Assessment of the biomechanical state of intracranial tissues by dynamic MRI of cerebrospinal fluid pulsations: a phantom study

We used a cranial phantom to investigate how intracranial mechanical factors [brain compliance and the resistance to the flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)] affect the way in which CSF pulsations are driven by pulsatile transcranial blood flow. Dynamic phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the transfer function between vascular pulsations and pulsatile response of the CSF below the foramen magnum of the phantom. We found that the coupling between the high frequency components of cervical CSF flow and transcranial blood flow was decreased when the phantom was modified to simulate increased brain compliance and increased resistance to CSF flow.     

Origin of subarachnoid cerebrospinal fluid pulsations: a phase-contrast MR analysis

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsations result from change of blood volume in the closed craniospinal cavity. We used cine phase contrast MR analysis to determine whether spinal CSF pulsations result from spinal vascular pulsations or intracranial subarachnoid pulsations, whether intracranial CSF pulsations result from intracranial large arteries pulsations or cerebrovascular bed changes. We performed a quantified physiological mapping of CSF velocity waveforms along the craniospinal axis. Thirty-six volunteers participated in the study. MR acquisitions were obtained at the intracranial level, the upper, midcervical, cervicothoracic, mid thoracic, and/or the thoracolumbar levels. The temporal velocity information were plotted as wave form and key temporal parameters were determined and analyzed; intervals from the R wave to the onset of CSF systole, to CSF systolic peak, to the end of systole, as well as duration of systole. Three kinds of dynamic channels could be differentiated along the spinal axis, the lateral, medioventral and mediodorsal channels. Lateral spinal CSF pulse waves show significant craniocaudal propagation. No such significant progression was detected through the medial channels along the spine. Through the medial channels, a cephalic progression was observed from the upper cervical level to the intracranial level. At the craniocervical junction, mediodorsal CSF systole appeared the earliest one whereas in the anterior intracranial basal cistern, CSF systole appeared delayed. In conclusion, spinal CSF pulsations seem to result mainly from intracranial pulsations in the lateral channels, whereas local vascular pulsations could modify CSF pulse wave mainly in the medial channels. At the craniocervical junction, our results suggest that blood volume change in the richly vascularised cerebellar tonsils is the main initiating factor of CSF systole; and that spinal vascular pulsations could be considered as an additional early and variable CSF pump.     

Temporal and spatial assessment of normal cerebrospinal fluid dynamics with MR imaging

The purpose of this study was to measure normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsations within the intracranial and upper cervical subarachnoid spaces and the ventricular system. Phase contrast cine MR sequences were performed in sagittal and axial planes on 13 volunteers with flow encoding in the craniocaudal direction. CSF pulsations displayed considerable variations in healthy subjects, depending both on measurements localization and subjects, with CSF peak velocities ranging from 0 to 7 cm/s. In the subarachnoid spaces, the highest velocities occurred in the anterior location and increased from the cerebellar pontine angle cisterns towards the lower cervical spaces. In the ventricular system, the highest velocities occurred through the aqueduct of Sylvius. CSF flow within the third ventricle seemed to reflect a circular motion. There was a caudal net CSF flow in the aqueduct whereas in the upper cervical spaces net CSF flow was caudal anteriorly and cranial laterally. Velocity profiles of CSF pulsations demonstrated arterial morphology. After the R wave, caudal systolic motion was first observed in the posterior subarachnoid spaces, soon after in the anterior subarachnoid spaces and later in the ventricular system. Considering the morphology of CSF pathways, three successively initiated phenomena may explain the temporal course of CSF motion: the systolic expansion of the main arteries at the base of the brain, the systolic expansion of the cerebrospinal axis and, finally, the systolic expansion of the choroid plexuses.     

