German Sample Research Articles

New insights into the genetics of mandibular retrognathism: novel candidate genes.

Mandibular retrognathism (MR) is acommon skeletal malocclusion in humans with astrong genetic component. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding epidermal growth factor (EGF) and EGF receptor (EGFR) could be involved in the etiology of mandibular retrognathism. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether SNPs in the genes encoding for EGF and EGFR are associated with MR in German teenagers. This nested case-control study evaluated German orthodontic patients, aged 10-18years. DNA, which was isolated from buccal epithelial cells using two cytobrushes, was used for genotyping analysis and digital pretreatment lateral cephalograms were examined to calculate SNB and ANB. Patients with aretrognathic mandible (SNB < 78°) were included as cases, while patients with an orthognathic mandible (SNB = 78-82°) were included as controls. Four SNPs in the genes encoding for EGF and EGFR were chosen and genotyped using real-time PCR. Allele, genotype, and haplotype frequency were compared across groups (α = 5%). Finally, 119 patients were included in this study (45orthognathic mandible, 74retrognathic mandible). The minor alleleG in rs4444903 (EGF) was statistically more frequent in individuals with an orthognathic mandible (p = 0.008). The haplotype formed by the mutant alleles for rs4444903|rs2237051 (EGF; G|A) was statistically more frequent in the orthognathic mandible group (p = 0.007). The SNPs rs4444903 and rs2237051 in EGF, and rs2227983 in EGFR were statistically associated with adecreasing risk of developing aretrognathic mandible according to univariate and multivariate statistical analysis (p < 0.05). SNPs in EGF (rs4444903 and rs2237051) and EGFR (rs2227983) were associated with MR in our German sample and could be genetic biomarkers for early and individualized diagnostic identification of retrognathic mandibular development by means of genetic screening tests.

Public preference for the rewilding framework: A choice experiment in the Oder Delta

Abstract Rewilding is an emerging paradigm in restoration science and is increasingly gaining popularity as a cost‐effective ecosystem restoration option. A rewilding framework was recently proposed that contains three integral components: restoring trophic complexity, allowing for stochastic disturbances and enhancing species' potential to disperse. However, as of yet, there has been limited quantitative analysis looking at public preference for rewilding and each of its elements. We used a discrete choice experiment approach to determine public preference for rewilding in the Oder Delta. The unique geographical context of the Oder Delta, spreading evenly across two countries, allowed us to analyse differences between the German (n = 1005) and Polish (n = 1066) samples. In both countries, we found that respondents were willing to pay for rewilding interventions when compared against a status quo option. Notably, preferences were strongest for restoring trophic complexity through promoting the comeback of large mammals. In addition, we found respondents living locally to the study region had significantly different preferences than the nationwide samples, exhibiting negative willingness to pay for the restoration of natural flooding regimes and the presence of large predator species. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The Good Disobedient Citizen? Students’ Perspectives on Good Citizenship in the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016

Scholars of democratic citizenship and citizenship education have long discussed whether willingness to commit civil disobedience (CD) is an important attribute of citizens to defend and enforce democratic and human rights. In light of the youth protests of recent years, this article examines whether 14-year-old students consider CD important for being a good citizen. Using representative Danish, German, Dutch and Norwegian samples from the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study 2016, this study investigates dimensions of students’ concepts of citizenship and their relatedness to civic knowledge and support for equal rights. Confirmatory factor analysis established CD as a distinct dimension of good citizenship whose scale is metrically invariant across countries. However, linear regressions showed a negative impact of civic knowledge and support for equal gender rights on CD attitudes, raising the question if the empirical pattern of students supporting CD fits with theoretical assumptions of critical or transformative citizenship education.

Assessing the efficacy of a resilience training intervention for long-term improvements in well-being and resilience.

This article has two aims: (1) to assess the impacts of a novel training intervention for individual well-being and (2) to measure the trajectory of resilience over the training period dependent on reported significant life events. Using a randomised controlled trial with a diverse German sample with the majority drawn from a student population, we measure the effects of the intervention to provide insight into its impacts and act as a proof of concept for the training. We find that the training intervention boosts resilience and other related well-being measures with a high effect size in comparison with a control group and compared with existing resilience training studies.

