@phdthesis{Bankoglu2016,
  author    = {Bankoglu, Ezgi Eyl{\"u}l},
  title     = {Oxidative status and genomic damage in an obesity model},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-137566},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Several cohort studies showed that obesity increases the risk of chronic disease such as T2DM, hypertension and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and various types of cancer. Different factors were described that might be involving in these diseases in obesity. Some of these suggested factors were chronic infection, elevated free fatty acids, increased ROS formation, mitochondrial dysfunction and raised NAPDH oxidase activity. Obesity is a multifactorial disease and it is very hard to distinguish between all of these factors. In this study, we wanted to focus on the association between obesity, oxidative stress and genomic damage in kidney, liver and colon, which are the most relevant organs for cancer risk according to the cohort studies. Our findings indicated elevated oxidative stress in kidney, liver and colon together with elevated lipid, RNA and DNA oxidation in the whole body. Additionally, we were able to show increased DNA damage in kidney, liver and colon. Since obesity has become an epidemic all over the world, possible therapeutic applications such as life style changes (diet and sport), pharmacological supplements and various type of surgeries are increasing. As a second question, we focused on the effect of weight loss, which is supplied either by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery or by caloric restriction designed in a way to provide the same extent of weight loss, on oxidative stress and genomic damage. Our results indicated that weight loss either by gastric bypass surgery or by caloric restriction led to reduced oxidative stress and genomic damage in kidney, liver and colon. We could not find any difference between the weight loss methods, except the DNA oxidation and repair marker urinary 8-oxodG, which was still elevated after RYGB, but not after caloric restriction. It is known that hyperinsulinemia and in the long term T2DM are among the biggest concerns in obese individuals. Since we know the mutagenic potential of elevated insulin levels from previous data in our working group, the correlation between the highly mutagenic DNA DBSs marker, γ-H2AX and the plasma insulin level was tested and the findings indicated a positive correlation. In order to demonstrate the association between insulin-related oxidative stress and genomic damage, we used in vitro and in vivo models with Pten deficiency. In this part of study, the work was focused on liver. Pten is a known negative regulator of the PI3K/Akt pathway, which is responsible for the elevated NADPH oxidase activity and mitochondrial dysfunction through elevated insulin levels. Pten inhibition or deficiency were used to sensitize the system to insulin. Non-transformed immortalized human hepatocytes were used to show the mutagenic potential of elevated insulin and these in vitro data revealed once more the link between insulin signaling, elevated oxidative stress and genomic damage. Since the metabolic function of the liver is not only due to the extent of the hepatic insulin response but is also affected by systemic interactions, a whole-body Pten haplodeficient mouse model with an additional Pten+/-/Akt2-/- group was utilized for in vivo investigation of insulin-mediated toxicity. Our findings in this model suggested that Pten deficiency alone can cause an increase in oxidative stress. HFD alone was sufficient to increase the expression of HO-1 and genomic damage significantly. Moreover, the combination (whole-body Pten haplodeficient mice fed with HFD) showed significantly elevated oxidative stress and genomic damage in mouse liver. However, Akt2 knockout could only reduce the oxidative stress and DNA damage in high fat diet fed mice significantly. All these findings demonstrated that obesity can induce oxidative stress and genomic damage. Elevated insulin levels are associated with obesity-mediated oxidative stress and genomic damage. However, the underlying mechanisms are surely multifaceted and complicated. For example, Pten as oncogene might also induce other mechanisms besides the elevation of the PI3K/Akt pathway activity. In conclusion, it is clear that oxidative stress and DNA damage are linked to obesity and that weight loss can reduce these two factors. Since DNA-damage is associated with an elevated cancer risk, it might be logical to use an antioxidant therapy in obese individuals to reduce the side effects and oxidative stress dependent mutagenicity and cancer risk in these individuals. However, much more research will be needed to support this idea experimentally.},
  subject      = {{\"U}bergewicht},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Yadav2016,
  author    = {Yadav, Preeti},
