空心阴极放电条纹特性的光谱诊断

利用发射光谱法,研究了圆柱型空心阴极放电条纹的特性.测量了条纹区的发射光谱,在此基础E计算得到r电子激发温度、相对电子密度和电子平均能量的空间分布特性.结果表明条纹区的光强、电子激发温度和电子密度均呈非等幅的周期性变化.与暗纹中心处相比,明纹中心具有较高的电子激发温度和较低的电子密度.由阴极向阳极,明纹中心处的电子激发温度幅值逐渐减小.此外,条纹区的电子激发温度随着电流的增加而增加.     

APPLICATION STUDY ON SOLVENT SIGNAL SUPPRESSION WITH SELECTIVE EXCITATION TECHNIQUE IN COMBINATION WITH PFG

对结合脉冲梯度场的选择激发技术在溶剂峰抑制中的四种可行序列进行比较,实验表明非对称的双梯度自旋回波序列在谱图的相位特性和溶剂峰抑制效果两方面均是最佳的方案,并将其推广应用到溶剂峰抑制的gCOSY实验中,获得较理想的溶剂峰抑制效果.     

基于优化后流动敏感黑血序列的豆纹动脉3 T磁共振成像

豆纹动脉是大脑内部的重要动脉,其阻塞往往会导致腔隙性脑梗死.现在在临床上主要利用数字减影血管造影(Digital Subtraction Angiography,DSA)技术实现豆纹动脉成像,然而DSA的有创性是其重要的限制因素.有研究表明,在高场磁共振系统(7 T)下,时间飞跃法(Time-Of-Flight,TOF)已经能够得到较好的豆纹动脉影像,但是在临床使用的1.5 T或3 T磁共振系统下,由于豆纹动脉的管腔直径非常小(大约为0.3~0.7 mm)、血流速度比较慢,对其成像仍然是个挑战.该文主要研究了在3 T磁共振系统下使用流动敏感黑血(Flow-Sensitive Black-Blood,FSBB)序列对豆纹动脉进行成像的方法,并对该成像序列中流动敏感梯度的设计进行了优化,使其在扫描时间和图像分辨率、对比度、信噪比等方面都能够基本满足临床使用的要求.     

结合脉冲梯度场的选择激发技术在溶剂峰抑制中的应用

对结合脉冲梯度场的选择激发技术在溶剂峰抑制中的四种可行序列进行比较,实验表明非对称的双梯度自旋回波序列在谱图的相位特性和溶剂峰抑制效果两方面均是最佳的方案,并将其推广应用到溶剂峰抑制的gCOSY实验中,获得较理想的溶剂峰抑制效果     

超声速边界层中壁面抽吸对流动分离的抑制作用

当超声速或高超声速来流经过压缩折角时，由于壁面的位移效应，折角附近往往出现较强的逆压梯度，进而很可能导致流动分离，并伴随着激波与边界层干扰问题的出现.在工程应用中，流动分离会带来诸多不利因素.一个抑制流动分离的有效措施是在折角的上游引入定常的壁面抽吸单元.基于大Reynolds数渐近理论框架下的三层结构理论，文章研究了壁面抽吸抑制层流边界层分离的机理.研究发现，只要抽吸元被安置在折角上游O（R-3/8L）范围内，决定抑制效果的关键参数是抽吸的流量，而与抽吸元的位置无关；同时改变抽吸元的宽度和抽吸速度而保持抽吸流量不变并不影响其对分离区的抑制效果.      

多能级系统中的动力学解耦

动力学解耦技术能有效地抑制由低频环境噪声导致的退相干过程,因此在量子信息领域获得了广泛的应用.传统的动力学解耦方案通过对简单的二能级体系,如量子比特,施加特定的π脉冲序列来实现解耦效果.随着量子计算研发的深入,对于像超导量子比特这种天然的多能级系统,研究者不再局限于二能级子空间,而是提出和实现了一系列基于多能级体系的量子调控手段和量子算法.目前对于如何抑制这些体系中的退相干尚缺乏深入研究.本文利用较易在实验中实现的紧邻能级间的π脉冲,构建了多种针对多能级系统的动力学解耦序列.结果表明这些序列可以很好地消除准静态噪声的影响.此外,通过计算滤波函数,还分析了这些序列及其拓展方案对于高斯噪声的抑制作用,并结合控制函数对滤波效果给出了物理解释.研究结果对于多能级体系中的相关噪声研究,包括噪声功率谱密度和关联性的刻画以及退相干的抑制等,均具有启发意义.     