Occurrence of Alternaria secondary metabolites in milling oats and its de-hulled fractions from harvest years 2017 to 2021

In this study, secondary metabolites produced by Alternaria were investigated for their presence in milling oats. For this purpose, pre-cleaned milling oat samples (n = 193), intended for human consumption, out of harvest years 2017 to 2021 originating from different northern European countries were analysed by LC-MS/MS. Alternariol and alternariol methyl ether were positively identified in 38% of the samples with mean values of 2.1 µg/kg and 1.2 µg/kg, respectively. The highest concentrations of 50.5 µg/kg alternariol and 24.2 µg/kg of alternariol methyl ether were detected in a Latvian sample. Tenuazonic acid was found in 45% of all samples, with a mean concentration of 28.9 µg/kg and a maximum concentration of 1430 µg/kg, also in a Latvian sample. Tentoxin was detected in 49% of all samples with a mean value of 1.7 µg/kg. The Alternaria metabolite most frequently detected in 96% of all samples was infectopyrone with a mean concentration of 593 µg/kg and a maximum value reaching up to 3990 µg/kg in a German sample. In addition, eight oat samples were selected to investigate to what extent the Alternaria metabolites are distributed between the oat hulls and the oat kernels. After de-hulling, approximately 23% of Alternaria metabolites were found in the remaining oat kernels. According to the results, alternariol, infectopyrone and altersetin were present in the kernels with the lowest proportion of 10%–20% on average, respectively. The values for tentoxin showed that about 60% of tentoxin was contained in the hulls, while almost 40% remained in the oat kernel. This suggests that potential health risks posed by Alternaria secondary metabolites and metabolites of other fungal genera in milling oats can be reduced by de-hulling.

Different Culture, Same Situation? Translating and Applying a Situational Judgment Test From Germany in Cuba

Abstract: Situational judgment tests (SJTs) are popular instruments in selection and assessment. However, the application of SJTs to non-Western cultural contexts remains scarce. In this study, we investigated whether an SJT on personal initiative, developed in Germany and translated into Cuban Spanish, had similar psychometric properties in Cuba. Second, there is an ongoing debate about the extent to which the situation description plays an important role for SJTs. We supposed that the impact of situation descriptions might depend on test takers’ familiarity with the culture in which the SJT was developed. Hence, we tested whether the omission of situation descriptions had larger effects in a Cuban than in a German sample. We applied a 2 (with vs. without situation description in the item stem) × 2 (cultural background: Cuba vs. Germany) between-subjects design ( NCuba = 192, NGermany = 213). The results revealed similar psychometric properties between Cuban and German test takers concerning measurement invariance, construct-related validity, and reliability. In addition, we examined whether samples differ regarding applicant perceptions: Notably, for four of six applicant perception scales, the Cuban sample reported a more positive view of the SJT. Furthermore, we found that the effect of situation availability on SJT performance did not substantially depend on the test takers’ cultural background. Implications for cross-cultural generalizability are discussed.

Environmental responsibility and corporate governance: Assessing the impact of gender diversity on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in German listed companies

This empirical research study delves into the correlation between the ‍emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the diversity of board members in German-listed companies. The investigation aims to determine whether board gender diversity impacts a company’s commitment to reducing GHG emissions. To explore this relationship, panel data analysis uses a sample of German publicly traded companies. These firms are known for their solid environmental governance and are subject to women board directors’ quota requirements over a specific period. Our study employs multiple identification techniques to examine the impact of women’s board diversity (WBD) on GHG emissions. The results reveal that WBD does not significantly influence GHG emissions. This outcome remains consistent using robust two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression analysis. However, when we introduce a dummy variable for WBD at ‍the 1–25% level, we observe a positive impact of WBD on GHG ‍emissions. This finding supports the critical mass theory, which suggests that the presence of at least 25% of women on board favours a reduction in GHG emissions. The insights from this research hold significance for policymakers, investors, and corporate leaders seeking to understand the potential advantages of gender diversity in mitigating environmental impacts. Our study supports the concept of social loafing (Williams &amp; Karau, 1991) and the critical mass theory (Torchia et al., 2010) in explaining a ‍relationship between WBD and GHG emissions in German publicly traded companies in the S&amp;P Global 1200 Index.

Can honey treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus?

