On a generalization of symmetric edge polytopes to regular matroids

Starting from any finite simple graph, one can build a reflexive polytope known as a symmetric edge polytope. The first goal of this paper is to show that symmetric edge polytopes are intrinsically matroidal objects: more precisely, we prove that two symmetric edge polytopes are unimodularly equivalent precisely when they share the same graphical matroid. The second goal is to show that one can construct a generalized symmetric edge polytope starting from every regular matroid. Just like in the usual case, we are able to find combinatorial ways to describe the facets and an explicit regular unimodular triangulation of any such polytope. Finally, we show that the Ehrhart theory of the polar of a given generalized symmetric edge polytope is tightly linked to the structure of the lattice of flows of the dual regular matroid.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figures. Comments are very welcome

Arbeits(un)fähigkeit herstellen

As most industrialised countries, Switzerland is increasingly attempting to (re)integrate people with health restrictions and disabilities into the job market. The reinforced political demand to reintegrate people with health restrictions challenges both the involved organisations and its employees. While the means and methods to assess (in)capacity for work are more and more refined, the according practices become more and more diverse. On the basis of an ethnography of two Swiss cantonal work integration agencies, this study analyses how the institutions under scrutiny construct and deal with their clients’ (in)capacity for work. It reconstructs how “cases“ of health restrictions are organisationally problematized, negotiated, and dealt with and examines the underlying logic of these practices and strategies

Arbeits(un)fähigkeit herstellen

As most industrialised countries, Switzerland is increasingly attempting to (re)integrate people with health restrictions and disabilities into the job market. The reinforced political demand to reintegrate people with health restrictions challenges both the involved organisations and its employees. While the means and methods to assess (in)capacity for work are more and more refined, the according practices become more and more diverse. On the basis of an ethnography of two Swiss cantonal work integration agencies, this study analyses how the institutions under scrutiny construct and deal with their clients’ (in)capacity for work. It reconstructs how “cases“ of health restrictions are organisationally problematized, negotiated, and dealt with and examines the underlying logic of these practices and strategies

Heat strengthening of lead-tin bronze alloyed with nickel

Investigate the process of thermal hardening of bronze without heat treatment. Determined phase, which is the cause for age-hardening of the nickel bronze alloy by heat strengthening

Konzeption und Durchführung der PAPI-Methodenstudie zur "Allgemeinen Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften" (ALLBUS) 2000

"Im Rahmen der Allgemeinen Bevölkerungsumfrage der Sozialwissenschaften (ALLBUS)wird seit 1980 alle zwei Jahre eine Zufallsstichprobe der Bevölkerung der Bundesrepublik mit einem teils konstanten, teils variablen Fragenprogramm befragt. Während bis 1998 sämtliche ALLBUS-Erhebungen als traditionelles 'Paper and Pencil Interview' (PAPI) realisiert worden waren, wurde der ALLBUS 2000 erstmals computerunterstützt als CAPI-Befragung ('Computer Assisted Personal Interview') durchgeführt. Durch die regelmäßige Erhebung soziologisch relevanter Merkmale ermöglicht der ALLBUS die Bildung langer Zeitreihen und damit die Untersuchung des sozialen Wandels, eines seiner zentralen Ziele. Vor diesem Hintergrund gilt der Vergleichbarkeit der Erhebungsbedingungen über die Zeit besondere Aufmerksamkeit, da Veränderungen der Erhebungsbedingungen potentiell die Gefahr einer Beeinträchtigung der Zeitreihenfähigkeit der Daten in sich bergen. Zur Messung möglicher Effekte des Umstiegs auf CAPI wurde parallel zur ALLBUS Hauptstudie 2000 eine Methodenstudie in Form einer inhaltsgleichen Befragung mit einem Papierfragebogen durchgeführt, deren Daten interessierten Forschern im Zentralarchiv für empirische Sozialforschung an der Universität zu Köln (ZA-Studien, Nr. 3452) zur Verfügung stehen. Neben dem PAPI-Datensatz ist auch ein integrierter File mit den CAPI- und den PAPI-Daten des ALLBUS 2000 (ZA-Nr. 3450) erhältlich. Diese Daten sind nicht nur für primär methodisch interessierte Nutzer von Interesse, auch inhaltlich arbeitenden Forschern wird empfohlen, bei zeitvergleichenden Analysen unter Einschluß des ALLBUS 2000 zu prüfen, ob bei den jeweiligen Variablen Unterschiede zwischen CAPI und PAPI zu beobachten sind. Der vorliegende Bericht dokumentiert die Konzeption der PAPI-Methodenstudie, die Erhebungsinstrumente, die Stichprobenziehung und das Feldgeschehen." (Textauszug

