Publications Repository - Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf

The manipulation of magnetic fluids by external magnetic field is contactless and free of Joule heating. The paramagnetic liquid offers possibly of manipulation and has a potential application in rare earth element separation. Yet, unlike super-paramagnetic liquid, e.g. ferrofluid, such dynamics is lack of investigation. To observe the combined effect of gravity and magnetic field on paramagnetic solution, the permanent magnet was moved vertically above the free surface of DyCl3 and MnSO4 solution. The change of interface was followed optically by shadowgraph. The focus of the work is the interfacial height difference. Moreover, the morphology of the free interface was observed. The objective one is investigated by changing the concentrations as well as the speed of applying and removing of the magnet. The speed of the moving magnet falls into two categories. One relates to quasi-static magnetization and demagnetization and the second represents jump-like magnetization and demagnetization, i.e. 0.5 mm/s and 20 mm/s respectively. It was found, that the level of liquid is oscillating with specific frequency defined by concentration of solution and is independent of the magnet velocity.

Electrolytic gas evolution is a fundamental phenomenon occurring in a large number of industrial applications where gas bubbles grow at electrodes from a supersaturated solution. Since dissolved gases or ionic species can change the surface tension, a gradient may exist along the interface between the gas bubble and the electrolyte. Surface tension gradients may also arise from temperature gradients generated from Ohmic heating by the Faradaic current. The resulting shear stress can drive convection at the interface (Marangoni effect) which may influence the mass transfer across the interface during growth and finally the departure of the gas bubble.
In this study, numerical simulations are performed on Marangoni convection around a hydrogen gas bubble grown electrochemically at a microelectrode in an acidic electrolyte. The results are compared with recent experimental results on the near-bubble convection obtained by a Particle Tracking Velocimetry (PTV) technique and on corresponding temperature measurements. A clear evidence for the Marangoni effect is found [1], and the ratio of thermal and solutal Marangoni effects is discussed.

[1] X. Yang et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., accepted (2018).

Hydrogen produced from wind or solar power could be used easily for storing energy also at large scale, thus allowing to bridge the gap between supply and demand of renewable energy with respect to time and place. When splitting water by electrolysis, a deeper look at local phenomena near single bubbles at the electrode might be helpful to improve our understanding of this process. In the recent literature, magnetic fields are discussed with respect to the bubble departure, thereby possibly influencing the efficiency of the process [1-5].
The contribution will present numerical simulations resolving in detail local phenomena near a single hydrogen bubble evolving at a small circular cathode during the electrolysis of water. The results are compared with experimental data of hydrogen evolution at a platinum micro-electrode. Hereby, the influence of the Lorentz force caused by vertical and horizontal magnetic fields will be discussed. The results presented will provide insight into electrolyte convection, species concentration, mass transfer and on the bubble departure [6-8].

A future upgrade of the European XFEL (E-XFEL) foresees an additional CW operation mode, which will increase the flexibility in the photon beam time structure [1, 2, 3]. One of the challenges of this operational mode is the need for a CW operating photo injector. We believe that using an SRF gun is the preferred approach as the beam parameters of normal conducting pulsed guns can be potentially met by SRF guns operating CW. For more than a decade DESY, in collaboration with TJNAF, NCBJ, BNL, HZB and HZDR, has performed R&D to develop an all superconducting RF gun with a lead cathode. In the frame of E-XFEL CW upgrade feasibility studies, the SRF-gun R&D program gained more attention and support. Within the next few years we would like to demonstrate the performance of the all superconducting injector required for the E-XFEL upgrade. The selected approach offers advantages w.r.t. the cleanliness of the superconducting surface, but requires a complete disassembly of a cryostat and stripping the gun cavity in a clean room to exchange the cathode. Thus it is practical only when the life time of the cathode is at least several months. In this paper we present the actual status of the R&D program, next steps and the longer term plans.

The cell surface receptor claudin-4 (Cld-4) is upregulated in various tumours and represents an important emerging target for both diagnosis and treatment of solid tumors of epithelial origin. The C-terminal fragment of the Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin cCPE290-319 appears as a suitable ligand for targeting Cld-4. The synthesis of this 30mer peptide was attempted via several approaches, which has revealed sequential SPPS using three pseudoproline-dipeptide building blocks to be the most efficient one. Labelling with fluorine-18 was achieved on solid phase using N-succinimidyl 4-[¹⁸F]fluorobenzoate ([¹⁸F]SFB) and 4-[¹⁸F]fluorobenzoyl chloride as ¹⁸F-acylating agents, which was most advantageous when [¹⁸F]SFB was reacted with the resin-bound 30mer containing an N-terminal 6-aminohexanoic spacer. Binding to Cld-4 was demonstrated via surface plasmon resonance using a protein construct containing both extracellular loops of Cld-4. In addition, cell binding experiments were performed for ¹⁸F-labelled cCPE290-319 with the Cld-4 expressing tumour cell lines HT-29 and A431 that were complemented by fluorescence microscopy studies using the corresponding fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated peptide. The 30mer peptide proved to be sufficiently stable in blood plasma. Studying the in vivo behavior of ¹⁸F-labelled cCPE290-319 in healthy mice and rats by dynamic PET imaging and radiometabolite analyses has revealed that the peptide is subject to substantial liver uptake and rapid metabolic degradation in vivo, which limits its suitability as imaging probe for tumour-associated Cld-4.

Hydrometallurgical research of HZDR will be presented in this contribution. .An overview will be provided on relevant hydrometallurgical research carried out in Freiberg and in Dresden. The progress of collaborative research projects will be documented and preliminary results presented. A particular focus will be set on the development of pilot plant-scale research facilities and the opportunities this offers for future research.

Fourier analysis of regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRglc) as estimated by measurement of standardized uptake values (SUVs) of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) using functional positron emission tomography magnetic resonance imaging (fPET/MRI) revealed activation patterns during white light and colour stimulation in male and female mice, respectively. Spectral density curves of the cortical and subcortical peaks demonstrated wavelength-differencing for luminance and chromatic opponency in the ventral stream in male mice, but frequency-differencing in the dorsal stream in female mice. Male mice demonstrated subcortico-cortical bottom-up feed-forward system for light and colour processing, while in female mice there was a cortico-subcortical top-bottom feed-back system.
Fourier time series analysis was helpful to improve both spatial and temporal resolution of PET/MRI for study of colour processing in the visual system. It demonstrated computation of colour processing as conscious experience, and has a wide range of applications including in artificial intelligence and quantum mechanics.

Circular Economy (CE)
-The origins
Circular Economy Engineering (CEE)
Metallurgical Internet-of-Things (m-IoT)
-Comprehensive flowsheets that integrate product design with physical separation and process metallurgy
Informing Resource Efficiency (iRE)
-Case 1: Fairphone
-Case 2: Plasma furnace for battery smelting & fuming
Additional Sheets
-Case 3: Recycling of LED lamps / Literature / More detailed sheets

A complete knowledge of bubble column fluid dynamics relies on understanding both the “global-scale” and the “local-scale” phenomena and coupling between the phases. Unfortunately, most of the previous literature focused on the “global-scale” fluid dynamics, whereas a limited attention was devoted to the “local-scale” fluid dynamics. In this study, we contribute to the present-day discussion through an experimental study concerning the local liquid velocity field in the pseudo-homogeneous flow regime. The experimental study, based on a particle-identification and particle-tracking algorithm, was conducted in a large-diameter and large-scale air-water bubble column (with a height of 5.3 m and inner diameter of 0.24 m) operated in the counter-current mode. We considered gas superficial velocities in the range of 0.37–1.88 cm/s and liquid superficial velocities up to −9 cm/s. The time-averaged and the transient liquid velocity field were obtained and critically discussed for five superficial gas velocities and four superficial liquid velocities at two measuring heights. Subsequently, the local locally resolved information concerning the liquid velocity were coupled with the previously measured bubble size distributions and local void fractions, to provide a complete description of the “local-scale” fluid dynamics. In addition, these data would help in the validation of numerical codes to predict industrial-scale relevant conditions.

The two- or multi-fluid approach is frequently used for NRS-related simulations of gas-liquid flows. To enable reliable predictions the closure models have to reflect the involved local physical phenomena at the non-resolved scale properly. To consolidate the CFD-modelling in the frame of the multi-fluid approach the so-called baseline model strategy was recently proposed (Lucas et al., 2016). The paper discusses a long-term strategy for the baseline model development and ways to obtain or improve closure models. Guidelines for the model development are given by listing requirements for appropriate closure models as well as frequently made mistakes. This is illustrated by examples for recent developments done for HZDR baseline models for poly-disperse bubbly and segregated flows. Beside an update on recent developments ongoing and planned activities are discussed. Both models are united in the GENTOP-concept which allows simulating flow pattern transitions. Finally, perspectives for the use of OpenFOAM for NRS are discussed.

Laser wakefield accelerators have the capability to produce few-femtosecond, high charge and high peak current beams in the GeV energy range within only a few centimeters of acceleration length. The unique beam properties from these novel concept accelerators can be employed to explore new concepts such as beam driven plasma acceleration or driving superradiant light sources, which require peak currents beyond those found in current conventional accelerators.
Here, we report on robust generation of high quality electron beams at unprecedented high peak currents. The self-truncated ionization injection scheme is employed, enabling a precise control over the amount of injected electrons with charges up to 0.5 nC (FWHM) at a quasi-monoenergetic peak. Minimization of energy spread is reached by optimizing the beam loading condition1,2. An ultrafast single-shot electron beam diagnostic based on Coherent Optical Transition Radiation reveals ~10 femtosecond bunch lengths yielding peak currents of over 10 kA. Such peak currents are one to two orders of magnitude larger than those found in conventional RF accelerators. Control of the energy spread of LWFA beams with the beam loading condition together with the scaling to high peak currents paves the road for driving superradiant lights sources and enables the first proof-of-principle experiment of a hybrid laser- to beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerator in an effort to further improve beam quality found in plasma accelerators.

1 J.P. Couperus et al., “Demonstration of a beam loaded nanocoulomb-class laser wakefield accelerator”, Nature Communication, 8, 487 (2017)
2 A. Irman et al., “Improved performance of laser wakefield acceleration by tailored self-truncation ionization injection”, Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 60, 044015 (2018)

Background: Radiomercury 197mHg and 197Hg, henceforth referred to as 197(m)Hg, is a promising theranostic radionuclide endowed with properties that allow diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The aim of this work was to investigate the capabilities of 197(m)Hg for nuclear medicine imaging. Therefore measurements were performed by using a Philips BrightView SPECT camera. Furthermore, Monte Carlo simulations using the GATE software were performed to theoretically explore the imaging contribution from the various gamma and X-ray emissions from 197(m)Hg for a commercial clinical camera with low-energy high-resolution (LEHR) and high-energy general-purpose (HEGP) collimators. We estimated the spatial resolution by using a four-quadrant bar phantom, and we evaluated the planar and tomographic images from an abdominal phantom containing three cylindrical sources of 197(m)Hg solution.
Results: A good accordance between measurements and simulations was found for planar and SPECT imaging. Simulations allowed the decomposition of the detected energy spectrum into photon origins. Measurements and simulations for the bar phantom revealed that for the LEHR collimator, the 6-mm pattern could be resolved, whereas for the HEGP collimator, the resolution is about 10 mm. Furthermore, we found that no significant image distortion results from high-energy photons when using the LEHR collimator.
Conclusions: We demonstrated the imaging capabilities of 197(m)Hg which is essential both for diagnostic applications and to determine the in vivo biodistribution for dose calculations in therapeutic applications.

• Circular Economy (CE)
• Circular Economy Engineering (CEE)
• Metallurgical Internet-of-Things (m-loT)
• informing Resource Efficieny (iRE) - Fairphone
• Additional Sheets - Recycling of LED lamps/Literature/More detailed sheets

Circular Economy (CE)
Circular Economy Engineering (CEE)
Metallurgical Internet-of-Things (m-IoT)
informing Resource Efficiency (iRE)

Overview of Circular Economy in the Metallurgical Processing Industry
Introduction into HSC / into Simulation Based Footprinting / of Case: Processing of slag in a plasma furnace
Completion of Case
Environmental impact assessment using HSC Sim and GaBi

Background and purpose
Oesophageal mobility relative to bony anatomy is a major source of geometrical uncertainty in proton radiotherapy of oesophageal carcinoma. To mitigate this uncertainty we investigated the use of implanted fiducial markers for direct target verification in terms of safety, visibility, and stability.
Materials and methods
A total of 19 helical gold markers were endoscopically implanted in ten patients. Their placement at the proximal and distal tumour borders was compared to tumour demarcations derived from [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography, their visibility quantified via the contrast-to-noise ratio on daily orthogonal X-ray imaging, and their mobility relative to bony anatomy analysed by means of retrospective triangulation.
Results
Marker implantation proceeded without complications, but the distal tumour border could not be reached in two patients. Marker locations corresponded reasonably well with metabolic tumour edges (mean: 5.4 mm more distally). Marker visibility was limited but mostly sufficient (mean contrast-to-noise ratio: 1.5), and sixteen markers (84%) remained in situ until the end of treatment. Overall, marker excursions from their planned position were larger than 5(10) mm in 59(17)% of all analysed fractions. On one occasion severe target displacement was only identified via markers and was corrected before treatment delivery.
Conclusion
Implanted helical gold fiducial markers are a safe and reliable method of providing target-centric positioning verification in proton beam therapy of oesophageal carcinoma.

• Introduction Circular Economy
• Exergy as a resource consumption indicator
• Thermoeconomics
• Simulation-based exergy and thermoeconomic analysis
• Extractive metallurgy of copper case
• Conclusions

A theoretical approach has been developed to study the spin-wave dynamics of magnetizationgraded ferromagnetic films, where the magnetic properties change along the film thickness. The theory is based in a multilayer approach, where the influence of both long-range dipolar interactions and interlayer exchange coupling between sublayers is analytically derived, allowing for instance to describe films with continuous variation of the magnetization saturation. A systematic study is carried out in order to analyze different profiles of the magnetic properties along the thickness. It is found that the spin-wave dispersion is significantly modified when the magnetic properties change on the film's bulk, in such a way that a notable frequency nonreciprocity of two counterpropagating spin waves is predicted. Interestingly, the frequency difference exhibits a nonmonothonic behavior that can be positive or negative depending on the wave vector. This is accompanied with heterosymmetric mode profiles and a modification of the conventional quantization condition associated to the perpendicular standing spin-wave modes. Micromagnetic simulations have been carried out to validate the model, where a perfect agreement is reached between both methods. These results show that magnetization-graded ferromagnetic films can be used to channelize and control the spin waves, promoting different kinds of applications for magnon-based devices.

