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Pre-surgery gut microbial diversity and abundance are associated with post-surgery onset of cachexia in colorectal cancer patients: the ColoCare Study
Full text linkBackground: Cachexia accounts for about 20% of all cancer-related deaths and it is indicative of poor prognosis and progressive functional impairment. The role of the gut microbiome in the development of cachexia in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients has not been established.
Methods: Pre-surgical stool samples from n = 103 stage I–III CRC patients in the ColoCare Study were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina) to characterize fecal bacteria. We calculated estimates of alpha- and beta-diversity and a priori- and exploratory-selected bacterial relative abundance. Using Fearon criteria, cachexia onset at 6 months post-surgery was defined as 5% weight loss over the past 6 months and/or body mass index (BMI) of < 20 kg/m2 and weight loss of 2%. Associations of microbial metrics with cachexia onset were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models.
Results: Higher alpha-diversity was positively associated with cachexia onset, with stronger associations in females, patients < 65 years, those receiving adjuvant treatment, consuming high fiber, or with energy intake outside USDA recommendations (p < 0.05). Porphyromonas (OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.26–0.89, p = 0.03) and Actinomyces (OR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.48–1.03, p = 0.08) were inversely associated with cachexia, although the association for Actinomyces did not reach statistical significance. Stratified analyses revealed a stronger inverse association between Porphyromonas and cachexia onset in males, patients with rectal or stage III tumors, those receiving neoadjuvant treatment, physically inactive individuals, and those consuming low fiber. However, these associations did not reach statistical significance (0.05 ≤ p < 0.10).
Conclusion: Higher gut microbial alpha-diversity and lower relative abundances of the genera Porphyromonas and Actinomyces in pre-surgery stool samples were associated with onset of cachexia in CRC patients six months post-surgery. This is the first study to explore a link between the gut microbiome and cachexia in CRC patients, providing novel insights into the biology of cachexia and potential clinical interventions
Filmemachen als Ich-Erfahrung: Das handlungsorientierte Konzept des reflective film
Full text linkDieser Beitrag untersucht den Ansatz des reflective film als Alternative zu herkömmlichen handlungsorientierten Ansätzen in der Filmpädagogik. Basierend auf dem kunstpädagogischen Konzept der Ästhetischen Forschung von Helga Kämpf-Jansen wird ein subjektzentrierter Zugang vorgestellt, der die Kamera als Instrument zur Weltexploration und Selbstreflexion einsetzt. Im Gegensatz zu traditionellen Ansätzen, die technische Fertigkeiten und standardisierte Produktionsabläufe betonen, fokussiert diese Methode auf die persönliche Erfahrung und den Ausdruck der Teilnehmenden. Mit dem Dreischritt Sammeln – Sichten – Sortieren orientiert sich der reflective film eher an einer künstlerischen Suchbewegung und weniger an Produktionsweisen der professionellen Filmpraxis. Nicht der Nachvollzug der herkömmlichen Filmästhetik steht im Mittelpunkt, sondern das Subjekt, das über die Welt staunt, sich wundert oder von ihr irritiert ist. Der Blick durch die Kamera wird zum reflektierenden Moment und der Film zum Ausdruck einer Ich-Erfahrung
PROFINET – Future OT security requirements : What do NIS2, CER, CRA and IEC 62443 require?
