Refine
Year of publication
- 2011 (52) (remove)
Document Type
- Doctoral Thesis (32)
- Article (20)
Language
- English (52) (remove)
Has Fulltext
- yes (52)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (52)
Keywords
- - (19)
- Biosphärenreservat (2)
- Klimaänderung (2)
- Pancreatic cancer (2)
- Phosphine (2)
- Proteolyse (2)
- Staphylococcus aureus (2)
- 31P-NMR (1)
- 6606PDA (1)
- Ab-initio-Rechnung (1)
- Acute pancreatitis (1)
- Albuminuria (1)
- Alignment <Biochemie> (1)
- Alkoholkonsum (1)
- Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (1)
- Aminosäuren (1)
- Analytische Chemie (1)
- Antimicrobial efficacy (1)
- Antimikrobiel (1)
- Antiterminator-Proteine (1)
- Augenmuskeln (1)
- Autofluorescence (1)
- Autoimmune pancreatitis (1)
- Azaphospholderivat (1)
- Bacteria (1)
- Bauchfellentzündung (1)
- Belastungsblutdruck (1)
- Belohnung (1)
- Benzazaphosphole (1)
- Biaryle (1)
- Biatain Ag (1)
- Bio (1)
- Bio-Siegel (1)
- Biodiversity (1)
- Biodiversität (1)
- Bioinformatics (1)
- Bioinformatik (1)
- Biokatalyse (1)
- Biology and Natural Sciences (1)
- Biosphärenreservate (1)
- Calcium (1)
- Calcium-ATPasen (1)
- Calciumhomöostase (1)
- Cerulein (1)
- Chelate (1)
- Cholestasis (1)
- Chromosomal aberrations (1)
- Chronic pancreatitis (1)
- Citrus fruits (1)
- Clinical pathway (1)
- Cluster (1)
- Common bile duct ligation (1)
- Community ecology (1)
- Computerphysik (1)
- Conditioning therapy (1)
- Congenital hyperinsulinism (1)
- Conservation biology (1)
- Costing (1)
- Cyclisation (1)
- Cytokine (1)
- Cytokines (1)
- DFT (1)
- DNA Triplex (1)
- DNA triplex (1)
- DNA-Wirkstoff-Interaktion (1)
- DNA-drug interaction (1)
- DNS (1)
- Dehydrocyclisation (1)
- Diagnostic criteria (1)
- Diffuse congenital hyperinsulinism (1)
- Dispersionsrelation (1)
- Distriktkrankenhaus (1)
- Divergent response (1)
- Duchenne-Syndrom (1)
- Dämpfung (1)
- Empirische Sozialforschung (1)
- Endothel (1)
- Energy supply (1)
- Environmental risk factors (1)
- Environmental toxins (1)
- Epidemiologie (1)
- Estimated glomerular filtration rate (1)
- Ethylene oligomerisation (1)
- Ethylenoligomerisation (1)
- Evolution (1)
- Evolution der Genregulation (1)
- Evolution of Gene Regulation (1)
- Femtosecond laser (1)
- Fettleber (1)
- Fibrosis (1)
- Fine tiling comparative genomic hybridization (1)
- Flavonols (1)
- Focal congenital hyperinsulinism (1)
- Fraktal (1)
- Fullerene (1)
- Fungi (1)
- Funktionelle NMR-Tomographie (1)
- Fähigkeitenansatz (1)
- Genetic Evolution (1)
- Genexpression (1)
- Genregulation (1)
- Geochemie (1)
- Gesundheitssystem (1)
- Gliederfüßer (1)
- Glycine (1)
- Graphenzeichnen (1)
- Hair follicle (1)
- Histidin (1)
- Histidinphosphorylierung (1)
- Hochfrequenzplasma (1)
- Hochland von Tibet (1)
- Hybrid ligand (1)
- Hämoglobin (1)
- IL-10 (1)
- Idiopathic duct-centric pancreatitis (1)
- Immunocompetent mice (1)
- Immunologie (1)
- Immunsuppression (1)
- Immunsystem (1)
- In vivo imaging (1)
- In vivo laser scanning microscopy (1)
- Inanspruchnahmemotivation (1)
- Indolochinolin (1)
- Indonesia (1)
- Indonesian marine fungi (1)
- Indonesien (1)
- Insekten (1)
- Insulin-like Growth Factor I (1)
- Iodine status (1)
- Ionenfalle (1)
- Isomer (1)
- Kidney disease (1)
- Klinischer Behandlungspfad (1)
- Kohlenstoff (1)
- Komplexes Plasma (1)
- Kostenanalyse (1)
- Krankenhausmangement (1)
- Krankenversicherung (1)
- Lebensmittel (1)
- Lenticule extraction (1)
- Ligand (1)
- Ligation-mediated PCR (1)
- Light (1)
- Lymphoblastic leukaemia (1)
- Lymphoplasmacytic sclerosing pancreatitis (1)
- MRI (1)
- MRSA (1)
- Madagascar (1)
- Madagaskar (1)
- Makrophage (1)
- Management (1)
- Mangan (1)
- Metallcluster (1)
- Metallkomplexe (1)
- Moden (1)
- Molybdän (1)
- Morbidität (1)
- Motivation (1)
- Mouse cell lines (1)
- Mouse model (1)
- Mucositis (1)
- Multiple Sklerose (1)
- Nachhaltige Entwicklung (1)
- Nadelbaum (1)
- Naturstoff (1)
- Network (1)
- Neuroimmunologie (1)
- Nickel (1)
- Nickel catalysts (1)
- Nickelkatalysator (1)
- Nordsee <Süd> (1)
- Northesstern Iibetan Plateau (1)
- Nutritional risk factors (1)
- Oligomerisation (1)
- Oligonukleotid Konjugate (1)
- Orthotopic murine model (1)
- Oxygen supply (1)
- P-Arylation (1)
- Panc02 (1)
- Pancreatic surgery, complications (1)
- Paul-Falle (1)
- Phosphaproline (1)
- Phosphaprolines (1)
- Phosphino amino acids (1)
- Phosphinoaminosäuren (1)
- Phosphinoaniline (1)
- Phospholamban (1)
- Phosphonium glycolates (1)
- Phosphoniumglykolate (1)
- Phosphoniumsalze (1)
- Phosphor-31-NMR-Spektroskopie (1)
- Phosphorylierung (1)
- Phosphotransferasesystem (1)
- Phytochemicals (1)
- Plasmawelle (1)
- Platin (1)
- Polihexanide (1)
- Porcine corneal lenticules (1)
- Position Specific Scoring Matrix (1)
- Postoperative immune suppression (1)
- Potenzialhyperfläche (1)
- Prediction (1)
- Protein (1)
- Proteindesign (1)
- Proteomanalyse (1)
- Public Hospital Management (1)
- Pufferzone (1)
- Qualitative Empirsiche Sozialforschung (1)
- Quality of Management (1)
- Quergestreifte Muskulatur (1)
- Reaktionsdynamik (1)
- Recent warming (1)
- Rekonstruktion (1)
- SERCA (1)
- SSA (1)
- STIM1 (1)
- Sae (1)
- Satellitenbildauswertung (1)
- Schlaganfall (1)
- Schutzgebietseffektivität (1)
- Schutzgebietsmanagement (1)
- Schwerelosigkeit (1)
- Selbstähnlichkeit (1)
- Signaltransduktion (1)
- Silver wound dressing (1)
- Skin barrier (1)
- Social Health Insurance (1)
- Spektroskopie (1)
- Stabilitätsuntersuchungen (1)
- Stereoskopie (1)
- Stratum corneum (1)
- Subsaharisches Afrika (1)
- Suction blister (1)
- Suction blister technique (1)
- Superantigen (1)
- Surgery (1)
- Surgical strategy (1)
- Surgically induced immune dysfunction (1)
- Syria (1)
- Syrien (1)
- TRP Kanäle (1)
- TRP channels (1)
- Taurocholate (1)
- The Study of Health in Pomerania (1)
