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As federal partners, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) agreed to share resources, such as education. The VA Geriatric Scholars Program, a workforce development program, provides one of its training programs on team-based primary care of elders to clinicians working in IHS and Tribal Health Programs. The practical impact of that training is described. A mixed methods approach was applied to the course's evaluation survey at five clinics in the Northwestern Plains, Southwest, Pacific Coast, and Alaska. Quantitative approaches assessed participants' self-reported intention to improve recognition and assessment of common geriatric syndromes. A qualitative approach applied to open-ended text responses revealed intensions to improve team-based care. Among the 51 respondents in our sample, we found significant improvements in self-reported ability to recognize previously unfamiliar potential risks to elders' health and safety, t(49) = 8.0233, p <.001, as well as increased comfort with conducting geriatric assessments and increased confidence in interprofessional team-based communication. Improvements to team-based care included enhanced clinical skills, organizational factors and the need to train additional employees. This evaluation demonstrates the value of sharing resources among federal partners and its value for participants in IHS and Tribal Health Programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In case of biological hazards and pandemics, personal protective equipment of rescue forces is currently manually decontaminated with harmful disinfectants, primarily peracetic acid. To overcome current drawbacks regarding supply, handling and disposal of chemicals, the use of plasma processed air (PPA) represents a promising alternative for surface decontamination on site. In this study, the sporicidal efficiency of a portable plasma system, designed for field applications, was evaluated. Methods and Results: The developed plasma device is based on a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and operated with ambient air as process gas. PPA from the plasma nozzle was flushed into a treatment chamber (volume: 300 l) and bacterial endospores (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus atrophaeus) dried on different surfaces were treated under variable conditions. Reductions in spores by more than 4 log10 were found within 3 min of PPA exposure. However, the presence of endospores in agglomerates or in an organic matrix as well as the complexity of the respective surface microstructure negatively affected the inactivation efficiency. When endospores were embedded in a dried protein matrix, mechanical wiping with swabs during exposure to PPA increased the inactivation effect significantly. Gaseous ozone alone did not provide a sporicidal effect. Significant spore inactivation was only obtained when water vapour was injected into the PPA stream. Conclusion: The results show that endospores dried on surfaces can be reduced by several orders of magnitude within few minutes in a treatment chamber which is flushed with PPA from of a DBD plasma nozzle. Significance and Impact of the Study: Plasma processed air generated on site by DBD plasma nozzles could be a suitable alternative for the disinfection of various surfaces in closed rooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the homogeneous nucleation rates of supercooled water measured in single levitated microdroplets. Analyzing the angle-resolved light scattering pattern of the droplets with classical Mie theory; Increase in the depolarization of the scattered light; Statistical analysis of the freezing process of individual droplets.

Highlights the use of high-resolution triple-crystal x-ray diffractometry to investigate long-range order in single-crystal (100)-oriented metastable (Gallium Antimony)[sub1-x])Germanium[sub2])[subx] alloys. Diagram of the multitarget radio-frequency sputtering system used for crystal growth; Key feature in allowing the growth of single-phase metastable alloys; Determination of an order parameter from x-ray diffraction measurements.

Background/Objectives: Home‐based primary care (HBPC) is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program to meet the medical needs of community‐dwelling populations needing long‐term care (LTC). The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) expanded its HBPC program to underserved rural communities, including American Indian reservations, providing a “natural laboratory” to study change in access to VA LTC benefits and utilization outcomes for rural populations that typically face challenges in accessing LTC medical support. Design: Pretest‐Posttest quasi‐experimental approach with interrupted time‐series design using linked VA, Medicare, and Indian Health Service (IHS) records. Setting: American Indian reservations and non‐Indian communities in rural HBPC catchment areas. Participants: 376 veterans (88 IHS beneficiaries, 288 non‐IHS beneficiaries) with a HBPC length of stay of 12 months or longer. Measurements: Baseline demographic and health characteristics, activities of daily living (ADL), previous VA enrollment, and hospital admissions and emergency department (ED) visits as a function of time, accounting for IHS beneficiary and functional statuses. Results: For HBPC users, VA enrollment increased by 22%. At baseline, 30% of IHS and non‐IHS beneficiaries had 2 or more ADLs impairments; IHS populations were younger (P < .001) and had more diagnosed chronic diseases (P = .007). Overall, hospital admissions decreased by 0.10 (95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.14 to −0.05) and ED visits decreased by 0.13 (95% CI = −0.19 to −0.07) in the 90 days after HBPC admission (Ps < .001) and these decreases were maintained over 1 year follow‐up. Before HBPC, probability of hospital admission was 12% lower for IHS than non‐IHS beneficiaries (P = .02). Conclusion: Introducing HBPC to rural areas increased access to LTC and enrollment for healthcare benefits, with equitable outcomes in IHS and non‐IHS populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Veterans Health Affairs (VA) home-based primary care (HBPC) is an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach to non-institutional long-term care that was developed in urban settings to provide longitudinal care for vulnerable older patients. Under the authority of a Memorandum of Understanding between VA and Indian Health Service (IHS) to improve access to healthcare, 14 VA medical centers (VAMC) independently initiated plans to expand HBPC programs to rural American Indian reservations and 12 VAMC successfully implemented programs. The purpose of this study is to describe barriers and facilitators to implementation in rural Native communities with the aim of informing planners and policy-makers for future program expansions.Methods: A qualitative comparative case study approach was used, treating each of the 14 VAMC as a case. Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to inform an open-ended interview guide, telephone interviews (n = 37) were conducted with HBPC staff and clinicians and local/regional managers, who participated or oversaw implementation. The interviews were transcribed, coded, and then analyzed using CFIR domains and constructs to describe and compare experiences and to identify facilitators, barriers, and adaptations that emerged in common across VAMC and HBPC programs.Results: There was considerable variation in local contexts across VAMC. Nevertheless, implementation was typically facilitated by key individuals who were able to build trust and faith in VA healthcare among American Indian communities. Policy promoted clinical collaboration but collaborations generally occurred on an ad hoc basis between VA and IHS clinicians to optimize patient resources. All programs required some adaptations to address barriers in rural areas, such as distances, caseloads, or delays in hiring additional clinicians. VA funding opportunities facilitated expansion and sustainment of these programs.Conclusions: Since program expansion is a responsibility of the HBPC program director, there is little sharing of lessons learned across VA facilities. Opportunities for shared learning would benefit federal healthcare organizations to expand other medical services to additional American Indian communities and other rural and underserved communities, as well as to coordinate with other healthcare organizations. The CFIR structure was an effective analytic tool to compare programs addressing multiple inner and outer settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of the fluence regulation on the inactivation efficiency of pulsed light (PL) surface disinfection treatments was investigated. E. coli and L. innocua were exposed to PL on a gel surface under variation of the applied voltage, the number of light flashes as well as the distance between the flash lamp and the sample surface. The results revealed deviations from the reciprocity law when the total fluence striking the sample surface was not applied at once, but subdivided into several successive light flashes. No differences were found when the fluence was delivered with only single light flashes, irrespective of the applied voltage. The pulse frequency did not have an impact on the microbial reduction within 1–5 Hz. Furthermore, the sensitivities of various bacterial strains, endospores and conidiospores were compared. Differences occurred for vegetative bacteria without a clear pattern, while bacterial endospores were more resistant. Dark pigmented mold spores were slightly more resistant than bacterial endospores. All dose-response curves exhibited a downward concavity, except for P. aeruginosa . Industrial relevance This study shows that the inactivation of bacteria on e.g. food surfaces by pulsed light systems depends on the way of fluence dosage. While it is irrelevant whether the fluence is regulated by the discharge voltage or the distance between the flash lamp and the treated surface, it is more effective to apply only single light flashes of high fluence instead of several consecutive light flashes. There is furthermore no distinct trend regarding the sensitivity of bacteria to PL, variations occur on species and strain level. Bacterial spores are in general more resistant while pigmented conidiospores show a slightly higher resistance than bacterial endospores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonthermal disinfection technologies are gaining increasing interest in the field of minimally processed food in order to improve the microbial safety or to extend the shelf life. Especially fresh-cut produce or meat and fish products are vulnerable to microbial spoilage, but, due to their sensitivity, they require gentle preservation measures. The application of intense light pulses of a broad spectral range comprising ultraviolet, visible and near infrared irradiation is currently investigated as a potentially suitable technology to reduce microbial loads on different food surfaces or in beverages. Considerable research has been performed within the last two decades, in which the impact of various process parameters or microbial responses as well as the suitability of pulsed light (PL) for food applications has been examined. This review summarizes the outcome of the latest studies dealing with the treatment of various foods including the impact of PL on food properties as well as recent findings about the microbicidal action and relevant process parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the Pulsed Light technology (PL) for its efficiency to reduce the microbial loads on mung bean sprouts and endive salad during a simulated wash process for up to 60 s. The microbicidal action of PL proved to be more efficient than the sanitizers electrolyzed water (40 ppm free chlorine) and chlorine dioxide (15 ppm) within the same treatment time. Reductions of the microbial count up to 2.5 log were found in case of PL treated endive salad while both sanitizers only caused maximum reductions by about 1.5 log. A combination of PL and sanitizers did not have pronounced additional effect for both endive salad and mung bean sprouts. Overall, the decontamination treatments were more effective in case of endive salad compared to mung bean sprouts. It was also shown that the microbial loads in the washing water may be kept on a low level during PL treatments as count reductions of approx. 3 log were found in relation to simply washing in tap water. This study reveals that PL may be a suitable approach to reduce microbial hazards of industrially manufactured fresh produce. The application during the washing process not only reduces microbial loads on the product surface but also efficiently inactivates suspended microorganisms in the wash water and may therefore be an alternative to sanitizers for the prevention of cross contaminations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Veterans Affairs Geriatric Scholars Program ( GSP) is a continuing professional development program to integrate geriatrics into the clinical practices of primary care providers and select associated health professions that support primary care teams. GSP uses a blended program educational format, and the minimal requirements are to attend an intensive course in geriatrics, participate in an interactive workshop on quality improvement ( QI), and initiate a local QI project to demonstrate application of new knowledge to benefit older veterans. Using a retrospective post/pre survey design, the effect of GSP on clinical practices and behaviors and variation of that effect on clinicians working in rural and nonrural settings were evaluated. Significant improvement was found in the frequency of using evidence-based brief standardized assessments, clinical decision-making, and standards of care. Significant subgroup differences were observed in peer-to-peer information sharing between rural and nonrural clinicians. Overall, 77% of the sample reported greater job satisfaction after participating in GSP. The program is a successful model for advancing postgraduate education in geriatrics and a model that might be replicated to increase access to quality health care, particularly in rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The objective of this study was a comprehensive characterization of physiological changes of Salmonella enterica induced by intense broad spectrum pulsed light (PL). After exposing the bacteria to this nonthermal decontamination technology on a gel surface, multiple viability parameters beyond culturability were assessed. Methods and Results By applying flow cytometry, a luciferin-luciferase bioluminescence assay and a microplate assay to measure the current redox activity, the impact of pulsed light on the membrane potential, membrane integrity, esterase activity, efflux pump activity, expression of the green fluorescent protein (GFP), respiration activity and ATP-content of Salm. enterica ATCC BAA-1045 was determined. These culture-independent methods for assessing the bacterial activity were compared to the ability to grow on tryptic soy agar. It is shown that this strain is rather sensitive to PL considering colony count reductions, while on the other hand unculturable bacteria still exhibit significant cellular energetic functions. However, this residual activity after PL exposure significantly decreases during sample storage in buffer for 24 h. This study also shows that the GFP expression of PL-treated cells which have rendered unculturable is severely reduced. Conclusions This study reveals that although not all cellular functions of Salm. enterica are immediately shut down after PL exposure, the synthesis of new GFP is strongly reduced and affected to a similar extent as the culturability. Significance and Impact of the Study It is shown for the first time, that even there is significant bacterial activity measurable after PL exposure, it is likely