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Raw data for a study investigating sustainable tank construction materials for shrimp aquaculture
No full textThe dataset contains the raw data from a randomised controlled trial investigating whether wood can serve as a sustainable alternative tank construction material in Pacific white shrimp (PWS) aquaculture. The trial compared the effects of tanks lined with Douglas fir wood, oak wood, and conventional fibreglass reinforced plastic (FRP) on shrimp survival, growth, and feed conversion rates over a 42-day period.
The dataset consists of four data sheets S1 to S4:
1. Raw data for water quality parameters (temperature, salinity, nitrite, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and phosphate) measured weekly in 12 aquaria over the course of the 42-day trial across the three tank material treatments (FRP, Douglas fir, and oak). Named “Table S1: Raw data of the water parameters measured weekly in a 42-day controlled trial investigating the effect of tank material on growth and survival parameters of Pacific white shrimp”.
2. Raw data for growth and feed conversion parameters of Pacific white shrimp (PWS), including initial and final body weight, feed input, mortality, calculated weight gain (%), specific growth rate (% per day), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) per tank for each treatment group. Named “Table S2: Raw data from a 42-day controlled trial investigating the effect of tank material (oak, Douglas fir and fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP) as control) on growth parameters and survival of Pacific white shrimp. Treatment names correspond to the respective type of material used to cover 60% of the trial aquariums' surface. For figure 2 (A: Survival rate, C: Weight gain, D: Specific growth rate and E: Feed conversion ratio)”.
3. Raw data for survival analysis, including individual survival time (in days), mortality events (1 = death, 0 = survival), and corresponding treatment codes (1 = FRP, 2 = Douglas fir, 3 = oak) for the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Named “Table S3: Raw data for Figure 2B and the Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis for a 42-day controlled trial investigating the effect of tank material on growth and survival parameters of Pacific white shrimp. Days correspond to the days that an individual shrimp survived; Event correspond to the Death event, 0 = Survival and 1=Death; Treatment refers to codes for the treatments where 1, 2 and 3 correspond respectively to Fiberglass reinforced plastic, Douglas fir and oak”.
4. Information on statistical analyses conducted, including results of Levene’s test for homogeneity of variance and Shapiro-Wilk test for normality, treatment means ± standard deviations for all key outcome parameters, p-values for ANOVA and post hoc Tukey pairwise comparisons between treatments (for survival rate, weight gain, specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio), and p-values and pairwise comparisons for the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Named “Table S4: Statistical summary of survival, growth rate, specific growth rate and feed conversion performance of Pacific white shrimp (PWS) reared in tanks lined with fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP), Douglas fir, and oak wood”.Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF
High-Level Document Signing Patterns in the Commonwealth of Independent States (1992–2023)
No full textThis dataset captures original data on the signing behaviour of member states within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) from 1992 to 2023, focusing on high-level agreements in the security, political, and economic fields. It was developed to empirically investigate the strategies of secondary states in post-Soviet Eurasian regionalism, particularly their exercise of bandwagoning, hedging, and balancing strategies within a Russia-led regional organisation.
Scope and Structure
Temporal Coverage: 1992–2023
Geographic Coverage: All CIS member states during this period, including changes in membership (e.g., Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova’s partial or full exits).
Unit of Analysis: State-document pairs indicating whether a given country signed a specific high-level document.
Fields of Policy: Security, Political, Economic
Document Types: Agreements, Protocols, Decisions
Documents are those under the competence of the CIS Council of Heads of State, reflecting binding high-level commitments.
Methodology
The dataset is based on the legal-document registry of the CIS. Each document is classified into one of the three policy fields and coded for each member state based on their participation (signed/not signed). Hierarchical cluster analysis, using Jaccard distance, is employed to identify patterns of alignment and divergence among member states over time.
Provenance
This dataset was developed within the research project “Understanding Eurasian Regionalism – Actorness and Interaction in Economy and Security” (Project ID: 444058835), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). The project, based at the University of Giessen, explores the dynamics of regional organisations and geopolitical strategies in post-Soviet Eurasia, with particular attention to the role and agency of secondary states.
