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Large-scale analysis highlights obesity as a risk factor for chronic, non-communicable inflammatory diseases
Get PDFBackground Overweight and obesity are a global pandemic, contributing to death and disability-adjusted life-years. Obesity is a major factor in the onset of chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs). Yet, several knowledge gaps remain: For several CIDs, inconsistent results have been reported, relating to their obesity-imposed risk, data on most rare CIDs remain unavailable, sex differences and racial disparities remain mostly unaddressed. Methods A large-scale cohort study compared the risk of developing 46 CIDs in individuals with overweight/obesity (n=3,101,824) to an equal number of non-overweight/obese individuals. Propensity score matching optimized between-group comparability, and sensitivity analyses assessed study robustness. Results The risk of developing any CID was 28.48% in overweight/obese individuals versus 17.55% in non-overweight/obese controls, with a hazard ratio (95%-confidence interval) of 1.52 (1.509-1.521, p<0.0001). This risk was consistent across all sensitivity, sex-, and race-stratified analyses. Overweight and obesity were associated with an increased risk for 24 of 46 CIDs in the primary analysis and all sensitivity analyses. For 12 diseases, increased risks were confirmed to one of the two sensitivity analyses, while for 10 diseases, results were discordant. No increased risk was observed for one disease. In sex-stratified analysis, overweight and obesity posed a more pronounced risk for four CIDs in female individuals. In race-stratified analysis, overweight and obesity were linked to a higher risk for seven CIDs in White individuals and to one CID in "Black or African American" individuals. Conclusion Overweight and obesity increase the risk for the majority of CIDs in a sex- and race-specific manner
Analyse von Verkehrsunfällen mit unmittelbar tödlichem Ausgang in Schleswig-Holstein zwischen 2010 und 2016
Get PDFVerkehrsunfälle gehören zu den häufigsten nicht-natürlichen Todesfällen in Deutschland. Dabei werden die meisten Verkehrstoten noch präklinisch oder klinisch notfallmedizinisch versorgt und versterben innerhalb von 30 Tagen an den folgen des Verkehrsunfalls. Die retrospektive Studie untersuchte die im Institut für Rechtsmedizin des Universitätsklinikums Schleswig-Holstein zwischen 2010 und 2016 obduzierten Verkehrstoten, die unmittelbar an der Unfallstelle verstarben. Dabei wurden Todesursachen, Verletzungsmuster und Begleitumstände analysiert. Insgesamt wurden 102 Obduktionen erfasst, wobei in 100 Fällen der Unfall kausal für den Tod war. Im untersuchten Kollektiv gab es keine durch notfallmedizinische Behandlung vermeidbaren Traumatoten. Als limitierende Faktoren der Untersuchung ist zum einen die niedrige Obduktionsrate bei Verkehrsunfällen zu nennen. Ebenfalls wurden die Verkehrstoten des Landkreisbezirks Itzehoe aufgrund der Zuständigkeit des Instituts für Rechtsmedizin des Universitätsklinikums Hamburg-Eppendorf nicht in die Arbeit mit aufgenommen. Durch technische Innovationen und Sicherheitsfunktionen neuer Fahrzeuge sowie eine zunehmende Reduzierung von PKW innerstädtisch ist eine weitere Senkung der Verkehrstoten in Schleswig-Holstein zu erwarten
Towards an understanding of physical activity-induced post-exertional malaise: Insights into microvascular alterations and immunometabolic interactions in post-COVID condition and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome
Get PDFBackground A considerable number of patients who contracted SARS-CoV-2 are affected by persistent multi-systemic symptoms, referred to as Post-COVID Condition (PCC). Post-exertional malaise (PEM) has been recognized as one of the most frequent manifestations of PCC and is a diagnostic criterion of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Yet, its underlying pathomechanisms remain poorly elucidated. Purpose and methods In this review, we describe current evidence indicating that key pathophysiological features of PCC and ME/CFS are involved in physical activity-induced PEM. Results Upon physical activity, affected patients exhibit a reduced systemic oxygen extraction and oxidative phosphorylation capacity. Accumulating evidence suggests that these are mediated by dysfunctions in mitochondrial capacities and microcirculation that are maintained by latent immune activation, conjointly impairing peripheral bioenergetics. Aggravating deficits in tissue perfusion and oxygen utilization during activities cause exertional intolerance that are frequently accompanied by tachycardia, dyspnea, early cessation of activity and elicit downstream metabolic effects. The accumulation of molecules such as lactate, reactive oxygen species or prostaglandins might trigger local and systemic immune activation. Subsequent intensification of bioenergetic inflexibilities, muscular ionic disturbances and modulation of central nervous system functions can lead to an exacerbation of existing pathologies and symptoms
Electret integrated magnetic field sensor based on magnetostrictive polymer composite with nT resolution
