A blessing or a double-edged sword?

This study investigated the interplay of politicians’ perceptions regarding the political influence of leading newspapers and the mass media’s general impact on democracy. The scope of the study was restricted to democratic-corporatist media systems. We used comparative data of political elites (N = 392; countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland) and assessed direct and indirect effects of their perceptions about national broadsheets’ political influence on the mass media’s perceived general impact on democracy. As expected, we found a positive direct effect regarding perceptions of the media’s role in democracy that corresponds with theories stressing the ‘guard-dog role’ of the quality press for political elites. However, we also found a negative indirect effect of perceived newspaper influence through perceptions of the media’s agenda-setting and career-controlling power. We argue that this effect can be explained by feelings of disempowerment among politicians. Arguably, perceived disempowerment causes criticism from political actors towards the media inasmuch as they feel constrained in the full exercise of their democratic functions

Boosting Innovation for the Development of Smart-Service Factories of the Future: The Cases of the Federal State of Vorarlberg and its Neighbouring Regions

Factory of the Future is an initiative of the European Commission. It is highly narrative and describes the transformation of “ordinary” manufacturing operations and structures to fully-integrated cyber-physical manufacturing systems. Basing on case study research performed in the greater area of Vorarlberg, this article aims to explore how Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the field of manufacturing can evolve to smart-service Factories of the Future. It takes a mixed-methods approach with quantitative research (questionnaire) and qualitative case study interviews and provides findings about three main topics in service system engineering: “transformation of an operational need into a description of system performance parameters”, “integration of related technical parameters and assurance of compatibility of all physical, functional and program interfaces” and “integration of reliability, maintainability, safety, survivability, human and other such factors”. As it turns out, increased servitization measures, service management, service performance and service quality by development of service-oriented architectures (SOA) are key to evolve to a smart-service Factory of the Future

From Disaster Response Planning to e-Resilience: A Literature Review

Natural and man-made crises as well as IT-security issues foster the interest in robust and resilient business information systems. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are essential for successful e-business. If ICT technologies interrupt, the whole (e-) business continuity is threatened. ICT interruptions causing serious loss in organization’s reputation, trust and revenues. This circumstance should increase manager’s interest in the concepts of disaster recovery planning (DRP), business continuity management (BCM) and, the emerging imperative, resilience. This paper at hand presents the results of a database driven literature review on these concepts and its interrelation

A blessing or a double-edged sword?

This study investigated the interplay of politicians’ perceptions regarding the political influence of leading newspapers and the mass media’s general impact on democracy. The scope of the study was restricted to democratic-corporatist media systems. We used comparative data of political elites (N = 392; countries: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland) and assessed direct and indirect effects of their perceptions about national broadsheets’ political influence on the mass media’s perceived general impact on democracy. As expected, we found a positive direct effect regarding perceptions of the media’s role in democracy that corresponds with theories stressing the ‘guard-dog role’ of the quality press for political elites. However, we also found a negative indirect effect of perceived newspaper influence through perceptions of the media’s agenda-setting and career-controlling power. We argue that this effect can be explained by feelings of disempowerment among politicians. Arguably, perceived disempowerment causes criticism from political actors towards the media inasmuch as they feel constrained in the full exercise of their democratic functions

The expression of CD276 (B7-H3) on different urothelial carcinoma cell lines in comparison to somatic urothelial cells

The incidence and mortality of cancer are rapidly growing worldwide. It is expected to become the major cause of death in the 21st century. The pathologic role of CD276 (B7-H3) has already been established in different types of cancer. In Urothelial Carcinoma, the relationship between CD276 and immune evading mechanisms, as well as the invasive and migrative potential of the tumor has also been described. Studies indicate a higher expression of CD276 mRNA, as well as CD276 protein inside and outside the tumor cell in correlation with poor prognosis and decreased overall survival of patients. This leads to the assumption that dysregulation of CD276 may be an important factor in development and progression of UC. It was also shown that miRNAs may play a major role in regulation of CD276 mRNA expression. Especially miRNA 29c could function as a tumor suppressor by decreasing CD276 mRNA levels in tumor cells. To confirm the hypothesis of dysregulated CD276 expression in selected and established urothelial carcinoma cell (UCC) lines, expression of CD276 at the level of transcription into mRNA, translation into protein and presentation at the cell surface were analyzed and compared to somatic urothelial cells. Correlation of this data was investigated to show the relationship of the amounts of expression with each other. Furthermore, miRNA expression in cell lines with high, moderate and low expression of CD276 protein were analyzed to confirm a possible regulatory role. The expression of CD276 was explored in vitro on eight urothelial carcinoma cell lines (UM-UC) in comparison to normal urothelial cells (UCs) by RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and flow cytometry. Cell proliferation observed and calculated. The expression of miRNA 29c and miRNA 187 was explored in vitro on seven urothelial carcinoma cell lines (UM-UC) in comparison to somatic urothelial cells by RT-qPCR. All cell cultures were tested for a possible contamination with mycoplasma bacteria. Expression of CD276 on cell surfaces was elevated on UM-UCs when compared to somatic urothelial cells. In UM-UCs, CD276 transcripts correlated moderately positive with CD276 protein expression (ρ = 0.660) and strongly positive with CD276 surface-expression (ρ = 0.810). CD276 mRNA expression (ρ = -0.475) and CD276 protein expression (ρ = -0.417) had a significant negative correlation with proliferation, while a significant correlation between proliferation and cell surface expression was not observed in UM-UCs. Relative median expression of miRNA 29c in UCC cell lines was significantly lower compared to somatic urothelium. mir187 showed variable expressions patterns. The expression of CD276 on UM-UC bladder tumor cell surfaces is elevated. Slow proliferating UM-UC cells express more CD276 mRNA and protein than fast proliferating cells. In patients, slow proliferating and high-CD276-expressing cells may be tumor stem cells and evade immune surveillance. However, cancer therapy targeting CD276 may be effective in the treatment of slow proliferating tumor cells. MiRNA 29c might be a possible therapeutic targe

Insights into the Structural Dynamics of Pt/CeO2_{2} Single-Site Catalysts during CO Oxidation

Despite their high atomic dispersion, single site catalysts with Pt supported on CeO$_{2}$ were found to have a low activity during oxidation reactions. In this study, we report the behavior of Pt/CeO$_{2}$ single site catalyst under more complex gas mixtures, including CO, C$_{3}$H$_{6}$ and CO/C$_{3}$H$_{6}$ oxidation in the absence or presence of water. Our systematic operando high-energy resolution-fluorescence-detected X-ray absorption near-edge structure (HERFD-XANES) spectroscopic study combined with multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) analysis identified five distinct states in the Pt single site structure during CO oxidation light-off. After desorption of oxygen and autoreduction of Pt$^{4+}$ to Pt$^{2+}$ due to the increase of temperature, CO adsorbs and reduces Pt$^{2+}$ to Pt$^{δ+}$ and assists its migration with final formation of Pt$_{x^Δ+}$ clusters. The derived structure–activity relationships indicate that partial reduction of Pt single sites is not sufficient to initiate the conversion of CO. The reaction proceeds only after the regrouping of several noble metal atoms in small clusters, as these entities are probably able to influence the mobility of the oxygen at the interface with ceria

Mastleistung und Fleischqualität von männlichen Legehybriden bei Fütterung unterschiedlicher Proteinquellen

The effects of genotype and protein source on the performance of male layer hybrids compared to a fattening strain were investigated. The layer hybrids Lohmann Brown (LB, n = 90, male), Lohmann Selected Leghorn (LSL, n = 90, male) and the fattening hybrid Hubbard JA-757 (HUB, n = 90, mixed sex) were divided into three feeding groups: 1) commercial feed with 25,5 % soybean cake (Control), 2) control diet + alfalfa meal ad lib. (Alf-ext) and 3) control diet inclusive 12 % replace of soybean cake by alfalfa meal (Alf-int). Fattening periods were 63, 91 and 104 days for HUB, LB and LSL, respectively. Final weights were influenced by the interaction of genotype and feed (HUB 1843, LB 1871, LSL 1631 g). Highest daily weight gains showed HUB, followed by LB and LSL, not influenced by the diet. For LB and LSL, the proportions of leg muscle were higher than for HUB, while LB had lower proportions of breast muscles. Diet did not affect these parameters. Regarding meat quality, the maximum shear force of the right breast muscle was lower for HUB and LSL compared to LB and was not influenced by the diet. Breast raw protein and raw fat contents were higher for chicken fed Alf-int than Alf-ext

