Das Nachhaltigkeitskonzept und die schwierige Integration der sozialen Dimension diskutiert am "Leitbild Ökologischer Landbau"

"'Nachhaltigkeit' ist solange ein konsensfähiges Leitbild, bis seine gegenstandsbezogene Bestimmung nebst notwendiger Operationalisierung ansteht. Trotz vieler Bemühungen und Anstrengungen ist aber bis heute ein gesellschaftlich akzeptierter, nicht ökologisch oder ökonomisch verengter, und trotzdem trennscharfer und praxisnaher Nachhaltigkeitsbegriff für die verschiedenen Problembereiche Desiderat. Gerade in den letzten Jahren wurde daher in einigen größeren Forschungsvorhaben (z.B. dem Verbundprojekt 'Arbeit und Ökologie' der Hans-Böckler-Stiftung und dem HGF-Projekt 'Global zukunftsfähige Entwicklung - Perspektiven für Deutschland') versucht, auch die 'soziale Dimension' systematisch mit einzubeziehen und zu operationalisieren. Diese Ansätze beanspruchen, auch für die Gerechtigkeitsproblematik offen zu sein. Allerdings liegen bisher - mit Ausnahme des HGF-Projekts - nur wenig Erfahrungen vor, wie integrative Nachhaltigkeitskonzepte und entsprechende Indikatorensets für die Analyse, Bewertung und Gestaltung einzelner Bedürfnisfelder (Landwirtschaft/ Ernährung, Bauen und Wohnen, Freizeit etc.) genutzt werden können. Die beiden Projekte 'Von der Agrarwende zur Konsumwende?' und 'Regionaler Wohlstand neu betrachtet' widmen sich dieser Aufgabe. Beide Projekte setzen sich mit der Frage auseinander, um welche Aspekte das Leitbild des Ökologischen Landbaus als Kernstück der proklamierten Agrarwende erweitert werden müsste, um problemorientiert und mit visionärer Kraft eine zukunftsfähige Entwicklung im gesellschaftlichen Problembereich Landwirtschaft und Ernährung vorantreiben zu können. Die Aufgabe ist, in diesem Handlungsfeld aus sozialökologischer Perspektive Bewertungs-und Entwicklungskonzepte zu erarbeiten, die Aspekte der Umwelt- und Sozialgerechtigkeit integrieren. Im Rahmen des Vortrags sollen einige der sozialen Fragestellungen der Projekte vertieft und für die Begriffserklärung von 'Nachhaltiger Entwicklung' genutzt werden: Inwieweit tragen die Betriebe der ökologischen Land- und Ernährungswirtschaft zur Stärkung von sozialen Ressourcen und zur Entfaltung von Humanpotenzial in ihrem Umfeld bei? Sind in der Branche Ansätze einer Stärkung der Entwicklungs- und Gestaltungsmacht von Frauen und anderen depravierten Akteuren erkennbar? Inwieweit können innerhalb der Wertschöpfungskette in der Branche faire Handelsbeziehungen verwirklicht werden? Müssen Indikatorensysteme die regionen- bzw. kontextspezifischen Bedingungen reflektieren? Gehorchen Ernährungsstile letztlich sozial stratifizierten Mustern oder inwieweit ist eine sozialgerechte 'Konsumwende' denkbar?" (Autorenreferat

Social orientation of banks

The influence of the bank's orientation on clients and the quality of the services provided on the financial efficiency of the commercial institution (sales volume, profitability, cost reduction) was studied. The development of online banking and Internet banking is considered. The relationship between the profitability of the bank and the level of customercentricity is proved. World experience has been compared and generalized, and country specificity has been singled out in different regions of the world. The dependence between the degree of customer satisfaction and their subsequent loyalty to the bank was studied. Prospective directions of expansion of the market of banking services are outlined, and also changes in the psychology of the client that took place due to scientific and technological progress are noted. The basic directions of increase of efficiency of work of the bank personnel are allocated

