Epigenetics and behavioural plasticity: drosophila euchromatin histone metiltransferase and foraging

A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Molecular Genetics and BiomedicineThe foraging gene in D. melanogaster underlies a natural polymorphism with two variants called rover and sitter. These variants differ in a suite of phenotypes which are plastic when exposed to varying environmental parameters. Although the phenotypic differences between rovers and sitters are evident, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved are not completely understood. Recently, a histone methyltransferase (EHMT) was found to methylate histones at the foraging promoter region, suggesting a possible interaction of these two genes. This work provides strong evidence that EHMT significantly affects several phenotypic traits linked to the foraging gene. EHMT is needed for the plastic response to food-deprivation seen in larval feeding behaviour, evident as food-deprived larvae lacking EHMT show the same behaviour as fed larva, while larva with functional EHMT significantly reduce their path-lengths when food-deprived. Furthermore, the loss of functional EHMT affects sitter but not rover adult foraging behaviour in food-deprived flies, suggesting an epigenetic interaction between EHMT and the foraging alleles. EHMT mutants also have higher fat storage levels and survive longer during starvation. And finally, EHMT mutants and revertants do not differ significantly in overall foraging RNA expression in fed and food-deprived feeding regimes, but show substantial differences in the foraging protein isoforms expressed. Taken together, this thesis provides proof that EHMT epigenetically regulates traits influenced by the foraging gene and that this regulation is linked to environmental cues. Considering that both foraging and EHMT have homologues in many species and have been associated to a series of human diseases, the results herein are also interesting from a human perspective

Der Brenner

With an altitude of 1370m, the Brenner (or Brennerpass / it. Passo del Brennero) is the lowest mountain pass of the eastern alpine ridge and connects the Austrian province of Tyrol with Southern Tyrol, which – as is well known – had to be ceded to Italy after World War I. Most likely this pass area had constituted a border already in pre-roman times, between two pre-roman tribes, the Breones and the Isarci. The border area was densely wooded, a kind of no-man’s land, and these woods existed up to the High Middle Ages. The actual border ran mitten im Wald ( “in the middle of the wood”). The oldest record is to be found in a mediaeval rent-roll, the Urbar Meinhards II of 1288, wherein a Prennerius de Mittenwalde is assessed as tributary. This would have been a man who either used slash-and-burn agriculture or worked as a charcoal burner. The farm of Heinrich Prenner became very important for the traffic using the pass, and, because of this, the farm name replaced the old geographical name Mittenwald. Since 1338, the name Brenner is used for the geographical position of the pass. Border woods and borders „in the middle of the woods“ can also be documented for other places of Old Tyrol. Prennerius is connected to the German verb brennen, “to burn” – “he who burns sth.

