Timing of specimen collection is crucial in urine screening of drug dependent mothers and newborns.

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Halstead, A C; Godolphin, W; Lockitch, G; Segal, S

1988-01-01

We compared results of urine drug analysis with clinical data and history to test the usefulness of peripartum drug screening and to establish guidelines for optimal testing. Urine from 28 mothers and 52 babies was analysed. Drugs not suspected by history were found in 10 mothers and six babies. Results assisted in the management of neonatal withdrawal in three babies. Drugs suspected by history were not found in 11/22 mothers and 23/35 babies. About half of these results were associated with delayed urine collection. In 12/28 mothers, drugs administered in hospital could have confused interpretation of screen results. We conclude that urine drug screening without strict protocols for specimen collection is of limited usefulness for management of drug abuse in pregnancy and neonatal drug withdrawal. We favour testing of maternal urine obtained before drugs are administered in hospital. Neonatal urine, if used, should be collected in the first day of life.

Effectiveness of Preanalytic Practices on Contamination and Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine Cultures: a Laboratory Medicine Best Practices Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

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Franek, Jacob; Leibach, Elizabeth K.; Weissfeld, Alice S.; Kraft, Colleen S.; Sautter, Robert L.; Baselski, Vickie; Rodahl, Debra; Peterson, Edward J.; Cornish, Nancy E.

2015-01-01

, time factor, timing, urine specimen collection, catheters, indwelling, urinary reservoirs, continent, urinary catheterization, intermittent urethral catheterization, clean voided, midstream, Foley, suprapubic, bacteriological techniques, and microbiological techniques. Main results. Both boric acid and refrigeration adequately preserved urine specimens prior to their processing for up to 24 h. Urine held at room temperature for more than 4 h showed overgrowth of both clinically significant and contaminating microorganisms. The overall strength of this body of evidence, however, was rated as low. For urine specimens collected from women, there was no difference in rates of contamination for midstream urine specimens collected with or without cleansing. The overall strength of this evidence was rated as high. The levels of diagnostic accuracy of midstream urine collection with or without cleansing were similar, although the overall strength of this evidence was rated as low. For urine specimens collected from men, there was a reduction in contamination in favor of midstream clean-catch over first-void specimen collection. The strength of this evidence was rated as high. Only one study compared midstream collection with cleansing to midstream collection without cleansing. Results showed no difference in contamination between the two methods of collection. However, imprecision was due largely to the small event size. The diagnostic accuracy of midstream urine collection from men compared to straight catheterization or suprapubic aspiration was high. However, the overall strength of this body of evidence was rated as low. For urine specimens collected from children and infants, the evidence comparing contamination rates for midstream urine collection with cleansing, midstream collection without cleansing, sterile urine bag collection, and diaper collection pointed to larger reductions in the odds of contamination in favor of midstream collection with cleansing over the

Optimizing Urine Processing Protocols for Protein and Metabolite Detection.

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Siddiqui, Nazema Y; DuBois, Laura G; St John-Williams, Lisa; Will, Thompson J; Grenier, Carole; Burke, Emily; Fraser, Matthew O; Amundsen, Cindy L; Murphy, Susan K

In urine, factors such as timing of voids, and duration at room temperature (RT) may affect the quality of recovered protein and metabolite data. Additives may aid with detection, but can add more complexity in sample collection or analysis. We aimed to identify the optimal urine processing protocol for clinically-obtained urine samples that allows for the highest protein and metabolite yields with minimal degradation. Healthy women provided multiple urine samples during the same day. Women collected their first morning (1 st AM) void and another "random void". Random voids were aliquotted with: 1) no additive; 2) boric acid (BA); 3) protease inhibitor (PI); or 4) both BA + PI. Of these aliquots, some were immediately stored at 4°C, and some were left at RT for 4 hours. Proteins and individual metabolites were quantified, normalized to creatinine concentrations, and compared across processing conditions. Sample pools corresponding to each processing condition were analyzed using mass spectrometry to assess protein degradation. Ten Caucasian women between 35-65 years of age provided paired 1 st morning and random voided urine samples. Normalized protein concentrations were slightly higher in 1 st AM compared to random "spot" voids. The addition of BA did not significantly change proteins, while PI significantly improved normalized protein concentrations, regardless of whether samples were immediately cooled or left at RT for 4 hours. In pooled samples, there were minimal differences in protein degradation under the various conditions we tested. In metabolite analyses, there were significant differences in individual amino acids based on the timing of the void. For comparative translational research using urine, information about void timing should be collected and standardized. For urine samples processed in the same day, BA does not appear to be necessary while the addition of PI enhances protein yields, regardless of 4°C or RT storage temperature.

Protoporphyrin IX induced by 5-aminolevulinic acid in bladder cancer cells in voided urine can be extracorporeally quantified using a spectrophotometer.

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Nakai, Yasushi; Anai, Satoshi; Onishi, Sayuri; Masaomi, Kuwada; Tatsumi, Yoshihiro; Miyake, Makito; Chihara, Yoshitomo; Tanaka, Nobumichi; Hirao, Yoshihiko; Fujimoto, Kiyohide

2015-06-01

We evaluated the feasibility of photodynamic diagnosis of bladder cancer by spectrophotometric analysis of voided urine samples after extracorporeal treatment with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA). Sixty-one patients with bladder cancer, confirmed histologically after the transurethral resection of a bladder tumor, were recruited as the bladder cancer group, and 50 outpatients without history of urothelial carcinoma or cancer-related findings were recruited as the control group. Half of the voided urine sample was incubated with ALA (ALA-treated sample), and the rest was incubated without treatment (ALA-untreated sample). For detecting cellular protoporphyrin IX levels, intensity of the samples at the excitation wavelength of 405 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer. The difference between the intensity of the ALA-treated and ALA-untreated samples at 635 nm was calculated. The differences in the bladder cancer group were significantly greater than those in the control group (p spectrophotometer in patients with bladder cancer. Therefore, this cancer detection system has a potential for clinical use. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison among performances of a ligase chain reaction-based assay and two enzyme immunoassays in detecting Chlamydia trachomatis in urine specimens from men with nongonococcal urethritis.

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Deguchi, T; Yasuda, M; Uno, M; Tada, K; Iwata, H; Komeda, H; Maeda, S; Latila, V; Saito, I; Kawada, Y

1996-01-01

We evaluated the performances of a ligase chain reaction (LCR)-based assay and two enzyme immunoassays (Chlamydiazyme and IDEIA) in the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in urine specimens. We compared the results of testing urine specimens by these assays with those of urethral swab culture by examining samples from 131 men with nongonococcal urethritis. Discrepant results were analyzed by testing urethral swab specimens for C. trachomatis by a PCR-based assay. After the resolution of discrepant results, the sensitivity of urethral swab culture was 85.3%, whereas those of the LCR assay, Chlamydiazyme, and IDEIA with urine specimens were 94.1, 82.4, and 94.1%, respectively. The LCR assay and IDEIA were more sensitive than was urethral swab culture. In addition, the LCR assay, with a sensitivity equal to that of IDEIA, was more specific. Overall, the LCR assay proved to be superior to the enzyme immunoassays in detecting C. trachomatis in urine specimens. Testing urine specimens by LCR assay should be a helpful alternative method for diagnosing C. trachomatis urethral infection in men with nongonococcal urethritis. PMID:8784574

Identification and quantification of predominant metabolites of synthetic cannabinoid MAB-CHMINACA in an authentic human urine specimen.

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Hasegawa, Koutaro; Minakata, Kayoko; Gonmori, Kunio; Nozawa, Hideki; Yamagishi, Itaru; Watanabe, Kanako; Suzuki, Osamu

2018-02-01

An autopsy case in which the cause of death was judged as drug poisoning by two synthetic cannabinoids, including MAB-CHMINACA, was investigated. Although unchanged MAB-CHMINACA could be detected from solid tissues, blood and stomach contents in the case, the compound could not be detected from a urine specimen. We obtained six kinds of reference standards of MAB-CHMINACA metabolites from a commercial source. The MAB-CHMINACA metabolites from the urine specimen of the abuser were extracted using a QuEChERS method including dispersive solid-phase extraction, and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with or without hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase. Among the six MAB-CHMINACA metabolites tested, two predominant metabolites could be identified and quantified in the urine specimen of the deceased. After hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase, an increase of the two metabolites was not observed. The metabolites detected were a 4-monohydroxycyclohexylmethyl metabolite M1 (N-(1-amino-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-((4-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide) and a dihydroxyl (4-hydroxycyclohexylmethyl and tert-butylhydroxyl) metabolite M11 (N-(1-amino-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-1-oxobutan-2-yl)-1-((4-hydroxycyclohexyl)methyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamide). Their concentrations were 2.17 ± 0.15 and 10.2 ± 0.3 ng/mL (n = 3, each) for M1 and M11, respectively. Although there is one previous in vitro study showing the estimation of metabolism of MAB-CHMINACA using human hepatocytes, this is the first report dealing with in vivo identification and quantification of MAB-CHMINACA metabolites in an authentic human urine specimen. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Urine specimen detection of zolpidem use in patients with pain.

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Mann, Lindsey M; Atayee, Rabia S; Best, Brookie M; Morello, Candis M; Ma, Joseph D

2014-01-01

This study examined zolpidem and concurrent opioid, benzodiazepine, other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and alcohol use. Urine specimens were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Specimens were tested for zolpidem (n = 71,919) and separated into a provider-reported medication list documenting (n = 5,257) or not documenting zolpidem use (n = 66,662). Zolpidem-positive specimens were further separated into reported and unreported use cohorts. The total number of zolpidem-positive specimens in the reported and unreported use cohorts was 3,391 and 3,190, respectively. Non-informed prescribers were 4.4% (3,190/71,919) among the general population and 48.5% (3,190/6,581) when only zolpidem users were considered. In the zolpidem user population, the most common concurrent opioids in both cohorts were hydrocodone and oxycodone. Alprazolam and clonazepam were higher in the unreported use cohort (P ≤ 0.05). The unreported use cohort also had a higher detection of zolpidem plus a benzodiazepine (49.7 vs. 46%; P ≤ 0.05), zolpidem plus an opioid and a benzodiazepine (40.8% vs. 37.4%; P ≤ 0.05) and zolpidem plus an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and an other CNS depressant (12.9 vs. 10.9%; P ≤ 0.05). Concurrent use of zolpidem, an opioid, a benzodiazepine and an other CNS depressant is prevalent in a pain patient population. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A 3-plex methylation assay combined with the FGFR3 mutation assay sensitively detects recurrent bladder cancer in voided urine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kandimalla, Raju; Masius, Roy; Beukers, Willemien

2013-01-01

is to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a urine assay for the diagnosis of recurrences in patients with a previous primary NMIBC G1/G2 by using cystoscopy as the reference standard. Experimental Design: We selected eight CpG islands (CGI) methylated in bladder cancer from our earlier genome-wide study......Purpose: DNA methylation is associated with bladder cancer and these modifications could serve as useful biomarkers. FGFR3 mutations are present in 60% to 70% of non–muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Low-grade bladder cancer recurs in more than 50% of patients. The aim of this study......, and nonmalignant urines (n = 130). Results: The 3-plex assay identified recurrent bladder cancer in voided urine with a sensitivity of 74% in the validation set. In combination with the FGFR3 mutation assay, a sensitivity of 79% was reached (specificity of 77%). Sensitivity of FGFR3 and cytology was 52% and 57...

Evaluation of First Voided Urine Samples For Detection of Ureaplasma Uriealyticum and Mycoplasma Hominis in Urinary Tracts of Men and Women Suffering from Nongonococcal and Nonspecific Urethritis

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M Mohamadi

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Ureaplasma uriealyticum is one of the most important causes of Nongonococcal and Nonspecific urethritis (NGU & NSU in men. Mycoplasma hominis too has a causal role in NGU & NSU. This study aimed to investigate whether it is possible to detect Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma uriealyticum in first voided urine samples in men suffering from NGU & NSU without complaints of urethral secretions and in women with clinical symptoms despite negative vaginal secretion culture test results. Methods: First voided urine samples were taken from 150 patients (21 women & 129 men suffering from NGU & NSU who referred to the Division of Bacteriology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2004-2005. Samples were examined by culture method. Results: Cultures were positive for Mycoplasma and Ureoplasma in 49 (32.6 % of the 150 samples. Of the 21 samples taken from women, 5 samples were positive for Mycoplasma & Ureoplasma (2 samples Mycoplasma, 3 samples Ureaplasma. Samples from 44 men were positive for Ureoplasma & Mycoplasma(17 samples Mycoplasma, 4 samples Ureaplasma and 23 samples were positive for both. Ureoplasma urealyticum was detected in 30 samples (20% and Mycoplasma hominis, was detected in 42 samples (28%. Conclusion: The results of this study provides evidence that culture tests can be done using voided urine in order to detect Mycoplasma hominis and ureaplasma urealyticum in patients suffering from Nongonococcal urethris; men who do not have urethral secretions and women with clinical symptoms despite negative vaginal secretion culture test results.

A new concept and a comprehensive evaluation of SYSMEX UF-1000i  flow cytometer to identify culture-negative urine specimens in patients with UTI.

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Monsen, T; Ryden, P

2017-09-01

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common bacterial infections in men and urine culture is gold standard for diagnosis. Considering the high prevalence of culture-negative specimens, any method that identifies such specimens is of interest. The aim was to evaluate a new screening concept for flow cytometry analysis (FCA). The outcomes were evaluated against urine culture, uropathogen species and three conventional screening methods. A prospective, consecutive study examined 1,312 urine specimens, collected during January and February 2012. The specimens were analyzed using the Sysmex UF1000i FCA. Based on the FCA data culture negative specimens were identified in a new model by use of linear discriminant analysis (FCA-LDA). In total 1,312 patients were included. In- and outpatients represented 19.6% and 79.4%, respectively; 68.3% of the specimens originated from women. Of the 610 culture-positive specimens, Escherichia coli represented 64%, enterococci 8% and Klebsiella spp. 7%. Screening with FCA-LDA at 95% sensitivity identified 42% (552/1312) as culture negative specimens when UTI was defined according to European guidelines. The proposed screening method was either superior or similar in comparison to the three conventional screening methods. In conclusion, the proposed/suggested and new FCA-LDA screening method was superior or similar to three conventional screening methods. We recommend the proposed screening method to be used in clinic to exclude culture negative specimens, to reduce workload, costs and the turnaround time. In addition, the FCA data may add information that enhance handling and support diagnosis of patients with suspected UTI pending urine culture [corrected].

Positive urine cultures: A major cause of inappropriate antimicrobial use in hospitals?

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Silver, Samuel A; Baillie, Laura; Simor, Andrew E

2009-01-01

Urine specimens are among the most common samples submitted for culture to microbiology laboratories. The objectives of the present study were to describe the indications for obtaining urine cultures in a cohort of hospitalized patients, and to determine the appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy in response to urine culture results. The study was performed at a teaching hospital with an adjoining long-term care facility from June 1 to July 31, 2006. The medical records of nonpregnant adult patients with and without bacteriuria were reviewed. A symptomatic urinary tract infection was defined as the presence of bacteriuria in a patient with fever or urinary symptoms; asymptomatic bacteriuria was defined as bacteriuria without urinary symptoms and no infection evident at another site. Medical records of 335 eligible patients (64% male; mean age 68 years) were reviewed, including all 137 with bacteriuria, and 198 with negative urine cultures. In total, 51% of the urine specimens were obtained from an indwelling urinary catheter, and 28% were voided urine samples. Confusion (57%) and fever (36%) were the most common indications noted for obtaining the urine cultures. Only 34 patients (25% of those with positive urine cultures) met the criteria for a symptomatic urinary tract infection; 67 (49%) had asymptomatic bacteriuria and 36 (26%) had infection at a nonurinary site. Of those with asymptomatic bacteriuria, 64% received antimicrobial therapy for a total of 347 days. Confused patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria were more likely to be treated than were bacteriuric patients without altered mental status (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.1; P=0.03). Urine cultures are frequently obtained from hospitalizedpatients,evenintheabsenceofurinarysymptoms.Asymptomatic bacteriuria is often treated in these patients, and accounts for a substantial burden of inappropriate antimicrobial use in hospitals. Effective strategies to improve urine culture ordering and antimicrobial

Automated solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of 6-acetylmorphine in human urine specimens: application for a high-throughput urine analysis laboratory.

