1,721,030 research outputs found
A theory for the estimation of SNR degradation caused by clock litter in MRI systems
Recent advances in high-speed acquisition of MR signals demand higher levels of performance from RF receiver chain. High-performance ADCs require a highly stable clock in terms of short-term changes defined by the jitter specification. In this note, we propose a theory for the estimation of clock jitter influence on the final image SNR. In particular, starting from a typical RF receiver chain design specification, which is required to obtain the desired SNR, we analyze the influence of clock noise on the MR signal dynamic. The entire offset frequency range (0-10 MHz OFR) is split into two intervals according to different estimation methods. The obtained results show that, in our specific application, the jitter influence does not affect the final image SNR value. The presented methodology can be easily extended to every MR application thanks to its high flexibility; in fact, the implemented concepts allow choosing, in each case, the optimal oscillator with the desired clock jitter, or quantifying the system performance degradation
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
A Novel Magnetic Resonance Phased-Array Coil Designed with FDTD Algorithm
Radio-frequency receiver phased-array coils in magnetic resonance imaging systems are used to pick up the signals emitted by the nuclei with high signal-to-noise ratio and a large region of sensitivity. Since the quality of obtained images strongly depends upon the correct choice of the coil geometry and position, array coils have to be designed by minimizing the mutual interaction among nearby coil elements and this is generally achieved by overlapping such adjacent elements. In this paper, we describe the use of a numerical solver based on finite-difference time-domain method to determine the optimal overlap distance, which guarantees the maximum decoupling level between the coil loops, for array coils constituted by various geometry elements. A novel array coil was designed, constituted by a couple of elliptical geometry elements in "folding" version around the animals' spine curvature, for small animals' imaging applications
Low-Field MR Coils: Comparison between Strip and Wire Conductors
This work describes how the cross-sectional shape of radio-frequency coil conductors affects coils performance. This is of particular importance at low Larmor frequencies such as those of low-field magnetic resonance imaging systems where conductor and capacitor losses are the dominant power dissipation mechanisms. We demonstrate that conductors having a circular cross section allow the coil to achieve significantly better performance than the one built using flat strips. The change in coil quality factor due to conductor geometry was verified to be due only to changes in the conductors' resistance and not their inductance. The results are not limited to low-field proton imaging but they are equally applicable to other situations where the Larmor frequency is in the megahertz range, including nuclear magnetic resonance of other nuclear species at intermediate fields
Variations on the Author
“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Sample-Induced Resistance Estimation in Magnetic Resonance Experiments: Simulation and Comparison of Two Methods
Study for a portable IR sensor to detect the blood temperature during coronary bypass implantation RID D-5411-2011
The objective of this research was to investigate the possibility of using an infrared prototype device for the detection of the blood temperature during a surgical operation for coronary bypass implantation. The correlation between the fluid temperature time behavior and the fluid flow rate was demonstrated. Each blood vessel acts like a thermal wave emitter, so the amount of heat is proportional to the blood flow detected by the IR sensor. The idea was to design a low cost portable device with the advantage that it can be placed near the region of interest. We chose a pyroelectric sensor for its high-quality cost ratio. Because this kind of sensor detects only a variable infrared source, we used an electromechanical chopper for modulating the radiation. It consists of an electronic shutter whose opening speed is controlled by an astable multivibrator. The output signal was analyzed using a dedicated electronic circuit including a bandpass filter and an amplifier; then an acquisition board was employed for capturing and displaying the signal using a PC. Prototype assessment was made with laboratory equipment and in vivo measurements were made during surgical operation on a small pig. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
We provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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