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In the present study numerical methods are employed within the framework of multiscale modeling. Quantum mechanics and finite element method simulations have been used in order to calculate thermoelastic properties of ceramics. At the atomic scale, elastic constants of ten different ceramics (Al2O3, alpha- and beta-SiC, TiO2-rutile and anatase, AlN, BN, CaF2, TiB2, ZrO2) were calculated from the first principles (ab-initio) using the density functional theory with the general gradient approximation. The simulated elastic moduli were compared with measured values. These results have shown that the ab-initio computations can be used independently from experiment to predict elastic behavior and can provide a basis for the modeling of structural and elastic properties of more complex composite ceramics. In order to simulate macroscopic material properties of composite ceramics from the material properties of the constituting phases, 3D finite element models were used. The influence of microstructural features such as pores and grain boundaries on the effective thermoelastic properties is studied through a diversity of geometries like truncated spheres in cubic and random arrangement, modified Voronoi polyhedra, etc. A 3D model is used for modeling the microstructure of the ceramic samples. The measured parameters, like volume fractions of the two phases, grain size ratios and grain boundary areas are calculated for each structure. The theoretical model is then varied to fit the geometrical data derived from experimental samples. The model considerations are illustrated on two types of bi-continuous materials, a porous ceramic, alumina (Al2O3) and a dense ceramic, zirconia-alumina composite (ZA). For the present study, alumina samples partially sintered at temperatures between 800 and 1320 C, with fractional densities between 58.4% and 97% have been used. For ZA ceramic the zirconia powder was partially stabilized and the ratio between alumina and zirconia was varied. For these two examples of ceramics, Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity were calculated and compared to experimental data of samples of the respective microstructure. Comparing the experimental and simulated values of Young’s modulus for Al2O3 ceramic a good agreement was obtained. For the thermal conductivity the consideration of thermal boundary resistance (TBR) was necessary. It was shown that for different values of TBR the experimental data lie within the simulated thermal conductivities. In the case of ZA ceramic also a good agreement between simulated and experimental values was observed. For smaller ZrO2 fractions, a larger Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity was observed in the experimental samples. The discrepancies have been discussed by taking into account the effect of pressure. Considering the dependence of the thermoelastic properties on the pressure, it has been shown that the thermal stresses resulting from the cooling process were insufficient to explain the discrepancies between experimental and simulated thermoelastic properties.
Oxylipins are important biological active compounds that play essential roles in defense, growth, development, and reproduction of plants and animals. Oxylipins are formed either by enzymatic pathways or radical catalyzed reaction from polyunsaturated fatty acids. Products of oxidation of arachidonic acid (C20:4) in animals by enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways are prostaglandins and isoprostanes, respectively. In plants, radical catalyzed reaction of -linolenic acid (C18:3) forms phytoprostanes and enzymatic oxidation of this fatty acid produces OPDA and jasmonic acid. Like plants, cyanobacterial membranes contain a high ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acid, about 25% of total fatty acids. Oxylipin biosynthesis and function was studied in two model cyanobacteria, Anabaena PCC 7120 and Synechocystis PCC 6803, for the first time: 1. The filamentous cyanobaterium Anabaena PCC 7120 can naturally produce phytoprostanes type I and II as well as hydroxy fatty acids like in plants but lacks the enzymatic capacity to form jasmonates (12-oxo-phytodienoic acid and jasmonic acid) and prostaglandins. Data obtained provide the first evidence for the occurence of phytoprostanes in cyanobacteria as well as in the baterial kingdom. 