Search

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt die Anwendung des Genome Engineerings mittels RNA-vermittelter Cas9-Endonuklease in den Getreidearten Weizen und Gerste. Dieses neue Werkzeug der Pflanzenzüchtung ermöglicht, innerhalb eines kurzen Zeitraumes spezifische Veränderungen im Genom von Getreide zu induzieren und dadurch gezielt Merkmale der Pflanzen zu verändern. Hierfür wurden zu verändernde Zielmotive im Weizen-Gen Branched head (Bh)/ Wheat frizzy panicle (Wfzp) bzw. in den Gersten-Genen Squamosa-promotor binding protein-like 14 und 17 (Spl14/Spl17) ausgewählt und passende guide RNA(gRNA)/cas9-Konstrukte kloniert. Die Aktivität der gRNAs wurde in Epidermiszellen von Weizen bzw. Gerste und in Weizenprotoplasten untersucht. Die stabile Transformation erfolgte anhand unreifer Embryonen über ballistischen Gentransfer (Weizen) bzw. durch Agrobakterien-vermittelte Übertragung von T-DNA (Gerste). Die anschließend regenerierten Pflanzen wurden auf die Anwesenheit der T-DNA und induzierter Mutationen untersucht. Im Weizen wurden mutierte Regenerate durch Selbstungen, Kreuzungen und die Anwendung von Haploidentechnologie in nachfolgende Generationen überführt und eine Kollektion von Pflanzen mit verschieden mutierten Allelen einschließlich Kombinationen mutierter homoeologer Allele zusammengestellt. Resultierende Pflanzen mit ein oder zwei mutierten Bh/Wfzp-Homoeoallelen waren T-DNA-frei und zeigten phänotypische Veränderungen der Ährenarchitektur, der Korngröße, der Kornanzahl und zum Teil auch bezüglich der Wurzeln. Das Vorhandensein von drei mutierten Bh/Wfzp-Homoeoallelen führte zum Teil zu sehr drastischen Veränderungen der Ähren, welche überzählige Ährchen und auch Verzweigungen ausbildeten. Jedoch führten diese Mutationen zu einem hohen Verlust an Fertilität. Insgesamt konnte die Bedeutung des Transkriptionsfaktors BH/WFZP für die Entwicklung der Ähre und der Körner sowie für die Wurzeln weiter erschlossen werden. Die in Gerste induzierten Mutationen in Spl14 führten grun, This thesis describes the application of genome engineering using RNA-mediated Cas9 endonuclease in the cereal species wheat and barley. This new breeding tool makes it possible to induce specific changes in the genome of cereals within a short period of time, thereby specifically modifying plant characteristics. For this purpose, target motifs were selected in the wheat gene Branched head (Bh)/ Wheat frizzy panicle (Wfzp) and in the barley genes Squamosa-promoter binding protein-like 14 and 17 (Spl14/Spl17) and suitable guide RNA (gRNA)/cas9 constructs were cloned. The activity of the gRNAs was investigated in wheat and barley epidermal cells and in wheat protoplasts. Stable genetic transformation was carried out via ballistic gene transfer (wheat) or Agrobacterium-mediated introduction of T-DNA (barley) to immature embryos. The subsequently regenerated plants were examined for the presence of T-DNA and induced mutations. In wheat, regenerated mutant plants were generatively propagated by selfing, crossing and the application of haploid technology, and a collection of individuals carrying various mutated alleles including combinations of mutated homoeologous alleles was deployed. Resulting plants with one or two mutant Bh/Wfzp homoeoalleles were T-DNA-free and showed phenotypic modifications in ear phenotype, grain size, grain number and partially in roots. The presence of three mutant Bh/Wfzp homoeoalleles typically led to very drastic changes in the ears, which formed supernumerary spikelets and were also branching, which was associated with a great loss in fertility. Overall, the importance of the transcription factor BH/WFZP for the development of the spike and the grains as well as for the roots was further elucidated in the present investigation. The mutations in Spl14 induced in barley led to delayed generative development and in some cases to the reactivation of lateral spikelet formation. In addition, the ears were shortened and formed fewer grains. The mu

