Prospective trial of a navigator setting under left hepatic lobe on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography using a free-breathing prospective acquisition correction technique

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare the image acquisition time and image quality obtained by navigator setting under the left hepatic lobe vs. on the right diaphragm on magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) using a free-breathing navigator-triggered prospective acquisition correction technique (PACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty consecutive patients prospectively underwent three-dimensional T2-weighted turbo spin-echo MRCP using PACE with the navigator randomly set either under the left hepatic lobe or on top of the right diaphragm. Image acquisition time and subjective image quality were compared on a five-point scale using Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney's U test, respectively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference for mean acquisition time (6.1+/-1.6 vs. 6.3+/-1.2 min, P=.689) between the left hepatic lobe group and right diaphragm group. Mean subjective image quality was significantly worse in the left hepatic lobe group than in the right diaphragm group (4.1 vs. 4.7, P=.044). CONCLUSION: Setting the navigator under the left hepatic lobe for MRCP using PACE causes the data processing to be more difficult. As well, under current circumstances, it does not contribute to reducing acquisition time or improving the image quality.     

Comparative examination of titania nanocrystals synthesized by peroxo titanic acid approach from different precursors

Titanium dioxide nanocrystalline particles were synthesized by peroxo titanium acid (PTA) approach from titanium alkoxide and inorganic salt precursors, and their structural and surface properties, porosities, and photocatalytic activities were comparatively examined by XRD, TG/DTA, DRIFT, UV-vis, low temperature N(2) adsorption, and methyl orange (MO) degradation. It was found that nanoparticles with single anatase phase can be obtained from alkoxide precursor even near room temperature if synthesis conditions are appropriately controlled. PTA-derived anatase nanoparticles from titanium alkoxide precursor have smaller crystalline sizes and better porosities, and contain less amount of peroxo group and no organic impurities as compared to those from TiCl(4) precursor. The advantages in structural property, porosity, and surface properties (few deficiencies) lead to a much better photocatalytic activity for TiO(2) nanoparticles from titanium alkoxide precursor in comparison with those from TiCl(4) precursor.     

Amplified Chirality Transfer to Aromatic Molecules through Non-specific Inclusion by Amorphous,Hyperbranched Poly(fluorenevinylene) Derivatives

Optically active, hyperbranched, poly(fluorene-2,4,7-triylethene-1,2-diyl) [poly(fluorenevinylene)] derivatives bearing a neomenthyl group and a pentyl group at the 9-position of the fluorene backbone at various ratios acted as a chirality donor (host polymers) efficiently included naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene, 9-phenylanthracene, and 9,10-diphenyanthracene as a chirality acceptor (guest molecules) in their interior space in film as well as in solution, with the guest molecules exhibiting intense circular dichroism through chirality transfer with chirality amplification. The efficiency of the chirality transfer was much higher with higher-molar-mass polymers than lower-molar-mass ones as well as with hyperbranched polymers compared to the analogous linear ones. The hyperbranched polymers include the small molecules in their complex structure without any specific interactions at various stoichiometries. The included molecules may have ordered intermolecular arrangement that may be somewhat similar to those of liquid crystals. Naphthalene, anthracene, and pyrene included in the polymer exhibited efficient circularly polarized luminescence, where the chirality was remarkably amplified in excited states, and anthracene exhibited especially high anisotropies in the emission on the order of 10⁻².     

Preparation of novel fluoroalkyl-end-capped 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid cooligomeric nanoparticles containing adamantane units possessing a lower critical solution temperature characteristic in organic media

Fluoroalkyl-end-capped 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid cooligomers containing adamantyl segments were prepared by reaction of fluoroalkanoyl peroxide with 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and 3-hydroxy-1-adamantyl acrylate (Ad-HAc). These obtained fluorinated AMPS-Ad-HAc cooligomers were found to form nanometer-size-controlled fine particles not only in water but also in a large variety of traditionally organic solvents. In addition, these fluorinated cooligomeric nanoparticles showed a good dispersibility in these solvents. Interestingly, the size of these fluorinated nanoparticles is extremely sensitive to solvent changes, and an increase of the particle size was observed in the solvents, in which the dielectric constant is higher or lower. More interestingly, these fluorinated AMPS-Ad-HAc cooligomeric nanoparticles exhibited a lower critical solution temperature around 52 degrees C in an organic medium (tert-butyl alcohol).     

