Clueless in the city: conceptualizations of the city in German environmentalism

"Um erfolgreich zu sein, brauchen soziale Bewegungen ein Credo, das Eigenschaften, Ursachen und mögliche Lösungen eines sozialen Problems so popularisiert, dass potentielle Anhänger und Unterstützer motiviert sind, sich in vielfältigen Formen zu engagieren. In dem Vortrag werden die Verfasser argumentieren, dass es den deutschen Umweltschutzbewegungen in den verschiedenen Zeitepochen bisher nicht gelungen ist ein anziehendes Gesellschaftsmodell zu entwickeln, in dem die 'Stadt' bzw. urbane Lebensformen einen positiven Beitrag zur Qualität der Umwelt leisten können. Dies ist immer ein Kernmangel der Bewegung gewesen und bleibt es vermutlich auch in Zukunft. Dieses Manko ist tief verwurzelt in der Geschichte der deutschen Umweltbewegungen. Der Vortrag wird Grundzüge dieser spezifischen Vorkriegsgeschichte der Stadtfeindlichkeit darstellen. Desgleichen werden die neue Umweltbewegung der 70er und 80er Jahren analysiert. Erst jetzt wurde hier die Stadt in eine umfassende gegenkulturelle Theorie von Umweltproblemen und -lösungen einbezogen. Die Stadt und ihre Industrien allerdings wurden auch in diesen Konzepten lediglich als Verursacher der Probleme betrachtet. Einige der von der Umweltbewegung geförderten Maßnahmen konnten durchgesetzt werden, aber die Hiobsbotschaften auf das eigene Auto und das eigene Haus im Grünen zu verzichten, wie auf den Konsum, waren nicht umzusetzen. Obwohl die Umweltorganisationen heute auch weiterhin viele Unterstützer haben und sich eines gewissen Wachstums erfreuen können, haben sie ihre Strategien insofern geändert, dass jetzt der Naturschutz in Deutschland und in den Entwicklungsländern in den Vordergrund gestellt wird. Im Kampf gegen den Stadtverkehr und Landschaftszersiedlung werden nur noch Rückzugsgefechte betrieben und eine grundsätzliche Kritik der städtischen Konsumgesellschaft wird nicht mehr propagiert. Gleichwohl könnten diese neuen Konzepte zur nachhaltigen Stadtentwicklung ironischerweise die Eckpfeiler eines positiven Konzepts von Stadt und Umwelt begründen, dies allerdings, angesichts des wirtschaftspolitischen Klimas, mit bisher wenig Resonanz in Politik und in der Bevölkerung." (Autorenreferat

Wohnen

Ausgehend von etymologischen Bedeutungen des Wohnens wird der Idealtypus des Wohnens anhand von fünf sozialhistorischen Entwicklungssträngen charakterisiert. Grundlegende Prozesse der postmodernen Transformation der Lebensverhältnisse werden in ihrer Relevanz für das Wohnen heutzutage interpretiert. Reurbanisierung und Multilokalität als zentrale Einflussfaktoren auf das städtische Wohnen werden vertiefend erläutert

Effect of dietary nitrate on blood pressure, endothelial function, and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes

This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Free Radical Biology and Medicine. 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. A definitive version was subsequently published in Radical Biology and Medicine Vol 60, 2013, doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2013.01.024.Diets rich in green, leafy vegetables have been shown to lower blood pressure (BP) and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Green, leafy vegetables and beetroot are particularly rich in inorganic nitrate. Dietary nitrate supplementation, via sequential reduction to nitrite and NO, has previously been shown to lower BP and improve endothelial function in healthy humans. We sought to determine if supplementing dietary nitrate with beetroot juice, a rich source of nitrate, will lower BP and improve endothelial function and insulin sensitivity in individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Twenty-seven patients, age 67.2±4.9 years (18 male), were recruited for a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Participants were randomized to begin, in either order, a 2-week period of supplementation with 250ml beetroot juice daily (active) or 250ml nitrate-depleted beetroot juice (placebo). At the conclusion of each intervention period 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, tests of macro- and microvascular endothelial function, and a hyperinsulinemic isoglycemic clamp were performed. After 2 weeks administration of beetroot juice mean ambulatory systolic BP was unchanged: 134.6±8.4mmHg versus 135.1±7.8mmHg (mean±SD), placebo vs active-mean difference of -0.5mmHg (placebo-active), p=0.737 (95% CI -3.9 to 2.8). There were no changes in macrovascular or microvascular endothelial function or insulin sensitivity. Supplementation of the diet with 7.5mmol of nitrate per day for 2 weeks caused an increase in plasma nitrite and nitrate concentration, but did not lower BP, improve endothelial function, or improve insulin sensitivity in individuals with T2DM

