Impact of the Healthy Lifestyle Community Program (HLCP-3) on Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) and Risk Profile Parameters Related to Lifestyle Diseases During the Six Months Following an Intervention Study.

Rationale: The dietary components choline, betaine, and L-carnitine are converted by intestinal microbiota into the molecule trimethylamine (TMA). In the human liver, hepatic flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 oxidizes TMA to trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO is considered a candidate marker for the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In vitro long-term exposure to chlorhexidine or triclosan induces cross-resistance against azoles in Nakaseomyces glabratus.

Background: Topical antiseptics are crucial for preventing infections and reducing transmission of pathogens. However, commonly used antiseptic agents have been reported to cause cross-resistance to other antimicrobials in bacteria, which has not yet been described in yeasts. This study aims to assess the in vitro efficacy of antiseptics against clinical and reference isolates of Candida albicans and Nakaseomyces glabratus, and whether prolonged exposure to antiseptics promotes the development of antifungal (cross)resistance.

Efficacy and tolerability of neoadjuvant therapy with Talimogene laherparepvec in cutaneous basal cell carcinoma: a phase II trial (NeoBCC trial).

We present a single-arm, phase II, neoadjuvant trial with the oncolytic virus talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) in 18 patients with difficult-to-resect cutaneous basal cell carcinomas. The primary end point, defined as the proportion of patients, who after six cycles of T-VEC (13 weeks), become resectable without the need for plastic reconstructive surgery, was already achieved after stage I (9 of 18 patients; 50.0%); thus the study was discontinued for early success.

App-Based Coaching to Prevent Addictive Behaviors in Vocational School Students: A Cluster Randomized Trial.

Purpose: This two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of an app-based addiction prevention program in German vocational school students.

Methods: Schools from 5 German federal states were recruited. No eligibility criteria for classes were applied; enrollment decisions were made by school heads or teachers.

From policy to progress: Environmental taxation to mitigate air pollution in OECD countries.

Environmental taxes play a critical role in mitigating air pollution and fostering sustainability by internalizing the social costs of environmental damage. By imposing financial disincentives on polluters, these taxes encourage cleaner practices and technological innovation. Using panel ARDL models, this study examines the impact of environmental taxes on CO₂ emissions across 38 OECD countries, accounting for cross-sectional dependence, non-stationarity, and heterogeneity.

Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Differently Processed Smoothies and Fresh Produce from Austria.

Plant-derived foods are potential vehicles for microbial antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which can be transferred to the human microbiome if consumed raw or minimally processed. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the amount of clinically relevant ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in differently processed smoothies (freshly prepared, cold-pressed, pasteurized and high-pressure processed) and fresh produce samples (organically and conventionally cultivated) to assess potential health hazards associated with their consumption. The MGE and the class 1 integron-integrase gene were detected by probe-based qPCR in concentrations up to 10 copies/mL in all smoothies, lettuce, carrots and a single tomato sample.

Long-Term Impact of Recurrent Acute Otitis Media on Balance and Vestibular Function in Children.

Background/objectives: Recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) is a common disease in childhood, but its impact on the vestibular system remains poorly understood. The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of rAOM on balance and vestibular function in pediatric patients.

Methods: A total of 55 children, aged 8 years (25 males and 30 females), with a documented history of rAOM, no AOM episodes in the past year, and no previous ear surgery were assessed.

Reduced interhemispheric connectivity in traumatic brachial plexopathies after bionic reconstruction.

Traumatic brachial plexus lesions (TBPL) can lead to permanent impairment of hand function despite timely brachial plexus surgical treatment. In selected cases with no recovery of hand function, the affected forearm can be amputated and replaced by a bionic hand to regain prehensile function. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess (sub)cortical motor activity and functional connectivity changes after TBPL and bionic reconstruction.

Predictors of treatment duration in conservative management of developmental dysplasia of hip -a retrospective cohort study.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip is a prevalent condition in newborns. However, predicting the duration of conservative treatment remains challenging. This study aimed to determine the duration of treatment more precisely by analyzing associated factors.

Proteome-wide non-cleavable crosslink identification with MS Annika 3.0 reveals the structure of the C. elegans Box C/D complex.

