Reservoir testing and analysis are fundamental tools in understanding reservoir hydraulics and hence forecasting reservoir responses. The quality of the analysis is very dependent on the conceptual model used in investigating the responses under different flowing conditions. The use of reservoir testing in the characterization and derivation of reservoir parameters is widely established, especially in conventional oil and gas reservoirs. However, with depleting conventional reserves, the quest for unconventional reservoirs to secure the increasing demand for energy is increasing; which has triggered intensive research in the fields of reservoir characterization. Gas hydrate reservoirs, being one of the unconventional gas reservoirs with huge energy potential, is still in the juvenile stage with reservoir testing as compared to the other unconventional reservoirs. The endothermic dissociation hydrates to gas and water requires addressing multiphase flow and heat energy balance, which has made efforts to develop reservoir testing models in this field difficult. As of now, analytically quantifying the effect on hydrate dissociation on rate and pressure transient responses are till date a huge challenge. During depressurization, the heat energy stored in the reservoir is used up and due to the endothermic nature of the dissociation; heat flux begins from the confining layers. For Class 3 gas hydrates, just heat conduction would be responsible for the heat influx and further hydrate dissociation; however, the moving boundary problem could also be an issue to address in this reservoir, depending on the equilibrium pressure. To address heat flux problem, a proper definition of the inner boundary condition for temperature propagation using a Clausius-Clapeyron type hydrate equilibrium model is required. In Class 1 and 2, crossflow problems would occur and depending on the layer of production, convective heat influx from the free fluid layer and heat conduction from the cap rock of the hydrate layer would be further issues to address. All these phenomena make the derivation of a suitable reservoir testing model very complex. However, with a strong combination of heat energy and mass balance techniques, a representative diffusivity equation can be derived. Reservoir testing models have been developed and responses investigated for different boundary conditions in normally pressured Class 3 gas hydrates, over-pressured Class 3 gas hydrates (moving boundary problem) and Class 1 and 2 gas hydrates (crossflow problem). The effects of heat flux on the reservoir responses have been addressed in detail.

On the way towards a more biobased economy, the sustainable use of global wood resources remains a challenge as several trade-offs arise, e.g., from an increased energetic use of wood, an increased use of innovative but probably less recyclable wood composites, or from the need to conserve other forest ecosystem services. The aim of this study is to identify existing environmental indicators and methods for an evaluation of the sustainability of wood products in consideration of all life cycle stages, site-dependent aspects and later use in corporate decision-making. We chose a systematic literature review to answer the research questions explicitly and comprehensively. Qualitative content analysis was used to code indicators and scientific methods according to the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework. The sample (N = 118) is characterized by a high number of life cycle assessment (LCA) case studies. In 51% of all studies, the study authors use a combination of different methods. A total of 78 indicators and 20 site-dependent aspects could be identified in the sample. The study findings represent a first step towards a holistic environmental assessment of wood products.

Im Fokus der Dissertation steht die Erforschung nachhaltiger Effekte durch Informationssysteme, insbesondere Ansatzpunkte zur Nachhaltigkeitstransformation der Gesellschaft durch Methoden und Artefakte der Green Information Systems (Green IS). Als Green IS werden sozio-technische Informationssysteme bezeichnet, die neben wirtschaftlichen Kriterien der ressourceneffizienten Bereitstellung von Informationen, der Koordination und Kommunikation auch die ökologische und soziale Dimension gemäß der „Triple Bottom Line“ (Drei-Säulen-Modell der nachhaltigen Entwicklung) adressieren. Der Anwendungsbereich von Green IS liegt auf der Reduktion von Umweltbelastungen und der Bewältigung komplexer Umweltherausforderungen durch sozio-technische Informationssysteme. Neben Forschungsthemen der (Wirtschafts-)Informatik und der Wirtschaftswissenschaften werden Bereiche der Psychologie und Sozialwissenschaften zu Fragen der digitalen Nachhaltigkeitstransformation, der Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung sowie Akzeptanzforschung behandelt. Aufgrund der Komplexität und Vielschichtigkeit des Themas wird ein multimethodischer Forschungsansatz verfolgt, indem sowohl qualitative als auch quantitative Methoden zum Einsatz kommen. Die zentralen Forschungsfragen lauten dabei wie folgt: FF1. Welchen Beitrag können Green IS auf Makro- und Meso-Ebene zur Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung leisten und welchen Reifegrad weisen sie auf? FF2. Inwiefern können digitale Geschäftsmodelle zur unternehmerischen und gesellschaftlichen Nachhaltigkeitstransformation beitragen? FF3. Kann durch gezieltes Nachhaltigkeitsmarketing die Akzeptanz von Green IS in der Gesellschaft gefördert werden? Gemäß der Design Science Research werden Verfahren zur Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung für Smart City Mobilitätsstrategien und betriebliche Umweltinformationssysteme (BUIS) des produzierenden Gewerbes konstruiert. Es wird ein Prototyp zum webbasierten Benchmark solcher Smart City Initiativen realisiert. Das entwickelte Geschäftsprozessmodell zeigt auf, inwiefern eine Transformation zur Plattformorganisation im Rahmen von Open Innovation für Industriebetriebe erfolgreich gelingen kann. Die quantitativen Erhebungen zeigen auf, das vor allem hochpreisige Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie (IKT) für Geschäftsmodelle der Sharing Economy geeignet ist sowie, dass die Akzeptanz nachhaltiger IKT in der Gesellschaft bereits insbesondere bei Zugehörigen des "Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability" (LOHAS) vorhanden ist und der weiteren Förderung durch geeignete Verbraucher-Symbole bedarf.