Significance
This is the most up-to-date and comprehensive dataset on CIS document signing patterns since prior studies (e.g., Libman & Obydenkova, 2013). It enables both descriptive and comparative analysis of member-state behaviour in post-Soviet regionalism and provides a replicable model for analysing state strategies in other regional organisations.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG); ROR-ID:018mejw6
Structural and functional insights into TREX complex interactions
Full text linkGene expression in eukaryotes involves mRNA synthesis, processing, and export from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The highly conserved TREX (transcription/export) complex plays a crucial role in coupling these processes, ensuring the efficient transition of mRNA from transcription to translation (Sträßer et al. 2002). Since only limited research was available on the structural organization of the TREX complex, the first objective was to investigate the endogenous TREX complex structure from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The second objective was to analyze the structure of the Sub2-Yra1-Tho1 subcomplex from Chaetomium thermophilum. Tho1 has been suggested to function in transcription, splicing, export, and/or translation (Aravind & Koonin 2000; Hashii et al. 2004; Leaw et al. 2004). In addition to the structural objectives, this study also aimed to gain information of Tho1's functions in C. thermophilum.
This research showed the predominantly dimeric arrangement of the complete endogenous S. cerevisiae TREX complex, determined using XL-MS and EM. While the flexible C-terminus of yeast Tho2 is not essential for the formation of TREX, it is critical for cellular functions, particularly under stress conditions. Co-expressing the C. thermophilum proteins ctSub2, ctTho1, and ctYra1 in Escherichia coli enabled the purification of a stable ctSub2-ctTho1-ctYra1 (S-Y-T) complex. Despite nuclease treatment during the purification, this complex retained its association with nucleic acids. Cryo-EM images of the nuclease-treated S-Y-T complex revealed larger complexes, approximately 20 nm in size, tightly bound to RNA. Especially the interaction between ctSub2 and ctTho1 was highly stable, which allowed the successful in vitro reconstitution of this protein-protein complex. Further in vitro reconstitution experiments with various ctTho1 deletion mutants revealed that the C-terminal domain (CTD) of ctTho1, which includes two DIM motifs, is crucial for interacting with ctSub2. Although the C-terminal end (CTE) of ctTho1, which contains an additional DIM motif, is not essential, it enhances the ctSub2 interaction. Moreover, the flexible CTE carries out important functions of ctTho1, such as binding and annealing different RNA and DNA oligos.
In conclusion, this study shows the predominantly dimeric organization of the endogenous yeast TREX complex and highlights the importance of structurally unresolved, flexible protein regions – such as the yeast Tho2 C-terminus or the ctTho1 CTE – in maintaining cellular functionality. Given that ctTho1 has three DIM motifs, the S-Y-T complex in C. thermophilum likely contains multiple ctSub2 molecules. By interacting with the alpha-helical N- and C-box regions of ctYra1, the ctSub2 proteins are possibly compacted by several ctYra1 proteins, resulting in a multiprotein S-Y-T complex.Europäische Kommission; ROR-ID:00k4n6c3
New aspects of coccidia-triggered modulation of the host cellular cell cycle
Full text linkApicomplexan parasites are a large group of protists with an obligate intracellular lifestyle, impacting human and veterinary health worldwide. The Sarcocystidae family contains notable species like Toxoplasma gondii, a critical zoonotic pathogen, and Neospora caninum, cause of abortion in cattle and of neurological disorders in canid hosts. Although both parasites differ in their host specificity and in distinct aspects of their life cycle, they also share common characteristics in their sophisticated ability to modulate host cell functions. Here, we focused on molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in parasite infection-driven host cell cycle dysregulation.
