@phdthesis{Nair2024,
  author    = {Nair, Radhika Karal},
  title     = {Structural and biochemical characterization of USP28 inhibition by small molecule inhibitors},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-28174},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-281742},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Ubiquitination is an important post-translational modification that maintains cellular homeostasis by regulating various biological processes. Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are enzymes that reverse the ubiquitination process by catalyzing the removal of ubiquitin from a substrate. Abnormal expression or function of DUBs is often associated with the onset and progression of various diseases, including cancer. Ubiquitin specific proteases (USPs), which constitute the largest family of DUBs in humans, have become the center of interest as potential targets in cancer therapy as many of them display increased activity or are overexpressed in a range of malignant tumors or the tumor microenvironment. Two related members of the USP family, USP28 and USP25, share high sequence identities but play diverse biological roles. USP28 regulates cell proliferation, oncogenesis, DNA damage repair and apoptosis, whereas USP25 is involved in the anti-viral response, innate immunity and ER-associated degradation in addition to carcinogenesis. USP28 and USP25 also exhibit different oligomeric states - while USP28 is a constitutively active dimer, USP25 assumes an auto-inhibited tetrameric structure. The catalytic domains of both USP28 and USP25 comprise the canonical, globular USP-domain but contain an additional, extended insertion site called USP25/28 catalytic domain inserted domain (UCID) that mediates oligomerization of the proteins. Disruption of the USP25 tetramer leads to the formation of an activated dimeric protein. However, it is still not clear what triggers its activation. Due to their role in maintaining and stabilizing numerous oncoproteins, USP28 and USP25 have emerged as interesting candidates for anti-cancer therapy. Recent advances in small-molecular inhibitor development have led to the discovery of relatively potent inhibitors of USP28 and USP25. This thesis focuses on the structural elucidation of USP28 and the biochemical characterization of USP28/USP25, both in complex with representatives of three out of the eight compound classes reported as USP28/USP25-specific inhibitors. The crystal structures of USP28 in complex with the AZ compounds, Vismodegib and FT206 reveal that all three inhibitor classes bind into the same allosteric pocket distant from the catalytic center, located between the palm and the thumb subdomains (the S1-site). Intriguingly, this binding pocket is identical to the UCID-tip binding interface in the USP25 tetramer, rendering the protein in a locked, inactive conformation. Formation of the binding pocket in USP28 requires a shift in the helix α5, which induces conformational changes and local distortion of the binding channel that typically accommodates the C-terminal tail of Ubiquitin, thus preventing catalysis and abrogating USP28 activity. The key residues of the USP28-inhibitor binding pocket are highly conserved in USP25. Mutagenesis studies of these residues accompanied by biochemical and biophysical assays confirm the proposed mechanism of inhibition and similar binding to USP25. This work provides valuable insights into the inhibition mechanism of the small molecule compounds specifically for the DUBs USP28 and USP25. The USP28-inhibitor complex structures offer a framework to develop more specific and potent inhibitors.},
  subject      = {Unique Selling Proposition},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{GoettlergebLang2024,
  author    = {G{\"o}ttler [geb. Lang], Anna},
  title     = {Auswirkung der bariatrischen Operation auf die Aktivit{\"a}t des autonomen Nervensystems im kardialen und peripheren Kompartiment},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36932},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-369328},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Die vorliegende Arbeit thematisiert die Aktivit{\"a}t des autonomen Nervensystems im Vergleich vor versus nach bariatrischer Operation bei ProbandInnen mit morbider Adipositas. Wir untersuchten, ob die Operation und der damit einhergehende Gewichtsverlust drei Monate nach dem bariatrischen Eingriff zu einer Ver{\"a}nderung der Aktivit{\"a}t des autonomen Nervensystems im thorakalen und im motorischen/peripheren Kompartiment f{\"u}hrt. Als Parameter dienen f{\"u}r das thorakale Kompartiment die Herzfrequenzvariabilit{\"a}t und f{\"u}r das periphere/motorische Kompartiment vaskul{\"a}re (lnRHI und AI) und sudomotorische (Schweißvolumen, Antwortlatenz) Parameter. Unsere Ergebnisse im thorakalen Kompartiment zeigen einen Anstieg der Herzfrequenzvariabilit{\"a}t 3 Monate nach bariatrischer Operation. Wir schließen uns daher der Hypothese an, die mit morbider Adipositas assoziierte Erh{\"o}hung der sympathischen Aktivit{\"a}t im thorakalen Kompartiment k{\"o}nne durch bariatrische Operationen reversibel sein. Im peripheren/motorischen Kompartiment k{\"o}nnen wir keine eindeutige Ver{\"a}nderung der Aktivit{\"a}t des autonomen Nervensystems vor versus nach bariatrischer Operation beobachten. Andere Studien konnten hierzu deutlichere Ergebnisse erheben, die ebenfalls eine erh{\"o}hte sympathische Aktivit{\"a}t im motorischen Kompartiment zeigten, welche nach bariatrischer Operation reversibel war. Insgesamt k{\"o}nnen wir die These einer autonomen Imbalance bei Adipositas sowie einer Verringerung der sympathischen Aktivit{\"a}t im thorakalen Kompartiment nach bariatrischer Operation unterst{\"u}tzen. Die Ver{\"a}nderungen im autonomen Nervensystem leisten m{\"o}glicherweise einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der kardiovaskul{\"a}ren Gesundheit und der metabolischen Situation nach der bariatrischen Operation.},
  subject      = {Vegetatives Nervensystem},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{KanmegneTamga2024,
  author    = {Kanmegne Tamga, Dan Emmanuel},
  title     = {Modelling Carbon Sequestration of Agroforestry Systems in West Africa using Remote Sensing},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36926},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-369269},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {The production of commodities such as cocoa, rubber, oil palm and cashew, is the main driver of deforestation in West Africa (WA). The practiced production systems correspond to a land managment approach referred to as agroforestry systems (AFS), which consist of managing trees and crops on the same unit of land.Because of the ubiquity of trees, AFS reported as viable solution for climate mitigation; the carbon sequestrated by the trees could be estimated with remote sensing (RS) data and methods and reported as emission reduction efforts. However, the diversity in AFS in relation to their composition, structure and spatial distribution makes it challenging for an accurate monitoring of carbon stocks using RS. Therefore, the aim of this research is to propose a RS-based approach for the estimation of carbon sequestration in AFS across the climatic regions of WA. The main objectives were to (i) provide an accurate classification map of AFS by modelling the spatial distribution of the classification error; (ii) estimate the carbon stock of AFS in the main climatic regions of WA using RS data; (iii) evaluate the dynamic of carbon stocks within AFS across WA. Three regions of interest (ROI) were defined in Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso, one in each climatic region of WA namely the Guineo-Congolian, Guinean and Sudanian, and three field campaigns were carried out for