Temporal and preparation effects in the magnetic nanoparticles of Apis mellifera body parts

Magnetic nanoparticles in the Apis mellifera abdomens are well accepted as involved in their magnetoreception mechanism. The effects of sample preparation on the time evolution of magnetic particles in the honeybee body parts (antennae, head, thorax and abdomen) were investigated by Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR) at room temperature (RT), for about 100 days. Three preparations were tested: (a) washed with water (WT); (b) as (a), kept in glutaraldehyde 2.5% in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer (pH 7.4) for 24 h and washed with cacodylate buffer (C); (c) as (a), kept in glutaraldehyde 2.5% for 24 h and washed with glutaraldehyde 2.5% in cacodylate buffer (GLC). The four body parts of young and adult worker presented magnetic nanoparticles. The Mn²⁺ lines are observed except for the antennae spectra. The high field (HF) and low field (LF) components previously observed in the spectra of social insects, are confirmed in these spectra. The HF line is present in all spectra while the LF is easily observed in the spectra of the young bee and it appears as a baseline shift in spectra of some adult parts. The HF intensity of the abdomen is commonly one order of magnitude larger than any other body parts. This is the first systematic study on the conservation of magnetic material in all body parts of bees. The results show that the time evolution of the spectra depends on the body part, conserving solution and bee age. Further measurements are necessary to understand these effects and extend it to other social insects.     

Magnetic material in head, thorax, and abdomen of Solenopsis substituta ants: a ferromagnetic resonance study

Ferromagnetic resonance temperature dependence is used to study the magnetic material in smashed head, thorax, and abdomen of Solenopsis substituta ants. These three body parts present the five lines previously observed in other social insects. The magnetic material content is slightly higher in heads with antennae than in abdomen with petiole. Isolated nanoparticle diameters were estimated as 12.5 +/- 0.1 and 11.0 +/- 0.2 nm in abdomen with petiole and head with antennae, respectively. The presence of linear chains of these particles or large ellipsoidal particles are suggested. A bulk-like magnetite particle was observed in the thorax. The Curie-Weiss, the structural-electronic and ordering transition temperatures were obtained in good agreement with those proposed for magnetite nanoparticles.     

Magnetic material arrangement in oriented termites: a magnetic resonance study

Temperature dependence of the magnetic resonance is used to study the magnetic material in oriented Neocapritermes opacus (N.o.) termite, the only prey of the migratory ant Pachycondyla marginata (P.m.). A broad line in the g=2 region, associated to isolated nanoparticles shows that at least 97% of the magnetic material is in the termite’s body (abdomen + thorax). From the temperature dependence of the resonant field and from the spectral linewidths, we estimate the existence of magnetic nanoparticles 18.5 ± 0.3 nm in diameter and an effective magnetic anisotropy constant, K_eff between 2.1 and 3.2 × 10⁴ erg/cm³. A sudden change in the double integrated spectra at about 100 K for N.o. with the long body axis oriented perpendicular to the magnetic field can be attributed to the Verwey transition, and suggests an organized film-like particle system.     

Force spectroscopy of bonds that form between a Staphylococcus bacterium and silica or polystyrene substrates

Inter- and intra-molecular forces are the driving forces responsible for the creation of an interface between a microorganism and a naturally occurring mineral or man-made material. We have used atomic force microscopy to directly measure forces between a Staphylococcus aureus bacterium and each of two materials (silica and polystyrene) in an electrolyte solution. Force “spectra” were collected by placing a glass or polystyrene bead (10 μm diameter) in contact with a living cell and then pulling the two surfaces apart. An attractive, adhesion force was observed in approximately 40 and 50% of the measurements for silica and polystyrene, respectively. The strength of the adhesion bond was 38 ± 4 pN (10⁻¹² N) and 52 ± 9 pN for glass and polystyrene, respectively. The origin of the attractive interaction appears to be non-specific (e.g., van der Waals force) although a small number (2–3%) of force spectra contained distinct sawtooth like profiles indicative of a protein bond between S. aureus and glass or polystyrene.     