在体检测γ-氨基丁酸的MEGA-PRESS序列优化设计

γ-氨基丁酸（γ-aminobutyric acid,GABA）含量异常会引发一系列大脑疾病,因此在体检测人脑GABA含量成为一种十分必要的医疗技术.本文基于GABA检测常用的谱编辑方法MEGA-PRESS,引入性能更好的SLR脉冲代替常用的高斯脉冲,并使用单频带和双频带结合的方法激发特定频率的物质,在联影（United Imaging Healthcare,UIH）的uMR780磁共振系统上实现了一种优化的MEGA-PRESS序列.结果表明：SLR脉冲可以减少大分子（macromolecule,MM）信号对GABA信号的干扰;单频带和双频带结合可以更好地抑制残余水信号对GABA^*信号的影响.水模实验和人体实验结果均证实优化的MEGA-PRESS序列可以更好地实现GABA^*含量在体检测.     

基于图像灰度梯度最大值累加的自动调焦算法

从光学系统出发介绍了基于图像处理的离焦图像成像原理,分析了传统基于灰度梯度的自动调焦算法的缺陷——灰度梯度考虑不全面并且易受噪音影响.针对传统算法不足,提出了基于图像灰度梯度最大值累加的自动调焦算法.该算法通过计算中心像素的八邻域灰度梯度,以自动聚焦区域内各像素最大灰度梯度与最大灰度与最小梯度差值乘积之和作为新的评价函数,分析了该算法可以抑制噪音影响的原理;介绍了焦点搜索自适应变步长爬山算法原理和实现过程;最后进行算法性能实验验证.首先,利用不同算法对序列图像和加入高斯噪音的图像进行清晰度评价,结果证明该算法对含噪图像的清晰度评价准确,与传统算法相比该算法在抑制噪音方面具有优越性;其次,用不同聚焦算法进行序列图像自动调焦实验,结果显示传统算法会出现错误聚焦的情况,而该算法聚焦准确迅速,相比于传统算法具有明显优势.     

电磁力控制翼型水动力噪声机理及作用方式研究

提出了施加电磁力于边界层实现流动控制和降低水动力噪声的方法。对未施加与施加电磁力后翼型模型的流场与声场进行数值计算,结果表明:流向电磁力可延缓翼型表面的流动分离,抑制离散小涡生成,减弱翼型表面的湍流脉动压力,达到降低水动力噪声的目的。归纳了电磁力降低水动力噪声效果随雷诺数、攻角和电磁作用参数的变化规律,同时在循环水槽中对电磁力控制翼型水动力噪声的效果进行试验验证。由于转捩区是翼型模型的压力最小区域且面积非常有限,通过研究电磁力的作用方式,发现只在转捩区施加电磁力,即可达到最佳的降噪效果且减小了功耗,并分析了磁泄露带来的影响。研究结果为抑制翼型的水动力噪声提供了一种新的思路。     

基于旋滤波法的干涉条纹预处理技术

 提出了一种新的基于旋滤波法的干涉条纹预处理方法。该方法根据条纹图灰度值梯度分布规律，只在干涉条纹切线方向进行中值滤波，它能有效地处理各种相干噪声而不会使条纹变模糊。实验证明该方法能有效地去除随机噪声、椒盐噪声以及由于光照不均匀引起的较大面积的亮斑或暗斑等噪声。对于亮斑或暗斑，其滤波效果要明显优于Gerchberg外插迭代算法。以WYKO相移干涉仪5次测量的面形平均值作为被测面形的参考值，则经过预处理后，抑制了噪声引起的局部误差，傅里叶变换法计算得到PV值的误差从未预处理的14.4%(全口径)、131%(95%口径)分别减小到3.4%(全口径)、1.5%(95%口径)；RMS误差从28.7%(全口径)、23.3%(95%口径)分别减小到5.0%(全口径)、2.3%(95%口径)。     

The 'DANTE' experiment

The selective excitation scheme known as ‘DANTE’ emerged from a confluence of several ideas for new NMR experiments, some more fanciful than others. DANTE offers a simple and effective way to restrict excitation to a very narrow frequency band, usually that of a single resonance line. Initially applied to the study of individual proton-coupled carbon-13 spin multiplets, the method has been extended to water presaturation, relaxation measurements, and chemical exchange studies. Through the imposition of a magnetic field gradient it offers a simple method to enhance resolution by restricting the effective volume of the sample. Multiple DANTE excitation (with Hadamard encoding) can speed up multidimensional spectroscopy by orders of magnitude. Applied to magnetic resonance imaging, the DANTE sequence has been used to superimpose a rectangular grid onto a cardiac image, permitting motional distortions to be monitored in real time.     

