Transverse water relaxation in whole blood and erythrocytes at 3T, 7T, 9.4T, 11.7T and 16.4T; determination of intracellular hemoglobin and extracellular albumin relaxivities.

PubMed

Grgac, Ksenija; Li, Wenbo; Huang, Alan; Qin, Qin; van Zijl, Peter C M

2017-05-01

Blood is a physiological substance with multiple water compartments, which contain water-binding proteins such as hemoglobin in erythrocytes and albumin in plasma. Knowing the water transverse (R 2 ) relaxation rates from these different blood compartments is a prerequisite for quantifying the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) effect. Here, we report the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) based transverse (R 2CPMG ) relaxation rates of water in bovine blood samples circulated in a perfusion system at physiological temperature in order to mimic blood perfusion in humans. R 2CPMG values of blood plasma, lysed packed erythrocytes, lysed plasma/erythrocyte mixtures, and whole blood at 3 T, 7 T, 9.4 T, 11.7 T and 16.4 T were measured as a function of hematocrit or hemoglobin concentration, oxygenation, and CPMG inter-echo spacing (τ cp ). R 2CPMG in lysed cells showed a small τ cp dependence, attributed to the water exchange rate between free and hemoglobin-bound water to be much faster than τ cp . This was contrary to the tangential dependence in whole blood, where a much slower exchange between cells and blood plasma applies. Whole blood data were fitted as a function of τ cp using a general tangential correlation time model applicable for exchange as well as diffusion contributions to R 2CPMG , and the intercept R 20blood at infinitely short τ cp was determined. The R 20blood values at different hematocrit and the R 2CPMG values of lysed erythrocyte/plasma mixtures at different hemoglobin concentration were used to determine the relaxivity of hemoglobin inside the erythrocyte (r 2Hb ) and albumin (r 2Alb ) in plasma. The r 2Hb values obtained from lysed erythrocytes and whole blood were comparable at full oxygenation. However, while r 2Hb determined from lysed cells showed a linear dependence on oxygenation, this dependence became quadratic in whole blood. This possibly suggests an additional relaxation effect inside intact cells, perhaps due to hemoglobin

Carbon-Based Nanostructures as Advanced Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ananta Narayanan, Jeyarama S.

2011-12-01

Superparamagnetic carbon-based nanostructures are presented as contrast agents (CAs) for advanced imaging applications such as cellular and molecular imaging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Gadolinium-loaded, ultra-short single-walled carbon nanotubes (gadonanotubes; GNTs) are shown to have extremely high r1 relaxivities (contrast enhancement efficacy), especially at low-magnetic field strengths. The inherent lipophilicity of GNTs provides them the ability to image cells at low magnetic field strength. A carboxylated dextran-coated GNT (GadoDex) has been synthesized and proposed as a new biocompatible high-performance MRI CA. The r1 relaxivity is ca. 20 times greater than for other paramagnetic Gd-based CAs. This enhanced relaxivity for GadoDex is due to the synergistic effects of an increased molecular tumbling time (tauR) and a faster proton exchange rate (taum). GNTs also exhibit very large transverse relaxivities (r2) at high magnetic fields (≥ 3 T). The dependence of the transverse relaxation rates (especially R2*) of labeled cells on GNT concentration offers the possibility to quantify cell population in vivo using R2* mapping. The cell-labeling efficiency and high transverse relaxivities of GNTs has enabled the first non-iron oxide-based single-cell imaging using MRI. The residual metal catalyst particles of SWNT materials also have transverse relaxation properties. All of the SWNT materials exhibit superior transverse relaxation properties. However, purified SWNTs and US-tubes with less residual metal content exhibit better transverse relaxivities (r2), demonstrating the importance of the SWNT structure for enhanced MRI CA performance. A strategy to improve the r1 relaxivity of Gd-CAs by geometrically confining them within porous silicon particles (SiMPs) has been investigated. The enhancement in relaxivity is attributed to the slow diffusion of water molecules through the pores and the increase in the molecular tumbling time of the nanoconstruct

Incorporating reversible and irreversible transverse relaxation effects into Steady State Free Precession (SSFP) signal intensity expressions for fMRI considerations.

PubMed

Mulkern, Robert V; Balasubramanian, Mukund; Orbach, Darren B; Mitsouras, Dimitrios; Haker, Steven J

2013-04-01

Among the multiple sequences available for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the Steady State Free Precession (SSFP) sequence offers the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per unit time as well as distortion free images not feasible with the more commonly employed single-shot echo planar imaging (EPI) approaches. Signal changes occurring with activation in SSFP sequences reflect underlying changes in both irreversible and reversible transverse relaxation processes. The latter are characterized by changes in the central frequencies and widths of the inherent frequency distribution present within a voxel. In this work, the well-known frequency response of the SSFP signal intensity is generalized to include the widths and central frequencies of some common frequency distributions on SSFP signal intensities. The approach, using a previously unnoted series expansion, allows for a separation of reversible from irreversible transverse relaxation effects on SSFP signal intensity changes. The formalism described here should prove useful for identifying and modeling mechanisms associated with SSFP signal changes accompanying neural activation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dielectric relaxation of near-percolated carbon nanofiber polypropylene composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paleo, A. J.; Zille, A.; Van Hattum, F. W.; Ares-Pernas, A.; Agostinho Moreira, J.

2017-07-01

In this work, the morphological, structural and dielectric analysis of near-percolated polypropylene (PP) composites containing carbon nanofibers (CNF) processing by melt-mixing are investigated. Whereas the morphological analysis shows that CNF exhibit some tendency to agglomerate within the PP matrix, the structural analysis showed first a general decrease in the intensity of the IR bands as a consequence of the interaction between carbon nanofibers and PP matrix and second an increase of the crystallinity degree of the PP/CNF composites when compared to the pure PP. The dielectric analysis demonstrates enhanced dielectric constants (from 2.97 for neat polymer to 9.7 for 1.9 vol% loaded composites at 200 Hz) and low dielectric losses. Furthermore, the dielectric relaxation for composites with concentrations in the vicinity of percolation is evidenced and well described by the generalized polydispersive Cole-Cole model from which the values of static dielectric constant (εs) , high frequency dielectric constant (ε∞) , distribution of relaxation time (α) and mean relaxation time (τo), are determined, suggesting that this latter analysis constitutes a strong tool for understanding the relationships between microstructure and dielectric properties in this type of polymer composites.

Dielectric relaxation of ethylene carbonate and propylene carbonate from molecular dynamics simulations

DOE PAGES

Chaudhari, Mangesh I.; You, Xinli; Pratt, Lawrence R.; ...

2015-11-24

Ethylene carbonate (EC) and propylene carbonate (PC) are widely used solvents in lithium (Li)-ion batteries and supercapacitors. Ion dissolution and diffusion in those media are correlated with solvent dielectric responses. Here, we use all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the pure solvents to calculate dielectric constants and relaxation times, and molecular mobilities. The computed results are compared with limited available experiments to assist more exhaustive studies of these important characteristics. As a result, the observed agreement is encouraging and provides guidance for further validation of force-field simulation models for EC and PC solvents.

Experimental validation of a T2 ρ transverse relaxation model using LASER and CPMG acquisitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikolova, Simona; Bowen, Chris V.; Bartha, Robert

2006-07-01

The transverse relaxation rate (R2 = 1/T2) of many biological tissues are altered by endogenous magnetized particles (i.e., ferritin, deoxyhemoglobin), and may be sensitive to the pathological progression of neurodegenerative disorders associated with altered brain-iron stores. R2 measurements using Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) acquisitions are sensitive to the refocusing pulse interval (2τcp), and have been modeled as a chemical exchange (CE) process, while R2 measurements using a localization by adiabatic selective refocusing (LASER) sequence have an additional relaxation rate contribution that has been modeled as a R2ρ process. However, no direct comparison of the R2 measured using these two sequences has been described for a controlled phantom model of magnetized particles. The three main objectives of this study were: (1) to compare the accuracy of R2 relaxation rate predictions from the CE model with experimental data acquired using a conventional CPMG sequence, (2) to compare R2 estimates obtained using LASER and CPMG acquisitions, and (3) to determine whether the CE model, modified to account for R2ρ relaxation, adequately describes the R2 measured by LASER for a full range of τcp values. In all cases, our analysis was confined to spherical magnetic particles that satisfied the weak field regime. Three phantoms were produced that contained spherical magnetic particles (10 μm diameter polyamide powders) suspended in Gd-DTPA (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mmol/L) doped gel. Mono-exponential R2 measurements were made at 4 T as a function of refocusing pulse interval. CPMG measurements of R2 agreed with CE model predictions while significant differences in R2 estimates were observed between LASER and CPMG measurements for short τcp acquisitions. The discrepancy between R2 estimates is shown to be attributable to contrast enhancement in LASER due to T2ρ relaxation.

Association Between Brain Gene Expression, DNA Methylation, and Alteration of Ex Vivo Magnetic Resonance Imaging Transverse Relaxation in Late-Life Cognitive Decline.

PubMed

Yu, Lei; Dawe, Robert J; Boyle, Patricia A; Gaiteri, Chris; Yang, Jingyun; Buchman, Aron S; Schneider, Julie A; Arfanakis, Konstantinos; De Jager, Philip L; Bennett, David A

2017-12-01

Alteration of ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging transverse relaxation is associated with late-life cognitive decline even after controlling for common neuropathologic conditions. However, the underlying neurobiology of this association is unknown. To investigate the association between brain gene expression, DNA methylation, and alteration of magnetic resonance imaging transverse relaxation in late-life cognitive decline. Data came from 2 community-based longitudinal cohort studies of aging and dementia, the Religious Orders Study, which began in 1993, and the Rush Memory and Aging Project, which began in 1997. All participants agreed to undergo annual clinical evaluations and to donate their brains after death. By October 24, 2016, a total of 1358 individuals had died and had brain autopsies that were approved by board-certified neuropathologists. Of those, 552 had undergone ex vivo imaging. The gene expression analysis was limited to 174 individuals with both imaging and brain RNA sequencing data. The DNA methylation analysis was limited to 225 individuals with both imaging and brain methylation data. Maps of ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging transverse relaxation were generated using fast spin echo imaging. The target was a composite measure of the transverse relaxation rate (R2) that was associated with cognitive decline after controlling for common neuropathologic conditions. Next-generation RNA sequencing and DNA methylation data were generated using frozen tissue from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Genome-wide association analysis was used to investigate gene expression and, separately, DNA methylation for signals associated with the R2 measure. Of the 552 individuals with ex vivo imaging data, 394 were women and 158 were men, and the mean (SD) age at death was 90.4 (6.0) years. Four co-expressed genes (PADI2 [Ensembl ENSG00000117115], ZNF385A [Ensembl ENSG00000161642], PSD2 [Ensembl ENSG00000146005], and A2ML1 [Ensembl ENSG00000166535]) were

Understanding generalized inversions of nuclear magnetic resonance transverse relaxation time in porous media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, J.; Chandrasekera, T. C.

2014-12-01

The nuclear magnetic resonance transverse relaxation time T2, measured using the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) experiment, is a powerful method for obtaining unique information on liquids confined in porous media. Furthermore, T2 provides structural information on the porous material itself and has many applications in petrophysics, biophysics, and chemical engineering. Robust interpretation of T2 distributions demands appropriate processing of the measured data since T2 is influenced by diffusion through magnetic field inhomogeneities occurring at the pore scale, caused by the liquid/solid susceptibility contrast. Previously, we introduced a generic model for the diffusion exponent of the form -ant_e^k (where n is the number and te the temporal separation of spin echoes, and a is a composite diffusion parameter) in order to distinguish the influence of relaxation and diffusion in CPMG data. Here, we improve the analysis by introducing an automatic search for the optimum power k that best describes the diffusion behavior. This automated method is more efficient than the manual trial-and-error grid search adopted previously, and avoids variability through subjective judgments of experimentalists. Although our method does not avoid the inherent assumption that the diffusion exponent depends on a single k value, we show through simulation and experiment that it is robust in measurements of heterogeneous systems that violate this assumption. In this way, we obtain quantitative T2 distributions from complicated porous structures and demonstrate the analysis with examples of ceramics used for filtration and catalysis, and limestone of relevance to the construction and petroleum industries.

Understanding generalized inversions of nuclear magnetic resonance transverse relaxation time in porous media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitchell, J., E-mail: JMitchell16@slb.com; Chandrasekera, T. C.

2014-12-14

The nuclear magnetic resonance transverse relaxation time T{sub 2}, measured using the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) experiment, is a powerful method for obtaining unique information on liquids confined in porous media. Furthermore, T{sub 2} provides structural information on the porous material itself and has many applications in petrophysics, biophysics, and chemical engineering. Robust interpretation of T{sub 2} distributions demands appropriate processing of the measured data since T{sub 2} is influenced by diffusion through magnetic field inhomogeneities occurring at the pore scale, caused by the liquid/solid susceptibility contrast. Previously, we introduced a generic model for the diffusion exponent of the form −ant{sub e}{supmore » k} (where n is the number and t{sub e} the temporal separation of spin echoes, and a is a composite diffusion parameter) in order to distinguish the influence of relaxation and diffusion in CPMG data. Here, we improve the analysis by introducing an automatic search for the optimum power k that best describes the diffusion behavior. This automated method is more efficient than the manual trial-and-error grid search adopted previously, and avoids variability through subjective judgments of experimentalists. Although our method does not avoid the inherent assumption that the diffusion exponent depends on a single k value, we show through simulation and experiment that it is robust in measurements of heterogeneous systems that violate this assumption. In this way, we obtain quantitative T{sub 2} distributions from complicated porous structures and demonstrate the analysis with examples of ceramics used for filtration and catalysis, and limestone of relevance to the construction and petroleum industries.« less

Nuclear relaxation in an electric field enables the determination of isotropic magnetic shielding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garbacz, Piotr, E-mail: pgarbacz@chem.uw.edu.pl

2016-08-14

It is shown that in contrast to the case of nuclear relaxation in a magnetic field B, simultaneous application of the magnetic field B and an additional electric field E causes transverse relaxation of a spin-1/2 nucleus with the rate proportional to the square of the isotropic part of the magnetic shielding tensor. This effect can contribute noticeably to the transverse relaxation rate of heavy nuclei in molecules that possess permanent electric dipole moments. Relativistic quantum mechanical computations indicate that for {sup 205}Tl nucleus in a Pt-Tl bonded complex, Pt(CN){sub 5}Tl, the transverse relaxation rate induced by the electric fieldmore » is of the order of 1 s{sup −1} at E = 5 kV/mm and B = 10 T.« less

SU-E-I-64: Transverse Relaxation Time in Methylene Protons of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Rats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Song, K-H; Lee, D-W; Choe, B-Y

2015-06-15

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate transverse relaxation time of methylene resonance compared to other lipid resonances. Methods: The examinations were performed using a 3.0 T scanner with a point — resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) sequence. Lipid relaxation time in a lipid phantom filled with canola oil was estimated considering repetition time (TR) as 6000 msec and echo time (TE) as 40 — 550 msec. For in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ({sup 1}H — MRS), eight male Sprague — Dawley rats were given free access to a normal - chow (NC) and eight other male Sprague-Dawley ratsmore » were given free access to a high — fat (HF) diet. Both groups drank water ad libitum. T{sub 2} measurements in the rats’ livers were conducted at a fixed TR of 6000 msec and TE of 40 – 220 msec. Exponential curve fitting quality was calculated through the coefficients of determination (R{sup 2}). Results: A chemical analysis of phantom and liver was not performed but a T{sub 2} decay curve was acquired. The T{sub 2} relaxation time of methylene resonance was estimated as follows: NC rats, 37.07 ± 4.32 msec; HF rats, 31.43 ± 1.81 msec (p < 0.05). The extrapolated M0 values were higher in HF rats than in NC rats (p < 0.005). Conclusion: This study of {sup 1}H-MRS led to sufficient spectral resolution and signal — to — noise ratio differences to characterize all observable resonances for yielding T{sub 2} relaxation times of methylene resonance. {sup 1}H — MRS relaxation times may be useful for quantitative characterization of various liver diseases, including fatty liver disease. This study was supported by grant (2012-007883 and 2014R1A2A1A10050270) from the Mid-career Researcher Program through the NRF funded by Ministry of Science. In addition, this study was supported by the Industrial R&D of MOTIE/KEIT (10048997, Development of the core technology for integrated therapy devices based on real-time MRI-guided tumor tracking)« less

In vivo estimation of transverse relaxation time constant (T2 ) of 17 human brain metabolites at 3T.

PubMed

Wyss, Patrik O; Bianchini, Claudio; Scheidegger, Milan; Giapitzakis, Ioannis A; Hock, Andreas; Fuchs, Alexander; Henning, Anke

2018-08-01

The transverse relaxation times T 2 of 17 metabolites in vivo at 3T is reported and region specific differences are addressed. An echo-time series protocol was applied to one, two, or three volumes of interest with different fraction of white and gray matter including a total number of 106 healthy volunteers and acquiring a total number of 128 spectra. The data were fitted with the 2D fitting tool ProFit2, which included individual line shape modeling for all metabolites and allowed the T 2 calculation of 28 moieties of 17 metabolites. The T 2 of 10 metabolites and their moieties have been reported for the first time. Region specific T 2 differences in white and gray matter enriched tissue occur in 16 of 17 metabolites examined including single resonance lines and coupled spin systems. The relaxation time T 2 is regions specific and has to be considered when applying tissue composition correction for internal water referencing. Magn Reson Med 80:452-461, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Transverse relaxation in the rotating frame induced by chemical exchange.

PubMed

Michaeli, Shalom; Sorce, Dennis J; Idiyatullin, Djaudat; Ugurbil, Kamil; Garwood, Michael

2004-08-01

In the presence of radiofrequency irradiation, relaxation of magnetization aligned with the effective magnetic field is characterized by the time constant T1rho. On the other hand, the time constant T2rho characterizes the relaxation of magnetization that is perpendicular to the effective field. Here, it is shown that T2rho can be measured directly with Carr-Purcell sequences composed of a train of adiabatic full-passage (AFP) pulses. During adiabatic rotation, T2rho characterizes the relaxation of the magnetization, which under adiabatic conditions remains approximately perpendicular to the time-dependent effective field. Theory is derived to describe the influence of chemical exchange on T2rho relaxation in the fast-exchange regime, with time constant defined as T2rho,ex. The derived theory predicts the rate constant R2rho,ex (= 1/T2rho,ex) to be dependent on the choice of amplitude- and frequency-modulation functions used in the AFP pulses. Measurements of R2rho,ex of the water/ethanol exchanging system confirm the predicted dependence on modulation functions. The described theoretical framework and adiabatic methods represent new tools to probe exchanging systems. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.

Electron Spin Relaxation Rates for High-Spin Fe(III) in Iron Transferrin Carbonate and Iron Transferrin Oxalate

PubMed Central

Gaffney, Betty Jean; Eaton, Gareth R.; Eaton*, Sandra S.

2005-01-01

To optimize simulations of CW EPR spectra for high-spin Fe(III) with zero-field splitting comparable to the EPR quantum, information is needed on the factors that contribute to the line shapes and line widths. Continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra obtained for iron transferrin carbonate from 4 to 150 K and for iron transferrin oxalate from 4 to 100 K did not exhibit significant temperature dependence of the line shape, which suggested that the line shapes were not relaxation determined. To obtain direct information concerning the electron spin relaxation rates, electron spin echo and inversion recovery EPR were used to measure T1 and Tm for the high-spin Fe(III) in iron transferrin carbonate and iron transferrin oxalate between 5 and 20–30 K. For comparison with the data for the transferrin complexes, relaxation times were obtained for tris(oxalato)ferrate(III). The relaxation rates are similar for the three complexes and do not exhibit a strong dependence on position in the spectrum. Extrapolation of the observed temperature dependence of the relaxation rates to higher temperatures gives values consistent with the conclusion that the CW line shapes are not relaxation determined up to 150 K. PMID:16429607

How does tissue preparation affect skeletal muscle transverse isotropy?

PubMed Central

Wheatley, Benjamin B.; Odegard, Gregory M.; Kaufman, Kenton R.; Haut Donahue, Tammy L.

2016-01-01

The passive tensile properties of skeletal muscle play a key role in its physiological function. Previous research has identified conflicting reports of muscle transverse isotropy, with some data suggesting the longitudinal direction is stiffest, while others show the transverse direction is stiffest. Accurate constitutive models of skeletal muscle must be employed to provide correct recommendations for and observations of clinical methods. The goal of this work was to identify transversely isotropic tensile muscle properties as a function of post mortem handling. Six pairs of tibialis anterior muscles were harvested from Giant Flemish rabbits and split into two groups: fresh testing (within four hours post mortem), and non-fresh testing (subject to delayed testing and a freeze/thaw cycle). Longitudinal and transverse samples were removed from each muscle and tested to identify tensile modulus and relaxation behavior. Longitudinal non-fresh samples exhibited a higher initial modulus value and faster relaxation than longitudinal fresh, transverse fresh, and transverse rigor samples (p<0.05), while longitudinal fresh samples were less stiff at lower strain levels than longitudinal non-fresh, transverse fresh, and transverse non-fresh samples (p<0.05), but exhibited more nonlinear behavior. While fresh skeletal muscle exhibits a higher transverse modulus than longitudinal modulus, discrepancies in previously published data may be the result of a number of differences in experimental protocol. Constitutive modeling of fresh muscle should reflect these data by identifying the material as truly transversely isotropic and not as an isotropic matrix reinforced with fibers. PMID:27425557

Scaling Effects in Carbon/Epoxy Laminates Under Transverse Quasi-Static Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nettles, Alan T.; Douglas, Michael J.; Estes, Eric E.

1999-01-01

Scaling effects were considered for 8, 16, 32, and 64 ply IM-7/8551-7 carbon/epoxy composites plates transversely loaded to the first significant load drop by means of both a quasi-static and an equivalent impact force. The resulting damage was examined by x-ray and photomicroscopy analysis. Load-deflection curves were generated for the quasi-static tests and the resulting indentation depth was measured. Results showed that the load-deflection data scaled well for most of the various thicknesses of plates. However, damage did not scale as well. No correlation could be found between dent depth and any of the other parameters measured in this study. The impact test results showed that significantly less damage was formed compared to the quasi- static results for a given maximum transverse load. The criticality of ply-level scaling (grouping plies) was also examined.

Mechanisms of Coupled Vibrational Relaxation and Dissociation in Carbon Dioxide.

PubMed

Armenise, Iole; Kustova, Elena

2018-05-21

A complete vibrational state-specific kinetic scheme describing dissociating carbon dioxide mixtures is proposed. CO 2 symmetric, bending and asymmetric vibrations and dissociation-recombination are strongly coupled through inter-mode vibrational energy transfers. Comparative study of state-resolved rate coefficients is carried out; the effect of different transitions may vary considerably with temperature. A non-equilibrium 1-D boundary layer flow typical to hypersonic planetary entry is studied in the state-to-state approach. To assess the sensitivity of fluid-dynamic variables and heat transfer to various vibrational transitions and chemical reactions, corresponding processes are successively included to the kinetic scheme. It is shown that vibrational-translational (VT) transitions in the symmetric and asymmetric modes do not alter the flow and can be neglected whereas the VT 2 exchange in the bending mode is the main channel of vibrational relaxation. Inter-mode vibrational exchanges affect the flow implicitly, through energy redistribution enhancing VT relaxation; the dominating role belongs to near-resonant transitions between symmetric and bending modes as well as between CO molecules and CO 2 asymmetric mode. Strong coupling between VT 2 relaxation and chemical reactions is emphasized. While vibrational distributions and average vibrational energy show strong dependence on the kinetic scheme, the heat flux is more sensitive to chemical reactions.

Generalized extended Navier-Stokes theory: multiscale spin relaxation in molecular fluids.

PubMed

Hansen, J S

2013-09-01

This paper studies the relaxation of the molecular spin angular velocity in the framework of generalized extended Navier-Stokes theory. Using molecular dynamics simulations, it is shown that for uncharged diatomic molecules the relaxation time decreases with increasing molecular moment of inertia per unit mass. In the regime of large moment of inertia the fast relaxation is wave-vector independent and dominated by the coupling between spin and the fluid streaming velocity, whereas for small inertia the relaxation is slow and spin diffusion plays a significant role. The fast wave-vector-independent relaxation is also observed for highly packed systems. The transverse and longitudinal spin modes have, to a good approximation, identical relaxation, indicating that the longitudinal and transverse spin viscosities have same value. The relaxation is also shown to be isomorphic invariant. Finally, the effect of the coupling in the zero frequency and wave-vector limit is quantified by a characteristic length scale; if the system dimension is comparable to this length the coupling must be included into the fluid dynamical description. It is found that the length scale is independent of moment of inertia but dependent on the state point.

On the lorentzian versus Gaussian character of time-domain spin-echo signals from the brain as sampled by means of gradient-echoes: Implications for quantitative transverse relaxation studies.

PubMed

Mulkern, Robert V; Balasubramanian, Mukund; Mitsouras, Dimitrios

2014-07-30

To determine whether Lorentzian or Gaussian intra-voxel frequency distributions are better suited for modeling data acquired with gradient-echo sampling of single spin-echoes for the simultaneous characterization of irreversible and reversible relaxation rates. Clinical studies (e.g., of brain iron deposition) using such acquisition schemes have typically assumed Lorentzian distributions. Theoretical expressions of the time-domain spin-echo signal for intra-voxel Lorentzian and Gaussian distributions were used to fit data from a human brain scanned at both 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3T, resulting in maps of irreversible and reversible relaxation rates for each model. The relative merits of the Lorentzian versus Gaussian model were compared by means of quality of fit considerations. Lorentzian fits were equivalent to Gaussian fits primarily in regions of the brain where irreversible relaxation dominated. In the multiple brain regions where reversible relaxation effects become prominent, however, Gaussian fits were clearly superior. The widespread assumption that a Lorentzian distribution is suitable for quantitative transverse relaxation studies of the brain should be reconsidered, particularly at 3T and higher field strengths as reversible relaxation effects become more prominent. Gaussian distributions offer alternate fits of experimental data that should prove quite useful in general. Magn Reson Med, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Investigation of proton spin relaxation in water with dispersed silicon nanoparticles for potential magnetic resonance imaging applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kargina, Yu. V.; Gongalsky, M. B.; Perepukhov, A. M.; Gippius, A. A.; Minnekhanov, A. A.; Zvereva, E. A.; Maximychev, A. V.; Timoshenko, V. Yu.

2018-03-01

Porous and nonporous silicon (Si) nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by ball-milling of electrochemically etched porous Si layers and crystalline Si wafers were studied as potential agents for enhancement of the proton spin relaxation in aqueous media. While nonporous Si NPs did not significantly influence the spin relaxation, the porous ones resulted in strong shortening of the transverse relaxation times. In order to investigate an effect of the electron spin density in porous Si NPs on the proton spin relaxation, we use thermal annealing of the NPs in vacuum or in air. The transverse relaxation rate of about 0.5 l/(g s) was achieved for microporous Si NPs, which were thermally annealing in vacuum to obtain the electron spin density of the order of 1017 g-1. The transverse relaxation rate was found to be almost proportional to the concentration of porous Si NPs in the range from 0.1 to 20 g/l. The obtained results are discussed in view of possible biomedical applications of Si NPs as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging.

Nitroxide-Based Macromolecular Contrast Agents with Unprecedented Transverse Relaxivity and Stability for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Metal-free magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents could overcome the established toxicity associated with metal-based agents in some patient populations and enable new modes of functional MRI in vivo. Herein, we report nitroxide-functionalized brush-arm star polymer organic radical contrast agents (BASP-ORCAs) that overcome the low contrast and poor in vivo stability associated with nitroxide-based MRI contrast agents. As a consequence of their unique nanoarchitectures, BASP-ORCAs possess per-nitroxide transverse relaxivities up to ∼44-fold greater than common nitroxides, exceptional stability in highly reducing environments, and low toxicity. These features combine to provide for accumulation of a sufficient concentration of BASP-ORCA in murine subcutaneous tumors up to 20 h following systemic administration such that MRI contrast on par with metal-based agents is observed. BASP-ORCAs are, to our knowledge, the first nitroxide MRI contrast agents capable of tumor imaging over long time periods using clinical high-field 1H MRI techniques. PMID:28776023

Improve Image Quality of Transversal Relaxation Time PROPELLER and FLAIR on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauf, N.; Alam, D. Y.; Jamaluddin, M.; Samad, B. A.

2018-03-01

The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique that uses the interaction between the magnetic field and the nuclear spins. MRI can be used to show disparity of pathology by transversal relaxation time (T2) weighted images. Some techniques for producing T2-weighted images are Periodically Rotated Overlapping Parallel Lines with Enhanced Reconstruction (PROPELLER) and Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR). A comparison of T2 PROPELLER and T2 FLAIR parameters in MRI image has been conducted. And improve Image Quality the image by using RadiAnt DICOM Viewer and ENVI software with method of image segmentation and Region of Interest (ROI). Brain images were randomly selected. The result of research showed that Time Repetition (TR) and Time Echo (TE) values in all types of images were not influenced by age. T2 FLAIR images had longer TR value (9000 ms), meanwhile T2 PROPELLER images had longer TE value (100.75 - 102.1 ms). Furthermore, areas with low and medium signal intensity appeared clearer by using T2 PROPELLER images (average coefficients of variation for low and medium signal intensity were 0.0431 and 0.0705, respectively). As for areas with high signal intensity appeared clearer by using T2 FLAIR images (average coefficient of variation was 0.0637).

Mixed quantum-classical simulations of the vibrational relaxation of photolyzed carbon monoxide in a hemoprotein

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schubert, Alexander, E-mail: schubert@irsamc.ups-tlse.fr; Meier, Christoph; Falvo, Cyril

2016-08-07

We present mixed quantum-classical simulations on relaxation and dephasing of vibrationally excited carbon monoxide within a protein environment. The methodology is based on a vibrational surface hopping approach treating the vibrational states of CO quantum mechanically, while all remaining degrees of freedom are described by means of classical molecular dynamics. The CO vibrational states form the “surfaces” for the classical trajectories of protein and solvent atoms. In return, environmentally induced non-adiabatic couplings between these states cause transitions describing the vibrational relaxation from first principles. The molecular dynamics simulation yields a detailed atomistic picture of the energy relaxation pathways, taking themore » molecular structure and dynamics of the protein and its solvent fully into account. Using the ultrafast photolysis of CO in the hemoprotein FixL as an example, we study the relaxation of vibrationally excited CO and evaluate the role of each of the FixL residues forming the heme pocket.« less

Mixed quantum-classical simulations of the vibrational relaxation of photolyzed carbon monoxide in a hemoprotein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schubert, Alexander; Falvo, Cyril; Meier, Christoph

2016-08-01

We present mixed quantum-classical simulations on relaxation and dephasing of vibrationally excited carbon monoxide within a protein environment. The methodology is based on a vibrational surface hopping approach treating the vibrational states of CO quantum mechanically, while all remaining degrees of freedom are described by means of classical molecular dynamics. The CO vibrational states form the "surfaces" for the classical trajectories of protein and solvent atoms. In return, environmentally induced non-adiabatic couplings between these states cause transitions describing the vibrational relaxation from first principles. The molecular dynamics simulation yields a detailed atomistic picture of the energy relaxation pathways, taking the molecular structure and dynamics of the protein and its solvent fully into account. Using the ultrafast photolysis of CO in the hemoprotein FixL as an example, we study the relaxation of vibrationally excited CO and evaluate the role of each of the FixL residues forming the heme pocket.

A simulation based method to assess inversion algorithms for transverse relaxation data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Supriyo; Keener, Kevin M.; Pan, Yong

2008-04-01

NMR relaxometry is a very useful tool for understanding various chemical and physical phenomena in complex multiphase systems. A Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) [P.T. Callaghan, Principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Microscopy, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1991] experiment is an easy and quick way to obtain transverse relaxation constant (T2) in low field. Most of the samples usually have a distribution of T2 values. Extraction of this distribution of T2s from the noisy decay data is essentially an ill-posed inverse problem. Various inversion approaches have been used to solve this problem, to date. A major issue in using an inversion algorithm is determining how accurate the computed distribution is. A systematic analysis of an inversion algorithm, UPEN [G.C. Borgia, R.J.S. Brown, P. Fantazzini, Uniform-penalty inversion of multiexponential decay data, Journal of Magnetic Resonance 132 (1998) 65-77; G.C. Borgia, R.J.S. Brown, P. Fantazzini, Uniform-penalty inversion of multiexponential decay data II. Data spacing, T2 data, systematic data errors, and diagnostics, Journal of Magnetic Resonance 147 (2000) 273-285] was performed by means of simulated CPMG data generation. Through our simulation technique and statistical analyses, the effects of various experimental parameters on the computed distribution were evaluated. We converged to the true distribution by matching up the inversion results from a series of true decay data and a noisy simulated data. In addition to simulation studies, the same approach was also applied on real experimental data to support the simulation results.

Effects of magnetic field strength and particle aggregation on relaxivity of ultra-small dual contrast iron oxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ta, Hang T.; Li, Zhen; Wu, Yuao; Cowin, Gary; Zhang, Shaohua; Yago, Anya; Whittaker, Andrew K.; Xu, Zhi Ping

2017-11-01

This study aims to compare the relaxivities of ultra-small dual positive and negative contrast iron oxide nanoparticles (DCION) at different magnetic field strengths ranging from 4.7 to 16.4 T at physiological temperatures; and to investigate the effect of particle aggregation on relaxivities. Relaxivities of DCIONs were determined by magnetic resonance imaging scanners at 4.7, 7, 9.4, and 16.4 T. Both longitudinal (T 1) and transverse relaxation times (T 2) were measured by appropriate spin-echo sequences. It has been found that both longitudinal and transverse relaxivities are significantly dependent on the magnetic field strength. Particle aggregation also strongly affects the relaxivities. Awareness of the field strength and particle colloid stability is crucial for the comparison and evaluation of relaxivity values of these ultra-small iron oxide nanoparticles, and also for their medical applications as contrast agents.

NMR scalar couplings across Watson–Crick base pair hydrogen bonds in DNA observed by transverse relaxation-optimized spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Pervushin, Konstantin; Ono, Akira; Fernández, César; Szyperski, Thomas; Kainosho, Masatsune; Wüthrich, Kurt

1998-01-01

This paper describes the NMR observation of 15N—15N and 1H—15N scalar couplings across the hydrogen bonds in Watson–Crick base pairs in a DNA duplex, hJNN and hJHN. These couplings represent new parameters of interest for both structural studies of DNA and theoretical investigations into the nature of the hydrogen bonds. Two dimensional [15N,1H]-transverse relaxation-optimized spectroscopy (TROSY) with a 15N-labeled 14-mer DNA duplex was used to measure hJNN, which is in the range 6–7 Hz, and the two-dimensional hJNN-correlation-[15N,1H]-TROSY experiment was used to correlate the chemical shifts of pairs of hydrogen bond-related 15N spins and to observe, for the first time, hJHN scalar couplings, with values in the range 2–3.6 Hz. TROSY-based studies of scalar couplings across hydrogen bonds should be applicable for large molecular sizes, including protein-bound nucleic acids. PMID:9826668

Relaxation-optimized transfer of spin order in Ising spin chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanatos, Dionisis; Glaser, Steffen J.; Khaneja, Navin

2005-12-01

In this paper, we present relaxation optimized methods for the transfer of bilinear spin correlations along Ising spin chains. These relaxation optimized methods can be used as a building block for the transfer of polarization between distant spins on a spin chain, a problem that is ubiquitous in multidimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of proteins. Compared to standard techniques, significant reduction in relaxation losses is achieved by these optimized methods when transverse relaxation rates are much larger than the longitudinal relaxation rates and comparable to couplings between spins. We derive an upper bound on the efficiency of the transfer of the spin order along a chain of spins in the presence of relaxation and show that this bound can be approached by the relaxation optimized pulse sequences presented in the paper.

Relaxivity enhancement of aquated Tris(β-diketonate)gadolinium(III) chelates by confinement within ultrashort single-walled carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Law, Justin J; Guven, Adem; Wilson, Lon J

2014-01-01

Ultrashort single-walled carbon nanotubes loaded with gadolinium ions (gadonanotubes) have been previously shown to exhibit extremely high T1 -weighted relaxivities (>100 mm(-1) s(-1) ). To further examine the effect of nanoconfinement on the relaxivity of gadolinium-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, a series of ultrashort single-walled carbon nanotube (US-tube) materials internally loaded with gadolinium chelates have been prepared and studied. US-tubes were loaded with Gd(acac)3  · 2H2 O, Gd(hfac)3  · 2H2 O, and Gd(thd)3 (acac = acetylacetone, hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetone, thd = tetramethylheptanedione). The longitudinal relaxivities of the prepared materials determined at 25°C in a 1.5 T field were 103 mm(-1) s(-1) for Gd(acac)3  · 2H2 O@US-tubes, 105 mm(-1) s(-1) for Gd(hfac)3  · 2H2 O@US-tubes and 26 mm(-1) s(-1) for Gd(thd)3 @US-tubes. Compared with the relaxivities obtained for the unloaded chelates (<10 mm(-1) s(-1) ) as well as accounting for the T1 reduction observed for the empty US-tubes, the boost in relaxivity for chelate-loaded US-tubes is attributed to confinement within the nanotube and depends on the number of coordinated water molecules. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Transverse Coefficient of Thermal Expansion Measurements of Carbon Fibers Using ESEM at High Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ochoa, O.; Jiang, J.; Putnam, D.; Lo, Z.; Ellis, A.; Effinger, Michael

2003-01-01

The transverse coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of single IM7, T1000, and P55 carbon fibers are measured at elevated temperatures. The specimens are prepared by press-fitting fiber tows into 0.7mm-diameter cavity in a graphite disk of 5mm in diameter and 3mm high. The specimens are placed on a crucible in an ESEM, and images of the fiber cross section are taken as the fibers are heated up to 800 C. Holding time, heating and cool down cycles are also introduced. The geometrical changes are measured using a graphics tablet. The change in area/perimeter is calculated to determine the strain and transverse CTE for each fiber. In a complimentary computational effort, displacements and stresses are calculated with finite element models.

Anomalous nuclear Overhauser effects in carbon-substituted aziridines: scalar cross-relaxation of the first kind.

PubMed

Kuprov, Ilya; Hodgson, David M; Kloesges, Johannes; Pearson, Christopher I; Odell, Barbara; Claridge, Timothy D W

2015-03-16

Anomalous NOESY cross-peaks that cannot be explained by dipolar cross-relaxation or chemical exchange are described for carbon-substituted aziridines. The origin of these is identified as scalar cross-relaxation of the first kind, as demonstrated by a complete theoretical description of this relaxation process and by computational simulation of the NOESY spectra. It is shown that this process relies on the stochastic modulation of J-coupling by conformational transitions, which in the case of aziridines arise from inversion at the nitrogen center. The observation of scalar cross-relaxation between protons does not appear to have been previously reported for NOESY spectra. Conventional analysis would have assigned the cross-peaks as being indicative of a chemical exchange process occurring between correlated spins, were it not for the fact that the pairs of nuclei displaying them cannot undergo such exchange. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Acute changes in knee cartilage transverse relaxation time after running and bicycling.

PubMed

Gatti, Anthony A; Noseworthy, Michael D; Stratford, Paul W; Brenneman, Elora C; Totterman, Saara; Tamez-Peña, José; Maly, Monica R

2017-02-28

To compare the acute effect of running and bicycling of an equivalent cumulative load on knee cartilage composition and morphometry in healthy young men. A secondary analysis investigated the relationship between activity history and the change in cartilage composition after activity. In fifteen men (25.8±4.2 years), the vertical ground reaction force was measured to determine the cumulative load exposure of a 15-min run. The vertical pedal reaction force was recorded during bicycling to define the bicycling duration of an equivalent cumulative load. On separate visits that were spaced on average 17 days apart, participants completed these running and bicycling bouts. Mean cartilage transverse relaxation times (T 2 ) were determined for cartilage on the tibia and weight-bearing femur before and after each exercise. T 2 was measured using a multi-echo spin-echo sequence and 3T MRI. Cartilage of the weight bearing femur and tibia was segmented using a highly-automated segmentation algorithm. Activity history was captured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The response of T 2 to bicycling and running was different (p=0.019; mean T 2 : pre-running=34.27ms, pre-bicycling=32.93ms, post-running=31.82ms, post-bicycling=32.36ms). While bicycling produced no change (-1.7%, p=0.300), running shortened T 2 (-7.1%, p<0.001). Greater activity history predicted smaller changes in tibial, but not femoral, T 2 . Changes in knee cartilage vary based on activity type, independent of total load exposure, in healthy young men. Smaller changes in T 2 were observed after bicycling relative to running. Activity history was inversely related to tibial T 2 , suggesting cartilage conditioning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MRI Simulation Study Investigating Effects of Vessel Topology, Diffusion, and Susceptibility on Transverse Relaxation Rates Using a Cylinder Fork Model.

PubMed

Shazeeb, Mohammed Salman; Kalpathy-Cramer, Jayashree; Issa, Bashar

2017-11-24

Brain vasculature is conventionally represented as straight cylinders when simulating blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast effects in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). In reality, the vasculature is more complicated with branching and coiling especially in tumors. Diffusion and susceptibility changes can also introduce variations in the relaxation mechanisms within tumors. This study introduces a simple cylinder fork model (CFM) and investigates the effects of vessel topology, diffusion, and susceptibility on the transverse relaxation rates R2* and R2. Simulations using Monte Carlo methods were performed to quantify R2* and R2 by manipulating the CFM at different orientations, bifurcation angles, and rotation angles. Other parameters of the CFM were chosen based on physiologically relevant values: vessel diameters (~2‒10 µm), diffusion rates (1 × 10 -11 ‒1 × 10 -9  m 2 /s), and susceptibility values (3 × 10 -8 -4 × 10 -7 cgs units). R2* and R2 measurements showed a significant dependence on the bifurcation and rotation angles in several scenarios using different vessel diameters, orientations, diffusion rates, and susceptibility values. The angular dependence of R2* and R2 using the CFM could potentially be exploited as a tool to differentiate between normal and tumor vessels. The CFM can also serve as the elementary building block to simulate a capillary network reflecting realistic topological features.

High performance current and spin diode of atomic carbon chain between transversely symmetric ribbon electrodes.

PubMed

Dong, Yao-Jun; Wang, Xue-Feng; Yang, Shuo-Wang; Wu, Xue-Mei

2014-08-21

We demonstrate that giant current and high spin rectification ratios can be achieved in atomic carbon chain devices connected between two symmetric ferromagnetic zigzag-graphene-nanoribbon electrodes. The spin dependent transport simulation is carried out by density functional theory combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function method. It is found that the transverse symmetries of the electronic wave functions in the nanoribbons and the carbon chain are critical to the spin transport modes. In the parallel magnetization configuration of two electrodes, pure spin current is observed in both linear and nonlinear regions. However, in the antiparallel configuration, the spin-up (down) current is prohibited under the positive (negative) voltage bias, which results in a spin rectification ratio of order 10(4). When edge carbon atoms are substituted with boron atoms to suppress the edge magnetization in one of the electrodes, we obtain a diode with current rectification ratio over 10(6).

High performance current and spin diode of atomic carbon chain between transversely symmetric ribbon electrodes

PubMed Central

Dong, Yao-Jun; Wang, Xue-Feng; Yang, Shuo-Wang; Wu, Xue-Mei

2014-01-01

We demonstrate that giant current and high spin rectification ratios can be achieved in atomic carbon chain devices connected between two symmetric ferromagnetic zigzag-graphene-nanoribbon electrodes. The spin dependent transport simulation is carried out by density functional theory combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function method. It is found that the transverse symmetries of the electronic wave functions in the nanoribbons and the carbon chain are critical to the spin transport modes. In the parallel magnetization configuration of two electrodes, pure spin current is observed in both linear and nonlinear regions. However, in the antiparallel configuration, the spin-up (down) current is prohibited under the positive (negative) voltage bias, which results in a spin rectification ratio of order 104. When edge carbon atoms are substituted with boron atoms to suppress the edge magnetization in one of the electrodes, we obtain a diode with current rectification ratio over 106. PMID:25142376

Prediction of radiation necrosis in a rodent model using magnetic resonance imaging apparent transverse relaxation (R_{2}^{*} )

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belliveau, Jean-Guy; Jensen, Michael D.; Stewart, James M. P.; Solovey, Igor; Klassen, L. Martyn; Bauman, Glenn S.; Menon, Ravi S.

2018-02-01

Background and purpose. Radiation necrosis remains an irreversible long-term side-effect following radiotherapy to the brain. The ability to predict areas that could ultimately develop into necrosis could lead to prevention and management of radiation necrosis. Materials and Methods. Fischer 344 rats were irradiated using two platforms (micro-CT irradiator and x-Rad 225 IGRT) with radiation up to 30 Gy for the micro-CT and 40 Gy for the xRAD-224 to half the brain. Animals were subsequently imaged using a 9.4 T MRI scanner every 2-4 weeks for up to 28 weeks using a 7-echo gradient echo sequence. The apparent transverse relaxation constant (R2* ) was calculated and retrospectively analyzed. Results. Animals irradiated with the low-dose rate micro-CT did not exhibit any symptoms or imaging changes associated with RN. Animals irradiated with the xRAD-225 exhibited imaging changes consistent with RN at week 24. Analysis of the R2* coefficient within the lesion and hippocampus shows the potential for detection of RN up to 10 weeks prior to morphological changes. Conclusions. The ability to predict areas of RN and increases of R2* within the hippocampus provides a method for long-term monitoring and prediction of RN.

A Comparative Study of T1 and T2 Relaxation in Shale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keating, K.; Obasi, C. C.; Pashin, J. C.

2015-12-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation measurement have been used extensively in petroleum and, more recently, in groundwater resource evaluation to estimate the porosity, pore-size distributions, permeability, fluid saturation, and fluid mobility. In shale, the transverse decay rate of NMR signal is sensitive to the microporosity, but is also affected by the paramagnetic contributions of clay and other iron-bearing minerals. Furthermore, contrasts in the magnetic susceptibility of the mineral matrix and pore fluids that result in an inhomogeneous magnetic field within the pore space results in an extra term in transverse relaxation. These issues can cause errors in NMR-based estimates of pore-size distribution and permeability. In this study we compare T1 and T2 relaxation time distributions in order to study the molecular mechanism of relaxation in brine-saturated mixtures of clay and other common minerals. We collected measurements on a range of mixtures of clay minerals common in shale (illite, glauconite, celadonite, chamosite, montmorillonite and kaolinite) and pyrite. To constrain the interpretation of the NMR data, we measured the magnetic susceptibility and surface area of all samples. We are confident that by accounting for the presence and variations of clay and pyrite in shale, we can substantially improve both the NMR estimate of pore-size distribution and permeability.

Longitudinal waves in carbon nanotubes in the presence of transverse magnetic field and elastic medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hu; Liu, Hua; Yang, Jialing

2017-09-01

In the present paper, the coupling effect of transverse magnetic field and elastic medium on the longitudinal wave propagation along a carbon nanotube (CNT) is studied. Based on the nonlocal elasticity theory and Hamilton's principle, a unified nonlocal rod theory which takes into account the effects of small size scale, lateral inertia and radial deformation is proposed. The existing rod theories including the classic rod theory, the Rayleigh-Love theory and Rayleigh-Bishop theory for macro solids can be treated as the special cases of the present model. A two-parameter foundation model (Pasternak-type model) is used to represent the elastic medium. The influence of transverse magnetic field, Pasternak-type elastic medium and small size scale on the longitudinal wave propagation behavior of the CNT is investigated in detail. It is shown that the influences of lateral inertia and radial deformation cannot be neglected in analyzing the longitudinal wave propagation characteristics of the CNT. The results also show that the elastic medium and the transverse magnetic field will also affect the longitudinal wave dispersion behavior of the CNT significantly. The results obtained in this paper are helpful for understanding the mechanical behaviors of nanostructures embedded in an elastic medium.

Predicting the effect of relaxation during frequency-selective adiabatic pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfaff, Annalise R.; McKee, Cailyn E.; Woelk, Klaus

2017-11-01

Adiabatic half and full passages are invaluable for achieving uniform, B1-insensitive excitation or inversion of macroscopic magnetization across a well-defined range of NMR frequencies. To accomplish narrow frequency ranges with adiabatic pulses (<100 Hz), long pulse durations at low RF power levels are necessary, and relaxation during these pulses may no longer be negligible. A numerical, discrete recursive combination of the Bloch equations for longitudinal and transverse relaxation with the optimized equation for adiabatic angular motion of magnetization is used to calculate the trajectory of magnetization including its relaxation during adiabatic hyperbolic secant pulses. The agreement of computer-calculated data with experimental results demonstrates that, in non-viscous, small-molecule fluids, it is possible to model magnetization and relaxation by considering standard T1 and T2 relaxation in the traditional rotating frame. The proposed model is aimed at performance optimizations of applications in which these pulses are employed. It differs from previous reports which focused on short high-power adiabatic pulses and relaxation that is governed by dipole-dipole interactions, cross polarization, or chemical exchange.

The influence of brain iron and myelin on magnetic susceptibility and effective transverse relaxation - A biochemical and histological validation study.

PubMed

Hametner, Simon; Endmayr, Verena; Deistung, Andreas; Palmrich, Pilar; Prihoda, Max; Haimburger, Evelin; Menard, Christian; Feng, Xiang; Haider, Thomas; Leisser, Marianne; Köck, Ulrike; Kaider, Alexandra; Höftberger, Romana; Robinson, Simon; Reichenbach, Jürgen R; Lassmann, Hans; Traxler, Hannes; Trattnig, Siegfried; Grabner, Günther

2018-06-15

Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and effective transverse relaxation rate (R2*) mapping are both highly sensitive to variations in brain iron content. Clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies report changes of susceptibilities and relaxation rates in various neurological diseases which are often equated with changes in regional brain iron content. However, these mentioned metrics lack specificity for iron, since they are also influenced by the presence of myelin. In this study, we assessed the extent to which QSM and R2* reflect iron concentration as well as histological iron and myelin intensities. Six unfixed human post-mortem brains were imaged in situ with a 7 T MRI scanner. After formalin fixation, the brains were sliced axially and punched. 671 tissue punches were subjected to ferrozine iron quantification. Subsequently, brain slices were embedded in paraffin, and histological double-hemispheric axial brain slices were stained for Luxol fast blue (myelin) and diaminobenzidine (DAB)-enhanced Turnbull blue (iron). 3331 regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn on the histological stainings to assess myelin and iron intensities, which were compared with MRI data in corresponding ROIs. QSM more closely reflected quantitative ferrozine iron values (r = 0.755 vs. 0.738), whereas R2* correlated better with iron staining intensities (r = 0.619 vs. 0.445). Myelin intensities correlated negatively with QSM (r = -0.352), indicating a diamagnetic effect of myelin on susceptibility. Myelin intensities were higher in the thalamus than in the basal ganglia. A significant relationship was nonetheless observed between quantitative iron values and QSM, confirming the applicability of the latter in this brain region for iron quantification. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, P.; Ghosh, A.

2016-07-01

In this paper, we have studied the dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate. Structural and thermal properties have been examined using X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. We have analyzed the complex conductivity spectra by using power law model coupled with the contribution of electrode polarization at low frequencies and high temperatures. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity and crossover frequency exhibits Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type behavior indicating a strong coupling between the ionic and the polymer chain segmental motions. The scaling of the ac conductivity indicates that relaxation dynamics of charge carriers follows a common mechanism for all temperatures and ethylene carbonate concentrations. The analysis of the ac conductivity also shows the existence of a nearly constant loss in these polymer electrolytes at low temperatures and high frequencies. The fraction of free anions and ion pairs in polymer electrolyte have been obtained from the analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectra. It is observed that these quantities influence the behavior of the composition dependence of the ionic conductivity.

Relaxivity of Ferumoxytol at 1.5 T and 3.0 T.

PubMed

Knobloch, Gesine; Colgan, Timothy; Wiens, Curtis N; Wang, Xiaoke; Schubert, Tilman; Hernando, Diego; Sharma, Samir D; Reeder, Scott B

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the relaxation properties of ferumoxytol, an off-label alternative to gadolinium-based contrast agents, under physiological conditions at 1.5 T and 3.0 T. Ferumoxytol was diluted in gradually increasing concentrations (0.26-4.2 mM) in saline, human plasma, and human whole blood. Magnetic resonance relaxometry was performed at 37°C at 1.5 T and 3.0 T. Longitudinal and transverse relaxation rate constants (R1, R2, R2*) were measured as a function of ferumoxytol concentration, and relaxivities (r1, r2, r2*) were calculated. A linear dependence of R1, R2, and R2* on ferumoxytol concentration was found in saline and plasma with lower R1 values at 3.0 T and similar R2 and R2* values at 1.5 T and 3.0 T (1.5 T: r1saline = 19.9 ± 2.3 smM; r1plasma = 19.0 ± 1.7 smM; r2saline = 60.8 ± 3.8 smM; r2plasma = 64.9 ± 1.8 smM; r2*saline = 60.4 ± 4.7 smM; r2*plasma = 64.4 ± 2.5 smM; 3.0 T: r1saline = 10.0 ± 0.3 smM; r1plasma = 9.5 ± 0.2 smM; r2saline = 62.3 ± 3.7 smM; r2plasma = 65.2 ± 1.8 smM; r2*saline = 57.0 ± 4.7 smM; r2*plasma = 55.7 ± 4.4 smM). The dependence of relaxation rates on concentration in blood was nonlinear. Formulas from second-order polynomial fittings of the relaxation rates were calculated to characterize the relationship between R1blood and R2 blood with ferumoxytol. Ferumoxytol demonstrates strong longitudinal and transverse relaxivities. Awareness of the nonlinear relaxation behavior of ferumoxytol in blood is important for ferumoxytol-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging applications and for protocol optimization.

Dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pal, P.; Ghosh, A., E-mail: sspag@iacs.res.in

2016-07-28

In this paper, we have studied the dynamics and relaxation of charge carriers in poly(methylmethacrylate)-lithium salt based polymer electrolytes plasticized with ethylene carbonate. Structural and thermal properties have been examined using X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. We have analyzed the complex conductivity spectra by using power law model coupled with the contribution of electrode polarization at low frequencies and high temperatures. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity and crossover frequency exhibits Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher type behavior indicating a strong coupling between the ionic and the polymer chain segmental motions. The scaling of the ac conductivity indicates that relaxation dynamicsmore » of charge carriers follows a common mechanism for all temperatures and ethylene carbonate concentrations. The analysis of the ac conductivity also shows the existence of a nearly constant loss in these polymer electrolytes at low temperatures and high frequencies. The fraction of free anions and ion pairs in polymer electrolyte have been obtained from the analysis of Fourier transform infrared spectra. It is observed that these quantities influence the behavior of the composition dependence of the ionic conductivity.« less

Mechanical Impedance of the Non-loaded Lower Leg with Relaxed Muscles in the Transverse Plane

PubMed Central

Ficanha, Evandro Maicon; Ribeiro, Guilherme Aramizo; Rastgaar, Mohammad

2015-01-01

This paper describes the protocols and results of the experiments for the estimation of the mechanical impedance of the humans’ lower leg in the External–Internal direction in the transverse plane under non-load bearing condition and with relaxed muscles. The objectives of the estimation of the lower leg’s mechanical impedance are to facilitate the design of passive and active prostheses with mechanical characteristics similar to the humans’ lower leg, and to define a reference that can be compared to the values from the patients suffering from spasticity. The experiments were performed with 10 unimpaired male subjects using a lower extremity rehabilitation robot (Anklebot, Interactive Motion Technologies, Inc.) capable of applying torque perturbations to the foot. The subjects were in a seated position, and the Anklebot recorded the applied torques and the resulting angular movement of the lower leg. In this configuration, the recorded dynamics are due mainly to the rotations of the ankle’s talocrural and the subtalar joints, and any contribution of the tibiofibular joints and knee joint. The dynamic mechanical impedance of the lower leg was estimated in the frequency domain with an average coherence of 0.92 within the frequency range of 0–30 Hz, showing a linear correlation between the displacement and the torques within this frequency range under the conditions of the experiment. The mean magnitude of the stiffness of the lower leg (the impedance magnitude averaged in the range of 0–1 Hz) was determined as 4.9 ± 0.74 Nm/rad. The direct estimation of the quasi-static stiffness of the lower leg results in the mean value of 5.8 ± 0.81 Nm/rad. An analysis of variance shows that the estimated values for the stiffness from the two experiments are not statistically different. PMID:26697424

Ex vivo MRI transverse relaxation in community based older persons with and without Alzheimer's dementia.

PubMed

Yu, Lei; Dawe, Robert J; Buchman, Aron S; Boyle, Patricia A; Schneider, Julie A; Arfanakis, Konstantinos; Bennett, David A

2017-03-30

Alterations of the transverse relaxation rate, R 2 , measured using MRI, are observed in older persons with Alzheimer's (AD) dementia. However, the spatial pattern of these alterations and the degree to which they reflect the accumulation of common age-related neuropathologies are unknown. In this study, we characterized the profile of R 2 alterations in post-mortem brains of persons with clinical diagnosis of AD dementia and investigated how the profile differs after accounting for neuropathologic indices of AD, cerebral infarcts, Lewy body disease, hippocampal sclerosis and transactive response DNA-binding protein 43. Data came from 567 post-mortem brains donated by participants in two cohort studies of aging and dementia. R 2 was quantified using fast spin echo imaging. Voxelwise linear regression examined R 2 alterations between subjects diagnosed with AD dementia at death and those with no cognitive impairment. Voxels showing significant R 2 alterations were clustered into regions of interest (ROIs). Three R 2 profiles were compared, which were adjusted for (1) demographics only; (2) demographics and AD pathology; (3) demographics, AD pathology and other common neuropathologies. R 2 alterations were observed throughout the hemisphere, most commonly in white matter. Of the distinct ROIs identified, the largest region encompassed large portions of white matter in all lobes. This ROI became smaller in size but remained largely intact after adjusting for AD and other neuropathologic indices. Further, R 2 alterations identify AD dementia with improved accuracy, above and beyond demographics and neuropathologic indices (p<0.0001). In conclusion, R 2 alterations in AD dementia are not solely reflective of common age-related neuropathologies, suggesting that other mechanisms are at work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Desmin content and transversal stiffness of the left ventricle mouse cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle fibers after a 30-day space flight on board "BION-M1" biosatellite].

PubMed

Ogneva, I V; Maximova, M V; Larina, I M

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the transversal stiffness of the cortical cytoskeleton and the cytoskeletal protein desmin content in the left ventricle cardiomyocytes, fibers of the mouse soleus and tibialis anterior muscle after a 30-day space flight on board the "BION-M1" biosatellite (Russia, 2013). The dissection was made after 13-16.5 h after landing. The transversal stiffness was measured in relaxed and calcium activated state by, atomic force microscopy. The desmin content was estimated by western blotting, and the expression level of desmin-coding gene was detected using real-time PCR. The results indicate that, the transversal stiffness of the left ventricle cardiomyocytes and fibers of the soleus muscle in relaxed and activated states did not differ from the control. The transversal stiffness of the tibialis muscle fibers in relaxed and activated state was increased in the mice group after space flight. At the same time, in all types of studied tissues the desmin content and the expression level of desmin-coding gene did not differ from the control level.

Radiological characteristics of MRI-based VIP polymer gel under carbon beam irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeyama, T.; Fukunishi, N.; Ishikawa, K. L.; Furuta, T.; Fukasaku, K.; Takagi, S.; Noda, S.; Himeno, R.; Fukuda, S.

2015-02-01

We study the radiological characteristics of VIP polymer gel dosimeters under carbon beam irradiation with energy of 135 and 290 AMeV. To evaluate dose response of VIP polymer gels, the transverse (or spin-spin) relaxation rate R2 of the dosimeters measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a function of linear energy transfer (LET), rather than penetration depth, as is usually done in previous reports. LET is evaluated by use of the particle transport simulation code PHITS. Our results reveal that the dose response decreases with increasing dose-averaged LET and that the dose response-LET relation also varies with incident carbon beam energy. The latter can be explained by taking into account the contribution from fragmentation products.

Combined Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Transverse Relaxometry in Early-Onset Bipolar Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonenc, Atilla; Frazier, Jean A.; Crowley, David J.; Moore, Constance M.

2010-01-01

Objective: Transverse relaxation time (T2) imaging provides the opportunity to examine membrane fluidity, which can affect a number of cellular functions. The objective of the present work was to examine T2 abnormalities in children with unmodified DSM-IV-TR bipolar disorder (BD) in bilateral cingulate-paracingulate (CPC) white matter. Method: A…

Transverse Mode Dynamics and Ultrafast Modulation of Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ning, Cun-Zheng; Biegel, Bryan A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

We show that multiple transverse mode dynamics of VCSELs (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers) can be utilized to generate ultrafast intensity modulation at a frequency over 100 GHz, much higher than the relaxation oscillation frequency. Such multimode beating can be greatly enhanced by taking laser output from part of the output facet.

Relaxation dispersion in MRI induced by fictitious magnetic fields.

PubMed

Liimatainen, Timo; Mangia, Silvia; Ling, Wen; Ellermann, Jutta; Sorce, Dennis J; Garwood, Michael; Michaeli, Shalom

2011-04-01

A new method entitled Relaxation Along a Fictitious Field (RAFF) was recently introduced for investigating relaxations in rotating frames of rank ≥ 2. RAFF generates a fictitious field (E) by applying frequency-swept pulses with sine and cosine amplitude and frequency modulation operating in a sub-adiabatic regime. In the present work, MRI contrast is created by varying the orientation of E, i.e. the angle ε between E and the z″ axis of the second rotating frame. When ε > 45°, the amplitude of the fictitious field E generated during RAFF is significantly larger than the RF field amplitude used for transmitting the sine/cosine pulses. Relaxation during RAFF was investigated using an invariant-trajectory approach and the Bloch-McConnell formalism. Dipole-dipole interactions between identical (like) spins and anisochronous exchange (e.g., exchange between spins with different chemical shifts) in the fast exchange regime were considered. Experimental verifications were performed in vivo in human and mouse brain. Theoretical and experimental results demonstrated that changes in ε induced a dispersion of the relaxation rate constants. The fastest relaxation was achieved at ε ≈ 56°, where the averaged contributions from transverse components during the pulse are maximal and the contribution from longitudinal components are minimal. RAFF relaxation dispersion was compared with the relaxation dispersion achieved with off-resonance spin lock T(₁ρ) experiments. As compared with the off-resonance spin lock T(₁ρ) method, a slower rotating frame relaxation rate was observed with RAFF, which under certain experimental conditions is desirable. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transversal stiffness of fibers and desmin content in leg muscles of rats under gravitational unloading of various durations.

PubMed

Ogneva, I V

2010-12-01

The aim of this research was the analysis of structural changes in various parts of the sarcolemma and contractile apparatus of muscle fibers by measuring their transversal stiffness by atomic force microscopy under gravitational unloading. Soleus, medial gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior muscles of Wistar rats were the objects of the study. Gravitational unloading was carried out by antiorthostatic suspension of hindlimbs for 1, 3, 7, and 12 days. It was shown that the transversal stiffness of different parts of the contractile apparatus of soleus muscle fibers decreases during gravitational unloading in the relaxed, calcium-activated, and rigor states, the fibers of the medial gastrocnemius show no changes, whereas the transversal stiffness of tibialis anterior muscle increases. Thus the transversal stiffness of the sarcolemma in the relaxed state is reduced in all muscles, which may be due to the direct action of gravity as an external mechanical factor that can influence the tension on a membrane. The change of sarcolemma stiffness in activated fibers, which is due probably to the transfer of tension from the contractile apparatus, correlates with the dynamics of changes in the content of desmin.

Assessment of chemical exchange in tryptophan-albumin solution through (19)F multicomponent transverse relaxation dispersion analysis.

PubMed

Lin, Ping-Chang

2015-06-01

A number of NMR methods possess the capability of probing chemical exchange dynamics in solution. However, certain drawbacks limit the applications of these NMR approaches, particularly, to a complex system. Here, we propose a procedure that integrates the regularized nonnegative least squares (NNLS) analysis of multiexponential T2 relaxation into Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) relaxation dispersion experiments to probe chemical exchange in a multicompartmental system. The proposed procedure was validated through analysis of (19)F T2 relaxation data of 6-fluoro-DL-tryptophan in a two-compartment solution with and without bovine serum albumin. Given the regularized NNLS analysis of a T2 relaxation curve acquired, for example, at the CPMG frequency υ CPMG  = 125, the nature of two distinct peaks in the associated T2 distribution spectrum indicated 6-fluoro-DL-tryptophan either retaining the free state, with geometric mean */multiplicative standard deviation (MSD) = 1851.2 ms */1.51, or undergoing free/albumin-bound interconversion, with geometric mean */MSD = 236.8 ms */1.54, in the two-compartment system. Quantities of the individual tryptophan species were accurately reflected by the associated T2 peak areas, with an interconversion state-to-free state ratio of 0.45 ± 0.11. Furthermore, the CPMG relaxation dispersion analysis estimated the exchange rate between the free and albumin-bound states in this fluorinated tryptophan analog and the corresponding dissociation constant of the fluorinated tryptophan-albumin complex in the chemical-exchanging, two-compartment system.

MRI of bone marrow in the distal radius: in vivo precision of effective transverse relaxation times

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grampp, S.; Majumdar, S.; Jergas, M.; Lang, P.; Gies, A.; Genant, H. K.

1995-01-01

The effective transverse relaxation time T2* is influenced by the presence of trabecular bone, and can potentially provide a measure of bone density as well as bone structure. We determined the in vivo precision of T2* in repeated bone marrow measurements. The T2* measurements of the bone marrow of the distal radius were performed twice within 2 weeks in six healthy young volunteers using a modified water-presaturated 3D Gradient-Recalled Acquisition at Steady State (GRASS) sequence with TE 7, 10, 12, 20, and 30; TR 67; flip angle (FA) 90 degrees. An axial volume covering a length of 5.6 cm in the distal radius was measured. Regions of interest (ROIs) were determined manually and consisted of the entire trabecular bone cross-section extending proximally from the radial subchondral endplate. Reproducibility of T2* and area measurements was expressed as the absolute precision error (standard deviation [SD] in ms or mm2) or as the relative precision error (SD/mean x 100, or coefficient of variation [CV] in %) between the two-point measurements. Short-term precision of T2* and area measurements varied depending on section thickness and location of the ROI in the distal radius. Absolute precision errors for T2* times were between 1.3 and 2.9 ms (relative precision errors 3.8-9.5 %) and for area measurements between 20 and 55 mm2 (relative precision errors 5.1-16.4%). This MR technique for quantitative assessment of trabecular bone density showed reasonable reproducibility in vivo and is a promising future tool for the assessment of osteoporosis.

A nanoscale perspective on the effects of transverse microprestress on drying creep of nanoporous solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinko, Robert; Bažant, Zdeněk P.; Keten, Sinan

2018-01-01

The Pickett effect describes the excess non-additive strain developed during drying of a nanoporous solid material under creep. One explanation for its origins, developed using micromechanical models, is the progressive relaxation of internally developed microprestress. However, these models have not explicitly considered the effects of this microprestress on nanoscale energy barriers that govern the relative motion and displacement between nanopore walls during deformation. Here, we evaluate the nanoscale effects of transverse microprestresses on the drying creep behaviour of a nanoscale slit pore using coarse-grained molecular dynamics. We find that the underlying energy barrier depends exponentially on the transverse microprestress, which is attributed to changes in the effective viscosity and degree of nanoconfinement of molecules in the water interlayer. Specifically, as the transverse microprestress is relaxed (i.e. its magnitude decreases), the activation energy barrier is reduced, thereby leading to an acceleration of the creep behaviour and a stronger Pickett effect. Based on our simulation results, we introduce a new microprestress-dependent energy term into our existing Arrhenius model, which describes the relative displacement of pore walls as a function of the underlying activation energy barriers. Our findings further verify the existing micromechanical theories for the origin of the Pickett effect and establish a quantitative relationship between the transverse microprestress and the intensity of the Pickett effect.

Electron charge and spin delocalization revealed in the optically probed longitudinal and transverse spin dynamics in n -GaAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belykh, V. V.; Kavokin, K. V.; Yakovlev, D. R.; Bayer, M.

2017-12-01

The evolution of the electron spin dynamics as consequence of carrier delocalization in n -type GaAs is investigated by the recently developed extended pump-probe Kerr/Faraday rotation spectroscopy. We find that isolated electrons localized on donors demonstrate a prominent difference between the longitudinal and transverse spin relaxation rates in a magnetic field, which is almost absent in the metallic phase. The inhomogeneous transverse dephasing time T2* of the spin ensemble strongly increases upon electron delocalization as a result of motional narrowing that can be induced by increasing either the donor concentration or the temperature. An unexpected relation between T2* and the longitudinal spin relaxation time T1 is found, namely, that their product is about constant, as explained by the magnetic field effect on the spin diffusion. We observe a two-stage longitudinal spin relaxation, which suggests the establishment of spin temperature in the system of exchange-coupled donor-bound electrons.

Nuclear magnetic relaxation studies of semiconductor nanocrystals and solids

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sachleben, Joseph Robert

1993-09-01

Semiconductor nanocrystals, small biomolecules, and 13C enriched solids were studied through the relaxation in NMR spectra. Surface structure of semiconductor nanocrystals (CdS) was deduced from high resolution 1H and 13C liquid state spectra of thiophenol ligands on the nanocrystal surfaces. The surface coverage by thiophenol was found to be low, being 5.6 and 26% for nanocrystal radii of 11.8 and 19.2 Å. Internal motion is estimated to be slow with a correlation time > 10 -8 s -1. The surface thiophenol ligands react to form a dithiophenol when the nanocrystals were subjected to O 2 and ultraviolet. A method formore » measuring 14N- 1H J-couplings is demonstrated on pyridine and the peptide oxytocin; selective 2D T 1 and T 2 experiments are presented for measuring relaxation times in crowded spectra with overlapping peaks in 1D, but relaxation effects interfere. Possibility of carbon-carbon cross relaxation in 13C enriched solids is demonstrated by experiments on zinc acetate and L-alanine.« less

Nuclear magnetic relaxation studies of semiconductor nanocrystals and solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachleben, J. R.

1993-09-01

Semiconductor nanocrystals, small biomolecules, and C-13 enriched solids were studied through the relaxation in NMR spectra. Surface structure of semiconductor nanocrystals (CdS) was deduced from high resolution H-1 and C-13 liquid state spectra of thiophenol ligands on the nanocrystal surfaces. The surface coverage by thiophenol was found to be low, being 5.6 and 26% for nanocrystal radii of 11.8 and 19.2 angstrom. Internal motion is estimated to be slow with a correlation time greater than 10(exp -8) s(exp -1). The surface thiophenol ligands react to form a dithiophenol when the nanocrystals were subjected to O2 and ultraviolet. A method for measuring (N-14)-(H-1) J-couplings is demonstrated on pyridine and the peptide oxytocin; selective 2D T(sub 1) and T(sub 2) experiments are presented for measuring relaxation times in crowded spectra with overlapping peaks in 1D, but relaxation effects interfere. Possibility of carbon-carbon cross relaxation in C-13 enriched solids is demonstrated by experiments on zinc acetate and L-alanine.

Broadband spectral analysis of non-Debye dielectric relaxation in percolating heterostructures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tuncer, Enis; Bellatar, J; Achour, M E

2011-01-01

In this study, the main features of dielectric relaxation in carbon black epoxy composites are discussed using several types of complementary modelling (i.e., the Cole-Cole phenomenological equation, Jonscher s universal dielectric response, and an approach that relies on a continuous distribution of relaxation times). These methods of characterizing the relaxation were conducted below Tg. Through the numerical model we can obtain the characteristic effective relaxation time and exponents straightforwardly. However, the true relaxation spectrum can be obtained from the distribution of relaxation times calculated from the complex dielectric permittivity. Over the compositional range explored, relaxation occurs by a Vogel-Tammam-Fulcher-like temperaturemore » dependence within the limits of experimental accuracy.« less

Pre-relaxation in weakly interacting models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertini, Bruno; Fagotti, Maurizio

2015-07-01

We consider time evolution in models close to integrable points with hidden symmetries that generate infinitely many local conservation laws that do not commute with one another. The system is expected to (locally) relax to a thermal ensemble if integrability is broken, or to a so-called generalised Gibbs ensemble if unbroken. In some circumstances expectation values exhibit quasi-stationary behaviour long before their typical relaxation time. For integrability-breaking perturbations, these are also called pre-thermalisation plateaux, and emerge e.g. in the strong coupling limit of the Bose-Hubbard model. As a result of the hidden symmetries, quasi-stationarity appears also in integrable models, for example in the Ising limit of the XXZ model. We investigate a weak coupling limit, identify a time window in which the effects of the perturbations become significant and solve the time evolution through a mean-field mapping. As an explicit example we study the XYZ spin-\\frac{1}{2} chain with additional perturbations that break integrability. One of the most intriguing results of the analysis is the appearance of persistent oscillatory behaviour. To unravel its origin, we study in detail a toy model: the transverse-field Ising chain with an additional nonlocal interaction proportional to the square of the transverse spin per unit length (2013 Phys. Rev. Lett. 111 197203). Despite being nonlocal, this belongs to a class of models that emerge as intermediate steps of the mean-field mapping and shares many dynamical properties with the weakly interacting models under consideration.

Conformational exchange of aromatic side chains characterized by L-optimized TROSY-selected ¹³C CPMG relaxation dispersion.

PubMed

Weininger, Ulrich; Respondek, Michal; Akke, Mikael

2012-09-01

Protein dynamics on the millisecond time scale commonly reflect conformational transitions between distinct functional states. NMR relaxation dispersion experiments have provided important insights into biologically relevant dynamics with site-specific resolution, primarily targeting the protein backbone and methyl-bearing side chains. Aromatic side chains represent attractive probes of protein dynamics because they are over-represented in protein binding interfaces, play critical roles in enzyme catalysis, and form an important part of the core. Here we introduce a method to characterize millisecond conformational exchange of aromatic side chains in selectively (13)C labeled proteins by means of longitudinal- and transverse-relaxation optimized CPMG relaxation dispersion. By monitoring (13)C relaxation in a spin-state selective manner, significant sensitivity enhancement can be achieved in terms of both signal intensity and the relative exchange contribution to transverse relaxation. Further signal enhancement results from optimizing the longitudinal relaxation recovery of the covalently attached (1)H spins. We validated the L-TROSY-CPMG experiment by measuring fast folding-unfolding kinetics of the small protein CspB under native conditions. The determined unfolding rate matches perfectly with previous results from stopped-flow kinetics. The CPMG-derived chemical shift differences between the folded and unfolded states are in excellent agreement with those obtained by urea-dependent chemical shift analysis. The present method enables characterization of conformational exchange involving aromatic side chains and should serve as a valuable complement to methods developed for other types of protein side chains.

Electron spin relaxation governed by Raman processes both for Cu2+ ions and carbonate radicals in KHCO3 crystals: EPR and electron spin echo studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Stanislaw K.; Goslar, Janina; Lijewski, Stefan

2012-08-01

EPR studies of Cu2+ and two free radicals formed by γ-radiation were performed for KHCO3 single crystal at room temperature. From the rotational EPR results we concluded that Cu2+ is chelated by two carbonate molecules in a square planar configuration with spin-Hamiltonian parameters g|| = 2.2349 and A|| = 18.2 mT. Free radicals were identified as neutral HOCOrad with unpaired electron localized on the carbon atom and a radical anion CO3·- with unpaired electron localized on two oxygen atoms. The hyperfine splitting of the EPR lines by an interaction with a single hydrogen atom of HOCOrad was observed with isotropic coupling constants ao = 0.31 mT. Two differently oriented radical sites were identified in the crystal unit cell. Electron spin-lattice relaxation measured by electron spin echo methods shows that both Cu2+ and free radicals relax via two-phonon Raman processes with almost the same relaxation rate. The temperature dependence of the relaxation rate 1/T1 is well described with the effective Debye temperature ΘD = 175 K obtained from a fit to the Debye-type phonon spectrum. We calculated a more realistic Debye temperature value from available elastic constant values of the crystal as ΘD = 246 K. This ΘD-value and the Debye phonon spectrum approximation give a much worse fit to the experimental results. Possible contributions from a local mode or an optical mode are considered and it is suggested that the real phonon spectrum should be used for the relaxation data interpretation. It is unusual that free radicals in KHCO3 relax similarly to the well localized Cu2+ ions, which suggests a small destruction of the host crystal lattice by the ionizing irradiation allowing well coupling between radical and lattice dynamics.

Changes in transverse relaxation time of quadriceps femoris muscles after active recovery exercises with different intensities.

PubMed

Mukaimoto, Takahiro; Semba, Syun; Inoue, Yosuke; Ohno, Makoto

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in the metabolic state of quadriceps femoris muscles using transverse relaxation time (T2), measured by muscle functional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, after inactive or active recovery exercises with different intensities following high-intensity knee-extension exercise. Eight healthy men performed recovery sessions with four different conditions for 20 min after high-intensity knee-extension exercise on separate days. During the recovery session, the participants conducted a light cycle exercise for 20 min using a cycle (50%, 70% and 100% of the lactate threshold (LT), respectively: active recovery), and inactive recovery. The MR images of quadriceps femoris muscles were taken before the trial and after the recovery session every 30 min for 120 min. The percentage changes in T2 for the rectus femoris and vastus medialis muscles after the recovery session in 50% LT and 70% LT were significantly lower than those in either inactive recovery or 100% LT. There were no significant differences in those for vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius muscles among the four trials. The percentage changes in T2 of rectus femoris and vastus medialis muscles after the recovery session in 50% LT and 70% LT decreased to the values before the trial faster than those in either inactive recovery or 100% LT. Those of vastus lateralis and vastus intermedius muscles after the recovery session in 50% LT and 70% LT decreased to the values before the trial faster than those in 100% LT. Although the changes in T2 after active recovery exercises were not uniform in exercised muscles, the results of this study suggest that active recovery exercise with the intensities below LT are more effective to recover the metabolic state of quadriceps femoris muscles after intense exercise than with either intensity at LT or inactive recovery.

Quantifying NMR relaxation correlation and exchange in articular cartilage with time domain analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mailhiot, Sarah E.; Zong, Fangrong; Maneval, James E.; June, Ronald K.; Galvosas, Petrik; Seymour, Joseph D.

2018-02-01

Measured nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) transverse relaxation data in articular cartilage has been shown to be multi-exponential and correlated to the health of the tissue. The observed relaxation rates are dependent on experimental parameters such as solvent, data acquisition methods, data analysis methods, and alignment to the magnetic field. In this study, we show that diffusive exchange occurs in porcine articular cartilage and impacts the observed relaxation rates in T1-T2 correlation experiments. By using time domain analysis of T2-T2 exchange spectroscopy, the diffusive exchange time can be quantified by measurements that use a single mixing time. Measured characteristic times for exchange are commensurate with T1 in this material and so impacts the observed T1 behavior. The approach used here allows for reliable quantification of NMR relaxation behavior in cartilage in the presence of diffusive fluid exchange between two environments.

Universal link between the boson peak and transverse phonons in glass.

PubMed

Shintani, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Hajime

2008-11-01

The physical properties of a topologically disordered amorphous material (glass), such as heat capacity and thermal conductivity, are markedly different from those of its ordered crystalline counterpart. The understanding of these phenomena is a notoriously complex problem. One of the universal features of disordered glasses is the 'boson peak', which is observed in neutron and Raman scattering experiments. The boson peak is typically ascribed to an excess density of vibrational states. Here, we study the nature of the boson peak, using numerical simulations of several glass-forming systems. We discovered evidence suggestive of the equality of the boson peak frequency to the Ioffe-Regel limit for 'transverse' phonons, above which transverse phonons no longer propagate. Our results indicate a possibility that the origin of the boson peak is transverse vibrational modes associated with defective soft structures in the disordered state. Furthermore, we suggest a possible link between slow structural relaxation and fast boson peak dynamics in glass-forming systems.

Recent Advances on Magnetic Relaxation Switching Assay-Based Nanosensors.

PubMed

Zhang, Yang; Yang, Hong; Zhou, Zhiguo; Huang, Kai; Yang, Shiping; Han, Gang

2017-04-19

Magnetic relaxation switching assay (MRSw)-based nanosensors respond to the changes of transverse relaxation time (T 2 ) of water molecules resulted from the analyte-induced aggregation and disaggregation of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). This strategy has been widely applied to the detections of various substrates from heavy metal ions to organic pollutants, proteins, nucleic acids, bacteria and viruses, and specific cells. Compared with other nanosensors, MRSw-based nanosensors not only are free from the background interferences, signal bleaching, and quenching but also overcome light scattering from samples without pretreatments. Therefore, MRSw-based nanosensors have been developed as real-time and on-site detection platforms for environmental protection, food safety, and risk assessment. This review summarizes the latest developments of the principles, the applicable magnetic nanoparticles, and the exploited environmental and biological applications of MRSw-based nanosensors.

Dynamic transverse shear modulus for a heterogeneous fluid-filled porous solid containing cylindrical inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yongjia; Hu, Hengshan; Rudnicki, John W.; Duan, Yunda

2016-09-01

An exact analytical solution is presented for the effective dynamic transverse shear modulus in a heterogeneous fluid-filled porous solid containing cylindrical inclusions. The complex and frequency-dependent properties of the dynamic shear modulus are caused by the physical mechanism of mesoscopic-scale wave-induced fluid flow whose scale is smaller than wavelength but larger than the size of pores. Our model consists of three phases: a long cylindrical inclusion, a cylindrical shell of poroelastic matrix material with different mechanical and/or hydraulic properties than the inclusion and an outer region of effective homogeneous medium of laterally infinite extent. The behavior of both the inclusion and the matrix is described by Biot's consolidation equations, whereas the surrounding effective medium which is used to describe the effective transverse shear properties of the inner poroelastic composite is assumed to be a viscoelastic solid whose complex transverse shear modulus needs to be determined. The determined effective transverse shear modulus is used to quantify the S-wave attenuation and velocity dispersion in heterogeneous fluid-filled poroelastic rocks. The calculation shows the relaxation frequency and relative position of various fluid saturation dispersion curves predicted by this study exhibit very good agreement with those of a previous 2-D finite-element simulation. For the double-porosity model (inclusions having a different solid frame than the matrix but the same pore fluid as the matrix) the effective shear modulus also exhibits a size-dependent characteristic that the relaxation frequency moves to lower frequencies by two orders of magnitude if the radius of the cylindrical poroelastic composite increases by one order of magnitude. For the patchy-saturation model (inclusions having the same solid frame as the matrix but with a different pore fluid from the matrix), the heterogeneity in pore fluid cannot cause any attenuation in the

Protein corona affects the relaxivity and MRI contrast efficiency of magnetic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amiri, Houshang; Bordonali, Lorenzo; Lascialfari, Alessandro; Wan, Sha; Monopoli, Marco P.; Lynch, Iseult; Laurent, Sophie; Mahmoudi, Morteza

2013-08-01

Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly being considered for use in biomedical applications such as biosensors, imaging contrast agents and drug delivery vehicles. In a biological fluid, proteins associate in a preferential manner with NPs. The small sizes and high curvature angles of NPs influence the types and amounts of proteins present on their surfaces. This differential display of proteins bound to the surface of NPs can influence the tissue distribution, cellular uptake and biological effects of NPs. To date, the effects of adsorption of a protein corona (PC) on the magnetic properties of NPs have not been considered, despite the fact that some of their potential applications require their use in human blood. Here, to investigate the effects of a PC (using fetal bovine serum) on the MRI contrast efficiency of superparamagnetic iron oxide NPs (SPIONs), we have synthesized two series of SPIONs with variation in the thickness and functional groups (i.e. surface charges) of the dextran surface coating. We have observed that different physico-chemical characteristics of the dextran coatings on the SPIONs lead to the formation of PCs of different compositions. 1H relaxometry was used to obtain the longitudinal, r1, and transverse, r2, relaxivities of the SPIONs without and with a PC, as a function of the Larmor frequency. The transverse relaxivity, which determines the efficiency of negative contrast agents (CAs), is very much dependent on the functional group and the surface charge of the SPIONs' coating. The presence of the PC did not alter the relaxivity of plain SPIONs, while it slightly increased the relaxivity of the negatively charged SPIONs and dramatically decreased the relaxivity of the positively charged ones, which was coupled with particle agglomeration in the presence of the proteins. To confirm the effect of the PC on the MRI contrast efficiency, in vitro MRI experiments at ν = 8.5 MHz were performed using a low-field MRI scanner. The MRI

Nuclear relaxation and critical fluctuations in membranes containing cholesterol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McConnell, Harden

2009-04-01

Nuclear resonance frequencies in bilayer membranes depend on lipid composition. Our calculations describe the combined effects of composition fluctuations and diffusion on nuclear relaxation near a miscibility critical point. Both tracer and gradient diffusion are included. The calculations involve correlation functions and a correlation length ξ =ξ0T/(T -Tc), where T -Tc is temperature above the critical temperature and ξ0 is a parameter of molecular length. Several correlation functions are examined, each of which is related in some degree to the Ising model correlation function. These correlation functions are used in the calculation of transverse deuterium relaxation rates in magic angle spinning and quadrupole echo experiments. The calculations are compared with experiments that report maxima in deuterium and proton nuclear relaxation rates at the critical temperature [Veatch et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 17650 (2007)]. One Ising-model-related correlation function yields a maximum 1/T2 relaxation rate at the critical temperature for both magic angle spinning and quadrupole echo experiments. The calculated rates at the critical temperature are close to the experimental rates. The rate maxima involve relatively rapid tracer diffusion in a static composition gradient over distances of up to 10-100 nm.

Rapid simultaneous high-resolution mapping of myelin water fraction and relaxation times in human brain using BMC-mcDESPOT.

PubMed

Bouhrara, Mustapha; Spencer, Richard G

2017-02-15

A number of central nervous system (CNS) diseases exhibit changes in myelin content and magnetic resonance longitudinal, T 1 , and transverse, T 2 , relaxation times, which therefore represent important biomarkers of CNS pathology. Among the methods applied for measurement of myelin water fraction (MWF) and relaxation times, the multicomponent driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T 1 and T 2 (mcDESPOT) approach is of particular interest. mcDESPOT permits whole brain mapping of multicomponent T 1 and T 2 , with data acquisition accomplished within a clinically realistic acquisition time. Unfortunately, previous studies have indicated the limited performance of mcDESPOT in the setting of the modest signal-to-noise range of high-resolution mapping, required for the depiction of small structures and to reduce partial volume effects. Recently, we showed that a new Bayesian Monte Carlo (BMC) analysis substantially improved determination of MWF from mcDESPOT imaging data. However, our previous study was limited in that it did not discuss determination of relaxation times. Here, we extend the BMC analysis to the simultaneous determination of whole-brain MWF and relaxation times using the two-component mcDESPOT signal model. Simulation analyses and in-vivo human brain studies indicate the overall greater performance of this approach compared to the stochastic region contraction (SRC) algorithm, conventionally used to derive parameter estimates from mcDESPOT data. SRC estimates of the transverse relaxation time of the long T 2 fraction, T 2,l , and the longitudinal relaxation time of the short T 1 fraction, T 1,s , clustered towards the lower and upper parameter search space limits, respectively, indicating failure of the fitting procedure. We demonstrate that this effect is absent in the BMC analysis. Our results also showed improved parameter estimation for BMC as compared to SRC for high-resolution mapping. Overall we find that the combination of BMC analysis

Multicomponent T2 relaxation studies of the avian egg.

PubMed

Mitsouras, Dimitris; Mulkern, Robert V; Maier, Stephan E

2016-05-01

To investigate the tissue-like multiexponential T2 signal decays in avian eggs. Transverse relaxation studies of raw, soft-boiled and hard-boiled eggs were performed at 3 Tesla using a three-dimensional Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill imaging sequence. Signal decays over a TE range of 11 to 354 ms were fitted assuming single- and multicomponent signal decays with up to three separately decaying components. Fat saturation was used to facilitate spectral assignment of observed decay components. Egg white, yolk and the centrally located latebra all demonstrate nonmonoexponential T2 decays. Specifically, egg white exhibits two-component decays with intermediate and long T2 times. Meanwhile, yolk and latebra are generally best characterized with triexponential decays, with short, intermediate and very long T2 decay times. Fat saturation revealed that the intermediate component of yolk could be attributed to lipids. Cooking of the egg profoundly altered the decay curves. Avian egg T2 decay curves cover a wide range of decay times. Observed T2 components in yolk and latebra as short as 10 ms, may prove valuable for testing clinical sequences designed to measure short T2 components, such as myelin-associated water in the brain. Thus we propose that the egg can be a versatile and widely available MR transverse relaxation phantom. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Upward magnetic relaxation in self organizing Fe nanoparticle system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Satyendra Prakash; Sharma, Gyaneshwar; Sen, P.

2018-04-01

Study of the thermoremanent magnetic relaxation behavior of Fe nanoparticles and its nanocomposite with activated carbon has been systematically performed. Magnetic relaxation data shows the spontaneous collective periodic oscillations of the spins superimposed on the magnetic decay curves. At sufficiently high temperature, due to thermal noise induced ordering of the magnetic moment an inflexion with an increase in the absolute value of the magnetization takes place. Due to insufficient interaction on account of dilution in the case of nanocomposite, the spin - spin interaction which was responsible for magnetic ordering in the case of bare Fe nanoparticles, collective oscillations of the system do not sustain upto longer times in the case of carbon diluted system.

Vibrational population relaxation of carbon monoxide in the heme pocket of photolyzed carbonmonoxy myoglobin: Comparison of time-resolved mid-IR absorbance experiments and molecular dynamics simulations

PubMed Central

Sagnella, Diane E.; Straub, John E.; Jackson, Timothy A.; Lim, Manho; Anfinrud, Philip A.

1999-01-01

The vibrational energy relaxation of carbon monoxide in the heme pocket of sperm whale myoglobin was studied by using molecular dynamics simulation and normal mode analysis methods. Molecular dynamics trajectories of solvated myoglobin were run at 300 K for both the δ- and ɛ-tautomers of the distal His-64. Vibrational population relaxation times of 335 ± 115 ps for the δ-tautomer and 640 ± 185 ps for the ɛ-tautomer were estimated by using the Landau–Teller model. Normal mode analysis was used to identify those protein residues that act as the primary “doorway” modes in the vibrational relaxation of the oscillator. Although the CO relaxation rates in both the ɛ- and δ-tautomers are similar in magnitude, the simulations predict that the vibrational relaxation of the CO is faster in the δ-tautomer with the distal His playing an important role in the energy relaxation mechanism. Time-resolved mid-IR absorbance measurements were performed on photolyzed carbonmonoxy hemoglobin (Hb13CO). From these measurements, a T1 time of 600 ± 150 ps was determined. The simulation and experimental estimates are compared and discussed. PMID:10588704

The impact of preload reduction with head-up tilt testing on longitudinal and transverse left ventricular mechanics.

PubMed

Schneider, Caroline; Forsythe, Lynsey; Somauroo, John; George, Keith; Oxborough, David

2018-01-03

Left ventricular (LV) function is dependent on load, intrinsic contractility and relaxation with a variable impact on specific mechanics. Strain (ε) imaging allows the assessment of cardiac function however the direct relationship between volume and strain is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of preload reduction through head-up tilt (HUT) testing on simultaneous left ventricular (LV) longitudinal and transverse function and their respective contribution to volume change. A focused transthoracic echocardiogram was performed on 10 healthy male participants (23 ± 3 years,) in the supine position and following 1 min and 5 min of HUT testing. Raw temporal longitudinal ε (Ls) and transverse ε (Ts) values were exported and divided into 5% increments across the cardiac cycle and corresponding LV volumes were traced at each 5% increment. This provided simultaneous LV longitudinal and transverse ε and volume-loops (deformation-volume analysis - DVA). There was a leftward- shift of the ε -volume loop from supine to 1 min and 5 min of HUT, p<0.001). Moreover, longitudinal shortening was reduced (p<0.001) with a concomitant increase in transverse thickening from supine to 1min, which was further augmented at 5min (p=0.018). Preload reduction occurs within 1 minute of HUT but does not further reduce at 5 minutes. This decline is associated with a decrease in longitudinal ε and concomitant increase in transverse ε. Consequently, augmented transverse relaxation appears to be an important factor in the maintenance of LV filling in the setting of reduced preload. DVA provides information on the relative contribution of mechanics to a change in LV volume and may have a role in the assessment of clinical populations. © 2018 The authors.

Nuclear magnetic relaxation by the dipolar EMOR mechanism: Multi-spin systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Zhiwei; Halle, Bertil

2017-08-01

In aqueous systems with immobilized macromolecules, including biological tissues, the longitudinal spin relaxation of water protons is primarily induced by exchange-mediated orientational randomization (EMOR) of intra- and intermolecular magnetic dipole-dipole couplings. Starting from the stochastic Liouville equation, we have previously developed a rigorous EMOR relaxation theory for dipole-coupled two-spin and three-spin systems. Here, we extend the stochastic Liouville theory to four-spin systems and use these exact results as a guide for constructing an approximate multi-spin theory, valid for spin systems of arbitrary size. This so-called generalized stochastic Redfield equation (GSRE) theory includes the effects of longitudinal-transverse cross-mode relaxation, which gives rise to an inverted step in the relaxation dispersion profile, and coherent spin mode transfer among solid-like spins, which may be regarded as generalized spin diffusion. The GSRE theory is compared to an existing theory, based on the extended Solomon equations, which does not incorporate these phenomena. Relaxation dispersion profiles are computed from the GSRE theory for systems of up to 16 protons, taken from protein crystal structures. These profiles span the range from the motional narrowing limit, where the coherent mode transfer plays a major role, to the ultra-slow motion limit, where the zero-field rate is closely related to the strong-collision limit of the dipolar relaxation rate. Although a quantitative analysis of experimental data is beyond the scope of this work, it is clear from the magnitude of the predicted relaxation rate and the shape of the relaxation dispersion profile that the dipolar EMOR mechanism is the principal cause of water-1H low-field longitudinal relaxation in aqueous systems of immobilized macromolecules, including soft biological tissues. The relaxation theory developed here therefore provides a basis for molecular-level interpretation of endogenous soft

A nonlinear relaxation/quasi-Newton algorithm for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Jack R.; Mcrae, D. S.

1992-01-01

A highly efficient implicit method for the computation of steady, two-dimensional compressible Navier-Stokes flowfields is presented. The discretization of the governing equations is hybrid in nature, with flux-vector splitting utilized in the streamwise direction and central differences with flux-limited artificial dissipation used for the transverse fluxes. Line Jacobi relaxation is used to provide a suitable initial guess for a new nonlinear iteration strategy based on line Gauss-Seidel sweeps. The applicability of quasi-Newton methods as convergence accelerators for this and other line relaxation algorithms is discussed, and efficient implementations of such techniques are presented. Convergence histories and comparisons with experimental data are presented for supersonic flow over a flat plate and for several high-speed compression corner interactions. Results indicate a marked improvement in computational efficiency over more conventional upwind relaxation strategies, particularly for flowfields containing large pockets of streamwise subsonic flow.

The time-dependence of exchange-induced relaxation during modulated radio frequency pulses.

PubMed

Sorce, Dennis J; Michaeli, Shalom; Garwood, Michael

2006-03-01

The problem of the relaxation of identical spins 1/2 induced by chemical exchange between spins with different chemical shifts in the presence of time-dependent RF irradiation (in the first rotating frame) is considered for the fast exchange regime. The solution for the time evolution under the chemical exchange Hamiltonian in the tilted doubly rotating frame (TDRF) is presented. Detailed derivation is specified to the case of a two-site chemical exchange system with complete randomization between jumps of the exchanging spins. The derived theory can be applied to describe the modulation of the chemical exchange relaxation rate constants when using a train of adiabatic pulses, such as the hyperbolic secant pulse. Theory presented is valid for quantification of the exchange-induced time-dependent rotating frame longitudinal T1rho,ex and transverse T2rho,ex relaxations in the fast chemical exchange regime.

Anomalous T2 relaxation in normal and degraded cartilage.

PubMed

Reiter, David A; Magin, Richard L; Li, Weiguo; Trujillo, Juan J; Pilar Velasco, M; Spencer, Richard G

2016-09-01

To compare the ordinary monoexponential model with three anomalous relaxation models-the stretched Mittag-Leffler, stretched exponential, and biexponential functions-using both simulated and experimental cartilage relaxation data. Monte Carlo simulations were used to examine both the ability of identifying a given model under high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions and the accuracy and precision of parameter estimates under more modest SNR as would be encountered clinically. Experimental transverse relaxation data were analyzed from normal and enzymatically degraded cartilage samples under high SNR and rapid echo sampling to compare each model. Both simulation and experimental results showed improvement in signal representation with the anomalous relaxation models. The stretched exponential model consistently showed the lowest mean squared error in experimental data and closely represents the signal decay over multiple decades of the decay time (e.g., 1-10 ms, 10-100 ms, and >100 ms). The stretched exponential parameter αse showed an inverse correlation with biochemically derived cartilage proteoglycan content. Experimental results obtained at high field suggest potential application of αse as a measure of matrix integrity. Simulation reflecting more clinical imaging conditions, indicate the ability to robustly estimate αse and distinguish between normal and degraded tissue, highlighting its potential as a biomarker for human studies. Magn Reson Med 76:953-962, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Longitudinal relaxation of initially straight flexible and stiff polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitrakopoulos, Panagiotis; Dissanayake, Inuka

2004-11-01

The present talk considers the relaxation of a single flexible or stiff polymer chain from an initial straight configuration in a viscous solvent. This problem commonly arises when strong flows are turned off in both industrial and biological applications. The problem is also motivated by recent experiments with single biopolymer molecules relaxing after being fully extended by applied forces as well as by the recent development of micro-devices involving stretched tethered biopolymers. Our results are applicable to a wide array of synthetic polymers such as polyacrylamides, Kevlar and polyesters as well as biopolymers such as DNA, actin filaments, microtubules and MTV. In this talk we discuss the mechanism of the polymer relaxation as was revealed through Brownian Dynamics simulations covering a broad range of time scales and chain stiffness. After the short-time free diffusion, the chain's longitudinal reduction at early intermediate times is shown to constitute a universal behavior for any chain stiffness caused by a quasi-steady relaxation of tensions associated with the deforming action of the Brownian forces. Stiff chains are shown to exhibit a late intermediate-time longitudinal reduction associated with a relaxation of tensions affected by the deforming Brownian and the restoring bending forces. The longitudinal and transverse relaxations are shown to obey different laws, i.e. the chain relaxation is anisotropic at all times. In the talk, we show how from the knowledge of the relaxation mechanism, we can predict and explain the polymer properties including the polymer stress and the solution birefringence. In addition, a generalized stress-optic law is derived valid for any time and chain stiffness. All polymer properties which depend on the polymer length are shown to exhibit two intermediate-time behaviors with the early one to constitute a universal behavior for any chain stiffness. This work was supported in part by the Minta Martin Research Fund. The

Pressure-induced emergence of unusually high-frequency transverse excitations in a liquid alkali metal: Evidence of two types of collective excitations contributing to the transverse dynamics at high pressures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bryk, Taras; Lviv Polytechnic National University, 12 S. Bandera Street, UA-79013 Lviv; Ruocco, G.

Unlike phonons in crystals, the collective excitations in liquids cannot be treated as propagation of harmonic displacements of atoms around stable local energy minima. The viscoelasticity of liquids, reflected in transition from the adiabatic to elastic high-frequency speed of sound and in absence of the long-wavelength transverse excitations, results in dispersions of longitudinal (L) and transverse (T) collective excitations essentially different from the typical phonon ones. Practically, nothing is known about the effect of high pressure on the dispersion of collective excitations in liquids, which causes strong changes in liquid structure. Here dispersions of L and T collective excitations inmore » liquid Li in the range of pressures up to 186 GPa were studied by ab initio simulations. Two methodologies for dispersion calculations were used: direct estimation from the peak positions of the L/T current spectral functions and simulation-based calculations of wavenumber-dependent collective eigenmodes. It is found that at ambient pressure, the longitudinal and transverse dynamics are well separated, while at high pressures, the transverse current spectral functions, density of vibrational states, and dispersions of collective excitations yield evidence of two types of propagating modes that contribute strongly to transverse dynamics. Emergence of the unusually high-frequency transverse modes gives evidence of the breakdown of a regular viscoelastic theory of transverse dynamics, which is based on coupling of a single transverse propagating mode with shear relaxation. The explanation of the observed high-frequency shift above the viscoelastic value is given by the presence of another branch of collective excitations. With the pressure increasing, coupling between the two types of collective excitations is rationalized within a proposed extended viscoelastic model of transverse dynamics.« less

Multi-Component T2 Relaxation Studies of the Avian Egg

PubMed Central

Mitsouras, Dimitris; Mulkern, Robert V.; Maier, Stephan E.

2015-01-01

Purpose To investigate the tissue-like multiexponential T2 signal decays in avian eggs. Methods Transverse relaxation studies of raw, soft-boiled and hard-boiled eggs were performed at 3 Tesla using a 3D Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) imaging sequence. Signal decays over a TE range of 11 to 354 ms were fitted assuming single- and multi-component signal decays with up to three separately decaying components. Fat saturation was used to facilitate spectral assignment of observed decay components. Results Egg white, yolk and the centrally located latebra all demonstrate nonmonoexponential T2 decays. Specifically, egg white exhibits two-component decays with intermediate and long T2 times. Meanwhile, yolk and latebra are generally best characterized with triexponential decays, with short, intermediate and very long T2 decay times. Fat saturation revealed that the intermediate component of yolk could be attributed to lipids. Cooking of the egg profoundly altered the decay curves. Conclusion Avian egg T2 decay curves cover a wide range of decay times. Observed T2 components in yolk and latebra as short as 10 ms, may prove valuable for testing clinical sequences designed to measure short T2 components, such as myelin-associated water in the brain. Thus we propose that the egg can be a versatile and widely available MR transverse relaxation phantom. PMID:26037128

Electrical transport in transverse direction through silicon carbon alloy multilayers containing regular size silicon quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Aparajita; Kole, Arindam; Dasgupta, Arup; Chaudhuri, Partha

2016-11-01

Electrical transport in the transverse direction has been studied through a series of hydrogenated silicon carbon alloy multilayers (SiC-MLs) deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Each SiC-ML consists of 30 cycles of the alternating layers of a nearly amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC:H) and a microcrystalline silicon carbide (μc-SiC:H) that contains high density of silicon quantum dots (Si-QDs). A detailed investigation by cross sectional TEM reveals preferential growth of densely packed Si-QDs of regular sizes ∼4.8 nm in diameter in a vertically aligned columnar structure within the SiC-ML. More than six orders of magnitude increase in transverse current through the SiC-ML structure were observed for decrease in the a-SiC:H layer thickness from 13 nm to 2 nm. The electrical transport mechanism was established to be a combination of grain boundary or band tail hopping and Frenkel-Poole (F-P) type conduction depending on the temperature and externally applied voltage ranges. Evaluation of trap concentration within the multilayer structures from the fitted room temperature current voltage characteristics by F-P function shows reduction up-to two orders of magnitude indicating an improvement in the short range order in the a-SiC:H matrix for decrease in the thickness of a-SiC:H layer.

RELAX: detecting relaxed selection in a phylogenetic framework.

PubMed

Wertheim, Joel O; Murrell, Ben; Smith, Martin D; Kosakovsky Pond, Sergei L; Scheffler, Konrad

2015-03-01

Relaxation of selective strength, manifested as a reduction in the efficiency or intensity of natural selection, can drive evolutionary innovation and presage lineage extinction or loss of function. Mechanisms through which selection can be relaxed range from the removal of an existing selective constraint to a reduction in effective population size. Standard methods for estimating the strength and extent of purifying or positive selection from molecular sequence data are not suitable for detecting relaxed selection, because they lack power and can mistake an increase in the intensity of positive selection for relaxation of both purifying and positive selection. Here, we present a general hypothesis testing framework (RELAX) for detecting relaxed selection in a codon-based phylogenetic framework. Given two subsets of branches in a phylogeny, RELAX can determine whether selective strength was relaxed or intensified in one of these subsets relative to the other. We establish the validity of our test via simulations and show that it can distinguish between increased positive selection and a relaxation of selective strength. We also demonstrate the power of RELAX in a variety of biological scenarios where relaxation of selection has been hypothesized or demonstrated previously. We find that obligate and facultative γ-proteobacteria endosymbionts of insects are under relaxed selection compared with their free-living relatives and obligate endosymbionts are under relaxed selection compared with facultative endosymbionts. Selective strength is also relaxed in asexual Daphnia pulex lineages, compared with sexual lineages. Endogenous, nonfunctional, bornavirus-like elements are found to be under relaxed selection compared with exogenous Borna viruses. Finally, selection on the short-wavelength sensitive, SWS1, opsin genes in echolocating and nonecholocating bats is relaxed only in lineages in which this gene underwent pseudogenization; however, selection on the functional

Improvement of the relaxation time and the order parameter of nematic liquid crystal using a hybrid alignment mixture of carbon nanotube and polyimide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Hyojin; Yang, Seungbin; Lee, Ji-Hoon, E-mail: jihoonlee@jbnu.ac.kr

2014-05-12

We examined the electrooptical properties of a nematic liquid crystal (LC) sample whose substrates were coated with a mixture of carbon nanotube (CNT) and polyimide (PI). The relaxation time of the sample coated with 1.5 wt. % CNT mixture was about 35% reduced compared to the pure polyimide sample. The elastic constant and the order parameter of the CNT-mixture sample were increased and the fast relaxation of LC could be approximated to the mean-field theory. We found the CNT-mixed polyimide formed more smooth surface than the pure PI from atomic force microscopy images, indicating the increased order parameter is related to themore » smooth surface topology of the CNT-polyimide mixture.« less

State resolved vibrational relaxation modeling for strongly nonequilibrium flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Iain D.; Josyula, Eswar

2011-05-01

Vibrational relaxation is an important physical process in hypersonic flows. Activation of the vibrational mode affects the fundamental thermodynamic properties and finite rate relaxation can reduce the degree of dissociation of a gas. Low fidelity models of vibrational activation employ a relaxation time to capture the process at a macroscopic level. High fidelity, state-resolved models have been developed for use in continuum gas dynamics simulations based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD). By comparison, such models are not as common for use with the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. In this study, a high fidelity, state-resolved vibrational relaxation model is developed for the DSMC technique. The model is based on the forced harmonic oscillator approach in which multi-quantum transitions may become dominant at high temperature. Results obtained for integrated rate coefficients from the DSMC model are consistent with the corresponding CFD model. Comparison of relaxation results obtained with the high-fidelity DSMC model shows significantly less excitation of upper vibrational levels in comparison to the standard, lower fidelity DSMC vibrational relaxation model. Application of the new DSMC model to a Mach 7 normal shock wave in carbon monoxide provides better agreement with experimental measurements than the standard DSMC relaxation model.

Towards interpretation of intermolecular paramagnetic relaxation enhancement outside the fast exchange limit.

PubMed

Ceccon, Alberto; Marius Clore, G; Tugarinov, Vitali

2016-09-01

In an exchanging system between major and minor species, the transverse paramagnetic relaxation enhancement rate observed on the resonances of the major species (Γ 2 (app) ) is dependent upon the exchange regime between the species. Quantitative analysis of PRE data in such systems typically assumes that the overall exchange rate k ex between the species is fast on the PRE time scale (k ex ≫ Γ2). Recently, we have characterized the kinetics of binding of the model protein ubiquitin to large (LUV) and small (SUV) unilamellar lipid-based nanoparticles or liposomes (Ceccon A, Tugarinov V, Bax A, Clore GM (2016). J Am Chem Soc 138:5789-5792). Building upon these results and taking advantage of a strong paramagnetic agent with an isotropic g-tensor, Gd(3+), we were able to measure intermolecular methyl carbon and proton PREs between paramagnetically-tagged liposomes and ubiquitin. In the limit of fast exchange (k ex ≫ Γ2) the ratio of the apparent proton to carbon methyl PREs, ((1)Hm-Γ 2 (app) )/((13)Cm-Γ 2 (app) ), is equal to the square of the ratio of the gyromagnetic ratios of the two nuclei, (γΗ/γC)(2). However, outside the fast exchange regime, under intermediate exchange conditions (e.g. when Γ2 is comparable in magnitude to k ex) the ((1)Hm-Γ 2 (app) )/((13)Cm-Γ 2 (app) ) ratio provides a reliable measure of the 'true' methyl PREs.

Flux line non-equilibrium relaxation kinetics following current quenches in disordered type-II superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaturvedi, Harshwardhan; Assi, Hiba; Dobramysl, Ulrich; Pleimling, Michel; Täuber, Uwe

We investigate the relaxation dynamics of magnetic vortex lines in disordered type-II superconductors following rapid changes in the external driving current by means of Langevin molecular dynamics simulations for an elastic line model. A system of driven interacting flux lines in a sample with randomly distributed point pinning centers is initially relaxed to a moving non-equilibrium steady state. The current is then instantaneously decreased, such that the final stationary state resides either still in the moving regime, or in the pinned Bragg glass phase. The ensuing non-equilibrium relaxation kinetics of the vortices is studied in detail by measuring the mean flux line gyration radius and the two-time transverse height autocorrelation function. The latter allows us to investigate the physical aging properties for quenches from the moving into the glassy phase, and to compare with non-equilibrium relaxation features obtained with different initial configurations. Research supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering under Award DE-FG02-09ER46613.

Vortex relaxation in type-II superconductors following current quenches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaturvedi, Harsh; Assi, Hiba; Dobramysl, Ulrich; Pleimling, Michel; Täuber, Uwe

2015-03-01

The mixed phase in type-II superconductors is characterized by the presence of mutually repulsive magnetic flux lines that are driven by external currents and pinned by point-like or extended material defects. We represent the disordered vortex system in the London limit by an elastic directed line model, whose relaxational dynamics we investigate numerically by means of Langevin Molecular Dynamics. We specifically study the effects of sudden changes of the driving current on the time evolution of the mean flux line gyration radius and the associated transverse displacement correlation functions. Upon quenching from the moving into the pinned glassy phase, we observe algebraically slow relaxation. The associated two-time height-autocorrelations display broken time translation invariance and can be described by a simple aging scaling form, albeit with non-universal scaling exponents. Research supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering under Award DE-FG02-09ER46613.

Density matrix solutions for the susceptibilities of a three-level system with arbitrary relaxation rates and field strengths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, J. C.; Lawandy, N. M.

1986-01-01

The susceptibilities for a three-level system with arbitrary pump and signal field strengths are derived for arbitrary longitudinal and transverse relaxation rates. The results are of interest in connection with the calculation of the Raman gain in systems where resonance enhancement plays a dominant role.

Restricted lithium ion dynamics in PEO-based block copolymer electrolytes measured by high-field nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huynh, Tan Vu; Messinger, Robert J.; Sarou-Kanian, Vincent; Fayon, Franck; Bouchet, Renaud; Deschamps, Michaël

2017-10-01

The intrinsic ionic conductivity of polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based block copolymer electrolytes is often assumed to be identical to the conductivity of the PEO homopolymer. Here, we use high-field 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation and pulsed-field-gradient (PFG) NMR diffusion measurements to probe lithium ion dynamics over nanosecond and millisecond time scales in PEO and polystyrene (PS)-b-PEO-b-PS electrolytes containing the lithium salt LiTFSI. Variable-temperature longitudinal (T1) and transverse (T2) 7Li NMR relaxation rates were acquired at three magnetic field strengths and quantitatively analyzed for the first time at such fields, enabling us to distinguish two characteristic time scales that describe fluctuations of the 7Li nuclear electric quadrupolar interaction. Fast lithium motions [up to O (ns)] are essentially identical between the two polymer electrolytes, including sub-nanosecond vibrations and local fluctuations of the coordination polyhedra between lithium and nearby oxygen atoms. However, lithium dynamics over longer time scales [O (10 ns) and greater] are slower in the block copolymer compared to the homopolymer, as manifested experimentally by their different transverse 7Li NMR relaxation rates. Restricted dynamics and altered thermodynamic behavior of PEO chains anchored near PS domains likely explain these results.

Transverse spin and transverse momentum in scattering of plane waves.

PubMed

Saha, Sudipta; Singh, Ankit K; Ray, Subir K; Banerjee, Ayan; Gupta, Subhasish Dutta; Ghosh, Nirmalya

2016-10-01

We study the near field to the far field evolution of spin angular momentum (SAM) density and the Poynting vector of the scattered waves from spherical scatterers. The results show that at the near field, the SAM density and the Poynting vector are dominated by their transverse components. While the former (transverse SAM) is independent of the helicity of the incident circular polarization state, the latter (transverse Poynting vector) depends upon the polarization state. It is further demonstrated that the interference of the transverse electric and transverse magnetic scattering modes enhances both the magnitudes and the spatial extent of the transverse SAM and the transverse momentum components.

Studies of MRI relaxivities of gadolinium-labeled dendrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Hongmu; Daniel, Marie-Christine

2011-05-01

In cancer detection, imaging techniques have a great importance in early diagnosis. The more sensitive the imaging technique and the earlier the tumor can be detected. Contrast agents have the capability to increase the sensitivity in imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Until now, gadolinium-based contrast agents are mainly used for MRI, and show good enhancement. But improvement is needed for detection of smaller tumors at the earliest stage possible. The dendrons complexed with Gd(DOTA) were synthesized and evaluated as a new MRI contrast agent. The longitudinal and transverse relaxation effects were tested and compared with commercial drug Magnevist, Gd(DTPA).

T(2) relaxation time of hyaline cartilage in presence of different gadolinium-based contrast agents.

PubMed

Wiener, Edzard; Settles, Marcus; Diederichs, Gerd

2010-01-01

The transverse relaxation time, T(2), of native cartilage is used to quantify cartilage degradation. T(2) is frequently measured after contrast administration, assuming that the impact of gadolinium-based contrast agents on cartilage T(2) is negligible. To verify this assumption the depth-dependent variation of T(2) in the presence of gadopentetate dimeglumine, gadobenate dimeglumine and gadoteridol was investigated. Furthermore, the r(2)/r(1) relaxivity ratios were quantified in different cartilage layers to demonstrate differences between T(2) and T(1) relaxation effects. Transverse high-spatial-resolution T(1)- and T(2)-maps were simultaneously acquired on a 1.5 T MR scanner before and after contrast administration in nine bovine patellae using a turbo-mixed sequence. The r(2)/r(1) ratios were calculated for each contrast agent in cartilage. Profiles of T(1), T(2) and r(2)/r(1) across cartilage thickness were generated in the absence and presence of contrast agent. The mean values in different cartilage layers were compared for global variance using the Kruskal-Wallis test and pairwise using the Mann-Whitney U-test. T(2) of unenhanced cartilage was 98 +/- 5 ms at 1 mm and 65 +/- 4 ms at 3 mm depth. Eleven hours after contrast administration significant differences (p < 0.001) were measurable for all three contrast agents. T(2) values were 58 +/- 2 and 62 +/- 3 ms for gadopentetate dimeglumine, 46 +/- 2 and 57 +/- 2 ms for gadobenate dimeglumine, and 38 +/- 2 and 42 +/- 2 ms for gadoteridol at 1 and 3 mm depths, respectively. The r(2)/r(1) relaxivity ratios across cartilage thickness were close to 1.0 (range 0.9-1.3). At 1.5 T, T(2) decreased significantly in the presence of contrast agents, more pronounced in superficial than in deep cartilage. The change in T(2) relaxation rate was similar to the change in T(1). Cartilage T(2) measurements after contrast administration will lead to systematic errors in the quantification of cartilage degradation. 2010 John

Relaxation Assessment with Varied Structured Milieu (RELAX).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassel, Russell N.; Cassel, Susie L.

1983-01-01

Describes Relaxation Assessment with Varied Structured Milieu (RELAX), a clinical program designed to assess the degree to which an individual is able to demonstrate self-control for overall general relaxation. The program is designed for use with the Cassel Biosensors biofeedback equipment. (JAC)

Transverse thermopherotic MHD Oldroyd-B fluid with Newtonian heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehmood, R.; Rana, S.; Nadeem, S.

2018-03-01

Hydromagnetic transverse flow of an Oldroyd-B type fluid with suspension of nanoparticles and Newtonian heating effects is conferred in this article. Relaxation and Retardation time effects are taken into consideration. Using suitable transformations physical problem is converted into non-linear ordinary differential equations which are tackled numerically via Runge-Kutta Fehlberg integration scheme. Illustration of embedded constraints on flow characteristics are extracted through graphs. The physical response of velocity, temperature and concentration are investigated computationally. Momentum boundary layer thickness decreases but local heat and mass flux rises for Deborah number and Hartman number. The results provide interesting insights into certain applicable transport phenomena involving hydromagnetic rheological fluids.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo modeling of relaxation processes in polyatomic gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfeiffer, M.; Nizenkov, P.; Mirza, A.; Fasoulas, S.

2016-02-01

Relaxation processes of polyatomic molecules are modeled and implemented in an in-house Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code in order to enable the simulation of atmospheric entry maneuvers at Mars and Saturn's Titan. The description of rotational and vibrational relaxation processes is derived from basic quantum-mechanics using a rigid rotator and a simple harmonic oscillator, respectively. Strategies regarding the vibrational relaxation process are investigated, where good agreement for the relaxation time according to the Landau-Teller expression is found for both methods, the established prohibiting double relaxation method and the new proposed multi-mode relaxation. Differences and applications areas of these two methods are discussed. Consequently, two numerical methods used for sampling of energy values from multi-dimensional distribution functions are compared. The proposed random-walk Metropolis algorithm enables the efficient treatment of multiple vibrational modes within a time step with reasonable computational effort. The implemented model is verified and validated by means of simple reservoir simulations and the comparison to experimental measurements of a hypersonic, carbon-dioxide flow around a flat-faced cylinder.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo modeling of relaxation processes in polyatomic gases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pfeiffer, M., E-mail: mpfeiffer@irs.uni-stuttgart.de; Nizenkov, P., E-mail: nizenkov@irs.uni-stuttgart.de; Mirza, A., E-mail: mirza@irs.uni-stuttgart.de

2016-02-15

Relaxation processes of polyatomic molecules are modeled and implemented in an in-house Direct Simulation Monte Carlo code in order to enable the simulation of atmospheric entry maneuvers at Mars and Saturn’s Titan. The description of rotational and vibrational relaxation processes is derived from basic quantum-mechanics using a rigid rotator and a simple harmonic oscillator, respectively. Strategies regarding the vibrational relaxation process are investigated, where good agreement for the relaxation time according to the Landau-Teller expression is found for both methods, the established prohibiting double relaxation method and the new proposed multi-mode relaxation. Differences and applications areas of these two methodsmore » are discussed. Consequently, two numerical methods used for sampling of energy values from multi-dimensional distribution functions are compared. The proposed random-walk Metropolis algorithm enables the efficient treatment of multiple vibrational modes within a time step with reasonable computational effort. The implemented model is verified and validated by means of simple reservoir simulations and the comparison to experimental measurements of a hypersonic, carbon-dioxide flow around a flat-faced cylinder.« less

My starting point: the discovery of an NMR method for measuring blood oxygenation using the transverse relaxation time of blood water.

PubMed

Thulborn, Keith R

2012-08-15

This invited personal story, covering the period from 1979 to 2010, describes the discovery of the dependence of the transverse relaxation time of water in blood on the oxygenation state of hemoglobin in the erythrocytes. The underlying mechanism of the compartmentation of the different magnetic susceptibilities of hemoglobin in its different oxygenation states also explains the mechanism that underlies blood oxygenation level dependent contrast used in fMRI. The story begins with the initial observation of line broadening during ischemia in small rodents detected by in vivo 31P NMR spectroscopy at high field. This spectroscopic line broadening or T2* relaxation effect was demonstrated to be related to the oxygenation state of blood. The effect was quantified more accurately using T2 values measured by the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill method. The effect was dependent on the integrity of the erythrocytes to compartmentalize the different magnetic susceptibilities produced by the changing spin state of the ferrous iron of hemoglobin in its different oxygenation states between the erythrocytes and the suspending solution. The hematocrit and magnetic field dependence, the requirement for erythrocyte integrity and lack of T1 dependence confirmed that the magnetic susceptibility effect explained the oxygenation state dependence of T2* and T2. This T2/T2* effect was combined with T1 based measurements of blood flow to measure oxygen consumption in animals. This blood oxygenation assay and its underlying magnetic susceptibility gradient mechanism was published in the biochemistry literature in 1982 and largely forgotten. The observation was revived to explain evolving imaging features of cerebral hematoma as MR imaging of humans increased in field strength to 1.5 T by the mid 1980s. Although the imaging version of this assay was used to measure a global metabolic rate of cerebral oxygen consumption in humans at 1.5-T by 1991, the global measurement had little clinical value

17O Relaxation Times in the Rat Brain at 16.4T

PubMed Central

Wiesner, Hannes M.; Balla, Dávid Z.; Shajan, G.; Scheffler, Klaus; Uğurbil, Kâmil; Chen, Wei; Uludağ, Kâmil; Pohmann, Rolf

2015-01-01

Purpose Measurement of the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) via direct imaging of the 17O signal can be a valuable tool in neuroscientific research. However, knowledge of the longitudinal and transverse relaxation times of different brain tissue types is required, which is difficult to obtain because of the low sensitivity of natural abundance H217O measurements. Methods Using the improved sensitivity at a field strength of 16.4 T, relaxation time measurements in the rat brain were performed in vivo and postmortem with relatively high spatial resolutions, using a chemical shift imaging sequence. Results In vivo relaxation times of rat brain were found to be T1 = 6.84 ± 0.67 ms and T2* = 1.77 ± 0.04 ms. Postmortem H217O relaxometry at enriched concentrations after inhalation of 17O2 showed similar T2* values for gray (1.87 ± 0.04 ms) and white matter, significantly longer than muscle (1.27 ± 0.05 ms) and shorter than CSF (2.30 ± 0.16 ms). Conclusion Relaxation times of brain H217O were measured for the first time in vivo in different types of tissues with high spatial resolution. Since the relaxation times of H217O are expected to be independent of field strength, our results should help in optimizing the acquisition parameters for experiments also at other MRI field strengths. PMID:26098931

Transverse signal decay under the weak field approximation: Theory and validation.

PubMed

Berman, Avery J L; Pike, G Bruce

2018-07-01

To derive an expression for the transverse signal time course from systems in the motional narrowing regime, such as water diffusing in blood. This was validated in silico and experimentally with ex vivo blood samples. A closed-form solution (CFS) for transverse signal decay under any train of refocusing pulses was derived using the weak field approximation. The CFS was validated via simulations of water molecules diffusing in the presence of spherical perturbers, with a range of sizes and under various pulse sequences. The CFS was compared with more conventional fits assuming monoexponential decay, including chemical exchange, using ex vivo blood Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill data. From simulations, the CFS was shown to be valid in the motional narrowing regime and partially into the intermediate dephasing regime, with increased accuracy with increasing Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill refocusing rate. In theoretical calculations of the CFS, fitting for the transverse relaxation rate (R 2 ) gave excellent agreement with the weak field approximation expression for R 2 for Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequences, but diverged for free induction decay. These same results were confirmed in the ex vivo analysis. Transverse signal decay in the motional narrowing regime can be accurately described analytically. This theory has applications in areas such as tissue iron imaging, relaxometry of blood, and contrast agent imaging. Magn Reson Med 80:341-350, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Magnetic resonance transverse relaxation time T2 of knee cartilage in osteoarthritis at 3-T: a cross-sectional multicentre, multivendor reproducibility study.

