Diffusion anisotropy indexes are sensitive to selecting the EPI readout-encoding bandwidth at high-field MRI

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) is generally performed using an echo planar imaging (EPI) acquisition to map directional water diffusion. However, the oscillating magnetic field gradients of the EPI acquisition can result in considerable mechanical vibrations, which lead, in turn, to magnetic field fluctuations causing Nyquist ghosting in the EPI data. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of EPI readout gradient modulation frequency, which is directly associated with the EPI readout bandwidth (BW), on the accuracy of DT-MRI measurements in a high magnetic field system. A spherical water phantom was used to study the relationship between the EPI BW and the Nyquist ghost for a spin-echo EPI acquisition with a matrix size of 128x128, complemented by diffusion sensitization gradients of up to b=800 s/mm(2) along six directions for DT-MRI. Nine volunteers (four males and five females) were studied using EPI at different BW acquisitions. Analysis of variance was used to investigate the EPI BW effects. The phantom studies demonstrated a systematic relationship between BWs and the intensities of Nyquist ghosts. In the human brain studies, EPI BW variations substantially corrupted diffusion anisotropy indexes (i.e., fractional anisotropy and relative anisotropy) (F=10.5, P=.0001) but were unrelated to diffusion-encoding directions (F=0.14, P=.98). It was possible to minimize BW dependence (F=1.48, P=.25) by tuning the modulation frequency of the EPI readout gradient. In conclusion, diffusion anisotropic indexes are sensitive to the readout BW of EPI due to associated Nyquist ghosting. However, the effect can be minimized by tuning the modulation frequency of the EPI readout gradient, that is, the EPI BW, to a range outside the harmonics of mechanical gradient vibrations.     

Preparation of a New Friedländer Synthon, 2,3‐Diaminobenzene‐1,4‐dicarbaldehyde,and Its Application towards Synthesis of 1,10‐Phenanthrolines and Related Cyclophane

A new Friedländer synthon, 2,3‐diaminobenzene‐1,4‐dicarbaldehyde, was prepared from p‐xylene in 4 steps, of which the Friedländer reaction with acetaldehyde and acetone in a Schulenk bottle afforded 1,10‐phenathroline and neocuprine in 44% and 82% yield, respectively. The scope of the Friedländer reactions of 2,3‐diaminobenzene‐1,4‐dicarbaldehyde, including the synthesis of hexaazacyclic cyclophane with 1,10‐phenanthroline and pyridine units, was described     

Serotonin transporter mRNA expression in the dorsal raphe nucleus of a tumor bearing mouse

This study was conducted to determine if an oral squamous cell carcinoma alters mRNA expression of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) in the central nervous system. KB cell line derived from a human oral squamous cell carcinoma was inoculated into nude mice, and mRNA expression level of 5-HTT in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) was examined by in situ hybridization when the tumor mass reached to -10% of total body weight. Plasma leptin levels were determined by radioimmunoassay method using a commercial kit. 5-HTT mRNA level was significantly decreased in the DRN of tumor bearing mice, compared to the age-matching non-tumor control. Plasma leptin level decreased concomitantly in tumor bearing mice. These results suggest that oral carcinoma may suppress 5-HTT gene expression in the central nervous system, perhaps in relation with decreased plasma leptin level.     

Galeon: A Biologically Active Molecule with In Silico Metabolite Prediction,In Vitro Metabolic Profiling in Rat Liver Microsomes,and In Silico Binding Mechanisms with CYP450 Isoforms

Galeon, a natural cyclic-diarylheptanoid (CDH), which was first isolated from Myrica gale L., is known to have potent cytotoxicity against A549 cell lines, anti-tubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv, chemo-preventive potential, and moderate topoisomerase inhibitory activity. Here, in silico metabolism and toxicity prediction of galeon by CYP450, in vitro metabolic profiling study in rat liver microsomes (RLMs), and molecular interactions of galeon-CYP450 isoforms were performed. An in silico metabolic prediction study showed demethyl and mono-hydroxy galeon were the metabolites with the highest predictability. Among the predicted metabolites, mono-hydroxy galeon was found to have plausible toxicities such as skin sensitization, thyroid toxicity, chromosome damage, and carcinogenicity. An in vitro metabolism study of galeon, incubated in RLMs, revealed eighteen Phase-I metabolites, nine methoxylamine, and three glutathione conjugates. Identification of possible metabolites and confirmation of their structures were carried out using ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry. In silico docking analysis of galeon demonstrated significant interactions with active site residues of almost all CYP450 isoforms.     

Nanoporous niobium oxide for label-free detection of DNA hybridization events

We found that DNA probes can be immobilized on anodically prepared porous niobium oxide without a chemical modification of both the DNA probes and the substrate. By using the porous niobium oxide with a positive surface charge, DNA hybridization events are detected on the basis of the blue-shift of a maximum absorption peak in UV-vis-NIR spectroscopy. The blue-shift is ascribed to the change of surface charge upon single- or double-stranded DNA. The method does not require a label and shows high sensitivity with the detection limit of the concentration of 1nM.     

Side chain disorder and phase transitions in alkyl-substituted, conjugated oligomers. Relation to side-chain melting in P3ATs

Certain 4,4'-alkyl substituted 2,2'-bithiazole and bithiazole-thiophene oligomers display an endothermic transition in their DSC trace below their respective melting points. Variable-temperature FTIR, MAS-1H NMR, UV-vis spectra, and XRD all indicate that the thermal transition is due to a crystal-crystal phase transition that we have labeled alpha --> beta. FTIR shows a stepwise increase in the concentration of gauche defects at the alpha --> beta transition temperature, but MAS NMR spectra show little increase in the side chain motion until the mp is reached. UV-vis spectra demonstrate that the conjugated main chains remain essentially planar through the alpha --> beta transition, and significant deviations from planarity occur only at higher temperatures, but well below the mp. The close similarity of this behavior to the phase transitions in long chain n-paraffins and the "side-chain melting" phenomenon in poly(3-alkylthiophenes), P3ATs, suggests that the latter may actually be more accurately described as a crystal-crystal phase transition of the crystalline fraction, driven by side chain disorder.     

Development of a vision-based lane detection system considering configuration aspects

Vision-based lane-sensing systems require accurate and robust sensing performance in lane detection. Besides, there exists trade-off between the computational burden and processor cost, which should be considered for implementing the systems in passenger cars. In this paper, a stereo vision-based lane detection system considering sensor configuration aspects such as field of view (FOV), span pixels, resolution, etc is developed. An inverse perspective mapping method is formulated based on the relative correspondence between the left and right cameras so that the 3D road geometry can be reconstructed in a robust manner. The selection rule of the sensor configuration and specifications is investigated for a standard highway. Based on the selected sensor configurations, it is shown that sensing region range on the camera image coordinate can be determined for the best lane-sensing performance. The proposed system is implemented on a passenger car and its real-time sensing performance is verified experimentally.