Magnetization transfer MRI of mouse brain reveals areas of high neural density

Extending applications of magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the human central nervous system, this work quantitatively describes MTC of the murine brain. As a novel finding, complementing T₁- and T₂-weighted MRI, MTC allows for the distinction of densely packed gray matter from normal gray and white matter. Examples include the Purkinje cell layer and the granular cell layer in the mouse cerebellum as well as the delineation of the CA3 subfield of the hippocampus relative to surrounding hippocampal gray matter and white matter tracts such as the hippocampal fimbria. Using a kainate lesion model, the CA3 hyperintensities in MTC and T₁-weighted MRI are assigned to the densely packed somata of pyramidal cells.     

ALT in the nucleon-nucleon polarized Drell-Yan process

We present a leading order (LO) estimate for the longitidinal-transverse spin asymmetry (A ) in the nucleon-nucleon polarized Drell-Yan process at RHIC and energies in comparison with A and A . A receives contribution from g₁, the transversity distribution h₁, and the twist-3 distributions g and h . For the twist-3 contribution we use the bag model prediction evolved to a high energy scale by the large-N_c evolution equation. We found that A (normalized by the asymmetry in the parton level) is much smaller than the corresponding A . Twist-3 contribution given by the bag model turned out to be negligible.     

Characterization of elastomeric materials by NMR-microscopy

This review reflects a long experience with the application of NMR-imaging methods to elastomeric materials. The experimental techniques, used to obtain parameter selective NMR-images (T₁,T₂, T_1ρ-images), are described in detail and the methods required for the data analysis are explained. A special emphasis is put on the analysis of experimental errors within the framework of NMR-imaging.

In order to make parameter selective images generally useful their information should be correlated to material properties, so that images of the material properties can be obtained. This is demonstrated for the case of crosslink density, which is certainly one of the molecular properties in rubber materials, exhibiting the main influence on mechanical and other material properties.

Sulfur cured and carbon black filled technical rubbers with different degree of crosslink density and oxidative aging were investigated using parameter selective imaging techniques. The image data were analyzed by means of gaussian and multiexponential fitting procedures, revealing spatially resolved NMR relaxation parameters. The further interpretation of these parameters was based on physical models describing molecular motions in crosslinked polymers.     

基于多弛豫信号补偿的快速磁共振T1ρ散布成像

定量磁共振成像（MRI）可量化组织特性,是科学研究和临床研究的重要工具.旋转坐标系下的自旋-晶格弛豫时间（T_1ρ）能反映水与大分子之间的低频交互作用,在3 T及以上的高场环境下,T_1ρ受水和不稳定质子之间化学交换的影响较大,通过测量弛豫率随自旋锁定场强度的变化而得到其分布情况（T_1ρ散布）,可用于分析和量化质子的交换过程,因此T_1ρ散布是一种重要的定量MRI技术.然而,获得不同自旋锁定场强下T_1ρ加权图像的时间过长,限制了其应用范围.针对这一问题,本研究提出一种基于多弛豫信号补偿策略的快速T_1ρ散布成像方法.该方法将不同锁定频率下的T_1ρ加权图像补偿到同一信号强度水平,并结合低秩与稀疏建立重建模型.实验结果表明,该方法在加速倍数高达7倍时仍获得了较好的重建结果.     

Pressure-induced solidifications of liquid sulfur below and above λ-transition

Two kinds of glassy sulfurs are synthesized by the rapid compression method from liquid sulfur at temperatures below and above the λ-transition point. The glassy sulfur has different colors and transparencies, depending on temperature, which may inherit some structural information from the λ-transition. Raman spectrum studies of these samples show that a large fraction of polymeric chains exist in the glassy sulfur, even in the one solidified from T T_λ. We find that a higher compression rate instead of a higher temperature of the parent liquid captures more polymeric chains. Pressure-induced glassy sulfur presents high thermal stability compared with temperature quenched glassy sulfur and could transform into liquid sulfur directly without crystallization through an abnormal exothermic melting course. High energy x-ray diffraction is utilized to study the local order of the pressure-induced glassy sulfur.     

