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Zusammenfassung Ziel der Studie Die Strukturreform der ambulanten Psychotherapie im Jahr 2017 hatte zum Ziel, den Zugang zu einer Richtlinien-Psychotherapie zu erleichtern und zu flexibilisieren. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, ob nach der Reform mehr Personen Zugang zur ambulanten Psychotherapie finden, und welche Behandlungspfade sie dabei in Anspruch nehmen. Methodik Die bundesweiten Routinedaten der AOK-Gemeinschaft dienen als Datengrundlage. Aus 2 Kohorten (2016 und 2019) werden nach Alter und Geschlecht unterteilt Versicherte mit einer neu auftretenden Psychotherapie indizierenden Diagnose identifiziert. Anschließend wird geprüft, inwieweit diese Versicherten eine Behandlung im Rahmen der Richtlinien-Psychotherapie erhalten und welche Behandlungselemente dabei in Anspruch genommen werden. Ergebnisse Nach der Reform erhalten prozentual mehr Versicherte mit einer inzidenten psychischen Störung eine Behandlung nach der Psychotherapie-Richtlinie. Innerhalb der weiblichen Versichertenpopulation ist die Inanspruchnahme höher. Am stärksten ausgeprägt ist der Anstieg bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen. Die neu eingeführten Leistungen der psychotherapeutischen Sprechstunde und Akutbehandlung werden in großem Umfang angenommen. Schlussfolgerungen Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass die Reform das Ziel, den Zugang zur ambulanten Psychotherapie zu erleichtern, zumindest in einigen Bevölkerungsgruppen nähergebracht hat. Zudem scheint die neue Leistung der psychotherapeutischen Sprechstunde nun einen zuvor nicht explizit in den Gebührenordnungspositionen berücksichtigten psychotherapeutischen Beratungsbedarf abzudecken.

ZusammenfassungDer Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Frage, ob zwischen städtischen, stadtnahen und ländlich abgelegenen Kindertageseinrichtungen Unterschiede hinsichtlich der Strukturqualität bestehen. Im Gegensatz zu bisherigen Forschungsergebnissen wird dies losgelöst von administrativen Grenzen betrachtet und beleuchtet Besonderheiten kleinräumiger Regionen. Die Ergebnisse basierend auf Daten des Projekts „BildungsLandschaft Oberfranken (BiLO)“ zeigen, trotz Unterschieden zwischen städtischen und ländlich abgelegenen Einrichtungen, keinen deutlichen Hinweis, dass ländlich abgelegene Einrichtungen „abgehängte“ Einrichtungen darstellen. Einrichtungen aus dem städtischen Umland, die administrativ der Landregion angehören, sind mal den städtischen mal den ländlich abgelegenen Einrichtungen ähnlich.

The aim of the structural reform of outpatient psychotherapy in Germany in 2017 was to make access to psychotherapy guideline easier and more flexible. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether more people gained access to outpatient psychotherapy after the reform and the treatment pathways they used in the process. From the nationwide AOK routine data, 2 cohorts (2016 and 2019) of insured persons with a newly made diagnosis indicating the need for psychotherapy were identified and subdivided according to age and gender. The extent to which these insurees received treatment within the framework of psychotherapy guideline and the treatment elements used in the process were examined. After the reform, a greater percentage of insurees with a mental disorder received treatment under the psychotherapy guideline. More women accessed treatment, with pronounced increase among adolescents and young adults. The newly introduced services of psychotherapeutic consultation hours and acute treatment were widely used. The results indicate that the reform has succeeded in facilitating access to outpatient psychotherapy, at least in some population groups. In addition, the new psychotherapeutic consultation hours now seem to cover a psychotherapeutic counselling need that was previously not explicitly included in the fee schedule. Die Strukturreform der ambulanten Psychotherapie im Jahr 2017 hatte zum Ziel, den Zugang zu einer Richtlinien-Psychotherapie zu erleichtern und zu flexibilisieren. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, ob nach der Reform mehr Personen Zugang zur ambulanten Psychotherapie finden, und welche Behandlungspfade sie dabei in Anspruch nehmen. Die bundesweiten Routinedaten der AOK-Gemeinschaft dienen als Datengrundlage. Aus 2 Kohorten (2016 und 2019) werden nach Alter und Geschlecht unterteilt Versicherte mit einer neu auftretenden Psychotherapie indizierenden Diagnose identifiziert. Anschließend wird geprüft, inwieweit diese Versicherten eine Behandlung im Rahmen der Richtlinien-Psychotherapie erhalten und welche Behandlungselemente dabei in Anspruch genommen werden. Nach der Reform erhalten prozentual mehr Versicherte mit einer inzidenten psychischen Störung eine Behandlung nach der Psychotherapie-Richtlinie. Innerhalb der weiblichen Versichertenpopulation ist die Inanspruchnahme höher. Am stärksten ausgeprägt ist der Anstieg bei Jugendlichen und jungen Erwachsenen. Die neu eingeführten Leistungen der psychotherapeutischen Sprechstunde und Akutbehandlung werden in großem Umfang angenommen. Die Ergebnisse weisen darauf hin, dass die Reform das Ziel, den Zugang zur ambulanten Psychotherapie zu erleichtern, zumindest in einigen Bevölkerungsgruppen nähergebracht hat. Zudem scheint die neue Leistung der psychotherapeutischen Sprechstunde nun einen zuvor nicht explizit in den Gebührenordnungspositionen berücksichtigten psychotherapeutischen Beratungsbedarf abzudecken.

