Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The transfer of 203Pb and/or 47Ca across the intestinal epithelium of the chick was investigated, with emphasis given to the functional role of cholecalciferol (vitamin D-3). 203Pb, after introduction in the intestinal lumen, is rapidly accumulated by the intestinal tissue, and only a fraction of 203Pb is translocated parenterally (absorbed). Cholecalciferol did not significantly affect the accumulation of 203Pb by intestinal tissue but did accelerate 203Pb movement across the basal-lateral membrane. In contrast, cholecalciferol both decreased 47Ca tissue levels and increased 47Ca absorption. In rachitic chicks, the rate of absorption of 203Pb was greater in the distal than in the proximal segments of the intestine; after cholecalciferol repletion, the degree of absorption in al segments was similar, indicting the order of cholecalciferol effectiveness as duodenum greater than or equal to jejunum greater than ileum. An acute dose of 1,25(OH)2D3 to rachitic chicks ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

High resolution structural elucidation of macromolecular structure by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance requires the preparation of uniformly aligned samples that are isotopically labeled. In...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Assessment of subtle changes in the primary macromolecular components of cartilage, proteoglycan (PG) and collagen, is critical for the diagnosis of early stages of osteoarthritis (OA), but...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The pattern of biodegradation and the chemical changes occurring in the macromolecular fraction of domestic sludge during autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion (ATAD) was monitored and characterised...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Direct plating, selective enrichment, and cold enrichment followed by secondary selective enrichment procedures were compared for detecting and enumerating Listeria monocytogenes in chopped cabbage stored at 5 degrees C for up to 64 days. Addition of Fe3+ to solid media enhanced detection of the organism. Cold enrichment (5 degrees C) in nutrient broth and brain heart infusion broth followed by secondary enrichment (48 h, 30 degrees C) in Trypticase soy-yeast extract-antibiotic broth and thiocyanate-nalidixic acid broth and plating on selective agar media (Doyle and Schoeni selective enrichment agar [minus acriflavin hydrochloride, supplemented with 5 micrograms of Fe3+/ml] and McBride Listeria agar) resulted in the detection of highest populations. PMID:3111369

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of this research was to convert coal into a soluble substance under mild conditions. The strategy involved two steps, first to breakdown the macromolecular network of coal, and second to add hydrogen catalytically. We investigated different basic reagents that could, in priciple, break down coal's structure and alkylation strategies that might enhance its solubility. We examined O- and C-alkylation, the importance of the strength of the base, the character of the added alkyl groups and other reaction parameters. This work provided new information concerning the way in which hydrogen bonding, polarization interactions between aromatic structures and covalent bonding could be disrupted and solubility enhanced. The objective of our research was to explore new organochromium chemistry that might be feasible for the hydrogenation of coal under mild conditions.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundContrast-induced nephropathy is the leading cause of in-hospital acute renal failure. This side effect of contrast agents leads to increased morbidity, mortality, and health...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

No abstract prepared.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In a previous survey we revealed uncertainty among responders about (a) whether or not to perform hemodialysis in patients with severely reduced renal function who had received contrast medium; and (b) when to perform hemodialysis in patients on regular treatment with hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory dialysis who received contrast medium. Therefore, the Contrast Media Safety Committee of The European Society of Urogenital Radiology decided to review the literature and to issue guidelines. The committee performed a Medline search. Based on this, a report and guidelines were prepared. The report was discussed at the Ninth European Symposium on Urogenital Radiology in Genoa, Italy. Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis safely remove both iodinated and gadolinium-based contrast media. The effectiveness of hemodialysis depends on many factors including blood and dialysate flow rate, permeability of ...

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One of the main goals in the determination of three-dimensional macromolecular structures from electron microscope images of individual molecules and complexes (single particles) is a sufficiently high spatial resolution, about 4 A, at which the interpretation with an atomic model becomes possible. To reach high resolution, an iterative refinement procedure using an expectation maximization algorithm is often used that leads to a more accurate alignment of the positional and orientational parameters for each particle. We show here the results of refinement algorithms that use a phase residual, a linear correlation coefficient, or a weighted correlation coefficient to align individual particles. The algorithms were applied to computer-generated data sets that contained projections from model structures, as well as noise. The algorithms show different degrees of over-fitting, especially at high resolution where the signal is weak. We demonstrate that the degree of ...

Science.gov (United States)

Macromolecular and polyanionic Na(+)-poly(gamma-glutamic acid) (PGA) silver nitrate complex acted as both a metal ion provider and a particle protector to fabricate nanosized silver colloids under chemical reduction by dextrose. The formation and size of particles have been characterized from transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering analysis and UV-vis spectrophotometer. The results showed that the average particle size was 17.2+/-3.4 to 37.3+/-5.5 nm, apparently depending on the complex concentration. It was found that the rate constant and conversion of silver nanoparticles were proportional to the concentration of PGA. The growth mechanism of nanosized silver colloid was fully discussed. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity evaluated by L929 fibroblasts proliferation and antibacterial activity against Gram-positive strain (methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA)) and Gram-negative strain (P. aeruginosa) bacteria have been assessed. ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Several fixed classification experiments test the hypothesis that F₁, f₀, and closure voicing covary between intervocalic stops contrasting...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The passage of a vascular-injected paramagnetic contrast reagent (CR) bolus through a region-of-interest affects tissue ¹H₂O relaxation and thus MR image intensity. For longitudinal...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... structure along an elevational gradient in Hawaiian honeycreepers reveals contrasting evolutionary responses to avian malaria. BMC Evolutionary Biology 8: ... ...

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:20656353

Science.gov (United States)

... For example, contrast solving the Missionaries and Cannibals problem with the more ill-defined reasoning which led to inventing it. ...

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Phase-contrast imaging with a practical cone-beam X-ray tube has been realized for clinical use in digital mammography using computed radiography (CR). To perform phase-contrast imaging, the X-ray detector must be distanced from an object so that the phase-contrast image achieves magnification; in a mammography unit dedicated to phase-contrast imaging, the magnification ratio is 1.75. When using an X-ray tube with a 0.1-mm focal spot, it appears that the penumbra in magnification blurs both projected images and the phase contrast, which generates an edge effect. However, where the sampling pitch of the CR plate is 43.75 {mu}m, the blur stretches the width of the phase contrast so that unit pixels in the detector can capture it. Note that the width of an ideal phase contrast using an X-ray point source results in a phase ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Objective: To determine the optimal contrast injection protocol for 64-MDCT coronary angiography. Materials and methods: One hundred and fifty consecutive patients scheduled to undergo retrospectively electrocardiographically gated 64-MDCT. Each 30 patients were assigned to use a different contrast protocol: group 1: uniphasic protocol (contrast injection without saline flush); group 2: biphasic protocol (contrast injection with saline flush); group 3A, 3B and 3C: triphasic protocol (contrast media + different saline diluted contrast media + saline flush). Image quality scores and artifacts were compared and evaluated on both transaxial and three-dimensional coronary artery images among each contrast protocol. Results: Among the triphasic protocol groups, group 3A (30%:70% contrast media-saline mixture was used in second ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Low-temperature catalytic pretreatment is a promising approach to the development of an improved liquefaction process- This work is a fundamental study on effects of pretreatments on coal structure and reactivity in liquefaction. The main objectives of this project are to study the coal structural changes induced by low-temperature catalytic and thermal pretreatments by using spectroscopic techniques; and to clarify the pretreatment-induced changes in reactivity or convertibility of coals in the subsequent liquefaction. This report describes the recent progress of our work. Substantial progress has been made in the spectroscopic characterization of structure and pretreatment-liquefaction reactions of a Montana subbituminous Coal (DECS-9), and thermochemical analysis of three mw and reacted bituminous coals. Temperature programmed liquefaction has been performed on three low-rank coals both in the presence and absence of dispersed molybdenum sulfide catalyst. We also performed a ...

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N/C and S/C ratios show only minor differences between asphaltenes and coal on this basis, the asphaltenes continue to appear to be good surrogates for the characterization of organic acid rain precursors in coal. Alkylmethoxythiophene carboxylic acids (ATCA) are detected in all dichromate oxidation products analyzed to date. Relative concentrations of ATCA compounds are directly proportional to the sample`s bulk organic sulfur contents. Concentrations of ATCA compounds in oxidation products decrease upon repeated oxidation. This may indicate that the thiophenic groups tend to be located in external positions on the coal macromolecular structure and a high proportion of them can be stripped away with only one mild oxidation step. If true, this may make industrial-scale removal of organic sulfur easier than expected. Using analytical micropyrolysis-gas chromatography with a sulfur-selective flame photometric detector, it is possible to easily see a full distribution ...

KoreaScience (Korea)

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UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Abstract The authors provide a survey of how images are used in radiation therapy to improve the precision of radiation therapy plans, and delivery of radiation treatment. In contrast...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... 05). In contrast with the information available for Penaeus monodon Fabricius, 1798 (Ferraris et al., 1987) and L. vannamei ( ... ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We present and characterize a very efficient optical device that employs the plasma mirror technique to increase the contrast of high-power laser systems. Contrast improvements higher than 104 with 50% transmission are shown to be routinely achieved on a typical 10 TW laser system when the pulse is reflected on two consecutive plasma mirrors. Used at the end of the laser system, this double plasma mirror preserves the spatial profile of the initial beam, is unaffected by shot-to-shot fluctuations, and is suitable for most high peak power laser systems. We use the generation of high-order harmonics as an effective test for the contrast improvement produced by the double plasma mirrors. (authors)

KoreaScience (Korea)

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UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In contrast to the increasing availability of information pertaining to the care of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) from large-scale observational and interventional studies, epidemiological...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

CT of the gastrointestinal tract is commonly performed after administration of a high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast material. However, because if inadequate mixing of the contrast material with the gastrointestinal contents, pseudotumor and poor mucosal visualization are frequently shown on abdominal CT. To overcome these problem, 10% corn oil emulsion (COE) is tested as an alternative oral contrast agent in 40 patients. We analyse patients tolerance, gastric mucosal visualization and discrimination of pancreas from the duodenal C-loop to 10% COE in 40 patients compared with those obtained from 35 patients, who was received high-density diluted iodinated oral contrast agent (gastrografin). The results are as follows : 1. Patients' tolerance to 10% COE is similar to that to conventional oral contrast agent. 2. Image of the gastric mucosa from patients receiving 10% ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Gadolinium (Gd) based contrast agents (GBCAs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used in daily clinical practice and appear safe in most patients; however, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We reported three cases of acute intracranial tuberculosis including miliary tuberculosis, basal meningitis, tuberculomas and neuritis of cranial nerves. All patients had native and contrast enhanced CT and MRI scans. MRI revealed more granulomas and a better imaging contrast in the detection of basal meningitis. Neuritis was diagnosed only with the MRI. MRI scans should be prefered as the imaging procedure in clinically presumed intracranial tuberculosis. (orig.).

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Gold and silver nanoparticles display extraordinarily large apparent refractive indices near their plasmon resonance (PR) wavelengths. These nanoparticles show good contrast in a narrow spectral band but are poorly resolved at other wavelengths in differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. The wavelength dependence of DIC contrast of gold/silver nanoparticles is interpreted in terms of Mie's theory and DIC working principles. We further exploit this wavelength dependence by modifying a DIC microscope to enable simultaneous imaging at two wavelengths. We demonstrate that gold/silver nanoparticles immobilized on the same glass slides through hybridization can be differentiated and imaged separately. High-contrast, video-rate images of living cells can be recorded both with and without illuminating the gold nanoparticle probes, providing definitive probe identification. Dual-wavelength ...

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A computed tomography (CT) cut-off for differentiating neoplastic lesions (polyps/carcinoma) from normal colon in contrast-enhanced CT colonography (CTC) relating to the contrast phase and lesion size is determined. CT values of 64 colonic lesions (27 polyps <10 mm, 13 polyps {>=}10 mm, 24 carcinomas) were determined by region-of-interest (ROI) measurements in 38 patients who underwent contrast-enhanced CTC. In addition, the height (H) of the colonic lesions was measured in CT. CT values were also measured in the aorta (A), superior mesenteric vein (V) and colonic wall. The contrast phase was defined by xA + (1 - x)V using x as a weighting factor for describing the different contrast phases ranging from the pure arterial phase (x=1) over the intermediate phases (x=0.9-0.1) to the pure venous phase (x=0). The CT values of the lesions were correlated with their height ...