Impact of inorganic nitrate in cardiovascular ischemic disease

Nitric oxide (NO) is one the most important and multifaceted messengers of the mammalian organism. To a large part it is synthesized by different isoforms of the NO-synthase (NOS). Under normoxia the enzyme metabolizes L-arginine to citrulline and NO with the assistance of oxygen (O2). The produced NO acts as messenger mediating neurological signals and supporting a host defense. In the cardiovascular system, NO has a great impact on vasodilation and vascular homeostasis e. g. by inhibiting platelet activation. Under hypoxia and ischemia this sensitive system is impaired, as the needed cofactor O2 is deficient. A back-up system partly compensates the emerging lack of endogenous NO, by way of NO synthesis. Gaseous NO has a short half-life and is fast oxidized to nitrite (NO2-) and further to nitrate (NO3-). These circulating metabolites could be reduced back to NO by e. g. myoglobin, hemoglobin, and cytoglobin whereby, on the whole NO3- is reduced to NO2- by commensal oral bacteria. Without O2, these enzymes switch from e. g. NO-scavengers to NO producing molecules absorbing reduced endogenous NO synthesis. However, NO2- and NO3- are not only endogenously produced. Both are ingredients of several foods. These ingested inorganic NO2- and NO3- also fill up the pool of reducible NO metabolites. Hence, recent works could show that an increase in dietary NO3- (and NO2-) not only increases the endogenous NO3- (NO2-) pool, but could also improve regeneration after ischemia. These works, in combination with novel considerations referring the toxicity of NO2- and NO3- resulted in a new perception of these nutritional ingredients with relativization of hazardous effects and more emphasis on its beneficial potential. The current study hypothesized that supplementation with dietary NO3- improves regeneration in the murine hind limb model, an animal model of peripheral ischemia. It is supposed that regeneration is supported by revascularization, increased mobilization of Endothelial-regenerating cells and increased muscle tissue protection. Finally, it is proposed that the decrease in NO production and the subsequent decreased endothelial regenerating cell level is associated with a severe cardiovascular disease, such as the myocardial infarction. Accordingly, present work demonstrates that the increase of bioavailable NO by dietary NO3- increases perfusion of affected tissue elucidating its regenerative potential. It could be shown that mobilization and migration of Endothelial-regenerating cells is significantly improved. Moreover, it shows that not only revascularization but also tissue protection is improved. It is proposed that this cytoprotection is mediated by Endothelial-regenerating cells with the Fas/FasL pathway, as candidate for paracrine reactions. Indeed, the work in hand shows that Endothelial-regenerating cells express FasL modulated by NO3- intake. Presented clinical studies corroborate the hypothesis of decreased NO bioavailability in myocardial infarction with associative relation to its severity. In conclusion, it could be demonstrated that dietary NO3- acts cytoprotective in the ischemic hind limb model, mediating mobilization and migration of endothelial-regenerating cells. Description of decreased NO bioavailability in myocardial infarction underscores the importance of increasing NO level in (cardio)vascular disease. The relevance of the beneficial potential of the NO3- NO2- NO pathway is supported, highlighting the impact of dietary NO3- in ischemia

Biocompatibility of Poly(ester amide) (PEA) Microfibrils in Ocular Tissues

Drug delivery systems (DDS) are able to deliver, over long periods of time, therapeutic concentrations of drugs requiring frequent administration. Two classes of DDS are available, biodegradable and non-biodegradable. The larger non-biodegradable implants ensure long-term delivery, but require surgical interventions. Biodegradable biomaterials are smaller, injectable implants, but degrade hydrolytically and release drugs in non-zero order kinetics, which is inefficient for long-term sustained drug release. Biodegradable poly(ester amides) (PEAs) may overcome these difficulties. To assess their ocular biocompatibility and long-term behavior, PEA fibrils were analyzed in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, incubation in vitreous humor changes to PEA structure, suggests degradation by surface erosion, enabling drug release with zero order kinetics. Clinical and histological analysis of PEA fibrils implanted subconjunctivally and intravitreally showed the absence of an inflammatory response or other pathological tissue alteration. This study shows that PEA fibrils are biocompatible with ocular environment and degrade by surface erosion

