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Meier JK, Schwabe L. Consistently increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity during the exposure to acute stressors. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae159. [PMID: 38642105 PMCID: PMC11031141 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Stress has a major impact on our mental health. Nonetheless, it is still not fully understood how the human brain responds to ongoing stressful events. Here, we aimed to determine the cortical dynamics during the exposure to ecologically valid, standardized stressors. To this end, we conducted 3 experiments in which healthy participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (experiments 1 and 2) and the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (experiment 3) or a respective control manipulation, while we measured their cortical activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Increases in salivary cortisol and subjective stress levels confirmed the successful stress induction in all experiments. Results of experiment 1 showed significantly increased cortical activity, in particular in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, during the exposure to the Trier Social Stress Test. Experiment 2 replicated this finding and showed further that this stress-related increase in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity was transient and limited to the period of the Trier Social Stress Test. Experiment 3 demonstrated the increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity during the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test, suggesting that this increase is generalizable and not specific to the Trier Social Stress Test. Together, these data show consistently that dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity is not reduced, as commonly assumed, but increased under stress, which may promote coping with the ongoing stressor.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Universität Hamburg, Von-Melle-Park 5, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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2
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Margaritescu I, Liu Z, Ye ZG, Mihailova B. The role of local non-tetragonal polar displacements in the temperature- and pressure-induced phase transitions in PbTiO 3-BiMeO 3 ferroelectrics. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7106. [PMID: 38532061 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57765-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In situ high-pressure/high-temperature Raman-scattering analyses on PbTiO3 , 0.92PbTiO3 - 0.08Bi(Zn0.5 Ti0.5 )O3 and 0.83PbTiO3 - 0.17Bi(Mg0.5 Ti0.5 )O3 single crystals reveal an intensity transfer between the fine-structure components of the A1 (TO) soft mode. The enhancement of the lowest-energy subpeak, which stems from intrinsic local non-tetragonal polar distortions, along with the suppression of the tetragonal A1 (1TO) fundamental mode with increasing pressure and temperature indicates the key role of the local polarization fluctuations in transformation processes and emphasizes the significance of the order-disorder phenomena in both the pressure- and temperature-induced phase transitions of pure PbTiO3 and its solid solutions with complex perovskites. Moreover, the temperature and pressure evolution of the fraction of the local non-tetragonal polar distortions is highly sensitive to the type of B-site substituent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Margaritescu
- Department of Earth Sciences, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 48, 20146, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Zenghui Liu
- Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education & International Center for Dielectric Research, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Zuo-Guang Ye
- Department of Chemistry and 4D LABS, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Boriana Mihailova
- Department of Earth Sciences, Universität Hamburg, Grindelallee 48, 20146, Hamburg, Germany
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3
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Hawlitschek O, Bruns C, Dey LS, Nuhlíčková S, Felix R, van Kleef H, Nakel J, Husemann M. The Genomics of Isolated Populations of Gampsocleis glabra (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) in Central and Western Europe. Insects 2023; 14:946. [PMID: 38132619 PMCID: PMC10743875 DOI: 10.3390/insects14120946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are among the major current threats to global biodiversity. Fragmentation may also affect species with good dispersal abilities. We study the heath bushcricket Gampsocleis glabra, a specialist of steppe-like habitats across Europe that are highly fragmented, investigating if these isolated populations can be distinguished using population genomics and if there are any traces of admixture or dispersal among them. We try to answer these questions using genome-wide SNP data generated with ddRAD sequencing. We calculated F-statistics and visualized differentiation using STRUCTURE plots. While limited by the difficulty of sampling this threatened species, our results show that all populations except one that was represented by a singleton were clearly distinct, with pairwise FST values between 0.010 and 0.181. STRUCTURE indicated limited but visible admixture across most populations and probably also an exchange of individuals between populations of Germany and The Netherlands. We conclude that in G. glabra, a certain amount of gene flow has persisted, at least in the past, also among populations that are isolated today. We also detect a possibly more recent dispersal event between a population in The Netherlands and one in Germany, which may be human aided. We suggest that the conservation of larger populations should be maintained, that efforts should be taken to restore abandoned habitat, that the preservation even of small habitat fragments may be beneficial for the conservation of this species, and that these habitats should be regularly monitored for possible (re-)colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Hawlitschek
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Universität Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum of Nature, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (C.B.); (L.-S.D.); (M.H.)
| | - Carsten Bruns
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum of Nature, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (C.B.); (L.-S.D.); (M.H.)
| | - Lara-Sophie Dey
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum of Nature, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (C.B.); (L.-S.D.); (M.H.)
