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Michael Scherer

Publications and source records attributed to Michael Scherer.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Monolithic carrier-envelope phase-stabilization scheme.

A new scheme for stabilizing the carrier-envelope (CE) phase of a few-cycle laser pulse train is demonstrated. Self-phase modulation and difference-frequency generation in a single periodically poled lithium niobate crystal that transmits the main laser beam allows CE phase locking directly in the usable output. The monolithic scheme obviates the need for splitting off a fraction of the laser output for CE phase control, coupling into microstructured fiber, and separation and recombination of spectral components. As a consequence, the output yields 6-fs, 800-nm pulses with an unprecedented degree of short- and long-term reproducibility of the electric field waveform.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Forgiveness in health research and medical practice.

With the rising popularity of positive psychology, research on forgiveness has flourished. Forgiveness has been found to have application to the field of medicine. We review definitions and describe potential physical and mental benefits of forgiveness. We (1) address potential mechanisms by which forgiveness might affect physical health, (2) evaluate the research on forgiveness and mental health, (3) summarize research on interventions to promote forgiveness, (4) examine issues specifically related to medicine in which forgiveness might play an important role, and (5) discuss forgiveness of self and others and seeking forgiveness in light of those applications. We emphasize the importance of one's motive in forgiving, noting that altruistic motives hold greater benefits than do self-interested motives.

Altruism↗
PubMed2005

Effect of recombinant FVIIa in hypothermic, coagulopathic pigs with liver injuries.

BACKGROUND: Previous experiments with diverse pig models to evaluate the ability of rFVIIa to reduce hemorrhage have provided divergent results. The current study was conducted to address concerns related to previous work by using larger sample sizes, and an extended observational period of 4 hours post-injury. The objectives were to evaluate further the hemostatic efficacy and safety of rFVIIa administration after traumatic, uncontrolled hemorrhage. METHODS: Anesthetized, splenectomized pigs (36.6 +/- 0.3 kg; n = 18/group) underwent an approximately 50% isovolemic blood exchange with 33 degrees C 6% hetastarch, and body temperature was adjusted to 32.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C. Subsequently, a Grade V liver injury was inflicted. After 30 seconds, either vehicle or treatment (180 microg/kg or 720 microg/kg rFVIIa) was administered intravenously as a bolus. Concomitantly, laparotomy pads were packed around the liver. Resuscitation with 33 degrees C lactated Ringer's solution (260 mL/min) was initiated and pigs were monitored for 4 hour post-injury or until death. Tissues were collected and examined histologically to assess the presence of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). RESULTS: Liver injuries were comparable among all groups (p = 0.89). Measures associated with in vitro coagulation (prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thromboelastographic split-point and R times) were enhanced by rFVIIa administration (p < 0.05). However, neither percent survival (p = 0.82), survival time (p = 0.56), nor blood loss (p = 0.63) were affected by treatment. DIC was not evident in lung or kidney tissue. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate an inability of rFVIIa at these doses to reduce blood loss, or to increase survival time or percent survival in this pig model. Absence of DIC provides evidence for safe use of rFVIIa under conditions specific to this study.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2003

PlmA, a new member of the GntR family, has plasmid maintenance functions in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120.

The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena (Nostoc) sp. strain PCC 7120 maintains a genome that is divided into a 6.4-Mb chromosome, three large plasmids of more that 100 kb, two medium-sized plasmids of 55 and 40 kb, and a 5.5-kb plasmid. Plasmid copy number can be dynamic in some cyanobacterial species, and the genes that regulate this process have not been characterized. Here we show that mutations in an open reading frame, all1076, reduce the numbers of copies per chromosome of several plasmids. In a mutant strain, plasmids pCC7120delta and pCC7120zeta are both reduced to less than 50% of their wild-type levels. The exogenous pDU1-based plasmid pAM1691 is reduced to less than 25% of its wild-type level, and the plasmid is rapidly lost. The peptide encoded by all1076 shows similarity to members of the GntR family of transcriptional regulators. Phylogenetic analysis reveals a new domain topology within the GntR family. PlmA homologs, all coming from cyanobacterial species, form a new subfamily that is distinct from the previously identified subfamilies. The all1076 locus, named plmA, regulates plasmid maintenance functions in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120.

Anabaena↗
PubMed2002

The influence of age on the female/male ratio of treated incidence rates in depression.

BACKGROUND: Poor data exist on the influence of psychosocial variables on the female/male ratio of depression because of the small number of cases and the resulting limited numbers of variables available for investigation. For this investigation a large number of first admitted depressed patients (N = 2599) was available which offered the unique opportunity to calculate age specific sex ratios for different marital and employment status categories. METHODS: Age and sex specific population based depression rates were calculated for first ever admissions for single year intervals. Moving averages with interpolated corrections for marginal values in the age distribution were employed. RESULTS: For the total group the female/male ratio of depression showed an inverted U-shape over the life-cycle. This pattern was influenced by the group of married persons, which showed a sex-ratio of 3:1 between the age of 30-50, but ratios of around 1:1 at younger and older ages. For not married persons the female/male ratio was already around 2:1 at the age of 18 and rose to 2.5:1 in mid-life and declined to 1 at around 55. The almost parallel decline of depression rates in employed men and women resulted in a female/male ratio of about 2:1 from age 18 to age 50 and became 1 after the age of 60. The female/male ratio among the not employed was about 1, in mid-life it became negative. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses show that the gender-gap in first admitted depressed patients is age dependent and that psychosocial factors modify the sex ratio.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

[Days in psychiatric hospitals: who consumes most of them? A five-year record linkage study of "Heavy Users" in an Austrian province].

OBJECTIVE: To find out whether the use of hospital days in all psychiatric inpatient services in the province of Lower Austria is equally distributed among patients or whether subgroups with different intensity of hospital day use can be identified, and if so, how these subgroups can be characterized. METHODS: Data collected for administrative purposes for all three inpatient services of Lower Austria were analyzed for the years 1996 to 2000. Record Linkage allowed to identify patients who had used several of these hospitals within the respective study periods. Cumulative hospital days per patient were calculated for each of the years studied and the distribution of these cumulative hospital days was analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 202 996 hospital days accrued in the year 1996, 44.5 % were consumed by patients who continuously stayed in hospital during the whole year ("static" population). In 2000 this percentage had dropped to 16.3 %; also the total number of hospital days had decreased by one third to 141 738. Of those patients, who had at least once been admitted and/or discharged during a specific year ("dynamic population"), a stable proportion of around 17.0 % were responsible for 50.0 % of all hospital days. These patients were more frequently of female sex, significantly younger, had more often repeated admissions and suffered more frequently from schizophrenia than the rest of the group. CONCLUSIONS: The astonishing finding that, despite substantial change in the system of psychiatric care over five years, the percentage of patients with high values for cumulative hospital days remains constant, warrants further analyses. In such analyses not only patient and illness characteristics should be studied (which is suggested by the terms "heavy users" and "high utilizers"), but also factors such as the social context of the patient, the existence or non-existence of community psychiatric services and their functioning, as well as existing or non-existing financial incentives for single services.

Adult↗