Ideen über die augenblicklichen Zustände Deutschlands und die Maßregeln, welche sein Wohl am besten befördern dürften : dem deutschen Parlament gewidmet

Wentzke: Sein [des Verfassers] Ideal: Einteilung Deutschlands in 40 bis 60 Kreise mit Provinzialständen. Aus diesen ein Ausschuß zu wählen von je 4 bis 6 Mitgliedern, zur Hälfte für das deutsche Parlament, zur Hälfte für das Oberhaus. Dazu durch indirekte Wahlen etwa 500 Volksvertreter in das Parlament, aus denen wieder 100 ins Oberhaus gewählt werden. Beide Häuser wählen auf drei Jahre einen Präsidenten und zwei Vizepräsidenten. - Österreich wird in Kürze zusammenfallen und sich dann dem Reich anschließen

SwissScoring--a nationwide survey of SAPS II assessing practices and its accuracy.

OBJECTIVE The first description of the simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II dates back to 1993, but little is known about its accuracy in daily practice. Our purpose was to evaluate the accuracy of scoring and the factors that affect it in a nationwide survey. METHODS Twenty clinical scenarios, covering a broad range of illness severities, were randomly assigned to a convenience sample of physicians or nurses in Swiss adult intensive care units (ICUs), who were asked to assess the SAPS II score for a single scenario. These data were compared to a reference that was defined by five experienced researchers. The results were cross-matched with demographic characteristics and data on the training and quality control for the scoring, structural and organisational properties of each participating ICU. RESULTS A total of 345 caregivers from 53 adult ICU providers completed the SAPS II evaluation of one clinical scenario. The mean SAPS II scoring was 42.6 ± 23.4, with a bias of +5.74 (95%CI 2.0-9.5) compared to the reference score. There was no evidence of bias variation according to the case severity, ICU size, linguistic area, profession (physician vs. nurse), experience, initial SAPS II training, or presence of a quality control system. CONCLUSION This nationwide survey revealed substantial variability in the SAPS II scoring results. On average, SAPS II scoring was overestimated by more than 13%, irrespective of the profession or experience of the scorer or of the structural characteristics of the ICUs.

Unsere Parlaments-Wahlen: Binnen Kurzem wird das deutsche Parlament zusammentreten ...

Welsch (Projektbearbeiter): Die Herren Heckscher (Advokat und Redakteur), Riesser (Notar, Verleger und Redakteur) und Roß (Kaufmann und Reeder) stellen sich als Kandidaten Hamburgs zur Wahl für die Frankfurter Nationalversammlung

NET formation can occur independently of RIPK3 and MLKL signaling

The importance of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in innate immunity is well established but the molecular mechanisms responsible for their formation are still a matter of scientific dispute. Here, we aim to characterize a possible role of the receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and the mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) signaling pathway, which are known to cause necroptosis, in NET formation. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we investigated whether this programmed form of necrosis is a prerequisite for NET formation. NETs have been defined as extracellular DNA scaffolds associated with the neutrophil granule protein elastase that are capable of killing bacteria. Neither Ripk3-deficient mouse neutrophils nor human neutrophils in which MLKL had been pharmacologically inactivated, exhibited abnormalities in NET formation upon physiological activation or exposure to low concentrations of PMA. These data indicate that NET formation occurs independently of both RIPK3 and MLKL signaling.

Die Volkswirthschaftslehre für Jedermann und Sechs volkswirthschaftliche Trugschlüsse des Herrn Bastiat

Boberach: Hohe Zölle verführen zum Schmuggel. Den Kaufmann treffen sie nicht, weil er sie im Preis der Waren weitergibt. Reine Finanzzölle sind den Schutzzöllen vorzuziehen, wenngleich die freihändlerische Theorie zu kritisieren ist

In vitro differentiation of mouse granulocytes. Programmed Cell Death: Methods and Protocols

Granulocytes are central players of the immune system and, once activated, a tightly controlled balance between effector functions and cell removal by apoptosis guarantees maximal host benefit with least possible collateral damage to healthy tissue. Granulocytes are end-differentiated cells that cannot be maintained in culture for prolonged times. Isolating primary granulocytes is inefficient and challenging when working with mice, and especially so for the lowly abundant eosinophil and basophils subtypes. Here we describe an in vitro protocol to massively expand mouse derived myeloid progenitors and to differentiate them ‘on demand’ and in large numbers into mature neutrophils or basophils.

Bern's positioning strategies: Escaping the fate of a secondary capital city?

