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Emotions and emotion up-regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
Get PDFIn stressful situations such as the COVID-19-pandemic, unpleasant emotions are expected to increase while pleasant emotions will likely decrease. Little is known about the role cognitive appraisals, information management, and upregulating pleasant emotions can play to
support emotion regulation in a pandemic. In an online survey (N = 1682), we investigated predictors of changes in pleasant and unpleasant emotions in a German sample (aged 18–88 years) shortly after the first restrictions were imposed. Crisis self-efficacy and felt restriction were predictors of changes in unpleasant emotions and joy alike. The application of emotion up-regulation strategies was weakly associated with changes in joy. Among the different upregulation strategies, only “savouring the moment” predicted changes in joy. Our study informs future research perspectives assessing the role of upregulating pleasant emotions under challenging circumstances
Laborautomation: (Un)gelöstes Problem der KMU
Get PDFViele werden es kennen: Laborautomation bringt qualitative und
wirtschaftliche Vorteile mit sich, die sich deren Hersteller allerdings teuer bezahlen lassen. Gerade bei kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen (KMU) amortisieren sich jedoch hohe Investitionen in die
Laborautomation oft nicht, denn diese muss dort vor allem kostengünstig und flexibel einsetzbar sein. Gibt es das überhaupt auf dem Markt: ein flexibles und nutzerfreundliches Laborautomationssystem, das auch noch in das Budget passt
Modellieren,Visualisieren und die Simulation dynamischer Systeme als Seamless Learning – Ein Beitrag zu diesem Prozess aus der Praxis am Beispiel eines Mathematikmoduls
Get PDFModellieren und Visualisieren sind wichtige Kompetenzen für die erfolgreiche Gestaltung von Arbeits-, Entwicklungs- und Entscheidungsprozessen. Das Buchkapitel stellt Seamless Learning-Konzeptionen zur Vermittlung dieser Kompetenzen vor
Interactive Demonstration showing a Remote Lab using the Fischertechnik learning Factory 4.0
Get PDFA fully automated remote lab based on a fischertechnik learning factory to reproduce Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things processes. Participants can control and analyze the lab via the university cloud, independently of time and location
Facile fabrication of transparent high-barrier poly(lactic acid)-based bilayer films with antioxidant/antimicrobial performances
No full textPoly(lactic acid) (PLA) has been intended as an encouraging biopolymer for packaging purposes. Nevertheless,
PLA-based films suffer from low gas barrier properties, which restrict their applications. Here, we report a facile
fabrication of multi-component coating via layer deposition of cinnamaldehyde (CIN)-doped chitosan/poly(vinyl
alcohol)/fish gelatin (CPF) on PLA surfaces. Different PLA/CPF ratios (100:0, 77.5:22.5, 55:45, 32.5:67.5, and
0:100) were tested, whereas the PLA55:CPF45 was selected for loading of CIN. The surface and morphology
analyses of the bilayers verify that CPF layers are successfully coated on the PLA surfaces. This design improved
the mechanical strength and water barrier of CPF films and simultaneously enhanced the ductility of PLA films. By deposition of CIN-doped CPF layer on a PLA substrate, the oxygen permeability decreased from 28.92 to 0.238 cm3 mm/m2 day bar, approximately 122 times lower than that of bare PLA. CIN loadings in the CPF layer endowed bilayer films with antioxidant/antimicrobial activity
The Effect of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Training on Vagal Tone in Athletically Talented Secondary School Students
Get PDFThis study examines whether twelve sessions of heart rate variability biofeedback training would improve vagally mediated heart rate variability. If so, it would go some way in explaining why breathing-based interventions reduce clinical symptoms and improve non-clinical performance outcomes. Methods: Thirty participants (N = 30, Nfemale = 13) aged 14–13-year-old, all talented athletes, from a sport specialist school in SE London UK, were randomly divided into three groups, a control group, a psychology skills training combined with heart rate variability biofeedback training group, and a heart rate variability biofeedback only group. For the combined group, a variety of typical psychological skill training techniques were also used. Results: Paired participant t-test and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test found non-significant differences between pre- and post-intervention measurements of heart rate variability. Non-significant results remained even after pooling the biofeedback training groups (n = 19). Conclusions: Our results do not indicate that beneficial effects associated with focused breathing training can be attributed to improved vagal tone. Further investigation into the underlying mechanisms of the benefits of focused breathing techniques is necessary to maximize clinical and non-clinical outcomes
Cellulose blends from gel extrusion and compounding with polylactic acid
Get PDFCellulose, dissolved in ionic liquids (IL), can be used successfully in the processing of thermoplastics. To recover the ionic liquid while maintaining the thermoplastic properties, other spacers than IL might be introduced into the cellulose network. Such blend materials have been prepared before by solution blending as reported in the literature. In this study, the preparation and investigation of cellulose and polylactic acid (PLA) blends using an extrusion pro-
cess with an ionic liquid and co-solvent for intermediate compatibilization is reported. The obtained transparent films show a homogeneous morphology without phase separation. Thermal analysis showed no separated glass transition for PLA, and FTIR showed hydrogen bonding between cellulose and PLA chains. Thermal stability of the blends with a degradation onset around 270� C lies between regenerated cellulose and pure PLA. The blend tensile strength and elongation of ~40 MPa and 1.3%, respectively, were comparable to a multi-
phase composite containing twice the molecular weight of PLA. Generally, mechanical performance of the blends was strongly influenced by degradation reactions mainly caused by the ionic liquid used, as well as blend morphology.
The study shows that transfer from solution to extrusion processing is generally possible to obtain novel cellulose blends
Prefrontally modulated vagal neuroimmunomodulation is associated with telomere length
Get PDFBackgroundAccumulated senescent cells are proposed to be one of the main drivers of age-related pathology such as dementia and cancer through disruption of tissue structure and function. We recently proposed the Neuro-Immuno-Senescence Integrative Model (NISIM), which relates prefrontally modulated vagal tone and subsequent balance between vagal and sympathetic input to the spleen to inflammatory responses leading to generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative telomere damage.AimIn this study, we assess inflammation as a mediator in the relationship between prefrontally modulated vagal tone and leukocyte telomere length (LTL). We also assess the relationship between a recently proposed index of vagal neuroimmunomodulation (vagal tone/inflammation ratio; NIM index) and telomere length.MethodsThis study uses participant data from a large nationally representative longitudinal study since 1974 with a total of 45,000 Norwegian residents so far. A sub-sample of 131 participants from which ultrashort recordings (30 s) of vagal tone, c reactive protein, and LTL could be obtained were included in the study. Relationships were analyzed with Pearson’s correlations and hierarchical multiple linear regression using either vagal tone and CRP or the NIM index to predict telomere length.ResultsVagal tone was a significant positive predictor of telomere length but this was not mediated by c reactive protein, even after controlling for confounders. The NIM index was a significant positive predictor of telomere length, also when controlling for confounders. In a follow-up analysis simultaneously comparing telomere length between groups with high and low values of vagal tone, and between groups with high and low NIM index values, telomere length was only significantly different between NIM index groups.ConclusionThis is the first study suggesting that prefrontally modulated vagal neuroimmunomodulation is associated with telomere length thus supporting the NISIM. Results indicate that the NIM index is a more sensitive indicator of vagal neuroimmunomodulation than vagal tone and CRP in isolation
Recovery of reduced thiol groups by superoxide-mediated denitrosation of nitrosothiols
Get PDFNitrosation of critical thiols has been elaborated as reversible posttranslational modification with regulatory function in multiple disorders. Reversibility of S-nitrosation is generally associated with enzyme-mediated one-electron reductions, catalyzed by the thioredoxin system, or by nitrosoglutathione reductase.
In the present study, we confirm previous evidence for a non-enzymatic de-nitrosation of nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) by superoxide. The interaction leads to the release of nitric oxide that subsequently interacts with a second molecule of superoxide (O2•−) to form peroxynitrite. Despite the formation of peroxynitrite, approximately 40–70% of GSNO yielded reduced glutathione (GSH), depending on the applied analytical assay. The concept of O2•− dependent denitrosation was then applied to S-nitrosated enzymes. S-nitrosation of isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH; NADP+-dependent) was accompanied by an inhibition of the enzyme and could be reversed by dithiothreitol. Treatment of nitrosated ICDH with O2•− indicated ca. 50% recovery of enzyme activity. Remaining inhibition was largely consequence of oxidative modifications evoked either by O2•− or by peroxynitrite. Recovery of activity in S-nitrosated enzymes by O2•− appears relevant only for selected examples. In contrast, recovery of reduced glutathione from the interaction of GSNO with O2•− could represent a mechanism to regain reducing equivalents in situations of excess O2•− formation, e.g. in the reperfusion phase after ischemia