A differential-integral approach to determine thermally induced flow oscillations

M.S

Zum Formverständnis

Im Rahmen des SFB 230 wurde eine Kombination von Formfindungsverfahren entwickelt, die es ermöglicht, einen Ansatz zur Realisation einer 'Architektur komplexer Formen' zu finden. Ausgangspunkt ist ein der Morphologie entlehnter Konstruktionsbegriff, der die Einbeziehung eines prozessualen (evolutionären) Aspektes ermöglicht

Histometric data obtained by in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy in patients with systemic sclerosis

BACKGROUND: It would be a benefit if time-saving, non-invasive methods could give hints for diagnosing systemic sclerosis. To investigate the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis using confocal laser scanning microscopy in vivo and to develop histometric parameters to describe characteristic cutaneous changes of systemic sclerosis observed by this new technique, we conducted an exploratory study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients with systemic sclerosis treated with extracorporal photopheresis were compared with 15 healthy volunteers and 10 patients with other disorders also treated with extracorporal photopheresis. All subjects were investigated using confocal laser scanning microscopy in vivo. RESULTS: Micromorphologic characteristics of skin of patients with systemic sclerosis and measuring parameters for melanisation, epidermal hypotrophy, and fibrosis for dislocation of capillaries by collagen deposits in the papillary dermis were evaluated. An interesting finding was an increased thickness of the tissue in the dermal papillae superior to the first dermal papilla vessel. It was also possible to reproduce characteristic histologic features by confocal laser scanning microscopy in vivo. Histometric parameters for fibrosis and vascular features developed in this study showed significant differences in patients with systemic sclerosis compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Although the predominant histopathological features in systemic sclerosis are findings of the reticular dermis and the subcutis, and in histopathological investigation the epidermis seems to remain unaffected by the disease, we have demonstrate some characteristic differences in the epidermis and papillary dermis by confocal laser scanning microscopy in vivo. Some of them have not been described so far. However, to use this technique as a tool for diagnosis and/or staging of systemic sclerosis, further studies are needed investigating the sensitivity and specificity of the histometric parameters developed in this study

Konzeptionelle Grundlagen für eine säulenübergreifende Altersvorsorgeinformation: Zusammenfassung

Das Ziel der Einführung einer säulenübergreifenden Altersvorsorgeinformation kann in absehbarer Zeit erreicht werden - dies ist die zentrale Quintessenz der vorliegenden Studie

