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Given a gene-tree labeled topology $G$ and a species tree $S$, the "ancestral configurations" at an internal node $k$ of $S$ represent the combinatorially different sets of gene lineages that can be present at $k$ when all possible realizations of $G$ in $S$ are considered. Ancestral configurations have been introduced as a data structure for evaluating the conditional probability of a gene-tree labeled topology given a species tree, and their enumeration assists in describing the complexity of this computation. In the case that the gene-tree labeled topology $G=t$ matches that of the species tree $S$, by techniques of analytic combinatorics, we study distributional properties of the "total" number of ancestral configurations measured across the different nodes of a random labeled topology $t$ selected under the uniform and the Yule probability models. Under both of these probabilistic scenarios, we show that the total number $T_n$ of ancestral configurations of a random labeled topology of $n$ taxa asymptotically follows a lognormal distribution. Over uniformly distributed labeled topologies, the asymptotic growth of the mean and the variance of $T_n$ are found to satisfy $\mathbb{E}_{\rm U}[T_n] \sim 2.449 \cdot 1.333^n$ and $\mathbb{V}_{\rm U}[T_n] \sim 5.050 \cdot 1.822^n$, respectively. Under the Yule model, which assigns higher probabilities to more balanced labeled topologies, we obtain the mean $\mathbb{E}_{\rm Y}[T_n] \sim 1.425^n$ and the variance $\mathbb{V}_{\rm Y}[T_n] \sim 2.045^n$.

Sports performance is a complex construct of various components. In addition to the athletes' technical and tactical skills, medical, physiotherapeutic and sports psychological care, active regeneration, nutrition and performance analysis (PA) play an increasingly important role. Due to the integration of new innovative technologies and methods, an enormous development in the field of PA can be observed in table tennis in recent years. Starting from this, the dissertation first presents the status quo of scientific PA in table tennis (1). This is followed by a proposal for a sports specific observational system with a positive cost/benefit calculation (2) and a new analysis approach (3) to improve support for coaches and athletes and to improve the knowledge about PA and the popularity and acceptance of PA in the table tennis community. The published review article gives an overview about existing popular methods in performance/match analysis in table tennis such as performance indices or simulative approaches for theoretical PA approaches and additionally introduces two best practice examples (Japan and China) for practical PA approaches. Additionally, research topics and areas that need more investigation and necessary developments are identified. The article serves as a reference work and a starting point for scientists who are interested in the field of PA in table tennis. The second article is a pioneer study on game characteristics in elite para table tennis and gives a first insight in the basic game characteristics rally length and impact of serve in elite para table tennis (class 1-10). The influence of sex, standing or sitting position of the player and the severity of the impairment on these variables are investigated. Overall, the study serves as a starting point for future studies on para table tennis with more in-depth analysis, especially in the technical/tactical area. The third study introduces a new structural model for a table tennis rally including the “first offensive shot” (FOS) as the central point of a rally. Consequently, a corresponding observational system was also developed for this. Besides the various gained information about the FOS behaviour of men and women of different level categories itself (e.g. techniques used for FOSs, shot number of the FOSs, winning probability for the FOS player), an important innovation of this study is also the shot-number-independent approach of the technical/tactical analysis of the FOS coming with the introduced model and the used observational system. Many different aspects and areas of PA in table tennis are covered by this dissertation. Regarding the methodology, known approaches are applied to new samples, but also new approaches are developed and introduced. Paralympic table tennis is covered with a fundamental study and Olympic table tennis, for which fundamental studies are already available, is covered with an in-depth study on a very important and yet unresearched characteristic of the sport. Sportliche Leistung ist ein komplexes Konstrukt aus verschiedenen Komponenten. Neben den technischen und taktischen Fähigkeiten der Athleten spielen die medizinische, physiotherapeutische und sportpsychologische Betreuung, die aktive Regeneration, die Ernährung und die Wettkampfdiagnostik eine immer wichtigere Rolle. Durch die Integration neuer innovativer Technologien und Methoden ist im Tischtennis in den letzten Jahren eine enorme Entwicklung im Bereich der Wettkampfdiagnostik zu beobachten. Davon ausgehend stellt die Dissertation zunächst den Status quo der wissenschaftlichen Wettkampfdiagnostik im Tischtennis dar (1). Daran schließt sich ein Vorschlag für ein sportartspezifisches Beobachtungssystem mit einer positiven Kosten-Nutzen-Rechnung (2) und ein neuer Ansatz der Spielanalyse (3) an, um die Unterstützung für Trainer und Athleten zu verbessern und das Wissen über Wettkampfdiagnostik sowie die Popularität und Akzeptanz von Wettkampfdiagnostik in der Tischtennisgemeinde zu erhöhen. Der veröffentlichte Review-Artikel gibt einen Überblick über bestehende populäre Methoden der Wettkampfdiagnostik/Spielanalyse im Tischtennis, wie z.B. Leistungsindizes oder simulative Ansätze als Ansätze der theoretischen Wettkampfdiagnostik und stellt zusätzlich zwei Best-Practice-Beispiele (Japan und China) für Ansätze aus der praktischen Wettkampfdiagnostik im Tischtennis vor. Darüber hinaus werden Forschungsthemen und -bereiche identifiziert, die weitere Untersuchungen und notwendige Entwicklungen erfordern. Der Artikel dient als Nachschlagewerk und Ausgangspunkt für Wissenschaftler, die sich für den Bereich der Wettkampfdiagnostik im Tischtennis interessieren. Der zweite Artikel ist eine Pionierstudie über Spielcharakteristika im Weltklasse Para Tischtennis und gibt einen ersten Einblick in die grundlegenden Spielcharakteristika Ballwechsellänge und Einfluss des Aufschlags im Para Tischtennis (Klasse 1-10). Der Einfluss von Geschlecht, stehender oder sitzender Position der Spieler und der Schwere der Behinderung auf diese Variablen wird untersucht. Insgesamt dient diese Arbeit als Ausgangspunkt für künftige Studien zum Para Tischtennis mit detaillierteren Analysen, insbesondere im technisch-taktischen Bereich. In der dritten Studie wird ein neues Strukturmodell für einen Tischtennis-Ballwechsel vorgestellt, das den "ersten Angriffsschlag" (FOS) als zentralen Punkt eines Ballwechsels beinhaltet. Hierfür wurde auch ein entsprechendes Beobachtungssystem entwickelt. Neben den vielfältigen gewonnenen Informationen über das FOS-Verhalten von Männern und Frauen unterschiedlicher Leistungsklassen (z.B. verwendete Techniken für FOSs, Schlagnummer der FOSs, Gewinnwahrscheinlichkeit für den FOS-Spieler) ist eine wichtige Innovation dieser Studie auch der von der Schlagnummer unabhängige Ansatz der technisch-taktischen Analyse des FOS, der mit dem eingeführten Modell und dem verwendeten Beobachtungssystem einhergeht. Viele verschiedene Aspekte und Bereiche der Wettkampfdiagnostik im Tischtennis werden durch diese Dissertation abgedeckt. Hinsichtlich der Methodik werden bekannte Ansätze auf neue Stichproben angewandt, aber auch neue Ansätze entwickelt und eingeführt. Paralympisches Tischtennis wird mit einer Grundlagenstudie abgedeckt und olympisches Tischtennis, für das bereits Studien vorliegen, wird mit einer vertiefenden Studie zu einem sehr wichtigen und noch unerforschten Merkmal der Sportart abgedeckt.