In order to classify and analyze the parameters of upper body posture in clinical or physiotherapeutic settings, a baseline in the form of standard values with special regard to age, sex and BMI is required. Thus, subjectively healthy men and women aged 21–60 years were measured in this project. The postural parameters of 800 symptom-free male (n = 397) and female (n = 407) volunteers aged 21–60 years (Ø♀: 39.7 ± 11.6, Ø ♂: 40.7 ± 11.5 y) were studied. The mean height of the men was 1.8 ± 0.07 m, with a mean body weight of 84.8 ± 13.1 kg and an average BMI of 26.0 ± 3.534 kg/m2. In contrast, the mean height of the women was 1.67 ± 0.06 m, with a mean body weight of 66.5 ± 12.7 kg and an average BMI of 23.9 ± 4.6 kg/m2. By means of video rasterstereography, a 3-dimensional scan of the upper back surface was measured when in a habitual standing position. The means or medians, confidence intervals, tolerance ranges, the minimum, 2.5, 25, 50, 75, 97.5 percentiles and the maximum, plus the kurtosis and skewness of the distribution, were calculated for all parameters. Additionally, ANOVA and a factor analyses (sex, BMI, age) were conducted. In both sexes across all age groups, balanced, symmetrical upper body statics were evident. Most strikingly, the females showed greater thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis angles (kyphosis: Ø ♀ 56°, Ø♂ 51°; lordosis: Ø ♀ 49°, Ø♂ 32°) and lumbar bending angles (Ø ♀ 14°, Ø♂ 11°) than the males. The distance between the scapulae was more pronounced in men. These parameters also show an increase with age and BMI, respectively. Pelvic parameters were independent of age and sex. The upper body postures of women and men between the ages of 21 and 60 years were found to be almost symmetrical and axis-conforming with a positive correlation for BMI or age. Consequently, the present body posture parameters allow for comparisons with other studies, as well as for the evaluation of clinical (interim) diagnostics and applications.

Comparative values are essential for the classification of orthopedic abnormalities and the assessment of a necessary therapy. At present, reference values for the upper body posture for healthy, male adults exist for the age groups of 18–35, 31–40 and 41–50 years. However, corresponding data on the decade of 51 to 60 year-old healthy men are still lacking. 23 parameters of the upper body posture were analyzed in 102 healthy male participants aged 51–60 (55.36 ± 2.78) years. The average height was 180.76 ± 7.81 cm with a weight of 88.22 ± 14.57 kg. The calculated BMI was 26.96 ± 3.92 kg/m2. In the habitual, upright position, the bare upper body was scanned three-dimensionally using video raster stereography. Mean or median values, confidence intervals, tolerance ranges and group comparisons, as well as correlations of BMI and physical activity, were calculated for all parameters. The spinal column parameters exhibited a good exploration of the frontal plane in the habitual standing position. In the sagittal plane, a slight, ventral inclination of the trunk with an increased kyphosis angle of the thoracic spine and increased thoracic bending angle was observed. The parameters of the pelvis showed a pronounced symmetry with deviations from the 0° axis within the measurement error margin of 1 mm/1°. The scapula height together with the scapula angles of the right and left side described a slightly elevated position of the left shoulder compared to the right side. The upper body posture is influenced by parameters of age, height, weight and BMI. Primarily there are significant correlations to measurements of trunk lengths D (age: p ≤ 0.02, rho = -0.23; height: p ≤ 0.001, rho = 0.58; weight: p ≤ 0.001, rho = 0.33), trunk lengths S (age: p ≤ 0.01, rho = -0.27; height: p ≤ 0.001, rho = 0.58; weight: p ≤ 0.001, rho = 0.32), pelvic distance (height: p ≤ 0.01, rho = 0.26; weight: p ≤ 0.001, rho = 0.32; BMI: p ≤ 0.03, rho = 0.22) and scapula distance (weight: p ≤ 0.001, rho =

