reduced physical functional capacity and decreased quality of life even after surviving sepsis. The identification of prognostic factors for the medium-term and long-term outcomes of this condition is necessary to develop personalised theragnostic approaches.

Effects of drought and N level on the interactions of the root hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus with a combination of three host species.

Increasing nitrogen deposition and more frequent drought events are likely to change plant interactions in natural grasslands. Both factors may also influence the interactions between hemiparasitic plants, regarded as keystone species in many grasslands, and their host species. We grew a combination of three suitable hosts, a grass, a forb and a legume, with and without the hemiparasite Rhinanthus alectorolophus at three levels of nitrogen (N) and two levels of water availability in a factorial design.

Effectiveness of a hospital-wide infection control programme on the incidence of healthcare-associated infections and associated severe sepsis and septic shock: a prospective interventional study.

Objectives: To evaluate whether a hospital-wide infection control programme (ICP) is effective at reducing the burden of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and associated severe sepsis/septic shock or death (severe HAIs).

Methods: Prospective, quasi-experimental study with two surveillance periods (September 2011 to August 2012; May 2013 to August 2014). Starting October 2012, the ICP included hand hygiene promotion and bundle implementation for common HAIs.

Flooding tolerance of four floodplain meadow species depends on age.

Numerous restoration campaigns focused on re-establishing species-rich floodplain meadows of Central Europe, whose species composition is essentially controlled by regular flooding. Climate change predictions expect strong alterations on the discharge regime of Europe's large rivers with little-known consequences on floodplain meadow plants. In this study, we aim to determine the effects of flooding on seedlings of different ages of four typical flood meadow species.

Effect of Sodium Selenite Administration and Procalcitonin-Guided Therapy on Mortality in Patients With Severe Sepsis or Septic Shock: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: High-dose intravenous administration of sodium selenite has been proposed to improve outcome in sepsis by attenuating oxidative stress. Procalcitonin-guided antimicrobial therapy may hasten the diagnosis of sepsis, but effect on outcome is unclear.

Objective: To determine whether high-dose intravenous sodium selenite treatment and procalcitonin-guided anti-infectious therapy in patients with severe sepsis affect mortality.

C-Terminal Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Peptide: A New Sepsis Biomarker with Immunomodulatory Function.

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a life threatening condition and the leading cause of death in intensive care units. Although single aspects of pathophysiology have been described in detail, numerous unknown mediators contribute to the progression of this complex disease. The aim of this study was to elucidate the pathophysiological role of CAAP48, a C-terminal alpha-1 antitrypsin fragment, that we found to be elevated in septic patients and to apply this peptide as diagnostic marker for infectious and noninfectious etiologies of SIRS.

Characteristics and management of patients with influenza in a German hospital during the 2014/2015 influenza season.

The objective of this study was to review the management of patients with influenza during the influenza season 2014/2015 (n = 197). Our study revealed a high rate of healthcare-associated influenza infection (35.5 %) and a correlation between the total number of patients with HA influenza and the number of nurses on sick leave.

Chemerin in peritoneal sepsis and its associations with glucose metabolism and prognosis: a translational cross-sectional study.

Background: Stress hyperglycaemia (SHG) is a common complication in sepsis associated with poor outcome. Chemerin is an adipocytokine associated with inflammation and impaired glucose homeostasis in metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2D). We aimed to investigate how alterations of circulating chemerin levels and corresponding visceral adipose tissue (VAT) expression are linked to glucose metabolism and prognosis in sepsis.

Overwhelming Postsplenectomy Infection: A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Background: Recent population-based cohort studies have questioned the role of pneumococci as the most frequent pathogen causing severe infection in patients after splenectomy. The aim of the study was to define the causative pathogens and clinical presentation of patients with overwhelming postsplenectomy infection (OPSI).

Methods: In a prospective cohort study in 173 German intensive care units, we searched for patients with and without asplenia and community-acquired severe sepsis/septic shock.

Biomarker candidates for the detection of an infectious etiology of febrile neutropenia.

Purpose: Infections and subsequent septicemia are major complications in neutropenic patients with hematological malignancies. Here, we identify biomarker candidates for the early detection of an infectious origin, and monitoring of febrile neutropenia (FN).

Methods: Proteome, metabolome, and conventional biomarkers from 20 patients with febrile neutropenia without proven infection (FNPI) were compared to 28 patients with proven infection, including 17 patients with bacteremia.

Effects of reduced summer precipitation on productivity and forage quality of floodplain meadows at the Elbe and the Rhine River.

Background: Floodplain meadows along rivers are semi-natural habitats and depend on regular land use. When used non-intensively, they offer suitable habitats for many plant species including rare ones. Floodplains are hydrologically dynamic ecosystems with both periods of flooding and of dry conditions.

