Comparison of fast field-cycling magnetic resonance imaging methods and future perspectives

ABSTRACT

Fast field-cycling (FFC) nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry is a well-established method to determine the relaxation rates as a function of magnetic field strength. This so-called nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion gives insight into the underlying molecular dynamics of a wide range of complex systems and has gained interest especially in the characterisation of biological tissues and diseases. The combination of FFC techniques with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a high potential for new types of image contrast more specific to pathological molecular dynamics. This article reviews the progress in FFC-MRI over the last decade and gives an overview of the hardware systems currently in operation. We discuss limitations and error correction strategies specific to FFC-MRI such as field stability and homogeneity, signal-to-noise ratio, eddy currents and acquisition time. We also report potential applications with impact in biology and medicine. Finally, we discuss the challenges and future applications in transferring the underlying molecular dynamics into novel types of image contrast by exploiting the dispersive properties of biological tissue or MRI contrast agents.     

T1Effects in Sequential Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast Experiments

Residual effects of an initial bolus of gadolinium contrast agent have been previously demonstrated in sequential dynamic susceptibility contrast MR experiments. While these residual effects quickly reach a saturation steady state, their etiology is uncertain, and they can lead to spurious estimates of hemodynamic parameters in activation experiments. The possible influence ofT₁effects is now investigated with experiments in whichT₁weighting is varied as well as with serial regionalT₁measurements. Little evidence for significant residualT₁effects is found, suggesting instead that susceptibility effects underlie these observations. An initial saturation dose of contrast agent minimizes this effect.     

How to Build Robust Shared Control Systems

Previous researchers have designed shared control schemes with a view to minimising the likelihood that participants will conspire to perform an unauthorised act. But, human nature being what it is, systems inevitably fail; so shared control schemes should also be designed so that the police can identify conspirators after the fact. This requirement leads us to search for schemes with sparse access structures. We show how this can be done using ideas from coding theory. In particular, secret sharing schemes based on geometric codes whose dual [n,k,d] codes have d and n as their only nonzero weights are suitable. We determine their access structures and analyse their properties. We have found almost all of them, and established some relations among codes, designs and secret-sharing schemes.     

Olefin terpolymerizations. II. 4-vinylcyclohexene and cyclooctadiene

4-Vinylcyclohexene (VCH) and cyclooctadiene (COD) were investigated as termonomers in EPDM (ethylene/propylene/diene) synthesis by using rac-ethylenebis (1-η⁵-indenyl) zir-conium dichloride ( 1 ) as a catalyst precursor. Homopolymerizations of VCH, vinylcycloh-exane and cyclohexene were compared. The parameter K_πκ_p, which is the apparent rate constant for Ziegler-Natta polymerization, is about the same for VCH and vinylcyclohexanebut is 10 times smaller for cyclohexene. Therefore, the linear olefinic double bond is more active than the cyclic internal double bond. VCH reduces ethylene polymerization rate but not propylene polymerization rate in copolymerizations. In terpolymerizations, VCH tends to suppress ethylene incorporation especially at elevated polymerization temperature and Lowers the polymer MW by about two-fold. COD has very low activity as a termonomer. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Thermomagnetic hysteresis and electrical transport in amorphous films

We report resistivity and magnetization measurements on an amorphous Ni₇₄Mn₂₄Pt₂ thin film in the temperature range of 3–300 K. Two significant features are apparent in both the magnetic susceptibility and electrical resistivity. A low-temperature (low-T) anomaly is observed at about 40 K, where a cusp appears in the resistivity, while a concomitant step-like increase in zero-field-cooled (ZFC) magnetization (M) appears with increasing temperature. The low-T anomaly is attributed to a crossover from a pure re-entrant spin-glass within individual domains to a mixed ferro-spin-glass regime at lower temperatures. By contrast, the high-temperature (high-T) anomaly, signaled by the appearance of hysteresis below 250 K, corresponds to the freezing of transverse spins in individual domains acting independently. Between the low-T and high-T anomalies a small but discernable magnetic hysteresis is observed for warming vs. cooling in the field-cooled (FC) case. This behavior clearly indicates the presence of domain structure in the sample, while the disappearance of this hysteresis at lower temperatures indicates the complete freezing of the spin orientation of these domains. According to these results, we have divided the magnetic state of this sample into three regions: at temperatures above 250 K, the sample behaves like a soft ferromagnet, exhibiting M vs. H loops with very small hysteresis (less than 5 Oe). As the temperature is lowered into the intermediate region (the range 40–250 K), spins become frozen randomly and progressively within the individual domains. These domains behave independently, rather than as a cooperative behavior of the sample. Weak irreversibility sets in, indicating the onset of transverse spin freezing within the domains. At temperatures below 40 K, the M vs. H loops exhibit larger hysteresis, for both the ZFC and FC cases, as in a pure spin-glass. We have also demonstrated giant noise in the resistivity at temperatures just below 250 K. Such noise can originate from fluctuations of the domains near the film surface because of competing effective bulk and surface anisotropy fields. The large observed amplitude may be explained by means of a large ferromagnetic anisotropy in the resistivity due to the large spin–orbit effect seen in NiMn systems. Finally, the low-T peak in the resistivity has been analyzed using Fisher and Langer's expression based on the Friedel Model proposed for critical transitions in transition metals (s–d systems). The fitted results are in satisfactory agreement with the predictions of this model.     

Amphoteric trap modeling of multidielectric scaled SONOS nonvolatile memory structures

We have characterized multidielectric scaled SONOS nonvolatile memory structures with the quasi-static linear voltage ramp (LVR) technique and dynamic pulse measurements. We have formulated physically-based ERASE/WRITE and retention methods with deep level amphoteric traps which capture and emit carriers to the bands in the silicon nitride film. Amphoteric trap parameters are extracted by the LVR technique. ERASE/WRITE and retention amphoteric trap model simulations agree well with the experimental dynamic pulse measurements. Experimental scaled SONOS structures have been fabricated with tunnel oxide X_OT=20 Å, nitride X_N=30 Å and blocking oxide X_OB=55 Å and demonstrated a static flatband shift of 3.6 V with ±5 V programming voltages. These structures may be used as the nonvolatile memory element in high density VLSI circuits.     

Zeros of functions with finite Dirichlet integral

In this paper, we refine a result of Nagel, Rudin, and Shapiro (1982) concerning the zeros of holomorphic functions on the unit disk with finite Dirichlet integral.

     

Complexes in polymers IV. FTIR microscopic characterization of thin organic polymer films containing embedded transition-metal carbonyl complexes

Thin films of polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polystyrene-polyacrylonitrile copolymer (PS-AN), containing various embedded transition-metal complexes, have been studied by FTIR microscopy. The spatial distributions of the transition-metal carbonyl complexes throughout the thin organic polymer films have been determined by a two-dimensional IR mapping procedure. The spectral variations observed in the distribution of the metal carbonyls throughout the different polymer films are discussed. The IR data show that the technique used to prepare the organometallic-embedded thin films (viz. freeze-drying of solutions followed by hot mechanical pressing of the residues) does in general lead to homogeneous films which may eventually find industrial application, e.g. as membrane sensors for small molecules.