Pilot implementation of a sonography simulator in gynecological medical training and continuing education: A practical report.

Objective: In addition to patient consent, learning sonography requires considerable time and personnel resources. To implement patient-friendly and resource-saving ultrasound teaching, a comprehensively equipped sonography simulator (SoSim) was purchased at the Medical Interprofessional Training Centre (MITZ) of the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden. In a first step, the SoSim training was trialed in a sample (n=5) in cooperation with the Clinic and Polyclinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics at Dresden University Hospital (GYN).

Large-scale sampling of the freshwater microbiome suggests pollution-driven ecosystem changes.

Freshwater microbes play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. Anthropogenic stressors that lead to changes in these microbial communities are likely to have profound consequences for freshwater ecosystems. Using field data from the coordinated sampling of 617 lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams by citizen scientists, we observed linkages between microbial community composition, light and chemical pollution, and greenhouse gas concentration.

No long-term effects of antenatal synthetic glucocorticoid exposure on epigenetic regulation of stress-related genes.

Antenatal synthetic glucocorticoid (sGC) treatment is a potent modifier of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In this context, epigenetic modifications are discussed as potential regulators explaining how prenatal exposure to GCs might translate into persistent changes of HPA axis "functioning". The purpose of this study was to investigate whether DNA methylation and gene expression profiles of stress-associated genes (NR3C1; FKBP5; SLC6A4) may mediate the persistent effects of sGC on cortisol stress reactivity that have been previously observed.

Neurocognitive development of novelty and error monitoring in children and adolescents.

The abilities to monitor one's actions and novel information in the environment are crucial for behavioural and cognitive control. This study investigated the development of error and novelty monitoring and their electrophysiological correlates by using a combined flanker with novelty-oddball task in children (7-12 years) and adolescents (14-18 years). Potential moderating influences of prenatal perturbation of steroid hormones on these performance monitoring processes were explored by comparing individuals who were prenatally exposed and who were not prenatally exposed to synthetic glucocorticoids (sGC).

Placenta accreta spectrum disorders-experience of management in a German tertiary perinatal centre.

Purpose: Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders can cause major intrapartum haemorrhage. The optimal management approach is not yet defined. We analysed available cases from a tertiary perinatal centre to compare the outcome of different individual management strategies.

Course of mental health and mother-infant bonding in hospitalized women with threatened preterm birth.

Purpose: Pregnancy complications (PC) with signs of threatened preterm birth are often associated with lengthy hospital stays, which have been shown to be accompanied by anxiety, depressive symptoms, and increased stress level. It remains unclear, whether the perinatal course of mental health of these women differs from women without PC and whether there may be differences in the postpartum mother-infant bonding.

Methods: In a naturalistic longitudinal study with two measurements (24-36th weeks of gestation and 6 weeks postpartum), we investigated depression (EPDS), anxiety (STAI-T), stress (PSS), and postpartum mother-infant bonding (PBQ) in women with threatened preterm birth (N = 75) and women without PC (N = 70).

No Association of Antenatal Synthetic Glucocorticoid Exposure and Hair Steroid Levels in Children and Adolescents.

Context: Antenatal synthetic glucocorticoid (sGC) treatment constitutes a potent programming factor of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Previous findings from our group revealed long-term changes in cortisol stress reactivity following antenatal sGC therapy. However, the few prior studies exclusively relied on spot measurements of phasic HPA axis activity, which may not adequately capture cortisol output over prolonged periods of time.

Magnesium isotopes reveal bedrock impacts on stream organisms.

Magnesium is an essential element to aquatic organisms and understanding the origin of Mg is important for understanding their growth. Ultimately, Mg in streams is derived from the chemical weathering of bedrock in the catchment. In this study, we used Mg stable isotope ratios (δMg) to test whether stream organisms reflect lithological sources in stream catchments.

["Crystal" and Pregnancy - The Preliminary Results of a Retrospective Study on the Course of Pregnancy and Delivery of Women Consuming Methamphetamine].

Introduction: It can be observed that there is an increase in the methamphetamine (MA) consumption in Saxony (Federal Republic of Germany). There is so far no data available in German speaking countries about the risk of MA consumption in pregnancy or delivery.

Methods: The data from all pregnant women who were examined or delivered at the Clinic for Obstetrics and Gynaecology between 2010-2015 were retrospectively searched for MA consumption.

Screening for Type 1 Diabetes Risk in Newborns: The Freder1k Pilot Study in Saxony.

An increased risk for type 1 diabetes can be identified using genetic and immune markers. The Freder1k study introduces genetic testing for type 1 diabetes risk within the context of the newborn screening in order to identify newborns with a high risk to develop type 1 diabetes for follow-up testing of early stage type 1 diabetes and for primary prevention trials. Consent for research-based genetic testing of type 1 diabetes risk is obtained with newborn screening.

Land-use and hydroperiod affect kettle hole sediment carbon and nitrogen biogeochemistry.

