Signature of odd-frequency pairing correlations induced by a magnetic interface

We investigate the mutual proximity effect in a normal metal contacted to a superconductor through a magnetic interface. Analytical and self-consistent numerical results are presented, and we consider both the diffusive and ballistic regimes. We focus on the density of states in both the normal and superconducting region, and find that the presence of spin-dependent phase-shifts occurring at the interface qualitatively modifies the density of states. In particular, we find that the proximity-induced pairing amplitudes in the normal metal region undergo a conversion at the Fermi level from pure even-frequency to odd-frequency. Above a critical value of the interface spin-polarization (or, equivalently, for fixed interface spin-polarization, above a critical interface resistance), only odd frequency correlations remain. This is accompanied by the replacement of the familiar proximity minigap or pseudogap in the normal layer by an enhancement of the density of states above its normal state value for energies near the chemical potential. The robustness of this effect towards inelastic scattering, impurity scattering, and the depletion of the superconducting order parameter close to the interface is investigated. We also study the inverse proximity effect in the diffusive limit. We find that the above-mentioned conversion persists also for thin superconducting layers comparable in size to the superconducting coherence length $\xi_\text{S}$, as long as the inverse proximity effect is relatively weak. Concomitantly, we find a shift in the critical interface resistance where the pairing conversion occurs. Our findings suggest a robust and simple method for producing purely odd-frequency superconducting correlations, that can be tested experimentally.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures. Submitted to Physical Review. Chosen as Editors' Suggestio

Radioligandbindungsstudien : Struktur-Wirkungs-Beziehungen von Antagonisten an muskarinischen, serotonergen und histaminergen Rezeptor-Subtypen

GPCRs and ligand-gated ion channels mediate a great variety of physiological effects within the human brain and periphery. The search for selective ligands at these target sites as pharmacological tools or new drug candidates is of great interest. With increasing knowledge of the great diversity of some receptor families, compounds formerly considered to be selective, turned out to be non-selective with regard to recently identified subtypes, splice variants or additional receptor subunits. This work provides SAR studies by means of radioligand binding experiments at serotonergic h5-HT3A and h5-HT4(b) receptors, histamine hH1 receptors and muscarinic hM1-5 receptors. ...G-protein-gekoppelte Rezeptoren und Liganden-gesteuerte Ionenkanäle vermitteln eine Vielzahl physiologischer Effekte im menschlichen Gehirn und der Körperperipherie. Selektive Liganden an diesen Rezeptoren sind nicht nur als pharmakologische Werkzeuge, sondern auch als Arzneistoffkandidaten von Interesse. Mit zunehmendem Wissen über die Komplexität einzelner Rezeptorfamilien stellte sich heraus, dass Stoffe, die zuvor als selektive Liganden angesehen wurden, nicht zwischen den altbekannten und neu entdeckten Subtypen, Splicevarianten oder Untereinheiten unterscheiden können. Diese Arbeit stellt einen Beitrag auf dem Gebiet der Struktur-Wirkungs Beziehungen an muskarinischen, serotonergen und histaminergen Rezeptoren mittels Radioligandbindungsstudien dar. ..

Essays on Autonomous Strategic Action

Kun abstrakt er tilgængelig online for denne PhD afhandling. CBS Bibliotek har en trykt udgave der kan findes via CBS bibliotekskatalog. Only abstract of this Ph.D. thesis is available online. The CBS Library has a printed edition this edition can be found through the CBS Library Catalogue

A Novel Thermochemical Long Term Storage Concept: Balance of Renewable Electricity and Heat Demand in Buildings

