Dipolar interactions and origin of spin ice in ising pyrochlore magnets

Recent experiments suggest that the Ising pyrochlore magnets Ho2Ti2O7 and Dy2Ti2O7 display qualitative properties of the nearest-neighbor "spin ice" model. We discuss the dipolar energy scale present in both these materials and discuss how spin-ice behavior can occur despite the presence of long-range dipolar interactions. We present results of numerical simulations and a mean field analysis of Ising pyrochlore systems. Based on our quantitative theory, we suggest that the spin-ice behavior in these systems is due to long-range dipolar interactions, and that the nearest-neighbor exchange in Dy2Ti2O7 is antiferromagnetic.     

Comparative reactivity of thiophene and 3,4-(ethylenedioxy)thiophene as terminal electropolymerizable units in bis-heterocycle arylenes

The monomers bis(2-thienyl)-9,9-didecylfluorene, BTDF, and bis(3,4-(ethylenedioxy)thien-2-yl)-9,9-didecylfluorene, BEDOT-DF, have been synthesized and electropolymerized to the corresponding conducting polymers. The potential for the electropolymerization of BTDF was found to be dependent on the solvent composition. In CH₂Cl₂, polymer film deposition is achieved only at potentials higher than 1.3 V vs. Ag/Ag⁺, while in a 30/70 mixture of CH₂Cl₂/CH₃CN the polymerization is efficient at 0.9 V. BEDOT-DF polymerizes at significantly lower potentials and more rapidly than BTDF. The electron-donating alkoxy substituents of the EDOT units lead to stabilization of the cation radical intermediates allowing the electropolymerization to proceed at 0.55 V. The neutral polymers are insoluble in common organic solvents and are stable to 300°C under nitrogen. Upon oxidation, both polymers show two intragap transitions at intermediate doping levels due to the formation of bipolaronic states and the oxidized polymers exhibit conductivities up to 10⁻⁴ S/cm. The redox-stimulated ion transport characteristics, studied by the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) indicates that the electrolyte anions are the dominant mobile species. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3627–3636, 1997     

Quantification of myocardial viability distribution with Gd(DTPA) bolus-enhanced, signal intensity-based percent infarct mapping

Introduction

A substantial, common shortcoming of the currently used semiautomated techniques for the quantification of myocardial infarct with delayed enhancement magnetic resonance imaging is the assumption that the whole myocardial slab that corresponds to the hyperenhanced tomographic area is 100% nonviable. This assumption is, however, incorrect. To resolve this conflict, we have recently proposed the signal intensity percent-infarct mapping method and validated it in an ex vivo, canine experiment. The purpose of the current study has been the validation of the signal intensity percent-infarct mapping method in vivo, using a porcine model of reperfused myocardial infarct.

Methods

In swines (n=6), reperfused myocardial infarct was generated occluding for 90 min by an angioplasty balloon either the left anterior descending or the left circumflex coronary artery. To obtain DE images, Gd(DTPA) enhanced inversion-recovery fast gradient-echo acquisitions were carried out on day 28 after myocardial infarction. Scanning started 15 min after intravenous injection of 0.2 mmol/kg Gd(DTPA). At the end of the MRI session, the animal was sacrificed and 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining was used to validate the existence and to determine the accurate size of the myocardial infarct. Tissue samples were taken and stained with hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome for histological assessment of the infarct and the periinfarct zone. The signal intensity percent-infarct mapping data were compared with corresponding data from the delayed enhancement images analyzed with SI_remote+2S.D. thresholding, and with corresponding triphenyltetrazolium-chloride staining data using Friedman's repeated measure analysis of variance on ranks.

Results

The infarct volume determined by the triphenyltetrazolium chloride, SI_remote+2S.D. and signal intensity percent-infarct mapping methods was 3.04 ml [2.74, 3.45], 13.62 ml [9.06, 18.45] and 4.27 ml [3.45, 6.33], respectively. Median infarct volume determined by SI_remote+2S.D. significantly differed from that determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (P<.05). The Bland-Altman overall bias was 12.49% of the volume of the left ventricle. Median infarct volume determined by signal intensity percent-infarct mapping, however, did not differ significantly (NS) from that obtained by triphenyltetrazolium chloride. Signal intensity percent-infarct mapping yielded only a 1.99% Bland-Altman overall bias of the left ventricular volume.

Conclusions

This in vivo study in the porcine reperfused myocardial infarct model demonstrates that signal intensity percent-infarct mapping is a highly accurate method for the determination of the extent of myocardial infarct. MRI images for signal intensity percent-infarct mapping are obtained with the pulse sequence of conventional delayed enhancement imaging and are acquired within clinically acceptable scanning time. This makes signal intensity percent-infarct mapping a practical method for clinical implementation.     

