Cellulose micro/nanofibres from Eucalyptus kraft pulp: Preparation and properties

There is growing interest in cellulose nanofibres from renewable sources for several industrial applications. However, there is a lack of information about one of the most abundant cellulose pulps: bleached Eucalyptus kraft pulp. The objective of the present work was to obtain Eucalyptus cellulose micro/nanofibres by three different processes, namely: refining, sonication and acid hydrolysis of the cellulose pulp. The refining was limited by the low efficiency of isolated nanofibrils, while sonication was more effective for this purpose. However, the latter process occurred at the expense of considerable damage to the cellulose structure. The whiskers obtained by acid hydrolysis resulted in nanostructures with lower diameter and length, and high crystallinity. Increasing hydrolysis reaction time led to narrower and shorter whiskers, but increased the crystallinity index. The present work contributes to the different widespread methods used for the production of micro/nanofibres for different applications. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation and characterisation of refractory whiskers and selected alumina composites

A whisker is a common name of single crystalline inorganic fibre of small dimensions, typically 0.5-1 μm in diameter and 20-50 μm in length. Whiskers are mainly used as reinforcement of ceramics. This work describes the synthesis and characterisation of new whisker types. Ti0.33Ta0.33Nb0.33CxN1-x, TiB2, B4C, and LaxCe1-xB6 have been prepared by carbothermal vapour–liquid–solid (CTR-VLS) growth mechanisms in the temperature range 900-1800°C, in argon or nitrogen. Generally, carbon and different suitable oxides were used as whisker precursors. The oxides reacted via a carbothermal reduction process. A halogenide salt was added to form gaseous metal halogenides or oxohalogenides and small amount of a transition metal was added to catalyse the whisker growth. In this mechanism, the whisker constituents are dissolved into the catalyst, in liquid phase, which becomes supersaturated. Then a whisker could nucleate and grow out under continuous feed of constituents. The syntheses of TiC, TiB2, and B4C were followed at ordinary synthesis conditions by means of mass spectrometry (MS), thermogravimetry (TG), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and quenching. The main reaction starting temperatures and reaction time for the different mixtures was revealed, and it was found that the temperature inside the crucible during the reactions was up to 100°C below the furnace set-point, due to endothermic nature of the reactions. Quench experiments showed that whiskers were formed already when reaching the temperature plateau, but the yield increased fast with the holding time and reached a maximum after about 20-30 minutes. Growth models for whisker formation have been proposed. Alumina based composites reinforced by (2-5 vol.%) TiCnano and TiNnano and 25 vol.% of carbide, and boride phases (whiskers and particulates of TiC, TiN, TaC, NbC, (Ti,Ta)C, (Ti,Ta,Nb)C, SiC, TiB2 and B4C) have been prepared by a developed aqueous colloidal processing route followed by hot pressing for 90 min at 1700°C, 28 MPa or SPS sintering for 5 minutes at 1200-1600°C and 75 MPa. Vickers indentation measurements showed that the lowest possible sintering temperature is to prefer from mechanical properties point of view. In the TiNnano composites the fracture mode was typically intergranular, while it was transgranular in the SiCnano composites. The whisker and particulate composites have been compared in terms of e.g. microstructure and mechanical properties. Generally, additions of whiskers yielded higher fracture toughness compared to particulates. Composites of commercially available SiC whiskers showed best mechanical properties with a low spread but all the other whisker phases, especially TiB2, exhibited a great potential as reinforcement materials.

Il passato nell’epoca della sua (ri)producibilità digitale. Torino 1943 - 45. Metodologia della ricerca con tecnologie informatiche. Sistema storico-territoriale di informazione multimediale