- Thermodynamik (1)
- Thyreotropin (1)
- Total testosterone (1)
- Toxicity (1)
- Trans-Theoretisches Modell der Verhaltensänderung (1)
- Transcription Factor Binding Site (1)
- Transcriptomics (1)
- Transepidermal water loss (1)
- Transkriptionsfaktorbindestellen (1)
- Transplantrelated morbidity (1)
- Urinary iodine excretion (1)
- Ventrales-Striatum (1)
- Veränderungsmotivation (1)
- Virulenz (1)
- Visualization (1)
- Wahrnehmung von Waldwerten (1)
- Water-filtered infrared-A radiation (1)
- Watt (1)
- Whistlerwelle (1)
- Wound (1)
- Wound at risk of infection (1)
- Wound at risk score (W.A.R. score) (1)
- Wound colonization (1)
- Wound healing (1)
- Wound secretion (1)
- [ (1)
- algicolous fungi (1)
- alkohol-attributable Morbidität (1)
- antibacterial (1)
- antimicrobial activity (1)
- antimikrobielle Aktivität (1)
- antiterminator protein (1)
- apoptosis (1)
- biosphere reserve (1)
- biosphere reserves (1)
- boreal peatlands (1)
- buffer zone (1)
- calcium homeostasis (1)
- capability approach (1)
- carbon fluxes (1)
- complex plasma (1)
- coniferous trees (1)
- cylindrical wave (1)
- cytotoxic (1)
- cytotoxic activity (1)
- district hospital (1)
- ecosystem services (1)
- extraocular muscles (1)
- fMRI (1)
- fMRT (1)
- fdtd (1)
- finite difference in time domain (1)
- forest value perception (1)
- fractal (1)
- full-wave (1)
- fungicide (1)
- gene expression (1)
- gesundheitssystem (1)
- histidine (1)
- indoloquinoline (1)
- inhomogeneous plasma (1)
- inhomogenes plasma (1)
- ipf-fd3d (1)
- krankenhaus (1)
- light (1)
- marinen Pilze (1)
- mdx Maus (1)
- neighbor map (1)
- neue Virulenzfaktoren (1)
- new virulence factors (1)
- numerical simulation (1)
- numerische simulation (1)
- nutrients (1)
- oligonucleotide conjugate (1)
- organic (1)
- peritonitis (1)
- phosphorylation (1)
- phosphotransferase system (1)
- phytoplankton (1)
- point mutation (1)
- proteced area management effectiveness (1)
- protein interaction (1)
- protein kinase (1)
- proteolysis (1)
- re-establishment of macrophages (1)
- reconstruction (1)
- redox-sensitive trace metals (1)
- reward (1)
- sediment (1)
- self-similarity (1)
- sigB (1)
- signal transduction (1)
- social-ecological system (1)
- stability studies (1)
- stereoscopy (1)
- ventral-striatum (1)
- viral replication (1)
- water column (1)
- whistler wave (1)
- zylindrische Welle (1)
- zytotoxische Aktivität (1)
- Ökosystemdienstleistung (1)
- Ökosystemdienstleistungen (1)
Institute
- Institut für Biochemie (5)
- Institut für Hygiene und Umweltmedizin (5)
- Institut für Physik (5)
- Abteilung für Mikrobiologie und Molekularbiologie (3)
- Institut für Community Medicine (3)
- Institut für Geographie und Geologie (3)
- Institut für Mathematik und Informatik (3)
- Institut für Botanik und Landschaftsökologie & Botanischer Garten (2)
- Institut für Immunologie u. Transfusionsmedizin - Abteilung Immunologie (2)
- Institut für Pharmazie (2)
Publisher
- S. Karger AG (19)
- IOP Publishing (1)
In this thesis wave propagation in the whistler wave frequency range ωci≤ω≤ωce in the linear magnetized plasma experiment VINETA is investigated. The plasma is generated by a helicon antenna and has a diameter of about 10 cm. Whistler waves are launched by a loop antenna with a diameter of 4.5 cm and the fluctuating magnetic field is mapped by Ḃ-probes. Experiments are carried out for plasma parameters γ≤1/ √ 2 under which the only transversal polarized wave according to plane wave dispersion theory is the whistler wave. Due to the small collision frequencies ν≪1 cyclotron damping of whistler waves in this parameter regime is dominant and depends only on the electron plasma-β. The influence of the inhomogeneous plasma profile and excitation by a loop antenna is investigated by measurements of the fluctuating magnetic field perpendicular to the ambient magnetic field in azimuthal and radial axial planes. A mode characterized by the number of wave lengths m in the azimuthal direction is found. The mode structure is modified by the specific shape of the plasma density profile. Profiles with a homogeneous density inside the plasma radius are found to posses a comparably simple mode structure. An agreement in the mode structure of full-wave simulations in three dimensions, including a Gaussian density profile and excitation of the wave by a loop antenna, with the experimental results is found. Conclusions on the spatial structure of the excited mode are drawn using the simulations which predict excitation of an m=2 mode. The wave is found to be ducted within the plasma radius over a wide parameter range. A Helmholtz decomposition of the simulations electric field exhibits the fluctuating space charge as the dominant source for the electric field, while the contribution due to induction is negligible. The magnetic field is given partially by the electron and displacement current. Both contributions to the magnetic field are of the same order of magnitude. The frequency dependency of the excited modes spatial damping increment is investigated using measurements of the magnetic fluctuations along the symmetry axis of the plasma. In order to illustrate the parameter dependency, the electron plasma-β is varied over two orders in magnitude in the range β = 4·10-4 - 2.4·10-2. The experimental result for the spatial damping increment of the mode yields a strong damping for wave frequencies ω/ωce > 0.5 at maximum plasma-β, which shifts to higher frequencies with decreasing β. The parameter dependency of the damping for a fixed frequency is studied in an axial ambient magnetic field gradient. In both cases an excellent agreement between the experimental result and predictions for cyclotron damping from plane wave dispersion theory is found.
