German Sign Language (DGS) as an instance of an endangered language?

The aim of this article is to call attention to the fact that the existence of sign languages like German Sign Language is in danger. I would like to point out the factors that led to this development and to outline its extent. Firstly, I will give a very short introduction to sign language. In (2.), I will present the factors that led to the endangerment of sign languages: there are prejudices against the speakers (paternalism und discrimination, also with respect to public life), and reaction to this is personal withdrawal and social dissociation. In addition, there is a medicalisation of the speakers, a bias concerning the concurrent acquisition of a spoken and a signed language, a degradation of the language itself and deficiency of institutional support of the language as well as a lack of knowledge about the culture and its products. In (3.) I will try to evaluate these factors by referring to the sociolinguistic concept of vitality (see Giles, Bourhis/Taylor 1977) and will conclude with a calculation of the danger that German Sign Language will cease to exist in the future. It will be demonstrated that German Sign Language is an atypical example for an endangered language. The main reason for this estimation is the fact that there are also many young speakers, as well as the observation that all of the speakers are strongly trying to maintain their language and use it as often as they can. However, the analysis of DGS allows considering some recommendations for the preservation of languages in general

Verbindung von qualitativen und quantitativen Bedarfsanalysen in der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung

Um wissenschaftliche Weiterbildungsangebote zielgruppenspezifisch und nachfrageorientiert aufzusetzen, sollten qualitative und quantitative Studien gezielt kombiniert werden. Das Forschungsdesign im Projekt „excellent mobil“ verknüpft die Sekundäranalyse zu branchenspezifischen Veränderungen in den Tätigkeitsstrukturen und eine Marktanalyse zu den Weiterbildungsangeboten mit eigenen standortübergreifenden Bedarfserhebungen in Betrieben der Mobilitätswirtschaft. Die auf diesen Grundlagen entwickelten Pilotstudienangebote wurden in einem weiteren Schritt mittels Primäranalysen geprüft, ob sie inhaltlich sowie didaktisch den Anforderungen und Erwartungen der Unternehmen und der Teilnehmenden entsprechen. Der Artikel gibt Empfehlungen für die Forschungspraxis anhand konkreter Beispiele und Ergebnisse und zeigt weiterführende Ansätze einer kombinierten qualitativ-quantitativen Bedarfsanalyse auf

IL-11 Induces NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Monocytes and Inflammatory Cell Migration to the Central Nervous System

The objective of this study is to examine IL-11-induced mechanisms of inflammatory cell migration to the central nervous system (CNS). We report that IL-11 is produced at highest frequency by myeloid cells among the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subsets. Patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) have an increased frequency of IL-11+ monocytes, IL-11+ and IL-11R+ CD4+ lymphocytes, and IL-11R+ neutrophils in comparison to matched healthy controls. IL-11+ and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)+ monocytes, CD4+ lymphocytes, and neutrophils accumulate in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The effect of IL-11 in-vitro stimulation, examined using single-cell RNA sequencing, revealed the highest number of differentially expressed genes in classical monocytes, including up-regulated NFKB1, NLRP3, and IL1B. All CD4+ cell subsets had increased expression of S100A8/9 alarmin genes involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation. In IL-11R+-sorted cells from the CSF, classical and intermediate monocytes significantly up-regulated the expression of multiple NLRP3 inflammasome-related genes, including complement, IL18, and migratory genes (VEGFA/B) in comparison to blood-derived cells. Therapeutic targeting of this pathway with αIL-11 mAb in mice with RR experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) decreased clinical scores, CNS inflammatory infiltrates, and demyelination. αIL-11 mAb treatment decreased the numbers of NFκBp65+, NLRP3+, and IL-1β+ monocytes in the CNS of mice with EAE. The results suggest that IL-11/IL-11R signaling in monocytes represents a therapeutic target in RRMS

Recommendations for the Generation, Quantification, Storage, and Handling of Peptides Used for Mass Spectrometry-Based Assays

