778 research outputs found
Gene loss and lineage specific restriction-modification systems associated with niche differentiation in the Campylobacter jejuni Sequence Type 403 clonal complex
No full textCampylobacter jejuni is a highly diverse species of bacteria commonly associated with infectious intestinal disease of humans and zoonotic carriage in poultry, cattle, pigs, and other animals. The species contains a large number of distinct clonal complexes that vary from host generalist lineages commonly found in poultry, livestock, and human disease cases to host-adapted specialized lineages primarily associated with livestock or poultry. Here, we present novel data on the ST403 clonal complex of C. jejuni, a lineage that has not been reported in avian hosts. Our data show that the lineage exhibits a distinctive pattern of intralineage recombination that is accompanied by the presence of lineage-specific restriction-modification systems. Furthermore, we show that the ST403 complex has undergone gene decay at a number of loci. Our data provide a putative link between the lack of association with avian hosts of C. jejuni ST403 and both gene gain and gene loss through nonsense mutations in coding sequences of genes, resulting in pseudogene formation
Die Römische Republik /
No full textWer sich für antike Geschichte interessiert, greift zu dieser knappen und gut lesbaren Geschichte der Römischen Republik, geschrieben von einem der bekanntesten Althistoriker Deutschlands. Jochen Bleicken (1926-2005) führt den Leser von der Zeit der Etrusker bis zum Ende der Republik, das die Herrschaft Caesars besiegelte. Alle wichtigen Phasen der republikanischen Geschichte entfalten sich: die Ständekämpfe, Aufstieg Roms zur Weltherrschaft - und die zugehörigen ungeheuren kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen -, Ursachen und Beginn der inneren Krise seit den Gracchen, die Restauration unter Sulla und schließlich: die Auflösung der Republik und die Begründung der Monarchie. Aloys Winterling Jochen Bleicken, 1926-2005, war Professor für Alte Geschichte an der Universität Göttingen und u.a. Mitherausgeber von "Oldenbourg Grundriss der Geschichte" und der HISTORISCHEN ZEITSCHRIFT.Wer sich für antike Geschichte interessiert, greift zu dieser knappen und gut lesbaren Geschichte der Römischen Republik, geschrieben von einem der bekanntesten Althistoriker Deutschlands. Jochen Bleicken (1926-2005) führt den Leser von der Zeit der Etrusker bis zum Ende der Republik, das die Herrschaft Caesars besiegelte. Alle wichtigen Phasen der republikanischen Geschichte entfalten sich: die Ständekämpfe, Aufstieg Roms zur Weltherrschaft - und die zugehörigen ungeheuren kriegerischen Auseinandersetzungen -, Ursachen und Beginn der inneren Krise seit den Gracchen, die Restauration unter Sulla und schließlich: die Auflösung der Republik und die Begründung der Monarchie. Aloys Winterling Jochen Bleicken, 1926-2005, war Professor für Alte Geschichte an der Universität Göttingen und u.a. Mitherausgeber von "Oldenbourg Grundriss der Geschichte" und der HISTORISCHEN ZEITSCHRIFT.Mode of access: Internet via World Wide Web.Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 08. Jul 2019
Stimulation of Toll-like receptor 9 by chronic intraventricular unmethylated cytosine-guanine DNA infusion causes neuroinflammation and impaired spatial memory
No full textBacterial DNA contains a high frequency of unmethylated cytosine-guanine (CpG) motifs that have strong immunostimulatory properties; they are recognized by mammalian Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). Because accumulating data suggest that chronic inflammatory processes are involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, we hypothesized that inflammatory responses stimulated by CpG DNA might contribute to neurodegeneration and brain dysfunction. To assess the effects of continuous CpG DNA exposure in the brain. C57BL/6 (n = 21) and TLR9-deficient mice (n = 15) were given intracerebroventricular infusions of CpG DNA or saline for 28 days. Spatial memory assessed weekly by Morris water maze demonstrated impairment in CpG-treated wild-type trice but not in TLR9-deficient or control-treated mice. Motor function was not affected. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed marked microglial activation and acute axonal damage surrounding the ventricles, ependymal disruption, and reactive astrogliosis within the hippocampal formation in the CpG-treated wild-type but not TLR9-deficient mice or saline-infused controls. These results suggest that the unfavorable effects of CpG DNA are dependent on TLR9 signaling and that exposure to bacterial DNA may contribute to impaired neural function, neuroinflammation, and subsequent neurodegeneration.Else Kroner-Fresenius-Stiftung [P61/06//A70/06
Stimulation of Toll-Like Receptor 9 by Chronic Intraventricular Unmethylated Cytosine-Guanine DNA Infusion Causes Neuroinflammation and Impaired Spatial Memory
No full textBacterial DNA contains a high frequency of unmethylated cytosine-guanine (CpG) motifs that have strong immunostimulatory properties; they are recognized by mammalian Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). Because accumulating data suggest that chronic inflammatory processes are involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, we hypothesized that inflammatory responses stimulated by CpG DNA might contribute to neurodegeneration and brain dysfunction. To assess the effects of continuous CpG DNA exposure in the brain. C57BL/6 (n = 21) and TLR9-deficient mice (n = 15) were given intracerebroventricular infusions of CpG DNA or saline for 28 days. Spatial memory assessed weekly by Morris water maze demonstrated impairment in CpG-treated wild-type trice but not in TLR9-deficient or control-treated mice. Motor function was not affected. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed marked microglial activation and acute axonal damage surrounding the ventricles, ependymal disruption, and reactive astrogliosis within the hippocampal formation in the CpG-treated wild-type but not TLR9-deficient mice or saline-infused controls. These results suggest that the unfavorable effects of CpG DNA are dependent on TLR9 signaling and that exposure to bacterial DNA may contribute to impaired neural function, neuroinflammation, and subsequent neurodegeneration.Else Kroner-Fresenius-Stiftung [P61/06//A70/06
Starting the Debate on the Role of Health Economics to Support Child Friendly Health Care in Europe
No full textThe Article outlines the contribution of health economics to the realization of child-friendly health care. The application of classic economic adult health care cost models to child health care is technically difficult because child health care is often more complex and less standardized than adult care (eg, pediatricians are not only treating diseases but the whole child and the family). Up to 8000 rare diseases are the main causes for children with long-term conditions, thus making the use of diagnosis-related group (DRG) systems very difficult to implement. Measures such as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) developed for adults may be insensitive to the needs of children for a number of reasons, including the lack of appropriate measures and long-term studies.
