Optimized spectrally selective steady-state free precession sequences for cartilage imaging at ultra-high fields

Object: Fat suppressed 3D steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequences are of special interest in cartilage imaging due to their short repetition time in combination with high signal-to-noise ratio. At low-to-high fields (1.5-2.0T), spectral spatial (spsp) radio frequency (RF) pulses perform superiorly over conventional saturation of the fat signal (FATSAT pulses). However, ultra-high fields (7.0T and more) may offer alternative fat suppression techniques as a result of the increased chemical shift. Materials and methods: Application of a single, frequency selective, RF pulse is compared to spsp excitation for water (or fat) selective imaging at 7.0T. Results: For SSFP, application of a single frequency selective RF pulse for selective water or fat excitation performs beneficially over the commonly applied spsp RF pulses. In addition to the overall improved fat suppression, the application of single RF pulses leads to decreased power depositions, still representing one of the major restrictions in the design and application of many pulse sequences at ultra-high fields. Conclusion: The ease of applicability and implementation of single frequency selective RF pulses at ultra-high-fields might be of great benefit for a vast number of applications where fat suppression is desirable or fat-water separation is needed for quantification purpose

Toxic Substances

This part of the CBP Synthesis Report summarizes and integrates the research findings and reconnnendations of 13 projects of the Chesapeake Bay Toxic Substances Program performed between July 1978 and October 1981. The following sections describe research on potentially toxic substances, or toxicants, in water-sediments and selected biota. The subjects considered include a brief review of metals, their sources, distribution and behavior, and then a review of sources and distribution of organic chemicals. Finally, information concerning the significance of toxicants in the- Bay and their pattern of enrichment is provided. Most information synthesized in this report can be traced to its origin in scientific project reports listed in Appendix A.https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsbooks/1097/thumbnail.jp

Organic compounds in surface sediments and oyster tissues from the Chesapeake Bay

This report contains three parts. In Part I, the methodology to extract and analyze sediment and oyster tissue samples from the Chesapeake Bay is described in detail. Remaining problems are clearly identified. Part II contains the results and their discussion. Part III contains a number of appendices with detailed data. For those readers interested in still more detail, the complete bank of processed data is on computer tapes at this institute and at the Environmental Protection Agency-Chesapeake Bay Program office at Annapolis, Maryland. Also included in Part III we give the results of volatile halogenated organic compounds determined in water collected near the outfalls of several chlorine using facilities as well as from river mouths. The distribution of the total and a few specific organic compounds within the Bay is presented by histograms. Mass spectrometric analyses clearly reveal the fact that one specific class of organic compounds, hydrocarbons, are the most prominent pollutants in the Bay. The application of two different search routines, one concentrating on compounds at levels \u3e50 ppb and the other on temporal changes, allows a quick determination of areas where problems may exist and where additional research may be indicated. Two unusual sediment samples collected during the fall 1979 cruise are discussed separately: Sample 2-19-S which clearly indicates a recent dumping of DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls, and Sample 2-27-S which contained very high concentrations of unsubstituted polynuclear aromatics

The Present State of Organic Xenobiotics in the Chesapeake Bay - A Synthesis Paper

This manuscript discusses the results of the first two and one half years of a three-year study designed to determine the present state of xenobiotic compounds in the Chesapeake Bay. It shows that polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons are the most frequently encountered compounds and are the most abundant. Concentrations are highest in the Northern Bay with several sources implicated. During this study an apparent dumping of the pesticide, DDT, occurred. Either the quantity disposed of was small enough or the assimulation capacity was large enough that no adverse effects were noted. The detection by us of 6-phenyldodecane in bottom sediments of the Patapsco River and its detection in a nearby industrial outfall by the Monsanto Research Corporation shows that chemicals entering the River can be dispersed throughout the system and can enter the Chesapeake Bay

On the Nonlinear Stability of Asymptotically Anti-de Sitter Solutions

Despite the recent evidence that anti-de Sitter spacetime is nonlinearly unstable, we argue that many asymptotically anti-de Sitter solutions are nonlinearly stable. This includes geons, boson stars, and black holes. As part of our argument, we calculate the frequencies of long-lived gravitational quasinormal modes of AdS black holes in various dimensions. We also discuss a new class of asymptotically anti-de Sitter solutions describing noncoalescing black hole binaries.Comment: 26 pages. 5 figure

