Fitness, functions, and exaptation:a study in philosophical methodology and theoretical and applied philosophy of biology

Diese Arbeit widmet sich einem Thema aus dem Bereich der Philosophie der Biologie. Zwei zentrale Begriffe der Biologie werden untersucht: der Begriff der biologischen Fitness und der Funktionsbegriff. Über die Fragen aus diesem speziellen Gebiet hinaus stellt sie methodologische Überlegungen zur philosophischen Reflexion wissenschaftlicher Grundbegriffe an. Insbesondere beschäftigt sich die Arbeit mit der Frage, ob Wissenschaftsphilosophie bei der Erklärung der zu verstehenden Phänomene in Einzelwissenschaften bzw. der Klärung einzelwissenschaftlicher Begriffe dem Ansatz der Begriffsanalyse oder einer anderen Methode folgen sollte. Zum Schluss wird anhand einer Fallstudie aus der Verhaltensbiologie gezeigt, wie die Wissenschaftsphilosophie auch für die experimentelle Biologie fruchtbar gemacht werden kann.This book comprises various areas in the philosophy of science. It begins with a general consideration of philosophical methodology and its significance for the philosophy of science. Applying the methodological framework developed in the first part, it continues to work on some conceptual issues within the philosophy of biology, namely issues concerning the notions of biological fitness and functions. Subsequently, it ends with a case study of the applied philosophy of science suggesting new experiments based on theoretical considerations

Preserflo MicroShunt versus Trabeculectomy: Efficacy and Surgical Success within a Heterogenous Patient Cohort

To compare success rates of trabeculectomy (TE) and Preserflo MicroShunt (PMS) in heterogenous glaucoma cohorts with regards to different pre- and postoperative therapeutic regimens. Data of 187 glaucoma patients who either received TE (73 eyes) or PMS implantation (114 eyes) between January 2018 and December 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. Surgical success and failure rates were analyzed within six months of follow-up. Intraocular pressure (IOP) development over the course of follow-up was compared between both groups. Tertiary outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), number and type of medications, frequency of postoperative complications and revision surgeries. Outcome measures underwent additional assessment based on subgroup categorizations, and failure time hazard ratios were computed. The success rates were comparable between both procedures (TE: 54.1%, PMS: 60.0%; p = 0.17). Both procedures showed significant IOP reduction (p < 0.01); however, overall IOP reduction was greater in the TE group than in the PMS group (TE: Reduction by 12 mmHg (188.9%), PMS: Reduction by 7 mmHg (51.3%); p = 0.01). The number of topical medications decreased significantly in both groups over the course of follow-up (TE: 4 to 0, PMS: 3 to 0; p < 0.01). While the number of complications and revision surgeries were similar in both groups, the time interval until the first revision surgery within the TE group was significantly shorter (TE: 13.5 d, PMS: 163 d; p = 0.01) than within the PMS group. No difference could be detected between TE and PMS with regard to the follow-up regimen. In particular, there was no significant difference in the need for 5-floururacil injections postoperatively (p = 0.29). Less invasive glaucoma surgery with the PMS appeared comparable to the TE within a heterogenous glaucoma cohort with regards to IOP development and freedom from medication

Physicians' Social Skills – Conceptualization, Taxonomy, and Behavioral Assessment

Social skills (e.g., assertiveness, empathy, ability to accept criticism) are essential for the medical profession and therefore also for the selection and development of medical students. However, the term "social skills" is understood differently in different contexts. There is no agreed upon taxonomy for classifying physicians' social skills, and skills with the same meaning often have different names. This conceptual ambiguity presents a hurdle to cross-context communication and to the development of methods to assess social skills. Drawing from behavioral psychology, we aim to contribute to a better understanding of social skills in the medical context. To this end, we introduce a theoretically and empirically informed taxonomy that can be used to integrate the large number of different social skills. We consider how skills manifest at the behavioral level to ensure that we focus only on skills that are actually observable, distinguishable, and measurable. Here, behavioral research has shown that three overarching skill dimensions can be seen in interpersonal situations and are clearly distinguishable from each other: agency skill (i.e., getting ahead in social situations), communion skill (i.e., getting along in social situations), and interpersonal resilience (i.e., staying calm in social situations). We show that almost all social skills relevant for physicians fit into this structure. The approach presented allows redundant descriptions to be combined under three clearly distinguishable and behavior-based dimensions of social skills. This approach has implications for the assessment of social skills in both the selection and development of students

