Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy of Laser-Polarized Noble Gases for Biomedical, Geophysics and Materials Science Investigations (Collaborative Research)

激光极化稀有气体氦和氙（3He和129Xe）的磁共振新技术将用于生物医学、地球物理学和材料科学的三年研究项目。马萨诸塞州剑桥的史密森天体物理天文台和马萨诸塞州波士顿的布里格姆妇女医院的研究人员将联合进行多机构和多学科的调查。一个子奖项将支持北卡罗来纳州罗利的北卡罗来纳州立大学的材料研究；另一人将为波士顿大学提供与该项目相关的生物医学工程研究支持。潜在的生物医学应用包括脂质膜完整性的表征（例如在多发性硬化症的诊断中）；改善体内肺成像（对早期肿瘤检测很重要）；更好地测量组织血流量（对中风和缺血诊断很重要）。在地球物理学和材料科学中，激光极化惰性气体的磁共振测量可以提高对岩石孔隙连通性、泡沫和乳剂的结构、演化和原理的理解；以及气体通过液晶聚合物薄膜的扩散。利用激光极化惰性气体磁共振进行拟议研究的具体目的是：I)将惰性气体磁共振成像作为人类疾病诊断和研究的新工具进行生物医学研究；Ii)研究储层岩石孔隙的连通性；Iii)研究模型泡沫和乳液的结构和演化；Iv)研究模型泡沫和乳液在应力或应变下的流变学；V)研究液晶聚合物薄膜的缺陷；六)培养研究生和本科生多学科研究人才；并且，vii)开发一个计算机模拟教学模块，供本科生和高中生使用，以研究如何将物理学的基本原理应用于激光和磁共振，从而在生物学、医学、地质学和材料领域产生偶然的应用。＊＊＊

9617342 Albert The emerging technology of the magnetic resonance of laser- polarized noble gases helium and xenon (3He and 129Xe) will be used in a three year program of biomedical, geophysics, and materials science investigations. A multi-institutional and multidisciplinary investigation will be conducted jointly by researchers at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, Massachusetts and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. A subaward will support materials research at the North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina; another will provide support to Boston University for biomedical engineering studies associated with the project. Potential biomedical applications include the characterization of lipid membrane integrity (e.g. in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis); improved in vivo lung imaging (important for early tumor detection); and better measurement of blood flow to tissue (important for stroke and ischemia diagnosis). In geophysics and materials science, magnetic resonance measurements of laser- polarized noble gas may improve the understanding of the connectivity of pores in rocks, the structure, evolution, and theology of foams and emulsions; and the diffusion of gases through liquid crystalline polymer films. Specific aims of the proposed research using laser-polarized noble gas magnetic resonance are: I) perform biomedical studies of noble gas magnetic resonance imaging as a new tool for human disease diagnosis and research; ii) investigate the connectivity of pores in reservoir rocks; iii) investigate the structure and evolution of model foams and emulsions; iv) investigate the rheology of model foams and emulsions under stress or strain; v) investigate defects in liquid crystalline polymer films; vi) train graduate and undergraduate students as multidisciplinary researchers; and, vii) develop a computer-simulation teaching module for use by undergraduate and high school students to investigate ho w basic principles of physics are applied to lasers and magnetic resonance to yield serendipitous applications in biology, medicine, geology, and materials. ***