Medical Assistance in Dying and Disability Rights

Disability rights activists have raised strong criticisms regarding the liberalization of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) as a dehumanizing practice of those whose lives are deemed less valuable by a prejudiced society. However, as with abortion and women of colour in the United States, disproportionate access to a controversial service does not inherently point to an oppressive practice. Addressing the attitudes of practitioners and ensuring equitable power relationships between the patient and medical staff are contemporary means of addressing the complaints of disability rights activists, but restricting access to a harm reducing service while waiting for systemic social change only puts an undue burden on those who need redress now

How Much State and How Much Market? Comparing Social Housing in Berlin and Vienna

This article examines the effect of two different social housing systems on housing-market characteristics and affordability using a case study of Berlin and Vienna. Despite comparable framework conditions, both cities pursued very different social housing policies. While both cities are currently challenged by growing populations and rising house prices, we show that Vienna is more successful in providing affordable housing as it has created effective institutions to attract and retain private actors in this sector. In Berlin, in contrast, the current crisis reveals the lack of institutional capacity to actively pursue housing policy. We argue that different housing market outcomes can be attributed to fundamental differences in the organisation of social housing provision reflecting divergent state-market relations. While in Berlin social housing has been seen as a provisional measure to correct temporary market imbalances, Vienna’s continuous state participation in the housing market has created a framework of balanced rights and responsibilities for social and private actors to achieve social policy goals. Differences in funding arrangements and institutional embeddedness influence not only housing outcomes but also feedback on the state’s capacity to intervene successfully in housing markets

A comparison of atomistic and continuum theoretical approaches to determine electronic properties of GaN/AlN quantum dots

In this work we present a comparison of multiband k.p-models, the effective bond-orbital approach, and an empirical tight-binding model to calculate the electronic structure for the example of a truncated pyramidal GaN/AlN self-assembled quantum dot with a zincblende structure. For the system under consideration, we find a very good agreement between the results of the microscopic models and the 8-band k.p-formalism, in contrast to a 6+2-band k.p-model, where conduction band and valence band are assumed to be decoupled. This indicates a surprisingly strong coupling between conduction and valence band states for the wide band gap materials GaN and AlN. Special attention is paid to the possible influence of the weak spin-orbit coupling on the localized single-particle wave functions of the investigated structure

Identifizierung und Charakterisierung von knock-out Mutanten der plastidären Proteine DAP1 und DAP2 in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plastiden sind mulifunktionelle Organellen der pflanzlichen Zelle und besitzen essentielle Stoffwechselwege. Die Integration der plastidären Stoffwechselvorgänge in den pflanzlichen Zellmetabolismus erfolgt durch die Aktivität von zahlreichen Transportproteinen in den Plastidenhüllmebranen, welche einen geregelten Stoffaustausch von Vorstufen, Intermediaten und Endprodukten zwischen den Plastiden und dem Cytosol sicherstellen. Im Vorfeld dieser Arbeit wurde eine homozygote T-DNA Insertionsmutante im Gen At1g64150, das für einen potentiellen Kandidaten eines plastidären Transportproteins kodiert, isoliert. Aufgrund ihres Phänotyps wurde die Mutante mit der Bezeichnung dwarf affected in photosynthetic electron transport rate 1 (dap1). Im Genom von Arabidopsis thaliana wurden insgesamt fünf homolge Gene AtDAP1 (At1g64150), AtDAP2 (At4g13590), AtDAP3 (At1g68650), AtDAP4 (At1g25520) und AtDAP5 (At5g36290) identifiziert. Eine plastidäre Lokalisation der Proteine AtDAP1 und AtDAP2 konnte anhand von GFP-Fusionen nachgewiesen werden. Um die Funktion der AtDAP-Proteine zu analysieren, wurden Expressionsanalysen durchgeführt. Weiterhin wurden homozygote T-DNA Insertions-mutanten für die entsprechenden Gene isoliert. Die knock-out-Mutanten von AtDAP1 und AtDAP2 waren durch auffällige Phänotypen gekennzeichnet. Sie zeigten eine retardiertes Wachstum, eine verringerten Chlorophyllgehalt und eine Beeinträchtigung der Photosynthese. Des Weiteren war die Mutante von AtDAP2 keimlingsletal und nur unter photoheterotrophen Bedingungen lebensfähig. Beide knock-out-Mutanten konnten durch die Expression der entsprechenden cDNAs komplementiert werden. Weitere Untersuchungen sind jedoch nötig, um die Funktion dieser beiden Proteine zu charakterisieren

Field assessment of the influence of a seed treatment with the antagonistic bacterium Serratia plymuthica on the control of major rapeseed pathogens in Brassica napus

