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Solar sails provide ignificant advantages over other low-thrust propulsion systems because they produce thrust by the momentum exchange from solar radiation pressure (SRP) and thus do not consume any propellant.The force exerted on a very thin sail foil basically depends on the light incidence angle. Several analytical SRP force models that describe the SRP force acting on the sail have been established since the 1970s. All the widely used models use constant optical force coefficients of the reflecting sail material. In 2006,MENGALI et al. proposed a refined SRP force model that takes into account the dependancy of the force coefficients on the light incident angle,the sail’s distance from the sun (and thus the sail emperature) and the surface roughness of the sail material [1]. In this paper, the refined SRP force model is compared to the previous ones in order to identify the potential impact of the new model on the predicted capabilities of solar sails in performing low-cost interplanetary space missions. All force models have been implemented within InTrance, a global low-thrust trajectory optimization software utilizing evolutionary neurocontrol [2]. Two interplanetary rendezvous missions, to Mercury and the near-Earth asteroid 1996FG3, are investigated. Two solar sail performances in terms of characteristic acceleration are examined for both scenarios, 0.2 mm/s2 and 0.5 mm/s2, termed “low” and “medium” sail performance. In case of the refined SRP model, three different values of surface roughness are chosen, h = 0 nm, 10 nm and 25 nm. The results show that the refined SRP force model yields shorter transfer times than the standard model.
As the field strength and, therefore, the operational frequency in MRI is increased, the wavelength approaches the size of the human head/body, resulting in wave effects, which cause signal decreases and dropouts. Several multichannel approaches have been proposed to try to tackle these problems, including RF shimming, where each element in an array is driven by its own amplifier and modulated with a certain (constant) amplitude and phase relative to the other elements, and Transmit SENSE, where spatially tailored RF pulses are used. In this article, a relatively inexpensive and easy to use imaging scheme for 7 Tesla imaging is proposed to mitigate signal voids due to B1 field inhomogeneity. Two time-interleaved images are acquired using a different excitation mode for each. By forming virtual receive elements, both images are reconstructed together using GRAPPA to achieve a more homogeneous image, with only small SNR and SAR penalty in head and body imaging at 7 Tesla.
Purpose:
MRI plays a leading diagnostic role in assessing the musculoskeletal (MSK) system and is well established for most questions at clinically used field strengths (up to 3 T). However, there are still limitations in imaging early stages of cartilage degeneration, very fine tendons and ligaments, or in locating nerve lesions, for example. 7 T MRI of the knee has already received increasing attention in the current published literature, but there is a strong need to develop new radiofrequency (RF) coils to assess more regions of the MSK system. In this work, an eight-channel transmit/receive RF array was built as a multipurpose coil for imaging some of the thus far neglected regions. An extensive coil characterization protocol and first in vivo results of the human wrist, shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle imaged at 7 T will be presented.
Methods:
Eight surface loop coils with a dimension ofurn:x-wiley:00942405:media:mp7176:mp7176-math-0001 were machined from FR4 circuit board material. To facilitate easy positioning, two coil clusters, each with four loop elements, were combined to one RF transmit/receive array. An overlapped and shifted arrangement of the coil elements was chosen to reduce the mutual inductance between neighboring coils. A phantom made of body-simulating liquid was used for tuning and matching on the bench. Afterward, the S-parameters were verified on a human wrist, elbow, and shoulder. For safety validation, a detailed compliance test was performed including full wave simulations of the RF field distribution and the corresponding specific absorption rate (SAR) for all joints. In vivo images of four volunteers were assessed with gradient echo and spin echo sequences modified to obtain optimal image contrast, full anatomic coverage, and the highest spatial resolution within a reasonable acquisition time. The performance of the RF coil was additionally evaluated by in vivo B1 mapping.