Se il lavoro dello storico è capire il passato come è stato compreso dalla gente che lo ha vissuto, allora forse non è azzardato pensare che sia anche necessario comunicare i risultati delle ricerche con strumenti propri che appartengono a un'epoca e che influenzano la mentalità di chi in quell'epoca vive. Emergenti tecnologie, specialmente nell’area della multimedialità come la realtà virtuale, permettono agli storici di comunicare l’esperienza del passato in più sensi. In che modo la storia collabora con le tecnologie informatiche soffermandosi sulla possibilità di fare ricostruzioni storiche virtuali, con relativi esempi e recensioni? Quello che maggiormente preoccupa gli storici è se una ricostruzione di un fatto passato vissuto attraverso la sua ricreazione in pixels sia un metodo di conoscenza della storia che possa essere considerato valido. Ovvero l'emozione che la navigazione in una realtà 3D può suscitare, è un mezzo in grado di trasmettere conoscenza? O forse l'idea che abbiamo del passato e del suo studio viene sottilmente cambiato nel momento in cui lo si divulga attraverso la grafica 3D? Da tempo però la disciplina ha cominciato a fare i conti con questa situazione, costretta soprattutto dall'invasività di questo tipo di media, dalla spettacolarizzazione del passato e da una divulgazione del passato parziale e antiscientifica. In un mondo post letterario bisogna cominciare a pensare che la cultura visuale nella quale siamo immersi sta cambiando il nostro rapporto con il passato: non per questo le conoscenze maturate fino ad oggi sono false, ma è necessario riconoscere che esiste più di una verità storica, a volte scritta a volte visuale. Il computer è diventato una piattaforma onnipresente per la rappresentazione e diffusione dell’informazione. I metodi di interazione e rappresentazione stanno evolvendo di continuo. Ed è su questi due binari che è si muove l’offerta delle tecnologie informatiche al servizio della storia. Lo scopo di questa tesi è proprio quello di esplorare, attraverso l’utilizzo e la sperimentazione di diversi strumenti e tecnologie informatiche, come si può raccontare efficacemente il passato attraverso oggetti tridimensionali e gli ambienti virtuali, e come, nel loro essere elementi caratterizzanti di comunicazione, in che modo possono collaborare, in questo caso particolare, con la disciplina storica. La presente ricerca ricostruisce alcune linee di storia delle principali fabbriche attive a Torino durante la seconda guerra mondiale, ricordando stretta relazione che esiste tra strutture ed individui e in questa città in particolare tra fabbrica e movimento operaio, è inevitabile addentrarsi nelle vicende del movimento operaio torinese che nel periodo della lotta di Liberazione in città fu un soggetto politico e sociale di primo rilievo. Nella città, intesa come entità biologica coinvolta nella guerra, la fabbrica (o le fabbriche) diventa il nucleo concettuale attraverso il quale leggere la città: sono le fabbriche gli obiettivi principali dei bombardamenti ed è nelle fabbriche che si combatte una guerra di liberazione tra classe operaia e autorità, di fabbrica e cittadine. La fabbrica diventa il luogo di "usurpazione del potere" di cui parla Weber, il palcoscenico in cui si tengono i diversi episodi della guerra: scioperi, deportazioni, occupazioni .... Il modello della città qui rappresentata non è una semplice visualizzazione ma un sistema informativo dove la realtà modellata è rappresentata da oggetti, che fanno da teatro allo svolgimento di avvenimenti con una precisa collocazione cronologica, al cui interno è possibile effettuare operazioni di selezione di render statici (immagini), di filmati precalcolati (animazioni) e di scenari navigabili interattivamente oltre ad attività di ricerca di fonti bibliografiche e commenti di studiosi segnatamente legati all'evento in oggetto. Obiettivo di questo lavoro è far interagire, attraverso diversi progetti, le discipline storiche e l’informatica, nelle diverse opportunità tecnologiche che questa presenta. Le possibilità di ricostruzione offerte dal 3D vengono così messe a servizio della ricerca, offrendo una visione integrale in grado di avvicinarci alla realtà dell’epoca presa in considerazione e convogliando in un’unica piattaforma espositiva tutti i risultati. Divulgazione Progetto Mappa Informativa Multimediale Torino 1945 Sul piano pratico il progetto prevede una interfaccia navigabile (tecnologia Flash) che rappresenti la pianta della città dell’epoca, attraverso la quale sia possibile avere una visione dei luoghi e dei tempi in cui la Liberazione prese forma, sia a livello concettuale, sia a livello pratico. Questo intreccio di coordinate nello spazio e nel tempo non solo migliora la comprensione dei fenomeni, ma crea un maggiore interesse sull’argomento attraverso l’utilizzo di strumenti divulgativi di grande efficacia (e appeal) senza perdere di vista la necessità di valicare le tesi storiche proponendosi come piattaforma didattica. Un tale contesto richiede uno studio approfondito degli eventi storici al fine di ricostruire con chiarezza una mappa della città che sia precisa sia topograficamente sia a livello di navigazione multimediale. La preparazione della cartina deve seguire gli standard del momento, perciò le soluzioni informatiche utilizzate sono quelle fornite da Adobe Illustrator per la realizzazione della topografia, e da Macromedia Flash per la creazione di un’interfaccia di navigazione. La base dei dati descrittivi è ovviamente consultabile essendo contenuta nel supporto media e totalmente annotata nella bibliografia. È il continuo evolvere delle tecnologie d'informazione e la massiccia diffusione dell’uso dei computer che ci porta a un cambiamento sostanziale nello studio e nell’apprendimento storico; le strutture accademiche e gli operatori economici hanno fatto propria la richiesta che giunge dall'utenza (insegnanti, studenti, operatori dei Beni Culturali) di una maggiore diffusione della conoscenza storica attraverso la sua rappresentazione informatizzata. Sul fronte didattico la ricostruzione di una realtà storica attraverso strumenti informatici consente anche ai non-storici di toccare con mano quelle che sono le problematiche della ricerca quali fonti mancanti, buchi della cronologia e valutazione della veridicità dei fatti attraverso prove. Le tecnologie informatiche permettono una visione completa, unitaria ed esauriente del passato, convogliando tutte le informazioni su un'unica piattaforma, permettendo anche a chi non è specializzato di comprendere immediatamente di cosa si parla. Il miglior libro di storia, per sua natura, non può farlo in quanto divide e organizza le notizie in modo diverso. In questo modo agli studenti viene data l'opportunità di apprendere tramite una rappresentazione diversa rispetto a quelle a cui sono abituati. La premessa centrale del progetto è che i risultati nell'apprendimento degli studenti possono essere migliorati se un concetto o un contenuto viene comunicato attraverso più canali di espressione, nel nostro caso attraverso un testo, immagini e un oggetto multimediale. Didattica La Conceria Fiorio è uno dei luoghi-simbolo della Resistenza torinese. Il progetto è una ricostruzione in realtà virtuale della Conceria Fiorio di Torino. La ricostruzione