Three-vessel study of cerebral blood flow using phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging: Effect of physical characteristics

The development of phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (P-C MRI) provides a noninvasive method for measurement of volumetric blood flow (VFR). We performed P-C MRI to study the effects of physical characteristics on cerebral blood flow. VFR of the left and right internal carotid arteries and basilar artery were measured using P-C MRI and total cerebral blood flow (tCBF) was calculated by summing up the VFR values in the three vessels. Moreover, we investigated the changes in these blood flows as influenced by age, head size, height, weight, body surface area, and handedness. The blood flows were 142 ± 58 ml/min (mean ± standard deviation) in the basilar artery; and 229 ± 86 ml/min in the left, and 223 ± 58 ml/min in the right internal carotid artery; and tCBF was 617 ± 128 ml/min. Significant increases were observed in head size-related change of VFR in the basilar artery (p = .028) and height-related change of tCBF (p = .045). The other characteristics did not significantly influence any VFR. The results suggest that head size and height may reflect CBF, and that these effects should be considered when changes of CBF are diagnosed. Phase-contrast MRI is useful for a noninvasive and rapid analysis of cerebral VFR and has potential for clinical use.     

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of alcohol in rhesus monkey brain

Brain alcohol was measured in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) following acute nasogastric alcohol administration (0.8 g/kg). Monkeys were anesthetized with ketamine and xylazine. A 1.5 T whole body imager and a 3-inch surface coil were used to acquire TE 30 and 270 ms spectra from a 7.5 cc voxel localized with a stimulated echo (STEAM) sequence. Venous blood samples were collected during spectral acquisitions for gas chromatographic determination of temporally concordant blood alcohol levels (BALs). Acute alcohol administration did not alter the resonance areas of N-acetylaspartate/N-acetyl containing compounds (NAA), choline containing compounds, or total creatine. The NAA resonance was used as an internal standard to calculate approximate brain alcohol concentrations, which averaged 27 ± 3% and 27 ± 8% of temporally concordant BALs (T₂-corrected TE 30 and TE 270 ms spectra, respectively). In addition to reconfirming results from prior studies finding incomplete detection of brain alcohol with MRS, these results demonstrate the feasibility of measuring brain alcohol in anesthetized nonhuman primates to examine relationships between alcohol exposure history and MRS-visibility of brain alcohol.     

Practical aspects involved in the design and set up of a 0.15 T, 6-coil resistive magnet, whole body NMR imaging facility

Many technical and logistical questions must be addressed when planning the installation of an NMR imaging system. These considerations become particularly significant when the facility is being established within an existing medical center complex. This paper presents a report on the practical aspects and experience obtained in siting a 6-coil 0.15 T resistive magnet system. The topics discussed include: floor loading; ferromagnetic environment; the effect of iron on the magnet field strength and homogeneity characteristics; shimming procedures; temperature stability requirements; rf shielding; and effects of the magnetic field on common medical instrumentation and magnetic media. It was found that the field shift as a function of the distance of a steel mass from the center of the magnet exhibited an (1/r)^5.2±0.5 to (1/r)^4.2±0.3 dependence for axial and radial positions respectively which, as expected, is somewhat weaker than the (1/r)⁶ dependence expected by point dipole approximations. Field distortions caused by the presence of ferromagnetic material in radial positions may be essentially fully compensated with first order transverse shim coils (most conveniently, the x and y imaging gradient coils could be used). Axially distributed material requires, in addition to first order z-gradient correction, higher order axial shim compensation. The temperature stability of the magnet system over the scan period must be better than 0.2°C to insure that temperature-induced field fluctuations are less than the intrinsic static inhomogeneity: and, ideally, below 0.01°C to reduce these fluctuations to less than those caused by power supply instability.     

