Improvement of image quality using BLADE sequences in brain MR imaging

The purpose of this study is to compare two types of sequences in brain magnetic resonance (MR) examinations of uncooperative and cooperative patients. For each group of patients, the pairs of sequences that were compared were two T2-weighted (T2-W) fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequences with different k-space trajectories (conventional Cartesian and BLADE) and two T2-TSE weighted with different k-space trajectories (conventional Cartesian and BLADE). Twenty-three consecutive uncooperative patients and 44 cooperative patients, who routinely underwent brain MR imaging examination, participated in the study. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed based on the signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and relative contrast (ReCon) measures of normal anatomic structures. The qualitative analysis was performed by experienced radiologists. Also, the presence of motion, other (e.g., Gibbs, susceptibility artifacts, phase encoding from vessels) artifacts and pulsatile flow artifacts was evaluated.     

Highly stereoselective reductions of alpha-alkyl-1,3-diketones and alpha-alkyl-beta-keto esters catalyzed by isolated NADPH-dependent ketoreductases

[reaction: see text] The biocatalytic reduction of alpha-alkyl-1,3-diketones and alpha-alkyl-beta-keto esters employing 1 of 20 different isolated NADPH-dependent ketoreductases proved to be a highly efficient method for the preparation of optically pure keto alcohols or hydroxy esters.     

Synthesis of 6-halo-5-nitroquinoxalines

The 5-nitro derivatives of 6-haloquinoxalines have been efficiently synthesized by condensation of α-dicarbonyls with 4-bromo- or 4-chloro-3-nitro-1,2-benzenediamines. The novel diamines were readily obtained by reductive cleavage of 5-bromo- and 5-chloro-4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoselenadiazoles. As demonstrated by the synthesis of an imidazo-, a selenadiazolo- and a pyrazinoquinoxaline, the reactive halogen atom ortho to the nitro substituent renders the novel quinoxalines versatile intermediates to further heterocycles.     

The coordination chemistry ofN,N′-ethylenebis(2-acetylpyridine imine) andN,N′-ethylenebis(2-benzoylpyridine imine); two potentially tetradentate ligands containing four nitrogen atoms

Summary New complexes of the general formulae [ML_A(H₂O)₂]-Cl₂ (M=Ni or Cu), [ML_AX₂] (M=Co or Cu; X=Cl or Br), [NiL_ABr₂]·H₂O, [ML_A] [MCl₄] (M=Pd or Pt), [NiL_B(H₂O)₂]Cl₂·2H₂O, [ML_BCl₂] (M=Co, Ni, Cu, Pd or Pt; X=Cl or Br) and [ML_B] [MCl₄] (M=Pd or Pt), where L_A=N,N-ethylenebis(2-acetylpyridine imine) and L_B=N, N-ethylenebis(2-benzoylpyridine imine), have been isolated. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, conductivity measurements, t.g./d.t.g. methods, magnetic susceptibilities and spectroscopic (i.r., far-i.r., ligand field,¹Hn.m.r.) studies. Monomeric pseudo-octahedral stereochemistries for the Co^II, Ni^II and Cu^II complexes andcis square planar structures for the compounds [ML_BX₂] (M=Pd or Pt; X=Cl or Br) are assigned in the solid state. The molecules L_A and L_B behave as tetradentate chelate ligands in the Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II and Magnus-type Pd^II and Pt^II complexes, bonding through both the pyridine and methine nitrogen atoms. A bidentateN-methine coordination of the Schiff base L_B is assigned in the [ML_BX₂] complexes (M=Pd or Pt; X=Cl or Br). The anomalous magnetic moment values of the Co^II complexes are discussed.     

