Die Kirchenburgenlandschaft Siebenbürgens : Strategien zur Erhaltung des europäischen Kulturerbes der Kirchenburgen in Siebenbürgen/Rumänien

Im Hochland des Karpatenbogen gelegen zählt Siebenbürgen zu den ganz besonderen Landschaften in Rumänien und Europa. Naturraum, traditionelle agrarische Strukturen und ländliche Architektur verdichten sich mit den über 150 erhaltenen Wehrkirchen der Siebenbürger Sachsen zu einer einzigartigen historischen Kulturlandschaft. In fast jedem Dorf findet sich eine Kirchenburg mit oft noch imposanten Wehranlagen. Die Kirchenburgen stellen eindrucksvolle Zeugnisse mittelalterlicher Wehrarchitektur dar. Sie bieten zusammen mit den dörflichen Siedlungsstrukturen und den Gemeinschaftsbauten der Sachsen ein beeindruckendes Bild der besonderen historischen Entwicklung dieser Gegend und der 800 Jahre lang tradierten Lebensformen der Siebenbürger Sachsen. Durch die politischen Verhältnisse nach 1945 und die damit verbundene Abwanderung der Siebenbürger Sachsen ist diese Kulturlandschaft seit langem gefährdet. Doch erst mit der politischen Wende 1989 erreichte die Auswanderung ein Ausmaß, das die im Lande gebliebenen Sachsen außer Stande setzte, ihre über Jahrhunderte gemeinschaftlich gepflegten Kirchenburgen instand zu halten und instand zu setzen. Die Evangelische Landeskirche als Eigentümerin der Gebäude hat es mit großer Anstrengung vermocht, die Kirchenburgen bis heute so zu sichern, dass es noch nicht zu allzu großen Verlusten gekommen ist. Auf Grund der hohen Überalterung der sächsischen Gemeinschaft ist jedoch eine dramatische Verschlechterung der Situation in den nächsten 10 bis 15 Jahren zu erwarten. Neue Ansätze und Strategien sind deshalb für den Erhalt und die Nutzung der Kirchenburgen, Wehranlagen und Nebengebäude dringend erforderlich. Die vorliegende Dokumentation beinhaltet die Ergebnisse eines Projektes, in dessen Rahmen im Herbst 2011 von der Leitstelle Kirchenburgen eine umfassende Bestandsaufnahme der Kirchenburgen und Dörfer in Südsiebenbürgen durchgeführt wurde. Aus der Analyse der vorgefundenen Situation wurden Strategien entwickelt und Optionen aufgezeigt, die sich mit der Nutzung, Finanzierung und Verwaltung der Kirchenburgen befassen. Die Ergebnisse dieses Projektes sind als Unterstützung und Anregung in einem Reformprozess gedacht, den die Kirche bereits angestoßen hat

Increased expression of costimulatory markers CD134 and CD80 on interleukin-17 producing T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Introduction: There is growing evidence that interleukin 17 (IL-17) producing T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Previous studies showed that increased percentages of T-cell subsets expressing the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD134 are associated with disease activity and renal involvement in SLE. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution and phenotypical characteristics of IL-17 producing T-cells in SLE, in particular in patients with lupus nephritis, with emphasis on the expression of CD80 and CD134. Methods: Thirty-four patients (3 male, 31 female, mean age 41 +/- 15 years) fulfilling at least four of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) revised criteria for the diagnosis of SLE and 24 healthy controls were enrolled. T-cells from the peripheral blood were analysed by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) for their expression levels of CD80, CD134 and CCR6. In vitro stimulated CD3(+)IL17(+) cells were also investigated for the expression of these costimulatory markers. Finally, renal biopsies from SLE patients were evaluated for the presence of CD134 expressing T-cells. Results: Percentages of IL-17 expressing T-cells were significantly increased in patients with active disease as compared to healthy controls (1.46 +/- 0.58% versus 0.93 +/- 0.30%, P = 0.007). The percentage of IL-17 producing T-cells was correlated with disease activity as assessed by systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) (r = 0.53, P = 0.003). In patients, most of the IL-17 producing T-cells were confined to the CCR6(+) T-cell subset (80 +/- 13%). Expression of CD80 and CD134 on the IL-17 producing T-cell subset was higher in SLE than in healthy controls (HC) (CD134: 71.78 +/- 14.51% versus 51.45 +/- 16.58%, P = 0.002; CD80: 25.5 +/- 14.99% versus 14.99 +/- 5.74%, P = 0.02). Also, patients with lupus nephritis expressed higher levels of CD134(+) on CD3(+)IL-17(+) cells as compared to HC (72.69 +/- 11.54% versus 51.45 +/- 16.58%, P = 0.006). Furthermore, renal biopsies of lupus nephritis patients showed infiltration of CD134(+) T cells. Conclusions: Percentages of IL-17 expressing T-cells correlate with disease activity. Further, these cells show increased expression of costimulatory markers such as CD134 and CD80. The presence of CD134(+) T-cells in renal biopsies of lupus nephritis patients suggest that these cells migrate to the kidney and might contribute to inflammatory processes through IL-17 secretion

