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Als Rainer Forst, Professor für politische Theorie und Philosophie an der Frankfurter Universität, 2012 den Leibniz-Preis erhielt, hieß es in der Laudatio, er führe die »philosophische Tradition der Frankfurter Schule mit Jürgen Habermas und Axel Honneth auf höchstem Niveau« fort. In diesem Jahr wird das Frankfurter Institut für Sozialforschung 90 Jahre alt, und die Anfänge der »Frankfurter Schule« liegen ungefähr 85 Jahre zurück – Anlässe genug, um zu fragen: Wie hat sich die »Frankfurter Schule« gewandelt?
Advertising arbitrage
(2014)
Speculators often advertise arbitrage opportunities in order to persuade other investors and thus accelerate the correction of mispricing. We show that in order to minimize the risk and the cost of arbitrage an investor who identifies several mispriced assets optimally advertises only one of them, and overweights it in his portfolio; a risk-neutral arbitrageur invests only in this asset. The choice of the asset to be advertised depends not only on mispricing but also on its "advertisability" and accuracy of future news about it. When several arbitrageurs identify the same arbitrage opportunities, their decisions are strategic complements: they invest in the same asset and advertise it. Then, multiple equilibria may arise, some of which inefficient: arbitrageurs may correct small mispricings while failing to eliminate large ones. Finally, prices react more strongly to the ads of arbitrageurs with a successful track record, and reputation-building induces high-skill arbitrageurs to advertise more than others.
Has economic research been helpful in dealing with the financial crises of the early 2000s? On the whole, the answer is negative, although there are bright spots. Economists have largely failed to predict both crises, largely because most of them were not analytically equipped to understand them, in spite of their recurrence in the last 25 years. In the pre-crisis period, however, there have been important exceptions – theoretical and empirical strands of research that largely laid out the basis for our current thinking about financial crises. Since 2008, a flurry of new studies offered several different interpretations of the US crisis: to some extent, they point to potentially complementary factors, but disagree on their relative importance, and therefore on policy recommendations. Research on the euro debt crisis has so far been much more limited: even Europe-based researchers – including CEPR ones – have often directed their attention more to the US crisis than to that occurring on their doorstep. In terms of impact on policy and regulatory reform, the record is uneven. On the one hand, the swift and massive liquidity provision by central banks in the wake of both crises is, at least partly, to be credited to previous research on the role of central banks as lenders of last resort in crises and on the real effects of bank lending and monetary policy. On the other hand, economists have had limited impact on the reform of prudential and security market regulation. In part, this is due to their neglect of important regulatory choices, which policy-makers are therefore left to take without the guidance of academic research-based analysis.
Consumption-based asset pricing with rare disaster risk : a simulated method of moments approach
(2014)
The rare disaster hypothesis suggests that the extraordinarily high postwar U.S. equity premium resulted because investors ex ante demanded compensation for unlikely but calamitous risks that they happened not to incur. Although convincing in theory, empirical tests of the rare disaster explanation are scarce. We estimate a disaster-including consumption-based asset pricing model (CBM) using a combination of the simulated method of moments and bootstrapping. We consider several methodological alternatives that differ in the moment matches and the way to account for disasters in the simulated consumption growth and return series. Whichever specification is used, the estimated preference parameters are of an economically plausible size, and the estimation precision is much higher than in previous studies that use the canonical CBM. Our results thus provide empirical support for the rare disaster hypothesis, and help reconcile the nexus between real economy and financial markets implied by the consumption-based asset pricing paradigm.
The long-run consumption risk (LRR) model is a promising approach to resolve prominent asset pricing puzzles. The simulated method of moments (SMM) provides a natural framework to estimate its deep parameters, but caveats concern model solubility and weak identification. We propose a two-step estimation strategy that combines GMM and SMM, and for which we elicit informative macroeconomic and financial moment matches from the LRR model structure. In particular, we exploit the persistent serial correlation of consumption and dividend growth and the equilibrium conditions for market return and risk-free rate, as well as the model-implied predictability of the risk-free rate. We match analytical moments when possible and simulated moments when necessary and determine the crucial factors required for both identification and reasonable estimation precision. A simulation study – the first in the context of long-run risk modeling – delineates the pitfalls associated with SMM estimation of a non-linear dynamic asset pricing model. Our study provides a blueprint for successful estimation of the LRR model.
he predictive likelihood is of particular relevance in a Bayesian setting when the purpose is to rank models in a forecast comparison exercise. This paper discusses how the predictive likelihood can be estimated for any subset of the observable variables in linear Gaussian state-space models with Bayesian methods, and proposes to utilize a missing observations consistent Kalman filter in the process of achieving this objective. As an empirical application, we analyze euro area data and compare the density forecast performance of a DSGE model to DSGE-VARs and reduced-form linear Gaussian models.
We propose a new estimator for the spot covariance matrix of a multi-dimensional continuous semi-martingale log asset price process which is subject to noise and non-synchronous observations. The estimator is constructed based on a local average of block-wise parametric spectral covariance estimates. The latter originate from a local method of moments (LMM) which recently has been introduced by Bibinger et al. (2014). We extend the LMM estimator to allow for autocorrelated noise and propose a method to adaptively infer the autocorrelations from the data. We prove the consistency and asymptotic normality of the proposed spot covariance estimator. Based on extensive simulations we provide empirical guidance on the optimal implementation of the estimator and apply it to high-frequency data of a cross-section of NASDAQ blue chip stocks. Employing the estimator to estimate spot covariances, correlations and betas in normal but also extreme-event periods yields novel insights into intraday covariance and correlation dynamics. We show that intraday (co-)variations (i) follow underlying periodicity patterns, (ii) reveal substantial intraday variability associated with (co-)variation risk, (iii) are strongly serially correlated, and (iv) can increase strongly and nearly instantaneously if new information arrives.
This paper studies the use of performance pricing (PP) provisions in debt contracts and compares accounting-based with rating-based pricing designs. We find that rating-based provisions are used by volatile-growth borrowers and allow for stronger spread increases over the credit period. Accounting-based provisions are employed by opaque-growth borrowers and stipulate stronger spread reductions. Further, a higher spread-increase potential in rating-based contracts lowers the spread at the loan’s inception and improves the borrower’s performance later on. In contrast, a higher spread-decrease potential in accounting-based contracts lowers the initial spread and raises the borrower’s leverage afterwards. The evidence indicates that rating-based contracts are indeed employed for different reasons than accounting-based contracts: the former to signal a borrower’s quality, the latter to mitigate investment inefficiencies.
This paper examines the effect of imperfect labor market competition on the efficiency of compensation schemes in a setting with moral hazard, private information and risk-averse agents. Two vertically differentiated firrms compete for agents by offering contracts with fixed and variable payments. Vertical differentiation between firms leads to endogenous, type-dependent exit options for agents. In contrast to screening models with perfect competition, we find that existence of equilibria does not depend on whether the least-cost separating allocation is interim efficient. Rather, vertical differentiation allows the inferior firm to offer (cross-)subsidizing fixed payments even above the interim efficient level. We further show that the efficiency of variable pay depends on the degree of competition for agents: For small degrees of competition, low-ability agents are under-incentivized and exert too little effort. For large degrees of competition, high-ability agents are over-incentivized and bear too much risk. For intermediate degrees of competition, however, contracts are second-best despite private information.
We analyze the differential impact of domestic and foreign monetary policy on the local supply of bank credit in domestic and foreign currencies. We analyze a novel, supervisory dataset from Hungary that records all bank lending to firms including its currency denomination. Accounting for time-varying firm-specific heterogeneity in loan demand, we find that a lower domestic interest rate expands the supply of credit in the domestic but not in the foreign currency. A lower foreign interest rate on the other hand expands lending by lowly versus highly capitalized banks relatively more in the foreign than in the domestic currency.
In this paper we argue that very high marginal labor income tax rates are an effective tool for social insurance even when households have preferences with high labor supply elasticity, make dynamic savings decisions, and policies have general equilibrium effects. To make this point we construct a large scale Overlapping Generations Model with uninsurable labor productivity risk, show that it has a wealth distribution that matches the data well, and then use it to characterize fiscal policies that achieve a desired degree of redistribution in society. We find that marginal tax rates on the top 1% of the earnings distribution of close to 90% are optimal. We document that this result is robust to plausible variation in the labor supply elasticity and holds regardless of whether social welfare is measured at the steady state only or includes transitional generations.
What would be the economic effects of the UK leaving the European Union on living standards of British people? We focus on the effects of trade on welfare net of lower fiscal transfers to the EU. We use a standard quantitative static general equilibrium trade model with multiple sectors, countries and intermediates, as in Costinot and Rodriguez-Clare (2013). Static losses range between 1.13% and 3.09% of GDP, depending on the assumptions used in our counterfactual scenarios. Including dynamic effects could more than double such losses.
We use data from the 2009 Internet Survey of the Health and Retirement Study to examine the consumption impact of wealth shocks and unemployment during the Great Recession in the US. We find that many households experienced large capital losses in housing and in their financial portfolios, and that a non-trivial fraction of respondents have lost their job. As a consequence of these shocks, many households reduced substantially their expenditures. We estimate that the marginal propensities to consume with respect to housing and financial wealth are 1 and 3.3 percentage points, respectively. In addition, those who became unemployed reduced spending by 10 percent. We also distinguish the effect of perceived transitory and permanent wealth shocks, splitting the sample between households who think that the stock market is likely to recover in a year’s time, and those who do not. In line with the predictions of standard models of intertemporal choice, we find that the latter group adjusted much more than the former its spending in response to financial wealth shocks.
This chapter discusses whether and how 'new quantitative trade models' (NQTMs) can be fruitfully applied to quantify the welfare effects of trade liberalization, thus shedding light on the trade-related effects of further European integration. On the one hand, it argues that NQTMs have indeed the potential of being used to supplement traditional 'computable general equilibrium' (CGE) analysis thanks to their tight connection between theory and data, appealing micro-theoretical foundations, and enhanced attention to the estimation of structural parameters. On the other hand, further work is still needed in order to fully exploit such potential.
Especially in developing countries credit constraints are often perceived as one of the most important market frictions constraining firm innovation and growth. Huge amounts of public money are being devoted to the removal of such constraints but their effectiveness is still subject to an intense policy debate. This paper contributes to this debate by analysing the effects of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) loans. It finds that, before receiving BNDES support, granted firms are indeed more credit constrained than comparable non-granted firms. It also finds that BNDES support allows granted firms to achieve the same level of performance as similar non-granted firms that are not credit constrained. However, it does not allow granted firms to outperform similar non-granted ones.
We develop a model of an order-driven exchange competing for order flow with off-exchange trading mechanisms. Liquidity suppliers face a trade-off between benefits and costs of order exposure. If they display trading intentions, they attract additional trade demand. We show, in equilibrium, hiding trade intentions can induce mis-coordination between liquidity supply and demand, generate excess price fluctuations and harm price efficiency. Econometric high-frequency analysis based on unique data on hidden orders from NASDAQ reveals strong empirical support for these predictions: We find abnormal reactions in prices and order flow after periods of high excess-supply of hidden liquidity.
We propose a framework for estimating network-driven time-varying systemic risk contributions that is applicable to a high-dimensional financial system. Tail risk dependencies and contributions are estimated based on a penalized two-stage fixed-effects quantile approach, which explicitly links bank interconnectedness to systemic risk contributions. The framework is applied to a system of 51 large European banks and 17 sovereigns through the period 2006 to 2013, utilizing both equity and CDS prices. We provide new evidence on how banking sector fragmentation and sovereign-bank linkages evolved over the European sovereign debt crisis and how it is reflected in network statistics and systemic risk measures. Illustrating the usefulness of the framework as a monitoring tool, we provide indication for the fragmentation of the European financial system having peaked and that recovery has started.