DIE STATIONEN IN TIROL AUF DER PILGERREISE DES ARNOLD VON HARFF

DIE STATIONEN IN TIROLAUF DER PILGERREISE DES ARNOLD VON HARF

Quasi-hyperbolic discounting

Zeitpräferenzen sind von zentraler Bedeutung für intertemporale Entscheidungsmodelle. In den meisten ökonomischen Modellen werden Zeitpräferenzen jedoch mit exponential discounting gleichgesetzt. Der erste Teil der vorliegenden Arbeit bespricht eine axiomatische Herleitung von Zeitpräferenzen im Allgemeinen, führt einige Alternativen zu exponential discounting an und diskutiert deren empirische Belege. Von diesen Alternativen stellt quasi-hyperbolic discounting wohl die geringste Abweichung von exponential discounting dar. Der zweite Teil demonstriert, dass sich beim Übergang von exponential discounting zu quasi-hyperbolic discounting schon bei vergleichsweise einfachen intertemporalen Modellen die Resultate nicht nur numerisch sondern auch qualitativ unterscheiden: Bei Abweichungen von exponential discounting müssen verschiedene Gesichtspunkte wie "dynamic consistency" und Selbstkontrolle berücksichtigt werden, weshalb auch das Lösungskonzept von einem statischen Spiel "gegen" die Natur zugunsten eines dynamischen Spiels "gegen" temporal selves aufgegeben werden sollte. Angelehnt an Laibson (QJE, vol.112, p.443--477) werden dann adverse Effekte von Innovationen im Finanzsektor, sowie Auswirkungen auf "Ricardian Equivalence" und Wirtschaftspolitik diskutiert.Time preferences are at the very core of every intertemporal decision models. However, most economic models equate time preferences exponential discounting. The first part of the present thesis gives an axiomatic derivation of time preferences in general, reviews selected types of alternatives to exponential discounting and assesses their empirical support. Of these alternatives, quasi-hyperbolic discounting constitutes the single least departure from exponential discounting. The second part of the thesis demonstrates that replacing exponential discounting with quasi-hyperbolic discounting even in relatively simple intertemporal decision models, not only yields numerically different results, but also changes the models qualitatively: Any deviation from exponential discounting raises the issues of dynamic consistency and self-control and therefore suggests to change the solution concept from a static game "against" nature to a dynamic game "against" temporal selves. Following Laibson (QJE, vol.112, p.443--477) potentially adverse effects of financial innovation and implications on Ricardian Equivalence as well as on economic policy are discussed

Drei wichtige Aufgaben der Linguistischen Rhetorik

Kindt W. Drei wichtige Aufgaben der Linguistischen Rhetorik. In: Anreiter P, Mairhofer E, Posch C, eds. Argumenta. Festschrift für Manfred Kienpointner zum 60. Geburtstag. Wien: Praesens-Verl.; 2015: 191-200

Der Brenner

With an altitude of 1370m, the Brenner (or Brennerpass / it. Passo del Brennero) is the lowest mountain pass of the eastern alpine ridge and connects the Austrian province of Tyrol with Southern Tyrol, which – as is well known – had to be ceded to Italy after World War I. Most likely this pass area had constituted a border already in pre-roman times, between two pre-roman tribes, the Breones and the Isarci. The border area was densely wooded, a kind of no-man’s land, and these woods existed up to the High Middle Ages. The actual border ran mitten im Wald ( “in the middle of the wood”). The oldest record is to be found in a mediaeval rent-roll, the Urbar Meinhards II of 1288, wherein a Prennerius de Mittenwalde is assessed as tributary. This would have been a man who either used slash-and-burn agriculture or worked as a charcoal burner. The farm of Heinrich Prenner became very important for the traffic using the pass, and, because of this, the farm name replaced the old geographical name Mittenwald. Since 1338, the name Brenner is used for the geographical position of the pass. Border woods and borders „in the middle of the woods“ can also be documented for other places of Old Tyrol. Prennerius is connected to the German verb brennen, “to burn” – “he who burns sth.

Gall. vimpi, Kymr. gwymp und eine lauthistorische Kettenreaktion

Gall. vimpi ‘nice, beautiful' and Tochar. wāmp- ‘to decorate’ are regarded as etymologically related in the literature. In the face of obvious phonetic and semantic similarities, certain inconsistencies in the application of the requisite sound laws have tended to be passed over. Thus, Gallic p would have to be traced back to proto-IE *qu̯, which in turn would correspond to k in Tocharian. Proto-IE *p, on the other hand, which is compatible with the Tocharian data, disappeared in Gallic. The present writer argues that proto-IE *qu̯ underlies both forms and that this underlying form could produce a p-reflex in Tocharian. A second example, Tochar. AB lip- ‘to remain’ < proto-IE *loiq*qu̯-, is adduced to support the thesis.No disponible

Dispvtatio Philosophica De Rervm Natvralivm Prodvctionibvs : Qvam In Celebri, Et Catholica Dilingana Vniversitate

Præside Thoma Anreiter ... ; Pvblice Proponent F. Michael Göz, F. Bernardvs Rhelinger, F. Ernestvs Schmvdter ...Dissertation Universität Dillingen 1624Aus dem Vorbesitz des Klosters Rheinau, Verbalexlibris auf dem Titelblat