@phdthesis{Jaeger2015, author = {J{\"a}ger, Lena Ann}, title = {Working memory and prediction in human sentence parsing}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-82517}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {xi, 144}, year = {2015}, abstract = {This dissertation investigates the working memory mechanism subserving human sentence processing and its relative contribution to processing difficulty as compared to syntactic prediction. Within the last decades, evidence for a content-addressable memory system underlying human cognition in general has accumulated (e.g., Anderson et al., 2004). In sentence processing research, it has been proposed that this general content-addressable architecture is also used for language processing (e.g., McElree, 2000). Although there is a growing body of evidence from various kinds of linguistic dependencies that is consistent with a general content-addressable memory subserving sentence processing (e.g., McElree et al., 2003; VanDyke2006), the case of reflexive-antecedent dependencies has challenged this view. It has been proposed that in the processing of reflexive-antecedent dependencies, a syntactic-structure based memory access is used rather than cue-based retrieval within a content-addressable framework (e.g., Sturt, 2003). Two eye-tracking experiments on Chinese reflexives were designed to tease apart accounts assuming a syntactic-structure based memory access mechanism from cue-based retrieval (implemented in ACT-R as proposed by Lewis and Vasishth (2005). In both experiments, interference effects were observed from noun phrases which syntactically do not qualify as the reflexive's antecedent but match the animacy requirement the reflexive imposes on its antecedent. These results are interpreted as evidence against a purely syntactic-structure based memory access. However, the exact pattern of effects observed in the data is only partially compatible with the Lewis and Vasishth cue-based parsing model. Therefore, an extension of the Lewis and Vasishth model is proposed. Two principles are added to the original model, namely 'cue confusion' and 'distractor prominence'. Although interference effects are generally interpreted in favor of a content-addressable memory architecture, an alternative explanation for interference effects in reflexive processing has been proposed which, crucially, might reconcile interference effects with a structure-based account. It has been argued that interference effects do not necessarily reflect cue-based retrieval interference in a content-addressable memory but might equally well be accounted for by interference effects which have already occurred at the moment of encoding the antecedent in memory (Dillon, 2011). Three experiments (eye-tracking and self-paced reading) on German reflexives and Swedish possessives were designed to tease apart cue-based retrieval interference from encoding interference. The results of all three experiments suggest that there is no evidence that encoding interference affects the retrieval of a reflexive's antecedent. Taken together, these findings suggest that the processing of reflexives can be explained with the same cue-based retrieval mechanism that has been invoked to explain syntactic dependency resolution in a range of other structures. This supports the view that the language processing system is located within a general cognitive architecture, with a general-purpose content-addressable working memory system operating on linguistic expressions. Finally, two experiments (self-paced reading and eye-tracking) using Chinese relative clauses were conducted to determine the relative contribution to sentence processing difficulty of working-memory processes as compared to syntactic prediction during incremental parsing. Chinese has the cross-linguistically rare property of being a language with subject-verb-object word order and pre-nominal relative clauses. This property leads to opposing predictions of expectation-based accounts and memory-based accounts with respect to the relative processing difficulty of subject vs. object relatives. Previous studies showed contradictory results, which has been attributed to different kinds local ambiguities confounding the materials (Lin and Bever, 2011). The two experiments presented are the first to compare Chinese relatives clauses in syntactically unambiguous contexts. The results of both experiments were consistent with the predictions of the expectation-based account of sentence processing but not with the memory-based account. From these findings, I conclude that any theory of human sentence processing needs to take into account the power of predictive processes unfolding in the human mind.