Quantitative assessment of motion correction for high angular resolution diffusion imaging

Several methods have been proposed for motion correction of high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) data. There have been few comparisons of these methods, partly due to a lack of quantitative metrics of performance. We compare two motion correction strategies using two figures of merit: displacement introduced by the motion correction and the 95% confidence interval of the cone of uncertainty of voxels with prolate tensors. What follows is a general approach for assessing motion correction of HARDI data that may have broad application for quality assurance and optimization of postprocessing protocols. Our analysis demonstrates two important issues related to motion correction of HARDI data: (1) although neither method we tested was dramatically superior in performance, both were dramatically better than performing no motion correction, and (2) iteration of motion correction can improve the final results. Based on the results demonstrated here, iterative motion correction is strongly recommended for HARDI acquisitions.     

Joint distribution of direction and length of typical I-segment in a homogeneous random planar tessellation stable under iteration

The paper deals with homogeneous random planar tessellations stable under iteration (random STIT tessellations). The length distribution of the typical I-segment is already known in the isotropic case [8]. In the present paper, the anisotropic case is treated. Then also the direction of the typical I-segment is of interest. The joint distribution of direction and length of the typical I-segment is evaluated. As a first step, the corresponding joint distribution for the so-called typical remaining I-segment is derived. Dedicated to the 80th birthday of Klaus Krickeberg     

一个新的指数削减椭圆形分布族

A new family of univariate exponential slash distribution is introduced, which is based on elliptical distributions and defined by means of a stochastic representation as the scale mixture of an elliptically distributed random variable with respect to the power of an exponential random variable. The same idea is extended to the multivariate case. General properties of the resulting families, including their moments and kurtosis coefficient, are studied. And inferences based on methods of moment and maximum likelihood are discussed. A real data is presented to show this family is flexible and fits much better than other related families.     

Elastomeric Properties of Polysiloxane Networks. Bimodal Elastomers that are Spatially Inhomogeneous and Others that are Very Broadly Multimodal

End‐linking poly(dimethylsiloxane) was used to prepare bimodal elastomers networks so as to have inhomogeneous nanostructures, and also to prepare others having very broadly multimodal chain‐length distributions. Macroscopic phase separation, probably high crosslink density clusters, was observed to occur in some of the bimodal networks. The mechanical properties in simple extension and in equilibrium swelling were measured. The bimodal elastomers that were not obviously inhomogeneous showed very good mechanical properties, but the macroscopically phase‐separated networks, and the broadly multimodal network were weak. Analysis of the Mooney‐Rivlin profiles suggests that the reinforcing mechanism could have a structural component in addition to that from the limited extensibilities of the short chains. The mechanical properties and the extents of swelling support the cluster conjecture, in accord with previous morphological studies on spatially‐inhomogeneous polysiloxane elastomers.     

Automatic analysis of microscopic photo-pictures of undeveloped and developed nuclear emulsions

Methods of automatic computer analyses of images have large impotence in numerous physical problems with different kinds of radiations, which use such solid-state detectors as nuclear photographic emulsions, plastics and others. We described a method of expanding boundaries of dark areas for such computer analyses of micro-pictures. We demonstrated effectiveness of this method by the example of the search of microcrystals size distributions in two undeveloped nuclear emulsions and similar distribution of background grains in the developed emulsion.     

Direct Derivation of Free Energies of Membrane Deformation and Other Solvent Density Variations From Enhanced Sampling Molecular Dynamics

We report a methodology to calculate the free energy of a shape transformation in a lipid membrane directly from a molecular dynamics simulation. The bilayer need not be homogeneous or symmetric and can be atomically detailed or coarse grained. The method is based on a collective variable that quantifies the similarity between the membrane and a set of predefined density distributions. Enhanced sampling of this “Multi-Map” variable re-shapes the bilayer and permits the derivation of the corresponding potential of mean force. Calculated energies thus reflect the dynamic interplay of atoms and molecules, rather than postulated effects. Evaluation of deformations of different shape, amplitude, and range demonstrates that the macroscopic bending modulus assumed by the Helfrich–Canham model is increasingly unsuitable below the 100-Å scale. In this range of major biological significance, direct free-energy calculations reveal a much greater plasticity. We also quantify the stiffening effect of cholesterol on bilayers of different composition and compare with experiments. Lastly, we illustrate how this approach facilitates analysis of other solvent reorganization processes, such as hydrophobic hydration. Published 2019. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.