• Circular Economy (CE) + the origins
• Circular Economy Engineering (CEE) + System Integrated Metal Production (SIMP)
• Metallurgical Internet-of-Things (m-loT)

• informing Resource Efficiency (iRE)

Background and Purpose:

Range prediction in particle therapy is associated with an uncertainty originating from the calculation of stopping-power ratio (SPR) based on x-ray computed tomography (CT). Here, we assessed the intra- and inter-patient variability of tissue properties in primary brain-tumor patients using dual-energy CT (DECT) and quantified its influence on current SPR prediction.

Material and Methods:

Based on 102 patient DECT scans, SPR distributions were derived from a patient-specific DECT-based approach. Tissue-specific and global deviations between this method and the state-of-the-art CT-number-to-SPR conversion applying a Hounsfield look-up table (HLUT) were quantified. To isolate systematic deviations between both, the HLUT was optimized using DECT. Subsequently, the influence of soft tissue diversity and age-related variations in bone composition on SPR were assessed.

Results:

An intra-patient ± inter-patient soft tissue diversity of (4.4±0.7)% in SPR was obtained after conservative consideration of noise-induced variation. Between adults and children younger than 6 years, age-related variations in bone composition resulted in a median SPR difference of approximately 5%.

Conclusions:

Patient-specific DECT-based stopping-power prediction can intrinsically incorporate most of the SPR variability arising from tissue mixtures, inter-patient and intra-tissue variations. Since the state-of-the-art HLUT - even after cohort-specific optimization - cannot fully consider the broad tissue variability, patient-specific DECT-based stopping-power prediction is advisable in particle therapy.

Introduction: Focal adhesion proteins (FAPs) have been shown to be essential determinants of cancer therapy outcome. Our previous findings revealed the role of FAPs in DNA repair processes. Here, we characterized the unknown and novel functions of Synemin, an intermediate filament protein, which functions as FAP, as novel double strand break (DSB) repair and as tyrosine kinase regulator in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).
Materials and methods: Using a novel 3D High Throughput RNAi Screen (3D HTP-RNAi-S), clonogenic survival and double strand breaks (DSB) repair in non- and -irradiated HNSCC were analyzed upon knockdown of 117 FAP. Confirmatory data were generated in a panel of 10 HNSCC cell lines. Reporter gene assays were applied to determine the efficiency in DNA DSB repair by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). Western blot was used to determine protein expression and phosphorylation. Immunoprecipitation (IP) and kinase activity profiling (PamGene) were carried out to determine Synemin interactome.
Results and Discussion: Among the potential FAP targets from our 3D HTP-RNAi-S, Synemin turned out as a novel and most promising candidate in controlling HNSCC radiosensitivity. Intriguingly, Synemin depletion induced a 40% reduced NHEJ activity while leaving HR unchanged. We demonstrated significant dephosphorylation of DNA-PKcs kinase, a key component of the NHEJ pathway, as well as reduced levels of Ku70 in Synemin depleted, irradiated HNSCC cells as compared to controls. We further demonstrated an almost comprehensive deactivation of 86 tyrosine kinases after Synemin silencing. Among these, bioinformatic analysis revealed c-Abl highly downregulated at 24 hours post irradiation in Synemin-depleted HNSCC cells. Co-IP revealed an interaction between Synemin and c-Abl suggesting those proteins to form a protein complex. Single, double and triple depletion of Synemin, DNA-PKcs, and c-Abl resulted in similar radiosensitization and DSB levels, suggesting Synemin to be located upstream of these DNA repair kinases.
Conclusion: Our data suggest the intermediate filament Synemin as a novel determinant of DNA repair, tyrosine kinase regulation and radiosensitivity of HNSCC cells. These observations further support the notion that DNA repair is controlled by cooperative interactions between nuclear, membrane and cytoplasmic proteins.

Rock-to-Metal digitalized and linked to Energy is the Music
The Metal Wheel – A deep understanding is required
Metallurgical Infrastructure Criticality; not only Metal / Element Criticality
Digitalization of the Circular Economy & Analysis
Analyzing the CE system to understand economically the losses on a simulation basis using thermoeconomics & LCA
EU’s Metal Wheel: Develop thermodynamic detail
The Limits of Recycling: Modular design pushing limits

The aim of the seminar should be to define the role of regions in shaping a holistic industrial strategy for the EU, particularly with regard to innovation, digitalisation and global competition.
Through a smart, sustainable and inclusive industrial policy, innovative ecosystems are to be promoted in the regions, entrepreneurship encouraged, and jobs created.
Regulatory barriers will need to be dismantled, sustainability ensured, European technological sovereignty preserved and fairness achieved in global competition. To this end, the experience and knowledge of the regions and their proposals for a future EU industrial strategy are indispensable.
The example of Saxony can be used to demonstrate the progress made towards “Industry 4.0” in the fields of microelectronics, e-mobility, material efficiency/resource technologies and advanced manufacturing.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is notoriously resistant to radio/chemotherapy and carries the most dismal prognosis among solid tumors with a 5-year relative overall survival rate of approximately 6% and. Thus, there is a great need for molecular-targeting strategies. As cell-matrix adhesion is essential for the survival, invasion and therapy resistance, we sought to identify the function of 117 focal adhesion proteins (FAP) in PDAC cell radioresistance. Intriguingly 8 integrin turned out to be one of the most potential novel targets in PDAC.
Material and methods: We performed a 3D tumor organoid endoribonuclease-prepared siRNA (esiRNA)-based high throughput screening (3DHTesiS) in PDAC cell cultures (established and patient-derived (PDC)) grown in laminin-rich extracellular matrix (IrECM). In addition to characterizing 8 integrin expression, distribution and co-localization with other cellular organelles such as golgi apparatus, tumor organoid forming ability was measured upon 8 integrin knockdown in X-ray (6 Gy) and/or gemcitabine-treated cells. Fiji software was used to determine Peason’s correlation coefficient, vesicle distribution and expression patterns upon irradiation or gemcitabine. An inhibitor screen was conducted to identify pathways involved in the perinuclear-to-cytoplasmic shift of 8 integrin upon treatment. Immunoprecipitation–Mass Spectrometry (IP-MS) was performed to identify 8 integrin interactome upon irradiation.
Results: We identified a series of novel targets including 8 integrin. Without cytotoxicity, 8 integrin depletion elicited radiochemosensitization in PDAC. Intriguingly, we found 8 integrin located in perinuclearly where it colocalize with the cis-Golgi matrix protein GM130. Upon irradiation or gemcitabine, 8 integrin dissociated from the perinuclear region and spread throughout the cytosol by interact with motor proteins including dynein, kinesin, myosin; a process abrogated by microtubule-disturbing agent colchicine. Additionally, 8 integrin depletion reduced PDAC cells autophagy by LC3 turnover assay.
Summary: Our findings, generated in 3D lrECM PDAC organoid cell cultures, suggest 8 integrin as a novel determinant of PDAC radiochemoresistance. Moreover, 8 integrin may facilitate, although not found in the cell membrane to facilitate cell adhesion, a critical role in intracellular vesicle trafficking and co-regulation of autophagy upon irradiation.

Introduction:

The integral membrane protein caveolin–1 (cav1) plays multiple roles in cell physiology and pathology such as endocytosis, signal transduction and tumorigenesis. In cancer, cav1 has a paradoxical function depending on the type of the cancer cells, as an oncogene or as a tumor suppressor. The exact mechanisms by which cav1 controls cancer cell survival are unclear. Our previous studies show that cav1 is overexpressed in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, contribute to cellular radioresistance and cancer cell survival. In this study, we examined how cav1 co–regulates the repair of radiogenic DNA double strand breaks.

Methods:

As models, we used normal and radioresistant cancer cells (i.e. MiaPaCa 2 pancreatic cancer cells, PC3 human prostate cancer cells, MCF7 breast cancer cells, and MEFs). We tracked fluorescently tagged cav1 upon x–ray irradiation by performing super resolution live–cell 3D imaging in combination with cell biological, biochemical and biophysical methods. DNA repair was measured in stably 53BP1-GFP-transfected cells as well as staining of 53BP1 and γH2AX.

Results:

We found that both cav1 expression and its mobility are correlated with the dynamics of DNA repair upon ionizing radiation in both normal and radioresistant cancer cells. We further confirm that cav1 upregulation is correlated with resistance to x–ray irradiation. Intriguingly, cells irradiated in suspension and subsequently washed prior to co–culturing with unirradiated cells showed significantly less DNA double strand breaks relative to non–co–culture conditions. This cell–to–cell signaling phenomenon was correlated with and conducted through a transfer of cav1 and mitochondria from unirradiated to irradiated cells via intercellular membrane nanotubes.

Conclusion:

Cell stress responses can be modulated via multiple pathways. Our data provide insight into the cytoprotective, cell–to–cell and DNA repair–modulating functions of the integral membrane protein cav1. In addition to the “classical” bystander effect mediated by gap junction-related cell–cell contact and soluble factors, intercellular membrane nanotubes serve as a potent and novel survival nexus. Moreover, this mitochondria–cav1 complex and intercellular membrane nanotubes may serve as potential targets for molecular–targeted therapies to overcome radio- and chemoresistance of cancer cells.

Process simulation and environmental softwareare applied to quantify resource efficiency (RE) in a rigorous manner. These digitalisation tools are linked and will be used to show how the environmental performance of copper primary production, the processing of residues and the recycling of e-waste, e.g. light emitting diode (LED) lamps as well as the production of nickel pig iron can be evaluated.

The limitations to materials flows from recycling in the circular economy are discussed using as a case a simulation-based analysis of the recyclability of the Fairphone 2. Three different recycling routes are analysed using simulation models that link the bill of materials and full material declarations to the final metal recovery via physical separation models. The recycling and recovery rates are depicted in an innovative recycling index and material flower that helps drive the discussion about the inevitable tradeoffs between the recyclability of different target materials and debunks the myth of a total recyclability of materials. Modular design is shown to have clear recycling as well as environmental advantages. This study is part of the SustainablySMART project.This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 680640. © 2018 GDMB Gesellschaft fur Bergbau, Metallurgie, Rohstoff- und Umwelttechnik e.V. All rights reserved.

Introduction:

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels have proven to be a viable candidate as a structural material in a fusion power plant, due to their enhanced mechanical properties and resilience under irradiation and at high temperatures. A high interest in the development of austenitic ODS (AODS) steel became noticeable, which is shown by the increased amount of publications in that field in the recent years. That can be related to the inherently better corrosion resistance and superior creep properties compared to its ferritic counterpart. However, one of the major drawbacks of AODS steels was the more challenging mechanical alloying (MA) process and a lower powder production yield, caused by a more ductile and adhesive powder. This disadvantage was tackled by the addition of a process control agent (PCA) during the MA, but it was yet to be shown how the addition of a PCA affects the microstructure of the AODS.

Methods:

AODS with a carbon-containing PCA was mechanical alloyed, hot-extruded, and subsequently annealed at 700, 900, and 1100 °C for 2, 750, 1000, 1250 and 1500 hours to investigation the influence of carbon on the formation and stability of precipitates as well as on the grain size in comparison to available literature data. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography methods were applied in this systematic study to identify the possible growth of nano-precipitates. An Arrhenius-equation was used to determine the activation energy of the growth of precipitates.

Results and Discussion:

A growth of precipitates is barely detectable at temperatures equal or lower than 900 °C. The grain size remains stable. However, an unexpected increase of the grain and precipitates sizes and a decreased activation energy was measured at temperatures of 1100 °C for all annealing times. Recently published results of similar AODS steels have shown a stability of the microstructure up to 1250 °C. Due to this contradiction, we concluded that the growth of precipitates and the reduction of the grain boundary pinning force was supported by the diffusion of carbon and the formation of carbides.

In this experimental work the behaviour of Ni, Si and P, typical impurities or low alloying elements in ferritic/martensitic nuclear steels, with increasing irradiation dose was investigated in model FeCrX (X = Ni, Si, P, NiSiP) alloys using atom-probe 3D maps. These elements are known to increase the embrittlement and the hardening of steels by segregating at internal surfaces and creating solute-rich clusters at 300°C. This study is focused on the analysis of the clusters and the influence of every chemical specie in their formation. The model alloys have been irradiated with 5 MeV Fe2+ ions up to 0.1 and 0.5 dpa at 300°C and the 3D atom maps have been analysed using statistical tools and iso-concentration algorithms. P is proven to be the fastest diffuser whereas Ni and Si are slower. The three species segregate together strengthening the idea that they are decorating stable defect clusters by dumbbell or vacancy dragging. And no apparent influence on the clustering of every element over the others is observed up to 0.1dpa, suggesting the absence of synergistic effect between these species.

Circular economy (CE) is defined here in terms of the metallurgical Internet of Things (m-IoT). This is the digitalized Web of Metals (WoM) or, in other words, the system integrated material production (SIMP). Its digitalization provides the real-time detail that quantifies the three pillars of sustainability: social, environmental, and economical. This is termed ‘‘circular economy engineering’’ (CEE), i.e., the digitalization of the CE, using among others the theory and technology of minerals processing, metallurgy, recycling, computer-aided engineering (CAE), and product design. This provides the basis for the estimation of the metrics of resource efficiency (RE) and, hence, provides a direction for innovation and also enables the m-IoT.

#Geometallurgy18
Geometallurgy is now largely accepted as the process to quantify and understand a mineral deposit in terms of its structure, composition and ultimately to determine its economic value.
Geometallurgy 2018 will bring together experts from academia and industrial research, practitioners from operating mines, consultants and contractors as well as industry bodies with the aim of increasing the understanding and value of mineral assets.

