Resilienz naturnaher Moore im Klimawandel – Fallbeispiele aus dem Biosphärenreservat Schorfheide-Chorin

Der Klimawandel wirkt auf die wenigen noch wachsenden Moore ein, so dass die Frage besteht, inwieweit die Resilienz dieser autochthonen Ökosysteme in all ihrer Vielfalt gestützt werden kann. Zur Beantwortung werden Dauerbeobachtungsreihen von weitgehend ungestörten Mooren aus dem Biosphärenreservat Schorfheide-Chorin (Brandenburg) ausgewertet. Diese werden mit den Ergebnissen einer Erfolgskontrolle wiedervernässter Waldmoore in Kontext gesetzt. Zur Einschätzung der Moorzustände wird ein neu entwickeltes Indikatorensystem zur Bewertung moorspezifischer Biodiversität angewendet. Es wird zudem eine Abschätzung der Treibhausgasemissionen nach der Treibhaus-Gas-Emissions-Standort-Typen(GEST)-Methodik vorgenommen und die potenzielle Torfneubildung betrachtet. Die Analysen zeigen, dass das Puffervermögen wachsender Moore im Untersuchungsraum noch intakt ist und Störungen ohne Systemwechsel überwunden werden. Die Vernässungsmaßnahmen waren durchweg erfolgreich und haben zu einer messbaren Revitalisierung geführt. Es wird auf die dringende Notwendigkeit hingewiesen, heute alle noch weitestgehend naturnahen Moore in ihrem Wasserhaushalt bestmöglich zu stabilisieren, um sie als wichtige Glieder der autochthonen Biodiversität mit allen ihren positiven Landschaftsfunktionen zu erhalten

Unzugängliche Welten für das erfahrungsbasierte Lernen erschließen. Immersive Virtuelle Realität im naturwissenschaftlichen Sachunterricht

Die Autor*innen befassen sich mit der Erschließung „Unzugängliche[r] Welten für das erfahrungsbasierte Lernen“, indem sie Potenziale der Integration Immersiver Virtueller Realität (IVR) in den naturwissenschaftlichen Sachunterricht erläutern. Designprinzipien und Beispiele für die Nutzung von Immersiver Virtueller Realität im naturwissenschaftlichen Sachunterricht werden anhand einer exemplarischen Sachunterrichtseinheit zum so genannten kleinen Wasserkreislauf aufgezeigt und diskutiert. (DIPF/Orig.)Active experience and manipulation are crucial sources of learning. However, many scientific topics are not accessible to our senses, such as microscopic or macroscopic structures and processes. By combining immersive and interactive elements, virtual reality offers a promising way to connect inaccessible parts of the world to direct sensory experience. This article explores possible guidelines for creating effective learning environments by reviewing opportunities and risks related to the use of virtual reality in science education. These ideas are illustrated with an example of virtual-reality-based teaching about the water cycle in primary school. (DIPF/Orig.

Interactions between copper homeostasis and the fungal cell wall affect copper stress resistance

Copper homeostasis mechanisms are essential for microbial adaption to changing copper levels within the host during infection. In the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn), the Cn Cbi1/Bim1 protein is a newly identified copper binding and release protein that is highly induced during copper limitation. Recent studies demonstrated that Cbi1 functions in copper uptake through the Ctr1 copper transporter during copper limitation. However, the mechanism of Cbi1 action is unknown. The fungal cell wall is a dynamic structure primarily composed of carbohydrate polymers, such as chitin and chitosan, polymers known to strongly bind copper ions. We demonstrated that Cbi1 depletion affects cell wall integrity and architecture, connecting copper homeostasis with adaptive changes within the fungal cell wall. The cbi1Δ mutant strain possesses an aberrant cell wall gene transcriptional signature as well as defects in chitin / chitosan deposition and exposure. Furthermore, using Cn strains defective in chitosan biosynthesis, we demonstrated that cell wall chitosan modulates the ability of the fungal cell to withstand copper stress. Given the previously described role for Cbi1 in copper uptake, we propose that this copper-binding protein could be involved in shuttling copper from the cell wall to the copper transporter Ctr1 for regulated microbial copper uptake

A fungal lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase is required for cell wall integrity, thermotolerance, and virulence of the fungal human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

