@article{DindasScherzerRoelfsemaetal.2018, author = {Dindas, Julian and Scherzer, S{\"o}nke and Roelfsema, M. Rob G. and Meyer, Katharina von and M{\"u}ller, Heike M. and Al-Rasheid, K. A. S. and Palme, Klaus and Dietrich, Petra and Becker, Dirk and Bennett, Malcolm J. and Hedrich, Rainer}, title = {AUX1-mediated root hair auxin influx governs SCFTIR1/AFB-type Ca2+ signaling}, series = {Nature Communications}, volume = {9}, journal = {Nature Communications}, doi = {10.1038/s41467-018-03582-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-225368}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Auxin is a key regulator of plant growth and development, but the causal relationship between hormone transport and root responses remains unresolved. Here we describe auxin uptake, together with early steps in signaling, in Arabidopsis root hairs. Using intracellular microelectrodes we show membrane depolarization, in response to IAA in a concentration- and pH-dependent manner. This depolarization is strongly impaired in aux1 mutants, indicating that AUX1 is the major transporter for auxin uptake in root hairs. Local intracellular auxin application triggers Ca2+ signals that propagate as long-distance waves between root cells and modulate their auxin responses. AUX1-mediated IAA transport, as well as IAA- triggered calcium signals, are blocked by treatment with the SCFTIR1/AFB - inhibitor auxinole. Further, they are strongly reduced in the tir1afb2afb3 and the cngc14 mutant. Our study reveals that the AUX1 transporter, the SCFTIR1/AFB receptor and the CNGC14 Ca2+ channel, mediate fast auxin signaling in roots.}, language = {en} } @article{FuchsYoussefSeheretal.2019, author = {Fuchs, A. and Youssef, A. and Seher, A. and Hochleitner, G. and Dalton, P. D. and Hartmann, S. and Brands, R. C. and M{\"u}ller-Richter, U. D. A. and Linz, C,}, title = {Medical-grade polycaprolactone scaffolds made by melt electrospinning writing for oral bone regeneration - a pilot study in vitro}, series = {BMC Oral Health}, volume = {19}, journal = {BMC Oral Health}, doi = {10.1186/s12903-019-0717-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-200274}, pages = {28}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Background The spectrum of indications for the use of membranes and scaffolds in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery includes, amongst others, guided bone regeneration (GBR). Currently available membrane systems face certain disadvantages such as difficult clinical handling, inconsistent degradation, undirected cell growth and a lack of stability that often complicate their application. Therefore, new membranes which can overcome these issues are of great interest in this field. Methods In this pilot study, we investigated polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds intended to enhance oral wound healing by means of melt electrospinning writing (MEW), which allowed for three-dimensional (3D) printing of micron scale fibers and very exact fiber placement. A singular set of box-shaped scaffolds of different sizes consisting of medical-grade PCL was examined and the scaffolds' morphology was evaluated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Each prototype sample with box sizes of 225 μm, 300 μm, 375 μm, 450 μm and 500 μm was assessed for cytotoxicity and cell growth by seeding each scaffold with human osteoblast-like cell line MG63. Results All scaffolds demonstrated good cytocompatibility according to cell viability, protein concentration, and cell number. SEM analysis revealed an exact fiber placement of the MEW scaffolds and the growth of viable MG63 cells on them. For the examined box-shaped scaffolds with pore sizes between 225 μm and 500 μm, a preferred box size for initial osteoblast attachment could not be found. Conclusions These well-defined 3D scaffolds consisting of medical-grade materials optimized for cell attachment and cell growth hold the key to a promising new approach in GBR in oral and maxillofacial surgery.}, language = {en} } @article{GanuzaRedlichUhleretal.2022, author = {Ganuza, Cristina and Redlich, Sarah and Uhler, Johannes and Tobisch, Cynthia and Rojas-Botero, Sandra and Peters, Marcell K. and Zhang, Jie and Benjamin, Caryl S. and Englmeier, Jana and Ewald, J{\"o}rg and Fricke, Ute and Haensel, Maria and Kollmann, Johannes and Riebl, Rebekka and Uphus, Lars and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf}, title = {Interactive effects of climate and land use on pollinator diversity differ among taxa and scales}, series = {Science Advances}, volume = {8}, journal = {Science Advances}, number = {18}, doi = {10.1126/sciadv.abm9359}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-301303}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Changes in climate and land use are major threats to pollinating insects, an essential functional group. Here, we unravel the largely unknown interactive effects of both threats on seven pollinator taxa using a multiscale space-for-time approach across large climate and land-use gradients in a temperate region. Pollinator community composition, regional gamma diversity, and community dissimilarity (beta diversity) of pollinator taxa were shaped by climate-land-use interactions, while local alpha diversity was solely explained by their additive effects. Pollinator diversity increased with reduced land-use intensity (forest < grassland < arable land < urban) and high flowering-plant diversity at different spatial scales, and higher temperatures homogenized pollinator communities across regions. Our study reveals declines in pollinator diversity with land-use intensity at multiple spatial scales and regional community homogenization in warmer and drier climates. Management options at several scales are highlighted to mitigate impacts of climate change on pollinators and their ecosystem services.