Conceptualising Social Bots for Countering Online Extremist Messages

Online extremism and radicalisation on social media (SM) are significant concerns of governments, SM companies, and society. The 2021 attack on the US Capitol illustrates the severity of extremism fulled through SM communications. The literature suggests the removal of extremist messages from SM to limit online extremism. However, scholars argue that these interventions are ineffective in containing the threat of extremist messages on SM. This study draws on dual-process theory and reactance theory to conceptualize the factors that contribute to limiting online extremism. Our model proposes cognitive factors and socio-technical factors that impact how SM users respond to online extremist messages. The model is tested with an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based automated software agents (bots). The research contributes to a novel understanding of bots as social bots that are programmed as interventions to extremism

Absence of Ret Signaling in Mice Causes Progressive and Late Degeneration of the Nigrostriatal System

Support of ageing neurons by endogenous neurotrophic factors such as glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may determine whether the neurons resist or succumb to neurodegeneration. GDNF has been tested in clinical trials for the treatment of Parkinson disease (PD), a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of midbrain dopaminergic (DA) neurons. BDNF modulates nigrostriatal functions and rescues DA neurons in PD animal models. The physiological roles of GDNF and BDNF signaling in the adult nigrostriatal DA system are unknown. We generated mice with regionally selective ablations of the genes encoding the receptors for GDNF (Ret) and BDNF (TrkB). We find that Ret, but not TrkB, ablation causes progressive and adult-onset loss of DA neurons specifically in the substantia nigra pars compacta, degeneration of DA nerve terminals in striatum, and pronounced glial activation. These findings establish Ret as a critical regulator of long-term maintenance of the nigrostriatal DA system and suggest conditional Ret mutants as useful tools for gaining insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of PD.</p

Gesellschaftliche Leistungen des Ökolandbaus in den Pilotregionen Nordhessen und Rheinland. regiosöl-Profile.

Der Ökolandbau leistet einen wichtigen Beitrag zu vielen ökologischen und sozialen gesellschaftlichen Zielen. Um diese sozialen und ökologischen Leistungen (söL) durch verschiedene politische und markt-basierte Instrumente besser als bisher honorieren zu können, werden Möglichkeiten zu ihrer Erfassung und Kommunikation entwickelt. Diesem Ansatz liegt das Verständnis zugrunde, dass die Inwertsetzung von sozialen und ökologischen Leistungen in der Landwirtschaft nur über die Kaskade Bewusstsein – Wertschätzung – Wertschöpfung erfolgen kann. Ziel des regiosöl-Vorhabens ist es, die Leistungen des Ökolandbaus durch eine transparente Erfassung in einem regionalen Bezugsraum sichtbarer zu machen. Das Projekt verfolgt 3 spezifische Ziele: (1) eine verbesserte Erfassungsmethode für die söL des Ökolandbaus, (2) die Darstellung der Leistungen in regionalen Profilen, und (3) ein allgemeinverständlicher Kommunikationsansatz. Bestehende Erfassungs-, Kommunikations- und Honorierungsansätze für die gesellschaftlichen Leistungen des Ökolandbaus wurden gesichtet und bestehende Lücken identifiziert. Aufbauend auf der als besonders Praxis-geeigneten Regionalwert-Nachhaltigkeitsanalyse (RWNA) wurden Kriterien und Indikatoren für eine betriebliche und regionale Erfassung der gesellschaftlichen Leistungen des Ökolandbaus entwickelt. Diese regiosöl-Indikatoren wurden gemeinsam mit der RWNA mit Ökobetrieben in den Pilotregionen getestet und bzgl. ihrer Eignung, Aussagekraft und Bewertungsmöglichkeiten eingeschätzt. Für die beiden Pilotregionen wurden in transdisziplinärer Zusammenarbeit mit Praxisakteuren regiosöl-Profile erstellt. Während eine Erfassung von söL auf betrieblicher Ebene die Optimierung der söL-Bereitstellung des Betriebes bezweckt, sollen die Erkenntnisse der auf regionaler Ebene erfassten söL für eine Optimierung der Bereitstellung gesellschaftlicher Leistungen auf regionaler Ebene genutzt werden. Der regiosöl-Profil-Bericht für die Pilotregionen beinhaltet folglich nicht nur eine Status-Quo-Analyse gesellschaftlicher Leistungen des Ökolandbaus in der Region, sondern stellt basierend auf diesen Erkenntnissen auch regionale Handlungsstrategien für die Weiterentwicklung bzw. Verbesserung dieser gesellschaftlichen Leistungen dar und zeigt eine Entwicklungsperspektive auf

Status-quo-Analyse und regionale Eignungsprüfung bestehender Erfassungs-, Kommunikations- und Honorierungsansätze gesellschaftlicher Leistungen des Ökolandbaus

