Elastic scattering of polarized deuterons from Al, Si and Ni between 7 and 11 MeV

Polarization parameters have been determined for deuteron elastic scattering from ²⁷Al, Si and ⁶⁰Ni at energies between 7 and 11 MeV and laboratory scattering angles from 30° to 135°. The vector polarization, iT₁₁, and two tensor parameters T₂₀ and T₂₂, were measured by scattering polarized and unpolarized deuterons which were obtained from a tandem accelerator. The largest polarization was |iT₁₁| ≈ 0.3 and |T₂₀| ≈ 0.2 for ²⁷Al at 11 MeV. For ⁶⁰Ni, the observed polarizations were substantially smaller. Angular distributions of the unpolarized cross section were also measured for ²⁷Al and Si. An optical-model analysis of the polarization and cross-section data was performed. The vector polarization was reproduced reasonably well by a vector spin-orbit coupling of similar strength as found for nucleon scattering. A tensor interaction appears to be needed to account for the observed tensor polarizations.     

Superparamagnetic iron oxide particles and positive enhancement for myocardial perfusion studies assessed by subsecond T1-weighted MRI

Superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIOs) are usually referred to as T₂ MR contrast agents, reducing signal intensity (SI) on T₂-weighted MR images (negative enhancement). This study reports the original use of SPIOs as T₁-enhancing contrast agents, primarily assessed in vitro, and then applied to an in vivo investigation of a myocardial perfusion defect. Using a strongly T₁-weighted subsecond MR sequence with SPIOs intravenous (IV) bolus injection, MR imaging of myocardial vascularization after reperfusion was performed, on a dog model of coronary occlusion followed by reperfusion. Immediately after the intravenous bolus injection of 20 μmol/kg of SPIOs, a positive signal intensity enhancement was observed respectively, in the right and left ventricular cavity and in the nonischemic left myocardium. Moreover, compared to normal myocardium, the remaining ischemic myocardial region (anterior wall of the left ventricle) appeared as a lower and delayed SI enhancing area (cold spot). Mean peak SIE in the nonischemic myocardium (posterior wall) was significantly higher than in the ischemic myocardium (anterior wall) (110 ± 23% vs. 74 ± 22%, Mann-Whitney test < 1%, n₁ = 6, n₂ − n₁ = 0, U > 2). In conclusion, the T₁ effect of SPIOs at low dose, during their first intravascular distribution, suggests their potential use as positive markers to investigate the regional myocardial blood flow and some perfusion defects such as the “no-reflow phenomenon”.     

MRI measurements of the dependence on T1 of the echo amplitudes using a multiple spin-echo scheme

Analytical calculations using the Bloch formalism were performed to assess the dependence on T₁ of the echo amplitudes for the Phase-Alternating Phase-Shift (PHAPS) multiple spin-echo protocol. Measurements in a 0.5 T MR imaging unit were performed to ratify the analytical results. especially for low T₂ values, the echo amplitudes were erroneous, with an increasing contribution from stimulated echo components with increasing T₁. Apart from affecting T₂ estimates, stimulated echoes generated a non-monoexponential signal decay of the echo trains. The results confirmed previous simulation studies as regards the dependence on T₁ of T₂ estimates from PHAPS.     

Longitudinal nuclear relaxation measurements in hcp H2

Measurements of T₁ in the hep phase of H₂, over the temperature range 2°–12°K and the ortho concentration range between 0.5 and 0.97 are presented. At temperatures below 10°K, the thermally activated self-diffusion is negligible and the mechanism for nuclear relaxation is that attributed by Moryia and Motizuki and by Harris to intramolecular dipolar interaction, modulated by intennolecular electric quadrupole-quadrupole (EQQ) interaction. The gaussian approximation for the correlation function was used by these authors to predict T₁. From the comparison between experiment and theory, we determine the EQQ parameter Γ/k_B to be 0.67°K. Above 10°K the effect of diffusion influences T₁, and the experimental results for an 88 per cent ortho H₂ sample up to the melting point suggest that the relaxation mechanisms resulting from EQQ interaction and diffusion are not independent of one another.     

