The problem of self-consistent particle phase space distributions for periodic focusing channels

Charged particle beams that remain stationary while passing through a transport channel are represented by ``self-consistent'' phase space distributions. As the starting point, we assume the external focusing forces to act continuously on the beam. If Liouville's theorem applies, an infinite variety of self-consistent particle phase space distributions exists then. The method is reviewed how to determine the Hamiltonian of the focusing system for a given phase space density function. Subsequently, this Hamiltonian is transformed canonically to yield the appropriate Hamiltonian that pertains to a beam passing through a non-continuous transport system. It is shown that the total transverse beam energy is a conserved quantity, if the beam stays rotationally symmetric along the channel. It can be concluded that charged particle beams can be transmitted through periodic solenoid channels without loss of quality. Our computer simulations, presented in the second part of the paper, confirm this result. In contrast, the simulation for a periodic quadrupole channel yields a small but constant growth rate of the rms-emittance.Comment: 31 pages, 12 figure

Effect of Flame Retardants and Electrolyte Variations on Li-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are being increasingly used and deployed commercially. Cell-level improvements that address flammability characteristics and thermal runaway are currently being intensively tested and explored. In this study, three additives—namely, lithium oxalate, sodium fumarate and sodium malonate—which exhibit fire-retardant properties are investigated with respect to their incorporation into graphite anodes and their electro/chemical interactions within the anode and the cell material studied. It has been shown that flame-retardant concentrations of up to approximately 20 wt.% within the anode coating do not cause significant capacity degradation but can provide a flame-retardant effect due to their inherent, fire-retardant release of CO2 gas. The flame-retardant-containing layers exhibit good adhesion to the current collector. Their suitability in lithium-ion cells was tested in pouch cells and, when compared to pure graphite anodes, showed almost no deterioration regarding cell capacity when used in moderate (≤20 wt.%) concentrations

Cutaneous HPV23 E6 Prevents p53 Phosphorylation through Interaction with HIPK2

Ultraviolet irradiation (UV) is the major risk factor for the development of skin cancer. Moreover, increasing evidence suggests cutaneotropic human papillomaviruses (HPV) from the beta genus to play a causal role as a co-factor in the development of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) operates as a potential suppressor in skin tumorigenesis and is stabilized by UV-damage. HIPK2 is an important regulator of apoptosis, which forms a complex with the tumor suppressor p53, mediating p53 phosphorylation at Ser 46 and thus promoting pro-apoptotic gene expression. In our study, we demonstrate that cutaneous HPV23 E6 protein directly targets HIPK2 function. Accordingly, HPV23 E6 interacts with HIPK2 both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, upon massive UVB-damage HPV23 E6 co-localizes with endogenous HIPK2 at nuclear bodies. Functionally, we demonstrate that HPV23 E6 inhibits HIPK2-mediated p53 Ser 46 phosphorylation through enforcing dissociation of the HIPK2/p53 complex. In addition, HPV23 E6 co-accumulates with endogenous HIPK2 upon UV damage suggesting a mechanism by which HPV23 E6 keeps HIPK2 in check after UV damage. Thus, cutaneous HPV23 E6 prevents HIPK2-mediated p53 Ser 46 phosphorylation, which may favour survival of UV-damaged keratinocytes and skin carcinogenesis by apoptosis evasion

The LIFEdb database in 2006

LIFEdb () integrates data from large-scale functional genomics assays and manual cDNA annotation with bioinformatics gene expression and protein analysis. New features of LIFEdb include (i) an updated user interface with enhanced query capabilities, (ii) a configurable output table and the option to download search results in XML, (iii) the integration of data from cell-based screening assays addressing the influence of protein-overexpression on cell proliferation and (iv) the display of the relative expression (‘Electronic Northern’) of the genes under investigation using curated gene expression ontology information. LIFEdb enables researchers to systematically select and characterize genes and proteins of interest, and presents data and information via its user-friendly web-based interface

The LIFEdb database in 2006

LIFEdb () integrates data from large-scale functional genomics assays and manual cDNA annotation with bioinformatics gene expression and protein analysis. New features of LIFEdb include (i) an updated user interface with enhanced query capabilities, (ii) a configurable output table and the option to download search results in XML, (iii) the integration of data from cell-based screening assays addressing the influence of protein-overexpression on cell proliferation and (iv) the display of the relative expression (‘Electronic Northern’) of the genes under investigation using curated gene expression ontology information. LIFEdb enables researchers to systematically select and characterize genes and proteins of interest, and presents data and information via its user-friendly web-based interface

Tip- and laser-based 3D nanofabrication in extended macroscopic working areas

The field of optical lithography is subject to intense research and has gained enormous improvement. However, the effort necessary for creating structures at the size of 20 nm and below is considerable using conventional technologies. This effort and the resulting financial requirements can only be tackled by few global companies and thus a paradigm change for the semiconductor industry is conceivable: custom design and solutions for specific applications will dominate future development (Fritze in: Panning EM, Liddle JA (eds) Novel patterning technologies. International society for optics and photonics. SPIE, Bellingham, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2593229). For this reason, new aspects arise for future lithography, which is why enormous effort has been directed to the development of alternative fabrication technologies. Yet, the technologies emerging from this process, which are promising for coping with the current resolution and accuracy challenges, are only demonstrated as a proof-of-concept on a lab scale of several square micrometers. Such scale is not adequate for the requirements of modern lithography; therefore, there is the need for new and alternative cross-scale solutions to further advance the possibilities of unconventional nanotechnologies. Similar challenges arise because of the technical progress in various other fields, realizing new and unique functionalities based on nanoscale effects, e.g., in nanophotonics, quantum computing, energy harvesting, and life sciences. Experimental platforms for basic research in the field of scale-spanning nanomeasuring and nanofabrication are necessary for these tasks, which are available at the Technische Universität Ilmenau in the form of nanopositioning and nanomeasuring (NPM) machines. With this equipment, the limits of technical structurability are explored for high-performance tip-based and laser-based processes for enabling real 3D nanofabrication with the highest precision in an adequate working range of several thousand cubic millimeters