Search

Investigating the concordance of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) criteria that have been recently introduced to the 5th text revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) and the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11).N = 193 treatment-seeking bereaved adults were assessed with the prolonged grief disorder 13 + 9 interview. Data were examined in terms of (a) diagnostic rates for PGDDSM-5-TR and PGDICD-11, including increases of the PGDICD-11 accessory symptom threshold (PGDICD-11-X+) and time criterion (PGDICD-11-12 months), (b) dimensionality, (c) the frequency with which single PGD symptoms occur, and (d) concurrent validity in terms of psychological symptoms and loss-related characteristics.The diagnostic rate of PGDDSM-5-TR (52%) was significantly lower than that of PGDICD-11 (76%) and agreement between the two criteria sets was moderate, κ = 0.51, 95% CI [0.47-0.55]. Increasing the PGDICD-11 accessory symptom threshold did not improve the diagnostic agreement. In contrast, increasing the ICD-11 time criterion led to almost perfect agreement between PGDICD-11-12 months and PGDDSM-5-TR, κ = 0.91, 95% CI [0.89-0.93]. Confirmatory factor analysis results indicated a one-factor model fit best for both PGDDSM-5-TR and PGDICD-11. Emotional pain symptoms (e.g., guilt) were predominantly reported by patients with a PGDICD-11 diagnosis, while attachment disturbance symptoms (e.g., identity disruption) were reported more often by patients with a PGDDSM-5-TR diagnosis.Despite methodological limitations of this study, results indicate discordance in PGDDSM-5-TR and PGDICD-11 regarding diagnostic rates and single symptom occurrence, while the factor structure is similar. Changes in the ICD-11 time criterion could reduce these differences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

People often disappear in the context of displacement or armed conflicts. Although such an ambiguous loss is accompanied by persistent uncertainty about the whereabouts, the psychological consequences are not well understood. This study investigated the effects of ambiguous compared to a confirmed loss on prolonged grief disorder (PGD) and its correlates in refugees to Germany.We investigated data on mental health outcomes of refugees from Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan who had applied for/were granted asylum in Germany. In a secondary analysis, we compared 87 refugees with disappeared (Participants with ambiguous loss displayed more severe symptoms of PGD than those with confirmed loss. However, we found no group differences in terms of probable disorder rates and the number of traumatic experiences. Even after controlling for several correlates of PGD, higher PGD symptom severity was associated with ambiguous loss, more PTSD symptoms and low perceived social support.These results show a higher prolonged grief symptom severity after the loss of a significant other due to disappearance, indicating that this type of loss could be a specific risk factor for PGD severity.