Reservoir testing and analysis are fundamental tools in understanding reservoir hydraulics and hence forecasting reservoir responses. The quality of the analysis is very dependent on the conceptual model used in investigating the responses under different flowing conditions. The use of reservoir testing in the characterization and derivation of reservoir parameters is widely established, especially in conventional oil and gas reservoirs. However, with depleting conventional reserves, the quest for unconventional reservoirs to secure the increasing demand for energy is increasing; which has triggered intensive research in the fields of reservoir characterization. Gas hydrate reservoirs, being one of the unconventional gas reservoirs with huge energy potential, is still in the juvenile stage with reservoir testing as compared to the other unconventional reservoirs. The endothermic dissociation hydrates to gas and water requires addressing multiphase flow and heat energy balance, which has made efforts to develop reservoir testing models in this field difficult. As of now, analytically quantifying the effect on hydrate dissociation on rate and pressure transient responses are till date a huge challenge. During depressurization, the heat energy stored in the reservoir is used up and due to the endothermic nature of the dissociation; heat flux begins from the confining layers. For Class 3 gas hydrates, just heat conduction would be responsible for the heat influx and further hydrate dissociation; however, the moving boundary problem could also be an issue to address in this reservoir, depending on the equilibrium pressure. To address heat flux problem, a proper definition of the inner boundary condition for temperature propagation using a Clausius-Clapeyron type hydrate equilibrium model is required. In Class 1 and 2, crossflow problems would occur and depending on the layer of production, convective heat influx from the free fluid layer and heat conduction from the cap rock of the hydrate layer would be further issues to address. All these phenomena make the derivation of a suitable reservoir testing model very complex. However, with a strong combination of heat energy and mass balance techniques, a representative diffusivity equation can be derived. Reservoir testing models have been developed and responses investigated for different boundary conditions in normally pressured Class 3 gas hydrates, over-pressured Class 3 gas hydrates (moving boundary problem) and Class 1 and 2 gas hydrates (crossflow problem). The effects of heat flux on the reservoir responses have been addressed in detail.

The thesis is dealing with the investigation of charge and orbital order and their behaviour under external pressure. Therefore, a new pressure cell has been developed which allows the observation of superlattice reflections corresponding to the order phenomena under pressure using scattering of high-energy synchrotron radiation. The maximum pressure that can be reached is 1.25 GPa. Until today there has been no possibility to conduct such studies of charge and orbital order superlattice reflections under pressure using x-ray scattering. The intensities of the reflections of the single crystalline samples are quite weak compared to fundamental peaks. Therefore the measurements are strongly affected by the absorption of the radiation in the pressure cell itself. Further difficulties result from the facts that low temperatures are needed and the sample has to be oriented in reciprocal space after being mounted into the cell. Therefore, the design of a compact clamp-type piston pressure cell was chosen here. The cell is made from a copper-beryllium alloy with the wall thickness reduced in the height of the sample volume. This allows the usage inside a closed-cycle cryostat mounted on a three-axis-diffractometer. Absorption effects are minimized due to the combination of reduced wall thickness and the usage of high energy synchrotron radiation (E = 100 keV at the beamline BW5 at HASYLAB/DESY). The new experimental technique was established and used for a study of two representatives of the transition metal oxide compounds, i.e. doped cuprates and manganites, which belong to the class of strongly correlated electron systems. The 1/8-doped cuprate La_{2-x}Ba_{x}CuO_{4} reveals an ordered state at low temperatures. Inside the CuO_{2} planes a combined order of charge stripes and antiferromagnetic spin stripes is observed. The ordering results from the interaction between charge, spin and lattice degrees of freedom. Here the lattice degrees of freedom play a major role. Particularly, a structural transition from an orthorhombic to a tetragonal symmetry is prerequisite for the observation of the ordered state. The cell constructed in this work allows a more exact analysis of the coupling between the crystal lattice and the formation of the charge and spin ordered phase. The manganite system Pr_{0.7}(Ca_{0.9}Sr_{0.1})_{0.3}MnO_{3} shows a strong magnetoresistive effect, called colossal magnetoresistance (CMR). In this system, several ordered phases can be found, which exhibit charge, spin and - since the orbital degree of freedom is also present in the manganites - additionally orbital ordering phenomena. In particular, an antiferromagnetically spin ordered insulating phase, which is connected to a charge- and orbital ordered state competes with a ferromagnetic metallic phase. This competition leads to a phase separation, which determines the properties of the sample. Both phases are strongly coupled to the lattice degrees of freedom, so that application of external pressure drastically affects the interplay between the different phases and allows a detailed study of the relation between the charge and orbital ordered phase and the crystal structure. / Die vorliegende Arbeit befaßt sich mit dem Studium der Ordnungszustände von Ladungen und Orbitalen und deren Beeinflußung durch externen Druck. Als experimentelle Neuentwicklung wurde dafür eine Druckzelle entworfen, mit deren Hilfe die Beobachtung der jeweiligen Ordnungsphänomene unter Druck mittels der Streuung