that nongrowing pathogenic bacteria like Salm. enterica are unable to express proteins, which is of great importance regarding their pathogenicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine if the combined effects of patient-level (demographic and clinical characteristics) and organizational-level (structure and strategies to improve access) factors are uniformly associated with utilization of Indian Health Service (IHS) and/or Veterans Health Administration (VHA) by American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Veterans to inform policy which promotes dual use.Methods: We estimated correlates and compared two separate multilevel logistic regression models of VHA-IHS dual versus IHS-only and VHA-IHS dual versus VHA-only in a sample of 18,892 AIAN Veterans receiving care at 201 VHA and IHS facilities during FY02 and FY03. Demographic, diagnostic, eligibility, and utilization data were drawn from administrative records. A survey of VHA and IHS facilities defined availability of services and strategies to enhance access to healthcare for AIAN Veterans.Results: Facility level strategies that are generally associated with enhancing access to healthcare (e.g., population-based services and programs, transportation or co-location) were not significant factors associated with dual use. In both models the common variable of dual use was related to medical need, defined as the number of diagnoses per patient. Other significant demographic, medical need and organizational factors operated in opposing manners. For instance, age increased the likelihood of dual use versus IHS-only but decreased the likelihood of dual use versus VHA-only.Conclusions: Efforts to enhance access through population-based and consumer-driven strategies may add value but be less important to utilization than availability of healthcare resources needed by this population. Sharing health records and co-management strategies would improve quality of care while policies allow and promote dual use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA) is a commonly used data-driven method for system identification and reduced-order modelling of dynamical systems. The main computational difficulty in ERA arises when the system under consideration has a large number of inputs and outputs, requiring to compute a singular value decomposition (SVD) of a large-scale dense Hankel matrix. In this work, we present an algorithm that aims to resolve this computational bottleneck via tangential interpolation. This involves projecting the original impulse response sequence onto suitably chosen directions. The resulting data-driven reduced model preserves stability and is endowed with an a priori error bound. Numerical examples demonstrate that the modified ERA algorithm with tangentially interpolated data produces accurate reduced models while, at the same time, reducing the computational cost and memory requirements significantly compared to the standard ERA. We also give an example to demonstrate the limitations of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid microbiological methods to assess cell physiological properties of microorganisms are gaining interest in the elucidation of the effect of antimicrobial agents or physical inactivation. Fluorescent probes combined with flow cytometry or microplate assays provide information about cellular targets of chemical or physical stressors and help to clarify the underlying mode of action. In this work we exemplarily monitored the bacterial response of Listeria innocua , Staphylococcus aureus , Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli to a mild thermal treatment by applying various methods to illustrate bacterial vital functions like the redox activity, membrane potential, esterase activity, efflux activity, glucose uptake, membrane integrity and plate counts. It was observed that some cellular properties are affected earlier than others. Respiration, glucose-uptake and pump activity were the most sensitive parameters, followed by the loss of membrane potential and membrane integrity. Unspecific esterase was found to be relatively resistant to mild heat exposure. This study shows that such a multi-method approach is a suitable tool to monitor the impact of inactivation treatments on bacteria, providing information about the mode of action, the heterogeneity of populations, species-specific differences to stressors and valuable insight in vital functions beyond pure culturability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Pulsed light ( PL) is an upcoming nonthermal decontamination technology mainly used for surface sterilization. The objective of this study was to investigate the extent of cellular damage caused by PL treatments of Listeria innocua and Escherichia coli on a polysaccharide surface in order to gain knowledge about the main inactivation pathways. Methods and Results The impact of PL on the cellular ATP level was investigated as well as the bacterial ability to take up fluorescently labelled glucose (2- NBDG). Furthermore, the extent of DNA damages was assessed by qPCR. The ability of L. innocua and E. coli to photorepair under artificial daylight exposure was quantified. Finally, the induction of reactive oxygen species ( ROS) and lipid peroxidation were studied by fluorometric detection of ROS and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances ( TBARS). It is shown that intracellular ATP levels and glucose uptake ability do not correlate with the immediate loss of bacterial reproducibility, which indicates that cellular activity and energy may remain on a relatively high level, although growth on tryptic soy agar is not observable. Sequence specific investigation of PL induced DNA damages by qPCR revealed distinct differences between L. innocua and E. coli although the observed inactivation efficacy of PL by the culture based method was similar. Photoreactivation has been observed for both bacteria, a higher recovery rate of up to 2 log was seen in case of E. coli. Intracellular ROS and lipid peroxides were both detectable at relatively high fluencies with E. coli so the contribution of oxidative damage to microbial inactivation of PL cannot be excluded. Conclusions Escherichia coli as well as L. innocua cells have proven to maintain residual cellular activity after having been exposed to PL even when they are not able to reproduce any more. High proportions of sublethal damages were also obvious with regard to occurring photoreactivation. The destruction of bacterial DNA seems to be the primary mechanism of inactivation of PL but the involvement of other factors like oxidative stress cannot be excluded. Significance and Impact of the Study The observed data underline that bacteria are not immediately inactivated after exposure to PL as different indicators of cellular energy are still detectable even when cells do not reproduce on solid media any more. DNA is the primary target of PL, but as the extent of damage among different bacteria may not reveal their actual sensitivity, other destructive effects should also be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The objective of this study was the fundamental investigation of the antimicrobial efficiency of various hop extracts against selected foodborne pathogens in vitro, as well as their activity against Listeria monocytogenes in a model meat marinade and on marinated pork tenderloins. Methods and Results In a first step, the minimum inhibitory concentrations ( MIC) of three hop extracts containing either α- or β-acids or xanthohumol were determined against test bacteria including L. monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli by a colorimetric method based on the measurement of bacterial metabolic activity. Moreover, the influence of either lactic or citric acid on the antimicrobial activity of the hop extracts was evaluated. The efficiency of hop extracts as a natural food preservative was then tested in a model meat marinade at 2 and 8°C, respectively, and finally on marinated