High Magnetic Field Strength Research Articles

Investigation of field and diffusion time dependence of the diffusion‐weighted signal at ultrahigh magnetic fields

Over the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of high-magnetic-field MRI magnets. However, the exact effect of a high magnetic field strength (B0 ) on diffusion-weighted MR signals is not yet fully understood. The goal of this study was to investigate the influence of different high magnetic field strengths (9.4 T and 14.1 T) and diffusion times (9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 24 ms) on the diffusion-weighted signal in rat brain white matter. At a short diffusion time (9 ms), fractional anisotropy values were found to be lower at 14.1 T than at 9.4 T, but this difference disappeared at longer diffusion times. A simple two-pool model was used to explain these findings. The model describes the white matter as a first hindered compartment (often associated with the extra-axonal space), characterized by a faster orthogonal diffusion and a lower fractional anisotropy, and a second restricted compartment (often associated with the intra-axonal space), characterized by a slower orthogonal diffusion (i.e. orthogonal to the axon direction) and a higher fractional anisotropy. Apparent T2 relaxation time measurements of the hindered and restricted pools were performed. The shortening of the pseudo-T2 value from the restricted compartment with B0 is likely to be more pronounced than the apparent T2 changes in the hindered compartment. This study suggests that the observed differences in diffusion tensor imaging parameters between the two magnetic field strengths at short diffusion time may be related to differences in the apparent T2 values between the pools.

Magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia: Predictive model for temperature distribution.

Magnetic nanoparticle (mNP) hyperthermia is a promising adjuvant cancer therapy. mNP's are delivered intravenously or directly into a tumor, and excited by applying an alternating magnetic field (AMF). The mNP's are, in many cases, sequestered by cells and packed into endosomes. The proximity of the mNP's has a strong influence on their ability to heat due to inter-particle magnetic interaction effects. This is an important point to take into account when modeling the mNP's. Generally, more mNP heating can be achieved using higher magnetic field strengths. The factor which limits the maximum field strength applied to clinically relevant volumes of tissue is the heating caused by eddy currents, which are induced in the noncancerous tissue. A coupled electromagnetic and thermal model has been developed to predict dynamic thermal distributions during AMF treatment. The EM model is based on the method of auxiliary sources and the thermal modeling is based on the Pennes bioheat equation. The results of our phantom study are used to validate the model which takes into account nanoparticle heating, interaction effects, particle spatial distribution, particle size distribution, EM field distribution, and eddy current generation in a controlled environment. Preliminary in vivo data for model validation are also presented. Once fully developed and validated, the model will have applications in experimental design, AMF coil design, and treatment planning.

Alignment of Bicelles Studied with High-Field Magnetic Birefringence and Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Measurements

Birefringence measurements at high magnetic field strength of up to 33 T were used to detect magnetically induced alignment of bicelles composed of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), cholesterol, and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DMPE-DTPA) with complexed lanthanide ions. These birefringence measurements together with a small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) analysis in a magnetic field showed parallel alignment of the bicelles if the lanthanide was thulium (Tm(3+)), and perpendicular alignment with dysprosium (Dy(3+)). With the birefringence measurements, the order parameter S can be determined as a function of the magnetic field strength, if the magnetic alignment reaches saturation. Additional structural information can be obtained if the maximum induced birefringence is considered. The degree of alignment of the studied bicelles increased with decreasing temperature from 40 to 5 °C and showed a new bicellar structure comprising a transient hole formation at intermediate temperatures (20 °C) during heating from 5 to 40 °C.

Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy as a Probe into the Pathophysiology ofAutismSpectrumDisorders (ASD): A Review

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H-MRS) is a safe, noninvasive way of quantifying in vivo biochemical and metabolite concentration levels in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Findings to date suggest ASD is associated with widespread reduction in N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine plus phosphocreatine (Cr), choline-containing compounds (Cho), myo-inositol (mI), and glutamate plus glutamine plus gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (Glx); however, variable findings, and even substantial increases, are not uncommon depending on the study and/or region-of-interest. Widespread reduction of NAA, Cr, Cho, mI, and Glx in ASD likely reflects impaired neuronal function and/or metabolism related to abnormal neurodevelopmental processes. Future studies should attempt to relate (1) H-MRS findings to histological findings and control for variability in subject age and functioning level; this would assist in evaluating the relationship between (1) H-MRS metabolic levels and neuronal and glial cell densities, as well as neurodevelopmental process associated with ASD. Furthermore, more longitudinal (1) H-MRS studies are needed in both control and ASD subjects to attempt to standardize metabolite levels across different developmental periods in well-defined endophenotypes. This will provide for a standard rubric for which metabolic aberrations (as well as treatment responses) can be measured. With higher magnetic field strengths and spectral-editing techniques capable of quantifying less-concentrated metabolites, (1) H-MRS will continue to be an important tool in ASD research.

Recent Developments in Neurochemical Imaging in Schizophrenia: An Update

The advent of neurochemical brain imaging methods has provided an opportunity to study the neurochemistry of the human brain in normal and abnormal development. The aim of this article is to provide an update on recent major developments in neurochemical imaging in schizophrenia research. In this concise review, we discuss the major findings on three neurotransmitters, namely dopamine, serotonin and glutamate. The most promising radioligand for D(2)/D(3) neuroreceptor imaging is the agonist [(11)C]PHNO, with higher in vivo affinity for D(3) than D(2) receptors, which can be used to measure amphetamine-induced release of dopamine, and therefore a potential model of dopaminergic alterations in schizophrenia. Recent development of selective radiotracers allow imaging of the serotonin transporter (SERT) using positron emission tomography (PET) with selective tracers such as [(11)C]DASB. Additionally, the glutamatergic hypothesis has evolved from theory to phase III clinical trials of newer agents with novel mechanisms. With the development of newer radioligands and the in vivo application of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at relatively high magnetic field strengths, there is ample scope for further neuroimaging advances.

Recent Developments in Neurochemical Imaging in Schizophrenia: An Update

The advent of neurochemical brain imaging methods has provided an opportunity to study the neurochemistry of the human brain in normal and abnormal development. The aim of this article is to provide an update on recent major developments in neurochemical imaging in schizophrenia research. In this concise review, we discuss the major findings on three neurotransmitters, namely dopamine, serotonin and glutamate. The most promising radioligand for D2/D3 neuroreceptor imaging is the agonist [11C]PHNO, with higher in vivo affinity for D3 than D2 receptors, which can be used to measure amphetamine-induced release of dopamine, and therefore a potential model of dopaminergic alterations in schizophrenia. Recent development of selective radiotracers allow imaging of the serotonin transporter (SERT) using positron emission tomography (PET) with selective tracers such as [11C]DASB. Additionally, the glutamatergic hypothesis has evolved from theory to phase III clinical trials of newer agents with novel mechanisms. With the development of newer radioligands and the in vivo application of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at relatively high magnetic field strengths, there is ample scope for further neuroimaging advances. Keywords: dopamine, glutamate, serotonin, occupancy, schizophrenia, PET

