Erweiterung des Stadions Innsbruck “Tivoli Neu” für die Fußballeuropameisterschaft 2008

Stadium Innsbruck “Tivoli Neu” extended for the European Football Championship 2008. Austria and Switzerland are the hosts of the European Football Championship EURO 2008. Each of both countries needs four stadiums with at least 30000 spectator seats. Innsbruck had a facility with a capacity of nearly 15000 seats. This existing stadium “Tivoli Neu” has therefore to be extended. The community of Innsbruck requests, that after the Championship the stadium has to be reconstructed into the original state.     

The Implications of Noncoding RNAs in the Evolution and Progression of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)-Related HCC

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent liver pathology worldwide. Meanwhile, liver cancer represents the sixth most common malignancy, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as the primary, most prevalent subtype. Due to the rising incidence of metabolic disorders, NAFLD has become one of the main contributing factors to HCC development. However, although NAFLD might account for about a fourth of HCC cases, there is currently a significant gap in HCC surveillance protocols regarding noncirrhotic NAFLD patients, so the majority of NAFLD-related HCC cases were diagnosed in late stages when survival chances are minimal. However, in the past decade, the focus in cancer genomics has shifted towards the noncoding part of the genome, especially on the microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), which have proved to be involved in the regulation of several malignant processes. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding some of the main dysregulated, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their implications for NAFLD and HCC development. A central focus of the review is on miRNA and lncRNAs that can influence the progression of NAFLD towards HCC and how they can be used as potential screening tools and future therapeutic targets.     

The teratogenicity of N(omega)-nitro-L-ariginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, in rats

Exposure of gravid rats to the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) in drinking water or by implanted osmotic minipumps significantly elevates maternal blood pressure, reducing uteroplacental perfusion. Administration by either route causes fetal growth retardation, but oral exposure also causes hind limb reduction malformations. The present study employed both oral and intraperitoneal routes to determine the period of sensitivity to developmental toxicity, dose-response, and possible fetotoxic mechanisms. Hind limb hemorrhage occurred only in litters from dams exposed to oral doses of 1 to 2 mg/mL from gestational days 15 through 17. In contrast to oral exposure, single intraperitoneal injections caused both fore and hind limb reductions at doses of 25 mg/kg and above administered on gestational day 16 and later. Many other exposures that reduce uteroplacental perfusion have been associated with vascular disruptive dysmorphogenesis. These exposures include phenytoin, calcium channel inhibitors, cocaine, and uterine vascular clamping. Limb hemorrhage induced by these exposures is usually limited to distal structures, typically phalanges, and the incidence of affected fetuses rarely exceeds 50%. By contrast, hemorrhage caused by L-NAME frequently involves entire limbs, extending into adjacent flank in severe instances, and 100% of fetuses from treated dams may be affected. The basis of this difference and the differing defect patterns associated with the various routes of exposure are unclear, but the generation of reactive oxygen species during resumption of normal perfusion may play a role in this vascular disruption.     

Accumulation and desorption of free radicals in emulsion copolymerization

The emulsion copolymerization of styrene with acrylonitrile, seeded on a polybutadiene support and initiated either potassium persulfate or γ-rays has been studied. The original technique of support activation consists of two steps: the start of the copolymerization in the presence of a small fraction of monomers, followed by the addition of the rest of monomers, which leads to a great increase in the reaction rate. The experimental data provide evidence for a new mechanism that takes into account the desorption–reentry of the free oligoradicals into another particle, their transfer to the polybutadiene support, which results in the accumulation of trapped free radicals. As a consequence of free radicals' accumulation, the overall copolymerization rate increases. The accumulation as well as the desorption processes place this type of copolymerization far from Smith–Ewart theory case II.     

Prognostic significance of normal dobutamine-atropine stress sestamibi scintigraphy in women with chest pain

The high risk of vaso-occlusive events in children younger than 4 years with cyanotic congenital heart disease and polycythaemia has been attributed to increased thromboxane (Tx) A2 formation. In older children with cyanotic congenital heart disease, however, the risk of vaso-occlusive events is much lower. We therefore hypothesized that the formation of TxA2 and prostacyclin is not disturbed in this age group. We measured urinary excretion of stable index metabolites of in vivo TxA2 and prostacyclin formation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in nine children (age 5.9-14.4, median 8.7 years) with cyanotic congenital heart disease, and in nine healthy, age-matched control subjects. The patients excreted less 2,3-dinor-TxB2 (systemic TxA2 formation, P = 0.03), 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha (systemic prostacyclin formation. P = 0.03) and TxB2 (renal TxA2 formation, P = 0.01) than the control subjects. We conclude that in children older than 5 years with cyanotic congenital heart disease, endogenous synthesis of TxA2 and prostacyclin is not stimulated. This result may explain the lower risk of vaso-occlusive events in this age group as compared with younger children. In addition, our results suggest that chronic hypoxaemia may affect the in vivo formation of TxA2 and prostacyclin and the metabolic disposition of TxB2.     

Abtrennung und Rückgewinnung von Stoffen durch Adsorption und Ionenaustausch

Separation and recovery of materials by adsorption and ion exchange. Activated carbons are capable of removing dissolved organics from waste water. They can be used in granular or powdered form, instead of, before, during, or after biological treatment or in water recirculation systems. Usually the adsorbed organics cannot be recovered. Granular activated carbon can be regenerated by thermal reactivation. The use of other adsorbents such as adsorption resins is limited to special cases. Ionic compounds can be removed by ion exchange media. The most common of these are synthetic ion exchange resins. They are used for the treatment of rinse water and pickling effluent. Gold, silver, copper, mercury, chromate, etc. can often be recovered. The degree of separation achieved and the amount of regenerant required – which should be minimized for ecological and economic reasons – depend on process parameters and design.     

Effect of mechanical cleaning with granular material on the permeability of submerged membranes in the MBR process

The research on fouling reduction and permeability loss in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) was carried out at two MBR pilot plants with synthetic and real wastewater. On the one hand, the effect of mechanical cleaning with an abrasive granular material on the performance of a submerged MBR process was tested. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements and integrity tests were conducted to check whether the membrane material was damaged by the granulate.The results indicate that the fouling layer formation was significantly reduced by abrasion using the granular material. This technique allowed a long-term operation of more than 600 days at a flux up to 40 L/(m² h) without chemical cleaning of the membranes. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the membrane bioreactor (MBR) with granulate could be operated with more than 20% higher flux compared to a conventional MBR operation. SEM images and integrity tests showed that in consequence of abrasive cleaning, the granular material left brush marks on the membrane surface, however, the membrane function was not affected.In a parallel experimental set up, the impact of the operationally defined “truly soluble fraction” <0.04 μm from wastewater and activated sludge on the ultrafiltration membrane fouling characteristics was investigated. It was shown that the permeability loss was caused predominantly by the colloidal fraction >0.04 μm rather than by the dissolved fraction of wastewater and activated sludge.     

Potentials and limits of a pre-denitrification/ nitrification biofilter configuration for advanced municipal wastewater treatment.

Pre-denitrification in biofilters is limited by the amount of easily degradable organic substrate, resulting in relatively high requirements for external carbon. The combination of pre-DN, N and post-DN filters is much more advisable for most municipal wastewaters, because the recycle rate can be reduced and external carbon can be saved. For minimum use of external carbon, 100-150% recycle rate should not be exceeded. Then, approximately 50-60% of the total NO3-N can be depleted in the pre-DN stage. On average, 10 g total (t) COD/g NO3-N were required in the pre-DN stage for denitrification in the pilot and full-scale plant and 0.4-0.5 kg NO3-N/(m(3)DN d) can be reached without external carbon. As only 40-70% of the COD load is eliminated in the pre-DN, the remaining COD load is removed in the nitrification stage. 1 kg COD/(m(3) d) suppresses nitrification rates by approximately 0.1 kg NH4-N/(m(3) d). For nitrification rates, > 0.5 kg NH4N/(m(3) d) at 12 degrees C not more than 2 kg COD/(m(3) d) may be eliminated in the nitrification.     

Designing structures for dynamical properties via natural frequencies separation: Application to tensegrity structures design

The design of structures for dynamic properties is addressed by placing conditions on the separation between natural frequencies. Additional constraints, like lower and upper bounds on the natural frequencies, are also included. A fast numerical algorithm that exploits the mathematical structure of the resulting problem is developed. Examples of the algorithm's application to tensegrity structures design are presented and the connection between natural frequencies separation and proportional damping approximation is analyzed.