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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic prompted a range of studies on mental health, with mixed results. While numerous studies reported worsened conditions in individuals with pre-existing mental disorders, others showed resilience and stability in mental health. However, longitudinal data focusing on the German population are sparse, especially regarding effects of age and pre-existing mental disorders during the early stages of the pandemic.ObjectivesTo assess the interplay between psychiatric history, age, and the timing of the pandemic, with a focus on understanding how these factors relate to the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms.MethodsExploratory analyses were based on 135,445 individuals aged 20–72 years from the German National Cohort (NAKO). Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed before and after the first wave of the pandemic. Inferential statistical analyses and negative binomial regression models were calculated.ResultsPersons with a self-reported psychiatric history exhibited comparable levels of depression and anxiety symptom severity after the first wave of the pandemic compared to the time before. In contrast, individuals without a psychiatric history, particularly those in their 20s to 40s, experienced an increase in mental health symptom severity during the first wave of the pandemic.LimitationsAnalyses focuses on the first wave of the pandemic, leaving the long-term mental health effects unexplored.ConclusionFuture research should consider age-specific and mental-health-related factors when addressing global health crises. Additionally, it is important to explore factors influencing resilience and adaptation, aiming to develop targeted interventions and informed policies for effective mental health management during pandemics.

Summary: Adar null mutant mouse embryos die with aberrant double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-driven interferon induction, and Adar Mavs double mutants, in which interferon induction is prevented, die soon after birth. Protein kinase R (Pkr) is aberrantly activated in Adar Mavs mouse pup intestines before death, intestinal crypt cells die, and intestinal villi are lost. Adar Mavs Eifak2 (Pkr) triple mutant mice rescue all defects and have long-term survival. Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1) and PKR co-immunoprecipitate from cells, suggesting PKR inhibition by direct interaction. AlphaFold studies on an inhibitory PKR dsRNA binding domain (dsRBD)-kinase domain interaction before dsRNA binding and on an inhibitory ADAR1 dsRBD3-PKR kinase domain interaction on dsRNA provide a testable model of the inhibition. Wild-type or editing-inactive human ADAR1 expressed in A549 cells inhibits activation of endogenous PKR. ADAR1 dsRNA binding is required for, but is not sufficient for, PKR inhibition. Mutating the ADAR1 dsRBD3-PKR contact prevents co-immunoprecipitation, ADAR1 inhibition of PKR activity, and co-localization of ADAR1 and PKR in cells.

Summary Green tea extract (EFLA ®85942) is able to induce specifically the neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity and to inhibit the proliferation of SK-N-SH cells; the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity is [...]

Abstract Objective Communication skills can deteriorate in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD); however, their clinical assessment and treatment in patient care can be challenging. In the present study, we aimed to quantify the distinctive communication resources and barriers reported by patients and their relatives in AD and FTD and associated these communicative characteristics with clinical parameters, such as the degree of cognitive impairment and atrophy in language‐associated brain areas. Methods We assessed self‐reported communication barriers and resources in 33 individuals with AD and FTD through an interview on daily‐life communication, using the Aachener KOMPASS questionnaire. We correlated reported communication barriers and resources with atrophy from high‐resolution 3T brain magnetic resonance imaging, neuropsychological assessment, and neurodegenerative markers from cerebrospinal fluid. Results Communicative impairment was higher in FTD compared to AD. Increased reported communication barriers in our whole sample were associated with the atrophy rate in the left middle temporal lobe, a critical site within the neuronal language network, and with depressive symptoms as well as the semantic word fluency from neuropsychological assessment. The best model for prediction of communicative impairment included the diagnosis (AD or FTD), semantic word fluency, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that communication barriers and resources can be successfully assessed via a structured interview based on self‐report and report of patients’ relatives in practice and are reflected in neuroimaging specific for AD and FTD as well as in further clinical parameters specific for these neurodegenerative diseases. This can potentially open new treatment options for clinical practice and patient care.