Full text linkManufacturers, integrators, and operators of production systems must increasingly face regulatory requirements with regard to OT security. In addition, manufacturers are well advised to follow relevant OT security standards such as IEC 62443. It follows from the requirements described that the “security” of industrial communication must be ensured via appropriate protective measures. This article shows how the PROFINET communication protocol is currently being upgraded to meet the requirements
Ein integriertes Kompetenzmodell für Technische Redakteur:innen im Kontext der KI-Verordnung
Full text linkDieser Beitrag präsentiert ein umfassendes Kompetenzmodell für Technische Redakteur:innen, das auf Anforderungen aus Stellenanzeigen sowie der Europäischen KI-Verordnung (KI-VO) basiert. Das Modell integriert Fach-, Methoden-, Sozial- und Selbstkompetenzen nach Erpenbeck und Rosenstiel und erweitert diese um spezifische Anforderungen bezüglich KI-Systeme, einschließlich Transparenz-, Risiko- und Dokumentationspflichten. Es berücksichtigt klassische Dokumentationsaspekte sowie regulatorische Vorgaben für KI-Anwendungen. Abschließend wird die abgeleitete KI-Kompetenz im Vergleich zu bestehenden Konzepten diskutiert, wobei betont wird, dass Technische Redakteur:innen künftig verstärkt rechtliche, ethische und technologische Kompetenzen integrieren müssen, um den Anforderungen an „Responsible AI” gerecht zu werden
Vernetzte Integration generativer KI an Hochschulen durch das Open Source-KI-Ökosystem HAWKI
Full text linkDas prompte Auftauchen generativer KI durch ChatGPT hat Hochschulen vor neue didaktische, technische und strategische Herausforderungen gestellt. Einerseits sind KITools binnen kürzester Zeit fest im Studienalltag verankert – über 90 % der Studierenden in Deutschland nutzen sie bereits regelmäßig –, andererseits bestehen Bedenken hinsichtlich des Datenschutzes, der Integrität und der Abhängigkeit von kommerziellen Anbietern. In diesem Beitrag wird HAWKI, ein eigenständiges Open Source-KI-Ökosystem für Hochschulen, als Antwort auf diese Herausforderungen vorgestellt. HAWKI verknüpft eine flexible technologische Architektur, wie Anbindung verschiedener Sprachmodelle, Retrieval Augmented Generation für faktenbasierte Antworten, Gruppenchat und Exportfunktion, mit didaktischen Einsatzszenarien und einer strategischen Governance. Die Plattform ermöglicht Hochschulangehörigen einen datenschutzkonformen und kollaborativen Zugang zu generativer KI und fördert zugleich die reflektierte Nutzung. Abschließend werden Organisationsmodelle diskutiert, die eine nachhaltige, gemeinwohlorientierte Weiterentwicklung von HAWKI unterstützen könnten
Automatic Detection of Common Starfish Asterias Rubens in North Sea Underwater Images
Full text linkSince fishing activities have been restricted in Germany's marine protected areas like the Sylt Outer Reef (southern North Sea), scientific monitoring must also rely on less invasive methods to replace the traditional bottom contacting fishing techniques. To this end, a promising candidate is underwater imagery. While providing a cost-effective, non-destructive monitoring alternative, the huge data volumes generated cannot be analyzed manually. The recent advancements in computer vision, in particular object detection, by deep learning algorithms offer to automatically analyze large image data volumes, and have gained increasing popularity also in the analysis of marine benthic (ground-near) life. While several studies exist focussing on images from coral reefs or the deep sea, imaging conditions in the Sylt Outer Reef are challenging due to reduced underwater visibility caused by environmental factors. In this study, we assess the performance of a state-of-the art object detection model, YOLOv8, to detect individuals of the common starfish (Asterias rubens) in underwater images acquired at the Sylt Outer Reef. We specifically address the influence of the YOLO model size and the input resolution on the detection performance, obtaining 96.9% [email protected] and 80.6% [email protected]:0.95, using YOLOv8 medium at 960 x 960 input pixels
Temporal-Aware Reinforcement Learning for Robust Autonomous Driving Decision-Making
Full text linkAutonomous driving systems require robust and precise decision-making, particularly for safety-critical functions such as Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and for comfortoriented features like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). Although conventional Reinforcement Learning (RL) methods with Multilayer Perceptrons (MLPs) have shown potential, they lack the temporal awareness needed for complex, dynamic driving scenarios. In this paper, we propose an enhanced decisionmaking architecture that integrates Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) with sequential models—specifically Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) networks. Simulation-based evaluations demonstrate that our method improves AEB responsiveness and ACC stability while reducing false activations
Environmentally Resistant Flax Fiber-Reinforced Composites for Aircraft Applications: Aviation Stress Tests with Optical and Mechanical Analyses