Establishing norms for age-related changes in proton T1 of human brain tissue in vivo

The goal of this study was to determine the expected normal range of variation in spin-lattice relaxation time (T₁) of brain tissue in vivo, as a function of age. A previously validated precise and accurate inversion recovery method was used to map T₁ transversely, at the level of the basal ganglia, in a study population of 115 healthy subjects (ages 4 to 72; 57 male and 58 female). Least-squares regression analysis shows that T₁ varied as a function of age in pulvinar nucleus (R² = 56%), anterior thalamus (R² = 51%), caudate (R² = 50%), frontal white matter (R² = 47%), optic radiation (R² = 39%), putamen (R² = 36%), genu (R² = 22%), occipital white matter (R² = 20%) (all p < 0.0001), and cortical gray matter (R² = 53%) (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in T₁ between men and women. T₁ declines throughout adolescence and early adulthood, to achieve a minimum value in the fourth to sixth decade of life, then T₁ begins to increase. Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging provides evidence that brain tissue continues to change throughout the lifespan among healthy subjects with no neurologic deficits. Age-related changes follow a strikingly different schedule in different brain tissues; white matter tracts tend to reach a minimum T₁ value, and to increase again, sooner than do gray matter tracts. Such normative data may prove useful for the early detection of brain pathology in patients.     

Phase transitions in the superionic protonic conductor CsHSeO4 investigated by Brillouin spectroscopy

A Brillouin investigation in CsHSeO₄ has been performed over the temperature range 20–165 °C which includes two phase transitions, in particular the transition to the superionic phase near T_s = 129 °C. We observed strong discontinuities for elastic constants C₁₁, C₂₂ and C₃₃ at T_s and a broadening of the Brillouin lines above T_s. The results are discussed on the basis of a linear coupling between strains and mobile protons.     

Radiation-induced changes in phosphorus T1values in human melanoma xenografts studied by P-MRS

³¹P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been shown to be a promising method for monitoring tumor response to radiation therapy. The purpose of the work reported here was to investigate whether the usefulness of ³¹P-MRS might be enhanced by measurement of spin-lattice relaxation times (T₁s) in addition to resonance ratios. The work was based on the hypothesis that tumors having a high probability of being controlled locally would show shortened T₁s during the treatment course due to reoxygenation and development of necrosis. BEX-t human melanoma xenografts, which show efficient reoxygenation and development of necrosis following single dose irradiation, were used as tumor models. Tumors were treated with single doses of 5.0 or 15.0 Gy and the T₁s of the inorganic phosphate and nucleoside triphosphate β resonances were measured as a function of time after irradiation by using the superfast inversion recovery method. Fractional tumor water content was determined by drying excised tumors at 50°C until a constant weight was reached. The T₁s in irradiated tumors were either longer than or not significantly different from those in unirradiated control tumors. The increase in the T₁s following irradiation coincided in time with a radiation-induced increase in tumor water content, suggesting a causal relationship. The effects of reoxygenation and development of necrosis on T₁s were probably overshadowed by the effects of tumor water content. Consequently, the usefulness of ³¹P-MRS in monitoring tumor response to radiation therapy might not be significantly enhanced by measurement of T₁s.     

Investigation of light scalar resonances a0(980)/ƒ0(980) with ANKE

A program to investigate the light scalar resonances a₀(980)/ƒ₀(980) in hadronic interactions via their decay into the πη and channels has started at the ANKE spectrometer of COSY-Jülich. As the first step the reactions pp → dπ⁺X and pp → dK⁺X have been measured at two energies, T_p = 2.65 GeV and 2.83 GeV. The status of the analysis at T_p = 2.65 GeV is presented. A total cross section of about 50 nb has been determined for the reaction .     

Generalized mean-square amplitudes of vibration in some XY4 type ions (II)

The generalized mean-square amplitudes of vibration and mean amplitudes of vibration have been computed for CrO^3-₄, Mn¹⁸O^-₄, MoSe^2-₄ and WSe^2-₄ ions at three temperatures, T = 0°K, T = 298°K, T = 500°K, employing Cyvin's method. The results have been discussed in the light of atomic weight and electronegativity of the atom in the ionic system.     