  title     = {Studying Neuronal Cytoskeleton Defects and Synaptic Defects in Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Spinal Muscular Atrophy},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-138093},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy are the two most common motoneuron diseases. Both are characterized by destabilization of axon terminals, axon degeneration and alterations in neuronal cytoskeleton. Accumulation of neurofilaments has been observed in several neurodegenerative diseases but the mechanisms how elevated neurofilament levels destabilize axons are unknown so far. Here, I show that increased neurofilament expression in motor nerves of pmn mutant mice causes disturbed microtubule dynamics. Depletion of neurofilament by Nefl knockout increases the number and regrowth of microtubules in pmn mutant motoneurons and restores axon elongation. This effect is mediated by interaction of neurofilament with the stathmin complex. Depletion of neurofilament increases stathmin-Stat3 interaction and stabilizes the microtubules. Consequently, the axonal maintenance is improved and the pmn mutant mice survive longer. We propose that this mechanism could also be relevant for other neurodegenerative diseases in which neurofilament accumulation is a prominent feature. Next, using Smn-/-;SMN2 mouse as a model, the molecular mechanism behind synapse loss in SMA is studied. SMA is characterized by degeneration of lower α-motoneurons in spinal cord; however, how reduction of ubiquitously expressed SMN leads to MN-specific degeneration remains unclear. SMN is involved in pre-mRNA splicing (Pellizzoni, Kataoka et al. 1998) and its deficiency in SMA affects the splicing machinery. Neuromuscular junction denervation precedes neurodegeneration in SMA. However, there is no evidence of a link between aberrant splicing of transcripts downstream of Smn and reduced presynaptic axon excitability observed in SMA. In this study, we observed that expression and splicing of Nrxn2, that encodes a presynaptic protein is affected in the SMA mouse and that Nrxn2 could be a candidate that relates aberrant splicing to synaptic motoneuron defects in SMA.},
  subject      = {Neurofilament},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Asmus2016,
  author    = {Asmus, Elisabeth},
  title     = {Mode of Action of Adjuvants for Foliar Application},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-138159},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Adjuvants are compounds added to an agrochemical spray formulation to improve or modify the action of an active ingredient (AI) or the physico-chemical characteristics of the spray liquid. Adjuvants can have more than only one distinct mode of action (MoA) during the foliar spray application process and they are generally known to be the best tools to improve agrochemical formulations. The main objective for this work was to elucidate the basic MoA of adjuvants by uncoupling different aspects of the spray application. Laboratory experiments, beginning from retention and spreading characteristics, followed by humectant effects concerning the spray deposit on the leaf surface and ultimately the cuticular penetration of an AI, were figured out to evaluate overall in vivo effects of adjuvants which were also obtained in a greenhouse spray test. For this comprehensive study, the surfactant classes of non-ionic sorbitan esters (Span), polysorbates (Tween) and oleyl alcohol polyglycol ether (Genapol O) were generally considered because of their common promoting potential in agrochemical formulations and their structural diversity. The reduction of interfacial tension is one of the most crucial physico-chemical properties of surfactants. The dynamic surface tension (DST) was monitored to characterise the surface tension lowering behaviour which is known to influence the droplet formation and retention characteristics. The DST is a function of time and the critical time frame of droplet impact might be at about 100 ms. None of the selected surfactants were found to lower the surface tension sufficiently during this short timeframe (chapter I). At ca. 100 ms, Tween 20 resulted in the lowest DST value. When surfactant monomers are fully saturated at the droplet-air-interface, an equilibrium surface tension (STeq) value can be determined which may be used to predict spreading or run-off effects. The majority of selected surfactants resulted in a narrow distribution of STeq values, ranging between 30 and 45 mN m- 1. Nevertheless, all surfactants were able to decrease the surface tension considerably compared to pure water (72 mN m- 1). The influence of different surfactants on the wetting process was evaluated by studying time-dependent static contact angles on different surfaces and the droplet spread area on Triticum aestivum leaves after water evaporation. The spreading potential was observed to be better for Spans than for Tweens. Especially Span 20 showed maximum spreading results. To transfer laboratory findings to spray application, related to field conditions, retention and leaf coverage was measured quantitatively on wheat leaves by using a variable track sprayer. Since the retention process involves short time dynamics, it is well-known that the spray retention on a plant surface is not correlated to STeq but to DST values. The relationship between DST at ca. 100 ms and results from the track sprayer showed increasing retention results with decreasing DST, whereas at DST values below ca. 60 mN m- 1 no further retention improvement could be observed. Under field conditions, water evaporates from the droplet within a few seconds to minutes after droplet deposition on the leaf surface. Since precipitation of the AI must essentially being avoided by holding the AI in solution, so-called humectants are used as tank-mix adjuvants. The ability of pure surfactants to absorb water from the surrounding atmosphere was investigated comprehensively by analysing water sorption isotherms (chapter II). These isotherms showed an exponential shape with a steep water sorption increase starting at 60\% to 70\% RH. Water sorption was low for Spans and much more distinct for the polyethoxylated surfactants (Tweens and Genapol O series). The relationship between the water sorption behaviour and the molecular structure of surfactants was