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- Article (142) (remove)
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Objectives
The aim of this study was to identify characteristics of phosphorus (³¹P) spectra of the human prostate and to investigate changes of individual phospholipid metabolites in prostate cancer through in vivo ³¹P magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at 7 T.
Materials and Methods
In this institutional review board–approved study, 15 patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer underwent T₂-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and 3-dimensional ³¹P MRSI at 7 T. Voxels were selected at the tumor location, in normal-appearing peripheral zone tissue, normal-appearing transition zone tissue, and in the base of the prostate close to the seminal vesicles. Phosphorus metabolite ratios were determined and compared between tissue types.
Results
Signals of phosphoethanolamine (PE) and phosphocholine (PC) were present and well resolved in most ³¹P spectra in the prostate. Glycerophosphocholine signals were observable in 43% of the voxels in malignant tissue, but in only 10% of the voxels in normal-appearing tissue away from the seminal vesicles. In many spectra, independent of tissue type, 2 peaks resonated in the chemical shift range of inorganic phosphate, possibly representing 2 separate pH compartments. The PC/PE ratio in the seminal vesicles was highly elevated compared with the prostate in 5 patients. A considerable overlap of ³¹P metabolite ratios was found between prostate cancer and normal-appearing prostate tissue, preventing direct discrimination of these tissues. The only 2 patients with high Gleason scores tumors (≥4+5) presented with high PC and glycerophosphocholine levels in their cancer lesions.
Conclusions
Phosphorus MRSI at 7 T shows distinct features of phospholipid metabolites in the prostate gland and its surrounding structures. In this exploratory study, no differences in ³¹P metabolite ratios were observed between prostate cancer and normal-appearing prostate tissue possibly because of the partial volume effects of small tumor foci in large MRSI voxels.
Therefore Fermat is right
(2014)
It was Fernat's idea to investigate how many numbers would fulfill the equation according to the Pythagorean Theorem if the exponent were increased to random, e.g. to a3 + b3 = c3. His question became therefore: are there two whole numbers the cubes of which add up to the volume of the cube of a third whole number? He posed this same question, of course, for all kinds of higher exponents, so that the equation could be generalized: is there an integral solution for the equation an + bn = cn, if the exponent n is higher than 2? Although in 1993, the English mathematician Andrew Wiles was able to produce an arithmetical proof for Fermat's famous theorem, I will show that there is a simple logical explanation which is also pragmatic and plausible and what is the result of a fundamental alternative idea how our world seems to be constructed.
In any books about genetics it can still today be read that our genetic code is called “degenerate” because it is still believed that 43 = 64 triplets encode the 20 essential amino acids. Indeed we have to assume the inverse law, what means that 34 = 81 exact code positions are really effective for our genetic code and encode the amino acids, compiled to proteins. This very important discovery leads to two completely new results that are limits-overlooking: 1) 34 (=81) genetic code positions mean exactly the same number as there are stable and naturally existing chemical elements in our universe. This famous argument should now lead to some alternative, as well as new fundamental conclusions about our existence. 2) A genetic code positioning system shows that nature is much smarter than expected: mutations are made less dangerous than believed, because they won't be that easily able any more to cause severe damages in the protein-synthesis. This should also lead to some alternative views upon evolution of life.
Nah- versus Nachtoderfahrungen
Nahtoderfahrungen (NTE) sind ein Phänomen aus der Kategorie „außergewöhnliche Bewusstseinserfahrungen“. Sie treten in unmittelbarer Nähe des eigenen Todes auf. Oft, aber nicht immer, handelt es sich dabei um Erfahrungen von Personen, die durch ärztliche Maßnahmen wiederbelebt wurden und später davon berichten (NTE-ler). Jedoch kommen solche Phänomene auch bei Menschen vor, die während einer schweren Erkrankung eine lebensbedrohliche Krise haben, hiervon aber spontan genesen.
Den NTE ähnlich sind auch sogenannte Nachtod-erfahrungen sowie spontane Erlebnisse, die im Rahmen anderer außergewöhnlicher Stresssituationen auftreten. Von Nachtoderfahrungen spricht man, wenn die Betroffenen anlässlich des Todes von geliebten Angehörigen oder Freunden Erlebnisse haben, die inhaltlich ebenfalls, zumindest aber teilweise, denen von NTE entsprechen.
Nachtoderfahrungen sowie spontane NTE-ähnliche Erlebnisse unterscheiden sich jedoch von den echten NTE zumeist sowohl quantitativ als auch qualitativ. Unter einem quantitativen Unterschied versteht man in diesem Zusammenhang eine in der Regel geringer ausgeprägte Komplexität, als sie sehr vielen NTE zu eigen ist. Da sich aber auch viele NTE selbst bezüglich ihrer Komplexität unterscheiden, ist der Hauptunterschied qualitativer Natur: Echte NTE besitzen gegenüber den anderen hier erwähnten Phänomenen eine größere inhaltliche und emotionale Tiefe. Sie begleiten die Betroffenen anschließend ein Leben lang – zumeist mit positiven, in Einzelfällen aber auch mit negativen Folgen, die bis zu einem späteren Suizid reichen können.
