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Granular sludge intensifies the removal of nutrients from wastewater. Granules structured by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) can be recovered as biomaterial. Links between microbial selection and EPS formation during granulation need to get uncovered. We inoculated anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactors with either flocs or granules to study the relationships between microbial selection, bioaggregation, exopolymer formation, and EPS composition. Selection for slow-growing organisms like the model polyphosphate- accumulating organism “Candidatus Accumulibacter” (max. 83% vs. amplicon sequencing read counts) and glycogen-accumulating organism “Ca. Competibacter” (max. 45%) sustained granulation. Gel-forming exopolymers were produced as high as above 40% of the volatile solids of the biomass by stepwise increase of the organic loading rate (0.3 to 2.0 g CODAcd-1LR-1). Confocal laser scanning microscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, and HPAE-PAD chromatography revealed the complex and dynamic chemical compositions of the structural EPS in relation to microbial population shifts along reactor regimes. The analysis of 20 representative genomes of “Ca. Accumulibacter” and “Ca. Competibacter” recovered from public databases revealed their functional potential to produce EPS among other representative wastewater microorganisms. The more than 40 functional gene categories annotated highlight the complexity of EPS metabolic networks from monomers processing to assembly, export, and epimerizations. The combination of ecological engineering principles and systems microbiology will help unravel and direct the production of EPS from wastewater, valorizing residual granular sludge into beneficial biomaterials for the circular economy.HighlightsSelection for slow-growing organisms like PAOs and GAOs fostered a robust granulation.Structural EPS were produced above 40% of biomass volatile content under high loading.Chemical composition of EPS evolved together with the microbial community composition.Genomic insights highlighted the genetic potential of PAOs and GAOs for EPS formation.Microbial communities are complex; further are their EPS compositions and metabolisms.Graphical abstract

Interactions between marine diatoms and bacteria have been studied for decades. However, the visualization of physical interactions between these diatoms and their colonizers is still limited. To enhance our understanding of these specific interactions, a new Thalassiosira rotula isolate from the North Sea (strain 8673) was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser canning microscopy (CLSM) after staining with fluorescently labelled lectins targeting specific glycoconjugates. To investigate defined interactions of this strain with bacteria the new strain was made axenic and co-cultivated with a natural bacterial community and in two- or three-partner consortia with different bacteria of the Roseobacter group, Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. The CLSM analysis of the consortia identified six out of 78 different lectins as very suitable to characterize glycoconjugates of T. rotula. The resulting images show that fucose-containing threads were the dominant glycoconjugates secreted by the T. rotula cells but chitin and to a lesser extent other glycoconjugates were also identified. Bacteria attached predominantly to the fucose glycoconjugates. The colonizing bacteria showed various attachment patterns such as adhering to the diatom threads in aggregates only or attaching to both the surfaces and the threads of the diatom. Interestingly the colonization patterns of single bacteria differed strikingly from those of bacterial co-cultures, indicating that interactions between two bacterial species impacted the colonization of the diatom. Our observations help to better understand physical interactions and specific colonization patterns of distinct bacterial mono- and co-cultures with an abundant diatom of costal seas.

Environmental biofilms represent a complex mixture of different microorganisms. Their identity is usually analyzed by means of nucleic acid-based techniques. However, these biofilms are also composed of a highly complex extracellular matrix produced by the microbes within a particular biofilm system. The biochemical identity of this extracellular matrix remains in many cases an intractable part of biofilms and bioaggregates. Consequently, there is a need for an approach that will give access to the fully hydrated structure of the extracellular matrix or at least a major part of it. A crucial compound of the matrix identified as carbohydrate-based polymers represents major structural and functional constituents. These glycoconjugates can be characterized by using fluorescently-labeled lectins in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy. The lectin approach is defined previously, as fluorescence lectin barcoding (FLBC) and fluorescence lectin-binding analysis (FLBA), where FLBC is equal to the screening of a particular sample with all the commercially available lectins and FLBA is the actual analysis of the matrix throughout an experiment with a selected panel of lectins. As the application of immune-based techniques in environmental biofilm systems is impossible, the lectin approach is currently the only option for probing lectin-specific glycoconjugates in complex biofilms and bioaggregates. From all the commercially available lectins tested, the lectins such as AAL, HAA, WGA, ConA, IAA, HPA, and LEA showed the highest binding efficiency. Furthermore, 20 of the overall lectins tested showed an intermediate signal intensity, nevertheless very useful for the assessment of matrix glycoconjugates. With the data compiled, we shall virtually shed more light on the dark matter of the extracellular matrix and their 3-dimensional distribution in environmental biofilm systems. The results will be helpful in future studies with a focus on the extracellular matrix glycoconjugates present in environmental microbial communities.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can attenuate the adverse effects of water deficit on plant growth. Since drought stress tolerance of bacteria has earlier been associated to biofilm formation, we aimed to investigate the role of bacterial biofilm formation in their PGPR activity upon drought stress. To this end, a biofilm-forming bacterial collection was isolated from the rhizospheres of native arid grassland plants, and characterized by their drought tolerance and evaluated on their plant growth promoting properties. Most bacterial strains formed biofilm in vitro. Most isolates were drought tolerant, produced auxins, showed 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity and solubilized mineral phosphate and potassium, but at considerably different levels. Greenhouse experiments with the most promising isolates, B1, B2 and B3, under three levels of water deficit and two wheat varieties led to an increased relative water content and increased harvest index at both moderate and severe water deficit. However, the bacteria did not affect these plant parameters upon regular watering. In addition, decreased hydrogen peroxide levels and increased glutathione S-transferase activity occurred under water deficit. Based on these results, we conclude that by improving root traits and antioxidant defensive system of wheat, arid grassland rhizospheric biofilm forming bacilli may promote plant growth under water scarcity.

