Search

Neuroendocrine analyses of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have generally focused on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis alterations. In the present analyses, we examine two additional neuroendocrine factors that have been previously implicated in biological stress responses: oxytocin (OT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP). Here we examined basal neuropeptide status in military veterans clinically diagnosed with PTSD (n = 29) and in two non-traumatized comparison groups with previous stress exposure (n = 11 SWAT trainees and n = 21 ultramarathon runners). PTSD patients showed low levels of plasma OT and high levels of AVP. The ratio of AVP/OT robustly related to PTSD status, and emerged as a statistically plausible mediator of relationships between the number of personal traumatic experiences and subsequent PTSD symptom burden. Over the course of behavioral therapy for PTSD, measures of OT showed a significant but modest normalization. Plasma cortisol levels were not statistically different among the three groups. This study suggests that AVP/OT ratios may represent a neuroendocrine predictor of severe PTSD, as well as a potential treatment response biomarker.

Atomic scale reordering of lattices can induce local modulations of functional material properties, such as reflectance and ferromagnetism. Pulsed femtosecond laser irradiation enables lattice reordering in the picosecond range. However, the dependence of the phase transitions on the initial lattice order as well as the temporal dynamics of these transitions remain to be understood. This study investigates the laser-induced atomic reordering and the concomitant onset of ferromagnetism in thin Fe-based alloy films with vastly differing initial atomic orders. The optical response to single femtosecond laser pulses on selected prototype systems, one that initially possesses positional disorder, Fe60V40, and a second system initially in a chemically ordered state, Fe60Al40, has been tracked with time. Despite the vastly different initial atomic orders the structure in both systems converges to a positionally ordered but chemically disordered state, accompanied by the onset of ferromagnetism. Time-resolved measurements of the transient reflectance combined with simulations of the electron and phonon temperatures reveal that the reordering processes occur via the formation of a transient molten state with an approximate lifetime of 200 ps. These findings provide insights into the fundamental processes involved in laser-induced atomic reordering, paving the way for controlling material properties in the picosecond range.

In laboratory work and working with Biotage’s Selekt Enkel chromatography system, it is common that operators are exposed to harmful and bad-smelling solvents gases. These are common issues that Biotage wants the students to solve. For this thesis work, the mission and task is to propose the best possible design of a Fume Cover that can remove or at least reduce those certain issues. To understand and gain the necessary knowledge, different data-gathering methods like workshops with staff and an extensive literature study of solvents and materials helped to establish a good design framework. Three concepts were built as 3D – models. The concept of Pugh’s iterative improvement method was used to produce an even better concept than the previous three. The chosen concept was iteratively improved for manufacturing and tested in an airflow experiment with carbon dioxide ice determining the optimal design. The conclusion is that it is possible to design a fume cover to reduce the solvent gas exposure, but further testing with light solvent gases and redesign will be required.

In laboratory work and working with Biotage’s Selekt Enkel chromatography system, it is common that operators are exposed to harmful and bad-smelling solvents gases. These are common issues that Biotage wants the students to solve. For this thesis work, the mission and task is to propose the best possible design of a Fume Cover that can remove or at least reduce those certain issues. To understand and gain the necessary knowledge, different data-gathering methods like workshops with staff and an extensive literature study of solvents and materials helped to establish a good design framework. Three concepts were built as 3D – models. The concept of Pugh’s iterative improvement method was used to produce an even better concept than the previous three. The chosen concept was iteratively improved for manufacturing and tested in an airflow experiment with carbon dioxide ice determining the optimal design. The conclusion is that it is possible to design a fume cover to reduce the solvent gas exposure, but further testing with light solvent gases and redesign will be required.

Mammals, including humans, are reliant for survival and reproduction on adaptations associated with sociality and physiological investment, which can be linked to interactions with their parents or other bonded adult conspecifics. A wide range of evidence in human and non-human mammal species links social behaviors and relationships - including those characterized by what humans call "love" - to positive health and longevity. In light of this evidence, we propose a Social Dependency Hypothesis of Longevity, suggesting that natural selection has favored longer and healthier adult lives in species or in individuals exhibiting enhanced caregiver responsibilities contributing to the success of the next generation. In highlighting cellular, physiological, and behavioral effects of mammalian reproductive hormones, we examine the specific hypothesis that the neuropeptide oxytocin links longevity to the benefits of parental investment and associated relationships. Oxytocin is a pleiotropic molecule with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, capable of regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the parasympathetic nervous system and other systems associated with the management of various challenges, including chronic diseases and therefore may be crucial to establishing the maximum longevity potential of a species or an individual.

Both paralogs of the calcium-dependent activator protein for secretion (CAPS) are required for exocytosis of synaptic vesicles (SVs) and large dense core vesicles (LDCVs). Despite approximately 80% sequence identity, CAPS1 and CAPS2 have distinct functions in promoting exocytosis of SVs and LDCVs in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences remain enigmatic. In this study, we applied high- and super-resolution imaging techniques to systematically assess the subcellular localization of CAPS paralogs in DRG neurons deficient in both CAPS1 and CAPS2. CAPS1 was found to be more enriched at the synapses. Using – in-depth sequence analysis, we identified a unique CAPS1 N-terminal sequence, which we introduced into CAPS2. This CAPS1/2 chimera reproduced the pre-synaptic localization of CAPS1 and partially rescued synaptic transmission in neurons devoid of CAPS1 and CAPS2. Using immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry, we identified CAPS1-specific interaction partners that could be responsible for its pre-synaptic enrichment. Taken together, these data suggest an important role of the CAPS1-N terminus in the localization of the protein at pre-synapses.

Both paralogs of the calcium-dependent activator protein for secretion (CAPS) are required for exocytosis of synaptic vesicles (SVs) and large dense core vesicles (LDCVs). Despite approximately 80% sequence identity, CAPS1 and CAPS2 have distinct functions in promoting exocytosis of SVs and LDCVs in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences remain enigmatic. In this study, we applied high- and super-resolution imaging techniques to systematically assess the subcellular localization of CAPS paralogs in DRG neurons deficient in both CAPS1 and CAPS2. CAPS1 was found to be more enriched at the synapses. Using – in-depth sequence analysis, we identified a unique CAPS1 N-terminal sequence, which we introduced into CAPS2. This CAPS1/2 chimera reproduced the pre-synaptic localization of CAPS1 and partially rescued synaptic transmission in neurons devoid of CAPS1 and CAPS2. Using immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry, we identified CAPS1-specific interaction partners that could be responsible for its pre-synaptic enrichment. Taken together, these data suggest an important role of the CAPS1-N terminus in the localization of the protein at pre-synapses.

Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Untersuchung der Wabenstruktur eines thermoplastischen Sandwichmaterials anhand von Daten, die durch das Verfahren der Computertomographie gewonnen wurden. Diese Untersuchung dient zur Modellierung eines repräsentativen Volumenelementes, welches die Zellgeometrie des Wabenkerns möglichst genau wiedergibt. Das Ziel dieses Vorgehens ist die Bestimmung effektiver Materialkennwerte, die zur mechanischen Simulation nach der Methode der finiten Elemente angewendet werden können.:1. Einleitung 2. Grundlagen 2.1 Sandwichbauweise 2.1.1 Biegeverhalten von Sandwichmaterialien 2.1.2 Spannungen in den Schichten 2.2 ThermHex-Waben als Kernmaterial 2.2.1 Material und Werkstoffkennwerte 2.2.2 Fertigung 2.2.3 Definition der Wabengeometrie 2.3 Mechanisches Verhalten von Wabenkernen im elastischen Bereich 2.4 Möglichkeiten zur Bestimmung von Elastizitätstensoren 2.4.1 Analytische Herangehensweise 2.4.2 Experimentelle Herangehensweise 2.4.3 Morphologische Herangehensweise mittels repräsentativen Volumenelement 3. Mikrostrukturelle Analyse 3.1 Untersuchungsobjekte 3.2 Untersuchungsmethodik 3.3 Untersuchungsergebnisse 3.3.1 Auswertungsproblematik 3.3.2 Zellweiten und Reihenabstände 3.3.3 Wandstärke 3.3.4 Zellwandlängen und -winkel 3.3.5 Zellwand- und Wölbungsradien 3.3.6 Kernhöhe und Schrägungswinkel des Wabenkerns mit Deckschichten 4. Modellierungsmethodik und -ergebnisse 4.1 Werkstoffabhängige und geometrische Parameter 4.2 Validierung der periodischen Randbedingungen 4.3 Validierung der Simulation mittels analytischer Herangehensweise 4.4 Geometrische Modellerstellung 4.5 Simulationsergebnisse der RVE-Grundtypen 5. Sensitivitätsanalyse 5.1 Komplexitätsvariation 5.2 Einfluss streuender Parameter 6. Simulierter 3-Punkt-Biegeversuch 7. Diskussion 7.1 Simulationsvalidierung 7.2 Verhalten der RVE-Grundtypen 7.3 Erkenntnisse der Sensitivitätsanalyse 7.3.1 Komplexitätsgrad 7.3.2 Modellsensitivität 7.4 Anwendungsfall der 3-Punkt-Biegung 8. Zusammenfassung

