Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich

CO2 is the first volatile to exsolve in magmatic systems and plays a crucial role in driving magma ascent and volcanic eruptions. Carbon stable isotopes serve as valuable tracers for understanding the transfer of CO2 from the melt to the gas phase during passive degassing or active eruptions. In this study, we present δ¹³C measurements from the 2021 Fagradalsfjall eruption, obtained from (a) volcanic gases emitted during the eruption and collected via unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and (b) a series of mineral‐hosted melt inclusions from the corresponding tephra deposits. These data sets jointly track the carbon isotopic evolution of the melt and gas phases during the last 10 km of magma ascent. The isotopic evolution of both phases indicates that kinetic degassing, a process previously only identified in mid‐ocean ridge basalts, took place in the 10 to 1 km depth range, followed by equilibrium degassing at near‐surface conditions in the last kilometer. Postulating that the melt was first saturated with CO2 at 27 km depth and that degassing from then to 10 km depth took place via equilibrium isotopic fractionation, the melt inclusion data constrain the initial δ¹³C signature of the Icelandic mantle to −6.5 ± 2.5‰ but also show indications of possible isotopic heterogeneity in the mantle source.

This article has been written as an attempt to partially answer a question we as HCI researchers often hear: What has HCI contributed to the practice of developing software – or: why do (complex) systems still often fall short of being usable? We are trying to frame the topic and list some problems, but also some upcoming solutions. As to be expected, the problem is not that there is no knowledge available about how to build usable systems, but the knowledge about the importance of this topic has not yet arrived everywhere in software development.

Several regularly recurring moderate‐size earthquakes motivated dense instrumentation of the Parkfield section of the San Andreas fault (SAF), providing an invaluable near‐fault observatory. We present a seismo‐geodetic dynamic inversion of the 2004 Parkfield earthquake, which illuminates the interlinked complexity of faulting across time scales. Using fast‐velocity‐weakening rate‐and‐state friction, we jointly model coseismic dynamic rupture and the 90‐day evolution of postseismic slip in a 3D domain. We utilize a parallel tempering Markov chain Monte Carlo approach to solve this non‐linear high‐dimensional inverse problem, constraining spatially varying prestress and fault friction parameters by 30 strong motion and 12 GPS stations. From visiting > ${ >}$2 million models, we discern complex coseismic rupture dynamics that transition from a strongly radiating pulse‐like phase to a mildly radiating crack‐like phase. Both coseismic phases are separated by a shallow strength barrier that nearly arrests rupture and leads to a gap in the afterslip, reflecting the geologic heterogeneity along this segment of the SAF. Coseismic rupture termination involves distinct arrest mechanisms that imprint on afterslip kinematics. A backward propagating afterslip front may drive delayed aftershock activity above the hypocenter. Trade‐off analysis of the 10,500 best‐fitting models uncovers local correlations between prestress levels and the reference friction coefficient, alongside an anticorrelation between prestress and rate‐state parameters b−a $b-a$. We find that a complex, fault‐local interplay of dynamic parameters determines the nucleation, propagation, and arrest of both, co‐ and postseismic faulting. This study demonstrates the potential of inverse physics‐based modeling to reveal novel insights and detailed characterizations of well‐recorded earthquakes.

The lncRNA Crossfirre was identified as an imprinted X-linked gene, and is transcribed antisense to the trans-acting lncRNA Firre. The Firre locus forms an inactive-X-specific interaction with Dxz4, both loci providing the platform for the largest conserved chromatin structures. Here, we characterize the epigenetic profile of these loci, revealing them as the most female-specific accessible regions genome-wide. To address their in vivo role, we perform one of the largest X-linked knockout studies by deleting Crossfirre, Firre, and Dxz4 individually and in combination. Despite their distinct epigenetic features observed on the X chromosome, our allele-specific analysis uncovers these loci as dispensable for imprinted and random X chromosome inactivation. However, we provide evidence that Crossfirre affects autosomal gene regulation but only in combination with Firre. To shed light on the functional role of these sex-specific loci, we perform an extensive standardized phenotyping pipeline and uncover diverse knockout and sex-specific phenotypes. Collectively, our study provides the foundation for exploring the intricate interplay of conserved X-linked loci in vivo.

