Defining the environmental context in which genes enhance disease susceptibility can provide insight into the pathogenesis of complex disorders. We report that the intra-uterine environment modulates the association of schizophrenia with genomic risk (in this study, genome-wide association study–derived polygenic risk scores (PRSs)). In independent samples from the United States, Italy, and Germany, the liability of schizophrenia explained by PRS is more than five times greater in the presence of early-life complications (ELCs) compared with their absence. Patients with ELC histories have significantly higher PRS than patients without ELC histories, which is confirmed in additional samples from Germany and Japan. The gene set composed of schizophrenia loci that interact with ELCs is highly expressed in placenta, is differentially expressed in placentae from complicated in comparison with normal pregnancies, and is differentially upregulated in placentae from male compared with female offspring. Pathway analyses reveal that genes driving the PRS-ELC interaction are involved in cellular stress response; genes that do not drive such interaction implicate orthogonal biological processes (for example, synaptic function). We conclude that a subset of the most significant genetic variants associated with schizophrenia converge on a developmental trajectory sensitive to events that affect the placental response to stress, which may offer insights into sex biases and primary prevention. Early-life complications modulate the association of genomic risk and schizophrenia.
This article reconsiders the nature of marketplace exchange in premodern economies by comparing two distinct cases: the monetized system of the Byzantine Empire and the exchange networks of the prehispanic central Andes. We compare these two contrasting cases to explore the applicability of a spectrum-based approach to markets. Drawing on theories from institutional economics, economic anthropology, and political economy, the paper challenges the traditional market/non-market dichotomy that has long dominated the field. By adopting a comparative and interdisciplinary methodology, we argue for a more flexible and integrated framework that recognizes the diversity and embeddedness of exchange systems across cultures. Using archaeological and historical evidence, we examine how coin-based markets in Byzantium coexisted with legal institutions and state infrastructure, while Andean exchange, though largely lacking formal currency or marketplaces, often relied on socially embedded networks. Our study demonstrates that market-like behavior does not require monetization or formal institutions and that both regions offer valuable insights into the resilience and variability of preindustrial markets and economic systems. This analysis contributes to broader debates in economic archaeology and history by reframing what constitutes a “market” and advocating for a spectrum-based understanding of exchange mechanisms across time and space.
The post-reform period in the history of the Russian Empire was marked by significant transformations across various spheres of state and societal life. Many of these changes were prompted by the “Great Reforms” of the 1860s–1870s. One of the defining features of this era was social mobility, which manifested differently across social groups. The aim of this study is to identify and characterize the main forms of social mobility among the Lutheran German population of St. Petersburg in the early twentieth century. The primary source for the analysis consists of original data extracted from the parish registers of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. The preserved personal records were processed using Microsoft Access 2016. A comprehensive analysis of entries related to births, baptisms, and marriages reveals that, while traditional social norms persisted, there was a growing incidence of inter-class and interfaith marriages within the Lutheran German community. This indicates a gradual decline in the insularity of the church congregation. The increase in the number of parishioners was driven less by natural population growth and more by the migration of Germans from other regions of the Russian Empire, as well as from Germany and Austria-Hungary. This article will be of interest to scholars of social history, historical demography, ethnic minorities, and those engaged with the study of early twentieth-century Russia.
History (General) and history of Europe, Social Sciences
In order to position their agenda as an alternative to the established political mainstream, right-wing populist parties need discursive opportunities. Territorial disputes provide effective discursive opportunities because international conflicts in particular not only allow respective politicians to present themselves as the voice of national interests, but also create a sense of crisis that demands an urgent and assertive response. This article examines these dynamics through the case of Japan, focusing on how the right-wing populist Japan Restoration Party (JRP) leveraged territorial conflicts as discursive opportunities through the examination of the public reception of the party. In order to extract the party’s reception from the public discourse an algorithm-based big data analysis of over 100,000 Japanese blog posts was utilized. The topic model analysis identified relevant discourses and positions within the public debate, revealing how the discourse around territorial disputes contributed to the party’s rise in 2012. The blog analysis shows how the JRP’s alliance with former Tōkyō Governor Ishihara Shintarō led to increased support from the far-right. Ishihara gained significant media attention with his proposal to purchase the contested Senkaku Islands, claimed by both Japan and China. This idea resonated widely on social networks, with supporters even raising funds to turn the purchase into reality. This strategy not only challenged the political line of established parties but also positioned the Japan Restoration Party as a key advocate for a more assertive foreign policy in the public discourse. The analysis thus illustrates how right-wing populist politicians utilize political crises and offer polarizing solutions that resonate with conservative, anti-establishment voters. The findings of this study contribute to our understanding of how populist actors leverage foreign policy crises to gain electoral traction and challenge political elites. By focusing on Japan, this research especially provides broader insights into the role of territorial disputes in shaping right-wing populism.