pork. The experiments showed that Gram-positive bacteria were strongly inhibited by hop extracts containing β-acids and xanthohumol ( MIC values of 6·3 and 12·5 ppm, respectively), whereas the antimicrobial activity of the investigated α-acid extract was significantly lower ( MIC values of 200 ppm). Gram-negative bacteria were highly resistant against all tested hop extracts. Acidification of the test media led to a decrease of the MIC values. The inhibitory activity of the hop extracts against L. monocytogenes was strongly reduced in a fat-containing model meat marinade, but the efficiency of β-acids in this matrix could be increased by lowering pH and storage temperatures. By applying 0·5 % β-acids at pH = 5 in a model marinade, the total aerobic count of pork tenderloins was reduced up to 0·9 log10 compared with marinated pork without hop extract after 2 weeks of storage at 5°C. Conclusions β-acid containing hop extracts have proven to possess a high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria in vitro and in a practice-related application for food preservation. Significance and Impact of the Study Antimicrobial hop extracts could be used as natural preservatives in food applications to extend the shelf life and to increase the safety of fresh products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was the determination of the efficiency of pulsed light (PL) treatments for the decontamination of endive salad and mung bean sprouts, as well as the assessment of quality changes in relation to discoloration and alteration of respiration activity. Produce samples were artificially inoculated with two bacterial test strains Escherichia coli (DSM 498) and Listeria innocua (DSM 20649) and exposed to PL at different energy doses. The inactivation efficiency with regard to the naturally occurring microbiota was also investigated. Besides microbiological investigations, color changes were determined as well as the produce respiration during chilled storage. The results indicated that inactivation of more than 2 log was possible with one flash in the case of fresh-cut salad, while the reduction on mung bean sprouts was limited to approximately 1.6 log with one flash, irrespective if the natural flora or inoculated E. coli or L. innocua were considered. The UV part of the PL proved to be exclusively responsible for the inactivation of microorganisms. Significant lower levels of microbial counts of treated compared with untreated samples were maintained for up to 6 days. In the case of endive salad, a dose-dependent progressive discoloration and increase in respiration was diminished by applying optical bandpass filters, which only slightly affected the inactivation efficiency. In contrast, PL treatments showed a positive effect on color and general appearance of mung bean sprouts, while the respiration was almost unaffected. However, care must be taken with regard to efficiency-limiting matrix effects and impact on food quality. These aspects have to be assessed for each treated product. The integration of PL in industrial food processing plants could be an alternative way to improve the microbial quality of fresh produce, and therefore have a positive impact on public health by reducing the risk of contaminations with pathogenic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The application of broad-spectrum intense light pulses is an innovative nonthermal technology for the decontamination of packaging materials, liquids or foodstuffs. The objective of this study was the fundamental investigation of the cellular impact of a pulsed light treatment on Listeria innocua and Escherichia coli. Methods and Results Flow cytometry in combination with different fluorescent stains, conventional plate count technique and a viability assay were applied to investigate the effects of a pulsed light treatment on the physiological properties of L. innocua and E. coli. The results showed that loss of cultivability occurred at considerably lower fluences than the shutdown of cellular functions such as the depolarization of cell membranes, the loss of metabolic, esterase and pump activities or the occurrence of membrane damage. Therefore, a considerable proportion of cells appeared to have entered the viable but nonculturable ( VBNC) state after the pulsed light treatment. A high percentage of L. innocua was able to maintain certain cellular vitality functions after storage overnight, whereas a further decrease in vitality was observed in case of E. coli. The loss of culturability was on the other hand directly accompanied by the formation of reactive oxygen species ( ROS) and DNA damages, which were assessed by the ROS-sensitive probe DCFH- DA and RAPD- PCR, respectively. Conclusions A significant discrepancy between conventional plate counts and different viability staining parameters was observed, which shows that a pulsed light treatment does not cause an immediate shutdown of vitality functions even when the number of colony-forming units already decreased for more than 6 log10 sample−1. Oxidative stress with concomitant damage to the DNA molecule showed to be directly responsible for the loss of cultivability due to pulsed light rather than a direct rupture of cell membranes or inactivation of intracellular enzymes. Significance and Impact of the Study The presented results suggest an UV light-induced photochemical rather than a photothermal or photophysical inactivation of bacterial cells by pulsed light under the applied experimental conditions. Flow cytometry in combination with different viability stains proved to be a suitable technique to gain deeper insight into the cellular response of bacteria to inactivation processes like a pulsed light treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different specimens ofMormyrops anguilloides(Linnaeus 1758) were reported to display electric organ discharge (EOD) pulses of either initially head-positive or initially negative polarity, a hypothetical sex difference that has not been substantiated to date. The morphology and EODs ofM. anguilloidesof both sexes and a sexually mature size from the Comoé and Bandama rivers, Côte d'Ivoire, and the Lower and Middle Zambezi, Mozambique, displayed initially positive EODs. The morphologically similarM. brevicepsSteindachner 1895 of both sexes and a sexually mature size from the Bandama River displayed initially head-negative EODs of biphasic waveform and long duration (0.93–1.15 ms) in the very-low-frequency spectral range.Mormyrops anguilloidesfrom the Comoé and Bandama rivers were differentiated in caudal peduncle depth and in EOD waveform, pulse duration and spectral energy content. The former samples displayed a biphasic, lower-frequency EOD pulse of up to 0.42 ms duration, the latter a tetraphasic, high-frequency EOD of up to 0.33 ms. It is suggested that reports of EODs of both polarities inM. anguilloidesindicate the presence of an unrecognised species. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Five species ofMormyrusLinné 1758, three from West Africa and one each from East and southern Africa, were compared morphologically, and their electric organ discharges (EODs) recorded in the field. The five species were morphologically well differentiated in terms of principal components analysis and discriminant analysis, with syntopicalM. rumeValenciennes 1846 andM. subundulatusRoberts 1989 very close to but distinct from one another. Half the variation in the dataset was captured by PC1 alone, being mainly loaded by caudal peduncle depth and length, anal fin length, length of snout, pre-anal length, and dorsal fin ray count and length, in that order. Allopatric samples ofM. lacerdaCastelnau 1861 from the Upper Zambezi/Kwando system and Cunene River, Namibia, showed some differentiation regarded as infrasubspecific, similar to that of theM. rumesamples from the Bandama River compared to those of the Comoé River, both in Côte d'Ivoire. The EODs, normalised to 25 °C, varied in average duration from 362 µs in the monopolar pulses ofM. tenuirostrisPeters 1882 sampled in Kenya, to 6 675 µs in the biphasic waveform pulses ofM. lacerda, the waveform also displayed by all otherMormyrusspecies. The EOD ofM. hasselquistiiValenciennes 1846 was so strong the fish was painful to handle. The EOD pulse duration ofM. rumediffered significantly between the sexes, being on average 1 334 µs (SE 106) in females and 2 008 µs (SE 195) in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT New high resolution studies of the Galactic maser site 337.705−0.053 reveal its magnetic field and velocity morphology. The long baseline array of the Australia Telescope National Facility provided simultaneous observations of both the 1665- and 1667-MHz OH transitions which yielded a sequence of maps at velocity spacing 0.09 km s−1, in both senses of circular polarization, with tenth-arcsec spatial resolution. 