Effect of temporal resolution on the estimation of left ventricular function by cardiac MR imaging

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of temporal resolution on the estimation of left ventricular (LV) function by cardiac magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using a steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequence. Left ventricular function was assessed by cine MR imaging using a segmented SSFP sequence in 10 healthy volunteers. Views per segment (VPS) were set at 8 and 20, resulting in high and low true temporal resolution, respectively. Irrespective of VPS, images were reconstructed at 40 cardiac phases, providing high apparent temporal resolution. Data were analyzed using 40, 20 and 10 phases to simulate different apparent temporal resolutions. Increasing the cardiac phases used for analysis slightly decreased mean end-systolic volume (ESV) and slightly increased mean ejection fraction (EF). No substantial difference in estimates of end-diastolic volume (EDV) was found between VPSs of 8 and 20. Imaging with a VPS of 20 yielded a larger ESV and smaller EF than imaging with a VPS of 8 when 40 phases were used. In conclusion, low true temporal resolution causes overestimation of ESV and underestimation of EF. Improvement of apparent temporal resolution mildly reduces but does not eliminate the errors caused by low true temporal resolution.     

Non-destructive analysis of the two subspecies of African elephants, mammoth, hippopotamus, and sperm whale ivories by visible and short-wave near infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

Visible (VIS) and short-wave near infrared (SW-NIR) spectroscopy was used for non-destructive analysis of ivories. VIS-SW-NIR (500-1000 nm) spectra were measured in situ for five kinds of ivories, that is two subspecies of African elephants, mammoth, hippopotamus, and sperm whale. Chemometrics analyses were carried out for the spectral data from 500 to 1000 nm region. The five kinds of ivories were clearly discriminated from each other on the scores plot of two principal components (PCs) obtained by principal component analysis (PCA). It was noteworthy that the ivories of the two subspecies of African elephants were discriminated by the scores of PC 1. The loadings plot for PC 1 showed that the discrimination relies on the intensity changes in bands due to collagenous proteins and water interacting with proteins. It was found that the scores plot of PC 2 is useful to distinguish between the ivories of the two subspecies of African elephants and the other ivories. We also developed a calibration model that predicted the specific gravity of five kinds of ivories from their VIS-SW-NIR spectral data using partial least squares (PLS)-1 regression. The correlation coefficient and root mean square error of cross validation (RMSECV) of this model were 0.960 and 0.037, respectively.     

Electronic control of spin alignment in pi-conjugated molecular magnets

Intramolecular spin alignment in pi-conjugated molecules is studied theoretically in a model of a Peierls-Hubbard chain coupled with two localized spins. By means of the exact diagonalization technique, we demonstrate that a spin singlet (S=0) to quartet (S=3/2) transition can be induced by electronic doping, depending on the chain length, the positions of the localized spins, and the sign of the electron-spin coupling. The calculated results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanism of spin alignment recently observed in a diradical donor molecule.     

One Dimensional Face-to-Face Stacking of Anderson–Evans [Cr(OH)6Mo6O18]3− Polyoxometalate Anion: Synthesis, Structure, and Physical Properties of (BEDT-TTF)4[Cr(OH)6Mo6O18]⋅2H2O

The synthesis, structural and magnetic characterizations of a new charge transfer salt (BEDT-TTF)₄[Cr(OH)₆Mo₆O₁₈]2H₂O based on the planar paramagnetic Anderson–Evans polyoxometalate are reported. Structural parameters: T=293 K, triclinic (P ), a=5.9545(2) Å, b=16.3767(6) Å, c=21.8643(6) Å, =110.829(2)°, =91.262(2)°, =98.129(1)°, Z=1, R=0.0540. The crystal structure is characterized by a face-to-face stacking of the anions giving rise to a one-dimensional inorganic chain which develops along the a direction. The organic layers contain two crystallographically independent BEDT-TTF dimers that form alternating stacks along the b direction. This organic chain is perpendicular to the inorganic chains. The charges on BEDT-TTF dimers are deduced to +1.2(1) and +1.7(1) on the basis of the intramolecular bond lengths. The EPR spectrum at 2.5 K is characterized by the superposition of BEDT-TTF⁺ and [Cr^III(OH)₆Mo₆O₁₈]^3– signals. The static susceptibility can be fitted by the Curie–Weiss law down to 1.9 K and the magnetic moment at 300 K is estimated to 4.21 _B , suggesting the uncorrelated spin system with BEDT-TTF⁺ (S=1/2) and Cr^III (S=3/2) ions. This interpretion is consistent with the charge disproportionation on BEDT-TTF dimers along the stack, which is supported by the refined molecular structure and is closely related to the insulating behavior (<10^–9Scm^–1 at RT).     

On global solutions to the initial–boundary value problem for the nonlinear Schrödinger equations in exterior domains

We consider the initial–boundary value problem for the nonlinear Schr‐dinger equations in an exterior domain. Global existence theorem of smooth solutions is established by using a–priori decay estimates of solutions which are obtained by the pseudoconformal indentity     

The difference between the ordinary height and the canonical height on elliptic curves

We estimate the bounds for the difference between the ordinary height and the canonical height on elliptic curves over number fields. Our result is an improvement of the recent result of Cremona, Prickett, and Siksek [J.E. Cremona, M. Prickett, S. Siksek, Height difference bounds for elliptic curves over number fields, J. Number Theory 116 (2006) 42-68]. Our bounds are usually sharper than the other known bounds.     

Time-average holographic interferometry with a sinusoidally modulated laser diode

Laser diodes have the features of a single-mode operation and a frequency tunability. Holographic interferometry is described for investigating the vibrating amplitude and phase with a frequency-modulated laser diode. Sinusoidal wavelength change by varying laser injection current produces the sinusoidal phase modulation of relative phase difference between the reference and vibrating object paths. Holograms are made by time-average exposure of three-type recording modes with a laser diode. The phase of vibrating object is extracted from the measurements of Bessel-type fringe irradiances in three kinds of time-average holographic reconstruction. Experimental results of phase and amplitude for a vibrating cantilever object are shown.