ALBERT

Description: Author(s): J. Wu, A. Vredenborg, B. Ulrich, L. Ph. H. Schmidt, M. Meckel, S. Voss, H. Sann, H. Kim, T. Jahnke, and R. Dörner We demonstrated that the weak van der Waals–force-bound argon dimer can be nonadiabatically aligned by nonresonant femtosecond laser pulses, showing periodic alignment and anti-alignment revivals after the extinction of the laser pulse. Based on the measured nonadiabatic alignment trace, the rotatio... [Phys. Rev. A 83, 061403] Published Thu Jun 23, 2011

Description: Author(s): A. Bermudez, P. O. Schmidt, M. B. Plenio, and A. Retzker We introduce a scheme that combines phonon-mediated quantum logic gates in trapped ions with the benefits of continuous dynamical decoupling. We demonstrate theoretically that a strong driving of the qubit decouples it from external magnetic-field noise, enhancing the fidelity of two-qubit quantum g... [Phys. Rev. A 85, 040302] Published Wed Apr 04, 2012

Description: Author(s): Bernd Schmidt, M. Reza Bakhtiari, Irakli Titvinidze, Ulrich Schneider, Michiel Snoek, and Walter Hofstetter We theoretically investigate the thermodynamics of an interacting inhomogeneous two-component Fermi gas in an optical lattice. Motivated by a recent experiment by L. Hackermüller et al. Science 327 1621 (2010), we study the effect of the interplay between thermodynamics and strong correlations on ... [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 075302] Published Tue Feb 12, 2013

Description: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are highly heritable, yet relatively few associated genetic loci have been replicated. Copy number variations (CNVs) have been implicated in autism; however, the majority of loci contribute to 〈1% of the disease population. Therefore, independent studies are important to refine associated CNV regions and discover novel susceptibility genes. In this study, a genome-wide SNP array was utilized for CNV detection by two distinct algorithms in a European ancestry case–control data set. We identify a significantly higher burden in the number and size of deletions, and disrupting more genes in ASD cases. Moreover, 18 deletions larger than 1 Mb were detected exclusively in cases, implicating novel regions at 2q22.1, 3p26.3, 4q12 and 14q23. Case-specific CNVs provided further evidence for pathways previously implicated in ASDs, revealing new candidate genes within the GABAergic signaling and neural development pathways. These include DBI , an allosteric binder of GABA receptors, GABARAPL1 , the GABA receptor-associated protein, and SLC6A11 , a postsynaptic GABA transporter. We also identified CNVs in COBL , deletions of which cause defects in neuronal cytoskeleton morphogenesis in model vertebrates, and DNER , a neuron-specific Notch ligand required for cerebellar development. Moreover, we found evidence of genetic overlap between ASDs and other neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric diseases. These genes include glutamate receptors ( GRID1 , GRIK2 and GRIK4 ), synaptic regulators ( NRXN3 , SLC6A8 and SYN3 ), transcription factor (ZNF804A) and RNA-binding protein FMR1 . Taken together, these CNVs may be a few of the missing pieces of ASD heritability and lead to discovering novel etiological mechanisms.

Description: Author(s): O. A. Schmidt, M. K. Garbos, T. G. Euser, and P. St. J. Russell We report a novel optothermal trapping mechanism that occurs in air-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. In the confined environment of the core, the motion of a laser-guided particle is strongly influenced by the thermal-gradient-driven flow of air along the core surface. Known as “thermal cr... [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 024502] Published Mon Jul 09, 2012

Description: Shiga toxin (Stx) 2e of Stx-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) represents the major virulence factor responsible for the pig edema disease which is characterized by hemorrhagic lesions, neurological disorders and often fatal outcomes. Stx2e-producing strains from the intestine of slaughtered pigs ( n  = 3), feces of piglets with postweaning diarrhea or edema disease ( n  = 12) and feces of humans with asymptomatic infections or mild diarrhea ( n  = 13) were comparatively analyzed for the binding specificities of Stx2e to glycosphingolipids (GSLs) of the globo-series. Besides equivalent binding towards globotriaosylceramide (Gb3Cer) and globotetraosylceramide (Gb4Cer), we could demonstrate specific interaction of Stx2e preparations from human and porcine STEC isolates with Forssman GSL. Notably, Forssman GSL was recognized neither by structurally closely related Stx2 nor by Stx1 derived from human STEC isolates conferring Stx2e a unique recognition feature. Noteworthy, 7 (54%) of the 13 human and 8 (53%) of the 15 pig Stx2e samples exhibited cytotoxic action towards human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Our findings provide a basis for further exploring the functional role of the promiscuous receptor repertoire of Stx2e and the exact nature of the mechanisms that underlie different pathological outcomes of Stx2e-producing STEC in humans and pigs.