The German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) covers educational processes during Kindergarten and elementary school age in two stages: “Kindergarten and transition to elementary school” and “elementary school and transition to lower secondary school.” One cohort covers both of these two stages. It started in winter 2010/2011 with a cluster sample of 3,000 target children aged 4 to 5 years attending Kindergarten. When most of these children entered school, the cohort more than doubled by integrating their classmates and a further subsample of 1st-grade students into the survey. In addition to direct assessment of children’s competencies, their parents are interviewed and teachers and principals fill out self-administered questionnaires. In these stages, assessments focus on early scientific and mathematical literacy as well as on language competencies (e.g., vocabulary, grammar, phonological awareness). We also survey the structure and aspects of the quality of Kindergarten and elementary school, families, and nonformal learning environments. Information on parents’ socioeconomic status and their evaluation of decision-relevant aspects allows us to model school choice and disentangle primary and secondary effects. Theoretically relevant aspects of migrants’ situation are also surveyed. Further aspects are children’s health, social competencies, and the different care settings.

study investigated age differences in longitudinal effects of volunteering on three facets of subjective well-being (SWB), i.e. positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), and life satisfaction (LS). Both direct and indirect effects with self-efficacy as mediator were tested. Longitudinal structural equation modeling was used on 5,564 participants of the German Ageing Survey (DEAS) aged 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, and 75-84 years. Volunteering was longitudinally directly related to PA and NA, but not to LS. The mediating role of self-efficacy differed between age groups: While volunteering affected self-efficacy only in the older age groups, self-efficacy affected SWB only in the younger age groups. Hence, indirect effects of volunteering on SWB with self-efficacy as mediator were found for the two age groups around retirement only (55-64, 65-74 years). Volunteering is beneficial for SWB not only directly, but also indirectly via self-efficacy. This mechanism is strongest for age groups around retirement.

Der Beitrag zeigt, welche Folgen der Verkauf offentlichen und werksgebundenen Wohnraums an Finanzinvestoren fur Wohnbedingungen und Stadtteilarbeit hat. Dabei werden die Spannungsfelder veranschaulicht, in denen sich sozialraum- und beteiligungsorientierte Ansatze der Stadtentwicklung im Kontext sozialstaatlicher Um- und Abbaustrategien befinden. Es werden die Hindernisse und die Dringlichkeit fur die professionelle Stadtteilarbeit thematisiert, in diesem Themenfeld aktiv zu werden.

Im Mittelpunkt aller Berichte des Freiwilligensurveys stehen freiwillig Engagierte (siehe Kapitel 3). Was wissen wir aber uber Menschen, die sich nicht freiwillig engagieren? Im vorliegenden Kapitel werden nicht-engagierte Menschen betrachtet und ihr Verhaltnis zum freiwilligen Engagement analysiert: Waren aktuell nicht-engagierte Menschen in einem fruheren Lebensabschnitt einmal freiwillig engagiert und, wenn ja, welche Grunde haben dazu gefuhrt, dass sie ihr Engagement beendet haben? Was sind die Hinderungsgrunde fur die Aufnahme eines freiwilligen Engagements, die von jenen Menschen genannt werden, die bislang noch nie engagiert waren? Und sind nicht-engagierte Menschen bereit, sich in Zukunft zu engagieren? Jene Personen in den Blick zu nehmen, die aktuell nicht engagiert sind beziehungsweise noch nie in ihrem Leben engagiert waren, ist von hoher Bedeutung, da die entsprechenden Analysen wertvolle Hinweise fur Politik, Organisationen und Fachoffentlichkeit liefern. Das Wissen uber Beendigungs- und Hinderungsgrunde gibt Aufschluss daruber, wie man Personen im Engagement halten oder sie gegebenenfalls zukunftig fur ein Engagement gewinnen kann.