Transformations of poly(methoxy hexa(ethylene glycol) methacrylate)-b-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) block copolymer micelles upon metalation

Micelle transformations upon metalation (i.e., incorporation of metal compounds and metal nanoparticle formation) in poly(methoxy hexa(ethylene glycol) methacrylate)-block-poly((2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)), PHEGMA-b-PDEAEMA, solutions have been studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). Three different methods for the formation of metalated micelles are compared: (A) dissolution of the block copolymers in pure water followed by incorporation of platinic acid (H(2)PtCl(6).6H(2)O), (B) micellization in acidic molecular solutions of block copolymers induced by interaction of the protonated amino groups with the PtCl(6)(2)(-) ions, and (C) incorporation of metal species in pH-induced micelles. The latter method leads to well-defined metalated micelles of 22-25 nm diameter containing nanoparticles with diameters of 1.3-1.5 nm. No nanoparticle aggregation is observed. Good agreement is obtained for the sizes of the platinic acid-containing micelles assessed by TEM and PCS.     

A dual method of constructing hereditarily indecomposable Banach spaces

A new method of defining hereditarily indecomposable Banach spaces is presented. This method provides a unified approach for constructing reflexive HI spaces and also HI spaces with no reflexive subspace. All the spaces presented here satisfy the property that the composition of any two strictly singular operators is a compact one. This yields the first known example of a Banach space with no reflexive subspace such that every operator has a non-trivial closed invariant subspace.     

Collective dynamics of terminally anchored polymer chains

Thermal fluctuations of the segment density profile of a polymer brush were probed by dynamic light scattering in the evanescent wave configuration; the time correlation functions of concentration fluctuations with wavevector q were measured. It is found that there is a preferred wavelength of the order of the brush thickness, L₀, of these fluctuations with a concurrent slowing down of their thermal decay rate. A theory is presented for the small-amplitude deformation of the free surface of a parabolic brush in solution; a maximum in the respective structure factor of the concentration fluctuations is predicted at q* L₀ ∼ O(1), in agreement with the experiment.     

A Family of Induced Distributions

Methodology and Computing in Applied Probability - In the present paper a family of discrete distributions is introduced through the probability generating function of any discrete distribution...     

Monte Carlo studies of tethered chains

Monte Carlo computer simulations of end-tethered chains grafted onto a hard wall have been performed. The chains were modeled as self-avoiding chains on a cubic lattice at athermal solvent conditions. The simulations spanned a wide range of chain lengths, N (100–1000, i.e., up to molecular weights of a few hundred thousands), and anchoring densities, σ (2 × 10⁻⁴ to 0.4), to properly chart the relevant parameter space. It is shown that the reduced surface coverage σ* = σπR is the most appropriate variable that quantitatively determines the mushroom, overlapping mushroom and brush regimes, where R_g is the radius of gyration of a free chain in solution. The simulation data are analyzed to determine the conformational characteristics and shape of the anchored chains and to compare them with the predictions of the analytical self consistent field theory. The strong stretching limit of the theoretical predictions is obtained only for σ* > 8. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47:2449–2461, 2009     

Infrared spectroscopy as a tool to monitor the extent of intercalation and exfoliation in polymer clay nanocomposites

The scientific and commercial interest for polymer aluminium silicate clay nanocomposites has risen dramatically over the last decades, whereas the monitoring of the extent of intercalation and exfoliation using an efficient, fast and convenient method remains an issue. For this purpose, infrared spectroscopy constitutes a very promising characterization technique to fulfill this role. Few studies have already been conducted towards this direction, however no direct correlation between the intercalation/exfoliation and the SiO stretching vibrations has been reported so far. In most cases multiple peaks are used for the fitting of the spectra without any direct report on their origin. We report for the first time in the present study the distinct vibrational species that are attributed to the intercalated/exfoliated structures and are necessary for the fitting of the spectra in the SiO stretching vibration region. Moreover, we also report that the intercalation/exfoliation process gives rise to two new peaks at around 1085 and 1040 cm⁻¹ whose relative intensities to the main SiO stretching peaks at 1070 and 1050 cm⁻¹ provide insight on the progress of intercalation/exfoliation in polymer clay nanocomposites.