Estimating dose—response relationships for vitamin D with coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality: observational and revised Mendelian randomization analyses

Background Randomised trials of vitamin D supplementation for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality have generally reported null findings. However, generalisability of results to individuals with low vitamin D status is unclear. We aimed to characterise dose-response relationships between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality in observational and Mendelian randomisation frameworks. Methods Observational analyses were undertaken using data from 33 prospective studies comprising 500 962 individuals with no known history of coronary heart disease or stroke at baseline. Mendelian randomisation analyses were performed in four population-based cohort studies (UK Biobank, EPIC-CVD, and two Copenhagen population-based studies) comprising 386 406 middle-aged individuals of European ancestries, including 33 546 people who developed coronary heart disease, 18 166 people who had a stroke, and 27 885 people who died. Primary outcomes were coronary heart disease, defined as fatal ischaemic heart disease (International Classification of Diseases 10th revision code I20-I25) or non-fatal myocardial infarction (I21-I23); stroke, defined as any cerebrovascular disease (I60-I69); and all-cause mortality. Findings Observational analyses suggested inverse associations between incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality outcomes with 25(OH)D concentration at low 25(OH)D concentrations. In population-wide genetic analyses, there were no associations of genetically predicted 25(OH)D with coronary heart disease (odds ratio [OR] per 10 nmol/L higher genetically-predicted 25(OH)D concentration 0·98, 95% CI 0·95–1·01), stroke (1·01, [0·97–1·05]), or all-cause mortality (0·99, 0·95–1·02). Null findings were also observed in genetic analyses for cause-specific mortality outcomes, and in stratified genetic analyses for all outcomes at all observed levels of 25(OH)D concentrations. Interpretation Stratified Mendelian randomisation analyses suggest a lack of causal relationship for 25(OH)D concentrations with both cardiovascular and mortality outcomes for individuals at all levels of 25(OH)D. Our findings suggest that substantial reductions in mortality and cardiovascular morbidity due to long-term low-dose vitamin D supplementation are unlikely even if targeted at individuals with low vitamin D status

Neuropsychological function in children with hemophilia: A review of the Hemophilia Growth and Development Study and introduction of the current eTHINK study

Almost all of what is known about neurologic and cognitive development in hemophilia derives from the Hemophilia Growth and Development Study, conducted during an era when treatment regimens and comorbidities differed significantly from the current environment. Results suggested hemophilia and human immunodeficiency virus had independent effects, and hemophilia negatively impacts academic achievement, attention, and behavior. The introduction of prophylaxis treatment in hemophilia has created the need for re‐evaluation of the effects of hemophilia on neurodevelopment and cognition. We outline the Evolving Treatment of Hemophilia’s Impact on Neurodevelopment, Intelligence, and Other Cognitive Functions (NCT03660774) study, which aims to meet this need.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152761/1/pbc28004.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152761/2/pbc28004_am.pd

Activation of Ran GTPase by a <i>Legionella</i> Effector Promotes Microtubule Polymerization, Pathogen Vacuole Motility and Infection