hochenergetischer Synchtrotronstrahlung möglich ist. Die Zelle erlaubt die Messung der orbitalen und Ladungsüberstrukturreflexe, welche aus den geordneten Zuständen resultieren, in einem Druckbereich bis 1.25 GPa. Die experimentelle Herausforderung ergibt sich hierbei aus der Tatsache, dass die Überstrukturreflexe im Vergleich zu den fundamentalen Reflexen der einkristallinen Proben sehr schwach sind und zusätzlich durch die Absorption im Mantelmaterial der Druckzelle stark beeinträchtigt werden. Darüber hinaus soll die Zelle bei tiefen Temperaturen einsetzbar und die Probe auch innerhalb der Zelle im reziproken Raum orientierbar sein. Bei dem hier realisierten Ansatz wurde für das Design daher der Typ einer kompakten Klemmdruckzelle aus einer Kupfer-Beryllium-Legierung gewählt, deren Zellwände im Bereich des Probenvolumens reduziert wurden. Dadurch ist der Einsatz der Zelle im Inneren eines Closed-Cycle-Kryostaten auf einem Einkristall-Diffraktometer möglich. Aufgrund der geringen Wandstärke der Zelle und der Nutzung von hochenergetischer Röntgenstrahlung (E = 100 keV am Messplatz BW5 des HASYLAB/DESY) werden Absorptionseffekte minimiert. Die neue Messmethode wurde im Rahmen der Arbeit etabliert und zur Untersuchung zweier wichtiger Übergangsmetalloxidverbindungen (dotierte Kuprate, Manganate), die zur Klasse der stark korrelierten Elektronensysteme gehören, eingesetzt. Das 1/8-dotierte Kupratsystem La_{2-x}Ba_{x}CuO_{4}, weist bei tiefen Temperaturen einen statisch geordneten Zustand auf. Innerhalb der CuO_{2}-Schichten des Kristalls ergibt sich eine Ordnung, bei der sich Streifen lokalisierter Löcher und antiferromagnetische Bereiche abwechseln. Ursache dieses Zustands ist das Wechselspiel von Ladungen, Spins und strukturellen Freiheitsgraden. Dabei spielen letztere eine herausgehobene Rolle. So ist insbesondere ein struktureller Übergang von einer orthorhombischen zu einer tetragonalen Phase Voraussetzung für die Beobachtung der Ordnung. Die in dieser Arbeit aufgebaute Druckzelle erlaubt eine genauere Analyse des Zusammenhangs zwischen Struktur des Kristalls und der Ausbildung der ladungs- und spingeordneten Phase. Das Manganatsystem Pr_{0.7}(Ca_{0.9}Sr_{0.1})_{0.3}MnO_{3}, zeichnet sich durch einen sehr starken magnetoresistiven Effekt aus, der auch als kolossaler Magnetowiderstand (CMR) bezeichnet wird. Auch hier kann bei tiefen Temperaturen eine geordnete Phase beobachtet werden. Allerdings spielt in diesem System zusätzlich der orbitale Freiheitsgrad der Elektronen eine entscheidende Rolle, so dass sich eine kombinierte Ladungs- und Orbitalordnung ergibt. Diese Phase, die isolierend und zusätzlich antiferromagnetisch geordnet ist, steht im direkten Wettbewerb zu einer ferromagnetischen Phase. Aus dieser Konkurrenz ergibt sich eine Tendenz zur Phasenseparation, deren Effekte die Eigenschaften des Kristalls dominieren. Da beide Phasen stark an die strukturellen Freiheitsgrade gekoppelt sind, läßt sich das Gleichgewicht zwischen ihnen durch externen Druck beeinflussen und die Abhängigkeit der ladungs- und orbitalgeordneten Phase von den strukturellen Eigenschaften des Kristalls im Detail untersuchen.

Kinetic inactivation of factor XIIIa and MTG were performed in a pressure range from 0.1 to 400 MPa at 40°C within a time from 0 to 60 min in a TRIS-acetate buffer at pH 6.0. The inactivation of both enzymes at these conditions followed a first order reaction model. The high inactivation rate constant of 26.6 x10-3/min-1 for factor XIIIa at low pressure (50 MP) indicated that this enzyme is much easier to inactivate than MTG, which achieved an inactivation rate constant value of 9.7 x10-3/min at higher pressure (200 MPa). An inactivation volume of –10.17±0.5 cm3/mol confirmed that MTG is very stable under high pressure. The stability of MTG under high pressure and thermal treatment was related to its conformational changes. Enzyme inactivation was accompanied by secondary and tertiary structure changes until an irreversible protein precipitation is achieved. The tertiary structure, represented by circular dichroism spectra in the aromatic region showed differences among native and MTG samples treated under high pressure, as well as at elevated temperature. Tyrosine bands, indicating protein unfolding, increased proportionally with increasing pressure treatment above 400 MPa. Nevertheless, compared to pressure, a maximal enhancement could be observed after thermal treatment at 0.1 MPa at 80°C. That demonstrated the exposure of hydrophobic groups to the protein surface with a concomitant protein unfolding. The spectra in the far ultraviolet region showed that increasing high pressure and high temperature lead to alterations in the secondary structure. The mathematical algorithms CONTIN used to calculate secondary structures stated that the 24.5% of alpha-helix of native MTG decreased to 17.2% after a treatment at 400 MPa at 40°C for 60 min and to 6.5% after a treatment at 0.1 MPa at 80°C for 2 min. However, beta-strand structures remained relatively stable after these several treatments. MTG is arranged in a way that the active site is located between beta-strand domains that are surrounded by alpha-helices, the results of this investigation suggested that MTG activity is related with the relative stability of alpha-helix and the outstanding stability of the central beta-strand structure. The irreversible precipitated protein observed at 600 MPa at 40°C for 60 min and 0.1 MPa at 80°C for 2 min was caused principally by the formation of disulfides bonds, because high pressure and high thermal treatment lead to the exposition of the Cys64 residue towards the solvent with the subsequent ability to react with neighbouring cysteine residues. Furthermore, the reaction between protein and reducing sugars resulted in the formation of Maillard products. Furosine, as an indicator of the early stages of Maillard reaction was measured. Concentration values of 261.0 mg/g protein from samples treated at 600 MPa and 40°C and 238.5 mg/g protein from samples treated at and 0.1 MPa and 80°C for 2 min were obtained. Pentosidine a subsequent product observed in the advanced Maillard reaction was also present. Concentrations of 13.7 and 6.7 mg/g protein were obtained in the samples treated at 600 MPa and 40°C for 60 min and 0.1 MPa and 80°C for 2 min, respectively. Kinetic inactivation studies of MTG in a pressure range from 0.1 to 600 MPa at 10, 30, 40, and 50°C within a long time range from 0 to 140 h were performed in order to study MTG stability under the simultaneous effect of pressure and temperature. The inactivation kinetic showed a first and very fast step and a second very slow step suggesting irreversible inactivation behaviour. Activation energy and entropy difference decreased with increasing pressure. Thereby, the inactivation rate constants of enzyme were less temperature dependent at high pressure. The effect of pressure and temperature on MTG inactivation had a synergistic behaviour. At temperatures of 10, 30, and 40°C, increasing pressure leads to increasing inactivation rate constants. However at 50°C a tendency change occurred. Negative activation volumes of –16.2±0.5, -13.6±0.1, -11.2±0.3 cm3/mol were obtained for 10, 30 and 40°C respectively and for treatment at 50°C a positive value of about +3.0±2.0 cm3/mol in a pressure range from 0.1 to 300 and a negative volume of –11.0±0.4 cm3/mol MPa from 300 to 600 MPa were calculated. A pressure/temperature diagram from inactivation rate constants was performed to represent MTG stability. The diagram shows that in a pressure and temperature range from 0.1 to 550 MPa and 10 to 40°C, pressure induces MTG stabilization against heat denaturation. At 50°C in range from 0.1 to 300 MPa, pressure induces also enzyme stabilization again heat denaturation, but at the same temperature and above 300 MPa the enzyme was inactivated. After MTG stability analysis, reaction kinetics from MTG with individual caseins in a TRIS-acetate buffer pH 6.0 were performed under atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa) and high pressure (400 MPa) at 40°C. The reaction was monitored by gel permeation chromatography under in three assumptions: 1) The initial velocity kinetics was obtained from a non-progressive enzymatic reactions with the products. 2) The substrate concentration exceeded enzyme concentration. 3) The sum of the individual catalytic constants of the reactive glutamine residues inside caseins are represented by a single MTG-monomeric casein complex. Enzyme reaction kinetics of MTG with the individual caseins carried out at 0.1 MPa at 40°C showed Michaelis-Menten-Henri behaviour with maximal velocities of 2.7 x 10-3, 0.8 x 10-3, and 1.3 x 10-3 mmol/L∙min and Km values of 59 x 10-3, 64 x 10-3 and 50 x 10-3 mmol/L of beta-, alpha-s1-, and whole-casein, respectively. This suggested that MTG achieved a maximal velocity with ß-casein, but had the best affinity with acid casein followed by beta- casein and finally alpha-s1-casein. Enzyme reaction kinetics of beta-casein carried out at 400 MPa and 40°C also showed a Michaelis-Menten-Henri behaviour with a similar maximal velocity of 2.6 x 10-3 mmol/L×min, but the Km value of 144 x 10-3 mmol/L showing kinetical similarity to a non-competitive inhibition. The reaction of MTG with alpha-s1-casein under high pressure did not fit in to Henri-Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Kinetic parameters showed that the affinity of MTG to beta- and alpha-s1-casein under atmospheric pressure is higher than the affinity of MTG to these caseins under high pressure. This loss of affinity can be explained by a constant number of reactive glutamine residues of casein, although the protein is unfolding at high pressure, a decrease of enzyme activity of MTG to 74% after treatment at 400 MPa at 40°C for 15 min and self association of casein under thermal and high pressure treatment. Fur technological application, the formation of acid milk gels was studied under the influence of MTG within its range of pH stability. Simultaneous addition of MTG and different concentrations of glucono-delta-lactone (Gdl) to casein solutions (5% w/v) at 40°C was analysed. Gels firmness was accessed by oscillation rheometry and gel permeation chromatography. Oscillation rheometry data showed that the time of gelation decreased with an increasing Gdl concentration added to the system, however higher concentrations of Gdl caused the formation of weaker gels. Addition of 1 g Gdl/g protein without MTG caused gelation within 5 min and a storage module value G´ of 48.9 Pa. With the simultaneous addition of 1 g Gdl/g protein and 6 U MTG/ g protein the gelation time was 4 min and the reached storage modulus was 63.7 Pa. However, the addition of 0.21 g Gdl/g protein and 6 U/g protein MTG increase the gelation time to about 69 min, but, a higher module value G´ of 111.0 Pa was achieved. Addition of high Gdl concentration caused a rapid drop of pH below 5 leading to a fast enzyme inactivation. However addition of very low Gdl concentrations was also not optimal. The simultaneous influence of MTG and Gdl concentration on the gelation time and elastic properties was evaluated by a central composite rotatable design (CCRD). The resulting quadratic storage modulus model showed that, MTG concentration had a significant influence on storage modulus G´ and, that the firmness of the gels increase in direct proportion with MTG activity with the existence of a optimum Gdl concentration, whereas the resulting linear model of the gelation time stated that Gdl concentration has a significant influence on the gelation time, while it is independent of the MTG activity. A maximal firmness of 136 ± 2 Pa was reached between a range of 0.24 - 0.27 g Gdl/g protein and 5.8 U MTG/g within a time from 49 to 59 min. Gel permeation chromatography analysis demonstrated that acid gels induced by Gdl were formed by reversible cross-linking like electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonds as well as disulfide bonds caused by temperature treatment. Whereas, the addition of MTG proved the formation of non-reversible cross-linking like oligomers based on Ne-(g-glutamyl)- lysine, which gave more firmness and stabilization on the casein gel network.

