Management of Research Infrastructures: A South African Funding Perspective

This open access book provides an overview of the building blocks necessary for managing, steering and guiding the establishment of a research infrastructure (RI). It offers valuable insights into RI investment, access and management at the academic, grants management, agency and policy level, and serves as a useful guide for the research community, students, and those in the private sector wishing to understand the approaches and opportunities involved in the establishment, maintenance and management of research infrastructure platforms. Presenting a holistic view of RI investment and granting cycles from a South African perspective, the book’s target audience includes those working in science diplomacy, policymaking and science grants councils (especially in Africa) as well as funders and donors

Der Nachlass des Heimatschutzlandessatbsleiter von Oberösterreich Friedrich Mayer (1887 - 1937)

Archivmaterial über die Selbstschutzorganisation der „Heimwehr(en)“ ist sehr oft verschwunden oder vernichtet worden. Durch Zufall tauchte der Bestand der oberösterreichischen Landesleitung des Heimatschutzes auf, die unter der administrativen Leitung des Majors a.D. Friedrich Mayer (1887 – 1937) stand. Dieser Nachlass wurde von einem Bekannten des Autors erworben und dieser stellte ihn für die Bearbeitung dieser Arbeit zur Verfügung. Friedrich Mayer selbst, ein Offizier der k. u. k. Armee, dann bei der Volkswehr, wurde 1921 pensioniert. Danach organisierte er als Geschäftsführer („Landesstabsleiter“) den Aufbau der Heimwehren in Oberösterreich. Mayer betreute die Organisation in Oberösterreich als deren Geschäftsführer (auch unter der Führung des „Heimwehrfürsten“ Rüdiger Starhemberg) bis 1933 bevor er nach Wien wechselte. Nach politischer Aktivität im Ständestaat verstarb Major Mayer 1937 in Wien. Seine Hauptaufgaben als „Landesstabsleiter“ umfassten neben Organisation und Verwaltung der Selbstschutzorganisation auch den nachrichtendienstlichen Bereich (Überwachung von Gegnern des Heimwehr). Mit der Hilfe des Oberösterreichischen Landesarchivs konnte der Bestand von rund 5 Kartons gescannt werden. Er befand sich zu Beginn der Arbeit in dem Zustand, in dem er (vermutlich) 1937 nach Enns gebracht gewesen war. Die Akten wiesen durch Witterungseinflüsse und unsachgemäße Behandlung diverse Beschädigungen auf (u.a. Rostschäden durch Büroklammern und Metallklammern) und waren stark verschmutzt. Das gesamte Material umfasst die Zeit zwischen 1914 und 1941. Zuerst wurde der gesamte Bestand gescannt (300 dpI/ TIFF). Sodann erfolgte die Ordnung der Digitalisate in acht Untergruppen (A – H) nach dem Pertinenzprinzip („Betreffprinzip“). Innerhalb dieser Untergruppen existiert wieder eine Unterteilung – entweder zeitlich oder nach Organisationen. Dies betrifft vor allem den größten aller Teilbestände, den der Heimwehren. Eine Beschreibung der einzelnen acht Untergruppen erfolgt an typischen Beispielen aus dem Bestand. Das Dokument wird in einem Regest zusammengefasst, zum Teil ediert und die Besonderheiten beschrieben sowie in Vergleich mit der ganzen Untergruppe gestellt. Hauptbestandteil dieser Masterarbeit ist die Einzelaktenaufnahme des gesamten Bestandes. Jeder dieser Akte ist in einem Verzeichnis aufgenommen, die einzelnen Digitalisate sind mit einer Signatur versehen. Der Inhalt jedes einzelnen Stückes ist kurz gefasst beschrieben („Regest“). Von jedem einzelnen Akt wurden die topografischen Begriffe und die Eigennamen aller in ihnen vorkommenden Einzelpersonen extrahiert und in zwei Indices alphabetisch zusammengefasst (Personenindex, topografischer Index). Das Auffinden eines Einzelaktes erfolgt durch das Nachschlagen der Einzelsignaturen in den Indices. Die Originalakten des Nachlasses Mayer, der nach dem ISAD-G Standard geordnet wurde, liegen in einem Privatarchiv und sind nur in Ausnahmefällen einsehbar. Die Digitalisate des Nachlasses Friedrich Mayer sind am Oberösterreichischen Landesarchiv OÖLA gespeichert und dort einsehbar. Sie bilden einen wichtigen Bestandteil für die Aufarbeitung der Geschichte der Österreichischen Zwischenkriegszeit