Werte oder Werthaltungen werden in der Literatur als Prinzipien verstanden, an denen Menschen situationsubergreifend ihr Handeln ausrichten oder auch im Nachhinein rechtfertigen (Schwartz & Bilsky 1987, 1990; Welzel 2009). Im Gegensatz zu Motiven, die haufig als Begrundungen fur eine konkrete Verhaltensweise angesehen werden, wirken Werte allgemeiner.

Warum engagieren sich Menschen, und was hat sie veranlasst, ihre freiwillige Tatigkeit aufzunehmen? Zum einen sind ausere Faktoren relevant, denn manche Personen haben eher die Gelegenheiten und die Ressourcen, sich zu engagieren, als andere. So wurde bereits gezeigt, dass Geschlecht, Alter und Bildung (siehe Kapitel 3) sowie das soziale und kulturelle Umfeld eines Menschen einen grosen Einfluss haben (vgl. Wilson & Musick 1998).

Gesundheit und Lebenszufriedenheit sind die Voraussetzung fur viele Tatigkeiten und Aktivitaten, denen Menschen nachgehen – und zugleich sind Gesundheit und Lebenszufriedenheit das Ergebnis von Lebenssituation, Lebensstil und Verhalten. Auch mit Blick auf freiwilliges Engagement kann man davon ausgehen, dass gute Gesundheit und hohe Lebenszufriedenheit Voraussetzungen dafur sind, dass sich Menschen freiwillig engagieren, und dass umgekehrt Tatigkeiten im freiwilligen Engagement positive Auswirkungen auf Gesundheit und subjektives Wohlbefinden haben (Wilson 2012).

Freiwilliges Engagement ist vielfaltig, und zwar nicht nur hinsichtlich der Tatigkeitsinhalte (siehe Kapitel 11), sondern auch hinsichtlich seiner zeitlichen Ausgestaltung. Mochte man einen umfassenden Uberblick uber die Engagementbeteiligung der Wohnbevolkerung in Deutschland bekommen, dann muss man uber die Engagementquote hinaus wissen, wie es um den zeitlichen Umfang des Engagements und dessen Haufigkeit bestellt ist. Zusatzlich erhalt man uber die Frage, wie lange eine bestimmte freiwillige Tatigkeit bereits ausgeubt wurde, wichtige Informationen uber die biografische Dauer des Engagements (vgl. Olk 2002).

Wachsende Regelungsdichte, neue Haftungsfragen für Führungskräfte und Prokuristen, aber auch einige beispiellose Unternehmensskandale haben den Mittelstand immer stärker für Compliance-Themen sensibilisiert – und so erheblich zur Professionalisierung mittelständischer Compliance-Systeme beigetragen. Selbst von kleinen Lieferanten werden heute umfangreiche Compliance-Erklärungen erwartet. Was KMU-Compliance in der Praxis auszeichnet, präsentiert Ihnen dieser Band aus juristischer und betriebswirtschaftlicher Sicht, mit vielen Tipps und Checklisten.

Measuring the Big Five personality traits is part of the research program in different starting cohorts of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). The Big Five are usually measured through self-ratings via self-administered questionnaires. However, children of preschool age cannot easily report on their self-concept in a sufficient way, even when more extensive research settings are applied. Studies using parental and teacher ratings show that the Big Five can capture individual differences in the behavioral tendencies of children (Digman, 1990; Mervielde, 2005; Weinert, Asendorpf, Beelmann, Doil, & Frevert, 2007), but there are no short survey versions of the Big Five for parental ratings that are done via telephone interviewing. In order to obtain data on the Big Five of five-year-old children in the NEPS, we used a bipolar 10-item scale and asked parents and Kindergarten teachers to rate the children. Since the parents answered questions in computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI), we adapted the items to this mode of surveying. In order to gather information on measuring the Big Five in this bipolar rating scale via telephone interviews, we conducted cognitive interviews with n = 15 parents and then tested two different versions within a split-half design in a pilot study (with total n = 89 parents). This paper presents results from cognitive interviews on parents’ abilities to rate their children’s behavior in this way. We compare the results of the two versions applied in the pilot study as well as the ratings of Kindergarten teachers and parents. Finally, our paper draws conclusions on the measurement of personality traits of young children within the NEPS.