data collection. The collected data consisted of reference points for image classification, biometric tree measurements (diameter, height, species) for biomass estimation. A total of 261 samples were collected in 12 AFS across WA. For the RS data, yearly composite images from Sentinel-1 and -2 (S1 and S2), ALOS-PALSAR and GEDI data were used. A supervised classification using random forest (RF) was implemented and the classification error was assessed using the Shannon entropy generated from the class probabilities. For carbon estimation, different RS data, machine learning algorithms and carbon reference sources were compared for the prediction of the aboveground biomass in AFS. The assessment of the carbon dynamic was carried between 2017 and 2021. An average carbon map was genrated and use as reference for the comparison of annual carbon estimations, using the standard deviation as threshold. As far as the results are concerned, the classification accuracy was higher than 0.9 in all the ROIs, and AFS were mainly represented by rubber (38.9\%), cocoa (36.4\%), palm (10.8\%) in the ROI-1, mango (15.2\%) and cashew (13.4\%) in ROI-2, shea tree (55.7\%) and African locust bean (28.1\%) in ROI-3. However, evidence of misclassification was found in cocoa, mango, and shea butter. The assessment of the classification error suggested that the error level was higher in the ROI-3 and ROI-1. The error generated from the entropy was able to reduced the level of misclassification by 63\% with 11\% of loss of information. Moreover, the approach was able to accuretely detect encroachement in protected areas. On carbon estimation, the highest prediction accuracy (R²>0.8) was obtained for a RF model using the combination of S1 and S2 and AGB derived from field measurements. Predictions from GEDI could only be used as reference in the ROI-1 but resulted in a prediction error was higher in cashew, mango, rubber and cocoa plantations, and the carbon stock level was higher in African locust bean (43.9 t/ha), shea butter (15 t/ha), cashew (13.8 t/ha), mango (12.8 t/ha), cocoa (7.51 t/ha) and rubber (7.33 t/ha). The analysis showed that carbon stock is determined mainly by the diameter (R²=0.45) and height (R²=0.13) of trees. It was found that crop plantations had the lowest biodiversity level, and no significant relationship was found between the considered biodiversity indices and carbon stock levels. The assessment of the spatial distribution of carbon sources and sinks showed that cashew plantations are carbon emitters due to firewood collection, while cocoa plantations showed the highest potential for carbon sequestration. The study revealed that Sentinel data could be used to support a RS-based approach for modelling carbon sequestration in AFS. Entropy could be used to map crop plantations and to monitor encroachment in protected areas. Moreover, field measurements with appropriate allometric models could ensure an accurate estimation of carbon stocks in AFS. Even though AFS in the Sudanian region had the highest carbon stocks level, there is a high potential to increase the carbon level in cocoa plantations by integrating and/or maintaining forest trees.},
  subject      = {Sequestrierung},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Morabbian2024,
  author    = {Morabbian, Jasamin},
  title     = {Etablierung von Stammzell-Sph{\"a}roiden mit inkorporierten Biokeramik-Partikeln zur F{\"o}rderung der osteogenen Differenzierung},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36925},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-369256},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {In der vorliegenden Dissertationsarbeit wurden Sph{\"a}roide aus mesenchymalen Stammzellen aus dem Fettgewebe oder dem Knochenmark mittels der Micromold-Methode hergestellt. Den Sph{\"a}roiden wurden entweder Calciumphosphat- oder Calcium-Magnesium-Phosphat-Partikel hinzugef{\"u}gt. Zum einen sollte {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft werden, ob die Zugabe von Partikeln die osteogene Differenzierung der Sph{\"a}roide f{\"o}rdert und somit zur weiteren Entwicklung von k{\"o}rpereigenem Knochenersatzmaterial in der regenerativen Medizin beitr{\"a}gt. Zum anderen sollte festgestellt werden, ob eine der beiden Biokeramiken hinsichtlich der osteogenen Differenzierung {\"u}berlegen ist.},
  subject      = {Stammzelle},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Merscher2024,
  author    = {Merscher, Alma-Sophia},
  title     = {To Fear or not to Fear: Unraveling the (Oculo)motor and Autonomic Components of Defensive States in Humans},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-32791},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-327913},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Defensive behaviors in response to threats are key factors in maintaining mental and physical health, but their phenomenology remains poorly understood. Prior work reported an inhibition of oculomotor activity in response to avoidable threat in humans that reminded of freezing behaviors in rodents. This notion of a homology between defensive responding in rodents and humans was seconded by concomitant heart rate decrease and skin conductance increase. However, several aspects of this presumed defense state remained ambiguous. For example, it was unclear whether the observed oculomotor inhibition would 1) robustly occur during preparation for threat-avoidance irrespective of task demands, 2) reflect a threat-specific defensive state, 3) be related to an inhibition of somatomotor activity as both motion metrics have been discussed as indicators for freezing behaviors in humans, and 4) manifest in unconstrained settings. We thus embarked on a series of experiments to unravel the robustness, threat-specificity, and validity of previously observed (oculo)motor and autonomic dynamics upon avoidable threat in humans. We provided robust evidence for reduced gaze dispersion, significantly predicting the speed of subsequent motor reactions across a wide range of stimulus contexts. Along this gaze pattern, we found reductions in body movement and showed that the temporal profiles between gaze and body activity were positively related within individuals, suggesting that both metrics reflect the same construct. A simultaneous activation of the parasympathetic (i.e., heart rate deceleration) and sympathetic (i.e., increased skin conductance and pupil dilation) nervous system was present in both defensive and appetitive contexts, suggesting that these autonomic dynamics are not only sensitive to threat but reflecting a more general action-preparatory mechanism. We further gathered evidence for two previously proposed defensive states involving a decrease of (oculo)motor activity in a naturalistic, unconstrained virtual reality environment. Specifically, we observed a state consisting of a cessation of ongoing behaviors and orienting upon relatively distal, ambiguous threat (Attentive Immobility) while an entire immobilization and presumed allocation of attention to the threat stimulus became apparent upon approaching potential threat (Immobility under Attack). Taken together, we provided evidence for specific oculomotor and autonomic dynamics upon increasing levels of threat that may inspire future translational work in rodents and humans on shared mechanisms of threat processing, ultimately supporting the development of novel therapeutic approaches.},
  subject      = {Furcht},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Laqua2024,
  author    = {Laqua, Caroline},
