Construction of improved plasmid vectors for promoter characterization in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other Gram-negative bacteria

We report the construction of two broad host range promoter-probe plasmid vectors for rapid analysis of promoters in Gram-negative bacteria. The new vectors, pME4507 and pME4510, carry carbenicillin and gentamycin resistance genes, respectively, and are small sized (4 kb) with a flexible multiple cloning site to facilitate directional cloning of putative promoter elements. The vectors allow rapid plate-based screening for promoter activities, using β-galactosidase as the reporter enzyme. In the absence of an inserted promoter fragment, they display very low background activity, making them a useful tool for analysis of low expression level promoter

Perceived consequences of female labor-force participation: a multilevel latent-class analysis across 22 countries (Consecuencias percibidas de la participación femenina en el mercado de trabajo: un análisis multinivel de clases latentes en 22 países)

This paper investigates whether there are different patterns of traditionality in different countries with regard to a perceived negative impact of labor-force participation of mothers on their children and family life. For this purpose, individual-level traditionality subgroups and segments of countries with different traditionality patterns of their nationals were identified simultaneously by means of multilevel latent-class (ML-LC) analysis of the answers to three items of the Changing Family and Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). This module was fielded in 22 countries in the years 1994 and 2002. Six individual-level subgroups and five country segments can be discerned. The structure of individual-level subgroups is almost identical in both years. Four individual-level subgroups differ only quantitatively in their level of traditionality. Two further subgroups are characterized by a unique tendency to defend working mothers against criticism. From 1994 to 2002 the sizes of traditional subgroups decrease, and there is also some change in the composition of country segments. This paper investigates whether there are different patterns of traditionality in different countries with regard to a perceived negative impact of labor-force participation of mothers on their children and family life. For this purpose, individual-level traditionality subgroups and segments of countries with different traditionality patterns of their nationals were identified simultaneously by means of multilevel latent-class (ML-LC) analysis of the answers to three items of the Changing Family and Gender Roles module of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP). This module was fielded in 22 countries in the years 1994 and 2002. Six individual-level subgroups and five country segments can be discerned. The structure of individual-level subgroups is almost identical in both years. Four individual-level subgroups differ only quantitatively in their level of traditionality. Two further subgroups are characterized by a unique tendency to defend working mothers against criticism. From 1994 to 2002 the sizes of traditional subgroups decrease, and there is also some change in the composition of country segments.Este trabajo analiza si existen diferentes patrones de tradicionalismo en los diferentes países sobre la percepción de un impacto negativo de la participación laboral de las madres en sus hijos y en su vida familiar. Para ello se identificaron, de forma simultánea, subgrupos de tradicionalismo a nivel individual y segmentos de países con diferentes patrones de tradicionalismo de sus ciudadanos, a través de un análisis multinivel de clases latentes (ML-LC) de las respuestas a tres preguntas del módulo Familia y Roles de Género del International Social Survey Program (ISSP), que se aplicó en 22 países en los años 1994 y 2002. Se identificaron seis subgrupos de nivel individual y cinco segmentos de países. La estructura de los subgrupos a nivel individual es casi idéntica en ambos años. Cuatro subgrupos a nivel individual difieren solamente de manera cuantitativa en su nivel de tradicionalismo. Dos subgrupos más se caracterizan por una tendencia a defender de la crítica a las madres que trabajan. De 1994 a 2002 el tamaño de los subgrupos tradicionales disminuye, y también se ha producido algún cambio en la composición de los segmentos de países

T-cell Apoptosis in Human Glioblastoma Multiforme: Implications for Immunotherapy

We used immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry to assess apoptosis in human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Our immunohistochemical study revealed apoptosis of glioma cells expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein and of CD3+ T cells infiltrating GBM. To quantify and phenotype the apoptotic T cells, we performed flow cytometry on lymphocytes separated from GBM. The cells were stained with annexin-V-FLUOS/propidium iodide to identify apoptosis. We found that high proportions of both the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were apoptotic. In particular, we found that T cells expressing Fas ligand (Fas-L, CD95L) were eight times more vulnerable to apoptosis than those not expressing Fas-L, which suggests that the T-cell apoptosis is induced by overactivation of the T-cell receptor, possibly in the absence of appropriate costimulation. Our results have implications for the design of immunotherapies for GBM

Joint versus separate inpatient rehabilitation treatment for patients with alcohol use disorder or drug use disorder : an observational study

Background: In many national treatment systems, patients with alcohol use disorders (AUD) and those with drug use disorders (DUD) are treated separately, while other systems provide joint treatment for both kinds of substance use disorders (SUDs). Regarding long-term rehabilitation treatment of DUD and AUD patients, there is however a lack of empirical studies on the comparison between a separate versus joint treatment modality. Methods: Data were gathered from 2 rehabilitation units located in small towns from the same German region. One unit provided treatment to a mixed group of AUD and DUD patients, while the other unit treated the 2 groups separately. Staffing, funding, and treatment programs were otherwise similar between facilities. Data were gathered from standardized routine documentation and standardized interviews. In order to understand correlates of premature treatment termination, a logistic regression analysis was performed, with treatment modality and type of SUD as main predictors, and a range of patient characteristics as covariates. Results: Patients (N=319) were diagnosed with AUD (48%), DUD (34%), or AUD plus DUD (18%). Patients in joint treatment showed a higher prevalence of lapses during treatment than those in separate treatment (26% versus 12%; p=0.009), but there was no significant difference in the prevalence of premature terminations (38% versus 44%, p=0.26). Treatment modality and interaction between modality and type of SUD was not significantly associated with premature termination. Joint treatment completers showed higher satisfaction with treatment than separate treatment completers ( p<0.001). Conclusion: We found no evidence here for a difference between treatment modalities in terms of premature termination rate. Satisfaction level was higher in those who completed joint treatment compared to separate treatment.Peer reviewe

