In this paper, the design and performance of a collimated Knudsen source, which has the benefit of a simple design over recirculating sources, is discussed. Measurements of the flux, transverse velocity distribution, and brightness of the resulting rubidium beam at different source temperatures were conducted to evaluate the performance. The scaling of the flux and brightness with the source temperature follows the theoretical predictions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Vascular calcification is associated with poor cardiovascular outcome. Histochemical analysis of calcification and the expression of proteins involved in mineralization are usually based on whole section analysis, thereby often ignoring regional differences in atherosclerotic lesions. At present, limited information is available about factors involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough calcium (Ca) precipitation may play a pathogenic role in atherosclerosis, information on temporal patterns of microcalcifications in human coronary arteries, their relation to expression of calcification-regulating proteins, and colocalization with iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) is scarce. Human coronary arteries were analyzed post mortem with a proton microprobe for element concentrations and stained (immuno)histochemically for morphological and calcification-regulating proteins. Microcalcifications were occasionally observed in preatheroma type I atherosclerotic intimal lesions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvidence is accumulating that calcium-rich microdeposits in the vascular wall might play a crucial role in the onset and progression of atherosclerosis. Here we investigated an atherosclerotic lesion of the carotid artery in an established murine model, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To investigate the potential of gadofosveset for contrast material-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of plaque in a rabbit model of atherosclerosis.
Materials And Methods: All experiments were approved by the animal ethics committee. Thirty-one New Zealand White rabbits were included in one of four study groups: animals with atherosclerosis imaged with gadofosveset (n = 10) or gadopentetate dimeglumine (n = 7) and control animals imaged with gadofosveset (n = 7) or gadopentetate dimeglumine (n = 7).
The current paradigm reads that calcifications characterize the advanced and complex lesions in the atherosclerotic process. To explore the possibility that coronary artery wall calcifications already commence at an early stage of atherosclerosis, a combination of proton beam techniques with a (sub-) micrometer resolution, i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe value of the mutual diffusion coefficient DV of two acrylic monomers is determined with nuclear microprobe measurements on a set of polymer films. These films have been prepared by allowing the monomers to diffuse into each other for a certain time and subsequently applying fast ultraviolet photo-polymerization, which freezes the concentration profile. The monomer diffusion profiles are studied with a scanning 2.
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