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The gastrointestinal tract of the foetus is considered sterile but during vaginal birth the neonate comes into contact with bacteria from the maternal vaginal and intestinal microbiota. The main focus of this doctoral thesis was to elucidate the initial bacterial ecosystem in newborns and to relate microbial perturbations to physiological traits. The bacterial flora was mainly studied with molecu
Hans Bredow Institute for Media Research at the University of Hamburg is currently conducting a study on behalf of the Swiss Government (Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office, BSV) to identify good practice approaches regarding the protection of minors in the field of media. During the project, we will analyse current policy and regulation practices in 12 countries (Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, S
Clonality is wide-spread among plants, and clonal plants dominate many habitats and include many highly invasive species. Clonal growth incurs both advantages and costs and clonal plants often have reduced sexual reproduction compared to non-clonal plants which could be expected to lower genetic variation and hence evolutionary potential. However, clonal plants have revealed similar levels of gene
The gasification of biomass is a promising route to increase the share of renewable sources in the energy mix. Besides having an overall higher thermal efficiency than combustion, it also offers the possibility of producing gaseous and liquid biofuels that can be used in the transport sector. The use of biomass gasification for energy purposes can help lower the net emissions of greenhouse gases,
By varying its secondary or tertiary structure a single protein can attain new biological functions. The amyloid forming proteins are the best known examples where a change in conformation leads to the formation of amyloid fibrils that accumulate in tissues and cause disease. a-lactalbumin in contrast, is an example of a protein that acquires a beneficial function when the conformation is altered
The thesis work was performed with the aim of increasing knowledge and understanding of the combustion of oxygenated fuels and intermediates. This was accomplished in two steps: experimental measurements of the laminar burning velocity to expand current databases and development of a reaction mechanism. In the first part of the project, the laminar burning velocity of oxygenated fuels and interme
Chiral building blocks are important molecules for synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Biocatalysis has gained in relevance over traditional organic methods for synthesis of chiral compounds, as reactions can be performed at high enantio-selectivity and purity with environmentally friendly, simple, and cheap methods. The aim of the present study was to explore the feasibility of using
It is well known that dietary fibre is good for the health. Cereals, and in particular the outer parts of the cereal kernels, are rich in dietary fibre. Rye bran, wheat bran, oat bran and barley fibre have been investigated regarding their suitability as additives in low-fat meat products. Two types of meat products, frankfurter-type sausages and meatballs have been evaluated in this thesis. In th
Mucus glycoproteins (mucins) are the principal constituents of respiratory secretions in health and disease. The increased 'acidity' of mucin producing cells in the bronchitic airways is not reflected in a change of negative charge of bronchitic mucins. Furthermore, the size and macromolecular properties of mucins from chronic bronchitic sputa do not differ significantly from those in normal airwa