Zusammenfassung Gegenstand und Ziel Im Präputium des Rüden können verschiedene fakultativ pathogene Bakterien nachgewiesen werden. Um diese zu reduzieren, spülen einige Züchter/-innen das Präputium ihrer Deckrüden vor dem Deckakt. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, herauszufinden, ob Präputialspülungen vor dem Deckakt medizinisch sinnvoll sind. Material und Methoden Bei 20 Rüden wurde das Präputium mit physiologischer Kochsalzlösung und im Abstand von mindestens 4 Wochen mit Caniprevent gespült. Der Effekt der unterschiedlichen Spüllösungen wurde mittels mikrobiologischer Untersuchungen von Tupferproben, die vor und nach der Spülung genommen wurden, verglichen. Ergebnisse Am häufigsten wurden Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Streptococcus canis und Mykoplasmen identifiziert. Es konnte kein signifikanter Unterschied in der Anzahl der nachgewiesenen Bakterien bei Hunden mit und ohne Präputialkatarrh (p=0,878) ermittelt werden. Nach den Spülungen kam es zu einer signifikanten Abnahme des Bakterienwachstums, wobei die Bakterienreduktion nach Präputialspülung mit Caniprevent mit 20,8% (p<0,001) ausgeprägter war als nach einer Spülung mit NaCl (p=0,004). Schlussfolgerung Obwohl in dieser Studie eine Reduktion von Bakterien durch Präputialspülungen nachgewiesen wurde, können medizinische Vorteile einer prophylaktischen Spülung derzeit noch nicht eingeschätzt werden. Klinische Relevanz Im Hinblick auf den Präputialkatarrh und Präputialspüllösungen gibt es weiteren Forschungsbedarf, um die Tierhalter/-innen besser aufklären und beraten zu können.

Citizen curation is gaining momentum as a new form of engagement with cultural heritage. Citizen curatorial activities require and produce a wealth of information, ranging from descriptions of the artefacts to visitor experience feedback. Although formalising and integrating such various data is of paramount importance, the domain lacks comprehensive ontologies to enable querying, interpreting and reasoning over the collected data. SPICE - Social Participation, Cohesion, and Inclusion through Cultural Engagement - is an EU project dedicated to experimenting with citizen curation activities to foster cultural engagement. SPICE develops technologies that help communities to create and share their own interpretation of cultural artefacts, hence developing a better understanding of, and empathy for, themselves and other communities. Part of the SPICE ecosystem of technologies is the SPICE Ontology Network (SON), which empowers applications with knowledge-level reasoning abilities, and supports both applications and users interacting with data involved in citizen curation activities. This paper provides an overview of the SPICE Ontology Network and outlines its main use cases.

Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), known for their propensity towards use in improvised explosive devices due to facile synthesis from readily accessible precursors, present a considerable security challenge. Their sensitivity to mechanical stimuli, such as impact and friction, as well as to thermal input, necessitates the development of advanced detection methodologies. This study is dedicated to evaluate the influence of varied laser beam parameters during radiation on these peroxide‐based energetic materials. A novel approach for the controlled energy delivery to substances under investigation involves the application of coatings with predefined absorption coefficients. This technique, coupled with the careful selection of laser parameters, enables the controlled local initiation of reaction in the energetic material without reaching the threshold for mass combustion, thereby avoiding detonation or deflagration. The experimental setup involves the laser irradiation of defined quantities of graphite‐coated TATP and HMTD, with the subsequent laser processing being monitored using a sensitive microphone. This set‐up enables a detailed investigation of the physical phenomena that manifest themselves during the interaction and thus contributes to the state of knowledge about the safe handling and detection of these energetic materials.