Abstract Introduction Nontyphoidal Salmonella is a zoonotic foodborne pathogen that represents a global public health issue. In the European Union and Economic Area, about 66,000 cases of reported nonthyphoidal salmonellosis occurred in 2022, with about 9,100 cases in Germany. The aim of this study is to analyse the incidence and epidemiological characteristics as well as trends of salmonellosis in Germany from 2012 to 2023. Methods German national surveillance data on salmonellosis from 2012 to 2023 were analysed. Available information included demographics, notification dates, country of exposure, hospitalisation, and serovar. The incidence was calculated per 100,000 population, stratified by age, sex, and travel and hospitalisation history. A descriptive analysis was conducted. Results A total of 160,782 cases of salmonellosis were reported between 2012 and 2023 in Germany, with seasonal peaks occurring during the summer months. The incidence declined from 26 per 100,000 in 2012 to 13 per 100,000 in 2023. This decline was observed across all defined age groups, sex and regions. The proportion of imported cases increased since 2012, reaching a peak of 26% (n = 1,943) in 2023. The proportion of cases that resulted in hospitalisation remained relatively constant, accounting for approximately 30% of all cases. The incidence was higher in males and children under the age of five years. The most frequent serovars were S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium. From 2020 onwards, there was an increase in the number of unknown serovars. Conclusion The analysis of these surveillance data provided a good basis to monitor trends and to identify special population groups at risk. The decrease in the incidence of salmonellosis in Germany between 2012 and 2023 might reflect a positive trend in public health efforts and food safety. The increased proportion of imported cases highlights the higher importance of monitoring and addressing travel-related exposures. Ongoing efforts are essential to mitigate both domestic and imported salmonellosis cases, particularly in young children and older adults.
Abstract The whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) are small sternorrhynchan insects, which have the potential to cause significant economic damage to agricultural crops. There is a paucity of knowledge regarding the diversity, disparity, and evolutionary history of these insects, with classification based on the immatures, called puparia. The fossil record of whiteflies is sparse and incomplete, with the majority of fossils representing imaginal forms preserved as inclusions in fossilized resins. In this study, we present the first inclusion in succinite associated with the layers of Lower/Middle Miocene 2nd Lusatian Lignite Seam of Wanninchen in Brandenburg, Germany. The objective of the present study is to elaborate this fossil, and as a consequence, a new fossil genus and species, Pudrica christianottoi gen. et sp. nov., is described. This fossil is a representative of the subfamily Aleyrodinae, and it is the third fossil genus of this whitefly subfamily to be described. The discovery of the fossil inclusion in the succinite from the lignite deposits of Lower Lusatia challenges the current understanding of the character and conditions of formation and deposition of central and east European Paleogene fossil resins. Succinite is a fossil resin that occurs in the Eocene deposits of the Gulf of Gdańsk, belonging to the Prussian Formation, containing a glauconite-rich horizon known as the ‘Blue Earth’. Similarly, glauconite-rich deposits are present in the Lublin area of Poland, where they are associated with the occurrence of succinite. Additionally, succinite has been found in deposits in the Rovno-Zhitomir area of Ukraine, which are alluvial deposits containing glauconite and lignite layers. Succinite was also identified in Eocene strata of Spitsbergen and in Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian Arctic. Succinite has also been discovered in early Miocene deposits in Bitterfeld, Germany, where it occurs alongside lignite deposits (the deposit actually encompasses different fossil resins, so potentially originating from different source plants). Furthermore, it has been identified in younger (Pleistocene) deposits across Europe. The autochthonous (parautochthonous) character of the lignite deposits in Lower Lusatia raises questions regarding the time range of the succinite-producing gymnosperm trees and the autochthonous or allochthonous character of the lignite layers associated fossilized resins.