Theoretischer Hintergrund: F��r die Behandlung der Posttraumatischen Belastungsst��rung (PTBS) im Jugend- und jungen Erwachsenenalter liegen diverse evidenzbasierte Interventionen (EBIs) vor. Fragestellung: Inwiefern sind EBIs f��r Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene mit PTBS nach sexualisierter und physischer Gewalt in Deutschland verf��gbar? Methode: Es wurden die Daten von 39 Teilnehmenden einer multizentrischen Behandlungsstudie analysiert, die f��r die Diagnose einer PTBS ambulante Behandlungsempfehlungen erhalten hatten. Ergebnisse: In den folgenden sieben Monaten erhielten 21 der Teilnehmenden eine Behandlung; bei nur acht wurden in deren Rahmen die traumatischen Erfahrungen adressiert. Alle Teilnehmenden verbesserten sich hinsichtlich der PTBS-Symptomatik unabh��ngig von der Art der Behandlung. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse weisen auf Barrieren f��r den Zugang zu EBIs in unserer Stichprobe hin. K��nftige Forschung sollte die Hintergr��nde f��r diese Barrieren fokussieren., Theoretical background: Numerous studies document high prevalences of child sexual and physical abuse and their severe consequences for mental health. Specifically, the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with previous child abuse and neglect. Therefore, early and evidence-based treatments (EBTs) are crucial to ensuring and fostering the adequate development of affected individuals. To date, several EBTs have proved to be effective in the treatment of PTSD in adolescents and young adults. Objective: It is presently unclear to what extent EBTs are available for adolescents and young adults with histories of child abuse seeking treatment in Germany. Therefore, the present study wanted to gain insight into standard treatment (���treatment as usual���) as delivered for adolescents and young adults with abuse-related PTSD in three German cities. Method: We analyzed the data of 39 participants of a multicenter, randomized, and controlled trial of persons aged 14 to 21 who had received treatment recommendations for the respective region following the diagnosis of PTSD. We investigated the percentage of participants who had received treatment during the following 7-month period and whether there were any differences between participants who had or had not received treatment regarding their sociodemographic, psychopathological, or trauma-specific characteristics and treatment outcomes. Results: Of the 39 participants, 21 had received some kind of intervention during the subsequent 7-month period, but only 8 reported that the traumatic events had been addressed in treatment. Participants receiving treatment differed from participants without treatment only regarding living in out-of-home placement or institutional care and receiving psychotropic medication at baseline. All participants demonstrated significant improvements in their clinician-rated as well as self-rated posttraumatic stress symptoms, regardless of whether they had received treatment or trauma-focused treatment addressing the traumatic events at all. Discussion and conclusion: This study is the first to analyze standard treatment as delivered in Germany for adolescents and young adults suffering from abuse-related PTSD and seeking treatment. Our results indicated barriers to access to EBTs in our study population. Although indicated, only about half of the participants received treatment at all, and when participants did receive treatment, the traumatic experiences were rarely addressed, which does not correspond to the recommendations of international guidelines. However, a generalization of our results is limited because of the small sample size and the lack of information on the individual reasons of the study participants who did not initiate treatment. Future research is needed to explore whether limited access to EBTs might be due to system-level (e. g., lack of implementation of EBTs in community settings) or individual-level barriers (e. g., lack of motivation after referrals).

Background Prolonged grief is a disorder (PGD) characterized by severe and disabling grief reactions for an extended period of time after the loss of a significant person. ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR differ substantially in individual criteria. Objective Estimation of the respective prevalence of PGDICD-11 and PGDDSM-5-TR and the frequency with which single symptoms of prolonged grief occur in the general population. Methods Out of a representative sample of the German general population (N=2498), n = 914 reported a significant loss and prolonged grief symptoms based on the extended version of the self-reported Prolonged Grief Disorder-13+9 (PG13+9). Sociodemographic and loss-related characteristics were collected. Results The probable prevalence of PGDICD-11 was 1.5% and that of PGDDSM-5-TR was 1.2% in the general sample. Among bereaved persons (n=914), the prevalence of developing PGDICD-11 was 4.2% and that of PGDDSM-5-TR was 3.3%. Diagnostic agreement between the two criteria-sets was very high and did not increase after heightening the accessory symptom threshold for PGDICD-11. Difficulties accepting the loss was the most frequent single symptom (14-25%) and grief-related impairment was common (10-16%). Over 60% of participants with a probable PGD diagnosis utilized health care services. Limitations Results are based on self-reported data. The PG13+9 was not designed to assess grief symptoms according to ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria. Conclusions Prolonged grief according to ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR is a notable disorder in the general population. Among bereaved persons, single symptoms of prolonged grief are relatively frequent and cause substantial degrees of impairment.

One-dimensional semiconductors are interesting materials due to their unique structural features and anisotropy, which grant them intriguing optical, dielectric and mechanical properties. In this work, we report on SnBrP, a lighter homologue of the first inorganic double helix compound SnIP. This class of compounds is characterized by intriguing mechanical and electronic properties, featuring a high flexibility without modulation of physical properties. Semiconducting SnBrP can be synthesized from red phosphorus, tin and tin(II)bromide at elevated temperatures and crystallizes as red-orange, cleavable needles. Raman measurements pointed towards a double helical building unit in SnBrP, showing similarities to the SnIP structure. After taking PL measurements, HR-TEM, and quantum chemical calculations into account, we were able to propose a sense full structure model for SnBrP.