Im 18. Jahrhundert waren die Varietäten des Menschen aus zwei Gründen kein ganz neues Thema mehr. Zum einen griff die Aufklärung auf eine umfangreiche Literatur der Weltumsegler. Missionsreisenden und Abenteurer zurück, die seit dem 15. Jahrhundert von der Vielfalt der Völker, der sie umgebenden Natur und ihren Gebräuchen zu berichten wussten. Das beginnt bei der Historia nalural y morals de las Indias des spanischen Jesuiten José de Acosta (1539/1540-1599/1600) von 1590, die schon die Vermutung formuliert hat, dass auch die Indianer mit den anderen Völkern verwandt und über eine Landbrücke aus Nordasien nach Amerika gelangt seien, und reicht dann bis zu Rousseau, Voltaire, Diderot und Helvétius. Die andere Tradition ist die der Philosophie, für die Descartes' Ableitung der Einheit des Menschengeschlechts aus den physiologische Gemeinsamkeiten einschließlich der menschlichen Seele steht, wie er sie in seinem Traité de I'homme formuliert hat, 1632 geschrieben und 1662 posthum unter dem Titel De homine veröffentlicht und die ihrerseits auf die Nachwirkungen der aristotelisch inspirierten Scholastik und im 16. Jahrhundert entstandenen Physiologie zurückgeht. Das Menschengeschlecht war eines, das entsprach der biblischen Vorstellung ebenso wie der aristotelisch angeleiteten Wissenschaftssystematik, nicht unnötig viele Theorien zu nutzen. Von den Varietäten war also so viel die Rede wie von der Einheit der Menschheit.
Ein neophytisches Schaumkraut, das sich am Bodenseeufer massiv ausgebreitet hat und in jüngster Zeit vielfach auch in Belgien und den Niederlanden beobachtet wurde, konnte als Unkraut in einem Gartencenter, einem Baumarkt und auf drei Friedhöfen in Aachen nachgewiesen werden. Die Art wird als Japanisches Reisfeld-Schaumkraut, Cardamine flexuosa auct., Asian C. flexuosa, C. flexuosa subsp. debilis und aktuell als C. hamiltonii bezeichnet. Offenbar handelt es sich um Erstnachweise für Nordrhein-Westfalen.
Es ist 18:50 Uhr an einem Mittwochabend. Das PA-Gebäude auf dem Campus Westend ist hell erleuchtet. Während draußen die ersten Gäste stehen, ist im Innern ein junger Mann in Hemd und Sakko damit beschäftigt, einen roten Teppich von den letzten Flusen zu befreien. In wenigen Minuten werden die ersten Besucher der Ausstellung »36 Stifter für eine Idee« in den Saal treten, über den frisch gesaugten Teppich laufen und das Ergebnis von drei Jahren Arbeit begutachten.
Erinnerungsorte
(2014)
Immatrikulationsfeiern gehörten zum festen Ritual der universitären Kultur, bis in den 1960er Jahren bewusst mit dieser Tradition gebrochen wurde. Heute werden die Studierenden an der Goethe-Universität beim "unistart" begrüßt. Ist diese Veranstaltung ein Brückenschlag zwischen Gegenwart und alten Zeiten oder eher ein Spiegel des sich wandelnden universitären Selbstverständnisses?
Kollektives und kulturelles Erinnern : Erinnerungskulturen leben von der Dynamik der Gegenwart
(2014)
Keine Gemeinschaft kommt ohne kollektive Erinnerungen aus, dazu gehören Gedenkfeiern und Denkmäler ebenso wie Mythen und Rituale oder die Identifikation mit großen Ereignissen oder Persönlichkeiten. Erinnern ist nicht nur identitätsstiftend, es bedeutet auch, sich vergangene Erlebnisse zu vergegenwärtigen – oder wie Marcel Proust es ausdrückt: "Erst im Gedächtnis formt sich die Wirklichkeit." Wenn die Erinnerungskultur ihre Dynamik aus der Aktualität verliert, ist sie tot.
»Königliche Universität zu Frankfurt a. M.« – mit diesem Namen konnten sich auch die Frankfurter Stifter arrangieren, formalrechtlich hätte Wilhelm II. den Vortritt gehabt. Goethe, natürlich immer fester Bestandteil des philologischen
Bildungskanons, rückte der Universität verhalten näher: zunächst mit seinem Relief über dem historischen Haupteingang, bis es zu seinem 100. Todestag 1932 an der Zeit schien, die Universität nach dem Dichterfürsten zu benennen.
Das Verhältnis zwischen den Frankfurtern und ihrer Universität ist ein wechselvolles: gestiftet und großzügig unterstützt von Bürgern und Stadtpolitikern, gepflegt in den harten Jahren der Inflation, gleichgeschaltet und wissenschaftlich ausgehungert während des Nationalsozialismus, entfremdet und abgelehnt nach der Studentenrevolte in den 1960er und 1970er Jahren, wiederentdeckt ab den 1980er Jahren, geschätzt und gefördert seit der (Rück-)Verwandlung in eine Stiftungsuniversität (2008).
Wie nehmen Sie die Goethe-Universität heute in Zeiten des stärkeren nationalen und internationalen Wettbewerbs der Hochschulen wahr?
Was war rückblickend die wichtigste Veränderung, die Sie während Ihrer Amtszeit initiieren konnten?
Wenn Sie Ihre Zeit als Präsident noch einmal Revue passieren lassen, welche Episode lässt Sie heute noch schmunzeln?
Sie hätten die Chance, 2015 nochmal als Präsident anzutreten, welche Impulse würden Sie dann setzen wollen?
Was wünschen Sie der Goethe-Universität für die nächsten 50 Jahre?
Eine weltoffene, tolerante und liberale Intellektualität prägt die Frankfurter Universität – abgesehen von dem dunklen Kapitel während des Nationalsozialismus – seit ihrer Gründung 1914. Gegründet und gestiftet von wohlhabenden und engagierten Bürgern der Stadt, war sie von Beginn an etwas Besonderes in der deutschen Universitätslandschaft.
Examining event-related potential (ERP) correlates of decision bias in recognition memory judgments
(2014)
Memory judgments can be based on accurate memory information or on decision bias (the tendency to report that an event is part of episodic memory when one is in fact unsure). Event related potentials (ERP) correlates are important research tools for elucidating the dynamics underlying memory judgments but so far have been established only for investigations of accurate old/new discrimination. To identify the ERP correlates of bias, and observe how these interact with ERP correlates of memory, we conducted three experiments that manipulated decision bias within participants via instructions during recognition memory tests while their ERPs were recorded. In Experiment 1, the bias manipulation was performed between blocks of trials (automatized bias) and compared to trial-by-trial shifts of bias in accord with an external cue (flexibly controlled bias). In Experiment 2, the bias manipulation was performed at two different levels of accurate old/new discrimination as the memory strength of old (studied) items was varied. In Experiment 3, the bias manipulation was added to another, bottom-up driven manipulation of bias induced via familiarity. In the first two Experiments, and in the low familiarity condition of Experiment 3, we found evidence of an early frontocentral ERP component at 320 ms poststimulus (the FN320) that was sensitive to the manipulation of bias via instruction, with more negative amplitudes indexing more liberal bias. By contrast, later during the trial (500–700 ms poststimulus), bias effects interacted with old/new effects across all three experiments. Results suggest that the decision criterion is typically activated early during recognition memory trials, and is integrated with retrieved memory signals and task-specific processing demands later during the trial. More generally, the findings demonstrate how ERPs can help to specify the dynamics of recognition memory processes under top-down and bottom-up controlled retrieval conditions.
Background: Hepatitis delta frequently leads to liver cirrhosis and hepatic decompensation. As treatment options are limited, there is a need for biomarkers to determine disease activity and to predict the risk of disease progression. We hypothesized that anti-HDV IgM could represent such a marker.
Methods: Samples of 120 HDV-infected patients recruited in an international multicenter treatment trial (HIDIT-2) were studied. Anti-HDV IgM testing was performed using ETI-DELTA-IGMK-2-assay (DiaSorin). In addition, fifty cytokines, chemokines and angiogenetic factors were measured using multiplex technology (Bio-Plex System). A second independent cohort of 78 patients was studied for the development of liver-related clinical endpoints (decompensation, HCC, liver transplantation or death; median follow up of 3.0 years, range 0.6–12).
Results: Anti-HDV IgM serum levels were negative in 18 (15%), low (OD<0.5) in 76 (63%), and high in 26 (22%) patients of the HIDIT-2 cohort. Anti-HDV IgM were significantly associated with histological inflammatory (p<0.01) and biochemical disease activity (ALT, AST p<0.01). HDV replication was independent from anti-HDV IgM, however, low HBV-DNA levels were observed in groups with higher anti-HDV IgM levels (p<0.01). While high IP-10 (CXCL10) levels were seen in greater groups of anti-HDV IgM levels, various other antiviral cytokines were negatively associated with anti-HDV IgM. Associations between anti-HDV IgM and ALT, AST, HBV-DNA were confirmed in the independent cohort. Clinical endpoints occurred in 26 anti-HDV IgM positive patients (39%) but in only one anti-HDV IgM negative individual (9%; p = 0.05).
Conclusions: Serum anti-HDV IgM is a robust, easy-to-apply and relatively cheap marker to determine disease activity in hepatitis delta which has prognostic implications. High anti-HDV IgM levels may indicate an activated interferon system but exhausted antiviral immunity.
Higher N170 amplitudes to words and to faces were recently reported for faster readers of German. Since the shallow German orthography allows phonological recoding of single letters, the reported speed advantages might have their origin in especially well-developed visual processing skills of faster readers. In contrast to German, adult readers of Hebrew are forced to process letter chunks up to whole words. This dependence on more complex visual processing might have created ceiling effects for this skill. Therefore, the current study examined whether also in the deep Hebrew orthography visual processing skills as reflected by N170 amplitudes explain reading speed differences. Forty university students, native speakers of Hebrew without reading impairments, accomplished a lexical decision task (i.e., deciding whether a visually presented stimulus represents a real or a pseudo word) and a face decision task (i.e., deciding whether a face was presented complete or with missing facial features) while their electroencephalogram was recorded from 64 scalp positions. In both tasks stronger event related potentials (ERPs) were observed for faster readers in time windows at about 200 ms. Unlike in previous studies, ERP waveforms in relevant time windows did not correspond to N170 scalp topographies. The results support the notion of visual processing ability as an orthography independent marker of reading proficiency, which advances our understanding about regular and impaired reading development.
MicroRNAs are key modulators at molecular level in different biological processes, including determination of cell fate and differentiation. Herein, microRNA expression profiling experiments were performed on syngeneic cardiac (CStC) and bone marrow (BMStC) mesenchymal stromal cells cultured in standard growth medium and then in vitro exposed to adipogenic, osteogenic, cardiomyogenic and endothelial differentiation media. Analysis identified a tissue-specific microRNA signature composed of 16 microRNAs that univocally discriminated cell type of origin and that were completely unaffected by in vitro differentiation media: 4 microRNAs were over-expressed in cardiac stromal cells, and 12 were overexpressed or present only in bone marrow stromal cells. Further, results revealed microRNA subsets specifically modulated by each differentiation medium, irrespective of the cell type of origin, and a subset of 7 microRNAs that were down-regulated by all media with respect to growth medium. Finally, we identified 16 microRNAs that were differentially modulated by the media when comparing the two tissues of origin. The existence of a tissue-specific microRNA signature surviving to any differentiation stimuli, strongly support the role if microRNAs determining cell identity related to tissue origin. Moreover, we identified microRNA subsets modulated by different culture conditions in a tissue-specific manner, pointing out their importance during differentiation processes.
Background: Rapidly increasing temperatures in the mountain region of Nepal and recent reports of dengue fever and lymphatic filariasis cases from mountainous areas of central Nepal prompted us to study the spatio-temporal distribution of the vectors of these two diseases along an altitudinal transect in central Nepal.