Radiation therapy represents a commonly applied treatment regimen for solid tumors. Unfortunately, it is often accompanied by a high risk for the outgrowth of radioresistant cancer cells against which treatment options are limited. We challenged the idea whether or not chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells could be exploited as an adjuvant immunotherapy in combination with standard radiotherapy. Over the past several years, we have established switchable universal CAR constructs (UniCARs) that recognize a short peptide epitope (E5B9) which does not exist on the surface of living cells. UniCAR T cells are redirected to malignant cells exclusively in the presence of a target module (TM) that contains the epitope E5B9 and specifically binds to a tumor-associated antigen (TAA) on the tumor cell surface.
For providing a rationale for the combination of CAR and radiation therapy, we used different radioresistant sublines of the head and neck cancer cell line Cal33. Expression of various TAAs including of PSCA, EGFR and CD98 was confirmed by flow cytometry analysis. Subsequently, TMs recognizing these potential targets were generated from the variable domains of monoclonal antibodies, cloned into lentiviral vectors and purified from cell culture supernatants of TM-producing stable cell lines. In parallel, T cells isolated from healthy donors were engrafted with UniCARs by lentiviral transduction. Armed with our anti-TAA TMs, UniCAR T cells efficiently lysed radioresistant Cal33 tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo.
Taken together, we could demonstrate that radioresistant cancer cells can effectively be killed by retargeting UniCAR T cells against PSCA, CD98 and EGFR. Thus, resistance to standard of care radiotherapy can be overcome by concomitant or subsequent immunotherapy using the flexible UniCAR technology.

Metal-induced crystallization with layer exchange (MIC w LE) can reduce the crystallization temperature of group 14 elements by several hundred degrees. This is especially interesting for device fabrication on substrates with limited thermal stability. Ideally, the process allows the transfer of defined amounts of an initially amorphous material onto a randomly selected substrate. In this contribution, MIC w LE is studied for Ni/ a-C thin films with different stacking sequences in order to quantify the influence of the stacking sequence on the layer exchange degree αLE and on the degree of graphitic ordering. The process was monitored in situ by temperature-dependent Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and Raman spectroscopy up to 700 °C. RBS, Raman, elastic recoil detection, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were applied for ex situ characterization.
The highest αLE of 96% was found for the initial Ni/a-C stacking sequence. In contrast, the inverse sequence resulted in an incomplete LE. The formation of 2D-layered carbon structures occurred independently of the initial stacking sequence.1 Beyond the threshold of 580 °C, increasing the temperature to up to 700 °C had a negligible impact on the degree of 2D-ordering. Since LE and graphitization occur simultaneously at high temperatures, MIC w LE rather than dissolution/ precipitation is proposed as responsible mechanism for carbon crystallization.

Metallurgy is a key enabler of a circular economy (CE), its digitization is the metallurgical Internet of Things (m-IoT). In short: Metallurgy is at the heart of a CE, as metals all have strong intrinsic recycling potentials. Process metallurgy, as a key enabler for a CE, will help much to deliver its goals. The first-principles models of process engineering help quantify the resource efficiency (RE) of the CE system, connecting all stakeholders via digitization. This provides well-argued and first-principles environmental information to empower a tax paying consumer society, policy, legislators, and environmentalists. It provides the details of capital expenditure and operational expenditure estimates. Through this path, the opportunities and limits of a CE, recycling, and its technology can be estimated. The true boundaries of sustainability can be determined in addition to the techno-economic evaluation of RE. The integration of metallurgical reactor technology and systems digitally, not only on one site but linking different sites globally via hardware, is the basis for describing CE systems as dynamic feedback control loops, i.e., the m-IoT. It is the linkage of the global carrier metallurgical processing system infrastructure that maximizes the recovery of all minor and technology elements in its associated refining metallurgical infrastructure.

The limitations to materials flows from recycling in the circular economy are discussed using as a case a simulation-based analysis of the recyclability of the Fairphone 2. Three different recycling routes are analysed using simulation models that link the bill of materials and full material declarations to the final metal recovery via physical separation models. The recycling and recovery rates are depicted in an innovative recycling index and material flower that helps drive the discussion about the inevitable trade-offs between the recyclability of different target materials and debunks the myth of a total recyclability of materials. Modular design is shown to have clear recycling as well as environmental advantages. This study is part of the SustainablySMART project.

The limitations to materials flows from recycling in the circular economy are discussed using as a case a simulation-based analysis of the recyclability of the Fairphone 2. Three different recycling routes are analysed using simulation models that link the bill of materials and full material declarations to the final metal recovery via physical separation models. The recycling and recovery rates are depicted in an innovative recycling index and material flower that helps drive the discussion about the inevitable tradeoffs between the recyclability of different target materials and debunks the myth of a total recyclability of materials. Modular design is shown to have clear recycling as well as environmental advantages. This study is part of the SustainablySMART project.

Neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (nRCT) can significantly influence the tumor immune architecture that plays a pivotal role in regulating tumor growth. Whereas various studies have investigated the effect of nRCT on tumor-infiltrating T cells, little is known about its impact on the frequency and activation status of human dendritic cells (DCs). Plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) essentially contribute to the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity and may profoundly influence tumor progression. Recent studies have revealed that higher pDC numbers are associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients. 6-sulfo LacNAc-expressing monocytes (slanMo) represent a particular proinflammatory subset of human non-classical blood monocytes that can differentiate into DCs. Recently, we have reported that activated slanMo produce various proinflammatory cytokines and efficiently stimulate natural killer cells and T lymphocytes. slanMo were also shown to accumulate in clear cell renal cell carcinoma and in metastatic lymph nodes from cancer patients.
In the present study, we investigated the influence of nRCT on frequency and phenotype of rectal cancer-infiltrating pDCs and slanMo. When evaluating rectal cancer tissues obtained from patients after nRCT, a significantly higher frequency of pDCs in comparison to non-matched pre-nRCT tissue samples was found. In contrast, the density of slanMo was not significantly altered by nRCT. These findings were confirmed when analyzing matched pre-nRCT and post-nRCT rectal cancer specimens. Further studies revealed that nRCT significantly increases the percentage of mature CD83+ pDCs in rectal cancer tissues. Moreover, the proportion of pDCs locally expressing interferon-alpha, which plays a major role in antitumor immunity, was significantly higher in post-nRCT. In addition, nRCT markedly enhanced the percentage of inducible nitric oxide synthase- or tumor necrosis factor alpha-producing slanMo in rectal cancer tissues. These novel findings indicate that nRCT significantly influences the frequency and/or phenotype of pDCs and slanMo, which may influence the clinical response of rectal cancer patients to nRCT.

We investigated the structure-property relationship of Co2MnSi Heusler thin films upon the irradiation with He+ ions. The variation of the crystal structure with increasing ion fluence has been probed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and associated with the corresponding changes of the magnetic behavior. A decrease of both the structural order and the moment in saturation is observed. Specifically, we detect a direct transition from a highly L21-ordered to a fully A2-disordered structure type and quantify the evolution of the A2 structural contribution as a function of ion fluence. Complementary TEM analysis reveals a spatially-resolved distribution of the L21 and A2 phases showing that the A2 disorder starts at the upper part of the films. The structural degradation in turn leads to a decreasing magnetic moment in saturation in response to the increasing fluence.

In this talk I will summarize the current activities of the computational science group at HZDR, which range from establishing research data publication (RODARE) and management platforms to providing numerical and computational expertise in various research projects. The latter aspect will be presented in detail through two selected ongoing projects.

In a project with the institute for resource ecology at HZDR, we developed a framework for the analysis of spectra of mixed solutions. The goal of the analysis is to discover how many species are in a given sample and in what concentration while at the same time extracting their unknown spectrum. A number of numerical techniques can be employed to this end, each requiring different amounts prior knowledge and different types of measurements. Here the primary task of the analysis framework is to unify a zoo of different implementations of similar methods and making all methods available to all scientists. Additionally, it enables simple use of remote computing resources, which allow for more computationally intensive analysis which can add a more reliable way to estimate confidence bounds.

In another project, we are using deep learning approaches to develop an automated safety system for the high-power laser systems DRACO and PENELOPE at HZDR. Here the goal is to detect defects or scatterers which focus parts of a yet unfocussed beam. These can, when left unchecked, cause cascades of failing mirrors, lenses, and non-linear crystals and should thus be detected in the time between two shots. This work uses deep convolutional neural networks implemented through the Caffe framework to achieve real-time detection and localization of impurities in the beam profile.

Objectives
Recently it has been shown that radiomic features of computed tomography (CT) have prognostic information in stage I-III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We aim to validate this prognostic radiomic signature in stage IV adenocarcinoma patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Materials and Methods
Two datasets of chemo-naive stage IV adenocarcinoma patients were investigated, dataset 1: 285 patients with CTs performed in a single center; dataset 2: 223 patients included in a multicenter clinical trial. The main exclusion criteria were EGFR mutation or unknown mutation status and non-delineated primary tumor. Radiomic features were calculated for the primary tumor. The c-index of cox regression was calculated and compared to the signature performance for overall survival (OS).
Results
In total CT scans from 195 patients were eligible for analysis. Patients having a Prognostic Index (PI) lower than the signature median (n = 92) had a significantly better OS than patients with a PI higher than the median (n = 103, HR 1.445, 95% CI 1.07-1.95, p = 0.02, c-index 0.576, 95% CI 0.527-0.624).
Conclusion
The radiomic signature, derived from daily practice CT scans, has prognostic value for stage IV NSCLC, however the signature performs less than previously described for stage I-III NSCLC stages. In the future, machine learning techniques can potentially lead to a better prognostic imaging based model for stage IV NSCLC.

Background and purpose: The development of radiomic risk models to predict clinical outcome is usually based on pre-treatment imaging, such as computed tomography (CT) scans used for radiation treatment planning. Imaging data acquired during the course of treatment may improve their prognostic performance. We compared the performance of radiomic risk models based on the pre-treatment CT and CT scans acquired in the second week of therapy.
Material and methods: Treatment planning and second week CT scans of 78 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients treated with primary radiochemotherapy were collected. 1538 image features were extracted from each image. Prognostic models for loco-regional tumour control (LRC) and overall survival (OS) were built using 6 feature selection methods and 6 machine learning algorithms. Prognostic performance was assessed using the concordance index (C-Index). Furthermore, patients were stratified into risk groups and differences in LRC and OS were evaluated by log-rank tests.
Results: The performance of radiomic risk model in predicting LRC was improved using the second week CT scans (C-Index: 0.79), in comparison to the pre-treatment CT scans (C-Index: 0.65). This was confirmed by Kaplan–Meier analyses, in which risk stratification based on the second week CT could be improved for LRC (p = 0.002) compared to pre-treatment CT (p = 0.063).
Conclusion: Incorporation of imaging during treatment may be a promising way to improve radiomic risk models for clinical treatment adaption, i.e., to select patients that may benefit from dose modification.

PURPOSE:

For unbiased comparison of different radiation modalities and techniques, consensus on delineation of radiation sensitive organs at risk (OARs) and on their dose constraints is warranted. Following the publication of a digital, online atlas for OAR delineation in neuro-oncology by the same group, we assessed the brain OAR-dose constraints in a follow-up study.
METHODS:
We performed a comprehensive search to identify the current papers on OAR dose constraints for normofractionated photon and particle therapy in PubMed, Ovid Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science. Moreover, the included articles' reference lists were cross-checked for potential studies that met the inclusion criteria. Consensus was reached among 20 radiation oncology experts in the field of neuro-oncology.
RESULTS:
For the OARs published in the neuro-oncology literature, we summarized the available literature and recommended dose constraints associated with certain levels of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) according to the recent ICRU recommendations. For those OARs with lacking or insufficient NTCP data, a proposal for effective and efficient data collection is given.
CONCLUSION:
The use of the European Particle Therapy Network-consensus OAR dose constraints summarized in this article is recommended for the model-based approach comparing photon and proton beam irradiation as well as for prospective clinical trials including novel radiation techniques and/or modalities.

The common way to diagnose hard and soft tissue irregularities in the oral cavity is initially the visual inspection by an experienced dentist followed by further medical examinations, such as radiological imaging and/or histopathological investigation. For the diagnosis of oral hard and soft tissues, the detection of early transformations is mostly hampered by poor visual access, low specificity of the diagnosis techniques, and/or limited feasibility of frequent screenings. Therefore, optical noninvasive diagnosis of oral tissue is promising to improve the accuracy of oral screening. Considering this demand, a rigid handheld endoscopic scanner was developed for optical coherence tomography (OCT). The novelty is the usage of a commercially near-infrared endoscope with fitting optics in combination with an established spectral-domain OCT system of our workgroup. By reaching a high spatial resolution, in vivo images of anterior and especially posterior dental and mucosal tissues were obtained from the oral cavity of two volunteers. The convincing image quality of the endoscopic OCT device is particularly obvious for the imaging of different regions of the human soft palate with highly scattering fibrous layer and capillary network within the lamina propria

Background and purpose: Reirradiation (reRT) is a valid option with considerable efficacy in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma, but it is still not known which patients might be optimal candidates for a second course of irradiation. This study validated a newly developed prognostic score independently in an external patient cohort.
Material and methods: The reRT risk score (RRRS) is based on a linear combination of initial histology, clinical performance status, and age derived from a multivariable model of 353 patients. This score can predict post-recurrence survival (PRS) after reRT. The validation dataset consisted of 212 patients.
Results: The RRRS differentiates three prognostic groups. Discrimination and calibration were maintained in the validation group. Median PRS times in the development cohort for the good/intermediate/poor risk categories were 14.2, 9.1, and 5.3 months, respectively. The respective groups within the validation cohort displayed median PRS times of 13.8, 8.8, and 3.8 months, respectively. Uno's C for development data was 0.64
(CI: 0.60-0.69) and for validation data 0.63 (CI: 0.58-0.68).
Conclusions: The RRRS has been successfully validated in an independent patient cohort. This linear combination of three easily determined clinicopathological factors allows for a reliable classification of patients and may be used as stratification factor for future trials.