Introduction: Early diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) leading to early therapy can improve clinical outcomes (e.g., stroke). Current approaches for AF risk stratification are limited. Dynamic ECG analysis during sleep is an alternate, underexplored approach for AF risk stratification. Hypothesis: Dynamic ECG analysis during sleep predicts AF incidence in community adults, and adds major independent prognostic value to conventional AF risk factors and scores. Methods: In the multi-center prospective Sleep Heart Health Study, we studied consecutive, asymptomatic, ostensibly healthy, middle-aged and older community adults without a history of AF who were in sinus rhythm during home polysomnography. We performed comprehensive and systematic univariate and multivariate analyses of all available clinical, ECG and polysomnography parameters for association with AF incidence over follow-up. Results: Over 5.3±0.29 years, 315 (11.2%) of 2,807 people had new onset AF. We identified the major independent significant AF predictors, including established risk factors and ECG dynamics, and derived a multivariate prediction model entitled, the Cincinnati AF score (CAFS) ( FIGURE 1 ). Addition of CAFS to a multivariate model with (1) CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score increased ROC curve area by 9% and yielded net reclassification improvement (NRI) of 90% [43+47% for cases and non-cases, respectively]; or with (2) CHARGE-AF score increased ROC curve area by 3.5% and yielded NRI of 54% [23+31%]. These improvements were driven primarily by the ECG dynamics, independent of sleep apnea and other risk factors. Conclusion: Dynamic ECG analysis during sleep adds major independent prognostic value to established AF risk factors and scores. The ability to better identify individuals who will and will not develop AF has potential for broad clinical impact. We are currently validating CAFS in another multi-center cohort of asymptomatic ambulatory adults with a diverse demographic profile.

Coinage metal polychalcogenide halides are an intriguing class of materials, and many representatives are solid ion conductors and thermoelectric materials. The materials show high ion mobility, polymorphism, and various attractive interactions in the cation and anion substructures. Especially the latter feature leads to complex electronic structures and the occurrence of charge-density waves (CDWs) and, as a result, the first p-n-p switching materials. During our systematic investigations for new p-n-n switching materials in the Cu-Te-Cl phase diagram, we were able to isolate polymorphic Cu

A diode requires the combination of p- and n-type semiconductors or at least the defined formation of such areas within a given compound. This is a prerequisite for any IT application, energy conversion technology, and electronic semiconductor devices. Since the discovery of the pnp-switchable compound Ag

Für die Behandlung der posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung (PTBS) im Kindes- und Jugendalter liegen positive Nachweise für unterschiedliche Interventionen vor. Der vorliegende Artikel bietet einen Überblick über Besonderheiten von Diagnostik und Behandlung in dieser Altersgruppe. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt soll der Darstellung der Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) zukommen, einem gut evaluierten Verfahren, das erfolgreich für das Jugendalter adaptiert werden konnte.

Cu9.1Te4Cl3 is a new polymorphic compound in the class of coinage metal polytelluride halides. Copper is highly mobile, which results in multiple order-disorder phase transitions in a limited temperature interval from 240 to 370 K. Mainly as a consequence of thermal transport properties, the compound's thermoelectric figure of merit reaches values up to ZT = 0.15 in the temperature range between room temperature and 523 K. Its structure is closely related to that of Ag10Te4Br3, another coinage metal polytelluride halide, which represents the first p-n-p-switchable semiconductor approachable by a simple temperature change. The title compound outperforms Ag10Te4Br3 in terms of thermoelectric properties by 1 order of magnitude and therefore acts as a link between the class of p-n-p compounds and thermoelectric materials.

Corpus planning has attracted attention ever since Deborah Cameron's seminal Verbal Hygiene (1995). However, evaluations of corpus planning aimed at addressing linguistic discrimination have been surprisingly scarce. Because corpus planning costs energy, time and money, evaluations are important for future actions. This study discusses how an evaluation of corpus planning can be conducted by performing a detailed, critical and empirical analysis of a limited Swedish language policy action aimed at addressing linguistic discrimination. The results show that, although the policy action was successful in terms of lexical change, the change was superficial, since the desired shift in focus, from individual/group to environment, occurred to only a very limited extent in the selected texts. From this analysis, I argue that there are three significant matters to attend to when evaluating corpus planning for these situations. The first is that a meaningful corpus should be created, preferably one comprising symmetrical texts from both before and after implementation of the policy. Additionally, the research questions that are formulated should be narrow enough to be operational. Finally, quantitative and qualitative methods should be combined to ensure a broad understanding of the outcomes of the corpus planning.

