The journeys of Wally and Wilma: how scientists reconstruct the movements of fish

Have you ever lost your phone and used its GPS function to locate it? To learn about fish, scientists are interested in where fish go and what they experience but GPS technology does not work underwater. Scientists therefore developed small electronic data loggers that can be attached to fish, to record conditions in a fish’s environment. When the fish is recaptured, this information can be downloaded and returned to the scientists. The fish’s movements can then be reconstructed by comparing the recorded measurements with the conditions in the sea. In this article, we explain how this method works and tell you the story of two cod with very dierent fates: Wally, who moved around to feed and to produce ospring, and Wilma, who went on an adventure with a surprising endi

W 2.1.3 Bedarfserhebung mit Literaturrecherche und explorativen Interviews zur Konzeption und Durchführung modularer FDM-Zertifikatskurse für FDM-Verantwortliche, Forschende und Studierende

Um ein institutionalisiertes und nachhaltiges Forschungsdatenmanagement (FDM) in Brandenburg zu erreichen, ist es unabdingbar, strukturierte Schulungsangebote für Forschende und Studierende sowie Schulungs- und Weiterbildungsangebote für FDM-Verantwortliche an jeder Hochschule aufzubauen. Deshalb werden im Rahmen des Verbundprojekts „Institutionalisiertes und nachhaltiges Forschungsdatenmanagement in Brandenburg“ (IN-FDM-BB) modulare FDM-Zertifikatskurse für FDM-Verantwortliche, Forschende und Studierende aller acht am Projekt beteiligten staatlichen, forschenden Hochschulen konzipiert, die sowohl den Hochschulangehörigen sowie den Angehörigen der außeruniversitären Forschungseinrichtungen Brandenburgs offenstehen. Ein Zertifikatskurs „Forschungsdatenmanagement für Studierende“ wurde innerhalb des Projekts bereits konzipiert und durchgeführt. Um ein passgenaues Schulungsangebot für alle drei Zielgruppen entwickeln zu können, wurden auf Basis (1) einer Literaturrecherche zur Vermittlung von FDM-Kompetenzen im Hochschulkontext, (2) eines explorativen Gruppeninterviews im Rahmen eines gemeinsamen Online-Workshops inkl. Gruppendiskussionen mit FDM-Verantwortlichen der acht brandenburgischen Hochschulen, (3) einer Bedarfserhebung unter den Forschenden der Hochschulen und (4), ergänzend, durch Auswertung der Kursevaluationen des oben genannten Zertifikatskurses für Studierende entsprechende Bedarfe, Wünsche und Erfahrungen ermittelt. Diese fließen in die Konzipierung der Kurse ein, beziehungsweise ergänzen das bereits bestehende Konzept eines Zertifikatskurses für Studierende. Nach der Zusammenfassung und dem Ausblick folgt noch ein kurzer Exkurs zu dem projektspezifischen Wissensspeicher für FDM-Materialien.Finanziert durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) und die Europäische Union (NextGenerationEU), sowie das Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur (MWFK) des Landes Brandenburg

Dietary fatty acids and susceptibility to multiple sclerosis

Background: The gut microbiome as well as dietary habits have recently been established as environmental contributors to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS). Objective: To summarize recent findings on the Janus-faced effects of dietary short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs) on T-cell immunity with a special focus on the gut and the microbiome as an interface linking diet and T-cell responses during MS. Methods: Review article. Results: The autoimmune basis of MS most likely stems from an imbalance between pro-inflammatory T helper cell (Th)1 and Th17 cells and anti-inflammatory or regulatory mechanisms including regulatory T cells (Treg). Hence, the rationale of currently available therapeutic interventions is to either suppress pathogenic Th1/Th17 and/or to foster Treg responses. Dietary fatty acids are often discussed for their detrimental role in MS. However, recent studies investigating saturated fatty acids in animal models of MS revealed harmful as well as beneficial effects depending on their aliphatic chain length. Conclusion: Dietary SCFAs constitute interesting candidates as safe and potent add-on therapy in the immunomodulatory treatment armamentarium for relapsing-remitting MS

Stock connectivity patterns and indications of sub-stock component structuring of cod in the Sound in the western Baltic Sea

Sustainable management of fish stocks requires knowledge of stock structure and connectivity between spawning and feeding habitats. Cod in the Sound in the western Baltic Sea are an example of a stock component with complex connectivity patterns. Currently cod in this area are managed as part of the western Baltic cod stock, while several studies suggest potential connectivity with the neighbouring stock in Kattegat. Here we assess the degree of ecological connectivity of cod in the Sound with the neighbouring areas using historical tagging data from 1957 to 1987, and contemporary growth data from trawl surveys collected between 2007 and 2021. Furthermore, data from cod tagged outside of the Sound between 1960 and 2018 and recaptured in the Sound was used to examine immigration from outside areas. The ecological connectivity between the Sound and Kattegat appeared to be considerable, primarily during the spawning season. Furthermore, cod tagged in the northern Sound were most likely to be recaptured in Kattegat while cod tagged in the southern part of the Sound were mainly recaptured in the Sound. Only 40 out of 16,789 tagged cod released outside of the Sound were eventually recaptured inside the Sound. Overall, these results highlight the need for further examination into the current stock structure of cod in the western Baltic and adjacent areas