Results:
A comparison of B1 per unit power, flip angle distribution, and anatomic images showed a fairly homogeneous excitation for the smaller joints (elbow, wrist, and ankle), while for the larger joints, the shoulder and especially the knee, B1 inhomogeneities and limited penetration depth were more pronounced. However, the greater part of the shoulder joint could be imaged.In vivo images rendered very fine anatomic details such as fascicles of the median nerve and the branching of the nerve bundles. High-resolution images of cartilage, labrum, and tendons could be acquired. Additionally, turbo spin echo (TSE) and inversion recovery sequences performed very well.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrates that the concept of two four-channel transmit/receive RF arrays can be used as a multipurpose coil for high-resolutionin vivo MR imaging of the musculoskeletal system at 7 T. Not only gradient echo but also typical clinical and SAR-intensive sequences such as STIR and TSE performed well. Imaging of small structures and peripheral nerves could in particular benefit from this technique.
Purpose
To assess potential cognitive deficits under the influence of static magnetic fields at various field strengths some studies already exist. These studies were not focused on attention as the most vulnerable cognitive function. Additionally, mostly no magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences were performed.
Materials and Methods
In all, 25 right-handed men were enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent one MRI examination of 63 minutes at 1.5 T and one at 7 T within an interval of 10 to 30 days. The order of the examinations was randomized. Subjects were referred to six standardized neuropsychological tests strictly focused on attention immediately before and after each MRI examination. Differences in neuropsychological variables between the timepoints before and after each MRI examination were assessed and P-values were calculated
Results
Only six subtests revealed significant differences between pre- and post-MRI. In these tests the subjects achieved better results in post-MRI testing than in pre-MRI testing (P = 0.013–0.032). The other tests revealed no significant results.
Conclusion
The improvement in post-MRI testing is only explicable as a result of learning effects. MRI examinations, even in ultrahigh-field scanners, do not seem to have any persisting influence on the attention networks of human cognition immediately after exposure.
Short term effects of magnetic resonance imaging on excitability of the motor cortex at 1.5T and 7T
(2010)
Rationale and Objectives
The increasing spread of high-field and ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners has encouraged new discussion of the safety aspects of MRI. Few studies have been published on possible cognitive effects of MRI examinations. The aim of this study was to examine whether changes are measurable after MRI examinations at 1.5 and 7 T by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).
Materials and Methods
TMS was performed in 12 healthy, right-handed male volunteers. First the individual motor threshold was specified, and then the cortical silent period (SP) was measured. Subsequently, the volunteers were exposed to the 1.5-T MRI scanner for 63 minutes using standard sequences. The MRI examination was immediately followed by another TMS session. Fifteen minutes later, TMS was repeated. Four weeks later, the complete setting was repeated using a 7-T scanner. Control conditions included lying in the 1.5-T scanner for 63 minutes without scanning and lying in a separate room for 63 minutes. TMS was performed in the same way in each case. For statistical analysis, Wilcoxon's rank test was performed.
Results
Immediately after MRI exposure, the SP was highly significantly prolonged in all 12 subjects at 1.5 and 7 T. The motor threshold was significantly increased. Fifteen minutes after the examination, the measured value tended toward normal again. Control conditions revealed no significant differences.
Conclusion
MRI examinations lead to a transient and highly significant alteration in cortical excitability. This effect does not seem to depend on the strength of the static magnetic field.
We consider recent reports on small-world topologies of interaction networks derived from the dynamics of spatially extended systems that are investigated in diverse scientific fields such as neurosciences, geophysics, or meteorology. With numerical simulations that mimic typical experimental situations, we have identified an important constraint when characterizing such networks: indications of a small-world topology can be expected solely due to the spatial sampling of the system along with the commonly used time series analysis based approaches to network characterization.
Objective
To investigate whether functional brain networks of epilepsy patients treated with antiepileptic medication differ from networks of healthy controls even during the seizure-free interval.
Methods
We applied different rules to construct binary and weighted networks from EEG and MEG data recorded under a resting-state eyes-open and eyes-closed condition from 21 epilepsy patients and 23 healthy controls. The average shortest path length and the clustering coefficient served as global statistical network characteristics.
Results
Independent on the behavioral condition, epileptic brains exhibited a more regular functional network structure. Similarly, the eyes-closed condition was characterized by a more regular functional network structure in both groups. The amount of network reorganization due to behavioral state changes was similar in both groups. Consistent findings could be achieved for networks derived from EEG but hardly from MEG recordings, and network construction rules had a rather strong impact on our findings.
Conclusions
Despite the locality of the investigated processes epileptic brain networks differ in their global characteristics from non-epileptic brain networks. Further methodological developments are necessary to improve the characterization of disturbed and normal functional networks.
