Search

Poster presented at the NCLA Biennial Conference which was held both virtually and in Winston-Salem, NC in October 2021.

Slides presented at the NCLA Biennial Conference which was held both virtually and in person in Winston-Salem, NC in October 2021.

Background Women with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) have elevated breast cancer (BC) risk. Optimal BC treatment strategies in this population are yet unknown. Methods BC subtypes and treatment were retrospectively investigated between December 2016 and January 2019 in a multicentre study. BC risks were evaluated according to the type of surgery. Results Thirty-five women of our study population (35/44; 79.5%) had developed 36 breast lesions at first diagnosis at a mean age of 34 years. Those breast lesions comprised 32 invasive BCs (89%), three ductal carcinoma in situ alone (8%) and one malignant phyllodes tumour (3%). BCs were mainly high-grade (18/32), of no special type (NST; 31/32), HER2-enriched (11/32) or luminal-B-(like)-type (10/32). Affected women (n = 35) received breast-conserving surgery (BCS, n = 17) or a mastectomy (ME, n = 18) including seven women with simultaneous contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) at first diagnosis. Nineteen women suffered 20 breast or locoregional axillary lesions at second diagnosis with mean age of 36. Median time between first and second diagnosis was 57 months; median time to contra- and ipsilateral recurrence depended on surgical strategies (BCS: 46 vs. unilateral ME: 93 vs. bilateral ME > 140 months). Women with a primary treatment of solitaire therapeutic ME suffered from contralateral BC earlier compared to those with therapeutic ME and CPM (median: 93 vs. >140 months). Conclusion Aggressive BC subtypes occur among women with LFS. Surgical treatment, i.e. ME and CPM, may prolong time to a second BC diagnosis. Conclusion on long-term survival benefit is pending. Individual competing tumour risks and long-term outcomes need to be taken into consideration.

Libraries are a disrupted industry. Since the advent of ready, unmediated information through the widespread adoption of the internet, the place of the library in society and on our campuses has been irrevocably altered. Now as we are no longer the authoritative and singular pipeline of knowledge, learning, and information, we have to reinvent ourselves over and over for relevance in our communities. To add to the layers of change and chaos, libraries and the people that work in them have not had the comfort of uniform definitions or even strong recognition as a profession since the advent of libraries and librarians.

How do children learn? How can they grow in experience and establish friendships and relationships? Games in childhood are a fun way to introduce young people to the world and others. Child development involves physical, intellectual, social, and emotional changes. Games can give children opportunities for communicating with peers, interacting socially with others, learning to deal with frustration, making new friends and enjoying time with friends, gaining skills in reasoning and decision making, and understanding outcomes and results. Play and games are an integral part of that growth process.

Comparably little is known about breast cancer (BC) risks in women from families tested negative forBRCA1/2mutations despite an indicative family history, as opposed toBRCA1/2mutation carriers. We determined the age-dependent risks of first and contralateral breast cancer (FBC, CBC) both in noncarriers and carriers ofBRCA1/2mutations, who participated in an intensified breast imaging surveillance program. The study was conducted between January 1, 2005, and September 30, 2017, at 12 university centers of the German Consortium for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer. Two cohorts were prospectively followed up for incident FBC (n= 4,380; 16,398 person-years [PY], median baseline age: 39 years) and CBC (n= 2,993; 10,090 PY, median baseline age: 42 years). Cumulative FBC risk at age 60 was 61.8% (95% CI 52.8-70.9%) forBRCA1mutation carriers, 43.2% (95% CI 32.1-56.3%) forBRCA2mutation carriers and 15.7% (95% CI 11.9-20.4%) for noncarriers. FBC risks were significantly higher than in the general population, with incidence rate ratios of 23.9 (95% CI 18.9-29.8) forBRCA1mutation carriers, 13.5 (95% CI 9.2-19.1) forBRCA2mutation carriers and 4.9 (95% CI 3.8-6.3) forBRCA1/2noncarriers. Cumulative CBC risk 10 years after FBC was 25.1% (95% CI 19.6-31.9%) forBRCA1mutation carriers, 6.6% (95% CI 3.4-12.5%) forBRCA2mutation carriers and 3.6% (95% CI 2.2-5.7%) for noncarriers. CBC risk in noncarriers was similar to women with unilateral BC from the general population. Further studies are needed to confirm whether less intensified surveillance is justified in women fromBRCA1/2negative families with elevated risk.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. About 30% of breast cancer patients have a family history of breast cancer and fulfil the inclusion criteria of the German Consortium (DK) Familial Breast and Ovarian Cancer. Women from these families in whom a mutation in one of the known cancer genes is detected are offered, among other things, the opportunity to participate in the intensified surveillance programme (INFP). However, if no mutation is found in a family, the decision to recommend intensified surveillance is based on the calculated risk. Preliminary results of the DK suggest that there is a need to improve the efficiency of the INFP and to continue the evaluation. So far, the risk calculation program Cyrillic has been used by the DK. However, as Cyrillic is outdated in terms of content and technology, DK will use the BOADICEA program in the future. BOADICEA was chosen for the following reasons: (i) it is scientifically up to date, (ii) it provides more accurate risk calculations taking into account new risk genes and (iii) it has been developed and validated using data from the DK and other populations. The change in the risk calculation procedure implies that different breast cancer risks are calculated for the women concerned. Therefore, new rules for risk classification have to be defined in order to improve the efficiency of the current INFP.