Urine levels of HMGB1 in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients with and without renal manifestations

INTRODUCTION: Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe and frequent manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated but immune complexes are considered to contribute to the inflammatory pathology in LN. High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) is a nuclear non-histone protein which is secreted from different types of cells during activation and/or cell death and may act as a pro-inflammatory mediator, alone or as part of DNA-containing immune complexes in SLE. Urinary excretion of HMGB1 might reflect renal inflammatory injury. To assess whether urinary HMGB1 reflects renal inflammation we determined serum levels of HMGB1 simultaneously with its urinary levels in SLE patients with and without LN in comparison to healthy controls (HC). We also analyzed urinary HMGB1 levels in relation with clinical and serological disease activity. METHODS: The study population consisted of 69 SLE patients and 17 HC. Twenty-one patients had biopsy proven active LN, 15 patients had a history of LN without current activity, and 33 patients had non-renal SLE. Serum and urine levels of HMGB1 were both measured by western blotting. Clinical and serological parameters were assessed according to routine procedures. In 17 patients with active LN a parallel analysis was performed on the expression of HMGB1 in renal biopsies. RESULTS: Serum and urinary levels of HMGB1 were significantly increased in patients with active LN compared to patients without active LN and HC. Similarly, renal tissue of active LN patients showed strong expression of HMGB1 at cytoplasmic and extracellular sites suggesting active release of HMGB1. Serum and urinary levels in patients without active LN were also significantly higher compared to HC. Urinary HMGB1 levels correlated with SLEDAI, and showed a negative correlation with complement C3 and C4. CONCLUSION: Levels of HMGB1 in urine of SLE patients, in particular in those with active LN, are increased and correlate with SLEDAI scores. Renal tissue of LN patients shows increased release of nuclear HMGB1 compared to control renal tissue. HMGB1, although at lower levels, is, however, also present in the urine of patients without active LN. These data suggest that urinary HMGB1 might reflect both local renal inflammation as well as systemic inflammation

CD107a(+) (LAMP-1) Cytotoxic CD8(+) T-Cells in Lupus Nephritis Patients

Cytotoxic CD8(+) T-cells play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of CD107a (LAMP-1) on cytotoxic CD8(+) T-cells in SLE-patients in particular with lupus nephritis. Peripheral blood of SLE-patients (n = 31) and healthy controls (n = 21) was analyzed for the expression of CD314 and CD107a by flow cytometry. Kidney biopsies of lupus nephritis patients were investigated for the presence of CD8(+) and C107a(+) cells by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining. The percentages of CD107a(+) on CD8(+) T-cells were significantly decreased in SLE-patients as compared to healthy controls (40.2 +/- 18.5% vs. 47.9 +/- 15.0%, p = 0.02). This was even more significant in SLE-patients with inactive disease. There was a significant correlation between the percentages of CD107a(+)CD8(+) T-cells and SLEDAI. The evaluation of lupus nephritis biopsies showed a significant number of CD107a(+)CD8(+) T-cells mainly located in the peritubular infiltrates. The intrarenal expression of CD107a(+) was significantly correlated with proteinuria. These results demonstrate that CD8(+) T-cells of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus have an altered expression of CD107a which seems to be associated with disease activity. The proof of intrarenal CD107a(+)CD8(+) suggests a role in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis

Curating Tempelhof: negotiating the multiple histories of Berlin's ‘symbol of freedom’

Despite its National Socialist origins, the post-war use of Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport has seen it recast as a ‘symbol of freedom’. Since the airport’s 2008 closure the site has been caught between calls for increased engagement with its use under the Third Reich and economic incentives to repackage it as an attractive events location. Through analysing the different strategies through which Tempelhof’s past is negotiated, this article will highlight the contested nature of Berlin’s relationship with the past and the complex interaction between memory politics and more pragmatic issues

Significantly Higher Percentage of Circulating CD27high Plasma Cells in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients with Infection than with Disease Flare-Up

∙The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. Purpose: To distinguish lupus flare-up from infection in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we analyze the expression of circulating CD27 high plasma cells in SLE patients with and without infection, in comparison to non-SLE patients with infection. Materials and Methods: The percentage of circulating CD27 high plasma cells was measured by flow cytometry in the following four groups: 36 SLE patients without infection, 23 SLE patients with infection, eight non-SLE patients with infection, and 26 healthy controls. Results: The frequency of CD27 high plasma cells had a correlation with the SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (r = 0.866, p < 0.05), level of anti-dsDNA (r = 0.886, p < 0.05), C3 (r =- 0.392, p < 0.05), and C4 (r =- 0.337, p < 0.05) in SLE patients without infection, but there was no correlation with disease activity in SLE patients with infection. Among three groups in particular-SLE without infection, SLE with infection, and non-SLE with infection-the percentages of CD27 high plasma cells were elevated. The percentage o