2. By GC-MS analysis, the E1- and F1-phytoprostanes in Anabaena PCC 7120 were detected both in free and esterified form. Their levels are comparable with those in plants, in the range of ng/g DW. In one week old cultures, there was no evidence of PPF1 in the medium but its level accumulated up to 142 ng/l in six weeks old cultures. In contrast, PPE1 was stable over time, about 20 ng/g DW. Free cellular PPE1 was found about 4 times higher than that of PPF1, 80.5  23.6 and 24.1  10.9 ng/g DW, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in the total cellular levels of PPF1 and PPE1, ranging from 150 to about 200 ng/g DW. 3. Phytoprostanes are inducible in Anabaena. In the combination of oxidative stress (200 µM H2O2 or 10 µM CuSO4) with high light intensity (330 µE.m-2.s-1) for 8 h, levels of total cellular PPE1 and PPF1 were increased about 2 to 4 times. Interestingly, unlike in higher plants, application of oxidative stress or high light intensity alone showed no phytoprostaneous induction in this cyanobacterium. 4. When Anabaena cells were treated with phytoprostanes, Anabaena cells became remarkably resistant against subsequently applied – otherwise lethal – oxidative stress. All phytoprostanes displayed a high protective effect except for PPE1. The highest protection level was contributed by a mixture of PPA1 type I and II. After preincubation of Anabena cells with 100 µM PPA1–type I/II for 16 h followed by application of 1 mM H2O2 or 50 µM CuSO4 for 5 h, A1-phytoprostane pre-treatment protected 84.2% and 77.5% of the cells from cell death, respectively. Without oxylipins pre-treatment, about 98% of the cells were dead. Surprisingly, preincubation of Anabaena with other oxylipins derived from enzymatic pathway in plants and animals showed also an effect, however, the protection effect was low and ranged from 10 to 30%. In contrast, phytoprostanes did not protect Pseudomonas syringae and Escherichia coli from the toxicity of hydrogen peroxide. However, these bacteria do not synthesize polyunsaturated fatty acids and are therefore devoid of and not exposed to endogenously formed oxidized lipids. 5. Exogenous application of 100 µM PPF1 or 1.5 mM H2O2 for 90 min did not activate the expression of isiA in Anabaena. Oxylipins also displayed no effect on shinorine and tocopherol levels in Anabaena. However, application of 100 µM PPF1 for 6 h altered the protein expression in Anabaena. Most PPF1-modulated proteins are down-regulated and related to photosynthesis. Since oxidative stress only in combination with high light intensity increased lipid peroxidation, down-regulation of photosynthesis after recognition of oxidised lipids (phytoprostanes) may be a survival strategy of Anabaena to avoid damage by peroxidized lipids. 6. Dead plants may be the main source of (exogenous) phytoprostanes in the natural environment of Anabaena. Dry hay releases PPE1 and PPF1 (11 µg/g DW) into an aqueous environment. Anabaena is the typical cyanobacterium in paddy rice fields. After harvesting, most of uneconomical parts of rice plants are abundant on the field, which may release phytoprostanes that in turn might have an impact on cyanobacteria in the rice ecosystems. However, field research is needed to clarify this suspection. 7. A new class of oxylipins, phytoprostanes type III and IV, was identified and quantified in vitro. The two main phytoprostanes, PPE1 and PPF1 (type III and IV), can be obtained by autoxidation of -linolenic acid or Borage oil (containing 25% esterified -linolenic acid). After 12 days of autoxidation and subsequent hydrolysis, 1 g of Borage oil yielded 112.71 ± 1.93 µg of PPF1 and 3.80 ± 0.14 mg of PPE1. PPB1 and PPA1 (type III and IV) were prepared by isomerization and dehydration of PPE1 (type III and IV). The overall yield of PPB1 was 1.71 ± 0.04 mg/g oil (type III) and 2.09 ± 0.12 mg/g oil (type IV). Those of PPA1 were 8.38 ± 0.35 µg/g and 10.18 ± 0.30 µg/oil, respectively. 8. A rapid HPLC-MS/MS method for phytoprostane and phytohormone analysis has been developed. This method was applied to quantify free and esterified E1- and F1-phytoprostanes type III and IV in Synechocystis PCC 6803. The in vivo phytoprostanes type III and IV are present both in free and esterified form. The total cellular level of PPE1 type III and IV in Synechocystis is at least 2 times higher than that of PPF1. Unlike Anabaena, PPE1 and PPF1 were detectable in the medium of one week old Synechocystis cultures. Free levels of PPF1 in the medium (231.8 ± 36.2 ng/l) and in the cells (164.9 ± 15.2 ng/g DW) are lower than those of PPE1 (1003.3 ± 365.2 ng/l and 2331.0 ± 87.7 ng/g DW).
