Humboldt University of Berlin

About: Humboldt University of Berlin is a education organization based out in Berlin, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 33671 authors who have published 61781 publications receiving 1908102 citations. The organization is also known as: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin & Universitas Humboldtiana Berolinensis.

Thyroid autoimmunity in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a multicenter survey

Abstract: OBJECTIVE —To investigate thyroid autoimmunity in a very large nationwide cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Data were analyzed from 17,749 patients with type 1 diabetes aged 0.1–20 years who were treated in 118 pediatric diabetes centers in Germany and Austria. Antibodies to thyroglobulin (anti-TG) and thyroperoxidase (anti-TPO) were measured and documented at least once in 7,097 patients. A total of 49.5% of these patients were boys, the mean age was 12.4 years (range 0.3–20.0 years), and the mean duration of diabetes was 4.5 years (range 0.0–19.5 years). A titer exceeding 100 units/ml or 1:100 was considered significantly elevated. RESULTS —In 1,530 patients, thyroid antibody levels were elevated on at least one occasion, whereas 5,567 were antibody-negative during the observation period. Patients with thyroid antibodies were significantly older ( P P P P P P P CONCLUSIONS —Thyroid autoimmunity seems to be particularly common in girls with diabetes during the second decade of life and may be associated with elevated TSH levels, indicating subclinical hypothyroidism.

Somatotopic Organization of Human Secondary Somatosensory Cortex

Abstract: This fMRI study investigated the human somatosensory system, especially the secondary somatosensory cortex (SII), with respect to its potential somatotopic organization. Eight subjects received electrical stimulation on their right second finger, fifth finger and hallux. Within SII, the typical finding for both fingers was a representation site within the contralateral parietal operculum roughly halfway between the lip of the lateral sulcus and its fundus, whereas the representation site of the hallux was found more medially to this position at the fundus of the lateral sulcus, near the posterior pole of the insula. Somatotopy in SII seems to be less fine-grained than in primary somatosensory cortex (SI), as, in contrast to SI, no separate representations of the two fingers in SII were observed. A similar somatotopic representation pattern between fingers and the hallux was also observed within ipsilateral SII, indicating somatotopy of contra- as well as ipsilateral SII using unilateral stimulation. Further areas exhibiting activation were found in the superior and inferior parietal lobule, in the supplementary and cingulate motor area, and in the insula.

A Study Into the Factors That Influence the Understandability of Business Process Models

Abstract: Business process models are key artifacts in the development of information systems. While one of their main purposes is to facilitate communication among stakeholders, little is known about the factors that influence their comprehension by human agents. On the basis of a sound theoretical foundation, this paper presents a study into these factors. Specifically, the effects of both personal and model factors are investigated. Using a questionnaire, students from three different universities evaluated a set of realistic process models. Our findings are that both types of investigated factors affect model understanding, while personal factors seem to be the more important of the two. The results have been validated in a replication that involves professional modelers.

ortho-Fluoroazobenzenes: visible light switches with very long-lived Z isomers

Abstract: Improving the photochemical properties of molecular photoswitches is crucial for the development of light-​responsive systems in materials and life sciences. ortho-​Fluoroazobenzenes are a new class of rationally designed photochromic azo compounds with optimized properties, such as the ability to isomerize with visible light only, high photoconversions, and unprecedented robust bistable character. Introducing σ-​electron-​withdrawing F atoms ortho to the N = N unit leads to both an effective separation of the n→π* bands of the E and Z isomers, thus offering the possibility of using these two transitions for selectively inducing E​/Z isomerizations, and greatly enhanced thermal stability of the Z isomers. Additional para-​electron-​withdrawing groups (EWGs) work in concert with ortho-​F atoms, giving rise to enhanced separation of the n→π* transitions. A comprehensive study of the effect of substitution on the key photochemical properties of ortho-​fluoroazobenzenes is reported herein. In particular, the position, number, and nature of the EWGs have been varied, and the visible light photoconversions, quantum yields of isomerization, and thermal stabilities have been measured and rationalized by DFT calculations.