Bianchi type I in f(T) gravitational theories

A tetrad field that is homogeneous and anisotropic which contains two unknown functions A(t) and B(t) of cosmic time is applied to the field equations of f(T), where T is the torsion scalar, T = T~μ_(νρ)S_μ~(νρ). We calculate the equation of continuity and rewrite it as a product of two brackets, the first is a function of f(T) and the second is a function of the two unknowns A(t) and B(t). We use two different relations between the two unknown functions A(t) and B(t) in the second bracket to solve it. Both of these relations give constant scalar torsion and solutions coincide with the de Sitter one. So,another assumption related to the contents of the matter fields is postulated. This assumption enables us to drive a solution with a non-constant value of the scalar torsion and a form of f(T) which represents ΛCDM.     

Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3体系的电子结构与极化特性

采用自洽场离散变分X_α计算方法,研究了ABO₃型钙钛矿结构无铅压电陶瓷Na_1/2Bi_1/2TiO₃体系的电子结构,分析了A,B位元素取代对Na_1/2Bi_1/2TiO₃压电陶瓷极化性能的影响.结果表明:NBT体系压电陶瓷材料存在自发极化,B位离子位移使铁电性增强,Ba,Sr与Mn离子A,B位复合取代可降低矫顽场、提高自发极化强度,从而提高材料的铁电性能,并通过实验对此结论进行了验证.     

Normal-state resistivity of superconducting Bi1.95Sr1.65La0.4CuO6+δ single crystals

The anisotropy of the normal-state resistivity of a number of superconducting Bi_1.95Sr_1.65La_0.4CuO_6+δ single crystals has been measured by using both a six- and a four-terminal technique. We find that the ab-plane resistivity _ab in general increases almost linearly with temperature (d_ab/dT> 0). the temperature variation of the c-axis resistivity _c, however, is strongly sample dependent. Both metallic-like (d_c/dT> 0) and mixed temperature dependences of _c, including d_c/dT < 0 are observed. The mixed _c(T) data can be well described by fitting to _c(T) = A + BT + C/T, indicating that the temperature dependence of _c(T) is the result of a competition between metallic and non-metallic terms. The temperature T_min at which _c reaches a minimum increases with increasing d_ab/dT, suggesting that the metallic term of _c arises from misaligned Cu---O planes. This is confirmed by an electron-microscope (HRTEM) analysis of the samples. The anisotropy ratio _c/_ab is of the order of 10³ but increases monotonically with decreasing temperature, indicating differences in the scattering processes parallel and perpendicular to the Cu---O plane.     

Ultrafast structural dynamics using time-resolved x-ray diffraction driven by relativistic laser pulses

Based on a femtosecond laser plasma-induced hard x-ray source with a high laser pulse energy( 100 mJ) at 10 Hz repetition rate,we present a time-resolved x-ray diffraction system on an ultrafast time scale.The laser intensity is at relativistic regime(2 × 10~(19) W/cm~2),which is essential for effectively generating K_α source in high-Z metal material.The produced copper K_α radiation yield reaches to 2.5 × 10~8 photons/sr/shot.The multilayer mirrors are optimized for monochromatizating and two-dimensional beam shaping of K_α emission.Our experiment exhibits its ability of monitoring the transient structural changes in a thin film SrCoO_(2.5) crystal.It is demonstrated that this facility is a powerful tool to perform dynamic studies on samples and adaptable to the specific needs for different particular applications with high flexibility.     

Effects of crystallographic ordering on the magnetic behaviour of (AgIn)1-zMn2zTe2 and (CuIn)1-zMn2zTe2 alloys

Measurements of magnetic susceptibility in the temperature range 4.2–300 K were made on polycrystalline samples of the (AgIn)_{1 - z}Mn_2zTe₂ and (CuIn)_{1 - z}Mn_2zTe₂ alloys, and the data used to give values of spin-glass transition te mperature T_g and Curie-Weiss paramagnetic temperature θ. For any sample for which the X-ray powder photograph indicated an apparently single phase condition, either zinc-blende or chalcopyrite, the susceptibility data could show up to three separate T_g values. These different magnetic conditions are attributed to crystallographic ordering of the Mn ions on the chalcopyrite and zinc-blende lattices, the three observed T_g values corresponding to disordered zinc-blende, ordered zinc-blende and ordered chalcopyrite. The value of θ obtained from the 1/χ vs. T plot is shown to be a weighted mean of the separate values of θ for the phases present. The relative sizes of the T_g peaks and the values of θ for any given sample gives an indication of the amount of each phase present. These amounts were varied by using different methods of heat treatment and it was shown that the magnetic behaviour was consistent with the T(z) phase diagram for the two alloy systems.     