- 77/83 allerdings inaktiv in Kulturen und Embryonen von Medaka. Dieser Unterschied wird durch Daten aus humanen ES-Zellkulturen unterstützt. Letztere sind ebenfalls komplett STAT3 unabhängig. Die BMP-Smad Kaskade wiederum ist in Medaka-Stammzellen aktiv, Antidifferenzierungsgene wie id2, die durch BMP direkt kontrolliert werden, sind dementsprechend exprimiert. Diese Daten stimmen wiederum mit dem Maussystem überein, während humane ES-Zellen diesbezüglich bislang nicht untersucht wurden. Die Interaktion zwischen verschiedenen Signalwegen ist ein bisher noch nicht gut verstandenes Gebiet. Die Integration verschiedener Signale ist aber speziell für Stammzellen, die ihr Differenzierungsschicksal von winzigen Abweichungen in der Signalmixtur abhängig machen, von entscheidender Bedeutung. Im zweiten Teil der hier vorgelegten Arbeit konnte eine Interaktion zwischen dem BMP-Rezeptor 1a und STAT3 nachgewiesen werden. Diese Interaktion ist offenbar Teil eines variablen Komplexes. Zum ersten Mal war es auch möglich, funktionale Konsequenzen für STAT3 nach Stimulierung des BMP-Rezeptors 1a zu dokumentieren. Nach Belegung des BMP-Rezeptors 1a mit dem mutierten BMP2-A34D wird STAT3 trotz Aktivierung durch Phosphorylierung an Tyrosin 705 im Zytoplasma von Maus Stammzellen festgehalten. Zusammengenommen konnte hier gezeigt werden, dass eine Interaktion zwischen den bislang als isoliert betrachteten Signalwegen BMP-Smad und STAT3 besteht. Des Weiteren wurde das Medaka-Stammzellkultursystem benutzt, um zu zeigen, dass STAT3 für die Pluripotenz von Stammzellen nur im Maussystem eine Rolle spielt, wohingegen BMPZielgene wie id2 in bislang allen getesteten ES-Zellkultursystemen aktiv sind.
Adaptive Polarization Pulse Shaping and Modeling of Light-Matter Interactions with Neural Networks
(2007)
The technique of ultrafast polarization shaping is applied to a model quantum system, the potassium dimer. The polarization dependence of the multiphoton ionization dynamics in this molecule is first investigated in pump–probe experiments, and it is then more generally addressed and exploited in an adaptive quantum control experiment utilizing near–IR polarization–shaped laser pulses. The extension of these polarization shaping techniques to the UV spectral range is presented, and methods for the generation and characterization of polarization–shaped laser pulses in the UV are introduced. Systematic scans of double–pulse sequences are introduced for the investigation and interpretation of control mechanisms. This concept is first introduced and illustrated for an optical demonstration experiment, and it is then applied for the analysis of the intrapulse dumping mechanism that is observed in the excitation of a large dye molecule in solution with ultrashort laser pulses. Shaped laser pulses are employed as a means for obtaining copious amounts of data on light–matter interactions. Neural networks are introduced as a novel tool for generating computer–based models for these interactions from the accumulated data. The viability of this approach is first tested for second harmonic generation (SHG) and molecular fluorescence processes. Neural networks are then utilized for modeling the far more complex coherent strong–field dynamics of potassium atoms.