Die genannten außergewöhnlichen Bewusstseinsphänomene lassen sich in ihrer Gesamtheit bei rund 5 % der Bevölkerung finden. NTE im Speziellen haben hiervon einen durchaus bedeutenden Anteil. Je nach Studie geben zwischen 18 % und 40 % aller Personen, die reanimiert wurden, an, währenddessen eine NTE erlebt zu haben. Dass nicht alle eine solche Erfahrung machen, wird von Kritikern gern dahingehend interpretiert, NTE seien rein physiologischer und keineswegs spiritueller Natur. Jedoch sollte man bedenken, dass im Fall einer rein neurophysiologischen Grundlage von NTE dann bei jedem ein solches Phänomen zu erwarten wäre, so wie beispielsweise auch die Symptome einer Hypoglykämie im Wesentlichen immer dieselben sind.
Developing a new production host from a blueprint: Bacillus pumilus as an industrial enzyme producer
(2014)
This paper describes the modeling of a high-temperature storage system for an existing solar tower power plant with open volumetric receiver technology, which uses air as heat transfer medium (HTF). The storage system model has been developed in the simulation environment Matlab/Simulink®. The storage type under investigation is a packed bed thermal energy storage system which has the characteristics of a regenerator. Thermal energy can be stored and discharged as required via the HTF air. The air mass flow distribution is controlled by valves, and the mass flow by two blowers. The thermal storage operation strategy has a direct and significant impact on the energetic and economic efficiency of the solar tower power plants.
Vor dem Hintergrund zunehmender gesellschaftlicher Veränderungen bei den Lebens- und Familienformen hat es sich die Commission on European Family Law (CEFL) seit 2001 zum Ziel gesetzt, unverbindliche Regelungsvorschläge für ein europaweit einheitliches Familienrecht zu schaffen. Die Vorstellung und Diskussion dieser auf rechtsvergleichender Basis erstellten Principles erfolgt auf den regelmäßig veranstalteten Tagungen der CEFL. Die nunmehr fünfte Konferenz zum Thema „Family Law and Culture in Europe – Developments, Challenges and Opportunities“ fand erstmals in Deutschland statt. Ausgerichtet wurde die Veranstaltung, zu der ca. 200 Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern aus Wissenschaft und Praxis aus insgesamt 33 Ländern angereist waren, von Nina Dethloff (Direktorin des Instituts für Deutsches, Europäisches und Internationales Familienrecht an der Universität Bonn), Katharina Boele-Woelki (Direktorin des Utrecht Centre for European Research into Family Law und Preisträgerin des Anneliese Maier-Forschungspreises der Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung) und Werner Gephart (Direktor des Käte Hamburger Kollegs „Recht als Kultur“).
In co-operation with the German Aerospace Center, the Solar-Institut Jülich has been analyzing the different technologies that are available for methanol production from CO2 using solar energy. The aim of the project is to extract CO2 from industrial exhaust gases or directly from the atmosphere to recycle it by use of solar energy. Part of the study was the modeling and simulating of a methane reformer for the production of synthesis gas, which can be operated by solar or hybrid heat sources. The reformer has been simplified in such a way that the model is accurate and enables fast calculations. The developed pseudo-homogeneous one- dimensional model can be regarded as a kind of counter-current heat exchanger and is able to incorporate a steam reforming reaction as well as a dry reforming reaction.
The possibility of using the atomic-force microscopy as a method for detection of the analytical signal from plasticized polymeric sensor membranes was analyzed. The surfaces of cadmium-selective membranes based on two polymeric matrices were examined. The digital images were processed with multivariate image analysis techniques. A correlation was found between the surface profile of an ion-selective membrane and the concentration of the ion in solution.
Use of textile structures for reinforcement of pelvic floor structures has to consider mechanical forces to the implant, which are quite different to the tension free conditions of the abdominal wall. Thus, biomechanical analysis of textile devices has to include the impact of strain on stretchability and effective porosity. Prolift® and Prolift + M®, developed for tension free conditions, were tested by measuring stretchability and effective porosity applying mechanical strain. For comparison, we used Dynamesh-PR4®, which was designed for pelvic floor repair to withstand mechanical strain. Prolift® at rest showed moderate porosity with little stretchability but complete loss of effective porosity at strain of 4.9 N/cm. Prolift + M® revealed an increased porosity at rest, but at strain showed high stretchability, with subsequent loss of effective porosity at strain of 2.5 N/cm. Dynamesh PR4® preserved its high porosity even under strain, but as consequence of limited stretchability. Though in tension free conditions Prolift® and Prolift + M® can be considered as large pore class I meshes, application of mechanical strain rapidly lead to collapse of pores. The loss of porosity at mechanical stress can be prevented by constructions with high structural stability. Assessment of porosity under strain was found helpful to define requirements for pelvic floor devices. Clinical studies have to prove whether devices with high porosity as well as high structural stability can improve the patients' outcome.