Zusammenfassung Einleitung Durch die 8. Auflage der TNM-Klassifikation und die aktualisierte S3-Leitlinie ergaben sich in den letzten beiden Jahren Neuerungen in der Stadieneinteilung und Behandlung des Lungenkarzinoms. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, die Stadiendifferenzierungen und -wechsel von der 7. hin zur 8. Auflage zu identifizieren und mögliche therapeutische, insbesondere chirurgische Konsequenzen darzustellen. Methoden Prospektive Datenerhebung aller Lungenkrebsprimärfälle vom 01.01.2016 bis 31.12.2016 an 2 thoraxchirurgischen Zentren und Nachuntersuchung im März 2019. Vergleich der 7. Auflage der Tumorklassifikation für das Lungenkarzinom mit der 8. Auflage in Hinblick auf Veränderungen des Stadiums, Auswirkungen auf die leitliniengerechte, insbesondere chirurgische Therapie des Lungenkarzinoms und das Gesamtüberleben. Ergebnisse Es konnten 432 Primärfälle einer Lungenkrebserkrankung ermittelt werden. Davon konnten entsprechend der 8. Auflage 82 Patienten (7. Auflage: n = 85) dem Stadium I, 43 (n = 49) Patienten dem Stadium II, 100 (n = 91) Patienten dem Stadium III und 207 (n = 207) Patienten dem Stadium IV zugeordnet werden. Es wurden 81 (18,7%) Veränderungen des Tumorstadiums mit einer deutlichen Tendenz zur Höherstufung (77 Aufwertungen vs. 4 Abwertungen) detektiert. Bei 63 Patienten (14,6%) zeigte sich ein Stadienwechsel innerhalb eines Stadiums (z. B. IIA → IIB), für 18 Patienten (4,1%) ergab die Auswertung einen übergreifenden Stadienwechsel (z. B. IIB → IIIA) mit einer formalen Änderung in der Therapieempfehlung ohne primär operative Therapieindikation bei 12 Patienten (2,8%). Die neu eingeführten Subgruppen (IA1–3, IIIC und IVA/B) ergaben für 290 Patienten (67,1%) eine spezifischere Stadiendifferenzierung. Für die neuen Stadien IVA/B konnte ein signifikanter Unterschied im 2-Jahres-Überleben dargestellt werden (IVA = 25,2%; IVB = 13,0%; p Schlussfolgerung Die Weiterentwicklung der TNM-Klassifikation für das Bronchialkarzinom zur aktuellen 8. Auflage zeichnet sich durch eine differenziertere Einteilung aus. Im untersuchten Kollektiv zeigte sich eine deutliche Tendenz zur Höherstufung des Tumorstadiums. Unter Berücksichtigung der aktuellen Empfehlungen aus der S3-Leitlinie reduziert sich daher die Anzahl der Patienten mit formal primärer OP-Empfehlung im Stadium I – IIIA. Vor allem die Veränderungen des T-Status bei gleichbleibendem N-Status und die Aufwertung einzelner Tumorformeln in ein höheres Tumorstadium verursachen diese Dynamik. Das signifikant bessere 2-Jahres-Überleben im Stadium IVA bei singulärer Fernmetastasierung (M1b) und M1a-Metastasierung im Vergleich zum Stadium IVB unterstützt die differenzierte Betrachtung der unterschiedlichen Metastasierungsgrade.

Alarge superconducting machine, JT-60SA has been constructed to provide major contributions to the ITER program and DEMO design. For the success of the ITER project and fusion reactor, understanding and development of plasma controllability in ITER and DEMO relevant higher beta regimes are essential. JT-60SA has focused the program on the plasma controllability for scenario development and risk mitigation in ITER as well as on investigating DEMO relevant regimes. This paper summarizes the high research priorities and strategy for the JT-60SA project. Recent works on simulation studies to prepare the plasma physics and control experiments are presented, such as plasma breakdown and equilibrium controls, hybrid and steady-state scenario development, and risk mitigation techniques. Contributions of JT-60SA to ITER and DEMOhave been clarified through those studies. Peer Reviewed Article escrit per 127 autors/autores: M Yoshida, G Giruzzi, N Aiba, J F Artaud, J Ayllon-Guerola, L Balbinot, OBeeke, E Belonohy, P Bettini, W Bin, A Bierwage, T Bolzonella, M Bonotto, CBoulbe, J Buermans, M Chernyshova, S Coda, R Coelho, S Davis, C Day, GDeTommasi, M Dibon, A Ejiri, G Falchetto, A Fassina, B Faugeras, L Figini, M Fukumoto, S Futatani, K Galazka, J Garcia, M Garcia-Muñoz, L Garzotti, L Giacomelli, L Giudicotti, S Hall, N Hayashi, C Hoa, M Honda, K Hoshino, M Iafrati, A Iantchenko, S Ide, S Iio, R Imazawa, S Inoue, A Isayama, E Joffrin, K Kamiya, Y Ko, M Kobayashi, T Kobayashi, G Kocsis, A Kovacsik, T Kurki-Suonio, B Lacroix, P Lang, Ph Lauber, A Louzguiti, E de la Luna, G Marchiori, M Mattei, A Matsuyama, S Mazzi, A Mele, F Michel, Y Miyata, J Morales, P Moreau, A Moro, T Nakano, M Nakata, E Narita, R Neu, S Nicollet, M Nocente, S Nowak, F P Orsitto, V Ostuni, Y Ohtani, N Oyama, R Pasqualotto, B Pégourié, E Perelli, L Pigatto, C Piccinni, A Pironti, P Platania, B Ploeckl, D Ricci, P Roussel, G Rubino, R Sano, K Särkimäki, K Shinohara, S Soare, C Sozzi, S Sumida, T Suzuki, Y Suzuki, T Szabolics, T Szepesi, Y Takase, M Takech, N Tamura, K Tanaka, H Tanaka, M Tardocchi, A Terakado, H Tojo, T Tokuzawa, A Torre, N Tsujii, H Tsutsui, Y Ueda, H Urano, M Valisa, M Vallar, J Vega, F Villone, T Wakatsuki, T Wauters, M Wischmeier, S Yamoto, L Zani

Time resolved in situ and operando microtomography is increasingly moving into the focus of materials research. Recent improvements in temporal and spatial resolution allow for detailed image analyses of fast phenomena and processes in 4D. The work was performed at our own facility at the EDDI beamline, Bessy II, Berlin, Germany as well as at the TOMCAT beamline, Swiss Light Source, Villigen, Switzerland. The setup and sample environment are composed of a fast and precise rotating stage and contactless IR heating of X ray transparent crucibles made, e.g., of boron nitride, into which samples are placed. We applied X ray tomoscopy with acquisition rates of up to 1000 tomograms per second and spatial resolutions in the micrometer range. We show how such approach can be combined with simultaneous energy dispersive diffraction, which is of special interest in cases where structural or morphological changes are correlated with chemical reactions or phase transformations. Some recent results and case studies include i Analyses of the evolution of the structure and density of liquid metal foams, where knowledge about the mechanisms of bubble formation, growth and ageing over a long period of time are gained and quantitative analyses of bubble parameters with millisecond temporal resolution can be derived. ii The immiscible hypermonotectic reaction of AlBi10 in wt alloy. iii Dendrite evolution in AlGe10 in wt casting alloy during fast solidification. iv The combustion process and the evolution of the constituents in a burning sparkler. v The evolution of metallic samples during laser processing in particular laser welding and additive manufacturing of metals

Molten droplets emitted from the cathode of vacuum arcs have been investigated by using a time-of-flight setup along a vertical flight tube equipped with two light barriers at different distances from the cathode surface. The light scattered by particles passing the light barriers was registered. The velocity was determined by the flight time. Simultaneously, from the amount of the scattered light, the size of the passing particle was inferred by applying the Mie-scattering theory. Because the arrangement of the cathode could be oriented concerning the flight tube, a coarse angular distribution of the parameters was obtained. Due to a large amount of data, computerized processing by newly developed algorithms was required to identify and characterize the several tens of thousands of particle peaks. The number of particles per discharge depends strongly on the cathode material and varies remarkably with the angle between flight direction and cathode surface. Generally, smaller particles were found to have higher velocities and vice versa. The distribution of the particle sizes follows a power law. The distribution of the emission velocities exhibits more than one local maximum pointing to distinct particle populations having distinct typical velocities. These populations contribute differently to the total amount of particles at various angles.

Material issues pose a significant challenge for future fusion reactors like DEMO. When using materials in a fusion environment a highly integrated approach is required. Damage resilience, power exhaust, as well as oxidation resistance during accidental air ingress are driving issues when deciding for new materials. Neutron induced effects e.g. transmutation adding to embrittlement are crucial to material performance. Here advanced materials such as tungsten fibre-reinforced tungsten Wf/W and fibre-reinforced copper Wf/Cu composites could allow the step towards a fusion reactor. Recent developments in the area Wf/W mark a possible path towards a component mock-up early enough for utilisation in DEMO. High heat-flux tests show that having short fibres at the exposed surface leads to their selective erosion and melting. Initial tests in the linear plasma device PSI-2 confirm this behaviour.

