Bøger udgivet af Südwestdeutscher Verlag für Hochschulschriften

Rigorous Fourier methods are methods for the rigorous calculation of the scattering of waves at gratings which are based on Fourier expansions of the field and material distribution in the direction(s) of periodicity; they are of importance for the calculation of optical systems containing diffractive elements ¿ e.g. interferometers. In the direction(s) of periodicity, the time-independent Maxwell equations are projected onto a Fourier basis. The remaining ordinary differential equation defines together with the boundary conditions at the homogeneous medium of incidence and transmission the boundary value problem, the subject of this work. Its solution is given by the scattering-matrix (S-matrix) to be calculated ¿ or the scattering vector (S-vector) respectively for only one given incidence scenario. This work resumes already known, scattering computation techniques such as the S-matrix algorithm as well as integral equation based methods and subsequently develops the direct S-matrix integration as well as the S-vector algorithm as novel, alternative concepts. The specified examples show the need and merit of efficient rigorous Fourier methods.

The study is aimed to estimate the relative contribution of speech rate and speech rhythm into the perceived foreign accent in L2 speech. As L2 acquisition progresses, learners tend to speak more rapidly and with rhythmic patterns that are closer to those exhibited in the target language. These developmental changes in speech rate and rhythm are perceived by the native spekaers of the target languages. The results clearly show that the relative contribution is rhythm and rate depedns on the rhythmic similarity of the target and native languages of the learners. If the the languages of the learners are rhythmically similar (target ¿ English; native ¿ German), speech rate makes a bigger affect on the perceived accentedness. In case the languages of the learners are rhythmically contrastive (target ¿ English; native-French), speech rhythm excersises a bigger influence on the degree of the foreign accent. Also, intonation enhances the perception of minute rhythmic deviations in L2 speech from the native norms.

A comprehensive literature survey showed that the present research on alliances is not able to explain the essence of alliance formation and alignment. Walt¿s neorealist theory Balance of Threat (BoT) is regarded as the most accepted approach since it offers rich analytical tools to understand and explain the motives of the alliance formation based on four variables: aggregate power, geographic proximity, offensive power, and aggressive intentions. However, the weakness of BoT lies in its inability to explain the construction of the last ideational variable aggressive intentions. The starting point of this study is to improve the explanatory power of BoT theory by focusing on the construction of the perception. The study contributed to the alliance literature by: ¿ Explaining the formation of perception patterns, ¿ Showing the role of identities in the alignment and framing a concept on identity links, ¿ Explaining the mechanism of alignment and alliance, ¿ Distinguishing alignment from the alliance, ¿ Offering ¿integration¿ and ¿orientation¿ as new terms, ¿ Suggesting a Holistic Analytical Framework that combines ideational and material factors.

Plants, like all photosynthetic organisms, depend on light energy absorbed from the sun for survival, growth, and reproduction. Periodically, plants absorb light at levels that exceed efficient photosynthesis under relatively limited light conditions. Excess light must be converted into heat to minimize light stress and photodamage. Energy-dependent non-photochemical quenching (qE) is a biochemical defense mechanism that efficiently converts excess light into heat and limits the effects of light stress in the short-term. How is this energy-dependent quenching regulated and what are the major factors involved? The author, Dr. Lazar Pavlovic, gives an overview of current scientific understanding on the subject. He then presents original research that has been published in part and investigates the role of the electric field across the chloroplast thylakoid membrane and other factors that regulate qE. Results of this work have direct implications on applied breeding efforts to improve biomass production in food and non-food crops. The book is aimed at plant biochemists, crop breeders, and other professionals in the plant sciences.

Systems biology as the understanding and prediction of how intracellular machinery works, needs new technological support in order to observe cell metabolism at all its levels. From organism genome to its transcription to proteins and how these proteins regulate metabolite pools as a final response to determined stimuli, are needed to have a close look at specific metabolic states. Mass spectrometry is used to obtain intracellular information at a metabolomics, peptidomics and proteomics level for specific questions concerning bioprocesses optimization.