PubMed

Balamoody, Sharon; Williams, Tomos G; Wolstenholme, Chris; Waterton, John C; Bowes, Michael; Hodgson, Richard; Zhao, Sha; Scott, Marietta; Taylor, Chris J; Hutchinson, Charles E

2013-04-01

The transverse relaxation time (T2) in MR imaging has been identified as a potential biomarker of hyaline cartilage pathology. This study investigates whether MR assessments of T2 are comparable between 3-T scanners from three different vendors. Twelve subjects with symptoms of knee osteoarthritis and one or more risk factors had their knee scanned on each of the three vendors' scanners located in three sites in the U.K. MR data acquisition was based on the United States National Institutes of Health Osteoarthritis Initiative protocol. Measures of cartilage T2 and R2 (inverse of T2) were computed for precision error assessment. Intrascanner reproducibility was also assessed with a phantom (all three scanners) and a cohort of 5 subjects (one scanner only). Whole-organ magnetic resonance (WORM) semiquantitative cartilage scores ranged from minimal to advanced degradation. Intrascanner R2 root-mean-square coefficients of variation (RMSCOV) were low, within the range 2.6 to 6.3% for femoral and tibial regions. For one scanner pair, mean T2 differences ranged from -1.2 to 2.8 ms, with no significant difference observed for the medial tibia and patella regions (p < 0.05). T2 values from the third scanner were systematically lower, producing interscanner mean T2 differences within the range 5.4 to 10.0 ms. Significant interscanner cartilage T2 differences were found and should be accounted for before data from scanners of different vendors are compared.

Magnetic properties, water proton relaxivities, and in-vivo MR images of paramagnetic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Gang Ho; Chang, Yongmin

2015-07-01

In this mini review, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents based on lanthanideoxide (Ln2O3) nanoparticles are described. Ln2O3 (Ln = Gd, Dy, Ho, and Er) nanoparticles are paramagnetic, but show appreciable magnetic moments at room temperature and even at ultrasmall particle diameters. Among Ln2O3 nanoparticles, Gd2O3 nanoparticles show larger longitudinal water proton relaxivity (r1) values than Gd-chelates because of the large amount of Gd in the nanoparticle, and the other Ln2O3 nanoparticles (Ln = Dy, Ho, and Er) show appreciable transverse water proton relaxivity (r2) values. Therefore, Gd2O3 nanoparticles are potential T1 MRI contrast agents while the other Ln2O3 nanoparticles are potential T2 MRI contrast agents at high MR fields.

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer with reduced relaxation losses by use of the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furrer, Julien; Kramer, Frank; Marino, John P.; Glaser, Steffen J.; Luy, Burkhard

2004-01-01

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer is one of the most important building blocks in modern high-resolution NMR. It constitutes a very efficient transfer element for the assignment of proteins, nucleic acids, and oligosaccharides. Nevertheless, in macromolecules exceeding ˜10 kDa TOCSY-experiments can show decreasing sensitivity due to fast transverse relaxation processes that are active during the mixing periods. In this article we propose the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence, originally developed for efficient TOCSY transfer through residual dipolar couplings, as a homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn sequence with improved relaxation properties. A theoretical analysis of the coherence transfer via scalar couplings and its relaxation behavior as well as experimental transfer curves for MOCCA-XY16 relative to the well-characterized DIPSI-2 multiple pulse sequence are given.

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer with reduced relaxation losses by use of the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence.

PubMed

Furrer, Julien; Kramer, Frank; Marino, John P; Glaser, Steffen J; Luy, Burkhard

2004-01-01

Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn transfer is one of the most important building blocks in modern high-resolution NMR. It constitutes a very efficient transfer element for the assignment of proteins, nucleic acids, and oligosaccharides. Nevertheless, in macromolecules exceeding approximately 10 kDa TOCSY-experiments can show decreasing sensitivity due to fast transverse relaxation processes that are active during the mixing periods. In this article we propose the MOCCA-XY16 multiple pulse sequence, originally developed for efficient TOCSY transfer through residual dipolar couplings, as a homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn sequence with improved relaxation properties. A theoretical analysis of the coherence transfer via scalar couplings and its relaxation behavior as well as experimental transfer curves for MOCCA-XY16 relative to the well-characterized DIPSI-2 multiple pulse sequence are given.

An optimized transversely isotropic, hyper-poro-viscoelastic finite element model of the meniscus to evaluate mechanical degradation following traumatic loading

PubMed Central

Wheatley, Benjamin B.; Fischenich, Kristine M.; Button, Keith D.; Haut, Roger C.; Haut Donahue, Tammy L.

2015-01-01

Inverse finite element (FE) analysis is an effective method to predict material behavior, evaluate mechanical properties, and study differences in biological tissue function. The meniscus plays a key role in load distribution within the knee joint and meniscal degradation is commonly associated with the onset of osteoarthritis. In the current study, a novel transversely isotropic hyper-poro-viscoelastic constitutive formulation was incorporated in a FE model to evaluate changes in meniscal material properties following tibiofemoral joint impact. A non-linear optimization scheme was used to fit the model output to indentation relaxation experimental data. This study is the first to investigate rate of relaxation in healthy versus impacted menisci. Stiffness was found to be decreased (p=0.003), while the rate of tissue relaxation increased (p=0.010) at twelve weeks post impact. Total amount of relaxation, however, did not change in the impacted tissue (p=0.513). PMID:25776872

Low-field one-dimensional and direction-dependent relaxation imaging of bovine articular cartilage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rössler, Erik; Mattea, Carlos; Mollova, Ayret; Stapf, Siegfried

2011-12-01

The structure of articular cartilage is separated into three layers of differently oriented collagen fibers, which is accompanied by a gradient of increasing glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and decreasing water concentration from the top layer towards the bone interface. The combined effect of these structural variations results in a change of the longitudinal and transverse relaxation times as a function of the distance from the cartilage surface. In this paper, this dependence is investigated at a magnetic field strength of 0.27 T with a one-dimensional depth resolution of 50 μm on bovine hip and stifle joint articular cartilage. By employing this method, advantage is taken of the increasing contrast of the longitudinal relaxation rate found at lower magnetic field strengths. Furthermore, evidence for an orientational dependence of relaxation times with respect to an axis normal to the surface plane is given, an observation that has recently been reported using high-field MRI and that was explained by preferential orientations of collagen bundles in each of the three cartilage zones. In order to quantify the extent of a further contrast mechanism and to estimate spatially dependent glycosaminoglycan concentrations, the data are supplemented by proton relaxation times that were acquired in bovine articular cartilage that was soaked in a 0.8 mM aqueous Gd ++ solution.

Three Gaseous Neurotransmitters, Nitric oxide, Carbon Monoxide, and Hydrogen Sulfide, Are Involved in the Neurogenic Relaxation Responses of the Porcine Internal Anal Sphincter.

PubMed

Folasire, Oladayo; Mills, Kylie A; Sellers, Donna J; Chess-Williams, Russ

2016-01-31

The internal anal sphincter (IAS) plays an important role in maintaining continence and a number of neurotransmitters are known to regulate IAS tone. The aim of this study was to determine the relative importance of the neurotransmitters involved in the relaxant and contractile responses of the porcine IAS. Responses of isolated strips of IAS to electrical field stimulation (EFS) were obtained in the absence and presence of inhibitors of neurotransmitter systems. Contractile responses of the sphincter to EFS were unaffected by the muscarinic receptor antagonist, atropine (1 μM), but were almost completely abolished by the adrenergic neuron blocker guanethidine (10 μM). Contractile responses were also reduced (by 45% at 5 Hz, P < 0.01) following desensitisation of purinergic receptors with α,β-methylene-ATP (10 μM). In the presence of guanethidine, atropine, and α,β-methylene-ATP, the remaining relaxatory responses to EFS were examined. These responses were not altered by the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (5 μM), the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide receptor antagonist, [D-p-Cl-Phe(6),Leu(17)]-vasoactive intestinal peptide (PheLeu-VIP; 100 nM), or the purinoceptor antagonists, 8-phenyltheophyline (P1 receptors) or suramin (P2 receptors). However, relaxation responses were reduced by Nω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA; 100 μM), an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis (40-50% reduction), zinc protoprophyrin IX (10 μM), an inhibitor of carbon monoxide synthesis (20-40% reduction), and also propargylglycine (30 μM) and aminooxyacetic acid (30 μM), inhibitors of hydrogen sulphide synthesis (15-20% reduction). Stimulation of IAS efferent nerves releases excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters: noradrenaline is the predominant contractile transmitter with a smaller component from ATP, whilst 3 gases mediate relaxation responses to EFS, with the combined contributions being nitric oxide > carbon monoxide > hydrogen sulfide.

From Strong to Fragile Glass Formers: Secondary Relaxation in Polyalcohols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Döß, A.; Paluch, M.; Sillescu, H.; Hinze, G.

2002-03-01

We have studied details of the molecular origin of slow secondary relaxation near Tg in a series of neat polyalcohols by means of dielectric spectroscopy and 2H NMR. From glycerol to threitol, xylitol, and sorbitol the appearance of the secondary relaxation changes gradually from a wing-type scenario to a pronounced β peak. It is found that in sorbitol the dynamics of the whole molecule contributes equally to the β process, while in glycerol the hydrogen bond forming OH groups remain rather rigid compared to the hydrogens bonded to the carbon skeleton.

Electron-ion relaxation in a dense plasma. [supernovae core physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Littleton, J. E.; Buchler, J.-R.

1974-01-01

The microscopic physics of the thermonuclear runaway in highly degenerate carbon-oxygen cores is investigated to determine if and how a detonation wave is generated. An expression for the electron-ion relaxation time is derived under the assumption of large degeneracy and extreme relativity of the electrons in a two-temperature plasma. Since the nuclear burning time proves to be several orders of magnitude shorter than the relaxation time, it is concluded that in studying the structure of the detonation wave the electrons and ions must be treated as separate fluids.

Study of the mechanical behavior of a 2-D carbon-carbon composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avery, W. B.; Herakovich, C. T.

1987-01-01

The out-of-plane fracture of a 2-D carbon-carbon composite was observed and characterized to gain an understanding of the factors influencing the stress distribution in such a laminate. Finite element analyses of a two-ply carbon-carbon composite under in-plane, out-of-plane, and thermal loading were performed. Under in-plane loading all components of stress were strong functions of geometry. Additionally, large thermal stresses were predicted. Out-of-plane tensile tests revealed that failure was interlaminar, and that cracks propagated along the fiber-matrix interface. An elasticity solution was utilized to analyze an orthotropic fiber in an isotropic matrix under uniform thermal load. The analysis reveals that the stress distributions in a transversely orthotropic fiber are radically different than those predicted assuming the fiber to be transversely isotropic.

After stress comes relax(ation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isa, Lucio

2015-11-01

Viscoelastic materials take a finite time to relax and dissipate stress and this time scale is directly connected to the microstructure of the material itself. In their paper, Gomez-Solano and Bechinger (2015 New J. Phys. 17 103032) perform ‘miniaturized’ mechanical tests on a range of viscoelastic materials by dragging a micron-sized bead across them using optical tweezers. Upon switching off all the external forces, they watch the bead recoil to its original position and by tracking its motion they pinpoint the relaxation time of the material. These experiments open up a new range of possibilities to characterize stress relaxation at the microscale just by watching it.

Unravelling the mechanisms of vibrational relaxation in solution.

PubMed

Grubb, Michael P; Coulter, Philip M; Marroux, Hugo J B; Orr-Ewing, Andrew J; Ashfold, Michael N R

2017-04-01

We present a systematic study of the mode-specific vibrational relaxation of NO 2 in six weakly-interacting solvents (perfluorohexane, perfluoromethylcyclohexane, perfluorodecalin, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and d-chloroform), chosen to elucidate the dominant energy transfer mechanisms in the solution phase. Broadband transient vibrational absorption spectroscopy has allowed us to extract quantum state-resolved relaxation dynamics of the two distinct NO 2 fragments produced from the 340 nm photolysis of N 2 O 4 → NO 2 (X) + NO 2 (A) and their separate paths to thermal equilibrium. Distinct relaxation pathways are observed for the NO 2 bending and stretching modes, even at energies as high as 7000 cm -1 above the potential minimum. Vibrational energy transfer is governed by different interaction mechanisms in the various solvent environments, and proceeds with timescales ranging from 20-1100 ps. NO 2 relaxation rates in the perfluorocarbon solvents are identical despite differences in acceptor mode state densities, infrared absorption cross sections, and local solvent structure. Vibrational energy is shown to be transferred to non-vibrational solvent degrees of freedom (V-T) through impulsive collisions with the perfluorocarbon molecules. Conversely, NO 2 relaxation in chlorinated solvents is reliant on vibrational resonances (V-V) while V-T energy transfer is inefficient and thermal excitation of the surrounding solvent molecules inhibits faster vibrational relaxation through direct complexation. Intramolecular vibrational redistribution allows the symmetric stretch of NO 2 to act as a gateway for antisymmetric stretch energy to exit the molecule. This study establishes an unprecedented level of detail for the cooling dynamics of a solvated small molecule, and provides a benchmark system for future theoretical studies of vibrational relaxation processes in solution.

The impact of preload reduction with head-up tilt testing on longitudinal and transverse left ventricular mechanics: a study utilizing deformation volume analysis

PubMed Central

Schneider, Caroline; Forsythe, Lynsey; Somauroo, John; George, Keith

2018-01-01

Background Left ventricular (LV) function is dependent on load, intrinsic contractility and relaxation with a variable impact on specific mechanics. Strain (ε) imaging allows the assessment of cardiac function; however, the direct relationship between volume and strain is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of preload reduction through head-up tilt (HUT) testing on simultaneous left ventricular (LV) longitudinal and transverse function and their respective contribution to volume change. Methods A focused transthoracic echocardiogram was performed on 10 healthy male participants (23 ± 3 years) in the supine position and following 1 min and 5 min of HUT testing. Raw temporal longitudinal ε (Ls) and transverse ε (Ts) values were exported and divided into 5% increments across the cardiac cycle and corresponding LV volumes were traced at each 5% increment. This provided simultaneous LV longitudinal and transverse ε and volume loops (deformation volume analysis – DVA). Results There was a leftward shift of the ε-volume loop from supine to 1 min and 5 min of HUT (P < 0.001). Moreover, longitudinal shortening was reduced (P < 0.001) with a concomitant increase in transverse thickening from supine to 1 min, which was further augmented at 5 min (P = 0.018). Conclusions Preload reduction occurs within 1 min of HUT but does not further reduce at 5 min. This decline is associated with a decrease in longitudinal ε and concomitant increase in transverse ε. Consequently, augmented transverse relaxation appears to be an important factor in the maintenance of LV filling in the setting of reduced preload. DVA provides information on the relative contribution of mechanics to a change in LV volume and may have a role in the assessment of clinical populations. PMID:29339401

The impact of preload reduction with head-up tilt testing on longitudinal and transverse left ventricular mechanics: a study utilizing deformation volume analysis.

PubMed

Schneider, Caroline; Forsythe, Lynsey; Somauroo, John; George, Keith; Oxborough, David

2018-03-01

Left ventricular (LV) function is dependent on load, intrinsic contractility and relaxation with a variable impact on specific mechanics. Strain (ε) imaging allows the assessment of cardiac function; however, the direct relationship between volume and strain is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of preload reduction through head-up tilt (HUT) testing on simultaneous left ventricular (LV) longitudinal and transverse function and their respective contribution to volume change. A focused transthoracic echocardiogram was performed on 10 healthy male participants (23 ± 3 years) in the supine position and following 1 min and 5 min of HUT testing. Raw temporal longitudinal ε (Ls) and transverse ε (Ts) values were exported and divided into 5% increments across the cardiac cycle and corresponding LV volumes were traced at each 5% increment. This provided simultaneous LV longitudinal and transverse ε and volume loops (deformation volume analysis - DVA). There was a leftward shift of the ε-volume loop from supine to 1 min and 5 min of HUT ( P  < 0.001). Moreover, longitudinal shortening was reduced ( P  < 0.001) with a concomitant increase in transverse thickening from supine to 1 min, which was further augmented at 5 min ( P  = 0.018). Preload reduction occurs within 1 min of HUT but does not further reduce at 5 min. This decline is associated with a decrease in longitudinal ε and concomitant increase in transverse ε. Consequently, augmented transverse relaxation appears to be an important factor in the maintenance of LV filling in the setting of reduced preload. DVA provides information on the relative contribution of mechanics to a change in LV volume and may have a role in the assessment of clinical populations. © 2018 The authors.

Transversity 2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barone, Vincenzo; Ratcliffe, Philip G.

Introduction. Purpose and status of the Italian Transversity Project / F. Bradamante -- Opening lecture. Transversity / M. Anselmino -- Experimental lectures. Azimuthal single-spin asymmetries from polarized and unpolarized hydrogen targets at HERMES / G. Schnell (for the HERMES Collaboration). Collins and Sivers asymmetries on the deuteron from COMPASS data / I. Horn (for the COMPASS Collaboration). First measurement of interference fragmentation on a transversely polarized hydrogen target / P. B. van der Nat (for the HERMES Collaboration). Two-hadron asymmetries at the COMPASS experiment / A. Mielech (for the COMPASS Collaboration). Measurements of chiral-odd fragmentation functions at Belle / R. Seidl ... [et al.]. Lambda asymmetries / A. Ferrero (for the COMPASS Collaboration). Transverse spin at PHENIX: results and prospects / C. Aidala (for the PHENIX Collaboration). Transverse spin and RHIC / L. Bland. Studies of transverse spin effects at JLab / H. Avakian ... [et al.] (for the CLAS Collaboration). Neutron transversity at Jefferson Lab / J. P. Chen ... [et al.] (for the Jefferson Lab Hall A Collaboration). PAX: polarized antiproton experiments / M. Contalbrigo. Single and double spin N-N interactions at GSI / M. Maggiora (for the ASSIA Collaboration). Spin filtering in storage rings / N. N. Nikolaev & F. F. Pavlov -- Theory lectures. Single-spin asymmetries and transversity in QCD / S. J. Brodsky. The relativistic hydrogen atom: a theoretical laboratory for structure functions / X. Artru & K. Benhizia. GPD's and SSA's / M. Burkardt. Time reversal odd distribution functions in chiral models / A. Drago. Soffer bound and transverse spin densities from lattice QCD / M. Diehl ... [et al.]. Single-spin asymmetries and Qiu-Sterman effect(s) / A. Bacchetta. Sivers function: SIDIS data, fits and predictions / M. Anselmino ... [et al.]. Twist-3 effects in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering / M. Schlegel, K. Goeke & A. Metz. Quark and gluon Sivers functions / I

Relaxation-Induced Anxiety: Paradoxical Anxiety Enhancement Due to Relaxation Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heide, Frederick J.; Borkovec, T. D.

1983-01-01

Documented relaxation-induced anxiety in 14 subjects suffering from tension who were given training in progressive relaxation and mantra meditation. Four of the subjects displayed clinical evidence of an anxiety reaction during a preliminary practice period. Progressive relaxation produced less evidence of relaxation-induced anxiety. (Author/JAC)

NMR quantification of diffusional exchange in cell suspensions with relaxation rate differences between intra and extracellular compartments.

PubMed

Eriksson, Stefanie; Elbing, Karin; Söderman, Olle; Lindkvist-Petersson, Karin; Topgaard, Daniel; Lasič, Samo

2017-01-01

Water transport across cell membranes can be measured non-invasively with diffusion NMR. We present a method to quantify the intracellular lifetime of water in cell suspensions with short transverse relaxation times, T2, and also circumvent the confounding effect of different T2 values in the intra- and extracellular compartments. Filter exchange spectroscopy (FEXSY) is specifically sensitive to exchange between compartments with different apparent diffusivities. Our investigation shows that FEXSY could yield significantly biased results if differences in T2 are not accounted for. To mitigate this problem, we propose combining FEXSY with diffusion-relaxation correlation experiment, which can quantify differences in T2 values in compartments with different diffusivities. Our analysis uses a joint constrained fitting of the two datasets and considers the effects of diffusion, relaxation and exchange in both experiments. The method is demonstrated on yeast cells with and without human aquaporins.

NMR quantification of diffusional exchange in cell suspensions with relaxation rate differences between intra and extracellular compartments

PubMed Central

Eriksson, Stefanie; Elbing, Karin; Söderman, Olle; Lindkvist-Petersson, Karin; Topgaard, Daniel

2017-01-01

Water transport across cell membranes can be measured non-invasively with diffusion NMR. We present a method to quantify the intracellular lifetime of water in cell suspensions with short transverse relaxation times, T2, and also circumvent the confounding effect of different T2 values in the intra- and extracellular compartments. Filter exchange spectroscopy (FEXSY) is specifically sensitive to exchange between compartments with different apparent diffusivities. Our investigation shows that FEXSY could yield significantly biased results if differences in T2 are not accounted for. To mitigate this problem, we propose combining FEXSY with diffusion-relaxation correlation experiment, which can quantify differences in T2 values in compartments with different diffusivities. Our analysis uses a joint constrained fitting of the two datasets and considers the effects of diffusion, relaxation and exchange in both experiments. The method is demonstrated on yeast cells with and without human aquaporins. PMID:28493928

Nuclear magnetic relaxation by the dipolar EMOR mechanism: General theory with applications to two-spin systems.

PubMed

Chang, Zhiwei; Halle, Bertil

2016-02-28

In aqueous systems with immobilized macromolecules, including biological tissue, the longitudinal spin relaxation of water protons is primarily induced by exchange-mediated orientational randomization (EMOR) of intra- and intermolecular magnetic dipole-dipole couplings. We have embarked on a systematic program to develop, from the stochastic Liouville equation, a general and rigorous theory that can describe relaxation by the dipolar EMOR mechanism over the full range of exchange rates, dipole coupling strengths, and Larmor frequencies. Here, we present a general theoretical framework applicable to spin systems of arbitrary size with symmetric or asymmetric exchange. So far, the dipolar EMOR theory is only available for a two-spin system with symmetric exchange. Asymmetric exchange, when the spin system is fragmented by the exchange, introduces new and unexpected phenomena. Notably, the anisotropic dipole couplings of non-exchanging spins break the axial symmetry in spin Liouville space, thereby opening up new relaxation channels in the locally anisotropic sites, including longitudinal-transverse cross relaxation. Such cross-mode relaxation operates only at low fields; at higher fields it becomes nonsecular, leading to an unusual inverted relaxation dispersion that splits the extreme-narrowing regime into two sub-regimes. The general dipolar EMOR theory is illustrated here by a detailed analysis of the asymmetric two-spin case, for which we present relaxation dispersion profiles over a wide range of conditions as well as analytical results for integral relaxation rates and time-dependent spin modes in the zero-field and motional-narrowing regimes. The general theoretical framework presented here will enable a quantitative analysis of frequency-dependent water-proton longitudinal relaxation in model systems with immobilized macromolecules and, ultimately, will provide a rigorous link between relaxation-based magnetic resonance image contrast and molecular parameters.

Nuclear magnetic relaxation by the dipolar EMOR mechanism: General theory with applications to two-spin systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Zhiwei; Halle, Bertil

2016-02-01

In aqueous systems with immobilized macromolecules, including biological tissue, the longitudinal spin relaxation of water protons is primarily induced by exchange-mediated orientational randomization (EMOR) of intra- and intermolecular magnetic dipole-dipole couplings. We have embarked on a systematic program to develop, from the stochastic Liouville equation, a general and rigorous theory that can describe relaxation by the dipolar EMOR mechanism over the full range of exchange rates, dipole coupling strengths, and Larmor frequencies. Here, we present a general theoretical framework applicable to spin systems of arbitrary size with symmetric or asymmetric exchange. So far, the dipolar EMOR theory is only available for a two-spin system with symmetric exchange. Asymmetric exchange, when the spin system is fragmented by the exchange, introduces new and unexpected phenomena. Notably, the anisotropic dipole couplings of non-exchanging spins break the axial symmetry in spin Liouville space, thereby opening up new relaxation channels in the locally anisotropic sites, including longitudinal-transverse cross relaxation. Such cross-mode relaxation operates only at low fields; at higher fields it becomes nonsecular, leading to an unusual inverted relaxation dispersion that splits the extreme-narrowing regime into two sub-regimes. The general dipolar EMOR theory is illustrated here by a detailed analysis of the asymmetric two-spin case, for which we present relaxation dispersion profiles over a wide range of conditions as well as analytical results for integral relaxation rates and time-dependent spin modes in the zero-field and motional-narrowing regimes. The general theoretical framework presented here will enable a quantitative analysis of frequency-dependent water-proton longitudinal relaxation in model systems with immobilized macromolecules and, ultimately, will provide a rigorous link between relaxation-based magnetic resonance image contrast and molecular parameters.

Reduced white matter MRI transverse relaxation rate in cognitively normal H63D-HFE human carriers and H67D-HFE mice.

PubMed

Meadowcroft, Mark D; Wang, Jianli; Purnell, Carson J; Peters, Douglas G; Eslinger, Paul J; Neely, Elizabeth B; Gill, David J; Vasavada, Megha; Ali-Rahmani, Fatima; Yang, Qing X; Connor, James R

2016-12-01

Mutations within the HFE protein gene sequence have been associated with increased risk of developing a number of neurodegenerative disorders. To this effect, an animal model has been created which incorporates the mouse homologue to the human H63D-HFE mutation: the H67D-HFE knock-in mouse. These mice exhibit alterations in iron management proteins, have increased neuronal oxidative stress, and a disruption in cholesterol regulation. However, it remains undetermined how these differences translate to human H63D carriers in regards to white matter (WM) integrity. To this endeavor, MRI transverse relaxation rate (R 2 ) parametrics were employed to test the hypothesis that WM alterations are present in H63D human carriers and are recapitulated in the H67D mice. H63D carriers exhibit widespread reductions in brain R 2 compared to non-carriers within white matter association fibers in the brain. Similar R 2 decreases within white matter tracts were observed in the H67D mouse brain. Additionally, an exacerbation of age-related R 2 decrease is found in the H67D animal model in white matter regions of interest. The decrease in R 2 within white matter tracts of both species is speculated to be multifaceted. The R 2 changes are hypothesized to be due to alterations in axonal biochemical tissue composition. The R 2 changes observed in both the human-H63D and mouse-H67D data suggest that modified white matter myelination is occurring in subjects with HFE mutations, potentially increasing vulnerability to neurodegenerative disorders.

Microscopic relaxations in a protein sustained down to 160 K in a non-glass forming organic solvent

DOE PAGES

Mamontov, Eugene; O'Neil, Hugh

2016-05-03

In this paper, we have studied microscopic dynamics of a protein in carbon disulfide, a non-glass forming solvent, down to its freezing temperature of ca. 160 K. We have utilized quasielastic neutron scattering. A comparison of lysozyme hydrated with water and dissolved in carbon disulfide reveals a stark difference in the temperature dependence of the protein's microscopic relaxation dynamics induced by the solvent. In the case of hydration water, the common protein glass-forming solvent, the protein relaxation slows down in response to a large increase in the water viscosity on cooling down, exhibiting a well-known protein dynamical transition. The dynamicalmore » transition disappears in non-glass forming carbon disulfide, whose viscosity remains a weak function of temperature all the way down to freezing at just below 160 K. The microscopic relaxation dynamics of lysozyme dissolved in carbon disulfide is sustained down to the freezing temperature of its solvent at a rate similar to that measured at ambient temperature. Finally, our results demonstrate that protein dynamical transition is not merely solvent-assisted, but rather solvent-induced, or, more precisely, is a reflection of the temperature dependence of the solvent's glass-forming dynamics.« less

Heteronuclear Adiabatic Relaxation Dispersion (HARD) for quantitative analysis of conformational dynamics in proteins.

PubMed

Traaseth, Nathaniel J; Chao, Fa-An; Masterson, Larry R; Mangia, Silvia; Garwood, Michael; Michaeli, Shalom; Seelig, Burckhard; Veglia, Gianluigi

2012-06-01

NMR relaxation methods probe biomolecular motions over a wide range of timescales. In particular, the rotating frame spin-lock R(1ρ) and Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) R(2) experiments are commonly used to characterize μs to ms dynamics, which play a critical role in enzyme folding and catalysis. In an effort to complement these approaches, we introduced the Heteronuclear Adiabatic Relaxation Dispersion (HARD) method, where dispersion in rotating frame relaxation rate constants (longitudinal R(1ρ) and transverse R(2ρ)) is created by modulating the shape and duration of adiabatic full passage (AFP) pulses. Previously, we showed the ability of the HARD method to detect chemical exchange dynamics in the fast exchange regime (k(ex)∼10(4)-10(5) s(-1)). In this article, we show the sensitivity of the HARD method to slower exchange processes by measuring R(1ρ) and R(2ρ) relaxation rates for two soluble proteins (ubiquitin and 10C RNA ligase). One advantage of the HARD method is its nominal dependence on the applied radio frequency field, which can be leveraged to modulate the dispersion in the relaxation rate constants. In addition, we also include product operator simulations to define the dynamic range of adiabatic R(1ρ) and R(2ρ) that is valid under all exchange regimes. We conclude from both experimental observations and simulations that this method is complementary to CPMG-based and rotating frame spin-lock R(1ρ) experiments to probe conformational exchange dynamics for biomolecules. Finally, this approach is germane to several NMR-active nuclei, where relaxation rates are frequency-offset independent. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantum process tomography with informational incomplete data of two J-coupled heterogeneous spins relaxation in a time window much greater than T1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maciel, Thiago O.; Vianna, Reinaldo O.; Sarthour, Roberto S.; Oliveira, Ivan S.

2015-11-01

We reconstruct the time dependent quantum map corresponding to the relaxation process of a two-spin system in liquid-state NMR at room temperature. By means of quantum tomography techniques that handle informational incomplete data, we show how to properly post-process and normalize the measurements data for the simulation of quantum information processing, overcoming the unknown number of molecules prepared in a non-equilibrium magnetization state (Nj) by an initial sequence of radiofrequency pulses. From the reconstructed quantum map, we infer both longitudinal (T1) and transversal (T2) relaxation times, and introduce the J-coupling relaxation times ({T}1J,{T}2J), which are relevant for quantum information processing simulations. We show that the map associated to the relaxation process cannot be assumed approximated unital and trace-preserving for times greater than {T}2J.

Influence of Specimen Preparation and Specimen Size on Composite Transverse Tensile Strength and Scatter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

OBrien, T. Kevin; Chawan, Arun D.; DeMarco, Kevin; Paris, Isabelle

2001-01-01

The influence of specimen polishing, configuration, and size on the transverse tension strength of two glass-epoxy materials, and one carbon-epoxy material, loaded in three and four point bending was evaluated. Polishing machined edges, arid/or tension side failure surfaces, was detrimental to specimen strength characterization instead of yielding a higher, more accurate, strength as a result of removing inherent manufacture and handling flaws. Transverse tension strength was typically lower for longer span lengths due to the classical weakest link effect. However, strength was less sensitive to volume changes achieved by increasing specimen width. The Weibull scaling law typically over-predicted changes in transverse tension strengths in three point bend tests and under-predicted changes in transverse tension strengths in four point bend tests. Furthermore, the Weibull slope varied with specimen configuration, volume, and sample size. Hence, this scaling law was not adequate for predicting transverse tension strength of heterogeneous, fiber-reinforced, polymer matrix composites.

Microscopic relaxations in a protein sustained down to 160K in a non-glass forming organic solvent.

PubMed

Mamontov, E; O'Neill, H

2017-01-01

We have studied microscopic dynamics of a protein in carbon disulfide, a non-glass forming solvent, down to its freezing temperature of ca. 160K. We have utilized quasielastic neutron scattering. A comparison of lysozyme hydrated with water and dissolved in carbon disulfide reveals a stark difference in the temperature dependence of the protein's microscopic relaxation dynamics induced by the solvent. In the case of hydration water, the common protein glass-forming solvent, the protein relaxation slows down in response to a large increase in the water viscosity on cooling down, exhibiting a well-known protein dynamical transition. The dynamical transition disappears in non-glass forming carbon disulfide, whose viscosity remains a weak function of temperature all the way down to freezing at just below 160K. The microscopic relaxation dynamics of lysozyme dissolved in carbon disulfide is sustained down to the freezing temperature of its solvent at a rate similar to that measured at ambient temperature. Our results demonstrate that protein dynamical transition is not merely solvent-assisted, but rather solvent-induced, or, more precisely, is a reflection of the temperature dependence of the solvent's glass-forming dynamics. We hypothesize that, if the long debated idea regarding the direct link between the microscopic relaxations and the biological activity in proteins is correct, then not only the microscopic relaxations, but also the activity, could be sustained in proteins all the way down to the freezing temperature of a non-glass forming solvent with a weak temperature dependence of its viscosity. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Science for Life" Guest Editor: Dr. Austen Angell, Dr. Salvatore Magazù and Dr. Federica Migliardo. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NMR relaxation induced by iron oxide particles: testing theoretical models.

PubMed

Gossuin, Y; Orlando, T; Basini, M; Henrard, D; Lascialfari, A; Mattea, C; Stapf, S; Vuong, Q L

2016-04-15

Superparamagnetic iron oxide particles find their main application as contrast agents for cellular and molecular magnetic resonance imaging. The contrast they bring is due to the shortening of the transverse relaxation time T 2 of water protons. In order to understand their influence on proton relaxation, different theoretical relaxation models have been developed, each of them presenting a certain validity domain, which depends on the particle characteristics and proton dynamics. The validation of these models is crucial since they allow for predicting the ideal particle characteristics for obtaining the best contrast but also because the fitting of T 1 experimental data by the theory constitutes an interesting tool for the characterization of the nanoparticles. In this work, T 2 of suspensions of iron oxide particles in different solvents and at different temperatures, corresponding to different proton diffusion properties, were measured and were compared to the three main theoretical models (the motional averaging regime, the static dephasing regime, and the partial refocusing model) with good qualitative agreement. However, a real quantitative agreement was not observed, probably because of the complexity of these nanoparticulate systems. The Roch theory, developed in the motional averaging regime (MAR), was also successfully used to fit T 1 nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) profiles, even outside the MAR validity range, and provided a good estimate of the particle size. On the other hand, the simultaneous fitting of T 1 and T 2 NMRD profiles by the theory was impossible, and this occurrence constitutes a clear limitation of the Roch model. Finally, the theory was shown to satisfactorily fit the deuterium T 1 NMRD profile of superparamagnetic particle suspensions in heavy water.

Breathing and Relaxation

MedlinePlus

... Programs Health Information Doctors & Departments Clinical Research & Science Education & Training Home Health Insights Stress & Relaxation Breathing and Relaxation Breathing and Relaxation Make ...

Detailing magnetic field strength dependence and segmental artifact distribution of myocardial effective transverse relaxation rate at 1.5, 3.0, and 7.0 T.

PubMed

Meloni, Antonella; Hezel, Fabian; Positano, Vincenzo; Keilberg, Petra; Pepe, Alessia; Lombardi, Massimo; Niendorf, Thoralf

2014-06-01

Realizing the challenges and opportunities of effective transverse relaxation rate (R2 *) mapping at high and ultrahigh fields, this work examines magnetic field strength (B0 ) dependence and segmental artifact distribution of myocardial R2 * at 1.5, 3.0, and 7.0 T. Healthy subjects were considered. Three short-axis views of the left ventricle were examined. R2 * was calculated for 16 standard myocardial segments. Global and mid-septum R2 * were determined. For each segment, an artifactual factor was estimated as the deviation of segmental from global R2 * value. The global artifactual factor was significantly enlarged at 7.0 T versus 1.5 T (P = 0.010) but not versus 3.0 T. At 7.0 T, the most severe susceptibility artifacts were detected in the inferior lateral wall. The mid-septum showed minor artifactual factors at 7.0 T, similar to those at 1.5 and 3.0 T. Mean R2 * increased linearly with the field strength, with larger changes for global heart R2 * values. At 7.0 T, segmental heart R2 * analysis is challenging due to macroscopic susceptibility artifacts induced by the heart-lung interface and the posterior vein. Myocardial R2 * depends linearly on the magnetic field strength. The increased R2 * sensitivity at 7.0 T might offer means for susceptibility-weighted and oxygenation level-dependent MR imaging of the myocardium. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Study of the role of the transverse perineal muscles during rectal filling.

PubMed

Shafik, Ahmed; Shafik, Ali A; Shafik, Ismail; El-Sibai, Olfat

2006-10-01

The function of perineal muscles at defecation is poorly addressed in the literature. We investigated the hypothesis that rectal distension effects reflex contraction of four perineal muscles. After rectal balloon distension with carbon dioxide in increments of 20 ml, the responses of electromyographic (EMG) activity of superficial (STPM) and deep (DTPM) transverse perineal muscles as well as the rectal pressure were recorded in 22 healthy volunteers (14 men, age 37.2+/-6.3 years). Responses were registered again after individual anesthetization of rectum and transverse perineal muscles. Tests were repeated using saline instead of lidocaine. Rectal balloon distension in big volumes effected increase of the transverse perineal muscles' EMG activity and rectal pressure. The more the rectum was distended, the more the rectal pressure and EMG activity of the transverse perineal muscles were increased. The latency showed a gradual decrease upon incremental rectal distension increase. Transverse perineal muscles did not respond to rectal distension after the rectum and perineal muscles had been individually anesthetized, but it responded to saline administration. Response of the muscles was similar in both sides. Increase of rectal pressure increases EMG activity of transverse perineal muscles. This action seems mediated through a reflex which we call 'recto-perineal reflex'. Contraction of transverse perineal muscles at defecation presumably supports the perineal floor. It also protects transverse perineal muscles against straining-produced high pressure that is transmitted through the recto-vaginal/-vesical cul de sac to the perineum which may sag down and share in genesis of perineocele, enterocele, or sigmoidocele.

Lung Parenchymal Signal Intensity in MRI: A Technical Review with Educational Aspirations Regarding Reversible Versus Irreversible Transverse Relaxation Effects in Common Pulse Sequences.

PubMed

Mulkern, Robert; Haker, Steven; Mamata, Hatsuho; Lee, Edward; Mitsouras, Dimitrios; Oshio, Koichi; Balasubramanian, Mukund; Hatabu, Hiroto

2014-03-01

Lung parenchyma is challenging to image with proton MRI. The large air space results in ~l/5th as many signal-generating protons compared to other organs. Air/tissue magnetic susceptibility differences lead to strong magnetic field gradients throughout the lungs and to broad frequency distributions, much broader than within other organs. Such distributions have been the subject of experimental and theoretical analyses which may reveal aspects of lung microarchitecture useful for diagnosis. Their most immediate relevance to current imaging practice is to cause rapid signal decays, commonly discussed in terms of short T 2 * values of 1 ms or lower at typical imaging field strengths. Herein we provide a brief review of previous studies describing and interpreting proton lung spectra. We then link these broad frequency distributions to rapid signal decays, though not necessarily the exponential decays generally used to define T 2 * values. We examine how these decays influence observed signal intensities and spatial mapping features associated with the most prominent torso imaging sequences, including spoiled gradient and spin echo sequences. Effects of imperfect refocusing pulses on the multiple echo signal decays in single shot fast spin echo (SSFSE) sequences and effects of broad frequency distributions on balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) sequence signal intensities are also provided. The theoretical analyses are based on the concept of explicitly separating the effects of reversible and irreversible transverse relaxation processes, thus providing a somewhat novel and more general framework from which to estimate lung signal intensity behavior in modern imaging practice.

Lung Parenchymal Signal Intensity in MRI: A Technical Review with Educational Aspirations Regarding Reversible Versus Irreversible Transverse Relaxation Effects in Common Pulse Sequences

PubMed Central

MULKERN, ROBERT; HAKER, STEVEN; MAMATA, HATSUHO; LEE, EDWARD; MITSOURAS, DIMITRIOS; OSHIO, KOICHI; BALASUBRAMANIAN, MUKUND; HATABU, HIROTO

2014-01-01

Lung parenchyma is challenging to image with proton MRI. The large air space results in ~l/5th as many signal-generating protons compared to other organs. Air/tissue magnetic susceptibility differences lead to strong magnetic field gradients throughout the lungs and to broad frequency distributions, much broader than within other organs. Such distributions have been the subject of experimental and theoretical analyses which may reveal aspects of lung microarchitecture useful for diagnosis. Their most immediate relevance to current imaging practice is to cause rapid signal decays, commonly discussed in terms of short T2* values of 1 ms or lower at typical imaging field strengths. Herein we provide a brief review of previous studies describing and interpreting proton lung spectra. We then link these broad frequency distributions to rapid signal decays, though not necessarily the exponential decays generally used to define T2* values. We examine how these decays influence observed signal intensities and spatial mapping features associated with the most prominent torso imaging sequences, including spoiled gradient and spin echo sequences. Effects of imperfect refocusing pulses on the multiple echo signal decays in single shot fast spin echo (SSFSE) sequences and effects of broad frequency distributions on balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) sequence signal intensities are also provided. The theoretical analyses are based on the concept of explicitly separating the effects of reversible and irreversible transverse relaxation processes, thus providing a somewhat novel and more general framework from which to estimate lung signal intensity behavior in modern imaging practice. PMID:25228852

Ingestion of a carbonated beverage decreases lower esophageal sphincter pressure and increases frequency of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation in normal subjects.

PubMed

Shukla, Akash; Meshram, Megha; Gopan, Amrit; Ganjewar, Vaibhav; Kumar, Praveen; Bhatia, Shobna J

2012-06-01

Transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation (tLESR) and decreased basal lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure are postulated mechanisms of gastroesophageal reflux (GER). There is conflicting evidence on the effect of carbonated drinks on lower esophageal sphincter function. This study was conducted to assess the effect of a carbonated beverage on tLESR and LES pressure. High resolution manometry tracings (16 channel water-perfused, Trace 1.2, Hebbard, Australia) were obtained in 18 healthy volunteers (6 men) for 30 min each at baseline, and after 200 mL of chilled potable water and 200 mL of chilled carbonated cola drink (Pepsi [Pepsico India Ltd]). The sequence of administration of the drinks was determined by random number method generated by a computer. The analysis of tracings was done using TRACE 1.2 software by a physician who was unaware of the sequence of administration of fluids. The mean (SD) age of the participant was 37.3 (12.9) years. The median (range) frequency of tLESr was higher after the carbonated beverage (10.5 [0-26]) as compared to baseline (0 [0-3], p = 0.005) as well as after water (1 [0-14], p = 0.010). The LES pressure decreased after ingestion of the carbonated beverage (18.5 [11-37] mmHg) compared to baseline (40.5 [25-66] mmHg, p = 0.0001) and after water (34 [15-67] mmHg, p = 0.003). Gastric pressure was not different in the three groups. Ingestion of a carbonated beverage increases tLESr and lowers LES pressure in healthy subjects.

Study into the correlation of dominant pore throat size and SIP relaxation frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruschwitz, Sabine; Prinz, Carsten; Zimathies, Annett

2016-12-01

There is currently a debate within the SIP community about the characteristic textural length scale controlling relaxation time of consolidated porous media. One idea is that the relaxation time is dominated by the pore throat size distribution or more specifically the modal pore throat size as determined in mercury intrusion capillary pressure tests. Recently new studies on inverting pore size distributions from SIP data were published implying that the relaxation mechanisms and controlling length scale are well understood. In contrast new analytical model studies based on the Marshall-Madden membrane polarization theory suggested that two relaxation processes might compete: the one along the short narrow pore (the throat) with one across the wider pore in case the narrow pores become relatively long. This paper presents a first systematically focused study into the relationship of pore throat sizes and SIP relaxation times. The generality of predicted trends is investigated across a wide range of materials differing considerably in chemical composition, specific surface and pore space characteristics. Three different groups of relaxation behaviors can be clearly distinguished. The different behaviors are related to clay content and type, carbonate content, size of the grains and the wide pores in the samples.

Operative Method for Transverse Colon Carcinoma: Transverse Colectomy Versus Extended Colectomy.

PubMed

Chong, Choon Seng; Huh, Jung Wook; Oh, Bo Young; Park, Yoon Ah; Cho, Yong Beom; Yun, Seong Hyeon; Kim, Hee Cheol; Lee, Woo Yong

2016-07-01

The type of surgery performed for primary transverse colon cancer varies based on tumor characteristics and surgeon perspective. The optimal oncological outcome following different surgical options has not been clearly established, and transverse colectomy has shown oncological equivalence only in small cohort studies. Our aim was to compare long-term oncological outcomes after transverse colectomy versus extended resection for transverse colon cancer. This study is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. This study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital. All patients treated for transverse colon cancer at the Samsung Medical Center between 1995 and 2013 were included. Oncological outcomes were compared between 2 groups of patients: a transverse colectomy group and an extended colectomy group (which included extended right hemicolectomy and left hemicolectomy). A total of 1066 patients were included, of whom 750 (70.4%) underwent extended right hemicolectomy, 127 (11.9%) underwent transverse colectomy, and 189 (17.7%) underwent left hemicolectomy. According to univariate analysis, surgical approach, histological type, tumor morphology, cancer T and N stage, cancer size, and lymphovascular invasion were significant factors contributing to disease-free survival (DFS). However, as seen in multivariate analysis, only node-positive disease (HR = 2.035 (1.188-3.484)), tumors with ulcerative morphology (HR = 3.643 (1.132-11.725)), and the presence of vascular invasion (HR = 2.569 (1.455-4.538)) were significant factors for DFS. Further analysis with a propensity-matched cohort between the transverse and extended colectomy groups demonstrated no significant differences in DFS and overall survival. This study was limited because it was performed at a single institution and it was retrospective in nature. In terms of perioperative and oncological outcomes, transverse colectomy and extended colectomy did not differ despite a shorter specimen length and

Dynamics and structure of hydrogen-bonding glass formers: Comparison between hexanetriol and sugar alcohols based on dielectric relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakanishi, Masahiro; Nozaki, Ryusuke

2010-04-01

Broadband dielectric spectra of supercooled 1,2,6-hexanetriol are presented in order to reveal physical picture behind a glass transition of polyhydric alcohols. It has been reported so far that temperature dependences of α relaxation time for sugar alcohols exhibit systematic trend against number of carbon atoms or OH groups per molecule. However, because each molecule is composed of equal number of carbon atoms and OH groups in the case of the reported sugar alcohols, the more dominant parameter to govern the α relaxation dynamics has not been discussed. By using a chemical structure of the hexanetriol composed of the deferent number of carbon and OH, it is possible to determine the dominant parameter. From temperature dependence of α relaxation times, it is strongly supported that the number of OH groups is the dominant parameter. Furthermore, from an analysis of static dielectric constant, it is suggested that local hydrogen-bonding structure is similar among all polyhydric alcohols. From these two results, a simple picture of the origin of the systematic character is proposed.

Dynamics and structure of hydrogen-bonding glass formers: comparison between hexanetriol and sugar alcohols based on dielectric relaxation.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Masahiro; Nozaki, Ryusuke

2010-04-01

Broadband dielectric spectra of supercooled 1,2,6-hexanetriol are presented in order to reveal physical picture behind a glass transition of polyhydric alcohols. It has been reported so far that temperature dependences of alpha relaxation time for sugar alcohols exhibit systematic trend against number of carbon atoms or OH groups per molecule. However, because each molecule is composed of equal number of carbon atoms and OH groups in the case of the reported sugar alcohols, the more dominant parameter to govern the alpha relaxation dynamics has not been discussed. By using a chemical structure of the hexanetriol composed of the deferent number of carbon and OH, it is possible to determine the dominant parameter. From temperature dependence of alpha relaxation times, it is strongly supported that the number of OH groups is the dominant parameter. Furthermore, from an analysis of static dielectric constant, it is suggested that local hydrogen-bonding structure is similar among all polyhydric alcohols. From these two results, a simple picture of the origin of the systematic character is proposed.

Transversal Stiffness and Young's Modulus of Single Fibers from Rat Soleus Muscle Probed by Atomic Force Microscopy

PubMed Central

Ogneva, Irina V.; Lebedev, Dmitry V.; Shenkman, Boris S.

2010-01-01

Abstract The structural integrity of striated muscle is determined by extra-sarcomere cytoskeleton that includes structures that connect the Z-disks and M-bands of a sarcomere to sarcomeres of neighbor myofibrils or to sarcolemma. Mechanical properties of these structures are not well characterized. The surface structure and transversal stiffness of single fibers from soleus muscle of the rat were studied with atomic force microscopy in liquid. We identified surface regions that correspond to projections of the Z-disks, M-bands, and structures between them. Transversal stiffness of the fibers was measured in each of these three regions. The stiffness was higher in the Z-disk regions, minimal between the Z-disks and the M-bands, and intermediate in the M-band regions. The stiffness increased twofold when relaxed fibers were maximally activated with calcium and threefold when they were transferred to rigor (ATP-free) solution. Transversal stiffness of fibers heavily treated with Triton X-100 was about twice higher than that of the permeabilized ones, however, its regional difference and the dependence on physiological state of the fiber remained the same. The data may be useful for understanding mechanics of muscle fibers when it is subjected to both axial and transversal strain and stress. PMID:20141755

Differentiable McCormick relaxations

DOE PAGES

Khan, Kamil A.; Watson, Harry A. J.; Barton, Paul I.

2016-05-27

McCormick's classical relaxation technique constructs closed-form convex and concave relaxations of compositions of simple intrinsic functions. These relaxations have several properties which make them useful for lower bounding problems in global optimization: they can be evaluated automatically, accurately, and computationally inexpensively, and they converge rapidly to the relaxed function as the underlying domain is reduced in size. They may also be adapted to yield relaxations of certain implicit functions and differential equation solutions. However, McCormick's relaxations may be nonsmooth, and this nonsmoothness can create theoretical and computational obstacles when relaxations are to be deployed. This article presents a continuously differentiablemore » variant of McCormick's original relaxations in the multivariate McCormick framework of Tsoukalas and Mitsos. Gradients of the new differentiable relaxations may be computed efficiently using the standard forward or reverse modes of automatic differentiation. Furthermore, extensions to differentiable relaxations of implicit functions and solutions of parametric ordinary differential equations are discussed. A C++ implementation based on the library MC++ is described and applied to a case study in nonsmooth nonconvex optimization.« less

Transverse Tension Fatigue Life Characterization Through Flexure Testing of Composite Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

OBrien, T. Kevin; Chawan, Arun D.; Krueger, Ronald; Paris, Isabelle

2001-01-01

The transverse tension fatigue life of S2/8552 glass-epoxy and IM7/8552 carbon-epoxy was characterized using flexure tests of 90-degree laminates loaded in 3-point and 4-point bending. The influence of specimen polishing and specimen configuration on transverse tension fatigue life was examined using the glass-epoxy laminates. Results showed that 90-degree bend specimens with polished machined edges and polished tension-side surfaces, where bending failures where observed, had lower fatigue lives than unpolished specimens when cyclically loaded at equal stress levels. The influence of specimen thickness and the utility of a Weibull scaling law was examined using the carbon-epoxy laminates. The influence of test frequency on fatigue results was also documented for the 4-point bending configuration. A Weibull scaling law was used to predict the 4-point bending fatigue lives from the 3-point bending curve fit and vice-versa. Scaling was performed based on maximum cyclic stress level as well as fatigue life. The scaling laws based on stress level shifted the curve fit S-N characterizations in the desired direction, however, the magnitude of the shift was not adequate to accurately predict the fatigue lives. Furthermore, the scaling law based on fatigue life shifted the curve fit S-N characterizations in the opposite direction from measured values. Therefore, these scaling laws were not adequate for obtaining accurate predictions of the transverse tension fatigue lives.

Tracking Temperature-Dependent Relaxation Times of Ferritin Nanomagnets with a Wideband Quantum Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schäfer-Nolte, Eike; Schlipf, Lukas; Ternes, Markus; Reinhard, Friedemann; Kern, Klaus; Wrachtrup, Jörg

2014-11-01

We demonstrate the tracking of the spin dynamics of ensemble and individual magnetic ferritin proteins from cryogenic up to room temperature using the nitrogen-vacancy color center in diamond as a magnetic sensor. We employ different detection protocols to probe the influence of the ferritin nanomagnets on the longitudinal and transverse relaxation of the nitrogen-vacancy center, which enables magnetic sensing over a wide frequency range from Hz to GHz. The temperature dependence of the observed spectral features can be well understood by the thermally induced magnetization reversals of the ferritin and enables the determination of the anisotropy barrier of single ferritin molecules.

Controlled Aggregation of Ferritin to Modulate MRI Relaxivity

PubMed Central

Bennett, Kevin M.; Shapiro, Erik M.; Sotak, Christopher H.; Koretsky, Alan P.

2008-01-01

Ferritin is an iron storage protein expressed in varying concentrations in mammalian cells. The deposition of ferric iron in the core of ferritin makes it a magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent, and ferritin has recently been proposed as a gene expression reporter protein for magnetic resonance imaging. To date, ferritin has been overexpressed in vivo and has been coexpressed with transferrin receptor to increase iron loading in cells. However, ferritin has a relatively low T2 relaxivity (R2 ≈ 1 mM−1s−1) at typical magnetic field strengths and so requires high levels of expression to be detected. One way to modulate the transverse relaxivity of a superparamagnetic agent is to cause it to aggregate, thereby manipulating the magnetic field gradients through which water diffuses. In this work, it is demonstrated by computer simulation and in vitro that aggregation of ferritin can alter relaxivity. The effects of aggregate size and intraaggregate perturber spacing on R2 are studied. Computer modeling indicates that the optimal spacing of the ferritin molecules in aggregate for increasing R2 is 100–200 nm for a typical range of water diffusion rates. Chemical cross-linking of ferritin at 12 Å spacing led to a 70% increase in R2 compared to uncross-linked ferritin controls. To modulate ferritin aggregation in a potentially biologically relevant manner, ferritin was attached to actin and polymerized in vitro. The polymerization of ferritin-F-actin caused a 20% increase in R2 compared to unpolymerized ferritin-G-actin. The R2-value was increased by another 10% by spacing the ferritin farther apart on the actin filaments. The modulation of ferritin aggregation by binding to cytoskeletal elements may be a useful strategy to make a functional reporter gene for magnetic resonance imaging. PMID:18326661

Raman and nuclear magnetic resonance investigation of alkali metal vapor interaction with alkene-based anti-relaxation coating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tretiak, O. Yu., E-mail: otretiak@genphys.ru; Balabas, M. V.; Blanchard, J. W.

2016-03-07

The use of anti-relaxation coatings in alkali vapor cells yields substantial performance improvements compared to a bare glass surface by reducing the probability of spin relaxation in wall collisions by several orders of magnitude. Some of the most effective anti-relaxation coating materials are alpha-olefins, which (as in the case of more traditional paraffin coatings) must undergo a curing period after cell manufacturing in order to achieve the desired behavior. Until now, however, it has been unclear what physicochemical processes occur during cell curing, and how they may affect relevant cell properties. We present the results of nondestructive Raman-spectroscopy and magnetic-resonancemore » investigations of the influence of alkali metal vapor (Cs or K) on an alpha-olefin, 1-nonadecene coating the inner surface of a glass cell. It was found that during the curing process, the alkali metal catalyzes migration of the carbon-carbon double bond, yielding a mixture of cis- and trans-2-nonadecene.« less

Stress-Rupture and Stress-Relaxation of SiC/SiC Composites at Intermediate Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morscher, Gregory N.; Hurst, Janet; Levine, Stanley (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Tensile static stress and static strain experiments were performed on woven Sylramic (Dow Corning, Midland, MI) and Hi-Nicalon (Nippon Carbon, Japan) fiber reinforced, BN interphase, melt-infiltrated SiC matrix composites at 815 C. Acoustic emission was used to monitor the damage accumulation during the test. The stress-rupture properties of Sylramic composites were superior to that of Hi-Nicalon Tm composites. Conversely, the applied strain levels that Hi-Nicalon composites can withstand for stress-relaxation experiments were superior to Sylramic composites; however, at a cost of poor retained strength properties for Hi-Nicalon composites. Sylramic composites exhibited much less stress-oxidation induced matrix cracking compared to Hi-Nicalon composites. This was attributed to the greater stiffness and roughness of Sylramic fibers themselves and the lack of a carbon layer between the fiber and the BN interphase for Sylramic composites, which existed in Hi-Nicalon composites. Due to the lack of stress-relief for Sylramic composites, time to failure for Sylramic composite stress-relaxation experiments was not much longer than for stress-rupture experiments when comparing the peak stress condition for stress-relaxation with the applied stress of stress-rupture.

Effects of progressive relaxation and classical music on measurements of attention, relaxation, and stress responses.

PubMed

Scheufele, P M

2000-04-01

The present experiment examined relaxation using different experimental conditions to test whether the effects of individual elements of relaxation could be measured, whether specific effects were revealed, or whether relaxation resulted from a generalized "relaxation response." Sixty-seven normal, male volunteers were exposed to a stress manipulation and then to one of two relaxation (Progressive Relaxation, Music) or control (Attention Control, Silence) conditions. Measurements of attention, relaxation, and stress responses were obtained during each phase of the experiment. All four groups exhibited similar performance on behavioral measures of attention that suggested a reduction in physiological arousal following their relaxation or control condition, as well as a decreased heart rate. Progressive Relaxation, however, resulted in the greatest effects on behavioral and self-report measures of relaxation, suggesting that cognitive cues provided by stress management techniques contribute to relaxation.

Analysis of reliable sub-ns spin-torque switching under transverse bias magnetic fields

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D'Aquino, M., E-mail: daquino@uniparthenope.it; Perna, S.; Serpico, C.

2015-05-07

The switching process of a magnetic spin-valve nanosystem subject to spin-polarized current pulses is considered. The dependence of the switching probability on the current pulse duration is investigated. The further application of a transverse field along the intermediate anisotropy axis of the particle is used to control the quasi-random relaxation of magnetization to the reversed magnetization state. The critical current amplitudes to realize the switching are determined by studying the phase portrait of the Landau-Lifshtz-Slonczewski dynamics. Macrospin numerical simulations are in good agreement with the theoretical prediction and demonstrate reliable switching even for very short (below 100 ps) current pulses.

Analytic treatment of nuclear spin-lattice relaxation for diffusion in a cone model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitnitsky, A. E.

2011-12-01

We consider nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate resulted from a diffusion equation for rotational wobbling in a cone. We show that the widespread point of view that there are no analytical expressions for correlation functions for wobbling in a cone model is invalid and prove that nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in this model is exactly tractable and amenable to full analytical description. The mechanism of relaxation is assumed to be due to dipole-dipole interaction of nuclear spins and is treated within the framework of the standard Bloemberger, Purcell, Pound-Solomon scheme. We consider the general case of arbitrary orientation of the cone axis relative the magnetic field. The BPP-Solomon scheme is shown to remain valid for systems with the distribution of the cone axes depending only on the tilt relative the magnetic field but otherwise being isotropic. We consider the case of random isotropic orientation of cone axes relative the magnetic field taking place in powders. Also we consider the cases of their predominant orientation along or opposite the magnetic field and that of their predominant orientation transverse to the magnetic field which may be relevant for, e.g., liquid crystals. Besides we treat in details the model case of the cone axis directed along the magnetic field. The latter provides direct comparison of the limiting case of our formulas with the textbook formulas for free isotropic rotational diffusion. The dependence of the spin-lattice relaxation rate on the cone half-width yields results similar to those predicted by the model-free approach.

Capturing molecular multimode relaxation processes in excitable gases based on decomposition of acoustic relaxation spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Ming; Liu, Tingting; Wang, Shu; Zhang, Kesheng

2017-08-01

Existing two-frequency reconstructive methods can only capture primary (single) molecular relaxation processes in excitable gases. In this paper, we present a reconstructive method based on the novel decomposition of frequency-dependent acoustic relaxation spectra to capture the entire molecular multimode relaxation process. This decomposition of acoustic relaxation spectra is developed from the frequency-dependent effective specific heat, indicating that a multi-relaxation process is the sum of the interior single-relaxation processes. Based on this decomposition, we can reconstruct the entire multi-relaxation process by capturing the relaxation times and relaxation strengths of N interior single-relaxation processes, using the measurements of acoustic absorption and sound speed at 2N frequencies. Experimental data for the gas mixtures CO2-N2 and CO2-O2 validate our decomposition and reconstruction approach.

Transverse radius dependence for transverse velocity and elliptic flow in intermediate energy HIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Ting-Zhi; Li, Shan

2011-05-01

The mean transverse velocity and elliptic flow of light fragments (A <= 2) as a function of transverse radius are studied for 25 MeV/nucleon 64Cu+64Cu collisions with impact parameters 3-5 fm by the isospin-dependent quantum molecular dynamics model. By comparison between the in-plane and the out-of-plane transverse velocities, the elliptic flow dependence on the transverse radius can be understood qualitatively, and variation of the direction of the resultant force on the fragments can be investigated qualitatively.

Relation between Direct Observation of Relaxation and Self-Reported Mindfulness and Relaxation States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hites, Lacey S.; Lundervold, Duane A.

2013-01-01

Forty-four individuals, 18-47 (MN 21.8, SD 5.63) years of age, took part in a study examining the magnitude and direction of the relationship between self-report and direct observation measures of relaxation and mindfulness. The Behavioral Relaxation Scale (BRS), a valid direct observation measure of relaxation, was used to assess relaxed behavior…

Structural Relaxation of Vit4Amorphous Alloy by the Enthalpy Relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Reilly, James; Hammond, Vincent

2002-03-01

The structural relaxation of an amorphous alloy designated Vit4 has been investigated as a function of thermal history using differential scanning calorimetry. Results indicate that the width of the glass transition region is approximately 30 °C, which is broader than molecular or polymeric glasses but similar to inorganic glasses. The broad transition implies a large distribution of relaxation times, a low activation energy, or a combination of these effects. The Tool-Narayanaswamy model for structural relaxation has been used to analyze the change in fictive temperature that occurs for a series of cooling rates. The activation energy calculated from these data the is 187 kJ/mol, a value that is low compared to other glasses. Using optimization programs, the other relaxation parameters, the characteristic relaxation time, the non-linearity parameter, x, and the fractional exponent of distribution of relaxation times, b, were determined from the experimental specific heat curves. Although the parameters were in good agreement with values typical of other glassy materials, there appears to be less correlation between them than is observed in molecular and polymeric glasses. The results obtained in this study indicate that the structural relaxation of Vit 4 is similar to other glasses except for a low activation energy with high glass transition. This could be due to a low free volume or configurational entropy. The width of the glass transition could result from a large distribution of relaxation times or a low activation energy. The exponent of the distribution of relaxation times, b, is 0.45±0.1 and the non-linearity parameter, x =0.5±0.2. The structural relaxation of Vit 4 is dominated by a low activation energy which is related to the atomic jump motion of hard spheres. The DCp at Tg should be 11.7 J/mol. deg per bead according to Wunderlich’s rule. This means that the change in Cp at Tg in Vit4 can be accounted for by one bead although there are five metal

Carbon Nanotube Tower-Based Supercapacitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyyappan, Meyya (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A supercapacitor system, including (i) first and second, spaced apart planar collectors, (ii) first and second arrays of multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) towers or single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) towers, serving as electrodes, that extend between the first and second collectors where the nanotube towers are grown directly on the collector surfaces without deposition of a catalyst and without deposition of a binder material on the collector surfaces, and (iii) a porous separator module having a transverse area that is substantially the same as the transverse area of at least one electrode, where (iv) at least one nanotube tower is functionalized to permit or encourage the tower to behave as a hydrophilic structure, with increased surface wettability.