Disruption of antiferromagnetic order in Zn-doped La2CuO4

The magnetic phase diagram of La₂(Cu_1−xZn_x)O₄ has been determined from zero-field muon-spin-rotation (ZF-μSR) data taken at LAMPF for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.10. Antiferromagnetic onset temperatures follow T_N(x) from susceptibility measurements on the same samples. However, the order becomes long range, as evidenced by a well-defined internal magnetic field, only at temperatures well below T_N. Extrapolation of our results yields T_N → 0 K at x = 0.11 for a single (Cu_1−xZn_x)O₂ plane, and comparison with YBa₂(Cu_1−xZn_x)₃O₆ implies identical disruption of magnetism by Zn doping in the single- and double-plane systems.     

Trapping mechanism of superconductivity suppression induced by Pr substitution in the Ho1−xPrxBa2Cu3O7−δ system

Pr concentration dependence of the superconducting transition temperature T_c in the Ho_1−xPr_xBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ system is determined from measurements of DC electrical resistance. This dependence coincides with that for the parallely studied Y_1−xPr_xBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ reference system. Both systems have the same value of the critical concentration x_c=0.58, in accordance with nearly equal ionic radii of Ho³⁺ and Y³⁺ ions. It has been shown that the T_c(x) curve can be described with a single mechanism based on a decreasing number of sheet holes trapped by Pr^IV-ions, if one takes also into account that the number of these ions changes with x.     

Temperature dependence of the resistivity and its anisotropy in n-type Nd1.85Ce0.15CuO4 single crystal

Measurements of the in-plane and c-axis normal-state resistivity in a superconducting Nd_1.85Ce_0.15CuO_4−δ single crystal are reported. The resistivity anisotropy of this n-type material is ≤250, much smaller than BiSCCO and comparable to YBaCuO. Both, _ab(T) and _c(T) displays a metallic-like positive temperature coefficient of resistivity with a basic T² dependence. We discuss some possible origins of this peculiar temperature dependence.     

Magnetic order in M2Mo3O8 single crystals (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni)

Magnetic measurements on hexagonal single crystals of M₂Mo₃O₈ (M = Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) are reported. The Mn compound orders ferrimagnetically at T_c = 41.5 K; the Fe and Co compounds antiferrimagnetically at T_N = 59.5 K and 40.8 K, respectively. No magnetic ordering was found in the Ni compound down to 2 K. All the compounds showed strong magnetic anisotropy when ordered, the results indicating that the magnetic spins' preferred orientation is along the hexagonal axis. Mn₂Mo₃O₈ shows a temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization in the ferrimagnetic regime which is rarely observed: as T → 0, M_s → 0.     

Magnetic properties of the Bi1.95Sr2.05−xLaxCuOy (Bi-2201) superconducting phase

We have investigated the reversible mixed-state magnetization M of three lanthanum substituted Bi_1.95Sr_2.05−xLa_xCuO_y (Bi-2201) ceramic samples having different critical temperatures T_c ranging from 20.0 to 35.5 K. As for the Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ (Bi-2212) phase, we found that anisotropy of Bi-2201 is large. A manifestation of this anisotropy is the field independent magnetization M^* observed at a temperature T^*. In the framework of the London model, and including thermal fluctuations of vortices, we found for the temperature dependence of the penetration depth λ_ab(T) = λ_ab(0)[1 − (T/T_c0)ⁿ]^−1/2, with n 1.7 and λ_ab (T = 0) 4000 Å. The estimated upper critical fields μ₀H_c2,c are of the order of 10 T. We observe a peculiar negative slope M/T at low temperature and sufficiently high external magnetic field. This feature seems to be a characteristic of the Bi-2201 phase. However, we do not know whether it is associated with the superconducting mixed-state. A small amount of magnetic impurities could also be responsible for this behavior. Finally, the behavior of the reversible magnetization of the Bi-2201 samples investigated, which are situated at the optimal and in the overdoped region, did not indicate any unusual temperature dependence for the upper critical field H_c2,c.     

