Berufsbezeichnungen und ihr Einfluss auf das Berufsinteresse von Mädchen und Jungen

Auf der Basis einer Analyse der amtlichen Ausbildungsstatistik wird versucht festzustellen, welche Aspekte von Berufsbezeichnungen Frauen den Zutritt in 'typisch männlichen' Berufen interessanter erscheinen lassen können. Dabei zeigt sich, dass das Interesse an Berufen stark von der Formulierung abhängt. So wird beispielsweise die Bezeichnung 'Fachfrau' oder 'Fachangestellte' wesentlich häufiger bevorzugt als 'Fachkraft' oder 'Facharbeiterin'. Ähnliche Unterschiede zeigen sich bei Branchenbezeichnungen, Arbeitsverfahren und Materialien als Teilelementen von Berufsbezeichnungen. Was beispielsweise die Berufe 'Mediengestalterin in Digital- und Printmedien' sowie 'IT-System-Elektronikerin' betrifft, so ergibt sich, dass die erstere Bezeichnung sich stärker mit den Präferenzen der Mädchen deckt und zudem eine höhere gesellschaftliche Anerkennung erwarten lässt. Die Regelung, dass seit 1980 alle Berufsbezeichnungen stets in beiden geschlechtsspezifischen Varianten benannt werden müssen, scheint problematisch, da sie wiederum zum Ausgangspunkt für die Etablierung von neuen geschlechtsspezifischen Stereotypen werden könnten. (IAB

Homogeneous Biosensing Based on Magnetic Particle Labels

The growing availability of biomarker panels for molecular diagnostics is leading to an increasing need for fast and sensitive biosensing technologies that are applicable to point-of-care testing. In that regard, homogeneous measurement principles are especially relevant as they usually do not require extensive sample preparation procedures, thus reducing the total analysis time and maximizing ease-of-use. In this review, we focus on homogeneous biosensors for the in vitro detection of biomarkers. Within this broad range of biosensors, we concentrate on methods that apply magnetic particle labels. The advantage of such methods lies in the added possibility to manipulate the particle labels by applied magnetic fields, which can be exploited, for example, to decrease incubation times or to enhance the signal-to-noise-ratio of the measurement signal by applying frequency-selective detection. In our review, we discriminate the corresponding methods based on the nature of the acquired measurement signal, which can either be based on magnetic or optical detection. The underlying measurement principles of the different techniques are discussed, and biosensing examples for all techniques are reported, thereby demonstrating the broad applicability of homogeneous in vitro biosensing based on magnetic particle label actuation

Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) Color Reporter Gene Visualizes Parvovirus B19 Non-Structural Segment 1 (NS1) Transfected Endothelial Modification

Background: Human Parvovirus B19 (PVB19) has been associated with myocarditis putative due to endothelial infection. Whether PVB19 infects endothelial cells and causes a modification of endothelial function and inflammation and, thus, disturbance of microcirculation has not been elucidated and could not be visualized so far. Methods and Findings: To examine the PVB19-induced endothelial modification, we used green fluorescent protein (GFP) color reporter gene in the non-structural segment 1 (NS1) of PVB19. NS1-GFP-PVB19 or GFP plasmid as control were transfected in an endothelial-like cell line (ECV304). The endothelial surface expression of intercellular-adhesion molecule-1 (CD54/ICAM-1) and extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN/CD147) were evaluated by flow cytometry after NS-1-GFP or control-GFP transfection. To evaluate platelet adhesion on NS-1 transfected ECs, we performed a dynamic adhesion assay (flow chamber). NS-1 transfection causes endothelial activation and enhanced expression of ICAM-1 (CD54: mean±standard deviation: NS1-GFP vs. control-GFP: 85.3±11.2 vs. 61.6±8.1; P<0.05) and induces endothelial expression of EMMPRIN/CD147 (CD147: mean±SEM: NS1-GFP vs. control-GFP: 114±15.3 vs. 80±0.91; P<0.05) compared to control-GFP transfected cells. Dynamic adhesion assays showed that adhesion of platelets is significantly enhanced on NS1 transfected ECs when compared to control-GFP (P<0.05). The transfection of ECs was verified simultaneously through flow cytometry, immunofluorescence microscopy and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Conclusions: GFP color reporter gene shows transfection of ECs and may help to visualize NS1-PVB19 induced endothelial activation and platelet adhesion as well as an enhanced monocyte adhesion directly, providing in vitro evidence of possible microcirculatory dysfunction in PVB19-induced myocarditis and, thus, myocardial tissue damage

