Effect of short-wave (6-22 MHz) magnetic fields on sleep quality and melatonin cycle in humans: the Schwarzenburg shut-down study

This paper describes the results of a unique "natural experiment" of the operation and cessation of a broadcast transmitter with its short-wave electromagnetic fields (6-22 MHz) on sleep quality and melatonin cycle in a general human population sample. In 1998, 54 volunteers (21 men, 33 women) were followed for 1 week each before and after shut-down of the short-wave radio transmitter at Schwarzenburg (Switzerland). Salivary melatonin was sampled five times a day and total daily excretion and acrophase were estimated using complex cosinor analysis. Sleep quality was recorded daily using a visual analogue scale. Before shut down, self-rated sleep quality was reduced by 3.9 units (95% CI: 1.7-6.0) per mA/m increase in magnetic field exposure. The corresponding decrease in melatonin excretion was 10% (95% CI: -32 to 20%). After shutdown, sleep quality improved by 1.7 units (95% CI: 0.1-3.4) per mA/m decrease in magnetic field exposure. Melatonin excretion increased by 15% (95% CI: -3 to 36%) compared to baseline values suggesting a rebound effect. Stratified analyses showed an exposure effect on melatonin excretion in poor sleepers (26% increase; 95% CI: 8-47%) but not in good sleepers. Change in sleep quality and melatonin excretion was related to the extent of magnetic field reduction after the transmitter's shut down in poor but not good sleepers. However, blinding of exposure was not possible in this observational study and this may have affected the outcome measurements in a direct or indirect (psychological) way.

Characteristics, determinants, and clinical relevance of CD4 T cell recovery to <500 cells/microL in HIV type 1-infected individuals receiving potent antiretroviral therapy

BACKGROUND: The CD4 T cell count recovery in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals receiving potent antiretroviral therapy (ART) shows high variability. We studied the determinants and the clinical relevance of incomplete CD4 T cell restoration. METHODS: Longitudinal CD4 T cell count was analyzed in 293 participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study who had had a plasma HIV-1 RNA load <1000 copies/mL for > or =5 years. CD4 T cell recovery was stratified by CD4 T cell count 5 years after initiation of ART (> or =500 cells/microL was defined as a complete response, and <500 cells/microL was defined as an incomplete response). Determinants of incomplete responses and clinical events were evaluated using logistic regression and survival analyses. RESULTS: The median CD4 T cell count increased from 180 cells/microL at baseline to 576 cells/microL 5 years after ART initiation. A total of 35.8% of patients were incomplete responders, of whom 47.6% reached a CD4 T cell plateau <500 cells/microL. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV-1 disease category B and/or C events occurred in 21% of incomplete responders and in 14.4% of complete responders (P>.05). Older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.71 per 10-year increase; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21-2.43), lower baseline CD4 T cell count (aOR, 0.37 per 100-cell increase; 95% CI, 0.28-0.49), and longer duration of HIV infection (aOR, 2.39 per 10-year increase; 95% CI, 1.19-4.81) were significantly associated with a CD4 T cell count <500 cells/microL at 5 years. The median increases in CD4 T cell count after 3-6 months of ART were smaller in incomplete responders (P<.001) and predicted, in conjunction with baseline CD4 T cell count and age, incomplete response with 80% sensitivity and 72% specificity. CONCLUSION: Individuals with incomplete CD4 T cell recovery to <500 cells/microL had more advanced HIV-1 infection at baseline. CD4 T cell changes during the first 3-6 months of ART already reflect the capacity of the immune system to replenish depleted CD4 T lymphocytes.

Staged surgical therapy of basal cell carcinoma of the head and neck region: an evaluation of 500 procedures

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY / PRINCIPLES: The surgical therapy of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is especially demanding in the facial area. This retrospective study was undertaken to evaluate the outcome of staged surgical therapy (SST) of BCC of the head and neck region performed on an interdisciplinary basis at our institution. METHODS: Patients treated for BCC in the head and neck area between 1/1/1997 and 31/12/2001 were included in the study. The lesions were histologically evaluated. Diameter of lesion, number of stages, defect coverage, operation time, and recurrence and infection rates were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical procedures. RESULTS: 281 patients were included in the study. SST was performed in two stages in 43.7%, in three stages in 12.9% and in four or more stages in 2.7%, depending on the type of tumour and the patient's pretreatment status. The total operating time per lesion averaged one hour. Defect coverage was achieved by direct closure (37.7%), by full thickness skin graft (39.5%), by split skin graft (1.1%), by local flaps (20.3%) or by composite grafts (1.1%). Median follow-up time was 58.5 months. Low rates of recurrence (3.6%) and infection (2%) were observed with this technique. CONCLUSIONS: The staged surgical therapy of basal cell carcinoma evaluated here offers a series of advantages in respect of patient comfort and safety and economy, while allowing precise histological safety with low infection rates and reliable long-term results.

