Two-dimensional correlation relaxometry studies of cement pastes performed using a new one-sided NMR magnet

We present preliminary results of the first NMR T₁-T₂ two-dimensional relaxation correlation experiments performed using a one-sided NMR system in cement based materials. Two-dimensional correlation relaxometry has itself only recently been demonstrated in cement paste where it proved to be a particularly sensitive probe of pore-water dynamics providing direct information on exchange of water between the gel and capillary pore networks. Further to this we have observed differences in the structural development of a selection of cement pastes throughout the early stages of hydration and verified the theoretical frequency dependence of the ratio T₁ / T₂. When coupled with instrumentation developments in one-sided NMR magnets the way is opened to detailed, spatially resolved studies of the development of hydration and porosity in the surface layers (top 50 mm) of cementitious materials. A new magnet, suitable for such applications, is discussed.     

Mineralogy of ash of some American coals: variations with temperature and source

Ten samples of mineral-matter residue were obtained by the radio-frequency low-temperature ashing of subbituminous and bituminous coals. The low-temperature ash samples were then heated progressively from 400 °C to 1400 °C at 100 °C intervals. Mineral phases present at each temperature interval were determined by X-ray diffraction analyses. The minerals originally present in the coals (quartz, kaolinite, illite, pyrite, calcite, gypsum, dolomite, and sphalerite) were all altered to higher temperature phases. Several of these phases, including kaolinite, metakaolinite, mullite, anhydrite, and anorthite, were found only in limited temperature ranges. Therefore the temperature of formation of the ashes in which they occur may be determined. Mineralogical differences were observed between coal samples from the Rocky Mountain Province, the Illinois Basin, and the Appalachians; and as a result of these mineralogical differences, different high-temperature phases resulted as the samples were heated. However, regional generalizations cannot be made until a greater number of samples have been studied.     

Generating vegetation leaf area index Earth system data record from multiple sensors. Part 2: Implementation,analysis and validation

The evaluation of a new global monthly leaf area index (LAI) data set for the period July 1981 to December 2006 derived from AVHRR Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data is described. The physically based algorithm is detailed in the first of the two part series. Here, the implementation, production and evaluation of the data set are described. The data set is evaluated both by direct comparisons to ground data and indirectly through inter-comparisons with similar data sets. This indirect validation showed satisfactory agreement with existing LAI products, importantly MODIS, at a range of spatial scales, and significant correlations with key climate variables in areas where temperature and precipitation limit plant growth. The data set successfully reproduced well-documented spatio-temporal trends and inter-annual variations in vegetation activity in the northern latitudes and semi-arid tropics. Comparison with plot scale field measurements over homogeneous vegetation patches indicated a 7% underestimation when all major vegetation types are taken into account. The error in mean values obtained from distributions of AVHRR LAI and high-resolution field LAI maps for different biomes is within 0.5 LAI for six out of the ten selected sites. These validation exercises though limited by the amount of field data, and thus less than comprehensive, indicated satisfactory agreement between the LAI product and field measurements. Overall, the inter-comparison with short-term LAI data sets, evaluation of long term trends with known variations in climate variables, and validation with field measurements together build confidence in the utility of this new 26 year LAI record for long term vegetation monitoring and modeling studies.     

Delineating Boundaries for Imprecise Regions

In geographic information retrieval, queries often name geographic regions that do not have a well-defined boundary, such as “Southern France.” We provide two algorithmic approaches to the problem of computing reasonable boundaries of such regions based on data points that have evidence indicating that they lie either inside or outside the region. Our problem formulation leads to a number of subproblems related to red-blue point separation and minimum-perimeter polygons, many of which we solve algorithmically. We give experimental results from our implementation and a comparison of the two approaches. This research is supported by the EU-IST Project No. IST-2001-35047 (SPIRIT) and by grant WO 758/4-2 of the German Research Foundation (DFG).     

SNORE: spike noise removal and detection

A method for detection and removal of random spike noise in magnetic resonance (MR) raw data (k-space data) is described. This method would reduce or eliminate the corduroy-type and higher than usual level artifacts in MR images resulting from random spike noise in k-space data. The method described involves applying a spatially varying threshold to be k-space data. Any data point that has a magnitude greater than that of the threshold value at that location will be replaced by a local complex average of the neighboring data points or some other suitable data replacement scheme.     

Recent advances in CKD and ESRD: A literature update

The past year has seen interesting publications in the fields of chronic kidney disease and end stage renal disease. This review highlights some of these important papers and places their findings in the context of clinical care.     

