@phdthesis{Popovic2011, author = {Popovic, Jelena}, title = {Novel lithium iron phosphate materials for lithium-ion batteries}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-54591}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Conventional energy sources are diminishing and non-renewable, take million years to form and cause environmental degradation. In the 21st century, we have to aim at achieving sustainable, environmentally friendly and cheap energy supply by employing renewable energy technologies associated with portable energy storage devices. Lithium-ion batteries can repeatedly generate clean energy from stored materials and convert reversely electric into chemical energy. The performance of lithium-ion batteries depends intimately on the properties of their materials. Presently used battery electrodes are expensive to be produced; they offer limited energy storage possibility and are unsafe to be used in larger dimensions restraining the diversity of application, especially in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs). This thesis presents a major progress in the development of LiFePO4 as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. Using simple procedure, a completely novel morphology has been synthesized (mesocrystals of LiFePO4) and excellent electrochemical behavior was recorded (nanostructured LiFePO4). The newly developed reactions for synthesis of LiFePO4 are single-step processes and are taking place in an autoclave at significantly lower temperature (200 deg. C) compared to the conventional solid-state method (multi-step and up to 800 deg. C). The use of inexpensive environmentally benign precursors offers a green manufacturing approach for a large scale production. These newly developed experimental procedures can also be extended to other phospho-olivine materials, such as LiCoPO4 and LiMnPO4. The material with the best electrochemical behavior (nanostructured LiFePO4 with carbon coating) was able to delive a stable 94\% of the theoretically known capacity.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Adelhelm2007, author = {Adelhelm, Philipp}, title = {Novel carbon materials with hierarchical porosity : templating strategies and advanced characterization}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-15053}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2007}, abstract = {The aim of this work was the generation of carbon materials with high surface area, exhibiting a hierarchical pore system in the macro- and mesorange. Such a pore system facilitates the transport through the material and enhances the interaction with the carbon matrix (macropores are pores with diameters > 50 nm, mesopores between 2 - 50 nm). Thereto, new strategies for the synthesis of novel carbon materials with designed porosity were developed that are in particular useful for the storage of energy. Besides the porosity, it is the graphene structure itself that determines the properties of a carbon material. Non-graphitic carbon materials usually exhibit a quite large degree of disorder with many defects in the graphene structure, and thus exhibit inherent microporosity (d < 2nm). These pores are traps and oppose reversible interaction with the carbon matrix. Furthermore they reduce the stability and conductivity of the carbon material, which was undesired for the proposed applications. As one part of this work, the graphene structures of different non-graphitic carbon materials were studied in detail using a novel wide-angle x-ray scattering model that allowed precise information about the nature of the carbon building units (graphene stacks). Different carbon precursors were evaluated regarding their potential use for the synthesis shown in this work, whereas mesophase pitch proved to be advantageous when a less disordered carbon microstructure is desired. By using mesophase pitch as carbon precursor, two templating strategies were developed using the nanocasting approach. The synthesized (monolithic) materials combined for the first time the advantages of a hierarchical interconnected pore system in the macro- and mesorange with the advantages of mesophase pitch as carbon precursor. In the first case, hierarchical macro- / mesoporous carbon monoliths were synthesized by replication of hard (silica) templates. Thus, a suitable synthesis procedure was developed that allowed the infiltration of the template with the hardly soluble carbon precursor. In the second case, hierarchical macro- / mesoporous carbon materials were synthesized by a novel soft-templating technique, taking advantage of the phase separation (spinodal decomposition) between mesophase pitch and polystyrene. The synthesis also allowed the generation of monolithic samples and incorporation of functional nanoparticles into the material. The synthesized materials showed excellent properties as an anode material in lithium batteries and support material for supercapacitors.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Lepre2023, author = {Lepre, Enrico}, title = {Nitrogen-doped carbonaceous materials for energy and catalysis}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-57739}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-577390}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {153}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Facing the environmental crisis, new technologies are needed to sustain our society. In this context, this thesis aims to describe the properties and applications of carbon-based sustainable materials. In particular, it reports the synthesis and characterization of a wide set of porous carbonaceous materials with high nitrogen content obtained from nucleobases. These materials are used as cathodes for Li-ion capacitors, and a major focus is put on the cathode preparation, highlighting the oxidation resistance of nucleobase-derived materials. Furthermore, their catalytic properties for acid/base and redox reactions are described, pointing to the role of nitrogen speciation on their surfaces. Finally, these materials are used as supports for highly dispersed nickel loading, activating the materials for carbon dioxide electroreduction.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Meinke2006, author = {Meinke, Anja}, title = {Nikotineffekte auf r{\"a}umliche Aufmerksamkeitsprozesse bei Nichtrauchern}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-7659}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2006}, abstract = {Nikotin in den unterschiedlichsten Darreichungsformen verringert bei verschiedenen Spezies im r{\"a}umlichen Hinweisreizparadigma die Kosten invalider Hinweisreize. Welcher Teilprozess genau durch Nikotin beeinflusst wird, ist bislang nicht untersucht worden. Die g{\"a}ngige Interpretation ist, daß Nikotin das Losl{\"o}sen von Aufmerksamkeit von einem bisher beachteten Ort erleichtert. In f{\"u}nf Studien, drei elektrophysiologischen und zwei behavioralen wurden drei m{\"o}gliche Mechanismen der Nikotinwirkung an Nichtrauchern untersucht. Experiment 1 und 2 gingen der Frage nach, ob Nikotin eine Modulation sensorischer gain Kontrolle bewirkt. Dazu wurden ereigniskorrelierte Potentiale (EKP) im Posner-Paradigma erhoben und die Wirkung von Nikotin auf die aufmerksamkeitsassoziierten Komponenten P1 und N1 betrachtet. Nikotin verringerte die Kosten invalider Hinweisreize bei Aufmerksamkeitslenkung durch endogene Hinweisreize, nicht aber bei exogenen Hinweisreizen. Die P1 und N1 Komponenten zeigten sich unbeeinflusst von Nikotin, damit findet also die Annahme einer Wirkung auf sensorische Suppression keine Unterst{\"u}tzung. In Experiment 3 und 4 wurde untersucht, ob Nikotin einen Effekt auf kostentr{\"a}chtige unwillk{\"u}rliche Aufmerksamkeitsverschiebungen, Distraktionen, hat. In Experiment 3 wurden in einem r{\"a}umlichen Daueraufmerksamkeitsparadigma Distraktionen durch deviante Stimulusmerkmale ausgel{\"o}st und die Wirkung von Nikotin auf eine distraktionsassoziierte Komponente des EKP, die P3a, betrachtet. In Experiment 4 wurde in einem Hinweisreizparadigma durch zus{\"a}tzliche Stimuli eine Distraktion ausgel{\"o}st und die Nikotinwirkung auf die Reaktionszeitkosten untersucht. Nikotin zeigte keinen Einfluss auf Distraktionskosten in beiden Studien und auch keine Wirkung auf die P3a Komponente in Experiment 3. In Experiment 4 wurde zus{\"a}tzlich die Wirkung von Nikotin auf das Losl{\"o}sen von Aufmerksamkeit untersucht, indem die Schwierigkeit des Losl{\"o}sens variiert wurde. Auch hier zeigte sich keine Nikotinwirkung. Allerdings konnte in beiden Studien weder die h{\"a}ufig berichtete generelle Reaktionszeitverk{\"u}rzung noch die Verringerung der Kosten invalider Hinweisreize repliziert werden, so dass zum Einen keine Aussage {\"u}ber die Wirkung von Nikotin auf Distraktionen oder den Aufmerksamkeitslosl{\"o}seprozess gemacht werden k{\"o}nnen, zum Anderen sich die Frage stellte, unter welchen Bedingungen Nikotin einen differentiellen Effekt {\"u}berhaupt zeigt. Im letzten Experiment wurde hierzu die H{\"a}ufigkeit der Reaktionsanforderung einerseits und die zeitlichen Aspekte der Aufmerksamkeitslenkung andererseits variiert und der Effekt des Nikotins auf den Validit{\"a}tseffekt, die Reaktionszeitdifferenz zwischen valide und invalide vorhergesagten Zielreizen, betrachtet. Nikotin verringerte bei Individuen, bei denen Aufmerksamkeitslenkung in allen Bedingungen evident war, in der Tendenz den Validit{\"a}tseffekt in der ereignis{\"a}rmsten Bedingung, wenn nur selten willentliche Aufmerksamkeitsausrichtung notwendig war. Dies k{\"o}nnte als Hinweis gedeutet werden, dass Nikotin unter Bedingungen, die große Anforderungen an die Vigilanz stellen, die top-down Zuweisung von Aufmerksamkeitsressourcen unterst{\"u}tzt.}, subject = {Nicotin}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Gruner2023, author = {Gruner, David}, title = {New frontiers in gyrochronology}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-61526}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-615268}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {x, 131}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Late-type stars are by far the most frequent stars in the universe and of fundamental interest to various fields of astronomy - most notably to Galactic archaeology and exoplanet research. However, such stars barely change during their main sequence lifetime; their temperature, luminosity, or chemical composition evolve only very slowly over the course of billions of years. As such, it is difficult to obtain the age of such a star, especially when it is isolated and no other indications (like cluster association) can be used. Gyrochronology offers a way to overcome this problem. Stars, just like all other objects in the universe, rotate and the rate at which stars rotate impacts many aspects of their appearance and evolution. Gyrochronology leverages the observed rotation rate of a late-type main sequence star and its systematic evolution to estimate their ages. Unlike the above-mentioned parameters, the rotation rate of a main sequence star changes drastically throughout its main sequence lifetime; stars spin down. The youngest stars rotate every few hours, whereas much older stars rotate only about once a month, or - in the case of some late M-stars - once in a hundred days. Given that this spindown is systematic (with an additional mass dependence), it gave rise to the idea of using the observed rotation rate of a star (and its mass or a suitable proxy thereof) to estimate a star's age. This has been explored widely in young stellar open clusters but remains essentially unconstrained for stars older than the sun, and K and M stars older than 1 Gyr. This thesis focuses on the continued exploration of the spindown behavior to assess, whether gyrochronology remains applicable for stars of old ages, whether it is universal for late-type main sequence stars (including field stars), and to provide calibration mileposts for spindown models. To accomplish this, I have analyzed data from Kepler space telescope for the open clusters Ruprecht 147 (2.7 Gyr old) and M 67 (4 Gyr). Time series photometry data (light curves) were obtained for both clusters during Kepler's K2 mission. However, due to technical limitations and telescope malfunctions, extracting usable data from the K2 mission to identify (especially long) rotation periods requires extensive data preparation. For Ruprecht 147, I have compiled a list of about 300 cluster members from the literature and adopted preprocessed light curves from the Kepler archive where available. They have been cleaned of the gravest of data artifacts but still contained systematics. After correcting them for said artifacts, I was able to identify rotation periods in 31 of them. For M 67 more effort was taken. My work on Ruprecht 147 has shown the limitations imposed by the preselection of Kepler targets. Therefore, I adopted the time series full frame image directly and performed photometry on a much higher spatial resolution to be able to obtain data for as many stars as possible. This also means that I had to deal with the ubiquitous artifacts in Kepler data. For that, I devised a method that correlates the artificial flux variations with the ongoing drift of the telescope pointing in order to remove it. This process was a large success and I was able to create light curves whose quality match and even exceede those that were created by the Kepler mission - all while operating on higher spatial resolution and processing fainter stars. Ultimately, I was able to identify signs of periodic variability in the (created) light curves for 31 and 47 stars in Ruprecht 147 and M 67, respectively. My data connect well to bluer stars of cluster of the same age and extend for the first time to stars redder than early-K and older than 1 Gyr. The cluster data show a clear flattening in the distribution of Ruprecht 147 and even a downturn for M 67, resulting in a somewhat sinusoidal shape. With that, I have shown that the systematic spindown of stars continues at least until 4 Gyr and stars continue to live on a single surface in age-rotation periods-mass space which allows gyrochronology to be used at least up to that age. However, the shape of the spindown - as exemplified by the newly discovered sinusoidal shape of the cluster sequence - deviates strongly from the expectations. I then compiled an extensive sample of rotation data in open clusters - very much including my own work - and used the resulting cluster skeleton (with each cluster forming a rip in color-rotation period-mass space) to investigate if field stars follow the same spindown as cluster stars. For the field stars, I used wide binaries, which - with their shared origin and coevality - are in a sense the smallest possible open clusters. I devised an empirical method to evaluate the consistency between the rotation rates of the wide binary components and found that the vast majority of them are in fact consistent with what is observed in open clusters. This leads me to conclude that gyrochronology - calibrated on open clusters - can be applied to determine the ages of field stars.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Schulze2017, author = {Schulze, Nicole}, title = {Neue Templatphasen zur anisotropen Goldnanopartikelherstellung durch den Einsatz strukturbildender Polymere}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-409515}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {VI, 117, xv}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war die Synthese und Charakterisierung von anisotropen Goldnanopartikeln in einer geeigneten Polyelektrolyt-modifizierten Templatphase. Der Mittelpunkt bildet dabei die Auswahl einer geeigneten Templatphase, zur Synthese von einheitlichen und reproduzierbaren anisotropen Goldnanopartikeln mit den daraus resultierenden besonderen Eigenschaften. Bei der Synthese der anisotropen Goldnanopartikeln lag der Fokus in der Verwendung von Vesikeln als Templatphase, wobei hier der Einfluss unterschiedlicher strukturbildender Polymere (stark alternierende Maleamid-Copolymere PalH, PalPh, PalPhCarb und PalPhBisCarb mit verschiedener Konformation) und Tenside (SDS, AOT - anionische Tenside) bei verschiedenen Synthese- und Abtrennungsbedingungen untersucht werden sollte. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass PalPhBisCarb bei einem pH-Wert von 9 die Bedingungen eines R{\"o}hrenbildners f{\"u}r eine morphologische Transformation von einer vesikul{\"a}ren Phase in eine r{\"o}hrenf{\"o}rmige Netzwerkstruktur erf{\"u}llt und somit als Templatphase zur formgesteuerten Bildung von Nanopartikeln genutzt werden kann. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit wurde dargelegt, dass die Templatphase PalPhBisCarb (pH-Wert von 9, Konzentration von 0,01 wt.\%) mit AOT als Tensid und PL90G als Phospholipid (im Verh{\"a}ltnis 1:1) die effektivste Wahl einer Templatphase f{\"u}r die Bildung von anisotropen Strukturen in einem einstufigen Prozess darstellt. Bei einer konstanten Synthesetemperatur von 45 °C wurden die besten Ergebnisse bei einer Goldchloridkonzentration von 2 mM, einem Gold-Templat-Verh{\"a}ltnis von 3:1 und einer Synthesezeit von 30 Minuten erzielt. Ausbeute an anisotropen Strukturen lag bei 52 \% (Anteil an dreieckigen Nanopl{\"a}ttchen von 19 \%). Durch Erh{\"o}hung der Synthesetemperatur konnte die Ausbeute auf 56 \% (29 \%) erh{\"o}ht werden. Im dritten Teil konnte durch zeitabh{\"a}ngige Untersuchungen gezeigt werden, dass bei Vorhandensein von PalPhBisCarb die Bildung der energetisch nicht bevorzugten Pl{\"a}ttchen-Strukturen bei Raumtemperatur initiiert wird und bei 45 °C ein Optimum annimmt. Kintetische Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, dass die Bildung dreieckiger Nanopl{\"a}ttchen bei schrittweiser Zugabe der Goldchlorid-Pr{\"a}kursorl{\"o}sung zur PalPhBisCarb enthaltenden Templatphase durch die Dosierrate der vesikul{\"a}ren Templatphase gesteuert werden kann. In umgekehrter Weise findet bei Zugabe der Templatphase zur Goldchlorid-Pr{\"a}kursorl{\"o}sung bei 45 °C ein {\"a}hnlicher, kinetisch gesteuerter Prozess der Bildung von Nanodreiecken statt mit einer maximalen Ausbeute dreieckigen Nanopl{\"a}ttchen von 29 \%. Im letzten Kapitel erfolgten erste Versuche zur Abtrennung dreieckiger Nanopl{\"a}ttchen von den {\"u}brigen Geometrien der gemischten Nanopartikell{\"o}sung mittels tensidinduzierter Verarmungsf{\"a}llung. Bei Verwendung von AOT mit einer Konzentration von 0,015 M wurde eine Ausbeute an Nanopl{\"a}ttchen von 99 \%, wovon 72 \% dreieckiger Geometrien hatten, erreicht.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Djalali2023, author = {Djalali, Saveh Arman}, title = {Multiresponsive complex emulsions: Concepts for the design of active and adaptive liquid colloidal systems}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-57520}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-575203}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {151}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Complex emulsions are dispersions of kinetically stabilized multiphasic emulsion droplets comprised of two or more immiscible liquids that provide a novel material platform for the generation of active and dynamic soft materials. In recent years, the intrinsic reconfigurable morphological behavior of complex emulsions, which can be attributed to the unique force equilibrium between the interfacial tensions acting at the various interfaces, has become of fundamental and applied interest. As such, particularly biphasic Janus droplets have been investigated as structural templates for the generation of anisotropic precision objects, dynamic optical elements or as transducers and signal amplifiers in chemo- and bio-sensing applications. In the present thesis, switchable internal morphological responses of complex droplets triggered by stimuli-induced alterations of the balance of interfacial tensions have been explored as a universal building block for the design of multiresponsive, active, and adaptive liquid colloidal systems. A series of underlying principles and mechanisms that influence the equilibrium of interfacial tensions have been uncovered, which allowed the targeted design of emulsion bodies that can alter their shape, bind and roll on surfaces, or change their geometrical shape in response to chemical stimuli. Consequently, combinations of the unique triggerable behavior of Janus droplets with designer surfactants, such as a stimuli-responsive photosurfactant (AzoTAB) resulted for instance in shape-changing soft colloids that exhibited a jellyfish inspired buoyant motion behavior, holding great promise for the design of biological inspired active material architectures and transformable soft robotics. In situ observations of spherical Janus emulsion droplets using a customized side-view microscopic imaging setup with accompanying pendant dropt measurements disclosed the sensitivity regime of the unique chemical-morphological coupling inside complex emulsions and enabled the recording of calibration curves for the extraction of critical parameters of surfactant effectiveness. The deduced new "responsive drop" method permitted a convenient and cost-efficient quantification and comparison of the critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) and effectiveness of various cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants. Moreover, the method allowed insightful characterization of stimuli-responsive surfactants and monitoring of the impact of inorganic salts on the CMC and surfactant effectiveness of ionic and nonionic surfactants. Droplet functionalization with synthetic crown ether surfactants yielded a synthetically minimal material platform capable of autonomous and reversible adaptation to its chemical environment through different supramolecular host-guest recognition events. Addition of metal or ammonium salts resulted in the uptake of the resulting hydrophobic complexes to the hydrocarbon hemisphere, whereas addition of hydrophilic ammonium compounds such as amino acids or polypeptides resulted in supramolecular assemblies at the hydrocarbon-water interface of the droplets. The multiresponsive material platform enabled interfacial complexation and thus triggered responses of the droplets to a variety of chemical triggers including metal ions, ammonium compounds, amino acids, antibodies, carbohydrates as well as amino-functionalized solid surfaces. In the final chapter, the first documented optical logic gates and combinatorial logic circuits based on complex emulsions are presented. More specifically, the unique reconfigurable and multiresponsive properties of complex emulsions were exploited to realize droplet-based logic gates of varying complexity using different stimuli-responsive surfactants in combination with diverse readout methods. In summary, different designs for multiresponsive, active, and adaptive liquid colloidal systems were presented and investigated, enabling the design of novel transformative chemo-intelligent soft material platforms.