The intersection of physics and information theory has advanced rapidly in the past few decades. Information-theoretic concepts have been employed to formulate physical laws, while quantum information processing, such as quantum computation and communication, has been developed both theoretically and experimentally. Simultaneously, understanding the universal or specific behaviors of quantum many-body systems has remained a central challenge since shortly after the inception of quantum mechanics. This is studied in part by statistical mechanics, which models complex many-body systems using simple ensembles. In this thesis, we investigate information-theoretic problems in quantum many-body dynamics that lie at the intersection of these avenues.

To begin with, we investigate the extent of randomness, captured by unitary designs, in random quantum circuits. Quantum circuits serve as discrete models for random many-body quantum dynamics. Specifically, we study how the internal structure of random gates influences the generation of randomness in quantum circuits. We demonstrate that the spectral gap of structured random circuits can be larger than that of unstructured ones, implying that the former can converge to designs faster than the latter. In this analysis, free-fermionic techniques play a crucial role in obtaining exact results on the spectrum of second-moment operators.

We then investigate the effect of quantum measurements on the quantum complexity in random circuits. Here, the quantum complexity of a state is defined as the minimum number of local gates required for its exact preparation in quantum circuits. We prove that in monitored random quantum circuits, the complexity undergoes a measurement-induced phase transition by leveraging techniques from percolation theory. Above the critical measurement rate, the complexity saturates quickly. Below the threshold, it grows at least linearly for an exponentially long time.

Finally, we discuss quantum communication scenarios in noisy quantum dynamics, where we simulate the identity channel by combining a given noisy quantum dynamics and our quantum operational strategies. Specifically, we consider multi-time noisy processes and optimize our strategies to simulate near-noiseless channels, both of which are mathematically formulated using quantum combs. We introduce formal concepts of simulation and capacity for quantum combs, and we derive lower-bounds on the minimum simulation error in terms of semidefinite programming (SDP). We impose certain conditions on our strategies, such as the positive partial transpose (PPT) preserving constraint. We then analyze these SDPs for simple models, such as the depolarizing process, to determine their fundamental communication limits.

Recently the increased complexity of molecules has gained attention in drug discovery, with a rapid development of novel 3D scaffolds. Among them, 3D organoboron compounds are unique in chemical synthesis due to the versatile reactivity of boron motif. The classical methods to access them via ground state activation rely on the pre-functionalized substrates and are constrained by close-shell reactivity. The merger of photochemistry and organoboron chemistry offered alternative activation modes, where the open-shell reactivity may unlock novel reactivity to access complex scaffolds that are not accessible by other methods. Chapter 2 describes a catalyst-free method to generate α-boryl radicals under visible light irradiation, enabled by the formation of an EDA complex between Lewis base and α-iodo BPin. This open-shell species enabled the rapid construction of E-allylic boronic esters upon the reaction with styrenes, with good functional group tolerance. Alternatively, the combination with EnT catalysis allowed the stereodivergent pathway to access the Z-isomers of the products. Chapter 3 describes a site-selective [2+2] cycloaddition with non-symmetrical borylated dienes via triplet EnT. This chromophore extension from simple alkene will bring several selectivity issues. Careful optimization and structural modification can mitigate the side reactions and enhance the desired reactivity. Utilizing boron as a probe revealed a regiodivergence between geometric isomerization and [2+2] cycloaddition. Further mechanism studies showed although a dynamic equilibrium between geometric isomers of diene was rapidly established, the subsequent cycloaddition afforded the E-selective vinylcyclobutyl boronic esters, which was governed by Curtin–Hammett principle. Chapter 4 describes the synthesis of multifunctional housanes enabled by site-selective [2+2] cycloaddition with acyl-substituted borylated dienes. The foreseen challenge lies in [2+2] cycloaddition step due to the similar properties of acyl group and BPin unit. Structural modification into gem boronates surprisingly led to a site-selective [2+2] cycloaddition via EnT. The subsequent deborylation allowed an intramolecular cyclization to occur, furnishing a borylated housane scaffold. Derivatizations at the BPin unit, ester group and olefin moiety can build up a library of diverse housane compounds. The electrophilic ring opening of the borylated housane core revealed its nucleophilic nature.

This thesis explores the ultrafast electron dynamics in quasi-two-dimensional (2D) layered van der Waals (VdW) bulk crystals via time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES). It provides a fundamental perspective on the spin- and lattice dependent non-equilibrium transient electronic structure of two materials classes: 3D topological insulators (TIs) and charge-density wave (CDW) materials, both being considered for the use in opto-electronic applications. TIs as, e.g., Sb2Te3 present model systems for studying photo-excited spin-polarized currents on their surface states, whereas the CDW system 1T-TiSe2 is expected to exhibit a novel excitonic insulator phase that competes with a simultaneously launched CDW. In the first part of this thesis, we investigate helicity-dependent population dynamics in the TIs Sb2Te3 and (Bi0.45Sb0.55)2Te3 by employing circular dichroism in the pump step. An above band-gap excitation results in an anisotropic population in the warped part of the topological surface state (TSS) and surface resonance states (SRS) dependent on the helicity of the excitation pulse and the azimuthal orientation of the sample. With our 2D detection capability, we show that this anisotropy reveals a dominant three-fold symmetry in the TSS, reflecting the point-symmetry of the bulk crystal, that reverses sign when approaching the SRS. The anisotropy decays on the timescale of inelastic electron scattering from the excited conduction bands to the TSS. We find signatures of the surface-like initial state in the intermediate state distribution that allow us to identify the specific optical transitions involving spin-orbit coupled surface states. In the second part, we present a unified view on the fluence-dependent electron and lattice dynamics in the correlated CDW material 1T-TiSe2 for its normal and distorted phase. In the optically-disturbed CDW state, we find fluence-dependent coherent modulations of the occupied and unoccupied electronic structure (CDW gap) near Γ. Depending on the photo-carrier doping, we detect antiphase oscillations of the valence and back-folded conduction band with either the fundamental CDW amplitude mode frequency being excited in the CDW ground state or twice its softened frequency within the normal-state potential. In the third part, the thesis exploits the capabilities of a commissioned time-of-flight momentum microscope (ToF-MM) with spin-filter option facilitating 2D momentum, time-, energy- and spin resolved experiments of μm-sized 2D VdW crystal flakes. For benchmarking its working modes, we selected the TIs Bi2Se3 and Sb2Te3 as well as an azobenzene-based self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Specifically, we use the spatial mode of the instrument for analyzing the size and profile of laser-switched areas on the SAM. We show homogenously switched areas that exhibit either gradual or sharp changes of the work function depending on the laser spot profile.

