An open volume, high isolation, radio frequency surface coil system for pulsed magnetic resonance

We present an open volume, high isolation, RF system suitable for pulsed NMR and EPR spectrometers with reduced dead time. It comprises a set of three RF surface coils disposed with mutually parallel RF fields and a double-channel receiver (RX). Theoretical and experimental results obtained with a prototype operating at about 100 MHz are reported. Each surface RF coil (diameter 5.5 cm) was tuned to f₀ = 100.00 ± 0.01 MHz when isolated. Because of the mutual coupling and the geometry of the RF coils, only two resonances at f₁ = 97.94 MHz and f₂ = 101.85 MHz were observed. We show they are associated with two different RF field spatial distributions. In continuous mode (CW) operation the isolation between the TX coil and one of the RX coils (single-channel) was about −10 dB. By setting the double-channel RF assembly in subtraction mode the isolation values at f₁ or f₂ could be optimised to about −75 dB. Following a TX RF pulse (5 μs duration) an exponential decay with time constant of about 600 ns was observed. The isolation with single-channel RX coil was about −11 dB and it increased to about −47 dB with the double-channel RX in subtraction mode. Similar results were obtained with the RF pulse frequency selected to f₂ and also with shorter (500 ns) RF pulses. The above geometrical parameters and operating frequency of the RF assembly were selected as a model for potential applications in solid state NMR and in free radical EPR spectroscopy and imaging.     

The NLO jet vertex for Mueller-Navelet and forward jets: the gluon part

In this paper we complete our calculation of the NLO jet vertex which is part of the cross section formulae for the production of Mueller Navelet jets at hadron hadron colliders and of forward jets in deep inelastic electron proton scattering. Received: 2 September 2002 / Revised version: 16 January 2003 / Published online: 2 June 2003 RID="a" ID="a" Supported by the TMR Network "QCD and Deep Structure of Elementary Particles" RID="b" ID="b" Supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung     

Micro‐Raman and stratigraphic studies of the paintings on the ‘Cembalo’ model musical instrument (A.D. 1650) and laser‐induced degradation of the detected pigments

Micro‐fragments of the painted part of the ‘Cembalo’ model by Michele Todini (1625–1689) are investigated. The technique used for painting the terracotta base was studied via the stratigraphic analyses. No background layer of inorganic materials, e.g. gypsum, was found. To prevent absorption effects due to the terracotta porosity, a very thin layer of proteinaceous material was probably used. The micro‐Raman analyses have revealed the use of pigments currently used in the post‐Renaissance period (lead white, indigo, yellow of iron hydroxide, gypsum, hematite and carbon black) mixed with a pigment, the Prussian blue, discovered in A.D . 1704. This raises the authenticity problem of the work of art, a problem analysed and discussed in presenting the history of the work of art, and after the pigment study. The presence of degraded lead white is recognized via the laser‐induced degradation of the irradiated material. The possibility of a restoring action of the painted parts, as opposite to the non‐originality of the work, is considered and discussed. Since most part of the investigated pigments shows laser‐induced effects, a careful study of this phenomenon is performed by using the modern counterparts of the ancient pigments. For different laser powers, the temperatures of the investigated zones have been obtained via the detailed balance principle and connected to the laser‐induced degradation effects. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Abelian BF Theories and Knot Invariants

In the context of the Batalin–Vilkovisky formalism, a new observable for the Abelian BF theory is proposed whose vacuum expectation value is related to the Alexander–Conway polynomial. The three-dimensional case is analyzed explicitly, and it is proved to be anomaly free. Moreover, at the second order in perturbation theory, a new formula for the second coefficient of the Alexander–Conway polynomial is obtained. An account on the higher-dimensional generalizations is also given. Received: 2 October 1996 / Accepted: 21 March 1997     

Optimisation of sensor positions in random linear arrays based on statistical relations between geometry and performance

Due to the widespread use of acoustic arrays, optimisation techniques for array design, focused on improving array performance, have been widely published. This paper exploits the statistical relation between different measures of sidelobe levels and the spacing of elements in random linear arrays made up of a small number of sensors. This paper defines the methodology to obtain maximum probability functions, associating array geometry and performance. These maximum probability functions allow a pre-selection of those array geometries that are more likely to be associated to specified sidelobe level values. This pre-selection results in a significantly reduced computational burden.     

Adaptive behaviour of the spinal cord in the transition from quiet stance to walking

Background

Parkinson??s disease is characterized by a continuous loss of neurons within the substantia nigra (SN) leading to a depletion of dopamine. Within the adult SN as a non-neurogenic region, cells with mainly oligodendrocytic precursor characteristics, expressing the neuro-glial antigen-2 (NG2) are continuously generated. Proliferation of these cells is altered in animal models of Parkinson??s disease (PD). Exercise and environmental enrichment re-increase proliferation of NG2⁺ cells in PD models, however, a possible mechanistic role of dopamine for this increase is not completely understood. NG2⁺ cells can differentiate into oligodendrocytes but also into microglia and neurons as observed in vitro suggesting a possible hint for endogenous regenerative capacity of the SN. We investigated the role of dopamine in NG2-generation and differentiation in the adult SN stimulated by physical activity and environmental enrichment.

Results

We used the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-model for dopamine depletion and analysed newborn cells in the SN at different maturation stages and time points depending on voluntary physical activity, enriched environment and levodopa-treatment. We describe an activity- induced increase of new NG2-positive cells and also mature oligodendrocytes in the SN of healthy mice. Running and enriched environment refused to stimulate NG2-generation and oligodendrogenesis in MPTP-mice, an effect which could be reversed by pharmacological levodopa-induced rescue.

Conclusion

We suggest dopamine being a key regulator for activity-induced generation of NG2-cells and oliogodendrocytes in the SN as a potentially relevant mechanism in endogenous nigral cellular plasticity.     

Neural markers of a greater female responsiveness to social stimuli

Background  

There is fMRI evidence that women are neurally predisposed to process infant laughter and crying. Other findings show that women might be more empathic and sensitive than men to emotional facial expressions. However, no gender difference in the brain responses to persons and unanimated scenes has hitherto been demonstrated.     

Honeycomb pattern formation by laser-beam filamentation in atomic sodium vapor

We have observed transverse pattern formation leading to highly regular structures in both the near and far fields when a near-resonant laser beam propagates without feedback through an atomic sodium vapor. One example is a regular far-field honeycomb pattern, which results from the transformation of the laser beam within the vapor into a stable three-lobed structure with a uniform phase distribution and highly correlated power fluctuations. The predictions of a theoretical model of the filamentation process are in good agreement with these observations.     

Laser printing of multi-layered polymer/metal heterostructures for electronic and MEMS devices

A laser forward transfer technique for the simultaneous printing of polymer/metal stacked micro-laminates is introduced. Several different material combinations as well as stacking architectures are presented including single laser pulse deposited dual layer capacitors, three-layer stacks for potentially printing organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), and photo-definable polymer/metal laminates and free-standing membranes for MEMS based sensors.