Signal fluctuations in fMRI data acquired with 2D-EPI and 3D-EPI at 7 Tesla

Segmented three-dimensional echo planar imaging (3D-EPI) provides higher image signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than standard single-shot two-dimensional echo planar imaging (2D-EPI), but is more sensitive to physiological noise. The aim of this study was to compare physiological noise removal efficiency in single-shot 2D-EPI and segmented 3D-EPI acquired at 7 Tesla. Two approaches were investigated based either on physiological regressors (PR) derived from cardiac and respiratory phases, or on principal component analysis (PCA) using additional resting-state data. Results show that, prior to physiological noise removal, 2D-EPI data had higher temporal SNR (tSNR), while spatial SNR was higher in 3D-EPI. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) sensitivity was similar for both methods. The PR-based approach allowed characterization of relative contributions from different noise sources, confirming significant increases in physiological noise from 2D to 3D prior to correction. Both physiological noise removal approaches produced significant increases in tSNR and BOLD sensitivity, and these increases were larger for 3D-EPI, resulting in higher BOLD sensitivity in the 3D-EPI than in the 2D-EPI data. The PCA-based approach was the most effective correction method, yielding higher tSNR values for 3D-EPI than for 2D-EPI postcorrection.     

Feasibility of fat-saturated T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging with slice encoding for metal artifact correction (SEMAC) at 3T

Background and Purpose

Fluid-sensitive MR imaging in postoperative evaluation is important, however, metallic artifacts is inevitable. The purpose is to investigate the feasibility of fat-saturated slice encoding for metal artifact correction (SEMAC)-corrected T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) at 3T in patients with spinal prostheses.

Methods

Following institutional review board approval, 27 SEMAC-encoded spinal MRs between September 2012 and October 2013 in patients with spinal metallic prostheses were analyzed. The MR images were scanned on a 3T MR system including SEMAC-corrected and uncorrected fast spin echo (FSE) T2-weighted MR images with fat-saturation. Two musculoskeletal radiologists compared the image sets and qualitatively analyzed the images using a five-point scale in terms of artifact reduction around the prosthesis, visualization of the prosthesis and pedicle, and intervertebral neural foramina. Quantitative assessments were performed by calculating the ratio of signal intensity from the fixated vertebra and that from upper level vertebra. For statistical analyses, paired t-test was used.

Results

Fat-saturated SEMAC-corrected T2-weighted MR images enabled significantly improved metallic artifact reduction (P < 0.05). Quantitative evaluation of the signal intensity ratio of screw-fixated vertebra and upper level vertebra showed a significantly lower ratio on fat-saturated SEMAC images (P < 0.05), however, the high signal intensity of signal pile-up could be not completely corrected.

Conclusion

SEMAC correction in fat-suppressed T2-weighted MR images can overcome the signal loss of metallic artifacts and provide improved delineation of the pedicle screw and peri-prosthetic region. Signal pile-up, however, could not be corrected completely, therefore readers should be cautious in the evaluation of marrow around the prosthesis.     

SNR and functional sensitivity of BOLD and perfusion-based fMRI using arterial spin labeling with spiral SENSE at 3 T

Blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies using parallel imaging to reduce the readout window have reported a loss in temporal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that is less than would be expected given a purely thermal noise model. In this study, the impact of parallel imaging on the noise components and functional sensitivity of both BOLD and perfusion-based fMRI data was investigated. Dual-echo arterial spin labeling data were acquired on five subjects using sensitivity encoding (SENSE), at reduction factors (R) of 1, 2 and 3. Direct recording of cardiac and respiratory activity during data acquisition enabled the retrospective removal of physiological noise. The temporal SNR of the perfusion time series closely followed the thermal noise prediction of a √R loss in SNR as the readout window was shortened, with temporal SNR values (relative to the R=1 data) of 0.72 and 0.56 for the R=2 and R=3 data, respectively, after accounting for physiological noise. However, the BOLD temporal SNR decreased more slowly than predicted even after accounting for physiological noise, with relative temporal SNR values of 0.80 and 0.63 for the R=2 and R=3 data, respectively. Spectral analysis revealed that the BOLD trends were dominated by low-frequency fluctuations, which were not dominant in the perfusion data due to signal processing differences. The functional sensitivity, assessed using mean F values over activated regions of interest (ROIs), followed the temporal SNR trends for the BOLD data. However, results for the perfusion data were more dependent on the threshold used for ROI selection, most likely due to the inherently low SNR of functional perfusion data.     