serve a arricchire la cultura storica sia a chi la produce, attraverso una ricerca accurata delle fonti, sia a chi può poi usufruirne, soprattutto i giovani, che, attratti dall’aspetto ludico della ricostruzione, apprendono con più facilità. La costruzione di un manufatto in 3D fornisce agli studenti le basi per riconoscere ed esprimere la giusta relazione fra il modello e l’oggetto storico. Le fasi di lavoro attraverso cui si è giunti alla ricostruzione in 3D della Conceria: . una ricerca storica approfondita, basata sulle fonti, che possono essere documenti degli archivi o scavi archeologici, fonti iconografiche, cartografiche, ecc.; . La modellazione degli edifici sulla base delle ricerche storiche, per fornire la struttura geometrica poligonale che permetta la navigazione tridimensionale; . La realizzazione, attraverso gli strumenti della computer graphic della navigazione in 3D. Unreal Technology è il nome dato al motore grafico utilizzato in numerosi videogiochi commerciali. Una delle caratteristiche fondamentali di tale prodotto è quella di avere uno strumento chiamato Unreal editor con cui è possibile costruire mondi virtuali, e che è quello utilizzato per questo progetto. UnrealEd (Ued) è il software per creare livelli per Unreal e i giochi basati sul motore di Unreal. E’ stata utilizzata la versione gratuita dell’editor. Il risultato finale del progetto è un ambiente virtuale navigabile raffigurante una ricostruzione accurata della Conceria Fiorio ai tempi della Resistenza. L’utente può visitare l’edificio e visualizzare informazioni specifiche su alcuni punti di interesse. La navigazione viene effettuata in prima persona, un processo di “spettacolarizzazione” degli ambienti visitati attraverso un arredamento consono permette all'utente una maggiore immersività rendendo l’ambiente più credibile e immediatamente codificabile. L’architettura Unreal Technology ha permesso di ottenere un buon risultato in un tempo brevissimo, senza che fossero necessari interventi di programmazione. Questo motore è, quindi, particolarmente adatto alla realizzazione rapida di prototipi di una discreta qualità, La presenza di un certo numero di bug lo rende, però, in parte inaffidabile. Utilizzare un editor da videogame per questa ricostruzione auspica la possibilità di un suo impiego nella didattica, quello che le simulazioni in 3D permettono nel caso specifico è di permettere agli studenti di sperimentare il lavoro della ricostruzione storica, con tutti i problemi che lo storico deve affrontare nel ricreare il passato. Questo lavoro vuole essere per gli storici una esperienza nella direzione della creazione di un repertorio espressivo più ampio, che includa gli ambienti tridimensionali. Il rischio di impiegare del tempo per imparare come funziona questa tecnologia per generare spazi virtuali rende scettici quanti si impegnano nell'insegnamento, ma le esperienze di progetti sviluppati, soprattutto all’estero, servono a capire che sono un buon investimento. Il fatto che una software house, che crea un videogame di grande successo di pubblico, includa nel suo prodotto, una serie di strumenti che consentano all'utente la creazione di mondi propri in cui giocare, è sintomatico che l'alfabetizzazione informatica degli utenti medi sta crescendo sempre più rapidamente e che l'utilizzo di un editor come Unreal Engine sarà in futuro una attività alla portata di un pubblico sempre più vasto. Questo ci mette nelle condizioni di progettare moduli di insegnamento più immersivi, in cui l'esperienza della ricerca e della ricostruzione del passato si intreccino con lo studio più tradizionale degli avvenimenti di una certa epoca. I mondi virtuali interattivi vengono spesso definiti come la forma culturale chiave del XXI secolo, come il cinema lo è stato per il XX. Lo scopo di questo lavoro è stato quello di suggerire che vi sono grosse opportunità per gli storici impiegando gli oggetti e le ambientazioni in 3D, e che essi devono coglierle. Si consideri il fatto che l’estetica abbia un effetto sull’epistemologia. O almeno sulla forma che i risultati delle ricerche storiche assumono nel momento in cui devono essere diffuse. Un’analisi storica fatta in maniera superficiale o con presupposti errati può comunque essere diffusa e avere credito in numerosi ambienti se diffusa con mezzi accattivanti e moderni. Ecco perchè non conviene seppellire un buon lavoro in qualche biblioteca, in attesa che qualcuno lo scopra. Ecco perchè gli storici non devono ignorare il 3D. La nostra capacità, come studiosi e studenti, di percepire idee ed orientamenti importanti dipende spesso dai metodi che impieghiamo per rappresentare i dati e l’evidenza. Perché gli storici possano ottenere il beneficio che il 3D porta con sè, tuttavia, devono sviluppare un’agenda di ricerca volta ad accertarsi che il 3D sostenga i loro obiettivi di ricercatori e insegnanti. Una ricostruzione storica può essere molto utile dal punto di vista educativo non sono da chi la visita ma, anche da chi la realizza. La fase di ricerca necessaria per la ricostruzione non può fare altro che aumentare il background culturale dello sviluppatore. Conclusioni La cosa più importante è stata la possibilità di fare esperienze nell’uso di mezzi di comunicazione di questo genere per raccontare e far conoscere il passato. Rovesciando il paradigma conoscitivo che avevo appreso negli studi umanistici, ho cercato di desumere quelle che potremo chiamare “leggi universali” dai dati oggettivi emersi da questi esperimenti. Da punto di vista epistemologico l’informatica, con la sua capacità di gestire masse impressionanti di dati, dà agli studiosi la possibilità di formulare delle ipotesi e poi accertarle o smentirle tramite ricostruzioni e simulazioni. Il mio lavoro è andato in questa direzione, cercando conoscere e usare strumenti attuali che nel futuro avranno sempre maggiore presenza nella comunicazione (anche scientifica) e che sono i mezzi di comunicazione d’eccellenza per determinate fasce d’età (adolescenti). Volendo spingere all’estremo i termini possiamo dire che la sfida che oggi la cultura visuale pone ai metodi tradizionali del fare storia è la stessa che Erodoto e Tucidide contrapposero ai narratori di miti e leggende. Prima di Erodoto esisteva il mito, che era un mezzo perfettamente adeguato per raccontare e dare significato al passato di una tribù o di una città. In un mondo post letterario la nostra conoscenza del passato sta sottilmente mutando nel momento in cui lo vediamo rappresentato da pixel o quando le informazioni scaturiscono non da sole, ma grazie all’interattività con il mezzo. La nostra capacità come studiosi e studenti di percepire idee ed orientamenti importanti dipende spesso dai metodi che impieghiamo per rappresentare i dati e l’evidenza. Perché gli storici possano ottenere il beneficio sottinteso al 3D, tuttavia, devono sviluppare un’agenda di ricerca volta ad accertarsi che il 3D sostenga i loro obiettivi di ricercatori e insegnanti. Le esperienze raccolte nelle pagine precedenti ci portano a pensare che in un futuro non troppo lontano uno strumento come il computer sarà l’unico mezzo attraverso cui trasmettere conoscenze, e dal punto di vista didattico la sua interattività consente coinvolgimento negli studenti come nessun altro mezzo di comunicazione moderno.