Abstract Background: Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) are harmful bacteria in clinical settings and intensive care particularly. Honey was shown to be effective against a range of different bacteria and in low concentrations. Aim of Study: The aim of the study was to test locally available cheap honey on standard S. aureus and locally grown MRSA in the laboratory. Methods: Three samples of German honey were tested on agar plates in concentrations from 100% to 10% on standard S. aureus subsp. S. aureus ATCC 25923. Then, they were tested on 20 specimens of locally grown MRSA specimens. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) zones of honey on standard S. aureus ranged from 27.4 mm to 24.5 mm without dilution, and from 3.7 mm to 1.9 mm in 20% concentration. The mean MIC zones of honey on MRSA specimens in full concentration ranged from 27.1 mm to 25.2 mm. Conclusion: The three German samples of honey were found to have good and effective antibacterial activities on the standard S. aureus and MRSA organisms. It is recommended that the use of locally available cheap German honey as an antiseptic on wounds will not only reduce the cost of antiseptics in the hospital but also ensures the speedy rate of wound healing and reduce the risk of hospital cross-infection with MRSA.

Trust in a Digital World. The Roles of Media Trust and Ordinary Citizen Cues in Online Disinformation’s Credibility

The perception of disinformation as societal risk has reached a troubling peak amid the COVID-19 pandemic, strategically targeting vulnerable audiences through digital media by mirroring characteristics of vox populi disinformation. This study investigates the conditions under which COVID-19-related disinformation referring to a polarized (refugees) and neutral (runners) out-group appears most credible. In the early stages of the pandemic, we conducted a pre-registered online survey experiment with a representative German sample (N = 1,117). Results indicated that those with low trust in the media judged subtle and completely fabricated types of disinformation as more credible than accurate information. Presenting the article as a social media post from an ordinary user, rather than an official source, had no discernible impact on credibility evaluations; participants accurately assessed the credibility of a random source. We conclude that people are generally able to recognize disinformation—unless they already mistrust the media. This paper addresses why disinformation triggers strong reactions in targeted groups and how it thrives in the participatory digital landscape.

German Translation of the Revised Physical Self-Perception Profile Competence (PSPP-R Competence)

Abstract: This paper examines the validity of the competence scale of the Revised Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP-R Competence) in a large German sample of 1,007 predominantly female participants by assessing construct validity, discriminant and criterion validity, and reliability. The PSPP-R Competence measures four factors: Body Attractiveness, Physical Strength, Sports Competence, and Physical Condition. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the hypothesized correlated four-factor structure and offered support for a hierarchical factor structure. Discriminant and criterion validity analyses offered insight into the nomological net and were in line with theoretical considerations. Reliability of all subscales was estimated using Cronbach’s α and found to be good to excellent ranging from .84 to .92. Overall, this study provides support for a good adaptation of the PSPP-R in the German language and enriches previous validation studies focused mainly on factorial validity by adding discriminant and concurrent validity estimates.

Measurement Equivalence of the English, German, and French Versions of the Strike Attitude and Behavioral Reactions Scale (SABeRS)

Abstract: Strikes are an important phenomenon in the working world. Nevertheless, cross-cultural psychological research on strikes has been limited as appropriate scales were missing. Recently, a scale to determine third-party attitudes and behavioral reactions was introduced: the Strike Attitude and Behavioral Reactions Scale (SABeRS). The applicability of this scale is currently limited to a German context, as it was developed in German. We thus decided to extend the applicability to other languages, that is, English and French. To test the measurement equivalence of the SABeRS, we used a British ( n = 444), a German ( n = 454), and a French sample ( n = 463) and ran multigroup confirmatory factor analyses. Based on multi-group CFA and alignment optimization analyses, the scale was found to be at least partially measurement equivalent between the groups. The five factors were consistently confirmed in all samples. Overall, this study indicates that the SABeRS is psychometrically solid and that it is measurement-equivalent in English, German, and French samples.

Genetic Association and Differential RNA Expression of Histone (De)Acetylation-Related Genes in Pemphigus Foliaceus-A Possible Epigenetic Effect in the Autoimmune Response.

Pemphigus foliaceus (PF) is an autoimmune skin blistering disease characterized by antidesmoglein-1 IgG production, with an endemic form (EPF) in Brazil. Genetic and epigenetic factors have been associated with EPF, but its etiology is still not fully understood. To evaluate the genetic association of histone (de)acetylation-related genes with EPF susceptibility, we evaluated 785 polymorphisms from 144 genes, for 227 EPF patients and 194 controls. Carriers of HDAC4_rs4852054*A were more susceptible (OR = 1.79, p = 0.0038), whereas those with GSE1_rs13339618*A (OR = 0.57, p = 0.0011) and homozygotes for PHF21A_rs4756055*A (OR = 0.39, p = 0.0006) were less susceptible to EPF. These variants were not associated with sporadic PF (SPF) in German samples of 75 SPF patients and 150 controls, possibly reflecting differences in SPF and EPF pathophysiology. We further evaluated the expression of histone (de)acetylation-related genes in CD4+ T lymphocytes, using RNAseq. In these cells, we found a higher expression of KAT2B, PHF20, and ZEB2 and lower expression of KAT14 and JAD1 in patients with active EPF without treatment compared to controls from endemic regions. The encoded proteins cause epigenetic modifications related to immune cell differentiation and cell death, possibly affecting the immune response in patients with PF.

Kunst kindgerecht erklärt – eine Fallstudie zu museumspädagogischen Erklärvideos

As young visitors represent “the museum audience of the future”, museums should be particularly committed to engaging children in museum experiences pursuing a child-oriented approach to art communication and education. The analysis of museum communication from a linguistic perspective seems thus a promising way of exploring the target-group-specificity of museum educational resources explicitly designed for addressing young audiences. Explanatory videos featured on museum websites which present the museum itself or masterpieces of its collections are examples of digital tools employed by museums to introduce children to art and encouraging them to become devoted visitors. The paper presents the findings of a case study of a sample of German and Italian museum explanatory videos for primary school children, aiming at analyzing the linguistic and multimodal strategies used by museums in order to transfer knowledge about art, artists and exhibitions in a child-centered explanatory style. Of particular interest in this context is the question of whether and to what extent these videos encourage a participatory, play-based access to art or enable an experience-oriented approach to art-related contents, as advocated by current trends in museum communication and education.

When a Crisis Has a Silver Lining: Social Media P2P Fundraising at the Start of COVID-19

Research suggests that global crises generally have a negative impact on donations to nonprofit organizations. In this research note, we challenge whether this wisdom applies to all channels by examining a growing digital fundraising channel, social media peer-to-peer (p2p) fundraising, at the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Through both United States and German samples, we study which nonprofit organizations over- and underperformed compared to the market average to glean the potential drivers of success. We demonstrate that not all crises lower generosity, provide managerial insights into this new digital fundraising channel, and discuss how our results are generalizable to other channels and crises.

Broad and Detailed Agreement: Public Preferences for German Immigration Policy

Immigration policy is often considered one of the most divisive issues in Western Europe and North America. We explore whether that debate has been oversimplified. We start from the position that immigration is a complex issue comprising many specific policy choices. We then investigate whether preferences are consistently open or closed across a range of immigration policy criteria. We analyze an original survey with a nationally representative sample of Germans. Our results suggest that preferences are not consistently open or closed on immigration, integration, and naturalization regulations. Overall, the German public would prefer to be open on some aspects of immigration policy and closed on others. In addition, population subsets who are either “pro-” or “anti-” immigration in general have the same preferences for whether to be open or closed on specific immigration policies. Our findings promote a more detailed approach to studying immigration preferences, which adds nuance to the idea of immigration as a grand societal conflict. In doing so, we highlight how future studies can refine expectations about when policy preferences are more permissive or restrictive.

Silent Sympathy: News Attention, Subtle Support for Far-Right Extremism, and Negative Attitudes Toward Muslims

ABSTRACT Right-wing terrorist (RWT) incidents targeting Muslims have become more frequent and news reporting about these incidents can trigger a variety of cognitions and behaviors in audiences. While some studies report more tolerance and openness in response to RWT, hate crimes against minorities can increase in their aftermath. To date, we know little about the associations between following news reporting about RWT and attitudes toward Muslims as one of the main target groups of modern RWT. Using a young, quota-based German sample (aged 16–25, N = 865), we build on Terror Management and Social Identity Theory to shed light on the relationships between attention to RWT in the media, threat attributed to RWT, and negative attitudes toward Muslims. Additionally, a measure of subtle support for far-right extremist stances (SSE) was included, accounting for moderation effects. Results suggested that attention to RWT was positively related to perceived threat. This association was weaker in individuals with higher levels of SSE. Attributing more threat was associated with less negative attitudes toward Muslims, independent of SSE. Media attention only had a (positive) association with negative attitudes in individuals with moderate to high levels of SSE. Implications and limitations are discussed.

An Analysis of the Hebrew Translation of the OLIW-S to Assess Adult Playfulness

Abstract: Adult playfulness is an individual difference variable that receives increasing interest. A multifacetted model of playfulness distinguishes between Other-directed, Lighthearted, Intellectual, and Whimsical playfulness. A 12-item brief version to assess these four facets with three items each, the OLIW-S, has been introduced in German. In this study, we investigate the psychometric properties of the Hebrew translation of the OLIW-S in an Israeli sample ( N = 298). Our analyses of the item and scale parameters showed acceptable internal consistencies for short scales aimed for research purposes (αs and ωs between .53 and .80), item-total correlations, factorial validity, and metric measurement invariance with the original German language version (German sample, N = 302). Overall, our findings provide initial evidence for the psychometric qualities of the Hebrew translation of the OLIW-S, and analyses using the data from Germany replicate prior findings. We discuss future perspectives for extending the study of the reliability and validity of the Hebrew OLIW-S.

