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“Trapped in horror transactions” : tabloid representations of the non-performing loans crisis and hardship defaults in Hungary
Full text linkAs part of a process of non-performing loan crisis, Hungary has been experiencing a protracted foreign currency loans crisis since 2008. The crisis and the household management of problem debts were commonly discussed in popular tabloids, which play an important role in framing economic events for lay audiences. For this study, I selected relevant articles from the most popular Hungarian tabloid, Blikk, and used discourse analysis to understand how the crisis was narrated. The tabloid stories portray borrowers through metaphors and personal gossip stories of both celebrities and ordinary people. Debtors are usually portrayed in the media as financially illiterate or undisciplined subjects of lifestyle defaulters; however, the gossip stories in this Hungarian tabloid presented borrowers as financially struggling hardship defaulters and victims of creditors
Planspielbasierte Lehrveranstaltungen : Gelingensbedingungen und Evaluation von Rahmenbedingungen, Reflexion und Einflussfaktoren
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The pattern and stages of atrophy in spinocerebellar staxia type 2 : volumetrics from ENIGMA-ataxia
Full text linkSpinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive deterioration in both motor coordination and cognitive function. Atrophy of the cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord are core features of SCA2; however, the evolution and pattern of whole-brain atrophy in SCA2 remain unclear. We undertook a multisite, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study to comprehensively characterize the neurodegeneration profile of SCA2. Voxel-based morphometry analyses of 110 participants with SCA2 and 128 controls were undertaken to assess groupwise differences in whole-brain volume. Correlations with clinical severity and genotype, and cross-sectional profiling of atrophy patterns at different disease stages, were also performed. Atrophy in SCA2 versus controls was greatest (Cohen's d >2.5) in the cerebellar white matter (WM), middle cerebellar peduncle, pons, and corticospinal tract. Very large effects (d >1.5) were also evident in the superior cerebellar, inferior cerebellar, and cerebral peduncles. In the cerebellar gray matter (GM), large effects (d >0.8) were observed in areas related to both motor coordination and cognitive tasks. Strong correlations (|r| > 0.4) between volume and disease severity largely mirrored these groupwise outcomes. Stratification by disease severity exhibited a degeneration pattern beginning in the cerebellar and pontine WM in preclinical subjects; spreading to the cerebellar GM and cerebro-cerebellar/corticospinal WM tracts; and then finally involving the thalamus, striatum, and cortex in severe stages. The magnitude and pattern of brain atrophy evolve over the course of SCA2, with widespread, nonuniform involvement across the brainstem, cerebellar tracts, and cerebellar cortex; and late involvement of the cerebral cortex and striatum. © 2025 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Long non-coding RNAs and RNA-binding proteins in pancreatic cancer development and progression
No full textPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common type of pancreatic cancer and is responsible for about 467,000 cancer deaths annually. An oftentimes asymptomatic early phase of this disease results in a delayed diagnosis, and patients often present with advanced disease. Current treatment options have limited survival benefits, and only a minor patient population carries actionable genomic alterations. Hence, innovative personalized treatment strategies that consider molecular, cellular and functional analyses are urgently needed for pancreatic cancer patients. However, the majority of the genetic alterations found in PDAC are currently undruggable, or patients’ response is not as expected. Therefore, non-genomic biomarkers and alternative molecular targets should be considered in order to advance the clinical management of PDAC patients. In line with this, recent gene expression and single-cell transcriptome analyses have identified molecular subtypes and transcriptional cell states that affect disease progression and drug efficiency. In this review, we will introduce long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as well as RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that are able to modulate the transcriptome of a cell through diverse mechanisms, thereby contributing to disease progression. We will provide a brief overview about the general functions of lncRNAs and RBPs, respectively. Subsequently, we will highlight selected lncRNAs and RBPs that have been shown to play a role in PDAC development, progression and drug response. Finally, we will present strategies aiming to interfere with the expression and function of lncRNAs and RBPs