Preparation of cold Mg + ion clouds for sympathetic cooling of highly charged ions at SPECTRAP

Die Elektronen in wasserstoff- und lithium-ähnlichen schweren Ionen sind den extrem starken elektrischen und magnetischen Feldern in der Umgebung des Kerns ausgesetzt. Die Laserspektroskopie der Hyperfeinaufspaltung im Grundzustand des Ions erlaubt daher einen sensitiven Test der Quantenelektrodynamik in starken Feldern insbesondere im magnetischen Sektor. Frühere Messungen an wasserstoffähnlichen Systemen die an einer Elektronenstrahl-Ionenfalle (EBIT) und am Experimentierspeicherring (ESR) der GSI Darmstadt durchgeführt wurden, waren in ihrer Genauigkeit durch zu geringe Statistik, einer starken Dopplerverbreiterung und der großen Unsicherheit in der Ionenenergie limitiert. Das ganze Potential des QED-Tests kann nur dann ausgeschöpft werden, wenn es gelingt sowohl wasserstoff- als auch lithium-ähnliche schwere Ionen mit einer um 2-3 Größenordnung gesteigerten Genauigkeit zu spektroskopieren. Um dies zu erreichen, wird gegenwärtig das neue Penningfallensystem SPECTRAP an der GSI aufgebaut und in Betrieb genommen. Es ist speziell für die Laserspektroskopie an gespeicherten hochgeladenen Ionen optimiert und wird in Zukunft von HITRAP mit nierderenergetischen hochgeladenen Ionen versorgt werden.rnrnSPECTRAP ist eine zylindrische Penningfalle mit axialem Zugang für die Injektion von Ionen und die Einkopplung eines Laserstrahls sowie einem radialen optischen Zugang für die Detektion der Fluoreszenz. Um letzteres zu realisieren ist der supraleitende Magnet als Helmholtz-Spulenpaar ausgelegt. Um die gewünschte Genauigkeit bei der Laserspektroskopie zu erreichen, muss ein effizienter und schneller Kühlprozess für die injizierten hochegeladenen Ionen realisiert werden. Dies kann mittels sympathetischer Kühlung in einer lasergekühlten Wolke leichter Ionen realisiert werden. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurde ein Lasersystem und eine Ionenquelle für die Produktion einer solchen 24Mg+ Ionenwolke aufgebaut und erfolgreich an SPECTRAP in Betrieb genommen. Dazu wurde ein Festkörperlasersystem für die Erzeugung von Licht bei 279.6 nm entworfen und aufgebaut. Es besteht aus einem Faserlaser bei 1118 nm der in zwei aufeinanderfolgenden Frequenzverdopplungsstufen frequenzvervierfacht wird. Die Verdopplerstufen sind als aktiv stabilisierte Resonantoren mit nichtlinearen Kristallen ausgelegt. Das Lasersystem liefert unter optimalen Bedingeungen bis zu 15 mW bei der ultravioletten Wellenlänge und erwies sich während der Teststrahlzeiten an SPECTRAP als ausgesprochen zuverlässig. Desweiteren wurde eine Ionequelle für die gepulste Injektion von Mg+ Ionen in die SPECTRAP Falle entwickelt. Diese basiert auf der Elektronenstoßionisation eines thermischen Mg-Atomstrahls und liefert in der gepulsten Extraktion Ionenbündel mit einer kleinen Impuls- und Energieverteilung. Unter Nutzung des Lasersystems konnten damit an SPECTRAP erstmals Ionenwolken mit bis zu 2600 lasergekühlten Mg Ionen erzeugt werden. Der Nachweis erfolgte sowohl mittels Fluoreszenz als auch mit der FFT-ICR Technik. Aus der Analyse des Fluoreszenz-Linienprofils lässt sich sowohl die Sensitivität auf einzelne gespeicherte Ionen als auch eine erreichte Endtemperatur in der Größenordnung von ≈ 100 mK nach wenigen Sekunden Kühlzeit belegen.