<div><p>The causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, <i>Legionella pneumophila</i>, uses the Icm/Dot type IV secretion system (T4SS) to form in phagocytes a distinct “<i>Legionella</i>-containing vacuole” (LCV), which intercepts endosomal and secretory vesicle trafficking. Proteomics revealed the presence of the small GTPase Ran and its effector RanBP1 on purified LCVs. Here we validate that Ran and RanBP1 localize to LCVs and promote intracellular growth of <i>L. pneumophila</i>. Moreover, the <i>L. pneumophila</i> protein LegG1, which contains putative RCC1 Ran guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) domains, accumulates on LCVs in an Icm/Dot-dependent manner. <i>L. pneumophila</i> wild-type bacteria, but not strains lacking LegG1 or a functional Icm/Dot T4SS, activate Ran on LCVs, while purified LegG1 produces active Ran(GTP) in cell lysates. <i>L. pneumophila</i> lacking <i>legG1</i> is compromised for intracellular growth in macrophages and amoebae, yet is as cytotoxic as the wild-type strain. A downstream effect of LegG1 is to stabilize microtubules, as revealed by conventional and stimulated emission depletion (STED) fluorescence microscopy, subcellular fractionation and Western blot, or by microbial microinjection through the T3SS of a <i>Yersinia</i> strain lacking endogenous effectors. Real-time fluorescence imaging indicates that LCVs harboring wild-type <i>L. pneumophila</i> rapidly move along microtubules, while LCVs harboring Δ<i>legG1</i> mutant bacteria are stalled. Together, our results demonstrate that Ran activation and RanBP1 promote LCV formation, and the Icm/Dot substrate LegG1 functions as a bacterial Ran activator, which localizes to LCVs and promotes microtubule stabilization, LCV motility as well as intracellular replication of <i>L. pneumophila</i>.</p></div

LegG1 promotes intracellular replication of <i>L. pneumophila</i>.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Intracellular replication in RAW264.7 macrophages infected (MOI 0.1) with <i>L. pneumophila</i> wild-type strain JR32, Δ<i>icmT</i> or Δ<i>legG1</i>. The infected cells were lysed and CFU were determined. Data shows means and standard deviations of triplicates and is representative of three independent experiments (*, <i>p</i><0.05; ***, <i>p</i><0.001). (<b>B</b>) For competition assays <i>A. castellanii</i> amoebae were co-infected with wild-type <i>L. pneumophila</i> and the Δ<i>legG1</i> mutant strain at a 1∶1 ratio (MOI of 0.01 each) and grown at 37°C during 21 d. Every third day the supernatant and lysed amoebae were diluted 1∶5000, fresh amoebae were infected, and CFU determined on CYE agar plates containing kanamycin or not. The data shown are means and standard deviations of triplicates and representative of 3 independent experiments. For toxicity assays RAW264.7 macrophages were infected (MOI 10, 4 h) with <i>L. pneumophila</i> wild-type, Δ<i>icmT</i>, or Δ<i>legG1</i> harboring pCR033, or with Δ<i>legG1</i>/pSU19 (M45-LegG1), and (<b>C</b>) analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) after embedding the sample in epoxy resin, or (<b>D</b>) analyzed by flow cytometry after detaching the cells by scraping and staining with the membrane integrity marker propidium iodide (1 µg/ml). (<b>E</b>) For TEM analysis of Golgi stacks, RAW264.7 macrophages were infected with <i>L. pneumophila</i> wild-type, Δ<i>icmT</i> or Δ<i>legG1</i> (MOI 10) and embedded in epoxy resin. The total length of Golgi cisternae and the ratio of the total number of Golgi cisternae relative to the total cytoplasmic area were quantified by stereology in thin sections. Bars, 1 µm. (<b>F</b>) Single round replication assay in RAW264.7 macrophages infected (MOI 20) with GFP-producing <i>L. pneumophila</i> wild-type, Δ<i>icmT</i> or Δ<i>legG1</i> harboring pNT28, in presence or absence of 10 µM nocodazole. Means and standard deviations of 3 samples per strain, each analyzed in triplicate, from a single experiment is shown. Data are representative of 3 independent experiments.</p