Reducing the carbon emissions of buildings and whole districts is one of the main objectives of sustainable development goals. Both policymakers and end-users need reliable information to take actions that lead to achieving those goals. For this, an innovative open access planning tool has been developed to assess the effect of energy consumption on the overall carbon emissions of districts, buildings, and house units. When it comes to the end-users, it would help them know the actual environmental impact of their homes and make environmentally and financially sound decisions before investing in new equipment. The tool is meant to be an online planning service for dwelling end-users and policymakers alike; thus responding to a still unresolved demand. For this, firstly, the study focuses on the obtention of a complete catalogue of open-source conversion factors, which convert the different energy sources to carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy. Secondly, it presents two case studies to illustrate the use of the tool. The first case study explains how an end-user could estimate the energy savings that may result from changing his domestic energy habits, equipment, and sources. The second case study uses actual data from a district in Valencia (Spain) to show how renewable sources would affect the carbon footprint of an apartment block. Both study cases show greenhouse gas emissions savings by replacing the existing equipment with more efficient ones such as heat pumps or renewable energy-based power systems like photovoltaic panels. This study concludes that providing smart tools is pivotal to planning nearly Zero-Energy Districts (nZED)., Energie and Industrie

Background: Scientific guidelines have been developed to update and harmonize exercise based cardiac rehabilitation (ebCR) in German speaking countries. Key recommendations for ebCR indications have recently been published in part 1 of this journal. The present part 2 updates the evidence with respect to contents and delivery of ebCR in clinical practice, focusing on exercise training (ET), psychological interventions (PI), patient education (PE). In addition, special patients' groups and new developments, such as telemedical (Tele) or home-based ebCR, are discussed as well. Methods: Generation of evidence and search of literature have been described in part 1. Results: Well documented evidence confirms the prognostic significance of ET in patients with coronary artery disease. Positive clinical effects of ET are described in patients with congestive heart failure, heart valve surgery or intervention, adults with congenital heart disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Specific recommendations for risk stratification and adequate exercise prescription for continuous-, interval-, and strength training are given in detail. PI when added to ebCR did not show significant positive effects in general. There was a positive trend towards reduction in depressive symptoms for distress management and lifestyle changes. PE is able to increase patients' knowledge and motivation, as well as behavior changes, regarding physical activity, dietary habits, and smoking cessation. The evidence for distinct ebCR programs in special patients' groups is less clear. Studies on Tele-CR predominantly included low-risk patients. Hence, it is questionable, whether clinical results derived from studies in conventional ebCR may be transferred to Tele-CR. Conclusions: ET is the cornerstone of ebCR. Additional PI should be included, adjusted to the needs of the individual patient. PE is able to promote patients self-management, empowerment, and motivation. Diversity-sensitive structures should b