During mitosis, adherent animal cells undergo a drastic shape change, from essentially flat to round, in a process known as mitotic cell rounding (MCR). The aim of this thesis was to critically examine the physical and biological basis of MCR. The experimental part of this thesis employed a combined optical microscope-atomic force microscope (AFM) setup in conjunction with flat tipless cantilevers to analyze cell mechanics, shape and volume. To this end, two AFM assays were developed: the constant force assay (CFA), which applies constant force to cells and measures the resultant height, and the constant height assay (CHA), which confines cell height and measures the resultant force. These assays were deployed to analyze the shape and mechanical properties of single cells trans-mitosis. The CFA results showed that cells progressing through mitosis could increase their height against forces as high as 50 nN, and that higher forces can delay mitosis in HeLa cells. The CHA results showed that mitotic cells confined to ~50% of their normal height can generate forces around 50-100 nN without disturbing mitotic progression. Such forces represent intracellular pressures of at least 200 Pascals and cell surface tensions of around 10 nN/µm. Using the CHA to compare mitotic cell rounding with induced cell rounding, it was observed that the intracellular pressure of mitotic cells is at least 3-fold higher than rounded interphase cells. To investigate the molecular basis of the mechanical changes inherent in mitotic cell rounding, inhibitors and toxins were used to pharmacologically dissect the role of candidate cellular processes. These results implicated the actomyosin cortex and osmolyte transporters, the most prominent of which is the Na+/H+ exchanger, in the maintenance of mechanical properties and intracellular hydrostatic pressure. Observations on blebbing cells under the cantilever supported the idea that the actomyosin cortex is required to sustain hydrostatic pressure and direct this pressure into cell shape changes. To gain further insight into the relationship between actomyosin activity and intracellular pressure, dynamic perturbation experiments were conducted. To this end, the CHA was used to evaluate the pressure and volume of mitotic cells before, during and after dynamic perturbations that included tonic shocks, influx of specific inhibitors, and exposure to pore-forming toxins. When osmotic pressure gradients were depleted, pressure and volume decreased. When the actomyosin cytoskeleton was abolished, cell volume increased while rounding pressure decreased. Conversely, stimulation of actomyosin cortex contraction triggered an increase in rounding pressure and a decrease in volume. Taken together, the dynamic perturbation results demonstrated that the actomyosin cortex contracts against an opposing intracellular pressure and that this relationship sets the surface tension, pressure and volume of the cell. The discussion section of this thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the physical basis of MCR by amalgamating the experimental results of this thesis with the literature. Additionally, the biochemal signaling pathways and proteins that drive MCR are collated and discussed. An exhaustive and unprecedented synthesis of the literature on cell rounding (approx. 750 papers as pubmed search hits on “cell rounding”, April 2012) reveals that the spread-to-round transition can be thought of in terms of a surface tension versus adhesion paradigm, and that cell rounding can be physically classified into four main modes, of which one is an MCR-like category characterized by increased actomyosin cortex tension and diminution of focal adhesions. The biochemical pathways and signaling patterns that correspond with these four rounding modes are catalogued and expounded upon in the context of the relevant physiology. This analysis reveals cell rounding as a pertinent topic that can be leveraged to yield insight into core principles of cell biophysics and tissue organization. It furthermore highlights MCR as a model problem to understand the adhesion versus cell surface tension paradigm in cells and its fundamentality to cell shape, mechanics and physiology.