Biofilms are the primary mode of microbial life, and understanding their development is important for controlling their growth in industrial and medical settings. However, it remains challenging due to limitations in visualizing microbial processes and replicating environmental conditions.

Here, a novel microfluidic platform was developed to study localized biofilm formation under dynamic fluidics. The central unit is a single-channel microfluidic flow cell specifically designed to ensure ultra-homogeneous flow and to integrate micro-features.

It has been demonstrated that the presence of micro-features can generate micro-vortices, as evidenced by both flow velocimetry and numerical simulations. The formation of localized biofilms in microfluidic chips thanks to these micro-vortices enables the investigation of flow influence on biofilm development. Subsequent optimization of the micro-feature design, generating a single micro-vortex while functioning in a broader flow range, allow the investigation on the effects of nutrient and flow rate on biofilm development. Further, their influence on promoter activity of biofilm-associated genes during biofilm formation was examined using reporter gene fusions.

The local hydrodynamics triggered by the micro-feature induced micro-vortices confine biofilm growth. The restriction of nutrient delivery and limitation of biofilm growth caused by low flow rate has been demonstrated. It has also been shown that an increase in flow rate is associated with improved nutrient supply and the promotion of biofilm formation. Nevertheless, at elevated flow rates, there is a suppression of biofilm development. Elevated nutrient concentrations at a given flow rate accelerated biofilm development, though flow rate remained the primary factor determining its morphology.

mCherry labeled E.coli strains carrying a plasmid-based reporter system were constructed to study the transcription of biofilm-associated genes (csgB and wza) during biofilm development. csgB promoter activity decreased as D-glucose concentration increased but was enhanced under conditions of high biofilm density and low flow rate, where QS signals can accumulate. In contrast, higher wall shear stress promoted wza promoter activity, although its regulation depends on the combined effects of biofilm density, QS system, and wall shear stress.

Overall, the development of the microfluidic chip with integrated micro-features offers an ideal tool for in situ monitoring of biofilm development and analysis of biofilm characteristics in flow. It offers a strong foundation for advanced microfluidics-based studies of microbial processes and their broader implications.

Die Beckersche Zahnsammlung hatte ihren Ursprung bereits vor dem zweiten Weltkrieg. Sie besteht aus 318 erhaltenen Gipsmodellen, die in 4 Kategorien sortiert wurden. In der ersten Kategorie befinden sich 270 farbige Modelle, die sich in 6 Untergruppen nach der Anordnung Triadans und 27 Modelle vom Rind einteilen ließen. Sie entstanden der Beschriftung auf der Sockelunterseite zufolge zwischen 1932 und 1964. Es gibt auch Indizien dafür, dass Becker in den späten 20er Jahren mit dem Abdruckverfahren begonnen und dieses in der Tierklinik Sarstedt vor dem zweiten Weltkrieg etabliert hat. Die zweite Kategorie liefert einen kleinen Anhang an ungefärbten, weißen Gipsabdrücken. Bei der dritten und vierten Kategorie konnte die Zuordnung zu einem Promotionsthema erfolgen, das Becker betreut hat. Sie stellen eine Studie der individuellen Schmelzleisten auf der Kaufläche des dritten Prämolaren Backenzahnes (07er) im Oberkiefer dar.

Fehlende Gipsmodelle konnten durch Publikationen nachgewiesen und zugeordnet werden. Würden diese heute noch existieren, bestünde die Sammlung aus 366 gefärbten und ungefärbten Modellen. Es wird allerdings noch von einer Dunkelziffer nicht publizierter Modelle ausgegangen.

Die farbigen Modelle wurden nach verschiedenen Aspekten ausgewertet. Darüber hinaus wurden alle Modelle mit Publikationen abgeglichen und es wurde ein Katalog der Sammlung erstellt, in welchem jedes einzelne in 5 Fotografien abgebildet, codiert und beschrieben wurde. zudem vervollständigt der Anhang des Kataloges bestimmte Beschreibungen einzelner Modelle hinsichtlich dessen, was Becker, Keller und Co. in ihren Veröffentlichungen dazu beschrieben haben, zuzüglich der Angabe nach der Originalquelle mit Seitenzahl. So können diese Modelle in den Originalquellen schneller wiedergefunden werden. Dies betrifft 107 der 270 Modelle aus der ersten Kategorie.

Der zweite Teil der Zahnsammlung Beckers liegt in den Schleifinstrumenten und deren Zubehör, die an drei verschiedenen Standorten ermittelt werden konnten. Sowohl Teile der mobilen Zahnstation als auch mehrere Koffergeräte mit Handstücken, Schleifaufsätzen der damaligen Zeit konnten erhalten werden. Der Vergleich mit heute gängigen Schleifinstrumenten zur Funktionsoptimierung der Pferdezähne zeigt, wie fortschrittlich und technisch ausgetüftelt Becker seiner Zeit voraus war. Auf seiner Basis konnten in den neunziger Jahren bis heute mit moderner Technik ein Instrumentarium geschaffen werden, welches die Geschichte der Pferdezahnmedizin revolutionierte.

Von einem in der Philologie geäußerten Desiderat ausgehend beschäftigt sich die vorliegende Schrift mit drei unterschiedlichen, aber zusammenhängenden Facetten der Frage: In welchem Verhältnis stehen Wissen und Literatur zueinander? Die These, dass Literatur ein genuiner Aggregatzustand von Wissen sei und die Hymnen an die Nacht des Novalis ein außergewöhnliches Beweisstück dafür darstellen, vertritt die Arbeit entlang theoretischer und exegetischer Erörterungen. Sie beginnt mit einer Diskussion der philologischen Relevanz und Virulenz der Wissensfrage, dabei vor allem die Stimmen der Poetologien des Wissens kritisch nachzeichnend, und macht diejenigen Aspekte des Komplexes nutzbar, die für die Betrachtung der frühromantischen Literatur Deutschlands in der Zeit um 1800 hilfreich sind. Vom kulturwissenschaftlichen Standpunkt der Poetologien aus rückt das epochale Verständnis von Wissen in den Blickpunkt, das ab hier ein Verweisnetz offenlegt, welches aus den Tendenzen des Zeitalters über die Philosophie und von dort bis in die Literatur hineinreicht. Die theoretischen Schriften Friedrich von Hardenbergs bilden den Kern der Untersuchung und sein Begriff des Magischen Idealismus wird als diejenige Idee identifiziert, die den Abgrund hinter den Grenzen der Philosophie mit der Entgrenzung der Literatur zu überbrücken imstande ist. Geheimnis und Nicht-Wissen werden als konstitutive Elemente von Wissen, sowohl in zahlreichen Denkmustern der Zeit als auch in den Hymnen aufgedeckt. Neben dieser Leistung ist es vor allem die Lesart der Hymnen als Ausdruck der Grenzüberschreitung, welche die Arbeit auszeichnet: Entgegen den oftmals biographistischen Ansätzen wird gezeigt, dass im Text mit den Mitteln entgrenzter und entgrenzender Sprache, zwischen Erlebnis und Erkenntnis frei schwingend, sukzessive ein Wissen generiert und multiperspektivisch reflektiert wird, an das die philosophische Deduktion und ihre analytische Zergliederung nicht heranreichen kann. Die Untersuchung qualifiziert die Hymnen in dieser Funktion als Epistemische Dichtung.

This dissertation studies how citizens in contemporary democracies respond to economic and political shocks, and how these responses shape political attitudes, economic behavior, and democratic legitimacy. Situated at the intersection of political economy and public economics, the chapters examine how public policies, violent events, and structural economic conditions influence individual beliefs, preferences, and choices in the United States and Germany. Across four empirical studies, the dissertation combines quasi-experimental designs, rich survey and processed administrative data, and novel measurement approaches to analyze how democratic citizens interpret state interventions, assess economic risks and opportunities, and form political attitudes in times of heightened uncertainty. A unifying theme is that political and economic behavior is shaped not only by material incentives, but also by beliefs, emotions, and narratives that mediate how individuals experience and respond to institutional and societal change. Taken together, these chapters offer new evidence on the micro-level foundations of political and economic behavior in advanced democracies.

Chapter 1 analyzes how restrictive public policies implemented during acute crises affect citizens’ satisfaction with democracy. Focusing on the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, the chapter studies the political consequences of stay-at-home orders that sharply curtailed civil liberties in the name of public health. Using data from the German Socio-economic Panel (SOEP) and exploiting variation in the timing and adoption of mobility restrictions across German federal states, the analysis uses a difference-in-differences and event-study design to estimate the causal effect of these policies on individuals’ satisfaction with democracy. Contrary to concerns that restrictions of civil liberties undermine democratic legitimacy, the results show that stay-at-home orders increased satisfaction with democracy, with effects emerging immediately after implementation and persisting throughout the duration of the policy. The chapter further documents heterogeneity in responses, showing that the positive effect is substantially larger among individuals socialized in the former German Democratic Republic, consistent with long-lasting effects of political socialization under authoritarian regimes. In addition, the analysis reveals shifts in party support toward centrist parties and away from the far right, highlighting how decisive crisis interventions can reshape political attitudes in democratic settings. Overall, the chapter contributes to debates on democratic accountability and crisis governance by demonstrating that, under certain conditions, restrictive state interventions can strengthen rather than erode democratic support.

Chapter 2 examines the political and economic consequences of violent shocks by studying how exposure to terrorist attacks affects individual risk preferences and economic behavior. The chapter combines geo-coded data on terrorist incidents from the Global Terrorism Database with long-running panel data on individual risk attitudes from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). Exploiting spatial and temporal variation in exposure in a difference-in-differences framework, it compares individuals living in close proximity to an attack with those farther away. The analysis shows that individuals exposed to nearby terrorist attacks become significantly more risk-averse in the aftermath, with effects that persist for up to two years and attenuate with geographic distance. To capture the information environment surrounding attacks, the chapter further leverages machine-learning techniques to classify more than 60,000 news articles by sentiment and coverage intensity. The results reveal that changes in risk preferences are substantially amplified for negatively framed and highly covered attacks. Consistent with these preference shifts, the chapter documents declines in risky economic behaviors, including self-employment and stock market participation. To shed light on mechanisms, the analysis links terrorism exposure to emotional responses, showing that declines in self-reported happiness partly mediate the observed effects. By integrating high-dimensional media data with individual-level panel evidence, the chapter demonstrates how terrorism affects economic outcomes through changes in preferences and emotions, helping explain why the economic costs of terrorism often far exceed its immediate physical damage.

Chapter 3 studies how pandemic-induced changes in work arrangements affect financial behavior and inequality. Focusing on Germany, it investigates whether the sharp increase in working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the unprecedented rise in stock market participation observed in 2020. Using representative household panel data from the SOEP and controlling for a wide set of established determinants of stock market participation, the chapter shows that working from home is positively and significantly associated with the likelihood that individuals entered the stock market. An instrumental-variables strategy based on pre-pandemic industry-level work-from-home capacity strengthens the causal interpretation of this effect. The analysis suggests that working from home reduces participation costs by increasing time availability and flexibility, thereby lowering barriers to financial market entry. Importantly, the chapter highlights distributional consequences: new stock market participants induced by working from home tend to come from lower-income groups, implying that the shift toward remote work may promote broader financial inclusion and reduce future income and wealth inequality. This chapter contributes to public economics and household finance by identifying working from home as a novel determinant of financial participation and by linking labor market institutions to inequality dynamics through behavioral channels.

Chapter 4 examines the relationship between social mobility and populist attitudes in the United States, with a focus on the beliefs and narratives through which individuals interpret economic opportunity. Combining new survey data from 6,600 US residents with local measures of intergenerational mobility from the Opportunity Atlas and electoral outcomes, the chapter documents a robust negative relationship between local social mobility and populist attitudes across multiple specifications and data sources. Individuals living in low-social-mobility areas not only hold more populist views and are more likely to support Donald Trump, but also perceive national social mobility as substantially lower—suggesting they anchor their economic beliefs in their immediate environment. To understand how people conceptualize mobility, the chapter introduces a novel dataset of 3,450 open-ended narratives in which respondents describe someone's economic ascent. Each narrative is rated by both the respondents themselves and by a large language model (LLM) on whether it emphasizes effort or luck as the primary driver of success. The analysis uncovers a striking pattern: those who perceive low social mobility are significantly more likely to attribute economic success to luck rather than effort in their narratives.

To disentangle competing mechanisms, the chapter conducts two pre-registered survey experiments. The first provides factual information about actual US social mobility rates, successfully inducing belief updates. Strikingly, these shifts in beliefs about the level of social mobility have no discernible effect on populist attitudes. The second experiment exposes respondents to mobility narratives that emphasize luck over effort, significantly weakening their beliefs in effort-based mobility. This produces substantial effects: a standard deviation increase in luck beliefs leads to a 10.5% standard-deviation increase in populist attitudes, with particularly strong effects among men, individuals without a college degree, and those lacking personal upward-mobility experience. These findings suggest that limited social mobility fuels populist sentiment not primarily by reducing perceived economic opportunity, but by fundamentally undermining faith in meritocratic principles—the belief that hard work is rewarded. By integrating observational patterns with causally identified experimental evidence, the chapter contributes to the political economy of populism and to a growing literature on how economic narratives and perceptions of fairness shape political belief formation.

Rho-dependent transcription termination is a central mechanism of gene regulation in bacteria, coordinating transcriptional output with cellular and environmental conditions. This thesis investigates the structural and functional regulation of bacterial Rho by the Rho-binding protein YihE and extends the analysis to the intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of atypical Rho homologs from Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (B. thetaiotaomicron) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). Chapter I focuses on the structural and functional characterization of the serine/threonine kinase YihE and Escherichia coli (E. coli) Rho (EcRho) complex. While earlier models proposed that YihE inhibits EcRho by blocking RNA binding at the primary binding site (PBS), the combined biochemical and structural analyses presented here refine this model and demonstrate that YihE does not significantly impair RNA binding at either the PBS or secondary binding site (SBS), and ATPase measurements show no measurable effect on RNA-stimulated ATP hydrolysis. In contrast, transcription termination assays reveal that YihE enhances EcRho-dependent termination in a concentration-dependent manner. Structural analysis identifies localized rearrangements that suggest that YihE modulates EcRho’s conformational dynamics. Together, these findings position YihE as a context-dependent regulator that biases EcRho toward termination-competent states without disrupting its catalytic machinery. Chapter II examines the functional role of IDRs in atypical Rho, focusing on the Rho proteins from B. thetaiotaomicron (BtRho) and M. tuberculosis (MtRho). Through sequence comparison, structural analysis, and generation of IDR-deletion variants, this work links domain architecture to functional output. The results demonstrate that the IDR contributes to species-specific regulatory behavior, influencing RNA binding, ATPase activity, and transcription termination efficiency. Overall, this thesis integrates biochemical assays with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structural analysis to define how protein-protein interactions and intrinsic disorder modulate Rho function. The findings refine current models of EcRho regulation, identify YihE as a non-classical conformational regulator, and provide broader insight into the regulatory diversity of bacterial Rho proteins.

The development of the mammalian neocortex relies upon precisely timed molecular and cellular mechanisms to establish cortical lamination, cell type diversity, and functional cortical circuitry. These processes enable the execution of refined motor control, adaptive behavior, and high-level cognition. Among the numerous biological processes that work to coordinate proper cortical development, the maintenance of protein homeostasis through regulated synthesis and targeted degradation of proteins is essential. This thesis focuses on the neurodevelopmental consequences of targeted protein degradation, mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS).

Protein ubiquitination is an enzymatic cascade reaction that culminates with the conjugation of ubiquitin to a target protein. This final step is executed by E3 ubiquitin ligases. By conferring substrate specificity and catalyzing the final step of the ubiquitin cascade, these ligases play an essential role in downstream protein abundance and regulation, as well as other non-degradative cellular processes including signaling pathways, endocytosis, and DNA damage responses, among others. Notably, various members of this enzymatic family have been linked to cortical dysfunction observed in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Recent genomic studies and clinical profiling have uncovered UBE3C, a gene encoding HECT-type E3 ligase Ubiquitin Protein Ligase E3C (UBE3C), as a molecule of interest in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Pathogenic variants of UBE3C have been recently described in patients with a rare neurodevelopmental pediatric disorder characterized by intellectual disability, and severe cognitive and behavioral deficits. In this study, I investigated the role of UBE3C, and its murine ortholog Ube3C, in the development of glutamatergic cortical neurons using murine and human-based models.

This study demonstrates that Ube3C is involved in regulating upper layer neuronal positioning in the cortical plate and coordinates neural progenitor fate during late stages of embryonic corticogenesis. Quantitative proteomic and biochemical assays identify Cbl proto-oncogene-like 1 (Cbll1), also known as Hakai, as a novel ubiquitination substrate of Ube3C. Further, findings reveal a connection between Hakai function and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation in the coordination of cell cycle exit of neural progenitors. Finally, pharmacological normalization of m6A levels reversed developmental defects in the murine model of Ube3C deficiency.

Together, these findings shed light on the role of UBE3C in cortical development and link ubiquitination-mediated protein regulation to regulation of the epitranscriptome, providing new insights into molecular mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders.

While the far right is said to reminisce in the past, this dissertation scrutinises its imagination of the future. It builds on existing approaches in sociology and history of time and the future, as well as fascism studies in order to conceive of a conceptual framework on the role of imagined futures in politics. The dissertation defines imagined futures in politics as shared mental representations of a future state of society allowing individuals in the present to place themselves in the future. This definition entails two constitutive elements of imagined futures, which delineate them from fictional narratives and utopias: a future horizon, which connects the future to the present, and a collective identity, with which actors in the present can identify. Social movements can frame these constitutive elements for mobilisation. For far-right movements, these imagined futures are embedded in palingenetic temporalities: based on a mythical past, the degenerated present is supposed to be overcome through a revolutionary re-birth of their own race or nation, restoring its glorious past in the future.

Based on this theoretical landscape, the dissertation theorises two ideal-types of temporal mobilisation in far-right futures. The resistance type positions social movements slightly ahead of their own imagined community, mixing avant-gardist with populist self-conceptions. Its future horizon imagines an imminent critical juncture, which arrives external to movement actions. By contrasting a threatening outcome of this juncture with its vague, but promising alternative, it allows social movements to mobilise heterogeneous constituencies for diverse action repertoires. The acceleration type positions social movements far ahead of their own imagined community, framing them as an exclusive elite. Its future horizon holds a violent critical juncture in the distant future, which needs to be brought closer to the present through the actions of the movement. By stressing the inevitability of future violence, it allows social movements to mobilise homogenous movement constituencies for political violence.

Methodologically, the dissertation analyses two extreme cases, the Querdenken and the /pol/ movement. They deviate from other far-right movements as well as from each other regarding the futures they imagine, their movement constituencies, and action repertoires. For the former, it analyses far-right telegram channels and an activist newspaper of the movement throughout the COVID pandemic. For the latter, it analyses the manifestos shared by the perpetrators of attacks in Christchurch, Poway, El Paso, Halle, and Buffalo. By relying on multi-modal analysis of these sources, it reconstructs how both movements frame the collective identities and future horizons they imagine and how they employ them for mobilisation.

The Querdenken movement’s imagined futures focused on the great reset narrative. The movement’s imagined community was based on a vague notion of ‘the people’ in firm opposition to ‘the elite’. Its future horizon imagined an authoritarian takeover underway, amounting to an imminent critical juncture. This imagined authoritarian takeover was tied to the COVID containment measures, but also a range of other topics, and joined by alternative, desirable futures: If the movement offered enough resistance to their antagonists, a revolution might foil their plans and instead bring about ‘true’ freedom and democracy. As the movement thought of itself as understanding the hidden truth about the pandemic, it imagined holding an epistemic advance over the rest of the population and framed itself as democratic dissidents.

The /pol/ movement’s imagined futures focused on the great replacement narrative. The movement based its imagined community on a vague notion of white supremacy and contrasted it with several, interchangeable racialised Others. Although mostly evoked only implicitly, gender and traditionalist gender roles proved highly salient for the movement’s imaginary. Its future horizon framed violent conflict between different ethnic groups as inevitable, which enabled the perpetrators of violent attacks to frame them as morally justified. The movement framed itself as an exclusive martyr elite, whose actions would only be understood in the future by the rest of their imagined community.

This thesis situates contemporary investigations of chimpanzee health within a long historical trajectory spanning early naturalistic descriptions, classical anatomical studies, and over a century of biomedical research. Historical milestones, from seventeenth-century anatomical accounts to twentieth-century experimental work and the establishment of long-term field sites, have shaped how researchers conceptualized apes as models for human disease and informed early captive husbandry practices. These developments ultimately influenced the shift from invasive laboratory experiments to field-based, non-invasive approaches. The body of the thesis comprises two first-author papers based on systematic post mortem and non invasive field investigations of habituated chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. Observational data, photographic records, fecal and urine sampling, and targeted necropsies under strict biosecurity characterized naturally occurring pathology. Molecular diagnostics and histopathology complemented gross necropsy findings to identify etiologies, which were then contextualized within broader disease ecologies using published literature. The first paper addressed Oesophagostomum-associated granulomas, which affect wild chimpanzees across widely separated populations. At Taï, previous studies had identified larvae of a variety of Oesophagostomum spp. in chimpanzee stool. The current study linked the abdominal nodules observed in the Taï chimpanzees to Oesophagostomum stephanostomum. Descriptions of gross pathology, histopathology and parasitology were integrated with PCR and sequencing. The sequences were identical to those from nodules found in the wild chimpanzees of Gombe, Tanzania. These findings improve understanding of parasite species composition in wild populations, and illustrate how individual, interspecific, and ecological contexts influence parasitic disease. Zoonotic risk remains limited. The second paper detailed chronic kidney disease in an older female, found dead in very poor body condition, with a large calcium oxalate stone in the renal pelvis. Histopathology revealed glomerulosclerosis, interstitial nephritis and fibrosis, focal mineralization, and medial hypertrophy. Historical urine samples showed increased albumin-creatinine-ratio values from 15 months before death. While 16S analysis and shotgun sequencing did not confirm an infectious cause, the findings are consistent with hypertension and cardiorenal involvement. This paper presents the first detailed description of kidney disease in a wild chimpanzee and the first report of a naturally occurring kidney stone in any great ape. Methodologically, the thesis reviews historic and modern approaches to monitoring chimpanzee health. Systematic post mortem examinations, coupled with molecular and histological analyses, remain important to ascertain causes of mortality and to identify uncommon pathologies. Concurrently, fecal molecular assays, camera trapping, and environmental DNA approaches expand surveillance capacity without necessitating close habituation or direct contact. These methodologies are framed within conservation medicine and One Health priorities, illustrated by existing collaborative research projects. The discussion recommends prioritizing research into diseases demonstrated to affect survival on a population level (anthrax, Ebola, SIVcpz, and human respiratory pathogens), while acknowledging the limits of interventions in wild populations. Expanding coordinated, multi site pathology and mortality reviews could yield useful comparative incidence data. Sustained interdisciplinary collaborations and local capacity building will help achieve conservation, research and public health goals.  

The primary topic of this dissertation is the effect of a single amino acid polymorphism in the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) protein, which is the main stress hormone receptor in mammals. Previously, a lysine residue was identified as a novel polyubiquitination site in some, but not all, mammalian GR proteins. Whereas most primates and rodents encode an arginine (R131), bats, camels, and ancestral mammals encode a lysine at this position (K131). Presence of the K131 allele results in ligand-dependent GR degradation in vitro. As part of this dissertation, I conducted ancestral sequence reconstruction and positive selection analysis of the mammalian GR protein, identifying key areas of structural diversity. To analyze the phenotypic effect of the K131 allele, I generated a R131K transgenic mouse line as well as transgenic bat, human, and mouse cell lines as model systems. In particular, effects of the K131 allele were evaluated in the context of NLRP3 inflammasome activation ex vivo and influenza A virus (IAV) infection in vivo. The K131 allele had an apparently deleterious effect on IAV disease progression in mice, suggesting that GR protein levels may be a source of diversity in the mammalian immune response to infection.

Die Dissertation untersucht die Entwicklung der Zugehörigkeitspolitiken im Makkabi-Weltverband zwischen 1919 und 1932. Im Mittelpunkt stehen die Vorstellungen von Geschlecht, Sport und jüdischem Selbstverständnis, die den Verband prägten. Die Studie fragt, wie diese Vorstellungen zur Herausbildung jüdischer Identifikation beitrugen und welche Rolle sie für die Gestaltung von Zugehörigkeit innerhalb der transnationalen Organisation spielten. Als theoretische Grundlage dient das Konzept der politics of belonging von Nira Yuval-Davis.

Die Studie verbindet Perspektiven der Sportgeschichte, Jüdischen Studien und Geschlechtergeschichte. Sie rekonstruiert die Entwicklung von der Jüdischen Turnerschaft über die Gründung des Makkabi-Weltverbands bis zur ersten Makkabiah 1932. Besonderes Augenmerk gilt den Debatten über Mitgliedschaft, zionistische Zielsetzungen, institutionelle Strukturen und internationale Repräsentation. Darüber hinaus untersucht die Arbeit die Rolle Berlins als organisatorisches und ideologisches Zentrum der Bewegung.

Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Zugehörigkeit im Makkabi-Weltverband nicht allein über formale Mitgliedschaft bestimmt wurde. Sie entstand vielmehr im Zusammenspiel politischer Überzeugungen, kultureller Praktiken und verbandspolitischer Regelungen. Sport entwickelte sich dabei zu einem zentralen Handlungsraum. Er förderte Prozesse jüdischer Identifikation, stärkte transnationale Verbindungen zwischen der Diaspora und den jüdischen Gemeinschaften im Mandatsgebiet Palästina und vermittelte zionistische Zielvorstellungen. Gleichzeitig prägten sportliche Praktiken und Geschlechterordnungen die Vorstellungen jüdischen Selbstverständnisses innerhalb des Verbands.

Die Arbeit zeigt, wie Zugehörigkeit im Makkabi-Weltverband ausgehandelt, legitimiert und institutionell verankert wurde. Sie macht deutlich, dass Geschlecht ein zentrales Strukturmerkmal dieser Prozesse war. Damit eröffnet sie neue Perspektiven auf die Geschichte jüdischer Nationalbewegungen, transnationaler Organisationen sowie auf das Zusammenspiel von Zugehörigkeit, Identifikation und Geschlecht im 20. Jahrhundert.

The focus of the thesis was to investigate if the known barrier-strengthening plant secondary metabolites quercetin and berberine have an impact on porcine intestinal epithelial models in vitro (IPEC J2/PS cells) and ex vivo (PP and VE tissue specimen), and if the effect differs between both tissue types. This would underline the different barrier properties between the immunologically important PP compared to surrounding VE. Quercetin is a flavonoid with a high abundance in the human diet due to its occurrence in several fruits and vegetables. Besides the beneficial effect in different diseases due to the anti-oxidative properties, barrier-strengthening effects are described in different intestinal cell models, mainly by the upregulation of claudin 4. Those effects could be also observed in VE samples used for the experiments from the first study of this thesis (Chapter 4). The TEER was increased while the [3H]-mannitol flux was not affected. In addition to the upregulation of claudin 4, claudin 2 was remarkably reduced. No effect of quercetin on barrier function could be detected in PP tissue samples or IPEC J2/PS cells under experimental conditions. In the case of PP, the missing effect compared to VE supports the theory of different susceptibility and TJ regulation between both tissues. Regarding IPEC J2/PS cells, the lack of claudin 2 in the cell line could be causative for the absent response to quercetin. The plant alkaloid berberine has been used in traditional Chinese medicine against gastrointestinal disorders for centuries and stands in the focus of pharmacological research. Despite several beneficial effects under experimental conditions regarding diseases like diabetes or cardiovascular disorders, the toxic effects of berberine are well documented and the safety has been under evaluation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) since May 2024. The incubation of VE and PP tissue over 4 h in the Ussing chamber with berberine concentrations between 0.2 μM and 200 μM had no significant effect on both tissue types. This could be attributed to the limited incubation time in the Ussing chamber compared to the cell culture models, which were used in other studies regarding the effect of berberine on small intestinal barrier function. The in vitro approach with the improved porcine cell model IPEC JS/PS showed an unexpected dose-dependent decrease of the barrier function: the TEER values decreased and the [3H]-mannitol flux increased. This was attributable to the induction of apoptosis and the reduction and internalization of sealing TJ proteins claudin 1, 3, and occludin. Based on our study, it was not possible to determine if the loss of cell-cell contacts was the reason for apoptosis induction or a consequence of it. In cancerogenic cell lines, the induction of apoptosis is well described but also occurred in the non-cancerogenic murine fibroblast cell line BALB/3T3, where different concentrations either led to cell cycle arrest or induced apoptosis. We suggest a higher susceptibility of the improved IPEC J2/PS cell model compared to cancerogenic small intestinal models like Caco-2 or even IPEC J2 cell cultures with FBS instead of PS. Our results show that the therapeutic window of berberine seems to be rather small and no beneficial effect could be observed in the porcine tissue models under the experimental conditions. This thesis was part of an overall project regarding the different barrier properties between porcine PP and VE samples, which were observed recently (Radloff et al. 2017a). Besides the two barrier-strengthening substances quercetin and berberine, the two barrier-perturbators sodium caprate and TNF were used (Radloff 2019; Droessler et al. 2021; Droessler et al. 2022). For sodium caprate, TNF and quercetin different effects on VE and PP could be observed. Those results support the theory, that PP not only has a stronger paracellular barrier function due to the higher expression of claudin 4 but also differs from VE regarding susceptibility and TJ regulation.

Magengeschwüre beim Pferd waren in der Vergangenheit bereits Gegenstand vieler Forschungsarbeiten und sind aufgrund ihrer bislang nicht vollständig geklärten, vielfältigen Ursachen auch heute von wissenschaftlicher Relevanz. Der erste Teil dieser Arbeit stellt den aktuellen Forschungsstand dar und beleuchtet insbesondere neue Erkenntnisse zur Diagnostik, nichtpharmakologischer Therapie und Prävention. Die Gastroskopie ist nach wie vor der diagnostische Goldstandard. Ergänzend dazu lassen sich Biopsien entnehmen, die histopathologisch und kulturell analysiert werden können, was besonders in therapieresistenten EGGD-Fällen hilfreich sein kann. Zur weniger invasiven Diagnosestellung gibt es vielversprechende Studienergebnisse für die Nutzung von Biomarkern, die bisher aber noch nicht im Praxisalltag eingesetzt werden. Hierzu zählen spezifische Serumproteinprofile, saliväre Enzyme, die Messung von Kortisolkonzentrationen im Blut oder in Haarproben und andere biochemische Marker, die im Zusammenhang mit unterschiedlichen Schweregraden von ESGD und EGGD stehen. Therapeutisch steht nach wie vor das Omeprazol im Fokus, wobei aufgrund von Zulassungsbeschränkungen orale Präparate in gepufferter oder magensaftresistenter Form verabreicht werden, auch wenn intramuskuläre Omeprazolformulierungen oder auch eine orale Esomeprazolgabe bessere Heilungsergebnisse erzielten. Bei der EGGD kann ergänzend Sucralfat als schützende Barriere für bessere Behandlungsergebnisse eingesetzt werden. Misoprostol hat sich in der Monotherapie von EGGD als überlegen erwiesen, wird jedoch aufgrund fehlender Zulassung nur in Ausnahmefällen eingesetzt. Auch der gezielte Einsatz von Glukokortikoiden und Antimikrobiotika wird auf Einzelfälle beschränkt. Eine erfolgreiche Behandlung von Magengeschwüren wird nicht allein durch medikamentöse Therapie, sondern auch durch Managementoptimierungen erreicht. Dazu zählen beispielsweise ein gesteigertes Raufutterangebot in Kombination mit reduzierter Stärkezufuhr und eine strukturierte Alltagsroutine mit einer begrenzten Anzahl an Betreuungspersonen, sowie einer Reduktion des Trainings. Außerdem wird aufgrund von hohen Kosten, ethischen Überlegungen und Wettkampfregularien nach nichtpharmakologischen Alternativen gesucht. Es gibt diverse Nahrungsergänzungsmittel, die entweder die Magensäure abpuffern, wie beispielsweise Magnesiumverbindungen, oder andere positive Effekte auf die Magenstruktur, wie Pectin-Lecithin-Komplexe, haben. Das Thema Magengeschwüre beim Pferd bedarf weiterer Forschung, insbesondere zur bislang unzureichend geklärten Pathophysiologie der EGGD, zur Optimierung von Therapie- und Präventionsstrategien sowie zur Entwicklung praktikabler und weniger invasiver Diagnostikmethoden. Ein weiterer, zuvor noch nicht erforschter Aspekt ist der Zusammenhang mit der Maulhöhlengesundheit, der in dem zweiten Teil dieser Arbeit untersucht wurde. Das Ziel dieser prospektiven klinischen Studie war es herauszufinden, ob moderate bis schwerwiegende Erkrankungen in der Maulhöhle zu einem niedrigen Magen-pH und somit zu Magengeschwüren bei Pferden führen. Vierundfünfzig Pferde mit klinischen Symptomen wurden im Zeitraum von September 2023 bis April 2024 in der Pferdeklinik Hochmoor einer Gastroskopie und Untersuchung der Maulhöhle unterzogen. Während der Gastroskopie wurden die Magenschleimhautbefunde mittels bereits veröffentlichter Scoringsysteme klassifiziert und zusätzlich eine Flüssigkeitsprobe aus dem ventralen Magen zur Bestimmung des pH-Wertes entnommen. Die Befunde der Maulhöhlenuntersuchung wurden unter Zuhilfenahme eines neu entworfenen Systems nach ihrem Schweregrad und Einfluss auf die Okklusion bewertet. Zur Optimierung der statistischen Auswertung wurden die ursprünglichen Klassifizierungsgruppen in Übergruppen zusammengefasst. Zudem haben die Patientenbesitzerinnen und -besitzer einen Fragebogen ausgefüllt, um mögliche Störfaktoren zu identifizieren. Nach der Therapie wurden 9 Pferde zur Überprüfung des Behandlungserfolgs erneut vorgestellt. Es konnte kein statistischer Zusammenhang zwischen dem Einfluss von moderaten bis schwerwiegenden Maulhöhlenerkrankungen und dem Schweregrad der Magengeschwüre (ESGD Grad ≥ 2/4 (p = 0,394) und EGGD Grad ≥ 2/3 (p = 0,857)) festgestellt werden. Dennoch zeigte sich ein Trend, dass moderate bis schwere Zahnerkrankungen mit einem niedrigen Magen-pH-Wert (≤ 4) assoziiert sein können (p= 0,100). Während bei Pferden ohne oder mit nur geringgradigen Zahnproblemen ein mittlerer pH-Wert von 5,4 gemessen wurde, lag der Mittelwert bei jenen mit ausgeprägten Zahnerkrankungen bei 4,2. Bei Berücksichtigung des Störfaktors „Omeprazol-Vorbehandlung in der Woche vor der Untersuchung“ wurde ein signifikanter Zusammenhang festgestellt (p = 0,019), wobei weitere Störfaktoren wie Haltungs- und Fütterungsumstellung eine Rolle spielen könnten. Auch wenn die Studienergebnisse derzeit keinen direkten Zusammenhang von Maulhöhlenerkrankungen und EGUS belegen, sollten sowohl Magen- als auch Maulhöhlenuntersuchungen bei Patienten mit Gewichtsverlust und Inappetenz durchgeführt werden.

Da sowohl die absolute Zahl von PPI als auch die Kosten weiter steigen werden, stellt eine effektive Prophylaxe sowie Therapie die Grundlage für die Eindämmung eines sich anbahnenden globalen Gesundheitsproblems dar. Diese Habilitationsschrift wird sich anhand von insgesamt 6 Originalpublikationen mit der Frage beschäftigen, wie es zu Therapieversagen von PPI kommen kann und was mögliche evidenzbasierte Verbesserungsansätze in der Behandlung darstellen können. Einleitend werden dabei PPI hinsichtlich ihrer Pathogenese, Risikofaktoren, Definitionen, Diagnostik und Behandlung dargestellt, um einen angemessenen Kontext und Hintergrund zu schaffen. Dabei beschränkt sich die Habilitationsschrift auf periprothetische Hüft- und Kniegelenksinfektionen als häufigste Lokalisation von PPI, wobei die Originalpublikationen auch nur diese Gelenke analysieren.

Lassa fever, first identified in the late 1960s, is caused by Lassa virus (LASV), a Biosafety Level 4 (BSL-4) pathogen endemic to West Africa. It is estimated to cause approximately 300,000 infections and 5,000 deaths annually. Despite its public health impact, no licensed vaccine is currently available. Exported cases have been reported across multiple continents, including Europe and China, and increasing global mobility and environmental change may facilitate the establishment of LASV in new regions. While the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis) is the primary reservoir, recent reports indicate potential circulation in other animal hosts, potentially increasing human infections. This emphasises the urgent need for improved surveillance and better understanding of the virus—the central aim of this thesis. Distinct LASV lineages circulate in specific geographic regions, show varying immunological behaviors, and may contribute to differing disease outcomes. Hence, tracking of the lineages offers actionable insight for epidemic control. This thesis presents CLASV, a command-line tool based on random forest (RF) classification for rapid LASV lineage assignment from nucleotide sequences. The tool incorporates a customised out-of-distribution detection framework to distinguish LASV from other mammarenaviruses. In parallel, a suite of open-access genomic surveillance resources was developed using the Nextstrain and Nextclade platforms, enabling real-time phylogenetic visualisation and mutation tracking. Together, these tools provide a complementary framework for integrating LASV genomics into outbreak response and public health surveillance. Curated data derived from CLASV and Nextstrain enabled a population-scale molecular analysis investigating biophysical differences among LASV lineages. These descriptors include fundamental properties such as protein length, molecular mass, and amino acid composition, which define the physical state of viral proteins in nature. By employing an integrative approach combining RF-feature importance, distance profiling, correlation analysis, and mass-weighted amino acid composition, lineage-specific amino acid preferences were identified. Establishing the distributions of these properties provides a baseline for interpreting historical variation and enables the detection of future deviations, including the emergence of novel variants or atypical protein features that may warrant functional or public health attention. In studying these differences, a comprehensive catalogue of predicted LASV glycoprotein structures was generated and publicly deposited to support ongoing structural and immunological studies. Finally, this work highlights a global imbalance in high-containment research capacity. Although Africa harbors a high diversity of endemic BSL-4 pathogens, it possesses only a limited proportion of global BSL-4 infrastructure. As a likely consequence of this, LASV genomic data are generated outside endemic regions, with delays often exceeding two years between sample collection and public deposition. Despite over four decades of recurrent outbreaks, far fewer than 4,000 high-quality LASV genomes are currently available. This scarcity constrains genomic analyses and represents a critical limitation for epidemic preparedness and global health security.

