"Et statim gallus cantavit."

Ein Hymnus ist eine Form des Gebets, deren Wurzeln bis zu den Ägyptern zurückreichen. Der jeweilige Gott, an den der Hymnus gerichtet ist, wird feierlich angerufen, um ihn Bitten gnädig zu stimmen. Mit der Verbreitung dieser Gebetsform einher ging auch die Fixierung des Hymnenschemas, die in der Regel aus drei Teilen besteht: der Anrufung (invocatio), einer Aufzählung von Eigenschaften und großen Taten (Aretalogie) und dem eigentlich Anliegen, den Bitten (precatio). Hymnen begegnen nicht nur in der heidnischen Antike bei den Griechen und Römern, sondern wurden auch in die christliche Religion übernommen. Der bedeutendste Dichter christlicher Hymnen war der im 4. Jahrhundert wirkende Mailänder Bischof und Kirchenvater Ambrosius, dem es mit seinen volksnahen, im Kampf gegen den Arianismus eingesetzten Hymnen gelang, dieser Form zum Durchbruch zu verhelfen. Kurze Zeit später widmete sich der als kaiserlicher Beamter in Mailand wirkende, spanische Dichter Aurelius Prudentius Clemens der Dichtung christlicher Hymnen. Nach der Vorlage des ambrosianischen Hymnus Aeterne rerum conditor verfasste auch Prudentius einen Hymnus zur Gebetsstunde des Hahnenschreis, den Hymnus Ad Galli cantum. In der Forschung erkannte man sehr früh die Verbindung zwischen diesen beiden Dichtungen. Die gezogenen Vergleiche fielen jedoch zumeist zugunsten eines Dichters aus, beschränkten sich auf einen einzelnen Aspekt oder wurden auf Basis einer eher überblicksmäßigen Betrachtung durchgeführt. Deshalb besteht das Ziel dieser Arbeit darin, einen umfassenden Vergleich zwischen den beiden Hymnen anzustellen, der nicht nur einen Aspekt, sondern möglichst viele Bereiche miteinschließt. Einerseits gehe ich kurz auf die Person der Dichter selbst ein, da bereits hier große Unterschiede festzustellen sind. Während Ambrosius als Bischof tätig war und seine Dichtung für den liturgischen Gebrauch, im speziellen für den Kampf gegen die Häresie des Arianismus, bestimmt, verfolgte Prudentius als Laie das Ziel, Leseliteratur für eine gebildete christliche Elite zu verfassen. Aus diesem Grund ergeben sich Differenzen in vielerlei Hinsicht. Zum einen betreffen sie die Länge der Hymnen, zum anderen Inhalt, Argumentationsführung und die Allegorie. Andererseits stelle ich die zwei Hymnen einzeln vor und erkläre sie. Dies soll einem besseren Verständnis für den anschließenden Vergleich dienen. Bei der Gegenüberstellung gehe ich so vor, dass ich auf der Grundlage des ambrosianischen Hymnus die wörtlichen und inhaltlichen Parallelen sowie Auslassungen und Erweiterungen durch Prudentius herausarbeite. Danach widme ich mich konkreten Aspekten, nämlich der Allegorie, der Präsenz von Gott-Vater und Gott-Sohn und der Petrusepisode. Durch diese umfassende Bearbeitung soll deutlich werden, dass der Hymnus des Prudentius nicht nur eine Nachdichtung des ambrosianischen Hymnus darstellt und die unterschiedlichen Ausgangssituationen sowie Intentionen des Ambrosius und des Prudentius zur Individualität der beiden Hymnen beitragen

An evaluation of prevention initiatives by 53 National Anti-Doping Organizations: Achievements and Limitations

Background One main purpose of the World Anti-Doping Agency is to harmonize anti-doping efforts, including the provision of anti-doping education. A multifaceted approach to doping prevention can play a key role in preventing intentional and unintentional doping. This article aims to systematically record and evaluate doping prevention approaches in the form of information and education activities of national anti-doping organizations (NADOs) and assess the extent to which a multifaceted doping prevention approach has been realized. Methods Data on anti-doping information and education activities of 53 NADOs were collected via a survey and an online search of the NADOs’ websites. Prevention activities were classified into knowledge focused, affective focused, social skills, life skills, and ethics and values based. The implementation of the prevention activities was assessed by 4 independent raters using a modified visual analogue scale. Results In total, 59% of the NADOs (n = 38) returned the survey and 70% (n = 45) had information available online. The data were combined for the visual analogue scale assessment. Overall, 58% of the NADOs (n = 37) reported offering activities including elements of all 5 approaches. Results of the raters’ assessments indicated that the knowledge-focused approach was best implemented; the implementation of the other 4 approaches was largely unsatisfactory. The most common barriers to implementing doping prevention programs reported by the NADOs were lack of resources (n = 26) and difficulties in collaborating with sports organizations (n = 8). Conclusion Results show a discrepancy between NADOs’ self-report data and the implementation assessment. Even though the NADOs indicated otherwise, most of their education-based approaches did not address aspects of the visual analogue scale (e.g., resisting peer pressure) and only a few programs were ongoing. Possible explanations might be found in the reported barriers (e.g., financial). Concrete guidelines defining multifaceted, values-based education, and best practice examples should be developed to indicate how to include all 5 approaches in prevention

GRADE IT : a literacy-based assessment tool for 'Generating Research-Based Assessment Data to Evidence the ImpacT of Anti-doping Education' via athletes' capability to make the right decision