IntroductionAfter an acute infection with the corona virus 10-20% of those affected suffer from ongoing or new symptoms. A causal therapy for the phenomenon known as Long/Post-COVID is still lacking and specific therapies addressing psychosocial needs of these patients are imperatively needed. The aim of the PsyLoCo-study is developing and piloting a psychotherapeutic manual, which addresses Long/Post-COVID-related psychosocial needs and supports in coping with persistent bodily symptoms as well as depressive or anxiety symptoms.Methods and analysisThis pilot trial implements a multi-centre, 2-arm (N=120; allocation ratio: 1:1), parallel group, randomised controlled design. The pilot trial is designed to test the feasibility and estimate the effect of 1) a 12-session psychotherapeutic intervention compared to 2) a wait-list control condition on psychosocial needs as well as bodily and affective symptoms in patients suffering from Long/Post-COVID. The intervention uses an integrative, manualized, psychotherapeutic approach. The primary study outcome is health-related quality of life. Outcome variables will be assessed at three timepoints, pre-intervention (t1), post-intervention (t2) and three months after completed intervention (t3). To determine the primary outcome, changes from t1 to t2 are examined. The analysis will be used for the planning of the RCT to test the efficacy of the developed intervention.DiscussionThe pilot study will evaluate a 12-session treatment manual for Long/Post-COVID sufferers and the therapy components it contains. The analysis will provide insights into the extent to which psychotherapeutic treatment approaches improve the symptoms of Long/Post-COVID sufferers. The treatment manual is designed to be carried out by psychotherapists as well as people with basic training in psychotherapeutic techniques. This approach was chosen to enable a larger number of practitioners to provide therapeutic support for Long/Post-COVID patients. After completion of the pilot study, it is planned to follow up with a randomized controlled study and to develop a treatment guideline for general practitioners and interested specialists.Trial registrationThe pilot trial has been registered with the German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien; Trial-ID: DRKS00030866; URL: https://drks.de/search/de/trial/DRKS00030866) on March 7, 2023.

Background The widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) has led to a growing number of large routine primary care data collection projects globally, making these records a valuable resource for health services and epidemiological and clinical research. This scoping review aims to comprehensively assess and compare strengths and limitations of all German primary care data collection projects and relevant research publications that extract data directly from practice management systems (PMS).Methods A literature search was conducted in the electronic databases in May 2021 and in June 2022. The search string included terms related to general practice, routine data, and Germany. The retrieved studies were classified as applied studies and methodological studies, and categorised by type of research, subject area, sample of publications, disease category, or main medication analysed.Results A total of 962 references were identified, with 241 studies included from six German projects in which databases are populated by EHRs from PMS. The projects exhibited significant heterogeneity in terms of size, data collection methods, and variables collected. The majority of the applied studies (n = 205, 85%) originated from one database with a primary focus on pharmacoepidemiological topics (n = 127, 52%) including prescription patterns (n = 68, 28%) and studies about treatment outcomes, compliance, and treatment effectiveness (n = 34, 14%). Epidemiological studies (n = 77, 32%) mainly focused on incidence and prevalence studies (n = 41, 17%) and risk and comorbidity analysis studies (n = 31, 12%). Only 10% (n = 23) of studies were in the field of health services research, such as hospitalisation.Conclusion The development and durability of primary care data collection projects in Germany is hindered by insufficient public funding, technical issues of data extraction, and strict data protection regulations. There is a need for further research and collaboration to improve the usability of EHRs for health services and research.

Background In the connected world, although societies are not directly involved in a military conflict, they are exposed to media reports of violence. Aims We assessed the effects of such exposures on mental health in Germany during the military conflict in Ukraine. Method We used the German population-based cohort for digital health research, DigiHero, launching a survey on the eighth day of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Of the 27 509 cohort participants from the general population, 19 444 (70.7%) responded within 17 days. We measured mental health and fear of the impact of war compared with other fears (natural disasters or health-related). Results In a subsample of 4441 participants assessed twice, anxiety in the population (measured by the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 screener) was higher in the first weeks of war than during the strongest COVID-19 restrictions. Anxiety was elevated across the whole age spectrum, and the mean was above the cut-off for mild anxiety. Over 95% of participants expressed various degrees of fear of the impact of war, whereas the percentage for other investigated fears was 0.47–0.82. A one-point difference in the fear of the impact of war was associated with a 2.5 point (95% CI 2.42–2.58) increase in anxiety (11.9% of the maximum anxiety score). For emotional distress, the increase was 0.67 points (0.66–0.68) (16.75% of the maximum score). Conclusions The population in Germany reacted to the Russo-Ukrainian war with substantial distress, exceeding reactions during the strongest restrictions in the COVID-19 pandemic. Fear of the impact of war was associated with worse mental health.