Effect of initial orientation on twinning in commercially pure titanium

Abstract

The effect of initial orientation on twinning micro-mechanisms during tensile deformation of commercially pure titanium has been studied using micro focus X-ray diffraction and electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD) in a scanning electron microscope. Three orientations A, B and C obtained from a rolled and annealed block of commercially pure titanium were deformed in uniaxial tension till failure and the tested specimens were characterised with regard to bulk texture, microstructure and crystal orientation mapping using EBSD. Orientation B along the transverse direction in ND-TD plane exhibits higher strength and lower strain hardening compared to orientations A and C along the rolling direction in TD-RD and ND-RD plane, respectively. This is attributed to different texture of sample B compared to samples A and C leading to dissimilar twinning micro-mechanisms and characteristic variation in nature of twinning. It is observed that limited twin nucleation and prominent lateral growth plays a dominant role in orientation B while multiple twin nucleation with significant non-Schmid behaviour is dominant for the other two orientations. It is proposed from this study that conventional factors associated with twin formation like Schmid factor play a main role in twin nucleation and propagation, however, growth or lateral thickening of the twins is explained by elastic stiffness variation across twins and their parent grains.     

晶体取向对定向凝固枝晶生长的影响

采用类金属透明模型合金丁二腈-1.0 wt%乙醇(SCN-1.0 wt% Eth)合金, 考察了晶体取向对定向凝固过程中晶粒的平界面失稳孕育时间、枝晶形态演化以及枝晶一次间距的影响. 结果表明, 随着枝晶择优生长方向与温度梯度方向夹角的增大, 晶粒的平界面失稳孕育时间增加, 界面的稳定性增强; 对于不同晶体取向的枝晶形态演化, 枝晶择优生长方向与温度梯度方向夹角越大, 枝晶二次臂不对称生长越严重, 同时, 具有生长优势的枝晶二次臂对相邻枝晶的生长的抑制越强烈; 至于不同晶体取向的枝晶一次间距, 随着枝晶择优生长方向与温度梯度方向夹角的增大, 枝晶一次间距增大. 关键词： 定向凝固 平界面失稳 枝晶间距 晶体取向     

晶体取向对定向凝固平界面失稳行为的影响

采用丁二腈-丙酮透明模型合金研究了不同晶体取向的晶粒在定向凝固条件下的平界面失稳过程.实验选择了三个界面失稳后具有不同生长形态的典型晶粒作为研究对象, 分别为择优生长枝晶、倾斜枝晶和海藻晶.结果表明可发展为择优生长枝晶的晶粒的平界面失稳孕育时间和初始扰动波长最小,海藻晶次之, 倾斜枝晶最大,这与以往的解析结果和相场模拟结果一致. 同时,实验观察发现可发展为择优生长枝晶和倾斜枝晶的晶粒的界面非稳态演化过程与海藻晶显著不同,这表明平界面失稳的非稳态演化过程与晶体取向相关.     

单晶合金激光熔凝过程中晶向对单晶完整性的影响

运用几何模型对单晶合金激光熔凝过程中激光扫描方向与[100]方向夹角ξ变化时熔池内的枝晶生长方向和速度进行了计算,研究了ξ增大时不同晶向区域的分布变化规律.发现随着ξ的增大, 0]区域增大,[010]区域减小,且熔池两边不同部分速度差别增强.根据速度变化规律,构造出了熔池不同部位的过冷区域变化图,说明了可能出现新晶粒的趋势变化,并与实验结果进行了比较,揭示了在晶向不同的交界区域产生新晶粒的内在机理. 关键词： 单晶合金 激光熔凝 晶向 组成过冷     

分子的位置取向对分子器件电输运特性的影响

以1,4-二硫酚(DTB)分子为研究对象，利用第一性原理计算方法和非平衡格林函数理论，研究了分子的位置取向对分子电子结构以及分子结电输运性质的影响.计算结果表明，分子位置取向的改变会影响分子的电子结构，从而影响分子体系的电输运特性，扩展分子的平衡态不是电子输运的最佳状态，适当调节分子的位置取向可以提高分子的电输运特性. 关键词： 位置取向 电子输运 分子电子学     

Molecular orientation and morphology of contact printed α-quaterthiophene films on gold

We present contact printing as a technique to deposit α-quaterthiophene (α-4T) films from the solid phase onto gold. The molecular orientation and morphology of both the printed film and the original polycrystalline α-4T film on silica were investigated with low energy ion scattering (LEIS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical microscopy. We show that the strong interaction between clean gold and α-4T induces a drastic change in the molecular orientation and morphology of a 380 nm thick α-4T film. On gold the α-4T molecules are orientated with the thiophene rings parallel to the substrate and form rod-like crystallites (typically 13×1.3 μm²), whereas on silica α-4T molecules stand almost upright and form large cobblestone-like crystallites (typical diameter 10 μm). Exposure of α-4T to a low energy ion beam (dose <1×10¹⁴ 3 keV ³He⁺ ions/cm²) prior to printing causes polymerisation, which decreases the ability to print and alters the morphology of the printed film.     

界面和择优取向对TiN/ZrN纳米多层膜硬度变化的影响

利用射频反应磁控溅射方法，制备了调制比约为4，调制周期不同的一系列TiN/ZrN纳米多层膜. 利用X射线衍射仪(XRD)、高分辨电子显微镜(HRTEM)和纳米压痕仪(Nanoindentation)对多层膜的调制结构、界面状态和力学性能进行了表征. 研究结果表明TiN/ZrN多层膜具有很好的调制结构，但是在TiN层和ZrN层之间存在一定厚度的界面混合层. 力学性能分析表明：当调制周期小于15 nm时，TiN/ZrN多层膜的硬度介于单一TiN和ZrN薄膜的硬度之间；当调制周期为15.24 nm时，硬度达到最大，但随着调制周期增加，多层膜的硬度基本上保持为常数. 分析了TiN/ZrN多层膜硬度变化的机制，认为界面厚度和择优取向是导致硬度变化的主要原因. 关键词： TiN/ZrN多层膜 界面宽度 择优取向 硬度变化     

Raman study of ultrathin Fe3O4 films on GaAs(001) substrate: stoichiometry,epitaxial orientation and strain

The growth and characterization of high‐quality ultrathin Fe₃O₄ films on semiconductor substrates is a key step for spintronic devices. A stable, single‐crystalline ultrathin Fe₃O₄ film on GaAs(001) substrate is obtained by post‐growth annealing of epitaxial Fe film with thicknesses of 5 and 12 nm in air. Raman spectroscopy shows a high ability to convincingly characterize the stoichiometry, epitaxial orientation and strain of such ultrathin Fe₃O₄ films. Polarized Raman spectroscopy confirms the unit cell of Fe₃O₄ films is rotated by 45° to match that of the Fe (001) layer on GaAs, which results in a built‐in strain of − 3.5% in Fe₃O₄ films. The phonon strain‐shift coefficient(−126 cm⁻¹) of the A_1g mode is proposed to probe strain effect and strain relaxation of thin Fe₃O₄ films on substrates. It can be used to identify whether the Fe layer is fully oxidized to Fe₃O₄ or not. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantification of venous blood signal contribution to BOLD functional activation in the auditory cortex at 3 T