It is known that boron containing compounds exhibit interesting chemical and physical properties. In the past 50 years modern preparative methods have led to an overwhelming number of different structures of novel and often unexpected boron–sulfur and boron–selenium compounds. Among all these new compounds, there was only one which comprises rare earth metal (RE), boron and heavier chalcogen, namely sulfur, the europium thioborate Eu[B2S4] [1]. Selenoborates of rare earth metals are hitherto unknown. On the other hand, rare earth oxoborates represent a well-known class of compounds [2] with a wide range of applications, especially in the field of optical materials. In addition, well-defined boron compounds containing the heavier group 16 elements are fairly difficult to prepare due to the high reactivity of in situ formed boron chalcogenides towards most container materials at elevated temperatures. The chalcogenoborates of the heavier chalcogens are sensitive against oxidation and hydrolysis and therefore have to be handled in an inert environment. Therefore, developing and optimization of preparative routes for the syntheses of pure and crystalline RE thio- and selenoborates was needed. In the course of this study, the application of different preparation routes, such as optimized high-temperature routes (HT), metathesis reactions and high-pressure high-temperature routes (Hp – HT), led to sixteen new rare earth thioborates. Their crystal structures were solved and/or refined from powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction data, while the local structure around rare earth metal was confirmed from the results of the EXAFS analyses. Quantum mechanical calculations were used within this work in order to investigate the arrangement of intrinsic vacancies on the boron sites in the crystal structures of rare earth thioborates. Thermal, magnetic and optical properties of these compounds are also discussed. The rare earth thioborates discovered during this work are the first examples of ternary thioborates containing trivalent cations. These compounds can be divided into two groups of isotypic compounds: the rare earth orthothioborates with general formula REIII[BS3] (RE = La – Nd, Sm, Gd and Tb) [3] and the rare earth thioborate sulfides with general formula REIII¦9B5S21, (RE = Gd – Lu, and Y) [4]. In the crystal structure of RE[BS3] (orthorhombic, space group Pna21, Z = 4), the sulfur atoms form the vertices of corrugated kagome nets, within which every second triangle is occupied by boron and the large hexagons are centered by RE cations. The structural features of the isotypic RE[BS3] phases show great similarities to those of rare earth oxoborates RE[BO3] and orthothioborates of alkali and alkaline earth metals as well as to thallium orthothioborate, yet pronounced differences are also observed: the [BS3]3– groups in the crystal structures of RE[BS3] are more distorted, where the distortion decreases with the decreasing size of the RE element, and the coordination environments of the [BS3]3– groups in the crystal structures of RE[BS3] are different in comparison with the coordination environments of the [BO3]3– groups in the crystal structures of λ-Nd[BO3] [5] and of o-Ce[BO3] [6]. The results of the IR and Raman investigations are in agreement with the presence of [BS3]3– anions in the crystal structure of RE[BS3]. Thermal analyses revealed the thermal stability of these compounds under inert conditions up to ~ 1200 K. Analyses of the magnetic properties of the Sm, Gd and Tb thioborates showed that both Gd and Tb phases order antiferromagnetically. The magnetic susceptibility for Sm orthothioborate approximately follows the Van-Vleck theory for Sm3+. Between 50 K and 62 K a transition appears which is independent of the magnetic field: the magnetic susceptibility becomes lower. This effect might indicate a discontinuous valence transition of Sm which was further investigated by means of XANES and X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation, both at low temperatures. The series of isotypic RE thioborate sulfides with composition RE9B5S21, was obtained by the application of Hp – HT conditions to starting mixtures with the initial chemical composition “REB3S6“, after careful optimization of the pressure, temperature and treatment time, as well as the composition of the starting mixtures. Their crystal structures adopt the Ce6Al3.33S14 [7] structure type (hexagonal, space group P63, Z = 2/3). The special features of the RE9B5S21 crystal structures, concerning boron site occupancies and different coordination environments of the two crystallographically independent boron sites, were investigated in more detail by means of quantum chemical calculations, electron diffraction methods, optical and X-ray absorption spectroscopy as well as by 11B NMR spectroscopy. The results obtained from these different experimental and computational methods are in good mutual agreement. The crystal structures of the RE9B5S21 compounds are characterized by two types of anions: tetrahedral [BS4]5– and trigonal planar [BS3]3– as well as [(S2–)3] units. Isolated [BS4]5– tetrahedra (all pointing with one of their apices along the polar [001] direction) represent a unique feature of the crystal structure which is observed for the first time in a thioborate compound. These tetrahedra are stacked along the three-fold rotation axes. Vacancies are located at the trigonal-planar coordinated boron site with preferred ordering –B–B––B–B–– along [001]. No superstructure is observed by means of electron diffraction methods as adjacent columns are shuffled along the c axis, giving rise to a randomly distributed vacancy pattern. Positions of the sulfur atoms within the [(S2–)3] substructure as well as planarity of the [BS3]3– units were investigated in more detail by means of quantum mechanical calculations. Results of the IR and Raman spectroscopy, as well as of the 11B NMR spectroscopy are in agreement with the presence of the boron atoms in two different coordination environments. Thermal analyses showed that compounds RE9B5S21 are stable under inert conditions up to ~ 1200 K. In accordance with the combined results of experimental and computational investigations, the chemical formula of the RE9B5S21 compounds is consistent with RE3[BS3]2[BS4]3S3. A short overview of investigations towards rare earth selenoborates, where in most of the cases only known binary rare earth selenides could be identified, is presented as well in this work. Investigations in the RE–B–Se systems were conducted by the application of different preparation routes by varying the experimental parameters and the initial compositions of the starting mixtures. Although no crystal structure of a ternary phase in these systems could be solved, there are indications that such phases exist, but further investigations are needed. [1] M. Döch, A. Hammerschmidt, B. Krebs, Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem., 2004, 630, 519. [2] H. Huppertz, Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 131; and references therein. [3] J. Hunger, M. Borna, R. Kniep, J. Solid State Chem., 2010, 182, 702; J. Hunger, M. Borna, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 217; M. Borna, J. Hunger, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 223; M. Borna, J. Hunger, R. Kniep, Z. Kristallogr. NCS, 2010, 225, 225. [4] M. Borna, J. Hunger, A. Ormeci, D. Zahn, U. Burkhardt, W. Carrillo-Cabrera, R. Cardoso-Gil, R. Kniep, J. Solid State Chem., 2011, 184, 296; [5] H. Müller-Bunz, T. Nikelski, Th. Schleid, Z. Naturforsch. B, 2003, 58, 375. [6] H. U. Bambauer, J. Weidelt, J.