Geokinematics of Central Europe: New insights from the CERGOP-2/Environment Project

The Central European Geodynamics Project CERGOP/2, funded by the European Union from 2003to 2006 under the 5th Framework Programme, benefited from repeated measurements of thecoordinates of epoch and permanent GPS stations of the Central European GPS Reference Network(CEGRN), starting in 1994. Here we report on the results of the systematic processing of availabledata up to 2005. The analysis has yielded velocities for some 60 sites, covering a variety of CentralEuropean tectonic provinces, from the Adria indenter to the Tauern window, the Dinarides, thePannonian Basin, the Vrancea seismic zone and the Carpathian Mountains. The estimated velocitiesdefine kinematical patterns which outline, with varying spatial resolution depending on the stationdensity and history, the present day surface kinematics in Central Europe. Horizontal velocities areanalyzed after removal from the ITRF2000 estimated velocities of a rigid rotation accounting forthe mean motion of Europe: a ~2.3 mm/yr north-south oriented convergence rate between Adria andthe Southern Alps that can be considered to be the present day velocity of the Adria indenterrelative to the European foreland. An eastward extrusion zone initiates at the Tauern Window. Thelateral eastward flow towards the Pannonian Basin exhibits a gentle gradient from 1-1.5 mm/yrimmediately east of the Tauern Window to zero in the Pannonian Basin. This kinematic continuityimplies that the Pannonian plate fragment recently suggested by seismic data does not require aspecific Eulerian pole. On the southeastern boundary of the Adria microplate, we report a velocitydrop from 4-4.5 mm/yr motion near Matera to ~1 mm/yr north of the Dinarides, in the southwesternpart of the Pannonian Basin. A positive velocity gradient as one moves south from West Ukraineacross Rumania and Bulgaria is estimated to be 2 mm/yr on a scale of 600-800 km, as if the crustwere dragged by the counterclockwise rotation along the North Anatolian Fault Zone. This regimeapparently does not interfere with the Vrancea seismic zone: earthquakes there are sufficiently deep(> 100 km) that the brittle deformation at depth can be considered as decoupled from the creep atthe surface. We conclude that models of the Quaternary tectonics of Central and Eastern Europeshould not neglect the long wavelength, nearly aseismic deformation affecting the upper crust in theRomanian and Bulgarian regions

Ustekinumab as Induction and Maintenance Therapy for Crohn’s Disease

BACKGROUND Ustekinumab, a monoclonal antibody to the p40 subunit of interleukin-12 and inter-leukin-23, was evaluated as an intravenous induction therapy in two populations with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease. Ustekinumab was also evaluated as subcutaneous maintenance therapy. METHODS We randomly assigned patients to receive a single intravenous dose of ustekinumab (either 130 mg or approximately 6 mg per kilogram of body weight) or placebo in two induction trials. The UNITI-1 trial included 741 patients who met the criteria for primary or secondary nonresponse to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists or had unacceptable side effects. The UNITI-2 trial included 628 patients in whom conventional therapy failed or unacceptable side effects occurred. Patients who completed these induction trials then participated in IM-UNITI, in which the 397 patients who had a response to ustekinumab were randomly assigned to receive subcutaneous maintenance injections of 90 mg of ustekinumab (either every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks) or placebo. The primary end point for the induction trials was a clinical response at week 6 (defined as a decrease from baseline in the Crohn’s Disease Activity Index [CDAI] score of ≥100 points or a CDAI score <150). The primary end point for the maintenance trial was remission at week 44 (CDAI score <150). RESULTS The rates of response at week 6 among patients receiving intravenous ustekinumab at a dose of either 130 mg or approximately 6 mg per kilogram were significantly higher than the rates among patients receiving placebo (in UNITI-1, 34.3%, 33.7%, and 21.5%, respectively, with P≤0.003 for both comparisons with placebo; in UNITI-2, 51.7%, 55.5%, and 28.7%, respectively, with P<0.001 for both doses). In the groups receiving maintenance doses of ustekinumab every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks, 53.1% and 48.8%, respectively, were in remission at week 44, as compared with 35.9% of those receiving placebo (P = 0.005 and P = 0.04, respectively). Within each trial, adverse-event rates were similar among treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease, those receiving intravenous ustekinumab had a significantly higher rate of response than did those receiving placebo. Subcutaneous ustekinumab maintained remission in patients who had a clinical response to induction therapy. (Funded by Janssen Research and Development; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT01369329, NCT01369342, and NCT01369355.