Recycling ist eine wichtige Komponente der Kreislaufwirtschaft, um Ressourcen zu schonen.
Auch die Biologie wird dazu zukünftig ihren Beitrag leisten. Dabei steht das Recycling von Edelmetallen und Selten-Erd-Elementen (SEE), die in Elektronikprodukten verbaut sind, im Mittelpunkt eines Forschungszweigs der Abteilung Biotechnologie am Helmholtz-Institut Freiberg für Ressourcentechnologie (HIF).

The application of biological tools in Geosciences such as bacteria or microbial products that mobilize metallic components raises increasing interest in classical mining industries. Today, 10% of the total copper production in Chile originated from bioleaching operations (Gentina and Acevedo, 2016). However, the application of biological tools is limited due to poor specificity, complex material composition and heterogenous particle size. New studies focus on smaller biological components such as peptides with higher material specificity to mobilize and recycle materials of interest.
End-of-life electronic products like smart phones or compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) contain a wide variety of precious elements in very low concentrations. Currently, no cost-efficient and environmentally friendly technology exists for the separation and recycling of the majority of high-tech industry supporting elements such as the rare earth element (REE) Lanthanum phosphate (LAP) from electronic scrap. The focus of this project was the identification of peptides with high specificity for the rare earth mineral LAP, a component of CFL, for future material recycling. By using a biological method called phage surface display and the random PVIII phage peptide library f88.4/Cys6, the phage-bound peptide TSTQCPSHIRACLKKR was identified and characterized as not only an efficient LAP binder, which is furthermore able to discriminate between LAP and other components of fluorescent lamps. The application of phage particles displaying the recombinant PVIII fused peptide TSTQCPSHIRACLKKR in recycling processes is not possible due to limited scale-up, critical public perception, low biological efficiency and fast mutation rates in phage particles. Future applications will be based on peptides that are stable under a variety of challenging conditions such as heat, varying pH or in the presence of toxic scrap components. The development of peptide-based separation tools represents a new way of recycling of electronic scrap.

Die hier dargelegte Arbeit knüpft an den bereits vorhandenen Erkenntnissen unserer Forschungsgruppe am HZDR an und gründet auf den bisherigen Arbeiten von L. Behring. Der Schwerpunkt dieser Forschungsgruppe liegt auf der Hemmung von Cathepsin B, einem in malignen Tumoren überexprimierten Enzym. Durch die Arbeiten von GREENSPAN et al. konnte bisher gezeigt werden, dass der nitrilfunktionalisierte Inhibitor mit einem Carboxybenzyl-Rest in P1 und einem 3-Methylphenyl-Rest in P2 sich besonders für die Hemmung des Enzyms eignet. Ausgehend von diesen Erkenntnissen sollte das durch GREENSPAN et al. synthetisierte Molekül als Leitstruktur verwendet werden, um daraus irreversible alkinfunktionalisierte Inhibitoren zu synthetisieren. Der Vorteil dieser Inhibitoren ist, dass sie sich, im Gegensatz zu Nitrilen, nicht vom Target ablösen. Um einen Vergleich in ihrer Hemmwirkung festzustellen, sollten die analogen reversibel bindenden nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitoren hergestellt werden. Im Vorfeld wurde bereits der alkinfunktionalisierte Inhibitor der analogen Greenspan-Verbindung synthetisiert. Da dieser jedoch als Diastereomerengemisch vorlag, stand die Synthese stereo-chemisch reiner alkinfunktionalisierte Inhibitor im Vordergrund. Die enzymatischen Messungen der synthetisierten Inhibitoren übernahm L. Behring. Die im Folgenden diskutierten Ergebnisse aus den Messungen sind in Tabelle 3 zusammengefasst.
Die Synthese des nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitors mit 4-Fluorbenzoyl-Rest in P3, 3-Methylphenylalanyl-Rest in P2 und zwei Protonen in P1 gestaltete sich schwieriger, als die des analogen Alkin-Derivats. In den RP-HPLC-Spektren des nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitors konnten, besonders während der Boc-Entschützung, viele Nebenprodukten nachgewiesen werden. Diese entstanden aufgrund der höheren Elektrophile der Nitrilgruppe. Diese Nebenprodukte bedeuteten eine zusätzliche Reinigung, welche sich auf die Ausbeuten auswirkte. Es wurde daher für die weiteren nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitoren beschlossen, die Dehydratisierung des weniger reaktiveren Amids zum Nitril auf das Ende der Synthese zu planen. Die Ausbeute des nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitors lag über drei Schritte bei 30 %. Im Vergleich dazu wurde der alkinfunktionalisierte Inhibitor mit 60 % über drei Schritte erhalten. Der bestimmte Ki-Wert zeigte für den nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitor 6 einen Wert von 1,19 µM. Der analog synthetisierte alkinfunktionalisierte Inhibitor 3 zeigte keine enzymatische Hemmung. Es ist davon auszugehen, dass dieser unzureichend im Enzym fixiert wurde und die Addition des Thiolats im aktiven Zentrum an das Alkin nicht stattfinden konnte.
Die zweite Gruppe der synthetisierten Inhibitoren unterschied sich im Rest P1 zu den Vorangegangenen. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Inhibitorwirkung mit zwei Protonen in Position P1 für nur geringe Hemmung am Cathepsin B sorgt. Durch die Arbeiten von GREENSPAN et al. wurde daher der Carboxybenzylserin-Baustein in P1 gewählt. Die Synthese des nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitors verlief über eine zehnstufige Synthese und brachte eine Ausbeute von 8 % hervor. Der größte Verlust bei der Synthese von 16 und 30 wurde in der Alkylierung des Serin-Bausteins mit dem allylgeschützten Carboxybenzyl-Rest beobachtet. Die Reaktion verlief nur mit Ausbeuten von ca. 30 % (Verbindung 16) bzw. 40 % (Verbindung 30) und bereitete während der Synthese die meisten Schwierigkeiten. In der Arbeit wurden daher verschiedene Reaktionsbedingungen getestet. Im Falle des nitrilfunktionalisierten Inhibitors 16 wurde die Temperatur für die Deprotonierung variiert, wobei mit sinkender Temperatur die alkylierende Veresterung des Boc-geschützten Serins der Seitenkettenalkylierung vorgezogen wird. Das entstandene Esterprodukt wurde isoliert, spektroskopisch untersucht und mit dem der alkylierten Verbindung verglichen. Im Falle des alkinfunktionalisierten Inhibitors 30 wurde ebenfalls die Temperatur und die Zeit für die Deprotonierung untersucht. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Temperatur während der Deprotonierung wenig Einfluss auf die Reaktion besitzt. Anders war es bei der Zeit für die Deprotonierung. Hier wurde durch ¹H-NMR-Auswertung und RP-HPLC gezeigt, dass sich bei langen Deprotonierungszeiten ein intramolekular entstandenes Oxazolidinon bildete, welches durch anschließende Zugabe des Alkylierungsmittels zur N-Alkylierung neigt.
Die ansonsten stereokonservative Synthese, ausgehend vom L-Serin über den Garner-Aldehyd verlief mit hohen Ausbeuten und einfachen Reinigungsschritten. Die spektroskopische Mosher-Säure-Analyse des rückreduzierten Garner-Aldehyds zeigte, dass die stereochemische Integrität während der Aldehyd-Synthese erhalten blieb. Auch nach der Kupplung zum Dipeptid und damit der Einführung eines zweiten Stereozentrums konnten nur geringe Peakdopplungen (Anteil ≤ 4 % des ungewünschten Diastereomers) im 1H-NMR nachgewiesen werden. Die Messung des Dipeptidalkins 30 führte ebenfalls zum Erfolg. Es konnte durch die Messung am isolierten Enzym bewiesen werden, das er eine irreversible Bindung mit dem Enzym eingeht. Durch vorangegangene Arbeiten unserer Arbeitsgruppe konnte außerdem gezeigt werden, dass sich das Molekül mit 4-Fluorbenzoyl-Rest in P3 besser eignet als das bereits hergestellte Epimerengemisch mit 2,4-Difluorbenzoylrest in P3.
Der fünfte Inhibitor 40 wurde ausgehend vom kommerziell erhältlichen Propargylserin synthetisiert. Die Reaktion verlief mit 9 % Ausbeute über acht Reaktionsschritte. Die Synthese des Inhibitors verlief trotz geringerer Ausbeuten nahezu unproblematisch. Der letzte Schritt der Methylester-Entschützung bereitete zunächst Probleme, wobei es zur partiellen Racemisierung des Inhibitors kam. Diese konnten jedoch durch Verkürzen der Reaktionszeit und Einsatz der Base im Unterschuss fast komplett unterdrückt werden. Der Inhibitor konnte, ähnlich wie das Dipeptidalkin 30 mit ≤ 3 % des unerwünschten Diastereomers synthetisiert werden. Da der Triazol-Inhibitor 40 schlechter ist als der mit einem Proton in P1 (Verbindung 6), ist die Synthese des entsprechenden Alkins nur wenig aussichtsvoll. Durch die unzureichende Bindung des Inhibitors in den Enzymtaschen ist, wie bei Inhibitor 6, keine irreversible Bindung zu erwarten. Ein Ausblick ist die stereoisomerenreine Synthese des 2,4-difluorbenzoylierten Inhibitors zum direkten Vergleich mit dem analogen Diastereomerengemisch. Weiterhin soll der Rest in P3 durch ein 4-Phenylbenzoyl-Rest ersetzt werden. Dieser besitzt ein größeres π-Elektronensystem, wodurch die Wechselwirkungen mit den π-Elektronen des Tyrosins in der Enzymtasche S3 verbessert werden sollen. Da anschließend eine Radiomarkierung der Verbindung erfolgen soll, bietet es sich an, den analogen 4-(4-Fluorbenzyl)-benzoyl-Rest an die Position P3 zu binden. Eine weitere Modifikation, wäre die Än-derung des P2-Rests von Methylphenylalanin zu Monoiodtyrosin. In den Arbeiten von XING et al. zeigten Tyrosin-Derivate, speziell die iodierten Tyrosin-Derivate eine besonders potente Hemmwirkung gegenüber Cathepsin B. Dieser Substituent könnte eine verbesserte Wechselwirkung mit der Aminosäure Glutaminsäure (Glu 245) in Enzymtasche S2 bewirken.

Presently, silicon photonics requires photodetectors that are sensitive in a broad infrared range, can operate at room temperature, and are suitable for integration with the existing Si-technology process. Here, we demonstrate strong room-temperature sub-band-gap photoresponse of photodiodes based on Si hyperdoped with tellurium. The epitaxially recrystallized Te-hyperdoped Si layers are developed by ion implantation combined with pulsed-laser melting and incorporate Te-dopant concentrations several orders of magnitude above the solid solubility limit. With increasing Te concentration, the Te-hyperdoped layer changes from insulating to quasi-metallic behavior with a finite conductivity as the temperature tends to zero. The optical absorptance is found to increase monotonically with increasing Te concentration and extends well into the mid-infrared range. Temperature-dependent optoelectronic photoresponse unambiguously demonstrates that the extended infrared photoresponsivity from Te-hyperdoped Si p-n photodiodes is mediated by a Te intermediate band within the upper half of the Si band gap. This work contributes to pave the way toward establishing a Si-based broadband infrared photonic system operating at room temperature.

Spin-transfer torques (STTs) can be exploited in order to manipulate the magnetic moments of nanomagnets, thus allowing for new consumer-oriented devices to be designed. Of particular interest here are tuneable radio-frequency (RF) oscillators for wireless communication. Currently, the structure that maximizes the output power is an Fe/MgO/Fe-type magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) with a fixed layer magnetized in the plane of the layers and a free layer magnetized perpendicular to the plane. This structure allows for most of the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) to be converted into output power. Here, we experimentally and theoretically demonstrate that the main mechanism sustaining steady-state precession in such structures is the angular dependence of the magnetoresistance. The TMR of such devices is known to exhibit a broken-linear dependence versus the applied bias. Our results show that the TMR bias dependence effectively quenches spin-transfer-driven precession and introduces a non-monotonic frequency dependence at high applied currents. Thus we expect the bias dependence of the TMR to have an even more dramatic effect in MTJs with Mn-Ga-based free layers, which could be used to design wireless oscillators extending towards the ‘THz gap’, but have been experimentally shown to exhibit a non-trivial TMR bias dependence.

The talk is covering the efforts of our group in the development of inhibitor-based radiotracers for the imaging of tumour-associated transglutaminase 2 (TGase 2). Major emphasis will be put on interesting structure-activity relationships of N⁶-acryloyllysine-derived inhibitors. In addition, general principles for targeting of TGase 2 by irreversible inhibitors will be highlighted. Labelling of these compounds with fluorine-18 and initial results towards their radiopharmacological evaluation will be presented.

Magnetic refrigeration relies on a substantial entropy change in a magnetocaloric material when a magnetic field is applied. Such entropy changes are present at first-order magnetostructural transitions around a specific temperature at which the applied magnetic field induces a magnetostructural phase transition and causes a conventional or inverse magnetocaloric effect (MCE). First-order magnetostructural transitions show large effects, but involve transitional hysteresis, which is a loss source that hinders the reversibility of the adiabatic temperature change DT_ad. However, reversibility is required for the efficient operation of the heat pump. Thus, it is the mastering of that hysteresis that is the key challenge to advance magnetocaloric materials. We review the origin of the large MCE and of the hysteresis in the most promising first-order magnetocaloric materials such as Ni–Mn-based Heusler alloys, FeRh, La(FeSi)₁₃-based compounds, Mn₃GaC antiperovskites, and Fe₂P compounds. We discuss the microscopic contributions of the entropy change, the magnetic interactions, the effect of hysteresis on the reversible MCE, and the size- and time-dependence of the MCE at magnetostructural transitions.

