University of Münster

About: University of Münster is a education organization based out in Münster, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 35609 authors who have published 69059 publications receiving 2278534 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Munster & University of Muenster.

Inducible gene targeting in the neonatal vasculature and analysis of retinal angiogenesis in mice

Abstract: The retina is a powerful experimental system for the analysis of angiogenic blood vessel growth in the postnatal organisms. The three-dimensional architecture of the vessel network and processes as diverse as endothelial cell (EC) proliferation, sprouting, perivascular cell recruitment, vessel remodeling or maturation can be investigated at high resolution. The characterization of physiological and pathological angiogenic processes in mice has been greatly facilitated by inducible and cell type-specific loss-of-function and gain-of-function genetics. In this paper, we provide a detailed protocol for tamoxifen-inducible gene deletion in neonatal mice, as well as for retina dissection, whole-mount immunostaining and the quantitation of EC sprouting and proliferation. These methods have been optimized by our laboratory and yield reliable results. The entire protocol takes approximately 10 d to complete.

Epidemiological study on factor VII, factor VIII and fibrinogen in an industrial population: I. Baseline data on the relation to age, gender, body-weight, smoking, alcohol, pill-using, and menopause.

Abstract: The Munster Arteriosclerosis Study (MAS) is a prospective, longitudinal epidemiological study on an industrial population in Westfalia aimed to establishing clinical and laboratory data with possible relationship to cardiovascular events. The data presented here describe the baseline measurements of fibrinogen, factor VIIc and factor VIIIc from the recruitment of 2880 male and 1306 female persons and their relationship to age, gender, bodyweight, smoking, alcohol, pill-using and menopause. The correlations were made by means of a multiple regression analysis. We found an increase of those coagulation factors with age, a correlation of F VII and fibrinogen with body-weight index and of fibrinogen with cigarette smoking. No correlation was found for alcohol consumption. F VIII and F VII were significantly higher after onset of menopause and F VII and fibrinogen in women using the pill.

Molecular definition of black tea taste by means of quantitative studies, taste reconstitution, and omission experiments.

Abstract: Recently, bioresponse-guided fractionation of black tea infusions indicated that neither the high molecular weight thearubigens nor the theaflavins, but a series of 14 flavon-3-ol glycopyranosides besides some catechins, might be important contributors to black tea taste. To further bridge the gap between pure structural chemistry and human taste perception, in the present investigation 51 putative taste compounds have been quantified in a black tea infusion, and their dose-over-threshold (Dot) factors have been calculated on the basis of a dose/threshold relationship. To confirm these quantitative results, an aqueous taste model was prepared by blending aqueous solutions of 15 amino acids, 14 flavonol-glycosides, 8 flavan-3-ols, 5 theaflavins, 5 organic acids, 3 sugars, and caffeine in their "natural" concentrations. Sensory analyses revealed that the taste profile of this artificial cocktail did not differ significantly from the taste profile of the authentic tea infusion. To further narrow the number of key taste compounds, finally, taste omission experiments have been performed, on the basis of which a reduced recombinate was prepared containing the bitter-tasting caffeine, nine velvety astringent flavonol-3-glycosides, and the puckering astringent catechin as well as the astringent and bitter epigallocatechin-3-gallate. The taste profile of this reduced recombinate differed not significantly from that of the complete taste recombinate, thus confirming these 12 compounds as the key taste compounds of the tea infusion. Additional sensory studies demonstrated for the first time that the flavanol-3-glycosides not only impart a velvety astringent taste sensation to the oral cavity but also contribute to the bitter taste of tea infusions by amplifying the bitterness of caffeine.

Predictability of biomass burning in response to climate changes

Abstract: Climate is an important control on biomass burning, but the sensitivity of fire to changes in temperature and moisture balance has not been quantified. We analyze sedimentary charcoal records to show that the changes in fire regime over the past 21,000 yrs are predictable from changes in regional climates. Analyses of paleo- fire data show that fire increases monotonically with changes in temperature and peaks at intermediate moisture levels, and that temperature is quantitatively the most important driver of changes in biomass burning over the past 21,000 yrs. Given that a similar relationship between climate drivers and fire emerges from analyses of the interannual variability in biomass burning shown by remote-sensing observations of month-by-month burnt area between 1996 and 2008, our results signal a serious cause for concern in the face of continuing global warming.

Orbital energy control of cycloaddition reactivity

Abstract: A reactivity model for concerted cycloaddition reactions is presented which allows a systematization of substituent effects. The treatment is based on the frontier electron theory of Fukui. The consideration of the energy separations of HOMOs (Highest Occupied Molecular Orbitals) and LUMOs (Lowest Unoccupied Molecular Orbitals) leads to three reactivity types in these cycloadditions. For the Diels–Alder addition and 1, 3-dipolar cycloadditions the occurrence of: 1. HOMO (Diene or Dipole)–LUMO (olefin) controlled reactions, 2. HOMO (Diene or Dipole)–LUMO (olefin) and HOMO (olefin)–LUMO (Diene or Dipole) controlled additions and 3. LUMO (Diene or Dipole)–HOMO (olefin) controlled cycloadditions is demonstrated. Each type exhibits a characteristic behaviour towards substituents in both reaction partners. A semiquantitative treatment of substituent effects together with an experimental verification is given.