Teilzeit: eine Studie zu betrieblichen Effekten von Teilzeitbeschäftigung

Inhaltsverzeichnis: 1 Hintergrund; 1.1 Zielsetzungen; 1.2 Methodische Vorbemerkung; 1.3 Zeitlicher Ablauf im tabellarischen Überblick; 1.4 Gliederung des Berichts; 2 Modelle der Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 2.1 Grundformen der Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 2.2 Modellbeschreibung; 2.3 Einbindung der Teilzeitbeschäftigung in andere Modelle; 3 Juristische Aspekte der Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 3.1 Europarechtliche Rahmenbedingungen; 3.2 Österr. Rechtslage unter Berücksichtigung der Neuerungen AZG-Novelle 2007; 3.3 Sondermodelle der Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 4 Sichtweise der ArbeitnehmerInnen zur Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 4.1 Nutzung von Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 4.2 Literaturanalyse zu den Effekten von Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 5 Sichtweise der ArbeitgeberInnen zur Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 5.1 Einleitung; 5.2 Literaturanalyse zu den Effekten von Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 5.3 Betriebswirtschaftliches Bezugssystem; 5.4 Empirische Überprüfung; 6 Internationale Aspekte der Teilzeitbeschäftigung; 6.1 Niederlande; 6.2 Schweden; 7 Gesamtauswertung; 7.1 Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Ergebnisse; 7.2 Schlussfolgerungen und Kriterienkatalog; 8 Appendix; 8.1 Literaturverzeichnis; 8.2 Sonstige Quellen; 8.3 Tabellen- und Abbildungsverzeichnis; 8.4 Leitfaden für die Unternehmensbefragun

Entwicklungspolitische Freiwilligendienste im Fokus der Forschung

Zusammenfassung Der Voluntaris Sonderband vertieft die Diskussion der ersten wissenschaftsorientierten Fachtagung zu entwicklungspolitischen Freiwilligendiensten, die im September 2018 an der TH Köln anlässlich des 10-jährigen Jubiläums des Freiwilligendienstprogramms weltwärts stattgefunden hatte. Der Band gibt einen Überblick zum Stand der wissenschaftlichen Forschung. Er wird vom KuratorInnen-Team der Tagung herausgegeben und versammelt WissenschaftlerInnen und VertreterInnen der Praxis aus dem Forschungsschwerpunkt Nonformale Bildung der TH Köln, dem Dachverband ventao – Verein für entwicklungspolitische Austauschorganisationen sowie dem HerausgeberInnenkreis von Voluntaris Abstract This special issue of Voluntaris further develops the discussions conducted at the first academic conference on developmental voluntary work, which took place at Cologne’s University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln) in September 2018 to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the voluntary work programme ‘weltwärts’. This book provides an overview of the current state of research in this regard, with its contributions revealing which research findings are being discussed in politics and in practice and where further research is needed. This issue is edited by the conference’s team of organisers and consists of works by academic specialists in and those involved in the practical application of TH Köln’s research focus of informal education, representatives of the umbrella organisation ‘ventao’ (the Association of Developmental Exchange Organisations) and the editors of Voluntaris (the Journal for Volunteer Services and Civic Engagement)

Modulation of Liver Inflammation and Fibrosis by Interleukin-37

Background and Aims: Chronic inflammation induces liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and potentially liver cancer. Kupffer cells modulate hepatic stellate cells by secreting immunologically active proteins as TGF-beta. TGF-beta promotes liver fibrosis via the activation of Sma- and Mad-related protein 3. IL-37 broadly suppresses innate and adaptive immune responses. Intracellular IL-37 interacts with Smad3. We hypothesize that IL-37 downregulates the activation of hepatic Kupffer and stellate cells and interferes with the TGF-beta signaling cascade to modulate liver fibrogenesis. Methods: The role of IL-37 on liver inflammation and fibrogenesis was assessed in three mouse models as well as isolated Kupffer- and stellate cells. Serum IL-37 was tested by ELISA in a clinical cohort and correlated with liver disease severity. Results: Transgene expression of IL-37 in mice extends survival, reduces hepatic damage, expression of early markers of fibrosis and histologically assessed liver fibrosis after bile duct ligation. IL-37tg mice were protected against CCl4-induced liver inflammation. Colitis-associated liver inflammation and fibrosis was less severe in IL-10 knockout IL-37tg mice. Spontaneous and LPS/TGF-beta-induced cytokine release and profibrogenic gene expression was lower in HSC and KC isolated from IL-37tg mice and IL-37 overexpressing, IL-1 beta stimulated human LX-2 stellate cells. However, administration of recombinant human IL-37 did not modulate fibrosis pathways after BDL in mice, LX2 cells or murine HSCs. In a large clinical cohort, we observed a positive correlation of serum IL-37 levels with disease severity in liver cirrhosis. Conclusions: Predominantly intracellular IL-37 downregulates liver inflammation and fibrosis. The correlation of serum IL-37 with disease severity in cirrhosis suggests its potential as a novel target modulating the course of liver fibrosis

