Inclusion and Exclusion of Migrants in the Multicultural Realm of the Habsburg "State of Many Peoples"

Immigration by foreign workers, entrepreneurs, master craftsmen and tradesmen, journeymen and merchants, as well as seasonal regional labour migration within individual states and across national borders, has been a tradition that goes far back into the Early Modern Era. Artisans, journeymen, and apprentices, a particularly mobile group, formed the major part of the foreigners in Vienna in the preindustrial era. Aside from this artisanal migration during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the Habsburg Monarchy recruited labourers from other areas of the empire or from abroad, particularly those skilled in luxury crafts and textile production. Over the course of the nineteenth century, these were followed by industrial pioneers and workers. Migration was not only concentrated on Vienna, but extended to smaller towns and villages of the newly developed industrial regions of the Habsburg Monarchy. Integration into the “new” society was no easy matter, for labourers or entrepreneurs. Immigrant women and men were kept under close scrutiny by municipal authorities and faced discrimination from local laws and native-born residents. A change of residence clearly led to one’s sense of being a foreigner, both in one’s own perception and that of the “others”, but evidence shows that the concept of “foreignness” is a variable construct that changes according to the political, economic, and social situation.L’immigration de travailleurs, d’entrepreneurs, de maîtres artisans, d’ouvriers spécialisés, de compagnons et de marchands étrangers de même que la migration régionale saisonnière de la main-d’oeuvre au sein des États et par-delà les frontières nationales sont une tradition qui remontent aux lointains débuts de l’ère moderne. Les artisans, compagnons et apprentis, un groupe particulièrement mobile, formaient la majeure partie des étrangers de Vienne de l’ère préindustrielle. Aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles, outre ces artisans migrants, la monarchie des Habsbourg recrutait des ouvriers d’autres régions de l’empire ou de l’étranger, en particulier ceux doués pour l’artisanat de luxe et la production textile. Leur succédèrent au XIXe siècle les pionniers et les travailleurs du secteur industriel. La migration n’était pas concentrée qu’à Vienne, s’étendant aux petites villes et aux villages des nouvelles régions industrielles de la monarchie des Habsbourg. L’intégration en une « nouvelle » société n’a pas été une sinécure pour les ouvriers ou les entrepreneurs. Les autorités locales surveillaient étroitement les immigrants et les immigrantes, à qui les lois locales et les résidents de souche réservaient un traitement discriminatoire. Qui changeait de lieu de résidence avait clairement l’impression d’être un étranger, tant à ses propres yeux qu’à ceux des « autres », mais les données révèlent que le concept d’« étranger » est un construct variable qui change au gré des situations politiques, économiques et sociales

Translation of mRNA for human lymphotoxin in microinjected Xenopus oocytes

AbstractSynthesis and secretion of biologically active human lymphotoxin (LT) can be detected in Xenopus laevis oocytes following their inoculation with poly(A+) RNA from human stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes, but not in oocytes inoculated with RNA from unstimulated lymphocytes or from fibroblastoid cells. In size-fractionating mRNA of stimulated lymphocytes most LT activity is found to be coded for by RNA with an approximate sedimentation value of 19 S

RhoA GTPase Activation by TLR2 and TLR3 Ligands: Connecting via Src to NF- B

Rho GTPases are essential regulators of signaling networks emanating from many receptors involved in innate or adaptive immunity. The Rho family member RhoA controls cytoskeletal processes as well as the activity of transcription factors such as NF-κB, C/EBP and serum response factor. The multifaceted host cell activation triggered by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in response to soluble and particulate microbial structures includes rapid stimulation of RhoA activity. RhoA acts downstream of TLR2 in HEK-TLR2 and monocytic THP-1 cells, but the signaling pathway connecting TLR2 and RhoA is still unknown. It is also not clear if RhoA activation is dependent on a certain TLR adapter. Using lung epithelial cells, we demonstrate TLR2- and TLR3-triggered recruitment and activation of RhoA at receptor-proximal cellular compartments. RhoA activity was dependent on TLR-mediated stimulation of Src family kinases. Both Src family kinases and RhoA were required for NF-κB activation, while RhoA was dispensable for type I interferon generation. These results suggest that RhoA plays a role downstream of MyD88-dependent and -independent TLR signaling and acts as a molecular switch downstream of TLR-Src initiated pathways