considered as the so-called humectant activity. With an increasing ethylene oxide (EO) content, the humectant activity increased concerning the particular class of Genapol O. However, it could be shown that the moisture absorption across all classes of selected surfactants correlates rather better with their hydrophilic-lipophilic balance values with the EO content. All aboveground organs of plants are covered by the cuticular membrane which is therefore the first rate limiting barrier for AI uptake. In vitro penetration experiments through an astomatous model cuticle were performed to study the effects of adjuvants on the penetration of the lipophilic herbicide Pinoxaden (PXD) (chapter III). In order to understand the influence of different adjuvant MoA like humectancy, experiments were performed under three different humidity levels. No explicit relationship could be found between humidity levels and the PXD penetration which might be explained by the fact that humidity effects would rather affect hydrophilic AIs than lipophilic ones. Especially for Tween 20, it became obvious that a complex balance between multiple MoA like spreading, humectancy and plasticising effects have to be considered. Greenhouse trials, focussing the adjuvant impact on in vivo action of PXD, were evaluated on five different grass-weed species (chapter III). Since agrochemical spray application and its following action on living plants also includes translocation processes in planta and species dependent physiological effects, this investigation may help to simulate the situation on the field. Even though the absolute weed damage was different, depending both on plant species and also on PXD rates, adjuvant effects in greenhouse experiments displayed the same ranking as in cuticular penetration studies: Tween 20 > Tween 80 > Span 20 ≥ Span 80. Thus, the present work shows for the first time that findings obtained in laboratory experiments can be successfully transferred to spray application studies on living plants concerning adjuvant MoA. A comparative analysis, using radar charts, could demonstrate systematic derivations from structural similarities of adjuvants to their MoA (summarising discussion and outlook). Exemplarily, Tween 20 and Tween 80 cover a wide range of selected variables by having no outstanding MoA improving one distinct process during foliar application, compared to non-ethoxylated Span 20 and Span 80 which primarily revealed a surface active action. Most adjuvants used in this study represent polydisperse mixtures bearing a complex distribution of EO and aliphatic chains. From this study it seems alike that adjuvants having a wide EO distribution offer broader potential than adjuvants with a small EO distribution. It might be a speculation that due to this broad distribution of single molecules, all bearing their individual specific physico-chemical nature, a wide range of properties concerning their MoA is covered.},
  subject      = {Adjuvans},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Eck2016,
  author    = {Eck, Saskia},
  title     = {The impact of thermogenetic depolarizations of specific clock neurons on Drosophila melanogaster's circadian clock},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-137118},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The rotation of the earth around its own axis determines periodically changing environmental conditions, like alterations in light and temperature. For the purpose of adapting all organisms' behavior, physiology and metabolism to recurring changes, endogenous clocks have evolved, which allow the organisms to anticipate environmental changes. In chronobiology, the scientific field dealing with the investigation of the underlying mechanisms of the endogenous clock, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster serves as a beneficial model organism. The fruit fly's circadian clock exhibits a rather simple anatomical organization, but nevertheless constitutes homologies to the mammalian system. Thus also in this PhD-thesis the fruit fly was used to decipher general features of the circadian clock's interneuronal communication. Drosophila melanogaster's circadian clock consists of about 150 clock neurons, which are located in the central nervous system of the fly. These clock neurons can be subdivided regarding to their anatomical position in the brain into the dorsal neurons (DN1s, DN2s, DN3s), as well as into the lateral neurons (LPNs, LNds, s-LNvs, l-LNvs). Functionally these clock neuron clusters can be classified as Morning- and Evening oscillators (M- and E- oscillators), driving different parts of the fly's locomotor activity in light-dark conditions (LD). The Morning-oscillators are represented by the s-LNvs and are known to be the main pacemakers, driving the pace of the clock in constant conditions (constant darkness; DD). The group of Evening-oscillators consists of the LNds, the DN1s and the 5th s-LNv and is important for the proper timing of the evening activity in LD. All of these clock neurons are not functionally independent, but form complex neuronal connections, which are highly plastic in their response to different environmental stimuli (Zeitgebers), like light or temperature. Even though a lot is known about the function and the importance of some clock neuron clusters, the exact interplay between the neurons is not fully known yet. To investigate the mechanisms, which are involved in communication processes among different clock neurons, we depolarized specific clock cells in a temporally and cell-type restricted manner using dTrpA1, a thermosensitive cation channel, which