Methodology/Principal Findings: We conducted a longitudinal study in four distinct physiographical regions of central Nepal from September 2011 to February 2012. We used BG-Sentinel and CDC light traps to capture adult mosquitoes. We found the geographical distribution of the dengue virus vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus along our study transect to extend up to 1,310 m altitude in the Middle Mountain region (Kathmandu). The distribution of the lymphatic filariasis vector Culex quinquefasciatus extended up to at least 2,100 m in the High Mountain region (Dhunche). Statistical analysis showed a significant effect of the physiographical region and month of collection on the abundance of A. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus only. BG-Sentinel traps captured significantly higher numbers of A. aegypti than CDC light traps. The meteorological factors temperature, rainfall and relative humidity had significant effects on the mean number of A. aegypti per BG-Sentinel trap. Temperature and relative humidity were significant predictors of the number of C. quinquefasciatus per CDC light trap. Dengue fever and lymphatic filariasis cases had previously been reported from all vector positive areas except Dhunche which was free of known lymphatic filariasis cases.
Conclusions/Significance: We conclude that dengue virus vectors have already established stable populations up to the Middle Mountains of Nepal, supporting previous studies, and report for the first time the distribution of lymphatic filariasis vectors up to the High Mountain region of this country. The findings of our study should contribute to a better planning and scaling-up of mosquito-borne disease control programmes in the mountainous areas of Nepal.
Objectives: Low energy shock waves have been shown to induce angiogenesis, improve left ventricular ejection fraction and decrease angina symptoms in patients suffering from chronic ischemic heart disease. Whether there is as well an effect in acute ischemia was not yet investigated.
Methods: Hind-limb ischemia was induced in 10–12 weeks old male C57/Bl6 wild-type mice by excision of the left femoral artery. Animals were randomly divided in a treatment group (SWT, 300 shock waves at 0.1 mJ/mm2, 5 Hz) and untreated controls (CTR), n = 10 per group. The treatment group received shock wave therapy immediately after surgery.
Results: Higher gene expression and protein levels of angiogenic factors VEGF-A and PlGF, as well as their receptors Flt-1 and KDR have been found. This resulted in significantly more vessels per high-power field in SWT compared to controls. Improvement of blood perfusion in treatment animals was confirmed by laser Doppler perfusion imaging. Receptor tyrosine kinase profiler revealed significant phosphorylation of VEGF receptor 2 as an underlying mechanism of action. The effect of VEGF signaling was abolished upon incubation with a VEGFR2 inhibitor indicating that the effect is indeed VEGFR 2 dependent.
Conclusions: Low energy shock wave treatment induces angiogenesis in acute ischemia via VEGF receptor 2 stimulation and shows the same promising effects as known from chronic myocardial ischemia. It may therefore develop as an adjunct to the treatment armentarium of acute muscle ischemia in limbs and myocardium.
Fibrous tissue growth and loss of residual hearing after cochlear implantation can be reduced by application of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone-21-phosphate-disodium-salt (DEX). To date, sustained delivery of this agent to the cochlea using a number of pharmaceutical technologies has not been entirely successful. In this study we examine a novel way of continuous local drug application into the inner ear using a refillable hydrogel functionalized silicone reservoir. A PEG-based hydrogel made of reactive NCO-sP(EO-stat-PO) prepolymers was evaluated as a drug conveying and delivery system in vitro and in vivo. Encapsulating the free form hydrogel into a silicone tube with a small opening for the drug diffusion resulted in delayed drug release but unaffected diffusion of DEX through the gel compared to the free form hydrogel. Additionally, controlled DEX release over several weeks could be demonstrated using the hydrogel filled reservoir. Using a guinea-pig cochlear trauma model the reservoir delivery of DEX significantly protected residual hearing and reduced fibrosis. As well as being used as a device in its own right or in combination with cochlear implants, the hydrogel-filled reservoir represents a new drug delivery system that feasibly could be replenished with therapeutic agents to provide sustained treatment of the inner ear.
Plexins are widely expressed transmembrane proteins that mediate the cellular effects of semaphorins. The molecular mechanisms of plexin-mediated signal transduction are still poorly understood. Here we show that signalling via B-family plexins leading to the activation of the small GTPase RhoA requires activation of the IκB kinase (IKK)-complex. In contrast, plexin-B-dependent regulation of R-Ras activity is not affected by IKK activity. This regulation of plexin signalling depends on the kinase activity of the IKK-complex, but is independent of NF-κB activation. We confirm that the IKK-complex is active in tumour cells and osteoblasts, and we demonstrate that plexin-B-dependent tumour cell invasiveness and regulation of osteoblast differentiation require an active IKK-complex. This study identifies a novel, NF-κB-independent function of the IKK-complex and shows that IKK directs plexin-B signalling to the activation of RhoA.
Amygdalin, a natural compound, has been used by many cancer patients as an alternative approach to treat their illness. However, whether or not this substance truly exerts an anti-tumor effect has never been settled. An in vitro study was initiated to investigate the influence of amygdalin (1.25–10 mg/ml) on the growth of a panel of bladder cancer cell lines (UMUC-3, RT112 and TCCSUP). Tumor growth, proliferation, clonal growth and cell cycle progression were investigated. The cell cycle regulating proteins cdk1, cdk2, cdk4, cyclin A, cyclin B, cyclin D1, p19, p27 as well as the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) related signals phosphoAkt, phosphoRaptor and phosphoRictor were examined. Amygdalin dose-dependently reduced growth and proliferation in all three bladder cancer cell lines, reflected in a significant delay in cell cycle progression and G0/G1 arrest. Molecular evaluation revealed diminished phosphoAkt, phosphoRictor and loss of Cdk and cyclin components. Since the most outstanding effects of amygdalin were observed on the cdk2-cyclin A axis, siRNA knock down studies were carried out, revealing a positive correlation between cdk2/cyclin A expression level and tumor growth. Amygdalin, therefore, may block tumor growth by down-modulating cdk2 and cyclin A. In vivo investigation must follow to assess amygdalin's practical value as an anti-tumor drug.
Background: Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are areas where the most polluting vehicles are restricted from entering. The effectiveness of LEZs to lower ambient exposures is under debate. This study focused on LEZs that restricted cars of Euro 1 standard without appropriate retrofitting systems from entering and estimated LEZ effects on NO2, NO, and NOx ( = NO2+NO).
Methods: Continuous half-hour and diffuse sampler 4-week average NO2, NO, and NOx concentrations measured inside and outside LEZs in 17 German cities of 6 federal states (2005–2009) were analysed as matched quadruplets (two pairs of simultaneously measured index values inside LEZ and reference values outside LEZ, one pair measured before and one after introducing LEZs with time differences that equal multiples of 364 days) by multiple linear and log-linear fixed-effects regression modelling (covariables: e.g., wind velocity, amount of precipitation, height of inversion base, school holidays, truck-free periods). Additionally, the continuous half-hour data was collapsed into 4-week averages and pooled with the diffuse sampler data to perform joint analysis.
Results: More than 3,000,000 quadruplets of continuous measurements (half-hour averages) were identified at 38 index and 45 reference stations. Pooling with diffuse sampler data from 15 index and 10 reference stations lead to more than 4,000 quadruplets for joint analyses of 4-week averages. Mean LEZ effects on NO2, NO, and NOx concentrations (reductions) were estimated to be at most −2 µg/m3 (or −4%). The 4-week averages of NO2 concentrations at index stations after LEZ introduction were 55 µg/m3 (median and mean values) or 82 µg/m3 (95th percentile).
Conclusions: This is the first study investigating comprehensively the effectiveness of LEZs to reduce NO2, NO, and NOx concentrations controlling for most relevant potential confounders. Our analyses indicate that there is a statistically significant, but rather small reduction of NO2, NO, and NOx concentrations associated with LEZs.
The genetic treatment of neurodegenerative diseases still remains a challenging task since many approaches fail to deliver the therapeutic material in relevant concentrations into the brain. As viral vectors comprise the risk of immune and inflammatory responses, human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles were found to represent a safer and more convenient alternative. Their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and deliver drugs into the brain in order to enhance gene-based therapy has been previously demonstrated. The present study deals with the development of pGL3-PEI-coated HSA nanoparticles and subsequent in vitro testing in cerebellar granular and HeLa cells. The luciferase control vector pGL3 was chosen as reporter plasmid encoding for the firefly luciferase protein, linear polyethylenimine (22 kDa) as endosomolytic agent for enhancing the cells’ transfection. Studies on particle characteristics, their cellular uptake into aforementioned cell lines and on subcellular localisation, and transfection efficiency in the cerebellar cells proved the feasibility of nanoparticle-based gene delivery.
Introduction: Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is an emerging clinical tool for monitoring ventilation distribution in mechanically ventilated patients, for which many image reconstruction algorithms have been suggested. We propose an experimental framework to assess such algorithms with respect to their ability to correctly represent well-defined physiological changes. We defined a set of clinically relevant ventilation conditions and induced them experimentally in 8 pigs by controlling three ventilator settings (tidal volume, positive end-expiratory pressure and the fraction of inspired oxygen). In this way, large and discrete shifts in global and regional lung air content were elicited.
Methods: We use the framework to compare twelve 2D EIT reconstruction algorithms, including backprojection (the original and still most frequently used algorithm), GREIT (a more recent consensus algorithm for lung imaging), truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD), several variants of the one-step Gauss-Newton approach and two iterative algorithms. We consider the effects of using a 3D finite element model, assuming non-uniform background conductivity, noise modeling, reconstructing for electrode movement, total variation (TV) reconstruction, robust error norms, smoothing priors, and using difference vs. normalized difference data.
Results and Conclusions: Our results indicate that, while variation in appearance of images reconstructed from the same data is not negligible, clinically relevant parameters do not vary considerably among the advanced algorithms. Among the analysed algorithms, several advanced algorithms perform well, while some others are significantly worse. Given its vintage and ad-hoc formulation backprojection works surprisingly well, supporting the validity of previous studies in lung EIT.
Background: Long QT syndrome (LQTS) leads to arrhythmic events and increased risk for sudden cardiac death (SCD). Homozygous KCNH2 mutations underlying LQTS-2 have previously been termed "human HERG knockout" and typically express severe phenotypes. We studied genotype-phenotype correlations of an LQTS type 2 mutation identified in the homozygous index patient from a consanguineous Turkish family after his brother died suddenly during febrile illness.
Methods and Results: Clinical work-up, DNA sequencing, mutagenesis, cell culture, patch-clamp, in silico mathematical modelling, protein biochemistry, confocal microscopy were performed. Genetic analysis revealed a homozygous C-terminal KCNH2 mutation (p.R835Q) in the index patient (QTc ~506 ms with notched T waves). Parents were I° cousins – both heterozygous for the mutation and clinically unremarkable (QTc ~447 ms, father and ~396 ms, mother). Heterologous expression of KCNH2-R835Q showed mildly reduced current amplitudes. Biophysical properties of ionic currents were also only nominally changed with slight acceleration of deactivation and more negative V50 in R835Q-currents. Protein biochemistry and confocal microscopy revealed similar expression patterns and trafficking of WT and R835Q, even at elevated temperature. In silico analysis demonstrated mildly prolonged ventricular action potential duration (APD) compared to WT at a cycle length of 1000 ms. At a cycle length of 350 ms M-cell APD remained stable in WT, but displayed APD alternans in R835Q.
Conclusion: Kv11.1 channels affected by the C-terminal R835Q mutation display mildly modified biophysical properties, but leads to M-cell APD alternans with elevated heart rate and could precipitate SCD under specific clinical circumstances associated with high heart rates.
Autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia share a substantial number of etiologic and phenotypic characteristics. Still, no direct comparison of both disorders has been performed to identify differences and commonalities in brain structure. In this voxel based morphometry study, 34 patients with autism spectrum disorder, 21 patients with schizophrenia and 26 typically developed control subjects were included to identify global and regional brain volume alterations. No global gray matter or white matter differences were found between groups. In regional data, patients with autism spectrum disorder compared to typically developed control subjects showed smaller gray matter volume in the amygdala, insula, and anterior medial prefrontal cortex. Compared to patients with schizophrenia, patients with autism spectrum disorder displayed smaller gray matter volume in the left insula. Disorder specific positive correlations were found between mentalizing ability and left amygdala volume in autism spectrum disorder, and hallucinatory behavior and insula volume in schizophrenia. Results suggest the involvement of social brain areas in both disorders. Further studies are needed to replicate these findings and to quantify the amount of distinct and overlapping neural correlates in autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia.