Fungi often adapt to environmental stress by altering their size, shape, or rate of cell division. These morphological changes require reorganization of the cell wall, a structural feature external to the cell membrane composed of highly interconnected polysaccharides and glycoproteins. Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are copper-dependent enzymes that are typically secreted into the extracellular space to catalyze initial oxidative steps in the degradation of complex biopolymers such as chitin and cellulose. However, their roles in modifying endogenous microbial carbohydrates are poorly characterized. The CEL1 gene in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) is predicted by sequence homology to encode an LPMO of the AA9 enzyme family. The CEL1 gene is induced by host physiological pH and temperature, and it is primarily localized to the fungal cell wall. Targeted mutation of the CEL1 gene revealed that it is required for the expression of stress response phenotypes, including thermotolerance, cell wall integrity, and efficient cell cycle progression. Accordingly, a cel1Δ deletion mutant was avirulent in two models of C. neoformans infection. Therefore, in contrast to LPMO activity in other microorganisms that primarily targets exogenous polysaccharides, these data suggest that CnCel1 promotes intrinsic fungal cell wall remodeling events required for efficient adaptation to the host environment

Training the social skill “being able to demand” vs. training the social skill “being able to say no”. A randomized controlled trial with healthy individuals

Background and objectives: This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether training one of two social skills ("being able to say no" and "being able to demand") belonging to the domain "asserting one's rights" improves specifically the trained skill or the "asserting one's rights" domain in general. Methods: Ten social skills training groups comprising three weekly sessions and four healthy participants each were conducted. In each group, the participants were randomized either to the condition which practiced the social skill of "saying no" or to the condition which practiced the social skill of "demanding". Results: From pre-training to 3-month follow-up, participants of the "demanding" condition improved significantly on the "being able to demand" scale of the "Short Version of the Insecurity Questionnaire" (p = 0.047) but not on the "incapacity in saying no" scale of the "Short Version of the Insecurity Questionnaire" (p = 0.645), whereas participants of the "saying no" condition improved significantly on the "incapacity in saying no" scale of the "Short Version of the Insecurity Questionnaire" (p = 0.015) but not on the "being able to demand" scale of the "Short Version of the Insecurity Questionnaire" (p = 0.484). Limitations: Further studies are needed to evaluate whether the results of the present study can be generalized to clinical samples. Conclusions: This trial provides very preliminary evidence that training a specific social skill has specific, not generalized, effects. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Academics’ societal engagement in Switzerland and Austria : a replication study attempt

Theoretical Framework/Definition of Concepts: Our study focuses on differences in academics’ societal engagement (ASE) in Switzerland and Austria, where we examine public universities and universities of applied sciences (UAS). We draw on a published analysis based on APIKS data, the paper “Academics’ Societal Engagement in Diverse European Binary Higher Education Systems: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis” (Götze, Carvalho & Aarrevaara, 2021) and attempt to replicate the analysis with data from Austria and Switzerland. In our study, we have three main research interests: (1) We want to test whether it is possible to replicate the analysis model of Germany, Finland, and Portugal. (2) We want to discuss how our results differ from the original study (Götze et al. 2021) regarding a) the main effect of the type of higher education institution on ASE (hypothesis block 1), b) the correlation between publication productivity and ASE (hypothesis block 2), and c) the correlation between research time and ASE (hypothesis block 3), and try to find explanations in terms of the quality of the datasets and country characteristics. (3) We further develop the model of the original study by including additional dimensions that we consider important for our country contexts, such as the expectations of the higher education institutions to be active in ASE, and previous full-time or part-time employment outside academia. Methodology: We use the APIKS data from Switzerland, collected in 2018/19 and Austria, collected in 2021. The Swiss dataset consists of 1411 completed surveys. In the analysis, we included participants from universities (N = 708) and from UAS (N = 548). Respondents from universities of teacher education were excluded, so that the dataset used for the replication study consists of 1256 respondents (UAS: 44% female and 18% senior academics; university: 45% female and 20% senior academics). The Austrian dataset consists of 5261 completed surveys (N = 3677 participants from universities and N = 1584 from UAS). At the Austrian universities, 57% were male and 20% were senior academics; at UAS, 51% were male and 17% were senior academics. Data Analysis and Conclusions: We aim to replicate the analysis of Götze et al. (2021), which was based on structural equation modeling with a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) and with weighted least square mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimators. The dependent variables consist of three latent variables from 17 measured ASE-activities. In line with the original study, we use the concepts of research-related (techno-commercial) ASE, dissemination ASE, and teaching related (training-related) ASE. Independent variables are the type of university, gender, age, academic rank, discipline, publication productivity, authorship, and research time. In a second step, we include additional variables in the model, namely the expectations of the HEI to be active in ASE and previous full-time or part-time employment outside academia. In our presentation, we would like to discuss the methodological challenges and possible explanations for our findings

Academics’ societal engagement in Switzerland and Austria : a replication study attempt

Theoretical Framework/Definition of Concepts: Our study focuses on differences in academics’ societal engagement (ASE) in Switzerland and Austria, where we examine public universities and universities of applied sciences (UAS). We draw on a published analysis based on APIKS data, the paper “Academics’ Societal Engagement in Diverse European Binary Higher Education Systems: A Cross-Country Comparative Analysis” (Götze, Carvalho & Aarrevaara, 2021) and attempt to replicate the analysis with data from Austria and Switzerland. In our study, we have three main research interests: (1) We want to test whether it is possible to replicate the analysis model of Germany, Finland, and Portugal. (2) We want to discuss how our results differ from the original study (Götze et al. 2021) regarding a) the main effect of the type of higher education institution on ASE (hypothesis block 1), b) the correlation between publication productivity and ASE (hypothesis block 2), and c) the correlation between research time and ASE (hypothesis block 3), and try to find explanations in terms of the quality of the datasets and country characteristics. (3) We further develop the model of the original study by including additional dimensions that we consider important for our country contexts, such as the expectations of the higher education institutions to be active in ASE, and previous full-time or part-time employment outside academia. Methodology: We use the APIKS data from Switzerland, collected in 2018/19 and Austria, collected in 2021. The Swiss dataset consists of 1411 completed surveys. In the analysis, we included participants from universities (N = 708) and from UAS (N = 548). Respondents from universities of teacher education were excluded, so that the dataset used for the replication study consists of 1256 respondents (UAS: 44% female and 18% senior academics; university: 45% female and 20% senior academics). The Austrian dataset consists of 5261 completed surveys (N = 3677 participants from universities and N = 1584 from UAS). At the Austrian universities, 57% were male and 20% were senior academics; at UAS, 51% were male and 17% were senior academics. Data Analysis and Conclusions: We aim to replicate the analysis of Götze et al. (2021), which was based on structural equation modeling with a multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) and with weighted least square mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimators. The dependent variables consist of three latent variables from 17 measured ASE-activities. In line with the original study, we use the concepts of research-related (techno-commercial) ASE, dissemination ASE, and teaching related (training-related) ASE. Independent variables are the type of university, gender, age, academic rank, discipline, publication productivity, authorship, and research time. In a second step, we include additional variables in the model, namely the expectations of the HEI to be active in ASE and previous full-time or part-time employment outside academia. In our presentation, we would like to discuss the methodological challenges and possible explanations for our findings

Adaptive changes in the fungal cell wall mediate copper homeostasis

AbstractCopper homeostasis mechanisms are essential for microbial adaption to changing copper levels within the host during infection. In the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn), the Cn Cbi1/Bim1 protein is a newly identified copper binding and release protein that is highly induced during copper limitation. Recent studies demonstrated that Cbi1 functions in copper uptake through the Ctr1 copper transporter during copper limitation. However, the mechanism of Cbi1 action is unknown. The fungal cell wall is a dynamic structure primarily composed of carbohydrate polymers, such as chitin and chitosan, polymers known to strongly bind copper ions. We demonstrated that Cbi1 depletion affects cell wall integrity and architecture, connecting copper homeostasis with adaptive changes within the fungal cell wall. The cbi1Δ mutant strain possesses an aberrant cell wall gene transcriptional signature as well as defects in chitin and chitosan deposition. These changes are reflected in altered macrophage activation and changes in the expression of specific virulence-associated phenotypes. Furthermore, using Cn strains defective in chitosan biosynthesis, we demonstrated that cell wall chitosan modulates the ability of the fungal cell to withstand copper stress. In conclusion, our data suggest a dual role for the fungal cell wall, in particular the inner chitin / chitosan layer, in protection against toxic levels of copper and providing a source of metal ion availability during copper starvation. Given the previously described role for Cbi1 in copper uptake, we propose that this copper-binding protein is involved in shuttling copper from the cell wall to the copper transporter Ctr1 for regulated microbial copper uptake.Author summaryMicroorganisms must be equipped to readily acquire essential micro-nutrients like copper from nutritionally poor environments while simultaneously shielding themselves from conditions of metal excess. We explored mechanisms of microbial copper homeostasis in the human opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) by defining physiological roles of the newly described copper-binding and release protein Cn Cbi1/Bim1. Highly induced during copper limitation, Cbi1 has been shown to interact with the high-affinity copper transporter Ctr1. We defined Cbi1-regulated changes in the fungal cell wall, including controlling levels of the structural carbohydrates chitin and chitosan. These polysaccharides are embedded deeply in the cell wall and are known to avidly bind copper. We also defined the host immunological alterations in response to these cell wall changes. Our data suggest a model in which the fungal cell wall, especially the chito-oligomer layer, serves as a copper-binding structure to shield the cell from states of excess copper, while also serving as a copper storage site during conditions of extracellular copper depletion. Given its ability to bind and release copper, the Cbi1 protein likely shuttles copper from the cell wall to copper transporters for regulated copper acquisition.</jats:sec