University of Cologne

About: University of Cologne is a education organization based out in Cologne, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Transplantation. The organization has 32050 authors who have published 66350 publications receiving 2210092 citations. The organization is also known as: Universität zu Köln & Universitatis Coloniensis.

T cell-specific inactivation of the interleukin 10 gene in mice results in enhanced T cell responses but normal innate responses to lipopolysaccharide or skin irritation.

Abstract: Interleukin (IL)-10 is a regulator of inflammatory responses and is secreted by a variety of different cell types including T cells. T regulatory cells have been shown to suppress immune responses by IL-10-dependent, but also IL-10-independent, mechanisms. Herein, we address the role of T cell-derived IL-10 in mice with an inactivation of the IL-10 gene restricted to T cells generated by Cre/loxP-mediated targeting of the IL-10 gene. Splenocytes from this T cell-specific mutant secrete increased amounts of proinflammatory cytokines after activation in vitro compared with show enhanced contact hypersensitivity reactions, and succumb to severe immunopathology upon infection with Toxoplasma gondii. Despite intact IL-10 genes in other cell types, the dysregulation of T cell responses observed in the T cell-specific IL-10 mutant closely resembles the phenotype in complete IL-10 deficiency. However, in contrast to complete IL-10 deficiency, sensitivity to endotoxic shock and irritant responses of the skin are not enhanced in the T cell-specific IL-10 mutant. Our data highlight the importance of T cell-derived IL-10 in the regulation of T cell responses and demonstrate that endotoxic shock and the irritant response of the skin are controlled by IL-10 from other cell types.

Ordering in bidirectional pedestrian flows and its influence on the fundamental diagram

Abstract: Experiments under laboratory conditions were carried out to study the ordering in bidirectional pedestrian streams and its influence on the fundamental diagram (density–speed–flow relation). The Voronoi method is used to resolve the fine structure of the resulting velocity–density relations and spatial dependence of the measurements. The data show that the specific flow concept is applicable also for bidirectional streams. For various forms of ordering in bidirectional streams, no large differences among density–flow relationships are found in the observed density range. The fundamental diagrams of bidirectional streams with different forms of ordering are compared with those of unidirectional streams. The result shows differences in the shape of the relation for ρ > 1.0 m − 2. The maximum of the specific flow in unidirectional streams is significantly larger than that in all bidirectional streams examined.