Tin iodide phosphide (SnIP), an inorganic double-helix material, is a quasi-1D van der Waals semiconductor that shows promise in photocatalysis and flexible electronics. However, the understanding of the fundamental photophysics and charge transport dynamics of this new material is limited. Here, time-resolved terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is used to probe the transient photoconductivity of SnIP nanowire films and measure the carrier mobility. With insight into the highly anisotropic electronic structure from quantum chemical calculations, an electron mobility as high as 280 cm2 V-1 s-1 along the double-helix axis and a hole mobility of 238 cm2 V-1 s-1 perpendicular to the double-helix axis are detected. Additionally, infrared-active (IR-active) THz vibrational modes are measured, which shows excellent agreement with first-principles calculations, and an ultrafast photoexcitation-induced charge redistribution is observed that reduces the amplitude of a twisting mode of the outer SnI helix on picosecond timescales. Finally, it is shown that the carrier lifetime and mobility are limited by a trap density greater than 1018 cm-3 . The results provide insight into the optical excitation and relaxation pathways of SnIP and demonstrate a remarkably high carrier mobility for such a soft and flexible material, suggesting that it could be ideally suited for flexible electronics applications.

Tin iodide phosphorus (SnIP) is an interesting new semiconductor that is the world's first non-templated inorganic double helix. Here we report on the first ultrafast study of SnIP, where we use THz spectroscopy to measure the carrier mobility and probe the relaxation dynamics. Additionally, we observe a vibrational mode at 1.49 THz and show how carrier screening reduces the oscillator amplitude, which manifests as a reduction in differential signal with Lorentzian lineshape.

Structural, electronic, and vibrational spectroscopic investigations were performed for the solid solution NaP7–xAsx up to x = 3.5 featuring a helical polypnictide substructure. Depending on the As content the LiP7 (for x = 0 to 0.8 and 2.5 to 3.5) or KP15 (x = 1.0 to 2.4) structure type is realized up to an maximum As content of x = 3.5. The crystal structures of two selected phases were determined and the distribution of As in the polyanionic substructure was determined. The full solid solution up to x = 7 was subject to a quantum chemical DFT analysis in order to get insights into the stabilities and phase formation tendencies. Van der Waals interactions between the structure subunits were estimated and first principle investigations towards a delamination and nano structuring of NaP7–xAsx crystals into one-dimensional semiconductors were performed.

In the first linguistic study on Nobel laureate Tomas Transtromer’s poetry, a hypothesis generated from earlier research in literature was tested on poems where Transtromer makes use of concreteness to a high degree. In addition, a comparison corpus was created, consisting of poems by authors who share important common traits with Transtromer. The results did not support the hypothesis, as the comparison corpus also showed a high degree of concreteness. However, in contrast to the comparison corpus, Transtromer’s poems exhibit no verbal processes among their verbs, which contribute to a heavier expression. Moreover, when investigating the metaphors, an unparalleled quality was revealed. The majority of Transtromer’s novel metaphors are constructed solely by concrete elements. In contrast to the claim that concreteness in metaphors explains the world (Lakoff and Johnson), Transtromer seems to show, through many of his metaphors, how wondrous the world is, thereby creating ostranenie “defamiliarization” (Shklovsky).