Significance
An increased regularity and a diminished modulation capability appear characteristic of epileptic brain networks.
Epilepsy
(2010)
Die Entwicklungen der Rechtsinformatik und des Informationsrechts zeigen, dass diese Disziplinen aktuell vor der Herausforderung stehen, eine interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit zwischen ihnen und anderen Disziplinen zu etablieren. Unterschiedliche Publikationskulturen erschweren die Erreichung dieses Ziels. Forschungsportale stellen themenspezifische, internetbasierte Verzeichnisse dar, die bereits vorhandene Informationen strukturiert zugänglich machen. Sie können die Beziehungen zwischen den Disziplinen fördern, indem sie bereits erzielte Arbeitsergebnisse disziplinenübergreifend bekannt machen und dadurch dazu beitragen, Synergiepotenziale und mögliche Kooperationspartner zu identifizieren.
Das verbraucherschützende Widerrufsrecht ist in die Jahre gekommen. Als Ergebnis der zunehmenden Rechtszersplitterung im europäischen Richtlinienrecht hat sich eine unüberschaubare Bandbreite an Ausgestaltungsformen in den mitgliedstaatlichen Rechtssystemen herausgebildet. Effektivitätseinbußen, Wettbewerbsverzerrungen und ein hohes Maß an Rechtsunsicherheit sind die Folgen. Zurückführen lässt sich die kostenintensive Fragmentierung des Verbrauchervertragsrechts auf die bisherige Regelungspolitik der Mindestharmonisierung, die es den Mitgliedstaaten erlaubt, von dem durch die Richtlinien gesetzten Mindeststandard durch „überschießende Umsetzung” abzuweichen. Der Unionsgesetzgeber versucht dem vermehrt durch einen Prozess der Vollharmonisierung zu begegnen: Neben Reformen der Richtlinie über Verbraucherkredite (VerbrKrRL) sowie der Timesharing-Richtlinie (TimesharingRL), liegt seit dem 8. Oktober 2008 nunmehr auch der Entwurf einer Rahmenrichtlinie über die Rechte der Verbraucher (VRRL-E) vor. Danach sollen die bisherigen Richtlinien über Haustürgeschäfte (HaustürgeschäfteRL), Fernabsatzverträge (FARL), missbräuchliche Klauseln sowie Verbrauchsgüterkäufe vereinigt werden. Für das verbraucherschützende Widerrufsrecht ist damit zum einen die Herausbildung einheitlicher Kernelemente verbunden, zum anderen tritt es in Konkurrenz zu umfassenden Informationspflichten, die ebenfalls den Schutz des Verbrauchers vor dem unüberlegten Abschluss riskanter bzw. nachteiliger Verträge zum Ziel haben.
Angesichts dieser Entwicklung stellt sich im Folgenden die Frage nach der Zukunft des unionsrechtlichen Widerrufsrechts. Von besonderer Bedeutung ist dabei die Klärung des Verhältnisses zu den verbraucherschützenden Informationspflichten. Dazu bedarf es zunächst der Herausarbeitung einheitlicher Kernelemente des Widerrufsrechts im vollharmonisierten Richtlinienrecht (II.) sowie einer Systematisierung der sekundärrechtlichen Informationspflichten im Anschluss eine kritische Gegenüberstellung der Vor- und Nachteile beider Schutzinstrumente erfolgen kann (IV.).
Biofuels potentially interesting also for aviation purposes are predominantly liquid fuels produced from biomass. The most common biofuels today are biodiesel and bioethanol. Since diesel engines are rather rare in aviation this survey is focusing on ethanol admixed to gasoline products.
The Directive 2003/30/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of May 8th 2003 on the promotion of the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels for transport encourage a growing admixture of biogenic fuel components to fossil automotive gasoline. Some aircraft models equipped with spark ignited piston engines are approved for operation with automotive gasoline, frequently called “MOGAS” (motor gasoline). The majority of those approvals is limited to MOGAS compositions that do not contain methanol or ethanol beyond negligible amounts. In the past years (bio-)MTBE or (bio-)ETBE have been widely used as blending component of automotive gasoline whilst the usage of low-molecular alcohols like methanol or ethanol has been avoided due to the handling problems especially with regard to the strong affinity for water. With rising mandatory bio-admixtures the conversion of the basic biogenic ethanol to ETBE, causing a reduction of energetic payoff, becomes more and more unattractive. Therefore the direct ethanol admixture is accordingly favoured.
