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How Trained Immunity Shapes Atherosclerosis : From Mechanism to Disease
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Flux Vacua and the Web of Type II Compactifications
Full text linkThis dissertation investigates the period geometry in compactifications of type IIB string theory on restricted moduli spaces in the context of supersymmetric flux vacua and black hole condensations. The guiding question of this work is how transitions among families of Calabi–Yau manifolds connect the vast number of seemingly different compactifications. We show that fixed-point loci in the complex-structure moduli space under suitable discrete symmetries furnish a rational splitting of periods, which is necessary for symmetric moduli stabilisation and embeds known flux vacua into multi-parameter models. We reduce the search for flux vacua in compactifications on one-parameter Calabi–Yau four-folds to attractor points on their Yifan-Yang pullback. Along singular components of the moduli space, we identify one-parameter models arising in strong coupling and conifold transitions. In the latter case, black hole condensation smooths out the singularity and gives rise to a mixed Coulomb/Higgs branch with an induced integral period structure. We categorise the transitions in genus-one fibrations over toric bases described by reflexive polygons and identify new connections among several families. A formalism is proposed that constructs conjecturally integral period bases for (n > 3)-dimensional non-degenerate Calabi–Yau families, which is supported by exemplary computations
An axis between brain and fat body regulates pathogen avoidance behavior in <em>Drosophila</em>
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Wirkung und Wirkdauer akuter körperlicher Aktivität auf das Entscheidungsverhalten von Erwachsenen mit Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung
No full textDie Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) betrifft etwa 4,7 % der Erwachsenen in Deutschland und ist mit Einschränkungen in Bildung, sozialen Kompetenzen und Lebensqualität verbunden. Ein zentrales Merkmal der Störung ist Impulsivität, welche sich unter anderem in einem veränderten Entscheidungsverhalten äußert. Das sogenannte Delay Discounting beschreibt die Tendenz, kleinere sofortige Belohnungen gegenüber größeren verzögerten vorzuziehen, und gilt als Maß für impulsive Entscheidungsfindung. Der k-Wert, ein mathematischer Parameter, quantifiziert dieses Verhalten – ein höherer k-Wert weist auf stärkere Impulsivität hin.
Ziel dieser Studie war es, den Einfluss akuter körperlicher Betätigung auf das Delay Discounting bei Erwachsenen mit ADHS zu untersuchen. Insgesamt nahmen 40 Probanden in einem Cross-Over-Design teil. An zwei unterschiedlichen Tagen absolvierten sie entweder 30 Minuten Ausdauertraining auf dem Fahrrad oder schauten zur Kontrolle einen Film. Der Delay Discounting Test wurde jeweils vor der Intervention, direkt danach und eine Stunde später durchgeführt.
Die Ergebnisse zeigten keine signifikante Veränderung des k-Werts infolge des Trainings, weder unmittelbar noch nach einer Stunde. Auch konnte kein Zusammenhang zwischen dem Ausmaß der Impulsivitätssymptomatik und dem Delay Discounting festgestellt werden. Trotz der ausbleibenden Effekte liefert die Studie wertvolle Hinweise auf die Komplexität der Einflussfaktoren – wie Trainingsdauer, Medikation, Sportart und individuelle Symptomatik – die möglicherweise den Effekt sportlicher Aktivität auf Impulsivität modulieren.
Diese Untersuchung konnte keinen positiven Einfluss eines 30-minütigen Ausdauertrainings auf das impulsive Entscheidungsverhalten nachweisen. Dennoch ist ein günstiger Effekt körperlicher Aktivität auf Impulsivität bei ADHS nicht grundsätzlich auszuschließen. Weitere Studien mit differenzierten Designs und alternativen Paradigmen sind notwendig, um potenzielle Wirkmechanismen besser zu verstehen und therapeutisch nutzbar zu machen.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects around 4.7% of adults in Germany and is associated with restrictions in education, social skills and quality of life. A central feature of the disorder is impulsivity, which manifests itself in altered decision-making behaviour, among other things. Delay discounting describes the tendency to favour smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed ones and is considered a measure of impulsive decision-making. The k-value, a mathematical parameter, quantifies this behaviour - a higher k-value indicates greater impulsivity.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of acute physical exercise on delay discounting in adults with ADHD. A total of 40 participants took part in a cross-over design. On two different days, they either completed 30 minutes of endurance training on a bicycle or watched a film as a control. The delay discounting test was carried out before the intervention, immediately afterwards and one hour later.
The results showed no significant change in the k-value as a result of the training, either immediately or after one hour. There was also no correlation between the extent of impulsivity symptoms and delay discounting. Despite the lack of effects, the study provides valuable information on the complexity of the influencing factors - such as training duration, medication, type of sport and individual symptoms - which may modulate the effect of sporting activity on impulsivity.
This study was unable to demonstrate a positive influence of 30 minutes of endurance training on impulsive decision-making behaviour. Nevertheless, a favourable effect of physical activity on impulsivity in ADHD cannot be ruled out in principle. Further studies with differentiated designs and alternative paradigms are necessary in order to better understand potential mechanisms of action and to utilise them therapeutically
Revisiting the innate immune response using systems immunology
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Plato and the Concept of the Political
Full text linkThis dissertation aims to argue that it is both possible and productive to read Plato's political philosophy through the concept of the political as developed in twentieth-century political discourse. To this end, I combine a comparative study (Chapter 1) with a historical study of Plato (Chapters 2–5). The former part offers justifications for this project, addressing the question of whether it is legitimate to read Plato in terms of the political.
The first justification is negative, seeking to refute the claim that Plato is anti-political because he is illiberal and anti-democratic, a claim that appears plausible only insofar as it relies on conceptual conflations between liberalism and the political, and between democracy and the political. The second, positive justification aims to show that Plato shares the spirit and objectives of contemporary political theorists who have introduced and developed the concept of the political, namely: (1) distinguishing between politics and the political; (2) exploring the possibility of radical political change; (3) defining a genuinely political community and expressing concern over the disappearance of the political; and (4) highlighting the pervasive nature of the political.
Chapter 2 establishes two basic premises necessary for attributing to Plato certain theoretical points commonly associated with contemporary political theorists. The first, and more crucial, premise is that Plato holds political epistêmê to be of the Forms. The second premise, a unitarian thesis, is that Plato consistently maintains this position not only in the Republic but also in the Statesman, where the theory of Forms is not explicitly stated. These premises are necessary to justify that Plato worked with what I understand as his concept of the political, namely one defined by the questioning the established order, envisioning a new one, and bringing about radical political change.
The rest chapters aim to uphold and reinforce these two premises by focusing on different parts of Plato's corpus. Chapter 3 addresses the continuity among the Charmides, Euthydemus, Laches, and the so-called "Asclepius Passage" in Republic Book 3, emphasizing the diverse yet consistent characterizations of the epistêmê of the Good as political. Chapter 4 draws a parallel between dianoia in Republic Books 6–7 and the three precious expertises in the Statesman, demonstrating that both are used and ruled by the one and same form of epistêmê, namely political epistêmê of the Good. Chapter 5 challenges interpretations of the Statesman that construe political epistêmê as merely the capacity to know particulars and issue commands concerning them.
The Afterword brings the dissertation to a close by emphasizing that Plato offers a renewed understanding of epistocracy, one that affirms both the metaphysical and practical possibility of radical political transformation, while simultaneously providing a sustained reflection on the resources of the state necessary for its realization
Analysis of composition and potential of microbes associated to the rhizosphere of cotton and wheat
Full text linkPathogenic fungi and plant-parasitic nematodes threaten the health of crops and thus impair agricultural production. Fungi cause a wide variety of diseases by destroying plant tissue in different ways, disrupting the plant's metabolism, and triggering various defense reactions. Nematodes very often infest the roots of agricultural crops, parasitize or destroy cells, and cause anatomical, morphological, and physiological disorders, resulting in a significant loss of performance and resilience to abiotic stress factors. Since synthetic pesticides often have negative effects on the environment and possibly also on humans, there is a growing need for sustainable approaches to control these pathogens. Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR) offer a promising solution for biological control. PGPR are beneficial bacteria that colonize plant roots and enhance plant growth through various mechanisms. They can suppress fungal and nematode pathogens by producing antimicrobial compounds, triggering systemic resistance in plants, and competing for nutrients and space. Using PGPR as biocontrol agents provides an environmentally friendly and sustainable method for the management of plant diseases, reduces reliance on synthetic chemicals, and promotes healthier ecosystems. This study aims to analyze the PGPR present in the rhizosphere of cotton and wheat under continuous cotton-wheat rotation in Pakistan. It also investigates the biological control potential of these rhizobacteria against the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV) in cotton and against Heterodera schachtii in Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as their effect on plant growth. Chapter 2 presents a metagenomic-based investigation of the microbial community, including bacteria and fungi (including all culturable and non-culturable), in the rhizosphere of cotton from four different agroecological sites. The study revealed that the abundance of bacterial and fungal communities varied across the different agroecological sites, even with the same crop and rotation pattern. These differences suggest that specific bacteria exhibit adaptations to their environment and that various other factors beyond the crop itself shape the microbial community. Chapter 3 presents the investigation of antifungal activity against FOV, biochemical characterization, and genetic diversity of 136 culturable rhizobacteria from five different cotton fields and five different wheat fields. The dendrogram constructed from (GTG)5 and REP-PCR fingerprint profiles indicated greater diversity. Molecular markers used for genetic fingerprinting effectively differentiated the cotton rhizosphere isolates from those obtained from the wheat rhizosphere, indicating a distinct resident bacterial community despite the cotton-wheat rotation. Chapter 4 presents an investigation of Bacillus species isolated from cotton. The eight characterized Bacillus isolates all showed biocontrol potential against FOV with different mechanisms of action. Chapter 5 presents an investigation of the antagonistic effect of Bacillus spp. against H. schachtii in A. thaliana. Seven Bacillus isolates showed anti-nematode activity both in vitro and in vivo, and also reduced the size of females.
This research revealed that a number of Bacillus spp. among 136 isolated and divers rhizobacteria effectively suppressed FOV and H. schachtii by different antagonistic mechanisms. These Bacillus spp. can be a valuable means as part of an integrated fungal and nematode control strategy. Moreover, this study is the first to report the antagonistic activity of Bacillus stercoris against a plant-parasitic nematode
The role of methylglyoxal in connection with a Glyoxalase 1 deficiency in the metabolism of adipose tissue
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Design, Synthese und Optimierung potenter heterozyklischer Verbindungen als Liganden an MAS-verwandten G-Protein-gekoppelten Rezeptoren MRGPRX
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