Gut betreut in den Arbeitsmarkt?

In diesem Beitrag wird ein vom Bundesministerium für Arbeit bezuschusstes Modellprojekt – die Mannheimer Arbeitsvermittlungsagentur (MAVA) – mit Hilfe von Matching-Methoden untersucht. In der MAVA arbeiten Mitarbeiter des Sozial- und Arbeitsamts eng bei der Vermittlung arbeitsfähiger Sozialhilfeempfänger zusammen. Wesentliches Kennzeichen ist ein relativ zum Sozial- bzw. Arbeitsamt günstigerer Personalschlüssel zwischen Sachbearbeitern und Hilfeempfängern. Der Vergleich der MAVA-Gruppe mit einer nachträglich gebildeten Kontrollgruppe, die mit einem ungünstigeren Personalschlüssel innerhalb des gleichen lokalen Arbeitsmarktes konfrontiert war, führt zu zwei Erkenntnissen: Erstens lässt sich zeigen, dass sich die Vermittlungswahrscheinlichkeit arbeitsfähiger Hilfeempfänger drastisch erhöht. Zweitens konnte eine deutlich größere Nachhaltigkeit eines einmal vermittelten Beschäftigungsverhältnisses nicht festgestellt werden

Gut betreut in den Arbeitsmarkt? Eine mikroökonomische Evaluation der Mannheimer Arbeitsvermittlungsagentur

In diesem Beitrag wird ein vom Bundesministerium für Arbeit bezuschusstes Modellprojekt – die Mannheimer Arbeitsvermittlungsagentur (MAVA) – mit Hilfe von Matching-Methoden untersucht. In der MAVA arbeiten Mitarbeiter des Sozial- und Arbeitsamts eng bei der Vermittlung arbeitsfähiger Sozialhilfeempfänger zusammen. Wesentliches Kennzeichen ist ein relativ zum Sozial- bzw. Arbeitsamt günstigerer Personalschlüssel zwischen Sachbearbeitern und Hilfeempfängern. Der Vergleich der MAVA-Gruppe mit einer nachträglich gebildeten Kontrollgruppe, die mit einem ungünstigeren Personalschlüssel innerhalb des gleichen lokalen Arbeitsmarktes konfrontiert war, führt zu zwei Erkenntnissen: Erstens lässt sich zeigen, dass sich die Vermittlungswahrscheinlichkeit arbeitsfähiger Hilfeempfänger drastisch erhöht. Zweitens konnte eine deutlich größere Nachhaltigkeit eines einmal vermittelten Beschäftigungsverhältnisses nicht festgestellt werden.

Immunoexpression of the relaxin receptor LGR7 in breast and uterine tissues of humans and primates

BACKGROUND: The receptor for the peptide hormone relaxin has recently been identified as the heptahelical G-protein coupled receptor, LGR7. In order to generate molecular tools with which to characterize both in vivo and in vitro expression of this receptor in human and primate tissues, specific monotypic antibodies have been generated and applied to a preliminary analysis of human and primate female reproductive tissues. METHODS: Three peptide sequences were identified from the proposed open reading frame of the cloned LGR7 receptor gene, representing both extracellular and intracellular domains. Two to three rabbits were immunized for each epitope, and the resulting sera subjected to a systematic validation using cultured cells transiently transfected with a receptor-expressing gene construct, or appropriate control constructs. RESULTS: Human and monkey (marmoset, macaque) endometrium showed consistent and specific immunostaining in the stromal cells close to glands. Staining appeared to be more intense in the luteal phase of the cycle. Weak immunostaining was also evident in the endometrial epithelial cells of the marmoset. A myoma in one patient exhibited strong immunostaining in the circumscribing connective tissue. Uterine expression was supported by RT-PCR results from cultured primary endometrial and myometrial cells. Human breast tissue (healthy and tumors) consistently indicated specific immunostaining in the interstitial connective (stromal) tissue within the glands, but not in epithelial or myoepithelial cells, except in some tumors, where a few epithelial and tumor cells also showed weak epitope expression. CONCLUSIONS: Using validated monotypic antibodies recognizing different epitopes of the LGR7 receptor, and from different immunized animals, and in different primate species, a consistent pattern of LGR7 expression was observed in the stromal (connective tissue) cells of the endometrium and breast, consistent also with the known physiology of the relaxin hormone

Prolactin in man: a tale of two promoters

The pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) is best known for its role in the regulation of lactation. Recent evidence furthermore indicates PRL is required for normal reproduction in rodents. Here, we report on the insertion of two transposon-like DNA sequences in the human prolactin gene, which together function as an alternative promoter directing extrapituitary PRL expression. Indeed, the transposable elements contain transcription factor binding sites that have been shown to mediate PRL transcription in human uterine decidualised endometrial cells and lymphocytes. We hypothesize that the transposon insertion event has resulted in divergent (pituitary versus extrapituitary) expression of prolactin in primates, and in differential actions of pituitary versus extrapituitary prolactin in lactation versus pregnancy respectively. Importantly, the TE insertion might provide a context for some of the conflicting results obtained in studies of PRL function in mice and man. BioEssays 28: 1051–1055, 2006. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Clearance of senescent decidual cells by uterine natural killer cells in cycling human endometrium