Um neue Halbleiter-Bauelemente zu entwickeln und die Effizienz bereits existierender zu verbessern, müssen neue Materialien erkundet und untersucht werden. Für Anwendungen in Hochleistungselektronik und UV-Optoelektronik ist Ga2O3 mit seiner ultra-weiten Bandlücke von 4.8 eV ein vielversprechender Kandidat. Diese Anwendung haben zu wachsendem Interesse an seinen fundamentalen elektronischen und optischen Eigenschaften geführt. Diese Dissertation präsentiert eine umfassende ab initio-Untersuchung der elektronischen Anregungen in Ga2O3, um zu dem Verständnis dieser fundamentalen Eigenschaften beizutragen. Die Arbeit besteht aus zwei Teilen: Im ersten Teil präsentieren wir eine Vielteilchen-Störungstheorie Methode zur konsistenten Berechnung der neutralen Anregungen von Valenz- und Kernelektronen in kristallinen Halbleitern. Diese ermöglicht die präzise Berechnung von Absorptions- und Streuungsspektren vom optischen bis zum Röntgenbereich. Zusätzlich präsentieren wir einen neuartigen Ausdruck für resonante inelastische Röntgenstreuung (RIXS) innerhalb unseres Vielteilchen-Formalismus, der eine detaillierte Analyse dieser Streuung erlaubt. Mit ausgewählten Beispielen demonstrieren wir das Potential unserer Implementation, die Spektren dieser verschiedenen spektroskopischen Methoden zu berechnen, zu analysieren und zu interpretieren. Im zweiten Teil der Dissertation verwenden wir unsere Methode, um die Anregungen der Valenzelektronen, sowie der Ga 1s-, Ga 2p- und O 1s-Elektronen in Ga2O3 zu berechnen. Wir finden ausgeprägte Unterschiede in den diversen Röntgenabsorptionsspektren von Ga2O3 -Polymorphen, die von der unterschiedlichen lokalen elektronischen Struktur stammen. Wir bestimmen die Zusammensetzung der Valenz- und Kernanregungen und analysieren ihre Signatur in den verschiedenen Absorptions- und Streuungsspektren. Abschließend demonstrieren wir wie RIXS einen zusätzlichen Blickwinkel auf die Valenz- und Kernanregungen und deren Wechselwirkungen ermöglicht., To develop new semiconductor devices and improve the performance of existing ones, the exploration and understanding of novel materials is required. With an ultra-wide band gap of around 4.8 eV, Ga2O3 is a promising candidate for applications in UV-optoelectronics and power electronics. These applications have led to an increasing interest in its fundamental electronic and optical properties. In this thesis, we present a comprehensive first-principles study of the electronic excitations of Ga2O3 to contribute to the understanding of these fundamental properties. The thesis consists of two parts: In the first part, we present an all-electron many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) approach for consistent calculations of neutral core and valence excitations. It enables accurate calculation of absorption and inelastic scattering spectra in the optical, UV, and x-ray region. While these spectroscopic techniques probe either the valence or core excitations, resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) reveals the interplay between the two. We present a novel expression for the RIXS cross section within our all-electron many-body formalism that allows for a detailed analysis of this interplay. We demonstrate the capability of our implementation to compute, analyze, and interpret the different spectroscopic techniques with selected examples of prototypical insulators. In the second part, we apply our approach to study valence excitations, as well as excitations of various core states, i.e. the gallium 1s, gallium 2p, and oxygen 1s states in Ga2O3 . Comparing the core spectra of Ga2O3 polymorphs, we find distinct differences that originate from their local environments. We determine the composition of valence and core excitons, and analyze their signatures in the various absorption and scattering spectra. Finally, we demonstrate how RIXS can be employed to provide a different viewpoint on the core and valence excitations and unravel the interplay between them.

Objectives: Symmetrical dental occlusion blocking is used in dentistry as a quick diagnostic tool to test for potential influences of the craniomandibular system on body sway and weight distribution. This study presents the changes of body sway and pressure distribution in healthy subjects, free of a temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD). Immediate effects between occlusal blocking and rest position on body sway and body weight distribution in general, as well as for both genders and for four age decades will be evaluated. Materials and methods: 725 (396f/329 m) subjects (neither subjective signs of TMD nor acute/chronic complaints in the musculoskeletal system) volunteered (21 to 60 years) while both genders were divided into four age groups according to decades. A pressure measuring platform was used. Body sway and weight distribution were recorded in two dental occlusion conditions (a) in rest position and (b) symmetrical blocking (bicuspid region) by cotton rolls. Results: Both, the frontal sway and the sagittal sway reduced by 0.67 mm (t(724) = − 3.9 (p < 0.001)) and by 0.33 mm (t(724) = − 3.4 (p < 0.001)). The relative pressure under the left forefoot increased by 0.33% (t(724) = 2.88 (p < 0.001)) and the relative pressure overall under the forefoot increased by 0.67% (t(724) = − 3.4 (p < 0.001)). Gender-specific, age-specific and BMI-specific reactions could not be identified. Conclusions: Subjects, free of any TMD and with no complaints of the musculoskeletal system, show small changes of the body sway and weight distribution when biting symmetrically on a cotton roll. These changes are independent of age, gender or body mass index (BMI). Due to the relative large sample size, the presented results can also be seen as norm values when body sway is used as an additional assessment of a TMD.