A Search for Alternatives: Hauke Brunkhorst, Donatella della Porta and Fritz W. Scharpf on the State of the European Integration

This interview is a conversation held by three senior researchers, who have been inquiring the process of European integration for several decades

The concept of solidarity: emerging from the theoretical shadows?

The concept of solidarity has been relatively neglected by social scientists since Durkheim's pioneering work in the late 19th century. The discipline of politics has been guilty of overlooking this 'subjective' element of community life, but recent works by Stjernø and Brunkhorst reflect a growing awareness of the theoretical significance of the concept. Whereas early liberal attempts to theorise solidarity took the nation state to be the appropriate community for its realisation, the emergence of globalisation raises the possibility of human solidarity developing in the global community. Traditional forms of solidarity have been dissipated by the social changes accompanying globalisation, but they were often locked into the defence of particular interests. New forms may be emerging to rekindle the broader vision of human solidarity. Recent work by writers such as Habermas, Honneth, Rorty and Touraine focuses on widening and deepening democratic participation and/or the articulation of our ethical obligations in various ways. It is argued here that these perspectives need to be supplemented by a radical humanist approach grounded in a normative theory of human self-realisation

Global utilization of low-dose corticosteroids in severe sepsis and septic shock: a report from the PROGRESS registry

The benefits and use of low-dose corticosteroids (LDCs) in severe sepsis and septic shock remain controversial. Surviving sepsis campaign guidelines suggest LDC use for septic shock patients poorly responsive to fluid resuscitation and vasopressor therapy. Their use is suspected to be wide-spread, but paucity of data regarding global practice exists. The purpose of this study was to compare baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients treated or not treated with LDC from the international PROGRESS (PROmoting Global Research Excellence in Severe Sepsis) cohort study of severe sepsis.Journal ArticleMulticenter StudyResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tSCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

RF Sources for the ITER Ion Cyclotron Heating and Current Drive System

The RF source requirements for the ITER ion cyclotron (IC) heating and current drive system are very challenging ? 20 MW CW power into an antenna load with a VSWR of up to 2 over the frequency range of 35-65 MHz. For the two present antenna designs under consideration, 8 sources providing 2.5 MW each are to be employed. For these sources, the outputs of two final power amplifiers (FPAs), using the high power CPI 4CM2500KG tube, are combined with a 180? hybrid combiner to easily meet the ITER IC source requirements ? 2.5 MW is supplied at a VSWR of 2 at ? 70% of the maximum tube power available in class B operation. The cylindrical cavity configuration for the FPAs is quite compact so that the 8 combined sources fit into the space allocated at the ITER site with room to spare. The source configuration is described in detail and its projected operating power curves are presented. Although the CPI tube has been shown to be stable under high power operating conditions on many facilities, a test of the combined FPA source arrangement is in preparation using existing high power 30 MHz amplifiers to assure that this configuration can be made robustly stable for all phases at a VSWR up to 2. The possibility of using 12 sources to feed a suitably modified antenna design is also discussed in the context of providing flexibility for specifying the final IC antenna design

Use of IFN gamma/IL10 Ratio for Stratification of Hydrocortisone Therapy in Patients With Septic Shock

Large clinical trials testing hydrocortisone therapy in septic shock have produced conflicting results. Subgroups may benefit of hydrocortisone treatment depending on their individual immune response. We performed an exploratory analysis of the database from the international randomized controlled clinical trial Corticosteroid Therapy of Septic Shock (CORTICUS) employing machine learning to a panel of 137 variables collected from the Berlin subcohort comprising 83 patients including demographic and clinical measures, organ failure scores, leukocyte counts and levels of circulating cytokines. The identified theranostic marker was validated against data from a cohort of the Hellenic Sepsis Study Group (HSSG) (n = 246), patients enrolled in the clinical trial of Sodium Selenite and Procalcitonin Guided Antimicrobial Therapy in Severe Sepsis (SISPCT, n = 118), and another, smaller clinical trial (Crossover study, n = 20). In addition, in vitro blood culture experiments and in vivo experiments in mouse models were performed to assess biological plausibility. A low serum IFNγ/IL10 ratio predicted increased survival in the hydrocortisone group whereas a high ratio predicted better survival in the placebo group. Using this marker for a decision rule, we applied it to three validation sets and observed the same trend. Experimental studies in vitro revealed that IFNγ/IL10 was negatively associated with the load of (heat inactivated) pathogens in spiked human blood and in septic mouse models. Accordingly, an in silico analysis of published IFNγ and IL10 values in bacteremic and non-bacteremic patients with the Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome supported this association between the ratio and pathogen burden. We propose IFNγ/IL10 as a molecular marker supporting the decision to administer hydrocortisone to patients in septic shock. Prospective clinical studies are necessary and standard operating procedures need to be implemented, particularly to define a generic threshold. If confirmed, IFNγ/IL10 may become a suitable theranostic marker for an urging clinical need