It is well known that biochemical and biotechnological processes are strongly dependent and affected by a variety of physico-chemical parameters such as pH value, temperature, pressure and electrolyte conductivity. Therefore, these quantities have to be monitored or controlled in order to guarantee a stable process operation, optimization and high yield. In this work, a sensor chip for the multiparameter detection of three physico-chemical parameters such as electrolyte conductivity, pH and temperature is realized using barium strontium titanate (BST) as multipurpose material. The chip integrates a capacitively coupled four-electrode electrolyte-conductivity sensor, a capacitive field-effect pH sensor and a thin-film Pt-temperature sensor. Due to the multifunctional properties of BST, it is utilized as final outermost coating layer of the processed sensor chip and serves as passivation and protection layer as well as pH-sensitive transducer material at the same time. The results of testing of the individual sensors of the developed multiparameter sensor chip are presented. In addition, a quasi-simultaneous multiparameter characterization of the sensor chip in buffer solutions with different pH value and electrolyte conductivity is performed. To study the sensor behavior and the suitability of BST as multifunctional material under harsh environmental conditions, the sensor chip was exemplarily tested in a biogas digestate.
High-k perovskite oxide of barium strontium titanate (BST) represents a very attractive multi-functional transducer material for the development of (bio-)chemical sensors for liquids. In this work, BST films have been applied as a sensitive transducer material for a label-free detection of adsorbed charged macromolecules (positively charged polyelectrolytes) and concentration of hydrogen peroxide vapor as well as protection insulator layer for a contactless electrolyte-conductivity sensor. The experimental results of characterization of individual sensors are presented. Special emphasis is devoted towards the development of a capacitively-coupled contactless electrolyte-conductivity sensor.
High-intensity discharge lamps can be driven by radio-frequency signals in the ISM frequency band at 2.45 GHz, using a matching network to transform the impedance of the plasma to the source impedance. To achieve an optimal operating condition, a good characterization of the lamp in terms of radio frequency equivalent circuits under operating conditions is necessary, enabling the design of an efficient matching network. This paper presents the characterization technique for such lamps and presents the design of the required matching network. For the characterization, a high-intensity discharge lamp was driven by a monofrequent large signal at 2.45 GHz, whereas a frequency sweep over 300 MHz was performed across this signal to measure so-called small-signal hot S-parameters using a vector network analyzer. These parameters are then used as an equivalent load in a circuit simulator to design an appropriate matching network. Using the measured data as a black-box model in the simulation results in a quick and efficient method to simulate and design efficient matching networks in spite of the complex plasma behavior. Furthermore, photometric analysis of high-intensity discharge lamps are carried out, comparing microwave operation to conventional operation.
Access to promising radiometals as isotopes for novel molecular imaging agents requires that they are routinely available and inexpensive to obtain. Proximity to a cyclotron center outfitted with solid target hardware, or to an isotope generator for the metal of interest is necessary, both of which can introduce significant hurdles in development of less common isotopes. Herein, we describe the production of ⁴⁴Sc (t₁⸝₂ = 3.97 h, Eavg,β⁺ = 1.47 MeV, branching ratio = 94.27%) in a solution target and an automated loading system which allows a quick turn-around between different radiometallic isotopes and therefore greatly improves their availability for tracer development. Experimental yields are compared to theoretical calculations.
Molecular Modeling Approach to the Prediction of Mechanical Properties of Silica-Reinforced Rubbers
(2014)
Recently, we have suggested a nanomechanical model for dissipative loss in filled elastomer networks in the context of the Payne effect. The mechanism is based on a total interfiller particle force exhibiting an intermittent loop, due to the combination of short-range repulsion and dispersion forces with a long-range elastic attraction. The sum of these forces leads, under external strain, to a spontaneous instability of “bonds” between the aggregates in a filler network and attendant energy dissipation. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to obtain chemically realistic forces between surface modified silica particles. The latter are combined with the above model to estimate the loss modulus and the low strain storage modulus in elastomers containing the aforementioned filler-compatibilizer systems. The model is compared to experimental dynamic moduli of silica filled rubbers. We find good agreement between the model predictions and the experiments as function of the compatibilizer's molecular structure and its bulk concentration.