Robust volume-targeted balanced steady-state free-precession coronary magnetic resonance angiography in a breathhold at 3.0 Tesla: a reproducibility study.

BACKGROUND: Transient balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) has shown substantial promise for noninvasive assessment of coronary arteries but its utilization at 3.0 T and above has been hampered by susceptibility to field inhomogeneities that degrade image quality. The purpose of this work was to refine, implement, and test a robust, practical single-breathhold bSSFP coronary MRA sequence at 3.0 T and to test the reproducibility of the technique. METHODS: A 3D, volume-targeted, high-resolution bSSFP sequence was implemented. Localized image-based shimming was performed to minimize inhomogeneities of both the static magnetic field and the radio frequency excitation field. Fifteen healthy volunteers and three patients with coronary artery disease underwent examination with the bSSFP sequence (scan time = 20.5 ± 2.0 seconds), and acquisitions were repeated in nine subjects. The images were quantitatively analyzed using a semi-automated software tool, and the repeatability and reproducibility of measurements were determined using regression analysis and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), in a blinded manner. RESULTS: The 3D bSSFP sequence provided uniform, high-quality depiction of coronary arteries (n = 20). The average visible vessel length of 100.5 ± 6.3 mm and sharpness of 55 ± 2% compared favorably with earlier reported navigator-gated bSSFP and gradient echo sequences at 3.0 T. Length measurements demonstrated a highly statistically significant degree of inter-observer (r = 0.994, ICC = 0.993), intra-observer (r = 0.894, ICC = 0.896), and inter-scan concordance (r = 0.980, ICC = 0.974). Furthermore, ICC values demonstrated excellent intra-observer, inter-observer, and inter-scan agreement for vessel diameter measurements (ICC = 0.987, 0.976, and 0.961, respectively), and vessel sharpness values (ICC = 0.989, 0.938, and 0.904, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The 3D bSSFP acquisition, using a state-of-the-art MR scanner equipped with recently available technologies such as multi-transmit, 32-channel cardiac coil, and localized B0 and B1+ shimming, allows accelerated and reproducible multi-segment assessment of the major coronary arteries at 3.0 T in a single breathhold. This rapid sequence may be especially useful for functional imaging of the coronaries where the acquisition time is limited by the stress duration and in cases where low navigator-gating efficiency prohibits acquisition of a free breathing scan in a reasonable time period

Spatially selective implementation of the adiabatic T2 prep sequence for magnetic resonance angiography of the coronary arteries.

In coronary magnetic resonance angiography, a magnetization-preparation scheme for T2 -weighting (T2 Prep) is widely used to enhance contrast between the coronary blood-pool and the myocardium. This prepulse is commonly applied without spatial selection to minimize flow sensitivity, but the nonselective implementation results in a reduced magnetization of the in-flowing blood and a related penalty in signal-to-noise ratio. It is hypothesized that a spatially selective T2 Prep would leave the magnetization of blood outside the T2 Prep volume unaffected and thereby lower the signal-to-noise ratio penalty. To test this hypothesis, a spatially selective T2 Prep was implemented where the user could freely adjust angulation and position of the T2 Prep slab to avoid covering the ventricular blood-pool and saturating the in-flowing spins. A time gap of 150 ms was further added between the T2 Prep and other prepulses to allow for in-flow of a larger volume of unsaturated spins. Consistent with numerical simulation, the spatially selective T2 Prep increased in vivo human coronary artery signal-to-noise ratio (42.3 ± 2.9 vs. 31.4 ± 2.2, n = 22, P < 0.0001) and contrast-to-noise-ratio (18.6 ± 1.5 vs. 13.9 ± 1.2, P = 0.009) as compared to those of the nonselective T2 Prep. Additionally, a segmental analysis demonstrated that the spatially selective T2 Prep was most beneficial in proximal and mid segments where the in-flowing blood volume was largest compared to the distal segments. Magn Reson Med, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Regional coronary endothelial function is closely related to local early coronary atherosclerosis in patients with mild coronary artery disease: pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Coronary endothelial function is abnormal in patients with established coronary artery disease and was recently shown by MRI to relate to the severity of luminal stenosis. Recent advances in MRI now allow the noninvasive assessment of both anatomic and functional (endothelial function) changes that previously required invasive studies. We tested the hypothesis that abnormal coronary endothelial function is related to measures of early atherosclerosis such as increased coronary wall thickness. METHODS AND RESULTS: Seventeen arteries in 14 healthy adults and 17 arteries in 14 patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease were studied. To measure endothelial function, coronary MRI was performed before and during isometric handgrip exercise, an endothelial-dependent stressor, and changes in coronary cross-sectional area and flow were measured. Black blood imaging was performed to quantify coronary wall thickness and indices of arterial remodeling. The mean stress-induced change in cross-sectional area was significantly higher in healthy adults (13.5%±12.8%, mean±SD, n=17) than in those with mildly diseased arteries (-2.2%±6.8%, P<0.0001, n=17). Mean coronary wall thickness was lower in healthy subjects (0.9±0.2 mm) than in patients with coronary artery disease (1.4±0.3 mm, P<0.0001). In contrast to healthy subjects, stress-induced changes in cross-sectional area, a measure of coronary endothelial function, correlated inversely with coronary wall thickness in patients with coronary artery disease (r=-0.73, P=0.0008). CONCLUSIONS: There is an inverse relationship between coronary endothelial function and local coronary wall thickness in patients with coronary artery disease but not in healthy adults. These findings demonstrate that local endothelial-dependent functional changes are related to the extent of early anatomic atherosclerosis in mildly diseased arteries. This combined MRI approach enables the anatomic and functional investigation of early coronary disease

Dynamics and vibration analysis of the interface between a non-rigid sphere and omnidirectional wheel actuators

This paper presents analysis of the dynamics and vibration of an orientation motion platform utilizing a sphere actuated by omnidirectional wheels. The purpose of the analysis is to serve as a design tool for the construction of a six-degree-of-freedom motion platform with unlimited rotational motion. The equations of motion are presented taking flexibility of the system into account. The behaviour of the system is illustrated by sample configurations with a range of omnidirectional wheel types and geometries. Vibration analysis follows, and

Atlas motion platform generalized kinematic model: Atlas motion platform

Conventional training simulators commonly use a hexapod configuration to provide motion cues. While widely used, studies have shown that hexapods are incapable of producing the range of motion required to achieve high fidelity simulation required in many applications. A novel alternative is the Atlas motion platform. This paper presents a new generalized kinematic model of the platform which can be applied to any spherical platform actuated by three omnidirectional wheels. In addition, conditions for slip-free and singularity-free motions are identified. Two illustrative examples are given for different omnidirectional wheel configurations

Nano-Immunodetection and Quantification of Mycobacteria in Metalworking Fluids

The accurate detection and enumeration of mycobacteria in metalworking fluids (MWFs) is imperative from an environmental protection and occupational health perspective. We report here on a comparison of the labeling efficiency of nano-immunomagnetic particles (NIMP) and free antibody (FAb) to detect mycobacteria in semisynthetic MWF by using both traditional visualization analysis and cluster analysis aided visualization analysis (CAAVA). The NIMP labeling method involved coating nanometer-scale magnetic particles with Protein A, and oriented conjugation of polyclonal antibodies specific to Mycobacterium spp. The FAb labeling method is modified from the traditional immunofluorescence (IF) method for more efficient detection of mycobacteria in a model MWF. The labeling efficiency of NIMP and FAb were 7.2 ± 4.6 and 16.3 ± 5.5%, and the specificity 85.0 ± 6.1 and 88.1 ± 10.5%, respectively, based on traditional visualization analysis. Based on CAAVA analysis, the labeling efficiency of NIMP and FAb increased to 12.4 ± 1.6 and 20.5 ± 3.9%, and the specificity to 97.8 ± 3.2 and 98.5 ± 2.5%, respectively. A linear relationship of FCM counts and seeded concentrations was observed over four orders of magnitude (R 2 ≤ 0.99) in pure and ternary cultures. The results strongly support the applicability of either FAb or NIMP coupled with CAAVA and flow cytometry for rapid detection and enumeration of mycobacteria in complex matrices.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/63114/1/ees.2007.24.58.pd