The brittleness below the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature and the embrittlement during operation are the main drawbacks for the use of pure tungsten in plasma facing components of fusion reactors. Tungsten fibre-reinforced tungsten composites overcome this problem by utilizing extrinsic mechanisms to improve the toughness. Dense samples (>99%) have been successfully produced by a step-wise chemical deposition process of single layers of equally spaced fibres. The sequential deposition process with intermediate vents for the fibre placement leads, however, to inhomogeneities and internal interfaces in the deposited tungsten matrix. A new set-up utilizing a continuous deposition process was developed and used for the fabrication of first samples. These samples were examined by microstructural analysis and compared to material produced by the standard technique. It is shown that this advanced set-up in combination with tungsten fabrics allows the productions of tungsten-fibre reinforced tungsten composite in a more controlled and considerably faster way.

One of the main aims of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X), an advanced stellarator, is to investigate the quasi-steady state operation of magnetic confinement devices for nuclear fusion, for which power exhaust is an important issue. A dominant fraction of the energy leaving from the confined plasma region will be removed by 10 so-called island divertor units, which are designed to sustain a maximum heat flux of up to 10 MWm−2. An essential prerequisite for the safe operation of a steady-state device is automatic detection of hot spots and other abnormal events. Simple temperature limits in infrared (IR) thermographic images will not be enough on their own, because of plasma-generated surface coatings and other effects summarized in the following. To protect divertor elements from overheating, and to monitor power deposition onto the divertor elements, near real-time hotspot detection algorithms for the analysis of carbon plasma facing components (PFCs) were implemented and tested in the GLADIS facility.One of the difficulties in hotspot detection in a carbon-based machine is the deposition of plasma impurities as layers with a reduced thermal connection to the underlying bulk material. We have developed and successfully tested a method to classify surface layers and benchmarked the performance of the method with the Tore Supra IR data operating with actively cooled carbon PFCs. The surface layers can be detected in a steady plasma discharge during the initial rise and decay in temperature when a strike line touches parts of the divertor or wall. It can also be detected by modulating electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) input power. This feature allows detection of overheated areas while reducing false positives. For the recent operational campaign, inertially cooled test divertor units (TDU) were installed to prepare for steady-state operation with water-cooled divertor units. Automatic, near real-time detection of hot spots and identification of surface layers in the W7-X divertor are presented. Results are compared with a best fit estimate of the heat transmission coefficient α which is used to calculate heat flux onto the divertor in the presence of surface layers. Keywords: W7-X, Divertor, Plasma facing components, Heat load, Infrared, Surface layers, Tore supra

Sialic acids have been discovered in the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of seawater-adapted aerobic granular sludge (AGS). Sialic acids are a group of monosaccharides with a nine-carbon backbone, commonly found in mammalian cells and pathogenic bacteria, and frequently described to protect EPS molecules and cells from attack by proteases or glycosidases. In order to further understand the role of these compounds in AGS, lectin staining, genome analysis of the dominant bacterial species, and shielding tests were done. Fluorescence lectin bar-coding (FLBC) analysis showed an overlap with protein staining, indicating presence of sialoglycoproteins in the EPS matrix. Genome analysis gives a positive indication for putative production of sialic acids by the dominant bacteria Candidatus Accumulibacter. FT-IR analysis shows upon selective removal of sialic acids a decrease in carbohydrates, extension of the protein side chain, and exposure of penultimate sugars. Enzymatic removal of sialic acids results in the removal of galactose residues from the EPS upon subsequent treatment with β-galactosidase, indicating a linkage between galactose and sialic acid at the terminus of glycan chains. This work indicates the importance of sialic acids in the protection of penultimate sugar residues of glycoproteins in EPS, and provides basis for future research in the composition of EPS from biofilms and granular sludge.

The sorption and distribution of nickel, a common metal contaminant in aquatic systems, were assessed in bacterial microcolonies using a combination of fluorescent staining with Newport Green and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with confirmation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microprobe analyses. CLSM with Newport Green, selected fluor-conjugated lectins, and DNA staining allowed for the discrimination of the microdomains present in the microcolony exopolymeric matrix and detection of bound nickel. This approach avoided the artefacts associated with drying and fixation required by analytical electron microscopy. The results obtained indicated that specific microcolonies within river biofilms sorbed nickel within limited microdomains present in the complex tripartite exopolymeric matrix surrounding bacterial cells. Sorption occurred such that nickel was concentrated within the exopolymeric matrix, but not directly associated with cells. These microdomains appeared to have neutral pH and be dominated by negatively charged residues favoring the sorption of nickel and other cations. These results also suggest an important role for specific community members in the sorption and concentration of metals in aquatic biofilm communities.

To avoid failures caused by the inherent brittleness of pure tungsten below its ductile to brittle transition temperature, tungsten heavy alloy was proposed as an alternative solution of the plasma facing material. Plasma facing components manufactured of tungsten heavy alloy have been installed partly in the tokamak ASDEX Upgrade instead of pure tungsten targets. Opposite to the pure tungsten targets, no deep cracks have been identified in these targets after one experimental campaign. In order to understand and improve the material behavior of tungsten heavy alloy as plasmam facing material in ASDEX Upgrade, the impact of heat treatment on tensile properties of 97W 2Ni 1Fe heavy alloy has been studied in this work. The heat treatments have been conducted in the vacuum for the tensile specimen cut from an ASDEX Upgrade target at different temperatures (600 °C, 1100 °C and 1350 °C) with various durations (15 min, 60 min and 120 min). After the heat treatment, the tensile properties were remarkably improved. The increase of the interfacial strength between tungsten grains and matrix phase as well as growth of grains are considered as the main reasons for the increase of elongation after heat treatment. The experimental results reveal that electrical discharge machining reduces the total elongation of the specimens. Furthermore, no big impact on the tensile properties is found after low energy deuterium plasma implantation.

Micrarchaeota is a distinctive lineage assigned to the DPANN archaea, which includes poorly characterised microorganisms with reduced genomes that likely depend on interactions with hosts for growth and survival. Here, we report the enrichment of a stable co-culture of a member of the Micrarchaeota (Ca. Micrarchaeum harzensis) together with its Thermoplasmatales host (Ca. Scheffleriplasma hospitalis), as well as the isolation of the latter. We show that symbiont-host interactions depend on biofilm formation as evidenced by growth experiments, comparative transcriptomic analyses and electron microscopy. In addition, genomic, metabolomic, extracellular polymeric substances and lipid content analyses indicate that the Micrarchaeon symbiont relies on the acquisition of metabolites from its host. Our study of the cell biology and physiology of a Micrarchaeon and its host adds to our limited knowledge of archaeal symbioses.

