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New synthetic advances in the control of nanoparticle size and shape along with the development of new surface modifications facilitates the growing use of nanomaterials in biomedical applications. Of particular interest are functional and biocompatible nanomaterials for sensing, imaging, and drug delivery. The goal of this research is to tailor the function of nanomaterials for biomedical applications by improving the biocompatibility of the systems. Our work demonstrates both a bottom up and a post synthetic approach for incorporating stability, stealth, and biocompatibility to metal based nanoparticle systems. Two main nanomaterial projects are the focus of this dissertation. We first investigated the development of a green synthetic procedure to produce gold nanoparticles for biological imaging and sensing. The size and morphology of gold nanoparticles directly impact their optical properties, which are important for their function as imaging agents or their use in sensor systems. In this project, a synthetic route based on the natural process of biomineralization was developed, where a designed protein scaffold initiates the nucleation and subsequent growth of gold ions. To gain insight into controlling the size and morphology of the synthesized nanoparticles, interactions between the gold ions and the protein surface were studied along with the effect of ionic strength on interactions and then subsequent crystal growth. We are able to control the size and morphology of the gold nanoparticles by altering the concentration or identity of protein scaffold, salt, or reducing agent. The second project involves the design and optimization of metal organic framework nanoparticles for an external stimulus triggered drug delivery system. This work demonstrates the advantages of using surface coatings for improved stability and functionalization. We show that the addition of a polyethylene glycol surface coating improved the colloidal stability and biocompatibility of the system. The nanoparticle was shown to successfully encapsulate a variety of small molecule cargo. This is the first report of photo-triggered degradation and subsequent release of the loaded cargo as a mechanism of stimuli-controlled drug delivery. Each of the aforementioned projects demonstrates the design, synthesis, and optimization of metal-based systems for use in biomedical applications. Ph. D.

Background: Health-related and disease-specific quality of life (HRQoL) has been increasingly valued as relevant clinical parameter in cystic fibrosis (CF) clinical care and clinical trials. HRQoL measures should assess – among other domains – daily functioning from a patient’s perspective. However, validation studies for the most frequently used HRQoL questionnaire in CF, the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire (CFQ), have not included measures of physical activity or fitness. The objective of this study was, therefore, to determine the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between HRQoL, physical activity and fitness in patients with CF. Methods: Baseline (n = 76) and 6-month follow-up data (n = 70) from patients with CF (age ≥12 years, FEV1 ≥35%) were analysed. Patients participated in two multi-centre exercise intervention studies with identical assessment methodology. Outcome variables included HRQoL (German revised multi-dimensional disease-specific CFQ (CFQ-R)), body composition, pulmonary function, physical activity, short-term muscle power, and aerobic fitness by peak oxygen uptake and aerobic power. Results: Peak oxygen uptake was positively related to 7 of 13 HRQoL scales cross-sectionally (r = 0.30-0.46). Muscle power (r = 0.25-0.32) and peak aerobic power (r = 0.24-0.35) were positively related to 4 scales each, and reported physical activity to 1 scale (r = 0.29). Changes in HRQoL-scores were directly and significantly related to changes in reported activity (r = 0.35-0.39), peak aerobic power (r = 0.31-0.34), and peak oxygen uptake (r = 0.26-0.37) in 3 scales each. Established associates of HRQoL such as FEV1 or body mass index correlated positively with fewer scales (all 0.24