Intensive land use is a driving force for biodiversity decline in many ecosystems. In semi-natural grasslands, land-use activities such as mowing, grazing and fertilization affect the diversity of plants and arthropods, but the combined effects of different drivers and the chain of effects are largely unknown. In this study we used structural equation modelling to analyse how the arthropod communities in managed grasslands respond to land use and whether these responses are mediated through changes in resource diversity or resource quantity (biomass). Plants were considered resources for herbivores which themselves were considered resources for predators. Plant and arthropod (herbivores and predators) communities were sampled on 141 meadows, pastures and mown pastures within three regions in Germany in 2008 and 2009. Increasing land-use intensity generally increased plant biomass and decreased plant diversity, mainly through increasing fertilization. Herbivore diversity decreased together with plant diversity but showed no response to changes in plant biomass. Hence, land-use effects on herbivore diversity were mediated through resource diversity rather than quantity. Land-use effects on predator diversity were mediated by both herbivore diversity (resource diversity) and herbivore quantity (herbivore biomass), but indirect effects through resource quantity were stronger. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing both direct and indirect effects of land-use intensity and mode on different trophic levels. In addition to the overall effects, there were subtle differences between the different regions, pointing to the importance of regional land-use specificities. Our study underlines the commonly observed strong effect of grassland land use on biodiversity. It also highlights that mechanistic approaches help us to understand how different land-use modes affect biodiversity.
Species distributed across vast continental areas and across major biomes provide unique model systems for studies of biotic diversification, yet also constitute daunting financial, logistic and political challenges for data collection across such regions. The tree frog Dendropsophus minutus (Anura: Hylidae) is a nominal species, continentally distributed in South America, that may represent a complex of multiple species, each with a more limited distribution. To understand the spatial pattern of molecular diversity throughout the range of this species complex, we obtained DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the 16S rhibosomal gene (16S) for 407 samples of D. minutus and closely related species distributed across eleven countries, effectively comprising the entire range of the group. We performed phylogenetic and spatially explicit phylogeographic analyses to assess the genetic structure of lineages and infer ancestral areas. We found 43 statistically supported, deep mitochondrial lineages, several of which may represent currently unrecognized distinct species. One major clade, containing 25 divergent lineages, includes samples from the type locality of D. minutus. We defined that clade as the D. minutus complex. The remaining lineages together with the D. minutus complex constitute the D. minutus species group. Historical analyses support an Amazonian origin for the D. minutus species group with a subsequent dispersal to eastern Brazil where the D. minutus complex originated. According to our dataset, a total of eight mtDNA lineages have ranges >100,000 km2. One of them occupies an area of almost one million km2 encompassing multiple biomes. Our results, at a spatial scale and resolution unprecedented for a Neotropical vertebrate, confirm that widespread amphibian species occur in lowland South America, yet at the same time a large proportion of cryptic diversity still remains to be discovered.
Evidence based clinical guidelines are implemented to treat patients efficiently that include efficacy, tolerability but also health economic considerations. This is of particular relevance to the new direct acting antiviral agents that have revolutionized treatment of chronic hepatitis C. For hepatitis C genotypes 2/3 interferon free treatment is already available with sofosbuvir plus ribavirin. However, treatment with sofosbuvir-based regimens is 10–20 times more expensive compared to pegylated interferon alfa and ribavirin (PegIFN/RBV). It has to be discussed if PegIFN/RBV is still an option for easy to treat patients. We assessed the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C genotypes 2/3 with PegIFN/RBV in a real world setting according to the latest German guidelines. Overall, 1006 patients were recruited into a prospective patient registry with 959 having started treatment. The intention-to-treat analysis showed poor SVR (GT2 61%, GT3 47%) while patients with adherence had excellent SVR in the per protocol analysis (GT2 96%, GT3 90%). According to guidelines, 283 patients were candidates for shorter treatment duration, namely a treatment of 16 weeks (baseline HCV-RNA <800.000 IU/mL, no cirrhosis and RVR). However, 65% of these easy to treat patients have been treated longer than recommended that resulted in higher costs but not higher SVR rates. In conclusion, treatment with PegIFN/RBV in a real world setting can be highly effective yet similar effective than PegIFN± sofosbuvir/RBV in well-selected naïve G2/3 patients. Full adherence to guidelines could be further improved, because it would be important in the new era with DAA, especially to safe resources.
Aurora kinase inhibitors displayed activity in pre-clinical neuroblastoma models. Here, we studied the effects of the pan-aurora kinase inhibitor tozasertib (VX680, MK-0457) and the aurora kinase inhibitor alisertib (MLN8237) that shows some specificity for aurora kinase A over aurora kinase B in a panel of neuroblastoma cell lines with acquired drug resistance. Both compounds displayed anti-neuroblastoma activity in the nanomolar range. The anti-neuroblastoma mechanism included inhibition of aurora kinase signalling as indicated by decreased phosphorylation of the aurora kinase substrate histone H3, cell cycle inhibition in G2/M phase, and induction of apoptosis. The activity of alisertib but not of tozasertib was affected by ABCB1 expression. Aurora kinase inhibitors induced a p53 response and their activity was enhanced in combination with the MDM2 inhibitor and p53 activator nutlin-3 in p53 wild-type cells. In conclusion, aurora kinases are potential drug targets in therapy-refractory neuroblastoma, in particular for the vast majority of p53 wild-type cases.
The cyanogenic diglucoside amygdalin, derived from Rosaceae kernels, is employed by many patients as an alternative anti-cancer treatment. However, whether amygdalin indeed acts as an anti-tumor agent is not clear. Metastasis blocking properties of amygdalin on bladder cancer cell lines was, therefore, investigated. Amygdalin (10 mg/ml) was applied to UMUC-3, TCCSUP or RT112 bladder cancer cells for 24 h or for 2 weeks. Tumor cell adhesion to vascular endothelium or to immobilized collagen as well as tumor cell migration was examined. Effects of drug treatment on integrin α and β subtypes, on integrin-linked kinase (ILK) and total and activated focal adhesion kinase (FAK) were also determined. Integrin knock-down was carried out to evaluate integrin influence on migration and adhesion. A 24 h or 2 week amygdalin application distinctly reduced tumor cell adhesion and migration of UMUC-3 and RT112 cells. TCCSUP adhesion was also reduced, but migration was elevated under amygdalin. Integrin subtype expression was significantly and specifically altered by amygdalin depending on the cell line. ILK was moderately, and activated FAK strongly, lost in all tumor cell lines in the presence of amygdalin. Knock down of β1 integrin caused a significant decrease in both adhesion and migration of UMUC-3 cells, but a significant increase in TCCSUP adhesion. Knock down of β4 integrin caused a significant decrease in migration of RT112 cells. Since the different actions of amygdalin on the different cell lines was mirrored by β1 or β4 knock down, it is postulated that amygdalin influences adhesion and migratory properties of bladder cancer cells by modulating β1 or β4 integrin expression. The amygdalin induced increase in TCCSUP migratory behavior indicates that any anti-tumor benefits from amygdalin (seen with the other two cell lines) may depend upon the cancer cell type.
Im World Wide Web werden diverse Dinge kostenlos angeboten. So auch die so genannte Open-Source-Software. Dass viele Akteure freie und kostenlos zugängliche Software entwickeln, ohne in geregelter Weise dafür entlohnt zu werden, wirft die Frage nach der grundsätzlichen Vereinbarkeit dieses Phänomens mit dem herrschenden kapitalistischen Wirtschaftssystem auf. Ökonomisches Verhalten scheint außer Kraft gesetzt. Statt von „Ökonomie“ könnte man in diesem Fall von „Geschenkökonomie“ bzw. „Gift Economy“ reden. Es stellt sich die Frage, welche Rolle Gaben/Geschenke im Rahmen des Open-Source-Phänomens spielen und inwiefern dieses Phänomen durch die vorhandenen Theorien zur Gift Economy erklärt werden kann. Um die Forschungsfragen zufrieden stellend zu beantworten, bedarf es einerseits einer Präzisierung auf theoretischer Ebene, die neben den bestehenden Theorien zur Gift Economy das Phänomen Open-Source im Besonderen berücksichtigt. Darüber hinaus soll das Phänomen Open Source in Form einer qualitativen empirischen Studie, welche die je spezifischen Motive des ,Zusammenhandelns’ der Open-Source-Programmierer zum Gegenstand hat, daraufhin untersucht werden, welche Rolle Gabe/Geschenke in Bezug auf dieses spielen. Ziel ist es hierbei, eine Typologie des Open-Source-Programmierers zu entwickeln. Anhand dieser Typologie soll deutlich werden, welche unterschiedlichen thematischen Kontexte für das Phänomen Open-Source rele¬vant sind. Auf Basis der Forschungsergebnisse ist es dann zudem möglich, in einer Schlussfolgerung die Theorie der Gift Economy auf der sicheren Basis em¬pirischer Daten gegebenenfalls weitergehend zu differenzieren.
Myofacial Pain is the most common form of temporomandibular disorders (TMD), affecting principally women in reproductive age. The etiology of TMD is still controversial. Currently a multifactorial theory has received a great support among the scientific community. This theory draws attention to the interaction of psychological, neuromuscular and oral pathogenic factors. Objectives: to describe the possible etiological factors of the Myofacial Pain; and to evaluate the effectiveness of the current treatments for Myofacial Pain. Materials and methods: a narrative review of the etiological factors and epidemiological data of Myofacial Pain introduces this work. Thereafter the author presents five systematic reviews of RCTs which have been published during the last thirteen years (1999-2012) for the use of acupuncture, low level laser therapy, drugs, physiotherapeutical interventions, splint therapy, and psychosocial interventions in the treatment of Myofacial Pain. Moreover, the author reports a systematic review and meta-analysis of all the available literature of two modern approaches for the treatment of Myofacial Pain. A comparison between the “usual treatment” based on splint therapy and psychosocial interventions was conducted. Results: the author did not find sufficient evidence to support therapies based on one single intervention. However, the condition of the patients with myofacial pain could be treated more effectively with combined treatments. After comparing “usual treatment” with psychosocial interventions, the author observed a tendency of the latter to improve psychological outcomes, whereas the first one was slightly more effective to enhance clinical functional outcomes. In general, a high level of heterogeneity was observed among the included studies of the different systematic reviews. The quality of the studies is susceptible to be improved. Clinical implications: the author proposes core outcomes to be implemented within the research on myofacial pain in particular and temporomandibular disorders in general, in order to enable scientifical comparisons between different therapies.
Ein Ansatz für semantisches Selbstmanagement von verteilten Anwendungen im privaten Lebensumfeld
(2014)
Die Anreicherung des privaten Lebensumfelds mit intelligenten technischen Assistenzsystemen wird in den nächsten Jahrzehnten stark zunehmen. Als Teil dieser Entwicklung wird die Nutzung von externen und hauseigenen IT-Diensten steigen, wodurch sich auch die Komplexität der entstehenden Gesamtsysteme erhöht. Hier sind Ansätze gefordert, diese Systeme auch für technisch nicht versierte Benutzer produktiv nutzbar und beherrschbar zu gestalten, um eine Überforderung zu vermeiden. Im Umfeld häuslicher Dienstplattformen, die eine zentrale Rolle in solchen Systemen übernehmen, nimmt seit ein paar Jahren die Bedeutung der semantischen Modellierung von Diensten stark zu. Diese dient zum einen der formalen Repräsentation von zugehörigen Kontextinformationen, die durch Interaktion mit Sensoren und Aktoren entstehen, und zum anderen der Verbesserung der Interoperabilität zwischen Systemen unterschiedlicher Hersteller. Bisherige Ansätze beschränken sich jedoch auf den Einsatz eines zentralen Rechenknotens zur Ausführung der Dienstplattform und nutzen Semantik – wenn überhaupt – nur zur Verarbeitung von Kontextinformationen. Ein technisches Management des Gesamtsystems findet i.d.R. nicht statt.
