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Článek hodnotí vliv učitelů na úspěšný design skupinové práce ve virtuálních výměnných projektech. Opírá se o zkušenosti a data z průzkumů získaných v rámci výměny jazykových kurzů na Technické univerzitě v Liberci a Technické univerzitě v Drážďanech. Data jsou vyhodnocována na základě konceptu „Communities of Inquiry“. V popředí stojí požadavky kladené na podporu poskytovanou učiteli. Zvláštní pozornost je věnována zapojení studentů do procesu moderování a řízení procesů učení a souvisejících mediátorských požadavků. V závěru článku nalezneme podněty pro organizační a didaktickou podporu binacionálních, virtuálně sestavených týmů, s nízkou jazykovou kompetencí.

Background: There are several globally recognized methods for preparing laboratory samples. Of these, the QuEChERS and QuPPe methods are commonly used for food laboratory sample preparation. As an alternative, we developed the fractionation method using FraMiTrACR., Objective: We present a life cycle assessment for the QuEChERS-, QuPPe- and FraMiTrACR methods. Our objective was to collect data to evaluate the carbon footprint of each method. However, as the ecological factors alone do not inform suitability of any given method, we also evaluated economic factors., Methods: Our life cycle assessments followed ISO 14040/44 to determine the carbon footprint of each method. Also, we have analyzed existing data to support our comparison of all three methods., Results: The mass of consumables and packaging for our FraMiTrACR method was observed to decrease by 45% and 34% from those required for the QuPPe and QuEChERS methods, respectively. Furthermore, we calculated a 43% reduction in carbon footprint when using FraMiTrACR compared to QuPPe and a 31% reduction compared to QuEChERS. In addition, we determined that our method offers time savings >87% and >71% compared to QuEChERS and QuPPe, respectively. The main economic benefit of FraMiTrACR comes from 84% and 70% labor cost savings compared to QuEChERS and QuPPe, respectively. The laboratory using fractionation method can process 320 samples with FraMiTrACR within 8 hours, an 87% increase in potential compared to QuEChERS and a 71% increase compared to QuPPe., Conclusions: Fractionation using FraMiTrACR is a more sustainable method for analytical sample preparation, offering the same quality of results and far-reaching economic advantages., Highlights: In comparison, FraMiTrACR uses up to 45% less consumables and packaging by weight and a reduction in kg CO2eq of up to 43%. In addition, the fractionation method offers up to 85% time savings and up to an 84% reduction in labor cost per sample., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Antibiotic residues in milk are a well-known hazard in the dairy food chain. Detection methods for these residues, such as nonspecific microbiological inhibitor tests or group-specific receptor tests, are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and widely applied to ensure food safety. In contrast, specific detection by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-although a critical, complimentary method to confirm the results of nonspecific testing-is relatively costly, time-consuming, and laborious. Furthermore, sample processing before LC-MS/MS analysis requires unique preparation procedures for different groups of antibiotic compounds., Objective: To simplify and speed up specific antibiotic residue detection, a low-cost, passive, and single-step method to fractionate analytes in raw milk was developed., Methods: Untreated raw milk was fractionated into its water and fat/protein phases using a Fractionation of Milk for Trace Analysis of Contaminants and Residues for Antibiotics (FraMiTrACR® AB) fractionation unit. The water fraction was then analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The analyte fractionation method was evaluated against a Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS)-based method for sample preparation., Results: Our method allows qualitative and quantitative detection of substances from the penicillin, cephalosporin, macrolide, lincosamide, sulfonamide, tetracycline, and fluoroquinolone groups of antibiotics. Detection limits are below the legally prescribed maximum residue levels, allowing reliable, specific, and rapid validation of a positive result in nonspecific microbiological inhibitor tests., Conclusion: Analyte fractionation by FraMiTrACR AB is a faster alternative to QuEChERS-based sample preparation for the detection of antibiotic substances in milk., Highlight: This method describes a low-cost, environmentally friendly, passive, and single-step milk analyte fractionation. As an alternative to QuEChERS-based preparation, this fractionation method simplifies and speeds up the process for specific antibiotic residue detection., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of AOAC INTERNATIONAL. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Glyphosate (GS) inhibits the 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase that is required for aromatic amino acid, folate and quinone biosynthesis in Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. The inhibition of the EPSP synthase by GS depletes the cell of these metabolites, resulting in cell death. Here, we show that like the laboratory B. subtilis strains also environmental and undomesticated isolates adapt to GS by reducing herbicide uptake. Although B. subtilis possesses a GS-insensitive EPSP synthase, the enzyme is strongly inhibited by GS in the native environment. Moreover, the B. subtilis EPSP synthase mutant was only viable in rich medium containing menaquinone, indicating that the bacteria require a catalytically efficient EPSP synthase under nutrient-poor conditions. The dependency of B. subtilis on the EPSP synthase probably limits its evolvability. In contrast, E. coli rapidly acquires GS resistance by target modification. However, the evolution of a GS-resistant EPSP synthase under non-selective growth conditions indicates that GS resistance causes fitness costs. Therefore, in both model organisms, the proper function of the EPSP synthase is critical for the cellular viability. This study also revealed that the uptake systems for folate precursors, phenylalanine and tyrosine need to be identified and characterized in B. subtilis., (© 2023 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Applied Microbiology International and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Culturing respiratory epithelial cells at an air-liquid interface (ALI) represents an established method for studies on infection or toxicology by the generation of an in vivo-like respiratory tract epithelial cellular layer. Although primary respiratory cells from a variety of animals have been cultured, an in-depth characterization of canine tracheal ALI cultures is lacking despite the fact that canines are a highly relevant animal species susceptible to various respiratory agents, including zoonotic pathogens such as severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this study, canine primary tracheal epithelial cells were cultured under ALI conditions for four weeks, and their development was characterized during the entire culture period. Light and electron microscopy were performed to evaluate cell morphology in correlation with the immunohistological expression profile. The formation of tight junctions was confirmed using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements and immunofluorescence staining for the junctional protein ZO-1. After 21 days of culture at the ALI, a columnar epithelium containing basal, ciliated and goblet cells was seen, resembling native canine tracheal samples. However, cilia formation, goblet cell distribution and epithelial thickness differed significantly from the native tissue. Despite this limitation, tracheal ALI cultures could be used to investigate the pathomorphological interactions of canine respiratory diseases and zoonotic agents.

Roundup® is the brand name for herbicide solutions containing glyphosate, which specifically inhibits the 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase of the shikimate pathway. The inhibition of the EPSP synthase causes plant death because EPSP is required for biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids. Glyphosate also inhibits the growth of archaea, bacteria, Apicomplexa, algae and fungi possessing an EPSP synthase. Here, we have characterized two glyphosate-resistant bacteria from a Roundup solution. Taxonomic classification revealed that the isolates 1CH1 and 2CH1 are Burkholderia anthina and Burkholderia cenocepacia strains respectively. Both isolates cannot utilize glyphosate as a source of phosphorus and synthesize glyphosate-sensitive EPSP synthase variants. Burkholderia. anthina 1CH1 and B. cenocepacia 2CH1 tolerate high levels of glyphosate because the herbicide is not taken up by the bacteria. Previously, it has been observed that the exposure of soil bacteria to herbicides like glyphosate promotes the development of antibiotic resistances. Antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed that the only the B. cenocepacia 2CH1 isolate showed increased resistance to a variety of antibiotics. Thus, the adaptation of B. anthina 1CH1 and B. cenocepacia 2CH1 to glyphosate did not generally increase the antibiotic resistance of both bacteria. However, our study confirms the genomic adaptability of bacteria belonging to the genus Burkholderia., (© 2021 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology Reports published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Health behavior is presumed to be influenced by organizational factors. This study analyzes how workplace characteristics influence health behavior in terms of participation at health measures., Methods: Employees of the German Federal Ministry of Defense were surveyed at the beginning (January / February 2015) and at the end (June 2015) of the trial phase of workplace health promotion (WHP). Differences in participation of characteristic groups were calculated using Pearson's Chi 2 -Test and T-Test, chances of participation were estimated using multilevel logistic regression., Results: Employees who reported higher satisfaction with work demand participated more often in health measures (aOR: 1.02, 95%-CI = 1.01, 1.04, p  < 0.001). Large amount of variance in participation can be attributed to department level., Conclusion: Participation at WHP varies significantly between settings after controlling for individuals' characteristics. Thus, working characteristics should be considered as a decisive factor for WHP effectiveness. There is consensus that behavioral prevention is most effective when conditional prevention is granted as behavior is presumed to be influenced by individuals´ environmental conditions. Though objective working conditions may seem similar further context characteristics