MRI of hepatic lymphoma

Thirteen patients with biopsy proven hepatic lymphoma (2 Hodgkin, 11 Non-Hodgkin) and a control group of 15 patients with hepatic metastases were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively by MRI. Focal hepatic lymphoma was most reliably detected (eight of eight patients) and appeared hypointense relative to liver on T₁ weighted (CNR − 7.4 ± 2.3) and hyperintense on T₂ weighted (CNR + 8.4 ± 2.9) images. The mean T₁ and T₂ relaxation times of focal hepatic lymphoma (T₁ = 832 ± 234 msec, T₂ = 84 ± 16 ms) differed significantly from adjacent non-tumorous liver (T₁ = 420 ± 121 ms, T₂ = 51 ± 9 ms; p < 0.05), however CNR values and relaxation times were similar to those of hepatic metastases. Diffuse hepatic lymphoma (microscopic periportal infiltration) was undetectable by MRI in three patients by either morphologic features or quantitative criteria. A mixed pattern of hepatic lymphoma (focal lesions and diffuse infiltration) showed focal areas of slightly decreased signal intensity on T₁ weighted images (CNR = −1.7 ± 0.4) while T₂ weighted images revealed multiple regions of focal hyperintensity (CNR = +13.3 ± 8.4) superimposed on a diffusely hyperintense liver. Our experience demonstrates that either T₁ or T₂ weighted techniques are useful in detecting focal and that T₂ weighted techniques are useful in detecting mixed hepatic lymphoma. Conventional image derived relaxation time measurements and quantitative parameters were of no additional diagnostic value.     

Inelastic neutron scattering from the quasi-one-dimensional conductor K1.75[Pt(CN)4]·1.5H2O

Neutron inelastic scattering has been used to study the longitudinal and one of the transverse acoustic phonons, propagating along the [001]¹ direction in triclinic K_1.75[Pt(CN)₄]·1.5H₂O. This material appears to be a quasi-one-dimensional conductor, with a commensurate distortion. We observe a reasonably well defined Kohn anomaly, which shows little temperature dependence between 80 and 300 K.     

TE- and TM-polarization-resolved spectroscopy on quantum wells under normal incidence

We present TE- and TM-polarization-resolved photocurrent measurements on quantum well pin diodes under normal incidence. Usually, optical experiments performed in such a geometry yield information only about transitions involving in-plane (p_x and p_y) components of the hole wave functions because of the in-plane (TE) polarization of the light. Information on transitions sensitive to the p_z components can be obtained by focussing a radially polarized laser beam through a microscope objective with high numerical aperture (NA=0.9). With our setup, the electrical field vector at the focal tail has a significant component along the optical axis (TM-polarization!) which enables excitation of transitions sensitive to p_z components also. Additionally, the existence of a degenerate (azimuthally polarized) optical mode enables switching these p_z components on and off easily.Experimental evidence of these features has been achieved by exploiting the selection rules for e–hh and e–lh transitions in a quantum well structure. We present a comparison of our recorded spectra with theoretical predictions obtained from simple geometric optics assumptions. For our quantum wells the polarization effects are small because our measurement averages the intensity distribution of the whole focal plane. We plan to extend our measurements to polarization resolved single quantum dot spectroscopy. By restricting the detection region to the spatial extent of a single dot, one can exploit the almost pure TM-polarization on the optical axis for obtaining high contrast between heavy- and light-hole exciton absorption.     

Preparing, manipulating, and measuring quantum states on a chip

We use gate voltage control of the exchange interaction to prepare, manipulate, and measure two-electron spin states in a GaAs double quantum dot. By placing two electrons in a single dot at low temperatures we prepare the system in a spin singlet state. The spin singlet is spatially separated by transferring an electron to an adjacent dot. The spatially separated spin singlet state dephases in due to the contact hyperfine interaction with the GaAs host nuclei. To combat the hyperfine dephasing, we develop quantum control techniques based on fast electrical control of the exchange interaction. We demonstrate coherent spin-state rotations in a singlet–triplet qubit and harness the coherent rotations to implement a singlet–triplet spin echo refocusing pulse sequence. The singlet–triplet spin echo extends the spin coherence time to .     

The attractor—basin portrait of a cellular automaton

Local space-time structures, such as domains and the intervening dislocations, dominate a wide class of cellular automaton (CA) behavior. For such spatially-extended dynamics regular domains, vicinities, and attractors are introduced as organizing principles to identify the discretized analogs of attractors, basins, and separatrices: structures used in classifying dissipative continuous-state dynamical systems. We describe the attractor-basin portrait of nonlinear elementary CA rule 18, whose global dynamics is largely determined by a single regular attracting domain. The latter's basin is analyzed in terms of subbasin and portal structures associated with particle annihilation. The conclusion is that the computational complexity of such CA is more apparent than real. Transducer machines are constructed that automatically identify domain and dislocation structures in space-time, count the number of dislocations in a spatial pattern, and implement an isomorphism between rule 18 and rule 90. We use a transducer to trace dislocation trajectories, and confirm that in rule 18, isolated dislocation trajectories, as well as a dislocation gas, agree extremely well with the classical model of annihilating diffusive particles. The CA efficiently transforms randomness of an initial pattern ensemble into a random walk of dislocations in space-time.     

MRI contrast-dose relationship of manganese(III)tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin with human xenograft tumors in nude mice at 2.0 T

Previously we reported that Mn(III)tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl) porphyrin, MnTPPS₄, is a contrast agent which can effectively enhance tumor detection by MRI. By imaging 30 additional athymic nude mice bearing subcutaneous MCF-7 WT human breast carcinoma xenografts, we have extended dose-contrast relationships over a wide range of intraperitoneal (IP) doses ranging from 0.025 to 0.50 mmol/kg. The benefits of IP injection are higher possible doses on a volume basis and a reduction in toxicity versus IV administration. Full coronal cross-section images have been obtained on a 2-T spectrometer. Although individual tumor masses displayed different distribution patterns, reflective of their internal morphology, single doses of 0.10 mmol/kg or greater were necessary to produce a detectable effect. At a dose of 0.50 mmol/kg, marked enhancement was produced. Multiple small dosages administered over the course of several days before imaging did not produce increased enhancement. Preliminary results on the new porphyrin derivative, MnTPPS₃, indicate that the ratio of the toxic dose to the effective dose may be adjustable to render this class of agents clinically useful.