Der Ökolandbau leistet einen wichtigen Beitrag zu vielen ökologischen und sozialen gesellschaftlichen Zielen, die in den Nachhaltigkeitszielen der Vereinten Nationen („Sustainable Development Goals“ – SDGs) manifestiert sind (vgl. Dwyer et al. 2015). Einen wichtigen Ansatzpunkt für das regiosöl-Projekt bildet die Feststellung, dass der Ökolandbau aufgrund seines Systemansatzes mehrere ökologische Leistungen im Verbund erbringen kann und deshalb „die aggregierte Wirkung bei der Bewertung […] eine wichtige Rolle spielen sollte“ (Sanders & Heß, 2019). Soziale und kulturelle Leistungen werden gegenüber den ökologischen und ökonomischen Leistungen bislang vernachlässigt. Die Wirkungszusammenhänge der ökologischen Leistungen sind jedoch eng verflochten mit den vornehmlich sozialen Leistungen der Landwirtschaft. Zur Bewertung sozial-ökologischer Kriterien in der Landwirtschaft haben sich in den letzten Jahren verschiedene Bewertungssysteme entwickelt. Sie widmen sich aus einer jeweils eigenen Blickrichtung unterschiedlichen Kriterien und Ebenen. werden existierende Ansätze der Erfassung, Kommunikation und Honorierung analysiert, um die Lücken – insbesondere mit Blick auf soziale und regionale Leistungen des Ökolandbaus – zu identifizieren. Basierend auf dieser Status-quo-Analyse konkretisiert dieses erste Arbeitspapier die Zielsetzungen des regiosöl-Projektes. So sollen Ziele und Ansatzpunkte für die regiosöl-Ansätze der Erfassung, Kommunikation und Honorierung definiert werden

Risk-Adjusted Cancer Screening and Prevention (RiskAP): Complementing Screening for Early Disease Detection by a Learning Screening Based on Risk Factors

Background: Risk-adjusted cancer screening and prevention is a promising and continuously emerging option for improving cancer prevention. It is driven by increasing knowledge of risk factors and the ability to determine them for individual risk prediction. However, there is a knowledge gap between evidence of increased risk and evidence of the effectiveness and efficiency of clinical preventive interventions based on increased risk. This gap is, in particular, aggravated by the extensive availability of genetic risk factor diagnostics, since the question of appropriate preventive measures immediately arises when an increased risk is identified. However, collecting proof of effective preventive measures, ideally by prospective randomized preventive studies, typically requires very long periods of time, while the knowledge about an increased risk immediately creates a high demand for action. Summary: Therefore, we propose a risk-adjusted prevention concept that is based on the best current evidence making needed and appropriate preventive measures available, and which is constantly evaluated through outcome evaluation, and continuously improved based on these results. We further discuss the structural and procedural requirements as well as legal and socioeconomical aspects relevant for the implementation of this concept

Influence of Interferon-Alpha Combined with Chemo (Radio) Therapy on Immunological Parameters in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Prognosis of patients with carcinoma of the exocrine pancreas is particularly poor. A combination of chemotherapy with immunotherapy could be an option for treatment of pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to perform an immunomonitoring of 17 patients with pancreatic cancer from the CapRI-2 study, and tumor-bearing mice treated with combination of chemo (radio) therapies with interferon-2. Low doses of interferon-2 led to a decrease in total leukocyte and an increase in monocyte counts. Furthermore, we observed a positive effect of interferon-2 therapy on the dendritic cells and NK (natural killer) cell activation immediately after the first injection. In addition, we recorded an increased amount of interferon- and IL-10 in the serum following the interferon-2 therapy. These data clearly demonstrate that pancreatic carcinoma patients also show an immunomodulatory response to interferon-2 therapy. Analysis of immunosuppressive cells in the Panc02 orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer revealed an accumulation of the myeloid-derived suppressor cells in spleens and tumors of the mice treated with interferon-2 and 5-fluorouracil. The direct effect of the drugs on myeloid-derived suppressor cells was also registered in vitro. These data expose the importance of immunosuppressive mechanisms induced by combined chemo-immunotherapy

Complement Activation Is Associated With Disease Severity in Multiple Sclerosis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Histopathologic studies have identified immunoglobulin (Ig) deposition and complement activation as contributors of CNS tissue damage in multiple sclerosis (MS). Intrathecal IgM synthesis is associated with higher MS disease activity and severity, and IgM is the strongest complement-activating immunoglobulin. In this study, we investigated whether complement components (CCs) and complement activation products (CAPs) are increased in persons with MS, especially in those with an intrathecal IgM synthesis, and whether they are associated with disease severity and progression. METHODS CC and CAP levels were quantified in plasma and CSF of 112 patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), 127 patients with MS (90 relapsing-remitting, 14 primary progressive, and 23 secondary progressive), 31 inflammatory neurologic disease, and 44 symptomatic controls from the Basel CSF databank study. Patients with CIS/MS were followed in the Swiss MS cohort study (median 6.3 years). Levels of CC/CAP between diagnosis groups were compared; in CIS/MS, associations of CC/CAP levels with intrathecal Ig synthesis, baseline Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, MS Severity Score (MSSS), and neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels were investigated by linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, and albumin quotient. RESULTS CSF (but not plasma) levels of C3a, C4a, Ba, and Bb were increased in patients with CIS/MS, being most pronounced in those with an additional intrathecal IgM production. In CIS, doubling of C3a and C4a in CSF was associated with 0.31 (CI 0.06-0.56; p = 0.016) and 0.32 (0.02-0.62; p = 0.041) increased EDSS scores at lumbar puncture. Similarly, doubling of C3a and Ba in CIS/MS was associated with 0.61 (0.19-1.03; p < 0.01) and 0.74 (0.18-1.31; p = 0.016) increased future MSSS. In CIS/MS, CSF levels of C3a, C4a, Ba, and Bb were associated with increased CSF NfL levels, e.g., doubling of C3a was associated with an increase of 58% (Est. 1.58; CI 1.37-1.81; p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION CNS-compartmentalized activation of the classical and alternative pathways of complement is increased in CIS/MS and associated with the presence of an intrathecal IgM production. Increased complement activation within the CSF correlates with EDSS, future MSSS, and NfL levels, supporting the concept that complement activation contributes to MS pathology and disease progression. Complement inhibition should be explored as therapeutic target to attenuate disease severity and progression in MS

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery