Laser written mirror profiles for open-access fiber Fabry-P\'erot microcavities

We demonstrate laser-written concave hemispherical structures produced on the endfacets of optical fibers that serve as mirror substrates for tunable open-access microcavities. We achieve finesse values of up to 250, and a mostly constant performance across the entire stability range. This enables cavity operation also close to the stability limit, where a peak quality factor of $1.5\times 10^4$ is reached. Together with a small mode waist of $2.3\; \mathrm{\mu m}$, the cavity achieves a Purcell factor of $C \sim 2.5$, which is useful for experiments that require good lateral optical access or otherwise large separation of the mirrors. Laser-written mirror profiles can be produced with a tremendous flexibility in shape and on various surfaces, opening new possibilities for microcavities.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Digitale Schule regional gestalten

DIGITALE SCHULE REGIONAL GESTALTEN Digitale Schule regional gestalten / Hense, Julia (CC BY-SA) ( -

Reduced seed set under water deficit is driven mainly by reduced flower numbers and not by changes in flower visitations and pollination

Water deficit can alter floral traits with cascading effects on flower-visitor interactions and plant fitness. Water stress induction can diminish productivity, directly resulting in lower flower production and consequently seed set. Changes in floral traits, such as floral scent or reward amount, may in turn alter pollinator visitations and behavior and consequently can reduce pollination services resulting in lower reproduction output. However, the relative contribution of this indirect in comparison to the direct effects of changes in seed set are not fully understood. We manipulated water availability using rain-out shelters in a field experiment and measured effects on floral scent bouquet, morphology, phenology, flower-visitor interactions, pollination, and seed set. Plant individuals of Sinapis arvensis (Brassicaceae) were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: mean precipitation (= control), reduced mean precipitation, or drought period treatment. Our results show that decreasing water availability lowers the number of flowers and seed set. This indicates a direct link between water stress and seed set, as seed mass increases with increasing flower number. The indirect link of water stress via floral traits, pollinator visits, and pollination has weaker effects on seed set. However, floral traits remain relatively stable under decreased water availability, whereas plant growth and flower abundance decrease, potentially in order to allow investment in more resources in fewer flowers to maintain pollination success. Thus, plants are able to compensate for water stress and can maintain floral trait expression, such as a stable scent emission and bouquet, to retain pollinator attraction. These findings indicate that the direct link from water stress to seed set has a stronger impact on plants' reproductive success than the indirect link through altered floral trait expression and pollinator visits in a generalist plant species.Data are saved in a common data exchange format ".csv." Statistical anlyses were made with open source software R studio.Funding provided by: Deutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659Award Number: KU 3667/2-1- manipulation of water availability on wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis) using rain-out shelters - 3 treatments: well-watered, reduced watered, drought period; stem water potential was measured to conform plant's water stress and was used as the linear variable for further statistical analysis - "Foral_traits"-file: following parameters were measured once in three freshly open flowers per plant from a low, middle, and high position to avoid position and age effects: stamen, style, and calyx length, petal length and width, flower display size, and nectar volume. On two flowers per plant, we collected one anther each in order to count pollen grains by means of a microscope (after 3 weeks under treatment). For pollen and nectar collection, nearly open flowers were covered with mesh bags the day before collection in order to prevent access by flower visitors. The inflorescence size (greatest expansion) was measured once on five inflorescences per plant. Floral height (height of the highest flower) was measured weekly with a folding yardstick; means values were included in the data file and were used for statistical analyses - "Int_data"- file: plant-animal interactions were observed: each plant individual was observed daily; the number of visits by arthropods was recorded; the number of visits per day and per flower was calculated and used for further statistical analyses - "Scent_data"-filechemical (= floral scent) data were analyzed using a thermal desorption system coupled with a GC-MS; compounds were analyzed and identified using GCMSsolution package; compounds in flowers were compared with those found on blank controls; the amount of compounds was estimated by comparing peak areas with area of a standard (Octadecane C18); absolute compound amounts included in the data file - "Loggerdata"-file: raw data obtained from data loggers that were placed under each shelter; measured temperature and relative air humidity; one logger was placed next to the shelters and recorded temperature, relative air humidity, wind speed, photosynthetic active radiation PAR and air pressure - "Soil_humi_temp"-file: raw data of weekly measured soil humidity and soil temperature next to each plant individual using avolumetrix water content sensor (Hydrosense II, Campbell Scientific) and a simple thermometer (DET3R, Voltcraft) - "Plant_list"-file: file with individual plant informatio

Kostenkalkulation im Anlagenbau: Modell zur Bewertung der Konkurrenzfähigkeit im Entwicklungsstadium

Während Grundchemikalien größtenteils im industriellen Maßstab mittels verfahrenstechnisch optimierter Großanlagen hergestellt werden, entwickeln Forschungsinstitute biobasierte Prozesse zur Herstellung von Plattformchemikalien im Labor- und Pilotmaßstab. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird ein Kostenkalkulationsmodell zur Abschätzung der Investitions- und Betriebskosten verfahrenstechnischer Anlagen vorgestellt, auf dessen Basis die ökonomische Konkurrenzfähigkeit in der Entwicklung befindlicher Verfahren ermittelt werden kann. Das Modell ist fur Anwendungen im industriellen Maßstab geeignet

Optogenetic control shows that kinetic proofreading regulates the activity of the T cell receptor

