General knowledge about climate change, factors influencing risk perception and willingness to insure

In two empirical surveys in Germany the link between the information respondents have about climate change and their risk perception of the phenomenon was analysed. We found that a better understanding of the effects of climate change might lead to a decrease of the perceived hazard. In contrast, a high self-declared knowledge about climate change might correspond with higher risk perception. Further factors affecting the risk perception of climate change are gender, experience of extreme weather events and trust in external aid. Surprisingly, information campaigns based on scientific facts are not effective for increasing risk perception and willingness to insure. Higher risk perception might induce higher interest in precautionary measures like insurance. --Climate Change,Knowledge Illusion,Insurance,Risk Perception,Information,Psychometric paradigm

General knowledge about climate change, factors influencing risk perception and willingness to insure

In two empirical surveys in Germany the link between the information respondents have about climate change and their risk perception of the phenomenon was analysed. We found that a better understanding of the effects of climate change might lead to a decrease of the perceived hazard. In contrast, a high self-declared knowledge about climate change might correspond with higher risk perception. Further factors affecting the risk perception of climate change are gender, experience of extreme weather events and trust in external aid. Surprisingly, information campaigns based on scientific facts are not effective for increasing risk perception and willingness to insure. Higher risk perception might induce higher interest in precautionary measures like insurance

Carrier induced ferromagnetism in the insulating Mn doped III-V semiconductor InP

Although InP and GaAs have very similar band-structure their magnetic properties appear to drastically differ. Critical temperatures in (In,Mn)P are much smaller than that of (Ga,Mn)As and scale linearly with Mn concentration. This is in contrast to the square root behaviour found in (Ga,Mn)As. Moreover the magnetization curve exhibits an unconventional shape in (In,Mn)P contrasting with the conventional one of well annealed (Ga,Mn)As. By combining several theoretical approaches, the nature of ferromagnetism in Mn doped InP is investigated. It appears that the magnetic properties are essentially controlled by the position of the Mn acceptor level. Our calculations are in excellent agreement with recent measurements for both critical temperatures and magnetizations. The results are only consistent with a Fermi level lying in an impurity band, ruling out the possibility to understand the physical properties of Mn doped InP within the valence band scenario. The quantitative success found here reveals a predictive tool of choice that should open interesting pathways to address magnetic properties in other compoundsComment: 5 pages and 5 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Tierschutzindikatoren für die betriebliche Eigenkontrolle – Impulse für die Ökologische Landwirtschaft

Gemäß Tierschutzgesetz müssen Nutztierhalter*innen seit 2014 im Rahmen einer betrieblichen Eigenkontrolle überprüfen, ob sie ihre Herden tiergerecht halten. Eine Möglichkeit dieser Pflicht beizukommen ist die Verwendung der KTBL-Tierschutzindikatoren für Rinder, Geflügel und Schweine. In dem Forschungsvorhaben „EiKoTiGer – Eigenkontrolle Tiergerechtheit“ („Praxistauglichkeit von Tierschutzindikatoren bei der betrieblichen Eigenkontrolle, Erarbeitung eines Orientierungsrahmens sowie technische Umsetzung in digitalen Anwendungen“) wird derzeit bundesweit auf insgesamt 120 Praxisbetrieben (Rind, Schwein und Geflügel) untersucht, ob die ausgewählten und in den KTBL-Leitfäden vorgeschlagenen Tierschutzindikatoren für die betrieblichen Eigenkontrollen praktikabel und sinnvoll einsetzbar sind. Das Ziel des Workshops ist es, mit Vertreter*innen aus Beratung, Praxis und Wissenschaft in einen Dialog zu treten, um gemeinsam den Nutzen und die Verwendbarkeit der Ergebnisse/Erkenntnisse aus dem „EiKoTiGer“-Projekt für die Ökologische Landwirtschaft zu diskutieren. In einem Impulsvortrag werden die Hintergründe, wie z.B. die Entstehungsgeschichte der KTBL-Tierschutzindikatoren-Leitfäden erläutert. Außerdem wird ein kurzer Einblick gegeben, wie tierbezogene Indikatoren bereits von den Anbauverbänden für die Tierwohl-Kontrolle in der Ökologischen Landwirtschaft eingesetzt werden. Anschließend werden mit den Workshopteilnehmer*innen in kleinen Gruppen drei Themenbereiche betrachtet und diskutiert (Auswahlprozedere der Indikatoren, praktische Anwendung der Indikatoren, Schulungskonzepte). Am Ende der Diskussionsrunden werden die Ergebnisse für alle Teilnehmer*innen zusammengefasst