High throughput research and evaporation rate modeling for solvent screening for ethylcellulose barrier membranes in pharmaceutical applications

Context: Ethylcellulose is commonly dissolved in a solvent or formed into an aqueous dispersion and sprayed onto various dosage forms to form a barrier membrane to provide controlled release in pharmaceutical formulations. Due to the variety of solvents utilized in the pharmaceutical industry and the importance solvent can play on film formation and film strength it is critical to understand how solvent can influence these parameters.

Objective: To systematically study a variety of solvent blends and how these solvent blends influence ethylcellulose film formation, physical and mechanical film properties and solution properties such as clarity and viscosity.

Materials and methods: Using high throughput capabilities and evaporation rate modeling, thirty-one different solvent blends composed of ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, methanol, and/or water were formulated, analyzed for viscosity and clarity, and narrowed down to four solvent blends. Brookfield viscosity, film casting, mechanical film testing and water permeation were also completed.

Results and discussion: High throughput analysis identified isopropanol/water, ethanol, ethanol/water and methanol/acetone/water as solvent blends with unique clarity and viscosity values. Evaporation rate modeling further rank ordered these candidates from excellent to poor interaction with ethylcellulose. Isopropanol/water was identified as the most suitable solvent blend for ethylcellulose due to azeotrope formation during evaporation, which resulted in a solvent-rich phase allowing the ethylcellulose polymer chains to remain maximally extended during film formation. Consequently, the highest clarity and most ductile films were formed.

Conclusion: Employing high throughput capabilities paired with evaporation rate modeling allowed strong predictions between solvent interaction with ethylcellulose and mechanical film properties.     

The "first generation" of endovascular stent-grafts for patients with aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to determine whether endovascular stent-grafting is feasible and effective for patients with aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta. METHODS: Starting in July 1992, we conducted a prospective, uncontrolled clinical trial in 103 patients (mean age 69 years [range 34-89 years]) who underwent endovascular treatment of aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta using a custom-fabricated, self-expanding stent-graft device. Follow-up was 100% complete and averaged 22 months. Sixty-two patients (60%) were judged not to be reasonable candidates for a conventional "open" surgical procedure. RESULTS: Complete thrombosis of the aneurysm was ultimately achieved in 86 (83%) patients. The early mortality rate was 9% +/- 3% (+/- 70% CL). Multivariable analysis revealed that myocardial infarction or stroke was linked with a higher likelihood of early death (P = .001). Early serious complications included paraplegia in 3% +/- 2% and stroke in 7% +/- 3%. Actuarial survival estimates at 1 year and 2 years were 81% +/- 4% and 73% +/- 5% (+/- 1 SE), respectively; being judged not to be a surgical candidate portended a higher probability of death (P = .003). According to the intent-to-treat principle, "treatment failure" (including all late sudden unexplained deaths) occurred in 38 patients; 53% +/- 10% of patients were free from treatment failure at 3.7 years. Stent-graft related complications occurred commonly and were linked with several anatomic, technical, and patient-related risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: This 5-year clinical trial involving use of a "first generation" device indicates that endovascular stent-grafting of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms is feasible with acceptable medium-term results. More refined, commercially developed devices available today offer less traumatic and more precise stent-graft deployment; these major technical advantages, coupled with important lessons we have learned over time and better patient selection, should be associated with more salutary clinical results in the future.     

Ice-crystal absorption: a comparison between theory and implications for remote sensing

The problem of the disagreement between cirrus crystal sizes determined remotely and by in situ measurements is shown to be due to inappropriate application of Mie theory. We retrieved the absorption optical depth at 8.3 and 11.1 mum from 11 tropical anvil cirrus clouds, using data from the High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS). We related the absorption optical depth ratio between the two wavelengths to crystal size (the size was defined in terms of the crystal median mass dimension) by assuming Mie theory applied to ice spheres and anomalous diffraction theory (ADT) applied to hexagonal columns, hexagonal plates, bullet rosettes, and aggregates (polycrystals). The application of Mie theory to retrievals yielded crystal sizes approximately one third those obtained with ADT. The retrievals of crystal size by use of HIRS data are compared with measurements of habit and crystal size obtained from in situ measurements of tropical anvil cirrus particles. The results of the comparison show that ADT provides the more realistic retrieval. Moreover, we demonstrate that at infrared wavelengths retrieval of crystal size depends on assumed habit. The reason why Mie theory predicts smaller sizes than ADT is shown to result from particle geometry and enhanced absorption owing to the capture of photons from above the edge of the particle (tunneling). The contribution of particle geometry to absorption is three times greater than from tunneling, but this process enhances absorption by a further 35%. The complex angular momentum and T-matrix methods are used to show that the contribution to absorption by tunneling is diminished as the asphericity of spheroidal particles is increased. At an aspect ratio of 6 the contribution to the absorption that is due to tunneling is substantially reduced for oblate particles, whereas for prolate particles the tunneling contribution is reduced by 50% relative to the sphere.