Group-specific cellular metabolism in Medulloblastoma

Background: Cancer metabolism influences multiple aspects of tumorigenesis and causes diversity across malignancies. Although comprehensive research has extended our knowledge of molecular subgroups in medulloblastoma (MB), discrete analysis of metabolic heterogeneity is currently lacking. This study seeks to improve our understanding of metabolic phenotypes in MB and their impact on patients’ outcomes. Methods: Data from four independent MB cohorts encompassing 1,288 patients were analysed. We explored metabolic characteristics of 902 patients (ICGC and MAGIC cohorts) on bulk RNA level. Moreover, data from 491 patients (ICGC cohort) were searched for DNA alterations in genes regulating cell metabolism. To determine the role of intratumoral metabolic differences, we examined single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from 34 additional patients. Findings on metabolic heterogeneity were correlated to clinical data. Results: Established MB groups exhibit substantial differences in metabolic gene expression. By employing unsupervised analyses, we identified three clusters of group 3 and 4 samples with distinct metabolic features in ICGC and MAGIC cohorts. Analysis of scRNA-seq data confirmed our results of intertumoral heterogeneity underlying the according differences in metabolic gene expression. On DNA level, we discovered clear associations between altered regulatory genes involved in MB development and lipid metabolism. Additionally, we determined the prognostic value of metabolic gene expression in MB and showed that expression of genes involved in metabolism of inositol phosphates and nucleotides correlates with patient survival. Conclusion: Our research underlines the biological and clinical relevance of metabolic alterations in MB. Thus, distinct metabolic signatures presented here might be the first step towards future metabolism-targeted therapeutic options

"Was hast Du Dir dazu überlegt?" Denkwege von Kindern und Inhalte gleichermaßen in den Blick nehmen:Festschrift für Dagmar Bönig

Mit dieser Festschrift anlässlich ihres 65. Geburtstages würdigen wir Dagmar Bönig und ihr herausragendes Wirken in der Mathematikdidaktik. In den vergangenen Jahrzehnten hat sie mit zahlreichen Projekten die mathematische Bildung im Primar- und Elementarbereich sowie die Aus- und Fortbildung von Lehrkräften maßgeblich geprägt. Als Professorin beeinflusste sie mehrere Studierendengenerationen und damit auch zahlreiche heute praktizierende Lehrkräfte. Dabei zeichnet sie sich stets durch ihre wertschätzende und offene Haltung gegenüber kindlichen Ideen aus, die sie ihren Studierenden vorlebt. Die Festschrift vereint eine vielfältige Sammlung von Beiträgen aus Wissenschaft und Praxis. Zu den Autor*innen zählen (ehemalige und aktuelle) Kolleg*innen, Lehrer*innen und Erzieher*innen, von denen viele bei Dagmar Bönig studierten, promovierten oder in Forschungsprojekten mit ihr zusammenarbeiteten. Herausgegeben wird der Band von den Mitgliedern der Arbeitsgruppe Mathematikdidaktik am Fachbereich 12 der Universität Bremen sowie den ehemaligen Mitgliedern Johanna Scharlau und Daniel Walter

Association of Complement Factors With Disability Progression in Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Background and Objectives: The complement system is known to play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. However, its contribution to disease progression remains elusive. The study investigated the role of the complement system in disability progression of patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS). Methods: Sixty-eight patients with PPMS from 12 European MS centers were included in the study. Serum and CSF levels of a panel of complement components (CCs) were measured by multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay at a baseline time point (i.e., sampling). Mean (SD) follow-up time from baseline was 9.6 (4.8) years. Only one patient (1.5%) was treated during follow-up. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions adjusted for age, sex, and albumin quotient were performed to assess the association between baseline CC levels and disability progression in short term (2 years), medium term (6 years), and long term (at the time of the last follow-up). Results: In short term, CC played little or no role in disability progression. In medium term, an elevated serum C3a/C3 ratio was associated with a higher risk of disability progression (adjusted OR 2.30; 95% CI 1.17–6.03; p = 0.040). By contrast, increased CSF C1q levels were associated with a trend toward reduced risk of disability progression (adjusted OR 0.43; 95% CI 0.17–0.98; p = 0.054). Similarly, in long term, an elevated serum C3a/C3 ratio was associated with higher risk of disability progression (adjusted OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.09–3.40; p = 0.037), and increased CSF C1q levels predicted lower disability progression (adjusted OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.17–0.86; p = 0.025). Discussion: Proteins involved in the activation of early complement cascades play a role in disability progression as risk (elevated serum C3a/C3 ratio) or protective (elevated CSF C1q) factors after 6 or more years of follow-up in patients with PPMS. The protective effects associated with C1q levels in CSF may be related to its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties

Liberal Corona Policy

Es wird ein liberaler Ansatz zum Umgang mit der aktuellen Corona-Pandemie vorgestellt, der mehr auf individuellen Entscheidungen und Eigenverantwortung setzt als auf staatliche Vorgaben und Zwang, die weder besonders effektiv noch effizient sind. Die Anwendung dieses Ansatzes wird für zahlreiche Unterthemen skizziert und diskutiert, es werden allerdings auch mögliche Grenzen benannt.A liberal approach to dealing with the current coronavirus pandemic is presented, which relies more on individual decisions and personal responsibility than on state requirements and coercion that are neither particularly effective nor efficient. The application of this approach is outlined and discussed for numerous sub-topics, but possible limits are also named

Software im Zollrecht der Europäischen Union:Die zollwertrechtliche Behandlung von Software in der Europäischen Union unter Einbezug des Wirtschaftszollgedankens sowie des Welthandelsrechts

Vor dem Hintergrund international arbeitsteiliger Produktion und globaler Handelsbeziehungen finden die wenigsten Produktionsprozesse nur an einem Ort statt. Während Hardware meist in Niedriglohnländern gefertigt wird, erfolgt die Softwareentwicklung regelmäßig in Ländern mit hohem Lohnniveau. Dies wirft zentrale zollrechtliche Fragen auf, insbesondere zur Bestimmung des Zollwertes digitalisierter Waren, die nach ihrer Fertigung grenzüberschreitend verbracht werden. Ein wesentliches Problem ist, ob und inwieweit der Wert der installierten oder implementierten Software den Zollwert der Hardware beeinflusst. Da das geltende Zollrecht weitgehend vor der Digitalisierung entwickelt wurde, ist es auf entsprechende Fragestellungen nicht ausgerichtet. Diese Dissertation analysiert die zollwertrechtliche Behandlung von Software in der Europäischen Union unter Berücksichtigung wirtschaftszollrechtlicher und welthandelsrechtlicher Aspekte

A magnetic resonance imaging based radiomics model to predict mitosis cycles in intracranial meningioma

The aim of this study was to develop a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based radiomics model to predict mitosis cycles in intracranial meningioma grading prior to surgery. Preoperative contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (T1CE) cerebral MRI data of 167 meningioma patients between 2015 and 2020 were obtained, preprocessed and segmented using the 3D Slicer software and the PyRadiomics plugin. In total 145 radiomics features of the T1CE MRI images were computed. The criterion on the basis of which the feature selection was made is whether the number of mitoses per 10 high power field (HPF) is greater than or equal to zero. Our analyses show that machine learning algorithms can be used to make accurate predictions about whether the number of mitoses per 10 HPF is greater than or equal to zero. We obtained our best model using Ridge regression for feature pre-selection, followed by stepwise logistic regression for final model construction. Using independent test data, this model resulted in an AUC (Area under the Curve) of 0.8523, an accuracy of 0.7941, a sensitivity of 0.8182, a specificity of 0.7500 and a Cohen’s Kappa of 0.5576. We analyzed the performance of this model as a function of the number of mitoses per 10 HPF. The model performs well for cases with zero mitoses as well as for cases with more than one mitosis per 10 HPF. The worst model performance (accuracy = 0.6250) is obtained for cases with one mitosis per 10 HPF. Our results show that MRI-based radiomics may be a promising approach to predict the mitosis cycles in intracranial meningioma prior to surgery. Specifically, our approach may offer a non-invasive means of detecting the early stages of a malignant process in meningiomas prior to the onset of clinical symptoms

Molecular identification of polymorphic transposable elements in populations of the invasive ant Cardiocondyla obscurior

Transposable elements (TEs) are found in virtually every eukaryotic genome and are important for generating de novo genetic variation. However, outside of costly and time-consuming whole-genome sequencing approaches, the set of available methods to study TE polymorphisms in non-model species is very limited. The Transposon Display (TD) is a simple yet effective technique to characterize polymorphisms across samples by identifying amplified fragment length polymorphisms using primers targeting specific TE families. So far, this technique has almost exclusively been used in plants. Here, we present an optimized TD protocol for insect species with small genomes such as ants (ca. 200–600 Mb). We characterized TE polymorphisms between two distinct genetic lineages of the invasive ant 'Cardiocondyla obscurior', as well as between neighboring populations of the New World lineage. We found active LTR/Ty3 retrotransposons, that contributed to the genetic diversification of populations in this species