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Magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) on fast spin echo (FSE) images was evaluated in normal brain tissue as well as in brain tumors to better understand contrast of FSE images. On multislice FSE images, attenuation of the signal intensity of brain tissue due to MTC is observed. The rate of MTC (MTR) is obtained by comparing with additional single slice images. The effect of signal attenuation is greater on images with smaller interslice gap, larger number of slices, and longer echo train length. MTR of brain tumors is less than that of normal brain tissue. Among them, meningiomas have relatively high MTR, and cavernous malformation has relatively low MTR. Determination of MTC can be easily specified by obtaining multislice and single slice FSE images, and it may help differentiate brain tumors. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic quality and adverse events of the water-soluble, non-ionic, iso-osmolar, dimeric contrast media iodixanol and iotrolan in hysterosalpingography (HSG). Material and Methods: One hundred and twenty patients participated in a double-blind randomized parallel-group phase-III study. Questionnaires and patient interviews were used. Diagnostic quality was assessed using a visual analogue scale and the quality in specific regions was rated using a categorical scale. Results: Overall diagnostic quality was equal for the two groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in diagnostic quality in the specific regions of interest. No differences between the contrast media were found with regard to adverse events. Conclusion: Both contrast media provided images of high diagnostic quality in HSG. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Gelatine is a reliable tissue simulant in wound ballistic experiments. The projectile penetrating the gelatine transfers energy and causes radial cracks according to the temporary cavity. Thus the crack length is a function of the energy spent in the medium. In practice the fissures are poorly contrasted for which reason an enhancement of contrast was searched. A series of six shoots with expanding bullets (9mmx19 Action-5, 9mmx19 Quick Defense 1, 5.56mmx45 Styx Action) was realized on 10% gelatine blocks at 4^oC temperature. Three blocks were marked with acryl paint on the front, three blocks were shot native. The blocks were cut in slices of 1cm thickness and optically scanned. The evaluation was performed according to Fackler's wound profile, the total crack length method and the polygo...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundIn humans, myocardial infarction is characterized by irreversible loss of heart tissue, which becomes replaced with a fibrous scar. By contrast, teleost fish and urodele...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The purpose of this study was to synthesize biocompatible polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated iron oxide (PVP-IO) nanoparticles and to evaluate their efficacy as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The anatomy of the labyrinth and the structure of the macula utriculi of the teleost fish (burbot) Lota vulgaris was studied by dissection, phase contrast, and electron microscopy....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Mice and rats are important mammalian models in biomedical research. In contrast to other biomedical fields, work on sexual differentiation of brain and behavior has traditionally utilized comparative...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We investigated a method of analyzing the hemodynamics of the lung mass by contrast enhanced dynamic computed tomography (dynamic CT) to determine the difference in vascular supply between the pulmonary artery and bronchial artery using an experimental model. Our experimental model consisted of two injectors connected to two tubes, representing the pulmonary artery and bronchial artery, which were further connected to a chamber representing the lung mass. Following infusion of contrast medium into each tube with some delay time, dynamic CT scans were performed to obtain time density curves of the two tubes and the chamber. Using the time-density curve of contrast passage, flow rates from the two tubes into the chamber were calculated by the curve fitting method. Calculated values correlated well with the adopted flow rates of fluid from the injectors (r=0.893) in the experiment. The results indicate our method of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anatomical specimens and normal persons were studied by gradient echo MR imaging to determine the influence of different echo times (TE) on bone marrow contrast. First of all, six normal persons were studied to determine specific echo times for in-phase and opposed-phase states. Using different sequences bone marrow contrast in isolated femoral bones was determined and compared to results of pathological exams. Red bone marrow had no signal on opposed-phase images; contrast between red and yellow marrow was higher on opposed-phase than on in-phase images. Bone marrow lesions can be expected to be visualised with high signal on opposed-phase images; this technique should be especially suited for MR imaging of bone marrow. (orig.).

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We have characterized the kinetic response of gene targets throughout the murine genome to transcriptional modulation by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In contrast to a model in which multiple genes...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iodixanol is a new nonionic dimer, isotonic with blood at all clinically relevant concentrations. Iodixanol (270 mg I/ml) was compared in a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, phase-III study to the monomeric nonionic iohexol (300 mg I/ml) for evaluation of safety, tolerability and radiographic efficacy during cerebral CT. One hundred adult patients scheduled to undergo contrast-enhanced cerebral CT were randomly allocated to receive either iodixanol or iohexol. All completed the trial. Safety was evaluated by recording discomfort and other adverse events, tolerance by assessing intensity and incidence of discomfort. Radiographic efficacy was assessed from the diagnostic information and the radiographic density. No serious adverse events occurred. One patient (2 %) in the iodixanol group and one patient (2 %) in the iohexol group experienced a transient reddening at the neck and lower neck-line, respectively. Both contrast agents were ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Spinocerebellar ataxia 10 (SCA10) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by large-scale expansions of the (ATTCT)_n repeat within an intron of the human ATXN10 gene. In contrast...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

Little change was observed in primates fed 75 mg/kg adenine over the four-week period. Minimal tissue pathology was encountered upon completion of the study. In contrast to earlier studies in which oral feeding of adenine to dogs caused severe symptoms, a...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

AIM: To improve the diagnosis of heterotopic pancreas by the use of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) imaging and CT virtual endoscopy (CTVE).METHODS: A total of six patients with heterotopic...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Low kVp settings provide high conspicuity of contrast materials at CT but may result in high image noise, particularly in larger patients. Material decomposition at dual energy CT can differentiate...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

NG2 chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan is a surface marker of oligodendroglial progenitor cells (OPCs) in various species. In contrast to well-studied rat OPCs, however, we found that purified...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

A focused ion beam (FIB) technique was applied to cross-sectional specimen preparation to observe an interface between a plasma sprayed coating and an aluminum (Al) substrate by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface of the sprayed coating film has a roughness of several tens of microns. Sputter rates for the coating film and the substrate are greatly different. The rough surface and the difference in sputter rate cause problems in making TEM specimens with smooth side walls. The top surface of the coating film was planerized by the FIB before fabricating the TEM specimen. The interfaces were investigated by TEM and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The TEM observation revealed that there is a 10 nm thick amorphous layer at the interface between the coating film and substrate. The coating film consists of two kinds of sublayers with bright and dark contrast. The bright contrast sublayers were amorphous layers with thickness ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The ability to adapt and respond to nutrients is an ancient cellular function, conserved from unicellular to the most complex multicellular organisms, including mammals. Mammals adapt to changes...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Partial epilepsies have a substantial heritability. However, the actual genetic causes are largely unknown. In contrast to many other common diseases for which genetic association-studies have successfully...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Activatable or “smart” magnetic resonance contrast agents have relaxivities that depend on environmental factors such as pH or enzymatic activity, but the MR signal depends on...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Even in healthy individuals, aging leads to deterioration in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, visual field, and dark adaptation. Little is known about the neural mechanisms that drive the...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The behaviour of the packaging materials under radiation field has a great importance in radiation processing, because, in most cases, they are finally responsible for the preservation of the beneficent changes achieved in irradiated products. For example, in radiation sterilisation and food irradiation, the packages must preserve the sterilisation, respectively the sanitisation. They must preserve also the physical barrier feature. The radiation effects on plastics were extensively studied in the last decades for nuclear industry and more recently for radiation processing. The two major effects of nuclear radiation on polymeric materials are the degradation and cross-linking. The degradation consists in breaking of macromolecules after interaction with nuclear particles, amplified by the free radicals which persist long periods, especially in crystalline polymers. Oxygen could penetrate the sample and interact with free radicals so that the degradation process continues after the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this study was to assess experimentally and clinically the usefulness of Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR) in angiographic examinations. FCR had a spatial resolution with much lower X-ray exposure doses, although the resolution of FCR was generally inferior to conventional films. When a contrast medium of 1% iodine concentration was used, FCR pinpointed a mass 1.5 mm in diameter; and conventional film could detect a mass 2.2 mm in diameter. The contrast of iodine in FCR examinations was stable. A high sensitivity of imaging plate allowed a wide range of visualization. In 148 selective angiographic examinatinons for 138 patients, FCR-subtraction images were superior to conventional film angiography for contrast resolution; it had a high sensitivity in detecting areas, such as the mediastimun and left lobe of the liver, and tumor stains in capillary phase. The capability of FCR arteriogram was as good as film ...

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of this study was to simplify the opacifying mixing process of the bone cement and contrast used for percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP). We performed a biomechanical study of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) (Corinplast 3) using three different mixtures of PMMA, monomer, and contrast: group I, 2:1; group II, 3:2; group III, 3:2:1 ratio of powder/monomer/iodinated contrast (Omnipaque). In vitro biomechanical testing of ultimate compressive strength was carried out in all samples. Following the conclusion of a proper bone cement mixture regimen drawn from the in vitro study, PVP was performed in 125 patients: 58 with cancer, 12 with hemangioma, and 54 with osteoporotic fracture. The ultimate compressive strength in group III was decreased by 38% compared to groups II and I. Proper fluoroscopic visualization was achieved in all PVP procedures using this mixture. There were no major complications associated with ...

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Superparamagnetic MFe{sub 2}{sup 3+}O{sub 4} (M=Mn{sup 2+}, Fe{sup 2+} and Co{sup 2+}) inverse spinel ferrite (ISF) nanoparticles with narrow size distribution having average diameters of 6-8 nm were synthesized by a diol reduction of organic metals and the surface was modified to be hydrophilic by coating with succimer. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement by dipolar coupling defined interactions between the synthesized ISFs and protons in the bulk water was investigated with initial susceptibility, magnetization and anisotropy of the succimer-coated ISFs. The relaxivity ratios, r{sub 2}/r{sub 1}, for MnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}, Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} were measured to be 12.2, 23.1 and 62.3, respectively, which demonstrate the potential usefulness of these magnetic nanoparticles as T{sub 2} contrast agents for MRI.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

X-ray imaging using asymmetric Bragg reflection in the hard x-ray regime opens the way to improve the spatial resolution limit below 1 #mu#m by magnifying the image before detection, simultaneously providing a strong phase contrast. A theoretical formalism of the imaging process is established. Based on this algorithm, numerical simulations are performed and demonstrate that both Fresnel propagation and Bragg diffraction contribute to contrast formation. The achievable resolution of this technique is investigated theoretically; the results obtained can be used to improve future experimental setups. Furthermore, the minimum detectable phase gradient is estimated, for comparison with other phase sensitive imaging techniques. Results from biological objects demonstrate that the technique is viable for imaging both in two and three dimensions. Refraction contrast images are extracted from experimental projection images by an ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnetic resonance (MR) images of 18 cases of hilar cholangiocarcinoma were evaluated to compare the effectiveness of Gd-DTPA with that of high dose contrast enhancement computed tomography (HCE-CT) in detecting the primary tumor. The primary tumor was demonstrated as having slightly low intensity compared with liver parenchyma and high intensity compared with the delated bile duct on T1-weighted images. In contrast, MRI using Gd-DTPA, which was carried out in five cases, revealed intense enhancement of the tumor. As the differentiation between cholangiocarcinoma and dilated bile duct was difficult, it was concluded that the use of Gd-DTPA improves the efficacy of MRI in diagnosing cholangiocarcinoma. Gd-DTPA was also effective in differentiating the growth pattern of the tumor: the infiltrating type was demonstrated as thickening of the wall of the bile duct, the polypoid type as a soft tissue mass in the bile duct. ...

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Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) 19-9 and 73-3 specific for human colon adenocarcinoma were labelled with a high number of gadolinium atoms. Twenty five DTPA were chelated per MAb, with only slight loss of immunoreactivity. The NMR contrast agent Gd-25 DTPA-MAb 19-9 or 73-3 ((Gd) 17 mumole/kg, (MAb) 60 microM) was injected into nude mice bearing human colon adenocarcinoma (SW948). Tumors were removed 24 hr after injection and T1 was measured in vitro. T1 relaxation time varied according to MAb specificity against tumour targets; T1 decreased 20% for MAb 19-9 and MAb 73-3 with SW948 tumor. Imaging was performed with this model. Very good contrast was obtained 24 hr after Gd-25 DTPA-MAb injection.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selective alveolo-bronchography (SAB) has been routinely used to evaluate anatomical changes in the bronchiole and its distal air spaces. A narrowing of the bronchiole and abnormal pooling of contrast medium in the destroyed air space are the prime findings. Since the object of radiography is extremely thin, direct magnification radiography is mandatory to obtain radiologic details. However, the problem with this technique is that radiographic quality varies depending upon the size of the patient and the concentration of contrast medium to be introduced in the lung. This study had two goals. One was to improve the image quality of SAB by Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR). FCR provides radiographs with a good contrast and stable density throughout a wide range of exposure factors which occur in the use of SAB. The other goal was to separately evaluate morphological abnormalities in the outer and inner zones of the lung using ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

CT and MRI of acquired abnormalities of the inner ear and cerebello-pontine angle present themselves with very typical findings. The imaging should be adapted to the pathology looked for and either CT or MRI should be used alone or in combination.CT, especially high resolution CT (HRCT), provides an excellent bone contrast, while MRI has a much superior soft tissue contrast. Acute inflammatory changes of the inner ear are solely depicted by contrast-enhanced MRI. HRCT excellently depicts osseous changes of the inner ear and cerebellopontine angle such as chronic ossifying labyrinthitis occurring after acute labyrinthitis, otosclerotic or traumatic changes. Tumorous changes not yielding to bony changes are best delineated by MRI. Posttraumatic hemorrhage and chronic fibrotic changes within the labyrinth are depicted by MRI, only. In conclusion HRCT and MRI are excellent methods to delineate acquired abnormalities of the ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

