Reduction of flow- and eddy-currents-induced image artifacts in coronary magnetic resonance angiography using a linear centric-encoding SSFP sequence

Coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) acquired using steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequences tends to suffer from image artifacts caused by local magnetic field inhomogeneities. Flow- and gradient-switching-induced eddy currents are important sources of such phase errors, especially under off-resonant conditions. In this study, we propose to reduce these image artifacts by using a linear centric-encoding (LCE) scheme in the phase-encoding (PE) direction. Abrupt change in gradients, including magnitude and polarity between consecutive radiofrequency cycles, is minimized using the LCE scheme. Results from numeric simulations and phantom studies demonstrated that signal oscillation can be markedly reduced using LCE as compared to conventional alternating centric-encoding (ACE) scheme. The image quality of coronary arteries was improved at both 1.5 and 3.0 T using LCE compared to those acquired using ACE PE scheme (1.5 T: ACE/LCE=2.2+/-0.8/3.0+/-0.6, P=.02; 3.0 T: ACE/LCE=2.1+/-1.1/3.0+/-0.8, P=.01). In conclusion, flow- and eddy-currents-induced imaging artifacts in coronary MRA using SSFP sequence can be markedly reduced with LCE acquisition of PE lines.     

Construction of positive definite cubature formulae and approximation of functions via Voronoi tessellations

Let Ω ⊂ ℝ ^d be a compact convex set of positive measure. In a recent paper, we established a definiteness theory for cubature formulae of order two on Ω. Here we study extremal properties of those positive definite formulae that can be generated by a centroidal Voronoi tessellation of Ω. In this connection we come across a class of operators of the form L_n[f](x): = ?_i=1ⁿ f_i(x)(f(y_i) + á?f(y_i), x-y_i?)L_n[f](\boldsymbol{x}):= \sum_{i=1}^n \phi_i(\boldsymbol{x})(f(\boldsymbol{y}_i) + \langle\nabla f(\boldsymbol{y}_i), \boldsymbol{x}-\boldsymbol{y}_i\rangle), where y₁,..., y_n\boldsymbol{y}_1,\dots, \boldsymbol{y}_n are distinct points in Ω and {ϕ ₁, ..., ϕ _n } is a partition of unity on Ω. We present best possible pointwise error estimates and describe operators L _n with a smallest constant in an L ^p error estimate for 1 ≤ p < ∞ . For a generalization, we introduce a new type of Voronoi tessellation in terms of a twice continuously differentiable and strictly convex function f. It allows us to describe a best operator L _n for approximating f by L _n [f] with respect to the L ^p norm.     

Aerosol Catalysis on Nickel Nanoparticles

Nickel nanoparticles produced by spark discharges were used as aerosol catalyst for the formation of methane. The available surface area of the particles was determined using different methods. It was found that the surface area available for nitrogen adsorption and, therefore, for the methanation reaction remained virtually constant during restructuring of the agglomerates while the surface area based on the mobility was significantly reduced. In general, the reaction parameters such as activation energy and reaction rates agree well with the values for single nickel crystals and foils. At temperatures above 350°C the activation energy and the photoelectric activity of the particles decrease indicating the formation of graphite on the particle surface. Also the change of the work function points to the build up of multiple layers of graphite on the particle surface. The surprisingly low temperature for the surface deactivation may indicate an enhanced formation of carbon atoms at the surface.     

Kinetics and mechanism of proton transport across membrane nanopores

We use computer simulations to study the kinetics and mechanism of proton passage through a narrow-pore carbon-nanotube membrane separating reservoirs of liquid water. Free energy and rate constant calculations show that protons move across the membrane diffusively along single-file chains of hydrogen-bonded water molecules. Proton passage through the membrane is opposed by a high barrier in the effective potential, reflecting the large electrostatic penalty for desolvation and reminiscent of charge exclusion in biological water channels. At neutral pH, we estimate a translocation rate of about 1 proton per hour and tube.     

Cycloaddition Reactions of an Active Cyclic Phosphane/Borane Pair with Alkenes,Alkynes, and Carbon Dioxide

The active six-membered cyclo-FLP 6 undergoes a rapid P/B addition reaction to carbon dioxide. At elevated temperature, the resulting heterobicyclo[2.2.2]octane derived product 7 undergoes ring opening and equilibrates with the cyclotetramer (7)₄ . In the large macrocyclic structure, four monomeric six-membered cyclo-FLP units are connected by four CO₂ molecules to form the supramolecular ring system. The P/B cyclo-FLP 6 undergoes a variety of additional cycloaddition reactions.     

Deterministic single-photon source for distributed quantum networking

A sequence of single photons is emitted on demand from a single three-level atom strongly coupled to a high-finesse optical cavity. The photons are generated by an adiabatically driven stimulated Raman transition between two atomic ground states, with the vacuum field of the cavity stimulating one branch of the transition, and laser pulses deterministically driving the other branch. This process is unitary and therefore intrinsically reversible, which is essential for quantum communication and networking, and the photons should be appropriate for all-optical quantum information processing.     

On Reflection Subgroups of Finite Coxeter Groups

Let W be a finite Coxeter group. We classify the reflection subgroups of W up to conjugacy and give necessary and sufficient conditions for the map that assigns to a reflection subgroup R of W the conjugacy class of its Coxeter elements to be injective, up to conjugacy.