Blends from redox active liquid crystal ionomers and amorphous ionomers

Abstract

Biphasic blends (mixtures) of liquid crystal ionomers (prepared from ferrocene containing liquid crystal polymers by a redox reaction) and partially sulfonated polystyrene combine the constituent properties in a way, which is dependent on the measuring method. Polarizing microscopy shows homogenous textures similar to the pure liquid crystal polymer. Mechanical measurements show however the elastomeric behaviour of sulfonated polystyrene. The phase separated structure of these blends is proved by differential scanning calorimetry measurements.     

Automated Synthesis of 68Ga-Labeled DOTA-MGS8 and Preclinical Characterization of Cholecystokinin-2 Receptor Targeting

The new minigastrin analog DOTA-MGS8 targeting the cholecystokinin-2 receptor (CCK2R) used in this study displays the combination of two site-specific modifications within the C-terminal receptor binding sequence together with an additional N-terminal amino acid substitution preventing fast metabolic degradation. Within this study, the preparation of ⁶⁸Ga-labeled DOTA-MGS8 was validated using an automated synthesis module, describing the specifications and analytical methods for quality control for possible clinical use. In addition, preclinical studies were carried out to characterize the targeting potential. [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTA-MGS8 showed a high receptor-specific cell internalization into AR42J rat pancreatic cells (~40%) with physiological expression of rat CCK2R as well as A431-CCK2R cells transfected to stably express human CCK2R (~47%). A favorable biodistribution profile was observed in BALB/c nude mice xenografted with A431-CCK2R cells and mock-transfected A431 cells as control. The high tumor uptake of ~27% IA/g together with low background activity and limited uptake in non-target tissue confirms the potential for high-sensitivity positron emission tomography of stabilized MG analogs in patients with MTC and other CCK2R-related malignancies.     

In-flight test of a continuous laser remote sensing system

An airborne laser system for remote sensing has been developed and tested at flight altitudes from 500 to 1200 m. The system is based on two continuous-wave CO₂ lasers (output 3 W), tunable to different wavelengths, and detects the laser radiation scattered back from earth by heterodyne reception. The feasibility of the heterodyne reception technique under aircraft environment conditions was demonstrated, and man-made SF₆ clouds and different types of uncovered minerals were traced. The data obtained indicate that the measuring range of the system can be increased to satellite distance by using a larger telescope and a more powerful laser and by reducing the electrical bandwidth. The word was supported by the German Ministry of Science and Technology, represented by DFVLR-BPT under contract number 01 TL 026-AK/RT/WRT 2074.     

The decision rule approach to optimization under uncertainty: methodology and applications

Computational Management Science - Dynamic decision-making under uncertainty has a long and distinguished history in operations research. Due to the curse of dimensionality, solution schemes that...     

On linear optimization over Wasserstein balls

Mathematical Programming - Wasserstein balls, which contain all probability measures within a pre-specified Wasserstein distance to a reference measure, have recently enjoyed wide popularity in the...