Preparation and functional characterisation of recombinant silicatein-alpha from the sponge Suberites domuncula

The marine world is an immense source of biodiversity that provides substances with striking potentials in medicinal chemistry and biotechnology. Sponges (Porifera) are marine animals that represent the most impressive example of organisms possessing the ability to metabolise silica through a family of enzymes known as silicateins. Complex skeletal structures (spicules) made of pure biogenic silica (biosilica) are produced under physiological conditions. Biosilica is a natural material comprising inorganic and organic components with unique mechanical, optical, and physico-chemical properties, including promising potential to be used for development of therapeutic agents in regenerative medicine. Unravelling the intimate physiological mechanisms occurring in sponges during the construction of their siliceous spicules is an on-going project, and several questions have been addressed by the studies proposed by our working group. In this doctoral work, the recombinant DNA technology is exploited for functional and structural characterisation of silicatein. Its precursors are produced as fusion proteins with a chaperone tag (named TF-Ps), and a robust method for the overexpression of native soluble proteins in high concentrations has been developed. In addition, it is observed and proven experimentally that the maturation of silicatein is an autocatalytic event that: (i) can be modulated by rational use of protease inhibitors; (ii) is influenced by the temperature of the environment; (iii) only slightly depends on the pH. In the same experimental framework, observations on the dynamics in the maturation of silicateins allow a better understanding of how the axial filaments form during the early stages of spicule construction. In addition, the definition of new distinct properties of silicatein (termed “structure-guiding” and “structure-forming”) is introduced. By homology models and through comparisons with similar proteins (the cathepsins), domains with significant surface hydrophobicity are identified as potential self-assembly mediators. Moreover, a high-throughput screening showed that TF-Ps could generate crystals under certain conditions, becoming promising for further structural studies. With the goal of optimise the properties of the recombinant silicatein, implementation of new production systems are tried for the first time. Success in the expression of silicatein-type proteins in insect and yeast cells, constitute a promising basis for further development, towards the establishment of an efficient method for the production of a high-value pure and soluble protein.

Changes in Preservice Teachers’ Self-Efficacy: From Science Methods to Student Teaching

The purpose of this research was to assess preservice teachers self-efficacy at different stages of their educational career in an attempt to determine the extent to which self-efficacy beliefs may change over time. In addition, the critical incidents, which may contribute to changes in self-efficacy, were also investigated. The instrument used in the study was the Teaching Science as Inquiry (TSI) Instrument. The TSI Instrument was administered to 38 preservice elementary teachers to measure the self-efficacy beliefs of the teacher participants in regard to the teaching of science as inquiry. Based on the results and the associated data analysis, mean and median values demonstrate positive change for self-efficacy and outcome expectancy throughout the data collection period.

Influences on career choice in music education audition candidates: Pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study was to survey prospective undergraduate music education majors to learn what motivated them to aspire to a career in music education. Respondents were candidates auditioning, but not yet accepted, for music teacher preparation programs at four institutions (N = 228). Findings corroborate prior research that suggests that school music teachers and/or private lesson teachers are highly influential. This study sought to quantify the types of experiences participants had in teaching roles at the time of their college audition, supporting other research suggesting that such experiences may increase interest in a music teaching career. Recommendations include engaging music educators at all PreK–12 levels in actively recruiting and encouraging future teachers, providing private instructors and performance majors with teacher recruitment information, emphasizing earlier identification and preparation of prospective educators, and refining and continuing the work begun in this pilot study.

Preparation of intact bovine tail intervertebral discs for organ culture

The intervertebral disc (IVD) is the joint of the spine connecting vertebra to vertebra. It functions to transmit loading of the spine and give flexibility to the spine. It composes of three compartments: the innermost nucleus pulposus (NP) encompassing by the annulus fibrosus (AF), and two cartilaginous endplates connecting the NP and AF to the vertebral body on both sides. Discogenic pain possibly caused by degenerative intervertebral disc disease (DDD) and disc herniations has been identified as a major problem in our modern society. To study possible mechanisms of IVD degeneration, in vitro organ culture systems with live disc cells are highly appealing. The in vitro culture of intact bovine coccygeal IVDs has advanced to a relevant model system, which allows the study of mechano-biological aspects in a well-controlled physiological and mechanical environment. Bovine tail IVDs can be obtained relatively easy in higher numbers and are very similar to the human lumbar IVDs with respect to cell density, cell population and dimensions. However, previous bovine caudal IVD harvesting techniques retaining cartilaginous endplates and bony endplates failed after 1-2 days of culture since the nutrition pathways were obviously blocked by clotted blood. IVDs are the biggest avascular organs, thus, the nutrients to the cells in the NP are solely dependent on diffusion via the capillary buds from the adjacent vertebral body. Presence of bone debris and clotted blood on the endplate surfaces can hinder nutrient diffusion into the center of the disc and compromise cell viability. Our group established a relatively quick protocol to "crack"-out the IVDs from the tail with a low risk for contamination. We are able to permeabilize the freshly-cut bony endplate surfaces by using a surgical jet lavage system, which removes the blood clots and cutting debris and very efficiently reopens the nutrition diffusion pathway to the center of the IVD. The presence of growth plates on both sides of the vertebral bone has to be avoided and to be removed prior to culture. In this video, we outline the crucial steps during preparation and demonstrate the key to a successful organ culture maintaining high cell viability for 14 days under free swelling culture. The culture time could be extended when appropriate mechanical environment can be maintained by using mechanical loading bioreactor. The technique demonstrated here can be extended to other animal species such as porcine, ovine and leporine caudal and lumbar IVD isolation.