which remain unconsidered may lead to different behavior patterns. This article shows that more attention must be payed to setting specific characteristics with regard to effective Occupational Health Promotion.This project is registered by the Federal Ministry of Defense (research number: E/U2AD/ED003/EF555)., Competing Interests: Competing interestsSammito is an active officer of the German Ministry of Defense., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Aim of Study: An occupational health management system was initiated at 11 departments under the German Ministry of Defense (MoD) at the beginning of 2015. The departments were characterized by the heterogeneity of employees and the tasks of the departments. The aim of this pilot phase was to get experience and knowledge for implementation of this system in other departments. At the beginning of the pilot phase, an employee attitude survey was conducted to examine the situation., Methods: The survey included all 9,267 employees of the eleven departments. A combination of a web-based online survey and a paper-pencil survey was used., Results: In total, 2,076 (22.4%) of all employees took part in the survey. There were significant difference between the departments in all topics assessed ("leadership behaviour/social issues", "work habits", "job design", "work equipment", "environment conditions", "mental health", "stress", "diet", "exercise", "job responsibility") but not in "health behavior"., Conclusion: This study shows clearly that a department-based analysis is necessary for a goal-oriented meaningful occupational health management system, especially if only limited resources are available., Competing Interests: Sammito ist aktiver Sanitätsoffizier der Bundeswehr. Rose und das Institut für Arbeits-, Sozial- und Umweltmedizin erhalten Forschungsmittel aus dem BMVg., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: Only few data on dietary management of adult phenylketonuria (PKU) patients are published., Objectives: This study aimed to assess living situation, dietary practices, and health conditions of early-treated adult PKU patients., Methods: A total of 183 early-treated PKU patients ≥18 years from 8 German metabolic centers received access to an online survey, containing 91 questions on sociodemographic data, dietary habits, and health conditions., Results: 144/183 patients (66% females) completed the questionnaire. Compared with German population, the proportion of single-person households was higher (22 vs. 47%), the rate of childbirth was lower (1.34 vs. 0.4%), but educational and professional status did not differ. 82% of the patients adhered to a low-protein diet, 45% consumed modified low-protein food almost daily, and 84% took amino acid mixtures regularly. 48% of the patients never interrupted diet, and 14% stopped diet permanently. 69% of the patients reported to feel better with diet, and 91% considered their quality of life at least as good. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was high (29%) and correlated significantly to phenylalanine blood concentrations (p = 0.046). However, depressive symptoms were only mild in the majority of patients., Conclusion: This group of early-treated adult German PKU patients is socially well integrated, reveals a surprisingly high adherence to diet and amino acid intake, and considers the restrictions of diet to their daily life as low., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aims: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging has long been a contraindication for patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED). Recent studies support the feasibility and safety for non-thoracic magnetic resonance imaging, but data for CMR are sparse. The aim of the current study was to determine the safety in patients with magnetic resonance (MR)-conditional or non-MR-conditional CIED and to develop a best practice approach., Methods and Results: All patients with a CIED undergoing CMR imaging (1.5 T) between April 2014 and April 2017 were included in the study. Devices were programmed according to the standardized protocol directly before and after the CMR examination. Follow-up interrogation was performed 6 months after CMR examination. Results were compared with a large, reference cohort of CIED patients not undergoing any MR examination. A total of 200 consecutive patients with a CIED (non-MR-conditional, n = 103) were included in the study. Directly after CMR imaging, one device failure (0.5%, battery status = end of service) was noted necessitating premature generator replacement. In three patients (2%) of pacemaker/implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) carriers a sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurred during CMR imaging. Ten ICD showed a decrease in battery capacity immediately after CMR. Overall, the reference cohort showed comparable changes of CIED function during follow-up., Conclusion: With adherence to a standardized protocol and established exclusion criteria CMR imaging could safely be performed in patients with a CIED. The potential risks of device malfunction necessitate the presence of a device trained individual during the entire CMR examination. If there is a history of VT storm the attendance of an experienced cardiologist, should be mandatory., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author(s) 2019. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aim: Teachers' suggestions to enhance their health at inclusive primary schools ("Schwerpunktgrundschulen") were analyzed by quantitative content analysis taking personal or job-related parameters of effort and strain into consideration., Method: The paper and pencil cross-sectional study was conducted by Institut für Lehrergesundheit (IFL) between August 2013 and April 2015 at 14 schools in Rhineland-Palatinate. Overall response rate was 46.3% (143/309 teachers). The answers to the open-ended question "Which concrete job-related measures would enhance your wellbeing or health situation at your work place?" was categorized and quantified. An analysis of the item-non-response was undertaken. The aim was to identify by logistic regression, personal or job-related parameters of effort or strain associated with a specific category., Results: Data from 143 teachers were analyzed. 79 teachers made 362 suggestions to enhance the health situation at their work place. Making a suggestion was not related to socio-demographic parameters. 33.6% of the teachers addressed physical environmental conditions of work, e. g., climatic or acoustic conditions or the availability of space for recreation. 29.4% of the teachers made suggestions concerning human resource strategy (e. g., "double teaching"). 9.1% of the teachers referred to aspects of relationships with colleagues. After regression analysis, there were relationships between suggestions of single categories and specific job-related parameters of effort. Furthermore, teachers under (high) strain - here: teachers who (very) strongly experienced their work as hazardous to health - showed significantly higher odds to make suggestions of the categories "Colleagues" (aOR 3.71; 95%CI 1.00-13.76) or "External Support" (e. g., "supervision") (aOR 3.92; 95%CI 1.15-13.41) than teachers experiencing less stress., Conclusions: Teachers of inclusive primary schools are ready to take active part in health-related organizational development. The development of problem- and group-specific measures of intervention will be facilitated by the combined analysis of qualitative and quantitative data., Competing Interests: Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether extracellular volume fraction (ECV) can reliably inform on the extent of diffuse fibrosis in the simultaneous presence of myocardial inflammation, which has not been verified to date., Background: Diffuse myocardial fibrosis is associated with unfavorable outcome in patients with cardiomyopathy, and is of prognostic relevance. Assessment of ECV bears promise for being a noninvasive surrogate parameter, but it may be altered by other pathologies., Methods: In this prospective study, 107 consecutive patients with clinical suspicion of inflammatory cardiomyopathy were included. All patients underwent left ventricular (LV) endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging on a 1.5-T scanner. T1 mapping was obtained with the modified Look-Locker inversion recovery sequence, and ECV was calculated., Results: Myocardial inflammation was present in 66 patients. Patients with and without inflammation were of similar age and had comparable LV ejection fraction (37 ± 17% vs. 36 ± 18%; p = 0.9) and symptom duration (median 14 days [interquartile range: 5 to 36 days] vs. median 14 days [interquartile range: 7 to 30 days]; p = 0.73). Although LV collagen volume percentage was comparable between groups (inflammation 12.3 ± 17.8% vs. noninflammation 11.4 ± 7.9%; p = 0.577), ECV was significantly higher in patients with inflammation (0.37 ± 0.06%) than in those without inflammation (0.33 ± 0.08%; p = 0.02). Importantly, ECV adequately estimated the degree of LV fibrosis percentage only in patients without inflammation (r = 0.72; p < 0.0001) and not in those with inflammation (r = 0.24; p = 0.06)., Conclusions: These findings prove the theoretical concept of ECV as an estimate for diffuse myocardial fibrosis, but only in the absence of significant myocardial inflammation. Assuming that various degrees of myocardial inflammation and fibrosis coexist in such a scenario, the measured ECV will reflect a sum of these different pathologies but will not inform solely on the extent of diffuse fibrosis., (Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aims to assess serostatus and vaccination status of hepatitis A and B among staff at schools for the handicapped. We also wanted to investigate factors associated with serostatus, number of infections with hepatitis A/hepatitis B at work, and factors influencing being vaccinated or not. The cross-sectional study was carried out between August 2010 and August 2012 at 13 German schools for severely handicapped. Data were analyzed using blood samples, vaccination documents, and questionnaires. A total of 395 persons participated in our study (response: 59.7%), information on 367 could be used for analysis. Two respondents have been infected with HAV at work, 53.4% were anti-HAV seropositive. Vaccination against hepatitis A was influenced by information about infectious diseases before starting to work, level of education, and marital status. One person got infected with hepatitis B during work, 53.2% were anti-HBs-seropositive. Vaccination against hepatitis B depended on perceived burden by nursing activities, and vaccination costs being paid by employer. Immunity to hepatitis A and B in our sample is insufficient and does not correspond to the infectious risks. Two persons got infected with hepatitis A and one person with hepatitis B during work at school, indicating an urgent need for preventive actions. J. Med. Virol. 