T. gondii is well recognized to significantly affect host cell cycle progression, regardless of MOI, infection times and, importantly, the cellular model used in experimentation. While many former studies used immortalized or tumour cells, potentially exhibiting dysregulated cell cycling, current analyses addressed T. gondii infections in primary cells by analyzing different cell types (fibroblasts, endothelial and epithelial cells) and donor species (human, bovine). Here, we revealed a T. gondii-driven cell type- and origin-independent S-phase arrest. Notably, cyclin B1, a critical regulator of mitosis entry, remained unchanged across all cell types, indicating that mitosis checkpoint modulation is not involved in host cellular S-phase stasis. Beyond interphase effects, T. gondii infection led to aberrant mitosis in all mitotic subphases, characterized by chromosome miscondensation and supernumerary centrosome formation. Moreover, all cell types showed an increased proportion of binucleated phenotypes, indicating impaired cytokinesis, which also occurred independently of cell origin or type.
Given that different T. gondii genotypes show varying pathogenicity in the field, host cell cycle regulation may also be influenced by haplotypes. To explore this, different strain infections (Me49, NED) were comparatively analysed in primary host cells. In line with RH, Me49 and NED strains also induced host S-phase arrest. Further analyses on key regulatory proteins of S-phase control and M-phase enter revealed a cyclin B1 downregulation only for NED infections. Additionally, the mitotic rate was reduced by NED infections, concomitant with altered chromosome arrangement and irregular chromosome bridges within the mitotic spindle. Moreover, T. gondii Me49 and NED strains also led to an enhanced proportion of binucleated host cells, indicative of cytokinesis failure. Thereby, this cellular phenotype was here described for the first time for all haplotype infections, demonstrating cytokinesis impairment as intrinsic, haplotype-independent mechanism of T. gondii.
Chromosome missegregation and cytokinesis impairment are key features of chromosome instability being associated with DNA damage in cells. As determined in the current work, RH, Me49 and NED strains indeed all induced DNA double-strand breaks with the RH strain driving - by far - the most pronounced effects. Moreover, referring to cytokinesis failure, a significant proportion of both RH- and NED-infected binucleated host cells showed DNA damage foci. Interestingly, NED-infected cells exhibited an increased proportion of micronuclei, thereby highlighting parasite strain-specific insults on host cellular genomic stability.
Under genotoxic stress, cells activate the DNA damage response to maintain genome integrity. Repair mechanisms for this type of damage include the homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathways, which were here profiled for RH strain infections. As expected, the HR pathway was activated by an upregulation of ATM pathway-related proteins, which classically are induced by DNA double-strand breaks.
Finally, current cell cycle-related analyses were extended to N. caninum infections in the same host cell type to elucidate eventual species-specific strategies. N. caninum caused late S-phase arrest concomitant with cyclin A2 and cyclin B1 upregulation at 24 h p. i. (followed by cyclin A2 decrease at 32 h), confirming irregularities from S- to G2/M transition-phase. Interestingly, irregular nuclear morphologies were observed in N. caninum-infected cells, illustrated as invaginations and stretches of nuclear membrane disintegration and quantified as smaller nuclear areas, indicating that the host cellular nuclear structure was affected by N. caninum. Further analyses on the nuclear protein lamin B1 revealed an increased proportion of cells with inhomogeneous lamin B1 patterns, several nuclear folding and invaginations, phenomena reported for the first time for coccidian infections. Moreover, the perinuclear area was altered since actin filaments normally being anchored to the nuclear periphery and transversing the nucleus (actin cap) were absent in infected cells alongside with a decreased total cellular actin abundance, highlighting that N. caninum infection indeed interferes with the host actin cytoskeleton leading to nuclear membrane destabilization and abnormal shaping. Overall, these findings contrast with alterations induced by different T. gondii strains, emphasizing species-specific events in host cell modulation
Accessing Arene-Fused Eight-Membered Carbo- and Heterocycles via Bidentate Lewis Acid Catalysis
Full text linkEight-membered carbo- and heterocycles constitute unique structural elements not only found in a plethora of biologically active natural products and medicinally relevant synthetic compounds, but also in various functional molecules and materials. Especially arene-annulated cyclooctanoids have attracted increasing attention as they combine the properties of rigid aromatic structures and flexible cyclooctene-derived ring systems. However, entropic and enthalpic difficulties generally encountered in the synthesis of medium-sized rings have largely hampered the development of general synthetic methods to access these structures.
