Virtual slit scanning microscopy

We present a novel slit scanning confocal microscope with a CCD camera image sensor and a virtual slit aperture for descanning that can be adjusted during post-processing. A very efficient data structure and mathematical criteria for aligning the virtual aperture guarantee the ease of use. We further introduce a method to reduce the anisotropic lateral resolution of slit scanning microscopes. System performance is evaluated against a spinning disk confocal microscope on identical specimens. The virtual slit scanning microscope works as the spinning disk type and outperforms on thick specimen

Widefield fluorescence microscopy with extended resolution

Widefield fluorescence microscopy is seeing dramatic improvements in resolution, reaching today 100nm in all three dimensions. This gain in resolution is achieved by dispensing with uniform Köhler illumination. Instead, non-uniform excitation light patterns with sinusoidal intensity variations in one, two, or three dimensions are applied combined with powerful image reconstruction techniques. Taking advantage of non-linear fluorophore response to the excitation field, the resolution can be further improved down to several 10nm. In this review article, we describe the image formation in the microscope and computational reconstruction of the high-resolution dataset when exciting the specimen with a harmonic light pattern conveniently generated by interfering laser beams forming standing waves. We will also discuss extensions to total internal reflection microscopy, non-linear microscopy, and three-dimensional imagin

Dimensional reduction by pressure in the magnetic framework material CuF2_{2}(D2_{2}O)2_{2}pyz: from spin-wave to spinon excitations

Metal organic magnets have enormous potential to host a variety of electronic and magnetic phases that originate from a strong interplay between the spin, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom. We control this interplay in the quantum magnet CuF$_2$(D$_2$O)$_2$pyz by using high pressure to drive the system through a structural and magnetic phase transition. Using neutron scattering, we show that the low pressure state, which hosts a two-dimensional square lattice with spin-wave excitations and a dominant exchange coupling of 0.89 meV, transforms at high pressure into a one-dimensional spin-chain hallmarked by a spinon continuum and a reduced exchange interaction of 0.43 meV. This direct microscopic observation of a magnetic dimensional crossover as a function of pressure opens up new possibilities for studying the evolution of fractionalised excitations in low dimensional quantum magnets and eventually pressure-controlled metal--insulator transitions

Generierung zweier knock in Mausmutanten zur funktionellen Charakterisierung einzelner Domänen des Gfi1-Zinkfingerproteins

Gfi1 ist ein Zinkfinger-Transkriptionsfaktor, der eine wichtige Rolle in der Hämatopoese und der Innenohr-Entwicklung spielt. Mäuse, die defizient für Gfi1 sind, weisen eine starke Neutropenie, Defekte in der T-Lymphozytenentwicklung und in der Differenzierung der Haarzellen des Innenohrs auf. Eng mit Gfi1 verwandt ist das Gfi1b Zinkfinger-Protein; beide sind strukturell stark homolog, weisen jedoch unterschiedliche Expressionsmuster und knock out Phänotypen auf. Um die funktionelle Homologie von Gfi1 und Gfi1b näher untersuchen zu können, wurde die Gfi1-Genregion in der Maus durch die für Gfi1b codierende Sequenz ersetzt, wodurch eine Expression von Gfi1b unter Gfi1 spezifischen Kontroll-Elementen erreicht wurde. Die durchgeführten Untersuchungen dieser Gfi1:Gfi1b knock in Mäuse zeigten, dass beide Proteine eine weitreichende funktionelle Homologie im hämatopoetischen System aufweisen: Durch die Gfi1b-Expression in Gfi1 defizienten Mäusen wird die Neutropenie aufgehoben und die Defekte in der T-Lymphozytenentwicklung werden abgeschwächt. Bei der Analyse der Innenohr-Haarzellen zeigte sich, dass diese funktionelle Homologie zelltypspezifisch ist: In sensorischen Zellen konnten die Defekte der Gfi1 Verlustmutante nicht durch die Gfi1b-Expression aufgehoben werden. Gfi1:Gfi1b knock in Mäuse weisen degradierte Haarzellen auf und sind taub. Die Tatsache, dass Gfi1 reprimierend auf seine Zielgene wirkt, legt nahe, dass ein Verlust der repressorischen Wirkung des Proteins starke Auswirkungen auf dessen Funktion hat. In vitro war in früheren Studien die repressorische Wirkung von Gfi1 durch eine Punktmutation in der SNAG-Domäne aufgehoben worden. Um die Folgen des Verlustes der Repression in vivo untersuchen zu können, wurde in einem zweiten Mausmodell die zuvor beschriebene Punktmutation in das Gfi1-Gen eingeführt und der Phänotyp dieser Mäuse analysiert. Es zeigte sich, dass die repressorische Wirkung des Gfi1-Proteins für alle in dieser Arbeit untersuchten Funktionen unverzichtbar ist: Die Tiere waren, obwohl sie Gfi1 – in einer mutierten Form – exprimierten, nicht von den Gfi1 defizienten Mäusen unterscheidbar