Background Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a high-risk cancer predisposition syndrome caused by pathogenic germline variants ofTP53. Cancer surveillance has noted a significant survival advantage in individuals with LFS; however, little is known about the feasibility, acceptance, and psychosocial effects of such a program. Methods PathogenicTP53germline variant carriers completed a 7-part questionnaire evaluating sociodemographics, cancer history, surveillance participation, reasons for nonadherence, worries, and distress adapted from the Cancer Worry Scale. Counselees' common concerns and suggestions were assessed in MAXQDA Analytics Pro 12. Results Forty-nine participants (46 females and 3 males), aged 40.0 +/- 12.6 years, formed the study population; 43 (88%) had a personal cancer history (including multiple cancers in 10 [20%]). Forty-three individuals participated (88%) in surveillance during the study or formerly. Willingness to undergo surveillance was influenced by satisfaction with genetic testing and counseling (P = .019 [Fisher-Yates test]) but not by sociodemographics, cancer history, or distress level. Almost one-third of the participants reported logistical difficulties in implementing surveillance because of the high frequency of medical visits, scheduling difficulties, and the travel distance to their surveillance providers. Self-reported distress and perceived emotional burden for family members and partners were moderate (median for self-reported distress, 3.3; median for perceived emotional burden, 3.0). For both, the interquartile range was moderate to very high (2.7-3.7 and 3.0-3.7, respectively). Conclusions Individuals with LFS require efficient counseling as well as an accessible, well-organized, interdisciplinary, standardized surveillance program to increase adherence and psychological coping.

1. Plant diversity is an important driver of belowground ecosystem functions, such as root growth, soil organic matter (SOM) storage, and microbial metabolism, mainly by influencing the interactions between plant roots and soil. Dissolved organic matter (DOM), as the most mobile form of SOM, plays a crucial role for a multitude of soil processes that are central for ecosystem functioning. Thus, DOM is likely to be an important mediator of plant diversity effects on soil processes. However, the relationships between plant diversity and DOM have not been studied so far. 2. We investigated the mechanisms underlying plant diversity effects on concentrations of DOM using continuous soil water sampling across 6 years and 62 plant communities in a long‐term grassland biodiversity experiment in Jena, Germany. Furthermore, we investigated plant diversity effects on the molecular properties of DOM in a subset of the samples. 3. Although DOM concentrations were highly variable over the course of the year with highest concentrations in summer and autumn, we found that DOM concentrations consistently increased with plant diversity across seasons. The positive plant diversity effect on DOM concentrations was mainly mediated by increased microbial activity and newly sequestered carbon in topsoil. However, the effect of soil microbial activity on DOM concentrations differed between seasons, indicating DOM consumption in winter and spring, and DOM production in summer and autumn. Furthermore, we found increased contents of small and easily decomposable DOM molecules reaching deeper soil layers with high plant diversity. 4. Synthesis. Our findings suggest that plant diversity enhances the continuous downward transport of DOM in multiple ways. On the one hand, higher plant diversity results in higher DOM concentrations, on the other hand, this DOM is less degraded. The present study indicates, for the first time, that higher plant diversity enhances the downward transport of dissolved

Kein Abstract vorhanden, + ID der Publikation: hslu_79187 + Art des Beitrages: Wissenschaftliche Medien + Jahrgang: 2020 + Sprache: Englisch + Letzte Aktualisierung: 2020-10-29 16:50:31

Rivers and floodplains provide many regulating, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services (ES) such as flood risk regulation, crop production or recreation. Intensive use of resources such as hydropower production, construction of detention basins and intensive agriculture substantially change ecosystems and may affect their capacity to provide ES. Legal frameworks such as the European Water Framework Directive, Bird and Habitats Directive and Floods Directive already address various uses and interests. However, management is still sectoral and often potential synergies or trade-offs between sectors are not considered. The ES concept could support a joint and holistic evaluation of impacts and proactively suggest advantageous options. The river ecosystem service index (RESI) method evaluates the capacity of floodplains to provide ES by using a standardized five-point scale for 1 km-floodplain segments based on available spatial data. This scaling allows consistent scoring of all ES and their integration into a single index. The aim of this article is to assess ES impacts of different flood prevention scenarios on a 75 km section of the Danube river corridor in Germany. The RESI method was applied to evaluate scenario effects on 13 ES with the standardized five-point scale. Synergies and trade-offs were identified as well as ES bundles and dependencies on land use and connectivity. The ratio of actual and former floodplain has the strongest influence on the total ES provision: the higher the percentage and area of an active floodplain, the higher the sum of ES. The RESI method proved useful to support decision-making in regional planning. © 2020 The Authors. River Research and Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

As the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as droughts, heatwaves and floods have increased over recent decades, more extreme biological responses are being reported, and there is widespread interest in attributing such responses to anthropogenic climate change. However, the formal detection and attribution of biological responses to climate change is associated with many challenges. We illustrate these challenges with data from the Elbe River floodplain, Germany. Using community turnover and stability indices, we show that responses in plant, carabid and mollusc communities are detectable following extreme events. Community composition and species dominance changed following the extreme flood and summer heatwave of 2002/2003 (all taxa); the 2006 flood and heatwave (molluscs); and after the recurring floods and heatwave of 2010 and the 2013 flood (plants). Nevertheless, our ability to attribute these responses to anthropogenic climate change is limited by high natural variability in climate and biological data; lack of long-term data and replication, and the effects of multiple events. Without better understanding of the mechanisms behind change and the interactions, feedbacks and potentially lagged responses, multiple-driver attribution is unlikely. We discuss whether formal detection and/or attribution is necessary and suggest ways in which understanding of biological responses to extreme events could progress.

Rivers and floodplains provide many regulating, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services (ES) such as flood risk regulation, crop production or recreation. Intensive use of resources such as hydropower production, construction of detention basins and intensive agriculture substantially change ecosystems and may affect their capacity to provide ES. Legal frameworks such as the European Water Framework Directive, Bird and Habitats Directive and Floods Directive already address various uses and interests. However, management is still sectoral and often potential synergies or trade‐offs between sectors are not considered. The ES concept could support a joint and holistic evaluation of impacts and proactively suggest advantageous options. The river ecosystem service index (RESI) method evaluates the capacity of floodplains to provide ES by using a standardized five‐point scale for 1 km‐floodplain segments based on available spatial data. This scaling allows consistent scoring of all ES and their integration into a single index. The aim of this article is to assess ES impacts of different flood prevention scenarios on a 75 km section of the Danube river corridor in Germany. The RESI method was applied to evaluate scenario effects on 13 ES with the standardized five‐point scale. Synergies and trade‐offs were identified as well as ES bundles and dependencies on land use and connectivity. The ratio of actual and former floodplain has the strongest influence on the total ES provision: the higher the percentage and area of an active floodplain, the higher the sum of ES. The RESI method proved useful to support decision‐making in regional planning.

Digital scholarship is a growing area of service and programming at institutions of higher education, often with the academic library at the center of support. Editors Robin Chin Roemer, Interim Director of Online Learning and Innovation, and Verletta Kern, Digital Scholarship Librarian, of the University of Washington Libraries, bring together librarians and technology experts mostly from their university to provide a detailed, compelling look at the digital scholarship landscape and the many ways that the scholarly community is supported by a rich network of services developed to respond to a wide range of needs.