Imaging the cardiovascular system: seeing is believing.

From the basic light microscope through high-end imaging systems such as multiphoton confocal microscopy and electron microscopes, microscopy has been and will continue to be an essential tool in developing an understanding of cardiovascular development, function, and disease. In this review we briefly touch on a number of studies that illustrate the importance of these forms of microscopy in studying cardiovascular biology. We also briefly review a number of imaging modalities such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, and positron emission tomography (PET) that, although they do not fall under the realm of microscopy, are imaging modalities that greatly complement microscopy. Finally we examine the role of proper imaging system calibration and the potential importance of calibration in understanding biological tissues, such as the cardiovascular system, that continually undergo deformation in response to strain.     

Aza-Michael reaction: selective mono- versus bis-addition under environmentally-friendly conditions

Aza-Michael reactions between primary amines and methyl propenoate have been investigated under environmentally-friendly solventless heterogeneous catalysis in order to obtain the mono- or the bis-adduct. The reaction conditions can be altered so as to maximise the yields of the required product with high selectivity.     

The Katona cycle proof of the Erdős–Ko–Rado theorem and its possibilities

In this paper we give a framework for applying Katona’s cycle proof of the Erd?s–Ko–Rado theorem to other objects. We also show how this method can be realized as a result using homomorphisms of graphs.     

Transient FTIR spectroelectrochemical and stopped-flow detection of a mixed valence (Fe(I)-Fe(II)) bridging carbonyl intermediate with structural elements and spectroscopic characteristics of the di-iron sub-site of all-iron hydrogenase

Iron(I) in biology?: one-electron oxidation of an (Fe(I)-Fe(I)) carbonyl cyanide precursor bearing a proximal thioether group leads to an (Fe(I)-Fe(II)) bridging carbonyl transient with spectral features similar to the di-iron sub-site of the CO inhibited paramagnetic centre of all-iron hydrogenase.     

Isospin breaking in $K\to3\pi$ decays II: radiative corrections

The five different CP conserving amplitudes for the decays are calculated using Chiral Perturbation Theory. The calculation is made to next-to-leading order and includes full isospin breaking. The squared amplitudes are compared with the corresponding ones in the isospin limit to estimate the size of the isospin breaking effects. In this paper we add the radiative corrections to the earlier calculated m _u -m _d and local electromagnetic effects. We find corrections of order 5-10 percent. Received: 8 November 2004, Published online: 18 January 2005 PACS: 13.20.Eb; 12.39.Fe; 14.40.Aq; 11.30.Rd     

Noise level, inner hair cell damage, audiometric features, and equal-energy hypothesis

Rabbits were exposed to 2- to 7-kHz noise either for a short duration at a high sound-pressure level (15 or 30 min at 115 dB SPL), or a long duration at a low level (512 h at 85 dB SPL). The high-level exposure produced a hearing loss in the frequency range 2-6 kHz, whereas the low-level exposure gave maximum hearing loss at 12-20 kHz. The 115-dB exposure caused significantly more damage to inner hair cells than the 85-dB exposure. The implications of the present results for evaluating audiograms, equal-energy hypothesis, risk criteria, and subjective auditory features are pointed out.     

Linear viscoelastic models: Part II. Recovery of the molecular weight distribution using viscosity data

The constitutive models for the viscoelasticity of polymers are presented for determining molecular weight distributions (MWDs) from viscosity measurements. The inversion of this model derived from control theory and melt calibration procedure connects the relaxation modulus, viscosity, and other flow properties of a polymer. The linear principle enables simultaneous and accurate modelling of the relaxation modulus and of viscosity flow curves over a wide range. Starting from viscosity measurements, the new model is used to determine the MWD, linear viscoelastic relaxation moduli, and the relaxation spectra of polyethylene of different grades. In addition, two benchmark analyses of bimodal polystyrene are reported, and the capability of the model is proven by the two-box test of Malkin. The error of the modelled viscosity is smaller than that for previously reported models. One of the main features of this work is that no relaxation time or spectrum procedures were used to generate and model linear viscoelasticity.     

Phase transition at 233 K in [(CH3)4N]2cdI4

Abstract

[(CH₃)₄N]₂cdI₄ exhibits a phase transition at 233 K from Pnma to P2 1/c as shown by single-crystal X-ray measurements and differential scanning calorimetry. The observed entropy change amounts to approximately 8.4 J.mole^?1 K^?1 and the spontaneous strain is about – 18.10^?3. The symmetry change can be interpreted in the framework of the Landau theory.     

The57Fe magnetic hyperfine field in Au-Fe alloys (evidence favoring the two Fe-environment model of Au-Fe alloys)

Conclusions The results of our analysis strongly support our two Fe environment hypothesis. The critical concentration at about 12 at.% suggests that the dependence of H(0,x) on x undergoes a fundamental change at this concentration. Furthermore, the so-called critical concentration at about 17 at.% apparently has little to do with any fundamental alloy property. Rather, it reflects the 12 at.% critical composition when properties are analyzed in terms of the average rather than the local Fe concentration. The two Fe environments appear to have differing configurations.This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.