A torsion free abelian group of finite rank is called almost completely decomposable if it has a completely decomposable subgroup of finite index. A p-local, p-reduced almost completely decomposable group of type (1,2) is briefly called a (1,2)-group. Almost completely decomposable groups can be represented by matrices over the ring Z/hZ, where h is the exponent of the regulator quotient. This particular choice of representation allows for a better investigation of the decomposability of the group. Arnold and Dugas showed in several of their works that (1,2)-groups with regulator quotient of exponent at least p^7 allow infinitely many isomorphism types of indecomposable groups. It is not known if the exponent 7 is minimal. In this dissertation, this problem is addressed.
The live sciences currently undergo a paradigm shift to computer aided discoveries. Discoveries in the live sciences were historically made by either direct observation or as a result of chemical assays. Today we see a growing shift toward computer aided analysis and visualization. This gradual process happens in microscopy. Multidimensional laser scanning microscopy can acquire very complex multichannel data from fixed or live specimen. New probes such as visible fluorescent proteins let us observe the expression of genes and track protein localization. Ion sensitive dyes change intensity with the concentration of ions in the cell. The laser scanning confocal allows us to record these processes in three dimensions over time. This work demonstrates the application of software analysis to multidimensional microscopy data. We introduce methods for volume investigation, ion flux analysis and molecular modeling. The visualization methods are based on a multidimensional data model to accommodate complex datasets. The software uses vector processing and multiple processors to accelerate volume rendering and achieve interactive rendering. The algorithms are based on human visual perception and allow the observer a wide range of mixed render modes. The software was used to reconstruct the pituitary development in zebrafish and observe the degeneration of neurons after injury in a mouse model. Calicum indicator dyes have long been used to study calcium fluxes. We optimized the imaging method to minimize impact on the cell. Live cells were imaged continuously for 45 minutes and subjected to increasing does of a drug. We correlated the amplitude of calcium oscillations to increasing doses of a drug and obtain single cell dose response curves. Because this method is very sensitive and measures single cell responses it has potential in drug discovery and characterization. Microtubules form a dynamic cytoskeleton, which is responsible for cell shape, intracellular transport and has an integral role in mitosis. A hallmark of microtubule organization is lateral interactions. Microtubules are bundles by proteins into dense structures. To estimate the contribution of this bundling process, we created a fractal model of microtubule organization. This model demonstrates that morphology of complex microtubule arrays can be explained by bundling alone. In summary we showed that advances in software for visualization, data analysis and modeling lead to new discoveries.
Ferromagnetic semiconductors (FS) promise the integration of magnetic memory functionalities and semiconductor information processing into the same material system. The prototypical FS (Ga,Mn)As has become the focus of semiconductor spintronics research over the past years. The spin-orbit mediated coupling of magnetic and semiconductor properties in this material gives rise to many novel transport-related phenomena which can be harnessed for device applications. In this thesis we address challenges faced in the development of an all-semiconductor memory architecture. A starting point for information storage in FS is the knowledge of their detailed magnetic anisotropy. The first part of this thesis concentrates on the investigation of the magnetization behaviour in compressively strained (Ga,Mn)As by electrical means. The angle between current and magnetization is monitored in magnetoresistance(MR) measurements along many in-plane directions using the Anisotropic MR(AMR) or Planar Hall effect(PHE). It is shown, that a full angular set of such measurements displayed in a color coded resistance polar plot can be used to identify and quantitatively determine the symmetry components of the magnetic anisotropy of (Ga,Mn)As at 4 K. We compile such "anisotropy fingerprints" for many (Ga,Mn)As layers from Wuerzburg and other laboratories and find the presence of three symmetry terms in all layers. The biaxial anisotropy term with easy axes along the [100] and [010] crystal direction dominates the magnetic behaviour. An additional uniaxial term with an anisotropy constant of ~10% of the biaxial one has its easy axis along either of the two <110> directions. A second contribution of uniaxial symmetry with easy axis along one of the biaxial easy axes has a strength of only ~1% of the biaxial anisotropy and is therefore barely visible in standard SQUID measurements. An all-electrical writing scheme would be desirable for commercialization. We report on a current assisted magnetization manipulation experiment in a lateral (Ga,Mn)As nanodevice at 4 K (far below Tc). Reading out the large resistance