Simultaneous measurement of D and T2 using the distant dipolar field

The presence of long-range dipolar fields in liquids is known to introduce a non-linear term in the Bloch-Torrey equations which is responsible for many interesting effects in nuclear magnetic resonance as well as in magnetic resonance imaging. We show here, for the first time, that the diffusion coefficient D and the spin-spin relaxation time T2 can be obtained simultaneously from the time evolution profile of the long-range dipolar field refocused signal. In a COSY Revamped by Z-asymmetric Echo Detection sequence, the analytical first-order approximation solution of the Bloch-Torrey equations modified to include the effect of the distant dipolar field is used to demonstrate the technique in an experiment using doped water.     

Solvent-localized NMR spectroscopy using the distant dipolar field: a method for NMR separations with a single gradient

Solvent-localized NMR (SOLO) is a new method which allows the separation of NMR spectra of substances dissolved in different solvents. It uses the selective HOMOGENIZED pulse sequence to produce a two-dimensional NMR spectrum resulting from intermolecular zero-quantum coherences in one distinct solvent. The detected signal is locally refocused by the action of the distant dipolar field, which is created by a frequency selective pulse only in regions containing the selected solvent. The prerequisites are that the different solvents have sufficiently different chemical shifts to be excited separately and that compartments with different solvents are spatially separated by more than the typical diffusion distance. Here, the method is demonstrated for the solvents water and DMSO on a length scale of 0.5 mm. Because signal in the spectra is refocused locally, SOLO is insensitive to variations in the magnetic field which may result from inhomogeneities or structures in the sample. This makes applications in strongly structured samples possible. SOLO is the first method that achieves localization of NMR signal with a single gradient pulse. Therefore, it can be used in conventional NMR spectrometers with one-axis gradient systems and lends itself to a wide range of applications including in vivo NMR.     

Quantifying cortical bone free water using short echo time (STE-MRI) at 1.5 T

PurposeThe purpose of our study was to use Dual-TR STE-MR protocol as a clinical tool for cortical bone free water quantification at 1.5 T and validate it by comparing the obtained results (MR-derived results) with dehydration results.MethodsHuman studies were compliant with HIPPA and were approved by the institutional review board. Short Echo Time (STE) MR imaging with different Repetition Times (TRs) was used for quantification of cortical bone free water T₁ (T₁free) and concentration (ρ_free). The proposed strategy was compared with the dehydration technique in seven bovine cortical bone samples. The agreement between the two methods was quantified by using Bland and Altman analysis. Then we applied the technique on a cross-sectional population of thirty healthy volunteers (18F/12M) and examined the association of the biomarkers with age.ResultsThe mean values of ρ_free for bovine cortical bone specimens were quantified as 4.37% and 5.34% by using STE-MR and dehydration techniques, respectively. The Bland and Altman analysis showed good agreement between the two methods along with the suggestion of 0.99% bias between them. Strong correlations were also reported between ρ_free (r² = 0.62) and T_1free and age (r² = 0.8). The reproducibility of the method, evaluated in eight subjects, yielded an intra-class correlation of 0.95.ConclusionSTE-MR imaging with dual-TR strategy is a clinical solution for quantifying cortical bone ρ_free and T_1free.     

Apparent diffusion behaviour of intermolecular double-quantum coherence modulated by a distant dipolar field in solution NMR

A modified correlated spectroscopy (COSY) revamped with asymmetric Z-gradient echo detection sequence was designed to investigate the influence of diffusion behaviour on intermolecular double-quantum coherence signal attenuation during the pre-acquisition period. Theoretical formulas were deduced and experimental measurements and simulations were performed. It is found that the diffusion behaviour of intermolecular double-quantum coherence in the pre-acquisition period may be different from that of conventional single-quantum coherence, depending on the relative orientation of diffusion weighting gradients to coherence selection gradients. When the orientation of the diffusion weighting gradients is parallel or anti-parallel to the orientation of the coherence selection gradients, the diffusion is modulated by the distant dipolar field. This study is helpful for understanding the signal properties in intermolecular double-quantum coherence magnetic resonance imaging.     

Apparent diffusion behaviors of spins in the presence of distant dipolar field in two-component solution NMR

The diffusion behaviors of spins in the presence of distant dipolar field in two-component spin systems during the second evolution period of a modified CRAZED sequence before acquisition were investigated. Theoretical formulas were deduced based on the distant dipolar field model. The simulation results and experimental observations are consistent with the theoretical predictions. This study shows that the relative intensities of signals from intermolecular zero-quantum coherences (iZQCs) and intermolecular double-quantum coherences (iDQCs) have the same diffusion attenuation characteristic under the combined effect of diffusion weighting gradients and distant dipolar field during the second evolution period. This diffusion attenuation may be different from that of conventional single-quantum coherence signal, depending on the relative orientation of the diffusion weighting gradients to the coherence selection gradients. The results presented herein are helpful for understanding the effect of distant dipolar field from a spin system on the diffusion behavior of other spin system and the signal properties in the iZQC or iDQC magnetic resonance imaging.     

