Dynamics of ColicinE2 production and release determine the competitive success of a toxin-producing bacterial population

The release of toxins is one mechanism used by bacterial species to establish dominance over competitors, but how the dynamics of toxin expression determine the competitive success of a toxin-producing population is largely unknown. Here, we investigate how the expression dynamics of ColicinE2 - a toxic bacteriocin - affect competition between toxin-producing and toxin-sensitive strains of Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that, in addition to genetic modifications in the toxin expression system, alterations of the growth medium can be used to modulate the timing of toxin production and the amount of toxin released. Thus cells that release the toxin at later times can accumulate more colicin. In experiments, we found that delaying toxin release does not significantly alter competition outcome. However, our theoretical analysis allowed us to assess the relative contributions of release time and toxin level to the competitive success of the producer strain, that might counteract each other in experiments. The results reveal that the importance of delaying toxin release lies in increasing the toxin amount. This is a more effective strategy for the toxin-producing strain than prompt discharge of the colicin. In summary, our study shows how the toxin release dynamics influence the competitive success of the toxin-producing bacterial population

An Assessment of the Cost-Utility of Therapy for Psoriasis

Objective: Recently a number of new therapies have been introduced to treat psoriasis, but concerns have been expressed about their high cost. The purpose of this study was to determine whether most psoriasis treatments lie within the accepted range of cost-utility. Methodology: 32 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis were administered the Euro-Qol 5 Dimension (EQ-5D) survey to calculate their health state utility. Economic modeling was performed with a range of therapeutic costs applying the calculated utility score. Paired t-tests were used to calculate significance. Results: At the conclusion of 2 weeks of therapy, the mean psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) improved 35% to 7.2 (p<0.001). The mean health state utility score on the EQ-5D improved 11.5% from 77.7 units before therapy to 86.7 units after therapy (p=0.007). Conclusion: A therapy that achieves at least a PASI 35 would be considered cost-effective by conventional standards if it does not exceed $33 600 in cost

Genderkompetenz in der Lehre an Fachhochschulen : Wege zur Umsetzung in den Fachbereichen Kunst, Pädagogik, Soziale Arbeit und Wirtschaft

Die Segregation nach Geschlecht hält sich bei der fachlichen Orientierung heute noch hartnäckig. In der Berufsausbildung werden viele Zweige entweder von Frauen oder Männern dominiert. Auch an den Hochschulen bleiben die Unterschiede beträchtlich. Ziel des Projektes war es, Kriterien für geschlechtergerechte Lehre in spezifischen Ausbildungs- oder Weiterbildungseinheiten der Fachbereiche Kunst, Pädagogik, Soziale Arbeit und Wirtschaft zu entwickeln. Damit soll in den verschiedenen Fachkulturen den Lernbedürfnissen beider Geschlechter Rechnung getragen werden. Ausgangspunkt der Untersuchung ist die Einsicht, dass Frauen in männerdominierten respektive Männer in frauendominierten Fachbereichen nicht speziell fit gemacht werden müssen für die jeweilige Disziplin. Es ist vielmehr an der Struktur und an den Mentalitäten innerhalb der Fachdisziplinen sowie an den Inhalten der Curricula anzusetzen, damit Frauen und Männer sich gleichermassen angesprochen fühlen von einem Studium. Mit dem Projekt kann nun ein Panorama zur Integration geschlechtergerechter Kriterien in vier sehr unterschiedlichen fachkulturellen Umfeldern an Fachhochschulen aufgezeigt werden, denn geschlechtergerecht bedeutet in jedem Kontext etwas anderes. Der vorliegende Bericht gibt Empfehlungen ab für die Didaktik, die Curriculagestaltung und den Auftritt gegen aussen

BUYCOTTS AS A DRIVER FOR CSR: A CASE STUDY OF THE CARROTMOB

ABSTRACT The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the implications of consumers making use of their power to influence business strategies and buycotts as a driver for CSR. For the purpose of highlighting the influence of buycotts on CSR, a case study of the Carrotmob was conducted. The Carrotmob is a social activism movement that performs buycotts at businesses that in return use additional earnings to make their businesses more sustainable. Thus, buycotts are a stakeholder influence strategy that rewards those businesses that are in tune with stakeholder demands. What makes buycotts noteworthy is that they represent a form of activism in which public as well as private actors aim at solving environmental and societal problems collaborating with each other. To carry out the research, data was collected through archival analysis and was processed, first by a literature review, and then, by content analysis of the Carrotmob website and websites of businesses that participated in a Carrotmob. The analysis of the collected data demonstrates that consumers executing their power represents a form of voting and a method to influence businesses’ behaviour. Businesses have an interest to participate in buycotts due to possible financial and reputational gains. Moreover, increased legitimacy might be another possible outcome from buycotts. Therefore, businesses are willing to engage in CSR as a counter draught for buycotts ad consequently possible additional financial and reputational gains. However, the analysis shows that businesses do not exhaust possible reputational gains by mentioning their collaboration with the Carrotmob on their websites. Generally, the analysis of websites demonstrates a lack of CSR and environmental considerations. In conclusion, the dissertation suggests that buycotts represents a successful method to provide businesses with an incentive to engage in CSR. However, businesses have to further exhaust possible reputational gains through CSR to secure long-term investments in CSR. Keywords: Organised Consumerism, boycotts, buycotts, political consumerism, Carrotmob, social activism