  title     = {Association of myocardial tissue characteristics and functional outcome in biopsy-verified myocarditis assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36390},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363903},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {The relation between LV function and cardiac MRI tissue characteristics in separate myocardial segments and their change over time has yet to be explored in myocarditis. Thus, our research aimed to investigate possible associations between global and regional myocardial T1 and T2 times and peak strain in patients with suspected myocarditis. From 2012 to 2015, 129 patients with clinically suspected myocarditis of the prospective, observational MyoRacer-Trial underwent systematic biventricular EMB at baseline and cardiac MRI at baseline and after three months as a follow-up. We divided the LV myocardium into 17 segments and estimated the segmental myocardial strain using FT. We registered T1 and T2 maps to the cine sequences and transferred the segmentations used for FT to ensure conformity of the myocardial segments. Multi-level multivariable linear mixed effects regression was applied to investigate the relation of segmental myocardial strain to relaxation times and their respective change from baseline to follow-up. We found a significant improvement in myocardial peak strain from baseline to follow-up (p < 0.001; all p-values given for likelihood ratio tests) and significant associations between higher T1 and T2 times and lower segmental myocardial peak strain (p ranging from < 0.001 to 0.049). E.g., regression coefficient (Reg. coef.) for segmental radial peak strain in short axis view (SRPS_SAX) and T1 time: -1.9, 95\% CI (-2.6;-1.2) \%/100 ms, p < 0.001. A decrease in T1 and T2 times from baseline to follow-up was also significantly related to a recovery of segmental peak strains (p ranging from < 0.001 to 0.050). E.g., Reg. coef. for SRPS_SAX per ΔT1: -1.8, 95\% CI (-2.5;-1.0) \%/100 ms, p < 0.001. Moreover, the higher the baseline T1 time, the more substantial the functional recovery from baseline to follow-up (p ranging from 0.004 to 0.042, e.g., for SRPS_SAX: Reg. coef. 1.3, 95\% CI (0.4;2.1) \%/100 ms, p 0.004). We did not find an effect modification by the presence of myocarditis in the EMB (p > 0.1). Our cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses provide evidence of dose-dependent correlations between T1 and T2 relaxation times and myocardial peak strain in patients with clinical presentation of myocarditis, regardless of the EMB result. Thus, assessing strain values and mapping relaxation times helps estimate the functional prognosis in patients with clinically suspected myocarditis.},
  subject      = {Myokarditis},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Hahn2024,
  author    = {Hahn, Sarah},
  title     = {Investigating non-canonical, 5' UTR-dependent translation of MYC and its impact on colorectal cancer development},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36420},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-364202},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common tumour disease in Germany, with the sequential accumulation of certain mutations playing a decisive role in the transition from adenoma to carcinoma. In particular, deregulation of the Wnt signalling pathway and the associated deregulated expression of the MYC oncoprotein play a crucial role. Targeting MYC thus represents an important therapeutic approach in the treatment of tumours. Since direct inhibition of MYC is challenging, various approaches have been pursued to date to target MYC indirectly. The MYC 5' UTR contains an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES), which has a particular role in the initiation of MYC translation, especially in multiple myeloma. As basis for this work, it was hypothesised on the basis of previous data that translation of MYC potentially occurs via its IRES in CRC as well. Based on this, two IRES inhibitors were tested for their potential to regulate MYC expression in CRC cells. In addition, alternative, 5' UTR-dependent translation of MYC and interacting factors were investigated. EIF3D was identified as a MYC 5' UTR binding protein which has the potential to regulate MYC expression in CRC. The results of this work suggest that there is a link between eIF3D and MYC expression/translation, rendering eIF3D a potential therapeutic target for MYC-driven CRCs.},
  subject      = {Myc},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Bredemeyer2024,
  author    = {Bredemeyer, Cynthia Natascha},
  title     = {Akademisierung und Professionalisierung der Zahnheilkunde, insbesondere der Zahnchirurgie, in W{\"u}rzburg und Unterfranken im 19. Jahrhundert},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36387},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363878},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Die Arbeit befasst sich mit der Akademisierung und Professionalisierung der Zahnheilkunde, insbesondere der Zahnchirurgie, in W{\"u}rzburg und Unterfranken im 19. Jahrhundert. Dies wurde insbesondere anhand des zahnchirurgischen Teils der Lehrchirurgischen Instrumentensammlung der Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg bzw. des Juliusspitals erforscht. Der zahnchirurgische Teil der Instrumentensammlung war bisher noch nicht erforscht worden und besteht aktuell aus 34+1 Instrumenten, die f{\"u}r diese Arbeit komplett katalogisiert wurden. F{\"u}r die Entwicklung der Instrumente im Verlauf des 19. Jahrhunderts wurde die Provenienz der Teilsammlung ergr{\"u}ndet und diese in den Kontext der Akademisierungsbewegung des 19. Jahrhunderts eingeordnet. Die Forschung wurde anhand der tats{\"a}chlich in der Praxis t{\"a}tigen und nach und nach akademisch ausgebildeten Personen nachvollzogen. Hierzu wurden neben den Instrumenten als Quelle die Adressb{\"u}cher der Stadt W{\"u}rzburg und die Matrikel-, Personal- und Vorlesungsverzeichnisse der Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg des gesamten 19. Jahrhunderts systematisch durchgearbeitet. Außerdem wurden Lehrb{\"u}cher aus dem nichtakademischen zahnchirurigischen Bereich (Bader) mit denen aus dem sich beginnenden akademischen Bereich analysiert. Anhand dieser Forschungsarbeit konnte dargelegt werden, dass die Zahnchirurgie sich analog zur Chiurgie aus dem handwerklichen Bereich abgekoppelt und nach und nach auf verschiedenen Stufen akademisiert hat. Die Zahnchirurgie hat sich "von unten nach oben" durch das Bestreben nichtakademisch ausgebildeter Menschen akademisiert.},
  subject      = {Zahnchirurgie},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Heimberger2024,
  author    = {Heimberger, Kevin},
  title     = {Regulation pathways of c-MYC under glutamine-starving conditions in colon carcinoma cells},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36331},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363316},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Colon carcinomas (CRC) are statistically among the most fatal cancer types and hence one of the top reasons for premature mortality in the developed world. CRC cells are characterized by high proliferation rates caused by deregulation of gene transcription of proto-oncogenes and general chromosomal instability. On macroscopic level, CRC cells show a strongly altered nutrient and energy metabolism. This work presents research to understand general links between the metabolism and transcription alteration. Mainly focussing on glutamine dependency, shown in colon carcinoma cells and expression pathways of the pro-proliferation protein c-MYC. Previous studies showed that a depletion of glutamine in the cultivation medium of colon carcinoma cell lines caused a proliferation arrest and a strong decrease of overall c-MYC levels. Re-addition of glutamine quickly replenished c-MYC levels through an unknown mechanism. Several proteins altering this regulation mechanism were identified and proposed as possible starting point for further in detail studies to unveil the