}, language = {en} } @article{WurmbSchorscherJusticeetal.2018, author = {Wurmb, T and Schorscher, N and Justice, P and Dietz, S and Schua, R and Jarausch, T and Kinstle, U and Greiner, J and M{\"o}ldner, G and M{\"u}ller, J and Kraus, M and Simon, S and Wagenh{\"a}user, U and Hemm, J and Roewer, N and Helm, M}, title = {Structured analysis, evaluation and report of the emergency response to a terrorist attack in Wuerzburg, Germany using a new template of standardised quality indicators}, series = {Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine}, volume = {26}, journal = {Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine}, number = {87}, doi = {10.1186/s13049-018-0555-5}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-177054}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Background: Until now there has been a reported lack of systematic reports and scientific evaluations of rescue missions during terror attacks. This however is urgently required in order to improve the performance of emergency medical services and to be able to compare different missions with each other. Aim of the presented work was to report the systematic evaluation and the lessons learned from the response to a terror attack that happened in Wuerzburg, Germany in 2016. Methods: A team of 14 experts developed a template of quality indicators and operational characteristics, which allow for the description, assessment and comparison of civil emergency rescue missions during mass killing incidents. The entire systematic evaluation process consisted of three main steps. The first step was the systematic data collection according to the quality indicators and operational characteristics. Second was the systematic stratification and assessment of the data. The last step was the prioritisation of the identified weaknesses and the definition of the lessons learned. Results: Five important "lessons learned" have been defined. First of all, a comprehensive concept for rescue missions during terror attacks is essential. Furthermore, the establishment of a defined high priority communication infrastructure between the different dispatch centres ("red phone") is vital. The goal is to secure the continuity of information between a few well-defined individuals. Thirdly, the organization of the incident scene needs to be commonly decided and communicated between police, medical services and fire services during the mission. A successful mission tactic requires continuous flux of reports to the on-site command post. Therefore, a predefined and common communication infrastructure for all operational forces is a crucial point. Finally, all strategies need to be extensively trained before the real life scenario hits. Conclusion: According to a systematic evaluation, we defined the lessons learned from a terror attack in 2016. Further systematic reports and academic work surrounding life threatening rescue missions and mass killing incidents are needed in order to ultimately improve such mission outcomes. In the future, a close international collaboration might help to find the best database to report and evaluate major incidents but also mass killing events.}, language = {en} } @article{MuellerCosentinoFoerstneretal.2018, author = {M{\"u}ller, Laura S. M. and Cosentino, Ra{\´u}l O. and F{\"o}rstner, Konrad U. and Guizetti, Julien and Wedel, Carolin and Kaplan, Noam and Janzen, Christian J. and Arampatzi, Panagiota and Vogel, J{\"o}rg and Steinbiss, Sascha and Otto, Thomas D. and Saliba, Antoine-Emmanuel and Sebra, Robert P. and Siegel, T. Nicolai}, title = {Genome organization and DNA accessibility control antigenic variation in trypanosomes}, series = {Nature}, volume = {563}, journal = {Nature}, doi = {10.1038/s41586-018-0619-8}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-224265}, pages = {121-125}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Many evolutionarily distant pathogenic organisms have evolved similar survival strategies to evade the immune responses of their hosts. These include antigenic variation, through which an infecting organism prevents clearance by periodically altering the identity of proteins that are visible to the immune system of the host1. Antigenic variation requires large reservoirs of immunologically diverse antigen genes, which are often generated through homologous recombination, as well as mechanisms to ensure the expression of one or very few antigens at any given time. Both homologous recombination and gene expression are affected by three-dimensional genome architecture and local DNA accessibility2,3. Factors that link three-dimensional genome architecture, local chromatin conformation and antigenic variation have, to our knowledge, not yet been identified in any organism. One of the major obstacles to studying the role of genome architecture in antigenic variation has been the highly repetitive nature and heterozygosity of antigen-gene arrays, which has precluded complete genome assembly in many pathogens. Here we report the de novo haplotype-specific assembly and scaffolding of the long antigen-gene arrays of the model protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, using long-read sequencing technology and conserved features of chromosome folding4. Genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) reveals a distinct partitioning of the genome, with antigen-encoding subtelomeric regions that are folded into distinct, highly compact compartments. In addition, we performed a range of analyses—Hi-C, fluorescence in situ hybridization, assays for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing—that showed that deletion of the histone variants H3.V and H4.V increases antigen-gene clustering, DNA accessibility across sites of antigen expression and switching of the expressed antigen isoform, via homologous recombination. Our analyses identify histone variants as a molecular link between global genome architecture, local chromatin conformation and antigenic variation.