In this thesis, new strategies for the synthesis of arene-annulated eight-membered carbo- and N-heterocycles were developed by employing a boron-based bidentate Lewis acid (BDLA) catalyst previously established in our group for facilitating inverse electron-demand Diels−Alder (IEDDA) reactions of phthalazines. The utilization of different cyclooctyne derivatives as highly reactive dienophiles gave rise to a series of cyclooctenes and cycloocta-1,5-dienes fused to substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. X-ray crystallographic analysis and variable temperature NMR studies of selected derivatives provided valuable insights into the conformational behaviour of these polycyclic structures. Additionally, the same catalytic principle was employed to develop a one-step synthesis of arene-annulated eight-membered nitrogen heterocycles from phthalazines and Boc-protected 2-azetine as a strained alkene dienophile. Key to this transformation was the formation of a highly reactive o-quinodimethane intermediate that thermally rearranged in a 10π electrocyclic ring opening to yield the desired azocine structures. These mechanistic considerations were supported by the isolation and characterization of the main by-product, and final proof for the eight-membered ring structure was obtained via X-ray crystallographic analysis of a degradation product.Bundeslände
Microbes in bee-plant networks: Composition characterization and their ecological implications
Full text linkHoney bees are vital pollinators in ecosystems around the world, and microbes play key roles in connecting bees and plants. Collectively, microbes, bees and plants form intricate tripartite interactions networks. Through a co-evolution, many bee- and plant-associated microbes have developed functions that benefit their hosts, including promoting growth, enhancing pathogen resistance, and aiding digestion. Microbiome associated with different hosts tend to be specific, and within bee-microbe-plant networks, both beneficial and pathogenic microbes are dynamically transmitted among hosts. In the current study, honey bee corbicular samples were collected over a two-year period from beehives at Justus-Liebig-University Giessen. Corbicular pollen is able to reflect both microbes and plants encountered by honey bees during foraging activity. Plant and microbial communities in honey bee corbicular pollen were profiled using 16S rRNA gene and plant ITS2 metabarcoding. The results indicated that the corbicular pollen microbiome exhibited clear seasonal variations, and was affected by multiple environmental factors as well as choices of forage plants. Co-occurrence network analysis further revealed specific plant-microbe associations and identified several hub plant taxa that may serve as hotspots for microbial transmissions. Following this study, we characterized bacterial and fungal microbiome of flowers from a highly insect-visited hub plant, bramble (genus Rubus), using 16S rRNA gene and fungal ITS2 metabarcoding. The data showed that insect visitation increased microbial loads on flowers and enriched specific microbial groups including fermentative and pathogenic microbes, highlighting the role of bramble flowers as hotspots for microbial transmission. In addition, insect visitation altered floral microbiome structure, potentially through the introduction of several hub microbial taxa and by increasing the centralization of the microbial interaction networks.
Honey bees were collected from beehives, and common bacterial, fungal and viral honey bee pathogens were screened. The expression levels of several immunity-related genes (defensin-1, lysozyme-like, vitellogenin, glucose oxidase) and the composition of the bee microbiome were examined to assess honey bee health status. Black queen cell virus (BQCV) was detected in almost all individuals, while Vairimorpha pathogens were only partially detected. Paenibacillus larvae, Melissococcus plutonius, Kashmir bee virus (KBV), Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV), Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), Deformed Wing Virus (DWV), and Sacbrood bee virus (SBV) were not detected in the samples. The data indicated that BQCV and Vairimorpha infections had no significant impact on the expression of immunity-related gene. Since the microbiome composition was assessed at the hive level and BQCV was present in every hive, its potential influence on the microbiome remains to be further clarified.
