Hydrogels based on collagen and fibrin - Frontiers and applications

Hydrogels are a versatile tool for a multitude of applications in biomedical research and clinical practice. Especially collagen and fibrin hydrogels are distinguished by their excellent biocompatibility, natural capacity for cell adhesion and low immunogenicity. In many ways, collagen and fibrin represent an ideal biomaterial, as they can serve as a scaffold for tissue regeneration and promote the migration of cells, as well as the ingrowth of tissues. On the other hand, pure collagen and fibrin materials are marked by poor mechanical properties and rapid degradation, which limits their use in practice. This paper will review methods of modification of natural collagen and fibrin materials to next-generation materials with enhanced stability. A special focus is placed on biomedical products from fibrin and collagen already on the market. In addition, recent research on the in vivo applications of collagen and fibrin-based materials will be showcased. © 2016 by De Gruyter

Macroeconomic Modeling of Tax Policy: A Comparison of Current Methodologies

The macroeconomic effects of tax reform are a subject of significant discussion and controversy. In 2015, the House of Representatives adopted a new “dynamic scoring” rule requiring a point estimate within the budget window of the deficit effect due to the macroeconomic response to certain proposed tax legislation. The revenue estimates provided by the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) for major tax bills often play a critical role in Congressional deliberations and public discussion of those bills. The JCT has long had macroeconomic analytic capability, and in recent years, responding to Congress’ interest in macrodynamic estimates for purposes of scoring legislation, outside think tank groups — notably the Tax Policy Center and the Tax Foundation — have also developed macrodynamic estimation models. The May 2017 National Tax Association (NTA) Spring Symposium brought together the JCT with the Tax Foundation and the Tax Policy Center for a panel discussion regarding their respective macrodynamic estimating approaches. This paper reports on that discussion. Below each organization provides a general description of their macrodynamic modeling methodology and answers five questions posed by the convening authors

Bequest Taxes and Accumulation of Household Wealth: U.S. - Japan Comparison

The objective of this paper is two-fold. First, we describe and compare the gift and bequest (estate) tax systems in the United States and Japan. Second, we use tax data to estimate the magnitude of intergenerational transfers. The magnitude of intergenerational transfers provides aid in determining how much outstanding wealth is obtained through intergenerational transfers, an issue of current controversy. In both Japan and the United States, a substantial portion of wealth, and especially of land in Japan, is bequeathed from one generation to the next.

Production of a Recombinant Non-Hydroxylated Gelatin Mimetic in Pichia pastoris for Biomedical Applications

Proteins derived from the natural extracellular matrix like collagen or gelatin are common in clinical research, where they are prized for their biocompatibility and bioactivity. Cells are able to adhere, grow and remodel scaffolds based on these materials. Usually, collagen and gelatin are sourced from animal material, risking pathogenic transmission and inconsistent batch-to-batch product quality. A recombinant production in yeast circumvents these disadvantages by ensuring production with a reproducible quality in animal-component-free media. A gelatin mimetic protein, based on the alpha chain of human collagen I, was cloned in Pichia pastoris under the control of the methanol-inducible alcohol oxidase (AOX1) promoter. A producing clone was selected and cultivated at the 30 L scale. The protein was secreted into the cultivation medium and the final yield was 3.4 g·L−1. Purification of the target was performed directly from the cell-free medium by size exclusion chromatography. The gelatin mimetic protein was tested in cell culture for biocompatibility and for promoting cell adhesion. It supported cell growth and its performance was indistinguishable from animal-derived gelatin. The gelatin-mimetic protein represents a swift strategy to produce recombinant and human-based extracellular matrix proteins for various biomedical applications

The Unforgiving Land – Basis for a Post Liberation Programme in Namibia

SUMMARY Namibia's independence will pose a number of challenges to its first government. History, ecology, the structure of productive forces and the mode of production have imposed constraints and a need for change. The degree of freedom available is very limited. ‘Gradualism’ and ‘moderation’ are no longer viable options because of the course of the liberation struggle and of the efforts to repress it. Initial priorities are examined including maintenance of production in key industries and expansion of provision of basic services. These are also reviewed in terms of SWAPOs political programme goals which appear to be potentially consistent with a workable transitional strategy. RÉSUMÉ Le pays sans pardon. Base pour un programme d'après la libération pour la Namibie L'indépendance de la Namibie va poser un certain nombre de problèmes à son premier gouvernement. L'histoire, l'écologie, la structure des forces productrices et le mode de production ont imposé des contraintes et la nécessité d'un changement. Le degré de liberté possible est très limité. Le ‘gradualisme’ et la ‘modération’ ne sont plus des solutions viables en raison du déroulement de la lutte pour la libération et des efforts pour la réprimer. L'article examine les priorités au nombre desquelles le maintien de la production dans les industries clef et le développement du système assurant les services de base. Ceux?ci sont également envisagés dans le cadre des objectifs du programme politique de SWAPO qui semblent pouvoir s'accorder avec une stratégie de transition susceptible de réussir. RESUMEN La tierra que no perdona. Las bases de un programa posterior a la liberación en Namibia La independencia de Namibia planteará numerosas disyuntivas a su primer gobierno. La historia, la ecología, le estructure de les fuerzas de producción y el modo de producir han impuesto restricciones y exigen el cambio. El grado de libertad disponible es muy limitedo. El ‘gradualismo’ y la ‘moderación’ ya no son alternativas viables debido al curso tornado por la luche de libereción y e los esfuerzos para reprimirle. Se examinan las prioridades iniciales, que incluyen el mantenimiento de la producción en industrias clave y la expansión de la disponibilidad de servicios básicos. También se examinan estas prioridades en relación con los objectivos del programa político de SWAPO que parece tener consistencia probable con una estrategia pragmática de transición

MOVING: A User-Centric Platform for Online Literacy Training and Learning

Part of the Progress in IS book series (PROIS)In this paper, we present an overview of the MOVING platform, a user-driven approach that enables young researchers, decision makers, and public administrators to use machine learning and data mining tools to search, organize, and manage large-scale information sources on the web such as scientific publications, videos of research talks, and social media. In order to provide a concise overview of the platform, we focus on its front end, which is the MOVING web application. By presenting the main components of the web application, we illustrate what functionalities and capabilities the platform offer its end-users, rather than delving into the data analysis and machine learning technologies that make these functionalities possible

Groundwater isoscapes in a montane headwater catchment show dominance of well-mixed storage

Acknowledgements We would like to thank the European Research Council (ERC, project GA 335910 VeWa) for funding. We further thank Jonathan Dick for running the isotope analysis.Peer reviewedPostprin