Until recently, alkynes were considered bioinert. Thus, they are popular reaction partners in bioorthogonal click reactions in vitro and in vivo. Despite the virtual chemical inertness of the alkyne moiety, two research groups observed the irreversible inhibition of a cysteine protease by an alkyne functionalised substrate derivative: both EKKEBUS et al. and SOMMER et al. independently described the unexpected inactivation of de-ubiquitinating enzymes by propargylated ubiquitin or ubiquitin-like modifiers bearing propargylamine in place of C-terminal glycine [1, 2]. We intended to harness that finding for the design of inhibitor-based probes for the imaging of tumour-associated cysteine proteases.
Cysteine cathepsins play an important role in tumour progression. In particular, cathepsin B is involved in a variety of tumour progression-related processes and an elevated extracellular levels are linked to increased malignancy and poor prognosis [3]. Therefore, this enzyme represents a promising target for the therapy and imaging of tumours.
GREENSPAN et al. reported a potent and highly selective, dipeptidyl nitrile-based cathepsin B inhibitor (N-[2-[(3-Carboxyphenyl)methoxy]-1(S)-cyanoethyl]-3-methyl-N²-(2,4-difluorobenzoyl)-L-phenylalaninamide) [4]. Based on that lead compound, cathepsin B-targeting dipeptide alkynes were designed by isoelectronic replacement of the nitrile nitrogen atom by by a methine group and consecutive variation of the 2,4-difluorobenzoyl and (3-carboxybenzyl)oxymethyl residue. Formation of the C-C triple bond by reaction of the corresponding open-chain serine-derived aldehyde with the Bestmann-Ohira reagent was accompanied by partial enantiomerisation. Therefore, the synthesis was performed via Garner’s aldehyde, which accounted for high stereochemical purity of the final compounds. The inhibitory potential was investigated against cathepsins B, S, L and K. The most potent compound exhibited irreversible inhibition of cathepsin B with an inactivation constant (k_inact/K_I=771 M^-1s^-1). Values for cathepsins L, S and K were significantly lower; no irreverisible ihibition was observed for cathepsin K. In addition, inhibition of cathepsin B activity in human glioblastoma cell lysates and living cells has been demonstrated. Based on these promising results, dipeptidyl alkynes have the potential to become a valuable tool for imaging due to the expected low activity towards other cysteine proteases. In further studies, selected inhibitors for cathepsin B will be labelled with suitable radionuclides to obtain an inhibitor-based probe directed towards cathepsin B.

[1] Ekkebus et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 2867-2870
[2] Sommer et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem., 2013, 21, 2511-2517
[3] Löser and Pietzsch, Front. Chem., 2015, 3:37
[4] Greenspan et al., J. Med. Chem., 2001, 44, 4524-4534.

In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that in the reduction of selenite by Mc. capsulatus (Bath), a methane oxidizing bacterium, methyl selenol is the precursor for the formation of methylated selenium-containing and mixed chalcogenides species. Subsequent exchange reactions between the species result in the formation of the amorphous allotropic form of selenium, which is cyclic Se8 with sulfur in its structure.

In our understanding of the many drivers of malignant progression and cancer metastasis, proteases are increasingly drawn into the spotlight as crucial agents in cancer angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis [1]. Elevated activities of multiple members of the cathepsin family have been shown to correlate with increased metastasis and high therapy resistance [2, 3]. Especially high expression levels of extracellular cathepsin B (CTB) indicate poor prognosis in neoplastic diseases, making CTB an interesting target for activity-based molecular imaging in diagnostics as well as in therapy monitoring for personalised therapies.
It is our aim to develop such a probe by combination of a polyarginine-based, activatable cell penetrating peptide (ACPP), as first described by R. Tsien, and an optimised endopeptidase substrate for CTB [4]. Substrate optimisation proofed to be challenging as two entirely opposite factors needed to be balanced – high stability against serum proteases to prevent premature cleavage of the activation sequence, while retaining efficient and specific endoproteolytic cleavability by CTB.
We have generated a CTB-endoprotease substrate by C-terminally elongating the CTB carboxydipeptidase substrate Abz GIVR*AK(Dnp) OH (Abz - aminobenzoyl, Dnp – dinitrophenyl, * – cleavage site), described by Cotrin et al. in 2004, to the octapeptide Abz GIVR*AK(Dnp)GX CONH2, which could be used as activation site in the final ACPP [5]. Introduction of any amino acid other than glycine at the P4’ position resulted in hysteretic kinetics for the CTB-catalysed hydrolysis of the octapeptides, which might indicate the displacement of the occluding loop from the active site upon interaction with the substrates. Using LC-ES-MS-based analysis of serum-incubated substrates, the positions P1 and P3’ were determined to be primary determinants of serum stability. After suppression of the P3’ instability by Nα-methylation and optimisation within the positions P1-P3, we were able to increase serum half-life from < 5 min to > 1440 min under concomitant improvement of kinetic substrate efficiency towards CTB.
Currently, the substrate is optimised towards CTB-specificity within the cathepsin protease family. Additionally, cell uptake studies of a fluorescently labelled ACPP using the optimised CTB-endoprotease substrate sequence are ongoing. Using this fluorescent probe, we plan to study cell uptake, in vivo stability and initial biodistribution. Furthermore, an ACPP conjugated to radiometal-chelating entities is currently prepared, which will allow for PET imaging in vivo.

Literature
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The potential of papain-like cysteine proteases, such as cathepsin B, as drug discovery targets for systemic human diseases has prevailed over the past years. The development of potent and selective low-molecular cathepsin B inhibitors relies on the detailed expertise on preferred amino acid and inhibitor residues interacting with the corresponding specificity pockets of cathepsin B. Such knowledge might be obtained by mapping the active site of the protease with combinatorial libraries of peptidic substrates and peptidomimetic inhibitors. This review, for the first time, summarizes a wide spectrum of active site mapping approaches. It considers relevant X-ray crystallographic data and discloses propensities towards favorable protein-ligand interactions in case of the therapeutically relevant protease cathepsin B.

We show how optical free-electron lasers and enhanced incoherent Thomson scattering radiation sources can be realized with Traveling-Wave Thomson-Scattering (TWTS) today. Emphasis is put on the realization of optical free-electron lasers (OFELs) with existing state-of-the-art technology for laser systems and electron accelerators. The conceptual design of optical setups for the preparation of laser pulses suitable for TWTS OFELs and enhanced Thomson sources is presented. We further provide expressions to estimate the acceptable alignment tolerances of optical components for TWTS OFEL operation. Examples of TWTS OFELs radiating at 100 nm, 13.5 nm and 1.5 Å as well as an incoherent source at 40 pm highlight the feasibility of the concept and detail the procedure to determine the optical components parameters of a TWTS setup.

Gallium (Ga) ist wichtiger Bestandteil vieler Halbleiterprodukte und wird in LEDs und Photovoltaikelementen verwendet. Trotz eines stetig wachsenden Bedarfs und endlicher Ressourcen, fehlen Strategien für seine Rückgewinnung aus sekundären Rohstoffquellen. Abfälle aus der Halbleiterindustrie könnten eine ergiebige Quelle für die Gewinnung von hochreinem Ga sein. Der gezielte Einsatz von spezifischen Peptiden ermöglicht die selektive Abtrennung von Metallionen für die Gewinnung von Reinststoffen. Durch das sogenannte „Phagen Display“ können derartige Peptide selektiert werden. Hier wurde die Technik zur Identifizierung Ga-bindender Peptide angewendet.
Es konnten 5 hoch affine Peptide identifiziert werden, die in Einzelklonexperimenten charakterisiert wurden. Hierfür wurde die Fähigkeit der Klone, freie Galliumionen in wässriger Lösung zu sorbieren, untersucht. Alle 5 Klone zeigten im Vergleich zu einem Kontrollphagen eine verbesserte Biosorption von Ga. Bei 2 der 5 Klone wurde eine deutlich höhere Affinität für Ga gegenüber As festgestellt. In weiterführenden Experimenten wurden die metallbindenden Eigenschaften beider Peptide charakterisiert. Durch ein zusätzliches Cystein am C-Terminus lassen sich diese Peptide auf verschiedenen Oberflächen immobilisieren. Auf diese Weise können Materialien zur selektiven Gewinnung von Gallium aus industriellen Abwässern generiert werden.

High-tech metals are almost ubiquitous in our everyday lives. Due to their great importance for the electronics industry, the demand is continuously growing. The supply of these important raw materials is currently mainly covered by primary raw material sources. However, with increasing technological progress, the supply situation on the global market becomes tense. The recovery of high-tech metals from secondary raw material sources could help to ease the situation. This task is a major challenge due to a strongly mixed matrix and sometimes low concentrations of valuable metals from such sources. However, highly innovative strategies are required to meet this challenge. Modern biotechnology offers promising concepts for the efficient, economical and sustainable recycling of high-tech metals [1].
Recently we’ve established a phage display technology platform for the highly specific recognition of mineral particles as well as of metal ions in polluted water streams. This is escorted by a newly developed system for the heterologous expression of identified peptides [2-4].
Here we report in detail about the development of high-affinity peptide ligands for the recovery of gallium from industrial wastewater. Various gallium binding peptide sequences were identified by applying a commercial dodecamer peptide library (Ph.D.-12, NEB, US). Biopanning conditions were optimized for the enrichment of metal ion binding phage clones, which allows a more precise selection process. By single clone binding studies and competitive binding experiments, 3 sequences were characterized to show high binding affinity and selectivity for gallium above other metals, especially arsenic.
Gallium binding peptides are now produced for further spectroscopic characterization and evaluation of binding properties. In addition immobilization strategies to create peptide-based materials for the recovery of gallium binding peptides will be discussed.

[1] K. Pollmann, S. Kutschke, S. Matys, J. Raff, G. Hlawacek, F.L. Lederer, Bio-recycling of metals: Recycling of technical products using biological applications, Biotechnology Advances, (2018)
[2] R. Braun, S. Matys, N. Schönberger, F.L. Lederer, K. Pollmann, Simplified Expression and Production of Small Metal Binding Peptides, Solid State Phenomena, (2017)
[3] S. Matys, F.L. Lederer, N. Schönberger, R. Braun, F. Lehmann, K. Flemming, S. Bachmann, S. Curtis, R.T.A. MacGillivray, K. Pollmann, Phage Display - A Promising Tool for the Recovery of Valuable Metals from Primary and Secondary Resources, Solid State Phenomena, (2017)
[4] F.L. Lederer, S.B. Curtis, S. Bachmann, W.S. Dunbar, R.T. MacGillivray, Identification of lanthanum-specific peptides for future recycling of rare earth elements from compact fluorescent lamps, Biotechnol Bioeng, (2017)

It has been nearly eight years since rare-earth elements (REE) became the subject of front-page headlines. It was when the controversial Chinese export policy for these critical commodities was epitomized in a maritime border dispute with Japan in September 2010 that resulted in the big REE crisis and price spike of 2011 (Barakos et al., 2016c; Mancheri, 2015). The world was dismayed, especially in REE-importing countries such as the United States that was, and still is, totally dependent on Chinese production and exports (Barakos et al, 2016c; Kennedy, 2015). The short-lived alarm initiated a treasure hunt by way of exploration for REE deposits all over the world. The continuously growing demand on the one hand, and the Chinese sovereignty of the REE-market on the other, led the rest of the world to explore their own REE resources. In just a few years, more than 400 projects were initiated to explore REE deposits outside of China

Gallium is a strategically important metal for the German high-tech industry. It is used essentially in the semiconductor compounds GaAs, GaN or GaP for high-potential future technologies. This is offset by low recycling rates and declining availability on the world market. Therefore, the development of processes for the selective recovery of gallium from secondary raw material sources is a desirable starting point for dealing with the increasing scarcity of this resource on the world market. Particularly interesting is the development of a biotechnological method for selective biosorption by using the Phage Surface Display Technology.
This is a well-established method for the selection of highly specific peptide ligands in medicine and biotechnology. Random, short peptide sequences are presented on the surface according to genetically modified bacteriophages. In a biopanning called process, a pool of different bacteriophage is selected against a particular target, thereby enriching specific binding clone variants. A very effective method has been established for the selection of different phage display libraries. Gallium ions immobilized on a monolithic ion exchanger are made accessible for biopanning in an FPLC system. This chromatopanning allows the selective enrichment of gallium-binding clone variants under strictly controlled process conditions.
In the present study, we report about the enrichment, identification and characterization of several gallium-binding peptide motifs. Some promising gallium binding bacteriophage clones are chosen for further binding studies, including bacteriophage immobilization for real waste water treatment experiments.
The corresponding peptide sequences can be synthesized and used in subsequent experiments to characterize metal-peptide interactions and develop biosorptive materials for selective gallium recovery from industrial waste waters.

In this work, we report on a development of time averaged Eulerian multiphase approach applied in the wall boiling process especially in the forced convective boiling process. Recently in order to get accurate bubble dynamics and reduce the case dependency, a single bubble model for nucleate boiling based on the known published models was developed. The model considers geometry change and dynamic contact and inclination angles during the bubble growth. The model has a good agreement with experiments. However the predicted bubble dynamics is wall superheat (cavity activation temperature) dependent. This single bubble model requires an update of the current nucleation site activation and heat partitioning models in time averaged Eulerian multiphase approaches. In this work, we will introduce this implementation in detail. Further with help of the multiple size group (MUSIG) model and a breakup and coalescence model, the time averaged Eulerian approach could simulate the bubble size distribution in a heated pipe. With the necessary calibration of the nucleation site density the comparisons between the calculation results and the Bartolomej’s experiments demonstrate the success of the implementation and the accuracy of this approach.

Plasma-based accelerators that impart energy gain as high as several GeV to electrons or positrons within a few centimeters have engendered a new class of diagnostic techniques very different from those used in connection with conventional radio-frequency (rf) accelerators. The need for new diagnostics stems from the micrometer scale and transient, dynamic structure of plasma accelerators, which contrasts with the meter scale and static structure of conventional accelerators. Because of this micrometer source size, plasma-accelerated electron bunches can emerge with smaller normalized transverse emittance (εn<0.1  mm mrad) and shorter duration (τb∼1  fs) than bunches from rf linacs. Single-shot diagnostics are reviewed that determine such small εn and τb noninvasively and with high resolution from wide-bandwidth spectral measurement of electromagnetic radiation the electrons emit: εn from x rays emitted as electrons interact with transverse internal fields of the plasma accelerator or with external optical fields or undulators; τb from THz to optical coherent transition radiation emitted upon traversing interfaces. The duration of ∼1  fs bunches can also be measured by sampling individual cycles of a copropagating optical pulse or by measuring the associated magnetic field using a transverse probe pulse. Because of their luminal velocity and micrometer size, the evolving structure of plasma accelerators, the key determinant of accelerator performance, is exceptionally challenging to visualize in the laboratory. Here a new generation of laboratory diagnostics is reviewed that yield snapshots, or even movies, of laser- and particle-beam-generated plasma accelerator structures based on their phase modulation or deflection of femtosecond electromagnetic or electron probe pulses. Spatiotemporal resolution limits of these imaging techniques are discussed, along with insight into plasma-based acceleration physics that has emerged from analyzing the images and comparing them to simulated plasma structures.

