316 research outputs found
Regulation of Water Supply in Germany
Wasserversorgung, Privatisierung, Regulierung, Deutschland, Water supply, Privatization, Regulation, Germany
Mainstreaming community-based sanitation in urban areas in Asia
This Paper provides guidance for increasing involvement of low income urban communities in accessing neighbourhood
level sanitation services in densely populated areas, based on the experience of CBS demonstration projects in Indonesia
and India. It further explores the demand-responsive approaches in community selection and informed choice while
attempting to mainstream CBS as an urban planning tool with local governments. The Paper aims to contribute to the
reduction of the mismatch of overall CBS implementation plans and the reality situation. This review highlights strategies
for effective cooperation among stakeholders and the need for better sanitation mapping and prioritization as a first step
toward strategic sanitation planning
Structural and functional diversification in the teleost S100 family of calcium-binding proteins
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Among the EF-Hand calcium-binding proteins the subgroup of S100 proteins constitute a large family with numerous and diverse functions in calcium-mediated signaling. The evolutionary origin of this family is still uncertain and most studies have examined mammalian family members.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have performed an extensive search in several teleost genomes to establish the <it>s100 </it>gene family in fish. We report that the teleost S100 repertoire comprises fourteen different subfamilies which show remarkable similarity across six divergent teleost species. Individual species feature distinctive subsets of thirteen to fourteen genes that result from local gene duplications and gene losses. Eight of the fourteen S100 subfamilies are unique for teleosts, while six are shared with mammalian species and three of those even with cartilaginous fish. Several S100 family members are found in jawless fish already, but none of them are clear orthologs of cartilaginous or bony fish <it>s100 </it>genes. All teleost <it>s100 </it>genes show the expected structural features and are subject to strong negative selection. Many aspects of the genomic arrangement and location of mammalian <it>s100 </it>genes are retained in the teleost <it>s100 </it>gene family, including a completely conserved intron/exon border between the two EF hands. Zebrafish <it>s100 </it>genes exhibit highly specific and characteristic expression patterns, showing both redundancy and divergence in their cellular expression. In larval tissue expression is often restricted to specific cell types like keratinocytes, hair cells, ionocytes and olfactory receptor neurons as demonstrated by <it>in situ </it>hybridization.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The origin of the S100 family predates at least the segregation of jawed from jawless fish and some extant family members predate the divergence of bony from cartilaginous fish. Despite a complex pattern of gene gains and losses the total repertoire size is remarkably constant between species. On the expression level the teleost S100 proteins can serve as precise markers for several different cell types. At least some of their functions may be related to those of their counterparts in mammals. Accordingly, our findings provide an excellent basis for future studies of the functions and interaction partners of <it>s100 </it>genes and finally their role in diseases, using the zebrafish as a model organism.</p
Wegbereiter der Nachhaltigkeitsforschung
Das Bild der âGroĂen Transformationâ greift Kritikpositionen und Fragestellungen auf, die spĂ€testens in den 1970er Jahren unter dem Stichwort âĂkologische Kriseâ auf die wissenschaftliche und gesellschaftliche Agenda gesetzt wurden. Zahlreiche unabhĂ€ngige Forschungsinstitute arbeiten seitdem an der Lösung dieser Fragestellungen
Cardio-Respiratory Coordination Increases during Sleep Apnea
Funding: MR, NW, AM, TP and JK acknowledge financial support from RI2916/2-1, WE2834/5-1, PE628/4-1, and KU837/23-1 (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Do dried blood spots have the potential to support result management processes in routine sports drug testing?âPart 3: LCâMS/MSâbased peptide analysis for dried blood spot sampling time point estimation
Along with the recent acknowledgement of the World Anti-Doping Agency to use dried blood spot (DBS) samples for routine doping control purposes, there have been propositions to use DBS as a matrix that allows regular proactive remotely supervised self-sampling, providing potential longitudinal monitoring of an athlete's exposure to doping agents. However, several organizational aspects have to be considered before implementation, such as the verification of the sample collections time point. Based on a previous untargeted proteomics workflow utilizing liquid chromatographyâhigh-resolution mass spectrometry (LCâHRMS) to identify protein/peptide markers to define the time since deposition of a bloodstain, the aim of the current study was to develop a targeted LCâHRMS/MS analytical method for promising peptidic target analytes. A long-term DBS storage experiment was carried out over a 3-month period (sample collection time points: 0, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84 and 91âdays) with DBS samples of 10 volunteers for longitudinal investigation of signal abundance changes of targeted peptide sequences at different storage temperatures (room temperature [RT], 4°C and â20°C). Prior to experimental analysis, LCâHRMS/MS method characteristics were successfully assessed, including intraday precision, carryover and sample extract stability. For estimation of DBS sample collection time points, ratios of two peptides that originate from the same protein prior to tryptic digestion were created. Two targeted peptide area ratios were found to significantly increase after being stored at RT for 28âdays, representing potential markers for future use in routine doping controls that contribute to advancing complementary avenues in anti-doping
Verstehen - bewerten - gestalten : transdisziplinĂ€res Wissen fĂŒr eine nachhaltige Gesellschaft ; Memorandum zur Weiterentwicklung der sozial-ökologischen Forschung in Deutschland
Die Lösung globaler Probleme wie Klimawandel, Umweltzerstörung oder ErnĂ€hrungssicherung erfordert grundlegende Transformationen unserer Gesellschaft. Um diese neuartigen und existenziellen Herausforderungen bewĂ€ltigen zu können, brauchen wir neues Wissen â ĂŒber die Entstehung der Probleme, ĂŒber anzustrebende LösungsansĂ€tze und ĂŒber Wege zu deren Umsetzung.
Mit dem Ziel, dieses Wissen zu schaffen, hat sich die transdisziplinĂ€re sozial-ökologische Forschung entwickelt â eine innovative, praxisnahe Forschung entlang der zentralen Motive Verstehen â Bewerten â Gestalten: Komplexe Probleme zu verstehen, die erarbeitete Wissensbasis zu bewerten und Handlungsoptionen zu gestalten greifen bei diesem Forschungstypus ineinander. Die sozialökologische Forschung hat eine Pionierfunktion fĂŒr die Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitsforschung in Deutschland ĂŒbernommen und wegweisende Arbeiten etwa zur Energie-, MobilitĂ€ts- oder ErnĂ€hrungswende vorgelegt.
Im Förderschwerpunkt Sozial-ökologische Forschung (SĂF) hat das Bundesministerium fĂŒr Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) im Jahr 2000 erstmals ein Programm zur Förderung dieses spezifischen Forschungszugangs aufgelegt. Bis zum Jahr 2012 wurden darin VerbĂŒnde und Einzelvorhaben unterstĂŒtzt, etwa zu Themen wie Umwelt - ErnĂ€hrung - Gesundheit: Langfriststrategien fĂŒr einen nachhaltigen Konsum oder Soziale Dimensionen von Klimaschutz und Klimawandel. Mit Erfolg: Forschungsvorhaben zur Transformation stehen inzwischen prominent auf der Tagesordnung von Politik und Gesellschaft. Und auch die Wissenschaft selbst öffnet sich immer mehr fĂŒr die Fragen und Methoden der sozial-ökologischen Forschung.
Dieses Memorandum setzt sich dafĂŒr ein, die Basis der sozial-ökologischen Forschung in den kommenden Jahren konsequent zu vertiefen und zu verbreitern â inhaltlich, organisatorisch und institutionell. Dazu gibt das Memorandum Empfehlungen zur Förderung von Themenfeldern und von MaĂnahmen der Strukturentwicklung
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