Quantum-limited measurements of optical signals from a geostationary satellite

The measurement of quantum signals that traveled through long distances is of fundamental and technological interest. We present quantum-limited coherent measurements of optical signals, sent from a satellite in geostationary Earth orbit to an optical ground station. We bound the excess noise that the quantum states could have acquired after having propagated 38600 km through Earth's gravitational potential as well as its turbulent atmosphere. Our results indicate that quantum communication is feasible in principle in such a scenario, highlighting the possibility of a global quantum key distribution network for secure communication.Comment: 8 pages (4 pages main article, 4 pages supplementary material), 9 figures (4 figures main article, 5 figures supplementary material), Kevin G\"unthner and Imran Khan contributed equally to this wor

Awareness and perception of multidrug-resistant organisms and antimicrobial therapy among internists vs. surgeons of different specialties: Results from the German MR2 Survey

Background: Recently, antibiotic resistance rates have risen substantially and care for patients infected with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO) has become a common problem in most in – and outpatient settings. The objectives of the study were to compare the awareness, perception, and knowledge of MDRO and rational antibiotic use between physicians from different medical specialties in German hospitals. Methods: A 35-item questionnaire was sent to specialists in internal medicine (internists), gynecologists, urologists, and general surgeons (non-internists) in 18 German hospitals. Likert-scales were used to evaluate awareness and perception of personal performance regarding care for patients infected with MDRO and rational use of antibiotics. Additionally, two items assessing specific knowledge in antibiotic therapy were included. The impact of medical specialty on four predetermined endpoints was assessed by multivariate logistic regression. Results: 43.0 (456/1061) of recipients responded. Both internists and non-internists had low rates of training in antibiotic stewardship. 50.8 of internists and 58.6 of non-internists had attended special training in rational antibiotic use or care for patients infected with MDRO in the 12 months prior to the study. Internists deemed themselves more confidently to choose the indications for screening patients for colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (P=0.004) and to initiate adequate infection control measures (P=0.002) than other specialties. However, there was no significant difference between internists and other specialists regarding the two items assessing specific knowledge in antibiotic therapy and infection control. Conclusion: Among the study participants, a considerable need for advanced training in the study subjects was seen, regardless of the medical specialty

Patientin mit Symptomen einer posttraumatischen Belastung nach Intensivmedizin – ein Fallbericht der PICTURE-Studie

Hintergrund Intensivmedizinische Aufenthalte führen bei vorbelasteten Menschen häufig zu Symptomen einer posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung (Post-ICU-PTBS). In der Nachsorge spielen HausärztInnen eine wichtige Rolle. Falldarstellung Eine 58-jährige Patientin entwickelt nach erlebter Sepsis eine Post-ICU-PTBS. Sie erhält durch ihre Hausärztin eine Kurzform der Narrativen Expositionstherapie (NET) und erfährt eine deutliche Symptombesserung. Schlussfolgerung Die angewandte Kurzform der NET kann für die Behandlung von leicht- bis mittelgradigen Symptomen einer Post-ICU-PTBS geeignet sein.Background Care in the intensive care unit (ICU) often introduces symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (post-ICU PTSD) in individuals with prior adverse experiences. General practitioners play an important role in follow-up care. Case report A 58-year-old woman developed post-ICU PTSD symptoms after she experienced sepsis. She received brief narrative exposure therapy (NET) from her general practitioner and experienced significant improvement of symptoms. Conclusion A brief version of NET might be appropriate for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate post-ICU PTSD symptoms

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For schoolaged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI <2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI >2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

Handout zur MINTerdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit in ComeMINT

