Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to one embodiment includes sequence control circuitry and processing circuitry. The sequence control circuitry performs a first data acquisition for chemical shift measurement and a second data acquisition for either chemical shift measurement or MR imaging, which differs from chemical shift measurement, on the same subject under certain conditions that differ between those data acquisitions. The processing circuitry performs medical data classification on the subject based on first MR data obtained through the first data acquisition and second MR data obtained through the second data acquisition.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, an image forming unit configured to form a toner image on a transfer medium includes four sets of a photoconductor drum and a development roller, respectively, for forming toner images of first, second, third and fourth colors, arranged in this order, in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of the transfer medium moving toward a detector configured to detect a toner image formed on the transfer medium. A controller executes a bias-corrective test image forming process in which a first bias-corrective test image of the first color is arranged in a position downstream of other three first bias-corrective test images, and a second bias-corrective test image of the first color is arranged in a position between two first bias-corrective test images selected among other three first bias-corrective test images, in the direction of movement of the transfer medium.

Abstract: A computer system that performs a sparsity technique is described. During operation, the computer system accesses or obtains information associated with non-invasive measurements performed on at least an individual, historical non-invasive measurements, and a dictionary of predetermined features or basis functions associated with the historical non-invasive measurements. Note that the non-invasive measurements and the historical non-invasive measurements may include or correspond to magnetic resonance (MR) measurements. For example, the MR measurements may include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Then, the computer system updates the dictionary of predetermined features based at least in part on the non-invasive measurements and the historical non-invasive measurements, where the updating includes performing a minimization technique with a cost function having an L2-norm term and an L0-norm term.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a frame, a photosensitive drum supported by the frame, and a developing roller supported by the frame. A coupling is operatively connected to the photosensitive drum, with the coupling being rotatable about an axis thereof, and with the coupling being positioned (i) at a first end of the photosensitive drum, (ii) coaxial with the photosensitive drum, and (iii) at a side of the process cartridge. A helical gear is positioned at the side of the process cartridge, the helical gear being rotatable about an axis thereof, the helical gear having a plurality of teeth, with at least some of the teeth being exposed teeth that are uncovered by the frame and exposed to outside of the process cartridge. As measured in an axial direction of the photosensitive drum, at least a part of the exposed teeth of the helical gear is positioned farther from the second end of the photosensitive drum than a tip of a projection of the coupling is positioned from the second end of the photosensitive drum.

Abstract: An automated system and method is provided for biotype extraction and biomarker discovery from task-based fMRI imaging data. The system and method may include automatically mapping a localizome, such as a task-condition/contrast/population-specific brain functional localizome, based on fMRI data and automatically selecting and sorting brain regions or brain nodes to produce a subset of functional brain regions or brain nodes. A report may then be generated indicating that the subject has a particular brain circuit pattern of activity and connectivity associated with one or more symptoms of the given mental disorder, treatments, or associated with normal brain functions, based upon the extracted biosignatures by searching for the optimal multivariate classifier with least dimensionality in the brain functional localizome.

Abstract: A device for NMR spectroscopy includes a magnet arrangement, configured to produce a magnetic probe field within a magnet field of view external to the magnet arrangement. In a embodiment, the device includes a coil arrangement, configured to generate an electromagnetic excitation field within a coil field of view and a controller, configured to control the coil arrangement. The device includes a magnet adjustment arrangement, configured and arranged to modify at least one parameter of the magnet arrangement to change a spatial position of the magnet field of view.

Abstract: To provide a technique with which a FLAIR image and a T1-weighted image can be acquired in a short scan time, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprises: an RF driver unit 121 for driving an RF coil unit 103; a gradient coil driver unit 122 for driving a gradient coil unit 102; and a controller unit 124 connected to the RF coil driver unit 121 and gradient coil driver unit 122, for controlling them so that an imaging sequence ISc having a duration of 1TR for generating echoes from a body part being imaged is repetitively executed, where the imaging sequence ISc has a first sequence part SQ1 including an inversion pulse 11 and an FSE sequence 12, and a second sequence part SQ2 including an inversion pulse 21 and a GRE sequence 22.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first control unit that executes density correction processing on image data and generates an image signal, an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium on the basis of the image signal, and a second control unit that controls the image forming unit. The first control unit includes a specifying unit that transmits specifying information relating to the density correction processing to the second control unit. The second control unit includes an acquisition unit that acquires a parameter relating to the image forming apparatus, and an estimation unit that estimates a plurality of image densities corresponding to tone levels identified by the specifying information transmitted from the first control unit on the basis of the parameter acquired by the acquisition unit and transmits the plurality of image densities to the first control unit.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, a conveyance rollers pair, a curved path and a first guide roller. The fixing device fixes a toner image on a sheet. The conveyance rollers pair conveys the sheet on which the toner image is fixed by the fixing device. The curved path is provided between the fixing device and the conveyance rollers pair, and the sheet is conveyed along the curved path with a toner image fixed surface facing an inner peripheral side of the curved path. The first guide roller is shiftable between a guide position protruding in the curved path from the inner peripheral side and the inner peripheral side. When the sheet is conveyed along the curved path, the first guide roller is pushed by the sheet while rotating following the sheet and then is shifted from the guide position to the inner peripheral side.

Abstract: A Time-of-flight (TOF) MRI scanning method may include: a TOF MRI scan including a first slice selection gradient applied in the Z direction at the same time as an RF pulse being applied to an imaging target; after applying the RF pulse and first slice selection gradient has ended, applying a slice selection encoding gradient and a phase encoding gradient in the Z direction and Y direction respectively; when application of the slice selection encoding gradient and phase encoding gradient ends, applying a readout gradient in the X direction; when application of the readout gradient ends, applying a tracking saturation pulse to the imaging target, and simultaneously applying a second slice selection gradient in the Z direction; when application of the tracking saturation pulse ends, applying a spoiler gradient in the X, Y and/or Z directions of the magnetic field. The method advantageously reduces the TOF MRI scanning time.

Abstract: Methods for determining a volume of stored gas within a rock sample includes loading a rock sample into an overburden cell. A hydrocarbon gas at a gas pressure is applied to the rock sample and a confining fluid at a confining pressure is applied to the overburden cell. The confining pressure and the gas pressure are increased until a first pressure and temperature condition is met. With the rock sample maintained at the first temperature and pressure condition, a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer is used to scan the rock sample and measure a hydrocarbon gas volume within the rock sample. This measured hydrocarbon gas volume is then corrected using a Real Gas Index to determine the volume of stored gas within the rock sample.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a signal generation circuit includes a generation unit configured to generate a second clock signal from division of a first clock signal and generate a timing signal with a cycle length that is a sum of a predetermined number of half-cycle periods of the second clock signal. A period changing unit of the signal generation circuit is configured to adjust the cycle length of the timing signal by changing a length of at least one half-cycle period of the second clock signal. An output unit of the signal generation circuit is configured to output the second clock signal and the timing signal.

Abstract: The disclosure describes optically pumped magnetometers and systems incorporating, and methods of operating, the same. An optically pumped magnetometer according to one embodiment of the present technology includes a vapor cell configured to contain an atomic absorber such as rubidium-87, and at least one light source in optical communication with the vapor cell. The optically pumped magnetometer includes components positioned and configured to provide a bias field, and induce a zeroing field, within the vapor cell. Among other useful and advantageous ends, embodiments of the present technology provide for increasing the degree of atomic polarization in optically pumped magnetometers based on zeroing the bias magnetic field during the optical pumping process.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container configured to contain a developer, a developing carrying member configured to carry and feed the developer to a developing position, and a regulating member configured to regulate an amount of the developer carried by the developer carrying member, wherein the developer carrying member includes a magnet provided non-rotatably and stationarily inside the developer carrying member, and wherein the developer carrying member is provided with information regarding magnetic flux density of the magnet.

Abstract: A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus includes exciting a body coil of the MRI apparatus to emit a radio-frequency signal, determining a center frequency of a resonance curve of the body coil, and calculating a magnet target frequency based on the determined center frequency. A magnet is ramped to the magnet target frequency.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a belt, a roller, a heater, and a reflector. The belt is rotatable in a rotational direction. The roller is positioned to be in contact with an outer peripheral surface of the belt so as to form a nip between the roller and the belt. The heater is disposed within an inner circumference of the belt. The reflector is configured to reflect heat generated by the heater toward an inner surface of the belt. The reflector includes a first portion that is in contact with the belt at a first region downstream with respect to the nip in the rotational direction. The first portion causes a curvature of the belt at the first region to be greater than the curvature of the belt at regions of the belt adjacent to the first region.

Abstract: The invention relates to the generation of RF pulses for MRI applications.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a T1 or T2 map for a three-dimensional (3D) image volume of a subject. The method includes acquiring first, second, and third 3D images of the image volume of the subject. Signal evolutions of voxels through the first to third 3D images by comparing voxel intensity levels of corresponding voxel locations in the first, second, and third 3D images. A simulation dictionary representing the signal evolutions for a number of different tissue parameter combinations is obtained. The T1 or T2 map is generated by comparing the determined signal evolutions to entries in the dictionary and by finding, for each of the determined signal evolutions, the entry in the dictionary that best matches the determined signal evolution.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging method of correcting phase errors is provided. The method includes applying, by an MR system, a pulse sequence to acquire the precorrection MR image. The method also includes acquiring, by the MR system, reference k-space data having a field of view (FOV) in a phase-encoding direction that is twice or more greater than an FOV of the precorrection MR image in the phase-encoding direction, wherein the reference k-space data and MR signals of the precorrection MR image are acquired with the same type of pulse sequences. The method further includes splitting the reference k-space data into first k-space data and second k-space data, generating a phase error map based on the first k-space data and the second k-space data, generating a phase-corrected image of the precorrection MR image based on the phase error map, and outputting the phase-corrected image.

Abstract: A method for evaluating drilling fluid includes making an NMR measurement of a sample of the drilling fluid and inverting the measurements to compute a corresponding T1T2 plot. The T1T2 plot is in turn evaluated to characterize the drilling fluid. In one embodiment, a stability index of the fluid may be computed from multiple NMR measurements made while aging the sample.