The Challenge of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of the human brain in action presents large statistical and computational challenges. Here we describe those challenges and provide references to a number of other papers where detailed methods developed to meet them are reported. The first seven sections of this paper were written in 1995 when our work was in its infancy. The last four sections were written more recently, to update the earlier sections and to show the directions we have gone and the directions we intend to go.     

An Efficient Straightforward Synthesis of (-)-Bulgecinine

(-)-Bulgecinine 1, a component of the antibiotic bulgecins, was efficiently synthesized from (S)-pyroglutaminol2.     

Low Band Gap Donor‐Acceptor Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and their NIR‐mediated Thermal Ablation of Cancer Cells

Low band gap D‐A conjugated PNs consisting of 2‐ethylhexyl cyclopentadithiophene co‐polymerized with 2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole (for nano‐PCPDTBT) or 2,1,3‐benzoselenadiazole (for nano‐PCPDTBSe) have been developed. The PNs are stable in aqueous media and showed no significant toxicity up to 1 mg · mL^?1. Upon exposure to 808 nm light, the PNs generated temperatures above 50 °C. Photothermal ablation studies of the PNs with RKO and HCT116 colorectal cancer cells were performed. At concentrations above 100 µg · mL^?1 for nano‐PCPDTBSe, cell viability was less than 20%, while at concentrations above 62 µg · mL^?1 for nano‐PCPDTBT, cell viability was less than 10%. The results of this work demonstrate that low band gap D‐A conjugated polymers 1) can be formed into nanoparticles that are stable in aqueous media; 2) are non‐toxic until stimulated by IR light and 3) have a high photothermal efficiency.

     

The Periodate‐Based Double Perovskites M2NaIO6 (M = Ca,Sr, and Ba)

The crystal structures of the M₂NaIO₆ series (M = Ca, Sr, Ba), prepared at 650 °C by ceramic methods, were determined from conventional laboratory X‐ray powder diffraction data. Synthesis and crystal growth were made by oxidizing I^– with O₂^(air) to I⁷⁺ followed by crystal growth in the presence of NaF as mineralizator, or by the reaction of the alkali‐metal periodate with the alkaline‐earth metal hydroxide. All three compounds are insoluble and stable in water. The barium compound crystallizes in the cubic space group Fm3m (no. 225) with lattice parameters of a = 8.3384(1) Å, whereas the strontium and calcium compounds crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c (no. 14) with a = 5.7600(1) Å, b = 5.7759(1) Å, c = 9.9742(1) Å, β = 125.362(1)° and a = 5.5376(1) Å, b = 5.7911(1) Å, c = 9.6055(1) Å, β = 124.300(1)°, respectively. The crystal structure consists of either symmetric (for Ba) or distorted (for Sr and Ca) perovskite superstructures. Ba₂NaIO₆ contains the first perfectly octahedral [IO₆]^5– unit reported. The compounds of the ortho‐periodates are stable up to 800 °C. Spectroscopic measurements as well as DFT calculations show a reasonable agreement between calculated and observed IR‐ and Raman‐active vibrations.     

Assessing calves as carriers of Cryptosporidium and Giardia with zoonotic potential on dairy and beef farms within a water catchment area by mutation scanning

In the present study, we undertook a molecular epidemiological survey of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in calves on three dairy and two beef farms within an open drinking water catchment area (Melbourne, Australia). Faecal samples (n = 474) were collected from calves at two time points (5 months apart) and tested using a PCR‐based mutation scanning‐targeted sequencing phylogenetic approach, employing regions within the genes of small subunit (SSU) of ribosomal RNA (designated partial SSU), 60 kDa glycoprotein (pgp60) and triose phosphate isomerase (ptpi) as genetic markers. Using partial SSU, the C. bovis, C. parvum, C. ryanae and a new genotype of Cryptosporidium were characterised from totals of 74 (15.6%), 35 (7.3%), 37 (7.8%) and 9 (1.9%) samples, respectively. Using pgp60, C. parvum genotype IIa subgenotype A18G3R1 was detected in 29 samples. Using ptpi, G. duodenalis assemblages A and E were detected in totals of 10 (2.1%) and 130 (27.4%) samples, respectively. The present study showed that a considerable proportion of dairy and beef calves in this open water catchment region excreted Cryptosporidium (i.e. subgenotype IIaA18G3R1) and Giardia (e.g. assemblage A) that are consistent with those infecting humans, inferring that they are of zoonotic importance. Future work should focus on exploring, in a temporal and spatial way, whether these parasites occur in the environment and water of the catchment reservoir.     

On the “Tertiary Structure” of Poly‐Carbenes; Self‐Assembly of sp3‐Carbon‐Based Polymers into Liquid‐Crystalline Aggregates

The self‐assembly of poly(ethylidene acetate) (st‐PEA) into van der Waals‐stabilized liquid‐crystalline (LC) aggregates is reported. The LC behavior of these materials is unexpected, and unusual for flexible sp³‐carbon backbone polymers. Although the dense packing of polar ester functionalities along the carbon backbone of st‐PEA could perhaps be expected to lead directly to rigid‐rod behavior, molecular modeling reveals that individual st‐PEA chains are actually highly flexible and should not reveal rigid‐rod induced LC behavior. Nonetheless, st‐PEA clearly reveals LC behavior, both in solution and in the melt over a broad elevated temperature range. A combined set of experimental measurements, supported by MM/MD studies, suggests that the observed LC behavior is due to self‐aggregation of st‐PEA into higher‐order aggregates. According to MM/MD modeling st‐PEA single helices adopt a flexible helical structure with a preferred trans‐gauche syn‐syn‐anti‐anti orientation. Unexpectedly, similar modeling experiments suggest that three of these helices can self‐assemble into triple‐helical aggregates. Higher‐order assemblies were not observed in the MM/MD simulations, suggesting that the triple helix is the most stable aggregate configuration. DLS data confirmed the aggregation of st‐PEA into higher‐order structures, and suggest the formation of rod‐like particles. The dimensions derived from these light‐scattering experiments correspond with st‐PEA triple‐helix formation. Langmuir–Blodgett surface pressure–area isotherms also point to the formation of rod‐like st‐PEA aggregates with similar dimensions as st‐PEA triple helixes. Upon increasing the st‐PEA concentration, the viscosity of the polymer solution increases strongly, and at concentrations above 20 wt % st‐PEA forms an organogel. STM on this gel reveals the formation of helical aggregates on the graphite surface–solution interface with shapes and dimensions matching st‐PEA triple helices, in good agreement with the structures proposed by molecular modeling. X‐ray diffraction, WAXS, SAXS and solid state NMR spectroscopy studies suggest that st‐PEA triple helices are also present in the solid state, up to temperatures well above the melting point of st‐PEA. Formation of higher‐order aggregates explains the observed LC behavior of st‐PEA, emphasizing the importance of the “tertiary structure” of synthetic polymers on their material properties.