Precision measurements of Triple Gauge Couplings at future electron-positron colliders

A precise knowledge of charged Triple Gauge Couplings (cTGCs) is important for the determination of Higgs couplings and for constraining physics beyond the Standard Model. Future high-energy $e^{+}e^{-}$ colliders could have a significantly improved sensitivity to anomalous cTGCs. The fit framework presented here extracts cTGCs in parallel with chiral cross sections and beam polarisation parameters. It demonstrates that cTGCs can be measured with precision in the $10^{-3}-10^{-4}$ range. A strong dependence of the cTGC sensitivity on the available luminosities and polarisations is observed.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures (6 when counting subfigures), Talk presented at the International Workshop on Future Linear Colliders (LCWS2019), Sendai, Japan, 28 October - 1 November, 2019. C19-10-2

New charge-transfer states in blends of ZnPC with F8ZnPC

With the aim of pushing the knowledge and understanding on mixed films of organic semiconductors forward, blends of ZnPC and F8ZnPC in different ratios are manufactured. The films have a polycrystalline structure, as indicated by electron diffraction profiles and infrared-spectroscopy. Photoluminescence data show completely different spectra for the blends, compared to the pure materials, which can be ascribed to the suppressing of excimer formation and the appearance of a new charge-transfer excitation between the two different molecules in the blends. This new excitation can also be seen in optical absorption. Momentum dependent measurements of the electronic excitations by electron energy-loss spectroscopy confirm the localized character of the new charge-transfer excitation in the blends. Our experimental data help understand the important issue of donor/acceptor coupling in organic semiconductors

Thiol Redox Regulation of Plant beta-Carbonic Anhydrase.

Dreyer A, Schackmann A, Kriznik A, et al. Thiol Redox Regulation of Plant beta-Carbonic Anhydrase. Biomolecules. 2020;10: 1125.beta-carbonic anhydrases (betaCA) accelerate the equilibrium formation between CO2 and carbonate. Two plant betaCA isoforms are targeted to the chloroplast and represent abundant proteins in the range of >1% of chloroplast protein. While their function in gas exchange and photosynthesis is well-characterized in carbon concentrating mechanisms of cyanobacteria and plants with C4-photosynthesis, their function in plants with C3-photosynthesis is less clear. The presence of conserved and surface-exposed cysteinyl residues in the betaCA-structure urged to the question whether betaCA is subject to redox regulation. Activity measurements revealed reductive activation of betaCA1, whereas oxidized betaCA1 was inactive. Mutation of cysteinyl residues decreased betaCA1 activity, in particular C280S, C167S, C230S, and C257S. High concentrations of dithiothreitol or low amounts of reduced thioredoxins (TRXs) activated oxidized betaCA1. TRX-y1 and TRX-y2 most efficiently activated betaCA1, followed by TRX-f1 and f2 and NADPH-dependent TRX reductase C (NTRC). High light irradiation did not enhance betaCA activity in wildtype Arabidopsis, but surprisingly in betaca1 knockout plants, indicating light-dependent regulation. The results assign a role of betaCA within the thiol redox regulatory network of the chloroplast

Netzwerke, Paradigmen, Attitüden: Der deutsche Sonderweg im Fokus; Paradigmatische Ausrichtung und politische Orientierung von deutschen und US-amerikanischen Ökonom_innen im Vergleich

Inhalt dieser Studie ist eine vergleichende Bestandsaufnahme des aktuellen Profils sowie zukünftiger Entwicklungstendenzen der Volkswirtschaftslehre in Deutschland und den USA vor dem Hintergrund der Frage nach einem deutschen Sonderweg in der Ökonomie. Mittels einer indikatorbasierten Typologisierung wurden die derzeit in den beiden Ländern wirkenden Universitätsprofessor_innen im Hinblick auf ihre thematischen und inhaltlichen Forschungsschwerpunkte sowie ihre akademischen und außeruniversitären Mitgliedschaften in wirtschaftspolitischen Institutionen und Think-Tanks untersucht. Während das Forschungsprofil in beiden Ländern weitgehend homogenisiert ist, wurden v. a. auf der Ebene des wirtschaftspolitischen Wirkungsspektrums länderspezifische Unterschiede identifiziert, die auf einen deutschen Sonderweg in der Wirtschaftspolitik hinweisen.he central subject of this study is a comparative analysis of the current state as well as development trends in German and US economics, to check the thesis of a German special path.Therefore we conducted an empirical analysis of full professors of economics in the countries chosen. The main focus of our analysis is on their publications in economic journals (research profile) as well as on their scientific and political connections (policy making). The data collection was realized through a multilevel survey, which consists of qualitative and quantitative variables. A main result of the study is that while the research profile (e. g. the paradigmatic orientation) of economists in the two countries is fairly similar, differences potentially indicating a special path of German economics can be found on the level of politico-economic networks in economic policy advice