Background: Emergency departments (ED) are frequently visited after suspected rabies exposure (SRE) and the potential need for rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (R-PEP). However, data on the number of visits, patients' demographics, travel history and the medical treatment is still rare. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the number of R-PEP and the appropriateness of medical management including wound treatment, vaccination regime and immunoglobulin application following SRE in a university hospital ED. Method: We conducted a monocentric retrospective observational study on emergency patients treated in the ED of the LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany, between June 1st, 2023 and January 31st, 2024. Patients requiring post-exposure prophylaxis due to SRE abroad or in Germany were included. Demographic data, travel history, clinical findings, wound treatment, and R-PEP vaccination regimen were recorded. Results: During the observation period of 245 days 43 patients presented to our ED for R-PEP. There was a total of 51 presentation appointments, as 5 patients returned for further treatment. Most patients (27, 52.9 %) presented at the ED on a Saturday, Sunday, or a public holiday. 17 (39.5 %) patients had a category II exposure, and 26 (60.5 %) had a category III exposure. In our ED, there were 28 (55.0 %) active vaccinations and 23 (45.0 %) both active and passive vaccinations. Conclusions: Our data show that patients frequently present for R-PEP in ED. Therefore, there is a high need for education on indication for R-PEP and for implementation of precise R-PEP treatment guidelines in daily clinical practice.
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, Infectious and parasitic diseases
The migration of Kurdish students to Germany between 1945 and 1975 represents a significant phenomenon, marking the emergence of a crucial cultural phase in modern Kurdish history. Following World War II (1939-1945), numerous Kurdish students from affluent and culturally rich backgrounds migrated to Germany for educational purposes. During this period, individuals seeking to enhance their academic and cultural stature were compelled to pursue opportunities in advanced nations like Germany, given the lack of such opportunities in their home countries. Additionally, in the 1950s and 1960s, another wave of Kurdish students migrated to Germany through academic scholarships, while others fled due to challenging political conditions. This research endeavors to address various issues concerning the migration of Kurdish students to Germany from 1945 to 1975. Key inquiries include the motivations behind Kurdish migration to Germany, the quantitative aspect of migration, and the nature of their activities. Through reliance on authentic historical sources, this study aims to provide comprehensive answers to these questions and shed light on this significant aspect of Kurdish migration history.
History of scholarship and learning. The humanities, Language and Literature
Mark E. Westman, Juliana Giselbrecht, Jacqueline M. Norris
et al.
Different feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection outcomes are possible in cats following natural exposure, such as progressive infections (persistent viremia), regressive infections (transient or no viremia followed by proviral persistence) and abortive infections (presence of only antibodies). Laboratory-based testing is currently required for categorization of infection outcomes in cats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the field performance of a novel, rapid, combination point-of-care (PoC) test kit commercially available in Europe (v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup>Ag/Ab; 2020–2021 version) to determine different FeLV infection outcomes by concurrent detection of FeLV antigen (p27) and antibodies against FeLV transmembrane envelope protein (p15E). A secondary aim was to evaluate the performance of the same test kit (v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup>FIV) to determine positive/negative feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection status by the detection of antibodies to FIV capsid protein (p24) and transmembrane glycoprotein (gp40). Two cohorts of domestic cats were recruited and tested with v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup> using plasma or serum, including cats in Australia (<i>n</i> = 200) and cats in Germany (<i>n</i> = 170). Results from p27 antigen PoC testing, proviral DNA PCR, and neutralizing antibody testing or testing for antibodies against non-glycosylated surface unit envelope protein (p45) were used to assign cats to groups according to different FeLV infection outcomes. Testing with a laboratory-based FeLV p15E antibody ELISA was also performed for comparison. In the first cohort, v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup>Ag/Ab correctly identified 89% (109/122) FeLV-unexposed cats and 91% (21/23) progressive infections, but no regressive (0/23) or abortive (0/32) infections. In the second cohort, v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup>Ag/Ab correctly identified 94% (148/158) FeLV-unexposed cats and 100% (4/4) progressive infections, but no regressive (0/2) and only 17% (1/6) abortive infections. There was test agreement between v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup>Ab and the p15E laboratory ELISA in 58.9% of samples. As a secondary outcome of this study, the sensitivity and specificity of v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup>FIV testing in cohort 1 were 94.7% (18/19) and 98.3% (178/181), and in cohort 2, 30.0% (3/10) and 100.0% (160/160), respectively. Prior history of FIV vaccination did not produce any false-positive FIV results. In conclusion, v-RetroFel<sup>®</sup>Ag/Ab (2020–2021 version) was unable to accurately determine different FeLV infection outcomes in the field. Improvements of the test prior to application to field samples are required.
Zagarjav Tsegmed, Shukherdorj Baasanmunkh, Khurelpurev Oyundelger
et al.
Fritillaria dagana Turcz. has a restricted global distribution, occurring only in southern Siberia and northern Mongolia. Concerning its restricted distribution and endangered conservation status, we aimed to forecast its current and future suitable habitats as well as distribution shifts for 2050 and 2080. The Maxent model with different scenarios (representative concentration pathway 4.5 and representative concentration pathway 8.5) was used to analyze 113 georeferenced records of F. dagana using 19 bioclimatic factors from the WorldClim database. As a result, the amount and variance of precipitation and temperature, together with elevation, were shown to be the most significant factors affecting the species' distribution. In particular, precipitation during the plant growing season had the greatest impact (55.2% variability) on the species distribution. Climate change was expected to cause a minor shift in the distribution of suitable habitats toward the north and an increase in habitat continuity, indicating that the climate will become more favorable for the growth of species and in the future. The species' highly suitable area will remain primarily concentrated in its current potential distribution area in central Siberia (around Lake Baikal). The species' conservation status was determined to be near threatened, emphasizing the great relevance of facilitating proper conservation measures for F. dagana.
The reception of literature written in German in Czechoslovakia after the Second World War was (and still is) in a hybrid position, oscillating between aversion to historical events that still resonate in Czech culture and society, and interest due to intensive cultural contacts and exchange projects between Germany and the Czech Republic. The reception of works by Paul Celan was all the more complicated because Jewish issues were by and large considered undesirable by the communist regime. The regime was officially only anti-Zionist, but de facto, as is well known, this meant anti-Semitic. In this article, attention is drawn to a neglected aspect of the surprising history of the reception of Celan’s poems in Czechoslovakia between 1945 and 1989 (with a brief excursion into the period 1990–2020) – namely, the “mediating function” of paratexts in the totalitarian regime. The first part briefly presents a definition of the term “paratext” and outlines the function of this type of text (taking into account the specific situation in which literature found itself in socialist Czechoslovakia). The following part illustrates the “mediating function” of paratexts in the Czechoslovak and the Czech editions of Celan’s poems.
The Changing Global Economic Geography Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank (2007–2012), Deputy Secretary of State (2005– 2006), U.S. Trade Representative (2001–2005), lead U.S. negotiator in the 2+4 process for German unification Alfred-Weber-Lecture, Aula der Alten Universität The Economic History of the Rise of Trumpism John Komlos, Professor Emeritus of Economic History, LMU München In cooperation with the HCA’s Baden-Württemberg Seminar Lecture, HCA, Curt und Heidemarie Engelhorn Palais
Stephanie Brym, Judith T. Mack, Victoria Weise
et al.
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has confronted working parents with an accumulation of stressors regarding changes in work, family, and social life, putting their mental health at risk. Stressors include altered working conditions such as working from home or changes in working hours as well as the difficulty to reconcile work and childcare due to the closure of childcare facilities. The present study examined the relationship of psychosocial work stress (i.e., work-privacy conflict and effort-reward imbalance at work) and depressive symptoms in working parents and whether this association was moderated by individual resilience. Methods Data of the present study (n = 452) were collected in Germany between May and June 2020 as part of the DREAMCORONA study. A subsample of working mothers (n = 191) and fathers (n = 261) completed the subscale for work-privacy conflict (WPC) of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Multiple linear regression analyses including moderation were performed, controlling for gender, working hours per week, and a lifetime history of depression as potential confounders. Results Both WPC (β = 0.336, p < .001) and ERI (β = 0.254, p < .001) were significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Resilience moderated the relationship between ERI and depressive symptoms (β = − 0.101, p = .018), indicating that higher resilience weakened the relationship. However, this effect was not found regarding the relationship between WPC and depressive symptoms (β = 0.055, p = .167). Conclusions The results highlight the need for measures to reduce psychosocial work stressors such as WPC and ERI during the COVID-19 pandemic on the one hand and to promote resilience on the other hand. The findings partially support the potential protective role of resilience buffering the association between psychosocial stress and mental health in working parents. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this effect.