The immune system distinguishes between self and foreign antigens. The kinetic proofreading (KPR) model proposes that T cells discriminate self from foreign ligands by the different ligand binding half-lives to the T cell receptor (TCR). It is challenging to test KPR as the available experimental systems fall short of only altering the binding half-lives and keeping other parameters of the interaction unchanged. We engineered an optogenetic system using the plant photoreceptor phytochrome B (PhyB) as a ligand to selectively control the dynamics of ligand binding to the TCR by light. This opto-ligand-TCR system was combined with the unique property of PhyB to continuously cycle between the binding and non-binding states under red light, with the light intensity determining the cycling rate and thus the binding duration. Mathematical modeling of our experimental datasets showed that indeed the ligand-TCR interaction half-life is the decisive factor for activating downstream TCR signaling, substantiating KPR.</p

The role of psychologists in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted individuals, communities, and whole populations. Experts across many different fields contributed their time and efforts in different ways to respond to the pandemic. Psychologists working in healthcare provided support and led many initiatives, both regionally and nationally. However, it is unknown how this has differed across Europe and its full range of activities and contributions. Aim: The current study is a survey of European member associations of EFPA, carried out to understand the current contributions and the impact those psychology contributions have had on the COVID-19 pandemic response, to share lessons learned, and to propose a roadmap for the future. Results: Overall, our study highlights how psychological expertise was integrated into many countries’ policy/decision-making, action-planning, caregiving, and the promotion of health and well-being to health professionals and the general public. Even in places where psychologists were not directly integrated into governmental systems, they played an important role in responding to this pandemic by providing their services and empirical knowledge. Discussion: Many psychologists possess the skills and tools to adapt their practice to the digital provision of services and to provide a continuity of care during the pandemic. Research carried out by psychologists has contributed important and new knowledge on pandemic effects, consequences, and interventions; yet, more research financial support is needed. We make recommendations for augmenting psychologists’ contributions in the future. In a global health crisis, where the main possible treatment is a preventive approach concentrated on sustainable behavior change, psychologists should be included every step of the way – they can make a difference.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Differential Utilization of Dietary Fatty Acids in Benign and Malignant Cells of the Prostate

<div><p>Tumor cells adapt via metabolic reprogramming to meet elevated energy demands due to continuous proliferation, for example by switching to alternative energy sources. Nutrients such as glucose, fatty acids, ketone bodies and amino acids may be utilized as preferred substrates to fulfill increased energy requirements. In this study we investigated the metabolic characteristics of benign and cancer cells of the prostate with respect to their utilization of medium chain (MCTs) and long chain triglycerides (LCTs) under standard and glucose-starved culture conditions by assessing cell viability, glycolytic activity, mitochondrial respiration, the expression of genes encoding key metabolic enzymes as well as mitochondrial mass and mtDNA content. We report that BE prostate cells (RWPE-1) have a higher competence to utilize fatty acids as energy source than PCa cells (LNCaP, ABL, PC3) as shown not only by increased cell viability upon fatty acid supplementation but also by an increased ß-oxidation of fatty acids, although the base-line respiration was 2-fold higher in prostate cancer cells. Moreover, BE RWPE-1 cells were found to compensate for glucose starvation in the presence of fatty acids. Of notice, these findings were confirmed <i>in vivo</i> by showing that PCa tissue has a lower capacity in oxidizing fatty acids than benign prostate. Collectively, these metabolic differences between benign and prostate cancer cells and especially their differential utilization of fatty acids could be exploited to establish novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.</p></div

Effects of the ketone body 3-hydroxy butyrate (3-OHB) under glucose starvation.

<p>(A) Overview of cellular ketone body metabolism. Upon starvation, FAs are metabolized to ketone bodies in the liver, representing an important compensatory energy source for the cells. Oxidoreductase 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH) mediates the first step of ketone body degradation from 3-hydroxybutyrate into aceto-acetate, which is subsequently converted into two molecules of acetyl-CoA for TCA cycle. (B) Expression of BDH1, BDH2, and AACS was determined in BE (RWPE-1) and PCa cells (LNCaP, ABL, PC3) by qPCR and depicted as mean expression values relative to the housekeeping gene HMBS. (C and D) Effects of 3-OHB on cell viability under glucose starvation. Cells were cultured in 6-well plates in triplicates for 24 h prior to reduction of glucose concentrations to (C) 0.5 g/L or (D) 0.25 g/L in the absence (mock) or presence of 5 mM 3-OHB. Cell viability was assessed after 72 h using WST-1 assay. Values were normalized to vehicle control (mock) under standard growth conditions (1g/L glucose), which were set at 1.0. All results are expressed as mean values (±SEM) of three independent experiments. Significance is indicated (*, P < 0,05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001).</p

Differential OXPHOS capacities of BE and PCa cells.

<p>BE RWPE-1 and PCa cells (LNCaP, ABL, PC3) were cultured under standard culture conditions (1g/L glucose) for 48 h. (A) Base-line respiration (ROUTINE state) was measured in intact cells and expressed as O2 flow per cells, IO2 (pmol.s-1.10–6 cells). (B and D) Substrate control factor was assessed in permeabilized cells (B) or tissue (D) and indicates the relative increase of respiration measured after subsequent titration of octanoyl-carnitine, glutamate, pyruvate and succinate in the ADP-stimulated (OXPHOS) state. (C and E) Coupling control ratios were assessed in permeabilized cells (C) and tissues (E), respectively. The L/P ratio provides a degree for coupling efficiency and the P/E ratio embodies the relative limitation of OXPHOS capacity exerted by the phosphorylation system. All results are expressed as mean value (±SEM) of three independent experiments for cultured cell lines (n = 3) and six paired BE and cancer tissue samples (n = 6). Significance is indicated (*, P < 0.05; **, P < 0.01; ***, P < 0.001)</p