Studien zur biologisch-dynamischen Rindviehzucht

In den ersten beiden Kapiteln werden Grundlagen für die Züchtungsarbeit besprochen: Es muss mit der Vererbung erworbener, in der Potenz der Art liegender Eigenschaften gerechnet werden. Welche Eigenschaften vom Tier erworben werden können, hängt von der Eigenaktivität der Tierart in der Auseinandersetzung mit den waltenden Lebensbedingungen ab. Die dargelegte alternative Genanschauung ist Voraussetzung für das Verständnis des Vererbungsgeschehens und den richtigen Umgang damit in der Züchtung. Die biologisch-dynamische Tierzucht soll möglichst artgemäß sein; d.h. es müssen zunächst Bedingungen im Haltungs-, Fütterung- und Betreuungsbereich geschaffen werden, die eine artgemäße Verkörperung der Tiere ermöglichen. Deshalb kann die biologisch-dynamische Zucht auch Bedingungszucht genannt werden. Diese Bedingungen werden im 3. Kapitel ausführlich besprochen mit Bezug auf den Landwirtschaftlichen Kurs von Rudolf Steiner. Zwei spezielle Abschnitte sind der Darstellung der Fütterung im Landwirtschaftlichen Kurs und der Bedeutung der Hörner beim Rindvieh gewidmet. Das Vorgehen in der Züchtungsarbeit und die in der "Austauschrunde" der Rindviehzüchter entwickelte Stallkarte für Kühe als Hilfsmittel werden im 4. Kapitel besprochen. Im letzten Kapitel werden die Reproduktionstechniken kritisch besprochen; daraus ergibt sich der Natursprung als einzige wesensgemäße Befruchtungsmethode für die biologisch-dynamische Rindviehzucht

Measuring the Reliability of Hate Speech Annotations: The Case of the European Refugee Crisis

Some users of social media are spreading racist, sexist, and otherwise hateful content. For the purpose of training a hate speech detection system, the reliability of the annotations is crucial, but there is no universally agreed-upon definition. We collected potentially hateful messages and asked two groups of internet users to determine whether they were hate speech or not, whether they should be banned or not and to rate their degree of offensiveness. One of the groups was shown a definition prior to completing the survey. We aimed to assess whether hate speech can be annotated reliably, and the extent to which existing definitions are in accordance with subjective ratings. Our results indicate that showing users a definition caused them to partially align their own opinion with the definition but did not improve reliability, which was very low overall. We conclude that the presence of hate speech should perhaps not be considered a binary yes-or-no decision, and raters need more detailed instructions for the annotation

Katechismus-Andachten (1656)

The Catechism Devotions are comprised of 50 spiritual songs that impart all of the material in Luther`s Small Catechism in vocal form. They are regarded as an important milestone in early modern theologia catechetica that aimed at an elemental presentation of the liturgy

Influence of translation efficiency of homologous viral proteins on the endogenous presentation of CD8+ T cell epitopes

A significant proportion of endogenously processed CD8+ T cell epitopes are derived from newly synthesized proteins and rapidly degrading polypeptides (RDPs). It has been hypothesized that the generation of rapidly degrading polypeptides and CD8+ T cell epitopes from these RDP precursors may be influenced by the efficiency of protein translation. Here we address this hypothesis by using the Epstein-Barr virus–encoded nuclear antigen 1 protein (EBNA1), with or without its internal glycine-alanine repeat sequence (EBNA1 and EBNA1ΔGA, respectively), which display distinct differences in translation efficiency. We demonstrate that RDPs constitute a significant proportion of newly synthesized EBNA1 and EBNA1ΔGA and that the levels of RDPs produced by each of these proteins directly correlate with the translation efficiency of either EBNA1 or EBNA1ΔGA. As a consequence, a higher number of major histocompatibility complex–peptide complexes can be detected on the surface of cells expressing EBNA1ΔGA, and these cells are more efficiently recognized by virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes compared to the full-length EBNA1. More importantly, we also demonstrate that the endogenous processing of these CD8+ T cell epitopes is predominantly determined by the rate at which the RDPs are generated rather than the intracellular turnover of these proteins

Governing mountain commons between tradition and innovation

The high spatial, climatic and cultural diversity of the Alpine region has led to particular forms of traditional governance of commons with respective commoners’ organizations and rules. However, the traditional use of the commons has increasingly become subject to changes due to challenges of modern economies and different social compositions and practices. Accordingly, changing demands as well as new social and technological innovations are shaping the use of commons and their governance practices today. In this policy brief, UNESCO Chairs of the Alpine region present traditional models of governance of commons (water, pasture, forest, biodiversity, and protected areas) in the Alpine space. We discuss the relevance of traditional governance practices and their limitations in the light of current challenges linked to sustainability. We do this by using examples of different UNESCO sites (biosphere reserves, world heritage sites, geoparks) and surrounding regions, and we ask ourselves where social and technological innovations can contribute to social decisions on how to deal with the commons. According to the discussed examples and project results, we derive recommendations for policy makers. In this way, we would like to contribute to an international discussion on the management of common resources in general and of mountain protected areas in particular

Lessons From SEED: A National Demonstration of Child Development Accounts

Lessons From SEED: A National Demonstration of Child Development Account