Fraunhofer Society

About: Fraunhofer Society is a government organization based out in Munich, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Laser & Silicon. The organization has 24736 authors who have published 40168 publications receiving 820894 citations.

Visual Analytics Methodology for Eye Movement Studies

Abstract: Eye movement analysis is gaining popularity as a tool for evaluation of visual displays and interfaces However, the existing methods and tools for analyzing eye movements and scanpaths are limited in terms of the tasks they can support and effectiveness for large data and data with high variation We have performed an extensive empirical evaluation of a broad range of visual analytics methods used in analysis of geographic movement data The methods have been tested for the applicability to eye tracking data and the capability to extract useful knowledge about users' viewing behaviors This allowed us to select the suitable methods and match them to possible analysis tasks they can support The paper describes how the methods work in application to eye tracking data and provides guidelines for method selection depending on the analysis tasks

Stress-induced single-polarization single-transverse mode photonic crystal fiber with low nonlinearity

Abstract: We report on the design of a single-polarization single-transverse mode large mode area photonic crystal fiber. By including index-matched stress applying elements in the photonic cladding an ultra-broadband single polarization window is obtained while a large mode field area of ~700 microm(2) is maintained. Based on that design, an Yb-doped double-clad photonic crystal fiber is realized that combines low nonlinearity and single polarization properties. A first result of the high power operation using this fiber is demonstrated.

An environmentally relevant concentration of estrogen induces arrest of male gonad development in zebrafish, Danio rerio

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to elucidate how full life-cycle exposure to estrogens impacts zebrafish development and reproduction, compared to partial life-cycle exposure only, and whether the estrogen-induced effects in zebrafish are reversible or irreversible. Zebrafish were exposed in a flow-through system to an environmentally relevant concentration (3 ng/L) of the synthetic estrogen 17alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) either from fertilization until the all-ovary stage of gonad development (i.e., 42 d postfertilization [DPF] in our experiment) or from fertilization until the reproductive stage (i.e., 118 DPF). Reversibility of the estrogen-induced effects was assessed after 58 d of depuration in EE2-free water until 176 DPE Early life exposure led to a lasting induction of plasma vitellogenin (VTG) in adult females but altered neither the sex ratio nor the reproductive capabilities. Full life-cycle exposure resulted in elevated VTG concentrations and caused gonadal feminization in 100% of exposed fish and thus inhibited reproduction. Two types of ovaries were observed in continuously exposed adult fish, immature ovaries with primary growth stage oocytes only and mature ovaries containing the full range of all oocyte maturation stages. Fish with immature ovaries had plasma VTG levels like control males, while fish with mature ovaries had female-like VTG levels. The effects of full life cycle exposure were at least partly reversible, and 26% of fish of the previous all-female cohort developed fully differentiated testes. These findings suggest that continuous estrogen exposure had arrested the developmental transition of the gonads of genetic males from the early all-ovary stage to functional testes. After the exposure had ceased, however, these males apparently were able to accomplish testicular differentiation.