Markov chain Monte Carlo methods for parameter identification in systems biology models

First, I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Achim Tresch for giving me the opportunity to write this thesis and to work on three fascinating projects. I really appreciate all the fruitful discussions, his constant support and the excellent working atmosphere. I would also like to thank Prof. Dr. Patrick Cramer for being my doctoral supervisor. Furthermore, I would like to thank all the other members of my dissertation committee (Prof. Dr. Rainer Spang

Republikanische Freiheit und transnationale Demokratie

Der republikanische Freiheitsbegriff führt zu wichtigen Differenzierungen mit Blick auf die Ebenen und Instanzen, die die Legitimität politischer Ordnung verbürgen, was in globaler Hinsicht zu einer spezifischen Konzeption transnationaler Demokratie führt. Dieser Text untersucht dazu, inwiefern Freiheit und Staatlichkeit zusammenhängen und warum die Optionen nicht überzeugen, republikanische Verhältnisse auf Staaten zu begrenzen oder staatliche Verhältnisse global auszudehnen. Als Alternative zu diesen Optionen wird eine transnationale Demokratie mit distinkten Strukturen für die Gewährleistung von Demokratie und zur Verhinderung von Beherrschung skizziert

Modeling the migration behavior and exploring the age-structured migratory connectivity of red kites (Milvus milvus) across the species’ global range

Migration is a crucial part of the annual cycle for billions of animals. Understanding migratory connectivity (i.e., how breeding populations redistribute in space over the annual cycle) is essential to illuminate the intricate relationships in how migrating organisms link ecosystems and species across the globe and to inform evidencebased local and global conservation efforts. Most studies investigating migratory connectivity assume that no subgroups exist within populations, i.e., that populations mix randomly. Yet, many populations have sex or age-specific subgroups that differ in their migratory behavior, a phenomenon called differential migration, which is predicted to affect migratory connectivity. Here, this rarely studied prediction is revised using a GPS movement dataset of unprecedented size and geographic coverage to derive a range-wide assessment of age-structured migration patterns and migratory connectivity in the red kite, a raptor species endemic to Europe. Daily GPS locations of 2440 complete annual cycles representing 1619 red kites were analyzed to identify age-specific migration strategies and links between breeding season and overwintering locations across the species’ global range. By combining a novel continuous space Bayesian regression approach with a recent range-wide abundance map, five key results are derived: First, calculations revealed that an estimated 54.4% of the total adult population is migrating to the western wintering grounds, while only 1.3% is migrating to the eastern wintering grounds and the remaining 44.4% remained resident throughout the annual cycle. Second, large variations in the migration strategies of individuals were found between breeding sites but also within a breeding population. Third, migration strategies of individuals changed with age, with younger birds generally showing a higher migration probability than adult birds. Importantly, the strength of this age-dependent differential migration varied substantially across the species range. Fourth, as predicted, migratory connectivity varied with age, with young birds exhibiting higher migratory connectivity (0.34) than adults (0.25). Hence, migratory connectivity of red kites was rather low. Fifth, a migration divide was discovered in eastern Europe, with migration distances to western wintering grounds being significantly longer than to eastern wintering grounds. As one of the first studies, the effects of differential migration on migratory connectivity across an entire species range were empirically documented within this thesis. By analyzing this massive movement data set of one species, new insights into the overwintering and migratory behavior of red kites throughout the species’ global range could be gained, thus helping to enhance the conservation of this bird species

Blood Protein Binding of Cyclosporine in Transplant Patients

The objective of this study was to compare the binding of cyclosporine to blood proteins between four healthy subjects and five liver and eight renal transplant patients. Fresh heparinized blood was obtained, to which sufficient quantities of tritium-labelled cyclosporine and unlabelled cyclosporine were added to blood samples or red blood cell (RBC) suspensions. Concentrations of cyclosporine in whole blood, plasma, RBC suspension, and phosphate buffer were estimated by liquid scintigraphy. The blood:plasma ratio of cyclosporine in transplant patients was significantly lower (P < .05) than that in healthy volunteers. The RBC:buffer ratio, a measure of affinity of RBCs for cyclosporine, was highest in those with liver transplants and lowest in those with kidney transplants. The unbound fraction of cyclosporine in plasma was less in transplant patients than in healthy volunteers. The results of this study indicate that there are differences in blood protein binding of cyclosporine between transplant patients that may contribute to the differences in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of this drug

The role of cGMP and PKG-I in spinal nociceptive processing

First paragraph (this article has no abstract) Persistent stimulation of nociceptors results in sensitization of nociceptive sensory neurons, which is associated with hyperalgesia and allodynia. The release of NO and subsequent synthesis of cGMP in the spinal cord are involved in this process. cGMP-dependent protein kinase I (PKG-I) has been suggested to act as a downstream target of cGMP, but its exact role in nociception hadn't been characterized yet. To further evaluate the NO/cGMP/PKG-I pathway in nociception we assessed the effects of PKG-I inhibiton and activaton in the rat formalin assay and analyzed the nociceptive behavior of PKG-I-/- mice. Open access article

Community engagement - a paradigm shift to WASH programming in emergencies

Community Participation is the backbone of Oxfam’s approach to public health and one of its core strengths when responding to diseases outbreaks. The Ebola crisis in West Africa however revealed that public health programming is often adopting instructive approaches rather than building on the local expertise of affected communities. Oxfam’s public health promotion team therefore revised current approaches to community mobilisation in WASH which prompted a paradigm shift towards greater community engagement. This paper provides an overview of the learning, adopted approach, and how this has shaped Oxfam’s overall public health promotion strategy

Aspects of the Ecology of the Wood Turtle, Clemmys insculpta (LeConte), in West Virginia

An ecological study of the wood turtle, Clemmys insculpta (LeConte), was conducted in West Virginia from May 1991 to March 1993. Population structure at the primary study area (WV #1) was estimated to be 46% juvenile (H-8 yrs. old), 26% female and 28% male. Total population estimate for WV #1 was 337 wood turtles, with an aquatic density of 1,980 turtles per Hectare of river and a terrestrial density of 22.5 turtles per ha of terrestrial habitat. Growth measurements and estimates indicate rapid initial growth tapering off at year 8 and gradually declining through year 16. Males grow slightly faster than females after the sixth year. Results of movements indicate that wood turtles utilize a wide variety of habitats, including intensively farmed fields. Winter hibernation was found to be strongly centered in a single pool of the WV #1 study area. Analysis of food habits indicates that feeding begins with emergence from water in April. Terrestrial feeding is probably continuous in spring and summer until turtles return to aquatic habitats in October. Reproductive behavior and ectoparasites were noted