A protocol adapter ideally suited to enable enterprises to gradually transition from SOAP Web Services to RESTful HTTP Web Services without impacting existing clients is presented in this paper. The inherent advantage of such a transition is the visibility of RESTful HTTP messages to Web intermediaries such as caches. In contrast, SOAP messages are opaque, which disables Web intermediaries. While both approaches can use HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) for message transfer, the paradigms contrast sharply. SOAP uses an interface specific approach whereas RESTful HTTP uses a Uniform Interface approach. SOAP marks up its payload with eXtensible Markup Language (XML) whereas in certain situations RESTful HTTP requires no XML. We present the disadvantages of the SOAP approach and outline how ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract A large remaining source of uncertainty in global model predictions of future climate is how ecosystem carbon (C) cycle feedbacks to climate change. We conducted a field manipulative experiment of warming and nitrogen (N) addition in a temperate steppe in northern China during two contrasting hydrological growing seasons in 2006 [wet with total precipitation 11.2% above the long-term mean (348 mm)] and 2007 (dry with total precipitation 46.7% below the long-term mean). Irrespective of strong intra- and interannual variations in ecosystem C fluxes, responses of ecosystem C fluxes to warming and N addition did not change between the two growing seasons, suggesting independence of warming and N responses of net ecosystem C exchange (NEE) upon hydrological variations in the temperate ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The combination of functional and morphological imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) has shown its value in the clinical and preclinical field. However, CT provides only very limited soft-tissue contrast and exposes the examined patient or laboratory animal to a high X-ray radiation dose. In comparison to CT, magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) provides excellent soft-tissue contrast and allows for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS) or functional MRI (fMRI). Thus, the combination of PET and MRI has been pursued for several years. First approaches have succeeded using conventional photo multiplier tube (PMT) technology together with light fibers to transfer scintillation light away from the high magnetic field. Latest...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In an extended case report, we discuss four cases with masses in the lacrimal fossa representing the most important entities in this region (lymphoma, pleomorphadenoma, inflammatory pseudotumor, and malignant epithelial tumor). The different indications for CT and MRI are explained. For the differential diagnosis of lacrimal gland lesions, the following imaging parameters are important: The shape of the lacrimal gland, the inner structure, the degree of contrast enhancement, and the surrounding bony structures. In the evaluation of the expansion of lacrimal gland lesions, CT in thin slices with multiplanar reconstructions is equal to MRI. However, the contrast-enhancement of lacrimal glands is better evaluated with MRI than with CT. The bony structures are better visualized on CT than on MRI. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An iterative phase retrieval algorithm was previously investigated for in-line x-ray phase imaging. Through detailed theoretical analysis and computer simulations, we now discuss the limitations, robustness, and efficiency of the algorithm. The iterative algorithm was proved robust against imaging noise but sensitive to the variations of several system parameters. It is also efficient in terms of calculation time. It was shown that the algorithm can be applied to phase retrieval based on one phase-contrast image and one attenuation image, or two phase-contrast images; in both cases, the two images can be obtained either by one detector in two exposures, or by two detectors in only one exposure as in the dual-detector scheme.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Real-time neutron radiography (NTV) has been used for practical applications at the Kyoto University Reactor (KUR). At present, however, the direct image from the TV system is still poor in resolution and low in contrast. In this paper several image improvements are demonstrated, such as a frame summing technique, which are effective in increasing image quality in neutron radiography. Image integration before the A/D converter has a beneficial effect on image quality and the high quality image reveals details invisible in direct images, such as: small holes by a reversed image, defects in a neutron converter screen through a high quality image, a moving object in a contoured image, a slight difference between two low-contrast images by a subtraction technique, and so on. For the real-time application a contouring operation and an averaging approach can also be utilized effectively.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Twenty-three patients with intracranial meningiomas were examined by means of magnetic resonance tomography (MRT). In 13 patients the paramagnetic contrast medium gadolinium DTPA was used. Meningiomas show only slight changes in signal intensity compared with brain in the spin-echo mode, the greatest contrast being found on photon density images (TR 1600 ms, TE 35 ms). In T1 images more than 50% of the patients showed a low signal margin between tumour and brain. Hyperostosis of the calvarium is easily recognised, but MRT is unreliable for showing tumour calcification. After intravenous injection of gadolinium DTPA, there was marked homogeneous uptake in the meningiomas. These signs are useful for the diagnosis of a meningioma by MRT. (orig.).

CERN Document Server

Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of short gravity waves is examined in order to explain the recent findings of the decrease in momentum transfer from hurricane winds to sea waves. A three-fluid configuration of a foam layer between the atmosphere and the ocean is suggested to provide signifficant stabilization of the system and shifting the marginal critical wavelength to the shortwave part of the spectrum. It is conjectured that such stabilization leads to the observed drag reduction. The high contrasts in three fluid densities provide a universal mechanism for stabilizing surface perturbations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ultrasound tomography is an attractive imaging method for the detection of breast cancer. The complex anatomy of the breast with its different spatial scales and material property contrasts make accurate reconstructions very challenging. This paper proposes a hybrid approach whereby Travel-of-Flight and Diffraction Tomography are combined together to achieve high-resolution and high-accuracy sound-speed reconstructions. The method is validated with several numerical phantoms.

CERN Document Server

Gas and stars in spiral galaxies are modelled with the DUAL code, using hydrodynamic and N-body techniques. The simulations reveal morphological differences mirroring the dual morphologies seen in B and K' band observations of many spiral galaxies. In particular, the gaseous images are more flocculent with lower pitch angles than the stellar images, and the stellar arm-interarm contrast correlates with the degree of morphological decoupling.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Here, we provide the first study of prolactin (PRL) and prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression during the nonseasonal murine hair cycle, which is, in contrast to sheep, comparable with the human scalp...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

To evaluate the usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) rotational angiography, cervical carotid or cerebral angiography was done without catheterizing the branches of the thoracic aorta. A 5-Fr pig-tail type catheter was passed into the ascending aorta via the radial artery or the femoral artery. Optimal carotid angiogram views were obtained using approximately 45 ml of contrast medium at a flow rate of 15 ml/sec. Optimal cerebral angiogram views were obtained using approximately 70 ml of contrast medium at a flow rate of 20 ml/sec. The contrast medium concentration was 300 to 350 mgI/ml. A satisfactory view could be obtained in 5 of 8 (63%) cases on cervical carotid 3D angiography and in 8 of 14 (57%) cases on cerebral 3D angiography. In all cases, no complications were noted. This method offers the advantages of requiring a relatively short procedure time and a decrease in radiation exposure. Further studies are needed to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A real-time neutron radiography facility was constructed including the capability of neutron tomography. The neutron beam was measured for total neutron flux ((1.0 +/- 0.2) x 10"1"1 m/(m"2-sec)), gold cadmium ratio (52 +/- 3) and effective neutron temperature (83"0C +/- 8"0C). The angular divergence or nonparallelism of the neutron beam was measured to be 2.3"0 +/- 0.1"0 thereby providing a means of quantifying the collimator effectiveness. The resolution capabilities of both static film and real-time neutron radiographs were quantified using a Fourier transform algorithm to calculate the modulation transfer function of both types of radiographs. The contrast sensitivity of both types of radiographs. The contrast sensitivity of both types of radiographs was measured as 3.1% for film and 4.0% for real-time radiographs. Two tomography algorithms, the simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT) and the convolution method, were ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract An analytical model is developed to predict transient discharge flow into a tunnel drilled at various speeds through a heterogeneous formation. This model relies on simplifying assumptions commonly enforced in hydrogeologic engineering, and combines the convolution and superposition principles to account for composite sections with arbitrary parametric contrasts. An application to the data monitored during the exploratory drilling of an Alpine tunnel confirms the validity of the approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Endogenous fluorescence provides morphological, spectral, and lifetime contrast that can indicate disease states in tissues. Previous studies have demonstrated that two-photon autofluorescence microscopy (2PAM) can be used for noninvasive, three-dimensional imaging of epithelial tissues down to approximately 150 ?m beneath the skin surface. We report ex-vivo 2PAM images of epithelial tissue from a human tongue biopsy down to 370 ?m below the surface. At greater than 320 ?m deep, the fluorescence generated outside the focal volume degrades the image contrast to below one. We demonstrate that these imaging depths can be reached with 160 mW of laser power (2-nJ per pulse) from a conventional 80-MHz repetition rate ultrafast laser oscillator. To better understand the maximum imaging depths that we can achieve in epithelial tissues, we studied image contrast as a function of depth in tissue phantoms with a range of relevant ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In Spiral CT, the pitch is the ratio of the distance to tabletop travels per 360 degrees rotation to nominal slice width, expressed in mm. Performing Spiral CT examination with pitch 2 allows to reduce examination time, exposure and contrast dose, and X-ray tube overload. The authors investigated the yield of pitch 2 in lung parenchyma studies, particular relative to diagnostic image quality.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Distribution of Lipiodol within hepatic tumor was evaluated using serial computed tomography. Imagistic Lipiodol transition into the tumor via hepatic artery was slower than that of water soluble contrast medium, spreading to central part first and turn to peripheral part of the tumor. This method was thought to be useful to clarify Lipiodol distribution in hepatic tumor and to decide the method or necessity of additional trans-arterial therapy. (author).

Science.gov (United States)

In this work, energy-based features for gear fault diagnosis and prediction are proposed. The instantaneous energy density is shown to obtain high values when defected teeth are engaged. Three methods are compared in terms of sensitivity, reliability and computation effectiveness. The Wigner Ville distribution is contrasted to the wavelet transform and the newly proposed empirical mode decomposition scheme. It is shown that all three methods are capable of a reliable prediction. An empirical law, which relates the energy content to the crack magnitude is established.

Wastenet

... (restricted)] 101-127 On the transmission of exchange rate fluctuations to the macroeconomy: Contrasting evidence for developing and developed countries by Magda Kandil [Downloadable! (restricted)] 2005, Volume 14, Issue 4 377-405 Predicting the poverty impacts of trade reform by Thomas Hertel & Jeffrey Reimer [Downloadable! (restricted)] 407-435 Sustaining imperfectly credible trade liberalization: Do the rate of tariff reduction ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In this study we extend the analysis of magnetopause crossings observed with Magnetospheric Plasma Analyzer measurements to examine a much larger statistical data set. This study examines 39 maiznetosheath/LLBL intervals from 79 spacecraft-months of observations: these observations were taken from a survey of data from the start of each spacecraft mission and extending through March 1993. In contrast to the previous findings, we find no evidence for a significant dawn/dusk asymmetry in geosynchronous magnetopause crossings.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We propose and construct a new type of extended superconformal algebra (ESA) based on the super Toda field theory. Both in the N = 1 ESA and in the N = 2 ESA, an arbitrary value of the central charge is allowed in contrast with the previously known super W-algebra. The generators of ESA are interpreted as the constants of motion in the super Toda field theory. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Intravenous digital subtraction angiography using Fuji computed radiography system (FCR-DSA) was used to evaluate 57 preoperative patients with clinical manifestations of peripheral vascular disease of lower extremity. With its high contrast resolution and good special resolution, image of FCR-DSA could offer optimal information of vascular abnormality in lower extremity distal to midfoot for the diagnosis and the choice of management. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Objective: To compare the enhancement pattern of hilar cholangiocarcinoma on contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with that on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Methods: Thirty-two consecutive patients with pathologically proven hilar cholangiocarcinomas were evaluated by both low mechanical index CEUS and CECT. The enhancement feature of the tumor, portal vein infiltration, and lesion conspicuity on them was investigated. Results: In the arterial phase, the numbers of the lesions showing hyperenhancement, isoenhancement, and hypoenhancement, were 14 (43.8%), 14 (43.8%), and 4 (12.6%), on CEUS, and 12 (37.5%), 9 (28.1%), and 11 (34.4%), on CECT (P = 0.162). In portal phase, the numbers of the lesions showing hypoenhancement, isoenhancement, and hyperenhancement were 30 (93.8%), 1 (3.1%), and 1 (3.1%), on CEUS, and 23 (71.9%), 8 (25.0%), and 1 (3.1%), on CECT (P = 0.046). The detection rates for portal vein infiltration were 84.2% ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper discusses the concept of controllable subspace for open quantum dynamical systems. It is constructively demonstrated that combining structural features of decoherence-free subspaces with the ability to perform open-loop coherent control on open quantum systems will allow decoherence-free subspaces to be controllable. This is in contrast to the observation that open quantum dynamical systems are not open-loop controllable. To a certain extent, this paper gives an alternative control theoretical interpretation on why decoherence-free subspaces can be useful for quantum computation.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forty-four patients with small cell carcinoma of the bronchus underwent CT and MR studies of the brain to detect cerebral metastases. All patients were studied with contrast-enhanced CT scans, short (T1-weighted) and long (T2-weighted), spin-echo (SE) and FLASH 90 grades sequences were also obtained. A quantitative comparison of the results was carried out to assess the sensitivity of the different techniques in the detection of brain metastases according to lesion diameter. Metastases were identified in 19/44 patients (43%). All techniques detected the lesions >2 cm; of the metastases <2 cm, 63/124 (51%) were detected only by GdDTPA SE-T1 and FLASH sequences and 11 more (9%) only by Gd-DTPA SE-T1 scans. All the lesions identified oh enhanced CT scans or on T2-weighted images were easily detected by Gd-DTPA scans. CT sensitivity was higher than that of pre-contrast SE-T1 and FLASH studies and only slightly lower than that of T2-weighted ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Fatty acid biosynthesis is crucial for all living cells. In contrast to higher organisms, bacteria use a type II fatty acid synthase (FAS II) composed of a series of individual proteins, making...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An imaging detector for {gamma}-rays ({approx equal}1 MeV) based on minicell MWPCs with converters and a position resolution of {Delta}x=0.5 mm has been developed and tested. Very high rate capability (>10{sup 8}/cm{sup 2} s) and a special readout for suppression of scattered radiation are implemented allowing to enhance the measured contrast. The relevant physical processes are discussed and first pictures are presented. (orig.).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An integrated voltage regulator and power system stabilizer based on one step ahead prediction is presented. The fixed parameter predictive control scheme is shown capable of providing consistently good voltage response and contribution to system damping over a wide range of operating conditions and system configuration. This is in contrast to the case with conventional automatic voltage regulator and power system stabilizer where performance varies widely with the operating situation and can even cause system instability. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this talk I briefly summarize different models for #sigma#_2_#gamma#"t"o"t (e"+e"-#->##gamma##gamma##->#hadrons) and contrast model predictions with the data. I will then discuss the capability of the future e"+e"- and #gamma##gamma# colliders to distinguish between various models and end with an outlook for future work.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Nerve growth factor (NGF), a survival factor for neurons enforces pain by sensitizing nociceptors. Also in the pancreas, NGF was associated with pain and it can stimulate the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) respond to NGF with apoptosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-b, one of the strongest pro-fibrogenic activators of pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) induced NGF and its two receptors in an immortalized human cell line (ihPSC) and primary rat PSC (prPSC) as determined by RT-PCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence. In contrast to HSC, PSC expressed both NGF receptors, although p75NTR expression was weak in prPSC. In contrast to ihPSC TGF-b activated both Smad signaling cascades in prPSC. NGF secretion was diminished by the activin-like kinase (ALK)...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In a prospective study, 58 patients with carcinomas of the bladder were examined by CT and MRI; in 48, gadolinium-DTPA was administered intravenously. MRI provided exact staging in 89%, compared with 80% with CT. There was 13% over-staging with CT and 11% with MRI. MRI, unlike CT did not result in any under-staging. In 36 patients a quotient could be calculated from the signal intensity of the tumour and surrounding soft tissues both before and after the intravenous contrast medium and the increased quotient after contrast administration could be estimated. There was a significant increase in the tumour/muscle quotient with a mean of 72#+-#22% (minimum 43%, maximum 153%), corresponding to a marked increase of the signal form the tumour when compared with the precontrast images. This had the following advantages compared with CT: Accurate differentiation between superficial and intramural spread. MRI was better than CT at demonstrating tumours ...