Mozart versus new age music: relaxation states, stress, and ABC relaxation theory.

PubMed

Smith, Jonathan C; Joyce, Carol A

2004-01-01

Smith's (2001) Attentional Behavioral Cognitive (ABC) relaxation theory proposes that all approaches to relaxation (including music) have the potential for evoking one or more of 15 factor-analytically derived relaxation states, or "R-States" (Sleepiness, Disengagement, Rested / Refreshed, Energized, Physical Relaxation, At Ease/Peace, Joy, Mental Quiet, Childlike Innocence, Thankfulness and Love, Mystery, Awe and Wonder, Prayerfulness, Timeless/Boundless/Infinite, and Aware). The present study investigated R-States and stress symptom-patterns associated with listening to Mozart versus New Age music. Students (N = 63) were divided into three relaxation groups based on previously determined preferences. Fourteen listened to a 28-minute tape recording of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik and 14 listened to a 28-minute tape of Steven Halpern's New Age Serenity Suite. Others (n = 35) did not want music and instead chose a set of popular recreational magazines. Participants engaged in their relaxation activity at home for three consecutive days for 28 minutes a session. Before and after each session, each person completed the Smith Relaxation States Inventory (Smith, 2001), a comprehensive questionnaire tapping 15 R-States as well as the stress states of somatic stress, worry, and negative emotion. Results revealed no differences at Session 1. At Session 2, those who listened to Mozart reported higher levels of At Ease/Peace and lower levels of Negative Emotion. Pronounced differences emerged at Session 3. Mozart listeners uniquely reported substantially higher levels of Mental Quiet, Awe and Wonder, and Mystery. Mozart listeners reported higher levels, and New Age listeners slightly elevated levels, of At Ease/Peace and Rested/Refreshed. Both Mozart and New Age listeners reported higher levels of Thankfulness and Love. In summary, those who listened to Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik reported more psychological relaxation and less stress than either those who listened to

First evidence of non-locality in real band-gap metamaterials: determining parameters in the relaxed micromorphic model

PubMed Central

Barbagallo, Gabriele; d’Agostino, Marco Valerio; Placidi, Luca; Neff, Patrizio

2016-01-01

In this paper, we propose the first estimate of some elastic parameters of the relaxed micromorphic model on the basis of real experiments of transmission of longitudinal plane waves across an interface separating a classical Cauchy material (steel plate) and a phononic crystal (steel plate with fluid-filled holes). A procedure is set up in order to identify the parameters of the relaxed micromorphic model by superimposing the experimentally based profile of the reflection coefficient (plotted as function of the wave-frequency) with the analogous profile obtained via numerical simulations. We determine five out of six constitutive parameters which are featured by the relaxed micromorphic model in the isotropic case, plus the determination of the micro-inertia parameter. The sixth elastic parameter, namely the Cosserat couple modulus μc, still remains undetermined, since experiments on transverse incident waves are not yet available. A fundamental result of this paper is the estimate of the non-locality intrinsically associated with the underlying microstructure of the metamaterial. We show that the characteristic length Lc measuring the non-locality of the phononic crystal is of the order of 13 of the diameter of its fluid-filled holes. PMID:27436984

First evidence of non-locality in real band-gap metamaterials: determining parameters in the relaxed micromorphic model.

PubMed

Madeo, Angela; Barbagallo, Gabriele; d'Agostino, Marco Valerio; Placidi, Luca; Neff, Patrizio

2016-06-01

In this paper, we propose the first estimate of some elastic parameters of the relaxed micromorphic model on the basis of real experiments of transmission of longitudinal plane waves across an interface separating a classical Cauchy material (steel plate) and a phononic crystal (steel plate with fluid-filled holes). A procedure is set up in order to identify the parameters of the relaxed micromorphic model by superimposing the experimentally based profile of the reflection coefficient (plotted as function of the wave-frequency) with the analogous profile obtained via numerical simulations. We determine five out of six constitutive parameters which are featured by the relaxed micromorphic model in the isotropic case, plus the determination of the micro-inertia parameter. The sixth elastic parameter, namely the Cosserat couple modulus μ c , still remains undetermined, since experiments on transverse incident waves are not yet available. A fundamental result of this paper is the estimate of the non-locality intrinsically associated with the underlying microstructure of the metamaterial. We show that the characteristic length L c measuring the non-locality of the phononic crystal is of the order of [Formula: see text] of the diameter of its fluid-filled holes.

Equivalent Relaxations of Optimal Power Flow

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bose, S; Low, SH; Teeraratkul, T

2015-03-01

Several convex relaxations of the optimal power flow (OPF) problem have recently been developed using both bus injection models and branch flow models. In this paper, we prove relations among three convex relaxations: a semidefinite relaxation that computes a full matrix, a chordal relaxation based on a chordal extension of the network graph, and a second-order cone relaxation that computes the smallest partial matrix. We prove a bijection between the feasible sets of the OPF in the bus injection model and the branch flow model, establishing the equivalence of these two models and their second-order cone relaxations. Our results implymore » that, for radial networks, all these relaxations are equivalent and one should always solve the second-order cone relaxation. For mesh networks, the semidefinite relaxation and the chordal relaxation are equally tight and both are strictly tighter than the second-order cone relaxation. Therefore, for mesh networks, one should either solve the chordal relaxation or the SOCP relaxation, trading off tightness and the required computational effort. Simulations are used to illustrate these results.« less

OCT-based approach to local relaxations discrimination from translational relaxation motions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matveev, Lev A.; Matveyev, Alexandr L.; Gubarkova, Ekaterina V.; Gelikonov, Grigory V.; Sirotkina, Marina A.; Kiseleva, Elena B.; Gelikonov, Valentin M.; Gladkova, Natalia D.; Vitkin, Alex; Zaitsev, Vladimir Y.

2016-04-01

Multimodal optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emerging tool for tissue state characterization. Optical coherence elastography (OCE) is an approach to mapping mechanical properties of tissue based on OCT. One of challenging problems in OCE is elimination of the influence of residual local tissue relaxation that complicates obtaining information on elastic properties of the tissue. Alternatively, parameters of local relaxation itself can be used as an additional informative characteristic for distinguishing the tissue in normal and pathological states over the OCT image area. Here we briefly present an OCT-based approach to evaluation of local relaxation processes in the tissue bulk after sudden unloading of its initial pre-compression. For extracting the local relaxation rate we evaluate temporal dependence of local strains that are mapped using our recently developed hybrid phase resolved/displacement-tracking (HPRDT) approach. This approach allows one to subtract the contribution of global displacements of scatterers in OCT scans and separate the temporal evolution of local strains. Using a sample excised from of a coronary arteria, we demonstrate that the observed relaxation of local strains can be reasonably fitted by an exponential law, which opens the possibility to characterize the tissue by a single relaxation time. The estimated local relaxation times are assumed to be related to local biologically-relevant processes inside the tissue, such as diffusion, leaking/draining of the fluids, local folding/unfolding of the fibers, etc. In general, studies of evolution of such features can provide new metrics for biologically-relevant changes in tissue, e.g., in the problems of treatment monitoring.

Mechanism of laser-induced stress relaxation in cartilage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobol, Emil N.; Sviridov, Alexander P.; Omelchenko, Alexander I.; Bagratashvili, Victor N.; Bagratashvili, Nodar V.; Popov, Vladimir K.

1997-06-01

The paper presents theoretical and experimental results allowing to discuss and understand the mechanism of stress relaxation and reshaping of cartilage under laser radiation. A carbon dioxide and a Holmium laser was used for treatment of rabbits and human cartilage. We measured temperature, stress, amplitude of oscillation by free and forced vibration, internal friction, and light scattering in the course of laser irradiation. Using experimental data and theoretical modeling of heat and mass transfer in cartilaginous tissue we estimated the values of transformation heat, diffusion coefficients and energy activation for water movement.

Sleep, Stress & Relaxation: Rejuvenate Body & Mind

Cancer.gov

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Spin-lattice relaxation of 13C in solid amino acids using the CP-MAS technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naito, A.; Ganapathy, S.; Akasaka, K.; McDowell, C. A.

It is shown by a simple application of relaxation theory that the 13C magnetization decays nonexponentially, in principle, in the CP-MAS experiment because of the distribution of the spin-lattice relaxation times; however, the deviation from the exponential decay is quite small. The transient Overhauser effect also contributes appreciably to the nonexponential decay of the 13C magnetization when the protons are not saturated during the 13C T1 measurements and the correlation time of the group rotational motion satisfies the condition, ω2τc2 ≦ 1. It is shown by both experiment and theory that the transient Overhauser effect in the solid state is much smaller than that expected for the liquid state. The 13C spin-lattice relaxation times of L-alanine, deutero- L-alanine, glycine, and L-serine were determined for the individual carbon atoms. The experimentally obtained 13C T1 values agree well with calculated ones, showing that the CH 3 group rotation provides the main source of the relaxation in alanine, while the NH 3+ group motion plays an important role for the relaxation in glycine and serene.

The effects of progressive muscle relaxation and autogenic relaxation on young soccer players' mood states.

PubMed

Hashim, Hairul Anuar; Hanafi Ahmad Yusof, Hazwani

2011-06-01

This study was designed to compare the effects of two different relaxation techniques, namely progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and autogenic relaxation (AGR) on moods of young soccer players. sixteen adolescent athletes (mean age: 14.1 ± 1.3) received either PMR or AGR training. Using Profile of Mood States- Adolescents, their mood states were measured one week before relaxation training, before the first relaxation session, and after the twelfth relaxation session. Mixed ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effects and no significant main effects in any of the subscales. However, significant main effects for testing sessions were found for confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscales. Post hoc tests revealed post-intervention reductions in the confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscale scores. These two relaxation techniques induce equivalent mood responses and may be used to regulate young soccer players' mood states.

Effective rotational correlation times of proteins from NMR relaxation interference

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Donghan; Hilty, Christian; Wider, Gerhard; Wüthrich, Kurt

2006-01-01

Knowledge of the effective rotational correlation times, τc, for the modulation of anisotropic spin-spin interactions in macromolecules subject to Brownian motion in solution is of key interest for the practice of NMR spectroscopy in structural biology. The value of τc enables an estimate of the NMR spin relaxation rates, and indicates possible aggregation of the macromolecular species. This paper reports a novel NMR pulse scheme, [ 15N, 1H]-TRACT, which is based on transverse relaxation-optimized spectroscopy and permits to determine τc for 15N- 1H bonds without interference from dipole-dipole coupling of the amide proton with remote protons. [ 15N, 1H]-TRACT is highly efficient since only a series of one-dimensional NMR spectra need to be recorded. Its use is suggested for a quick estimate of the rotational correlation time, to monitor sample quality and to determine optimal parameters for complex multidimensional NMR experiments. Practical applications are illustrated with the 110 kDa 7,8-dihydroneopterin aldolase from Staphylococcus aureus, the uniformly 15N-labeled Escherichia coli outer membrane protein X (OmpX) in 60 kDa mixed OmpX/DHPC micelles with approximately 90 molecules of unlabeled 1,2-dihexanoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC), and the 16 kDa pheromone-binding protein from Bombyx mori, which cover a wide range of correlation times.

Optimal Surgery for Mid-Transverse Colon Cancer: Laparoscopic Extended Right Hemicolectomy Versus Laparoscopic Transverse Colectomy.

PubMed

Matsuda, Takeru; Sumi, Yasuo; Yamashita, Kimihiro; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Masashi; Matsuda, Yoshiko; Kanaji, Shingo; Oshikiri, Taro; Nakamura, Tetsu; Suzuki, Satoshi; Kakeji, Yoshihiro

2018-04-02

Although the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic surgery for transverse colon cancer have been shown by the recent studies, the optimal laparoscopic approach for mid-transverse colon cancer is controversial. We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with the mid-transverse colon cancer at our institutions between January 2007 and April 2017. Thirty-eight and 34 patients who received extended right hemicolectomy and transverse colectomy, respectively, were enrolled. There were no significant differences in operating time, blood loss, and hospital stay between the two groups. Postoperative complications developed in 10 of 34 patients (29.4%; wound infection: 2 cases, anastomotic leakage: 2 cases, bowel obstruction: 1 case, incisional hernia: 2 cases, others: 3 cases) for the transverse colectomy group and in 4 of 38 patients (10.5%; wound infection: 1 case, anastomotic leakage: 0 case, bowel obstruction: 2 cases, incisional hernia: 0 case, others: 1 case) for the extended right hemicolectomy group (P = 0.014). Although the median number of harvested #221 and #222 LNs was similar between the two groups (6 vs. 8, P = 0.710, and 3 vs. 2, P = 0.256, respectively), that of #223 was significantly larger in extended right hemicolectomy than in transverse colectomy (3 vs. 1, P = 0.038). The 5-year disease-free and overall survival rates were 92.4 and 90.3% for the extended right hemicolectomy group, and 95.7 and 79.6% for the transverse colectomy group (P = 0.593 and P = 0.638, respectively). Laparoscopic extended right hemicolectomy and laparoscopic transverse colectomy offer similar oncological outcomes for mid-transverse colon cancer. Laparoscopic extended right hemicolectomy might be associated with fewer postoperative complications.

The Effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Autogenic Relaxation on Young Soccer Players’ Mood States

PubMed Central

Hashim, Hairul Anuar; Hanafi@Ahmad Yusof, Hazwani

2011-01-01

Purpose This study was designed to compare the effects of two different relaxation techniques, namely progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and autogenic relaxation (AGR) on moods of young soccer players. Methods Sixteen adolescent athletes (mean age: 14.1 ± 1.3) received either PMR or AGR training. Using Profile of Mood States- Adolescents, their mood states were measured one week before relaxation training, before the first relaxation session, and after the twelfth relaxation session. Results Mixed ANOVA revealed no significant interaction effects and no significant main effects in any of the subscales. However, significant main effects for testing sessions were found for confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscales. Post hoc tests revealed post-intervention reductions in the confusion, depression, fatigue, and tension subscale scores. Conclusion These two relaxation techniques induce equivalent mood responses and may be used to regulate young soccer players’ mood states. PMID:22375225

Sucrose in Aqueous Solution Revisited: 2. Adaptively Biased Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Computational Analysis of NMR Relaxation

PubMed Central

Xia, Junchao; Case, David A.

2012-01-01

We report 100 ns molecular dynamics simulations, at various temperatures, of sucrose in water (with concentrations of sucrose ranging from 0.02 to 4 M), and in a 7:3 water-DMSO mixture. Convergence of the resulting conformational ensembles was checked using adaptive-biased simulations along the glycosidic φ and ψ torsion angles. NMR relaxation parameters, including longitudinal (R1) and transverse (R2) relaxation rates, nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOE), and generalized order parameter (S2) were computed from the resulting time-correlation functions. The amplitude and time scales of molecular motions change with temperature and concentration in ways that track closely with experimental results, and are consistent with a model in which sucrose conformational fluctuations are limited (with 80–90% of the conformations having φ – ψ values within 20° of an average conformation), but with some important differences in conformation between pure water and DMSO-water mixtures. PMID:22058066

Appraisal of transverse nasal groove: a study.

PubMed

Sathyanarayana, Belagola D; Basavaraj, Halevoor B; Nischal, Kuchangi C; Swaroop, Mukunda R; Umashankar, Puttagangu N; Agrawal, Dhruv P; Swamy, Suchetha S; Okram, Sarda

2012-01-01

Transverse nasal groove is a condition of cosmetic concern which awaits due recognition and has been widely described as a shallow groove that extends transversely over the dorsum of nose. However, we observed variations in the clinical presentations of this entity, hitherto undescribed in literature. We conducted a clinicoepidemiological study of transverse nasal lesions in patients attending our outpatient department. We conducted a prospective observational study. We screened all patients attending our out-patient department for presence of transverse nasal lesions, signs of any dermatosis and associated other skin conditions. One hundred patients were recruited in the study. Females (80%) predominated over males. Most patients were of 15-45 years age group (70%). Majority of the transverse nasal lesions were classical transverse nasal groove (39%) and others included transverse nasal line (28%), strip (28%), ridge (4%) and loop (1%). Seborrhoeic diathesis was the most common condition associated with transverse nasal lesion. Occurrence of transverse nasal line, strip, ridge and loop, in addition to classical transverse nasal groove implies that latter is actually a subset of transverse nasal lesions. Common association of this entity with seborrheic dermatitis, seborrhea and dandruff raises a possibility of whether transverse nasal lesion is a manifestation of seborrheic diathesis.

Density functional study of carbon vacancies in titanium carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Råsander, Mikael; Hugosson, Håkan W.; Delin, Anna

2018-01-01

It is well established that TiC contains carbon vacancies not only in carbon-deficient environments but also in carbon-rich environments. We have performed density functional calculations of the vacancy formation energy in TiC for C- as well as Ti-rich conditions using several different approximations to the exchange-correlation functional, and also carefully considering the nature and thermodynamics of the carbon reference state, as well as the effect of varying growth conditions. We find that the formation of carbon vacancies is clearly favorable under Ti-rich conditions, whereas it is slightly energetically unfavorable under C-rich conditions. Furthermore, we find that the relaxations of the atoms close to the vacancy site are rather long-ranged, and that these relaxations contribute significantly to the stabilization of the vacancy. Since carbon vacancies in TiC are also experimentally observed in carbon-rich environments, we conclude that kinetics may play an important role. This conclusion is consistent with the experimentally observed high activation energies and sluggish diffusion of vacancies in TiC, effectively causing a freezing in of the vacancies.

Dielectric relaxations and conduction mechanisms in polyether-clay composite polymer electrolytes under high carbon dioxide pressure.

PubMed

Kitajima, Shunsuke; Bertasi, Federico; Vezzù, Keti; Negro, Enrico; Tominaga, Yoichi; Di Noto, Vito

2013-10-21

The composite material P(EO/EM)-Sa consisting of synthetic saponite (Sa) dispersed in poly[ethylene oxide-co-2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl glycidyl ether] (P(EO/EM)) is studied by "in situ" measurements using broadband electrical spectroscopy (BES) under pressurized CO2 to characterize the dynamic behavior of conductivity and the dielectric relaxations of the ion host polymer matrix. It is revealed that there are three dielectric relaxation processes associated with: (I) the dipolar motions in the short oxyethylene side chains of P(EO/EM) (β); and (II) the segmental motion of the main chains comprising the polyether components (αfast, αslow). αslow is attributed to the slow α-relaxation of P(EO/EM) macromolecules, which is hindered by the strong coordination interactions with the ions. Two conduction processes are observed, σDC and σID, which are attributed, respectively, to the bulk conductivity and the interdomain conductivity. The temperature dependence of conductivity and relaxation processes reveals that αfast and αslow are strongly correlated with σDC and σID. The "in situ" BES measurements under pressurized CO2 indicate a fast decrease in σDC at the initial CO2 treatment time resulting from the decrease in the concentration of polyether-M(n+) complexes, which is driven by the CO2 permeation. The relaxation frequency (fR) of αslow at the initial CO2 treatment time increases and shows a steep rise with time with the same behavior of the αfast mode. It is demonstrated that the interactions between polyether chains of P(EO/EM) and cations in the polymer electrolyte layers embedded in Sa are probably weakened by the low permittivity of CO2 (ε = 1.08). Thus, the formation of ion pairs in the polymer electrolyte domains of P(EO/EM)-Sa occurs, with a corresponding reduction in the concentration of ion carriers.

System Transversal Equalizer.

DTIC Science & Technology

The report describes the implementation, theory of operation, and performance of an adjustable, 48 tap, surface wave transversal equalizer designed...for the Rome Air Development Center, Floyd Site Radar. The transversal equalizer achieves equalization of system distortion by an array of fixed taps...which provide leading and lagging echoes of the main signal. Equalization is achieved by the introduction of an equal but oppositely phased echo of

[Indications for relaxation in geriatrics].

PubMed

Richard, J; Picot, A; de Bus, P; Andreoli, A; Dalakaki, X

1975-11-01

On a three years base experience in the geriatiic department of Geneva's University Psychiatric Clinic the paper studies the problem of selecting aged patients to be treated by relaxation according to the method of J. De Ajuriaguerra et M. Cahen. Observations are presented in an attempt to define three main points: a) the role played by relaxation when there is an objective [corrected] impairment of the body's integrity; b) relaxation effect on aged persons neurotic states evolution; c) the reality of considering dementia as a counter-indication of relaxation therapy. These remarks complete those presented previously about the training of therapists in relaxation, the type of control to be organized for them and their patients, the technical management of the cure, the place of relaxation in the post graduate psychiatric training, the effects of the therapy on the patients human environnement behavior in and out of the hospital, the way body is perceived through relaxation by the aged patients and it's consequences on the adjustment of an aging person.

Time scales of relaxation dynamics during transient conditions in two-phase flow: RELAXATION DYNAMICS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schlüter, Steffen; Berg, Steffen; Li, Tianyi

2017-06-01

The relaxation dynamics toward a hydrostatic equilibrium after a change in phase saturation in porous media is governed by fluid reconfiguration at the pore scale. Little is known whether a hydrostatic equilibrium in which all interfaces come to rest is ever reached and which microscopic processes govern the time scales of relaxation. Here we apply fast synchrotron-based X-ray tomography (X-ray CT) to measure the slow relaxation dynamics of fluid interfaces in a glass bead pack after fast drainage of the sample. The relaxation of interfaces triggers internal redistribution of fluids, reduces the surface energy stored in the fluid interfaces, andmore » relaxes the contact angle toward the equilibrium value while the fluid topology remains unchanged. The equilibration of capillary pressures occurs in two stages: (i) a quick relaxation within seconds in which most of the pressure drop that built up during drainage is dissipated, a process that is to fast to be captured with fast X-ray CT, and (ii) a slow relaxation with characteristic time scales of 1–4 h which manifests itself as a spontaneous imbibition process that is well described by the Washburn equation for capillary rise in porous media. The slow relaxation implies that a hydrostatic equilibrium is hardly ever attained in practice when conducting two-phase experiments in which a flux boundary condition is changed from flow to no-flow. Implications for experiments with pressure boundary conditions are discussed.« less

Slow secondary relaxation in a free-energy landscape model for relaxation in glass-forming liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diezemann, Gregor; Mohanty, Udayan; Oppenheim, Irwin

1999-02-01

Within the framework of a free-energy landscape model for the relaxation in supercooled liquids the primary (α) relaxation is modeled by transitions among different free-energy minima. The secondary (β) relaxation then corresponds to intraminima relaxation. We consider a simple model for the reorientational motions of the molecules associated with both processes and calculate the dielectric susceptibility as well as the spin-lattice relaxation times. The parameters of the model can be chosen in a way that both quantities show a behavior similar to that observed in experimental studies on supercooled liquids. In particular we find that it is not possible to obtain a crossing of the time scales associated with α and β relaxation. In our model these processes always merge at high temperatures and the α process remains above the merging temperature. The relation to other models is discussed.

Anomalous relaxation in fractal structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fujiwara, S.; Yonezawa, F.

1995-03-01

For the purpose of studying some interesting properties of anomalous relaxation in fractal structures, we carry out Monte Carlo simulations of random walks on two-dimensional fractal structures (Sierpinski carpets with different cutouts and site-percolation clusters in a square lattice at the critical concentration). We find that the relaxation is of the Cole-Cole type [J. Chem. Phys. 9, 341 (1941)], which is one of the empirical laws of anomalous relaxation. Scaling properties are found in the relaxation function as well as in the particle density. We also find that, in strucures with almost the same fractal dimension, relaxation in structures withmore » dead ends is slower than that in structures without them. This paper ascertains that the essential aspects of the anomalous relaxation due to many-body effects can be explained in the framework of the one-body model.« less

TEACHING NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NORRIS, JEANNE E.; STEINHAUS, ARTHUR H.

THIS STUDY ATTEMPTED TO FIND OUT WHETHER (1) THE METHODS FOR ATTAINING NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXATION THAT HAVE PROVED FRUITFUL IN THE ONE-TO-ONE RELATIONSHIP OF THE CLINIC CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY ADAPTED TO THE TEACHER-CLASS RELATIONSHIP OF THE CLASSROOM AND GYMNASIUM, AND (2) NEUROMUSCULAR RELAXATION CAN BE TAUGHT SUCCESSFULLY BY AN APPROPRIATELY TRAINED…

Flame behavior and thermal structure of combusting plane jets with and without self-excited transverse oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Rong Fung; Kivindu, Reuben Mwanza; Hsu, Ching Min

2017-12-01

The flame behavior and thermal structure of combusting plane jets with and without self-excited transverse oscillations were investigated experimentally. The transversely-oscillating plane jet was generated by a specially designed fluidic oscillator. Isothermal flow patterns were observed using the laser-assisted smoke flow visualization method. Meanwhile, the flame behaviour was studied using instantaneous and long-exposure photography techniques. Temperature distributions and combustion-product concentrations were measured using a fine-wire type R thermocouple and a gas analyzer, respectively. The results showed that the combusting transversely-oscillating plane jets had distributed turbulent blue flames with plaited-like edges, while the corresponding combusting non-oscillating plane jet had laminar blue-edged flames in the near field. At a high Reynolds number, the transversely-oscillating jet flames were significantly shorter and wider with shorter reaction-dominated zones than those of the non-oscillating plane jet flames. In addition, the transversely-oscillating combusting jets presented larger carbon dioxide and smaller unburned hydrocarbon concentrations, as well as portrayed characteristics of partially premixed flames. The non-oscillating combusting jets presented characteristics of diffusion flames, and the transversely-oscillating jet flame had a combustion performance superior to its non-oscillating plane jet flame counterpart. The high combustion performance of the transversely-oscillating jets was due to the enhanced entrainment, mixing, and lateral spreading of the jet flow, which were induced by the vortical flow structure generated by lateral periodic jet oscillations, as well as the high turbulence created by the breakup of the vortices.

Flame behavior and thermal structure of combusting plane jets with and without self-excited transverse oscillations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Rong Fung; Kivindu, Reuben Mwanza; Hsu, Ching Min

2018-06-01

The flame behavior and thermal structure of combusting plane jets with and without self-excited transverse oscillations were investigated experimentally. The transversely-oscillating plane jet was generated by a specially designed fluidic oscillator. Isothermal flow patterns were observed using the laser-assisted smoke flow visualization method. Meanwhile, the flame behaviour was studied using instantaneous and long-exposure photography techniques. Temperature distributions and combustion-product concentrations were measured using a fine-wire type R thermocouple and a gas analyzer, respectively. The results showed that the combusting transversely-oscillating plane jets had distributed turbulent blue flames with plaited-like edges, while the corresponding combusting non-oscillating plane jet had laminar blue-edged flames in the near field. At a high Reynolds number, the transversely-oscillating jet flames were significantly shorter and wider with shorter reaction-dominated zones than those of the non-oscillating plane jet flames. In addition, the transversely-oscillating combusting jets presented larger carbon dioxide and smaller unburned hydrocarbon concentrations, as well as portrayed characteristics of partially premixed flames. The non-oscillating combusting jets presented characteristics of diffusion flames, and the transversely-oscillating jet flame had a combustion performance superior to its non-oscillating plane jet flame counterpart. The high combustion performance of the transversely-oscillating jets was due to the enhanced entrainment, mixing, and lateral spreading of the jet flow, which were induced by the vortical flow structure generated by lateral periodic jet oscillations, as well as the high turbulence created by the breakup of the vortices.

A Static Picture of the Relaxation and Intersystem Crossing Mechanisms of Photoexcited 2-Thiouracil

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Accurate excited-state quantum chemical calculations on 2-thiouracil, employing large active spaces and up to quadruple-ζ quality basis sets in multistate complete active space perturbation theory calculations, are reported. The results suggest that the main relaxation path for 2-thiouracil after photoexcitation should be S2 → S1 → T2 → T1, and that this relaxation occurs on a subpicosecond time scale. There are two deactivation pathways from the initially excited bright S2 state to S1, one of which is nearly barrierless and should promote ultrafast internal conversion. After relaxation to the S1 minimum, small singlet–triplet energy gaps and spin–orbit couplings of about 130 cm–1 are expected to facilitate intersystem crossing to T2, from where very fast internal conversion to T1 occurs. An important finding is that 2-thiouracil shows strong pyramidalization at the carbon atom of the thiocarbonyl group in several excited states. PMID:26284285

A Comparison of Relaxation Strategies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Doris B.

Some researchers argue that all relaxation techniques produce a single relaxation response while others support a specific-effects hypothesis which suggests that progressive relaxation affects the musculoskeletal system and that guided imagery affects cognitive changes. Autogenics is considered a technique which is both somatic and cognitive. This…

Transverse discrete breathers in unstrained graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barani, Elham; Lobzenko, Ivan P.; Korznikova, Elena A.; Soboleva, Elvira G.; Dmitriev, Sergey V.; Zhou, Kun; Marjaneh, Aliakbar Moradi

2017-02-01

Discrete breathers (DB) are spatially localized vibrational modes of large amplitude in defect-free nonlinear lattices. The search for DBs in graphene is of high importance, taking into account that this one atom thick layer of carbon is promising for a number of applications. There exist several reports on successful excitation of DBs in graphene, based on molecular dynamics and ab initio simulations. In a recent work by Hizhnyakov with co-authors the possibility to excite a DB with atoms oscillating normal to the graphene sheet has been reported. In the present study we use a systematic approach for finding initial conditions to excite transverse DBs in graphene. The approach is based on the analysis of the frequency-amplitude dependence for a delocalized, short-wavelength vibrational mode. This mode is a symmetry-dictated exact solution to the dynamic equations of the atomic motion, regardless the mode amplitude and regardless the type of interatomic potentials used in the simulations. It is demonstrated that if the AIREBO potential is used, the mode frequency increases with the amplitude bifurcating from the upper edge of the phonon spectrum for out-of-plane phonons. Then a bell-shaped function is superimposed on this delocalized mode to obtain a spatially localized vibrational mode, i.e., a DB. Placing the center of the bell-shaped function at different positions with respect to the lattice sites, three different DBs are found. Typically, the degree of spatial localization of DBs increases with the DB amplitude, but the transverse DBs in graphene reported here demonstrate the opposite trend. The results are compared to those obtained with the use of the Savin interatomic potential and no transverse DBs are found in this case. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the nonlinear dynamics of graphene and they call for the ab initio simulations to verify which of the two potentials used in this study is more precise.

Gd-DTPA-Dopamine-Bisphytanyl Amphiphile: Synthesis, Characterisation and Relaxation Parameters of the Nanoassemblies and Their Potential as MRI Contrast Agents.

PubMed

Gupta, Abhishek; Willis, Scott A; Waddington, Lynne J; Stait-Gardner, Tim; de Campo, Liliana; Hwang, Dennis W; Kirby, Nigel; Price, William S; Moghaddam, Minoo J

2015-09-28

Here, a new amphiphilic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, a Gd(III)-chelated diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid conjugated to two branched alkyl chains via a dopamine spacer, Gd-DTPA-dopamine-bisphytanyl (Gd-DTPA-Dop-Phy), which is readily capable of self-assembling into liposomal nanoassemblies upon dispersion in an aqueous solution, is reported. In vitro relaxivities of the dispersions were found to be much higher than Magnevist, a commercially available contrast agent, at 0.47 T but comparable at 9.40 T. Analysis of variable temperature (17)O NMR transverse relaxation measurements revealed the water exchange of the nanoassemblies to be faster than that previously reported for paramagnetic liposomes. Molecular reorientation dynamics were probed by (1)H NMRD profiles using a classical inner and outer sphere relaxation model and a Lipari-Szabo "model-free" approach. High payloads of Gd(III) ions in the liposomal nanoassemblies made solely from the Gd-DTPA-Dop-Phy amphiphiles, in combination with slow molecular reorientation and fast water exchange makes this novel amphiphile a suitable candidate to be investigated as an advanced MRI contrast agent. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Microwave Transversal Equalizer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

AD-AO?7 603 EATONCORP MELVILLE NY AIL DIV F/6 9/5 MICROWAVE TRANSVERSAL EQUALIZER .(U) MAY 80 J WOLCZOK. 6 KANISCHAK F 3 0602-T8-C-0352 UNCLASSIFIED... Equalizer (MTE) Side-lobe distortion Equalization II Automation ABSTRACT (Continue on revere side It necesary and identify by block numb.r) A...Microwave Transversal Equalizer has been designed, fabricated, and installed at RADC and is capable of reducing side-lobe distortion levels of -18 dBm to

Orientational order and rotational relaxation in the plastic crystal phase of tetrahedral molecules.

PubMed

Rey, Rossend

2008-01-17

A methodology recently introduced to describe orientational order in liquid carbon tetrachloride is extended to the plastic crystal phase of XY4 molecules. The notion that liquid and plastic crystal phases are germane regarding orientational order is confirmed for short intermolecular distances but is seen to fail beyond, as long range orientational correlations are found for the simulated solid phase. It is argued that, if real, such a phenomenon may not to be accessible with direct (diffraction) methods due to the high molecular symmetry. This behavior is linked to the existence of preferential orientation with respect to the fcc crystalline network defined by the centers of mass. It is found that the dominant class accounts, at most, for one-third of all configurations, with a feeble dependence on temperature. Finally, the issue of rotational relaxation is also addressed, with an excellent agreement with experimental measures. It is shown that relaxation is nonhomogeneous in the picosecond range, with a slight dispersion of decay times depending on the initial orientational class. The results reported mainly correspond to neopentane over a wide temperature range, although results for carbon tetrachloride are included, as well.

Relaxation Dynamics in Heme Proteins.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholl, Reinhard Wilhelm

A protein molecule possesses many conformational substates that are likely arranged in a hierarchy consisting of a number of tiers. A hierarchical organization of conformational substates is expected to give rise to a multitude of nonequilibrium relaxation phenomena. If the temperature is lowered, transitions between substates of higher tiers are frozen out, and relaxation processes characteristic of lower tiers will dominate the observational time scale. This thesis addresses the following questions: (i) What is the energy landscape of a protein? How does the landscape depend on the environment such as pH and viscosity, and how can it be connected to specific structural parts? (ii) What relaxation phenomena can be observed in a protein? Which are protein specific, and which occur in other proteins? How does the environment influence relaxations? (iii) What functional form best describes relaxation functions? (iv) Can we connect the motions to specific structural parts of the protein molecule, and are these motions important for the function of the protein?. To this purpose, relaxation processes after a pressure change are studied in carbonmonoxy (CO) heme proteins (myoglobin-CO, substrate-bound and substrate-free cytochrome P450cam-CO, chloroperoxidase-CO, horseradish peroxidase -CO) between 150 K and 250 K using FTIR spectroscopy to monitor the CO bound to the heme iron. Two types of p -relaxation experiments are performed: p-release (200 to ~eq40 MPa) and p-jump (~eq40 to 200 MPa) experiments. Most of the relaxations fall into one of three groups and are characterized by (i) nonexponential time dependence and non-Arrhenius temperature dependence (FIM1( nu), FIM1(Gamma)); (ii) exponential time dependence and non-Arrhenius temperature dependence (FIM0(A_{i}to A_{j})); exponential time dependence and Arrhenius temperature dependence (FIMX( nu)). The influence of pH is studied in myoglobin-CO and shown to have a strong influence on the substate population of the

Fractography of the interlaminar fracture of carbon-fibre epoxy composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bascom, W. D.; Boll, D. J.; Fuller, B.; Phillips, P. J.

1985-01-01

The failed surfaces of interlaminar fracture (mode I) specimens of AS4/3501-6 were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The principal fracture features were fiber pull-out (bundles and single fibers), hackle markings, and regions of smooth resin fracture. Considerable (30 to 50 percent) relaxation of the deformed resin occurred when the specimens were heated above the matrix glass transition temperature. This relaxation was taken as evidence of extensive shear yielding of the resin during the fracture process. Some of the fractography features are discussed in terms of transverse tensile stresses and peeling stresses acting on the fibers. In some instances these localized stresses focus failure close to the resin-fiber interface, which can be mistakenly interpreted as interfacial failure and low fiber-resin adhesion.

Ionic conductivity and relaxation studies in PVDF-HFP:PMMA-based gel polymer blend electrolyte with LiClO4 salt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohel, Khushbu; Kanchan, D. K.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) comprising propylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate mixed plasticizer with variation of lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) salt concentrations have been prepared using a solvent casting technique. Structural characterization has been carried out using XRD wherein diffraction pattern reveals the amorphous nature of sample up to 7.5wt.% salt and complexation of polymers and salt have been studied by FTIR analysis. Surface morphology of the samples has been studied using scanning electron microscope. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 303-363K has been carried out for electrical conductivity. The maximum room temperature conductivity of 2.83×10-4S cm-1 has been observed for the GPE incorporating 7.5wt.% LiClO4. The temperature dependence of ionic conductivity obeys the Arrhenius relation. The increase in ionic conductivity with change in temperatures and salt content is observed. Transport number measurement is carried out by Wagner’s DC polarization method. Loss tangent (tan δ) and imaginary part of modulus (M‧‧) corresponding to dielectric relaxation and conductivity relaxation respectively show faster relaxation process with increasing salt content up to optimum value of 7.5wt.% LiClO4. The modulus (M‧‧) shows that the conductivity relaxation is of non-Debye type (broader than Debye peak).

Mechanical relaxations and 1/f noise in Bi, Nb, and Fe films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alers, G. B.; Weissman, M. B.

1991-10-01

Anelastic piezoresistance and 1/f noise were measured in the same samples to compare mechanical relaxations with 1/f noise. In bismuth below 200 K, both effects could be fitted to a model invoking one class of mobile defects. In niobium, both the anelastic piezoresistance and the noise scaled with the concentration of dissolved hydrogen. A well-defined peak in noise versus temperature was observed without any peak in the anelastic response. In iron, noise apparently from a carbon Snoek relaxation was observed at 220 K in a sample with high impurity concentration and at 300 K with low impurity concentration. No anelastic feature was found at 220 K in the high-impurity-concentration sample. The broad nature of 1/f noise appears to arise not from a fundamental source but from the generally poor quality of thin films.

An improved pulse sequence and inversion algorithm of T2 spectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Xinmin; Chen, Hua; Fan, Yiren; Liu, Juntao; Cai, Jianchao; Liu, Jianyu

2017-03-01

The nuclear magnetic resonance transversal relaxation time is widely applied in geological prospecting, both in laboratory and downhole environments. However, current methods used for data acquisition and inversion should be reformed to characterize geological samples with complicated relaxation components and pore size distributions, such as samples of tight oil, gas shale, and carbonate. We present an improved pulse sequence to collect transversal relaxation signals based on the CPMG (Carr, Purcell, Meiboom, and Gill) pulse sequence. The echo spacing is not constant but varies in different windows, depending on prior knowledge or customer requirements. We use the entropy based truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) to compress the ill-posed matrix and discard small singular values which cause the inversion instability. A hybrid algorithm combining the iterative TSVD and a simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique is implemented to reach the global convergence and stability of the inversion. Numerical simulations indicate that the improved pulse sequence leads to the same result as CPMG, but with lower echo numbers and computational time. The proposed method is a promising technique for geophysical prospecting and other related fields in future.

Chloride channel blockade relaxes airway smooth muscle and potentiates relaxation by β-agonists

PubMed Central

Yim, Peter; Rinderspacher, Alison; Fu, Xiao Wen; Zhang, Yi; Landry, Donald W.; Emala, Charles W.

2014-01-01

Severe bronchospasm refractory to β-agonists continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality in asthmatic patients. We questioned whether chloride channels/transporters are novel targets for the relaxation of airway smooth muscle (ASM). We have screened a library of compounds, derivatives of anthranilic and indanyloxyacetic acid, that were originally developed to antagonize chloride channels in the kidney. We hypothesized that members of this library would be novel calcium-activated chloride channel blockers for the airway. The initial screen of this compound library identified 4 of 20 compounds that relaxed a tetraethylammonium chloride-induced contraction in guinea pig tracheal rings. The two most effective compounds, compounds 1 and 13, were further studied for their potential to either prevent the initiation of or relax the maintenance phase of an acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contraction or to potentiate β-agonist-mediated relaxation. Both relaxed an established ACh-induced contraction in human and guinea pig ex vivo ASM. In contrast, the prevention of an ACh-induced contraction required copretreatment with the sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter blocker bumetanide. The combination of compound 13 and bumetanide also potentiated relaxation by the β-agonist isoproterenol in guinea pig tracheal rings. Compounds 1 and 13 hyperpolarized the plasma cell membrane of human ASM cells and blocked spontaneous transient inward currents, a measure of chloride currents in these cells. These functional and electrophysiological data suggest that modulating ASM chloride flux is a novel therapeutic target in asthma and other bronchoconstrictive diseases. PMID:24879056

An important atomic process in the CVD growth of graphene: Sinking and up-floating of carbon atom on copper surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yingfeng; Li, Meicheng; Gu, TianSheng; Bai, Fan; Yu, Yue; Trevor, Mwenya; Yu, Yangxin

2013-11-01

By density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the early stages of the growth of graphene on copper (1 1 1) surface are investigated. At the very first time of graphene growth, the carbon atom sinks into subsurface. As more carbon atoms are adsorbed nearby the site, the sunken carbon atom will spontaneously form a dimer with one of the newly adsorbed carbon atoms, and the formed dimer will up-float on the top of the surface. We emphasize the role of the co-operative relaxation of the co-adsorbed carbon atoms in facilitating the sinking and up-floating of carbon atoms. In detail: when two carbon atoms are co-adsorbed, their co-operative relaxation will result in different carbon-copper interactions for the co-adsorbed carbon atoms. This difference facilitates the sinking of a single carbon atom into the subsurface. As a third carbon atom is co-adsorbed nearby, it draws the sunken carbon atom on top of the surface, forming a dimer. Co-operative relaxations of the surface involving all adsorbed carbon atoms and their copper neighbors facilitate these sinking and up-floating processes. This investigation is helpful for the deeper understanding of graphene synthesis and the choosing of optimal carbon sources or process.

Relaxation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

Environ Corporation's relaxation system is built around a body lounge, a kind of super easy chair that incorporates sensory devices. Computer controlled enclosure provides filtered ionized air to create a feeling of invigoration, enhanced by mood changing aromas. Occupant is also surrounded by multidimensional audio and the lighting is programmed to change colors, patterns, and intensity periodically. These and other sensory stimulators are designed to provide an environment in which the learning process is stimulated, because research has proven that while an individual is in a deep state of relaxation, the mind is more receptive to new information.

Coupled kinetic equations for fermions and bosons in the relaxation-time approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Florkowski, Wojciech; Maksymiuk, Ewa; Ryblewski, Radoslaw

2018-02-01

Kinetic equations for fermions and bosons are solved numerically in the relaxation-time approximation for the case of one-dimensional boost-invariant geometry. Fermions are massive and carry baryon number, while bosons are massless. The conservation laws for the baryon number, energy, and momentum lead to two Landau matching conditions, which specify the coupling between the fermionic and bosonic sectors and determine the proper-time dependence of the effective temperature and baryon chemical potential of the system. The numerical results illustrate how a nonequilibrium mixture of fermions and bosons approaches hydrodynamic regime described by the Navier-Stokes equations with appropriate forms of the kinetic coefficients. The shear viscosity of a mixture is the sum of the shear viscosities of fermion and boson components, while the bulk viscosity is given by the formula known for a gas of fermions, however, with the thermodynamic variables characterising the mixture. Thus, we find that massless bosons contribute in a nontrivial way to the bulk viscosity of a mixture, provided fermions are massive. We further observe the hydrodynamization effect, which takes place earlier in the shear sector than in the bulk one. The numerical studies of the ratio of the longitudinal and transverse pressures show, to a good approximation, that it depends on the ratio of the relaxation and proper times only. This behavior is connected with the existence of an attractor solution for conformal systems.

Idiosyncratic reality claims, relaxation dispositions, and ABC relaxation theory: happiness, literal christianity, miraculous powers, metaphysics, and the paranormal.

PubMed

Smith, Jonathan C; Karmin, Aaron D

2002-12-01

This study examined idiosyncratic reality claims, that is, irrational or paranormal beliefs often claimed to enhance relaxation and happiness and reduce stress. The Smith Idiosyncratic Reality Claims Inventory and the Smith Relaxation Dispositions Inventory (which measures relaxation and stress dispositions, or enduring states of mind frequently associated with relaxation or stress) were given to 310 junior college student volunteers. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation identified five idiosyncratic reality claim factors: belief in Literal Christianity; Magic; Space Aliens: After Death experiences; and Miraculous Powers of Meditation, Prayer, and Belief. No factor correlated with increased relaxation dispositions Peace, Energy, or Joy, or reduced dispositional somatic stress, worry, or negative emotion on the Smith Relaxation Dispositions Inventory. It was concluded that idiosyncratic reality claims may not be associated with reported relaxation, happiness, or stress. In contrast, previous research strongly supported self-affirming beliefs with few paranormal assumptions display such an association.

Molecular Relaxation in LiNO3-LiClO4 and Li2CO3-Li2SO4 Solid Binary Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aliev, A. R.; Akhmedov, I. R.; Kakagasanov, M. G.; Aliev, Z. A.; Gafurov, M. M.; Amirov, A. M.

2018-06-01

The paper presents spectroscopic combinational scattering investigations of the molecular relaxation in LiNO3-LiClO4 and Li2CO3-Li2SO4 solid binary systems. It is found that the relaxation time for ν1(A) vibrations of NO3 - anion in LiNO3-LiClO4 system is lower than in LiNO3 crystal. And the relaxation time for ν1(A) vibrations of CO3 2- anion in Li2CO3-Li2SO4 system is lower than in Li2CO3 crystal. The increase in the relaxation time is explained by the additional relaxation mechanism of the excited mode of nitrate and carbon ions which is observed in these systems. This mechanism is linked to the vibrations of other anions (ClO4 - or SO4 2-) and a nucleation of the lattice phonon. Experiments show that the additional relaxation mechanism occurs due to the vibration difference which corresponds to the area of rather a high density of states of the phonon spectrum.

Cladding for transverse-pumped solid-state laser

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L. (Inventor); Fan, Tso Y. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

In a transverse pumped, solid state laser, a nonabsorptive cladding surrounds a gain medium. A single tranverse mode, namely the Transverse Electromagnetic (TEM) sub 00 mode, is provided. The TEM sub 00 model has a cross sectional diameter greater than a transverse dimension of the gain medium but less than a transverse dimension of the cladding. The required size of the gain medium is minimized while a threshold for laser output is lowered.

The relationships between suggestibility, influenceability, and relaxability.

PubMed

Polczyk, Romuald; Frey, Olga; Szpitalak, Malwina

2013-01-01

This research explores the relationships between relaxability and various aspects of suggestibility and influenceability. The Jacobson Progressive Muscle Relaxation procedure was used to induce relaxation. Tests of direct suggestibility, relating to the susceptibility of overt suggestions, and indirect suggestibility, referring to indirect hidden influence, as well as self-description questionnaires on suggestibility and the tendency to comply were used. Thayer's Activation-Deactivation Adjective Check List, measuring various kinds of activation and used as a pre- and posttest, determined the efficacy of the relaxation procedure. Indirect, direct, and self-measured suggestibility proved to be positively related to the ability to relax, measured by Thayer's subscales relating to emotions. Compliance was not related to relaxability. The results are discussed in terms of the aspects of relaxation training connected with suggestibility.

Simultaneous MR quantification of hepatic fat content, fatty acid composition, transverse relaxation time and magnetic susceptibility for the diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

PubMed

Leporq, B; Lambert, S A; Ronot, M; Vilgrain, V; Van Beers, B E

2017-10-01

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized at histology by steatosis, hepatocyte ballooning and inflammatory infiltrates, with or without fibrosis. Although diamagnetic material in fibrosis and inflammation can be detected with quantitative susceptibility imaging, fatty acid composition changes in NASH relative to simple steatosis have also been reported. Therefore, our aim was to develop a single magnetic resonance (MR) acquisition and post-processing scheme for the diagnosis of steatohepatitis by the simultaneous quantification of hepatic fat content, fatty acid composition, T 2 * transverse relaxation time and magnetic susceptibility in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. MR acquisition was performed at 3.0 T using a three-dimensional, multi-echo, spoiled gradient echo sequence. Phase images were unwrapped to compute the B 0 field inhomogeneity (ΔB 0 ) map. The ΔB 0 -demodulated real part images were used for fat-water separation, T 2 * and fatty acid composition quantification. The external and internal fields were separated with the projection onto dipole field method. Susceptibility maps were obtained after dipole inversion from the internal field map with single-orientation Bayesian regularization including spatial priors. Method validation was performed in 32 patients with biopsy-proven, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease from which 12 had simple steatosis and 20 NASH. Liver fat fraction and T 2 * did not change significantly between patients with simple steatosis and NASH. In contrast, the saturated fatty acid fraction increased in patients with NASH relative to patients with simple steatosis (48 ± 2% versus 44 ± 4%; p < 0.05) and the magnetic susceptibility decreased (-0.30 ± 0.27 ppm versus 0.10 ± 0.14 ppm; p < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for magnetic susceptibility as NASH marker was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.79-1.0). Simultaneous MR quantification of fat content, fatty acid

Unconventional superconductivity in Y5Rh6Sn18 probed by muon spin relaxation

PubMed Central

Bhattacharyya, Amitava; Adroja, Devashibhai; Kase, Naoki; Hillier, Adrian; Akimitsu, Jun; Strydom, Andre

2015-01-01

Conventional superconductors are robust diamagnets that expel magnetic fields through the Meissner effect. It would therefore be unexpected if a superconducting ground state would support spontaneous magnetics fields. Such broken time-reversal symmetry states have been suggested for the high—temperature superconductors, but their identification remains experimentally controversial. We present magnetization, heat capacity, zero field and transverse field muon spin relaxation experiments on the recently discovered caged type superconductor Y5Rh6Sn18 ( TC= 3.0 K). The electronic heat capacity of Y5Rh6Sn18 shows a T3 dependence below Tc indicating an anisotropic superconducting gap with a point node. This result is in sharp contrast to that observed in the isostructural Lu5Rh6Sn18 which is a strong coupling s—wave superconductor. The temperature dependence of the deduced superfluid in density Y5Rh6Sn18 is consistent with a BCS s—wave gap function, while the zero-field muon spin relaxation measurements strongly evidences unconventional superconductivity through a spontaneous appearance of an internal magnetic field below the superconducting transition temperature, signifying that the superconducting state is categorized by the broken time-reversal symmetry. PMID:26286229

46 CFR 154.174 - Transverse contiguous hull structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Transverse contiguous hull structure. 154.174 Section... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.174 Transverse contiguous hull structure. (a) The transverse contiguous hull...) The transverse contiguous hull structure of a vessel having cargo containment systems with secondary...

The interplay of T1- and T2-relaxation on T1-weighted MRI of hMSCs induced by Gd-DOTA-peptides.

PubMed

Cao, Limin; Li, Binbin; Yi, Peiwei; Zhang, Hailu; Dai, Jianwu; Tan, Bo; Deng, Zongwu

2014-04-01

Three Gd-DOTA-peptide complexes with different peptide sequence are synthesized and used as T1 contrast agent to label human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) for magnetic resonance imaging study. The peptides include a universal cell penetrating peptide TAT, a linear MSC-specific peptide EM7, and a cyclic MSC-specific peptide CC9. A significant difference in labeling efficacy is observed between the Gd-DOTA-peptides as well as a control Dotarem. All Gd-DOTA-peptides as well as Dotarem induce significant increase in T1 relaxation rate which is in favor of T1-weighted MR imaging. Gd-DOTA-CC9 yields the maximum labeling efficacy but poor T1 contrast enhancement. Gd-DOTA-EM7 yields the minimum labeling efficacy but better T1 contrast enhancement. Gd-DOTA-TAT yields a similar labeling efficacy as Gd-DOTA-CC9 and similar T1 contrast enhancement as Gd-DOTA-EM7. The underlying mechanism that governs T1 contrast enhancement effect is discussed. Our results suggest that T1 contrast enhancement induced by Gd-DOTA-peptides depends not only on the introduced cellular Gd content, but more importantly on the effect that Gd-DOTA-peptides exert on the T1-relaxation and T2-relaxation processes/rates. Both T1 and particularly T2 relaxation rate have to be taken into account to interpret T1 contrast enhancement. In addition, the interpretation has to be based on cellular instead of aqueous longitudinal and transverse relaxivities of Gd-DOTA-peptides. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rindler fluid with weak momentum relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khimphun, Sunly; Lee, Bum-Hoon; Park, Chanyong; Zhang, Yun-Long

2018-01-01

We realize the weak momentum relaxation in Rindler fluid, which lives on the time-like cutoff surface in an accelerating frame of flat spacetime. The translational invariance is broken by massless scalar fields with weak strength. Both of the Ward identity and the momentum relaxation rate of Rindler fluid are obtained, with higher order correction in terms of the strength of momentum relaxation. The Rindler fluid with momentum relaxation could also be approached through the near horizon limit of cutoff AdS fluid with momentum relaxation, which lives on a finite time-like cutoff surface in Anti-de Sitter(AdS) spacetime, and further could be connected with the holographic conformal fluid living on AdS boundary at infinity. Thus, in the holographic Wilson renormalization group flow of the fluid/gravity correspondence with momentum relaxation, the Rindler fluid can be considered as the Infrared Radiation(IR) fixed point, and the holographic conformal fluid plays the role of the ultraviolet(UV) fixed point.

Photovoltaic Properties and Ultrafast Plasmon Relaxation Dynamics of Diamond-Like Carbon Nanocomposite Films with Embedded Ag Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Meškinis, Šarūnas; Peckus, Domantas; Vasiliauskas, Andrius; Čiegis, Arvydas; Gudaitis, Rimantas; Tamulevičius, Tomas; Yaremchuk, Iryna; Tamulevičius, Sigitas

2017-12-01

Ultrafast relaxation dynamics of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with embedded Ag nanoparticles (DLC:Ag) and photovoltaic properties of heterojunctions consisting of DLC:Ag and crystalline silicon (DLC:Ag/Si) were investigated by means of transient absorption (TAS) spectroscopy and photovoltaic measurements. The heterojunctions using both p type and n type silicon were studied. It was found that TAS spectra of DLC:Ag films were dependent on the used excitation wavelength. At wavelengths where Ag nanoparticles absorbed light most intensively, only DLC signal was registered. This result is in good accordance with an increase of the DLC:Ag/Si heterojunction short circuit current and open circuit voltage with the excitation wavelength in the photovoltaic measurements. The dependence of the TAS spectra of DLC:Ag films and photovoltaic properties of DLC:Ag/Si heterostructures on the excitation wavelength was explained as a result of trapping of the photoexcited hot charge carriers in DLC matrix. The negative photovoltaic effect was observed for DLC:Ag/p-Si heterostructures and positive ("conventional") for DLC:Ag/n-Si ones. It was explained by the excitation of hot plasmonic holes in the Ag nanoparticles embedded into DLC matrix. Some decrease of DLC:Ag/Si heterostructures photovoltage as well as photocurrent with DLC:Ag film thickness was observed, indicating role of the interface in the charge transfer process of photocarriers excited in Ag nanoparticles.

Photovoltaic Properties and Ultrafast Plasmon Relaxation Dynamics of Diamond-Like Carbon Nanocomposite Films with Embedded Ag Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meškinis, Šarūnas; Peckus, Domantas; Vasiliauskas, Andrius; Čiegis, Arvydas; Gudaitis, Rimantas; Tamulevičius, Tomas; Yaremchuk, Iryna; Tamulevičius, Sigitas

2017-04-01

Ultrafast relaxation dynamics of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films with embedded Ag nanoparticles (DLC:Ag) and photovoltaic properties of heterojunctions consisting of DLC:Ag and crystalline silicon (DLC:Ag/Si) were investigated by means of transient absorption (TAS) spectroscopy and photovoltaic measurements. The heterojunctions using both p type and n type silicon were studied. It was found that TAS spectra of DLC:Ag films were dependent on the used excitation wavelength. At wavelengths where Ag nanoparticles absorbed light most intensively, only DLC signal was registered. This result is in good accordance with an increase of the DLC:Ag/Si heterojunction short circuit current and open circuit voltage with the excitation wavelength in the photovoltaic measurements. The dependence of the TAS spectra of DLC:Ag films and photovoltaic properties of DLC:Ag/Si heterostructures on the excitation wavelength was explained as a result of trapping of the photoexcited hot charge carriers in DLC matrix. The negative photovoltaic effect was observed for DLC:Ag/p-Si heterostructures and positive ("conventional") for DLC:Ag/n-Si ones. It was explained by the excitation of hot plasmonic holes in the Ag nanoparticles embedded into DLC matrix. Some decrease of DLC:Ag/Si heterostructures photovoltage as well as photocurrent with DLC:Ag film thickness was observed, indicating role of the interface in the charge transfer process of photocarriers excited in Ag nanoparticles.

The Effects of Suggestibility on Relaxation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickard, Henry C.; And Others

1985-01-01

Selected undergraduates (N=32) on the basis of Creative Imagination Scale scores and randomly assigned high and low suggestibility subjects to progressive relaxation (PR) and suggestions of relaxation (SR) training modes. Results revealed a significant pre-post relaxation effect, and main efffects for both suggestibility and training mode. (NRB)

Modifying the electronic and optical properties of carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinder, Jesse M.

The intrinsic electronic and optical properties of carbon nanotubes make them promising candidates for circuit elements and LEDs in nanoscale devices. However, applied fields and interactions with the environment can modify these intrinsic properties. This dissertation is a theoretical study of perturbations to an ideal carbon nanotube. It illustrates how transport and optical properties of carbon nanotubes can be adversely affected or intentionally modified by the local environment. The dissertation is divided into three parts. Part I analyzes the effect of a transverse electric field on the single-electron energy spectrum of semiconducting carbon nanotubes. Part II analyzes the effect of the local environment on selection rules and decay pathways relevant to dark excitons. Part III is a series of 26 appendices. Two different models for a transverse electric field are introduced in Part I. The first is a uniform field perpendicular to the nanotube axis. This model suggests the field has little effect on the band gap until it exceeds a critical value that can be tuned with strain or a magnetic field. The second model is a transverse field localized to a small region along the nanotube axis. The field creates a pair of exponentially localized bound states but has no effect on the band gap for particle transport. Part II explores the physics of dark excitons in carbon nanotubes. Two model calculations illustrate the effect of the local environment on allowed optical transitions and nonradiative recombination pathways. The first model illustrates the role of inversion symmetry in the optical spectrum. Broken inversion symmetry may explain low-lying peaks in the exciton spectrum of boron nitride nanotubes and localized photoemission around impurities and interfaces in carbon nanotubes. The second model in Part II suggests that free charge carriers can mediate an efficient nonradiative decay process for dark excitons in carbon nanotubes. The appendices in Part III

Relaxation processes in disaccharide sugar glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Yoon-Hwae; Kwon, Hyun-Joung; Seo, Jeong-Ah; Shin, Dong-Myeong; Ha, Ji-Hye; Kim, Hyung-Kook

2013-02-01

We represented relaxation processes of disaccharide sugars (anhydrous trehalose and maltose) in supercooled and glassy states by using several spectroscopy techniques which include a broadband dielectric loss spectroscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (Retvield analysis) methods which are powerful tools to measure the dynamics in glass forming materials. In a dielectric loss spectroscopy study, we found that anhydrous trehalose and maltose glasses have an extra relaxation process besides α-, JG β- and γ-relaxations which could be related to a unique property of glycoside bond in disaccharides. In photon correlation spectroscopy study, we found an interesting compressed exponential relaxation at temperatures above 140°C. The q-1 dependence of its relaxation time corresponds to an ultraslow ballistic motion due to the local structure rearrangements. In the same temperature range, we found the glycosidic bond structure changes in trehalose molecule from the Raman and the Retvield X-ray diffraction measurements indicating that the observed compressed exponential relaxation in supercooled liquid trehalose could be resulted in the glycosidic bond structure change. Therefore, the overall results from this study might support the fact that the superior bioprotection ability of disaccharide sugar glasses might originate from this unique relaxation process of glycosidic bond.

Relaxation mode analysis and Markov state relaxation mode analysis for chignolin in aqueous solution near a transition temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsutake, Ayori; Takano, Hiroshi

2015-09-01

It is important to extract reaction coordinates or order parameters from protein simulations in order to investigate the local minimum-energy states and the transitions between them. The most popular method to obtain such data is principal component analysis, which extracts modes of large conformational fluctuations around an average structure. We recently applied relaxation mode analysis for protein systems, which approximately estimates the slow relaxation modes and times from a simulation and enables investigations of the dynamic properties underlying the structural fluctuations of proteins. In this study, we apply this relaxation mode analysis to extract reaction coordinates for a system in which there are large conformational changes such as those commonly observed in protein folding/unfolding. We performed a 750-ns simulation of chignolin protein near its folding transition temperature and observed many transitions between the most stable, misfolded, intermediate, and unfolded states. We then applied principal component analysis and relaxation mode analysis to the system. In the relaxation mode analysis, we could automatically extract good reaction coordinates. The free-energy surfaces provide a clearer understanding of the transitions not only between local minimum-energy states but also between the folded and unfolded states, even though the simulation involved large conformational changes. Moreover, we propose a new analysis method called Markov state relaxation mode analysis. We applied the new method to states with slow relaxation, which are defined by the free-energy surface obtained in the relaxation mode analysis. Finally, the relaxation times of the states obtained with a simple Markov state model and the proposed Markov state relaxation mode analysis are compared and discussed.