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Stoermann2023, author = {St{\"o}rmann, Florian Konstantin}, title = {Multifunctional Microballoons for the active and passive control of fluid-flows}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {XVI, 104, A24}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Functional materials, also called "Smart Materials", are described by their ability to fulfill a desired task through targeted interaction with its environment. Due to this functional integration, such materials are of increased interest, especially in areas where the increasing micronization of components is required. Modern manufacturing processes (e.g. microfluidics) and the availability of a wide variety of functional materials (e.g. shape memory materials) now enable the production of particle-based switching components. This category includes micropumps and microvalves, whose basic function is the active control of liquid flows. One approach in realizing those microcomponents as pursued by this work, enables variable size-switching of water-filled microballoons by implementing a stimulus-sensitive switching motif in the capsule's membrane shell, while being under the influence of a constant driving force. The switching motif with its gatekeeper function has a critical influence on one or more material parameters, which modulate the capsule's resistance against the driving force in microballoon expansion process. The advantage of this concept is that even non-variable analyte conditions, such as concentration levels of ions, can be capitalized to generate external force fields that, under the control of the membrane, cause an inflation of the microballoon by an osmotically driven water influx. In case of osmotic pressure gradients as the driving force for the capsule expansion, material parameters associated with the gatekeeper function are specifically the permeability and the mechanical stiffness of the shell material. While a modulation of the shell permeability could be utilized to kinetically impede the water influx on large time scales, a modulation of the shell's mechanical stiffness even might be utilized to completely prevent the capsule inflation due to a possible non-deformability beneath a certain threshold pressure. In polymer networks, which are a suitable material class for the demanded capsule shell because of their excellent elasticity, both the permeability and the mechanical properties are strongly influenced by the crystallinity of the material. Since the permeability is effectively reduced with increasing crystallinity, while the mechanical stiffness is simultaneously greatly increased, both effects point in the same direction in terms of their functional relationship. For this reason and due to a reversible and contactless modulation of the membrane crystallinity by heat input, crystallites may be suitable switching motifs for controlling the capsule expansion. As second design element of reversible expandable microballoons, the capsule geometry, defined by an aqueous core enveloped by the temperature-sensitive polymer network membrane, should allow an osmotic pressure gradient across the membrane layer. The strength of the inflation pressure and the associated inflation velocity upon membrane melting should be controlled by the salt concentration within the aqueous core, while a turn in the osmotic gradient should furthermore allow the reversible process of capsule deflation. Therefore, it should be possible to build either microvalves and micropumps, while their intended action of either pumping or valving is determined by their state of expansion and the direction of the osmotic pressure gradient.. Microballoons of approximately 300 µm in diameter were formed via droplet-based microfluidics from double-emulsion templates (w/o/w). The elastomeric capsule membrane was formed by photo-crosslinking of methacrylate (MA) functionalized oligo(ε-caprolactone) precursors (≈ 3.8 MA-arms, Mn ≈ 12000 g mol-1) within the organic medium layer (o) via UV-exposure after droplet-formation. After removal of the toluene/chloroform mixture by slow extraction via the continuous aqueous phase, the capsules solidified under the development of a characteristic "mushroom"-like shape at specific experimental conditions (e.g. λ = 308 nm, 57 mJ·s-1·cm-2, 16 min). It could be furthermore shown that in dependency to the process parameters: oligomer concentration and curing-time also spherical capsules were accessible. Long curing-times and high oligomer concentrations at a fixed light-intensity favored the formation of "mushroom"-like capsules, whereas the contrary led to spherical shaped capsules. A comparative study on thin polymer network films of same composition and equal treatment proved a correlation between the film's crosslink density and their contraction capability, while stronger crosslinked polymer networks showed a stronger contraction after solvent removal. In combination with observations during capsule solidification via light-microscopy, where a continuous shaping from almost spherical crosslinked templates to "mushroom"-shaped and solidified capsules was stated, the following mechanism was proposed. In case of low oligomer contents and short curing-times, the contraction of the capsule shell during solvent removal is strongly diminished due to a low degree of crosslinking. Therefore, the solidifying shell could freely collapse onto the aqueous core. In the other case, high oligomer concentrations and long curing-times will favor the formation of highly crosslinked capsule membranes with a strong contraction capability. Due to an observed decentered location of the aqueous core within the swollen polymer network, an uneven radial stress along the capsule's circumference is exerted to the incompressible core. This lead to an uneven contraction during solvent removal and a directed flow of the core fluid into the direction of the minimal stress vector. In consequence, the initially thicker spherical cap contracts, whereas the opposing thinner spherical cap get stretched. The "mushroom"-shape over some advantages over their spherical shaped counterparts, why they were selected for the further experiments. Besides the necessity of a high density of crosslinking for the purpose of extraordinary elasticity and toughness, the form-anisotropy promotes a faster microballoon expandability due to a partial reduction of the membrane thickness. Additionally, pre-stretched regions of thin thickness might provide a better resistance against inflation pressure than spherical but non-stretched capsules of equal membrane thickness. The resulting "mushroom"-shaped microcapsules exhibited a melting point of Tm ≈ 50 - 60 °C and a degree of crystallinity of Xc ≈ 29 - 38 \% depending on the membrane thickness and internal salt content, which is slightly lower than for the non-crosslinked oligomer and reasoned by a limited chain mobility upon crosslinking. Nonetheless, the melting transition of the polymer network was associated with a strong drop in its mechanical stiffness, which was shown to have a strong influence on the osmotic driven expansion of the microcapsules. Capsules that were subjected to osmotic pressures between 1.5 and 4.7 MPa did not expand if the temperature was well below the melting point of the capsule's membrane, i.e. at room temperature. In contrast, a continuous expansion, while approaching asymptotically to a final capsule size, was observed if the temperature exceeded the melting point, i.e. 60 °C. Microballoons, which were kept for 56 days at ∆Π = 1.5 MPa and room temperature, did not change significantly in diameter, why the impact of the mechanical stiffness on the expansion behavior is considered to be the greater than the influence of the shell permeability. The time-resolved expansion behavior of the microballoons above their Tm was subsequently modeled, using difusion equations that were corrected for shape anisotropy and elastic restoring forces. A shape-related and expansion dependent pre-factor was used to dynamically address the influence of the shell thickness differences along the circumference on the inflation velocity, whereas the microballoon's elastic contraction upon inflation was rendered by the inclusion of a hyperelastic constitutive model. An important finding resulting from this model was the pronounced increase in inflation velocity compared to hypothetical capsules with a homogeneous shell thickness, which stresses the benefit of employing shape anisotropic balloon-like capsules in this study. Furthermore, the model was able to predict the finite expandability on basis of entropy-elastic recovery forces and strain-hardening effects. A comparison of six different microballoons with different shell thicknesses and internal salt contents showed the linear relationship between the volumetric expansion, the shell thickness and the applied osmotic pressure, as represented by the model. As the proposed model facilitates the prediction of the expansion kinetics depending on the membranes mechanical and diffusional characteristics, it might be a screening tool for future material selections. In course of the microballoon expansion process, capsules of intermediate diameters could be isolated by recrystallization of the membrane, which is mainly caused by a restoration of the membrane's mechanical stiffness and is otherwise difficult to achieve with other stimuli-sensitive systems. The capsule's crystallinity of intermediate expansion states was nearly unchanged, whereas the lamellar crystal size tends to decreased with the expansion ratio. Therefore, it was assumed that the elastic modulus was only minimally altered and might increased due to the networks segment-chain extension. In addition to the volume increase achieved by inflation, a turn in the osmotic gradient also facilitated the reversible deflation, which was shown in inflation/deflation cycles. These both characteristics of the introduced microballoons are important parameter regarding the realization of micropumps and microvalves. The fixation of expanded microcapsules via recrystallization enabled the storage of entropy-elastic strain-energy, which could be utilized for pumping actions in non-aqueous media. Here, the pumping velocity depended on both, the type of surrounding medium and the applied temperature. Surrounding media that supported the fast transport of pumped liquid showed an accelerated deflation, while high temperatures further accelerate the pumping velocity. Very fast rejection of the incorporated payload was furthermore realized with pierced expanded microballoons, which were subjected to temperatures above their Tm. The possible fixation of intermediate particle sizes provide opportunities for vent constructions that allowed the precise adjustment of specific flow-rates and multiple valve openings and closings. A valve construction was realized by the insertion of a single or multiple microballoons in a microfluidic channel. A complete and a partial closing of the microballoon-valves was demonstrated as a function of the heating period. In this context, a difference between the inflation and deflation velocity was stated, summarizing slower expansion kinetics. Overall, microballoons, which presented both on-demand pumping and reversible valving by a temperature-triggered change in the capsule's volume, might be suitable components that help to design fully integrated LOC devices, due to the implementation of the control switch and controllable inflation/deflation kinetics. In comparison to other state of the art stimuli-sensitive materials, one has to highlight the microballoons capability of stabilizing almost continuously intermediate capsule sizes by simple recrystallization of the microballoon's membrane.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Jiang2007, author = {Jiang, Chunyan}, title = {Multi-visualization and hybrid segmentation approaches within telemedicine framework}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-12829}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2007}, abstract = {The innovation of information techniques has changed many aspects of our life. In health care field, we can obtain, manage and communicate high-quality large volumetric image data by computer integrated devices, to support medical care. In this dissertation I propose several promising methods that could assist physicians in processing, observing and communicating the image data. They are included in my three research aspects: telemedicine integration, medical image visualization and image segmentation. And these methods are also demonstrated by the demo software that I developed. One of my research point focuses on medical information storage standard in telemedicine, for example DICOM, which is the predominant standard for the storage and communication of medical images. I propose a novel 3D image data storage method, which was lacking in current DICOM standard. I also created a mechanism to make use of the non-standard or private DICOM files. In this thesis I present several rendering techniques on medical image visualization to offer different display manners, both 2D and 3D, for example, cut through data volume in arbitrary degree, rendering the surface shell of the data, and rendering the semi-transparent volume of the data. A hybrid segmentation approach, designed for semi-automated segmentation of radiological image, such as CT, MRI, etc, is proposed in this thesis to get the organ or interested area from the image. This approach takes advantage of the region-based method and boundary-based methods. Three steps compose the hybrid approach: the first step gets coarse segmentation by fuzzy affinity and generates homogeneity operator; the second step divides the image by Voronoi Diagram and reclassifies the regions by the operator to refine segmentation from the previous step; the third step handles vague boundary by level set model. Topics for future research are mentioned in the end, including new supplement for DICOM standard for segmentation information storage, visualization of multimodal image information, and improvement of the segmentation approach to higher dimension.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Ulaganathan2016, author = {Ulaganathan, Vamseekrishna}, title = {Molecular fundamentals of foam fractionation}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-94263}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {ix, 136}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Foam fractionation of surfactant and protein solutions is a process dedicated to separate surface active molecules from each other due to their differences in surface activities. The process is based on forming bubbles in a certain mixed solution followed by detachment and rising of bubbles through a certain volume of this solution, and consequently on the formation of a foam layer on top of the solution column. Therefore, systematic analysis of this whole process comprises of at first investigations dedicated to the formation and growth of single bubbles in solutions, which is equivalent to the main principles of the well-known bubble pressure tensiometry. The second stage of the fractionation process includes the detachment of a single bubble from a pore or capillary tip and its rising in a respective aqueous solution. The third and final stage of the process is the formation and stabilization of the foam created by these bubbles, which contains the adsorption layers formed at the growing bubble surface, carried up and gets modified during the bubble rising and finally ends up as part of the foam layer. Bubble pressure tensiometry and bubble profile analysis tensiometry experiments were performed with protein solutions at different bulk concentrations, solution pH and ionic strength in order to describe the process of accumulation of protein and surfactant molecules at the bubble surface. The results obtained from the two complementary methods allow understanding the mechanism of adsorption, which is mainly governed by the diffusional transport of the adsorbing protein molecules to the bubble surface. This mechanism is the same as generally discussed for surfactant molecules. However, interesting peculiarities have been observed for protein adsorption kinetics at sufficiently short adsorption times. First of all, at short adsorption times the surface tension remains constant for a while before it decreases as expected due to the adsorption of proteins at the surface. This time interval is called induction time and it becomes shorter with increasing protein bulk concentration. Moreover, under special conditions, the surface tension does not stay constant but even increases over a certain period of time. This so-called negative surface pressure was observed for BCS and BLG and discussed for the first time in terms of changes in the surface conformation of the adsorbing protein molecules. Usually, a negative surface pressure would correspond to a negative adsorption, which is of course impossible for the studied protein solutions. The phenomenon, which amounts to some mN/m, was rather explained by simultaneous changes in the molar area required by the adsorbed proteins and the non-ideality of entropy of the interfacial layer. It is a transient phenomenon and exists only under dynamic conditions. The experiments dedicated to the local velocity of rising air bubbles in solutions were performed in a broad range of BLG concentration, pH and ionic strength. Additionally, rising bubble experiments were done for surfactant solutions in order to validate the functionality of the instrument. It turns out that the velocity of a rising bubble is much more sensitive to adsorbing molecules than classical dynamic surface tension measurements. At very low BLG or surfactant concentrations, for example, the measured local velocity profile of an air bubble is changing dramatically in time scales of seconds while dynamic surface tensions still do not show any measurable changes at this time scale. The solution's pH and ionic strength are important parameters that govern the measured rising velocity for protein solutions. A general theoretical description of rising bubbles in surfactant and protein solutions is not available at present due to the complex situation of the adsorption process at a bubble surface in a liquid flow field with simultaneous Marangoni effects. However, instead of modelling the complete velocity profile, new theoretical work has been started to evaluate the maximum values in the profile as characteristic parameter for dynamic adsorption layers at the bubble surface more quantitatively. The studies with protein-surfactant mixtures demonstrate in an impressive way that the complexes formed by the two compounds change the surface activity as compared to the original native protein molecules and therefore lead to a completely different retardation behavior of rising bubbles. Changes in the velocity profile can be interpreted qualitatively in terms of increased or decreased surface activity of the formed protein-surfactant complexes. It was also observed that the pH and ionic strength of a protein solution have strong effects on the surface activity of the protein molecules, which however, could be different on the rising bubble velocity and the equilibrium adsorption isotherms. These differences are not fully understood yet but give rise to discussions about the structure of protein adsorption layer under dynamic conditions or in the equilibrium state. The third main stage of the discussed process of fractionation is the formation and characterization of protein foams from BLG solutions at different pH and ionic strength. Of course a minimum BLG concentration is required to form foams. This minimum protein concentration is a function again of solution pH and ionic strength, i.e. of the surface activity of the protein molecules. Although at the isoelectric point, at about pH 5 for BLG, the hydrophobicity and hence the surface activity should be the highest, the concentration and ionic strength effects on the rising velocity profile as well as on the foamability and foam stability do not show a maximum. This is another remarkable argument for the fact that the interfacial structure and behavior of BLG layers under dynamic conditions and at equilibrium are rather different. These differences are probably caused by the time required for BLG molecules to adapt respective conformations once they are adsorbed at the surface. All bubble studies described in this work refer to stages of the foam fractionation process. Experiments with different systems, mainly surfactant and protein solutions, were performed in order to form foams and finally recover a solution representing the foamed material. As foam consists to a large extent of foam lamella - two adsorption layers with a liquid core - the concentration in a foamate taken from foaming experiments should be enriched in the stabilizing molecules. For determining the concentration of the foamate, again the very sensitive bubble rising velocity profile method was applied, which works for any type of surface active materials. This also includes technical surfactants or protein isolates for which an accurate composition is unknown.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Robinson2011, author = {Robinson, Alexander}, title = {Modeling the Greenland Ice Sheet response to climate change in the past and future}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-50430}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2011}, abstract = {The Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) contains enough water volume to raise global sea level by over 7 meters. It is a relic of past glacial climates that could be strongly affected by a warming world. Several studies have been performed to investigate the sensitivity of the ice sheet to changes in climate, but large uncertainties in its long-term response still exist. In this thesis, a new approach has been developed and applied to modeling the GIS response to climate change. The advantages compared to previous approaches are (i) that it can be applied over a wide range of climatic scenarios (both in the deep past and the future), (ii) that it includes the relevant feedback processes between the climate and the ice sheet and (iii) that it is highly computationally efficient, allowing simulations over very long timescales. The new regional energy-moisture balance model (REMBO) has been developed to model the climate and surface mass balance over Greenland and it represents an improvement compared to conventional approaches in modeling present-day conditions. Furthermore, the evolution of the GIS has been simulated over the last glacial cycle using an ensemble of model versions. The model performance has been validated against field observations of the present-day climate and surface mass balance, as well as paleo information from ice cores. The GIS contribution to sea level rise during the last interglacial is estimated to be between 0.5-4.1 m, consistent with previous estimates. The ensemble of model versions has been constrained to those that are consistent with the data, and a range of valid parameter values has been defined, allowing quantification of the uncertainty and sensitivity of the modeling approach. Using the constrained model ensemble, the sensitivity of the GIS to long-term climate change was investigated. It was found that the GIS exhibits hysteresis behavior (i.e., it is multi-stable under certain conditions), and that a temperature threshold exists above which the ice sheet transitions to an essentially ice-free state. The threshold in the global temperature is estimated to be in the range of 1.3-2.3°C above preindustrial conditions, significantly lower than previously believed. The timescale of total melt scales non-linearly with the overshoot above the temperature threshold, such that a 2°C anomaly causes the ice sheet to melt in ca. 50,000 years, but an anomaly of 6°C will melt the ice sheet in less than 4,000 years. The meltback of the ice sheet was found to become irreversible after a fraction of the ice sheet is already lost - but this level of irreversibility also depends on the temperature anomaly.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{SarnesNitu2018, author = {Sarnes-Nitu, Juliane}, title = {Mit der Schuldenbremse zu nachhaltigen Staatsfinanzen?}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-413804}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {294}, year = {2018}, abstract = {The core question of this paper is: Does the debt brake secure fiscal sustainability in Germany? To answer this question, we will first examine the effects of the introduction of the debt brake on the German federal states in the period 2010-16. For this purpose, the observed consolidation performance and the consolidation incentive or pressure experienced by the federal states were evaluated with the help of a scorecard specifically developed for this purpose. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze how the scorecard factors affect the consolidation performance of the federal states. It found that nearly 90\% of the variation was explained by the independent variables budgetary position, debt burden, revenue growth and pension burden. Thus the debt brake likely played a subordinate role in the 2009-2016 consolidation episode. Subsequently, the data collected in 65 expert interviews was used to analyze the limits of the new fiscal rule, and to determine which potential risks could hinder or prevent the debt brake in the future: municipal debt, FEUs, contingent liabilities in the form of guarantees for financial institutions and pension obligations. The frequently expressed criticism that the debt brake impedes economic growth and public investments is also reviewed and rejected. Finally, we discuss potential future developments regarding the debt brake and the German public administration as well as future consolidation efforts of the L{\"a}nder.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Pellegrino2022, author = {Pellegrino, Antonio}, title = {miRNA profiling for diagnosis of chronic pain in polyneuropathy}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-58385}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-583858}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {viii, 97, xi}, year = {2022}, abstract = {This dissertation aimed to determine differential expressed miRNAs in the context of chronic pain in polyneuropathy. For this purpose, patients with chronic painful polyneuropathy were compared with age matched healthy patients. Taken together, all miRNA pre library preparation quality controls were successful and none of the samples was identified as an outlier or excluded for library preparation. Pre sequencing quality control showed that library preparation worked for all samples as well as that all samples were free of adapter dimers after BluePippin size selection and reached the minimum molarity for further processing. Thus, all samples were subjected to sequencing. The sequencing control parameters were in their optimal range and resulted in valid sequencing results with strong sample to sample correlation for all samples. The resulting FASTQ file of each miRNA library was analyzed and used to perform a differential expression analysis. The differentially expressed and filtered miRNAs were subjected to miRDB to perform a target prediction. Three of those four miRNAs were downregulated: hsa-miR-3135b, hsa-miR-584-5p and hsa-miR-12136, while one was upregulated: hsa-miR-550a-3p. miRNA target prediction showed that chronic pain in polyneuropathy might be the result of a combination of miRNA mediated high blood flow/pressure and neural activity dysregulations/disbalances. Thus, leading to the promising conclusion that these four miRNAs could serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of chronic pain in polyneuropathy. Since TRPV1 seems to be one of the major contributors of nociception and is associated with neuropathic pain, the influence of PKA phosphorylated ARMS on the sensitivity of TRPV1 as well as the part of AKAP79 during PKA phosphorylation of ARMS was characterized. Therefore, possible PKA-sites in the sequence of ARMS were identified. This revealed five canonical PKA-sites: S882, T903, S1251/52, S1439/40 and S1526/27. The single PKA-site mutants of ARMS revealed that PKA-mediated ARMS phosphorylation seems not to influence the interaction rate of TRPV1/ARMS. While phosphorylation of ARMST903 does not increase the interaction rate with TRPV1, ARMSS1526/27 is probably not phosphorylated and leads to an increased interaction rate. The calcium flux measurements indicated that the higher the interaction rate of TRPV1/ARMS, the lower the EC50 for capsaicin of TRPV1, independent of the PKA phosphorylation status of ARMS. In addition, the western blot analysis confirmed the previously observed TRPV1/ARMS interaction. More importantly, AKAP79 seems to be involved in the TRPV1/ARMS/PKA signaling complex. To overcome the problem of ARMS-mediated TRPV1 sensitization by interaction, ARMS was silenced by shRNA. ARMS silencing resulted in a restored TRPV1 desensitization without affecting the TRPV1 expression and therefore could be used as new topical therapeutic analgesic alternative to stop ARMS mediated TRPV1 sensitization.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Weber2007, author = {Weber, Jens}, title = {Meso- und mikropor{\"o}se Hochleistungspolymere : Synthese, Analytik und Anwendungen}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-15994}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2007}, abstract = {Die Arbeit beschreibt die Synthese, Charakterisierung und Anwendung von meso- und mikropor{\"o}sen Hochleistungspolymeren. Im ersten Teil wird die Synthese von mesopor{\"o}sen Polybenzimidazol (PBI) auf der Basis einer Templatierungsmethode vorgestellt. Auf der Grundlage kommerzieller Monomere und Silikatnanopartikel sowie eines neuen Vernetzers wurde ein Polymer-Silikat-Hybridmaterial aufgebaut. Das Herausl{\"o}sen des Silikats mit Ammoniumhydrogendifluorid f{\"u}hrt zu mesopor{\"o}sen Polybenzimidazolen mit spherischen Poren von 9 bis 11 nm Durchmesser. Die Abh{\"a}ngigkeit der beobachteten Porosit{\"a}t vom Massenverh{\"a}ltnis Silikat zu Polymer wurde ebenso untersucht wie die Abh{\"a}ngigkeit der Porosit{\"a}t vom Vernetzergehalt. Die Porosit{\"a}t vollvernetzter Proben zeigt eine lineare Abh{\"a}ngigkeit vom Verh{\"a}ltnis Silikat zu Polymer bis zu einem Grenzwert von 1. Wird der Grenzwert {\"u}berschritten, ist teilweiser Porenkollaps zu beobachten. Die Abh{\"a}ngigkeit der Porosit{\"a}t vom Vernetzergehalt bei festem Silikatgehalt ist nichtlinear. Oberhalb einer kritischen Vernetzerkonzentration wird eine komplette Replikation der Nanopartikel gefunden. Ist die Vernetzerkonzentration dagegen kleiner als der kritische Wert, so ist der v{\"o}llige Kollaps einiger Poren bei Stabilit{\"a}t der verbleibenden Poren zu beobachten. Ein komplett unpor{\"o}ses PBI resultiert bei Abwesenheit des Vernetzers. Die mesopor{\"o}sen PBI-Netzwerke konnten kontrolliert mit Phosphors{\"a}ure beladen werden. Die erhaltenen Addukte wurden auf ihre Protonenleitf{\"a}higkeit untersucht. Es kann gezeigt werden, dass die Nutzung der vordefinierten Morphologie im Vergleich zu einem unstrukturierten PBI in h{\"o}heren Leitf{\"a}higkeiten resultiert. Durch die vernetzte Struktur war des Weiteren gen{\"u}gend mechanische Stabilit{\"a}t gegeben, um die Addukte reversibel und bei sehr guten Leitf{\"a}higkeiten bis zu Temperaturen von 190°C bei 0\% relativer Feuchtigkeit zu untersuchen. Dies ist f{\"u}r unstrukturierte Phosphors{\"a}ure/PBI - Addukte aus linearem PBI nicht m{\"o}glich. Im zweiten Teil der Arbeit wird die Synthese intrinsisch mikropor{\"o}ser Polyamide und Polyimide vorgestellt. Das Konzept intrinsisch mikropor{\"o}ser Polymere konnte damit auf weitere Polymerklassen ausgeweitet werden. Als zentrales, strukturinduzierendes Motiv wurde 9,9'-Spirobifluoren gew{\"a}hlt. Dieses Molek{\"u}l ist leicht und vielf{\"a}ltig zu di- bzw. tetrafunktionellen Monomeren modifizierbar. Dabei wurden bestehende Synthesevorschriften modifiziert bzw. neue Vorschriften entwickelt. Ein erster Schwerpunkt innerhalb des Kapitels lag in der Synthese und Charakterisierung von l{\"o}slichen, intrinsisch mikropor{\"o}sen, aromatischen Polyamid und Polyimid. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass das Beobachten von Mikroporosit{\"a}t stark von der molekularen Architektur und der Verarbeitung der Polymere abh{\"a}ngig ist. Die Charakterisierung der Porosit{\"a}t erfolgte unter Nutzung von Stickstoffsorption, Kleinwinkelr{\"o}ntgenstreuung und Molecular Modeling. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Proben stark vom Umgebungsdruck abh{\"a}ngigen Deformationen unterliegen. Die starke Quellung der Proben w{\"a}hrend des Sorptionsvorgangs konnte durch Anwendung des "dual sorption" Modells, also dem Auftreten von Porenf{\"u}llung und dadurch induzierter Henry-Sorption, erkl{\"a}rt werden. Der zweite Schwerpunkt des Kapitels beschreibt die Synthese und Charakterisierung mikropor{\"o}ser Polyamid- und Polyimidnetzwerke. W{\"a}hrend Polyimidnetzwerke auf Spirobifluorenbasis ausgepr{\"a}gte Mikroporosit{\"a}t und spezifische Oberfl{\"a}chen von ca. 1100 m²/g aufwiesen, war die Situation f{\"u}r entsprechende Polyamidnetzwerke abweichend. Mittels Stickstoffsorption konnte keine Mikroporosit{\"a}t nachgewiesen werden, jedoch konnte mittels SAXS eine innere Grenzfl{\"a}che von ca. 300 m²/g nachgewiesen werden. Durch die in dieser Arbeit gezeigten Experimente kann die Grenze zwischen Polymeren mit hohem freien Volumen und mikropor{\"o}sen Polymeren somit etwas genauer gezogen werden. ausgepr{\"a}gte Mikroporosit{\"a}t kann nur in extrem steifen Strukturen nachgewiesen werden. Die Kombination der Konzepte "Mesoporosit{\"a}t durch Templatierung" und "Mikroporosit{\"a}t durch strukturierte Monomere" hatte ein hierarchisch strukturiertes Polybenzimidazol zum Ergebnis. Die Pr{\"a}senz einer Strukturierung im molekularen Maßstab konnte SAXS bewiesen werden. Das so strukturierte Polybenzimidazol zeichnete sich durch eine h{\"o}here Protonenleitf{\"a}higkeit im Vergleich zu einem rein mesopor{\"o}sen PBI aus. Der letzte Teil der Arbeit besch{\"a}ftigte sich mit der Entwicklung einer neuen Synthesemethode zur Herstellung von Polybenzimidazol. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass lineares PBI in einer eutektischen Salzschmelze aus Lithium- und Kaliumchlorid synthetisiert werden kann. Die Umsetzung der spirobifluorenbasierten Monomere zu l{\"o}slichem oder vernetztem PBI ist in der Salzschmelze m{\"o}glich.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Swart2017, author = {Swart, Corn{\´e}}, title = {Managing protein activity in A. thaliana}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {160}, year = {2017}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Zeuschner2022, author = {Zeuschner, Steffen Peer}, title = {Magnetoacoustics observed with ultrafast x-ray diffraction}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-56109}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-561098}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {V, 128, IX}, year = {2022}, abstract = {In the present thesis I investigate the lattice dynamics of thin film hetero structures of magnetically ordered materials upon femtosecond laser excitation as a probing and manipulation scheme for the spin system. The quantitative assessment of laser induced thermal dynamics as well as generated picosecond acoustic pulses and their respective impact on the magnetization dynamics of thin films is a challenging endeavor. All the more, the development and implementation of effective experimental tools and comprehensive models are paramount to propel future academic and technological progress. In all experiments in the scope of this cumulative dissertation, I examine the crystal lattice of nanoscale thin films upon the excitation with femtosecond laser pulses. The relative change of the lattice constant due to thermal expansion or picosecond strain pulses is directly monitored by an ultrafast X-ray diffraction (UXRD) setup with a femtosecond laser-driven plasma X-ray source (PXS). Phonons and spins alike exert stress on the lattice, which responds according to the elastic properties of the material, rendering the lattice a versatile sensor for all sorts of ultrafast interactions. On the one hand, I investigate materials with strong magneto-elastic properties; The highly magnetostrictive rare-earth compound TbFe2, elemental Dysprosium or the technological relevant Invar material FePt. On the other hand I conduct a comprehensive study on the lattice dynamics of Bi1Y2Fe5O12 (Bi:YIG), which exhibits high-frequency coherent spin dynamics upon femtosecond laser excitation according to the literature. Higher order standing spinwaves (SSWs) are triggered by coherent and incoherent motion of atoms, in other words phonons, which I quantified with UXRD. We are able to unite the experimental observations of the lattice and magnetization dynamics qualitatively and quantitatively. This is done with a combination of multi-temperature, elastic, magneto-elastic, anisotropy and micro-magnetic modeling. The collective data from UXRD, to probe the lattice, and time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (tr-MOKE) measurements, to monitor the magnetization, were previously collected at different experimental setups. To improve the precision of the quantitative assessment of lattice and magnetization dynamics alike, our group implemented a combination of UXRD and tr-MOKE in a singular experimental setup, which is to my knowledge, the first of its kind. I helped with the conception and commissioning of this novel experimental station, which allows the simultaneous observation of lattice and magnetization dynamics on an ultrafast timescale under identical excitation conditions. Furthermore, I developed a new X-ray diffraction measurement routine which significantly reduces the measurement time of UXRD experiments by up to an order of magnitude. It is called reciprocal space slicing (RSS) and utilizes an area detector to monitor the angular motion of X-ray diffraction peaks, which is associated with lattice constant changes, without a time-consuming scan of the diffraction angles with the goniometer. RSS is particularly useful for ultrafast diffraction experiments, since measurement time at large scale facilities like synchrotrons and free electron lasers is a scarce and expensive resource. However, RSS is not limited to ultrafast experiments and can even be extended to other diffraction techniques with neutrons or electrons.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Martin2013, author = {Martin, Benjamin}, title = {Linking individual-based models and dynamic energy budget theory : lessons for ecology and ecotoxicology}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-67001}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2013}, abstract = {In the context of ecological risk assessment of chemicals, individual-based population models hold great potential to increase the ecological realism of current regulatory risk assessment procedures. However, developing and parameterizing such models is time-consuming and often ad hoc. Using standardized, tested submodels of individual organisms would make individual-based modelling more efficient and coherent. In this thesis, I explored whether Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) theory is suitable for being used as a standard submodel in individual-based models, both for ecological risk assessment and theoretical population ecology. First, I developed a generic implementation of DEB theory in an individual-based modeling (IBM) context: DEB-IBM. Using the DEB-IBM framework I tested the ability of the DEB theory to predict population-level dynamics from the properties of individuals. We used Daphnia magna as a model species, where data at the individual level was available to parameterize the model, and population-level predictions were compared against independent data from controlled population experiments. We found that DEB theory successfully predicted population growth rates and peak densities of experimental Daphnia populations in multiple experimental settings, but failed to capture the decline phase, when the available food per Daphnia was low. Further assumptions on food-dependent mortality of juveniles were needed to capture the population dynamics after the initial population peak. The resulting model then predicted, without further calibration, characteristic switches between small- and large-amplitude cycles, which have been observed for Daphnia. We conclude that cross-level tests help detecting gaps in current individual-level theories and ultimately will lead to theory development and the establishment of a generic basis for individual-based models and ecology. In addition to theoretical explorations, we tested the potential of DEB theory combined with IBMs to extrapolate effects of chemical stress from the individual to population level. For this we used information at the individual level on the effect of 3,4-dichloroanailine on Daphnia. The individual data suggested direct effects on reproduction but no significant effects on growth. Assuming such direct effects on reproduction, the model was able to accurately predict the population response to increasing concentrations of 3,4-dichloroaniline. We conclude that DEB theory combined with IBMs holds great potential for standardized ecological risk assessment based on ecological models.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Gaebert2022, author = {G{\"a}bert, Chris}, title = {Light-responsive polymer systems aiming towards programmable friction}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-55338}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-553380}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {XVI, 108, XXVI}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The development of novel programmable materials aiming to control friction in real-time holds potential to facilitate innovative lubrication solutions for reducing wear and energy losses. This work describes the integration of light-responsiveness into two lubricating materials, silicon oils and polymer brush surfaces. The first part focusses on the assessment on 9-anthracene ester-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS-A) and, in particular, on the variability of rheological properties and the implications that arise with UV-light as external trigger. The applied rheometer setup contains an UV-transparent quartz-plate, which enables radiation and simultaneous measurement of the dynamic moduli. UV-A radiation (354 nm) triggers the cycloaddition reaction between the terminal functionalities of linear PDMS, resulting in chain extension. The newly-formed anthracene dimers cleave by UV-C radiation (254 nm) or at elevated temperatures (T > 130 °C). The sequential UV-A radiation and thermal reprogramming over three cycles demonstrate high conversions and reproducible programming of rheological properties. In contrast, the photochemical back reaction by UV-C is incomplete and can only partially restore the initial rheological properties. The dynamic moduli increase with each cycle in photochemical programming, presumably resulting from a chain segment re-arrangement as a result of the repeated partial photocleavage and subsequent chain length-dependent dimerization. In addition, long periods of radiation cause photooxidative degradation, which damages photo-responsive functions and consequently reduces the programming range. The absence of oxygen, however, reduces undesired side reactions. Anthracene-functionalized PDMS and native PDMS mix depending on the anthracene ester content and chain length, respectively, and allow fine-tuning of programmable rheological properties. The work shows the influence of mixing conditions during the photoprogramming step on the rheological properties, indicating that material property gradients induced by light attenuation along the beam have to be considered. Accordingly, thin lubricant films are suggested as potential application for light-programmable silicon fluids. The second part compares strategies for the grafting of spiropyran (SP) containing copolymer brushes from Si wafers and evaluates the light-responsiveness of the surfaces. Pre-experiments on the kinetics of the thermally initiated RAFT copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) and spiropyran acrylate (SPA) in solution show, first, a strong retardation by SP and, second, the dependence of SPA polymerization on light. Surprisingly, the copolymerization of SPA is inhibited in the dark. These findings contribute to improve the synthesis of polar, spiropyran-containing copolymers. The comparison between initiator systems for the grafting-from approach indicates PET-RAFT superior to thermally initiated RAFT, suggesting a more efficient initiation of surface-bound CTA by light. Surface-initiated polymerization via PET-RAFT with an initiator system of EosinY (EoY) and ascorbic acid (AscA) facilitates copolymer synthesis from HEA and 5-25 mol\% SPA. The resulting polymer film with a thickness of a few nanometers was detected by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ellipsometry. Water contact angle (CA) measurements demonstrate photo-switchable surface polarity, which is attributed to the photoisomerization between non-polar spiropyran and zwitterionic merocyanine isomer. Furthermore, the obtained spiropyran brushes show potential for further studies on light-programmable properties. In this context, it would be interesting to investigate whether swollen spiropyran-containing polymers change their configuration and thus their film thickness under the influence of light. In addition, further experiments using an AFM or microtribometer should evaluate whether light-programmable solvation enables a change in frictional properties between polymer brush surfaces.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Lauterbach2011, author = {Lauterbach, Stefan}, title = {Lateglacial to Holocene climatic and environmental changes in Europe : multi-proxy studies on lake sediments along a transect from northern Italy to northeastern Poland}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-58157}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Sediment records of three European lakes were investigated in order to reconstruct the regional climate development during the Lateglacial and Holocene, to investigate the response of local ecosystems to climatic fluctuations and human impact and to relate regional peculiarities of past climate development to climatic changes on a larger spatial scale. The Lake Hańcza (NE Poland) sediment record was studied with a focus on reconstructing the early Holocene climate development and identifying possible differences to Western Europe. Following the initial Holocene climatic improvement, a further climatic improvement occurred between 10 000 and 9000 cal. a BP. Apparently, relatively cold and dry climate conditions persisted in NE Poland during the first ca. 1500 years of the Holocene, most likely due to a specific regional atmospheric circulation pattern. Prevailing anticyclonic circulation linked to a high-pressure cell above the remaining Scandinavian Ice Sheet (SIS) might have blocked the eastward propagation of warm and moist Westerlies and thus attenuated the early Holocene climatic amelioration in this region until the final decay of the SIS, a pattern different from climate development in Western Europe. The Lateglacial sediment record of Lake Mondsee (Upper Austria) was investigated in order to study the regional climate development and the environmental response to rapid climatic fluctuations. While the temperature rise and environmental response at the onset of the Holocene took place quasi-synchronously, major leads and lags in proxy responses characterize the onset of the Lateglacial Interstadial. In particular, the spread of coniferous woodlands and the reduction of detrital flux lagged the initial Lateglacial warming by ca. 500-750 years. Major cooling at the onset of the Younger Dryas took place synchronously with a change in vegetation, while the increase of detrital matter flux was delayed by about 150-300 years. Complex proxy responses are also detected for short-term Lateglacial climatic fluctuations. In summary, periods of abrupt climatic changes are characterized by complex and temporally variable proxy responses, mainly controlled by ecosystem inertia and the environmental preconditions. A second study on the Lake Mondsee sediment record focused on two small-scale climate deteriorations around 8200 and 9100 cal. a BP, which have been triggered by freshwater discharges to the North Atlantic, causing a shutdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC). Combining microscopic varve counting and AMS 14C dating yielded a precise duration estimate (ca. 150 years) and absolute dating of the 8.2 ka cold event, both being in good agreement with results from other palaeoclimate records. Moreover, a sudden temperature overshoot after the 8.2 ka cold event was identified, also seen in other proxy records around the North Atlantic. This was most likely caused by enhanced resumption of the MOC, which also initiated substantial shifts of oceanic and atmospheric front systems. Although there is also evidence from other proxy records for pronounced recovery of the MOC and atmospheric circulation changes after the 9.1 ka cold event, no temperature overshoot is seen in the Lake Mondsee record, indicating the complex behaviour of the global climate system. The Holocene sediment record of Lake Iseo (northern Italy) was studied to shed light on regional earthquake activity and the influence of climate variability and anthropogenic impact on catchment erosion and detrital flux into the lake. Frequent small-scale detrital layers within the sediments reflect allochthonous sediment supply by extreme surface runoff events. During the early to mid-Holocene, increased detrital flux coincides with periods of cold and wet climate conditions, thus apparently being mainly controlled by climate variability. In contrast, intervals of high detrital flux during the late Holocene partly also correlate with phases of increased human impact, reflecting the complex influences on catchment erosion processes. Five large-scale event layers within the sediments, which are composed of mass-wasting deposits and turbidites, are supposed to have been triggered by strong local earthquakes. While the uppermost of these event layers is assigned to a documented adjacent earthquake in AD 1222, the four other layers are supposed to be related to previously undocumented prehistorical earthquakes.