38 small diameter maser spots were detected, spread over an ellipse with largest dimension of 1.5 arcsec. Pairs of spots with the same position, but with right and left circular polarization at different frequency, reveal Zeeman splitting. Five pairs at 1665 MHz and four at 1667 MHz are seen; at one position, pairs at both transitions indicate a comparable magnetic field and similar (central) velocity. All estimates of magnetic field are in the same sense, with a median value of −2.5 mG (pointing towards the earth), confirming an interpretation from single-dish observations. The morphology and kinematics have been compared with that of maser emission from the excited state of OH at 6035 MHz, with methanol at 6668 MHz and 12 GHz, and with water at 22 GHz. All species are intermingled, and associated with an ultracompact H ii region. The site most likely lies near the tangent point of the Galactic 3-kpc ring, at a distance of 7.9 kpc. The maser spot distribution over 1.5 arcsec then corresponds to a diameter of 60 mpc, amongst the largest known, and likely to be approaching the end of the maser emitting phase. 337.705−0.053 adds to the maser sites studied in sufficient detail to explore ordered patterns in the global Galactic magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyl (OH) masers at two Galactic sites of massive star formation have been studied using the Long Baseline Array of the Australia Telescope National Facility. The 6035- and 6030-MHz OH excited-state transitions were observed, yielding a series of maps at velocity spacing 0.10 km s, in both senses of circular polarization, with angular resolution of approximately 50 mas. Within a radius of several arcsec each site displays many maser spots. Pairs of spots with the same position, but with right and left circular polarization separated in frequency, reveal Zeeman splitting. Towards 351.417+0.645, positions and velocities were measured for 56 discrete maser spots. Remarkably, all of these are components of Zeeman pairs, with 6035-MHz pairs at 23 distinct locations, five of which show matching 6030-MHz pairs. Strikingly, at 14 southerly locations the magnetic field is typically 5 mG (towards us), whereas seven of the northerly locations show a magnetic field of opposite sign, of up to +6.4 mG. The velocity field spanning 11.2 to 5 km s shows no simple pattern. Maser emission towards 353.4100.360 is confined to half an arcsecond total extent, comprising 24 maser spots, most of them members of nine Zeeman pairs. Derived magnetic fields are all negative, three between 4.8 and 10.6 mG and three much weaker fields between 0 and 1.6 mG. There is no simple pattern in the velocity field. OH masers at the 1665- and 1720-MHz transitions, and prominent ultracompact H regions, are present at both 351.417+0.645 and 353.4100.360. They are accompanied by methanol maser emission at the 6668-MHz, 12-GHz, and 107-GHz transitions. Masers at the 1667-MHz transition of OH and at the 22-GHz transition of water are found towards 351.417+0.645, but not towards 353.4100.360. The magnetic fields of both sites are in accord with tracing an ordered Galactic magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falls are a major public health problem for older adults, and community-based organizations play a key role in educating seniors about falls prevention (FP). We conducted a qualitative process evaluation at six sites to report community-based centers' perspectives on adoption, adaptation, and sustainability of an evidence-based multifactorial FP model. Wide dissemination of new health-oriented programs requires marketing to center directors, who must consider sustainability options. The diversity and independence of community-based organizations, together with current staffing and funding limitations, suggest that fidelity to multifactorial evidence-based interventions will be difficult to achieve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality indicators are standardized measures of health care quality. We designed a survey to assess how knowledge, attitude, and organizational practices might affect healthcare provider behaviors in meeting quality indicators for fall prevention to plan curricula for a continuing educational intervention. The survey was pilot tested in the Veterans Affairs (VA) in a small stratified sample. Some items that had been previously used in assessments for continuing education among community physicians were not well matched to the VA practice environment or to midlevel clinicians, suggesting that instruments need to be adapted for relevance to the health care setting as well as discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This chapter describes the progress made during the past three decades in the finite size scaling analysis of the critical phenomena of the Anderson transition. The scaling theory of localization and the Anderson model of localization are briefly sketched. The finite size scaling method is described. Recent results for the critical exponents of the different symmetry classes are summarised. The importance of corrections to scaling are emphasised. A comparison with experiment is made, and a direction for future work is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maser spot distribution of OH provides a valuable probe of its massive star-forming host. We present observations with the Long Baseline Array of the Australia Telescope National Facility, of both the 1665- and 1667-MHz hydroxyl ground-state transitions, yielding a series of maps in both right- and left-hand circular polarization at velocity spacing 0.09 km s−1 with 0.1 arcsec spatial resolution. A total of 53 maser spots are spread over a remarkably large region exceeding 6 arcsec diameter. At the minimum distance estimate of 5.6 kpc, 6 arcsec corresponds to 163 mpc, much larger than the extents of previously mapped individual sites, which rarely exceed 40 mpc. Seven locations show Zeeman pairs, one of them at both 1665 and 1667 MHz corroborating the same magnetic field estimate. All measured magnetic fields are towards us (negative), and range from −3.7 to −5.8 mG. Comparisons of the morphology and kinematics of the 1665- and 1667-MHz maser spots have been made with those of the OH 1720-MHz transition, the excited state of OH at 6035 MHz, methanol at 6668 MHz, water at 22 GHz and with extensive H ii emission, all of which contribute to a better understanding of the region. We interpret the overall complexity of the region as evidence for several distinct sites of excitation, similar to the remarkable W51 complex, and in contrast to the simple morphologies of previously studied single maser sites such as OH 300.969+1.147 and W3(OH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern maser site OH 300.969+1.147 has been studied using the Long Baseline Array of the Australia Telescope National Facility. The 1665- and 1667-MHz hydroxyl ground-state transitions were observed simultaneously. A series of maps with 0.1-arcsec spatial resolution, at velocity spacing , and in both senses of circular polarization reveals 59 small diameter maser spots. The spots are scattered over 2 arcsec, coincident