New developments in MRI: System characterization, technical advances and radiotherapy applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 90 ◽  
pp. 50-52
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Nicola Mazzoni ◽  
Michael Bock ◽  
Ives R. Levesque ◽  
David J. Lurie ◽  
Giuseppe Palma
2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (28) ◽  
pp. 8529-8536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald R. Ort ◽  
Sabeeha S. Merchant ◽  
Jean Alric ◽  
Alice Barkan ◽  
Robert E. Blankenship ◽  
...  

The world’s crop productivity is stagnating whereas population growth, rising affluence, and mandates for biofuels put increasing demands on agriculture. Meanwhile, demand for increasing cropland competes with equally crucial global sustainability and environmental protection needs. Addressing this looming agricultural crisis will be one of our greatest scientific challenges in the coming decades, and success will require substantial improvements at many levels. We assert that increasing the efficiency and productivity of photosynthesis in crop plants will be essential if this grand challenge is to be met. Here, we explore an array of prospective redesigns of plant systems at various scales, all aimed at increasing crop yields through improved photosynthetic efficiency and performance. Prospects range from straightforward alterations, already supported by preliminary evidence of feasibility, to substantial redesigns that are currently only conceptual, but that may be enabled by new developments in synthetic biology. Although some proposed redesigns are certain to face obstacles that will require alternate routes, the efforts should lead to new discoveries and technical advances with important impacts on the global problem of crop productivity and bioenergy production.


F1000Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 667
Author(s):  
Michael C. Thompson ◽  
Todd O. Yeates ◽  
Jose A. Rodriguez

Recent technical advances have dramatically increased the power and scope of structural biology. New developments in high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy, serial X-ray crystallography, and electron diffraction have been especially transformative. Here we highlight some of the latest advances and current challenges at the frontiers of atomic resolution methods for elucidating the structures and dynamical properties of macromolecules and their complexes.


2016 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Henryk M. Przewlocki

In this article photoelectric phenomena taking place in the MOS system will be discussed and the classical theory of these phenomena will be presented. This will be followed by pointing out some shortcomings of this theory and presentation of our contributions which eliminate these shortcomings and allow development of new MOS system characterization methods.


Author(s):  
R. Y. Tsien ◽  
A. Minta ◽  
M. Poenie ◽  
J.P.Y. Kao ◽  
A. Harootunian

Recent technical advances now enable the continuous imaging of important ionic signals inside individual living cells with micron spatial resolution and subsecond time resolution. This methodology relies on the molecular engineering of indicator dyes whose fluorescence is strong and highly sensitive to ions such as Ca2+, H+, or Na+, or Mg2+. The Ca2+ indicators, exemplified by fura-2 and indo-1, derive their high affinity (Kd near 200 nM) and selectivity for Ca2+ to a versatile tetracarboxylate binding site3 modeled on and isosteric with the well known chelator EGTA. The most commonly used pH indicators are fluorescein dyes (such as BCECF) modified to adjust their pKa's and improve their retention inside cells. Na+ indicators are crown ethers with cavity sizes chosen to select Na+ over K+: Mg2+ indicators use tricarboxylate binding sites truncated from those of the Ca2+ chelators, resulting in a more compact arrangement of carboxylates to suit the smaller ion.


Author(s):  
P.A. Crozier ◽  
M. Pan

Heterogeneous catalysts can be of varying complexity ranging from single or double phase systems to complicated mixtures of metals and oxides with additives to help promote chemical reactions, extend the life of the catalysts, prevent poisoning etc. Although catalysis occurs on the surface of most systems, detailed descriptions of the microstructure and chemistry of catalysts can be helpful for developing an understanding of the mechanism by which a catalyst facilitates a reaction. Recent years have seen continued development and improvement of various TEM, STEM and AEM techniques for yielding information on the structure and chemistry of catalysts on the nanometer scale. Here we review some quantitative approaches to catalyst characterization that have resulted from new developments in instrumentation.HREM has been used to examine structural features of catalysts often by employing profile imaging techniques to study atomic details on the surface. Digital recording techniques employing slow-scan CCD cameras have facilitated the use of low-dose imaging in zeolite structure analysis and electron crystallography. Fig. la shows a low-dose image from SSZ-33 zeolite revealing the presence of a stacking fault.


2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Perry ◽  
Graham Schenck

Despite advances in surgical management, it is estimated that 20–30% of children with repaired cleft palate will continue to have hypernasal speech and require a second surgery to create normal velopharyngeal function (Bricknell, McFadden, & Curran, 2002; Härtel, Karsten, & Gundlach, 1994; McWilliams, 1990). A qualitative perceptual assessment by a speech-language pathologist is considered the most important step of the evaluation for children with resonance disorders (Peterson-Falzone, Hardin-Jones, & Karnell, 2010). Direct and indirect instrumental analyses should be used to confirm or validate the perceptual evaluation of an experienced speech-language pathologist (Paal, Reulbach, Strobel-Schwarthoff, Nkenke, & Schuster, 2005). The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of current instrumental assessment methods used in cleft palate care. Both direct and indirect instrumental procedures will be reviewed with descriptions of the advantages and disadvantages of each. Lastly, new developments for evaluating velopharyngeal structures and function will be provided.


2002 ◽  
Vol 59 (11) ◽  
pp. 571-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gratwohl

Die Transplantation hämatopoietischer Stammzellen umfasst heute Stammzellen aus Knochenmark, peripherem Blut oder Nabelschnurblut. Leukämien, Lymphoproliferative Erkrankungen, aplastische Anämie und schwere angeborene Erkrankungen des Knochenmarkes sind Hauptindikationen für allogene, lymphoproliferative Erkrankungen, Leukämien, solide Tumoren und schwere Autoimmunkrankheiten Hauptindikationen für autologe Transplantationen. Neue Verfahren wie reduzierte Konditionierung und selektive Gabe von Spenderlymphozyten eröffnen die Stammzelltransplantation auch für ältere Patienten und für solche mit vorbestehender Komorbidität. Wenn immer möglich, wird die Transplantation ab Diagnose in den Behandlungsplan integriert. Die Wahl des Verfahrens und des geeigneten Zeitpunktes wird nach individuellem Risikoprofil erstellt. Alter oder Diagnose sind nicht mehr alleinige Entscheidungskriterien. Als etablierte Therapieform dürfte die hämatopoietische Stammzelltransplantation als Modell dienen für Stammzelltransplantationen auch anderer Organe.


Author(s):  
Peter Vorderer

This paper points to new developments in the context of entertainment theory. Starting from a background of well-established theories that have been proposed and elaborated mainly by Zillmann and his collaborators since the 1980s, a new two-factor model of entertainment is introduced. This model encompasses “enjoyment” and “appreciation” as two independent factors. In addition, several open questions regarding cultural differences in humans’ responses to entertainment products or the usefulness of various theoretical concepts like “presence,” “identification,” or “transportation” are also discussed. Finally, the question of why media users are seeking entertainment is brought to the forefront, and a possibly relevant need such as the “search for meaningfulness” is mentioned as a possible major candidate for such an explanation.


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