Until today the space heat demand of residential buildings in northern and middle European countries is still mainly supplied by the combustion of fossil fuels (mostly gas and oil). The sector therefore contributes a major share of the yearly energy related CO2 emissions of these countries. One reason for the low renewable penetration in the heating sector is, that the largest heat demand occurs during the winter period whereas in contrast high production rates of renewables prevalently occur during the summer period. To overcome this seasonal discrepancy this paper proposes a novel long term storage system based on the thermochemical reaction of calcium hydroxide to calcium oxide and water. Basic idea of the concept is to use excess electricity, for example from roof top photovoltaic systems, during the summer time to drive the endothermal charging reaction. The charged material can then be stored in simple containers at ambient temperature and the chemical potential is preserved without energy losses for an unlimited period of time. During the winter the thermal energy, which is released by performing the exothermal back reaction, provides the heat demand of the building. In contrast to so far analyzed reaction systems for seasonal storage, the system is discharged with liquid water instead of water vapor, which enhances the discharging process, technically and energetically. Moreover, using electrical energy for charging, instead of solar thermal energy, allows a flexible adaption of the storage operational times. This way, the system can be operated so, that the waste heat, which necessarily occurs during the charging process, can completely be used to satisfy the domestic hot water production during the summer. This newly identified operation principle enables a significant increase of the systems storage efficiency. A detailed analysis of the energy balance combined with a first case study of the integration into the building revealed that a potential storage efficiency of up to 96% can be reached. In brief, this paper presents a completely new technological concept which couples the power and heat sector by cost efficient long term energy storage and evaluates the potential for the application in residential buildings

Thermochemical Energy Storage with CaO/Ca(OH)2 – Experimental investigation of the thermal capability at low vapor pressures in a lab scale reactor

The reversible reaction of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) to calcium oxide (CaO) and water vapor is well known in the context of thermochemical energy storage. Cheap material costs, a theoretically very high energy density and the potentially wide temperature range of the reaction imply that the storage system could be beneficial for many high temperature processes. For example the system could be applied to store and reutilize industrial waste heat or as an alternative storage solution in future concentrated solar power plants. In this publication the reaction is experimentally investigated in an indirectly operated fixed bed reactor at different technically relevant but so far not investigated operating conditions. This in particular means the thermal charging and discharging of the storage at low water vapor pressures under different heating and cooling loads induced by a heat transfer fluid. The experiments revealed that the reaction gas handling not only affects the operating range of the storage but has also a significant influence on its thermal capability. Especially at low vapor pressures operational limits of the system have been identified and could be contributed to the effective reaction rate of the reaction material which is in the relevant operating range very sensitive to small changes of the local reaction conditions

Costs and treatment patterns of incident ADHD patients - a comparative analysis before and after the initial diagnosis -

Background and objectives: The costs and treatment patterns of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are subjects of health services research in Germany and worldwide. Previous publications focused mainly on prevalent patients and thus research gaps were identified regarding costs and treatment patterns of incident patients before and after the first diagnosis. Methods: Analyses were conducted using claims data obtained from a large German sickness fund (Techniker Krankenkasse). Inclusion criteria consisted of patients with at least two secured outpatient or one inpatient ADHD diagnosis in 2007. Incidence was ensured by defining a baseline period without ADHD-diagnosis in 2006. In addition to diseaserelated cost analyses compared to a control group including age group comparisons, comorbidities, the proportion of multimodal treatment and medication treatment patterns were described. Results: In total, 9083 newly diagnosed ADHD patients were identified (73 % male; mean age: 12.9 years (SD: 10.3)). The mean total cost of ADHD patients during the year after the first diagnosis exceeded the mean total cost of the year before by 976 € (Differencein-Difference-estimator: 1006 €). Our analyses have shown that 10 % of ADHD patients have been treated with multimodal therapy. In addition, 11 % of the investigated ADHD population have received methylphenidate or atomoxetine preceeding the date of diagnosis in the relevant observation period. Discussion: This study provides important insights into the costs as well as the treatment patterns of incident ADHD patients. ADHD-related costs and medications can be identified prior to the date of the first ADHD diagnosis. Although, multimodal therapy is presented as an optimal treatment option by many international guidelines and experts, its proportion for treatment is low (10 %). Further research is necessary to identify reasons for the low proportion of multimodal therapy and (cost-)effectiveness has to be evaluated in comparison to other treatment options. In addition, ADHD-related costs could be identified before the first diagnosis is documented. The reasons for medication prior to diagnosis have to be further investigated.BMB

Treatment with p33 Curtails Morbidity and Mortality in a Histone-Induced Murine Shock Model.