Science.gov (United States)

Most palladium thin film based hydrogen gas sensors have response and recovery times that are too long to make them useful in vehicular and stationary gas leak detection applications. In contrast, a palladium-silver thin film based microcantilever (MC) hydrogen gas microsensor is reported herein with near ideal response characteristics for use in these hydrogen economy related applications. Specifically, 3-10 second response and recovery times have been measured for these sensors in contrast to previous sensor response measurements of several to tens of minutes using Pd thin film and MC based sensing techniques. The much reduced response times observed in the present study are attributed to a wet chemical Pd-Ag thin film deposition technique and a gas conditioning protocol that produces a highly nanostructured, porous film that rapidly adsorbs and desorbs H2, allowing rapid equilibration with the H2 concentration in the surrounding air. The wet ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The combination of functional and morphological imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) has shown its value in the clinical and preclinical field. However, CT provides only very limited soft-tissue contrast and exposes the examined patient or laboratory animal to a high X-ray radiation dose. In comparison to CT, magnetic resonance tomography (MRI) provides excellent soft-tissue contrast and allows for nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMRS) or functional MRI (fMRI). Thus, the combination of PET and MRI has been pursued for several years. First approaches have succeeded using conventional photo multiplier tube (PMT) technology together with light fibers to transfer scintillation light away from the high magnetic field. Latest PET/MRI developments use solid-state light detectors that can be operated even at high magnetic fields. Initial pilot studies with prototype animal PET/MRI ...

Science.gov (United States)

Heterogeneous gasless reactive systems, including high-energy density metal-nonmetal compositions, have seen increasing study due to their various applications. However, owing to their high reaction temperature, short reaction time, and small scale of heterogeneity, investigation of their reaction mechanisms and kinetics is very difficult. In this study, microstructural changes and the kinetics of product layer growth in the W-Si system was investigated using a high-speed x-ray phase-contrast imaging technique. Using the Advanced Photon Source of Argonne National Laboratory, this method allowed direct imaging of irreversible reactions in the W-Si reactive system at frame rates up to 36 000 frames per second with 4 {mu}s exposure and spatial resolution of 10 {mu}m. Details of the Si melt and reactions between W and Si, that are unable to be viewed with visible-light imaging, were revealed. These include processes such as the initiation of nucleated melting and other ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We reported three cases of acute intracranial tuberculosis including miliary tuberculosis, basal meningitis, tuberculomas and neuritis of cranial nerves. All patients had native and contrast enhanced CT and MRI scans. MRI revealed more granulomas and a better imaging contrast in the detection of basal meningitis. Neuritis was diagnosed only with the MRI. MRI scans should be prefered as the imaging procedure in clinically presumed intracranial tuberculosis. (orig.) [Deutsch] Die Befunde von drei Patienten mit intrakranieller Tuberkulose (intrakranielle Miliartuberkulose, Meningitis tuberculosa, Neuritis und Tuberkulome) in der Magnetresonanztomographie (MRT) wurden mit der Computertomographie (CT) verglichen. Sowohl die MRT als auch die CT wurden nativ und nach Kontrastmittelgabe durchgefuehrt. Die MRT zeigte sich im Nachweis von Granulomen insbesondere im Bereich des Hirnstamms ueberlegen. Ebenso wurde ein hoeherer Bildkontrast bei der ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose. To evaluate injection-associated pain, safety, and efficacy with the isotonic contrast medium iodixanol (Visipaque 270 mg I/ml) compared with iopromide (Ultravist 300 mg I/ml) in femoral arteriography. Methods. A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group clinical investigation was carried out in 54 hospitals in Europe. Of the patients evaluated, 1225 received iodixanol and 1227 iopromide in conventional and/or digital subtraction angiography. Results. The iodixanol group reported statistically significantly less injection-associated pain (0.9%) than the iopromide group (9.5%) (p<0.001). Further, 4.1% in the iodixanol group experienced pain and/or severe heat sensation vs 19.8% in the iopromide group (p<0.001). In the iodixanol group, 1.8% of the patients experienced contrast-related adverse events vs 2.4% in the iopromide group (p=NS). Overall diagnostic information was optimal for 94.1% in the iodixanol group and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Differential phase-contrast X-ray imaging has been performed in a Talbot-Lau configuration, where a multiline X-ray source was used instead of a combination of a hard-X-ray multiple slit and a normal focus X-ray generator. When the multiple slit is used, a high aspect ratio structure is needed and slit width should be below 10 ?m for its function. The fabrication and use of such a multislit can be omitted using the presented configuration. The multiline X-ray source was developed by making grooves on a tungsten rotating anode, which was irradiated by an electron beam to generate X-rays. An array of 10?m line sources with a pitch of 30?m was formed and combined with a 4.5 ?m pitch phase grating and a 5.3 ?m pitch amplitude grating to generate differential phase contrast. With a total exposure time of 40 s, a differential phase image depicting cartilages was obtained. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A technique was developed that permits fluid flow to be visualized even where the flow is completely shrouded by metal. The technique employs real-time neutron radiography, which is similar to x-ray radiography except a collimated beam of neutrons is used. Various combinations of neutron-opaque tracer materials were tested with neutron-transparent fluid. Neutron opaque tracers, such as solid particles, fluid droplets, and streaklines were imaged through metal walls as they convected in neutron-transparent ambient fluid. Visualization of bubbles/voids were evaluated for possible future applications. Surface-flow patterns were also imaged by using neutron-opaque tufts. These techniques were evaluated for image contrast, resolution, and the ability to accurately track fluid flow fields. The techniques were also modeled to optimize contrast in various flow configurations. Imaging techniques such as real-time video, high speed video, and ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: With intracranial tumors a flat, contrast-enhancing, probably dural structure adjacent to the tumor can occasionally be observed on gadolinium-DTPA enhanced MR images. Therefore we have attempted to evaluate a tumor infiltration of this enthancement on MRI. Material and Methods: This study included 50 patients. 19 patients had a dural thickening at the tumor base (13 meningiomas and 6 metastases), while 31 patients did not (12 meningiomas and 19 metastases). Studies included plane T_2-weighted spin echo (SE) images as well as T_1-weighted axial, coronal, or sagittal plains with and without contrast agent. Histopathological examinations, were done on the tumor base adjacent to the dura mater. Results: 7 of 12 meningiomas showed a meningeal thickening on MRI with histopathologically proven tumor infiltration as did also 5 of 6 metastases. But 3 of 12 meningiomas and 15 of 19 metastases without dural thickening at the tumor base also ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Described is the diagnosis for the cancer extension of cholangiocarcinoma by various imaging techniques and processes to support the current surgical procedure based on preoperative biliary drainage. The cancer tends to locally extend horizontally and/or vertically and its diagnosis is important for surgical indication. For the indication, multi-detector raw CT (MDCT) and MR cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP) are useful and particularly, the former can give multi-phase (arterial, portal and delayed) images to reconstruct multiplanar (MPR) and CT angiographic 3D images, which have made the previous invasive examinations like angiography and percutaneous transportal contrasting unnecessary. MDCT and MRCP can almost complete the diagnosis of the extension. The operative procedure is decided dependently on the site of the lesion, and of which diagnosis, whether it is hepatic hilar/on upper bile duct or middle/lower ductal, is different. MDCT-MPR and MRCP are virtually ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The aim of this study was to assess the body weight-tailored contrast material injection protocol for 64-detector computed tomography (CT) to maintain optimal coronary CT attenuation. A total of 60 patients who underwent CT coronary angiography were assigned to one of three groups: protocol A, total of 0.7 ml kg"-"1 with 300 mg I/ml iodine concentration; protocol B, total of 0.6 ml kg"-"1 with 350 mg I/ml; protocol C, total of 0.7 ml kg"-"1 with 350 mg I/ml. The injection duration was 10 s in all patients. The proportion of intracoronary attenuation values >325 Hounsfield unit (HU) was compared on a per-vessel and per-patient basis. The attenuation value was significantly more likely to exceed 325 HU with protocol C (95% for reader 1 and 90% for reader 2) than with protocol A or B on the per-vessel analysis (P325 HU) with 64-detector CT when using an injection duration of 10 s. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modern digital radiographic 'flat panel' detectors can exhibit a progressive form of image degradation arising from non-functioning pixels. The effect of these 'dead pixels' on the quantitative image quality measures of modulation transfer function (MTF), noise power spectrum (NPS) and detective quantum efficiency (DQE) is investigated by a simulated degradation of images obtained from an Hologic EPEX system. The effects on the semi-quantitive measures obtained from contrast threshold test objects and resolution gratings are also investigated. Results suggest that the contrast-detail tests often employed in quality assurance measures are not sufficient to reveal the presence of dead pixels until well beyond the recommended replacement point for the flat panel detector. However, measurements of spatial resolution using a line pairs phantom were found to be more sensitive to pixel loss. Measurement of the MTF, NPS and DQE can reveal small changes ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The 1.04 GeV-proton elastic scattering from /sup 40/Ca is studied in the framework of the coherent density fluctuation model (CDFM). The calculations are carried out in the Glauber theoretical scheme with three different charge densities. It is shown that: i) the account of the flucton correlations leads to results considerably different from those obtained in the independent particle Glauber approach (IPGA); ii) in contrast to the case of IPGA the use of a more realistic density improves the agreement of CDPM-results with the experimental data.

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In this letter we present a derivation, from the D0-brane picture, of the background monopole field and in general of the full dynamics of the Yang-Mills theory on the dielectric D2-brane of Myers. To do this we study the large N limit of the fuzzy sphere relevant to the dielectric solution. In contrast to the usual interpretation where the commutative D2-brane picture arises directly from the large N limit of the D0-brane picture, we find that a residual non-commutativity must be preserved in order to make the connection by means of the Seiberg-Witten map.

CERN Document Server

Search engine researchers typically depict search as the solitary activity of an individual searcher. In contrast, results from our critical-incident survey of 150 users on Amazon's Mechanical Turk service suggest that social interactions play an important role throughout the search process. Our main contribution is that we have integrated models from previous work in sensemaking and information seeking behavior to present a canonical social model of user activities before, during, and after search, suggesting where in the search process even implicitly shared information may be valuable to individual searchers.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This document provides information and presents data on the energy situation in many regions of Canada. The first part deals with the petroleum and the bitumen shales of Alberta (reserves, exploitation and production, environmental impacts), the second part discusses with the hydroelectricity choice of Quebec and the 2004 crisis. The nuclear situation of Ontario is presented in the third part (nuclear park, programs, uranium reserves, research and development on Candu reactors), while the fourth part deals with the renewable energies (wind power and biomass). The canadian situation facing the Kyoto protocol is discussed in the last part. (A.L.B.)

Science.gov (United States)

The results of an investigation into the behavior of adhesively bonded doubler splices of two composite material sandwich panels are presented. The splices are studied from three approaches: analytical; numerical (finite elements); and experimental. Several parameters that characterize the splice are developed to determine their influence upon joint strength. These parameters are: doubler overlap length; core stiffness; laminate bending stiffness; the size of the gap between the spliced sandwich panels; and room and elevated temperatures. Similarities and contrasts between these splices and the physically similar single and double lap joints are discussed. The results of this investigation suggest several possible approaches to improving the strength of the sandwich splices.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Four /sup 125/I labeled mono- and diamines were prepared and evaluated as potential brain-imaging agents. The diamines are analogues of the previously reported /sup 75/Se labeled diamines, which show high brain uptake and retention. All of the radioiodinated amines display high initial brain uptake in rats after intravenous injection (1.7-2.4% dose/organ). The xylylenediamines show prolonged brain retention (t1/2 approximately 18 h), which is desirable for brain imaging. In contrast, the benzylamine is rapidly cleared from brain tissue (t1/2 approximately 15 min).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We study the static potential of open bosonic membranes in the 1/d approximation, where d is the space-time dimensionality. For a fixed square boundary of side length R we find, in contrast to the string potential, no critical distance below which tachyons appear. Instead, we find a correction factor to the classical potential, V/sub cl/=kR/sup 2/, which for small distances shifts the perturbative ground state energy by a positive constant. We interpret the shift as the mass gap of this quantum membrane.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We calculate the cross section for the resonance scattering of Lyman-..cap alpha.. radiation by spinless nonrelativistic hydrogen atoms in the ground state using a two-level model. A generalization of Dirac's resonance scattering theory is used together with the exact matrix elements for the electromagnetic interaction. In contrast to the usual treatments in which only the dipole approximation for the matrix elements are taken, the shift in position of the resonance is finite and has a value of 75% of the Lamb shift of the n=1 state. Whether this latter fact is significant in renormalization calculations is left open.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper describes Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy used to study the connection between dopant precipitation and phase transformation in high dose In"+ and Sb"+ implanted Si. In the case of In, the observations confirm a heterogeneous nucleation model. Images of the precursor precipitates give the first measurement of the diffusion coefficient in amorphous Si, with an enhancement of 10"7 over tracer crystalline values. With Sb"+ implants enhanced homogeneous nucleation is observed. The connection between these results and the transient enhanced diffusion observed in crystallized Si is discussed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Because of limitation on neutron-incident data, it is difficult to obtain global optical model potential for neutrons. In contrast, there are some global optical model potentials for proton in detail. It is interesting to convert the proton-incident global optical potentials into neutron-incident ones. In this study we introduce (N-Z)/A dependent symmetry potential terms into the global proton-incident optical potentials, and then obtain neutron-incident ones. The neutron potentials reproduce total cross sections in an acceptable degree. However, a comparison with potentials proposed by other authors brings about a confused situation in the sign of the symmetry terms. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nucleon and meson effective masses in the nonlinear relativistic mean-field theory introducing a nonlinear {omega}-{rho} and {sigma} coupling motivated by the quark-meson coupling model is explored. It is shown that, in contrast to the usual Walecka model, not only the effective nucleon mass m{sub eff,N} but also the effective {sigma},{rho} meson masses (m{sub eff{sigma}},m{sub eff,{rho}}) and the effective {omega} meson mass m{sub eff,{omega}} are nucleon density dependent. (author)

