U6 is unsuitable for normalization of serum miRNA levels in patients with sepsis or liver fibrosis

Fabian Benz,Christoph Roderburg,David Vargas Cardenas,Mihael Vucur,Jeremie Gautheron,Alexander Koch,Henning Zimmermann,Jorn Janssen,Lukas Nieuwenhuijsen,Mark Luedde,Norbert Frey,Frank Tacke,Christian 생화학분자생물학회 2013 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.45 No.9

MicroRNA (miRNA) levels in serum have recently emerged as potential novel biomarkers for various diseases. miRNAs are routinely measured by standard quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR); however, the high sensitivity of qPCR demands appropriate normalization to correct for nonbiological variation. Presently, RNU6B (U6) is used for data normalization of circulating miRNAs in many studies. However, it was suggested that serum levels of U6 themselves might differ between individuals. Therefore, no consensus has been reached on the best normalization strategy in ‘circulating miRNA’. We analyzed U6 levels as well as levels of spiked-in SV40-RNA in sera of 44 healthy volunteers, 203 intensive care unit patients and 64 patients with liver fibrosis. Levels of U6 demonstrated a high variability in sera of healthy donors, patients with critical illness and liver fibrosis. This high variability could also be confirmed in sera of mice after the cecal ligation and puncture procedure. Most importantly, levels of circulating U6 were significantly upregulated in sera of patients with critical illness and sepsis compared with controls and correlated with established markers of inflammation. In patients with liver fibrosis, U6 levels were significantly downregulated. In contrast, levels of spiked-in SV40 displayed a significantly higher stability both in human cohorts (healthy, critical illness,liver fibrosis) and in mice. Thus, we conclude that U6 levels in the serum are dysregulated in a disease-specific manner. Therefore, U6 should not be used for data normalization of circulating miRNAs in inflammatory diseases and previous studies using this approach should be interpreted with caution. Further studies are warranted to identify specific regulatory processes of U6 levels in sepsis and liver fibrosis.

Two Phase Flow in a Flat-Plate Solar Collector for Process Steam Production

Nikolaus Benz,Helmut Oberndorfer,Michael Dorfler 대한기계학회 1998 Heat transter conference Vol.2 No.1

직지의 의미

Eva-Maria Hanevutt-Benz 한국서지학회 2004 서지학연구 Vol.28 No.-

유럽 옛 속담에 “책들도 나름대로 개성이 있다”는 말이 있는데, 여기에는 책을 존중하라는 메세지가 담겨있다고 하겠다. 흥덕사의 직지는 다행히 多衆에게 알려져 있으니 그 운명이 고무적이라고 하겠다. 직지의 과거를 살펴보면 19세기 후반기에 서울 주재불란서 대사관 직원, Collin de Plancy(1853-1922)가 한국에서 상기 서적을 습득했고 후에 이 책은 Henri Vever(1854-1943) 개인장서로 귀속된다. Vever 사망 후에 그의 소망에 따라 파리 국립도서관에 기증되었다. 한국인 사서 박병선이 국립도서관에서 직지를 발견하고, 한국문화에서 중요한 의미를 가지는 서적임을 간파한다. 이것을 계기로 직지에 대한 관심이 증폭되고, 드디어 2000년에 유네스코 세계문화유산 목록에 수록됨으로써 한국문화재적 작품임을 인증 받게 되었다. 직지는 분명서적인쇄사 및 문화사에서 역사적 걸작품이다. 나는 유감스럽게도 한국어, 한국사, 또한 한국인쇄사 등에 관해 아는 바 없으므로, 이 테마에 관해서는 일반론을 피력하고자 한다. 인쇄의 역사를 살펴보건데, 지금까지 전폭적으로 유럽 중심이었으니, 15세기 이후 중부 유럽에서 인쇄술이 어떻게 발달해왔는 가에 관한 연구는 활발했으나, 동방의 현대 및 고대인쇄사에 대한 지식은 점진적으로 그 폭을 넓혀가는 중이다. 반면 인쇄의 본질적인 토대인 종이의 역사는 일찌기 극동 지역의 성과로 인정 받았고 인쇄 기술 면에서 가동적인 활자체, 또는 조립가능한 개별타인구(打印具)를 써서 인쇄했던 기술은 더욱 더 경탄을 자아낸다. 여러면에서 직지와 “구텐베르크 성서본”은 상호 비교가 가능하며 두 서적은 출판된 날짜도 추측이 가능하다. 인쇄술은 목판인쇄와 금속활자인쇄가 있는데, 유럽에서도 인쇄는 처음에 목각으로 시작되었음을 상기할 필요가 있다. 한국에서는 이미 풍부한 문헌들이 목판으로 인쇄되었으나, 유럽에서는 목판인쇄가 그다지 성공하지 못했다. 그 이유를 살펴보면 마찰방식의 인쇄시 종이의 질이 중요한 역할을 하는데, 아마에서 생산된 두툼한 종이는 여러가지 부작용을 초래하였으니, 뒷면까지 양각의 표시가 뚜렷해서 뒷면 인쇄가 불가능했고, 작업 과정에서 찢어지고, 잉크가 번지고 압력을 상당히 가해야만 했다. 이러한 제작상의 어려움으로 인하여 금속활자라는 다른 수단을 강구할 수밖에 없었을 것이다. 발표논고를 3가지로 압축해 보면, (1) 아시아에서는 마찰 방식에 잘 견디는 질기고 얇은종이를 생산했고, 인쇄 시간도 짧았다 그러나 아마에서 만들어진 유럽 종이는 두꺼워서 선명한 인쇄를 하려면 오래동안 힘을 주어서 뒷면을 문질러야 했다. 따라서 종이에 뚜렷한 양각이 나타나서 뒷면은 여백으로 놓아두어야 했다. 1450- 1475년에 출판된 목판인쇄물은 양면이 인쇄되었는데, 이것은 각인기(刻印機)가 그 사이 개발되었기 때문이다. (2) 제본 방식의 근본적 차이점이 아시아와 유럽에는 엄연히 존재한다. 아시아에서는 마찰인쇄시 뒷면이 인쇄되지 못해도 한면을 둘로 접어서 제본함으로 아무런 문제가 되지 않는다. 반면 초기 중세이후 관습적인 유럽의 제본방식은 그점을 허용할 수 없었다. (3) 구텐베르크가 자신의 출판물을 위해 고안해 낸 글자체는 소위 Textra체이며, 표기방식은 수평적 배열성과 직선태이다. 이러한 표기 방식과 글자체의 특이성이 목판인쇄에서 벗어나서 금속활자로의 진입을 가속화시킨 것으로 보여진다.

