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Contains fulltext : 196944.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access), Disorders of the lungs such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality and the third leading cause of death in the world. The absence of sensitive diagnostic tests for early disease stages of COPD results in under-diagnosis of this treatable disease in an estimated 60-85% of the patients. In recent years a grating-based approach to X-ray dark-field contrast imaging has shown to be very sensitive for the detection and quantification of pulmonary emphysema in small animal models. However, translation of this technique to imaging systems suitable for humans remains challenging and has not yet been reported. In this manuscript, we present the first X-ray dark-field images of in-situ human lungs in a deceased body, demonstrating the feasibility of X-ray dark-field chest radiography on a human scale. Results were correlated with findings of computed tomography imaging and autopsy. The performance of the experimental radiography setup allows acquisition of multi-contrast chest X-ray images within clinical boundary conditions, including radiation dose. Upcoming clinical studies will have to demonstrate that this technology has the potential to improve early diagnosis of COPD and pulmonary diseases in general.

The single-track rail underpass in Sydney, Australia, consists of a dive structure at each end of a 148 m long tunnel skewed under three live railway tracks. The tunnel is 8 m high and 9 m wide with a horseshoe profile and was excavated by full face using a roadheader. The ground cover was in the range 2.5-3.5 m and settlements were 5-15 mm. Site investigations using boreholes and test pit excavations were used to develop a geological model for the long section and cross sections through the tunnel taken at 10 m intervals. Finite element analysis showed that the maximum compressive stresses in the shotcrete tunnel lining were a little under 4 MPa so that the shotcrete had to gain an early strength of 6 MPa, aided with the use of an accelerator, before the next excavation cycle could begin. The strength level was achieved after about seven hours. The shotcrete mix included fly ash and silica fume to provide a design life of 100 years. A canopy tube array was installed ahead of the excavation to ensure that, even during the excavation process, there was little opportunity for ground movement prior to the placement of shotcrete. A comprehensive monitoring programme for the tunnel was developed, including face mapping., The single-track rail underpass in Sydney, Australia, consists of a dive structure at each end of a 148 m long tunnel skewed under three live railway tracks. The tunnel is 8 m high and 9 m wide with a horseshoe profile and was excavated by full face using a roadheader. The ground cover was in the range 2.5-3.5 m and settlements were 5-15 mm. Site investigations using boreholes and test pit excavations were used to develop a geological model for the long section and cross sections through the tunnel taken at 10 m intervals. Finite element analysis showed that the maximum compressive stresses in the shotcrete tunnel lining were a little under 4 MPa so that the shotcrete had to gain an early strength of 6 MPa, aided with the use of an accelerator, before the next excavation cycle could begin. The strength level was achieved after about seven hours. The shotcrete mix included fly ash and silica fume to provide a design life of 100 years. A canopy tube array was installed ahead of the excavation to ensure that, even during the excavation process, there was little opportunity for ground movement prior to the placement of shotcrete. A comprehensive monitoring programme for the tunnel was developed, including face mapping.

The estimation of accuracy and applicability of QSAR and QSPR models for biological and physicochemical properties represents a critical problem. The developed parameter of “distance to model” (DM) is defined as a metric of similarity between the training and test set compounds that have been subjected to QSAR/QSPR modeling. In our previous work, we demonstrated the utility and optimal performance of DM metrics that have been based on the standard deviation within an ensemble of QSAR models. The current study applies such analysis to 30 QSAR models for the Ames mutagenicity data set that were previously reported within the 2009 QSAR challenge. We demonstrate that the DMs based on an ensemble (consensus) model provide systematically better performance than other DMs. The presented approach identifies 30-60% of compounds having an accuracy of prediction similar to the interlaboratory accuracy of the Ames test, which is estimated to be 90%. Thus, the in silico predictions can be used to halve the cost of experimental measurements by providing a similar prediction accuracy. The developed model has been made publicly available at http://ochem.eu/models/1

Coal (41%) and Cu (24%) are the dominant commodities in relation to the value of mineral production in the province. Highland Valley Copper is to extend mining to 2013 and development and exploration have been carried out at the Highmont East pit and Highmont South area, targeting Mo. Other projects and prospects described include Galore Creek and New Alton (porphyry Cu-Au), Davidson, Highmont West, MAX and Ruby Creek (porphyry Mo), Red Chris (Cu-Au), Kinaskan (porphyry Cu-Au), Kutcho Creek (massive sulphide) Schaft Creek (Cu-Mo-Au), Keir-Sulphurets (porphyry Cu- Au), Summit Lake (Au), Mount Klappen (coal), Akie (Zn-Pb-Ag), Kemess North (Au-Cu), Lorraine, Osilinka, Mount Michigan and Morrison (porphyry Cu-Au) and Spanish Mountain (Au)., Coal (41%) and Cu (24%) are the dominant commodities in relation to the value of mineral production in the province. Highland Valley Copper is to extend mining to 2013 and development and exploration have been carried out at the Highmont East pit and Highmont South area, targeting Mo. Other projects and prospects described include Galore Creek and New Alton (porphyry Cu-Au), Davidson, Highmont West, MAX and Ruby Creek (porphyry Mo), Red Chris (Cu-Au), Kinaskan (porphyry Cu-Au), Kutcho Creek (massive sulphide) Schaft Creek (Cu-Mo-Au), Keir-Sulphurets (porphyry Cu- Au), Summit Lake (Au), Mount Klappen (coal), Akie (Zn-Pb-Ag), Kemess North (Au-Cu), Lorraine, Osilinka, Mount Michigan and Morrison (porphyry Cu-Au) and Spanish Mountain (Au).