- Senckenberg German Entomological Institute, 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Soňa Nuhlíčková
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, SK-84215 Bratislava, Slovakia;
| | - Rob Felix
- Natuurbalans–Limes Divergens, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
| | - Hein van Kleef
- Bargerveen Foundation, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Biology, Karlstad University, 65188 Karlstad, Sweden
| | | | - Martin Husemann
- Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Museum of Nature, 20146 Hamburg, Germany; (C.B.); (L.-S.D.); (M.H.)
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Karlsruhe (SMNK), 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany
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4
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Goppelt-Kunkel M, Stroh AL, Hänel-Faulhaber B. Sign learning of hearing children in inclusive day care centers-does iconicity matter? Front Psychol 2023; 14:1196114. [PMID: 37655202 PMCID: PMC10467423 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1196114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of experimental studies suggest that signs and gestures can scaffold vocabulary learning for children with and without special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, little research has been done on the extent to which iconicity plays a role in sign learning, particularly in inclusive day care centers. This current study investigated the role of iconicity in the sign learning of 145 hearing children (2;1 to 6;3 years) from inclusive day care centers with educators who started using sign-supported speech after a training module. Children's sign use was assessed via a questionnaire completed by their educators. We found that older children were more likely to learn signs with a higher degree of iconicity, whereas the learning of signs by younger children was less affected by iconicity. Children with SEND did not benefit more from iconicity than children without SEND. These results suggest that whether iconicity plays a role in sign learning depends on the age of the children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madlen Goppelt-Kunkel
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna-Lena Stroh
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Barbara Hänel-Faulhaber
- Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Shedden-Mora MC, Alberts J, Petrie KJ, Laferton JAC, von Blanckenburg P, Kohlmann S, Nestoriuc Y, Löwe B. The Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q): Validation of a generic multidimensional scale measuring patients' treatment expectations. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280472. [PMID: 36689398 PMCID: PMC9870103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients' expectations, as a central mechanism behind placebo and nocebo effects, are an important predictor of health outcomes. Yet, theoretically based generic assessment tools allowing for an integrated understanding of expectations across conditions and treatments are lacking. Based on the preliminary 35-item version, this study reports the development and validation of the Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q), a generic, multidimensional self-report scale measuring patients' expectations of medical and psychological treatments. METHODS The TEX-Q was developed in a validation sample of n = 251 patients undergoing different treatments using exploratory factor analyses and item analyses, as well as analysis of convergent and divergent validity. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted in an independent sample of n = 303 patients undergoing cancer treatment. Two-weeks test-retest reliability was assessed in n = 28 psychosomatic outpatients. RESULTS Factor analyses revealed six theoretically founded stable subscales. The TEX-Q assesses expectations of treatment benefit, positive impact, adverse events, negative impact, process and behavioural control with a total of 15 items. Results for the subscales and the sum score indicated good internal consistency (α = .71-.92), moderate to high test-retest reliability (r = .39-.76) as well as good convergent validity with regard to other expectation measures (r = .42-.58) and divergent validity with regard to measures of generalized expectations (r < .32) and psychopathology (r < .28). CONCLUSIONS While further validation is needed, the results suggest that the TEX-Q is a valid and reliable scale for the generic, multidimensional assessment of patients' treatment expectations. The TEX-Q overcomes constraints of ad-hoc and disease-specific scales, while allowing to compare the impact of different expectation constructs across conditions and treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meike C. Shedden-Mora
- Department of Psychology, Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jannis Alberts
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Keith J. Petrie
- Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Pia von Blanckenburg
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kohlmann
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Yvonne Nestoriuc
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Helmut-Schmidt-University /University of the federal armed forces Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Systems Neuroscience, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bernd Löwe
