Spiral-CT-based assessment of tracheal stenoses using 3-D-skeletonization

PURPOSE: Demonstration of a technique for three-dimensional (3-D) assessment of tracheal-stenoses, regarding site, length and degree, based on spiral computed tomography (S-CT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: S-CT scanning and automated segmentation of the laryngo-tracheal tract (LTT) was followed by the extraction of the LTT medial axis using a skeletonization algorithm. Orthogonal to the medial axis the LTT 3-D cross-sectional profile was computed and presented as line charts, where degree and length was obtained. Values for both parameters were compared between 36 patients and 18 normal controls separately. Accuracy and precision was derived from 17 phantom studies. RESULTS: Average degree and length of tracheal stenoses was found to be 60.5% and 4.32 cm in patients compared with minor caliber changes of 8.8% and 2.31 cm in normal controls (p < 0.0001). For the phantoms an excellent correlation between the true and computed 3-D cross-sectional profile was found (p < 0.005) and an accuracy for length and degree measurements of 2.14 mm and 2.53% respectively could be determined. The corresponding figures for the precision were found to be 0.92 mm and 2.56%. CONCLUSION: LTT 3-D cross-sectional profiles permit objective, accurate and precise assessment of LTT caliber changes. Minor LTT caliber changes can be observed even in normals and, in case of an otherwise normal S-CT study, can be regarded as artifacts.     

Einflu? des Erhitzens auf L?slichkeit und Elektrophoreseverhalten der Sarkoplasmaproteine von Rind- und Schweinefleisch

Zusammenfassung Die Hitzestabilität der Sarkoplasmaproteine bei Rind- und Schweinefleisch wurde anhand der Löslichkeit und der Proteinmuster nach elektrophoretischer Auftrennung untersucht. Als Untersuchungsmethoden kamen die Proteinbestimmung nach Bradford und die isoelektrische Focussierung in rehydratierbaren Polyacrylamidgelen zur Anwendung. Die focussierten Proteine wurden mit Hilfe der Silberfärbung sichtbar gemacht. Die Gesamtproteinkonzentrationen der Extrakte verringerten sich bis zu einer Temperatur von 80°C mit zunehmender Höhe und Dauer der Hitzebelastung. Bei den auf 100°C erhitzten Proben nahmen die Proteinkonzentrationen wieder geringfügig zu. Die Intensität der Proteinbanden nahm allgemein mit steigender Temperatur und Erhitzungszeit ab. Die deutlichsten Änderungen der Bandenmuster zeigten sich im untersuchten Temperaturbereich bei dem auf 100°C erhitzten Fleisch. Durch eine Nacherhitzung der Fleischproben konnten erhitzungsbedingte Unterschiede in den Bandenmuster ausgeglichen werden. Auf diese Weise ist eine elektrophoretische Tierartenidentifizierung bei erhitztem Fleisch unabhängig von der Kenntnis der Erhitzungsbedingungen möglich.

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Influence of heat on solubility and electrophoretic behaviour of sarcoplasmic proteins of beef and pork

Summary The heat stability of sarcoplasmic proteins of beef and pork was investigated by means of their solubility and their protein patterns after electrophoretic separation. The method of determination of proteins described by Bradford and isoelectric focusing in rehydratable polyacrylamide gels were used for these investigations. The electrofocused proteins were visualized by silver staining. The concentration of total protein of the extracts decreased with increase in temperature and heating time (up to a temperature of 80° C). However the protein concentration increased in samples heated to 100° C. The intensity of the protein bands decreased with increasing temperature and heating time. In the investigated range of temperature, variations in protein patterns were most significant in meat heated to 100° C. Differences of protein pattern caused by different heating conditions could be equalized by a second heating of the samples. In this way it is possible to identify meat species without knowing the heating conditions.

     

Nanohybrid Materials with Tunable Birefringence via Cation Exchange in Polymer Films

In this work, a nanohybrid material based on a freestanding polymeric liquid crystal network capable of postmodification via cation exchange to tune birefringence is proposed. The smectic liquid crystal films can be infiltrated with a variety of cations, thereby changing the refractive indices (n_e and n_o) and the effective birefringence (Δn) of the nanohybrid material, with reversible cation infiltration occurring within minutes. Birefringence could be tuned between values of 0.06 and 0.19, depending on the cation infiltrated into the network. Upon infiltration, a decrease in the smectic layer spacing is found with layer contraction independent of the induced change in birefringence. Potential applications are in the field of specialty optical devices, such as flexible, retunable reflective filters.     

Feststoffbildung durch Kristallisation und Fällung

Formation of solids by crystallization and precipitation. Formation of solids from solutions can take place by crystallization or precipitation. The principal factor is the relationship between solubility and supersaturation. In crystallization, the solubility of the crystallising substance is so high that the formation of solids occurs largely in the metastable zone in the immediate vicinity of the solubility limits. Crystal growth and nucleation are functions of supersaturation. If a high supersaturation is required at low substance-specific growth rates for an adequate crystal growth, high nucleation rates and hence small crystals will result. On this basis, the authors present information for the specific design of crystallization processes. In contrast, the solubility of the precipitated product must be very low for precipitation. Direct crystal formation is possible only for substance systems of high solubility. As a rule, however, the precipitated substance is so insoluble that solids are formed via amorphous intermediates. The results of a large number of experiments show the influence of various parameters of the precipitation process on the filtrability of the precipitated product.     

Naßmahlung in Rührwerksmühlen

Wet grinding in agitated ball mills. To ensure certain product qualities it is necessary to have very fine particles or a narrow particle size distribution. For this process agitated ball mill grinding can be used as well as crystallisation and precipitation. Cost effective grinding of very fine products to a narrow particle size distribution requires that the effects of variation of strain intensity, frequency of impacts, residence time distribution, size of grinding media, viscosity of liquid and concentration of feed material should be known. The most important parameters and their effects on the grinding result are demonstrated, as well as explained by a model, and the consequences for the operating conditions of agitated ball mills are presented. By using small grinding media in agitated ball mills the production rate can be increased, or at the same energy level smaller particles can be obtained by grinding or deagglomeration. At high flow rates and a narrow residence time distribution the feed material becomes more homogeneous. These facts require the development of new or modified types of agitated ball mills.     

Synthese und Konformationsanalyse von Pyranophanonen und Pyrylophanium-Verbindungen mit intraannularen Substituenten

Synthesis and Conformational Analysis of Pyranophanones and Pyrylophanium Compounds with Intraannular Substituents The synthesis of [3.3]dithiapyranophanone 6 and 11 is accomplished by use of the two-components-dilution-principle. Pyrolysis of their bis(sulfones) 7 and 12 gives the [2.2]pyranophanones 8 , 9 and 13 . Under preservation of conformation the intraannular carbonyl-function is used for the synthesis of methylpyranophanoles 14 , 16 and 17 . The synthesis of pyrylophanium compounds 15 and 18 is possible by elimination in trifluoroacetic acid. 6 exhibits anti-conformation within its crystal-structure and like 7 reveals temperature-dependent behavior in solution. Using 6 as an example, a combination of ¹³C-NMR-spectroscopy, forcefield-calculation and computer-simulation is applied for the first time to give evidence for molecular-dynamic processes of cyclophanes. 8 and 9 are the syn- and anti-conformers of the desired product, as shown by X-ray structural analysis. 13 reveals anti-conformation within its crystal structure as well as in solution. The conformational analysis of other new phanes described here is based on the ¹H-NMR-spectra of these pyrolysis products. As expected the intraannular substituents of Pyrylophanium-lons 15 and 18 show the characteristic upfield-shift within their ¹H-NMR-spectra.     

Didesoxy-Ribonucleoside durch Schmelzkondensation

Dideoxy Ribonucleosides by Fusion Method The dideoxy nucleosides 2 , 4 and 6 are synthesized from the 1-O-acetyl-2,3-dideoxyribose derivatives 1 , 3 and 5 by fusion with chlorinated purines and other nitrogen heterocycles at 110–120°C without added catalyst. The ¹H-NMR and ¹³C-NMR spectra of the compounds are given.