Universiẗat, Diss., 2002--Regensburg. / Erscheinungjahr an der Haupttitelstelle: 2002.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universiẗat, Regensburg, 2003.

Eine Möglichkeit der Stabilisierung von verflüssigungsgefährdeten lockergelagerten wassergesättigten Sanden ist der Einsatz von kompressiblen Elementen (Luftpolstern) und Entspannungselementen (Dränagen). Auf diesen Wegen werden die infolge einer Beanspruchung entstehenden hohen Porenwasserdrücke am Ort ihrer Entstehung oder an Grenzen für zu schützende Objekte schnell abgebaut oder rasch verteilt, damit ihre Fortpflanzung beschränkt wird. Dabei wird der Porenwasserdruck auf ein Maß vermindert, bei dem noch im undränierten Zustand eine ausreichend große Scherfestigkeit im Lockergesteinsmaterial vorhanden ist, die die Sicherheit gegen Verflüssigung gewährleistet. Durch Implementierung von speziellen Randbedingungen in das Programmsystem PCGEOFIM, die den Druckaufbau an der Stelle der Beanspruchung und die Entlastung an der Barriere beschreiben, wurde die Modellierung von solchen aufgebauten Porenwasserdruckbarrieren ermöglicht. Die durchgeführten Modellversuche und die Modellierungsergebnisse bestätigen die Wirksamkeit von kompressiblen Elementen und Entspannungselementen.

Zugl.: Bayreuth, Univ., Diss., 2007

Eine Möglichkeit der Stabilisierung von verflüssigungsgefährdeten lockergelagerten wassergesättigten Sanden ist der Einsatz von kompressiblen Elementen (Luftpolstern) und Entspannungselementen (Dränagen). Auf diesen Wegen werden die infolge einer Beanspruchung entstehenden hohen Porenwasserdrücke am Ort ihrer Entstehung oder an Grenzen für zu schützende Objekte schnell abgebaut oder rasch verteilt, damit ihre Fortpflanzung beschränkt wird. Dabei wird der Porenwasserdruck auf ein Maß vermindert, bei dem noch im undränierten Zustand eine ausreichend große Scherfestigkeit im Lockergesteinsmaterial vorhanden ist, die die Sicherheit gegen Verflüssigung gewährleistet. Durch Implementierung von speziellen Randbedingungen in das Programmsystem PCGEOFIM, die den Druckaufbau an der Stelle der Beanspruchung und die Entlastung an der Barriere beschreiben, wurde die Modellierung von solchen aufgebauten Porenwasserdruckbarrieren ermöglicht. Die durchgeführten Modellversuche und die Modellierungsergebnisse bestätigen die Wirksamkeit von kompressiblen Elementen und Entspannungselementen.