Bern is a classic example of a so-called secondary capital city, which is defined as a capital city that is not the primary economic center of its nation. Such capital cities feature a specific political economy characterized by a strong government presence in its regional economy and its local governance arrangements. Bern has been losing importance in the Swiss urban system over the past decades due to a stagnating economy, population decline and missed opportunities for regional cooperation. To re-position itself in the Swiss urban hierarchy, political leaders and policymakers established a non-profit organization called “Capital Region Switzerland” in 2010 arguing that a capital city should not be measured by economic success only, but by its function as a political center where political decisions are negotiated and implemented. This city profile analyses Bern's strategy and discusses its ambitions and limitations in the context of the city's history, socio-economic and political conditions. We conclude that Bern's positioning strategy has so far been a political success, yet that there are severe limitations regarding advancing economic development. As a result, this re-positioning strategy is not able to address the fundamental economic development challenges that Bern faces as a secondary capital city.

Detection of significant coronary artery disease by noninvasive anatomical and functional imaging.

BACKGROUND The choice of imaging techniques in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) varies between countries, regions, and hospitals. This prospective, multicenter, comparative effectiveness study was designed to assess the relative accuracy of commonly used imaging techniques for identifying patients with significant CAD. METHODS AND RESULTS A total of 475 patients with stable chest pain and intermediate likelihood of CAD underwent coronary computed tomographic angiography and stress myocardial perfusion imaging by single photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography, and ventricular wall motion imaging by stress echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance. If ≥1 test was abnormal, patients underwent invasive coronary angiography. Significant CAD was defined by invasive coronary angiography as >50% stenosis of the left main stem, >70% stenosis in a major coronary vessel, or 30% to 70% stenosis with fractional flow reserve ≤0.8. Significant CAD was present in 29% of patients. In a patient-based analysis, coronary computed tomographic angiography had the highest diagnostic accuracy, the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve being 0.91 (95% confidence interval, 0.88-0.94), sensitivity being 91%, and specificity being 92%. Myocardial perfusion imaging had good diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve, 0.74; confidence interval, 0.69-0.78), sensitivity 74%, and specificity 73%. Wall motion imaging had similar accuracy (area under the curve, 0.70; confidence interval, 0.65-0.75) but lower sensitivity (49%, P<0.001) and higher specificity (92%, P<0.001). The diagnostic accuracy of myocardial perfusion imaging and wall motion imaging were lower than that of coronary computed tomographic angiography (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS In a multicenter European population of patients with stable chest pain and low prevalence of CAD, coronary computed tomographic angiography is more accurate than noninvasive functional testing for detecting significant CAD defined invasively. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION URL http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00979199.

Thermal and mechanical properties of the near-surface layers of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

Thermal and mechanical material properties determine comet evolution and even solar system formation because comets are considered remnant volatile-rich planetesimals. Using data from the Multipurpose Sensors for Surface and Sub-Surface Science (MUPUS) instrument package gathered at the Philae landing site Abydos on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, we found the diurnal temperature to vary between 90 and 130 K. The surface emissivity was 0.97, and the local thermal inertia was 85 +/- 35 J m(-2) K(-1)s(-1/2). The MUPUS thermal probe did not fully penetrate the near-surface layers, suggesting a local resistance of the ground to penetration of >4 megapascals, equivalent to >2 megapascal uniaxial compressive strength. A sintered near-surface microporous dust-ice layer with a porosity of 30 to 65% is consistent with the data.

DNA probes for the detection of Fasciola hepatica in snails

Fasciola hepatica, also called the large liver fluke, is a trematode which can infect most mammals. Monitoring the infection rate of snails, which function as intermediate hosts and harbour larval stages of F. hepatica, is an important component of epidemiological studies on fascioliasis. For this purpose, DNA probes were generated which can be used for the detection of F. hepatica larvae in snails. Four highly repetitive DNA fragments were cloned in a plasmid vector and tested by Southern blot hybridization to the DNA of various trematodes for specificity and sensitivity. The probes Fhr-I, Fhr-II and Fhr-III hybridized only to F. hepatica DNA. Fhr-IV contained ribosomal RNA gene sequences and cross-hybridize with the DNA from various other trematode species. Squash blot analysis showed that the different probes were able to detect the parasite larvae in trematode-infected snails even as isolated single larvae. No signals were obtained in squash blots of uninfected snails. Probes Fhr-I, Fhr-II and Fhr-III are thus useful specific tools for studying the epidemiology of fascioliasis. The probe Fhr-IV, because of its broader spectrum, can be used to detect the larvae of a wide range of trematode species of waterbirds, which are the causative agents of swimmer's itch.