Der Gesundheitssport hat sich in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten als feste Säule im organisierten Sport etabliert. Erkenntnisse aus der Vereinsforschung, der Erforschung des Gesundheitsverhaltens und der Wechselwirkung von Sport und Gesundheit sowie Modellvorstellungen von Gesundheit und Krankheit werden zur Konzeption und Optimierung von Sportprogrammen herangezogen. Die vorliegende epidemiologische Studie arbeitet anhand einer Re-Analyse von 1752 Datensätzen aktiver Vereins-Gesundheitssportler aus dem Wettbewerb "Der Gesundheitsclub im Sportverein" zentrale Befunde zur Gesundheit, dem Gesundheitserleben und -verhalten sowie dem Sport(vereins)erleben heraus, um im Vergleich der Geschlechts- und Altersgruppen die Zielgruppe deskriptiv zu bestimmen. In einem zweiten Analyseschritt wird geprüft, wie sich Aktive im fitnessorientierten, präventiven und rehabilitativen Sport in ihrer Wahrnehmung unterscheiden. Dabei zeigt es sich, dass eine stärkere gesundheitliche Belastung der weiblichen und jüngeren Sportler mit einer ungünstigen Gesundheitswahrnehmung dieser Teilpopulationen einhergeht. Fitnesssportler dokumentieren sich hier als am geringsten belastet, was sie im Gegenzug zu einem vergleichsweise risikoreichen Gesundheitsverhalten zu verleiten scheint. Insgesamt attestiert sich die Sportlerstichprobe ein geringes Raucherpotential, jedoch einen mit dem Alter steigenden Anteil an Übergewichtigen bei einem grundsätzlich ausgeprägtem Schutzverhalten, dokumentiert durch das Ernährungs- und Bewegungsverhalten. Kognitive Gesundheitsressourcen als ein Faktor verhaltensunterstützender Elemente werden insgesamt in der Stichprobe sehr gering kommuniziert, vor allem im Bereich des Handlungswissens, und diese scheinen generell krankheitsspezifisch generiert zu sein. Eine fundierte soziale Integration in das Netz des Sportvereins erreichen offensichtlich am ehesten die weiblichen Aktiven, während Männer aufgrund der Suche nach sozialer Anbindung die Sportaktivität aufnehmen. Fitnesssportler zeigen sich hier am stärksten eingebunden, während die Rehabilitanten die geringste soziale Integration dokumentieren, gleichwohl sie diese am stärksten im Verein suchen. In quantitativer Hinsicht zeigen sich Frauen sportlich aktiver als Männer bzw. Fitness- und Präventionssportler aktiver als Rehabilitationssportler. In die Befunde lassen sich die Erkenntnisse zur Motivationslage der Sportler einbinden, nachdem Fitnessaktive an einer Intensivierung der sozialen Kontakte, Präventionssportler an den kompensatorischen Leistungen der sportlichen Aktivität und Rehabilitanten an einer therapeutischen Zielsetzung orientiert sind. Als Fazit lässt sich eine konsequente Abstimmung der (Vereins)Sportangebote auf die Selbstwahrnehmung, Motive und Bedürfnisse der Sportler fordern, um eine ganzheitliche Gesundheitsförderung ermöglichen zu können. Diese Abstimmung muss jedoch in Abhängigkeit der Möglichkeiten und des Potentials des jeweiligen Sportvereins erfolgen., Fitness sport for health reasons has established itself as a solid part of organized sport over the past few decades. Findings resulting from club analysis, research into health behavior and the interaction between sport and health, as well as model representations of health and diseases are all to be taken into account when considering concepts and for the optimizing of sport programs. The discussed epidemiological study presented is based on a re-analysis of data from 1752 showing recordings of active sport club members in health sports with regard to the contest “Der Gesundheitsclub im Sportverein” with the central results relating to health, health experiences and behavior, as well as the findings from sport and club experiences. The aim of this being to compare the gender and age groups in order to subsequently be able to descriptively determine the target groups. A further analysis was performed to determine the different perceptions active sportspersons make in relation to fitness orientation, prevention and rehabilitation. This study has furthermore shown that, due to a negative perception of health, an increased strain on health within the female and younger sports sector shows correlations in this section of the study population. Fitness sport persons are documented here as being least strained which subsequently appears to mislead them into a high-risk counter-productive health relationship. Altogether, the randomly monitored study group revealed a low smoking potential. It did, however, show a correlation between increasing age and increased over-weight through fundamental destructively protective behavior, documented through nutritional and exercise behavior. Cognitive health resources as a factor for behavior supporting elements were, in general, rarely reported within the study group, especially in the region of active knowledge and, therefore, appears to be disease-specific generated. A fundamental social integration within the organization of sport clubs seems to be achieved at best by the female active members, where as the men appear to take up sport activities due to their search for social commitments. Fitness sportspersons are shown here is be at most integrated, whilst the rehabilitates are documented as having the lowest form of social contact, although their search for exactly this within a club is the strongest. In relation to a quantitive point-of-view, females appear to be more sport active than men and, furthermore, sportspersons active in fitness and prevention are more active than rehabilitation sportspersons. The findings regarding the state of motivation in the sportsperson can be classified in the results after: active members have been orientated towards more intense social contact, prevention sportspersons have been orientated to compensatory achievement of sport activities and rehabilitate members directed to a therapeutic objective. As conclusion, a consequently coordination of sports offered by the clubs directed to the self-perception, motivation and requirements of the sportspersons has to be present in order to offer an all-round health challenge. This coordination has to follow in conjunction with the possibilities and the potential of the individual sport club.

AB Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate a multicomponent, child-appropriate preschool intervention program led by preschool teachers to enhance physical activity (PA) and motor skill performance (MS) in 4- and 5-yr-old children. Methods: Evaluation involved 709 children (mean age, 4.7 +/- 0.6 yr; 49.5% girls) from 41 preschools (intervention group, n = 21; control group, n = 20) in the rural and urban surroundings of two German cities. Children in the intervention group received a daily PA intervention lasting 30 min and PA homework over one academic year, which was designed by professionals but led by preschool teachers. The intervention included educational components for parents and teachers. Primary outcomes were MS (composite MS score) and objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) by accelerometry. Measurements were performed at baseline, midintervention, and postintervention as well as 2-4 months after the end of intervention. Intervention effects were analyzed by repeated measurement analysis adjusted for group, sex, age, baseline outcomes, urban/rural location of the preschool, and cluster (preschool). Results: Compared with controls, children in the intervention group showed positive effects in MS at postintervention (estimate effect, 0.625 z-score points; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.276-0.975; P = 0.001) and at follow-up (estimate effect, 0.590 z-score points; 95% CI, 0.109-1.011; P = 0.007) and an increase in MVPA from baseline to postintervention by 0.5% of total wearing time (95% CI, 0.002%-1.01%; P = 0.049) at borderline significance. There was no benefit on MVPA for the intervention group between baseline and follow-up. Conclusions: A child-appropriate, multidimensional PA intervention could sustainably improve MS but not PA. Findings suggest that a change in health-related behaviors is difficult. Future research should implement participatory intervention components in preschool setting and better integrate the families of the children