Introduction: Radiotherapy (RT) is an integral part of treatment concepts for early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma. The following analysis reports on RT-quality in the recent HD16 and 17 trials of the German Hodgkin Study Group (GHSG). Methods: All RT-plans of involved-node RT (INRT) in HD 17 were requested for analysis, along with 100 and 50 involved-field RT (IFRT) plans in HD 16 and 17, respectively. A structured assessment regarding field design and protocol adherence was performed by the reference radiation oncology panel of the GHSG. Results: Overall, 100 (HD 16) and 176 (HD 17) patients were eligible for analysis. In HD 16, 84 % of RT series were evaluated as correct, with significant improvement compared to the predecessor studies (p< 0.001). In HD 17, 76.1 % of INRT-cases revealed a correct RT design compared to 69.1 % of IFRT-cases, which was superior to prior studies (p

Fragestellung: Kürzere femorale Implantate sind vor allem in Deutschland mittlerweile gut etabliert. Insbesondere der Fitmore-Schaft hält mit ca. 19000 Implantationen im Jahr 2021 einen gewichtigen Marktanteil. Ziel dieser Studie war die Erhebung langfristiger klinischer und radiologischer [zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL]

Fragestellung: Erste Untersuchungen des Growth/Differentiationfactor-15 (GDF-15) in der Synovialflüssigkeit von Psoriasis-Arthritis-Patienten deuten auf eine lokale Produktion des Zytokines hin. Beschrieben ist GDF-15 bisher als Seneszenz- assoziierter (SA) aber auch antiinflammatorischer [zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL]

Objectives: Progression of osteoarthritis over time is poorly understood. The aim of the current study was to find differences of cartilage degeneration per subregion of the knee in relation to different phenotypes of the lower extremity established by Hirschmann et al. in search of the toxic phenotype. [for full text, please go to the a.m. URL]

Fragestellung: Bei bis zu 20% unzufriedenen Patienten nach Knie-Totalendoprothese (K-TEP) ist die Kinematik des Kniegelenks anhand verschiedener Operationstechniken immer weiter in den Mittelpunkt des Interesses gerückt. Um diese Operationstechniken genau ausführen zu können, werden [zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL]

Hintergrund Cochlea-Implantate stellen für Menschen mit hochgradigen Hörbehinderungen eine wichtige Unterstützung dar. Dennoch erleben Betroffene auch nach optimaler Hörsystemanpassung Einschränkungen in Aktivitäten des täglichen Lebens sowie der sozialen Teilhabe [zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL]

Hintergrund Zahlreiche Studien haben die Ursachen für ein erhöhtes Infektionsrisiko mit dem SARS-CoV-2-Virus beim Singen – insbesondere beim Chorgesang – untersucht. Dabei zeigte sich, dass beim Singen mehr Aerosole entstehen als beim Sprechen oder Atmen und, dass sich diese [zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL]

Objectives: Psychoacoustic tests assessed shortly after cochlear implantation (CI) are useful predictors of the rehabilitative speech outcome. While largely independent, both spectral and temporal resolution tests are important to provide an accurate prediction of speech recognition. However, rapid tests of temporal sensitivity are currently lacking. Here, we propose a simple amplitude-modulation rate discrimination (AMRD) paradigm that is validated by predicting future speech recognition in adult CI patients. Design: In 34 newly implanted patients we used an adaptive AMRD paradigm where broadband noise was modulated at the speech-relevant rate of ~4 Hz. In a longitudinal study, speech recognition in quiet was assessed using the closed-set Freiburger number test shortly after CI implantation (t0) as well as the open-set Freiburger monosyllabic word test six months later (t6). Results: Both AMRD thresholds at t0 (r = –0.51) and speech recognition scores at t0 (r = 0.56) predicted speech recognition scores at t6. However, AMRD and speech recognition at t0 were uncorrelated, suggesting that those measures capture partially distinct perceptual abilities. A multiple-regression model predicting six-month speech recognition outcome (t6) with deafness duration and speech recognition at t0 improved from adjusted R² = 0.30 to adjusted R² = 0.44 when AMRD threshold was added as a predictor. Conclusions: These findings identify AMRD thresholds as a reliable, non-redundant predictor above and beyond established speech tests for CI outcome. This AMRD test could potentially be developed into a rapid clinical temporal-resolution test to be integrated into the post-operative test battery to improve the reliability of speech outcome prognosis.

The Yule branching process is a classical model for the random generation of gene tree topologies in population genetics. It generates binary ranked trees -- also called "histories" -- with a finite number $n$ of leaves. We study the lengths $\ell_1 > \ell_2 > ... > \ell_k > ...$ of the external branches of a Yule generated random history of size $n$, where the length of an external branch is defined as the rank of its parent node. When $n \rightarrow \infty$, we show that the random variable $\ell_k$, once rescaled as $\frac{n-\ell_k}{\sqrt{n/2}}$, follows a $χ$-distribution with $2k$ degrees of freedom, with mean $\mathbb E(\ell_k) \sim n$ and variance $\mathbb V(\ell_k) \sim n \big(k-\frac{πk^2}{16^k} \binom{2k}{k}^2\big)$. Our results contribute to the study of the combinatorial features of Yule generated gene trees, in which external branches are associated with singleton mutations affecting individual gene copies.

This introduction to the special issue on the American entrepreneurial spirit sketches its significance to American culture. The entrepreneur is an important cultural archetype that reflects the zeitgeist. Accordingly, fears, anxieties, desires, and wishes may be projected onto the entrepreneur; the figure of the entrepreneur—and interpretations of the entrepreneur as a hero or villain—is thus a cultural barometer that provides insight into the American psyche., JAAAS: Journal of the Austrian Association for American Studies, Vol. 3 No. 2 (2022): The American Entrepreneurial Spirit

This article explores the videogame Jurassic World Evolution (Frontier Developments, 2018). As a business simulation, Jurassic World Evolution makes playable—and asks players to perform—a serialized cycle of de-extinction and re-extinction: dinosaurs are resurrected only to be wiped out again when a successor that is "better, louder, with more teeth" (to quote Jurassic World's operations manager Claire Dearing) becomes available. The revenue players generate is thus founded on a cycle of extinction, de-extinction, and re-extinction. In so doing, the videogame suggests that de-extinction does not promise a future primarily defined by the overcoming of extinction and the becoming-real of the dream of reestablishing natural abundance through techno-scientific means, but rather a future characterized by an exponential growth in serialized extinctions, made possible by techno-science. That the videogame puts players in charge of both finances and developing their dinosaur "assets" draws players' attention to molecular biology as a new place of production. Hence, resurrection science and its biocapitalist entanglements not only exploit past extinctions but rather suggest that this biocapitalist venture is based on speculation—reaping seemingly unlimited future profits from a potentially never-ending cycle of extinctions, de-extinctions, and re-extinctions., JAAAS: Journal of the Austrian Association for American Studies, Vol. 3 No. 2 (2022): The American Entrepreneurial Spirit

Tree-child networks are one of the most prominent network classes for modeling evolutionary processes which contain reticulation events. Several recent studies have addressed counting questions for {\it bicombining tree-child networks} which are tree-child networks with every reticulation node having exactly two parents. In this paper, we extend these studies to {\it $d$-combining tree-child networks} where every reticulation node has now $d\geq 2$ parents. Moreover, we also give results and conjectures on the distributional behavior of the number of reticulation nodes of a network which is drawn uniformly at random from the set of all tree-child networks with the same number of leaves., Extended abstract which is accepted for presentation at AofA2022; an accompanying Maple worksheet can be found in the ancillary file folder