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Beinrucker2015, author = {Beinrucker, Andre}, title = {Variable selection in high dimensional data analysis with applications}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {VII, 107}, year = {2015}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Streich2015, author = {Streich, David}, title = {Understanding massive disk galaxy formation through resolved stellar populations}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-81027}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {ix, 140}, year = {2015}, abstract = {In this thesis we utilize resolved stellar populations to improve our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. In the first part we improve a method for metallicity determination of faint old stellar systems, in the second and third part we analyze the individual history of six nearby disk galaxies outside the Local Group. A New Calibration of the Color Metallicity Relation of Red Giants for HST data: It is well known, that the color distribution of stars on the the Red Giant Branch (RGB) can be used to determine metallicities of old stellar populations that have only shallow photometry. Based on the largest sample of globular clusters ever used for such studies, we quantify the relation between metallicity and color in the widely used HST ACS filters F606W and F814W. We use a sample of globular clusters from the ACS Globular Cluster Survey and measure their RGB color at given absolute magnitudes to derive the color-metallicity relation. We find a clear relation between metallicity and RGB color; we investigate the scatter and the uncertainties in this relation and show its limitations. A comparison with isochrones shows reasonably good agreement with BaSTI models, a small offset to Dartmouth models, and a larger offset to Padua models. Even for the best globular cluster data available, the metallicity of a simple stellar population can be determined from the RGB alone only with an accuracy of 0.3 dex for [M/H]<-1, and 0.15 dex for [M/H]>-1. For mixed populations, as they are observed in external galaxies, the uncertainties will be even larger due to uncertainties in extinction, age, etc. Therefore caution is necessary when interpreting photometric metallicities. The Structural History of Nearby Low Mass Disk Galaxies: We study the individual evolution histories of three nearby, low-mass, edge-on galaxies (IC5052, NGC4244, NGC5023). Using the color magnitude diagrams of resolved stellar populations, we construct star count density maps for populations of different ages and analyze the change of structural parameters with stellar age within each galaxy. The three galaxies show low vertical heating rates, which are much lower than the heating rate of the Milky Way. This indicates that heating agents, as giant molecular clouds and spiral structure are weak in low mass galaxies. We do not detect a separate thick disk in any of the three galaxies, even though our observations cover a larger range in equivalent surface brightness than any integrated light study. While scaleheights increase with age, each population can be well described by a single disk. Only two of the galaxies contain a very weak additional component, which we identify as the faint halo. The mass of these faint halos is less than 1\% of the mass of the disk. All populations in the three galaxies exhibit no or only little flaring. While this finding is consistent with previous integrated light studies, it poses strong constraints on galaxy formation models, because most theoretical simulations often find strong flaring due to interactions or radial migration. Furthermore, we find breaks in the radial profiles of all three galaxies. The radii of these breaks are independent of age, and the break strength is decreasing with age in two of the galaxies (NGC4244 and NGC5023). This is consistent with break formation models, that combine a star formation cutoff with radial migration. The differing behavior of IC5052 can be explained by a recent interaction or minor merger. The Structural History of Massive Disk Galaxies: We extend the structural analysis of stellar populations with distinct ages to three massive galaxies, NGC891, NGC4565 and NGC7814. While confusion effects due to the high stellar number densities in their central region, and the prominent dust lanes inhibit an detailed analysis of the radial profiles, we can study their vertical structure. These massive galaxies also have a slower heating than the Milky Way, comparable to the low mass galaxies. This can be traced back to their already thick young populations and thick layers of their interstellar medium. We do not find a clear separate thick disk in any of these three galaxies; all populations can be described by a single disk plus a S\'ersic bulge/halo component. In contrast to the low mass galaxies, we cannot rule out the presence of thick disks in the massive galaxies, because of the strong influence of the halo, that might hide the possible contribution of the thick disk to the vertical star count profiles. However, the faintness of the possible thick disks still points to problems in the earlier ubiquitous findings of thick disks in external galaxies.