Diese Dissertation befasst sich mit den Erscheinungsformen literarischer Mehrsprachigkeit und Hybridisierung im deutsch-arabischen Kontext. Im Zentrum der Untersuchung steht die Frage, inwiefern die arabische Sprache und Kultur die deutschsprachige Literatur über verschiedene historische Epochen hinweg – mit besonderem Augenmerk auf die Gegenwart – maßgeblich beeinflusst haben. Mittels einer detaillierten Analyse ausgewählter literarischer Werke von unter anderem Goethe, Wilhelm Hauff, Abbas Khider, Rafik Schami und Christoph Peters werden die vielschichtigen sprachlichen, kulturellen und poetologischen Verflechtungen offengelegt. Dabei erfolgt die Fokussierung auf Phänomene wie verhüllte Mehrsprachigkeit, simultane Übersetzungsstrategien, intertextuelle Bezüge sowie hybride ästhetische Ausdrucksformen. Die Arbeit integriert literaturwissenschaftliche Theorien zu Transkulturalität, Hybridität und Mehrsprachigkeit und verknüpft diese mit einer historischen sowie ästhetischen Betrachtung der deutsch-arabischen Beziehungen. Somit leistet die Dissertation einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Erforschung mehrsprachiger Literatur, die im Kontext globaler Migration neue narrative Räume und kulturelle Identitäten generiert.

Mechanotransduction describes the conversion of mechanical stimuli into biochemical signals and represents a fundamental mechanism regulating bone homeostasis and regeneration. During physiological bone remodeling, mechanical loading inhibits osteoclast-mediated bone resorption while stimulating bone formation, predominantly through osteocyte-mediated signaling. In contrast, during fracture healing, mechanical stimuli act directly on osteoblasts and their progenitor cells. The biomechanical environment, determined by fracture configuration and fixation stability, critically influences the mode and outcome of bone repair, ranging from primary bone healing without callus formation to secondary healing characterized by endochondral ossification. In critical-sized defects, the regenerative capacity of bone is exceeded, resulting in impaired healing or non-union.

The present habilitation thesis employed transcriptomic approaches to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying mechanotransduction, osteoblast differentiation, and fracture healing in complementary in vitro and in vivo models. Genome-wide expression profiling demonstrated that mechanical stimulation induces a rapid and highly dynamic transcriptional response involving immediate-early genes regulated through PKA-, MAPK-, and calcineurin-dependent signaling pathways. These responses were strongly dependent on the differentiation stage of osteoblasts. Combined mRNA and microRNA profiling further identified the miR-497∼195 cluster as an intracellular modulator of BMP signaling, thereby influencing osteogenic commitment, cellular proliferation, extracellular matrix synthesis, and mineralization.

Subsequent RNA sequencing enabled a comprehensive characterization of coding and non-coding transcripts, alternative splicing, and coordinated gene expression within topologically associated domains during osteoblast differentiation. Furthermore, de novo transcriptome assembly established a comprehensive ovine transcriptome resource, substantially expanding the genomic basis for translational fracture-healing research. Transcriptomic analyses of ovine and rat osteotomy models consistently identified genes associated with contractile fibers as major determinants of the biological response to the mechanical environment. These findings were corroborated by histological, biomechanical, and three-dimensional bioreactor studies demonstrating interactions between cytoskeletal organization, extracellular matrix architecture, tissue contraction, and gene regulation. Collectively, the findings presented in this thesis establish that osteoblast responses to mechanical stimulation are governed by both the cellular differentiation state and the surrounding biomechanical microenvironment, thereby providing a conceptual and molecular framework for future single-cell transcriptomic analyses of bone regeneration and fracture healing.

Global change includes not only climate change factors such as heat and drought but also a wide range of biocides and forms of environmental pollution. These pose a unique threat to our ecosystems and require solutions. Usually, many factors of global change occur simulta-neously within an ecosystem. However, such combinations of factors have not been suffi-ciently investigated in research, because most studies focus on the effects of individual fac-tors. A systematic mapping, which is part of this work, shows that this also applies to studies focusing on the influence of global change on mycorrhizal fungi. The reason for this un-derrepresentation of factor combinations in research is that when multiple factors are com-bined, their number is often limited by the choice of a full factorial experimental design. If many factors are replicated in all possible combinations, the number of experimental units increases exponentially. One way around this problem is to invent new experimental designs and apply them to answer new the research question. Such designs can then be transferred from one field of research to another (for example, as suggested in one of the chapters, from research on global change to research on restoration). In this way, one can ask about the effects of an increasing number of factors and test a factor gradient of randomly selected individual factors. Another approach is not to ask what effect a factor has when it is introduced into a largely unaffected system, but rather what effect it has when a factor is removed from a system that is already influenced by a combination of other factors. The third experimental design described here essentially aims to answer the question of what effects the dissimilarity and number of factors have. The latter is done using additives that are added to the soil for restoration purposes. This creates a gradient from the investiga-tion of increasing factors to their reduction and the improvement of soil functions and plant diversity. Our results show that an increasing number of factors can have a strong impact on plant communities: most species are suppressed, while a few species benefit from less competi-tion. Effects on pollinators and phytoparasites were detected, which underlines the importance of reducing these factors. The removal of individual factors usually led to improvements, even if they had positive effects in isolation. Combining different additives for soil restoration we showed that the overall trend was positive across various measured variables, and that espe-cially in plants the diversity of the factors played a role. The perspective of multifactoriality thus provided new insights that went beyond those of single-factor studies.