Quantification of Circulating Endothelial Progenitor Cells Using the Modified ISHAGE Protocol

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), involved in endothelial regeneration, neovascularisation, and determination of prognosis in cardiovascular disease can be characterised with functional assays or using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Combinations of markers, including CD34+KDR+ or CD133+KDR+, are used. This approach, however may not consider all characteristics of EPC. The lack of a standardised protocol with regards to reagents and gating strategies may account for the widespread inter-laboratory variations in quantification of EPC. We, therefore developed a novel protocol adapted from the standardised so-called ISHAGE protocol for enumeration of haematopoietic stem cells to enable comparison of clinical and laboratory data.In 25 control subjects, 65 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD; 40 stable CAD, 25 acute coronary syndrome/acute myocardial infarction (ACS)), EPC were quantified using the following approach: Whole blood was incubated with CD45, KDR, and CD34. The ISHAGE sequential strategy was used, and finally, CD45(dim)CD34(+) cells were quantified for KDR. A minimum of 100 CD34(+) events were collected. For comparison, CD45(+)CD34(+) and CD45(-)CD34(+) were analysed simultaneously. The number of CD45(dim)CD34(+)KDR(+) cells only were significantly higher in healthy controls compared to patients with CAD or ACS (p = 0.005 each, p<0.001 for trend). An inverse correlation of CD45(dim)CD34(+)KDR(+) with disease activity (r = -0.475, p<0.001) was confirmed. Only CD45(dim)CD34(+)KDR(+) correlated inversely with the number of diseased coronaries (r = -0.344; p<0.005). In a second study, a 4-week de-novo treatment of atorvastatin in stable CAD evoked an increase only of CD45(dim)CD34(+)KDR(+) EPC (p<0.05). CD45(+)CD34(+)KDR(+) and CD45(-)CD34(+)KDR(+) were indifferent between the three groups.Our newly established protocol adopted from the standardised ISHAGE protocol achieved higher accuracy in EPC enumeration confirming previous findings with respect to the correlation of EPC with disease activity and the increase of EPC during statin therapy. The data of this study show the CD45(dim) fraction to harbour EPC

Rotational diffusion of magnetic nickel nanorods in colloidal dispersions

Colloidal dispersions of Ni nanorods were synthesized by pulsed electrodeposition of Ni into nanoporous aluminum oxide layers followed by dissolution of the templates. Geometrical characterization of the nanorods by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy allowed us to determine the average length (100–250 nm) and diameter (20–40 nm) of the rods and to estimate the thickness of the polyvinylpyrrolidone surfactant layer. Due to their acicular shape, nanorods of the given size are uniaxial ferromagnetic single domain particles and exhibit a distinct anisotropic polarizability. These two characteristic properties are the physical basis for magnetic field-dependent optical transmission and allow us to investigate the rotational diffusion of the nanorods in liquid dispersion. In the present study, we employed AC magnetization measurements, dynamical light scattering and optical transmission measurements in a rotating magnetic field to determine the rotational diffusion coefficient. The results from all three methods were consistent and agree with theory within a factor of 2

Synthesis and characterization of uniaxial ferrogels with Ni nanorods as magnetic phase

In the present study, the rotation of magnetic nanorods in a soft hydrogel matrix induced by a homogeneous magnetic field is investigated. Magnetic nanorods of ≈151.2 nm length and ≈17.7 nm diameter are synthesized via current-pulsed electrodeposition of nickel into porous aluminum oxide-templates. The nanorods are processed towards a stable colloidal dispersion by dissolution of the alumina template in aqueous NaOH to which PVP (polyvinyl-pyrrolidone) is added as surfactant. These suspensions are used to prepare gelatine-based ferrogels of different shear modulus with either isotropic or uniaxial orientation-distribution of the nanorods. While magnetization measurements of rigid ferrogels mainly reflect the magnetic properties of the nickel nanorods, the magnetization behavior of soft ferrogels is significantly influenced by a field-induced rotation of the nickel nanorods in the low compliant matrix. A particular analysis of magnetization measurements on uniaxial ferrogels enables to quantify the rotation angle of the nanorods with respect to their initial orientation under the influence of a transversal homogeneous magnetic field. The analysis of the field-dependent rotation also allows to estimate the local shear modulus of the matrix which is demonstrated by an investigation of room temperature ageing process of the ferrogel