Magnetic resonance imaging of coronary arteries and heart valves in a living mouse: techniques and preliminary results

New investigations in MRI of a mouse heart showed high-contrast cardiac images and thereby the possibility of doing functional cardiac studies of in vivo mice. But is MRI, in addition, capable of visualizing microstructures such as the coronary arteries and the heart valves of a living mouse? To answer this question, 2D and 3D gradient echo sequences with and without flow compensation were used to image the coronary arteries. To increase signal-to-noise ratio, a birdcage resonator was optimized for mouse heart imaging. Contrast between blood and myocardium was achieved through the inflow effect. A segmented three-dimensional FLASH sequence acquired with a multiple overlap thin slab technique showed the best results. With this technique an isotropic resolution of 100 microm was achieved. The left coronary artery could be visualized up to the apex of the heart. This is demonstrated with short axis views and 3D surface reconstructions of the mouse heart. The four cardiac valves were also visible with the 3D method.     

Detection of protein coatings on nanoparticles surfaces by ToF‐SIMS and advanced electron microscopy

In this study, time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) and advanced electron microscopy (scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) were applied to detect and analyse different nano‐scaled protein coatings on gold nanoparticles (NP). The NP were coated with collagen type I and fibronectin as well as different combinations of these proteins. These two main proteins in human cell organization and tissue formation were identified with the aid of ToF‐SIMS by typical amino acid mass peak detection. In addition, the protein‐coated particles were investigated by TEM and SEM to get information about the protein structure, the protein layer thickness on the particle surfaces and the reaction of NP in different protein solutions. In this study, a differentiation of diverse protein induced particle agglomeration was proven. The investigations of this study were part of the Specific Targeted Research Project CellNanoTox (project no. NMP4‐CT‐2006‐032731) funded by the European Commission under the 6th EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Photonic crystal LEDs – designing light extraction

Photonic crystals (PhCs) have attracted much attention during the last decade as a solution to overcome the low extraction efficiency of as‐grown light‐emitting diodes (LEDs). In this review we describe the underlying physics and summarize recent results obtained with PhC LEDs. Here, the main focus is on diffracting PhC. In order to quantify the benefit from the incorporation of PhCs for diffracting light a comparison by simulations between a PhC LED and a standard state‐of‐the‐art LED is carried out. Finally, the impact of the PhC on the LEDs emission characteristics will be discussed with respect to étendue‐limited applications.     

Absolute quantification of the hepatic glycogen content in a patient with glycogen storage disease by C magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Using natural-abundance ¹³C magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) on a conventional whole-body system operating at 1.5 T, the absolute hepatic glycogen concentration was noninvasively determined in a patient with type Ia glycogen storage disease. Furthermore, to assess the reliability of glycogen determination, hepatic glycogen content was assessed after an overnight fasting period in 35 healthy volunteers divided into two groups, one with a carbohydrate-rich diet, the other without any particular dietary preparation. In the patient, the glycogen concentration was found to be 458 mM. In the healthy subjects, average glycogen concentrations were 229 ± 34 mM (mean ± standard deviation) and 257 ± 31 mM for the group without and with dietary preparation, respectively. The ¹³C-MRS results are in agreement with those obtained by conventional liver biopsy. ¹³C MRS in natural abundance may thus serve as a straightforward, fast, and noninvasive tool for quantification of the liver glycogen content in patients.     

Chalkogenohalogenogallate(III) und -indate(III): Eine neue Verbindungsklasse in der dritten Hauptgruppe. Synthese und Struktur von [Ph4P]2[In2SX6], [Et4N]3[In3E3Cl6] · MeCN und [Et4N]3[Ga3S3Cl6] · THF (X = Cl,Br; E = S,Se)

