Theory of nuclear excitation by electron capture for heavy ions

The resonant process of nuclear excitation by electron capture (NEEC) in collisions involving highly-charged ions has been investigated theoretically. NEEC is a rare recombination process in which a free electron is captured into a bound shell of an ion with the simultaneous excitation of the nucleus. Total cross sections for NEEC followed by the radiative decay of the excited nucleus are presented for various collision systems. The possibility to observe the NEEC in scattering experiments with trapped or stored ions was discussed focusing on the cases with the largest calculated resonance strength. As the photons emitted in different channels of the electron recombination process are indistinguishable in the total cross section, the interference between NEEC followed by the radiative decay of the nucleus and radiative recombination was investigated. The angular distribution of the emitted photons in the recombination process provides means to discern the two processes. Angular differential cross sections for the emitted photons in the case of E2 nuclear transitions were presented for several heavy elements

Innovationsregime der Biotechnologie im internationalen Vergleich. Herausforderungen und Probleme verwertungsorientierter Strategien

Im letzten Jahrzehnt haben sich die Anstrengungen verstärkt, in der Region Hamburg einen tragfähigen Standort für moderne Biotechnologien zu etablieren. Die wachsende Intensität der Hamburger Biotechnologieförderung kann als Reflex auf den drastischen Einbruch neu gegründeter Biotechnologiefirmen gesehen werden, der sich in den Jahren zuvor vollzog. Zahlreiche Unternehmen verschwanden ungeachtet guter Konzepte und guter Technologien nach kurzer Zeit wieder von der Bildfläche. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde am Forschungsschwerpunkt Biotechnologie, Gesellschaft und Umwelt (BIOGUM) der Universität Hamburg im Wintersemester 2004/2005 die Vortragsreihe "Strategien biotechnischer Innovation" veranstaltet, deren Ziel es sein sollte, aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven die Möglichkeiten, Probleme und Grenzen der Innovationssteuerung zu untersuchen. Die Texte des vorliegenden Bandes gehen auf Vorträge zurück, die von den Beitragenden im Rahmen dieser Vortragsreihe gehalten wurden.Over the past decade, efforts been have intensified to establish a viable location for modern biotechnologies in the Hamburg region. The growing intensity of Hamburg\u27s biotechnological support can be seen as a reflection on the drastic slump of newly founded biotechnology companies that took place in previous years. Numerous companies disappeared from the scene after a short period of time despite good concepts and good technologies. Against this background the lecture series "Strategies of Biotechnological Innovation" was held in the winter semester 2004/2005 at the Research Center for Biotechnology, Society and Environment (BIOGUM) of the University of Hamburg. Its aim was to examine the possibilities, problems and limitations of innovation management from different perspectives. The texts of this volume are based on lectures given by the contributors in the context of this lecture series

Hydrologische Grundlagen und Qualitätssicherung. Eine Auslegeordnung und Empfehlungen

Die Hydrologie stellt für Wasserbauprojekte eine zentrale Dimensionierungsgrundlage dar. Für die Abschätzung von Hochwasserabflüssen definierter Jährlichkeit (HQx) und Hochwasservolumina werden in der Schweiz verschiedene Methoden und Verfahren angewendet. Eine Arbeitsgruppe der KOHS hat sich mit finanzieller Unterstützung des BAFU vom April 2020 bis November 2021 mit der Analyse der heutigen Praxis und bestehender Methoden für die Bemessungsabflüsse auseinandergesetzt (Bild 1). Im Schlussbericht zuhanden des BAFU wurden u.a. Vorschläge zur Verbesserung der Qualität von Hochwasserabschätzungen erarbeitet und konkrete Massnahmenvorschläge für die evaluierten Defizite ausgearbeite

The effects of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and an in-hospital exercise training programme on physical fitness and quality of life in locally advanced rectal cancer patients (The EMPOWER Trial): Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: The standard treatment pathway for locally advanced rectal cancer is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgery. Neoadjuvant CRT has been shown to decrease physical fitness, and this decrease is associated with increased post-operative morbidity. Exercise training can stimulate skeletal muscle adaptations such as increased mitochondrial content and improved oxygen uptake capacity, both of which are contributors to physical fitness. The aims of the EMPOWER trial are to assess the effects of neoadjuvant CRT and an in-hospital exercise training programme on physical fitness, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and physical activity levels, as well as post-operative morbidity and cancer staging. Methods/Design: The EMPOWER Trial is a randomised controlled trial with a planned recruitment of 46 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and who are undergoing neoadjuvant CRT and surgery. Following completion of the neoadjuvant CRT (week 0) prior to surgery, patients are randomised to an in-hospital exercise training programme (aerobic interval training for 6 to 9 weeks) or a usual care control group (usual care and no formal exercise training). The primary endpoint is oxygen uptake at lactate threshold ( V · o 2 at δ L ) measured using cardiopulmonary exercise testing assessed over several time points throughout the study. Secondary endpoints include HRQoL, assessed using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, and physical activity levels assessed using activity monitors. Exploratory endpoints include post-operative morbidity, assessed using the Post-Operative Morbidity Survey (POMS), and cancer staging, assessed by using magnetic resonance tumour regression grading. Discussion: The EMPOWER trial is the first randomised controlled trial comparing an in-hospital exercise training group with a usual care control group in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. This trial will allow us to determine whether exercise training following neoadjuvant CRT can improve physical fitness and activity levels, as well as other important clinical outcome measures such as HRQoL and post-operative morbidity. These results will aid the design of a large, multi-centre trial to determine whether an increase in physical fitness improves clinically relevant post-operative outcomes

Hif1a inactivation rescues photoreceptor degeneration induced by a chronic hypoxia-like stress

Reduced choroidal blood flow and tissue changes in the ageing human eye impair oxygen delivery to photoreceptors and the retinal pigment epithelium. As a consequence, mild but chronic hypoxia may develop and disturb cell metabolism, function and ultimately survival, potentially contributing to retinal pathologies such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Here, we show that several hypoxia-inducible genes were expressed at higher levels in the aged human retina suggesting increased activity of hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs) during the physiological ageing process. To model chronically elevated HIF activity and investigate ensuing consequences for photoreceptors, we generated mice lacking von Hippel Lindau (VHL) protein in rods. This activated HIF transcription factors and led to a slowly progressing retinal degeneration in the ageing mouse retina. Importantly, this process depended mainly on HIF1 with only a minor contribution of HIF2. A gene therapy approach using AAV-mediated RNA interference through an anti-Hif1a shRNA significantly mitigated the degeneration suggesting a potential intervention strategy that may be applicable to human patients