Funktionelle kardiale Magnet-Resonanz-Tomographie: Einfluss der alternativen Wahl des Narkosemittels Isofluran, Propofol sowie Propofol in Kombination mit Pancuronium auf die kardialen Funktionsparameter im Rattenmodell

Die Magnetresonanztomographie stellt den Goldstandard zur kardialen Funktionsdiagnostik dar und ermöglicht die nicht-invasive Analyse der Herzfunktion mit valider Bestimmung von Volumina, Flüssen sowie der Ejektionsfraktion in vivo. In unserer Arbeitsgruppe erfolgt eine stetige Weiterentwicklung der Methode am Rattenmodell, wobei regelhaft eine Narkose des Versuchtstiers notwendig ist. Im Rahmen meiner Arbeit wurde der Effekt verschiedener Narkoseformen auf die Herzfunktion untersucht. Dabei wurde eine Isoflurannarkose einer Narkose mittels Propofol sowie Propofol in Kombination mit Pancuronium gegenübergestellt. Hierbei zeigen sich teilweise deutliche Unterschiede in den kardialen Funktionsparametern während der Untersuchung. Hieraus ist zu folgern, dass ein sinnvoller Vergleich der Herzfunktion von Versuchsreihen mit unterschiedlicher Narkosetechnik problematisch ist. Dies unterstreicht die Wichtigkeit einer Festlegung der Narkosetechnik vor Beginn einer Versuchsreihe in der kardiovaskulären Forschung und deren Konstanthaltung über die gesamte Versuchsdauer.Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is considered the current gold standard for in vivo-analysis of cardiac structure and function. Our workgroup is concentrating on developing cardiac MRI techniques in small animal models, which generally requires anaesthesia of the animal. In the current study, the effects of the narcotics Isoflurane vs. Propofol vs. Propofol in combination with Pancuronium on functional cardiac parameters measured by cardiac MRI were analyzed. The results reveal major differences of the acquired functional cardiac parameters in animals anaesthetized with Isoflurane, Propofol, or Propofol in combination with Pancuronium, respectively. This highlights the importance of establishing a specific anaesthesia technique and keeping it unchanged during an entire MRI study

Letter from Alexander Stoller to Hubert Creekmore

Stoller writes from New York City on Argent Galleries letterhead to Creekmore in Jackson, Mississippi, regarding Creekmore\u27s writing. Stoller also relays Virgil Thompson\u27s evaluation, and he discusses Audrey Wood. Includes envelope.https://egrove.olemiss.edu/creekmore/1059/thumbnail.jp

Currency quality and changes in the behavior of depository institutions

Banks and banking

Neural Simulations on Multi-Core Architectures

Neuroscience is witnessing increasing knowledge about the anatomy and electrophysiological properties of neurons and their connectivity, leading to an ever increasing computational complexity of neural simulations. At the same time, a rather radical change in personal computer technology emerges with the establishment of multi-cores: high-density, explicitly parallel processor architectures for both high performance as well as standard desktop computers. This work introduces strategies for the parallelization of biophysically realistic neural simulations based on the compartmental modeling technique and results of such an implementation, with a strong focus on multi-core architectures and automation, i.e. user-transparent load balancing

A Functional Reference Model for Manufacturing Execution Systems in the Automotive Industry

Being confronted with IT strategic questions of how to constantlyreduce IT operating costs and at the same time live up to everincreasing manufacturing demands, automobile manufacturers areencountering problems to find appropriate IT support forproduction planning and execution. Moreover, they are facing thechallenge to clearly define and demarcate Enterprise ResourcePlanning (ERP) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)functionality. Despite the existence of a number of standardizationefforts addressing MES functionality, automobile manufacturersare still struggling to reach a common understanding for the termMES and a clear functional design. The paper addresses this needby developing a functional reference model for MES in theautomotive industry based on a multiple case study approach. Thecase studies examine the design and implementation ofmanufacturing-related functionality in four leading automotivemanufacturing companies

