CHINA´S INCREASING ECONOMY AND THE IMPACTS ON ITS ENERGY STRATEGY

This work enters into the topic of one of the world´s most increasing economy, the economy of China. It will treat the question, how a country, hence a political system which was such closed and had a quite small economical standard and growth rate was able to improve in a tremendous way. This present fact discovers various questions, such like: How is it possible that a closed socialist state can improve its economical increase and international trade in a tremendous way? How is an increase in trade and production combined with energy consumption? How can China secure its energy sources in order to secure its production and energy household? The document starts with the theory of free trade to step into that topic.Energy consumption, socialist market economy, natural resources, global economy.

Durability of Concrete and Reinforced Concrete Structures Subjected to Temperature Cycles: Insight from Multiscale Thermomechanical Analysis

This document refers to thermal expansion of cementitious materials and to related thermal stresses activated in samples of concrete as well as in unreinforced and reinforced concrete structures. It provides an overview of multiscale research which was carried at the Institute for Mechanics of Materials and Structures, TU Wien, Vienna, Austria, in cooperation with Tongji University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. The overview starts with the nanoscopic origin of the thermal expansion behavior of cement paste, which is triggered by the heating-induced release and the cooling-induced uptake of water by calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H). Temperature changes lead to thermal strains. Thermal stresses are activated provided that the thermal strains are constrained. Such constraints prevail at microstructural scales of concrete as well as at cross-sectional and macrostructural scales of unreinforced and reinforced concrete structures such as beams, plates, and frames. Diurnal temperature changes result in daily cycles of self-equilibrated thermal stresses. They represent a considerable loading for interfacial transition zones (ITZs) separating the aggregates from the cement paste matrix. Extreme events such as sudden hail showers or moderate fires are very likely to result in thermal cracking, at least in the microscopic region of the ITZ, but frequently also at the larger scale of concrete

Sexarbeit in Österreich

Die Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, ob eine rechtliche Anerkennung der Prostitution bzw "Sexarbeit" als Arbeit zu einer realen Verbesserungen der Lebensbedingungen von Prostituierten führen kann. Hierzu soll unter anderem ein zu Rechtsvergleich zu Deutschland Aufschluss geben, da dort im Jahre 2002 das deutsche Prostitutionsgesetz erlassen wurde, mit dem Prostitution als sozialversicherungsrechtliches Beschäftigungsverhältnis anerkannt wurde. Die Voraussetzungen in Österreich sind jenen in Deutschland vor 2002 vergleichbar, insofern ist auch eine Betrachtung in strafrechtlicher Hinsicht unbedingt notwendig, da nicht nur die Stigmatisierung der Prostitution mit der zivilrechtlichen Sittenwidrigkeit eine Anerkennung als legale Tätigkeit verhindert

Leukocytes influence peripheral tissue oxygenation and perfusion in neonates

Background. Leukocyte counts may influence peripheral (micro) circulation due to changes in rheology. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible association between leukocyte counts and peripheral tissue oxygenation/perfusion measured with near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in term and preterm neonates. Methods. In this observational study we included term and preterm neonates within the first 2 months of life, in whom peripheral tissue NIRS measurements were performed and blood samples (leukocytes and C reactive protein (CRP)) taken to investigate clinical signs of infection. Tissue-oxygenation index (TOI), fractional oxygen extraction (FTEO), oxygen delivery (DO 2 ), oxygen consumption (VO TOI, FTOE, DO 2 , VO 2 2 ) and vascular resistance (VR) were measured by NIRS and venous occlusion method. and VR were correlated to leukocyte counts on the same day and maximal CRP levels within 24 hours (CRP max). Results. In 180 infants, with a mean gestational age of 35.5±3.3 weeks, leukocyte counts were 16546± 8830/l (median 14830; range 1790 to 67840) and CRP max was 8.0± 19.0 mg/l (median 0.0; range 0.0 to 110.0mg/l). TOI was 71.1±5.5%, FTOE 28.5±6.1%, DO 2 46.7±19.7, VO 2 12.5±4.4 and VR 11.7±6.4. Leukocyte counts correlated negatively (r= -0.21; p= 0.005) with TOI and positively (r=0.17; p=0.029) with VR. Correlations with CRP max did not reach significance. Conclusion. We demonstrated that peripheral tissue oxygen consumption decreases and vascular resistance increases with increasing leukocyte counts

Precision and normal values of cerebral blood volume in preterm neonates using time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy

AIM To investigate cerebral blood volume (CBV) in preterm neonates using time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy. METHODS In this prospective observational study, time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy measurements of CBV using tNIRS-1 were performed in 70 preterm neonates. For measurements, a sensor was placed for a duration of 1 min, followed by four further reapplications of the sensor, overall five measurements. RESULTS In this study, 70 preterm neonates with a mean ± SD gestational age of 33.4 ± 1.7 weeks and a birthweight of 1931 ± 398 g were included with a postnatal age of 4.7 ± 2.0 days. Altogether, 2383 CBV values were obtained with an overall mean of 1.85 ± 0.30 mL/100 g brain. A total of 95% of the measured CBV values varied in a range from -0.31 to 0.33 from the overall individual mean. Taking the deviation of the mean of each single application for each patient, this range reduced from -0.07 to 0.07. The precision of the measurement defined as within-variation in CBV was 0.24 mL/100 g brain. CONCLUSION The overall mean CBV in stable preterm neonates was 1.85 ± 0.30 mL/100 g brain. The within-variation in CBV was 0.24 mL/100 g brain. Based on the precision obtained by our data, CBV of 1.85 ± 0.30 mL/100 g brain may be assumed as normal value for this cohort

Maleimide-functionalised platinum(IV) complexes as synthetic platform for targeted drug delivery

Maleimide-functionalised Pt(IV) complexes with highly selective binding properties to thiol groups were synthesised as precursors for binding of thiol-containing tumour targeting molecules like human serum albumi

On the relationship of first-episode psychosis to the amphetamine-sensitized state: a dopamine D2/3 receptor agonist radioligand study.

Schizophrenia is characterized by increased behavioral and neurochemical responses to dopamine-releasing drugs. This prompted the hypothesis of psychosis as a state of "endogenous" sensitization of the dopamine system although the exact basis of dopaminergic disturbances and the possible role of prefrontal cortical regulation have remained uncertain. To show that patients with first-episode psychosis release more dopamine upon amphetamine-stimulation than healthy volunteers, and to reveal for the first time that prospective sensitization induced by repeated amphetamine exposure increases dopamine-release in stimulant-naïve healthy volunteers to levels observed in patients, we collected data on amphetamine-induced dopamine release using the dopamine D2/3 receptor agonist radioligand [11C]-(+)-PHNO and positron emission tomography. Healthy volunteers (n = 28, 14 female) underwent a baseline and then a post-amphetamine scan before and after a mildly sensitizing regimen of repeated oral amphetamine. Unmedicated patients with first-episode psychosis (n = 21; 6 female) underwent a single pair of baseline and then post-amphetamine scans. Furthermore, T1 weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the prefrontal cortex was performed. Patients with first-episode psychosis showed larger release of dopamine compared to healthy volunteers. After sensitization of healthy volunteers their dopamine release was significantly amplified and no longer different from that seen in patients. Healthy volunteers showed a negative correlation between prefrontal cortical volume and dopamine release. There was no such relationship after sensitization or in patients. Our data in patients with untreated first-episode psychosis confirm the "endogenous sensitization" hypothesis and support the notion of impaired prefrontal control of the dopamine system in schizophrenia

First cross-border outbreak of foodborne botulism in the European Union associated with the consumption of commercial dried roach (Rutilus rutilus)

Botulism outbreaks due to commercial products are extremely rare in the European Union. Here we report on the first international outbreak of foodborne botulism caused by commercial salt-cured, dried roach (Rutilus rutilus). Between November and December 2016, an outbreak of six foodborne botulism type E cases from five unrelated households was documented in Germany and Spain. The outbreak involved persons of Russian and Kazakh backgrounds, all consumed unheated salt-cured, dried roach-a snack particularly favored in Easter-European countries. The implicated food batches had been distributed by an international wholesaler and were recalled from Europe-wide outlets of a supermarket chain and other independent retailers. Of interest, and very unlike to other foodborne disease outbreaks which usually involves a single strain or virus variant, different Clostridium botulinum strains and toxin variants could be identified even from a single patient's sample. Foodborne botulism is a rare but potentially life-threatening disease and almost exclusively involves home-made or artisan products and thus, outbreaks are limited to individual or few cases. As a consequence, international outbreaks are the absolute exception and this is the first one within the European Union. Additional cases were likely prevented by a broad product recall, underscoring the importance of timely public health action. Challenges and difficulties on the diagnostic and epidemiological level encountered in the outbreak are highlighted.The Consultant Laboratory for Neurotoxin-producing Clostridia (Botulism, Tetanus) was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health and the Robert Koch Institute.S