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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6
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Petry J, Komban R, Gimmler C, Weller H. Simple one pot synthesis of luminescent europium doped yttrium oxide Y 2O 3:Eu nanodiscs for phosphor converted warm white LEDs. Nanoscale Adv 2022; 4:858-864. [PMID: 36131820 PMCID: PMC9419497 DOI: 10.1039/d1na00831e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Yttrium oxide (Y2O3) is considered as one of the best host lattices for europium (Eu3+) based red emitting phosphors because of its unit cell and good photo-saturation properties. As a bulk material, it reaches nearly 100% quantum yield. However, providing high quality nanosized materials for the LED industry is still a challenge and not easily accomplished. Within this publication, a simple one pot, non-hydrolytic, solvent-based synthesis method for producing uniform and monodisperse red-emitting europium doped yttrium oxide (Y2O3:Eu) nanoparticles is provided. The synthesis is the cheapest and fastest reported yet, yields up to 80%, and offers good scalability, and the diameter of the produced nanodiscs is tunable from 7 nm to 30 nm. The dispersed nanomaterial shows bright red emission (607 nm) under UV excitation (273 nm) and a higher quantum yield (>30%) compared to other nanosized Y2O3:Eu materials. In order to shift the excitation wavelength towards the visible region we added Tb3+ as the sensitizer. Thereby, it was also possible to tune the emission colour towards orange/yellow. Further, a distorted anisotropic cubic Y2O3 phase is confirmed by XRD analysis, resulting in a distinct change in the intensities of red emission transitions. A calcination step transforms it into a highly crystalline cubic phase, known from the bulk material, and exhibiting a typical emission spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Petry
- Fraunhofer-CAN Grindelallee 117 20146 Hamburg Germany
- University of Hamburg Grindelallee 117 20146 Hamburg Germany
| | - Rajesh Komban
- Fraunhofer-CAN Grindelallee 117 20146 Hamburg Germany
| | | | - Horst Weller
- Fraunhofer-CAN Grindelallee 117 20146 Hamburg Germany
- University of Hamburg Grindelallee 117 20146 Hamburg Germany
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Varghese NE, Sabat I, Neumann-Böhme S, Schreyögg J, Stargardt T, Torbica A, van Exel J, Barros PP, Brouwer W. Risk communication during COVID-19: A descriptive study on familiarity with, adherence to and trust in the WHO preventive measures. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250872. [PMID: 33914814 PMCID: PMC8084201 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Risk communication is a key component of public health interventions during an outbreak. As the coronavirus pandemic unfolded in late 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was at the forefront in the development of risk communication strategies. The WHO introduced a range of activities with the purpose of enabling the public to avail verified and timely information on COVID-19 prevention behaviors. Given the various WHO activities to protect the public health during COVID-19, it is important to investigate the extent of familiarity and uptake of the WHO recommendations among the public during the first wave of the pandemic. METHODS To do this, we conducted a large-scale Pan-European survey covering around 7500 individuals that are representative of populations from seven European countries, collected online during April 2-April 15, 2020. We use descriptive statistics including proportions and correlations and graphical representations such as bar charts to analyze and display the data. RESULTS Our findings suggest that information from the WHO in the context of COVID-19 is well trusted and acted upon by the public. Overall familiarity and adherence were quite high in most countries. Adherence was higher for social distancing recommendations compared to hygiene measures. Familiarity and adherence were higher among older, female, and highly educated respondents. However, country level heterogeneities were observed in the level of trust in information from the WHO, with countries severely affected by the pandemic reporting lower levels of trust. CONCLUSION Our findings call for efforts from health authorities to get regular feedback from the public on their familiarity and compliance with recommendations for preventive measures at all stages of the pandemic, to further develop and adapt risk communication as the pandemic evolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirosha Elsem Varghese
- Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management, CERGAS, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Iryna Sabat
- Nova School of Business and Economics, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sebastian Neumann-Böhme
- Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jonas Schreyögg
- Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tom Stargardt
- Hamburg Center for Health Economics, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Aleksandra Torbica
- Centre for Research on Health and Social Care Management, CERGAS, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy
| | - Job van Exel
- Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Werner Brouwer
- Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus School of Economics, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Wichers JS, Tonkin-Hill G, Thye T, Krumkamp R, Kreuels B, Strauss J, von Thien H, Scholz JAM, Smedegaard Hansson H, Weisel Jensen R, Turner L, Lorenz FR, Schöllhorn A, Bruchhaus I, Tannich E, Fendel R, Otto TD, Lavstsen T, Gilberger TW, Duffy MF, Bachmann A. Common virulence gene expression in adult first-time infected malaria patients and severe cases. eLife 2021; 10:e69040. [PMID: 33908865 PMCID: PMC8102065 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum(P. falciparum)-infected erythrocytes to host endothelium through the parasite-derived P. falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) adhesion proteins is central to the development of malaria pathogenesis. PfEMP1 proteins have diversified and expanded to encompass many sequence variants, conferring each parasite a similar array of human endothelial receptor-binding phenotypes. Here, we analyzed RNA-seq profiles of parasites isolated from 32 P. falciparum-infected adult travellers returning to Germany. Patients were categorized into either malaria naive (n = 15) or pre-exposed (n = 17), and into severe (n = 8) or non-severe (n = 24) cases. For differential expression analysis, PfEMP1-encoding var gene transcripts were de novo assembled from RNA-seq data and, in parallel, var-expressed sequence tags were analyzed and used to predict the encoded domain composition of the transcripts. Both approaches showed in concordance that severe malaria was associated with PfEMP1 containing the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR)-binding CIDRα1 domain, whereas CD36-binding PfEMP1 was linked to non-severe malaria outcomes. First-time infected adults were more likely to develop severe symptoms and tended to be infected for a longer period. Thus, parasites with more pathogenic PfEMP1 variants are more common in patients with a naive immune status, and/or adverse inflammatory host responses to first infections favor the growth of EPCR-binding parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Stephan Wichers
- Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | | | - Thorsten Thye
- Epidemiology and Diagnostics, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
| | - Ralf Krumkamp
- Epidemiology and Diagnostics, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-RiemsHamburgGermany
| | - Benno Kreuels
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, GermanyHamburgGermany
- Department of Medicine, College of MedicineBlantyreMalawi
- Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfHamburgGermany
| | - Jan Strauss
- Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Heidrun von Thien
- Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Judith AM Scholz
- Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
| | | | | | | | | | - Anna Schöllhorn
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - Iris Bruchhaus
- Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Egbert Tannich
- Epidemiology and Diagnostics, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-RiemsHamburgGermany
| | - Rolf Fendel
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of TübingenTübingenGermany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site TübingenTübingenGermany
| | - Thomas D Otto
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Tim W Gilberger
- Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
| | - Michael F Duffy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Anna Bachmann
- Molecular Biology and Immunology, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical MedicineHamburgGermany
- Centre for Structural Systems BiologyHamburgGermany
- Biology Department, University of HamburgHamburgGermany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-RiemsHamburgGermany
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Schwentner M, Zahiri R, Yamamoto S, Husemann M, Kullmann B, Thiel R. eDNA as a tool for non-invasive monitoring of the fauna of a turbid, well-mixed system, the Elbe estuary in Germany. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0250452. [PMID: 33861810 PMCID: PMC8051793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0250452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Elbe is one of the longest European rivers and features a large, turbid and well-mixed estuary, which runs through the inner city of Hamburg. The Elbe has been closely monitored using classical catch techniques in the past. Here we tested a COI-based eDNA approach for assessing the biodiversity within the Elbe. We sampled three stations in the Elbe, included low and high tide events, as well as two adjoining lakes to compare the recovered faunas. To analyze the data, we employed two different pipelines: the automated mBRAVE pipeline utilizing the BOLD database and one including NCBI BLAST. The number of OTUs with species or higher-level identifications were similar between both approaches with 352 OTUs and 355 OTUs for BLAST and mBRAVE, respectively, however, BLAST searches recovered another 942 unidentified metazoan OTUs. Many taxa were well represented; however, fish species were poorly represented, especially in the Elbe estuary samples. This could be a result of the universal COI primers, which also yielded high read numbers for non-metazoan OTUs, and small-bodies taxa like Rotifera, which might have been sampled together with the eDNA. Our results show a strong tidal influence on the recovered taxa. During low tide, downstream stations resembled sites further upstream, but the former showed a very different OTU composition during high tide and early tide. Such differences might be due to varying impacts of upstream-originating eDNA during tide cycles. Such factors need to be considered when routinely employing eDNA for monitoring programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Schwentner