A new microbiopsy system enables rapid preparation of tissue for high-pressure freezing

A microbiopsy system was developed to overcome long sampling times for tissues before they are cryo-fixed by high-pressure freezing. A commercially available biopsy gun was adapted to the needs of small-organ excisions, and biopsy needles were modified to allow small samples (0.6 mm x 1.2 mm x 0.3 mm) to be taken. Specimen platelets with a central slot of the same dimensions as the biopsy are used. A self-made transfer device (in the meantime optimized by Leica-Microsystems [Vienna, Austria]) coordinates the transfer of the excised sample from the biopsy needle into the platelet slot and the subsequent loading in a specimen holder, which is then introduced into a high-pressure freezer (Leica EM PACT; Leica Microsystems, Vienna, Austria). Thirty seconds preparation time is needed from excision until high-pressure freezing. Brain, liver, kidney and muscle excisions of anesthetised rats are shown to be well frozen.

A multivariate approach for processing magnetization effects in triggered event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging time series

Triggered event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging requires sparse intervals of temporally resolved functional data acquisitions, whose initiation corresponds to the occurrence of an event, typically an epileptic spike in the electroencephalographic trace. However, conventional fMRI time series are greatly affected by non-steady-state magnetization effects, which obscure initial blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals. Here, conventional echo-planar imaging and a post-processing solution based on principal component analysis were employed to remove the dominant eigenimages of the time series, to filter out the global signal changes induced by magnetization decay and to recover BOLD signals starting with the first functional volume. This approach was compared with a physical solution using radiofrequency preparation, which nullifies magnetization effects. As an application of the method, the detectability of the initial transient BOLD response in the auditory cortex, which is elicited by the onset of acoustic scanner noise, was used to demonstrate that post-processing-based removal of magnetization effects allows to detect brain activity patterns identical with those obtained using the radiofrequency preparation. Using the auditory responses as an ideal experimental model of triggered brain activity, our results suggest that reducing the initial magnetization effects by removing a few principal components from fMRI data may be potentially useful in the analysis of triggered event-related echo-planar time series. The implications of this study are discussed with special caution to remaining technical limitations and the additional neurophysiological issues of the triggered acquisition.

Good manufacturing practice-compliant validation and preparation of BM cells for the therapy of acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND: Intracoronary application of BM-derived cells for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is currently being studied intensively. Simultaneously, strict legal requirements surround the production of cells for clinical studies. Thus good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant collection and preparation of BM for patients with AMI was established by the Cytonet group. METHODS: As well as fulfillment of standard GMP requirements, including a manufacturing license, validation of the preparation process and the final product was performed. Whole blood (n=6) and BM (n=3) validation samples were processed under GMP conditions by gelafundin or hydroxyethylstarch sedimentation in order to reduce erythrocytes/platelets and volume and to achieve specifications defined in advance. Special attention was paid to the free potassium (<6 mmol/L), some rheologically relevant cellular characteristics (hematocrit <0.45, platelets <450 x 10(6)/mL) and the sterility of the final product. RESULTS: The data were reviewed and GMP compliance was confirmed by the German authorities (Paul-Ehrlich Institute). Forty-five BM cell preparations for clinical use were carried out following the validated methodology and standards. Additionally three selections of CD34+ BM cells for infusion were performed. All specification limits were met. Discussion In conclusion, preparation of BM cells for intracoronary application is feasible under GMP conditions. As the results of sterility testing may not be available at the time of intracoronary application, the highest possible standards to avoid bacterial and other contaminations have to be applied. The increased expense of the GMP-compliant process can be justified by higher safety for patients and better control of the final product.

Time required to obtain endobronchial biopsies in children during fiberoptic bronchoscopy

BACKGROUND: Endobronchial biopsies are an important tool for the study of airway remodeling in children. We aimed to evaluate the impact of performing endobronchial biopsies as a part of fiberoptic bronchoscopy on the length of the procedure. METHODS: Clinically indicated fiberoptic bronchoscopy at which endobronchial biopsy was attempted as a part of a research protocol was performed in 40 children (median age 6 years, range 2 months-16 years). Time needed for airway inspection, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) with three aliquots of 1 ml/kg of 0.9% saline, sampling of three macroscopically adequate biopsies, teaching, and other interventions (e.g., removal of plugs) was recorded. The bronchoscopist was not aware that the procedure was being timed. RESULTS: Median (range) duration (min) was 2.5 (1.0-8.2) for airway inspection, 2.8 (1.7-9.4) for BAL, 5.3 (2.5-16.6) for biopsy sampling, 2.4 (1.5-6.6) for teaching and 4.1 (0.8-18.5) for other interventions. Three adequate biopsies were obtained in 33 (83%) children. Use of 2.0 mm biopsy forceps (via 4.0 and 4.9 mm bronchoscopes) rather than 1.0 mm (via 2.8 and 3.6 mm bronchoscopes) significantly reduced biopsy time (4.6 min vs. 8.4 min, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It takes a median of just over 5 min to obtain three endobronchial biopsies in children, which we consider an acceptable increase in the duration of fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the purpose of research.