The detection of Gravitational Waves

This chapter is concerned with the question: how do gravitational waves (GWs) interact with their detectors? It is intended to be a theory review of the fundamental concepts involved in interferometric and acoustic (Weber bar) GW antennas. In particular, the type of signal the GW deposits in the detector in each case will be assessed, as well as its intensity and deconvolution. Brief reference will also be made to detector sensitivity characterisation, including very summary data on current state of the art GW detectors.Comment: 33 pages, 12 figures, LaTeX2e, Springer style files --included. For Proceedings of the ERE-2001 Conference (Madrid, September 2001

Universality of the Lyapunov regime for the Loschmidt echo

The Loschmidt echo (LE) is a magnitude that measures the sensitivity of quantum dynamics to perturbations in the Hamiltonian. For a certain regime of the parameters, the LE decays exponentially with a rate given by the Lyapunov exponent of the underlying classically chaotic system. We develop a semiclassical theory, supported by numerical results in a Lorentz gas model, which allows us to establish and characterize the universality of this Lyapunov regime. In particular, the universality is evidenced by the semiclassical limit of the Fermi wavelength going to zero, the behavior for times longer than Ehrenfest time, the insensitivity with respect to the form of the perturbation and the behavior of individual (non-averaged) initial conditions. Finally, by elaborating a semiclassical approximation to the Wigner function, we are able to distinguish between classical and quantum origin for the different terms of the LE. This approach renders an understanding for the persistence of the Lyapunov regime after the Ehrenfest time, as well as a reinterpretation of our results in terms of the quantum--classical transition.Comment: 33 pages, 17 figures, uses Revtex

Variation in structure and properties of poly(glycerol adipate) via control of chain branching during enzymatic synthesis

Poly (glycerol adipate) (PGA) can be produced from divinyl adipate and unprotected glycerol by an enzymatic route to generate a polymer with relatively low molar mass (12 kDa). PGA bears a pendant hydroxyl group which imparts a hydrophilic character to this water insoluble polymer. We have examined the effect of synthesis temperature on polymer characteristics through various techniques including FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR, surface and thermal analysis, both to expand the data already present in the literature about this material and to understand better its properties for potential pharmaceutical applications. The use of a lipase (Novozym 435) as a catalyst suppresses cross-linking at the pendant glyceryl hydroxyl through steric hindrance at the active site, thus producing polymers with low degrees of branching (5–30%), and removes the need for any pre- or post-polymerization protection/deprotection reactions. Careful temperature control during synthesis can give polymers with reproducible molecular weights and reduced amounts of polymer branching compared to synthesis at higher temperatures. Due to the ability of the synthetic route to produce a range of structures, PGA generated by enzymatic routes may emerge as a useful biodegradable polymer platform to engineer solid dispersions or nanoparticles for healthcare applications

Optimal designs for rational function regression

We consider optimal non-sequential designs for a large class of (linear and nonlinear) regression models involving polynomials and rational functions with heteroscedastic noise also given by a polynomial or rational weight function. The proposed method treats D-, E-, A-, and $\Phi_p$-optimal designs in a unified manner, and generates a polynomial whose zeros are the support points of the optimal approximate design, generalizing a number of previously known results of the same flavor. The method is based on a mathematical optimization model that can incorporate various criteria of optimality and can be solved efficiently by well established numerical optimization methods. In contrast to previous optimization-based methods proposed for similar design problems, it also has theoretical guarantee of its algorithmic efficiency; in fact, the running times of all numerical examples considered in the paper are negligible. The stability of the method is demonstrated in an example involving high degree polynomials. After discussing linear models, applications for finding locally optimal designs for nonlinear regression models involving rational functions are presented, then extensions to robust regression designs, and trigonometric regression are shown. As a corollary, an upper bound on the size of the support set of the minimally-supported optimal designs is also found. The method is of considerable practical importance, with the potential for instance to impact design software development. Further study of the optimality conditions of the main optimization model might also yield new theoretical insights.Comment: 25 pages. Previous version updated with more details in the theory and additional example