Effect of co-catalyst system on α-olefin polymerization with rac- and meso-[dimethylsilylenebis(2,3,5-trimethyl-cyclopentadienyl)]zirconium dichloride

Propene, 1-butene and 1-hexene polymerization was conducted with a mixture of rac- and meso-[dimethylsilylenebis((2,3,5-tetramethyl-cyclopentadienyl))]zirconium dichloride (Me₂Si(2,3,5-Me₃Cp)₂ZrCl₂) ( 1 ) combined with methylaluminoxane (MAO), triethylaluminium (AlEt₃)/triphenylcarbenium tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate (Ph₃CB(C₆F₅)₄) ( 2 ) and triisobutylaluminium (AliBu₃)/Ph₃CB(C₆F₅)₄, respectively, as co-catalyst systems. The ratios of polymerization rates R_p(rac)/R_p(meso) were changed with the combined cocatalysts. It was found that in the case of using trialkylaluminium/ 2 as co-catalyst R_p(rac)/R_p(meso) is lower than when using MAO in any kind of α-olefin polymerization.     

Study of molecular size in ethylene-propene copolymerization with zirconocene and hafnocene catalysts

Ethylene-propene copolymerization was carried out with Cp₂MCl₂ (Cp = cyclopentadienyl), rac-Et(Ind)₂MCl₂, rac-Me₂Si(Ind)₂MCl₂ (Et = ethylene, Me₂Si = dimethylsilyl, Ind = indenyl, M = Zr or Hf)/methylaluminoxane. In the case of using ansa-hafnocenes, the minimum molecular size (extended chain length) of ethylene-propene copolymer was obtained at about 50 mol-% of propene content in the copolymer. The polymerization activity decreased with increase of propene feed ratio in non-bridged non-specific metallocenes. Higher polymerization activities were observed for the copolymerization compared to ethylene and propene homo-polymerization with ansa-isospecific metallocenes. The factor of molecular size lowering was studied by the chain propagation and chain transfer reaction.     

Study on ketalization reaction of poly(vinyl alcohol) by ketones. IX. Kinetic study on acetalization and ketalization reaction of 1,3-butanediol as a model compound for poly(vinyl alcohol)

A kinetic study was carried out on the acetalization reaction of 1,3-butanediol, as a model compound for poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), in water, under acidic conditions. Since these equilibrium constants of ketalization reaction of 1,3-butanediol and ethylene glycol are so small, the kinetic parameters were estimated from the hydrolysis reactions of the corresponding ketals. It was made clear that these reactions proceed in the reversible bimolecular reaction, and the heat of reaction and activation energy are nearly equal to that of PVA. The rate constants of hydrolysis reaction (k′s) of model compounds were calculated on the basis of value of acetone ketal, Hammett-Taft's equation log k′s/k′so – 0.54(n – 6) = ρ^*σ^* was established, and the value of ρ^* was obtained (3.60), which coincided with the value of PVA. Therefore, it was made clear that the hydrolysis reactions of acetals and ketals are electrophilic reaction (SE II reaction) and the step of rate determination is the formation of hemiacetal and hemiketal. The rate constants of hydrolysis reaction of 1,3-butanediol acetals and ketals were approximately 10–20 larger, and those of ethylene glycol were approximetly 50–80 larger except for ketals, and those of ethanol were roughly 2000–10,000 larger compared with that of high-molecular weight compound (PVA). It can be well explained that these differences in the rate constant depend on their entropy and the mobility of molecules. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 1719–1931, 1997     

φ production in In–In collisions at 158 A GeV

The NA60 experiment has measured muon pair production in In–In collisions at 158 AGeV at the CERN SPS. This paper presents a high statistics measurement of φ→μ μ meson production. Differential spectra, yields, mass and width are measured as a function of centrality and compared to previous measurements in other colliding systems at the same energy. The width of the rapidity distribution is found to be constant as a function of centrality, compatible with previous results. The decay muon polar angle distribution is measured in several reference frames. No evidence of polarization is found as a function of transverse momentum and centrality. The analysis of the p _T spectra shows that the φ has a small radial flow, implying a weak coupling to the medium. The T _eff parameter measured in In–In collisions suggests that the high value observed in Pb–Pb in the kaon channel is difficult to reconcile with radial flow alone. The absolute yield is compared to results in Pb–Pb collisions: though significantly smaller than measured by NA50 in the muon channel, it is found to exceed the NA49 and CERES data in the kaon channel at any centrality. The mass and width are found to be compatible with the PDG values at any centrality and at any p _T : no evidence for in-medium modifications is observed.