Iron ERRs with Salmonella

The hormone hepcidin promotes iron sequestration by macrophages. A recent study by Kim et al. (2014) implicates the orphan receptor ERRγ (estrogen-related receptor γ) in the regulation of hepcidin production and suggests that targeting the ERRγ-hepcidin axis may be beneficial during infection with the facultative intracellular pathogen Salmonella

Sauver le climat, mais pas chez soi ? Les conflits autour des installations de production d’énergie renouvelable en Allemagne

L’expansion des énergies renouvelables en Allemagne a été en partie jugulée par les protestations des populations locales vivant près des sites choisis pour l’implantation des centrales de production. L’étude de conflits concernant des centrales hydroélectriques de pompage-turbinage et des sites d’implantation de parcs photovoltaïques entre 2009 et 2012 a révélé l’existence de deux types de conflits : les conflits locaux où la centrale de production est vue comme une perturbation pour les modes de vie locaux et les conflits régionaux où la centrale est considérée comme étant en contradiction avec la voie locale de développement économique. Les discussions nationales sur les énergies renouvelables, en particulier sur les technologies et les politiques énergétiques alternatives sont généralement importantes pour les conflits locaux comme pour les conflits régionaux.The expansion of renewable energies in Germany became partly restricted due to the protest of local population, living near designated power plant sites. The study of disputes concerning planned pump storage hydropower and open space photovoltaic power stations in Germany between 2009 and 2012 revealed two types of conflicts: Local conflicts, where the power plant is seen as a disturbance of local livelihoods and regional conflicts, where the power plant is seen as contradictory to a perceived regional path of (mainly economic) development. The national discussions on renewable energies, especially alternatives of energy policy and technologies are generally important for local as well as regional type conflicts.Der Ausbau der erneuerbaren Energien in Deutschland wurde zum Teil eingeschränkt aufgrund der Proteste der lokalen Bevölkerung, die in der Nähe der Kraftwerksstandorte lebt. Das Studium der Rechtsstreitigkeiten über geplante Pumpspeicherkraft und Freiflächen Photovoltaik-Kraftwerke in Deutschland zwischen 2009 und 2012 zeigte zwei Arten von Konflikten: Lokale Konflikte, wo das Kraftwerk als eine Störung der lokalen Lebensunterhalt wird und regionale Konflikte, wo das Kraftwerk zu sehen wird als im Widerspruch zu einer wahrgenommenen Regionalbahn (vor allem wirtschaftliche) Entwicklung gesehen. Die nationalen Diskussionen über erneuerbare Energien, vor allem Alternativen der Energiepolitik und Technologien sind für die lokale und regionale Konflikte Typ generell wichtig

Management of Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease:A Systematic Review

Anemia is the most frequent complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but anemia, mostly due to iron deficiency, has long been neglected in these patients. The aim was to briefly present the pathophysiology, followed by a balanced overview of the different forms of iron replacement available, and subsequently, to perform a systematic review of studies performed in the last decade on the treatment of iron-deficiency anemia in IBD. Given that intravenous therapies have been introduced in the last decade, a systematic review performed in PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and the websites of WHO, FDA, and EMA covered prospective trials investigating the management of iron-deficiency anemia in IBD published since 2004. A total of 632 articles were reviewed, and 13 articles (2906 patients) with unique content were included. In general, oral supplementation in iron-deficiency anemia should be administered with a target to restore/replenish the iron stores and the hemoglobin level in a suitable way. However, in patients with IBD flares and inadequate responses to or side effects with oral preparations, intravenous iron supplementation is the therapy of choice. Neither oral nor intravenous therapy seems to exacerbate the clinical course of IBD, and intravenous iron therapy can be administered even in active disease stages and concomitantly with biologics. In conclusion, because many physicians are in doubt as to how to manage anemia and iron deficiency in IBD, there is a clear need for the implementation of evidence-based recommendations on this matter. Based on the data presented, oral iron therapy should be preferred for patients with quiescent disease stages and trivial iron deficiency anemia unless such patients are intolerant or have an inadequate response, whereas intravenous iron supplementation may be of advantage in patients with aggravated anemia or flares of IBD because inflammation hampers intestinal absorption of iron

