Ergänzung zur Stellungnahme des Zentrums für Lehrer*innenbildung der Universität Wien zum Lehrplan Digitale Grundbildung

Das neue Schulfach Digitale Grundbildung (DGB) wurde als Pflichtfach in der Sekundarstufe I mit überarbeitetem Lehrplan verankert – ein Grund zur Freude, dass der Digitalisierung auch innerhalb der schulische Bildung endlich die nötige Aufmerksamkeit gegeben wird. Das Fach stellt, besonders vor dem Hintergrund der Initiativen, die im Rahmen des 8-Punkte Plans der Bundesregierung gesetzt wurden, die notwendige Brücke zwischen Infrastruktur-Maßnahmen, Inhalten und der tatsächlichen Nutzung dieser Ressourcen dar. Das neue Schulfach Digitale Grundbildung – eine Projektionsfläche für mannigfaltige Bedürfnislagen. Aus Informatikperspektive und Sicht der Wirtschaft bietet es eine Gelegenheit, kompetenzorientierten Informatikunterricht schon in der Sekundarstufe I beginnen zu lassen. Aus medienpädagogischem Betrachtungswinkel ist das Fach ein lang gewünschtes Gefäß, um jungen Menschen ein besseres Verständnis von Medien und eine kompetente Mediennutzung nahezubringen. Aus der im Folgenden abgebildeten Perspektive des Zentrums für Lehrer*innenbildung der Universität Wien bietet das Schulfach den notwendigen Rahmen, um zumindest ansatzweise inklusive, diversitätsgerechte und interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf die Digitalisierung und ihre sozialen, kulturellen, politschen und gesellschaftlichen Aus- und Wechselwirkungen zusammenzuführen

The Transcription Factor SOX18 Regulates the Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 and Guidance Molecules in Human Endothelial Cells

Mutations in the transcription factor SOX18 are responsible for specific cardiovascular defects in humans and mice. In order to gain insight into the molecular basis of its action, we identified target genes of SOX18 and analyzed one, MMP7, in detail.SOX18 was expressed in HUVEC using a recombinant adenoviral vector and the altered gene expression profile was analyzed using microarrays. Expression of several regulated candidate SOX18 target genes was verified by real-time PCR. Knock-down of SOX18 using RNA interference was then used to confirm the effect of the transcription factor on selected genes that included the guidance molecules ephrin B2 and semaphorin 3G. One gene, MMP7, was chosen for further analysis, including detailed promoter studies using reporter gene assays, electrophoretic mobility shift analysis and chromatin-immunoprecipitation, revealing that it responds directly to SOX18. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the co-expression of SOX18 and MMP7 in blood vessels of human skin.The identification of MMP7 as a direct SOX18 target gene as well as other potential candidates including guidance molecules provides a molecular basis for the proposed function of this transcription factor in the regulation of vessel formation

Prevalence of the human papillomavirus (HPV) expression of the inner prepuce in asymptomatic boys and men

To investigate the prevalence of high-risk (HR) and low-risk (LR) human papillomavirus (HPV) in prepuces of boys and men without any HPV related lesions. Between 2009 and 2011, a total collective of 250 boys and men were investigated in this prospective study. The samples were subdivided into 3 groups regarding their age, consisting of 125 (50 %) children (0-10 years), 38 (15.2 %) adolescents (11-20 years) and 87 (34.8 %) adults (> 20 years). In situ hybridization (ISH) was performed to detect HR and LR virus types within the epithelium, followed by microscopic interpretation and determination between episomal and integrative signal pattern. Our results revealed high levels of HPV concentration (HR and LR) in all age groups: HR versus LR positivity was seen in 45.5 versus 35 % (children), 60.6 versus 63.6 % (adolescents) and 58.3 versus 48.6 % (adults). The topmost rate of HR (59.8 %)- and LR (50.6 %)-positive probes was found in the group with high estimated sexual activity (> 14 years). Concerning the high prevalence of male HPV infection even in children, indicating non-sexual transmission pathways, inclusion of boys in the vaccination program seems to be required reducing their burden of HPV related disease

Subsets of preoperative sex hormones in testicular germ cell cancer: a retrospective multicenter study

Abstract Preoperative homeostasis of sex hormones in testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) patients is scarcely characterized. We aimed to explore regulation of sex hormones and their implications for histopathological parameters and prognosis in TGCT using a data-driven explorative approach. Pre-surgery serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2) and prolactin were measured in a retrospective multicenter TGCT cohort (n = 518). Clusters of patients were defined by latent class analysis. Clinical, pathologic and survival parameters were compared between the clusters by statistical hypothesis testing, Random Forest modeling and Peto-Peto test. Cancer tissue expression of sex hormone-related genes was explored in the publicly available TCGA cohort (n = 149). We included 354 patients with pure seminoma and 164 patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT), with a median age of 36 years. Three hormonal clusters were defined: ‘neutral’ (n = 228) with normal sex hormone homeostasis, ‘testicle’ (n = 91) with elevated T and E2, low pituitary hormones, and finally ‘pituitary’ subset (n = 103) with increased FSH and LH paralleled by low-to-normal levels of the gonadal hormones. Relapse-free survival in the hormonal subsets was comparable (p = 0.64). Cancer tissue expression of luteinizing hormone- and follicle-stimulating hormone-coding genes was significantly higher in seminomas, while genes of T and E2 biosynthesis enzymes were strongly upregulated in NSGCT. Substantial percentages of TGCT patients are at increased risk of sex hormone dysfunction at primary diagnosis before orchiectomy. TGCT may directly influence systemic hormonal homeostasis by in-situ synthesis of sex hormones