Occasional white boarding : examining the effects of physics students' understanding of motion graphs

The Modeling method of teaching has demonstrated well--‐documented success in the improvement of student learning. The teacher/researcher in this study was introduced to Modeling through the use of a technique called White Boarding. Without formal training, the researcher began using the White Boarding technique for a limited number of laboratory experiences with his high school physics classes. The question that arose and was investigated in this study is “What specific aspects of the White Boarding process support student understanding?” For the purposes of this study, the White Boarding process was broken down into three aspects – the Analysis of data through the use of Logger Pro software, the Preparation of White Boards, and the Presentations each group gave about their specific lab data. The lab used in this study, an Acceleration of Gravity Lab, was chosen because of the documented difficulties students experience in the graphing of motion. In the lab, students filmed a given motion, utilized Logger Pro software to analyze the motion, prepared a White Board that described the motion with position--‐time and velocity--‐time graphs, and then presented their findings to the rest of the class. The Presentation included a class discussion with minimal contribution from the teacher. The three different aspects of the White Boarding experience – Analysis, Preparation, and Presentation – were compared through the use of student learning logs, video analysis of the Presentations, and follow--‐up interviews with participants. The information and observations gathered were used to determine the level of understanding of each participant during each phase of the lab. The researcher then looked for improvement in the level of student understanding, the number of “aha” moments students had, and the students’ perceptions about which phase was most important to their learning. The results suggest that while all three phases of the White Boarding experience play a part in the learning process for students, the Presentations provided the most significant changes. The implications for instruction are discussed.

Past is Prologue: Montana’s Historic Women’s Movement Re-emerges in the Progressive 1970s -- Dorothy Bradley, Marilyn Wessel & Jane Jelinski “In the Crucible of Change”

One-hundred years ago, in 1914, male voters in Montana (MT) extended suffrage (voting rights) to women six years before the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified and provided that right to women in all states. The long struggle for women’s suffrage was energized in the progressive era and Jeanette Rankin of Missoula emerged as a leader of the campaign; in 1912 both major MT political party platforms supported women suffrage. In the 1914 election, 41,000 male voters supported woman suffrage while nearly 38,000 opposed it. MT was not only ahead of the curve on women suffrage, but just two years later in 1916 elected Jeanette Rankin as the first woman ever elected to the United States Congress. Rankin became a national leader for women's equality. In her commitment to equality, she opposed US entry into World War I, partially because she said she could not support men being made to go to war if women were not allowed to serve alongside them. During MT’s initial progressive era, women in MT not only pursued equality for themselves (the MT Legislature passed an equal pay act in 1919), but pursued other social improvements, such as temperance/prohibition. Well-known national women leaders such as Carrie Nation and others found a welcome in MT during the period. Women's role in the trade union movement was evidenced in MT by the creation of the Women's Protective Union in Butte, the first union in America dedicated solely to women workers. But Rankin’s defeat following her vote against World War I was used as a way for opponents to advocate a conservative, traditionalist perspective on women's rights in MT. Just as we then entered a period in MT where the “copper collar” was tightened around MT economically and politically by the Anaconda Company and its allies, we also found a different kind of conservative, traditionalist collar tightened around the necks of MT women. The recognition of women's role during World War II, represented by “Rosie the Riveter,” made it more difficult for that conservative, traditionalist approach to be forever maintained. In addition, women's role in MT agriculture – family farms and ranches -- spoke strongly to the concept of equality, as farm wives were clearly active partners in the agricultural enterprises. But rural MT was, by and large, the bastion of conservative values relative to the position of women in society. As the period of “In the Crucible of Change” began, the 1965 MT Legislature included only three women. In 1967 and 1969 only one woman legislator served. In 1971 the number went up to two, including one of our guests, Dorothy Bradley. It was only after the Constitutional Convention, which featured 19 women delegates, that the barrier was broken. The 1973 Legislature saw 9 women elected. The 1975 and 1977 sessions had 14 women legislators; 15 were elected for the 1979 session. At that time progressive women and men in the Legislature helped implement the equality provisions of the new MT Constitution, ratified the federal Equal Rights Amendment in 1974, and held back national and local conservatives forces which sought in later Legislatures to repeal that ratification. As with the national movement at the time, MT women sought and often succeeded in adopting legal mechanisms that protected women’s equality, while full equality in the external world remained (and remains) a treasured objective. The story of the re-emergence of Montana’s women’s movement in the 1970s is discussed in this chapter by three very successful and prominent women who were directly involved in the effort: Dorothy Bradley, Marilyn Wessel, and Jane Jelinski. Their recollections of the political, sociological and cultural path Montana women pursued in the 1970s and the challenges and opposition they faced provide an insider’s perspective of the battle for equality for women under the Big Sky “In the Crucible of Change.” Dorothy Bradley grew up in Bozeman, Montana; received her Bachelor of Arts Phi Beta Kappa from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, in 1969 with a Distinction in Anthropology; and her Juris Doctor from American University in Washington, D.C., in 1983. In 1970, at the age of 22, following the first Earth Day and running on an environmental platform, Ms. Bradley won a seat in the 1971 Montana House of Representatives where she served as the youngest member and only woman. Bradley established a record of achievement on environmental & progressive legislation for four terms, before giving up the seat to run a strong second to Pat Williams for the Democratic nomination for an open seat in Montana’s Western Congressional District. After becoming an attorney and an expert on water law, she returned to the Legislature for 4 more terms in the mid-to-late 1980s. Serving a total of eight terms, Dorothy was known for her leadership on natural resources, tax reform, economic development, and other difficult issues during which time she gained recognition for her consensus-building approach. Campaigning by riding her horse across the state, Dorothy was the Democratic nominee for Governor in 1992, losing the race by less than a percentage point. In 1993 she briefly taught at a small rural school next to the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. She was then hired as the Director of the Montana University System Water Center, an education and research arm of Montana State University. From 2000 - 2008 she served as the first Gallatin County Court Administrator with the task of collaboratively redesigning the criminal justice system. She currently serves on One Montana’s Board, is a National Advisor for the American Prairie Foundation, and is on NorthWestern Energy’s Board of Directors. Dorothy was recognized with an Honorary Doctorate from her alma mater, Colorado College, was named Business Woman of the Year by the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce and MSU Alumni Association, and was Montana Business and Professional Women’s Montana Woman of Achievement. Marilyn Wessel was born in Iowa, lived and worked in Los Angeles, California, and Washington, D.C. before moving to Bozeman in 1972. She has an undergraduate degree in journalism from Iowa State University, graduate degree in public administration from Montana State University, certification from the Harvard University Institute for Education Management, and served a senior internship with the U.S. Congress, Montana delegation. In Montana Marilyn has served in a number of professional positions, including part-time editor for the Montana Cooperative Extension Service, News Director for KBMN Radio, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Communications at Montana State University, Director of University Relations at Montana State University and Dean and Director of the Museum of the Rockies at MSU. Marilyn retired from MSU as Dean Emeritus in 2003. Her past Board Service includes Montana State Merit System Council, Montana Ambassadors, Vigilante Theater Company, Montana State Commission on Practice, Museum of the Rockies, Helena Branch of the Ninth District Federal Reserve Bank, Burton K. Wheeler Center for Public Policy, Bozeman Chamber of Commerce, and Friends of KUSM Public Television. Marilyn’s past publications and productions include several articles on communications and public administration issues as well as research, script preparation and presentation of several radio documentaries and several public television programs. She is co-author of one book, 4-H An American Idea: A History of 4-H. Marilyn’s other past volunteer activities and organizations include Business and Professional Women, Women's Political Caucus, League of Women Voters, and numerous political campaigns. She is currently engaged professionally in museum-related consulting and part-time teaching at Montana State University as well as serving on the Editorial Board of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and a member of Pilgrim Congregational Church and Family Promise. Marilyn and her husband Tom, a retired MSU professor, live in Bozeman. She enjoys time with her children and grandchildren, hiking, golf, Italian studies, cooking, gardening and travel. Jane Jelinski is a Wisconsin native, with a BA from Fontbonne College in St. Louis, MO who taught fifth and seventh grades prior to moving to Bozeman in 1973. A stay-at-home mom with a five year old daughter and an infant son, she was promptly recruited by the Gallatin Women’s Political Caucus to conduct a study of Sex-Role Stereotyping in K Through 6 Reading Text Books in the Bozeman School District. Sociologist Dr. Louise Hale designed the study and did the statistical analysis and Jane read all the texts, entered the data and wrote the report. It was widely disseminated across Montana and received attention of the press. Her next venture into community activism was to lead the successful effort to downzone her neighborhood which was under threat of encroaching business development. Today the neighborhood enjoys the protections of a Historic Preservation District. During this time she earned her MPA from Montana State University. Subsequently Jane founded the Gallatin Advocacy Program for Developmentally Disabled Adults in 1978 and served as its Executive Director until her appointment to the Gallatin County Commission in 1984, a controversial appointment which she chronicled in the Fall issue of the Gallatin History Museum Quarterly. Copies of the issue can be ordered through: http://gallatinhistorymuseum.org/the-museum-bookstore/shop/. Jane was re-elected three times as County Commissioner, serving fourteen years. She was active in the Montana Association of Counties (MACO) and was elected its President in 1994. She was also active in the National Association of Counties, serving on numerous policy committees. In 1998 Jane resigned from the County Commission 6 months before the end of her final term to accept the position of Assistant Director of MACO, from where she lobbied for counties, provided training and research for county officials, and published a monthly newsletter. In 2001 she became Director of the MSU Local Government Center where she continued to provide training and research for county and municipal officials across MT. There she initiated the Montana Mayors Academy in partnership with MMIA. She taught State and Local Government, Montana Politics and Public Administration in the MSU Political Science Department before retiring in 2008. Jane has been married to Jack for 46 years, has two grown children and three grandchildren.