Variable echo time imaging for detecting the short T2* components of the sciatic nerve: a validation study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop and validate an MRI protocol based on a variable echo time (vTE) sensitive to the short T2* components of the sciatic nerve. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 healthy subjects (M/F: 9/6; age: 21-62) were scanned at 3T targeting the sciatic nerve at the thigh bilaterally, using a dual echo variable echo time (vTE) sequence (based on a spoiled gradient echo acquisition) with echo times of 0.98/5.37 ms. Apparent T2* (aT2*) values of the sciatic nerves were calculated with a mono-exponential fit and used for data comparison. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in aT2* related to side, sex, age, and BMI, even though small differences for side were reported. Good-to-excellent repeatability and reproducibility were found for geometry of ROIs (Dice indices: intra-rater 0.68-0.7; inter-rater 0.70-0.72) and the related aT2* measures (intra-inter reader ICC 0.95-0.97; 0.66-0.85) from two different operators. Side-related signal-to-noise-ratio non-significant differences were reported, while contrast-to-noise-ratio measures were excellent both for side and echo. DISCUSSION: Our study introduces a novel MR sequence sensitive to the short T2* components of the sciatic nerve and may be used for the study of peripheral nerve disorders

In-vivo assessment of normal T1 values of the right-ventricular myocardium by cardiac MRI

To test feasibility of myocardial T1 mapping of the right ventricle (RV) at systole when myocardium is more compact and to determine the most appropriate imaging plane. 20 healthy volunteers (11 men; 33±8years) were imaged on a 1.5T scanner (MAGNETOM Avanto, Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany). A modified look-locker inversion-recovery sequence was acquired at mid-ventricular short axis (SAX), as horizontal long-axis view and as transversal view at systole (mean trigger time 363±37ms). Myocardial T1 time of the left-ventricular and RV myocardium was measured within a region of interest (ROI) on generated T1-maps. The most appropriate imaging plane for the RV was determined by the ability to draw a ROI including the largest amount of myocardium without including adjacent tissue or blood. At systole, when myocardium is thicker, measurements of the RV myocardium were feasible in 18/20 subjects. Average size of the ROI was 0.42±0.28cm2. In 10/18 subjects, short axis was the most appropriate imaging plane to obtain measurements (p=0.034). Average T1 time of the RV myocardium was 1,016±61ms, and average T1 of the left-ventricular (LV) was 956±25ms (p<0.001). T1 mapping of the RV myocardium is feasible during systole in the majority of healthy subjects but with a small ROI only. SAX plane was the optimal imaging plane in the majority of subjects. Native myocardial T1 time of the RV is significantly longer compared to the LV, which might be explained by the naturally higher collagen content of the RV

A Nonzero Gap Two-Dimensional Carbon Allotrope from Porous Graphene

Graphene is considered one of the most promising materials for future electronic. However, in its pristine form graphene is a gapless material, which imposes limitations to its use in some electronic applications. In order to solve this problem many approaches have been tried, such as, physical and chemical functionalizations. These processes compromise some of the desirable graphene properties. In this work, based on ab initio quantum molecular dynamics, we showed that a two-dimensional carbon allotrope, named biphenylene carbon (BPC) can be obtained from selective dehydrogenation of porous graphene. BPC presents a nonzero bandgap and well-delocalized frontier orbitals. Synthetic routes to BPC are also addressed.Comment: Published on J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116 (23), pp 12810-1281

Contrast agent-free functional magnetic resonance imaging with matrix pencil decomposition to quantify abnormalities in lung perfusion and ventilation in patients with cystic fibrosis

BackgroundPrevious studies showed that contrast-enhanced (CE) morpho-functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detects abnormalities in lung morphology and perfusion in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Novel matrix pencil decomposition MRI (MP-MRI) enables quantification of lung perfusion and ventilation without intravenous contrast agent administration.ObjectivesTo compare MP-MRI with established morpho-functional MRI and spirometry in patients with CF.MethodsThirty-nine clinically stable patients with CF (mean age 21.6 ± 10.7 years, range 8–45 years) prospectively underwent morpho-functional MRI including CE perfusion MRI, MP-MRI and spirometry. Two blinded chest radiologists assessed morpho-functional MRI and MP-MRI employing the validated chest MRI score. In addition, MP-MRI data were processed by automated software calculating perfusion defect percentage (QDP) and ventilation defect percentage (VDP).ResultsMP perfusion score and QDP correlated strongly with the CE perfusion score (both r = 0.81; p &lt; 0.01). MP ventilation score and VDP showed strong inverse correlations with percent predicted FEV1 (r = −0.75 and r = −0.83; p &lt; 0.01). The comparison of visual and automated parameters showed that both MP perfusion score and QDP, and MP ventilation score and VDP were strongly correlated (r = 0.74 and r = 0.78; both p &lt; 0.01). Further, the MP perfusion score and MP ventilation score, as well as QDP and VDP were strongly correlated (r = 0.88 and r = 0.86; both p &lt; 0.01).ConclusionMP-MRI detects abnormalities in lung perfusion and ventilation in patients with CF without intravenous or inhaled contrast agent application, and correlates strongly with the well-established CE perfusion MRI score and spirometry. Automated analysis of MP-MRI may serve as quantitative noninvasive outcome measure for diagnostic monitoring and clinical trials