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T Baumert

Publications and source records attributed to T Baumert.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Femtosecond laser photoelectron spectroscopy on atoms and small molecules: prototype studies in quantum control.

We review prototype studies in the area of quantum control with femtosecond lasers. We restrict this discussion to atoms and diatomics under gas-phase collision-free conditions to allow for a comparison between theory and experiment. Both the perturbative regime and the nonperturbative regime of the light-matter interaction are addressed. To that end, atomic/molecular beam techniques are combined together with femtosecond laser techniques and energy-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and ion detection. Highly detailed information on the laser-induced quantum dynamics is extracted with the help of kinetic energy-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy.

Ions↗
PubMed2004

Quantum control by ultrafast polarization shaping.

We demonstrate that the use of time-dependent light polarization opens a new level of control over quantum systems. With potassium dimer molecules from a supersonic molecular beam, we show that a polarization-shaped laser pulse increases the ionization yield beyond that obtained with an optimally shaped linearly polarized laser pulse. This is due to the different multiphoton ionization pathways in K2 involving dipole transitions which favor different polarization directions of the exciting laser field. This experiment is a qualitative extension of quantum control mechanisms which opens up new directions giving access to the three-dimensional temporal response of molecular systems.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Interferences of ultrashort free electron wave packets.

Interferences of free electron wave packets generated by a pair of identical, time-delayed, femtosecond laser pulses which ionize excited atomic potassium have been observed. Two different schemes are investigated: threshold electrons produced by one-photon ionization with parallel laser polarization and above threshold ionization electrons produced by a two-photon transition with crossed laser polarization. Our results show that the temporal coherence of light pulses is transferred to free electron wave packets, thus opening the door to a whole variety of exciting experiments.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Photofragmentation of Na2+ in intense femtosecond laser fields: from photodissociation on light-induced potentials to field ionization.

Photofragmentation of Na2 + molecules in well prepared vibrational levels has been studied employing intense ( 10(11)-10(14) W/cm2) and ultrashort (80 fs) 790 nm laser fields. Four fragmentation channels with different released kinetic energies are observed. Depending on the applied laser intensity, the fragmentation of Na2 + is governed by photodissociation on light-induced potentials and field ionization followed by Coulomb explosion. Below 1x10(12) W/cm2, only photodissociation on light-induced potentials is seen. For intermediate laser intensities, field ionization at large internuclear distances competes with photodissociation, thus preventing the observation of above threshold dissociation. Field ionization at small internuclear distances dominates for the highest laser intensities used.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Use of conventional or replicating nucleic acid-based vaccines and recombinant Semliki forest virus-derived particles for the induction of immune responses against hepatitis C virus core and E2 antigens.

Replicating and nonreplicating nucleic acid-based vaccines as well as Semliki Forest-recombinant Viruses (rSFVs) were evaluated for the development of a vaccine against hepatitis C virus (HCV). Replicating SFV-DNA vaccines (pSFV) and rSFVs expressing HCV core or E2 antigens were compared with classical CMV-driven plasmids (pCMV) in single or bimodal vaccine protocols. In vitro experiments indicated that all vaccine vectors produced the HCV antigens but to different levels depending on the antigen expressed. Both replicating and nonreplicating core-expressing plasmids induced, upon injection in mice, specific comparable CTL responses ranging from 10 to 50% lysis (E:T ratio 100:1). Comparison of different injection modes (intramuscular versus intraepidermal) and the use of descalating doses of DNA (1-100 microgram) did not show an increased efficacy of the core-SFV plasmid compared with the CMV-driven one. Surprisingly, rSFVs yielded either no detectable anticore CTL or very low anti-E2 antibody titers following either single or bimodal administration together with CMV-expressing counterparts. Prime-boost experiments revealed, in all cases, the superiority of DNA-based only vaccines. The anti-E2 antibody response was evaluated using three different assays which indicated that all generated anti-E2 antibodies were targeted at similar determinants. This study emphasizes the potential of DNA-based vaccines for induction of anti-HCV immune responses and reveals an unexpected and limited benefit of SFV-based vaccinal approaches in the case of HCV core and E2.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Control of chemical reactions by feedback-optimized phase-shaped femtosecond laser pulses

Tailored femtosecond laser pulses from a computer-controlled pulse shaper were used to optimize the branching ratios of different organometallic photodissociation reaction channels. The optimization procedure is based on the feedback from reaction product quantities in a learning evolutionary algorithm that iteratively improves the phase of the applied femtosecond laser pulse. In the case of CpFe(CO)2Cl, it is shown that two different bond-cleaving reactions can be selected, resulting in chemically different products. At least in this case, the method works automatically and finds optimal solutions without previous knowledge of the molecular system and the experimental environment.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Reversible hyperkinesia in a patient with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type I.

Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome is characterized by a failure of multiple endocrine organs and the presence of circulating organ-specific autoantibodies targeted against the failing organs. Here we describe a patient with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type I with the endocrine manifestations of hypoparathyroidism, adrenocortical insufficiency, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Long-standing hypoparathyroidism led to extensive calcification of the basal ganglia which resulted in the clinical presentation of an extrapyramidal movement disorder (choreoathetotic and hemiballistic hyperkinesia of the left extremities). Interestingly, parallel to rehydration and the initiation of cortisol replacement therapy a complete reversion of the hyperkinetic signs was achieved. This case shows a rare multiendocrine organ failure with complex metabolic interactions resulting in marked neurological signs. Furthermore, this case demonstrates for the first time that a hyperkinetic syndrome--most likely due to hypoparathyroidism-induced basal ganglia calcification--can be reversed solely by adequate treatment of the concomitant endocrine failures.

Adrenal Cortex Diseases↗
PubMed1989

Ethanol-induced inhibition of leukotriene degradation by omega-oxidation.

omega-Oxidation of leukotrienes is a major pathway in the degradation and inactivation of these proinflammatory mediators. Ethanol inhibited this process in vivo and in vitro. In rat liver in vivo the catabolism of LTE4 to omega-carboxylated leukotrienes was inhibited by 57% by an ethanol dose of 25 mmol/kg body mass administered intragastrically. The site of inhibition was the oxidation of omega-hydroxy-N-acetyl-LTE4 to omega-carboxy-N-acetyl-LTE4 resulting in an accumulation of omega-hydroxy-N-acetyl-LTE4 and of N-acetyl-LTE4. Analogous results were obtained for the oxidative degradation of LTB4 and omega-hydroxy-LTB4 in rat hepatocyte suspensions. Ethanol, at a concentration of 12.5 mmol/l (0.07%; by vol.), caused 68% inhibition of the oxidation of omega-hydroxy-LTB4 by 50% in hepatocyte suspensions. The conversion of omega-hydroxy-LTB4 to omega-carboxy-LTB4 by rat and human liver cytosol was inhibited by ethanol with half maximal concentrations of 100 mumols/l and 300 mumols/l, respectively. Our measurements indicate that direct interference by ethanol of the omega-oxidation of leukotrienes as well as an increased NADH/NAD+ ratio induced by ethanol led to the inhibition of leukotriene degradation. The impairment of leukotriene inactivation in the liver by ethanol may contribute to the development of the inflammatory reaction in acute alcoholic liver disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Metabolic inactivation of leukotrienes.

The metabolic inactivation of the cysteinyl leukotrienes LTC4 and LTD4 and of the chemotactic LTB4 was studied in the rat in vivo and in hepatocyte suspensions, respectively. 1. Deactivation of LTC4 via LTD4 to LTE4 was a most active process in the blood circulation, catalyzed mainly by ectoenzymes located on the internal wall of blood vessels. Uptake of cysteinyl leukotrienes by hepatocytes and kidney cells contributed to the rapid elimination of these potent mediators whenever they were released into the blood circulation. The initial half-life of LTC4 in vivo was 12 seconds. 2. omega-Oxidation leads to the formation of omega-hydroxylated and omega-carboxylated cysteinyl leukotrienes which were detected in bile and urine. Biliary metabolites included those formed by stepwise beta-oxidative degradation of omega-carboxy-N-acetyl-LTE4, yielding the dinor, tetranor, and hexanor derivative. 3. The peroxisome proliferator clofibrate strongly increased the degradation of LTE4 by omega-oxidation and subsequent beta-oxidation in vivo. The generation of new polar metabolites was detected by HPLC methods and by the use of 3H8-labeled cysteinyl leukotrienes in comparison with the 3H2-labeled precursor. 4. The metabolic degradation and inactivation of cysteinyl leukotrienes in vivo and of LTB4 in isolated hepatocytes was potently inhibited by ethanol. The site of inhibition was the oxidation of omega-hydroxy-N-acetyl-LTE4 and of omega-hydroxy-LTB4 to the respective omega-carboxylated metabolite. This inhibition led to an accumulation of the biologically active LTB4 and of N-acetyl-LTE4. The interference of leukotriene inactivation in the liver may provide a novel explanation for the ethanol-induced inflammatory reaction in acute alcoholic liver disease.

Animals↗