allows the depolarization of neurons by application of temperature pulses (TP) above 29°C to the intact and freely moving fly. Using different clock specific GAL4-driver lines and applying TPs at different time points within the circadian cycle in DD enabled us with the help of phase shift experiments to draw conclusions on the properties of the endogenous clock. The obtained phase shifts in locomotor behavior elicited by specific clock neuronal activation were plotted as phase response curves (PRCs). The depolarization of all clock neurons shifted the phase of activity the strongest, especially in the delay zone of the PRC. The exclusive depolarization of the M oscillators together with the l-LNvs (PDF+ neurons: s-LNvs \& l-LNvs) caused shifts in the delay and in the advance zone as well, however the advances were severely enhanced in their temporal occurrence ranging into the subjective day. We concluded that light might have inhibitory effects on the PDF+ cells in that particular part of the PRC, as typical light PRCs do not exhibit that kind of distinctive advances. By completely excluding light in the PRC-experiments of this PhD-thesis, this photic inhibitory input to the PDF+ neurons is missing, probably causing the broadened advance zone. These findings suggest the existence of an inhibitory light-input pathway to the PDF+ cells from the photoreceptive organs (Hofbauer-Buchner eyelet, photoreceptor cells of compound eyes, ocelli) or from other clock neurons, which might inhibit phase advances during the subjective day. To get an impression of the molecular state of the clock in the delay and advance zone, staining experiments against Period (PER), one of the most important core clock components, and against the neuropeptide Pigment Dispersing Factor (PDF) were performed. The cycling of PER levels mirrored the behavioral phase shifts in experimental flies, whereas the controls were widely unaffected. As just those neurons, which had been depolarized, exhibited immediate shifted PER oscillations, this effect has to be rapidly regulated in a cell-autonomous manner. However, the molecular link between clock neuron depolarization and shifts in the molecular clock's cycling is still missing. This issue was addressed by CREB (cAMP responsive element binding protein) quantification in the large ventrolateral neurons (l-LNvs), as these neurons responded unexpectedly and strongest to the artificial depolarization exhibiting a huge increase in PER levels. It had been previously suggested that CREB is involved in circadian rhythms by binding to regulatory sequences of the period gene (Belvin et al., 1999), thus activating its transcription. We were able to show, that CREB levels in the l-LNvs are under circadian regulation, as they exhibit higher CREB levels at the end of the subjective night relative to the end of the subjective day. That effect was further reinforced by artificial depolarization, independently of the time point of depolarization. Furthermore the data indicate that rises in CREB levels are coinciding with the time point of increases of PER levels in the l-LNvs, suggesting CREB being the molecular link between the neuronal electrical state and the molecular clock. Taking together, the results indicate that a temporal depolarization using dTrpA1 is able to significantly phase shift the clock on the behavioral and protein level. An artificial depolarization at the beginning of the subjective night caused phase delays, whereas a depolarization at the end of the subjective night resulted in advances. The activation of all clock neurons caused a PRC that roughly resembled a light-PRC. However, the depolarization of the PDF+ neurons led to a PRC exhibiting a shape that did not resemble that of a light-mediated PRC, indicating the complex processing ability of excitatory and inhibitory input by the circadian clock. Even though this experimental approach is highly artificial, just the exclusion of light-inputs enabled us to draw novel conclusions on the network communication and its light input pathways.},
  subject      = {Chronobiologie},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{VasquezOspina2016,
  author    = {Vasquez Ospina, Juan Jose},
  title     = {Development of tools for the study of gene regulation in Trypanosoma brucei},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-133996},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei is the causal agent of sleeping sickness and besides its epidemiological importance it has been used as model organism for the study of many aspects of cellular and molecular biology especially the post-transcriptional control of gene expression. Several studies in the last 30 years have shown the importance of mRNA processing and stability for gene regulation. In T. brucei genes are unusually arranged in polycistronic transcription units (PTUs) and a coupled process of trans-splicing and polyadenylation produces the mature mRNAs. Both processes, mRNA processing and stability, cannot completely explain the control of gene expression in the different life cycle stages analyzed in T. brucei so far. In recent years, the relevance of expression regulation at the level of translation has become evident in other eukaryotes. Therefore, in the first part of my thesis I studied the impact of translational regulation by means of a genome-wide ribosome profiling approach. My data suggest that translational efficiencies vary between life cycle stages of the parasite as well as between genes within one life cycle stage. Furthermore, using ribosome profiling I was able to identify many new putative un-annotated coding sequences