precise biochemical pathway controlling c-MYC translation repression and reactivation in a rapid manner. On a transcriptional level the formation of RNA:DNA hybrids, so called R-loops, was observed under glutamine depleted conditions. The introduction and overexpression of RNaseH1, a R-loop degrading enzyme, in combination with an ectopically expressed c-MYC variant, independent of cellular regulation mechanisms by deleting the regulatory 3'-UTR of the c-MYC gene, lead to a high rate of apoptotic cells in culture. Expression of a functionally inactive variant of RNaseH1 abolished this effect. This indicates a regulatory function of R-loops formed during glutamine starvation in the presence of c-MYC protein in a cell. Degradation of R-loops and high c-MYC levels in this stress condition had no imminent effect on the cell cycle progression is CRC cells but disturbed the nucleotide metabolism. Nucleotide triphosphates were strongly reduced in comparison to starving cells without R-loop degradation and proliferating cells. This study proposes a model of a terminal cycle of transcription termination, unregulated initiation and elongation of transcription leading to a depletion of energy resources of cells. This could finally lead to high apoptosis of the cells. Sequencing experiments to determine a coinciding of termination sites and R-loop formation sides failed so far but show a starting point for further studies in this essential survival mechanism involving R-loop formation and c-MYC downregulation.},
  subject      = {Myc},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Beudert2024,
  author    = {Beudert, Matthias},
  title     = {Bioinspired Modification and Functionalization of Hydrogels for Applications in Biomedicine},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-32288},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-322887},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Over the years, hydrogels have been developed and used for a huge variety of different applications ranging from drug delivery devices to medical products. In this thesis, a poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (POx) / poly(2-n-propyl-2-oxazine) (POzi) bioink was modified and analyzed for the use in biofabrication and targeted drug delivery. In addition, the protein fibrinogen (Fbg) was genetically modified for an increased stability towards plasmin degradation for its use as wound sealant. In Chapter 1, a thermogelling, printable POx/POzi-based hydrogel was modified with furan and maleimide moieties in the hydrophilic polymer backbone facilitating post-printing maturation of the constructs via Diels-Alder chemistry. The modification enabled long-term stability of the hydrogel scaffolds in aqueous solutions which is necessary for applications in biofabrication or tissue engineering. Furthermore, we incorporated RGD-peptides into the hydrogel which led to cell adhesion and elongated morphology of fibroblast cells seeded on top of the scaffolds. Additional printing experiments demonstrate that the presented POx/POzi system is a promising platform for the use as a bioink in biofabrication. Chapter 2 highlights the versatility of the POx/POzi hydrogels by adapting the system to a use in targeted drug delivery. We used a bioinspired approach for a bioorthogonal conjugation of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) to the polymer using an omega-chain-end dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO) modification and a matrix metalloprotease-sensitive peptide linker. This approach enabled a bioresponsive release of IGF-I from hydrogels as well as spatial control over the protein distribution in 3D printed constructs which makes the system a candidate for the use in personalized medicine. Chapter 3 gives a general overview over the necessity of wound sealants and the current generations of fibrin sealants on the market including advantages and challenges. Furthermore, it highlights trends and potential new strategies to tackle current problems and broadens the toolbox for future generations of fibrin sealants. Chapter 4 applies the concepts of recombinant protein expression and molecular engineering to a novel generation of fibrin sealants. In a proof-of-concept study, we developed a new recombinant fibrinogen (rFbg) expression protocol and a Fbg mutant that is less susceptible to plasmin degradation. Targeted lysine of plasmin cleavage sites in Fbg were exchanged with alanine or histidine in different parts of the molecule. The protein was recombinantly produced and restricted plasmin digest was analyzed using high resolution mass spectrometry. In addition to that, we developed a novel time resolved screening protocol for the detection of new potential plasmin cleavage sites for further amino acid exchanges in the fibrin sealant.},
  subject      = {Hydrogel},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Endres2024,
  author    = {Endres, Erik},
  title     = {Kovalente Inhibitoren: Modellierung und Design},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-35933},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-359330},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Kovalente Inhibition stellt einen effektiven Weg dar, die Verweildauer des Liganden innerhalb einer Bindetasche zu erh{\"o}hen. In dieser Arbeit wurden theoretische Methoden angewendet, um die Reaktivit{\"a}t und den nichtkovalenten Zustand vor der Reaktion zu modellieren. Im Rahmen einer Fallstudie zu Cathepsin K wurden nichtkovalente Modelle von kovalenten Inhibitoren generiert. F{\"u}r verschiedene Komplexe aus Cathepsin K und einem kovalent gebundenem Liganden wurde der Zustand vor der Reaktion modelliert und dessen Stabilit{\"a}t im Rahmen einer klassischen MD-Simulation {\"u}berpr{\"u}ft. Die Stabilit{\"a}t des Warheads in der Bindetasche hing haupts{\"a}chlich vom gew{\"a}hlten Protonierungszustand der katalytischen Aminos{\"a}uren ab. F{\"u}r eine Reihe von Inhibitoren der ChlaDUB1 wurde ein Protokoll aus quantenmechanischen Rechnungen genutzt, um die Reaktivit{\"a}t verschiedener Warheads abzusch{\"a}tzen. Die erhaltenen Aktivierungsenergien korrelierten mit experimentell bestimmten Raten zur Inaktivierung des Enzyms. Im Rahmen eines Wirkstoffdesign-Projektes zur Deubiquitinase USP28 wurden von unpublizierten Kristallstrukturen ausgehend erste Docking-Experimente durchgef{\"u}hrt. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass ein literaturbekannter Inhibitor von USP28 mit einem Warhead so modifiziert werden kann, dass die reaktive Einheit in direkter Nachbarschaft zu einem Cystein positioniert wird. F{\"u}r diese Warheads wurden ebenfalls quantenmechanische Rechnungen zur Bestimmung der Aktivierungsenergie durchgef{\"u}hrt. Um besser nachvollziehen zu k{\"o}nnen, warum bei einem Photoswitch-Inhibitor der Butyrylcholin-Esterase der cis-Zustand des Molek{\"u}ls besser inhibiert als der trans-Zustand, wurde eine Docking-Studie des Zustandes vor der Reaktion durchgef{\"u}hrt. Es konnte ein qualitatives Modell aufgestellt werden, das zeigt, dass der trans-Zustand aufgrund seiner l{\"a}ngeren Form mit wichtigen Aminos{\"a}uren am Eingang der Bindungstasche kollidiert.},
  subject      = {Molekulardynamik},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Zhao2024,
  author    = {Zhao, Suting},