The role of Debye mass in the chiral crossover in a strong magnetic field

In this paper, the Debye mass of quarks is investigated in the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio model at zero and nonzero chemical potentials. In a uniform plasma, the Debye mass usually behaves as a monotonous increasing function of the temperature, the chemical potential and the magnetic field. At the fixed coupling interaction G, we find that the magnetic catalysis (MC) on the occurrence of the chiral restoration could be revealed by the susceptibility of the Debye mass dm_D/dT at low chemical potential and by the quantity Tdm_D/dT in the region of moderate densities. However, the inverse MC is realized under a thermomagnetic coupling constant G(B, T) by the behavior of the Debye mass at both zero and nonzero chemical potentials.     

Temperature range for critical scaling behavior in YBCO thin films

The magnetic and transport properties of thin films and single crystals of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ are compared. For measurements on thin films, the apparent critical scaling behavior is observed to exist over a temperature range from 87 K down to the vortex-glass transition T_g = 84.2 K at 2.5 kOE and from 83 K to T_g = 70.4 K at 50 kOe. The inflection point (T_inf) in temperature dependent resistivity measurements R(T) coincides with the highest temperature at which current-voltage (I–V) characteristics are found to scale. The region between T_g and T_inf shows a behavior characteristics of thermally activated flux motion, while above T_inf I–V curves show ohmic behavior. No similar scaling region is observed in some single crystal results, supporting recent claims that the phase transition in some single crystals may not be critical in nature (of order greater than one).     

Measurement of spin-lattice relaxation times of C in organic solids

A transient nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) makes measurements of the ¹³C spin-lattice relaxation times in organic solids complicated. Extended Solomon equations are applied in order to describe ¹³C spin-lattice relaxation with ¹H r.f. field irradiation. Spin-lattice relaxation under r.f. irradiation is shown to be generally a triple-exponential process, but it can be reduced to be single-exponential under stronger r.f. field irradiation as well as in the absence of ¹H initial magnetizations. Based on numerical calculations, the difference between spin-lattice relaxation curves obeying T₁^C < T₁^H and those obeying T₁^C < T₁^H is clearly indicated. The methyl group resonances in solid-state -valine are examined, and the experimental results agree well with the theoretical results.     

Nanoparticle in a quantum crystal with a narrow vacancy band

Vacancy-assisted diffusion of a neutral probe nanoparticle with a radius R_p of a few lattice constants in a quantum crystal with a narrow vacancy band is considered. The diffusion coefficient of the probe D_p(T) in such a crystal should fall exponentially near T_melt, and it can go through a maximum at temperatures T_tr, where the transition from thermally activated hopping of localized vacancies to a proper band motion of delocalized vacancions takes place, under the condition that the mean free path of the vacancions l_v(T) at T_tr is less than R_p and increases with lowering the temperature quicker than the inverse value of the relative concentration of vacancies X_v(T). Below T_tr, where l_v is much longer than the probe diameter, the value of D_p should fall proportionally to X_v(T).     

Out-of-plane conductivity in Bi2Sr2CuOy crystals

We present extensive measurements of anisotropic resistivity on Bi₂Sr₂CuO_y crystals grown from melts with different Bi/Sr ratios and doped with Pb. We find that the temperature variation of the c-axis resistivity _c(T) is correlated with the in-plane resistivity _ab. Depending on the starting compositions, the normal-state in-plane resistivity _ab can either show localized conduction at low temperature or be metallic (d_ab/dT < 0) in the whole temperature range. Correspondingly, a change of the T dependence of _c from nonmetallic (d_c/dT < 0) in the whole measured temperature range (4.2–300 K) to a mixed (d_c/dT < 0 at low T but d_c/dT> 0 at high T) conduction is observed. In accompany, the magnitude of _c at low T decreases by about two orders. We have quantified the trend of the _c(T) and examined some current proposals concerning the out-of-plane transport.