Micrarchaeota are members of the archaeal DPANN superphylum. These so far poorly characterized archaea have been found to have reduced genomes and likely depend on interactions with host organisms for growth and survival. Here we report on the enrichment of the first stable co-culture of a member of the Micrarchaeota together with its host, as well as the isolation of the latter. Electron microscopic analysis suggest that growth is dependent on the physical interaction of the two organisms within a biofilm. The interaction seems to be ensured by the necessity to grow in form of a biofilm. Furthermore, transcriptomic analyses indicate a shift towards biofilm formation of the host as a result of co-cultivation. Finally, genomic, metabolomic, extracellular polymeric substance (EPSs) and lipid content analyses reveal that the Micrarchaeon symbiont relies on the acquisition of metabolites from its host and thereby provide first insights into the basis of symbiont-host interactions.

Abstract Micrarchaeota is a distinctive lineage assigned to the DPANN archaea, which includes poorly characterised microorganisms with reduced genomes that likely depend on interactions with hosts for growth and survival. Here, we report the enrichment of a stable co-culture of a member of the Micrarchaeota (Ca. Micrarchaeum harzensis) together with its Thermoplasmatales host (Ca. Scheffleriplasma hospitalis), as well as the isolation of the latter. We show that symbiont-host interactions depend on biofilm formation as evidenced by growth experiments, comparative transcriptomic analyses and electron microscopy. In addition, genomic, metabolomic, extracellular polymeric substances and lipid content analyses indicate that the Micrarchaeon symbiont relies on the acquisition of metabolites from its host. Our study of the cell biology and physiology of a Micrarchaeon and its host adds to our limited knowledge of archaeal symbioses. # Description of contents of this directory ## 1_Genomes.tar.gz Contains the protein files used for the annotations and to extract certain proteins for phylogenetic analyses. ## 2_Annotations.tar.gz This folder contains the full workflow to annotate the genomes of interest and a jupyter lab book (python3) used for parsing the data. Additionally, this folder contains: 0_Dependencies: Any custom scripts used as well as databases and mapping files (only provided if databases were modified) 1_Input: Output of the annotation workflow as well as any mapping file required by the python3 script to further parse the data 2_Output: Parsed annotation table ## 3_Phylogenies.tar.gz Contains all files generated for the phylogenies of certain lipid genes. These files are provided for the archaea only and the universal analysis (see Methods of the main paper for details). Each foldercontains: required scripts and mapping files raw sequences (protein, faa), separate for each lipid gene of interest. These come in individual versions: indiv: sequences for all arcogs final: sequences for arcogs and if several arcogs were assigned to the same COG, these arCOGs were combined into one file. If arCOGs were combined, this is listed in the provided overview table in the main directory. aligned sequences aligned and trimmed sequences output from IQ-TREE PDFs for each individual tree ## 4_raw data_ARMAN lipids Lipid extracts were analyzed by UHPLC–atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) MS for archaeal core lipids, including archaeol (diether, C20 isoprenoid chains) and glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (GDGTs, tetraether, C40 side chain), according to Hopmans et al., 2016 (Organic geochemistry 93:1-6), with some modifications. Briefly, the analysis was performed on an Agilent 1260 UHPLC coupled to a 6130 quadrupole MSD in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Files provided here are raw data files out of these analyses: Ca. Scheffleriplasma hospitalis Bligh&Dyer total lipid extract (U1808198) analysis includes the core lipid analysis of those present in the culture; Ca. Scheffleriplasma hospitalis Bligh&Dyer total lipid extract after acid hydrolysis (U1809068) includes the intact polar-lipid-derived core lipids plus the core lipids of the previous analysis run. Run U1809060 corresponds to the run of the Bligh&Dyer total lipid extract of the co-culture of Ca. Micrarchaeum harzensis and Ca. Scheffleriplasma hospitalis, including the present core lipids. Run U1809066, corresponds to the run of the Bligh&Dyer total lipid extract after acid hydrolysis of the co-culture of Ca. Micrarchaeum harzensis and Ca. Scheffleriplasma hospitalis, including the the intact polar-lipid-derived core lipids plus the core lipids of the previous analysis run. - Comment for Version 2: We forgot to upload files in a subfolder in 3_Phylogenies and provide them now in this updated version. - Comment for Version 3: Added some new data (4_raw data_ARMAN lipids)

Tungsten features a unique combination of properties which makes it a candidate for the use as a plasma-facing material in fusion reactors. The main drawbacks of tungsten are its brittleness at moderate temperature and the susceptibility to embrittlement during operation. To overcome this limitations tungsten fibre-reinforced tungsten composites (Wf/W) have been developed. The interlayer between the tungsten fibre and tungsten matrix enables the activation of extrinsic mechanisms to improve the toughness similar to ceramic fibre-reinforced ceramics. In addition, the evaluation of the interlayer parameter is a necessary for the efforts to model the composite behaviour. Therefore, single fibre model systems with Er 2 O 3 and Y 2 O 3 as interlayer were evaluated by push-out and pull-out tests. The results were used to determine the interfacial shear strength ( τ d e b ), the interfacial frictional shear stress ( τ f r ) and the fracture energy of the interlayer ( Γ i ). In addition, tensile tests on the composite material were performed to evaluate the interfacial frictional shear stress. The evaluation methods were critically discussed as the results show that the influence of the evaluation method is larger than the actual tested interlayer material.

With an ever-increasing amount of plastic pollution in the various aquatic ecosystems around the world, the effects on organisms are still not fully understood. Most studies focus on direct effects posed by plastic intake or entanglement, but plastic debris can also affect primary production of biofilms and have an indirect impact on its consumers. This study investigates the primary production on three common plastic types in freshwater and its food quality for a benthic grazer. We hypothesized that different polymer types affect biofilm composition as well as the life parameters of its consumers. We incubated polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) as well as glass (control) in a productive freshwater creek for natural biofilm establishment. To account for changes in the environmental conditions, the experiment was conducted twice during winter and late spring, respectively. These biofilms were offered to the freshwater gastropod Physa fontinalis as sole food source. Growth and reproduction of the snails were measured to monitor sublethal effects. Additionally, biofilm composition was observed using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In winter, snails feeding off PET and PE showed a significantly lower egg production and lower growth rates were observed on PET. No such effects occurred in spring. CLSM data revealed, that algal growth was significantly lower on PE and PET during the winter treatment compared to PS and glass. Since we could only find these effects during the colder and darker months (January–March), the microbial colonization on PE and PET was inhibited by the substrate under less favorable conditions of temperature and light. Hence, benign conditions may mask the adverse effects of microplastic on food webs. Our findings show that future studies on the plastisphere will need to consider such variations to further understand the influence of plastic pollution on primary production and higher trophic levels.

Nonulosonic acids (NulOs) are a family of acidic carbohydrates with a nine-carbon backbone, which include different related structures, such as sialic acids. They have mainly been studied for their relevance in animal cells and pathogenic bacteria. Recently, sialic acids have been discovered as important compound in the extracellular matrix of virtually all microbial life and in “CandidatusAccumulibacter phosphatis”, a well-studied polyphosphate-accumulating organism, in particular. Here, bioaggregates highly enriched with these bacteria (approx. 95% based on proteomic data) were used to study the production of NulOs in an enrichment of this microorganism. Fluorescence lectin-binding analysis, enzymatic quantification, and mass spectrometry were used to analyze the different NulOs present, showing a wide distribution and variety of these carbohydrates, such as sialic acids and bacterial NulOs, in the bioaggregates. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the potential of “Ca. Accumulibacter” to produce different types of NulOs. Proteomic analysis showed the ability of “Ca. Accumulibacter” to reutilize and reincorporate these carbohydrates. This investigation points out the importance of diverse NulOs in non-pathogenic bacteria, which are normally overlooked. Sialic acids and other NulOs should be further investigated for their role in the ecology of “Ca. Accumulibacter” in particular, and biofilms in general.Key Points“Ca.Accumulibacter” has the potential to produce a range of nonulosonic acids.Mass spectrometry and lectin binding can reveal the presence and location of nonulosonic acids.Role of nonulosonic acid in non-pathogenic bacteria needs to be studied in detail.

Anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation) bacteria are important for the nitrogen cycle in both natural environments and wastewater treatment plants. These bacteria have a strong tendency to grow in aggregates like biofilms and granular sludge. To understand the formation of anammox aggregates, it is required to unravel the composition of the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), which are produced by the bacteria to develop into aggregates and granules. Here, we investigated anionic polymers in anammox granular sludge, focussing on sialic acids and sulfated glycosaminoglycans. Quantification assays and fluorescent stains indicated that sialic acids and sulfated glycosaminoglycans were present in the anammox EPS (1.6% equivalents of sialic acids and 2.4% equivalents of sulfated glycosaminoglycans). Additionally, the potential genes for the biosynthesis of sialic acids and sulfated glycosaminoglycans were analyzed in the anammox draft genomes. The finding of these components in anammox granular sludge and previously in other nonpathogenic bacteria pointed out that sialic acids and sulfated glycosaminoglycans are worth investigating in the context of a broader function in microbial communities and biofilm systems in general.

The exhaust of power and particles is currently considered as one of the ultimate challenges in view of the design of a power producing magnetic confinement thermonuclear fusion device, like DEMO. One predominantly challenging aspect in this regard is the design and manufacture of divertor target plasma-facing components (PFCs) that have to sustain substantial particle, heat and neutron fluxes during fusion operation. With respect to the design of highly loaded actively cooled PFCs, copper (Cu) alloys are currently regarded as state-of-the-art structural heat sink materials (HSM). However, it has been underlined that the use of Cu alloys in PFCs implies issues mainly due to the behaviour of these materials under neutron irradiation characterised by a pronounced loss of ductility at lower and a loss of strength at elevated temperatures. These operating temperature limitations impose a strong constraint on the design of divertor PFCs and have regarding DEMO in the literature been termed a high impact design engineering risk. Against this background, the development of tungsten-copper (W-Cu) composites as potentially advanced HSMs for highly loaded PFCs was pursued by the authors during recent years. The progress of these developments is discussed in the present paper in terms of results of high-heat-flux tests conducted on PFC mock-ups that comprised W-Cu composite material heat sinks. Overall, the results of these tests indicate that W-Cu composites can indeed be regarded a viable class of advanced materials for the heat sink of highly loaded PFCs.

Biofilms commonly colonise cooling water systems, causing equipment damage and interference with the operational requirements of the systems. In this study, next-generation sequencing (NGS), catalysed reporter deposition fluorescence in situ hybridisation (CARD-FISH), lectin staining and microscopy were used to evaluate temporal dynamics in the diversity and structure of biofilms collected seasonally over one year from an open full-scale cooling tower. Water samples were analysed to evaluate the contribution of the suspended microorganisms to the biofilm composition and structure. Alphaproteobacteria dominated the biofilm communities along with Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria. The phototrophic components were mainly cyanobacteria, diatoms and green algae. Bacterial biodiversity decreased from winter to autumn, concurrently with an increase in cyanobacterial and microalgal richness. Differences in structure, spatial organisation and glycoconjugates were observed among assemblages during the year. Overall, microbial variation appeared to be mostly affected by irradiance and water temperature rather than the source of the communities. Variations in biofilms over seasons should be evaluated to develop specific control strategies.

To clarify the suitability of solid tungsten as plasma facing material, a new divertor, DIV-III, entered in operation in ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) in 2014. Since the first experimental campaign, AUG divertor tiles faced crack issues. Trying to identify the reasoning, a new set of tiles was installed in 2016: many precautions were taken to reduce the stresses possibly causing the cracks. The AUG campaign 2017 started in March and the first results were collected during the short summer opening in 2017. This paper reports on the modification of the tile setup, based on Finite Element Modelling, and on the progress achieved in the first operation phase.

Die Lunge ist das zweithaufigste Metastasierungsorgan bei Patienten mit einem kolorektalen Karzinom (CRC). Die lymphonodale Metastasierung des CRC stellt einen Prognosefaktor fur das Uberleben dar. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde untersucht, welchen Einfluss die lymphonodale Metastasierung des CRC auf die Lungenmetastasierung, insbesondere die thorakale Lymphknotenmetastasierung besitzt. Retrospektive Analyse von 88 Patienten (n = 56 mannlich) mit kurativer Resektion von Lungenmetastasen bei CRC. Primarer Endpunkt: Einfluss des Lymphknotenstatus des CRC auf Lungenmetastasen, sekundare Endpunkte krankheitsfreies Uberleben/Gesamtuberleben. Die statistische Auswertung erfolgte mit SPSS. Bei 48 Patienten bestand ein positiver Lymphknotenstatus des CRC, bei 9 Patienten ein N+-Status der Lungenmetastasierung. Der Lymphknotenstatus des CRC beeinflusste signifikant das Auftreten synchroner Metastasen (p = 0,03), das krankheitsfreie Intervall bis zur Ausbildung metachroner Lungenmetastasen (p = 0,012) und das Gesamtuberleben der Patienten mit einem CRC (p = 0,048). Die 5‑JUR fur CRC-Patienten mit Lungenmetastasen betrug nach pulmonaler Metastasektomie 48,7 %. Der thorakale Lymphknotenbefall beeinflusste das Uberleben ebenfalls signifikant (p = 0,001). Die Suche nach Lungenmetastasen sollte in das Staging und das Follow-up aller Patienten mit CRC einbezogen werden, insbesondere bei einem positiven Lymphknotenstatus des CRC.