  title     = {Symmetry Resolution of Entanglement in Holography},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36385},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363854},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {This thesis investigates the charged moments and the symmetry-resolved entanglement entropy in the context of the AdS3/CFT2 duality. In the first part, I focus on the holographic U(1) Chern-Simons-Einstein gravity, a toy model of AdS3/CFT2 with U(1) Kac-Moody symmetry. I start with the vacuum background with a single entangling interval. I show that, apart from a partition function in the grand canonical ensemble, the charged moments can also be interpreted as the two-point function of vertex operators on the replica surface. For the holographic description, I propose a duality between the bulk U(1) Wilson line and the boundary vertex operators. I verify this duality by deriving the effective action for the Chern-Simons fields and comparing the result with the vertex correlator. In the twist field approach, I show that the charged moments are given by the correlation function of the charged twist operators and the additional background operators. To solve the correlation functions involved, I prove the factorization of the U(1) extended conformal block into a U(1) block and a Virasoro block. The general expression for the U(1) block is derived by directly summing over the current descendant states, and the result shows that it takes an identical form as the vertex correlators. This leads to the conclusion that the disjoint Wilson lines compute the neutral U(1) block. The final result for the symmetry-resolved entanglement entropy shows that it is always charge-independent in this model. In the second part, I study charged moments in higher spin holography, where the boundary theory is a CFT with W3 symmetry. I define the notion of the higher spin charged moments by introducing a spin-3 modular charge operator. Restricting to the vacuum background with a single entangling interval, I employ the grand canonical ensemble interpretation and calculate the charged moments via the known higher spin black hole solution. On the CFT side, I perform a perturbative expansion for the higher spin charged moments in terms of the connected correlation functions of the spin-3 modular charge operators. Using the recursion relation for the correlation functions of the W3 currents, I evaluate the charged moments up to the quartic order of the chemical potential. The final expression matches with the holographic result. My results both for U(1) Chern-Simons Einstein gravity and W3 higher spin gravity constitute novel checks of the AdS3/CFT2 correspondence.},
  subject      = {AdS-CFT-Korrespondenz},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Dietrich2024,
  author    = {Dietrich, Oliver},
  title     = {Integrating single-cell multi-omics to decipher host-pathogen interactions},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36013},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-360138},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Interactions between host and pathogen determine the development, progression and outcomes of disease. Medicine benefits from better descriptions of these interactions through increased precision of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Single-cell genomics is a disruptive technology revolutionizing science by increasing the resolution with which we study diseases. Cell type specific changes in abundance or gene expression are now routinely investigated in diseases. Meanwhile, detecting cellular phenotypes across diseases can connect scientific fields and fuel discovery. Insights acquired through systematic analysis of high resolution data will soon be translated into clinical practice and improve decision making. Therefore, the continued use of single-cell technologies and their application towards clinical samples will improve molecular interpretation, patient stratification, and the prediction of outcomes. In the past years, I was fortunate to participate in interdisciplinary research groups bridging biology, clinical research and data science. I was able to contribute to diverse projects through computational analysis and biological interpretation of sequencing data. Together, we were able to discover cellular phenotypes that influence disease progression and outcomes as well as the response to treatment. Here, I will present four studies that I have conducted in my PhD. First, we performed a case study of relapse from cell-based immunotherapy in Multiple Myeloma. We identified genomic deletion of the epitope as mechanism of immune escape and implicate heterozygosity or monosomy of the genomic locus at baseline as a potential risk factor. Second, we investigated the pathomechanisms of severe COVID-19 at the earliest stage of the COVID- 19 pandemic in Germany in March 2020. We discovered that profibrotic macrophages and lung fibrosis can be caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Third, we used a mouse model of chronic infection with Staphylococcus aureus that causes Osteomyelitis similar to the human disease. We were able to identify dysregulated immunometabolism associated with the generation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). Fourth, we investigated Salmonella infection of the human small intestine in an in vitro model and describe features of pathogen invasion and host response. Overall, I have been able to successfully employ single-cell sequencing to discover important aspects of diseases ranging from development to treatment and outcome. I analyzed samples from the clinics, human donors, mouse models and organoid models to investigate different aspects of diseases and managed to integrate data across sample types, technologies and diseases. Based on successful studies, we increased our efforts to combine data from multiple sources to build comprehensive references for the integration of large collections of clinical samples. Our findings exemplify how single-cell sequencing can improve clinical research and highlights the potential of mechanistic discoveries to drive precision medicine.},
  subject      = {Einzelzellanalyse},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Papay2024,
  author    = {Papay, Marion},
  title     = {Notwendigkeit der pr{\"a}operativen Reposition von distalen, nach dorsal dislozierten Radiusfrakturen bei bestehender Operationsindikation im Hinblick auf das Schmerzniveau sowie postoperative Ergebnisse},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36388},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363882},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Die distale Radiusfraktur geh{\"o}rt zu den h{\"a}ufigsten Frakturen in Deutschland mit einem Inzidenzanstieg im Alter unter Betonung des weiblichen Geschlechts. Dabei zeigt sich ein zunehmender Trend in Richtung operative Versorgung, allen voran die Versorgung mittels winkelstabiler Plattensysteme. Instabile, distale Radiusfrakturen werden dabei vor geplanter operativer Versorgung im Rahmen der Initialbehandlung {\"u}blicherweise geschlossen reponiert und im Gipsverband retiniert. Ziel der vorliegenden monozentrischen, prospektiv randomisierten Studie mit zwei Studiengruppen war es herauszufinden, ob sich das Unterlassen der Reposition vor geplanter Operation nachteilig auf das Schmerzniveau in der pr{\"a}operativen Phase auswirkt und ob sich durch die Dislokation Nachteile in Bezug auf den Nervus medianus im Sinne eines Traktionsschadens sowie bez{\"u}glich des klinisch-radiologischen Ausheilungsergebnisses zeigen. Die Studie zeigte, dass das Schmerzempfinden w{\"a}hrend der pr{\"a}operativen Gipsbehandlung unabh{\"a}ngig von einer vorherigen Reposition war. F{\"u}r den prim{\"a}ren Endpunkt an Tag 1 nach der Akutbehandlung konnte statistisch signifikante Nichtunterlegenheit der Gruppe ohne Reposition gegen{\"u}ber der Gruppe mit Reposition nachgewiesen werden. Gleiches galt f{\"u}r Tag 2, sowohl f{\"u}r die absoluten Schmerzniveaus als auch f{\"u}r die Schmerzlinderung. Das Unterlassen der Reposition hatte zudem keine nachteiligen Effekte auf den Nervus medianus. Gleiches zeigte sich f{\"u}r das klinische und radiologische Ausheilungsergebnis. F{\"u}r die funktionellen DASH- und Krimmer-Scores konnte ein Jahr postoperativ ebenfalls statistisch signifikante Nichtunterlegenheit der Gruppe ohne Reposition nachgewiesen werden. Diese Erkenntnisse best{\"a}tigen die in der Literatur vorhandenen Ergebnisse verschiedener Studien dahingehend, dass das Unterlassen der Reposition keine nachteiligen Effekte auf das postoperative Outcome hat. Einige Studien verdeutlichen zudem, dass es nach Reposition, insbesondere bei Vorliegen gewisser Risiko- und Instabilit{\"a}tsfaktoren, ohnehin zur sekund{\"a}ren Dislokation kommt, sodass die generelle Notwendigkeit der Reposition vor Gipsanlage sowohl vor einer operativen als auch vor einer konservativen Weiterbehandlung angezweifelt werden muss.},