Tidal flats represent the transition zone between the terrestrial and marine realm. They are subject to pronounced dynamics due to distinct tidal and seasonal variations of physical, chemical, and biological parameters significantly influencing redox-sensitive element cycles. Thus, redox-sensitive trace metals may be suitable indicators for variations in bioproductivity and microbial activity. Therefore, seasonal and tidal dynamics of manganese, iron, molybdenum, uranium, and vanadium were studied in the water column and sediments of tidal systems of the German Wadden Sea (southern North Sea) in the years 2007 to 2009 involving also previously analysed data from year 2002. To demonstrate the response of the trace metal cycles on phytoplankton blooms and enhanced biological activity time series data of nutrients and phytoplankton dynamics were also involved in this study. Pronounced cycling is seen for pelagic manganese revealing distinctly higher values during low tide. Complex seasonal cycling showing maxima of dissolved manganese in spring and late summer and a depletion period in early summer is caused by benthic-pelagic coupling and reflection of exhaustion and replenishing periods in the surface sediments. Vanadium dynamics are coupled to the manganese cycling due to vanadium scavenging and release during manganese oxide formation and reduction, respectively. Molybdenum and uranium behave almost conservatively following changes in salinity and thus, being slightly enhanced during high tide. Deviations from conservative behaviour are found to occur during breakdowns of summer phytoplankton blooms. In the following, significant enrichments of manganese, molybdenum, iron, and uranium are observed in the shallow pore waters. These coherences are assumed to be caused by a tight coupling of geochemical, biological, and sedimentological processes. Intense release of organic matter during the breakdowns of algae blooms leads together with enhanced bacterial activity in summer to the formation of organic- and trace metal-rich aggregates which are deposited and incorporated into the tidal surface sediments. Microbial decomposition of the aggregates and corresponding shifts in redox-conditions effect a release of dissolved trace metals into the pore water. Subsequently, the trace metals are fixed in the sediment as sulphides, adsorbed to organic compounds or released to the overlying bottom water. Furthermore, two tidal systems, one from the East Frisian and one from the North Frisian Wadden Sea are compared. Although, both areas show different hydrodynamical, sedimentological, and ecological conditions similar manganese dynamics are observed implying that this is a common behaviour in the entire Wadden Sea. However, distinct quantitative differences appear showing a 6-fold higher level of dissolved manganese in the water column of the East Frisian area. This is explained by a higher manganese release from tidal flat sediments and a larger sediment area/water volume ratio compared to the North Frisian area. Detailed time-series data of the nutrients phosphate, silica, and nitrite+nitrate are used to verify model simulations and to calculate nutrient export budgets considering tidal and seasonal variations. The model results imply an export of nutrients from the tidal flats into the open waters of the German Bight which is in the same order of magnitude as the combined discharge of the rivers Elbe, Weser, and Ems. To investigate the importance of the Wadden Sea as a potential manganese source for the North Sea, transects were carried out into several tidal flat areas of the North Frisian Wadden Sea. The results suggest that the North Frisian Wadden Sea is a less important source for dissolved manganese compared to the East Frisian area. In contrary, the export of particulate manganese seems to be more important showing distinctly higher concentrations in the North Frisian study areas in summer. The influence of sediment permeability and bioturbation on trace metal budgets of the pore waters are investigated in natural and experimentally manipulated tidal flat sediments. Advective pore water transport in highly permeable sandy sediments and bioturbation promote exchange processes at the sediment/water interface probably leading to reduced nutrient and trace metal enrichments in the shallow pore waters. Furthermore, the penetration of oxygen into deeper sediment layers induces a release of sulphidic bound molybdenum to the pore water. During laboratory experiments with natural anoxic sediments an effective oxidative molybdenum release is determined during resuspension of the sediments in oxic seawater. Thus, pronounced sediment resuspension during storm events is suggested to cause significant release of molybdate from displaced anoxic sediment components thereby enhancing the molybdate level of the open water column. In addition to the examination of recent biogeochemical processes, the paleo-environmental influence on geochemical and microbiological processes in Holocene and Pleistocene sediments of the East Frisian study area were analysed in an interdisciplinary study. It is found that the microbial abundance and activity are higher in the Holocene than in the Pleistocene sediments. However, this is mainly caused by present environmental conditions. The impact of the paleo-environment on the microbiology is less pronounced. The lithological succession affects hydrological processes which enable the transfer of electron donors and acceptors for present early diagenetic processes into deep sediment layers. The paleo-environmental imprint is still detectable but the modern biogeochemical processes dominate in the sediment-pore water system.
The key objective of this dissertation is to study the expected impact of the introduction of the Social Health Insurance (SHI) on the public hospital management and to develop recommendations that will improve this management. In addition to the key objective, this study aims to analyze the health sector financing in Syria, to outline problems affecting on management of public hospitals in Syria. Furthermore, it aims to study the various countries' experience with SHI and analyze key components of the Syrian SHI.
For surgery in congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), a distinct surgical strategy and technique is required for focal, diffuse and atypical CHI. In focal CHI, a confined, localized and parenchyma-sparing resection which is guided by the PET-CT is always indicated in order to cure the patient. In diffuse CHI, however, the results of surgical therapy are unpredictable and cure is an exception. Therefore, a strong tendency exists nowadays that medical therapy should be preferred in diffuse CHI. In atypical CHI the situation is more complex: if the focal lesion or the segmental mosaic are not too extensive, cure by resection should be possible. But care must be taken in atypical cases not to resect too much of the gland in order not to induce diabetes.
Transition metal complexes play a crucial role in antitumor therapy. Complexes of platinum, ruthenium as well as lanthanum and gallium have been investigated in preclinical as well as in clinical studies. The best known platinum(II) agents approved worldwide, cisplatin or carboplatin, are used in nearly 50% of all cancer therapies. This work focused on the development of new metal-based drugs that could act against human cancer cells. It was motivated in part by previous work with Cu(II) complexes, reporting new coordination compounds of SOD mimicking and cytotoxic activities. On the basis of this work we chose several commercially available heterocyclic ligands to synthesize new metal ion complexes in search of their interesting biological activity. New as well as previously reported Cu(II), Co(II), Pt(II) and Zn(II) complexes were synthesized using various ligands (1-6). Almost all chelating 2:1 ligand-metal complexes were obtained generally in water at room temperature in the reaction of metal(II) chloride with corresponding aromatic nitrogen ligands bearing an O-carboxylate group ligand. The synthesized chelating complexes were characterized by the use of spectroscopic methods, elemental analyses and HPLC chromatography and some by X-ray crystallography. Such coordination compounds are easily formed by transition metals with free orbitals d that can accept the donor electron pairs. The coordination is through the heterocyclic nitrogen and carboxylate oxygen donor atoms, which was shown by analysis of the characteristic functional groups in the IR spectra. The d-d transitions and absorption of visible light in Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes make them highly colored, blue, green or green-blue, respectively. The configuration of the coordination center was established in some cases by X-ray crystallography. Most of the already published structures possess the trans configuration. This led to the assumption that other uncrystallized complexes were also trans configured. However, X-ray data of the Cu(II) complex of 5 showed quite unexpectedly the cis configuration. On the other hand, the LC/MS experiments with the Pt(II) complex of 5 indicated that this complex exists in two isomeric forms, i.e., cis and trans at the Pt(II) center. Through the use of density functional calculations we optimized the structures and calculated the energies and dipole moments. The differences in energy for all complexes were about 6 to 15-fold lower when compared to cis and transplatin. The DFT calculations confirmed that the trans-isomers are more stable than their cis-isomers. UV-Vis stability studies with most of the synthesized complexes as well as some other Cu(II) complexes were performed to study the spectral changes over 24 h in addition of glutathione, a tripeptide present in the cancer cells and ascorbate that were added to the incubations. The results indicated time-dependent changes and instability of the complexes in the cells and their possible decomposition to lose the ligand and release the metal ion. In the case of Cu(II) complexes, reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) may take place. New species such as GSSG could arise and the complexes may decarboxylate, but these structures were not elucidated. The synthesized coordination metal(II) complexes were tested for their potential antiproliferative activities by using the crystal violet staining method in a panel of human cancer cell lines. Out of all complexes, three Pt(II) complexes of 2, 5 and 6 showed satisfactory activity and for these complexes the IC50 values were additionally determined in new RT-4, DAN-G and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Interestingly, the active complexes were the chelating trans complexes which is quite unexpected, based on the difference in activities between cis and transplatin. All of the complexes were tested for their potential antimicrobial activities in comparison to the standard antibiotics on such bacterial strains as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and yeast Candida maltosa. Co(II) complexes have been especially known to act against bacterial strains. The activity of the Co(II) complexes was indeed the highest of all metal(II) complexes. The ligand 2 (a nicotinic acid isomer) was also found active. This fact could explain why some antibacterial activity was found in the MIC assay. In addition to the complexes synthesized in this work, several novel heterocyclic metal(II) complexes of copper, ruthenium, platinum, gallium, osmium and lanthanum from other research groups were screened for their antiproliferative activity, some of which exhibited very potent activity in the cancer cell lines. In conclusion, Pt(II) complexes with bis-chelating heterocyclic carboxylate ligands represent a particularly interesting new class of compounds from the view point of their structural and biological properties.
Phosphines are highly versatile ligands for transition metal catalysts because of wide tuning abilites of their stereoelectronic properties. Bulky and basic phosphines, to a smaller extend also π-acidic phosphites were intensively studied whereas dicoordinated trivalent phosphorus compounds were comparatively little investigated in this respect. In part this may go back to the limited stability of many P=C compounds, in the case of the stable benzazaphosphole to low stabilityof complexes with non-zero-valent transition metals. With the availability of suitable chelate complexes this problems may be overcome. Because biaryl phosphines proved particularly useful as chelate ligands this work is focused on the development of convenient syntheses of new biaryl-type N-heterocyclic or functionally aryl substituted 1,3-benzazaphosphole P,N- P,P- and P,O-chelate ligands and the characterization of their structures. The pivotal point was to find an applicable synthetic route to the title ligands. Because currently transition metal catalyzed cross-coupling reactions are a hot field in catalytic research, the initial target of my work was the investigation of the applicability of suitable biaryl coupling reactions on 1,3-benzazaphospholes. There are several types of transition metal catalyzed biaryl couplings. One reaction, which is currently in the main focus by use of non-toxic and air stable coupling partners, often allowing water as environmental friendly solvent, is the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of an aryl halide with an arylboronic acid. To apply the Suzuki coupling to the synthesis of biaryl-type benzazaphospholes, the synthesis of either benzazaphosphol-2-boronic acids or reactive 2-halogen-benzazaphospholes have to be performed. Because of the successful introduction of functional groups in position 2 of benzazaphospholes via lithiation and reaction with electrophiles, the 2-lithiation of suitably available N-substituted benzazaphospholes and introduction of boryl groups or halogen by reaction with boronic acid esters or with a halogenating reagent like dibromoethane appeared as a realistic route and was chosen for closer study. N-Neopentyl-benzazaphosphole was selected by its relatively easy access and N-mesityl-benzazaphosphole as a N-aryl representative. From the two principal methods developed to synthesize 1,3-benzazaphospholes, only the synthesis and reduction of o-aniline phosphonic acid esters to o-phosphinoanilines and subsequent [4+1] cyclocondensation is promising to access N-substituted 2-CH benzazaphospholes. My first investigations targeted to improve the synthesis of the benzazaphosphole precursors. The invention of a Cu- instead of the earlier used Pd-catalyzed P-C coupling allows a more economical access to anilinophosphonates which were then transformed to 2H-1,3-benzazaphospholes by the established orthoformamide cyclocondensation. Several attempts of the coupling with careful control of dryness of all reagents and solvents were made in order to obtain pure 1,3-benzazaphosphole-2-boronic acid ester and, after mild hydrolysis, to isolate 1,3-benzazaphosphole-2-boronic acid. The coupling worked with N-mesityl-1,3-benzazaphosphole 13e, but the benzazaphosphol-2-boronic acid could not be obtained in pure form because of easy B-C bond cleavage during crystallization, certainly by the two ‘OH groups. For attempts with a reverted methodology, the synthesis of a 2-bromo-substituted benzazaphosphole was studied, which should be coupled with (hetero)arylboronic acids via Suzuki-Mijaura reaction. However, the 2-bromo-benzazaphosphole also could not be obtained in pure form, and a coupling experiment with phenyl boronic acid and catalysis with ligand free Pd/C failed. Therefore, other routes to biaryl-type benzazaphospholes were envisaged. Direct C-H functionalization has emerged over the past few years as an attractive strategy to enhance molecular complexity. This holds also for π-excess-type heterocycles like indoles, benzoxazoles or purines which allow direct CH-arylation in 2-position. These reactions generally involve palladium based catalysts and in some cases rhodium catalysts. In a series of experiments the catalytic arylation, heteroarylation and later also alkylation were studied with 1,3-benzazaphospholes 13a-e as precursors. The initial studies were carried out with iodobenzene, keeping similar reaction conditions as for 2-CH arylation of indoles. Then transition metal catalysts, bases and conditions were varied. The necessity and influence of a catalyst was established by blind experiments without transition metal catalyst which led to strong decrease of the reactivity. However, the transitional metal catalyzed reactions of N-substituted-1,3-benzazaphosphole with aryl- and heteroaryl halides did not give the desired 2-aryl-substituted 1,3-benzazaphosphole biaryl ligands but revealed a novel oxidative addition at the P=C double bond. In the presence of moisture benzazaphospholine-P-oxides are formed. Further exploration of the scope of this reaction showed that it is applicable to several functionally substituted aryl halides and heteroaryl halides. As besides PdX2 (X = Cl, OAc) also Pd(0)(PPh3)4 was found active as catalyst, it can be assumed, that the reaction occurs via a Pd(0) species and oxidative addition of the aryl halide at Pd(0). Because Pd(0) will coordinate stronger to the π-acidic benzazaphosphole than Pd(II) it is assumed that in the first step small equilibrium amounts of a Pd(0)benzazaphosphole complex will be formed which undergo the oxidative addition and then react to benzazaphospholium salt and furnish back a Pd(0) complex with 1,3-benzazaphosphole ligand. The benzazaphospholium salts are highly sensitive to moisture and react with traces of water to form benzazaphospholine-P-oxides 20 and acid, neutralized by the base. A cyclic species RR’P(OH)=CHR”, where the halogen is replaced by OH, may be assumed as intermediate which undergoes a rearrangement to the more stable RR’P(=O)-CH2R” tautomer, driven by the high P=O bond energy. After various investigations of the optimum conditions for the reaction, a number of new functionally substituted P-aryl or P-heteroaryl benzazaphospholine P-oxides and 1,3-dineopentyl-benzazaphospholine-3-oxide were isolated and characterized by 1H, 31P, 13C and HRMS data and two by crystallography. The biaryl-type 2-phenyl-1,3-benzazaphosphole is known since the earliest reports of these heterocycles, synthesized by cyclocondensation of 2-phosphinoaniline with benziminoester hydrochloride or in low yield with benzaldehyde. The latter method was further developed because of the compatibility of the aldehyde group with various donor functions. 2-Phosphinoaniline (12a) and 2-phosphino-4-methylaniline (12b) were heated with pyridine-2-carboxaldehyde under varied conditions, and a crucial role of acid catalyst was observed in the investigation. The results showed that the dehydrogenating cyclocondensation, if catalyzed by a suitable type and amount of acid catalyst, works well for primary phosphinoanilines 12a,b and a variety of reactive aldehydes, including N-heterocyclic and o- or m-functionally substituted arylaldehydes. In an equimolar ratio, on heating usually hydrogen is eliminated, at least formally, to furnish the aromatically stabilized 1H-1,3-benzazaphosphole ring systems of 35 whereas in other cases reductive side reactions occur, e.g. the N-CH2R substitution to 36 in reactions with two equivalents of aldehyde. Thus the synthesis of 1,5-dimethyl-1,3-benzazaphosphole (36a) was achieved by double cyclocondensation of 12b and formaldehyde in a 1:2 molar ratio. This provides the so far shortest way to synthesize N-substituted 1,3-benzazaphospholes and suggests, that the reaction is generally applicable in reactions with two equivalents of monoaldehyde. This puts the question if N-secondary o-phosphinoanilines such as N-neopentyl-2-phosphinoaniline (12d) can be cyclocondensed with aldehydes to benzazaphospholes or if a primary amino group is required. The successful experiment shows that cyclocondensation of N-secondary o-phosphinoanilines with suitable aldehydes is possible. N-Neopentyl-2-pyrido-1,3-benzazaphosphole was obtained in high yield. An interesting extension of the above reaction are cyclocondensations with compounds bearing two aldehyde groups. Double condensation of 12b with o-phthaldialdehyde was performed. It proceeded fast and gave tetracyclic-1,3-benzazaphosphole in high yield. Based on the NMR monitored primary formation of organoammonium phosphino glycolates from amines, phosphines and glyoxylic acid, followed by conversion to phosphinoglycines, it is assumed that the reaction proceeds by initial attack of the primary phosphino group of 12b at the carbonyl carbon atom of R-CHO, polarized with the help of the acid catalyst. The resulting P-C bonded secondary phosphine, containing an α-hydroxy group, may release water after transfer of a proton to oxygen in equilibrium, followed by attack of amine. This leads to formation of the dihydro-intermediate 34, observed by NMR reaction monitoring in several cases. Possible ways are releasing of H2 during reflux, directly giving 2-substituted NH-1,3-benzazaphospholes 35, or hydrogen transfer, connected e.g. with N-substitution leading to 1,2-disubstituted 1,3-benzazaphospholes 36. The second path is observed mainly when excess or double molar quantities of aldehydes are used at the start of the reaction. The two hydrogen atoms at P and C2 are consumed during the second condensation and formation of the NCH2R group and generate the P=C double bond. Finally, cyclocondensation of o-phosphinoanilines with aldehydes has proven as a useful method for the synthesis of biaryl type benzazaphosphole ligands. After thorough investigations, N-primary and secondary phosphino anilines were found cyclisable with various heteroaryl aldehydes upon refluxing in toluene in the presence of a suitable acid catalyst, and 11 new compounds were synthesized following this procedure and characterized by 1H, 31P, 13C NMR and HRMS data. For two compounds crystal structures were also obtained. First attempts to synthesize chelate complexes with the 2-(hetero)aryl-1,3-benzazaphospholes were started. A soluble 2-(o-diphenylphosphinophenyl)-1,3-benzazaphoasphole-Cr(CO)4 chelate complex was detected by NMR spectroscopy, whereas most products of the new ligands with Rh(COD) or NiCp complexes were insoluble in usual NMR solvents and require further efforts for synthesis and full analytical and structural characterization.