Science.gov (United States)

Neutron resonance interactions with /sup 100/Mo were studied at a time-of-flight facility. The transmission of two oxide samples (97.4% /sup 100/Mo) was measured at a 78.20 m flight path and the neutron capture cross section was measured at 40.12 m. Resonance analyses yielded parameters of 124 resonances. Capture ..gamma..-ray spectra from 11 resolved resonances were measured with a Ge(Li) detector at a 10.45 m flight path. In contrast to neighboring nuclei, partial radiation widths of strong p-wave resonances are not in agreement with valence model predictions.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A low power polychromatic beam of microwaves is used to diagnose the behavior of turbulent fluctuations in the core of the JT-60U tokamak during the evolution of the internal transport barrier. A continuous reduction in the size of turbulent structures is observed concomitant with the reduction of the density scale length during the evolution of the internal transport barrier. The density correlation length decreases to the order of the ion gyroradius, in contrast to the much longer scale lengths observed earlier in the discharge, while the density fluctuation level remain similar to the level before transport barrier formation.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

To investigate the magnetic fluctuations and for further transport study, the poloidal and radial magnetic field measurement is conducted on the Sino United Spherical Tokamak (SUNIST). Auto-power spectral density indicates that the magnetic fluctuation energy mainly concentrates in the frequency region lower than 10 kHz. The magnetic field oscillations, which are characterized by harmonic frequencies of 40 kHz, are observed in the scrape-off layer; by contrast, in the plasma core, the magnetic fluctuations are of Gaussian type. The time-frequency profiles show that the poloidal magnetic fluctuations are temporally intermittent. The autocorrelation calculation indicates that the fluctuations in decorrelation time vary between the core and the edge. (authors)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radioactive "1"4C sucrose was found to be an ideal marker for microleakage because it did not penetrate tooth tissue, dental cement, or mounting resin. The main finding is that the adhesive cements--the glass-ionomer and polycarboxylate--are significantly more effective at preventing microleakage than are the traditional phosphate cements--silicate and zinc phosphate. The differences can be as high as two orders of magnitude. The adhesive cements provide almost perfect and reliable seals. By contrast, the nonadhesive cements are erratic sealants with most of the restorations leaking.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper describes industrial aspects of combined inventory management and routing in maritime and road-based transportation, and gives a classification and comprehensive literature review of the current state of the research. The literature is contrasted with aspects of industrial applications from a constructive, but critical, viewpoint. Based on the status and trends within the field, future research is suggested with regard to both further development of the research area and industrial needs. By highlighting the industrial aspects, practitioners will hopefully see the benefit of using advanced decision support systems in complex situations related to combined inventory management and routing in their business. In addition, a classification and presentation of the research should hel...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors (peripheral PNETs) are rare in the abdomen. We report the imaging findings of four peripheral PNETs arising in the abdomen. Three were ill-demarcated tumors and one was a well-demarcated tumor, with extensive local invasion and lymph node metastasis in two cases, respectively. The tumors are of inhomogeneous attenuation and heterogeneous enhancement after intravenous administration of contrast materials. Although their imaging manifestations cannot distinguish them from other sarcomas, recognition of these imaging features may be helpful in suggesting the possibility of peripheral PNETs in some cases.

Science.gov (United States)

A 1.5-year-old male Belgian Malinosis Military Working Dog presented with a 1-month history of intermittent hematuria. Diagnostic ultrasound and contrast radiography demonstrated large blood clots in the urinary bladder and a filling defect in the right renal pelvis. At surgery, clotted blood was present in the right ureter and bladder. Following right nephrectomy, the dog returned to training. One month later, elevations in urea nitrogen and creatinine were noted. Hematuria recurred at 3 months and the dog was found dead in its kennel. Necropsy showed a blood-filled left renal pelvis and ureter. PMID:1454185

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper reports on high resolution electron microscopy used to investigate the effect of electron irradiation induced oxygen loss on the states of partial order in YBa_2Cu_3O_z. Contrast effects visible in the [001] zone image as a result of the degree of the out-of-plane correlation of these ordered states are investigated. Using statistical simulations to aid in the analysis of the HREM images, an interpretation based on a kinetically limited evolution of the variation of long range [001] ordering is proposed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The use of Gadolinium-DTPA as a paramagnetic contrast agent in MRI with adults and juveniles concerning brain and spinal cord pathology is well proven since years. In the FRG it is only introduced for children over two years of age. Therefore this report deales with the experience in four infants and small children under the age of two. They all were suffering from neurological tumors and got additional diagnostic information in three cases. Clinical side-effects like urticaria, vomiting or convulsions had not been observed nor had pathologic changes of the biochemical parameters been noticed. (orig./GDG).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chest radiograms obtained by using Fuji Computed Radiography (FCR) system were compared to conventional film/screen radiograms. The FCR images showed better image quality in diagnostic information than the conventional chest images. In FCR, the radiation exposure to patient for chest examination could be reduced up to one tenths of conventional chest examination. The main advantages or FCR were considered to depend on the contrast processing and frequency processing properties. The use of FCR in clinical work may improve both diagnostic quality and radiation exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

We demonstrated that the intensity levels and lifetimes of two-photon autofluorescences (2PAF) in human liver tissues can be exploited to diagnose hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Excited by an infrared femtosecond laser, we suppressed the two-photon autofluorescences of most endogenous fluorophores and made red autofluorescences more specific to particular molecules in the cryo-sectioned human livers. Using such fluorescence contrast, we found HCC tissues have reduced levels of 2PAF and longer fluorescence lifetime.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Twenty rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with involvement of the cranio-cervical junction (CCJ) were given CT scan. In most cases the myelo-CT technique with the lumbar injection of small quantities of non-ionic contrast medium was adopted; CT easily diagnosed the horizontal and vertical dislocations on the CCJ, the bone strcture lesions and the inflammatory masses. A high frequency of medullary compressions was also found in these patients. Myelo-CT appears to be the technique of choice for the precise definition of the various factors responsible for the neurological complications found in RA of the CCJ.

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We studied 129 AIDS patients with suspected or proved intracranial manifestations of the disease. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic sensitivity of unenhanced and contrast enhanced CT and unenhanced T{sub 2}-weighted MR. Thus, in 20% of our patients MR but not CT was diagnostic. In another 20% MR provided additional diagnostic information. In conclusion, MR is recommended as the imaging modality of choice in AIDS patients with non-conclusive cranial CT. (orig./GDG).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Marketing-led enterprise change management initiated by a major UK contractor is explored in this paper as a contrast to procurement-led changes to projects driven by clients. Procurement-led initiatives try to induce changes to behaviour through market governance. Relationship marketing and management proactively change organizational behaviour, the enterprise taking responsibility for its own destiny. Investment and resource allocation, and organizational behaviour have posed constraints, particularly concerning service continuity in construction. Overcoming these constraints offers opportunities for delivering service improvements and adding value for clients and yielding further increases in repeat business and increasing profitability. Relationship marketing is the conceptual starting...

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A new generation of quasimonochromatic high-flux X-ray sources, based on the X-ray radiation produced through Compton scattering between an electron beam and a laser beam, is under development. One of the possible applications of this source is inline phase contrast mammography, based on the observation of the edge-enhancement effect that can be observed at the border of structures inside the breast in images produced using a partially or totally coherent X-ray beam. In this work we present the results of a set of simulations of inline phase contrast mammography using typical inverse Compton scattering sources parameters. The simulated sample was a tumour-like mass having spherical shape, diameter between 200 {mu}m and 5 mm, placed inside a breast-like matrix, 4 cm thick, and a standard composition of 50% glandular tissue and 50% adipose tissue. We discuss the minimum requirements for mammography using inverse Compton scattering sources and we ...

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Detecting a camouflaged target in a visually noisy background depends on the ability of the observer to discriminate the target from the surrounding terrain. Visible laser irradiation at less than damage levels can act as a masking source by compromising or reducing the observer's ability to resolve differences in the visual scene. Previous research has examined this concept by investigating laser flash effects on: acuity (size discrimination); tracking (motion discrimination); visual sensitivity (color); and contrast sensitivity functions (luminance contrast). In all cases, flashes from continuous-wave (CW) sources have proven more effective visually than pulsed (Q-switched) sources, when compared on peak-energy criteria (i.e., MPE), even though Q-switched lasers induce damage at lower energy doses. Additionally, the inherent safety of ultra-short laser pulses has been questioned. Past animal research has shown that, on the measures ...

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Active contrast material extravasation can be recognized with conventional CT scanners, though it has been considered a rare finding. Helical CT seems to increase the detection rate and especially to boost the radiologist's confidence in this diagnosis. Though active bleeding is defined in severely-injured subjects requiring urgent intervention and may be associated with findings of hypovolaemic shock, it should not be considered itself as a negative prognostic factor. Contrast extravasation is due to ongoing hemorrhage and its detection is critical for urged treatment. Accurate anatomical location permits to choose surgical management or transcatheter embolization and thus decreases time consumption for precis e bleeding site identification. [Italian] Lo stravaso attivo del mdc e' rilevabile anche con appropriate apparecchiature TC tradizionali, sebbene sia stato considerato raro. La TC sprirale sembra aumentare la frequanza ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Objective: To investigate transcutaneous oximetry as parameter of the microcirculation is correlated to ankle-brachial-index as parameter of the macrocirculation after peripheral angioplasty procedures. Design: Prospective study. Materials and methods: 60 patients suffering from intermittent claudication were scheduled for angioplasty treatment. 45 patients were considered as eligible for angioplasty after angiographic evaluation, 15 patients underwent angiography only. Transcutaneous oximetry measurements were performed before the procedure, at the end of intervention, 24 h as well as 2 and 4 weeks after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Ankle-brachial-indices were obtained before intervention, 24 h as well as 2 and 4 weeks later. Results: Ankle-brachial-indices increased significantly at 24 h after angioplasty in patients being treated with angioplasty. Transcutaneous oximetry values dropped significantly at the end of the procedure and returned close to the baseline levels at 2 ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The main purpose of this work is to report the personal experience with addition of contrast-enhanced multiphase helical CT to unenhanced CT (Lipiodol CT) in the evaluation of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with chemoembolization and to analyze the present role of oily agent CT. It has been retrospectively reviewed the examinations of 42 consecutive patients submitted to globla chemoembolization over a 2-year period. CT was performed 18-30 days after the treatment. The Lipiodol CT study was carried out with volume acquisitions. It has been considered as nodules all well-defined areas with dense oily agent uptake; uptake itself was classified as: 0=absent, I=lower tha 10% of the tumor volume; II=lower than 50%, III=50%, IV=homogeneous. Contrast-enhanced helical CT was performed with the 2-phase technique in 28 patients and with the 3-phase technique in 14; it has been considered as nodules all well-defined and relatively ...

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60 patients between 17 and 72 years of age were investigated. First, an enteroclysis was performed in typical manner. The applicated methylcellulosis was blended with positive oral MR contrast media (Magnevist oral, Schering). After enteroclysis, MRI of the abdomen was performed using T1- and T2-weighted breathhold sequences (Flash 2D pre- and postcontrast and TSE) in axial and coronal planes. The length of the affected bowel and the stenosis seen with enteroclysis correlated well with the visible thickening of the small bowel wall and the stenosis seen in MRI. Using MRI, additional findings could be obtained in 28 patients, such as fistulas, abscesses or a hydronephrosis, or a better assessment of the stenosis was possible with MRI, because of the avoidance of overshadowing of the affected bowel loop with MRI. A brilliant MR-tomographic imaging of the small bowel is possible under the condition, that the small bowel contrast is optimal. The ...

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T{sub 2} weighted ultra-short turbo spin echo sequences were used in five individuals with variations in echo times, delayed triggering and echo intervals. To reduce movement artifacts all examinations were carried out with ECG and respiratory triggering. The sequences giving optimal image quality were then employed in 19 patients having various pulmonary abnormalities. Image resolutions, artifacts, image contrasts and diagnostic value were then judged by two observers and compared with CT. In the first study, a diastole-triggered UTSE sequence with the shortest echo proved optimal (T{sub E}=90 ms, T{sub R}=2-4 s, echo=9 ms, turbo factor=19). In the patient series studied, MRT was inferior to CT with regard to resolution and number of artifacts, but better in respect of contrast and diagnostic value. Using UTSE of the lung, MRT can produce images of good quality. Compared with CT, contrast is better with MRT, offering ...

