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Die nachhaltige Organisation des Verkehrs soll auf kostengünstige, umweltfreundliche und nutzerfreundlichere Nahverkehrskonzepte, die möglichst viele Bürger zur Nutzung des ÖPNV einladen, abzielen. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist es das Ziel dieses Beitrags, instrumentelle Ansatzpunkte für ein Nachhaltigkeitscontrolling in ÖPNV-Unternehmen aufzuzeigen. Hierzu werden nachfolgend die Berücksichtigung der Nachhaltigkeit bei Investitionsentscheidungen, das Carbon Accounting (Transparenz über CO2-Emissionen), die Integration der ökologischen, ökonomischen und sozialen Nachhaltigkeitsdimension bei der Berichterstattung und die Einbindung der genannten Instrumente in ein Managementsystem skizziert. Die Nachhaltigkeitsdimensionen Ökologie, Ökonomie und Soziales lassen sich gut mit Hilfe mehrdimensionaler, integrierter Managementsysteme in der Organisation verankern und systematisch in interne Strukturen und Prozesse einbetten. Integrierte Managementsysteme können so eine wichtige Voraussetzung für ein effizientes Nachhaltigkeitscontrolling sein.
In Form der Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung werden erstmals sämtliche darauf bezogenen Daten im Unternehmen zusammengestellt und zu Indikatoren aggregiert. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird überprüft, inwieweit dieser Datenpool für die Produktionsplanung und -Steuerung (PPS) genutzt werden kann. Dazu werden die Berichterstattungsstandards GRI und SASB herangezogen. Die Qualität der Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren wird anhand der Kriterien Fehlerfreiheit, Aktualität, Relevanz und Angemessener Umfang hinterfragt. Der Lösungsansatz besteht zunächst darin, die für die Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren aggregierten Daten wieder in ihre Komponenten zu separieren. Bei Daten ohne klaren Bezug zum Produktionsprozess (z.B. gemischte Abfallsammelbehälter) liefert das Erfahrungswissen der Mitarbeiter vor Ort die Basis für einen weiteren Regelkreis, der als Kontinuierlicher Verbesserungsprozess (KVP bzw. Kaizen) innerhalb der Produktion und Montage auf gebaut werden kann. Die Langform des Beitrags wurde online auf ERP-Management.de veröffentlicht.
Nachhaltigkeitsökonomie
(2014)
Nanomedicine strategies were first adapted and successfully translated to clinical application for diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. These strategies would no doubt benefit unmet diseases needs as in the case of leishmaniasis. The latter causes skin sores in the cutaneous form and affects internal organs in the visceral form. Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) aims at accelerating wound healing, reducing scarring and cosmetic morbidity, preventing parasite transmission and relapse. Unfortunately, available treatments show only suboptimal effectiveness and none of them were designed specifically for this disease condition. Tissue regeneration using nano-based devices coupled with drug delivery are currently being used in clinic to address diabetic wounds. Thus, in this review, we analyse the current treatment options and attempt to critically analyse the use of nanomedicine-based strategies to address CL wounds in view of achieving scarless wound healing, targeting secondary bacterial infection and lowering drug toxicity.
Narrow-band YBCO superconducting parallel-coupled coplanar waveguide band-pass filters at 10 GHz
(1993)
We introduce our Lessons Learned from the NATO CNAD PoW “Defense Against Terrorism (DAT)” campaign „COMMON SHIELD” from August and September 2008, present our data and illustrate our experience, which were gathered with the experimental system HAMLeT+ (Hazardous Material Localization and Person Tracking Plus) for military camp protection. The focus of „COMMON SHIELD” was the network-centric operation and demon-stration of innovative technologies for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition of Terrorists (ISRTA). With regard to the specific task for military camp protection, the original demonstrator HAMLeT [1], which was initiated as a Supporting Activity funded by the EU within the PASR 2006 scheme, was extended and redesigned as HAMLeT+. In HAMLeT+ several chemical sensors for hydrocarbons like fuels, alcohols or solvents were used. The identification of persons carrying hazardous substances and the classification of those substances are the major task of our research. Further on, there is a pressing need for assistance systems for the guards, to extend the spectra of detection capabilities and to receive efficient and reliable, real time decision support for the task to percept threats, which so far could not even be realized at an entry control facility. Security assistance by means of heterogeneous net-worked sensors and comprehensive sensor data fusion could be such an element for better protection. New technological developments concentrate on the integration of different sensor types (video, tracking sensors, CRE sensors) in order to get a better and comprehensive understanding of potential threats in a defined area. Multiple sensors data fusion can be used to combine complementary types of data e.g. kinematic data of objects (where, when) with additional attribute information (what) in order to identify those objects carrying the attributes of interest and give a classification of the potential threat.
