The DWD climate predictions website: Towards a seamless outlook based on subseasonal, seasonal and decadal predictions

The climate predictions website of the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD, https://www.dwd.de/climatepredictions) presents a consistent operational outlook for the coming weeks, months and years, focusing on the needs of German users. At global scale, subseasonal predictions from the European Centre of Medium-Range Weather Forecasts as well as seasonal and decadal predictions from the DWD are used. Statistical downscaling is applied to achieve high resolution over Germany. Lead-time dependent bias correction is performed on all time scales. Additionally, decadal predictions are recalibrated. The website offers ensemble mean and probabilistic predictions for temperature and precipitation combined with their skill (mean squared error skill score, ranked probability skill score). Two levels of complexity are offered: basic climate predictions display simple, regionally averaged information for Germany, German regions and cities as maps, time series and tables. The skill is presented as traffic light. Expert climate predictions show complex, gridded predictions for Germany (at high resolution), Europe and the world as maps and time series. The skill is displayed as the size of dots. Their color is related to the signal in the prediction. The website was developed in cooperation with users from different sectors via surveys, workshops and meetings to guarantee its understandability and usability. The users realize the potential of climate predictions, but some need advice in using probabilistic predictions and skill. Future activities will include the further development of predictions to improve skill (multi-model ensembles, teleconnections), the introduction of additional products (data provision, extremes) and the further clarification of the information (interactivity, video clips)

c-Rel is dispensable for the differentiation and functional maturation of M cells in the follicle-associated epithelium

AbstractM cells reside within the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) overlying the gut-associated lymphoid tissues. These unique phagocytic epithelial cells enable the mucosal immune system to sample antigens within the lumen of the intestine. The differentiation of M cells from uncommitted precursors in the FAE is dependent on the production of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) by subepithelial stromal cells. The ligation of a variety of cell surface receptors activates the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) family of transcription factors which in-turn induce the transcription of multiple target genes. RANKL-stimulation can stimulate the nuclear translocation of the NF-κB subunit c-Rel. We therefore used c-Rel-deficient mice to determine whether the differentiation and functional maturation of M cells in the Peyer’s patches was dependent on c-Rel. Our data show that c-Rel-deficiency does not influence the expression of RANKL or RANK in Peyer’s patches, or the induction of M-cell differentiation in the FAE. RANKL-stimulation in the differentiating M cells induces the expression of SpiB which is essential for their subsequent maturation. However, SpiB expression in the FAE was also unaffected in the absence of c-Rel. As a consequence, the functional maturation of M cells was not impaired in the Peyer’s patches of c-Rel-deficient mice. Although our data showed that the specific expression of CCL20 and ubiquitin D in the FAE was not impeded in the absence of c-Rel, the expression of ubiquitin D was dramatically reduced in the B cell-follicles of c-Rel-deficient mice. Coincident with this, we also observed that the status of follicular dendritic cells in the B cell-follicles was dramatically reduced in Peyer’s patches from c-Rel-deficient mice. Taken together, our data show that c-Rel is dispensable for the RANKL-mediated differentiation and functional maturation of M cells

Designing trainer’s manual for the ISG for competence project

The two-volume set LNCS 10896 and 10897 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs, ICCHP 2018, held in Linz, Austria, in July 2018. The 101 revised full papers and 78 short papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 356 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Web accessibility in the connected world; accessibility and usability of mobile platforms for people with disabilities and elderly persons: design, development and engineering; accessible system/information/document design; accessible e-learning - e-learning for accessibility/AT; personalized access to TV, film, theatre, and music; digital games accessibility; accessibility and usability of self-service terminals, technologies and systems; universal learning design; motor and mobility disabilities: AT, HCI, care; empowerment of people with cognitive disabilities using digital technologies; augmented and alternative communication (AAC), supported speech; Art Karshmer lectures in access to mathematics, science and engineering; environmental sensing technologies for visual impairment; 3D printing in the domain of assistive technologies (AT) and do it yourselves (DIY) AT; tactile graphics and models for blind people and recognition of shapes by touch; access to artworks and its mediation by and for visually impaired people; digital navigation for people with visual impairments; low vision and blindness: human computer interaction; future perspectives for aging well: AAL tools, products, devices; mobile healthcare and m-health apps for people with disabilities; and service and information provision

Bim and Noxa are candidates to mediate the deleterious effect of the NF-kappa B subunit RelA in cerebral ischemia.