Sulfate reducing prokaryotes are promising candidates for the remediation of acidic metal-rich waste waters. However, only few acidophilic species have been described to date. Chemolithoautotrophic strain 3baa was isolated from sediments of an acidic mine pit lake. Based on its 16S-rRNA gene sequence it belongs to the genus Thermodesulfobium. It was identified as an acidophile growing in artificial pore water medium in the range of pH 2.6-6.6. Though the highest sulfate reduction rates were obtained at the lower end of this range, elongated cells and extended lag phases demonstrated acid stress. Sulfate reduction at low pH was accompanied by the formation of mineral precipitates strongly adhering to solid surfaces. A structural investigation by laser scanning microscopy, electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis revealed the formation of Al hydroxides and Fe sulfides which were densely populated by cells. Al hydroxides precipitated first, enabling initial cell attachment. Colonization of solid surfaces coincided with increased sulfate reducing activity indicating more favourable growth conditions within biofilms compared with free-living cells. These findings point out the importance of cell-mineral interaction for biofilm formation and contribute to our understanding how sulfate reducing prokaryotes thrive in both natural and engineered systems at low pH.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Die Masaoka-Koga-Klassifikation beschreibt die Ausbreitung von malignen Thymustumoren. Ziel der Studie ist der Vergleich dieser Tumorklassifikation mit der neuen TNM-Klassifikation, um Unterschiede in der Stadienverteilung, klinische Anwendbarkeit und therapeutische Konsequenzen zu evaluieren. Methoden Retrospektive Analyse aller operativ behandelten Patienten mit einem Thymom/Thymuskarzinom, die im Zeitraum von Januar 2005 bis Dezember 2015 in 2 thoraxchirurgischen Zentren behandelt wurden. Das exakte Tumorstadium wurde durch die Bildgebung, Auswertung der Operationsberichte und histologische Befunde festgelegt. Ergebnisse Insgesamt wurden 118 Patienten (männlich 51%) mit einem mittleren Alter von 56 ± 14,8 Jahren eingeschlossen. Indikationen für die Operation waren der Primärtumor (n = 97), ein pleuraler Tumorbefall (n = 15) und das mediastinale Tumorrezidiv (n = 6). Die radikale Tumorresektion erfolgte in 92% der Fälle einzeitig (n = 109), während 9 Patienten (8%) zweizeitig operiert wurden. Eine operative Revision war bei n = 12 (10,1%) notwendig und die Letalität im Krankenhaus betrug 1,7% (n = 2). Da das Masaoka-Koga-Stadium I (n = 34) und II (n = 16) in der TNM-Klassifikation unter dem Stadium T1 (n = 58) zusammengefasst wird, umfasst dieses Stadium mehr Fälle als in der Masaoka-Koga-Klassifikation. Die lokal fortgeschrittenen Stadien (Masaoka-Koga-Stadium III n = 22 vs. UICC-Stadium IIIA + IIIB n = 20) und die metastasierten Stadien (Masaoka-Koga-Stadium IV n = 36 vs. UICC-Stadium IV n = 39) waren im Vergleich annähernd unverändert. Schlussfolgerung Durch die neue TNM-Klassifikation ergaben sich Änderungen insbesondere in den Anfangsstadien (Downstaging), jedoch ohne therapeutische Konsequenz. Obwohl die Zuordnung zu den fortgeschrittenen Stadien fast unverändert blieb, bietet die neue TNM-Klassifikation hier klinisch relevante Differenzierungen.

For the first wall of a fusion reactor unique challenges on materials in extreme environments require advanced features in areas ranging from mechanical strength to thermal properties. The main challenges include wall lifetime, erosion, fuel management and overall safety. For the lifetime of the wall material, considerations of thermal fatigue due to transient heat loading are crucial as severe mechanical and thermal loads during operation are expected.Tungsten (W) is the main candidate material for the first wall of a fusion reactor as it is resilient against erosion, has the highest melting point of any metal and shows rather benign transmutation behavior under neutron irradiation. However, Tungsten has an issue related to intrinsic brittleness as well as operational embrittlement. To overcome this, a W-fiber enhanced W-composite material (Wf/W) incorporating extrinsic toughening mechanisms has been developed. Recently progress has been made in the powder metallurgical routes towards fully dense multi short-fiber Wf/W. For reasonable performance with respect to mechanical properties and hydrogen retention a fully dense pseudo-ductile Wf/W with is crucial. The properties of the used fibres are crucial. For the composite mechanisms to work a level of strength of the used fibres is required. In this contribution the change in ductility of the fibres is studied.In this contribution it is shown that excluding or minimising the impact of carbon impurities during the sintering process can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the fibres. New test results on the behaviour of PM Wf/W with and without a diffusion barrier during the sintering show a clear benefit as the fibres can retain ductility. Not the grain growth during sintering but the carbon present during sintering is clearly identified as determining the mechanical properties of the fibres. Previous article in issue

Demanding high heat flux applications, as for example plasma-facing components of future nuclear fusion devices, ask for the development of advanced materials. For such components, copper alloys are currently regarded as heat sink materials while monolithic tungsten is foreseen as directly plasma-facing material. However, the combination of these materials in one component is problematic since they exhibit different thermomechanical characteristics and their optimum operating temperatures do not overlap. In this context, an improvement can be achieved by applying composite materials that make use of drawn tungsten fibres as reinforcement. For the manufacturing processes of these composites, suitable tungsten fibre preform production methods are needed. In the following, we will show that tungsten fibres can be processed to suitable preforms by means of well-established textile techniques as studies regarding the production of planar weavings (wire distances of 90–271 µm), circular braidings (multilayered braidings with braiding angle of 60° and 12°) as well as multifilamentary yarns (15 tungsten filaments with 16 µm diameter) are presented. With such different textile preforms tungsten fibre-reinforced tungsten (W f/W) with a density of over 99% and pore-free tungsten fibre-reinforced copper W f/Cu composites were produced which proves their applicability with respect to a composite material production processes.

A review of the main concepts, proposed solutions and results of R&D as well as outstanding issues on power exhaust in tokamaks is presented with specific emphasis on the expected issues that need to be resolved for ITER and future fusion reactors such as DEMO for both conventional and advanced divertor concepts.

Material issues pose a significant challenge for future fusion reactors like DEMO. When using materials in a fusion environment a highly integrated approach is required. Damage resilience, power exhaust, as well as oxidation resistance during accidental air ingress are driving issues when deciding for new materials. Neutron induced effects, e.g. transmutation adding to embrittlement is crucial to material performance. Here advanced materials, e.g. W f /W or W/Cu, W f /Cu composites allow the step towards a fusion reactor. Recent developments in the area of multi-fibre powder-metallurgical W f /W mark a possible path towards a component based on standard tungsten production technologies. Field assisted sintering technology is used as production route to achieve 94% dense materials. Initial mechanical tests and micro-structural analyses show potential for pseudo-ductile behavior of materials with a reasonable (30%) fibre fraction. In the as-fabricated condition samples showed step-wise cracking while the material is still able to bear rising load, the typical pseudo-ductile behavior of a composite. Yttria is used as the interface material in order to allow the energy dissipation mechanisms to become active. W f /W as plasma facing material contributes here to advanced material strength and crack resilience even with a brittle matrix embrittlement, while W/Cu, W f /Cu composites at the coolant level allow for higher strength at elevated cooling temperatures. In addition to the use of pure tungsten it is demonstrated that tungsten-based self-passivating alloys can also be used in the composite approach.

Disruptions are a major issue for the safe operation of tokamaks. Hence the mitigation of disruptive effects is of high priority in view of ITER and DEMO. Previous experiments at ASDEX Upgrade have shown that the injections of massive amounts of gaseous impurities using in-vessel valves mitigate disruptions very efficiently, due to short time of flight of the gas towards the plasma edge and the applicability of pure noble gases. A new valve concept for in-vessel massive gas injection has been developed at ASDEX Upgrade to replace the old valves which suffered from reliability problems. This new valve is a normally closed valve since the valve plate is pressed into the main sealing by a stainless steel bellow (acting as a spring), sealing off the gas reservoir, which can hold 42 cm 3 of gas at a pressure of up to 5 MPa. The valves actuator consists of 4 piezoelectric stacks which are mounted in two parallel pairs into a monolithic titanium frame. This frame is rigidly connected to the valve plate and it amplifies the stroke of the stacks to allow a total stroke of the valve plate of 2.2 mm, which is reached after 5 ms. The diameter of the straight valve nozzle is 14 mm allowing a peak flow rate of 44 kPam 3 /s after 1 ms. The valve has a size of 173 mm × 88 mm × 70 mm.