Due to the national enforcements of the directive 2003/30/EC more oxygenates produced from organic materials like bioethanol have started to appear in automotive gasolines already. The current fuel specification EN 228 already allows up to 3 % volume per volume (v/v) (bio-)methanol or up to 5 % v/v (bio-)ethanol as fuel components. This is also roughly the amount of biogenic components to comply with the legal requirements to avoid monetary penalties for producers and distributors of fuels.
Since automotive fuel is cheaper than the common aviation gasoline (AVGAS), creates less problems with lead deposits in the engine, and in general produces less pollutants it is strongly favoured by pilots. But being designed for a different set of usage scenarios the use of automotive fuel with low molecular alcohols for aircraft operation may have adverse effects in aviation operation. Increasing amounts of ethanol admixtures impose various changes in the gasoline’s chemical and physical properties, some of them rather unexpected and not within the range of flight experiences even of long-term pilots.
Low emission zones and truck bans, the rising price of diesel and increases in road tolls: all of these factors are putting serious pressure on the transport industry. Commercial vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers are in the process of identifying new solutions to these challenges as part of their efforts to meet the EEV (enhanced environmentally friendly vehicle) limits, which are currently the most robust European exhaust and emissions standards for trucks and buses.
In der Vergangenheit basierten große Systemintegrationsprojekte in der Regel auf Individualentwicklungen für einzelne Kunden. Getrieben durch Kostendruck steigt aber der Bedarf nach standardisierten Lösungen, die gleichzeitig die individuellen Anforderungen des jeweiligen Umfelds berücksichtigen. T-Systems GEI GmbH wird beiden Anforderungen mit Produktkerneln gerecht. Neben den technischen Aspekten der Kernelentwicklung spielen besonders organisatorische Aspekte eine Rolle, um Kernel effizient und qualitativ hochwertig zu entwickeln, ohne deren Funktionalitäten ins Uferlose wachsen zu lassen. Umgesetzt hat T-Systems dieses Konzept für Flughafeninformationssysteme. Damit kann dem wachsenden Bedarf der Flughafenbetreiber nach einer effizienten und kostengünstigen Softwarelösung zur Unterstützung Ihrer Geschäftsprozesse entsprochen werden.
Gras hat ein hohes Potenzial als nachwachsender Rohstoff. Bei ungeeigneter Lagerung verderben Gräser allerdings innerhalb weniger Tage. Dieser Nachteil kann durch die Silierung des Grasschnittes behoben werden. Eines der wichtigsten in der Silage enthaltenen Produkte ist die Milchsäure. Um diese für weitere Aufarbeitungsschritte zugänglich zu machen, wird aus der Silage ein Presssaft hergestellt. Die Milchsäure wird aus einem Silagepresssaft mittels Extraktion durch ionische Flüssigkeiten isoliert. Dabei wird zum einen eine reine Milchsäure hergestellt, die z. B. für die Herstellung von Polymilchsäure genutzt werden kann. Zum anderen wird ein weniger aufgereinigter Extrakt gewonnen, der für die fermentative Produktion von L-Lysin und 1,2-Propandiol genutzt werden soll. Im Rahmen des Projekts erfolgt die gentechnische Optimierung von Corynebacterium glutamicum für die Umsetzung von Milchsäurezu L-Lysin. Die im nach der Pressung verbleibenden Presskuchen enthaltenen Grasfasern bestehen zu einem großen Teil aus Polysacchariden. Diese werden hydrolysiert und die dabei freigesetzten Zucker zu Grundchemikalien wie Ethanol oder Itakonsäure fermentiert. Im Rahmen einer vollständigen Nutzung der Silage wird das Raffinat aus der Milchsäureextraktion als Mediumsupplement in der Fermentation eingesetzt, was die Zugabe weiterer Medienbestandteile überflüssig macht. Die Rückstände der Hydrolysen und Fermentationen sollen darüberhinaus für die Herstellung von Biogas genutzt werden.