Relaxation Time of High-Density Amorphous Ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handle, Philip H.; Seidl, Markus; Loerting, Thomas

2012-06-01

Amorphous water plays a fundamental role in astrophysics, cryoelectron microscopy, hydration of matter, and our understanding of anomalous liquid water properties. Yet, the characteristics of the relaxation processes taking place in high-density amorphous ice (HDA) are unknown. We here reveal that the relaxation processes in HDA at 110-135 K at 0.1-0.2 GPa are of collective and global nature, resembling the alpha relaxation in glassy material. Measured relaxation times suggest liquid-like relaxation characteristics in the vicinity of the crystallization temperature at 145 K. By carefully relaxing pressurized HDA for several hours at 135 K, we produce a state that is closer to the ideal glass state than all HDA states discussed so far in literature.

A carbon sink pathway increases carbon productivity in cyanobacteria.

PubMed

Oliver, John W K; Atsumi, Shota

2015-05-01

The burning of fossil reserves, and subsequent release of carbon into the atmosphere is depleting the supply of carbon-based molecules used for synthetic materials including plastics, oils, medicines, and glues. To provide for future society, innovations are needed for the conversion of waste carbon (CO2) into organic carbon useful for materials. Chemical production directly from photosynthesis is a nascent technology, with great promise for capture of CO2 using sunlight. To improve low yields, it has been proposed that photosynthetic capacity can be increased by a relaxation of bottlenecks inherent to growth. The limits of carbon partitioning away from growth within the cell and the effect of partitioning on carbon fixation are not well known. Here we show that expressing genes in a pathway between carbon fixation and pyruvate increases partitioning to 2,3-butanediol (23BD) and leads to a 1.8-fold increase in total carbon yield in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. Specific 2,3-butanediol production increases 2.4-fold. As partitioning increases beyond 30%, it leads to a steep decline in total carbon yield. The data suggests a local maximum for carbon partitioning from the Calvin Benson cycle that is scalable with light intensity. Copyright © 2015 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relaxation in x-space magnetic particle imaging.

PubMed

Croft, Laura R; Goodwill, Patrick W; Conolly, Steven M

2012-12-01

Magnetic particle imaging (MPI) is a new imaging modality that noninvasively images the spatial distribution of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIOs). MPI has demonstrated high contrast and zero attenuation with depth, and MPI promises superior safety compared to current angiography methods, X-ray, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging angiography. Nanoparticle relaxation can delay the SPIO magnetization, and in this work we investigate the open problem of the role relaxation plays in MPI scanning and its effect on the image. We begin by amending the x-space theory of MPI to include nanoparticle relaxation effects. We then validate the amended theory with experiments from a Berkeley x-space relaxometer and a Berkeley x-space projection MPI scanner. Our theory and experimental data indicate that relaxation reduces SNR and asymmetrically blurs the image in the scanning direction. While relaxation effects can have deleterious effects on the MPI scan, we show theoretically and experimentally that x-space reconstruction remains robust in the presence of relaxation. Furthermore, the role of relaxation in x-space theory provides guidance as we develop methods to minimize relaxation-induced blurring. This will be an important future area of research for the MPI community.

Hair Dye and Hair Relaxers

MedlinePlus

... For Consumers Consumer Information by Audience For Women Hair Dye and Hair Relaxers Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing ... products. If you have a bad reaction to hair dyes and relaxers, you should: Stop using the ...

Molecular motions of [Beta]-carotene and a carotenoporphyrin dyad in solution. A carbon-13 NMR spin-lattice relaxation time study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, S.; Swindle, S.L.; Smith, S.K.

1995-03-09

Analysis of [sup 13]C NMR spin-lattice relaxation times (T[sub 1]) yields information concerning both overall tumbling of molecules in solution and internal rotations about single bonds. Relaxation time and nuclear Overhauser effect data have been obtained for [Beta]-carotene and two related molecules, squalane and squalene, for zinc meso-tetraphenylporphyrin, and for a dyad consisting of a porphyrin covalently linked to a carotenoid polyene through a trimethylene bridge. Squalane and squalene, which lack conjugated double bonds, behave essentially as limp string, with internal rotations at least as rapid as overall isotropic tumbling motions. In contrast, [Beta]-carotene reorients as a rigid rod, withmore » internal motions which are too slow to affect relaxation times. Modeling it as an anisotropic rotor yields a rotational diffusion coefficient for motion about the major axis which is 14 times larger than that for rotation about axes perpendicular to that axis. The porphyrin reorients more nearly isotropically and features internal librational motions about the single bonds to the phenyl groups. The relaxation time data for the carotenoporphyrin are consistent with internal motions similar to those of a medieval military flail. 31 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Various ligand-coated ultrasmall gadolinium-oxide nanoparticles: Water proton relaxivity and in-vivo T1 MR image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Ja Young; Kim, Sung June; Lee, Gang Ho; Jin, Seonguk; Chang, Yongmin; Bae, Ji Eun; Chae, Kwon Seok

2015-04-01

Surface coating of nanoparticles with ligands is essential in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because of solubility in water and biocompatibility. In this study, five organic molecules were used for surface coating of ultrasmall gadolinium-oxide (Gd2O3) nanoparticles (d avg = 2.0 nm). All of the samples showed large longitudinal (r1) and transverse (r2) water proton relaxivities with r2/r1 ratios that were close to one, corresponding to ideal conditions for T1 MRI contrast agents. Finally, in-vivo T1 MR images were acquired to prove the effectiveness of the surface-coated ultrasmall Gd2O3 nanoparticles as a T1 MRI contrast agent.

Behavior of cesium and thallium cations inside a calixarene cavity as probed by nuclear spin relaxation. Evidence of cation-pi interactions in water.

PubMed

Cuc, Diana; Bouguet-Bonnet, Sabine; Morel-Desrosiers, Nicole; Morel, Jean-Pierre; Mutzenhardt, Pierre; Canet, Daniel

2009-08-06

We have studied the complexes formed between the p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene and cesium or thallium metal cation, first by carbon-13 longitudinal relaxation of the calixarene molecule at two values of the magnetic field B(0). From the longitudinal relaxation times of an aromatic carbon directly bonded to a proton, thus subjected essentially to the dipolar interaction with that proton, we could obtain the correlation time describing the reorientation of the CH bond. The rest of this study has demonstrated that it is also the correlation time describing the tumbling of the whole calixarene assembly. From three non-proton-bearing carbons of the aromatic cycles (thus subjected to the chemical shift anisotropy and dipolar mechanisms), we have been able to determine the variation of the chemical shift anisotropy when going from the free to the complex form of the calixarene. These variations not only provide the location of the cation inside the calixarene cavity but also constitute a direct experimental proof of the cation-pi interactions. These results are complemented by cesium and thallium relaxation measurements performed again at two values of the magnetic field B(0). An estimation of the mean distance between the cation and the calixarene protons could be obtained. These measurements have also revealed an important chemical shift anisotropy of thallium upon complexation.

Transverse spin correlations of the random transverse-field Ising model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iglói, Ferenc; Kovács, István A.

2018-03-01

The critical behavior of the random transverse-field Ising model in finite-dimensional lattices is governed by infinite disorder fixed points, several properties of which have already been calculated by the use of the strong disorder renormalization-group (SDRG) method. Here we extend these studies and calculate the connected transverse-spin correlation function by a numerical implementation of the SDRG method in d =1 ,2 , and 3 dimensions. At the critical point an algebraic decay of the form ˜r-ηt is found, with a decay exponent being approximately ηt≈2 +2 d . In d =1 the results are related to dimer-dimer correlations in the random antiferromagnetic X X chain and have been tested by numerical calculations using free-fermionic techniques.

The heterogeneity of segmental dynamics of filled EPDM by 1H transverse relaxation NMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moldovan, D.; Fechete, R.; Demco, D. E.; Culea, E.; Blümich, B.; Herrmann, V.; Heinz, M.

2011-01-01

Residual second moment of dipolar interactions M∼2 and correlation time segmental dynamics distributions were measured by Hahn-echo decays in combination with inverse Laplace transform for a series of unfilled and filled EPDM samples as functions of carbon-black N683 filler content. The fillers-polymer chain interactions which dramatically restrict the mobility of bound rubber modify the dynamics of mobile chains. These changes depend on the filler content and can be evaluated from distributions of M∼2. A dipolar filter was applied to eliminate the contribution of bound rubber. In the first approach the Hahn-echo decays were fitted with a theoretical relationship to obtain the average values of the 1H residual second moment and correlation time <τc>. For the mobile EPDM segments the power-law distribution of correlation function was compared to the exponential correlation function and found inadequate in the long-time regime. In the second approach a log-Gauss distribution for the correlation time was assumed. Furthermore, using an averaged value of the correlation time, the distributions of the residual second moment were determined using an inverse Laplace transform for the entire series of measured samples. The unfilled EPDM sample shows a bimodal distribution of residual second moments, which can be associated to the mobile polymer sub-chains (M∼2≅6.1 rad s) and the second one associated to the dangling chains M∼2≅5.4 rad s). By restraining the mobility of bound rubber, the carbon-black fillers induce diversity in the segmental dynamics like the apparition of a distinct mobile component and changes in the distribution of mobile and free-end polymer segments.

Rotation relaxation splitting for optimizing parallel RF excitation pulses with T1 - and T2 -relaxations in MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majewski, Kurt

2018-03-01

Exact solutions of the Bloch equations with T1 - and T2 -relaxation terms for piecewise constant magnetic fields are numerically challenging. We therefore investigate an approximation for the achieved magnetization in which rotations and relaxations are split into separate operations. We develop an estimate for its accuracy and explicit first and second order derivatives with respect to the complex excitation radio frequency voltages. In practice, the deviation between an exact solution of the Bloch equations and this rotation relaxation splitting approximation seems negligible. Its computation times are similar to exact solutions without relaxation terms. We apply the developed theory to numerically optimize radio frequency excitation waveforms with T1 - and T2 -relaxations in several examples.

F-centers mechanism of long-term relaxation in lead zirconate-titanate based piezoelectric ceramics. 2. After-field relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishchuk, V. M.; Kuzenko, D. V.

2016-08-01

The paper presents results of experimental study of the dielectric constant relaxation during aging process in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 based solid solutions (PZT) after action of external DC electric field. The said process is a long-term one and is described by the logarithmic function of time. Reversible and nonreversible relaxation process takes place depending on the field intensity. The relaxation rate depends on the field strength also, and the said dependence has nonlinear and nonmonotonic form, if external field leads to domain disordering. The oxygen vacancies-based model for description of the long-term relaxation processes is suggested. The model takes into account the oxygen vacancies on the sample's surface ends, their conversion into F+- and F0-centers under external effects and subsequent relaxation of these centers into the simple oxygen vacancies after the action termination. F-centers formation leads to the violation of the original sample's electroneutrality, and generate intrinsic DC electric field into the sample. Relaxation of F-centers is accompanied by the reduction of the electric field, induced by them, and relaxation of the dielectric constant, as consequent effect.

An investigation into the effects of pore connectivity on T2 NMR relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghomeshi, Shahin; Kryuchkov, Sergey; Kantzas, Apostolos

2018-04-01

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a powerful technique used to characterize fluids and flow in porous media. The NMR relaxation curves are closely related to pore geometry, and the inversion of the NMR relaxometry data is known to give useful information with regards to pore size distribution (PSD) through the relative amplitudes of the fluids stored in the small and large pores. While this information is crucial, the main challenge for the successful use of the NMR measurements is the proper interpretation of the measured signals. Natural porous media patterns consist of complex pore structures with many interconnected or "coupled" regions, as well as isolated pores. This connectivity along the throats changes the relaxation distribution and in order to properly interpret this data, a thorough understanding of the effects of pore connectivity on the NMR relaxation distribution is warranted. In this paper we address two main points. The first pertains to the fact that there is a discrepancy between the relaxation distribution obtained from experiments, and the ones obtained from solving the mathematical models of diffusion process in the digitized images of the pore space. There are several reasons that may attribute to this such as the lack of a proper incorporation of surface roughness into the model. However, here we are more interested in the effects of pore connectivity and to understand why the typical NMR relaxation distribution obtained from experiments are wider, while the numerical simulations predict that a wider NMR relaxation distribution may indicate poor connectivity. Secondly, by not taking into account the pore coupling effects, from our experience in interpreting the data, we tend to underestimate the pore volume of small pores and overestimate the amplitudes in the large pores. The role of pore coupling becomes even more prominent in rocks with small pore sizes such as for example in shales, clay in sandstones, and in the microstructures of

Evolving fuzzy rules for relaxed-criteria negotiation.

PubMed

Sim, Kwang Mong

2008-12-01

In the literature on automated negotiation, very few negotiation agents are designed with the flexibility to slightly relax their negotiation criteria to reach a consensus more rapidly and with more certainty. Furthermore, these relaxed-criteria negotiation agents were not equipped with the ability to enhance their performance by learning and evolving their relaxed-criteria negotiation rules. The impetus of this work is designing market-driven negotiation agents (MDAs) that not only have the flexibility of relaxing bargaining criteria using fuzzy rules, but can also evolve their structures by learning new relaxed-criteria fuzzy rules to improve their negotiation outcomes as they participate in negotiations in more e-markets. To this end, an evolutionary algorithm for adapting and evolving relaxed-criteria fuzzy rules was developed. Implementing the idea in a testbed, two kinds of experiments for evaluating and comparing EvEMDAs (MDAs with relaxed-criteria rules that are evolved using the evolutionary algorithm) and EMDAs (MDAs with relaxed-criteria rules that are manually constructed) were carried out through stochastic simulations. Empirical results show that: 1) EvEMDAs generally outperformed EMDAs in different types of e-markets and 2) the negotiation outcomes of EvEMDAs generally improved as they negotiated in more e-markets.

The in vivo relaxivity of MRI contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuter, Borys

1999-11-01

Post-contrast clinical 1H Magnetic Resonance Images have to date been interpreted with little regard for possible variations in the in-vivo properties of injected magnetic pharmaceuticals (contrast agents), particularly in their relaxivity or ability to alter tissue relaxation rates, T2-1 and T 2-1, per unit concentration. The relaxivities of contrast agents have only rarely been measured in-vivo, measurements usually being performed on excised tissues and at magnetic field strengths lower than used in clinical practice. Some researchers have simply assumed that relaxivities determined in homogeneous tissue phantoms were applicable in-vivo. In this thesis, the relaxivities of two contrast agents, Gd-DTPA and Gd-EOB-DTPA, were measured in simple tissue phantoms and in the kidney and liver of intact, but sacrificed, Wistar rats using a clinical MR scanner with a magnetic field of 1.5 Tesla. T1 and T2 were determined from sets of images acquired using a standard clinical spin-echo pulse sequence. The contrast agent concentration in tissue was assessed by radioassay of 153Gd-DTPA or 153Gd-EOB-DTPA, mixed with the normal compound prior to injection. Relaxivity was taken as the slope of a linear regression fit of relaxation rate against Gd concentration. The relaxivities of Gd-EOB-DTPA were similarly determined in normal and biliary- obstructed guinea pigs. Relaxivities in tissue differed significantly from values obtained in simple phantoms. Kidney T1 relaxivity was reduced for both compounds in normal animals. Three days or more of biliary obstruction produced further reductions in kidney T1 relaxivity of Gd-EOB-DTPA, providing strong evidence that disease affects contrast agent relaxivity. Kidney T2 relaxivity was much greater than T1 relaxivity and was also depressed by biliary obstruction. Liver T1 and T 2 relaxivites were increased above phantom values, but were not affected by the biliary obstruction. Water compartmentalisation, macromolecular binding, proton

Thermodynamic scaling of α-relaxation time and viscosity stems from the Johari-Goldstein β-relaxation or the primitive relaxation of the coupling model.

PubMed

Ngai, K L; Habasaki, J; Prevosto, D; Capaccioli, S; Paluch, Marian

2012-07-21

By now it is well established that the structural α-relaxation time, τ(α), of non-associated small molecular and polymeric glass-formers obey thermodynamic scaling. In other words, τ(α) is a function Φ of the product variable, ρ(γ)/T, where ρ is the density and T the temperature. The constant γ as well as the function, τ(α) = Φ(ρ(γ)/T), is material dependent. Actually this dependence of τ(α) on ρ(γ)/T originates from the dependence on the same product variable of the Johari-Goldstein β-relaxation time, τ(β), or the primitive relaxation time, τ(0), of the coupling model. To support this assertion, we give evidences from various sources itemized as follows. (1) The invariance of the relation between τ(α) and τ(β) or τ(0) to widely different combinations of pressure and temperature. (2) Experimental dielectric and viscosity data of glass-forming van der Waals liquids and polymer. (3) Molecular dynamics simulations of binary Lennard-Jones (LJ) models, the Lewis-Wahnström model of ortho-terphenyl, 1,4 polybutadiene, a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate, and a molten salt 2Ca(NO(3))(2)·3KNO(3) (CKN). (4) Both diffusivity and structural relaxation time, as well as the breakdown of Stokes-Einstein relation in CKN obey thermodynamic scaling by ρ(γ)/T with the same γ. (5) In polymers, the chain normal mode relaxation time, τ(N), is another function of ρ(γ)/T with the same γ as segmental relaxation time τ(α). (6) While the data of τ(α) from simulations for the full LJ binary mixture obey very well the thermodynamic scaling, it is strongly violated when the LJ interaction potential is truncated beyond typical inter-particle distance, although in both cases the repulsive pair potentials coincide for some distances.

'Relaxers' damage hair: evidence from amino acid analysis.

PubMed

Khumalo, Nonhlanhla P; Stone, Janet; Gumedze, Freedom; McGrath, Emily; Ngwanya, Mzudumile R; de Berker, David

2010-03-01

'Relaxers' are used by more than two thirds of African females to straighten hair, with easy grooming and increased length often cited as reasons. A recent study reported relaxed hair lengths much shorter than expected, suggesting increased fragility; the potential for scalp inflammation and scarring alopecia remains unclear. To investigate the biochemical effects of 'relaxers' on hair. With informed consent, included participants represented 3 groups: natural hair, asymptomatic relaxed hair, and symptomatic (brittle) relaxed hair. Biochemical analysis was performed by using a Biochrom 30 amino acid analyzer. Differences in amino acid levels were assessed using either Wilcoxon rank sum test or matched-pairs signed-rank test. There was a decrease in cystine, citrulline, and arginine; however, an increase in glutamine was found in all relaxed compared to natural hair. Cystine levels (milligram per gram amino acid nitrogen) were similar in natural proximal and distal hair: 14 mg/g (range, 4-15 mg/g) versus 14 mg/g (range, 12-15 mg/g); P = .139. In asymptomatic relaxed hair, cystine levels were higher in less frequently relaxed samples proximal to scalp: 7.5 mg/g (5.6-12) versus 3.3 mg/g (1.3-9.2); P = .005. Cystine levels in distal asymptomatic relaxed and symptomatic relaxed hair were similar to each other and to those in the genetic hair fragility disease trichothiodystrophy. It was not possible to analyze lye and no-lye 'relaxers' separately. 'Relaxers' are associated with reduced cystine consistent with fragile damaged hair. A decrease in citrulline and glutamine has been associated with inflammation; prospective studies are needed to investigate whether or how 'relaxers' induce inflammation. Copyright 2009 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A Transverse Colectomy is as Safe as an Extended Right or Left Colectomy for Mid-Transverse Colon Cancer.

PubMed

Leijssen, Lieve G J; Dinaux, Anne M; Amri, Ramzi; Kunitake, Hiroko; Bordeianou, Liliana G; Berger, David L

2018-03-19

Although extended colectomy is often chosen for patients with transverse colon cancer, the optimal surgical approach for mid-transverse colon cancer has not been established. We identified patients who underwent a transverse (TC) or an extended colectomy (EC) for mid-transverse colon cancer between 2004 and 2014. To adjust for potential selection bias between the groups, a propensity score matching analysis was performed. A total of 103 patients were included, of whom 63% underwent EC (right 47%, left 17%) and 37% TC. EC patients tend to have worse short-term outcomes. Although fewer lymph nodes were harvested after TC, 5-year overall (OS) ad disease-free survival (DFS) was comparable between the groups. When comparing long-term outcomes stage-by-stage, worse OS and DFS were seen in stage-II. All stage-II patients died of a non-cancer-related cause and recurrence occurred in pT4 TC patients who did not receive adjuvant therapy. The propensity-matched cohort demonstrated similar postoperative morbidity, but more laparoscopic procedures in EC. Additionally, TC tumors were correlated with poorer histopathological features and disease recurrence was only seen after TC. Our study underlines the oncological safety of a transverse colectomy for mid-transverse colon cancer. Although TC tumors were associated with poorer histopathological features, survival rates were comparable.

Sci-Fri AM: MRI and Diagnostic Imaging - 01: Estimating the Transverse Relaxation Time of Taurine Protons in Rat Brain at 9.4 T with Optimized PRESS Sequence Timings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fisher, Marissa; Dobberthien, Brennen; Tessier, An

2016-08-15

Purpose: To investigate the response of taurine (Tau) protons as a function of PRESS echo times, TE{sub 1} and TE{sub 2}, to determine two TE combinations that can be employed to estimate the T{sub 2} (transverse relaxation) value of Tau at 9.4 T. The Tau protons are involved in J-coupling interactions; therefore, the two timing combinations should result in similar signal losses due to J-coupling. Methods: Experiments were performed with a 9.4 T animal MRI scanner. Numerical calculations of the response of Tau as a function of PRESS TE{sub 1} and TE{sub 2} were calculated and two TE combinations thatmore » yield a similar area for the 3.42 ppm Tau resonance were selected as optimal. The timings were verified on a 50 mM Tau/10 mM Cr (creatine) phantom. In-vivo experiments were performed on four rats. Spectra were acquired with the timings from a voxel placed in the rat brain and Tau peak areas were fit to monoexponentially decaying functions to obtain T{sub 2} values. Results: The PRESS TE combinations selected for Tau T{sub 2} determination are (TE{sub 1}, TE{sub 2}) = (17 ms, 10 ms) and (80 ms, 70 ms); the signal yield for the two timings differs by 5 % theoretically. The average Tau T{sub 2} for the four rats was found to be 106 ms with a standard deviation of 12 ms. Conclusions: We have demonstrated that acquiring PRESS spectra with (TE{sub 1}, TE{sub 2}) = (17 ms, 10 ms) and (TE{sub 1}, TE{sub 2}) = (80 ms, 70 ms) enables T{sub 2} corrected measures of Tau to be obtained at 9.4 T.« less

The heterogeneity of segmental dynamics of filled EPDM by (1)H transverse relaxation NMR.

PubMed

Moldovan, D; Fechete, R; Demco, D E; Culea, E; Blümich, B; Herrmann, V; Heinz, M

2011-01-01

Residual second moment of dipolar interactions M(2) and correlation time segmental dynamics distributions were measured by Hahn-echo decays in combination with inverse Laplace transform for a series of unfilled and filled EPDM samples as functions of carbon-black N683 filler content. The fillers-polymer chain interactions which dramatically restrict the mobility of bound rubber modify the dynamics of mobile chains. These changes depend on the filler content and can be evaluated from distributions of M(2). A dipolar filter was applied to eliminate the contribution of bound rubber. In the first approach the Hahn-echo decays were fitted with a theoretical relationship to obtain the average values of the (1)H residual second moment and correlation time <τ(c)>. For the mobile EPDM segments the power-law distribution of correlation function was compared to the exponential correlation function and found inadequate in the long-time regime. In the second approach a log-Gauss distribution for the correlation time was assumed. Furthermore, using an averaged value of the correlation time, the distributions of the residual second moment were determined using an inverse Laplace transform for the entire series of measured samples. The unfilled EPDM sample shows a bimodal distribution of residual second moments, which can be associated to the mobile polymer sub-chains (M(2) ≅ 6.1 rad (2) s(-2)) and the second one associated to the dangling chains M(2) ≅ 5.4 rad(2) s(-2)). By restraining the mobility of bound rubber, the carbon-black fillers induce diversity in the segmental dynamics like the apparition of a distinct mobile component and changes in the distribution of mobile and free-end polymer segments. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human cardiomyocyte calcium handling and transverse tubules in mid-stage of post-myocardial-infarction heart failure.

PubMed

Høydal, Morten Andre; Kirkeby-Garstad, Idar; Karevold, Asbjørn; Wiseth, Rune; Haaverstad, Rune; Wahba, Alexander; Stølen, Tomas L; Contu, Riccardo; Condorelli, Gianluigi; Ellingsen, Øyvind; Smith, Godfrey L; Kemi, Ole J; Wisløff, Ulrik

2018-06-01

Cellular processes in the heart rely mainly on studies from experimental animal models or explanted hearts from patients with terminal end-stage heart failure (HF). To address this limitation, we provide data on excitation contraction coupling, cardiomyocyte contraction and relaxation, and Ca 2+ handling in post-myocardial-infarction (MI) patients at mid-stage of HF. Nine MI patients and eight control patients without MI (non-MI) were included. Biopsies were taken from the left ventricular myocardium and processed for further measurements with epifluorescence and confocal microscopy. Cardiomyocyte function was progressively impaired in MI cardiomyocytes compared with non-MI cardiomyocytes when increasing electrical stimulation towards frequencies that simulate heart rates during physical activity (2 Hz); at 3 Hz, we observed almost total breakdown of function in MI. Concurrently, we observed impaired Ca 2+ handling with more spontaneous Ca 2+ release events, increased diastolic Ca 2+ , lower Ca 2+ amplitude, and prolonged time to diastolic Ca 2+ removal in MI (P < 0.01). Significantly reduced transverse-tubule density (-35%, P < 0.01) and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ adenosine triphosphatase 2a (SERCA2a) function (-26%, P < 0.01) in MI cardiomyocytes may explain the findings. Reduced protein phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB) serine-16 and threonine-17 in MI provides further mechanisms to the reduced function. Depressed cardiomyocyte contraction and relaxation were associated with impaired intracellular Ca 2+ handling due to impaired SERCA2a activity caused by a combination of alteration in the PLB/SERCA2a ratio and chronic dephosphorylation of PLB as well as loss of transverse tubules, which disrupts normal intracellular Ca 2+ homeostasis and handling. This is the first study that presents these mechanisms from viable and intact cardiomyocytes isolated from the left ventricle of human hearts at mid-stage of post-MI HF. © 2018 The Authors. ESC Heart

Can Black Hole Relax Unitarily?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solodukhin, S. N.

2005-03-01

We review the way the BTZ black hole relaxes back to thermal equilibrium after a small perturbation and how it is seen in the boundary (finite volume) CFT. The unitarity requires the relaxation to be quasi-periodic. It is preserved in the CFT but is not obvious in the case of the semiclassical black hole the relaxation of which is driven by complex quasi-normal modes. We discuss two ways of modifying the semiclassical black hole geometry to maintain unitarity: the (fractal) brick wall and the worm-hole modification. In the latter case the entropy comes out correctly as well.

Transverse angular momentum in topological photonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Wei-Min; Chen, Xiao-Dong; Zhao, Fu-Li; Dong, Jian-Wen

2018-01-01

Engineering local angular momentum of structured light fields in real space enables applications in many fields, in particular, the realization of unidirectional robust transport in topological photonic crystals with a non-trivial Berry vortex in momentum space. Here, we show transverse angular momentum modes in silicon topological photonic crystals when considering transverse electric polarization. Excited by a chiral external source with either transverse spin angular momentum or transverse phase vortex, robust light flow propagating along opposite directions is observed in several kinds of sharp-turn interfaces between two topologically-distinct silicon photonic crystals. A transverse orbital angular momentum mode with alternating phase vortex exists at the boundary of two such photonic crystals. In addition, unidirectional transport is robust to the working frequency even when the ring size or location of the pseudo-spin source varies in a certain range, leading to the superiority of the broadband photonic device. These findings enable one to make use of transverse angular momentum, a kind of degree of freedom, to achieve unidirectional robust transport in the telecom region and other potential applications in integrated photonic circuits, such as on-chip robust delay lines.

NMR relaxometry study of plaster mortar with polymer additives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jumate, E.; Manea, D.; Moldovan, D.

2013-11-13

The cement mixed with water forms a plastic paste or slurry which stiffness in time and finally hardens into a resistant stone. The addition of sand aggregates, polymers (Walocel) and/or calcium carbonate will modify dramatically the final mortar mechanic and thermal properties. The hydration processes can be observed using the 1D NMR measurements of transverse T{sub 2} relaxation times distributions analysed by a Laplace inversion algorithm. These distributions were obtained for mortar pasta measured at 2 hours after preparation then at 3, 7 and 28 days after preparation. Multiple components are identified in the T{sub 2} distributions. These can bemore » associated with the proton bounded chemical or physical to the mortar minerals characterized by a short T{sub 2} relaxation time and to water protons in pores with three different pore sizes as observed from SEM images. The evaporation process is faster in the first hours after preparation, while the mortar hydration (bonding of water molecules to mortar minerals) can be still observed after days or months from preparation. Finally, the mechanic resistance was correlated with the transverse T{sub 2} relaxation rates corresponding to the bound water.« less

NMR relaxometry study of plaster mortar with polymer additives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jumate, E.; Moldovan, D.; Fechete, R.; Manea, D.

2013-11-01

The cement mixed with water forms a plastic paste or slurry which stiffness in time and finally hardens into a resistant stone. The addition of sand aggregates, polymers (Walocel) and/or calcium carbonate will modify dramatically the final mortar mechanic and thermal properties. The hydration processes can be observed using the 1D NMR measurements of transverse T2 relaxation times distributions analysed by a Laplace inversion algorithm. These distributions were obtained for mortar pasta measured at 2 hours after preparation then at 3, 7 and 28 days after preparation. Multiple components are identified in the T2 distributions. These can be associated with the proton bounded chemical or physical to the mortar minerals characterized by a short T2 relaxation time and to water protons in pores with three different pore sizes as observed from SEM images. The evaporation process is faster in the first hours after preparation, while the mortar hydration (bonding of water molecules to mortar minerals) can be still observed after days or months from preparation. Finally, the mechanic resistance was correlated with the transverse T2 relaxation rates corresponding to the bound water.

Transverse dental compensation in relation to sagittal and transverse skeletal discrepancies in skeletal Class III patients.

PubMed

Ahn, Jaechan; Kim, Sung-Jin; Lee, Ji-Yeon; Chung, Chooryung J; Kim, Kyung-Ho

2017-01-01

The purposes of this study were to compare the buccolingual inclinations of the posterior teeth in skeletal Class III patients with and without facial asymmetry with those of skeletal Class I patients and to investigate their relationships with sagittal and transverse skeletal discrepancies. Sixty-three skeletal Class III adult patients were divided into 2 groups according to the degree of menton deviation: a symmetry group with deviation less than 2 mm (n = 30), and an asymmetry group with deviation greater than 4 mm (n = 33). The control group comprised 25 skeletal Class I patients. The buccolingual inclinations of the posterior teeth measured on cone-beam computed tomography images were compared among the 3 groups, and regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationships between the inclinations and the sagittal and transverse skeletal discrepancies. The symmetry group showed greater buccal inclinations of the maxillary posterior teeth and lingual inclinations of the mandibular second molars than did the control, and this was correlated with the ANB angles. The deviated sides in the asymmetry group showed the greatest transverse dental compensation, which was correlated with menton deviation, whereas the nondeviated sides showed no significant transverse dental compensation. Transverse dental compensation is closely related to sagittal and transverse skeletal discrepancy in skeletal Class III patients. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid wall relaxation in elongating tissues.

PubMed

Matyssek, R; Maruyama, S; Boyer, J S

1988-04-01

Reported differences in the relaxation of cell walls in enlarging stem tissues of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) cause measurements of the yield threshold turgor, an important growth parameter, to be in doubt. Using the pressure probe and guillotine psychrometer, we investigated wall relaxation in these species by excising the elongating tissue in air to remove the water supply. We found that the rapid kinetics usually exhibited by soybean could be delayed and made similar to the slow kinetics previously reported for pea if slowly growing or mature tissue was left attached to the rapidly growing tissue when relaxation was initiated. The greater the amount of attached tissue, the slower the relaxation, suggesting that slowly growing tissue acted as a water source. Consistent with this concept was a lower water potential in the rapidly elongating tissue than in the slowly growing tissue. Previous reports of wall relaxation in pea included slowly growing tissue. If this tissue was removed from pea, relaxation became as rapid as usually exhibited by soybean. It is concluded that the true relaxation of cell walls to the yield threshold requires only a few minutes and that the yield threshold should be constant during so short a time, thus reflecting the yield threshold in the intact plant before excision. Under these conditions, the yield threshold was close to the turgor in the intact plant regardless of the species. The presence of slowly growing or mature tissue delays wall relaxation and should be avoided during such measurements. However, this delay can be used to advantage when turgor of intact growing tissues is being measured using excised tissues because turgor does not change for a considerable time after excision.

Deconstructed transverse mass variables

DOE PAGES

Ismail, Ahmed; Schwienhorst, Reinhard; Virzi, Joseph S.; ...

2015-04-02

Traditional searches for R-parity conserving natural supersymmetry (SUSY) require large transverse mass and missing energy cuts to separate the signal from large backgrounds. SUSY models with compressed spectra inherently produce signal events with small amounts of missing energy that are hard to explore. We use this difficulty to motivate the construction of "deconstructed" transverse mass variables which are designed preserve information on both the norm and direction of the missing momentum. Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of these variables in searches for the pair production of supersymmetric top-quark partners which subsequently decay into a final state with an isolated lepton,more » jets and missing energy. We show that the use of deconstructed transverse mass variables extends the accessible compressed spectra parameter space beyond the region probed by traditional methods. The parameter space can further be expanded to neutralino masses that are larger than the difference between the stop and top masses. In addition, we also discuss how these variables allow for novel searches of single stop production, in order to directly probe unconstrained stealth stops in the small stop-and neutralino-mass regime. We also demonstrate the utility of these variables for generic gluino and stop searches in all-hadronic final states. Overall, we demonstrate that deconstructed transverse variables are essential to any search wanting to maximize signal separation from the background when the signal has undetected particles in the final state.« less

Field-cycling NMR experiments in an ultra-wide magnetic field range: relaxation and coherent polarization transfer.

PubMed

Zhukov, Ivan V; Kiryutin, Alexey S; Yurkovskaya, Alexandra V; Grishin, Yuri A; Vieth, Hans-Martin; Ivanov, Konstantin L

2018-05-09

An experimental method is described allowing fast field-cycling Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) experiments over a wide range of magnetic fields from 5 nT to 10 T. The method makes use of a hybrid technique: the high field range is covered by positioning the sample in the inhomogeneous stray field of the NMR spectrometer magnet. For fields below 2 mT a magnetic shield is mounted on top of the spectrometer; inside the shield the magnetic field is controlled by a specially designed coil system. This combination allows us to measure T1-relaxation times and nuclear Overhauser effect parameters over the full range in a routine way. For coupled proton-carbon spin systems relaxation with a common T1 is found at low fields, where the spins are "strongly coupled". In some cases, experiments at ultralow fields provide access to heteronuclear long-lived spin states. Efficient coherent polarization transfer is seen for proton-carbon spin systems at ultralow fields as follows from the observation of quantum oscillations in the polarization evolution. Applications to analysis and the manipulation of heteronuclear spin systems are discussed.

The morphology and migration of transverse bars off the west-central Florida coast

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gelfenbaum, G.; Brooks, G.R.

2003-01-01

A series of migrating shore-normal sandbars with wavelengths of 75-120 m and heights up to 2 m have been identified off the northern tip of Anna Maria Island, a barrier island on the west-central Florida coast. Similar features have been described elsewhere since the 1930s and termed 'transverse bars'. The transverse bars identified off Anna Maria Island are found for about 3 km along the coast and extend 4 km offshore, well outside the normal surf-zone width. No cusps or any other associated beach expression is evident despite the fact that the bars come to within about 75 m of the beach. Sediments on the crests of the bars are a well-sorted fine quartz sand, whereas sediments in the troughs are a poorly sorted coarse carbonate shell hash. Historical aerial photographs and repeated high-resolution bathymetric surveys provide a means of quantifying the migration of the transverse bars. Analyses of orthorectified aerial photographs from the early 1940s through the mid 1990s clearly show movement or migration taking place in the bar field. In the 40-yr period from 1951 to 1991, the southern edge of the bar field moved 200-350 m to the south, with an average long-term migration rate of 8 m/yr. Repeated bathymetric surveys over an 8-month period give an average short-term migration rate of 21 m/yr to the south. Wave and current measurements suggest that southerly winds associated with the passage of cold fronts drive near-bed currents to the south that are strong enough to initiate sediment transport and cause the southerly migration of the transverse bars.

Thermophysical ESEM and TEM Characterization of Carbon Fibers CTE, Spectroscopy and Roughness Studies at High Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ochoa, Ozden O.

2004-01-01

Accurate determination of the transverse properties of carbon fibers is important for assessment and prediction of local material as well as global structural response of composite components. However the measurements are extremely difficult due to the very small diameters of the fibers (few microns only) and must be conducted within a microscope. In this work, environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) are used to determine the transverse coefficient of thermal expansion of different carbon fibers as a function of temperature.

Spatially resolved nuclear spin relaxation, electron spin relaxation and light absorption in swift heavy ion irradiated LiF crystals.

PubMed

Stork, H; Dinse, K-P; Ditter, M; Fujara, F; Masierak, W; Neumann, R; Schuster, B; Schwartz, K; Trautmann, C

2010-05-12

Spatially resolved (19)F and (7)Li spin-lattice relaxation rates are measured for LiF single crystals after irradiation with two kinds of swift heavy ions ((12)C of 133 MeV and (208)Pb of 1.78 GeV incident energy). Like in earlier studies on (130)Xe and (238)U irradiated LiF crystals, we found a strong enhancement of the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate within the ion penetration depth and a slight--but still significant--enhancement beyond. By evaluating the nuclear relaxation rate enhancement within the ion range after irradiation with different projectiles, a universal relationship between the spin-lattice relaxation rate and the dose is deduced. The results of accompanying X-band electron paramagnetic resonance relaxation measurements and optical absorption spectroscopy are included in a physical interpretation of this relationship. Also the reason for the enhanced relaxation rate beyond the ion range is further discussed.

Dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity behavior of carboxyl functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes/poly (vinyl alcohol) composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amrin, Sayed; Deshpande, V. D.

2017-03-01

We study the dielectric relaxation and ac conductivity behavior of MWCNT-COOH/Polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite films in the temperature (T) range 303-423 K and in the frequency (f) range 0.1 Hz-1 MHz. The dielectric constant increases with an increase in temperature and also with an increase in MWCNT-COOH loading into the polymer matrix, as a result of interfacial polarization. The permittivity data were found to fit well with the modified Cole-Cole equation. Temperature dependent values of the relaxation times, free charge carrier conductivity and space charge carrier conductivity were extracted from the equation. An observed increment in the ac conductivity for the nanocomposites was analysed by a Jonscher power law which suggests that the correlated barrier hopping is the dominant charge transport mechanism for the nanocomposite films. The electric modulus study revealed deviations from ideal Debye-type behavior which are explained by considering a generalized susceptibility function. XRD and DSC results show an increase in the degree of crystallinity.

Nuclear spin relaxation in Au/sup 51/V: spin dynamics of a Kondo alloy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Narath, A.; Follstaedt, D.

1977-01-01

The temperature dependent spin dynamics of vanadium impurities in the Kondo alloy AuV (theta/sub K/ approximately equal to 300K) have been studied by means of measurements of /sup 51/V transverse relaxation rates (T/sub 2//sup -1/) for the temperature range 1 to 260 K and vanadium concentrations of 0.2 and 0.5 at.%. Contrary to published reports, we find the quantity T/sub 2/T to increase markedly with increasing temperature. Its magnitude at 260 K (15(+-5) msec-K) exceeds the limiting low-temperature value by a factor of 10. The observed increase in T/sub 2/T indicates a large reduction in the impurity spin-correlation time, e.g.,more » tau/sub e/(theta/sub K/)/tau/sub e/(0) approximately equal to 0.2.« less

Application of spin-exchange relaxation-free magnetometry to the Cosmic Axion Spin Precession Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Tao; Kimball, Derek F. Jackson; Sushkov, Alexander O.; Aybas, Deniz; Blanchard, John W.; Centers, Gary; Kelley, Sean R. O.'; Wickenbrock, Arne; Fang, Jiancheng; Budker, Dmitry

2018-03-01

The Cosmic Axion Spin Precession Experiment (CASPEr) seeks to measure oscillating torques on nuclear spins caused by axion or axion-like-particle (ALP) dark matter via nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. A sample spin-polarized along a leading magnetic field experiences a resonance when the Larmor frequency matches the axion/ALP Compton frequency, generating precessing transverse nuclear magnetization. Here we demonstrate a Spin-Exchange Relaxation-Free (SERF) magnetometer with sensitivity ≈ 1 fT /√{ Hz } and an effective sensing volume of 0.1 cm3 that may be useful for NMR detection in CASPEr. A potential drawback of SERF-magnetometer-based NMR detection is the SERF's limited dynamic range. Use of a magnetic flux transformer to suppress the leading magnetic field is considered as a potential method to expand the SERF's dynamic range in order to probe higher axion/ALP Compton frequencies.

Robotic transverse colectomy for mid-transverse colon cancer: surgical techniques and oncologic outcomes.

PubMed

Jung, Kyung Uk; Park, Yoonah; Lee, Kang Young; Sohn, Seung-Kook

2015-06-01

Robot-assisted surgery for colon cancer has been reported in many studies, most of which worked on right and/or sigmoid colectomy. The aim of this study was to report our experience of robotic transverse colectomy with an intracorporeal anastomosis, provide details of the surgical technique, and present the theoretical benefits of the procedure. This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data of robotic surgery for colorectal cancer performed by a single surgeon between May 2007 and February 2011. Out of 162 consecutive cases, we identified three robotic transverse colectomies, using a hand-sewn intracorporeal anastomosis. Two males and one female underwent transverse colectomies for malignant or premalignant disease. The mean docking time, time spent using the robot, and total operative time were 5, 268, and 307 min, respectively. There were no conversions to open or conventional laparoscopic technique. The mean length of specimen and number of lymph nodes retrieved were 14.1 cm and 6.7, respectively. One patient suffered from a wound seroma and recovered with conservative management. The mean hospital stay was 8.7 days. After a median follow-up of 72 months, there were no local or systemic recurrences. Robotic transverse colectomy seems to be a safe and feasible technique. It may minimize the necessity of mobilizing both colonic flexures, with facilitated intracorporeal hand-sewn anastomosis. However, further prospective studies with a larger number of patients are required to draw firm conclusions.

Scalar Similarity for Relaxed Eddy Accumulation Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruppert, Johannes; Thomas, Christoph; Foken, Thomas

2006-07-01

The relaxed eddy accumulation (REA) method allows the measurement of trace gas fluxes when no fast sensors are available for eddy covariance measurements. The flux parameterisation used in REA is based on the assumption of scalar similarity, i.e., similarity of the turbulent exchange of two scalar quantities. In this study changes in scalar similarity between carbon dioxide, sonic temperature and water vapour were assessed using scalar correlation coefficients and spectral analysis. The influence on REA measurements was assessed by simulation. The evaluation is based on observations over grassland, irrigated cotton plantation and spruce forest. Scalar similarity between carbon dioxide, sonic temperature and water vapour showed a distinct diurnal pattern and change within the day. Poor scalar similarity was found to be linked to dissimilarities in the energy contained in the low frequency part of the turbulent spectra ( < 0.01 Hz). The simulations of REA showed significant change in b-factors throughout the diurnal course. The b-factor is part of the REA parameterisation scheme and describes a relation between the concentration difference and the vertical flux of a trace gas. The diurnal course of b-factors for carbon dioxide, sonic temperature and water vapour matched well. Relative flux errors induced in REA by varying scalar similarity were generally below ± 10%. Systematic underestimation of the flux of up to - 40% was found for the use of REA applying a hyperbolic deadband (HREA). This underestimation was related to poor scalar similarity between the scalar of interest and the scalar used as proxy for the deadband definition.

Quasiparticle relaxation in superconducting nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savich, Yahor; Glazman, Leonid; Kamenev, Alex

2017-09-01

We examine energy relaxation of nonequilibrium quasiparticles in "dirty" superconductors with the electron mean free path much shorter than the superconducting coherence length. Relaxation of low-energy nonequilibrium quasiparticles is dominated by phonon emission. We derive the corresponding collision integral and find the quasiparticle relaxation rate. The latter is sensitive to the breaking of time reversal symmetry (TRS) by a magnetic field (or magnetic impurities). As a concrete application of the developed theory, we address quasiparticle trapping by a vortex and a current-biased constriction. We show that trapping of hot quasiparticles may predominantly occur at distances from the vortex core, or the constriction, significantly exceeding the superconducting coherence length.

[Autocontrol of muscle relaxation with vecuronium].

PubMed

Sibilla, C; Zatelli, R; Marchi, M; Zago, M

1990-01-01

The optimal conditions for maintaining desired levels of muscle relaxation with vecuronium are obtained by means of the continuous infusion (I.V.) technique. A frequent correction of the infusion flow is required, since it is impossible to predict the exact amount for the muscle relaxant in single case. In order to overcome such limits the authors propose a very feasible infusion system for the self-control of muscle relaxation; furthermore they positively consider its possible daily clinical application.

Transversally periodic solitary gravity–capillary waves

PubMed Central

Milewski, Paul A.; Wang, Zhan

2014-01-01

When both gravity and surface tension effects are present, surface solitary water waves are known to exist in both two- and three-dimensional infinitely deep fluids. We describe here solutions bridging these two cases: travelling waves which are localized in the propagation direction and periodic in the transverse direction. These transversally periodic gravity–capillary solitary waves are found to be of either elevation or depression type, tend to plane waves below a critical transverse period and tend to solitary lumps as the transverse period tends to infinity. The waves are found numerically in a Hamiltonian system for water waves simplified by a cubic truncation of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator. This approximation has been proved to be very accurate for both two- and three-dimensional computations of fully localized gravity–capillary solitary waves. The stability properties of these waves are then investigated via the time evolution of perturbed wave profiles. PMID:24399922

46 CFR 154.174 - Transverse contiguous hull structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Transverse contiguous hull structure. 154.174 Section... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.174 Transverse contiguous hull structure. (a) The transverse contiguous hull structure of a vessel having cargo containment systems without secondary barriers must meet the standards of...

46 CFR 154.174 - Transverse contiguous hull structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Transverse contiguous hull structure. 154.174 Section... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.174 Transverse contiguous hull structure. (a) The transverse contiguous hull structure of a vessel having cargo containment systems without secondary barriers must meet the standards of...

46 CFR 154.174 - Transverse contiguous hull structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Transverse contiguous hull structure. 154.174 Section... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.174 Transverse contiguous hull structure. (a) The transverse contiguous hull structure of a vessel having cargo containment systems without secondary barriers must meet the standards of...

46 CFR 154.174 - Transverse contiguous hull structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Transverse contiguous hull structure. 154.174 Section... Equipment Hull Structure § 154.174 Transverse contiguous hull structure. (a) The transverse contiguous hull structure of a vessel having cargo containment systems without secondary barriers must meet the standards of...

Relaxation training after stroke: potential to reduce anxiety.

PubMed

Kneebone, Ian; Walker-Samuel, Natalie; Swanston, Jennifer; Otto, Elisabeth

2014-01-01

To consider the feasibility of setting up a relaxation group to treat symptoms of post stroke anxiety in an in-patient post-acute setting; and to explore the effectiveness of relaxation training in reducing self-reported tension. A relaxation group protocol was developed in consultation with a multidisciplinary team and a user group. Over a period of 24 months, 55 stroke patients attended group autogenic relaxation training on a rehabilitation ward. Attendance ranged between one and eleven sessions. Self-reported tension was assessed pre and post relaxation training using the Tension Rating Circles (TRCs). The TRCs identified a significant reduction in self-reported tension from pre to post training, irrespective of the number of sessions attended; z = -3.656, p < 0.001, r = -0.67, for those who attended multiple sessions, z = -2.758, p < 0.01, r = -0.6 for those who attended a single session. The routine use of relaxation techniques in treating anxiety in patients undergoing post-stroke rehabilitation shows potential. Self-reported tension decreased after attendance at relaxation training. The TRCs proved acceptable to group members, but should be validated against standard anxiety measures. Further exploration of the application of relaxation techniques in clinical practice is desirable. Implications for Rehabilitation Anxiety is prevalent after stroke and likely affects rehabilitation outcomes. Relaxation training is a well proven treatment for anxiety in the non-stroke population. A significant within session reduction in tension, a hallmark symptom of anxiety, was evidenced via group relaxation training delivered in a post-acute, in-patient stroke unit setting. Relaxation training a shows promise as a treatment for anxiety after stroke.

Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting with short relaxation intervals.

PubMed

Amthor, Thomas; Doneva, Mariya; Koken, Peter; Sommer, Karsten; Meineke, Jakob; Börnert, Peter

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate a technique for improving the performance of Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF) in repetitive sampling schemes, in particular for 3D MRF acquisition, by shortening relaxation intervals between MRF pulse train repetitions. A calculation method for MRF dictionaries adapted to short relaxation intervals and non-relaxed initial spin states is presented, based on the concept of stationary fingerprints. The method is applicable to many different k-space sampling schemes in 2D and 3D. For accuracy analysis, T 1 and T 2 values of a phantom are determined by single-slice Cartesian MRF for different relaxation intervals and are compared with quantitative reference measurements. The relevance of slice profile effects is also investigated in this case. To further illustrate the capabilities of the method, an application to in-vivo spiral 3D MRF measurements is demonstrated. The proposed computation method enables accurate parameter estimation even for the shortest relaxation intervals, as investigated for different sampling patterns in 2D and 3D. In 2D Cartesian measurements, we achieved a scan acceleration of more than a factor of two, while maintaining acceptable accuracy: The largest T 1 values of a sample set deviated from their reference values by 0.3% (longest relaxation interval) and 2.4% (shortest relaxation interval). The largest T 2 values showed systematic deviations of up to 10% for all relaxation intervals, which is discussed. The influence of slice profile effects for multislice acquisition is shown to become increasingly relevant for short relaxation intervals. In 3D spiral measurements, a scan time reduction of 36% was achieved, maintaining the quality of in-vivo T1 and T2 maps. Reducing the relaxation interval between MRF sequence repetitions using stationary fingerprint dictionaries is a feasible method to improve the scan efficiency of MRF sequences. The method enables fast implementations of 3D spatially

Normal forms for Poisson maps and symplectic groupoids around Poisson transversals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frejlich, Pedro; Mărcuț, Ioan

2018-03-01

Poisson transversals are submanifolds in a Poisson manifold which intersect all symplectic leaves transversally and symplectically. In this communication, we prove a normal form theorem for Poisson maps around Poisson transversals. A Poisson map pulls a Poisson transversal back to a Poisson transversal, and our first main result states that simultaneous normal forms exist around such transversals, for which the Poisson map becomes transversally linear, and intertwines the normal form data of the transversals. Our second result concerns symplectic integrations. We prove that a neighborhood of a Poisson transversal is integrable exactly when the Poisson transversal itself is integrable, and in that case we prove a normal form theorem for the symplectic groupoid around its restriction to the Poisson transversal, which puts all structure maps in normal form. We conclude by illustrating our results with examples arising from Lie algebras.

Normal forms for Poisson maps and symplectic groupoids around Poisson transversals.

PubMed

Frejlich, Pedro; Mărcuț, Ioan

2018-01-01

Poisson transversals are submanifolds in a Poisson manifold which intersect all symplectic leaves transversally and symplectically. In this communication, we prove a normal form theorem for Poisson maps around Poisson transversals. A Poisson map pulls a Poisson transversal back to a Poisson transversal, and our first main result states that simultaneous normal forms exist around such transversals, for which the Poisson map becomes transversally linear, and intertwines the normal form data of the transversals. Our second result concerns symplectic integrations. We prove that a neighborhood of a Poisson transversal is integrable exactly when the Poisson transversal itself is integrable, and in that case we prove a normal form theorem for the symplectic groupoid around its restriction to the Poisson transversal, which puts all structure maps in normal form. We conclude by illustrating our results with examples arising from Lie algebras.

Transverse impedances and collective instabilities in a heavy ion accelerator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Yang, J. C.; Xia, J. W.; Yin, D. Y.; Shen, G. D.; Li, P.; Wu, B.; Ruan, S.; Zhao, H.; Wang, G.; Dong, Z. Q.; Wang, K. D.; Yao, L. P.

2018-06-01

Evaluation of transverse impedances and collective instabilities is important for determining whether a transverse feedback system or damping schemes should be prepared in the BRing (Booster Ring) at the HIAF (High Intensity Heavy-ion Accelerator Facility). In this paper, some dominant transverse impedances are estimated to build a transverse impedance model of the BRing. With this model, all potential transverse instabilities and their growth times or rates are analyzed by analytical methods or simulations, and the results agree with each other. The growth times of some instabilities are shorter than the duration times of corresponding manipulations, which shows transverse instabilities may have many detrimental impacts on the BRing. To cure the transverse instabilities, a transverse feedback system will be proposed in the design of the BRing. Besides, this paper not only shows the transverse instabilities in the BRing, but also provides the whole method for estimating them in the design of a new accelerator facility.

Relaxation and Distraction in Experimental Desensitization.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weir, R. O.; Marshall, W. L.

1980-01-01

Compared experimental desensitization with a procedure that replaced relaxation with a distraction task and with an approach that combined both relaxation and distraction. Desensitization generally was more effective than the other two procedures. (Author)

Confinement effects on dipolar relaxation by translational dynamics of liquids in porous silica glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korb, J.-P.; Xu, Shu; Jonas, J.

1993-02-01

A theory of dipolar relaxation by translational diffusion of a nonwetting liquid confined in model porous media is presented. We obtain expressions of the rates of spin-lattice relaxation 1/T1, spin-spin relaxation 1/T2, and spin-lattice relaxation in the rotating frame 1/T1ρ, which depend on the average pore size d. The frequency variations of these rates are intermediate between the two-dimensional and three-dimensional results. At small frequency they vary logarithmically for small d and tend progressively to a constant with increasing d. For small pore sizes we obtain quadratic confinement dependences of these rates (∝1/d2), at variance with the linear (∝1/d) relation coming from the biphasic fast exchange model usually applied for a wetting liquid in porous media. We apply such a theory to the 1H NMR relaxation of methylcyclohexane liquid in sol-gel porous silica glasses with a narrow pore-size distribution. The experiments confirm the theoretical predictions for very weak interacting solvent in porous silica glasses of pore sizes varying in the range of 18.4-87.2 Å and in the bulk. At the limit of small pores, the logarithmic frequency dependencies of 1/T1ρ and 1/T1 observed over several decades of frequency are interpreted with a model of unbounded two-dimensional diffusion in a layered geometry. The leveling off of the 1/T1ρ low-frequency dependence is interpreted in terms of the bounded two-dimensional diffusion due to the finite length L of the pores. An estimate of a finite size of L=100 Å is in excellent agreement with the experimental results of the transmission electron microscopy study of platinium-carbon replicated xerogels.

Distributed Relaxation for Conservative Discretizations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diskin, Boris; Thomas, James L.

2001-01-01

A multigrid method is defined as having textbook multigrid efficiency (TME) if the solutions to the governing system of equations are attained in a computational work that is a small (less than 10) multiple of the operation count in one target-grid residual evaluation. The way to achieve this efficiency is the distributed relaxation approach. TME solvers employing distributed relaxation have already been demonstrated for nonconservative formulations of high-Reynolds-number viscous incompressible and subsonic compressible flow regimes. The purpose of this paper is to provide foundations for applications of distributed relaxation to conservative discretizations. A direct correspondence between the primitive variable interpolations for calculating fluxes in conservative finite-volume discretizations and stencils of the discretized derivatives in the nonconservative formulation has been established. Based on this correspondence, one can arrive at a conservative discretization which is very efficiently solved with a nonconservative relaxation scheme and this is demonstrated for conservative discretization of the quasi one-dimensional Euler equations. Formulations for both staggered and collocated grid arrangements are considered and extensions of the general procedure to multiple dimensions are discussed.

Strange hadron production at low transverse momenta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veres, Gábor I.; PHOBOS Collaboration; Back, B. B.; Baker, M. D.; Ballintijn, M.; Barton, D. S.; Becker, B.; Betts, R. R.; Bickley, A. A.; Bindel, R.; Budzanowski, A.; Busza, W.; Carroll, A.; Decowski, M. P.; García, E.; Gburek, T.; George, N.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gushue, S.; Halliwell, C.; Hamblen, J.; Harrington, A. S.; Henderson, C.; Hofman, D. J.; Hollis, R. S.; Holynski, R.; Holzman, B.; Iordanova, A.; Johnson, E.; Kane, J. L.; Khan, N.; Kulinich, P.; Kuo, C. M.; Lee, J. W.; Lin, W. T.; Manly, S.; Mignerey, A. C.; Noell, A.; Nouicer, R.; Olszewski, A.; Pak, R.; Park, I. C.; Pernegger, H.; Reed, C.; Remsberg, L. P.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Sagerer, J.; Sarin, P.; Sawicki, P.; Sedykh, I.; Skulski, W.; Smith, C. E.; Steinberg, P.; Stephans, G. S. F.; Sukhanov, A.; Teng, R.; Tonjes, M. B.; Trzupek, A.; Vale, C.; van Nieuwenhuizen, G. J.; Verdier, R.; Wadsworth, B.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Wosiek, B.; Woźniak, K.; Wuosmaa, A. H.; Wyslouch, B.; Zhang, J.

2004-01-01

Some of the latest results of the PHOBOS experiment from the \\sqrt{s_{NN}}= 200\\ GeV Au+Au data are discussed. Those relevant to strangeness production are emphasized. These observations relate to the nature of the matter created when heavy ions collide at the highest achieved energy. The invariant yields of strange and non-strange charged hadrons at very low transverse momentum have been measured, and used to differentiate between different dynamical scenarios. In the intermediate transverse momentum range, the measured ratios of strange and anti-strange kaons approach one, while the antibaryon to baryon ratio is still significantly less, independent of collision centrality and transverse momentum. At high transverse momenta, we find that central and peripheral Au+Au collisions produce similar numbers of charged hadrons per participant nucleon pair, rather than per binary nucleon-nucleon collision. Finally, we describe the upgrades of PHOBOS completed for the 2003 d+Au and p+p run, which extend the transverse momentum range over which particle identification is possible and, at the same time, implement a trigger system selective for high-pT particles.

Ultra-Slow Dielectric Relaxation Process in Polyols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yomogida, Yoshiki; Minoguchi, Ayumi; Nozaki, Ryusuke

2004-04-01

Dielectric relaxation processes with relaxation times larger than that for the structural α process are reported for glycerol, xylitol, sorbitol and their mixtures for the first time. Appearance of this ultra-slow process depends on cooling rate. More rapid cooling gives larger dielectric relaxation strength. However, relaxation time is not affected by cooling rate and shows non-Arrhenius temperature dependence with correlation to the α process. It can be considered that non-equilibrium dynamic structure causes the ultra-slow process. Scale of such structure would be much larger than that of the region for the cooperative molecular orientations for the α process.

Calculation of Transverse-Momentum-Dependent Evolution for Sivers Transverse Single Spin Asymmetry Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aybat, S. Mert; Prokudin, Alexei; Rogers, Ted C.

2012-06-01

The Sivers transverse single spin asymmetry (TSSA) is calculated and compared at different scales using the transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) evolution equations applied to previously existing extractions. We apply the Collins-Soper-Sterman (CSS) formalism, using the version recently developed by Collins. Our calculations rely on the universality properties of TMD functions that follow from the TMD-factorization theorem. Accordingly, the nonperturbative input is fixed by earlier experimental measurements, including both polarized semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) and unpolarized Drell-Yan (DY) scattering. It is shown that recent preliminary COMPASS measurements are consistent with the suppression prescribed by TMD evolution.

Transverse vetoes with rapidity cutoff in SCET

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hornig, Andrew; Kang, Daekyoung; Makris, Yiannis

We consider di-jet production in hadron collisions where a transverse veto is imposed on radiation for (pseudo-)rapidities in the central region only, where this central region is defined with rapidity cutoff. For the case where the transverse measurement (e.g., transverse energy or min p T for jet veto) is parametrically larger relative to the typical transverse momentum beyond the cutoff, the cross section is insensitive to the cutoff parameter and is factorized in terms of collinear and soft degrees of freedom. The virtuality for these degrees of freedom is set by the transverse measurement, as in typical transverse-momentum dependent observablesmore » such as Drell-Yan, Higgs production, and the event shape broadening. This paper focuses on the other region, where the typical transverse momentum below and beyond the cutoff is of similar size. In this region the rapidity cutoff further resolves soft radiation into (u)soft and soft-collinear radiation with different rapidities but identical virtuality. This gives rise to rapidity logarithms of the rapidity cutoff parameter which we resum using renormalization group methods. We factorize the cross section in this region in terms of soft and collinear functions in the framework of soft-collinear effective theory, then further refactorize the soft function as a convolution of the (u)soft and soft-collinear functions. All these functions are calculated at one-loop order. As an example, we calculate a differential cross section for a specific partonic channel, qq ' → qq ' , for the jet shape angularities and show that the refactorization allows us to resum the rapidity logarithms and significantly reduce theoretical uncertainties in the jet shape spectrum.« less

Transverse vetoes with rapidity cutoff in SCET

DOE PAGES

Hornig, Andrew; Kang, Daekyoung; Makris, Yiannis; ...

2017-12-11

We consider di-jet production in hadron collisions where a transverse veto is imposed on radiation for (pseudo-)rapidities in the central region only, where this central region is defined with rapidity cutoff. For the case where the transverse measurement (e.g., transverse energy or min p T for jet veto) is parametrically larger relative to the typical transverse momentum beyond the cutoff, the cross section is insensitive to the cutoff parameter and is factorized in terms of collinear and soft degrees of freedom. The virtuality for these degrees of freedom is set by the transverse measurement, as in typical transverse-momentum dependent observablesmore » such as Drell-Yan, Higgs production, and the event shape broadening. This paper focuses on the other region, where the typical transverse momentum below and beyond the cutoff is of similar size. In this region the rapidity cutoff further resolves soft radiation into (u)soft and soft-collinear radiation with different rapidities but identical virtuality. This gives rise to rapidity logarithms of the rapidity cutoff parameter which we resum using renormalization group methods. We factorize the cross section in this region in terms of soft and collinear functions in the framework of soft-collinear effective theory, then further refactorize the soft function as a convolution of the (u)soft and soft-collinear functions. All these functions are calculated at one-loop order. As an example, we calculate a differential cross section for a specific partonic channel, qq ' → qq ' , for the jet shape angularities and show that the refactorization allows us to resum the rapidity logarithms and significantly reduce theoretical uncertainties in the jet shape spectrum.« less

Cladding For Transversely-Pumped Laser Rod

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Byer, Robert L.; Fan, Tso Yee

1989-01-01

Combination of suitable dimensioning and cladding of neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet of similar solid-state laser provides for more efficient utilization of transversely-incident pump light from diode lasers. New design overcomes some of limitations of longitudinal- and older transverse-pumping concepts and promotes operation at higher output powers in TEM00 mode.