Geometry and chronology of growth and drowning of Middle Triassic carbonate platforms (Cernera and Bivera/Clapsavon) in the Southern Alps (northern Italy)

Abstract.: The depositional architecture and the geometric relationships between platform-slope deposits and basinal sediments along with paleontological evidence indicate the time interval of the younger Anisian Reitziites reitzi ammonoid zone to largely represent the main stage of platform aggradation at the Cernera and Bivera/Clapsavon carbonate platforms. Published and new U-Pb age data of zircons from volcaniclastic layers bracketing the stratigraphic interval of platform growth constrain the duration of platform evolution to a time span shorter than 1.8±0.7m.y., probably in the order of 0.5-1m.y., reflecting fast rates of vertical platform aggradation exceeding 500 m/m.y. In the range of growth potentials for shallow-water carbonate systems estimated in relation to the time span of observation, this high rate is in agreement with values for short intervals of 105-106yrs (e.g., Schlager 1999). After drowning, the platforms at Cernera and Bivera/Clapsavon were blanketed by thin pelagic carbonates. On the former platform flanks the draping sediments in places comprise red nodular pelagic limestones (Clapsavon Limestone) similar in facies to the Han Bulog Limestones occurring elsewhere in Middle Triassic successions of the Mediterranean Tethys. The drowning of vast areas of former carbonate platforms possibly triggered the onset of bottom-water circulation in adjacent basins as suggested by the abrupt transition from laminated to bioturbated pelagic nodular limestones in the Buchenstein Formation which occurred close to the time of initial platform submergence. During the Late Ladinian the topographic features of the drowned platforms were onlapped by rapidly deposited, predominantly clastic successions including coarse breccias and volcanic rocks sealing and preserving the peculiar stratigraphic settin

THE SECEDA DRILL HOLE IN THE MIDDLE TRIASSIC BUCHENSTEIN BEDS (LIVINALLONGO FORMATION, DOLOMITES, NORTHERN ITALY) A PROGRESS REPORT

First results and basic geological information of the Seceda Coring Project are reported. The Seceda project started with drilling of a well for scientific purposes. The core material is currently studied by an international group of geoscientists from different universities. Fundamental topics of the project are a thorough sedimentological and cyclostratigraphic analysis of the complete succession of Middle Triassic pelagic Buchenstein Beds in the northwestern Dolomites (Southern Alps, Italy) as well as their temporal relationship with coeval carbonate platforms. Complementary studies focus on stratigraphic correlation tools including bio-, litho- and magnetostratigraphy.&nbsp

Design of Single-Atom Catalysts and Tracking Their Fate Using Operando and Advanced X-ray Spectroscopic Tools

The potential of operando X-ray techniques for following the structure, fate, and active site of single-atom catalysts (SACs) is highlighted with emphasis on a synergetic approach of both topics. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and related X-ray techniques have become fascinating tools to characterize solids and they can be applied to almost all the transition metals deriving information about the symmetry, oxidation state, local coordination, and many more structural and electronic properties. SACs, a newly coined concept, recently gained much attention in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. In this way, one can achieve a minimum use of the metal, theoretically highest efficiency, and the design of only one active site-so-called single site catalysts. While single sites are not easy to characterize especially under operating conditions, XAS as local probe together with complementary methods (infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy) is ideal in this research area to prove the structure of these sites and the dynamic changes during reaction. In this review, starting from their fundamentals, various techniques related to conventional XAS and X-ray photon in/out techniques applied to single sites are discussed with detailed mechanistic and in situ/operando studies. We systematically summarize the design strategies of SACs and outline their exploration with XAS supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and recent machine learning tools