- Center of Natural History, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, Vienna, Austria
- * E-mail:
| | - Reza Zahiri
- Center of Natural History, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
- Entomology Diagnostic Laboratory, Ottawa Plant Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Martin Husemann
- Center of Natural History, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Björn Kullmann
- Center of Natural History, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Thiel
- Center of Natural History, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Bocklage L, Gollwitzer J, Strohm C, Adolff CF, Schlage K, Sergeev I, Leupold O, Wille HC, Meier G, Röhlsberger R. Coherent control of collective nuclear quantum states via transient magnons. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabc3991. [PMID: 33514541 PMCID: PMC7846183 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abc3991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ultrafast and precise control of quantum systems at x-ray energies involves photons with oscillation periods below 1 as. Coherent dynamic control of quantum systems at these energies is one of the major challenges in hard x-ray quantum optics. Here, we demonstrate that the phase of a quantum system embedded in a solid can be coherently controlled via a quasi-particle with subattosecond accuracy. In particular, we tune the quantum phase of a collectively excited nuclear state via transient magnons with a precision of 1 zs and a timing stability below 50 ys. These small temporal shifts are monitored interferometrically via quantum beats between different hyperfine-split levels. The experiment demonstrates zeptosecond interferometry and shows that transient quasi-particles enable accurate control of quantum systems embedded in condensed matter environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Bocklage
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jakob Gollwitzer
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cornelius Strohm
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian F Adolff
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kai Schlage
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ilya Sergeev
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Olaf Leupold
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Guido Meier
- Max-Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Röhlsberger
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- The Hamburg Centre for Ultrafast Imaging, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
- Friedrich-Schiller Universität Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
- Helmholtz-Institut Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
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Lopes AT, Hausrat TJ, Heisler FF, Gromova KV, Lombino FL, Fischer T, Ruschkies L, Breiden P, Thies E, Hermans-Borgmeyer I, Schweizer M, Schwarz JR, Lohr C, Kneussel M. Spastin depletion increases tubulin polyglutamylation and impairs kinesin-mediated neuronal transport, leading to working and associative memory deficits. PLoS Biol 2020; 18:e3000820. [PMID: 32866173 PMCID: PMC7485986 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the gene encoding the microtubule-severing protein spastin (spastic paraplegia 4 [SPG4]) cause hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), associated with neurodegeneration, spasticity, and motor impairment. Complicated forms (complicated HSP [cHSP]) further include cognitive deficits and dementia; however, the etiology and dysfunctional mechanisms of cHSP have remained unknown. Here, we report specific working and associative memory deficits upon spastin depletion in mice. Loss of spastin-mediated severing leads to reduced synapse numbers, accompanied by lower miniature excitatory postsynaptic current (mEPSC) frequencies. At the subcellular level, mutant neurons are characterized by longer microtubules with increased tubulin polyglutamylation levels. Notably, these conditions reduce kinesin-microtubule binding, impair the processivity of kinesin family protein (KIF) 5, and reduce the delivery of presynaptic vesicles and postsynaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors. Rescue experiments confirm the specificity of these results by showing that wild-type spastin, but not the severing-deficient and disease-associated K388R mutant, normalizes the effects at the synaptic, microtubule, and transport levels. In addition, short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated reduction of tubulin polyglutamylation on spastin knockout background normalizes KIF5 transport deficits and attenuates the loss of excitatory synapses. Our data provide a mechanism that connects spastin dysfunction with the regulation of kinesin-mediated cargo transport, synapse integrity, and cognition. This study identifies deficits in working and associative memory in spastin knockout mice, resembling the cognitive deficits described in humans with severe forms of SPG4-type hereditary spastic paraplegia. Mechanistically, the findings suggest that impaired microtubule growth, kinesin motility and cargo delivery of synaptic AMPA receptors may contribute to the etiology of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- André T. Lopes