In summary, there appears to be no role for overly dogmatic economic guidelines in child health, but a high degree of innovation and flexibility is required on which stakeholders in society must agree. The economic models for child health care may have to be adjusted according to different age groups, conditions, settings, and countries
Conceptual design of future children's hospitals in Europe : the role of public and private stakeholders as transferors of new concepts from theory into practice
No full textIn part 1 of this series debating the conceptual design of
future children’s hospitals in Europe, we discussed the planning,
building, merging and closing hospitals.1 We now
discuss the role of public and private stakeholders as transferors
of new concepts from theory into practice. Participation of hospital pediatricians in planning, financing,
and decision making should be encouraged to reduce unnecessary
cost and to increase the quality of hospital care.
Therefore, training in public health, health economics, and
systems for pediatricians and nurses would allow better understanding
of the strengths and limitations of health economics
and health economic analyses to participate in resource
allocation decisions
Essentials of services marketing / Jochen Wirtz, Christopher Lovelock.
No full textIncludes bibliographical references and indexes.(xxxii, 670 pages) :Essentials of Services Marketing, 3e, is meant for courses directed at undergraduate and polytechnic students, especially those heading for a career in the service sector, whether at the executive or management level. It delivers streamlined coverage of services marketing topics with an exciting global outlook with visual learning aids and clear language. It has been designed so that instructors can make selective use of chapters and cases to teach courses of different lengths and formats in either services marketing or services management
Gesundheitsfonds oder/und steuerfinanziert – die Umgestaltung der Krankenversicherung
No full textSeit Sommer dieses Jahres sind die Eckpunkte der Gesundheitsreform 2006 bekannt. Für Markus Lüngen, Andreas Gerber, Universität zu Köln, und Karl W. Lauterbach, MdB, ist das Modell des Gesundheitsfonds, das im Mittelpunkt der Maßnahmen steht, kein »Erfolgsmodell«. Die möglichen positiven Folgen des Fonds ließen sich, ihrer Meinung nach, auch ohne den Fonds erzielen, und zwar mit »geringerem Bürokratieaufwand, Aufrechterhaltung der Solidarität und besserem Wettbewerbsrahmen«. Auch Klaus Jacobs, Wissenschaftliches Institut der AOK, Bonn, steht dem Reformmodell kritisch gegenüber. Vor allem bei dem Umbau der Finanzierungsstrukturen sieht er erhebliche Defizite: »Stabil, nachhaltig, gerecht und wettbewerbstauglich sollte die Finanzierung werden und zudem den Faktor Arbeit entlasten.« Dies werde durch den eingeschlagenen Lösungsweg nicht erreicht. Vielmehr wird »... nicht nur kein einziges Finanzierungsproblem gelöst, sondern neue Probleme geschaffen«. Nach Ansicht von Jochen Pimpertz, Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft, Köln, haben die Gesundheitspolitiker das Entscheidende vergessen: »Wettbewerb führt nur dann zu mehr Effizienz, wenn den Versicherten nicht nur Wahlmöglichkeiten eröffnet werden, sondern wenn sie auch die finanzielle Verantwortung für ihre Entscheidung tragen. Doch um diese Konsequenz drückt sich das politische Berlin seit Jahr und Tag …«
Analysis, interpretation, and the local dimension of economic transformation: What went wrong and why?
No full textTransformation has been put in motion by a variety of both endogenous and exogenous forces. Although not any process was under the control of those countries, their choice of goals and instruments was anyway particularly great, at least theoretically. However, transformation was implemented as a rather narrowly defined and technically circumscribed problem-solving process aiming at applying sound general principles of economics and management to reach well-defined goals. It turned out to generate new problems and resulted in different outcomes in different countries and, within individual countries, in different territories. This paper treats transformation as innovation and considers that it had to deal with different dimensions, including both general principles and local features, opportunities, and constraints, and both analysis based on problem-solving, and interpretation of the new situation. These dimensions should have been managed simultaneously, but failed to do so. The paper provides a general explanation for the failure in managing simultaneously the various components of transformation and considers what the 2008 international crisis has revealed of the implementation of 20 years of transformation.Transformation, Local development, Reform, Analysis, Interpretation, Crisis, Washington Consensus, Innovation
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