Exact scalar field cosmologies in a higher derivative theory

We obtain exact cosmological solutions of a higher derivative theory described by the Lagrangian L=R+2αR ² in the presence of interacting scalar field. The interacting scalar field potential required for a known evolution of the FRW universe in the framework of the theory is obtained using a technique different from the usual approach to solve the Einstein field equations. We follow here a technique to determine potential similar to that used by Ellis and Madsen in Einstein gravity. Some new and interesting potentials are noted in the presence of R ² term in the Einstein action for the known behaviours of the universe. These potentials in general do not obey the slow rollover approximation.     

Orbital Angular Momentum in Scalar Diquark Model and QED

We compare the orbital angular momentum of the ‘quark’ in the scalar diquark model as well as that of the electron in QED (to order α) obtained from the Jaffe–Manohar decomposition to that obtained from the Ji relation. We estimate the importance of the vector potential in the definition of orbital angular momentum.     

An efficient one-pot synthesis of coumarin-amino acid derivatives as potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents

Abstract

A series of seven coumarinyl-amino acid ester conjugates have been synthesized and characterized by NMR (¹H and 13C) and mass spectra. Further, the compounds were investigated for their therapeutic applications such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Among the synthesized compounds most of the analogs showed good efficiency compared with the standard.     

Controlled formation of biosilica structures in vitro

Herein we describe the controlled formation of biosilica structures by manipulation of the physical reaction environment; we were able to synthesize arched and elongated silica structures using a synthetic peptide; the results presented here are evidence that in vitro biocatalysis may be controlled in order to form desired silica structures.     

Equilibrium signal intensity mapping, an MRI method for fast mapping of longitudinal relaxation rates and for image enhancement

INTRODUCTION: Inhomogeneity of magnetic fields, both B(0) and B(1), has been a major challenge in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Field inhomogeneity leads to image artifacts and unreliability of signal intensity (SI) measurements. This work proposes and shows the feasibility of generating equilibrium signal intensity (SI(Eq)) maps that can be utilized either to speed up relaxation-rate measurement or to enhance image quality and relaxation-rate-based weighting in various applications. METHODS: A 1.5-T MRI scanner was used. In canines (n=4), myocardial infarction was induced, and 48 h after the administration of 0.05 mmol kg(-1) Gd(ABE-DTTA), a contrast agent with slow tissue kinetics, in vivo R(1) mapping was carried out using an inversion recovery (IR)-prepared, fast gradient-echo sequence with varying inversion times (TIs). To test the SI(Eq) mapping method without the confounding effects of motion and blood flow, we carried out ex vivo R(1) mapping after the administration of 0.2 mmol kg(-1) Gd(DTPA) using an IR-prepared, fast spin-echo sequence in another group of dogs (n=2). R(1,full) maps and SI(Eq) maps were generated from the data from both sequences by three-parameter nonlinear curve fitting of the SI versus TI dependence. R(1,full) maps served as the reference standard. Raw IR images were then divided by the SI(Eq) maps, yielding corrected SI maps (COSIMs). Additionally, R(1) values were calculated from each single-TI image separately, using the SI(Eq) value and a one-parameter curve-fitting procedure (R(1,single)). Voxelwise correlation analysis was carried out for the COSIMs and the R(1,single) maps, both versus the standard R(1,full) maps. Deviations of R(1,single) from R(1,full) were statistically evaluated. RESULTS: In vivo, COSIM versus R(1,full) showed significantly (P<.05) better correlation [correlation coefficient (CC)=0.95] than SI versus R(1,full) with a TI=700-800 ms, which is 200-300 ms longer than the tau(null) (500 ms) of viable myocardium. With such TIs, SI versus R(1,full) yielded CCs of 0.86-0.88. R(1,single) versus R(1,full) yielded a peak CC of 0.96 at TI=700-900 ms. Mean deviations of R(1,single) from R(1,full) were below 5% for TIs between 500 and 1000 ms. Ex vivo, where tau(null) was 300 ms, the advantage of correction with SI(Eq) was not in the improvement of linear correlation but more in the reduction of scatter. Peak CCs for SI versus R(1,full) and COSIM versus R(1,full) at TI=500 ms were 0.96 for both. The ex vivo CC for R(1,single) versus R(1,full) at TI=500 ms was 0.98. Mean deviations of R(1,single) from R(1,full) were below 5% for TIs between 400 and 700 ms. CONCLUSIONS: Once the corresponding SI(Eq) map is obtained from a control stack, R(1) can be obtained accurately, using only a single IR image and without the need for a stack of TI-varied images. This approach could be applied in various dynamic MRI studies where short measurement time, once the dynamics has started, is of essence. When using this method with IR-prepared T(1)-weighted images, it is essential that the single TI be chosen such that the longitudinal relaxation in all voxels of interest would have passed tau(null). SI(Eq) maps are also useful in eliminating confounders from MR images to allow obtaining SI values that reflect more faithfully the relaxation parameter (R(1)) sought.