La dégénérescence maculaire

La dégénérescence maculaire liée à l’âge (DMLA) est un problème de santé croissant et une cause fréquente de cécité, surtout dans les pays où l’espérance de vie est élevée. Parmi les deux formes, dégénérescence maculaire liée à l’âge avasculaire (DMLAa, ou sèche) et dégénérescence maculaire liée à l’âge néovasculaire (DMLAnv, ou humide), seule cette dernière peut être traitée, à l’aide de préparations antinéovasculaires, ce qui est également dû à des connaissances encore incomplètes de la pathogenèse. Un facteur clé dans l’induction de la DMLAnv est le Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). En présence de DMLAa, une interaction complexe entre le stress cellulaire et une réponse immune déréglée dans les tissus de la barrière externe hémato-rétinienne (choroïde, membrane de Bruch, épithélium pigmentaire rétinien) semble être à l’origine de la maladie. Cette complexité complique la recherche, mais les innovations en pharmacologie, en thérapie cellulaire et génique offrent de nouvelles options. Outre l’âge et les prédispositions génétiques, il existe également des facteurs de risque influençables, tels que l’alimentation, ce qui permet une certaine prévention. En cas de maladie, des outils techniques et intraoculaires fournissent aussi un soutien, en plus des compléments alimentaires. Die altersbedingte Makuladegeneration (AMD) ist vor allem in Ländern mit einer hohen Lebenserwartung ein steigendes Gesund-heitsproblem und häufige Ursache für Erblindung. Von den zwei Formen, der avaskulären AMD (aAMD) und der neovaskulären AMD (nvAMD), ist nur die Letztere mittels antiangiogener Präparate behandelbar, was auch an dem noch unvollständigen Wissen über die Pathogenese liegt. Ein Schlüsselfaktor bei der Induktion der nvAMD ist der überexprimierte Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). Bei der aAMD scheint ein komplexes Zusammenspiel aus Zellstress und einer dysregulierten Immunantwort in den Geweben der äusseren Blut-Retina-Schranke (Aderhaut, Bruch‘sche Membran, Retinales Pigmentepithel) ursächlich für die Erkrankung. Diese Komplexität erschwert die Forschung, aber Innovationen in Pharmakologie, Zell- und Gentherapie offerieren neue Optionen. Neben dem Alter und genetischen Prädispositionen gibt es auch beeinflussbare Risikofaktoren wie die Ernährung, was eine gewisse Prävention ermöglicht. Unterstützung im Falle einer Erkrankung bieten neben Nahrungsergänzungsmitteln, technische sowie intraokuläre Hilfsmittel

Tolbutamide eye drops increase aqueous humor outflow and lower intraocular pressure: a proof of concept for glaucoma treatment

Background: Glaucoma refers to a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by retinal cell degeneration and optic nerve atrophy leading to blindness. Even though about 40% of patients have normal intraocular pressure (IOP), current treatment. focuses on lowering IOP. With time, current drugs become less effective, which has motivated the search for novel drugs.The objective was to establish whether modulators of ATP-sensitive potassium channels influence IOP. Methods: The double-blind, 5-day short duration Proof-Of-Concept study was carried out at the Ophthalmology Clinic, University of Cologne, Germany. The only inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of glaucoma, ability to understand that they would be treated with an experimental drug, and readiness to sign a consent form. Results: In rabbits, 1 h after topical application of 80 µL of 0.5% tolazamide, tolbutamide, glibenclamide, and chlorpropamide suspended in phosphate buffered saline IOP de-creased, whereas 0.5% diazoxide increased IOP. In Cynomolgus monkeys tolbutamide decreased IOP. In 9 glaucoma patients treated for 5 days with one drop of a 0.5% tolbutamide solution twice daily, IOP was an average of 17% lowered. In one patient with ocular hypertension, tolbutamide lowered IOP by a 5-day average of 29% and increased aqueous humor outflow by 185%. No local adverse effects were observed. Conclusions: The data presented show that blockers of the ATP-sensitive potassium channels lower IOP whereas diazoxide, an ATP-sensitive potassium channel opener, increases IOP suggesting that elevated IOP results from an ionic imbalance. The data suggest that sulfonylurea drugs are useful for the treatment of glaucoma

Comparison of femtosecond laser-assisted and ultrasound-assisted cataract surgery with focus on endothelial analysis

Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery has the potential to make critical steps of cataract surgery easier and safer, and reduce endothelial cell loss, thus, improving postoperative outcomes. This study compared FLACS with the conventional method in terms of endothelial cells behavior, clinical outcomes, and capsulotomy precision. Methods: In a single-center, randomized controlled study, 130 patients with cataracta senilis received FLACS or conventional cataract surgery. Results: A significant endothelial cell loss was observed postoperatively, compared to the preoperative values in both groups. The endothelial cell counts was significantly better in the FLACS group in cataract grade 2 (p = 0.048) patients, compared to conventionally at 4 weeks. The effective phaco time was notably shorter in grade 2 of the FLACS group (p = 0.007) compared to the conventional. However, no statistically significant differences were found for the whole sample, including all cataract grades, due to the overall cataract density in the FLACS group being significantly higher (2.60 ± 0.58, p < 0.001) as compared to conventional methods (2.23 ± 0.42). Conclusions: Low energy FLACS provides a better result compared to endothelial cell loss, size, and shape variations, as well as in effective phaco time within certain cataract grade subgroups. A complete comparison between two groups was not possible because of the higher cataract grade in the FLACS. FLACS displayed a positive effect on endothelial cell preservation and was proven to be much more precise