Desmosomes provide strong intercellular adhesion and therefore are essential in tissues exposed to constant mechanical stress, e.g. the epidermis or the heart. The molecular composition of desmosomes consists of several protein families, including intercellular adhesion molecules and plaque proteins. Desmosomal cadherins represent the adhesion molecules and are a group of proteins comprising four desmogleins (Dsg1-4) and three desmocollins (Dsc1-3) isoforms. These are transmembrane proteins which interact in a Ca2+-dependent homophilic or heterophilic manner, thereby mediating strong intercellular adhesion with their neighboring cell counterparts. Within the desmosome, plaque proteins serve as linkers of desmosomal cadherins to the intermediate filament cytoskeleton. The plaque proteins consist of armadillo family proteins, plakoglobin (PG) and plakophilins (Pkps), and desmoplakin (DP), a protein of the plakin family. Pkps act as scaffolds in order to mediate adhesion and signaling and further regulate desmosomal turnover and assembly. They exist in three different isoforms (Pkp1-3) which show a tissue-specific expression. Further, Pkps show a wide ranging role in the cell-biological context and their physiological significance is evident in diseases, e.g. mutations in Pkp1 lead to ectodermal dysplasia skin fragility syndrome. However, their role in regulating Dsg binding properties as well as Dsg clustering is not yet elucidated. Murine keratinocytes lacking either Pkp1 or Pkp3 were compared to wild type (wt) cells to characterize the role of Pkp1 and Pkp3 in the regulation of Dsg1- and Dsg3-binding properties and contribution to Dsg3 clustering. Dsg1 and Dsg3 are of particular interest since they are the main targets of autoantibodies in the autoimmune skin blistering disease pemphigus vulgaris (PV). In the first part of the thesis, the roles of Pkp1 and Pkp3 in desmoglein clustering and adhesion were investigated. Characterization of Pkp1- or 3-deficient cell lines revealed reduced cell cohesion and especially in Pkp1-deficient cells loss of intercellular adhesion is strong. Force mapping measurements, performed with atomic force microscopy (AFM), revealed reduced binding frequency of Dsg1 and Dsg3 at the cell borders and displayed low membrane availability of Dsg1 and Dsg3 in Pkp1- or Pkp3-deficient cell lines. This indicates that both proteins are important for proper membrane availability of desmogleins. The single molecule-binding properties of the remaining membrane-bound desmogleins showed Pkp-dependent changes. However, because their numbers were low, presumably these altered binding properties of the remaining cadherins have no strong effect on overall adhesion. Extracellular crosslinking revealed that Pkp1 but not Pkp3 is required for Dsg3 clustering. Overexpression of Dsg3 rescued the reduced number of Dsg3 clusters in Pkp3- but not in Pkp1-deficient cells, as shown by AFM and stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy experiments. This demonstrates that Pkp1 and Pkp3 regulate the membrane availability of Dsgs. Furthermore, these data demonstrate that Pkp1 but not Pkp3 is required for the clustering of Dsg3. This novel function of Pkp1 appears to be essential for proper intercellular adhesion. In the second part of the thesis, regulation of desmosomal hyper-adhesion was studied. An interesting property of desmosomes is their ability to occur in two adhesive states, a weaker and a stronger one. Desmosomes in the stronger adhesive state become independent from extracellular Ca2+ and are called hyper-adhesive. However, the roles of Pkps and Dsgs in desmosomal hyper-adhesion is not fully elucidated yet. To address this unsolved issue, the aforementioned cell culture model, a murine keratinocyte Dsg3 knockout cell line and an ex-vivo skin model were used. Murine keratinocytes acquire the hyper-adhesive state 72 hours after exposure to high Ca2+, whereas Pkp- and Dsg3-deficient cell lines fail to reach this state during this time line. AFM force mappings revealed that the hyper-adhesive state correlates with increased Dsg3 single molecule binding strength and prolonged interaction lifetime. Both parameters were unchanged in the Pkp-deficient cells. In parallel, during differentiation, i.e. during the acquisition of hyper-adhesion, the Dsg3 clusters become Ca2+-independent. In contrast, deficiency of Pkp1 prevented Ca2+-independency of Dsg3 clusters whereas lack of Pkp3 led to a reduced amount of Ca2+-independent Dsg3 clusters. Interestingly, Dsg1 clusters remained the same during the investigated time period. In accordance, Dsg1 single molecule binding properties were not altered. This shows that acquisition of hyper-adhesion may not be a state acquired by the entire desmosome but rather reveals an isoform-dependent regulation by Pkps. Ca2+ chelation of ex-vivo human skin samples showed further isoform-specific differences in membrane localization between desmosomal cadherins. Immunostaining for Dsg3 at the cell membrane appeared to be more resistant to Ca2+ chelation compared to Dsg1 staining. This demonstrates that desmosomal cadherins have different roles in the acquisition of hyper-adhesion and that Pkp1-mediated clustering of desmogleins is required for the acquisition of the hyper-adhesive state of desmosomes. In summary, this project revealed that Pkp1 and Pkp3 are important for membrane availability of desmogleins. However, for Pkp3 this phenotype is differentiation dependent and decreases over time. Pkp1, in contrast to Pkp3, plays a crucial role in the clustering of desmogleins. This Pkp1-mediated clustering contributes to acquisition of hyper-adhesion and correlates with altered single molecule binding properties such as binding strength and interaction-lifetime of Dsg3 when becoming hyper-adhesive. Thus, development of the hyper-adhesive state is paralleled by alterations of binding properties of specific Dsg isoforms rather than by the entire desmosome. In a side-project, keratin-dependent regulation of desmoglein-binding was characterized. Keratin filament detachment from the desmosomal plaque occurs as one of the pathomechanism of PV. We found that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38MAPK) signaling is regulated by keratins. Moreover, this signaling is essential for the regulation of cell adhesion and involves both keratin-dependent and independent mechanisms. Using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments it was observed that desmosomal cadherin uncoupling from the cytoskeleton resulted in higher Dsg3 mobility in the plasma membrane. The studies presented demonstrate that Pkp1-mediated regulation of desmosomal clustering is important for desmosomal adhesion and contributes to hyper-adhesion of desmosomes.

We prove limit laws for the number of occurrences of a pattern on the fringe of a ranked tree-child network which is picked uniformly at random. Our results extend the limit law for cherries proved by Bienvenu et al. (2022). For patterns of height $1$ and $2$, we show that they either occur frequently (mean is asymptotically linear and limit law is normal) or sporadically (mean is asymptotically constant and limit law is Poisson) or not all (mean tends to $0$ and limit law is degenerate). We expect that these are the only possible limit laws for any fringe pattern., Comment: 20 pages

Die Frage, wie Grundschullehrpersonen qualifiziert werden müssen, wird in diesem Beitrag ausgehend von einer Analyse ihrer Aufgaben und der Rahmenbedingungen an Grundschulen diskutiert. Erkennbar wird insgesamt ein Widerspruch zwischen der für die Lehrtätigkeit notwendigen Polyvalenz und der für die Professionalisierung und die Qualität des Unterrichts erforderlichen Spezialisierung. Mit dem Ansatz der «profilierten» Lehrperson wird auf der konzeptionellen Ebene ein Zugang präsentiert, der die berufsimmanenten Widersprüche des Lehrberufs aufnimmt. Die damit verbundenen Herausforderungen erfordern eine stärker berufsbiografisch ausgerichtete Qualifikation, eine intensivierte Verzahnung von Lehrerinnen- und Lehrerbildung und Entwicklungen im Schulfeld sowie eine Erhöhung der Evidenzbasierung zukunftweisender und mutiger Reformen. (DIPF/Orig.), The question of how primary school teachers need to be qualified is discussed in this article based on an analysis of their tasks and the framework conditions at primary schools. Overall, a contradiction between the polyvalence necessary for teaching and the specialisation required for professionalisation and the quality of teaching becomes apparent. With the notion of the "profiled" teacher, an approach is presented on the conceptual level that takes up the contradictions inherent in the teaching profession. The associated challenges require a qualification that is more strongly oriented towards professional biographies, an intensified interlocking of teacher education and developments in the school field, as well as an increase in the evidence-based nature of future-oriented and audacious reforms. (DIPF/Orig.)

Tree-child networks are one of the most prominent network classes for modeling evolutionary processes which contain reticulation events. Several recent studies have addressed counting questions for bicombining tree-child networks in which every reticulation node has exactly two parents. We extend these studies to $d$-combining tree-child networks where every reticulation node has now $d\geq 2$ parents, and we study one-component as well as general tree-child networks. Moreover, we also give results on the distributional behavior of shape parameters (e.g., number of reticulation nodes, Sackin index) of a network which is drawn uniformly at random from the set of all tree-child networks with the same number of leaves. We show phase transitions depending on $d$, leading to normal, Bessel, Poisson, and degenerate distributions. Some of our results are new even in the bicombining case., Comment: Journal version of arXiv:2203.07619; 48 pages

This article suggests that the megalodons, American alligators, and bull sharks featured in The Meg (2018), Crawl (2019), and Deep Blue Sea 3 (2020) expand the temporal scope of the narratives to geological time. In so doing, these films not only expose the incongruity of geological with historical time but also grapple with the representational dilemma of conveying slow-moving disasters that unfold in a nonhuman temporal order.