Background Research on effective recruitment and retention strategies for adolescents and young adults suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder is scarce. The aim of the current study was to provide data on recruitment sources, barriers, and facilitators for participation in a randomized controlled trial for young individuals with histories of sexual and/or physical abuse. Methods Study participants aged 14 to 21 were asked to complete a checklist on individual sources of recruitment, barriers, and facilitators for participation in the trial. Fifty-three out of the 80 study participants who were contacted completed the checklist (66.3%). Results Most respondents reported multiple recruitment sources, with online and media advertising search strategies indicated most frequently (45.4% of all mentions), followed by practitioner-referred sources (38.7%). Respondents’ reported barriers included additional demands of the trial (60.3%), followed by distress caused by having to talk about painful topics (15.5%). The most frequently indicated facilitators were the organizational setting (55.1%) and monetary incentives (22.2%), followed by social support (12.0%) and non-monetary incentives (10.2%). No significant differences were observed between adolescent and young adult respondents with the exception that adolescents reported significantly more frequently that they had learned about the trial from their caregiver. Conclusions Our findings permit the formulation of recommendations for planning and conducting trials with this clientele. Future research is needed on how specific barriers can be effectively overcome.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not uncommon among adolescents and young adults (AYAs). Left untreated, transition to adulthood might be especially challenging and/or prolonged for AYAs. However, it is unclear whether AYAs are adequately represented in current PTSD treatment research and whether they benefit to the same degree as younger or older individuals. In the first part of the paper, we reflect on developmental considerations in the treatment of AYAs and give an overview of current age-specific results in PTSD treatment research. Furthermore, we review individual trauma-focused evidence-based treatments that were examined in AYAs over the last 10 years. In the second part, we present data from an uncontrolled feasibility trial evaluating cognitive processing therapy (CPT) with some age-adapted modifications and an exposure component (written accounts). We treated 17 AYAs (aged 14 to 21) suffering from posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). At posttreatment, participants had improved significantly with respect to clinician-rated PTSS severity (d = 1.32). Treatment gains were maintained throughout the 6-week and 6-month follow-ups. Results indicated that CPT, with only minor adaptations, was feasible and safe in AYAs. The recommendations for future research focus on the inclusion of young adults in trials with adolescents, more refined age reporting in clinical trials, and the encouragement of dismantling studies in youth. To conclude, clinical recommendations for caregiver involvement and the addressing of developmental tasks, motivational issues and emotion regulation problems are discussed.

Cu

IMPORTANCE: Despite the high prevalence, evidence-based treatments for abuse-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adolescents have rarely been studied. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether developmentally adapted cognitive processing therapy (D-CPT) is more effective than a wait-list condition with treatment advice (WL/TA) among adolescents with PTSD related to childhood abuse. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This rater-blinded, multicenter, randomized clinical trial (stratified by center) enrolled treatment-seeking adolescents and young adults (aged 14-21 years) with childhood abuse–related PTSD at 3 university outpatient clinics in Germany from July 2013 to June 2015, with the last follow-up interview conducted by May 2016. Of 194 patients, 88 were eligible for randomization. INTERVENTIONS: Participants received D-CPT or WL/TA. Cognitive processing therapy was enhanced by a motivational and alliance-building phase, by including emotion regulation and consideration of typical developmental tasks, and by higher session frequency in the trauma-focused core CPT phase. In WL/TA, participants received treatment advice with respective recommendations of clinicians and were offered D-CPT after 7 months. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: All outcomes were assessed before treatment (baseline), approximately 8 weeks after the start of treatment, after the end of treatment (posttreatment), and at the 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome, PTSD symptom severity, was assessed in clinical interview (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for Children and Adolescents for DSM-IV [CAPS-CA]). Secondary outcomes were self-reported PTSD severity, depression, borderline symptoms, behavior problems, and dissociation. RESULTS: The 88 participants (75 [85%] female) had a mean age of 18.1 years (95% CI, 17.6-18.6 years). In the intention-to-treat analysis, the 44 participants receiving D-CPT (39 [89%] female) demonstrated greater improvement than the 44 WL/TA participants (36 [82%] female) in terms of PTSD severity (mean CAPS-CA scores, 24.7 [95% CI, 16.6-32.7] vs 47.5 [95% CI, 37.9-57.1]; Hedges g = 0.90). This difference was maintained through the follow-up (mean CAPS-CA scores, 25.9 [95% CI, 16.2-35.6] vs 47.3 [95% CI, 37.8-56.8]; Hedges g = 0.80). Treatment success was greatest during the trauma-focused core phase. The D-CPT participants also showed greater and stable improvement in all secondary outcomes, with between-groups effect sizes ranging from 0.65 to 1.08 at the posttreatment assessment (eg, for borderline symptoms, 14.1 [95% CI, 8.0-20.2] vs 32.0 [95% CI, 23.8-40.2]; Hedges g = 0.91). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Adolescents and young adults with abuse-related PTSD benefited more from D-CPT than from WL/TA. Treatment success was stable at the follow-up and generalized to borderline symptoms and other comorbidities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register identifier: DRKS00004787