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Littmann2024, author = {Littmann, Daniela-Christin}, title = {Large eddy simulations of the Arctic boundary layer around the MOSAiC drift track}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-62437}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-624374}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {xii, 110}, year = {2024}, abstract = {The icosahedral non-hydrostatic large eddy model (ICON-LEM) was applied around the drift track of the Multidisciplinary Observatory Study of the Arctic (MOSAiC) in 2019 and 2020. The model was set up with horizontal grid-scales between 100m and 800m on areas with radii of 17.5km and 140 km. At its lateral boundaries, the model was driven by analysis data from the German Weather Service (DWD), downscaled by ICON in limited area mode (ICON-LAM) with horizontal grid-scale of 3 km. The aim of this thesis was the investigation of the atmospheric boundary layer near the surface in the central Arctic during polar winter with a high-resolution mesoscale model. The default settings in ICON-LEM prevent the model from representing the exchange processes in the Arctic boundary layer in accordance to the MOSAiC observations. The implemented sea-ice scheme in ICON does not include a snow layer on sea-ice, which causes a too slow response of the sea-ice surface temperature to atmospheric changes. To allow the sea-ice surface to respond faster to changes in the atmosphere, the implemented sea-ice parameterization in ICON was extended with an adapted heat capacity term. The adapted sea-ice parameterization resulted in better agreement with the MOSAiC observations. However, the sea-ice surface temperature in the model is generally lower than observed due to biases in the downwelling long-wave radiation and the lack of complex surface structures, like leads. The large eddy resolving turbulence closure yielded a better representation of the lower boundary layer under strongly stable stratification than the non-eddy-resolving turbulence closure. Furthermore, the integration of leads into the sea-ice surface reduced the overestimation of the sensible heat flux for different weather conditions. The results of this work help to better understand boundary layer processes in the central Arctic during the polar night. High-resolving mesoscale simulations are able to represent temporally and spatially small interactions and help to further develop parameterizations also for the application in regional and global models.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Robalo2018, author = {Robalo, Jo{\~a}o Ramiro Alavedra Mendes}, title = {Investigating the role of fluorinated amino acids on protein structure and function using simulation}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {84}, year = {2018}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Muench2018, author = {M{\"u}nch, Thomas}, title = {Interpretation of temperature signals from ice cores}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-414963}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {xxi, 197}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Earth's climate varies continuously across space and time, but humankind has witnessed only a small snapshot of its entire history, and instrumentally documented it for a mere 200 years. Our knowledge of past climate changes is therefore almost exclusively based on indirect proxy data, i.e. on indicators which are sensitive to changes in climatic variables and stored in environmental archives. Extracting the data from these archives allows retrieval of the information from earlier times. Obtaining accurate proxy information is a key means to test model predictions of the past climate, and only after such validation can the models be used to reliably forecast future changes in our warming world. The polar ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica are one major climate archive, which record information about local air temperatures by means of the isotopic composition of the water molecules embedded in the ice. However, this temperature proxy is, as any indirect climate data, not a perfect recorder of past climatic variations. Apart from local air temperatures, a multitude of other processes affect the mean and variability of the isotopic data, which hinders their direct interpretation in terms of climate variations. This applies especially to regions with little annual accumulation of snow, such as the Antarctic Plateau. While these areas in principle allow for the extraction of isotope records reaching far back in time, a strong corruption of the temperature signal originally encoded in the isotopic data of the snow is expected. This dissertation uses observational isotope data from Antarctica, focussing especially on the East Antarctic low-accumulation area around the Kohnen Station ice-core drilling site, together with statistical and physical methods, to improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal isotope variability across different scales, and thus to enhance the applicability of the proxy for estimating past temperature variability. The presented results lead to a quantitative explanation of the local-scale (1-500 m) spatial variability in the form of a statistical noise model, and reveal the main source of the temporal variability to be the mixture of a climatic seasonal cycle in temperature and the effect of diffusional smoothing acting on temporally uncorrelated noise. These findings put significant limits on the representativity of single isotope records in terms of local air temperature, and impact the interpretation of apparent cyclicalities in the records. Furthermore, to extend the analyses to larger scales, the timescale-dependency of observed Holocene isotope variability is studied. This offers a deeper understanding of the nature of the variations, and is crucial for unravelling the embedded true temperature variability over a wide range of timescales.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Simsek2022, author = {Simsek, Ibrahim}, title = {Ink-based preparation of chalcogenide perovskites as thin films for PV applications}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-57271}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-572711}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {iv, 113}, year = {2022}, abstract = {The increasing demand for energy in the current technological era and the recent political decisions about giving up on nuclear energy diverted humanity to focus on alternative environmentally friendly energy sources like solar energy. Although silicon solar cells are the product of a matured technology, the search for highly efficient and easily applicable materials is still ongoing. These properties made the efficiency of halide perovskites comparable with silicon solar cells for single junctions within a decade of research. However, the downside of halide perovskites are poor stability and lead toxicity for the most stable ones. On the other hand, chalcogenide perovskites are one of the most promising absorber materials for the photovoltaic market, due to their elemental abundance and chemical stability against moisture and oxygen. In the search of the ultimate solar absorber material, combining the good optoelectronic properties of halide perovskites with the stability of chalcogenides could be the promising candidate. Thus, this work investigates new techniques for the synthesis and design of these novel chalcogenide perovskites, that contain transition metals as cations, e.g., BaZrS3, BaHfS3, EuZrS3, EuHfS3 and SrHfS3. There are two stages in the deposition techniques of this study: In the first stage, the binary compounds are deposited via a solution processing method. In the second stage, the deposited materials are annealed in a chalcogenide atmosphere to form the perovskite structure by using solid-state reactions. The research also focuses on the optimization of a generalized recipe for a molecular ink to deposit precursors of chalcogenide perovskites with different binaries. The implementation of the precursor sulfurization resulted in either binaries without perovskite formation or distorted perovskite structures, whereas some of these materials are reported in the literature as they are more favorable in the needle-like non-perovskite configuration. Lastly, there are two categories for the evaluation of the produced materials: The first category is about the determination of the physical properties of the deposited layer, e.g., crystal structure, secondary phase formation, impurities, etc. For the second category, optoelectronic properties are measured and compared to an ideal absorber layer, e.g., band gap, conductivity, surface photovoltage, etc.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Doerge2015, author = {D{\"o}rge, Christina}, title = {Informatische Schl{\"u}sselkompetenzen}, publisher = {Universit{\"a}tsverlag Potsdam}, address = {Potsdam}, isbn = {978-3-86956-262-9}, issn = {1868-0844}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-70470}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {458}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Seit den 60er Jahren gibt es im deutschsprachigen Raum Diskussionen um die Begriffe Schl{\"u}sselqualifikation und (Schl{\"u}ssel-)Kompetenz, welche seit ca. 2000 auch in der Informatikdidaktik angekommen sind. Die Diskussionen der Fachdisziplinen und ihre Bedeutung f{\"u}r die Informatikdidaktik sind Gegenstand des ersten Teils dieser Dissertation. Es werden Rahmenmodelle zur Strukturierung und Einordnung von Kompetenzen entworfen, die f{\"u}r alle Fachdisziplinen nutzbar sind. Im zweiten Teil wird ein methodologischer Weg gezeigt, Schl{\"u}sselkompetenzen herzuleiten, ohne normativ vorgehen zu m{\"u}ssen. Hierzu wird das Verfahren der Qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse (QI) auf informatikdidaktische Ansätze angewendet. Die resultierenden Kompetenzen werden in weiteren Schritten verfeinert und in die zuvor entworfenen Rahmenmodelle eingeordnet. Das Ergebnis sind informatische Schl{\"u}sselkompetenzen, welche ein spezifisches Bild der Informatik zeichnen und zur Analyse bereits bestehender Curricula genutzt werden können. Zusätzlich zeigt das Verfahren einen Weg auf, wie Schl{\"u}sselkompetenzen auf nicht-normativem Wege generell hergeleitet werden können.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Beamish2019, author = {Beamish, Alison Leslie}, title = {Hyperspectral remote sensing of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of low Arctic vegetation}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-42592}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-425922}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {v, 102}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Arctic tundra ecosystems are experiencing warming twice the global average and Arctic vegetation is responding in complex and heterogeneous ways. Shifting productivity, growth, species composition, and phenology at local and regional scales have implications for ecosystem functioning as well as the global carbon and energy balance. Optical remote sensing is an effective tool for monitoring ecosystem functioning in this remote biome. However, limited field-based spectral characterization of the spatial and temporal heterogeneity limits the accuracy of quantitative optical remote sensing at landscape scales. To address this research gap and support current and future satellite missions, three central research questions were posed: • Does canopy-level spectral variability differ between dominant low Arctic vegetation communities and does this variability change between major phenological phases? • How does canopy-level vegetation colour images recorded with high and low spectral resolution devices relate to phenological changes in leaf-level photosynthetic pigment concentrations? • How does spatial aggregation of high spectral resolution data from the ground to satellite scale influence low Arctic tundra vegetation signatures and thereby what is the potential of upcoming hyperspectral spaceborne systems for low Arctic vegetation characterization? To answer these questions a unique and detailed database was assembled. Field-based canopy-level spectral reflectance measurements, nadir digital photographs, and photosynthetic pigment concentrations of dominant low Arctic vegetation communities were acquired at three major phenological phases representing early, peak and late season. Data were collected in 2015 and 2016 in the Toolik Lake Research Natural Area located in north central Alaska on the North Slope of the Brooks Range. In addition to field data an aerial AISA hyperspectral image was acquired in the late season of 2016. Simulations of broadband Sentinel-2 and hyperspectral Environmental and Mapping Analysis Program (EnMAP) satellite reflectance spectra from ground-based reflectance spectra as well as simulations of EnMAP imagery from aerial hyperspectral imagery were also obtained. Results showed that canopy-level spectral variability within and between vegetation communities differed by phenological phase. The late season was identified as the most discriminative for identifying many dominant vegetation communities using both ground-based and simulated hyperspectral reflectance spectra. This was due to an overall reduction in spectral variability and comparable or greater differences in spectral reflectance between vegetation communities in the visible near infrared spectrum. Red, green, and blue (RGB) indices extracted from nadir digital photographs and pigment-driven vegetation indices extracted from ground-based spectral measurements showed strong significant relationships. RGB indices also showed moderate relationships with chlorophyll and carotenoid pigment concentrations. The observed relationships with the broadband RGB channels of the digital camera indicate that vegetation colour strongly influences the response of pigment-driven spectral indices and digital cameras can track the seasonal development and degradation of photosynthetic pigments. Spatial aggregation of hyperspectral data from the ground to airborne, to simulated satel-lite scale was influenced by non-photosynthetic components as demonstrated by the distinct shift of the red edge to shorter wavelengths. Correspondence between spectral reflectance at the three scales was highest in the red spectrum and lowest in the near infra-red. By artificially mixing litter spectra at different proportions to ground-based spectra, correspondence with aerial and satellite spectra increased. Greater proportions of litter were required to achieve correspondence at the satellite scale. Overall this thesis found that integrating multiple temporal, spectral, and spatial data is necessary to monitor the complexity and heterogeneity of Arctic tundra ecosystems. The identification of spectrally similar vegetation communities can be optimized using non-peak season hyperspectral data leading to more detailed identification of vegetation communities. The results also highlight the power of vegetation colour to link ground-based and satellite data. Finally, a detailed characterization non-photosynthetic ecosystem components is crucial for accurate interpretation of vegetation signals at landscape scales.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Schimpf2020, author = {Schimpf, Stefan}, title = {Herkunft und Ablagerungsmilieu quart{\"a}rer Sedimente im Einzugsgebiet des Heihe, NW China}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {xi, 186}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Der zentralasiatische Naturraum, wie er sich uns heute pr{\"a}sentiert, ist das Ergebnis eines Zusammenwirkens vieler verschiedener Faktoren {\"u}ber Jahrmillionen hinweg. Im aktuellen Kontext des Klimawandels zeigt sich jedoch, wie stark sich Stofffl{\"u}sse auch kurzfristig {\"a}ndern und dabei das Gesicht der Landschaft verwandeln k{\"o}nnen. Die Gobi-W{\"u}ste in der Inneren Mongolei (China), als Teil der gleichnamigen Trockenregionen Nordwestchinas, ist aufgrund der Ausgestaltung ihrer landschaftspr{\"a}genden Elemente sowie ihrer Landschaftsdynamik, im Zusammenhang mit der Lage zum Tibet-Plateau, in den Fokus der klimageschichtlichen Grundlagenforschung ger{\"u}ckt. Als großes Langzeitarchiv unterschiedlichster fluvialer, lakustriner und {\"a}olischer Sedimente stellt sie eine bedeutende Lokalit{\"a}t zur Rekonstruktion von lokalen und regionalen Stofffl{\"u}ssen dar.. Andererseits ist die Gobi-W{\"u}ste zugleich auch eine bedeutende Quelle f{\"u}r den {\"u}berregionalen Staubtransport, da sie aufgrund der klimatischen Bedingungen insbesondere der Erosion durch Ausblasung preisgegeben wird. Vor diesem Hintergrund erfolgten zwischen 2011 und 2014, im Rahmen des BMBF-Verbundprogramms WTZ Zentralasien - Monsundynamik \& Geo{\"o}kosysteme (F{\"o}rderkennzeichen 03G0814), mehrere deutsch-chinesische Expeditionen in das Ejina-Becken (Innere Mongolei) und das Qilian Shan-Vorland. Im Zuge dieser Expeditionen wurden f{\"u}r eine Bestimmung potenzieller Sedimentquellen erstmals zahlreiche Oberfl{\"a}chenproben aus dem gesamten Einzugsgebiet des Heihe (schwarzer Fluss) gesammelt. Zudem wurden mit zwei Bohrungen im inneren des Ejina-Beckens, erg{\"a}nzende Sedimentbohrkerne zum bestehenden Bohrkern D100 (siehe W{\"u}nnemann (2005)) abgeteuft, um weit reichende, erg{\"a}nzende Informationen zur Landschaftsgeschichte und zum {\"u}berregionalen Sedimenttransfer zu erhalten. Gegenstand und Ziel der vorliegenden Doktorarbeit ist die sedimentologisch-mineralogische Charakterisierung des Untersuchungsgebietes in Bezug auf potenzielle Sedimentquellen und Stofffl{\"u}sse des Ejina-Beckens sowie die Rekonstruktion der Ablagerungsgeschichte eines dort erbohrten, 19m langen Sedimentbohrkerns (GN100). Schwerpunkt ist hierbei die Kl{\"a}rung der Sedimentherkunft innerhalb des Bohrkerns sowie die Ausweisung von Herkunftssignalen und m{\"o}glichen Sedimentquellen bzw. Sedimenttransportpfaden. Die methodische Herangehensweise basiert auf einem Multi-Proxy-Ansatz zur Charakterisierung der klastischen Sedimentfazies anhand von Gel{\"a}ndebeobachtungen, lithologisch-granulometrischen und mineralogisch-geochemischen Analysen sowie statistischen Verfahren. F{\"u}r die mineralogischen Untersuchungen der Sedimente wurde eine neue, rasterelektronenmikroskopische Methode zur automatisierten Partikelanalyse genutzt und den traditionellen Methoden gegen{\"u}bergestellt. Die synoptische Betrachtung der granulometrischen, geochemischen und mineralogischen Befunde der Oberfl{\"a}chensedimente ergibt f{\"u}r das Untersuchungsgebiet ein logisches Kaskadenmodell mit immer wiederkehrenden Prozessbereichen und {\"a}hnlichen Prozesssignalen. Die umfangreichen granulometrischen Analysen deuten dabei auf abnehmende Korngr{\"o}ßen mit zunehmender Entfernung vom Qilian Shan hin und erm{\"o}glichen die Identifizierung von vier texturellen Signalen: den fluvialen Sanden, den D{\"u}nensanden, den Stillwassersedimenten und St{\"a}uben. Diese Ergebnisse k{\"o}nnen als Interpretationsgrundlage f{\"u}r die Korngr{\"o}ßenanalysen des Bohrkerns genutzt werden. Somit ist es m{\"o}glich, die Ablagerungsgeschichte der Bohrkernsedimente zu rekonstruieren und in Verbindung mit eigenen und literaturbasierten Datierungen in einen Gesamtkontext einzuh{\"a}ngen. F{\"u}r das Untersuchungsgebiet werden somit vier Ablagerungsphasen ausgewiesen, die bis in die Zeit des letzten glazialen Maximums (LGM) zur{\"u}ckreichen. W{\"a}hrend dieser Ablagerungsphasen kam es im Zuge unterschiedlicher Aktivit{\"a}ts- und Stabilit{\"a}tsphasen zu einer kontinuierlichen Progradation und {\"U}berpr{\"a}gung des Schwemmf{\"a}chers. Eine besonders aktive Phase kann zwischen 8 ka und 4 ka BP festgestellt werden, w{\"a}hrend der es aufgrund zunehmender fluvialer Aktivit{\"a}ten zu einer deutlich verst{\"a}rkten Schwemmf{\"a}cherdynamik gekommen zu sein scheint. In den Abschnitten davor und danach waren es vor allem {\"a}olische Prozesse, die zu einer {\"U}berpr{\"a}gung des Schwemmf{\"a}chers gef{\"u}hrt haben. Hinsichtlich der mineralogischen Herkunftssignale gibt es eine große Variabilit{\"a}t. Dies spiegelt die enorme Heterogenit{\"a}t der Geologie des Untersuchungsgebietes wider, wodurch die r{\"a}umlichen Signale nicht sehr stark ausgepr{\"a}gt sind. Dennoch, k{\"o}nnen f{\"u}r das Einzugsgebiet drei gr{\"o}ßere Bereiche deklariert werden, die als Herkunftsgebiet in Frage kommen. Das {\"o}stliche Qilian Shan Vorland zeichnet sich dabei durch deutlich h{\"o}here Chloritgehalte als prim{\"a}re Quelle f{\"u}r die Sedimente im Ejina-Becken aus. Sie unterscheiden sich insbesondere durch stark divergierende Chloritgehalte in der Tonmineral- und Gesamtmineralfraktion, was das {\"o}stliche Qilian Shan Vorland als prim{\"a}re Quelle f{\"u}r die Sedimente im Ejina-Becken auszeichnet. Dies steht in Zusammenhang mit den Gr{\"u}nschiefern, Ophioliten und Serpentiniten in diesem Bereich. Geochemisch deutet vor allem das Cr/Rb-Verh{\"a}ltnis eine große Variabilit{\"a}t innerhalb des Einzugsgebietes an. Auch hier ist es das {\"o}stliche Vorland, welches aufgrund seines hohen Anteils an mafischen Gesteinen reich an Chromiten und Spinellen ist und sich somit vom restlichen Untersuchungsgebiet abhebt. Die zeitliche aber auch die generelle Variabilit{\"a}t der Sedimentherkunft l{\"a}sst sich in den Bohrkernsedimenten nicht so deutlich nachzeichnen. Die mineralogisch-sedimentologischen Eigenschaften der erbohrten klastischen Sedimente zeugen zwar von zwischenzeitlichen {\"A}nderungen bei der Sedimentherkunft, diese sind jedoch nicht so deutlich ausgepr{\"a}gt, wie es die Quellsignale in den Oberfl{\"a}chensedimenten vermuten lassen. Ein Grund daf{\"u}r scheint die starke Vermischung unterschiedlichster Sedimente w{\"a}hrend des Transportes zu sein. Die Kombination der Korngr{\"o}ßenergebnisse mit den Befunden der Gesamt- und Schwermineralogie deuten darauf hin, dass es zwischenzeitlich eine Phase mit {\"u}berwiegend {\"a}olischen Prozessen gegeben hat, die mit einem Sedimenteintrag aus dem westlichen Bei Shan in Verbindung stehen. Neben der Zunahme ultrastabiler Schwerminerale wie Zirkon und Granat und der Abnahme opaker Schwerminerale, weisen vor allem die heutigen Verh{\"a}ltnisse darauf hin. Der Vergleich der traditionellen Schwermineralanalyse mit der Computer-Controlled-Scanning-Electron-Microscopy (kurz: CCSEM), die eine automatisierte Partikelauswertung der Proben erm{\"o}glicht, zeigt den deutlichen Vorteil der modernen Analysemethode. Neben einem zeitlichen Vorteil, den man durch die automatisierte Abarbeitung der vorbereiteten Proben erlangen kann, steht vor allem die deutlich gr{\"o}ßere statistische Signifikanz des Ergebnisses im Vordergrund. Zudem k{\"o}nnen mit dieser Methode auch chemische Variet{\"a}ten einiger Schwerminerale bestimmt werden, die eine noch feinere Klassifizierung und sicherere Aussagen zu einer m{\"o}glichen Sedimentherkunft erm{\"o}glichen. Damit ergeben sich außerdem verbesserte Aussagen zu Zusammensetzungen und Entstehungsprozessen der abgelagerten Sedimente. Die Studie verdeutlicht, dass die Sedimentherkunft innerhalb des Untersuchungsgebietes sowie die ablaufenden Prozesse zum Teil stark von lokalen Gegebenheiten abh{\"a}ngen. Die Heterogenit{\"a}t der Geologie und die Gr{\"o}ße des Einzugsgebietes sowie die daraus resultierende Komplexit{\"a}t der Sedimentgenese, machen exakte Zuordnungen zu klar definierten Sedimentquellen sehr schwer. Dennoch zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass die Sedimentzufuhr in das Ejina-Becken in erster Linie durch fluviale klastische Sedimente des Heihe aus dem Qilian Shan erfolgt sein muss. Die Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen jedoch ebenso die Notwendigkeit einer erg{\"a}nzenden Bearbeitung angrenzender Untersuchungsgebiete, wie beispielsweise den Gobi-Altai im Norden oder den Beishan im Westen, sowie die Verdichtung der Oberfl{\"a}chenbeprobung zur feineren Aufl{\"o}sung von lokalen Sedimentquellen.