In cycling human endometrium, menstruation is followed by rapid estrogen-dependent growth. Upon ovulation, progesterone and rising cellular cAMP levels activate the transcription factor Forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) in endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs), leading to cell cycle exit and differentiation into decidual cells that control embryo implantation. Here we show that FOXO1 also causes acute senescence of a subpopulation of decidualizing EnSCs in an IL-8 dependent manner. Selective depletion or enrichment of this subpopulation revealed that decidual senescence drives the transient inflammatory response associated with endometrial receptivity. Further, senescent cells prevent differentiation of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells in decidualizing cultures. As the cycle progresses, IL-15 activated uterine natural killer (uNK) cells selectively target and clear senescent decidual cells through granule exocytosis. Our findings reveal that acute decidual senescence governs endometrial rejuvenation and remodeling at embryo implantation, and suggest a critical role for uNK cells in maintaining homeostasis in cycling endometrium

HoxA-11 and FOXO1A Cooperate to Regulate Decidual Prolactin Expression: Towards Inferring the Core Transcriptional Regulators of Decidual Genes

During the menstrual cycle, the ovarian steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone control a dramatic transcriptional reprogramming of endometrial stromal cells (ESCs) leading to a receptive state for blastocyst implantation and the establishment of pregnancy. A key marker gene of this decidualization process is the prolactin gene. Several transcriptional regulators have been identified that are essential for decidualization of ESCs, including the Hox genes HoxA-10 and HoxA-11, and the forkhead box gene FOXO1A. While previous studies have identified downstream target genes for HoxA-10 and FOXO1A, the role of HoxA-11 in decidualization has not been investigated. Here, we show that HoxA-11 is required for prolactin expression in decidualized ESC. While HoxA-11 alone is a repressor on the decidual prolactin promoter, it turns into an activator when combined with FOXO1A. Conversely, HoxA-10, which has been previously shown to associate with FOXO1A to upregulate decidual IGFBP-1 expression, is unable to upregulate PRL expression when co-expressed with FOXO1A. By co-immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation, we demonstrate physical association of HoxA-11 and FOXO1A, and binding of both factors to an enhancer region (−395 to −148 relative to the PRL transcriptional start site) of the decidual prolactin promoter. Because FOXO1A is induced upon decidualization, it serves to assemble a decidual-specific transcriptional complex including HoxA-11. These data highlight cooperativity between numerous transcription factors to upregulate PRL in differentiating ESC, and suggest that this core set of transcription factors physically and functionally interact to drive the expression of a gene battery upregulated in differentiated ESC. In addition, the functional non-equivalence of HoxA-11 and HoxA-10 with respect to PRL regulation suggests that these transcription factors regulate distinct sets of target genes during decidualization

Morepork (Ninox novaseelandiae) distribution and conservation on Banks Peninsula

The morepork (Ninox novaeseelandiae) project on Banks Peninsula was initiated in July 2014 and is expected to continue until 2017. The aim of this project led by the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust (BPCT) is broadly to identify the habitats occupied by morepork and based on those findings, improve predator control in targeted areas as well as prohibiting the use of toxins. This work will contribute to improving the breeding and survival success of morepork and therefore increase their abundance in a fragmented and modified habitat on Banks Peninsula.This project successfully combined the use of several data collection methods to create a comprehensive spatial distribution map. Morepork appear to be wide-spread, but patchily distributed across the peninsula, and the number of individuals may still be relatively small. Additional research is required to detect their presence in more remote locations. The morepork monitored in Kaituna Reserve were foraging outside of the reserve, which suggests that small remnants are not sufficient to maintain a breeding pair. These birds did not successfully breed despite the presence of fertile eggs. Defining suitable morepork habitat may not mainly depend on the presence of predators and food sources (small rodents). Additional research is required to identify what characteristics determine the quality of a morepork habitat. The use of nesting boxes, as well as predator control may increase their survival rate

Gut betreut in den Arbeitsmarkt? Eine mikroökonometrische Evaluation der Mannheimer Arbeitsvermittlungsagentur

In diesem Beitrag wird ein vom Bundesministerium für Arbeit bezuschusstes Modellprojekt die Mannheimer Arbeitsvermittlungsagentur (MAVA) mit Hilfe von Matching-Methoden untersucht. In der MAVA arbeiten Mitarbeiter des Sozial- und Arbeitsamts eng bei der Vermittlung arbeitsfähiger Sozialhilfeempfänger zusammen. Wesentliches Kennzeichen ist ein relativ zum Sozial- bzw. Arbeitsamt günstigerer Personalschlüssel zwischen Sachbearbeitern und Hilfeempfängern. Der Vergleich der MAVA-Gruppe mit einer nachträglich gebildeten Kontrollgruppe, die mit einem ungünstigeren Personalschlüssel innerhalb des gleichen lokalen Arbeitsmarktes konfrontiert war, führt zu zwei Erkenntnissen: Erstens lässt sich zeigen, dass sich die Vermittlungswahrscheinlichkeit arbeitsfähiger Hilfeempfänger drastisch erhöht. Zweitens konnte eine deutlich größere Nachhaltigkeit eines einmal vermittelten Beschäftigungsverhältnisses nicht festgestellt werden

Forschungsdatenmanagement - Umfrage TUHH

Poster mit Auszügen der Ergebnisse der Umfrage zum Forschungsdatemnamagement an der TUHH, Zeitraum: 11. Juli bis 15. August 2016, Zielgruppe: MitarbeiterInnen des wissenschaftlichen Personals der TUHH. Vollständige Auswertung hier abrufbar: https://doi.org/10.15480/882.1326Poster with excerpts of the survey on research data management at the TUHH, July 11 to August 15 2016, Target group: Scientific staff members at TUHH. Complete evaluation available here: https://doi.org/10.15480/882.132