I Norden finns en stark tradition av internationellt bistånd, men bistånd ifrågasätts alltmer. Tidigare forskning har efterlyst studier som frilägger underliggande föreställningar och värderingar knutna till bistånd (Fretheim 2007; Hoeffler & Outram, 2011; Sogge, 2015). Mitt fokus ligger på hur den humanitära biståndsorganisationen Läkare Utan Gränser konceptualiserar och värderar bistånd i sina webbtexter. Mer specifikt studerar jag hur organisationen använder metaforer. Liksom Lakoff & Johnson (1980) antar jag att metaforer avslöjar hur man ser på världen, och jag menar också, i enlighet med Charteris-Black (2004) att metaforer spelar en särskilt stor roll i övertygande texter. Tre nyhetsberättelser från Läkare Utan Gränsers webbplats analyseras, först med hjälp MIPVU-metoden, vilken utvecklats av Steen et al. (2010), och därefter med hjälp av en värdering av metaforerna utifrån forskningslitteratur (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980; Lakoff, 1993; Mannsåker, 2017). Resultaten visar att nyhetsberättelsernas metaforer, vilka främst utgår från kraft, ägande och rörelse, bidrar till föreställningen om att Läkare Utan Gränser gör ett gott arbete, där webbplatsbesökaren kan göra en viktig insats, vilken kommer migranterna till godo och dessutom motverkar EU:s negativa inflytande. Migranterna framställs via metaforerna som behövande, eftersom de inte utövar kraft, inte äger och inte har kontroll över sin situation. Slutsatsen blir att organisationen förmedlar en komplex bild av bistånd som meningsfullt, nödvändigt och politiskt. I ett större perspektiv kan detta exempel på hur språkliga medel används bli till nytta för andra biståndsaktörer, i deras arbete att övertyga såväl potentiella givare som beslutsfattare om biståndets villkor och nödvändighet.The Nordic countries have a strong tradition of contributing to international development and humanitarian aid, but lately, aid has been subject to criticism. Research has called for studies that reveal conceptualizations and values tied to aid (Fretheim 2007; Hoeffler & Outram, 2011; Sogge, 2015). My focus is to study how the aid organization Médecins Sans Frontières conceptualize and value aid in their webpage texts. More specifically, I investigate how the organization’s texts make use of metaphors. Like Lakoff & Johnson (1980), I believe that metaphors disclose how one understands the world, and, in accordance with Charteris-Black (2004), that they are important to create convincing texts. Three news pieces from the Médecins Sans Frontières webpage are analyzed, first by using the MIPVU-method, developed by Steen et al. (2010), and then by evaluating the metaphors with the help of research literature (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980; Lakoff, 1993; Mannsåker, 2017). The findings show that the metaphors in the news pieces express force, ownership and motion, and that they add to the idea that Médecins Sans Frontières accomplish respectable results; therefore, the webpage visitor may make an important contribution which will be for the migrants’ benefit and which in addition will counteract the negative influence of the EU. Through the metaphors, the migrants are depicted as needy, since they do not exert power, do not own much and are not in control. The conclusion is that the organization conveys a complex image where aid is described as meaningful, necessary and political. From a broader perspective, this instance of how linguistic strategies are used may serve as an example for other aid agents in their ambition to influence potential donators as well as decision-makers about the conditions and necessity of aid.

Following contextual design, we identified motivational and social aspects, as well as environmental factors of desk-based office workplaces, that contribute to sedentary behavior in the workplace. Through 10 full-day work observations, we gathered detailed qualitative data on why and when workers sit and unveiled tacit knowledge about habits and physical workplace layouts that favor prolonged sitting, complementing the mostly quantitative research done in the field. Developing social motivations for standing and walking, distributing frequently used objects to require more walking, and reducing the attractiveness of sitting turned out to be key drivers for reducing and interrupting sedentary behavior.