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Ziege2022, author = {Ziege, Ricardo}, title = {Growth dynamics and mechanical properties of E. coli biofilms}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-55986}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-559869}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {xi, 123}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Biofilms are complex living materials that form as bacteria get embedded in a matrix of self-produced protein and polysaccharide fibres. The formation of a network of extracellular biopolymer fibres contributes to the cohesion of the biofilm by promoting cell-cell attachment and by mediating biofilm-substrate interactions. This sessile mode of bacteria growth has been well studied by microbiologists to prevent the detrimental effects of biofilms in medical and industrial settings. Indeed, biofilms are associated with increased antibiotic resistance in bacterial infections, and they can also cause clogging of pipelines or promote bio-corrosion. However, biofilms also gained interest from biophysics due to their ability to form complex morphological patterns during growth. Recently, the emerging field of engineered living materials investigates biofilm mechanical properties at multiple length scales and leverages the tools of synthetic biology to tune the functions of their constitutive biopolymers. This doctoral thesis aims at clarifying how the morphogenesis of Escherichia coli (E. coli) biofilms is influenced by their growth dynamics and mechanical properties. To address this question, I used methods from cell mechanics and materials science. I first studied how biological activity in biofilms gives rise to non-uniform growth patterns. In a second study, I investigated how E. coli biofilm morphogenesis and its mechanical properties adapt to an environmental stimulus, namely the water content of their substrate. Finally, I estimated how the mechanical properties of E. coli biofilms are altered when the bacteria express different extracellular biopolymers. On nutritive hydrogels, micron-sized E. coli cells can build centimetre-large biofilms. During this process, bacterial proliferation and matrix production introduce mechanical stresses in the biofilm, which release through the formation of macroscopic wrinkles and delaminated buckles. To relate these biological and mechanical phenomena, I used time-lapse fluorescence imaging to track cell and matrix surface densities through the early and late stages of E. coli biofilm growth. Colocalization of high cell and matrix densities at the periphery precede the onset of mechanical instabilities at this annular region. Early growth is detected at this outer annulus, which was analysed by adding fluorescent microspheres to the bacterial inoculum. But only when high rates of matrix production are present in the biofilm centre, does overall biofilm spreading initiate along the solid-air interface. By tracking larger fluorescent particles for a long time, I could distinguish several kinematic stages of E. coli biofilm expansion and observed a transition from non-linear to linear velocity profiles, which precedes the emergence of wrinkles at the biofilm periphery. Decomposing particle velocities to their radial and circumferential components revealed a last kinematic stage, where biofilm movement is mostly directed towards the radial delaminated buckles, which verticalize. The resulting compressive strains computed in these regions were observed to substantially deform the underlying agar substrates. The co-localization of higher cell and matrix densities towards an annular region and the succession of several kinematic stages are thus expected to promote the emergence of mechanical instabilities at the biofilm periphery. These experimental findings are predicted to advance future modelling approaches of biofilm morphogenesis. E. coli biofilm morphogenesis is further anticipated to depend on external stimuli from the environment. To clarify how the water could be used to tune biofilm material properties, we quantified E. coli biofilm growth, wrinkling dynamics and rigidity as a function of the water content of the nutritive substrates. Time-lapse microscopy and computational image analysis revealed that substrates with high water content promote biofilm spreading kinetics, while substrates with low water content promote biofilm wrinkling. The wrinkles observed on biofilm cross-sections appeared more bent on substrates with high water content, while they tended to be more vertical on substrates with low water content. Both wet and dry biomass, accumulated over 4 days of culture, were larger in biofilms cultured on substrates with high water content, despite extra porosity within the matrix layer. Finally, the micro-indentation analysis revealed that substrates with low water content supported the formation of stiffer biofilms. This study shows that E. coli biofilms respond to the water content of their substrate, which might be used for tuning their material properties in view of further applications. Biofilm material properties further depend on the composition and structure of the matrix of extracellular proteins and polysaccharides. In particular, E. coli biofilms were suggested to present tissue-like elasticity due to a dense fibre network consisting of amyloid curli and phosphoethanolamine-modified cellulose. To understand the contribution of these components to the emergent mechanical properties of E. coli biofilms, we performed micro-indentation on biofilms grown from bacteria of several strains. Besides showing higher dry masses, larger spreading diameters and slightly reduced water contents, biofilms expressing both main matrix components also presented high rigidities in the range of several hundred kPa, similar to biofilms containing only curli fibres. In contrast, a lack of amyloid curli fibres provides much higher adhesive energies and more viscoelastic fluid-like material behaviour. Therefore, the combination of amyloid curli and phosphoethanolamine-modified cellulose fibres implies the formation of a composite material whereby the amyloid curli fibres provide rigidity to E. coli biofilms, whereas the phosphoethanolamine-modified cellulose rather acts as a glue. These findings motivate further studies involving purified versions of these protein and polysaccharide components to better understand how their interactions benefit biofilm functions. All three studies depict different aspects of biofilm morphogenesis, which are interrelated. The first work reveals the correlation between non-uniform biological activities and the emergence of mechanical instabilities in the biofilm. The second work acknowledges the adaptive nature of E. coli biofilm morphogenesis and its mechanical properties to an environmental stimulus, namely water. Finally, the last study reveals the complementary role of the individual matrix components in the formation of a stable biofilm material, which not only forms complex morphologies but also functions as a protective shield for the bacteria it contains. Our experimental findings on E. coli biofilm morphogenesis and their mechanical properties can have further implications for fundamental and applied biofilm research fields.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Hoechner2010, author = {H{\"o}chner, Andreas}, title = {GPS based analysis of earthquake induced phenomena at the Sunda Arc}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-53166}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2010}, abstract = {Indonesia is one of the countries most prone to natural hazards. Complex interaction of several tectonic plates with high relative velocities leads to approximately two earthquakes with magnitude Mw>7 every year, being more than 15\% of the events worldwide. Earthquakes with magnitude above 9 happen far more infrequently, but with catastrophic effects. The most severe consequences thereby arise from tsunamis triggered by these subduction-related earthquakes, as the Sumatra-Andaman event in 2004 showed. In order to enable efficient tsunami early warning, which includes the estimation of wave heights and arrival times, it is necessary to combine different types of real-time sensor data with numerical models of earthquake sources and tsunami propagation. This thesis was created as a result of the GITEWS project (German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System). It is based on five research papers and manuscripts. Main project-related task was the development of a database containing realistic earthquake scenarios for the Sunda Arc. This database provides initial conditions for tsunami propagation modeling used by the simulation system at the early warning center. An accurate discretization of the subduction geometry, consisting of 25x150 subfaults was constructed based on seismic data. Green's functions, representing the deformational response to unit dip- and strike slip at the subfaults, were computed using a layered half-space approach. Different scaling relations for earthquake dimensions and slip distribution were implemented. Another project-related task was the further development of the 'GPS-shield' concept. It consists of a constellation of near field GPS-receivers, which are shown to be very valuable for tsunami early warning. The major part of this thesis is related to the geophysical interpretation of GPS data. Coseismic surface displacements caused by the 2004 Sumatra earthquake are inverted for slip at the fault. The effect of different Earth layer models is tested, favoring continental structure. The possibility of splay faulting is considered and shown to be a secondary order effect in respect to tsunamigenity for this event. Tsunami models based on source inversions are compared to satellite radar altimetry observations. Postseismic GPS time series are used to test a wide parameter range of uni- and biviscous rheological models of the asthenosphere. Steady-state Maxwell rheology is shown to be incompatible with near-field GPS data, unless large afterslip, amounting to more than 10\% of the coseismic moment is assumed. In contrast, transient Burgers rheology is in agreement with data without the need for large aseismic afterslip. Comparison to postseismic geoid observation by the GRACE satellites reveals that even with afterslip, the model implementing Maxwell rheology results in amplitudes being too small, and thus supports a biviscous asthenosphere. A simple approach based on the assumption of quasi-static deformation propagation is introduced and proposed for inversion of coseismic near-field GPS time series. Application of this approach to observations from the 2004 Sumatra event fails to quantitatively reconstruct the rupture propagation, since a priori conditions are not fulfilled in this case. However, synthetic tests reveal the feasibility of such an approach for fast estimation of rupturing properties.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Steding2022, author = {Steding, Svenja}, title = {Geochemical and Hydraulic Modeling of Cavernous Structures in Potash Seams}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-54818}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-548182}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {IX, 104}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Salt deposits offer a variety of usage types. These include the mining of rock salt and potash salt as important raw materials, the storage of energy in man-made underground caverns, and the disposal of hazardous substances in former mines. The most serious risk with any of these usage types comes from the contact with groundwater or surface water. It causes an uncontrolled dissolution of salt rock, which in the worst case can result in the flooding or collapse of underground facilities. Especially along potash seams, cavernous structures can spread quickly, because potash salts show a much higher solubility than rock salt. However, as their chemical behavior is quite complex, previous models do not account for these highly soluble interlayers. Therefore, the objective of the present thesis is to describe the evolution of cavernous structures along potash seams in space and time in order to improve hazard mitigation during the utilization of salt deposits. The formation of cavernous structures represents an interplay of chemical and hydraulic processes. Hence, the first step is to systematically investigate the dissolution and precipitation reactions that occur when water and potash salt come into contact. For this purpose, a geochemical reaction model is used. The results show that the minerals are only partially dissolved, resulting in a porous sponge like structure. With the saturation of the solution increasing, various secondary minerals are formed, whose number and type depend on the original rock composition. Field data confirm a correlation between the degree of saturation and the distance from the center of the cavern, where solution is entering. Subsequently, the reaction model is coupled with a flow and transport code and supplemented by a novel approach called 'interchange'. The latter enables the exchange of solution and rock between areas of different porosity and mineralogy, and thus ultimately the growth of the cavernous structure. By means of several scenario analyses, cavern shape, growth rate and mineralogy are systematically investigated, taking also heterogeneous potash seams into account. The results show that basically four different cases can be distinguished, with mixed forms being a frequent occurrence in nature. The classification scheme is based on the dimensionless numbers P{\´e}clet and Damk{\"o}hler, and allows for a first assessment of the hazard potential. In future, the model can be applied to any field case, using measurement data for calibration. The presented research work provides a reactive transport model that is able to spatially and temporally characterize the propagation of cavernous structures along potash seams for the first time. Furthermore, it allows to determine thickness and composition of transition zones between cavern center and unaffected salt rock. The latter is particularly important in potash mining, so that natural cavernous structures can be located at an early stage and the risk of mine flooding can thus be reduced. The models may also contribute to an improved hazard prevention in the construction of storage caverns and the disposal of hazardous waste in salt deposits. Predictions regarding the characteristics and evolution of cavernous structures enable a better assessment of potential hazards, such as integrity or stability loss, as well as of suitable mitigation measures.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Metz2023, author = {Metz, Malte}, title = {Finite fault earthquake source inversions}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-61974}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-619745}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {143}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Earthquake modeling is the key to a profound understanding of a rupture. Its kinematics or dynamics are derived from advanced rupture models that allow, for example, to reconstruct the direction and velocity of the rupture front or the evolving slip distribution behind the rupture front. Such models are often parameterized by a lattice of interacting sub-faults with many degrees of freedom, where, for example, the time history of the slip and rake on each sub-fault are inverted. To avoid overfitting or other numerical instabilities during a finite-fault estimation, most models are stabilized by geometric rather than physical constraints such as smoothing. As a basis for the inversion approach of this study, we build on a new pseudo-dynamic rupture model (PDR) with only a few free parameters and a simple geometry as a physics-based solution of an earthquake rupture. The PDR derives the instantaneous slip from a given stress drop on the fault plane, with boundary conditions on the developing crack surface guaranteed at all times via a boundary element approach. As a side product, the source time function on each point on the rupture plane is not constraint and develops by itself without additional parametrization. The code was made publicly available as part of the Pyrocko and Grond Python packages. The approach was compared with conventional modeling for different earthquakes. For example, for the Mw 7.1 2016 Kumamoto, Japan, earthquake, the effects of geometric changes in the rupture surface on the slip and slip rate distributions could be reproduced by simply projecting stress vectors. For the Mw 7.5 2018 Palu, Indonesia, strike-slip earthquake, we also modelled rupture propagation using the 2D Eikonal equation and assuming a linear relationship between rupture and shear wave velocity. This allowed us to give a deeper and faster propagating rupture front and the resulting upward refraction as a new possible explanation for the apparent supershear observed at the Earth's surface. The thesis investigates three aspects of earthquake inversion using PDR: (1) to test whether implementing a simplified rupture model with few parameters into a probabilistic Bayesian scheme without constraining geometric parameters is feasible, and whether this leads to fast and robust results that can be used for subsequent fast information systems (e.g., ground motion predictions). (2) To investigate whether combining broadband and strong-motion seismic records together with near-field ground deformation data improves the reliability of estimated rupture models in a Bayesian inversion. (3) To investigate whether a complex rupture can be represented by the inversion of multiple PDR sources and for what type of earthquakes this is recommended. I developed the PDR inversion approach and applied the joint data inversions to two seismic sequences in different tectonic settings. Using multiple frequency bands and a multiple source inversion approach, I captured the multi-modal behaviour of the Mw 8.2 2021 South Sandwich subduction earthquake with a large, curved and slow rupturing shallow earthquake bounded by two faster and deeper smaller events. I could cross-validate the results with other methods, i.e., P-wave energy back-projection, a clustering analysis of aftershocks and a simple tsunami forward model. The joint analysis of ground deformation and seismic data within a multiple source inversion also shed light on an earthquake triplet, which occurred in July 2022 in SE Iran. From the inversion and aftershock relocalization, I found indications for a vertical separation between the shallower mainshocks within the sedimentary cover and deeper aftershocks at the sediment-basement interface. The vertical offset could be caused by the ductile response of the evident salt layer to stress perturbations from the mainshocks. The applications highlight the versatility of the simple PDR in probabilistic seismic source inversion capturing features of rather different, complex earthquakes. Limitations, as the evident focus on the major slip patches of the rupture are discussed as well as differences to other finite fault modeling methods.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Borisova2012, author = {Borisova, Dimitriya}, title = {Feedback active coatings based on mesoporous silica containers}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-63505}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Metalle werden oft w{\"a}hrend ihrer Anwendung korrosiven Bedingungen ausgesetzt, was ihre Alterungsbest{\"a}ndigkeit reduziert. Deswegen werden korrosionsanf{\"a}llige Metalle, wie Aluminiumlegierungen mit Schutzbeschichtungen versehen, um den Korrosionsprozess aktiv oder passiv zu verhindern. Die klassischen Schutzbeschichtungen funktionieren als physikalische Barriere zwischen Metall und korrosiver Umgebung und bieten einen passiven Korrosionsschutz nur, wenn sie unbesch{\"a}digt sind. Im Gegensatz dazu kann die Korrosion auch im Fall einer Besch{\"a}digung mittels aktiver Schutzbeschichtungen gehemmt werden. Chromathaltige Beschichtungen bieten heutzutage den besten aktiven Korrosionsschutz f{\"u}r Aluminiumlegierungen. Aufgrund ihrer Giftigkeit wurden diese weltweit verboten und m{\"u}ssen durch neue umweltfreundliche Schutzbeschichtungen ersetzt werden. Ein potentieller Ersatz sind Schutzbeschichtungen mit integrierten Nano- und Mikrobeh{\"a}ltern, die mit ungiftigem Inhibitor gef{\"u}llt sind. In dieser Arbeit werden die Entwicklung und Optimierung solcher aktiver Schutzbeschichtungen f{\"u}r die industriell wichtige Aluminiumlegierung AA2024-T3 dargestellt Mesopor{\"o}se Silika-Beh{\"a}lter wurden mit dem ungiftigen Inhibitor (2-Mercaptobenzothiazol) beladen und dann in die Matrix anorganischer (SiOx/ZrOx) oder organischer (wasserbasiert) Schichten dispergiert. Zwei Sorten von Silika-Beh{\"a}ltern mit unterschiedlichen Gr{\"o}ßen (d ≈ 80 and 700 nm) wurden verwendet. Diese haben eine große spezifische Oberfl{\"a}che (≈ 1000 m² g-1), eine enge Porengr{\"o}ßenverteilung mit mittlerer Porenweite ≈ 3 nm und ein großes Porenvolumen (≈ 1 mL g-1). Dank dieser Eigenschaften k{\"o}nnen große Inhibitormengen im Beh{\"a}lterinneren adsorbiert und gehalten werden. Die Inhibitormolek{\"u}le werden bei korrosionsbedingter Erh{\"o}hung des pH-Wertes gel{\"o}st und freigegeben. Die Konzentration, Position und Gr{\"o}ße der integrierten Beh{\"a}lter wurden variiert um die besten Bedingungen f{\"u}r einen optimalen Korrosionsschutz zu bestimmen. Es wurde festgestellt, dass eine gute Korrosionsschutzleistung durch einen Kompromiss zwischen ausreichender Inhibitormenge und guten Barriereeigenschaften hervorgerufen wird. Diese Studie erweitert das Wissen {\"u}ber die wichtigsten Faktoren, die den Korrosionsschutz beeinflussen. Somit wurde die Entwicklung effizienter, aktiver Schutzbeschichtungen erm{\"o}glicht, die auf mit Inhibitor beladenen Beh{\"a}ltern basieren.