Gutenberg Open Science (Univ. Mainz)
Not a member yet
11784 research outputs found
Sort by
Skyrmion lattice domain formation in a non-flat energy landscape
No full textMagnetic skyrmions are chiral spin structures with non-trivial topology that comprise two-dimensional quasi-particles and are promising information carriers for data storage and processing devices. Skyrmion lattices in magnetic thin films exhibit Kosterlitz-Thouless-Halperin-Nelson-Young (KTHNY) phase transitions and have garnered significant interest for studying emergent 2D phase behavior. In experimental skyrmion lattices, the main factor limiting the quasi-long-range order in thin films has been the non-flat energy landscape – often referred to as pinning effects. We demonstrate direct control of the skyrmion lattice order by effectively tuning the energy landscape employing magnetic field oscillations. By quantifying lattice order and dynamics, we explore how domain boundaries form and evolve due to pinning effects in Kerr microscopy experiments and in Brownian dynamics simulations, offering a pathway to control and study emergent skyrmion lattice properties and 2D phase behavior
Homology search confirms widespread presence of BBSome proteins in Hexapoda with implications for potential non-ciliary BBS protein functions in honey bees
No full textCilia were one of the characteristic traits of the last eukaryotic common ancestor and are highly conserved among eukaryotes. Their proteomic makeup is remarkably similar throughout all eukaryotic lineages. Recently, several ciliary transport proteins, namely the Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) proteins, were shown to traverse the nuclear envelope, and to modulate gene expression. Insects have been critically understudied in cilia biology since they only exhibit cilia on a subset of cells. We present evidence that the BBSome is largely conserved in multiple insect lineages. To examine BBS protein expression within insects, we profiled tissues, castes, and sexes of the honeybee Apis mellifera, a species where the genome encodes for multiple behavioural and morphological phenotypes. We find variation in expression profiles of putative BBSome-associated genes across different tissues, including those lacking cilia, indicating possible non-ciliary functions. We also demonstrate that expression of individual BBS proteins varies significantly between queens’ and males’ tissues, especially in neuronal tissue. Particularly high overexpression of BBS4 in glandular tissue indicates a cilia-independent role. Our findings provide evolutionary insight into the conservation of BBSome components across insects, suggesting potential additional roles for cilia proteins in non-ciliated tissues, providing candidate genes from diverse insect orders for future experimental work
Johann Friedrich Blumenbach’s ‘Bildungstrieb’ : “What is life?” in science, philosophy and politics around 1800
No full textDie Aufsätze in diesem Heft der Annals of the History and Theory of Biology gehen zurück auf die Göttinger Tagung „Johann Friedrich Blumenbach’s Bildungstrieb (1789). ‘What is life?’ in science, philosophy and politics around 1800“, die am 14. und 15. Oktober 2021 stattfand. Sie thematisieren sowohl die Genese als auch zeitgenössische und spätere Aneignungen des zentralen Elements von Johann Friedrich Blumenbachs (1752–1840) Konzeption der Lebenswissenschaft: der Idee des „Bildungstriebs“. Die Beiträge beleuchten zwei der Voraussetzungen für die breite Rezeption dieser Idee in Literatur, Philosophie und Naturwissenschaft: eine gewisse Unschärfe der Idee und ihre Offenheit für Umdeutungen; und die Vorstellung einer prinzipiellen Einheit von Natur- und Kultursphäre in der Epoche der Romantik.190 Seite
Multimodal web-based telerehabilitation for patients with post–COVID-19 condition : protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Full text linkBackground:
Patients with post–COVID-19 condition (PCC) experience persistent, long-term health consequences following SARS-CoV-2 infection, including fatigue, hyperventilation, cognitive impairment, and limitations in daily activities. There is emerging evidence suggesting that exercise and respiratory therapy–based telerehabilitation is safe and could potentially improve physical capacity while reducing health care costs.
Objective:
This study aims to evaluate the superiority of a multimodal, symptom-titrated telerehabilitation program over standard care in patients with PCC who are severely affected, using the highest oxygen uptake rate (VO2peak [mL/min/kg]) achieved during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) and minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production slope (VE/VCO2 [full slope]) as primary outcomes. In addition, this study seeks to provide novel insights into the clinical and physiological adaptations associated with PCC, informing future rehabilitation strategies.