Acupuncture in Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy-Related Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, which presents with a loss of sensorimotor function or pain. This study assessed the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture as a treatment for DPN-related complaints. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, patients with type II diabetes and symptoms of neuropathy in the lower limbs were included. A total of 12 acupuncture treatments were administered over 8 weeks. The waitlist control group received the same acupuncture treatment starting at week 16 (after baseline). Results: A total of 62 patients were randomized (acupuncture group n = 31; control group n = 31). The primary outcome was overall complaints, and it was reduced with a significant difference of 24.7 on a VAS (CI 95% 14.8;34.7, p < 0.001) between both groups in favor of acupuncture. Reductions were recorded for the secondary outcomes VAS pain, neuropathic pain symptom inventory (NPSI), emotional dimensions of pain, SF-12, and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain impact (DPNPI) after the intervention and at the follow-ups in the acupuncture group. Adverse reactions were minor and transient. Conclusions: Acupuncture leads to a significant and lasting reduction in DPN-related complaints when compared to routine care and is well tolerated, with minor side effects

Towards a methodical framework for comprehensively assessing forest multifunctionality

Funded by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Grant Number: DFG FOR 891/1-3 National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Numbers: 30710103907, 30930005, 31170457, 31210103910 Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) Sino-German Centre for Research Promotion in Beijing. Grant Number: GZ 986Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Challenges in Transition From Childhood to Adulthood Care in Rare Metabolic Diseases : Results From the First Multi-Center European Survey

Inherited Metabolic Diseases (IMDs) are rare diseases caused by genetic defects in biochemical pathways. Earlier diagnosis and advances in treatment have improved the life expectancy of IMD patients over the last decades, with the majority of patients now surviving beyond the age of 20. This has created a new challenge: as they grow up, the care of IMD patients' needs to be transferred from metabolic pediatricians to metabolic physicians specialized in treating adults, through a process called "transition." The purpose of this study was to assess how this transition is managed in Europe: a survey was sent to all 77 centers of the European Reference Network for Hereditary Metabolic Disorders (MetabERN) to collect information and to identify unmet needs regarding the transition process. Data was collected from 63/77 (81%) healthcare providers (HCPs) from 20 EU countries. Responders were mostly metabolic pediatricians; of these, only ~40% have received appropriate training in health issues of adolescent metabolic patients. In most centers (~67%) there is no designated transition coordinator. About 50% of centers provide a written individualized transition protocol, which is standardized in just ~20% of cases. In 77% of centers, pediatricians share a medical summary, transition letter and emergency plan with the adult team and the patient. According to our responders, 11% of patients remain under pediatric care throughout their life. The main challenges identified by HCPs in managing transition are lack of time and shortage of adult metabolic physician positions, while the implementations that are most required for a successful transition include: medical staff dedicated to transition, a transition coordinator, and specific metabolic training for adult physicians. Our study shows that the transition process of IMD patients in Europe is far from standardized and in most cases is inadequate or non-existent. A transition coordinator to facilitate collaboration between the pediatric and adult healthcare teams should be central to any transition program. Standardized operating procedures, together with adequate financial resources and specific training for adult physicians focused on IMDs are the key aspects that must be improved in the rare metabolic field to establish successful transition processes in Europe

Smoking, season, and detection of chlamydia pneumoniae DNA in clinically stable COPD patients