-St. Ysker, Z. Kristallogr., 1969, 130, 207. [7] D. de Saint-Giniez, P. Laruelle, J. Flahaut, C. R. Séances, Acad. Sci. Ser. C, 1968, 267, 1029.:I INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 7 1. Motivation and scope of the work .............................................. 9 2. Literature overview .................................................................. 11 2.1. The binary subsystems of the ternary systems RE–B–Q (RE = rare earth metals, Y; Q = S, Se) ......................................................... 12 2.1.1. RE–Q ............................................................................... 12 2.1.2. RE–B ............................................................................... 19 2.1.3. B–Q ................................................................................. 22 2.2. Related ternary compounds ................................................... 25 2.2.1. RE oxoborates .................................................................. 25 2.2.2. Thio- and selenoborates of alkaline, alkaline earth, transition and post transition metals ......................................................................... 33 2.2.3. The RE thioborate Eu[B2S4]................................................ 45 II PREPARATIVE METHODS AND EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES .......... 47 1. Starting materials and their characterization ............................... 49 2. Synthetic approaches and optimizations .................................... 51 2.1. High-temperature routes ...................................................... 52 2.2. Metathesis reactions ............................................................ 53 2.3. Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) ............................................... 54 2.4. High-Pressure High-Temperature (Hp – HT) Syntheses ........... 55 3. Analytical methods and samples characterization ....................... 55 3.1. Powder X-ray diffraction ...................................................... 55 3.2. Crystal structure investigations using synchrotron radiation .... 57 3.3. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis .................................. 57 3.4. Metallographic investigations ................................................ 58 3.5. Electron microscopy ............................................................ 58 3.5.1. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy ............................................................................ 58 3.5.2. Transmission electron microscopy ...................................... 59 3.6. Optical spectroscopy ........................................................... 59 3.6.1. Infra-Red spectroscopy .................................................... 59 3.6.2. Raman spectroscopy ........................................................ 60 3.7. X-ray absorption spectroscopy ............................................ 60 3.8. Thermal analysis ................................................................. 62 3.9. Magnetic susceptibility measurements ................................... 63 3.10. 11B NMR spectroscopy ..................................................... 63 3.11. Quantum chemical calculations ........................................... 64 3.11.1. Total energy calculations ................................................ 64 3.11.2. Charge transfer analysis ................................................ 64 3.11.3. Chemical bonding........................................................... 64 III RARE EARTH THIOBORATES ................................................. 67 1. Reinvestigation of the only reported rare earth thioborate – EuB2S4 ....69 2. RE[BS3] (RE = La – Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) .................................... 69 2.1. Syntheses and phase analyses .......................................... 70 2.2. Crystal structure determinations ........................................ 74 2.3. X-ray absorption spectroscopy: EXAFS data analysis for Pr[BS3] ..... 79 2.4. Crystal chemistry .............................................................. 80 2.5. Optical spectroscopy ......................................................... 83 2.6. Thermal analysis ............................................................... 86 2.7. Magnetic susceptibility ....................................................... 88 2.8. X-ray absorption spectroscopy: XANES data analysis for Sm[BS3] .. 91 2.9. Crystal structure investigation at low temperature using synchrotron radiation ................................................................................... 91 2.10. Summary ......................................................................... 95 3. Gd[BS3] : Ce, Eu, Tb ............................................................. 97 3.1. Syntheses and phase analyses ............................................. 97 3.2. Crystal structure determinations ......................................... 101 3.3. Crystal chemistry .............................................................. 103 3.4. Optical spectroscopy ......................................................... 104 3.5. Thermal analysis ............................................................... 106 3.6. Summary ......................................................................... 107 4. RE9B5S21 (RE = Tb – Lu, Y) ................................................ 107 4.1. Syntheses and phase analyses ........................................... 108 4.2. Crystal structure determinations ........................................ 109 4.3. Crystal chemistry .............................................................. 112 4.4. Electronic structure, charge transfer and chemical bonding .... 115 4.5. X-ray absorption spectroscopy: EXAFS data analysis for Lu9B5S21 .............................................................................. 119 4.6. Thermal analysis ............................................................... 121 4.7. 11B NMR investigations ..................................................... 122 4.8. Optical spectroscopy ......................................................... 123 4.9. Summary ......................................................................... 