Die zeitliche Entwicklung der Allostatischen Last und ihre sozioökonomischen und behavioralen Einflussfaktoren : ein Mixed Model mit den Daten der CARLA Kohorte
No full textDie allostatische Last (AL) beschreibt den biologischen „Verschleiß“ durch chronischen Stress und wurde über 20 Jahre (2002–2022) in der CARLA-Kohorte untersucht. Ziel war es, Trajektorien der AL sowie Zusammenhänge mit kumulativem sozioökonomischem Status (SES) und sozialer Mobilität zu analysieren. AL-Scores wurden aus z-Scores physiologischer Parameter berechnet. Regressionsanalysen und lineare gemischte Modelle zeigten eine Abnahme der AL-Scores über die Zeit (β = -0,17). Frauen wiesen zu Beginn niedrigere AL-Scores auf, jedoch mit geringerer Abnahme. Kumulativer SES und soziale Mobilität waren mit dem AL-Niveau, nicht aber mit dessen Verlauf verbunden. Die Ergebnisse verweisen auf Effekte der Gesundheitsversorgung und verdeutlichen den Einfluss lebenszeitlicher sozialer Bedingungen auf biologische Stressbelastung
A conserved aspartate residue in [4Fe-4S]-containing HypD is required for [NiFe]-cofactor biosynthesis and for efficient interaction of the HypCD scaffold complex with HypE
No full textSix Hyp (A through F) proteins synthesize the NiFe(CN)2CO cofactor found in all [NiFe]-hydrogenases. The Fe(CN)2CO moiety of this cofactor is assembled on a separate scaffold complex comprising HypC and HypD. HypE and HypF generate the cyanide ligands from carbamoyl phosphate by converting the carbamoyl moiety to a thiocyanate associated with HypE’s C-terminal cysteine residue, within a conserved ‘PRIC’ motif. Here, we identify amino acid residue D98 in the central cleft of HypD to be required for biosynthesis of the Fe(CN)2CO moiety and for optimal interaction of HypD with HypE. Construction of a D98A amino acid variant of HypD caused near-complete loss of hydrogenase activity in anaerobically grown Escherichia coli cells, while exchange of the structurally proximal, but non-conserved, residue S356 on HypD, did not. Native mass spectrometric analysis of the anaerobically purified HypC-HypDD98A scaffold complex revealed only a low amount of the bound Fe(CN)2CO group. Western blotting experiments revealed that purified scaffold complexes between either HypC or HybG (a paralogue of HypC) with HypD-D98A showed a strongly impaired interaction with HypE. Examination of the HypCDE complex crystal structure from Thermococcus kodakarensis revealed that D98 of HypD lies within a cleft through which the C-terminus of HypE can access the bound iron ion on HypCD. Alphafold3 predictions suggest that the D98 residue interacts with the arginine residue of the ‘PRIC’ motif at the C-terminus of HypE to position the modified terminal cysteine residue precisely for delivery of cyanide to the iron ion associated with the HypCD complex
Septic cardiomyopathy : diagnosis and estimation of disease severity
No full textBackground: The relevance of septic cardiomyopathy is frequently underestimated due to the complexity of the pattern of cardiac injury and the corresponding difficulties in quantifying the degree of functional impairment. Aim: Account of the methods for diagnosis and severity classification of septic cardiomyopathy. Methods: Literature review and analysis of the main findings. Results: Septic cardiomyopathy is characterized by both systolic and diastolic impairment of not only the left, but also the right ventricle, as well as by sinus-tachycardiomyopathy (≥ 90-95 beats/min) of variable degree. Sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), ECG and cardiac biomarkers do not help in grading severity of septic cardiomyopathy. For that purpose either a sophisticated echocardiography diagnosis is mandatory, or the measurement of those global heart function parameters which take into account the dependency of cardiac output on afterload, in view of the pronounced vasodilatation in sepsis and septic shock, is needed. A suitable parameter on the basis of cardiac output measurement is afterload-related cardiac performance (ACP), which gives the percentage of cardiac output in a septic patient related to the cardiac output a healthy heart pumps when challenged by a fall in systemic vascular resistance to the same extent. The calculation of ACP shows that at least one in two septic patients suffers from impaired heart function and that mortality increases as severity increases. Conclusion: Simple parameters like LVEF are not apt for diagnosis nor for disease severity classification of septic cardiomyopathy. For that purpose either sophisticated echocardiography techniques or load-independent parameters - best validated - ACP measurements are appropriate
