👤 Silvan Renz

The SEMpsych project offered the "Blaufeuer" counselling service for people with psychological impairments and work-related stress. Firstly, this study investigated whether the recognisably high variability in the work-related problem areas can be explained by statistically and quantitatively determinable profile types. Secondly, it was investigated whether typical patterns of individual problem constellations in the course of life and habitual imprints (latent basic convictions) of Blaufeuer counselling participants, which are associated with psychological stress, can be reconstructed in their interaction.A convergent-parallel mixed methods approach was used. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was carried out statistically and quantitatively with 457 participants in the Blaufeuer programme. Qualitatively, 16 guided individual interviews were analysed using a combination of grounded theory and narrative analysis.The LPA revealed seven profiles of characteristic work and occupational problems. The qualitative analysis identified six latent basic beliefs and individual problem constellations that can contribute to the description of vulnerability risks.Both typifications provide guidance for the high variability of work-related stressors. Specifically, the qualitative findings show the necessity to consider latent basic beliefs as well as individual life events and everyday stresses in addition to the types of work-related stressors for counselling. Show less

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in corona virus disease 19 (COVID-19) is triggered by hyperinflammation, thus providing a rationale for immunosuppressive treatments. The Janus kinase inhibitor Ruxolitinib (Ruxo) has shown efficacy in severe and critical COVID-19. In this study, we hypothesized that Ruxo's mode of action in this condition is reflected by changes in the peripheral blood proteome. This study included 11 COVID-19 patients, who were treated at our center's Intensive Care Unit (ICU). All patients received standard-of-care treatment and Linear modeling of MS data yielded 27 significantly differentially regulated proteins on day 1, 69 on day 6 and 72 on day 10. Only five factors (IGLV10-54, PSMB1, PGLYRP1, APOA5, WARS1) were regulated both concordantly and significantly over time. Overrepresentation analysis revealed biological processes involving T-cells only on day 1, while a humoral immune response and complement activation were detected at day 6 and day 10. Pathway enrichment analysis identified the Our results indicate that the mechanism of action of Ruxo in COVID-19-ARDS can be related to both known effects of this drug as a modulator of T-cells and the SARS-CoV-2-infection. Show less

Neutrophilic asthmatics (NA) have less response to inhaled corticosteroids. We aimed to find out the predictor of treatment response in NA. Asthmatics (n = 115) and healthy controls (n = 28) underwent clinical assessment during 6-month follow-up with standardized therapy. Asthmatics were categorized by sputum differential cell count. The mRNA expressions were measured by RT-qPCR for sputum cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-27, FOXP3, IL-17A, and IL-5). The protein of IL-1β in sputum supernatant was detected by ELISA. Reticular basement membranes (RBM) were measured in the biopsy samples. The role and signaling pathways of IL-1β mediating the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process were explored through A549 cells. NA had increased baseline sputum cell IL-1β expression compared to eosinophilic asthmatics (EA). After follow-up, NA had less improvement in FEV IL-1β level in baseline sputum predicts the poor lung function improvement in NA. The potential mechanism may be related to IL-1β augmenting TGF-β1-induced steroid-resistant EMT through MAPK signaling pathways. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (IRB ID: 20150406). Show less