The Danube Region: transformation and emergence

The paper deals with the impact of concrete / tangible social transformation processes on the emergence and shaping of new concepts such as multi-dimensional identity. It also discusses the preconditions necessary for the emergence of such concepts as well as the reasons that may lead to their acceptance or rejection by the respective target groups. The topic is discussed on the concrete empirical evidence of the transformation and the emergence of the Danube Region as the third EU macro-region. It shows that transformation processes require careful coordination and transparency, especially when they address social spaces that do not conform to traditional boundaries and perceptions of reality. Education is considered to play a crucial role in the process of internalisation of such social realities and the redefinition of obsolete thinking patterns.Danube Region, transformation, identity, education, EU Regional Policy

Automated Micro-PIV measurement in Lab-on-a-Chip systems

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Flow rate and wall shear stress are important parameters for perfused cell culture systems and should be monitored. An easy and non-invasive method is the particle image velocimetry (PIV). In this work PIV was used to characterize a cell culture system with included peristaltic pump. The time-dependent flow profile was measured on several points of the chip for different pumping speeds to figure out which forces are applied to dissolved and adherent cells. The results can be used to improve the developed pump in respect to its layout, the excitation and the position within the chip

Integrating biological vasculature into a multi-organ-chip microsystem

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.A chip-based system mimicking the transport function of the human cardiovascular system has been established at minute but standardized microsystem scale. A peristaltic on-chip micropump generates pulsatile shear stress in a widely adjustable physiological range within a microchannel circuit entirely covered on all fluid contact surfaces with human dermal microvascular endothelial cells. This microvascular transport system can be reproducibly established within four days, independently of the individual endothelial cell donor background. It interconnects two standard tissue culture compartments, each of 5 mm diameter, through microfluidic channels of 500 μm width. Further vessel branching and vessel diameter reduction down to a microvessel scale of approximately 40 μm width was realised by a two-photon laser ablation technique applied to inserts, designed for the convenient establishment of individual organ equivalents in the tissue culture compartments at a later time. The chip layout ensures physiological fluid-to-tissue ratios. Moreover, an in-depth microscopic analysis revealed the fine-tuned adjustment of endothelial cell behaviour to local shear stresses along the microvasculature of the system. Time-lapse and 3D imaging two-photon microscopy were used to visualise details of spatiotemporal adherence of the endothelial cells to the channel system and to each other. The first indicative long-term experiments revealed stable performance over two and four weeks. The potential application of this system for the future establishment of human-on-a-chip systems and basic human endothelial cell research is discussed.BMBF, 0315569, GO-Bio 3: Multi-Organ-Bioreaktoren für die prädiktive Substanztestung im Chipforma

A dynamic multi-organ-chip for long-term cultivation and substance testing proven by 3D human liver and skin tissue co-culture

Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.Current in vitro and animal tests for drug development are failing to emulate the systemic organ complexity of the human body and, therefore, to accurately predict drug toxicity. In this study, we present a multi-organ-chip capable of maintaining 3D tissues derived from cell lines, primary cells and biopsies of various human organs. We designed a multi-organ-chip with co-cultures of human artificial liver microtissues and skin biopsies, each a 1/100 000 of the biomass of their original human organ counterparts, and have successfully proven its long-term performance. The system supports two different culture modes: i) tissue exposed to the fluid flow, or ii) tissue shielded from the underlying fluid flow by standard Transwell® cultures. Crosstalk between the two tissues was observed in 14-day co-cultures exposed to fluid flow. Applying the same culture mode, liver microtissues showed sensitivity at different molecular levels to the toxic substance troglitazone during a 6-day exposure. Finally, an astonishingly stable long-term performance of the Transwell®-based co-cultures could be observed over a 28-day period. This mode facilitates exposure of skin at the air–liquid interface. Thus, we provide here a potential new tool for systemic substance testing.BMBF, 0315569, GO-Bio 3: Multi-Organ-Bioreaktoren für die prädiktive Substanztestung im Chipforma