Magnetic properties in BaFe12O19 nanoparticles prepared under a magnetic field

It was observed that the nanocrystallites of BaFe₁₂O₁₉ formed at 140°C under a 0.25 T magnetic field exhibited a higher saturation magnetization (6.1 emu/g at room temperature) than that of the sample (1.1 emu/g) obtained under zero magnetic field. Both of the two approaches yielded plain-like particles with an average particle size of 12 nm. However, the Curie temperature (T_c), a direct measuring of the strength of superexchange interaction of Fe³⁺–O²⁻–Fe³⁺, increased from 410°C for the nanoparticles prepared without an external field applied to 452°C for the particles formed under a 0.25 T magnetic field, which indicates that external magnetic fields can improve the occupancy of magnetic ions and then increase the superexchange interaction. This was confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance and Mössbauer spectrum analysis. The results present in this paper suggest that in addition to oxygen defects, surface non-magnetic layer and a fraction of finer particles in the superparamagnetic range, cation vacancies should be responsible for the decreasing of saturation magnetization in magnetic nanoparticles.     

Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance in thin metal films

The velocities of electrons contained in a thin slab are quantized because the component of momentum transverse to the slab faces is quantized. For a free electron gas the transverse velocity is given by |v_H| = l(/m) (π/d) where l = 1, 2, 3, …. If a magnetic field is applied normal to the slab, the wave number and frequency dependent conductivity consists of a series of resonant terms. The resonances occur at the Doppler-shifted cyclotron resonance frequencies |ω_c| = ω ± p(/m) (π/d)² where l = 1, 2, 3, …. It is shown that these resonances in the conductivity result in an absorption in pure thin films at low temperatures which is periodic in magnetic field. The semi-classical expression for the absorption is in substantial agreement with the corresponding quantum calculation, and has the virtue that it may be readily extended to non-spherical Fermi surfaces.     

In vivo magnetic resonance microscopy of Drosophilae at 9.4 T

In preclinical research, genetic studies have made considerable progress as a result of the development of transgenic animal models of human diseases. Consequently, there is now a need for higher resolution MRI to provide finer details for studies of small animals (rats, mice) or very small animals (insects). One way to address this issue is to work with high-magnetic-field spectrometers (dedicated to small animal imaging) with strong magnetic field gradients. It is also necessary to develop a complete methodology (transmit/receive coil, pulse sequence, fixing system, air supply, anesthesia capabilities, etc.). In this study, we developed noninvasive protocols, both in vitro and in vivo (from coil construction to image generation), for drosophila MRI at 9.4 T. The 10*10*80-μm resolution makes it possible to visualize whole drosophila (head, thorax, abdomen) and internal organs (ovaries, longitudinal and transverse muscles, bowel, proboscis, antennae and optical lobes). We also provide some results obtained with a Drosophila model of muscle degeneration. This opens the way for new applications of structural genetic modification studies using MRI of drosophila.     

Ferromagnetic resonance of cobalt nanoparticles in the polymer shell

The magnetic properties of cobalt spherical nanoparticles (～ 5–9 nm in size) in a polymer shell are investigated using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy. The metal-polymer complex is prepared through the frontal polymerization of the cobalt acrylamide (CoAAm) complex, followed by the thermolysis at a temperature of 643 K. Analysis of the ferromagnetic resonance spectra demonstrates that the material has a high blocking temperature of ～700 K. The anisotropy constant equal to 0.5 erg/cm³ is somewhat larger than the anisotropy constants characteristic of cobalt macrostructures. This difference is associated with the predominance of the surface anisotropy of nanoparticles. The surface anisotropy constant is calculated to be 0.17 erg/cm², and the anisotropy field is determined to be ～350 Oe. It is revealed that the polymer shell affects the magnetic properties of nanoparticles.     

CoFe2O4纳米颗粒的结构、磁性以及离子迁移

聚乙烯醇(PVA)溶胶凝胶法制备出CoFe₂O₄纳米微粉，用X射线衍射研究了铁氧体纳米颗粒的结构.测量了CoFe₂O₄纳米颗粒80—873 K的变温穆斯堡尔谱，发现纳米颗粒的磁转变温度范围为793—813 K，比块体材料的磁性转变温度要低.CoFe₂O₄纳米颗粒的德拜温度θ_A=674 K，θ_B=243 K，比块体材料要小.CoFe₂O₄纳米颗粒超精细场H_f随温度的变化符合T^3/2+T^5/2定理.当温度较高时，平均同质异能移IS随温度的升高而减小，并呈线性关系. 关键词： 纳米颗粒 磁性 穆斯堡尔谱     