基于波前技术的人眼神经对比敏感度测量

搭建了基于波前像差的神经对比敏感度(NCSF)测试系统。该系统在测试人眼空间对比敏感度(CSF)的同时,利用Hartmann-Shack波前传感器测量人眼波前像差,通过计算进而得到人眼的NCSF。与通过两种设备分别测量全视觉CSF和波前像差获得NCSF相比,该方法避免了不同测试状态下像差波动的影响,简化了测试过程;和传统激光干涉方法测量NCSF相比,该方法避免了激光干涉产生的相干噪音和激光散斑等不利因素,并且通过改变不同亮度不同颜色视标,可以得到不同亮度,不同波长下的NCSF。选用绿光视标对四例正常人眼的NCSF进行了测量,结果表明:该系统可以同时获得人眼的全视觉CSF、屈光系统调制传递函数和NCSF;在同等亮度下,不同人眼的NCSF存在个体差异;对同一个体,NCSF曲线的最大值对应的空间频率比全眼空间CSF曲线的最大值对应的空间频率高一些。     

Self-excited pressure pulsations in ethanol under heater subcooling

This paper presents experimental results of investigation of high-intensity cooling of high-temperature metal heater by subcooled ethanol flow. The experiments have proved the presence of self-excited pressure pulsations with amplitude of 1.15 MPa, arising in ethanol. Expanding real signals of the sensors by the Hilbert?Huang transform has resulted in the intrinsic mode functions. Analysis of these functions and the high-speed video shooting results allows identifying the basic frequencies and mechanisms of pressure oscillations. Comparison of the results with the data of film cooling and bubble boiling on the cooled heater has shown that maximum values of non-stationary heat-transfer coefficients for the self-excited oscillations and for the bubble boiling are the same.     

The use of in vitro magnetic resonance tissue studies to optimise pulse sequences in the imaging of intracranial haemorrhage

The choice of appropriate MR pulse sequences to highlight a particular pathology to best advantage is not always straightforward. In this study of intracranial haemorrhage, tissue relaxation times measured in vitro were entered into a computer program which calculated the signal intensity of each tissue (brain, blood, CSF, and bloody CSF) for all possible echo (TE) and repeat (TR) times. Analysis of graph plots of the results enabled the selection of pulse sequences which gave optimal separation of the signal intensities of intracranial haemorrhage from those of normal intracranial contents. The sequences thus chosen were used successfully in the imaging of patients with intracranial haemorrhage.     

Self-sustained oscillations in pipe systems with multiple deep side branches: Prediction and reduction by detuning

Flow-induced pulsations are frequently observed in pipe networks. In the present work we focus on the case of flow-induced pulsations in a pipe system composed of six equally spaced deep closed side branches. These pulsations are self-sustained aeroacoustic oscillations driven by the instability of the flow along the closed branches. The prediction of pulsations in such complex systems has not yet been proved to be possible, indeed the methods proposed in the literature have only been applied to relatively simple geometries, mainly single or double side branch systems. We propose a prediction model of the self-sustained oscillations in multiple deep side branch systems. This has been established by means of an analytical model for the acoustic wave propagation in which a semi-analytical source model is included. Detuning of the acoustic resonator is often considered as a possible remedial measure to suppress pulsations. Although this countermeasure appears to be very effective for double side branch systems in cross configuration, its effectiveness has never been assessed for different geometries. The effectiveness of the length-detuning on the six side branch system appear to be limited and depends on the upstream and downstream acoustic boundary conditions of the main pipe.     

Bifurcation analysis of steady states and limit cycles in a thermal pulse combustor model

Oscillatory behaviour of state variables is desirable in pulse combustors, as properly designed pulsations lead to improved performances, such as higher thermal efficiency and lower emissions compared to steady combustors. In the present work, we perform a systematic investigation of the stability of steady states and limit cycles of a pulse combustor model through numerical continuation. Different bifurcation parameters such as tailpipe friction factor, wall temperature, convective heat transfer coefficient, inlet temperature and inlet fuel mass fraction are varied to identify the complete ranges of those parameters at which limit cycles can be expected. This analysis identifies alternative stable periodic regimes in parameter space (e.g. friction factor). In addition, a few performance indicators such as amplitude of oscillations, cycle-averaged heat transfer and cycle-averaged specific thrust are compared between different ranges of friction factor yielding limit cycle oscillations. The comparison clearly shows that, depending upon the application, friction factor can be chosen from different regimes. The time-integration of the model is also performed to support the bifurcation results obtained from numerical continuation, wherever appropriate. The complete stability margin of limit cycle oscillations for those bifurcation parameters can be useful for improved design of the combustor and for determining the optimal operating conditions of pulse combustors.     

