Freie Universität Berlin

Atomically thin amorphous carbon with an ultralow dielectric constant

Two-dimensional (2D) materials could replace conventional electronic components. Key advances have already been made in applying 2D materials to integrated circuits, but a robust, atomically thin ultralow-k dielectric remains crucial for further circuit scaling. Minimizing parasi...

Towards whole plastome phylogeography: resolving small genetic distances among European Arnica montana L. with the PlastidPipeline

<title>Abstract</title> <italic>Arnica montana</italic> L. is a medicinal plant endemic to Europe and declining in large parts of its range. Low sequence diversity in genetic marker regions caused biogeographic patterns and the phylogenetic relationship between <italic>A. montana...

Anus Epistemology: From Abjection to Composting Knowledge

This article develops anus epistemology from the claim that the anus is not naturally abject. It becomes abject through practices that separate inside from outside, proper matter from waste, and the self-contained subject from the relations that sustain it. Beginning with this pr...

eDNA metabarcoding provides scalable and continuous biodiversity monitoring across the tree of life

Abstract Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has the potential to substantially expand our knowledge of global biodiversity beyond that provided by conventional approaches. However, the degree to which eDNA data provides real ecological insight, rather than primarily reflectin...

Deciphering the evolutionary origin of the enantioselectivity of short-chain dehydrogenases from plants toward 1-borneol

Abstract Enzyme engineering has produced numerous methods to optimize enzymes for biotechnological processes; however, less is known about how natural evolution creates new functionalities. We investigate the evolutionary emergence of enantioselectivity in plant borneol dehydroge...

CMR-based aortic stiffness parameters in a symptomatic high risk obstructive sleep apnea cohort: results from the population-based Hamburg City Health Study

Abstract Background Aortic stiffness (AS) parameters as pulse wave velocity (PWV), aortic distensibility of the ascending and descending aorta (AD AoAsc, AD AoDesc) and pulse pressure (PP) are marker for vascular ageing, whereas data concerning obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in po...

On the Statistical Origin of Physical Laws

We consider an embedded observer with no prior knowledge of the existence or nature of the dynamical process generating her observations and ask how such an observer should infer the underlying dynamics from a finite observational history. Rather than taking fixed dynamical laws...

Argus: A Sparse-Label Machine-Learning Workflow for Passive DAS Seismic Catalogue Expansion in CO2 Storage Monitoring—Application to the CO2CRC Otway Stage 4 Dataset

Passive distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is an attractive tool for monitoring geological CO2 storage, but its dense, continuous recordings create a data-volume problem: a multi-month, multi-well archive yields enormous numbers of detector triggers, of which confirmed seismic ev...

Introducing Diradicaloid Thiele's Hydrocarbon Derivatives as Ligand in Transition Metal Chemistry

Thiele's hydrocarbon (TH) derivatives, or p-quinodimethanes, are prototypical members of the organic diradicaloid family, predominantly explored in organic and main-group organometallic chemistry. Herein, we introduce them to transition-metal coordination by employing N-doped TH...

Introducing Diradicaloid Thiele's Hydrocarbon Derivatives as Ligand in Transition Metal Chemistry

ABSTRACT Thiele's hydrocarbon (TH) derivatives, or p ‐quinodimethanes, are prototypical members of the organic diradicaloid family, predominantly explored in organic and main‐group organometallic chemistry. Herein, we introduce them to transition‐metal coordination by employing N...

Mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of asthma: from bench to bedside

Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic airway disease arising from a complex interplay of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures. Key pathobiological features include dysregulated immune responses (particularly type 2 inflammation), structural airway remodeling, and mucus...

Cell SurfaceDeazaflavin-Diazirine Energy-Transfer(DarT) Photoproximity Labeling Using Antibody Conjugates

Abstract Elucidating protein–protein interactions plays a crucial part in understanding disease mechanisms and advancing pharmacological research. Photocatalytic proximity labeling using antibody–catalyst conjugates enables the highly target-specific analysis of protein–protein i...

Gender Bias in Philosophy: From Early Education to Academia

This paper examines gender bias in philosophy across academic and educational contexts, focusing on how direct and indirect biases contribute to the underrepresentation of women in academic philosophy and how such biases may develop and be reinforced through education. Drawing pa...

Prenatal PM2.5 exposure drives epigenetic reprogramming of fetal macrophages linked to atopic dermatitis

Abstract Prenatal environmental exposures are increasingly recognized as contributors to atopic dermatitis (AD), yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), a complex mixture of airborne pollutants, has been associated with elevated risk of al...

SOEP-LEE2: Data Updates and New Research Opportunities

Abstract The Socio-Economic Panel Linked Employer–Employee Survey, Version 2 (SOEP-LEE2), provides linked information on employees, establishments, and self-employed individuals in Germany. An earlier Data Observer article (Matiaske, Wenzel, Torben Dall Schmidt, Christoph Halbmei...

New insights into the diet and economy of the central and northern Transjordan during the Iron Age: Zooarchaeology and stable isotopes analysis of recent excavations (Amman Citadel, Tell Zira’a, Tell Bleibil, and Tell Ushayer)

We investigate the diet and economy of the central and northern Transjordan during the Iron Age (c. 1,200 – 332 BCE). We present four new datasets from recent excavations providing results from zooarchaeology and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis on animal remains: Amma...

Larval ExposureRather than Adult Worm Burden ShapesSystemic and Mucosal Th2 Immunity in Ascaris suum Infected Pigs

Abstract Ascariasis is a prevalent parasitic infection in both humans and pigs, resulting in significant human morbidity and economic losses in the porcine industry. Experimental infections are often studied by mimicking natural settings, exposing the host to frequent, small dose...

Is self-reported daylight exposure reliable? A validation study with actigraphy in urban environments

Daylight exposure is an environmental determinant of human health, yet measuring real-world exposure at scale remains a major challenge. Large population studies frequently rely on self-reported time spent outdoors as a proxy for daylight exposure, although the validity of this m...

From lab to table: promissory narratives and the future of protein production in response to global crises

Abstract. Promotional videos are a key site through which cellular agriculture (CellAg) companies present cultured meat as a response to food system and environmental crises. Yet research on promissory narratives around alternative proteins has focused mainly on textual and news...

Pan-Africanism Reimagined? Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré and the Confederation of the Sahel States

Abstract Ibrahim Traoré, president of Burkina Faso since 2022, is a controversial figure: some view him as a leading figure of decolonisation, national sovereignty, and Pan-Africanism; others accuse him of authoritarianism and repression of civil society and the media. The articl...