Die VWL in Deutschland und den USA: eine ländervergleichende Analyse

Die Studie erfasst in Deutschland 569 (Vollerhebung) und in den USA 570 (Stichprobe) VWL-Universitätsprofessor_innen an 102 Standorten. Der Frauenanteil ist in Deutschland (13,36%) und in den USA (12,81%) gering. In beiden Ländern nimmt die mikroökonomisch orientierte Forschung eine dominante Stellung ein. Über 90 % der Professor_innen folgen dem ökonomischen Mainstream. Abweichende, heterodoxe Sichtweisen sind v.a. an kleinen Universitäten vertreten. Die Trennung zwischen Mainstream und Heterodoxie ist in den USA weiter fortgeschritten. Wesentliche inhaltliche und methodische Veränderungen innerhalb des Mainstreams betreffen v.a. die Verhaltensökonomie und Experimentelle Ökonomie. Die jüngere Generation in Deutschland ist noch stärker an der Mikroökonomie und am ökonomischen Mainstream orientiert; ordoliberale Ideen verlieren an Bedeutung. Die außerakademische Vernetzung erfolgt in Deutschland über Wirtschaftsforschungsinstitute. Zudem engagieren sich viele deutsche Ökonom_innen in ordo- bzw. neoliberalen Think Tanks. In den USA existiert eine klare Blockbildung aus demokratisch vs. republikanisch orientierten Ökonom_innen auf medial-politischer Ebene, wobei der demokratische Block deutlich größer ist. Demgegenüber sind konservative und libertäre Think Tanks größer und umfangreicher vernetzt. Deutsche wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Beratungsgremien weisen auf Personenebene eine ausgeprägte ordoliberale Schlagseite auf

CMR detects decreased myocardial deformation in asymptomatic patients at risk for heart failure

Aims: The main management strategy of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is prevention since HFpEF is associated with many cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, especially since HFpEF is linked to a high risk for both mortality and recurrent heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. Therefore, there is a need for new tools to identify patients with a high risk profile early. Regional strain assessment by CMR seems to be superior in describing deformation impairment in HF. The MyoHealth score is a promising tool to identify cardiac changes early. Methods and results: Heart failure patients irrespective of LVEF and asymptomatic controls were recruited, and CMR based measures were obtained. For this analysis the asymptomatic control group (n = 19) was divided into asymptomatic subjects without CV co-morbidities or evidence of cardiac abnormalities and (n = 12) and asymptomatic subjects with CV co-morbidities or evidence of cardiac abnormalities (n = 7) as well as patients with HFpEF (n = 19). We performed CMR scans at rest and during a stress test using isometric handgrip exercise (HG). Assessing the MyoHealth score at rest revealed preserved regional strain in 85 +/- 9% of LV segments in controls, 73 +/- 11% in at Risk subjects and 73 +/- 8% in HFpEF patients. During stress the MyoHealth score was 84 +/- 7% in controls, 83 +/- 7 in at risk subjects and 74 +/- 11 in HFpEF patients. Conclusion: In summary, we show for the first time that asymptomatic subjects with increased CV risk present with HFpEF like impaired myocardial deformation at rest, while they show results like controls under HG stress. The potential of preventive treatment in this group of patients merits further investigation in future

Reduced functional capacity is associated with the proportion of impaired myocardial deformation assessed in heart failure patients by CMR

Aims: Heart failure (HF) does not only reduce the life expectancy in patients, but their life is also often limited by HF symptoms leading to a reduced quality of life (QoL) and a diminished exercise capacity. Novel parameters in cardiac imaging, including both global and regional myocardial strain imaging, promise to contribute to better patient characterization and ultimately to better patient management. However, many of these methods are not part of clinical routine yet, their associations with clinical parameters have been poorly studied. An imaging parameters that also indicate the clinical symptom burden of HF patients would make cardiac imaging more robust toward incomplete clinical information and support the clinical decision process. Methods and results: This prospective study conducted at two centers in Germany between 2017 and 2018 enrolled stable outpatient subjects with HF [n = 56, including HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), HF with mid-range ejection fraction (HFmrEF), and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)] and a control cohort (n = 19). Parameters assessed included measures for external myocardial function, for example, cardiac index and myocardial deformation measurements by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS), the global circumferential strain (GCS), and the regional distribution of segment deformation within the LV myocardium, as well as basic phenotypical characteristics including the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). If less than 80% of the LV segments are preserved in their deformation capacity the functional capacity by 6MWT (6 minutes walking distance: MyoHealth >= 80%: 579.8 +/- 177.6 m; MyoHealth 60-= 80%: 0.6 +/- 1.1 m; MyoHealth 60-p-value = 80%: 8.2 +/- 2.3 m; MyoHealth 60-p-value: 0.20) as well as quality of life measures (MLHFQ; MyoHealth >= 80%: 7.5 +/- 12.4 m; MyoHealth 60-p-value: 0.15)-while these differences were not significant. Conclusion: The share of LV segments with preserved myocardial contraction promises to discriminate between symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects based on the imaging findings, even when the LV ejection fraction is preserved. This finding is promising to make imaging studies more robust toward incomplete clinical information

Stärkung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der ökologischen Ferkelerzeugung in Bayern - ein interdisziplinäres Projekt

Die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der für Süddeutschland typischen, bäuerlichen Ferkelerzeugung ist im ökologischen Landbau bisher gering. Dadurch besteht ein Umstellungshemmnis, das die weitere Entwicklung der Schweinhaltung im Ökolandbau behindert. Das vorgestellte interdisziplinäre Projekt soll mithilfe einer engen Zusammenarbeit von Forschung, Beratung und Praxis einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Produktionsbedingungen liefern. Ziel ist es, Grundlagen für eine Erhöhung von Leistung und Wertschöpfung in der ökologischen Ferkelerzeugung zu erarbeiten. Dies geschieht durch eine Verbesserung des Stands des Wissens über geeignete Haltungsverfahren, Stallbaulösungen, Arbeitsorganisation, Prozessqualität und Betriebswirtschaft. An dem Projekt sind sieben Arbeitsgruppen und elf Praxisbetriebe beteiligt. Das Projekt startete im Juli 2008 und wird voraussichtlich Ende 2010 abgeschlossen werden