with a strong ultracompact H ii region, at a distance of 4.3 kpc. 17 Zeeman pairs of oppositely polarized spots were found, all yielding magnetic field estimates towards us (negative), ranging from −1.1 to −4.7 mG, with a median value of −3.5 mG. Excited state masers of OH at 6035 and 6030 MHz at this site also display Zeeman pairs revealing a magnetic field of −5.0 mG. Weak methanol maser emission is intermingled with the OH masers, but there is no detectable closely related water maser. The consistent magnetic field direction found within this site is a striking feature of several other maser sites associated with strong H ii regions studied in comparable detail. We interpret the site as a mature region nearing the end of the brief evolutionary stage that can support maser emission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many American Indian and Alaska Native veterans are eligible for healthcare from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and from Indian Health Service (IHS). These organizations executed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2003 to share resources, but little was known about how they collaborated to deliver healthcare.Objective: To describe dual use from the stakeholders' perspectives, including incentives that encourage cross-use, which organization's primary care is "primary," and the potential problems and opportunities for care coordination across VHA and IHS.Participants: VHA healthcare staff, IHS healthcare staff and American Indian and Alaska Native veterans.Approach: Focus groups were conducted using a semi-structured guide. A software-assisted text analysis was performed using grounded theory to develop analytic categories.Main Results: Dual use was driven by variation in institutional resources, leading patients to actively manage health-seeking behaviors and IHS providers to make ad hoc recommendations for veterans to seek care at VHA. IHS was the "primary" primary care for dual users. There was little coordination between VHA and IHS resulting in delays and treatment conflicts, but all stakeholder groups welcomed future collaboration.Conclusions: Fostering closer alignment between VHA and IHS would reduce care fragmentation and improve accountability for patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) women serve in the military and are eligible for healthcare from both the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS). Little was known about these women''s patterns of health care utilization when VHA and IHS executed a resource-sharing agreement in 2003 to improve access and health outcomes. Objective: We sought to describe women''s healthcare utilization in VHA and IHS. Methods: We conducted a descriptive secondary data analysis of linked IHS and VHA administrative records from fiscal years 2002 and 2003 for women among all IHS beneficiaries who were veterans or used VHA for health care (n = 64,746). Results: Among these IHS beneficiaries, 4,338 (6.7%) were female veterans and 1,518 (2.8%) were female nonveterans. Comparing IHS services to VHA, the VHA provided the majority of outpatient specialty care to veterans, providing 89.9% of diagnostic and imaging services, 84.4% of mental health care, and 78.1% of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Conversely, the IHS provided the majority of ambulatory and inpatient care for obstetrics and gynecology to these veterans. Dual users received primary care from both organizations. Nonveterans generally accessed VHA under sharing agreements and their use of health care was generally limited to outpatient diagnostic and imaging. Conclusions: The VHA seems to supplement healthcare provided by the IHS for female AIAN veterans, as well as for a small proportion of nonveterans. The VHA and the IHS have developed specialized and complementary expertise, which might be aligned to serve the needs of female AIAN veterans. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The author discusses the roles of epidermal growth factor (AGF) and the Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) in understanding the connection between the breast milk and the gastrointestinal disease necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Topics include the protective of the EGF against the disease, the role of TLR-4 in activating and improving the enterocyte inhibation and proliferation of enterocyte apoptosis, and the significant of the human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) in reducing the severity of NEC.

In a consecutive series of 64 patients with an ABG-II stem, we analyzed whether the tightness of the fit of the prosthesis affected bone remodeling and if there was a relation between clinical and radiological results. Radiographic analysis of bone remodeling in different Gruen zones was done. Bone density changes were graded as present or absent in the AP and lateral radiographs as compared with the previous sets of radiographs. Bone remodeling was compared to literature values of the ABG-I stem. Three stem levels were defined. The proximal level was set at the upper border of the lesser trochanter, the mid-stem level at halfway the stem and the distal level 1 cm above the tip of the prosthesis. Femoral fit was defined as tight when the ratio of the fit was ≥0.8 and as non-tight if the fit was <0.8. The incidence of thigh pain was scored using the Merle d’Aubigne (MdA) hip score. Proximal bone resorption in Gruen zone 1 was 26.6% and in zone 7, 34.4% compared to 48 and 45% for the ABG-I stem after 5 years. No correlation was found between femoral fit and radiological changes. Proximal and distal fit was significantly lower for patients with thigh pain than without thigh pain. Patients with a non-tight proximal fit produced significantly more varus (17/30 = 56.7%) than patients with a tight proximal fit (2/34 = 5.9%; P < 0.01). Femoral fit in ABG-II does not predict certain radiological changes, but less proximal bone resorption confirms the design changes from ABG-I to ABG-II. A non-tight proximal fit is correlated with varus position of the stem. Thigh pain is correlated with a poor fit and fill of the femoral stem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contamination of cold cuts with Listeria monocytogenes pose a risk to human health and frequently cause recalls of affected products. In order to avoid chemical additives for the preservation of ready-to-eat meat products, plant based antimicrobials are currently in demand. Beta acids from the hop plant are known for their strong antimicrobial effects especially against gram-positive bacteria like L. monocytogenes, making them a promising candidate as a functional ingredient. In this study, the antimicrobial activity of a beta acid rich hop extract in combination with sodium nitrite was characterized in vitro, at which the different hurdles of packaged cured boiled sausages were simulated. A complete growth inhibition of L. monocytogenes was found at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.2 μg/ml (MIC) when the hop extract was applied in combination with a reduced water activity (a w 0.970), a slightly acidic environment (pH 6) and anaerobic conditions. Under optimal growth conditions (a w 0.995, pH 7, aerobic incubation), the MIC was 16-fold higher (3.2 μg/ml). Sodium nitrite showed a comparably low antimicrobial activity against L. monocytogenes in vitro (MIC > 100 μg/ml). The presence of 1% sunflower oil negatively affected the antimicrobial activity of the hop extract, leading at least to a 32-fold increase of the MIC. The hop extract was subsequently added to a standard recipe of pork bologna at two concentrations. The pork bologna was produced by use of two different cutter processes and then sliced, inoculated on the surface with a two strain mixture of L. monocytogenes and stored at 7 °C under modified gas atmosphere for 28 days. At 0.4 g/kg of hop extract, L. monocytogenes populations were reduced up to 3 orders of magnitude in relation to bologna without hop extract while 0.8 g/kg