1509 - Johannes Calvin - 2009. Sein Wirken in Kirche und Gesellschaft. Essays zum 500. Geburtstag

Welche bleibenden Impulse haben Johannes Calvin und der Calvinismus Kirche und Gesellschaft bis heute gegeben? Mit dieser Frage beschäftigen sich anlässlich des 500. Geburtstags des Genfer Reformators die Autorinnen und die Autoren der vorliegenden Beiträge anhand ausgewählter theologischer und wirkungsgeschichtlicher Themen. Gleichzeitig bieten sie eine grundlegende und allgemein verständliche Einführung in Calvins Leben und Theologie, in seine kontinuierliche Relevanz für kirchliche, gesellschaftliche und politische Fragen sowie in die Geschichte der Reformation in der Schweiz und weltweit. Sie blenden dabei auch die kritischen Anfragen an Calvin nicht aus. Der im Auftrag des Schweizerischen Evangelischen Kirchenbunds herausgegebene Sammelband ist eine wissenschaftlich fundierte, leserfreundliche Einführung, die Fragestellungen anregt, Perspektiven eröffnet und Austausch ermöglicht. Mit Beiträgen von Philip Benedict, James D. Bratt, Emidio Campi, Eva-Maria Faber, Eric Fuchs, Wulfert de Greef, Christopher L. Elwood, Ulrich H. J. Körtner, Christian Link, Christian Moser, Andrew Pettegree, Christoph Strohm, Mario Turchetti

Winter precipitation trends for two selected European regions over the last 500 years and their possible dynamical background

We analyse winter (DJF) precipitation over the last 500 years on trends using a spatially and temporally highly resolved gridded multi-proxy reconstruction over European land areas. The trends are detected applying trend matrices, and the significance is assessed with the Mann–Kendall-trend test. Results are presented for southwestern Norway and southern Spain/northern Morocco, two regions that show high reconstruction skill over the entire period. The absolute trend values found in the second part of the 20th century are unprecedented over the last 500 years in both regions. During the period 1715–1765, the precipitation trends were most pronounced in southwestern Norway as well as southern Spain/northern Morocco, with first a distinct negative trend followed by a positive countertrend of similar strength. Relating the precipitation time series to variations of the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAOI) and the solar irradiance using running correlations revealed a couple of instationarities. Nevertheless, it appears that the NAO is responsible in both regions for most of the significant winter precipitation trends during the earlier centuries as well as during recent decades. Some of the significant winter precipitation trends over southwestern Norway and southern Spain/northern Morocco might be related to changes in the solar irradiance.

Building an Academic Cloud for 500,000 Users

Under the brand name “sciebo – the Campuscloud” (derived from “science box”) a consortium of more than 20 research and applied science universities started a large scale cloud service for about 500,000 students and researchers in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state. Starting with the much anticipated data privacy compliant sync & share functionality, sciebo offers the potential to become a more general cloud platform for collaboration and research data management which will be actively pursued in upcoming scientific and infrastructural projects. This project report describes the formation of the venture, its targets and the technical and the legal solution as well as the current status and the next steps.

Der Weg des Landes Appenzell in die Eidgenossenschaft: Das Bündnis von 1513 und seine Vorgeschichte. CD-ROM mit interaktiven Leseübungen und Kommentaren zu Schriftdokumenten im Zusammenhang mit der Aufnahme des Landes Appenzell in die Eidgenossenschaft vor 500 Jahren

Die CD bietet als erste Publikation überhaupt die Möglichkeit, anhand wichtiger Quellen den Weg des Landes Appenzell in die Eidgenossenschaft nachzuvollziehen. Die Dokumente zeigen die Vorgeschichte des Bündnisses vom 17. Dezember 1513, mit welchem Appenzell als 13. Ort in die Eidgenossenschaft aufgenommen wurde. Zudem kann mit der CD ROM das Lesen alter Handschriften erlernt werden. Das bietet die CD ROM nicht nur das Bild und den gesamten Wortlaut der Urkunde von 1513, sondern auch eine Audio-Datei des Dokuments und erstmals auch eine Übertragung des Urkundentexts in modernes Deutsch.

Stratigraphic Variation Within Polar Firn Caused by Differential Accumulation and Ice Flow: Interpretation of a 400 Mhz Short-Pulse Radar Profile from West Antarctica

We investigate causes of the stratigraphic variation revealed in a 177 km, 400 MHz short-pulse radar profile of firn from West Antarctica. The profile covers 56 m depth, and its direction was close to those of the ice flow and mean wind. The average, near-surface accumulation rates calculated from the time delays of one radar horizon consistently show minima on leeward slopes and maxima on windward slopes, confirming an earlier study based on stake observations. The stratigraphic variation includes up to 30 m depth variation in individual horizons over tens of km, fold limbs that become progressively steeper with depth, and fold-hinge loci that change direction or propagate down-ice with depth over distances far less than predicted by the ice speeds. We use an accumulation rate model to show how local rate anomalies and the effect of ice speed upon a periodic variation in accumulation rate cause these phenomena, and we reproduce two key features seen in the stratigraphic variations. We conclude that the model provides an explanation of changes in spatial stratigraphy and local measures of accumulation history given the constraints of surface topography, ice and wind velocities, and a general accumulation rate for an area.

Stratigraphic Continuity in 400 Mhz Short-Pulse Radar Profiles of Firn in West Antarctica

We track dated firn horizons within 400 MHz short-pulse radar profiles to find the continuous extent over which they can be used as historical benchmarks to study past accumulation rates in West Antarctica. The 30-40 cm pulse resolution compares with the accumulation rates of most areas. We tracked a particular set that varied from 30 to 90 m in depth over a distance of 600 km. The main limitations to continuity are fading at depth, pinching associated with accumulation rate differences within hills and valleys, and artificial fading caused by stacking along dips. The latter two may be overcome through multi-kilometer distances by matching the relative amplitude and spacing of several close horizons, along with their pulse forms and phases. Modeling of reflections from thin layers suggests that the - 37 to - 50 dB range of reflectivity and the pulse waveforms we observed are caused by the numerous thin ice layers observed in core stratigraphy. Constructive interference between reflections from these close, high-density layers can explain the maintenance of reflective strength throughout the depth of the firn despite the effects of compaction. The continuity suggests that these layers formed throughout West Antarctica and possibly into East Antarctica as well.