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Sonstige beteiligte Institutionen
- Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research (ZAE Bayern), 97074 Würzburg, Germany (1)
- Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut fuer biophysikalische Chemie (1)
- Genelux Corporation, San Diego Science Center, 3030 Bunker Hill Street, Suite 310, San Diego, California 92109, USA (1)
- MRB Forschungszentrum für Magnet-Resonanz-Bayern e.V., Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg (1)
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- D-1250-2010 (1)
Background
The aortic pulse-wave velocity (PWV) is an important indicator of cardiovascular risk. In recent studies MRI methods have been developed to measure this parameter noninvasively in mice. Present techniques require additional hardware for cardiac and respiratory gating. In this work a robust self-gated measurement of the local PWV in mice without the need of triggering probes is proposed.
Methods
The local PWV of 6-months-old wild-type C57BL/6J mice (n=6) was measured in the abdominal aorta with a retrospectively triggered radial Phase Contrast (PC) MR sequence using the flow-area (QA) method. A navigator signal was extracted from the CMR data of highly asymmetric radial projections with short repetition time (TR=3 ms) and post-processed with high-pass and low-pass filters for retrospective cardiac and respiratory gating. The self-gating signal was used for a reconstruction of high-resolution Cine frames of the aortic motion. To assess the local PWV the volume flow Q and the cross-sectional area A of the aorta were determined. The results were compared with the values measured with a triggered Cartesian and an undersampled triggered radial PC-Cine sequence.
Results
In all examined animals a self-gating signal could be extracted and used for retrospective breath-gating and PC-Cine reconstruction. With the non-triggered measurement PWV values of 2.3±0.2 m/s were determined. These values are in agreement with those measured with the triggered Cartesian (2.4±0.2 m/s) and the triggered radial (2.3±0.2 m/s) measurement. Due to the strong robustness of the radial trajectory against undersampling an acceleration of more than two relative to the prospectively triggered Cartesian sampling could be achieved with the retrospective method.
Conclusion
With the radial flow-encoding sequence the extraction of a self-gating signal is feasible. The retrospective method enables a robust and fast measurement of the local PWV without the need of additional trigger hardware.
Background
Oncolytic virotherapy of tumors is an up-coming, promising therapeutic modality of cancer therapy. Unfortunately, non-invasive techniques to evaluate the inflammatory host response to treatment are rare. Here, we evaluate \(^{19}\)F magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which enables the non-invasive visualization of inflammatory processes in pathological conditions by the use of perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions (PFC) for monitoring of oncolytic virotherapy.
Methodology/Principal Findings
The Vaccinia virus strain GLV-1h68 was used as an oncolytic agent for the treatment of different tumor models. Systemic application of PFC emulsions followed by \(^1H\)/\(^{19}\)F MRI of mock-infected and GLV-1h68-infected tumor-bearing mice revealed a significant accumulation of the \(^{19}\)F signal in the tumor rim of virus-treated mice. Histological examination of tumors confirmed a similar spatial distribution of the \(^{19}\)F signal hot spots and \(CD68^+\)-macrophages. Thereby, the \(CD68^+\)-macrophages encapsulate the GFP-positive viral infection foci. In multiple tumor models, we specifically visualized early inflammatory cell recruitment in Vaccinia virus colonized tumors. Furthermore, we documented that the \(^{19}\)F signal correlated with the extent of viral spreading within tumors.
Conclusions/Significance
These results suggest \(^{19}\)F MRI as a non-invasive methodology to document the tumor-associated host immune response as well as the extent of intratumoral viral replication. Thus, \(^{19}\)F MRI represents a new platform to non-invasively investigate the role of the host immune response for therapeutic outcome of oncolytic virotherapy and individual patient response.
Continuously increasing energy prices have considerably influenced the cost of living over the last decades. At the same time increasingly extreme weather conditions, drought-filled summers as well as autumns and winters with heavier rainfall and worsening storms have been reported. These are possibly the harbingers of the expected approaching global climate change. Considering the depletability of fossil energy sources and a rising distrust in nuclear power, investigations into new and innovative renewable energy sources are necessary to prepare for the coming future.
In addition to wind, hydro and biomass technologies, electricity generated by the direct conversion of incident sunlight is one of the most promising approaches. Since the syntheses and detailed studies of organic semiconducting polymers and fullerenes were intensified, a new kind of solar cell fabrication became conceivable. In addition to classical vacuum deposition techniques, organic cells were now also able to be processed from a solution, even on flexible substrates like plastic, fabric or paper.