The International Standard for Education (ISE) mandates Code Signatories to plan, deliver, and evaluate anti-doping education. Performance-based evaluation of anti-doping education requires alignment between educational goals, content, and defined outcomes. Based on an existentialist teaching and learning philosophy, we aimed to develop and test an anti-doping impact evaluation tool, to assess the impact of anti-doping education on doping awareness, literacy (DAL), perceived trust, and legitimacy. We propose that the impact of anti-doping education is best captured through assessment of situation-specific (social) cognitive mediators of actions that influence athletes' choices in the context of sport-related goals. In phase one, we aimed to develop and test the Generating Research-based Assessment Data to Evidence the ImpacT of anti-doping education (GRADE IT) evaluation tool that comprised a set of social cognitive components: anti-doping knowledge, DAL, perceived trust, and legitimacy of anti-doping (organizations). In phase two we assessed whether anti-doping education impacts knowledge, the three DAL stages (functional, interactive, and critical literacy), perceived trust and legitimacy. Phase one enrolled 986 junior elite athletes, and we showed that all GRADE IT components performed well. After revision of the tool for phase two, we validated the assumption that anti-doping education impacts the likelihood that athletes will make the “right” choice (based on a new set of data from 1,255 junior elite athletes). Comprehensive education was associated with higher scores for all stages of DAL, as well as perceived trust and legitimacy. Even athletes reporting no education had positive scores for all included outcomes, supporting the assumption that most athletes wish to engage in clean sport behaviors and might need anti-doping education not to prevent them from doping, but rather to reinforce their commitment to clean sport. In conclusion, GRADE IT, which is available in 23 languages, is a suitable tool for application to young, emerging athletes to satisfy the ISE requirement for evaluating anti-doping education programs. Researchers and practitioners alike are advised to collect additional data to further validate the tool for adult athletes, and to apply it longitudinally to identify if changes in doping prevention policies have a delayed effect on DAL, perceived trust, and legitimacy

Effects of Recreational Ski Mountaineering on Cumulative Muscle Fatigue – A Longitudinal Trial

Sport is known to have many positive effects on mental and physical health. High-intensity exercise is considered to decrease muscle strength and induce muscle fatigue, which is associated with a higher risk of injury. In recreational alpine skiers, a decrease of eccentric peak hamstring torque, as an indication of muscle fatigue, occurs even after 1 day of skiing. The popularity of ski mountaineering is increasing enormously, but no studies are available on its effects on muscle strength. Therefore, the present study examined the consequences of ski mountaineering on muscle fatigue of the concentric/eccentric quadriceps and/or hamstrings. In addition, a possible role of myofascial foam rolling in reducing muscle fatigue was evaluated. Fifty recreational ski mountaineers (27 males, 23 females) completed five consecutive tours of ski mountaineering within 1 week. After each day of skiing, participants underwent an isokinetic muscle test assessing the concentric and eccentric muscle strength of both thighs. One group completed an additional session of myofascial foam rolling. Right and left concentric quadriceps peak torque, left hamstrings peak torque, left eccentric quadriceps peak torque, as well as right and left hamstring peak torque, were reduced after a single day of ski mountaineering (p ≤ 0.016 for all). However, no cumulative muscle fatigue was detected and we could not demonstrate any effect of myofascial foam rolling. The results show conclusively that a single day of ski mountaineering leads to a significant decrease of concentric and eccentric quadriceps and hamstring strength. Therefore, in order to improve muscle strength for the ski mountaineering season, a physical training program including concentric and eccentric methods can be recommended

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Identification and characterisation of retrosequences of tumor-related HMGA genes in the human genome

Retrosequences of protein-coding genes are generated by retrotransposition, i.e. reverse transcription of the genes´ mRNAs followed by integration into the genome. More than 8.000 genomic cDNA copies from an estimated total of 20.000 have been identified so far in human. Their biological relevance depends on the function of their respective (retrotranscribed) gene, on their own transcriptional status (active: retrogene / inactive: retropseudogene), but also on their integration site. The high mobility group protein (HMG) gene family is regarded as one of the largest retrosequence families in human. This thesis represents the first detailed study of retrosequences of a complete HMG group, i.e. HMGA. HMGA proteins play an important role in cell differentiation and tumorigenesis making possible active retrosequences of their genes interesting subjects. During the study 7 retrosequences of HMGA1 located on different chromosomes could be identified and characterised in detail concerning their formation, integration, transcriptional status and their possible role in tumorigenesis. They were derived from 5 different mRNA splice variants from which 2 have not been cloned yet. Their retrotransposition appeared to have been catalysed by the L1 endonuclease/reverse transcriptase ("target primed reverse transcription"). In silico analyses revealed 3 transcriptionally active retrosequences in normal and pathogenic tissues. At least one of them represents a new exon of an unknown gene. Concerning a possile relevance of the retrosequences for tumor initiation and / or progression 2 hypotheses were tested by analyzing chromosomal aberrations in cases of several solid benign tumor entities. The first hypothesis implied an own tumor-inducing potential of the retrosequences as proto-oncogenes. Whereas the second one suggested a mutational influence on the tumor-related HMGA genes by homologous recombination as aberration partners. Statistical analyses supported both hypotheses

GRADE IT

Anti-doping education is important to promote clean sport behavior and anti-doping rule compliance. The International Standard for Education (ISE) mandates Code Signatories to plan, deliver, and evaluate anti-doping education initiatives. Performance-based evaluation of anti-doping education can be challenging because it requires close alignment between educational goals, content, and defined outcomes. Based on an existentialist teaching and learning philosophy, this research project aimed to develop and test an anti-doping impact evaluation tool (GRADE IT), to assess the impact of anti-doping education on doping awareness, literacy, perceived trustworthiness, and legitimacy. We propose that the impact of anti-doping education is best captured through assessment of situation-specific (social) cognitive mediators of actions that influence athletes’ choices in the context of sport-related goals