The coordination of cell cycle progression and flagellar synthesis is a complex process in motile bacteria. In γ-proteobacteria, the localization of the flagellum to the cell pole is mediated by the SRP-type GTPase FlhF. However, the mechanism of action of FlhF, and its relationship with the cell pole landmark protein HubP remain unclear. In this study, we discovered a novel protein called FipA that is required for normal FlhF activity and function in polar flagellar synthesis. We demonstrated that membrane-localized FipA interacts with FlhF and is required for normal flagellar synthesis in Vibrio parahaemolyticus , Pseudomonas putida , and Shewanella putrefaciens , and it does so independently of the polar localization mediated by HubP. FipA exhibits a dynamic localization pattern and is present at the designated pole before flagellar synthesis begins, suggesting its role in licensing flagellar formation. This discovery provides insight into a new pathway for regulating flagellum synthesis and coordinating cellular organization in bacteria that rely on polar flagellation and FlhF-dependent localization.

Zusammenfassung Während Forschungen über die Verwaltung regelmäßig einerseits starre Routinen einer Bürokratie identifizieren, die andererseits von informalen Absprachen begleitet werden, interessieren wir uns im Rahmen dieser Studie dafür, ob und wie Organisationen selbst in ihren Selbstbeschreibungen die Unterscheidung formal/informal verwenden. Unsere Studie zur Integration von Geflüchteten über gesellschaftliche Andockstellen (Verwaltung, Arbeitsplatz, Arztpraxis, Schule, Theater) ermöglicht Einblicke in Selbstbeschreibungen von Organisationsstellen der Verwaltung. Wir rekonstruieren einen Zusammenhang von Verwaltungsvorgängen, der mit kommunalen Behörden beginnt, dann in beratende Tätigkeiten mündet und schließlich auch die „ganzheitliche“ Betreuung in entsprechenden Einrichtungen vorsieht. Dabei entsteht ein Blick auf Geflüchtete, der durchgehend von selektiven Zugriffen der Verwaltung geprägt ist. Sichtbar wird aber auch, dass die formalen Spielräume dieser selektiven Zugriffe als informal ausgewiesen werden, die dann als engagiertes Handeln erscheinen. Es ergibt sich ein geschärfter Blick dafür, dass sowohl organisationale Selbstbeschreibungen als auch deren migrationssoziologische Beobachtung die Selektivität und die Ermessensspielräume der Verwaltung nur vage einschätzen können. Organisationssoziologisch resultiert hieraus das Argument, Formalität auch als „engagierte“, Spielräume nutzende Fachlichkeit zu verstehen, Informalität dagegen empirisch als Hinweis darauf zu lesen, was eine Organisation unter ihrer eigenen Fachlichkeit versteht.

Starting from the solid state structure of C3-symmetrical homochiral parallel trimolecular bundle of three aromatic helices held together by intermolecular hydrogen bonds, we have used simple rational principles and molecular modelling to design a similar heterochiral structure where one helix had an opposite orientation and handedness. A rigid and a flexible linker to connect these helices and transform the bundle into a unimolecular object were designed and synthesized. Model sequences with two helices and one linker were then prepared. Their conformations were investigated in solution by nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism, in the solid state by X-ray crystallography, and by molecular dynamics simulations, overall supporting the initial design. A final 6.9 kDa unimolecular three-helix bundle was then prepared using a fragment condensation approach. Solution studies support the formation of the targetted tertiary fold in the case of the rigid linker, thereby validating the overall approach.

Individuals’ lifestyle behaviours determine health. Improving Early Nutrition and Health in South Africa (“ImpENSA”), an EU Erasmus+ co-funded project, aims to tackle the triple burden of malnutrition in South Africa through equipping healthcare professionals (HCPs) with knowledge and skills to effectively support healthy nutritional choices among pregnant women and mothers/infant caregivers. Healthy Conversation Skills (HCS) is a behaviour change intervention utilising open discovery questions, active listening, reflection on practice and goal-setting support through SMARTER (Specific, Measured, Action-oriented, Realistic, Timed, Evaluated and Reviewed) planning as core competences. We integrated HCS training delivered online (eHCS training) as practical skills training for HCPs following two eLearning modules on micronutrient nutrition and person-centred behaviour change support. In a programme pilot (2021–22) we investigated participant training experiences, application of HCS and changes in clinical practice using assessments, questionnaires, and interviews at baseline, pre- and post-training and at 3-month follow-up. Of 36 participants (mainly dietitians) initially enrolled, 27 completed eHCS training and 24 participated in the follow-up evaluation. All applied open discovery questions and listened to their patients more actively (spending less time giving information) during consultations. Many participants (63%) reported that they frequently supported their patients using SMARTER planning for a behaviour change. All reflected on their practice and how they consulted their patients. Participants gave very positive feedback on eHCS training, finding it relevant and enjoyable. Contextual (micronutrient nutrition) and theoretical (person-centred behaviour change and HCS) knowledge established prior to eHCS training enabled participants to focus during the training on practising and mastering HCS and observing others. This facilitated reflection, deepened understanding of patient-centred care and accelerated the application of HCS to implement person-centred care in their practice. We conclude that eHCS training delivered online, integrated with knowledge-based modules, can effectively enhance the way HCPs support their patients to ultimately optimise early life nutrition.