Beta-escin has potent anti-allergic efficacy and reduces allergic airway inflammation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Type I hypersensitivity is characterized by the overreaction of the immune system against otherwise innocuous substances. It manifests as allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic asthma or atopic dermatitis if mast cells are activated in the respective organs. In case of systemic mast cell activation, life-threatening anaphylaxis may occur. Currently, type I hypersensitivities are treated either with glucocorticoids, anti-histamines, or mast cell stabilizers. Although these drugs exert a strong anti-allergic effect, their long-term use may be problematic due to their side-effects.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the course of a routine <it>in vitro </it>screening process, we identified beta-escin as a potentially anti-allergic compound. Here we tested beta-escin in two mouse models to confirm this anti-allergic effect <it>in vivo</it>. In a model of the early phase of allergic reactions, the murine passive cutaneous anaphylaxis model, beta-escin inhibited the effects of mast cell activation and degranulation in the skin and dose-dependently prevented the extravasation of fluids into the tissue. Beta-escin also significantly inhibited the late response after antigen challenge in a lung allergy model with ovalbumin-sensitized mice. Allergic airway inflammation was suppressed, which was exemplified by the reduction of leucocytes, eosinophils, IL-5 and IL-13 in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histopathological examinations further confirmed the reduced inflammation of the lung tissue. In both models, the inhibitory effect of beta-escin was comparable to the benchmark dexamethasone.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We demonstrated in two independent murine models of type I hypersensitivity that beta-escin has potent anti-allergic properties. These results and the excellent safety profile of beta-escin suggest a therapeutic potential of this compound for a novel treatment of allergic diseases.</p

Experimental and theoretical investigation of drotaverine binding to bovine serum albumin

This study was motivated by the need to provide more insight into the possible mechanism of the intermolecular interactions between antispasmodic drug drotaverine and one of the serum albumins (BSA), with the aim to indicate the most probable sites of these interactions. For this purpose both experimental (spectrofluorometric titration at various temperatures) and theoretical (molecular mechanics) methods have been applied. The obtained results clearly showed that drotaverine quenched BSA fluorescence, and the most probable mechanism is static quenching. The negative value of the theoretically predicted binding free Gibbs energy (-23.8 kJ/mol) confirmed the existence of the intermolecular interactions involving drotaverine and one tryptophan within BSA protein and was well agreed with the experimentally determined value of -25.2 kJ/mol

Bottleable neutral analogues of [B2H5]- as versatile and strongly binding eta2 donor ligands

Herein we report the discovery that two bottleable, neutral, base-stabilized diborane(5) compounds are able to bind strongly to a number of copper(I) complexes exclusively through their B-B bond. The resulting complexes represent the first known complexes containing unsupported, neutral σB-B diborane ligands. Single-crystal X-ray analyses of these complexes show that the X-Cu moiety (X = Cl, OTf, C6F5) lies opposite the bridging hydrogen of the diborane and is near perpendicular to the B-B bond, interacting almost equally with both boron atoms and causing a B-B bond elongation. DFT studies show that σ donation from and π backdonation to the pseudo-π-like B-B bond account for their formation. Astoundingly, these copper σB-B-complexes are inert to ligand exchange with pyridine under either heating or photoirradiation

Spray‐Dried Photonic Balls with a Disordered/Ordered Hybrid Structure for Shear‐Stress Indication