非均匀弱直流偏置磁场中CoFe-基非晶态合金丝的静磁化分布和退磁场分布

当前从事非晶态合金丝巨磁阻抗效应的理论研究均以忽略其内部退磁场为前提,该前提对于小尺寸非晶态合金丝不适用.本文提出一种用于计算Co Fe-基非晶态合金丝内部静磁化强度、退磁场分布的模型.该模型将非晶态合金丝内部划分成同轴、等宽、等厚、半径不同的相邻无交圆环,计算各圆环内磁化强度对场点r处退磁场冲激响应,得到冲激响应矩阵.利用该矩阵求解均匀/非均匀直流偏置磁场中非晶态合金丝内静磁化强度、退磁场分布.     

Effect of the probe field in a magnetic force microscope on the magnetization distribution in samples

The effect of the probe field in a magnetic force microscope on the magnetization distribution in objects under study has been theoretically investigated. The perturbation of uniform magnetization state in thin ferromagnetic samples under the probe field was analyzed in the linear approximation. The additional contribution to the magnetic force microscope contrast caused by a local magnetic bias of the sample was calculated.     

Effect of an AC magnetic field on the steady-state magnetization distribution in a weak ferromagnet

Possible steady-state magnetization distributions in a domain wall are found in a weak ferromagnet subjected to an ac magnetic field. The character of the rotation of the magnetization vector in the domain wall is determined. It is predicted that domain structures can be rearranged and reoriented under an ac magnetic field.     

Relaxation effects on transverse magnetization using RF pulses long compared to T(2)

The transverse relaxation effects which occur during the application of optimized slice-selective Shinnar-Le Roux pulses are studied. The behavior of both longitudinal and transverse magnetization is examined, focusing the attention on changes which affect the absorption and dispersion components. Besides the reduction in amplitude, the absorption component was found to be unaffected by transverse relaxation times, whereas the dispersion component was strongly distorted. A comparison between the distortion components from pulses having same length but different bandwidths is given.     

Time dependent local field distribution and remanent magnetization in the SK-spin glass

A Fokker-Planck type equation is derived for the distribution of local fields in the SK-spin glass. It is obtained from an exact hierarchy of similar equations for distribution functions of higher dimension. A modified Kirkwood superposition approximation is used as closure. This approach respects exact sum rules. Numerical integration yields for a fully magnetized initial state a finite remanent magnetization at zero temperature and a slow decay of the magnetization at finite temperatures. For temperatures above the critical point the replica symmetric solution is approached at late times.Dedicated to Professor W. Brenig on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Nonperturbative phenomena in QCD at finite temperature in a magnetic field

The norperturbative QCD vacuum at finite temperature in a external magnetic field is studied. Equations that relate nonperturbative QCD condensates at finite temperature to the thermodynamic pressure at T ≠ 0 and H ≠ 0 are obtained, and low-energy theorems are derived. The free energy of the QCD vacuum in the hadronic phase at H ≠ 0 is calculated, and expressions for the quark and gluon condensates are obtained. Various limiting cases for the behavior of the condensates at low and high temperatures and in weak and strong magnetic fields are investigated. A new interesting phenomenon that consists in the freezing of the quark condensate by a magnetic field is found. The character of spontaneous chiral-symmetry breaking in finite-temperature QCD in a magnetic field is studied. For this purpose, the Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner formula relating the pion mass M _π and the axial-vector coupling constant F _π to the quark condensate is derived at T ≠ 0 and H ≠ 0. It is shown that this formula preserves its form at finite temperature after taking into account a magnetic field—that is, no additional terms independent of T and H appear. Thus, the scheme of soft chiral-symmetry breaking remains unchanged. The quark-hadron phase transition in QCD in a magnetic field is studied. It is shown that the phase-transition temperature becomes lower than that in the case of zero magnetic field.     

Field-induced magnetization distribution and antiferroquadrupolar order in CeB(6)

The anisotropic Knight shift of implanted positive muons (micro(+)) in CeB(6) has been studied between 2.2 and 200 K in a field of 0.6 T. The results imply that the field-induced magnetization distribution is not only found at the Ce sites but also in other regions of the unit cell (e.g., near or inside the B6 molecule, as proposed by Saitoh et al. [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Suppl. 71, 106-108 (2002)]). While above the antiferroquadrupolar ordering temperature T(Q) approximately 3.55 K this additional magnetization appears to be antiparallel to the Ce moments, a drastic change is observed below T(Q), and the additional magnetization is eventually aligned parallel to the Ce moments.     