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Robandt, P V; Bui, H M; Scancella, J M; Klette, K L

2010-10-01

An automated solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS-MS) method using the Spark Holland Symbiosis Pharma SPE-LC coupled to a Waters Quattro Micro MS-MS was developed for the analysis of 6-acetylmorphine (6-AM) in human urine specimens. The method was linear (R² = 0.9983) to 100 ng/mL, with no carryover at 200 ng/mL. Limits of quantification and detection were found to be 2 ng/mL. Interrun precision calculated as percent coefficient of variation (%CV) and evaluated by analyzing five specimens at 10 ng/mL over nine batches (n = 45) was 3.6%. Intrarun precision evaluated from 0 to 100 ng/mL ranged from 1.0 to 4.4%CV. Other opioids (codeine, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, and norcodeine) did not interfere in the detection, quantification, or chromatography of 6-AM or the deuterated internal standard. The quantified values for 41 authentic human urine specimens previously found to contain 6-AM by a validated gas chromatography (GC)-MS method were compared to those obtained by the SPE-LC-MS-MS method. The SPE-LC-MS-MS procedure eliminates the human factors of specimen handling, extraction, and derivatization, thereby reducing labor costs and rework resulting from human error or technique issues. The time required for extraction and analysis was reduced by approximately 50% when compared to a validated 6-AM procedure using manual SPE and GC-MS analysis.

Voiding dysfunction in children aged five to 15 years

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Karaklajić Dragana

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Voiding dysfunction in children was analyzed in 91 patients in a period from January 1st to October 1st 1998. Most of the patients had functional voiding disorder (92.31%, and only 7.69% manifested monosymptomatic night enuresis. The number of girls was bigger in the group of patients with voiding dysfunction while the boys were predominant in the group with mono-symptomatic nocturnal enuresis. More than a half of children with functional voiding disorder had repeated urinal infections (58.23%, incontinence (93.49%, need for urgent voiding (68.13%, and vesicoureteral reflux (47.61%. The most common type of voiding dysfunction was urge syndrome/urge incontinence. The incidence of dysfunctional voiding disorder was more often in children with scaring changes of kidney which were diagnosed by static scintigraphy.

Comparative evaluation of three commercial systems for nucleic acid extraction from urine specimens.

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Tang, Yi-Wei; Sefers, Susan E; Li, Haijing; Kohn, Debra J; Procop, Gary W

2005-09-01

A nucleic acid extraction system that can handle small numbers of specimens with a short test turnaround time and short hands-on time is desirable for emergent testing. We performed a comparative validation on three systems: the MagNA Pure compact system (Compact), the NucliSens miniMAG extraction instrument (miniMAG), and the BioRobot EZ1 system (EZ1). A total of 75 urine specimens submitted for polyomavirus BK virus detection were used. The human beta-actin gene was detected on 75 (100%), 75 (100%), and 72 (96%) nucleic acid extracts prepared by the miniMAG, EZ1, and Compact, respectively. The miniMAG produced the highest quantity of nucleic acids and the best precision among the three systems. The agreement rate was 100% for BKV detection on nucleic acid extracts prepared by the three extraction systems. When a full panel of specimens was run, the hands-on time and test turnaround time were 105.7 and 121.1 min for miniMAG, 6.1 and 22.6 min for EZ1, and 7.4 and 33.7 min for Compact, respectively. The EZ1 and Compact systems processed automatic nucleic acid extraction properly, providing a good solution to the need for sporadic but emergent specimen detection. The miniMAG yielded the highest quantity of nucleic acids, suggesting that this system would be the best for specimens containing a low number of microorganisms of interest.

Is abdominal wall contraction important for normal voiding in the female rat?

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Boone Timothy B

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Normal voiding behavior in urethane-anesthetized rats includes contraction of the abdominal wall striated muscle, similar to the visceromotor response (VMR to noxious bladder distension. Normal rat voiding requires pulsatile release of urine from a pressurized bladder. The abdominal wall contraction accompanying urine flow may provide a necessary pressure increment for normal efficient pulsatile voiding. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and necessity of the voiding-associated abdominal wall activity in urethane-anesthetized female rats Methods A free-voiding model was designed to allow assessment of abdominal wall activity during voiding resulting from physiologic bladder filling, in the absence of bladder or urethral instrumentation. Physiologic diuresis was promoted by rapid intravascular hydration. Intercontraction interval (ICI, voided volumes and EMG activity of the rectus abdominis were quantified. The contribution of abdominal wall contraction to voiding was eliminated in a second group of rats by injecting botulinum-A (BTX, 5 U into each rectus abdominis to induce local paralysis. Uroflow parameters were compared between intact free-voiding and BTX-prepared animals. Results Abdominal wall response is present in free voiding. BTX preparation eliminated the voiding-associated EMG activity. Average per-void volume decreased from 1.8 ml to 1.1 ml (p Conclusion The voiding-associated abdominal wall response is a necessary component of normal voiding in urethane anesthetized female rats. As the proximal urethra may be the origin of the afferent signaling which results in the abdominal wall response, the importance of the bladder pressure increment due to this response may be in maintaining a normal duration intermittent pulsatile high frequency oscillatory (IPHFO/flow phase and thus efficient voiding. We propose the term Voiding-associated Abdominal Response (VAR for the physiologic voiding-associated EMG

Distinct DNA methylation epigenotypes in bladder cancer from different Chinese sub-populations and its implication in cancer detection using voided urine

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Tong Joanna HM

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bladder cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world and the incidence is particularly high in southwestern Taiwan. Previous studies have identified several tumor-related genes that are hypermethylated in bladder cancer; however the DNA methylation profile of bladder cancer in Taiwan is not fully understood. Methods In this study, we compared the DNA methylation profile of multiple tumor suppressor genes (APC, DAPK, E-cadherin, hMLH1, IRF8, p14, p15, RASSF1A, SFRP1 and SOCS-1 in bladder cancer patients from different Chinese sub-populations including Taiwan (104 cases, Hong Kong (82 cases and China (24 cases by MSP. Two normal human urothelium were also included as control. To investigate the diagnostic potential of using DNA methylation in non-invasive detection of bladder cancer, degree of methylation of DAPK, IRF8, p14, RASSF1A and SFRP1 was also accessed by quantitative MSP in urine samples from thirty bladder cancer patients and nineteen non-cancer controls. Results There were distinct DNA methylation epigenotypes among the different sub-populations. Further, samples from Taiwan and China demonstrated a bimodal distribution suggesting that CpG island methylator phentotype (CIMP is presented in bladder cancer. Moreover, the number of methylated genes in samples from Taiwan and Hong Kong were significantly correlated with histological grade (P SFRP1, IRF8, APC and RASSF1A were significantly associated with increased tumor grade, stage. Methylation of RASSF1A was associated with tumor recurrence. Patients with methylation of APC or RASSF1A were also significantly associated with shorter recurrence-free survival. For methylation detection in voided urine samples of cancer patients, the sensitivity and specificity of using any of the methylated genes (IRF8, p14 or sFRP1 by qMSP was 86.7% and 94.7%. Conclusions Our results indicate that there are distinct methylation epigenotypes among different Chinese sub

Four to seven random casual urine specimens are sufficient to estimate 24-h urinary sodium/potassium ratio in individuals with high blood pressure.

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Iwahori, T; Ueshima, H; Torii, S; Saito, Y; Fujiyoshi, A; Ohkubo, T; Miura, K

2016-05-01

This study was done to clarify the optimal number and type of casual urine specimens required to estimate urinary sodium/potassium (Na/K) ratio in individuals with high blood pressure. A total of 74 individuals with high blood pressure, 43 treated and 31 untreated, were recruited from the Japanese general population. Urinary sodium, potassium and Na/K ratio were measured in both casual urine samples and 7-day 24-h urine samples and then analyzed by correlation and Bland-Altman analyses. Mean Na/K ratio from random casual urine samples on four or more days strongly correlated with the Na/K ratio of 7-day 24-h urine (r=0.80-0.87), which was similar to the correlation between 1 and 2-day 24-h urine and 7-day 24-h urine (r=0.75-0.89). The agreement quality for Na/K ratio of seven random casual urine for estimating the Na/K ratio of 7-day 24-h urine was good (bias: -0.26, limits of agreements: -1.53-1.01), and it was similar to that of 2-day 24-h urine for estimating 7-day 24-h values (bias: 0.07, limits of agreement: -1.03 to 1.18). Stratified analyses comparing individuals using antihypertensive medication and individuals not using antihypertensive medication showed similar results. Correlations of the means of casual urine sodium or potassium concentrations with 7-day 24-h sodium or potassium excretions were relatively weaker than those for Na/K ratio. The mean Na/K ratio of 4-7 random casual urine specimens on different days provides a good substitute for 1-2-day 24-h urinary Na/K ratio for individuals with high blood pressure.

Analysis of nocturia with 24-h urine volume, nocturnal urine volume, nocturnal bladder capacity and length of sleep duration: concept for effective treatment modality.

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Udo, Yukihiro; Nakao, Masahiro; Honjo, Hisashi; Ukimura, Osamu; Kawauchi, Akihiro; Kitakoji, Hiroshi; Miki, Tsuneharu

2011-03-01

• To determine the relationship between the number of nocturia and 24-h urine volume, nocturnal urine volume, nocturnal bladder capacity and length of sleep duration as well as to assess the significance of these factors with respect to eliminating nocturnal voidings in individual patients with nocturia. • Among 532 participants who completed a 3-day bladder diary between April 2005 and December 2006, the diaries of 450 participants without 24-h polyuria were analyzed. • Clinical variables such as the number of daytime and night-time voids, 24-h urine volume, nocturnal polyuria index, daytime and night-time maximum voided volumes (MVV), night/day MVV ratio, sleep duration and proportion of night/day urine production rates were obtained from each diary. • Participants were classified into eight groups according to values of three factors: nocturnal MVV, proportion of night/day urine production rates and length of sleep duration. • Each group was divided into three subgroups: non-nocturics (number of nocturnal voidings is zero), mild nocturics (number of nocturnal voidings is one) and severe nocturics (number of nocturnal voidings is two or more). • The data from non-nocturics with three normal factors were regarded as the normal control and compared with the variables of the other subgroups using Dunnett's method. • Variables that form the basis of classifying participants into eight groups and corresponding to abnormal factors of each group were statistically significant in all the subgroups of each group. • Furthermore, a significantly increased 24-h urine volume was found in severe nocturics of the group with three normal factors. • A significantly decreased 24-h urine volume was found in non-nocturics of groups with nocturnal polyuria, decreased bladder capacity and both long sleep duration and nocturnal polyuria. • A significantly increased nocturnal MVV and night/day MVV ratio were shown in non-nocturics and mild nocturics of the groups

Abnormal urinalysis results are common, regardless of specimen collection technique, in women without urinary tract infections.

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Frazee, Bradley W; Enriquez, Kayla; Ng, Valerie; Alter, Harrison

2015-06-01

Voided urinalysis to test for urinary tract infection (UTI) is prone to false-positive results for a number of reasons. Specimens are often collected at triage from women with any abdominal complaint, creating a low UTI prevalence population. Improper collection technique by the patient may affect the result. At least four indices, if positive, can indicate UTI. We examine the impact of voided specimen collection technique on urinalysis indicators of UTI and on urine culture contamination in disease-free women. In this crossover design, 40 menstrual-age female emergency department staff without UTI symptoms collected urine two ways: directly in a cup ("non-clean") and midstream clean catch ("ideal"). Samples underwent standard automated urinalysis and culture. Urinalysis indices and culture contamination were compared. The proportion of abnormal results from samples collected by "non-clean" vs. "ideal" technique, respectively, were: leukocyte esterase (>trace) 50%, 35% (95% confidence interval for difference -6% to 36%); nitrites (any) 2.5%, 2.5% (difference -2.5 to 2.5%); white blood cells (>5/high-powered field [HPF]) 50%, 27.5% (difference 4 to 41%); bacteria (any/HPF) 77.5%, 62.5%, (difference -7 to 37%); epithelial cells (>few) 65%, 30% (difference 13 to 56%); culture contamination (>1000 colony-forming units of commensal or >2 species) 77%, 63% (difference -5 to 35%). No urinalysis index was positively correlated with culture contamination. Contemporary automated urinalysis indices were often abnormal in a disease-free population of women, even using ideal collection technique. In clinical practice, such false-positive results could lead to false-positive UTI diagnosis. Only urine nitrite showed a high specificity. Culture contamination was common regardless of collection technique and was not predicted by urinalysis results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

M-CHOLINOLYTICS IN RHEABILITATION OF CHILDREN WITH VOIDING DISFUNCTION AND URNARY BLADDER HYPERACTIVITY

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I.V. Kazanskaya

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Voiding dysfunction is a common problem in pediatrics. Hyperactive urinary bladder is the most frequent cause of voiding dysfunction. Macholinolytic drugs are the first choice treatment for urinary bladder hyperactivity. The «urination pathology» center has investigated the efficacy of an macholinolytic, oxybutynin. The study included 25 children (aged 6–14 with different causes of voiding dysfunction and bladder hyperactivity. Oxybutynin was administered with a dosage of 5 mg twice a day, the follow up period was 8 weeks. The control evaluation of urodynamics (voiding rhythm, uroflowmetry, residual urine volume was performed at 4–8 weeks. Symptoms of bladder hyperactivity have been eliminated in 50% of patients, the bladder capacity has increased in 70% of cases, the frequency of night and day incontinence has diminished. The report demonstrates that oxybutynin has been most effective in patients with urinary bladder volume between 80 and 100 ml. the side effects, as dryness of mucous membranes and voiding difficulties, have been rarely observed. These side effects could be avoided by individual dose titration.Key words: voiding dysfunction, urinary bladder hyperactivity, oxybutynin, children.

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Determination of Nine Hallucinogenic 25-NBOMe Designer Drugs in Urine Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Poklis, Justin L.; Clay, Deborah J.; Poklis, Alphonse

2014-01-01

We present a high-performance liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS-MS) method for the identification and quantification of nine serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist hallucinogenic substances from a new class of N-methoxybenzyl derivatives of methoxyphenylethylamine (NBOMe) designer drugs in human urine: 25H-NBOMe, 2CC-NBOMe, 25I-NBF, 25D-NBOMe, 25B-NBOMe, 2CT-NBOMe, 25I-NBMD, 25G-NBOMe and 25I-NBOMe. This assay was developed for the Virginia Commonwealth University Clinical and Forensic Toxicology laboratory to screen emergency department specimens in response to an outbreak of N-benzyl-phenethylamine derivative abuse and overdose cases in Virginia. The NBOMe derivatives were rapidly extracted from the urine specimens by use of FASt™ solid-phase extraction columns. Assay performance was determined as recommended for validation by the Scientific Working Group for Forensic Toxicology (SWGTOX) for linearity, lower limit of quantification, lower limit of detection, accuracy/bias, precision, dilution integrity, carryover, selectivity, absolute recovery, ion suppression and stability. Linearity was verified to be from 1 to 100 ng/mL for each of the nine analytes. The bias determined for the NBOMe derivatives was 86–116% with a <14% coefficient of variation over the linear range of the assay. Four different NBOMe derivatives were detected using the presented method in patient urine specimens. PMID:24535338

Void growth to coalescence in a non-local material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niordson, Christian Frithiof

of different material length parameters in a multi-parameter theory is studied, and it is shown that the important length parameter is the same as under purely hydrostatic loading. It is quantified how micron scale voids grow less rapidly than larger voids, and the implications of this in the overall strength...... of the material is emphasized. It is concluded that for cracked specimens not only the void volume fraction, but also the typical void size is of importance to the fracture strength of ductile materials....

Evaluation of the BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tubes compared with nonpreservative urine samples stored at 4°C and room temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisinger, Stephen W; Schwartz, Matthew; Dam, Lisa; Riedel, Stefan

2013-09-01

The stability of urine specimens submitted for culture remains a challenge for many laboratories because of delays in specimen transport. We evaluated the usefulness of BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tube in ensuring specimen stability. Clinical urine specimens collected in sterile collection cups (n = 110) were plated onto sheep blood and MacConkey agar following standard laboratory procedures guidelines. Thereafter, specimens were divided into 3 storage conditions: nonpreservative, refrigerated; nonpreservative, room temperature (RT); BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tube, RT. For each sample type, additional cultures were set up at 2, 4, 24, and 48 hours. Initially, 18 specimens had no growth, 32 showed mixed skin flora, and 60 yielded at least 1 uropathogen. Increased colony counts of uropathogens were observed for nonpreserved urine samples stored at RT; these changes were statistically significant. Minor differences between refrigerated urine samples and BD Vacutainer Plus Urine C&S Preservative Tube samples were seen but were not statistically significant. The use of preservative-containing collection tubes is desirable to ensure specimen stability when prompt processing or refrigeration is not feasible.

Void nucleation in spheroidized steels during tensile deformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, J.R. Jr.

1980-04-01

An investigation was conducted to determine the effects of various mechanical and material parameters on void formation at cementite particles in axisymmetric tensile specimens of spheroidized plain carbon steels. Desired microstructures for each of three steel types were obtained. Observations of void morphology with respect to various microstructural features were made using optical and scanning electron microscopy

CORRELATION OF SPOT URINE ALBUMIN AND 12-HOUR URINE PROTEIN WITH 24-HOUR URINE PROTEIN IN PRE-ECLAMPSIA

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S. Vinayachandran

2017-11-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Pre-eclampsia is defined as the development of new-onset hypertension in the second half of pregnancy often accompanied by new-onset proteinuria with other signs and symptoms. Proteinuria is defined by the excretion of 300 mg or more of protein in a 24-hour urine collection. To avoid time consumed in collection of 24-hour urine specimens, efforts have been made to develop faster methods to determine concentration of urine protein. Preliminary studies have suggested that 12-hour urine protein collection maybe adequate for evaluation of pre-eclampsia with advantage of early diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia as well as potential for early hospital discharge and increased compliance with specimen collection. The aim of the study is to evaluate and correlate spot urine albumin and 12-hour urine protein with 24-hour urine protein in pre-eclampsia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A diagnostic evaluation study- a 24-hour urine protein, 12-hour urine protein and spot urine albumin results are analysed. Correlation of 12-hour urine protein and spot urine albumin with 24-hour urine protein is analysed using SPSS software. The strength of correlation was measured by Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r. Student’s t-test and Chi-square tests were used to compare patients with and without 24-hour urine protein ≥300 mg. Probability value of 165 mg with 24-hour urine protein ≥300 mg suggest that this test has role in the evaluation of women with suspected pre-eclampsia and could be substituted for 24-hour urine protein as a simple, faster and cheaper method.

Fluctuations of nickel concentrations in urine of electroplating workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernacki, E.J.; Zygowicz, E.; Sunderman, F.W. Jr.

1980-01-01

Nickel analyses were performed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry upon urine specimens obtained from electroplating workers at the beginning, middle and end of the work-shift. The means (+- S.D.) for nickel concentrations in urine specimens from seven electroplating workers on three regular workdays were: 34 +- 32 μg/L (pre-shift); 64 +- μg/L (mid-shift) and 46 +- μg/L (end-shift), compared to 2.7 +- 1.6 μg/L (pre-shift) in 19 controls (hospital workers). Nickel concentrations in urine specimens from six electroplating workers on the first workday after a two-week vacation averaged: 5 +- 3 μg/L (pre-shift); 9 +- 6 μg/L (mid-shift), and 12 +- 6 μg/L (end-shift). Nickel concentrations in personal air samples (seven hours) collected from the breathing zones of five electroplating workers on three regular workdays averaged 9.3 +- 4.4 μg/m 3 . Nickel concentrations in the air samples were correlated with nickel concentrations in end-shift urine specimens (corr. coef. = 0.70; P < 0.05), but were not correlated with nickel concentrations in pre-shift or mid-shift urine specimens. In view of the fluctuations of urine nickel concentrations that occur during the work-shift, the authors recommend that nickel analyses of eight hour urine specimens be used routinely to monitor occupational exposures to nickel. In situations where timed urine collections are impractical, analyses of end-shift urine specimens are the best alternative

Dislocation and void segregation in copper during neutron irradiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singh, Bachu Narain; Leffers, Torben; Horsewell, Andy

1986-01-01

); the irradiation experiments were carried out at 250 degree C. The irradiated specimens were examined by transmission electron microscopy. At both doses, the irradiation-induced structure was found to be highly segregated; the dislocation loops and segments were present in the form of irregular walls and the voids...... density, the void swelling rate was very high (approximately 2. 5% per dpa). The implications of the segregated distribution of sinks for void formation and growth are briefly discussed....

Void shrinkage in stainless steel during high energy electron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, B.N.; Foreman, A.J.E.

1976-03-01

During irradiation of thin foils of an austenitic stainless steel in a high voltage electron microscope, steadily growing voids have been observed to suddenly shrink and disappear at the irradiation temperature of 650 0 Cthe phenomenon has been observed in specimens both with and withoutimplanted helium. Possible mechanisms for void shrinkage during irradiation are considered. It is suggested that the dislocation-pipe-diffusion of vacancies from or of self-interstitial atoms to the voids can explain the shrinkage behaviour of voids observed during our experiments. (author)

Void growth to coalescence in a non-local material

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niordson, Christian Frithiof

2008-01-01

of different material length parameters in a multi-parameter theory is studied, and it is shown that the important length parameter is the same as under purely hydrostatic loading. It is quantified how micron scale voids grow less rapidly than larger voids, and the implications of this in the overall strength...... of the material is emphasized. The size effect on the onset of coalescence is studied, and results for the void volume fraction and the strain at the onset of coalescence are presented. It is concluded that for cracked specimens not only the void volume fraction, but also the typical void size is of importance...... to the fracture strength of ductile materials....

Chemical Method of Urine Volume Measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Petrack, P.

1967-01-01

A system has been developed and qualified as flight hardware for the measurement of micturition volumes voided by crewmen during Gemini missions. This Chemical Urine Volume Measurement System (CUVMS) is used for obtaining samples of each micturition for post-flight volume determination and laboratory analysis for chemical constituents of physiological interest. The system is versatile with respect to volumes measured, with a capacity beyond the largest micturition expected to be encountered, and with respect to mission duration of inherently indefinite length. The urine sample is used for the measurement of total micturition volume by a tracer dilution technique, in which a fixed, predetermined amount of tritiated water is introduced and mixed into the voided urine, and the resulting concentration of the tracer in the sample is determined with a liquid scintillation spectrometer. The tracer employed does not interfere with the analysis for the chemical constituents of the urine. The CUVMS hardware consists of a four-way selector valve in which an automatically operated tracer metering pump is incorporated, a collection/mixing bag, and tracer storage accumulators. The assembled system interfaces with a urine receiver at the selector valve inlet, sample bags which connect to the side of the selector valve, and a flexible hose which carries the excess urine to the overboard drain connection. Results of testing have demonstrated system volume measurement accuracy within the specification limits of +/-5%, and operating reliability suitable for system use aboard the GT-7 mission, in which it was first used.

Idiopathic detrusor sphincter dyssynergia in neurologically normal patients with voiding abnormalities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, T M; Djurhuus, J C; Schrøder, H D

1982-01-01

Symptomatology and clinical manifestations of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia are described in 23 patients without neurological disease. Their cardinal symptoms were recurrent cystitis, enuresis, frequent voiding, back pain during voiding and anal discomfort. The major objective finding was vesico......Symptomatology and clinical manifestations of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia are described in 23 patients without neurological disease. Their cardinal symptoms were recurrent cystitis, enuresis, frequent voiding, back pain during voiding and anal discomfort. The major objective finding...... was vesicoureteral reflux in 11 cases with kidney scarring in 10. Bladder trabeculation was found in 13 patients, bladder hyperreflexia in 8, and significant residual urine in 16 patients. The etiology of detrusor sphincter dyssynergia in non-neurological patients is discussed. By means of exclusion it is most...

Severe Embrittlement of Neutron Irradiated Austenitic Steels Arising from High Void Swelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neustroev, V.S.; Garner, F.

2007-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Data are presented from BOR-60 irradiations showing that significant radiation-induced swelling causes severe embrittlement in austenitic stainless steels, reducing the service life of structural components. Similar loss of ductility is expected when swelling arises in fusion and light water reactor environments. Above 7-16% swelling there is complete loss of ductility, with the onset of ductility loss beginning at lower swelling in ring-pull tensile tests than for flat tensile specimens. For steels that develop extensive precipitation during irradiation, the critical swelling level is even lower. A model is presented to demonstrate the effect of voids acting alone to produce the embrittlement. Although voids are not very effective hardeners, they are very effective to generate stress concentrations between voids. The stress concentration ratio increases strongly when the void diameter exceeds ∼40% of the void-to-void separation distance. When the volume fraction of voids is rather high (about 16 % and higher), a geometric situation develops where it is possible to create an intense field of deformation glide planes residing at an angle of 45 deg. to the void-to-void axis. Significant localized flow then proceeds on these planes for specimen stress levels that are significantly lower than the yield stress. Voids also segregate nickel to their surfaces such that flow localization occurs in the low-nickel inter-void regions to produce strain-induced martensite, which is further accelerated by stress concentrations at the advancing crack tip, leading to catastrophic failure. (authors)

Reliability of concentrations of organophosphate pesticide metabolites in serial urine specimens from pregnancy in the Generation R study

Science.gov (United States)

Spaan, Suzanne; Pronk, Anjoeka; Koch, Holger M.; Jusko, Todd A.; Jaddoe, Vincent W.V.; Shaw, Pamela A.; Tiemeier, Henning M.; Hofman, Albert; Pierik, Frank H.; Longnecker, Matthew P.

2014-01-01

The widespread use of organophosphate (OP) pesticides has resulted in ubiquitous exposure in humans, primarily through their diet. Exposure to OP pesticides may have adverse health effects, including neurobehavioral deficits in children. The optimal design of new studies requires data on the reliability of urinary measures of exposure. In the present study, urinary concentrations of six dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites, the main urinary metabolites of OP pesticides, were determined in 120 pregnant women participating in the Generation R Study in Rotterdam. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) across serial urine specimens taken at 25 weeks of pregnancy were determined to assess reliability. Geometric mean total DAP metabolite concentrations were 229 (GSD 2.2), 240 (GSD 2.1), and 224 (GSD 2.2) nmol/g creatinine across the three periods of gestation. Metabolite concentrations from the serial urine specimens in general correlated moderately. The ICCs for the six DAP metabolites ranged from 0.14 to 0.38 (0.30 for total DAPs), indicating weak to moderate reliability. Although the DAP metabolite levels observed in this study are slightly higher and slightly more correlated than in previous studies, the low to moderate reliability indicates a high degree of within-person variability, which presents challenges for designing well-powered epidemiologic studies. PMID:25515376

Urine chemokines indicate pathogenic association of obesity with BPH/LUTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyagi, Pradeep; Motley, Saundra S; Kashyap, Mahendra; Pore, Subrata; Gingrich, Jeffrey; Wang, Zhou; Yoshimura, Naoki; Fowke, Jay H

2015-07-01

High prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) consistent with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is associated with obesity and prostatic inflammation. Here, we investigated whether chemokines associated with obesity and prostatic inflammation can be measured in normally voided urine of BPH/LUTS patients to demonstrate the mechanistic association between obesity and BPH/LUTS. Frozen urine specimens of BPH/LUTS patients enrolled in the Nashville Men's Health Study were sent for blinded analysis to University of Pittsburgh. Thirty patients were blocked by their AUA-SI (>7 or ≤7) and prostatic enlargement (60 cc). Clinical parameters including age, prostate size, and medications were derived from chart review. CXC chemokines (CXCL-1, CXCL-8, and CXCL-10), CC chemokines (CCL2 and CCL3), and sIL-1ra were measured in thawed urine using Luminex™ xMAP(®) technology and ELISA for NGF. Urinary CCL2 levels were several fold higher compared with the other six proteins, of which CCL3 was detectable in less than one-fourth of patients. Urine levels of sIL-1ra and CXCL-8 were significantly associated with increasing BMI and waist circumference in BPH patients. CXCL-8 showed a marginal association with overall AUA-SI scores, as well as obstructive (p = 0.08) symptom subscores. Prostate volume was inversely and marginally associated with urinary CXCL-10 (p = 0.09). Urine levels of CXCL-8, CXCL-10, and sIL-1ra were associated with varying degrees with LUTS severity, prostate size, and obesity, respectively. These findings in urine are consistent with past studies of chemokine levels from expressed prostatic secretions and demonstrate the potential of noninvasively measured chemokine in urine to objectively classify BPH/LUTS patients.

Detection of metabolites of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in human urine specimens: 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-LSD, a prevalent metabolite of LSD.

Science.gov (United States)

Poch, G K; Klette, K L; Hallare, D A; Manglicmot, M G; Czarny, R J; McWhorter, L K; Anderson, C J

1999-03-05

Seventy-four urine specimens previously found to contain lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were analyzed by a new procedure for the LSD metabolite 2-oxo-3-hydroxy-LSD (O-H-LSD) using a Finnigan LC-MS-MS system. This procedure proved to be less complex, shorter to perform and provides cleaner chromatographic characteristics than the method currently utilized by the Navy Drug Screening Laboratories for the extraction of LSD from urine by GC-MS. All of the specimens used in the study screened positive for LSD by radioimmunoassay (Roche Abuscreen). Analysis by GC-MS revealed detectable amounts of LSD in all of the specimens. In addition, isolysergic diethylamide (iso-LSD), a byproduct of LSD synthesis, was quantitated in 64 of the specimens. Utilizing the new LC-MS-MS method, low levels of N-desmethyl-LSD (nor-LSD), another identified LSD metabolite, were detected in some of the specimens. However, all 74 specimens contained O-H-LSD at significantly higher concentrations than LSD, iso-LSD, or nor-LSD alone. The O-H-LSD concentration ranged from 732 to 112 831 pg/ml (mean, 16340 pg/ml) by quantification with an internal standard. The ratio of O-H-LSD to LSD ranged from 1.1 to 778.1 (mean, 42.9). The presence of O-H-LSD at substantially higher concentrations than LSD suggests that the analysis for O-H-LSD as the target analyte by employing LC-MS-MS will provide a much longer window of detection for the use of LSD than the analysis of the parent compound, LSD.

Vesicoureteral reflux in children: comparison of contrast - enhanced voiding ultrasonography with radiographic voiding cystourethrography - preliminary report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Chong Hyun; Kim, Hyun Joo; Goo, Hyun Woo; Kim, Hungy; Lee, Jung Joo; Kim, Ellen Ai-Rhan; Kim, Ki Soo; Park, Young Seo; Pi, Soo Young [Ulsan Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2001-01-01

To compared the usefullness of contrst-enhanced voiding ultrasonogrphy (US) with that of radiogrphic voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) for the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children. Ninety-five kidney-ureter units of 47 patients referred for investigation of VUR underwent contrast -enhanced voiding US followed by radiographic VCUG. After baseline US examination of the urinaru tract, residual urine in the bladder was drained through an inserted Foley catheter and the bladder was gravityfilled at a height of 1 m with normal saline. A galactose-based, microbubble-containning echo-enhancing agent (Lvovist; Dchering, Berlin, Germany) was then administered. The amount of this was approximately 10% of bldder capacity, and VUR was diagnosed when microbubbles appeared in the ureter or pelvocalyceal system. Using radiographic VCUG as a reference point, the accuracy with which contrst-enhanced voiding US detected VUR was calcilated. In 87 of 95 kidney-ureter units (91.6%), the two methods showed similiar results regarding the diagnosis or exclusion of VUR, which was detected by both in 12 units, but by neither in 75. VUR was shown to occcur in a total of 20 units, but in eight of these by one method only. In two units, VUR detected by contrast-enhanced voiding US was was not demostarted by radiographic VCUG; in six units, the resverse was true. In the detection of VUR, contrast-enhanced voiding us showed a sensitivity of 66.7%, a sprcificity of 97.4%, a positive predictive value of 85.7%, and a negative predictive value of 92.6%. Contrst-enhanced voiding US is highly specific and has high positive and nagative predictive values; its sensitivity, however, is not sufficiently high. The modality appears to be a useful diagnostic tool for the detection of VUR without exposure to ionizing radiation, though to be certain of its value, more experience of its use its first required.

Vesicoureteral reflux in children: comparison of contrast - enhanced voiding ultrasonography with radiographic voiding cystourethrography - preliminary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Chong Hyun; Kim, Hyun Joo; Goo, Hyun Woo; Kim, Hungy; Lee, Jung Joo; Kim, Ellen Ai-Rhan; Kim, Ki Soo; Park, Young Seo; Pi, Soo Young

2001-01-01

To compared the usefullness of contrst-enhanced voiding ultrasonogrphy (US) with that of radiogrphic voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) for the diagnosis of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children. Ninety-five kidney-ureter units of 47 patients referred for investigation of VUR underwent contrast -enhanced voiding US followed by radiographic VCUG. After baseline US examination of the urinaru tract, residual urine in the bladder was drained through an inserted Foley catheter and the bladder was gravityfilled at a height of 1 m with normal saline. A galactose-based, microbubble-containning echo-enhancing agent (Lvovist; Dchering, Berlin, Germany) was then administered. The amount of this was approximately 10% of bldder capacity, and VUR was diagnosed when microbubbles appeared in the ureter or pelvocalyceal system. Using radiographic VCUG as a reference point, the accuracy with which contrst-enhanced voiding US detected VUR was calcilated. In 87 of 95 kidney-ureter units (91.6%), the two methods showed similiar results regarding the diagnosis or exclusion of VUR, which was detected by both in 12 units, but by neither in 75. VUR was shown to occcur in a total of 20 units, but in eight of these by one method only. In two units, VUR detected by contrast-enhanced voiding US was was not demostarted by radiographic VCUG; in six units, the resverse was true. In the detection of VUR, contrast-enhanced voiding us showed a sensitivity of 66.7%, a sprcificity of 97.4%, a positive predictive value of 85.7%, and a negative predictive value of 92.6%. Contrst-enhanced voiding US is highly specific and has high positive and nagative predictive values; its sensitivity, however, is not sufficiently high. The modality appears to be a useful diagnostic tool for the detection of VUR without exposure to ionizing radiation, though to be certain of its value, more experience of its use its first required

Estimation of air void and aggregate spatial distributions in concrete under uniaxial compression using computer tomography scanning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, R.C.K.; Chau, K.T.

2005-01-01

Normal- and high-strength concrete cylinders (designed compressive strengths of 30 and 90 MPa at 28 days) were loaded uniaxially. Computer tomography (CT) scanning technique was used to examine the evolution of air voids inside the specimens at various loading states up to 85% of the ultimate compressive strength. The normal-strength concrete yielded a very different behaviour in changes of internal microstructure as compared to the high-strength concrete. There were significant instances of nucleation and growth in air voids in the normal-strength concrete specimen, while the increase in air voids in the high-strength concrete specimen was insignificant. In addition, CT images were used for mapping the aggregate spatial distributions within the specimens. No intrinsic anisotropy was detected from the fabric analysis

A comparative study of voiding in rat and guinea pig: simultaneous measurement of flow rate and pressure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

E. van Asselt (Els); J.M. Groen (Jan); R. van Mastrigt (Ron)

1995-01-01

textabstractIn this study, the voiding phase of the micturition cycle in the anesthetized rat and guinea pig is analyzed. In both animals, voiding is characterized by an increase in intravesical pressure and then a decrease, which is accompanied by flow through the urethra and emission of urine. An

Prediction of the persistence of Mycoplasma genitalium after antimicrobial chemotherapy by quantification of leukocytes in first-void urine from patients with non-gonococcal urethritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Shin; Mizutani, Kohsuke; Seike, Kensaku; Sugawara, Takashi; Tsuchiya, Tomohiro; Yasuda, Mitsuru; Yokoi, Shigeaki; Nakano, Masahiro; Deguchi, Takashi

2014-05-01

Mycoplasma genitalium is regarded as another pathogen of male non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU). Failure to eradicate this mycoplasma is associated with persistent or recurrent NGU, but this mycoplasma is not routinely examined in clinical practice. In cases of M. genitalium-positive NGU, therefore, some criteria are needed to assess the success or failure of antimicrobial chemotherapy other than microbiological outcomes. We enrolled 49 men with M. genitalium-positive non-chlamydial NGU. At successive visits after treatment, we inquired about their symptoms, observed their urethral meatus for urethral discharge, and examined their first-void urine (FVU) for quantification of leukocytes and for the persistence of M. genitalium. M. genitalium was eradicated in 34 patients after treatment, whereas the mycoplasma persisted in 15. Urethritis symptoms and urethral discharges were not found to be predictors of the persistence of M. genitalium up to the 25th day after the start of treatment. Leukocyte counts in FVU from the patients with persistence of M. genitalium were significantly higher than those from the patients with eradication of the mycoplasma. Leukocyte counts of 10 leukocytes/μl or more between the 18th and 24th day after the start of treatment were most significantly associated with the persistence of M. genitalium. Quantification of leukocytes in FVU would appear to be crucial to judge the outcome of treatment in patients with non-chlamydial NGU and could be helpful to predict the persistence of M. genitalium after treatment when M. genitalium is not routinely examined in clinical specimens in clinical practice. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Methodologic problems in the radioimmunoassay of prostaglandin E2 and Fsub(2α) in human urine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciabattoni, G.; Pugliese, F.; Cinotti, G.A.; Patrono, C.

1979-01-01

Validation of RIA measurement of urinary prostaglandins cannot rely upon classical criteria of specificity, such as dilution studies, since different antisera meeting such requirement may recognize a variable proportion of different compounds accompanying PGE 2 through extraction purification procedures. Validation should therefore be sought by comparison with an independent method of analysis (GC/MS) and/or characterization of the TLC behaviour of PG-LI. Storage of urine before extraction may variably affect PG concentration, as a function of temperature and time. In order to avoid variable losses, urine should be frozen immediately after voiding and kept at -20 0 C until extraction. Urinary PG excretion rate is highly variable during human menstrual cycle, with no apparent pattern. A higher degree of reproducibility was found when 2-h specimens were collected under standard conditions of hydration and immediately frozen. 2-h collections may represent a convenient method to investigate physiological and pharmacological factors controlling urinary PG excretion in healthy subjects. (Auth.)

Antimicrobial sensitivity pattern of urine isolates from asymptomatic bacteriuria during pregnancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khattak, A.M.; Khan, H.U.; Mashud, I.U.; Ashiq, B.; Shah, S.H.

2006-01-01

Screening women for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) on the first antenatal visit is a part of standard obstetric care. Treating women with ASB decreases the chances of maternal and foetal complications. This study was conducted to find out the spectrum of urine pathogens and their drug susceptibility pattern for ASB during pregnancy. The study was conducted in the Basic Medical Sciences Institute, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, from September 2001 to March 2002. Two hundred and ninety women, apparently normal with confirmed pregnancy, were registered. A voided midstream urine specimen was collected and cultured. A significant growth i.e. >105 organisms/ml was identified with Analytical Profile Index 20 tests for identification of Enterobacteriaceae (API-20-E) and for Gram positive cocci by other standard methods. The prevalence of ASB was found 6.2%. Antimicrobial sensitivity was determined by disc diffusion Kirby Bauyer method after matching the turbidity with 0.5 McFarland's standard. Most of the recommended drugs were found to have encouraging results, however, Escherichia coli showed 66.67% resistance to ampicillins and sulphonamides. Enterobacters showed 100% resistance to ampicillins, cephalosporins and nitrofurantoin. Staphylococcus saprophyticus showed 66.67% resistance to ampicillins and sulphonamides. It was concluded that detection of ASB during pregnancy and appropriate use of antimicrobials is only possible after culture of urine. Empirical anti-microbial therapy cannot be relied upon because of possible risk of resistance. (author)

Antibiotic Screening of Urine Culture for Internal Quality Audit at Amrita Hospital, Kochi.

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh, Aswathy; Gopinathan, Anusha; Dinesh, Kavitha R; Kumar, Anil

2017-07-01

Urine antimicrobial activity is a seldom analysed laboratory test which greatly impacts the quantification of urine specimens. Presence of antimicrobial activity in the urine reduces the bacterial load in these specimens. Hence, the chances of erroneously reporting insignificant bacteriuria can be reduced on analysis of the antimicrobial activity in urine. The aim of the study was to measure the antimicrobial activity of urine samples obtained from patients in a tertiary care hospital. A total of 100 urine specimens were collected from the study group. Tests like wet mount, Gram staining and culture were performed. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done on the bacteria isolated from each specimen. The urine specimens were reported as significant bacteriuria (>105 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/ml) and insignificant bacteriuria (<105 CFU/ml - clean catch midstream urine; <102 CFU/ml - catheterized urine sample) according to the CFU/ml. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC ® 25923 ™ and Escherichia coli ATCC ® 25922 ™ were used to identify the presence of antimicrobial activity in the urine sample by Urine Anti-Bacterial substance Assay (UABA). McNemar test was used for statistical analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. On analysis of the antimicrobial activity of urine sample with the prior antibiotic history of the patients, 17 were true positives and 43 were true negatives. Twenty six of samples with UABA positivity were culture negative and 28 samples with UABA positivity were culture positive. Sensitivity and specificity of the test was 85% and 53.8% respectively. Accuracy of the test was 60%. The p-value of UABA was <0.001. Enterobacteriaceae was the most common bacterial family isolated from the urine specimens. A total of 85% patients responded to treatment. Presence of antimicrobial activity in urine has a great impact on the interpretation of urine culture reports. Identification of urine antimicrobial activity helps

Optimization of HPV DNA detection in urine by improving collection, storage, and extraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorsters, A; Van den Bergh, J; Micalessi, I; Biesmans, S; Bogers, J; Hens, A; De Coster, I; Ieven, M; Van Damme, P

2014-11-01

The benefits of using urine for the detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA have been evaluated in disease surveillance, epidemiological studies, and screening for cervical cancers in specific subgroups. HPV DNA testing in urine is being considered for important purposes, notably the monitoring of HPV vaccination in adolescent girls and young women who do not wish to have a vaginal examination. The need to optimize and standardize sampling, storage, and processing has been reported.In this paper, we examined the impact of a DNA-conservation buffer, the extraction method, and urine sampling on the detection of HPV DNA and human DNA in urine provided by 44 women with a cytologically normal but HPV DNA-positive cervical sample. Ten women provided first-void and midstream urine samples. DNA analysis was performed using real-time PCR to allow quantification of HPV and human DNA.The results showed that an optimized method for HPV DNA detection in urine should (a) prevent DNA degradation during extraction and storage, (b) recover cell-free HPV DNA in addition to cell-associated DNA, (c) process a sufficient volume of urine, and (d) use a first-void sample.In addition, we found that detectable human DNA in urine may not be a good internal control for sample validity. HPV prevalence data that are based on urine samples collected, stored, and/or processed under suboptimal conditions may underestimate infection rates.

640-slice DVCT multi-dimensionally and dynamically presents changes in bladder volume and urine flow rate

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Su, Yunshan; Fang, Kewei; Mao, Chongwen; Xiang, Shutian; Wang, Jin; Li, Yingwen

2018-01-01

The present study aimed to explore the application of 640-slice dynamic volume computed tomography (DVCT) to excretory cystography and urethrography. A total of 70 healthy subjects were included in the study. Excretory cystography and urethrography using 640-slice DVCT was conducted to continuously record the motions of the bladder and the proximal female and male urethra. The patients' voiding process was divided into early, early to middle, middle, middle to late, and late voiding phases. The subjects were analyzed using DVCT and conventional CT. The cross-sectional areas of various sections of the male and female urethra were evaluated, and the average urine flow rate was calculated. The 640-slice DVCT technique was used to dynamically observe the urine flow rate and changes in bladder volume at all voiding phases. The urine volume detected by 640-slice DVCT exhibited no significant difference compared with the actual volume, and no significant difference compared with that determined using conventional CT. Furthermore, no significant difference in the volume of the bladder at each phase of the voiding process was detected between 640-slice DVCT and conventional CT. The results indicate that 640-slice DVCT can accurately evaluate the status of the male posterior urethra and female urethra. In conclusion, 640-slice DVCT is able to multi-dimensionally and dynamically present changes in bladder volume and urine flow rate, and could obtain similar results to conventional CT in detecting urine volume, as well as the status of the male posterior urethra and female urethra. PMID:29467853

Quantifying the distribution of paste-void spacing of hardened cement paste using X-ray computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yun, Tae Sup, E-mail: taesup@yonsei.ac.kr [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-749 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Kwang Yeom, E-mail: kimky@kict.re.kr [Korea Institute of Construction Technology, 283 Goyangdae-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang, 411-712 (Korea, Republic of); Choo, Jinhyun, E-mail: jinhyun@stanford.edu [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Kang, Dong Hun, E-mail: timeriver@naver.com [School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-749 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-11-15

The distribution of paste-void spacing in cement-based materials is an important feature related to the freeze-thaw durability of these materials, but its reliable estimation remains an unresolved problem. Herein, we evaluate the capability of X-ray computed tomography (CT) for reliable quantification of the distribution of paste-void spacing. Using X-ray CT images of three mortar specimens having different air-entrainment characteristics, we calculate the distributions of paste-void spacing of the specimens by applying previously suggested methods for deriving the exact spacing of air-void systems. This methodology is assessed by comparing the 95th percentile of the cumulative distribution function of the paste-void spacing with spacing factors computed by applying the linear-traverse method to 3D air-void system and reconstructing equivalent air-void distribution in 3D. Results show that the distributions of equivalent void diameter and paste-void spacing follow lognormal and normal distributions, respectively, and the ratios between the 95th percentile paste-void spacing value and the spacing factors reside within the ranges reported by previous numerical studies. This experimental finding indicates that the distribution of paste-void spacing quantified using X-ray CT has the potential to be the basis for a statistical assessment of the freeze-thaw durability of cement-based materials. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The paste-void spacing in 3D can be quantified by X-ray CT. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The distribution of the paste-void spacing follows normal distribution. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The spacing factor and 95th percentile of CDF of paste-void spacing are correlated.

cExternal beam radiation results in minimal changes in post void residual urine volumes during the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orio, Peter F III; Merrick, Gregory S; Allen, Zachariah A; Butler, Wayne M; Wallner, Kent E; Kurko, Brian S; Galbreath, Robert W

2009-01-01

To evaluate the impact of external beam radiation therapy (XRT) on weekly ultrasound determined post-void residual (PVR) urine volumes in patients with prostate cancer. 125 patients received XRT for clinically localized prostate cancer. XRT was delivered to the prostate only (n = 66) or if the risk of lymph node involvement was greater than 10% to the whole pelvis followed by a prostate boost (n = 59). All patients were irradiated in the prone position in a custom hip-fix mobilization device with an empty bladder and rectum. PVR was obtained at baseline and weekly. Multiple clinical and treatment parameters were evaluated as predictors for weekly PVR changes. The mean patient age was 73.9 years with a mean pre-treatment prostate volume of 53.3 cc, a mean IPSS of 11.3 and a mean baseline PVR of 57.6 cc. During treatment, PVR decreased from baseline in both cohorts with the absolute difference within the limits of accuracy of the bladder scanner. Alpha-blockers did not predict for a lower PVR during treatment. There was no significant difference in mean PVR urine volumes or differences from baseline in either the prostate only or pelvic radiation groups (p = 0.664 and p = 0.458, respectively). Patients with a larger baseline PVR (>40 cc) had a greater reduction in PVR, although the greatest reduction was seen between weeks one and three. Patients with a small PVR (<40 cc) had no demonstrable change throughout treatment. Prostate XRT results in clinically insignificant changes in weekly PVR volumes, suggesting that radiation induced bladder irritation does not substantially influence bladder residual urine volumes

cExternal beam radiation results in minimal changes in post void residual urine volumes during the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wallner Kent E

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate the impact of external beam radiation therapy (XRT on weekly ultrasound determined post-void residual (PVR urine volumes in patients with prostate cancer. Methods 125 patients received XRT for clinically localized prostate cancer. XRT was delivered to the prostate only (n = 66 or if the risk of lymph node involvement was greater than 10% to the whole pelvis followed by a prostate boost (n = 59. All patients were irradiated in the prone position in a custom hip-fix mobilization device with an empty bladder and rectum. PVR was obtained at baseline and weekly. Multiple clinical and treatment parameters were evaluated as predictors for weekly PVR changes. Results The mean patient age was 73.9 years with a mean pre-treatment prostate volume of 53.3 cc, a mean IPSS of 11.3 and a mean baseline PVR of 57.6 cc. During treatment, PVR decreased from baseline in both cohorts with the absolute difference within the limits of accuracy of the bladder scanner. Alpha-blockers did not predict for a lower PVR during treatment. There was no significant difference in mean PVR urine volumes or differences from baseline in either the prostate only or pelvic radiation groups (p = 0.664 and p = 0.458, respectively. Patients with a larger baseline PVR (>40 cc had a greater reduction in PVR, although the greatest reduction was seen between weeks one and three. Patients with a small PVR ( Conclusion Prostate XRT results in clinically insignificant changes in weekly PVR volumes, suggesting that radiation induced bladder irritation does not substantially influence bladder residual urine volumes.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio Is Influenced by Urine Concentration

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Yang, Chih-Yu; Chen, Fu-An; Chen, Chun-Fan; Liu, Wen-Sheng; Shih, Chia-Jen; Ou, Shuo-Ming; Yang, Wu-Chang; Lin, Chih-Ching; Yang, An-Hang

2015-01-01

Background The usage of urine protein/creatinine ratio to estimate daily urine protein excretion is prevalent, but relatively little attention has been paid to the influence of urine concentration and its impact on test accuracy. We took advantage of 24-hour urine collection to examine both urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) and daily urine protein excretion, with the latter as the reference standard. Specific gravity from a concomitant urinalysis of the same urine sample was used to indicate the urine concentration. Methods During 2010 to 2014, there were 540 adequately collected 24h urine samples with protein concentration, creatinine concentration, total volume, and a concomitant urinalysis of the same sample. Variables associated with an accurate UPCR estimation were determined by multivariate linear regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the discriminant cut-off values of urine creatinine concentration for predicting an accurate UPCR estimation in either dilute or concentrated urine samples. Results Our findings indicated that for dilute urine, as indicated by a low urine specific gravity, UPCR is more likely to overestimate the actual daily urine protein excretion. On the contrary, UPCR of concentrated urine is more likely to result in an underestimation. By ROC curve analysis, the best cut-off value of urine creatinine concentration for predicting overestimation by UPCR of dilute urine (specific gravity ≦ 1.005) was ≦ 38.8 mg/dL, whereas the best cut-off values of urine creatinine for predicting underestimation by UPCR of thick urine were ≧ 63.6 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.015), ≧ 62.1 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.020), ≧ 61.5 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.025), respectively. We also compared distribution patterns of urine creatinine concentration of 24h urine cohort with a concurrent spot urine cohort and found that the underestimation might be more profound in single voided samples

Diagnostic Accuracy of Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio Is Influenced by Urine Concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chih-Yu; Chen, Fu-An; Chen, Chun-Fan; Liu, Wen-Sheng; Shih, Chia-Jen; Ou, Shuo-Ming; Yang, Wu-Chang; Lin, Chih-Ching; Yang, An-Hang

2015-01-01

The usage of urine protein/creatinine ratio to estimate daily urine protein excretion is prevalent, but relatively little attention has been paid to the influence of urine concentration and its impact on test accuracy. We took advantage of 24-hour urine collection to examine both urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPCR) and daily urine protein excretion, with the latter as the reference standard. Specific gravity from a concomitant urinalysis of the same urine sample was used to indicate the urine concentration. During 2010 to 2014, there were 540 adequately collected 24h urine samples with protein concentration, creatinine concentration, total volume, and a concomitant urinalysis of the same sample. Variables associated with an accurate UPCR estimation were determined by multivariate linear regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to determine the discriminant cut-off values of urine creatinine concentration for predicting an accurate UPCR estimation in either dilute or concentrated urine samples. Our findings indicated that for dilute urine, as indicated by a low urine specific gravity, UPCR is more likely to overestimate the actual daily urine protein excretion. On the contrary, UPCR of concentrated urine is more likely to result in an underestimation. By ROC curve analysis, the best cut-off value of urine creatinine concentration for predicting overestimation by UPCR of dilute urine (specific gravity ≦ 1.005) was ≦ 38.8 mg/dL, whereas the best cut-off values of urine creatinine for predicting underestimation by UPCR of thick urine were ≧ 63.6 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.015), ≧ 62.1 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.020), ≧ 61.5 mg/dL (specific gravity ≧ 1.025), respectively. We also compared distribution patterns of urine creatinine concentration of 24h urine cohort with a concurrent spot urine cohort and found that the underestimation might be more profound in single voided samples. The UPCR in samples with low

Collection and storage of urine specimens for measurement of urolithiasis risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wenqi; Yang, Dong; Tiselius, Hans-Goran; Ou, Lili; Mai, Zanlin; Chen, Kang; Zhu, Hanliang; Xu, Shaohong; Zhao, Zhijian; Zeng, Guohua

2015-02-01

To evaluate how different methods for storage and preservation of urine samples affected the outcome of analysis of risk factors for stone formation. Spot urine samples were collected from 21 healthy volunteers. Each fresh urine sample was divided into ten 10-mL aliquots: 2 without preservative, 2 with thymol, 2 with toluene, 2 with hydrochloric acid (HCl), and 2 with sodium azide. One sample of each pair was stored at 4 °C and the other at room temperature. The concentrations of calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphate, urate, oxalate, citrate, and pH in each urine sample were analyzed immediately after collection (0 hour) and after 24 and 48 hours. There were no significant differences in calcium, oxalate, magnesium, phosphate, sodium, urate or pH (without acidification) between samples with different preservation methods (P >.05). Urinary citrate, however, was significantly lower in the urine collected with HCl than when other preservatives were used, both at room temperature and at 4 °C. Urine pH was significantly higher after 48 hours than after 24 hours, whether the samples were stored at room temperature or at 4 °C. Antibacterial preservatives (eg, thymol or toluene) can be recommended as preservatives for 24-hour urine collections. Ideally, the samples should be stored at 4 °C. When HCl is used as a preservative, it seems essential to neutralize the samples before analysis. This is particularly obvious with the chromatographic method used for analysis of citrate that was used in this study. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Critical Void Volume Fraction fc at Void Coalescence for S235JR Steel at Low Initial Stress Triaxiality

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Grzegorz Kossakowski, Paweł; Wciślik, Wiktor

2017-10-01

The paper is concerned with the nucleation, growth and coalescence of microdefects in the form of voids in S235JR steel. The material is known to be one of the basic steel grades commonly used in the construction industry. The theory and methods of damage mechanics were applied to determine and describe the failure mechanisms that occur when the material undergoes deformation. Until now, engineers have generally employed the Gurson-Tvergaard- Needleman model. This material model based on damage mechanics is well suited to define and analyze failure processes taking place in the microstructure of S235JR steel. It is particularly important to determine the critical void volume fraction fc , which is one of the basic parameters of the Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman material model. As the critical void volume fraction fc refers to the failure stage, it is determined from the data collected for the void coalescence phase. A case of multi-axial stresses is considered taking into account the effects of spatial stress state. In this study, the parameter of stress triaxiality η was used to describe the failure phenomena. Cylindrical tensile specimens with a circumferential notch were analysed to obtain low values of initial stress triaxiality (η = 0.556 of the range) in order to determine the critical void volume fraction fc . It is essential to emphasize how unique the method applied is and how different it is from the other more common methods involving parameter calibration, i.e. curve-fitting methods. The critical void volume fraction fc at void coalescence was established through digital image analysis of surfaces of S235JR steel, which involved studying real, physical results obtained directly from the material tested.

CHROMagar Orientation Medium Reduces Urine Culture Workload

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Manickam, Kanchana; Karlowsky, James A.; Adam, Heather; Lagacé-Wiens, Philippe R. S.; Rendina, Assunta; Pang, Paulette; Murray, Brenda-Lee

2013-01-01

Microbiology laboratories continually strive to streamline and improve their urine culture algorithms because of the high volumes of urine specimens they receive and the modest numbers of those specimens that are ultimately considered clinically significant. In the current study, we quantitatively measured the impact of the introduction of CHROMagar Orientation (CO) medium into routine use in two hospital laboratories and compared it to conventional culture on blood and MacConkey agars. Based on data extracted from our Laboratory Information System from 2006 to 2011, the use of CO medium resulted in a 28% reduction in workload for additional procedures such as Gram stains, subcultures, identification panels, agglutination tests, and biochemical tests. The average number of workload units (one workload unit equals 1 min of hands-on labor) per urine specimen was significantly reduced (P < 0.0001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5326 to 1.047) from 2.67 in 2006 (preimplementation of CO medium) to 1.88 in 2011 (postimplementation of CO medium). We conclude that the use of CO medium streamlined the urine culture process and increased bench throughput by reducing both workload and turnaround time in our laboratories. PMID:23363839

Evaluation of impacts of stress triaxiality on plastic deformability of RAFM steel using various types of tensile specimen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Taichiro, E-mail: kato.taichiro@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166, Obuchi-omotedate, Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan); Ohata, Mitsuru [Osaka University, 2-1, Yamada-Oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Nogami, Shuhei [Tohoku University, 6-6-01-2, Aramaki-aza-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8579 (Japan); Tanigawa, Hiroyasu [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-166, Obuchi-omotedate, Rokkasho, Aomori 039-3212 (Japan)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • The fracture ductility is lower as the stress triaxiality is higher. • Voids of the interrupted RB1 specimen were observed along grain boundaries and expanded parallel to the tensile axis. • Voids of interrupted R0.2 specimen were rounded shape than those of RB1. • The fracture surface of specimens were observed the elongated and the equiaxed dimples. • The decrease of plastic deformability of the notched specimen was caused by the process of voids formation and crack growth due to the effect of plastic constraint of the notch. - Abstract: A case study on a fusion blanket design such as DEMO indicated that there could be some sections with high stress triaxiality, a parameter to evaluate the magnitude of plastic constraint, in the case of plasma disruption or coolant loss accident. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately understand the ductility loss limit of structural material in order to conduct the structural design assessment of the irradiated and embrittled fusion reactor blanket. Tensile tests were conducted by using three kinds of tensile specimen shapes to investigate of the plastic deformability of F82H. From the results, the fracture ductility is lower as the stress triaxiality is higher. Voids of the interrupted RB1 specimen were observed along grain boundaries and expanded parallel to the tensile axis. That of interrupted R0.2 specimen was rounded shape compared with those of RB1. The fracture surface of RB1 and R0.2 specimens were observed the elongated dimples and the equiaxed dimples without so much elongation, respectively. It is considered that the decrease of plastic deformability for the notched specimen was caused by the process of voids formation and crack growth due to the effect of plastic constraint of the notch.

Molecular dynamics modeling on the role of initial void geometry in a thin aluminum film under uniaxial tension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Yi; Chen, Zengtao

2015-01-01

The effect of initial void geometry on damage progression in a thin aluminum film under uniaxial load is studied via molecular dynamics (MD) method. The embedded voids are with different initial geometries regarding shape, porosity and intervoid ligament distance (ILD). Major simulations are run upon twelve MD geometries with each containing 8–27 million atoms. The corresponding stress–strain relation is monitored during the microstructure evolution of the specimens. The critical stress to trigger the dislocation emission is found in line with the prediction of the Lubarda model. The simulation results reveal that the initial void geometry has substantial impact on the stress–strain relation especially for a specimen with larger initial porosity. (paper)

An investigation of normal urine with a creatinine concentration under the cutoff of 20 mg/dL for specimen validity testing in a toxicology laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Holden, Brad; Guice, Erica A

2014-05-01

In clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories, one commonly used method for urine specimen validity testing is creatinine concentration. In this study, workplace guidelines are examined to determine their relevance to forensic and clinical toxicology samples. Specifically, it investigates the occurrence of urine creatinine concentrations under 20 mg/dL and notes potential issues with factors influencing creatinine concentration by utilizing a simple, novel method consisting of cation-paring high-pressure liquid chromatography in tandem with ultraviolet detection to determine the creatinine concentration in 3019 donors. Of the 4227 sample population in this study, 209 (4.94%) were below the cutoff value of 20 mg/dL for dilute urine. Because there are many factors that can influence the urinary creatinine concentration, samples that have creatinine under the 20 mg/dL cutoff do not always implicate sample adulteration. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Stability of Synthetic Cathinones in Urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Glicksberg, Lindsay; Kerrigan, Sarah

2018-03-01

In this report, we evaluate the concentration, pH, temperature and analyte-dependent effects on cathinone stability in preserved human urine. A total of 22 synthetic cathinones were evaluated at 100 ng/mL and 1,000 ng/mL in pH 4 and pH 8 urine over 6 months. Specimens were stored at -20°C, 4°C, 20°C and 32°C. The stability of synthetic cathinones was highly dependent on urine pH and storage temperature. Cathinones were considerably more stable in acidic urine (pH 4) at low temperature. In alkaline urine (pH 8) at 32°C, significant losses (>20%) were observed within hours for the majority of drugs. In contrast, all drugs were stable in frozen and refrigerated urine at pH 4 for the duration of the study. These results highlight the importance of sample storage and the potential for pre-analytical changes in concentration during routine shipping and handling of specimens. Significant structural influence was also observed. Cathinones bearing a tertiary amine (pyrrolidine group) were significantly more stable than their secondary amine counterparts. The methylenedioxy group also exerted a significant stabilizing effect on both the tertiary and secondary amines. In the absence of the methylenedioxy group, no significant differences in stability were observed between the unsubstituted and ring substituted secondary amines. Half-lives at ambient temperature in pH 8 urine ranged from 9 h (3-fluoromethcathinone) to 4.3 months (methylenedioxypyrovalerone and 3,4-methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidinobutiophenone), demonstrating the importance of analyte dependence, and the dual stabilizing effect of both the pyrollidine and methylenedioxy groups. Biological evidence may be subjected to a variety of environmental conditions prior to, and during transport to the forensic laboratory. These findings demonstrate the inherent instability of certain cathinone species in biological evidence under some conditions. Moreover, this study highlights the need for quantitative drug findings in

Urine culture doubtful in determining etiology of diffuse symptoms among elderly individuals: a cross-sectional study of 32 nursing homes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulleryd Peter

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The high prevalence of bacteriuria in elderly individuals makes it difficult to know if a new symptom is related to bacteria in the urine. There are different views concerning this relationship and bacteriuria often leads to antibiotic treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between bacteria in the urine and new or increased restlessness, fatigue, confusion, aggressiveness, not being herself/himself, dysuria, urgency and fever in individuals at nursing homes for elderly when statistically considering the high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in this population. Methods In this cross-sectional study symptoms were registered and voided urine specimens were collected for urinary cultures from 651 elderly individuals. Logistic regressions were performed to evaluate the statistical correlation between bacteriuria and presence of a symptom at group level. To estimate the clinical relevance of statistical correlations at group level positive and negative etiological predictive values (EPV were calculated. Results Logistic regression indicated some correlations at group level. Aside from Escherichia coli in the urine and not being herself/himself existing at least one month, but less than three months, EPV indicated no clinically useful correlation between any symptoms in this study and findings of bacteriuria. Conclusions Urinary cultures provide little or no useful information when evaluating diffuse symptoms among elderly residents of nursing homes. Either common urinary tract pathogens are irrelevant, or urine culture is an inappropriate test.

Use of a midstream clean catch mobile application did not lower urine contamination rates in an ED.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Mary S; Kulie, Paige; Benedict, Cameron; Ordoobadi, Alexander J; Sikka, Neal; Steinmetz, Erika; McCarthy, Melissa L

2018-01-01

Urine microscopy is a common test performed in emergency departments (EDs). Urine specimens can easily become contaminated by different factors, including the collection method. The midstream clean-catch (MSCC) collection technique is commonly used to reduce urine contamination. The urine culture contamination rate from specimens collected in our ED is 30%. We developed an instructional application (app) to show ED patients how to provide a MSCC urine sample. We hypothesized that ED patients who viewed our instructional app would have significantly lower urine contamination rates compared to patients who did not. We prospectively enrolled 257 subjects with a urinalysis and/or urine culture test ordered in the ED and asked them to watch our MSCC instructional app. After prospective enrollment was complete, we retrospectively matched each enrolled subject to an ED patient who did not watch the instructional app. Controls were matched to cases based on gender, type of urine specimen provided, ED visit date and shift. Urinalysis and urine culture contamination results were compared between the matched pairs using McNemar's test. The overall urine culture contamination rate of the 514 subjects was 38%. The majority of the matched pairs had a urinalysis (63%) or urinalysis plus urine culture (35%) test done. There were no significant differences in our urine contamination rates between the matched pairs overall or when stratified by gender, by prior knowledge of the clean catch process or by type of urine specimen. We did not see a lower contamination rate for patients who viewed our instructional app compared to patients who did not. It is possible that MSCC is not effective for decreasing urine specimen contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid colorimetric detection of Zika virus from serum and urine specimens by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda E Calvert

Full Text Available Zika virus (ZIKV has emerged as a major global public health concern in the last two years due to its link as a causative agent of human birth defects. Its rapid expansion into the Western Hemisphere as well as the ability to be transmitted from mother to fetus, through sexual transmission and possibly through blood transfusions has increased the need for a rapid and expansive public health response to this unprecedented epidemic. A non-invasive and rapid ZIKV diagnostic screening assay that can be performed in a clinical setting throughout pregnancy is vital for prenatal care of women living in areas of the world where exposure to the virus is possible. To meet this need we have developed a sensitive and specific reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP assay to detect ZIKV RNA in urine and serum with a simple visual detection. RT-LAMP results were shown to have a limit of detection 10-fold higher than qRT-PCR. As little as 1.2 RNA copies/μl was detected by RT-LAMP from a panel of 178 diagnostic specimens. The assay was shown to be highly specific for ZIKV RNA when tested with diagnostic specimens positive for dengue virus (DENV and chikungunya virus (CHIKV. The assay described here illustrates the potential for a fast, reliable, sensitive and specific assay for the detection of ZIKV from urine or serum that can be performed in a clinical or field setting with minimal equipment and technological expertise.

Continuous in-situ measurements of fission fragment irradiation induced void swelling in Ni

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefakis, H.

1980-01-01

A novel simulation technique has been developed to study the early stages of irradiation induced void formation in metals. The technique makes use of fission fragment irradiation produced by doping with 235 U and irradiating in a thermal neutron flux under highly controlled irradiation-environmental conditions. Employment of a computer and a high temperature radiation resistant LVDT resulted in a high volumetric sensitivity and the production of continuous, in-situ void swelling data for bulk specimens. Results for Ni, used as a test-metal served to corroborate the technique in a number of ways including comparisons with (a) reactor data, (b) direct post-irradiation specimen length measurements and (c) TEM examinations of irradiated samples. The technique has several unique advantages and, in conjunction with other conventional methods, it offers the possibility of detailed evaluation of void nucleation and growth theories. In view of the present results no definitive answer may be given on the issue of the incubation period while checks with two theoretical models have yielded an order-of-magnitude agreement

Frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) and commonest causative organisms in spinal cord injury patients with various voiding modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahboob, F.

2011-01-01

To determine the frequency of urinary tract infection and commonest causative organisms in spinal cord injury patients with various modes of voiding in rehabilitation setup in Pakistan. Study Design: A descriptive study of 100 spinal cord injury patients. Place and Duration of the Study: The Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM) Rawalpindi from September 2007 to March 2008 on clinical samples received from admitted patients in CMH Rawalpindi and AFIRM. Material and Methods: In 100 patients of spinal cord urine samples were subjected to Urine Routine examination and Urine Culture sensitivity. Urine culture revealing a bacterial colony count of 105 cfu/ml or higher were considered positive for urinary tract infection (UTI) if present with symptoms. Significant bacteriuria was investigated for spectrum and sensitivity pattern as well. Results: Of all 100 spinal cord patients 52 patients (52%) had symptoms suggestive of UTI but only 37 patients (37%) had significant bacteriuria on urine culture supported by high level pyuria were declared to have UTI. E-coli was the most commonly isolated organism with total no of 20 cases (54.1%) followed by Pseudomonas 6 cases (16.2%), Klebsiella pneumoniae 3 cases (8.1%), Proteus mirabilis 3 cases (8.1%), Citrobacter freundi 2 cases (5.4%) and the least frequent was Morganella morganii with 1 case (2.7%). UTI was most frequent in patients with indwelling catheter and was least associated with self voiding. Conclusion: Urinary Tract Infection was commonly observed among spinal cord injury patients. E-coli was the commonest isolated pathogen followed by Pseudomonas, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Citrobacter freundi, Candida and Morganella morganii in descending order of frequency. UTI was most frequent in patients using indwelling catheter as a mode of voiding. (author)

Void effects on BWR Doppler and void reactivity feedback

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsiang-Shou Cheng; Diamond, D.J.

1978-01-01

The significance of steam voids and control rods on the Doppler feedback in a gadolinia shimmed BWR is demonstrated. The importance of bypass voids when determining void feedback is also shown. Calculations were done using a point model, i.e., feedback was expressed in terms of reactivity coefficients which were determined for individual four-bundle configurations and then appropriately combined to yield reactor results. For overpower transients the inclusion of the void effect of control rods is to reduce Doppler feedback. For overpressurization transients the inclusion of the effect of bypass void wil increase the reactivity due to void collapse. (author)

Comparison between the urine dipstick and the pH-meter to assess urine pH in sheep and dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Athanasiou, Labrini V; Katsoulos, Panagiotis D; Katsogiannou, Eleni G; Polizopoulou, Zoe S; Diamantaki, Myrto; Kamatsos, Constantinos; Christodoulopoulos, Georgios

2018-02-06

Urine pH is an integral part of a complete urinalysis, and is commonly measured in veterinary practice using semiquantitative reagent strips. The aim of this study was to compare the urine pH of dogs and sheep, using visual interpretation of dipstick reactions, and using a pH-meter as the reference method. Agreement between the 2 methods was also assessed. An additional objective was to compare the urine pH before and after centrifugation. A total of 50 voided urine samples from sheep and 52 from dogs were collected into sterile containers. For pH measurements, 2 methods were used, a pH-meter and urine dipstick reagent pads. Measurements were performed using urine samples before (whole urine) and after centrifugation (urine supernatant). For comparison of the 2 methods, Passing and Bablok regression analysis and Bland-Altman plots were used. The equation created to assess agreement between the 2 methods in dogs showed a constant bias at -0.14 and a positive proportional bias at 0.98. From a clinical standpoint, total bias was below and above the maximum acceptable bias in sheep and dogs, respectively. Clinically acceptable bias was also found using centrifuged urine samples in sheep, but the urine pH values before and after centrifugation were nearly identical in dogs. Urine dipstick reagent pads and pH-meters can be used interchangeably to determine urine pH in sheep without needing centrifugation. In contrast, pH-meters provide more accurate pH measurements than urine dipstick pads in canine urine, which is not improved by centrifugation. © 2018 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Computer simulation of void formation in residual gas atom free metals by dual beam irradiation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimomura, Y.; Nishiguchi, R.; La Rubia, T.D. de; Guinan, M.W.

1992-01-01

In our recent experiments (1), we found that voids nucleate at vacancy clusters which trap gas atoms such as hydrogen and helium in ion- and neutron-irradiated copper. A molecular dynamics computer simulation, which implements an empirical embedded atom method to calculate forces that act on atoms in metals, suggests that a void nucleation occurs in pure copper at six and seven vacancy clusters. The structure of six and seven vacancy clusters in copper fluctuates between a stacking fault tetrahedron and a void. When a hydrogen is trapped at voids of six and seven vacancy, a void can keep their structure for appreciably long time; that is, the void do not relax to a stacking fault tetrahedron and grows to a large void. In order to explore the detailed atomics of void formation, it is emphasized that dual-beam irradiation experiments that utilize beams of gas atoms and self-ions should be carried out with residual gas atom free metal specimens. (author)

Voiding dysfunction after abdominal radical hysterectomy. Comparison between patients with and without adjuvant irradiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Tomohiro; Yamauchi, Tamio; Kageyama, Susumu; Tsuzuki, Masahiro; Kawakami, Satoru; Yonese, Junji; Kawai, Tsuneo

1994-01-01

We evaluated 59 patients with voiding dysfunction after abdominal radical hysterectomy for uterine cancer. Of 59 patients, 45 underwent the surgery alone, and the other 14 underwent surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. Irradiation (mean dose, 60 Gy) was performed in bilateral commoni iliac regions excluding the bladder. In principle, the indwelling urethral catheter was removed 4 days after operation. All patients were followed up at the gynecologocal department until the onset of the voiding dysfunction. The mean interval between operation and the onset of voiding dysfunction was significantly longer (P<0.01) in the group treated by surgery alone (7.9 years) than in the group treated by surgery in combination with radiotherapy (3.8 year). Voiding dysfunction developed earlier as the age at the time of operation was higher. No differences were observed in the volume of residual urine, the detrusor function, or the incidence of urinary tract infection between the two groups. These results suggest that aged patients develop voiding dysfunction earlier after radical hysterectomy than young patients, and postoperative radiotherapy shortens the interval between operation and the onset of postoperative voiding dysfunction. (author)

Multisite Direct Determination of the Potential for Environmental Contamination of Urine Samples Used for Diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Patiyan; Tong, Steven Y C; Lilliebridge, Rachael A; Brenner, Nicole C; Martin, Louise M; Spencer, Emma; Delima, Jennifer; Singh, Gurmeet; McCann, Frances; Hudson, Carolyn; Johns, Tracy; Giffard, Philip M

2014-09-01

The detection of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) agent in a urine specimen from a young child is regarded as an indicator of sexual contact. False positives may conceivably arise from the transfer of environmental contaminants in clinic toilet or bathroom facilities into urine specimens. The potential for contamination of urine specimens with environmental STI nucleic acid was tested empirically in the male and female toilets or bathrooms at 10 Northern Territory (Australia) clinics, on 7 separate occasions at each. At each of the 140 experiments, environmental contamination with Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis nucleic acid contamination was determined by swabbing 10 locations, and urine collection was simulated 5 times, using a (1) synthetic urine surrogate and (2) a standardized finger contamination procedure. The most contaminated toilets and bathrooms were in remote Indigenous communities. No contamination was found in the Northern Territory Government Sexual Assault Referral Centre clinics, and intermediate levels of contamination were found in sexual health clinics and in clinics in regional urban centres. The frequency of surrogate urine sample contamination was low but non-zero. For example, 4 of 558 of the urine surrogate specimens from remote clinics were STI positive. This is by far the largest study addressing the potential environmental contamination of urine samples with STI agents. Positive STI tests arising from environmental contamination of urine specimens cannot be ruled out. The results emphasize that urine specimens from young children taken for STI testing should be obtained by trained staff in clean environments, and duplicate specimens should be obtained if possible. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society.

Effects of storage conditions on results for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of proteins in canine urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Théron, Marie-Laure; Piane, Laetitia; Lucarelli, Laetitia; Henrion, Rémi; Layssol-Lamour, Catherine; Palanché, Florence; Concordet, Didier; Braun, Jean-Pierre D; Trumel, Catherine; Lavoué, Rachel

2017-08-01

OBJECTIVE To investigate effects of storage conditions on the canine urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) and on SDS-agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) of urinary proteins. SAMPLE Urine specimens from 20 proteinuric (UPC > 0.5) and 20 nonproteinuric (UPC ≤ 0.2) dogs. PROCEDURES UPC and SDS-AGE were performed on urine specimens stored at room temperature (20°C) and 4°C for up to 5 days and at -20° and -80°C for up to 360 days; some specimens were subjected to 3 freeze-thaw cycles. Results were compared with those obtained for fresh urine specimens. RESULTS UPC was not affected by storage at room temperature or by freezing. A decrease in UPC was observed for specimens from nonproteinuric dogs after 5 days at 4°C (10%) and from both groups after 90 days at -20° and -80°C (≤ 20% and ≤ 15%, respectively). The SDS-AGE profiles revealed no visual changes regardless of duration of storage for specimens stored at room temperature, 4°C, and -80°C, except for 1 profile after 360 days at -80°C. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles did not affect SDS-AGE profiles. Appearance or strengthening of high-molecular-weight bands that could alter interpretation was evident in SDS-AGE profiles after storage at -20°C for ≥ 15 days (31/40 dogs). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Storage of urine at -20° or -80°C for up to 1 year influenced the UPC without affecting clinical interpretation. Storage of urine specimens at -20°C impaired visual analysis of SDS-AGE. When SDS-AGE cannot be performed on fresh or recently refrigerated urine specimens, storage at -80°C is recommended.

Evaluation of the Coat-A-Count 125I fentanyl RIA: Comparison of 125I RIA and GC/MS-SIM for quantification of fentanyl in case urine specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watts, V.W.; Caplan, Y.H.

1990-01-01

The Coat-A-Count solid phase 125 I Fentanyl Radioimmunoassay was evaluated with respect to linearity and precision using equine urine fortified with fentanyl and then compared with a gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method for quantification of fentanyl in urine. The RIA assay was found to be linear over the urine fentanyl concentration range of 0.25 to 7.5 ng/mL and precise with coefficients of variation (CV) ranging from 9.6 to 19.3%. The RIA calibrators, ranging in fentanyl concentrations from 0.25 to 7.5 ng/mL, and controls, at mean fentanyl concentrations of 0.46 and 1.32 ng/mL, were compared by both the RIA and GC/MS methods. The cross-reactivity with the 125 I RIA test was determined for the fentanyl metabolites, norfentanyl and hydroxyfentanyl, and found to be 5% and 35%, respectively. The illicit fentanyl analogs were found to show significant cross-reactivity, ranging from 20 to 100%. The 125 I RIA was compared to GC/MS quantifications of fentanyl in 35 positive and 20 negative case urine specimens

Detection of prostate cancer-specific transcripts in extracellular vesicles isolated from post-DRE urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellegrini, Kathryn L; Patil, Dattatraya; Douglas, Kristen J S; Lee, Grace; Wehrmeyer, Kathryn; Torlak, Mersiha; Clark, Jeremy; Cooper, Colin S; Moreno, Carlos S; Sanda, Martin G

2017-06-01

The measurement of gene expression in post-digital rectal examination (DRE) urine specimens provides a non-invasive method to determine a patient's risk of prostate cancer. Many currently available assays use whole urine or cell pellets for the analysis of prostate cancer-associated genes, although the use of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has also recently been of interest. We investigated the expression of prostate-, kidney-, and bladder-specific transcripts and known prostate cancer biomarkers in urine EVs. Cell pellets and EVs were recovered from post-DRE urine specimens, with the total RNA yield and quality determined by Bioanalyzer. The levels of prostate, kidney, and bladder-associated transcripts in EVs were assessed by TaqMan qPCR and targeted sequencing. RNA was more consistently recovered from the urine EV specimens, with over 80% of the patients demonstrating higher RNA yields in the EV fraction as compared to urine cell pellets. The median EV RNA yield of 36.4 ng was significantly higher than the median urine cell pellet RNA yield of 4.8 ng. Analysis of the post-DRE urine EVs indicated that prostate-specific transcripts were more abundant than kidney- or bladder-specific transcripts. Additionally, patients with prostate cancer had significantly higher levels of the prostate cancer-associated genes PCA3 and ERG. Post-DRE urine EVs are a viable source of prostate-derived RNAs for biomarker discovery and prostate cancer status can be distinguished from analysis of these specimens. Continued analysis of urine EVs offers the potential discovery of novel biomarkers for pre-biopsy prostate cancer detection. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The preventive effect of tamsulosin on voiding dysfunction after prostate biopsy: a prospective, open-label, observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Seung Jun; Jung, Seung Il; Ryu, Ji Won; Hwang, Eu Chang; Kwon, Dong Deuk; Park, Kwangsung; Kim, Jin Woong

2015-05-01

To evaluate the association of prostate biopsy with voiding impairment and to investigate whether tamsulosin treatment given before prostate biopsy could improve voiding dysfunction after the procedure. The study included 88 consecutive patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy without prior BPH medication and were prospectively randomized. Of these 88 patients, 44 patients underwent prostate biopsy only without tamsulosin treatment and served as the control group. The remaining 44 patients were treated with tamsulosin (0.2 mg daily) beginning the day before the biopsy procedure for 7 days. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was recorded in all patients before the procedure and on postbiopsy day 7. Maximal flow rate (Q(max)) and postvoid residual urine volume were recorded in all patients before the procedure and on postbiopsy days 1 and 7. No difference was found in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The IPSS (total, storage, and voiding symptom) was not significantly changed after biopsy in both groups. In the control group, the postvoid residual urine volume was increased on postbiopsy days 1 (P tamsulosin group, Q(max) was significantly increased on postbiopsy days 1 and 7 (P tamsulosin group, but it developed in two patients (4.5%) of the control group. The results of our study show that prostate biopsy leads to objective voiding impairment. Therefore, the use of alpha-1 blocker tamsulosin before biopsy in patients without prior BPH medication may decrease this morbidity.

Partial discharge patterns related to surface deterioration in voids in epoxy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holbøll, Joachim; Henriksen, Mogens

1990-01-01

Results are presented from an investigation of the relationship between changes in partial discharge patterns and the surface deterioration process taking place in small naturally formed spherical voids in epoxy plastic. The voids were exposed to a moderate electric stress above inception level......, where partial discharges were present for more than 1500 h. Two types of electrical tree growth were found, the bush like tree and a single channel-like tree, which led to very different partial discharge patterns. It is concluded that the formation of crystals on a void surface leads to an immediate...... and easy-to-detect increase in the partial discharge activity with subsequent severe surface deterioration (deep pit formations) in the vicinity of the crystal. However, the partial discharge signal from a specimen with a black channel-like tree structure did not give any indication of channel growth...

Radiation-induced segregation and void formation in C+ ion-irradiated vanadium-carbon alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeyama, T.; Ohnuki, S.; Takahashi, H.; Sato, Y.; Mochizuki, S.

1982-01-01

To clarify the effect of interstitial elements on radiation-induced segregation and void formation in V and V-C alloys irradiated by 200 keV C + ions to a dose of 48 dpa at 973 K, the microstructural observation and the measurement of C segregation to the surfaces were carried out by TEM and XPS. Voids, dislocations and precipitates were produced in all of the specimens during irradiation. The addition of C in V led to a reduction of void size and to increase in void number density, consequently the void swelling was suppressed strongly. Radiation-induced segregation of C was observed clearly on and near the irradiated surfaces of V-C alloys and as a result of the enrichment of C atoms, carbides precipitated on the surfaces. It is the first evidence of the radiation-induced segregation of interstitial elements on the surfaces. Also, quasi-carbides were observed on the (210) habit plaints near large voids and dislocations in V. The phenomena show that C atoms, which was insolved and/or implanted, interact strongly with vacancies rather than self-interstitial atoms and migrate with vacancies toward defect sinks, such as surfaces, voids, and dislocations. The segregated zones of C reduced the sink efficiency of the defects, and showed the effect of the suppression on void in V-C alloys. (author)

Void shape effects and voids starting from cracked inclusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvergaard, Viggo

2011-01-01

Numerical, axisymmetric cell model analyses are used to study the growth of voids in ductile metals, until the mechanism of coalescence with neighbouring voids sets in. A special feature of the present analyses is that extremely small values of the initial void volume fraction are considered, dow...

Void lattices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chadderton, L.T.; Johnson, E.; Wohlenberg, T.

1976-01-01

Void lattices in metals apparently owe their stability to elastically anisotropic interactions. An ordered array of voids on the anion sublattice in fluorite does not fit so neatly into this scheme of things. Crowdions may play a part in the formation of the void lattice, and stability may derive from other sources. (Auth.)

Time dependent voiding mechanisms in polyamide 6 submitted to high stress triaxiality: experimental characterisation and finite element modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Selles, Nathan; King, Andrew; Proudhon, Henry; Saintier, Nicolas; Laiarinandrasana, Lucien

2017-08-01

Double notched round bars made of semi-crystalline polymer polyamide 6 (PA6) were submitted to monotonic tensile and creep tests. The two notches had a root radius of 0.45 mm, which imposes a multiaxial stress state and a state of high triaxiality in the net (minimal) section of the specimens. Tests were carried out until the failure occurred from one of the notches. The other one, unbroken but deformed under steady strain rate or steady load, was inspected using the Synchrotron Radiation Computed Tomography (SRCT) technique. These 3D through thickness inspections allowed the study of microstructural evolution at the peak stress for the monotonic tensile test and at the beginning of the tertiary creep for the creep tests. Cavitation features were assessed with a micrometre resolution within the notched region. Spatial distributions of void volume fraction ( Vf) and void morphology were studied. Voiding mechanisms were similar under steady strain rates and steady loads. The maximum values of Vf were located between the axis of revolution of the specimens and the notch surface and voids were considered as flat cylinders with a circular basis perpendicular to the loading direction. A model, based on porous plasticity, was used to simulate the mechanical response of this PA6 material under high stress triaxiality. Both macroscopic behaviour (loading curves) and voiding micro-mechanisms (radial distributions of void volume fraction) were accurately predicted using finite element simulations.

Partial discharges in spheroidal voids: Void orientation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McAllister, Iain Wilson

1997-01-01

Partial discharge transients can be described in terms of the charge induced on the detecting electrode. The influence of the void parameters upon the induced charge is examined and discussed for spheroidal voids. It is shown that a quantitative interpretation of the induced charge requires...

Displacive stability of a void in a void lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brailsford, A.D.

1977-01-01

It has recently been suggested that the stability of the void-lattice structure in irradiated metals may be attributed to the effect of the overlapping of the point-defect diffusion fields associated with each void. It is shown here, however, that the effect is much too weak. When one void is displaced from its lattice site, the displacement is shown to relax to zero as proposed, but a conservative estimate indicates that the characteristic time is equivalent to an irradiation dose of the order of 300 displacements per atom which is generally much greater than the dose necessary for void-lattice formation

Positive Urine Cultures: A Major Cause of Inappropriate Antimicrobial Use in Hospitals?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel A Silver

2009-01-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Urine specimens are among the most common samples submitted for culture to microbiology laboratories. The objectives of the present study were to describe the indications for obtaining urine cultures in a cohort of hospitalized patients, and to determine the appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy in response to urine culture results.

Assessment of the stability of DNA in specimens collected under conditions for drug testing-A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Robert M; Mitchell, John M; Hart, E Dale; Evans, Amy; Meaders, Meredith; Norsworthy, Sarah E; Hayes, Eugene D; Flegel, Ron; Maha, George C; Shaffer, Megan D; Hall, Erin M; Rogers, Kelley

2018-02-01

For forensic biological sample collections, the specimen donor is linked solidly to his or her specimen through a chain of custody (CoC) sometimes referenced as a chain of evidence. Rarely, a donor may deny that a urine or oral fluid (OF) specimen is his or her specimen even with a patent CoC. The goal of this pilot study was to determine the potential effects of short-term storage on the quality and quantity of DNA in both types of specimen under conditions that may be encountered with employment-related drug testing specimens. Fresh urine and freshly collected oral fluid all produced complete STR profiles. For the "pad" type OF collectors, acceptable DNA was extractable both from the buffer/preservative and the pad. Although fresh urine and OF produced complete STR profiles, partial profiles were obtained after storage for most samples. An exception was the DNA in the Quantisal OF collector, from which a complete profile was obtained for both freshly collected OF and stored OF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of Sacral Neuromodulation on Outcome Measures and Urine Chemokines in Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, Kenneth M; Jayabalan, Nirmal; Bui, Don; Killinger, Kim; Chancellor, Michael; Tyagi, Pradeep

2015-05-01

Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) may improve interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/BPS) symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency and perhaps even pain, but objective measures of improvement are lacking. We evaluated the potential for urinary chemokines to serve as measures of treatment response over time to SNM. Women with IC/BPS undergoing SNM consented for this study. Three-day bladder/pain diaries were collected at baseline and validated Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Problem Index (ICSPI) scores and mid-stream urine specimens were collected at baseline and at 24 weeks after successful implant. Collected urine was screened for infection by dipstick and analyzed for chemokines by luminex xMAP analysis. At baseline (n = 16), urine levels of CXCL-1 positively correlated with pain score (r = 0.63, P = 0.009), urgency (r = 0.61, P = 0.01), ICSPI (r = 0.43, P = 0.09) and daily voids (r = 0.44, P = 0.08). ICSPI and pain scores also positively correlated with sIL-1ra (r = 0.50, P = 0.04) and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) or CCL2 positively correlated with daily voids (r = 0.45, P = 0.07) only. At 24 weeks, the median ICSPI index fell from 28 to 15 (n = 7, P = 0.008). Urine levels of sIL-1ra (633.8 ± 188.2 vs. 149.9 ± 41.62 pg/mL) and MCP-1 (448.3 ± 11.6 vs. 176.9 ± 46.16 pg/mL) and CCL5 (20.78 ± 4.09 vs. 11.21 ± 4.12 pg/mL) were also significantly reduced at the follow-up relative to baseline values (P = 0.04). Multivariable analysis of data revealed that sIL-1ra and MCP-1 together explained the majority of variance in data. Levels of CXCL-1, CXCL-10, interleukin (IL)-8, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were also reduced at 24 weeks, but differences were not significant. Concomitant decrease in urine levels of chemokines especially MCP-1 was associated with treatment response of SNM. These results

Diversity of the midstream urine microbiome in adults with chronic kidney disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, Holly; Kuffel, Gina; Thomas-White, Krystal; Wolfe, Alan J; Vellanki, Kavitha; Leehey, David J; Bansal, Vinod K; Brubaker, Linda; Flanigan, Robert; Koval, Julia; Wadhwa, Anuradha; Zilliox, Michael J

2018-06-01

To examine the characteristics of the midstream urine microbiome in adults with stage 3-5 non-dialysis-dependent chronic kidney disease (CKD). Patients with non-dialysis-dependent CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] diversity was assessed with the inverse Simpson, Chao and Shannon indices. The diversity measures were further examined by demographic characteristics and by comorbidities. The cohort of 41 women and 36 men with detectable bacterial DNA in their urine samples had a mean age of 71.5 years (standard deviation [SD] 7.9) years (range 60-91 years). The majority were white (68.0%) and a substantial minority were African-American (29.3%) The mean eGFR was 27.2 (SD 13.6) ml/min/1.73 m 2 . Most men (72.2%) were circumcised and 16.6% reported a remote history of prostate cancer. Many midstream voided urine specimens were dominated (> 50% reads) by the genera Corynebacterium (n = 11), Staphylococcus (n = 9), Streptococcus (n = 7), Lactobacillus (n = 7), Gardnerella (n = 7), Prevotella (n = 4), Escherichia_Shigella (n = 3), and Enterobacteriaceae (n = 2); the rest lacked a dominant genus. The samples had high levels of diversity, as measured by the inverse Simpson [7.24 (95% CI 6.76, 7.81)], Chao [558.24 (95% CI 381.70, 879.35)], and Shannon indices [2.60 (95% CI 2.51, 2.69)]. Diversity measures were generally higher in participants with urgency urinary incontinence and higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). After controlling for demographics and diabetes status, microbiome diversity was significantly associated with estimated eGFR (P diverse. Greater microbiome diversity is associated with higher eGFR.

Determination of the void nucleation rate from void size distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brailsford, A.D.

1977-01-01

A method of estimating the void nucleation rate from one void size distribution and from observation of the maximum void radius at prior times is proposed. Implicit in the method are the assumptions that both variations in the critical radius with dose and vacancy thermal emission processes during post-nucleation quasi-steady-state growth may be neglected. (Auth.)

Cosmic void clumps

Science.gov (United States)

Lares, M.; Luparello, H. E.; Garcia Lambas, D.; Ruiz, A. N.; Ceccarelli, L.; Paz, D.

2017-10-01

Cosmic voids are of great interest given their relation to the large scale distribution of mass and the way they trace cosmic flows shaping the cosmic web. Here we show that the distribution of voids has, in consonance with the distribution of mass, a characteristic scale at which void pairs are preferentially located. We identify clumps of voids with similar environments and use them to define second order underdensities. Also, we characterize its properties and analyze its impact on the cosmic microwave background.

On void nucleation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subbotin, A.V.

1978-01-01

Nucleation of viable voids in irradiated materials is considered. The mechanism of evaporation and absorption of interstitials and vacancies disregarding the possibility of void merging is laid down into the basis of the discussion. The effect of irradiated material structure on void nucleation is separated from the effect of the properties of supersaturated solutions of vacancies and interstitials. An analytical expression for the nucleation rate is obtained and analyzed in different cases. The interstitials are concluded to effect severely the nucleation rate of viable voids

[Examination about utility of a Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular antigen swiftness search kit urine in a pneumonia patient].

Science.gov (United States)

Hashikita, Giichi; Yamaguti, Toshiyuki; Tachi, Yoshimi; Kishi, Etsuko; Kawamura, Toru; Takahashi, Shun; Arai, Yukie; Koyama, Sachie; Huruhata, Toshihumi; Itabashi, Akira; Oka, Yoko; Yamazaki, Tsutomu; Maesaki, Sigefumi

2005-01-01

We investigated the usefullness of Binax NOW urine antigen test, an immunochromatographic assay that binds any soluble Streptococcus pneumoniae antigen (C polysaccharide) for the diagnosis of penumoniae form September 2003 to March 2005. We used 372 samples form the patinets with pneumoniae diagnosed for blood or sputum cultuter or gram-stained sputum smear. Out of 24 culture positive specimens, Binax NOW urine antigen test, showed positive in 18 (75%) specimens. The sensitivity of sputum and blood culture was 71.7% and 83.3%, respectively. Binax NOW urine antigen test was seemed false positives in 55 samples, false negatives in 6 samples. The specificity of Binax NOW urine antigen test was evaluated 84.1%. Overall agreement among tests was 83.6%. When compared to culture, false negative urine antigen may be the result of colonizing S. pneumoniae in sputum or pneumonia caused by an agent other than S. pneumoniae. CRP values for cases were both urine antigen and culture were positive ranged from 40 mg/dl to 10 mg/dl while urine antigen and culture negative cases were predominantly less than 10 mg/dl. Positive blood and pleural fluid culture cases were consistently associated with strongly positive urine antigen tests. Non-agreement between urine antigen, culture, and microscopy may be the result of specimen quality, labile nature of S. pneumoniae and antimicrobial therapy.

Urine Galactomannan-to-Creatinine Ratio for Detection of Invasive Aspergillosis in Patients with Hematological Malignancies

OpenAIRE

Reischies, Frederike M. J.; Raggam, Reinhard B.; Prattes, Juergen; Krause, Robert; Eigl, Susanne; List, Agnes; Quehenberger, Franz; Strenger, Volker; Wölfler, Albert; Hoenigl, Martin

2016-01-01

Galactomannan (GM) testing of urine specimens may provide important advantages, compared to serum testing, such as easy noninvasive sample collection. We evaluated a total of 632 serial urine samples from 71 patients with underlying hematological malignancies and found that the urine GM/creatinine ratio, i.e., (urine GM level × 100)/urine creatinine level, which takes urine dilution into account, reliably detected invasive aspergillosis and may be a promising diagnostic tool for patients with...

Evaluation of abalone β-glucuronidase substitution in current urine hydrolysis procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Malik-Wolf, Brittany; Vorce, Shawn; Holler, Justin; Bosy, Thomas

2014-04-01

This study examined the potential of abalone β-glucuronidase as a viable and cost effective alternative to current hydrolysis procedures using acid, Helix pomatia β-glucuronidase and Escherichia coli β-glucuronidase. Abalone β-glucuronidase successfully hydrolyzed oxazepam-glucuronide and lorazepam-glucuronide within 5% of the spiked control concentration. Benzodiazepines present in authentic urine specimens were within 20% of the concentrations obtained with the current hydrolysis procedure using H. pomatia β-glucuronidase. JWH 018 N-(5-hydroxypentyl) β-d-glucuronide was hydrolyzed within 10% of the control concentration. Authentic urine specimens showed improved glucuronide cleavage using abalone β-glucuronidase with up to an 85% increase of drug concentration, compared with the results obtained using E. coli β-glucuronidase. The JWH 018 and JWH 073 carboxylic acid metabolites also showed increased drug concentrations of up to 24%. Abalone β-glucuronidase was able to completely hydrolyze a morphine-3-glucuronide control, but only 82% of total morphine was hydrolyzed in authentic urine specimens compared with acid hydrolysis results. Hydrolysis of codeine and hydromorphone varied between specimens, suggesting that abalone β-glucuronidase may not be as efficient in hydrolyzing the glucuronide linkages in opioid compounds compared with acid hydrolysis. Abalone β-glucuronidase demonstrates effectiveness as a low cost option for enzyme hydrolysis of benzodiazepines and synthetic cannabinoids.

Experimental investigation of void coalescence in a dual phase steel using X-ray tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landron, C.; Bouaziz, O.; Maire, E.; Adrien, J.

2013-01-01

In situ tensile tests were carried out during X-ray microtomography imaging of a smooth and a notched specimen of dual phase steel. The void coalescence was first qualitatively observed and quantitative data concerning this damage step was then acquired. The void coalescence criteria of Brown and Embury and of Thomason were then tested against the experimental data at both the macroscopic and local levels. Although macroscopic implementation of the criteria gave acceptable results, the local approach was probably closest to the real nature of void coalescence, because it takes into account local coalescence events observed experimentally before final fracture. The correlation between actual coalescing couples of cavities and local implementation of the two criteria showed that the Thomason criterion is probably the best adapted to predict the local coalescence events in the case of the material studied

For reliable urine cultures in the detection of complicated urinary tract infection, do we use urine specimens obtained with urethral catheter or a nephrostomy tube?

Science.gov (United States)

Dede, Gülay; Deveci, Özcan; Dede, Onur; Utanğac, Mazhar; Dağgulli, Mansur; Penbegül, Necmettin; Hatipoğlu, Namık Kemal

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to compare the results of urine cultures obtained either from urethral, and percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) catheters. This study included 328 consecutive patients that underwent PCN at our institution with complicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) between July 2010 and April 2015. Results of urine cultures obtained from the urethral and nephrostomy catheters were compared. This study included 152 male and 176 female patients. Mean age of the patients was 46.2±24.3 years. The main indications were obstructive uropathy due to urolithiasis complicated with pyonephrosis 145 (44%), malignant disease (n=87; 26%), pregnancy (n=26; 8%), and anatomical abnormality (n=23; 7%). One hundred and twenty three patients had diabetes mellitus. The most common causative organisms were Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumoniae , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Blood cultures showed the same results for the PCN and bladder urine cultures. The bladder urine culture was positive in 304 patients, while the PCN urine culture in 314 patients. PCN is an important treatment for the management of pyonephrosis. Cultures from the PCN yield valuable information that is not available from urethral urine cultures, and is a guiding tool for antibiotic therapy selection.

Normalisation of spot urine samples to 24-h collection for assessment of exposure to uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marco, R.; Katorza, E.; Gonen, R.; German, U.; Tshuva, A.; Pelled, O.; Paz-tal, O.; Adout, A.; Karpas, Z.

