Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg

About: Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg is a education organization based out in Halle, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Liquid crystal. The organization has 20232 authors who have published 38773 publications receiving 965004 citations. The organization is also known as: MLU & University of Wittenberg.

Elevated expression of microRNAs 155, 203, 210 and 222 in pancreatic tumors is associated with poorer survival

Abstract: Pancreatic cancer is the eighth most common cancer and has an overall 5-year survival rate lower than 10%. Because of their ability to regulate gene expression, microRNAs can act as oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes and so have garnered interest as possible prognostic and therapeutic markers during the last decade. However, the prognostic value of microRNA expression in pancreatic cancer has not been thoroughly investigated. We measured the levels of miR-155, miR-203, miR-210, miR-216, miR-217 and miR-222 by quantitative RT-PCR in a cohort of 56 microdissected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC). These microRNAs were chosen as they had previously been shown to be differentially expressed in pancreatic tumors compared to normal tissues. The possible association of microRNA expression and patients' survival was examined using multivariate Cox's regression hazard analyses. Interestingly, significant correlations between elevated microRNA expression and overall survival were observed for miR-155 (RR = 2.50; p = 0.005), miR-203 (RR = 2.21; p = 0.017), miR-210 (RR = 2.48; p = 0.005) and miR-222 (RR = 2.05; p = 0.035). Furthermore, tumors from patients demonstrating elevated expression levels of all 4 microRNAs possessed a 6.2-fold increased risk of tumor-related death compared to patients whose tumors showed a lower expression of these microRNAs. This study provides the first evidence for an oncogenic activity of miR-155, miR-203, miR-210 and miR-222 in the development of pancreatic cancer as has been reported for other tumor types. Furthermore, the putative target genes for these microRNAs suggest a complex signaling network that can affect PDAC tumorigenesis and tumor progression.

Micro-segregation, molecular shape and molecular topology – partners for the design of liquid crystalline materials with complex mesophase morphologies

Abstract: This article gives an overview of recent progress in the design of novel materials, capable of forming liquid crystalline phases with non-conventional mesophase morphologies. The materials include dendritic molecules, ternary block-copolymers, rod–coil molecules and linear as well as non-linear polyphilic low molecular weight block molecules incorporating rigid segments with a specific shape. Changing the shape of the rigid segments from rod-like to disc-like or to a bent shape leads to additional possibilities for the directed design of mesophase forming materials. Many of these molecules are able to form quite unusual mesophase morphologies, distinct from the conventional lamellar (smectic) and columnar mesophases of classical rod-like and disc-like liquid crystals; they include mesophases which combine lamellar and columnar organisation, columnar mesophases incorporating three discrete sets of columns, biaxial smectic phases, such as the SmAb-phase (McMillan Phase), polar smectic phases and non-conventional layer structures in which rigid units are aligned parallel to the layers. These novel mesophase morphologies were realised by increasing the number of incompatible units combined in these molecules, by changing the volume fractions of the incompatible segments, by tailoring the shape of rigid segments and by controlling the molecular topology.

Functional Mockup Interface 2.0: The Standard for Tool independent Exchange of Simulation Models

Abstract: The Functional Mockup Interface (FMI) is a tool independent standard for the exchange of dynamic models and for co simulation. The first version, FMI 1.0, was published in 2010. Already more than 30 tools support FMI 1.0. In this paper an overview about the recently published version 2.0 of FMI is given that combines the formerly separated interfaces for Model Exchange and Co-Simulation in one standard. Based on the experience on using FMI 1.0, many small details have been improved and new features ease the usability and increase the performance especially for larger models. Additionally, a free FMI compliance checker will become soon available and FMI models from different tools are made available on the web to simplify testing.