Social entrepreneurship as an instrument of civic engagement in higher adult age: a grounded theory study

Die vorliegende Grounded Theory Studie fokussiert das sozial-entrepreneuriale Handeln von bürgerschaftlich engagierten Akteuren im höheren Erwachsenenalter. Auf der Basis von insbesondere 20 einstündigen qualitativen Interviews will sie einen tiefergehenden Einblick in die Entscheidungsprozesse dieser bürgerschaftlichen Social Entrepreneurs ermöglichen. Die Arbeit beleuchtet dabei sowohl entscheidende Einflussfaktoren als auch Motive, Absichten, Herausforderungen und Handlungsstrategien im Zusammenhang mit der sozial-entrepreneurialen Gründung im Feld des bürgerschaftlichen Engagements. Zudem wird das Selbstverständnis der Akteure dargestellt, die sich vielfach nicht als Social Entrepreneurs verstehen, sondern als wirtschaftliche Akteure wahr- und ernstgenommen werden wollen.This grounded theory study focuses the social entrepreneurial acting of civic engagement participants in higher adult age. Based on particularly 20 one hour qualitative interviews the study wants to provide a deeper insight into the decision-making processes of these social entrepreneurs in the field of civic engagement. The study illuminates the crucial factors influencing the decision-making processes as well as motives, intentions, challenges and strategies related to the social-entrepreneurial foundation. In addition, the self-perception of the actors shows that they often do not see themselves as social entrepreneurs at all, they prefer their economic perspective

Administration of Vitamin D Metabolites Affects RNA Expression of Xenobiotic Metabolising Enzymes and Function of ABC Transporters in Rats

From studies on different species and in cell culture systems, it has been suggested that vitamin D metabolites might affect themetabolism and elimination of xenobiotics. Although most studies performed on rodents and cell cultures report an upregulationof respective enzymes and transporters, data from the literature are inconsistent. Especially results obtained with sheep differ fromthese observations. As vitamin D metabolites are widely used as feed additives or therapeutics in livestock animals, we aimed toassess whether these differences indicate species-specific responses or occurred due to the very high dosages used in the rodentstudies. -erefore, we applied treatment protocols to rats that had been used previously in sheep or cattle. Forty-eight female ratswere divided into three treatment and corresponding placebo groups: (1) a single intraperitoneal injection of 1,25-(OH)2D3 orplacebo 12 h before sacrifice; (2) daily supplementation with 25-OHD3 by oral gavage or placebo for 10 days; and (3) a singleintramuscular injection of vitamin D3 10 days before sacrifice. In contrast to a previous study using sheep, treatment of rats with1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 did not result in an upregulation of cytochrome P450 3A isoenzymes (CYP3A), but a decrease wasfound in hepatic and intestinal expressions. In addition, a downregulation of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistanceprotein was found in the brain. Taken together, the stimulating effects of vitamin D metabolites on the expression of genesinvolved in the metabolism and elimination of xenobiotics reported previously for rodents and sheep could not be reproduced. Incontrast, we even observed a negative impact on the expression of CYP3A enzymes and their most important regulator, thepregnane X receptor. Most interestingly, we could demonstrate an effect of treatment with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and vitamin D3on the functional activity of ileal P-glycoprotein (P-gp) using the Ussing chamber technique.Fil: Klumpp, Karoline. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Lange, Frauke. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Muscher-Banse, Alexandra S.. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Schnepel, Nadine. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Hansen, Kathrin. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; AlemaniaFil: Lifschitz, Adrian Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Maté, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación Veterinaria de Tandil; ArgentinaFil: Wilkens, Mirja. University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover. Institute of Physiology and Cell Biology; Alemani

Rigidity versus flexibility: is this an issue in S1 (sigma-1) receptor ligand affinity and activity?

A set of stereoisomeric 2,5-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octanes 14 and 15 was prepared in a chiral-pool synthesis starting from (S)- or (R)-aspartate. The key step in the synthesis was a Dieckmann-analogous cyclization of (dioxopiperazinyl)acetates 8, which involved trapping uf the intermediate hemiketal anion with Me3SiCl. The \u3c31 affinity was tested using membrane preparations from animal (guinea pig) and human origin. The binding of bicyclic compounds was analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations based on a 3D homology model of the \u3c31 receptor. The good correlation between Ki values observed in the \u3c31 assays and calculated free binding energy, coupled with the identification of four crucial ligand/receptor interactions allowed the formulation of structure affinity relationships. In an in vitro antitumor assay with seven human tumor cell lines, the bicyclic compounds inhibited selectively the growth of the cell line A427, which is due to induction of apoptosis. In this assay, the compounds behave like the known \u3c31 receptor antagonist haloperidol

Making translation work: Harmonizing cross-species methodology in the behavioural neuroscience of Pavlovian fear conditioning

Translational neuroscience bridges insights from specific mechanisms in rodents to complex functions in humans and is key to advance our general understanding of central nervous function. A prime example of translational research is the study of cross-species mechanisms that underlie responding to learned threats, by employing Pavlovian fear conditioning protocols in rodents and humans. Hitherto, evidence for (and critique of) these cross-species comparisons in fear conditioning research was based on theoretical viewpoints. Here, we provide a perspective to substantiate these theoretical concepts with empirical considerations of cross-species methodology. This meta-research perspective is expected to foster cross-species comparability and reproducibility to ultimately facilitate successful transfer of results from basic science into clinical applications