Spin waves in magnetic nanowires can be bound by a local bending of the wire. The eigenfrequency of a truly local magnon mode is determined by the curvature: a general analytical expression is established for any infinitesimally weak localized curvature of the wire. The interaction of the local mode with spin waves, propagating through the bend, results in scattering features, which is well confirmed by spin-lattice simulations.

The structural incorporation of trivalent ions, i.e. Y(III), Eu(III) and Cm(III) was studied with powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and various spectroscopic methods including site-selective time-resolved laser fluorescence-spectroscopy (TRLFS) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS). A clear mismatch of the bulk behavior in the stabilized tetragonal and cubic phases with its local structure was observed. Furthermore, it could be seen, that no quantitative structural incorporation into the monoclinic phase is achieved. A very strong shift of the laser fluorescence emission maximum of Cm(III) doped cubic phases compared to the Cm(III) aquo ion could be measured. It was shown that TRLFS is a powerful method to study defect structures, especially in combination with PXRD as a bulk characterization method.

Segregated and slug flows are two of the most common flow patterns encountered in two-phase upward inclined pipe flow. However, the transition between them is ambiguous. Coherent and distinctive structures have been observed within the transition. These structures have been classified as pseudo-slug flow. The nature of pseudo-slug flow is not well understood due to the complexity of the structure. At low liquid loading conditions, this flow pattern can occupy a large operating region and cannot be neglected. This paper presents a detailed experimental work conducted in a facility with a valley configuration, focusing on the transition region between segregated and slug flows. Wire-mesh sensors were employed to investigate the liquid phase distribution within the flow structure.
The current paper investigates the flow patterns and their transition in upward inclined pipe from different perspectives. The investigation includes analysis of images from high-speed videos, evaluation of 2-D liquid holdup axial evolution, 2-D liquid holdup distribution at pipe cross-section, 3-D interfacial structure evolution, and analysis of pressure gradient and liquid holdup measurement, flow characteristics, etc. Differences between slug and pseudo-slug flows are also presented.
Three superficial liquid velocities (0.001, 0.005 and 0.01 m/s) and five inclination angles (2°, 5°, 10°, 15°, and 20°) are studied. Simplified correlations are proposed for pseudo-slug structural velocity, showing fair agreement.

In contrast to the dominant trivalent state for the lanthanide series (Ln(III)), a wide variety of oxidation states (from II to VII) of actinides (An) makes their chemistry intricate but attractive. Especially the early An thorium (Th), uranium (U), neptunium (Np) and plutonium (Pu) form highly charged cations with the oxidation state of four (An4+), which are of particularly interest for the coordination chemistry due to their strong interaction with ligands. Furthermore, the tetravalent oxidation state of these An is also preferred under reductive conditions that could potentially occur in the environment. Hence, the understanding of the interaction mechanisms between tetravalent An (An(IV)) and naturally occurring ligands is of crucial importance particularly for the safety assessment of nuclear waste repository.
The overall aim of our investigations lies in the comprehensive characterization of An(IV) complexes with ligands bearing soft donor atoms, such as nitrogen (N), both in the solid state and in solution. The present study focuses particularly on the interaction of An(IV) with N-donor ligands of amidinate and guanidinate type, which could be considered as a simplified model of naturally occurring N-donor organic compounds.

Recently, the Ln(III) complexes with the chiral benzamidine, (S,S)-N,N-Bis-(1-phenylethyl)-benzamidine ((S)-HPEBA, Fig.1), have been successfully synthesized by the group of Prof. Roesky1,2. Our study is inspired by these precedent studies and has succeeded to obtain the first chiral benzamidinate complexes of An(IV) [An((S)-PEBA)3Cl] (An= Th, U and Np) as well as that of Ce(IV), a chemical analog of An(IV).

The structure of the synthesized complexes was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), revealing that the An(IV) center is coordinated by three chiral benzamidinates and one chloride in a monocapped distorted octahedral coordination geometry.

The isostructurality of the obtained An(IV) complexes enables a direct comparison of the binding situation across the series. Quantum chemical calculations indicate that the bonding between An(IV) and the N atoms in the ligand strengthens by comparing Th(IV) to U(IV) due to the contribution of 5f-electrons to the chemical bonding.
The complexes were also characterized in solution with NMR spectroscopy. Due to the electronic interactions between the paramagnetic metal center and the ligand, significant NMR chemical shifts are observed, which can be further correlated with the distance between the metal center and the measured nuclei as well as the angle towards the principal axis of the molecule. The Th(IV) complex serves as a diamagnetic reference to subtract non-paramagnetic contributions from the observed chemical shift and to calculate the hyperfine shifts. Hence, the structure information on the paramagnetic complexes in solution can be acquired by the paramagnetic NMR spectroscopy.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study was supported by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) funding under the project No. 02NUK046B (FENABIUM).

REFERENCES

1. P. BENNDORF, C. PREUẞ, P W. ROESKY: “Synthesis of Enantiomeric Pure Lithium and Potassium Benzamidinate Complexes” J. Organomet. Chem., 696, 1150 (2011).
2. P. BENNDORF, J. KRATSCH, L. HARTENSTEIN, C. PREUẞ, P W. ROESKY: “Chiral Benzamidinate Ligands in Rare-Earth-Metal Coordination Chemistry” Chem. Eur. J., 18, 14454 (2012).

To the Editor,
The recent letter by Dr. Saito refers to the theoretical framework of electron-density determination by dual-energy computed tomography (DECT), as presented in the appendix of our article.1 After performing some calculations in this framework, the author of the Comment concludes that “the form of Eq. (A1) […] is not appropriate to rigorously derive Eq. (3)”. This conclusion is clearly illogical and contradictory to other statements by the author.

Prediction of true classes of surficial and deep earth materials using multivariate geospatial data is a common challenge for geoscience modellers. Most geological processes leave a footprint that can be explored by geochemical data analysis. These footprints are normally complex statistical and spatial patterns buried deep in the high-dimensional compositional space. This paper proposes a spatial predictive model for classification of surficial and deep earth materials derived from the geochemical composition of surface regolith. The model is based on a combination of geostatistical simulation and machine learning approaches. A random forest predictive model is trained and features are ranked based on their contribution to the predictive model. To generate potential and uncertainty maps, compositional data are simulated at unsampled locations via a chain of transformations (isometric log-ratio transformation followed by the flow anamorphosis) and geostatistical simulation. The simulated results are subsequently back-transformed to the original compositional space. The trained predictive model is used to estimate the probability of classes for simulated compositions. The proposed approach is illustrated through two case studies. In the first case study the major crustal blocks of the Australian continent are predicted from the surface regolith geochemistry of the National Geochemical Survey of Australia project. The aim of the second case study is to discover the superficial deposits (peat) from the regional-scale soil geochemical data of the Tellus project. The accuracy of the results in these two case studies confirms the usefulness of the proposed method for geological class prediction and geological process discovery.

An accurate prediction of benefit in ore deposits with heterogeneous spatial variations requires the definition of geological domains that differentiate the types of mineralogy, alteration, and lithology, as well as the prediction of full mineral and geochemical compositions within each modeled domain and across boundaries between different domains. This paper proposes and compares various approaches (different combinations of log-ratio transformation, Gaussian and flow anamorphosis, and deterministic or probabilistic geological models) for geostatistical simulation of geochemical compositions in the presence of several geological domains. Different approaches are illustrated through an application to a nickel–cobalt laterite deposit located in Western Australia. Four rock types (ferruginous, smectite, saprolite, and ultramafic) are considered to define compositionally homogeneous domains. Geochemical compositions are comprised of six different components of interest (Fe, Al, Mg, Ni, Co, and Filler). The results suggest that the flow anamorphosis is a vital element for geostatistical modeling of geochemical composition due to its invariance properties and capability for reproducing complex patterns in input data, including: presence of outliers, presence of several populations (due to the presence of several geological domains), nonlinearity, and heteroscedasticity.

Electromagnetic actuators are widely used in industry for contactless control of the steel flow in the continuous casting process. However, a real control of the flow structure by those actuators is a challenging task due to the lack of flow monitoring devices. Even a satisfying non real-time characterisation of the melt flow from plant measurements is missing. Beside numerical simulations, only a very few spatially and temporally limited measurements in liquid steel are available to investigate the actual action of the magnetic fields on the fluid.
Therefore, model experiments with low melting point liquid metals are an important tool to investigate the flow structure and related transport processes in the mould of a continuous caster. Their advantage is the availability of a variety of measurement techniques for quantitative flow measurements. The application of the Ultrasonic-Doppler-Velocimetry (UDV) and the Contactless-Inductive-Flow-Tomography (CIFT) allows for a detailed characterization of the mould flow with a reasonable spatial and temporal resolution.
In recent experiments at HZDR, the systematic study on the influence of an electromagnetic brake on the mould flow in a slab caster was continued. The measurements were carried out using a 1:2 scaled model operated with SnBi and a 1:8 scaled model operated with GaInSn, respectively. The melt surface was partly measured by a laser scanner system. In particular, the immersion depth of the submergence entry nozzle (SEN) was varied during the experiments. It became obvious that changes in the mould flow had a strong influence on the free surface of the melt, where strong perturbations can significantly impair the surface quality of the final steel strands. Moreover, effects from the “artificial” clogging of one SEN-port or the injection of Argon gas at the stopper rod were investigated.

Vorstellung FORKA-Projektskizzen

The effect of solidification velocity and electromagnetic stirring on grain refining was investigated experimentally during the directional solidification of rod-like Al-10wt%Cu alloy samples. Applying low solidification velocities leads to a dendritic microstructure consisting of elongated equiaxed crystals, which result from fragmented dendrite arms forming new grains. This grain-refining effect vanishes for higher solidification velocities, leading to a microstructure dominated by a lower number of larger columnar grains. Moderate electromagnetic stirring under laminar flow conditions does not promote grain refinement. By contrast, a sufficiently strong forced melt flow induced by a rotating magnetic field significantly increases the number of grains in the range of solidification velocities investigated within this study. It is assumed that a turbulent melt flow supports the fragmentation of dendrite arms and thus the formation of new grains, which finally leads to grain refinement.

A series of 5-methyl-3,4-diaryl-substituted 1H-pyrazoles, N-isosteres of valdecoxib, was synthesized by a [3+2] cycloaddition/[1,5] sigmatropic rearrangement sequence starting from tosylhydrazine, aryl methyl ketones and terminal aryl alkynes bearing various substituents (H, Me, OMe, F, SO2Me, SO2NH2). New pyrazoles were prepared regioselectively in a one-pot process with moderate-good yields. All compounds were used in in vitro cyclooxygenase (COX) assays to determine inhibitory potency and selectivity to COX-1 and COX-2. In general, these new pyrazoles are characterized by selective COX-2 inhibition activity in a micromolar range. Structure-activity relationship studies showed that compounds possessing an electron-withdrawing group (F) in one of the aryl rings displayed higher COX-2 inhibition selectivity and activity than was determined for compounds containing electron-donating groups (Me, OMe).

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) possess a central role in impeding harmful immune reactions and represent important immunomodulatory players in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. For that reason, Tregs are intensively studied as an innovative cell product for the treatment of autoimmunity e.g. multiple sclerosis (MS) or Graft-versus-Host disease. In recent years, several preclinical mouse model clearly demonstrate a superior suppressive capacity of antigen-specific Tregs compared to polyclonal cells. On the downside, isolation of Tregs with a distinct antigen-specificity is a highly time-consuming and laborious process.
To overcome these challenges, we armed polyclonal Tregs isolated from healthy donors or MS patients with a universal chimeric antigen receptor (UniCAR) construct. As T cells and target cells are indirectly cross-linked by a separate, antigen-binding targeting module (TM), this innovative technology enables side-specific redirection of Tregs to any desired surface structure. Moreover, UniCAR armed Tregs are silenced in the absence of the TM allowing for a finely tuned regulation of Treg activity between an “on” and “off” status.
Here, we demonstrate that highly pure CD4+CD25highCD127dimCD45RA+ Tregs isolated from both healthy donors or MS patients stably express a UniCAR construct with an intracellular 4-1BB/ζ signaling domain. UniCAR-engrafted Tregs vigorously expand and maintain their phenotype even under pro-inflammatory conditions. Most importantly, upon TM-activation UniCAR-endowed Tregs significantly hamper autologous T effector cells both in vitro and in vivo.
Taken together, our results underline the enormous therapeutic potential of the UniCAR system for treatment of inflammatory diseases including MS, as it facilitates an antigen-specific and precisely controlled Treg activation at the side of inflammation. Moreover, this innovative technology allows redirection of Tregs against a wide range of surface structures simply by exchanging the TM and might thereby broaden current treatment modalities.

In multiple sclerosis (MS) patients pathogenic, autoreactive effector T cells (Teffs) provoke demyelination and central nerve system damage. To impede those harmful immune reactions, the adoptive transfer of regulatory T cells (Tregs) emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. Several preclinical mouse models confirm an inferior functionality of polyclonal compared to antigen-specific Treg cells. However, isolation and expansion of Tregs with a desired antigen-specificity proves to be highly time-consuming and labor-intensive.
To overcome these hurdles, we armed polyclonal Tregs isolated from MS patients with a universal chimeric antigen receptor (UniCAR) construct. This innovative technology allows a site-specific redirection of cells against any desired surface structure, as cross-linkage to target cells is mediated by a separate, antigen-binding targeting module (TM).
Highly pure CD4+CD25highCD127dimCD45RA+ MS-Tregs could be genetically modified to stably express the UniCAR 4-1BB/ζ construct. UniCAR-endowed Tregs strongly expand and show phenotypic stability also upon pro-inflammatory challenge. By adding a TM in the presence of target cells, UniCAR-engrafted Tregs are antigen-specifically activated demonstrated by CD69 and LAP upregulation. Most importantly, upon TM-stimulation UniCAR-armed Tregs efficiently suppress pre-activated, patient-derived Teffs.
Taken together, the UniCAR system holds an enormous therapeutic potential for MS, as it not only allows a site-specific and precisely regulated Treg activation but also confers strong suppressive capacity to Tregs from MS patients. Thereby, this innovate technology might broaden current treatment strategies to overcome impaired functionality of Tregs as well as resistance of pathogenic Teffs to Treg suppression reported for MS patients.