Purpose: To determine the surface characteristics of porcine corneal lenticules after Femtosecond Lenticule Extraction. Methods: The Carl Zeiss Meditec AG VisuMax® femtosecond laser system was used to create refractive corneal lenticules on 10 freshly isolated porcine eyes. The surface regularity on the corneal lenticules recovered was evaluated by assessing scanning electron microscopy images using an established scoring system. Results: All specimens yielded comparable score results of 5–7 points (SD = 0.59) per lenticule (score range minimum 4 to maximum 11 points). Surface irregularities were caused by tissue bridges, cavitation bubbles or scratches. Conclusion: The Femtosecond Lenticule Extraction procedure is capable of creating corneal lenticules of predictable surface quality. However, future studies should focus on the optimization of laser parameters as well as surgical technique to improve the regularity of the corneal stromal bed.
The pUS3, a serine/threonine protein kinase that is conserved in Alphaherpesvirinae may play an important in phosphorylation and regulation of the activities of viral and cellular proteins. It has also been proposed that pUS3 affects virulence. Whereas many studies of the pUS3 functions of HSV-1 and PrV, a closely related homolog of BHV-1 have supported these assumptions, the role of BHV-1pUS3 is not yet fully understood so far. The aims of this study therefore were to investigate the functions of BHV-1pUS3 for virus replication in cultured cells, effect on apoptosis and identification of protein interactions with cellular proteins and addressed the function of the aminoterminal region by generating a short isoform of BHV-1pUS3 which corresponds in size to the natural short isoforms of PrVpUS3 and HSV-1pUS3. Results of the study are briefly summarized here: -BHV-1pUS3 is, although not essential, beneficial for infectious replication of BHV-1 in-vitro. It also supports direct cell-to-cell spread of BHV-1/Aus12 and prevents the formation of electron dense aggregates with embedded capsids in nuclei of BHV-1 infected cells, a phenotype that may affect nuclear egress of BHV-1 nucleocapsids. -The protein, independent from other BHV-1 encoded functions, located mainly to the nuclei of cells. -In contrast to functions of pUS3 in PrV and HSV-1, the protein of BHV-1 has no anti-apoptotic activity. -Biologically active BHV-1pUS3 physically interacts with the cellular SET protein and overexpression of SET, independent from the expression of the protein, inhibits productive BHV-1 replication in a dose dependent manner. -The aminoterminal 101 amino acids of the protein are dispensable for all in-vitro functions tested whereas kinase activity is required.
In this thesis, a stereoscopic camera system is presented that is designed for the use on parabolic flights for the investigation of dusty plasmas under microgravity conditions. This camera system consists of three synchronously triggered high-speed cameras observing a common volume of approximately (15 × 15 × 15) mm³ size. In this volume, the three-dimensional trajectories of a large number of particles surrounded by a dense dust cloud were reconstructed. For this task an intricate set of reconstruction algorithms has been developed, including a four-frame linking algorithm and a complex combined 2D/3D tracking algorithm for a reliable tracking of 3D particles. Furthermore, these algorithms effectively suppress so-called ghost particles in the evaluation process which are reconstructed from falsely identified 2D particle correspondences. Dusty plasmas under microgravity conditions are of special interest due to their complex structure and the variety of observable dynamic phenomena. Under typical discharge conditions, a central dust-free void is formed, surrounded by a dense particle cloud. Since the void is inherently dust-free, particles shot into the void can be uniquely identified and used to probe plasma properties inside this region. In the dust cloud itself, processes like self-excited dust-density waves can be observed under suitable experimental conditions. Using the presented camera setup and reconstruction algorithms, two parts of a dusty plasma under microgravity on parabolic flights are investigated. Initially, the force field creating and sustaining the central void is deduced and characterized. The combination of ion drag and electric field force is measured and compared to current models of the ion drag, showing a good agreement with these models. While previous investigations on the forces were limited to two-dimensional slices through the void, our measurements represent the first three-dimensional quantitative analysis of a large fraction of the void region. From this analysis the structure of the force field is determined and separated into a radial and a non-radial (or orthogonal) contribution. It is shown that the radial contribution dominates in the central void, while non-radial forces increase in magnitude close to the void edge. The radial domination is also observed in the velocity distribution of the probe particles which is significantly shifted to radially outward directed velocities for particles leaving the void. Assuming a strictly radial force profile in the horizontal mid-plane of the void, the friction coefficient determining the interaction of the probe particles with the neutral gas background is experimentally determined and shown to match the theoretical expectation. Subsequently, particles at the outer surface of the dust cloud are reconstructed. There, the particles are found to oscillate due to dust-density waves propagating through the high-density dust cloud. For the investigation of the correlation between waves and oscillating particles, the instantaneous wave and oscillation properties are determined and the instantaneous phase difference is obtained. Modeling the probe particles as driven, damped harmonic oscillators, these phase differences between waves and particles are interpreted with respect to the resonance frequency of the oscillating particles. Spatial variations of the phase difference are observed that may be attributed to different frequencies of the dust-density waves, or to changes of the resonance frequency induced by changing local plasma parameters. From a few measurements of particles oscillating at their resonance frequency, information about the surrounding plasma or properties of the particles themselves can be deduced. However, a larger number of reconstructed trajectories is necessary in order to interpret the phase differences on a reliable data basis. The presented camera setup in combination with the evaluation algorithms is a flexible system for the investigation of three-dimensional dusty plasmas. Its robust construction allows the operation of the system in challenging environments such as on parabolic flights, where spatial limitations and vibrations produced by the aircraft make special demands on such a diagnostic tool. This versatility makes our stereoscopic camera setup and the reconstruction process a suitable standard diagnostic for the application with dusty plasmas; this system will therefore be used in future research amongst other things for the investigation of boundary layers in extended three-dimensional dust clouds under microgravity.
Three-dimensional (3D) dynamical properties of fast particles being injected into the void region of a dusty plasma under microgravity conditions have been measured. For that purpose, a stereoscopic camera setup of three cameras has been developed that is able to track and reconstruct the 3D trajectories of individual dust particles. From more than 500 particle trajectories, the force field inside the void region and its influence on particle movement are derived and analyzed in 3D. It is shown that the force field is dominated by forces pointing radially out of the void and that this radial character is reflected in the velocity distributions of particles leaving the void. Furthermore, the structure of the force field is used for measuring the neutral gas friction for the particles inside the void.
Self-similar sets are a class of fractals which can be rigorously defined and treated by mathematical methods. Their theory has been developed in n-dimensional space, but we have just a few good examples of self-similar sets in three-dimensional space. This thesis has two different aims. First, to extend fractal constructions from two-dimensional space to three-dimensional space. Second, to study some of the properties of these fractals such as finite type, disk-likeness, ball-likeness, and the Hausdorff dimension of boundaries. We will use the neighbor graph tool for creating new fractals, and studying their properties.