The 8th International Symposium on Phospholipids in Pharmaceutical Research – an update on current research in phospholipids presented at the biennial symposium of the Phospholipid Research Center Heidelberg
No full textThis Conference Report recaps recent advances in the research on phospholipids and their applications for advanced drug delivery and analytical purposes that have been presented at the “8th International Symposium on Phospholipids in Pharmaceutical Research” of the Phospholipid Research Center (PRC), held from September 09–11, 2024, at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. The PRC is a non-profit organization focused on expanding and sharing scientific and technological knowledge of phospholipids in pharmaceutical and related applications. This is accomplished by, e.g., funding doctoral and postdoctoral research projects at universities worldwide. The PRC organizes this symposium every two years, at which international experts from science and industry present innovative and new applications of phospholipids. This year’s symposium highlighted advancements in lipid-based gene and RNA delivery, anisotropic lipid nanoparticles, PEGylation challenges, tetraether lipids for drug delivery, ethical considerations in publishing, multifunctional lipopeptides, and phospholipid applications in therapeutics. Discussions also showcased award-winning research on optimizing liposome drug compatibility, reflecting the expanding role of phospholipids in pharmaceutical science
Thalamic disconnection from prefrontal cognitive control networks contributes to thalamic aphasia
No full textLanguage impairments after thalamic lesions, referred to as thalamic aphasia, underscore a subcortical involvement in language processing. In this study, we investigated how the thalamus structurally connects to the cortex to support language functions. Our hypothesis posits that disconnection of white matter tracts between the left thalamus and regions of left hemisphere language and cognitive control networks, such as prefrontal, inferior frontal, and temporal cortices, are associated with thalamic aphasia. We employed a non-parametric lesion-network mapping approach in a retrospective cohort of patients with first-ever thalamic stroke. This method enables the identification of structural disconnections that disrupt signal transmission along white matter fibre pathways, subsequently impairing processing within brain networks. To investigate potential associations between disconnection patterns and thalamic aphasia, we individually mapped fibre tracts affected by the thalamic stroke lesions using diffusion-weighted normative structural connectome data. Statistical comparisons were then made between disconnection maps of patients with and without language impairments. The study encompassed 101 patients, with a mean age of 64.1 years (standard deviation, 14.6), including 57 patients with left-sided, 42 with right-sided, and 2 with bilateral thalamic lesions. We observed that language impairments were linked to disconnection of fibres in the left anterior limb of the internal capsule. These fibres constitute a pathway within the anterior thalamic radiation, connecting the mediodorsal thalamus to a region in the left dorsomedial prefrontal cortex. An additional exploratory analysis revealed functional connectivity between this cortical area and the left hemisphere’s language-related inferior frontal and lateral temporal cortices. Meanwhile, we found no evidence for direct structural disconnection between the thalamus and left inferior frontal or temporal cortices
Faktenblatt "Methodik & Daten der HBSC-Studie Sachsen-Anhalt"
No full textDie Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitsstudie „Health Behaviour in School-aged Children“,1 kurz HBSC, ist eine der größten internationalen Schulsurveys zur Kindes- und Jugendgesundheit und wird unter der Schirmherrschaft der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) durchgeführt. Sie hat das Ziel, alle vier Jahre die Gesundheit und das gesundheitsbezogene Verhalten von Kindern und Jugendlichen im Alter von ca. 11, 13 und 15 Jahren international vergleichend zu erfassen. Dabei werden verschiedene Faktoren erhoben (u. a. zu Familie, Schule und Peers), welche die Gesundheit und das Gesundheitsverhalten im Jugendalter bedingen können. Die internationale Studie wurde 1982 gegründet und bei der letzten Erhebung 2021/22 in über 50 Ländern aus Europa und Nordamerika durchgeführt. Deutschland beteiligt sich seit 1993/94 an der Studie. Zudem wurden z. T. repräsentative Ländersurveys umgesetzt, sodass auch bundeslandspezifische Auswertungen, wie im Falle Sachsen-Anhalts, erfolgen können