German and French language in the Upper-Rhine region

Der Überblicksartikel stellt die schulische Situation (Angebote an Nachbarsprache in Grund- und Sekundarschule inklusive Abi-Bac-Züge) der Nachbarsprachen am Oberrhein und die dazugehörige institutionelle und politische Zusammenarbeit knapp dar. Die Ausbildungen zum zweisprachigen Sachfachlehrer in Freiburg im Br. und Mulhouse, sowie die einschlägigen Angebote anderer Universitäten und Hochschulen (hier teils die Ausbildung zukünftiger Primar- bzw. Grundschullehrer in der Nachbarsprache) wird umrissen. Auf wichtige zweisprachige Materialen wird hingewiesen und ebenso auf angebotene Praktika im Nachbarland. Am Schluss gibt es eine Einschätzung der (bescheidenen) Erfolge und weiterführende Literatur. (Autorin

An anachronistic Clarkforkian mammal fauna from the Paleocene Fort Union Formation (Great Divide Basin, Wyoming, USA)

The Clarkforkian (latest Paleocene) North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA) remains a relatively poorly sampled biostratigraphic interval at the close of the Paleocene epoch that is best known from the Bighorn Basin of northwestern Wyoming. A period of global warming between the cooler early and middle Paleocene and the extreme warming of the early Eocene, the Clarkforkian witnessed significant floral and faunal turnover with important ramifications for the development of Cenozoic biotas. The combination of warming global climates with mammalian turnover (including likely intercontinental dispersals) marks the Clarkforkian and the succeeding Wasatchian (Earliest Eocene) NALMAs as periods of intense interest to paleobiologists and other earth scientists concerned with aspects of biostratigraphy and with the biotic effects of climate change in the past. In this paper we describe a new Clarkforkian mammalian fauna from the Great Divide Basin of southwestern Wyoming with some surprising faunal elements that differ from the typical suite of taxic associations found in Clarkforkian assemblages of the Bighorn Basin. Several different scenarios are explored to explain this "anachronistic" assemblage of mammals from southern Wyoming in relation to the typical patterns found in northern Wyoming, including the concepts of basin-margin faunas, latitudinal and climatic gradients, and a chronologically transitional fauna. We suggest that the observed faunal and biostratigraphic differences between southern and northern Wyoming faunas most likely result from latitudinal and associated climatic differences, with floral and faunal changes being reflected somewhat earlier in the south during this period of marked climate change

Development of Specific Aspects of Spirituality during a 6-Month Intensive Yoga Practice

The majority of research on yoga focuses on its psychophysiological and therapeutic benefits, while the spiritual aspects are rarely addressed. Changes of specific aspects of spirituality were thus investigated among 160 individuals (91% women, mean age 40.9 ± 8.3 years; 57% Christians) starting a 2-year yoga teacher training. We used standardized questionnaires to measure aspects of spirituality (ASP), mindfulness (FMI—Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory), life satisfaction (BMLSS—Brief Multidimensional Life Satisfaction Scale), and positive mood (lightheartedness/relief). At the start of the course, scores of the respective ASP subscales for search for insight/wisdom, transcendence conviction, and conscious interactions/compassion were high, while those for religious orientation were low. Within the 6 month observation period, both conscious interactions/compassion (effect size, Cohen's d = .33), Religious orientation (d = .21), Lightheartedness/Relief (d = .75) and mindfulness (d = .53) increased significantly. Particularly non-religious/non-spiritual individuals showed moderate effects for an increase of conscious interactions/compassion. The results from this study suggest that an intensive yoga practice (1) may significantly increase specific aspects of practitioners' spirituality, mindfulness, and mood, (2) that these changes are dependent in part on their original spiritual/religious self-perception, and (3) that there are strong correlations amongst these constructs (i.e., conscious interactions/compassion, and mindfulness)

Archäologische und naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zu spätantiken Gräbern in und bei den römischen Thermen von Grumentum

Die römische Stadt Grumentum liegt in Süditalien, im Innern von Lucanien, der heutigen Region Basilicata, etwa gleich weit vom ionischen und tyrrhenischen Meer entfernt, inmitten einer wunderschönen Landschaft, die zum einen durch das Agri-Tal und zum anderen durch hohe Berge gekennzeichnet ist. Diese Stadt war in der Antike ein bedeutendes Zentrum des Binnenlandes, da sie an einem wichtigen Straßenknotenpunkt lag. Von seinem wechselhaften Schicksal in der Geschichte berichten zahlreiche Schriftsteller, wie Livius von den punischen Kriegen – Hannibal stand auch hier vor den Toren – oder Appian von den Bürgerkriegen zu Beginn des ersten vorchristlichen Jahrhunderts. Außerhalb des Stadtgebietes sind vier monumentale Grabbauten, zahlreiche Grabinschriften und ein Aquaedukt gefunden worden. Von der Stadtbefestigung sind die Reste der Mauern unter üppigem Bewuchs noch verborgen. In der Stadt wurden bis jetzt das Forum, mehrere Tempel, ein Theater, ein Amphitheater und ein Wohnkomplex freigelegt. Zwischen 1999 und 2003 fanden erneut Ausgrabungen statt. Ein internationales Team unter der Leitung von Hansjörg Thaler konnte Teile der Straßen, einen weiteren Wohnkomplex und eine Thermenanlage – zunächst durch Prospektionen, dann in mehreren Grabungskampagnen – untersuchen. ..

ΔNp63-mediated regulation of hyaluronic acid metabolism and signaling supports HNSCC tumorigenesis

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide, and several molecular pathways that underlie the molecular tumorigenesis of HNSCC have been identified. Among them, amplification or overexpression of ΔNp63 isoforms is observed in the majority of HNSCCs. Here, we unveiled a ΔNp63-dependent transcriptional program able to regulate the metabolism and the signaling of hyaluronic acid (HA), the major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). We found that ∆Np63 is capable of sustaining the production of HA levels in cell culture and in vivo by regulating the expression of the HA synthase HAS3 and two hyaluronidase genes, HYAL-1 and HYAL-3. In addition, ∆Np63 directly regulates the expression of CD44, the major HA cell membrane receptor. By controlling this transcriptional program, ∆Np63 sustains the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGF-R) activation and the expression of ABCC1 multidrug transporter gene, thus contributing to tumor cell proliferation and chemoresistance. Importantly, p63 expression is positively correlated with CD44, HAS3, and ABCC1 expression in squamous cell carcinoma datasets and p63-HA pathway is a negative prognostic factor of HNSCC patient survival. Altogether, our data shed light on a ∆Np63-dependent pathway functionally important to the regulation of HNSCC progression

Binghamton City School District’s Meal Programs and their Impact on Reducing Local Food Insecurity

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic recession resulted in a stark increase in the number of food insecure children nationally and in the Binghamton City School District locally. The lack of nutritious food can lead to poor physical and mental health in adolescents. To mitigate said health concerns, the Binghamton City School District implemented the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) to provide free meals to all students. In my research, I will evaluate the impact of the NSLP and SBP on decreasing the food insecurity rates in the Binghamton City School District amidst the COIVD-19 pandemic. Evaluations of the NSLP and SBP participation rates before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 will be conducted. The results suggest that the consistent use of the National free meal programs lowers the amount of food insecure children in Broome County. Families express that subsidized meals give them security in knowing their children will be properly nourished. This research indicates that widespread use of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program will minimize the national food insecurity rate.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2022/1078/thumbnail.jp