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Using a noneikonal expression for the two-body scattering amplitude, consistent with the proton-nucleon scattering data, the cross-section of the 1.04 GeV-proton elastic scattering on {sup 40}Ca is calculated by the Glauber-Sitenko theoretical scheme in the framework of the coherent density fluctuation model (CDFM) as well as of the independent-particle model (IPM). It is shown that the use of the noneikonal amplitude in the CDFM calculations improves the agreement with the experimental data especially at larger scattering angles in contrast to the case of the independent-particle model. To that end a decisive role play the zero-motion flucton correlations taken into account in the CDFM. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We report on a hard X-ray phase imaging microscopy (a phase-difference microscopy) that consists of an objective and a transmission grating. The simple optical system provides a quantitative phase image, and does not need a wave field mostly coherent on the objective. Our method has a spatial resolution almost same as that of the absorption contrast microscope image obtained by removing the grating. We demonstrate how our approach provides a phase image from experimentally obtained images. Our approach is attractive for easily appending a quantitative phase-sensitive mode to normal X-ray microscopes, and has potentially broad applications in biology and material sciences.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary The objective of this study was to examine the role of root carbohydrate levels and metabolism in the waterlogging tolerance of contrasting mung bean genotypes. An experiment was conducted with two cultivated mung bean (Vigna radiata) genotypes viz., T44 (tolerant) and Pusa Baisakhi (PB) (susceptible), and a wild Vigna species Vigna luteola under pot-culture to study the physiological and molecular mechanism of waterlogging tolerance. Waterlogging resulted in decrease in relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI) in root and leaf tissues, and chlorophyll (Chl) content in leaves, while the Chl a/b ratio increased. Waterlogging-induced decline in RWC, MSI, Chl and increase in Chl a/b ratio was greater in PB than V. luteola and T44. Waterlogging caused decline in tot...

CERN Document Server

We demonstrate the use of a variational method to determine a quantitative lower bound on the rate of convergence of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms as a function of the target density and proposal density. The bound relies on approximating the second largest eigenvalue in the spectrum of the MCMC operator using a variational principle and the approach is applicable to problems with continuous state spaces. We apply the method to one dimensional examples with Gaussian and quartic target densities, and we contrast the performance of the basic Metropolis-Hastings algorithms with a ``smart'' variant that incorporates gradient information into the trial moves. We find that the variational method agrees quite closely with numerical simulations. We also see that the smart MCMC algorithm often fails to converge geometrically in the tails of the target density except in the simplest case we examine, and even then care must be taken to choose the appropriate ...

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The NIS-6 group at Los Alamos National Laboratory pioneered the development of Tomographic Gamma Scanning and continue to improve its utility in real measurement situations. Building on this experience we report the development of a state of the art TGS system suitable for industrial applications. The image reconstruction and visualization software has been integrated into the familiar Canberra NDA2000 software suite which also handles all other aspects of the data acquisition and management. In this paper we describe the salient design and performance parameters of the system. The application of gamma-ray tomography to safeguards for improved assay accuracy and knowledge confirmation is discussed. In particular we compare and contrast the relative merits of this TGS and a traditional Segmented Gamma Scanner and illustrate how the 3-D visualization of the TGS image can provide valuable additional information.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This paper presents studies carried out on tin-doped indium sulfide films prepared using Chemical Spray Pyrolysis (CSP) technique. Effect of both in-situ and ex-situ doping were analyzed. Ex-situ doping was done by thermal diffusion, which was realized by annealing Sn/In2S3 bilayer films. In-situ doping was accomplished by introducing Sn into the spray solution by using SnCl45H2O. Interestingly, it was noted that by ex-situ doping, conductivity of the sample enhanced considerably without affecting any of the physical properties such as crystallinity or band gap. Analysis also showed that higher percentage of doping resulted in samples with low crystallinity and negative photosensitivity. In-situ doping resulted in amorphous films. In contrast to ex-situ doping, `in- situ doping' resulted i...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The use of magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis and the preoperative staging of renal cell carconoma was evaluated in 79 patients with 88 tumors. Gradient-echo and spin-echo images before and after intravenous administration of Gadolinium DTPA were compared with the results of computed tomography (CT) and histologic staging. The two imaging techniques had comparable results: T-stage was predicted correctly with CT in 78%.4% and with MRI in 84.0% of the cases, while the N-stage was accurately assessed in 81.8% and 79.5%, respectively. MRI had some advantages in diagnosing perirental tumor spread and in excluding an infiltration beyond Gerota's fascia. Therefore, MRI is a true alternative to CT for staging large renal cell carcinomas and especially for patients with contraindications for iodinated contrast agents. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The production of ozone in a negative corona discharge fed by carbon dioxide with embedded traces of oxygen and water has been studied. The presence of traces of oxygen in both pure and dry CO_2 leads to an increase in nascent ozone concentrations. In contrast, traces of water vapour (0-800 ppm) are shown to rapidly suppress ozone concentrations with the largest decreases being observed at lowest gas pressures in the discharge (300 Torr). The presence of water vapour did not considerably affect the electrical properties of negative dc corona suggesting that a chemical process is responsible for the ozone loss. We have shown that the addition of water up to a concentration of 1500 ppm has only a marginal effect on the processes of ozone formation but the catalytic cycle of ozone destruction involving OH radicals can be the reason for observed decrease in the total ozone concentration with increasing water concentration.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This study quantifies the external water footprint of the Netherlands by partner country and import product and assesses the impact of this footprint by contrasting the geographically-explicit water footprint with water scarcity in the different parts of the world. The total water footprint of the Netherlands is estimated to be about 2300 m^3/year/cap, of which 67% relates to the consumption of agricultural goods, 31% to the consumption of industrial goods, and 2% to domestic water use. The Dutch water footprint related to the consumption of agricultural goods, is composed as follows: 46% related to livestock products; 17% oil crops and oil from oil crops; 12% coffee, tea, cocoa and tobacco; 8% cereals and beer; 6% cotton products; 5% fruits; and 6% other agricultural products. About 11% o...

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Fatigue tests were accomplished with a series of specimens doped with trace elements of a hardened Fe-Ni-Cr alloy, cast and hardened with intermetallic phases for determining the influence of these elements on the high temperature strength properties. The results of extensive fatigue tests show that even small contents of Te, Bi, Se, Pb, Tl and Zn considerably influence the life and creep processes especially after longer running periods, when added individually or combinedly. In contrast to this, the fatigue ductility is reduced by trace element additions even with short running periods. The order in which the metallic trace elements influence the fatigue properties nearly correlates with earlier work concerning Ni- and Co-superalloys. (orig.)

CERN Document Server

A new property which relies on the linear programming (LP) decoder, the approximate maximum-likelihood certificate (AMLC), is introduced. When using the belief propagation decoder, this property is a measure of how close the decoded codeword is to the LP solution. Using upper bounding techniques, it is demonstrated that the conditional frame error probability given that the AMLC holds is, with some degree of confidence, below a threshold. In channels with low noise, this threshold is several orders of magnitude lower than the simulated frame error rate, and our bound holds with very high degree of confidence. In contrast, showing this error performance by simulation would require very long Monte Carlo runs. When the AMLC holds, our approach thus provides the decoder with extra error detection capability, which is especially important in applications requiring high data integrity.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Background Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can help diagnose benign adrenal adenomas, but prior studies rely on nonoperative follow-up as proof of a lesion?s benign nature. We examined adrenalectomy tissues to determine if imaging characteristics correlate with histopathologic findings. Methods We retrieved data for 196 consecutive adrenalectomies in 192 patients from 2000 to 2008. Imaging results were considered to signify benign adrenal adenoma if one or more of the following was present: Hounsfield units 60% or relative contrast washout of >40%, or MR with chemical-shift imaging demonstrating loss of signal intensity on out-of-phase images. Results The sensitivity and specif...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Four "1"2"5I labeled mono- and diamines were prepared and evaluated as potential brain-imaging agents. The diamines are analogues of the previously reported "7"5Se labeled diamines, which show high brain uptake and retention. All of the radioiodinated amines display high initial brain uptake in rats after intravenous injection (1.7-2.4% dose/organ). The xylylenediamines show prolonged brain retention (t1/2 approximately 18 h), which is desirable for brain imaging. In contrast, the benzylamine is rapidly cleared from brain tissue (t1/2 approximately 15 min).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Plastic injection molds are an important economic sector due to the increasing use of injection molded plastic components. The selection of mold steel material, its processing conditions, and the way it is machined and hardened all have an impact on how it performs during use across its lifecycle for injection molding. For this study, injection molding conditions seen during high volume manufacturing were used to induce wear that would be typical during processing. A 50wt.% glass fiber reinforced Polybutylene Terephthalate (PBT) was used for the research. After 3000 injection operations, surface damage was found only on the steel used for the stationary half of the mold cavity and the corresponding surface of the molded parts. In contrast, the moving half showed no surface damage or increa...

CERN Document Server

The analysis of images (of obtained in various ranges of the lengths of waves) of luminous objects in the Universe by means of a method of multilevel dynamic contrasting led author to the conclusions: a) the structures of all observable galaxies represents a complicated constructions which have the tendency to self-similarity and made of separate (basic) blocks, which are a coaxially tubular structures and a cartwheel-like structures; b) the majority of observable objects in the Universe are luminous butt-ends of almost invisible (of almost completely transparent) of filamentary formations which structures are seen only near to their luminous butt-ends; c) the result of analysis of images of cosmic objects show the structure of many pairs of cooperating galaxies point to opportunity of their formation at butt-ends generated in a place of break of the similar filament; d) the interacting galaxies (M 81 and M 82) show they are butt-ends of sawed off of two branches ...

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A new kind of receiver-reactor for high-temperature solar furnaces is proposed. The main body of the receiver component is an ellipsoid of revolution with specularly reflecting inner walls. The reactor component, a crucible, is placed at one focal point and the aperture at the other. With this arrangement, substantially all of the incident radiation from the concentrator should reach the reactor directly or after one reflection from the cavity walls. An analysis of the radiative exchange among the surfaces is presented. The analysis provides a tool for a parametric study and optimization of the design. It is found that, in contrast to that of conventional well-insulated cavity receivers, its collection efficiency is not very sensitive to the size of its aperture.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Objectification theory contends that women are socialized to view their body as an object to be evaluated by others (Fredickson and Roberts 1997). In contrast, pregnancy may be a time that women are more attuned to their body?s functionality. Extending objectification theory, we investigate relationships among body surveillance, awareness and appreciation of body functionality, depressive symptoms, and prenatal health behaviors among an on-line sample of 156 predominantly White, middle-class pregnant women from throughout the U.S recruited through maternity stores, message boards, listservs, and snowballing techniques. We examine whether higher levels of awareness and appreciation of body functionality may attenuate, and thereby possibly protect women from the negative effects of high body...

CERN Document Server

The use of a running coupling constant in renormalizable theories is well known, but the implementation of this idea for effective field theories with a dimensional coupling constant is in general less useful. Nevertheless there are multiple attempts to define running couplings including the effects of gravity, with varying conclusions. We sort through many of the issues involved, most particularly the idea of operator mixing and also the kinematics of crossing, using calculations in Yukawa and lambda phi^4 theory as illustrative examples. We remain in the perturbative regime. In some theories with a high permutation symmetry, such as lambda phi^4, a reasonable running coupling can be defined. However in most cases, such as Yukawa and gauge theories, a running coupling fails to correctly account for the energy dependence of the interaction strength. As a byproduct we also contrast on-shell and off-shell renormalizaton schemes and show that operators which are ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Intrusive degassing and recycling of degassed and dense magma at depth have been proposed for a long time at Stromboli. The brief explosive event that occurred at the summit craters on 9 January 2005 threw out bombs and lapilli that could be good candidates to illustrate recycling of shallow degassed magma at depth. We present an extensive data set on both the textures and the mineral, bulk rock and glassy matrix chemistry of the ?9 Jan? products. The latter have the common shoshonitic?basaltic bulk composition of lavas and scoriae issued from typical strombolian activity. In contrast they differ by the heterogeneous chemistry of their matrix glasses and their crystal textures that testify to crystal dissolution event(s) just prior magma crystallization upon ascent and eruption. Comparison...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The thermal transformation of Al-base icosahedral phases was studied in-situ by real time neutron powder diffraction. Different compositions have been selected in order to vary the initial phase morphology and change the neutron scattering contrast between species. Alloys with low silicon and large aluminium contents produce first the orthorhombic O-Al_6Mn modification. In alloys with larger silicon content, the #alpha#-AlMnSi cubic phase appears soon after the beginning of the transformation but is still preceeded by O-Al_6Mn. Depending on compositions, the crystallization of the icosahedral phase is controlled either by the diffusion of Al through its interface with the residual fcc aluminium or that of Si within the bulk. The results are discussed in the light of current structural models. (author) 40 refs., 14 figs., 3 tabs.

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We present a phenomenological model of the quark-hadron transition in neutrino-nucleon scattering. Using recently extracted weak nucleon transition form factors, we investigate the extent to which local and global quark-hadron duality is applicable in the neutrino F{sub 1}, F{sub 2} and F{sub 3} structure functions, and contrast this with duality in electron scattering. Our findings suggest that duality works relatively well for neutrino-nucleon scattering for the F{sub 2} and F{sub 3} structure functions, but not as well for F{sub 1}. We also calculate the quasi-elastic, resonance and deep inelastic contributions to the Adler sum rule, and find it to be satisfied to within 10% for 0.5 < Q{sup 2} < 2 GeV{sup 2}.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Porous flow occurs in a wide range of materials and applies to many commercially relevant applications such as oil recovery, chemical reactors and contaminant transport in soils. Typically, breakthrough and pressure curves of column floods are used in the laboratory characterization of these materials. These characterization methods lack the detail to easily and unambiguously resolve flow mechanisms with similar effects at the core scale that can dominate at the aquifer or oil field scale, as well as the effects of geometry that control the flow at interfaces as in a perforated well or the inlet of an improperly designed column. Non-invasive imaging techniques such as MRI have been shown to provide a far more detailed characterization of the properties of the solid matrix and flow, but usu...