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Sauma2015, author = {Sauma, Natalia Zamora}, title = {Tsunami hazard analysis in Central America with emphasis on uncertainties}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {184}, year = {2015}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Vossenkuhl2015, author = {Vossenkuhl, Birgit}, title = {Transmission of MRSA along the meat supply chain}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-85918}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {141}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Methicillin-resistente Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) z{\"a}hlen zu den bedeutendsten antibiotikaresistenten Pathogenen, die vor allem in Krankenh{\"a}usern aber auch außerhalb von Einrichtungen des Gesundheitswesens weit verbreitet sind. Seit einigen Jahren ist eine neue Generation von MRSA auf dem Vormarsch, die vor allem Nutztierbest{\"a}nde als neue Nische besiedelt. Diese sogenannten Nutztier-assoziierten MRSA wurden wiederholt bei wirtschaftlich bedeutenden Nutztieren sowie daraus gewonnenem Fleisch nachgewiesen. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde ein methodischer Ansatz verfolgt, um die Hypothese einer m{\"o}glichen {\"U}bertragung von Nutztier-assoziierten MRSA entlang der Lebensmittelkette vom Tier auf dessen Fleisch zu best{\"a}tigen. Angepasst an die Unterschiede in den verf{\"u}gbaren Daten wurden daf{\"u}r zwei neue Konzepte erstellt. Zur Analyse der {\"U}bertragung von MRSA entlang der Schlachtkette wurde ein mathematisches Modell des Schweineschlachtprozesses entwickelt, welches dazu geeignet ist, den Verlauf der MRSA-Pr{\"a}valenz entlang der Schlachtkette zu quantifizieren sowie kritische Prozessschritte f{\"u}r eine MRSA-{\"U}bertragung zu identifizieren. Anhand von Pr{\"a}valenzdaten ist es dem Modell m{\"o}glich, die durchschnittlichen MRSA-Eliminations- und Kontaminationsraten jedes einzelnen Prozessschrittes zu sch{\"a}tzen, die anschließend in eine Monte-Carlo-Simulation einfließen. Im Ergebnis konnte gezeigt werden, dass es generell m{\"o}glich ist, die MRSA Pr{\"a}valenz im Laufe des Schlachtprozesses auf ein niedriges finales Niveau zwischen 0,15 bis 1,15\% zu reduzieren. Vor allem das Br{\"u}hen und Abfl{\"a}mmen der Schlachtk{\"o}rper wurden als kritische Prozesse im Hinblick auf eine MRSA-Dekontamination identifiziert. In Deutschland werden regelm{\"a}ßig MRSA-Pr{\"a}valenz und Typisierungsdaten auf allen Stufen der Lebensmittelkette verschiedener Nutztiere erfasst. Um die MRSA-Daten dieser Querschnittstudie hinsichtlich einer m{\"o}glichen {\"U}bertragung entlang der Kette zu analysieren, wurde ein neuer statistischer Ansatz entwickelt. Hierf{\"u}r wurde eine Chi-Quadrat-Statistik mit der Berechnung des Czekanowski-{\"A}hnlichkeitsindex kombiniert, um Unterschiede in der Verteilung stammspezifischer Eigenschaften zwischen MRSA aus dem Stall, von Karkassen nach der Schlachtung und aus Fleisch im Einzelhandel zu quantifizieren. Die Methode wurde am Beispiel der Putenfleischkette implementiert und zudem bei der Analyse der Kalbfleischkette angewendet. Die durchgehend hohen {\"A}hnlichkeitswerte zwischen den einzelnen Proben weisen auf eine m{\"o}gliche {\"U}bertragung von MRSA entlang der Lebensmittelkette hin. Die erarbeiteten Methoden sind nicht spezifisch bez{\"u}glich Prozessketten und Pathogenen. Sie bieten somit einen großen Anwendungsbereich und erweitern das Methodenspektrum zur Bewertung bakterieller {\"U}bertragungswege.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Meyer2015, author = {Meyer, S{\"o}ren}, title = {Toxicity and toxicokinetics of arsenolipids and their metabolites}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {152, VIII}, year = {2015}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{SadrAzodi2015, author = {Sadr-Azodi, Amir Shahab}, title = {Towards Real-time SIEM-based Network monitoring and Intrusion Detection through Advanced Event Normalization}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {144}, year = {2015}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{ElKassar2015, author = {El Kassar, Nadja}, title = {Towards a theory of epistemically significant perception}, publisher = {De Gruyter}, address = {Berlin}, isbn = {978-3-11-044563-3}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {360}, year = {2015}, abstract = {How does perceptual experience make us knowledgeable? This book argues that the answer lies in the nature of perceptual experience: this experience involves conceptual capacities and is a relation between perceiver and world. The author develops her position via a critical examination of conceptualist and relationist theories of perception. A discussion of recent work in vision science rounds up this contribution to the philosophy of perception.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Jin2015, author = {Jin, Chenyu}, title = {Theoretical and experimental study of capillary effect on melting}, pages = {97}, year = {2015}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Hainich2015, author = {Hainich, Rainer}, title = {The Wolf-Rayet stars of the nitrogen sequence in environments of different metallicities}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {161}, year = {2015}, language = {en} }