心筋遅延造影MRIにおけるIR-GRE法の至適 Flip Angleの検討

Delayed contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable tool for detecting myocardial infarction and assessing myocardial viability. The standard viability MRI technique is the inversion-recovery gradient echo (IR-GRE) method. Several previous studies have demonstrated that this imaging technique provides superior image quality at high magnetic field strengths, e.g., 3.0 T. However, there are numerous possible flip angles. We investigated the optimal flip angle of IR-GRE in delayed contrast-enhanced cardiac MRI. Phantoms were made that modeled infarcted myocardium and normal myocardium after administration of contrast agent. To determine optimal flip angle, we compared the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) among these phantoms and evaluated the degree of artifacts induced by increased flip angle. The flip angle that showed the highest CNR for 2D IR-GRE and 3D IR-GRE was 30°/15° at 1.5 T and 25°/15° at 3.0 T. The flip angle that showed the highest CNR was independent of R-R interval. Streak artifacts induced by increased flip angle tended to occur more readily at 3.0 T than 1.5 T. The optimal flip angle for 2D IR-GRE and 3D IR-GRE at 1.5 T was 30° and 15°, respectively. At 3.0 T, taking into account the results for both CNR and streak artifacts, we concluded the optimal flip angle of 2D IR-GRE to be 15-20°.

Mass Resolution and Mass Accuracy: How Much Is Enough?

Accurate mass measurement requires the highest possible mass resolution, to ensure that only a single elemental composition contributes to the mass spectral peak in question. Although mass resolution is conventionally defined as the closest distinguishable separation between two peaks of equal height and width, the required mass resolving power can be ∼10× higher for equal width peaks whose peak height ratio is 100 : 1. Ergo, minimum resolving power requires specification of maximum dynamic range, and is thus 10-100× higher than the conventional definition. Mass resolving power also depends on mass-to-charge ratio. Mass accuracy depends on mass spectral signal-to-noise ratio and digital resolution. Finally, the reliability of elemental composition assignment can be improved by resolution of isotopic fine structure. Thus, the answer to the question of "how much is enough mass resolving power" requires that one first specify S/N ratio, dynamic range, digital resolution, mass-to-charge ratio, and (if available) isotopic fine structure. The highest available broadband mass resolving power and mass accuracy is from Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry. Over the past five years, FT-ICR MS mass accuracy has improved by about an order of magnitude, based on higher magnetic field strength, conditional averaging of time-domain transients, better mass calibration (spectral segmentation; inclusion of a space charge term); radially dispersed excitation; phase correction to yield absorption-mode display; and new ICR cell segmentation designs.

High spatial and temporal myocardial CINE T2* mapping at 7.0 T: a feasibility study

Background Myocardial tissue characterization using T2* relaxation mapping techniques is an emerging application of clinical cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. The increase in microscopic susceptibility at higher magnetic field strengths renders myocardial T2* mapping at ultrahigh magnetic fields conceptually appealing. This work demonstrates the feasibility of myocardial T2* imaging at 7.0 T and examines the applicability of temporally-resolved and high spatial resolution myocardial T2* mapping. Methods Imaging was conducted using a 7.0 T whole body MR scanner (Magnetom, Siemens Healthcare Erlangen) together with a 16 channel TX/RX coil array on 8 healthy subjects without any known history of cardiac disease. 9 CINE datasets were acquired with echo times ranging from 2.04ms to 10.20ms with a interleaved multi-shot multi-echo gradient echo technique over three breath holds. Other imaging parameters were set to: flip angle=20°, acquisition data matrix=256x224, FOV=(288x252)mm2, in-plane resolution=(1.1x1.1)mm2, slice thickness=4mm and acceleration using GRAPPA (R=3). Prior to T2* mapping, volume selective B0 shimming was conducted to reduce static magnetic field inhomogeneities. Results After volume selective shimming, a mean peak-to-peak B0 difference of approximately 80 Hz was found across the entire heart for a four chamber view and a mid-ventricular short axis view of the heart (Fig1). The through plane field gradient at the myocardium/epicardial fat/lung interface was found to be much more pronounced versus the through-plane field gradient obtained for the left and right ventricle as illustrated in Fig. 1. The latter showed a mean of 3 Hz/mm, which translates into an through-plane B0 dispersion of approximately 12 Hz/voxel for a 4 mm slice thickness. This B0 gradient implies that macroscopic intravoxel dephasing effects are of minor effect for the TE range used. No severe susceptibility artifacts were detected in the septum and in the lateral wall for T2* weighting. For TE>7ms, a signal void (related to susceptibility weighting) was observed within the anterior and inferior myocardial segments. The longest T2* values were found for anterior (T2*=14.0 ms), anteroseptal (T2*=17.2 ms) and inferoseptal (T2*=16.5 ms) myocardial segments. Shorter T2* values were observed for inferior (T2*=10.6 ms) and inferolateral (T2*=11.4 ms) segments. A significant difference (p=0.002) in T2* values was observed between end-diastole and endsystole as illustrated in Figure 2. T2* changes of up to approximately 27% were observed across the cardiac cycle. Cardiac cycle dependent T2* changes were pronounced in the septum. Conclusions Our results underscore the challenges of myocardial T2* mapping at 7.0 T due to the propensity to macroscopic susceptibility artefacts and T2* shortening, but demonstrate that these issues can be offset by using tailored shimming techniques together with dedicated acquisition schemes.