Aims: To study the β-adrenoceptor subtypes involved in the relaxation responses to (-)-isoprenaline in carbachol-pre-contracted (CCh) mouse detrusor muscle with intact and denuded mucosa. Methods: Isolated muscle strips from the urinary bladder of male C57BL6 mice or β2-adrenoceptor knockout mice were pre-contracted with CCh, 1 µM and relaxed with increasing concentrations of the β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) agonist (-)-isoprenaline and forskolin. For estimating the β-AR subtypes involved, subtype-selective receptor blockers were used, that is, CGP 20712A (β1-ARs), ICI 118,551 (β2-ARs), and L748,337 (β3-ARs). Results: Unlike in KCl-pre-contracted muscle, the mucosa did not affect the sensitivity of the relaxation response to (-)-isoprenaline in CCh-pre-contracted murine detrusor strips. Increasing concentrations of (-)-isoprenaline produced a biphasic concentration-relaxation response without any difference both during the presence and absence of mucosa. The relaxation fraction produced by low (-)-isoprenaline concentrations was mediated by β2-AR as evidenced by a shift of the concentration-response curve to higher concentrations with ICI 118,551, but not with CGP 20712A and L748,337, and by the absence of this fraction in β2-AR-KO mice. The relaxation response with low sensitivity to (-)-isoprenaline was not affected by any of the β-AR subtype-selective blockers and was the only response detected in detrusor strips from β2-AR-KO mice. Conclusions: In CCh-pre-contracted mouse detrusor, β2-ARs are responsible for the relaxation component with high sensitivity to (-)-isoprenaline as indicated by the conversion of a biphasic into a monophasic CRC with ICI 118,551 or by its absence in β2-AR KO mice. The mucosa does not impair relaxation under these conditions. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Background: Worry exposure (WE) is a core element of cognitive-behavioral treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Its efficacy as a stand-alone treatment method (without further cognitive-behavioral therapy interventions) has never been tested.We aimed to examine whether WE alone is as efficacious as the empirically supported stand-alone treatment for GAD, applied relaxation (AR). Methods: In a randomized controlled study, 73 outpatients meeting DSM-IV criteria for GAD as primary diagnosis were allocated to either WE or AR or a waiting list control group; in a 2nd randomization procedure the waiting list subjects were reallocated to WE or AR. The treatment was manualized (15 sessions with WE or AR), included 6-month and 1-year follow-ups, as well as last observation carried forward and completer analyses, and was controlled for allegiance effects.The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Scale were used as primary outcome measures. Self-report scales of anxiety, worrying and depression including negative metacognition about worrying and thought suppression served as secondary outcome measures. Results: The dropout rate was moderate. The pre-/posttreatment effects were high for the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (standardized mean difference >1) and for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (standardized mean difference >0.87). The proportion of patients reaching high end state functioning was 48% (WE) and 56% (AR). WE and AR did not differ with regard to dropout rate or treatment effects. The treatment effects were stable at 6 month and 1 year follow-up. Conclusion: This is the first study to show that a stand-alone exposure in sensu technique – WE – is efficacious in the treatment of GAD. Both AR and WE seem to represent effective principles of change in GAD. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Aims: To study the β-adrenoceptor subtypes involved in the relaxation responses to (-)-isoprenaline in carbachol-pre-contracted (CCh) mouse detrusor muscle with intact and denuded mucosa. Methods: Isolated muscle strips from the urinary bladder of male C57BL6 mice or β2-adrenoceptor knockout mice were pre-contracted with CCh, 1 µM and relaxed with increasing concentrations of the β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) agonist (-)-isoprenaline and forskolin. For estimating the β-AR subtypes involved, subtype-selective receptor blockers were used, that is, CGP 20712A (β1-ARs), ICI 118,551 (β2-ARs), and L748,337 (β3-ARs). Results: Unlike in KCl-pre-contracted muscle, the mucosa did not affect the sensitivity of the relaxation response to (-)-isoprenaline in CCh-pre-contracted murine detrusor strips. Increasing concentrations of (-)-isoprenaline produced a biphasic concentration-relaxation response without any difference both during the presence and absence of mucosa. The relaxation fraction produced by low (-)-isoprenaline concentrations was mediated by β2-AR as evidenced by a shift of the concentration-response curve to higher concentrations with ICI 118,551, but not with CGP 20712A and L748,337, and by the absence of this fraction in β2-AR-KO mice. The relaxation response with low sensitivity to (-)-isoprenaline was not affected by any of the β-AR subtype-selective blockers and was the only response detected in detrusor strips from β2-AR-KO mice. Conclusions: In CCh-pre-contracted mouse detrusor, β2-ARs are responsible for the relaxation component with high sensitivity to (-)-isoprenaline as indicated by the conversion of a biphasic into a monophasic CRC with ICI 118,551 or by its absence in β2-AR KO mice. The mucosa does not impair relaxation under these conditions. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Objectives: The mucosa of human detrusor strips impairs catecholamine-induced relaxation. In order to elucidate which signal transduction pathways are involved in this cross talk between the mucosa and detrusor, we have studied the effects of several pharmacological agonists and antagonists on noradrenaline-mediated relaxation in intact and mucosa-denuded detrusor strips. Patients and Methods: Strips of detrusor tissue were obtained from patients who had undergone cystectomy for bladder cancer and were set up for force measurement. KCl- or carbachol-precontracted strips were relaxed with increasing concentrations of noradrenaline in the absence and in the presence of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NAME; P2X-receptor antagonist, PPADS; ET A -receptor antagonist, BQ-123; ET B -receptor antagonist, BQ-788; cyclooxygenase inhibitor, diclofenac; AT 1 -receptor antagonist, candesartan; and NK 1 -receptor antagonist, L-703,606. Results: In intact strips, KCl-stimulated force was enhanced by all blockers; carbachol-stimulated force increased with L-703,606. In denuded strips, only L-NAME augmented the KCl-stimulated contraction. Noradrenaline relaxed the precontracted detrusor strips to a significantly larger extent and at lower concentrations in denuded than in intact strips. L-NAME, PPADS and BQ-123/BQ-788 had little effect on noradrenaline-induced relaxation, whereas diclofenac, candesartan and L-703,606 sensitized intact carbachol-stimulated detrusor strips to noradrenaline-induced relaxation. Conclusion: Inhibition of the noradrenaline-induced relaxation of precontracted human detrusor strips by the mucosa is attenuated by diclofenac, candesartan and L-703,606 suggesting the involvement of prostanoids, angiotensin and neurokinin pathways. Further experiments are required to unravel the exact mechanisms.

Graph databases with the property graph model are used in multiple domains including social networks, biology, and data integration. They provide schema-flexible storage for data of a different degree of a structure and support complex, expressive queries such as subgraph isomorphism queries. The exibility and expressiveness of graph databases make it difficult for the users to express queries correctly and can lead to unexpected query results, e.g. empty results. Therefore, we propose a relaxation approach for subgraph isomorphism queries that is able to automatically rewrite a graph query, such that the rewritten query is similar to the original query and returns a non-empty result set. In detail, we present relaxation operations applicable to a query, cardinality estimation heuristics, and strategies for prioritizing graph query elements to be relaxed. To determine the similarity between the original query and its relaxed variants, we propose a novel cardinality-based graph edit distance. The feasibility of our approach is shown by using real-world queries from the DBpedia query log.