This article is focused on a mechanical properties investigation of three types of sustainable poly lactic acid materials manufactured using the fused filament fabrication process. The purpose of this work was to study the impact of printing strategies on the mechanical properties and predict mechanical behavior under tensile loading using finite element analysis. The testing of mechanical properties was conducted according to the ISO 527 standard. The numerical simulations were conducted in Simufact Forming 2022 software. Analysis of the experimental data showed a dependance of mechanical properties on the used printing strategy. The Clear PLA samples printed in the XY plane exhibited a 43% reduction in tensile strength and a 49% reduction in elongation compared to samples printed from the same material in YZ plane. The experimental results show the influence of the printing orientation on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed samples.

IntroductionThe Russian invasion of Ukraine and the resulting consequences are in the center of political discussions, media, and likely individual thinking of the population in Germany. Yet, the impact of this prolonged exposure on mental health is not known hitherto.MethodsUsing the population based cohort study DigiHero from three federal states (Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, and Bavaria), we assessed anxiety levels (GAD-7), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), and distress (modified PDI) in the first weeks of war and 6 months later.ResultsOf those 19,432, who responded in the first weeks of war, 13,934 (71.1%) responded also 6 months later. While anxiety and emotional distress decreased during the 6 months, their average scores were still elevated, and a substantial fraction of respondents displayed clinically relevant sequelae. Persons from low-income households were especially affected, specifically by fears related to the personal financial situation. Those who reacted with a particularly strong fear in the beginning of war were more likely to have persistent clinically relevant symptoms of depression and anxiety also 6 months later.DiscussionThe Russian invasion of Ukraine is accompanied by continuing impairment of mental health in the German population. Fears surrounding the personal financial situation are a strong determinant.

Metacognition is a part of the models of self-regulated learning. The consideration of a broader context resonates with a social cognitive perspective approach to learning which dominates the educational academic field with the theory of self-regulated learning. Metacognition is considered a crucial factor influencing mathematics achievement. Furthermore, the affective field including pupils' self-efficacy, interest and motivation are the phenomena involved in mathematical problem-solving. On the other hand, metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive regulations are not a regular part of mathematics education in the Czech Republic. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relation between pupils' attitude toward mathematics; metacognitive knowledge; self-efficacy and motivation; metacognitive monitoring; and their achievement in solving mathematical problems. All together 1,133 students of Grade 5 from four types of Czech schools participated in the study. There were traditional schools; schools teaching mathematics by genetic constructivism, i.e., Hejný's method; Montessori schools; and Dalton schools were involved. The assessed variables, namely relation to mathematics; metacognitive knowledge; self-efficacy and motivation; metacognitive monitoring; and mathematical achievement were used as an input to regression analysis. Item-response theory was used for assessing the performance of the students and demands of the tasks. The metacognitive monitoring was detected as the most significant predictor of mathematics achievement for higher- and lower-performing students as well as for the item with high and low demands. The study reveals how the different mathematics curricula (un)support the metacognitive processes involved in mathematical problem-solving. The information allows teachers to spend sufficient time with particular types of mathematics problems whose solutions is determined by activation of metacognitive processes. This demonstrates the importance of including the activities for development of metacognitive monitoring in mathematics education.

Computational thinking is considered a set of skills necessary for living and working in today’s society. It has recently become part of mathematics curricula in several European countries. In this study, we offer a glimpse into the informal classroom where statistical reasoning and computational thinking are developed simultaneously. The student–teacher discussion was analysed and categorised. The dialogue dealt with both statistical and computational thinking. Implying from the nature of the activity, sources of errors and variation in data were discussed and ways to overcome the errors were discussed. The discussions related to computational thinking mainly addressed the work with BBC micro:bit, whether with the manipulation and hardware of the coding. A variable was used from both perspectives, as a mathematical concept and as an entity used to store the information. We identified the notion of a variable as the intersection between statistics and computational thinking.