and to evaluate the coding potential of upstream open reading frames (uORF). Comparing my results with previously published proteomic and RNA interference (RNAi) target sequencing (RIT-seq) datasets allowed me to validate some of the new coding sequences and to evaluate their relevance for the fitness of the parasite. In the second part of my thesis I used the transcriptomic and translatomic profiles obtained from the ribosome profiling analysis for the identification of putative non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). These results led to the analysis of the coding potential in the regions upstream and downstream of the expressed variant surface glycoprotein (VSG), which is outlined in the third part of the results section. The region upstream of the VSG, the co-transposed region (CTR), has been implicated in an increase of the in situ switching rate upon its deletion. The ribosome profiling results indicated moderate transcription but not translation in this region. These results raised the possibility that the CTR may be transcribed into ncRNA. Therefore, in the third part of my thesis, I performed a primary characterization of the CTR-derived transcripts based on northern blotting and RACE. The results suggested the presence of a unique transcript species of about 1,200 nucleotides (nt) and polyadenylated at the 3'-end of the sequence. The deletion of the CTR sequence promoting and increase of the in situ switching rates was performed around 20 years ago by means of inserting reporter genes. With the recent development of endonuclease-based tools for genome editing, it is now possible to delete sequences in a marker-free way. In the fourth part of my thesis, I show the results on the implementation of the highly efficient genome-editing CRISPR-Cas9 system in T. brucei using episomes. As a proof of principle, I inserted the sequence coding for the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) at the end of the SCD6 coding sequence (CDS). Fluorescent cells were observed as early as two days after transfection. Therefore, after the successful set up of the CRISPR-Cas9 system it will be possible to modify genomic regions with more relevance for the biology of the parasite, such as the substitution of codons present in gene tandem arrays. The implementation of ribosome profiling in T. brucei opens the opportunity for the study of translational regulation in a genome-wide scale, the re-annotation of the currently available genome, the search for new putative coding sequences, the detection of putative ncRNAs, the evaluation of the coding potential in uORFs and the role of unstranslated regions (UTRs) in the regulation of translation. In turn, the implementation of the CRISPR-Cas9 system offers the possibility to manipulate the genome of the parasite at a nucleotide resolution and without the need of including resistant makers. The CRISPR-Cas9 system is a powerful tool for editing ncRNAs, UTRs, multicopy gene families and CDSs keeping their endogenous UTRs. Moreover, the system can be used for the modification of both alleles after just one round of transfection and of codons coding for amino acids carrying post-translational modifications (PTMs) among other possibilities.    },
  subject      = {Trypanosoma brucei},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Kanis2016,
  author    = {Kanis, Julia Birgit},
  title     = {Elterliches Wissen, Selbsthilfe und psychotherapeutische Intervention bei nicht-organischen Schlafst{\"o}rungen im Kleinkindalter},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-133432},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {F{\"u}r eine gesunde kindliche Entwicklung ist besonders in der fr{\"u}hen Kindheit guter Schlaf sehr wichtig. Gerade im Baby- und Kleinkindalter sind Schlafschwierigkeiten jedoch ein h{\"a}ufiges Ph{\"a}nomen. Vor allem Ein- und Durchschlafst{\"o}rungen kommen vielfach vor, die nicht automatisch mit zunehmendem Alter eines Kindes remittieren. Sie k{\"o}nnen persistieren und zum Teil auch schwerwiegende Folgen f{\"u}r die kindliche Entwicklung haben. Nicht nur Hyperaktivit{\"a}t, Reizbarkeit und Aggressivit{\"a}t treten bei Kindern mit Schlafst{\"o}rungen geh{\"a}uft auf, sondern auch Tagesm{\"u}digkeit, Konzentrationsund Ged{\"a}chtnisst{\"o}rungen sowie kognitive Beeintr{\"a}chtigungen k{\"o}nnen die Folge sein. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus k{\"o}nnen Depressionen, Angstst{\"o}rungen und {\"U}bergewicht langfristige Folgen von Schlafst{\"o}rungen sein. Auch wirken sich die Schlafst{\"o}rungen bei jungen Kindern negativ auf die Eltern aus. Daher ist es wichtig, Schlafprobleme im fr{\"u}hen Kindesalter zu erkennen, ernst zu nehmen und fr{\"u}hzeitig zu behandeln. Die vorliegende Arbeit besteht aus drei Teilen. Es wurden das elterliche Wissen {\"u}ber Schlaf im Kleinkindalter sowie eine Auswahl von Elternratgeberliteratur f{\"u}r kindliche Schlafprobleme untersucht. Ferner wurde das multimodale Elterntrainingsprogramm „Mini-KiSS", ein Elterntraining f{\"u}r Kinder bis vier Jahren mit Schlafst{\"o}rungen (Schlarb_2014), hinsichtlich seiner externen Validit{\"a}t betrachtet. Da Eltern diejenigen sind, die als erste mit den Schlafproblemen ihres Kindes konfrontiert sind, sollten sie kindliche Schlafst{\"o}rungen als diese erkennen und auch einsch{\"a}tzen k{\"o}nnen, um ggf. weiterf{\"u}hrende Maßnahme einzuleiten. Deshalb ist es wichtig, dass Eltern {\"u}ber den kindlichen Schlaf informiert sind. Um dieses elterliche Wissen {\"u}ber Schlaf von jungen Kindern zu erfassen, wurde ein Fragebogen entwickelt, in dem Anwendungs- und Faktenwissen {\"u}ber Schlaf