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Stettner2018, author = {Stettner, Samuel}, title = {Exploring the seasonality of rapid Arctic changes from space}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-42578}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-425783}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {XIII, 132}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Arctic warming has implications for the functioning of terrestrial Arctic ecosystems, global climate and socioeconomic systems of northern communities. A research gap exists in high spatial resolution monitoring and understanding of the seasonality of permafrost degradation, spring snowmelt and vegetation phenology. This thesis explores the diversity and utility of dense TerraSAR-X (TSX) X-Band time series for monitoring ice-rich riverbank erosion, snowmelt, and phenology of Arctic vegetation at long-term study sites in the central Lena Delta, Russia and on Qikiqtaruk (Herschel Island), Canada. In the thesis the following three research questions are addressed: • Is TSX time series capable of monitoring the dynamics of rapid permafrost degradation in ice-rich permafrost on an intra-seasonal scale and can these datasets in combination with climate data identify the climatic drivers of permafrost degradation? • Can multi-pass and multi-polarized TSX time series adequately monitor seasonal snow cover and snowmelt in small Arctic catchments and how does it perform compared to optical satellite data and field-based measurements? • Do TSX time series reflect the phenology of Arctic vegetation and how does the recorded signal compare to in-situ greenness data from RGB time-lapse camera data and vegetation height from field surveys? To answer the research questions three years of TSX backscatter data from 2013 to 2015 for the Lena Delta study site and from 2015 to 2017 for the Qikiqtaruk study site were used in quantitative and qualitative analysis complimentary with optical satellite data and in-situ time-lapse imagery. The dynamics of intra-seasonal ice-rich riverbank erosion in the central Lena Delta, Russia were quantified using TSX backscatter data at 2.4 m spatial resolution in HH polarization and validated with 0.5 m spatial resolution optical satellite data and field-based time-lapse camera data. Cliff top lines were automatically extracted from TSX intensity images using threshold-based segmentation and vectorization and combined in a geoinformation system with manually digitized cliff top lines from the optical satellite data and rates of erosion extracted from time-lapse cameras. The results suggest that the cliff top eroded at a constant rate throughout the entire erosional season. Linear mixed models confirmed that erosion was coupled with air temperature and precipitation at an annual scale, seasonal fluctuations did not influence 22-day erosion rates. The results highlight the potential of HH polarized X-Band backscatter data for high temporal resolution monitoring of rapid permafrost degradation. The distinct signature of wet snow in backscatter intensity images of TSX data was exploited to generate wet snow cover extent (SCE) maps on Qikiqtaruk at high temporal resolution. TSX SCE showed high similarity to Landsat 8-derived SCE when using cross-polarized VH data. Fractional snow cover (FSC) time series were extracted from TSX and optical SCE and compared to FSC estimations from in-situ time-lapse imagery. The TSX products showed strong agreement with the in-situ data and significantly improved the temporal resolution compared to the Landsat 8 time series. The final combined FSC time series revealed two topography-dependent snowmelt patterns that corresponded to in-situ measurements. Additionally TSX was able to detect snow patches longer in the season than Landsat 8, underlining the advantage of TSX for detection of old snow. The TSX-derived snow information provided valuable insights into snowmelt dynamics on Qikiqtaruk previously not available. The sensitivity of TSX to vegetation structure associated with phenological changes was explored on Qikiqtaruk. Backscatter and coherence time series were compared to greenness data extracted from in-situ digital time-lapse cameras and detailed vegetation parameters on 30 areas of interest. Supporting previous results, vegetation height corresponded to backscatter intensity in co-polarized HH/VV at an incidence angle of 31°. The dry, tall shrub dominated ecological class showed increasing backscatter with increasing greenness when using the cross polarized VH/HH channel at 32° incidence angle. This is likely driven by volume scattering of emerging and expanding leaves. Ecological classes with more prostrate vegetation and higher bare ground contributions showed decreasing backscatter trends over the growing season in the co-polarized VV/HH channels likely a result of surface drying instead of a vegetation structure signal. The results from shrub dominated areas are promising and provide a complementary data source for high temporal monitoring of vegetation phenology. Overall this thesis demonstrates that dense time series of TSX with optical remote sensing and in-situ time-lapse data are complementary and can be used to monitor rapid and seasonal processes in Arctic landscapes at high spatial and temporal resolution.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Schuette2011, author = {Sch{\"u}tte, Moritz}, title = {Evolutionary fingerprints in genome-scale networks}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-57483}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Mathematical modeling of biological phenomena has experienced increasing interest since new high-throughput technologies give access to growing amounts of molecular data. These modeling approaches are especially able to test hypotheses which are not yet experimentally accessible or guide an experimental setup. One particular attempt investigates the evolutionary dynamics responsible for today's composition of organisms. Computer simulations either propose an evolutionary mechanism and thus reproduce a recent finding or rebuild an evolutionary process in order to learn about its mechanism. The quest for evolutionary fingerprints in metabolic and gene-coexpression networks is the central topic of this cumulative thesis based on four published articles. An understanding of the actual origin of life will probably remain an insoluble problem. However, one can argue that after a first simple metabolism has evolved, the further evolution of metabolism occurred in parallel with the evolution of the sequences of the catalyzing enzymes. Indications of such a coevolution can be found when correlating the change in sequence between two enzymes with their distance on the metabolic network which is obtained from the KEGG database. We observe that there exists a small but significant correlation primarily on nearest neighbors. This indicates that enzymes catalyzing subsequent reactions tend to be descended from the same precursor. Since this correlation is relatively small one can at least assume that, if new enzymes are no "genetic children" of the previous enzymes, they certainly be descended from any of the already existing ones. Following this hypothesis, we introduce a model of enzyme-pathway coevolution. By iteratively adding enzymes, this model explores the metabolic network in a manner similar to diffusion. With implementation of an Gillespie-like algorithm we are able to introduce a tunable parameter that controls the weight of sequence similarity when choosing a new enzyme. Furthermore, this method also defines a time difference between successive evolutionary innovations in terms of a new enzyme. Overall, these simulations generate putative time-courses of the evolutionary walk on the metabolic network. By a time-series analysis, we find that the acquisition of new enzymes appears in bursts which are pronounced when the influence of the sequence similarity is higher. This behavior strongly resembles punctuated equilibrium which denotes the observation that new species tend to appear in bursts as well rather than in a gradual manner. Thus, our model helps to establish a better understanding of punctuated equilibrium giving a potential description at molecular level. From the time-courses we also extract a tentative order of new enzymes, metabolites, and even organisms. The consistence of this order with previous findings provides evidence for the validity of our approach. While the sequence of a gene is actually subject to mutations, its expression profile might also indirectly change through the evolutionary events in the cellular interplay. Gene coexpression data is simply accessible by microarray experiments and commonly illustrated using coexpression networks where genes are nodes and get linked once they show a significant coexpression. Since the large number of genes makes an illustration of the entire coexpression network difficult, clustering helps to show the network on a metalevel. Various clustering techniques already exist. However, we introduce a novel one which maintains control of the cluster sizes and thus assures proper visual inspection. An application of the method on Arabidopsis thaliana reveals that genes causing a severe phenotype often show a functional uniqueness in their network vicinity. This leads to 20 genes of so far unknown phenotype which are however suggested to be essential for plant growth. Of these, six indeed provoke such a severe phenotype, shown by mutant analysis. By an inspection of the degree distribution of the A.thaliana coexpression network, we identified two characteristics. The distribution deviates from the frequently observed power-law by a sharp truncation which follows after an over-representation of highly connected nodes. For a better understanding, we developed an evolutionary model which mimics the growth of a coexpression network by gene duplication which underlies a strong selection criterion, and slight mutational changes in the expression profile. Despite the simplicity of our assumption, we can reproduce the observed properties in A.thaliana as well as in E.coli and S.cerevisiae. The over-representation of high-degree nodes could be identified with mutually well connected genes of similar functional families: zinc fingers (PF00096), flagella, and ribosomes respectively. In conclusion, these four manuscripts demonstrate the usefulness of mathematical models and statistical tools as a source of new biological insight. While the clustering approach of gene coexpression data leads to the phenotypic characterization of so far unknown genes and thus supports genome annotation, our model approaches offer explanations for observed properties of the coexpression network and furthermore substantiate punctuated equilibrium as an evolutionary process by a deeper understanding of an underlying molecular mechanism.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Neuharth2022, author = {Neuharth, Derek}, title = {Evolution of divergent and strike-slip boundaries in response to surface processes}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-54940}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-549403}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {xiii, 108}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Plate tectonics describes the movement of rigid plates at the surface of the Earth as well as their complex deformation at three types of plate boundaries: 1) divergent boundaries such as rift zones and mid-ocean ridges, 2) strike-slip boundaries where plates grind past each other, such as the San Andreas Fault, and 3) convergent boundaries that form large mountain ranges like the Andes. The generally narrow deformation zones that bound the plates exhibit complex strain patterns that evolve through time. During this evolution, plate boundary deformation is driven by tectonic forces arising from Earth's deep interior and from within the lithosphere, but also by surface processes, which erode topographic highs and deposit the resulting sediment into regions of low elevation. Through the combination of these factors, the surface of the Earth evolves in a highly dynamic way with several feedback mechanisms. At divergent boundaries, for example, tensional stresses thin the lithosphere, forcing uplift and subsequent erosion of rift flanks, which creates a sediment source. Meanwhile, the rift center subsides and becomes a topographic low where sediments accumulate. This mass transfer from foot- to hanging wall plays an important role during rifting, as it prolongs the activity of individual normal faults. When rifting continues, continents are eventually split apart, exhuming Earth's mantle and creating new oceanic crust. Because of the complex interplay between deep tectonic forces that shape plate boundaries and mass redistribution at the Earth's surface, it is vital to understand feedbacks between the two domains and how they shape our planet. In this study I aim to provide insight on two primary questions: 1) How do divergent and strike-slip plate boundaries evolve? 2) How is this evolution, on a large temporal scale and a smaller structural scale, affected by the alteration of the surface through erosion and deposition? This is done in three chapters that examine the evolution of divergent and strike-slip plate boundaries using numerical models. Chapter 2 takes a detailed look at the evolution of rift systems using two-dimensional models. Specifically, I extract faults from a range of rift models and correlate them through time to examine how fault networks evolve in space and time. By implementing a two-way coupling between the geodynamic code ASPECT and landscape evolution code FastScape, I investigate how the fault network and rift evolution are influenced by the system's erosional efficiency, which represents many factors like lithology or climate. In Chapter 3, I examine rift evolution from a three-dimensional perspective. In this chapter I study linkage modes for offset rifts to determine when fast-rotating plate-boundary structures known as continental microplates form. Chapter 4 uses the two-way numerical coupling between tectonics and landscape evolution to investigate how a strike-slip boundary responds to large sediment loads, and whether this is sufficient to form an entirely new type of flexural strike-slip basin.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{CruzLemus2020, author = {Cruz Lemus, Saul Daniel}, title = {Enhancing Efficiency of Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {117}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Carbon nitride and poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) have been successfully applied in various fields of materials science owing to their outstanding properties. This thesis aims at the successful application of these polymers as innovative materials in the interfaces of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells. A critical problem in harnessing the full thermodynamic potential of halide perovskites in solar cells is the design and modification of interfaces to reduce carrier recombination. Therefore, the interface must be properly studied and improved. This work investigated the effect of applying carbon nitride and PILs on a perovskite surface on the device performance. The facile synthetic method for modifying carbon nitride with vinyl thiazole and barbituric acid (CMB-vTA) yields 2.3 nm layers when solution processing is performed using isopropanol. The nanosheets were applied as a metal-free electron transport layer in inverted perovskite solar cells. The application of carbon nitride layers (CMB-vTA) resulted in negligible current-voltage hysteresis with a high open circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.1 V and a short-circuit current (Jsc) of 20.28 mA cm-2, which afforded efficiencies of up to 17\%. Thus, the successful implementation of a carbon nitride-based structure enabled good charge extraction with minimized interface recombination between the perovskite and PCBM. Similarly, PILs represent a new strategy of interfacial modification using an ionic polymer in an n-i-p perovskite architecture.. The application of PILs as an interfacial modifier resulted in solar cell devices with an extraordinarily high efficiency of 21.8\% and a Voc of 1.17 V. The implementation reduced non-radiative recombination at the perovskite surface through defect passivation. Finally, our work proposes a novel method to efficiently suppress non-radiative charge recombination using the unexplored properties of carbon nitride and PILs in the solar cell field. Additionally, the method for interfacial modification has general applicability because of the simplicity of the post-treatment approach, and therefore has potential applicability in other solar cells. Thus, this work opens the door to a new class of materials to be implemented.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Yishai2019, author = {Yishai, Oren}, title = {Engineering the reductive glycine pathway in Escherichia coli}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {86}, year = {2019}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Wenk2020, author = {Wenk, Sebastian}, title = {Engineering formatotrophic growth in Escherichia coli}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {V, 107}, year = {2020}, abstract = {To meet the demands of a growing world population while reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, it is necessary to capture CO2 and convert it into value-added compounds. In recent years, metabolic engineering of microbes has gained strong momentum as a strategy for the production of valuable chemicals. As common microbial feedstocks like glucose directly compete with human consumption, the one carbon (C1) compound formate was suggested as an alternative feedstock. Formate can be easily produced by various means including electrochemical reduction of CO2 and could serve as a feedstock for microbial production, hence presenting a novel entry point for CO2 to the biosphere and a storage option for excess electricity. Compared to the gaseous molecule CO2, formate is a highly soluble compound that can be easily handled and stored. It can serve as a carbon and energy source for natural formatotrophs, but these microbes are difficult to cultivate and engineer. In this work, I present the results of several projects that aim to establish efficient formatotrophic growth of E. coli - which cannot naturally grow on formate - via synthetic formate assimilation pathways. In the first study, I establish a workflow for growth-coupled metabolic engineering of E. coli. I demonstrate this approach by presenting an engineering scheme for the PFL-threonine cycle, a synthetic pathway for anaerobic formate assimilation in E. coli. The described methods are intended to create a standardized toolbox for engineers that aim to establish novel metabolic routes in E. coli and related organisms. The second chapter presents a study on the catalytic efficiency of C1-oxidizing enzymes in vivo. As formatotrophic growth requires generation of both energy and biomass from formate, the engineered E. coli strains need to be equipped with a highly efficient formate dehydrogenase, which provides reduction equivalents and ATP for formate assimilation. I engineered a strain that cannot generate reducing power and energy for cellular growth, when fed on acetate. Under this condition, the strain depends on the introduction of an enzymatic system for NADH regeneration, which could further produce ATP via oxidative phosphorylation. I show that the strain presents a valuable testing platform for C1-oxidizing enzymes by testing different NAD-dependent formate and methanol dehydrogenases in the energy auxotroph strain. Using this platform, several candidate enzymes with high in vivo activity, were identified and characterized as potential energy-generating systems for synthetic formatotrophic or methylotrophic growth in E. coli.   In the third chapter, I present the establishment of the serine threonine cycle (STC) - a synthetic formate assimilation pathway - in E. coli. In this pathway, formate is assimilated via formate tetrahydrofolate ligase (FtfL) from Methylobacterium extorquens (M. extorquens). The carbon from formate is attached to glycine to produce serine, which is converted into pyruvate entering central metabolism. Via the natural threonine synthesis and cleavage route, glycine is regenerated and acetyl-CoA is produced as the pathway product. I engineered several selection strains that depend on different STC modules for growth and determined key enzymes that enable high flux through threonine synthesis and cleavage. I could show that expression of an auxiliary formate dehydrogenase was required to achieve growth via threonine synthesis and cleavage on pyruvate. By overexpressing most of the pathway enzymes from the genome, and applying adaptive laboratory evolution, growth on glycine and formate was achieved, indicating the activity of the complete cycle. The fourth chapter shows the establishment of the reductive glycine pathway (rGP) - a short, linear formate assimilation route - in E. coli. As in the STC, formate is assimilated via M. extorquens FtfL. The C1 from formate is condensed with CO2 via the reverse reaction of the glycine cleavage system to produce glycine. Another carbon from formate is attached to glycine to form serine, which is assimilated into central metabolism via pyruvate. The engineered E. coli strain, expressing most of the pathway genes from the genome, can grow via the rGP with formate or methanol as a sole carbon and energy source.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Miteva2007, author = {Miteva, Rositsa Stoycheva}, title = {Electron acceleration at localized wave structures in the solar corona}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14775}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2007}, abstract = {Our dynamic Sun manifests its activity by different phenomena: from the 11-year cyclic sunspot pattern to the unpredictable and violent explosions in the case of solar flares. During flares, a huge amount of the stored magnetic energy is suddenly released and a substantial part of this energy is carried by the energetic electrons, considered to be the source of the nonthermal radio and X-ray radiation. One of the most important and still open question in solar physics is how the electrons are accelerated up to high energies within (the observed in the radio emission) short time scales. Because the acceleration site is extremely small in spatial extent as well (compared to the solar radius), the electron acceleration is regarded as a local process. The search for localized wave structures in the solar corona that are able to accelerate electrons together with the theoretical and numerical description of the conditions and requirements for this process, is the aim of the dissertation. Two models of electron acceleration in the solar corona are proposed in the dissertation: I. Electron acceleration due to the solar jet interaction with the background coronal plasma (the jet--plasma interaction) A jet is formed when the newly reconnected and highly curved magnetic field lines are relaxed by shooting plasma away from the reconnection site. Such jets, as observed in soft X-rays with the Yohkoh satellite, are spatially and temporally associated with beams of nonthermal electrons (in terms of the so-called type III metric radio bursts) propagating through the corona. A model that attempts to give an explanation for such observational facts is developed here. Initially, the interaction of such jets with the background plasma leads to an (ion-acoustic) instability associated with growing of electrostatic fluctuations in time for certain range of the jet initial velocity. During this process, any test electron that happen to feel this electrostatic wave field is drawn to co-move with the wave, gaining energy from it. When the jet speed has a value greater or lower than the one, required by the instability range, such wave excitation cannot be sustained and the process of electron energization (acceleration and/or heating) ceases. Hence, the electrons can propagate further in the corona and be detected as type III radio burst, for example. II. Electron acceleration due to attached whistler waves in the upstream region of coronal shocks (the electron--whistler--shock interaction) Coronal shocks are also able to accelerate electrons, as observed by the so-called type II metric radio bursts (the radio signature of a shock wave in the corona). From in-situ observations in space, e.g., at shocks related to co-rotating interaction regions, it is known that nonthermal electrons are produced preferably at shocks with attached whistler wave packets in their upstream regions. Motivated by these observations and assuming that the physical processes at shocks are the same in the corona as in the interplanetary medium, a new model of electron acceleration at coronal shocks is presented in the dissertation, where the electrons are accelerated by their interaction with such whistlers. The protons inflowing toward the shock are reflected there by nearly conserving their magnetic moment, so that they get a substantial velocity gain in the case of a quasi-perpendicular shock geometry, i.e, the angle between the shock normal and the upstream magnetic field is in the range 50--80 degrees. The so-accelerated protons are able to excite whistler waves in a certain frequency range in the upstream region. When these whistlers (comprising the localized wave structure in this case) are formed, only the incoming electrons are now able to interact resonantly with them. But only a part of these electrons fulfill the the electron--whistler wave resonance condition. Due to such resonant interaction (i.e., of these electrons with the whistlers), the electrons are accelerated in the electric and magnetic wave field within just several whistler periods. While gaining energy from the whistler wave field, the electrons reach the shock front and, subsequently, a major part of them are reflected back into the upstream region, since the shock accompanied with a jump of the magnetic field acts as a magnetic mirror. Co-moving with the whistlers now, the reflected electrons are out of resonance and hence can propagate undisturbed into the far upstream region, where they are detected in terms of type II metric radio bursts. In summary, the kinetic energy of protons is transfered into electrons by the action of localized wave structures in both cases, i.e., at jets outflowing from the magnetic reconnection site and at shock waves in the corona.