Quantitative measurement of temperature by proton resonance frequency shift at low field: a general method to correct non-linear spatial and temporal phase deformations

MRI thermometry methods are usually based on the temperature dependence of the proton resonance frequency. Unfortunately, these methods are very sensitive to the phase drift induced by the instability of the scanner which prevents any temperature mapping over long periods of time. A general method based on 3D spatial modelling of the phase drift as a function of time is presented. The MRI temperature measurements were validated on gel samples with uniform and constant temperature and with a linear temperature gradient. In the case of uniform temperature conditions, correction of the phase drift proved to be essential when long periods of acquisition were required, as bias could reach values of up to 200 degrees C in its absence. The temperature uncertainty measured by MRI was 1.2 degrees C in average over 290 min. This accuracy is coherent with the requirements for food applications especially when thermocouples are useless.     

Chalcogenide Glass for Passive Infrared Applications

Chalcogenide glass fibers have been successfully used for remote spectroscopy, temperature sensing and CO2 laser power delivery. In bulk form, chalcogenide glass is the most promising candidate for replacing the expensive germanium lenses for thermal imaging.     

New excited superdeformed bands in heavy Pb nuclei: Clue for an octupole softness near the N = 118 gap at large deformation

We report the identification of six new superdeformed (SD) bands in ^197,198Pb observed with the EUROBALL IV spectrometer. The results are interpreted in the framework of cranked Hartree-Fock calculations with approximate projection on the particle number by means of the Lipkin-Nogami method. A mixing between quasi-particle excitations and an octupole vibration is suggested in the two SD isotopes. We have estimated the ordering of the neutron valence orbitals and confirm indirectly a N = 118 SD gap. Received: 20 December 2000 / Accepted: 24 January 2001     

High-spin excitations of 81, 82, 83, 85Se : Competing single-particle and collective structures around N = 50

The ^{81, 82, 83, 85}Se nuclei have been produced as fission fragments in the fusion reaction ¹⁸O + ²⁰⁸Pb at 85MeV bombarding energy and studied with the Euroball IV array. Their high-spin level schemes have been built from the triple -ray coincidence data and - angular correlations have been analyzed in order to assign spin and parity values to many observed states. The lowest-spin states of the two-neutron and three-neutron configurations are strongly mixed with two-proton excitations among the fp orbits. On the other hand, the highest-spin states of these neutron configurations are found to remain almost pure. Neutron excitation across the N = 50 gap is observed both in ⁸³Se₄₉ and in ⁸⁵Se₅₁ .     

A simple leading particle explanation for linear momentum transfer systematics

A simple formula based on leading particle models of nucleon-nucleon collisions is used to evaluate the average momentum transfer in central heavy ion collisions at energies from 20 to 150 MeV/u. This formula, which reproduces a number of the features of the observed systematics, offers a straightforward explanation for the approximate universality of fractional linear momentum transfer as a function of velocity, the dependence of fractional momentum transfer on target mass and the greater fractional momentum transfer of the proton as compared to heavy ion projectiles.     

A high-order discontinuous Galerkin method for wave propagation through coupled elastic–acoustic media

We introduce a high-order discontinuous Galerkin (dG) scheme for the numerical solution of three-dimensional (3D) wave propagation problems in coupled elastic–acoustic media. A velocity–strain formulation is used, which allows for the solution of the acoustic and elastic wave equations within the same unified framework. Careful attention is directed at the derivation of a numerical flux that preserves high-order accuracy in the presence of material discontinuities, including elastic–acoustic interfaces. Explicit expressions for the 3D upwind numerical flux, derived as an exact solution for the relevant Riemann problem, are provided. The method supports h-non-conforming meshes, which are particularly effective at allowing local adaptation of the mesh size to resolve strong contrasts in the local wavelength, as well as dynamic adaptivity to track solution features. The use of high-order elements controls numerical dispersion, enabling propagation over many wave periods. We prove consistency and stability of the proposed dG scheme. To study the numerical accuracy and convergence of the proposed method, we compare against analytical solutions for wave propagation problems with interfaces, including Rayleigh, Lamb, Scholte, and Stoneley waves as well as plane waves impinging on an elastic–acoustic interface. Spectral rates of convergence are demonstrated for these problems, which include a non-conforming mesh case. Finally, we present scalability results for a parallel implementation of the proposed high-order dG scheme for large-scale seismic wave propagation in a simplified earth model, demonstrating high parallel efficiency for strong scaling to the full size of the Jaguar Cray XT5 supercomputer.     

Antibody immobilization on gold nanoparticles coated layer-by-layer with polyelectrolytes

Nanoscale materials are used in the biomedical field for magnetic resonance imaging, protein detection and drug/gene delivery. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are particularly investigated in cancer treatment and imaging. In this study, we described a simple and reliable liquid method to coat AuNPs (diameter: 21 nm) layer-by-layer with alternative cationic polyallylamine and anionic polystyrenesulfonate. The C-terminal amino acid of the antibody directed against anti-bovine serum albumin was activated by EDC/NHS, and then condensed with the amino functions of the external polyallylamine layer. An ELISA test confirmed that the antigen recognition of the bioconjugate antibody was conserved. This AuNP coating and the covalently coupling could be used as a generic process for binding other specific antibodies, particularly those overexpressed in cancer cells and angiogenesis.     

Ultrasound promoted the synthesis of N-propargylic β-enaminones

The synthesis of 14 novel N-propargylic β-enaminones from the reaction of β-alkoxy vinyltrihalomethyl[carboxyethyl] ketones [R³C(O)CHC(R¹)OMe, where R³ = CF₃, CCl₃, CO₂Et and R¹ = Me, Et, Pr, Bu, i-Pent, CH₂CH₂CO₂Me] with propargyl amines [R²NHCH₂CCH, where R² = Pr, PhCH₂] is reported. Yields, solvents and reaction times needed for reaction completion, by microwave irradiation (MW), conventional thermal heating (TH) and under ultrasound irradiation (US) are compared. The best results were obtained under US irradiation in good to excellent yields (70-93%).     

Evaluation of the piezoelectric behaviour produced by a thick-film transducer using digital speckle pattern interferometry

This paper presents an interferometric measurement of the out-of-plane deflections produced by a piezoelectric transducer, manufactured by thick-film deposition of a ceramic paste over an alumina substrate, when is subjected to a DC electric voltage. It is shown that a digital speckle pattern interferometer with an incorporated phase-shifting facility allows the measurement of nanometer displacements generated by the piezoelectric device. These measurements are used to evaluate the effective piezoelectric charge constant along the polarization direction (d₃₃)_eff that characterizes the thick-film transducer.