Digital ergonomics and digital work planning in university education: experiences from Germany and Austria.

The publication presents an overview of the use of digital human models (DHM) in academic education at five exemplary universities in Germany and Austria. In addition to the presentation of different human models, the integration of them into the respective lectures is discussed. The teaching concepts of the individual courses of the universities, exercise examples and scenarios are presented. Experience shows that the active and independent use of digital ergonomics tools gives students pleasure and motivates them to deal intensively with complex tasks in terms of time and content. Feedback is consistently positive over all the involved lectures and universities. As a consequence of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, universities significantly increased online and blended learning. Based on the experience with the use of digital human models, the paper derives recommendations for future developments. Practical Relevance To sustain global value chains, companies are increasingly planning trans-regionally adapted products and production processes. Tools for digital ergonomics contribute to increasing competitiveness by using prospective working methods. Companies increasingly need experts with the corresponding know-how. Firmly anchoring the topic of digital ergonomics in relevant subjects of university teaching is therefore a prerequisite for this transfer of trained graduates.

Anticancer activity of five forest crops used in African folklore: antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects.

Acalypha wilkesiana, Caesalpinia bonduc, Jatropha multifida, Momordica charantia and Picralima nitida used in African folklore for treating cancer were investigated. All extracts except J. multifida resulted in no significant alteration in cell cycle distribution and apoptosis in MCF-7 and BT-20. The J. multifilda (JMR-Ch) caused cell cycle arrest at G1 checkpoint and apoptosis in MCF-7. Slight changes in the integrin expression of MCF-7 after treatment with 1 and 10 µg/mL of JMR-Ch were observed. Fluorescence-activated confocal microscopy shows changes in cell morphology and ß1 integrin localisation within MCF-7 cells after exposure to 10 and 25 µg/mL of JMR-Ch. JMR-Ch (1 µg/mL) treatment resulted in time-dependent decrease in cell acidification and respiration in MCF-7 cells and a time-dependent decrease in BT-20 cell respiration, while in MCF-10A, there was an enhancement of acidification. These results revealed the probable application of JMR-Ch in cancer therapy.