Biochemical Frequency Control by Synchronisation of Coupled Repressilators: An In Silico Study of Modules for Circadian Clock Systems

Exploration of chronobiological systems emerges as a growing research field within bioinformatics focusing on various applications in medicine, agriculture, and material sciences. From a systems biological perspective, the question arises whether biological control systems for regulation of oscillatory signals and their technical counterparts utilise similar mechanisms. If so, modelling approaches and parameterisation adopted from building blocks can help to identify general components for frequency control in circadian clocks along with gaining insight into mechanisms of clock synchronisation to external stimuli like the daily rhythm of sunlight and darkness. Phase-locked loops could be an interesting candidate in this context. Both, biology and engineering, can benefit from a unified view resulting from systems modularisation. In a first experimental study, we analyse a model of coupled repressilators. We demonstrate its ability to synchronise clock signals in a monofrequential manner. Several oscillators initially deviate in phase difference and frequency with respect to explicit reaction and diffusion rates. Accordingly, the duration of the synchronisation process depends on dedicated reaction and diffusion parameters whose settings still lack to be sufficiently captured analytically

Numerical benchmarking of fluid-rigid body interactions

We propose a fluid-rigid body interaction benchmark problem, consisting of a solid spherical obstacle in a Newtonian fluid, whose centre of mass is fixed but is free to rotate. A number of different problems are defined for both two and three spatial dimensions. The geometry is chosen specifically, such that the fluid-solid partition does not change over time and classical fluid solvers are able to solve the fluid-structure interaction problem. We summarise the different approaches used to handle the fluid-solid coupling and numerical methods used to solve the arising problems. The results obtained by the described methods are presented and we give reference intervals for the relevant quantities of interest

Electronic structure of the muonium center as a shallow donor in ZnO

The electronic structure and the location of muonium centers (Mu) in single-crystalline ZnO were determined for the first time. Two species of Mu centers with extremely small hyperfine parameters have been observed below 40 K. Both Mu centers have an axial-symmetric hyperfine structure along with a [0001] axis, indicating that they are located at the AB_{O,//} and BC_{//} sites. It is inferred from their small ionization energy (~6 meV and 50 meV) and hyperfine parameters (~10^{-4} times the vacuum value) that these centers behave as shallow donors, strongly suggesting that hydrogen is one of the primary origins of n type conductivity in as-grown ZnO.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR

Mehrsprachige und multikulturelle Begegnungen und ihr Einfluss auf die Entwicklung der sprachlichen und kulturellen Flexibilität von angehenden Lehrenden

Kenntnisse, Anerkennung, Respekt und Wertschätzung verschiedener Sprachen und Kulturen können helfen, eine starke Identität aufzubauen und darüber hinaus auch interkulturelle Kommunikations- kompetenz zu entfalten (vgl. Fäcke, 2019). Auch die Identität von Lernenden und Lehrenden in Bezug auf sprachliche und kulturelle Flexibilität verändert sich tiefgreifend mit zunehmenden persönlichen sowie virtuellen mehrsprachigen und multikulturellen Begegnungen. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird eine kleine qualitative Studie aus zwei Lehrveranstaltungen an der Universität Augsburg vorgestellt. Ziel ist es aufzuzeigen, wie mehrsprachige und multikulturelle Begegnungen die Entwicklung der sprachlichen und kulturellen Flexibilität von angehenden Lehrenden beeinflussen können.Knowledge, recognition, appreciation of and respect for different languages and cultures can help to build a strong identity and also to develop intercultural communication skills (cf. Fäcke, 2019). The learners’ and teachers’ identity in terms of linguistic and cultural flexibility is also changing profoundly with increasing multilingual and multicultural encounters be it face-to-face or virtual. In this article, a small-scale qualitative study covering the participants of two courses at the University of Augsburg is presented. The aim is to show how multilingual and multicultural encounters can influence the development of prospective teachers’ linguistic and cultural flexibility

Mehrsprachige und plurikulturelle Begegnungen und ihr Einfluss auf die Entwicklung der sprachlichen und kulturellen Flexibilität von angehenden Lehrenden