Kontaktierungs- und Signaleinführungstechniken für breitbandige Multitor-Messungen im Bereich der Aufbau- und Verbindungstechnik für digitale Systeme

Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit der Testsignalkontaktierung und Signaleinführungstechniken für breitbandige Multitor-Messungen im Bereich der Aufbau- und Verbindungstechnik für digitale Systeme im Frequenzbereich von wenigen MHZ bis 50 GHZ. Drei verschiedene Signaleinführungstechniken werden im Zeit- und Frequenzbereich untersucht. Zuerst wird die Leistungsfähigkeit der Kontaktierung mit koaxialen Steckern in Messungen des Übersprechens von Backplane-Stecker analysiert. Im nächsten Schritt wird die “Recessed Probe Launch“-Technik präsentiert, wobei die Ergebnisse aus aktuellen Untersuchungen in Bezug auf ihre Kalibration, ihre Anwendungen für Messungen von eingebetteten Multilagen-Strukturen und mögliche Modifizierungen für die Verbesserung der Messbandbreite im Mittelpunkt stehen. Schließlich wird das Konzept eines neuartigen Multitor-Adapters präsentiert und seine Hochfrequenz-Eigenschaften untersucht. Mittels eines zweistufigen Kalibrationsverfahrens wird der Einfluss des Multitor-Adapters in den Messungen von dichten Via Array Strukturen reduziert und die Ergebnisse mit Microprobe-Messspitzen basierten Messungen validiert. Basierend auf 3D Vollwellen-Simulationen werden Vorschlage für die Optimierung des Layouts gemacht, die für die Anwendbarkeit dieser Technik für Datenraten bis 20 Gbit/s und darüber hinaus notwendig sind.This thesis deals with test signal probing and fixturing techniques for wideband multiport measurements in digital packaging in the frequency range from a few MHz to 50 GHz. Three different signal launch techniques are investigated in time and frequency domains. At first, the performance of the coaxial surface mounted connector launch is explored in case of crosstalk measurements in a backplane connector via pin field. In the next step the recessed probe launch technique is briefly presented. After that the main focus is on the results obtained in recent investigations with respect to the launch calibration, application to measurements of embedded multilayer structures and modifications to improve the launch bandwidth. Finally, the concept of a novel multiport probing fixture is presented and its electrical performance explored. Using a simple two-tier calibration procedure, the effect of the probing fixture on measurements of dense via array structures is reduced and the results obtained are validated with microprobe based measurements. Based on 3D full-wave electromagnetic modeling, suggestions for layout optimization are made which will be needed to extend the applicability of these techniques to data rates of 20 Gbit/s and beyond

Loss of P16 in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Detected by Fluorescence in situ Hybridization and Immunohistochemistry

Molecular biology of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is not fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of cycle regulator and tumor suppressor p16 in esophageal adenocarcinoma. The expression of p16 at protein and gene level was investigated using immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization in thirteen EAC specimens obtained by endoscopic biopsies and surgical resections. The mean age of enrolled patients was 62 years and a male predominance was observed. Loss of p16 protein expression was detected in 77% of the cases and loss of p16 gene was found in 69% of cases as hemizygous deletion was the most common. Significant correlation was found between the absence of p16 protein expression and p16 allelic loss. Cell cycle disturbances seem to play role in the EAC carcinogenesis and probably p16 gene deletions are connected with the loss of p16 protein expression