Get PDFThe pursuit for advanced magnetoelectric field sensors has gained momentum, driven by applications in various fields, ranging from biomedical applications to soft robotics and the automotive sector. In this context, a capacitive read-out based magnetostrictive polymer composite (MPC) sensor element is introduced, offering a new perspective on magnetic field detection. The sensor element's unique feature is the possibility to independently tailor its mechanical and magnetic properties. When compared to other composite-based magnetic field sensors, the limit of detection (LoD) is three orders of magnitude lower (95.6 nT/√Hz at a resonance frequency of 160.5 Hz). In contrast to other electret-based ME sensors, the LoD is reduced by a factor of 20. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this work marks the first comprehensive attempt to characterize a sensor magnetically, aligning with the thorough assessment standards of ME sensors. This study aims to narrow the disparity between established magnetic field sensors, featuring consistent characterization protocols, and the novel MPC sensors, which often undergo limited magnetic characterization as part of their evaluation. The presented sensor, built from readily available materials, offers a versatile and tuneable platform for magnetic field detection, and ongoing research aims to unlock its full potential in diverse applications
On maximal hyperplane sections of the unit ball of lnp for p > 2
Get PDFThe maximal hyperplane section of the l n ∞-ball, i.e. of the n-cube, is the one perpen- dicular to 1 √ 2 ( 1 , 1 , 0 , . . . , 0 ) , as shown by Ball. Eskenazis, Nayar and Tkocz extended this result to the l n p -balls for very large p ≥ 10 15 . By Oleszkiewicz, Ball’s result does not transfer to l n p for 2 < p < p0 26 . 265. Then the hyperplane section perpendic- ular to the main diagonal yields a counterexample for large dimensions n. Suppose that p0 ≤ p < ∞ . We show that the analogue of Ball’s result holds in l n p -balls for all hyperplanes with normal unit vectors a, if all coordinates of a have modulus ≤ 1 √ 2 and p has distance ≥ 2 − p to the even integers. Under similar assumptions, we give a Gaussian upper bound for 20 < p < p0
Biogeography and community assembly of demersal fishes across continental shelf seas
Get PDFLife is not distributed randomly on our Ocean planet but is organized by the environment, evolutionary history, and human-induced disturbances. These effects are multifaceted but only in recent years have scientific observations touched large expanses of the oceans to test regional- and global-scale drivers which shape marine biodiversity. Fish are valuable model taxon for testing ecological patterns in the oceans due to their high diversity, dispersal capacity, and newly widespread data availability. The primary objective of this dissertation is to disentangle patterns of marine fish biomass, geographic breakpoints in community composition, and drivers of trait compositions which are proxies for species ecological functions. To do this, I collated and analyzed scientific bottom trawls throughout continental shelf seas in the Northern Hemisphere. The first manuscript (Chapter 2) focuses on biomass distributions of four demersal species which dominate biomass in the Baltic Sea to describe spatiotemporal biomass shifts and the primary environmental covariates to each species. The second and third manuscripts (Chapter 3–4) scale outwards to include community-wide patterns of composition and traits from scientific trawls in the North Atlantic and northeast Pacific oceans. Together, I show (i) evidence for substantial changes in species biomass distributions in the Baltic Sea when modelling biomass at yearly and seasonal scales, (ii) large-scale biogeographic divides in fish community networks weighted by differing co-occurrence frequencies, and (iii) that fish traits have been primarily shaped by environmental filtering, with a unique degree of evolutionary conservatism in the northeast Pacific. Scaling from a marginal sea to continental-scale ocean shelves, and from select species to community-wide data, this work offers novel insight into macroecological patterns which explain the distribution of highly diverse fishes in the modern oceans
Capillary Electrophoresis Optimization for Metabolite Separation in Hypogymnia physodes Using DoE: Validation Across Lichen Species
Get PDFLichen-specific natural products exhibit a wide range of biological activities, which makes them potentially useful in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutritional industries. In the present study, a capillary electrophoresis method was developed and optimized for the separation of seven major metabolites, physodic acid, 3-hydroxyphysodic acid, atranorin, physodalic acid, chloroatranorin, salazinic acid, and protocetraric acid, found in Hypogymnia physodes. The optimization was performed using a design of experiments approach, focusing on four critical parameters: boric acid concentration, deoxycholic acid concentration, methanol content, and buffer pH. The overall separation efficiency was used as the response factor for optimization. The optimal separation conditions were achieved using a buffer composed of 60 mM boric acid, 70 mM deoxycholic acid, and 14% methanol at pH 9.6. The validated method was subsequently applied for the chemophenetic analysis of 28 lichen species belonging to the families Cladoniaceae, Parmeliaceae, Physciaceae, Ramalinaceae, and Teloschistaceae. In addition to the above-mentioned lichen compounds, the lichens examined showed the presence of evernic acid, usnic acid, and physicon. The developed CE method offers a reliable and efficient tool for the characterization of lichen metabolites, with potential applications in both botany and natural product research