  subject      = {distale Radiusfraktur},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Aroko2024,
  author    = {Aroko, Erick Onyango},
  title     = {Trans-regulation of \(Trypanosoma\) \(brucei\) variant surface glycoprotein (VSG) mRNA and structural analysis of a \(Trypanosoma\) \(vivax\) VSG using X-ray crystallography},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-24177},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-241773},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {African trypanosomes are unicellular parasites that cause nagana and sleeping sickness in livestock and man, respectively. The major pathogens for the animal disease include Trypanosoma vivax, T. congolense, and T. brucei brucei, whereas T. b. gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense are responsible for human infections. Given that the bloodstream form (BSF) of African trypanosomes is exclusively extracellular, its cell surface forms a critical boundary with the host environment. The cell surface of the BSF African trypanosomes is covered by a dense coat of immunogenic variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs). This surface protein acts as an impenetrable shield that protects the cells from host immune factors and is also involved in antibody clearance and antigenic variation, which collectively ensure that the parasite stays ahead of the host immune system. Gene expression in T. brucei is markedly different from other eukaryotes: most genes are transcribed as long polycistronic units, processed by trans-splicing a 39-nucleotide mini exon at the 5′ and polyadenylation at the 3′ ends of individual genes to generate the mature mRNA. Therefore, gene expression in T. brucei is regulated post-transcriptionally, mainly by the action of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and conserved elements in the 3′ untranslated regions (UTR) of transcripts. The expression of VSGs is highly regulated, and only a single VSG gene is expressed at a time from one of the ~15 subtelomeric domains termed bloodstream expression sites (BES). When cells are engineered to simultaneously express two VSGs, the total VSG mRNA do not exceed the wild type amounts. This suggests that a robust VSG mRNA balancing mechanism exists in T. brucei. The present study uses inducible and constitutive expression of ectopic VSG genes to show that the endogenous VSG mRNA is regulated only if the second VSG is properly targeted to the ER. Additionally, the endogenous VSG mRNA response is triggered when high amounts of the GFP reporter with a VSG 3′UTR is targeted to the ER. Further evidence that non-VSG ER import signals can efficiently target VSGs to the ER is presented. This study suggests that a robust trans-regulation of the VSG mRNA is elicited at the ER through a feedback loop to keep the VSG transcripts in check and avoid overshooting the secretory pathway capacity. Further, it was shown that induction of expression of the T. vivax VSG ILDat1.2 in T. brucei causes a dual cell cycle arrest, with concomitant upregulation of the protein associated with differentiation (PAD1) expression. It could be shown that T. vivax VSG ILDat1.2 can only be sufficiently expressed in T. brucei after replacing its native GPI signal peptide with that of a T. brucei VSG. Taken together, these data indicate that inefficient VSG GPI anchoring and expression of low levels of the VSG protein can trigger differentiation from slender BSF to stumpy forms. However, a second T. vivax VSG, ILDat2.1, is not expressed in T. brucei even after similar modifications to its GPI signals. An X-ray crystallography approach was utilized to solve the N-terminal domain (NTD) structure of VSG ILDat1.2. This is first structure of a non-T. brucei VSG, and the first of a surface protein of T. vivax to be solved. VSG ILDat1.2 NTD maintains the three-helical bundle scaffold conserved in T. brucei surface proteins. However, it is likely that there are variations in the architecture of the membrane proximal region of the ILDat1.2 NTD and its CTD from T. brucei VSGs. The tractable T. brucei system is presented as a model that can be used to study surface proteins of related trypanosome species, thus creating avenues for further characterization of trypanosome surface coats.},
  subject      = {Trypanosoma vivax},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Abelein2024,
  author    = {Abelein, Christian Karl},
  title     = {„Ich habe mich so daran gew{\"o}hnt, daß ich beinahe nie dichte ohne zugleich zu singen!" - Der Briefwechsel zwischen August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798-1874) und Hans Michael Schletterer (1824-1893) als Dokument einer konstruktiven Zusammenarbeit zwischen Dichter und Komponist im 19. Jahrhundert.},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36386},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363862},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Die von Friedhelm Brusniak und Ulrich Konrad betreute und angenommene Dissertation nimmt den Briefwechsel zwischen August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben und dem j{\"u}ngeren Augsburger Kapellmeister und Komponisten Hans Michael Schletterer in den Jahren 1862 bis 1873 in den Blick und dokumentiert dabei Hoffmanns Einfluss auf den Entstehungsprozess der Vertonungen seiner Lieder, besonders seiner Kinderlieder. Die Arbeit beleuchtet zudem den Erfahrungsschatz, den sich der ‚Dichter-S{\"a}nger' Hoffmann von Fallersleben auch durch die Zusammenarbeit mit anderen Musikern seiner Zeit, vorrangig Ludwig Christian Erk (1807-1883) und Ernst Heinrich Leopold Richter (1805-1876), erworben hatte. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus werden in der Korrespondenz Themen des gesellschaftlichen und politischen Lebens, der privaten und beruflichen Situation beider wie auch Hoffmanns Rolle als v{\"a}terlicher Berater Schletterers ber{\"u}hrt. Die Arbeit darf als neuer substantieller Beitrag der Hoffmann-Forschung und der interdisziplin{\"a}ren Liedforschung angesehen werden, der insbesondere der Kinderliedforschung neue Impulse verleiht.},
  subject      = {Hoffmann von Fallersleben, August Heinrich},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Yu2024,
  author    = {Yu, Yanying},