A new cationic polymerizable surfactant bearing a vinylamide moiety

A convenient synthesis of cationic-polymerizable surfactants ("surfmers") bearing the vinylamide moiety has been developed, which provides versatile and variable access to new surfmers with hydrophilic, hydrolytically stable polymerizable groups. Copolymerization with vinylpyrrolidone produces poly-soaps with the so-called mid-tail geometry

Polymerizable surfactants and micellar polymers bearing fluorocarbon hydrophobic chains based on styrene

Cationic polymerizable surfactants based on styrene with fluorocarbon chains and their hydrocarbon analogues were synthesized, and copolymerized to give micellar polymers of the polysoap type. Characteristically, the fluorocarbon polymers show a higher tendency for self-organization, but also much less mobile hydrophobic associations in aqueous media than their hydrocarbon counterparts. In contrast to statistical terpolymers of similar average composition, block copolymers made of a fluorocarbon polysoap block and a hydrocarbon polysoap block via the radical addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) method give rise to not only microphase separation between the hydrophilic polar parts and the hydrophobic apolar parts of the macromolecules, but also seem to be able to undergo additional microphase separation between hydrophobic domains made of fluorocarbon chains and those made of hydrocarbon chains, at least in the solid state

Micellar polymers with hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon hydrophobic chains. A strategy to multicompartment micelles

Cationic ionenes bearing hydrophobic side chains were synthesized, which behave as micellar polymers of the polysoap type. The hydrophobic chains were either hydrocarbons or fluorocarbons, or a mixture of both, in the form of statistical as well as block copolymers. These amphiphilic polymers were studied and compared with each other and with low molar mass analogous surfactants, especially with respect to their hydrophobic association in aqueous solution. The particular molecular structure of the ionenes synthesized results in polymeric surfactants with high mobility of the fluorocarbon chains. Most noteworthy, the behavior of the hydrocarbon-fluorocarbon block copolymer soaps in aqueous solution indicates microphase separation into hydrocarbon-rich and fluorocarbon-rich hydrophobic domains, thus yielding multicompartment micelles

Cationic and perfluorinated polymeric pseudostationary phases for electrokinetic chromatography

Separation selectivity in electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) is directly affected by the chemistry and solvent characteristics of the pseudostationary phase (PSP). The chemical selectivity of micellar PSPs has been previously demonstrated to vary significantly between anionic and cationic surfactants as well as between hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon surfactants. Polymeric PSPs have also been demonstrated to provide unique selectivity. In the current study, four cationic polymeric pseudo-stationary phases, two of which have perfluorinated pendant groups, are introduced and characterized as PSPs in EKC. Their performance and selectivity is compared to conventional micellar PSPs with similar structure. The solvation characteristics and selectivity of the four polymers most closely resemble those observed for cationic micelles. The polymers are all more cohesive and more polar than their hydrocarbon micellar counterparts. The fluorocarbon PSPs did show preferential interaction with fluorocarbon solutes, were somewhat more cohesive, and were stronger hydrogen bond donors. However, the presence of fluorocarbon moieties did not have as dramatic an effect on selectivity as was observed and published previously for fluorocarbon micelles. This may result from the selectivity being dominated by the presence of the cationic head groups or from the fluorocarbon character of the pendant groups being moderated by the presence of hydrocarbon functionality on the polymer back-bones. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Design and analysis of ultra-wideband antennas for transient field excitations

This work addresses the design of two ultrawideband antennas for the application of transient field measurements that are characterized by frequency spectra that typically range from a few MHz to several GHz. The motivation for their design is the excitation of high power transient pulses, such as double exponential or damped sinusoidal pulses, within highly resonant metallic enclosures. The antenna design is based on two independent numerical full-wave solvers and it is aimed to achieve a low return loss over a wide range of frequencies together with a high pulse fidelity. It turns out that antennas of the conical and discone type do achieve satisfactory broadband characteristics while limitations towards low frequencies persist. Also the concept of fidelity factor turns out as advantageous to determine whether the proposed antennas allow transmitting certain broadband pulse forms