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Topographic Pattern (topographic + pattern)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences42%
Polymers and Materials Science28%

Selected Abstracts

Hierarchically Ordered Topographic Patterns via Plasmonic Mask Photolithography

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 19 2009
Woo Soo Kim
By employing a block copolymer to spatially organize silver nanoparticles, laser light can be concentrated via plasmon resonance to locally expose a photoresist. By subsequent development, this plasmonic lithography can provide deep subwavelength scale features. [source]

Topographic Patterns of Small Subcortical Infarcts Associated with MCA Stenosis: A Diffusion-Weighted MRI Study

JOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 3 2006
Xin Wang MD
ABSTRACT Background and Purpose. Small subcortical infarcts (SSI, maximum lesion diameter ,2.0 cm) are usually considered as infarcts caused by small vessel disease. However, SSI can also be associated with large artery occlusive disease such as middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis. We performed a prospective study to investigate the relationship between MCA stenosis and SSI distribution and further to investigate the mechanism of SSI caused by MCA stenosis. Methods. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and diffusion-weighed MRI (DWI) of consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients with recent SSI were studied. The distribution of acute infarcts on DWI was categorized as cortical infarct (CI), border zone infarct (BI), or perforating artery infarct (PAI). Results. Totally, 93 cases were recruited, among which 12 had single SSI with MCA stenosis (group 1) and 26 patients had multiple SSI with MCA stenosis (group 2), while 55 patients without MCA stenosis had single SSI (group 3). For patients with single SSI and MCA stenosis, 6 had BI and 6 had PAI; for patients with multiple SSI and MCA stenosis, 25 had BI, 4 had PAI and 9 had CI (compared with group1: P= .001); for patients with single SSI but without MCA stenosis, 20 had BI and 35 had PAI (compared with group1: P= .58). Conclusion. Multiple acute infarcts along the border zone are the commonest pattern in small infarcts with MCA stenosis, especially among those with multiple acute infarcts. Our data suggest that hemodynamic compromise and artery-to-artery embolism may be both important factors for infarcts in patients with MCA stenosis. [source]

Heterogeneity, speciation/extinction history and climate: explaining regional plant diversity patterns in the Cape Floristic Region

DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2002
R. M. Cowling
Abstract. This paper investigates the role of heterogeneity and speciation/extinction history in explaining variation in regional scale (c. 0.1,3000 km2) plant diversity in the Cape Floristic Region of south-western Africa, a species- and endemic-rich biogeographical region. We used species-area analysis and analysis of covariance to investigate geographical (east vs. west) and topographic (lowland vs. montane) patterns of diversity. We used community diversity as a surrogate for biological heterogeneity, and the diversity of naturally rare species in quarter degree squares as an indicator of differences in speciation/extinction histories across the study region. We then used standard statistical methods to analyse geographical and topographic patterns of these two measures. There was a clear geographical diversity pattern (richer in the west), while a topographic pattern (richer in mountains) was evident only in the west. The geographical boundary coincided with a transition from the reliable winter-rainfall zone (west) to the less reliable non-seasonal rainfall zone (east). Community diversity, or biological heterogeneity, showed no significant variation in relation to geography and topography. Diversity patterns of rare species mirrored the diversity pattern for all species. We hypothesize that regional diversity patterns are the product of different speciation and extinction histories, leading to different steady-state diversities. Greater Pleistocene climatic stability in the west would have resulted in higher rates of speciation and lower rates of extinction than in the east, where for the most, Pleistocene climates would not have favoured Cape lineages. A more parsimonious hypothesis is that the more predictable seasonal rainfall of the west would have favoured non-sprouting plants and that this, in turn, resulted in higher speciation and lower extinction rates. Both hypotheses are consistent with the higher incidence of rare species in the west, and higher levels of beta and gamma diversity there, associated with the turnover of species along environmental and geographical gradients, respectively. These rare species do not contribute to community patterns; hence, biological heterogeneity is uniform across the region. The weak topography pattern of diversity in the west arises from higher speciation rates and lower extinction rates in the topographically complex mountains, rather than from the influence of environmental heterogeneity on diversity. [source]

No cerebrocervical venous congestion in patients with multiple sclerosis,

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2010
Florian Doepp MD
Objective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by demyelination centered around cerebral veins. Recent studies suggested this topographic pattern may be caused by venous congestion, a condition termed chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). Published sonographic criteria of CCSVI include reflux in the deep cerebral veins and/or the internal jugular and vertebral veins (IJVs and VVs), stenosis of the IJVs, missing flow in IJVs and VVs, and inverse postural response of the cerebral venous drainage. Methods: We performed an extended extra- and transcranial color-coded sonography study including analysis of extracranial venous blood volume flow (BVF), cross-sectional areas, IJV flow analysis during Valsalva maneuver (VM), and CCSVI criteria. Fifty-six MS patients and 20 controls were studied. Results: Except for 1 patient, blood flow direction in the IJVs and VVs was normal in all subjects. In none of the subjects was IJV stenosis detected. IJV and VV BVF in both groups was equal in the supine body position. The decrease of total jugular BVF on turning into the upright position was less pronounced in patients (173 ± 235 vs 362 ± 150ml/min, p < 0.001), leading to higher BVF in the latter position (318ml/min ± 242 vs 123 ± 109ml/min; p < 0.001). No differences between groups were seen in intracranial veins and during VM. None of the subjects investigated in this study fulfilled >1 criterion for CCSVI. Interpretation: Our results challenge the hypothesis that cerebral venous congestion plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of MS. Future studies should elucidate the difference between patients and healthy subjects in BVF regulation. ANN NEUROL 2010;68:173,183 [source]

4337: Epidemiological and scanning-slit topography variables in keratoconus

ACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 2010
N CORTES MORA
Purpose To identify and to correlate epidemiological and scanning-slit topographical variables of keratoconus in a homogeneous caucasian population from Valladolid, Spain. Methods Retrospective, cohort study of a group of keratoconic patients followed at the Ocular Surface Unit in the Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid. Clinical records were reviewed to get information about: age, gender, central corneal thickness (CCT), thinnest corneal thickness (TCT), anterior best fit sphere (aBFS), posterior best fit sphere (pBFS), steepest simulated K (SSK), flattest simulated K (FSK), mean k at 3 and 5 mm (M3, M5), irregularity index at 3 and 5mm (II3, II5) and topographical pattern in the keratometric map. Correlation analysis were made among the variables mentioned above. Results Two hundred and two patients were included, 116 men and 86 women. There were differences in CCT (p<0,001), TCT (p<0,001), aBFS (p<0,001), pBFS (p<0,001), SSK (p<0,001), FSK (p<0,001), M3 (p<0,001) and M5 (p<0,001) between men and women. There was no correlation between age and the other studied variables (p>0,05). The most prevalent topographic pattern was asymmetric bow tie with skewed radial axes (ABT SRAX) (34,1%), followed by inferior steepening (32,7%). The central nipple pattern presented the more advanced values in all the studied variables. Conclusion Keratoconus is more frequent in males, however, women revealed more advanced values in scanning-slit topography variables. Sex could be a prognostic factor in the evolution of keratoconic patients from Valladolid. [source]

Heterogeneity, speciation/extinction history and climate: explaining regional plant diversity patterns in the Cape Floristic Region

DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS, Issue 3 2002
R. M. Cowling
Abstract. This paper investigates the role of heterogeneity and speciation/extinction history in explaining variation in regional scale (c. 0.1,3000 km2) plant diversity in the Cape Floristic Region of south-western Africa, a species- and endemic-rich biogeographical region. We used species-area analysis and analysis of covariance to investigate geographical (east vs. west) and topographic (lowland vs. montane) patterns of diversity. We used community diversity as a surrogate for biological heterogeneity, and the diversity of naturally rare species in quarter degree squares as an indicator of differences in speciation/extinction histories across the study region. We then used standard statistical methods to analyse geographical and topographic patterns of these two measures. There was a clear geographical diversity pattern (richer in the west), while a topographic pattern (richer in mountains) was evident only in the west. The geographical boundary coincided with a transition from the reliable winter-rainfall zone (west) to the less reliable non-seasonal rainfall zone (east). Community diversity, or biological heterogeneity, showed no significant variation in relation to geography and topography. Diversity patterns of rare species mirrored the diversity pattern for all species. We hypothesize that regional diversity patterns are the product of different speciation and extinction histories, leading to different steady-state diversities. Greater Pleistocene climatic stability in the west would have resulted in higher rates of speciation and lower rates of extinction than in the east, where for the most, Pleistocene climates would not have favoured Cape lineages. A more parsimonious hypothesis is that the more predictable seasonal rainfall of the west would have favoured non-sprouting plants and that this, in turn, resulted in higher speciation and lower extinction rates. Both hypotheses are consistent with the higher incidence of rare species in the west, and higher levels of beta and gamma diversity there, associated with the turnover of species along environmental and geographical gradients, respectively. These rare species do not contribute to community patterns; hence, biological heterogeneity is uniform across the region. The weak topography pattern of diversity in the west arises from higher speciation rates and lower extinction rates in the topographically complex mountains, rather than from the influence of environmental heterogeneity on diversity. [source]

Reactive Imprint Lithography: Combined Topographical Patterning and Chemical Surface Functionalization of Polystyrene- block -poly(tert -butyl acrylate) Films

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 3 2010
Joost Duvigneau
Abstract Here, reactive imprint lithography (RIL) is introduced as a new, one-step lithographic tool for the fabrication of large-area topographically patterned, chemically activated polymer platforms. Films of polystyrene- block -poly(tert -butyl acrylate) (PS- b -PtBA) are imprinted with PDMS master stamps at temperatures above the corresponding glass transition and chemical deprotection temperatures to yield structured films with exposed carboxylic acid and anhydride groups. Faithful pattern transfer is confirmed by AFM analyses. Transmission-mode FTIR spectra shows a conversion of over 95% of the tert -butyl ester groups after RIL at 230,°C for 5 minutes and a significantly reduced conversion to anhydride compared to thermolysis of neat films with free surfaces in air or nitrogen. An enrichment of the surface layer in PS is detected by angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In order to demonstrate application potentials of the activated platforms, a 7,nm,±,1,nm thick NH2 -terminated PEG layer (grafting density of 0.9 chains nm,2) is covalently grafted to RIL-activated substrates. This layer reduces the non-specific adsorption (NSA) of bovine serum albumin by 95% to a residual mass coverage of 9.1,±,2.9,ng cm,2. As shown by these examples, RIL comprises an attractive complementary approach to produce bio-reactive polymer surfaces with topographic patterns in a one-step process. [source]