Superpositively charged mutants of green fluorescent protein (GFP) demonstrated a dramatically improved chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI contrast compared to their wild type counterparts. The mutants +36 GFP and +48 GFP were successfully expressed in mammalian cells and retained part of their fluorescence, making them a new potential bimodal reporter gene.

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) of metabolite protons that undergo exchange processes with the abundant water pool enables a specific contrast for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The CEST image contrast depends on physical and physiological parameters that characterize the microenvironment such as temperature, pH, and metabolite concentration. However, CEST imaging in vivo is a c...

This paper examines the cross-sectional relation between corporate governance and firm liquidity in the Chinese stock market. Each year we construct a measure of overall quality of governance based on publicly available information for each firm listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange (SHSE) and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) over the 1999-2004 interval. After accounting for other liquidity-r...

The objectives of this study are to measure the level of voluntary disclosure provided in the annual reports of Jordanian companies and to examine the impact of disclosure level on the stock market liquidity using Jordanian data. To achieve the first objective, a self-constructed disclosure index consisting of 62 items was applied to the annual reports of 60 Jordanian non-financial companies li...

Natural montmorillonite was modified with a quaternary ammonium compound, hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA). The sedimentation capabilities of unmodified and modified montmorillonites were then investigated. The sedimentation velocity of modified montmorillonites increased if the amounts of adsorbed HDTMA were from 0.3 to 1.0 times the cation exchange capacitity (CEC). It also emerged that the...

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI is a versatile imaging technique for measuring microenvironment properties via dilute CEST labile groups. Conventionally, CEST MRI is implemented with a long radiofrequency irradiation module, followed by fast image acquisition to obtain the steady state CEST contrast. Nevertheless, the sensitivity, scan time, and spatial coverage of the conventi...

Eleven onshore mud volcanoes in the southern region of Trinidad have been studied as analog habitats for possible microbial life on Mars. The profiles of the 11 mud volcanoes are presented in terms of their physical, chemical, mineralogical, and soil properties. The mud volcanoes sampled all emitted methane gas consistently at 3% volume. The average pH for the mud volcanic soil was 7.98. The av...

The objective of this study is to provide a systematic review of studies on patient satisfaction with telemedicine. The review included empirical studies that investigated patient satisfaction with that telemedicine service. The search strategy involved matching at least one of 11 'telemedicine' terms with one of 5 'satisfaction' terms. The following databases were searched: Telemedicine Inform...

We conducted a review to establish the range and scope of current telemedicine guidelines and standards. Published guidelines were identified by searching the Medline and Telemedicine Information Exchange (TIE) databases, and by performing a Google search using the term 'telemedicine guidelines'. Three types of guidelines were identified, namely clinical, operational and technical. Clinical gui...

Active drug users—whom I here roughly categorize as habituated, addicted, or dependent (HAD) users who are not currently inclined to abandon their use of such drugs1—may desire individually or collectively to assert themselves in the wider social world of work and social policy. Drug-dependent individuals may seek work in harm reduction centers or as custodians, accountants, or doctors. Activis...