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Given the current societal and political developments in Germany, the visibility and integration of-marginalized is essential to ensure their inclusion in mainstream society. One way of encouraging-contact between majority and marginalized groups is through building social networks, of which-informal and nonformal educational activities play an important part. This thesis examines the-experience o
The transition from animal-based to plant-based proteins is rapidly increasing because of different concerns about meat consumption, some being the nutritional and environmental effects of meat consumption. During this transition, there needs to be a holistic approach to assessing plant-based food. This master thesis is focused on investigating the nutritional and environmental impact of three pla
The identification of carotid atheromatous plaques associated to a higher neurologic risk may be important in therapeutic decision making for asymptomatic patients and symptomatic patients with 50%-70% stenosis. The introduction of high-definition ultrasonography (HDU) and computer-assisted image analysis provides the possibility of a standard, objective and detailed characterization of the struct
The global silicon (Si) cycle plays a critical role in regulating the biological pump and the carbon cycle in the oceans. A promising tool to reconstruct past dissolved silicic acid (DSi) concentrations is the silicon isotope signature of radiolaria (δ30Sirad), siliceous zooplankton that dwells at subsurface and intermediate water depths. However, to date, only a few studies on sediment δ30Sirad r
Background No effective standard treatment exists for patients with radioiodine-refractory, advanced differentiated thyroid carcinoma. We aimed to assess efficacy and safety of vandetanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of RET, VEGFR and EGFR signalling, in this setting. Methods In this randomised, double-blind, phase 2 trial, we enrolled adults (aged >= 18 years) with locally advanced or metastatic
Background: Selected patients with advanced germ cell tumors have a poor prognosis. These include patients with brain, bone or liver metastases, very elevated tumor markers or primary mediastinal tumor. High-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) with autologous stem cell support is recommended in the Swedish and Norwegian Testicular Cancer Group (SWENOTECA) guidelines in selected poor risk patients with poor r
BACKGROUND: Preoperative anaemia is associated with increased use of blood transfusions, a greater risk of postoperative complications, and patient morbidity. The IRON NOF trial aimed to investigate whether the administration of i.v. iron in anaemic patients during hip fracture surgery reduced the need for blood transfusion and improved patient outcomes.METHODS: This phase III double-blind, random
BackgroundImmune-related hepatitis (ir-hepatitis) ranks among the most frequent adverse events of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Limited knowledge exists regarding the incidence, characteristics, and treatment of patients having an inadequate response to initial therapy with steroids. Characterizing ir-hepatitis phenotypes and treatment responses can provide valuable insights for guiding tre
Quantification using the Centiloid (CL) scale has become a valuable information to consider when interpreting amyloid-PET images and is now implemented in several software packages. This work aims to assess the comparability of CL from [18F]flutemetamol scans derived using several research and commercial quantification pipelines. Methods: This analysis relies on three datasets: a test-retest cohor
BACKGROUND: Long COVID has emerged as a global health challenge, with increasing evidence of cardiovascular sequelae. Most previous studies have focused on hospitalised cohorts, whereas cardiovascular risk in community-managed long COVID cases remains less explored. We aimed to investigate the incidence of major cardiovascular events in individuals with long COVID compared to those without long CO
BACKGROUND: Differences in cardiac sarcoidosis between racial groups remain understudied. Therefore, this study aims to explore race differences in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Cardiac Sarcoidosis Consortium, an international registry including over 25 centers. The primary clinical outcome was a composite end point of all-cause mortality, left ventricular a
ObjectivesThis study investigates the impact of transitioning from restricted to 24/7 access to blood culture cabinets on blood culture processing.MethodA post-hoc retrospective study and a prospective laboratory simulation to evaluate the effects of delayed incubation were conducted. Data analysis evaluated clinical data comparing incubation-to-detection (ITD) and Collection-to-detection (CTD) in
Background: Hearing loss is estimated to affect more than 20% of the global population. Hearing aid fitting is a common intervention in audiological rehabilitation; however, there are still those who struggle with remaining communication difficulties that require additional intervention. The group rehabilitation program Active Communication Education (ACE) has been shown to be an effective alterna
BACKGROUND: The period immediately following psychiatric inpatient care is recognized as a time of elevated risk of suicide, yet little is known about factors that influence how soon suicide occurs after discharge.AIM: To examine the timing of suicide among persons after psychiatric discharge and identify sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with a shorter time to death by suicide.METH
Background: Accurately quantifying the risk of osteoporotic fracture is important for directing appropriate clinical interventions. While skeletal measures such as heel quantitative speed of sound (SOS) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry bone mineral density are able to predict the risk of osteoporotic fracture, the utility of such measurements is subject to the availability of equipment and hum
This paper revises the design process for closed-loop combustion control based on in-cycle feedback. Methods for the necessary observers, detectors and virtual sensors are also discussed. The control problem tackles the indicated efficiency optimization, following two approaches, direct and indirect optimization. The argumentation provides a comprehensive overview on how to specify and integrate d
Background: Substance use among older persons occurs with medical and psychiatric comorbidities. This study examined the associations of substance use disorder (SUD), psychiatric, and dual diagnoses with 12-month cumulative hospitalized days, hospital admission rate and number of days to first hospitalization.Methods: The cohort of 3,624 individuals (28.2% women) aged 50 years or older was assesse
BACKGROUND: Neuropsychiatric (NP) involvement and fatigue are major problems in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). S100A8/A9 is a marker of inflammation and responds to therapy in SLE patients. S100A8/A9 has an immunopathogenic role in various neurological diseases. We investigated S100A8/A9 in relation to NP-involvement and fatigue in SLE.METHODS: 72 consecutive SLE outpatients at a tertiary cen
IMPORTANCE: The introduction of solid or semisolid foods alongside breast milk plays a vital role in meeting nutritional requirements during early childhood, which is crucial for child growth and development. Understanding the prevalence of zero-food children (defined for research purposes as children aged 6 to 23 months who did not consume animal milk, formula, or solid or semisolid food during t
Introduction: The impact of exposure to endemic infections on basal immunity and susceptibility to HIV-1 acquisition remains uncertain. We hypothesized that exposure to infections such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), malaria and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in high-risk individuals may modulate immunity and subsequently increase susceptibility to HIV-1 acquisition. Methods: A case-control stud
