Role of diffusion tensor imaging metrics and in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the differential diagnosis of cystic intracranial mass lesions

The purpose of this study was to determine whether proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PMRS) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) can be used to distinguish brain abscess from cystic brain tumors, which are difficult to distinguish by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fifty-three patients with intracranial cystic mass lesions and 10 normal controls were studied. Conventional MRI, PMRS and DTI of all the patients were performed on a 1.5-T GE scanner. Forty patients were with brain abscess and 13 with cystic tumors. Cytosolic amino acids (AAs) were present in 32 of 40 brain abscess patients. Out of 13 patients with cystic tumors, lactate and choline were seen in 3 and only lactate was present in 10 patients on PMRS. All 40 cases of abscess had high FA, while all 13 cases of tumor cysts had high MD values. We conclude that FA measurements are more sensitive in predicting the abscess, while PMRS and MD are more specific in differentiating abscess from cystic tumors. We suggest that PMRS should be combined with DTI rather than with diffusion-weighted imaging as FA can be used as an additional parameter for separation of abscess from other cystic intracranial mass lesions.     

On integrability of power series

This paper deals with the integrability of a power series. Our results generalize certain results of Ram, and Askey and Karlin.     

A theorem on the absolute Cesàro summability of factored fourier series

Summary In this paper, the author proves a theorem on the absoluteCesàro summability of factoredFourier series. His theorem extends a theorem ofMatsumoto and generalizes a theorem ofPrasad andBhatt.     

Deposition of crystalline copper films from tetranuclear copper (II) complexes without application of reducing atmosphere

Crystalline copper films were deposited by aerosol‐assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) in the absence of hydrogen from two newly synthesized complexes [Cu(deae)(TFA)]₄·1.25THF ( 1 ) and [Cu₄(OAc)₆(bdmap)₂(H₂O)₂]·4H₂O ( 2 ) [deae = N, N‐diethylaminoethanolate, TFA = trifloroacetate, OAc = acetate and bdmap = 1,3‐bis(dimethylamino)‐2‐propanolato]. These precursors were prepared in high yield using mixed ligands and crystallized in tetragonal and triclinic crystal systems with space groups 14₁/a and P ? 1. Complexes 1 and 2 thermally decomposed at 290 and 250 °C, respectively, to yield copper films which were characterized by SEM/EDX for their morphology and composition and PXRD for their crystallinity and phase. These films have smooth morphologies with particle sizes within the range of 0.3–0.6 µm and may find applications in fabrication of ultralarge‐scale integrated circuits. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of cellulose–metal nanoparticle composites: development and comparison of different protocols

Deposition of nanoparticles on the surface of a variety of materials is a subject of great interest due to their potential applications in electronic devices, sensing, catalysis and bio-medical sciences. In this context, we have explored and compared various methodologies to generate gold and silver nanoparticles on the surface of cellulose fibers. It was found that boiling of the cellulose fibers in alkaline solution of gold and silver salts led to the formation and immobilization of gold and silver nanoparticles. However, in case of lecithin treated and thiol-modified cellulose fibers, high temperature was not essentially required for the formation and deposition of nanoparticles on cellulose substrate. In both these cases, fairly uniform metal nanoparticles were obtained in good yields (~43 wt% gold loading in case of thiol modified cellulose fibers) at room temperature. Borohydride-reduction method resulted in relatively lower loading (~22 wt%) with a wide size distribution of gold and silver nanoparticles on cellulose fibers. All these nanoparticle–cellulose composites were thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–visible spectroscopy, and elemental analyzer. Thiol modified cellulose–gold nanoparticle composites served as active catalysts in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol into 4-aminophenol.     

Synthesis, structural characterization of some germanium substituted chiral diethyltin derivatives

Some new bimetallic carboxylates of tin and germanium with general formula where R¹ = m-CH₃C₆H₄, p-CH₃C₆H₄, C₆H₅, R² = o-CH₃C₆H₄, p-CH₃C₆H₄, o-CH₃OC₆H₄, C₆H₅, CH₃, have been prepared by the condensation reaction of diethyltin oxide and triarygermyl(substituted)propanoic acid in 1:2 mole ratio, respectively, and characterized by multinuclear (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn) NMR, ^119mSn Mössbauer and IR spectroscopy. The X-ray crystal structure of the ligand I₄ [(C₆H₅)₃GeCH(o-CH₃OC₆H₄)CH₂COOH] delineate four coordinated germanium atom with a peculiarity of having a molecule of solvent (CHCl₃). The chiral center in the synthesized compounds was identified on the basis of ¹H NMR data and measurements of angle of rotations.     

Lithium,rubidium and cesium ion removal using potassium iron(III) hexacyanoferrate(II) supported on polymethylmethacrylate

Potassium iron(III) hexacyanoferrate(II) supported on poly methyl methacrylate, has been developed and investigated for the removal of lithium, rubidium and cesium ions. The material is capable of sorbing maximum quantities of these ions from 5.0, 2.5 and 4.5 M HNO₃ solutions respectively. Sorption studies, conducted individually for each metal ion, under optimized conditions, demonstrated that it was predominantly physisorption in the case of lithium ion while shifting to chemisorption with increasing ionic size. Distribution coefficient (K _d) values followed the order Cs⁺ > Rb⁺ > Li⁺ at low concentrations of metal ions. Following these findings Cs⁺ can preferably be removed from 1.5 to 5 M HNO₃ nuclear waste solutions.