Good bot vs. bad bot: Opportunities and consequences of using automated software in corporate communications

The paper attempts to lay a foundation for research on the use of bots in corporate communications. The first step is to identify opportunities and challenges that may offer starting points for future regulations. In this research project, expert interviews were conducted in the form of guideline-based telephone interviews. A total of ten experts from the scientific community and experts from the practical field were interviewed. Following this, a qualitative-reductive content analysis was conducted with the aim of building categories and hypotheses based on them. The results show that experts from the scientific community and practical field clearly see advantages for corporate communications, but also highlight hurdles and ethical challenges that are currently seen as a major barrier to the use of bots. In this context, experts mention, among other things, the assumption of structured routine tasks, ensuring efficiency and quality in corporate communications, cost efficiency and relieving employees. On the other hand, weaknesses, like the lack of transparency, data protection and loss of control arise. Results clearly show that the ethical perspective has to be taken into account. In this context, data protection, the question of responsibility and possible manipulation intentions are particularly worth mentioning

Untersuchungen zur Epileptogenese nach experimentellem Status epilepticus in vivo

In der Folge eines Status epilepticus entwickelt sich häufig eine chronische Epilepsie. In der vorliegenden Dissertation wurde die Fragestellung bearbeitet, ob ein Inhibitionsverlust im Gyrus dentatus Grundlage der Epileptogenese nach Status epilepticus ist. Ein selbst-erhaltender Status epilepticus (SSSE) wurde an erwachsenen Ratten durch elektrische Stimulation ausgelöst. Das Auftreten spontaner epileptischer Anfälle wurde im Verlauf von acht Wochen nach Status epilepticus zu drei Zeitpunkten (1, 4 und 8 Wochen) mittels Videoüberwachung erfasst. Zu denselben Zeitpunkten und vor Status epilepticus wurden elektrophysiologische Messungen im Gyrus dentatus durchgeführt. Die Aktivität der Prinzipalzellen des Gyrus dentatus unterliegt unter physiologischen Bedingungen einer ausgeprägten inhibitorischen Kontrolle. Durch Analyse von Doppelreizantworten wurden Veränderungen der Inhibition in dieser für die Epileptogenese relevanten Hirnstruktur beurteilt. Im Verlauf von acht Wochen nach SSSE entwickelte sich bei einem Großteil der Versuchstiere eine chronische Epilepsie. Zum spätesten Beobachtungszeitpunkt traten rekurrente spontane epileptische Anfälle bei 80 Prozent der Tiere auf. Die Inhibition im Gyrus dentatus war eine Woche nach Status epilepticus signifikant reduziert. Vier und acht Wochen nach SSSE zeigte sich eine zunehmende Wiederannäherung an die vor dem Status epilepticus erhobenen Messwerte, so dass von einem transienten Inhibitionsverlust im Gyrus dentatus nach Status epilepticus gesprochen werden kann. Zusammenfassend konnte in der Dissertation gezeigt werden, dass sich in der Folge eines Status epilepticus bei der Mehrzahl der Tiere eine chronische Epilepsie entwickelt. Der Inhibitionsverlust im Gyrus dentatus war zu einem Zeitpunkt am größten, da noch keine spontanen epileptischen Anfälle auftraten. Als sich bei den meisten Tieren eine chronische Epilepsie entwickelt hatte, war die Inhibition komplett wiederhergestellt. Daher ist ein Inhibitionsverlust im Gyrus dentatus nach einem Status epilepticus nicht der führende pathophysiologische Mechanismus für die Entwicklung einer chronischen Epilepsie.Development of chronic epilepsy as a consequence of status epilepticus is a frequent clinical observation. The aim of this work was to test the hypothesis that epileptogenesis after status epilepticus depends on a loss of inhibitory function in the dentate gyrus. A self-sustaining status epilepticus (SSSE) was induced in rats by continuous electrical stimulation of the perforant path. The occurrence of spontaneous epileptic seizures was assessed by video monitoring 1, 4 and 8 weeks after SSSE. At the same time points and directly before SSSE, inhibition in the dentate gyrus was measured using a paired pulse paradigm. In this region, excitability of principal cells is under physiological conditions effectively controlled by the activity of inhibitory interneurons. In addition, the dentate gyrus is relevant for the process of epileptogenesis due to anatomical properties. In the time course after SSSE, the fraction of animals showing spontaneous epileptic seizures increased steadily reaching 80 % after eight weeks. One week after SSSE, inhibition in the dentate gyrus was significantly reduced. This loss proved to be transient, as inhibition recovered after 4 weeks and reached pre-status values after 8 weeks. In conclusion, the majority of animals developed chronic epilepsy as a consequence of status epilepticus. Loss of inhibition in the dentate gyrus was maximal while spontaneous seizures had not yet developed. Inhibition was normalized when most animals had become epileptic. Thus, loss of inhibition in the dentate gyrus following status epilepticus is not a decisive mechanism in the emergence of spontaneous seizures

Commutability of the certified reference materials for the standardization of β-amyloid 1-42 assay in human cerebrospinal fluid: lessons for tau and β-amyloid 1-40 measurements

The core Alzheimer’s disease cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers total tau (T-tau), phosphorylated tau (P-tau), β-amyloid 1-42 (Aβ42) and β-amyloid 1-40 (Aβ40) are increasing in importance and are now part of the research criteria for the diagnosis of the disease. The main aim of this study is to evaluate whether a set of certified reference materials (CRMs) are commutable for Aβ42 and to serve as a feasibility study for the other markers. This property is a prerequisite for the establishment of CRMs which will then be used by manufacturers to calibrate their assays against. Once the preanalytical factors have been standardized and proper selection criteria are available for subject cohorts this harmonization between methods will allow for universal cut-offs to be determined.JRC.F.6-Reference Material