Driven Spin Systems as Quantum Thermodynamic Machines: Fundamental Limits

We show that coupled two level systems like qubits studied in quantum information can be used as a thermodynamic machine. At least three qubits or spins are necessary and arranged in a chain. The system is interfaced between two split baths and the working spin in the middle is externally driven. The machine performs Carnot-type cycles and is able to work as heat pump or engine depending on the temperature difference of the baths $\Delta T$ and the energy differences in the spin system $\Delta E$. It can be shown that the efficiency is a function of $\Delta T$ and $\Delta E$.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Iron in the Tumor Microenvironment—Connecting the Dots

Iron metabolism and tumor biology are intimately linked. Iron facilitates the production of oxygen radicals, which may either result in iron-induced cell death, ferroptosis, or contribute to mutagenicity and malignant transformation. Once transformed, malignant cells require high amounts of iron for proliferation. In addition, iron has multiple regulatory effects on the immune system, thus affecting tumor surveillance by immune cells. For these reasons, inconsiderate iron supplementation in cancer patients has the potential of worsening disease course and outcome. On the other hand, chronic immune activation in the setting of malignancy alters systemic iron homeostasis and directs iron fluxes into myeloid cells. While this response aims at withdrawing iron from tumor cells, it may impair the effector functions of tumor-associated macrophages and will result in iron-restricted erythropoiesis and the development of anemia, subsequently. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the interconnections of iron homeostasis with cancer biology, discusses current clinical controversies in the treatment of anemia of cancer and focuses on the potential roles of iron in the solid tumor microenvironment, also speculating on yet unknown molecular mechanisms

Rational Management of Iron-Deficiency Anaemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Anaemia is the most frequent, though often neglected, comorbidity of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Here we want to briefly present (1) the burden of anaemia in IBD, (2) its pathophysiology, which mostly arises from bleeding-associated iron deficiency, followed by (3) diagnostic evaluation of anaemia, (4) a balanced overview of the different modes of iron replacement therapy, (5) evidence for their therapeutic efficacy and subsequently, (6) an updated recommendation for the practical management of anaemia in IBD. Following the introduction of various intravenous iron preparations over the last decade, questions persist about when to use these preparations as opposed to traditional and other novel oral iron therapeutic agents. At present, oral iron therapy is generally preferred for patients with quiescent IBD and mild iron-deficiency anaemia. However, in patients with flaring IBD that hampers intestinal iron absorption and in those with inadequate responses to or side effects with oral preparations, intravenous iron supplementation is the therapy of choice, although information on the efficacy of intravenous iron in patients with active IBD and anaemia is scare. Importantly, anaemia in IBD is often multifactorial and a careful diagnostic workup is mandatory for optimized treatment. Nevertheless, limited information is available on optimal therapeutic start and end points for treatment of anaemia. Of note, neither oral nor intravenous therapies seem to exacerbate the clinical course of IBD. However, additional prospective studies are still warranted to determine the optimal therapy in complex conditions such as IBD

EMF Model Refactoring based on Graph Transformation Concepts

The Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) provides a modeling and code generation framework for Eclipse applications based on structured data models. Within model driven software development based on EMF, refactoring of EMF models become a key activity. In this paper, we present an approach to define EMF model refactoring methods as transformation rules being applied in place on EMF models. Performing an EMF model refactoring, EMF transformation rules are applied and can be translated to corresponding graph transformation rules, as in the graph transformation environment AGG. If the resulting EMF model is consistent, the corresponding result graph is equivalent and can be used for validating EMF model refactoring. Results on conflicts and dependencies of refactorings for example, can help the developer to decide which refactoring is most suitable for a given model and why