Abstract Optical microscale shear‐stress indicator particles are of interest for the in situ recording of localized forces, e.g., during 3D printing or smart skins in robotic applications. Recently developed particle systems are based on optical responses enabled by integrated organic dyes. They thus suffer from potential chemical instability and cross‐sensitivities toward humidity or temperature. These drawbacks can be circumvented using photonic balls as shear‐stress indicator particles, which employ structural color as the element to record forces. Here, such photonic balls are prepared from silica and iron oxide nanoparticles via the scalable and fast spray‐drying technique. Process parameters to create photonic balls with a disordered core and an ordered particle structure toward the exterior of the supraparticles are reported. This hybrid disordered–ordered structure is responsible for a color loss of the indicator particles during shear‐stress application because of irreversible structural destruction. By adjusting the primary silica particle sizes, nearly all colors of the visible spectrum can be achieved and the sensitivity of the response to shear stress can be adjusted

Tuning Magnetic and Photophysical Properties of Luminomagnetic Metal‐Organic Framework Composites in an Inverse Core‐Satellite Structure

Abstract Luminomagnetic composites have been synthesized that allow for an individual tuning of luminescence intensity, chromaticity and magnetization by combination of superparamagnetic, citrate‐stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles with the luminescent MOFs 3∞[Ln2(BDC)3(H2O)4] (Ln=Eu, Tb; BDC2−=terephthalate). The components are arranged to a concept of inverse structuring compared to previous luminomagnetic composites with MOF@magnetic particle (shell@core) composition so that the luminescent MOF now acts as core and is covered by magnetic nanoparticles forming the satellite shell. Thereby, the magnetic and photophysical properties are individually tuneable between high emission intensity (1.2 ⋅ 106 cps mg−1) plus low saturation magnetization (6 emu g−1) and the direct opposite (0.09 ⋅ 106 cps mg−1; 42 emu g−1) by adjusting the particle coverage of the MOF. This is not achievable with a core‐shell structure having a magnetic core and a dense MOF shell. The composition of the composites and the influence of different synthesis conditions on their properties were investigated by SEM/EDX, PXRD, magnetization measurements and photoluminescence spectroscopy

Blockade of T-cell activation by dithiocarbamates involves novel mechanisms of inhibition of nuclear factor of activated T cells.

Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) have recently been reported as powerful inhibitors of NF-kappaB activation in a number of cell types. Given the role of this transcription factor in the regulation of gene expression in the inflammatory response, NF-kappaB inhibitors have been suggested as potential therapeutic drugs for inflammatory diseases. We show here that DTCs inhibited both interleukin 2 (IL-2) synthesis and membrane expression of antigens which are induced during T-cell activation. This inhibition, which occurred with a parallel activation of c-Jun transactivating functions and expression, was reflected by transfection experiments at the IL-2 promoter level, and involved not only the inhibition of NF-kappaB-driven reporter activation but also that of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT). Accordingly, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) indicated that pyrrolidine DTC (PDTC) prevented NF-kappaB, and NFAT DNA-binding activity in T cells stimulated with either phorbol myristate acetate plus ionophore or antibodies against the CD3-T-cell receptor complex and simultaneously activated the binding of AP-1. Furthermore, PDTC differentially targeted both NFATp and NFATc family members, inhibiting the transactivation functions of NFATp and mRNA induction of NFATc. Strikingly, Western blotting and immunocytochemical experiments indicated that PDTC promoted a transient and rapid shuttling of NFATp and NFATc, leading to their accelerated export from the nucleus of activated T cells. We propose that the activation of an NFAT kinase by PDTC could be responsible for the rapid shuttling of the NFAT, therefore transiently converting the sustained transactivation of this transcription factor that occurs during lymphocyte activation, and show that c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) can act by directly phosphorylating NFATp. In addition, the combined inhibitory effects on NFAT and NF-KB support a potential use of DTCs as immunosuppressants