Although amorphous dielectrics feature localized states in the conduction band, electrons excited by highly intense laser radiation are usually considered as nearly free. However, localized or nearly free electrons would result in significantly different optical properties of the material. Therefore, this thesis investigates the transient complex refractive index of amorphous fused silica during the interaction with ultrashort pulsed laser radiation by applying spectroscopic imaging pump-probe ellipsometry. A Drude model, describing the excited electrons as a nearly free electron gas, and a Lorentz model, which considers the excited electrons as bound in localized states, are then approximated to the measured transient complex refractive index. The Lorentz model replicates the experimental data very well in the considered temporal range up to 200 fs after irradiation, whereas the Drude model significantly differs. Hence, the electrons are excited into localized states first, and are not describable as nearly free upon irradiation., Obwohl amorphe Dielektrika lokalisierte Zustände im Leitungsband aufweisen, werden Elektronen, die durch hoch intensive Laserstrahlung angeregt werden, üblicherweise als quasifrei betrachtet. Im Gegensatz zu quasifreien Elektronen würden lokalisierte Elektronen jedoch zu deutlich anderen transienten optischen Eigenschaften des Materials führen. Daher wird in dieser Arbeit der transiente komplexe Brechungsindex von amorphem Quarzglas während der Wechselwirkung mit ultrakurz gepulster Laserstrahlung mittels spektroskopischer, abbildender Pump-Probe Ellipsometrie untersucht. Jeweils ein Drude-Modell, das die angeregten Elektronen als ein quasifreies Elektronengas beschreibt, und ein Lorentz-Modell, welches die angeregten Elektronen als in lokalisierten Zuständen gebunden betrachtet, werden anschließend mit dem gemessenen transienten komplexen Brechungsindex verglichen. Das Lorentz-Modell repliziert die experimentellen Daten im betrachteten Zeitbereich bis zu 200 fs nach der Bestrahlung sehr gut, während das Drude-Modell deutlich abweicht. Demnach werden die Elektronen zunächst in lokalisierte Zustände angeregt und können während und kurz nach der Bestrahlung nicht als quasifrei beschrieben werden.

Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Untersuchung der Wabenstruktur eines thermoplastischen Sandwichmaterials anhand von Daten, die durch das Verfahren der Computertomographie gewonnen wurden. Diese Untersuchung dient zur Modellierung eines repräsentativen Volumenelementes, welches die Zellgeometrie des Wabenkerns möglichst genau wiedergibt. Das Ziel dieses Vorgehens ist die Bestimmung effektiver Materialkennwerte, die zur mechanischen Simulation nach der Methode der finiten Elemente angewendet werden können.:1. Einleitung 2. Grundlagen 2.1 Sandwichbauweise 2.1.1 Biegeverhalten von Sandwichmaterialien 2.1.2 Spannungen in den Schichten 2.2 ThermHex-Waben als Kernmaterial 2.2.1 Material und Werkstoffkennwerte 2.2.2 Fertigung 2.2.3 Definition der Wabengeometrie 2.3 Mechanisches Verhalten von Wabenkernen im elastischen Bereich 2.4 Möglichkeiten zur Bestimmung von Elastizitätstensoren 2.4.1 Analytische Herangehensweise 2.4.2 Experimentelle Herangehensweise 2.4.3 Morphologische Herangehensweise mittels repräsentativen Volumenelement 3. Mikrostrukturelle Analyse 3.1 Untersuchungsobjekte 3.2 Untersuchungsmethodik 3.3 Untersuchungsergebnisse 3.3.1 Auswertungsproblematik 3.3.2 Zellweiten und Reihenabstände 3.3.3 Wandstärke 3.3.4 Zellwandlängen und -winkel 3.3.5 Zellwand- und Wölbungsradien 3.3.6 Kernhöhe und Schrägungswinkel des Wabenkerns mit Deckschichten 4. Modellierungsmethodik und -ergebnisse 4.1 Werkstoffabhängige und geometrische Parameter 4.2 Validierung der periodischen Randbedingungen 4.3 Validierung der Simulation mittels analytischer Herangehensweise 4.4 Geometrische Modellerstellung 4.5 Simulationsergebnisse der RVE-Grundtypen 5. Sensitivitätsanalyse 5.1 Komplexitätsvariation 5.2 Einfluss streuender Parameter 6. Simulierter 3-Punkt-Biegeversuch 7. Diskussion 7.1 Simulationsvalidierung 7.2 Verhalten der RVE-Grundtypen 7.3 Erkenntnisse der Sensitivitätsanalyse 7.3.1 Komplexitätsgrad 7.3.2 Modellsensitivität 7.4 Anwendungsfall der 3-Punkt-Biegung 8. Zusammenfassung

