[en] Three-color continuous-variable (CV) entangled beams can be produced by single-pass cascaded sum-frequency processes of third-harmonic generation by quasi-phase-matching technique in only one optical superlattice. Firstly, second-harmonic field is generated by the first double-frequency process of the fundamental field. Then, the third-harmonic field can be generated by the second cascaded sum-frequency process between the second-harmonic and the fundamental fields by quasi-phase-matching technique in the same optical superlattice. By using the quantum stochastic method, we investigated the conversion dynamics of the cascaded sum-frequency processes and the quantum correlation nature among the fundamental, second-harmonic, and third-harmonic fields. The results show that the higher conversion efficiency of third-harmonic generation can be achieved with the larger nonlinear coupling parameter of the second cascaded sum-frequency process. We also show that the fundamental, second-, and third-harmonic beams are CV entangled with each other according to the necessary and sufficient CV entanglement criterion. This scheme of three-color entanglement generation without involving optical cavity is easy to realize in experiment. Moreover, the three-color entangled beams are separated by an octave in frequency which has potential applications in quantum communication and computation networks. (letter)

[en] Multi-colour continuous-variable frequency comb entanglement can be directly generated by enhanced Raman scattering in a hexagonally-poled LiTaO₃ optical superlattice. Raman scattering signals are distinctly boosted by a coupled quasi-phase-matching optical parametric amplification process which has been realized in a previous experiment (Xu et al 2005 Phys. Rev . B 72 064307). The conversion dynamics of the coupled optical parametric amplification process is investigated here using quantum stochastic methodology, and the nature of entanglement among the Raman signals is discussed by applying a necessary and sufficient continuous variable criterion. Multi-colour entanglement with the same frequency interval can be obtained directly, with no optical oscillator cavity, in the enhanced Raman scattering process; this has potential application in quantum communication and computation networks. (letter)

[en] We theoretically investigate the generation of five-partite continuous-variable (CV) entanglement through injection-seeded non-degenerate optical parametric amplification cascaded two sum-frequency processes in only one optical superlattice without optical cavities. The idle can be generated by optical parametric amplification of pump and signal. Then, one beam will be generated by the cascaded sum-frequency process of pump and idle, and another beam will be produced by the cascaded sum-frequency process of pump and signal in the same optical superlattice. The phase-mismatching in the cascaded nonlinear processes can be compensated by three reciprocals of the optical superlattice by a quasi-phase-matching technique. The conversion dynamics among the cascaded nonlinear processes is analyzed by using a quantum stochastic method. The five-partite entanglement among pump, signal, idle, and two sum-frequency beams are discussed by applying a sufficient inseparability criteria for the five-partite CV entanglement proposed by Van Loock and Furusawa. This scheme of five-partite entanglement generation with different frequencies has potential applications in quantum communication and computation networks. (letter)

[en] To evaluate effects of a vascular-disrupting agent on rodent tumour models. Twenty rats with liver rhabdomyosarcomas received ZD6126 intravenously at 20 mg/kg, and 10 vehicle-treated rats were used as controls. Multiple sequences, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) with the microvascular permeability constant (K), were acquired at baseline, 1 h, 24 h and 48 h post-treatment by using 1.5-T MRI. [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose micro-positron emission tomography (¹⁸F-FDG μPET) was acquired pre- and post-treatment. The imaging biomarkers including tumour volume, enhancement ratio, necrosis ratio, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and K from MRI, and maximal standardised uptake value (SUV_max) from FDG μPET were quantified and correlated with postmortem microangiography and histopathology. In the ZD6126-treated group, tumours grew slower with higher necrosis ratio at 48 h (P < 0.05), corresponding well to histopathology; tumour K decreased from 1 h until 24 h, and partially recovered at 48 h (P < 0.05), parallel to the evolving enhancement ratios (P < 0.05); ADCs varied with tumour viability and perfusion; and SUV_max dropped at 24 h (P < 0.01). Relative K of tumour versus liver at 48 h correlated with relative vascular density on microangiography (r = 0.93, P < 0.05). The imaging biomarkers allowed morphological, functional and metabolic quantifications of vascular shutdown, necrosis formation and tumour relapse shortly after treatment. A single dose of ZD6126 significantly diminished tumour blood supply and growth until 48 h post-treatment. (orig.)