Durch den Einsatz magnetisierbarer Partikel lassen sich Stoffwechselprodukte direkt und selektiv aus feststoffreichen Fermentationssuspensionen abtrennen. Im Gegensatz zu klassischen Adsorbermaterialien können magnetisierbare Partikel mit sehr geringen Durchmessern verwendet werden. Zur deren Abtrennung ist jedoch ein hoher Magnetfeldgradient notwendig. Dieser wird in der Regel durch in der Trennkammer bzw. dem Magnetfeld eingebrachte magnetisierbare Drähte realisiert. Bei der Auslegung der Drahtgitter ist ein Kompromiss zwischen Abtrennrate und Durchlässigkeit nötig. Die Ausrichtung der Drähte in Relation zum Magnetfeld, deren Abstand sowie die geometrische Anordnung können hierbei variiert werden. Zum Verständnis der Einflüsse auf das sich ausbildende Magnetfeld und die Fluiddynamik wurden Simulationen mit der Finite-Elemente-Methode durchgeführt und experimentell überprüft. Hierfür wurden die Drähte unter Variation von Anzahl, Richtung und Anordnung in den Hochgradient-Magnetseparator eingebracht. Erste Verifizierungen der Simulationen zeigen, dass die in Magnetfeldrichtung ausgerichteten Drähte (x-Achse) über die geringste Partikelrückhaltefähigkeit verfügen. Die Drähte der y- und z-Achse halten den größten Anteil der Magnetpartikel zurück, wobei die Drähte in y-Richtung den höchsten Feldgradienten ausbilden. Des Weiteren konnte gezeigt werden, dass eine rhomboedrische Drahtanordnung der kubischen vorzuziehen ist.
Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis are widely used for the large-scale industrial production of proteins. These strains can efficiently secrete proteins into the culture medium using the general secretion (Sec) pathway. A characteristic feature of all secreted proteins is their N-terminal signal peptides, which are recognized by the secretion machinery. Here, we have studied the production of an industrially important secreted protease, namely, subtilisin BPN′ from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. One hundred seventy-three signal peptides originating from B. subtilis and 220 signal peptides from the B. licheniformis type strain were fused to this secretion target and expressed in B. subtilis, and the resulting library was analyzed by high-throughput screening for extracellular proteolytic activity. We have identified a number of signal peptides originating from both organisms which produced significantly increased yield of the secreted protease. Interestingly, we observed that levels of extracellular protease were improved not only in B. subtilis, which was used as the screening host, but also in two different B. licheniformis strains. To date, it is impossible to predict which signal peptide will result in better secretion and thus an improved yield of a given extracellular target protein. Our data show that screening a library consisting of homologous and heterologous signal peptides fused to a target protein can identify more-effective signal peptides, resulting in improved protein export not only in the original screening host but also in different production strains.
Lignine bestehen aus einem hochgradig vernetzten Polymer phenolischer Grundeinheiten. Diese Verbindungen sind eine Quelle vielversprechender chemischer Grundbausteine. Auch die enzymatische Modifikation der Materialeigenschaften des Lignins ist für dessen Anwendung von Interesse. Aufgrund der verschiedenen Bindungstypen im Lignin ist eine Auftrennung mit nur einem Enzym unwahrscheinlich. Vielmehr sind verschiedene mediatorgestützte Reaktionen notwendig. Pilze, wie z.B. T. versicolor, nutzen Enzymkombinationen zum Aufschluss des Lignins. Hierbei kommen Laccase, Ligninperoxidase und Manganperoxidase zum Einsatz. Die optimale Kombination der Enzyme und ihrer Mediatoren bzw. Stabilisatoren ist Ziel der Untersuchungen. Aufgrund der großen Parameteranzahl wurde ein genetischer Algorithmus eingesetzt. Als Versuchsparameter wurden gewählt: die Verhältnisse der Enzyme, Ligninmasse, Konzentrationen an Eisen-, Mangan-, Oxalat-Ionen, ABTS, Violursäure und H₂O₂. Somit werden elf Parameter simultan optimiert. Als Algorithmus wurde ein Programm mit variabler Genkodierung entwickelt. Die Umsetzung des Lignins wird dabei über den verfolgt. Zurzeit ist ein enzymatischer Umsatz von 12% möglich. Als Referenz wurde eine chemische Lignindegradierung mit einem Umsatzvon 37% etabliert. Die sechs Generationen des Algorithmus zeigen eine Kongruenz der Enzymkonzentrationen von LiP, MnP und VeP, während Laccase keinen Einfluss hat. Des Weiteren beeinflussen die Konzentrationen von Mangan und Oxalat die Umsetzung, während die Variation von ABTS- und H₂O₂ nur eine geringe Auswirkung hat.