Chiral symmetry amplitudes in the S-wave isoscalar and isovector channels and the σ, f0(980), a0(980) scalar mesons

We use a non-perturbative approach which combines coupled channel Lippmann-Schwinger equations with meson-meson potentials provided by the lowest order chiral Lagrangian. By means of one parameter, a cut off in the momentum of the loop integrals, which results of the order of 1 GeV, we obtain singularities in the S-wave amplitudes corresponding to the σ, f₀ and a₀ resonances. The ππ → ππ, phase shifts and inelasticities in the T = 0 scalar channel are well reproduced as well as the π⁰η and mass distributions in the T = 1 channel. Furthermore, the total and partial strong decay widths of the f₀ and a₀ resonances are properly reproduced. The results seem to indicate that chiral symmetry constraints at low energy and unitarity in coupled channels is the basic information contained in the meson-meson interaction below GeV.     

Measurement of Hartmann-Hahn cross-polarization dynamics with quenching of proton T1ρ relaxation dependence

A simple modification of the standard cross-polarization method designed for quenching the proton T_1ρ dependence when studying polarization transfer is presented. It is demonstrated that by using this simple procedure, new and subtle details of cross-polarization dynamics, previously hidden by the T_1ρ(¹H) effect, can be observed in dipolar-coupled spin systems.     

A new family of magnetoelectric materials: A2M4O9(A = Ta, Nb; M = Mn, Co)

The existence of the magnetoelectric (ME) effect in the transition metal niobates and tantalates A₂M₄O₉(A = Ta, Nb; M = Mn, Co) has been confirmed by the observation of the electrically induced magnetic moment in these materials. Both parallel and prependicular ME susceptibilities were measured as a function of temperature in powder specimens. The transition temperatures were found to be 110 ±1 (Nb₂Mn₄O₉), 103 ±1 (Ta₂Mn₄O₉), 27.0 ±0.5 (Nb₂Co₄O₉), and 20.6 ±0.5°K (Ta₂Co₄O₉) from the ME measurements.     

In vivo quantification of citrate concentration and water T2 relaxation time of the pathologic prostate gland using H MRS and MRI

We have previously reported a striking correlation between water T₂ relaxation time and citrate concentration in the normal prostate (Liney G.P.; Lowry M.; Turnbull L.W.; Manton D.J.; Knowles A.J.; Blackband S.J.; Horsman A. Proton MR T₂ maps correlate with the citrate concentration in the prostate. NMR Biomed. 9:59–64; 1996). In this study we present data from similar studies of the pathologic gland. The findings support the hypothesis that measurement of both citrate concentration and water T₂ relaxation time in vivo may aid the differentiation of prostatic carcinoma from benign disease and normal tissue.     

Two separate Li ionic motions observed by Li and B NMR in xLi2S + (1 − x)B2S3 glassy fast ionic conductors

Studies of ion dynamics in the highly conductive glassy fast ionic conductor (FIC) xLi₂S + (1 − x)B₂S₃ (x = 0.65 and 0.70) were made with NMR nuclear spin lattice relaxation (NSLR) R₁(ω, T) of both mobile ⁷Li and immobile ¹¹B ions, and ⁷Li NMR line narrowing δν(T). The possible dependence of ion dynamics on the short range order structures (SRO) and the distribution of activation energies (DAE) in this highly conductive FIC was investigated. Two Gaussian DAE were employed to fit ⁷Li NSLR data, where each Gaussian DAE was correlated to a separate ¹¹B NSLR in a BS₃ and in a BS₄ group. The long range diffusion of Li ions among BS₃ groups and a seemingly localized ionic hopping motion around BS₄ group is suggested as a microscopic model for the ion dynamics in thioborate glasses, namely a ‘two channel relaxation’.     

Magnetic ordering in U4Cu4P7 single crystal

The magnetic ordering in the tetragonal ternary compound U₄Cu₄P₇ has been studied by neutron diffraction. It orders below T_N = 146 K with an antiferromagnetic structure of wave vector k = (001). The magnetic ordering corresponds to a stacking of ferromagnetic (001) uranium planes according to the sequences m₁, m₁, m₂, -m₂, -m₁, -m₁, -m₂, m₂ where m₁ and m₂ represent the magnetic moment, directed along the tetragonal axis of the two uranium sites U(1) (0,0,± z₁) and U(2) (0,0, ± z₂) respectively. The magnetic moments on these two sites have different temperature dependencies as well as well as they reach the different values of 1.1 and 2.2.μ_B for the U(1) and U(2) sites, respectively.     