Dieses Handout ist entstanden im Rahmen des ComeMINT-Netzwerks. ComeMINT ist Teil der BMFTR -Förderlinie „Kompetenzzentrum für digitales und digital gestütztes Unterrichten in Schule und Weiterbildung im MINT-Bereich“ und einer von sechs Projektverbünden des Kompetenzzentrums MINT. Das Kompetenzzentrum MINT ist Teil des Kompetenzverbundes lernen:digital[1], der sich aus vier Kompetenzzentren zusammensetzt: MINT, Sprachen/Gesellschaft/Wirtschaft, Musik/Kunst/Sport sowie Schulentwicklung. In diesem Kompetenzverbund fließt die Expertise aus rund 200 länderübergreifenden Forschungs- und Entwicklungsprojekten zusammen. Ziel ist es, den Austausch zwischen Wissenschaft und Praxis zu stärken und so die digitale Transformation von Schule und Lehrkräftebildung aktiv mitzugestalten.         Alle Projektverbünde des Kompetenzzentrums MINT konzentrieren sich auf die forschungsbasierte Entwicklung von Fort- und Weiterbildungsangeboten, die Lehrkräfte dabei unterstützen, digitalen und digital gestützten Unterricht in den MINT-Fächern erfolgreich zu gestalten.                    Den Kern des ComeMINT-Netzwerks, als einen von sechs Projektverbünden des Kompetenzzentrums MINT, bilden sechs fachbezogene Kooperationsnetzwerke, sogenannte ComeNets. Vertreten sind dabei die Fächer Mathematik, Informatik, Biologie, Chemie, Physik und Sachunterricht.       Ursprünglich entstand dieses Handout als internes Unterstützungsangebot der überfachlichen Koordination und Synthese für das gesamte Projektteam. Zielsetzung war insbesondere das Schaffen einer gemeinsamen Grundlage im Hinblick auf die fächerübergreifenden Aspekte, wie bspw. Inklusion, Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung, Adaptivität und Beforschung. Im weiteren Projektverlauf entwickelte sich das Handout zunehmend zu einem Gemeinschaftsprodukt in enger Zusammenarbeit mit Expert:innen aus allen Teilprojekten. Der jetzige Stand zeigt die Grundlage, Entwicklungen und (Teil-) Ergebnisse der projektinternen inhaltlichen Zusammenarbeit auf.        Zu Teil I – Grundlagen seitens der MINT-übergreifenden Koordination und Synthese für MINTerdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit Neben der allgemeinen Projektkoordination und den ComeNets wurde besonderer Wert auf Aspekte gelegt, welche fächerübergreifend von Bedeutung sind. Um diese Themen projektweit zu koordinieren, wurde eine eigene Arbeitsgruppe für die MINT übergreifende Koordination und Synthese eingerichtet – auch „mittlerer Ring“ genannt. Im ersten Teil des Handouts liegt der Fokus auf den – zunächst durch den mittleren Ring initiierten und im späteren Verlauf mithilfe eines Großteils der Projektbeteiligten weiterentwickelten – Grundlagen der fächerübergreifenden Aspekte und Anliegen. Zu Teil II - Kurzzusammenfassungen und (Teil-)Ergebnisse aus den Fächern Hier stellen die einzelnen ComeNets in fachspezifischen Abschnitten Ziele, Entwicklungsstände, Ergebnisse und ggf. Besonderheiten ihrer Umsetzungen vor. Dabei wird u.a. nach Standorten differenziert und Rückbezug genommen auf die fächerübergreifenden Aspekte der gemeinsamen Grundlagen aus dem ersten Teil des Handouts. Entstanden ist der zweite Teil durch intensive Zusammenarbeit der ComeNet-Beteiligten und den Akteur:innen des mittleren Rings. Zu Teil III – Interoperables Metaportal zur Dissemination von OER für die MINT-Lehrkräftebildung Einen weiteren Beitrag zur Koordination und Entwicklung in ComeMINT leistet das interoperable Metaportal, vorwiegend im Sinne der Dissemination. Das Metaportal ist als verbundübergreifendes Teilprojekt im äußeren Ring angesiedelt und ist zugleich Teil der Verbünde ComeSports und ComeArts. Die drei Come-Verbünde sind allesamt Nachfolgeprojekte des NRW-weiten Projekts ComeIn (Communities of Practice NRW für eine Innovative Lehrerbildung, www.comein.nrw) aus einer vorausgegangenen Förderphase (Förderkennzeichen 01 JA 2033 A-L).   [1] lernen:digital mit der Bundestransferstelle an der Universität Potsdam bündelt die Aktivitäten zahlreicher BMBF-geförderter Projektverbünde zu digitalisierungsbezogenen Lehrkräfteforbildungen wie etwa ComeMINT: https://lernen.digita

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022 : a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

A list of authors and their affiliations appears online. A supplementary appendix is herewith attached.Background: Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods: We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI 2 SD above the median). Findings: From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation: The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesity.peer-reviewe

Influence of Gender and Age on the Willingness to Reduce Nicotine Consumption—Results of a Survey in Urological Cancer Patients (KRAUT Study)

Although it is well-known that smoking can cause lung cancer, the relationship between smoking and urologic cancers seems not as obvious and awareness is not widespread in the general population. For the KRAUT (knowledge of the relation between smoking and urological tumors among patients with a urological tumor disease) study, 258 patients with the diagnosis of urological cancer were interviewed using a questionnaire. Most (72.1%) stated that they never had a conversation regarding this topic with any doctor. Educational work in this field should be intensified to reduce the development and progression of urologic cancer. Purpose: Our objective was to investigate whether patients with urologic tumors were aware of smoking as a risk factor for the development and progression of several urologic cancers and the extent of the medical education they had received. Another aim was to investigate whether gender or age influenced patients' willingness to change their smoking habits. Materials and Methods: Patients with histologically malignant urologic tumors were enrolled in our questionnaire-based study from September 2013 to December 2014 in 2 urology departments. Patients were asked about their smoking habits and their general understanding of the relationship between smoking and the onset of cancer (urologic cancer and lung cancer). Also, the extent of information they had acquired from a physician was assessed. The descriptive and oncologic data of the patients were recorded. Results: Of 258 enrolled patients, 186 (72.1%) had never had an informational discussion with a doctor about smoking and their urologic tumor disease. Of the 160 active and former smokers, only 45 (28.1%) were planning to stop or reduce smoking because of their tumor disease. The willingness to change smoking habits was greater for women, with a statistically significant difference (odds ratio, 5.59; P = .002). Younger patients aged <58 years were also more willing to reduce or stop smoking. Conclusion: In our study, most patients with urologic cancer were unaware of smoking as the most probable cause of tumor development. The patients had not received proper counseling from doctors on smoking and the risk it poses for tumor progression. Efforts to balance compliance among the genders and age groups through risk-adapted counseling should be undertaken. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved