Diagnosis of suspicious breast lesions using an empirical mathematical model for dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI

The purpose of this study was to test whether an empirical mathematical model (EMM) of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) can distinguish between benign and malignant breast lesions. A modified clinical protocol was used to improve the sampling of contrast medium uptake and washout. T(1)-weighted DCE magnetic resonance images were acquired at 1.5 T for 22 patients before and after injection of Gd-DTPA. Contrast medium concentration as a function of time was calculated over a small region of interest containing the most rapidly enhancing pixels. Then the curves were fitted with the EMM, which accurately described contrast agent uptake and washout. Results demonstrate that benign lesions had uptake (P<2.0 x 10(-5)) and washout (P<.01) rates of contrast agent significantly slower than those of malignant lesions. In addition, secondary diagnostic parameters, such as time to peak of enhancement, enhancement slope at the peak and curvature at the peak of enhancement, were derived mathematically from the EMM and expressed in terms of primary parameters. These diagnostic parameters also effectively differentiated benign from malignant lesions (P<.03). Conventional analysis of contrast medium dynamics, using a subjective classification of contrast medium kinetics in lesions as "washout," "plateau" or "persistent" (sensitivity=83%, specificity=50% and diagnostic accuracy=72%), was less effective than the EMM (sensitivity=100%, specificity=83% and diagnostic accuracy=94%) for the separation of benign and malignant lesions. In summary, the present research suggests that the EMM is a promising alternative method for evaluating DCE-MRI data with improved diagnostic accuracy.     

Unequally spaced multiple mid-infrared wavelength generation using an engineered quasi-phase-matching device

We propose a novel quasi-phase-matched (QPM) device that can generate unequally spaced multiple wavelengths. Unequally spaced multiple QPM peaks can be obtained by employing the optimized phase modulation of a periodic domain structure. We fabricated a LiNbO3 waveguide device for 3.2-3.4 microm band difference frequency generation based on the design. Using the multiple mid-infrared outputs, we demonstrate the detection of multiple hydrocarbon gases, namely, methane, ethylene, and ethane.     

Digital volume gratings

An optical element constructed by stacking a set of binary-phase grating sheets can simulate the functions of optically recorded volume gratings. Our electromagnetic numerical study also shows that if one of the grating sheets is replaced by another one with different grating period, power spectrum of the diffracted wave changes completely with extra diffraction orders. This property will claim strong advantage in security document applications. Analysis of alignment error reveals interesting phenomena concerning to how misalignment affects diffraction efficiency.     

Performance Test of CW 300?GHz Gyrotron FU CW I

A 300 GHz CW gyrotron FU CW I has been developed and installed in the Research Center for Development of Far-Infrared Region, University of Fukui as a power source of a high frequency material processing system. Its performance was tested and the maximum power of 1.75 kW / CW has been attained at the beam voltage of 15 kV and the beam current of 1A. The maximum window power efficiency of 15.5% has been obtained at the cathode voltage slightly lower than 15 kV. This gyrotron is designed to deliver a Gaussian beam after mode conversion from the oscillation mode TE_22,8 in the cavity with a complex of an internal radiator and beam shaping mirrors. The detailed measurement with an infrared camera has confirmed that a Gaussian beam is radiated when the magnetic field strength B _c at the cavity is adjusted at a proper value. However, within a range of B _c , the output power is emerged into multiple directions, which suggests simultaneous oscillation of competing cavity modes.     

Thermally responsive wettability of self-assembled methylcellulose nanolayers

Thermo-responsive cellulosic nanolayers were prepared from methylcellulose (MC), which is known to have a unique lower critical solution temperature. Thiosemicarbazide (TSC) was selectively introduced into the MC reducing end groups, and the corresponding MC-TSC derivative was spontaneously chemisorbed on an Au substrate at 4 °C to give MC self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Linear MC chains were stably fixed onto the Au substrate, yielding an MC-SAM of thickness ca. 15 nm with a root mean square value less than 1 nm. The MC-SAM surface exhibited thermally responsive wetting characteristics; the water contact angle was found to rise and fall around 70 °C, possibly due to the solid-state phase transition of the MC nanolayers resulting from the inherent gelation of MC molecules in water. Such wetting behavior was shown to be reversible following repeated heating and cooling. The MC-SAM immersed in salt solution revealed lower phase transition temperatures, and an increase in sodium chloride concentration ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 M brought about a dramatic decrease in the apparent phase transition temperature from ca. 70 to 30 °C. For the purposely designed MC nanolayers, such controllable wetting properties are expected to prompt growing interest in the applications of cellulosic biopolymer interfaces.     