The efficiency of a seed treatment of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) with the antagonistic rhizobacterium Serratia plymuthica (strain HRO-C48) against blackleg disease caused by Phoma lingam, Verticillium longisporum and Plasmodiophora brassicae was tested separately and in combination with azole fungicides in perennial field trials at nine sites in northern Germany. Furthermore, the performance of HRO-C48 against V. longisporum, P. brassicae and S. sclerotiorum was examined in glass house trials. Seeds were enriched with bacteria via bio-priming (log10 6 CFU /seed).In mehrjährigen Freilandversuchen an insgesamt neun Standorten in Norddeutschland wurde die Wirkung einer Saatgutbehandlung mit dem antagonistischen Rhizobakterium Serratia plymuthica (Stamm HRO-C48) alleine und in Kombination mit Azol-Fungiziden gegenüber den Rapspathogenen Wurzelhals- und Stängelfäule (Phoma lingam), der Rapswelke (Verticillium longisporum) und der Kohlhernie (Plasmodiophora brassicae) untersucht. Des Weiteren wurde HRO-C48 gegen V. longisporum, P. brassicae und S. sclerotiorum in Gewächshausversuchen getestet. Die Rapssamen wurden mittels Biopriming mit Bakteriendichten von log10 6 CFU /Samen angereichert

MiR-146a Upregulation of Phagocytosis in Human Macrophages

Sjögrens Syndrome (SjS) is an autoimmune disease that attacks exocrine glands such as salivary and lacrimal glands resulting in severe dryness of the mouth and eyes. Previous studies have linked increased microRNA-146a (miR-146a) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in SjS patients compared to healthy controls. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small non-coding RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression, are known to play key regulatory roles in immune responses and have been implicated in a growing number of autoimmune disorders. Further investigation into the role of increased miR-146a expression in SjS revealed links to several immune functions including phagocytosis.Our goal was to further examine the relationship between miR-146a expression and the rate of phagocytosis in human macrophages by using apoptotic human cells as a phagocytic target. We hypothesized that upregulation of miR-146a would increase phagocytic activity of differentiated THP-1 human monocytes. To quantify phagocytic activity, a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye (pHrodo) was used to indicate the E. coli or apoptotic Jurkats that had been phagocytosed. THP-1 cells were transfected with miR-146a and differentiated into macrophages. Phagocytic activity was observed by incubating fluorescently labeled E.coli or apoptotic Jurkat cells with miR-146a transfected and mock transfected THP-1 cells for 2-4 hours. Fluorescence intensity was quantified using a fluorescent plate reader (E. coli) and microscopy (apoptotic Jurkats). MiR-146a-transfected THP-1 cells exhibited significantly increased phagocytic activity of fluorescently labeled E. coli (P\u3c0.001) and apoptotic Jurkats. Knockdown of TRAF6, a gene target of miR-146a, did not impact the phagocytic activity. MiR-146a appears to upregulate phagocytic activity in human THP-1 cells through an unknown mechanism. Further studies are in progress to determine the mechanism by which miR-146a upregulates phagocytosis

A simple stress test of experimenter demand effects

As a stress test of experimenter demand effects, we run an experiment where subjects can physically destroy coupons awarded to them. About one subject out of three does. Giving money back to the experimenter is possible in a separate task but is more consistent with an experimenter demand effect than an explanation based on altruism towards the experimenter. A measure of sensitivity to social pressure helps predict destruction when social information is provided

Quantum-limited measurements of optical signals from a geostationary satellite

The measurement of quantum signals that traveled through long distances is of fundamental and technological interest. We present quantum-limited coherent measurements of optical signals, sent from a satellite in geostationary Earth orbit to an optical ground station. We bound the excess noise that the quantum states could have acquired after having propagated 38600 km through Earth's gravitational potential as well as its turbulent atmosphere. Our results indicate that quantum communication is feasible in principle in such a scenario, highlighting the possibility of a global quantum key distribution network for secure communication.Comment: 8 pages (4 pages main article, 4 pages supplementary material), 9 figures (4 figures main article, 5 figures supplementary material), Kevin G\"unthner and Imran Khan contributed equally to this wor

Finely tuned temporal and spatial delivery of GDNF promotes enhanced nerve regeneration in a long nerve defect model

The use of growth factors, such as glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), for the treatment of peripheral nerve injury has been useful in promoting axon survival and regeneration. Unfortunately, finding a method that delivers the appropriate spatial and temporal release profile to promote functional recovery has proven difficult. Some release methods result in burst release profiles too short to remain effective over the regeneration period; however, prolonged exposure to GDNF can result in axonal entrapment at the site of release. Thus, GDNF was delivered in both a spatially and temporally controlled manner using a two-phase system comprised of an affinity-based release system and conditional lentiviral GDNF overexpression from Schwann cells (SCs). Briefly, SCs were transduced with a tetracycline-inducible (Tet-On) GDNF overexpressing lentivirus before transplantation. Three-centimeter acellular nerve allografts (ANAs) were modified by injection of a GDNF-releasing fibrin scaffold under the epineurium and then used to bridge a 3 cm sciatic nerve defect. To encourage growth past the ANA, GDNF-SCs were transplanted into the distal nerve and doxycycline was administered for 4, 6, or 8 weeks to determine the optimal duration of GDNF expression in the distal nerve. Live imaging and histomorphometric analysis determined that 6 weeks of doxycycline treatment resulted in enhanced regeneration compared to 4 or 8 weeks. This enhanced regeneration resulted in increased gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior muscle mass for animals receiving doxycycline for 6 weeks. The results of this study demonstrate that strategies providing spatial and temporal control of delivery can improve axonal regeneration and functional muscle reinnervation