Although amorphous dielectrics feature localized states in the conduction band, electrons excited by highly intense laser radiation are usually considered as nearly free. However, localized or nearly free electrons would result in significantly different optical properties of the material. Therefore, this thesis investigates the transient complex refractive index of amorphous fused silica during the interaction with ultrashort pulsed laser radiation by applying spectroscopic imaging pump-probe ellipsometry. A Drude model, describing the excited electrons as a nearly free electron gas, and a Lorentz model, which considers the excited electrons as bound in localized states, are then approximated to the measured transient complex refractive index. The Lorentz model replicates the experimental data very well in the considered temporal range up to 200 fs after irradiation, whereas the Drude model significantly differs. Hence, the electrons are excited into localized states first, and are not describable as nearly free upon irradiation., Obwohl amorphe Dielektrika lokalisierte Zustände im Leitungsband aufweisen, werden Elektronen, die durch hoch intensive Laserstrahlung angeregt werden, üblicherweise als quasifrei betrachtet. Im Gegensatz zu quasifreien Elektronen würden lokalisierte Elektronen jedoch zu deutlich anderen transienten optischen Eigenschaften des Materials führen. Daher wird in dieser Arbeit der transiente komplexe Brechungsindex von amorphem Quarzglas während der Wechselwirkung mit ultrakurz gepulster Laserstrahlung mittels spektroskopischer, abbildender Pump-Probe Ellipsometrie untersucht. Jeweils ein Drude-Modell, das die angeregten Elektronen als ein quasifreies Elektronengas beschreibt, und ein Lorentz-Modell, welches die angeregten Elektronen als in lokalisierten Zuständen gebunden betrachtet, werden anschließend mit dem gemessenen transienten komplexen Brechungsindex verglichen. Das Lorentz-Modell repliziert die experimentellen Daten im betrachteten Zeitbereich bis zu 200 fs nach der Bestrahlung sehr gut, während das Drude-Modell deutlich abweicht. Demnach werden die Elektronen zunächst in lokalisierte Zustände angeregt und können während und kurz nach der Bestrahlung nicht als quasifrei beschrieben werden.

This article explores the moral politics of the welfare state and the social conflicts that underlie them. We argue that existing research on the moralism of redistributive and social policy preferences is overly one dimensional, with a longstanding concentration on attitudes toward welfare state beneficiaries. To widen our understanding of the phenomenon, we introduce the concept of motive attribution: that is, how people answer the question “what drives others to take the positions that they hold?”. Doing so allows us to shift the subject of moralistic attitudes, with a move toward uncovering what citizens think of those who hold a given social policy stance. The article then lays out a first systematic overview of motive attributions using an original dataset built from nationally representative surveys conducted in ten Western democracies. Comparing responses across these countries, we draw out important cross-national differences in ascribed motives, including within welfare state regime types.