Vor diesem Hintergrund ist das Ziel dieser Arbeit die Entwicklung eines Ansatzes für semantisches Selbstmanagement von verteilten dienstbasierten Anwendungen speziell im Umfeld häuslicher Dienstplattformen.
Die vorliegende Arbeit definiert zunächst formale Ontologien für Dienste, Dienstgütemanagement, Selbstmanagement und zugehörige Managementregeln, die zur Laufzeit mit konkreten Diensten und deren erfassten Leistungskenngrößen integriert werden. Durch einen modellgetriebenen Architekturansatz (Model Driven Architecture, MDA) wird ein technologieunabhängiges Management auf abstrakter Ebene ermöglicht, das die Wiederverwendbarkeit von Managementregeln in anderen Szenarien erlaubt.
Dieser Ansatz wird zunächst in eine Architektur für einen hochverfügbaren autonomen Manager überführt, der die Überwachung und Steuerung von Diensten und zugehörigen Dienstplattformen übernehmen kann und auf der aus dem Autonomic Computing bekannten MAPE-K-Kontrollschleife (Monitor, Analyze, Plan, Execute, Knowledge) basiert.
Den Abschluss der Arbeit bildet eine qualitative und quantitative Evaluation (mittels einer OSGi-basierten prototypischen Umsetzung) der erreichten Ergebnisse, die einen Einsatz über die Grenzen des privaten Lebensumfelds hinaus nahelegen.
Objective: Advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (EC) no longer amenable to surgery or radiotherapy is a life-threatening disease with limited therapeutic options left. Eighty percent of ECs express receptors for luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH), which can be targeted by AEZS-108 (zoptarelin doxorubicin acetate). This phase 2 trial was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of AEZS-108 in this group of patients.
Methods: Patients had FIGO (Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique) III or IV or recurrent EC, LHRH receptor-positive tumor status, and at least had 1 measurable lesion (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors). Prior anthracycline therapy was not allowed. Patients received AEZS-108 as a 2-hour infusion on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. The treatment was continued for a maximum of 6 to 8 cycles. The primary end point was the response rate determined by the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.
Results: From April 2008 to November 2009, 44 patients were included in the study at 8 centers in Germany (AGO) and 3 centers in Bulgaria. Forty-three of these patients were eligible. Two (5%) patients had a complete remission, and 8 (18%) achieved a partial remission. Stable disease for at least 6 weeks was observed in 44%. The median time to progression was 7 months, and the median overall survival was 15 months. The most frequently reported grade 3 or 4 adverse effects were neutropenia (12%) and leucopenia (9%).
Conclusions: AEZS-108, an LHRH-agonist coupled to doxorubicin, has significant activity and low toxicity in women with advanced or recurrent LHRH receptor-positive EC, supporting the principle of receptor-mediated targeted chemotherapy.
This study included 30 patients with diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 30 test subjects without RA (control group). The objective of the study was to examine both groups for the presence of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and morphological changes of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). All individuals were examined using a systematic detailed clinical TMD examination as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The clinical TMD examination yielded significant differences between the RA patients and the control group concerning crepitus of the TMJ, and palpation tenderness of the masticatory muscles as well as the unassisted mandibular opening. The evaluation of the MRI images for the RA group showed significantly more frequent deformations of the condyle, osteophyte formations and erosions in the condylar compacta, and degenerative changes in the spongiosa. Increased intra-articular accumulation of synovial liquid and signs of inflammatory changes of the spongiosa were only found in the RA group. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between crepitus and specific osteoarthrotic changes (MRI), respectively, and between crepitus and a complete anterior disk displacement without reduction (MRI). The duration of the RA disease correlated neither with the anamnestic and clinical dysfunction index by Helkimo nor with RA-specific MRI findings.
Cav1.3 channels control D2-autoreceptor responses via NCS-1 in substantia nigra dopamine neurons
(2014)
Dopamine midbrain neurons within the substantia nigra are particularly prone to degeneration in Parkinson's disease. Their selective loss causes the major motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, but the causes for the high vulnerability of SN DA neurons, compared to neighbouring, more resistant ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons, are still unclear. Consequently, there is still no cure available for Parkinson's disease. Current therapies compensate the progressive loss of dopamine by administering its precursor l-DOPA and/or dopamine D2-receptor agonists. D2-autoreceptors and Cav1.3-containing L-type Ca2+ channels both contribute to Parkinson’s disease pathology. L-type Ca2+ channel blockers protect SN DA neurons from degeneration in Parkinson's disease and its mouse models, and they are in clinical trials for neuroprotective Parkinson's disease therapy. However, their physiological functions in SN DA neurons remain unclear. D2-autoreceptors tune firing rates and dopamine release of SN DA neurons in a negative feedback loop through activation of G-protein coupled potassium channels (GIRK2, or KCNJ6). Mature SN DA neurons display prominent, non-desensitizing somatodendritic D2-autoreceptor responses that show pronounced desensitization in PARK-gene Parkinson’s disease mouse models. We analysed surviving human SN DA neurons from patients with Parkinson's disease and from controls, and detected elevated messenger RNA levels of D2-autoreceptors and GIRK2 in Parkinson's disease. By electrophysiological analysis of postnatal juvenile and adult mouse SN DA neurons in in vitro brain-slices, we observed that D2-autoreceptor desensitization is reduced with postnatal maturation. Furthermore, a transient high-dopamine state in vivo, caused by one injection of either l-DOPA or cocaine, induced adult-like, non-desensitizing D2-autoreceptor responses, selectively in juvenile SN DA neurons, but not ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons. With pharmacological and genetic tools, we identified that the expression of this sensitized D2-autoreceptor phenotype required Cav1.3 L-type Ca2+ channel activity, internal Ca2+, and the interaction of the neuronal calcium sensor NCS-1 with D2-autoreceptors. Thus, we identified a first physiological function of Cav1.3 L-type Ca2+ channels in SN DA neurons for homeostatic modulation of their D2-autoreceptor responses. L-type Ca2+ channel activity however, was not important for pacemaker activity of mouse SN DA neurons. Furthermore, we detected elevated substantia nigra dopamine messenger RNA levels of NCS-1 (but not Cav1.2 or Cav1.3) after cocaine in mice, as well as in remaining human SN DA neurons in Parkinson's disease. Thus, our findings provide a novel homeostatic functional link in SN DA neurons between Cav1.3- L-type-Ca2+ channels and D2-autoreceptor activity, controlled by NCS-1, and indicate that this adaptive signalling network (Cav1.3/NCS-1/D2/GIRK2) is also active in human SN DA neurons, and contributes to Parkinson's disease pathology. As it is accessible to pharmacological modulation, it provides a novel promising target for tuning substantia nigra dopamine neuron activity, and their vulnerability to degeneration.
5-Lipoxygenase (5LO) is a key enzyme in biosynthesis of leukotrienes (LTs), lipid mediators of inflammation. To study the roles of the 5LO accessory proteins coactosin-like protein (CLP) and 5LO-activating protein (FLAP), we knocked down these proteins in human monocytic cells. Our results show that expression of CLP was required for full cellular 5LO activity when cells were activated with Ca2+ ionophore, as well as with a physiological stimulus (lipopolysaccharide followed by N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine). During LT biosynthesis in stimulated cells, 5LO typically translocates to the nuclear membrane. This redistribution, from cytosolic to perinuclear, was clearly compromised in both CLP- and FLAP-deficient cells. Our results suggest that the CLP–5LO interaction may be a target for reduced LT production.
Background: It is well accepted that medical faculty teaching staff require an understanding of educational theory and pedagogical methods for effective medical teaching. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 5-day teaching education program.
Methods: An open prospective interventional study using quantitative and qualitative instruments was performed, covering all four levels of the Kirkpatrick model: Evaluation of 1) "Reaction" on a professional and emotional level using standardized questionnaires; 2) "Learning" applying a multiple choice test; 3) "Behavior" by self-, peer-, and expert assessment of teaching sessions with semistructured interviews; and 4) "Results" from student evaluations.
Results: Our data indicate the success of the educational intervention at all observed levels. 1) Reaction: The participants showed a high acceptance of the instructional content. 2) Learning: There was a significant increase in knowledge (P<0.001) as deduced from a pre-post multiple-choice questionnaire, which was retained at 6 months (P<0.001). 3) Behavior: Peer-, self-, and expert-assessment indicated a transfer of learning into teaching performance. Semistructured interviews reflected a higher level of professionalism in medical teaching by the participants. 4) Results: Teaching performance ratings improved in students' evaluations.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrate the success of a 5-day education program in embedding knowledge and skills to improve performance of medical educators. This multimethodological approach, using both qualitative and quantitative measures, may serve as a model to evaluate effectiveness of comparable interventions in other settings.
L'hypothèse de ce travail est que [...] écrivains vont trouver, dans le Berlin d'après la chute du Mur, une incarnation des paradoxes du XXe siècle, et présenter cette capitale comme la ville de la "postmodernité" qu'ils pourront tour à tour haïr ou aimer, comme le rappelle le titre du texte de Serge Mouraret 'Berlin carnet d'amour et de haine'.
Il conviendra donc d'analyser les représentations de Berlin afin de mettre au jour la mythologie insulaire qu'elles ont façonnée. Le motif de l'île a l'avantage de concentrer une dimension mythique, des caractéristiques formelles et une symbolique forte. Nous tenterons de répondre à la question suivante: pourquoi, bien que Berlin réunifiée ne puisse plus, depuis la chute du Mur, être à proprement parler qualifiée d'île, ce motif persiste t-il comme clef de lecture de la ville?
Background: A discontinuous dose response relationship is a major characteristic of the anti-inflammatory effects of low-dose X-irradiation therapy. Although recent data indicate an involvement of a variety of molecular mechanisms in these characteristics, the impact of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production to give rise or contribute to these phenomena in endothelial cells (EC) remains elusive.
Material and methods: HUVEC derived immortalized EA.hy926 cells were stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, 20 ng/ml) 4 h before irradiation with doses ranging from 0.3 to 1 Gy. To analyse DNA repair capacity, phospho-histone H2AX foci were assayed at 1 h, 4 h and 24 h after irradiation. ROS production and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were analysed by fluorometric 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein-diacetate (H2DCFDA) and colorimetric assays. A functional impact of ROS on γH2AX production was analysed by treatment with the scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC).
Results: Irrespective of stimulation by TNF-α, EA.hy926 cells revealed a linear dose response characteristic of γH2AX foci detection at 1 h and 4 h after irradiation. By contrast, we observed a discontinuity in residual γH2AX foci detection at 24 h after irradiation with locally elevated values following a 0.5 Gy exposure that was abolished by inhibition of ROS by NAC. Moreover, SOD protein expression was significantly decreased at doses of 0.5 Gy and 0.7 Gy concomitant with a reduced SOD activity.
Conclusion: These data implicate a non-linear regulation of ROS production and SOD activity in EA.hy926 EC following irradiation with doses < 1 Gy that may contribute to a discontinuous dose-response relationship of residual γH2AX foci detection.
Our focus is the identification, characterisation and functional analysis of different MLL fusions. In general, MLL fusion proteins are encoded by large cDNA cassettes that are difficult to transduce into haematopoietic stem cells. This is due to the size limitations of the packaging process of those vector-encoded RNAs into retro- or lentiviral particles. Here, we present our efforts in establishing a universal vector system to analyse different MLL fusions. The universal cloning system was embedded into the backbone of the Sleeping Beauty transposable element. This transposon has no size limitation and displays no integration preference, thereby avoiding the integration into active genes or their promoter regions. We utilised this novel system to test different MLL fusion alleles (MLL-NEBL, NEBL-MLL, MLL-LASP1, LASP1-MLL, MLL-MAML2, MAML2-MLL, MLL-SMAP1 and SMAP1-MLL) in appropriate cell lines. Stable cell lines were analysed for their growth behaviour, focus formation and colony formation capacity and ectopic Hoxa gene transcription. Our results show that only 1/4 tested direct MLL fusions, but 3/4 tested reciprocal MLL fusions exhibit oncogenic functions. From these pilot experiments, we conclude that a systematic analysis of more MLL fusions will result in a more differentiated picture about the oncogenic capacity of distinct MLL fusions.
Wassergefiltertes Infrarot A (wIRA) stellt eine spezielle Form der Infrarotstrahlung im Bereich von 780–1400 nm dar, die aufgrund ihrer sehr guten Verträglichkeit in der Medizin zur Prävention und Therapie verwendet wird.
wIRA steigert Temperatur, Sauerstoffpartialdruck und Durchblutung im Gewebe. wIRA mindert indikationsübergreifend Schmerzen, Entzündung und vermehrte Sekretion und verbessert die Infektabwehr und Regeneration, insbesondere auch nach sportlicher Belastung. Zudem kann wIRA als kontaktfreies Verfahren simultan mit Bewegung und Training kombiniert werden.
Die klinische Anwendung von wIRA kann präventiv, therapeutisch, regenerativ oder rehabilitativ erfolgen.
Der hier vorliegenden Übersicht liegen u.a. 6 sportmedizinische Studien mit wIRA zugrunde.
So nahmen beispielsweise 25 Probanden an einer prospektiven, randomisierten, kontrollierten Studie mit stufenweise ansteigender ausbelastender Fußkurbelergometrie teil, an einem Tag mit anschließender Bestrahlung der ventralen Oberschenkelmuskulatur mit wIRA (bzw. am Kontrolltag stattdessen Pause) in Ruhe über 20 Minuten. Am Tag mit Bestrahlung verbesserte sich das Befinden der belasteten Oberschenkelmuskulatur auf einer visuellen Analogskala (umsetzbar in 0–100) von 36 auf 71 signifikant mehr (p=0,0138) als am Kontrolltag in Ruhe ohne Bestrahlung (von 34 auf 54). Erstaunlicherweise erreichte das Befinden nach 20 Minuten Bestrahlung wieder den Ausgangswert vor der Ergometrie von 70. Nach den 20 Minuten Ruhe (mit Bestrahlung bzw. Pause) folgte eine zweite Ergometrie, in der die Leistungsfähigkeit am Tag mit Bestrahlung signifikant weniger (p=0,0128) als am Kontrolltag absank.
Es werden ausführlich die Anwendungsmöglichkeiten von wIRA in der Sport- und Präventivmedizin dargestellt.
Dieser Text hinterfragt das Paradox des „sicheren Risikosports“ Hallenklettern anhand soziologischer Reflexion. Dazu werden mathematisch-logische, ethnographische und juristische Perspektiven eingenommen, um einer naiven Statistikgläubigkeit entgegenzuwirken, den gesunden Menschenverstand nach GEERTZ in Zweifel zu ziehen und das Konstrukt der eigenverantwortlichen Selbstgefährdung auf seine Passfähigkeit hin zu prüfen. Die Analyse zeigt auf, dass die momentane Verantwortungszuweisung nur eine mögliche Alternative darstellt und leider nicht die optimalste. Denn sie verhindert letztlich eine effektive Unfallprävention.
Privatschulfinanzierung
(2014)
Das Privatschulwesen in Deutschland wird ganz überwiegend aus öffentlichen Mitteln finanziert. Seit den 1970er Jahren wird dies vom Bundesverfassungsgericht als Ausfluss des Art. 7 Abs. 4 GG verlangt; die Finanzierung obliegt jedoch den Ländern. Der Beitrag bietet einen systematischen Überblick über die Konflikte die zwischen Privatschulträgern und Ländern über den Umfang der Finanzierung bestehen und nimmt zu den verfassungsrechtlichen Argumenten kritisch Stellung. Es wird gezeigt, dass das Grundgesetz den Ländern mehr Spielräume belässt, als oft behauptet wird.
Das Bundesverfassungsgericht ist für seine Entscheidungen, die sich in besonderer Weise auf das Demokratieprinzip des Grundgesetzes (Art. 20 Abs. 2 GG) stützen, viel kritisiert worden. Der Beitrag analysiert insbesondere die Entscheidungen zum Ausländerwahlrecht und zur Europäischen Integration im Hinblick darauf, ob sich neben dem vielfach kritisierten Demokratieverständnis, das ein monistisch verstandenes (deutsches) Volk zum Ausgangspunkt nimmt, auch offenere Demokratiemodelle zumindest zwischen den Zeilen dieser Entscheidungen entdeckt werden können. Das Ergebnis fällt allerdings ernüchternd aus. Jede Öffnung, die Alternativen neben dem monistischen Modell der Volkssouveränität andeutet, wird in den folgenden Sätzen dieser Entscheidungen sogleich wieder zurückgenommen.
Futures markets are a potentially valuable source of information about market expectations. Exploiting this information has proved difficult in practice, because the presence of a time-varying risk premium often renders the futures price a poor measure of the market expectation of the price of the underlying asset. Even though the expectation in principle may be recovered by adjusting the futures price by the estimated risk premium, a common problem in applied work is that there are as many measures of market expectations as there are estimates of the risk premium. We propose a general solution to this problem that allows us to uniquely pin down the best possible estimate of the market expectation for any set of risk premium estimates. We illustrate this approach by solving the long-standing problem of how to recover the market expectation of the price of crude oil. We provide a new measure of oil price expectations that is considerably more accurate than the alternatives and more economically plausible. We discuss implications of our analysis for the estimation of economic models of energy-intensive durables, for the debate on speculation in oil markets, and for oil price forecasting.
Am Beispiel von Strukturen, Prozessen und Inhalten der Interessenvermittlung zur Etablierung eines Sektors zum Offshoring von Dienstleistungen in der Stadt Fes wird lokale Wirtschaftspolitik in Marokko in einer detaillierten empirischen Studie analysiert. Dabei wird die Relevanz von Klientelismustheorien zur Erfassung und Erklärung von Interessenvermittlung relativiert und der empirische Fall in die Diskussion zu politischer Ökonomie, Staatlichkeit und Transformation in der MENA-Region im Allgemeinen und in Marokko im Besonderen eingeordnet.
Die Simulation von Strömung in geklüftet porösen Medien ist von entscheidender Bedeutung in Hinblick auf viele hydrogeologische Anwendungsgebiete, wie beispielsweise der Vorbeugung einer Grundwasserverschmutzung in der Nähe einer Mülldeponie oder einer Endlagerstätte für radioaktive Abfälle, der Förderung fossiler Brennstoffe oder der unterirdischen Speicherung von Kohlendioxid. Aufgrund ihrer Beschaffenheit und insbesondere der großen Permeabilität innerhalb der Klüfte, stellen diese bevorzugte Transportwege dar und können das Strömungsprofil entscheidend beeinflussen. Allerdings stellt die anisotrope Geometrie der Klüfte in Zusammenhang mit den enormen Sprüngen in Parametern wie der Permeabilität auf kleinstem Raum große Anforderungen an die numerischen Verfahren.
Deswegen werden in dieser Arbeit zwei Ansätze zur Modellierung der Klüfte verfolgt. Ein niederdimensionaler Ansatz motiviert durch die anisotrope Geometrie mit sehr geringer Öffnungsweite und sehr langer Erstreckung der Klüfte und ein volldimensionaler Ansatz, der alle Vorgänge innerhalb der Kluft auflöst. Es werden die Ergebnisse dieser Ansätze für Benchmark-Probleme untersucht, mit dem Ergebnis, dass nur bei sehr dünnen Klüften der numerisch günstigere niederdimensionale Ansatz zufriedenstellende Ergebnisse liefert. Weiterhin wird ein Kriterium eingeführt, dass während der Laufzeit anhand von Eigenschaften der Kluft und Strömungsparametern angibt, ob der niederdimensionale Ansatz ausreichende Gültigkeit besitzt. Es wird ein dimensions-adaptiver Ansatz präsentiert, der dann entsprechend dieses Kriteriums einen Wechsel zum volldimensionalen Modell durchführt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass so wesentlich genauere Ergebnisse erzielt werden können, ohne dass eine volle Auflösung in jedem Fall und über den gesamten Rechenzeitraum erforderlich ist.
While distribution conflicts over natural resources were central to the debates on a New International Economic Order, during the last decades the specific distribution conflicts surrounding natural resource exploitation no longer have been at the core of international law. In this paper I trace the developments in the relationship between international law and resource distribution conflicts. I first argue that the New International Economic Order favored the political resolution of distribution conflicts over natural resources and envisaged international distribution conflicts to be addressed by the political organs of international institutions within legal procedures Second, I show how the NIEO was surpassed by a different order that relied largely on the market as a distribution mechanism for raw materials and how international institutions and international law played a crucial role in the establishment of this order by promoting the privatization of natural resource exploitation and protecting foreign direct investment and trade. With reference to the copper industry in Zambia I thirdly illustrate how international investment law, and more broadly international economic law, is shaping (and affecting the resolution of) not only distribution conflicts between, but also within States. I conclude with a call for a renewed focus on an international law of resource conflicts to allow for their political resolution given the countermoves we can observe with respect to international investment law and the persistence of (violent) conflicts over natural resource exploitation within States.
Bladsmutten : Nr. 1/2014
(2014)
Bladsmutten : Nr. 2/2014
(2014)
Unter medizinischer Kommunikation werden verschiedene Kommunikationstypen zusammengefasst: Dazu gehören zum einen Gespräche von Medizinern mit Krankenkassen und Verwaltungen, zum anderen öffentliche Diskurse zu Gesundheit und Krankheit. Die linguistische Forschung hat sich zunächst mit der medizinischen Fachsprache, wie z. B. der Verständlichkeit von Beipackzetteln, beschäftigt. Seit den 1970er Jahren steht das Gespräch zwischen Arzt und Patient im Vordergrund (z. B. Brünner 2005). Gisela Brünner betritt mit ihrem umfassenden Buch Gesundheit durchs Fernsehen vor diesem Hintergrund Neuland. Es bietet einen innovativen Einblick in die Vermittlung medizinischer Informationen und gesundheitlichen Rats in Gesundheitssendungen. Brünners Untersuchungen zeigen, wie die Experten-Laien-Kommunikation abläuft und welche Strategien zur Erklärung und Veranschaulichung verwendet werden. Die Monographie kann somit an der Schnittstelle von Experten-Laien-Kommunikation und linguistischer Medienanalyse eingeordnet werden. ...
Background: There is an urgent need for expanding and enhancing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) samples, in order to better understand causes of ASD.
Methods: In a unique public-private partnership, 13 sites with extensive experience in both the assessment and diagnosis of ASD embarked on an ambitious, 2-year program to collect samples for genetic and phenotypic research and begin analyses on these samples. The program was called The Autism Simplex Collection (TASC). TASC sample collection began in 2008 and was completed in 2010, and included nine sites from North America and four sites from Western Europe, as well as a centralized Data Coordinating Center.
Results: Over 1,700 trios are part of this collection, with DNA from transformed cells now available through the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G) measures are available for all probands, as are standardized IQ measures, Vineland Adaptive Behavioral Scales (VABS), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), and physical measures (height, weight, and head circumference). At almost every site, additional phenotypic measures were collected, including the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ) and Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), as well as the non-word repetition scale, Communication Checklist (Children's or Adult), and Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). Moreover, for nearly 1,000 trios, the Autism Genome Project Consortium (AGP) has carried out Illumina 1 M SNP genotyping and called copy number variation (CNV) in the samples, with data being made available through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Whole exome sequencing (WES) has been carried out in over 500 probands, together with ancestry matched controls, and this data is also available through the NIH. Additional WES is being carried out by the Autism Sequencing Consortium (ASC), where the focus is on sequencing complete trios. ASC sequencing for the first 1,000 samples (all from whole-blood DNA) is complete and data will be released in 2014. Data is being made available through NIH databases (database of Genotypes and Phenotypes (dbGaP) and National Database for Autism Research (NDAR)) with DNA released in Dist 11.0. Primary funding for the collection, genotyping, sequencing and distribution of TASC samples was provided by Autism Speaks and the NIH, including the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Human Genetics Research Institute (NHGRI).
Conclusions: TASC represents an important sample set that leverages expert sites. Similar approaches, leveraging expert sites and ongoing studies, represent an important path towards further enhancing available ASD samples.