Kenntnisse, Anerkennung, Respekt und Wertschätzung verschiedener Sprachen und Kulturen können helfen, eine starke Identität aufzubauen und darüber hinaus auch interkulturelle Kommunikationskompetenz zu entfalten (vgl. Fäcke, 2019). Auch die Identität von Lernenden und Lehrenden in Bezug auf sprachliche und kulturelle Flexibilität verändert sich tiefgreifend mit zunehmenden persönlichen sowie virtuellen mehrsprachigen und multikulturellen Begegnungen. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird eine kleine qualitative Studie aus zwei Lehrveranstaltungen an der Universität Augsburg vorgestellt. Ziel ist es aufzuzeigen, wie mehrsprachige und multikulturelle Begegnungen die Entwicklung der sprachlichen und kulturellen Flexibilität von angehenden Lehrenden beeinflussen können.Knowledge, recognition, appreciation of and respect for different languages and cultures can help to build a strong identity and also to develop intercultural communication skills (cf. Fäcke, 2019). The learners’ and teachers’ identity in terms of linguistic and cultural flexibility is also changing profoundly with increasing multilingual and multicultural encounters be it face-to-face or virtual. In this article, a small-scale qualitative study covering the participants of two courses at the University of Augsburg is presented. The aim is to show how multilingual and multicultural encounters can influence the development of prospective teachers’ linguistic and cultural flexibility.Peer Reviewe

The Augsburg project "Promoting the Professional Competence of Teachers to Deal with Heterogeneity (LeHet)" - the role of digital educational media

Im Augsburger Projekt der Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung geht es um die Förderung der Lehrerprofessionalität im Umgang mit Heterogenität. Einer von vier Kompetenzbereichen beschäftigt sich in interdisziplinärer Perspektive mit der Analyse und dem Einsatz von Bildungsmedien. Unter Federführung der Erziehungswissenschaft/Allgemeinen Didaktik wurde in Kooperation mit Fachdidaktiken eine inhaltliche Füllung des Kompetenzmodells von Baumert und Kunter mit der Zielsetzung einer digitalen Bildungsmedienkompetenz erarbeitet. In erziehungswissenschaftlichen und Tandem- Lehrveranstaltungen mit Fachdidaktiken werden die Wissensbereiche und Wissensfacetten den Lehramtsstudierenden vermittelt und mit diesen erprobt. Eine Evaluationsstudie soll die Wirksamkeit der konzipierten Lehrveranstaltungen überprüfen. (DIPF/Orig.)The Augsburg project in the context of the "Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung" [Quality Initiative for Teacher Education] aims at supporting teacher professionality in dealing with heterogeneity. One of four competence fields engages itself in the analysis and use of educational media with an interdisciplinary perspective. Coordinated by Educational Science/General Didactics, contents for the competence model by Baumert and Kunter were worked out in cooperation with various Subject-specific Didactics, aiming at competence regarding digital educational media. In teacher-training courses in Educational Science as well as in paired teaching with Subject-specific Didactics students are taught and practically trained in knowledge-fi elds and knowledge-facets. An evaluation study will investigate the effectiveness of the respective courses. (DIPF/Orig.

BICS01 Mediates Reversible Anti-seizure Effects in Brain Slice Models of Epilepsy

Drug-resistant epilepsy remains a significant clinical and societal burden, with one third of people with epilepsy continuing to experience seizures despite the availability of around 30 anti-seizure drugs (ASDs). Further, ASDs often have substantial adverse effects, including impacts on learning and memory. Therefore, it is important to develop new ASDs, which may be more potent or better tolerated. Here, we report the preliminary preclinical evaluation of BICS01, a synthetic product based on a natural compound, as a potential ASD. To model seizure-like activity in vitro, we prepared hippocampal slices from adult male Sprague Dawley rats, and elicited epileptiform bursting using high extracellular potassium. BICS01 (200 μM) rapidly and reversibly reduced the frequency of epileptiform bursting but did not change broad measures of network excitability or affect short-term synaptic facilitation. BICS01 was well tolerated following systemic injection at up to 1,000 mg/kg. However, we did not observe any protective effect of systemic BICS01 injection against acute seizures evoked by pentylenetetrazol. These results indicate that BICS01 is able to acutely reduce epileptiform activity in hippocampal networks. Further preclinical development studies to enhance pharmacokinetics and accumulation in the brain, as well as studies to understand the mechanism of action, are now required