The development of sustainable, environmentally friendly insulation materials with a reduced carbon footprint is attracting increased interest. One alternative to conventional insulation materials are foamed geopolymers. Similar to foamed concrete, the mechanical properties of geopolymer foams can also be improved by using fibers for reinforcement. This paper presents an overview of the latest research findings in the field of fiber-reinforced geopolymer foam concrete with special focus on natural fibers reinforcement. Furthermore, some basic and background information of natural fibers and geopolymer foams are reported. In most of the research, foams are produced either through chemical foaming with hydrogen peroxide or aluminum powder, or through mechanical foaming which includes a foaming agent. However, previous reviews have not sufficiently addresses the fabrication of geopolymer foams by syntactic foams. Finally, recent efforts to reduce the fiber degradation in geopolymer concrete are discussed along with challenges for natural fiber reinforced-geopolymer foam concrete.
Das Fraunhofer Institut für Intelligente Analyse- und Informationssysteme (IAIS) entwickelt im Projekt ProfiBot ein modulares Roboterbaukastensystem für die berufliche Mechatronikausbildung. Es wird durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) gefördert. Diese Arbeit hat die Entwicklung eines Systems zum Ziel, mit dem es möglich ist, einen ProfiBot-Roboter an einer Dockingstation zu positionieren und eine Ladung der Akkus durchzuführen. Dies umfasst die Entwicklung der Algorithmen und Architekturen zur Navigation, die Konstruktion und die Herstellung der Dockingstation. Das System wurde so konzipiert, dass es sich gegenüber verschiedenen Störfaktoren, wie beispielsweise unterschiedlichen Lichtverhältnissen, Bodenbeschaffenheiten oder markanten Objekten im Raum, robust verhält.
In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in psychological need satisfaction and its role in promoting optimal functioning. The DRAMMA model integrates existing need and recovery models to explain why leisure is connected to optimal functioning (i.e., high well-being and low ill-being). It encompasses six psychological needs: detachment, relaxation, autonomy, mastery, meaning, and affiliation (DRAMMA). While the individual needs of the DRAMMA model have been previously shown to relate to different aspects of optimal functioning, a longitudinal study examining the entire model has not been conducted before. In this longitudinal field study covering leisure and work episodes, we tested the within-person reliability and (construct and criterion) validity of the operationalization of the DRAMMA model in a sample of 279 German employees. Participants filled out measures of DRAMMA need satisfaction and optimal functioning at five measurement times before, during, and after vacation periods in 2016 and 2017. The six-factor model showed good fit to the data. In the multilevel models, relaxation, detachment, autonomy, and mastery had the most consistent within-person effects on optimal functioning, while the relationships between optimal functioning, meaning, and affiliation were considerably weaker. In conclusion, DRAMMA need satisfaction can aid and nurture employees’ optimal functioning.
Shaping off-job life is becoming increasingly important for workers to increase and maintain their optimal functioning (i.e., feeling and performing well). Proactively shaping the job domain (referred to as job crafting) has been extensively studied, but crafting in the off-job domain has received markedly less research attention. Based on the Integrative Needs Model of Crafting, needs-based off-job crafting is defined as workers’ proactive and self-initiated changes in their off-job lives, which target psychological needs satisfaction. Off-job crafting is posited as a possible means for workers to fulfill their needs and enhance well-being and performance over time. We developed a new scale to measure off-job crafting and examined its relationships to optimal functioning in different work contexts in different regions around the world (the United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Japan, and the United Kingdom). Furthermore, we examined the criterion, convergent, incremental, discriminant, and structural validity evidence of the Needs-based Off-job Crafting Scale using multiple methods (longitudinal and cross-sectional survey studies, an “example generation”-task). The results showed that off-job crafting was related to optimal functioning over time, especially in the off-job domain but also in the job domain. Moreover, the novel off-job crafting scale had good convergent and discriminant validity, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability. To conclude, our series of studies in various countries show that off-job crafting can enhance optimal functioning in different life domains and support people in performing their duties sustainably. Therefore, shaping off-job life may be beneficial in an intensified and continually changing and challenging working life.
Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit behandelt die Filtrierung von sozialen Medien durch die Content Moderatoren. Die Content Moderatoren sind Menschen, die unter schlechten Arbeitsbedingungen und hoher psychischer Belastung Plattformen wie Facebook tagtäglich von strafbaren Inhalten filtern. Durch dieses Löschregime werden zwar gewaltzeigende Inhalte gelöscht, aber auch aufklärende oder künstlerische Inhalte zensiert.
Mithilfe von durchgeführten Fokusgruppendiskussionen wurde der Einfluss der Gruppenzusammensetzung und Darbietung positiver und negativer Informationen auf die individuelle und eindimensionale Wahrnehmung der Teilnehmer bezüglich sozialer Medien, Content Moderatoren und Löschrichtlinien erforscht.
Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Darbietung der Informationen keinen Einfluss auf die mehrdimensionale Wahrnehmung der Probanden hatte und sie unabhängig von der Gruppenzusammensetzung nonkonforme Meinungen vertraten. Trotz des erweiterten Wissenstandes und der entwickelten Alternativlösungen äußerten die meisten Probanden nicht die Absicht, ihr Nutzungsverhalten künftig zu ändern. Trotz der Annahme, dass die meisten Probanden eine eindimensionale Wahrnehmung sozialer Medien haben, zeigten die Ergebnisse, dass viele Probanden eine ähnlich positive und kritische Haltung gegenüber den Plattformen hatten. Darüber hinaus wird deutlich, dass es einen starken Forschungsbedarf in Bezug auf die Langzeitfolgen der Arbeit als Content Moderator und Auswirkungen von Zensur und Filtrierung auf die Nutzer sozialer Medien gibt.
Taste is a complex phenomenon that depends on the individual experience and is a matter of collective negotiation and mediation. On the contrary, it is uncommon to include taste and its many facets in everyday design, particularly online shopping for fresh food products. To realize this unused potential, we conducted two Co-Design workshops. Based on the participants’ results in the workshops, we prototyped and evaluated a click-dummy smart-phone app to explore consumers’ needs for digital taste depiction. We found that emphasizing the natural qualities of food products, external reviews, and personalizing features lead to a reflection on the individual taste experience. The self-reflection through our design enables consumers to develop their taste competencies and thus strengthen their autonomy in decision-making. Ultimately, exploring taste as a social experience adds to a broader understanding of taste beyond a sensory phenomenon.
Network aggregation
(2020)
Network Analysis Method
(2024)
Interactive rendering of complex models has many applications in the Virtual Reality Continuum. The oil&gas industry uses interactive visualizations of huge seismic data sets to evaluate and plan drilling operations. The automotive industry evaluates designs based on very detailed models. Unfortunately, many of these very complex geometric models cannot be displayed with interactive frame rates on graphics workstations. This is due to the limited scalability of their graphics performance. Recently there is a trend to use networked standard PCs to solve this problem. Care must be taken however, because of nonexistent shared memory with clustered PCs. All data and commands have to be sent across the network. It turns out that the removal of the network bottleneck is a challenging problem to solve in this context.In this article we present some approaches for network aware parallel rendering on commodity hardware. These strategies are technological as well as algorithmic solutions.
Für die Bilanzierung von Ausfallrisiken bei Kreditinstituten lässt sich kein einheitliches Konzept erkennen: Es stehen im Wesentlichen zwei Rechnungslegungsmodelle zur Verfügung, die sich nach dem Zeitpunkt der Berücksichtigung der Risiken unterscheiden. Während das Incurred Loss-Modell (ILM) im Rahmen der Risikovorsorge nur bereits eingetretene Kreditverluste berücksichtigt, stellt das Expected Loss-Modell (ELM) grundsätzlich auf erwartete Verluste ab.