Novel peak assignments of in vivo (13)C MRS in human brain at 1.5 T

(13)C MRS studies at natural abundance and after intravenous 1-(13)C glucose infusion were performed on a 1.5-T clinical scanner in four subjects. Localization to the occipital cortex was achieved by a surface coil. In natural abundance spectra glucose C(3beta,5beta), myo-inositol, glutamate C(1,2,5), glutamine C(1,2,5), N-acetyl-aspartate C(1-4,C=O), creatine CH(2), CH(3), and C(C=N), taurine C(2,3), bicarbonate HCO(-)(3) were identified. After glucose infusion (13)C enrichment of glucose C(1alpha,1beta), glutamate C(1-4), glutamine C(1-4), aspartate C(2,3), N-acetyl-aspartate C(2,3), lactate C(3), alanine C(3), and HCO(-)(3) were observed. The observation of (13)C enrichment of resonances resonating at >150 ppm is an extension of previously published studies and will provide a more precise determination of metabolic rates and substrate decarboxylation in human brain.     

Intermolecular double quantum coherences (iDQc) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) imaging of the human brain at 1.5 T

To study the sensitivity of intermolecular double quantum coherences (iDQc) imaging contrast to brain microstructure and brain anisotropy, we investigated the iDQC contrast between differently structured areas of the brain according to the strength and the direction of the applied correlation gradient. Thus diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) maps have been obtained. This procedure, which consists of analyzing both iDQc and DWI images at different gradient strength and gradient direction, could be a promising tool for clinical brain investigations performed with higher than 1.5 T magnetic fields.     

A comparison study of inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) and magnetization transfer (MT) in multiple sclerosis based on whole brain acquisition at 3.0 T

IntroductionMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system disorder that may eventually affect its function. The clinical standard for MS severity is based on a clinical scale, which lacks lesion specific information. Magnetic resonance imaging of MS faces the challenge of myelin specificity, and in this work a new method inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) is investigated as new biomarker of demyelination in MS.MethodsLocal ethics committee approved this study and written informed consents were obtained. Between Oct 2017 to May 2018, eighteen patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) (6 males, 12 females, mean age 31.2) and sixteen healthy volunteers (6 males, 10 females, mean age 30.4 years) were enrolled in this prospective study. All subjects underwent MRI exams including MT and ihMT imaging as well as the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) assessments. Independent sample t-test were used to compare the difference of ihMT parameters between healthy white matter (HWM) and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) and between HWM and MS lesions, respectively. Spearman correlation were used to analyze the correlation between ihMT parameters of MS lesions and EDSS score.ResultsThe ihMTR and qihMT demonstrate significant differences between WHM and NAWM groups, while no significant differences are observed for MTR and qMT. All parameters show significant differences between HWM and MS groups (p < 0.05). There was moderate negative correlation between MTR, qMT and EDSS score (−0.440 and −0.572), while there was a strong negative correlation between ihMTR and qihMT and EDSS score (−0.704 and −0.739).ConclusionBased on whole brain analysis at 3.0 T, ihMT showed better correlation with EDSS compared to magnetization transfer imaging, and may be a potentially valuable biomarker for demyelination in MS.     

Shape and magnetic moment dependence of the dipolar field in Mn_(12)-acetate

There is a small fraction of fast-relaxation species in Mn12-acetate, which is utilized to determine the dipolar field of Mn12. Here we report an easier way to precisely obtain the dipolar field by measuring the M-H curves above the blocking temperature of fastrelaxation species. We found that there is a simple linear relationship between the magnetic moment and dipolar field; besides the dipolar field is also dependent on the sample shape, which is consistent with the numerical calculation.     

Ab initio calculations in a uniform magnetic field using periodic supercells

We present a formulation of ab initio electronic structure calculations in a finite magnetic field, which retains the simplicity and efficiency of techniques widely used in first principles molecular dynamics simulations, based on plane-wave basis sets and Fourier transforms. In addition we discuss results obtained with this method for the energy spectrum of interacting electrons in quantum wells, and for the electronic properties of dense fluid deuterium in a uniform magnetic field.     

The distribution of equilibrium magnetization currents in systems with dimensional quantization in a finite magnetic field

The distribution of equilibrium magnetization currents in two-dimensional bounded systems placed in an external magnetic field is studied. A half-plane, a quantum disk, and a wide quantum ring are considered. The passage from classical to quantizing magnetic fields is investigated. The edge currents near the boundary of the half-plane are shown to experience damped (far from the boundaries) spatial oscillations related to the Fermi electron wavelength. The region occupied by currents was found to narrow with increasing field. Apart from these oscillations, the current contains a component that smoothly changes with distance but oscillationally depends on the position of the Fermi level relative to the Landau levels. The suppression of the oscillations by temperature is studied. The spatial distribution of the current in a circular disk and a ring is shown to significantly depend on the position of the Fermi level.     

Diffusion effects on the CPMG relaxation rate in a dipolar field

The diffusion in the magnetic dipolar field around a sphere is considered. The diffusion is restricted to the space between two concentric spheres, where the inner sphere is the source of the magnetic dipolar field. Analytical expressions for the CPMG transverse relaxation rate as well as the free induction decay and the spin echo time evolution are given in the Gaussian approximation. The influence of the inter-echo time is analyzed. The limiting cases of small and large inter-echo times as well as the short and long time behavior are evaluated.