An organic solar cell represents a complex electrical device influenced for instance by light interference for charge carrier generation. Also charge carrier recombination and transport mechanisms are important to its performance. In accordance to Coulomb interaction, this results in a specific distribution of the charge carriers and the electric field, which finally yield the measured current-voltage characteristics. Changes of certain parameters result in a complex response in the investigated device due to interactions between the physical processes. Consequently, it is necessary to find a way to generally predict the response of such a device to temperature changes for example.
In this work, a numerical, one-dimensional simulation has been developed based on the drift-diffusion equations for electrons, holes and excitons. The generation and recombination rates of the single species are defined according to a detailed balance approach. The Coulomb interaction between the single charge carriers is considered through the Poisson equation. An analytically non-solvable differential equation system is consequently set-up. With numerical approaches, valid solutions describing the macroscopic processes in organic solar cells can be found. An additional optical simulation is used to determine the spatially resolved charge carrier generation rates due to interference.
Concepts regarding organic semiconductors and solar cells are introduced in the first part of this work. All chapters are based on previous ones and logically outline the basic physics, device architectures, models of charge carrier generation and recombination as well as the mathematic and numerical approaches to obtain valid simulation results.
In the second part, the simulation is used to elaborate issues of current interest in organic solar cell research. This includes a basic understanding of how the open circuit voltage is generated and which processes limit its value. S-shaped current-voltage characteristics are explained assigning finite surface recombination velocities at metal electrodes piling-up local space charges. The power conversion efficiency is identified as a trade-off between charge carrier accumulation and charge extraction. This leads to an optimum of the power conversion efficiency at moderate to high charge carrier mobilities. Differences between recombination rates determined by different interpretations of identical experimental results are assigned to a spatially inhomogeneous recombination, relevant for almost all low mobility semiconductor devices.
We have experimentally studied the diffusion thermopower of a serial double quantum dot, defined electrostatically in a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure. We present the thermopower stability diagram for a temperature difference 1T = (20±10)mK across the device and find a maximum thermovoltage signal of several μV in the vicinity of the triple points. Along a constant energy axis in this regime, the data show a characteristic pattern which is in agreement with Mott’s relation and can be well understood within a model of sequential transport.
Background
Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) is associated with advanced stages of lung cancer and is mainly dependent on invasion of the pleura and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by cancer cells. As MPE indicates an incurable disease with limited palliative treatment options and poor outcome, there is an urgent need for new and efficient treatment options.
Methods
In this study, we used subcutaneously generated PC14PE6 lung adenocarcinoma xenografts in athymic mice that developed subcutaneous malignant effusions (ME) which mimic pleural effusions of the orthotopic model. Using this approach monitoring of therapeutic intervention was facilitated by direct observation of subcutaneous ME formation without the need of sacrificing mice or special imaging equipment as in case of MPE. Further, we tested oncolytic virotherapy using Vaccinia virus as a novel treatment modality against ME in this subcutaneous PC14PE6 xenograft model of advanced lung adenocarcinoma.
Results
We demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy of Vaccinia virus treatment of both advanced lung adenocarcinoma and tumor-associated ME. We attribute the efficacy to the virus-mediated reduction of tumor cell-derived VEGF levels in tumors, decreased invasion of tumor cells into the peritumoral tissue, and to viral infection of the blood vessel-invading tumor cells. Moreover, we showed that the use of oncolytic Vaccinia virus encoding for a single-chain antibody (scAb) against VEGF (GLAF-1) significantly enhanced mono-therapy of oncolytic treatment.
Conclusions
Here, we demonstrate for the first time that oncolytic virotherapy using tumor-specific Vaccinia virus represents a novel and promising treatment modality for therapy of ME associated with advanced lung cancer.
In the presented thesis, the various excited states encountered in conjugated organic semiconductors are investigated with respect to their utilization in organic thin-film solar cells. Most of these states are spin-baring and can therefore be addressed by means of magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The primary singlet excitation (spin 0), as well as positive and negative polaronic charge carriers (spin 1/2) are discussed. Additionally, triplet excitons (spin 1) and charge transfer complexes are examined, focussing on their differing spin-spin interaction strength. For the investigation of these spin-baring states especially methods of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) are best suited. Therefore according experimental methods were implemented in the course of this work to study conjugated polymers, fullerenes and their blends with continuous wave as well as time-resolved EPR and optically detected magnetic resonance.