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Schutjajew2021, author = {Schutjajew, Konstantin}, title = {Electrochemical sodium storage in non-graphitizing carbons - insights into mechanisms and synthetic approaches towards high-energy density materials}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-54189}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-541894}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {v, 148}, year = {2021}, abstract = {To achieve a sustainable energy economy, it is necessary to turn back on the combustion of fossil fuels as a means of energy production and switch to renewable sources. However, their temporal availability does not match societal consumption needs, meaning that renewably generated energy must be stored in its main generation times and allocated during peak consumption periods. Electrochemical energy storage (EES) in general is well suited due to its infrastructural independence and scalability. The lithium ion battery (LIB) takes a special place, among EES systems due to its energy density and efficiency, but the scarcity and uneven geological occurrence of minerals and ores vital for many cell components, and hence the high and fluctuating costs will decelerate its further distribution. The sodium ion battery (SIB) is a promising successor to LIB technology, as the fundamental setup and cell chemistry is similar in the two systems. Yet, the most widespread negative electrode material in LIBs, graphite, cannot be used in SIBs, as it cannot store sufficient amounts of sodium at reasonable potentials. Hence, another carbon allotrope, non-graphitizing or hard carbon (HC) is used in SIBs. This material consists of turbostratically disordered, curved graphene layers, forming regions of graphitic stacking and zones of deviating layers, so-called internal or closed pores. The structural features of HC have a substantial impact of the charge-potential curve exhibited by the carbon when it is used as the negative electrode in an SIB. At defects and edges an adsorption-like mechanism of sodium storage is prevalent, causing a sloping voltage curve, ill-suited for the practical application in SIBs, whereas a constant voltage plateau of relatively high capacities is found immediately after the sloping region, which recent research attributed to the deposition of quasimetallic sodium into the closed pores of HC. Literature on the general mechanism of sodium storage in HCs and especially the role of the closed pore is abundant, but the influence of the pore geometry and chemical nature of the HC on the low-potential sodium deposition is yet in an early stage. Therefore, the scope of this thesis is to investigate these relationships using suitable synthetic and characterization methods. Materials of precisely known morphology, porosity, and chemical structure are prepared in clear distinction to commonly obtained ones and their impact on the sodium storage characteristics is observed. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in combination with distribution of relaxation times analysis is further established as a technique to study the sodium storage process, in addition to classical direct current techniques, and an equivalent circuit model is proposed to qualitatively describe the HC sodiation mechanism, based on the recorded data. The obtained knowledge is used to develop a method for the preparation of closed porous and non-porous materials from open porous ones, proving not only the necessity of closed pores for efficient sodium storage, but also providing a method for effective pore closure and hence the increase of the sodium storage capacity and efficiency of carbon materials. The insights obtained and methods developed within this work hence not only contribute to the better understanding of the sodium storage mechanism in carbon materials of SIBs, but can also serve as guidance for the design of efficient electrode materials.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Kluth2012, author = {Kluth, Oliver}, title = {Einfluss von Glucolipotoxizit{\"a}t auf die Funktion der β-Zellen diabetessuszeptibler und -resistenter Mausst{\"a}mme}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-61961}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, die Auswirkungen von Glucose- und Lipidtoxizit{\"a}t auf die Funktion der β-Zellen von Langerhans-Inseln in einem diabetesresistenten (B6.V-Lepob/ob, ob/ob) sowie diabetessuszeptiblen (New Zealand Obese, NZO) Mausmodell zu untersuchen. Es sollten molekulare Mechanismen identifiziert werden, die zum Untergang der β-Zellen in der NZO-Maus f{\"u}hren bzw. zum Schutz der β-Zellen der ob/ob-Maus beitragen. Zun{\"a}chst wurde durch ein geeignetes di{\"a}tetisches Regime in beiden Modellen durch kohlenhydratrestriktive Ern{\"a}hrung eine Adipositas(Lipidtoxizit{\"a}t) induziert und anschließend durch F{\"u}tterung einer kohlenhydrathaltigen Di{\"a}t ein Zustand von Glucolipotoxizit{\"a}t erzeugt. Dieses Vorgehen erlaubte es, in der NZO-Maus in einem kurzen Zeitfenster eine Hyperglyk{\"a}mie sowie einen β-Zelluntergang durch Apoptose auszul{\"o}sen. Im Vergleich dazu blieben ob/ob-M{\"a}use l{\"a}ngerfristig normoglyk{\"a}misch und wiesen keinen β-Zelluntergang auf. Die Ursache f{\"u}r den β-Zellverlust war die Inaktivierung des Insulin/IGF-1-Rezeptor-Signalwegs, wie durch Abnahme von phospho-AKT, phospho-FoxO1 sowie des β-zellspezifischen Transkriptionsfaktors PDX1 gezeigt wurde. Mit Ausnahme des Effekts einer Dephosphorylierung von FoxO1, konnten ob/ob-M{\"a}use diesen Signalweg aufrechterhalten und dadurch einen Verlust von β-Zellen abwenden. Die glucolipotoxischen Effekte wurden in vitro an isolierten Inseln beider St{\"a}mme und der β-Zelllinie MIN6 best{\"a}tigt und zeigten, dass ausschließlich die Kombination hoher Glucose und Palmitatkonzentrationen (Glucolipotoxizit{\"a}t) negative Auswirkungen auf die NZO-Inseln und MIN6-Zellen hatte, w{\"a}hrend ob/ob-Inseln davor gesch{\"u}tzt blieben. Die Untersuchung isolierter Inseln ergab, dass beide St{\"a}mme unter glucolipotoxischen Bedingungen keine Steigerung der Insulinexpression aufweisen und sich bez{\"u}glich ihrer Glucose-stimulierten Insulinsekretion nicht unterscheiden. Mit Hilfe von Microarray- sowie immunhistologischen Untersuchungen wurde gezeigt, dass ausschließlich ob/ob-M{\"a}use nach Kohlenhydratf{\"u}tterung eine kompensatorische transiente Induktion der β-Zellproliferation aufwiesen, die in einer nahezu Verdreifachung der Inselmasse nach 32 Tagen m{\"u}ndete. Die hier erzielten Ergebnisse lassen die Schlussfolgerung zu, dass der β-Zelluntergang der NZO-Maus auf eine Beeintr{\"a}chtigung des Insulin/IGF-1-Rezeptor-Signalwegs sowie auf die Unf{\"a}higkeit zur β- Zellproliferation zur{\"u}ckgef{\"u}hrt werden kann. Umgekehrt erm{\"o}glichen der Erhalt des Insulin/IGF-1-Rezeptor-Signalwegs und die Induktion der β-Zellproliferation in der ob/ob-Maus den Schutz vor einer Hyperglyk{\"a}mie und einem Diabetes.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Kugel2005, author = {Kugel, Rudolf}, title = {Ein Beitrag zur Problematik der Integration virtueller Maschinen}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-7195}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2005}, abstract = {Moderne Softwaresysteme sind komplexe Gebilde, welche h{\"a}ufig im Verbund mit anderen technischen und betriebswirtschaftlichen Systemen eingesetzt werden. F{\"u}r die Hersteller solcher Systeme stellt es oft eine große Herausforderung dar, den oft weit reichenden Anforderungen bez{\"u}glich der Anpassbarkeit solcher Systeme gerecht zu werden. Zur Erf{\"u}llung dieser Anforderungen hat es sich vielfach bew{\"a}hrt, eine virtuelle Maschine in das betreffende System zu integrieren. Die Dissertation richtet sich insbesondere an Personen, die vor der Aufgabe der Integration virtueller Maschinen in bestehende Systeme stehen und zielt darauf ab, solche f{\"u}r die Entscheidung {\"u}ber Integrationsfragen wichtigen Zusammenh{\"a}nge klar darzustellen. Typischerweise treten bei der Integration einer virtuellen Maschine in ein System eine Reihe unterschiedlicher Problemstellungen auf. Da diese Problemstellungen oft eng miteinander verzahnt sind, ist eine isolierte Betrachtung meist nicht sinnvoll. Daher werden die Problemstellungen anhand eines zentral gew{\"a}hlten, sehr umfangreichen Beispiels aus der industriellen Praxis eingef{\"u}hrt. Dieses Beispiel hat die Integration der "Java Virtual Machine" in den SAP R/3 Application Server zum Gegenstand. Im Anschluss an dieses Praxisbeispiel wird die Diskussion der Integrationsproblematik unter Bezug auf eine Auswahl weiterer, in der Literatur beschriebener Integrationsbeispiele vertieft. Das Hauptproblem bei der Behandlung der Integrationsproblematik bestand darin, dass die vorgefundenen Beschreibungen, der als Beispiel herangezogenen Systeme, nur bedingt als Basis f{\"u}r die Auseinandersetzung mit der Integrationsproblematik geeignet waren. Zur Schaffung einer verwertbaren Diskussionsgrundlage war es daher erforderlich, eine homogene, durchg{\"a}ngige Modellierung dieser Systeme vorzunehmen. Die Modellierung der Systeme erfolgte dabei unter Verwendung der "Fundamental Modeling Concepts (FMC)". Die erstellten Modelle sowie die auf Basis dieser Modelle durchgef{\"u}hrte Gegen{\"u}berstellung der unterschiedlichen Ans{\"a}tze zur L{\"O}sung typischer Integrationsprobleme bilden den Hauptbeitrag der Dissertation. Im Zusammenhang mit der Integration virtueller Maschinen in bestehende Systeme besteht h{\"a}ufig der Bedarf, zeitgleich mehrere "Programme" durch die integrierte virtuelle Maschine ausf{\"u}hren zu lassen. Angesichts der Konstruktionsmerkmale vieler heute verbreiteter virtueller Maschinen stellt die Realisierung eines "betriebsmittelschonenden Mehrprogrammbetriebs" eine große Herausforderung dar. Die Darstellung des Spektrums an Maßnahmen zur Realisierung eines "betriebsmittelschonenden Mehrprogrammbetriebs" bildet einen zweiten wesentlichen Beitrag der Dissertation.}, subject = {Virtuelle Maschine}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Herbrich2017, author = {Herbrich, Marcus}, title = {Einfluss der erosionsbedingten Pedogenese auf den Wasserund Stoffhaushalt ackerbaulich genutzter B{\"o}den der Grundmor{\"a}nenbodenlandschaft NO-Deutschlands - hydropedologische Untersuchungen mittels w{\"a}gbarer Pr{\"a}zisionslysimeter}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-408561}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {186}, year = {2017}, abstract = {In the arable soil landscape of hummocky ground moraines, an erosion-affected spatial differentiation of soils can be observed. Man-made erosion leads to soil profile modifications along slopes with changed solum thickness and modified properties of soil horizons due to water erosion in combination with tillage operations. Soil erosion creates, thereby, spatial patterns of soil properties (e.g., texture and organic matter content) and differences in crop development. However, little is known about the manner in which water fluxes are affected by soil-crop interactions depending on contrasting properties of differently-developed soil horizons and how water fluxes influence the carbon transport in an eroded landscape. To identify such feedbacks between erosion-induced soil profile modifications and the 1D-water and solute balance, high-precision weighing lysimeters equipped with a wide range of sensor technique were filled with undisturbed soil monoliths that differed in the degree of past soil erosion. Furthermore, lysimeter effluent concentrations were analyzed for dissolved carbon fractions in bi-weekly intervals. The water balance components measured by high precision lysimeters varied from the most eroded to the less eroded monolith up to 83 \% (deep drainage) primarily caused due to varying amounts of precipitation and evapotranspiration for a 3-years period. Here, interactions between crop development and contrasting rainfall interception by above ground biomass could explain differences in water balance components. Concentrations of dissolved carbon in soil water samples were relatively constant in time, suggesting carbon leaching was mainly affected by water fluxes in this observation period. For the lysimeter-based water balance analysis, a filtering scheme was developed considering temporal autocorrelation. The minute-based autocorrelation analysis of mass changes from lysimeter time series revealed characteristic autocorrelation lengths ranging from 23 to 76 minutes. Thereby, temporal autocorrelation provided an optimal approximation of precipitation quantities. However, the high temporal resolution in lysimeter time series is restricted by the lengths of autocorrelation. Erosion-induced but also gradual changes in soil properties were reflected by dynamics of soil water retention properties in the lysimeter soils. Short-term and long-term hysteretic water retention data suggested seasonal wettability problems of soils increasingly limited rewetting of previously dried pore regions. Differences in water retention were assigned to soil tillage operations and the erosion history at different slope positions. The threedimensional spatial pattern of soil types that result from erosional soil profile modifications were also reflected in differences of crop root development at different landscape positions. Contrasting root densities revealed positive relations of root and aboveground plant characteristics. Differences in the spatially-distributed root growth between different eroded soil types provided indications that root development was affected by the erosion-induced soil evolution processes. Overall, the current thesis corroborated the hypothesis that erosion-induced soil profile modifications affect the soil water balance, carbon leaching and soil hydraulic properties, but also the crop root system is influenced by erosion-induced spatial patterns of soil properties in the arable hummocky post glacial soil landscape. The results will help to improve model predictions of water and solute movement in arable soils and to understand interactions between soil erosion and carbon pathways regarding sink-or-source terms in landscapes.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Sietz2011, author = {Sietz, Diana}, title = {Dryland vulnerability : typical patterns and dynamics in support of vulnerability reduction efforts}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-58097}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2011}, abstract = {The pronounced constraints on ecosystem functioning and human livelihoods in drylands are frequently exacerbated by natural and socio-economic stresses, including weather extremes and inequitable trade conditions. Therefore, a better understanding of the relation between these stresses and the socio-ecological systems is important for advancing dryland development. The concept of vulnerability as applied in this dissertation describes this relation as encompassing the exposure to climate, market and other stresses as well as the sensitivity of the systems to these stresses and their capacity to adapt. With regard to the interest in improving environmental and living conditions in drylands, this dissertation aims at a meaningful generalisation of heterogeneous vulnerability situations. A pattern recognition approach based on clustering revealed typical vulnerability-creating mechanisms at global and local scales. One study presents the first analysis of dryland vulnerability with global coverage at a sub-national resolution. The cluster analysis resulted in seven typical patterns of vulnerability according to quantitative indication of poverty, water stress, soil degradation, natural agro-constraints and isolation. Independent case studies served to validate the identified patterns and to prove the transferability of vulnerability-reducing approaches. Due to their worldwide coverage, the global results allow the evaluation of a specific system's vulnerability in its wider context, even in poorly-documented areas. Moreover, climate vulnerability of smallholders was investigated with regard to their food security in the Peruvian Altiplano. Four typical groups of households were identified in this local dryland context using indicators for harvest failure risk, agricultural resources, education and non-agricultural income. An elaborate validation relying on independently acquired information demonstrated the clear correlation between weather-related damages and the identified clusters. It also showed that household-specific causes of vulnerability were consistent with the mechanisms implied by the corresponding patterns. The synthesis of the local study provides valuable insights into the tailoring of interventions that reflect the heterogeneity within the social group of smallholders. The conditions necessary to identify typical vulnerability patterns were summarised in five methodological steps. They aim to motivate and to facilitate the application of the selected pattern recognition approach in future vulnerability analyses. The five steps outline the elicitation of relevant cause-effect hypotheses and the quantitative indication of mechanisms as well as an evaluation of robustness, a validation and a ranking of the identified patterns. The precise definition of the hypotheses is essential to appropriately quantify the basic processes as well as to consistently interpret, validate and rank the clusters. In particular, the five steps reflect scale-dependent opportunities, such as the outcome-oriented aspect of validation in the local study. Furthermore, the clusters identified in Northeast Brazil were assessed in the light of important endogenous processes in the smallholder systems which dominate this region. In order to capture these processes, a qualitative dynamic model was developed using generalised rules of labour allocation, yield extraction, budget constitution and the dynamics of natural and technological resources. The model resulted in a cyclic trajectory encompassing four states with differing degree of criticality. The joint assessment revealed aggravating conditions in major parts of the study region due to the overuse of natural resources and the potential for impoverishment. The changes in vulnerability-creating mechanisms identified in Northeast Brazil are well-suited to informing local adjustments to large-scale intervention programmes, such as "Avan{\c{c}}a Brasil". Overall, the categorisation of a limited number of typical patterns and dynamics presents an efficient approach to improving our understanding of dryland vulnerability. Appropriate decision-making for sustainable dryland development through vulnerability reduction can be significantly enhanced by pattern-specific entry points combined with insights into changing hotspots of vulnerability and the transferability of successful adaptation strategies.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Moerbt2010, author = {M{\"o}rbt, Nora}, title = {Differential proteome analysis of human lung epithelial cells following exposure to aromatic volatile organic compounds}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-49257}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2010}, abstract = {The widespread usage of products containing volatile organic compounds (VOC) has lead to a general human exposure to these chemicals in work places or homes being suspected to contribute to the growing incidence of environmental diseases. Since the causal molecular mechanisms for the development of these disorders are not completely understood, the overall objective of this thesis was to investigate VOC-mediated molecular effects on human lung cells in vitro at VOC concentrations comparable to exposure scenarios below current occupational limits. Although differential expression of single proteins in response to VOCs has been reported, effects on complex protein networks (proteome) have not been investigated. However, this information is indispensable when trying to ascertain a mechanism for VOC action on the cellular level and establishing preventive strategies. For this study, the alveolar epithelial cell line A549 has been used. This cell line, cultured in a two-phase (air/liquid) model allows the most direct exposure and had been successfully applied for the analysis of inflammatory effects in response to VOCs. Mass spectrometric identification of 266 protein spots provided the first proteomic map of A549 cell line to this extent that may foster future work with this frequently used cellular model. The distribution of three typical air contaminants, monochlorobenzene (CB), styrene and 1,2 dichlorobenzene (1,2-DCB), between gas and liquid phase of the exposure model has been analyzed by gas chromatography. The obtained VOC partitioning was in agreement with available literature data. Subsequently the adapted in vitro system has been successfully employed to characterize the effects of the aromatic compound styrene on the proteome of A549 cells (Chapter 4). Initially, the cell toxicity has been assessed in order to ensure that most of the concentrations used in the following proteomic approach were not cytotoxic. Significant changes in abundance and phosphorylation in the total soluble protein fraction of A549 cells have been detected following styrene exposure. All proteins have been identified using mass spectrometry and the main cellular functions have been assigned. Validation experiments on protein and transcript level confirmed the results of the 2-DE experiments. From the results, two main cellular pathways have been identified that were induced by styrene: the cellular oxidative stress response combined with moderate pro-apoptotic signaling. Measurement of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) as well as the styrene-mediated induction of oxidative stress marker proteins confirmed the hypothesis of oxidative stress as the main molecular response mechanism. Finally, adducts of cellular proteins with the reactive styrene metabolite styrene 7,8 oxide (SO) have been identified. Especially the SO-adducts observed at both the reactive centers of thioredoxin reductase 1, which is a key element in the control of the cellular redox state, may be involved in styrene-induced ROS formation and apoptosis. A similar proteomic approach has been carried out with the halobenzenes CB and 1,2-DCB (Chapter 5). In accordance with previous findings, cell toxicity assessment showed enhanced toxicity compared to the one caused by styrene. Significant changes in abundance and phosphorylation of total soluble proteins of A549 cells have been detected following exposure to subtoxic concentrations of CB and 1,2-DCB. All proteins have been identified using mass spectrometry and the main cellular functions have been assigned. As for the styrene experiment, the results indicated two main pathways to be affected in the presence of chlorinated benzenes, cell death signaling and oxidative stress response. The strong induction of pro-apoptotic signaling has been confirmed for both treatments by detection of the cleavage of caspase 3. Likewise, the induction of redox-sensitive protein species could be correlated to an increased cellular level of ROS observed following CB treatment. Finally, common mechanisms in the cellular response to aromatic VOCs have been investigated (Chapter 6). A similar number (4.6-6.9\%) of all quantified protein spots showed differential expression (p<0.05) following cell exposure to styrene, CB or 1,2-DCB. However, not more than three protein spots showed significant regulation in the same direction for all three volatile compounds: voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein 2, peroxiredoxin 1 and elongation factor 2. However, all of these proteins are important molecular targets in stress- and cell death-related signaling pathways.