Die am häufigsten genutzten Rohstoffe für die Produktion von Treibstoffen und Chemikalien sind fossilen Ursprungs. Da diese limitiert sind, werden im Hinblick auf die Nachhaltigkeit alternative, erneuerbare Rohstoffquellen intensiv untersucht. Vielversprechend in diesem Kontext sind die in Lignocellulose enthaltenen Zucker, die beispielsweise zur Produktion von Ethanol genutzt werden können. In der Regel sind für eine Lig-nocellulose-Bioraffinerie mehrere Prozessschritte notwendig: Vorbehandlung, Verzuckerung und Fermentation. Um diesen Prozess einfacher zu gestalten, ist es möglich, die Verzuckerung und die Fermentation in einem Schritt durchzuführen (SSF). Als Substrat wird hier Cellulose-Faserstoff verwendet, der durch das Organosolv-Verfahren aufgeschlossen wurde. Die Hydrolyse erfolgt mit kommerziell erhältlichen Enzymen und für die Fermentation zu Ethanol werden zwei Hefen verwendet. Beim SSF-Verfahren konnte, im Vergleich zur entkoppelten Verfahrensweise, trotz bestehender Unterschiede in den Temperatur-Optima von Enzymen und Hefen eine Steigerung in der Ethanol-Ausbeute von 0,15 auf 0,2 gg⁻¹ beobachtet werden. Um wirtschaftliche Ausbeuten und Konzentrationen des Produkts erzielen zu können, ist es notwendig den Prozess weiter zu optimieren. Im Einzelfall muss überprüft werden, ob diese Verfahrensweise auch für die Produktion anderer interessanter Stoffe (wie Itaconsäure, Bernsteinsäure) geeignet ist.
Gräser sind in der Lage, einen großen Teil der für eine biobasierte Wirtschaft benötigten Biomasse zur Verfügung zu stellen. Wie bei anderen lignocellulosehaltigen nachwachsenden Rohstoffen erfordert die Verwertung der im Gras enthaltenen Polysaccharide einen mehrstufigen Prozess aus Vorbehandlung, Hydrolyse und Fermentation. In Gräsern ist die Hemicellulose mitP henolcarbonsäuren wie Ferula- und p-Coumarsäure verestert, die die enzymatische Hydrolyse der Cellulose und Hemicellulose ebenso effektiv behindern wie Lignin. Anders als bei holzigen Rohstoffen ermöglicht dieser Aufbau aber eine enzymatische Vorbehandlung, mit der die Phenolcarbonsäuren abgespalten werden können. Da die bei der Vorbehandlung eingesetzten Enzyme in ihrer natürlichen Funktion synergistisch mit cellulytischen Enzymen zusammenarbeiten, besitzen sie ähnliche Optima wie die für die Hydrolyse der Polysaccharide eingesetzten Cellulasen und Hemicellulasen. Diese Eigenschaft ermöglicht die Integration von Vorbehandlung und Hydrolyse in einem einzigen Verfahrensschritt. Durch die Einführung der enzymatischen Vorbehandlung konnte das in der Literatur bekannte SSF-Verfahren für die Herstellung von Ethanol aus Gräsern um die Vorbehandlungsstufe erweitert werden. Das so realisierte simultaneous pretreatment, saccharification and fermentation (SPSF)-Verfahren stellt eine vollständige Integration der drei für die Nutzung von Lignocellulose nötigen Verfahrensschritte in der grünen Bioraffinerie dar.