Auf dem Weg zu einer globalen Medienpolitik. Anfragen und Erwartungen an die Weltkirche

Ich werde meine Anfragen und Überlegungen aus allgemeiner Sicht vortragen; als Politiker, vor allem aber als Zeitgenosse, dem die Kirche über ihre medialen Aussagen begegnet; und ein wenig auch als Christ, der die Kirche einerseits von innen kennt und andererseits ihr mediales Erscheinungsbild wahrnehmen muß. Sie wissen ja selbst am besten, daß es da manchmal Diskrepanzen gibt - Diskrepanzen, die nicht an den bösen Medien allein liegen können, sondern vor allem an der Selbstdarstellung der Kirche. Sie kennen dieses Problem besser und differenzierter als ich; ieh brauche Ihnen da nichts zu erzählen. Es wird Sie auch nicht trösten, wenn ich Ihnen versichere, daß auch Parteien dieses Problem aus leidvoller Erfahrung kennen, vor allem auch die Partei, der ich angehöre. (...)  EnglishThe author points out the importance of the Church as one of the great public medias for communication. Each week the Church communicates in Sunday masses with one tenth or one fivth of its members. Nevertheless, the Church faces great difficulties in transmitting its Good News because of the negative image which in the media conceals its true message. The actual shortage of empathy of the Church within modern pluralistic society could only be compensated by spreading its message not in the sense of a simple stimulus-response model. This would not be real communication but indoctrination. The Church must operate on the public market of free meanings in a democatric society. In a pluralistic community the Church must recognise all people as free persons with common sense and of equal rights. Their answers must be taken for serious. So, the church faces the task of accepting the existence of a democratic pluralistic society and making clear in public its message of a liberating hope for mankind.

Seprase: An overview of an important matrix serine protease

Seprase or Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP) is an integral membrane serine peptidase, which has been shown to have gelatinase activity. Seprase has a dual function in tumour progression. The proteolytic activity of Seprase has been shown to promote cell invasiveness towards the ECM and also to support tumour growth and proliferation. Seprase appears to act as a proteolytically active 170-kDa dimer, consisting of two 97- kDa subunits. It is a member of the group type II integral serine proteases, which includes dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV/CD26) and related type II transmembrane prolyl serine peptidases, which exert their mechanisms of action on the cell surface. DPPIV and Seprase exhibit multiple functions due to their abilities to form complexes with each other and to interact with other membrane-associated molecules. Localisation of these protease complexes at cell surface protrusions, called invadopodia, may have a prominent role in processing soluble factors and in the degradation of extracellular matrix components that are essential to the cellular migration and matrix invasion that occur during tumour invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis

Dachbegrünung: Anregungen und Tipps für Hausbesitzer

Die Broschüre richtet sich an Hausbesitzer und gibt Anregungen und Tipps zu den verschiedenen Möglichkeiten der Erstellung eines Gründaches von einfachen Ausführungen bis zu einem Dachgarten. Dabei wird auf die baulichen Voraussetzungen eingegangen. Die verschiedenen Arten von Dachbegrünungen werden vorgestellt und die mögliche Pflanzenauswahl aufgezeigt. Gründächer sind wertvolle Biotope und helfen die Lebensqualität zu erhöhen und das Stadtklima zu verbessern. Redaktionsschluss: 18.07.201

Transcription levels of two actin genes (SmAct and SmAct2), cytochrome C oxidase subunit II (SmCOXII), triosephosphate ssomerase (TPI), and a putative translation regulatory protein EIF-5 during the first seven days of in vitro development of Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula

After penetration into the mammalian host, the Schistosoma mansoni cercariae transforms into schistosomula. This immature larval form of the parasite migrates via the circulatory system of the host through the lungs, reaching the hepatic portal system where it matures and couples. A number of morphologic, behavioral and metabolic changes that take place during the development of the parastie have been well characterized. However, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate these changes at the gene level are still limited. In this paper we describe attempts we have undertaken to better understand some of these mechanisms