Although metal halide perovskite photovoltaics have shown an unprecedented rise in power conversion efficiency (PCE), they remain far from their theoretical PCE limit. Among the highest efficiencies to date are delivered when polycrystalline films are enhanced via "molecular passivation", but this can introduce new instabilities, in particular under severe accelerated aging conditions (e.g., at 85 °C in the dark or under full spectrum simulated sunlight). Here, we utilize a benzylammonium bromide passivation treatment to improve device performance, achieving the champion stabilized power output (SPO) of 19.5 % in a p-i-n device architecture. We correlate the improved device performance with a significant increase in charge carrier diffusion lengths, mobilities, and lifetimes. Furthermore, treated devices maintain an increased performance during 120 h combined stressing under simulated full spectrum sunlight at 85 °C, indicating that enhancement from this passivation treatment is sustained under harsh accelerated aging conditions. This is a crucial step toward real-world operation-relevant passivation treatments. © 2020 American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.

Social class, with its potentially pivotal influence on both policy-making and electoral outcomes tied to the welfare state, is a frequent fixture in academic and political discussions about social policy. Yet these discussions presuppose that class identity is in fact tied up with distinct attitudes toward the welfare state. Using original data from ten surveys fielded in the United States and Western Europe, we investigate the relationship between class and general stances toward the welfare state as a whole, with the goal of determining whether class affects how individuals understand and relate to the welfare state. Our findings suggest that, although class markers are tied to objective and subjective positional considerations about one's place in the society, they nevertheless do not seem to shape stances toward the welfare state. What is more, this is equally true across the various welfare state types, as we find no evidence that so-called ‘middle-class welfare states’ engender more positive middle-class attitudes than other regimes. Based on our analysis, we propose that researchers would do better to focus on household income rather than class; while income may not be a perfect predictor of attitudes toward the welfare state, it is a markedly better one than class.

In studying how to best understand social program introduction, political scientists have built up a laundry list of contributory factors. We suggest, however, that “objective” problem pressure has been incorrectly neglected by many scholars in recent decades—and the well-known case of Germany’s nineteenth-century introduction of social insurance legislation provides a clear illustration of this point. In explaining the origins and design of German social insurance, the interplay of three factors is key: first, exceptionally high problem pressure, connected to both labor market- and state-building processes; second, a fragile institutional context dominated by Prussia; and third, the party political constellation. In making this argument, we draw on “open functional reasoning” and extract implications from the case study to further refine the underlying theory. Specifically, we find that goal-oriented action may both be more common and more prone to compromise than the theory suggests. As such, we not only present an argument for considering the potential impact of problem pressure, but also lay out and refine an approach to doing so. In contrasting this approach to the problematic functionalism that initially inclined many scholars to neglect of problem pressure, we hope to help rehabilitate the concept—and in the process strengthen the explanatory power of research in sociology and political science.

This article explores how preferences for redistribution among voters are affected by the structure of inequality. There are strong theoretical reasons to believe that some voter segments matter more than others, not least the so-called median-income voter, but surprisingly little attention has been paid to directly analysing distinct income groups’ redistributive preferences. In addition, while much of the previous literature has focused on broad levels of inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, it is likely that individuals respond to different types of inequality in different ways. To rectify this gap, we use data from the European Social Survey and Eurostat to examine the interactive effect of income deciles and various measures of inequality. Results suggest that inequality especially affects the middle-income groups – that is, the assumed median-income voters. Moreover, not all inequality matters equally: it is inequality vis-à-vis those around the 80th percentile that shapes redistributive preferences. Keywords

To increas the overall efficiency of photovoltaic systems, such as solar cells or modules, different laser surface treatments have been adopted. In this article laser processing is applied to reduce the reflectivity on silicon solar cells, to reduce structure sizes for patterning processes applied for thin film solar modules, and to improve the opto- electrical properties of front-contact cathodes for thin-film solar modules.

Czcionka gotycka, 21 cm, III, [1], 47 s., Insterburg

22 cm, IV, 103, [1] s., Insterburg, Wehlau

Czcionka gotycka, 21 cm, III, [1], 47 s., Insterburg

22 cm, IV, 103, [1] s., Insterburg, Wehlau

Czcionka gotycka, 21 cm, III, [1], 47 s., Insterburg

22 cm, IV, 103, [1] s., Insterburg, Wehlau

Czcionka gotycka, 21 cm, III, [1], 47 s., Insterburg

22 cm, IV, 103, [1] s., Insterburg, Wehlau

22 cm, IV, 103, [1] s., Insterburg, Wehlau