High-field 1H T1 and T2 NMR Relaxation Time Measurements of H2O in Homeopathic Preparations of Quartz, Sulfur and Copper Sulfate

Quantitative meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials investigating the specific therapeutic efficacy of homeopathic remedies yielded statistically significant differences compared to placebo. Since the remedies used contained mostly only very low concentrations of pharmacologically active compounds, these effects cannot be accounted for within the framework of current pharmacology. Theories to explain clinical effects of homeopathic remedies are partially based upon changes in diluent structure. To investigate the latter, we measured for the first time high-field (600/500 MHz) 1H T1 and T2 nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation times of H2O in homeopathic preparations with concurrent contamination control by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Homeopathic preparations of quartz (10c–30c, n = 21, corresponding to iterative dilutions of 100−10–100−30), sulfur (13x–30x, n = 18, 10−13–10−30), and copper sulfate (11c–30c, n = 20, 100−11–100−30) were compared to n = 10 independent controls each (analogously agitated dilution medium) in randomized and blinded experiments. In none of the samples, the concentration of any element analyzed by ICP-MS exceeded 10 ppb. In the first measurement series (600 MHz), there was a significant increase in T1 for all samples as a function of time, and there were no significant differences between homeopathic potencies and controls. In the second measurement series (500 MHz) 1 year after preparation, we observed statistically significant increased T1 relaxation times for homeopathic sulfur preparations compared to controls. Fifteen out of 18 correlations between sample triplicates were higher for controls than for homeopathic preparations. No conclusive explanation for these phenomena can be given at present. Possible hypotheses involve differential leaching from the measurement vessel walls or a change in water molecule dynamics, i.e., in rotational correlation time and/or diffusion. Homeopathic preparations thus may exhibit specific physicochemical properties that need to be determined in detail in future investigations.