Genome-wide association meta-analyses and fine-mapping elucidate pathways influencing albuminuria

Abstract: Increased levels of the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) are associated with higher risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular events, but underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we conduct trans-ethnic (n = 564,257) and European-ancestry specific meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies of UACR, including ancestry- and diabetes-specific analyses, and identify 68 UACR-associated loci. Genetic correlation analyses and risk score associations in an independent electronic medical records database (n = 192,868) reveal connections with proteinuria, hyperlipidemia, gout, and hypertension. Fine-mapping and trans-Omics analyses with gene expression in 47 tissues and plasma protein levels implicate genes potentially operating through differential expression in kidney (including TGFB1, MUC1, PRKCI, and OAF), and allow coupling of UACR associations to altered plasma OAF concentrations. Knockdown of OAF and PRKCI orthologs in Drosophila nephrocytes reduces albumin endocytosis. Silencing fly PRKCI further impairs slit diaphragm formation. These results generate a priority list of genes and pathways for translational research to reduce albuminuria

10Kin1day: A Bottom-Up Neuroimaging Initiative.

We organized 10Kin1day, a pop-up scientific event with the goal to bring together neuroimaging groups from around the world to jointly analyze 10,000+ existing MRI connectivity datasets during a 3-day workshop. In this report, we describe the motivation and principles of 10Kin1day, together with a public release of 8,000+ MRI connectome maps of the human brain

Genetic loci and prioritization of genes for kidney function decline derived from a meta-analysis of 62 longitudinal genome-wide association studies

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reflects kidney function. Progressive eGFR-decline can lead to kidney failure, necessitating dialysis or transplantation. Hundreds of loci from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for eGFR help explain population cross section variability. Since the contribution of these or other loci to eGFR-decline remains largely unknown, we derived GWAS for annual eGFR-decline and meta-analyzed 62 longitudinal studies with eGFR assessed twice over time in all 343,339 individuals and in high-risk groups. We also explored different covariate adjustment. Twelve genome-wide significant independent variants for eGFR-decline unadjusted or adjusted for eGFR-baseline (11 novel, one known for this phenotype), including nine variants robustly associated across models were identified. All loci for eGFR-decline were known for cross-sectional eGFR and thus distinguished a subgroup of eGFR loci. Seven of the nine variants showed variant-by-age interaction on eGFR cross section (further about 350,000 individuals), which linked genetic associations for eGFR-decline with age-dependency of genetic cross-section associations. Clinically important were two to four-fold greater genetic effects on eGFR-decline in high-risk subgroups. Five variants associated also with chronic kidney disease progression mapped to genes with functional in-silico evidence (UMOD, SPATA7, GALNTL5, TPPP). An unfavorable versus favorable nine-variant genetic profile showed increased risk odds ratios of 1.35 for kidney failure (95% confidence intervals 1.03-1.77) and 1.27 for acute kidney injury (95% confidence intervals 1.08-1.50) in over 2000 cases each, with matched controls). Thus, we provide a large data resource, genetic loci, and prioritized genes for kidney function decline, which help inform drug development pipelines revealing important insights into the age-dependency of kidney function genetics

Genome-wide association meta-analyses and fine-mapping elucidate pathways influencing albuminuria

Publisher Copyright: © 2019, The Author(s).Increased levels of the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) are associated with higher risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular events, but underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Here, we conduct trans-ethnic (n = 564,257) and European-ancestry specific meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies of UACR, including ancestry- and diabetes-specific analyses, and identify 68 UACR-associated loci. Genetic correlation analyses and risk score associations in an independent electronic medical records database (n = 192,868) reveal connections with proteinuria, hyperlipidemia, gout, and hypertension. Fine-mapping and trans-Omics analyses with gene expression in 47 tissues and plasma protein levels implicate genes potentially operating through differential expression in kidney (including TGFB1, MUC1, PRKCI, and OAF), and allow coupling of UACR associations to altered plasma OAF concentrations. Knockdown of OAF and PRKCI orthologs in Drosophila nephrocytes reduces albumin endocytosis. Silencing fly PRKCI further impairs slit diaphragm formation. These results generate a priority list of genes and pathways for translational research to reduce albuminuria.Peer reviewe

Genetic insights into resting heart rate and its role in cardiovascular disease

Resting heart rate is associated with cardiovascular diseases and mortality in observational and Mendelian randomization studies. The aims of this study are to extend the number of resting heart rate associated genetic variants and to obtain further insights in resting heart rate biology and its clinical consequences. A genome-wide meta-analysis of 100 studies in up to 835,465 individuals reveals 493 independent genetic variants in 352 loci, including 68 genetic variants outside previously identified resting heart rate associated loci. We prioritize 670 genes and in silico annotations point to their enrichment in cardiomyocytes and provide insights in their ECG signature. Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses indicate that higher genetically predicted resting heart rate increases risk of dilated cardiomyopathy, but decreases risk of developing atrial fibrillation, ischemic stroke, and cardio-embolic stroke. We do not find evidence for a linear or non-linear genetic association between resting heart rate and all-cause mortality in contrast to our previous Mendelian randomization study. Systematic alteration of key differences between the current and previous Mendelian randomization study indicates that the most likely cause of the discrepancy between these studies arises from false positive findings in previous one-sample MR analyses caused by weak-instrument bias at lower P-value thresholds. The results extend our understanding of resting heart rate biology and give additional insights in its role in cardiovascular disease development