Kettle holes are glaciofluvially created depressional wetlands that collect organic matter (OM) and nutrients from their surrounding catchment. Kettle holes mostly undergo pronounced wet-dry cycles. Fluctuations in water table, land-use, and management can affect sediment biogeochemical transformations and perhaps threaten the carbon stocks of these unique ecosystems.

Influenza A viruses suppress cyclooxygenase-2 expression by affecting its mRNA stability.

Infection with influenza A viruses (IAV) provokes activation of cellular defence mechanisms contributing to the innate immune and inflammatory response. In this process the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays an important role in the induction of prostaglandin-dependent inflammation. While it has been reported that COX-2 is induced upon IAV infection, in the present study we observed a down-regulation at later stages of infection suggesting a tight regulation of COX-2 by IAV.

Unique human immune signature of Ebola virus disease in Guinea.

Despite the magnitude of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa, there is still a fundamental lack of knowledge about the pathophysiology of EVD. In particular, very little is known about human immune responses to Ebola virus. Here we evaluate the physiology of the human T cell immune response in EVD patients at the time of admission to the Ebola Treatment Center in Guinea, and longitudinally until discharge or death.

Real-time, portable genome sequencing for Ebola surveillance.

The Ebola virus disease epidemic in West Africa is the largest on record, responsible for over 28,599 cases and more than 11,299 deaths. Genome sequencing in viral outbreaks is desirable to characterize the infectious agent and determine its evolutionary rate. Genome sequencing also allows the identification of signatures of host adaptation, identification and monitoring of diagnostic targets, and characterization of responses to vaccines and treatments.

Microbial community composition of a household sand filter used for arsenic, iron, and manganese removal from groundwater in Vietnam.

Household sand filters are used in rural areas of Vietnam to remove As, Fe, and Mn from groundwater for drinking water purposes. Currently, it is unknown what role microbial processes play in mineral oxide formation and As removal during water filtration. We performed most probable number counts to quantify the abundance of physiological groups of microorganisms capable of catalyzing Fe- and Mn-redox transformation processes in a household sand filter.

Arsenic removal from drinking water by a household sand filter in Vietnam--effect of filter usage practices on arsenic removal efficiency and microbiological water quality.

Household sand filters are applied to treat arsenic- and iron-containing anoxic groundwater that is used as drinking water in rural areas of North Vietnam. These filters immobilize poisonous arsenic (As) via co-oxidation with Fe(II) and sorption to or co-precipitation with the formed Fe(III) (oxyhydr)oxides. However, information is lacking regarding the effect of the frequency and duration of filter use as well as of filter sand replacement on the residual As concentrations in the filtered water and on the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria in the filtered and stored water.

The effects of heart rate variability biofeedback in patients with preterm labour.

Preterm birth is a highly prevalent phenomenon that was shown to be associated with mental stress during pregnancy (Rich-Edwards and Grizzard in Am J Obstet Gynecol 192(5 Suppl):S30-S35, 2005). We aimed to assess the effects of heart rate variability (HRV)-biofeedback in patients with preterm labour. Therefore, we conducted a controlled randomized parallel group study in 48 female patients aged 19-38 years (median = 29) with preterm labour at gestational week 24th-32nd (median = 29th).

Maternal status regulates cortical responses to the body odor of newborns.

Studies in non-human mammals have identified olfactory signals as prime mediators of mother-infant bonding and they have been linked with maternal attitudes and behavior in our own species as well. However, although the neuronal network processing infant cues has been studied for visual and auditory signals; to date, no such information exists for chemosensory signals. We contrasted the cerebral activity underlying the processing of infant odor properties in 15 women newly given birth for the first time and 15 women not given birth while smelling the body odor of unfamiliar 2 day-old newborn infants.

Archaeal and bacterial diversity in an arsenic-rich shallow-sea hydrothermal system undergoing phase separation.

Phase separation is a ubiquitous process in seafloor hydrothermal vents, creating a large range of salinities. Toxic elements (e.g.

Stabilisation of cardiopulmonary function in newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia using lung function parameters and hemodynamic management.

Objective: Evaluation of lung function parameters and additional use of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) for the stabilisation of cardiopulmonary function in patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and pulmonary hypertension (PHT).

Design: Observational study.

Patients: Between 2007 and 2009 8 patients with CDH have been treated in our pediatric intensive care unit (gestational age 34 + 0 - 40 + 4 weeks, birth weight 2 160-3 840 g).

Muropeptide rescue in Bacillus subtilis involves sequential hydrolysis by beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidase.

We identified a pathway in Bacillus subtilis that is used for recovery of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)-N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) peptides (muropeptides) derived from the peptidoglycan of the cell wall. This pathway is encoded by a cluster of six genes, the first three of which are orthologs of Escherichia coli genes involved in N-acetylmuramic acid dissimilation and encode a MurNAc-6-phosphate etherase (MurQ), a MurNAc-6-phosphate-specific transcriptional regulator (MurR), and a MurNAc-specific phosphotransferase system (MurP). Here we characterized two other genes of this cluster.