im Baby- und Kleinkindalter erfragt wurden. Dieser wurde einer Online-Stichprobe (N = 1291) vorgelegt. Insgesamt verf{\"u}gten die Eltern {\"u}ber ein gutes Wissen, sie beantworteten 65\% der Fragen korrekt. Es zeigte sich jedoch ein Unterschied zwischen dem Anwendungswissen, wo die Eltern 72\% korrekt beantworteten und dem Faktenwissen, wo die Eltern 61\% der gestellten Fragen korrekt beantworteten. Allerdings wurden auch Unsicherheiten sowie Wissensdefizite deutlich, die noch genauer erfasst werden und denen k{\"u}nftig mit unverbindlichen Informations- und Beratungsangeboten begegnet werden sollte. Insbesondere bei den Interventionsm{\"o}glichkeiten zum Umgang mit einer Schlafproblematik im Kleinkindalter wurde ein Dissens deutlich, der sich auch in der nachfolgenden Analyse von Elternratgeberliteratur f{\"u}r Schlafschwierigkeiten widerspiegelte. Es wurden Literaturanalysen {\"u}ber Ratgeber f{\"u}r das Kindesalter einerseits und f{\"u}r das Baby- und Kleinkindalter andererseits durchgef{\"u}hrt. Dabei konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Autoren entweder eine Position zum lerntheoretischen Ansatz der graduierten Extinktion bezogen und diese Methode empfohlen oder das Co-Sleeping, also das gemeinsame Schlafen von Eltern und Kind in einem Bett, favorisierten. Zudem wurde in der vorliegenden Arbeit das multimodale Elterntraining Mini-KiSS bez{\"u}glich der externen Validit{\"a}t im Langzeitverlauf erfolgreich {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft. Das Elterntraining richtet sich an Eltern von Kindern im Alter von sechs Monaten bis vier Jahren mit Schlafst{\"o}rungen und findet in Form von sechs aufeinanderfolgenden Elternabenden statt. Durch das Training kam es zu signifikanten Verbesserungen des kindlichen und m{\"u}tterlichen Schlafes, diese bis zur Ein-Jahres-Katamnese stabil. Auch weitere mit problematischem kindlichem Schlafverhalten assoziierte Parameter, wie das allgemeine kindliche Problemverhalten sowie die elterliche Gesamtbelastung, konnten nachhaltig reduziert werden. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass sich die Intervention sowohl auf das Kind als auch auf die Eltern positiv auswirkte, was auch anhand von objektiven Verfahren best{\"a}tigt werden konnte. Zusammengefasst leistet diese Arbeit somit mit der Befragung einer großen Online-Stichprobe zu fr{\"u}hkindlichem Schlaf, der literaturanalytischen Betrachtung ausgew{\"a}hlter Ratgeberliteratur sowie der erfolgreichen Pr{\"u}fung der externen Validit{\"a}t des Mini-KiSS-Trainings einen wichtigen und richtungsweisenden Beitrag zur aktuellen Forschung im Bereich der nichtorganischen Schlafst{\"o}rungen im Kleinkindalter.},
  subject      = {Schlafst{\"o}rung},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Herweg2016,
  author    = {Herweg, Andreas},
  title     = {Beyond the state of the art, towards intuitive and reliable non-visual Brain-Computer-Interfacing},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-133447},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {For the present work three main goals were formulated: goal 1 To design a tactile BCI used for mobility which is intuitive (G1.1), reliable and fast while being usable by participants aged 50 years and above. goal 2 To design an auditory BCI used for communication which is intuitive and reliable. goal 3 To examine the effects of training on tactile and auditory BCI performance. Three studies were performed to achieve these goals. In the first study nine participants aged above 50 years performed a five-session training after which eight participants were able to navigate a virtual wheelchair with mean accuracy above 95\% and an ITR above 20 bits / min. In the second study 15 participants, four of them endusers with motor-impairment, were able to communicate meaningful with high accuracies using an auditory BCI. In the third study nine healthy and nine visually impaired participants (regarded as sensory experts for non-visual perception) performed tactile, auditory and visual (for healthy participants only) copy tasks. Participants with trained perception significantly outperformed control participants for tactile but not for auditory performance. Tactile performance of sensory experts was on equal levels as the visual performance of control participants. We were able to demonstrate viability of intuitive gazeindependent tactile and auditory BCI. Our tactile BCI performed on levels similar to those of visual BCI, outperforming current tactile BCI protocols. Furthermore, we were able to demonstrate significant beneficial effect of training on tactile BCI performance. Our results demonstrate previously untapped potential for tactile BCI and avenues for future research in the field of gaze-independent BCI.},
  subject      = {Gehirn-Computer-Schnittstelle},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Schuster2016,
  author    = {Schuster, Ann-Christin},