  title     = {Applied machine learning for the analysis of CRISPR-Cas systems},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-32021},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-320219},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Among the defense strategies developed in microbes over millions of years, the innate adaptive CRISPR-Cas immune systems have spread across most of bacteria and archaea. The flexibility, simplicity, and specificity of CRISPR-Cas systems have laid the foundation for CRISPR-based genetic tools. Yet, the efficient administration of CRISPR-based tools demands rational designs to maximize the on-target efficiency and off-target specificity. Specifically, the selection of guide RNAs (gRNAs), which play a crucial role in the target recognition of CRISPR-Cas systems, is non-trivial. Despite the fact that the emerging machine learning techniques provide a solution to aid in gRNA design with prediction algorithms, design rules for many CRISPR-Cas systems are ill-defined, hindering their broader applications. CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), an alternative gene silencing technique using a catalytically dead Cas protein to interfere with transcription, is a leading technique in bacteria for functional interrogation, pathway manipulation, and genome-wide screens. Although the application is promising, it also is hindered by under-investigated design rules. Therefore, in this work, I develop a state-of-art predictive machine learning model for guide silencing efficiency in bacteria leveraging the advantages of feature engineering, data integration, interpretable AI, and automated machine learning. I first systematically investigate the influential factors that attribute to the extent of depletion in multiple CRISPRi genome-wide essentiality screens in Escherichia coli and demonstrate the surprising dominant contribution of gene-specific effects, such as gene expression level. These observations allowed me to segregate the confounding gene-specific effects using a mixed-effect random forest (MERF) model to provide a better estimate of guide efficiency, together with the improvement led by integrating multiple screens. The MERF model outperformed existing tools in an independent high-throughput saturating screen. I next interpret the predictive model to extract the design rules for robust gene silencing, such as the preference for cytosine and disfavoring for guanine and thymine within and around the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) sequence. I further incorporated the MERF model in a web-based tool that is freely accessible at www.ciao.helmholtz-hiri.de. When comparing the MERF model with existing tools, the performance of the alternative gRNA design tool optimized for CRISPRi in eukaryotes when applied to bacteria was far from satisfying, questioning the robustness of prediction algorithms across organisms. In addition, the CRISPR-Cas systems exhibit diverse mechanisms albeit with some similarities. The captured predictive patterns from one dataset thereby are at risk of poor generalization when applied across organisms and CRISPR-Cas techniques. To fill the gap, the machine learning approach I present here for CRISPRi could serve as a blueprint for the effective development of prediction algorithms for specific organisms or CRISPR-Cas systems of interest. The explicit workflow includes three principle steps: 1) accommodating the feature set for the CRISPR-Cas system or technique; 2) optimizing a machine learning model using automated machine learning; 3) explaining the model using interpretable AI. To illustrate the applicability of the workflow and diversity of results when applied across different bacteria and CRISPR-Cas systems, I have applied this workflow to analyze three distinct CRISPR-Cas genome-wide screens. From the CRISPR base editor essentiality screen in E. coli, I have determined the PAM preference and sequence context in the editing window for efficient editing, such as A at the 2nd position of PAM, A/TT/TG downstream of PAM, and TC at the 4th to 5th position of gRNAs. From the CRISPR-Cas13a screen in E. coli, in addition to the strong correlation with the guide depletion, the target expression level is the strongest predictor in the model, supporting it as a main determinant of the activation of Cas13-induced immunity and better characterizing the CRISPR-Cas13 system. From the CRISPR-Cas12a screen in Klebsiella pneumoniae, I have extracted the design rules for robust antimicrobial activity across K. pneumoniae strains and provided a predictive algorithm for gRNA design, facilitating CRISPR-Cas12a as an alternative technique to tackle antibiotic resistance. Overall, this thesis presents an accurate prediction algorithm for CRISPRi guide efficiency in bacteria, providing insights into the determinants of efficient silencing and guide designs. The systematic exploration has led to a robust machine learning approach for effective model development in other bacteria and CRISPR-Cas systems. Applying the approach in the analysis of independent CRISPR-Cas screens not only sheds light on the design rules but also the mechanisms of the CRISPR-Cas systems. Together, I demonstrate that applied machine learning paves the way to a deeper understanding and a broader application of CRISPR-Cas systems.},
  subject      = {Maschinelles Lernen},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{KuklovskyformerFinke2024,
  author    = {Kuklovsky [former Finke], Valerie},
  title     = {Are some bees smarter than others? An examination of consistent individual differences in the cognitive abilities of honey bees},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-32301},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-323012},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Cognition refers to the ability to of animals to acquire, process, store and use vital information from the environment. Cognitive processes are necessary to predict the future and reduce the uncertainty of the ever-changing environment. Classically, research on animal cognition focuses on decisive cognitive tests to determine the capacity of a species by the testing the ability of a few individuals. This approach views variability between these tested key individuals as unwanted noise and is thus often neglected. However, inter-individual variability provides important insights to behavioral plasticity, cognitive specialization and brain modularity. Honey bees Apis mellifera are a robust and traditional model for the study of learning, memory and cognition due to their impressive capabilities and rich behavioral repertoire. In this thesis I have applied a novel view on the learning abilities of honey bees by looking explicitly at individual differences in a variety of learning tasks. Are some individual bees consistently smarter than some of her sisters? If so, will a smart individual always perform good independent of the time, the context and the cognitive requirements or do bees show distinct isolated 'cognitive modules'? My thesis presents the first comprehensive investigation of consistent individual differences in the cognitive abilities of honey bees. To speak of an individual as behaving consistently, a crucial step is to test the individual multiple times to examine the repeatability of a behavior. I show that free-flying bees remain consistent in a visual discrimination task for three consecutive days. Successively, I explored individual consistency in cognitive proficiency across tasks involving different sensory modalities, contexts and cognitive requirements. I found that free-flying bees show a cognitive specialization between visual and olfactory learning but remained consistent across a simple discrimination task and a complex concept learning task. I wished to further explore individual consistency with respect to tasks of different cognitive complexity, a question that has never been tackled before in an insect. I thus performed a series of four experiments using either visual or olfactory stimuli and a different training context (free-flying and restrained) and tested bees in a discrimination task, reversal learning and negative patterning. Intriguingly, across all these experiments I evidenced the same results: The bees' performances were consistent across the discrimination task and reversal learning and negative patterning respectively. No association was evidenced between reversal learning and negative patterning. After establishing the existence of consistent individual differences in the cognitive proficiency of honey bees I wished to determine factors which could underlie these differences. Since genetic components are known to underlie inter-individual variability in learning abilities, I studied the effects of genetics on consistency in cognitive proficiency by contrasting bees originating from either from a hive with a single patriline (low genetic diversity) or with multiple patrilines (high genetic diversity). These two groups of bees showed differences in the patterns of individually correlated performances, indicating a genetic component accounts for consistent cognitive individuality. Another major factor underlying variability in learning performances is the individual responsiveness to sucrose solution and to visual stimuli, as evidenced by many studies on restrained bees showing a positive correlation between responsiveness to task relevant stimuli and learning performances. I thus tested whether these relationships between sucrose/visual responsiveness and learning performances are applicable for free-flying bees. Free-flying bees were again subjected to reversal learning and negative patterning and subsequently tested in the laboratory for their responsiveness to sucrose and to light. There was no evidence of a positive relationship between sucrose/visual responsiveness and neither performances of free-flying bees in an elemental discrimination, reversal learning and negative patterning. These findings indicate that relationships established between responsiveness to task relevant stimuli and learning proficiency established in the laboratory with restrained bees might not hold true for a completely different behavioral context i.e. for free-flying bees in their natural environment. These results show that the honey bee is an excellent insect model to study consistency in cognitive proficiency and to identify the underlying factors. I mainly discuss the results with respect to the question of brain modularity in insects and the adaptive significance of individuality in cognitive abilities for honey bee colonies. I also provide a proposition of research questions which tie in this theme of consistent cognitive proficiency and could provide fruitful areas for future research.},
  subject      = {Lernen},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Dalkmann2024,
  author    = {Dalkmann, Theresa},
  title     = {Evaluierung prognostischer und pr{\"a}diktiver Biomarker beim neoadjuvant vorbehandelten Rektumkarzinom},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-36336},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-363368},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Fragestellung. Osteopontin (OPN) kann im Blut nachgewiesen werden und wird bei vielen Tumorentit{\"a}ten exprimiert, wie auch der Tyrosinkinaserezeptor c-Met und sein Ligand, das Zytokin Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF). In der vorliegenden Arbeit untersuchten wir die prognostische und pr{\"a}diktive Wertigkeit der Plasmakonzentrationen von OPN, c-Met und HGF bei Patienten mit lokal fortgeschrittenem Rektumkarzinom (LARC). Methodik. Das Plasma von 63 Patienten mit LARC wurde untersucht. Die Blutentnahmen (EDTA-Plasma) erfolgten vor Therapiebeginn sowie im Verlauf. Die Plasmaspiegel von OPN, c-Met und HGF wurden mittels Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay analysiert. Die Konzentrationen wurden auf eine Korrelation mit den klinischen Parametern untersucht. Ergebnisse. 68 Patienten wurden neoadjuvant mit einer Radiochemotherapie behandelt, 63 Blutproben wurden untersucht. Initial befanden sich nach UICC 14 Patienten in Stadium II, 47 in Stadium III und 7 in Stadium IV. Das mediane Follow-Up betrug 29,87 Monate. 20 der 68 Patienten (29,4 \%) verstarben, 19 entwickelten Fernmetastasen. OPN korrelierte signifikant mit dem {\"U}berleben (p=0,001). OPN-Werte korrelierten mit dem pT-Stadium (R:0,445 p=0,018) und dem pUICC-Stadium (R:0,412 p=0,018), sowie mit dem Auftreten von Fernmetastasen (R:0,271 p=0,031). Eine Korrelation zwischen OPN und dem Therapieansprechen konnte gezeigt werden: pathologisch komplette Remission (pCR) (R:0,379 p=0,001), NAR-Score (R:0,373 p=0,015), TRG (R:0,380 p=0,020). Die logistische Regressionsanalyse ergab eine Pr{\"a}diktivit{\"a}t OPNs f{\"u}r pCR (OR:0,990 p=0,009), NAR-Score (OR:1,008 p=0,007), TRG (OR:0,459 p=0,008). C-Met und HGF korrelierten nicht mit dem {\"U}berleben. F{\"u}r c-Met und HGF ergab sich keine Korrelation zu initialen klinischen Daten und Therapieansprechen. Die logistische Regression ergab keinen pr{\"a}diktiven Wert. Schlussfolgerung. Die Plasmakonzentration von OPN besitzt prognostische und pr{\"a}diktive Wertigkeit beim LARC. Die Konzentrationen von c-Met und HGF sind nicht prognostisch f{\"u}r das {\"U}berleben oder pr{\"a}diktiv f{\"u}r das Therapieansprechen.},
  subject      = {Biomarker},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Djakowski2024,
  author    = {Djakowski, Paul},
  title     = {Schulische politische Bildung in Deutschland und Polen. Eine kompetenzbasierte komparative Analyse der Leitf{\"a}cher f{\"u}r politische Bildung anhand von Stundentafeln und Curricula allgemeinbildender staatlicher Schulformen der Primarstufe sowie der Sekundarstufen I und II im Schuljahr 2019/20},
  publisher = {W{\"u}rzburg University Press},
  address   = {W{\"u}rzburg},
  isbn      = {978-3-95826-230-0},
  doi       = {10.25972/WUP-978-3-95826-231-7},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-326799},
  school      = {W{\"u}rzburg University Press},
  pages     = {XXI, 593},
  year      = {2024},
  abstract  = {Politische Bildung {\"u}bt nicht nur einen großen Einfluss auf die zuk{\"u}nftige Konstellation des politischen Systems aus, sondern beeinflusst ebenfalls das soziale Miteinander pr{\"a}gend. Damit werden entscheidende Weichen f{\"u}r die Entwicklung der Gesellschaft, der Nation und des Staates gestellt. Im Zuge dieses Prozesses durchl{\"a}uft jeder junge B{\"u}rger einen politischen Bildungsweg an Schulen. Die Vorgaben dar{\"u}ber, wie schulische politische Bildung auszusehen hat und welche Kompetenzen Sch{\"u}ler in diesem Zusammenhang erwerben sollen, geben die Kultus- bzw. Bildungsministerien in Curricula vor, verbindlich f{\"u}r alle Lehrer. Durch eine komparative Analyse der Curricula kann damit eindeutig die staatlich vorgegebene politische, gesellschaftliche und soziale Richtung festgestellt werden, die junge Menschen einschlagen sollen. Welche edukativen Ziele der politischen Bildung werden verfolgt? Was sollen Sch{\"u}ler lernen, um mit diesen Kompetenzen die Zukunft ihres Kollektivs zu gestalten? Wo liegen die Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede zweier Staaten, in unserem Fall Deutschlands und Polens, im Hinblick auf die schulische politische Bildung? Beantwortet werden diese Fragestellungen durch das Anwenden zweier Methoden der qualitativen Sozialforschung, der komparativen Inhaltsanalyse, zum einen der strukturierenden zum anderen der induktiven. Davor erfolgt eine komparativ quantitative Untersuchung, die den Umfang der Unterrichtszeit in den Leitf{\"a}chern f{\"u}r politische Bildung in allen Bundesl{\"a}ndern und in Polen vergleicht, was einer empirischen Totalerhebung der komplex umfangreichen Daten entspricht. Die quantitativen Forschungsergebnisse zeigen deutliche Differenzen zwischen Deutschland und Polen, in einem der beiden Staaten wird signifikant mehr Zeit f{\"u}r politische Bildung im Leitfach dieser Disziplin investiert als im anderen. Anhand der qualitativen Daten ist zu erkennen, dass einerseits eine gemeinsame Grundbasis von Kompetenzen der politischen Bildung zwischen Deutschland und Polen besteht. Anderseits stechen in beiden L{\"a}ndern eindeutige Unterschiede hervor, deren Ursprung zum einen historische Erfahrungen der Nationen und Staaten abbildet, zum anderen aktuell gegens{\"a}tzliche politische Interessen untermauert.},
  subject      = {Politische Bildung},
  language  = {de}
}