Hannover Re (Germany)

This study examines the association between fetal macrosomia (>5,000 g) and pregnancy and birth outcomes. This was a retrospective cohort study using data from the perinatal survey of Lower Saxony, Germany (2001-2009). Pregnancies complicated by advanced maternal age (>35 years), elevated BMI (>25.0), and excessive gestational weight gain were significantly more likely to result in macrosomic births. Additionally, pregnancies involving macrosomic fetuses were characterized by prolonged gestation and an increased likelihood of cesarean delivery. Neonates with macrosomia exhibited significantly lower Apgar scores at 1, 5, and 10 min (<7) compared to the control group (<5,000 g), though umbilical artery pH values did not differ significantly between groups. These findings highlight the need for targeted prenatal monitoring and risk assessment in pregnancies predisposed to fetal macrosomia.

Abstract Two research projects examine the application of slags from today’s and future steel production in the cement industry as reactive binder components. The completed project SlagCEM investigated the recovery of iron from basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag while simultaneously producing a clinker-like mineral product with good cementitious properties. However, a reduction of BOF slag increases its viscosity and would require unfeasible high process temperatures of &gt; 1700 °C. Therefore, SlagCEM aimed to modify the BOF slag to reduce the viscosity to suitable ranges at treatment temperatures of approx. 1600 °C. A demonstration trial (approx. 20 tons) was carried out and the potential of the produced material as a substitute in ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was investigated. Furthermore, the environmental impact of cement production (cradle-to-gate, excluding use and end-of-life) with and without SlagCEM material was calculated via life cycle impact (LCIA). The ongoing project DRI-EOS investigates the utilization of increasing amounts of direct reduced iron (DRI)-based electric arc furnace (EAF) slag in the cement industry to compensate the reduced production of granulated blast furnace slag (GBS) being expected in future. This requires an adjustment of the slag’s chemical composition and a rapid quenching to create an amorphous structure resulting in latent hydraulic properties. The project studies the behavior of the modified slag during the metallurgical process and during solidification, any possible negative impact on the cementitious or environmental properties as well as the potential to recover metals such as iron, chromium, manganese, vanadium, and molybdenum. The results of both projects indicate that these slags are partially suitable as reactive binders, although their performance is affected by multiple factors. Graphical Abstract

This study focuses on the infrasound observation and case-based event analysis of recent and exceptional rocket launches for and reentries from space missions. Highlight cases of powerful launches and remarkable reentries are:NASA’s Artemis 1 maiden flight in 2022 (and probably Artemis 2 in early 2026)SpaceX’s Starship flight tests 1 to 11 from 2023 to 2025 (and probably Starship 12 in early 2026)ESA’s Ariane 6 maiden flight in 2024 (and further launches in 2025+)Blue Origin’s New Glenn maiden flight in 2025 (and further launches in 2025+)Selected and detected reentries from Starship, New Glenn and Falcon 9 rocketsRocket launches and reentries are powerful atmospheric noise sources detectable at infrasound arrays in hundreds to thousands of kilometers distance. Recorded signatures originate from the ignition, launch, supersonic movement, stage separation and reentry of rockets within the first about 100 kilometers of altitude of the atmosphere. Using microbarometer arrays of national observation networks and the International Monitoring System for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, such infrasound events can be remotely identified, localized and characterized.

Rapid development of offshore wind farms in the Northwest Pacific – led by China with over 40 GW of installed capacity – has concentrated high-value infrastructure in one of the world’s most tropical cyclone (TC) active basins. However, widely used vendor natural catastrophe models are primarily designed for land-based exposure and do not adequately represent offshore TC hazard. In this study, we introduce a framework for assessing TC risk for offshore wind farms. Using stochastic TC track sets, we generate hazard footprints representing maximum wind speeds across offshore sites. These footprints are integrated with industry exposure data to estimate potential damage and financial loss distributions. We further evaluate uncertainty in hazard representation through sensitivity analysis using different TC track sets. Finally, we assess the impact of climate change by incorporating projected shifts in TC intensity and frequency under warming scenarios, highlighting how future climate conditions may alter offshore wind risk profiles.