Anfang Januar 2007 trat in Nordrhein-Westfalen (NRW) das Hochschulfreiheitsgesetz (HFG) in Kraft. Mit dem HFG hat sich die Landesregierung in NRW weit aus der Detailsteuerung der Hochschulen zurückgezogen und tritt lediglich noch für existenzielle Schadensereignisse ein. So sind die Hochschulen – Universitäten und Fachhochschulen – in NRW keine staatlichen Einrichtungen mehr, sondern Körperschaften des öffentlichen Rechts in staatlicher Trägerschaft. Hiermit folgt das neue Hochschulgesetz dem hochschulpolitischen Paradigmenwechsel von einem staatlich geplanten, weitgehend einheitlich gestalteten System zu einem durch Profilbildung und Wettbewerb geprägten Hochschulsystem. In diesem Artikel werden die damit verbundenen Problemstellungen und Lösungsoptionen aufgezeigt und als Empfehlung die Einführung eines Chancen- und Risikomanagements beschrieben.
In dieser Dissertation stellen wir einen neuen Ansatz zur Modellierung von Polymersystemen vor. Es werden (von methodischer Seite her) zwei automatisierte Iterationschemata dazu eingeführt, Kraftfeldparameter mesoskopischer Polymersysteme systematisch zu optimieren: Das Simplex-Verfahren und das Struktur-Differenzen-Verfahren. So werden diejenigen Freiheitsgrade aus Polymersystemen eliminiert, die eine hohe Auflösung erfordern, was die Modellierung größerer Systeme ermöglicht. Nach Tests an einfachen Flüssigkeiten werden vergröberte Modelle von drei prototypischen Polymeren (Polyacrylsäure, Polyvinylalkohol und Polyisopren) in unterschiedlichen Umgebungen (gutes Lösungsmittel und Schmelze) entwickelt und ihr Verhalten auf der Mesoskala ausgiebig geprüft. Die zugehörige Abbildung (von physikalischer Seite her) so zu gestalten, daß sie die unverwechselbaren Charakteristiken jedes Systems auf die mesoskopische Längenskala überträgt, stellt eine entscheidende Anforderung an die automatisierten Verfahren dar.
Neues Lizenzmanagement
(2016)
Neural networks in a multilayer perceptron architecture are able to classify data and approximate functions based on a set of sample data (curve fitting). These properties are used to investigate experimentally the applicability of neural networks for cost estimation in early phases of product design. Experiments are based on pilot cost data from a manufacturing company. In addition, artificially created simulative data are used for benchmarking. The cost estimation performance is compared to conventional methods, i.e. linear and non-linear parametric regression. Neural networks achieve lower deviations in their cost estimations. Beyond the use of standard neural architectures, simple modifications for a performance improvement are suggested and tested. Finally, a profile for situations where neural networks are appropriate is derived from the results.
Jede Führungskraft hat ein bestimmtes Menschenbild, das ihre Arbeit und den Umgang mit den Mitarbeitern prägt. Diese Menschenbilder sind auch einem historischen Wandel unterworfen. Denn im Lauf der Jahrzehnte haben sich unsere Vorstellungen vom Menschen als Mitarbeiter grundlegend gewandelt. Welche Konsequenzen dieser Wandel für die Mitarbeiterführung hat, untersucht der folgende Artikel.
The perceptual upright results from the multisensory integration of the directions indicated by vision and gravity as well as a prior assumption that upright is towards the head. The direction of gravity is signalled by multiple cues, the predominant of which are the otoliths of the vestibular system and somatosensory information from contact with the support surface. Here, we used neutral buoyancy to remove somatosensory information while retaining vestibular cues, thus "splitting the gravity vector" leaving only the vestibular component. In this way, neutral buoyancy can be used as a microgravity analogue. We assessed spatial orientation using the oriented character recognition test (OChaRT, which yields the perceptual upright, PU) under both neutrally buoyant and terrestrial conditions. The effect of visual cues to upright (the visual effect) was reduced under neutral buoyancy compared to on land but the influence of gravity was unaffected. We found no significant change in the relative weighting of vision, gravity, or body cues, in contrast to results found both in long-duration microgravity and during head-down bed rest. These results indicate a relatively minor role for somatosensation in determining the perceptual upright in the presence of vestibular cues. Short-duration neutral buoyancy is a weak analogue for microgravity exposure in terms of its perceptual consequences compared to long-duration head-down bed rest.