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Abstract Elevated temperatures resulting from climate change pose a clear threat to reef-building corals; however, the traits that might influence corals- survival and dispersal during climate change remain poorly understood. Global gene expression profiling is a powerful hypothesis-forming tool that can help elucidate these traits. Here, we applied a novel RNA-Seq protocol to study molecular responses to heat and settlement inducers in aposymbiotic larvae of the reef-building coral Acropora millepora. This analysis of a single full-sibling family revealed contrasting responses between short- (4-h) and long-term (5-day) exposures to elevated temperatures. Heat shock proteins were up-regulated only in the short-term treatment, while the long-term treatment induced the down-regulation of rib...

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Our previous point-contact Andreev reflection studies of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeCoIn{sub 5} using Au tips have shown two clear features: reduced Andreev signal and asymmetric background conductance. To explore their physical origins, we have extended our measurements to point-contact junctions between single crystalline heavy-fermion metals and superconducting Nb tips. Differential conductance spectra are taken on junctions with three heavy-fermion metals, CeCoIn{sub 5}, CeRhIn{sub 5}, and YbAl{sub 3}, each with different electron mass. In contrast with Au/CeCoIn{sub 5} junctions, Andreev signal is not reduced and no dependence on effective mass is observed. A possible explanation based on a two-fluid picture for heavy fermions is proposed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We reported in previous papers that both the near-uv and the visible photosensitivities of ferroelectric-phase PLZT (lead lanthanum zirconate titanate) ceramics are increased by as much as four orders of magnitude by ion implantation or a combination of thermal diffusion of Al and ion implantation. New results are presented here on high-energy (1 MeV) implants of Al and Ni and coimplants of Al + Ne and Ni + Ne, and these results are compared with earlier 500 keV implants of Al and Cr and coimplants of Al + Ne and Cr + Ne as surface modification techniques for increasing the visible photosensitivity of PLZT. The important role of grain size in determining optimum contrast and resolution of stored optical information is described in terms of new experimental results.

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To test the hypothesis that leaf level photosynthetic related traits might confer late successionals a competitive advantage over early successionals in low light growth conditions, steady photosynthetic assimilation and dynamic photosynthetic induction related traits were examined in low light grown seedlings with contrasting successional status. Compared with the early successionals, late successionals as a group significantly exhibited lower leaf gas exchange rates. While late successionals required a longer time to respond to simulated sunflecks, they had lower rates of induction losses after sunflecks. Such photosynthetic induction traits allowed late successionals to more effectively utilize subsequent sunflecks. It was observed that plants with lower gas exchange rates responded mor...

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Experiments were designed to elucidate whether or not the irradiated bone marrow cells receive any stimulation for the self-replication and differentiation from normal 'stromal' cell colonies in the bone marrow cell culture in vitro. When irradiated or unirradiated bone marrow cells were overlaid on the normal adherent cell colonies, the proliferation of haemopoietic stem cells was supported, the degree of the stimulation depending on the starting cellular concentration. There was, however, no significant changes in the concentration of either CFUs or CFUc regardless of the dose of irradiation on the bone marrow cells overlaid. This was a great contrast to the dose-dependent decrease of CFUs or CFUc within the culture in which both the stem cells and stromal cells were simultaneously irradiated. These results suggest that the balance of self-replication and differentiation of the haemopoietic stem cells is affected only when haemopoietic ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

We describe the cloning and characterization of a mutated thermostable DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus (Taq) that exhibits an increased reverse transcriptase activity and is therefore designated for one-step PCR pathogen detection using established real-time detection methods. We demonstrate that this Taq polymerase mutant (Taq M1) has similar PCR sensitivity and nuclease activity as the respective Taq wild-type DNA polymerase. In addition, and in marked contrast to the wild-type, Taq M1 exhibits a significantly increased reverse transcriptase activity especially at high temperatures (>60degreeC). RNA generally hosts highly stable secondary structure motifs, such as hairpins and G-quadruplexes, which complicate, or in the worst case obviate, reverse transcription (RT). Thus, RT at hi...

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The factors influencing premixed burning and the importance of premixed burning on the exhaust emissions from a small high-speed direct-injection diesel engine were investigated. The characteristics of premixed and diffusion burning were examined using a single-zone heat-release analysis. The mass of fuel burned in premixed combustion was found to be linearly related to the product of engine speed and ignition-delay time and to be essentially independent of the total amount of fuel injected. Accordingly, the premixed-burned fraction increased with increasing engine speed, with decreasing fuel-air ratio and with retarding injection timing. The hydrocarbon emissions did not correlate well with the premixed-burned fraction. In contrast, the oxides of nitrogen emissions were found to increase with decreasing premixed-burned fraction, indicating that diffusion burning, and not premixed burning, is the primary source of oxides of nitrogen emissions.

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A novel non-invasive approach to the on-line identification of BWR two-phase flow regimes is investigated. The proposed approach receives neutron radiography images of coolant flow recordings as its input and performs feature extraction on each image via simple and directly computable statistical operators. The extracted features are subsequently used as inputs to an ensemble of self-organizing maps whose outputs demonstrate swift and accurate classification of each image into its corresponding flow regime. The novelty of the approach lies in the use of the self-organizing map which generates the different classes by itself, according to feature similarity of the corresponding images; this contrasts traditional artificial neural networks where the user has to define both the number of distinct classes as well as to supply separate training vectors for each class.

CERN Document Server

Grating cloaks are a variation of dielectric carpet (or ground- plane) cloaks. The latter were introduced by Li and Pendry. In contrast to the numerical work involved in the quasi-conformal carpet cloak, the refractive-index profile of a conformal grating cloak follows a closed and exact analytical form. We have previously mentioned that finite-size conformal grating cloaks may exhibit better cloaking than usual finite-size carpet cloaks. In this letter, we directly visualize their performance using photorealistic ray-tracing simulations. We employ a Newtonian approach that is advantageous compared to conventional ray tracing based on Snell's law. Furthermore, we quantify the achieved cloaking quality by computing the cross-correlations of rendered images. The cross-correlations for the grating cloak are much closer to 100% (i.e., ideal) than those for the Gaussian carpet cloak.

CERN Document Server

Acoustic metamaterials with negative effective mass below a cut-off frequency are studied. An equivalent mass-spring structure is firstly proposed for such metamaterials, the effective mass is found to follow the Drude model: being negative below a specific frequency. The peculiar behavior is then verified by transmission experiments operating in the low-frequency regime. Inspired by the mass-spring model, we investigate the two-dimensional elastic waveguide with clamped boundaries and attribute the bandgap occurring below a critical frequency to negative effective mass density. The finding helps us to design a new acoustic Drude metamaterial, which enables shearing and bending deformations, in contrast to the membrane-type ones. Both simulation and experimental results show that the proposed metamaterial exhibits negative effective mass below 1200 Hz, thus opening broadband applications in vibration and noise controls.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

This study highlights a methodology to detect the transplanting operation of wetland rice at a regional scale using SSM/I brightness temperature in frequencies like 19, 37 and 85 GHz with vertical polarization. A cloud removal algorithm was used to make weekly composites of the brightness temperature, which were used to estimate the soil wetness index (SWI). Flooding of rice fields with water for transplanting induces very high change in SWI due to contrasting dielectric constant of water (80) and soil (4). Different weather conditions and fractional wet area under the footprint of sensor affect SWI, hence absolute value of SWI was not adequate. Therefore, multi-year SWI anomaly was used to generate a threshold value of SWI change to detect when SWI change between two consecutive weeks was...

CERN Document Server

This paper provides an alternative approach to Duffie and Lando [Econometrica 69 (2001) 633-664] for obtaining a reduced form credit risk model from a structural model. Duffie and Lando obtain a reduced form model by constructing an economy where the market sees the manager's information set plus noise. The noise makes default a surprise to the market. In contrast, we obtain a reduced form model by constructing an economy where the market sees a reduction of the manager's information set. The reduced information makes default a surprise to the market. We provide an explicit formula for the default intensity based on an Azema martingale, and we use excursion theory of Brownian motions to price risky debt.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inert markers (evaporated tungsten and silver) were used in growth studies of silicides formed both by thermal annealing and by ion mixing in the Ni/Si, Pd/Si, and Cr/Si systems. The markers were initially imbedded inside silicides and backscattering spectrometry was used to determine the marker displacement after different processing conditions. The results obtained in thermal annealing are quite consistent with that found in previous investigations. Ni is the dominant diffusing species in Ni_2Si, while Si is the diffusing species in CrSi_2. In Pd_2Si, both Pd and Si are moving species with Pd the faster of the two. In contrast, in growth of silicides by ion irradiation Si is the faster diffusing species in all three systems.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The compound GdPd{sub 2}Si, which is reported to order antiferromagnetically at 13 K, has been investigated by heat capacity and electrical resistivity measurement in the presence of external magnetic fields. In contrast to an earlier report, the zero-field heat capacity and resistivity data indicate two magnetic transitions at 13 and 17 K. The external magnetic field substantially influences the resistivity and heat capacity of the compound around the magnetic ordering temperature. The magnetocaloric effect, which is calculated from in-field heat capacity data, is quite large around the magnetic transition temperature. The magnetoresistance is also large near the magnetic ordering temperature. The metamagnetic transition is observed for 10 kOe magnetic field both in magnetocaloric and in magnetoresistance data. The metamagnetic transition strongly influences the magnetocaloric effect and magnetoresistance, which is large in this compound. (author). ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We report the delayed sequelae arising in a case of electrical injury, reviewing the literature on the subject and focusing on the MRI findings of the brain. A 23-year-old male suffered burns to the left parietal scalp, both feet, and the anterior chest wall. Neurological symptoms and MRI abnormalities appeared 14 days after the insult and continued for about three months. T1-weight MR images demonstrated homogeneous hypointensity, while T2-weighted images depicted hyperintense finger-like projections. Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images demonstrated strong band-like enhancement, indicating meningeal hyperemia. Follow-up MR imaging showed that the lesion had disappeared, indicating that the cerebral edema and meaningeal hyperemia were reversible.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this study, we use electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), optical absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies to determine the various Ce environments in SrS phosphor materials and how these affect absorption and emission properties. As the Ce concentration is increased from 450 to 7500 ppm, the total EPR-active Ce"3"+ and optical absorption signals increase linearly with Ce concentration; by contrast, the PL intensity saturates at fairly low Ce concentrations (1000 ppm Ce). We suggest that the nonlinear behavior of the PL arises from the presence of nonradiative deexcitation pathways such as defects associated with Ce sites, or Ce endash Ce pairs. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A review of analytical design methods used for predicting reactor core flow and temperature distributions is presented with emphasis on LMFBR's. The paper also briefly describes and contrasts the methods used for LWR's. These methods are global analysis, subchannel analysis, distributed parameter, and hybrid analysis. The evolution of the local and subchannel analysis methods is presented. Data used for code validation are also presented. Current research and development needs are identified and discussed. Areas identified for future research and development include methods and expermental data for analysis of distorted bundles and natural convection. Methods that have been developed for predicting the safety performance of LMFBR's and LWR's are not within the scope of this paper.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A nuclear resonance fluorescence experiment on "8"8Sr has been performed with bremsstrahlung of 6.7 MeV endpoint energy. The #gamma#-ray linear polarisation has been measured with a EUROBALL CLUSTER detector used as a Compton polarimeter. The results indicate positive parity for the J=1 state at 4.742 MeV in "8"8Sr, in contrast to the previous interpretation as a 1"- two-phonon (2"+_1 x 3"-_1) state and in conflict with the predictions of the quasiparticle-phonon model. On the basis of such calculations the 1"+ state at 3.486 MeV may be considered as the 1"+_1 one-phonon state and the very strong 1"+_1#->#0"+_1 deexcitation as proton spin-flip 2p_1_/_2#->#2p_3_/_2 transition. (orig.)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The interlayer exchange coupling between Co/Pt perpendicular-to-plane magnetized layers across a thin IrMn spacer layer was experimentally studied. In contrast to earlier studies on interlayer coupling through antiferromagnetic NiO, which revealed an oscillatory coupling behavior as a function of NiO thickness, a ferromagnetic coupling was observed here in the range of IrMn thickness between 0.6 and 1.5nm and antiferromagnetic between 1.5 and 2.5nm. The antiferromagnetic coupling is attributed to an orange peel magnetostatic mechanism whereas the ferromagnetic coupling is attributed to an out-of-plane polarization of the antiferromagnetic IrMn layer induced by the interfacial exchange interaction with the adjacent out-of-plane ferromagnetic layers. Measurements of hysteresis loops versus t...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

To eliminate their classical brittleness and flexibility problems zein films were plasticized by incorporation of different phenolic acids (gallic acid (GA), p-hydroxy benzoic acid (HBA) or ferulic acids (FA)) or flavonoids (catechin (CAT), flavone (FLA) or quercetin (QU)). The use of GA, CAT, FA and HBA at 3 mg/cm2 eliminated the brittleness of films and gave highly flexible films showing elongations between 135% and 189%, while FLA and QU caused no considerable effect on film elongation. The films containing FA and HBA showed extreme swelling and lost their structural integrity when hydrated in distilled water. In contrast, CAT and GA containing films maintained their integrity following hydration. Most of the GA (up to 93%) and a considerable portion of CAT (up to 60%) in the films exis...