High Spatial Resolution 3D MRI of the Larynx Using a Dedicated TX/RX Phased Array Coil at 7.0T
(2010)
MRI holds great potential for elucidating laryngeal and vocal fold anatomy together with the assessment of physiological processes associated in human phonation. However, MRI of human phonation remains very challenging due to the small size of the targeted structures, interfering signal from fat, air between the vocal folds and surrounding muscles and physiological motion. These anatomical/physiological constraints translate into stringent technical requirements in balancing, scan time, image contrast, immunity to physiological motion, temporal resolution and spatial resolution. Motivated by these challenges and limitations this study is aiming at translating the sensitivity gain at ultra-high magnetic fields for enhanced high spatial resolution 3D imaging of the larynx and vocal tract. To approach this goal a dedicated two channel TX/RX larynx coil is being proposed.
As high-field cardiac MRI (CMR) becomes more widespread the propensity of ECG to distortions and mistriggering increases and with it the motivation for a cardiac triggering alternative. Hence, this study explores the suitability of acoustic cardiac triggering (ACT) for left ventricular (LV) function assessment in healthy subjects at 1.5T and 3.0T.
4CH TX/RX Surface Coil for 7T: Design, Optimization and Application for Cardiac Function Imaging
(2010)
Practical impediments of ultra high field cardiovascular MR (CVMR) can be catalogued in exacerbated magnetic field and radio frequency (RF) inhomogeneities, susceptibility and off-resonance effects, conductive and dielectric effects in tissue, and RF power deposition constraints, which all bear the potential to spoil the benefit of CVMR at 7T. Therefore, a four element cardiac transceive surface coil array was developed. Cardiac imaging provided clinically acceptable signal homogeneity with an excellent blood myocardium contrast. Subtle anatomic structures, such as pericardium, mitral and tricuspid valves and their apparatus, papillary muscles, and trabecles were accurately delineated.
Background
To demonstrate the applicability of acoustic cardiac triggering (ACT) for imaging of the heart at ultrahigh magnetic fields (7.0 T) by comparing phonocardiogram, conventional vector electrocardiogram (ECG) and traditional pulse oximetry (POX) triggered 2D CINE acquisitions together with (i) a qualitative image quality analysis, (ii) an assessment of the left ventricular function parameter and (iii) an examination of trigger reliability and trigger detection variance derived from the signal waveforms.
Results
ECG was susceptible to severe distortions at 7.0 T. POX and ACT provided waveforms free of interferences from electromagnetic fields or from magneto-hydrodynamic effects. Frequent R-wave mis-registration occurred in ECG-triggered acquisitions with a failure rate of up to 30% resulting in cardiac motion induced artifacts. ACT and POX triggering produced images free of cardiac motion artefacts. ECG showed a severe jitter in the R-wave detection. POX also showed a trigger jitter of approximately Δt = 72 ms which is equivalent to two cardiac phases. ACT showed a jitter of approximately Δt = 5 ms only. ECG waveforms revealed a standard deviation for the cardiac trigger offset larger than that observed for ACT or POX waveforms.
Image quality assessment showed that ACT substantially improved image quality as compared to ECG (image quality score at end-diastole: ECG = 1.7 ± 0.5, ACT = 2.4 ± 0.5, p = 0.04) while the comparison between ECG vs. POX gated acquisitions showed no significant differences in image quality (image quality score: ECG = 1.7 ± 0.5, POX = 2.0 ± 0.5, p = 0.34).
Conclusions
The applicability of acoustic triggering for cardiac CINE imaging at 7.0 T was demonstrated. ACT's trigger reliability and fidelity are superior to that of ECG and POX. ACT promises to be beneficial for cardiovascular magnetic resonance at ultra-high field strengths including 7.0 T.
Objectives
Interest in cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) at 7 T is motivated by the expected increase in spatial and temporal resolution, but the method is technically challenging. We examined the feasibility of cardiac chamber quantification at 7 T.
Methods
A stack of short axes covering the left ventricle was obtained in nine healthy male volunteers. At 1.5 T, steady-state free precession (SSFP) and fast gradient echo (FGRE) cine imaging with 7 mm slice thickness (STH) were used. At 7 T, FGRE with 7 mm and 4 mm STH were applied. End-diastolic volume, end-systolic volume, ejection fraction and mass were calculated.