  title     = {Chemical and functional analyses of the plant cuticle as leaf transpiration barrier},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-133475},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Cuticles cover all above-ground primary plant organs and are lipoid in nature consisting of a cutin matrix with cuticular waxes embedded within or deposited on its surface. The foremost function of the plant cuticle is the limitation of transpirational water loss into the surrounding atmosphere. Transpiration of water vapour from plants differs between stomatal and cuticular transpiration. Stomatal closure minimises the stomatal water loss and the remaining, much lower water transpiration occurs through the plant cuticle. Temperature influence on the transpiration barrier properties of intact leaves is not yet known, despite the importance of the cuticular transpiration especially under drought and heat conditions. The present study focuses on the temperature-dependent minimum water permeability of whole leaves, in comparison to the temperature effect on the cuticular permeance of isolated, astomatous cuticles (Chapter I - III). The minimum water permeability was determined gravimetrically from leaf drying curves and represents the cuticular water permeability of intact, stomatous leaves under conditions of complete stomatal closure. The temperature effect on the transpiration barrier of the desert plant Rhazya stricta and the Mediterranean sclerophyll Nerium oleander exposed a continuous increase of minimum water permeabilities with an increase in temperature. In contrast to other published studies, no abrupt and steep increase of the water permeability at high temperatures was detected. This steep increase indicates structural changes of the barrier properties of isolated cuticular membranes with a drastic decrease of efficiency. A stabilising impact of the cell wall on the plant cuticle of intact leaves was proposed. This steadying effect was confirmed with different experimental approaches measuring the cuticular water permeability of Prunus laurocerasus intact leaves. Physiological analysis of water transport on isolated, astomatous leaf cuticles indicated a drastic decline of the barrier properties at elevated temperatures for Prunus laurocerasus but not for Nerium oleander. Cuticular components were quantitatively and qualitatively analysed by gas chromatography with a flame ionisation detector and a mass spectrometric detector, respectively. A high accumulation of pentacyclic triterpenoids as cuticular wax components in relation to the cutin monomer coverage was detected for Nerium oleander and for Rhazya stricta leaves, too. Accordingly, reinforcing of the cutin matrix by triterpenoids was proposed to improve the mechanical strength and to reduce the extensibility of plant cuticles. Thus, structural changes of the cuticular barrier properties were potentially suppressed at elevated temperatures. The function of the cuticular wax amount and/or wax composition and its relation with the cuticular water permeability remains to be elucidated. In the second part of this work the cuticular wax quantity and quality as well as its impact on the transpiration barrier properties was analysed in order to deduce a potential relation between chemistry and function of plant cuticles (Chapter IV - V). Chemical analyses of the cuticular wax components of a wide range of plant species, including one tropical (Vanilla planifolia), temperate (Juglans regia, Plantago lanceolata), Mediterranean (Nerium oleander, Olea europaea) and one desert (Rhazya stricta) plant species, were conducted. The cuticular wax compositions of nine characteristic plant species from xeric limestone sites naturally located in Franconia (Southern Germany) were determined for the first time. The corresponding minimum or cuticular water permeabilities of both stomatous and astomatous leaf surfaces were measured to detect a potential relationship between the cuticular wax amount, wax composition and the cuticular barrier properties. It was demonstrated that abundant cuticular wax amounts did not constitute more efficient transpiration barriers. However, 55\% of the cuticular barrier function can be attributed to the very-long-chain aliphatic wax coverages. These new findings provide evidence that the acyclic wax constituents play a pivotal role establishing efficient transpiration barriers. Additionally, these findings strengthen the hypothesis that cyclic components, such as pentacyclic triterpenoids, do not hinder the water diffusion through plant cuticles as effectively as acyclic constituents. For the first time a relationship between the cuticular wax composition and the transpiration barrier properties of a wide range of plant species proved insights into the potential relation between chemistry and function of plant cuticles.},
  subject      = {Kutikula},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Taschik2016,
  author    = {Taschik, Julia},
  title     = {Zytokingenpolymorphismen bei Kindern mit akuter lymphatischer Leuk{\"a}mie},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-133312},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Die akute lymphatische Leuk{\"a}mie ist die h{\"a}ufigste maligne Erkrankung im Kindesalter. Trotz systematischer Erhebung und Auswertung von Daten im Rahmen der ALL-BFM-Studiengruppe und der damit verbundenen kontinuierlichen Verbesserung der Prognose hat man noch immer keine Ursache f{\"u}r eine ALL gefunden. Daher nimmt eine umfangreiche Risikostratifizierung eine zentrale Rolle in der Behandlungsplanung einer ALL ein. Basierend auf einer exakten Stratifizierung kann die Therapie risikoadaptiert und individualisiert werden, um eine {\"U}bertherapie zu vermeiden und letztlich die Heilungschancen zu verbessern. Pro- und antiinflammatorische Zytokine kommt in den komplexen Wirkungsmechanismen des Immunsystems eine Schl{\"u}sselrolle zu. Viele Infektions-, Auto-immun- oder Tumorerkrankungen werden durch das Produktionsprofil der Zyto-kine beeinflusst. Da genetisch determinierte Zytokingenpolymorphismen Krank-heitsverl{\"a}ufe beeinflussen und ver{\"a}ndern, wurde untersucht, ob Zytokine einen Einfluss auf p{\"a}diatrische Patienten mit einer ALL haben. Im Zuge dieser Arbeit wurden 95 p{\"a}diatrische Patienten mit ALL auf Polymorphismen der Zytokine