RF Gradient BIRD/TANGO Sequence to Eliminate Uncoupled Magnetization

A modification of the BIRD and TANGO sequences is presented which employs radiofrequency field gradients to eliminate the net magnetization from uncoupled spins, while completely preserving coupled magnetization. The standard BIRD and TANGO sequences cause selective nutation of protons directly bound to a coupling partner, while returning uncoupled magnetization to +z. These sequences lend themselves naturally to modification using RF gradients, which require no increase in pulse-sequence complexity while providing substantial suppression of uncoupled resonances and elimination of typical antiphase and multiple-quantum error terms that arise from improperly set pulse lengths or delays. In the RF-gradient BIRD/TANGO sequence, the uncoupled magnetization is dephased in a plane orthogonal to the RF axis, while the desired signal components are refocused, effectively in a rotary echo. The sequence has applications to solvent suppression and selective isotopomer excitation. It is demonstrated for selective excitation of the satellites in a sample of chloroform, yielding suppression of the uncoupled magnetization by a factor of approximately 800.     

Distortions in multiple-pulse solid state NMR imaging: gradient decoupling, time-sequenced second averaging, and over-sampling

Three approaches to reducing image artifacts are described that are specific to multiple-pulse line-narrowing methods of NMR imaging. Gradient decoupling avoids excess line broadening from off-resonance gradient phase evolution by restricting the gradient to selected windows in which the gradient Hamiltonian commutes with the toggling frame state, and where the averaged Hamiltonian between gradient pulses is either cyclic or anti-cyclic. This forces the residual averaged dipolar Hamiltonian to be independent of the gradient evolution. Time-sequenced second averaging addresses the on-resonance broadening, where residual error terms dominate the spin dynamics (a lack of second averaging), by adding a second coherent averaging that retains part of the modulation associated with off-resonance terms, and thus smoothes out the line-narrowing efficiency with spatial offset. Over-sampling is useful to increase both the resolution and sensitivity of an image, but it introduces a sampling modulation that produces sidebands. These are eliminated by a series of prepulses in a fashion reminiscent of CYCLOPS phase cycling.     

Characterization of blocked nucleosides by mass spectrometry. Benzyl derivatives

The mass spectra of eleven model monobenzylated nucleosides were studied using low and high resolution mass spectrometry. Structural assignments to the major ions were made and several decomposition mechanisms proposed, with the goal of establishing the uses and limitations of mass spectrometry for the characterization of benzylaled nucleosides. Mass spectra generally permit determination of the extent and site of benzylation, with particular regard to base vs. sugar substitution, 0–2′ vs. 0–3′ or 0–5′, and in some cases 0–5′ vs. other isomers.     

Redirecting the coat protein of a spherical virus to assemble into tubular nanostructures

We take advantage of the self-assembly properties of the coat protein of a spherical virus to form uniform tubular nanostructures. Critical to redirecting assembly are the weak interprotein association energy inherent to virus assembly and the relatively rigid nature of the double-stranded DNA scaffold at their core.     

The Imidazopyridine Derivative JK184 Reveals Dual Roles for Microtubules in Hedgehog Signaling

Eradicating hedgehogs : The title molecule has been previously identified as a potent inhibitor of the Hedgehog signaling pathway, which gives embryonic cells information needed to develop properly. This molecule is shown to modulate Hedgehog target gene expression by depolymerizing microtubules, thus revealing dual roles of the cytoskeleton in pathway regulation (see figure).

     

Fluorinated Copolymer Nanoparticles for Multimodal Imaging Applications

Nanomaterials have emerged as valuable tools in biomedical imaging techniques. Here, the synthesis and characterization of a novel fluorinated nanoparticle with potential applications as an MRI contrast agent is reported. Particles were synthesized using a free radical polymerization technique. Secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis showed that the particles' surface contained fluorinated groups and nitrogen‐containing groups. Solid‐state NMR spectroscopy suggested the presence of two distinct fluorine resonances, which conforms to the structure of the fluorinated monomer. Ongoing studies aim to evaluate the performance of the nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents both in vitro and in vivo.

     

Benchmarking quantum control methods on a 12-qubit system

In this Letter, we present an experimental benchmark of operational control methods in quantum information processors extended up to 12 qubits. We implement universal control of this large Hilbert space using two complementary approaches and discuss their accuracy and scalability. Despite decoherence, we were able to reach a 12-coherence state (or a 12-qubit pseudopure cat state) and decode it into an 11 qubit plus one qutrit pseudopure state using liquid state nuclear magnetic resonance quantum information processors.