The major component in the pathogenesis of oral radiation-induced mucositis is progressive epithelial hypoplasia and eventual ulceration. Irradiation inhibits cell proliferation, while cell loss at the surface continues. We conceived to slow down this desquamation by increasing intercellular adhesion, regulated by the E-cadherin/catenin complex. We investigated if 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) or tamoxifen (TAM) decrease the shedding of irradiated human buccal epithelial cells in vitro and thus delay the ulcerative phase of radiation-induced mucositis in vivo. In vitro, aggregates of buccal epithelial cells were irradiated and cultured in suspension for 11 days. 8-PN or TAM were investigated regarding their effect on cell shedding. In vivo, the lower tongue surface of mice was irradiated with graded single doses of 25 kV X-rays. The incidence, latency, and duration of the resulting mucosal ulcerations were analyzed after topical treatment with 8-PN, TAM or solvent. 8-PN or TAM prevented the volume reduction of the irradiated cell aggregates during the incubation period. This was the result of a higher residual cell number in the treated versus the untreated irradiated aggregates. In vivo, topical treatment with 8-PN or TAM significantly increased the latency of mucositis from 10.9 to 12.1 and 12.4 days respectively, while the ulcer incidence was unchanged. 8-PN and TAM prevent volume reduction of irradiated cell aggregates in suspension culture. In the tongues of mice, these compounds increase the latency period. This suggests a role for these compounds for the amelioration of radiation-induced mucositis in the treatment of head and neck tumors.

The Numerical-Relativity-Analytical-Relativity (NRAR) collaboration is a joint effort between members of the numerical relativity, analytical relativity and gravitational-wave data analysis communities. The goal of the NRAR collaboration is to produce numerical-relativity simulations of compact binaries and use them to develop accurate analytical templates for the LIGO/Virgo Collaboration to use in detecting gravitational-wave signals and extracting astrophysical information from them. We describe the results of the first stage of the NRAR project, which focused on producing an initial set of numerical waveforms from binary black holes with moderate mass ratios and spins, as well as one non-spinning binary configuration which has a mass ratio of 10. All of the numerical waveforms are analysed in a uniform and consistent manner, with numerical errors evaluated using an analysis code created by members of the NRAR collaboration. We compare previously-calibrated, non-precessing analytical waveforms, notably the effective-one-body (EOB) and phenomenological template families, to the newly-produced numerical waveforms. We find that when the binary's total mass is ~100-200 solar masses, current EOB and phenomenological models of spinning, non-precessing binary waveforms have overlaps above 99% (for advanced LIGO) with all of the non-precessing-binary numerical waveforms with mass ratios, 51 pages, 10 figures; published version

The Numerical INJection Analysis (NINJA) project is a collaborative effort between members of the numerical relativity and gravitational wave data analysis communities. The purpose of NINJA is to study the sensitivity of existing gravitational-wave search and parameter-estimation algorithms using numerically generated waveforms, and to foster closer collaboration between the numerical relativity and data analysis communities. The first NINJA project used only a small number of injections of short numerical-relativity waveforms, which limited its ability to draw quantitative conclusions. The goal of the NINJA-2 project is to overcome these limitations with long post-Newtonian - numerical relativity hybrid waveforms, large numbers of injections, and the use of real detector data. We report on the submission requirements for the NINJA-2 project and the construction of the waveform catalog. Eight numerical relativity groups have contributed 63 hybrid waveforms consisting of a numerical portion modelling the late inspiral, merger, and ringdown stitched to a post-Newtonian portion modelling the early inspiral. We summarize the techniques used by each group in constructing their submissions. We also report on the procedures used to validate these submissions, including examination in the time and frequency domains and comparisons of waveforms from different groups against each other. These procedures have so far considered only the $(\ell,m)=(2,2)$ mode. Based on these studies we judge that the hybrid waveforms are suitable for NINJA-2 studies. We note some of the plans for these investigations., Presented at Amaldi 9

We present the first analytical inspiral-merger-ringdown gravitational waveforms from binary black holes (BBHs) with non-precessing spins, that is based on a description of the late-inspiral, merger and ringdown in full general relativity. By matching a post-Newtonian description of the inspiral to a set of numerical-relativity simulations, we obtain a waveform family with a conveniently small number of physical parameters. These waveforms will allow us to detect a larger parameter space of BBH coalescence, including a considerable fraction of precessing binaries in the comparable-mass regime, thus significantly improving the expected detection rates., To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. Significant new results. One figure removed due to page limitation