In multicellular organisms, not all cells are created equal. Instead, organismal complexity is achieved by specialisation and division of labour between distinct cell types. Therefore, the organism depends on the presence, correct proportion and function of all cell types. It follows that early development is geared towards setting up the basic body plan and to specify cell lineages. Since plants employ a post-embryonic mode of development, the continuous growth and addition of new organs require a source of new cells, as well as a strict regulation of cellular composition throughout the entire life-cycle. To meet these demands, evolution has brought about complex regulatory systems to maintain and control continuously active stem cell systems. Here, we review recent work on the mechanisms of non cell-autonomous control of shoot stem cells in the model plantArabidopsis thalianawith a strong focus on the cell-to-cell mobility and function of the WUSCHEL homeodomain transcription factor.

Spatial hearing is crucial in real life but deteriorates in participants with severe sensorineural hearing loss or single-sided deafness. This ability can potentially be improved with a unilateral cochlear implant (CI). The present study investigated measures of sound localization in participants with single-sided deafness provided with a CI. Sound localization was measured separately at eight loudspeaker positions (4°, 30°, 60°, and 90°) on the CI side and on the normal-hearing side. Low- and high-frequency noise bursts were used in the tests to investigate possible differences in the processing of interaural time and level differences. Data were compared to normal-hearing adults aged between 20 and 83. In addition, the benefit of the CI in speech understanding in noise was compared to the localization ability. Fifteen out of 18 participants were able to localize signals on the CI side and on the normal-hearing side, although performance was highly variable across participants. Three participants always pointed to the normal-hearing side, irrespective of the location of the signal. The comparison with control data showed that participants had particular difficulties localizing sounds at frontal locations and on the CI side. In contrast to most previous results, participants were able to localize low-frequency signals, although they localized high-frequency signals more accurately. Speech understanding in noise was better with the CI compared to testing without CI, but only at a position where the CI also improved sound localization. Our data suggest that a CI can, to a large extent, restore localization in participants with single-sided deafness. Difficulties may remain at frontal locations and on the CI side. However, speech understanding in noise improves when wearing the CI. The treatment with a CI in these participants might provide real-world benefits, such as improved orientation in traffic and speech understanding in difficult listening situations.

Fragestellung/Zielsetzung: An der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität Leipzig wird seit dem Wintersemester 2016/17 die Vermittlung kommunikativer Kompetenzen in das bestehende Curriculum integriert und mit klinisch-praktischen Inhalten verknüpft. Neben der Arzt-Patient-Kommunikation [zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL]

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided liver biopsy (EUS-LB) has emerged as a viable mean to obtain core tissue. Different wet suction techniques using saline or heparin have been described. We aimed to compare tissue adequacy with the “wet saline” (WS) technique compared to the “wet heparin” (WH) technique.Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent EUS-LB and Percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB-LB) for benign parenchymal liver disease between May 2017 to October 2019. All procedures were performed at a single tertiary Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC).Results: A total of 257 biopsies from 217 patients were included. Among the 102 EUS-LB specimens, 53 were obtained using WS technique and 49 were obtained using WH technique. Specimen adequacy was similar in the both groups. Median ASL and length of longest piece did not differ significantly between both groups. Clots were present more frequently in the WS group. Among patients who underwent EUS-LB of both right and left liver lobes, an adequate biopsy was obtained in 85% of patients in the WS group and 96% of patients in the WH group. EUS-LB showed lower risk of post procedural pain and complication rates when compared with percutaneous liver biopsy (PLB). To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare diagnostic accuracy between WH and WS EUS-LB techniques, and to compare post-procedure pain between EUS-LB and moderate sedation PLB. WH-EUS-LB may be preferable to WS because of fewer clots in the specimen. Prospective studies are needed to further verify these findings.

Machine intelligence, a.k.a. artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most prominent and relevant technologies today. It is in everyday use in the form of AI applications and has a strong impact on society. This article presents selected results of the 2020 Dagstuhl workshop on applied machine intelligence. Selected AI applications in various domains, namely culture, education, and industrial manufacturing are presented. Current trends, best practices, and recommendations regarding AI methodology and technology are explained. The focus is on ontologies (knowledge-based AI) and machine learning.

Podophyllotoxin is probably the most prominent representative of lignan natural products. Deoxy‐, epi‐, and podophyllotoxin, which are all precursors to frequently used chemotherapeutic agents, were prepared by a stereodivergent biotransformation and a biocatalytic kinetic resolution of the corresponding dibenzylbutyrolactones with the same 2‐oxoglutarate‐dependent dioxygenase. The reaction can be conducted on 2 g scale, and the enzyme allows tailoring of the initial, “natural” structure and thus transforms various non‐natural derivatives. Depending on the substitution pattern, the enzyme performs an oxidative C−C bond formation by C−H activation or hydroxylation at the benzylic position prone to ring closure.

In der Modullandschaft der Pädagogischen Hochschule Luzern scheint die Disziplin „Allgemeine Didaktik“ nicht explizit auf. Die Inhalte der Allgemeinen Didaktik sind dennoch nicht an den Rand gedrängt worden. Sie wurden entlang berufsrelevanter Themen und Kompetenzen, die sowohl auf allgemeine als auch auf spezifische unterrichtsbezogene Kompetenzen ausgerichtet sind, in Module der Berufsstudien oder der Bildungs- und Sozialwissenschaften integriert. Zwar ist die Allgemeine Didaktik als eigenständige Disziplin an der Pädagogischen Hochschule Luzern nicht mehr die Leitdisziplin in der Einführung in pädagogisches Denken und Handeln. Doch im Verbund mit den Fachdidaktiken, den Bildungswissenschaften und der Lernpsychologie ist sie für den Aufbau der Unterrichtskompetenzen unverzichtbar: Angehende Lehrerinnen und Lehrer brauchen einen Orientierungsrahmen – den bietet die Allgemeine Didaktik in Kooperation mit anderen Disziplinen.