126 IV ON THE WAY TO RARE EARTH SELENOBORATES .................... 127 1. Towards ternary phases in the systems RE–B–Se, with RE = Sm, Tb – Lu.......................................................................................... 129 2. The system La–B–Se ........................................................... 134 3. The system Gd–B–Se .......................................................... 136 4. The system Y–B–Se ............................................................ 137 5. Summary ........................................................................... 139 V SUMMARY AND OUTLOOK ..................................................... 141 VI APPENDIX .......................................................................... 149 VII REFERENCES .................................................................... 163 VIII LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................. 181 IX LIST OF TABLES ................................................................ 193 X CURRICULUM VITAE ........................................................... 199 XI VERSICHERUNG ............................................................... 203

Neben Reifen, Riemen und Schläuchen zählen speziell auch die Balgwände von Luftfedern zu den Kompositen, da deren weiche Elastomermatrix zur Verstärkung Gewebelagen aus textilen Corden enthält. Diese Verstärkungsträger bestehen aus miteinander verzwirnten Garnen, die ihrerseits einen Zwirn aus polymeren Filamenten darstellen. Luftfederbälge weisen dementsprechend eine hochkomplexe innere Geometrie auf und sind zudem durch stark anisotropes, nichtlineares Materialverhalten gekennzeichnet. Für die strukturmechanische Simulation von Luftfedern mit der Finite-Elemente-Methode (FEM) werden in der vorliegenden Arbeit neuartige, hochauflösende Modelle entwickelt, die diesen Eigenschaften Rechnung tragen. Zunächst wird ein mathematisches Modell formuliert, das die verzwirnte Geometrie von Corden auf allgemeinen räumlichen Bahnkurven beschreibt und mithilfe dessen sich auch die lokale Orientierung der Filamente bestimmen lässt. Zur konstitutiven Modellierung des Filamentmaterials wird zudem ein transversal isotropes, hyperelastisches Materialmodell so modifiziert, dass bei Druckbelastung in Filamentrichtung nur noch die der Regularisierung dienende, isotrope Grundsteifigkeit zum Tragen kommt. Das Geometriemodell der Corde ist die Basis für deren dreidimensionale Abbildung in FE-Netzen von Luftfederbälgen. Als erster Schwerpunkt wird ein auf zyklischer Symmetrie basierendes Streifenmodell entwickelt, das die Cordgeometrie im gesamten Balg vollständig auflöst. Ein besonderes Augenmerk gilt dabei der Generierung konformer Netze, um die Grenzflächen zwischen Matrix und Corden exakt darzustellen. Das Streifenmodell ermöglicht somit detaillierte Analysen zur lokalen Verteilung von Spannungen und Verzerrungen im Inneren der Balgwand. Als zweiter Schwerpunkt wird diese Art der Modellierung auf einen kleinen rechteckigen Ausschnitt der Balgwand übertragen. Dieser Teppich ist als Submodell konzipiert, das Verschiebungen für seine Schnittränder aus einem vereinfachten Globalmodell bezieht und demzufolge die Analyse allgemeiner, nicht axialsymmetrischer Lastfälle möglich macht. Abschließend werden die Modelle anhand einer Rollbalgluftfeder für Busanwendungen eingehend untersucht und einem Praxistest zum Vergleich zweier Konstruktionsvarianten unterzogen. / Tires, belts, hoses and, in particular, air spring bellows are regarded as composites due to layers of reinforcing textile cords that are embedded in a soft elastomer matrix. These cords are produced by twisting yarns which, for their part, represent a twisted structure of polymeric filaments. Hence, air spring bellows feature a highly complex internal geometry as well as strongly anisotropic, nonlinear material behavior. For structural simulations of air springs by means of the finite element method (FEM), new high resolution models are developed here, which reflect all the aforementioned properties. At first, a mathematical model capable of representing the twisted geometry of cords on three-dimensional curves is introduced, which also allows to derive local filament orientations. For the constitutive description of filament material, a transversally isotropic, hyperelastic material model is modified so that only the small isotropic stiffness introduced for regularization remains in case of compressive loads in filament direction. The cord geometry model serves as the basis for their three-dimensional representation in FE meshes of air spring bellows. Firstly, the focus lies on developing a slice model relying on cyclic symmetry, which takes cord geometry into account throughout the entire bellows. Special emphasis is put on building conforming meshes in order to incorporate all material interfaces explicitly. As a result, the slice model allows for detailed analyses of local stress and strain distribution inside the bellows. Secondly, this type of modeling is applied to a rectangular section of the bellows. This carpet is conceived as a submodel acquiring the displacements to be imposed on its cut faces from a simplified global model, and therefore provides the opportunity to analyze general load cases not complying with axial symmetry. Based on a rolling lobe air spring used in bus applications, both models are examined thoroughly and, at last, subjected to a practical test comparing two different designs.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has become broadly available and can be utilized to customize clamping mechanisms in biomechanical experiments. This report will describe our experience using 3D printed clamps to mount soft tissues from different anatomical regions. The feasibility and potential limitations of the technology will be discussed. Tissues were sourced in a fresh condition, including human skin, ligaments and tendons. Standardized clamps and fixtures were 3D printed and used to mount specimens. In quasi-static tensile tests combined with digital image correlation and fatigue trials we characterized the applicability of the clamping technique. Scanning electron microscopy was utilized to evaluate the specimens to assess the integrity of the extracellular matrix following the mechanical tests. 3D printed clamps showed no signs of clamping-related failure during the quasi-static tests, and intact extracellular matrix was found in the clamping area, at the transition clamping area and the central area from where the strain data was obtained. In the fatigue tests, material slippage was low, allowing for cyclic tests beyond 105 cycles. Comparison to other clamping techniques yields that 3D printed clamps ease and expedite specimen handling, are highly adaptable to specimen geometries and ideal for high-standardization and high-throughput experiments in soft tissue biomechanics.