A comprehensive approach to the analysis of contrast enhanced cardiac MR images

Current magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology allows the determination of patient-individual coronary tree structure, detection of infarctions, and assessment of myocardial perfusion. Joint inspection of these three aspects yields valuable information for therapy planning, e.g., through classification of myocardium into healthy tissue, regions showing a reversible hypoperfusion, and infarction with additional information on the corresponding supplying artery. Standard imaging protocols normally provide image data with different orientations, resolutions and coverages for each of the three aspects, which makes a direct comparison of analysis results difficult. The purpose of this work is to develop methods for the alignment and combined analysis of these images. The proposed approach is applied to 21 datasets of healthy and diseased patients from the clinical routine. The evaluation shows that, despite limitations due to typical MRI artifacts, combined inspection is feasible and can yield clinically useful information.     

Water Reuse Fit for Purpose by a Sustainable Industrial Wastewater Management Concept

Water shortage is often a challenge for industrial park developments. To ensure a more sustainable water supply, the Industrial Wastewater Management Concept with a focus on Reuse (IW²MC→R) provides a strategy to meet the challenges. Main requirements to achieve water reuse fit for purpose are optimized wastewater treatment, an optimized sewer and pipe system, and an innovative water quality monitoring concept. To evaluate water‐reuse concepts, a reuse factor is calculated, which relates to all wastewater inflows to the central wastewater treatment plant and all reuse‐water flows.     

Lebenszyklusbetrachtungen als Grundlage für die Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung von Straßenbrücken

Lebenszyklusbetrachtungen spielen bei der Bewertung der Nachhaltigkeit von Bauwerken eine besondere Rolle. Sie fokussieren nicht nur auf die einmaligen Umweltwirkungen und die Investitionskosten bei der Herstellung von Bauwerken, sondern ermöglichen die ganzheitliche Beurteilung der fortlaufend anfallenden ökologischen und ökonomischen Wirkungen. Mit der Untersuchung von zwei Autobahnbrücken und zwei Überführungsbauwerken wird das Ziel verfolgt, einen einheitlichen Durchschnittswert für die ökologischen und die ökonomischen Wirkungen von Brückenbauwerken zu definieren. Der Beitrag befasst sich mit der Festlegung derartiger Referenzwerte und stellt erste Lösungsansätze zur Berücksichtigung des Recyclingpotentials von Materialien vor. Life cycle considerations as a base for assessment of the sustainability of road bridges. Life cycle considerations are important for the assessment of the sustainability of constructions. Taking the life cycle into account it is not only possible to determine single environmental impacts and investment costs arising during the construction of buildings, but also to assess the consecutive ecological and economical impacts. The aim of this study was to define a consistent average value for ecological as well as economical impacts of road bridges by evaluating two viaducts and two overcrossings. This article deals with the determination of those reference values and presents an approach how to deal with the recycling potential of materials within the life cycle assessment.     

DNA Primer Extension with Cyclopropenylated 7‐Deaza‐2′‐deoxyadenosine and Efficient Bioorthogonal Labeling in Vitro and in Living Cells

A deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) analogue for DNA labeling was synthesized with the 1‐methylcyclopropene (1MCP) group at the 7‐position of 7‐deaza‐2′‐deoxyadenosine and applied for primer extension experiments. The real‐time kinetic data reveals that this 1MCP‐modified dATP analogue is incorporated into DNA much faster than that of the similarly 1MCP‐modified deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) analogue. The postsynthetic fluorescent labeling of these oligonucleotides works efficiently according to PAGE analysis, and can be applied for immobilization of a functional antibody on a surface. Site‐specific labeling at two different positions in DNA was achieved and the bioorthogonality of the postsynthetic fluorescent labeling was demonstrated in living HeLa cells.     

Controlling nonequilibrium phonon populations in single-walled carbon nanotubes

We studied spatially isolated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) immobilized in a quasi-planar optical lambda/2-microresonator using confocal microscopy and spectroscopy. The modified photonic mode density within the resonator is used to selectively enhance or inhibit different Raman transitions of SWNTs. Experimental spectra are presented that exhibit single Raman bands only. Calculations of the relative change in the Raman scattering cross sections underline the potential of our microresonator for the optical control of nonequilibrium phonon populations in SWNT.