TY - JOUR A1 - Zurell, Damaris A1 - König, Christian A1 - Malchow, Anne-Kathleen A1 - Kapitza, Simon A1 - Bocedi, Greta A1 - Travis, Justin M. J. A1 - Fandos, Guillermo T1 - Spatially explicit models for decision-making in animal conservation and restoration JF - Ecography : pattern and diversity in ecology / Nordic Ecologic Society Oikos N2 - Models are useful tools for understanding and predicting ecological patterns and processes. Under ongoing climate and biodiversity change, they can greatly facilitate decision-making in conservation and restoration and help designing adequate management strategies for an uncertain future. Here, we review the use of spatially explicit models for decision support and to identify key gaps in current modelling in conservation and restoration. Of 650 reviewed publications, 217 publications had a clear management application and were included in our quantitative analyses. Overall, modelling studies were biased towards static models (79%), towards the species and population level (80%) and towards conservation (rather than restoration) applications (71%). Correlative niche models were the most widely used model type. Dynamic models as well as the gene-to-individual level and the community-to-ecosystem level were underrepresented, and explicit cost optimisation approaches were only used in 10% of the studies. We present a new model typology for selecting models for animal conservation and restoration, characterising model types according to organisational levels, biological processes of interest and desired management applications. This typology will help to more closely link models to management goals. Additionally, future efforts need to overcome important challenges related to data integration, model integration and decision-making. We conclude with five key recommendations, suggesting that wider usage of spatially explicit models for decision support can be achieved by 1) developing a toolbox with multiple, easier-to-use methods, 2) improving calibration and validation of dynamic modelling approaches and 3) developing best-practise guidelines for applying these models. Further, more robust decision-making can be achieved by 4) combining multiple modelling approaches to assess uncertainty, and 5) placing models at the core of adaptive management. These efforts must be accompanied by long-term funding for modelling and monitoring, and improved communication between research and practise to ensure optimal conservation and restoration outcomes. KW - adaptive management KW - biodiversity conservation KW - cost optimisation KW - ecosystem restoration KW - global change KW - predictive models Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.05787 SN - 1600-0587 IS - 4 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ziegler, Joceline A1 - Pfitzner, Bjarne A1 - Schulz, Heinrich A1 - Saalbach, Axel A1 - Arnrich, Bert T1 - Defending against Reconstruction Attacks through Differentially Private Federated Learning for Classification of Heterogeneous Chest X-ray Data JF - Sensors N2 - Privacy regulations and the physical distribution of heterogeneous data are often primary concerns for the development of deep learning models in a medical context. This paper evaluates the feasibility of differentially private federated learning for chest X-ray classification as a defense against data privacy attacks. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to directly compare the impact of differentially private training on two different neural network architectures, DenseNet121 and ResNet50. Extending the federated learning environments previously analyzed in terms of privacy, we simulated a heterogeneous and imbalanced federated setting by distributing images from the public CheXpert and Mendeley chest X-ray datasets unevenly among 36 clients. Both non-private baseline models achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.940.94 on the binary classification task of detecting the presence of a medical finding. We demonstrate that both model architectures are vulnerable to privacy violation by applying image reconstruction attacks to local model updates from individual clients. The attack was particularly successful during later training stages. To mitigate the risk of a privacy breach, we integrated Rényi differential privacy with a Gaussian noise mechanism into local model training. We evaluate model performance and attack vulnerability for privacy budgets ε∈{1,3,6,10}�∈{1,3,6,10}. The DenseNet121 achieved the best utility-privacy trade-off with an AUC of 0.940.94 for ε=6�=6. Model performance deteriorated slightly for individual clients compared to the non-private baseline. The ResNet50 only reached an AUC of 0.760.76 in the same privacy setting. Its performance was inferior to that of the DenseNet121 for all considered privacy constraints, suggesting that the DenseNet121 architecture is more robust to differentially private training. KW - federated learning KW - privacy and security KW - privacy attack KW - X-ray Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/s22145195 SN - 1424-8220 VL - 22 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 14 ER - TY - THES A1 - Zhou, Shuo T1 - Biological evaluation and sulfation of polymer networks from glycerol glycidyl ether N2 - Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide, and their prevalence is expected to rise in the coming years. Polymer-based artificial replacements have been widely used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Coagulation and thrombus formation on the interfaces between the materials and the human physiological environment are key issues leading to the failure of the medical device in clinical implantation. The surface properties of the materials have a strong influence on the protein adsorption and can direct the blood cell adhesion behavior on the interfaces. Furthermore, implant-associated infections will be induced by bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation at the implantation site. Thus, it is important to improve the hemocompatibility of an implant by altering the surface properties. One of the effective strategies is surface passivation to achieve protein/cell repelling ability to reduce the risk of thrombosis. This thesis consists of synthesis, functionalization, sterilization, and biological evaluation of bulk poly(glycerol glycidyl ether) (polyGGE), which is a highly crosslinked polyether-based polymer synthesized by cationic ring-opening polymerization. PolyGGE is hypothesized to be able to resist plasma protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion due to analogous chemical structure as polyethylene glycol and hyperbranched polyglycerol. Hydroxyl end groups of polyGGE provide possibilities to be functionalized with sulfates to mimic the anti-thrombogenic function of the endothelial glycocalyx. PolyGGE was synthesized by polymerization of the commercially available monomer glycerol glycidyl ether, which was characterized as a mixture of mono-, di- and tri-glycidyl ether. Cationic ring opening-polymerization of this monomer was carried out by ultraviolet (UV) initiation of the photo-initiator diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate. With the increased UV curing time, more epoxides in the side chains of the monomers participated in chemical crosslinking, resulting in an increase of Young’s modulus, while the value of elongation at break of polyGGE first increased due to the propagation of the polymer chains then decreased with the increase of crosslinking density. Eventually, the chain propagation can be effectively terminated by potassium hydroxide aqueous solution. PolyGGE exhibited different tensile properties in hydrated conditions at body temperature compared to the values in the dry state at room temperature. Both Young’s modulus and values of elongation at break were remarkably reduced when tested in water at 37 °C, which was above the glass transition temperature of polyGGE. At physiological conditions, entanglements of the ployGGE networks unfolded and the free volume of networks were replaced by water molecules as softener, which increased the mobility of the polymer chains, resulting in a lower Young’s modulus. Protein adsorption analysis was performed on polyGGE films with 30 min UV curing using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PolyGGE could effectively prevent the adsorption of human plasma fibrinogen, albumin, and fibronectin at the interface of human plasma and polyGGE films. The protein resistance of polyGGE was comparable to the negative controls: the hemocompatible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), showing its potential as a coating material for cardiovascular implants. Moreover, antimicrobial tests of bacterial activity using isothermal microcalorimetry and the microscopic image of direct bacteria culturing demonstrated that polyGGE could directly interfere biofilm formation and growth of both Gram-negative and antibiotic-resistant Gram-positive bacteria, indicating the potential application of polyGGE for combating the risk of hospital-acquired infections and preventing drug-resistant superbug spreading. To investigate its cell compatibility, polyGGE films were extracted by different solvents (ethanol, chloroform, acetone) and cell culture medium. Indirect cytotoxicity tests showed extracted polyGGE films still had toxic effects on L929 fibroblast cells. High-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry revealed the occurrence of organochlorine-containing compounds released during the polymer-cell culture medium interaction. A constant level of those organochlorine-containing compounds was confirmed from GGE monomer by a specific peak of C-Cl stretching in infrared spectra of GGE. This is assumed to be the main reason causing the increased cell membrane permeability and decreased metabolic activity, leading to cell death. Attempts as changing solvents were made to remove toxic substances, however, the release of these small molecules seems to be sluggish. The densely crosslinked polyGGE networks can possibly contribute to the trapping of organochlorine-containing compounds. These results provide valuable information for exploring the potentially toxic substances, leaching from polyGGE networks, and propose a feasible strategy for minimizing the cytotoxicity via reducing their crosslinking density. Sulfamic acid/ N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) were selected as the reagents for the sulfation of polyGGE surfaces. Fourier transform attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT-IR) was used to monitor the functionalization kinetics and the results confirmed the successful sulfate grafting on the surface of polyGGE with the covalent bond -C-O-S-. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to determine the element composition on the surface and the cross-section of the functionalized polyGGE and sulfation within 15 min guarantees the sulfation only takes place on the surface while not occurring in the bulk of the polymer. The concentration of grafted sulfates increased with the increasing reaction time. The hydrophilicity of the surface of polyGGE was highly increased due to the increase of negatively charged end groups. Three sterilization techniques including autoclaving, gamma irradiation, and ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization were used for polyGGE sulfates. Results from ATR-FT-IR and Toluidine Blue O quantitative assay demonstrated the total loss of the sulfates after autoclave sterilization, which was also confirmed by the increased water contact angle. Little influence on the concentration of sulfates was found for gamma-irradiated and autoclaving sterilized polyGGE sulfates. To investigate the thermal influence on polyGGE sulfates, one strategy was to use poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate) sulfates (PHEAS) for modeling. The thermogravimetric analysis profile of PHEAS demonstrated that sulfates are not thermally stable independent of the substrate materials and decomposition of sulfates occurs at around 100 °C. Although gamma irradiation also showed little negative effect on the sulfate content, the color change in the polyGGE sulfates indicates chemical or physical change might occur in the polymer. EtO sterilization was validated as the most suitable sterilization technique to maintain the chemical structure of polyGGE sulfates. In conclusion, the conducted work proved that bulk polyGGE can be used as an antifouling coating material and shows its antimicrobial potential. Sulfates functionalization can be effectively realized using sulfamic acid/NMP. EtO sterilization is the most suitable sterilization technique for grafted sulfates. Besides, this thesis also offers a good strategy for the analysis of toxic leachable substances using suitable physicochemical characterization techniques. Future work will focus on minimizing/eliminating the release of toxic substances via reducing the crosslinking density. Another interesting aspect is to study whether grafted sulfates can meet the need for anti-thrombogenicity. N2 - Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen sind weltweit die Haupttodesursache, und es wird erwartet, dass ihre Prävalenz in den kommenden Jahren zunehmen wird. Künstlicher Ersatz auf Polymerbasis wird in großem Umfang für die Behandlung von Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen eingesetzt. Gerinnung und Thrombenbildung an den Grenzflächen zwischen den Materialien und der menschlichen physiologischen Umgebung sind ein Hauptproblem, das zum Versagen des Medizinprodukts bei der klinischen Implantation führt. Die Oberflächeneigenschaften der Materialien haben einen starken Einfluss auf die Proteinadsorption und können das Adhäsionsverhalten von Blutzellen an den Grenzflächen steuern. Darüber hinaus werden Implantat-assoziierte Infektionen durch bakterielle Adhäsion und anschließende Biofilmbildung an der Implantationsstelle ausgelöst. Daher ist es wichtig, die Hämokompatibilität eines Implantats durch Veränderung der Oberflächeneigenschaften zu verbessern. Eine der wirksamen Strategien ist die Oberflächenpassivierung, um die Fähigkeit zur Protein-/Zellabweisung zu erreichen und so das Thromboserisiko zu verringern. Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Synthese, Funktionalisierung, Sterilisation und biologischen Bewertung von Poly(glycerin glycidyl ether) (polyGGE), einem stark vernetzten Polymer auf Polyetherbasis, das durch kationische Ringöffnungspolymerisation hergestellt wird. Es wird angenommen, dass PolyGGE aufgrund seiner ähnlichen chemischen Struktur wie Polyethylenglykol und hyperverzweigtes Polyglycerin der Adsorption von Plasmaproteinen und der Anhaftung von Bakterien widerstehen kann. Die Hydroxyl-Endgruppen von PolyGGE können mit Sulfaten funktionalisiert werden, um die antithrombogene Funktion der endothelialen Glykokalyx zu imitieren. PolyGGE wurde durch Polymerisation des kommerziell erhältlichen Monomers Glycerin Glycidyl ether synthetisiert, das als Mischung aus Mono-, Di- und Triglycidylether charakterisiert wurde. Die kationische Ringöffnungspolymerisation dieses Monomers wurde mit Hilfe des Photoinitiators Diphenyliodoniumhexafluorophosphat durch Ultraviolett (UV) ausgelöst. Mit zunehmender UV-Härtungszeit nahmen mehr Epoxide in den Seitenketten der Monomere an der chemischen Vernetzung teil, was zu einem Anstieg des Elastizitätsmoduls führte, während der Wert der Bruchdehnung von polyGGE zunächst aufgrund der Ausbreitung der Polymerketten anstieg und dann mit zunehmender Vernetzungsdichte abnahm. Schließlich kann die Kettenausbreitung durch wässrige Kaliumhydroxidlösung wirksam gestoppt werden. PolyGGE wies im hydratisierten Zustand bei Körpertemperatur andere Zugeigenschaften auf als im trockenen Zustand bei Raumtemperatur. Sowohl der Elastizitätsmodul als auch die Werte der Bruchdehnung waren deutlich reduziert, wenn sie in Wasser bei 37 °C getestet wurden, was oberhalb der Glasübergangstemperatur von PolyGGE lag. Unter physiologischen Bedingungen entfalteten sich die Verflechtungen der PolyGGE-Netzwerke und das freie Volumen der Netzwerke wurde durch Wassermoleküle als Weichmacher ersetzt, was die Mobilität der Polymerketten erhöhte und zu einem niedrigeren Elastizitätsmodul führte. Die Proteinadsorptionsanalyse wurde an PolyGGE-Filmen mit 30-minütiger UV-Härtung unter Verwendung eines Enzymimmunoassays durchgeführt. PolyGGE konnte die Adsorption von Fibrinogen, Albumin und Fibronektin aus menschlichem Plasma an der Grenzfläche zwischen menschlichem Plasma und PolyGGE-Filmen wirksam verhindern. Die Proteinresistenz von PolyGGE war vergleichbar mit den Negativkontrollen: dem hämokompatiblen Polydimethylsiloxan, was sein Potenzial als Beschichtungsmaterial für kardiovaskuläre Implantate zeigt. Darüber hinaus zeigten antimikrobielle Tests der bakteriellen Aktivität mittels isothermischer Mikrokalorimetrie und das mikroskopische Bild der direkten Bakterienkultur, dass PolyGGE die Biofilmbildung und das Wachstum sowohl von gramnegativen als auch von antibiotikaresistenten grampositiven Bakterien direkt stören kann, was auf die potenzielle Anwendung von PolyGGE zur Bekämpfung des Risikos von Krankenhausinfektionen und zur Verhinderung der Ausbreitung arzneimittelresistenter Superbugs hinweist. Um die Zellkompatibilität zu untersuchen, wurden polyGGE-Folien mit verschiedenen Lösungsmitteln (Ethanol, Chloroform, Aceton) und Zellkulturmedium extrahiert. Indirekte Zytotoxizitätstests zeigten, dass die extrahierten polyGGE-Filme immer noch eine toxische Wirkung auf L929-Fibroblastenzellen hatten. Die Hochleistungsflüssigkeitschromatographie/Elektrospray-Ionisations-Massenspektrometrie zeigte das Auftreten von chlororganischen Derivaten, die während der Interaktion zwischen Polymer und Zellkulturmedium freigesetzt wurden. Ein konstantes Niveau dieser chlororganischen Derivate wurde vom GGE-Monomer durch einen spezifischen C-Cl-Streckungspeak im Infrarotspektrum von GGE bestätigt. Es wird angenommen, dass dies der Hauptgrund für die erhöhte Permeabilität der Zellmembran und die verringerte Stoffwechselaktivität ist, was zum Zelltod führt. Es wurden Versuche unternommen, die Lösungsmittel zu wechseln, um die toxischen Substanzen zu entfernen, aber die Freisetzung dieser kleinen Moleküle scheint nur langsam zu erfolgen. Die dicht vernetzten polyGGE-Netzwerke können möglicherweise zum Einschluss chloridhaltiger Verbindungen beitragen. Diese Ergebnisse liefern wertvolle Informationen für die Erforschung potenzieller toxischer Substanzen, die aus PolyGGE-Netzwerken ausgewaschen werden, und schlagen eine praktikable Strategie zur Minimierung der Zytotoxizität durch Verringerung der Vernetzungsdichte vor. Als Reagenzien für die Sulfatierung von PolyGGE-Oberflächen wurden Sulfaminsäure und N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidon (NMP) gewählt. Die Fourier-Transformations-Infrarotspektroskopie mit abgeschwächter Totalreflexion (ATR-FT-IR) wurde zur Überwachung der Funktionalisierungskinetik eingesetzt, und die Ergebnisse bestätigten die erfolgreiche Sulfatpfropfung auf der Oberfläche von PolyGGE mit der kovalenten Bindung -C-O-S-. Mit Hilfe der Röntgen-Photoelektronenspektroskopie wurde die Elementzusammensetzung auf der Oberfläche und der Querschnitt des funktionalisierten PolyGGE bestimmt, und die Sulfatierung innerhalb von 15 Minuten garantiert, dass die Sulfatierung nur auf der Oberfläche stattfindet, während sie in der Masse des Polymers nicht vorkommt. Die Konzentration der gepfropften Sulfate nahm mit zunehmender Reaktionszeit zu. Die Hydrophilie der Oberfläche von polyGGE wurde durch die Zunahme negativ geladener Endgruppen stark erhöht. Für die PolyGGE-Sulfate wurden drei Sterilisationstechniken verwendet: Autoklavieren, Gammastrahlenbestrahlung und Ethylenoxid (EtO)-Sterilisation. Die Ergebnisse der quantitativen ATR-FT-IR und Toluidinblau O-Untersuchung zeigten den vollständigen Verlust der Sulfate nach der Sterilisation im Autoklaven, was auch durch den erhöhten Wasserkontaktwinkel bestätigt wurde. Bei den mit Gammastrahlen und im Autoklaven sterilisierten PolyGGE-Sulfaten wurde nur ein geringer Einfluss auf die Sulfatkonzentration festgestellt. Um den thermischen Einfluss auf PolyGGE-Sulfate zu untersuchen, bestand eine Strategie darin, ein Poly(hydroxyethylacrylat)-Sulfat (PHEAS) für die Modellierung zu verwenden. Das Profil der thermogravimetrischen Analyse von PHEAS zeigte, dass Sulfate unabhängig von den Substratmaterialien thermisch nicht stabil sind und die Zersetzung der Sulfate bei etwa 100 °C stattfindet. Obwohl die Gammasterilisation ebenfalls kaum negative Auswirkungen auf den Sulfatgehalt hat, deutet die Farbveränderung der PolyGGE-Sulfate darauf hin, dass chemische oder physikalische Veränderungen im Polymer auftreten könnten. Die EtO-Sterilisation erwies sich als die am besten geeignete Sterilisationstechnik, um die chemische Struktur der PolyGGE-Sulfate zu erhalten. Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass die durchgeführte Arbeit bewiesen hat, dass PolyGGE als Antifouling-Beschichtungsmaterial verwendet werden kann und sein antimikrobielles Potenzial zeigt. Die Funktionalisierung der Sulfate kann mit Sulfaminsäure/NMP effektiv durchgeführt werden. Die EtO-Sterilisation ist die am besten geeignete Sterilisationstechnik für gepfropfte Sulfate. Darüber hinaus bietet diese Arbeit auch eine gute Strategie für die Analyse toxischer auslaugbarer Substanzen mit Hilfe geeigneter physikalisch-chemischer Charakterisierungstechniken. Zukünftige Arbeiten werden sich darauf konzentrieren, die Freisetzung toxischer Substanzen durch Verringerung der Vernetzungsdichte zu minimieren bzw. zu eliminieren. Ein weiterer interessanter Aspekt ist die Untersuchung, ob gepfropfte Sulfate den Anforderungen an die Anti-Thrombogenität gerecht werden können. KW - Sulfation KW - Antifouling KW - antimicrobial KW - Polyether Y1 - 2022 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ye, Fangyuan A1 - Zhang, Shuo A1 - Warby, Jonathan A1 - Wu, Jiawei A1 - Gutierrez-Partida, Emilio A1 - Lang, Felix A1 - Shah, Sahil A1 - Saglamkaya, Elifnaz A1 - Sun, Bowen A1 - Zu, Fengshuo A1 - Shoai, Safa A1 - Wang, Haifeng A1 - Stiller, Burkhard A1 - Neher, Dieter A1 - Zhu, Wei-Hong A1 - Stolterfoht, Martin A1 - Wu, Yongzhen T1 - Overcoming C₆₀-induced interfacial recombination in inverted perovskite solar cells by electron-transporting carborane JF - Nature Communications N2 - Inverted perovskite solar cells still suffer from significant non-radiative recombination losses at the perovskite surface and across the perovskite/C₆₀ interface, limiting the future development of perovskite-based single- and multi-junction photovoltaics. Therefore, more effective inter- or transport layers are urgently required. To tackle these recombination losses, we introduce ortho-carborane as an interlayer material that has a spherical molecular structure and a three-dimensional aromaticity. Based on a variety of experimental techniques, we show that ortho-carborane decorated with phenylamino groups effectively passivates the perovskite surface and essentially eliminates the non-radiative recombination loss across the perovskite/C₆₀ interface with high thermal stability. We further demonstrate the potential of carborane as an electron transport material, facilitating electron extraction while blocking holes from the interface. The resulting inverted perovskite solar cells deliver a power conversion efficiency of over 23% with a low non-radiative voltage loss of 110 mV, and retain >97% of the initial efficiency after 400 h of maximum power point tracking. Overall, the designed carborane based interlayer simultaneously enables passivation, electron-transport and hole-blocking and paves the way toward more efficient and stable perovskite solar cells. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34203-x SN - 2041-1723 VL - 13 PB - Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Yang, Jingdan A1 - Kim, Jae-Hyun A1 - Tuomainen, Outi A1 - Rattanasone, Nan Xu T1 - Bilingual Mandarin-English preschoolers’ spoken narrative skills and contributing factors BT - A remote online story-retell study JF - Frontiers in Psyhology N2 - This study examined the spoken narrative skills of a group of bilingual Mandarin–English speaking 3–6-year-olds (N = 25) in Australia, using a remote online story-retell task. Bilingual preschoolers are an understudied population, especially those who are speaking typologically distinct languages such as Mandarin and English which have fewer structural overlaps compared to language pairs that are typologically closer, reducing cross-linguistic positive transfer. We examined these preschoolers’ spoken narrative skills as measured by macrostructures (the global organization of a story) and microstructures (linguistic structures, e.g., total number of utterances, nouns, verbs, phrases, and modifiers) across and within each language, and how various factors such as age and language experiences contribute to individual variability. The results indicate that our bilingual preschoolers acquired spoken narrative skills similarly across their two languages, i.e., showing similar patterns of productivity for macrostructure and microstructure elements in both of their two languages. While chronological age was positively correlated with macrostructures in both languages (showing developmental effects), there were no significant correlations between measures of language experiences and the measures of spoken narrative skills (no effects for language input/output). The findings suggest that although these preschoolers acquire two typologically diverse languages in different learning environments, Mandarin at home with highly educated parents, and English at preschool, they displayed similar levels of oral narrative skills as far as these macro−/micro-structure measures are concerned. This study provides further evidence for the feasibility of remote online assessment of preschoolers’ narrative skills. KW - narrative skills KW - Mandarin-English bilinguals KW - preschoolers KW - macrostructure KW - microstructure Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.797602 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 13 PB - Frontiers Media SA CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Xu, Pengbo A1 - Zhou, Tian A1 - Metzler, Ralf A1 - Deng, Weihua T1 - Stochastic harmonic trapping of a Lévy walk BT - transport and first-passage dynamics under soft resetting strategies JF - New journal of physics : the open-access journal for physics / Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft ; IOP, Institute of Physics N2 - We introduce and study a Lévy walk (LW) model of particle spreading with a finite propagation speed combined with soft resets, stochastically occurring periods in which an harmonic external potential is switched on and forces the particle towards a specific position. Soft resets avoid instantaneous relocation of particles that in certain physical settings may be considered unphysical. Moreover, soft resets do not have a specific resetting point but lead the particle towards a resetting point by a restoring Hookean force. Depending on the exact choice for the LW waiting time density and the probability density of the periods when the harmonic potential is switched on, we demonstrate a rich emerging response behaviour including ballistic motion and superdiffusion. When the confinement periods of the soft-reset events are dominant, we observe a particle localisation with an associated non-equilibrium steady state. In this case the stationary particle probability density function turns out to acquire multimodal states. Our derivations are based on Markov chain ideas and LWs with multiple internal states, an approach that may be useful and flexible for the investigation of other generalised random walks with soft and hard resets. The spreading efficiency of soft-rest LWs is characterised by the first-passage time statistic. KW - diffusion KW - anomalous diffusion KW - stochastic resetting KW - Levy walks Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/ac5282 SN - 1367-2630 VL - 24 IS - 3 SP - 1 EP - 28 PB - Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft CY - Bad Honnef ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wutzler, Bianca A1 - Hudson, Paul A1 - Thieken, Annegret T1 - Adaptation strategies of flood-damaged businesses in Germany JF - Frontiers in Water N2 - Flood risk management in Germany follows an integrative approach in which both private households and businesses can make an important contribution to reducing flood damage by implementing property-level adaptation measures. While the flood adaptation behavior of private households has already been widely researched, comparatively less attention has been paid to the adaptation strategies of businesses. However, their ability to cope with flood risk plays an important role in the social and economic development of a flood-prone region. Therefore, using quantitative survey data, this study aims to identify different strategies and adaptation drivers of 557 businesses damaged by a riverine flood in 2013 and 104 businesses damaged by pluvial or flash floods between 2014 and 2017. Our results indicate that a low perceived self-efficacy may be an important factor that can reduce the motivation of businesses to adapt to flood risk. Furthermore, property-owners tended to act more proactively than tenants. In addition, high experience with previous flood events and low perceived response costs could strengthen proactive adaptation behavior. These findings should be considered in business-tailored risk communication. KW - risk management KW - climate change adaptation KW - floods KW - disaster risk reduction KW - Germany KW - precaution KW - emergency management Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.932061 SN - 2624-9375 PB - Frontiers Media SA CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wochatz, Monique A1 - Schraplau, Anne A1 - Engel, Tilman A1 - Zecher, Mahli Megan A1 - Sharon, Hadar A1 - Alt, Yasmin A1 - Mayer, Frank A1 - Kalron, Alon T1 - Application of eccentric training in various clinical populations BT - Protocol for a multi-centered pilot and feasibility study in people with low back pain and people with multiple sclerosis JF - PLoS ONE N2 - Physical activity and exercise are effective approaches in prevention and therapy of multiple diseases. Although the specific characteristics of lengthening contractions have the potential to be beneficial in many clinical conditions, eccentric training is not commonly used in clinical populations with metabolic, orthopaedic, or neurologic conditions. The purpose of this pilot study is to investigate the feasibility, functional benefits, and systemic responses of an eccentric exercise program focused on the trunk and lower extremities in people with low back pain (LBP) and multiple sclerosis (MS). A six-week eccentric training program with three weekly sessions is performed by people with LBP and MS. The program consists of ten exercises addressing strength of the trunk and lower extremities. The study follows a four-group design (N = 12 per group) in two study centers (Israel and Germany): three groups perform the eccentric training program: A) control group (healthy, asymptomatic); B) people with LBP; C) people with MS; group D (people with MS) receives standard care physiotherapy. Baseline measurements are conducted before first training, post-measurement takes place after the last session both comprise blood sampling, self-reported questionnaires, mobility, balance, and strength testing. The feasibility of the eccentric training program will be evaluated using quantitative and qualitative measures related to the study process, compliance and adherence, safety, and overall program assessment. For preliminary assessment of potential intervention effects, surrogate parameters related to mobility, postural control, muscle strength and systemic effects are assessed. The presented study will add knowledge regarding safety, feasibility, and initial effects of eccentric training in people with orthopaedic and neurological conditions. The simple exercises, that are easily modifiable in complexity and intensity, are likely beneficial to other populations. Thus, multiple applications and implementation pathways for the herein presented training program are conceivable. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0270875 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 17 IS - 12 PB - Public Library of Science CY - San Francisco, California, USA ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wilbert, Jürgen A1 - Börnert-Ringleb, Moritz A1 - Lüke, Timo T1 - Statistical Power of Piecewise Regression Analyses of Single-Case Experimental Studies Addressing Behavior Problems JF - Frontiers in Education N2 - In intervention research, single-case experimental designs are an important way to gain insights into the causes of individual changes that yield high internal validity. They are commonly applied to examine the effectiveness of classroom-based interventions to reduce problem behavior in schools. At the same time, there is no consensus on good design characteristics of single-case experimental designs when dealing with behavioral problems in schools. Moreover, specific challenges arise concerning appropriate approaches to analyzing behavioral data. Our study addresses the interplay between the test power of piecewise regression analysis and important design specifications of single-case research designs. Here, we focus on the influence of the following specifications of single-case research designs: number of measurement times, the initial frequency of the behavior, intervention effect, and data trend. We conducted a Monte-Carlo study. First, simulated datasets were created with specific design conditions based on reviews of published single-case intervention studies. Following, data were analyzed using piecewise Poisson-regression models, and the influence of specific design specifications on the test power was investigated. Our results indicate that piecewise regressions have a high potential of adequately identifying the effects of interventions for single-case studies. At the same time, test power is strongly related to the specific design specifications of the single-case study: Few measurement times, especially in phase A, and low initial frequencies of the behavior make it impossible to detect even large intervention effects. Research designs with a high number of measurement times show robust power. The insights gained are highly relevant for researchers in the field, as decisions during the early stage of conceptualizing and planning single-case experimental design studies may impact the chance to identify an existing intervention effect during the research process correctly. KW - single-case design KW - single case analysis KW - Monte-Carlo simulation KW - behavior problems KW - special education KW - research design KW - single-case experimental design Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.917944 SN - 2504-284X VL - 7 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Westphal, Andrea A1 - Kalinowski, Eva A1 - Hoferichter, Clara Josepha A1 - Vock, Miriam T1 - K−12 teachers' stress and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review JF - Frontiers in Psychology N2 - We present the first systematic literature review on stress and burnout in K−12 teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on a systematic literature search, we identified 17 studies that included 9,874 K−12 teachers from around the world. These studies showed some indication that burnout did increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were, however, almost no differences in the levels of stress and burnout experienced by K−12 teachers compared to individuals employed in other occupational fields. School principals' leadership styles emerged as an organizational characteristic that is highly relevant for K−12 teachers' levels of stress and burnout. Individual teacher characteristics associated with burnout were K−12 teachers' personality, self-efficacy in online teaching, and perceived vulnerability to COVID-19. In order to reduce stress, there was an indication that stress-management training in combination with training in technology use for teaching may be superior to stress-management training alone. Future research needs to adopt more longitudinal designs and examine the interplay between individual and organizational characteristics in the development of teacher stress and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. KW - burnout KW - stress KW - COVID-19 KW - pandemic KW - K−12 teachers KW - remote teaching Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920326 SN - 1664-1078 SP - 1 EP - 29 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Weithoff, Guntram A1 - Bell, Elanor Margaret T1 - Complex Trophic Interactions in an Acidophilic Microbial Community JF - Microorganisms N2 - Extreme habitats often harbor specific communities that differ substantially from non-extreme habitats. In many cases, these communities are characterized by archaea, bacteria and protists, whereas the number of species of metazoa and higher plants is relatively low. In extremely acidic habitats, mostly prokaryotes and protists thrive, and only very few metazoa thrive, for example, rotifers. Since many studies have investigated the physiology and ecology of individual species, there is still a gap in research on direct, trophic interactions among extremophiles. To fill this gap, we experimentally studied the trophic interactions between a predatory protist (Actinophrys sol, Heliozoa) and its prey, the rotifers Elosa woralli and Cephalodella sp., the ciliate Urosomoida sp. and the mixotrophic protist Chlamydomonas acidophila (a green phytoflagellate, Chlorophyta). We found substantial predation pressure on all animal prey. High densities of Chlamydomonas acidophila reduced the predation impact on the rotifers by interfering with the feeding behaviour of A. sol. These trophic relations represent a natural case of intraguild predation, with Chlamydomonas acidophila being the common prey and the rotifers/ciliate and A. sol being the intraguild prey and predator, respectively. We further studied this intraguild predation along a resource gradient using Cephalodella sp. as the intraguild prey. The interactions among the three species led to an increase in relative rotifer abundance with increasing resource (Chlamydomonas) densities. By applying a series of laboratory experiments, we revealed the complexity of trophic interactions within a natural extremophilic community. KW - acid mine drainage KW - extremophiles KW - food web KW - heliozoa KW - intraguild predation KW - mining lakes KW - Rotifera Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms10071340 SN - 2076-2607 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 7 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Warschburger, Petra A1 - Wortmann, Hanna Rosalie A1 - Gisch, Ulrike Alexandra A1 - Baer, Nadja-Raphaela A1 - Schenk, Liane A1 - Anton, Verena A1 - Bergmann, Manuela M. T1 - An experimental approach to training interoceptive sensitivity BT - study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial JF - Nutrition Journal N2 - Background Eating in absence of hunger is quite common and often associated with an increased energy intake co-existent with a poorer food choice. Intuitive eating (IE), i.e., eating in accordance with internal hunger and satiety cues, may protect from overeating. IE, however, requires accurate perception and processing of one’s own bodily signals, also referred to as interoceptive sensitivity. Training interoceptive sensitivity might therefore be an effective method to promote IE and prevent overeating. As most studies on eating behavior are conducted in younger adults and close social relationships influence health-related behavior, this study focuses on middle-aged and older couples. Methods The present pilot randomized intervention study aims at investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of a 21-day mindfulness-based training program designed to increase interoceptive sensitivity. A total of N = 60 couples participating in the NutriAct Family Study, aged 50–80 years, will be recruited. This randomized-controlled intervention study comprises three measurement points (pre-intervention, post-intervention, 4-week follow-up) and a 21-day training that consists of daily mindfulness-based guided audio exercises (e.g., body scan). A three-arm intervention study design is applied to compare two intervention groups (training together as a couple vs. training alone) with a control group (no training). Each measurement point includes the assessment of self-reported and objective indicators of interoceptive sensitivity (primary outcome), self-reported indicators of intuitive and maladaptive eating (secondary outcomes), and additional variables. A training evaluation applying focus group discussions will be conducted to assess participants’ overall acceptance of the training and its feasibility. Discussion By investigating the feasibility and effectiveness of a mindfulness-based training program to increase interoceptive sensitivity, the present study will contribute to a deeper understanding of how to promote healthy eating in older age. KW - Digital intervention KW - Older adults KW - Interoception KW - Eating behavior KW - Intuitive eating KW - Partnership KW - Mindfulness KW - Randomized-controlled trial KW - NutriAct Family Study KW - Mixed methods Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-022-00827-4 SN - 1475-2891 VL - 21 PB - Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Wei A1 - Cherstvy, Andrey G. A1 - Metzler, Ralf A1 - Sokolov, Igor M. T1 - Restoring ergodicity of stochastically reset anomalous-diffusion processes JF - Physical Review Research N2 - How do different reset protocols affect ergodicity of a diffusion process in single-particle-tracking experiments? We here address the problem of resetting of an arbitrary stochastic anomalous-diffusion process (ADP) from the general mathematical points of view and assess ergodicity of such reset ADPs for an arbitrary resetting protocol. The process of stochastic resetting describes the events of the instantaneous restart of a particle’s motion via randomly distributed returns to a preset initial position (or a set of those). The waiting times of such resetting events obey the Poissonian, Gamma, or more generic distributions with specified conditions regarding the existence of moments. Within these general approaches, we derive general analytical results and support them by computer simulations for the behavior of the reset mean-squared displacement (MSD), the new reset increment-MSD (iMSD), and the mean reset time-averaged MSD (TAMSD). For parental nonreset ADPs with the MSD(t)∝ tμ we find a generic behavior and a switch of the short-time growth of the reset iMSD and mean reset TAMSDs from ∝ _μ for subdiffusive to ∝ _1 for superdiffusive reset ADPs. The critical condition for a reset ADP that recovers its ergodicity is found to be more general than that for the nonequilibrium stationary state, where obviously the iMSD and the mean TAMSD are equal. The consideration of the new statistical quantifier, the iMSD—as compared to the standard MSD—restores the ergodicity of an arbitrary reset ADP in all situations when the μth moment of the waiting-time distribution of resetting events is finite. Potential applications of these new resetting results are, inter alia, in the area of biophysical and soft-matter systems. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.013161 SN - 2643-1564 VL - 4 SP - 013161-1 EP - 013161-13 PB - American Physical Society CY - College Park, Maryland, United States ET - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wachs, Sebastian A1 - Machimbarrena, Juan Manuel A1 - Wright, Michelle F. A1 - Gámez-Guadix, Manuel A1 - Yang, Soeun A1 - Sittichai, Ruthaychonnee A1 - Singh, Ritu A1 - Biswal, Ramakrishna A1 - Flora, Katerina A1 - Daskalou, Vassiliki A1 - Maziridou, Evdoxia A1 - Sung Hong, Jun A1 - Krause, Norman T1 - Associations between Coping Strategies and Cyberhate Involvement: Evidence from Adolescents across Three World Regions JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health N2 - Cyberhate represents a risk to adolescents’ development and peaceful coexistence in democratic societies. Yet, not much is known about the relationship between adolescents’ ability to cope with cyberhate and their cyberhate involvement. To fill current gaps in the literature and inform the development of media education programs, the present study investigated various coping strategies in a hypothetical cyberhate scenario as correlates for being cyberhate victims, perpetrators, and both victim–perpetrators. The sample consisted of 6829 adolescents aged 12–18 years old (Mage = 14.93, SD = 1.64; girls: 50.4%, boys: 48.9%, and 0.7% did not indicate their gender) from Asia, Europe, and North America. Results showed that adolescents who endorsed distal advice or endorsed technical coping showed a lower likelihood to be victims, perpetrators, or victim–perpetrators. In contrast, if adolescents felt helpless or endorsed retaliation to cope with cyberhate, they showed higher odds of being involved in cyberhate as victims, perpetrators, or victim–perpetrators. Finally, adolescents who endorsed close support as a coping strategy showed a lower likelihood to be victim–perpetrators, and adolescents who endorsed assertive coping showed higher odds of being victims. In conclusion, the results confirm the importance of addressing adolescents’ ability to deal with cyberhate to develop more tailored prevention approaches. More specifically, such initiatives should focus on adolescents who feel helpless or feel inclined to retaliate. In addition, adolescents should be educated to practice distal advice and technical coping when experiencing cyberhate. Implications for the design and instruction of evidence-based cyberhate prevention (e.g., online educational games, virtual learning environments) will be discussed. KW - cyberhate KW - hate speech KW - coping strategies KW - cross-national KW - counter-speech Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116749 SN - 1660-4601 VL - 19 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 11 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Veh, Georg A1 - Lützow, Natalie A1 - Kharlamova, Varvara A1 - Petrakov, Dmitry A1 - Hugonnet, Romain A1 - Korup, Oliver T1 - Trends, Breaks, and Biases in the Frequency of Reported Glacier Lake Outburst Floods JF - Earth's Future N2 - Thousands of glacier lakes have been forming behind natural dams in high mountains following glacier retreat since the early 20th century. Some of these lakes abruptly released pulses of water and sediment with disastrous downstream consequences. Yet it remains unclear whether the reported rise of these glacier lake outburst floods (GLOFs) has been fueled by a warming atmosphere and enhanced meltwater production, or simply a growing research effort. Here we estimate trends and biases in GLOF reporting based on the largest global catalog of 1,997 dated glacier-related floods in six major mountain ranges from 1901 to 2017. We find that the positive trend in the number of reported GLOFs has decayed distinctly after a break in the 1970s, coinciding with independently detected trend changes in annual air temperatures and in the annual number of field-based glacier surveys (a proxy of scientific reporting). We observe that GLOF reports and glacier surveys decelerated, while temperature rise accelerated in the past five decades. Enhanced warming alone can thus hardly explain the annual number of reported GLOFs, suggesting that temperature-driven glacier lake formation, growth, and failure are weakly coupled, or that outbursts have been overlooked. Indeed, our analysis emphasizes a distinct geographic and temporal bias in GLOF reporting, and we project that between two to four out of five GLOFs on average might have gone unnoticed in the early to mid-20th century. We recommend that such biases should be considered, or better corrected for, when attributing the frequency of reported GLOFs to atmospheric warming. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2021EF002426 SN - 2328-4277 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken, New Jersey, United States ET - 3 ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Trilcke, Peer A1 - Parr, Rolf A1 - D'Aprile, Iwan-Michelangelo A1 - Kraus, Hans-Christof A1 - Blomqvist, Clarissa A1 - McGillen, Petra S. A1 - Aus der Au, Carmen A1 - Phillips, Alexander Robert A1 - Helmer, Debora A1 - Singer, Rüdiger A1 - Görner, Rüdiger A1 - Berbig, Roland A1 - Rose, Dirk A1 - Wilhelms, Kerstin A1 - Krause, Marcus A1 - Hehle, Christine A1 - Gretz, Daniela A1 - Gfrereis, Heike A1 - Lepp, Nicola A1 - Morlok, Franziska A1 - Haut, Gideon A1 - Brechenmacher, Thomas A1 - Stauffer, Isabelle A1 - Lyon, John B. A1 - Bachmann, Vera A1 - Ewert, Michael A1 - Immer, Nikolas A1 - Vedder, Ulrike A1 - Fischer, Hubertus A1 - Becker, Sabina A1 - Wegmann, Christoph A1 - Möller, Klaus-Peter A1 - Schneider, Ulrike A1 - Waszynski, Alexander A1 - Wedel, Michael A1 - Brehm, David A1 - Wolpert, Georg ED - Trilcke, Peer T1 - Fontanes Medien N2 - Theodor Fontane war, im durchaus modernen Sinne, ein Medienarbeiter: Als Presse-Agent in London lernte er die innovativste Presselandschaft seiner Zeit kennen; als Redakteur in Berlin leistete er journalistische Kärrnerarbeit; er schrieb Kritiken über das Theater, die bildende Kunst und die Literatur – und auch seine Romane wie seine Reisebücher sind stets Medienprodukte, als Serien in in Zeitungen und Zeitschriften platziert, bevor sie auf dem Buchmarkt erschienen. Der vorliegende Band dokumentiert die Ergebnisse eines internationalen Kongresses, veranstaltet 2019 vom Theodor-Fontane-Archiv in Potsdam. Die ebenso rasante wie umfassende Medialisierung und Vernetzung der Gesellschaft im Laufe des 19. Jahrhunderts wird dabei als produktive Voraussetzung der schriftstellerischen Tätigkeit Fontanes begriffen. Eingebettet in ein weit verzweigtes Netz der Korrespondenz und der postalischen Textzirkulation, vertraut mit den Routinen und Publika der periodischen Massenpresse, für die er sein Leben lang schrieb, und auf vielfältige Weise geprägt von der visuellen Kultur seiner Zeit wird Theodor Fontane als gleichermaßen journalistisch versierter wie ästhetisch sensibler Grenzgänger erkennbar. KW - Fontane, Theodor KW - Gesellschaft KW - Medialisierung KW - Presse Y1 - 2022 SN - 978-3-11-073330-3 SN - 978-3-11-073810-0 SN - 978-3-11-073323-5 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110733235 PB - De Gruyter CY - Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tofelde, Stefanie A1 - Bufe, Aaron A1 - Turowski, Jens M. T1 - Hillslope Sediment Supply Limits Alluvial Valley Width JF - AGU Advances N2 - River-valley morphology preserves information on tectonic and climatic conditions that shape landscapes. Observations suggest that river discharge and valley-wall lithology are the main controls on valley width. Yet, current models based on these observations fail to explain the full range of cross-sectional valley shapes in nature, suggesting hitherto unquantified controls on valley width. In particular, current models cannot explain the existence of paired terrace sequences that form under cyclic climate forcing. Paired river terraces are staircases of abandoned floodplains on both valley sides, and hence preserve past valley widths. Their formation requires alternating phases of predominantly river incision and predominantly lateral planation, plus progressive valley narrowing. While cyclic Quaternary climate changes can explain shifts between incision and lateral erosion, the driving mechanism of valley narrowing is unknown. Here, we extract valley geometries from climatically formed, alluvial river-terrace sequences and show that across our dataset, the total cumulative terrace height (here: total valley height) explains 90%–99% of the variance in valley width at the terrace sites. This finding suggests that valley height, or a parameter that scales linearly with valley height, controls valley width in addition to river discharge and lithology. To explain this valley-width-height relationship, we reformulate existing valley-width models and suggest that, when adjusting to new boundary conditions, alluvial valleys evolve to a width at which sediment removal from valley walls matches lateral sediment supply from hillslope erosion. Such a hillslope-channel coupling is not captured in current valley-evolution models. Our model can explain the existence of paired terrace sequences under cyclic climate forcing and relates valley width to measurable field parameters. Therefore, it facilitates the reconstruction of past climatic and tectonic conditions from valley topography. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2021AV000641 SN - 2576-604X PB - American Geophysical Union (AGU); Wiley CY - Hoboken, New Jersey, USA ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Timme, Sinika A1 - Wolff, Wanja A1 - Englert, Chris A1 - Brand, Ralf T1 - Tracking Self-Control – Task Performance and Pupil Size in a Go/No-Go Inhibition Task JF - Frontiers in Psychology N2 - There is an ongoing debate about how to test and operationalize self-control. This limited understanding is in large part due to a variety of different tests and measures used to assess self-control, as well as the lack of empirical studies examining the temporal dynamics during the exertion of self-control. In order to track changes that occur over the course of exposure to a self-control task, we investigate and compare behavioral, subjective, and physiological indicators during the exertion of self-control. Participants completed both a task requiring inhibitory control (Go/No-Go task) and a control task (two-choice task). Behavioral performance and pupil size were measured during the tasks. Subjective vitality was measured before and after the tasks. While pupil size and subjective vitality showed similar trajectories in the two tasks, behavioral performance decreased in the inhibitory control-demanding task, but not in the control task. However, behavioral, subjective, and physiological measures were not significantly correlated. These results suggest that there is a disconnect between different measures of self-control with high intra- and interindividual variability. Theoretical and methodological implications for self-control theory and future empirical work are discussed. KW - self-control KW - response inhibition KW - psychophysiological KW - behavioral and self-report measures KW - pupil diameter Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915016 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 13 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Tiedemann, Kim A1 - Iobbi-Nivol, Chantal A1 - Leimkühler, Silke T1 - The Role of the Nucleotides in the Insertion of the bis-Molybdopterin Guanine Dinucleotide Cofactor into apo-Molybdoenzymes JF - Molecules N2 - The role of the GMP nucleotides of the bis-molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide (bis-MGD) cofactor of the DMSO reductase family has long been a subject of discussion. The recent characterization of the bis-molybdopterin (bis-Mo-MPT) cofactor present in the E. coli YdhV protein, which differs from bis-MGD solely by the absence of the nucleotides, now enables studying the role of the nucleotides of bis-MGD and bis-MPT cofactors in Moco insertion and the activity of molybdoenzymes in direct comparison. Using the well-known E. coli TMAO reductase TorA as a model enzyme for cofactor insertion, we were able to show that the GMP nucleotides of bis-MGD are crucial for the insertion of the bis-MGD cofactor into apo-TorA. KW - bis-MGD KW - chaperone KW - molybdenum cofactor KW - TMAO reductase Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27092993 SN - 1420-3049 VL - 27 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 9 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Teichmann, Erik A1 - Lewandowski, Heather J. A1 - Alemani, Micol T1 - Investigating students’ views of experimental physics in German laboratory classes JF - Physical Review Physics Education Research N2 - There is a large variety of goals instructors have for laboratory courses, with different courses focusing on different subsets of goals. An often implicit, but crucial, goal is to develop students’ attitudes, views, and expectations about experimental physics to align with practicing experimental physicists. The assessment of laboratory courses upon this one dimension of learning has been intensively studied in U.S. institutions using the Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey for Experimental Physics (E-CLASS). However, there is no such an instrument available to use in Germany, and the influence of laboratory courses on students views about the nature of experimental physics is still unexplored at German-speaking institutions. Motivated by the lack of an assessment tool to investigate this goal in laboratory courses at German-speaking institutions, we present a translated version of the E-CLASS adapted to the context at German-speaking institutions. We call the German version of the E-CLASS, the GE-CLASS. We describe the translation process and the creation of an automated web-based system for instructors to assess their laboratory courses. We also present first results using GE-CLASS obtained at the University of Potsdam. A first comparison between E-CLASS and GE-CLASS results shows clear differences between University of Potsdam and U.S. students’ views and beliefs about experimental physics. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010135 SN - 1554-9178 VL - 18 SP - 010135-1 EP - 010135-17 PB - APS CY - College Park, Maryland, United States ET - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Stuchtey, Fidelis Christin A1 - Block, Andrea A1 - Osei, Francis A1 - Wippert, Pia-Maria T1 - Lipid Biomarkers in Depression: Does Antidepressant Therapy Have an Impact? JF - Healthcare : open access journal N2 - Studies have revealed mixed results on how antidepressant drugs affect lipid profiles of patients with major depression disorder (MDD). Even less is known about how patients respond to a switch of antidepressant medication with respect to their metabolic profile. For this, effects of a switch in antidepressants medication on lipid markers were studied in MDD patients. 15 participants (females = 86.67%; males = 13.33%; age: 49.45 ± 7.45 years) with MDD and a prescribed switch in their antidepressant medication were recruited at a psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic. Participants were characterized (with questionnaires and blood samples) at admission to the rehabilitation clinic (baseline, T0) and followed up with a blood sample two weeks (T1) later. HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were determined (T0), and their change analyzed (Wilcoxon test) at follow up (T1). Decrements in HDL (p = 0.041), LDL (p < 0.001), and total cholesterol (p < 0.001) were observed two weeks after a switch in antidepressant medication. Triglycerides showed no difference (p = 0.699). Overall, LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol are affected by a change in antidepressant drugs in patients with MDD. These observations are of clinical relevance for medical practitioners in the planning and management of treatment strategies for MDD patients. KW - major depressive disorder KW - antidepressants KW - high density lipoprotein cholesterol KW - HDL KW - low density lipoprotein cholesterol KW - LDL KW - cholesterol KW - triglycerides KW - lipids Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10020333 SN - 2227-9032 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Stone, Kate A1 - Vasishth, Shravan A1 - Malsburg, Titus von der T1 - Does entropy modulate the prediction of German long-distance verb particles? JF - PLOS ONE N2 - In this paper we examine the effect of uncertainty on readers’ predictions about meaning. In particular, we were interested in how uncertainty might influence the likelihood of committing to a specific sentence meaning. We conducted two event-related potential (ERP) experiments using particle verbs such as turn down and manipulated uncertainty by constraining the context such that readers could be either highly certain about the identity of a distant verb particle, such as turn the bed […] down, or less certain due to competing particles, such as turn the music […] up/down. The study was conducted in German, where verb particles appear clause-finally and may be separated from the verb by a large amount of material. We hypothesised that this separation would encourage readers to predict the particle, and that high certainty would make prediction of a specific particle more likely than lower certainty. If a specific particle was predicted, this would reflect a strong commitment to sentence meaning that should incur a higher processing cost if the prediction is wrong. If a specific particle was less likely to be predicted, commitment should be weaker and the processing cost of a wrong prediction lower. If true, this could suggest that uncertainty discourages predictions via an unacceptable cost-benefit ratio. However, given the clear predictions made by the literature, it was surprisingly unclear whether the uncertainty manipulation affected the two ERP components studied, the N400 and the PNP. Bayes factor analyses showed that evidence for our a priori hypothesised effect sizes was inconclusive, although there was decisive evidence against a priori hypothesised effect sizes larger than 1μV for the N400 and larger than 3μV for the PNP. We attribute the inconclusive finding to the properties of verb-particle dependencies that differ from the verb-noun dependencies in which the N400 and PNP are often studied. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267813 SN - 1932-6203 SP - 1 EP - 25 PB - PLOS ONE CY - San Francisco, California, US ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Stiegler, Jonas A1 - Lins, Alisa A1 - Dammhahn, Melanie A1 - Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie A1 - Ortmann, Sylvia A1 - Blaum, Niels T1 - Personality drives activity and space use in a mammalian herbivore JF - Movement Ecology N2 - Background Animal personality has emerged as a key concept in behavioral ecology. While many studies have demonstrated the influence of personality traits on behavioral patterns, its quantification, especially in wild animal populations, remains a challenge. Only a few studies have established a link between personality and recurring movements within home ranges, although these small-scale movements are of key importance for identifying ecological interactions and forming individual niches. In this regard, differences in space use among individuals might reflect different exploration styles between behavioral types along the shy-bold continuum. Methods We assessed among-individual differences in behavior in the European hare (Lepus europaeus), a characteristic mammalian herbivore in agricultural landscapes using a standardized box emergence test for captive and wild hares. We determined an individuals’ degree of boldness by measuring the latencies of behavioral responses in repeated emergence tests in captivity. During capture events of wild hares, we conducted a single emergence test and recorded behavioral responses proven to be stable over time in captive hares. Applying repeated novel environment tests in a near-natural enclosure, we further quantified aspects of exploration and activity in captive hares. Finally, we investigated whether and how this among-individual behavioral variation is related to general activity and space use in a wild hare population. Wild and captive hares were treated similarly and GPS-collared with internal accelerometers prior to release to the wild or the outdoor enclosure, respectively. General activity was quantified as overall dynamic body acceleration (ODBA) obtained from accelerometers. Finally, we tested whether boldness explained variation in (i) ODBA in both settings and (ii) variation in home ranges and core areas across different time scales of GPS-collared hares in a wild population. Results We found three behavioral responses to be consistent over time in captive hares. ODBA was positively related to boldness (i.e., short latencies to make first contact with the new environment) in both captive and wild hares. Space use in wild hares also varied with boldness, with shy individuals having smaller core areas and larger home ranges than bold conspecifics (yet in some of the parameter space, this association was just marginally significant). Conclusions Against our prediction, shy individuals occupied relatively large home ranges but with small core areas. We suggest that this space use pattern is due to them avoiding risky, and energy-demanding competition for valuable resources. Carefully validated, activity measurements (ODBA) from accelerometers provide a valuable tool to quantify aspects of animal personality along the shy-bold continuum remotely. Without directly observing—and possibly disturbing—focal individuals, this approach allows measuring variability in animal personality, especially in species that are difficult to assess with experiments. Considering that accelerometers are often already built into GPS units, we recommend activating them at least during the initial days of tracking to estimate individual variation in general activity and, if possible, match them with a simple novelty experiment. Furthermore, information on individual behavioral types will help to facilitate mechanistic understanding of processes that drive spatial and ecological dynamics in heterogeneous landscapes. KW - Animal personality KW - Movement ecology KW - Inter-individual differences KW - ODBA KW - Energy expenditure KW - European hare Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-022-00333-6 SN - 2051-3933 VL - 10 PB - BioMed Central (BMC), Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sposini, Vittoria A1 - Krapf, Diego A1 - Marinari, Enzo A1 - Sunyer, Raimon A1 - Ritort, Felix A1 - Taheri, Fereydoon A1 - Selhuber-Unkel, Christine A1 - Benelli, Rebecca A1 - Weiss, Matthias A1 - Metzler, Ralf A1 - Oshanin, Gleb T1 - Towards a robust criterion of anomalous diffusion JF - Communications Physics N2 - Anomalous-diffusion, the departure of the spreading dynamics of diffusing particles from the traditional law of Brownian-motion, is a signature feature of a large number of complex soft-matter and biological systems. Anomalous-diffusion emerges due to a variety of physical mechanisms, e.g., trapping interactions or the viscoelasticity of the environment. However, sometimes systems dynamics are erroneously claimed to be anomalous, despite the fact that the true motion is Brownian—or vice versa. This ambiguity in establishing whether the dynamics as normal or anomalous can have far-reaching consequences, e.g., in predictions for reaction- or relaxation-laws. Demonstrating that a system exhibits normal- or anomalous-diffusion is highly desirable for a vast host of applications. Here, we present a criterion for anomalous-diffusion based on the method of power-spectral analysis of single trajectories. The robustness of this criterion is studied for trajectories of fractional-Brownian-motion, a ubiquitous stochastic process for the description of anomalous-diffusion, in the presence of two types of measurement errors. In particular, we find that our criterion is very robust for subdiffusion. Various tests on surrogate data in absence or presence of additional positional noise demonstrate the efficacy of this method in practical contexts. Finally, we provide a proof-of-concept based on diverse experiments exhibiting both normal and anomalous-diffusion. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-022-01079-8 SN - 2399-3650 VL - 5 PB - Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Smirnov, Lev A. A1 - Bolotov, Maxim A1 - Bolotov, Dmitri A1 - Osipov, Grigory V. A1 - Pikovsky, Arkady T1 - Finite-density-induced motility and turbulence of chimera solitons JF - New Journal of Physics N2 - We consider a one-dimensional oscillatory medium with a coupling through a diffusive linear field. In the limit of fast diffusion this setup reduces to the classical Kuramoto–Battogtokh model. We demonstrate that for a finite diffusion stable chimera solitons, namely localized synchronous domain in an infinite asynchronous environment, are possible. The solitons are stable also for finite density of oscillators, but in this case they sway with a nearly constant speed. This finite-density-induced motility disappears in the continuum limit, as the velocity of the solitons is inverse proportional to the density. A long-wave instability of the homogeneous asynchronous state causes soliton turbulence, which appears as a sequence of soliton mergings and creations. As the instability of the asynchronous state becomes stronger, this turbulence develops into a spatio-temporal intermittency. KW - chimera KW - soliton KW - finite-size effects Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/ac63d9 SN - 1367-2630 VL - 24 PB - IOP CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schäfer, Marjänn Helena A1 - Kakularam, Kumar Reddy A1 - Reisch, Florian A1 - Rothe, Michael A1 - Stehling, Sabine A1 - Heydeck, Dagmar A1 - Püschel, Gerhard Paul A1 - Kuhn, Hartmut T1 - Male Knock-in Mice Expressing an Arachidonic Acid Lipoxygenase 15B (Alox15B) with Humanized Reaction Specificity Are Prematurely Growth Arrested When Aging JF - Biomedicines N2 - Mammalian arachidonic acid lipoxygenases (ALOXs) have been implicated in cell differentiation and in the pathogenesis of inflammation. The mouse genome involves seven functional Alox genes and the encoded enzymes share a high degree of amino acid conservation with their human orthologs. There are, however, functional differences between mouse and human ALOX orthologs. Human ALOX15B oxygenates arachidonic acid exclusively to its 15-hydroperoxy derivative (15S-HpETE), whereas 8S-HpETE is dominantly formed by mouse Alox15b. The structural basis for this functional difference has been explored and in vitro mutagenesis humanized the reaction specificity of the mouse enzyme. To explore whether this mutagenesis strategy may also humanize the reaction specificity of mouse Alox15b in vivo, we created Alox15b knock-in mice expressing the arachidonic acid 15-lipoxygenating Tyr603Asp+His604Val double mutant instead of the 8-lipoxygenating wildtype enzyme. These mice are fertile, display slightly modified plasma oxylipidomes and develop normally up to an age of 24 weeks. At later developmental stages, male Alox15b-KI mice gain significantly less body weight than outbred wildtype controls, but this effect was not observed for female individuals. To explore the possible reasons for the observed gender-specific growth arrest, we determined the basic hematological parameters and found that aged male Alox15b-KI mice exhibited significantly attenuated red blood cell parameters (erythrocyte counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin). Here again, these differences were not observed in female individuals. These data suggest that humanization of the reaction specificity of mouse Alox15b impairs the functionality of the hematopoietic system in males, which is paralleled by a premature growth arrest. KW - eicosanoids KW - lipid peroxidation KW - oxidative stress KW - polyenoic fatty acids KW - erythropoiesis Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10061379 SN - 2227-9059 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 22 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schmidt, Lena Katharina A1 - Francke, Till A1 - Rottler, Erwin A1 - Blume, Theresa A1 - Schöber, Johannes A1 - Bronstert, Axel T1 - Suspended sediment and discharge dynamics in a glaciated alpine environment BT - identifying crucial areas and time periods on several spatial and temporal scales in the Ötztal, Austria JF - Earth surface dynamics N2 - Glaciated high-alpine areas are fundamentally altered by climate change, with well-known implications for hydrology, e.g., due to glacier retreat, longer snow-free periods, and more frequent and intense summer rainstorms. While knowledge on how these hydrological changes will propagate to suspended sediment dynamics is still scarce, it is needed to inform mitigation and adaptation strategies. To understand the processes and source areas most relevant to sediment dynamics, we analyzed discharge and sediment dynamics in high temporal resolution as well as their patterns on several spatial scales, which to date few studies have done. We used a nested catchment setup in the Upper Ötztal in Tyrol, Austria, where high-resolution (15 min) time series of discharge and suspended sediment concentrations are available for up to 15 years (2006–2020). The catchments of the gauges in Vent, Sölden and Tumpen range from 100 to almost 800 km2 with 10 % to 30 % glacier cover and span an elevation range of 930 to 3772 m a.s.l. We analyzed discharge and suspended sediment yields (SSY), their distribution in space, their seasonality and spatial differences therein, and the relative importance of short-term events. We complemented our analysis by linking the observations to satellite-based snow cover maps, glacier inventories, mass balances and precipitation data. Our results indicate that the areas above 2500 m a.s.l., characterized by glacier tongues and the most recently deglaciated areas, are crucial for sediment generation in all sub-catchments. This notion is supported by the synchronous spring onset of sediment export at the three gauges, which coincides with snowmelt above 2500 m but lags behind spring discharge onsets. This points at a limitation of suspended sediment supply as long as the areas above 2500 m are snow-covered. The positive correlation of annual SSY with glacier cover (among catchments) and glacier mass balances (within a catchment) further supports the importance of the glacier-dominated areas. The analysis of short-term events showed that summer precipitation events were associated with peak sediment concentrations and yields but on average accounted for only 21 % of the annual SSY in the headwaters. These results indicate that under current conditions, thermally induced sediment export (through snow and glacier melt) is dominant in the study area. Our results extend the scientific knowledge on current hydro-sedimentological conditions in glaciated high-alpine areas and provide a baseline for studies on projected future changes in hydro-sedimentological system dynamics. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-653-2022 SN - 2196-632X SN - 2196-6311 VL - 10 IS - 3 SP - 653 EP - 669 PB - Copernicus Publications CY - Göttingen ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schlör, Anja A1 - Hirschberg, Stefan A1 - Ben Amor, Ghada A1 - Meister, Toni Luise A1 - Arora, Prerna A1 - Pöhlmann, Stefan A1 - Hoffmann, Markus A1 - Pfänder, Stephanie A1 - Eddin, Omar Kamal A1 - Kamhieh-Milz, Julian A1 - Hanack, Katja T1 - SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies as powerful tools for diagnostic and therapeutic applications JF - Frontiers in Immunology N2 - Introduction: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation caused by SARS-CoV-2 and variants of concern such as B.1.617.2 (Delta) and recently, B.1.1.529 (Omicron) is posing multiple challenges to humanity. The rapid evolution of the virus requires adaptation of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Objectives: In this study, we describe camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies (hcAb) as useful tools for novel in vitro diagnostic assays and for therapeutic applications due to their neutralizing capacity. Methods: Five antibody candidates were selected out of a naïve camelid library by phage display and expressed as full length IgG2 antibodies. The antibodies were characterized by Western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, surface plasmon resonance with regard to their specificity to the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and to SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles. Neutralization assays were performed with authentic SARS-CoV-2 and pseudotyped viruses (wildtype and Omicron). Results: All antibodies efficiently detect recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles in different ELISA setups. The best combination was shown with hcAb B10 as catcher antibody and HRP-conjugated hcAb A7.2 as the detection antibody. Further, four out of five antibodies potently neutralized authentic wildtype SARS-CoV-2 and particles pseudotyped with the SARS-CoV-2 Spike proteins of the wildtype and Omicron variant, sublineage BA.1 at concentrations between 0.1 and 0.35 ng/mL (ND50). Conclusion: Collectively, we report novel camelid hcAbs suitable for diagnostics and potential therapy. KW - camelid heavy-chain-only antibodies KW - single domain antibodies KW - nanobodies KW - SARS-CoV-2 KW - neutralization KW - Omicron Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.930975 SN - 1664-3224 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Frontiers Media SA CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schjeide, Brit-Maren A1 - Schenke, Maren A1 - Seeger, Bettina A1 - Püschel, Gerhard T1 - Validation of a novel double control quantitative copy number PCR method to quantify off-target transgene integration after CRISPR-induced DNA modification JF - Methods and protocols : M&Ps N2 - In order to improve a recently established cell-based assay to assess the potency of botulinum neurotoxin, neuroblastoma-derived SiMa cells and induced pluripotent stem-cells (iPSC) were modified to incorporate the coding sequence of a reporter luciferase into a genetic safe harbor utilizing CRISPR/Cas9. A novel method, the double-control quantitative copy number PCR (dc-qcnPCR), was developed to detect off-target integrations of donor DNA. The donor DNA insertion success rate and targeted insertion success rate were analyzed in clones of each cell type. The dc-qcnPCR reliably quantified the copy number in both cell lines. The probability of incorrect donor DNA integration was significantly increased in SiMa cells in comparison to the iPSCs. This can possibly be explained by the lower bundled relative gene expression of a number of double-strand repair genes (BRCA1, DNA2, EXO1, MCPH1, MRE11, and RAD51) in SiMa clones than in iPSC clones. The dc-qcnPCR offers an efficient and cost-effective method to detect off-target CRISPR/Cas9-induced donor DNA integrations. KW - CRISPR editing validation KW - copy number analyses KW - homology-directed repair KW - homologous recombination deficiency Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/mps5030043 SN - 2409-9279 VL - 5 IS - 3 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sarabadani, Jalal A1 - Metzler, Ralf A1 - Ala-Nissila, Tapio T1 - Driven polymer translocation into a channel: Isoflux tension propagation theory and Langevin dynamics simulations JF - Physical Review Research N2 - Isoflux tension propagation (IFTP) theory and Langevin dynamics (LD) simulations are employed to study the dynamics of channel-driven polymer translocation in which a polymer translocates into a narrow channel and the monomers in the channel experience a driving force fc. In the high driving force limit, regardless of the channel width, IFTP theory predicts τ ∝ f βc for the translocation time, where β = −1 is the force scaling exponent. Moreover, LD data show that for a very narrow channel fitting only a single file of monomers, the entropic force due to the subchain inside the channel does not play a significant role in the translocation dynamics and the force exponent β = −1 regardless of the force magnitude. As the channel width increases the number of possible spatial configurations of the subchain inside the channel becomes significant and the resulting entropic force causes the force exponent to drop below unity. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033003 SN - 2643-1564 VL - 4 SP - 033003-1 EP - 033003-14 PB - American Physical Society CY - College Park, Maryland, USA ET - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sagu Tchewonpi, Sorel A1 - Huschek, Gerd A1 - Waldbach Braga, Tess A1 - Rackiewicz, Michal A1 - Homann, Thomas A1 - Rawel, Harshadrai Manilal T1 - Design of Experiment (DoE) for Optimization of HPLC Conditions for the Simultaneous Fractionation of Seven α-Amylase/Trypsin Inhibitors from Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) JF - Processes : open access journal N2 - Wheat alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors remain a subject of interest considering the latest findings showing their implication in wheat-related non-celiac sensitivity (NCWS). Understanding their functions in such a disorder is still unclear and for further study, the need for pure ATI molecules is one of the limiting problems. In this work, a simplified approach based on the successive fractionation of ATI extracts by reverse phase and ion exchange chromatography was developed. ATIs were first extracted from wheat flour using a combination of Tris buffer and chloroform/methanol methods. The separation of the extracts on a C18 column generated two main fractions of interest F1 and F2. The response surface methodology with the Doehlert design allowed optimizing the operating parameters of the strong anion exchange chromatography. Finally, the seven major wheat ATIs namely P01083, P17314, P16850, P01085, P16851, P16159, and P83207 were recovered with purity levels (according to the targeted LC-MS/MS analysis) of 98.2 ± 0.7; 98.1 ± 0.8; 97.9 ± 0.5; 95.1 ± 0.8; 98.3 ± 0.4; 96.9 ± 0.5, and 96.2 ± 0.4%, respectively. MALDI-TOF-MS analysis revealed single peaks in each of the pure fractions and the mass analysis yielded deviations of 0.4, 1.9, 0.1, 0.2, 0.2, 0.9, and 0.1% between the theoretical and the determined masses of P01083, P17314, P16850, P01085, P16851, P16159, and P83207, respectively. Overall, the study allowed establishing an efficient purification process of the most important wheat ATIs. This paves the way for further in-depth investigation of the ATIs to gain more knowledge related to their involvement in NCWS disease and to allow the absolute quantification in wheat samples. KW - wheat KW - α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors KW - fractionation KW - purification KW - reversed-phase chromatography KW - ion-exchange chromatography KW - design of experiment KW - LC–MS/MS KW - MALDI-TOF-MS Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10020259 SN - 2227-9717 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 18 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Rösler, Antonia A1 - Gasparatos, Nikolaos A1 - Hermanussen, Michael A1 - Scheffler, Christiane T1 - Practicability and user-friendliness of height measurements by proof of concept APP using Augmented Reality, in 22 healthy children JF - Human biology and public health N2 - Background: Child growth is a dynamic process. When measured at short intervals, children’s growth shows characteristic patterns that can be of great importance for clinical purposes. Objective: To study whether measuring height on a daily basis using an APP is practicable and user-friendly. Methods: Recruitment took place via Snowball Sampling. Thirteen out of 14 contacted families signed up for a study period of 12 weeks with altogether 22 healthy children aged 3 to 13 years (response rate 93%). The study started with a visit to the family home for the setup of the measurement site, conventional height measuring and initial training of the new measurement process. Follow-up appointments were made at four, eight and 12 weeks. The children’s height was measured at daily intervals at their family homes over a period of three months. Results: The parents altogether recorded 1704 height measurements and meticulously documented practicability and problems when using the device. A 93% response rate in recruitment was achieved by maintaining a high motivation within the families. Contact with the principal investigator was permanently available, including open communication, personal training and attendance during the appointments at the family homes. Conclusion: Measuring height by photographic display is interesting for children and parents and can be used for height measurements at home. A positive response rate of 13 out of 14 families with altogether 22 children highlights feasible recruitment and the high convenience and user-friendliness of daily APP-supported height measurements. Daily APP measurements appear to be a promising new tool for longitudinal growth studies. KW - body height KW - guideline KW - augmented reality KW - daily home-made measurements KW - iPhone KW - APP Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2022.2.48 SN - 2748-9957 VL - 2022 IS - 2 PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Reeg, Jette A1 - Strigl, Lea A1 - Jeltsch, Florian T1 - Agricultural buffer zone thresholds to safeguard functional bee diversity BT - Insights from a community modeling approach JF - Ecology and Evolution N2 - Wild bee species are important pollinators in agricultural landscapes. However, population decline was reported over the last decades and is still ongoing. While agricultural intensification is a major driver of the rapid loss of pollinating species, transition zones between arable fields and forest or grassland patches, i.e., agricultural buffer zones, are frequently mentioned as suitable mitigation measures to support wild bee populations and other pollinator species. Despite the reported general positive effect, it remains unclear which amount of buffer zones is needed to ensure a sustainable and permanent impact for enhancing bee diversity and abundance. To address this question at a pollinator community level, we implemented a process-based, spatially explicit simulation model of functional bee diversity dynamics in an agricultural landscape. More specifically, we introduced a variable amount of agricultural buffer zones (ABZs) at the transition of arable to grassland, or arable to forest patches to analyze the impact on bee functional diversity and functional richness. We focused our study on solitary bees in a typical agricultural area in the Northeast of Germany. Our results showed positive effects with at least 25% of virtually implemented agricultural buffer zones. However, higher amounts of ABZs of at least 75% should be considered to ensure a sufficient increase in Shannon diversity and decrease in quasi-extinction risks. These high amounts of ABZs represent effective conservation measures to safeguard the stability of pollination services provided by solitary bee species. As the model structure can be easily adapted to other mobile species in agricultural landscapes, our community approach offers the chance to compare the effectiveness of conservation measures also for other pollinator communities in future. KW - agricultural landscape KW - buffer zones KW - community model KW - functional traits KW - solitary bees KW - spatially explicit Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8748 SN - 2045-7758 VL - 12 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Wiley Online Library CY - Hoboken, New Jersey, USA ET - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo A1 - Pérez-Castilla, Alejandro A1 - Thapa, Rohit Kumar A1 - Afonso, José A1 - Clemente, Filipe Manuel Batista A1 - Colado, Juan C. A1 - Eduardo, Saéz de Villarreal A1 - Chaabene, Helmi T1 - Effects of Plyometric Jump Training on Measures of Physical Fitness and Sport-Specific Performance of Water Sports Athletes BT - A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis JF - Sports Medicine - Open N2 - Background A growing body of literature is available regarding the effects of plyometric jump training (PJT) on measures of physical fitness (PF) and sport-specific performance (SSP) in-water sports athletes (WSA, i.e. those competing in sports that are practiced on [e.g. rowing] or in [e.g. swimming; water polo] water). Indeed, incoherent findings have been observed across individual studies making it difficult to provide the scientific community and coaches with consistent evidence. As such, a comprehensive systematic literature search should be conducted to clarify the existent evidence, identify the major gaps in the literature, and offer recommendations for future studies. Aim To examine the effects of PJT compared with active/specific-active controls on the PF (one-repetition maximum back squat strength, squat jump height, countermovement jump height, horizontal jump distance, body mass, fat mass, thigh girth) and SSP (in-water vertical jump, in-water agility, time trial) outcomes in WSA, through a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized controlled studies. Methods The electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched up to January 2022. According to the PICOS approach, the eligibility criteria were: (population) healthy WSA; (intervention) PJT interventions involving unilateral and/or bilateral jumps, and a minimal duration of ≥ 3 weeks; (comparator) active (i.e. standard sports training) or specific-active (i.e. alternative training intervention) control group(s); (outcome) at least one measure of PF (e.g. jump height) and/or SSP (e.g. time trial) before and after training; and (study design) multi-groups randomized and non-randomized controlled trials. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. The DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used to compute the meta-analyses, reporting effect sizes (ES, i.e. Hedges’ g) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Certainty or confidence in the body of evidence for each outcome was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE), considering its five dimensions: risk of bias in studies, indirectness, inconsistency, imprecision, and risk of publication bias. Results A total of 11,028 studies were identified with 26 considered eligible for inclusion. The median PEDro score across the included studies was 5.5 (moderate-to-high methodological quality). The included studies involved a total of 618 WSA of both sexes (330 participants in the intervention groups [31 groups] and 288 participants in the control groups [26 groups]), aged between 10 and 26 years, and from different sports disciplines such as swimming, triathlon, rowing, artistic swimming, and water polo. The duration of the training programmes in the intervention and control groups ranged from 4 to 36 weeks. The results of the meta-analysis indicated no effects of PJT compared to control conditions (including specific-active controls) for in-water vertical jump or agility (ES =  − 0.15 to 0.03; p = 0.477 to 0.899), or for body mass, fat mass, and thigh girth (ES = 0.06 to 0.15; p = 0.452 to 0.841). In terms of measures of PF, moderate-to-large effects were noted in favour of the PJT groups compared to the control groups (including specific-active control groups) for one-repetition maximum back squat strength, horizontal jump distance, squat jump height, and countermovement jump height (ES = 0.67 to 1.47; p = 0.041 to < 0.001), in addition to a small effect noted in favour of the PJT for SSP time-trial speed (ES = 0.42; p = 0.005). Certainty of evidence across the included studies varied from very low-to-moderate. Conclusions PJT is more effective to improve measures of PF and SSP in WSA compared to control conditions involving traditional sport-specific training as well as alternative training interventions (e.g. resistance training). It is worth noting that the present findings are derived from 26 studies of moderate-to-high methodological quality, low-to-moderate impact of heterogeneity, and very low-to-moderate certainty of evidence based on GRADE. Trial registration The protocol for this systematic review with meta-analysis was published in the Open Science platform (OSF) on January 23, 2022, under the registration doi https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NWHS3 (internet archive link: https://archive.org/details/osf-registrations-nwhs3-v1). KW - Plyometric exercise KW - Musculoskeletal and neural physiological phenomena KW - Human physical conditioning KW - Movement KW - Muscle strength KW - Resistance training Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-022-00502-2 SN - 2198-9761 VL - 8 SP - 1 EP - 27 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo A1 - Moran, Jason A1 - Oliver, Jonathan L. A1 - Pedley, Jason S. A1 - Lloyd, Rhodri S. A1 - Granacher, Urs T1 - Programming Plyometric-Jump Training in Soccer: A Review JF - Sports N2 - The aim of this review was to describe and summarize the scientific literature on programming parameters related to jump or plyometric training in male and female soccer players of different ages and fitness levels. A literature search was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus using keywords related to the main topic of this study (e.g., “ballistic” and “plyometric”). According to the PICOS framework, the population for the review was restricted to soccer players, involved in jump or plyometric training. Among 7556 identified studies, 90 were eligible for inclusion. Only 12 studies were found for females. Most studies (n = 52) were conducted with youth male players. Moreover, only 35 studies determined the effectiveness of a given jump training programming factor. Based on the limited available research, it seems that a dose of 7 weeks (1–2 sessions per week), with ~80 jumps (specific of combined types) per session, using near-maximal or maximal intensity, with adequate recovery between repetitions (<15 s), sets (≥30 s) and sessions (≥24–48 h), using progressive overload and taper strategies, using appropriate surfaces (e.g., grass), and applied in a well-rested state, when combined with other training methods, would increase the outcome of effective and safe plyometric-jump training interventions aimed at improving soccer players physical fitness. In conclusion, jump training is an effective and easy-to-administer training approach for youth, adult, male and female soccer players. However, optimal programming for plyometric-jump training in soccer is yet to be determined in future research. KW - human physical conditioning KW - exercise KW - resistance training KW - muscle strength KW - plyometric exercise KW - musculoskeletal and neural physiological phenomena KW - movement KW - sports KW - football KW - youth sport Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/sports10060094 SN - 2075-4663 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 20 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Püschel, Gerhard A1 - Klauder, Julia A1 - Henkel-Oberländer, Janin T1 - Macrophages, low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia BT - A mutual ambiguous relationship in the development of metabolic diseases JF - Journal of Clinical Medicine : open access journal N2 - Metabolic derangement with poor glycemic control accompanying overweight and obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and hyperinsulinemia. Macrophages, which present a very heterogeneous population of cells, play a key role in the maintenance of normal tissue homeostasis, but functional alterations in the resident macrophage pool as well as newly recruited monocyte-derived macrophages are important drivers in the development of low-grade inflammation. While metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance and tissue damage may trigger or advance pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages, the inflammation itself contributes to the development of insulin resistance and the resulting hyperinsulinemia. Macrophages express insulin receptors whose downstream signaling networks share a number of knots with the signaling pathways of pattern recognition and cytokine receptors, which shape macrophage polarity. The shared knots allow insulin to enhance or attenuate both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory macrophage responses. This supposedly physiological function may be impaired by hyperinsulinemia or insulin resistance in macrophages. This review discusses the mutual ambiguous relationship of low-grade inflammation, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and the insulin-dependent modulation of macrophage activity with a focus on adipose tissue and liver. KW - NAFLD/MAFLD KW - type 2 diabetes KW - obesity KW - vicious cycle KW - TLR signaling KW - M1/M2 differentiation KW - Akt pathway Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11154358 SN - 2077-0383 VL - 11 IS - 15 SP - 1 EP - 30 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Prasse, Paul A1 - Iversen, Pascal A1 - Lienhard, Matthias A1 - Thedinga, Kristina A1 - Herwig, Ralf A1 - Scheffer, Tobias T1 - Pre-Training on In Vitro and Fine-Tuning on Patient-Derived Data Improves Deep Neural Networks for Anti-Cancer Drug-Sensitivity Prediction JF - MDPI N2 - Large-scale databases that report the inhibitory capacities of many combinations of candidate drug compounds and cultivated cancer cell lines have driven the development of preclinical drug-sensitivity models based on machine learning. However, cultivated cell lines have devolved from human cancer cells over years or even decades under selective pressure in culture conditions. Moreover, models that have been trained on in vitro data cannot account for interactions with other types of cells. Drug-response data that are based on patient-derived cell cultures, xenografts, and organoids, on the other hand, are not available in the quantities that are needed to train high-capacity machine-learning models. We found that pre-training deep neural network models of drug sensitivity on in vitro drug-sensitivity databases before fine-tuning the model parameters on patient-derived data improves the models’ accuracy and improves the biological plausibility of the features, compared to training only on patient-derived data. From our experiments, we can conclude that pre-trained models outperform models that have been trained on the target domains in the vast majority of cases. KW - deep neural networks KW - drug-sensitivity prediction KW - anti-cancer drugs Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14163950 SN - 2072-6694 VL - 14 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 16 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Poltz, Nadine A1 - Quandte, Sabine A1 - Kohn, Juliane A1 - Kucian, Karin A1 - Wyschkon, Anne A1 - von Aster, Michael A1 - Esser, Günter T1 - Does It Count? Pre-School Children’s Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity and Their Development of Arithmetical Skills at School JF - Brain Sciences N2 - Background: Children’s spontaneous focusing on numerosity (SFON) is related to numerical skills. This study aimed to examine (1) the developmental trajectory of SFON and (2) the interrelations between SFON and early numerical skills at pre-school as well as their influence on arithmetical skills at school. Method: Overall, 1868 German pre-school children were repeatedly assessed until second grade. Nonverbal intelligence, visual attention, visuospatial working memory, SFON and numerical skills were assessed at age five (M = 63 months, Time 1) and age six (M = 72 months, Time 2), and arithmetic was assessed at second grade (M = 95 months, Time 3). Results: SFON increased significantly during pre-school. Path analyses revealed interrelations between SFON and several numerical skills, except number knowledge. Magnitude estimation and basic calculation skills (Time 1 and Time 2), and to a small degree number knowledge (Time 2), contributed directly to arithmetic in second grade. The connection between SFON and arithmetic was fully mediated by magnitude estimation and calculation skills at pre-school. Conclusion: Our results indicate that SFON first and foremost influences deeper understanding of numerical concepts at pre-school and—in contrast to previous findings –affects only indirectly children’s arithmetical development at school. KW - SFON KW - school mathematics KW - mathematical precursor KW - counting KW - number knowledge KW - magnitude estimation KW - transformation KW - pre-school KW - longitudinal KW - development Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci12030313 SN - 2076-3425 VL - 12 SP - 1 EP - 18 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pietrek, Anou F. A1 - Kangas, Maria A1 - Kliegl, Reinhold A1 - Rapp, Michael Armin A1 - Heinzel, Stephan A1 - Van der Kaap-Deeder, Jolene A1 - Heissel, Andreas T1 - Basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration in major depressive disorder JF - Frontiers in Psychiatry - Mood Disorders N2 - Basic psychological needs theory postulates that a social environment that satisfies individuals’ three basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness leads to optimal growth and well-being. On the other hand, the frustration of these needs is associated with ill-being and depressive symptoms foremost investigated in non-clinical samples; yet, there is a paucity of research on need frustration in clinical samples. Survey data were compared between adult individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD; n = 115; 48.69% female; 38.46 years, SD = 10.46) with those of a non-depressed comparison sample (n = 201; 53.23% female; 30.16 years, SD = 12.81). Need profiles were examined with a linear mixed model (LMM). Individuals with depression reported higher levels of frustration and lower levels of satisfaction in relation to the three basic psychological needs when compared to non-depressed adults. The difference between depressed and non-depressed groups was significantly larger for frustration than satisfaction regarding the needs for relatedness and competence. LMM correlation parameters confirmed the expected positive correlation between the three needs. This is the first study showing substantial differences in need-based experiences between depressed and non-depressed adults. The results confirm basic assumptions of the self-determination theory and have preliminary implications in tailoring therapy for depression. KW - basic need satisfaction and frustration KW - depressive symptoms KW - clinical sample KW - need profiles KW - social environment Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.962501 SN - 1664-0640 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Frontiers Media S.A. CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pawlak, Julia A1 - Noetzel, Dominique Christian A1 - Drago, Claudia A1 - Weithoff, Guntram T1 - Assessing the toxicity of polystyrene beads and silica particles on the microconsumer Brachionus calyciflorus at different timescales JF - Frontiers in Environmental Science N2 - Environmental pollution by microplastics has become a severe problem in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and, according to actual prognoses, problems will further increase in the future. Therefore, assessing and quantifying the risk for the biota is crucial. Standardized short-term toxicological procedures as well as methods quantifying potential toxic effects over the whole life span of an animal are required. We studied the effect of the microplastic polystyrene on the survival and reproduction of a common freshwater invertebrate, the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus, at different timescales. We used pristine polystyrene spheres of 1, 3, and 6 µm diameter and fed them to the animals together with food algae in different ratios ranging from 0 to 50% nonfood particles. As a particle control, we used silica to distinguish between a pure particle effect and a plastic effect. After 24 h, no toxic effect was found, neither with polystyrene nor with silica. After 96 h, a toxic effect was detectable for both particle types. The size of the particles played a negligible role. Studying the long-term effect by using life table experiments, we found a reduced reproduction when the animals were fed with 3 µm spheres together with similar-sized food algae. We conclude that the fitness reduction is mainly driven by the dilution of food by the nonfood particles rather than by a direct toxic effect. KW - microplastics KW - rotifer KW - freshwater KW - natural particle KW - toxicity KW - environmental pollution Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.955425 SN - 2296-665X SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Orland, Andreas A1 - Padubrin, Max T1 - Is there a gender hiring gap in academic economics? Evidence from a network analysis JF - Royal Society Open Science N2 - We collect a network dataset of tenured economics faculty in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. We rank the 100 institutions included with a minimum violation ranking. This ranking is positively and significantly correlated with the Times Higher Education ranking of economics institutions. According to the network ranking, individuals on average go down about 23 ranks from their doctoral institution to their employing institution. While the share of females in our dataset is only 15%, we do not observe a significant gender hiring gap (a difference in rank changes between male and female faculty). We conduct a robustness check with the Handelsblatt and the Times Higher Education ranking. According to these rankings, individuals on average go down only about two ranks. We do not observe a significant gender hiring gap using these two rankings (although the dataset underlying this analysis is small and these estimates are likely to be noisy). Finally, we discuss the limitations of the network ranking in our context. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210717 SN - 2054-5703 VL - 9 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Royal Society of London CY - London ET - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Novine, Masiar A1 - Mattsson, Cecilie Cordua A1 - Groth, Detlef T1 - Network reconstruction based on synthetic data generated by a Monte Carlo approach JF - Human biology and public health N2 - Background: Network models are useful tools for researchers to simplify and understand investigated systems. Yet, the assessment of methods for network construction is often uncertain. Random resampling simulations can aid to assess methods, provided synthetic data exists for reliable network construction. Objectives: We implemented a new Monte Carlo algorithm to create simulated data for network reconstruction, tested the influence of adjusted parameters and used simulations to select a method for network model estimation based on real-world data. We hypothesized, that reconstructs based on Monte Carlo data are scored at least as good compared to a benchmark. Methods: Simulated data was generated in R using the Monte Carlo algorithm of the mcgraph package. Benchmark data was created by the huge package. Networks were reconstructed using six estimator functions and scored by four classification metrics. For compatibility tests of mean score differences, Welch’s t-test was used. Network model estimation based on real-world data was done by stepwise selection. Samples: Simulated data was generated based on 640 input graphs of various types and sizes. The real-world dataset consisted of 67 medieval skeletons of females and males from the region of Refshale (Lolland) and Nordby (Jutland) in Denmark. Results: Results after t-tests and determining confidence intervals (CI95%) show, that evaluation scores for network reconstructs based on the mcgraph package were at least as good compared to the benchmark huge. The results even indicate slightly better scores on average for the mcgraph package. Conclusion: The results confirmed our objective and suggested that Monte Carlo data can keep up with the benchmark in the applied test framework. The algorithm offers the feature to use (weighted) un- and directed graphs and might be useful for assessing methods for network construction. KW - Monte Carlo method KW - network reconstruction KW - mcgraph KW - random sampling KW - linear enamel hypoplasia Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2021.3.26 SN - 2748-9957 VL - 2021 IS - 3, Summer School Supplement PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Nobari, Hadi A1 - Mahmoudzadeh Khalili, Sara A1 - Denche Zamorano, Angel Manuel A1 - Bowman, ‪Thomas G. A1 - Granacher, Urs T1 - Workload is associated with the occurrence of non-contact injuries in professional male soccer players: A pilot study JF - Frontiers in Psychology N2 - Injuries in professional soccer are a significant concern for teams, and they are caused amongst others by high training load. This cohort study describes the relationship between workload parameters and the occurrence of non-contact injuries, during weeks with high and low workload in professional soccer players throughout the season. Twenty-one professional soccer players aged 28.3 ± 3.9 yrs. who competed in the Iranian Persian Gulf Pro League participated in this 48-week study. The external load was monitored using global positioning system (GPS, GPSPORTS Systems Pty Ltd) and the type of injury was documented daily by the team's medical staff. Odds ratio (OR) and relative risk (RR) were calculated for non-contact injuries for high- and low-load weeks according to acute (AW), chronic (CW), acute to chronic workload ratio (ACWR), and AW variation (Δ-Acute) values. By using Poisson distribution, the interval between previous and new injuries were estimated. Overall, 12 non-contact injuries occurred during high load and 9 during low load weeks. Based on the variables ACWR and Δ-AW, there was a significantly increased risk of sustaining non-contact injuries (p < 0.05) during high-load weeks for ACWR (OR: 4.67), and Δ-AW (OR: 4.07). Finally, the expected time between injuries was significantly shorter in high load weeks for ACWR [1.25 vs. 3.33, rate ratio time (RRT)] and Δ-AW (1.33 vs. 3.45, RRT) respectively, compared to low load weeks. The risk of sustaining injuries was significantly larger during high workload weeks for ACWR, and Δ-AW compared with low workload weeks. The observed high OR in high load weeks indicate that there is a significant relationship between workload and occurrence of non-contact injuries. The predicted time to new injuries is shorter in high load weeks compared to low load weeks. Therefore, the frequency of injuries is higher during high load weeks for ACWR and Δ-AW. ACWR and Δ-AW appear to be good indicators for estimating the injury risk, and the time interval between injuries. KW - ACWR KW - external load KW - football KW - prevention KW - performance KW - injury risk Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.925722 SN - 1664-1078 SP - 1 EP - 9 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Neumann, Daniel A1 - Tiberius, Victor A1 - Biendarra, Florin T1 - Adopting wearables to customize health insurance contributions BT - a ranking-type Delphi JF - BMC medical informatics and decision making N2 - Background Wearables, as small portable computer systems worn on the body, can track user fitness and health data, which can be used to customize health insurance contributions individually. In particular, insured individuals with a healthy lifestyle can receive a reduction of their contributions to be paid. However, this potential is hardly used in practice. Objective This study aims to identify which barrier factors impede the usage of wearables for assessing individual risk scores for health insurances, despite its technological feasibility, and to rank these barriers according to their relevance. Methods To reach these goals, we conduct a ranking-type Delphi study with the following three stages. First, we collected possible barrier factors from a panel of 16 experts and consolidated them to a list of 11 barrier categories. Second, the panel was asked to rank them regarding their relevance. Third, to enhance the panel consensus, the ranking was revealed to the experts, who were then asked to re-rank the barriers. Results The results suggest that regulation is the most important barrier. Other relevant barriers are false or inaccurate measurements and application errors caused by the users. Additionally, insurers could lack the required technological competence to use the wearable data appropriately. Conclusion A wider use of wearables and health apps could be achieved through regulatory modifications, especially regarding privacy issues. Even after assuring stricter regulations, users’ privacy concerns could partly remain, if the data exchange between wearables manufacturers, health app providers, and health insurers does not become more transparent. KW - Delphi study KW - Health insurance KW - Wearable electronic device KW - Wearable technology KW - Internet of Things KW - Barriers Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12911-022-01851-4 SN - 1472-6947 VL - 22 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Möller, Klaus-Peter T1 - In der Ruhmeshalle der deutschen Literatur BT - das Porträt des Autors und die Medien JF - Fontanes Medien Y1 - 2022 SN - 978-3-11-073323-5 SN - 978-3-11-073810-0 SN - 978-3-11-073330-3 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110733235-031 SP - 533 EP - 574 PB - de Gruyter CY - Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mumm, Rebekka A1 - Scheffler, Christiane A1 - Hermanussen, Michael T1 - Locally structured correlation (LSC) plots describe inhomogeneity in normally distributed correlated bivariate variables JF - Archives of Public Health N2 - Background The association between bivariate variables may not necessarily be homogeneous throughout the whole range of the variables. We present a new technique to describe inhomogeneity in the association of bivariate variables. Methods We consider the correlation of two normally distributed random variables. The 45° diagonal through the origin of coordinates represents the line on which all points would lie if the two variables completely agreed. If the two variables do not completely agree, the points will scatter on both sides of the diagonal and form a cloud. In case of a high association between the variables, the band width of this cloud will be narrow, in case of a low association, the band width will be wide. The band width directly relates to the magnitude of the correlation coefficient. We then determine the Euclidean distances between the diagonal and each point of the bivariate correlation, and rotate the coordinate system clockwise by 45°. The standard deviation of all Euclidean distances, named “global standard deviation”, reflects the band width of all points along the former diagonal. Calculating moving averages of the standard deviation along the former diagonal results in “locally structured standard deviations” and reflect patterns of “locally structured correlations (LSC)”. LSC highlight inhomogeneity of bivariate correlations. We exemplify this technique by analyzing the association between body mass index (BMI) and hip circumference (HC) in 6313 healthy East German adults aged 18 to 70 years. Results The correlation between BMI and HC in healthy adults is not homogeneous. LSC is able to identify regions where the predictive power of the bivariate correlation between BMI and HC increases or decreases, and highlights in our example that slim people have a higher association between BMI and HC than obese people. Conclusion Locally structured correlations (LSC) identify regions of higher or lower than average correlation between two normally distributed variables. KW - Standard deviation KW - Locally structured standard deviation KW - Locally structured correlation KW - Variance Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-021-00748-4 SN - 0778-7367 SN - 2049-3258 VL - 80 PB - Springer Nature BMC CY - Bruxelles ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mumm, Rebekka A1 - Hermanussen, Michael T1 - The dilemma of misclassifying weight in short and in historic population JF - Human biology and public health N2 - Background: Clinicians often refer anthropometric measures of a child to so-called “growth standards” and “growth references. Over 140 countries have meanwhile adopted WHO growth standards. Objectives: The present study was conducted to thoroughly examine the idea of growth standards as a common yardstick for all populations. Weight depends on height. We became interested in whether also weight-for-height depends on height. First, we studied the age-group effect on weight-for-height. Thereafter, we tested the applicability of weight-for-height references in short and in historic populations. Sample and Methods: We analyzed body height and body weight and weight-for-height of 3795 healthy boys and 3726 healthy girls aged 2 to 5 years measured in East-Germany between 1986 and 1990. We chose contemporary height and weight charts from Germany, the UK, and the WHO growth chart and compared these with three geographically commensurable growth charts from the end of the 19th century. Results: We analyzed body height and body weight and weight-for-height of 3795 healthy boys and 3726 healthy girls aged 2 to 5 years measured in East-Germany between 1986 and 1990. We chose contemporary height and weight charts from Germany, the UK, and the WHO growth chart and compared these with three geographically commensurable growth charts of the end of the 19th century. Conclusion: Weight-for-height depends on age and sex and apart from the nutritional state, reflects body proportion and body built particularly during infancy and early childhood. Populations with a relatively short average height are prone to high values of weight-for-height for arithmetic reasons independent of the nutritional state. KW - growth standards KW - growth references KW - body mass index KW - nutritional status Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2021.3.28 SN - 2748-9957 VL - 2021 IS - 3, Summer School Supplement PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mtilatila, Lucy Mphatso Ng'ombe A1 - Bronstert, Axel A1 - Vormoor, Klaus Josef T1 - Temporal evaluation and projections of meteorological droughts in the Greater Lake Malawi Basin, Southeast Africa JF - Frontiers in Water N2 - The study examined the potential future changes of drought characteristics in the Greater Lake Malawi Basin in Southeast Africa. This region strongly depends on water resources to generate electricity and food. Future projections (considering both moderate and high emission scenarios) of temperature and precipitation from an ensemble of 16 bias-corrected climate model combinations were blended with a scenario-neutral response surface approach to analyses changes in: (i) the meteorological conditions, (ii) the meteorological water balance, and (iii) selected drought characteristics such as drought intensity, drought months, and drought events, which were derived from the Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration Index. Changes were analyzed for a near-term (2021–2050) and far-term period (2071–2100) with reference to 1976–2005. The effect of bias-correction (i.e., empirical quantile mapping) on the ability of the climate model ensemble to reproduce observed drought characteristics as compared to raw climate projections was also investigated. Results suggest that the bias-correction improves the climate models in terms of reproducing temperature and precipitation statistics but not drought characteristics. Still, despite the differences in the internal structures and uncertainties that exist among the climate models, they all agree on an increase of meteorological droughts in the future in terms of higher drought intensity and longer events. Drought intensity is projected to increase between +25 and +50% during 2021–2050 and between +131 and +388% during 2071–2100. This translates into +3 to +5, and +7 to +8 more drought months per year during both periods, respectively. With longer lasting drought events, the number of drought events decreases. Projected droughts based on the high emission scenario are 1.7 times more severe than droughts based on the moderate scenario. That means that droughts in this region will likely become more severe in the coming decades. Despite the inherent high uncertainties of climate projections, the results provide a basis in planning and (water-)managing activities for climate change adaptation measures in Malawi. This is of particular relevance for water management issues referring hydro power generation and food production, both for rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. KW - meteorological drought KW - drought intensity KW - climate change KW - drought events KW - Lake Malawi KW - Shire River KW - drought projections KW - South-Eastern Africa Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.1041452 SN - 2624-9375 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Frontiers Media S.A. CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Miklashevsky, Alex A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Lindemann, Oliver T1 - Spatial-numerical associations without a motor response? Grip force says ‘Yes’ JF - Acta Psychologica N2 - In numerical processing, the functional role of Spatial-Numerical Associations (SNAs, such as the association of smaller numbers with left space and larger numbers with right space, the Mental Number Line hypothesis) is debated. Most studies demonstrate SNAs with lateralized responses, and there is little evidence that SNAs appear when no response is required. We recorded passive holding grip forces in no-go trials during number processing. In Experiment 1, participants performed a surface numerical decision task (“Is it a number or a letter?”). In Experiment 2, we used a deeper semantic task (“Is this number larger or smaller than five?”). Despite instruction to keep their grip force constant, participants' spontaneous grip force changed in both experiments: Smaller numbers led to larger force increase in the left than in the right hand in the numerical decision task (500–700 ms after stimulus onset). In the semantic task, smaller numbers again led to larger force increase in the left hand, and larger numbers increased the right-hand holding force. This effect appeared earlier (180 ms) and lasted longer (until 580 ms after stimulus onset). This is the first demonstration of SNAs with passive holding force. Our result suggests that (1) explicit motor response is not a prerequisite for SNAs to appear, and (2) the timing and strength of SNAs are task-dependent. (216 words). KW - SNARC KW - Mental number line KW - Number processing KW - Embodied cognition KW - Grip force KW - Motor system Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103791 SN - 1873-6297 VL - 231 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mientus, Lukas A1 - Hume, Anne A1 - Wulff, Peter A1 - Meiners, Antoinette A1 - Borowski, Andreas T1 - Modelling STEM teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in the framework of the refined consensus model BT - A systematic literature review JF - Education Sciences : open access journal N2 - Science education researchers have developed a refined understanding of the structure of science teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), but how to develop applicable and situation-adequate PCK remains largely unclear. A potential problem lies in the diverse conceptualisations of the PCK used in PCK research. This study sought to systematize existing science education research on PCK through the lens of the recently proposed refined consensus model (RCM) of PCK. In this review, the studies’ approaches to investigating PCK and selected findings were characterised and synthesised as an overview comparing research before and after the publication of the RCM. We found that the studies largely employed a qualitative case-study methodology that included specific PCK models and tools. However, in recent years, the studies focused increasingly on quantitative aspects. Furthermore, results of the reviewed studies can mostly be integrated into the RCM. We argue that the RCM can function as a meaningful theoretical lens for conceptualizing links between teaching practice and PCK development by proposing pedagogical reasoning as a mechanism and/or explanation for PCK development in the context of teaching practice. KW - pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) KW - refined consensus model (RCM) KW - pedagogical reasoning KW - teaching practice KW - science teaching KW - literature review Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12060385 SN - 2227-7102 VL - 12 SP - 1 EP - 25 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Maaß, Ulrike A1 - Kühne, Franziska A1 - Heinze, Peter Eric A1 - Ay-Bryson, Destina Sevde A1 - Weck, Florian T1 - The concise measurement of clinical communication skills BT - Validation of a short scale JF - Frontiers in Psychiatry N2 - Objective: There is a lack of brief rating scales for the reliable assessment of psychotherapeutic skills, which do not require intensive rater training and/or a high level of expertise. Thus, the objective is to validate a 14-item version of the Clinical Communication Skills Scale (CCSS-S). Methods: Using a sample of N = 690 video-based ratings of role-plays with simulated patients, we calculated a confirmatory factor analysis and an exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM), assessed convergent validities, determined inter-rater reliabilities and compared these with those who were either psychology students, advanced psychotherapy trainees, or experts. Results: Correlations with other competence rating scales were high (rs > 0.86–0.89). The intraclass correlations ranged between moderate and good [ICC(2,2) = 0.65–0.80], with student raters yielding the lowest scores. The one-factor model only marginally replicated the data, but the internal consistencies were excellent (α = 0.91–95). The ESEM yielded a two-factor solution (Collaboration and Structuring and Exploration Skills). Conclusion: The CCSS-S is a brief and valid rating scale that reliably assesses basic communication skills, which is particularly useful for psychotherapy training using standardized role-plays. To ensure good inter-rater reliabilities, it is still advisable to employ raters with at least some clinical experience. Future studies should further investigate the one- or two-factor structure of the instrument. KW - standardized patient KW - treatment integrity KW - measurement KW - therapist competence KW - role-play KW - psychotherapy process Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.977324 SN - 1664-0640 VL - 13 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lindner, Nadja A1 - Moeller, Korbinian A1 - Hildebrandt, Frauke A1 - Hasselhorn, Marcus A1 - Lonnemann, Jan T1 - Children's use of egocentric reference frames in spatial language is related to their numerical magnitude understanding JF - Frontiers in Psychology N2 - Numerical magnitude information is assumed to be spatially represented in the form of a mental number line defined with respect to a body-centred, egocentric frame of reference. In this context, spatial language skills such as mastery of verbal descriptions of spatial position (e.g., in front of, behind, to the right/left) have been proposed to be relevant for grasping spatial relations between numerical magnitudes on the mental number line. We examined 4- to 5-year-old’s spatial language skills in tasks that allow responses in egocentric and allocentric frames of reference, as well as their relative understanding of numerical magnitude (assessed by a number word comparison task). In addition, we evaluated influences of children’s absolute understanding of numerical magnitude assessed by their number word comprehension (montring different numbers using their fingers) and of their knowledge on numerical sequences (determining predecessors and successors as well as identifying missing dice patterns of a series). Results indicated that when considering responses that corresponded to the egocentric perspective, children’s spatial language was associated significantly with their relative numerical magnitude understanding, even after controlling for covariates, such as children’s SES, mental rotation skills, and also absolute magnitude understanding or knowledge on numerical sequences. This suggests that the use of egocentric reference frames in spatial language may facilitate spatial representation of numbers along a mental number line and thus seem important for preschoolers’ relative understanding of numerical magnitude. KW - spatial language KW - frames of reference KW - numerical development KW - mental number line KW - preschool children Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.943191 SN - 1664-1078 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Liebe, Thomas A1 - Dordevic, Milos A1 - Kaufmann, Jörn A1 - Avetisyan, Araks A1 - Skalej, Martin A1 - Müller, Notger Germar T1 - Investigation of the functional pathogenesis of mild cognitive impairment by localisation-based locus coeruleus resting-state fMRI JF - Human Brain Mapping N2 - Dementia as one of the most prevalent diseases urges for a better understanding of the central mechanisms responsible for clinical symptoms, and necessitates improvement of actual diagnostic capabilities. The brainstem nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) is a promising target for early diagnosis because of its early structural alterations and its relationship to the functional disturbances in the patients. In this study, we applied our improved method of localisation-based LC resting-state fMRI to investigate the differences in central sensory signal processing when comparing functional connectivity (fc) of a patient group with mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 28) and an age-matched healthy control group (n = 29). MCI and control participants could be differentiated in their Mini-Mental-State-Examination (MMSE) scores (p < .001) and LC intensity ratio (p = .010). In the fMRI, LC fc to anterior cingulate cortex (FDR p < .001) and left anterior insula (FDR p = .012) was elevated, and LC fc to right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ, FDR p = .012) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC, FDR p = .021) was decreased in the patient group. Importantly, LC to rTPJ connectivity was also positively correlated to MMSE scores in MCI patients (p = .017). Furthermore, we found a hyperactivation of the left-insula salience network in the MCI patients. Our results and our proposed disease model shed new light on the functional pathogenesis of MCI by directing to attentional network disturbances, which could aid new therapeutic strategies and provide a marker for diagnosis and prediction of disease progression. KW - attention KW - locus coeruleus KW - mild cognitive impairment KW - resting-state fMRI Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.26039 SN - 1097-0193 VL - 43 SP - 5630 EP - 5642 PB - Wiley CY - New York, NY, USA ET - 18 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kwarikunda, Diana A1 - Schiefele, Ulrich A1 - Muwonge, Charles Magoba A1 - Ssenyonga, Joseph T1 - Profiles of learners based on their cognitive and metacognitive learning strategy use: occurrence and relations with gender, intrinsic motivation, and perceived autonomy support JF - Humanities and Social Sciences Communications N2 - For life-long learning, an effective learning strategy repertoire is particularly important during acquisition of knowledge in lower secondary school—an educational level characterized with transition into more autonomous learning environments with increased complex academic demands. Using latent profile analysis, we explored the occurrence of different secondary school learner profiles depending on their various combinations of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategy use, as well as their differences in perceived autonomy support, intrinsic motivation, and gender. Data were collected from 576 ninth grade students in Uganda using self-report questionnaires. Four learner profiles were identified: competent strategy user, struggling user, surface-level learner, and deep-level learner profiles. Gender differences were noted in students’ use of elaboration and organization strategies to learn Physics, in favor of girls. In terms of profile memberships, significant differences in gender, intrinsic motivation and perceived autonomy support were also noted. Girls were 2.4–2.7 times more likely than boys to be members of the competent strategy user and surface-level learner profiles. Additionally, higher levels of intrinsic motivation predicted an increased likelihood membership into the deep-level learner profile, while higher levels of perceived teacher autonomy predicted an increased likelihood membership into the competent strategy user profile as compared to other profiles. Further, implications of the findings were discussed. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01322-1 SN - 2055-1045 VL - 9 PB - Springer Nature ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kindermann, Liana A1 - Dobler, Magnus A1 - Niedeggen, Daniela A1 - Chimbioputo Fabiano, Ezequiel A1 - Linstädter, Anja T1 - Dataset on woody aboveground biomass, disturbance losses, and wood density from an African savanna ecosystem JF - Data in Brief N2 - This dataset comprises tree inventories and damage assessments performed in Namibia's semi-arid Zambezi Region. Data were sampled in savannas and savanna woodlands along steep gradients of elephant population densities to capture the effects of those (and other) disturbances on individual-level and stand-level aboveground woody biomass (AGB). The dataset contains raw data on dendrometric measures and processed data on specific wood density (SWD), woody aboveground biomass, and biomass losses through disturbance impacts. Allometric proxies (height, canopy diameters, and in adult trees also stem circumferences) were recorded for n = 6,179 tree and shrub individuals. Wood samples were taken for each encountered species to measure specific wood density. These measurements have been used to estimate woody aboveground biomass via established allometric models, advanced through our improved methodologies and workflows that accounted for tree and shrub architecture shaped by disturbance impacts. To this end, we performed a detailed damage assessment on each woody individual in the field. In addition to estimations of standing biomass, our new method also delivered data on biomass losses to different disturbance agents (elephants, fire, and others) on the level of plant individuals and stands. The data presented here have been used within a study published with Ecological Indicators (Kindermann et al., 2022) to evaluate the benefits of our improved methodology in comparison to a standard reference method of aboveground biomass estimations. Additionally, it has been employed in a study on carbon storage and sequestration in vegetation and soils (Sandhage-Hofmann et al., 2021). The raw data of dendrometric measurements can be subjected to other available allometric models for biomass estimation. The processed data can be used to analyze disturbance impacts on woody aboveground biomass, or for regional carbon storage estimates. The data on species-specific wood density can be used for application to other dendrometric datasets to (re-) estimate biomass through allometric models requiring wood density. It can further be used for plant functional trait analyses. KW - Damage assessment KW - Disturbance impacts KW - Disturbance indicator KW - Elephant disturbance KW - Tree allometry KW - Specific wood density KW - Woody aboveground biomass KW - Wood specific gravity Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2022.108155 SN - 2352-3409 VL - 42 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam, Niederlande ER - TY - RPRT A1 - Kienbaum, Janna A1 - Würfl, Katja A1 - Favella, Gianpiero T1 - Leitfaden für einen qualitativen Methoden- und Feldbericht N2 - Der Leitfaden für einen qualitativen Methoden- und Feldbericht ist im Rahmen des DFG-Verbundprojektes “FDNext” (2020-2023) entstanden und dient als Orientierungshilfe für die Dokumentation erhobener Daten mit dem Schwerpunkt auf die qualitative Bildungsforschung. KW - research data management KW - rdm in disciplines KW - data documentation KW - educational sciences KW - qualitative research data KW - Forschungsdatenmanagement KW - disziplinspezifisches FDM KW - Datendokumentation KW - Bildungswissenschaften KW - Qualitative Forschungsdaten Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7247993 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kiemel, Katrin A1 - Gurke, Marie A1 - Paraskevopoulou, Sofia A1 - Havenstein, Katja A1 - Weithoff, Guntram A1 - Tiedemann, Ralph T1 - Variation in heat shock protein 40 kDa relates to divergence in thermotolerance among cryptic rotifer species JF - Scientific Reports N2 - Genetic divergence and the frequency of hybridization are central for defining species delimitations, especially among cryptic species where morphological differences are merely absent. Rotifers are known for their high cryptic diversity and therefore are ideal model organisms to investigate such patterns. Here, we used the recently resolved Brachionus calyciflorus species complex to investigate whether previously observed between species differences in thermotolerance and gene expression are also reflected in their genomic footprint. We identified a Heat Shock Protein gene (HSP 40 kDa) which exhibits cross species pronounced sequence variation. This gene exhibits species-specific fixed sites, alleles, and sites putatively under positive selection. These sites are located in protein binding regions involved in chaperoning and may therefore reflect adaptive diversification. By comparing three genetic markers (ITS, COI, HSP 40 kDa), we revealed hybridization events between the cryptic species. The low frequency of introgressive haplotypes/alleles suggest a tight, but not fully impermeable boundary between the cryptic species. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-27137-3 SN - 2045-2322 VL - 12 PB - Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Khalil, Samir A1 - Kohler, Ulrich A1 - Tjaden, Jasper Dag T1 - Is There a Rural Penalty in Language Acquisition? Evidence From Germany's Refugee Allocation Policy JF - Frontiers in Sociology N2 - Emerging evidence has highlighted the important role of local contexts for integration trajectories of asylum seekers and refugees. Germany's policy of randomly allocating asylum seekers across Germany may advantage some and disadvantage others in terms of opportunities for equal participation in society. This study explores the question whether asylum seekers that have been allocated to rural areas experience disadvantages in terms of language acquisition compared to those allocated to urban areas. We derive testable assumptions using a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) which are then tested using large-N survey data (IAB-BAMF-SOEP refugee survey). We find that living in a rural area has no negative total effect on language skills. Further the findings suggest that the “null effect” is the result of two processes which offset each other: while asylum seekers in rural areas have slightly lower access for formal, federally organized language courses, they have more regular exposure to German speakers. KW - refugees KW - allocation policies KW - rural KW - language acquisition KW - intergroup contacts KW - language courses KW - integration Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2022.841775 SN - 2297-7775 VL - 7 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Kayhan, Ezgi A1 - Matthes, Daniel A1 - Marriott Haresign, Ira A1 - Bánki, Anna A1 - Michel, Christine A1 - Langeloh, Miriam A1 - Wass, Sam A1 - Hoehl, Stefanie T1 - DEEP: A dual EEG pipeline for developmental hyperscanning studies JF - Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience N2 - Cutting-edge hyperscanning methods led to a paradigm shift in social neuroscience. It allowed researchers to measure dynamic mutual alignment of neural processes between two or more individuals in naturalistic contexts. The ever-growing interest in hyperscanning research calls for the development of transparent and validated data analysis methods to further advance the field. We have developed and tested a dual electroencephalography (EEG) analysis pipeline, namely DEEP. Following the preprocessing of the data, DEEP allows users to calculate Phase Locking Values (PLVs) and cross-frequency PLVs as indices of inter-brain phase alignment of dyads as well as time-frequency responses and EEG power for each participant. The pipeline also includes scripts to control for spurious correlations. Our goal is to contribute to open and reproducible science practices by making DEEP publicly available together with an example mother-infant EEG hyperscanning dataset. KW - Developmental hyperscanning KW - Dual EEG analysis KW - Adult-child interaction KW - Phase Locking Value KW - PLV KW - Cross-frequency PLV KW - FieldTrip Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101104 SN - 1878-9307 VL - 54 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam, Niederlande ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jara-Muñoz, Julius A1 - Melnick, Daniel A1 - Li, Shaoyang A1 - Socquet, Anne A1 - Cortés-Aranda, Joaquín A1 - Brill, Dominik A1 - Strecker, Manfred T1 - The cryptic seismic potential of the Pichilemu blind fault in Chile revealed by off-fault geomorphology JF - Nature Communications N2 - The first step towards assessing hazards in seismically active regions involves mapping capable faults and estimating their recurrence times. While the mapping of active faults is commonly based on distinct geologic and geomorphic features evident at the surface, mapping blind seismogenic faults is complicated by the absence of on-fault diagnostic features. Here we investigated the Pichilemu Fault in coastal Chile, unknown until it generated a Mw 7.0 earthquake in 2010. The lack of evident surface faulting suggests activity along a partly-hidden blind fault. We used off-fault deformed marine terraces to estimate a fault-slip rate of 0.52 ± 0.04 m/ka, which, when integrated with satellite geodesy suggests a 2.12 ± 0.2 ka recurrence time for Mw~7.0 normal-faulting earthquakes. We propose that extension in the Pichilemu region is associated with stress changes during megathrust earthquakes and accommodated by sporadic slip during upper-plate earthquakes, which has implications for assessing the seismic potential of cryptic faults along convergent margins and elsewhere. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30754-1 SN - 2041-1723 VL - 13 PB - Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Jafarnezhadgero, Amir Ali A1 - Noroozi, Raha A1 - Fakhri Mirzanag, Ehsan A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - de Souza Castelo Oliveira, Anderson T1 - The Impact of COVID-19 and Muscle Fatigue on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Running Kinetics in Female Recreational Runners JF - Frontiers in Physiology N2 - Background: There is evidence that fully recovered COVID-19 patients usually resume physical exercise, but do not perform at the same intensity level performed prior to infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 infection and recovery as well as muscle fatigue on cardiorespiratory fitness and running biomechanics in female recreational runners. Methods: Twenty-eight females were divided into a group of hospitalized and recovered COVID-19 patients (COV, n = 14, at least 14 days following recovery) and a group of healthy age-matched controls (CTR, n = 14). Ground reaction forces from stepping on a force plate while barefoot overground running at 3.3 m/s was measured before and after a fatiguing protocol. The fatigue protocol consisted of incrementally increasing running speed until reaching a score of 13 on the 6–20 Borg scale, followed by steady-state running until exhaustion. The effects of group and fatigue were assessed for steady-state running duration, steady-state running speed, ground contact time, vertical instantaneous loading rate and peak propulsion force. Results: COV runners completed only 56% of the running time achieved by the CTR (p < 0.0001), and at a 26% slower steady-state running speed (p < 0.0001). There were fatigue-related reductions in loading rate (p = 0.004) without group differences. Increased ground contact time (p = 0.002) and reduced peak propulsion force (p = 0.005) were found for COV when compared to CTR. Conclusion: Our results suggest that female runners who recovered from COVID-19 showed compromised running endurance and altered running kinetics in the form of longer stance periods and weaker propulsion forces. More research is needed in this area using larger sample sizes to confirm our study findings. KW - hospitalization KW - running mechanics KW - ground reaction forces KW - virus infection KW - COVID-19 Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.942589 SN - 1664-042X VL - 13 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Herold, Fabian A1 - Theobald, Paula A1 - Gronwald, Thomas A1 - Rapp, Michael Armin A1 - Müller, Notger Germar T1 - Going digital – a commentary on the terminology used at the intersection of physical activity and digital health JF - European review of aging and physical activity N2 - In recent years digital technologies have become a major means for providing health-related services and this trend was strongly reinforced by the current Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As it is well-known that regular physical activity has positive effects on individual physical and mental health and thus is an important prerequisite for healthy aging, digital technologies are also increasingly used to promote unstructured and structured forms of physical activity. However, in the course of this development, several terms (e.g., Digital Health, Electronic Health, Mobile Health, Telehealth, Telemedicine, and Telerehabilitation) have been introduced to refer to the application of digital technologies to provide health-related services such as physical interventions. Unfortunately, the above-mentioned terms are often used in several different ways, but also relatively interchangeably. Given that ambiguous terminology is a major source of difficulty in scientific communication which can impede the progress of theoretical and empirical research, this article aims to make the reader aware of the subtle differences between the relevant terms which are applied at the intersection of physical activity and Digital Health and to provide state-of-art definitions for them. KW - Digital Health KW - Electronic Health KW - Mobile Health KW - Telehealth KW - Telemedicine KW - Physical activity KW - Physical training KW - Aging Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-022-00296-y SN - 1861-6909 VL - 19 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ; Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Herold, Fabian A1 - Labott, Berit K. A1 - Grässler, Bernhard A1 - Halfpaap, Nicole A1 - Langhans, Corinna A1 - Müller, Patrick A1 - Ammar, Achraf A1 - Dordevic, Milos A1 - Hökelmann, Anita A1 - Müller, Notger Germar T1 - A Link between Handgrip Strength and Executive Functioning: A Cross-Sectional Study in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Controls JF - Healthcare : open access journal N2 - Older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) who in addition to their memory deficits also suffer from frontal-executive dysfunctions have a higher risk of developing dementia later in their lives than older adults with aMCI without executive deficits and older adults with non-amnestic MCI (naMCI). Handgrip strength (HGS) is also correlated with the risk of cognitive decline in the elderly. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate the associations between HGS and executive functioning in individuals with aMCI, naMCI and healthy controls. Older, right-handed adults with amnestic MCI (aMCI), non-amnestic MCI (naMCI), and healthy controls (HC) conducted a handgrip strength measurement via a handheld dynamometer. Executive functions were assessed with the Trail Making Test (TMT A&B). Normalized handgrip strength (nHGS, normalized to Body Mass Index (BMI)) was calculated and its associations with executive functions (operationalized through z-scores of TMT B/A ratio) were investigated through partial correlation analyses (i.e., accounting for age, sex, and severity of depressive symptoms). A positive and low-to-moderate correlation between right nHGS (rp (22) = 0.364; p = 0.063) and left nHGS (rp (22) = 0.420; p = 0.037) and executive functioning in older adults with aMCI but not in naMCI or HC was observed. Our results suggest that higher levels of nHGS are linked to better executive functioning in aMCI but not naMCI and HC. This relationship is perhaps driven by alterations in the integrity of the hippocampal-prefrontal network occurring in older adults with aMCI. Further research is needed to provide empirical evidence for this assumption. KW - MCI KW - hippocampal-prefrontal network KW - handgrip strength KW - exercise cognition KW - aging KW - brain health Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10020230 SN - 2227-9032 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hermanussen, Michael A1 - Scheffler, Christiane T1 - Evidence of chronic undernutrition in late 19th century German infants of all social classes JF - Human biology and public health N2 - 125 years ago, European infants grew differently from modern infants. We show weight gains of 20 healthy children weighed longitudinally from birth to age 1 year, published by Camerer in 1882. The data illustrate the historically prevalent concepts of infant nutrition practiced by German civil servants, lawyers, merchants, university professors, physicians, foresters and farmers. Breastfeeding by the mother was not truly appreciated in those days; children were often breastfed by wet nurses or received bottled milk. Bottle feeding mainly used diluted cow’s milk with some added carbohydrates, without evidence that appropriate amounts of oil, butter or other fatty components were added. French children from 1914 showed similar weight gain patterns suggesting similar feeding practices. The historical data suggest that energy deficient infant formula was fed regularly in the late 19th and early 20th century Europe, regardless of wealth and social class. The data question current concerns that temporarily feeding energy deficient infant formula may warrant serious anxieties regarding long-term cognitive, social and emotional behavioral development. KW - chronic undernutrition KW - breastfeeding KW - historical growth KW - social class KW - translation Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2022.2.42 SN - 2748-9957 VL - 2022 IS - 2 PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hermanussen, Michael A1 - Groth, Detlef A1 - Scheffler, Christiane T1 - Human growth data analyses and statistics BT - The 4th Gülpe International Student Summer School JF - Human biology and public health N2 - Students learn by repetition. Repetition is essential, but repetition needs questioning, and questioning the repertoire belongs to the essential tasks of student education. Guiding students to questioning was and is our prime motive to offer our International Student Summer Schools. The data were critically discussed among the students, in the twilight of Just So Stories, common knowledge, and prompted questioning of contemporary solutions. For these schools, the students bring their own data, carry their preliminary concepts, and in group discussions, they may have to challenge these concepts. Catch-up growth is known to affect long bone growth, but different opinions exist to what extent it also affects body proportions. Skeletal age and dental development are considered appropriate measures of maturation, but it appears that both system develop independently and are regulated by different mechanisms. Body weight distributions are assumed to be skewed, yet, historic data disproved this assumption. Many discussions focused on current ideas of global growth standards as a common yardstick for all populations world-wide, with new statistical tools being developed including network reconstruction and evaluation of the reconstructs to determine the confidence of graph prediction methods. KW - Just so stories KW - Summer Schools KW - questioning solutions KW - repetition Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2021.3.29 SN - 2748-9957 VL - 2021 IS - 3, Summer School Supplement PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hering, Robert A1 - Hauptfleisch, Morgan A1 - Jago, Mark A1 - Smith, Taylor A1 - Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie A1 - Stiegler, Jonas A1 - Blaum, Niels T1 - Don't stop me now: Managed fence gaps could allow migratory ungulates to track dynamic resources and reduce fence related energy loss JF - Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution N2 - In semi-arid environments characterized by erratic rainfall and scattered primary production, migratory movements are a key survival strategy of large herbivores to track resources over vast areas. Veterinary Cordon Fences (VCFs), intended to reduce wildlife-livestock disease transmission, fragment large parts of southern Africa and have limited the movements of large wild mammals for over 60 years. Consequently, wildlife-fence interactions are frequent and often result in perforations of the fence, mainly caused by elephants. Yet, we lack knowledge about at which times fences act as barriers, how fences directly alter the energy expenditure of native herbivores, and what the consequences of impermeability are. We studied 2-year ungulate movements in three common antelopes (springbok, kudu, eland) across a perforated part of Namibia's VCF separating a wildlife reserve and Etosha National Park using GPS telemetry, accelerometer measurements, and satellite imagery. We identified 2905 fence interaction events which we used to evaluate critical times of encounters and direct fence effects on energy expenditure. Using vegetation type-specific greenness dynamics, we quantified what animals gained in terms of high quality food resources from crossing the VCF. Our results show that the perforation of the VCF sustains herbivore-vegetation interactions in the savanna with its scattered resources. Fence permeability led to peaks in crossing numbers during the first flush of woody plants before the rain started. Kudu and eland often showed increased energy expenditure when crossing the fence. Energy expenditure was lowered during the frequent interactions of ungulates standing at the fence. We found no alteration of energy expenditure when springbok immediately found and crossed fence breaches. Our results indicate that constantly open gaps did not affect energy expenditure, while gaps with obstacles increased motion. Closing gaps may have confused ungulates and modified their intended movements. While browsing, sedentary kudu's use of space was less affected by the VCF; migratory, mixed-feeding springbok, and eland benefited from gaps by gaining forage quality and quantity after crossing. This highlights the importance of access to vast areas to allow ungulates to track vital vegetation patches. KW - veterinary cordon fence KW - ungulate KW - fence ecology KW - resource-tracking KW - energy expenditure KW - accelerometer KW - GPS KW - wildlife and habitat management Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.907079 SN - 2296-701X SP - 1 EP - 18 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Heistermann, Maik A1 - Bogena, Heye A1 - Francke, Till A1 - Güntner, Andreas A1 - Jakobi, Jannis A1 - Rasche, Daniel A1 - Schrön, Martin A1 - Döpper, Veronika A1 - Fersch, Benjamin A1 - Groh, Jannis A1 - Patil, Amol A1 - Pütz, Thomas A1 - Reich, Marvin A1 - Zacharias, Steffen A1 - Zengerle, Carmen A1 - Oswald, Sascha T1 - Soil moisture observation in a forested headwater catchment: combining a dense cosmic-ray neutron sensor network with roving and hydrogravimetry at the TERENO site Wüstebach JF - Earth System Science Data (ESSD) N2 - Cosmic-ray neutron sensing (CRNS) has become an effective method to measure soil moisture at a horizontal scale of hundreds of metres and a depth of decimetres. Recent studies proposed operating CRNS in a network with overlapping footprints in order to cover root-zone water dynamics at the small catchment scale and, at the same time, to represent spatial heterogeneity. In a joint field campaign from September to November 2020 (JFC-2020), five German research institutions deployed 15 CRNS sensors in the 0.4 km2 Wüstebach catchment (Eifel mountains, Germany). The catchment is dominantly forested (but includes a substantial fraction of open vegetation) and features a topographically distinct catchment boundary. In addition to the dense CRNS coverage, the campaign featured a unique combination of additional instruments and techniques: hydro-gravimetry (to detect water storage dynamics also below the root zone); ground-based and, for the first time, airborne CRNS roving; an extensive wireless soil sensor network, supplemented by manual measurements; and six weighable lysimeters. Together with comprehensive data from the long-term local research infrastructure, the published data set (available at https://doi.org/10.23728/b2share.756ca0485800474e9dc7f5949c63b872; Heistermann et al., 2022) will be a valuable asset in various research contexts: to advance the retrieval of landscape water storage from CRNS, wireless soil sensor networks, or hydrogravimetry; to identify scale-specific combinations of sensors and methods to represent soil moisture variability; to improve the understanding and simulation of land–atmosphere exchange as well as hydrological and hydrogeological processes at the hillslope and the catchment scale; and to support the retrieval of soil water content from airborne and spaceborne remote sensing platforms. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-2501-2022 SN - 1866-3516 VL - 14 SP - 2501 EP - 2519 PB - Copernicus CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hecker, Pascal A1 - Steckhan, Nico A1 - Eyben, Florian A1 - Schuller, Björn Wolfgang A1 - Arnrich, Bert T1 - Voice Analysis for Neurological Disorder Recognition – A Systematic Review and Perspective on Emerging Trends JF - Frontiers in Digital Health N2 - Quantifying neurological disorders from voice is a rapidly growing field of research and holds promise for unobtrusive and large-scale disorder monitoring. The data recording setup and data analysis pipelines are both crucial aspects to effectively obtain relevant information from participants. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to provide a high-level overview of practices across various neurological disorders and highlight emerging trends. PRISMA-based literature searches were conducted through PubMed, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore to identify publications in which original (i.e., newly recorded) datasets were collected. Disorders of interest were psychiatric as well as neurodegenerative disorders, such as bipolar disorder, depression, and stress, as well as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease, and speech impairments (aphasia, dysarthria, and dysphonia). Of the 43 retrieved studies, Parkinson's disease is represented most prominently with 19 discovered datasets. Free speech and read speech tasks are most commonly used across disorders. Besides popular feature extraction toolkits, many studies utilise custom-built feature sets. Correlations of acoustic features with psychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders are presented. In terms of analysis, statistical analysis for significance of individual features is commonly used, as well as predictive modeling approaches, especially with support vector machines and a small number of artificial neural networks. An emerging trend and recommendation for future studies is to collect data in everyday life to facilitate longitudinal data collection and to capture the behavior of participants more naturally. Another emerging trend is to record additional modalities to voice, which can potentially increase analytical performance. KW - neurological disorders KW - voice KW - speech KW - everyday life KW - multiple modalities KW - machine learning KW - disorder recognition Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2022.842301 SN - 2673-253X PB - Frontiers Media SA CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hauffe, Robert A1 - Rath, Michaela A1 - Agyapong, Wilson A1 - Jonas, Wenke A1 - Vogel, Heike A1 - Schulz, Tim Julius A1 - Schwarz, Maria A1 - Kipp, Anna Patricia A1 - Blüher, Matthias A1 - Kleinridders, André T1 - Obesity Hinders the Protective Effect of Selenite Supplementation on Insulin Signaling JF - Antioxidants N2 - The intake of high-fat diets (HFDs) containing large amounts of saturated long-chain fatty acids leads to obesity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance. The trace element selenium, as a crucial part of antioxidative selenoproteins, can protect against the development of diet-induced insulin resistance in white adipose tissue (WAT) by increasing glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) and insulin receptor (IR) expression. Whether selenite (Se) can attenuate insulin resistance in established lipotoxic and obese conditions is unclear. We confirm that GPX3 mRNA expression in adipose tissue correlates with BMI in humans. Cultivating 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes in palmitate-containing medium followed by Se treatment attenuates insulin resistance with enhanced GPx3 and IR expression and adipocyte differentiation. However, feeding obese mice a selenium-enriched high-fat diet (SRHFD) only resulted in a modest increase in overall selenoprotein gene expression in WAT in mice with unaltered body weight development, glucose tolerance, and insulin resistance. While Se supplementation improved adipocyte morphology, it did not alter WAT insulin sensitivity. However, mice fed a SRHFD exhibited increased insulin content in the pancreas. Overall, while selenite protects against palmitate-induced insulin resistance in vitro, obesity impedes the effect of selenite on insulin action and adipose tissue metabolism in vivo. KW - selenite KW - insulin KW - adipose tissue KW - obesity KW - insulin resistance Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox11050862 SN - 2076-3921 VL - 11 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 5 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Haase, Jennifer A1 - Hanel, Paul H. P. T1 - Priming creativity: Doing math reduces creativity and happiness whereas playing short online games enhance them JF - Frontiers in Education N2 - Creative thinking is an indispensable cognitive skill that is becoming increasingly important. In the present research, we tested the impact of games on creativity and emotions in a between-subject online experiment with four conditions (N = 658). (1) participants played a simple puzzle game that allowed many solutions (priming divergent thinking); (2) participants played a short game that required one fitting solution (priming convergent thinking); (3) participants performed mental arithmetic; (4) passive control condition. Results show that divergent and convergent creativity were higher after playing games and lower after mental arithmetic. Positive emotions did not function as a mediator, even though they were also heightened after playing the games and lower after mental arithmetic. However, contrary to previous research, we found no direct effect of emotions, creative self-efficacy, and growth- vs. fixed on creative performance. We discuss practical implications for digital learning and application settings. KW - creativity KW - priming KW - enhancement KW - math KW - games KW - happiness Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.976459 SN - 2504-284X PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Göldel, Julia M. A1 - Kamrath, Clemens A1 - Minden, Kirsten A1 - Wiegand, Susanna A1 - Lanzinger, Stefanie A1 - Sengler, Claudia A1 - Weihrauch-Blüher, Susann A1 - Holl, Reinhard W. A1 - Tittel, Sascha René A1 - Warschburger, Petra T1 - Access to Healthcare for Children and Adolescents with a Chronic Health Condition during the COVID-19 Pandemic: First Results from the KICK-COVID Study in Germany JF - Children N2 - This study examines the access to healthcare for children and adolescents with three common chronic diseases (type-1 diabetes (T1D), obesity, or juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)) within the 4th (Delta), 5th (Omicron), and beginning of the 6th (Omicron) wave (June 2021 until July 2022) of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany in a cross-sectional study using three national patient registries. A paper-and-pencil questionnaire was given to parents of pediatric patients (<21 years) during the routine check-ups. The questionnaire contains self-constructed items assessing the frequency of healthcare appointments and cancellations, remote healthcare, and satisfaction with healthcare. In total, 905 parents participated in the T1D-sample, 175 in the obesity-sample, and 786 in the JIA-sample. In general, satisfaction with healthcare (scale: 0–10; 10 reflecting the highest satisfaction) was quite high (median values: T1D 10, JIA 10, obesity 8.5). The proportion of children and adolescents with canceled appointments was relatively small (T1D 14.1%, JIA 11.1%, obesity 20%), with a median of 1 missed appointment, respectively. Only a few parents (T1D 8.6%; obesity 13.1%; JIA 5%) reported obstacles regarding health services during the pandemic. To conclude, it seems that access to healthcare was largely preserved for children and adolescents with chronic health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. KW - chronic health condition KW - children and adolescents KW - health care KW - COVID-19 pandemic KW - diabetes KW - rheumatic diseases KW - obesity Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010010 SN - 2227-9067 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 1 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Giraudier, Manon A1 - Ventura-Bort, Carlos A1 - Wendt, Julia A1 - Lischke, Alexander A1 - Weymar, Mathias T1 - Memory advantage for untrustworthy faces: Replication across lab- and web-based studies JF - PLoS ONE N2 - The Covid-19 pandemic imposed new constraints on empirical research and forced researchers to transfer from traditional laboratory research to the online environment. This study tested the validity of a web-based episodic memory paradigm by comparing participants’ memory performance for trustworthy and untrustworthy facial stimuli in a supervised laboratory setting and an unsupervised web setting. Consistent with previous results, we observed enhanced episodic memory for untrustworthy compared to trustworthy faces. Most importantly, this memory bias was comparable in the online and the laboratory experiment, suggesting that web-based procedures are a promising tool for memory research. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0264034 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 17 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - PLoS ONE CY - San Francisco, California, US ET - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Giraudier, Manon A1 - Ventura-Bort, Carlos A1 - Burger, Andreas M. A1 - Claes, Nathalie A1 - D'Agostini, Martina A1 - Fischer, Rico A1 - Franssen, Mathijs A1 - Kaess, Michael A1 - Koenig, Julian A1 - Liepelt, Roman A1 - Nieuwenhuis, Sander A1 - Sommer, Aldo A1 - Usichenko, Taras A1 - Van Diest, Ilse A1 - von Leupoldt, Andreas A1 - Warren, Christopher Michael A1 - Weymar, Mathias T1 - Evidence for a modulating effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) on salivary alpha-amylase as indirect noradrenergic marker: A pooled mega-analysis JF - Brain Stimulation N2 - Background Non-invasive transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has received tremendous attention as a potential neuromodulator of cognitive and affective functions, which likely exerts its effects via activation of the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline (LC-NA) system. Reliable effects of taVNS on markers of LC-NA system activity, however, have not been demonstrated yet. Methods The aim of the present study was to overcome previous limitations by pooling raw data from a large sample of ten taVNS studies (371 healthy participants) that collected salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) as a potential marker of central NA release. Results While a meta-analytic approach using summary statistics did not yield any significant effects, linear mixed model analyses showed that afferent stimulation of the vagus nerve via taVNS increased sAA levels compared to sham stimulation (b = 0.16, SE = 0.05, p = 0.001). When considering potential confounders of sAA, we further replicated previous findings on the diurnal trajectory of sAA activity. Conclusion(s) Vagal activation via taVNS increases sAA release compared to sham stimulation, which likely substantiates the assumption that taVNS triggers NA release. Moreover, our results highlight the benefits of data pooling and data sharing in order to allow stronger conclusions in research. KW - Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation KW - tVNS KW - sAA KW - Noradrenaline KW - Biomarker KW - Data pooling Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2022.09.009 SN - 1876-4754 VL - 15 SP - 1378 EP - 1388 PB - Elsevier CY - New York, NY, USA ET - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gebel, Arnd A1 - Busch, Aglaja A1 - Stelzel, Christine A1 - Hortobágyi, Tibor A1 - Granacher, Urs T1 - Effects of Physical and Mental Fatigue on Postural Sway and Cortical Activity in Healthy Young Adults JF - Frontiers in Human Neuroscience N2 - Physical fatigue (PF) negatively affects postural control, resulting in impaired balance performance in young and older adults. Similar effects on postural control can be observed for mental fatigue (MF) mainly in older adults. Controversial results exist for young adults. There is a void in the literature on the effects of fatigue on balance and cortical activity. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the acute effects of PF and MF on postural sway and cortical activity. Fifteen healthy young adults aged 28 ± 3 years participated in this study. MF and PF protocols comprising of an all-out repeated sit-to-stand task and a computer-based attention network test, respectively, were applied in random order. Pre and post fatigue, cortical activity and postural sway (i.e., center of pressure displacements [CoPd], velocity [CoPv], and CoP variability [CV CoPd, CV CoPv]) were tested during a challenging bipedal balance board task. Absolute spectral power was calculated for theta (4–7.5 Hz), alpha-2 (10.5–12.5 Hz), beta-1 (13–18 Hz), and beta-2 (18.5–25 Hz) in frontal, central, and parietal regions of interest (ROI) and baseline-normalized. Inference statistics revealed a significant time-by-fatigue interaction for CoPd (p = 0.009, d = 0.39, Δ 9.2%) and CoPv (p = 0.009, d = 0.36, Δ 9.2%), and a significant main effect of time for CoP variability (CV CoPd: p = 0.001, d = 0.84; CV CoPv: p = 0.05, d = 0.62). Post hoc analyses showed a significant increase in CoPd (p = 0.002, d = 1.03) and CoPv (p = 0.003, d = 1.03) following PF but not MF. For cortical activity, a significant time-by-fatigue interaction was found for relative alpha-2 power in parietal (p < 0.001, d = 0.06) areas. Post hoc tests indicated larger alpha-2 power increases after PF (p < 0.001, d = 1.69, Δ 3.9%) compared to MF (p = 0.001, d = 1.03, Δ 2.5%). In addition, changes in parietal alpha-2 power and measures of postural sway did not correlate significantly, irrespective of the applied fatigue protocol. No significant changes were found for the other frequency bands, irrespective of the fatigue protocol and ROI under investigation. Thus, the applied PF protocol resulted in increased postural sway (CoPd and CoPv) and CoP variability accompanied by enhanced alpha-2 power in the parietal ROI while MF led to increased CoP variability and alpha-2 power in our sample of young adults. Potential underlying cortical mechanisms responsible for the greater increase in parietal alpha-2 power after PF were discussed but could not be clearly identified as cause. Therefore, further future research is needed to decipher alternative interpretations. KW - balance KW - cognitive/muscular fatigue KW - EEG KW - theta KW - alpha-2 Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.871930 SN - 1662-5161 VL - 16 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Frontiers Media S.A. CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, Melanie A1 - Brettin, Jana A1 - Roessner, Sigrid A1 - Walz, Ariane A1 - Fort, Monique A1 - Korup, Oliver T1 - Rare flood scenarios for a rapidly growing high-mountain city: Pokhara, Nepal JF - Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences N2 - Pokhara (ca. 850 m a.s.l.), Nepal's second-largest city, lies at the foot of the Higher Himalayas and has more than tripled its population in the past 3 decades. Construction materials are in high demand in rapidly expanding built-up areas, and several informal settlements cater to unregulated sand and gravel mining in the Pokhara Valley's main river, the Seti Khola. This river is fed by the Sabche glacier below Annapurna III (7555 m a.s.l.), some 35 km upstream of the city, and traverses one of the steepest topographic gradients in the Himalayas. In May 2012 a sudden flood caused >70 fatalities and intense damage along this river and rekindled concerns about flood risk management. We estimate the flow dynamics and inundation depths of flood scenarios using the hydrodynamic model HEC-RAS (Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System). We simulate the potential impacts of peak discharges from 1000 to 10 000 m3 s−1 on land cover based on high-resolution Maxar satellite imagery and OpenStreetMap data (buildings and road network). We also trace the dynamics of two informal settlements near Kaseri and Yamdi with high potential flood impact from RapidEye, PlanetScope, and Google Earth imagery of the past 2 decades. Our hydrodynamic simulations highlight several sites of potential hydraulic ponding that would largely affect these informal settlements and sites of sand and gravel mining. These built-up areas grew between 3- and 20-fold, thus likely raising local flood exposure well beyond changes in flood hazard. Besides these drastic local changes, about 1 % of Pokhara's built-up urban area and essential rural road network is in the highest-hazard zones highlighted by our flood simulations. Our results stress the need to adapt early-warning strategies for locally differing hydrological and geomorphic conditions in this rapidly growing urban watershed. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-22-3105-2022 SN - 1684-9981 VL - 22 SP - 3105 EP - 3123 PB - Copernicus Publications CY - Katlenburg-Lindau ET - 9 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Figueroa Campos, Gustavo Adolfo A1 - G. K. T. Kruizenga, Johannes A1 - Sagu Tchewonpi, Sorel A1 - Schwarz, Steffen A1 - Homann, Thomas A1 - Taubert, Andreas A1 - Rawel, Harshadrai Manilal T1 - Effect of the post-harvest processing on protein modification in green coffee beans by phenolic compounds JF - Foods : open access journal N2 - The protein fraction, important for coffee cup quality, is modified during post-harvest treatment prior to roasting. Proteins may interact with phenolic compounds, which constitute the major metabolites of coffee, where the processing affects these interactions. This allows the hypothesis that the proteins are denatured and modified via enzymatic and/or redox activation steps. The present study was initiated to encompass changes in the protein fraction. The investigations were limited to major storage protein of green coffee beans. Fourteen Coffea arabica samples from various processing methods and countries were used. Different extraction protocols were compared to maintain the status quo of the protein modification. The extracts contained about 4–8 µg of chlorogenic acid derivatives per mg of extracted protein. High-resolution chromatography with multiple reaction monitoring was used to detect lysine modifications in the coffee protein. Marker peptides were allocated for the storage protein of the coffee beans. Among these, the modified peptides K.FFLANGPQQGGK.E and R.LGGK.T of the α-chain and R.ITTVNSQK.I and K.VFDDEVK.Q of β-chain were detected. Results showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) of modified peptides from wet processed green beans as compared to the dry ones. The present study contributes to a better understanding of the influence of the different processing methods on protein quality and its role in the scope of coffee cup quality and aroma. View Full-Text KW - Arabica coffee KW - coffee processing KW - protein modification KW - bound phenolic compounds KW - peptide biomarkers KW - LC-MS/MS Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11020159 SN - 2304-8158 VL - 11 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fernandez-Fernandez, Jaime A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - Martinez-Martin, Isidoro A1 - Garcia-Tormo, José Vicente A1 - Herrero-Molleda, Alba A1 - Barbado, David A1 - García López, Juan T1 - Physical fitness and throwing speed in U13 versus U15 male handball players JF - BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation N2 - Background The aim of this study was to analyze the shoulder functional profile (rotation range of motion [ROM] and strength), upper and lower body performance, and throwing speed of U13 versus U15 male handball players, and to establish the relationship between these measures of physical fitness and throwing speed. Methods One-hundred and nineteen young male handball players (under (U)-13 (U13) [n = 85]) and U15 [n = 34]) volunteered to participate in this study. The participating athletes had a mean background of sytematic handball training of 5.5 ± 2.8 years and they exercised on average 540 ± 10.1 min per week including sport-specific team handball training and strength and conditioning programs. Players were tested for passive shoulder range-of-motion (ROM) for both internal (IR) and external rotation (ER) and isometric strength (i.e., IR and ER) of the dominant/non-dominant shoulders, overhead medicine ball throw (OMB), hip isometric abductor (ABD) and adductor (ADD) strength, hip ROM, jumps (countermovement jump [CMJ] and triple leg-hop [3H] for distance), linear sprint test, modified 505 change-of-direction (COD) test and handball throwing speed (7 m [HT7] and 9 m [HT9]). Results U15 players outperformed U13 in upper (i.e., HT7 and HT9 speed, OMB, absolute IR and ER strength of the dominant and non-dominant sides; Cohen’s d: 0.76–2.13) and lower body (i.e., CMJ, 3H, 20-m sprint and COD, hip ABD and ADD; d: 0.70–2.33) performance measures. Regarding shoulder ROM outcomes, a lower IR ROM was found of the dominant side in the U15 group compared to the U13 and a higher ER ROM on both sides in U15 (d: 0.76–1.04). It seems that primarily anthropometric characteristics (i.e., body height, body mass) and upper body strength/power (OMB distance) are the most important factors that explain the throw speed variance in male handball players, particularly in U13. Conclusions Findings from this study imply that regular performance monitoring is important for performance development and for minimizing injury risk of the shoulder in both age categories of young male handball players. Besides measures of physical fitness, anthropometric data should be recorded because handball throwing performance is related to these measures. KW - Overhead athletes KW - Shoulder KW - Injury risk KW - Sport-specific performance Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-022-00507-0 SN - 1758-2555 VL - 14 PB - Springer CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Evans, Myfanwy E. A1 - Hyde, Stephen T. T1 - Symmetric Tangling of Honeycomb Networks JF - Symmetry N2 - Symmetric, elegantly entangled structures are a curious mathematical construction that has found their way into the heart of the chemistry lab and the toolbox of constructive geometry. Of particular interest are those structures—knots, links and weavings—which are composed locally of simple twisted strands and are globally symmetric. This paper considers the symmetric tangling of multiple 2-periodic honeycomb networks. We do this using a constructive methodology borrowing elements of graph theory, low-dimensional topology and geometry. The result is a wide-ranging enumeration of symmetric tangled honeycomb networks, providing a foundation for their exploration in both the chemistry lab and the geometers toolbox. KW - tangles KW - knots KW - networks KW - periodic entanglement KW - molecular weaving KW - graphs Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/sym14091805 SN - 2073-8994 VL - 14 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 9 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ellermann, Christin A1 - McDowell, Michelle A1 - Schirren, Clara O. A1 - Lindemann, Ann-Kathrin A1 - Koch, Severine A1 - Lohmann, Mark A1 - Jenny, Mirjam Annina T1 - Identifying content to improve risk assessment communications within the Risk Profile: Literature reviews and focus groups with expert and non-expert stakeholders JF - PLoS ONE N2 - Objective To improve consumer decision making, the results of risk assessments on food, feed, consumer products or chemicals need to be communicated not only to experts but also to non-expert audiences. The present study draws on evidence from literature reviews and focus groups with diverse stakeholders to identify content to integrate into an existing risk assessment communication (Risk Profile). Methods A combination of rapid literature reviews and focus groups with experts (risk assessors (n = 15), risk managers (n = 8)), and non-experts (general public (n = 18)) were used to identify content and strategies for including information about risk assessment results in the “Risk Profile” from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment. Feedback from initial focus groups was used to develop communication prototypes that informed subsequent feedback rounds in an iterative process. A final prototype was validated in usability tests with experts. Results Focus group feedback and suggestions from risk assessors were largely in line with findings from the literature. Risk managers and lay persons offered similar suggestions on how to improve the existing communication of risk assessment results (e.g., including more explanatory detail, reporting probabilities for individual health impairments, and specifying risks for subgroups in additional sections). Risk managers found information about quality of evidence important to communicate, whereas people from the general public found this information less relevant. Participants from lower educational backgrounds had difficulties understanding the purpose of risk assessments. User tests found that the final prototype was appropriate and feasible to implement by risk assessors. Conclusion An iterative and evidence-based process was used to develop content to improve the communication of risk assessments to the general public while being feasible to use by risk assessors. Remaining challenges include how to communicate dose-response relationships and standardise quality of evidence ratings across disciplines. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0266800 SN - 1553-7358 VL - 17 PB - Public Library of Science (PLOS) CY - San Francisco, California, USA ET - 4 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - EL-Ashker, Said A1 - Chaabene, Helmi A1 - Prieske, Olaf T1 - Maximal isokinetic elbow and knee flexor–extensor strength measures in combat sports athletes: the role of movement velocity and limb side JF - BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation N2 - Background Maximal isokinetic strength ratios of joint flexors and extensors are important parameters to indicate the level of muscular balance at the joint. Further, in combat sports athletes, upper and lower limb muscle strength is affected by the type of sport. Thus, this study aimed to examine the differences in maximal isokinetic strength of the flexors and extensors and the corresponding flexor–extensor strength ratios of the elbows and knees in combat sports athletes. Method Forty male participants (age = 22.3 ± 2.5 years) from four different combat sports (amateur boxing, taekwondo, karate, and judo; n = 10 per sport) were tested for eccentric peak torque of the elbow/knee flexors (EF/KF) and concentric peak torque of the elbow/knee extensors (EE/KE) at three different angular velocities (60, 120, and 180°/s) on the dominant and non-dominant side using an isokinetic device. Results Analyses revealed significant, large-sized group × velocity × limb interactions for EF, EE, and EF–EE ratio, KF, KE, and KF–KE ratio (p ≤ 0.03; 0.91 ≤ d ≤ 1.75). Post-hoc analyses indicated that amateur boxers displayed the largest EE strength values on the non-dominant side at ≤ 120°/s and the dominant side at ≥ 120°/s (p < 0.03; 1.21 ≤ d ≤ 1.59). The largest EF–EE strength ratios were observed on amateur boxers’ and judokas’ non-dominant side at ≥ 120°/s (p < 0.04; 1.36 ≤ d ≤ 2.44). Further, we found lower KF–KE strength measures in karate (p < 0.04; 1.12 ≤ d ≤ 6.22) and judo athletes (p ≤ 0.03; 1.60 ≤ d ≤ 5.31) particularly on the non-dominant side. Conclusions The present findings indicated combat sport-specific differences in maximal isokinetic strength measures of EF, EE, KF, and KE particularly in favor of amateur boxers on the non-dominant side. KW - Dynamometry KW - Martial arts KW - Hamstring-quadriceps ratio KW - Eccentric muscle action KW - Injury Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13102-022-00432-2 SN - 1758-2555 VL - 13 PB - Springer Nature CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ehlert, Antje A1 - Poltz, Nadine A1 - Quandte, Sabine A1 - Kohn-Henkel, Juliane A1 - Kucian, Karin A1 - Aster, Michael von A1 - Esser, Günter T1 - Taking a closer look: The relationship between pre-school domain general cognition and school mathematics achievement when controlling for intelligence JF - Journal of Intelligence N2 - Intelligence, as well as working memory and attention, affect the acquisition of mathematical competencies. This paper aimed to examine the influence of working memory and attention when taking different mathematical skills into account as a function of children’s intellectual ability. Overall, intelligence, working memory, attention and numerical skills were assessed twice in 1868 German pre-school children (t1, t2) and again at 2nd grade (t3). We defined three intellectual ability groups based on the results of intellectual assessment at t1 and t2. Group comparisons revealed significant differences between the three intellectual ability groups. Over time, children with low intellectual ability showed the lowest achievement in domain-general and numerical and mathematical skills compared to children of average intellectual ability. The highest achievement on the aforementioned variables was found for children of high intellectual ability. Additionally, path modelling revealed that, depending on the intellectual ability, different models of varying complexity could be generated. These models differed with regard to the relevance of the predictors (t2) and the future mathematical skills (t3). Causes and conclusions of these findings are discussed. KW - intellectual ability KW - intelligence KW - pre-school KW - mathematical development KW - school mathematics KW - longitudinal KW - numerical skills KW - working memory KW - attention Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence10030070 SN - 2079-3200 VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 23 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 3 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eckert, Silvia A1 - Herden, Jasmin A1 - Stift, Marc A1 - Durka, Walter A1 - Kleunen, Mark Van A1 - Joshi, Jasmin Radha T1 - Traces of Genetic but Not Epigenetic Adaptation in the Invasive Goldenrod Solidago canadensis Despite the Absence of Population Structure JF - Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution N2 - Biological invasions may result from multiple introductions, which might compensate for reduced gene pools caused by bottleneck events, but could also dilute adaptive processes. A previous common-garden experiment showed heritable latitudinal clines in fitness-related traits in the invasive goldenrod Solidago canadensis in Central Europe. These latitudinal clines remained stable even in plants chemically treated with zebularine to reduce epigenetic variation. However, despite the heritability of traits investigated, genetic isolation-by-distance was non-significant. Utilizing the same specimens, we applied a molecular analysis of (epi)genetic differentiation with standard and methylation-sensitive (MSAP) AFLPs. We tested whether this variation was spatially structured among populations and whether zebularine had altered epigenetic variation. Additionally, we used genome scans to mine for putative outlier loci susceptible to selection processes in the invaded range. Despite the absence of isolation-by-distance, we found spatial genetic neighborhoods among populations and two AFLP clusters differentiating northern and southern Solidago populations. Genetic and epigenetic diversity were significantly correlated, but not linked to phenotypic variation. Hence, no spatial epigenetic patterns were detected along the latitudinal gradient sampled. Applying genome-scan approaches (BAYESCAN, BAYESCENV, RDA, and LFMM), we found 51 genetic and epigenetic loci putatively responding to selection. One of these genetic loci was significantly more frequent in populations at the northern range. Also, one epigenetic locus was more frequent in populations in the southern range, but this pattern was lost under zebularine treatment. Our results point to some genetic, but not epigenetic adaptation processes along a large-scale latitudinal gradient of S. canadensis in its invasive range. KW - AFLP KW - MSAP KW - cytosine methylation KW - spatial autocorrelation KW - genome scan Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.856453 SN - 2296-701X VL - 10 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eccard, Jana A1 - Herde, Antje A1 - Schuster, Andrea C. A1 - Liesenjohann, Thilo A1 - Knopp, Tatjana A1 - Heckel, Gerald A1 - Dammhahn, Melanie T1 - Fitness, risk taking, and spatial behavior covary with boldness in experimental vole populations JF - Ecology And Evolution N2 - Individuals of a population may vary along a pace-of-life syndrome from highly fecund, short-lived, bold, dispersive “fast” types at one end of the spectrum to less fecund, long-lived, shy, plastic “slow” types at the other end. Risk-taking behavior might mediate the underlying life history trade-off, but empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis is still ambiguous. Using experimentally created populations of common voles (Microtus arvalis)—a species with distinct seasonal life history trajectories—we aimed to test whether individual differences in boldness behavior covary with risk taking, space use, and fitness. We quantified risk taking, space use (via automated tracking), survival, and reproductive success (via genetic parentage analysis) in 8 to 14 experimental, mixed-sex populations of 113 common voles of known boldness type in large grassland enclosures over a significant part of their adult life span and two reproductive events. Populations were assorted to contain extreme boldness types (bold or shy) of both sexes. Bolder individuals took more risks than shyer ones, which did not affect survival. Bolder males but not females produced more offspring than shy conspecifics. Daily home range and core area sizes, based on 95% and 50% Kernel density estimates (20 ± 10 per individual, n = 54 individuals), were highly repeatable over time. Individual space use unfolded differently for sex-boldness type combinations over the course of the experiment. While day ranges decreased for shy females, they increased for bold females and all males. Space use trajectories may, hence, indicate differences in coping styles when confronted with a novel social and physical environment. Thus, interindividual differences in boldness predict risk taking under near-natural conditions and have consequences for fitness in males, which have a higher reproductive potential than females. Given extreme inter- and intra-annual fluctuations in population density in the study species and its short life span, density-dependent fluctuating selection operating differently on the sexes might maintain (co)variation in boldness, risk taking, and pace-of-life. KW - animal personality KW - automated radio telemetry KW - behavioral type KW - fitness KW - home range KW - Microtus arvalis KW - parentage KW - reproductive success Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.8521 SN - 2045-7758 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - John Wiley & Sons, Inc. CY - Vereinigte Staaten ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dordevic, Milos A1 - Hölzer, Sonja A1 - Russo, Augusta A1 - García Alanis, José Carlos A1 - Müller, Notger Germar T1 - The Role of the Precuneus in Human Spatial Updating in a Real Environment Setting—A cTBS Study JF - Life N2 - As we move through an environment, we update positions of our body relative to other objects, even when some objects temporarily or permanently leave our field of view—this ability is termed egocentric spatial updating and plays an important role in everyday life. Still, our knowledge about its representation in the brain is still scarce, with previous studies using virtual movements in virtual environments or patients with brain lesions suggesting that the precuneus might play an important role. However, whether this assumption is also true when healthy humans move in real environments where full body-based cues are available in addition to the visual cues typically used in many VR studies is unclear. Therefore, in this study we investigated the role of the precuneus in egocentric spatial updating in a real environment setting in 20 healthy young participants who underwent two conditions in a cross-over design: (a) stimulation, achieved through applying continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) to inhibit the precuneus and (b) sham condition (activated coil turned upside down). In both conditions, participants had to walk back with blindfolded eyes to objects they had previously memorized while walking with open eyes. Simplified trials (without spatial updating) were used as control condition, to make sure the participants were not affected by factors such as walking blindfolded, vestibular or working memory deficits. A significant interaction was found, with participants performing better in the sham condition compared to real stimulation, showing smaller errors both in distance and angle. The results of our study reveal evidence of an important role of the precuneus in a real-environment egocentric spatial updating; studies on larger samples are necessary to confirm and further investigate this finding. KW - precuneus KW - spatial updating KW - TMS KW - cTBS Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/life12081239 SN - 2075-1729 VL - 12 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 8 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Delfan, Maryam A1 - Vahed, Alieh A1 - Bishop, David A1 - Juybari, Raheleh Amadeh A1 - Laher, Ismail A1 - Saeidi, Ayoub A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - Zouhal, Hassane T1 - Effects of two workload-matched high-intensity interval training protocols on regulatory factors associated with mitochondrial biogenesis in the soleus muscle of diabetic rats JF - Frontiers in Physiology N2 - Aims: High intensity interval training (HIIT) improves mitochondrial characteristics. This study compared the impact of two workload-matched high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols with different work:recovery ratios on regulatory factors related to mitochondrial biogenesis in the soleus muscle of diabetic rats. Materials and methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomly divided into four equal-sized groups: non-diabetic control, diabetic control (DC), diabetic with long recovery exercise [4–5 × 2-min running at 80%–90% of the maximum speed reached with 2-min of recovery at 40% of the maximum speed reached (DHIIT1:1)], and diabetic with short recovery exercise (5–6 × 2-min running at 80%–90% of the maximum speed reached with 1-min of recovery at 30% of the maximum speed reached [DHIIT2:1]). Both HIIT protocols were completed five times/week for 4 weeks while maintaining equal running distances in each session. Results: Gene and protein expressions of PGC-1α, p53, and citrate synthase of the muscles increased significantly following DHIIT1:1 and DHIIT2:1 compared to DC (p ˂ 0.05). Most parameters, except for PGC-1α protein (p = 0.597), were significantly higher in DHIIT2:1 than in DHIIT1:1 (p ˂ 0.05). Both DHIIT groups showed significant increases in maximum speed with larger increases in DHIIT2:1 compared with DHIIT1:1. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that both HIIT protocols can potently up-regulate gene and protein expression of PGC-1α, p53, and CS. However, DHIIT2:1 has superior effects compared with DHIIT1:1 in improving mitochondrial adaptive responses in diabetic rats. KW - diabetes mellitus KW - muscle metabolism KW - time-efficient exercise KW - mitochondrial adaptation KW - exercise training Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.927969 SN - 1664-042X SP - 1 EP - 12 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Delfan, Maryam A1 - Juybari, Raheleh Amadeh A1 - Gorgani-Firuzjaee, Sattar A1 - Nielsen, Jens Høiriis A1 - Delfan, Neda A1 - Laher, Ismail A1 - Saeidi, Ayoub A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - Zouhal, Hassane T1 - High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Cardiac Function by miR-206 Dependent HSP60 Induction in Diabetic Rats JF - Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine N2 - Objective: A role for microRNAs is implicated in several biological and pathological processes. We investigated the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on molecular markers of diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats. Methods: Eighteen male Wistar rats (260 ± 10 g; aged 8 weeks) with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetes mellitus (55 mg/kg, IP) were randomly allocated to three groups: control, MICT, and HIIT. The two different training protocols were performed 5 days each week for 5 weeks. Cardiac performance (end-systolic and end-diastolic dimensions, ejection fraction), the expression of miR-206, HSP60, and markers of apoptosis (cleaved PARP and cytochrome C) were determined at the end of the exercise interventions. Results: Both exercise interventions (HIIT and MICT) decreased blood glucose levels and improved cardiac performance, with greater changes in the HIIT group (p < 0.001, η2: 0.909). While the expressions of miR-206 and apoptotic markers decreased in both training protocols (p < 0.001, η2: 0.967), HIIT caused greater reductions in apoptotic markers and produced a 20% greater reduction in miR-206 compared with the MICT protocol (p < 0.001). Furthermore, both training protocols enhanced the expression of HSP60 (p < 0.001, η2: 0.976), with a nearly 50% greater increase in the HIIT group compared with MICT. Conclusions: Our results indicate that both exercise protocols, HIIT and MICT, have the potential to reduce diabetic cardiomyopathy by modifying the expression of miR-206 and its downstream targets of apoptosis. It seems however that HIIT is even more effective than MICT to modulate these molecular markers. KW - diabetes KW - apoptosis KW - miRNAs KW - exercise KW - cardiomyopathy Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.927956 SN - 2297-055X VL - 9 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Deeken, Friederike A1 - Reichert, Markus A1 - Zech, Hilmar A1 - Wenzel, Julia A1 - Wedemeyer, Friederike A1 - Aguilera, Alvaro A1 - Aslan, Acelya A1 - Bach, Patrick A1 - Bahr, Nadja Samia A1 - Ebrahimi, Claudia A1 - Fischbach, Pascale Christine A1 - Ganz, Marvin A1 - Garbusow, Maria A1 - Großkopf, Charlotte M. A1 - Heigert, Marie A1 - Hentschel, Angela A1 - Karl, Damian A1 - Pelz, Patricia A1 - Pinger, Mathieu A1 - Riemerschmid, Carlotta A1 - Rosenthal, Annika A1 - Steffen, Johannes A1 - Strehle, Jens A1 - Weiss,, Franziska A1 - Wieder, Gesine A1 - Wieland, Alfred A1 - Zaiser, Judith A1 - Zimmermann, Sina A1 - Walter, Henrik A1 - Lenz, Bernd A1 - Deserno, Lorenz A1 - Smolka, Michael N. A1 - Liu, Shuyan A1 - Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich Walter A1 - Heinz, Andreas A1 - Rapp, Michael Armin T1 - Patterns of Alcohol Consumption Among Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdowns in Germany JF - JAMA Network Open N2 - Importance Alcohol consumption (AC) leads to death and disability worldwide. Ongoing discussions on potential negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on AC need to be informed by real-world evidence. Objective To examine whether lockdown measures are associated with AC and consumption-related temporal and psychological within-person mechanisms. Design, Setting, and Participants This quantitative, intensive, longitudinal cohort study recruited 1743 participants from 3 sites from February 20, 2020, to February 28, 2021. Data were provided before and within the second lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: before lockdown (October 2 to November 1, 2020); light lockdown (November 2 to December 15, 2020); and hard lockdown (December 16, 2020, to February 28, 2021). Main Outcomes and Measures Daily ratings of AC (main outcome) captured during 3 lockdown phases (main variable) and temporal (weekends and holidays) and psychological (social isolation and drinking intention) correlates. Results Of the 1743 screened participants, 189 (119 [63.0%] male; median [IQR] age, 37 [27.5-52.0] years) with at least 2 alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) yet without the need for medically supervised alcohol withdrawal were included. These individuals provided 14 694 smartphone ratings from October 2020 through February 2021. Multilevel modeling revealed significantly higher AC (grams of alcohol per day) on weekend days vs weekdays (β = 11.39; 95% CI, 10.00-12.77; P < .001). Alcohol consumption was above the overall average on Christmas (β = 26.82; 95% CI, 21.87-31.77; P < .001) and New Year’s Eve (β = 66.88; 95% CI, 59.22-74.54; P < .001). During the hard lockdown, perceived social isolation was significantly higher (β = 0.12; 95% CI, 0.06-0.15; P < .001), but AC was significantly lower (β = −5.45; 95% CI, −8.00 to −2.90; P = .001). Independent of lockdown, intention to drink less alcohol was associated with lower AC (β = −11.10; 95% CI, −13.63 to −8.58; P < .001). Notably, differences in AC between weekend and weekdays decreased both during the hard lockdown (β = −6.14; 95% CI, −9.96 to −2.31; P = .002) and in participants with severe AUD (β = −6.26; 95% CI, −10.18 to −2.34; P = .002). Conclusions and Relevance This 5-month cohort study found no immediate negative associations of lockdown measures with overall AC. Rather, weekend-weekday and holiday AC patterns exceeded lockdown effects. Differences in AC between weekend days and weekdays evinced that weekend drinking cycles decreased as a function of AUD severity and lockdown measures, indicating a potential mechanism of losing and regaining control. This finding suggests that temporal patterns and drinking intention constitute promising targets for prevention and intervention, even in high-risk individuals. Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.24641 SN - 2574-3805 VL - 5 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - JAMA Network / American Medical Association CY - Chicago, Illinois, USA ET - 8 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Czarnecka, Malgorzata A1 - Weichelt, Ulrike A1 - Rödiger, Stefan A1 - Hanack, Katja T1 - Novel Anti Double-Stranded Nucleic Acids Full-Length Recombinant Camelid Heavy-Chain Antibody for the Detection of miRNA JF - International Journal of Molecular Sciences N2 - The discovery that certain diseases have specific miRNA signatures which correspond to disease progression opens a new biomarker category. The detection of these small non-coding RNAs is performed routinely using body fluids or tissues with real-time PCR, next-generation sequencing, or amplification-based miRNA assays. Antibody-based detection systems allow an easy onset handling compared to PCR or sequencing and can be considered as alternative methods to support miRNA diagnostic in the future. In this study, we describe the generation of a camelid heavy-chain-only antibody specifically recognizing miRNAs to establish an antibody-based detection method. The generation of nucleic acid-specific binders is a challenge. We selected camelid binders via phage display, expressed them as VHH as well as full-length antibodies, and characterized the binding to several miRNAs from a signature specific for dilated cardiomyopathy. The described workflow can be used to create miRNA-specific binders and establish antibody-based detection methods to provide an additional way to analyze disease-specific miRNA signatures. KW - antibody KW - camelid antibody KW - heavy-chain-only antibody KW - miRNA KW - nucleic acids KW - novel biomarkers Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23116275 SN - 1422-0067 VL - 23 SP - 1 EP - 18 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Schweiz ET - 11 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Cajar, Anke A1 - Engbert, Ralf A1 - Laubrock, Jochen T1 - Potsdam Eye-Movement Corpus for Scene Memorization and Search With Color and Spatial-Frequency Filtering JF - Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation KW - eye movements KW - corpus dataset KW - scene viewing KW - object search KW - scene memorization KW - spatial frequencies KW - color KW - central and peripheral vision Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.850482 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 13 SP - 1 EP - 7 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Brand, Ralf A1 - Nosrat, Sanaz A1 - Späth, Constantin A1 - Timme, Sinika T1 - Using COVID-19 Pandemic as a Prism: A Systematic Review of Methodological Approaches and the Quality of Empirical Studies on Physical Activity Behavior Change JF - Frontiers in Sports and Active Living N2 - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of scientific endeavors. The goal of this systematic review is to evaluate the quality of the research on physical activity (PA) behavior change and its potential to contribute to policy-making processes in the early days of COVID-19 related restrictions. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of methodological quality of current research according to PRISMA guidelines using Pubmed and Web of Science, of articles on PA behavior change that were published within 365 days after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Items from the JBI checklist and the AXIS tool were used for additional risk of bias assessment. Evidence mapping is used for better visualization of the main results. Conclusions about the significance of published articles are based on hypotheses on PA behavior change in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Among the 1,903 identified articles, there were 36% opinion pieces, 53% empirical studies, and 9% reviews. Of the 332 studies included in the systematic review, 213 used self-report measures to recollect prepandemic behavior in often small convenience samples. Most focused changes in PA volume, whereas changes in PA types were rarely measured. The majority had methodological reporting flaws. Few had very large samples with objective measures using repeated measure design (pre and during the pandemic). In addition to the expected decline in PA duration, these studies show that many of those who were active prepandemic, continued to be active during the pandemic. Conclusions: Research responded quickly at the onset of the pandemic. However, most of the studies lacked robust methodology, and PA behavior change data lacked the accuracy needed to guide policy makers. To improve the field, we propose the implementation of longitudinal cohort studies by larger organizations such as WHO to ease access to data on PA behavior, and suggest those institutions set clear standards for this research. Researchers need to ensure a better fit between the measurement method and the construct being measured, and use both objective and subjective measures where appropriate to complement each other and provide a comprehensive picture of PA behavior. KW - meta-science KW - exercise KW - methods KW - quality KW - study designs KW - standards Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.864468 SN - 2624-9367 VL - 4 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Brahms, Markus A1 - Heinzel, Stephan A1 - Rapp, Michael Armin A1 - Mückstein, Marie A1 - Hortobágyi, Tibor A1 - Stelzel, Christine A1 - Granacher, Urs T1 - The acute effects of mental fatigue on balance performance in healthy young and older adults – A systematic review and meta-analysis JF - Acta Psychologica N2 - Cognitive resources contribute to balance control. There is evidence that mental fatigue reduces cognitive resources and impairs balance performance, particularly in older adults and when balance tasks are complex, for example when trying to walk or stand while concurrently performing a secondary cognitive task. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science and Google Scholar to identify eligible studies and performed a random effects meta-analysis to quantify the effects of experimentally induced mental fatigue on balance performance in healthy adults. Subgroup analyses were computed for age (healthy young vs. healthy older adults) and balance task complexity (balance tasks with high complexity vs. balance tasks with low complexity) to examine the moderating effects of these factors on fatigue-mediated balance performance. We identified 7 eligible studies with 9 study groups and 206 participants. Analysis revealed that performing a prolonged cognitive task had a small but significant effect (SMDwm = −0.38) on subsequent balance performance in healthy young and older adults. However, age- and task-related differences in balance responses to fatigue could not be confirmed statistically. Overall, aggregation of the available literature indicates that mental fatigue generally reduces balance in healthy adults. However, interactions between cognitive resource reduction, aging and balance task complexity remain elusive. KW - Cognitive fatigue KW - Exertion KW - Tiredness KW - Postural control KW - Gait KW - Sway Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103540 SN - 1873-6297 VL - 225 SP - 1 EP - 13 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bouamra, Marwa A1 - Zouhal, Hassane A1 - Ratel, Sébastien A1 - Makhlouf, Issam A1 - Bezrati, Ikram A1 - Chtara, Moktar A1 - Behm, David George A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - Chaouachi, Anis T1 - Concurrent Training Promotes Greater Gains on Body Composition and Components of Physical Fitness Than Single-Mode Training (Endurance or Resistance) in Youth With Obesity JF - Frontiers in Physiology N2 - The prevalence of obesity in the pediatric population has become a major public health issue. Indeed, the dramatic increase of this epidemic causes multiple and harmful consequences, Physical activity, particularly physical exercise, remains to be the cornerstone of interventions against childhood obesity. Given the conflicting findings with reference to the relevant literature addressing the effects of exercise on adiposity and physical fitness outcomes in obese children and adolescents, the effect of duration-matched concurrent training (CT) [50% resistance (RT) and 50% high-intensity-interval-training (HIIT)] on body composition and physical fitness in obese youth remains to be elucidated. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of 9-weeks of CT compared to RT or HIIT alone, on body composition and selected physical fitness components in healthy sedentary obese youth. Out of 73 participants, only 37; [14 males and 23 females; age 13.4 ± 0.9 years; body-mass-index (BMI): 31.2 ± 4.8 kg·m-2] were eligible and randomized into three groups: HIIT (n = 12): 3-4 sets×12 runs at 80–110% peak velocity, with 10-s passive recovery between bouts; RT (n = 12): 6 exercises; 3–4 sets × 10 repetition maximum (RM) and CT (n = 13): 50% serial completion of RT and HIIT. CT promoted significant greater gains compared to HIIT and RT on body composition (p < 0.01, d = large), 6-min-walking test distance (6 MWT-distance) and on 6 MWT-VO2max (p < 0.03, d = large). In addition, CT showed substantially greater improvements than HIIT in the medicine ball throw test (20.2 vs. 13.6%, p < 0.04, d = large). On the other hand, RT exhibited significantly greater gains in relative hand grip strength (p < 0.03, d = large) and CMJ (p < 0.01, d = large) than HIIT and CT. CT promoted greater benefits for fat, body mass loss and cardiorespiratory fitness than HIIT or RT modalities. This study provides important information for practitioners and therapists on the application of effective exercise regimes with obese youth to induce significant and beneficial body composition changes. The applied CT program and the respective programming parameters in terms of exercise intensity and volume can be used by practitioners as an effective exercise treatment to fight the pandemic overweight and obesity in youth. KW - weight loss KW - adolescents KW - high-intensity-interval training KW - resistance training KW - DXA KW - matched time Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.869063 SN - 1664-042X VL - 13 SP - 1 EP - 16 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Boeker, Sonja A1 - Hermanussen, Michael A1 - Scheffler, Christiane T1 - Dental age is an independent marker of biological age JF - Human biology and public health N2 - Background: Biological age markers are a crucial indicator whether children are decelerated in growth tempo. Skeletal maturation is the standard measure. Yet, it relies on exposing children to x-radiation. Dental eruption is a potential, but highly debated, radiation free alternative.  Objectives: We assess the interrelationship between dental eruption and other maturational markers. We hypothesize that dental age correlates with body height and skeletal age. We further evaluate how the three different variables behave in cohorts from differing social backgrounds. Sample and Method: Dental, skeletal and height data from the 1970s to 1990s from Guatemalan boys were converted into standard deviation scores, using external references for each measurement. The boys, aged between 7 and 12, derived from different social backgrounds (middle SES (N = 6529), low-middle SES (N = 736), low SES Ladino (N = 3653) and low SES Maya (N = 4587). Results: Dental age shows only a weak correlation with skeletal age (0.18) and height (0.2). The distinction between cohorts differs according to each of the three measurements. All cohorts differ significantly in height. In skeletal maturation, the middle SES cohort is significantly advanced compared to all other cohorts. The periodically malnourished cohorts of low SES Mayas and Ladinos are significantly delayed in dental maturation compared to the well-nourished low-middle and middle class Ladino children. Conclusion: Dental development is an independent system, that is regulated by different mechanisms than skeletal development and growth. Tooth eruption is sensitive to nutritional status, whereas skeletal age is more sensitive to socioeconomic background. KW - dental eruption KW - biological age KW - skeletal age KW - growth tempo KW - maturation KW - malnutrition Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.52905/hbph2021.3.24 SN - 2748-9957 VL - 2021 IS - 3, Summer School Supplement PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Block, Andrea A1 - Bonaventura, Klaus A1 - Grahn, Patricia A1 - Bestgen, Felix A1 - Wippert, Pia-Maria T1 - Stress management in pre-and postoperative care amongst practitioners and patients in cardiac catheterization laboratory: a study protocol JF - Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine N2 - Background: As the number of cardiac diseases continuously increases within the last years in modern society, so does cardiac treatment, especially cardiac catheterization. The procedure of a cardiac catheterization is challenging for both patients and practitioners. Several potential stressors of psychological or physical nature can occur during the procedure. The objective of the study is to develop and implement a stress management intervention for both practitioners and patients that aims to reduce the psychological and physical strain of a cardiac catheterization. Methods: The clinical study (DRKS00026624) includes two randomized controlled intervention trials with parallel groups, for patients with elective cardiac catheterization and practitioners at the catheterization lab, in two clinic sites of the Ernst-von-Bergmann clinic network in Brandenburg, Germany. Both groups received different interventions for stress management. The intervention for patients comprises a psychoeducational video with different stress management technics and additional a standardized medical information about the cardiac catheterization examination. The control condition includes the in hospitals practiced medical patient education before the examination (usual care). Primary and secondary outcomes are measured by physiological parameters and validated questionnaires, the day before (M1) and after (M2) the cardiac catheterization and at a postal follow-up 6 months later (M3). It is expected that people with standardized information and psychoeducation show reduced complications during cardiac catheterization procedures, better pre- and post-operative wellbeing, regeneration, mood and lower stress levels over time. The intervention for practitioners includes a Mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR) over 8 weeks supervised by an experienced MBSR practitioner directly at the clinic site and an operative guideline. It is expected that practitioners with intervention show improved perceived and chronic stress, occupational health, physical and mental function, higher effort-reward balance, regeneration and quality of life. Primary and secondary outcomes are measured by physiological parameters (heart rate variability, saliva cortisol) and validated questionnaires and will be assessed before (M1) and after (M2) the MBSR intervention and at a postal follow-up 6 months later (M3). Physiological biomarkers in practitioners will be assessed before (M1) and after intervention (M2) on two work days and a two days off. Intervention effects in both groups (practitioners and patients) will be evaluated separately using multivariate variance analysis. Discussion: This study evaluates the effectiveness of two stress management intervention programs for patients and practitioners within cardiac catheter laboratory. Study will disclose strains during a cardiac catheterization affecting both patients and practitioners. For practitioners it may contribute to improved working conditions and occupational safety, preservation of earning capacity, avoidance of participation restrictions and loss of performance. In both groups less anxiety, stress and complications before and during the procedures can be expected. The study may add knowledge how to eliminate stressful exposures and to contribute to more (psychological) security, less output losses and exhaustion during work. The evolved stress management guidelines, training manuals and the standardized patient education should be transferred into clinical routines KW - stress management KW - mindfulness-based stress reduction KW - psychoeducation KW - standardized patient information KW - stress intervention KW - distress KW - study protocol KW - cardiac catheterization (CC) Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2022.830256 SN - 2297-055X VL - 9 SP - 1 EP - 10 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Arntz, Fabian A1 - Mkaouer, Bessem A1 - Markov, Adrian A1 - Schoenfeld, Brad A1 - Moran, Jason A1 - Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo A1 - Behrens, Martin A1 - Baumert, Philipp A1 - Erskine, Robert M. A1 - Hauser, Lukas A1 - Chaabene, Helmi T1 - Effect of Plyometric Jump Training on Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review With Multilevel Meta-Analysis JF - Frontiers in Physiology N2 - Objective: To examine the effect of plyometric jump training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy in healthy individuals. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the databases PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library up to September 2021. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The main overall finding (44 effect sizes across 15 clusters median = 2, range = 1–15 effects per cluster) indicated that plyometric jump training had small to moderate effects [standardised mean difference (SMD) = 0.47 (95% CIs = 0.23–0.71); p < 0.001] on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Subgroup analyses for training experience revealed trivial to large effects in non-athletes [SMD = 0.55 (95% CIs = 0.18–0.93); p = 0.007] and trivial to moderate effects in athletes [SMD = 0.33 (95% CIs = 0.16–0.51); p = 0.001]. Regarding muscle groups, results showed moderate effects for the knee extensors [SMD = 0.72 (95% CIs = 0.66–0.78), p < 0.001] and equivocal effects for the plantar flexors [SMD = 0.65 (95% CIs = −0.25–1.55); p = 0.143]. As to the assessment methods of skeletal muscle hypertrophy, findings indicated trivial to small effects for prediction equations [SMD = 0.29 (95% CIs = 0.16–0.42); p < 0.001] and moderate-to-large effects for ultrasound imaging [SMD = 0.74 (95% CIs = 0.59–0.89); p < 0.001]. Meta-regression analysis indicated that the weekly session frequency moderates the effect of plyometric jump training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with a higher weekly session frequency inducing larger hypertrophic gains [β = 0.3233 (95% CIs = 0.2041–0.4425); p < 0.001]. We found no clear evidence that age, sex, total training period, single session duration, or the number of jumps per week moderate the effect of plyometric jump training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy [β = −0.0133 to 0.0433 (95% CIs = −0.0387 to 0.1215); p = 0.101–0.751]. Conclusion: Plyometric jump training can induce skeletal muscle hypertrophy, regardless of age and sex. There is evidence for relatively larger effects in non-athletes compared with athletes. Further, the weekly session frequency seems to moderate the effect of plyometric jump training on skeletal muscle hypertrophy, whereby more frequent weekly plyometric jump training sessions elicit larger hypertrophic adaptations. KW - muscle tissue KW - muscle strength KW - stretch shortening cycle exercise KW - muscle growth KW - human physical conditioning KW - youth sports KW - aged Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.888464 SN - 1664-042X VL - 13 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ET - 888464 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Aloui, Ali A1 - Tayech, Amel A1 - Arbi Mejri, Mohamed A1 - Makhlouf, Issam A1 - Clark, Cain C. T. A1 - Granacher, Urs A1 - Zouhal, Hassane A1 - Ben Abderrahman, Abderraouf T1 - Reliability and Validity of a New Taekwondo-Specific Change-of-Direction Speed Test With Striking Techniques in Elite Taekwondo Athletes: A Pilot Study JF - Frontiers in Physiology N2 - The purpose of this study was to examine the test-retest reliability, and convergent and discriminative validity of a new taekwondo-specific change-of-direction (COD) speed test with striking techniques (TST) in elite taekwondo athletes. Twenty (10 males and 10 females) elite (athletes who compete at national level) and top-elite (athletes who compete at national and international level) taekwondo athletes with an average training background of 8.9 ± 1.3 years of systematic taekwondo training participated in this study. During the two-week test-retest period, various generic performance tests measuring COD speed, balance, speed, and jump performance were carried out during the first week and as a retest during the second week. Three TST trials were conducted with each athlete and the best trial was used for further analyses. The relevant performance measure derived from the TST was the time with striking penalty (TST-TSP). TST-TSP performances amounted to 10.57 ± 1.08 s for males and 11.74 ± 1.34 s for females. The reliability analysis of the TST performance was conducted after logarithmic transformation, in order to address the problem of heteroscedasticity. In both groups, the TST demonstrated a high relative test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients and 90% compatibility limits were 0.80 and 0.47 to 0.93, respectively). For absolute reliability, the TST’s typical error of measurement (TEM), 90% compatibility limits, and magnitudes were 4.6%, 3.4 to 7.7, for males, and 5.4%, 3.9 to 9.0, for females. The homogeneous sample of taekwondo athletes meant that the TST’s TEM exceeded the usual smallest important change (SIC) with 0.2 effect size in the two groups. The new test showed mostly very large correlations with linear sprint speed (r = 0.71 to 0.85) and dynamic balance (r = −0.71 and −0.74), large correlations with COD speed (r = 0.57 to 0.60) and vertical jump performance (r = −0.50 to −0.65), and moderate correlations with horizontal jump performance (r = −0.34 to −0.45) and static balance (r = −0.39 to −0.44). Top-elite athletes showed better TST performances than elite counterparts. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that the TST effectively discriminated between top-elite and elite taekwondo athletes. In conclusion, the TST is a valid, and sensitive test to evaluate the COD speed with taekwondo specific skills, and reliable when considering ICC and TEM. Although the usefulness of the TST is questioned to detect small performance changes in the present population, the TST can detect moderate changes in taekwondo-specific COD speed. KW - taekwondo-specific testing KW - sport-specific performance KW - striking combat sports KW - sensitivity KW - taekwondo electronic scoring system Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.774546 SN - 1664-042X VL - 13 SP - 1 EP - 15 PB - Frontiers CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Agne, Stefanie A1 - Preick, Michaela A1 - Straube, Nicolas A1 - Hofreiter, Michael T1 - Simultaneous Barcode Sequencing of Diverse Museum Collection Specimens Using a Mixed RNA Bait Set JF - Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution N2 - A growing number of publications presenting results from sequencing natural history collection specimens reflect the importance of DNA sequence information from such samples. Ancient DNA extraction and library preparation methods in combination with target gene capture are a way of unlocking archival DNA, including from formalin-fixed wet-collection material. Here we report on an experiment, in which we used an RNA bait set containing baits from a wide taxonomic range of species for DNA hybridisation capture of nuclear and mitochondrial targets for analysing natural history collection specimens. The bait set used consists of 2,492 mitochondrial and 530 nuclear RNA baits and comprises specific barcode loci of diverse animal groups including both invertebrates and vertebrates. The baits allowed to capture DNA sequence information of target barcode loci from 84% of the 37 samples tested, with nuclear markers being captured more frequently and consensus sequences of these being more complete compared to mitochondrial markers. Samples from dry material had a higher rate of success than wet-collection specimens, although target sequence information could be captured from 50% of formalin-fixed samples. Our study illustrates how efforts to obtain barcode sequence information from natural history collection specimens may be combined and are a way of implementing barcoding inventories of scientific collection material. KW - target capture KW - type specimens KW - molecular species identification KW - museum specimens KW - cross-species capture Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2022.909846 SN - 2296-701X VL - 10 PB - Frontiers Media S.A. CY - Lausanne, Schweiz ER -