Most modern techniques for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) rely on blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) contrast as the basic principle for detecting neuronal activation. However, the measured BOLD effect depends on a transfer function related to neurophysiological changes accompanying electrical neural activation. The spatial accuracy and extension of the region of interest are determined by vascular effect, which introduces incertitude on real neuronal activation maps. Our efforts have been directed towards the development of a new methodology that is capable of combining morphological, vascular and functional information; obtaining new insight regarding foci of activation; and distinguishing the nature of activation on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Six healthy volunteers were studied in a parametric auditory functional experiment at 3 T; activation maps were overlaid on a high-resolution brain venography obtained through a novel technique. The BOLD signal intensities of vascular and nonvascular activated voxels were analyzed and compared: it was shown that nonvascular active voxels have lower values for signal peak (P<10(-7)) and area (P<10(-8)) with respect to vascular voxels. The analysis showed how venous blood influenced the measured BOLD signals, supplying a technique to filter possible venous artifacts that potentially can lead to misinterpretation of fMRI results. This methodology, although validated in the auditory cortex activation, maintains a general applicability to any cortical fMRI study, as the basic concepts on which it relies on are not limited to this cortical region. The results obtained in this study can represent the basis for new methodologies and tools that are capable of adding further characterization to the BOLD signal properties.     

Effects of RF profile on precision of quantitative T2 mapping using dual-echo steady-state acquisition

The dual echo steady-state (DESS) sequence has been shown successful in achieving fast T2 mapping with good precision. Under-estimation of T2, however, becomes increasingly prominent as the flip angle decreases. In 3D DESS imaging, therefore, the derived T2 values would become a function of the slice location in the presence of non-ideal slice profile of the excitation RF pulse. Furthermore, the pattern of slice-dependent variation in T2 estimates is dependent on the RF pulse waveform. Multi-slice 2D DESS imaging provides better inter-slice consistency, but the signal intensity is subject to integrated effects of within-slice distribution of the actual flip angle. Consequently, T2 measured using 2D DESS is prone to inaccuracy even at the designated flip angle of 90°. In this study, both phantom and human experiments demonstrate the above phenomena in good agreement with model prediction.     

基于锥束CT序列图像的三维缺陷检测方法

根据锥束CT序列图像各向同性及缺陷实体在序列图像层间位移和变化较小的特点,提出了一种适合锥束CT序列图像的三维缺陷检测方法。首先结合多目标跟踪思想,利用三维连通区域标记算法提取三维缺陷实体,并建立缺陷对应关系哈希表,以解决缺陷检测中目标轨迹的分叉;然后根据噪声目标的固有特性,对虚假缺陷信息进行有效删除,最终可获得真实缺陷目标实体,缺陷提取精度可达到像素。通过对空心涡轮叶片蜡模锥束CT图像进行实验,结果表明。该方法能准确地提取有较强噪声影响的序列图像的三维缺陷。     

基于有限元仿真与3D打印技术的特斯拉阀结构研究

特斯拉阀是几何形状固定的被动式单向阀,近年来在微流体领域获得了广泛的关注及应用.本文介绍了特斯拉阀的工作原理及基本构型,分析了影响特斯拉阀工作性能的关键参数,并以分流角作为主要研究对象展开讨论.采用COMSOL多物理场仿真软件模拟特斯拉阀内部流体的运动,利用3D打印技术制作特斯拉阀,设计实验验证了模拟结果的正确性,详细分析了液体流量、分流角与压降比之间的关系,并得到在分流角为10 o时,特斯拉阀性能最佳的结论.     