Wound healing disorders frequently occur due to biofilm formation on wound surfaces requiring conscientious wound hygiene. Often, the application of conventional liquid antiseptics is not sufficient and sustainable as (1) the borders and the surrounding of chronic wounds frequently consist of sclerotic skin, impeding an effectual penetration of these products, and (2) the hair follicles representing the reservoir for bacterial recolonization of skin surfaces are not affected. Recently, it has been reported that tissue-tolerable plasma (TTP), which is used at a temperature range between 35 and 45°C, likewise has disinfecting properties. In the present study, the effectivity of TTP and a standard liquid antiseptic was compared in vitro on porcine skin. The results revealed that TTP was able to reduce the bacterial load by 94%, although the application of the liquid antiseptic remained superior as it reduced the bacteria by almost 99%. For in vivo application, however, TTP offers several advantages. On the one hand, TTP enables the treatment of sclerotic skin as well, and on the other hand, a sustainable disinfection can be realized as, obviously, also the follicular reservoir is affected by TTP.
Protein quality control systems are essential for the viability and growth of all living organisms. They protect the cell from irreversible protein aggregation. Because the frequency of protein misfolding, which ultimately results in protein aggregation, varies with the environmental conditions, the amount and activity of protein quality systems have to be accurately adapted to the rate of protein misfolding. The main goal of this thesis was to gain detailed molecular insights into the transcriptional and post-translational regulation of these protein quality control networks in the ecologically, medically and industrially important phylum of low GC, Gram-positive bacteria. In these bacteria the core protein quality control systems are under the transcriptional control of the global repressor CtsR. In a first study it was demonstrated that the arginine kinase McsB is not responsible for the regulation of CtsR activity during heat stress, as was concluded by others on the basis of previous in vitro data. Rather, it was demonstrated that CtsR acts as an intrinsic thermosensor that adapts its activity to the surrounding temperature. CtsR displays a decreased DNA binding at higher temperatures, which leads to induction of transcription of the protein quality control systems under these conditions. This CtsR feature is conserved in all low GC, Gram-positive bacteria. However, the CtsR proteins of various low GC, Gram-positive species do not have the same temperature optima. CtsR responds to heat in a species-specific manner according to their corresponding growth temperature. Detailed analysis revealed that a highly conserved tetra-glycine loop within the winged helix-turn-helix domain of CtsR is responsible for thermosensing. Dual control of CtsR activity during different stresses was demonstrated for the first time in this work. In addition to heat-dependent de-repression, CtsR is inactivated by thiol-specific stress conditions. This latter de-repression depends on a molecular redox-switch that is independent of CtsR auto-regulation. In Bacillus subtilis and its closest relatives the McsA/McsB stress-sensing complex is responsible for CtsR de-repression during redox stress conditions. McsA is able to sense the redox state of the cell via its highly conserved cysteine residues. When these cysteines are reduced, McsA is able to bind and inhibit McsB. But when these cysteine residues are oxidized, McsB is released from McsA. Thereby, McsB is activated and removes CtsR from the DNA. However, the McsA/McsB complex is not present in all low GC, Gram-positive bacteria. In the species lacking this complex, ClpE is able to act as a redox-sensor probably via its highly conserved N-terminal zinc finger domain. When these cysteine residues are oxidized, ClpE is activated which results in CtsR de-repression. In addition to the transcriptional regulation of CtsR low GC, Gram-positive protein quality control systems are regulated post-transcriptionally. The expression of the McsA/McsB adaptor pair is regulated by CtsR. However, McsB activity is also tightly regulated by three different regulatory proteins (McsA/ClpC/YwlE). McsB is needed to target specific substrates to ClpC, either for refolding or degradation by the ClpCP protease. It was demonstrated that only the auto- phosphorylated form of McsB is able to bind to its substrates. This McsB function is inhibited in non-stressed cells by a direct interaction with ClpC. Consequently, McsB is activated by a release from ClpC during protein stress. In addition, McsB activation depends on the presence of its activator McsA. Accordingly, McsB cannot be activated as an adaptor protein during thiol-specific stress because McsA is no longer able to bind to McsB under these conditions. However, also active McsB is subject to post-translational control. Activated McsB is either de-phosphorylated by McaP or degraded by ClpCP ensuring an appropriate shut-down of the McsB adaptor. Both McaP and ClpC inhibit McsB activity with different intensities. ClpC possesses a stronger impact on McsB activity than McaP but both proteins are needed for an adequate silencing of McsB activity. In addition, it was shown for the first time that B. subtilis McsB is a global adaptor that influences the stability of multiple proteins. The B. subtilis ClpC protein is unlike most members of the Hsp100 family because it not only requires several adaptor proteins for substrate recognition but also for its general ATP- dependent activity. Biochemical analysis revealed how ClpC is activated by distinct adaptor proteins. McsB modulates ClpC activity by regulatory phosphorylation of arginine residues. Moreover, McaP (formerly YwlE) was identified as an arginine phosphatase that modulates the McsB mediated ClpC activity. MecA, another known adaptor protein for ClpC, activates ClpC independently of these arginine phosphorylations, which demonstrates the existence of multiple pathways for ClpC activation.
Recent climate change has affected the forest system comprehensively. Northern hemisphere elevational treelines are considered as a key environment for monitoring the effects of current anthropogenic climate change. Moreover, trees from these areas are also widely employed in paleo-climate reconstructions. The stability of the tree growth climate relationship under current scenario is crucial for all tree ring based climate researches. It is important to investigate how trees respond to this rapid environmental change at altitudinal treelines. Tree cores from 21 treeline sites of three species (Pinus tabulaeformis, Picea crassifolia, and Sabina przewalskii) from Northeastern Tibetan have been conducted in this thesis. The instable correlations between tree growth and climate are the general response pattern of trees from all study sites in NE Tibetan Plateau. Picea crassifolia shows the most instable response to climate factors (mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation). Pinus tabulaeformis and Sabina przewalskii just showed instable and divergent responses to their main limiting climate factors but no clear trend was found which is limited by the few sample sites. Corresponding to divergent responses of Picea crassifolia to mean monthly temperature, most radial growth of Picea crassifolia were inhibited by this climate change type drought, only few trees within same sites grew faster due to temperature increasing during recent decades. The divergence response mainly started in last 30 years in six of eleven sample sites over the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau. North-westerly drier sites showed a large percentage of trees per site with a negative correlation to temperature and mostly southerly moister sites showed more mixed responses with both negatively and positively responding trees within site. Concurrent with the regional pattern, low elevation sites show mostly negative correlations with temperature and high elevation sites show more mixed responses. As the hydrothermal conditions of the investigation area changed to a drier and warmer combination, drought stress on tree growth have been intensifying over time and expanding spatially from the middle to most of our study area during the last half century. The Picea crassifolia tree growth climate relationship conducted on an elevational gradient with four different levels from upper treeline to lower treeline at the NE Tibetan Plateau. Results show that upper treeline trees show divergent growth trends and divergent responses in recent decades. Trees from lower treeline show a strengthening drought stress signal over time and no divergent growth trends within sites. This potential ecological reaction of tree populations to changing environmental conditions shows an implications for using trees to reconstruct climate, since the indiscriminate use of tree ring data from sites showing opposite responses to increasing warming could cause mis-calibration of tree ring based climate reconstructions, and over- or underestimation of carbon sequestration potential in biogeochemical models. The physiological response of Sabina przewalskii tree growth to major limiting climate factors based on the Vaganov-Shashkin (VS) model indicated that precipitation during the early growing season, especially in May and June, has significant effect on tree growth, while temperature mainly affects tree growth by warming-induced drought and by extending the growing season in the NE Tibetan Plateau. Under current and projected climate scenarios, modeling results predict an increase in radial growth of Sabina przewalskii around the Qaidam Basin, with the potential outcome that regional forests will increase their capacity to sequester carbon. However, most Picea crassifolia trees growing at lower elevations than Sabina przewalskii might be continue stressed by the warming induced drought and might decrease radial growth in future.