Human cranial CSF volumes measured by MRI: Sex and age influences

Accurate measurements of CSF volumes would assist in the diagnosis of several important neurological conditions. Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) we have devised a method to measure both total intracranial CSF volume and ventricular volume. This initial study, in normal humans, provides an answer to two longstanding questions: first, do these volumes differ between the sexes; second, do both total and ventricular CSF volumes increase with normal aging? We found that the total cranial CSF volume and skull size of males were significantly greater than those of females, but that there was not a statistically significant difference between the ventricular volumes of the sexes. Total cranial CSF volume increased steeply with age in both sexes but although there was an increase in ventricular volume with age in males, no significant increase with age could be demonstrated in females.     

Investigation of azimuthal staging concepts in annular gas turbines

In this work, the influence of azimuthal staging concepts on the thermoacoustic behavior of annular combustion chambers is assessed theoretically and numerically. Staging is a well-known and effective method to abate thermoacoustic pulsations in combustion chambers. However, in the case of, for example, fuel staging the associated inhomogeneity of equivalence ratio may result in increased levels of NO_x emissions. In order to minimize this unwanted effect a staging concept is required in which the transfer functions of the burners are changed while affecting the equivalence ratio as little as possible. In order to achieve this goal, a theoretical framework for predicting the influence of staging concepts on pulsations has been developed. Both linear and nonlinear analytical approaches are presented and it is shown that the dynamics of azimuthal modes can be described by coupled Van der Pol oscillators. A criterion based on the thermoacoustic coupling strength and on the asymmetry degree provides the modal behavior in the annular combustor, i.e. standing or traveling waves. The model predictions have been verified by numerical simulations of a heavy-duty gas turbine using an in-house thermoacoustic network-modeling tool. The interaction between the heat release of the flame and the acoustic field was modeled using measured transfer functions and source terms. These numerical simulations confirmed the original theoretical considerations.     

On the influence of stochastic pulsations of a bubble on its translational motion

This communication is devoted to theoretical analysis of the dynamics of a solitary cavitation bubble pulsating in a compressible viscous liquid under the action of a nonuniform acoustic field. The system of two nonlinear ordinary second-order differential equations is integrated numerically. In the range of acoustic field parameters corresponding to the principal resonance region, the bubble performs large-scale spatial oscillations. It is shown that in a very small range of initial radii, the bubble stops its oscillatory motion due to stochastic pulsations and is expelled into the region of the acoustic-pressure block. Therefore, stochastic pulsations of the bubble radically change the form of the solution to the system of the above-mentioned equations.     

On the equation of pulsating flame fronts in solid fuel combustion

A strongly nonlinear equation describing the dynamics of pulsations in solid fuel combustion is obtained. The method consists of extending the problem via introduction of an artificial parameter into boundary conditions leading to a separation of the spatial and the temporal scales within a low-frequency region. The interface dynamics equation obtained through an asymptotic expansion is then extrapolated toward the original values of parameters. The key point in the derivation is to restore the unexpected form of the principal nonlinearity generating a strongly dissipative region near a stagnation point of the front which is responsible for the stability of pulsations. The results of a numerical simulation of the equation demonstrate strongly relaxational stable oscillations of the flame front velocity.     

Quantum mechanical calculation of multi-time-correlation functions and its application to the laser theory

Quantum mechanical multi-time-correlation functions are derived and applied to laser theory. The correlation functions for the laser field amplitudes and intensities are calculated. Far above the threshold region the latter correlation function shows damped oscillations.     

Electrical current pulsations through ion irradiated polymer foils in electrolytes

Funnel-type ion tracks were produced in thin polymer foils by swift heavy ion irradiation and subsequent treatment with both low concentration etchants and acids from two different sides. The funnel shapes consist of shallow etched cones and residual latent tracks and thus combine both their characteristic properties, rectification and current spike emission, in one track each. Arrays of spike-emitting tracks are known to exhibit phase-locked synchronous electrical pulsations in accordance with the neural network theory. These pulsations were studied here on arrays of funnel-type tracks for the first time. As expected, the results strongly depend on the track density. In foils with low track densities, synchronous oscillations are rare and rather unstable events, whereas foils with high track densities exhibit stable, strong and long-lasting pulsations. Insertion of 0.1 M KCl solution into tracks at low density improved the shape and regularity of the spuriously occurring spikes somewhat, as compared with water in these tracks.     

Weak versus strong harmonic-expansion analyses of self-pulsing lasers: I—the Laser Lorenz model

We apply a simple harmonic expansion method to the single-mode laser equations to analyze their dynamic properties. First, we extend the well-known small signal analysis to predict the transient pulsations of the relaxation oscillations. Such transients are characteristic of the laser signal relaxing towards its long-term solution, at any level of excitation, both beyond and below the instability threshold. Secondly, we extend the method to a strong harmonic expansion to analyze the properties of the long-term solutions. These properties are derived for typical examples, extending well beyond the boundary region of the instability domain, for which the laser field amplitude undergoes regular pulsations around zero-mean values.     

New type of breathers near Fermi resonance of optical oscillations in crystals

It has been shown that in crystals, near the Fermi resonance of optical excitons, in addition to the solitons discovered before, such as multi-exciton bound complexes of cusp-, crater-, and dark-type possessing a single carrier frequency, amplitude, and envelope, there are nonlinear soliton excitations of a crucially new, breather-type. Such periodic soliton oscillations exhibit slowly pulsing amplitudes of high-frequency oscillations, with the carrier frequency being a multiple of the frequency of pulsations. In accordance with the multiplicity, the depth of pulsations defines a series of the carrier frequencies, which are condensed near the basic frequency of optical oscillations. The spatial dependence of the two envelopes of new solitons of the cusp type is determined. With the increase in multiplicity, the sharpness of the space envelope of a soliton decreases, while the localization radius increases. Some other features of the solitons of new type are listed.     

Onset of turbulence in open liquid flows as a nonequilibrium noise-induced secondorder phase transition

It is shown that there is a profound analogy between the transition to turbulence in open liquid flows and the noise-induced excitation of oscillations of a pendulum with a randomly oscillating pivot. It is significant that this analogy is based not on the similarity of the equations describing these processes, but on the generality of the laws of the theory of oscillations. The existence of this analogy makes it possible to understand and account for numerous phenomena observed in both numerical simulations and real experiments. Moreover, this analogy suggests several recommendations to experimenters for achieving a more thorough suppression of undesirable turbulent pulsations in subsonic jets. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 31–39 (January 1998)     

Numerical investigation of the air injection effect on the cavitating flow in Francis hydro turbine

At full and over load operating points, some Francis turbines experience strong self-excited pressure and power oscillations. These oscillations are occuring due to the hydrodynamic instability of the cavitating fluid flow. In many cases, the amplitude of such pulsations may be reduced substantially during the turbine operation by the air injection/ admission below the runner. Such an effect is investigated numerically in the present work. To this end, the hybrid one-three-dimensional model of the flow of the mixture “liquid?vapor” in the duct of a hydroelectric power station, which was proposed previously by the present authors, is augmented by the second gaseous component — the noncondensable air. The boundary conditions and the numerical method for solving the equations of the model are described. To check the accuracy of computing the interface “liquid?gas”, the numerical method was applied at first for solving the dam break problem. The algorithm was then used for modeling the flow in a hydraulic turbine with air injection below the runner. It is shown that with increasing flow rate of the injected air, the amplitude of pressure pulsations decreases. The mechanism of the flow structure alteration in the draft tube cone has been elucidated, which leads to flow stabilization at air injection.     

Nonlinear dynamics of breathers in the spiral structures of magnets

The structure and properties of pulsating solitons (breathers) in the spiral structures of magnets are analyzed within the sine-Gordon model. The breather core pulsations are shown to be accompanied by local shifts and oscillations of the spiral structure with the formation of “precursors” and “tails” in the moving soliton. The possibilities for the observation and excitation of breathers in the spiral structures of magnets and multiferroics are discussed.     

Mixing in a model gas turbine combustor studied by panoramic optical techniques

Using planar optical methods based on laser-induced fluorescence and particle image velocimetry instantaneous velocity fields and passive tracer concentration are measured simultaneously in a model of GT-combustor at realistic flow rates. Spatial distributions of velocity pulsations and passive tracer concentration pulsations are measured at air flow rate about 0.4 kg/s. Correlations of velocity and concentration pulsations are measured. The most intense turbulent mass flux in the region of swirling flow mixing layer was observed. The contribution of advective and turbulent components in the transfer of a passive tracer in the axial direction was estimated.