BACKGROUND: The prevalence and role of Chlamydia pneumoniae in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unclear. METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from 100 outpatients with smoking-related, clinically stable COPD, and induced sputum was obtained in 62 patients. RESULTS: Patients had mean age (standard deviation) of 65.8 (10.7) years, mean forced expiratory volume in one second of 1.34 (0.61) L, and 61 (61.0%) were male. C. pneumoniae nucleic acids were detected by nested polymerase chain reaction in 27 (27.0%). Current smoking (odds ratio {OR} = 2.6, 95% confidence interval {CI}: 1.1, 6.6, P = 0.04), season (November to April) (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.4, 9.2, P = 0.007), and chronic sputum production (OR = 6.4, 95% CI: 1.8, 23.2, P = 0.005) were associated with detection of C. pneumoniae DNA. CONCLUSIONS: Prospective studies are needed to examine the role of C. pneumoniae nucleic acid detection in COPD disease symptoms and progression

COVID-19-Forschungsdaten leichter zugänglich machen – Aufbau einer bundesweiten Informationsinfrastruktur

Public-Health-Forschung, epidemiologische und klinische Studien sind erforderlich, um die COVID-19-Pandemie besser zu verstehen und geeignete Maßnahmen zu ergreifen. Daher wurden auch in Deutschland zahlreiche Forschungsprojekte initiiert. Zum heutigen Zeitpunkt ist es ob der Fülle an Informationen jedoch kaum noch möglich, einen Überblick über die vielfältigen Forschungsaktivitäten und deren Ergebnisse zu erhalten. Im Rahmen der Initiative „Nationale Forschungsdateninfrastruktur für personenbezogene Gesundheitsdaten“ (NFDI4Health) schafft die „Task Force COVID-19“ einen leichteren Zugang zu SARS-CoV-2- und COVID-19-bezogenen klinischen, epidemiologischen und Public-Health-Forschungsdaten. Dabei werden die sogenannten FAIR-Prinzipien (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) berücksichtigt, die eine schnellere Kommunikation von Ergebnissen befördern sollen. Zu den wesentlichen Arbeitsinhalten der Taskforce gehören die Erstellung eines Studienportals mit Metadaten, Erhebungsinstrumenten, Studiendokumenten, Studienergebnissen und Veröffentlichungen sowie einer Suchmaschine für Preprint-Publikationen. Weitere Inhalte sind ein Konzept zur Verknüpfung von Forschungs- und Routinedaten, Services zum verbesserten Umgang mit Bilddaten und die Anwendung standardisierter Analyseroutinen für harmonisierte Qualitätsbewertungen. Die im Aufbau befindliche Infrastruktur erleichtert die Auffindbarkeit von und den Umgang mit deutscher COVID-19-Forschung. Die im Rahmen der NFDI4Health Task Force COVID-19 begonnenen Entwicklungen sind für weitere Forschungsthemen nachnutzbar, da die adressierten Herausforderungen generisch für die Auffindbarkeit von und den Umgang mit Forschungsdaten sind.Public health research and epidemiological and clinical studies are necessary to understand the COVID-19 pandemic and to take appropriate action. Therefore, since early 2020, numerous research projects have also been initiated in Germany. However, due to the large amount of information, it is currently difficult to get an overview of the diverse research activities and their results. Based on the “Federated research data infrastructure for personal health data” (NFDI4Health) initiative, the “COVID-19 task force” is able to create easier access to SARS-CoV-2- and COVID-19-related clinical, epidemiological, and public health research data. Therefore, the so-called FAIR data principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, reusable) are taken into account and should allow an expedited communication of results. The most essential work of the task force includes the generation of a study portal with metadata, selected instruments, other study documents, and study results as well as a search engine for preprint publications. Additional contents include a concept for the linkage between research and routine data, a service for an enhanced practice of image data, and the application of a standardized analysis routine for harmonized quality assessment. This infrastructure, currently being established, will facilitate the findability and handling of German COVID-19 research. The developments initiated in the context of the NFDI4Health COVID-19 task force are reusable for further research topics, as the challenges addressed are generic for the findability of and the handling with research data.Peer Reviewe