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of liver metabolites in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats: T2 relaxation times in methylene protons.

PubMed

Song, Kyu-Ho; Baek, Hyeon-Man; Lee, Do-Wan; Choe, Bo-Young

2015-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the transverse relaxation time of methylene resonance as compared to other lipid resonances. The examinations were performed using a 3.0 T scanner with a point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) sequence. Lipid relaxation time in a lipid phantom filled with canola oil was estimated with a repetition time (TR) of 6000ms and echo time (TE) of 40-550ms. For in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS), eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were given free access to a normal-chow (NC) and another eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were given free access to a high-fat (HF) diet. Both groups drank water ad libitum. T2 measurements in the rats' livers were conducted at a fixed TR of 6000ms and TE of 40-220ms. Exponential curve fitting quality was calculated through the coefficients of determination (R(2)). Chemical analyses of the phantom and livers were not performed, but T2 decay curves were acquired. The T2 relaxation time of methylene resonance was estimated as follows: NC rats, 37.1±4.3ms; HF rats, 31.4±1.8ms (p<0.05). The extrapolated M0 values were higher in HF rats than in NC rats (p<0.005). This study of (1)H MRS led to sufficient spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio differences to characterize the T2 relaxation times of methylene resonance. (1)H MRS relaxation times may be useful for quantitative characterization of various liver diseases, including fatty liver disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Convex relaxations for gas expansion planning

DOE PAGES

Borraz-Sanchez, Conrado; Bent, Russell Whitford; Backhaus, Scott N.; ...

2016-01-01

Expansion of natural gas networks is a critical process involving substantial capital expenditures with complex decision-support requirements. Here, given the non-convex nature of gas transmission constraints, global optimality and infeasibility guarantees can only be offered by global optimisation approaches. Unfortunately, state-of-the-art global optimisation solvers are unable to scale up to real-world size instances. In this study, we present a convex mixed-integer second-order cone relaxation for the gas expansion planning problem under steady-state conditions. The underlying model offers tight lower bounds with high computational efficiency. In addition, the optimal solution of the relaxation can often be used to derive high-quality solutionsmore » to the original problem, leading to provably tight optimality gaps and, in some cases, global optimal solutions. The convex relaxation is based on a few key ideas, including the introduction of flux direction variables, exact McCormick relaxations, on/off constraints, and integer cuts. Numerical experiments are conducted on the traditional Belgian gas network, as well as other real larger networks. The results demonstrate both the accuracy and computational speed of the relaxation and its ability to produce high-quality solution« less

Anisotropic piezoresistivity characteristics of aligned carbon nanotube-polymer nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengezer, Engin C.; Seidel, Gary D.; Bodnar, Robert J.

2017-09-01

Dielectrophoresis under the application of AC electric fields is one of the primary fabrication techniques for obtaining aligned carbon nanotube (CNT)-polymer nanocomposites, and is used here to generate long range alignment of CNTs at the structural level. The degree of alignment of CNTs within this long range architecture is observed via polarized Raman spectroscopy so that its influence on the electrical conductivity and piezoresistive response in both the alignment and transverse to alignment directions can be assessed. Nanocomposite samples consisting of randomly oriented, well dispersed single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and of long range electric field aligned SWCNTs in a photopolymerizable monomer blend (urethane dimethacrylate and 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate) are quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated. Piezoresistive sensitivities in form of gauge factors were measured for randomly oriented, well dispersed specimens with 0.03, 0.1 and 0.5 wt% SWCNTs and compared with gauge factors in both the axial and transverse to SWCNT alignment directions for electric field aligned 0.03 wt% specimens under both quasi-static monotonic and cyclic tensile loading. Gauge factors in the axial direction were observed to be on the order of 2, while gauge factors in the transverse direction demonstrated a 5 fold increase with values on the order of 10 for aligned specimens. Based on Raman analysis, it is believed the higher sensitivity of the transverse direction is related to architectural evolution of misaligned bridging structures which connect alignment structures under load due to Poisson’s contraction.

Lavender fragrance cleansing gel effects on relaxation.

PubMed

Field, Tiffany; Diego, Miguel; Hernandez-Reif, Maria; Cisneros, Wendy; Feijo, Larissa; Vera, Yanexy; Gil, Karla; Grina, Diana; Claire He, Qing

2005-02-01

Alertness, mood, and math computations were assessed in 11 healthy adults who sniffed a cosmetic cleansing gel with lavender floral blend aroma, developed to be relaxing using Mood Mapping. EEG patterns and heart rate were also recorded before, during, and after the aroma session. The lavender fragrance blend had a significant transient effect of improving mood, making people feel more relaxed, and performing the math computation faster. The self-report and physiological data are consistent with relaxation profiles during other sensory stimuli such as massage and music, as reported in the literature. The data suggest that a specific cosmetic fragrance can have a significant role in enhancing relaxation.

Applications of charge-coupled device transversal filters to communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buss, D. D.; Bailey, W. H.; Brodersen, R. W.; Hewes, C. R.; Tasch, A. F., Jr.

1975-01-01

The paper discusses the computational power of state-of-the-art charged-coupled device (CCD) transversal filters in communications applications. Some of the performance limitations of CCD transversal filters are discussed, with attention given to time delay and bandwidth, imperfect charge transfer efficiency, weighting coefficient error, noise, and linearity. The application of CCD transversal filters to matched filtering, spectral filtering, and Fourier analysis is examined. Techniques for making programmable transversal filters are briefly outlined.

Single transverse mode protein laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogru, Itir Bakis; Min, Kyungtaek; Umar, Muhammad; Bahmani Jalali, Houman; Begar, Efe; Conkar, Deniz; Firat Karalar, Elif Nur; Kim, Sunghwan; Nizamoglu, Sedat

2017-12-01

Here, we report a single transverse mode distributed feedback (DFB) protein laser. The gain medium that is composed of enhanced green fluorescent protein in a silk fibroin matrix yields a waveguiding gain layer on a DFB resonator. The thin TiO2 layer on the quartz grating improves optical feedback due to the increased effective refractive index. The protein laser shows a single transverse mode lasing at the wavelength of 520 nm with the threshold level of 92.1 μJ/ mm2.

Magnetic relaxation pathways in lanthanide single-molecule magnets.

PubMed

Blagg, Robin J; Ungur, Liviu; Tuna, Floriana; Speak, James; Comar, Priyanka; Collison, David; Wernsdorfer, Wolfgang; McInnes, Eric J L; Chibotaru, Liviu F; Winpenny, Richard E P

2013-08-01

Single-molecule magnets are compounds that exhibit magnetic bistability caused by an energy barrier for the reversal of magnetization (relaxation). Lanthanide compounds are proving promising as single-molecule magnets: recent studies show that terbium phthalocyanine complexes possess large energy barriers, and dysprosium and terbium complexes bridged by an N2(3-) radical ligand exhibit magnetic hysteresis up to 13 K. Magnetic relaxation is typically controlled by single-ion factors rather than magnetic exchange (whether one or more 4f ions are present) and proceeds through thermal relaxation of the lowest excited states. Here we report polylanthanide alkoxide cage complexes, and their doped diamagnetic yttrium analogues, in which competing relaxation pathways are observed and relaxation through the first excited state can be quenched. This leads to energy barriers for relaxation of magnetization that exceed 800 K. We investigated the factors at the lanthanide sites that govern this behaviour.

Design of Transverse Spinning of Light with Globally Unique Handedness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piao, Xianji; Yu, Sunkyu; Park, Namkyoo

2018-05-01

Access to the transverse spin of light has unlocked new regimes in topological photonics. To achieve the transverse spin from nonzero longitudinal fields, various platforms that derive transversely confined waves based on focusing, interference, or evanescent waves have been suggested. Nonetheless, because of the transverse confinement inherently accompanying sign reversal of the field derivative, the resulting transverse spin handedness of each field experiences spatial inversion, which leads to a mismatch between the intensities of the field and its spin component and hinders the global observation of the transverse spin. Here, we reveal a globally pure transverse spin of the electric field in which the field intensity signifies the spin distribution. Starting from the target spin mode for the inverse design of required spatial profiles of anisotropic permittivities, we show that the elliptic-hyperbolic transition around the epsilon-near-zero permittivity allows for the global conservation of transverse spin handedness of the electric field across the topological interface between anisotropic metamaterials. Extending to the non-Hermitian regime, we develop annihilated transverse spin modes to cover the entire Poincaré sphere of the meridional plane. This result realizes the complete optical analogy of three-dimensional quantum spin states.

The change of longitudinal relaxation rate in oxygen enhanced pulmonary MRI depends on age and BMI but not diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide in healthy never-smokers.

PubMed

Kindvall, Simon Sven Ivan; Diaz, Sandra; Svensson, Jonas; Wollmer, Per; Olsson, Lars E

2017-01-01

Oxygen enhanced pulmonary MRI is a promising modality for functional lung studies and has been applied to a wide range of pulmonary conditions. The purpose of this study was to characterize the oxygen enhancement effect in the lungs of healthy, never-smokers, in light of a previously established relationship between oxygen enhancement and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide in the lung (DL,CO) in patients with lung disease. In 30 healthy never-smoking volunteers, an inversion recovery with gradient echo read-out (Snapshot-FLASH) was used to quantify the difference in longitudinal relaxation rate, while breathing air and 100% oxygen, ΔR1, at 1.5 Tesla. Measurements were performed under multiple tidal inspiration breath-holds. In single parameter linear models, ΔR1 exhibit a significant correlation with age (p = 0.003) and BMI (p = 0.0004), but not DL,CO (p = 0.33). Stepwise linear regression of ΔR1 yields an optimized model including an age-BMI interaction term. In this healthy, never-smoking cohort, age and BMI are both predictors of the change in MRI longitudinal relaxation rate when breathing oxygen. However, DL,CO does not show a significant correlation with the oxygen enhancement. This is possibly because oxygen transfer in the lung is not diffusion limited at rest in healthy individuals. This work stresses the importance of using a physiological model to understand results from oxygen enhanced MRI.

Separation of Anisotropy and Exchange Broadening Using 15N CSA- 15N- 1H Dipole-Dipole Relaxation Cross-Correlation Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renner, Christian; Holak, Tad A.

2000-08-01

Based on the measurement of cross-correlation rates between 15N CSA and 15N-1H dipole-dipole relaxation we propose a procedure for separating exchange contributions to transverse relaxation rates (R2 = 1/T2) from effects caused by anisotropic rotational diffusion of the protein molecule. This approach determines the influence of anisotropy and chemical exchange processes independently and therefore circumvents difficulties associated with the currently standard use of T1/T2 ratios to determine the rotational diffusion tensor. We find from computer simulations that, in the presence of even small amounts of internal flexibility, fitting T1/T2 ratios tends to underestimate the anisotropy of overall tumbling. An additional problem exists when the N-H bond vector directions are not distributed homogeneously over the surface of a unit sphere, such as in helix bundles or β-sheets. Such a case was found in segment 4 of the gelation factor (ABP 120), an F-actin cross-linking protein, in which the diffusion tensor cannot be calculated from T1/T2 ratios. The 15N CSA tensor of the residues for this β-sheet protein was found to vary even within secondary structure elements. The use of a common value for the whole protein molecule therefore might be an oversimplification. Using our approach it is immediately apparent that no exchange broadening exists for segment 4 although strongly reduced T2 relaxation times for several residues could be mistaken as indications for exchange processes.

Pseudoscalar Meson Electroproduction and Transversity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldstein, Gary R.; Liuti, Simonetta

2011-02-01

Exclusive meson leptoproduction from nucleons in the deeply virtual exchanged boson limit can be described by generalized parton distributions (GPDs). Including spin dependence in the description requires 8 independent quark-parton and gluon-parton functions. The chiral even subset of 4 quark-nucleon GPDs are related to nucleon form factors and to parton distribution functions. The chiral odd set of 4 quark-nucleon GPDs are related to transversity, the tensor charge, and other quantities related to transversity. Different meson or photon production processes access different combinations of GPDs. This is analyzed in terms of t-channel exchange quantum numbers, JPC and it is shown that pseudoscalar production can isolate chiral odd GPDs. There is a sensitive dependence in various cross sections and asymmetries on the tensor charge of the nucleon and other transversity parameters. In a second section, analyticity and completeness are shown to limit the partonic interpret ation of the GPDs in the ERBL region.

Flutter analysis using transversality theory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Afolabi, D.

1993-01-01

A new method of calculating flutter boundaries of undamped aeronautical structures is presented. The method is an application of the weak transversality theorem used in catastrophe theory. In the first instance, the flutter problem is cast in matrix form using a frequency domain method, leading to an eigenvalue matrix. The characteristic polynomial resulting from this matrix usually has a smooth dependence on the system's parameters. As these parameters change with operating conditions, certain critical values are reached at which flutter sets in. Our approach is to use the transversality theorem in locating such flutter boundaries using this criterion: at a flutter boundary, the characteristic polynomial does not intersect the axis of the abscissa transversally. Formulas for computing the flutter boundaries and flutter frequencies of structures with two degrees of freedom are presented, and extension to multi-degree of freedom systems is indicated. The formulas have obvious applications in, for instance, problems of panel flutter at supersonic Mach numbers.

Relaxation versus adiabatic quantum steady-state preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venuti, Lorenzo Campos; Albash, Tameem; Marvian, Milad; Lidar, Daniel; Zanardi, Paolo

2017-04-01

Adiabatic preparation of the ground states of many-body Hamiltonians in the closed-system limit is at the heart of adiabatic quantum computation, but in reality systems are always open. This motivates a natural comparison between, on the one hand, adiabatic preparation of steady states of Lindbladian generators and, on the other hand, relaxation towards the same steady states subject to the final Lindbladian of the adiabatic process. In this work we thus adopt the perspective that the goal is the most efficient possible preparation of such steady states, rather than ground states. Using known rigorous bounds for the open-system adiabatic theorem and for mixing times, we are then led to a disturbing conclusion that at first appears to doom efforts to build physical quantum annealers: relaxation seems to always converge faster than adiabatic preparation. However, by carefully estimating the adiabatic preparation time for Lindbladians describing thermalization in the low-temperature limit, we show that there is, after all, room for an adiabatic speedup over relaxation. To test the analytically derived bounds for the adiabatic preparation time and the relaxation time, we numerically study three models: a dissipative quasifree fermionic chain, a single qubit coupled to a thermal bath, and the "spike" problem of n qubits coupled to a thermal bath. Via these models we find that the answer to the "which wins" question depends for each model on the temperature and the system-bath coupling strength. In the case of the "spike" problem we find that relaxation during the adiabatic evolution plays an important role in ensuring a speedup over the final-time relaxation procedure. Thus, relaxation-assisted adiabatic preparation can be more efficient than both pure adiabatic evolution and pure relaxation.

Rapid Wall Relaxation in Elongating Tissues 1

PubMed Central

Matyssek, Rainer; Maruyama, Sachio; Boyer, John S.

1988-01-01

Reported differences in the relaxation of cell walls in enlarging stem tissues of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) cause measurements of the yield threshold turgor, an important growth parameter, to be in doubt. Using the pressure probe and guillotine psychrometer, we investigated wall relaxation in these species by excising the elongating tissue in air to remove the water supply. We found that the rapid kinetics usually exhibited by soybean could be delayed and made similar to the slow kinetics previously reported for pea if slowly growing or mature tissue was left attached to the rapidly growing tissue when relaxation was initiated. The greater the amount of attached tissue, the slower the relaxation, suggesting that slowly growing tissue acted as a water source. Consistent with this concept was a lower water potential in the rapidly elongating tissue than in the slowly growing tissue. Previous reports of wall relaxation in pea included slowly growing tissue. If this tissue was removed from pea, relaxation became as rapid as usually exhibited by soybean. It is concluded that the true relaxation of cell walls to the yield threshold requires only a few minutes and that the yield threshold should be constant during so short a time, thus reflecting the yield threshold in the intact plant before excision. Under these conditions, the yield threshold was close to the turgor in the intact plant regardless of the species. The presence of slowly growing or mature tissue delays wall relaxation and should be avoided during such measurements. However, this delay can be used to advantage when turgor of intact growing tissues is being measured using excised tissues because turgor does not change for a considerable time after excision. PMID:16666048

Quantum interference effects on the intensity of the G modes in double-walled carbon nanotubes

DOE PAGES

Tran, Huy Nam; Blancon, Jean-Christophe Robert; Arenal, Raul; ...

2017-05-08

The effects of quantum interferences on the excitation dependence of the intensity of G modes have been investigated on single-walled carbon nanotubes [Duque et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.108, 117404 (2012)]. In this work, by combining optical absorption spectroscopy and Raman scattering on individual index identified double-walled carbon nanotubes, we examine the experimental excitation dependence of the intensity of longitudinal optical and transverse optical G modes of the constituent inner and outer single-walled carbon nanotubes. The observed striking dependencies are understood in terms of quantum interference effects. Considering such effects, the excitation dependence of the different components of the G modesmore » permit to unambiguously assign each of them as originating from the longitudinal or transverse G modes of inner and outer tubes.« less

Quantum interference effects on the intensity of the G modes in double-walled carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, H. N.; Blancon, J.-C.; Arenal, R.; Parret, R.; Zahab, A. A.; Ayari, A.; Vallée, F.; Del Fatti, N.; Sauvajol, J.-L.; Paillet, M.

2017-05-01

The effects of quantum interferences on the excitation dependence of the intensity of G modes have been investigated on single-walled carbon nanotubes [Duque et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 117404 (2012), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.117404]. In this work, by combining optical absorption spectroscopy and Raman scattering on individual index identified double-walled carbon nanotubes, we examine the experimental excitation dependence of the intensity of longitudinal optical and transverse optical G modes of the constituent inner and outer single-walled carbon nanotubes. The observed striking dependencies are understood in terms of quantum interference effects. Considering such effects, the excitation dependence of the different components of the G modes permits us to unambiguously assign each of them as originating from the longitudinal or transverse G modes of inner and outer tubes.

Quantum interference effects on the intensity of the G modes in double-walled carbon nanotubes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tran, Huy Nam; Blancon, Jean-Christophe Robert; Arenal, Raul

The effects of quantum interferences on the excitation dependence of the intensity of G modes have been investigated on single-walled carbon nanotubes [Duque et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.108, 117404 (2012)]. In this work, by combining optical absorption spectroscopy and Raman scattering on individual index identified double-walled carbon nanotubes, we examine the experimental excitation dependence of the intensity of longitudinal optical and transverse optical G modes of the constituent inner and outer single-walled carbon nanotubes. The observed striking dependencies are understood in terms of quantum interference effects. Considering such effects, the excitation dependence of the different components of the G modesmore » permit to unambiguously assign each of them as originating from the longitudinal or transverse G modes of inner and outer tubes.« less

Early evolution of transversally thermalized partons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bialas, Andrzej; Chojnacki, Mikolaj; Florkowski, Wojciech

2008-03-01

The idea that the parton system created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions (i) emerges in a state with transverse momenta close to thermodynamic equilibrium and (ii) its evolution at early times is dominated by the 2-dimensional (transverse) hydrodynamics of the ideal fluid is investigated. It is argued that this mechanism may help to solve the problem of early equilibration.

Nuclear magnetic relaxation induced by exchange-mediated orientational randomization: longitudinal relaxation dispersion for a dipole-coupled spin-1/2 pair.

PubMed

Chang, Zhiwei; Halle, Bertil

2013-10-14

In complex biological or colloidal samples, magnetic relaxation dispersion (MRD) experiments using the field-cycling technique can characterize molecular motions on time scales ranging from nanoseconds to microseconds, provided that a rigorous theory of nuclear spin relaxation is available. In gels, cross-linked proteins, and biological tissues, where an immobilized macromolecular component coexists with a mobile solvent phase, nuclear spins residing in solvent (or cosolvent) species relax predominantly via exchange-mediated orientational randomization (EMOR) of anisotropic nuclear (electric quadrupole or magnetic dipole) couplings. The physical or chemical exchange processes that dominate the MRD typically occur on a time scale of microseconds or longer, where the conventional perturbation theory of spin relaxation breaks down. There is thus a need for a more general relaxation theory. Such a theory, based on the stochastic Liouville equation (SLE) for the EMOR mechanism, is available for a single quadrupolar spin I = 1. Here, we present the corresponding theory for a dipole-coupled spin-1/2 pair. To our knowledge, this is the first treatment of dipolar MRD outside the motional-narrowing regime. Based on an analytical solution of the spatial part of the SLE, we show how the integral longitudinal relaxation rate can be computed efficiently. Both like and unlike spins, with selective or non-selective excitation, are treated. For the experimentally important dilute regime, where only a small fraction of the spin pairs are immobilized, we obtain simple analytical expressions for the auto-relaxation and cross-relaxation rates which generalize the well-known Solomon equations. These generalized results will be useful in biophysical studies, e.g., of intermittent protein dynamics. In addition, they represent a first step towards a rigorous theory of water (1)H relaxation in biological tissues, which is a prerequisite for unravelling the molecular basis of soft

Transverse gradient in Apple-type undulators

PubMed Central

Calvi, M.; Camenzuli, C.; Prat, E.; Schmidt, Th.

2017-01-01

Apple-type undulators are globally recognized as the most flexible devices for the production of variable polarized light in the soft X-ray regime, both at synchrotron and free-electron laser facilities. Recently, the implementation of transverse gradient undulators has been proposed to enhance the performance of new generation light sources. In this paper it is demonstrated that Apple undulators do not only generate linear and elliptical polarized light but also variable transverse gradient under certain conditions. A general theoretical framework is introduced to evaluate the K-value and its transverse gradient for an Apple undulator, and formulas for all regular operational modes and different Apple types (including the most recent Delta type and Apple X) are calculated and critically discussed. PMID:28452751

Multi-region relaxed Hall magnetohydrodynamics with flow

DOE PAGES

Lingam, Manasvi; Abdelhamid, Hamdi M.; Hudson, Stuart R.

2016-08-03

The recent formulations of multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamics (MRxMHD) have generalized the famous Woltjer-Taylor states by incorporating a collection of “ideal barriers” that prevent global relaxation and flow. In this paper, we generalize MRxMHD with flow to include Hall effects, and thereby obtain the partially relaxed counterparts of the famous double Beltrami states as a special subset. The physical and mathematical consequences arising from the introduction of the Hall term are also presented. We demonstrate that our results (in the ideal MHD limit) constitute an important subset of ideal MHD equilibria, and we compare our approach against other variational principles proposedmore » for deriving the partially relaxed states.« less

Does C₁ fracture displacement correlate with transverse ligament integrity?

PubMed

Radcliff, Kristen E; Sonagli, Marcos A; Rodrigues, Luciano M; Sidhu, Gursukhman S; Albert, Todd J; Vaccaro, Alexander R

2013-05-01

The Rule of Spence states that displacement of the C₁ lateral masses by >6.9-8.1 mm suggests loss of transverse ligament integrity. The purpose of this study was to establish the thresholds of C₁ displacement on CT scans that correspond to transverse ligament disruption. Over four years, consecutive patients with acute C₁ fractures with at least three fracture lines were analyzed. CT measurements and MRI were assessed by blinded observers for bony displacement in the axial (internal and external lateral mass separation), coronal and sagittal planes and transverse ligament integrity. Eighteen patients were studied. Mean CT bony measurements were as follows: internal border lateral mass separation (ILM) 23.3 ± 3.4 mm, external border lateral mass separation (ELM) 50.3 ± 4.3 mm, total C₁ lateral mass overhang over the C₂ superior process (LMO) 5.4 ± 1.3 mm. Twelve patients were identified as having intact transverse ligament and six had transverse ligament disruption. There was no difference in mean normalized ILM, ELM, or LMO between patients with or without transverse ligament integrity (P > 0.05). There was no correlation between bony displacement and transverse ligament integrity. CT scans post-injury may not show the position of maximal displacement. If there is clinical concern about a possible transverse ligament injury, MRI should be performed. © 2013 Chinese Orthopaedic Association and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Bimodal dielectric relaxation of electrolyte solutions in weakly polar solvents.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi; Koda, Shinobu

2014-12-28

The dielectric relaxation spectra of dilute electrolyte solutions in solvents of small dielectric constants are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical calculation in our previous work [T. Yamaguchi, T. Matsuoka, and S. Koda, J. Chem. Phys. 135, 164511 (2011)] is reanalyzed, and it is shown that the dielectric relaxation spectra are composed of three components, namely, the relaxation of ionic atmosphere, the reorientational relaxation of ion pairs, and the collision between ions. The relaxation frequency of the slowest one increases with increasing the concentration, and the slower two relaxations, those of ionic atmosphere and ion pairs, merge into one at the concentration where the Debye length is comparable to the size of ions. Experimentally, the dielectric relaxation spectra of some electrolytes in two solvents, tetrahydrofuran and tetraglyme, are determined at frequencies from 300 kHz to 200 MHz, and the presence of the slower two relaxations was confirmed. The concentration dependence of the relaxation frequency is also in harmony with the theoretical calculation. The relationship between the dielectric relaxation spectra and the concentration dependence of the ionic conductivity is discussed.

Bimodal dielectric relaxation of electrolyte solutions in weakly polar solvents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi; Koda, Shinobu

2014-12-01

The dielectric relaxation spectra of dilute electrolyte solutions in solvents of small dielectric constants are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical calculation in our previous work [T. Yamaguchi, T. Matsuoka, and S. Koda, J. Chem. Phys. 135, 164511 (2011)] is reanalyzed, and it is shown that the dielectric relaxation spectra are composed of three components, namely, the relaxation of ionic atmosphere, the reorientational relaxation of ion pairs, and the collision between ions. The relaxation frequency of the slowest one increases with increasing the concentration, and the slower two relaxations, those of ionic atmosphere and ion pairs, merge into one at the concentration where the Debye length is comparable to the size of ions. Experimentally, the dielectric relaxation spectra of some electrolytes in two solvents, tetrahydrofuran and tetraglyme, are determined at frequencies from 300 kHz to 200 MHz, and the presence of the slower two relaxations was confirmed. The concentration dependence of the relaxation frequency is also in harmony with the theoretical calculation. The relationship between the dielectric relaxation spectra and the concentration dependence of the ionic conductivity is discussed.

Isothermal enthalpy relaxation of glassy 1,2,6-hexanetriol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fransson, Å.; Bäckström, G.

The isothermal enthalpy relaxation of glassy 1,2,6-hexanetriol has been measured at six temperatures. The relaxation time and the distribution parameters extracted from fits of the Williams-Watts relaxation function are compared with parameters obtained by other techniques and on other substances. A detailed comparison of the Williams-Watts and the Davidson-Cole relaxation functions is presented.

The Efficacy of Relaxation Training in Treating Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francesco, Pagnini; Mauro, Manzoni Gian; Gianluca, Castelnuovo; Enrico, Molinari

2009-01-01

This paper provides a review of scientific literature about relaxation training and its effects on anxiety. Research investigating progressive relaxation, meditation, applied relaxation and autogenic training were considered. All these methods proved to be effective in reducing anxiety in all kind of samples, affected or not by physical or…

Observation of transverse Anderson localization in an optical fiber.

PubMed

Karbasi, Salman; Mirr, Craig R; Yarandi, Parisa Gandomkar; Frazier, Ryan J; Koch, Karl W; Mafi, Arash

2012-06-15

We utilize transverse Anderson localization as the waveguiding mechanism in optical fibers with random transverse refractive index profiles. Using experiments and numerical simulations, we show that the transverse localization results in an effective propagating beam diameter that is comparable to that of a typical index-guiding optical fiber.

Transverse compression of PPTA fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singletary, James

2000-07-01

Results of single transverse compression testing of PPTA and PIPD fibers, using a novel test device, are presented and discussed. In the tests, short lengths of single fibers are compressed between two parallel, stiff platens. The fiber elastic deformation is analyzed as a Hertzian contact problem. The inelastic deformation is analyzed by elastic-plastic FE simulation and by laser-scanning confocal microscopy of the compressed fibers ex post facto. The results obtained are compared to those in the literature and to the theoretical predictions of PPTA fiber transverse elasticity based on PPTA crystal elasticity.

Relaxation dynamics of a multihierarchical polymer network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurjiu, Aurel; Biter, Teodor Lucian; Turcu, Flaviu

2017-01-01

In this work, we study the relaxation dynamics of a multihierarchical polymer network built by replicating the Vicsek fractal in dendrimer shape. The relaxation dynamics is investigated in the framework of the generalized Gaussian structure model by employing both Rouse and Zimm approaches. In the Rouse-type approach, we show the iterative procedure whereby the whole eigenvalue spectrum of the connectivity matrix of the multihierarchical structure can be obtained. Remarkably, the general picture that emerges from both approaches, even though we have a mixed growth algorithm, is that the obtained multihierarchical structure preserves the individual relaxation behaviors of its components. The theoretical findings with respect to the splitting of the intermediate domain of the relaxation quantities are well supported by experimental results.

Transverse conformal Killing forms on Kähler foliations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Seoung Dal

2015-04-01

On a closed, connected Riemannian manifold with a Kähler foliation of codimension q = 2 m, any transverse Killing r(≥ 2) -form is parallel (Jung and Jung, 2012). In this paper, we study transverse conformal Killing forms on Kähler foliations. In fact, if the foliation is minimal, then for any transverse conformal Killing r-form ϕ(2 ≤ r ≤ q - 2), Jϕ is parallel. Here J is defined in Section 4.

Effects of water on the primary and secondary relaxation of xylitol and sorbitol: Implication on the origin of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Psurek, T.; Maslanka, S.; Paluch, M.; Nozaki, R.; Ngai, K. L.

2004-07-01

Dielectric spectroscopy was employed to study the effects of water on the primary α -relaxation and the secondary β -relaxation of xylitol. The measurements were made on anhydrous xylitol and mixtures of xylitol with water with three different water concentrations over a temperature range from 173K to 293K . The α -relaxation speeds up with increasing concentration of water in xylitol, whereas the rate of the β -relaxation is essentially unchanged. Some systematic differences in the behavior of α -relaxation for anhydrous xylitol and the mixtures were observed. Our findings confirm all the observations of Nozaki [R. Nozaki, H. Zenitani, A. Minoguchi, and K. Kitai, J. Non-Cryst. Solids 307, 349 (2002)] in sorbitol/water mixtures. Effects of water on both the α - and β -relaxation dynamics in xylitol and sorbitol are explained by using the coupling model.

46 CFR 46.10-1 - Relaxation from regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Relaxation from regulations. 46.10-1 Section 46.10-1... PASSENGER VESSELS Administration § 46.10-1 Relaxation from regulations. (a) New passenger vessels making... engaged in foreign voyages by sea may be permitted relaxation from the requirements of this part if, in...

46 CFR 46.10-1 - Relaxation from regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Relaxation from regulations. 46.10-1 Section 46.10-1... PASSENGER VESSELS Administration § 46.10-1 Relaxation from regulations. (a) New passenger vessels making... engaged in foreign voyages by sea may be permitted relaxation from the requirements of this part if, in...

Magnetic resonance imaging relaxation time in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Tang, Xiang; Cai, Feng; Ding, Dong-Xue; Zhang, Lu-Lu; Cai, Xiu-Ying; Fang, Qi

2018-05-05

The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relaxation time constants, T1 and T2, are sensitive to changes in brain tissue microstructure integrity. Quantitative T1 and T2 relaxation times have been proposed to serve as non-invasive biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), in which alterations are believed to not only reflect AD-related neuropathology but also cognitive impairment. In this review, we summarize the applications and key findings of MRI techniques in the context of both AD subjects and AD transgenic mouse models. Furthermore, the possible mechanisms of relaxation time alterations in AD will be discussed. Future studies could focus on relaxation time alterations in the early stage of AD, and longitudinal studies are needed to further explore relaxation time alterations during disease progression. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interface roughness mediated phonon relaxation rates in Si quantum dots.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdous, Rifat; Hsueh, Yuling; Klimeck, Gerhard; Rahman, Rajib

2015-03-01

Si QDs are promising candidates for solid-state quantum computing due to long spin coherence times. However, the valley degeneracy in Si adds an additional degree of freedom to the electronic structure. Although the valley and orbital indices can be uniquely identified in an ideal Si QD, interface roughness mixes valley and orbital states in realistic dots. Such valley-orbit coupling can strongly influence T1 times in Si QDs. Recent experimental measurements of various relaxation rates differ from previous predictions of phonon relaxation in ideal Si QDs. To understand how roughness affects different relaxation rates, for example spin relaxation due to spin-valley coupling, which is a byproduct of spin-orbit and valley-orbit coupling, we need to understand the effect of valley-orbit coupling on valley relaxation first. Using a full-band atomistic tight-binding description for both the system's electron and electron-phonon hamiltonian, we analyze the effect of atomic-scale interface disorder on phonon induced valley relaxation and spin relaxation in a Si QD. We find that, the valley splitting dependence of valley relaxation rate governs the magnetic field dependence of spin relaxation rate. Our results help understand experimentally measured relaxation times.

Synergic nature of dielectric relaxation process in the layered perovskite halide salts: The case of 1,3- diammoniumpropylenetetrabromocadmate compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staśkiewicz, Beata

2018-06-01

The negative thermal expansion (NTE) property was a prototype to discuss the origin of difference between classical Debye relaxation process and the non-Debye behavior in the layered perovskite halide salt of chemical formula NH3(CH2)3NH3CdBr4. The analysis has been taken by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy measurements in almost six decades in frequency 5 × 102 ≤ f(ω) ≤ 1.2 × 108 and in the temperature range 315 ≤ T(K) ≤ 390. It was shown that the investigated sample exhibit an antiferrodistortive nature of phase transition between two orthorhombic structural modifications i.e. Pnma (phase I) and Ima2 (phase II) at Tc1(I → II) = 326 K, leading from an antiferroelectric to a paraelectric phase. The involvement of an odd number of carbon atoms in the alkylammonium chains in dielectric properties of examined sample is proved. Higher structural modifications, i.e. Ima2 (phase II) and P21/m (phase III), have shown significant deviations from a regular circle on the Cole-Cole diagram. Presented experimental observations are essentially important for the theoretical explanation of relaxation processes in analyzed organic - inorganic compound crystallizing in a perovskite-like topology and may provide new perspective on the fundamental aspect of relaxation response in "diammonium" series.

Extended MHD Modeling of Tearing-Driven Magnetic Relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sauppe, Joshua

2016-10-01

Driven plasma pinch configurations are characterized by the gradual accumulation and episodic release of free energy in discrete relaxation events. The hallmark of this relaxation in a reversed-field pinch (RFP) plasma is flattening of the parallel current density profile effected by a fluctuation-induced dynamo emf in Ohm's law. Nonlinear two-fluid modeling of macroscopic RFP dynamics has shown appreciable coupling of magnetic relaxation and the evolution of plasma flow. Accurate modeling of RFP dynamics requires the Hall effect in Ohm's law as well as first order ion finite Larmor radius (FLR) effects, represented by the Braginskii ion gyroviscous stress tensor. New results find that the Hall dynamo effect from < J × B > / ne can counter the MHD effect from - < V × B > in some of the relaxation events. The MHD effect dominates these events and relaxes the current profile toward the Taylor state, but the opposition of the two dynamos generates plasma flow in the direction of equilibrium current density, consistent with experimental measurements. Detailed experimental measurements of the MHD and Hall emf terms are compared to these extended MHD predictions. Tracking the evolution of magnetic energy, helicity, and hybrid helicity during relaxation identifies the most important contributions in single-fluid and two-fluid models. Magnetic helicity is well conserved relative to the magnetic energy during relaxation. The hybrid helicity is dominated by magnetic helicity in realistic low-beta pinch conditions and is also well conserved. Differences of less than 1 % between magnetic helicity and hybrid helicity are observed with two-fluid modeling and result from cross helicity evolution through ion FLR effects, which have not been included in contemporary relaxation theories. The kinetic energy driven by relaxation in the computations is dominated by velocity components perpendicular to the magnetic field, an effect that had not been predicted. Work performed at

Two-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method for the anisotropic dispersive Henry problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Servan-Camas, Borja; Tsai, Frank T.-C.

2010-02-01

This study develops a lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with a two-relaxation-time collision operator (TRT) to cope with anisotropic heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity and anisotropic velocity-dependent hydrodynamic dispersion in the saltwater intrusion problem. The directional-speed-of-sound technique is further developed to address anisotropic hydraulic conductivity and dispersion tensors. Forcing terms are introduced in the LBM to correct numerical errors that arise during the recovery procedure and to describe the sink/source terms in the flow and transport equations. In order to facilitate the LBM implementation, the forcing terms are combined with the equilibrium distribution functions (EDFs) to create pseudo-EDFs. This study performs linear stability analysis and derives LBM stability domains to solve the anisotropic advection-dispersion equation. The stability domains are used to select the time step at which the lattice Boltzmann method provides stable solutions to the numerical examples. The LBM was implemented for the anisotropic dispersive Henry problem with high ratios of longitudinal to transverse dispersivities, and the results compared well to the solutions in the work of Abarca et al. (2007).

Dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaur, Navjeet; Singh, Mohan, E-mail: mohansinghphysics@gmail.com; Singh, Lakhwant

2015-03-15

Highlights: • The present article reports the effect of gamma irradiation on the dielectric relaxation characteristics of muscovite mica. • Dielectric and electrical relaxations have been analyzed in the framework of dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and Cole–Cole formalisms. • The frequency dependent electrical conductivity has been rationalized using Johnsher’s universal power law. • The experimentally measured electric modulus and conductivity data have been fitted using Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation function. - Abstract: In the present research, the dielectric relaxation of gamma irradiated muscovite mica was studied in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz–10 MHz and temperature range of 653–853 K, usingmore » the dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and conductivity formalisms. The dielectric constants (ϵ′ and ϵ′′) are found to be high for gamma irradiated muscovite mica as compared to the pristine sample. The frequency dependence of the imaginary part of complex electric modulus (M′′) and dc conductivity data conforms Arrhenius law with single value of activation energy for pristine sample and two values of activation energy for gamma irradiated mica sample. The experimentally assessed electric modulus and conductivity information have been interpreted by the Havriliak–Negami dielectric relaxation explanation. Using the Cole–Cole framework, an analysis of real and imaginary characters of the electric modulus for pristine and gamma irradiated sample was executed which reflects the non-Debye relaxation mechanism.« less

Jet axes and universal transverse-momentum-dependent fragmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neill, Duff; Scimemi, Ignazio; Waalewijn, Wouter J.

2017-04-01

We study the transverse momentum spectrum of hadrons in jets. By measuring the transverse momentum with respect to a judiciously chosen axis, we find that this observable is insensitive to (the recoil of) soft radiation. Furthermore, for small transverse momenta we show that the effects of the jet boundary factorize, leading to a new transverse-momentum-dependent (TMD) fragmentation function. In contrast to the usual TMD fragmentation functions, it does not involve rapidity divergences and is universal in the sense that it is independent of the type of process and number of jets. These results directly apply to sub-jets instead of hadrons. We discuss potential applications, which include studying nuclear modification effects in heavy-ion collisions and identifying boosted heavy resonances.

Probing α-relaxation with nuclear magnetic resonance echo decay and relaxation: a study on nitrile butadiene rubber.

PubMed

Sturniolo, Simone; Pieruccini, Marco; Corti, Maurizio; Rigamonti, Attilio

2013-01-01

One dimensional (1)H NMR measurements have been performed to probe slow molecular motions in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) around its calorimetric glass transition temperature Tg. The purpose is to show how software aided data analysis can extract meaningful dynamical data from these measurements. Spin-lattice relaxation time, free induction decay (FID) and magic sandwich echo (MSE) measurements have been carried out at different values of the static field, as a function of temperature. It has been evidenced how the efficiency of the MSE signal in reconstructing the original FID exhibits a sudden minimum at a given temperature, with a slight dependence from the measuring frequency. Computer simulations performed with the software SPINEVOLUTION have shown that the minimum in the efficiency reconstruction of the MSE signal corresponds to the average motional frequency taking a value around the inter-proton coupling. The FID signals have been fitted with a truncated form of a newly derived exact correlation function for the transverse magnetization of a dipolar interacting spin pair, which allows one to avoid the restriction of the stationary and Gaussian approximations. A direct estimate of the conformational dynamics on approaching the Tg is obtained, and the results are in agreement with the analysis performed via the MSE reconstruction efficiency. The occurrence of a wide distribution of correlation frequencies for the chains motion, with a Vogel-Fulcher type temperature dependence, is addressed. A route for a fruitful study of the dynamics accompanying the glass transition by a variety of NMR measurements is thus proposed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transverse fields to tune an Ising-nematic quantum phase transition [Transverse fields to tune an Ising-nematic quantum critical transition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maharaj, Akash V.; Rosenberg, Elliott W.; Hristov, Alexander T.

Here, the paradigmatic example of a continuous quantum phase transition is the transverse field Ising ferromagnet. In contrast to classical critical systems, whose properties depend only on symmetry and the dimension of space, the nature of a quantum phase transition also depends on the dynamics. In the transverse field Ising model, the order parameter is not conserved, and increasing the transverse field enhances quantum fluctuations until they become strong enough to restore the symmetry of the ground state. Ising pseudospins can represent the order parameter of any system with a twofold degenerate broken-symmetry phase, including electronic nematic order associated withmore » spontaneous point-group symmetry breaking. Here, we show for the representative example of orbital-nematic ordering of a non-Kramers doublet that an orthogonal strain or a perpendicular magnetic field plays the role of the transverse field, thereby providing a practical route for tuning appropriate materials to a quantum critical point. While the transverse fields are conjugate to seemingly unrelated order parameters, their nontrivial commutation relations with the nematic order parameter, which can be represented by a Berry-phase term in an effective field theory, intrinsically intertwine the different order parameters.« less

Transverse fields to tune an Ising-nematic quantum phase transition [Transverse fields to tune an Ising-nematic quantum critical transition

DOE PAGES

Maharaj, Akash V.; Rosenberg, Elliott W.; Hristov, Alexander T.; ...

2017-12-05

Here, the paradigmatic example of a continuous quantum phase transition is the transverse field Ising ferromagnet. In contrast to classical critical systems, whose properties depend only on symmetry and the dimension of space, the nature of a quantum phase transition also depends on the dynamics. In the transverse field Ising model, the order parameter is not conserved, and increasing the transverse field enhances quantum fluctuations until they become strong enough to restore the symmetry of the ground state. Ising pseudospins can represent the order parameter of any system with a twofold degenerate broken-symmetry phase, including electronic nematic order associated withmore » spontaneous point-group symmetry breaking. Here, we show for the representative example of orbital-nematic ordering of a non-Kramers doublet that an orthogonal strain or a perpendicular magnetic field plays the role of the transverse field, thereby providing a practical route for tuning appropriate materials to a quantum critical point. While the transverse fields are conjugate to seemingly unrelated order parameters, their nontrivial commutation relations with the nematic order parameter, which can be represented by a Berry-phase term in an effective field theory, intrinsically intertwine the different order parameters.« less

Bayesian Modeling of NMR Data: Quantifying Longitudinal Relaxation in Vivo, and in Vitro with a Tissue-Water-Relaxation Mimic (Crosslinked Bovine Serum Albumin).

PubMed

Meinerz, Kelsey; Beeman, Scott C; Duan, Chong; Bretthorst, G Larry; Garbow, Joel R; Ackerman, Joseph J H

2018-01-01

Recently, a number of MRI protocols have been reported that seek to exploit the effect of dissolved oxygen (O 2 , paramagnetic) on the longitudinal 1 H relaxation of tissue water, thus providing image contrast related to tissue oxygen content. However, tissue water relaxation is dependent on a number of mechanisms, and this raises the issue of how best to model the relaxation data. This problem, the model selection problem, occurs in many branches of science and is optimally addressed by Bayesian probability theory. High signal-to-noise, densely sampled, longitudinal 1 H relaxation data were acquired from rat brain in vivo and from a cross-linked bovine serum albumin (xBSA) phantom, a sample that recapitulates the relaxation characteristics of tissue water in vivo . Bayesian-based model selection was applied to a cohort of five competing relaxation models: (i) monoexponential, (ii) stretched-exponential, (iii) biexponential, (iv) Gaussian (normal) R 1 -distribution, and (v) gamma R 1 -distribution. Bayesian joint analysis of multiple replicate datasets revealed that water relaxation of both the xBSA phantom and in vivo rat brain was best described by a biexponential model, while xBSA relaxation datasets truncated to remove evidence of the fast relaxation component were best modeled as a stretched exponential. In all cases, estimated model parameters were compared to the commonly used monoexponential model. Reducing the sampling density of the relaxation data and adding Gaussian-distributed noise served to simulate cases in which the data are acquisition-time or signal-to-noise restricted, respectively. As expected, reducing either the number of data points or the signal-to-noise increases the uncertainty in estimated parameters and, ultimately, reduces support for more complex relaxation models.

129 Xe NMR Relaxation-Based Macromolecular Sensing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gomes, Muller D.; Dao, Phuong; Jeong, Keunhong

2016-07-29

A 129Xe NMR relaxation-based sensing approach is reported on that exploits changes in the bulk xenon relaxation rate induced by slowed tumbling of a cryptophane-based sensor upon target binding. The amplification afforded by detection of the bulk dissolved xenon allows sensitive detection of targets. The sensor comprises a xenon-binding cryptophane cage, a target interaction element, and a metal chelating agent. Xenon associated with the target-bound cryptophane cage is rapidly relaxed and then detected after exchange with the bulk. Here we show that large macromolecular targets increase the rotational correlation time of xenon, increasing its relaxation rate. Upon binding of amore » biotin-containing sensor to avidin at 1.5 μM concentration, the free xenon T 2 is reduced by a factor of 4.« less

Picosecond absorption relaxation measured with nanosecond laser photoacoustics.

PubMed

Danielli, Amos; Favazza, Christopher P; Maslov, Konstantin; Wang, Lihong V

2010-10-18

Picosecond absorption relaxation-central to many disciplines-is typically measured by ultrafast (femtosecond or picosecond) pump-probe techniques, which however are restricted to optically thin and weakly scattering materials or require artificial sample preparation. Here, we developed a reflection-mode relaxation photoacoustic microscope based on a nanosecond laser and measured picosecond absorption relaxation times. The relaxation times of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin molecules, both possessing extremely low fluorescence quantum yields, were measured at 576 nm. The added advantages in dispersion susceptibility, laser-wavelength availability, reflection sensing, and expense foster the study of natural-including strongly scattering and nonfluorescent-materials.

Calorimetric and relaxation properties of xylitol-water mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elamin, Khalid; Sjöström, Johan; Jansson, Helén; Swenson, Jan

2012-03-01

We present the first broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) and differential scanning calorimetry study of supercooled xylitol-water mixtures in the whole concentration range and in wide frequency (10-2-106 Hz) and temperature (120-365 K) ranges. The calorimetric glass transition, Tg, decreases from 247 K for pure xylitol to about 181 K at a water concentration of approximately 37 wt. %. At water concentrations in the range 29-35 wt. % a plentiful calorimetric behaviour is observed. In addition to the glass transition, almost simultaneous crystallization and melting events occurring around 230-240 K. At higher water concentrations ice is formed during cooling and the glass transition temperature increases to a steady value of about 200 K for all higher water concentrations. This Tg corresponds to an unfrozen xylitol-water solution containing 20 wt. % water. In addition to the true glass transition we also observed a glass transition-like feature at 220 K for all the ice containing samples. However, this feature is more likely due to ice dissolution [A. Inaba and O. Andersson, Thermochim. Acta, 461, 44 (2007)]. In the case of the BDS measurements the presence of water clearly has an effect on both the cooperative α-relaxation and the secondary β-relaxation. The α-relaxation shows a non-Arrhenius temperature dependence and becomes faster with increasing concentration of water. The fragility of the solutions, determined by the temperature dependence of the α-relaxation close to the dynamic glass transition, decreases with increasing water content up to about 26 wt. % water, where ice starts to form. This decrease in fragility with increasing water content is most likely caused by the increasing density of hydrogen bonds, forming a network-like structure in the deeply supercooled regime. The intensity of the secondary β-relaxation of xylitol decreases noticeably already at a water content of 2 wt. %, and at a water content above 5 wt. % it has been replaced by a

Modeling Transverse Cracking in Laminates With a Single Layer of Elements Per Ply

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Van Der Meer, Frans P.; Davila, Carlos G.

2012-01-01

The objective of the present paper is to investigate the ability of mesolevel X-FEM models with a single layer of elements per ply to capture accurately all aspects of matrix cracking. In particular, we examine whether the model can predict the insitu ply thickness effect on crack initiation and propagation, the crack density as a function of strain, the strain for crack saturation, and the interaction between delamination and transverse cracks. Results reveal that the simplified model does not capture correctly the shear-lag relaxation of the stress field on either side of a crack, which leads to an overprediction of the crack density. It is also shown, however, that after onset of delamination many of the inserted matrix cracks close again, and that the density of open cracks becomes similar to the density predicted by the detailed model. The degree to which the spurious cracks affect the global response is quantified and the reliability of the mesolevel approach with a single layer of elements per ply is discussed.

The Unquiet State of Violent Relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henriksen, Richard

2005-08-01

In 1967 Lynden-Bell presented a statistical mechanical theory for the relaxation of collisionless systems. Since then this theory has been studied numerically and theoretically by many authors. Nakamura in 2000 gave an alternate theory that differed from that of Lynden- Bell by predicting a Gaussian equilibrium distribution function rather than Fermi-Dirac. More recently Henriksen in 2004 has used a coarsegraining technique on cosmological infall systems that also predicts a Gaussian equilibrium distribution function. These relaxed states are thought to occur from the centre of the system outwards. Simulations of cosmological cold dark-matter halos however persist in finding central density cusps (the NFWprofile), which are inconsistent with the predicted distribution functions and perhaps with the observations of some galaxies. Some numerical studies (e.g.Merrall & Henriksen 2003) that attempt to measure the distribution function of dark matter do find Gaussian functions, provided that the initial asymmetry is not too great. Moreover recent work at Queen's reported here by MacMillan, suggests that it is the growth of asymmetry during the infall that produces the cusped behaviour. So put briefly, the essential physics of dark-matter relaxation remains "obscure" as does the validity of the theoretical predictions. "Violent virialization" occurs rapidly, well before subscale relaxation, but the scale at which the relaxation stops (and why) remains unclear. I will present some results that argue for wave-particle relaxation (Landau damping as frequently suggested by Kandrup) and in addition I will suggest that the evolution of isolated systems is very different from that of systems constantly disturbed by infall. Isolated systems may become trapped in an unrelaxed state by the development or existence of multipolar internal structure. Nevertheless a suitable coarse graining of the system may restore the predicted distribution functions.

Relaxing music counters heightened consolidation of emotional memory.

PubMed

Rickard, Nikki S; Wong, Wendy Wing; Velik, Lauren

2012-02-01

Emotional events tend to be retained more strongly than other everyday occurrences, a phenomenon partially regulated by the neuromodulatory effects of arousal. Two experiments demonstrated the use of relaxing music as a means of reducing arousal levels, thereby challenging heightened long-term recall of an emotional story. In Experiment 1, participants (N=84) viewed a slideshow, during which they listened to either an emotional or neutral narration, and were exposed to relaxing or no music. Retention was tested 1 week later via a forced choice recognition test. Retention for both the emotional content (Phase 2 of the story) and material presented immediately after the emotional content (Phase 3) was enhanced, when compared with retention for the neutral story. Relaxing music prevented the enhancement for material presented after the emotional content (Phase 3). Experiment 2 (N=159) provided further support to the neuromodulatory effect of music by post-event presentation of both relaxing music and non-relaxing auditory stimuli (arousing music/background sound). Free recall of the story was assessed immediately afterwards and 1 week later. Relaxing music significantly reduced recall of the emotional story (Phase 2). The findings provide further insight into the capacity of relaxing music to attenuate the strength of emotional memory, offering support for the therapeutic use of music for such purposes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ultrafast energy relaxation in single light-harvesting complexes.

PubMed

Malý, Pavel; Gruber, J Michael; Cogdell, Richard J; Mančal, Tomáš; van Grondelle, Rienk

2016-03-15

Energy relaxation in light-harvesting complexes has been extensively studied by various ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, the fastest processes being in the sub-100-fs range. At the same time, much slower dynamics have been observed in individual complexes by single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy (SMS). In this work, we use a pump-probe-type SMS technique to observe the ultrafast energy relaxation in single light-harvesting complexes LH2 of purple bacteria. After excitation at 800 nm, the measured relaxation time distribution of multiple complexes has a peak at 95 fs and is asymmetric, with a tail at slower relaxation times. When tuning the excitation wavelength, the distribution changes in both its shape and position. The observed behavior agrees with what is to be expected from the LH2 excited states structure. As we show by a Redfield theory calculation of the relaxation times, the distribution shape corresponds to the expected effect of Gaussian disorder of the pigment transition energies. By repeatedly measuring few individual complexes for minutes, we find that complexes sample the relaxation time distribution on a timescale of seconds. Furthermore, by comparing the distribution from a single long-lived complex with the whole ensemble, we demonstrate that, regarding the relaxation times, the ensemble can be considered ergodic. Our findings thus agree with the commonly used notion of an ensemble of identical LH2 complexes experiencing slow random fluctuations.

Relaxation as a Factor in Semantic Desensitization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bechtel, James E.; McNamara, J. Regis

1975-01-01

Relaxation and semantic desensitization were used to alleviate the fear of phobic females. Results showed that semantic desensitization, alone or in combination with relaxation, failed to modify the evaluative meanings evoked by the feared object. (SE)

Nuclear spin-lattice relaxation in nitroxide spin-label EPR.

PubMed

Marsh, Derek

2016-11-01

Nuclear relaxation is a sensitive monitor of rotational dynamics in spin-label EPR. It also contributes competing saturation transfer pathways in T 1 -exchange spectroscopy, and the determination of paramagnetic relaxation enhancement in site-directed spin labelling. A survey shows that the definition of nitrogen nuclear relaxation rate W n commonly used in the CW-EPR literature for 14 N-nitroxyl spin labels is inconsistent with that currently adopted in time-resolved EPR measurements of saturation recovery. Redefinition of the normalised 14 N spin-lattice relaxation rate, b=W n /(2W e ), preserves the expressions used for CW-EPR, whilst rendering them consistent with expressions for saturation recovery rates in pulsed EPR. Furthermore, values routinely quoted for nuclear relaxation times that are deduced from EPR spectral diffusion rates in 14 N-nitroxyl spin labels do not accord with conventional analysis of spin-lattice relaxation in this three-level system. Expressions for CW-saturation EPR with the revised definitions are summarised. Data on nitrogen nuclear spin-lattice relaxation times are compiled according to the three-level scheme for 14 N-relaxation: T 1 n =1/W n . Results are compared and contrasted with those for the two-level 15 N-nitroxide system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Definition, evaluation, and management of brain relaxation during craniotomy.

PubMed

Li, J; Gelb, A W; Flexman, A M; Ji, F; Meng, L

2016-06-01

The term 'brain relaxation' is routinely used to describe the size and firmness of the brain tissue during craniotomy. The status of brain relaxation is an important aspect of neuroanaesthesia practice and is relevant to the operating conditions, retraction injury, and likely patient outcomes. Brain relaxation is determined by the relationship between the volume of the intracranial contents and the capacity of the intracranial space (i.e. a content-space relationship). It is a concept related to, but distinct from, intracranial pressure. The evaluation of brain relaxation should be standardized to facilitate clinical communication and research collaboration. Both advantageous and disadvantageous effects of the various interventions for brain relaxation should be taken into account in patient care. The outcomes that matter the most to patients should be emphasized in defining, evaluating, and managing brain relaxation. To date, brain relaxation has not been reviewed specifically, and the aim of this manuscript is to discuss the current approaches to the definition, evaluation, and management of brain relaxation, knowledge gaps, and targets for future research. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Geometrically nonlinear resonance of higher-order shear deformable functionally graded carbon-nanotube-reinforced composite annular sector plates excited by harmonic transverse loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gholami, Raheb; Ansari, Reza

2018-02-01

This article presents an attempt to study the nonlinear resonance of functionally graded carbon-nanotube-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) annular sector plates excited by a uniformly distributed harmonic transverse load. To this purpose, first, the extended rule of mixture including the efficiency parameters is employed to approximately obtain the effective material properties of FG-CNTRC annular sector plates. Then, the focus is on presenting the weak form of discretized mathematical formulation of governing equations based on the variational differential quadrature (VDQ) method and Hamilton's principle. The geometric nonlinearity and shear deformation effects are considered based on the von Kármán assumptions and Reddy's third-order shear deformation plate theory, respectively. The discretization process is performed via the generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method together with numerical differential and integral operators. Then, an efficient multi-step numerical scheme is used to obtain the nonlinear dynamic behavior of the FG-CNTRC annular sector plates near their primary resonance as the frequency-response curve. The accuracy of the present results is first verified and then a parametric study is presented to show the impacts of CNT volume fraction, CNT distribution pattern, geometry of annular sector plate and sector angle on the nonlinear frequency-response curve of FG-CNTRC annular sector plates with different edge supports.

Early dynamics of transversally thermalized matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bialas, A.; Chojnacki, M.; Florkowski, W.

2008-10-01

We argue that the idea that the parton system created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions is formed in a state with transverse momenta close to thermodynamic equilibrium and its subsequent dynamics at early times is dominated by pure transverse hydrodynamics of the perfect fluid is compatible with the data collected at RHIC. This scenario of early parton dynamics may help to solve the problem of early equilibration. Quark Matter 2008, Jaipur, India, February 2008.

Coupling of transverse and longitudinal waves in piano strings.

PubMed

Etchenique, Nikki; Collin, Samantha R; Moore, Thomas R

2015-04-01

The existence of longitudinal waves in vibrating piano strings has been previously established, as has their importance in producing the characteristic sound of the piano. Modeling of the coupling between the transverse and longitudinal motion of strings indicates that the amplitude of the longitudinal waves are quadratically related to the transverse displacement of the string, however, experimental verification of this relationship is lacking. In the work reported here this relationship is tested by driving the transverse motion of a piano string at only two frequencies, which simplifies the task of unambiguously identifying the constituent signals. The results indicate that the generally accepted relationship between the transverse motion and the longitudinal motion is valid. It is further shown that this dependence on transverse displacement is a good approximation when a string is excited by the impact of the hammer during normal play.

Repeatability and reliability of muscle relaxation properties induced by motor cortical stimulation.

PubMed

Molenaar, Joery P; Voermans, Nicol C; de Jong, Lysanne A; Stegeman, Dick F; Doorduin, Jonne; van Engelen, Baziel G

2018-03-15

Impaired muscle relaxation is a feature of many neuromuscular disorders. However, there are few tests available to quantify muscle relaxation. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex can induce muscle relaxation by abruptly inhibiting corticospinal drive. The aim of our study is to investigate if repeatability and reliability of TMS-induced relaxation is greater than voluntary relaxation. Furthermore, effects of sex, cooling and fatigue on muscle relaxation properties were studied. Muscle relaxation of deep finger flexors was assessed in twenty-five healthy subjects (14 M and 11 F, aged 39.1{plus minus}12.7 and 45.3{plus minus}8.7 years old, respectively) using handgrip dynamometry. All outcome measures showed greater repeatability and reliability in TMS-induced relaxation compared to voluntary relaxation. The within-subject coefficient of variability of normalized peak relaxation rate was lower in TMS-induced relaxation than in voluntary relaxation (3.0 vs 19.7% in men, and 6.1 vs 14.3% in women). The repeatability coefficient was lower (1.3 vs 6.1 s -1 in men and 2.3 vs 3.1 s -1 in women), and the intraclass correlation coefficient was higher (0.95 vs 0.53 in men and 0.78 vs 0.69 in women), for TMS-induced relaxation compared to voluntary relaxation. TMS enabled to demonstrate slowing effects of sex, muscle cooling, and muscle fatigue on relaxation properties that voluntary relaxation could not. In conclusion, repeatability and reliability of TMS-induced muscle relaxation was greater compared to voluntary muscle relaxation. TMS-induced muscle relaxation has the potential to be used in clinical practice for diagnostic purposes and therapy effect monitoring in patients with impaired muscle relaxation.

Influences of bicarbonate on processes of enamel subsurface remineralization and demineralization: assessment using micro-Raman spectroscopy and transverse microradiography.

PubMed

Kuramochi, Erika; Iizuka, Junko; Mukai, Yoshiharu

2016-12-01

In the present study, we investigated, using micro-Raman spectroscopy (Raman) and transverse microradiography, the influence of bicarbonate [sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO 3 )] on the effects of carbonate ions in the mineral phase during demineralization (acid resistance test) of subsurface lesions. Baseline lesions were created by demineralizing bovine enamel, and specimens were then exposed to remineralization solutions containing 0, 5, or 50 mM bicarbonate. Acid resistance tests were performed on remineralized and sound enamel specimens. Raman spectra showed that carbonate and phosphate were incorporated into both surface layers and lesion bodies during remineralization in the presence of bicarbonate. Moreover, the presence of bicarbonate did not affect the rates of remineralization, although the average mineral profiles of remineralized enamel differed from those of sound enamel after acid resistance tests. Raman analyses enabled close evaluation of site-specific characteristics of carbonate and phosphate in subsurface lesions. In conclusion, incorporation of carbonate and phosphate ions into enamel subsurface lesions during remineralization does not affect the magnitude of remineralization or acid resistance. © 2016 Eur J Oral Sci.