Results
All 7 T examinations provided excellent blood/myocardium contrast for all slice directions. No significant difference was found regarding ejection fraction and cardiac volumes between SSFP at 1.5 T and FGRE at 7 T, while volumes obtained from FGRE at 1.5 T were underestimated. Cardiac mass derived from FGRE at 1.5 and 7 T was larger than obtained from SSFP at 1.5 T. Agreement of volumes and mass between SSFP at 1.5 T and FGRE improved for FGRE at 7 T when combined with an STH reduction to 4 mm.
Conclusions
This pilot study demonstrates that cardiac chamber quantification at 7 T using FGRE is feasible and agrees closely with SSFP at 1.5 T.
Objective: As high-field cardiac MRI (CMR) becomes more widespread the propensity of ECG to interference from electromagnetic fields (EMF) and to magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) effects increases and with it the motivation for a CMR triggering alternative. This study explores the suitability of acoustic cardiac triggering (ACT) for left ventricular (LV) function assessment in healthy subjects (n=14). Methods: Quantitative analysis of 2D CINE steady-state free precession (SSFP) images was conducted to compare ACT’s performance with vector ECG (VCG). Endocardial border sharpness (EBS) was examined paralleled by quantitative LV function assessment. Results: Unlike VCG, ACT provided signal traces free of interference from EMF or MHD effects. In the case of correct Rwave recognition, VCG-triggered 2D CINE SSFP was immune to cardiac motion effects—even at 3.0 T. However, VCG-triggered 2D SSFP CINE imaging was prone to cardiac motion and EBS degradation if R-wave misregistration occurred. ACT-triggered acquisitions yielded LV parameters (end-diastolic volume (EDV), endsystolic volume (ESV), stroke volume (SV), ejection fraction (EF) and left ventricular mass (LVM)) comparable with those derived fromVCG-triggered acquisitions (1.5 T: ESVVCG=(56± 17) ml, EDVVCG=(151±32)ml, LVMVCG=(97±27) g, SVVCG=(94± 19)ml, EFVCG=(63±5)% cf. ESVACT= (56±18) ml, EDVACT=(147±36) ml, LVMACT=(102±29) g, SVACT=(91± 22) ml, EFACT=(62±6)%; 3.0 T: ESVVCG=(55±21) ml, EDVVCG=(151±32) ml, LVMVCG=(101±27) g, SVVCG=(96±15) ml, EFVCG=(65±7)% cf. ESVACT=(54±20) ml, EDVACT=(146±35) ml, LVMACT= (101±30) g, SVACT=(92±17) ml, EFACT=(64±6)%). Conclusions: ACT’s intrinsic insensitivity to interference from electromagnetic fields renders
Solar sails are large and lightweight reflective structures that are propelled by solar radiation pressure. This chapter covers their orbital and attitude dynamics and control. First, the advantages and limitations of solar sails are discussed and their history and development status is outlined. Because the dynamics of solar sails is governed by the (thermo-)optical properties of the sail film, the basic solar radiation pressure force models have to be described and compared before parameters to measure solar sail performance can be defined. The next part covers the orbital dynamics of solar sails for heliocentric motion, planetocentric motion, and motion at Lagrangian equilibrium points. Afterwards, some advanced solar radiation pressure force models are described, which allow to quantify the thrust force on solar sails of arbitrary shape, the effects of temperature, of light incidence angle, of surface roughness, and the effects of optical degradation of the sail film in the space environment. The orbital motion of a solar sail is strongly coupled to its rotational motion, so that the attitude control of these soft and flexible structures is very challenging, especially for planetocentric orbits that require fast attitude maneuvers. Finally, some potential attitude control methods are sketched and selection criteria are given.
Grassilage stellt einen nachwachsenden Rohstoff mit großem Potenzial dar. Neben Cellulose und Hemicellulose enthält sie auch organische Säuren, insbesondere Milchsäure. In einem Bioraffinerie-Projekt wird die Milchsäure aus der Silage isoliert und mit gentechnisch optimierten Stämmen zu L-Lysin weiterverarbeitet. Die Lignocellulose wird hydrolysiert und zu Ethanol fermentiert. Ein besonderes Augenmerk liegt auf der Integration der unterschiedlichen Prozesse sowie der einzelnen Prozessschritte zu einem Gesamtprozess, der sämtliche Inhaltsstoffe der Silage verwertet.