Purpose: Communication skills are an essential instrument for building a sustainable patient-doctor-relationship for future doctors. They are learnable and teachable. The learning should be facilitated with the help of a longitudinal curriculum, which is planned at Leipzig University. Project: At the Medical Faculty of Leipzig University, the Longitudinal Communication Curriculum is established since 2016/17. Up to now, the curriculum consists of four parts in which students repeatedly practise their communication skills in curricular and extracurricular courses. Several formats help to teach an integrated learning of communication and physical examination skills. Assessment of communication skills is also performed. Curricular implementation is accompanied by concomitant evaluation. Results: Three parts of the curriculum already have taken place. Students report an increase in communication skills. Students rate the units as instructive and helpful. The assessment of communication skills occurs in two clinical practical examinations (OSCEs). Together with summative assessment a formative feedback was implemented. Students judge this practice as highly positive. Discussion: The curriculum is part of undergraduate medical education in Leipzig. It would be beneficial to add another simulated patient encounter, as well as interprofessional units. Student questionnaires will be evaluated and results will help to develop the curriculum. Conclusion: Consolidation of the curriculum accompanied by evaluation and adaption of content can help to assure the quality of the curriculum. Additional professions and study units shall be integrated in the Longitudinal Communication Curriculum in the future., Zielsetzung: Kommunikative Kompetenzen gelten für angehende Ärztinnen und Ärzte als wichtiges Instrument zum Aufbau einer tragfähigen Arzt-Patient-Beziehung und sind lehr- und lernbar. Die Vermittlung sollte möglichst über longitudinale Curricula erfolgen. Dies wird an der Universität Leipzig angestrebt. Projektbeschreibung: An der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität Leipzig wird seit 2016/17 ein longitudinales Curriculum für kommunikative Kompetenzen implementiert. Das Curriculum ist aktuell in vier Abschnitte geteilt, in denen Studierenden in curricularen und extracurricularen Veranstaltungen unterschiedliche Gesprächsführungskompetenzen wiederholt vermittelt werden. Dies erfolgt über verschiedene Lehrformate, wobei besonderer Wert darauf gelegt wird, dass eine integrierte Vermittlung von kommunikativen und klinischen Fertigkeiten erfolgt. Auch die Prüfung verschiedener kommunikativer Kompetenzen soll implementiert werden. Die Implementierung des Curriculums wird von einer Evaluation begleitet. Ergebnisse: Drei Abschnitte des Curriculums wurden bereits implementiert. Studierende berichten einen Zuwachs an Gesprächsführungskompetenzen und erleben die einzelnen Elemente des Curriculums als lehr- und hilfreich. Kommunikative Kompetenzen werden in zwei klinisch- praktischen Prüfungen erhoben. Dabei konnte neben der summativen auch eine formative Prüfung via Feedback eingeführt werden. Dies wird durch die Studierenden positiv bewertet. Diskussion: Das Curriculum ist inzwischen Bestandteil des Leipziger Humanmedizinstudiums. Eine Ergänzung der bisher bestehenden Einheiten insbesondere um ein weiteres Gespräch mit Simulationspersonen sowie interprofessionelle Einheiten erscheint sinnvoll. Die Befragung der Studierenden soll ausgewertet und die Ergebnisse in die Entwicklung des Curriculums einbezogen werden. Schlussfolgerung: Eine Verstetigung des Curriculums einhergehend mit einer Evaluation und Anpassung der Inhalte kann zur Qualitätssicherung beitragen. Weitere Fächer und Studienabschnitte sollen zukünftig Bestandteil des longitudinalen Kommunikationscurriculums werden., GMS Journal for Medical Education; 38(3):Doc58

Aims To explore the clinical relevance of joint space width (JSW) narrowing on standardized-flexion (SF) radiographs in the assessment of cartilage degeneration in specific subregions seen on MRI sequences in knee osteoarthritis (OA) with neutral, valgus, and varus alignments, and potential planning of partial knee arthroplasty. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 639 subjects, aged 45 to 79 years, in the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) study, who had symptomatic knees with Kellgren and Lawrence grade 2 to 4. Knees were categorized as neutral, valgus, and varus knees by measuring hip-knee-angles on hip-knee-ankle radiographs. Femorotibial JSW was measured on posteroanterior SF radiographs using a special software. The femorotibial compartment was divided into 16 subregions, and MR-tomographic measurements of cartilage volume, thickness, and subchondral bone area were documented. Linear regression with adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and Kellgren and Lawrence grade was used. Results We studied 345 neutral, 87 valgus, and 207 varus knees. Radiological JSW narrowing was significantly (p < 0.01) associated with cartilage volume and thickness in medial femorotibial compartment in neutral (r = 0.78, odds ratio (OR) 2.33) and varus knees (r = 0.86, OR 1.92), and in lateral tibial subregions in valgus knees (r = 0.87, OR 3.71). A significant negative correlation was found between JSW narrowing and area of subchondral bone in external lateral tibial subregion in valgus knees (r = −0.65, p < 0.01) and in external medial tibial subregion in varus knees (r = −0.77, p < 0.01). No statistically significant correlation was found in anterior and posterior subregions. Conclusion SF radiographs can be potentially used for initial detection of cartilage degeneration as assessed by MRI in medial and lateral but not in anterior or posterior subregions. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2021;10(3):173–187. Keywords: Osteoarthritis cartilage, Joint space narrowing, Partial knee arthroplasty, Osteoarthritis radiography, Cartilage radiography, publishedVersion