}, language = {en} } @techreport{MuellerBrandeckBocquetGiegLowingeretal.2015, type = {Working Paper}, author = {M{\"u}ller-Brandeck-Bocquet, Gisela and Gieg, Philipp and Lowinger, Timo and Gs{\"a}nger, Matthias and Becker, Michael and Kundu, Amitabh and Valerian, Rodrigues and S, Shaji and Sch{\"o}mbucher-Kusterer, Elisabeth and Biswas, Aparajita}, title = {Exploring Emerging India - Eight Essays}, editor = {M{\"u}ller-Brandeck-Bocquet, Gisela and Gieg, Philipp and Lowinger, Timo}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-11997}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-119973}, pages = {58}, year = {2015}, abstract = {India's economic rise since the 1990s has been followed by a more prominent global role for the country. Despite economic setbacks in recent years and huge domestic challenges like poverty, caste issues, and gender inequality, India today is almost universally characterised as an "emerging power". At the same time, the country continues to show an enormous diversity. Thus, exploring emerging India can surely not be confined to economic analysis only. Instead, it is vital to take current developments in domestic and international politics, society, culture, religion, and political thinking into consideration as well. Following an interdisciplinary approach, contributions from Political Science, International Relations, Indology, Political Theory, and Economics are fundamental in order to grasp the country's diversity. This collection assembles eight essays which, individually, serve as working papers reflecting the authors' various research focuses, while collectively composing a multifaceted and multidis-ciplinary picture of emerging India. It thereby reflects the approach the University of W{\"u}rz-burg's Centre for Modern India and the Institute for Political Science and Sociology's India Forum are committed to: bringing together different academic disciplines in order to generate nuanced insights into India's manifold diversity.}, subject = {Indien / Government}, language = {en} } @article{SchmittEckardtSchlegeletal.2015, author = {Schmitt, Jessica and Eckardt, Sigrid and Schlegel, Paul G and Sir{\´e}n, Anna-Leena and Bruttel, Valentin S and McLaughlin, K John and Wischhusen, J{\"o}rg and M{\"u}ller, Albrecht M}, title = {Human parthenogenetic embryonic stem cell-derived neural stem cells express HLA-G and show unique resistance to NK cell-mediated killing}, series = {Molecular Medicine}, volume = {21}, journal = {Molecular Medicine}, number = {2101185}, doi = {10.2119/molmed.2014.00188}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-149170}, pages = {185-196}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Parent-of-origin imprints have been implicated in the regulation of neural differentiation and brain development. Previously we have shown that, despite the lack of a paternal genome, human parthenogenetic (PG) embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can form proliferating neural stem cells (NSCs) that are capable of differentiation into physiologically functional neurons while maintaining allele-specific expression of imprinted genes. Since biparental ("normal") hESC-derived NSCs (N NSCs) are targeted by immune cells, we characterized the immunogenicity of PG NSCs. Flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry revealed that both N NSCs and PG NSCs exhibited surface expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I but not HLA-DR molecules. Functional analyses using an in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction assay resulted in less proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) with PG compared with N NSCs. In addition, natural killer (NK) cells cytolyzed PG less than N NSCs. At a molecular level, expression analyses of immune regulatory factors revealed higher HLA-G levels in PG compared with N NSCs. In line with this finding, MIR152, which represses HLA-G expression, is less transcribed in PG compared with N cells. Blockage of HLA-G receptors ILT2 and KIR2DL4 on natural killer cell leukemia (NKL) cells increased cytolysis of PG NSCs. Together this indicates that PG NSCs have unique immunological properties due to elevated HLA-G expression.}, language = {en} } @article{MohmeSchmalzingMuelleretal.2020, author = {Mohme, Sophia and Schmalzing, Marc and M{\"u}ller, Cornelia S.L. and Vogt, Thomas and Goebeler, Matthias and Stoevesandt, Johanna}, title = {Immunizations in immunocompromised patients: a guide for dermatologists}, series = {JDDG: Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft}, volume = {18}, journal = {JDDG: Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft}, number = {7}, doi = {10.1111/ddg.14156}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-217982}, pages = {699 -- 723}, year = {2020}, abstract = {The increasingly frequent use of immunomodulatory agents in dermatology requires the observance of specific recommendations for immunization. These recommendations are developed and regularly updated by the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO), an independent advisory group at the Robert Koch Institute. Dermatological patients on immunosuppressive treatment should ideally receive all vaccinations included in the standard immunization schedule. Additionally, it is recommended that they also undergo vaccination against the seasonal flu, pneumococci, and herpes zoster (inactivated herpes zoster subunit vaccine for patients ≥ 50 years). Additional immunizations against Haemophilus influenzae type B, hepatitis B and meningococci may be indicated depending on individual comorbidities and exposure risk. Limitations of use, specific contraindications and intervals to be observed between vaccination and immunosuppression depend on the immunosuppressive agent used and its dosing. Only under certain conditions may live-attenuated vaccines be administered in patients on immunosuppressive therapy. Given its strong suppressive effect on the humoral immune response, no vaccines - except for flu shots - should be given within six months after rituximab therapy. This CME article presents current recommendations on immunization in immunocompromised individuals, with a special focus on dermatological patients. Its goal is to enable readers to provide competent counseling and to initiate necessary immunizations in this vulnerable patient group.}, language = {en} }