Froth flotation is a fundamental technique to separate minerals. Hydrophobized target particles attach to the fluidic interface of gas bubbles rising in a suspension. The success of the process depends on both the surface chemistry for the hydrophobization of particles and the hydrodynamics for an encounter between bubble and particle. To quantify this performance in terms of recovery, the number of target particles at various times in a reference volume is measured. One of the remaining challenges in this field is the flotation of fine particles with a size below 10µm. Caused by their small inertia, the particles follow the streamlines around the bubble and no collision occurs.

This work focuses on the measurement of the collision probability of particles with a small inertia at the bubble surface to advance our understanding of relevant microprocesses and its influence on the flotation recovery. With a 4D particle tracking velocimetry device the particle and bubble trajectories were measured simultaneously with a high temporal (1000 fps) and spatial resolution (0.03 mm/pixels). We developed an algorithm to evaluate the flotation recovery based on the collision and attachment probability. The three-phase flow within a rectangular bubble column consisted of fluorescent polystyrene particles (33 µm, 1.05 g/cm^3), a bubble chain(1 - 7mm) and deionized water with methanol. The variation of the bubble diameter and methanol concentration led to a change of the fluid flow around the bubble (Re=100 - 1200) and the particle hydrophobization. The results show the preferred collision of the particles at the rear of the bubble due to a higher acceleration within the vortices.

The adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells represents one of the fastest growing areas in cancer immunotherapy. Although gene-modified cells have shown unparalleled antitumor efficiency in patients suffering from hematological malignancies, highly potent CAR T cells can cause severe and partly life-threatening on-target and off-target effects including of cytokine release syndrome and neurological toxicity. Consequently, there is an increasing demand for developing effective strategies to selectively eliminate gene-modified cells in vivo.
One possible approach represents the insertion of a targetable moiety into CAR T cells. In that regard, we previously characterized a small peptide epitope (E-tag) derived from the human nuclear La protein which we incorporated into the extracellular spacer region of CARs. Based on a monoclonal anti-La antibody recognizing this epitope, we generated a CAR construct for specific binding and depletion of E-tag-labelled CAR T cells.
In flow cytometry-based cytotoxicity assays, T cells redirected via the novel CAR construct selectively eliminated E-tag-expressing CAR T cells whilst cells lacking this epitope on their surface were not attacked. Interestingly, T cell killing was reciprocal and dependent on an intracellular signaling domain as well as the effector to target cell ratio. Our studies further indicate that T cells expressing high CAR levels were more efficiently depleted than T cells with low CAR expression. In addition, CD4+ and CD8+ target cells were equally well eliminated by both CD4+ and CD8+ effector T cells.
Altogether, we here provide an approach for specific and efficient depletion of overactive CAR T cells in case patients experience severe side effects. The E-tag can easily be included into all CARs irrespective of the targeted tumor antigen and represents a promising tool to improve safety of cell-based immunotherapies.

Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells represents one of the fastest growing areas in cancer immunotherapy. Albeit gene-modified cells have demonstrated unparalleled antitumor efficiency in B cell malignancies, highly potent CAR T cells can cause severe and partly life-threatening side effects including cytokine release syndrome, neurological toxicity and off-target effects. Hence, there is an increasing demand for developing effective approaches to selectively ablate gene-modified cells in vivo.
Previously, we described an epitope tag (E-tag) derived from the human nuclear protein La that is incorporated into the extracellular domain of CARs and accessible by an anti-La monoclonal antibody (mAb). Based on this mAb, we generated a novel CAR construct for specific binding and depletion of E-tag-expressing CAR T cells.
We demonstrate that anti-E-tag-redirected T cells selectively eliminate CAR T cells that extracellularly express the E-tag whilst CAR T cells lacking this tag are not attacked. Interestingly, T cell killing is reciprocal and occurs in dependence of an intracellular signaling domain. Our studies further indicate that T cells expressing high CAR levels are more efficiently depleted than T cells with low CAR expression. Besides, CD4+ and CD8+ target cells are equally well eliminated by both CD4+ and CD8+ effector T cells.
Overall, we provide an approach for specific and efficient depletion of overactive CAR T cells in case patients experience severe side effects. The E-tag can be incorporated into all CARs irrespective of the targeted tumor antigen and represents a promising tool to improve safety of cell-based immunotherapies.

Mapping lithology and geological structures accurately remains a challenge in difficult terrain or in active mining areas. We demonstrate that the integration of terrestrial and drone-borne multi-sensor remote sensing techniques significantly improves the reliability, safety, and efficiency of geological activities during exploration and mining monitoring. We describe an integrated workflow to produce a geometrically and spectrally accurate combination of a Structure-from-Motion Multi-View Stereo point cloud and hyperspectral data cubes in the visible to near-infrared (VNIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR), as well as long-wave infrared (LWIR) ranges acquired by terrestrial and drone-borne imaging sensors. Vertical outcrops in a quarry in the Freiberg mining district, Saxony (Germany), featuring sulfide-rich hydrothermal zones in a granitoid host, are used to showcase the versatility of our approach. The image data are processed using spectroscopic and machine learning algorithms to generate meaningful 2.5D (i.e., surface) maps that are available to geologists on the ground just shortly after data acquisition. We validate the remote sensing data with thin section analysis and laboratory X-ray diffraction, as well as point spectroscopic data. The combination of ground- and drone-based photogrammetric and hyperspectral VNIR, SWIR, and LWIR imaging allows for safer and more efficient ground surveys, as well as a better, statistically sound sampling strategy for further structural, geochemical, and petrological investigations.

Films consisting of nanocrystalline ZnO were deposited on ITO/glass electrodes using an electrophoretic process. The microwave-assisted thermolysis of zinc alkyl-acetoacetates resulted in the formation of stable dispersions for the electrophoretic deposition procedure. Uniform and smooth coatings could be achieved by starting the electrophoresis at lower voltages first and increasing to higher voltages at later stages of the deposition. The ZnO/ITO double layers were integrated in metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors by completing the set-up with a spin-coated PMMA dielectric layer and gold contacts. The MOS capacitors showed IV curves with a region of negative differential resistance, indicating charge trapping, both in the ZnO grains and at the ZnO/PMMA interface. Doppler broadening positron annihilation (DB-PAS) and positron annihilation life time spectroscopy (PALS) were employed to characterize the point defects and void space within the deposited ZnO layer which allowed to give insight into the bulk composition of the film composition. PALS revealed the presence of micropores in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 nm.

The Younger Dryas phase, which occurred between 12.8 and 11.5 ka as a part of the cyclic pattern of global climatic changes, was concurrent with maximum fault instability (13–10 ka) in the Fennoscandian shield. Ice lineations, indicative of glacial streaming toward the Younger Dryas end moraines (YDEMs), may have faced earthquake impacts within the glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). Morphometric analyses for airborne laser scanning (ALS) revealed that ice lineations were deformed subglacially and subaerially in Finnish Lapland. The subglacial water outburst flows diagonally eroded the drumlins, 50 km from the YDEMs in Utsjoki, northern Finnish Lapland. Similarly north, in the Sevetti area, 40 km from the YDEMs a large portion of the ice lineations were entirely distorted by the subglacial squeeze-up Pulju moraine and liquefaction bowl formations. In the interior part of the Fennoscandian Ice sheet (FIS) in Kemijärvi, representing onset of an ice-stream fan 200 km from the YDEMs, mass flows had reworked the ice lineations. Based on the electrical-sedimentry anisotropy, mass flow sediments deviated from the ice flow pattern. Postglacial liquefaction craters were created on the drumlins in Utsjoki and also in Kuusamo, eastern Finnish Lapland, 70 km from the YDEMs in Russian Karelia. We interpret these features as indications of paleoseismic events associated with GIA.

The “Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf” (HZDR) is a registered, non-profit institution supported by the authorities of the Federal Go¬vernment and the Free State of Saxony (Germany). The HZDR conducts research in the sectors energy, health and matter. Besides the headquarters in Dresden, we have four other research sites in Grenoble/France, Freiberg, Leipzig, and Schenefeld near Hamburg.
We are working in the department of Biogeochemistry, which is part of the Institute of Resource Ecology. Here, research focusses on the assessment and reduction of risks related to the nuclear fuel cycle, particularly on the disposal of nuclear waste. Of special interest is the understanding of fundamental processes defining transport and accumulation of radiotoxic elements in the geo- and biosphere including the food chain. Chemists, biologists and physicists at our institute use a multitude of methods and tools to identify dominating processes in the ecosphere to understand the (biogeo-) chemistry of the processes on a molecular level with the objective of estimating their relevance for radionuclide migration and identification of potential risks during long-term storage of nuclear waste. In order to identify and characterize chemical species, varieties of spectroscopic tools are used. For the identification and characterization of microorganisms that could potentially influence migration processes of radionuclides or the geochemical properties of materials that are used in a nuclear waste repository, bio-geochemical and molecular biological methods are applied.

Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered T cells demonstrated promising therapeutic effect against cancer, they are still associated with adverse side effects which could be life threatening in some cases. Therefore, in our group we have developed a switchable universal CAR T cell platform “UniCAR”, which can be repeatedly switched on and off. This system consists of CAR T cells that cannot bind tumor antigens directly but instead they are redirected with a target module (TM). Such TMs are mainly composed of an epitope on one side, which is recognized by the UniCAR T cells, and on the other side a tumor antigen-binding domain. Once the TM is eliminated, the UniCAR T cells are no more activated. Disialoganglioside GD2 was shown previously to be a very promising target for several tumors such as neuroblastoma and Ewing’s sarcomas. Therefore, anti-GD2 TMs were developed and evaluated regarding their functionality. They were shown to be functional in activating the UniCARs to secrete important pro-inflammatory cytokines and to kill GD2+ tumor cells both in vivo and in vitro. To further characterize the anti-GD2 TM with PET imaging, it was labeled with radioactive Cu64 . The TM showed a specific enrichment at the site of the GD2+ growing tumor, and it was mainly eliminated through the kidneys within half an hour due to its small size. Such short half-life, provides the UniCAR system with the fast safety switch in case any complications occurred in patients treated with the UniCAR T cells.

The 22Ne(p,γ)23Na reaction, part of the neon-sodium cycle of hydrogen burning, may explain the observed anticorrelation between sodium and oxygen abundances in globular cluster stars. Its rate is controlled by a number of low-energy resonances and a slowly varying nonresonant component. Three new resonances at Ep=156.2, 189.5, and 259.7 keV have recently been observed and confirmed. However, significant uncertainty on the reaction rate remains due to the nonresonant process and to two suggested resonances at Ep=71 and 105 keV. Here, new 22Ne(p,γ)23Na data with high statistics and low background are reported. Stringent upper limits of 6×10−11 and 7×10−11  eV (90% confidence level), respectively, are placed on the two suggested resonances. In addition, the off-resonant S factor has been measured at unprecedented low energy, constraining the contributions from a subthreshold resonance and the direct capture process. As a result, at a temperature of 0.1 GK the error bar of the 22Ne(p,γ)23Na rate is now reduced by 3 orders of magnitude.

Multiple optical harmonics generation—the multiplication of photon energy as a result of nonlinear interaction between light and matter—has become one of the key technologies in modern electronics and optoelectronics. Owing to its unique electronic band structure featuring massless Dirac fermions, graphene has been repeatedly predicted to have high efficiency of optical harmonics generation in the technologically important terahertz frequency range. So far, experiments have failed to confirm these predictions under technologically relevant operation conditions. Here we report the generation of terahertz harmonics up to the seventh order in single-layer graphene at room temperature and under ambient conditions, driven by terahertz fields of only tens of kilovolts per centimetre, and with field conversion efficiencies in excess of 10⁻³, 10⁻⁴ and 10⁻⁵ for the third, fifth and seventh terahertz harmonics, respectively. The key to such highly efficient harmonics generation in graphene is the collective thermal response of its background Dirac electrons to the driving terahertz fields. The generated terahertz harmonics were observed directly in the time domain as electromagnetic field oscillations at these newly synthesized frequencies. The effective nonlinear optical coefficients of graphene for the third, fifth and seventh harmonics exceed the respective nonlinear coefficients of typical solids by 7–18 orders of magnitude. Our results provide a direct pathway to highly efficient terahertz frequency synthesis that is within the capabilities of the present generation of graphene electronics operating at fundamental frequencies of only a few hundreds of gigahertz.

In the present work, we report the 25 MeV oxygen irradiation effects in n-type single crystal β-Ga2O3 at different fluences. We demonstrate that the symmetric stretching modes and bending vibrations of GaO4 and GaO6 units are impaired upon increasing O irradiation fluence. Blue and green photoluminescence emission bands are found to be mainly associated with gallium-oxygen divacancies, gallium vacancies and oxygen interstitials. The increase of optically active centers at low fluence and the photoluminescence quenching at high fluence are ascribed to the reduction of carrier density and the production of non-radiative recombination centers, respectively. The results envisage the possibility of obtaining pre-designed spectral behaviours by varying the oxygen irradiation fluence.

This contribution describes a model experiment for the Czochralski crystal growth process. Low melting point liquid metals as GaInSn are an important tool to investigate the flow structure for such industrial processes. UDV flow measurements were conducted in a cylindrical Rayleigh-Bénard (RB) setup with modified thermal boundary conditions with and without the influence of an external rotating magnetic field. The topology of the prevailing thermally-driven convection might be very complex and is mainly determined by the aspect ratio of the liquid volume and the strength of the convection described by the characteristic dimensionless Grashof number. Two kinds of techniques were used to investigate the flow. Firstly, by means of single UDV transducers measurements of the radial velocity component were carried out shortly below the melt surface across the entire diameter of the cylindrical liquid column at various azimuthal angles. Secondly, a vertically arranged UDV array was applied at the side of the cylinder to obtain detailed information about the radial velocities in the covered meridional plane. The results reveal the complex flow structure of natural convection in a Czochralski crucible which gains in complexity with applied rotating magnetic field (RMF).

