Search

A dual-band flexible frequency selective surface (FSS) with miniaturized elements and maximally flat (Butterworth) response is presented in this paper. It is composed of three metallic layers, which are fabricated on thin flexible polyimide substrates and bonded together using thin bonding films. The overall thickness of the proposed structure is only about 0.3 mm, making it an attractive choice for conformal FSS applications. All the three layers can constitute a miniaturized-element FSS (MEFSS) and produce the first pass-band with miniaturization property, while the up and bottom layers can constitute a symmetric biplanar FSS and produce the second pass-band with maximally flat (Butterworth) response. The two pass-bands are independent and there is a wide band spacing up to 30 GHz between them. The principles of operation, the simulated results by using the vector modal matching method, and the experimental values of the fabricated prototype are also presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radial imaging techniques, such as projection-reconstruction (PR), are used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for dynamic imaging, angiography, and short-T2 imaging. They are less sensitive to flow and motion artifacts, and support fast imaging with short echo times. However, aliasing and streaking artifacts are two main sources which degrade radial imaging quality. For a given fixed number of k-space projections, data distributions along radial and angular directions will influence the level of aliasing and streaking artifacts. Conventional radial k-space sampling trajectory introduces an aliasing artifact at the first principal ring of point spread function (PSF). In this paper, a shaking projection (SP) k-space sampling trajectory was proposed to reduce aliasing artifacts in MR images. SP sampling trajectory shifts the projection alternately along the k-space center, which separates k-space data in the azimuthal direction. Simulations based on conventional and SP sampling trajectories were compared with the same number projections. A significant reduction of aliasing artifacts was observed using the SP sampling trajectory. These two trajectories were also compared with different sampling frequencies. A SP trajectory has the same aliasing character when using half sampling frequency (or half data) for reconstruction. SNR comparisons with different white noise levels show that these two trajectories have the same SNR character. In conclusion, the SP trajectory can reduce the aliasing artifact without decreasing SNR and also provide a way for undersampling reconstruction. Furthermore, this method can be applied to three-dimensional (3D) hybrid or spherical radial k-space sampling for a more efficient reduction of aliasing artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colloidal chemical synthesis of various types of magnetic nanocrystals is discussed with regard to recent discoveries. We first outline the chemical preparation of single-component magnetic nanocrystals with controlled size, shape, and uniformity based on several solution-phase methods, especially thermal decomposition and/or reduction method. Then we discuss the synthetic strategies of multi-component nanocrystals incorporating at least one magnetic component by manipulating heterogeneous nucleation and growth process. Toward the end, approaches for preparing hollow/porous magnetic nanocrystals are highlighted. We believe that the summarized chemical synthesis will pave the way for the future development of extraordinary magnetic nanocrystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration (CAIPIRINHA) for simultaneous multislice imaging has been proposed recently, which combines multiband excitation and phase cycling techniques to reduce scan time and improve subsequent imaging reconstruction. In this work, the total variation (TV) regularization method is used to further improve CAIPIRINHA. The TV regularization uses an edge-preserving prior, which establishes a relationship between neighboring pixels for image reconstruction. It reduces artifacts and suppresses noise amplification simultaneously. The results are presented with a standard eight-channel head coil with an acceleration factor of 4, where the TV-regularized CAIPIRINHA generates an improved reconstruction as compared with a typical nonregularized CAIPIRINHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional multiple breath-hold two-dimensional (2D) balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) presents many difficulties in cardiac cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recently, a self-gated free-breathing three-dimensional (3D) SSFP technique has been proposed as an alternative in many studies. However, the accuracy and effectiveness of self-gating signals have been barely studied before. Since self-gating signals are crucially important in image reconstruction, a systematic study of self-gating signals and comparison with external monitored signals are needed.Previously developed self-gated free-breathing 3D SSFP techniques are used on twenty-eight healthy volunteers. Both electrocardiographic (ECG) and respiratory bellow signals are also acquired during the scan as external signals. Self-gating signal and external signal are compared by trigger and gating window. Gating window is proposed to evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of respiratory self-gating signal. Relative deviation of the trigger and root-mean-square-deviation of the cycle duration are calculated. A two-tailed paired t-test is used to identify the difference between self-gating and external signals. A Wilcoxon signed rank test is used to identify the difference between peak and valley self-gating triggers.The results demonstrate an excellent correlation (P = 0, R > 0.99) between self-gating and external triggers. Wilcoxon signed rank test shows that there is no significant difference between peak and valley self-gating triggers for both cardiac (H = 0, P > 0.10) and respiratory (H = 0, P > 0.44) motions. The difference between self-gating and externally monitored signals is not significant (two-tailed paired-sample t-test: H = 0, P > 0.90).The self-gating signals could demonstrate cardiac and respiratory motion accurately and effectively as ECG and respiratory bellow. The difference between the two methods is not significant and can be explained. Furthermore, few ECG trigger errors appear in some subjects while these errors are not found in self-gating signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomagnetism is the origin of many unique properties in magnetic nanomaterials that can be used as building blocks in information technology, spintronics, and biomedicine. Progresses in nanomagnetic principles, distinct magnetic nanostructures, and the biomedical applications of nanomagnetism are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]