Aging of ceramic carbonized hydroxyapatite at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tkachenko, M. V.; Kamzin, A. S.

2016-08-01

The process of aging of ceramic carbonized hydroxyapatite (CHA) produced in a dry carbon dioxide atmosphere at temperatures of 800-1200°C has been studied by chemical and X-ray structural analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy methods. The phase composition and structure of initial prepared ceramics samples and those aged for a year have been compared. It has been shown that relaxation of internal stresses occurring during pressed sample sintering causes plastic deformation of crystallites at room temperature, accompanied by redistribution of carbonate ions between A1, A2, B1, and B2 sites and CHA decomposition with the formation of CaO separations.

Rounded stretched exponential for time relaxation functions.

PubMed

Powles, J G; Heyes, D M; Rickayzen, G; Evans, W A B

2009-12-07

A rounded stretched exponential function is introduced, C(t)=exp{(tau(0)/tau(E))(beta)[1-(1+(t/tau(0))(2))(beta/2)]}, where t is time, and tau(0) and tau(E) are two relaxation times. This expression can be used to represent the relaxation function of many real dynamical processes, as at long times, t>tau(0), the function converges to a stretched exponential with normalizing relaxation time, tau(E), yet its expansion is even or symmetric in time, which is a statistical mechanical requirement. This expression fits well the shear stress relaxation function for model soft soft-sphere fluids near coexistence, with tau(E)relaxation (both the modulus and viscosity forms). It is shown that both the dielectric spectra and dynamic shear modulus imaginary parts approach the real axis with a slope equal to 0 at high frequency, whereas the dynamic viscosity has an infinite slope in the same limit. This indicates that inertial effects at high frequency are best discerned in the modulus rather than the viscosity Cole-Cole plot. As a consequence of the even expansion in time of the shear stress relaxation function, the value of the storage modulus derived from it at very high frequency exceeds that in the infinite frequency limit (i.e., G(infinity)).

Relaxation therapies for asthma: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Huntley, A; White, A; Ernst, E

2002-01-01

Background: Emotional stress can either precipitate or exacerbate both acute and chronic asthma. There is a large body of literature available on the use of relaxation techniques for the treatment of asthma symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was to determine if there is any evidence for or against the clinical efficacy of such interventions. Methods: Four independent literature searches were performed on Medline, Cochrane Library, CISCOM, and Embase. Only randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were included. There were no restrictions on the language of publication. The data from trials that statistically compared the treatment group with that of the control were extracted in a standardised predefined manner and assessed critically by two independent reviewers. Results: Fifteen trials were identified, of which nine compared the treatment group with the control group appropriately. Five RCTs tested progressive muscle relaxation or mental and muscular relaxation, two of which showed significant effects of therapy. One RCT investigating hypnotherapy, one of autogenic training, and two of biofeedback techniques revealed no therapeutic effects. Overall, the methodological quality of the studies was poor. Conclusions: There is a lack of evidence for the efficacy of relaxation therapies in the management of asthma. This deficiency is due to the poor methodology of the studies as well as the inherent problems of conducting such trials. There is some evidence that muscular relaxation improves lung function of patients with asthma but no evidence for any other relaxation technique. PMID:11828041

Relaxation therapies for asthma: a systematic review.

PubMed

Huntley, A; White, A R; Ernst, E

2002-02-01

Emotional stress can either precipitate or exacerbate both acute and chronic asthma. There is a large body of literature available on the use of relaxation techniques for the treatment of asthma symptoms. The aim of this systematic review was to determine if there is any evidence for or against the clinical efficacy of such interventions. Four independent literature searches were performed on Medline, Cochrane Library, CISCOM, and Embase. Only randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were included. There were no restrictions on the language of publication. The data from trials that statistically compared the treatment group with that of the control were extracted in a standardised predefined manner and assessed critically by two independent reviewers. Fifteen trials were identified, of which nine compared the treatment group with the control group appropriately. Five RCTs tested progressive muscle relaxation or mental and muscular relaxation, two of which showed significant effects of therapy. One RCT investigating hypnotherapy, one of autogenic training, and two of biofeedback techniques revealed no therapeutic effects. Overall, the methodological quality of the studies was poor. There is a lack of evidence for the efficacy of relaxation therapies in the management of asthma. This deficiency is due to the poor methodology of the studies as well as the inherent problems of conducting such trials. There is some evidence that muscular relaxation improves lung function of patients with asthma but no evidence for any other relaxation technique.

Weak nanoscale chaos and anomalous relaxation in DNA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazur, Alexey K.

2017-06-01

Anomalous nonexponential relaxation in hydrated biomolecules is commonly attributed to the complexity of the free-energy landscapes, similarly to polymers and glasses. It was found recently that the hydrogen-bond breathing of terminal DNA base pairs exhibits a slow power-law relaxation attributable to weak Hamiltonian chaos, with parameters similar to experimental data. Here, the relationship is studied between this motion and spectroscopic signals measured in DNA with a small molecular photoprobe inserted into the base-pair stack. To this end, the earlier computational approach in combination with an analytical theory is applied to the experimental DNA fragment. It is found that the intensity of breathing dynamics is strongly increased in the internal base pairs that flank the photoprobe, with anomalous relaxation quantitatively close to that in terminal base pairs. A physical mechanism is proposed to explain the coupling between the relaxation of base-pair breathing and the experimental response signal. It is concluded that the algebraic relaxation observed experimentally is very likely a manifestation of weakly chaotic dynamics of hydrogen-bond breathing in the base pairs stacked to the photoprobe and that the weak nanoscale chaos can represent an ubiquitous hidden source of nonexponential relaxation in ultrafast spectroscopy.

Weak nanoscale chaos and anomalous relaxation in DNA.

PubMed

Mazur, Alexey K

2017-06-01

Anomalous nonexponential relaxation in hydrated biomolecules is commonly attributed to the complexity of the free-energy landscapes, similarly to polymers and glasses. It was found recently that the hydrogen-bond breathing of terminal DNA base pairs exhibits a slow power-law relaxation attributable to weak Hamiltonian chaos, with parameters similar to experimental data. Here, the relationship is studied between this motion and spectroscopic signals measured in DNA with a small molecular photoprobe inserted into the base-pair stack. To this end, the earlier computational approach in combination with an analytical theory is applied to the experimental DNA fragment. It is found that the intensity of breathing dynamics is strongly increased in the internal base pairs that flank the photoprobe, with anomalous relaxation quantitatively close to that in terminal base pairs. A physical mechanism is proposed to explain the coupling between the relaxation of base-pair breathing and the experimental response signal. It is concluded that the algebraic relaxation observed experimentally is very likely a manifestation of weakly chaotic dynamics of hydrogen-bond breathing in the base pairs stacked to the photoprobe and that the weak nanoscale chaos can represent an ubiquitous hidden source of nonexponential relaxation in ultrafast spectroscopy.

Load relaxation of olivine single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Reid F.; Stone, Donald S.; Plookphol, Thawatchai

2016-10-01

Single crystals of ferromagnesian olivine (San Carlos, AZ, peridot; Fo88-90) have been deformed in both uniaxial creep and load relaxation under conditions of ambient pressure, T = 1500°C and pO2 = 10-10 atm; creep stresses were in the range 40 ≤ σ1 (MPa) ≤ 220. The crystals were oriented such that the applied stress was parallel to [011]c, which promotes single slip on the slowest slip system in olivine, (010)[001]. The creep rates at steady state match well the results of earlier investigators, as does the stress sensitivity (a power law exponent of n = 3.6). Dislocation microstructures, including spatial distribution of low-angle (subgrain) boundaries, additionally confirm previous investigations. Inverted primary creep (an accelerating strain rate with an increase in stress) was observed. Load relaxation, however, produced a singular response—a single hardness curve—regardless of the magnitude of creep stress or total accumulated strain preceding relaxation. The log stress versus log strain rate data from load-relaxation and creep experiments overlap to within experimental error. The load-relaxation behavior is distinctly different than that described for other crystalline solids, where the flow stress is affected strongly by work hardening such that a family of distinct hardness curves is generated, which are related by a scaling function. The response of olivine for the conditions studied, we argue, indicates flow that is rate limited by dislocation glide, reflecting specifically a high intrinsic lattice resistance (Peierls stress).

Load Relaxation of Olivine Single Crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, R. F.; Stone, D. S.; Plookphol, T.

2016-12-01

Single crystals of ferromagnesian olivine (San Carlos, AZ, peridot; Fo90-92) have been deformed in both uniaxial creep and load relaxation under conditions of ambient pressure, T = 1500ºC and pO2 = 10-10 atm; creep stresses were in the range 40 ≤ σ1 (MPa) ≤ 220. The crystals were oriented such that the applied stress was parallel to [011]c, which promotes single slip on the slowest slip system in olivine, (010)[001]. The creep rates at steady state match well the results of earlier investigators, as does the stress sensitivity (a power-law exponent of n = 3.6). Dislocation microstructures, including spatial distribution of low-angle (subgrain) boundaries, additionally confirm previous investigations. Inverted primary creep (an accelerating strain rate with an increase in stress) was observed. Load-relaxation, however, produced a singular response—a single hardness curve—regardless of the magnitude of creep stress or total accumulated strain preceding relaxation. The log-stress v. log-strain rate data from load-relaxation and creep experiments overlap to within experimental error. The load-relaxation behavior is distinctly different that that described for other crystalline solids, where the flow stress is affected strongly by work hardening such that a family of distinct hardness curves is generated, which are related by a scaling function. The response of olivine for the conditions studied, thus, indicates flow that is rate-limited by dislocation glide, reflecting specifically a high intrinsic lattice resistance (Peierls stress).

Ultraslow dielectric relaxation process in supercooled polyhydric alcohols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yomogida, Yoshiki; Minoguchi, Ayumi; Nozaki, Ryusuke

2006-04-01

Complex permittivity was obtained on glycerol, xylitol, sorbitol and sorbitol-xylitol mixtures in the supercooled liquid state in the frequency range between 10μHz and 500MHz at temperatures near and above the glass transition temperature. For all the materials, a dielectric relaxation process was observed in addition to the well-known structural α and Johari-Goldstein β relaxation process [G. P. Johari and M. Goldstein, J. Chem. Phys. 53, 2372 (1970)]. The relaxation time for the new process is always larger than that for the α process. The relaxation time shows non-Arrhenius temperature dependence with correlation to the behavior of the α process and it depends on the molecular size systematically. The dielectric relaxation strength for the new process shows the effect of thermal history and decreases exponentially with time at a constant temperature. It can be considered that a nonequilibrium dynamics causes the new process.

Relaxation-phenomena in LiAl/FeS-cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borger, W.; Kappus, W.; Panesar, H. S.

A theoretical model of the capacity of strongly relaxing electrochemical systems is applied to the LiAl/FeS system. Relaxation phenomena in LiAl and FeS electrodes can be described by this model. Experimental relaxation data indicate that lithium transport through the alpha-LiAl layer to the particle surface is the capacity limiting process at high discharge current density in the LiAl electrode in LiCl-KCl and LiF-LiCl-LiBr mixtures. Strong relaxation is observed in the FeS electrode with LiCl-KCl electrolyte caused by lithium concentration gradients and precipitation of KCl in the pores.

Developing a Learning Algorithm-Generated Empirical Relaxer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitchell, Wayne; Kallman, Josh; Toreja, Allen

2016-03-30

One of the main difficulties when running Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) simulations is determining how much to relax the mesh during the Eulerian step. This determination is currently made by the user on a simulation-by-simulation basis. We present a Learning Algorithm-Generated Empirical Relaxer (LAGER) which uses a regressive random forest algorithm to automate this decision process. We also demonstrate that LAGER successfully relaxes a variety of test problems, maintains simulation accuracy, and has the potential to significantly decrease both the person-hours and computational hours needed to run a successful ALE simulation.

Dielectric spectroscopy of PMMA-LiClO4 based polymer electrolyte plasticized with ethylene carbonate EC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, P.; Ghosh, A.

2018-04-01

Dielectric spectroscopy covering the frequency range 0.01 Hz - 2 MHz for PMMA-LiClO4 based polymer electrolyte embedded with different concentration of ethylene carbonate (x = 0, 20 and 40 wt%) has been analyzed using Havrilliak-Negami formalism. The reciprocal temperature dependence of inverse relaxation time obtained from the analysis of dielectric spectra follows Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher behaviour. The shape parameters obtained from this analysis change with ethylene carbonate concentrations. From the fits of the experimental result using Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts function. We have obtained stretched exponent β which indicates that the relaxation is highly non-exponential. The decay function obtained from electric modulus data is highly asymmetric.

Escape time, relaxation, and sticky states of a softened Henon-Heiles model: Low-frequency vibrational mode effects and glass relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toledo-Marín, J. Quetzalcóatl; Naumis, Gerardo G.

2018-04-01

Here we study the relaxation of a chain consisting of three masses joined by nonlinear springs and periodic conditions when the stiffness is weakened. This system, when expressed in their normal coordinates, yields a softened Henon-Heiles system. By reducing the stiffness of one low-frequency vibrational mode, a faster relaxation is enabled. This is due to a reduction of the energy barrier heights along the softened normal mode as well as for a widening of the opening channels of the energy landscape in configurational space. The relaxation is for the most part exponential, and can be explained by a simple flux equation. Yet, for some initial conditions the relaxation follows as a power law, and in many cases there is a regime change from exponential to power-law decay. We pinpoint the initial conditions for the power-law decay, finding two regions of sticky states. For such states, quasiperiodic orbits are found since almost for all components of the initial momentum orientation, the system is trapped inside two pockets of configurational space. The softened Henon-Heiles model presented here is intended as the simplest model in order to understand the interplay of rigidity, nonlinear interactions and relaxation for nonequilibrium systems such as glass-forming melts or soft matter. Our softened system can be applied to model β relaxation in glasses and suggest that local reorientational jumps can have an exponential and a nonexponential contribution for relaxation, the latter due to asymmetric molecules sticking in cages for certain orientations.

Milrinone Relaxes Pulmonary Veins in Guinea Pigs and Humans

PubMed Central

Rieg, Annette D.; Suleiman, Said; Perez-Bouza, Alberto; Braunschweig, Till; Spillner, Jan W.; Schröder, Thomas; Verjans, Eva; Schälte, Gereon; Rossaint, Rolf; Uhlig, Stefan; Martin, Christian

2014-01-01

Introduction The phosphodiesterase-III inhibitor milrinone improves ventricular contractility, relaxes pulmonary arteries and reduces right ventricular afterload. Thus, it is used to treat heart failure and pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, its action on pulmonary veins (PVs) is not defined, although particularly PH due to left heart disease primarily affects the pulmonary venous bed. We examined milrinone-induced relaxation in PVs from guinea pigs (GPs) and humans. Material and Methods Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) were prepared from GPs or from patients undergoing lobectomy. Milrinone-induced relaxation was studied by videomicroscopy in naïve PVs and in PVs pre-constricted with the ETA-receptor agonist BP0104. Baseline luminal area was defined as 100%. Intracellular cAMP was measured by ELISA and milrinone-induced changes of segmental vascular resistances were studied in the GP isolated perfused lung (IPL). Results In the IPL (GP), milrinone (10 µM) lowered the postcapillary resistance of pre-constricted vessels. In PCLS (GP), milrinone relaxed naïve and pre-constricted PVs (120%) and this relaxation was attenuated by inhibition of protein kinase G (KT 5823), adenyl cyclase (SQ 22536) and protein kinase A (KT 5720), but not by inhibition of NO-synthesis (L-NAME). In addition, milrinone-induced relaxation was dependent on the activation of KATP-, BKCa 2+- and Kv-channels. Human PVs also relaxed to milrinone (121%), however only if pre-constricted. Discussion Milrinone relaxes PVs from GPs and humans. In GPs, milrinone-induced relaxation is based on KATP-, BKCa 2+- and Kv-channel-activation and on cAMP/PKA/PKG. The relaxant properties of milrinone on PVs lead to reduced postcapillary resistance and hydrostatic pressures. Hence they alleviate pulmonary edema and suggest beneficial effects of milrinone in PH due to left heart disease. PMID:24498166

Milrinone relaxes pulmonary veins in guinea pigs and humans.

PubMed

Rieg, Annette D; Suleiman, Said; Perez-Bouza, Alberto; Braunschweig, Till; Spillner, Jan W; Schröder, Thomas; Verjans, Eva; Schälte, Gereon; Rossaint, Rolf; Uhlig, Stefan; Martin, Christian

2014-01-01

The phosphodiesterase-III inhibitor milrinone improves ventricular contractility, relaxes pulmonary arteries and reduces right ventricular afterload. Thus, it is used to treat heart failure and pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, its action on pulmonary veins (PVs) is not defined, although particularly PH due to left heart disease primarily affects the pulmonary venous bed. We examined milrinone-induced relaxation in PVs from guinea pigs (GPs) and humans. Precision-cut lung slices (PCLS) were prepared from GPs or from patients undergoing lobectomy. Milrinone-induced relaxation was studied by videomicroscopy in naïve PVs and in PVs pre-constricted with the ETA-receptor agonist BP0104. Baseline luminal area was defined as 100%. Intracellular cAMP was measured by ELISA and milrinone-induced changes of segmental vascular resistances were studied in the GP isolated perfused lung (IPL). In the IPL (GP), milrinone (10 µM) lowered the postcapillary resistance of pre-constricted vessels. In PCLS (GP), milrinone relaxed naïve and pre-constricted PVs (120%) and this relaxation was attenuated by inhibition of protein kinase G (KT 5823), adenyl cyclase (SQ 22536) and protein kinase A (KT 5720), but not by inhibition of NO-synthesis (L-NAME). In addition, milrinone-induced relaxation was dependent on the activation of K ATP-, BK Ca (2+)- and Kv-channels. Human PVs also relaxed to milrinone (121%), however only if pre-constricted. Milrinone relaxes PVs from GPs and humans. In GPs, milrinone-induced relaxation is based on K ATP-, BK Ca (2+)- and Kv-channel-activation and on cAMP/PKA/PKG. The relaxant properties of milrinone on PVs lead to reduced postcapillary resistance and hydrostatic pressures. Hence they alleviate pulmonary edema and suggest beneficial effects of milrinone in PH due to left heart disease.

Axle equivalent transverse loading on segmental bridge decks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

For a prestressed concrete segmental box girder bridge, both design and load rating are determined by : longitudinal and transverse analyses. A transverse analysis is performed for the top slab, typically by : using Homberg charts (an engineers de...

Schwarzschild solution from Weyl transverse gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oda, Ichiro

2017-01-01

We study classical solutions in the Weyl-transverse (WTDiff) gravity. The WTDiff gravity is invariant under both the local Weyl (conformal) transformation and the volume preserving diffeomorphisms (Diff) (transverse diffeomorphisms (TDiff)) and is known to be equivalent to general relativity at least at the classical level. In particular, we find that in a general spacetime dimension, the Schwarzschild metric is a classical solution in the WTDiff gravity when it is expressed in the Cartesian coordinate system.

Multiscale Relaxation Dynamics in Ultrathin Metallic Glass-Forming Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Q. L.; Lü, Y. J.; Wang, W. H.

2018-04-01

The density layering phenomenon originating from a free surface gives rise to the layerlike dynamics and stress heterogeneity in ultrathin Cu-Zr glassy films, which facilitates the occurrence of multistep relaxations in the timescale of computer simulations. Taking advantage of this condition, we trace the relaxation decoupling and evolution with temperature simply via the intermediate scattering function. We show that the β relaxation hierarchically follows fast and slow modes in films, and there is a β -relaxation transition as the film is cooled close to the glass transition. We provide the direct observation of particle motions responsible for the β relaxation and reveal the dominant mechanism varying from the thermal activated to the cooperative jumps across the transition.

Stress Relaxation in Tensile Deformation of 304 Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xifeng; Li, Jiaojiao; Ding, Wei; Zhao, Shuangjun; Chen, Jun

2017-02-01

Improved ductility by stress relaxation has been reported in different kinds of steels. The influence of stress relaxation and its parameters on the ductility of 304 stainless steel has not been established so far. Stress relaxation behavior during tensile tests at different strain rates is studied in 304 stainless steel. It is observed that stress relaxation can obviously increase the elongation of 304 stainless steel in all cases. The elongation improvement of interrupted tension reaches to 14.9% compared with monotonic tension at 0.05 s-1. Contradicting with the published results, stress drop during stress relaxation increases with strain at all strain rates. It is related with dislocation motion velocity variation and martensitic transformation.

Relaxed Poisson cure rate models.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Josemar; Cordeiro, Gauss M; Cancho, Vicente G; Balakrishnan, N

2016-03-01

The purpose of this article is to make the standard promotion cure rate model (Yakovlev and Tsodikov, ) more flexible by assuming that the number of lesions or altered cells after a treatment follows a fractional Poisson distribution (Laskin, ). It is proved that the well-known Mittag-Leffler relaxation function (Berberan-Santos, ) is a simple way to obtain a new cure rate model that is a compromise between the promotion and geometric cure rate models allowing for superdispersion. So, the relaxed cure rate model developed here can be considered as a natural and less restrictive extension of the popular Poisson cure rate model at the cost of an additional parameter, but a competitor to negative-binomial cure rate models (Rodrigues et al., ). Some mathematical properties of a proper relaxed Poisson density are explored. A simulation study and an illustration of the proposed cure rate model from the Bayesian point of view are finally presented. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Transverse-To-Longitudinal Photocathode Distribution Imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Halavanau, A.; Qiang, G.; Ha, G.

In this paper, we present a tunable picosecond-scale bunch train generation technique combining a microlens array (MLA) transverse laser shaper and a transverse-to-longitudinal emittance exchange (EEX) beamline. The modulated beamlet array is formed at the photocathode with the MLA setup. The resulting patterned electron beam is accelerated to 50 MeV and transported to the entrance of the EEX setup. A quadrupole channel is used to adjust the transverse spacing of the beamlet array upstream of the EEX, thereby enabling the generation of a bunch train with tunable separation downstream of the EEX beamline. Additionally, the MLA is mounted on amore » rotation stage which provides ad- ditional flexibility to produce high-frequency beam density modulation downstream of the EEX. Experimental results obtained at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) facil- ity are presented and compared with numerical simulations.« less

Ultrafast energy relaxation in single light-harvesting complexes

DOE PAGES

Maly, Pavel; Gruber, J. Michael; Cogdell, Richard J.; ...

2016-02-22

Energy relaxation in light-harvesting complexes has been extensively studied by various ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, the fastest processes being in the sub–100-fs range. At the same time, much slower dynamics have been observed in individual complexes by single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy (SMS). In this work, we use a pump–probe-type SMS technique to observe the ultrafast energy relaxation in single light-harvesting complexes LH2 of purple bacteria. After excitation at 800 nm, the measured relaxation time distribution of multiple complexes has a peak at 95 fs and is asymmetric, with a tail at slower relaxation times. When tuning the excitation wavelength, the distribution changesmore » in both its shape and position. The observed behavior agrees with what is to be expected from the LH2 excited states structure. As we show by a Redfield theory calculation of the relaxation times, the distribution shape corresponds to the expected effect of Gaussian disorder of the pigment transition energies. By repeatedly measuring few individual complexes for minutes, we find that complexes sample the relaxation time distribution on a timescale of seconds. Furthermore, by comparing the distribution from a single long-lived complex with the whole ensemble, we demonstrate that, regarding the relaxation times, the ensemble can be considered ergodic. Lastly, our findings thus agree with the commonly used notion of an ensemble of identical LH2 complexes experiencing slow random fluctuations.« less

Ultrafast energy relaxation in single light-harvesting complexes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maly, Pavel; Gruber, J. Michael; Cogdell, Richard J.

Energy relaxation in light-harvesting complexes has been extensively studied by various ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, the fastest processes being in the sub–100-fs range. At the same time, much slower dynamics have been observed in individual complexes by single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy (SMS). In this work, we use a pump–probe-type SMS technique to observe the ultrafast energy relaxation in single light-harvesting complexes LH2 of purple bacteria. After excitation at 800 nm, the measured relaxation time distribution of multiple complexes has a peak at 95 fs and is asymmetric, with a tail at slower relaxation times. When tuning the excitation wavelength, the distribution changesmore » in both its shape and position. The observed behavior agrees with what is to be expected from the LH2 excited states structure. As we show by a Redfield theory calculation of the relaxation times, the distribution shape corresponds to the expected effect of Gaussian disorder of the pigment transition energies. By repeatedly measuring few individual complexes for minutes, we find that complexes sample the relaxation time distribution on a timescale of seconds. Furthermore, by comparing the distribution from a single long-lived complex with the whole ensemble, we demonstrate that, regarding the relaxation times, the ensemble can be considered ergodic. Lastly, our findings thus agree with the commonly used notion of an ensemble of identical LH2 complexes experiencing slow random fluctuations.« less

Comparison of different cardiac relaxation indices.

PubMed

Alipov, N N; Izrail'tyan, I M; Sokolov, A V; Trubetskaya, L V; Kuznetsova, T E

2001-05-01

Sensitivity (response to epinephrine infusion) and specificity (response to changes in pre- and afterload) of some cardiac relaxation indices were compared in acute experiments on cats treated with ganglionic blocker arfonad. Some new indices proposed by us provide better characteristics than widely used relaxation time constant (t) and maximum first derivative of the left ventricular pressure (-dP/dt)max.

Unconventional Superconductivity in La(7)Ir(3) Revealed by Muon Spin Relaxation: Introducing a New Family of Noncentrosymmetric Superconductor That Breaks Time-Reversal Symmetry.

PubMed

Barker, J A T; Singh, D; Thamizhavel, A; Hillier, A D; Lees, M R; Balakrishnan, G; Paul, D McK; Singh, R P

2015-12-31

The superconductivity of the noncentrosymmetric compound La(7)Ir(3) is investigated using muon spin rotation and relaxation. Zero-field measurements reveal the presence of spontaneous static or quasistatic magnetic fields below the superconducting transition temperature T(c)=2.25  K-a clear indication that the superconducting state breaks time-reversal symmetry. Furthermore, transverse-field rotation measurements suggest that the superconducting gap is isotropic and that the pairing symmetry of the superconducting electrons is predominantly s wave with an enhanced binding strength. The results indicate that the superconductivity in La(7)Ir(3) may be unconventional and paves the way for further studies of this family of materials.

Control of transversal instabilities in reaction-diffusion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Totz, Sonja; Löber, Jakob; Totz, Jan Frederik; Engel, Harald

2018-05-01

In two-dimensional reaction-diffusion systems, local curvature perturbations on traveling waves are typically damped out and vanish. However, if the inhibitor diffuses much faster than the activator, transversal instabilities can arise, leading from flat to folded, spatio-temporally modulated waves and to spreading spiral turbulence. Here, we propose a scheme to induce or inhibit these instabilities via a spatio-temporal feedback loop. In a piecewise-linear version of the FitzHugh–Nagumo model, transversal instabilities and spiral turbulence in the uncontrolled system are shown to be suppressed in the presence of control, thereby stabilizing plane wave propagation. Conversely, in numerical simulations with the modified Oregonator model for the photosensitive Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction, which does not exhibit transversal instabilities on its own, we demonstrate the feasibility of inducing transversal instabilities and study the emerging wave patterns in a well-controlled manner.

Dielectric relaxation of high-k oxides

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Frequency dispersion of high-k dielectrics was observed and classified into two parts: extrinsic cause and intrinsic cause. Frequency dependence of dielectric constant (dielectric relaxation), that is the intrinsic frequency dispersion, could not be characterized before considering the effects of extrinsic frequency dispersion. Several mathematical models were discussed to describe the dielectric relaxation of high-k dielectrics. For the physical mechanism, dielectric relaxation was found to be related to the degree of polarization, which depended on the structure of the high-k material. It was attributed to the enhancement of the correlations among polar nanodomain. The effect of grain size for the high-k materials' structure mainly originated from higher surface stress in smaller grain due to its higher concentration of grain boundary. PMID:24180696

Characterizing Subcore Heterogeneity: A New Analytical Model and Technique to Observe the Spatial Variation of Transverse Dispersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boon, Maartje; Niu, Ben; Krevor, Sam

2015-04-01

of the NaI aqueous solution at steady state for the different Peclet numbers. The average transverse dispersion coefficient (Dt) was calculated from the change in variance of the transverse distance travelled by the NaI solution along the core. A Dt of 2.396e-04 cm2/min was obtained for Peclet nr 0.5 and a Dt of 4.771e-04 cm2/min for Peclet nr 2. These values coincide precisely with the Dt calculated from the pore scale modelling on Berea sandstone of Bijeljic and Blunt, 2007, and serves as a benchmark demonstrating the utility and repeatability of the technique. This new technique shows promise for use in characterising average transport characteristics and analysing the impacts of natural rock heterogeneity. Acknowledgement: This work was carried out as part of the Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre (QCCSRC). The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding of QCCSRC provided jointly by Qatar Petroleum, Shell, and the Qatar Science & Technology Park and for supporting the present project and the permission to present this research. References: 1. Blackwell, 1962 - Laboratory studies of microscopic dispersion phenomena. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal 2, no.1:1-8 2. Bijeljic, B., and M. J. Blunt (2007), Pore-scale modeling of transverse dispersion in porous media, Water Resour. Res., 43, W12S11, doi:10.1029/2006WR005700. 3. Han, N.W., Bhakta, J and Carbonell, R.G., 1985 - Longitudinal and lateral dispersion in packed beds: Effect of column length and particle size distribution. AIChE Journal31, no.2:277-288. 4. Harleman, D.R., and R.R. Rumer. 1963. Longitudinal and lateral dispersion in an isotropic porous medium. Journal of Fluid Mechanics16, no. 2:385-394. 5. Hassinger, R.C. and Von Rosenberg, D.U., 1968 - A mathematical and experimental examination of transverse dispersion coefficients. Society of Petroleum Engineers Journal 8, no.1:195-204.

Measurement the thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle in different tasks.

PubMed

Pang, Ling; Yin, Liquan; Tajiri, Kimiko; Huo, Ming; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-02-01

[Purpose] This study examined the measurement of the thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle in different tasks. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were eleven healthy adult females. Thicknesses of transverse abdominal muscle were measured in seven tasks in the supine position. The tasks were: 1) Resting state, 2) Maximal contraction of transverse abdominal muscle, 3) Maximal contraction of levator ani muscle, 4) Maximal simultaneous contraction of both transverse abdominal muscle and levator ani muscle, 5) Maximal simultaneous contraction of both transverse abdominal muscle and levator ani muscle with front side resistance added to both knee, 6) Maximal simultaneous contraction of both transverse abdominal muscle and levator ani muscle with diagonal resistance added to both knees, and 7) Maximal simultaneous contraction of both transverse abdominal muscle and levator ani muscle with lateral resistance added to both knees. [Results] The thicknesses of transverse abdominal muscle during maximal simultaneous contraction and maximal simultaneous contraction with resistance were greater than during the resting state. [Conclusion] The muscle output during simultaneous contraction and resistance movement were larger than that of each individual muscle.

The effects of music relaxation and muscle relaxation techniques on sleep quality and emotional measures among individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder

PubMed Central

Blanaru, Monica; Bloch, Boaz; Vadas, Limor; Arnon, Zahi; Ziv, Naomi; Kremer, Ilana; Haimov, Iris

2012-01-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder with lifetime prevalence of 7.8%, is characterized by symptoms that develop following exposure to traumatic life events and that cause an immediate experience of intense fear, helplessness or horror. PTSD is marked by recurrent nightmares typified by the recall of intrusive experiences and by extended disturbance throughout sleep. Individuals with PTSD respond poorly to drug treatments for insomnia. The disadvantages of drug treatment for insomnia underline the importance of non-pharmacological alternatives. Thus, the present study had three aims: first, to compare the efficiency of two relaxation techniques (muscular relaxation and progressive music relaxation) in alleviating insomnia among individuals with PTSD using both objective and subjective measures of sleep quality; second, to examine whether these two techniques have different effects on psychological indicators of PTSD, such as depression and anxiety; and finally, to examine how initial PTSD symptom severity and baseline emotional measures are related to the efficiency of these two relaxation methods. Thirteen PTSD patients with no other major psychiatric or neurological disorders participated in the study. The study comprised one seven-day running-in, no-treatment period, followed by two seven-day experimental periods. The treatments constituted either music relaxation or muscle relaxation techniques at desired bedtime. These treatments were randomly assigned. During each of these three experimental periods, subjects' sleep was continuously monitored with a wrist actigraph (Ambulatory Monitoring, Inc.), and subjects were asked to fill out several questionnaires concerned with a wide spectrum of issues, such as sleep, depression, and anxiety. Analyses revealed a significant increase in objective and subjective sleep efficiency and a significant reduction in depression level following music relaxation. Moreover, following music relaxation, a highly

Electron-impact vibrational relaxation in high-temperature nitrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jong-Hun

1992-01-01

Vibrational relaxation process of N2 molecules by electron-impact is examined for the future planetary entry environments. Multiple-quantum transitions from excited states to higher/lower states are considered for the electronic ground state of the nitrogen molecule N2 (X 1Sigma-g(+)). Vibrational excitation and deexcitation rate coefficients obtained by computational quantum chemistry are incorporated into the 'diffusion model' to evaluate the time variations of vibrational number densities of each energy state and total vibrational energy. Results show a non-Boltzmann distribution of number densities at the earlier stage of relaxation, which in turn suppresses the equilibrium process but affects little the time variation of total vibrational energy. An approximate rate equation and a corresponding relaxation time from the excited states, compatible with the system of flow conservation equations, are derived. The relaxation time from the excited states indicates the weak dependency of the initial vibrational temperature. The empirical curve-fit formula for the improved e-V relaxation time is obtained.

Bolt clampup relaxation in a graphite/epoxy laminate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shivakumar, K. N.; Crews, J. H., Jr.

1982-01-01

A simple bolted joint was analyzed to calculate bolt clampup relaxation for a graphite/epoxy (T300/5208) laminate. A viscoelastic finite element analysis of a double-lap joint with a steel bolt was conducted. Clampup forces were calculated for various steady-state temperature-moisture conditions using a 20-year exposure duration. The finite element analysis predicted that clampup forces relax even for the room-temperature-dry condition. The relaxations were 8, 13, 20, and 30 percent for exposure durations of 1 day, 1 month, 1 year, and 20 years, respectively. As expected, higher temperatures and moisture levels each increased the relaxation rate. The combined viscoelastic effects of steady-state temperature and moisture appeared to be additive. From the finite-element analysis, a simple equation was developed for clampup force relaxation. This generalized equation was used to calculate clampup forces for the same temperature-moisture conditions as used in the finite-element analysis. The two sets of calculated results agreed well.

Aging of Johari-Goldstein Relaxation in Structural Glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yardimci, Hasan; Leheny, Robert L.

2006-03-01

Using frequency-dependent dielectric susceptibility measurements we characterize the aging in two supercooled liquids, sorbitol and xylitol, below their calorimetric glass transition temperatures, Tg. In addition to the alpha relaxation that tracks the structural dynamics, the susceptibilities of both liquids possess a secondary Johari-Goldstein relaxation at higher frequencies. Following a quench below Tg, the susceptibility slowly approaches equilibrium behavior. For both liquids, features of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation display a dependence on the time since the quench, or aging time, that is very similar to the age dependence of the alpha peak. However, one can not assign a single fictive temperature to both the alpha and Johari-Goldstein relaxations. For example, the peak frequency of the Johari-Goldstein relaxation remains constant during aging for sorbitol while it increases with age for xylitol, inconsistent with a decreasing fictive temperature. This behavior contrasts with that of the high frequency tail of the alpha peak whose shape and position track the aging of the main part of the peak.

Slow relaxation of cascade-induced defects in Fe

DOE PAGES

Béland, Laurent Karim; Osetsky, Yuri N.; Stoller, Roger E.; ...

2015-02-17

On-the-fly kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations are performed to investigate slow relaxation of non-equilibrium systems. Point defects induced by 25 keV cascades in α -Fe are shown to lead to a characteristic time-evolution, described by the replenish and relax mechanism. Then, we produce an atomistically-based assessment of models proposed to explain the slow structural relaxation by focusing on the aggregation of 50 vacancies and 25 self-interstital atoms (SIA) in 10-lattice-parameter α-Fe boxes, two processes that are closely related to cascade annealing and exhibit similar time signature. Four atomistic effects explain the timescales involved in the evolution: defect concentration heterogeneities, concentration-enhancedmore » mobility, cluster-size dependent bond energies and defect-induced pressure. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the two main classes of models to explain slow structural relaxation, the Eyring model and the Gibbs model, both play a role to limit the rate of relaxation of these simple point-defect systems.« less

Relaxation Techniques for Handicapped Children: A Review of Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zipkin, Dvora

1985-01-01

The paper discusses four major relaxation training approaches used with handicapped children: progressive muscle relaxation, biofeedback, yoga, and mental relaxation, which includes guided fantasy, imagery, and meditation. Descriptions of these techniques, the effects of their use with various populations, and reviews of recent studies of their…

Relaxation Training: Its Usefulness in the Middle School Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Doris B.

A study examined multiple outcomes of relaxation training simultaneously in seventh grade classrooms. "Project Relaxation" measured cognitive (achievement) and affective (discipline, attendance, tardiness, and self-concept) changes with a program of relaxation training for 532 seventh grade students in 10 private and public middle schools in South…

Relaxation effect of abacavir on rat basilar arteries.

PubMed

Li, Rachel Wai Sum; Yang, Cui; Chan, Shun Wan; Hoi, Maggie Pui Man; Lee, Simon Ming Yuen; Kwan, Yiu Wa; Leung, George Pak Heng

2015-01-01

The use of abacavir has been linked with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection; however, the mechanism involved remains unclear. We hypothesize that abacavir may impair endothelial function. In addition, based on the structural similarity between abacavir and adenosine, we propose that abacavir may affect vascular contractility through endogenous adenosine release or adenosine receptors in blood vessels. The relaxation effect of abacavir on rat basilar arteries was studied using the myograph technique. Cyclic GMP and AMP levels were measured by immunoassay. The effects of abacavir on nucleoside transporters were studied using radiolabeled nucleoside uptake experiments. Ecto-5' nucleotidase activity was determined by measuring the generation of inorganic phosphate using adenosine monophosphate as the substrate. Abacavir induced the relaxation of rat basilar arteries in a concentration-dependent manner. This relaxation was abolished when endothelium was removed. In addition, the relaxation was diminished by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NAME, the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, ODQ, and the protein kinase G inhibitor, KT5820. Abacavir also increased the cGMP level in rat basilar arteries. Abacavir-induced relaxation was also abolished by adenosine A2 receptor blockers. However, abacavir had no effect on ecto-5' nucleotidase and nucleoside transporters. Short-term and long-term treatment of abacavir did not affect acetylcholine-induced relaxation in rat basilar arteries. Abacavir induces acute endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat basilar arteries, probably through the activation of adenosine A2 receptors in endothelial cells, which subsequently leads to the release of nitric oxide, resulting in activation of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate/protein kinase G-dependent pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells. It is speculated that abacavir-induced cardiovascular risk may not be related to endothelial dysfunction

Pharmacological characterization of a novel phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor lodenafil carbonate on human and rabbit corpus cavernosum.

PubMed

Toque, Haroldo A; Teixeira, Cleber E; Lorenzetti, Raquel; Okuyama, Cristina E; Antunes, Edson; De Nucci, Gilberto

2008-09-04

Nitrergic nerves and endothelial cells release nitric oxide (NO) in the corpus cavernosum, a key mediator that stimulates soluble guanylyl cyclase to increase cGMP levels causing penile erection. Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, such as sildenafil, prolong the NO effects by inhibiting cGMP breakdown. Here, we report a novel PDE5 inhibitor, lodenafil carbonate, (Bis-(2-{4-[4-ethoxy-3-(1-methyl-7-oxo-3-propyl-6,7-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)-benzenesulfonyl]piperazin-1-yl}-ethyl)carbonate) that is a dimer of lodenafil. We therefore aimed to compare the effects of sildenafil, lodenafil and lodenafil carbonate on in vitro human and rabbit cavernosal relaxations, activity of crude PDE extracts from human platelets, as well as stability and metabolic studies in rat, dog and human plasma. Pharmacokinetic evaluations after intravenous and oral administration were performed in male beagles. Functional experiments were conducted using organ bath techniques. Pharmacokinetics was studied in beagles by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), following oral or intravascular administration. All PDE5 inhibitors tested concentration-dependently relaxed (0.001-100 microM) phenylephrine-precontracted rabbit and human corpus cavernosum. The cavernosal relaxations evoked by either acetylcholine (0.01-100 microM) or electrical field stimulation (EFS, 1-20 Hz) were markedly potentiated by sildenafil, lodenafil and lodenafil carbonate. Lodenafil carbonate was more potent to inhibit the cGMP hydrolysis in PDE extracts compared with lodenafil and sildenafil. Following intravascular and single oral administration of lodenafil carbonate, only lodenafil and norlodenafil were detected in vivo. These results indicate that lodenafil carbonate works as a prodrug, being lodenafil the active moiety of lodenafil carbonate.

WIMP detection and slow ion dynamics in carbon nanotube arrays.

PubMed

Cavoto, G; Cirillo, E N M; Cocina, F; Ferretti, J; Polosa, A D

2016-01-01

Large arrays of aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs), open at one end, could be used as target material for the directional detection of weakly interacting dark matter particles (WIMPs). As a result of a WIMP elastic scattering on a CNT, a carbon ion might be injected in the body of the array and propagate through multiple collisions within the lattice. The ion may eventually emerge from the surface with open end CNTs, provided that its longitudinal momentum is large enough to compensate energy losses and its transverse momentum approaches the channeling conditions in a single CNT. Therefore, the angle formed between the WIMP wind apparent orientation and the direction of parallel carbon nanotube axes must be properly chosen. We focus on very low ion recoil kinetic energies, related to low mass WIMPs ([Formula: see text] GeV) where most of the existing experiments have low sensitivity. Relying on some exact results on two-dimensional lattices of circular obstacles, we study the low energy ion motion in the transverse plane with respect to CNT directions. New constraints are obtained on how to devise the CNT arrays to maximize the target channeling efficiency.

Tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament and carpal tunnel complex.

PubMed

Ugbolue, Ukadike C; Gislason, Magnus K; Carter, Mark; Fogg, Quentin A; Riches, Philip E; Rowe, Philip J

2015-08-01

A new sophisticated method that uses video analysis techniques together with a Maillon Rapide Delta to determine the tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex has been developed. Six embalmed cadaveric specimens amputated at the mid-forearm and aged (mean (SD)): 82 (6.29) years were tested. The six hands were from three males (four hands) and one female (two hands). Using trigonometry and geometry the elongation and strain of the transverse carpal ligament and carpal arch were calculated. The cross-sectional area of the transverse carpal ligament was determined. Tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex and Load-Displacement data were also obtained. Descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA together with a post-hoc analysis (Tukey) and t-tests were incorporated. A transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex novel testing method has been developed. The results suggest that there were no significant differences between the original transverse carpal ligament width and transverse carpal ligament at peak elongation (P=0.108). There were significant differences between the original carpal arch width and carpal arch width at peak elongation (P=0.002). The transverse carpal ligament failed either at the mid-substance or at their bony attachments. At maximum deformation the peak load and maximum transverse carpal ligament displacements ranged from 285.74N to 1369.66N and 7.09mm to 18.55mm respectively. The transverse carpal ligament cross-sectional area mean (SD) was 27.21 (3.41)mm(2). Using this method the results provide useful biomechanical information and data about the tensile properties of the transverse carpal ligament-carpal tunnel complex. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Surface Nonuniformities on the Mean Transverse Energy from Photocathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karkare, Siddharth; Bazarov, Ivan

2015-08-01

The performance of photoinjectors is limited by the lowest value of the mean transverse energy of the electrons obtained from photocathodes. The factors that influence the mean transverse energy are poorly understood. In this paper, we develop models to calculate the effect of spatial work-function variations and subnanometer-scale roughness and surface defects on the mean transverse energy. We show that these can limit the lowest value of mean transverse energy achieved and that atomically perfect surfaces will be required to further reduce the mean transverse energy obtained from photocathodes.

Le Chatelier's principle with multiple relaxation channels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, R.; Levine, R. D.

1986-05-01

Le Chatelier's principle is discussed within the constrained variational approach to thermodynamics. The formulation is general enough to encompass systems not in thermal (or chemical) equilibrium. Particular attention is given to systems with multiple constraints which can be relaxed. The moderation of the initial perturbation increases as additional constraints are removed. This result is studied in particular when the (coupled) relaxation channels have widely different time scales. A series of inequalities is derived which describes the successive moderation as each successive relaxation channel opens up. These inequalities are interpreted within the metric-geometry representation of thermodynamics.

Slow relaxation in weakly open rational polygons.

PubMed

Kokshenev, Valery B; Vicentini, Eduardo

2003-07-01

The interplay between the regular (piecewise-linear) and irregular (vertex-angle) boundary effects in nonintegrable rational polygonal billiards (of m equal sides) is discussed. Decay dynamics in polygons (of perimeter P(m) and small opening Delta) is analyzed through the late-time survival probability S(m) approximately equal t(-delta). Two distinct slow relaxation channels are established. The primary universal channel exhibits relaxation of regular sliding orbits, with delta=1. The secondary channel is given by delta>1 and becomes open when m>P(m)/Delta. It originates from vertex order-disorder dual effects and is due to relaxation of chaoticlike excitations.

Multi-Scale Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of High Carbon Eutectic Tantalum Carbide Reinforced with Carbon Nanotubes

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-02

more effective grain growth inhibitors. Transverse Rupture Strength of TaC reinforced with shorter CNTs displayed highest strength/density ratio with...microstructural features. 6. Strength to density ratio of CNT reinforced TaC increased from 17 to 28, which is an increase of ~ 65%. 7. Oxidation behavior of... reinforced with carbon fibers for space applications [15,16]. In recent years, Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) also known as Electric Field Assisted Sintering

Characterization of transverse profiles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-04-01

A study of the transverse profile data currently being collected under the Long Term Pavement Performance project was undertaken. The data were collected by three processes: (1) Dipstick, (2) a photographic method, and (3) straightedge used to collec...

Communication: Relaxation-limited electronic currents in extended reservoir simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruss, Daniel; Smolyanitsky, Alex; Zwolak, Michael

2017-10-01

Open-system approaches are gaining traction in the simulation of charge transport in nanoscale and molecular electronic devices. In particular, "extended reservoir" simulations, where explicit reservoir degrees of freedom are present, allow for the computation of both real-time and steady-state properties but require relaxation of the extended reservoirs. The strength of this relaxation, γ, influences the conductance, giving rise to a "turnover" behavior analogous to Kramers turnover in chemical reaction rates. We derive explicit, general expressions for the weak and strong relaxation limits. For weak relaxation, the conductance increases linearly with γ and every electronic state of the total explicit system contributes to the electronic current according to its "reduced" weight in the two extended reservoir regions. Essentially, this represents two conductors in series—one at each interface with the implicit reservoirs that provide the relaxation. For strong relaxation, a "dual" expression-one with the same functional form-results, except now proportional to 1/γ and dependent on the system of interest's electronic states, reflecting that the strong relaxation is localizing electrons in the extended reservoirs. Higher order behavior (e.g., γ2 or 1/γ2) can occur when there is a gap in the frequency spectrum. Moreover, inhomogeneity in the frequency spacing can give rise to a pseudo-plateau regime. These findings yield a physically motivated approach to diagnosing numerical simulations and understanding the influence of relaxation, and we examine their occurrence in both simple models and a realistic, fluctuating graphene nanoribbon.

Characteristics of thermally-induced transverse cracks in graphite epoxy composite laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, D. S.; Bowles, D. E.; Herakovich, C. T.

1983-01-01

The characteristics of thermally induced transverse cracks in T300/5208 graphite-epoxy cross-ply and quasi-isotropic laminates were investigated both experimentally and analytically. The formation of transverse cracks and the subsequent crack spacing present during cool down to -250 F (116K) and thermal cycling between 250 and -250 F (116 and 394K) was investigated. The state of stress in the vicinity of a transverse crack and the influence of transverse cracking on the laminate coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) was predicted using a generalized plane strain finite element analysis and a modified shear lag analysis. A majority of the cross-ply laminates experienced transverse cracking during the initial cool down to -250 F whereas the quasi-isotropic laminates remained uncracked. The in situ transverse strength of the 90 degree layers was more than 1.9 times greater than the transverse strength of the unidirectional 90 degree material for all laminates investigated.

Substrate stress relaxation regulates cell spreading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhuri, Ovijit; Gu, Luo; Darnell, Max; Klumpers, Darinka; Bencherif, Sidi A.; Weaver, James C.; Huebsch, Nathaniel; Mooney, David J.

2015-02-01

Studies of cellular mechanotransduction have converged upon the idea that cells sense extracellular matrix (ECM) elasticity by gauging resistance to the traction forces they exert on the ECM. However, these studies typically utilize purely elastic materials as substrates, whereas physiological ECMs are viscoelastic, and exhibit stress relaxation, so that cellular traction forces exerted by cells remodel the ECM. Here we investigate the influence of ECM stress relaxation on cell behaviour through computational modelling and cellular experiments. Surprisingly, both our computational model and experiments find that spreading for cells cultured on soft substrates that exhibit stress relaxation is greater than cells spreading on elastic substrates of the same modulus, but similar to that of cells spreading on stiffer elastic substrates. These findings challenge the current view of how cells sense and respond to the ECM.

High resolution NMR study of T{sub 1} magnetic relaxation dispersion. IV. Proton relaxation in amino acids and Met-enkephalin pentapeptide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pravdivtsev, Andrey N.; Yurkovskaya, Alexandra V.; Ivanov, Konstantin L., E-mail: ivanov@tomo.nsc.ru

2014-10-21

Nuclear Magnetic Relaxation Dispersion (NMRD) of protons was studied in the pentapeptide Met-enkephalin and the amino acids, which constitute it. Experiments were run by using high-resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) in combination with fast field-cycling, thus enabling measuring NMRD curves for all individual protons. As in earlier works, Papers I–III, pronounced effects of intramolecular scalar spin-spin interactions, J-couplings, on spin relaxation were found. Notably, at low fields J-couplings tend to equalize the apparent relaxation rates within networks of coupled protons. In Met-enkephalin, in contrast to the free amino acids, there is a sharp increase in the proton T{sub 1}-relaxation timesmore » at high fields due to the changes in the regime of molecular motion. The experimental data are in good agreement with theory. From modelling the relaxation experiments we were able to determine motional correlation times of different residues in Met-enkephalin with atomic resolution. This allows us to draw conclusions about preferential conformation of the pentapeptide in solution, which is also in agreement with data from two-dimensional NMR experiments (rotating frame Overhauser effect spectroscopy). Altogether, our study demonstrates that high-resolution NMR studies of magnetic field-dependent relaxation allow one to probe molecular mobility in biomolecules with atomic resolution.« less

A quantum relaxation-time approximation for finite fermion systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinhard, P.-G.; Suraud, E.

2015-03-01

We propose a relaxation time approximation for the description of the dynamics of strongly excited fermion systems. Our approach is based on time-dependent density functional theory at the level of the local density approximation. This mean-field picture is augmented by collisional correlations handled in relaxation time approximation which is inspired from the corresponding semi-classical picture. The method involves the estimate of microscopic relaxation rates/times which is presently taken from the well established semi-classical experience. The relaxation time approximation implies evaluation of the instantaneous equilibrium state towards which the dynamical state is progressively driven at the pace of the microscopic relaxation time. As test case, we consider Na clusters of various sizes excited either by a swift ion projectile or by a short and intense laser pulse, driven in various dynamical regimes ranging from linear to strongly non-linear reactions. We observe a strong effect of dissipation on sensitive observables such as net ionization and angular distributions of emitted electrons. The effect is especially large for moderate excitations where typical relaxation/dissipation time scales efficiently compete with ionization for dissipating the available excitation energy. Technical details on the actual procedure to implement a working recipe of such a quantum relaxation approximation are given in appendices for completeness.

Analysis of transverse field distributions in Porro prism resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Litvin, Igor A.; Burger, Liesl; Forbes, Andrew

2007-05-01

A model to describe the transverse field distribution of the output beam from porro prism resonators is proposed. The model allows the prediction of the output transverse field distribution by assuming that the main areas of loss are located at the apexes of the porro prisms. Experimental work on a particular system showed some interested correlations between the time domain behavior of the resonator and the transverse field output. These findings are presented and discussed.

Determinants of relaxation rate in rabbit skinned skeletal muscle fibres

PubMed Central

Luo, Ye; Davis, Jonathan P; Smillie, Lawrence B; Rall, Jack A

2002-01-01

The influence of Ca2+-activated force, the rate of dissociation of Ca2+ from troponin C (TnC) and decreased crossbridge detachment rate on the time course of relaxation induced by flash photolysis of diazo-2 in rabbit skinned psoas fibres was investigated at 15 °C. The rate of relaxation increased as the diazo-2 chelating capacity (i.e. free [diazo-2]/free [Ca2+]) increased. At a constant diazo-2 chelating capacity, the rate of relaxation was independent of the pre-photolysis Ca2+-activated force in the range 0.3-0.8 of maximum isometric force. A TnC mutant that exhibited increased Ca2+ sensitivity caused by a decreased Ca2+ dissociation rate in solution (M82Q TnC) also increased the Ca2+ sensitivity of steady-state force and decreased the rate of relaxation in fibres by approximately twofold. In contrast, a TnC mutant with decreased Ca2+ sensitivity caused by an increased Ca2+ dissociation rate in solution (NHdel TnC) decreased the Ca2+ sensitivity of steady-state force but did not accelerate relaxation. Decreasing the rate of crossbridge kinetics by reducing intracellular inorganic phosphate concentration ([Pi]) slowed relaxation by approximately twofold and led to two phases of relaxation, a slow linear phase followed by a fast exponential phase. In fibres, M82Q TnC further slowed relaxation in low [Pi] conditions by approximately twofold, whereas NHdel TnC had no significant effect on relaxation. These results are consistent with the interpretation that the Ca2+-dissociation rate and crossbridge detachment rate are similar in fast-twitch skeletal muscle, such that decreasing either rate slows relaxation, but accelerating Ca2+ dissociation has little effect on relaxation. PMID:12482894

Dynamics of human serum albumin studied by acoustic relaxation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Hushcha, T; Kaatze, U; Peytcheva, A

Sonic absorption spectra of solutions of human serum albumin (SA) in water and in aqueous phosphate buffer systems have been measured between 0.2 and 2000 MHz at different temperatures (15-35 degrees C), pH values (1.8-12.3), and protein concentrations (1-40 g/L). Several spectra, indicating relaxation processes in the whole frequency range, have been found. The spectra at neutral pH could be fitted well with an analytical function consisting of the asymptotic high frequency absorption and two relaxation contributions, a Debye-type relaxation term with discrete relaxation time and a term with asymmetric continuous distribution of relaxation times. Both relaxation contributions were observed in water and in buffer solutions and increased with protein concentration. The contribution represented by a Debye-type term is practically independent of temperature and was attributed to cooperative conformational changes of the polypeptide chain featuring a relaxation time of about 400 ns. The distribution of the relaxation times corresponding to the second relaxation contribution was characterized by a short time cutoff, between about 0.02 and 0.4 ns depending on temperature, and a long time tail extending to microseconds. Such relaxation behavior was interpreted in terms of solute-solvent interactions reflecting various hydration layers of HSA molecules. At acid and alkaline pH, an additional Debye-type contribution with relaxation time in the range of 30-100 ns exists. It seems to be due to proton transfer reactions of protein side-chain groups. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of these processes have been estimated from these first measurements to indicate the potential of acoustic spectra for the investigation of the elementary kinetics of albumin processes. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers, 2004

Viscous relaxation of Ganymede's impact craters: Constraints on heat flux

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bland, Michael T.; Singer, Kelsi N.; McKinnon, William B.; Schenk, Paul M.

2017-01-01

Measurement of crater depths in Ganymede’s dark terrain have revealed substantial numbers of unusually shallow craters indicative of viscous relaxation [see companion paper: Singer, K.N., Schenk, P. M., Bland, M.T., McKinnon, W.B., (2017). Relaxed impact craters on Ganymede: Regional variations and high heat flow. Icarus, submitted]. These viscously relaxed craters provide insight into the thermal history of the dark terrain: the rate of relaxation depends on the size of the crater and the thermal structure of the lithosphere. Here we use finite element simulations of crater relaxation to constrain the heat flux within the dark terrain when relaxation occurred. We show that the degree of viscous relaxation observed cannot be achieved through radiogenic heating alone, even if all of the relaxed craters are ancient and experienced the high radiogenic fluxes present early in the satellite’s history. For craters with diameter ≥ 10 km, heat fluxes of 40–50 mW m-2−2"> can reproduce the observed crater depths, but only if the fluxes are sustained for ∼1 Gyr. These craters can also be explained by shorter-lived “heat pulses” with magnitudes of ∼100 mW m-2−2"> and timescales of 10–100 Myr. At small crater diameters (4 km) the observed shallow depths are difficult to achieve even when heat fluxes as high as 150 mW m-2−2"> are sustained for 1 Gyr. The extreme thermal conditions required to viscously relax small craters may indicate that mechanisms other than viscous relaxation, such as topographic degradation, are also in play at small crater diameters. The timing of the relaxation event(s) is poorly constrained due to the sparsity of adequate topographic information, though it likely occurred in Ganymede’s middle history (neither recently, nor shortly after satellite formation). The consistency between the timing and magnitude of the heat fluxes derived here and those inferred from other tectonic features suggests that a single event

Viscous relaxation of Ganymede's impact craters: Constraints on heat flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bland, Michael T.; Singer, Kelsi N.; McKinnon, William B.; Schenk, Paul M.

2017-11-01

Measurement of crater depths in Ganymede's dark terrain have revealed substantial numbers of unusually shallow craters indicative of viscous relaxation [see companion paper: Singer, K.N., Schenk, P. M., Bland, M.T., McKinnon, W.B., (2017). Relaxed impact craters on Ganymede: Regional variations and high heat flow. Icarus, submitted]. These viscously relaxed craters provide insight into the thermal history of the dark terrain: the rate of relaxation depends on the size of the crater and the thermal structure of the lithosphere. Here we use finite element simulations of crater relaxation to constrain the heat flux within the dark terrain when relaxation occurred. We show that the degree of viscous relaxation observed cannot be achieved through radiogenic heating alone, even if all of the relaxed craters are ancient and experienced the high radiogenic fluxes present early in the satellite's history. For craters with diameter ≥ 10 km, heat fluxes of 40-50 mW m-2 can reproduce the observed crater depths, but only if the fluxes are sustained for ∼1 Gyr. These craters can also be explained by shorter-lived "heat pulses" with magnitudes of ∼100 mW m-2 and timescales of 10-100 Myr. At small crater diameters (4 km) the observed shallow depths are difficult to achieve even when heat fluxes as high as 150 mW m-2 are sustained for 1 Gyr. The extreme thermal conditions required to viscously relax small craters may indicate that mechanisms other than viscous relaxation, such as topographic degradation, are also in play at small crater diameters. The timing of the relaxation event(s) is poorly constrained due to the sparsity of adequate topographic information, though it likely occurred in Ganymede's middle history (neither recently, nor shortly after satellite formation). The consistency between the timing and magnitude of the heat fluxes derived here and those inferred from other tectonic features suggests that a single event caused both Ganymede's tectonic deformation and

Multilayer Relaxation and Surface Energies of Metallic Surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bozzolo, Guillermo; Rodriguez, Agustin M.; Ferrante, John

1994-01-01

The perpendicular and parallel multilayer relaxations of fcc (210) surfaces are studied using equivalent crystal theory (ECT). A comparison with experimental and theoretical results is made for AI(210). The effect of uncertainties in the input parameters on the magnitudes and ordering of surface relaxations for this semiempirical method is estimated. A new measure of surface roughness is proposed. Predictions for the multilayer relaxations and surface energies of the (210) face of Cu and Ni are also included.

NASA/University JOint VEnture (JOVE) Program: Transverse Shear Moduli Using the Torsional Responses of Rectangular Laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bogan, Sam

2001-01-01

The first year included a study of the non-visible damage of composite overwrapped pressure vessels with B. Poe of the Materials Branch of Nasa-Langley. Early determinations showed a clear reduction in non-visible damage for thin COPVs when partially pressurized rather than unpressurized. Literature searches on Thicker-wall COPVs revealed surface damage but clearly visible. Analysis of current Analytic modeling indicated that that current COPV models lacked sufficient thickness corrections to predict impact damage. After a comprehensive study of available published data and numerous numerical studies based on observed data from Langley, the analytic framework for modeling the behavior was determined lacking and both Poe and Bogan suggested any short term (3yr) result for Jove would be overly ambitious and emphasis should be placed on transverse shear moduli studies. Transverse shear moduli determination is relevant to the study of fatigue, fracture and aging effects in composite structures. Based on the techniques developed by Daniel & Tsai, Bogan and Gates determined to verify the results for K3B and 8320. A detailed analytic and experimental plan was established and carried out that included variations in layup, width, thickness, and length. As well as loading rate variations to determine effects and relaxation moduli. The additional axial loads during the torsion testing were studied as was the placement of gages along the composite specimen. Of the proposed tasks, all of tasks I and 2 were completed with presentations given at Langley, SEM conferences and ASME/AIAA conferences. Sensitivity issues with the technique associated with the use of servohydraulic test systems for applying the torsional load to the composite specimen limited the torsion range for predictable and repeatable transverse shear properties. Bogan and Gates determined to diverge on research efforts with Gates continuing the experimental testing at Langley and Bogan modeling the apparent non

Thermally induced transverse cracking in graphite-epoxy cross-ply laminates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, D. S.; Bowles, D. E.; Herakovich, C. T.

1986-01-01

Thermally induced transverse cracking in T300/5208 graphite-epoxy cross-ply laminates was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The six laminate configurations studied were: 0/90(3)s, 0(2)/90(2)s, 0(3)/90s, 90/0(3)s, 90(2)/0(2)s, and 90(3)/0s. The thermal load required to initiate transverse cracking was determined experimentally and compared to a theoretical prediction. Experimental results for the accumulation of transverse cracks under cyclic thermal loading between - 250 and 250 F for up to 500 thermal cycles are presented. The calculated in situ transverse-lamina strength was determined to be at least 1.9 times the unidirectional-lamina transverse tensile strength. All laminate configurations exhibited an increase in crack density with increasing thermal cycles.