signal from DW that are confined in nanoconstrictions, we demonstrate the current assisted magnetization switching of a small central island through a hole mediated spin transfer from the adjacent leads. One possible non-perturbative read-out scheme for FS memory devices could be the recently discovered Tunneling Anisotropic MagnetoResistance (TAMR) effect. Here we clarify the origin of the large amplification of the TAMR amplitude in a device with an epitaxial GaAs tunnel barrier at low temperatures. We prove with the help of density of states spectroscopy that a thin (Ga,Mn)As injector layer undergoes a metal insulator transition upon a change of the magnetization direction in the layer plane. The two states can be distinguished by their typical power law behaviour in the measured conductance vs voltage tunneling spectra. While all hereto demonstrated (Ga,Mn)As devices inherited their anisotropic magnetic properties from their parent FS layer, more sophisticated FS architectures will require locally defined FS elements of different magnetic anisotropy on the same wafer. We show that shape anisotropy is not applicable in FS because of their low volume magnetization. We present a method to lithographically engineer the magnetic anisotropy of (Ga,Mn)As by submicron patterning. Anisotropic strain relaxation in submicron bar structures (nanobars) and the related deformation of the crystal lattice introduce a new uniaxial anisotropy term in the energy equation. We demonstrate by both SQUID and transport investigations that this lithographically induced uniaxial anisotropy overwrites the intrinsic biaxial anisotropy at all temperatures up to Tc. The final section of the thesis combines all the above into a novel device scheme. We use anisotropy engineering to fabricate two orthogonal, magnetically uniaxial, nanobars which are electrically connected through a constriction. We find that the constriction resistance depends on the relative orientation of the nanobar magnetizations, which can be written by an in-plane magnetic field. This effect can be explained with the AMR effect in connection with the field line patterns in the respective states. The device offers a novel non-volatile information storage scheme and a corresponding non-perturbative read-out method. The read out signal is shown to increase drastically in samples with partly depleted constriction region. This could be shown to originate in a magnetization direction driven metal insulator transition of the material in the constriction region.
Background: The frequency of the most observed cancer, Non Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), is further rising. Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common of the NHLs. There are two subgroups of DLBCL with different gene expression patterns: ABC (“Activated B-like DLBCL”) and GCB (“Germinal Center B-like DLBCL”). Without therapy the patients often die within a few months, the ABC type exhibits the more aggressive behaviour. A further B-cell lymphoma is the Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). It is rare and shows very poor prognosis. There is no cure yet. Methods: In this project these B-cell lymphomas were examined with methods from bioinformatics, to find new characteristics or undiscovered events on the molecular level. This would improve understanding and therapy of lymphomas. For this purpose we used survival, gene expression and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) data. In some clinical studies, you get large data sets, from which one can reveal yet unknown trends. Results (MCL): The published proliferation signature correlates directly with survival. Exploratory analyses of gene expression and CGH data of MCL samples (n=71) revealed a valid grouping according to the median of the proliferation signature values. The second axis of correspondence analysis distinguishes between good and bad prognosis. Statistical testing (moderate t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test) showed differences in the cell cycle and delivered a network of kinases, which are responsible for the difference between good and bad prognosis. A set of seven genes (CENPE, CDC20, HPRT1, CDC2, BIRC5, ASPM, IGF2BP3) predicted, similarly well, survival patterns as proliferation signature with 20 genes. Furthermore, some bands could be associated with prognosis in the explorative analysis (chromosome 9: 9p24, 9p23, 9p22, 9p21, 9q33 and 9q34). Results (DLBCL): New normalization of gene expression data of DLBCL patients revealed better separation of risk groups by the 2002 published signature based predictor. We could achieve, similarly well, a separation with six genes. Exploratory analysis of gene expression data could confirm the subgroups ABC and GCB. We recognized a clear difference in early and late cell cycle stages of cell cycle genes, which can separate ABC and GCB. Classical lymphoma and best separating genes form a network, which can classify and explain the ABC and GCB groups. Together with gene sets which identify ABC and GCB we get a network, which can classify and explain the ABC and GCB groups (ASB13, BCL2, BCL6, BCL7A, CCND2, COL3A1, CTGF, FN1, FOXP1, IGHM, IRF4, LMO2, LRMP, MAPK10, MME, MYBL1, NEIL1 and SH3BP5; Altogether these findings are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and therapy (cytostatic drugs).