Certain numerical frameworks used for the evolution of binary black holes make use of a gamma driver, which includes a damping factor. Such simulations typically use a constant value for damping. However, it has been found that very specific values of the damping factor are needed for the calculation of unequal mass binaries. We examine carefully the role this damping plays, and provide two explicit, non-constant forms for the damping to be used with mass-ratios further from one. Our analysis of the resultant waveforms compares well against the constant damping case., Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures

Immunity of plants triggered by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) is based on the execution of an evolutionarily conserved defense response that includes the accumulation of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins as well as multiple other defenses. The most abundant PR transcript of barley (Hordeum vulgare) leaf epidermis attacked by the powdery mildew fungus Blumeria graminis f. sp hordei encodes the germin-like protein GER4, which has superoxide dismutase activity and functions in PAMP-triggered immunity. Here, we show that barley GER4 is encoded by a dense cluster of tandemly duplicated genes (GER4a-h) that underwent several cycles of duplication. The genomic organization of the GER4 locus also provides evidence for repeated gene birth and death cycles. The GER4 promoters contain multiple WRKY factor binding sites (W-boxes) preferentially located in promoter fragments that were exchanged between subfamily members by gene conversion. Mutational analysis of TATA-box proximal W-boxes used GER4c promoter-β-glucuronidase fusions to reveal their enhancing effects and functional redundancy on pathogen-induced promoter activity. The data suggest enhanced transcript dosage as an evolutionary driving force for the local expansion and functional redundancy of the GER4 locus. In addition, the GER4c promoter provides a tool to study signal transduction of PAMP-triggered immunity and to engineer strictly localized and pathogen-regulated disease resistance in transgenic cereal crops.

We present gravitational waveforms for the last orbits and merger of black-hole-binary (BBH) systems along two branches of the BBH parameter space: equal-mass binaries with equal non-precessing spins, and nonspinning unequal-mass binaries. The waveforms are calculated from numerical solutions of Einstein's equations for black-hole binaries that complete between six and ten orbits before merger. Along the equal-mass spinning branch, the spin parameter of each BH is $\chi_i = S_i/M_i^2 \in [-0.85,0.85]$, and along the unequal-mass branch the mass ratio is $q =M_2/M_1 \in [1,4]$. We discuss the construction of low-eccentricity puncture initial data for these cases, the properties of the final merged BH, and compare the last 8-10 GW cycles up to $M\omega = 0.1$ with the phase and amplitude predicted by standard post-Newtonian (PN) approximants. As in previous studies, we find that the phase from the 3.5PN TaylorT4 approximant is most accurate for nonspinning binaries. For equal-mass spinning binaries the 3.5PN TaylorT1 approximant (including spin terms up to only 2.5PN order) gives the most robust performance, but it is possible to treat TaylorT4 in such a way that it gives the best accuracy for spins $\chi_i > -0.75$. When high-order amplitude corrections are included, the PN amplitude of the $(\ell=2,m=\pm2)$ modes is larger than the NR amplitude by between 2-4%., Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, 6 tables. Version accepted by PRD

D or ee n M ul le r F lu ch t u nd A sy l i n eu ro pa is ch en M ig ra tio ns re gi m en D Zahl der Asylsuchenden ist in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in den letzten Jahren stark zuruckgegangen. Die Anerkennungsquote liegt bei rund einem Prozent. Wo sind die Fluchtlinge geblieben? Gibt es keine Grunde mehr, Asyl zu beantragen? Auf der Suche nach den AsylbewerberInnen wird man in den neueren EU-Mitgliedstaaten an den Ausengrenzen und in den EU-Anrainerstaaten fundig: Aufgrund von Zustandigkeitsregelungen stranden immer mehr Fluchtlinge an den Randern der EU und konnen andere europaische Ziellander nur noch irregular erreichen. Die Studie zeigt am Beispiel Deutschlands und Polens, wie sich der Wandel des Asylrechts in den vergangenen 20 Jahren vollzogen hat, wie er erklart werden kann und in welchem Verhaltnis er zu den Strategien von MigrantInnen steht. Sie erschliest damit das Feld der Asylpolitik in dreierlei Hinsicht neu: Zum einen wird die Asylpolitik im Kontext migrationspolitischer Kategorienkonstruktionen analysiert. Auf diese Weise wird die Bedeutung der Kategorisierung und Hierarchisierung von ‚erwunschten‘ und ‚unerwunschten‘ MigrantInnen als zentraler Bestandteil des ‚Migrationsmanagements‘ aufgezeigt. Zum anderen liefern die beiden Landerstudien ein umfangliches Bild der Asylpolitik in Deutschland und Polen. Indem die beiden Fallstudien schlieslich in die Entwicklungen auf EU-Ebene eingebettet und aufeinander bezogen werden, eroffnet die Studie einen neuen und umfassenden Einblick in die Dynamiken, die den Wandel des europaischen Asylregimes in den letzten zwei Jahrzehnten bestimmt haben.