Remanence of the interparticle interactions and its influence on the microwave absorption in Co-ferrite

Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were obtained by the sol–gel method at several annealing temperatures: 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the formation of the spinel phase with a nanoparticle size in the 17–26 nm range as function of the annealing temperature. The Mössbauer spectra at room temperature showed the presence of a partial inverse spinel structure. Saturation magnetization and the coercive field are strongly dependent on the annealing temperature and they can be associated with variations of the nanoparticles size. Microwave power absorption (MPA) (dP/dH) measurements were carried out as a function of DC field (H_DC) in asymmetric sweeps in the 0 kOeH_DC9 kOe range, at X-band (9.4 GHz), for all annealing temperatures. The large hysteresis in the MPA is due to interparticle interaction associated with its demagnetizing-like nature.     

MR quantification of muscle fatty replacement in McArdle''s disease

McArdle's disease is an energy-dependant disorder of skeletal muscle caused by the inability to break down glycogen. The aim of this study was to quantify fatty replacement in patients with McArdle's disease. Calf and thigh axial spin echo T₁-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images (repetition time 500 ms, echo time 25 ms) were obtained at 0.5 T in nine patients with McArdle's disease (age 51 ± 16 years, range 26–74) and nine sex- and age-matched healthy subjects (age 52 ± 16 years, range 29–78) to quantify intramuscular fat. Regions of interest were drawn manually, encompassing the largest cross section of muscle. A fatty replacement index (IF) was determined from histograms of signal in the regions of interest in calf and thigh muscles. In normal subjects, IF = 3.6 ± 2.8% in calf and 4.9 ± 2.3% in thigh. In patients, IF = 11 ± 9.3% in calf and 13.5 ± 10.4% in thigh, significantly different from IF values in normal subjects (p = .03). IF correlated well with age in patients (p = .03). In older patients, up to 25% of the muscle volume was replaced by fat. Patients with McArdle's disease, usually weakly disabled, exhibit significant muscle fatty replacement on MR images. These findings suggest a progressive muscle loss over time related to the disease process.     

F/Si distance determination in fluoride-containing octadecasil by Hartmann–Hahn cross-polarization under fast magic-angle spinning

¹⁹F/²⁹Si Hartmann–Hahn continuous wave cross-polarization (CP) has been applied under fast magic-angle spinning (MAS) to a powder sample of octadecasil. Strong oscillations occur during CP on a sideband matching condition between the isolated ²⁹Si–¹⁹F spin pairs formed by the silicons in the D4R units and the fluoride anions. The magnitude of the dipolar coupling constant was deduced directly from the line-splitting between the intense singularities of the Pake-like patterns obtained by Fourier transformation of the oscillatory polarization transfer. The corresponding Si–F internuclear distance, r=2.62±0.05 Å, is found to be in very good agreement with the X-ray crystal structure and the value of 2.69±0.04 Å recently reported from rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) and transferred echo double resonance (TEDOR) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. Furthermore, the CP technique is still reliable under fast MAS where both REDOR and TEDOR sequences suffer from severe artefacts due to finite pulse lengths. In octadecasil, a spinning frequency of 14 kHz is shown to be necessary for an effective suppression of ¹⁹F–¹⁹F spin diffusion. The influences of experimental missettings and radiofrequency (RF) field inhomogeneity are taken into account.     

FMR and EPR in Ni@C nanocomposites: Size and concentration effects

One-domain Ni@C nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon coating have been investigated depending on the size and concentration of Ni in carbon. The nanoparticles of nickel were prepared with the average diameters changing in a broad range of 4–45 nm, and the concentration of Ni in C varies in 2–12 wt%. To prepare the Ni@C nanocomposites the solid solutions of nickel phthalocyanine–metal-free phthalocyanine (NiPc) _x (H₂Pc)_1–x , 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 were synthesized and the solidphase pyrolysis of these compounds was performed. In the case of ultradispersive Ni nanoparticles (the interval of quantum dots is 1–10 nm), a considerable shift of the resonance field and broadening of resonance absorption field were revealed in the spectra of FMR at room temperature. The data were interpreted taking into account the essential contribution of the surface magnetic anisotropy, the magnetic field of which far exceeds the magnetic field of volume anisotropy.     

Effect of Sn doping on the magnetic and transport properties of LaMnO3+δ

We report the influence of the Sn doping on the magnetotransport properties of the LaMnO_3+δ perovskite. Two series of samples with nominal LaSn_xMn_1−xO_3+δ (I series) and La_{(1−x)/(1+x)}Sn_xMn_1−xO_3+δ (II series) compositions (x=0, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.10) were prepared at T_s=750°C. The M(T) data under 0.01 and 0.5 T for the I series reveal a depressed magnetization as the Sn content increases suggesting the presence of magnetic clusters with a superparamagnetic behavior. Resistivity measurements indicate an insulator material for all Sn content independently of the applied magnetic field. On the contrary, for the II series the M(T) and M(H) data reveal FM behavior and an improvement of the magnetization as Sn increases. These samples show magnetoresistance. The magnetotransport properties are discussed in terms of the presence of A-site cation vacancies.     

Dynamic H nuclear magnetic resonance of rotating solids

The sensitivity of one-dimensional dynamic magic-angle spinning (MAS) and off-MAS ²H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra to changes in the parameters of jump-type molecular motions is studied. The Floquet theory approach is used to simulate spectra of spins with I = 1, which are involved in exchange processes in rotating solids. The solution of the Bloch-McConnell equations for rotating samples are derived and some simulated frequency spectra are shown. The dependence of the lineshapes of the center and sidebands of the MAS and off-MAS spectra on the exchange parameters are discussed. Experimental results of ²H spectra of perdeuterated dimethyl sulfone, obtained in the temperature range 20–55 °C, are demonstrated. The methyl groups in this molecule undergo π flips at rates that can be detected by MAS and off-MAS NMR. The shapes of the experimental sidebands are compared with simulated results.     

Magnetic moment of the Δ (1232) resonance

The reaction γp → π^°γ′p has been measured with the TAPS BaF₂ calorimeter at the Mainz Microtron accelerator facility MAMI for energies between √2 = 1221–1331 MeV. Cross sections differential in angle and energy have been determined for the photon γ′ in three bins of the excitation energy. This reaction channel provides access to the magnetic dipole moment of the Δ⁺(1232) resonance and, for the first time, a value of μ_Δ+ = (2.7^+1.0_−1.3(stat) ± 1.5(syst) ± (theor)) π_N has been extracted.     

A study of T1-weighted 31phosphorus MR-spectroscopy from patients with focal and diffuse liver disease.

³¹P-MR-Spectroscopy was performed in 28 patients with focal (n = 23) and diffuse (n = 5) liver disease and in 18 healthy volunteers. The spectra were obtained with a whole body scanner operating at 1.5 T by using a surface coil. To get T₁-weighted ³¹P-spectra a short TR of 600 msec was taken, because T₁-weighted spectra of focal liver disease were more significantly different from spectra from healthy volunteers than density weighted ones. The VOI from patients with focal superficial alterations showed a mean volume of 172 ml, with diffuse liver disease 196 ml, and from volunteers 158 ml. Focal tumors filled up the VOI on an average of 70%. This investigation demonstrated that PME/β-ATP- and PDE/β-ATP-ratios were sensitive indicators for focal liver disease. As a result of this study we could establish a significant increase of PME/β-ATP- (0.75 ± 0.30) and PDE/β-ATP-ratios (1.68 ± 0.62) in patients with superficial focal liver metastases (n = 19) compared to the control group (PME/β-ATP: 0.49 ± 0.17, PDE/β-ATP: 1.24 ± 0.24; t-test: p < 0.02). Patients with a hemangioma (n = 1), liver infarction (n = 1), empyema of gallbladder (n = 1) and a hepatic involvement by a malignant lymphoma (n = 1) showed a similar increase of PME/β-ATP and/or PDE/β-ATP. Up to now spectral changes seemed to be non-specific. The ratios of ³¹P metabolites of the cirrhoses (n = 4) and the fatty liver (n = 1) did not show any characteristic changes versus the volunteers.