89:825-833, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Empagliflozin is a potent, oral, selective inhibitor of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 in development for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus., Objective: The goal of these studies was to investigate potential drug-drug interactions between empagliflozin and gemfibrozil (an organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1 [OATP1B1]/1B3 and organic anion transporter 3 [OAT3] inhibitor), rifampicin (an OATP1B1/1B3 inhibitor), or probenecid (an OAT3 and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase inhibitor)., Methods: Two open-label, randomized, crossover studies were undertaken in healthy subjects. In the first study, 18 subjects received the following in 1 of 2 randomized treatment sequences: a single dose of empagliflozin 25 mg alone and gemfibrozil 600 mg BID for 5 days with a single dose of empagliflozin 25 mg on the third day. In the second study, 18 subjects received a single dose of empagliflozin 10 mg, a single dose of empagliflozin 10 mg coadministered with a single dose of rifampicin 600 mg, and probenecid 500 mg BID for 4 days with a single dose of empagliflozin 10 mg on the second day in 1 of 6 randomized treatment sequences., Results: In the gemfibrozil study, 11 subjects were male, mean age was 35.1 years and mean body mass index (BMI) was 23.47 kg/m(2). In the rifampicin/probenecid study, 10 subjects were male, mean age was 32.7 years and mean BMI was 23.03 kg/m(2). Exposure to empagliflozin was increased by coadministration with gemfibrozil (AUC0-∞: geometric mean ratio [GMR], 158.50% [90% CI, 151.77-165.53]; Cmax: GMR, 115.00% [90% CI, 106.15-124.59]), rifampicin (AUC0-∞: GMR, 135.20% [90% CI, 129.58-141.06]; Cmax: GMR, 175.14% [90% CI, 160.14-191.56]), and probenecid (AUC0-∞: GMR, 153.47% [90% CI, 146.41-160.88]; Cmax: GMR, 125.60% [90% CI, 113.67-138.78]). All treatments were well tolerated., Conclusions: Increases in empagliflozin exposure were <2-fold, indicating that the inhibition of the OATP1B1/1B3, OAT3 transporter, and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferases did not have a clinically relevant effect on empagliflozin exposure. No dose adjustments of empagliflozin were necessary when it was coadministered with gemfibrozil, rifampicin, or probenecid. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT01301742 and NCT01634100., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: FaDu human squamous cell carcinoma (FaDu-hSCC) showed a clear-cut time factor during fractionated radiotherapy (RT) under ambient blood flow. It remained unclear whether this is caused solely by proliferation or if radioresistance resulting from increasing hypoxia contributed to this phenomenon. To address this question, repopulation of clonogenic FaDu cells during fractionated RT under clamp hypoxia was determined by local tumor control assays, and compared to the results after irradiation with the same regimen under ambient blood flow., Methods and Materials: FaDu-hSCC was transplanted into the right hind leg of NMRI nu/nu mice. In the first set of experiments, irradiation was performed under clamp hypoxia. After increasing numbers of 3 Gy fractions (time intervals 24 h or 48 h), graded top-up doses were given to determine the TCD(50) (dose required to control 50% of the tumors). In the second set of experiments, all 3 Gy fractions were applied under ambient conditions, but as in the previous experiments the graded top-up doses were given under clamp hypoxia. A total of 26 TCD(50) assays were performed and analyzed using maximum likelihood techniques., Results: With increasing numbers of daily fractions, the top-up TCD(50) under clamp hypoxia decreased from 39.4 Gy [95% CI 36, 42] after single dose to 19.8 Gy [15, 24] after 18 fractions in 18 days and to 37.8 Gy [31, 44] after 18 fractions in 36 days. The results were consistent with biphasic repopulation, with a switch to rapid repopulation after about 22 days [13, 30]. The clonogen doubling time (T(clon)) decreased from 9.8 days [0, 21] in the beginning of RT to 3.4 days after 22 days. Under ambient blood flow the top-up TCD(50) decreased from 37.6 Gy [34, 40] after single dose irradiation to 0 Gy [0, 1] after 18 fractions in 18 days and 22.4 Gy [18, 27] after 18 fractions in 36 days. Similar to results from irradiations under clamp hypoxia, the ambient data were consistent with a biphasic course of clonogen inactivation. Comparison of both data sets revealed significant reoxygenation after 12 fractions., Conclusions: Our data are most consistent with a biphasic course of clonogen repopulation during fractionated RT of FaDu-hSCC under clamp hypoxia with a switch in T(clon) after about 22 days of treatment ("dog-leg"). A similar biphasic course of cell repopulation was observed under ambient conditions. The temporal coincidence between repopulation and reoxygenation suggests that the latter might be the stimulus for proliferation in FaDu tumors.

396 in-patients and 117 out-patients were treated of study the activity and tolerance of a highly dosed organo-heparinoid in the forms of ointment and gel. Either form was tolerated well; a local allergic cutaneous reaction was seen only in 1 patient. The efficiency of the product, assessed after a classification by points, can be denoted as good for every indication tested.