Mohammed Khairy, Mohammed Khairy, Emily Brault
et al.
To understand the bioaccumulation and food web dynamics of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as a function of species, age and sex in Antarctic mammals, blubber samples of 3 killer whales (Type C) and 77 pinnipeds (Weddell, Ross and crabeater seals) were collected from the Southern Ocean, Antarctica. They were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). ΣDDTs, Σ29PCBs and chlordanes (12 – 4,600, 13 – 1,600, and < 1.5 – 1,700 ng/g lipid, respectively) were the most abundant POPs. Killer whales typically displayed several times greater concentrations of POPs compared to seals, except for PBDEs. PCBs and PBDEs were consistently higher in adult crabeater and Weddell seal males, and in adult female Ross seals than in other sex and age groups reflecting an age accumulation and possible influence of segregated diet, foraging areas, and metabolic transformation rates. POPs concentrations significantly correlated with gene transcription of nuclear receptors involved in detoxification of contaminants and immune relevant cell mediators in the crabeater seals, indicating possible immunotoxic and deleterious health effects. This represents one of the largest studies on POPs in Antarctic marine predators and highlights the complexity of POPs bioaccumulation.
Science, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution
Christine Dieckhoff, Sophie Wenz, Maura Renninger
et al.
The brown marmorated stink bug, <i>Halyomorpha halys</i>, is a polyphagous pest species of worldwide economic importance. Since the mid-1990s, it has invaded and become established in various countries outside its native Asian range. In the newly invaded areas, biological control by native natural enemies has been shown to be insufficient in the long-term control of this severe pest. Adventive populations of <i>Trissolcus japonicus</i>, an important biological control agent of <i>H. halys</i> in Asia, have been reported from North America and some European countries since the mid-2010s. This egg parasitoid species seems to follow in the wake of the establishment of <i>H. halys</i> populations outside their native Asian range. Here, we report the first discovery of an adventive population of <i>T. japonicus</i> in Germany. In 2020, adult <i>T. japonicus</i> were recovered from parasitized <i>H. halys</i> egg masses (naturally laid and sentinel egg masses) and collected in ruderal areas using an insect suction sampler. The arrival of <i>T. japonicus</i> in Germany, unintentional through pathways yet unknown, corroborates a northbound expansion of its range within Europe. Further field surveys will show the extent of its dispersal and establishment capacities within this new distribution area.
The gap between postSoviet Russia and the communist past was demonstrated by a decree of the President of the Russian Federation B.N. Yeltsin’s “Establishing the Day of Agreement and Reconciliation” (1996), according to which the 7th of November remained a public holiday, but the essence of the celebration that was intended to symbolize the victory of the working classes over their exploiters, was changed to the reconciliation and unity of various layers of the Russian society. Later, the holiday of the 7th of November was cancelled completely; instead, President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin in 2004, by his decree, approved a new holiday the Day of National Unity, which is timed to events that were much more remote and date back to 1612. For the first time, Russia celebrated a new public holiday on the 4th of November 2005. In contrast to the historical victory of the USSR over fascist Germany, the February and October revolutions of 1917, the Civil War, foreign intervention, the role of V.I. Lenin, I.V. Stalin and other revolutionary leaders continue to provoke heated debates in Russian society, serving as a source of controversy and conflict. Conscious of the potential danger of this subject, the authorities prefer to refrain from potentially dangerous and threatening political stability actions (burial of the body of VI Lenin, etc.), prefer to put everything off and pass on a solution of painful problems to society to future generations. The indistinct position of the federal center on the events of Russian history of the twentieth century, its silence on the themes of the October Revolution of 1917 and the Civil War in Russia led to numerous scandals with new monuments (Mannerheim, Kolchak, Krasnov, etc.) and other contradictory and diverse in their form consequences. In the rural areas, the situation is often determined by the level of education, character traits and psychological characteristics of representatives of the local administration, as well as their sympathies or antipathies of the parties to the Civil War. The article provides several examples of various manifestations of the current “provincial echo” of the Civil War in Siberia (Nizhneingashsky district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Baikal region) and in the Urals (the city of Okhansk, Perm Territory).