BACKGROUND: For many years, basic and clinical researchers have taken advantage of the analytical sensitivity and specificity afforded by mass spectrometry in the measurement of proteins. Clinical laboratories are now beginning to deploy these work flows as well. For assays that use proteolysis to generate peptides for protein quantification and characterization, synthetic stable isotope-labeled internal standard peptides are of central importance. No general recommendations are currently available surrounding the use of peptides in protein mass spectrometric assays. CONTENT: The Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium of the National Cancer Institute has collaborated with clinical laboratorians, peptide manufacturers, metrologists, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry, and other professionals to develop a consensus set of recommendations for peptide procurement, characterization, storage, and handling, as well as approaches to the interpretation of the data generated by mass spectrometric protein assays. Additionally, the importance of carefully characterized reference materials-in particular, peptide standards for the improved concordance of amino acid analysis methods across the industry-is highlighted. The alignment of practices around the use of peptides and the transparency of sample preparation protocols should allow for the harmonization of peptide and protein quantification in research and clinical care

Verbindung von qualitativen und quantitativen Bedarfsanalysen in der wissenschaftlichen Weiterbildung

Um wissenschaftliche Weiterbildungsangebote zielgruppenspezifisch und nachfrageorientiert aufzusetzen, sollten qualitative und quantitative Studien gezielt kombiniert werden. Das Forschungsdesign im Projekt „excellent mobil“verknüpft die Sekundäranalyse zu branchenspezifischen Veränderungen in den Tätigkeitsstrukturen und eine Marktanalyse zu den Weiterbildungsangeboten mit eigenen standortübergreifenden Bedarfserhebungen in Betrieben der Mobilitätswirtschaft. Die auf diesen Grundlagen entwickelten Pilotstudienangebote wurden in einem weiteren Schritt mittels Primäranalysen geprüft, ob sie inhaltlich sowie didaktisch den Anforderungen und Erwartungen der Unternehmen und der Teilnehmenden entsprechen. Der Artikel gibt Empfehlungen für die Forschungspraxis anhand konkreter Beispiele und Ergebnisse und zeigt weiterführende Ansätze einer kombinierten qualitativ-quantitativen Bedarfsanalyse auf. (DIPF/Orig.

Zwischen Epiphanie und der Verwirrung der Gefühle: Die Entdeckung der Currywurst von Uwe Timm und Isabel Kreitz

Preußer U. Zwischen Epiphanie und der Verwirrung der Gefühle: Die Entdeckung der Currywurst von Uwe Timm und Isabel Kreitz. In: Wrobel D, von Brand T, Engelns M, eds. Gestaltungsraum Deutschunterricht. Literatur – Kultur – Sprache. Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren; 2017: 189-199

Age-dependent decline of endogenous pain control: exploring the effect of expectation and depression.

Although chronic pain affects all age ranges, it is particularly common in the elderly. One potential explanation for the high prevalence of chronic pain in the older population is impaired functioning of the descending pain inhibitory system which can be studied in humans using conditioned pain modulation (CPM) paradigms. In this study we investigated (i) the influence of age on CPM and (ii) the role of expectations, depression and gender as potential modulating variables of an age-related change in CPM. 64 healthy volunteers of three different age groups (young = 20-40 years, middle-aged = 41-60 years, old = 61-80 years) were studied using a classical CPM paradigm that combined moderate heat pain stimuli to the right forearm as test stimuli (TS) and immersion of the contralateral foot into ice water as the conditioning stimulus (CS). The CPM response showed an age-dependent decline with strong CPM responses in young adults but no significant CPM responses in middle-aged and older adults. These age-related changes in CPM responses could not be explained by expectations of pain relief or depression. Furthermore, changes in CPM responses did not differ between men and women. Our results strongly support the notion of a genuine deterioration of descending pain inhibitory mechanisms with age

CPM responses and age.

<p>CPM responses showed a significant age-dependent reduction with ongoing age as revealed by a linear regression.</p

CPM responses in the three different age groups (±SEM).

<p>CPM responses were calculated as mean pain intensity ratings of (block 1+3) – block 2. Thus positive CPM responses were indicative of endogenous analgesia.</p