A reliable workup with regard to a single diagnostic marker indicating periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) with sufficient sensitivity and specificity is still missing. The immunologically reactive molecule Pecam-1 is shed from the T-cell surface upon activation via proinflammatory signaling, e.g., triggered by specific pathogens. We hypothesized that soluble Pecam-1 (sPecam-1) can hence function as a biomarker of PJI. Fifty-eight patients were prospectively enrolled and assigned to one of the respective treatment groups (native knees prior to surgery, aseptic, and septic total knee arthroplasty (TKA) revision surgeries). Via synovial sample acquisition and ELISA testing, a database on local sPecam-1 levels was established. We observed a significantly larger quantity of sPecam-1 in septic (n = 22) compared to aseptic TKA revision surgeries (n = 20, p ≤ 0.001). Furthermore, a significantly larger amount of sPecam-1 was found in septic and aseptic revisions compared to native joints (n = 16, p ≤ 0.001). Benchmarking it to the gold standard showed a high predictive power for the detection of PJI. Local sPecam-1 levels correlated to the infection status of the implant, and thus bear a strong potential to act as a biomarker of PJI. While a clear role of sPecam-1 in infection could be demonstrated, the underlying mechanism of the molecule’s natural function needs to be further unraveled., publishedVersion

Digitalisierung ist dieser Tage ein viel bemühter Begriff. Dabei ist er nicht klar definiert und seinem Verständnis nach selbst Gegenstand einer Entwicklung [BHB18]. Zwar herrscht weitgehend Einigkeit, dass Digitalisierung auf der Grundlage der elektronischen Datenverwaltung aufbaut. Die zugehörigen Wirkmechanismen jedoch sind vielfältig und vor allem dynamischen Veränderungen unterworfen. Die Auswirkungen sind langfristig und mitunter sehr umfassend sowie grundlegend. Umso mehr kann ein mangelhaftes Verständnis dessen, was Digitalisierung ist, zu scheiternden Versuchen führen, sie zu gestalten [He17]. Als Beispiel lässt sich anführen, dass die Digitalisierung den beruflichen wie privaten Bereich hinsichtlich Information und Kommunikation ubiquitär beeinflusst hat. Sowohl die Verfügbarkeit von Informationen als auch die Leichtigkeit der Verteilung derselben hat sich enorm gesteigert. Zudem haben sich Möglichkeiten entwickelt, Informationen dezentral unmittelbar dort verarbeiten zu können, wo sie entstehen. Diese Trends haben zugenommen, nachdem die rein technische Basis bereits längere Zeit besteht. Die Entwicklungen zeigen jedoch in eine Richtung, die uns permanent mehr, technisch ausgefeiltere und komfortablere Möglichkeiten zur digitalen Informationsverarbeitung und -verteilung zur Verfügung stellt. Die Digitalisierung führt so durch größere Informationsverfügbarkeit und zu mehr und schnelleren Entscheidungen – besseren wie schlechteren [Ne18]. Die Folgen sind jedoch in unterschiedlichen Perspektiven sehr umfangreich und bedeutsam: Soziales, Technik und Gesellschaft – kein Bereich entzieht sich den Auswirkungen. Auf einer soziodynamischen Perspektive beispielsweise erhöht sich die Sichtbar-keit, die jeder Einzelne in einer digital zusammengefassten Gruppe für sich erfährt [LT20]. Dies wiederum beeinflusst Meinungen und Meinungsbildungsprozesse, Gruppenbildung etc. Und dies geschieht gewerblich wie privat; vieles davon kann man in der aktuellen Zeit sehr eindringlich sowohl in den konventionellen als auch in den neuen Medien beobachten. Aus einer technischen Betrachtung beispielsweise werden innovative Lösungen, Methoden und Techniken durch die Digitalisierung nicht nur ermöglicht, sondern ihre Entwicklung wird kontinuierlich weiter beschleunigt. Berufe, Berufsbilder und ganze Branchen verändern sich in rapider Geschwindigkeit, weil technische Lösun-gen viele nutzenstiftende Prozesse entweder radikal vereinfachen oder obsolet machen [Da18; Bo20]. Kaum einem Zweig der institutionalisierten Bildung in unserer Gesellschaft stellt sich nicht die Frage nach der Bedeutung der vielen Facetten der Digitalisierung für das eigene Fachgebiet. Grundsätzlich gilt: Wissensarbeit wird durch die digitale Transformation immer bedeutender [Gö19]. Durch effizientere Kollaboration entstehen innovative Ansätze für Problemstellungen in immer schnellerer Folge. Umso schwieriger wird es, einen Überblick zu behalten und sich adäquat auszubilden, um eine relevante Rolle im Rahmen der Digitalisierung zu spielen. Wir erkennen daran, dass Digitale Transformation tatsächlich nachhaltig und grundlegend die Art verändert, wie wir mit unserer analogen und digitalen Umwelt interagieren. Als Menschen möchten wir diese Veränderungen gerne greifbar machen, übersichtlich gestalten, um zumindest das Gefühl einer Kontrolle über den Prozess zu haben. Wo Transformationen stattfinden, ob bewusst gesteuert oder emergent-selbstorganisiert, besteht die Möglichkeit, zu gestalten. Chancen und Risiken ergeben sich und können von allen Akteuren wahrgenommen, analysiert und als Grundlage für bewusste Impulse genutzt werden, um das vermeintlich Beste aus der Digitalisierung zu machen. Der hohe Grad von Abhängigkeiten ist jedoch auch gleich-zeitig die Chance des Einen und das Risiko des Anderen. Diese Zusammenhänge sind nicht auf einzelne Bereiche unseres Lebens beschränkt, sondern hüllen uns als Menschen unabhängig von Branche, Beruf oder Lebensumständen jederzeit und überall ein. Publikationen zu den Themen Digitalisierung und Digitale Transformation existieren bereits in hoher Anzahl und vermutlich in praktisch allen Fachgebie-ten. Ihre Veröffentlichungskanäle verbleiben in den vergangenen Jahren interessan-terweise dieselben. Die Entstehung von dezidierten hochwertigen wissenschaftlichen Formaten die fachübergreifend auf das Phänomen Digitale Transformation schauen, bleibt zunächst noch aus. Als Professores einer stark technisch orientierten Hochschule mit einem breiten Spektrum von Angeboten in Wissenschaft und Forschung, auch außerhalb typischer Fachgebiete, wollten wir mit der Wilhelm Büchner Hochschule an dieser Stelle einen Beitrag leisten.

