Untersuchungen zur möglichen Protokarnivorie von Lathraea squamaria, Salvia glutinosa und Rubus phoenicolasius

Die drei in Österreich vorkommenden Pflanzenarten Lathraea squamaria, Rubus phoenicolasius und salvia glutinosa weisen Strukturen auf, die eine Zuordnung zu den protokarnivoren Pflanzen vermuten lassen. L. squamaria hat dicht mit Drüsen besetzte Aushöhlungen in ihren unterirdischen Niederblättern, die an die Fallen von Genlisea erinnern. Bei R. phoenicolasius und S. glutinosa sind gewisse Pflanzenteile mit klebrigen Drüsen besetzt, ähnlich den Klebfallen karnivorer Pflanzen (z.B. Drosera). Zudem leben auf S. glutinosa verschiedene Wanzen, mit denen eine ähnliche Symbiose bestehen könnte wie bei der Protokarnivoren Roridula. In dieser Arbeit wurde durch Untersuchungen am Naturstandort, kontrollierte Fangversuche, makro- und mikroskopische Betrachtung der Fangblätter und ihrer Drüsen sowie durch cytochemische Nachweise versucht, Hinweise für oder gegen eine mögliche Protokarnivorie dieser Pflanzen zu finden. Die Menge der im Boden verfügbaren Nährstoffe zeigt keine Notwendigkeit einer zusätzlichen Ernährung durch eventuelle Beutetiere. Ein Fangvermögen der möglichen Fallen ist am jeweiligen Naturstandort auf jeden Fall gegeben, unter Laborbedingungen ist die Wahl der angebotenen Beute entscheidend für das Ergebnis. Die Schuppenblätter von L. squamaria speichern massenhaft Stärke, jedoch keine Proteine. Die Drüsen in den Aushöhlungen der Blätter produzieren keine Verdauungsenzyme und sind auch nicht geeignet, um gelöste Stoffe aufzunehmen. Ihre Aufgabe ist es, den Wasserhaushalt der Pflanze zu kontrollieren. In R. phoenicolasius gibt es keine Speichergewebe. In den Drüsenstielen sind Gerbstoffe eingelagert, die als Fraßschutz dienen. Die vielzelligen Drüsenköpfchen geben einen wasserlöslichen Schleim ab, der keine Verdauungsenzyme enthält. Eine Aufnahme wasserlöslicher Nährstoffe konnte nicht festgestellt werden. Die klebrigen Pflanzenorgane dienen zum Schutz der Knospe. Auch in S. glutinosa treten keine Speichergewebe für Stärke oder Proteine auf. Die Köpfchen der gestielten Drüsen am Blütenstand sind einzellig und sezernieren ein lipidhaltiges, harziges Sekret. Es enthält keine Verdauungsenzyme und dient vermutlich hauptsächlich der Anlockung von Bestäubern. Wenn eine Symbiose von S. glutinosa mit den auf ihr gefundenen Wanzen besteht, so ist noch nicht geklärt, wie die Nährstoffe in die Pflanze gelangen. Über die Blütenstände oder die Laubblätter können keine wässrigen Flüssigkeiten aufgenommen werden. Aufgrund der Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit ist keine der drei Pflanzen als protokarnivor zu bezeichnen, da sie offenbar keinen Nutzen von den gefangenen Tieren haben.The three in Austria ocurring plants Lathraea squamaria, Rubus phoenicolasius and Salvia glutinosa show structures that may lead to the assumption that they could be proto-carnivorous. L. squamaria has subterrestrial leaves that are – like those of the carnivorous Genlisea – packed with glands. Certain parts of R. phoenicolasius and S. glutinosa show glands that excrete a sticky secretion, which resembles the sticky traps of carnivorous plants like Drosera. Furthermore, different species of bugs can be found on S. glutinosa, which proposes a symbiosis similar to that of the proto-carnivorous Roridula and its bugs. The aim of this thesis was to find clues that would speak for or against the possible proto carnivory of these plants by examining the natural site, the trapping leaves and their glands as well as by conducting experiments on their capturing ability and cytochemistry. The soil samples showed a high content of nutrients, which makes an additional – prey derived – resource unnecessary. At the natural sites, the capturing ability of the potential traps is clearly evident. In controlled experiments the choice of prey makes a significant difference in the results. The leaves of L. squamaria show many starch grains, but no protein-storages. The glands within the leaves do not produce enzymes and have no ability to absorb solutes. Their main function is to regulate the plant’s water-balance. In R. phoenicolasius there is no storage tissue, but the stalks of the glandular hairs contain tannins that serve as a defensive compound against herbivores. The multi cellular glands secrete water-soluble mucilage that does not contain digestive enzymes. An uptake of solutes could not be observed. The sticky parts of the plant mainly serve to protect the bud. In S. glutinosa no storage tissue for starch or proteins was found. The heads of the stalked glands are made of a single cell that excretes a lipoid, resinous secretion which does not contain any digestive enzymes. Its main purpose is probably the attraction of pollinators. If a symbiosis between the plant and its bugs exists, the uptake of the digested nutrients has yet to be proven as this work could not show any ability, neither of the flowers nor the leaves, to absorb water-based liquids. Considering the results of this work, none of the three examined plants can be called proto-carnivorous because they have no obvious benefits of capturing prey

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: Exploring the buffering role of self‐compassion and self‐esteem