Proteolysis represents the final step in the life of a protein. It is one of the most important cellular processes assisted by chaperone systems and ensures an appropriate protein homeostasis. Protein degradation is essential for the removal of cytotoxic protein aggregates and mis-translated/mal-folded proteins, „unemployed“ and regulatory proteins to enable rapid cell adaptation to altering environmental conditions (Gottesman, 2003; Wiegert & Schumann, 2001; Parker, 1981; Stansfield et al., 1998; Drummond & Wilke, 2008; Goldberg, 1972; Gerth et al., 2008). The bacterial Clp (caseinolytic proteins) protease complexes are analogous to the eukaryotic 26S proteasome and consist of Hsp100/Clp proteins of the AAA+ superfamily and an associated barrel-like proteolytic chamber (e.g. ClpP). The Clp proteases seem to be responsible for the major protein turnover in low GC, Gram+ bacteria. The main goal of this thesis was to develop new methods and tools to investigate global proteolysis more precisely and to get a detailed understanding of protein degradation during starvation conditions and it´s regulation in low GC, Gram-positive bacteria. To analyse protein degradation under starvation conditions the well established glucose starvation model was used. In Bacillus subtilis it could be shown that approximately 200 proteins are selectively degraded in a glucose depletion induced stationary phase. Furthermore radioactive pulse-chase labelling experiments coupled with 2D-PAGE analysis revealed that mainly the ClpCP protease complex is involved in the degradation of proteins in the stationary growth phase. To investigate proteolysis in the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus in the same way, a newly developed chemically defined medium was established suitable for radioactive pulse-chase labelling experiments under stable glucose starvation conditions. The degradation kinetics of individual 2D spots was significantly better resolved using 14C-BSA as an internal marker protein for the sample normalisation. A rather huge overlap was found within the functional protein classes that were degraded in B. subtilis and S. aureus the stationary phase. Among others, especially proteins involved in amino acid, nucleotide and cell wall biosynthesis were rapidly degraded, whereby not always the same and sometimes another enzymes from a biosynthetic chain were targeted for proteolysis. Despite the resolution power of the 2D-PAGE method, there are some drawbacks such as a limited "protein window" with regard to the molecular weight and isoelectric point, loss of low abundance proteins and a rather low reproducibility for time course experiments. Therefore a mass spectrometry based approach for the simultaneous detection of protein synthesis, accumulation and degradation was developed. This pulse-chase SILAC approach provides a very good reliability with a broad spectrum of proteins that can be analysed. Through the combination with ultracentrifugation even non-soluble and aggregated proteins could be analysed. Several hundred proteins were degraded in S. aureus during glucose starvation. Among them was the functional cluster of ribosomal proteins which is degraded in the early stationary phase. Furthermore proteins belonging to complexes were degraded with the same kinetic (e.g. NrdE, NrdF). In addition selective protein degradation took place according to functional categories (e.g., ribosomal proteins, biosynthetic, glycolytic enzymes) and not to regulatory groups (e.g. CcpA, SigB regulon).The investigation of a clpP deletion mutant in S. aureus revealed a greater susceptibility to aggregation, where the cells try to counteract with the expression of chaperones like GroEL/ES, ClpB and DnaK. The renaturation process is very ATP consuming and only takes place in energy rich phases of growth (e.g. from exponential to transient growth phase). Protein aggregation was found enhanced in the stationary phase. Furthermore, a higher GTP level compared to the wild-type probably resulted in a stronger CodY mediated repression with a rather low level of amino acids in clpP mutant cell. In addition substances like glycerol, which thermodynamically stabilise proteins in refolding processes (Maeda et al., 1996; Feng & Yan, 2008), were found in higher levels compared to the wild-type. A strong response to reactive oxygen species was detected in the clpP mutant strain, which is probably due to ROS production during the early stages of protein aggregation. Altogether, different methods were used for investigation protein degradation at a proteome-wide scale. Hundreds of degradation candidates were identified by gel-based and gel-free approaches in S. aureus wild-type cells. “Unemployed” proteins (e.g. ribosomal proteins, biosynthetic enzymes) were degraded and proteins particularly required and synthesized in glucose-starved cells such as TCA cycle enzymes were stable in the stationary phase. Investigation of the clpP mutant strain supports a proposed model for the pleiotropic phenotype and provides a deeper insight in the fine-tuned protein quality control and the important role of ClpP during starving conditions.
Background/Aims: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by premature zymogen activation, systemic inflammatory response resulting in inflammatory infiltrates, sustained intracellular calcium, neurogenic inflammation and pain. The inhibitory neurotransmitter and cytoprotective amino acid glycine exerts a direct inhibitory effect on inflammatory cells, inhibits calcium influx and neuronal activation and therefore represents a putative therapeutic agent in AP. Methods: To explore the impact of glycine, mild AP was induced in rats by supramaximal cerulein stimulation (10 µg/kg BW/h) and severe AP by retrograde injection of sodium taurocholate solution (3%) into the common biliopancreatic duct. 100/300 mmol glycine was administered intravenously before induction of AP. To elucidate the effect of glycine on AP, we determined pathomorphology, pancreatic cytokines as well as proteases, serum lipase and amylase, pancreatic and lung MPO activity and pain sensation. Results: Glycine administration resulted in a noticeable improvement of pathomorphological alterations in AP, such as a reduction of necrosis, inflammatory infiltrates and cytoplasmic vacuoles in cerulein pancreatitis. In taurocholate pancreatitis, glycine additionally diminished pancreatic cytokines and MPO activity, as well as serum lipase and amylase levels. Conclusions: Glycine reduced the severity of mild and much more of severe AP by attenuating the intrapancreatic and systemic inflammatory response. Therefore, glycine seems to be a promising tool for prophylactic treatment of AP.
Postoperative Immune Suppression in Visceral Surgery: Characterisation of an Intestinal Mouse Model
(2011)
Background: Postoperatively acquired immune dysfunction is associated with a higher mortality rate in case of septic complications. As details of this severe clinical problem are still unknown, animal models are essential to characterise the mechanisms involved. Methods: Mice were laparotomised and the small intestine was pressed smoothly in antegrade direction. For extension of trauma, the intestine was manipulated three times consecutively. Following this, the ex vivo cytokine release of splenocytes was determined. The degree of surgical trauma was analysed by detection of HMGB1 and IL-6 in serum and by neutrophil staining in the muscularis mucosae. Results: We adapted the previously described animal model of intestinal manipulation to provide a model of surgically induced immune dysfunction. Following intestinal manipulation, the mice showed elevated serum levels of HMGB1 and IL-6 and increased infiltration of granulocytes into the muscularis mucosae. Ex vivo cytokine release by splenocytes was suppressed in the postoperative period. The degree of suppression correlated with the extent of surgical trauma. Conclusions: In this study, we describe a surgically induced immune dysfunction animal model, in which a significant surgical trauma is followed by an immune dysfunction. This model may be ideal for the characterisation of the postoperative immune dysfunction syndrome.