Einleitung: Bei Patient*innen und Patienten mit Resthörvermögen unterstützt eine hybride Versorgung aus Cochlea-Implantat (CI) und Hörgerät die auditive Rehabilitation. Für vollimplantierbare elektroakustische Stimulation (EAS) und Patient*innen mit ausgeprägtem [zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL]

A high-power 2-μm phase-locked femtosecond source is demonstrated by a degenerate doubly resonant optical parametric oscillator (DROPO), which is synchronously pumped by a home-built Yb:YAG Kerr-lens mode-locked thin-disk laser. A dither-free scheme, incorporating an intracavity 'parasitic' sum-frequency of signal and pump as an error signal, has been used to stabilize the DROPO at degeneracy. To our knowledge, with a pump power of 15.8W, this system achieves the highest output power (5.6W) and conversion efficiency (35%) for an actively stabilized, degenerate BBO-based DROPO operating at 2μm. The long-term stability measurement of the power over 90 minutes shows a root mean square (RMS) power noise of 0.78%, demonstrating excellent stability and reliable performance.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of respiratory tract infections, leading to significant morbidity, hospitalizations, and mortality among high-risk populations. Despite the recent advent of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, options to treat RSV infections are limited. Detailed understanding at the molecular level of virus-host interactions associated with disease severity may aid development of novel intervention strategies. In this study, we examined the role of transcription factor STAT1 in regulating cholesterol metabolism during RSV infection of epithelial-like cells. We demonstrated that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated STAT1 knock-out affected activation of the SREBP-SCAP cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, leading to intracellular cholesterol accumulation and increased RSV-induced syncytia formation. Pharmacological reduction of cholesterol levels blunted RSV-induced syncytia formation and affected the stability of the RSV fusion protein. These findings reveal a STAT1-dependent immune-metabolic pathway that constrains RSV dissemination through syncytia formation, which could be a novel target for intervention strategies.

Targeted therapies (TT) improve outcomes in BRAF-mutant melanoma. Pre-clinical data suggest that anticoagulation (AC) and platelet aggregation inhibition (PAI) may have antitumoral effects. We evaluated the impact of concomitant AC or PAI on outcomes in patients receiving TT. We analyzed 1296 patients with unresectable stage III-IV BRAF-mutant melanoma treated with BRAF plus MEK inhibitors (2016-2024) in the prospective multicenter ADOReg registry. Patients were categorized as receiving no antithrombotic therapy (ATT; n = 1125), PAI (n = 73; acetylsalicylic acid or clopidogrel), or AC (n = 98; direct oral anticoagulants, low-molecular-weight heparin, or vitamin K antagonists). Median follow-up was 1.3 years. Compared with patients without ATT, those receiving AC had significantly improved 12-month progression-free survival (PFS; HR 0.55, 95 % CI 0.39-0.78, p = 0.001) and overall survival (OS; HR 0.35, 95 % CI 0.19-0.64, p = 0.001). Direct oral anticoagulants showed the most pronounced PFS benefit (HR 0.40, 95 % CI 0.25-0.64, p < 0.001). PAI was not associated with a significant difference in PFS, but multivariable Cox regression indicated a reduced hazard of death (HR 0.48, 95 % CI 0.27-0.87, p = 0.015). Concomitant AC, particularly factor Xa-inhibiting direct oral anticoagulants, was associated with improved survival in melanoma patients undergoing TT. These findings support prospective trials evaluating AC as concomitant therapy in advanced melanoma.

Live trapping is a common method in wildlife research and management, yet it poses inherent risks to animal welfare. This study systematically evaluated injury incidence and severity in coypus (Myocastor coypus) and raccoons (Procyon lotor) captured using three commercially available live trap types: a standard wooden box trap (WBT), a metallic, sheet metal trap (SMT), and a wire grid trap (WGT). A total of 55 coypus and 45 raccoons were examined following a trap confinement duration of a maximum of six hours. Injuries were assessed using standardized necropsy protocols and categorized by anatomical location, severity, and presumed cause. Results showed species-specific injury patterns, with raccoons exhibiting more frequent and severe injuries than coypus. Raccoons primarily sustained skin lesions and dental trauma, consistent with their manipulative, escape-oriented behavior, while coypu injuries were predominantly localized to the snout and incisors. Although not statistically significant, trap design influenced injury profiles: the WBT was associated with severe injuries in raccoons, particularly to the forelimbs and dentition, while the WGT prompted intense escape behaviors without a proportional increase in trauma. The SMT resulted in fewer external injuries but did present species-specific risks, such as claw-abrasion and tail entrapment. Approximately 93% of raccoons and 55% of coypus exhibited external injuries, including 14 severe cases and 5 confirmed fractures. These findings underscore the importance of species-specific trap assessment and design optimization to mitigate animal suffering. Given the limitations of traditional injury scoring systems and behavioral indicators when applied to wild animals, this study highlights the need for integrated, evidence-based welfare assessments in field settings. Future research should prioritize refinement of trapping methods and standardized welfare evaluation frameworks to support ethical and effective wildlife management.