Coordination polymers are organic-inorganic complexes built up from the association of metallic centers with O- or N-donor ligands. In the particular case of actinides (An), previous literature mainly has reported the synthesis of solid networks bearing U(VI) or Th(IV). Trans-uranium elements have been much less studied due to their high radiotoxicity and limited amount of the material source.
In this work, we studied the crystallization of Np(IV) with various aromatic polycarboxylate ligands in different solvents and analyzed their crystal structures. In water, an infinite chain of Np2O2(H2O)2(1,2-bdc)2 were isolated in the presence of phthalate, whereas mellitic acid leads to the oxidation of Np(IV) to Np(V) and the formation of inorganic layers of {NpO7H2O0-2}.1 The use of other solvents allowed the crystallization of large polynuclear discrete Np(IV) clusters. For example, using DMF, the hexanuclear unit of [Np6O4(OH)4] has been obtained with different dicarboxylic ligands and is the basic building unit to form an open-framework structure (Figure 1, left). This framework revealed the isolation of the hexanuclear cluster An6O8 with Np(IV).2 The formation of the giant neptunium-based polyoxo cluster called Np38 will be also presented.

The microstructures of amorphous and polycrystalline ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 films are studied by X-ray spectroscopy and ellipsometry. EXAFS spectra demonstrate that the amorphous film consists of an “incompletely mixed” solid solution of metallic oxides HfO2 and ZrO2. After rapid thermal annealing, the mixed Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 oxide films have a more ordered polycrystalline structure, and individual Hf and Zr monoxide islands form in the films. These islands are several nanometers in size and have a structure that is similar to the monoclinic structure of HfO2 and ZrO2. The presence of the HfO2 and ZrO2 phases in the Hf0.5Zr0.5O2
films is also detected by ellipsometry

Line defects in two-dimensional borophene can self-assemble into new crystalline phases, blurring the distinctions between perfect and defective crystal.

We report on the fabrication of reshaped Ag nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in a Nd:YAG crystal by combining Ag ion implantation and swift heavy Xe ion irradiation. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect is proved to be efficiently modulated according to the phenomenon of polarization-dependent absorption. The LSPR peak located at 448 nm shows red shift and blue shift at 0° and 90° polarization, respectively, which is in good agreement with calculation by discrete dipole approximation. Based on the near-field intensity distribution, the interaction between reshaped NPs shows a non-ignorable effect on the optical absorption. Furthermore, the polarization-dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) intensity is analyzed, which is positively related to the modulated LSPR absorption. It demonstrates the potential of the enhancement of PL intensity by embedded plasmonic Ag NPs. This work breaks the conventional view of the quenching effect of NPs by ion irradiation and opens a new way to realize the modulation of optical dichroism.

Background: The limited availability of proton beam therapy (PBT) requires individual treatment selection strategies, such as based on normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). We developed and externally validated NTCP models for common acute side-effects following PBT in brain tumour patients in effort to provide guidance on optimising patient quality of life.
Methods: An exploration cohort including 113 adult brain tumour patients who underwent PBT was investigated for the following endpoints: alopecia, scalp erythema, headache, fatigue and nausea. Dose–volume parameters of associated normal tissues were used for logistic regression modelling.
Statistically significant parameters showing high area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) values in internal cross-validation were externally validated on two cohorts of 71 and 96 patients, respectively.
Results: Statistically significant correlations of dose–volume parameters of the skin for erythema and alopecia were found. In internal cross-validation, the following prognostic parameters were selected: V35Gy (absolute volume receiving 35 Gy) for erythema grade ≥1, D2% (dose to 2% of the volume) for alopecia grade ≥1 and D5% for alopecia grade ≥2. Validation was successful for both cohorts with AUC >0.75. A bivariable model for fatigue grade 1 could not be validated externally. No correlations of dose–volume parameters of the brain were seen for headache or nausea.
Conclusion: We developed and successfully validated NTCP models for scalp erythema and alopecia in primary brain tumour patients treated with PBT.

Hintergrund: Inoperable und lokal fortgeschrittene nicht-kleinzellige Bronchialkarzinome (NSCLC) werden standardgemäß mit einer simultanen Radiochemotherapie behandelt. In dieser Arbeit untersuchten die Autoren die Hypothese, dass die Lungentoxizität (Strahlenpneumonitis, RP) nach PSPT geringer ist, ohne die Tumorkontrolle zu gefährden.
Methodik: Gemäß Protokoll wurden 149 Patienten behandelt (IMRT: 92, PSPT: 57). Als primärer kombinierter Endpunkt der randomisierten Studie wurde das erste Auftreten einer RP vom Grad ≥3 oder das Auftreten eines Lokalrezidivs innerhalb eines Jahres betrachtet.
Resultate: Die PSPT reduzierte die mittlere Herzdosis signifikant (p = 0,002), während in der mittleren Lungen- und Ösophagusdosis keine Unterschiede zur IMRT auftraten. Eine RP vom Grad ≥3 entwickelten 12 Patienten, je 6 pro Studienarm. Lokalrezidive traten ähnlich häufig in beiden Armen auf. Damit ergab sich kein signifikanter Unterschied im primären kombinierten Endpunkt (IMRT: 17,4 %, PSPT: 21,1 %; p = 0,175). Das mediane Gesamtüberleben betrug 29,5 Monate im IMRT-Arm und 26,1 Monate im PSPT-Arm.
Schlussfolgerung der Autoren: Bei Patienten mit lokal fortgeschrittenem NSCLC konnte kein Unterschied in der Häufigkeit von RP Grad ≥3 oder dem Auftreten von Lokalrezidiven zwischen IMRT und PSPT nachgewiesen werden.
Kommentar: Die vorliegende Arbeit präsentiert die erste abgeschlossene randomisierte klinische Studie, die bei Patienten mit lokal fortgeschrittenem NSCLC prospektiv Ergebnisse von IMRT mit PSPT vergleicht. Das gewählte adaptive Bayes-Studiendesign zur Randomisierung der Patienten erhöht die ethische Vertretbarkeit randomisierter Studien. Allerdings ist der Dosisvergleich in benachbarten Risikoorganen zwischen beiden Strahlungsmodalitäten kritisch zu sehen. Im PSPT-Arm wurden mehr Patienten mit der höheren Dosis von 74 Gy bestrahlt als im IMRT-Arm. Die hohe Rate an RP im PSPT-Arm wird mit einer Lernkurve des Personals erklärt, obwohl eine andere plausible Erklärung die signifikant höheren Tumorvolumina sein können. Eine Analyse der mittleren biologischen Lungendosis könnte vorteilhafter sein als die Analyse der physikalischen Dosis.

For the transport of RF signals coaxial cables with PTFE ("Teflon") as dielectric medium are widely used because they offer a wide bandwidth and low insertion loss. Coaxial cables that are routed in immediate vicinity to the beamline are exposed to ionizing radiation that is mainly generated by beam-loss. In this radiative environment cables change their electrical properties which directly affects the signal on the receiver side and in turn the measured beam parameters. This contribution describes a measurement setup at the superconducting CW accelerator ELBE that was used to investigate the degradation of coaxial cables under well-controlled conditions up to an accumulated dose of 94 kGy. Furthermore the acquired data up to 40 GHz of two coaxial cable samples are presented and the results are discussed.

Exchange bias stems from the interaction between different magnetic phases and therefore it generally occurs in magnetic multilayers. Here we present a large exchange bias in a single SrRuO3 layer induced by helium ion irradiation. When the fluence increases, the induced defects not only suppress the magnetization and the Curie temperature, but also drive a metal-insulator transition at a low temperature. In particular, a large exchange bias field up to ~ 0.36 T can be created by the irradiation. This large exchange bias is related to the coexistence of different magnetic and structural phases that are introduced by embedded defects. Our work demonstrates that spintronic properties in complex oxides can be created and enhanced by applying ion irradiation.

Although CAR T cell therapy has demonstrated tremendous clinical efficacy especially in hematological malignancies, severe treatment-associated toxicities still compromise the widespread application of this innovative technology. Therefore, developing novel approaches to abrogate CAR T cell-mediated side effects is of great relevance. Several promising strategies pursue the selective antibody-based depletion of adoptively transferred T cells via elimination markers. However, given the limited half-life and tissue penetration, dependence on the patients’ immune system and on-target/off-side effects of proposed monoclonal antibodies, we sought to exploit αCAR-engineered T cells to efficiently eliminate CAR T cells. For comprehensive and specific recognition, a small peptide epitope (E-tag) was incorporated into the extracellular spacer region of CAR constructs. We provide first proof-of-concept for targeting this epitope by αE-tag CAR T cells, allowing an effective killing of autologous E-tagged CAR T cells both in vitro and in vivo whilst sparing cells lacking the E-tag. In addition to CAR T cell cytotoxicity, the αE-tag-specific T cells can be empowered with cancer fighting ability in case of relapse, hence, have versatile utility. Our proposed methodology can most probably be implemented in CAR T cell therapies regardless of the targeted tumor antigen aiding in improving overall safety and survival control of highly potent gene-modified cells.

Building quantum devices based on silicon carbide (SiC) is highly desirable, facilitated by established SiC CMOS technology. Optoelectronic SiC devices have already been demonstrated, however, the signal- mediating quantum defects are usually introduced in a semi-random manner, by bulk electron or neutron irradiation. We present the controlled generation of quantum centers in silicon carbide (SiC) by focused proton beam in a noncomplex manner without need for pre- or postirradiation treatment [1]. The generation depth and resolution can be predicted by matching the proton energy to the material’s stopping power, and the amount of quantum centers at one specific sample volume is tunable from ensembles of millions to discernible single photon emitters [2]. We identify the generated centers as silicon vacancies through their characteristic magnetic resonance signatures and demonstrate that they possess highy coherent spin properties even at room temperature [3].
[1] H. Kraus et al., Nano Lett. 17, 2865 (2017).
[2] F. Fuchs et al., Nat. Commun. 6, 7578 (2015).
[3] D. Simin et al., Phys. Rev. B 95, 161201(R) (2017).

The license for the storage of spent nuclear fuel assemblies in dry casks is limited to 40 years. In Germany, a site for a final repository of spent fuel is not yet available. Therefore, this license has to be renewed for prolonged storage period. Currently, there is no experience with dry cask storage worldwide that goes beyond a period of 40 years. Beside regulatory and security aspects, there are questions concerning the long-term integrity of the spent fuel assemblies as this is of relevance for final transportation and reloading to final waste repository casks. Once the cask is filled and sealed, the knowledge about the state of the fuel assemblies is limited. This study investigates the feasibility of using external gamma flux measurements to detect the state of the spent fuel assemblies inside the cask. Monte-Carlo simulations were performed to evaluate the gamma flux distribution outside the sidewall of a cask with all intact fuel assemblies and a cask with one damaged fuel assembly, mimicking a fuel assembly with expanded rods and fuel relocation. The evaluation was performed for different location of the damaged fuel assembly and different storage times. The results of the investigation showed that the intensity and the shape of the gamma flux outside the sidewall of the cask are sufficient to identify the damaged fuel assembly, in case it is located near the inner wall of the cask. The detection of the inner damaged fuel assemblies, however, is less feasible. Due to the self-shielding of the fuel assemblies, the gamma photons which come from the inner fuel assemblies stopped within the fuel basket and assemblies materials. The gamma photons which do survive the fuel assemblies self-shielding reach the inner cask wall with not enough energy to escape the shielding of the thick cast iron wall. In general, it can be concluded that the more the damaged fuel assembly is close to the cask inner walls and that the damage is in a large scale (i.e., significant fuel relocation), the more it can be detected by external gamma flux measurements.

The development of new ligand systems for solvent extraction demands knowledge of the fundamental chemistry behind these processes. Thus, herein, we report the synthesis and structural characterization of a 6-hydroxymethylpyridine functionalized calix[4]arene (L2). Its complexation behavior towards the divalent uranyl cation as well as the trivalent europium cation was spectroscopically studied. In solution the formation of two uranyl complex species with L2 was proven by spectrophotometric titration experiments, with stability constants of log ß1:1 = 5.82±0.04 and log ß2:1 = 5.57±0.05, and of one europium complex species (log ß1:1 = 6.85±0.03). In addition, the concept of the desired proper planar binding pocket for the linear uranyl cation has been verified in solution. Moreover, comparative UVI and EuIII extraction studies with L2 and a structure related 8-hydroxyquinoline modified calix[4]arene (L1) were performed in which the effects of various conditions such as pH of the aqueous phase, presence of relevant anions (sulfate, phosphate, carbonate) and competitive extraction with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were investigated. It has been shown that both macrocyclic ligands offer a strong chelate effect, which enables them to extract even stable uranyl hydrolysis species. With these ligands, the selective separation of UVI from EuIII-containing solutions is possible under a variety of conditions.

Arsenic (As) is reported to be effectively sorbed onto natural organic matter (NOM) via thiol coordination and polyvalent metal cation bridged ternary complexation. However, the extent of sorption via complexation to oxygen containing functional groups of NOM is poorly understood. By equilibrating arsenite, arsenate, and monothioarsenate with peat, followed by As K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopic analysis, this study shows that complexation to the alcoholic groups can be an additional or alternative mode of As sorption to NOM. The extent of complexation was highest for arsenite, followed by monothioarsenate and arsenate. Complexation was higher at pH 7.0 compared to 4.5 for arsenite and arsenate, and vice versa for monothioarsenate due to partial transformation to arsenite at pH 4.5. EXAFS modelling of the As K-edge spectra revealed monodentate and bidentate complexation for arsenite and tridentate complexation for arsenate and monothioarsenate to the alcoholic group. Similarly, the As…C interatomic distance was relatively longer in arsenate- (2.83 ± 0.01 Å) and monothioarsenate-treated peat (2.80 ± 0.02 Å) compared to arsenite-treatment (2.73 ± 0.01 Å). This study implies that depending on acidity of the NOM, arsenate and monothioarsenate can have a higher mobility than arsenite in NOM-rich environments.