New approaches in securing more sustainable urban food futures: case from Cologne-Bonn region
(2018)
Modern PCR-based analytical techniques have reached sensitivity levels that allow for obtaining complete forensic DNA profiles from even tiny traces containing genomic DNA amounts as small as 125 pg. Yet these techniques have reached their limits when it comes to the analysis of traces such as fingerprints or single cells. One suggestion to overcome these limits has been the usage of whole genome amplification (WGA) methods. These methods aim at increasing the copy number of genomic DNA and by this means generate more template DNA for subsequent analyses. Their application in forensic contexts has so far remained mostly an academic exercise, and results have not shown significant improvements and even have raised additional analytical problems. Until very recently, based on these disappointments, the forensic application of WGA seems to have largely been abandoned. In the meantime, however, novel improved methods are pointing towards a perspective for WGA in specific forensic applications. This review article tries to summarize current knowledge about WGA in forensics and suggests the forensic analysis of single-donor bioparticles and of single cells as promising applications.
It has become increasingly clear that caspases, far from being merely cell death effectors, have a much wider range of functions within the cell. These functions are as diverse as signal transduction and cytoskeletal remodeling, and caspases are now known to have an essential role in cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. There is also evidence that apoptotic cells themselves can direct the behavior of nearby cells through the caspase-dependent secretion of paracrine signaling factors. In some processes, including the differentiation of skeletal muscle myoblasts, both caspase activation in differentiating cells as well as signaling from apoptotic cells has been reported. Here, we review the non-apoptotic outcomes of caspase activity in a range of different model systems and attempt to integrate this knowledge.
MOTIVATION: The genome projects produce a wealth of protein sequences. Theoretical methods to predict possible structures and functions are needed for screening purposes, large-scale comparisons and in-depth analysis to identify worthwhile targets for further experimental research. Sequence-structure alignment is a basic tool for the identification of model folds for protein sequences and the construction of crude structural models. Empirical contact potentials (potentials of mean force) are used to optimize and evaluate such alignments. RESULTS: We propose new scoring schemes based on a contact definition derived from Voronoi decompositions of the three-dimensional coordinates of protein structures. We demonstrate that Voronoi potentials are superior to pure distance-based contact potentials with respect to recognition rate and significance for native folds. Moreover, the scoring scheme has the potential to provide a reasonable balance of detail and ion such that it is also useful for the recognition of distantly related (both homologous and non-homologous) proteins. This is demonstrated here on a set of structural alignments showing much better correspondence of native and model scores for the Voronoi potentials as compared to conventional distance-based potentials.
News on demand
(1996)
Next tram stop
(2020)
Nicht im Elfenbeinturm
(2016)
Persons entering the working range of industrial robots are exposed to a high risk of collision with moving parts of the system, potentially causing severe injuries. Conventional systems, which restrict the access to this area, range from walls and fences to light barriers and other vision based protective devices (VBPD). None of these systems allow to distinguish between humans and workpieces in a safe and reliable manner. In this work, a new approach is investigated, which uses an active near-infrared (NIR) camera system with advanced capabilities of skin detection to distinguish humans from workpieces based on characteristic spectral signatures. This approach allows to implement more intelligent muting processes and at the same time increases the safety of persons working close to the robots. The conceptual integration of such a camera system into a VBPD and the enhancement of person detection methods through skin detection are described and evaluated in this paper. Based upon this work, next steps could be the development of multimodal sensor systems to safeguard working ranges of collaborating robots using the described camera system.
Nitric acid partitioning in cirrus clouds: a synopsis based on field, laboratory and model studies
(2003)
From a synopsis of field, laboratory and model studies at T>205 K as well as from the field experiments POLSTAR at T<205 K we derive a general picture of the partitioning of nitric acid (HNO3) in cirrus clouds and a new hypothesis on the uptake of HNO3 on ice particles:
A substantial part of nitric acid remains in the gas phase under cirrus cloud conditions. The HNO3 removed from the gas phase is distributed between interstitial aerosol and ice particles in dependence on the temperature and ice surface, respectively. In cold cirrus clouds with small ice surface areas (T <205 K) the partitioning is strongly in favour of interstitial ternary solution particles while in warmer cirrus clouds with large ice surface areas the uptake on ice dominates. Consequently, denitrification via sedimenting ice particles may occur only in the -more frequently occurring- warm cirrus clouds
The HNO3 coverage on ice is found to be different for ice particles and ice films. On ice films the coverage can increase with decreasing temperature from about 0.1 to 0.8 monolayer, while that on ice particles is found to decrease with temperature and PHNO3 from 0.1 to 0.001 monolayer. An HNO3 uptake behaviour following dissociative Langmuir isotherms where the coverage decreases for descending temperatures may explain the observations for ice particles
From a comparison of the HNO3 measurements with model calculations it is found that (i) the global model of Lawrence and Crutzen (1998) overestimates the HNO3 partitioning in favour of the ice particles (ii) the Langmuir surface chemistry model of Tabazadeh et al. (1999) overestimates HNO3 coverages for temperatures ≤210 K More appropriate coverages are calculated when implementing in that model a temperature dependent function for the adsorption free energy (ΔGads (T)), which is empirically derived from the coverage measurements.
Nitric oxide (NO) is an important regulator of Na+ reabsorption by pulmonary epithelial cells and therefore of alveolar fluid clearance. The mechanisms by which NO affects epithelial ion transport are poorly understood and vary from model to model. In this study, the effects of NO on sodium reabsorption by H441 cell monolayers were studied in an Ussing chamber. Two NO donors, (Z)-1-[N-(3-aminopropyl)-N-(n-propyl) amino]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate and diethylammonium(Z)-1-(N, N-diethylamino) diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate, rapidly, reversibly, and dose-dependently reduced amiloride-sensitive, short-circuit currents across H441 cell monolayers. This effect was neutralized by the NO scavenger hemoglobin and was not observed with inactive NO donors. The effects of NO were not blocked by 8-bromoguanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate or by soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitors (methylene blue and 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one) and were therefore independent of soluble guanylate cyclase signaling. NO targeted apical, highly selective, amiloride-sensitive Na+ channels in basolaterally permeabilized H441 cell monolayers. NO had no effect on the activity of the human epithelial sodium channel heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. NO decreased Na+/K+-ATPase activity in apically permeabilized H441 cell monolayers. The inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase activity by NO was reversed by mercury and was mimicked by N-ethylmaleimide, which are agents that reverse and mimic, respectively, the reaction of NO with thiol groups. Consistent with these data, S-NO groups were detected on the Na+/K+-ATPase a subunit in response to NO-donor application, using a biotin-switch approach coupled to a Western blot. These data demonstrate that, in the H441 cell model, NO impairs Na+ reabsorption by interfering with the activity of highly selective Na+ channels and the Na+/K+-ATPase.
Cultivation of Miscanthus x giganteus L. (Mis) with annual harvest of biomass could provide an additional C source for farmers. To test the potential of Mis-C for immobilizing inorganic N from slurry or manure and as a C source for soil organic matter build-up in comparison to wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw (WS), a greenhouse experiment was performed. Pot experiments with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) were set up to investigate the N dynamics of two organic fertilisers based on Mis at Campus Klein-Altendorf, Germany. The two fertilisers, a mixture of cattle slurry and Mis as well as cattle manure from Mis-bedding material resulted in a slightly higher N immobilisation. Especially at the 1st and 2nd harvest, they were partly significantly different compared with the WS treatments. The fertilisers based on Mis resulted in a slightly higher microbial biomass C and microbial biomass N and thus can be identified as an additional C source to prevent nitrogen losses and for the build-up of soil organic matter (SOM) in the long-term.
Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are an ex vivo expanded heterogeneous cell population with an enriched NK-T phenotype (CD3+CD56+). Due to the convenient and relatively inexpensive expansion capability, together with low incidence of graft versus host disease (GVHD) in allogeneic cancer patients, CIK cells are a promising candidate for immunotherapy. It is well known that natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) plays an important role in CIK cell-mediated antitumor activity; however, it remains unclear whether its engagement alone is sufficient or if it requires additional co-stimulatory signals to activate the CIK cells. Likewise, the role of 2B4 has not yet been identified in CIK cells. Herein, we investigated the individual and cumulative contribution of NKG2D and 2B4 in the activation of CIK cells. Our analysis suggests that (a) NKG2D (not 2B4) is implicated in CIK cell (especially CD3+CD56+ subset)-mediated cytotoxicity, IFN-γ secretion, E/T conjugate formation, and degranulation; (b) NKG2D alone is adequate enough to induce degranulation, IFN-γ secretion, and LFA-1 activation in CIK cells, while 2B4 only provides limited synergy with NKG2D (e.g., in LFA-1 activation); and (c) NKG2D was unable to costimulate CD3. Collectively, we conclude that NKG2D engagement alone suffices to activate CIK cells, thereby strengthening the idea that targeting the NKG2D axis is a promising approach to improve CIK cell therapy for cancer patients. Furthermore, CIK cells exhibit similarities to classical invariant natural killer (iNKT) cells with deficiencies in 2B4 stimulation and in the costimulation of CD3 with NKG2D. In addition, based on the current data, the divergence in receptor function between CIK cells and NK (or T) cells can be assumed, pointing to the possibility that molecular modifications (e.g., using chimeric antigen receptor technology) on CIK cells may need to be customized and optimized to maximize their functional potential.
NMR structures of thiostrepton derivatives for characterization of the ribosomal binding site
(2011)
Data transfer and staging services are common components in Grid-based, or more generally, in service-oriented applications. Security mechanisms play a central role in such services, especially when they are deployed in sensitive application fields like e-health. The adoption of WS-Security and related standards to SOAP-based transfer services is, however, problematic as a straightforward adoption of SOAP with MTOM introduces considerable inefficiencies in the signature generation process when large data sets are involved. This paper proposes a non-blocking, signature generation approach enabling a stream-like processing with considerable performance enhancements.
Healing of large bone defects requires implants or scaffolds that provide structural guidance for cell growth, differentiation, and vascularization. In the present work, an agarose-hydroxyapatite composite scaffold was developed that acts not only as a 3D matrix, but also as a release system. Hydroxyapatite (HA) was incorporated into the agarose gels in situ in various ratios by a simple procedure consisting of precipitation, cooling, washing, and drying. The resulting gels were characterized regarding composition, porosity, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. A pure phase of carbonated HA was identified in the scaffolds, which had pore sizes of up to several hundred micrometers. Mechanical testing revealed elastic moduli of up to 2.8 MPa for lyophilized composites. MTT testing on Lw35human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and osteosarcoma MG-63 cells proved the biocompatibility of the scaffolds. Furthermore, scaffolds were loaded with model drug compounds for guided hMSC differentiation. Different release kinetic models were evaluated for adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) and suramin, and data showed a sustained release behavior over four days.
Non-Destructive Sensor-Based Prediction of Maturity and Optimum Harvest Date of Sweet Cherry Fruit
(2017)
(1) Background: The aim of the study was to use innovative sensor technology for non-destructive determination and prediction of optimum harvest date (OHD), using sweet cherry as a model fruit, based on different ripening parameters. (2) Methods: Two cherry varieties in two growing systems viz. field and polytunnel in two years were employed. The fruit quality parameters such as fruit weight and size proved unsuitable to detect OHD alone due to their dependence on crop load, climatic conditions, cultural practices, and season. Coloration during cherry ripening was characterized by a complete decline of green chlorophyll and saturation of the red anthocyanins, and was measured with a portable sensor viz. spectrometer 3-4 weeks before expected harvest until 2 weeks after harvest. (3) Results: Expressed as green NDVI (normalized differential vegetation index) and red NAI (normalized anthocyanin index) values, NAI increased from -0.5 (unripe) to +0.7 to +0.8 in mature fruit and remained at this saturation level with overripe fruits, irrespective of variety, treatment, and year. A model was developed to predict the OHD, which coincided with when NDVI reached and exceeded zero and the first derivative of NAI asymptotically approached zero. (4) Conclusion: The use of this sensor technology appears suitable for several cherry varieties and growing systems to predict the optimum harvest date.
Purpose – To describe the development of a novel polyether(meth)acrylate-based resin material class for stereolithography with alterable material characteristics.
Design/methodology/approach – A complete overview of details to composition parameters, the optimization and bandwidth of mechanical and processing parameters is given. Initial biological characterization experiments and future application felds are depicted. Process parameters are studied in a commercial 3D systems Viper stereolithography system, and a new method to determine these parameters is described herein.
Findings – Initial biological characterizations show the non-toxic behavior in a biological environment, caused mainly by the (meth)acrylate-based core components. These photolithographic resins combine an adjustable low Young’s modulus with the advantages of a non-toxic (meth)acrylate-based process material. In contrast to the mostly rigid process materials used today in the rapid prototyping industry, these polymeric formulations are able to fulfll the extended need for a soft engineering material. A short overview of sample applications is given.
Practical implications – These polymeric formulations are able to meet the growing demand for a resin class for rapid manufacturing that covers a bandwidth from softer to stiffer materials.
Originality/value – This paper gives an overview about the novel developed material class for stereolithography and should be therefore of high interest to people with interest in novel rapid manufacturing materials and technology.
Noncooperative Game Theory
(2016)