Simulation of flow behavior of particles in liquid–solid fluidized bed with uniform magnetic field

Abstract Flow behavior of solid phases is simulated by means of DEM–CFD in a liquid–solid fluidized bed with magnetization of preliminarily fluidized bed (LAST) mode along an axial uniform magnetic field. By changing the magnetic field strength, the distribution of particles is studied within the bed. The distributions of velocity and concentration of ferromagnetic particles are analyzed at the different magnetic field intensities. When the magnetic field strength is increased to a value at which the fluidization of strings starts, the particles are found to form straight-chain aggregates along the direction of the magnetic field. At very high magnetic field strengths, the defluidization is observed at which particles are fixed in the bed. Simulations indicate that the granular temperature of particles increases, reaches a maximum, and then decreases with the increase of magnetic-flux density. The moderate strength magnetic field gives a high fluctuation of particles. The predicted solid pressure increases with the increase of concentration of particles.

Axial 3D gradient-echo imaging for improved multiple sclerosis lesion detection in the cervical spinal cord at 3T

In multiple sclerosis (MS), spinal cord imaging can help in diagnosis and follow-up evaluation. However, spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is technically challenging, and image quality, particularly in the axial plane, is typically poor compared to brain MRI. Because gradient-recalled echo (GRE) images might offer improved contrast resolution within the spinal cord at high magnetic field strength, both without and with a magnetization transfer prepulse, we compared them to T2-weighted fast-spin-echo (T2-FSE) images for the detection of MS lesions in the cervical cord at 3T. On a clinical 3T MRI scanner, we studied 62 MS cases and 19 healthy volunteers. Axial 3D GRE sequences were performed without and with off-resonance radiofrequency irradiation. To mimic clinical practice, all images were evaluated in conjunction with linked images from a sagittal short tau inversion recovery scan, which is considered the gold standard for lesion detection in MS. Two experienced observers recorded image quality, location and size of focal lesions, atrophy, swelling, and diffuse signal abnormality independently at first and then in consensus. The number and volume of lesions detected with high confidence was more than three times as high on both GRE sequences compared to T2-FSE (p < 0.0001). Approximately 5 % of GRE scans were affected by artifacts that interfered with image interpretation, not significantly different from T2W-FSE. Axial 3D GRE sequences are useful for MS lesion detection when compared to 2D T2-FSE sequences in the cervical spinal cord at 3T and should be considered when examining intramedullary spinal cord lesions.