This article examines the mechanical properties and compatibility of selected composite materials produced with RP technology and the FFF—fused filament fabrication process. The article scales sophisticated modern materials based on PLA—polylactic acid—plastic and its composite variants. The research is carried out on the 3D FFF printer Felix 3.1 with a dual extruder, which works on the “open-source” principle. In this research, elements of the paradigm and methodology of the processing technology for RP were applied; they were implemented according to EN ISO 527 and ISO 2602 standards. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of 3D-printing strategy on the mechanical properties of 5 types of PLA composites. The results of this research solve the material compatibility problem, primarily through experimental testing of different combinations of filaments in different printing directions. Analysis of the experimental data showed correlations between the choice of printing strategy and mechanical properties, mainly tensile strength of the selected filaments. The research results show the influence of the printing orientation on mechanical properties of 3D printed samples: parts extruded in length orientation showed higher values of tensile strength compared to parts made in width and height. The CarbonPLA material exhibited 10 times higher tensile strength when printed in length compared to samples.

Abstract Soil microorganisms and their activities are essential for maintaining soil health and fertility. Microorganisms can be negatively affected by application of herbicides. Although effects of herbicides on microorganisms are widely studied, there is a lack of information for chloroacetamide herbicide dimethachlor. Thus, dimethachlor and well known linuron were applied to silty-loam luvisol and their effects on microorganisms were evaluated during112 days long laboratory assay. Dimethachlor and linuron were applied in doses 1.0 kg ha−1 and 0.8 kg ha−1 corresponding to 3.33 mg kg−1 and 2.66 mg kg−1 respectively. Also 100-fold doses were used for magnification of impacts. Linuron in 100-fold dose caused minor increase of respiration, temporal increase of soil microbial biomass, decrease of soil dehydrogenase activity, and altered microbial community. Dimethachlor in 100-fold dose significantly increased respiration; microbial biomass and decreased soil enzymatic activities. Microbial composition changed significantly, Proteobacteria abundance, particularly Pseudomonas and Achromobacter genera increased from 7 to 28th day. In-silico prediction of microbial gene expression by PICRUSt2 software revealed increased expression of genes related to xenobiotic degradation pathways. Evaluated characteristics of microbial community and activity were not affected by herbicides in recommended doses and the responsible use of both herbicides will not harm soil microbial community.

The aspects of inquiry based learning (IBL) are vigorously and frequently in the focus of recent studies. With the use of inquiry in mathematics in the daily school practice, some further questions are arising there: What kind of problems can be useful for an analysis of students’ competencies in the field of IBL and how to assess the performed level of competencies? In this paper, the Mathematics B-day contest assignment is introduced as a mean to assess the students’ performance in mathematical inquiry skills. Some new rubrics with didactical variables were designed as a tool for assessing students’ competencies. The statistical implicative analysis was used to investigate 29 solutions of Mathematics B-day 2017: Arrow clocks. We identified the key subtasks solutions directly related to the level of the IBL competencies performed in the final mathematical investigation. The subtask which required actually high level of algebraic thinking influenced the level of the final mathematical investigation the most.

Abstract Background Guidelines for improving the quality of maternal health services emphasise women’s involvement in care. However, evidence about migrant and ethnic minorities’ preferences for participation in maternal care remains unsystematised. Understanding these populations’ experiences with and preferred forms of involvement in care provision is crucial for imbuing policies and guidelines with sensitivity to diversity and for implementing people-centred care. This paper presents a narrative synthesis of empirical studies of involvement in maternal health care by migrants and ethnic minorities based on four key dimensions: information, communication, expression of preferences and decision-making. Methods Studies indexed in PubMed and Scopus published until December 2019 were searched. Original quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies written in English and reporting on migrant and ethnic minority involvement in maternal care were included. Backward reference tracking was carried out. Three researchers conducted full-text review of selected publications. Results In total, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were comparative and addressed only one or two dimensions of involvement, with an emphasis on the information and communication dimensions. Compared to natives, migrants and ethnic minorities were more likely to (1) lack access to adequate information as a result of health care staff’s limited time, knowledge and misconceptions about women’s needs and preferences; (2) report suboptimal communication with care staff caused by language barriers and inadequate interpreting services; (3) be offered fewer opportunities to express preferences and to have preferences be taken less into account; and (4) be less involved in decisions about their care due to difficulties in understanding information, socio-cultural beliefs and previous experiences with care provision less attuned with playing an active role in decision-making and care staff detracting attitudes. Conclusion Constraints to adequate and inclusive involvement in maternal care can hinder access to quality care and result in severe negative health outcomes for migrant and ethnic minority women. More research is needed into how to tailor the dimensions of involvement to migrant and ethnic minorities’ needs and preferences, followed by provision of the resources necessary for effective implementation (e.g. sufficient time for consultations, optimal interpreter systems, health care staff training).