[Memorandum 'Development of health services research in Bavaria from the perspective of the Bavarian State Working Group 'Health Services Research (LAGeV)': status quo - potential - strategies'].

The aim of the memorandum on the development of health services research (HSR) in Bavaria is to operationalise the global objectives of the State Working Group "Health Services Research" (LAGeV) and to collectively define future topics, specific implementation steps, methods as well as ways of working for the future course of the LAGeV. The LAGeV is an expert committee that integrates and links the competencies of different actors from science, politics and health care regarding HSR and facilitates their cooperation. The memorandum is based on an explorative survey among the LAGeV members, which identified the status quo of health services research in Bavaria, potential for development, important constraints, promoting factors, specific recommendations as well as future topics for the further development of HSR in Bavaria.

Loss of cytosolic phosphoglucose isomerase affects carbohydrate metabolism in leaves and is essential for fertility of Arabidopsis.

Carbohydrate metabolism in plants is tightly linked to photosynthesis and is essential for energy and carbon skeleton supply of the entire organism. Thus, the hexose phosphate pools of the cytosol and the chloroplast represent important metabolic resources that are maintained through action of phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) and phosphoglucose mutase interconverting glucose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, and glucose 1-phosphate. Here, we investigated the impact of disrupted cytosolic PGI (cPGI) function on plant viability and metabolism.

Muscle ultrasound for early assessment of critical illness neuromyopathy in severe sepsis.

Introduction: Muscle ultrasound is emerging as a promising tool in the diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases. The current observational study evaluates the usefulness of muscle ultrasound in patients with severe sepsis for assessment of critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy (CINM) in the intensive care unit.

Methods: 28 patients with either septic shock or severe sepsis underwent clinical neurological examinations, muscle ultrasound, and nerve conduction studies on days 4 and 14 after onset of sepsis.

Arabidopsis phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase1 of the phosphoserine pathway is essential for development and required for ammonium assimilation and tryptophan biosynthesis.

In plants, two independent serine biosynthetic pathways, the photorespiratory and glycolytic phosphoserine (PS) pathways, have been postulated. Although the photorespiratory pathway is well characterized, little information is available on the function of the PS pathway in plants. Here, we present a detailed characterization of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenases (PGDHs) as components of the PS pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana.

[Effectiveness of a hospital-wide educational programme for infection control to reduce the rate of health-care associated infections and related sepsis (ALERTS)--methods and interim results].

Background And Aim: Health care associated infections (HAIs) are one of the most frequent complications of hospital care, associated with increased morbidity, mortality and considerable extra costs for the health care system. The overarching objective of the ALERTS study is to demonstrate the feasibility of a hospitalwide programme to reduce the burden of HAIs and related sepsis of at least 20 %.

Methods: Prospective, quasi-experimental study covering all acute care units (27 general wards, 4 ICUs, overall 809 beds) at Jena University Hospital.

Effect of empirical treatment with moxifloxacin and meropenem vs meropenem on sepsis-related organ dysfunction in patients with severe sepsis: a randomized trial.

Context: Early appropriate antimicrobial therapy leads to lower mortality rates associated with severe sepsis. The role of empirical combination therapy comprising at least 2 antibiotics of different mechanisms remains controversial.

Objective: To compare the effect of moxifloxacin and meropenem with the effect of meropenem alone on sepsis-related organ dysfunction.

Targeted metabolomics for discrimination of systemic inflammatory disorders in critically ill patients.

The occurrence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) remains a major problem in intensive care units with high morbidity and mortality. The differentiation between noninfectious and infectious etiologies of this disorder is challenging in routine clinical practice. Many biomarkers have been suggested for this purpose; however, sensitivity and specificity even of high-ranking biomarkers remain insufficient.

Mass spectometry-based protein patterns in the diagnosis of sepsis/systemic inflammatory response syndrome.

Early differential diagnosis of systemic inflammatory reactions in critically ill patients is essential for timely implementation of lifesaving therapies. Despite many efforts made, reliable biomarkers to discriminate between infectious and noninfectious causes of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) are currently not available. Recent advances in mass spectrometry-based methods have raised hopes that identification of spectral patterns from serum/plasma samples can be instrumental in this context.

General practitioners and schizophrenia: results from a Swiss survey.

Background: General practitioners (GPs) have an important role in the care of patients with chronic schizophrenia and of those in the early phases of this disorder.

Aims: To obtain information about the number of patients in the early and chronic stages of schizophrenia seen in general practice; the needs and attitudes of GPs, their diagnostic knowledge concerning early phases of schizophrenia and their knowledge and practice concerning treatment of patients with first-episode and multi-episode schizophrenia.

Method: A postal survey was conducted among randomly selected GPs in Switzerland.