Authorship, citations, acknowledgments and visibility in social media : symbolic capital in the multifaceted reward system of science

The reward system of science is undergoing significant changes, as traditional indicators compete with initiatives that offer novel means of disseminating and assessing scholarly impact. This paper considers a number of aspects of this reward system, including authorship, citations, acknowledgements, and the growing use of social media platforms by academics, with an eye towards identifying contemporary issues relating to scholarly communication practices, as understood through the perspectives of Bourdieu’s symbolic capital and Merton’s recognition paradigms. This paper posits that, while scientific capital remains the foundation upon which the reward system of science is built, this system is revealing itself to be more and more multifaceted, extremely complex, and facing increasing tension between its traditional means of evaluation and the potential of new indicators in the digital era. The paper presents an extended literature review, as well as recommendations for further considerations and empirical research. A better understanding of the perceptions of academics would be necessary to properly assess the effects of these new indicators on scholarly communication practices and the reward system of science

D1244: Design and construction of the first adaptive high-rise experimental building

An interdisciplinary research team of the University of Stuttgart has been working extensively since 2017 on the development and integration of adaptive systems and technologies in order to provide solutions for a more sustainable built environment. An experimental 36.5 m tall high-rise building, called D1244, was designed and completed in 2021 to show the potential of adaptive structures and facades as well as to verify on a real scale the developed systems and the related numerical predictions. The building was designed to offer a flexible experimental platform: each component is dismountable so that structural as well as facades elements can be replaced with new ones introducing new functionalities to be investigated. The structure is currently equipped with twenty-four hydraulic actuators that are installed in the columns and diagonal bracers. Strain gauge sensors and an optical tracking system are employed to monitor the state of the structural system. This paper describes the design and construction of the adaptive tower as well as the preliminary experimental testing on different scaled structural prototypes. The research work on these prototypes provided relevant information for the final set-up of the high-rise building. An outlook on future research, including the planned first structural testing phase and the implementation of adaptive facade systems, is included at the end

Propionic Acid Rescues High-Fat Diet Enhanced Immunopathology in Autoimmunity via Effects on Th17 Responses

High-fat diets (HFD) are linked to obesity and associated comorbidities and induce pathogenic T helper (Th) 17 cells while decreasing regulatory T cells (Treg). This pro-inflammatory environment also aggravates immunopathology in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as a prototype model of T cell mediated autoimmunity. The strong association of HFD to obesity as well as the increasing risk of autoimmunity in the Western world stresses the importance to identify compounds that counteract this metabolically induced pro-inflammatory state in humans. One prominent candidate is the short-chain fatty acid propionate (PA) that was recently identified as potent therapy in the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis by enhancing Treg cell frequencies and functionality. Mice were fed a HFD rich lauric acid (LA) and treated either with water or PA during MOG35-55-EAE. We analyzed Treg and Th17 cell frequencies in different tissues, antigen-specific cell proliferation and cytokine secretion, investigated Treg cell functionality by suppression assays and IL-10 signaling blockade and employed Western blotting to investigate the involvement of p38-MAPK signaling. Finally, we performed an explorative study in obese and non-obese MS patients, investigating fecal PA concentrations as well as peripheral Th17 and Treg frequencies before and after 90 days of daily PA intake. As compared to controls, mice on a HFD displayed a more severe course of EAE with enhanced demyelination and immune cell infiltration in the spinal cord. PA treatment prevented this disease enhancing effect of HFD by inhibiting Th17 mediated inflammatory processes in the gut and the spleen. Blocking experiments and signaling studies revealed p38-MAPK and IL-10 signaling as important targets linking the beneficial effects of PA treatment and reduced inflammation due to enhanced Treg frequency and functionality. An explorative study in a small group of MS patients revealed reduced PA concentrations in fecal samples of obese MS patients compared to the non-obese group, coinciding with increased Th17 but decreased Treg cells in obese patients. Importantly, PA intake could restore the Treg-Th17 homeostasis. Our data thus identify Th17 responses as an important target for the beneficial effects of PA in HFD and obesity in addition to the recently identified potential of PA as a Treg inducing therapy in T cell mediated autoimmunity

Endogenous Sox8 is a critical factor for timely remyelination and oligodendroglial cell repletion in the cuprizone model

Genome-wide association studies identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) downstream of the transcription factor Sox8, associated with an increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Sox8 is known to influence oligodendrocyte terminal differentiation and is involved in myelin maintenance by mature oligodendrocytes. The possible link of a Sox8 related SNP and MS risk, along with the role of Sox8 in oligodendrocyte physiology prompted us to investigate its relevance during de- and remyelination using the cuprizone model. Sox8−/− mice and wildtype littermates received a cuprizone diet for 5 weeks (wk). Sox8−/− mice showed reduced motor performance and weight compared to wildtype controls. Brains were histologically analysed at the maximum of demyelination (wk 5) and on two time points during remyelination (wk 5.5 and wk 6) for oligodendroglial, astroglial, microglial and myelin markers. We identified reduced proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells at wk 5 as well as reduced numbers of mature oligodendrocytes in Sox8−/− mice at wk 6. Moreover, analysis of myelin markers revealed a delay in remyelination in the Sox8−/− group, demonstrating the potential importance of Sox8 in remyelination processes. Our findings present, for the first time, compelling evidence of a significant role of Sox8 in the context of a disease model