A Vision of Digitalization in Supply Chain Management and Logistics

Digitalization requires a new form of management to master the transformation process of corporations and companies. The Dortmund Management Model structures the focus areas of the digital transformation along the management tasks goal, planning, decision, realization and monitoring as well as the common socio-technical subsystems technological, organizational and personnel - enriched by a fourth dimension: information. Additionally, the acceleration factors transformation, migration and change management are taken into account. This paper embraces a vision for a persistent management of production and supply chain networks in order to achieve a holistic Management 4.0. The emerging developments of technology, methods, tools and models in production and supply chain research are connected and merged into a big picture of digital supply chain management and logistics. The interfaces between management tasks show specific characteristics of digital business processes in particular, which are hereinafter exemplarily outlined: New business models and value-creation networks are based on adaption intelligent production systems, which are interconnected with digital models for continuous planning and reconfiguration. At the shop floor and between sites orders are completed by autonomous guided vehicles (AGV) with intelligent load carriers. Decentralized negotiations and decisions across company boundaries concluded with smart contracts are enabling reasonable and sustainable distribution of the value creation processes. Humans are still in the center of action – abilities are developed by integrated competence management, new learning approaches and human-centered assistance systems coupled with AI-based decision-making support. New types of organizations allow a synergetic collaboration of humans and machines. The benefit of integrating new production and transport technologies becomes assessable and accelerates the ongoing renewal of existing networks. This paper provides an overview of possible potential and connecting factors by linking different technological developments towards supply chain, logistics, production and management research and shows further research demands

Oxysterols Increase Inflammation, Lipid Marker Levels and Reflect Accelerated Endothelial Dysfunction in Experimental Animals

Objective. Oxidized cholesterol derivatives are thought to exert atherogenic effect thus adversely affecting vascular endothelium. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of 5α,6α-epoxycholesterol on experimentally induced hypercholesterolemia in rabbits, and the levels of homocysteine (HCY), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), paraoxonase-1 (PON-1), and inflammatory parameters (IL-6, TNF-α, CRP). Material and methods. The rabbits were divided into 3 groups, 8 animals each, and fed with basic fodder (C), basic fodder plus cholesterol (Ch) or basic fodder plus 5α,6α-epoxycholesterol, and unoxidized cholesterol (ECh). Serum concentrations of studied parameters were determined at 45-day intervals. The study was continued for six months. Results. We demonstrated that adding 5α,6α-epoxycholesterol to basic fodder significantly affected lipid status of the experimental animals, increasing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, as well as HCY and ADMA levels, whilst leaving the PON-1 activity unaffected. Additionally, the ECh group presented with significantly higher concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers (IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP). In the Ch group, lower yet significant (as compared to the C group) changes of levels of studied parameters were observed. Conclusion. Exposure of animals with experimentally induced hypercholesterolemia to 5α,6α-epoxycholesterol increases dyslipidaemia, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammatory response