Comparison of fast field-cycling magnetic resonance imaging methods and future perspectives

ABSTRACT

Fast field-cycling (FFC) nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry is a well-established method to determine the relaxation rates as a function of magnetic field strength. This so-called nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion gives insight into the underlying molecular dynamics of a wide range of complex systems and has gained interest especially in the characterisation of biological tissues and diseases. The combination of FFC techniques with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a high potential for new types of image contrast more specific to pathological molecular dynamics. This article reviews the progress in FFC-MRI over the last decade and gives an overview of the hardware systems currently in operation. We discuss limitations and error correction strategies specific to FFC-MRI such as field stability and homogeneity, signal-to-noise ratio, eddy currents and acquisition time. We also report potential applications with impact in biology and medicine. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future applications in transferring the underlying molecular dynamics into novel types of image contrast by exploiting the dispersive properties of biological tissue or MRI contrast agents.     

Probing the Catalytic Activity of Reduced Graphene Oxide Decorated with Au Nanoparticles Triggered by Visible Light

Hybrid materials in which reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is decorated with Au nanoparticles (rGO–Au NPs) were obtained by the in situ reduction of GO and AuCl₄^?_(aq) by ascorbic acid. On laser excitation, rGO could be oxidized as a result of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excitation in the Au NPs, which generates activated O₂ through the transfer of SPR‐excited hot electrons to O₂ molecules adsorbed from air. The SPR‐mediated catalytic oxidation of p‐aminothiophenol (PATP) to p,p′‐dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) was then employed as a model reaction to probe the effect of rGO as a support for Au NPs on their SPR‐mediated catalytic activities. The increased conversion of PATP to DMAB relative to individual Au NPs indicated that charge‐transfer processes from rGO to Au took place and contributed to improved SPR‐mediated activity. Since the transfer of electrons from Au to adsorbed O₂ molecules is the crucial step for PATP oxidation, in addition to the SPR‐excited hot electrons of Au NPs, the transfer of electrons from rGO to Au contributed to increasing the electron density of Au above the Fermi level and thus the Au‐to‐O₂ charge‐transfer process.     

Preparation and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Microwave and Conventional Heated Almond Shells Using Phosphoric Acid Activation

Activated carbon production from almond shells using phosphoric acid activation agent was achieved by applying both conventional heating and microwave heating in succession. The morphology and surface properties of activated carbon were studied using thermogravimetric and differential gravimetric analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. A surface area of 1128 m²/g was achieved by optimizing the microwave power (500?W), microwave application time (15?minutes), conventional heating time (45?minutes), conventional heating temperature (500?°C), and the phosphoric acid:sample ratio (0.7:1). An adsorption capacity of methylene blue of 148?mg/g and an iodine value of 791?mg/g was obtained for the prepared activated carbon.     

GDME-based methodology for the determination of free formaldehyde in cosmetics and hygiene products containing formaldehyde releasers

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry - Formaldehyde is often applied in the industrial production of different products, such as textiles, insulation materials, or cosmetics, due to its...     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">FCC/BCC</Emphasis> competition and enhancement of saturation magnetization in nanocrystalline Co-Ni-Fe films

The structure, chemical composition, and magnetic properties of electrochemically deposited nanocrystalline Co-Ni-Fe films were investigated using a number of techniques. A high saturation magnetic induction up to B _s = 21 kG was attained. An enhancement of the saturation magnetization compared to the ideal anticipated one was revealed, which correlated with the nonlinear behavior of the structural phase composition and lattice parameters with the change of the composition. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Immunoassay for native enzyme quantification in biological samples

In order to detect low levels of enzyme activity, specifically glucose oxidase, in biological samples, an immunoenzymatic assay was developed since currently available methods could not be used because of either their lack of sensitivity or the conditions prevailing in our samples: turbidity of the medium, presence of redox systems other than glucose oxidase, and high concentration of proteins. The principle of the method is to coat a polystyrene surface with a fragment Fc-specific anti-IgG, then with an antibody directed against the looked-for enzyme, which is simultaneously the antigen and the enzyme activity required for immunoenzymatic detection. We applied this concept to biological samples after glucose oxidase administration to mice. This method achieves specificity and sensitivity (20 ng/mL or 1 ng) with samples of biological origin. No marker is needed since the antigen itself possesses an enzyme activity. This method, which requires a small sample volume (50 ΜL, 20 ΜL, if necessary), can be extended easily to the many enzymes currently used as markers. It could also be applied to the native enzymes of medical interest for which antibodies and a colorimetric reaction are available.     

129Xe NMR study of the homogeneity and the size distribution of small sodium metal particles in NaY zeolite

NaY zeolite samples loaded with sodium metal by vapor phase deposition have been investigated using¹²⁹Xe NMR spectroscopy. At low sodium concentration, the¹²⁹Xe NMR spectrum showed three resonance lines which clearly indicate the existence of distinct domains in the zeolite sample. Such an observation suggests that the diffusion of the xenon atoms into each domain only occurs with respect to the NMR time scale (2.9 ms). As the sodium concentration increases, observation of a single broad line indicate a macroscopic homogenization of the system. The shift of this line is explained in part due to a paramagnetic interaction between the xenon atoms and the unpaired electrons of particles containing an odd number of sodium atoms. The linewidth is due to the distribution of the local magnetic fields partially averaged by the rapid motion of the xenon atoms and to the statistical distribution of the sodium particles in the supercage cavities. The paramagnetic interaction vanishes with the oxidation of the sample leading to a narrowing and a shift of the line to higher magnetic fields.     

Spectra and Transport in Almost Periodic Dimers

We study spectral properties of discrete Schrödinger operators with potentials obtained via dimerization of a class of aperiodic sequences. It is shown that both the nature of the autocorrelation measure of a regular sequence and the presence of generic (full probability) singular continuous spectrum in the hull of primitive and palindromic (four block substitution) potentials are robust under dimerization. Generic results also hold for circle potentials. We illustrate these results with numerical studies of the quantum mean square displacement as a function of time. The numerical techniques provide a very fast algorithm for the time evolution of wave packets.