Bio-precipitation of uranium by two bacterial isolates recovered from extreme environments as estimated by potentiometric titration, TEM and X-ray absorption spectroscopic analyses

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in Journal of Hazardous Materials. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2011 Elsevier B.V.This work describes the mechanisms of uranium biomineralization at acidic conditions by Bacillus sphaericus JG-7B and Sphingomonas sp. S15-S1 both recovered from extreme environments. The U–bacterial interaction experiments were performed at low pH values (2.0–4.5) where the uranium aqueous speciation is dominated by highly mobile uranyl ions. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) showed that the cells of the studied strains precipitated uranium at pH 3.0 and 4.5 as a uranium phosphate mineral phase belonging to the meta-autunite group. Transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analyses showed strain-specific localization of the uranium precipitates. In the case of B. sphaericus JG-7B, the U(VI) precipitate was bound to the cell wall. Whereas for Sphingomonas sp. S15-S1, the U(VI) precipitates were observed both on the cell surface and intracellularly. The observed U(VI) biomineralization was associated with the activity of indigenous acid phosphatase detected at these pH values in the absence of an organic phosphate substrate. The biomineralization of uranium was not observed at pH 2.0, and U(VI) formed complexes with organophosphate ligands from the cells. This study increases the number of bacterial strains that have been demonstrated to precipitate uranium phosphates at acidic conditions via the activity of acid phosphatase

Temporal transcriptomic analysis of the Listeria monocytogenes EGD-e σB regulon

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The opportunistic food-borne gram-positive pathogen <it>Listeria monocytogenes </it>can exist as a free-living microorganism in the environment and grow in the cytoplasm of vertebrate and invertebrate cells following infection. The general stress response, controlled by the alternative sigma factor, σ^B, has an important role for bacterial survival both in the environment and during infection. We used quantitative real-time PCR analysis and immuno-blot analysis to examine σ^Bexpression during growth of <it>L. monocytogenes </it>EGD-e. Whole genome-based transcriptional profiling was used to identify σ^B-dependent genes at different growth phases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We detected 105 σ^B-positively regulated genes and 111 genes which appeared to be under negative control of σ^Band validated 36 σ^B-positively regulated genes <it>in vivo </it>using a reporter gene fusion system.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Genes comprising the σ^Bregulon encode solute transporters, novel cell-wall proteins, universal stress proteins, transcriptional regulators and include those involved in osmoregulation, carbon metabolism, ribosome- and envelope-function, as well as virulence and niche-specific survival genes such as those involved in bile resistance and exclusion. Ten of the σ^B-positively regulated genes of <it>L. monocytogenes </it>are absent in <it>L. innocua</it>. A total of 75 σ^B-positively regulated listerial genes had homologs in <it>B. subtilis</it>, but only 33 have been previously described as being σ^B-regulated in <it>B. subtilis </it>even though both species share a highly conserved σ^B-dependent consensus sequence. A low overlap of genes may reflects adaptation of these bacteria to their respective environmental conditions.</p

Short-Term and Long-Term Morbidity after Radical Cystectomy in Patients with NMIBC and Comparison with MIBC: Identifying Risk Factors for Severe Short-Term Complications

Introduction: RC represents a viable treatment option for certain NMIBC patients. However, studies investigating morbidity in the context of RC for NMIBC are scarce. The goal of the current study was to assess and compare morbidity after RC performed in patients with NMIBC and patients with MIBC and to identify risk factors for severe short-term complications. Methods: Medical records of 521 patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into patients with NMIBC and patients with MIBC. The groups were compared and risk factors for severe complications were identified. Results: RC for NMIBC was performed in 123 patients (23.6%). Histological upstaging was seen in 47 NMIBC patients (38.2%) and in 231 MIBC patients (58%, p < 0.001). OS was 29.8% and CSS was 15.5%. Both endpoints were higher for RC for MIBC (p < 0.001). More complications affecting the urinary diversion were seen with RC for NMIBC (p = 0.033) and more continent urinary diversions (p = 0.040) were performed in those patients. Obesity (p = 0.008), a higher ASA score (p = 0.004), and preoperative medical drug anticoagulation (p = 0.025) were risk factors for severe short-term morbidity after both, RC for NMIBC and for MIBC. Conclusion: Patients who underwent RC for NMIBC are exposed to a comparably high perioperative risk than patients with MIBC. RC seems to be a viable treatment option for certain NMIBC patients with a significant histological upstaging in both groups. In patients with obesity, a high ASA score, and with medical drug anticoagulation, the indication for surgery should be confirmed especially strict and possible treatment alternatives should be considered particularly thorough

Phocine Distemper in German Seals, 2002

Approximately 21,700 seals died during a morbillivirus epidemic in northwestern Europe in 2002. Phocine distemper virus 1 was isolated from seals in German waters. The sequence of the P gene showed 97% identity with the Dutch virus isolated in 1988. There was 100% identity with the Dutch isolate from 2002 and a single nucleotide mismatch with the Danish isolate