Background: While the use of plastic materials has generated huge societal benefits, the "plastic age" comes with downsides: One issue of emerging concern is the accumulation of plastics in the aquatic environment. Here, so-called microplastics (MP), fragments smaller than 5 mm, are of special concern because they can be ingested throughout the food web more readily than larger particles. Focusing on freshwater MP, we briefly review the state of the science to identify gaps of knowledge and deduce research needs.
State of the science: Environmental scientists started investigating marine (micro)plastics in the early 2000s. Today, a wealth of studies demonstrates that MP have ubiquitously permeated the marine ecosystem, including the polar regions and the deep sea. MP ingestion has been documented for an increasing number of marine species. However, to date, only few studies investigate their biological effects. The majority of marine plastics are considered to originate from land-based sources, including surface waters. Although they may be important transport pathways of MP, data from freshwater ecosystems is scarce. So far, only few studies provide evidence for the presence of MP in rivers and lakes. Data on MP uptake by freshwater invertebrates and fish is very limited.
Knowledge gaps: While the research on marine MP is more advanced, there are immense gaps of knowledge regarding freshwater MP. Data on their abundance is fragmentary for large and absent for small surface waters. Likewise, relevant sources and the environmental fate remain to be investigated. Data on the biological effects of MP in freshwater species is completely lacking. The accumulation of other freshwater contaminants on MP is of special interest because ingestion might increase the chemical exposure. Again, data is unavailable on this important issue.
Conclusions: MP represent freshwater contaminants of emerging concern. However, to assess the environmental risk associated with MP, comprehensive data on their abundance, fate, sources, and biological effects in freshwater ecosystems are needed. Establishing such data critically depends on a collaborative effort by environmental scientists from diverse disciplines (chemistry, hydrology, ecotoxicology, etc.) and, unsurprisingly, on the allocation of sufficient public funding.
Moderate physical activity improves various cognitive functions, particularly when it is applied simultaneously to the cognitive task. In two psychoneuroendocrinological within-subject experiments, we investigated whether very low-intensity motor activity, i.e. walking, during foreign-language vocabulary encoding improves subsequent recall compared to encoding during physical rest. Furthermore, we examined the kinetics of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in serum and salivary cortisol. Previous research has associated both substances with memory performance.In both experiments, subjects performed better when they were motorically active during encoding compared to being sedentary. BDNF in serum was unrelated to memory performance. In contrast we found a positive correlation between salivary cortisol concentration and the number of correctly recalled items. In summary, even very light physical activity during encoding is beneficial for subsequent recall.
Neurons of the mammalian neocortex are produced by proliferating cells located in the ventricular zone (VZ) lining the lateral ventricles. This is a complex and sequential process, requiring precise control of cell cycle progression, fate commitment and differentiation. We have analyzed publicly available databases from mouse and human to identify candidate genes that are potentially involved in regulating early neocortical development and neurogenesis. We used a mouse in situ hybridization dataset (The Allen Institute for Brain Science) to identify 13 genes (Cdon, Celsr1, Dbi, E2f5, Eomes, Hmgn2, Neurog2, Notch1, Pcnt, Sox3, Ssrp1, Tead2, Tgif2) with high correlation of expression in the proliferating cells of the VZ of the neocortex at early stages of development (E15.5). We generated a similar human brain network using microarray and RNA-seq data (BrainSpan Atlas) and identified 407 genes with high expression in the developing human VZ and subventricular zone (SVZ) at 8–9 post-conception weeks. Seven of the human genes were also present in the mouse VZ network. The human and mouse networks were extended using available genetic and proteomic datasets through GeneMANIA. A gene ontology search of the mouse and human networks indicated that many of the genes are involved in the cell cycle, DNA replication, mitosis and transcriptional regulation. The reported involvement of Cdon, Celsr1, Dbi, Eomes, Neurog2, Notch1, Pcnt, Sox3, Tead2, and Tgif2 in neural development or diseases resulting from the disruption of neurogenesis validates these candidate genes. Taken together, our knowledge-based discovery method has validated the involvement of many genes already known to be involved in neocortical development and extended the potential number of genes by 100's, many of which are involved in functions related to cell proliferation but others of which are potential candidates for involvement in the regulation of neocortical development.
Currently, little is known about how synesthesia develops and which aspects of synesthesia can be acquired through a learning process. We review the increasing evidence for the role of semantic representations in the induction of synesthesia, and argue for the thesis that synesthetic abilities are developed and modified by semantic mechanisms. That is, in certain people semantic mechanisms associate concepts with perception-like experiences—and this association occurs in an extraordinary way. This phenomenon can be referred to as “higher” synesthesia or ideasthesia. The present analysis suggests that synesthesia develops during childhood and is being enriched further throughout the synesthetes’ lifetime; for example, the already existing concurrents may be adopted by novel inducers or new concurrents may be formed. For a deeper understanding of the origin and nature of synesthesia we propose to focus future research on two aspects: (i) the similarities between synesthesia and ordinary phenomenal experiences based on concepts; and (ii) the tight entanglement of perception, cognition and the conceptualization of the world. Importantly, an explanation of how biological systems get to generate experiences, synesthetic or not, may have to involve an explanation of how semantic networks are formed in general and what their role is in the ability to be aware of the surrounding world.
In this paper, we investigate how the introduction of complex, model-based capital regulation affected credit risk of financial institutions. Model-based regulation was meant to enhance the stability of the financial sector by making capital charges more sensitive to risk. Exploiting the staggered introduction of the model-based approach in Germany and the richness of our loan-level data set, we show that (1) internal risk estimates employed for regulatory purposes systematically underpredict actual default rates by 0.5 to 1 percentage points; (2) both default rates and loss rates are higher for loans that were originated under the model-based approach, while corresponding risk-weights are significantly lower; and (3) interest rates are higher for loans originated under the model-based approach, suggesting that banks were aware of the higher risk associated with these loans and priced them accordingly. Further, we document that large banks benefited from the reform as they experienced a reduction in capital charges and consequently expanded their lending at the expense of smaller banks that did not introduce the model-based approach. Counter to the stated objectives, the introduction of complex regulation adversely affected the credit risk of financial institutions. Overall, our results highlight the pitfalls of complex regulation and suggest that simpler rules may increase the efficacy of financial regulation.
The recent decline in euro area inflation has triggered new calls for additional monetary stimulus by the ECB in order to counter the threat of a self‐reinforcing deflation and recession spiral. This note reviews the available evidence on inflation expectations, output gaps and other factors driving current inflation through the lens of the Phillips curve. It also draws a comparison to the Japanese experience with deflation in the late 1990s and the evidence from Japan concerning the outputinflation nexus at low trend inflation. The note concludes from this evidence that the risk of a selfreinforcing deflation remains very small. Thus, the ECB best await the impact of the long‐term refinancing operations decided in June that have the potential to induce substantial monetary accommodation once implemented for the first time in September.
Die Anpassung der EU-Richtlinie über Märkte für Finanzinstrumente (MiFID II) und die Einführung einer begleitenden Verordnung (MiFIR) im Jahr 2014 werden erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Finanzmärkte in Europa haben und zu einer grundlegenden Neuordnung der Finanzmarktstrukturen führen. Ausgehend von einer Diskussion der Zielerreichung der ursprünglichen Richtlinie (MiFID I) aus dem Jahr 2004 werden im vorliegenden Artikel die Zielsetzungen und Maßnahmen der Neuregelung beleuchtet. Wesentliche Elemente im Hinblick auf Marktstrukturen und den Wertpapierhandel sind die Einführung einer neuen Handelsplatzkategorie, des organisierten Handelssystems („Organised Trading Facility“; OTF), sowie die Ausweitung der bislang für Aktien geltenden Transparenzvorschriften auf weitere Finanzinstrumente. Zudem werden eine Handelsverpflichtung für Aktien und Derivate sowie eine Clearingpflicht für Derivate, die auf geregelten Märkten gehandelt werden, neu eingeführt. Schließlich werden der algorithmische Handel und der Hochfrequenzhandel auf europäischer Ebene reguliert, wobei die Regelungen weitgehend dem 2013 eingeführten deutschen Hochfrequenzhandelsgesetz angelehnt sind. Im Ausblick wird zunächst der weitere Prozess der Regulierung skizziert (insbesondere die sog. Level II-Maßnahmen). Abschließend werden mögliche Auswirkungen von MiFID II und MiFIR auf die Marktstruktur und den Wertpapierhandel aufgezeigt.
This essay reviews a cornerstone of the European Banking Union project, the resolution of systemically important banks. The focus is on the inherent conflict between a possible intervention by resolution authorities, conditional on a crisis situation, and effective prevention prior to a crisis. Moreover, the paper discusses the rules for bail-in debt and conversion rules for different layers of debt. Finally, some organizational requirements to achieve effective resolution results will be analyzed.
Channelrhodopsin-1 from Chlamydomonas augustae (CaChR1) is a light-activated cation channel, which is a promising optogenetic tool. We show by resonance Raman spectroscopy and retinal extraction followed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) that the isomeric ratio of all-trans to 13-cis of solubilized channelrhodopsin-1 is with 70:30 identical to channelrhodopsin-2 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CrChR2). Critical frequency shifts in the retinal vibrations are identified in the Raman spectrum upon transition to the open (conductive P2(380)) state. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra indicate different structures of the open states in the two channelrhodopsins as reflected by the amide I bands and the protonation pattern of acidic amino acids.
The subatomic world is governed by the strong interactions of quarks and gluons, described by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Quarks experience confinement into colour-less objects, i.e. they can not be observed as free particles. Under extreme conditions such as high temperature or high density, this constraint softens and a transition to a phase where quarks and gluons are quasi-free particles (Quark-Gluon-Plasma) can occur. This environment resembles the conditions prevailing during the early stages of the universe shortly after the Big Bang.
The phase diagram of QCD is under investigation in current and future collider experiments, for example at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) or at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR). Due to the strength of the strong interactions in the energy regime of interest, analytic methods can not be applied rigorously. The only tool to study QCD from first principles is given by simulations of its discretised version, Lattice QCD (LQCD).
These simulations are in the high-performance computing area, hence, the numerical aspects of LQCD are a vital part in this field of research. In recent years, Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) have been incorporated in these simulations as they are a standard tool for general purpose calculations today.
In the course of this thesis, the LQCD application cl2qcd has been developed, which allows for simulations on GPUs as well as on traditional CPUs, as it is based on OpenCL. cl2qcd constitutes the first application for Wilson type fermions in OpenCL.
It provides excellent performance and has been applied in physics studies presented in this thesis. The investigation of the QCD phase diagram is hampered by the notorious sign-problem, which restricts current simulation algorithms to small values of the chemical potential.
Theoretically, studying unphysical parameter ranges allows for constraints on the phase diagram. Of utmost importance is the clarification of the order of the finite temperature transition in the Nf=2 chiral limit at zero chemical potential. It is not known if it is of first or second order. To this end, simulations utilising Twisted Mass Wilson fermions aiming at the chiral limit are presented in this thesis.
Another possibility is the investigation of QCD at purely imaginary chemical potential. In this region, QCD is known to posses a rich phase structure, which can be used to constrain the phase diagram of QCD at real chemical potential and to clarify the nature of the Nf=2 chiral limit. This phase structure is studied within this thesis, in particular the nature of the Roberge-Weiss endpoint is mapped out using Wilson fermions.