Beam-polarization asymmetries for the p(gamma-->, K+)Lambda and p(gamma-->, K+)Sigma(0) reactions for E(gamma)=1.5-2.4 GeV

Beam polarization asymmetries for the p(gamma-->,K+)Lambda and p(gamma-->,K+)Sigma(0) reactions are measured for the first time for E(gamma)=1.5-2.4 GeV and 0.6相似文献   

Measurement Accuracy in Phase-Shifting Point Diffraction Interferometer with Two Optical Fibers

A phase-shifting point diffraction interferometer (PS/PDI) with point sources of two single mode optical fibers has been developed, which will be appropriate for the surface figure measurement of large aperture optics on a sub-nanometer scale. To reduce the measurement error factors, a fiber optic plate (FOP) is used as a projection plane for interference pattern. Errors caused by imperfection of optical alignment, such as position of point sources and tilt of FOP, are minimized by analyzing the measured phase data with an original method. Measurement accuracy in the PS/ PDI is estimated with the interference pattern produced by the two optical fiber sources. If inhomogeneity of the FOP and a systematic error of the PS/PDI are eliminated, the measurement accuracy of the present system is estimated to be less than 4nm P-V and 0.7nm rms, respectively, at a measurement wavelength of 632.8 nm.     

Theoretical evaluation of the effective work functions for positive-ionic and electronic emissions from polycrystalline metal surfaces

Effective work functions (φ⁺ and φ^e) for positive-ionic and electronic emissions from polycrystalline metals of Nb, Mo, Ta, W and Ir are calculated according to our theoretical model by using those published data on both fractional surface area (F_i) and local work function (φ_i) of each metal surface composed of several patchy faces (1, 2, …, i). Comparison between the theoretical values thus obtained and those experimental data published to date yields the conclusions as follows. (1) With a slight error of less than ∼0.1 eV, the value of φ^e calculated with each of the metals is in fair or good agreement with that determined by experiment. (2) Such agreement is found also with φ⁺ for W. (3) In a typical case of W, where the degree of monocrystallization (δ_m) corresponding to the largest among the values of F_i is less than ∼0.5, the thermionic contrast (Δφ* ≡ φ⁺ − φ^e) is found again to be nearly equal to both theoretical and experimental values reported previously. (4) Each of the five metals shows that Δφ* at δ_m = 0.68-0.95 is smaller than Δφ* at δ_m < 0.5. (5) This result strongly supports our theoretical prediction that Δφ* decreases gradually to zero as δ_m increases beyond ∼0.5 up to ∼1. (6) Particularly, such a surface which has δ_m ≥ 0.96 exhibits Δφ* ≈ 0, apparently equivalent to the so-called “monocrystalline surface (δ_m = 1)”. These results lead to the conclusion that our theoretical model is valid for evaluating the effective work functions probably with a slight error of less than ∼0.1 eV, irrespective of both the surface species and the range of δ_m. In addition, our simple model makes it possible to analyze the mechanism of change in φ⁺ and φ^e according to the change in surface characters of both φ_i and F_i.     

Performance improvement of rubrene-based organic light emitting devices with a mixed single layer

We have investigated the performance of organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) with a rubrene-doped mixed single layer by using 4,4′-bis[N-(1-napthyl)-N-phenyl- amion] biphenyl (α-NPD) as hole transport layer. Comparing to a conventional heterostructure OLED, equal luminance vs. current density characteristics were obtained. In addition, maximum power efficiency was threefold improved, and the achieved value was 5.90 lm/W by optimizing a mixing ratio of hole and electron transport materials. By evaluating the temperature dependence of the J – V characteristics for electron-injection dominated device, the electron injection from Al/LiF to mixed organic layer is attributed to Schottky thermal emission model. And the barrier height of the electron injection from Al/LiF into mixed single layer was obtained to be 0.62 eV, which is lower than Al/Alq₃ interface. Meanwhile, the mixed single-layer device exhibited superior operational durability at a half-luminance of 2,250 h under a constant current operation mode. The reliability was improved with a factor of two compared to the heterostructure device due to the improvement of stability in mixed organic molecules and removal of the heterojunction interface in the mixed single-layer device.     

Broadly tunable UV-blue picosecond pulsed laser and its application for biological imaging

We have achieved a rapid and random wavelength tuned picosecond pulsed laser and a widely tunable UV-blue picosecond pulsed laser by using the intracavity second harmonic generation of the laser. The tuning range was from 384 to 434 nm with picosecond pulse oscillation. In addition, we demonstrated biological imaging using a fluorescent protein excited by the widely tunable UV-blue picosecond pulsed laser. We found that the laser is suitable for biological imaging using the fluorescent protein as an excitation light source without damages.