of hop extract either prevented the growth of L. monocytogenes or resulted in at least 4 orders of magnitude lower final populations. There was no significant sensory deviation of hop bologna according to performed triangle tests (α = 0.05) and the product color remained unaffected. Based on the presented results, the use of beta acid rich hop extracts can be proposed as an additional hurdle to inhibit the propagation of L. monocytogenes on packaged ready-to-eat cold cuts like bologna. • Hurdle concept increases antimicrobial effect of hop extract. • Hop extract in bologna prevents growth of Listeria monocytogenes. • Hop extract could be used as functional ingredient in bologna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction:Antenatal inflammation in utero may be associated with lung injury and subsequent aberrant lung development resulting in bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). BPD has become a developmental disease with a uniform arrest in lung development.Study Design:The role of antenatal inflammation in the induction of lung injury was explored in a sheep model suitable for the study of lung development with respect to human development. Chorioamnionitis was induced by a single injection of endotoxin into the amniotic cavity under ultrasound guidance.Result:Endotoxin-induced chorioamnionitis caused a cascade of lung injury, pulmonary inflammation and remodeling in the fetal lung similar to lung injury previously described in adult animal models. The structural changes in the fetal lung after chorioamnionitis showed little to no fibrosis and alveolar/microvascular simplification similar to new BPD. The identified cytokine networks and regulators may explain the absence of fibrosis and lung simplification after strictly intra-uterine inflammation.Conclusion:The mechanisms of antenatal inflammation in the fetal lung were multifactorial and could be antenatally modulated. Fetal pulmonary inflammation was temporarily suppressed by maternal glucocorticoid therapy. However, pulmonary inflammation could be augmented postnatally by resuscitation, oxygen toxicity, mechanical ventilation and pulmonary and systemic infection, which opens a broad window of clinical options.Journal of Perinatology (2008) 28, S21–S27; doi:10.1038/jp.2008.46 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence and development of the electric-organ discharge (EOD) in larvae and juvenile bulldog Marcusenius macrolepidotus was investigated. Larvae hatched 4–5 days after spawning, and the first EODs were recorded on days 9 and 10 at a standard length ( LS) of c. 6·5 mm. The larval EOD waveform was virtually monopolar, with a strong head-positive phase followed by a weak head-negative phase of long duration. A small separate potential preceded the EOD by c. 1·6 ms (believed to represent postsynaptic potential from electrocyte stalks). In contrast to previous reports on Pollimyrus adspersus with its distinct larval and adult EODs, in M. macrolepidotus there was a gradual transformation of the larval into the adult EOD waveform. The transformation started at an LS of c. 17 mm (at an age of c. 40 days), first indications being a decrease in duration of the head-negative phase, and an increase of its peak amplitude relative to that of the head-positive phase. Still later, the weak postpotential of the adult EOD emerged on the rising edge of the head-negative phase. The transformation was nearly completed at an LS of c. 30 mm (at an age of c. 60 days). Evolutionary and behavioural consequences of this alternative path of EOD ontogeny are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An overview of the random network model invented by Chalker and Coddington, and its generalizations, is provided. After a short introduction into the physics of the Integer Quantum Hall Effect, which historically has been the motivation for introducing the network model, the percolation model for electrons in spatial dimension 2 in a strong perpendicular magnetic field and a spatially correlated random potential is described. Based on this, the network model is established, using the concepts of percolating probability amplitude and tunneling. Its localization properties and its behavior at the critical point are discussed including a short survey on the statistics of energy levels and wave function amplitudes. Magneto-transport is reviewed with emphasis on some new results on conductance distributions. Generalizations are performed by establishing equivalent Hamiltonians. In particular, the significance of mappings to the Dirac model and the two-dimensional Ising model is discussed. A description of renormalization group treatments is given. The classification of two-dimensional random systems according to their symmetries is outlined. This provides access to the complete set of quantum phase transitions like the thermal Hall transition and the spin quantum Hall transition in two dimensions. The supersymmetric effective field theory for the critical properties of network models is formulated. The network model is extended to higher dimensions including remarks on the chiral metal phase at the surface of a multi-layer quantum Hall system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sharp localization transitions of chiral edge states in disordered quantum wires subject to a strong magnetic field are shown to be driven by crossovers from two- to one-dimensional localization of bulk states. As a result, the two-terminal conductance is found to exhibit discontinuous transitions at zero temperature between exactly integer plateau values and zero, reminiscent of first-order phase transitions. We discuss the corresponding phase diagram. The spin of the electrons is shown to result in a multitude of phases when the spin degeneracy is raised by the Zeeman energy. The width of conductance plateaus is found to depend sensitively on the spin flip rate 1/τs. © 2004 MAIK “Nauka / Interperiodica”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ) is a self-administered quiz that has been used to measure gerontological knowledge. The release of a multiple-choice version of the FAQ provided the opportunity to compare performance of medical housestaff on the true-false and multiple-choice formats. This cross-sectional study evaluated performance of medical housestaff on the true-false version and on the multiple choice format. To understand selection of responses, an additional sample of medical housestaff were debriefed on their choices of answers to the true-false version. Findings show that the true-false format produced significantly more correct responses than the multiple-choice version, and that physician performance on the FAQ varied with format of the quiz. The FAQ may not be a relevant instrument for determining knowledge of medical post-graduate residency trainees. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A study of health professional trainees from several disciplines examined trainees' knowledge and attitudes toward older adults before and after clinical rotations in geriatrics at three VA Medical Centers with Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Centers (GRECCs). The clinical training experience improved participants' interests in geriatrics, particularly among those who rated their level of geriatric interest as low prior to the clinical experience. Knowledge remained relatively low. Attitudes toward older adults began moderately positive and improved significantly in relation to older adults' instrumentality and integrity. Targeting geriatric training to a broader audience than those who have already elected that field of practice is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Describes geriatric team models and evidence of their efficacy. Position of geriatric teams within the more general emergence of primary managed care models of health services delivery; Co-evolution of clinical geriatrics and interdisciplinary team care; Secular changes in the health care system; Promotion of community-based care.