SAFE Newsletter : 2014, Q3
(2014)
Hybridhaftung im Internet
(2014)
In den Informationstechnologien zeichnen sich Verschiebungen der rechtlichen Verantwortungszurechnung ab, die auf tiefgreifende Veränderungen der bisherigen, individualistisch ausgerichteten Handlungstheorie des Rechts hindeuten. Verantwortungszuschreibungen für technische Risiken müssen demnach zunehmend von subjektiv-orientierten Zurechnungsfragen nach individueller Verursachung und Verschulden abstrahieren, in diesem Sinne also objektiviert und kollektiviert werden. Diese Entwicklungen werden besonders an den für „mittelbare Rechtsverletzungen“ eingesetzten Haftungsmodellen der immaterialgüterrechtlichen Störer- und Täterhaftung erkennbar. Die vielfältigen, kaum noch systematisierbaren Einzelfälle von Schutzrechtsverletzungen im Internet zeigen dabei, dass Fragen nach technischen Verantwortlichkeiten und zumutbaren Prüfpflichten von Intermediären allenfalls durch ein technologisch informiertes Recht zu beantworten sind. Es bedarf daher einer technologisch aufgeklärten Sicht, die über rein rechtsdogmatische oder ökonomische Betrachtungen hinausweist. Die technologische Aufklärung zielt auf eine Kritik des Wissens. Sie erweitert das systemtheoretische Kritikprogramm der soziologischen Aufklärung um eine techniksoziologische Perspektive, wie sie insbesondere in den Science and Technology Studies zu finden ist.
In der Krise des individualistischen Kausalitäts- und Schuldzuordnungsdenkens reagiert das Recht zunehmend mit Kollektivierungen: Verantwortung für technische Risiken muss demnach von subjektiv-orientierten Zurechnungsfragen nach individueller Verursachung und Verschulden abstrahieren und in diesem Sinne objektiv zugerechnet werden, sei es einem Betrieb, einem Unternehmen oder sei es auch einer sonstigen Verbindung von Menschen und Dingen. Die Mechanismen der kollektivierenden Verantwortungszumutungen reichen dabei von einer Ausdehnung der Kausalhaftung als Gefährdungshaftung über eine weitere Verbindung von Haftungssubjekten zu besonderen Risikoassoziationen bis zu einer Re-Personalisierung der Haftungsverantwortlichkeit. Vor diesem Hintergrund lassen sich Verschiebungen der rechtlichen Verantwortungszuordnung nachzeichnen, die vor allem in informationstechnischen Kontexten beobachtbar sind und beispielsweise in den Exzessen von Flashmobs oder auch im Flash Trading des Hochfrequenzhandels auf weitere Herausforderungen stoßen.
Divergierende Ansprüche an Kletterrouten führen derzeit zu Konflikten im Alpenraum. Da aus sozialgeographischer Sicht keine Raum-, sondern nur Handlungsprobleme existieren, lohnt ein Blick auf die im Hintergrund wirksamen sozialen Strukturen. Unter Rückgriff auf WERLENs Modell der "'gemachten' Räume“, SCHIMANKs "Werkzeugkasten" und die Neue Phänomenologie nach SCHMITZ analysiert dieser Text die zum Teil handgreiflichen Querelen inmitten alpiner Wildnis und beantwortet aus handlungstheoretisch-phänomenologischer Perspektive die Frage, wem die alpinen Kletterfelsen "gehören".
Das Schwerionenkollisionen Programm der Beschleuniger RHIC und LHC gibt Hinweise auf einen neuen Zustand hadronischer Materie --- das Quark-Gluon Plasma. Dieses zeichnet sich durch eine zumindest partielle Aufhebung des confinements aus, welches besagt, dass keine freien Quarks beochtbar sind.
Aus einer Beschreibung der experimentellen Daten mit relativistischer Hydrodynamik folgen weitere Eigenschaften. So geht das in einer Schwerionenkollision erzeugte Quark-Gluon Plasma nach sehr kurzer Zeit, etwa 1 fm/c, in ein zumindest lokales thermisches Gleichgewicht über. Durch die Lorentzkontraktion der beiden Schwerionen erwartet man, dass der Zustand direkt nach der Kollision durch eine Impulsanisotropie in der transversal-longitudinalen Ebene bestimmt wird. Somit setzt das Erreichen eines thermischen Gleichgewichts zunächst eine Isotropisierung voraus. Bisherige Studien haben gezeigt, dass gluonische Moden bei dieser Isotropisierung durch Verursachung einer chromo-Weibel Instabilität eine entscheidende Rolle spielen.
Weiterhin verhält sich das Quark-Gluon Plasma wie eine fast perfekte Flüssigkeit. Eine Berücksichtigung dissipativer Terme in der hydrodynamischen Beschreibung erfordert das Hinzufügen weiterer Terme zu den entsprechenden Bewegungsgleichungen. Diese sind proportional zu Transportkoeffizienten, welche durch die zugrunde liegende mikroskopische Theorie festgelegt sind.
Diese Theorie ist Quantenchromodynamik. Sie beschreibt die starke Wechselwirkung der Quarks und Gluonen und ist ein fundamentaler Baustein des Standardmodells der Teilchenphysik. Da im Regelfall Prozesse der starken Wechselwirkung nichtperturbativ sind, beschreiben wir QCD unter Verwendung einer Gitterregularisierung. Diese beruht auf einer Diskretisierung der vierdimensionalen Euklidischen Raumzeit durch einen Hyperkubus mit periodischen Randbedingungen und ermöglicht ein Lösen der QCD mit numerischen Methoden. Allerdings ist die Anwendung der Gittereichtheorie auf Systeme im thermischen Gleichgewicht beschränkt und kann somit keine Prozesse beschreiben, die auf Echtzeit basieren.
Transportkoeffizienten entsprechen Proportionalitätskoeffizienten, die die Relaxation einer Flüssigkeit oder eben eines Quark-Gluon Plasmas von einer kleinen Störung beschreiben. Damit sind sie unmittelbar mit der Zeit verknüpft. Über Kubo-Formeln lassen sie sich jedoch mit Gleichgewichtserwartungswerten retardierter Korrelatoren verknüpfen und werden so in Gitter QCD zugänglich.
In der vorliegenden Dissertation berechnen wir den Transportkoeffizienten κ in Gittereichtheorie für das Yang-Mills Plasma. Dabei nutzen wir aus, dass dieser Transportkoeffizient eine triviale analytische Fortsetzung vom retardierten zum Euklidischen Korrelator besitzt, welcher direkt in Gittereichtheorie zugänglich ist. Es ist die erste nichtperturbative Berechnung eines Transportkoeffizienten in QCD ohne weitere Annahmen, wie die Maximum Entropie Methode oder Ansätze, zu treffen.
We compared Chatham Island endemic species Xanthocnemis tuanuii to its congenerics from the New Zealand South Island: X. zealandica (newly collected specimens)and X. sinclairi (type specimens plus newly collected material). Two independent tests were performed –geometric morphometrics and molecular. Both analyses were consistent in supporting the status of X. tuanuiias a good species. Species differed statistically in the following morphological traits: head (dorsal view), male appendages (dorsal, lateral, posterior and ventral views), thorax (dorsal view), and penis (dorsal and lateral view). In addition to the original diagnostic features (mainly shape of the male superior appendages), a new morphological character is suggested here which reliably distinguishes the species based on the shape of the inferior appendages. There was no statistical support for the species status of X. sinclairi. The only feature re-ported as diagnostic (lower lobe of male superior appendages) was found to be variable and insufficient to warrant the previously proposed taxonomic rank for X. sinclairi. Molecular analysis of specimens showing identical appendages to the X. sinclairi holotype grouped them with X. zealandica specimens. Therefore X. sinclairi is synonymised with X. zealandica.
In the second half of February 2014, Odonata were searched for nine days on Bali andfour days on Lombok, the western Lesser Sundas, Indonesia. One species, Orthetrum chrysishas been for the first time recorded for Bali and six species, Nosostictaemphyla, Idionyx murcia, Brachydiplax chalybea, Agrionoptera insignis, Neurothemisramburii, Rhyothemis phyllishave been for the first time recorded for Lombok. The previous lit-erature concerning the two islands is analysed. To the moment, 55 Odonata species (3 unidentified) are known for Bali and 39 for Lombok, although the actual faunas of both islands are supposed to be equally rich, and further studies on Lombok are necessary. Odonata faunas of Bali and Lombok mirror each other in respect of high shares,29 and 23%, of Odonata species ranging to the west and east of the two islands, respectively. Efficiency of Lombok Strait as a biogeographical boundary was estimated as high as 0.6, so Wallace Line is of importance for Odonata. Some diagnostic characters of N. emphyla, N. ramburii, R. phyllis phyllisand Procordulia sambawanaand a taxo-nomical situation around Prodasineura autumnalisand P. humeralis, which is not justified biogeographically, are discussed. Short notes on habitats and assemblages of Odonata are added.
The results of two expeditions into the Ulu Baleh and Ulu Balui areas of the interior of Sarawak are presented, including data from forest that was pristine at the time of sampling but that was subsequently logged. A total of 74 species are recorded, notably including Coeliccia campioni, Coeliccia new species borneensis-group, Pericnemis spp., Heliogomphusblandulus, Leptogomphus pendleburyi, Chlorogomphus ?manauand Procordulia ?new species. A discussion of the results and potential differences in the odonate fauna of comparable logged and unlogged forest sites is given.
Odonata fauna of karst streams and rivers of South Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina, West Balkan)
(2014)
Results of the odonatological survey in the Neretva River Basin in South Herzegovinakarst region of Bosnia and Herzegovina conducted from April to August 2013 are presented. The area had been pre-assessed as insufficiently known in term of its Odonata fauna, but believed to be important habitat for several species of conservation concern, particularly Coenagrion ornatum, Ceriagrion tenellum, Caliaeschna microstigma, Lindenia tetraphylla and Cordulegaster heros. Moreover, freshwater habitats of the region are increasingly threatened due to climate change and the habitat destruction due to infrastructure and hydroenergy production projects. The focus of the study was set on the streams and rivers in Neretva, Trebižat, Trebišnjica and Bregava river valleys, Hutovo blato wetland, Mostarsko blato, Dabarsko and Fatničko polje. The survey resulted in 482 Odonata records of 49 species from 52 surveyed localities. Notable results include new distribution data on species of conservation concern, particularly six new localities of C. ornatum, nine of C. microstigma and five of C. heros. Comments on species of conservation concern and brief description of habitats at all surveyed localities are provided. New data on species of conservation concern are important for better conservation planning of dragonfly species and habitats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A new species of the synthemistid genus Palaeosynthemis is described from the Trauna River valley in Western Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea. The new species is most similar to P. cyrene from which it can be distinguished, among other characters, by the coloration of the pterostigma (jet-black in the new species vs brownish yellow in P. cyrene) and of the wing bases (not darkened vs strongly darkened). The new species also differs from P. cyrene in having a narrow, almost parallel-sided yellow lateral synthoracic stripe and a well-defined yellow marking along most of the ventral margin of the metepimeron. In P. cyrene the lateral synthoracic stripe is markedly wider and tapered, and the yellow element along the ventral margin of the metepimeron is absent. Characters of the adult male are illustrated and the affinities of the species are discussed.
A selection of duplicates from the collection of Michel Edmond de Selys Longchamps was found at the Übersee-Museum Bremen/Germany (UMB). Selys determined a lot of Odonata in the UMB collection and sent 80 European and 76 exotic species to Bremen on 23 April, 1875. According to the labels 121 specimens could be assigned to this shipment and eleven specimens must have been sent to UMB in later years. This collection includes two paralectotypes (Progomphus gracilis Hagen inSelys, 1853;Palaemnema nathalia Selys, 1886) and seven syntypes (Rhinocypha trifasciata Selys, 1853; Dysphaea dimidiata limbata Selys, 1859; Argia sordida Hagen inSelys, 1865; Oxyagrion dissidens Selys, 1876; Oxyagrion haematinum Selys, 1876; Oxyagrion pavi-dum Hagen in Selys, 1876; Telagrion longum Selys, 1876). In addition, a male specimen of Euphaea tricolor subcostalis Selys, 1873 might also belong to the original syntype series. Altogether three specimens with labeled nomina nuda(Diplax catharina Selys, Diplax fausta Selys, Dythemis bilineata Hagen) and two labeled with manuscript names (Diplax marcellina Selys, Perithemis ovate Bates) are in this collection.
In spring and summer 2008, the Odonata fauna of the Khabr National Park (Iran) was studied for the first time. Here, we present records of the representatives of family Libellulidae only. A total of twelve libellulid Odonata were found. Most of them are common species in Iran and other parts of Kerman province. Scarce Iranian species are Trithemis arteriosa and Zygonyx torridus.