Description: Author(s): J. Wu, L. Ph. H. Schmidt, M. Kunitski, M. Meckel, S. Voss, H. Sann, H. Kim, T. Jahnke, A. Czasch, and R. Dörner We coincidently measure the molecular-frame photoelectron angular distribution and the ion sum-momentum distribution of single and double ionization of CO molecules by using circularly and elliptically polarized femtosecond laser pulses, respectively. The orientation dependent ionization rates for v... [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 183001] Published Mon Apr 30, 2012

Description: Author(s): S. K. Semenov, K. Kreidi, T. Jahnke, Th. Weber, T. Havermeier, R. E. Grisenti, X. Liu, Y. Morisita, L. Ph. H. Schmidt, M. S. Schöffler, M. Odenweller, N. Neumann, L. Foucar, J. Titze, B. Ulrich, F. Sturm, H. K. Kim, K. Ueda, A. Czasch, O. Jagutzki, N. A. Cherepkov, and R. Dörner The detailed theoretical and experimental analysis of the angular distributions of electrons from interatomic Coulombic decay (ICD) of the Ne dimer in the molecular frame is performed. In the initial state the doubly charged dimer ion has one 2 s vacancy and one 2 p vacancy on one atom. After the ICD ... [Phys. Rev. A 85, 043421] Published Tue Apr 24, 2012

Description: Author(s): W. G. Schmidt, M. Babilon, C. Thierfelder, S. Sanna, and S. Wippermann Density functional theory calculations are performed to study the influence of Na adatoms on the electron transport and structural properties of the In-Si(111)( 4×1 )–( 8×2 ) nanowire array. It is found that there are several energetically nearly degenerate Na adsorption sites, the precise energetic ord... [Phys. Rev. B 84, 115416] Published Wed Sep 14, 2011

Description: The deep crustal magmatic history of arc volcanoes is obscured by diversity in mantle inputs, modest isotopic contrast between magma and wall-rock, and overprinting processes in the middle and upper crust. To identify and quantify processes in the deep arc crust, we investigated the evolution of the mafic composite North Sister Volcano, the oldest and most mafic of the Three Sisters Volcanic Field of the central Oregon Cascade arc. Here, intra-arc extension limits the degree of magma interaction with the mid- to upper crust and the range in primitive magmas delivered from the mantle is known. North Sister Volcano has produced low-K basaltic andesitic magmas (0·5–0·8 wt % K 2 O) for ~400 kyr during four central-vent eruptive stages and along the late, 11 km long Matthieu Lakes Fissure. Although restricted in bulk composition (53–55 wt % SiO 2 ), North Sister basaltic andesites from different stages cluster into elemental and isotopic groups. Over time, North Sister basaltic andesites generally have decreasing compatible elements, such as Ni (from 112 to 40 ppm), and increasing Al 2 O 3 and TiO 2 . Concurrently, incompatible elements remain the same or decrease (e.g. from 302 to 247 ppm Ba). Isotopic variations at North Sister are small, but systematically progress toward more mantle-like ratios with time; 87 Sr/ 86 Sr decreases (from 0·70369 to 0·70356), and 144 Nd/ 143 Nd increases (from 0·51285 to 0·51292). We present a multi-stage petrological model for the evolution of North Sister magmas to account for: (1) the generation of low-K basaltic andesite; (2) geochemical variations within the eruptive stages; (3) evolution of the magma system over time to more mantle-like compositions. The earliest and most isotopically ‘crust-like’ (highest 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and lowest 143 Nd/ 144 Nd) North Sister magma is consistent with two-component mixing of regionally typical mantle-derived, low-K tholeiites with partial melts of the crust. Crustal melts must be high in SiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 , and most probably result from low-degree melting of plagioclase–clinopyroxene amphibole-bearing gabbro at high pressure. Variations in highly compatible elements within compositional groups (e.g. 60 ppm Ni within a single group) reflect fractionation of plagioclase, olivine, and clinopyroxene and recharge by more primitive basaltic andesite that overprint longer-term variations between groups. To understand the evolution of the North Sister basaltic andesite magmas through time, we use an energy-constrained model that balances assimilation of refractory gabbroic wall-rocks and abundant recharge by mantle-derived low-K tholeiites. These complementary processes allow Sr and Nd isotopic ratios to become more like those of the regional basalts while maintaining high Ni concentrations. Low-K basaltic andesites like those of North Sister Volcano are found along the Oregon Cascade arc and they imply that low-K tholeiitic magmas interact with a refractory mafic underplate along its length. Dominantly basaltic andesite volcanoes are common in arcs and provide insight into the extensive, albeit compositionally cryptic mafic underplating and intraplating that affects arc crust.