Articles RESULTS Participant CharacteristicsThe analyses included 162 infants (n = 77 girls, n = 85 boys) aged 6 wk (median 6.33 wk) and 160 infants (n = 79 girls, n = 81 boys) aged 4 mo (median 3.64 mo) who underwent sonographic examinations as well as anthropometric and SFT measurements during regular study visits. Overall 160 children (n = 84 girls, n = 76 boys) completed the investigations at 1 y of age (median 1.04 y). The anthropometric and ultrasound data are presented in Tables 1 and 2. All infants were born full-term between the Data are presented as mean ± SD (n) along with the nonadjusted mean difference (95% confidence interval) from mixed models containing time, sex and an interaction between sex and time. SFT, skinfold thickness.

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<b><i>Background:</i></b> The granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) plays an important role in surfactant homeostasis. β_C is a subunit of the GM-CSF receptor (GM-CSF-R), and its activation mediates surfactant catabolism in the lung. β_IT is a physiological, truncated isoform of β_C and is known to act as physiological inhibitor of β_C. <b><i>Objective:</i></b> The aim of this study was to determine the ratio of β_IT and β_C in the peripheral blood of newborns and its association with the degree of respiratory failure at birth. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We conducted a prospective cohort study in newborns with various degrees of respiratory impairment at birth. Respiratory status was assessed by a score ranging from no respiratory impairment (0) to invasive respiratory support (3). β_IT and β_C expression were determined in peripheral blood cells by real-time PCR. β_IT expression, defined as the ratio of β_IT and β_C, was correlated with the respiratory score. <b><i>Results:</i></b> β_IT expression was found in all 59 recruited newborns with a trend toward higher β_IT in respiratory ill (score 2, 3) newborns than respiratory healthy newborns ([score 0, 1]; <i>p</i> = 0.066). Seriously ill newborns (score 3) had significantly higher β_IT than healthy newborns ([score 0], <i>p</i> = 0.010). Healthy preterm infants had significantly higher β_IT expression than healthy term infants (<i>p</i> = 0.019). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> β_IT is expressed in newborns with higher expression in respiratory ill than respiratory healthy newborns. We hypothesize that β_IT may have a protective effect in postnatal pulmonary adaptation acting as a physiological inhibitor of β_C and, therefore, maintaining surfactant in respiratory ill newborns.

Kurzfassung Der Beitrag beschreibt Lösungsansätze zur Steigerung der Bauteilgenauigkeit in der roboterbasierten inkrementellen Blechumformung, die innerhalb des vom BMBF geförderten Verbundprojekts Roboforming erarbeitet wurden. Im Fokus des Projekts steht die Entwicklung einer industriell einsetzbaren Roboforming-Anlage, für die in diesem Beitrag das Gesamtszenario dargestellt wird. Den Kern bildet eine Regelschleife aus Sensorsystemen und Programmiersystem, die eine verbesserte Bauteilqualität ermöglicht. In Kombination mit weiteren Maßnahmen wie einer Stützstruktur und der Multiform-Strategie kann die Bauteilqualität noch deutlich weiter gesteigert werden. Ein modularer und skalierbarer Aufbau unter Verwendung von Standardkomponenten soll gerade den Anforderungen von kleinen und mittelständischen Unternehmen gerecht werden. Dabei zeichnet sich das Verfahren durch werkstückformunabhängige Werkzeuge sowie eine flexible Formgebung der Blechbauteile aus.

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