Tailored slice selection in solid-state MRI by DANTE under magic-echo line narrowing

We propose a method of slice selection in solid-state MRI by combining DANTE selective excitation with magic-echo (ME) line narrowing. The DANTE RF pulses applied at the ME peaks practically do not interfere with the ME line narrowing in the combined ME DANTE sequence. This allows straightforward tailoring of the slice profile simply by introducing an appropriate modulation, such as a sinc modulation, into the flip angles of the applied DANTE RF pulses. The utility of the method has been demonstrated by preliminary experiments performed on a test sample of adamantane.     

Black-blood T2* mapping with delay alternating with nutation for tailored excitation

PurposeTo develop a black-blood T2* mapping method using a Delay Alternating with Nutation for Tailored Excitation (DANTE) preparation combined with a multi-echo gradient echo (GRE) readout (DANTE-GRE).Materials and methodsSimulations of the Bloch equation for DANTE-GRE were performed to optimize sequence parameters. After optimization, the sequence was applied to a phantom scan and to neck and lower extremity scans conducted on 12 volunteers at 3 T using DANTE-GRE, Motion-Sensitized Driven Equilibrium (MSDE)-GRE, and multi-echo GRE. T2* values were measured using an offset model. Statistical analyses were conducted to compare the T2* values between the three sequences.ResultsSimulation results showed that blood suppression can be achieved with various DANTE parameter adjustments. T2* maps acquired by DANTE-GRE were consistent and comparable to those acquired with multi-echo GRE in phantom experiments. In the in vivo experiments, DANTE-GRE was more comparable to multi-echo GRE than MSDE-GRE regarding the measurement of muscle T2* values.ConclusionDue to its high signal intensity retention and effective blood signal suppression, DANTE-GRE allows for robust and accurate T2* quantification, superior to that of MSDE-GRE, while overcoming blood flow artifacts associated with traditional multi-echo GRE.     

A purpose-built neck coil for black-blood DANTE-prepared carotid artery imaging at 7 T

Atherosclerotic plaques in the bifurcation of the carotid arteries can pose a significant health risk due to possible plaque rupture and subsequent stroke. The assessment of plaques, and evaluation of the risk they pose, can be performed with Black-Blood (BB) vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging. However, resolution at standard clinical field strengths (up to 3 T) is limited, hampering reliable assessment and diagnosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the benefits of 7 T MRI using a BB application that has been successful at clinical field strengths. Therefore, for BB imaging, each sequence was preceded with ‘Delay Alternating with Nutation for Tailored Excitation’ (DANTE) preparation pulses for blood signal suppression. A coil comprising a 4-channel Tx array was designed and built to provide the required excitation coverage for the DANTE train; and a 4-channel Rx array was constructed to target the carotid bifurcation. Human and phantom results showed satisfactory blood suppression and comparable SNR and CNR to 3 T, therefore demonstrating the feasibility of the application at 7 T. However, the imposed SAR restrictions led to long scan times and subsequent motion artifacts. Thus, more accurate local SAR supervision schemes are required which could lead to a further improvement of BB DANTE vessel wall imaging at 7 T.     

Excitation of Complicated Shapes in Three Dimensions

We experimentally verified a recently proposed technique for the excitation of a complicated three-dimensional profile (CARVE,completelyarbitraryregionalvolumeexcitation). CARVE is based on a generalized DANTE RF pulse sequence and a synchronous string of gradient steps. Provided there is no limitation in the number of pulses, CARVE can generate an excitation profile of any shape with any resolution. However, hardware limitations and sample properties restrict the number of RF pulses and gradient steps and, thus, limit attainable resolution of the excitation profile. We theoretically and experimentally showed that spatial resolution can be increased by distributing a long sequence among several CARVE experiments and summing up their signals. This is particularly important for three-dimensional excitation profiles where ann-fold increase in resolution requires ann³-fold increase of the number of events in the sequence. The potential use of three-dimensional CARVE might be in spectroscopic imaging where the excitation profile can be tailored to match the shape of a selected organ or body part.     