Konzeptionelle Grundlagen für eine säulenübergreifende Altersvorsorgeinformation

Ziel einer säulenübergreifenden Altersvorsorgeinformation ist es, jedem Bürger die Möglichkeit zu geben, sich einen Überblick über seine gesamte Altersvorsorge zu verschaffen. Ausreichende Informationen sind eine Voraussetzung, um eigenverantwortlich Entscheidungen über die Altersvorsorge zu treffen. Dies stellt in Deutschland eine besondere Herausforderung dar, weil es in der betrieblichen Altersversorgung mehrere 10.000 Vorsorgeeinrichtungen gibt, die eine große Produkt-Heterogenität aufweisen. Diese Studie zeigt auf, wie alle interessierten Bürger einen aktuellen und verständlichen Gesamtüberblick über ihre Altersvorsorgeprodukte und die erreichten sowie erreichbaren Leistungen erhalten können. Zusätzlich diskutieren wir, wie im Rahmen einer Modellrechnung eine aggregierte monatliche lebenslange Gesamtrente in heutiger Kaufkraft ermittelt und dargestellt werden könnte. Die Bereitstellung der Daten auf einer Informationsplattform soll durch die jeweiligen Vorsorgeeinrichtungen unter Verwendung standardisierter Datensätze aus den bestehenden Mitteilungspflichten erfolgen. Besondere Herausforderungen bestehen insbesondere bei der Festlegung geeigneter Identifikationskennzeichen für die personenindividuelle Zuordnung der Vorsorgeinformationen sowie bei der Anbindung vieler kleinerer Vorsorgeeinrichtungen. Organisatorisch sollte die Plattform gemeinschaftlich vom Staat und von den Vorsorgeeinrichtungen getragen werden. Wir schlagen die schrittweise Einführung der säulenübergreifenden Altersvorsorgeinformation vor und empfehlen, zeitnah mit reduziertem Informationsumfang unter Einbeziehung der größeren Vorsorgeeinrichtungen zu starten sowie eine sukzessive Ausweitung vorzusehen. Auf dieser Basis kann das Ziel kosteneffizient erreicht werden und durch die Einführung der säulenübergreifenden Altersvorsorgeinformation ein massiver Nutzen im Hinblick auf die Informationsmöglichkeiten über die Altersvorsorge der Bürger gestiftet werden. Für die Umsetzung sollten zunächst die grundlegenden Entscheidungen über die Konzeption der säulenübergreifenden Altersvorsorgeinformation getroffen und eine Trägerorganisation für die Plattform mit der Umsetzung beauftragt werden.The objective of a single combined retirement information platform across all pillars is to give users an overview of their total retirement income. For taking appropriate decisions concerning retirement provisions adequate information is prerequisite. This is particularly challenging as Germany features some 10,000 plan sponsors with very heterogeneous pension products within occupational pensions. We analyze how users get an overview of their retirement income based on aggregated information about their potential monthly annuity at retirement. Additionally, we discuss how this annuity could be translated into today's purchase power. This will be based on data provided by the various retirement plan providers - using a standardized data format and existing information requirements. Main challenges are determining a suitable identifier and integrating the many very small pension plan sponsors. The platform should be supported jointly by the government and the various retirement plan providers. We recommend a step-by-step introduction - to start with a reduced level of information and having at least the major retirement plan providers involved. Content and participation level of providers should be gradually extended. In this way a cost-efficient information platform on retirement income across all pillars can be achieved - creating a material benefit for all users, especially regarding the available information level on retirement income. For a successful implementation some basic decisions on the overall concept need to be made first, followed by defining the legal entity to be assigned with the set-up of the platform

The discovAIR project:a roadmap towards the Human Lung Cell Atlas

The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) consortium aims to establish an atlas of all organs in the healthy human body at single-cell resolution to increase our understanding of basic biological processes that govern development, physiology and anatomy, and to accelerate diagnosis and treatment of disease. The lung biological network of the HCA aims to generate the Human Lung Cell Atlas as a reference for the cellular repertoire, molecular cell states and phenotypes, and the cell-cell interactions that characterise normal lung homeostasis in healthy lung tissue. Such a reference atlas of the healthy human lung will facilitate mapping the changes in the cellular landscape in disease. The discovAIR project is one of six pilot actions for the HCA funded by the European Commission in the context of the H2020 framework program. DiscovAIR aims to establish the first draft of an integrated Human Lung Cell Atlas, combining single-cell transcriptional and epigenetic profiling with spatially resolving techniques on matched tissue samples, as well as including a number of chronic and infectious diseases of the lung. The integrated Lung Cell Atlas will be available as a resource for the wider respiratory community, including basic and translational scientists, clinical medicine, and the private sector, as well as for patients with lung disease and the interested lay public. We anticipate that the Lung Cell Atlas will be the founding stone for a more detailed understanding of the pathogenesis of lung diseases, guiding the design of novel diagnostics and preventive or curative interventions

An integrated cell atlas of the lung in health and disease

Single-cell technologies have transformed our understanding of human tissues. Yet, studies typically capture only a limited number of donors and disagree on cell type definitions. Integrating many single-cell datasets can address these limitations of individual studies and capture the variability present in the population. Here we present the integrated Human Lung Cell Atlas (HLCA), combining 49 datasets of the human respiratory system into a single atlas spanning over 2.4 million cells from 486 individuals. The HLCA presents a consensus cell type re-annotation with matching marker genes, including annotations of rare and previously undescribed cell types. Leveraging the number and diversity of individuals in the HLCA, we identify gene modules that are associated with demographic covariates such as age, sex and body mass index, as well as gene modules changing expression along the proximal-to-distal axis of the bronchial tree. Mapping new data to the HLCA enables rapid data annotation and interpretation. Using the HLCA as a reference for the study of disease, we identify shared cell states across multiple lung diseases, including SPP1+ profibrotic monocyte-derived macrophages in COVID-19, pulmonary fibrosis and lung carcinoma. Overall, the HLCA serves as an example for the development and use of large-scale, cross-dataset organ atlases within the Human Cell Atlas