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Turning point(s) (“Zeitenwende”) and new multipolarity: Is the industry in Germany declining into insignificance
No full textThe following text summarizes a speech held, at Frankfurt Industry Evening, Chamber of Industry and Commerce Frankfurt am Main/Germany on December 13, 2022. The author acted as CEO at Infraserv GmbH & Co. Höchst KG for 18 years. Infraserv Höchst is the operator of the industrial park at Frankfurt-Höchst, a vibrant R&D and production site for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. At the same time, Jürgen Vormann was responsible for a variety of regional and national organizations and has been outlining the interest of the manufacturing industry towards regional, national and international policymakers. In his final official speech as CEO, Jürgen Vormann underlined the importance of constructive cooperation and mutual support between industry, politics, and society and pledged for a well-balanced policy mix which at the same time has to aim for economic, social and environmental targets to secure a strong industry in Germany and Europe. He fears that current climate change-related arguments would prevail in the public discourse and that this orientation might endanger the industrial base in Germany
Advanced Dual-Ion Batteries with High-Capacity Negative Electrodes Incorporating Black Phosphorus
No full textDual-graphite batteries (DGBs), being an all-graphite-electrode variation of dual-ion batteries (DIBs), have attracted great attention in recent years as a possible low-cost technology for stationary energy storage due to the utilization of inexpensive graphite as a positive electrode (cathode) material. However, DGBs suffer from a low specific energy limited by the capacity of both electrode materials. In this work, a composite of black phosphorus with carbon (BP-C) is introduced as negative electrode (anode) material for DIB full-cells for the first time. The electrochemical behavior of the graphite || BP-C DIB cells is then discussed in the context of DGBs and DIBs using alloying anodes. Mechanistic studies confirm the staging behavior for anion storage in the graphite positive electrode and the formation of lithiated phosphorus alloys in the negative electrode. BP-C containing full-cells demonstrate promising electrochemical performance with specific energies of up to 319 Wh kg–1 (related to masses of both electrode active materials) or 155 Wh kg–1 (related to masses of electrode active materials and active salt), and high Coulombic efficiency. This work provides highly relevant insights for the development of advanced high-energy and safe DIBs incorporating BP-C and other high-capacity alloying materials in their anodes
A FRET-Based Assay for the Identification of PCNA Inhibitors
No full textProliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is the key regulator of human DNA metabolism. One important interaction partner is p15, involved in DNA replication and repair. Targeting the PCNA–p15 interaction is a promising therapeutic strategy against cancer. Here, a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based assay for the analysis of the PCNA–p15 interaction was developed. Next to the application as screening tool for the identification and characterization of PCNA–p15 interaction inhibitors, the assay is also suitable for the investigation of mutation-induced changes in their affinity. This is particularly useful for analyzing disease associated PCNA or p15 variants at the molecular level. Recently, the PCNA variant C148S has been associated with Ataxia-telangiectasia-like disorder type 2 (ATLD2). ATLD2 is a neurodegenerative disease based on defects in DNA repair due to an impaired PCNA. Incubation time dependent FRET measurements indicated no effect on PCNA^C148S–p15 affinity, but on PCNA stability. The impaired stability and increased aggregation behavior of PCNA^C148S was confirmed by intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence, differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) and asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) measurements. The analysis of the disease associated PCNA variant demonstrated the versatility of the interaction assay as developed
A Meta-Analysis of Green Supply Chain Management Practices and Firm Performance
No full textIntegrating green practices into supply chain management is an important issue for companies to combine both environmental responsibility and the goal of increasing profits. In this paper, we present a meta-analysis of the relationship between green supply chain management (GSCM) practices and firm performance. By using robust variance estimation, we can appropriately analyze dependent effect sizes that are common in the studies to be included in this meta-analysis. In this way, more information is extracted from the primary studies and the effects of moderator variables can be examined simultaneously. Based on 408 correlation coefficients (N = 30,568) from 134 studies, we find a significant mean positive relationship between GSCM practices and firm performance in general (r = 0.442), and in particular, for market-based, managerial, and accounting-based performance. However, the correlations vary considerably across studies. To explain this heterogeneity, we analyze the influence of different GSCM practices and organizational characteristics
Antibiotic resistance profiling of 'Enterococcus faecium' recovered from retail chicken meat from Lahore, Pakistan
No full textRetail chicken can be a source of Enterococcus faecium. The meat gets contaminated at the time of slaughtering. Resistant bacteria may transfer to humans through the food chain and cause various infectious diseases including urinary tract infection, bacteremia, endocarditis, meningitis, and intra-abdominal infections. In the present study, the prevalence of E. faecium recovered from 43 retail chicken meat samples collected in Lahore, Pakistan, was determined. Antibiotic susceptibility profiling was performed to measure the resistance pattern of bacteria against various antibacterial drugs. More than two thirds of all samples (30/43, 69.8%) were positive for E. faecium. The isolates showed high resistance rates to ampicillin, tetracycline, and erythromycin, with lower rates of resistance to ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, vancomycin, teicoplanin, and doxycycline. Notably, none of the isolates were resistant to fosfomycin. In conclusion, retail chicken is often the carrier of antibiotic resistant E. faecium and could transfer resistance to human pathogens. These findings emphasize the need for infection control measures to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria as well as for the proper and not excessive use of antibiotics.Hühnerfleisch kann eine Quelle von Enterococcus faecium sein. Das Fleisch wird während des Schlachtens kontaminiert. Resistente Bakterien können durch die Nahrungskette zum Menschen gelangen und verschiedene Infektionskrankheiten einschließlich Harnwegsinfektionen, Bakteriämie, Endokarditis, Meningitis, und intra-abdominale Infektionen verursachen. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde das Vorkommen von E. faecium in 43 Hühnerfleischproben bestimmt, die in Lahore, Pakistan, gekauft wurden. Die Empfindlichkeit gegen verschiedene Antibiotika wurde gemessen. Mehr als zwei Drittel aller Proben (30/43, 69.8%) waren positive für E. faecium. Die Isolate zeigten eine hohe Resistenz gegen Ampicillin, Tetracyclin und Erythromycin mit geringeren Werten gegen Ciprofloxacin, Chloramphenicol, Rifampicin, Vancomycin, Teicoplanin und Doxycycline. Interessanterweise war keines der Isolate resistent gegen Fosfomycin. Zusammenfassend ist Hühnerfleisch oft der Träger Antibiotika-resistenten E. faeciums und könnte die Resistenz auf menschliche Pathogene übertragen. Die Ergebnisse unterstreichen den Bedarf nach Maßnahmen zur Infektionskontrolle, um die weitere Verbreitung Antibiotika-resistenter Bakterien zu vermeiden, sowie nach einer angemessenen, nicht maßlosen Anwendung von Antibiotika
Assessing preoperative risk of STR in skull meningiomas using MR radiomics and machine learning
No full textOur aim is to predict possible gross total and subtotal resections of skull meningiomas from pre-treatment T1 post contrast MR-images using radiomics and machine learning in a representative patient cohort. We analyse the accuracy of our model predictions depending on the tumor location within the skull and the postoperative tumor volume. In this retrospective, IRB-approved study, image segmentation of the contrast enhancing parts of the tumor was semi-automatically performed using the 3D Slicer open-source software platform. Imaging data were split into training data and independent test data at random. We extracted a total of 107 radiomic features by hand-delineated regions of interest on T1 post contrast MR images. Feature preselection and model construction were performed with eight different machine learning algorithms. Each model was estimated 100 times on new training data and then tested on a previously unknown, independent test data set to avoid possible overfitting. Our cohort included 138 patients. A gross total resection of the meningioma was performed in 107 cases and a subtotal resection in the remaining 31 cases. Using the training data, the mean area under the curve (AUC), mean accuracy, mean kappa, mean sensitivity and mean specificity were 0.901, 0.875, 0.629, 0.675 and 0.933 respectively. We obtained very similar results with the independent test data: mean AUC = 0.900, mean accuracy = 0.881, mean kappa = 0.644, mean sensitivity = 0.692 and mean specificity = 0.936. Thus, our model exposes good and stable predictive performance with both training and test data. Our radiomics approach shows that with machine learning algorithms and comparatively few explanatory factors such as the location of the tumor within the skull as well as its shape, it is possible to make accurate predictions about whether a meningioma can be completely resected by surgery. Complete resections and resections with larger postoperative tumor volumes can be predicted with very high accuracy. However, cases with very small postoperative tumor volumes are comparatively difficult to predict correctly
Diaristik im digitalen Zeitalter:Eine narratologische Gegenüberstellung von Tagebüchern und Blogs
No full textDie deutschsprachige Literatur der Gegenwart steht der Digitalität betont skeptisch gegenüber. Gedruckte Bücher beherrschen den Markt und bestimmen den Diskurs. Originär digitale Texte werden oft sogar in analoge umgewandelt, sie werden ‚analogisiert‘. Was aber geschieht im Zuge dieses Prozesses mit ihren narrativen Eigenschaften? Die Kernfrage dieser Arbeit lautet deshalb: Unter welchen Bedingungen ist es möglich, eine digitale Geschichte in einem analogen Buch zu erzählen? Die Untersuchungen gehen davon aus, dass es ein analoges und ein digitales Erzählen gibt. Allerdings muss digitales Erzählen nicht zwingend in einem digitalen Medienformat stattfinden und umgekehrt analoges Erzählen nicht in einem analogen Medienformat. Es könnte also sein, dass die analoge Gegenwartsliteratur erzählerisch digitaler ist, als es medial den Anschein macht. Um dies zu zeigen, dienen Blogs und Tagebücher von SchriftstellerInnen als beispielhafter Untersuchungsgegenstand
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No full textBipolar clavicular instability – open reduction and tape augmentation of both joints: A case report
No full textA 62-year-old male suffered from a bipolar clavicle dislocation (BCD) due to a high velocity biking accident. Surgical reduction and repair was performed in both joints using non-resorbable tape-cerclages, which resulted in a good clinical outcome without any remaining instability. This technique for the fixation and stabilization is effective and not yet described in literature. Since BCD is a rare injury, there is no standardized treatment algorithm. In order to prevent chronic instability and enable adequate rehabilitation, we recommend early surgical repair and deem open reduction and tape augmentation an effective treatment option