The effects of substrate temperature on the superconducting properties of Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3O10 films sputter-deposited from stoichiometric oxide targets

The annealing characteristics and the superconducting properties of Tl₂Ca₂Ba₂Cu₃O₁₀ thin films sputter-deposited onto yttrium- stabilized ZrO₂ substrate at up to 500°C from two stoichiometric oxide targets are reported. The films deposited at 400–500°C were found to require a lower post-annealing temperature than the films deposited at lower temperatures to attain the highest T_c superconducting state, due to a more pronounced Ba diffusion toward the substrate as indicated by their secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiles. The highest T_c achieved tends to degrade with increasing substrate temperatures, a zero resistance T_c of 121 and ≈90 K, respectively, being observed for the films deposited at -ambient temperature and at 500°C. The formation of the highest T_c phase (Tl₂Ca₂Ba₂Cu₃O₁₀) generally is associated with a sheet type of crystal growth morphology with smooth and aligned surfaces which can be obtained only from the films capable of sustaining prolonged annealing at 900°C. Annealing at lower temperatures (≈860°C) results in the formation of rod or sphere type of morphologies with rough and randomly oriented crystals and the lower T_c phases such as Tl₂Ca₁Ba₂Cu₂O₈.     

Limits on Treh for thermal leptogenesis with hierarchical neutrino masses

We make a simple observation that if one of the right-chiral neutrinos is very heavy or its Yukawa couplings to the standard lepton doublets are negligible, so that it effectively decouples from the see-saw mechanism, the prediction for the baryon asymmetry of the universe resulting from leptogenesis depends only on the masses M₁ and M₂ of the remaining two right-chiral neutrinos and the element of the neutrino Yukawa coupling. For M₂5M₁ the lower bound on M₁ and also on T_reh, resulting from the requirement of ‘successful leptogenesis’ is then significantly increased compared to the one computed recently by Buchmüller et al. in the most general case. Within the framework of thermal leptogenesis, the only way to lower this limit is then to allow for sufficiently small mass difference M₂−M₁.     

Effect of Pr and Ca substitution on superconductivity in Y(1−x−yPrxCay)Ba2Cu3O7−δ

Pr substituted at constant Ca concentration for Y in (Y_1−x−yPr_xCa_y)Ba₂Cu₃O_7−δ superconductors have been prepared under identical conditions and the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of these samples are measured. The resistively determined values of T_c decrease linearly with increasing x (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2) for constant y = 0.10 and 0.15 which provides convincing evidence that the suppression of superconductivity by Pr is mainly due to magnetic pair breaking. The suppression of superconductivity can also be correlated to the observed changes in oxygen content determined by iodometric analysis and to the average Cu-valences. However, it is found that the observed suppression of T_c cannot be compensated by appropriate hole doping with Ca.     

Superconductivity, Ca content and oxygen deficiency of Ga(Sr,Ca)2(Yb,Ca)Cu2O7

Superconducting transition temperature (T_c), Ca content and oxygen deficiency are studied on GaSr_1.8Ca_0.2Yb_1−xCa_xCu₂O₇ (x≤0.35). Superconducting samples with T_c=52 K are prepared after the annealing at 20 MPa of oxygen. The T_c is reduced through a slight oxygen loss accompanied by annealing in air above 650°C. The oxygen loss suggests the presence of short Cu–O chains in the GaO₄ slab. The formal valence of planar Cu required for the appearance of superconductivity depends on oxygen and Ca contents. The critical formal Cu valences are 2.105 and 2.125 for the samples annealed in air at 600°C and at 835°C, respectively. The values are higher than those of usual high-T_c superconductors. This can be explained by a high concentration of localized holes in the CuO₅ slab.     

T1-weighting of Hahn echo-trains in the stray-field for deuterium: prospects for imaging using long echo-train summation

Hahn-echoes have been observed in stray-field gradients of 37.5 T/m and 74.5 T/m for deuterium in heavy water in a number of forms: liquid, ice, and coordinated in solid copper sulfate and silica gel. In the diamagnetic samples, the application of many pulses (>1000 or more) in long pulse-trains produced many sustained echoes. This lengthening of T_echo is caused by T₁-weighting of the components of the Hahn echo (even in the absence of spin-locking). In contrast, for the paramagnetic complex, the shortening of T₁ greatly reduces T_echo and only few echoes are obtained. A new protocol for stray field imaging is suggested when T₁ is long: long echo-train summation (LETS). The observed magnetisation is much greater for heavy ice than for heavy water because the line-width, and hence the thickness of the excited slice, is greater.