Supplemental material, sj-pdf-1-dhj-10.1177_20552076211019620 for Distinguishing atrial fibrillation from sinus rhythm using commercial pulse detection systems: The non-interventional BAYathlon study by Christian Müller, Ulf Hengstmann, Michael Fuchs, Martin Kirchner, Frank Kleinjung, Harald Mathis, Stephan Martin, Ingo Bläse and Stefan Perings in Digital Health

Graph tries are a new and interesting data structure proposed by Jacquet in 2014. They generalize the classical trie data structure which has found many applications in computer science and is one of the most popular data structure on words. For his generalization, Jacquet considered the size (or space requirement) and derived an asymptotic expansion for the mean and the variance when graph tries are built from $n$ independently chosen random labelings of a rooted $M$-ary tree. Moreover, he conjectured a central limit theorem for the (suitably normalized) size as the number of labelings tends to infinity. In this paper, we verify this conjecture with the method of moments., Comment: 20 pages; some minor errors fixed

Landslide Susceptibility Assessment Tools - Project Manager Suite (LSAT PMS), an open-source, user-friendly program written in Python developed and released at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR). Although initially developed to conduct landslide susceptibility analyses, LSAT PMS is applicable for all types of spatial analyses related to supervised binary classification. The first LSAT PMS release supports analysis workflows based on the weight of evidence, logistic regression, artificial neural network, and analytical hierarchy process. Solution tailored toolbox and the implemented data management environment allow efficient import, preprocessing, analysis and postprocessing of the data. The graphical user interface facilitates the intuitive exploratory work with the data and the models. Developing LSAT PMS, we focus on the practical assessment of uncertainties and model evaluation to better characterise the capabilities and limitations of implemented methods. Therefore, LSAT PMS offers different subsampling techniques and an evaluation tool to evaluate and compare models generated by different methods. Introducing LSAT PMS, we hope to provide easy access to state-of-the-art methods for the non-programming community supporting scientific principles of openness, knowledge integrity, and replicability. The standardised project framework of LSAT PMS allows an easy sharing of the data and model results among peers. With the utilisation of standard data formats, analysis results are transferable among all GIS for further processing and advanced visualisation. The software, corresponding comprehensive documentation, and a test dataset are ready for download on BGR’s home page and GitHub. LSAT PMS is subject to further development.

The presentation provides an overview about the project “Mass Movements in Germany (MBiD)” jointly implemented by six State Geological Surveys and the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources in the period from 2018 to 2020. The objective pursued in this intervention was to review the practical feasibility of the spatial assessment (modeling) of the landslide susceptibility in Germany both at regional and nationwide level. The chosen approach took into consideration the specific framework conditions with regard to the availability and application of official information to evaluate the spatial probability of this hazard in Germany. Focusing on both rotational and translational landslides as well as on rockfall, fourteen modeling case studies were performed in different natural environments to explore limits and possibilities. The methods applied representing state of the art assessment tools covering bi- and multivariate statistical, heuristic, physical and machine learning methods. The necessary model parameters were mainly deduced from nationwide thematic geoinformation layers that are featured by a high degree of consistency. Based on the case studies, conclusions on the applicability of the methods, the requirements for the recorded mass movement inventory, and the use of the selected parameters and parameter classes and their validity were drawn. The results of the case studies culminated in the development of practical solutions and recommendations (workflows), which include the selection of suitable methods according to requirements and the development of reproducible approaches for modeling the regional landslide susceptibility at different scales.

Climate warming and the related permafrost degradation are thought to influence slope stability, landscape evolution, and the natural hazard potential in polar- and high mountain regions. In this context, we investigate the coastal range of Forkastningsfjellet, Svalbard, which is affected by rock slope deformations of different magnitudes and age. Based on a detailed multidisciplinary investigation, we discuss the causes, kinematics and timing of rock slide activity. The distinct stair-stepped morphostructural relief of the Forkastningsfjellet ridge is the result of a giant postglacial deep-seated rock slide, which involved a minimum rock mass volume of 0.10 km³ and was probably related to the deglaciation of Isfjorden. Rock failure and movement in the hanging wall of a NW-dipping listric sliding surface led to the fragmentation of the sliding mass into separated tilt blocks. Since then mass wasting and seacliff erosion take place along the steep slopes of the coastal tilt blocks and on August 16th 2016 a coastal block of the postglacial Forkastningsfjellet rock slide was affected by a rotational rock slide comprising a volume of 175,000m³. As the reactivation of individual slide blocks could have severe consequences for the coastal regions of Longyearbyen by related displacement waves, a back analysis was carried out to derive potential controlling and triggering factors of the recent slope failure. Although the analysis suggests a structural control on the type and mechanism of slope failure, a significant impact of climate-related factors like permafrost degradation and increasing availability of water has to be considered.

Tree-child networks are an important network class which are used in phylogenetics to model reticulate evolution. In a recent paper, Pons and Batle (2021) conjectured a relation between tree-child networks and certain words. In this short note, we prove their conjecture for the (important) class of one-component tree-child networks., Comment: 6 pages

Digital, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a potentially serious liver disease that affects approximately one-quarter of the global adult population, causing a substantial burden of ill health with wide-ranging social and economic implications. It is a multisystem disease and is considered the hepatic component of metabolic syndrome. Unlike other highly prevalent conditions, NAFLD has received little attention from the global public health community. Health system and public health responses to NAFLD have been weak and fragmented, and, despite its pervasiveness, NAFLD is largely unknown outside hepatology and gastroenterology. There is only a nascent global public health movement addressing NAFLD, and the disease is absent from nearly all national and international strategies and policies for non-communicable diseases, including obesity. In this global Delphi study, a multidisciplinary group of experts developed consensus statements and recommendations, which a larger group of collaborators reviewed over three rounds until consensus was achieved. The resulting consensus statements and recommendations address a broad range of topics — from epidemiology, awareness, care and treatment to public health policies and leadership — that have general relevance for policy-makers, health-care practitioners, civil society groups, research institutions and affected populations. These recommendations should provide a strong foundation for a comprehensive public health response to NAFLD., Ciencias Médicas y de la Salud

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