[en] We sought to establish and characterize a mouse liver tumor model as a platform for preclinical assessment of new diagnostics and therapeutics. Radiation-induced fibrosarcoma (RIF-1) was intrahepatically implanted in 27 C3H/Km mice. Serial in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a clinical 1.5-T-magnet was performed using T1- (T1WI), T2- (T2WI), and diffusion-weighted sequences (DWI), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), and contrast-enhanced T1WI, and validated with postmortem microangiography and histopathology. Implantation procedure succeeded in 25 mice with 2 deaths from overdosed anesthesia or hypothermia. RIF-1 grew in 21 mice with volume doubling time of 2.55±0.88 days and final size of 216.2±150.4 mm³ at day 14. Three mice were found without tumor growth and one only with abdominal seeding. The intrahepatic RIF-1 was hypervascularized with negligible necrosis as shown on MRI, microangiography and histology. On DCE-MRI, maximal initial slope of contrast-time curve and volume transfer constant per unit volume of tissue, K, differed between the tumor and liver with only the former significantly lower in the tumor than in the liver (P<0.05). Liver implantation of RIF-1 in mice proves a feasible and reproducible model and appears promising for use to screen new diagnostics and therapeutics under noninvasive monitoring even with a clinical MRI system. (orig.)

[en] Cardiac lipomatous metaplasia (LM) occurs in patients with chronic ischemic heart disease and heart failure with unclear mechanisms. We studied coronary occlusion/reperfusion-induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rabbits during a 9-months follow-up using 3.0 T magnetic resonance scanner, and confirmed the presence of MI in acute phase and LM in chronic phase using histopathology. MI was surgically induced in 10 rabbits by 90-min coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion. Forty-eight hours later, multiparametric cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) was performed at a 3.0 T clinical scanner for MI diagnosis and cardiac function analysis. Afterwards, seven rabbits were scarified for histochemical staining with triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), and hematoxylin-eosin (HE), and 3 were scanned with cMRI at 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months and 9 months for longitudinal observations of morphological and functional changes, and the fate of the animals. Post-mortem TTC, HE and Masson's trichrome (MTC) were studied for chronic stage of MI. The size of acute MI correlated well between cMRI and TTC staining (r²=0.83). Global cardiac morphology-function analysis showed significant correlation between increasing acute MI size and decreasing ejection fraction (p<0.001). During 9 months, cMRI documented evolving morphological and functional changes from acute MI to chronic scar transformation and fat deposition with a definite diagnosis of LM established by histopathology. Acute MI and chronic LM were induced in rabbits and monitored with 3.0 T MRI. Studies on this platform may help investigate the mechanisms and therapeutic interventions for LM

[en] Purpose: To longitudinally investigate stroke in rats after photothrombotic occlusion of proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in correlation with histopathology. Materials and methods: Forty-two rats were subjected to photochemical MCA occlusion and MRI at 1.5 T, and sacrificed in seven groups (n = 6 each) at the following time points: 1, 3, 6 and 12 h, and at day 1, 3 and 9. T2-weighted (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map was performed in all rats. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging (CE-T1WI) was compared to intravital staining with Evans blue in one group for assessing blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity. The brain was stained histochemically with triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) and processed for pathological assessment. The evolutional changes of relative lesion volume, signal intensity (SI), and the BBB integrity on MRI with corresponding histopathology were evaluated. Results: The ischemic lesion volume reached a maximum around 12 h to day 1 as visualized successively by DWI, ADC map and T2WI, implicating the evolving pathology from cytotoxic edema through vasogenic edema to tissue death. The ADC of brain infarction underwent a significant reversion after 12 h, reflecting the colliquative necrosis. On CE-T1WI, BBB leakage peaked at 6 h and at day 3 with a transitional partial recovery around 24 h. The infarct volume on T2WI, DWI and ADC map matched well with that on TTC staining at 12 h and at day 1 (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The evolution of the present photothrombotic stroke model in rats could be characterized by MRI. The obtained information may help longitudinal studies of cerebral ischemia and anti-stroke agents using the same model