In the context of this thesis, the novel method soft X-ray energy-dispersive NEXAFS spectroscopy was explored and utilized to investigate intermolecular coupling and post-growth processes with a temporal resolution of seconds. 1,4,5,8- naphthalene tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (NTCDA)multilayer films were the chosen model system for these investigations. The core hole-electron correlation in coherently coupled molecules was studied by means of energy-dispersive near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy. A transient phase was found which exists during the transition between a disordered condensed phase and the bulk structure. This phase is characterized by distinct changes in the spectral line shape and energetic position of the X-ray absorption signal at the C K-edge. The findings were explained with the help of theoretical models based on the coupling of transition dipole moments, which are well established for optically excited systems. In consequence, the experimental results provides evidence for a core hole-electron pair delocalized over several molecules. Furthermore, the structure formation of NTCDA multilayer films on Ag(111) surfaces was investigated. With time-resolved and energy-dispersive NEXAFS experiments the intensity evolution in s- and p-polarization showed a very characteristic behavior. By combining these findings with the results of time-dependent photoemission measurements, several sub-processes were identified in the post- growth behavior. Upon annealing, the amorphous but preferentially flat-lying molecules flip into an upright orientation. After that follows a phase characterized by strong intermolecular coupling. Finally, three-dimensional islands are established. Employing the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami model, the activation energies of the sub-processes were determined.
We study the structure formation of 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylicacid-
dianhydride (NTCDA) multilayer films on Ag(111) surfaces by energy dispersive near-edge x-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and photoelectron spectroscopy. The time resolution of seconds of the method allows us to identify several sub-processes, which occur during the post-growth three-dimensional structural ordering, as well as their characteristic time scales. After deposition at low temperature the NTCDA molecules are preferentially flat lying and the films exhibit no long-range order. Upon annealing the molecules flip into an upright orientation followed by an aggregation in a transient phase which exists for several minutes. Finally, threedimensional islands are established with bulk-crystalline structure involving substantial mass transport on the surface and morphological roughening. By applying the Kolmogorov–Johnson–Mehl–Avrami model the activation energies of the temperature-driven sub-processes can be derived from the time evolution of the NEXAFS signal.
The subject of this work was to develop, implement, optimize and apply methods for quantitative MR imaging of tumors. In the context of functional and physiological characterization, this implied transferring techniques established in tumor model research to human subjects and assessing their feasibility for use in patients. In the context of the morphologic assessment and parameter imaging of tumors, novel concepts and techniques were developed, which facilitated the simultaneous quantification of multiple MR parameters, the generation of “synthetic” MR images with various contrasts, and the fast single-shot acquisition of purely T2-weighted images.
The present thesis is concerned with the impact of alkali metal-doping on the electronic structure of semiconducting organic thin films. The organic molecular systems which have been studied are the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons picene, pentacene, and coronene. Motivated by reports about exceptional behavior like superconductivity and electronic correlations of their alkali metal-doped compounds, high quality films fabricated from the above named molecules have been studied. The electronic structure of the pristine materials and their doped compounds has been investigated using photoelectron spectroscopy. Core level and valence band studies of undoped films yield excellent photoemission spectra agreeing with or even outperforming previously reported data from the literature. Alkali metal-doping manifests itself in a uniform manner in the electronic structure for all probed samples: Opposed to reports from the literature about metallicity and even superconductivity in alkali metal-doped picene, pentacene, and coronene, all films exhibit insulating nature with an energy gap of the order of one electron-volt. Remarkably, this is independent of the doping concentration and the type of dopant, i.e., potassium, cesium, or sodium. Based on the interplay between narrow bandwidths in organic semiconductors and sufficiently high on-molecule Coulomb repulsion, the non-metallicity is attributed to the strong influence of electronic correlations leading to the formation of a Mott insulator. In the case of picene, this is consolidated by calculations using a combination of density functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory. Beyond the extensive considerations regarding electronic correlations, further intriguing aspects have been observed. The deposition of thin picene films leads to the formation of a non-equilibrium situation between substrate and film surface. Here, the establishment of a homogeneous chemical potential is hampered due to the only weak van der Waals-interactions between the molecular layers in the films. Consequently, spectral weight is measurable above the reference chemical potential in photoemission. Furthermore, it has been found that the acceptance of additional electrons in pentacene is limited. While picene and coronene are able to host up to three extra electrons, in pentacene the limit is already reached for one electron. Finally, further extrinsic effects, coming along with alkali metal-doping, have been scrutinized. The oxidation of potassium atoms induced by the reaction with molecular oxygen in the residual gas of the ultra-high vacuum system turned out to significantly influence the electronic structure of alkali metal-doped picene and coronene. Moreover, also the applied X-ray and UV irradiation caused a certain impact on the photoemission spectra. Surprisingly, both effects did not play a role in the studies of potassium-doped pentacene.