Don’t Drag Me Down: Valence Asymmetry in Well-Being Co-Development in Couples

There is a notable similarity in psychological well-being among romantic partners. Drawing on valence asymmetry research (e.g., negativity bias), we tested whether partners’ convergence toward a similar level of well-being is marked by the happier partner’s over-time deterioration or by the less happy partner’s over-time improvement. In two studies using nationally representative samples of German and Dutch couples ( Ncouples=21,894) followed for 37 (Study 1) and 14 (Study 2) years, we compared romantic partners’ well-being trajectories. Over time and within each couple, the happier partner experienced the most dramatic well-being declines; the unhappier partner’s well-being either did not change or increased slightly. Across all model specifications, the decline experienced by the happier partner was significantly stronger than any improvement reported by the less happy partner. The results provide the first evidence for a “negativity bias” in well-being co-development in couples and contribute to literatures in developmental psychology and relationship science.

Anxiety and coping during COVID-19. Investigation of anxiety management types in a German and Polish sample.

The study aimed to assess the differences in anxiety management types between German and Polish samples. The research was conducted in the context of health-related variables and anxiety management types during the period of March to April 2020. The research project was approved by the Ethical Committee at the Institute of Psychology at the University of Gdansk, Poland. German Sample: Consisted of 323 subjects with an average age of 46 years. 73% were females, and 26% were males. Polish Sample: Included 100 subjects with an average age of 42 years. 73% were females, and 27% were males. The study collected data on various health-related variables and anxiety management types using specific measurement procedures. There were significant differences in the frequency distribution of anxiety management types between the Polish and German samples (p < .001). In the Polish sample, 60% showed negative anxiety management types (Sensitizer, Repressor, Highly anxious), compared to the German sample with 52%. 40% of the Polish and 48% of the German sample showed positive expressions. There were stronger significant differences in both samples regarding health-related variables, with the Polish sample being at a disadvantage. The study provides a comprehensive insight into the anxiety management types between German and Polish samples, revealing distinct differences in their responses. The Polish sample exhibited a higher prevalence of negative anxiety management types compared to the German sample. These disparities can be attributed to a myriad of factors, including historical traumas, transgenerational experiences, and the influence of dominant religions in each country. The findings underscore the importance of considering cultural, historical, and religious contexts when assessing and addressing mental health and coping mechanisms across different populations. Further research with larger samples and diverse groups could offer a more nuanced understanding of these patterns and their underlying causes.

“Buy local” campaigns in times of crisis: insights from reactance theory

PurposeReactance theory is applied to investigate consumer responses to “buy local” campaigns initiated by government to counteract the effects of an economic crisis, using the COVID-19 pandemic as an illustrative context.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual model is developed, aimed at revealing the extent to which “buy local” campaigns – explicitly justified by the need to fight an economic crisis – are likely to lead to (a) compliance (i.e. support for local products/retailers) or (b) freedom restoration (i.e. support for foreign products/retailers). The model is subsequently tested on samples of German (N = 265) and Italian (N = 268) consumers.Findings“Buy local” campaigns are likely to generate reactance amongst consumers and such reactance can lead to both non-compliance and, albeit less so, freedom restoration outcomes. At the same time, consumer ethnocentrism acts as a countervailing influence by attenuating the effects of generated reactance and its undesirable outcomes.Research limitations/implicationsPsychological reactance theory offers a novel perspective for conceptually approaching the likely responses of consumers towards “buy local” campaigns and the empirical findings support the use of the theory in this context.Practical implicationsPolicymakers seeking to encourage consumers to support the local economy during times of an economic crisis need to be aware that “buy local” campaigns may, against their intended communication goals, result in non-compliance as well as consumer responses in the opposite direction. Thus, the reactance-generating potential of such campaigns needs to be explicitly considered at the planning/implementation stage.Originality/valueThe findings confirm the relevance of reactance theory as a conceptual lens for studying the effects of “buy local” campaigns and have important implications for domestic/foreign firms as well as for policy makers seeking to encourage consumers to support the local economy during times of an economic crisis.