Ultrahigh-Field 7-T Magnetic Resonance Carotid Vessel Wall Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the vessel wall enables determination of luminal area, vessel wall thickness, and atherosclerotic plaque characteristics. For clinical application, high spatial resolution, derived from optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), is paramount. Vessel wall MRI is expected to benefit from higher magnetic field strength. Therefore, the purposes of the present study were to develop an ultrahigh-field 7-T MRI hardware and protocols for vessel wall imaging of the carotid artery and to compare quantitative parameters of vessel wall morphology and image quality between 3-T and 7-T MRI. Eighteen volunteers (11 men and 7 women; mean [SD] age, 29 [7] years) underwent MRI examinations at 7 T (using a custom-built surface transmit/receive coil of 15-cm diameter) and at 3 T (using a commercial phased-array coil with 2 flexible oval elements, 14 × 17 cm each). Magnetic resonance imaging of the left common carotid artery vessel wall was performed at 7 T with identical in-plane resolution as that of 3-T MRI (0.46 × 0.46 mm), providing transverse T1- and T2-weighted images. Blinded analysis of morphologic measurements (luminal area and vessel wall area), SNR for vessel wall (SNRVW), and the CNR between the lumen and the vessel wall were compared between 7 and 3 T. Morphologic carotid vessel wall measurements were comparable between 7 and 3 T for both T1-weighted images (luminal area: intraclass correlation [ICC], 0.81 and vessel wall area: ICC, 0.84) and T2-weighted images (luminal area: ICC, 0.97 and vessel wall area: ICC, 0.92). At 7 T, SNRVW and CNR were significantly higher compared with 3-T MRI for both T1- (P < 0.001) and T2-weighted images (P < 0.05), with gain factors ranging from 1.3 to 3.6. Ultrahigh-field 7-T MR carotid vessel wall imaging is feasible. 7-T MRI of the common carotid artery has comparable accuracy for determining luminal area and vessel wall area and has improved SNRVW and CNR compared with 3-T MRI. Therefore, ultrahigh-field 7-T vessel wall MRI may enable a more detailed assessment of plaque morphology.

Shearing box simulations of accretion disk winds

The launching process of a magnetically driven outflow from an accretion disk is investigated in a local, shearing box model which allows a study of the feedback between accretion and angular momentum loss. The mass-flux instability found in previous linear analyses of this problem is recovered in a series of 2D (axisymmetric) simulations in the MRI-stable (high magnetic field strength) regime. At low field strengths that are still sufficient to suppress MRI, the instability develops on a short radial length scale and saturates at a modest amplitude. At high field strengths, a long-wavelength "clump" instability of large amplitude is observed, with growth times of a few orbits. As speculated before, the unstable connection between disk and outflow may be relevant for the time dependence observed in jet-producing disks. The success of the simulations is due in a large part to the implementation of an effective wave-transmitting upper boundary condition.

A dual magnetic resonance imaging/fluorescent contrast agent for Cathepsin‐D detection

Currently there are no approved biomarkers for the pre-symptomatic diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cathepsin-D (Cat-D) is a lysosomal protease that is present at elevated levels in amyloid plaques and neurons in patients with AD and is also elevated in some cancers. We have developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/fluorescent contrast agent to detect Cat-D enzymatic activity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cellular and tissue uptake of this MRI/fluorescent contrast agent. The agent consists of an MRI probe [DOTA-caged metal ion (Gd³⁺ or Tm³⁺)] and a fluorescent probe coupled to a cell-penetrating-peptide sequence by a Cat-D recognition site. The relaxivity of Gd³⁺-DOTA-CAT(cleaved) was measured in 10% heat-treated bovine serum albumin (BSA) phantoms to assess contrast efficacy at magnetic fields ranging from 0.24 mT to 9.4 T. In vitro, Tm³⁺-DOTA-CAT was added to neuronal SN56 cells over-expressing Cat-D and live-cell confocal microscropy was performed at 30 min. Tm³⁺-DOTA-CAT was also intravenously injected into APP/PS1-dE9 Alzheimer's disease mice (n = 9) and controls (n = 8). Cortical and hippocampal uptake was quantified at 30, 60 and 120 min post-injection using confocal microscopy. The liver and kidneys were also evaluated for contrast agent uptake. The relaxivity of Gd³⁺-DOTA-CAT(cleaved) was 3.3 (mM s)⁻¹ in 10% BSA at 9.4 T. In vitro, cells over-expressing Cat-D preferentially took up the contrast agent in a concentration-dependent manner. In vivo, the contrast agent effectively crossed the blood-brain barrier and exhibited a distinct time course of uptake and retention in APP/PS1-dE9 transgenic mice compared with age-matched controls. At clinical and high magnetic field strengths, Gd³⁺-DOTA-CAT produced greater T₁ relaxivity than Gd³⁺-DTPA. Tm³⁺-DOTA-CAT was taken up in a dose-dependent manner in cells over-expressing Cathepsin-D and was shown to transit the blood-brain barrier in vivo. This strategy may be useful for the in vivo detection of enzyme activity and for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Composite slice‐selective adiabatic excitation for prostate MRSI