Vibrational Relaxation and Dynamical Transitions in Atactic Polystyrene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hanqing; Park, Yung; Painter, Paul

2009-03-01

Infrared bands and Raman lines recorded in the frequency domain have a counterpart in the time domain in the form of time-correlation functions, which are sensitive to molecular dynamics on the picosecond time scale. This is explored by calculating time correlation functions and their variation with temperature for the conformationally insensitive modes observed near 1601 cm-1 and 1583 cm-1 in the infrared spectrum of atactic polystyrene. The correlation functions were modeled by assuming that there is a fast relaxation process characterized by a single relaxation time that is inhomogeneously broadened by a slower process, also characterized by a single relaxation time. The fundamental mode, near 1583 cm-1, is inhomogeneously broadened, but the relaxation time calculated for this mode is sensitive to temperature as a result of anharmonic coupling to a combination mode. A change in the modulation of the 1583 cm-1 band becomes apparent about 10--20 degrees below the thermally measured Tg. Relaxation times at first increase then decrease and becomes negligible at temperatures near 180 degrees. These results are consistent with theories of the glass transition.

Nonlinear dielectric spectroscopy of propylene carbonate derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casalini, R.; Roland, C. M.

2018-04-01

Nonlinear dielectric measurements were carried out on two strongly polar liquids, 4-vinyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one (VPC) and 4-ethyl-1,3-dioxolan-2-one (EPC), having chemical structures differing from propylene carbonate (PC) only by the presence of a pendant group. Despite their polarity, the compounds are all non-associated, "simple" liquids. From the linear component of the dielectric response, the α relaxation peak breadth was found to be invariant at a fixed value of the relaxation time, τα. From spectra from the nonlinear component, the number of dynamically correlated molecules was determined; it was also constant at fixed τα. Thus, two manifestations of dynamic heterogeneity depend only on the time constant for structural reorientation. More broadly, the cooperativity of molecular motions for non-associated glass-forming materials is connected to (i.e., reciprocally governs) the time scale. The equation of state for the two liquids was also obtained from density measurements made over a broad range of pressures and temperatures. Using these data, it was determined that the relaxation times of both liquids conform to density scaling. The effect of density, relative to thermal effects, on the α relaxation increases going from PC < VPC < EPC.

Ferromagnetic resonance and transverse susceptibility measurements on particulate recording media (abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orth, Th.; Pelzl, J.; Chantrell, R. W.; Veitch, R.; Jakusch, H.

1993-05-01

The FMR absorption of different particulate recording tapes was investigated at microwave frequencies in the X band and Q band using temperatures from 70 to 400 K. The FMR spectra as a function of the external magnetic field were recorded for four different orientations of the static and high frequency magnetic fields with respect to the tape. Particular interest of the experimental and theoretical study was devoted to the interaction fields between the particles, texture effects within the tape sample and the effective anisotropy fields. Tape samples with different particle materials, varying packing densities and orientation ratios were prepared. The shape and line position of the FMR spectra obtained are strongly dependent on the pigment material and the tape parameters mentioned above. The experimental data are compared with theoretical calculations, based on a phenomenological model and a computer simulation. This comparison gives information on the orientational distribution of the particles, which is the most important source for inhomogeneous line broadening, the mean interaction, and anisotropy fields which govern the line position, the effective magnetization of the tape, and the relaxation time. The influence of the crystalline anisotropy can be investigated via temperature dependent measurements. The results are proved by additional transverse susceptibility measurements.

NMR spin-rotation relaxation and diffusion of methane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singer, P. M.; Asthagiri, D.; Chapman, W. G.; Hirasaki, G. J.

2018-05-01

The translational diffusion-coefficient and the spin-rotation contribution to the 1H NMR relaxation rate for methane (CH4) are investigated using MD (molecular dynamics) simulations, over a wide range of densities and temperatures, spanning the liquid, supercritical, and gas phases. The simulated diffusion-coefficients agree well with measurements, without any adjustable parameters in the interpretation of the simulations. A minimization technique is developed to compute the angular velocity for non-rigid spherical molecules, which is used to simulate the autocorrelation function for spin-rotation interactions. With increasing diffusivity, the autocorrelation function shows increasing deviations from the single-exponential decay predicted by the Langevin theory for rigid spheres, and the deviations are quantified using inverse Laplace transforms. The 1H spin-rotation relaxation rate derived from the autocorrelation function using the "kinetic model" agrees well with measurements in the supercritical/gas phase, while the relaxation rate derived using the "diffusion model" agrees well with measurements in the liquid phase. 1H spin-rotation relaxation is shown to dominate over the MD-simulated 1H-1H dipole-dipole relaxation at high diffusivity, while the opposite is found at low diffusivity. At high diffusivity, the simulated spin-rotation correlation time agrees with the kinetic collision time for gases, which is used to derive a new expression for 1H spin-rotation relaxation, without any adjustable parameters.

Synoptic forcing of wind relaxations at Pt. Conception, California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fewings, Melanie R.; Washburn, Libe; Dorman, Clive E.; Gotschalk, Christopher; Lombardo, Kelly

2016-08-01

Over the California Current upwelling system in summer, the prevailing upwelling-favorable winds episodically weaken (relax) or reverse direction for a few days. Near Pt. Conception, California, the wind usually does not reverse, but wind relaxation allows poleward oceanic coastal flow with ecological consequences. To determine the offshore extent and synoptic forcing of these wind relaxations, we formed composite averages of wind stress from the QuikSCAT satellite and atmospheric pressure from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) using 67 wind relaxations during summer 2000-2009. Wind relaxations at Pt. Conception are the third stage of an event sequence that repeatedly affects the west coast of North America in summer. First, 5-7 days before the wind weakens near Pt. Conception, the wind weakens or reverses off Oregon and northern California. Second, the upwelling-favorable wind intensifies along central California. Third, the wind relaxes at Pt. Conception, and the area of weakened winds extends poleward to northern California over 3-5 days. The NARR underestimates the wind stress within ˜200 km of coastal capes by a factor of 2. Wind relaxations at Pt. Conception are caused by offshore extension of the desert heat low. This synoptic forcing is related to event cycles that cause wind reversal as in Halliwell and Allen (1987) and Mass and Bond (1996), but includes weaker events. The wind relaxations extend ˜600 km offshore, similarly to the California-scale hydraulic expansion fan shaping the prevailing winds, and ˜1000 km alongshore, limited by an opposing pressure gradient force at Cape Mendocino.

Transverse momentum correlations of quarks in recursive jet models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Artru, X.; Belghobsi, Z.; Redouane-Salah, E.

2016-08-01

In the symmetric string fragmentation recipe adopted by PYTHIA for jet simulations, the transverse momenta of successive quarks are uncorrelated. This is a simplification but has no theoretical basis. Transverse momentum correlations are naturally expected, for instance, in a covariant multiperipheral model of quark hadronization. We propose a simple recipe of string fragmentation which leads to such correlations. The definition of the jet axis and its relation with the primordial transverse momentum of the quark is also discussed.

Carotid endarterectomy: comparison of complications between transverse and longitudinal incision.

PubMed

Mendes, George A C; Zabramski, Joseph M; Elhadi, Ali M; Kalani, M Yashar S; Preul, Mark C; Nakaji, Peter; Spetzler, Robert F

2014-08-01

Cranial nerve injury (CNI) is the most common neurological complication associated with carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Some authors postulate that the transverse skin incision leads to increased risk of CNI. We compared the incidence of CNI associated with the transverse and longitudinal skin incisions in a high-volume cerebrovascular center. We reviewed the charts of 226 consecutive patients who underwent CEAs between January 2007 and August 2009. Pre- and postoperative standardized neurological evaluations were performed by faculty neurologists and neurosurgeons. One hundred sixty nine of 226 (75%) CEAs were performed with the use of a transverse incision. The longitudinal incision was generally reserved for patients with a high-riding carotid bifurcation. Mean patient age was 69 years (range, 45-91 years); 62% were men; 59% of patients were symptomatic and had high-grade stenosis (70%-99%). CNI occurred in 8 cases (3.5%): 5 (3%) in transverse and 3 (5.3%) with longitudinal incisions (P = .42). There were 2 marginal mandibular nerve injuries, 1 (0.6%) transverse and 1 longitudinal; 5 recurrent laryngeal nerve injuries, 4 transverse and 1 longitudinal; and 1 case of hypoglossal nerve injury associated with longitudinal incision. One hematoma was associated with CNI. All injuries were transient. Fourteen wound hematomas required surgical evacuation. The transverse skin incision for CEAs is not associated with an increased risk of CNI (P =.42). In this study, the incidence of CNI associated with the transverse incision was 3% (n = 5) vs 5% (n = 3) for longitudinal incisions. All CNIs were temporary.

Excited-state relaxation in PbSe quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Joonhee M.; Califano, Marco; Franceschetti, Alberto; Zunger, Alex

2008-04-01

In solids the phonon-assisted, nonradiative decay from high-energy electronic excited states to low-energy electronic excited states is picosecond fast. It was hoped that electron and hole relaxation could be slowed down in quantum dots, due to the unavailability of phonons energy matched to the large energy-level spacings ("phonon-bottleneck"). However, excited-state relaxation was observed to be rather fast (⩽1ps) in InP, CdSe, and ZnO dots, and explained by an efficient Auger mechanism, whereby the excess energy of electrons is nonradiatively transferred to holes, which can then rapidly decay by phonon emission, by virtue of the densely spaced valence-band levels. The recent emergence of PbSe as a novel quantum-dot material has rekindled the hope for a slow down of excited-state relaxation because hole relaxation was deemed to be ineffective on account of the widely spaced hole levels. The assumption of sparse hole energy levels in PbSe was based on an effective-mass argument based on the light effective mass of the hole. Surprisingly, fast intraband relaxation times of 1-7ps were observed in PbSe quantum dots and have been considered contradictory with the Auger cooling mechanism because of the assumed sparsity of the hole energy levels. Our pseudopotential calculations, however, do not support the scenario of sparse hole levels in PbSe: Because of the existence of three valence-band maxima in the bulk PbSe band structure, hole energy levels are densely spaced, in contradiction with simple effective-mass models. The remaining question is whether the Auger decay channel is sufficiently fast to account for the fast intraband relaxation. Using the atomistic pseudopotential wave functions of Pb2046Se2117 and Pb260Se249 quantum dots, we explicitly calculated the electron-hole Coulomb integrals and the P →S electron Auger relaxation rate. We find that the Auger mechanism can explain the experimentally observed P →S intraband decay time scale without the need to

Relaxation Effect of Abacavir on Rat Basilar Arteries

PubMed Central

Li, Rachel Wai Sum; Yang, Cui; Chan, Shun Wan; Hoi, Maggie Pui Man; Lee, Simon Ming Yuen; Kwan, Yiu Wa; Leung, George Pak Heng

2015-01-01

Background The use of abacavir has been linked with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection; however, the mechanism involved remains unclear. We hypothesize that abacavir may impair endothelial function. In addition, based on the structural similarity between abacavir and adenosine, we propose that abacavir may affect vascular contractility through endogenous adenosine release or adenosine receptors in blood vessels. Methods The relaxation effect of abacavir on rat basilar arteries was studied using the myograph technique. Cyclic GMP and AMP levels were measured by immunoassay. The effects of abacavir on nucleoside transporters were studied using radiolabeled nucleoside uptake experiments. Ecto-5′ nucleotidase activity was determined by measuring the generation of inorganic phosphate using adenosine monophosphate as the substrate. Results Abacavir induced the relaxation of rat basilar arteries in a concentration-dependent manner. This relaxation was abolished when endothelium was removed. In addition, the relaxation was diminished by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NAME, the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor, ODQ, and the protein kinase G inhibitor, KT5820. Abacavir also increased the cGMP level in rat basilar arteries. Abacavir-induced relaxation was also abolished by adenosine A2 receptor blockers. However, abacavir had no effect on ecto-5’ nucleotidase and nucleoside transporters. Short-term and long-term treatment of abacavir did not affect acetylcholine-induced relaxation in rat basilar arteries. Conclusion Abacavir induces acute endothelium-dependent relaxation of rat basilar arteries, probably through the activation of adenosine A2 receptors in endothelial cells, which subsequently leads to the release of nitric oxide, resulting in activation of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate/protein kinase G-dependent pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells. It is speculated that abacavir-induced cardiovascular risk may

Relaxation phenomena in AOT-water-decane critical and dense microemulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Letamendia, L.; Pru-Lestret, E.; Panizza, P.; Rouch, J.; Sciortino, F.; Tartaglia, P.; Hashimoto, C.; Ushiki, H.; Risso, D.

2001-11-01

We report on extensive measurements of the low and high frequencies sound velocity and sound absorption in AOT-water-decane microemulsions deduced from ultrasonic and, for the first time as far as the absorption is concerned, from Brillouin scattering experiments. New experimental results on dielectric relaxation are also reported. Our results, which include data taken for critical as well as dense microemulsions, show new interesting relaxation phenomena. The relaxation frequencies deduced from very high frequency acoustical measurements are in good agreement with new high frequency dielectric relaxation measurements. We show that along the critical isochore, sound dispersion, relaxation frequency, and static dielectric permittivity can be accurately fitted to power laws. The absolute values of the new exponents we derived from experimental data are nearly equal, and they are very close to β=0.33 characterising the shape of the coexistence curve. The exponent characterising the infinite frequency permittivity is very close to 0.04 relevant to the diverging shear viscosity. For dense microemulsions, two well defined relaxation domains have been identified and the temperature variations of the sound absorption and the zero frequency dielectric permittivity bear striking similarities. We also show that the relaxation frequency of the slow relaxation process is almost independent of temperature and volume fraction and so cannot be attributed to percolation phenomena, whereas it can more likely be attributed to an intrinsic relaxation process probably connected to membrane fluctuations.

Hybrid Transverse Polar Navigation for High-Precision and Long-Term INSs.

PubMed

Wu, Ruonan; Wu, Qiuping; Han, Fengtian; Zhang, Rong; Hu, Peida; Li, Haixia

2018-05-12

Transverse navigation has been proposed to help inertial navigation systems (INSs) fill the gap of polar navigation ability. However, as the transverse system does not have the ability of navigate globally, a complicated switch between the transverse and the traditional algorithms is necessary when the system moves across the polar circles. To maintain the inner continuity and consistency of the core algorithm, a hybrid transverse polar navigation is proposed in this research based on a combination of Earth-fixed-frame mechanization and transverse-frame outputs. Furthermore, a thorough analysis of kinematic error characteristics, proper damping technology and corresponding long-term contributions of main error sources is conducted for the high-precision INSs. According to the analytical expressions of the long-term navigation errors in polar areas, the 24-h period symmetrical oscillation with a slowly divergent amplitude dominates the transverse horizontal position errors, and the first-order drift dominates the transverse azimuth error, which results from the gyro drift coefficients that occur in corresponding directions. Simulations are conducted to validate the theoretical analysis and the deduced analytical expressions. The results show that the proposed hybrid transverse navigation can ensure the same accuracy and oscillation characteristics in polar areas as the traditional algorithm in low and mid latitude regions.

Hybrid Transverse Polar Navigation for High-Precision and Long-Term INSs

PubMed Central

Wu, Qiuping; Zhang, Rong; Hu, Peida; Li, Haixia

2018-01-01

Transverse navigation has been proposed to help inertial navigation systems (INSs) fill the gap of polar navigation ability. However, as the transverse system does not have the ability of navigate globally, a complicated switch between the transverse and the traditional algorithms is necessary when the system moves across the polar circles. To maintain the inner continuity and consistency of the core algorithm, a hybrid transverse polar navigation is proposed in this research based on a combination of Earth-fixed-frame mechanization and transverse-frame outputs. Furthermore, a thorough analysis of kinematic error characteristics, proper damping technology and corresponding long-term contributions of main error sources is conducted for the high-precision INSs. According to the analytical expressions of the long-term navigation errors in polar areas, the 24-h period symmetrical oscillation with a slowly divergent amplitude dominates the transverse horizontal position errors, and the first-order drift dominates the transverse azimuth error, which results from the g0 gyro drift coefficients that occur in corresponding directions. Simulations are conducted to validate the theoretical analysis and the deduced analytical expressions. The results show that the proposed hybrid transverse navigation can ensure the same accuracy and oscillation characteristics in polar areas as the traditional algorithm in low and mid latitude regions. PMID:29757242

Emergence of transverse spin in optical modes of semiconductor nanowires

DOE PAGES

Alizadeh, M. H.; Reinhard, Bjorn M.

2016-04-11

The transverse spin angular momentum of light has recently received tremendous attention as it adds a new degree of freedom for controlling light-matter interactions. In this work we demonstrate the generation of transverse spin angular momentum by the weakly-guided mode of semiconductor nanowires. The evanescent field of these modes in combination with the transversality condition rigorously accounts for the occurrence of transverse spin angular momentum. Furthermore, the intriguing and nontrivial spin properties of optical modes in semiconductor nanowires are of high interest for a broad range of new applications including chiral optical trapping, quantum information processing, and nanophotonic circuitry.

Dynamics in supercooled polyalcohols: Primary and secondary relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Döß, A.; Paluch, M.; Sillescu, H.; Hinze, G.

2002-10-01

We have studied details of the molecular dynamics in a series of pure polyalcohols by means of dielectric spectroscopy and 2H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). From glycerol to threitol, xylitol and sorbitol a systematic change in the dynamics of the primary and secondary relaxation is found. With increasing molecular weight and fragility an increase in the width of the α-peak is observed. Details of the molecular reorientation process responsible for the α-relaxation were exploited by two-dimensional NMR experiments. It is found that in the same sequence of polyalcohols the appearance of the secondary relaxation changes gradually from a wing type scenario to a pronounced β-peak. From NMR experiments using selectively deuterated samples the molecular origin of the secondary relaxation could be elucidated in more detail.

Laparoscopic correction of right transverse colostomy prolapse.

PubMed

Gundogdu, Gokhan; Topuz, Ufuk; Umutoglu, Tarik

2013-08-01

Colostomy prolapse is a frequently seen complication of transverse colostomy. In one child with recurrent stoma prolapse, we performed a loop-to-loop fixation and peritoneal tethering laparoscopically. No prolapse had recurred at follow-up. Laparoscopic repair of transverse colostomy prolapse seems to be a less invasive method than other techniques. © 2013 Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery, Asia Endosurgery Task Force and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Dependence of Brownian and Néel relaxation times on magnetic field strength

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deissler, Robert J., E-mail: rjd42@case.edu; Wu, Yong; Martens, Michael A.

2014-01-15

Purpose: In magnetic particle imaging (MPI) and magnetic particle spectroscopy (MPS) the relaxation time of the magnetization in response to externally applied magnetic fields is determined by the Brownian and Néel relaxation mechanisms. Here the authors investigate the dependence of the relaxation times on the magnetic field strength and the implications for MPI and MPS. Methods: The Fokker–Planck equation with Brownian relaxation and the Fokker–Planck equation with Néel relaxation are solved numerically for a time-varying externally applied magnetic field, including a step-function, a sinusoidally varying, and a linearly ramped magnetic field. For magnetic fields that are applied as a stepmore » function, an eigenvalue approach is used to directly calculate both the Brownian and Néel relaxation times for a range of magnetic field strengths. For Néel relaxation, the eigenvalue calculations are compared to Brown's high-barrier approximation formula. Results: The relaxation times due to the Brownian or Néel mechanisms depend on the magnitude of the applied magnetic field. In particular, the Néel relaxation time is sensitive to the magnetic field strength, and varies by many orders of magnitude for nanoparticle properties and magnetic field strengths relevant for MPI and MPS. Therefore, the well-known zero-field relaxation times underestimate the actual relaxation times and, in particular, can underestimate the Néel relaxation time by many orders of magnitude. When only Néel relaxation is present—if the particles are embedded in a solid for instance—the authors found that there can be a strong magnetization response to a sinusoidal driving field, even if the period is much less than the zero-field relaxation time. For a ferrofluid in which both Brownian and Néel relaxation are present, only one relaxation mechanism may dominate depending on the magnetic field strength, the driving frequency (or ramp time), and the phase of the magnetization

[Relaxation techniques for chronic pain].

PubMed

Diezemann, A

2011-08-01

Relaxation techniques are an integral part of the psychological therapy of chronic pain and follow very different objectives. These techniques lead to muscular and vegetative stabilization, serve as distraction from pain, to build up the internal focus of control and thus to improve self-efficacy. Additional targets are improvement of body awareness and stress management, shielding from sensory stimuli and recurrence prevention of migraine as well a sleeping aid. The most commonly used and best studied method is progressive muscle relaxation which has a good compliance because it is easy to learn and has a high plausibility for patients.

Degradation of phosphate ester hydraulic fluid in power station turbines investigated by a three-magnet unilateral magnet array.

PubMed

Guo, Pan; He, Wei; García-Naranjo, Juan C

2014-04-14

A three-magnet array unilateral NMR sensor with a homogeneous sensitive spot was employed for assessing aging of the turbine oils used in two different power stations. The Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) sequence and Inversion Recovery-prepared CPMG were employed for measuring the ¹H-NMR transverse and longitudinal relaxation times of turbine oils with different service status. Two signal components with different lifetimes were obtained by processing the transverse relaxation curves with a numeric program based on the Inverse Laplace Transformation. The long lifetime components of the transverse relaxation time T₂eff and longitudinal relaxation time T₁ were chosen to monitor the hydraulic fluid aging. The results demonstrate that an increase of the service time of the turbine oils clearly results in a decrease of T₂eff,long and T₁,long. This indicates that the T₂eff,long and T₁,long relaxation times, obtained from the unilateral magnetic resonance measurements, can be applied as indices for degradation of the hydraulic fluid in power station turbines.

New Transverse Bunch-by-Bunch Feedback System at TLS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, K. H.; Kuo, C. H.; Hsu, S. Y.

2007-01-19

An FPGA based transverse bunch-by-bunch feedback system was implemented and commissioned to replace the existing analog transverse feedback system in order to suppress more effectively multi-bunch instabilities caused by the resistive wall of the vacuum chamber, cavity-like structures and ions related instability. This system replaces existing analog transverse feedback system to enlarge the tunability of the working point. Lower chromaticity is possible with feedback system that is very helpful for injection efficiency improvement. Top-up and high current operation is benefit for this upgrade. One feedback loop suppresses horizontal and vertical multi-bunch instabilities simultaneously. The clean and simple structure makes themore » system simple and reliable. This study also presents the preliminary result of commissioning the new transverse feedback system.« less

Electron and hole relaxation pathways in semiconductor quantum dots

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Klimov, V.I.; McBranch, D.W.; Leatherdale, C.A.

1999-11-01

Femtosecond (fs) broad-band transient absorption (TA) is used to study the intraband relaxation and depopulation dynamics of electron and hole quantized states in CdSe nanocrystals (NC{close_quote}s) with a range of surface properties. Instead of the drastic reduction in the energy relaxation rate expected due to a {open_quotes}phonon bottleneck,{close_quotes} we observe a fast subpicosecond 1P-to-1S electron relaxation, with the rate exceeding that due to phonon emission in bulk semiconductors. The energy relaxation is enhanced with reducing the NC{close_quote}s radius, and does not show any dependence on the NC surface properties (quality of the surface passivation). These data indicate that electron energymore » relaxation occurs by neither multiphonon emission nor by coupling to surface defects, but is likely meditated by Auger-type electron-hole energy transfer. We use fs infrared TA to probe electron and hole intraband transitions, which allows us to distinguish between electron and hole relaxation pathways leading to the depopulation of NC quantized states. In contrast to the electron relaxation, which is controlled by NC surface passivation, the depopulation of hole quantized states is extremely fast (sub-ps-to-ps time scales) in all types of samples, independent of NC surface treatment (including NC{close_quote}s overcoated with a ZnS layer). Our results indicate that ultrafast hole dynamics are not due to trapping at localized surface defects such as a vacancy, but rather arise from relaxation into intrinsic NC states or intrinsically unpassivated interface states. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}« less

[Colon transverse volvulus; a case report].

PubMed

Ramírez-Wiella-Schwuchow, G; Villanueva-Sáenz, E; Bolaños-Badillo, L E; García-Hernández, L A

2009-01-01

Colon transverse volvulus is an uncommon pathology which is associate with alterations of the colonic motility, mental disorders and congenital anomalies of the fixation of the colon sistem. Up to 1994, 72 cases has been reported in world-wide literature. To report a case of colon transverse volvulus and the treatment. A female 46 years old who show intense abdominal pain 2 days of evolution. The physical exploration show important abdominal distension and pain in left inferior quadrant. The Rx of abdomen with gas absence in rectal descendent colon and ampula with level and important distension of proximal colon. Colonoscopic study with impossibility to advance endoscopy throw colon transverse by zone of stenosis, wasn't made a contrast study, underwent laparotomy of urgency, it was done right hemicolectomy and ileocoloanastomosis with good evolution and given of discharge fourth postsurgical day. This possibility is due to have in mind diagnoses, the treatment is surgical secondary to a high index of recidivate, nevertheless recommends the colonoscopy study accomplishment in order to discard obstructive injuries mainly cancer.

Transverse loop colostomy and colonic motility.

PubMed

Pucciani, F; Ringressi, M N; Maltinti, G; Bechi, P

2014-11-01

The motility of the defunctionalized colon, distal to transverse loop colostomy, has never been studied "in vivo." The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of transverse loop colostomy on colonic motility. Thirteen patients were examined before stoma closure by means of clinical evaluation and colonic manometry; we studied both the right and distal colon in both fasting and fed patients in order to detect motor activity. Quantitative and qualitative manometric analyses showed that the diverted colon had motor activity even if no regular colonic motor pattern was observed. The spreading of aboral propagated contractions (PCs) was sometimes recorded from the right colon to the distal colon. The response of the proximal and distal colon to a standard meal, when compared to fasting values, increased more than 40 and 35 %, respectively. Stool and gas ejections from the colostomy were never related to a particular type of colonic motility: Motor quiescence such as PCs was chaotically related to stool escape. In conclusion, motility of the defunctionalized colon is preserved in patients with transverse loop colostomy.

Immersed boundary lattice Boltzmann model based on multiple relaxation times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Jianhua; Han, Haifeng; Shi, Baochang; Guo, Zhaoli

2012-01-01

As an alterative version of the lattice Boltzmann models, the multiple relaxation time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann model introduces much less numerical boundary slip than the single relaxation time (SRT) lattice Boltzmann model if some special relationship between the relaxation time parameters is chosen. On the other hand, most current versions of the immersed boundary lattice Boltzmann method, which was first introduced by Feng and improved by many other authors, suffer from numerical boundary slip as has been investigated by Le and Zhang. To reduce such a numerical boundary slip, an immerse boundary lattice Boltzmann model based on multiple relaxation times is proposed in this paper. A special formula is given between two relaxation time parameters in the model. A rigorous analysis and the numerical experiments carried out show that the numerical boundary slip reduces dramatically by using the present model compared to the single-relaxation-time-based model.

Intuitive approach to the unified theory of spin relaxation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szolnoki, Lénárd; Dóra, Balázs; Kiss, Annamária; Fabian, Jaroslav; Simon, Ferenc

2017-12-01

Spin relaxation is conventionally discussed using two different approaches for materials with and without inversion symmetry. The former is known as the Elliott-Yafet (EY) theory and for the latter the D'yakonov-Perel' (DP) theory applies. We discuss herein a simple and intuitive approach to demonstrate that the two seemingly disparate mechanisms are closely related. A compelling analogy between the respective Hamiltonians is presented, and that the usual derivation of spin-relaxation times, in the respective frameworks of the two theories, can be performed. The result also allows us to obtain less canonical spin-relaxation regimes, i.e. the generalization of the EY when the material has a large quasiparticle broadening, and the DP mechanism in ultrapure semiconductors. The method also allows a practical and intuitive numerical implementation of the spin-relaxation calculation, which is demonstrated for MgB2, which has anomalous spin-relaxation properties.

[Relaxant effects of protopine on smooth muscles].

PubMed

Huang, Y H; Zhang, Z Z; Jiang, J X

1991-01-01

The relaxant effects of protopine (Pro) on smooth muscles were studied by recording isotonic contraction and radioimmunoassay. Pro relaxed the contraction of rabbit thoracic aorta, mesenteric artery, portal vein and guinea pig ileum and taenia colon induced by high K+ (70 mmol.L-1). Pro also inhibited the contraction of rabbit thoracic aorta, mesenteric artery, portal vein induced by NE (0.3 mumol.L-1) and guinea pig taenia colon induced by BaCl2 (1 mmol.L-1). Pro inhibited the intracellular Ca2+ release, but did not inhibit Ca2+ influx induced by NE. These results suggested that the smooth muscle relaxant mechanism of action of Pro may be the inhibition of intracellular Ca2+ release.

Transverse Sinus Stenosis in Adult Patients With Chiari Malformation Type I

PubMed Central

Saindane, Amit M.; Bruce, Beau B.; Desai, Nilesh K.; Roller, Lauren A.; Newman, Nancy J.; Biousse, Valérie

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE Transverse sinus stenosis is an imaging finding very highly associated with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Patients with the Chiari I malformation may potentially have elevated ICP due to impairment of CSF flow at the foramen magnum. This study evaluated whether patients with Chiari I malformation have transverse sinus stenosis and other imaging findings indicative of elevated ICP. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty patients with Chiari I malformation treated surgically and 76 control subjects were identified retrospectively. All control subjects and all patients with Chiari I malformation (preoperatively) underwent standardized contrast-enhanced brain MRI including a contrast-enhanced 3D T1-weighted sequence from which curved reformats of the transverse sinuses were generated. Two different readers blinded to the diagnosis then independently evaluated these curved reformats for severity of transverse sinus stenosis. Orbital and skull-base findings previously described in association with elevated ICP were also evaluated. Frequency of MRI findings between the two groups was compared. RESULTS Patients with Chiari I malformation had significantly greater frequency of unilateral or bilateral transverse sinus stenosis than did control subjects (p < 0.001). There was complete interreader agreement on presence or absence of transverse sinus stenosis by patient (κ = 1.0 [95% CI, 0.89–1.0]). Logistic regression analysis controlling for age, sex, and body mass index found that transverse sinus stenosis significantly predicted Chiari I malformation versus control status (odds ratio, 11.2 [95% CI, 2.1–59.0]; p = 0.004) but that no other features were significantly associated with the Chiari I malformation. Patients with Chiari I malformation who had transverse sinus stenosis had significantly greater pituitary flattening than did those without transverse sinus stenosis (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION Patients with Chiari I malformation have higher likelihood of trans-verse

Transverse sinus stenosis in adult patients with Chiari malformation type I.

PubMed

Saindane, Amit M; Bruce, Beau B; Desai, Nilesh K; Roller, Lauren A; Newman, Nancy J; Biousse, Valérie

2014-10-01

Transverse sinus stenosis is an imaging finding very highly associated with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Patients with the Chiari I malformation may potentially have elevated ICP due to impairment of CSF flow at the foramen magnum. This study evaluated whether patients with Chiari I malformation have transverse sinus stenosis and other imaging findings indicative of elevated ICP. Thirty patients with Chiari I malformation treated surgically and 76 control subjects were identified retrospectively. All control subjects and all patients with Chiari I malformation (preoperatively) underwent standardized contrast-enhanced brain MRI including a contrast-enhanced 3D T1-weighted sequence from which curved reformats of the transverse sinuses were generated. Two different readers blinded to the diagnosis then independently evaluated these curved reformats for severity of transverse sinus stenosis. Orbital and skull-base findings previously described in association with elevated ICP were also evaluated. Frequency of MRI findings between the two groups was compared. Patients with Chiari I malformation had significantly greater frequency of unilateral or bilateral transverse sinus stenosis than did control subjects (p < 0.001). There was complete interreader agreement on presence or absence of transverse sinus stenosis by patient (κ = 1.0 [95% CI, 0.89-1.0]). Logistic regression analysis controlling for age, sex, and body mass index found that transverse sinus stenosis significantly predicted Chiari I malformation versus control status (odds ratio, 11.2 [95% CI, 2.1-59.0]; p = 0.004) but that no other features were significantly associated with the Chiari I malformation. Patients with Chiari I malformation who had transverse sinus stenosis had significantly greater pituitary flattening than did those without transverse sinus stenosis (p = 0.02). Patients with Chiari I malformation have higher likelihood of transverse sinus stenosis, which may reflect associated

Relaxation techniques for stress

MedlinePlus

... of your body. These sensors measure your skin temperature, brain waves, breathing, and muscle activity. You can ... more about any of these techniques through local classes, books, videos, or online. Alternative Names Relaxation response ...

Relaxation Techniques.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

Colonel Robert Fowler for sponsoring this project, Major Richard Hartson for diligently editing each draft and the men of ACSC Seminar A-li ( Mix 1...and AWC Seminar 15 ( Mix 1) for encouraging the author to introduce relaxation techniques to other military officers through this videotape. Special...anytime and without having to stop what you’re doing. The individuals were usually surprised at how easily deep breathing initiated a feeling of

Bias-induced modulation of ultrafast carrier dynamics in metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maekawa, Keisuke; Yanagi, Kazuhiro; Minami, Yasuo; Kitajima, Masahiro; Katayama, Ikufumi; Takeda, Jun

2018-02-01

The gate bias dependence of excited-state relaxation dynamics in metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) was investigated using pump-probe transient absorption spectroscopy coupled with electrochemical doping through an ionic liquid. The transient transmittance decayed exponentially with the pump-probe delay time, whose value could be tuned via the Fermi-level modulation of Dirac electrons under a bias voltage. The obtained relaxation time was the shortest when the Fermi level was at the Dirac point of the MCNTs, and exhibited a U-shaped dependence on the bias voltage. Because optical dipole transitions between the Dirac bands are forbidden in MCNTs, the observed dynamics were attributed to carrier relaxation from the E11 band to the Dirac band. Using a model that considers the suppression of electron-electron scattering (impact ionization) due to Pauli blocking, we could qualitatively explain the obtained bias dependence of the relaxation time.

Muscle force depends on the amount of transversal muscle loading.

PubMed

Siebert, Tobias; Till, Olaf; Stutzig, Norman; Günther, Michael; Blickhan, Reinhard

2014-06-03

Skeletal muscles are embedded in an environment of other muscles, connective tissue, and bones, which may transfer transversal forces to the muscle tissue, thereby compressing it. In a recent study we demonstrated that transversal loading of a muscle with 1.3Ncm(-2) reduces maximum isometric force (Fim) and rate of force development by approximately 5% and 25%, respectively. The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of increasing transversal muscle loading on contraction dynamics. Therefore, we performed isometric experiments on rat M. gastrocnemius medialis (n=9) without and with five different transversal loads corresponding to increasing pressures of 1.3Ncm(-2) to 5.3Ncm(-2) at the contact area between muscle and load. Muscle loading was induced by a custom-made plunger which was able to move in transversal direction. Increasing transversal muscle loading resulted in an almost linear decrease in muscle force from 4.8±1.8% to 12.8±2% Fim. Compared to an unloaded isometric contraction, rate of force development decreased from 20.2±4.0% at 1.3Ncm(-2) muscle loading to 34.6±5.7% at 5.3Ncm(-2). Experimental observation of the impact of transversal muscle loading on contraction dynamics may help to better understand muscle tissue properties. Moreover, applying transversal loads to muscles opens a window to analyze three-dimensional muscle force generation. Data presented in this study may be important to develop and validate muscle models which enable simulation of muscle contractions under compression and enlighten the mechanisms behind. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relaxation of Isolated Ventricular Cardiomyocytes by a Voltage-Dependent Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bridge, John H. B.; Spitzer, Kenneth W.; Ershler, Philip R.

1988-08-01

Cell contraction and relaxation were measured in single voltage-clamped guinea pig cardiomyocytes to investigate the contribution of sarcolemmal Na+-Ca2+ exchange to mechanical relaxation. Cells clamped from -80 to 0 millivolts displayed initial phasic and subsequent tonic contractions; caffeine reduced or abolished the phasic and enlarged the tonic contraction. The rate of relaxation from tonic contractions was steeply voltage-dependent and was significantly slowed in the absence of a sarcolemmal Na+ gradient. Tonic contractions elicited in the absence of a Na+ gradient promptly relaxed when external Na+ was applied, reflecting activation of Na+-Ca2+ exchange. It appears that a voltage-dependent Na+-Ca2+ exchange can rapidly mechanically relax mammalian heart muscle.

MHD simulation of relaxation transition to a flipped relaxed state in spherical torus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanki, Takashi; Nagata, Masayoshi; Kagei, Yasuhiro

2008-11-01

Recently, it has been demonstrated in the HIST device that in spite of the violation of the Kruskal-Shafranov stability condition, a normal spherical torus (ST) plasma has relaxed to a flipped ST state through a transient reversed-field pinch-like state when the vacuum toroidal field is decreased and its direction is reversed [1]. It has been also observed during this relaxation transition process that not only the toroidal field but also the poloidal field reverses polarity spontaneously and that the ion flow velocity is strongly fluctuated and abruptly increased up to > 50 km/s. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the plasma flows and the relevant MHD relaxation phenomena to elucidate this transition mechanism by using three-dimensional MHD simulations [2]. It is found from the numerical results that the magnetic reconnection between the open and closed field lines occurs due to the non-linear growth of the n=1 kink instability of the central open flux, generating the toroidal flow ˜ 60 km/s in the direction of the toroidal current. The n=1 kink instability and the plasma flows driven by the magnetic reconnection are consider to be responsible for the self-reversal of the magnetic fields. [1] M. Nagata el al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 225001 (2003). [2] Y. Kagei el al., Plasma. Phys. Control. Fusion 45, L17 (2003).

Lipid Emulsion Attenuates Acetylcholine-Induced Relaxation in Isolated Rat Aorta

PubMed Central

Ok, Seong-Ho; Lee, Soo Hee; Yu, Jongsun; Park, Jungchul; Shin, Il-Woo; Lee, Youngju; Cho, Hyunhoo; Choi, Mun-Jeoung; Baik, Jiseok; Hong, Jeong-Min; Han, Jeong Yeol; Lee, Heon Keun; Chung, Young-Kyun; Sohn, Ju-Tae

2015-01-01

We investigated the effect of Lipofundin MCT/LCT and Intralipid on acetylcholine-induced nitric oxide- (NO-) mediated relaxation in rat aorta to determine which lipid emulsion (LE) is more potent in terms of inhibition of NO-induced relaxation. Dose-response curves of responses induced by acetylcholine, the calcium ionophore A23187, and sodium nitroprusside were generated using isolated rat aorta with or without LE. The effect of Lipofundin MCT/LCT on acetylcholine-induced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was investigated using western blotting. Lipofundin MCT/LCT (0.1 and 0.2%) attenuated acetylcholine-induced relaxation in endothelium-intact aorta with or without tiron, whereas 0.2% Intralipid only inhibited relaxation. Lipofundin MCT/LCT inhibited relaxation induced by the calcium ionophore A23187 and sodium nitroprusside in endothelium-intact aorta, but Lipofundin MCT/LCT had no effect on sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation in the endothelium-denuded aorta. Combined pretreatment with l-arginine plus Lipofundin MCT/LCT increased acetylcholine-induced maximal relaxation in endothelium-intact aorta compared with Lipofundin MCT/LCT alone. l-Arginine attenuated Lipofundin MCT/LCT-mediated inhibition of acetylcholine-induced eNOS phosphorylation in HUVECs. Taken together, Lipofundin MCT/LCT attenuated acetylcholine-induced NO-mediated relaxation via an inhibitory effect on the endothelium including eNOS, which is proximal to activation of guanylyl cyclase. PMID:26273653

Lipid Emulsion Attenuates Acetylcholine-Induced Relaxation in Isolated Rat Aorta.

PubMed

Ok, Seong-Ho; Lee, Soo Hee; Yu, Jongsun; Park, Jungchul; Shin, Il-Woo; Lee, Youngju; Cho, Hyunhoo; Choi, Mun-Jeoung; Baik, Jiseok; Hong, Jeong-Min; Han, Jeong Yeol; Lee, Heon Keun; Chung, Young-Kyun; Sohn, Ju-Tae

2015-01-01

We investigated the effect of Lipofundin MCT/LCT and Intralipid on acetylcholine-induced nitric oxide- (NO-) mediated relaxation in rat aorta to determine which lipid emulsion (LE) is more potent in terms of inhibition of NO-induced relaxation. Dose-response curves of responses induced by acetylcholine, the calcium ionophore A23187, and sodium nitroprusside were generated using isolated rat aorta with or without LE. The effect of Lipofundin MCT/LCT on acetylcholine-induced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was investigated using western blotting. Lipofundin MCT/LCT (0.1 and 0.2%) attenuated acetylcholine-induced relaxation in endothelium-intact aorta with or without tiron, whereas 0.2% Intralipid only inhibited relaxation. Lipofundin MCT/LCT inhibited relaxation induced by the calcium ionophore A23187 and sodium nitroprusside in endothelium-intact aorta, but Lipofundin MCT/LCT had no effect on sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation in the endothelium-denuded aorta. Combined pretreatment with l-arginine plus Lipofundin MCT/LCT increased acetylcholine-induced maximal relaxation in endothelium-intact aorta compared with Lipofundin MCT/LCT alone. L-Arginine attenuated Lipofundin MCT/LCT-mediated inhibition of acetylcholine-induced eNOS phosphorylation in HUVECs. Taken together, Lipofundin MCT/LCT attenuated acetylcholine-induced NO-mediated relaxation via an inhibitory effect on the endothelium including eNOS, which is proximal to activation of guanylyl cyclase.

Nuclear spin relaxation of methane in solid xenon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, Takeru; Arakawa, Ichiro; Yamakawa, Koichiro

2018-03-01

Nuclear spin relaxation of methane in solid xenon has been studied by infrared spectroscopy. From the analysis of the temporal changes of the rovibrational peaks, the rates of the nuclear spin relaxation of I = 2 ← 1 correlated to the rotational relaxation of J = 0 ← 1 were obtained at temperatures of 5.1-11.5 K. On the basis of the temperature dependence of the relaxation rate, the activation energy of the indirect two-phonon process was determined to be 50 ± 6 K, which is in good agreement with the rotational transition energies of J = 2 ← 1 and J = 3 ← 1. Taking into account this result and the spin degeneracy, we argue that the lowest J = 3 level in which the I = 1 and I = 2 states are degenerate acts as the intermediate point of the indirect process.

[Relaxation to defuse acting out for dangerous schizophrenics].

PubMed

Bogar, Mireille; Bouchard, Jean-Pierre

2015-01-01

Relaxation is often considered as a contraindication in the management of schizophrenics. An experiment carried out with dangerous schizophrenics at the unit for dangerous patients at Cadillac general hospital revealed that, on the contrary, such an opinion is not necessarily valid in all cases. Indeed, for many of these patients, relaxation can have positive effects on their clinical state. As with its other indications, relaxation must be practised by clinicians who have an in-depth knowledge of techniques to use and of mental disorders treated in that way.

Stochastic tools hidden behind the empirical dielectric relaxation laws

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanislavsky, Aleksander; Weron, Karina

2017-03-01

The paper is devoted to recent advances in stochastic modeling of anomalous kinetic processes observed in dielectric materials which are prominent examples of disordered (complex) systems. Theoretical studies of dynamical properties of ‘structures with variations’ (Goldenfield and Kadanoff 1999 Science 284 87-9) require application of such mathematical tools—by means of which their random nature can be analyzed and, independently of the details distinguishing various systems (dipolar materials, glasses, semiconductors, liquid crystals, polymers, etc), the empirical universal kinetic patterns can be derived. We begin with a brief survey of the historical background of the dielectric relaxation study. After a short outline of the theoretical ideas providing the random tools applicable to modeling of relaxation phenomena, we present probabilistic implications for the study of the relaxation-rate distribution models. In the framework of the probability distribution of relaxation rates we consider description of complex systems, in which relaxing entities form random clusters interacting with each other and single entities. Then we focus on stochastic mechanisms of the relaxation phenomenon. We discuss the diffusion approach and its usefulness for understanding of anomalous dynamics of relaxing systems. We also discuss extensions of the diffusive approach to systems under tempered random processes. Useful relationships among different stochastic approaches to the anomalous dynamics of complex systems allow us to get a fresh look at this subject. The paper closes with a final discussion on achievements of stochastic tools describing the anomalous time evolution of complex systems.

Quantification of glutathione transverse relaxation time T2 using echo time extension with variable refocusing selectivity and symmetry in the human brain at 7 Tesla

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanberg, Kelley M.; Prinsen, Hetty; Coman, Daniel; de Graaf, Robin A.; Juchem, Christoph

2018-05-01

Glutathione (GSH) is an endogenous antioxidant implicated in numerous biological processes, including those associated with multiple sclerosis, aging, and cancer. Spectral editing techniques have greatly facilitated the acquisition of glutathione signal in living humans via proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, but signal quantification at 7 Tesla is still hampered by uncertainty about the glutathione transverse decay rate T2 relative to those of commonly employed quantitative references like N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), total creatine, or water. While the T2 of uncoupled singlets can be derived in a straightforward manner from exponential signal decay as a function of echo time, similar estimation of signal decay in GSH is complicated by a spin system that involves both weak and strong J-couplings as well as resonances that overlap those of several other metabolites and macromolecules. Here, we extend a previously published method for quantifying the T2 of GABA, a weakly coupled system, to quantify T2 of the strongly coupled spin system glutathione in the human brain at 7 Tesla. Using full density matrix simulation of glutathione signal behavior, we selected an array of eight optimized echo times between 72 and 322 ms for glutathione signal acquisition by J-difference editing (JDE). We varied the selectivity and symmetry parameters of the inversion pulses used for echo time extension to further optimize the intensity, simplicity, and distinctiveness of glutathione signals at chosen echo times. Pairs of selective adiabatic inversion pulses replaced nonselective pulses at three extended echo times, and symmetry of the time intervals between the two extension pulses was adjusted at one extended echo time to compensate for J-modulation, thereby resulting in appreciable signal-to-noise ratio and quantifiable signal shapes at all measured points. Glutathione signal across all echo times fit smooth monoexponential curves over ten scans of occipital cortex voxels in nine

Is Relaxation Training Effective in the Treatment of Clinical Depression?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaty, Lee A.

The process of relaxation is a complex triarchic phenomenon that incorporates behavioral, cognitive, and physiological components. Existing literature is surveyed in order to determine the efficacy of treating various forms of depression with cognitive-behavioral relaxation strategies. Relaxation training has been shown to be effective in treating…

An endochronic theory for transversely isotropic fibrous composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pindera, M. J.; Herakovich, C. T.

1981-01-01

A rational methodology of modelling both nonlinear and elastic dissipative response of transversely isotropic fibrous composites is developed and illustrated with the aid of the observed response of graphite-polyimide off-axis coupons. The methodology is based on the internal variable formalism employed within the text of classical irreversible thermodynamics and entails extension of Valanis' endochronic theory to transversely isotropic media. Applicability of the theory to prediction of various response characteristics of fibrous composites is illustrated by accurately modelling such often observed phenomena as: stiffening reversible behavior along fiber direction; dissipative response in shear and transverse tension characterized by power-laws with different hardening exponents; permanent strain accumulation; nonlinear unloading and reloading; and stress-interaction effects.

Dynamical relaxation in 2HDM models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lalak, Zygmunt; Markiewicz, Adam

2018-03-01

Dynamical relaxation provides an interesting solution to the hierarchy problem in face of the missing signatures of any new physics in recent experiments. Through a dynamical process taking place in the inflationary phase of the Universe it manages to achieve a small electroweak scale without introducing new states observable in current experiments. Appropriate approximation makes it possible to derive an explicit formula for the final vevs in the double-scanning scenario extended to a model with two Higgs doublets (2HDM). Analysis of the relaxation in the 2HDM confirms that in a general case it is impossible to keep vevs of both scalars small, unless fine-tuning is present or additional symmetries are cast upon the Lagrangian. Within the slightly constrained variant of the 2HDM, where odd powers of the fields’ expectation values are not present (which can be easily enforced by requiring that the doublets have different gauge transformations or by imposing a global symmetry) it is shown that the difference between the vevs of two scalars tends to be proportional to the cutoff. The analysis of the relaxation in 2HDM indicates that in a general case the relaxation would be stopped by the first doublet that gains a vev, with the other one remaining vevless with a mass of the order of the cutoff. This happens to conform with the inert doublet model.

Transverse Quark Spin Effects in SIDIS and Drell Yan Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamberg, Leonard

2006-10-01

The connection between quark orbital angular momentum and final state interactions for transversely polarized quarks in unpolarized hadrons suggests significant azimuthal asymmetries in pion production in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) (e p->e^'X π) as well as in di- lepton production in Drell Yan (p p->&+circ;&-circ;X and &-circ;p->&+circ;&-circ;X) scattering. When transverse momentum of the reaction, PT is on the order of or less than λqcd, that is PT˜kT where kT is intrinsic transverse quark momentum, these effects are characterized in term of naive time reversal odd (so called T-odd) transverse momentum dependent (TMD) parton distribution and fragmentation functions. At these moderate transverse momentum scales we estimate the size of the 2φ azimuthal asymmetry in SIDIS and Drell Yan scattering in the parton spectator framework. In the former case we consider this so called ``Boer-Mulders'' effect for a proposed experiment at the upgraded CLAS-12 GeV detector at Jefferson LAB. In the latter case we consider this asymmetry for proton anti-proton collider, as well as π nucleon fixed target experiments. We also consider competing contributions to these asymmetries from perturbative QCD (pQCD) contributions which emerge when PT> λqcd. Evidence of a strong dependence on transverse momentum would indicate the presence of T-odd structures in unpolarized SIDIS and Drell Yan scattering, implying that transversity properties of the nucleon can be accessed without invoking beam or target polarization.

Arresting relaxation in Pickering Emulsions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atherton, Tim; Burke, Chris

2015-03-01

Pickering emulsions consist of droplets of one fluid dispersed in a host fluid and stabilized by colloidal particles absorbed at the fluid-fluid interface. Everyday materials such as crude oil and food products like salad dressing are examples of these materials. Particles can stabilize non spherical droplet shapes in these emulsions through the following sequence: first, an isolated droplet is deformed, e.g. by an electric field, increasing the surface area above the equilibrium value; additional particles are then adsorbed to the interface reducing the surface tension. The droplet is then allowed to relax toward a sphere. If more particles were adsorbed than can be accommodated by the surface area of the spherical ground state, relaxation of the droplet is arrested at some non-spherical shape. Because the energetic cost of removing adsorbed colloids exceeds the interfacial driving force, these configurations can remain stable over long timescales. In this presentation, we present a computational study of the ordering present in anisotropic droplets produced through the mechanism of arrested relaxation and discuss the interplay between the geometry of the droplet, the dynamical process that produced it, and the structure of the defects observed.

Resistivity scaling and electron relaxation times in metallic nanowires

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moors, Kristof, E-mail: kristof@itf.fys.kuleuven.be; Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven; Sorée, Bart

2014-08-14

We study the resistivity scaling in nanometer-sized metallic wires due to surface roughness and grain-boundaries, currently the main cause of electron scattering in nanoscaled interconnects. The resistivity has been obtained with the Boltzmann transport equation, adopting the relaxation time approximation of the distribution function and the effective mass approximation for the conducting electrons. The relaxation times are calculated exactly, using Fermi's golden rule, resulting in a correct relaxation time for every sub-band state contributing to the transport. In general, the relaxation time strongly depends on the sub-band state, something that remained unclear with the methods of previous work. The resistivitymore » scaling is obtained for different roughness and grain-boundary properties, showing large differences in scaling behavior and relaxation times. Our model clearly indicates that the resistivity is dominated by grain-boundary scattering, easily surpassing the surface roughness contribution by a factor of 10.« less

Thermally induced magnetic relaxation in square artificial spin ice.

PubMed

Andersson, M S; Pappas, S D; Stopfel, H; Östman, E; Stein, A; Nordblad, P; Mathieu, R; Hjörvarsson, B; Kapaklis, V

2016-11-24

The properties of natural and artificial assemblies of interacting elements, ranging from Quarks to Galaxies, are at the heart of Physics. The collective response and dynamics of such assemblies are dictated by the intrinsic dynamical properties of the building blocks, the nature of their interactions and topological constraints. Here we report on the relaxation dynamics of the magnetization of artificial assemblies of mesoscopic spins. In our model nano-magnetic system - square artificial spin ice - we are able to control the geometrical arrangement and interaction strength between the magnetically interacting building blocks by means of nano-lithography. Using time resolved magnetometry we show that the relaxation process can be described using the Kohlrausch law and that the extracted temperature dependent relaxation times of the assemblies follow the Vogel-Fulcher law. The results provide insight into the relaxation dynamics of mesoscopic nano-magnetic model systems, with adjustable energy and time scales, and demonstrates that these can serve as an ideal playground for the studies of collective dynamics and relaxations.

Thermally induced magnetic relaxation in square artificial spin ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andersson, M. S.; Pappas, S. D.; Stopfel, H.; Östman, E.; Stein, A.; Nordblad, P.; Mathieu, R.; Hjörvarsson, B.; Kapaklis, V.

2016-11-01

The properties of natural and artificial assemblies of interacting elements, ranging from Quarks to Galaxies, are at the heart of Physics. The collective response and dynamics of such assemblies are dictated by the intrinsic dynamical properties of the building blocks, the nature of their interactions and topological constraints. Here we report on the relaxation dynamics of the magnetization of artificial assemblies of mesoscopic spins. In our model nano-magnetic system - square artificial spin ice - we are able to control the geometrical arrangement and interaction strength between the magnetically interacting building blocks by means of nano-lithography. Using time resolved magnetometry we show that the relaxation process can be described using the Kohlrausch law and that the extracted temperature dependent relaxation times of the assemblies follow the Vogel-Fulcher law. The results provide insight into the relaxation dynamics of mesoscopic nano-magnetic model systems, with adjustable energy and time scales, and demonstrates that these can serve as an ideal playground for the studies of collective dynamics and relaxations.

Mechanism of resveratrol-induced relaxation in the human gallbladder.

PubMed

Tsai, Ching-Chung; Lee, Ming-Che; Tey, Shu-Leei; Liu, Ching-Wen; Huang, Shih-Che

2017-05-08

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound extracted from plants and is also a constituent of red wine. Resveratrol produces relaxation of vascular smooth muscle and may prevent cardiovascular diseases. Although resveratrol has been reported to cause relaxation of the guinea pig gallbladder, limited data are available about the effect of resveratrol on the gallbladder smooth muscle in humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relaxation effects of resveratrol in human gallbladder muscle strips. We studied the relaxant effects of resveratrol in human gallbladder. In addition, we also investigated mechanism of resveratrol-induced relaxation in human gallbladder by tetraethylammonium (a non-selective potassium channels blocker), iberiotoxin (an inhibitor of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel), glibenclamide (an ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker), charybdotoxin (an inhibitor of large conductance calcium-activated potassium channels and slowly inactivating voltage-gated potassium channels), apamine (a selective inhibitor of the small conductance calcium-activated potassium channel), KT 5720 (a cAMP-dependent protein kinase A inhibitor), KT 5823 (a cGMP-dependent protein kinase G inhibitor), NG-Nitro-L-arginine (a competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase), tetrodotoxin (a selective neuronal Na + channel blocker), and ω-conotoxin GVIA (a selective neuronal Ca 2+ channel blocker). The present study showed that resveratrol has relaxant effects in human gallbladder muscle strips. In addition, we found that resveratrol-induced relaxation in human gallbladder is associated with nitric oxide, ATP-sensitive potassium channel, and large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel pathways. This study provides the first evidence concerning the relaxant effects of resveratrol in human gallbladder muscle strips. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that resveratrol is a potential new drug or health supplement in the treatment of

Molecular modeling of the microstructure evolution during carbon fiber processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desai, Saaketh; Li, Chunyu; Shen, Tongtong; Strachan, Alejandro

2017-12-01

The rational design of carbon fibers with desired properties requires quantitative relationships between the processing conditions, microstructure, and resulting properties. We developed a molecular model that combines kinetic Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics techniques to predict the microstructure evolution during the processes of carbonization and graphitization of polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers. The model accurately predicts the cross-sectional microstructure of the fibers with the molecular structure of the stabilized PAN fibers and physics-based chemical reaction rates as the only inputs. The resulting structures exhibit key features observed in electron microcopy studies such as curved graphitic sheets and hairpin structures. In addition, computed X-ray diffraction patterns are in good agreement with experiments. We predict the transverse moduli of the resulting fibers between 1 GPa and 5 GPa, in good agreement with experimental results for high modulus fibers and slightly lower than those of high-strength fibers. The transverse modulus is governed by sliding between graphitic sheets, and the relatively low value for the predicted microstructures can be attributed to their perfect longitudinal texture. Finally, the simulations provide insight into the relationships between chemical kinetics and the final microstructure; we observe that high reaction rates result in porous structures with lower moduli.

NMR relaxation studies in doped poly-3-methylthiophene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, K. Jugeshwar; Clark, W. G.; Gaidos, G.; Reyes, A. P.; Kuhns, P.; Thompson, J. D.; Menon, R.; Ramesh, K. P.

2015-05-01

NMR relaxation rates (1 /T1 ), magnetic susceptibility, and electrical conductivity studies in doped poly-3-methylthiophene are reported in this paper. The magnetic susceptibility data show the contributions from both Pauli and Curie spins, with the size of the Pauli term depending strongly on the doping level. Proton and fluorine NMR relaxation rates have been studied as a function of temperature (3-300 K) and field (for protons at 0.9, 9.0, 16.4, and 23.4 T, and for fluorine at 9.0 T). The temperature dependence of T1 is classified into three regimes: (a) For T <(g μBB /2 kB ) , the relaxation mechanism follows a modified Korringa relation due to electron-electron interactions and disorder. 1H - T1 is due to the electron-nuclear dipolar interaction in addition to the contact term. (b) For the intermediate temperature range (g μBB /2 kB ) relaxation mechanism is via spin diffusion to the paramagnetic centers. (c) In the high-temperature regime and at low Larmor frequency the relaxation follows the modified Bloembergen, Purcell, and Pound model. T1 data analysis has been carried out in light of these models depending upon the temperature and frequency range of study. Fluorine relaxation data have been analyzed and attributed to the P F6 reorientation. The cross relaxation among the 1H and 19F nuclei has been observed in the entire temperature range suggesting the role of magnetic dipolar interaction modulated by the reorientation of the symmetric molecular subgroups. The data analysis shows that the enhancement in the Korringa ratio is greater in a less conducting sample. Intra- and interchain hopping of charge carriers is found to be a dominant relaxation mechanism at low temperature. Frequency dependence of T1-1 on temperature shows that at low temperature [T <(g μBB /2 kB ) ] the system shows three dimensions and changes to quasi one dimension at

Thermodynamic stability and relaxation studies of small, triaza-macrocyclic Mn(II) chelates.

PubMed

de Sá, Arsénio; Bonnet, Célia S; Geraldes, Carlos F G C; Tóth, Éva; Ferreira, Paula M T; André, João P

2013-04-07

Due to its favorable relaxometric properties, Mn(2+) is an appealing metal ion for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of three new triazadicarboxylate-type ligands and their Mn(2+) chelates (NODAHep, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-diacetate-7-heptanil; NODABA, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-diacetate-7-benzoic acid; and NODAHA, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-diacetate-7-hexanoic acid). The protonation constants of the ligands and the stability constants of the chelates formed with Mn(2+) and the endogenous Zn(2+) ion have been determined by potentiometry. In overall, the thermodynamic stability of the chelates is lower than that of the corresponding NOTA analogues (NOTA = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetate), consistent with the decreased number of coordinating carboxylate groups. Variable temperature (1)H NMRD and (17)O NMR measurements have been performed on the paramagnetic chelates to provide information on the water exchange rates and the rotational dynamics. The values of the (17)O chemical shifts are consistent with the presence of one water molecule in the first coordination sphere of Mn(2+). The three complexes are in the slow to intermediate regime for the water exchange rate, and they all display relatively high rotational correlation times, which explain the relaxivity values between 4.7 and 5.8 mM(-1) s(-1) (20 MHz and 298 K). These relaxivities are higher than expected for Mn(2+) chelates of such size and comparable to those of small monohydrated Gd(3+) complexes. The amphiphilic [Mn(NODAHep)] forms micelles above 22 mM (its critical micellar concentration was determined by relaxometry and fluorescence), and interacts with HSA via its alkylic carbon chain providing a 60% relaxivity increase at 20 MHz due to a longer tumbling time.

Cole-Cole broadening in dielectric relaxation and strange kinetics.

PubMed

Puzenko, Alexander; Ishai, Paul Ben; Feldman, Yuri

2010-07-16

We present a fresh appraisal of the Cole-Cole (CC) description of dielectric relaxation. While the approach is phenomenological, it demonstrates a fundamental connection between the parameters of the CC dispersion. Based on the fractal nature of the time set representing the interaction of the relaxing dipole with its encompassing matrix, and the Kirkwood-Froehlich correlation factor, a new 3D phase space linking together the kinetic and structural properties is proposed. The evolution of the relaxation process is represented in this phase space by a trajectory, which is determined by the variation of external macroscopic parameters. As an example, the validity of the approach is demonstrated on two porous silica glasses exhibiting a CC relaxation process.

Vogel-Fulcher dependence of relaxation rates in a nematic monomer and elastomer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shenoy, D.; Filippov, S.; Aliev, F.; Keller, P.; Thomsen, D.; Ratna, B.

2000-12-01

Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy is used to study the relaxation processes in a nematic monomer and the corresponding cross-linked polymer nematic liquid crystal (elastomer). In the frequency window 10 mHz to 2 GHz the monomer liquid crystal shows a single relaxation whereas the polymer exhibits three relaxation processes, two of which are quantitatively analyzed. The temperature dependence of relaxation times in both the monomer and polymer follows a Vogel-Fulcher behavior. The relaxation processes are identified with specific molecular motions and activation energies are calculated in a linear approximation for comparison with literature data.

Rapidity, azimuthal, and multiplicity dependence of mean transverse momentum and transverse momentum correlations in {pi}{sup +}p and K{sup +}p collisions in {radical}(s)=22 GeV