Artificial light-harvesting (LH) systems have been obtained by self-assembly of naphthalene diimide-functionalized zinc chlorin dyads and triad in nonpolar, aprotic solvents. UV-vis, CD, and steady-state emission spectroscopy as well as atomic force microscopy showed that rod-like structures are formed by excitonic interactions of zinc chlorin units, while the appended naphthalene diimide dyes do not aggregate at the periphery of the cylinders. In all cases, photoexcitation of the enveloping naphthalene diimides at 540 and 620 nm, respectively, was followed by highly efficient energy-transfer processes to the inner zinc chlorin backbone, as revealed by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy on the picosecond time-scale. As a consequence, the LH efficiencies of zinc chlorin rod aggregates were increased by up to 63%. The effective utilization of solar energy recommends these biomimetic systems for an application in electronic materials on the nanoscale.
Calculations of multi-particle processes at the one-loop level: precise predictions for the LHC
(2007)
The Standard Model (SM) of elementary particle physics provides a uniform framework for the description of three fundamental forces, the electromagnetic and weak forces, describing interactions between quarks and leptons, and the strong force, describing a much stronger interaction between the coloured quarks. Numerous experimental tests have been performed in the last thirty years, showing a spectacular agreement with the theoretical predictions of the Standard Model, even at the per mille level, therefore validating the model at the quantum level. An important cornerstone of the Standard Model is the Higgs mechanism, which provides a possible explanation of electroweak symmetry breaking, responsible for the masses of elementary fermions and the W and Z bosons, the carriers of the weak force. This mechanism predicts a scalar boson, the Higgs boson, which has escaped its discovery so far. If the Higgs mechanism is indeed realised in nature, the upcoming Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN will be able to find the associated Higgs boson. The discovery of a Higgs boson by itself is not sufficient to establish the Higgs mechanism, the basic ingredient being the Higgs potential which predicts trilinear and quartic couplings. These have to be confirmed experimentally by the study of multi-Higgs production. We therefore present a calculation of the loop-induced processes gg to HH and gg to HHH, and investigate the observability of multi-Higgs boson production at the LHC in the Standard Model and beyond. While the SM cross sections are too small to allow observation at the LHC, we demonstrate that physics beyond the SM can lead to amplified, observable cross sections. Furthermore, the applicability of the heavy top quark approximation in two- and three-Higgs boson production is investigated. We conclude that multi-Higgs boson production at the SuperLHC is an interesting probe of Higgs sectors beyond the SM and warrants further study. Despite the great success of the SM, it is widely believed that this model cannot be valid for arbitrarily high energies. The LHC will probe the TeV scale and theoretical arguments indicate the appearance of physics beyond the SM at this scale. The search for new physics requires a precise understanding of the SM. Precise theoretical predictions are needed which match the accuracy of the experiments. For the LHC, most analyses require next-to-leading order (NLO) precision. Only then will we be able to reliably verify or falsify different models. At the LHC, many interesting signatures involve more than two particles in the final state. Precise theoretical predictions for such multi-leg processes are a highly nontrivial task and new efficient methods have to be applied. The calculation of the process PP to VV+jet at NLO is an important background process to Higgs production in association with a jet at the LHC. We compute the virtual corrections to this process which form the "bottleneck" for obtaining a complete NLO prediction. The resulting analytic expressions are generated with highly automated computer routines and translated into a flexible Fortran code, which can be employed in the computation of differential cross sections of phenomenological interest. The obtained results for the virtual corrections indicate that the QCD corrections are sizable and should be taken into account in experimental studies for the LHC.