TNF-α, TGF-β1, IL-10, IL-6 und IFN-γ analysiert, die im Zeitraum vom 21.06.2004 bis zum 30.04.2014 an der Kinderklinik des Universit{\"a}tsklinikums W{\"u}rzburg behandelt wurden. Mittels DNA-Extraktion, sequenz-spezifischer PCR und Gelelektropherese wurden 35 Proben bei Erstdiagnose und 93 zum Zeitpunkt der Remission mit folgender zentralen Fragestellung untersucht: Gibt es genetische Risikofaktoren, die Einfluss auf • die Risikogruppe • die Art der Leuk{\"a}mie • die Genfrequenz • die Rezidivrate und • das Gesamt{\"u}berleben einer akuten lymphatische Leuk{\"a}mie im Kindesalter haben und sich zudem durch Einzelnukleotidpolymorphismen in pro- und antiinflammatorischen Zytokinen auszeichnen? Im Rahmen dieser Studie konnte festgestellt werden, dass das immunsuppressive Zytokin IL-10 einen Einfluss auf die Genfrequenz, die Risikogruppe, die Rezidivrate sowie die Prognose bei Kindern mit ALL hat. Patienten mit niedrigen Zytokinexpressionsraten (Genotypen ACC/ACC und ACC/ATA) wurden h{\"a}ufiger in der Hochrisikogruppe therapiert, hatten mehr Rezidive und eine schlechtere Prognose als Patienten mit hohen Zytokinexpressionsraten. Dar-{\"u}ber hinaus ist der Genotyp GCC/ACC signifikant h{\"a}ufiger bei ALL-Patienten anzutreffen als im gesunden Kollektiv. Beim immunsuppressiven IL-6 konnte festgestellt werden, dass der Genotyp C/C signifikant h{\"a}ufiger bei Patienten mit einer ALL auftritt als bei gesunden Patienten. Ferner zeigte sich, dass es so-wohl f{\"u}r IL-6 als auch f{\"u}r TNF-α eine {\"A}nderung des Genotyps zwischen Erstdiagnose und in Remission auftrat, die Hinweise auf einen blastenspezifischen „immune-escape"-Mechanismus geben. Ebenfalls konnte gezeigt werden, dass das immunmodulatorische Zytokin TGF-β1 einen Einfluss auf die Risikogruppe sowie die Rezidivrate hat. Patienten, die eine T/T Kombination am Codon 10 aufwiesen wurden h{\"a}ufiger im Hochrisikozweig therapiert als Patienten mit den Genotypen T/C oder C/C. Des Weiteren wurde demonstriert, dass Patienten mit einem C/C an Codon 25 h{\"a}ufiger an Rezidiven erkrankten als Patienten mit ei-nem G/C oder G/G. F{\"u}r die TH1 Zytokine IFN-γ sowie TNF-α wurde kein Zusammenhang zwischen der Genfrequenz, der Risikogruppe, der Art der Leuk{\"a}mie, der Rezidivrate oder dem Gesamt{\"u}berleben gefunden. Auch wenn man bisher noch nicht genau weiß, wie Zytokingenpolymorphismen Einfluss auf p{\"a}diatrische ALL nehmen, wird anhand dieser Arbeit gezeigt, dass Zytokine einen Beitrag zur Pathogenese der ALL leisten und daher zuk{\"u}nftig f{\"u}r eine umfassendere Risikostratifizierung geeignet sind. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus k{\"o}nnen diese Ergebnisse dazu beitragen, dass Zytokine als biologische Marker etabliert werden, um eine weniger toxische immunmodulierende bzw. -suppressive Therapie zu gew{\"a}hrleisten. Dies f{\"u}hrt dazu, dass eine Therapie anhand des Risikoprofils individuell und prognoseverbessernd abgestimmt werden kann. Je-doch w{\"a}re f{\"u}r eine nachfolgende Untersuchung eine gr{\"o}ßere multizentrische Stichprobe sowie eine prospektive Evaluation der Daten erstrebenswert. Gera-de bei heredit{\"a}ren Erkrankungen haben einzelne Gene nur einen geringen Einfluss auf das Gesamtrisiko, sodass gr{\"o}ßere Fallzahlen erforderlich w{\"a}ren, um auch schwache Effekte zu detektieren.},
  subject      = {Cytokine},
  language  = {de}
}
@article{KalledaAmichArslanetal.2016,
  author    = {Kalleda, Natarajaswamy and Amich, Jorge and Arslan, Berkan and Poreddy, Spoorthi and Mattenheimer, Katharina and Mokhtari, Zeinab and Einsele, Hermann and Brock, Matthias and Heinze, Katrin Gertrud and Beilhack, Andreas},
  title     = {Dynamic Immune Cell Recruitment After Murine Pulmonary Aspergillus fumigatus Infection under Different Immunosuppressive Regimens},
  series = {Frontiers in Microbiology},
  volume    = {7},
  journal   = {Frontiers in Microbiology},
  number    = {1107},
  doi       = {10.3389/fmicb.2016.01107},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-165368},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {Humans are continuously exposed to airborne spores of the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus. However, in healthy individuals pulmonary host defense mechanisms efficiently eliminate the fungus. In contrast, A. fumigatus causes devastating infections in immunocompromised patients. Host immune responses against A. fumigatus lung infections in immunocompromised conditions have remained largely elusive. Given the dynamic changes in immune cell subsets within tissues upon immunosuppressive therapy, we dissected the spatiotemporal pulmonary immune response after A. fumigatus infection to reveal basic immunological events that fail to effectively control invasive fungal disease. In different immunocompromised murine models, myeloid, notably neutrophils, and macrophages, but not lymphoid cells were strongly recruited to the lungs upon infection. Other myeloid cells, particularly dendritic cells and monocytes, were only recruited to lungs of corticosteroid treated mice, which developed a strong pulmonary inflammation after infection. Lymphoid cells, particularly CD4\(^+\) or CD8\(^+\) T-cells and NK cells were highly reduced upon immunosuppression and not recruited after A. fumigatus infection. Moreover, adoptive CD11b\(^+\) myeloid cell transfer rescued cyclophosphamide immunosuppressed mice from lethal A. fumigatus infection but not cortisone and cyclophosphamide immunosuppressed mice. Our findings illustrate that CD11b\(^+\) myeloid cells are critical for anti-A. fumigatus defense under cyclophosphamide immunosuppressed conditions.},
  language  = {en}
}