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Torben J. Hausrat
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Frank F. Heisler
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kira V. Gromova
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Franco L. Lombino
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Timo Fischer
- Division of Neurophysiology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Laura Ruschkies
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Petra Breiden
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Edda Thies
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Irm Hermans-Borgmeyer
- Transgenic Animal Unit, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Michaela Schweizer
- Morphology Unit, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen R. Schwarz
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Lohr
- Division of Neurophysiology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Kneussel
- Department of Molecular Neurogenetics, Center for Molecular Neurobiology, ZMNH, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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12
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Boehlich GJ, de Vries J, Geismar O, Gudzuhn M, Streit WR, Wicha SG, Schützenmeister N. Total Synthesis of Anti-MRSA Active Diorcinols and Analogues. Chemistry 2020; 26:9846-9850. [PMID: 32510795 PMCID: PMC7497275 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202002442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Diorcinols and related prenylated diaryl ethers were reported to exhibit activity against methicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Within these lines, we report the first total synthesis of diorcinol D, I, J, the proposed structure of verticilatin and recently isolated antibacterial diaryl ether by using an efficient and highly divergent synthetic strategy. These total syntheses furnish the diaryl ethers in only five to seven steps employing a Pd-catalyzed diaryl ether coupling as the key step. The total synthesis led to the structural revision of the natural product verticilatin, which has been isolated from a plant pathogenic fungus. Furthermore, these structures were tested in order to determine their antibacterial activities against different MRSA strains as well as further Gram-positive and -negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Jacob Boehlich
- Fachbereich ChemieInstitut für PharmazieUniversität HamburgBundesstraße 4520146HamburgGermany
| | - Jessica de Vries
- Fachbereich ChemieInstitut für PharmazieUniversität HamburgBundesstraße 4520146HamburgGermany
| | - Olivia Geismar
- Fachbereich ChemieInstitut für PharmazieUniversität HamburgBundesstraße 4520146HamburgGermany
| | - Mirja Gudzuhn
- Department of Microbiology and BiotechnologyUniversität HamburgOhnhorststrasse 1822609HamburgGermany
| | - Wolfgang R. Streit
- Department of Microbiology and BiotechnologyUniversität HamburgOhnhorststrasse 1822609HamburgGermany
| | - Sebastian G. Wicha
- Fachbereich ChemieInstitut für PharmazieUniversität HamburgBundesstraße 4520146HamburgGermany
| | - Nina Schützenmeister
- Fachbereich ChemieInstitut für PharmazieUniversität HamburgBundesstraße 4520146HamburgGermany
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Lessel D, Ozel AB, Campbell SE, Saadi A, Arlt MF, McSweeney KM, Plaiasu V, Szakszon K, Szőllős A, Rusu C, Rojas AJ, Lopez-Valdez J, Thiele H, Nürnberg P, Nickerson DA, Bamshad MJ, Li JZ, Kubisch C, Glover TW, Gordon LB. Analyses of LMNA-negative juvenile progeroid cases confirms biallelic POLR3A mutations in Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch-like syndrome and expands the phenotypic spectrum of PYCR1 mutations. Hum Genet 2018; 137:921-939. [PMID: 30450527 PMCID: PMC6652186 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-018-1957-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile segmental progeroid syndromes are rare, heterogeneous disorders characterized by signs of premature aging affecting more than one tissue or organ starting in childhood. Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), caused by a recurrent de novo synonymous LMNA mutation resulting in aberrant splicing and generation of a mutant product called progerin, is a prototypical example of such disorders. Here, we performed a joint collaborative study using massively parallel sequencing and targeted Sanger sequencing, aimed at delineating the underlying genetic cause of 14 previously undiagnosed, clinically heterogeneous, non-LMNA-associated juvenile progeroid patients. The molecular diagnosis was achieved in 11 of 14 cases (~ 79%). Furthermore, we firmly establish biallelic mutations in POLR3A as the genetic cause of a recognizable, neonatal, Wiedemann-Rautenstrauch-like progeroid syndrome. Thus, we suggest that POLR3A mutations are causal for a portion of under-diagnosed early-onset segmental progeroid syndromes. We additionally expand the clinical spectrum associated with PYCR1 mutations by showing that they can somewhat resemble HGPS in the first year of life. Moreover, our results lead to clinical reclassification in one single case. Our data emphasize the complex genetic and clinical heterogeneity underlying progeroid disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davor Lessel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Ayse Bilge Ozel