有限温下三维QED中费米速度对费米子手征凝聚的影响（英文）

三维QED 具有两个和QCD类似的性质:动力学手征对称破缺和禁闭。为了研究动力学手征对称破缺,基于彩虹近似,在Dyson-Schwinger 方程框架下,通过迭代求解有限温下的费米子自能方程,讨论了不同的费米速度下费米子手征凝聚与费米子味数之间的关系。发现在有限温下,对于固定的费米子味数,费米手征凝聚随费米速度的变大而单调减小。Analogous to Quantum QCD, QED₃ has two interesting features: dynamical chiral symmetry breaking (DCSB) and confinement. By adopting the rainbow approximation, we numerically solve the fermion self-energy equation at finite temperature in the framework of Dyson-Schwinger equations and discuss the relation between chiral condensate and fermion flavor for several fermion velocities in the finite temperature QED₃. It is found that the fermion chiral condensate decreases monotonically with the fermion velocity increasing for a fixed N at finite temperature.     

面内和面外取向对RBa_2Cu_3O_z薄膜热稳定性影响的研究

采用高温金相显微镜,实时观察RBa2Cu3Oz(RBCO,R代表稀土元素)薄膜的熔化过程.结合X射线衍射(XRD)极图的分析,对不同面内取向和面外取向的RBCO薄膜熔化行为进行横向比较,研究了RBCO微结构对于其热稳定性的影响,并用半共格界面能理论很好地解释了XRD分析和实时观察熔化过程的实验结果.对不同面内取向YBa2Cu3Oz(YBCO)薄膜的研究结果表明,空气中0°晶粒的热稳定性优于45°晶粒;此外还研究了c轴取向的SmBa2Cu3Oz(SmBCO)薄膜的热稳定性,结果表明微量a轴晶粒对SmBCO薄膜的熔化行为以及其热稳定性有明显影响.     

Optimization of 3D MP-RAGE for neonatal brain imaging at 3.0 T

Three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has shown great potential for studying the impact of prematurity and pathology on brain development. We have investigated the potential of optimized T1-weighted 3D magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo imaging (MP-RAGE) for obtaining contrast between white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) in neonates at 3 T. Using numerical simulations, we predicted that the inversion time (TI) for obtaining strongest contrast at 3 T is approximately 2 s for neonates, whereas for adults, this value is approximately 1.3 s. The optimal neonatal TI value was found to be insensitive to reasonable variations of the assumed T1 relaxation times. The maximum theoretical contrast for neonates was found to be approximately one third of that for adults. Using the optimized TI values, MP-RAGE images were obtained from seven neonates and seven adults at 3 T, and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was measured for WM versus five GM regions. Compared to adults, neonates exhibited lower CNR between cortical GM and WM and showed a different pattern of regional variation in CNR. These results emphasize the importance of sequence optimization specifically for neonates and demonstrate the challenge in obtaining strong contrast in neonatal brain with T1-weighted 3D imaging.     

Influence of MgO surface conditions on the in-plane crystal orientation and critical current density of epitaxial YBCO films

The effect of magnesium oxide (MgO) surface conditions on in-plane grain orientation and critical current density of epitaxial YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO) films was systematically investigated. The MgO substrates were either “as received” or stored for some time, cleaned using different methods and lithographically prepared for our step-edge junction devices. The YBCO films were grown via reactive thermal co-evaporation by Theva, GmbH. The surface characterisation of MgO substrates was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The in-plane grain orientation of the YBCO films was studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) φ-scan and the critical current density was measured for the XRD scanned samples. The surface condition of the MgO substrates was found to have a strong influence on the in-plane grain orientation and the critical current density of the YBCO films. The MgO substrates with a degraded or contaminated surface gave rise to 45° grain misorientation in YBCO films and reduced the critical current density. A final process step using a low energy Ar ion beam etching (IBE) of the MgO substrates prior to the YBCO film deposition was found effective in removing the in-plane grain misorientation and promoting the growth of perfectly aligned c-axis YBCO films.     

Effect of pressure on fluorescence of Nd3+ in LaCl3

Abstract

Fluorescence from Nd³⁺ in LaCl₃ is measured at 100 K under pressures up to about 10 GPa. The observed variations of the energy levels are used for the evaluation of crystal field parameters. The pressure-dependence of these parameters is compared with the previous results on Pr³⁺ in LaCl₃.