Collateral damage caused by extracellular histones has an immediate impact on morbidity and mortality in many disease models. A significant increase in the levels of extracellular histones is seen in critically ill patients with trauma and sepsis. We showed that histones are released from necrotic cells in patients with invasive skin infections. Under in vitro conditions, endogenous p33, an endothelial surface protein also known as the gC1q receptor, interacts with histones released from damaged endothelial cells. Functional analyses have revealed that recombinantly expressed p33 completely neutralizes the harmful features of histones, i.e. hemolysis of erythrocytes, lysis of endothelial cells and platelet aggregation. We also noted that mice treated with a sublethal dose of histones developed severe signs of hemolysis, thrombocytopenia and lung tissue damage already 10 min after inoculation. These complications were fully counteracted when p33 was administered together with the histones. Moreover, application of p33 significantly improved survival in mice receiving an otherwise lethal dose of histones. Together, our data suggest that treatment with p33 is a promising therapeutic approach in severe infectious diseases. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Seasonal Power-to-Heat Storage based on Ca(OH)2 - Development of Pilot Plant

Until today the space heat demand of residential buildings in northern and middle European countries is still mainly supplied by the combustion of fossil fuels. The sector thus contributes a major share of the yearly energy related CO2 emissions of these countries. One main reason for this is that in winter the availability of renewable energy sources is generally low, while heat demand is at its highest. Simultaneously, renewable production often exceeds the energy demand in buildings during the summertime. To compensate the seasonal discrepancy, a novel seasonal power-to-heat storage for buildings is being developed. Its function principle is based on the thermochemical, exothermal reaction between calcium oxide (obtained from limestone) and water, resulting in calcium hydroxide. The reaction can be repeated as often as desired as long as renewable electricity is available. This presentation will outline our storage system’s development as well as our latest experimental data

Components explain, but do eddy fluxes constrain? Carbon budget of a nitrogen-fertilized boreal Scots pine forest

Nitrogen (N) fertilization increases biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation in boreal pine forests, but the underlying mechanisms remain uncertain. At two Scots pine sites, one undergoing annual N fertilization and the other a reference, we sought to explain these responses.We measured component fluxes, including biomass production, SOC accumulation, and respiration, and summed them into carbon budgets. We compared the resulting summations to ecosystem fluxes measured by eddy covariance.N fertilization increased most component fluxes (P −2 yr−1. Stemwood production increases were ascribed to this partitioning shift, gross primary production (GPP), and carbon-use efficiency, in that order. The methods agreed in their estimates of GPP in both stands (P > 0.05), but the components detected an increase in net ecosystem production (NEP) (190 (54) g C m−2 yr−1; P −2 yr−1; ns).The pairing of plots, the simplicity of the sites, and the strength of response provide a compelling description of N effects on the C budget. However, the disagreement between methods calls for further paired tests of N fertilization effects in simple forest ecosystems

Development of a Moving Bed Reactor for Thermochemical Heat Storage Based on Granulated Ca(OH)2

Calcium hydroxide is promising for thermal energy storage due to its low cost and high energy density. Nevertheless, the powdered material is cohesive and has low thermal conductivity which is a major challenge for the operation of moving bed reactors. One approach to facilitate the movement of the reaction bed is the stabilisation of the particles through the coating of Ca(OH)2 granules with Al2O3 particles. In this work, a newly designed reactor concept was specifically developed for testing coated Ca(OH)2 granules. The design allows for the movement of the reaction bed by gravity assistance and direct heating of the particles by a counter current gas flow. The operation was successfully demonstrated and proved to achieve high heat transfer between gas and granules. Furthermore, the movement of the reaction bed was achieved after the discharging phase. Two batches of uncoated and coated Ca(OH)2 granules were subject of 10 thermochemical cycles in this reactor. The cycling stability, structural integrity, mechanical stability, morphology and phase composition of the granules were analysed. Full conversion of both samples was demonstrated for the entire experimental series. It was found that the alumina coating enhances the mechanical stability of the granules under reaction conditions