Methods:
This prospective, randomized, waitlist-controlled trial was approved by the Rhineland-Palatinate Medical Association ethics committee. All procedures comply with the Declaration of Helsinki. This study comprises 3 examination time points, which include patient-reported outcomes, clinical assessments, and a CPET. It is structured into an 8-week intervention phase followed by an 8-week follow-up phase. Following baseline assessment, patients will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (IG) or the control group (CG). During the intervention phase, IG participants will receive a web-based, multimodal, symptom-titrated telerehabilitation program consisting of sports medicine consultations, weekly teleconsultations, a structured pacing approach, and exercise and respiratory therapy. In contrast, CG participants will receive treatment as usual, which includes a single sports medicine consultation on healthy habits and a self-directed pacing approach for managing symptoms and daily activities. During the follow-up phase, IG participants will continue training independently without teleconsultations, whereas CG participants will undergo the same telerehabilitation intervention as the IG. A follow-up assessment will be conducted for both groups to evaluate long-term effects. This study adheres to the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) guidelines and follows the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template.
Results:
Recruitment began in August 2023 and was extended until March 2025. As of March 2025, 80 participants have been recruited, and data analysis is ongoing. Final results are expected by December 2025, with a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data anticipated by July 2025.
Conclusions:
This study is the first randomized controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of multimodal and symptom-titrated telerehabilitation in patients with PCC who are severely affected. The integration of various objective diagnostic systems will provide valuable insights into emerging postviral fatigue syndromes, supporting the development of CPET-based diagnostics, personalized rehabilitation strategies, and future research on long-term telerehabilitation effectiveness. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, professional networks, and patient advocacy groups to ensure scientific, clinical, and public impact
Creating somatic symptoms in the lab : stability and predictive validity of symptoms in the affect and symptom paradigm in a sample from the general population over 18 months
Full text linkObjective:
The Affect and Symptom Paradigm (ASP) is an experimental setup that can reliably provoke somatic symptoms in a laboratory setting through the mere presentation of negative pictures. People with persistent somatic symptoms show characteristic effects in this paradigm, including elevated symptom reports and differential brain pattern activation, which suggests that the ASP might be a valuable diagnostic tool. In this cohort study, we tested the temporal stability and ability of the ASP to predict somatic symptom distress over a longer period of time.
Methods:
We assessed N=91 participants from the general population (69% female) over 2 time points, which were 18 months apart. Participants completed the ASP as well as a questionnaire on somatic symptom distress [Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15)]. Correlation analyses (Bayesian and frequentist) as well as cross-lagged-panel models were used to test the temporal stability and cross-lagged associations.
Results:
In the cross-lagged-panel models, somatic symptom distress (PHQ-15) at T1 significantly predicted ASP symptom provocation at T2 (β=0.22, p=.029) while controlling for the ASP at T1. Moreover, ASP symptom provocation at T1 significantly predicted cardiorespiratory symptoms (but not overall symptoms) in the PHQ-15 at T2 (β=0.275, p=.019). The autoregressive paths indicated moderate-to-high temporal stability (all β>0.27, all p<.050).
Conclusions:
The outcome of experimental somatic symptom provocation using the ASP appears stable over time and can significantly predict variability in the experience of cardiorespiratory symptoms (in the PHQ-15) 1.5 years later. Large cohort and intervention studies on chronic somatic symptoms and functional disorders may benefit from including experimental measures such as the ASP
Adaptive evolution of SARS-CoV-2 during a persistent infection for 521 days in an immunocompromised patient
Full text linkImmunocompromised patients struggle to adequately clear viral infections, offering the virus the opportunity to adapt to the immune system in the host. Here we present a case study of a patient undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with a 521-day follow-up of a SARS-CoV-2 infection with the BF.7.21 variant. Virus samples from five time points were submitted to whole genome sequencing. Between the first detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection and its clearance, the patient’s virus population acquired 34 amino acid substitutions and 8 deletions in coding regions. With 11 amino acid substitutions in the receptor binding domain of the virus’ spike protein, substitutions were 15 times more abundant than expected for a random distribution in this highly functional region. Amongst them were the substitutions S:K417T, S:N440S, S:K444R, S:V445A, S:G446N, S:L452Q, S:N460K, and S:E484V at positions that are notorious for their resistance-mediating effects. The substitution patterns found indicate ongoing adaptive evolution