Higher magnetic field strengths, such as 7 T, offer increased spectral resolution and higher signal-to-noise ratio. These properties can be very advantageous for MRSI. In particular, signals that generally overlap at lower fields, such as choline, polyamines and creatine, can be resolved at 7 T. However, higher magnetic field strengths suffer from strong radiofrequency (RF) field nonuniformities. These nonuniformities become even stronger when using surface transceivers, such as an endorectal coil for prostate imaging. In order to obtain uniform excitations for accurate MRSI measurements, adiabatic sequences are therefore recommended. Conventional adiabatic MRS sequences (i.e. localization by adiabatic selective refocusing, LASER) have relatively long TEs, especially when optimized to measure the strongly coupled spins of citrate in the prostate. The semi-LASER (sLASER) sequence has a significantly shorter TE, although it does not provide adiabatic excitation. Therefore, we propose an adiabatic sLASER sequence that either has a composite adiabatic slice-selective excitation (cLASER) or a non-slice-selective adiabatic excitation (nsLASER), allowing for shorter TEs, whilst maintaining the adiabatic spin excitation. Furthermore, the spatial properties of the composite adiabatic excitation allow for a high slice excitation bandwidth, resulting in negligible chemical shift displacement artifacts. Exclusion of the slice selection can be considered once the field of view extends beyond the transmit field of the RF coil. The use of a transceiver at high magnetic field strengths has shown that the cLASER and nsLASER sequences are suitable for MRSI of the prostate in both phantom and in vivo validations.

Magnetic field dependence of the spin relaxation length in spin light-emitting diodes

We investigate the spin relaxation length during vertical electron transport in spin-light emitting diode devices as a function of magnetic field strength at room temperature. In most publications on spin relaxation in optoelectronic devices, strong magnetic fields are used to achieve perpendicular-to-plane magnetization of the spin injection contacts. We show experimentally that high magnetic field strengths significantly reduce spin relaxation during transport to the active region of the device. We obtain a spin relaxation length of 27(3) nm in magnetic remanence and at room temperature, which nearly doubles at 2 T magnetic field strength.

The resolved magnetic fields of the quiescent cloud GRSMC 45.60+0.30

Marchwinski et al. (2012) mapped the magnetic field strength across the quiescent cloud GRSMC 45.60+0.30 (shown in Figure 1 subtending 40x10 pc at a distance of 1.88 kpc) with the Chandrasekhar-Fermi method CF; Chandrasekhar &amp; Fermi 1953) using near-infrared starlight polarimetry from the Galactic Plane Infrared Polarization Survey (Clemens et al.2012a, b) and gas properties from the Galactic Ring Survey (Jackson et al.2006). The large-scale magnetic field is oriented parallel to the gas-traced ‘spine’ of the cloud. Seven ‘magnetic cores’ with high magnetic field strength were identified and are coincident with peaks in the gas column density. Calculation of the mass-to-flux ratio (Crutcher 1999) shows that these cores are exclusively magnetically subcritical and that magnetostatic pressure can support them against gravitational collapse.