Gene expression noise in a complex artificial toxin expression system

Gene expression is an intrinsically stochastic process. Fluctuations in transcription and translation lead to cell-to-cell variations in mRNA and protein levels affecting cellular function and cell fate. Here, using fluorescence time-lapse microscopy, we quantify noise dynamics in an artificial operon in Escherichia coli, which is based on the native operon of ColicinE2, a toxin. In the natural system, toxin expression is controlled by a complex regulatory network;upon induction of the bacterial SOS response, ColicinE2 is produced (cea gene) and released (cel gene) by cell lysis. Using this ColicinE2-based operon, we demonstrate that upon induction of the SOS response noise of cells expressing the operon is significantly lower for the (mainly) transcriptionally regulated gene cea compared to the additionally post-transcriptionally regulated gene cel. Likewise, we find that mutations affecting the transcriptional regulation by the repressor LexA do not significantly alter the population noise, whereas specific mutations to post-transcriptionally regulating units, strongly influence noise levels of both genes. Furthermore, our data indicate that global factors, such as the plasmid copy number of the operon encoding plasmid, affect gene expression noise of the entire operon. Taken together, our results provide insights on how noise in a native toxin-producing operon is controlled and underline the importance of post-transcriptional regulation for noise control in this system

The Causes and Evolutionary Consequences of Mixed Singing in Two Hybridizing Songbird Species (Luscinia spp.)

Bird song plays an important role in the establishment and maintenance of prezygotic reproductive barriers. When two closely related species come into secondary contact, song convergence caused by acquisition of heterospecific songs into the birds’ repertoires is often observed. The proximate mechanisms responsible for such mixed singing, and its effect on the speciation process, are poorly understood. We used a combination of genetic and bioacoustic analyses to test whether mixed singing observed in the secondary contact zone of two passerine birds, the Thrush Nightingale (Luscinia luscinia) and the Common Nightingale (L. megarhynchos), is caused by introgressive hybridization. We analysed song recordings of both species from allopatric and sympatric populations together with genotype data from one mitochondrial and seven nuclear loci. Semi-automated comparisons of our recordings with an extensive catalogue of Common Nightingale song types confirmed that most of the analysed sympatric Thrush Nightingale males were ‘mixed singers’ that use heterospecific song types in their repertoires. None of these ‘mixed singers’ possessed any alleles introgressed from the Common Nightingale, suggesting that they were not backcross hybrids. We also analysed songs of five individuals with intermediate phenotype, which were identified as F1 hybrids between the Thrush Nightingale female and the Common Nightingale male by genetic analysis. Songs of three of these hybrids corresponded to the paternal species (Common Nightingale) but the remaining two sung a mixed song. Our results suggest that although hybridization might increase the tendency for learning songs from both parental species, interspecific cultural transmission is the major proximate mechanism explaining the occurrence of mixed singers among the sympatric Thrush Nightingales. We also provide evidence that mixed singing does not substantially increase the rate of interspecific hybridization and discuss the possible adaptive value of this phenomenon in nightingales

BUYCOTTS AS A DRIVER FOR CSR: A CASE STUDY OF THE CARROTMOB

ABSTRACT The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the implications of consumers making use of their power to influence business strategies and buycotts as a driver for CSR. For the purpose of highlighting the influence of buycotts on CSR, a case study of the Carrotmob was conducted. The Carrotmob is a social activism movement that performs buycotts at businesses that in return use additional earnings to make their businesses more sustainable. Thus, buycotts are a stakeholder influence strategy that rewards those businesses that are in tune with stakeholder demands. What makes buycotts noteworthy is that they represent a form of activism in which public as well as private actors aim at solving environmental and societal problems collaborating with each other. To carry out the research, data was collected through archival analysis and was processed, first by a literature review, and then, by content analysis of the Carrotmob website and websites of businesses that participated in a Carrotmob. The analysis of the collected data demonstrates that consumers executing their power represents a form of voting and a method to influence businesses’ behaviour. Businesses have an interest to participate in buycotts due to possible financial and reputational gains. Moreover, increased legitimacy might be another possible outcome from buycotts. Therefore, businesses are willing to engage in CSR as a counter draught for buycotts ad consequently possible additional financial and reputational gains. However, the analysis shows that businesses do not exhaust possible reputational gains by mentioning their collaboration with the Carrotmob on their websites. Generally, the analysis of websites demonstrates a lack of CSR and environmental considerations. In conclusion, the dissertation suggests that buycotts represents a successful method to provide businesses with an incentive to engage in CSR. However, businesses have to further exhaust possible reputational gains through CSR to secure long-term investments in CSR. Keywords: Organised Consumerism, boycotts, buycotts, political consumerism, Carrotmob, social activism

Supplementary dydrogesterone is beneficial as luteal phase support in artificial frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles compared to micronized progesterone alone.