The six extraocular muscles (EOMs) are arranged around the eyeball as agonist-antagonist pairs performing the eye movements. The EOMs comprise a distinct muscle group that is fundamentally different from other skeletal muscle, which is reflected on many levels, such as functionality, anatomy as well as in their molecular make-up. Physiologically EOMs are considered superfast, high endurance muscles that are continuously active. In addition, EOMs contain unusual slow-tonic fibers that share features with amphibian and avian slow-tonic fibers. EOMs also express slow/cardiac isoforms of proteins and genes along with the typical isoforms of fast muscle fibers. Another striking hallmark of EOM is their differential involvement in a number of diseases. For instance, EOMs are preferentially spared in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is the most common fatal, genetic disease in males clinically characterized by progressive muscle wasting. Mutations in the dystrophin gene result in a destabilization of the muscle membrane causing muscle fiber damage. While all other skeletal muscles deteriorate the EOMs remain morphologically and functionally healthy. In the pathogenesis of DMD elevated Ca2+ levels are believed to be an early event and it has been shown that EOMs are protected from pharmacologically induced Ca2+ damage. The goal of this study was to characterize the spared EOMs, in particular their Ca2+ homeostasis, in the context of DMD pathology to reveal new potential therapeutic targets for the disease. A combination of physiological, molecular and biochemical methods was used to investigate the Ca2+ homeostasis of EOMs to demonstrate clear differences compared with the fast limb muscle tibialis anterior (TA). Ca2+ handling of stimulated cultured EOM myotubes suggested more efficient Ca2+ removal from the cytoplasm after induced Ca2+ influx compared with cultured myoblasts from TA. Subsequent mRNA and protein expression analyses of myoblasts and adult muscle tissue revealed high expression levels of many key Ca2+ regulating and buffering proteins in rodent EOMs compared with TA. Among these Ca2+ proteins were slow/cardiac proteins, which normally are not found in fast muscles. For instance, the sarcoplasmic Ca2+ ATPase SERCA2 was elevated along with its regulator phospholamban (PLN). Further, PLN was preferentially endogenously phosphorylated at Thr17 suggesting continuous activation of SERCA2 and possibly the fast isoform SERCA1, the main Ca2+ pumps responsible for removing Ca2+ from the cytoplasm after muscle contraction. Furthermore, Ca2+ buffers, such as calsequestrin (CASQ2) and parvalbumin (PARV) were elevated. These results suggest that EOMs are endowed with a unique and superior Ca2+ homeostasis that facilitates efficient Ca2+ buffering and removal from the cytoplasm. This is in agreement with their continuous and fast activation cycles, as well as with a potential protective mechanism in prevention of Ca2+ overload in DMD. The extreme activity patterns of EOM suggested that a high activity of store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) plays a critical part to replenish Ca2+ for rapid and continuous cycles of contractions. To extend the data on general Ca2+ homeostasis and because of possible implications of store-operated Ca2+ influx and other Ca2+ influx pathways in DMD, the expression patterns of group 1 transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and the proteins Orai1 and STIM1 were studied. The TRP channels, TRPC1, TRPC6 and TRPV4 channel proteins in addition to STIM1 showed higher expression in EOM compared with TA. High TRPC1, TRPV4 and STIM1 levels could play a significant role in the high fatigue resistance, muscle differentiation and SOCE in EOM. In addition, tissue from the mdx mouse model of DMD was investigated. The only channels differentially expressed in mdx EOM compared with normal EOM were TRPM4 and TRPM7 (decreased in mdx EOM) and TRPV4 (increased in mdx EOM). Although, these changes in mdx EOM were of small magnitude, they could point toward subtle compensatory changes related to the disease process. In general, EOMs seem to be unaffected by the disease and inherently protected. In conclusion, the results in this thesis have improved the understanding of the Ca2+ homeostasis in EOMs and suggest that EOM may be better able to prevent prolonged elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels. These data may help to design new therapeutic approaches targeting Ca2+ handling proteins to ameliorate muscular dystrophy.
Novel heterocyclic alpha-phosphinoamino acids, by structural relationship named 3-phosphaprolines, were obtained by cyclocondensation of 2-phenylphosphinoethylamines with glyoxylic, pyruvic or phenylglyoxylic acid at room temperature in diethylether. The reactions proceed via primary attack of the P-lone electron pair, as shown by the synthesis of phosphonium glycolates from tertiary phosphines and glyoxylic acid, and addition of PH at the carbonyl group. The ring closure proceeds by replacement of the hydroxy by the amino group and is kinetically controlled. NMR monitoring of the phosphaprolines in CD3OD over several days indicates changes of the diastereoisomer ratios leading to higher contents of the more stable trans-diastereoisomers. The zwitterionic compounds are soluble in part in CD3OD, DMF or DMSO, are somewhat sensitive to air in solution and may undergo hydrolysis with larger amounts of water. The structures are proved by multinuclear NMR spectra and two crystal structure analyses. Suitable phosphaprolines as well phosphonium glycolates and Ni(COD)2 allow to generate precatalysts, activated by NaH for the oligomerisation of ethylene to mainly linear products with methyl and vinyl end groups. Some additional investigations with phosphinophenolates, another type of P-C-C-O- ligands, were performed for comparison. Precatalysts prepared from 2-phosphinophenolesters and Ni(COD)2 at room temperature were characterized by multinuclear NMR but decomposed on heating to stable nickel cis-bis(P,O-chelate) complexes. Heating precatalysts generated from a phosphinophenolester or phosphinophenols and Ni(COD)2 in the presence of ethylene under pressure led to linear ethylene oligomers. These reactions are much faster than the above mentioned conversions with NaH activated P,O-Ni-catalysts. In the presence of 9-decenol with unprotected remote hydroxyl group incorporation of a small amount of isolated hydroxyoctyl side groups takes place, detected by 13C NMR spectroscopy. Finally it is stated that the development of a facile synthesis and the characterization of the properties of the phosphaprolines pave the way for derivatisation and further studies with these novel types of amino acids.
Decision making in everyday purchase situations requires mental processing of factors that are related to the items on display. These influencing factors – called persuasive information – can take various forms, like the price level, the design of the package or the display of certain product attributes. Despite the existence of persuasive information trying to influence our buying behavior, almost nothing is known about the underlying neural mechanisms responsible for processing this information. In this thesis functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to investigate neural activity correlated with product related persuasive information. As persuasive information organic, light and regular labeled food was chosen. The 1st experiment investigated the neural correlates of visually inspected organic and regular labeled food and the influence on willingness to pay (WTP) for the displayed items. It was hypothesized that organic compared to regular labeled food will be perceived as more rewarding which should be visible by an increased activity in the ventral striatum as a central area for reward processing and by a heightened WTP. As organic label information the national German eco emblem 'Bio-Siegel' was chosen (for stimuli details see 2.1). As there is no emblem indicating regular food, an artificially created logo was used for indicating a conventional product. 40 well- known food products (e.g. milk, bread, eggs etc.) were presented to the subjects. These products were marked with the organic emblem and the same 40 products with the regular label. We found that visual inspection of organic labeled food indeed led to an increase in neural activity in the ventral striatum and to a heightened WTP, suggesting a higher subjective value for these products. The 2nd experiment investigated the neural correlates of actually administered food stimuli labeled organic, light or regular and the influence on expected and experienced taste. For organic compared to regular labeled food we hypothesized an increase in expected and experienced taste pleasantness. Furthermore, light compared to regular labeled food should lead to a decrease in expected and perceived pleasantness and intensity ratings. During the active tasting process this should be accompanied by an increase in reward-related (e.g. organic vs. regular; regular vs. light) areas like the ventral striatum medial orbitofrontal cortex or aversion-related (e.g. regular vs. organic; light vs. regular) areas as the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (lOFC) and operculum/insula. As organic label information the national German eco emblem 'Bio-Siegel' was chosen. Light label information was issued in form of the internationally used 'Bewusst-Wählen®' ('Healthy Choice') label (for stimuli details see 2.2). However, inside the scanner the written forms 'Bio', 'Light' or 'Normal' (indicating regular food) were chosen. Subjects were randomly assigned in two groups and were either confronted with the organic or the regular label (organic group) or with the light or the regular label (light group) but otherwise identical milk drink. The results show that organic compared to regular labeling of identical food stimuli indeed led to an increase in expected and experienced taste pleasantness for organic labeled food. Light compared to regular labeling of identical food stimuli led to a decrease in expected and experienced taste pleasantness and intensity for light labeled food. Moreover, taste-related activity was found in aversion related areas like the operculum insula and the lOFC for food labeled regular compared to organic and in reward-related areas like the ventral striatum for food labeled regular compared to light. The results show that persuasive food-related information influences human cognition on the behavioral and neural level; the effects were shown during visual and gustatory evaluation of the stimuli. Taken together the results demonstrate that the same stimulus can vary dramatically in personal valuation depending on the applied information.