The transcription factor nuclear factor B (NF-kB) is well known for its antiapoptotic action. However, in some disorders, such as cerebral ischemia, a proapoptotic function of NF-B has been demonstrated. To analyze which subunit of NF-B is functional in cerebral ischemia, we induced focal cerebral ischemia in mice with a germline deletion of the p52 or c-Rel gene or with a conditional deletion of RelA in the brain. Only RelA deficiency reduced infarct size. Interestingly, expression of the proapoptotic BH3 (Bcl-2 homology domain 3)-only genes Bim and Noxa in cerebral ischemia depended on RelA and the upstream kinase IKK (IkB kinase). RelA stimulated Bim and Noxa gene transcription in primary cortical neurons and bound to the promoter of both genes. Thus, the deleterious function in cerebral ischemia is specific for the NF-kB subunit RelA and may be mediated through Bim and Noxa

The DWD climate predictions website: Towards a seamless outlook based on subseasonal, seasonal and decadal predictions

The climate predictions website of the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD, https://www.dwd.de/climatepredictions) presents a consistent operational outlook for the coming weeks, months and years, focusing on the needs of German users. At global scale, subseasonal predictions from the European Centre of Medium-Range Weather Forecasts as well as seasonal and decadal predictions from the DWD are used. Statistical downscaling is applied to achieve high resolution over Germany. Lead-time dependent bias correction is performed on all time scales. Additionally, decadal predictions are recalibrated.The website offers ensemble mean and probabilistic predictions for temperature and precipitation combined with their skill (mean squared error skill score, ranked probability skill score). Two levels of complexity are offered: basic climate predictions display simple, regionally averaged information for Germany, German regions and cities as maps, time series and tables. The skill is presented as traffic light. Expert climate predictions show complex, gridded predictions for Germany (at high resolution), Europe and the world as maps and time series. The skill is displayed as the size of dots. Their color is related to the signal in the prediction.The website was developed in cooperation with users from different sectors via surveys, workshops and meetings to guarantee its understandability and usability. The users realize the potential of climate predictions, but some need advice in using probabilistic predictions and skill. Future activities will include the further development of predictions to improve skill (multi-model ensembles, teleconnections), the introduction of additional products (data provision, extremes) and the further clarification of the information (interactivity, video clips)

Crosstalk between keratinocytes and adaptive immune cells in an IkappaBalpha protein-mediated inflammatory disease of the skin.

Inflammatory diseases at epithelial borders develop from aberrant interactions between resident cells of the tissue and invading immunocytes. Here, we unraveled basic functions of epithelial cells and immune cells and the sequence of their interactions in an inflammatory skin disease. Ubiquitous deficiency of the I?B? protein (Ikba?/?) as well as concomitant deletion of Ikba specifically in keratinocytes and T cells (IkbaK5?/K5? lck?/lck?) resulted in an inflammatory skin phenotype that involved the epithelial compartment and depended on the presence of lymphocytes as well as tumor necrosis factor and lymphotoxin signaling. In contrast, mice with selective ablation of Ikba in keratinocytes or lymphocytes showed inflammation limited to the dermal compartment or a normal skin phenotype, respectively. Targeted deletion of RelA from epidermal keratinocytes completely rescued the inflammatory skin phenotype of Ikba?/? mice. This finding emphasizes the important role of aberrant NF-?B activation in both keratinocytes and lymphocytes in the development of the observed inflammatory skin changes