Malankari : eine früheisenzeitliche Großsiedlung im Tschadbecken von Nordost-Nigeria

Malankari ist eine früheisenzeitliche (ca. 4. Jahrhundert v.Chr.) Fundstelle im Tschadbecken im Nordosten Nigerias. Diese Region wird seit 1989 von Archäologen der Goethe-Universität Frankfurt/Main erforscht, mit dem Schwerpunkt auf dem Übergang der Jäger- und Sammlergruppen zu Pastoralisten und Ackerbauern. Mit der Gajiganna-Kultur des 2. und 1. Jahrtausends v.Chr. wurde dieser Übergang in der Region definiert. Nach einer ökologisch bedingten Krise im frühen 1. Jahrtausends v.Chr. tauchen ab ca. 500 v.Chr. Siedlungen von beträchtlichen Umfang auf. Dazu gehört auch Malankari mit einer geschätzten Grröße von mehr als 30 ha. Diese Magisterarbeit beschreibt die Testgrabungen, die im Frühjahr 2005 durchgeführt wurden, mit besonderem Schwerpunkt auf der Keramikauswertung. Die geomagnetischen Untersuchungen sowie die weiteren Fundkategorien (Archäobotanik, Archäozoologie, Steinartefakte, Tonfiguren) werden ebenfalls besprochen und durch Abbildungen und Tafeln verdeutlicht. Ein aus der Grabung geborgenes Eisenstück ist ein Hinweis darauf, dass die Fundstelle an den Übergang vom Later Stone Age zum Early Iron Age datiert werden kann. Eine regionale Einbindung der Fundstelle wird in den abschließenden Kapiteln vorgenommen. Weitere Grabungen sollten vor allem die umfangreichen, auf den geomagnetischen Bildern zu sehenden Strukturen umfassen

Slowdown of Circumpolar Deepwater flow during the Late Neogene: Evidence from a mudwave field at the Argentine continental slope

Geochemical evidence from boreholes suggests enhanced transport of Northern Component Water (NCW) to southern latitudes from about 6 Ma onwards. However, information on how this change in transport influenced the intensity and position of current systems is sparse. Here we use seismic reflection profiles interpreted together with bathymetric data to investigate current derived deposits at the central Argentine Margin. Upslope migrating mudwaves overlying a late Miocene erosional unconformity provide evidence that Circumpolar Deepwater (CDW) flow slowed down with the onset of NCW inflow. During the last ~3 Ma changes in dimensions and migration rates of the waves are small indicating continuous bottom current flow conditions similar to today with only minor variations in flow speed, suggesting that the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) in the western south Atlantic as observed today, has been a pervasive feature of the global thermohaline circulation system during the Plio-/Pleistocene

Psychiatric Comorbidity and Stress in Medical Students Using Neuroenhancers

Background: Pharmacological neuroenhancement (PN) is a common healthcare problem at least among students. PN seems to be associated with stressful situations. There is a lack of data about personal characteristics, comorbidities, and coping strategies regarding stress and factors of resilience in students and medical staff. Methods: A web-based survey about the non-medical use of PN drugs with a focus on neuroenhancement was developed and distributed among medical students throughout Germany; the questionnaire was open in April and May of 2020. The survey contained questions about the use of well-known PN drugs, frequency, special purposes, reasons for the use, psychiatric disorders, use of psychotropic drugs apart from PN purposes, and factors of resilience using the brief resilience scale. Results: Data of 1,159 students of medicine were analyzed. The most frequently used substances for PN were coffee (78.8% lifetime prevalence rate), energy drinks (45.7%), caffeine tablets (24.3%), methylphenidate (5.2%), illicit amphetamines (2.0%), and cocaine (1.7%). 98.4% suspected that PN drug use could lead to addiction. PN drug use specifically for PN was significantly associated with the use of (a) any psychotropic drug (other than neuroenhancers), (b) any psychiatric disorder, and (c) higher values of feeling pressure to perform in professional/students' life and in private life as well as (d) the subjective feeling of pressure to perform to be burdening and (e) harmful to one's own health. PN drug use in general was significantly associated with being less resilient. The use of illicit PN drugs, over the counter drugs and prescription drugs was associated with being less resilient. Conclusion: This study indicates that PN with legal and illegal drugs is a widespread phenomenon among German medical students. Users seem to be more often burdened by psychiatric disorders, especially addictive disorders, the perception of stress, pressure to perform and low levels of resilience. These aspects should be considered in further investigation of PN drug use

Psychometric Properties of the German Version of the Health Regulatory Focus Scale

The Health Regulatory Focus Scale (HRFS) is a short scale whichmeasures an individual’s prevention and promotion focus in a health-specific context. The main objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the newly translated German version of the HRFS. Reliability and item characteristics were found to be satisfactory. Validity of both subscales toward other psychological constructs including behavioral approach and avoidance, core self-evaluations, optimism, pessimism, neuroticism, as well as severalmeasures of physical andmental health was shown. In addition, invariance of the measure across age and gender groups was shown. Exploratory as well as confirmatory factor analyses clearly indicated a two-factorial structure with a moderate correlation between the two latent constructs. Differences in health promotion and prevention focus between socio-demographic groups are discussed. The HRFS is found to be a valid and reliable instrument for the assessment of regulatory focus in health-related environments

The N Terminus of Adhesion G Protein–Coupled Receptor GPR126/ ADGRG6 as Allosteric Force Integrator

The adhesion G protein–coupled receptor (aGPCR) GPR126/ADGRG6 plays an important role in several physiological functions, such as myelination or peripheral nerve repair. This renders the receptor an attractive pharmacological target. GPR126 is a mechano-sensor that translates the binding of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules to its N terminus into a metabotropic intracellular signal. To date, the structural requirements and the character of the forces needed for this ECM-mediated receptor activation are largely unknown. In this study, we provide this information by combining classic second-messenger detection with single-cell atomic force microscopy. We established a monoclonal antibody targeting the N terminus to stimulate GPR126 and compared it to the activation through its known ECM ligands, collagen IV and laminin 211. As each ligand uses a distinct mode of action, the N terminus can be regarded as an allosteric module that can fine-tune receptor activation in a context-specific manner

Just “Like Coffee” or Neuroenhancement by Stimulants?

Introduction: Pharmacological neuroenhancement (PN) is a topic of increasing importance and prevalence among students. However, there is a lack of differentiating PN substances, according to their psychoactive effects. In particular, there is a lack of data about PN by caffeinated drinks, even if coffee is a common and broadly used Neuroenhancer because of its cognitively enhancing effects regarding wakefulness, alertness and concentration. Materials and Methods: A web-survey was developed for German students and alumni about the non-medical use of caffeine for PN contained questions about coffee, caffeinated drinks and energy drinks, caffeine pills and methylxanthine tea regarding frequency and further contextual factors. Results: Six hundred and eighty-three participants completed the survey. Nearly all participants knew about PN (97.7%). 88.1% admitted using some over-the-counter substances. For PN purposes, coffee was used by 72.9% followed by energy drinks (68.2%) and cola drinks (62.4%). Methylxanthine containing tea was used for PN purposes, too (black tea 52.3%, green tea 51.7%). 1.8% admitted using illegal substances or prescription drugs, too. Discussion: Using legal methylxanthine containing drinks for PN seems to be extremely common with coffee and energy drinks being the preferred substances, while illegal and prescription drugs are only minimally used. Further studies should investigate the awareness of methylxanthine containing drinks as well as its character to be a flavoring drink or a neuroenhancer