Full text linkFlax fiber-reinforced composites (FFRCs) must be resistant to environmental conditions to use them for external components in aviation. It was investigated how contact with typical aviation liquids, i.e. water, jet fuel and hydraulic oil, affects the optical and mechanical properties of twill fabric epoxy resin-based FFRCs. These influences were compared to the effect of UV weathering. Samples were exposed to these conditions for up to 28 days at RT. Uncoated samples with different fiber contents served as references and were compared with coated samples. A polyurethane/epoxy-based aircraft coating system and a partially biobased automotive interior coating as a more sustainable alternative were examined. The main damage for the uncoated samples was caused by UV weathering and water. UV light leads to photo-oxidation, causing material erosion. Water is absorbed by the hydrophilic flax fibers. Subsequent swelling leads to deformation and delamination. Thus, the damage was more severe for a higher fiber content. No effect could be demonstrated by immersion in jet fuel and hydraulic oil, as they are hardly absorbed by the fibers. Both coatings showed good protection against UV weathering and delayed water absorption. Nevertheless, mechanical damage was found for the FFRC covered with the fossil coating after 28 days of immersion in water. FFRC with an appropriate coating could therefore be suitable for use in aviation, but prolonged contact with water should be avoided. Protective measures should focus on preventing water uptake and UV irradiation, as these cause significantly more damage than jet fuel and hydraulic oil
UI- und UX-Design für Kinder im Alter von 3 bis 12 Jahren - Unterschiede zu Erwachsenen, Empfehlungen und praktische Anwendung
Full text linkDie Bachelorarbeit behandelt Empfehlungen zur kindgerechten Gestaltung von User Interfaces und User Experience. Kinder unterscheiden sich in ihren Anforderungen an benutzerfreundliche Anwendungen deutlich von Erwachsenen, weshalb die kindliche Perspektive im Entwicklungsprozess gezielt berücksichtigt werden sollte. Ziel der Arbeit ist es, diese Unterschiede systematisch darzustellen, praxisnahe Empfehlungen für kindgerechtes Design zu entwickeln und diese anschließend anhand der Umsetzung einer kindgerechten Website zu überprüfen.
Zur Validierung der Ergebnisse wurde eine Studie mit acht Kindern durchgeführt. Die Untersuchung zeigt, dass die aktive Einbindung von Kindern entscheidend ist, um altersgerechte und nutzerfreundliche Anwendungen zu entwickeln. Damit leistet die Arbeit einen Beitrag zur theoretischen Auseinandersetzung mit kindgerechtem Design und liefert zugleich praktische Handlungsempfehlungen für Entwickler:innen.This bachelor’s thesis addresses recommendations for the child-oriented design of user interfaces and user experience. Children have distinctly different requirements for userfriendly applications compared to adults, making it essential to explicitly consider the child’s perspective in the development process. The objective of this thesis is to systematically identify these differences, develop practical recommendations for child-friendly design, and subsequently evaluate their implementation through the creation of a childoriented website.
To validate the findings, a study was conducted with eight children. The results demonstrate that actively involving children in the development process is crucial for creating age-appropriate and user-friendly applications. Thus, the thesis contributes both to the theoretical understanding of child-oriented design and provides actionable guidance for developers
Subclinical Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Colorectal Cancer
Full text linkBackground: Prior studies have documented that patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Objectives: To examine coronary artery calcium (CAC) as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis and its association with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with CRC across the cancer treatment trajectory.
Methods: Adults with newly diagnosed CRC were enrolled in the prospective ColoCare study from 2017 to 2024. CAC was measured from routine diagnostic computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography‐CT scans at CRC diagnosis until 5 years post‐diagnosis. Atherosclerosis was defined as the presence of CAC. We used multivariable‐adjusted Fine and Gray models to assess the association between CAC and MACE risk, accounting for competing risks.
Results: Among 300 CRC patients, the most common CVD risk factors at cancer diagnosis were hypertension (37%), hyperlipidemia (24%), and diabetes (14%). During follow‐up (median = 5.3 years), 75 (25%) individuals experienced MACE: stroke (3%), new/worsening HF (9%), HF exacerbation requiring hospitalization (2%), coronary revascularization (3%), and death (19%). Among individuals with imaging at baseline (n = 101), 37 (36.6%) had CAC, and statins were not prescribed in 11 (55.0%) patients with moderate/high CAC. For those with serial imaging (n = 61), 31.1% showed worsening CAC and 3% developed new CAC. Baseline CAC conferred a higher risk of MACE (HR = 4.79; 95% CI: 1.05–21.75, p = 0.04) after accounting for cancer‐related deaths as a competing risk.
Conclusions: Subclinical atherosclerosis and MACE are common among patients with CRC. Integrating CAC from routine cancer imaging can identify patients who may benefit from cardio‐preventive treatment