DEVIATION OF ERGODIC AVERAGES FOR SUBSTITUTION DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS WITH EIGENVALUES OF MODULUS ONE

International audienceDeviation of ergodic sums is studied for substitution dynamical systems with a matrix that admits eigenvalues of mod-ulus 1. The functions γ we consider are the corresponding eigen-functions. In Theorem 1.1 we prove that the limit inferior of the ergodic sums (n, γ(x 0) +. .. + γ(x n−1)) n∈N is bounded for every point x in the phase space. In Theorem 1.2, we prove existence of limit distributions along certain exponential subsequences of times for substitutions of constant length. Under additional assumptions, we prove that ergodic integrals satisfy the Central Limit Theorem (Theorem 1.3, Theorem 1.9)

High Rate Proton Irradiation of 15mm Muon Drifttubes

Future LHC luminosity upgrades will significantly increase the amount of background hits from photons, neutrons and protons in the detectors of the ATLAS muon spectrometer. At the proposed LHC peak luminosity of 5*10^34 1/cm^2s, background hit rates of more than 10 kHz/cm^2 are expected in the innermost forward region, leading to a loss of performance of the current tracking chambers. Based on the ATLAS Monitored Drift Tube chambers, a new high rate capable drift tube detecor using tubes with a reduced diameter of 15mm was developed. To test the response to highly ionizing particles, a prototype chamber of 46 15mm drift tubes was irradiated with a 20 MeV proton beam at the tandem accelerator at the Maier-Leibnitz Laboratory, Munich. Three tubes in a planar layer were irradiated while all other tubes were used for reconstruction of cosmic muon tracks through irradiated and non-irradiated parts of the chamber. To determine the rate capability of the 15mm drift-tubes we investigated the effect of the proton hit rate on pulse height, efficiency and spatial resolution of the cosmic muon signals

Spatially resolved observation of uniform precession modes in spin-valve systems

Using time-resolved photoemission electron microscopy the excitation of uniform precession modes in individual domains of a weakly coupled spin-valve system has been studied. A coupling dependence of the precession frequencies has been found that can be reasonably well understood on the basis of a macrospin model. By tuning the frequency of the excitation source the uniform precession modes are excited in a resonant way.Comment: This article has been accepted by Journal of Applied Physics. After it is published, it will be found at http://jap.aip.or

Polarization of macrophages toward M2 phenotype is favored by reduction in iPLA2β (group VIA phospholipase A2)*

Macrophages are important in innate and adaptive immunity. Macrophage participation in inflammation or tissue repair is directed by various extracellular signals and mediated by multiple intracellular pathways. Activation of group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β) causes accumulation of arachidonic acid, lysophospholipids, and eicosanoids that can promote inflammation and pathologic states. We examined the role of iPLA2β in peritoneal macrophage immune function by comparing wild type (WT) and iPLA2β−/− mouse macrophages. Compared with WT, iPLA2β−/− macrophages exhibited reduced proinflammatory M1 markers when classically activated. In contrast, anti-inflammatory M2 markers were elevated under naïve conditions and induced to higher levels by alternative activation in iPLA2β−/− macrophages compared with WT. Induction of eicosanoid (12-lipoxygenase (12-LO) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2))- and reactive oxygen species (NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4))-generating enzymes by classical activation pathways was also blunted in iPLA2β−/− macrophages compared with WT. The effects of inhibitors of iPLA2β, COX2, or 12-LO to reduce M1 polarization were greater than those to enhance M2 polarization. Certain lipids (lysophosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidic acid, and prostaglandin E2) recapitulated M1 phenotype in iPLA2β−/− macrophages, but none tested promoted M2 phenotype. These findings suggest that (a) lipids generated by iPLA2β and subsequently oxidized by cyclooxygenase and 12-LO favor macrophage inflammatory M1 polarization, and (b) the absence of iPLA2β promotes macrophage M2 polarization. Reducing macrophage iPLA2β activity and thereby attenuating macrophage M1 polarization might cause a shift from an inflammatory to a recovery/repair milieu