MR detection of mechanical vibrations using a radiofrequency field gradient

A new method for NMR characterization of mechanical waves, based upon radiofrequency field gradient for motion encoding, is proposed. A binomial B1 gradient excitation scheme was used to visualize the mobile spins undergoing a periodic transverse mechanical excitation. A simple model was designed to simulate the NMR signal as a function of the wave frequency excitation and the periodicity of the NMR pulse sequence. The preliminary results were obtained on a gel phantom at low vibration frequencies (0-200 Hz) by using a ladder-shaped coil generating a nearly constant RF field gradient along a specific known direction. For very small displacements and/or B1 gradients, the NMR signal measured on a gel phantom was proportional to the vibration amplitude and the pulse sequence was shown to be selective with respect to the vibration frequency. A good estimation of the direction of vibrations was obtained by varying the angle between the motion direction and the B1 gradient. The method and its use in parallel to more conventional MR elastography techniques are discussed. The presented approach might be of interest for noninvasive investigation of elastic properties of soft tissues and other materials.     

Velocity sensitivity of slice-selective excitation

The purpose of this study was to investigate how flow affects slice-selective excitation, particularly for radiofrequency (rf) pulses optimized for slice-selective excitation of stationary material. Simulation methods were used to calculate the slice profiles for material flowing at different velocities, using optimal flow compensation when appropriate. Four rf pulses of very different shapes were used in the simulation study: a 90° linear-phase Shinnar-LeRoux pulse; a 90° self-refocusing pulse; a minimum-phase Shinnar-LeRoux inversion pulse; and a SPINCALC inversion pulse. Slice profiles from simulations with a laminar flow model were compared with experimental studies for two different rf pulses using a clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. We found that, for a given rf pulse, the effect of flow on slice-selective excitation depends on the product of the selection gradient amplitude, the component of velocity in the slice selection direction, and the square of the rf pulse duration. The shapes of the slice profiles from the Shinnar-LeRoux pulses were relatively insensitive to velocity. However, the slice profiles from the self-refocusing pulse and the SPINCALC pulse were significantly degraded by velocity. Experimental slice profiles showed excellent agreement with simulation. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that slice-selective excitation can be significantly degraded by flow depending on the velocity, the gradient amplitude, and characteristics of the rf excitation pulse used. The results can aid in the design of rf pulses for slice-selective excitation of flowing material.     

Selective NMR excitation in strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields

The NMR-MOUSE is a unilateral and mobile NMR sensor which operates with highly inhomogeneous magnetic fields. To produce a mobile NMR unit, RF excitation is sought, which can be produced with the most simple equipment, in particular nonlinear, low-power amplifiers, and to observe a free induction decay in strongly inhomogeneous fields, the excitation needs to be selective. The possibility to produce selective excitation by sequences of hard low-power radiofrequency pulses in the strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields of the NMR-MOUSE is explored. The use of the DANTE sequence for selection of magnetization from parts of the sensitive volume was investigated for longitudinal and transverse magnetization by computer simulations and experiments. The spectra of the recorded FIDs and echo signals are in good agreement with those simulated for the excitation, which verifies the concept of the DANTE excitation. The results obtained are an important step towards a low-power operation of the NMR-MOUSE to improve its mobility.     

Biselective refocusing pulses and the SERF experiment

The SERF experiment is a variant of the homonuclear J-resolved experiment, in which a single coupling constant is measured. It consists of a single chemical shift selective excitation that is followed by a biselective spin echo. Recent articles mention the existence of artefacts in SERF spectra that are supposedly related to pulse imperfections. This article presents a detailed study of the biselective refocusing pulses. It also reports a method for predicting the position and amplitude of the expected and unexpected 2D spectral peaks in SERF spectra. Artefacts can be partially eliminated by phase cycling or by the introduction of static field gradient pulses in the acquisition sequence. A procedure to obtain of pure absorption peaks in SERF spectra is proposed.