Gravitational Radiation from Compact Binary Pulsars

An outstanding question in modern Physics is whether general relativity (GR) is a complete description of gravity among bodies at macroscopic scales. Currently, the best experiments supporting this hypothesis are based on high-precision timing of radio pulsars. This chapter reviews recent advances in the field with a focus on compact binary millisecond pulsars with white-dwarf (WD) companions. These systems - if modeled properly - provide an unparalleled test ground for physically motivated alternatives to GR that deviate significantly in the strong-field regime. Recent improvements in observational techniques and advances in our understanding of WD interiors have enabled a series of precise mass measurements in such systems. These masses, combined with high-precision radio timing of the pulsars, result to stringent constraints on the radiative properties of gravity, qualitatively very different from what was available in the past.Comment: Short review chapter to appear in "Gravitational Wave Astrophysics" by Springer-Verlag, edited by Carlos F. Sopuerta; v3: a few major corrections and updated references. Comments are welcome

Einfluss von Pollen-assoziierten Lipidmediatoren (PALMs) auf Reifung und Zytokinproduktion von unterschiedlichen dendritischen Zell-Subpopulationen aus humanem peripherem Blut.

Pollen-assoziierte Lipidmediatoren (PALMs) hemmen die LPS-induzierte Zytokinproduktion von Monozyten-abgeleiteten dendritischen Zellen. Da es sich bei diesen Zellen allerdings um in vitro generierte Zellen handelt, sollte im Rahmen dieser Arbeit der Einfluss von PALMs auf die verschiedenen dendritschen Subpopulationen aus humanem peripherem Blut untersucht werden. Dazu wurden slanDCs, myleoide- und plasmazytoide dendritische Zellen isoliert. Dabei konnte erstmals gezeigt werden, dass wässrige Pollenextrakte von Betula alba (Bet.-APE) die reifungsinduzierte Zytokinproduktion sowie die Aufregulation von Maturationsmarkern bei allen DC-Subpopulationen hemmten. Weiterhin wurde herausgefunden, dass ein nicht-proteinerger Faktor aus wässrigen Pollenextrakten von Betula Alba mit einem Molekulargewicht <3kD für die Hemmung der LPS-induzierten Reifung und Zytokinproduktion verantwortlich ist

Detecting wildlife orthologues for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6)

Detection and quantification of cytokines is important to better understand disease processes in populations. This study assessed the feasibility of quantifying wildlife orthologues for tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) using two bioassays combined with an in vitro model for immune stimulation. For all species, heparinized blood (1 ml) was exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 pg to 50 micro g) for 6 hr (37 degrees C) after which plasma was collected. Neutralizing antibodies were used to demonstrate that grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) TNF can be quantified with a WEHI-164 bioassay, and expression of TNF in the LPS stimulated model is dose-dependent. A B9 bioassay demonstrated LPS-dose-dependent production of IL-6 for grizzly bears, although neutralizing antibodies were not available to confirm that IL-6 was responsible for these results. The B9 assay may have detected IL-6 orthologues for bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis), elk (Cervus elaphus) and bison (Bison bison). These assays combined with the LPS stimulated blood model could provide a rapid means for assessing immunological effects of pathogens and toxicants