Ultrafast plasmonic rotors for electron beams
Get PDFThe interaction between free electrons and laser-induced near-fields provides a platform to study ultrafast processes and quantum phenomena while enabling precise manipulation of electron wavefunctions through linear and orbital momentum transfer. Here, by introducing phase offset between two orthogonally polarized laser pulses exciting a gold nanorod, we generate a rotating plasmonic near-field dipole with clockwise and counterclockwise circulating orientations and investigate its interaction with a slow electron beam. Our findings reveal that the circulation direction of plasmonic fields plays a crucial role in modulating electron dynamics, enhancing coupling strength, and controlling recoil. Furthermore, synchronizing the interaction time of the electron beam with rotational dipolar plasmonic resonances results in significant transfer of angular momentum to the electron beams and deflects the electron wavepackets from their original trajectory. These findings highlight the potential of plasmon rotors for shaping electron wavepackets, offering promising applications in ultrafast microscopy, spectroscopy, and quantum information processing
»And the GDR Was Probably Totally Gray!« – How Blind Students Access Inner Images of the Past: Field Observations and Qualitative Interviews on Historical Imagination
Get PDFThis paper examines how blind students imagine and understand the past in history classes, drawing on qualitative interviews and classroom observations at a German special school for the blind. The study highlights how historical learning often assumes visual perception as the norm and argues for a shift towards inclusive, socially constructed approaches that value diverse ways of historical learning. The findings show that blind students actively build ›inner pictures‹ of history through narratives and discussions, demonstrating that imagination is central to historical understanding. The paper also discusses the challenges of accessing research fields in special education and calls for rethinking traditional assumptions, emphasizing the importance of viewing normality as diversity rather than exceptionality.In diesem Beitrag wird untersucht, wie blinde Schülerinnen und Schüler sich die Vergangenheit im Geschichtsunterricht vorstellen und sie verstehen. Dabei stützt sich die Studie auf qualitative Interviews und Unterrichtsbeobachtungen an einer deutschen Sonderschule für Blinde. Die Studie hebt hervor, dass historisches Lernen oft von der visuellen Wahrnehmung als Norm ausgeht, und plädiert für einen Wandel hin zu inklusiven, sozial konstruierten Ansätzen, die unterschiedliche Arten des historischen Lernens wertschätzen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass blinde Schülerinnen und Schüler durch Erzählungen und Diskussionen aktiv ›innere Bilder‹ von Geschichte aufbauen, was zeigt, dass die Vorstellungskraft für das historische Verständnis von zentraler Bedeutung ist. Der Beitrag erörtert auch die Herausforderungen beim Zugang zu Forschungsfeldern in der Sonderpädagogik und ruft dazu auf, traditionelle Annahmen zu überdenken und betont, wie wichtig es ist, Normalität als Vielfalt und nicht als Ausnahme zu betrachten
Vorwort
Get PDFDie Junge Slavistik im Dialog ist eine Konferenzreihe an der Universität Kiel, die sich vorwiegend an Studierende und Promovierende der Slavistik und benachbarter Fächer richtet. Eine Auswahl der Beiträge wird jedes Jahr in einem Sammelband im Open Access veröffentlicht. Im vorliegenden Band erscheinen 19 deutsch- und englischsprachige Beiträge zu unterschiedlichen Themen rund um die Slavia: Von sprachlichen Strukturen des Protopopen Avvakum über historische Verflechtungen des sächsischen und polnischen Militärs sowie das tschechische absurde Theater bis hin zu digitalen Korpora und Reflexionen über Zugehörigkeit und interkulturelle Kompetenzen.Junge Slavistik im Dialog (Young Slavistics in Dialogue) is a conference series held at Kiel University, primarily aimed at students and doctoral candidates in Slavic Studies and related disciplines. Each year, a selection of the contributions is published in an open-access edited volume. The present volume features 19 contributions in German and English, covering a wide range of topics related to the Slavic world: from the linguistic structures of Archpriest Avvakum to historical entanglements between the Saxon and Polish military, Czech absurdist theatre, digital corpora, and reflections on belonging and intercultural competencies