In addition, a bacterial isolate from birch pollen was phenotypically, genotypically, and chemotaxonomically characterized using a polyphasic approach. Based on 16S rRNA gene phylogeny and comparative genomic analysis, the isolate was identified as a novel species of the genus Robbsia. The bacterium was rod-shaped, non-motile, facultative anaerobic and grew optimally at 28 °C and pH 6–7. Unlike its closest relative Robbsia andropogonis, which is a known phytopathogen, the isolate exhibited no phytopathogenic traits such as flagellum formation, rhizobitoxine production, or induction of plant hypersensitive response. The proposed and accepted name of the isolate is Robbsia betulipollinis Bb-Pol-6T
Extracellular RNA drives TNF-a/TNF-receptor-1 mediated cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic potential of RNase1
Full text linkMyocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury causes cardiomyocyte death and exacerbates inflammation. Emerging evidence implicates extracellular RNA (eRNA) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) as key mediators. We hypothesize that eRNA released from ischemic cardiomyocytes amplifies I/R injury via TNF-α/TNF-receptor- 1 (TNF-R1) signaling, and that hydrolysis of eRNA by RNase1 can attenuate I/R injury by disrupting this pathway. Here, we investigated the mechanistic role of eRNA and its interplay with TNF-α signaling in cardiac I/ R injury, and evaluated the therapeutic potential of RNase1 and cyclosporine-A (CsA). In ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients, plasma eRNA levels were significantly elevated 2 h post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), correlating positively with Creatine Kinase (CK). In murine I/R and hypoxia/reoxygenation models, eRNA released from stressed cardiomyocytes acted as a damage-associated molecular pattern, triggering TNF-α shedding via TACE/ADAM17 and activating TNF-R1-mediated inflammation, mPTP opening, and cell death. Genetic deletion of TNF-α or TNF-R1 abrogated eRNA-induced cytotoxicity, while TNF-receptor- 2 (TNF- R2) deficiency exacerbated injury. Pharmacological inhibition of TACE with TAPI suppressed TNF-α release and preserved cell viability. RNase1 effectively degraded eRNA, blocking upstream pro-inflammatory signaling, whereas CsA preserved mitochondrial integrity by preventing mPTP opening. Notably, RNase1 and CsA showed synergistic protection in vivo when administered at reperfusion, significantly reducing myocardial infarct size. These findings identify eRNA as both a biomarker and pathogenic mediator of myocardial I/R injury, and support a dual-targeted strategy using RNase1 and CsA to interrupt the TNF-α/TNF-R1-driven inflammatory and mito
chondrial death pathways. Targeting both upstream inflammatory and downstream mitochondrial mechanisms represents a promising cardioprotective intervention for acute myocardial infarction
Ein Vorschlag zur Unternehmensteuerreform
Full text linkDas deutsche Unternehmensteuersystem verletzt elementare steuerliche Effizienz- und Gerechtigkeitsprinzipien. Hier wird ein pragmatisches Konzept vorgestellt, das die wesentlichen Mängel des heutigen Systems beseitigt und Rechtsform- und Wettbewerbsneutralität herstellt
FIGO - GCH joint consensus statement on the current status and recommendations for the use of blind intrauterine procedures in the evaluation and management of women with suspected intrauterine pathologies
Full text linkHistorically, blind intrauterine procedures such as dilation and curettage (D&C) and blind endometrial biopsies have been the primary approach for diagnosing and managing intrauterine pathologies. However, these techniques lack direct visualization, leading to diagnostic limitations, incomplete treatment, and increased complication rates. Despite substantial advances in hysteroscopic technology, including high-definition imaging and minimally invasive instruments, blind procedures remain widely used. This paper examines the limitations of blind intrauterine procedures, underscoring the advantages of hysteroscopy, which provides real-time visualization and allows for more accurate, targeted interventions. With the adoption of the “See and Treat” philosophy, hysteroscopy enables nearly 90% of procedures to be performed in an office setting, enhancing both patient convenience and outcomes. FIGO and GCH advocate for the gradual replacement of blind procedures with hysteroscopic approaches whenever feasible, noting that hysteroscopy improves diagnostic accuracy, reduces risks, and minimizes the need for repeat interventions. Recommendations include expanding access to hysteroscopy through targeted training, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where financial and logistical barriers limit access to advanced gynecological care. Furthermore, this paper emphasizes the importance of patient-centered care, encouraging transparent counseling to support informed decision-making