CERN Document Server

We report on a two-photon interference experiment in a quantum relay configuration using two picosecond regime PPLN waveguide based sources emitting paired photons at 1550 nm. The results show that the picosecond regime associated with a guided-wave scheme should have important repercussions for quantum relay implementations in real conditions, essential for improving both the working distance and the efficiency of quantum cryptography and networking systems. In contrast to already reported regimes, namely femtosecond and CW, it allows achieving a 99% net visibility two-photon interference while maintaining a high effective photon pair rate using only standard telecom components and detectors.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

High-field magnetization properties of single crystalline CeRh_2Si_2 and CePd_2Si_2 were investigated. Two-step metamagnetic transition (H_c_1=25.4 T and H_c_2=26.0 T) was observed in the case of CeRh_2Si_2, whereas no anomaly was found in the magnetization process of CePd_2Si_2 up to 28 T. The mean field analysis has shown that CeRh_2Si_2 is quite anisotropic compared to CePd_2Si_2, which results in the sharp contrast between the magnetization processes of the two compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) offers label-free, optical absorption contrast. A high-speed, high-resolution PAM system in an inverted microscope configuration with a laser pulse repetition rate of 100,000 Hz and a stationary ultrasonic transducer was built. Four-dimensional in vivo imaging of microcirculation in mouse skin was achieved at 18 three-dimensional volumes per second with repeated two-dimensional raster scans of 100 by 50 points. The corresponding twodimensional B-scan (50 A-lines) frame rate was 1800 Hz, and the one-dimensional A-scan rate was 90,000 Hz. The lateral resolution is 0.23+/-0.03 ?m for Au nano-wire imaging, which is 2.0 times below the diffraction limit.

CERN Document Server

We present first worldline numerical results for the nontrivial interplay between geometry and temperature dependencies of the Casimir effect. We show that the temperature dependence of the Casimir force can be significantly larger for open geometries (e.g., perpendicular plates) than for closed geometries (e.g., parallel plates). For surface separations in the experimentally relevant range, the thermal correction for the perpendicular-plates configuration exhibits a stronger parameter dependence and exceeds that for parallel plates by more than an order of magnitude at room temperature. This effect can be attributed to the fact that the fluctuation spectrum for closed geometries is gapped, inhibiting the thermal excitation of modes at low temperatures. By contrast, open geometries support a thermal excitation of the low-lying modes in the gapless spectrum already at low temperatures.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This study has confirmed large seasonal and daily variations of Rn in soil gas, developed models for the effects of temperature and moisture on air-water Rn partition, inhibited Rn diffusion from wet soil into sparse large air-filled pores and effects of diffusion into bedrock, demonstrated that organic matter is a major host for 226Ra in soils and that organic-bound Ra largely determines the proportion of 222Rn emanated to pore space, shown that in contrast 220Rn is emanated mainly from 224Ra in Fe-oxides, detected significant disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U in organic matter and in some recent glacial soils, demonstrated by computer models that air convection driven by temperature differences is expected in moderately permeable soils on hillsides.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

339 CT und 95 MRT examinations in 210 partients were evaluated retrospectively to determine the value of CT and MRT for follow-up of head and neck tumors and for diagnosing recurrences. Semi-quantitative evaluation of tumor extent during and after radiotherapy showed advantages for MRT since changes induced by treatment, particularly oedema, produced less contrast loss in the images. CT had a sensitivity of 81% for the recognition of recurrences; this was 92% for MRT. Specificity for CT was 76% and for MRT 86%. Concerning the reliability of individual diagnostic criteria, space occupying lesions were the most valuable in CT diagnosis. For MRT, space occupying lesions and infiltration into neighbouring structures were of equal value. Because of differences in the nature of the signals, MRT proved better than CT in characterising recurrent masses and this improved the differentiation between scarring and local tumour recurrence. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Because of the superior tissue contrast, high spatial resolution, and multiplanar capabilities, fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can depict fetal brain pathologies with high accuracy. Pathological fetal brain development may result from malformations or acquired conditions. Differentiation of these etiologies is important with respect to managing the actual pregnancy or counseling future pregnancies. As a widened ventricular system is a common hallmark of both maldevelopment and acquired conditions, it may cause problems in the differential diagnosis. Fetal MRI can provide detailed morphological information, which allows refinement of the diagnosis of ventricular enlargement in a large number of cases. Systematic work-up of morphological details that may be recognized on MR images provides an approach for achieving a correct diagnosis in cases of ventricle enlargement. (orig.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

X-ray diffraction enhanced imaging (DEI) is one of X-ray phase-contrast imaging methods, which is applied to inspect internal structures of weakly absorbing low-Z samples. The key problem of the DEI is how to extract phase information which is expressed by refraction-angle images from a series of DEI images measured in different positions of the rocking curve of the analyzer. Three effective extraction methods are presented in this paper: the statistical geometric-optics-approximation method, the maximum refraction-angle method and the Gaussian curve fitting method. They are compared with the existing methods, such as the D. Chapman's geometric optics approximation method and the multiple-images statistical method. A 2D computer simulation experiment is performed to draw comparisons of these methods. The experimental results prove that the above three methods have more precision of refraction-angle values than existing methods.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The experimental results of brittle/ductile two-layer analogue models verify that intraplate tectonic deformation in central-eastern Asia is controlled mainly by the netlike plastic-flow (NPF) occurring in the lower lithosphere, including the lower crust and lithospheric mantle. The ductile lower layer in the model, corresponding to the lower lithosphere in the natural prototype, is made of a mixture of gum rosin and turpentine oil and the brittle upper one, to the upper crust, is formed by the consolidation of talc-powder slurry. The NPF hypothesis for continental dynamics can be regarded as a combination and development of two kinds of seemingly mutually exclusive ones, which are based on the theories of slip-line field and viscous (plastic) flow, respectively. In contrast to "homogeneou...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Passive microwave soil moisture datasets can be used as an input to provide an integrated assessment of climate variability as it relates to agricultural production. The objective of this research was to examine three passive microwave derived soil moisture datasets over multiple growing seasons in contrasting Canadian agricultural environments. Absolute and relative soil moisture was evaluated from two globally available datasets from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) sensor using different retrieval algorithms, as well as relative soil wetness at a weekly scale from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) sensor. At a daily scale, the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) provides a better estimate of surface soil moisture conditions than the National Snow a...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Field-grown snap bean plants were treated with simulated acidic rain applied either alone or in combination with ambient rain and the effects on growth and yield were determined. In plots where ambient rain was excluded, a retractable canopy was activated to shield the crop. Four levels of acidity at pH values of 5.0, 4.2, 3.4 and 2.6 were applied in four replicate treatments and the experiment was conducted in two successive years (1981 and 1982). In plots that received only simulated rain, yield was not adversely affected by acidic rain; in 1981, a positive linear relationship was present between acidity of simulated rain and yield, but in 1981, no effect was found. In contrast, in plots that received both simulated and ambient rain, a negative linear relationship between acidity in simulated rain and yield was observed in both years.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Many hoarding rodents use burrows not only for dwelling and protection from natural enemies, but also for food storage. However, little is known how burrows used by scatter-hoarding animals influence their foraging behaviors. In addition, handling time for a given food item has a fundamental impact on hoarding strategies of these hoarding animals: food items with longer handling time are more likely to be hoarded due to increasing predation risk because the animals spend more time outside their burrows if they consumed such food. By providing with two types of artificial burrows (aboveground vs. underground) and two types of food items (i.e. seeds) with contrasting handling times, we investigated how burrow condition and handling time co-influence hoarding strategies of a key scatter-hoard...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The intermediate valent behaviour of YbPd_2Si_2 has been studied under pressure in the temperature range from 1.2 K to 90 K by using the 84 keV Moessbauer transition in "1"7"0Yb. At 54 kbar and 4.2 K we obtain an increase of the electric field gradient (EFG) by a factor of #approx =# 3. In addition, the EFG varies strongly with temperature, in contrast to the behaviour at ambient pressure. At 1.2 K a change of the hyperfine pattern is observed indicating a magnetic character of the Yb ion. These results provide evidence of a pressure induced change of the valence state close to 3+. (orig.).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Thinning and burning forests established on revegetated mine pits in jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forests of south-west Australia is being considered as a management option to accelerate succession in sites with excessive tree densities. To assess the impact of thinning and burning on reptiles and small mammals, we installed trapping grids in eight thinned and burned sites, each paired with untreated controls. Of the eight pairs, four were in rehabilitated sites (planted with nonlocal species) and four were in restored sites (seeded with local species). Thinning and burning had no significant impact on the small mammal community, although Cercatetus concinnus was more abundant in rehabilitated sites. In contrast, thinning and burning significantly increased reptile abundance and species r...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Abstract Aim- Two alternative hypotheses attempt to explain the upper elevation limit of tree lines world-wide, the carbon-limitation hypothesis (CLH) and the growth-limitation hypothesis (GLH); the altitudinal decrease of temperature is considered the driver constraining either carbon gain or growth. Using a widely distributed tree line species (Nothofagus pumilio) we tested whether tree line altitude is explained by the CLH or the GLH, distinguishing local from global effects. We elaborated expectations based on most probable trends of carbon charging with altitude according to both hypotheses, considering the alternative effects of drought. Location- Two climatically contrasting tree line ecotones in the southern Andes of Chile: Mediterranean (3654- S) and Patagonia (4604- S). Methods- ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuji computed radiography (FCR) utilizing imaging plates stimulated by a scanning lazer has been developed in Japan and come to be widely available in diagnostic radiology. This system is advantageous because many processed images can be obtained with a single exposure. However, no reports have been published on the exact conditions necessary under which the FCR image processing method will produce improved visibility of pulmonary abnormal shadows on chest radiographs. In this report, chest FCR images obtained from 50 patients were analyzed, and the best practical image processing conditions were determined for each pathological state. Fundamental analysis was also performed for spatial and contrast resolution with FUNK chart and Burger's phantom using various thickness of acryl plate. Ninety processing images per exposure were analyzed, and the best practical conditions were determined. (author).

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Sulfur pollution can lead to serious problems in freshwater wetlands, including phosphorus eutrophication and sulfide toxicity. We tested the effects of anaerobic iron-rich groundwater discharge in fens, simulated by iron injection, on two characteristic species (Juncus effusus and Caltha palustris) in a sulfidic environment. Biomass production of C. palustris roots showed an optimum response to the combined addition of iron and sulfide, with highest values at intermediate concentrations of both substances. Iron deficiency apparently occurred at low iron concentrations, while at high iron concentrations, growth was decreased. For J. effusus, in contrast, no toxic effects were found of both iron and sulfide. This could be explained by larger radial oxygen loss (ROL) of J. effusus and could ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary 1.-Plant-plant interactions fluctuate between competition and facilitation depending upon ecological conditions and species traits. Facilitative interactions are expected to increase in frequency via associational defences with increasing consumer pressure. The ability of species to cope with competition and/or ecological stressors may alter the outcome of plant-plant interactions. 2.-We conducted a transplant experiment to determine if native and non-native grasses and forbs respond similarly to interactions with Juncus effusus L., an unpalatable benefactor species, along a grazing intensity gradient in two contrasting pasture types: intensively managed and semi-natural. We expected competitive taller, erect species (grasses) and non-natives to obtain stronger facilitative effects...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The dynamics of planktonic cyanobacteria in eutrophicated freshwaters play an important role in formation of annual summer blooms, yet overwintering mechanisms of these water bloom forming cyanobacteria remain unknown. The responses to darkness and low temperature of three strains (unicellular Microcystis aeruginosa FACHB-905, colonial M.?aeruginosa FACHB-938, and a green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda FACHB-45) were investigated in the present study. After a 30-day incubation under darkness and low temperature, cell morphology, cell numbers, chlorophyll a, photosynthetic activity (ETRmax and I k), and malodialdehyde (MDA) content exhibited significant changes in Scenedesmus. In contrast, Microcystis aeruginosa cells did not change markedly in morphology, chlorophyll a, photosynthetic activi...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The black carbon continuum is composed of a series of carbon-rich components derived from combustion or metamorphism and characterized by contrasting environmental behavior and susceptibility to oxidation. In this work, we present a micro-scale density fractionation method that allows isolating the small quantities of soot-like and graphitic material usually found in natural samples. Organic carbon and {delta}{sup 13}C mass balance calculations were used to quantify the relative contributions of the two fractions to thermally-stable organic matter from a series of aquatic sediments. Varying proportions of soot-like and graphitic material were found in these samples, with large variations in {delta}{sup 13}C signatures suggesting important differences in their origin and/or dynamics in the environment.

CERN Document Server

Cyclic spectral analysis is a signal processing technique designed to deal with stochastic signals whose statistics vary periodically with time. Pulsar radio emission is a textbook example of this signal class, known as cyclostationary signals. In this paper, we discuss the application of cyclic spectral analysis methods to pulsar data, and compare the results with the traditional filterbank approaches used for almost all pulsar observations to date. In contrast to standard methods, the cyclic spectrum preserves phase information of the radio signal. This feature allows us to determine the impulse response of the interstellar medium and the intrinsic, unscattered pulse profile directly from a single observation. We illustrate these new analysis techniques using real data from an observation of the millisecond pulsar B1937+21.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Formation kinetics and composition of products of interaction of binary and ternary tungsten-molybdenum-rhenium alloys containing 30#+-#3 at.% (27-47 weight %) Re with products of thermal dissociation of ammonia and nitrogen-oxygeneous mixtures are studied. Mo-45% Re-10%W ternary alloy occupies intermediate position between W-27%Re and Mo-47%Re binary alloys, while its corrosion resistance and corrosion nature are close to those of W-Re and mechanical features - to those of Mo-Re alloy. It is explained by the fact, that the variation of W and Mo ration occurs in thin surface layer of ternary alloys in contrast to the initial state and the enrichment of near-the-surface layer with tungsten occurs under hot and cold deformation, at aging in the air, and during oxidation-reduction treatment. 4 refs.; 7 figs.