Pohl S, Steuwe C, Mainz V, Driessen M, Beblo T. Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: Exploring the buffering role of self‐compassion and self‐esteem. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2021;77(3):837-845.**Objectives** The aim of the present study was to investigate whether patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show lower self‐compassion and self‐esteem than healthy controls and whether patients’ self‐compassion and self‐esteem moderate the association between childhood trauma and the severity of their BPD symptoms. **Method** Self‐reported self‐compassion, self‐esteem, and the current severity of BPD symptoms were assessed in 35 female patients with BPD and 35 age‐matched control participants. Further, traumatic childhood experiences were recorded in the patient group. **Results** Patients with BPD reported significantly lower self‐compassion and self‐esteem compared to healthy controls. In addition, self‐compassion but not self‐esteem moderated the positive correlation between childhood trauma and the severity of BPD symptoms. **Discussion** Self‐compassion appears to buffer the negative consequences of childhood traumatization. Therefore, cultivating self‐compassion may be an important therapeutic aim for patients with BPD

Self-referential processing and perspective taking in patients with a borderline personality disorder

Forster SD, Beblo T, Pohl S, Steuwe C, Gauggel S, Mainz V. Self-referential processing and perspective taking in patients with a borderline personality disorder. Journal of psychiatric research. 2021;140:87-94.Divergent self- and other-referential processes play a particular role in the development and maintenance of borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study investigated self-referential processes in patients with BPD and age-matched controls. Participants performed a trait-judgment task, taking their own and the perspective of a close other person. Memory was assessed during recall of the previous choices. Results revealed over all more negative self-appraisals in patients than controls, which seemed due to making less positive self-referential choices rather than an increased choice of negative traits. Interestingly, taking another perspective, patients had a healthier, predominantly positive self-assessment, albeit still attenuated compared to controls. The characteristics of the appraisals were mirrored in memory performances. Moreover, self-esteem seems to be a potential protective factor, as self-appraisals were more positive with higher self-esteem. Altogether, this study shows significantly deviant self-referential processes in patients with BPD, suggesting that patients do not integrate what they believe others think about them into their self-concept. Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Polyphosphate in Neonates: Less Shedding from Platelets and Divergent Prothrombotic Capacity Due to Lower TFPI Levels

Background: The neonatal hemostatic system exhibits a fragile balance featuring lower levels of clotting factors as well as inhibitors. Neonatal platelets show in-vitro hypoaggregability, but neonates exhibit well-functioning primary and secondary hemostasis despite this impairment. Recently, polyphosphate shed by activated platelets has been shown to induce a prothrombotic shift on the plasmatic coagulation system of adults. The impact of platelet derived polyphosphate might differ in neonates due to aforementioned peculiarities.Aims: We aimed to comparatively determine polyphosphate content and release from adult and neonatal platelets and to determine its impact on thrombin generation in plasma from adult and cord blood.Methods: Polyphosphate was extracted from adult and neonatal platelet lysates and releasates using silica spin-columns and quantified with a DAPI based fluorescence assay. The impact of exogenous polyphosphate in various concentrations (208–0.026 μg/ml) on thrombin generation was evaluated in plasma from adult and cord blood as well as in adult plasma with reduced tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) levels using calibrated automated thrombography.Results: Polyphosphate content was comparable in both groups, but the fraction of released polyphosphate upon stimulation with thrombin receptor activating peptide was lower in neonatal samples (adult: 84.1 ± 12.9%; cord: 58.8 ± 11.2%). Relative impact of polyphosphate on lag time of thrombin generation was higher in adult samples compared to samples from cord blood (adult: 41.0% [IQR: 35.2–71.8%] of vehicle; cord: 73.4% [IQR: 70.2–91.4%] of vehicle). However, in samples from cord blood, lower concentrations of polyphosphate were required to obtain maximal impact on thrombin generation (adult: 26 μg/ml; cord: 0.814 μg/ml). PolyP affected thrombin generation in adult plasma similarly to cord plasma, when the TFPI concentration was reduced to neonatal levels.Conclusion: Differences in the impact of polyphosphate on adult and neonatal coagulation are largely caused by differences in TFPI levels. Lower polyphosphate release from neonatal platelets, but lower optimum concentration to drive neonatal plasmatic hemostasis emphasizes the well-matched, but fragile interplay between platelets and coagulation in newborns. A potential developmental mismatch should be considered when transfusing adult platelets into neonates

Melatonin Acts as an Antidepressant by Inhibition of the Acid Sphingomyelinase/Ceramide System

Background: Melatonin has been shown to have antidepressive effects. We tested whether melatonin inhibits the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide system and mediates its antidepressive effects via inhibition of the acid sphingomyelinase and a reduction of ceramide in the hippocampus. Antidepressants such as amitriptyline and fluoxetine were previously shown to inhibit the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide system, which mediates neurogenesis and behavioral changes induced by these drugs. Methods: The effect of melatonin on the activity of the acid sphingomyelinase prior to and after treatment with melatonin was determined in cultured neurons and in vivo in the hippocampus of mice by measuring the consumption of [14C] sphingomyelin. Ceramide was measured by DAG kinase assay and fluorescence microscopy of the hippocampus and of cultured neurons. Neurogenesis in the hippocampus was analyzed by in vivo labeling with bromodeoxyuridine. Behavior was assessed in standardized tests. Results: Melatonin treatment inhibited acid sphingomyelinase in vitro in cultured pheochromocytoma cells and in vivo in the hippocampus, which resulted in a reduction of ceramide in vitro and in vivo. The inhibition of the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide system translated into increased neurogenesis in glucocorticosterone-stressed mice after treatment with melatonin, an effect that is abrogated in acid sphingomyelinase-deficient mice. Likewise, melatonin improved the depressive behavior of stressed mice, a therapeutic effect that was again absent in acid sphingomyelinase-deficient animals. Conclusion: These data indicate that the antidepressive effects of melatonin as well as the induction of neurogenesis triggered by this drug are mediated by an inhibition of the acid sphingomyelinase/ceramide system. This is the first study to identify melatonin as an inhibitor of the acid sphingomyelinase