AMP-activated Protein Kinase Impairs Endothelial Actin Cytoskeleton Assembly by Phosphorylating Vasodilator-stimulated Phosphoprotein

Blume, Constanze,Benz, Peter M.,Walter, Ulrich,Ha, Joohun,Kemp, Bruce E.,Renné,, Thomas American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Bi 2007 The Journal of biological chemistry Vol.282 No.7

<P>Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) is an actin regulatory protein that links signaling pathways to remodeling of the cytoskeleton. VASP functions are modulated by protein kinases, which phosphorylate the sites Ser-157, Ser-239, and Thr-278. The kinase responsible for Thr-278 phosphorylation, biological functions of the phosphorylation, and association with disease states have remained enigmatic. Using VASP phosphorylation status-specific antibodies, we identified AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a serine-threonine kinase and fundamental sensor of energy homeostasis, in a screen for kinases that phosphorylate the Thr-278 site of VASP in endothelial cells. Pharmacological AMPK inhibitors and activators and AMPK mutants revealed that the kinase specifically targets residue Thr-278 but not Ser-157 or Ser-239. Quantitative fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis and serum response factor transcriptional reporter assays, which quantify the cellular F-/G-actin equilibrium, indicated that AMPK-mediated VASP phosphorylation impaired actin stress fiber formation and altered cell morphology. In the Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rat model for type II diabetes, AMPK activity and Thr-278 phosphorylation were substantially reduced in arterial vessel walls. These findings suggest that VASP is a new AMPK substrate, that VASP Thr-278 phosphorylation translates metabolic signals into actin cytoskeleton rearrangements, and that this signaling system becomes down-regulated in diabetic vessels.</P>

Highly Economic and High Quality Zinc-flake Manufacturing by High Kinetic Processing

Ren H.,Benz H.U.,Chimal V. O.,Corral G. M.S.,Zhang Y.,Jaramillo V. D.,Zoz H. 한국분말야금학회 2006 한국분말야금학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2006 No.1

The present paper is a parameter study of zinc flake production using a Simoloyer CM01 horizontal high energy rotary ball mill. The manufactured flakes have a dimension in thickness (t) < 1μm and diameters (d) 5-100 μm, consequently a ratio d/t up to 200. The flake geometry is mainly controlled by the variation of process parameters such as rotary speed of the rotor, ratio of powder/ball charge, load ratio of the system, process temperature, operating model and the quantity of process control agent (PCA). The Zn flakes were characterized by SEM, tap densitometry, laser diffraction and water coverage measurement.

Stellite bearings for liquid Zn-/Al-Systems with advanced chemical and physical properties by Mechanical Alloying and Standard-PM-Route

Zoz H.,Benz H.U.,Huettebraeucker K.,Furken L.,Ren H.,Reichardt R. 한국분말야금학회 2000 한국분말야금학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2000 No.1

An important business-field of world-wide steel-industry is the coating of thin metal-sheets with zinc, zinc-aluminum and aluminum based materials. These products mostly go into automotive industry. in particular for the car-body. into building and construction industry as well as household appliances. Due to mass-production, the processing is done in large continuously operating plants where the mostly cold-rolled metal-strip as the substrate is handled in coils up to 40 tons unwind before and rolled up again after passing the processing plant which includes cleaning, annealing, hot-dip galvanizing / aluminizing and chemical treatment. In the liquid Zn, Zn-AI, AI-Zn and AI-Si bathes a combined action of corrosion and wear under high temperature and high stress onto the transfer components (rolls) accounts for major economic losses. Most critical here are the bearing systems of these rolls operating in the liquid system. Rolls in liquid system can not be avoided as they are needed to transfer the steel-strip into and out of the crucible. Since several years, ceramic roller bearings are tested here [1.2], however, in particular due to uncontrollable Slag-impurities within the hot bath [3], slide bearings are still expected to be of a higher potential [4]. The today's state of the art is the application of slide bearings based on Stellite\ulcorneragainst Stellite which is in general a 50-60 wt% Co-matrix with incorporated Cr- and W-carbides and other composites. Indeed Stellite is used as the bearing-material as of it's chemical properties (does not go into solution), the physical properties in particular with poor lubricating properties are not satisfying at all. To increase the Sliding behavior in the bearing system, about 0.15-0.2 wt% of lead has been added into the hot-bath in the past. Due to environmental regulations. this had to be reduced dramatically_ This together with the heavily increasing production rates expressed by increased velocity of the substrate-steel-band up to 200 m/min and increased tractate power up to 10 tons in modern plants. leads to life times of the bearings of a few up to several days only. To improve this situation. the Mechanical Alloying (MA) TeChnique [5.6.7.8] is used to prOduce advanced Stellite-based bearing materials. A lubricating phase is introduced into Stellite-powder-material by MA, the composite-powder-particles are coated by High Energy Milling (HEM) in order to produce bearing-bushes of approximately 12 kg by Sintering, Liquid Phase Sintering (LPS) and Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP). The chemical and physical behavior of samples as well as the bearing systems in the hot galvanizing / aluminizing plant are discussed. DependenCies like lubricant material and composite, LPS-binder and composite, particle shape and PM-route with respect to achievable density. (temperature--) shock-reSistibility and corrosive-wear behavior will be described. The materials are characterized by particle size analysis (laser diffraction), scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. corrosive-wear behavior is determined using a special cylinder-in-bush apparatus (CIBA) as well as field-test in real production condition. Part I of this work describes the initial testing phase where different sample materials are produced, characterized, consolidated and tested in the CIBA under a common AI-Zn-system. The results are discussed and the material-system for the large components to be produced for the field test in real production condition is decided. Outlook: Part II of this work will describe the field test in a hot-dip-galvanizing/aluminizing plant of the mechanically alloyed bearing bushes under aluminum-rich liquid metal. Alter testing, the bushes will be characterized and obtained results with respect to wear. expected lifetime, surface roughness and infiltration will be discussed. Part III of this project will describe a second initial testing phase where the won results of part 1+11 will be transferred to the AI-Si system. Part IV of this project will describe the field test in a hot-dip-aluminizing plant of the mechanically alloyed bearing bushes under aluminum liquid metal. After testing. the bushes will be characterized and obtained results with respect to wear. expected lifetime, surface roughness and infiltration will be discussed.

The role of units in the concept of length for four- to six-year-old children

Johanna Z?llner,Christiane Benz 환태평양유아교육연구학회 2015 Asia-Pacific journal of research in early childhoo Vol.9 No.3

The understanding of the unit is a key point in the development of the concept of length. The understanding of unit is necessary for measuring as well as for comparing indirectly by using unit iteration. This article describes a study that investigated the use of units by children when they were comparing lines indirectly. The correlations between different aspects of the use of units are examined: the understanding of units, the use of units for decomposing and for counting are investigated.

Development of a 60 Hz Power Standard Using SNS Programmable Josephson Voltage Standards

Burroughs, C.J.,Benz, S.P.,Dresselhaus, P.D.,Waltrip, B.C.,Nelson, T.L.,Yonuk Chong,Williams, J.M.,Henderson, D.,Patel, P.,Palafox, L.,Behr, R. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 2007 IEEE transactions on instrumentation and measureme Vol.56 No.2

<P>We are implementing a new standard for 60 Hz power measurements based on precision sinusoidal reference voltages from two independent programmable Josephson voltage standards (PJVS): one for voltage and one for current. The National Institute of Standards and Technology PJVS systems use series arrays of Josephson junctions to produce accurate quantum-based DC voltages. Using stepwise-approximation synthesis, the PJVS systems produce sinewaves with precisely calculable RMS voltage and spectral content. We present measurements and calculations that elucidate the sources of error in the RMS voltage that are intrinsic to the digital-synthesis technique and that are due to the finite rise times and transients that occur when switching between the discrete voltages. Our goal is to reduce all error sources and uncertainty contributions from the PJVS synthesized waveforms to a few parts in 10 <SUP>7</SUP> so that the overall uncertainty in the AC-power standard is a few parts in 10<SUP>6</SUP></P>

Carbon-rich Nano-structured Boron Carbide by Mechanical Alloying

Zoz H.,Kapoor D.,Benz H.U.,Ren H.,V. D. Jaramillo 한국분말야금학회 2006 한국분말야금학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2006 No.1

Melting and Casting Processes : A NEW METHOD FOR PRODUCTION OF CERAMIC - FREE METALS

F . G . MUller,M . G . Benz,W . T . Carter Jr .,R . M . Forbes - Jones,A . G . Leatham 대한금속재료학회 ( 구 대한금속학회 ) 1995 Advanced Material and Processing Vol.1 No.-