Chalcogenohalogenogallates(III) and -indates(III): A New Class of Compounds for Elements of the Third Main Group. Preparation and Structure of [Ph₄P]₂[In₂SX₆], [Et₄N]₃[In₃E₃Cl₆] · MeCN and [Et₄N]₃[Ga₃S₃Cl₆] · THF (X = Cl, Br; E = S, Se) [In₂SCl₆]^2?, [In₂SBr₆]^2?, [In₃S₃Cl₆]^3?, [In₃Se₃Cl₆]^3?, and [Ga₃S₃Cl₆]^3? were synthesised as the first known chalcogenohalogeno anions of main group 3 elements. [Ph₄P]₂[In₂SCl₆] ( 1 ) (P1 ; a = 10.876(4) Å, b = 12.711(6) Å, c = 19.634(7) Å, α = 107.21(3)°, β = 96.80(3)°, γ = 109.78(3)°; Z = 2) and [Ph₄P]₂[In₂SBr₆] ( 2 ) (C2/c; a = 48.290(9) Å, b = 11.974(4) Å, c = 17.188(5) Å, β = 93.57(3)°, Z = 8) were prepared by reaction of InX₃, (CH₃)₃SiSSi(CH₃)₃ and Ph₄PX (X = Cl, Br) in acetonitrile. The reaction of MCl₃ (M = Ga, In) with Et₄NSH/Et₄NSeH in acetonitrile gave [Et₄N]₃[In₃S₃Cl₆] · MeCN ( 3 ) (P2₁/c; a = 17.328(4) Å, b = 12.694(3) Å, c = 21.409(4) Å, β = 112.18(1)°, Z = 4), [Et₄N]₃[In₃Se₃Cl₆] · MeCN ( 4 ) (P2₁/c; a = 17.460(4) Å, b = 12.816(2) Å, c = 21.513(4) Å, β = 112.16(2)°, Z = 4), and [Et₄N]₃[Ga₃S₃Cl₆] · THF ( 5 ) (P2₁/n; a = 11.967(3) Å, b = 23.404(9) Å, c = 16.260(3) Å, β = 90.75(2)°, Z = 4). The [In₂SX₆]^2? anions (X = Cl, Br) in 1 and 2 consist of two InSX₃ tetrahedra sharing a common sulfur atom. The frameworks of 3, 4 and 5 each contain a six-membered ring of alternating metal and chalcogen atoms. Two terminal chlorine atoms complete a distorted tetrahedral coordination sphere around each metal atom.     

From physical dielectric breakdown to the stochastic fractal model

We show how the stochastic growth model we have formulated for dielectric breakdown is related to microscopic mechanisms. Beginning with gas discharges we focus on the origin of the stochastic features and the dependence of growth probability on the local electric field. For dielectric breakdown in solid insulators we argue that quenched disorder does not appreciably modify the patterns which appear in the gaseous case.     

The development of peptide-based tools for the analysis of angiogenesis

Limitations to the application of molecularly targeted cancer therapies are the inability to accurately match patient with effective treatment and the absence of a prompt readout of posttreatment response. Noninvasive agents that rapidly report vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels using positron emission tomography (PET) have the potential to enhance anti-angiogenesis therapies. Using phage display, two distinct classes of peptides were identified that bind to VEGF with nanomolar affinity and high selectivity. Co-crystal structures of these different peptide classes demonstrate that both bind to the receptor-binding region of VEGF. (18)F-radiolabelling of these peptides facilitated the acquisition of PET images of tumor VEGF levels in a HM7 xenograph model. The images obtained from one 59-residue probe, (18)F-Z-3B, 2?hr postinjection are comparable to those obtained with anti-VEGF antibody B20 72?hr postinjection. Furthermore, VEGF levels in growing SKOV3 tumors were followed using (18)F-Z-3B as a PET probe with VEGF levels increasing with tumor size.     

Breath-hold 3D MR coronary angiography with a new intravascular contrast agent (feruglose)--first clinical experiences

Demonstration of the initial results of breath-hold 3D MR coronary angiography with patients using a new intravascular contrast agent (feruglose). Contrast-enhanced 3D MR-coronary angiography was performed in 5 patients with coronary artery disease after administration of feruglose in three different doses (0.5 (n = 3), 2, 5 mg Fe/kg body weight for each patient). MR coronary angiography was performed with an ECG-triggered 3D-FLASH-sequence during breath-hold at 1.5 T (TR 6.8 ms, TE 2.5 ms, flip-angle 30 degrees ). To reduce data acquisition time, only the two anterior elements of the phased-array body coil were activated. The data acquisition window within the cardiac cycle ranged between 217-326 ms depending on the matrix. Signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNR) of the coronary arteries were analyzed, and the results for the detection of coronary artery stenoses were compared with those obtained by conventional coronary angiography. SNR and CNR revealed an improved image quality at a dose of 2 mg Fe/kg compared with the lower dose, but no further improvement was obtained by rising the dose to 5 mg Fe/kg. Except for the left circumflex artery of one patient, at minimum the proximal parts of all four main coronary arteries could be imaged for all patients. Within the visible parts of the coronary arteries, six of eight significant coronary stenoses were identified correctly. Imaging of the proximal parts of the coronary arteries including detection of stenoses is possible during breath-hold using an intravascular contrast agent.