C-terminal agrin fragment (CAF), cleavage product of agrin, was previously correlated with kidney function in renal transplant patients. This article studies the predictive value of CAF for long-term outcomes in renal transplant recipients.In this observational cohort study, serum CAF, creatinine and blood-urea-nitrogen (BUN) concentrations and eGFR (CKD-EPI) were assessed 1–3 months after transplantation in 105 patients undergoing kidney transplantation. Cox regression models were used to analyse the predictive value of all parameters concerning all-cause mortality (ACM), graft loss (GL), doubling of creatinine/proteinuria at the end of follow-up.Median follow-up time was 3.1 years. The mean concentrations were 191.9±152.4 pM for CAF, 176±96.8 μmol/L for creatinine, 12.6±6.2 mmol/L for BUN and 44.9±21.2 mL/min for CKD-EPI formula, respectively. In univariate analysis CAF and BUN concentrations predicted ACM (CAF: HR=1.003, 1.1-fold risk, p=0.043; BUN: HR=1.037, 1.3-fold risk, p=0.006). Concerning GL, CAF (HR=1.006, 3.1-fold risk, pEarly postoperative serum CAF appears to be a useful tool for the assessment of long-term outcomes in renal transplant recipients. Most importantly it represents a promising predictor for the development of proteinuria.

The Aquatic Warbler Acrocephalus paludicola (AW) is the only globally threatened passerine species of continental Europe. The global population decreased by >90% during the 20th century. AWs breed in Palaearctic fen mires and sedge meadows and spend the non-breeding season in sub-Saharan Africa, but until 2007 no regular wintering site had been identified. To date, the only wintering grounds that have been discovered are in river floodplain marshes along the Senegal River in the Djoudj area, Senegal. Searches for additional wintering sites in south-western Mauritania, northern Senegal and Gambia have been unsuccessful. In Djoudj, AWs are found in extensive marshes dominated by Scirpus spp. or Sporobolus robustus, and favour shallow water and the occurrence of Eleocharis mutata and Sporobolus robustus on the microhabitat scale. Within these marshes, however, AW appear to avoid dense homogenous stands dominated by Scirpus maritimus. Estimates of the density of wintering AWs in suitable habitats range between 0.5 and 1.6 birds/ha. According to the estimated area of suitable habitat (4,000–10,000 ha with strong seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations), the Djoudj area may hold between 10 and >50% of the global population during the non-breeding season. Ringing, molecular studies and feather isotope ratios have failed to provide conclusive evidence for connectivity between the Djoudj area and particular Palaearctic breeding populations. Based on winter records, habitat data and satellite images, we speculate that the Inner Niger Delta in Mali could be another important wintering area. A pilot project that equipped 30 AWs in the Ukraine with geolocators in 2010 may reveal more details about migration routes and lead to the discovery of currently unknown wintering sites.

In this paper we study complex scaling in the Feynman–Kac formula, using the fact that for a Dirac delta initial distribution, complex scaling is well defined in white noise analysis.

In this note the concepts of path integrals and techniques how to construct them are presented. Here we concentrate on a White Noise approach. Combining White Noise techniques with a generalized time‐dependent Doss' formula Feynman integrands are constructed as white noise distributions beyond perturbation theory.

Humanized antibodies (Abs) are effective drugs against a variety of diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection and others. The most powerful technology to develop humanized Abs is the use of mice that produce humanized Abs. By modifying the genetic background of F004 mice a new mouse substrain was developed for optimized "one step" generation of chimeric humanized monoclonal Abs. The new mice (F004-Jen) demonstrated improved fertility still expressing the human locus at the same level as the parental F004 mouse. The value of these mice for the generation of chimeric Abs was exemplified for a panel of chimeric Abs against the human neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM): The fully chimeric human IgG1/kappa Ab Ch.MK1 bound to NCAM expressing cells with a K(D)=4.3-8.7 x 10(-8) M and was functionally active as demonstrated by depleting NCAM expressing cells. We also demonstrated that chimeric IgG1/kappa Abs can be induced by hybridoma class switching of IgM producing hybridoma cells, providing an alternative way to chimeric Abs. The present data highlight F004-Jen mice as an efficient tool for "one step" generation of chimeric Abs.