Microbial communities on fresh-consumed plant products are an important predictor of quality and safety for the consumer. Totally, 45 samples of berry fruits (8 blackberries, 9 blueberries, 8 strawberries, 8 raspberries, 12 currants) and 40 samples of leafy vegetables (20 lettuce, 6 cornsalad, 8 rocket, 8 spinach) were analyzed using cultivation and DNA-depended methods. Total aerobic count, coliforms, and yeasts were significantly lower in fruits while counts of filamentous fungi were similar. Pantoea, Enterobacter, and Klebsiella were the most common colonies grown on VRBL agar. Salmonella was detected in single sample of cornsalad using qPCR but no sample contained Escherichia coli harboring stx1, stx2 and intimin genes. Sequencing of V4 region of bacteria 16S rRNA and ITS2 region of fungi amplified from plant tissue-extracted DNA confirmed different composition of fruit and vegetable microbiome. Pre-enrichment of bacteria in phosphate buffered water allowed deeper analysis of Enterobacteriaceae using V4–V5 region of 16S rRNA while differences among communities were described similarly. Pantoea, Klebsiella, or Staphylococcus were more frequent in berries while Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, or Sphingobacterium in leafy vegetables. Comparison of inner and outer leaves of head-forming lettuces (6 iceberg, 5 romain) showed that outer leaves are colonized by more bacteria with higher diversity. Microbiological safety of fresh production requires more attention as the potentially pathogenic bacteria were detected, particularly in leafy vegetables. However, the true pathogenicity of such bacteria needs further research.

Formability and its prediction of high-strength steels is an important research subject for forming specialists and researchers in this field. Springback and its accurate prediction of high-strength steels are very common issues in metal forming processes. In this article, the impact of blank holding force and friction on the parts springback made of dual-phase steel was studied. Numerical predictions of the springback effect were conducted using nine combinations of yield criteria and hardening rules. Results from experiments were evaluated and compared with results from numerical simulations. The use of lower blank holding forces and PE foil can reduce springback by a significant amount. Numerical simulations where the Yoshida-Uemori hardening rule was applied produced more accurate springback prediction results compared to simulations that used Krupkowski and Hollomon’s isotropic hardening rules in number of cases.

The aim of this research was to evaluate the mechanical impact of different direct restorations in terms of fracture resistance, and subsequent fracture pattern, in occlusal high C-factor cavities. Furthermore, the adaptation of different direct restorations in the form of gap formation was also evaluated. Seventy-two intact mandibular molars were collected and randomly distributed into three groups (n = 24). Class I occlusal cavities with standardized dimensions were prepared in all specimens. After adhesive treatment, the cavities were restored with direct restorations utilizing three different materials. Group 1: layered conventional packable resin composite (Filtek Ultimate), Group 2: bulk-fill resin composite (SDR), Group 3: bulk-fill short fibre-reinforced composite (SFRC; everX Posterior) covered with packable composite occlusally. Half of the restored specimens underwent static load-to fracture testing (n = 12/group), while the rest underwent sectioning and staining for microleakage evaluation and gap formation analysis. Fracture patterns were evaluated visually among the mechanically tested specimens. The layered composite restoration (Group 1) showed significantly lower fracture resistance compared to the bulk fill groups (Group 2, p = 0.005, Group 3, p = 0.008), while there was no difference in fracture resistance between the other groups. In terms of gap formation values, the layered composite restoration (Group 1) produced significantly higher gap formation compared to the bulk-fill groups (Group 2, p = 0.000, Group 3, p = 0.000). Regarding the fracture pattern, SFRC (Group 3) produced the highest number, while SDR (Group 2) produced the lowest number of repairable fractures. The use of bulk-fill resin composite (fibre or non-fibre-reinforced) for occlusal direct restorations in high C-factor cavities showed promising achievements regarding both fracture resistance and microleakage. Furthermore, the use of short fibre-reinforced bulk-fill composite can also improve the fracture pattern of the restoration-tooth unit. Bulk-fill materials provide a simple and effective solution for restoring and reinforcing high C-factor occlusal cavities.