Offers an overview of the differences in health parameters between aging sub-populations in the United States. Differences between life expectancy and mortality of minority ethnic groups and White Americans; Factors for higher death rates among minority groups; Variations in patterns of chronic disease and disability; Impairment of functional status as common factor for evaluation of the aged.

Analyzes the alcohol consumption patterns of urban American Indians in Los Angeles, California, from 1987-1989, according to age and gender. Method of research; Statistics; Results; Conclusions; References.

A preface to the journal "Gerontology & Geriatrics Education" is presented.

The author discusses efforts by the U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Indian Health Service (IHS) to foster effective use of their healthcare resources. A highlight of this effort is a memorandum of understanding wherein both agencies are given the authority to collaborate and forge partnerships with tribal governments to develop new service alliances. A study was also conducted on how both agencies will work together. Recommendations include sharing of electronic health records and medical information for mutual patients, among others.

The establishment of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy as a treatment for refractory and relapsed B cell malignancies demonstrates that genetic modification of immune cells to circumvent tumour cell immune escape is a powerful strategy to pursue in the context of other paediatric cancers. However, efforts to develop effective CAR T cell therapies for solid tumours face a number of challenges; establishing an effective dose, route of administration, tumour cell mediated dampening of immune cell function, and overcoming heterogeneous antigen expression across the tumour cell population. The focus of our work is to translate the therapeutic potential of CAR-T cell therapy into an effective treatment for children with recurrent or refractory bone tumours. In addition, we are seeking to ensure effective targeting of metastatic spread of these tumours, since metastasis at the time of diagnosis is a significant problem in this patient population. We have developed reagents and methodology to generate CAR T cells specific for the protein Erythropoietin-producing Hepatocellular receptor tyrosine kinase class A2 (EphA2), which is expressed on a range of paediatric solid tumours. We can show that EphA2 CAR T cells specifically target and kill EphA2+ osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma cell lines in vitro, alongside secretion of cytokines indicative of effector T cell activation. In in vivo sub-cutaneous osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma xenograft models, EphA2 CAR T cells effectively mediate complete tumour regression in a dose and route dependent manner, with direct injection into established tumours resulting in extended survival. Systemic delivery of CAR T cells was also effective at mediating tumour regression and extending survival, but required a higher cell dose. Studies testing EphA2 CAR T cell efficacy against metastatic osteosarcoma deposits are currently ongoing. Further work focussing on safety and possible off-target effects, design of alternative gene therapy vectors and combinatorial testing of EphA2 CAR T cells with CAR T cells targeting alternative antigens, or immune checkpoint blockade, will elucidate a way forward in designing an effective CAR T cell therapy for osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. A shortage of clinician scientists globally, particularly in the developing world, including Africa and South Africa (SA), is well known and was recently highlighted in a consensus report by the Academy of Science of South Africa. There is a need to find innovative ways to develop and advance clinician scientists in SA. Objective. To provide opportunities for young clinicians to develop research skills through enrolling for a PhD. Method. To address this need in SA, we developed an innovative programme over 2 years in collaboration with the Carnegie Corporation of New York to support and train young specialist clinicians in research as the next generation of clinician scientists, through a full-time PhD programme. Results. Since initiation of the programme in March 2011, 16 such specialists have been enrolled at intervals in the Fellowship programme, 5 have qualified with PhDs, while a further 3 are expected to qualify shortly. Publications and presentations at congresses have been recorded as well as grant applications. Discussion. Although the programme is seen as an important initial step in addressing the shortage of clinician scientists, its dependence on donor funding and the lack of a secure career path for clinicians wishing to spend more of their career in research pose problems for the programme's sustainability. It is hoped that the positive outcomes of this experience will initiate further programmes of this kind at academic institutions and attract the attention of funders and universities in order to sustain and enlarge this initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dexpanthenol-containing ointments/fluids are recommended to restore impaired nasal mucosa. To date, there are no data about the influence of dexpanthenol or formulations including dexpanthenol on ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of nasal epithelial cells. Methods: We tested the ciliary beat frequency of human nasal epithelial cells in RPMI 1640 cell solution using in vitro high-frequency video microscopy every 60 s over a period of 15 min (min). Bepanthen® solution and dexpanthenol in two clinically relevant concentrations (1.67% and 3.33%) were added to the cells. Addition of sterile water served as control group. To get a better overview, the measurements after 1 min, 5 min and 15 min were combined. Results: The CBF in the control group (n = 17) after 15 min was 7.3 ± 2.6 Hz. In comparison, the CBF after 15 min was 1.8 ± 1.0 Hz in the 3.33% Bepanthen® group (n = 17) and 3.2 ± 1.2 Hz in the 1.67% group, which was statistically significantly lower in both groups (p < 0.001). With regard to the dexpanthenol group (n = 17) a CBF of 6.0 ± 2.6 Hz with 3.33% and 6.1 ± 2.4 Hz with 1.67% dexpanthenol, was detected, which was again statistically significantly lower (p = 0.06) compared to the control group except CBF at 15 min with 1.57% (n = 17; p = 0.04). In general, the effect on CBF was less pronounced with dexpanthenol compared with Bepanthen® with a statistically significant difference between the two formulations. The results were verified by calculating an analysis of variance (ANOVA). Conclusions: Bepanthen® as an ointment, solution or inhalation is commonly used in ENT for mucosal care. Our results have shown that both substances reduce CBF in clinically relevant concentrations, although the effect was more pronounced with Bepanthen® compared to dexpanthenol solution, which could be related to additives or change of physical properties in the solution. Further research is needed to assess potential clinical relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]