The exhaust of power and particles is regarded as a major challenge in view of the design of a magnetic confinement nuclear fusion demonstration power plant (DEMO). In such a reactor, highly loaded plasma facing components (PFCs), like the divertor vertical targets, have to withstand both severe high heat ux loads and considerable neutron irradiation. Existing divertor target designs make use of monolithic tungsten (W) and copper (Cu) material grades that are combined in a PFC. Such an approach, however, bears engineering difficulties as W and Cu are materials with inherently different thermomechanical properties and their optimum operating temperature windows do not overlap. Against this background, W-Cu composite materials are promising candidates regarding the application to the heat sink of highly loaded PFCs. The present contribution summarises recent results regarding the manufacturing and characterisation progress of such W-Cu composite materials produced by means of liquid Cu melt infiltration of open porous W preforms. On the one hand, this includes composites manufactured by infiltrating powder metallurgically produced W skeletons. On the other hand, W-Cu composites based on textile technologically produced fibrous reinforcement preforms are discussed.

A new acid soluble extracellular polymeric substance (acid soluble EPS) was extracted from an acetate fed aerobic granular sludge reactor operated at 35 °C. Acid soluble EPS dominated granules exhibited a remarkable and distinctive tangled tubular morphology. These granules are dominated by Defluviicoccus Cluster II organisms. Acetic acid instead of the usually required alkaline extraction medium was needed to dissolve the granules and solubilise the polymeric matrix. The extracted acid soluble EPS was analysed and identified using various instrumental analysis including 1H and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. In addition, the glycoconjugates were characterized by fluorescence lectin-binding analysis. The acid soluble EPS is α-(1 → 4) linked polysaccharide, containing both glucose and galactose as monomers. There are –OCH3 groups connected to the glucose monomer. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM, SEM) as well as confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that the acid soluble EPS was present as a tightly bound capsular EPS around bacterial cells ordered into a sarcinae-like growth pattern. The special granule morphology is decided by the acid soluble EPS produced by Defluviicoccus Cluster II organisms. This work shows that no single one method can be used to extract all possible extracellular polymeric substances. Results obtained here can support the elucidation of biofilm formation and structure in future research.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Der pulmonale Pseudotumor ist ein Sammelbegriff für diverse Subentitäten. Einige Subgruppen werden als intermediär maligne Tumoren betrachtet. Der Pseudotumor ist ein seltenes Krankheitsbild, wobei eine Abschätzung der Inzidenz und der Prävalenz nur schwer möglich ist. Methode Retrospektive Analyse aller zwischen 2008 und 2015 chirurgisch therapierten Patienten mit der Diagnose eines Pseudotumors der Lunge. Primärer Endpunkt der Studie war die Darstellung der Rezidiv- bzw. Metastasierungsrate. Sekundäre Endpunkte waren die Nomenklatur, die Anamnese, die Therapieart und der perioperative Verlauf. Ergebnisse Von 27 Patienten (63% männlich) mit einem Durchschnittsalter von 58 Jahren hatten 19 (70%) einen inflammatorischen Pseudotumor (IPT), 4 (15%) einen inflammatorisch-myofibroblastären Tumor (IMT) und jeweils 2 Patienten (7,5%) ein Pneumozytom bzw. Histiozytom. Eine präoperative pulmonale Infektion lag bei 12 (44%) Patienten vor. Die durchschnittliche Tumorgröße lag bei 2,1 cm (0,8 – 5,3 cm), die Lungenunterlappen waren mit 52% präferiert. Es wurden eine Enukleation, 20 atypische und 6 anatomische Resektionen durchgeführt. Dies erfolgte in 48% der Fälle (13/27) minimalinvasiv (VATS). Eine R0-Resektion lag bei 93% der Fälle (25/27) vor. Komplikationen traten bei 7 (26%) Patienten auf. Die Aufenthaltsdauer (Mittel 8 Tage) nach offener Resektion und VATS unterschied sich minimal (8,8 vs. 7,2 Tage). Das Follow-up lag bei 4 Jahren. In dieser Zeit entwickelte eine Patientin trotz R0-Resektion eines IMT ein Tumorrezidiv, an dem sie auch verstarb. Schlussfolgerung Die Therapie der Wahl beim Pseudotumor ist die R0-Resektion, bevorzugt per VATS. Die meisten Pseudotumoren nehmen einen gutartigen Verlauf, wenngleich Rezidive in einem kleineren Teil (v. a. bei IMT) der Fälle möglich sind. Eine Nachbeobachtung ist bei IMT notwendig. Die Anwendung einer einheitlichen Nomenklatur und Klassifikation wäre sinnvoll.

Ziele der Studie: Der Diagnostik beruflicher Belastungen und des Umgangs mit ihnen kommt in der psychosomatischen Rehabilitation eine besondere Bedeutung zu. Ein etabliertes Instrument zur Erfassung arbeitsbezogener Verhaltens- und Erlebensmuster ist der AVEM, er ist jedoch fur den Einsatz in der klinischen Routine sehr lang und zeitintensiv in der Auswertung. Es soll daher uberpruft werden, ob sich eine Kurzversion generieren lasst, welche die 3 in der Vergangenheit beschriebenen Sekundarfaktoren Arbeitsengagement, Widerstandskraft und Emotionen des AVEM ausreichend reliabel und valide fur individualdiagnostische Zwecke erfassen kann, und sich ggf. auch fur ein Screening von Patienten mit auffalligen Erlebens- und Verhaltensmustern eignet. Methodik: Es wurde ein Datensatz von jeweils konsekutiven Stichproben aus 3 Kliniken der psychosomatischen Rehabilitation mit N = 10 635 Patienten verwendet, die zum Aufnahmezeitpunkt den AVEM beantwortet haben. Die Stichprobe wurde per Zufall auf 2 gleichgrose Konstruktions- und Validierungsstichproben aufgeteilt. Mittels explorativer Hauptkomponentenanalysen sollen die jeweils ladungsstarksten Items fur die 3 neuen Skalen in der Konstruktionsstichprobe ausgewahlt und anhand der Validierungsstichprobe psychometrisch uberpruft werden. Fur den Einsatz als Screeninginstrument sollen mogliche Cut-Off-Werte aus den Verteilungsmustern der Skalenwerte abgeleitet werden. Erganzend werden Zusammenhange der 3 neuen Skalen mit soziodemografischen, berufs- und diagnosebezogenen Merkmalen sowie Mustern arbeitsbezogenen Erlebens und Verhaltens untersucht. Ergebnisse: Die 3 durchgefuhrten Hauptkomponentenanalysen erklaren in der Konstruktionsstichprobe auf dem jeweils ersten Faktor zwischen 31 % und 34 % der Varianz. Fur die ausgewahlten 20 Items findet sich in der Validierungsstichprobe in einer 3-Faktoren-Struktur die erwartete Zuordnung der Items. Die Reliabilitat der so gebildeten 3 neuen Skalen liegt im guten Bereich mit Werten von Cronbach’s α zwischen 0,84 und 0,88. Die Benennung der 3 neuen Skalen erfolgt in Anlehnung an die Bezeichnung der Sekundarfaktoren. Cut-off-Werte zur Identifikation auffalliger Patientenangaben werden vorgeschlagen. Schlussfolgerung: Als Vorteile dieses Vorschlags fur eine verkurzte und modifizierte Auswertung mittels AVEM-3D kann angefuhrt werden, dass mit einer deutlich geringeren Anzahl an Items 3 relevante Dimensionen arbeitsbezogener Verhaltens- und Erlebensmuster reliabel zu erfassen sind. Die Auswertung und Interpretation ist einfach und okonomisch. Basierend auf der vorliegenden Stichprobe liegen zudem Mittelwerte und Standardabweichungen als Vergleichswerte zu Beginn der psychosomatischen Rehabilitation vor. Weitere unabhangige psychometrische Uberprufungen der Reliabilitat, Validitat sowie auch Anderungssensitivitat sind notwendig, in denen nur die Items der verkurzten Version verwendet werden. Praktikabilitat und Validitat der vorgeschlagenen Cut-off-Werte konnen noch nicht ausreichend beurteilt werden. Schlieslich bleibt zu prufen, inwieweit der AVEM-3D auch in anderen Indikationsgruppen uber die Psychosomatik hinaus und bei gesunden Probanden sinnvoll eingesetzt werden kann.

