System matrix modeling of externally tracked motion

Background and aim In high-resolution emission tomography imaging, even small patient movements can considerably degrade image quality. The aim of this work was to develop a general approach to motion-corrected reconstruction of motion-contaminated data in the case of rigid motion (particularly brain imaging) which would be applicable to any PET scanner in the field, without specialized data-acquisition requirements. Methods Assuming the ability to externally track subject motion during scanning (e.g., using the Polaris camera), we proposed to incorporate the measured rigid motion information into the system matrix of the expectation maximization reconstruction algorithm. Furthermore, we noted and developed a framework to incorporate the additional effect of motion on modifying the attenuation factors. A new mathematical brain phantom was developed and used along with elaborate combined Simset/GATE simulations to compare the proposed framework with the cases of no motion correction. Results and conclusion Clear qualitative and quantitative improvements were observed when incorporating the proposed framework. The method is very practical to implement for any scanner in the field, not requiring any hardware modifications or access to the list-mode acquisition capability

Metal hydride hydrogen storage and compression systems for energy storage technologies

Along with a brief overview of literature data on energy storage technologies utilising hydrogen and metal hydrides, this article presents results of the related R&D activities carried out by the authors. The focus is put on proper selection of metal hydride materials on the basis of AB5- and AB2-type intermetallic compounds for hydrogen storage and compression applications, based on the analysis of PCT properties of the materials in systems with H2 gas. The article also presents features of integrated energy storage systems utilising metal hydride hydrogen storage and compression, as well as their metal hydride based components developed at IPCP and HySA Systems

ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF ECOLOGICAL POPULATION HEALTH COMPONENT

The ecological health component finds its qualitative and quantitative definiteness through evaluation of total economic damage by an environment contamination. The calculation of the total economic damage stipulated by a premature death in the contaminated section has been performed. Application field: development of territorial complex nature protection schemes, solution of problems in field of social politics and economic damage compensation and also economic evaluation of municipal grounds and in educational processAvailable from VNTIC / VNTIC - Scientific & Technical Information Centre of RussiaSIGLERURussian Federatio

On-Board Dynamic Tour Support System: The Concept and Technological Infrastructure

Modern technologies do not only enable new solutions improving humans life but also change the way of doing business. Together these two factors lead to the appearance of a new, previously unavailable, class of systems called product- service systems. The paper describes the concept and technological framework of a system aimed at context-dependent planning and dynamic adaptation of guided tourist rides in a car based on the usage of car connectivity technologies and cloud- based services. The system is based on the integration of the previously developed by the authors tourist support system TAIS with Ford SYNC Applink

The Organic Ammonium Counterion Effect on Slow Magnetic Relaxation of the [Er(hfac)₄]⁻ Complexes

The first mononuclear anionic erbium complex [Er(hfac)4]− (hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetone) with an organic ammonium cation [(CH3)4N+] as the counterion was synthesized and structurally and magnetically characterized. The coordination geometries around the Er ions are square antiprisms with pseudo-D4d symmetry. The complex shows distinct field-induced slow magnetization relaxation, which is described by a combination of Orbach (Ueff/kB~28.54(8) K.) and direct mechanisms. Quantum chemical calculations were performed to analyze the magnetic properties of the complex under consideration

Biocompatibility of 3D-printed PLA, PEEK and PETG: Adhesion of bone marrow and peritoneal lavage cells

Samples in the form of cylindrical plates, additively manufactured using the fused deposition modelling (or filament freeform fabrication, FDM/FFF) technology from polylactide (PLA), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK), were studied in series of in-vitro experiments on the adhesion of rat bone-marrow cells and rat peritoneal cells. Methods of estimation of the absolute number of cells and polymer samples’ mass change were used for the evaluation of cells adhesion, followed by the evaluation of cell-culture supernatants. The results of experiments for both types of cells demonstrated a statistically significant change in the absolute number of cells (variation from 44 to 119%) and the weight of the polymer samples (variation from 0.61 to 2.18%), depending on roughness of sample surface, controlled by a nozzle diameter of a 3D printer as well as printing layer height. It was found that more cells adhere to PLA samples with a larger nozzle diameter and layer height. For PETG samples, the results did not show a clear relationship between cell adhesion and printing parameters. For PEEK samples, on the contrary, adhesion to samples printed with a lower nozzle diameter (higher resolution) is better than to samples printed with a larger nozzle diameter (lower resolution). The difference in results for various polymers can be explained by their chemical structure

Effect of Ligand Substitution on Zero-Field Slow Magnetic Relaxation in Mononuclear Dy(III) β-Diketonate Complexes with Phenanthroline-Based Ligands

Herein, we report the synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of two mononuclear complexes of general formula [Dy(acac)3(L)], where L = 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolo[4,5-f][1,10] phenanthroline (1) or 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (2), and acac− = acetylacetonate anion. A distorted square-antiprismatic N2O6 environment around the central Dy(III) ion is formed by three acetylacetonate anions and a phenanthroline-type ligand. Both complexes display a single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior at zero applied magnetic field. Modification of the peripheral part of ligands L provide substantial effects both on the magnetic relaxation barrier Ueff and on the quantum tunneling of magnetization (QTM). Ab initio quantum-chemical calculations are used to analyze the electronic structure and magnetic properties