INTRODUCTION The number of frozen embryo transfers increased substantially in recent years. To increase the chances of implantation, endometrial receptivity and embryo competency must be synchronized. Maturation of the endometrium is facilitated by sequential administration of estrogens, followed by administration of progesterone prior to embryo transfer. The use of progesterone is crucial for pregnancy outcomes. This study compares the reproductive outcomes and tolerability of five different regimens of hormonal luteal phase support in artificial frozen embryo transfer cycles, with the objective of determining the best progesterone luteal phase support in this context. DESIGN This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of all women undergoing frozen embryo transfers between 2013 and 2019. After sufficient endometrial thickness was achieved by estradiol, luteal phase support was initiated. The following five different progesterone applications were compared: 1) oral dydrogesterone (30 mg/day), 2) vaginal micronized progesterone gel (90 mg/day), 3) dydrogesterone (20 mg/day) plus micronized progesterone gel (90 mg/day) (dydrogesterone + micronized progesterone gel), 4) micronized progesterone capsules (600 mg/day), and (5) subcutaneous injection of progesterone 25 mg/day (subcutan-P4). The vaginal micronized progesterone gel application served as the reference group. Ultrasound was performed after 12-15 days of oral estrogen (≥4 mg/day) administration. If the endometrial thickness was ≥7 mm, luteal phase support was started, up to six days before frozen embryo transfer, depending on the development of the frozen embryo. The primary outcome was the clinical pregnancy rate. Secondary outcomes included live birth rate, ongoing pregnancy, and miscarriage and biochemical pregnancy rate. RESULTS In total, 391 cycles were included in the study (median age of study participants 35 years; IQR 32-38 years, range 26-46 years). The proportions of blastocysts and single transferred embryos were lower in the micronized progesterone gel group. Differences among the five groups in other baseline characteristics were not significant. Multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusting for pre-defined covariates, showed that the clinical pregnancy rates were higher in the oral dydrogesterone only group (OR = 2.87, 95% CI 1.38-6.00, p=0.005) and in the dydrogesterone + micronized progesterone gel group (OR = 5.19, 95% CI 1.76-15.36, p = 0.003) compared to micronized progesterone gel alone. The live birth rate was higher in the oral dydrogesterone-only group (OR = 2.58; 95% CI 1.11-6.00; p=0.028) and showed no difference in the smaller dydrogesterone + micronized progesterone gel group (OR = 2.49; 95% CI 0.74-8.38; p=0.14) compared with the reference group. CONCLUSION The application of dydrogesterone in addition to micronized progesterone gel was associated with higher clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate and then the use of micronized progesterone gel alone. DYD should be evaluated as a promising LPS option in FET Cycles

Gene Expression Profiling of Mono- and Co-Culture Models of the Respiratory Tract Exposed to Crystalline Quartz under Submerged and Air-Liquid Interface Conditions

In vitro lung cell models like air-liquid interface (ALI) and 3D cell cultures have advanced greatly in recent years, being especially valuable for testing advanced materials (e.g., nanomaterials, fibrous substances) when considering inhalative exposure. Within this study, we established submerged and ALI cell culture models utilizing A549 cells as mono-cultures and co-cultures with differentiated THP-1 (dTHP-1), as well as mono-cultures of dTHP-1. After ALI and submerged exposures towards α-quartz particles (Min-U-Sil5), with depositions ranging from 15 to 60 µg/cm(2), comparison was made with respect to their transcriptional cellular responses employing high-throughput RT-qPCR. A significant dose- and time-dependent induction of genes coding for inflammatory proteins, e.g., IL-1A, IL-1B, IL-6, IL-8, and CCL22, as well as genes associated with oxidative stress response such as SOD2, was observed, even more pronounced in co-cultures. Changes in the expression of similar genes were more pronounced under submerged conditions when compared to ALI exposure in the case of A549 mono-cultures. Hereby, the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and the NLRP3 inflammasome seem to play an important role. Regarding genotoxicity, neither DNA strand breaks in ALI cultivated cells nor a transcriptional response to DNA damage were observed. Altogether, the toxicological responses depended considerably on the cell culture model and exposure scenario, relevant to be considered to improve toxicological risk assessment