Climate change and the depletion of fossil fuels are increasing the urgency to develop clean, cheap, and renewable energy sources. Solar water splitting to form molecular hydrogen and oxygen is an ideal strategy to produce clean and recyclable hydrogen as an energy source. In the present work, materials with sufficient abundance and suitable bandgap energies for visible light harvesting such as hematite and pyrite were studied for photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photocatalytic (PC) water splitting. Commercially available and self-prepared crystalline nanoparticles were employed as the photoelectrodes or as the photocatalysts for PEC or PC water splitting, respectively. The electrochemical behavior of prepared photoanodes and photocathodes were investigated in the dark and under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic production of oxygen over hematite and hydrogen over pyrite was studied in both bare and modified photocatalysts. The surface of the photocatalysts was modified with various co-catalysts including noble metals and metal oxides to enhance their photocatalytic activity.

Within this book, an effort to improve local drug delivery at the various mucosal tissues via encapsulation in CDs was undertaken by pursuing thiolation and pre-activation strategies to overcome low residence time, foreign body sensation, irritation and other biochemical barriers. The investigated CDs, ¿-CD and ¿-CD were successfully modified to obtain more mucoadhesion, prolong drug residence time, improved water solubility and improved drug tolerance by reducing its irritation effects. Thiolation of CDs was carried out via inducing aldehyde groups and subsequent conjugation of cysteamine. Non-ionic thiolated CDs were synthesized by substitution of hydroxyl groups with bromine and subsequent thiolation with thiourea. Thiolated CDs were further improved by making them resistant against oxidation at higher pH in solutions via pre-activating the free thiol groups. Thiomers, multifunctional polymers, exhibited advantages in prolonged drug residence time by mucoadhesive properties. The presence of thiol groups leads to disulfide bonds formation between the polymer and cysteine subunit of mucus glycoprotein, and thus prolong the residence time of the delivery system.

Optical antennas work similar to antennas for the radio-frequency regime and convert electromagnetic radiation into oscillating electrical currents. Charge density accumulations form at the antenna surface leading to strong and localized near-fields. Since most optical antennas have dimensions of a few hundred nanometers, their near-fields allow the focusing of electromagnetic fields to volumes much smaller than the diffraction limit, with intensities several orders of magnitude larger than achievable with classical diffractive and refractive optical elements. In this work the optimization of focusing optical antennas is based on an approach that is a lively research field and has often proved successful for radio-frequency-antennas: evolutionary algorithms. Within this work, new and unexpected antenna geometries have been developed, tested in experiment and described with a novel theoretic framework within the classical Maxwell Equations. These results, which resemble a 3D-modematching principle, will ease the design of novel optical antennas for any given application.

This study deals with the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), with a focus on Public Engagement as one of its main dimensions and the roles identified within. By undertaking a broad review of the related literature as well as an empirical study, this work investigates problems of practical implementation. It describes origins and developments of Public Engagement in research and innovation and closes with options for future direction. The work presents the central role of practitioners identified within the discourse and encompasses suggestions and recommendations for Public Engagement processes as revealed by the empirical work with practitioners in the field. Finally, it describes consequences that could be obtained from the results presented. It raises issues and open questions on Public Engagement in Responsible Research and Innovation which would need extra attention.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by loss of immune tolerance towards nuclear autoantigens such as SmD1, RNP70, Histone, Ro, and La. Although great progress towards our understanding of the disease has been made over the past 50 years and mortality is currently only around 10% within the last ten years, our knowledge of the factors that drive the pathology of SLE is still limited. The role of CD4+ T cells specific to nuclear antigens in the disease pathogenesis of SLE is yet not fully known because the detection of human autoreactive CD4+ T cells has been extremely challenging. In this book, the author Dimas Abdirama describes how autoreactive CD4+ T cell subsets participate in autoimmunity. The book provides insight into previously unrecognized pathogenic characteristics of autoreactive CD4+ T cells in SLE, expanding our knowledge in human systemic autoimmune disease.