Toxicity of oxidized phospholipids in cultured macrophages

Background: The interactions of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and macrophages are hallmarks in the development of atherosclerosis. The biological activities of the modified particle in these cells are due to the content of lipid oxidation products and apolipoprotein modification by oxidized phospholipids. Results: It was the aim of this study to determine the role of short-chain oxidized phospholipids as components of modified LDL in cultured macrophages. For this purpose we investigated the effects of the following oxidized phospholipids on cell viability and apoptosis: 1-palmitoyl-2-glutaroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PGPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POVPC) and oxidized alkylacyl phospholipids including 1-O-hexadecyl-2-glutaroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (E-PGPC) and 1-O-hexadecyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (E-POVPC). We found that these compounds induced apoptosis in RAW264.7 and bone marrow-derived macrophages. The sn-2 carboxyacyl lipid PGPC was more toxic than POVPC which carries a reactive aldehyde function in position sn-2 of glycerol. The alkylacyl phospholipids (E-PGPC and E-POVPC) and the respective diacyl analogs show similar activities. Apoptosis induced by POVPC and its alkylether derivative could be causally linked to the fast activation of an acid sphingomyelinase, generating the apoptotic second messenger ceramide. In contrast, PGPC and its ether analog only negligibly affected this enzyme pointing to an entirely different mechanism of lipid toxicity. The higher toxicity of PGPC is underscored by more efficient membrane blebbing from apoptotic cells. In addition, the protein pattern of PGPC-induced microparticles is different from the vesicles generated by POPVC. Conclusions: In summary, our data reveal that oxidized phospholipids induce apoptosis in cultured macrophages. The mechanism of lipid toxicity, however, largely depends on the structural features of the oxidized sn-2 chain

Low heritability in pharmacokinetics of talinolol: a pharmacogenetic twin study on the heritability of the pharmacokinetics of talinolol, a putative probe drug of MDR1 and other membrane transporters

Abstract Background Efflux transporters like MDR1 and MRP2 may modulate the pharmacokinetics of about 50 % of all drugs. It is currently unknown how much of the variation in the activities of important drug membrane transporters like MDR1 or MRP2 is determined by genetic or by environmental factors. In this study we assessed the heritability of the pharmacokinetics of talinolol as a putative probe drug for MDR1 and possibly other membrane transporters. Methods Talinolol pharmacokinetics were investigated in a repeated dose study in 42 monozygotic and 13 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs. The oral clearance of talinolol was predefined as the primary parameter. Heritability was analyzed by structural equation modeling and by within- and between-subject variance and talinolol clearance was correlated with polymorphisms in MDR1, MRP2, BCRP, MDR5, OATP1B1, and OCT1. Results Talinolol clearance varied approximately ninefold in the studied sample of healthy volunteers. The correlation of clearances between siblings was not significantly different for the monozygotic and dizygotic pairs. All data analyses consistently showed that variation of talinolol pharmacokinetics was mainly determined by environmental effects. Structural equation modeling attributed 53.5 % of the variation of oral clearance to common environmental effects influencing both siblings to the same extent and 46.5 % to unique environmental effects randomly affecting individual subjects. Talinolol pharmacokinetics were significantly dependent on sex, body mass index, total protein consumption, and vegetable consumption. Conclusions The twin study revealed that environmental factors explained much more of the variation in pharmacokinetics of talinolol than genetic factors. Trial registration European clinical trials database number: EUDRA-CT 2008-006223-31. Registered 26 September 2008. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT01845194

COX-2 mRNA Expression is Significantly Increased in Acid-exposed Compared to Nonexposed Squamous Epithelium in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Background: Little is known about the role of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the development of Barrett's metaplasia. The objectives of this study were to further analyze COX-2 mRNA expression in patients with GERD compared to Barrett's esophagus (BE) and Barrett's cancer (BC). Methods: Tissue samples from 110 patients with GERD (n = 43), BE (n = 20), and BC (n = 47) were obtained in routine upper GI endoscopy. Expression levels of COX-2 were measured by quantitative real-time reverse trancriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Also, 24-h pH monitoring was performed in all patients of the GERD study group and the DeMeester composite score was used to match COX-2 mRNA expression with the severity of acid exposure in the lower esophagus. Results: COX-2 mRNA is progressively upregulated within the metaplasia-dysplasia-adenocarcinoma (MDA) sequence (p = 0.001). COX-2 levels of the squamous epithelium in the distal esophagus from patients with GERD and a pathologic mean DeMeester score (>14.72) were significantly higher than in patients with normal DeMeester scores (p = 0.01). Conclusion: In summary our findings suggest that alterations in COX-2 mRNA expression occur independently of endoscopic or histologic signs of GERD in the acid-exposed squamous epithelium of the distal esophagus. However, this early COX-2 increase in GERD is further upregulated within the MDA sequence for yet unknown reason

Закономерности изменения максимальных оседаний и наклонов земной поверхности на стадии формирования мульды сдвижения

Приведены результаты исследований мульды оседания на стадии формирования. Установлены зависимости положения и величин максимальных оседаний и наклонив земной поверхности от подвигания очистного забоя.The findings of investigation of a subsidence trough at a formation stage are explained. Dependences of position and value of maximum subsidence and tilt from the size of mined-out space are determined

Alternative splicing of MALT1 controls signalling and activation of CD4+ T cells

MALT1 channels proximal T-cell receptor (TCR) signalling to downstream signalling pathways. With MALT1A and MALT1B two conserved splice variants exist and we demonstrate here that MALT1 alternative splicing supports optimal T-cell activation. Inclusion of exon7 in MALT1A facilitates the recruitment of TRAF6, which augments MALT1 scaffolding function, but not protease activity. Naive CD4+ T cells express almost exclusively MALT1B and MALT1A expression is induced by TCR stimulation. We identify hnRNP U as a suppressor of exon7 inclusion. Whereas selective depletion of MALT1A impairs T-cell signalling and activation, downregulation of hnRNP U enhances MALT1A expression and T-cell activation. Thus, TCR-induced alternative splicing augments MALT1 scaffolding to enhance downstream signalling and to promote optimal T-cell activation