Introduction Parental Reflective Functioning describes the parents’ ability to view their child as motivated by mental states. The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ) represents an 18-item and three-factor self-report measure. Our goal was to conduct the first German validation study. Method In a community sample of 378 mothers of children aged 10.2–78.6 months, we used Confirmatory Factor Analysis with a cross-validation approach to assess model fit. Reliability was measured using Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s ω. Concurrent validity was assessed using correlations with relevant constructs. Results The three-factor structure of the original validation could be confirmed. The German model only needed minor modifications: two items had to be removed, and one error covariance was added. The resulting 16-item questionnaire with the three subscales “Pre-mentalizing”, “Interest and Curiosity about Mental States”, and “Certainty about Mental States” was successfully cross-validated (CFI = .94, TLI = .93, SRMR = .07, RMSEA = .04 (CI [.01, .06])). These factors were related in theoretically expected ways to parental attachment dimensions, emotional availability, parenting stress, and infant attachment status. Conclusion While reliability could still be improved, the German 16-item version of the PRFQ represents a valid measure of parental reflective functioning.

Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease is an inherited lysosomal storage disorder mainly driven by mutations in the NPC1 gene, causing lipid accumulation within late endosomes/lysosomes and resulting in progressive neurodegeneration. Although microglial activation precedes neuronal loss, it remains elusive whether loss of the membrane protein NPC1 in microglia actively contributes to NPC pathology. In a mouse model with depletion of NPC1 in myeloid cells, we report severe alterations in microglial lipidomic profiles, including the enrichment of bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate, increased cholesterol, and a decrease in cholesteryl esters. Lipid dyshomeostasis was associated with microglial hyperactivity, marked by an increase in translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO). These hyperactive microglia initiated a pathological cascade resembling NPC-like phenotypes, including a shortened life span, motor impairments, astrogliosis, neuroaxonal pathology, and increased neurofilament light chain (NF-L), a neuronal injury biomarker. As observed in the mouse model, patients with NPC showed increased NF-L in the blood and microglial hyperactivity, as visualized by TSPO-PET imaging. Reduced TSPO expression in blood-derived macrophages of patients with NPC was measured after N -acetyl- l -leucine treatment, which has been recently shown to have beneficial effects in patients with NPC, suggesting that TSPO is a potential marker to monitor therapeutic interventions for NPC. Conclusively, these results demonstrate that myeloid dysfunction, driven by the loss of NPC1, contributes to NPC disease and should be further investigated for therapeutic targeting and disease monitoring.

In this paper, we present a semi-empirical calibration between the oxygen abundance and the N 2 emission-line ratio for low ionisation nuclear emission regions (LINERs). This relation was derived by comparing the optical spectroscopic data of 118 nuclear spaxels classified as LINERs using three different BPT diagrams from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies survey (MaNGA) and sub-classified as weak (wAGN, 84 objects) and strong (sAGN, 34 objects) active galactic nucleus (AGN) from the WHAN diagnostic diagram and photoionisation model results obtained with the cloudy code assuming gas accretion into a black hole (representing an AGN). We found that our wAGN LINERs exhibit an oxygen abundance in the range of $8.50 \lesssim \mathrm{12+\log(O/H)} \lesssim 8.90$ , with an average value of $\mathrm{12+\log(O/H)}=8.68$ , while our sAGN LINERs exhibit an oxygen abundance in the range of $8.51 \lesssim \: \mathrm{12+\log(O/H)} \: \lesssim \: 8.81$ , with an average value of $\mathrm{12+\log(O/H)}=8.65$ . Our abundance estimations are in good agreement with those derived for another two different samples one of them with 463 Seyfert 2 objects and the other with 43 LINERs galaxies ionised by post-AGB stars, showing that the assumptions of our models are likely suitable for wAGN and sAGN LINERs. A relation between the equivalent width of the observed H $\alpha$ emission-line and the estimated ionisation parameter provided by models was obtained. Our results also suggest that LINERs does not show a clear correlation between oxygen abundances and the stellar mass of the hosting galaxies.