Elucidating the chemical structure of pyrogenic organic matter by combining magnetic resonance, mid-infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry

Fire-derived organic matter (pyrogenic organic matter, or PyOM), despite its apparent long term stability in the environment, has recently been reported to degrade faster than previously thought. Current studies have suggested that the composition and structure of PyOM can provide new insights on the mechanisms by which C and N from pyrolyzed biomaterials are stabilized in soils. To better understand the chemical structure of PyOM produced under typical fire conditions in temperate forests, samples of dual-enriched (13C/15N) Pinus ponderosa wood and the charred material produced at 450°C were analyzed by solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (DRIFT) spectroscopy, and both isotopic and elemental composition (C, H, O, and N). Notably, the use of high magnetic field strengths in combination with isotopic enrichment augmented the NMR detection sensitivity, and thus improved the quality of molecular information as compared with previously reported studies of pyrogenic materials. The key molecular groups of pine wood and the corresponding PyOM materials were determined using magic-angle spinning (MAS) 13C, 15N, and 1H NMR. Together with DRIFT and EPR measurements, ssNMR revealed the formation of a free radical-containing disordered blend of nitrogenous aromatics and heat resistant aliphatics in the PyOM due to incomplete combustion of the precursor wood. 13C ssNMR and DRIFT analyses showed the removal of oxygenated aliphatics due to pyrolysis of the precursor wood and the dominant contribution of multiply-bonded and oxygenated aromatic structures in the resulting PyOM. However, the 18O isotopic analyses indicated selective retention of ligneous moieties during charring at 450°C. 15N ssNMR studies implied that the nitrogenous species in PyOM corresponded to thermally altered rather than heat resistant domains of the pine wood precursor. Our molecular characterization suggests that biomaterials pyrolyzed near 450°C may degrade in soils faster than those pyrolyzed at higher temperatures and may not represent a stable C sink in terrigenous ecosystems.

Pure cyclotron spectra of V405 Aur

In this study we investigate the pure cyclotron spectra of an Intermediate Polar (IP), V405 Aur, which has the highest magnetic field strength in its class. Recent studies have shown that cyclotron harmonics are seen in the spectra of V405 Aur. We assume that cyclotron harmonics are produced by electrons having a streaming bi-Maxwellian velocity profile found in the lower portions of the accretion column connecting to the magnetic poles of the white dwarf in V405 Aur system. Then we applied the Green function for a dispersive medium such as the one found in V405 Aur. Further we assume that the cyclotron radiation is produced at Ordinary and Extraordinary wave modes. We find the general solution of the Green function for the Extraordinary wave mode and a dispersive medium and we derived the pure cyclotron spectra from the Green function. This function enabled us to calculate energy radiated per unit wavelength per unit solid angle as a function of wavelength which revealed the sixth, seventh and the eighth harmonics which correspond to the observed values. Our model produces the observed cyclotron spectrum of V405 Aur.

Diagnostic relevance of high field MRI in clinical neuroradiology: the advantages and challenges of driving a sports car

High field MRI operating at 3 T is increasingly being used in the field of neuroradiology on the grounds that higher magnetic field strength should theoretically lead to a higher diagnostic accuracy in the diagnosis of several disease entities. This Editorial discusses the exhaustive review by Wardlaw and colleagues of research comparing 3 T MRI with 1.5 T MRI in the field of neuroradiology. Interestingly, the authors found no convincing evidence of improved image quality, diagnostic accuracy, or reduced total examination times using 3 T MRI instead of 1.5 T MRI. These findings are highly relevant since a new generation of high field MRI systems operating at 7 T has recently been introduced.Key Points• Higher magnetic field strengths do not necessarily lead to a better diagnostic accuracy.• Disadvantages of high field MR systems have to be considered in clinical practice.• Higher field strengths are needed for functional imaging, spectroscopy, etc.• Disappointingly there are few direct comparisons of 1.5 and 3 T MRI.• Whether the next high field MR generation (7 T) will improve diagnostic accuracy has to be investigated.