Differential and shared genetic effects on kidney function between diabetic and non-diabetic individuals

A large-scale GWAS provides insight on diabetes-dependent genetic effects on the glomerular filtration rate, a common metric to monitor kidney health in disease.Reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) can progress to kidney failure. Risk factors include genetics and diabetes mellitus (DM), but little is known about their interaction. We conducted genome-wide association meta-analyses for estimated GFR based on serum creatinine (eGFR), separately for individuals with or without DM (nDM = 178,691, nnoDM = 1,296,113). Our genome-wide searches identified (i) seven eGFR loci with significant DM/noDM-difference, (ii) four additional novel loci with suggestive difference and (iii) 28 further novel loci (including CUBN) by allowing for potential difference. GWAS on eGFR among DM individuals identified 2 known and 27 potentially responsible loci for diabetic kidney disease. Gene prioritization highlighted 18 genes that may inform reno-protective drug development. We highlight the existence of DM-only and noDM-only effects, which can inform about the target group, if respective genes are advanced as drug targets. Largely shared effects suggest that most drug interventions to alter eGFR should be effective in DM and noDM.</p

Selbstverständlich – ohne Zweifel?: Ein Versuch über das Wesen des Selbstverständlichen in der Spätmoderne

The non-scientific questioning of scientific research during the COVID-19 pandemic, the unwillingness of a president of the United States of America to accept the result of a democratically held election: just in recent times, there have been quite a few striking examples of long-held certainties appearing as nothing more than just illusions. This essay reflects on the severe consequences of the loss of such certainties in the spheres of democratic politics on the one hand and of science, especially for highly differentiated societies, on the other hand as well as on their interdependencies. Furthermore, the author tries to make the case that this disillusionment could prove to be a salutary shock – reminding us that we need to take a stand for the things we hold as certainties, oftentimes even as calming ones, if we want them to stay how we always thought they were

20 Jahre Deutscher Herbst 1989: Wandlungen, Herausforderungen und Aspekte eines bundesrepublikanischen Patriotismus

Im geschichtspolitischen Jubiläumsjahr 2009, 60 Jahre nach Gründung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland und 20 Jahre nach dem von den Veranstaltern so betitelten "Deutschen Herbst 1989" hat ein Begriff in Deutschland Konjunktur, der Intellektuellen als rückwärtsgewandter Inbegriff einer unglücklichen Deutschtümelei negativ besetzt war: Patriotismus. Der Beitrag stellt Überlegungen an zu den Aspekten und Veränderungen des Patriotismus-Begriffs in Deutschland. Dabei geht der Beitrag auf den Historikerstreit ein, diskutiert die Facetten rund um Verfassungspatriotismus und dem alten Streitmuster entlang des Gegensatzes Verfassung und Nation. Außerdem kommt der Diskurs um Leitkultur und Multikultur zur Sprache und wirft ein weiteres Schlaglicht auf den Patriotismusbegriff