We discuss the challenges that the standard (Humean and non-Humean) accounts of laws face within the framework of quantum gravity where space and time may not be fundamental. This paper identifies core (meta)physical features that cut across a number of quantum gravity approaches and formalisms and that provide seeds for articulating updated conceptions that could account for QG laws not involving any spatio-temporal notions. To this aim, we will in particular highlight the constitutive roles of quantum entanglement, quantum transition amplitudes and quantum causal histories. These features also stress the fruitful overlap between quantum gravity and quantum information theory.

In recent years, psychological researchers have been heavily criticizedfor generalizing broadly from narrow samples, a concern that inter-sects with questions about the validity, reproducibility, replicability,and generalizability of the psychological literature. One issue is thelimited reporting of participants’ identities, backgrounds, and livedexperiences. To address this issue, several journals have begun torequire greater reporting of participants’ sociodemographic informa-tion. In this article, we address both challenges and considerationswith respect to sociodemographic reporting for researchers, reviewers,and journal editors. We provide guidance for recording, evaluating,protecting, and interpreting sociodemographic data.

Oxide zeolites are synthesized from aqueous solutions in an established way employing hydrothermal synthesis. Transferring this approach to nitride zeolites requires a solvent providing nitrogen for which ammonia has proven to be particularly suitable. We present the successful ammonothermal synthesis of the (oxo)nitridosilicate compounds Ce3[Si6N11], Li2RE4[Si4N8]O3 (RE = La, Ce) and K1.25Ce7.75[Si11N21O2]O0.75. Within this procedure, the usage of supercritical ammonia as a solvent as well as the utilization of the mineralizers NaN3, Li3N and KN3, respectively, allowed the targeted synthesis of large single crystals. Formation of these (oxo)nitridosilicates depend mainly on the employed mineralizer despite their similar degree of condensation. The three compounds were structurally characterized using X‐ray diffraction and their crystal structures contain a wide range of different ring sizes within their tetrahedra networks. The zeolite(‐like) crystal structures are elucidated and compared to known nitridosilicate representatives of the respective structure types. Their elemental composition was investigated using energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy and incorporation of the O rather than N−H functionality was confirmed by Fourier‐Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as by charge distribution (CHARDI) and bond valence sum (BVS) calculations. The presented examples demonstrate that ammonothermal synthesis provides a one‐step access from elemental starting materials towards nitride zeolites.

Neoantigen-specific T cell receptors (neoTCRs) promise safe, personalized anti-tumor immunotherapy. However, detailed assessment of neoTCR-characteristics affecting therapeutic efficacy is mostly missing. Previously, we identified diverse neoTCRs restricted to different neoantigens in a melanoma patient. In this work, we now combine single-cell TCR-sequencing and RNA-sequencing after neoantigen-specific restimulation of peripheral blood-derived CD8⁺ T cells of this patient. We detect neoTCRs with specificity for the previously detected neoantigens and perform fine-characterization of neoTCR-transgenic (tg) T cells in vitro and in vivo. We describe a heterogeneous spectrum of TCR-intrinsic activation patterns in response to a shared neoepitope ranging from previously detected more highly frequent neoTCRs with moderate activation to rare ones with initially stronger activation. Experimental restimulation of adoptively transferred neoTCR-tg T cells in a xenogeneic rechallenge tumor model demonstrates superior anti-tumor responses of moderate neoTCR-tg T cells upon repeated tumor contact. These insights have significant implications for the selection of TCRs for therapeutic engineering of TCR-tg T cells.