A Combined Score of Circulating miRNAs Allows Outcome Prediction in Critically Ill Patients

Background and aims: Identification of patients with increased risk of mortality represents an important prerequisite for an adapted adequate and individualized treatment of critically ill patients. Circulating micro-RNA (miRNA) levels have been suggested as potential biomarkers at the intensive care unit (ICU), but none of the investigated miRNAs displayed a sufficient sensitivity or specificity to be routinely employed as a single marker in clinical practice. Methods and results: We recently described alterations in serum levels of 7 miRNAs (miR-122, miR-133a, miR-143, miR-150, miR-155, miR-192, and miR-223) in critically ill patients at a medical ICU. In this study, we re-analyzed these previously published data and performed a combined analysis of these markers to unravel their potential as a prognostic scoring system in the context of critical illness. Based on the Youden’s index method, cut-off values were systematically defined for dysregulated miRNAs, and a “miRNA survival score” was calculated. Patients with high scores displayed a dramatically impaired prognosis compared to patients with low values. Additionally, the predictive power of our score could be further increased when the patient’s age was additionally incorporated into this score. Conclusions: We describe the first miRNA-based biomarker score for prediction of medical patients’ outcome during and after ICU treatment. Adding the patients’ age into this score was associated with a further increase in its predictive power. Further studies are needed to validate the clinical utility of this score in risk-stratifying critically ill patients

From Therapeutic Factors to Mechanisms of Change in the Creative Arts Therapies:A Scoping Review

Empirical studies in the creative arts therapies (CATs; i.e., art therapy, dance/movement therapy, drama therapy, music therapy, psychodrama, and poetry/bibliotherapy) have grown rapidly in the last 10 years, documenting their positive impact on a wide range of psychological and physiological outcomes (e.g., stress, trauma, depression, anxiety, and pain). However, it remains unclear how and why the CATs have positive effects, and which therapeutic factors account for these changes. Research that specifically focuses on the therapeutic factors and/or mechanisms of change in CATs is only beginning to emerge. To gain more insight into how and why the CATs influence outcomes, we conducted a scoping review (Nstudies = 67) to pinpoint therapeutic factors specific to each CATs discipline, joint factors of CATs, and more generic common factors across all psychotherapy approaches. This review therefore provides an overview of empirical CATs studies dealing with therapeutic factors and/or mechanisms of change, and a detailed analysis of these therapeutic factors which are grouped into domains. A framework of 19 domains of CATs therapeutic factors is proposed, of which the three domains are composed solely of factors unique to the CATs: “embodiment,” “concretization,” and “symbolism and metaphors.” The terminology used in change process research is clarified, and the implications for future research, clinical practice, and CATs education are discussed

Basiliximab induction therapy in kidney transplantation: Benefits for long term allograft function after 10 years?

The interleukin-2 receptor antagonist basiliximab has proven in large clinical trials to be safe and effective to reduce acute rejections in the first year after renal transplantation. Since acute rejections are a risk factor for chronic graft loss, their effective reduction might have a positive effect on long term allograft survival. So far data is spares to prove this hypothesis and 10-year follow up on basiliximab induction therapy is not available. In our center, 41 patients were enrolled in the multicenter trial CHIB201 in 1995/96 comparing basiliximab vs no induction therapy after renal transplantation. We retrospectively analyzed the outcome of these patients after 10 years. The main reason for patient death with functioning graft were infectious complications (basiliximab: 3/20, placebo 1/19), 21% of all patients developed cancer without an obvious correlation to specific immunosuppression. Death censored 10-year graft survival was equivalent in both groups: 65% in the basiliximab and 68% in the placebo group with a mean s-creatinine-clearance of 60 and 44 ml/min. In this small study patient and graft survival was equivalent 10 years after transplantation comparing basiliximab induction therapy and placebo