Von Spiel zu Ernst: Negative Auswirkungen der Darstellung psychiatrischer Krankheitsbilder auf Simulationspatienten
Full text linkIII, 84 Seite
Geschlechtsspezifische Charakteristika von Tötungsdelikten unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Partnerschaftsdelikten
Full text linkDie vorliegende Dissertation analysiert Merkmale männlicher und weiblicher Opfer von Tötungsdelikten, um ein umfassenderes Verständnis für die unterschiedlichen Ausgangssituationen und Arten von Tötungsdelikten zu erhalten. Es werden Akten von 106 gerichtlichen Obduktionen am Institut für Rechtsmedizin in Mainz aus den Jahren 2012 bis 2019 untersucht. Das Mindestalter des Untersuchungskollektivs liegt bei 14 Jahren (51,9 % Männer; 48,1 % Frauen). Erfasst werden unter anderem demografische Daten, die Tathistorie mit besonderem Fokus auf die Täter-Opfer-Beziehung, Substanzeinfluss, Motive, Arten der Gewalteinwirkung, das Nachtatverhalten sowie die Strafverfolgung der Täter durch die Strafverfolgungsbehörden. Es wird eine geschlechtergetrennte statistische
Analyse durchgeführt. Männliche Opfer von Tötungsdelikten werden am häufigsten außerhalb der eigenen Wohnung (63,6 %) von Bekannten oder Freunden (54,5 %) getötet. Außerdem stehen männliche Opfer häufig unter Substanzeinfluss (56,4 %). Die Täter leiden in 49,1 % der Fälle an einer Suchterkrankung und sind in 52,7 % der Fälle vorbestraft. Stich-/ Schnittverletzungen sind die häufigsten zum Tode führenden Verletzungen bei weiblichen und männlichen Opfern, wenngleich Stich-/ Schnitt- und Schussverletzungen bei männlichen Opfern insgesamt häufiger als bei weiblichen Opfern auftreten. Frauen werden am häufigsten in ihrer eigenen Wohnung (76,5 %) von ihren Intimpartnern (62,7 %) getötet. Gewaltsame Erstickung (21,6 %) und stumpfe Gewalteinwirkung (17,6 %) sind häufiger als bei männlichen Opfern (14,5 % u. 12,7 %) die todesursächlichen Gewalteinwirkungen. Außerdem werden bei weiblichen Opfern häufiger Mehrfachverletzungen festgestellt (33,3 %), die auf einen sog. „Overkill“ hindeuten
können (Karakasi et al., 2021; Solarino et al., 2019). Die rechtskräftige Verurteilung der Täter durch die Gerichte lässt keine Unterschiede in Hinblick auf das Opfergeschlecht erkennen. Bei der Untersuchung von Tötungsdelikten und der Etablierung von Präventions- und Interventionsstrategien zwischenmenschlicher Gewalt sollten geschlechtsspezifische Aspekte Berücksichtigung finden. Schutzkonzepte sind im öffentlichen Raum leichter zu etablieren als im privaten Bereich, weshalb Tötungsdelikte an Frauen besondere Aufmerksamkeit in Gesellschaft, Strafverfolgung und Gesetzgebung erfordern (Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend, 2022; GREVIO, 2022).III, 88 Seiten ; Diagramm
Role of heart rate recovery in chronic heart failure : results from the MyoVasc study
Full text linkBackground:
Cardiac autonomic dysfunction is associated with heart failure (HF). Reduced heart rate recovery (HRR) indicates impaired parasympathetic reactivation after physical activity. Heart rate recovery 60 seconds after peak effort (HRR60) is linked to autonomic dysfunction, but data on its relevance across HF phenotypes are scarce. This study aimed to identify clinical determinants of HRR60 in an HF cohort and assess its relationship with clinical outcomes.
Methods:
Data from the MyoVasc study (NCT04064450; N=3289) were analyzed. Participants underwent standardized clinical phenotyping including cardiopulmonary exercise testing. HRR60 was defined as the heart rate decline 60 seconds after exercise termination. Clinical determinants of HRR60 were evaluated using multivariate regression, whereas Cox regression analyses assessed all‐cause death and worsening of HF.
Results:
The analysis sample comprised 1289 individuals (median age, 66.0 [interquartile range {IQR}, 58.0–73.0] years, 30.4% women) ranging from stage B to stage C/D according to the universal definition of HF. Age, sex, smoking, obesity, peripheral artery disease, and chronic kidney disease were identified as determinants of HRR60. HRR60 showed a strong association with all‐cause death (hazard ratio [HR]HRR60 [10 bpm], 1.56 [95% CI, 1.32–1.85]; P<0.0001) and worsening of HF (HRHRR60 [10 bpm], 1.36 [95% CI, 1.10–1.69]; P=0.0052) independent of age, sex, and clinical profile. Sensitivity analysis showed a stronger association with worsening HF in HF with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (Pinteraction=0.027).
Conclusions:
HRR60 was associated with clinical outcome in chronic HF. Because it showed a stronger association with outcomes in HF with preserved ejection fraction, future research should consider phenotype‐specific differences
I think he’s got a helicopter in his pocket : the AI chewing gum
Full text linkReenacting a 1970s classic experimental film with generative AI to analyze the relationship of text and image