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Berger2012, author = {Berger, Florian}, title = {Different modes of cooperative transport by molecular motors}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-60319}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Cargo transport by molecular motors is ubiquitous in all eukaryotic cells and is typically driven cooperatively by several molecular motors, which may belong to one or several motor species like kinesin, dynein or myosin. These motor proteins transport cargos such as RNAs, protein complexes or organelles along filaments, from which they unbind after a finite run length. Understanding how these motors interact and how their movements are coordinated and regulated is a central and challenging problem in studies of intracellular transport. In this thesis, we describe a general theoretical framework for the analysis of such transport processes, which enables us to explain the behavior of intracellular cargos based on the transport properties of individual motors and their interactions. Motivated by recent in vitro experiments, we address two different modes of transport: unidirectional transport by two identical motors and cooperative transport by actively walking and passively diffusing motors. The case of cargo transport by two identical motors involves an elastic coupling between the motors that can reduce the motors' velocity and/or the binding time to the filament. We show that this elastic coupling leads, in general, to four distinct transport regimes. In addition to a weak coupling regime, kinesin and dynein motors are found to exhibit a strong coupling and an enhanced unbinding regime, whereas myosin motors are predicted to attain a reduced velocity regime. All of these regimes, which we derive both by analytical calculations and by general time scale arguments, can be explored experimentally by varying the elastic coupling strength. In addition, using the time scale arguments, we explain why previous studies came to different conclusions about the effect and relevance of motor-motor interference. In this way, our theory provides a general and unifying framework for understanding the dynamical behavior of two elastically coupled molecular motors. The second mode of transport studied in this thesis is cargo transport by actively pulling and passively diffusing motors. Although these passive motors do not participate in active transport, they strongly enhance the overall cargo run length. When an active motor unbinds, the cargo is still tethered to the filament by the passive motors, giving the unbound motor the chance to rebind and continue its active walk. We develop a stochastic description for such cooperative behavior and explicitly derive the enhanced run length for a cargo transported by one actively pulling and one passively diffusing motor. We generalize our description to the case of several pulling and diffusing motors and find an exponential increase of the run length with the number of involved motors.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Frenzel2015, author = {Frenzel, Sabine}, title = {Die Rolle der Umamirezeptoruntereinheit Tas1r1 jenseits ihrer gustatorischen Bedeutung}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-79502}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {XV, 172}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Aminos{\"a}uren sind lebensnotwendige Molek{\"u}le f{\"u}r alle Organismen. Ihre Erkennung im K{\"o}rper erm{\"o}glicht eine bedarfsgerechte Regulation ihrer Aufnahme und ihrer Verwertung. Welcher Chemosensor f{\"u}r diese Erkennung jedoch hauptverantwortlich ist, ist bisher unklar. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde die Rolle der Umamigeschmacksrezeptoruntereinheit Tas1r1 jenseits ihrer gustatorischen Bedeutung f{\"u}r die Aminos{\"a}uredetektion in der Mundh{\"o}hle untersucht. In der histologischen Tas1r1-Expressionsanalyse nichtgustatorischer Gewebe der Mauslinie Tas1r1-Cre/ROSA26-tdRFP wurde {\"u}ber die Detektion des Reporterproteins tdRFP die Expression des Tas1r1 in allen untersuchten Geweben (Speiser{\"o}hre, Magen, Darm, Bauchspeicheldr{\"u}se, Leber, Niere, Muskel- und Fettgewebe, Milz, Thymus, Lymphknoten, Lunge sowie Hoden) nachgewiesen. Mit Ausnahme von D{\"u}nndarm und Hoden gelang hierbei der Nachweis erstmals spezifisch auf zellul{\"a}rer Ebene. Caecum und Lymphknoten wurden zudem neu als Expressionsorte des Tas1r1 identifiziert. Trotz der beobachteten weiten Verbreitung des Tas1r1 im Organismus - unter anderem auch in Geweben, die f{\"u}r den Proteinstoffwechsel besonders relevant sind - waren im Zuge der durchgef{\"u}hrten Untersuchung potentieller extraoraler Funktionen des Rezeptors durch ph{\"a}notypische Charakterisierung der Mauslinie Tas1r1-BLiR nur schwache Auswirkungen auf Aminos{\"a}urestoffwechsel bzw. Stickstoffhaushalt im Falle eines Tas1r1-Knockouts detektierbar. W{\"a}hrend sich Ern{\"a}hrungsverhalten, Gesamtphysiologie, Gewebemorphologie sowie Futterverdaulichkeit unver{\"a}ndert zeigten, war die renale Stickstoffausscheidung bei Tas1r1-Knockout-M{\"a}usen auf eiweißarmer sowie auf eiweißreicher Di{\"a}t signifikant verringert. Eine {\"U}berdeckung der Auswirkungen des Tas1r1-Knockouts aufgrund kompensatorischer Effekte durch den Aminos{\"a}uresensor CaSR oder den Peptidsensor Gpr93 war nicht nachweisbar. Es bleibt offen, ob andere Mechanismen oder andere Chemosensoren an einer Kompensation beteiligt sind oder aber Tas1r1 in extraoralem Gewebe andere Funktionen als die der Aminos{\"a}uredetektion {\"u}bernimmt. Unterschiede im extraoralen Expressionsmuster der beiden Umamirezeptor-untereinheiten Tas1r1 und Tasr3 lassen Spekulationen {\"u}ber andere Partner, Liganden und Funktionen zu.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Nerlich2007, author = {Nerlich, Annika}, title = {Die Rolle der Phosphatidylserin Decarboxylase f{\"u}r die mitochondriale Phospholipid-Biosynthese in Arabidopsis thaliana}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-14522}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2007}, abstract = {Die durch Phosphatidylserin Decarboxylase (PSD) katalysierte Decarboxylierung von Phosphatidylserin (PS) zu Phosphatidylethanolamin (PE) ist f{\"u}r Mitochondrien in Hefe und M{\"a}usen von essentieller Bedeutung. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Dissertation wurde erstmals die Rolle dieses PE-Syntheseweges in Pflanzen untersucht. Die drei in Arabidopsis identifizierten PSD Gene atPSD1, atPSD2, atPSD3 codieren f{\"u}r Enzyme, die in Membranen der Mitochondrien (atPSD1), der Tonoplasten (atPSD2) und des Endoplasmatischen Retikulums (atPSD3) lokalisiert sind. Der Beitrag der einzelnen PSDs zur PE-Synthese wurde anhand von psd Null-Mutanten untersucht. Dabei stellte sich atPSD3 als das Enzym mit der h{\"o}chsten Aktivit{\"a}t heraus. Alternativ zum PSD-Weg wird in Arabidopsis PE auch mittels Aminoalkohol-phosphotransferase synthetisiert. Der Verlust der gesamten PSD-Aktivit{\"a}t, wie es in der erzeugten psd Dreifachmutante der Fall ist, wirkt sich ausschließlich auf die Lipidzusammensetzung in der Mitochondrienmembran aus. Demzufolge wird extramitochondriales PE haupts{\"a}chlich {\"u}ber die Aminoalkoholphosphotransferase synthetisiert. Die ver{\"a}nderte Lipidzusammensetzung der Mitochondrienmembran hatte jedoch keinen Einfluss auf die Anzahl, Gr{\"o}ße und Ultrastruktur der Mitochondrien sowie auf das ADP/ATP-Verh{\"a}ltnis und die Respiration. Neben der Bereitstellung von Reduktions{\"a}quivalenten beeinflusst die Funktionalit{\"a}t der Mitochondrien auch die Bildung von Bl{\"u}ten- und Staubbl{\"a}ttern. Diese Bl{\"u}tenorgane waren in der psd Dreifachmutante stark ver{\"a}ndert, und der Bl{\"u}tenph{\"a}notyp {\"a}hnelte der APETALA3-Mutante. Dieses hom{\"o}otische Gen ist f{\"u}r die Ausbildung von Bl{\"u}ten- und Staubbl{\"a}ttern verantwortlich. F{\"u}r die Erzeugung der Mutanten psd2-1 und psd3-1 wurde ein T-DNA Vektor verwendet, der den Promotor des APETALA3 Gens enthielt, welcher in den Mutanten psd2-1, psd3-1 sowie psd2-1psd3-1 und der psd1psd2-1psd3-1 Dreifachmutante eine vergleichbare Co-Suppression des APETALA3 Gens hervorruft. Der Bl{\"u}tenph{\"a}notyp trat jedoch nur in der psd Dreifachmutante auf, da nur in ihr die Kombination von geringen Funktionst{\"o}rungen der Mitochondrien, hervorgerufen durch ver{\"a}nderte Lipidzusammensetzung, mit der Co-Suppression von APETALA3 auftritt.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Rust2007, author = {Rust, Henning}, title = {Detection of long-range dependence : applications in climatology and hydrology}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-13347}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2007}, abstract = {It is desirable to reduce the potential threats that result from the variability of nature, such as droughts or heat waves that lead to food shortage, or the other extreme, floods that lead to severe damage. To prevent such catastrophic events, it is necessary to understand, and to be capable of characterising, nature's variability. Typically one aims to describe the underlying dynamics of geophysical records with differential equations. There are, however, situations where this does not support the objectives, or is not feasible, e.g., when little is known about the system, or it is too complex for the model parameters to be identified. In such situations it is beneficial to regard certain influences as random, and describe them with stochastic processes. In this thesis I focus on such a description with linear stochastic processes of the FARIMA type and concentrate on the detection of long-range dependence. Long-range dependent processes show an algebraic (i.e. slow) decay of the autocorrelation function. Detection of the latter is important with respect to, e.g. trend tests and uncertainty analysis. Aiming to provide a reliable and powerful strategy for the detection of long-range dependence, I suggest a way of addressing the problem which is somewhat different from standard approaches. Commonly used methods are based either on investigating the asymptotic behaviour (e.g., log-periodogram regression), or on finding a suitable potentially long-range dependent model (e.g., FARIMA[p,d,q]) and test the fractional difference parameter d for compatibility with zero. Here, I suggest to rephrase the problem as a model selection task, i.e.comparing the most suitable long-range dependent and the most suitable short-range dependent model. Approaching the task this way requires a) a suitable class of long-range and short-range dependent models along with suitable means for parameter estimation and b) a reliable model selection strategy, capable of discriminating also non-nested models. With the flexible FARIMA model class together with the Whittle estimator the first requirement is fulfilled. Standard model selection strategies, e.g., the likelihood-ratio test, is for a comparison of non-nested models frequently not powerful enough. Thus, I suggest to extend this strategy with a simulation based model selection approach suitable for such a direct comparison. The approach follows the procedure of a statistical test, with the likelihood-ratio as the test statistic. Its distribution is obtained via simulations using the two models under consideration. For two simple models and different parameter values, I investigate the reliability of p-value and power estimates obtained from the simulated distributions. The result turned out to be dependent on the model parameters. However, in many cases the estimates allow an adequate model selection to be established. An important feature of this approach is that it immediately reveals the ability or inability to discriminate between the two models under consideration. Two applications, a trend detection problem in temperature records and an uncertainty analysis for flood return level estimation, accentuate the importance of having reliable methods at hand for the detection of long-range dependence. In the case of trend detection, falsely concluding long-range dependence implies an underestimation of a trend and possibly leads to a delay of measures needed to take in order to counteract the trend. Ignoring long-range dependence, although present, leads to an underestimation of confidence intervals and thus to an unjustified belief in safety, as it is the case for the return level uncertainty analysis. A reliable detection of long-range dependence is thus highly relevant in practical applications. Examples related to extreme value analysis are not limited to hydrological applications. The increased uncertainty of return level estimates is a potentially problem for all records from autocorrelated processes, an interesting examples in this respect is the assessment of the maximum strength of wind gusts, which is important for designing wind turbines. The detection of long-range dependence is also a relevant problem in the exploration of financial market volatility. With rephrasing the detection problem as a model selection task and suggesting refined methods for model comparison, this thesis contributes to the discussion on and development of methods for the detection of long-range dependence.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Fritz2006, author = {Fritz, Christina}, title = {Der Einfluß des prim{\"a}ren Stickstoffstoffwechsels auf den Aminos{\"a}ure- und Sekund{\"a}rstoffwechsel in Nicotiana tabacum L.}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-13322}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, year = {2006}, abstract = {Es ist bekannt, dass {\"A}nderungen im Kohlenstoff- bzw. Stickstoffstaus der Pflanzen zu einer parallelen statt reziproken {\"A}nderung der kohlenstoff- und stickstoffhaltigen Prim{\"a}rmetabolite f{\"u}hren. Unter diesem Gesichtspunkt wurden in der vorliegenden Arbeit der Aminos{\"a}urestoffwechsel und der Sekund{\"a}rstoffwechsel unter reduzierten Stickstoffbedingungen untersucht. Zur Beeinflussung des Stickstoffstoffwechsels wurden nitratmangelern{\"a}hrte Tabakwildtyppflanzen und Genotypen mit unterschiedlich stark reduzierter Nitratreduktase-Aktivit{\"a}t verwendet. Dieses experimentelle System erlaubt zus{\"a}tzlich durch den Vergleich Nitrat defizienter Wildtyppflanzen mit Nitrat akkumulierenden NIA-Transformanten Prozesse zu identifizieren, die durch Nitrat gesteuert werden. Die Analysen der Prim{\"a}r- und Sekund{\"a}rmetabolite wurde in allen Genotypen diurnal durchgef{\"u}hrt, um auch tageszeitlich abh{\"a}ngige Prozesse zu identifizieren. Die Analyse der absoluten Gehalte aller individuellen Aminos{\"a}uren enth{\"u}llte bei den meisten erstaunlich stabile diurnale Muster mit einem Anstieg w{\"a}hrend des Tages und einem Abfall in der Nacht in Wildtyppflanzen gewachsen mit ausreichend Nitrat. Dieses Ergebnis legt die Schlussfolgerung nahe, dass die Biosynthese der Aminos{\"a}uren koordiniert abl{\"a}uft. In Pflanzen mit reduziertem Stickstoffstatus haben diese diurnalen Muster jedoch keinen Bestand. Die Kombination des erzeugten stickstoffbasierten Aminos{\"a}uredatensatz in Kombination mit einem bereits erzeugten Aminos{\"a}uredatensatz unter kohlenstofflimitierten Bedingungen von Matt et al. (2002) f{\"u}hrte durch Hauptkomponentenanalyse (PCA) und Korrelationsanalyse zu dem Ergebnis, dass die Hypothese nach einer koordinierten Aminos{\"a}urebiosynthese nicht allgemeine G{\"u}ltigkeit hat. Die PCA identifizierte Glutamin, Glutamat, Aspartat, Glycin, Pheny-lalanin und Threonin als Faktoren, die den Datens{\"a}tzen ihre charakteristische Eigenschaft und deren Varianz verleihen. Die Korrelationsanalyse zeigte, dass die sehr guten Korrelationen der individuellen Aminos{\"a}uren untereinander in reduzierten Stickstoff- und Kohlenstoffbedingungen sich verschlechtern. Das Verh{\"a}ltnis einer einzelnen Aminos{\"a}ure relativ zu den anderen f{\"u}hrte zur Identifizierung einiger Aminos{\"a}uren, die individuelle Antworten auf Stickstoff- und/oder Kohlenstoffstatus zeigen, und/oder speziell auf Nitrat, Licht und/oder den E-nergiestatus der Thylakoidmembran. Glutamat beispielsweise verh{\"a}lt sich in den meisten Situationen stabil, Phenylalanin dagegen zeigt in jeder physiologischen Situation eine individuelle Antwort. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit f{\"u}hren zu einer Erweiterung der Hypothese einer koordinierten Synthese der Aminos{\"a}uren dahingehend, dass diese nicht generell f{\"u}r alle Aminos{\"a}uren angenommen werden kann. Es gibt einige Aminos{\"a}uren deren, Anteile sich situationsbedingt anpassen. Die Reduktion des Stickstoffstatus in nitratmangelern{\"a}hrten Tabakwildtyppflanzen f{\"u}hrte zu der, nach der „Carbon-Nutrient-Balance" Hypothese erwarteten Verlagerung der kohlenstoffreichen Phenylpropanoide und des stickstoffreichen Nikotins. Die Erh{\"o}hung der Phenylpropanoidgehalte war nicht in der Nitrat akkumulierenden NIA-Transformante zu beobachten und somit konnte Nitrat als regulatorisches Element identifiziert werden. Ein Einfluss der Vorl{\"a}ufermetabolite konnte ausgeschlossen werden, da sowohl nitratmangelern{\"a}hrter Wildtyp als auch die Nitrat akkumulierende NIA-Transformante {\"a}hnliche Gehalte dieser aufwiesen. Genexpressionsanalysen {\"u}ber Mikroarray-Hybridisierung und quantitative RT-PCR zeigten, dass Nitrat durch noch nicht gekl{\"a}rte Mechanismen Einfluss auf die Expression einiger Gene nimmt, die dem Phenylpropanoidstoffwechsels zugeordnet sind. Aus der Arbeit hervorgegangene Ver{\"o}ffentlichungen: Christina Fritz, Natalia Palacios-Rojas, Regina Feil und Mark Stitt (2006) Regulation of Secondary Metabolism by the Carbon-Nitrogen Status in Tobacco: Nitrate Inhibits Large Sectors of Phenylpropanoid Metabolism. Plant Journal 46, 533 - 548 Christina Fritz, Petra Matt, Cathrin M{\"u}ller, Regina Feil und Mark Stitt (2006) Impact of the Carbon-Nitrogen Status on the Amino Acid Profile in Tobacco Source Leaves. Plant, Cell and Environment 29 (11), 2009 - 2111}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Aue2024, author = {Aue, Lars}, title = {Cyclone impacts on sea ice in the Atlantic Arctic Ocean}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-63445}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-634458}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {VIII, 131}, year = {2024}, abstract = {The Arctic is the hot spot of the ongoing, global climate change. Over the last decades, near-surface temperatures in the Arctic have been rising almost four times faster than on global average. This amplified warming of the Arctic and the associated rapid changes of its environment are largely influenced by interactions between individual components of the Arctic climate system. On daily to weekly time scales, storms can have major impacts on the Arctic sea-ice cover and are thus an important part of these interactions within the Arctic climate. The sea-ice impacts of storms are related to high wind speeds, which enhance the drift and deformation of sea ice, as well as to changes in the surface energy budget in association with air mass advection, which impact the seasonal sea-ice growth and melt. The occurrence of storms in the Arctic is typically associated with the passage of transient cyclones. Even though the above described mechanisms how storms/cyclones impact the Arctic sea ice are in principal known, there is a lack of statistical quantification of these effects. In accordance with that, the overarching objective of this thesis is to statistically quantify cyclone impacts on sea-ice concentration (SIC) in the Atlantic Arctic Ocean over the last four decades. In order to further advance the understanding of the related mechanisms, an additional objective is to separate dynamic and thermodynamic cyclone impacts on sea ice and assess their relative importance. Finally, this thesis aims to quantify recent changes in cyclone impacts on SIC. These research objectives are tackled utilizing various data sets, including atmospheric and oceanic reanalysis data as well as a coupled model simulation and a cyclone tracking algorithm. Results from this thesis demonstrate that cyclones are significantly impacting SIC in the Atlantic Arctic Ocean from autumn to spring, while there are mostly no significant impacts in summer. The strength and the sign (SIC decreasing or SIC increasing) of the cyclone impacts strongly depends on the considered daily time scale and the region of the Atlantic Arctic Ocean. Specifically, an initial decrease in SIC (day -3 to day 0 relative to the cyclone) is found in the Greenland, Barents and Kara Seas, while SIC increases following cyclones (day 0 to day 5 relative to the cyclone) are mostly limited to the Barents and Kara Seas. For the cold season, this results in a pronounced regional difference between overall (day -3 to day 5 relative to the cyclone) SIC-decreasing cyclone impacts in the Greenland Sea and overall SIC-increasing cyclone impacts in the Barents and Kara Seas. A cyclone case study based on a coupled model simulation indicates that both dynamic and thermodynamic mechanisms contribute to cyclone impacts on sea ice in winter. A typical pattern consisting of an initial dominance of dynamic sea-ice changes followed by enhanced thermodynamic ice growth after the cyclone passage was found. This enhanced ice growth after the cyclone passage most likely also explains the (statistical) overall SIC-increasing effects of cyclones in the Barents and Kara Seas in the cold season. Significant changes in cyclone impacts on SIC over the last four decades have emerged throughout the year. These recent changes are strongly varying from region to region and month to month. The strongest trends in cyclone impacts on SIC are found in autumn in the Barents and Kara Seas. Here, the magnitude of destructive cyclone impacts on SIC has approximately doubled over the last four decades. The SIC-increasing effects following the cyclone passage have particularly weakened in the Barents Sea in autumn. As a consequence, previously existing overall SIC-increasing cyclone impacts in this region in autumn have recently disappeared. Generally, results from this thesis show that changes in the state of the sea-ice cover (decrease in mean sea-ice concentration and thickness) and near-surface air temperature are most important for changed cyclone impacts on SIC, while changes in cyclone properties (i.e. intensity) do not play a significant role.}, language = {en} }