The field of crosslinking mass spectrometry has seen substantial advancements over the past decades, enabling the structural analysis of proteins and protein complexes and serving as a powerful tool in protein-protein interaction studies. However, data analysis of large non-cleavable crosslink studies is still a mostly unsolved problem due to its n-squared complexity. We here introduce an algorithm for the identification of non-cleavable crosslinks implemented in our crosslinking search engine MS Annika that is based on sparse matrix multiplication and allows for proteome-wide searches on commodity hardware.

Views on the well-being of groups of informal caregivers. A cluster analysis using the example of Saxony.

Background: As a result of demographic change, a further increase in the number of people in need of care in Germany can be expected in the future. Nursing activities performed by family members are a central component of care provision. Providing care for people in need of care is increasingly associated with additional physical and psychological stress for informal caregivers.

MnCl(CNH): Insights into a Luminescent Transition Metal-Melem Complex.

In this work, the (MnCl(CNH) complex has been synthesized via solid-state reaction between manganese (II) chloride and melamine in the molar ratio of 1:2. A similar synthesis has been repeated with CoCl, and FeCl, resulting in two new metal-melam complexes (FeCl(CNH) and CoCl(CNH)). MnCl(CNH) crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system with the space group 2/.

Recommendations of the GAMMA association for the standardization of clinical movement analysis laboratories.

Clinical gait analysis involves objective, valid, and reliable techniques for assessing gait function and is crucial for assessing walking patterns and identifying gait abnormalities in various patient populations. By analyzing joint angles, muscle activity, and other biomechanical factors during walking, clinicians can diagnose gait disorders, plan interventions, and improve patient outcomes. The GAMMA association aims to provide recommendations to support the standardization and quality assurance for clinical-instrumented 3D motion analysis services within the German-speaking region in central Europe.

Modulation of physical exercise intensity in motor-cognitive training of adults using the SKILLCOURT technology.

Motor-cognitive training and exergaming often only reach low-to-medium intensities that limits their training efficiency. This study evaluated the physiological profile of different exercises on a novel motor-cognitive training technology designed to cover a broad range of exercise intensities. Twenty-six healthy trained adults (17 males, 23.

Chitosan obtained from black soldier fly larval cuticles expands the value chain and is effective as a biocontrol agent to combat plant pathogens.

The industrial use of certain insects, such as the black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens), has become a burgeoning way of converting residual biomass into a valuable source of biomolecules for the feed and food industry. Here, the integration of a valuable step as an upcycling technology using biological waste from the 5th instar BSF larvae processing as a source of bioactive chitosan was explored. The goal is to pave the way for sustainable chitosan production from insect-based resources in addition to proteins, lipids, and fertilizers.

[Digital public health in Germany: status quo, challenges, and future perspectives : A position paper of the Digital Public Health Section of the German Public Health Association].

This position paper from the Digital Public Health Section of the German Public Health Association defines digital public health (DiPH) and describes its goals and potential. It also addresses the current situation and challenges as well as the need for action in Germany. The focus here is on the presentation of the nationwide promotion of (digital) health literacy; the application of DiPH in prevention, health promotion, and healthcare; the use of innovative preventive strategies for the prevention of non-communicable diseases; and the teaching of DiPH in academic public health programs.

Stiffness-Dependent Lysyl Oxidase Regulation through Hypoxia-Inducing Factor 1 Drives Extracellular Matrix Modifications in Psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by a thickened epidermis with elongated rete ridges and massive immune cell infiltration. It is currently unclear what impact mechanoregulatory aspects may have on disease progression. Using multiphoton second harmonic generation microscopy, we found that the extracellular matrix was profoundly reorganized within psoriatic dermis.

Structural and Viscoelastic Properties of Bacterial Cellulose Composites: Implications for Prosthetics.

This study investigates the morphological, mechanical, and viscoelastic properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) hydrogels synthesized by the microbial consortium . BC gel films were produced under static (S) or bioreactor (BioR) conditions. Additionally, an anisotropic sandwich-like composite BC film was developed and tested, consisting of a rehydrated (S-RDH) BC film synthesized under static conditions, placed between two BioR-derived BC layers.