The development of advanced materials is essential for sophisticated energy systems like a future fusion reactor. Tungsten fibre-reinforced tungsten composites (W f /W) utilize extrinsic toughening mechanisms and therefore overcome the intrinsic brittleness of tungsten at low temperature and its sensitivity to operational embrittlement. This material has been successfully produced and tested during the last years and the focus is now put on the technological realisation for the use in plasma facing components of fusion devices. In this contribution, we present a way to utilize W f /W composites for divertor applications by a fabrication route based on the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of tungsten. Mock-ups based on the ITER typical design can be realized by the implementation of W f /W tiles. A concept based on a layered deposition approach allows the production of such tiles in the required geometry. One fibre layer after the other is positioned and ingrown into the W-matrix until the final sample size is reached. Charpy impact tests on these samples showed an increased fracture energy mainly due to the ductile deformation of the tungsten fibres. The use of W f /W could broaden the operation temperature window of tungsten significantly and mitigate problems of deep cracking occurring typically in cyclic high heat flux loading. Textile techniques are utilized to optimise the tungsten wire positioning and process speed of preform production. A new device dedicated to the chemical deposition of W enhances significantly, the available machine time for processing and optimisation. Modelling shows that good deposition results are achievable by the use of a convectional flow and a directed temperature profile in an infiltration process.

Microplastic particles entering aquatic systems are rapidly colonized by microbial biofilms. The presence of microbial biomass may cause sinking of particles and as a consequence prevent their transport to the oceans. We studied microbial colonization of different polymer particles exposed in the epi-, meta- and hypolimnion of a freshwater reservoir during late summer for 47 days. Parameters measured included biofilm formation, metal sorption and sinking velocities. Microbial biofilms contained bacteria, cyanobacteria and algae as well as inorganic particles such as iron oxides. Regardless of biofilm thickness and biovolumes of different biofilm constituents, single polyethylene (PE) particles stayed buoyant, whereas the sinking velocity of single polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) particles did not change significantly compared to initial values. During exposition, a mixing event occurred, by which anoxic, iron-rich water from the hypolimnion was mixed with water from upper layers. This induced aggregation and sinking of hypolimnetic PE particles together with organic matter, cyanobacteria colonies and iron minerals.

Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli commonly resist β-lactam antibiotics using plasmid-encoded β-lactamase enzymes. Bacterial strains that express β-lactamases have been found to detoxify liquid cultures and thus to protect genetically susceptible strains, constituting a clear laboratory example of social protection. These results are not necessarily general; on solid media, for instance, the rapid bactericidal action of β-lactams largely prevents social protection. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the greater tolerance of biofilm bacteria for β-lactams would facilitate social interactions. We used a recently isolated E. coli strain, capable of strong biofilm formation, to compare how cooperation and exploitation in colony biofilms and broth culture drives the dynamics of a non-conjugative plasmid encoding a clinically important β-lactamase. Susceptible cells in biofilms were tolerant of ampicillin—high doses and several days of exposure were required to kill them. In support of our hypothesis, we found robust social protection of susceptible E. coli in biofilms, despite fine-scale physical separation of resistant and susceptible cells and lower rates of production of extracellular β-lactamase. In contrast, social interactions in broth were restricted to a relatively narrow range of ampicillin doses. Our results show that β-lactam selection pressure on Gram-negative biofilms leads to cooperative resistance characterized by a low equilibrium frequency of resistance plasmids, sufficient to protect all cells.

In future fusion reactors, tungsten is considered the main candidate material for plasma-facing components. However, the intrinsic brittleness of tungsten is an issue under the extreme fusion environment. To overcome this drawback, W-fiber-reinforced tungsten (Wf/W) composites are being developed relying on an extrinsic toughening principle. W-fibers with extremely high tensile strength and ductile behavior are used to reinforce the tungsten matrix. The optimization of a weak interface between the fiber and matrix is crucial to realize the toughening mechanisms.

The tungsten “heavy alloy” HPM 1850, a liquid-phase sintered composite material with two weight percent Ni and one weight percent Fe, as well as the self-passivating tungsten alloy W-10Cr-0.5Y, a high temperature oxidation resistant alloy with 10 weight percent of Cr and 0.5 weight percent of Y, were investigated with respect to their deuterium retention. The samples were deuterium loaded in an electron cyclotron resonance plasma up to a fluence of 1025m−2. The deuterium retention was then investigated by Nuclear Reaction Analysis and by Thermal Desorption. In HPM 1850 the observed deuterium amount was similar to pure tungsten, however the outgassing behaviour during thermal desorption was considerably faster. In W-10Cr-0.5Y the released deuterium amount during thermal desorption was about one order of magnitude higher; by comparison of nuclear reaction analysis and thermal desorption this was attributed to deeper diffusion of deuterium into the bulk of the material. Keywords: Deuterium retention, Tungsten heavy alloy, Tungsten self-passivating alloy, Nuclear reaction analysis, Thermal desorption

Low-density microplastics are frequently found in sediments of many lakes and reservoirs. The processes leading to sedimentation of initially buoyant polymers are poorly understood for inland waters. This study investigated the impact of biofilm formation and aggregation on the density of buoyant polyethylene microplastics. Biofilm formation on polyethylene films (4 × 4 × 0.15 mm) was studied in a eutrophic reservoir (Bautzen, Saxony, Germany). Additionally, aggregation dynamics of small PE microplastics (~85 µm) with cyanobacteria were investigated in laboratory experiments. During summer phototrophic sessile cyanobacteria (Chamaesiphon spp. and Leptolyngbya spp.) precipitated calcite while forming biofilms on microplastics incubated in Bautzen reservoir. Subsequently the density of the biofilms led to sinking of roughly 10% of the polyethylene particles within 29 days of incubation. In the laboratory experiments planktonic cyanobacteria (Microcystis spp.) formed large and dense cell aggregates under the influence of elevated Ca2+ concentrations. These aggregates enclosed microplastic particles and led to sinking of a small portion (~0.4 %) of polyethylene microplastics. This study showed that both sessile and planktonic phototrophic microorganisms mediate processes influenced by calcium which facilitates densification and sinking of microplastics in freshwater reservoirs. Loss of buoyancy leads to particle sedimentation and could be a prerequisite for the permanent burial of microplastics within reservoir sediments.