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Susan E Campbell
- Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Abdelkrim Saadi
- Service de neurologie, CHU Ben Aknoun Alger, 2 route des deux Bassins, BenAknoun,, Algers, Algeria
| | - Martin F Arlt
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Keisha Melodi McSweeney
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Office of Biotechnology Products, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 20993, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Vasilica Plaiasu
- Regional Center of Medical Genetics, Alessandrescu-Rusescu INSMC, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Katalin Szakszon
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Anna Szőllős
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Cristina Rusu
- Department of Genetics, University Hospital Iasi, Iasi, Romania
| | - Armando J Rojas
- Instituto de Genética Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Jaime Lopez-Valdez
- Department of Genetics, Centenario Hospital Miguel Hidalgo, Aguascalientes, Mexico
| | - Holger Thiele
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Peter Nürnberg
- Cologne Center for Genomics, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cologne Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Michael J Bamshad
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Jun Z Li
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Christian Kubisch
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas W Glover
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Leslie B Gordon
- Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics, Hasbro Children's Hospital, Providence, RI, USA
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Eyssel J, Koehler A, Dekker A, Sehner S, Nieder TO. Needs and concerns of transgender individuals regarding interdisciplinary transgender healthcare: A non-clinical online survey. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0183014. [PMID: 28846715 PMCID: PMC5573291 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0183014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the needs and concerns transgender (short: trans) individuals have concerning trans healthcare (THC) in interdisciplinary THC centres. Trans individuals’ gender does not (fully/constantly) match their sex assigned at birth. To be able to live in their gender role and to prevent or minimise gender dysphoria, they might require a multidisciplinary set of transition related healthcare services. The current shift from the traditionally highly regulated, hierarchical and pathologising approach to THC towards a more patient-centred approach has highlighted the importance of trans patients’ satisfaction with treatment processes and results. As the still influential regulations have a negative effect on patient satisfaction, and might also keep trans individuals from seeking transition related treatment, it is crucial to investigate what trans individuals, whether patients or not, need and fear regarding transition related healthcare. Against the backdrop of mixed reactions received from the local trans community regarding the foundation of the Interdisciplinary Transgender Healthcare Centre Hamburg (ITHCCH), Germany, this study seeks to determine what trans individuals need with respect to THC in order to guarantee for high quality service provision at the ITHCCH. To this end, an online questionnaire was developed. The researchers employed a participatory approach to questionnaire development by involving a working group consisting of local trans support group representatives and (THC) specialists (N = 4). The sample consisted of N = 415 trans-identified individuals aged between 16 and 76. Most of them were based in Germany. 85.2% (n = 382) reported experience with transition related healthcare and 72.5% (n = 301) had (additional) treatments planned. Analysis revealed a need for communication and feedback opportunities. Furthermore, during the treatment process, addressing individual needs was considered crucial by participants. They agreed moderately with concerns towards THC centres. 96.5% of participants would like high decision-making power concerning treatment-associated decisions. The results demonstrate the importance of patient-centred THC that takes patients' individual needs and realities into consideration and involves patients in decision-making processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Eyssel
- Department for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Transgender Healthcare Centre Hamburg, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Andreas Koehler
- Department for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Transgender Healthcare Centre Hamburg, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Arne Dekker
- Department for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Transgender Healthcare Centre Hamburg, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Sehner
- Centre for Experimental Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Timo O. Nieder
- Department for Sex Research and Forensic Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Transgender Healthcare Centre Hamburg, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
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