The goal of this project is to compute the last phase of the inspiral and merger of two black holes in Einstein’s theory of general relativity. Numerical simulations of binary black hole systems have only recently reached the point where for the first time several complete orbits can be computed. Such simulations pose on the one hand a significant theoretical and technical challenge since the time-dependent Einstein equations have to be solved in the regime of highly dynamic and non-linear gravitational fields. On the other hand, theoretical predictions for the gravitational waves generated in a binary black hole merger are eagerly awaited by a new generation of gravitational wave experiments. The plan is therefore to map out the parameter space of gravitational wave signals from binary black hole inspirals. This research is funded in part by the SFB/Transregio 7 on Gravitational Wave Astronomy, the BMBF/DLR grant for LISA Germany, and the Graduiertenkolleg on Quantum and Gravitational Fields.

Black hole binaries on non-eccentric orbits form an important subclass of gravitational wave sources, but it is a non-trivial issue to construct numerical initial data with minimal initial eccentricity for numerical simulations. We compute post-Newtonian orbital parameters for quasi-spherical orbits using the method of Buonanno, Chen and Damour (2006) and examine the resulting eccentricity in numerical simulations. Four different methods are studied resulting from the choice of Taylor-expanded or effective-one-body Hamiltonians, and from two choices for the energy flux. The eccentricity increases for unequal masses and for spinning black holes, but remains smaller than that obtained from previous post-Newtonian approaches. The effective-one-body Hamiltonian offers advantages for decreasing initial separation as expected, but in the context of this study also performs significantly better than the Taylor-expanded Hamiltonian for binaries with spin., Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, pdflatex; V2 with minor changes according to published version

We report on a fiber CPA-system operating beyond the B-integral limit. Pulse shaping using a spatial-light-modulator allows for the amplification of stretched parabolic pulses. Very clean recompressed pulses are obtained at a B-integral of 16.

Here, we characterize the basis for the T-cell-specific activity of the human zinc-finger protein early growth response factor 4 (EGR-4). A yeast two-hybrid screen showed interaction of EGR-4 with NF-kappaB p50. Using recombinant proteins, stable physical complex formation was confirmed for EGR-4 and EGR-3 with p50 and with p65 using glutathione-S-transferase pull-down assays and surface-plasmon-resonance and peptide-spot analyses. In vivo interaction of EGR-4 and EGR-3 with NF-kappaB p65 was demonstrated by immunoprecipitation experiments and fluorescence-resonance-energy transfer (FRET) analysis showing interaction in the nucleus of transfected Jurkat T cells. In transfection assays, EGR-p50 complexes were transcriptionally inactive and EGR-p65 complexes strongly activated transcription of the promoters of the human genes encoding the cytokines interleukin 2, tissue necrosis factor alpha and ICAM-1. The EGR-p65 complexes increased reporter-gene activity about 100-fold and thus exceeded the transcriptional activities of the p65 homodimer and the p65/p50 heterodimers. The major interaction domain for p65 was localized within the third zinc finger of EGR-4 using deletion mutants for pull-down assays and peptide-spot assays. By computer modeling, this interaction domain was localized to an alpha-helical region and shown to have the central amino acids surface exposed and thus accessible for interaction. In summary, in T cells, the two zinc-finger proteins EGR-4 and EGR-3 interact with the specific nuclear mediator NF-kappaB and control transcription of genes encoding inflammatory cytokines.

Our investigation is focused on the influence of the temporal pulse shape in chirped pulse fiber amplifier systems in which the recompression is limited due to a nonlinear chirp caused by self-phase modulation (SPM). We show that specific pulse shapes can overcome the usual limit but have to be maintained during amplification, which is not fulfilled if gain shaping occurs. We analyze numerically the possibility of spectral preshaping in order to prevent gain shaping and nonlinear distortion due to SPM.