2008-01-01

For dose assessment of workers at Nuclear Research Center Negev exposed to natural uranium, spot urine samples are analysed and the results are normalised to 24-h urine excretion based on 'standard' man urine volume of 1.6 l d -1 . In the present work, the urine volume, uranium level and creatinine concentration were determined in two or three 24-h urine collections from 133 male workers (319 samples) and 33 female workers (88 samples). Three volunteers provided urine spot samples from each voiding during a 24-h period and a good correlation was found between the relative level of creatinine and uranium in spot samples collected from the same individual. The results show that normalisation of uranium concentration to creatinine in a spot sample represents the 24-h content of uranium better than normalisation to the standard volume and may be used to reduce the uncertainty of dose assessment based on spot samples. (authors)

The urodynamic evaluation of neuromodulation in patients with voiding dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Everaert, K; Plancke, H; Lefevere, F; Oosterlinck, W

1997-05-01

To determine which patients with voiding dysfunction might be suitable for treatment with neuromodulation, using urodynamics to obtain an objective measure of improvement and to illustrate the effect of neuromodulation on voiding dysfunction. Patients were selected for implantation of a neuroprosthesis using a urodynamic evaluation before and during subchronic stimulation; 27 such patients (four men and 23 women, mean age 33 years, SD 15) were evaluated. Of the 27 patients, the 17 who responded well to neuromodulation all had hypocontractile detrusors and sphincter hypertonicity; sphincter relaxation during micturition was impaired. The urodynamic evaluation showed that these patients were not obstructed. Of 10 patients with spastic pelvic floor syndrome, nine responded well to the treatment. Those not responding to neuromodulation had mainly acontractile detrusors. The ideal candidates for neuromodulation are those patients with a spastic pelvic floor syndrome or with a hypocontractile detrusor, in combination with sphincter instability, and impaired sphincter relaxation. An increase of bladder contractility, enhancement of sphincter relaxation and decrease in bladder capacity and residual urine are the most important features of the response.

Evaluation of the Coat-A-Count sup 125 I fentanyl RIA: Comparison of sup 12 5I RIA and GC/MS-SIM for quantification of fentanyl in case urine specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watts, V.W.; Caplan, Y.H. (Mesa Police Crime Laboratory, AZ (USA))

1990-09-01

The Coat-A-Count solid phase {sup 125}I Fentanyl Radioimmunoassay was evaluated with respect to linearity and precision using equine urine fortified with fentanyl and then compared with a gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric method for quantification of fentanyl in urine. The RIA assay was found to be linear over the urine fentanyl concentration range of 0.25 to 7.5 ng/mL and precise with coefficients of variation (CV) ranging from 9.6 to 19.3%. The RIA calibrators, ranging in fentanyl concentrations from 0.25 to 7.5 ng/mL, and controls, at mean fentanyl concentrations of 0.46 and 1.32 ng/mL, were compared by both the RIA and GC/MS methods. The cross-reactivity with the {sup 125}I RIA test was determined for the fentanyl metabolites, norfentanyl and hydroxyfentanyl, and found to be 5% and 35%, respectively. The illicit fentanyl analogs were found to show significant cross-reactivity, ranging from 20 to 100%. The {sup 125}I RIA was compared to GC/MS quantifications of fentanyl in 35 positive and 20 negative case urine specimens.

Spatial variation in void volume during charged particle bombardment: the effects of injected interstitials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, E.H.; Mansur, L.K.; Yoo, M.H.

1979-01-01

Experimental observations of the void volume at several depths along the range of 4 MeV Ni ions in 316 stainless steel are reported. The specimens were first preconditioned by neutron irradiation at temperatures of 450 and 584 0 C to fluences of approximately 8 x 10 26 n/m -2 . The void volume after ion bombardment to 60 dpa at the peak damage depth is significantly lower at the peak damage depth than in the region between that and the free surface. The ratio of the step height to void volume at the depth of peak energy deposition between regions masked from and exposed to the beam is strongly dependent on bombardment temperature. The reduction of void volume near the peak damage depth is larger for the 584 0 C than for the 450 0 C preconditioned material. These observations are consistent with recent theoretical results which account for the injection of the bombarding ions as self-interstitials. The theory necessary to understand the effect is developed

On the abundance of extreme voids II: a survey of void mass functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chongchitnan, Siri; Hunt, Matthew

2017-01-01

The abundance of cosmic voids can be described by an analogue of halo mass functions for galaxy clusters. In this work, we explore a number of void mass functions: from those based on excursion-set theory to new mass functions obtained by modifying halo mass functions. We show how different void mass functions vary in their predictions for the largest void expected in an observational volume, and compare those predictions to observational data. Our extreme-value formalism is shown to be a new practical tool for testing void theories against simulation and observation.

Void hierarchy and cosmic structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weygaert, Rien van de; Ravi Sheth

2004-01-01

Within the context of hierarchical scenarios of gravitational structure formation we describe how an evolving hierarchy of voids evolves on the basis of two processes, the void-in-void process and the void-in-cloud process. The related analytical formulation in terms of a two-barrier excursion problem leads to a self-similarly evolving peaked void size distribution

Smart monitoring of fluid intake and bladder voiding using pressure sensitive mats.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen-McFarlane, Madison; Green, James R; Knoefel, Frank; Goubran, Rafik

2016-08-01

Pressure sensitive mats have been used in noninvasive smart monitoring for a variety of problems including breathing rate monitoring, sleep monitoring, mobility, and weight. This paper describes a proof of concept application of pressure mats to monitor fluid intake/output (fluid cycle) events during the night. The ability to more accurately track such events has potential implications for monitoring those individuals who have nocturia, a condition where a person wakes at night to urinate. Data were collected from a healthy young female subject instructed to drink as much water as was comfortable (700mL) and lie in a supine position on a mattress located directly on three pressure mats. This was compared to an initial data set collected immediately after voiding but before drinking, 30 minutes after drinking, 60 minutes after drinking and a final data set after again voiding the bladder. The additional pressure from the 700mL of water was detectible and tracked over the course of the hour-long testing session under idealized conditions. This provides a proof-of-concept that nocturnal fluid intake and bladder voiding events can be tracked using non-invasive pressure-sensitive mats, however additional testing and development is required to achieve a deployable monitoring system.

Pediatric Voiding Cystourethrogram

Science.gov (United States)

Scan for mobile link. Children's (Pediatric) Voiding Cystourethrogram A children’s (pediatric) voiding cystourethrogram uses fluoroscopy – a form of real-time x-ray – to examine a child’s bladder ...

The preservation of urine samples for determination of renal stone risk factors

Science.gov (United States)

Nicar, M. J.; Hsu, M. C.; Johnson, T.; Pak, C. Y.

1987-01-01

A preservation technique for urine specimens before determination of stone risk factors was evaluated. The purpose of these experiments was to prove the effectiveness of the preservatives used to prevent changes in the concentrations of those constituents measured. Measured concentrations in fresh specimens were compared with those in the same specimens after storage with the preservatives. Refrigeration at 4 degrees C up to five days was appropriate in a laboratory setting, as no significant changes in urinary concentrations occurred. Refrigeration, however, did not offer a convenient method for shipping. Chemical preservation was found to be an effective alternative to refrigeration. Thymol prevented changes in concentration of pH, citrate, uric acid, sulfate, sodium, potassium, and cyclic AMP, while a mixture of hydrochloric (HCl) acid and boric acid prevented changes in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, oxalate, ammonium, and creatinine. Thus, the addition of thymol or HCl/boric acid to urine specimens will prevent significant changes in the concentrations of stone risk factors.

Crystallization processes derived from the interaction of urine and dolostone

Science.gov (United States)

Cámara, Beatriz; Alvarez de Buergo, Monica; Fort, Rafael

2015-04-01

The increase in the number of pets (mostly dogs), homeless people and the more recent open-air drinking sessions organized by young people in historical centers of European cities, derive on the augmentation of urinations on stone façades of the built cultural heritage. Up to now this process has been considered only under an undesirable aesthetical point of view and the insalubrious conditions it creates, together with the cleaning costs that the local governments have to assume. This study aims to confirm urine as a real source of soluble salts that can trigger the decay of building materials, especially of those of built cultural heritage of the historical centers of the cities, which are suffering the new social scenario described above. For this purpose, an experimental setup was designed and performed in the laboratory to simulate this process. 5 cm side cubic specimens of dolostone were subjected to 100 testing cycles of urine absorption by capillarity. The necessary amount of urine was collected by donors and stored following clinical protocol conditions. Each cycle consisted of imbibitions of the specimens in 3 mm high urine sheet for 3 hours, drying at 40°C in an oven for 20 hours and 1 hour cooling in a dessicator. At the end of the 100 cycles, small pieces of the specimens were cut, observed and analyzed with the aid of an environmental scanning electron microscope, which presents the advantage of no sample preparation. The sampled pieces were selected considering there were different sections in height in the specimens: a) a bottom section that corresponds to the section that has been immersed in the urine solution (3 mm); b) an interface section, immediately above the immersed area, which is the area most affected by the urine capillarity process, characterized by a strong yellowish color; c) the section that we have named as section of influence, which is subjected to the capillary absorption, although not so strongly than the interface section

Radioimmunoassay of bleomycin in plasma and urine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teale, J.D.; Clough, J.M.; Marks, V.

1977-01-01

Antibodies to bleomycin were raised by immunization of sheep and rabbits with bleomycin-albumin conjugates. The combination of a high-titre, high-avidity sheep antiserum and iodinated bleomycin produced a radioimmunoassay sensitive to 8 ng of bleomycin per ml of plasma or urine. Untreated specimens (100 μl) of plasma or urine could be added directly to the assay tubes. The anti-serum was specific for bleomycin and showed no cross-reaction with other anti-cancer agents used in combination chemotherapy. Over a concentration range of 20 to 100 ng/ml. recovery of bleomycin from plasma was 110% and from urine, 93%. Repeated assay of plasma samples showed a decrease in bleomycin levels unless the samples were kept at 4 0 C or below. Assay of bleomycin levels in plasma and urine from patients under treatment with bleomycin showed similarities with results reported using a microbiological assay. The radioimmunoassay offers a more reliable, rapid and sensitive method for the measurement of bleomycin. (author)

The sink strengths of voids and the expected swelling for both random and ordered void distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quigley, T.M.; Murphy, S.M.; Bullough, R.; Wood, M.H.

1981-10-01

The sink strength of a void has been obtained when the void is a member of a random or ordered distribution of voids. The former sink strength derivation has employed the embedding model and the latter the cellular model. In each case the spatially varying size-effect interaction between the intrinsic point defects and the voids has been included together with the presence of other sink types in addition to the voids. The results are compared with previously published sink strengths that have made use of an approximate representation for the size-effect interactions, and indicate the importance of using the exact form of the interaction. In particular the bias for interstitials compared with vacancies of small voids is now much reduced and contamination of the surfaces of such voids no longer appears essential to facilitate the nucleation and growth of the voids. These new sink strengths have been used, in conjunction with recently published dislocation sink strengths, to calculate the expected swelling of materials containing network dislocations and voids. Results are presented for both the random and the void lattice situations. (author)

Evaluation of different sampling methods and criteria for diagnosing canine urinary tract infection by quantitative bacterial culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Tina Møller; Jensen, A.B.; Damborg, Peter Panduro

2016-01-01

)/mL. Voided specimens were compared to cystocentesis using: (1) the veterinary cut-off of ≥100,000 CFU/mL; and (2) various cut-offs depending on qualitative criteria (sex, clinical signs and complicating factors), adapted from human guidelines. Ninety-four dogs with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI...... and specificity of 97% (95% CI 0.86, 1.00) and 86% (95% CI 0.77, 0.92), respectively. The veterinary cut-off value of ≥100,000 CFU/mL for voided urine is appropriate for determining significant bacteriuria in the majority of dogs with suspected UTI if specimens are refrigerated and cultured on the day...

Ethyl glucuronide, ethyl sulfate, and ethanol in urine after sustained exposure to an ethanol-based hand sanitizer.

Science.gov (United States)

Reisfield, Gary M; Goldberger, Bruce A; Crews, Bridgit O; Pesce, Amadeo J; Wilson, George R; Teitelbaum, Scott A; Bertholf, Roger L

2011-03-01

To assess the degree of ethanol absorption and subsequent formation of urinary ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) following sustained application of hand sanitizer, 11 volunteers cleansed their hands with Purell(™) hand sanitizer (62% ethanol) every 5 min for 10 h on three consecutive days. Urine specimens were obtained at the beginning and end of each day of the study, and on the morning of the fourth day. Urinary creatinine, ethanol, EtG, and EtS concentrations were measured. EtG was undetectable in all pre-study urine specimens, but two pre-study specimens had detectable EtS (73 and 37 ng/mL). None of the pre-study specimens had detectable ethanol. The maximum EtG and EtS concentrations over the course of the study were 2001 and 84 ng/mL, respectively, and nearly all EtG- and EtS-positive urine specimens were collected at the conclusion of the individual study days. Only two specimens had detectable EtG at the beginning of any study day (96 and 139 ng/mL), and only one specimen had detectable EtS at the beginning of a study day (64 ng/mL), in addition to the two with detectable EtS prior to the study. Creatinine-adjusted maximum EtG and EtS concentrations were 1998 and 94 μg/g creatinine, respectively. In patients being monitored for ethanol use by urinary EtG concentrations, currently accepted EtG cutoffs do not distinguish between ethanol consumption and incidental exposures, particularly when urine specimens are obtained shortly after sustained use of ethanolcontaining hand sanitizer. Our data suggest that EtS may be an important complementary biomarker in distinguishing ethanol consumption from dermal exposure.

An innovative HIV testing service using the internet: Anonymous urine delivery testing service at drugstores in Beijing, China.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xiaoxia; Liu, Guowu; Xia, Dongyan; Feng, Xia; Lv, Yi; Cheng, Huanyi; Wang, Yuehua; Lu, Hongyan; Jiang, Yan

2018-01-01

Innovative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing services will be needed to achieve the first 90 (90% of HIV-positive persons aware of their infection status) of the 90-90-90 target in China. Here, we describe an internet-based urine delivery testing service delivered through three pilot drugstores in Beijing that send specimens to a designated laboratory for HIV. From May 2016 to January 2017, we provided 500 HIV urine-testing service packs for display at the drugstores, and a total of 430 (86.0%) urine specimens were mailed back. All of the 430 urine specimens were of good quality and were tested. 70 urine specimens were HIV positive, showing a 16.3% (70/430) positivity rate. A total of 94.3% (66/70) of the HIV-positive participants obtained their test results through the internet, and 69.7% (46/66) of these participants received follow-up care. A total of 40 out of 46 (87.0%) participants agreed to have their results confirmed by a blood test, and 39 out of 40 (97.5%) participants were confirmed as HIV-1 positive, including two individuals that were previously diagnosed. Lastly, 28 out of 37 (75.7%) of the study participants were referred to the hospital and provided free antiviral treatment. Our data indicate that this innovative HIV testing service is effective and play an important role in HIV testing and surveillance.

Development of Personalized Urination Recognition Technology Using Smart Bands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung-Jong Eun

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose This study collected and analyzed activity data sensed through smart bands worn by patients in order to resolve the clinical issues posed by using voiding charts. By developing a smart band-based algorithm for recognizing urination activity in patients, this study aimed to explore the feasibility of urination monitoring systems. Methods This study aimed to develop an algorithm that recognizes urination based on a patient’s posture and changes in posture. Motion data was obtained from a smart band on the arm. An algorithm that recognizes the 3 stages of urination (forward movement, urination, backward movement was developed based on data collected from a 3-axis accelerometer and from tilt angle data. Real-time data were acquired from the smart band, and for data corresponding to a certain duration, the absolute value of the signals was calculated and then compared with the set threshold value to determine the occurrence of vibration signals. In feature extraction, the most essential information describing each pattern was identified after analyzing the characteristics of the data. The results of the feature extraction process were sorted using a classifier to detect urination. Results An experiment was carried out to assess the performance of the recognition technology proposed in this study. The final accuracy of the algorithm was calculated based on clinical guidelines for urologists. The experiment showed a high average accuracy of 90.4%, proving the robustness of the proposed algorithm. Conclusions The proposed urination recognition technology draws on acceleration data and tilt angle data collected via a smart band; these data were then analyzed using a classifier after comparative analyses with standardized feature patterns.

Size-Effects in Void Growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Niordson, Christian Frithiof

2005-01-01

The size-effect on ductile void growth in metals is investigated. The analysis is based on unit cell models both of arrays of cylindrical voids under plane strain deformation, as well as arrays of spherical voids using an axisymmetric model. A recent finite strain generalization of two higher order...... strain gradient plasticity models is implemented in a finite element program, which is used to study void growth numerically. The results based on the two models are compared. It is shown how gradient effects suppress void growth on the micron scale when compared to predictions based on conventional...... models. This increased resistance to void growth, due to gradient hardening, is accompanied by an increase in the overall strength for the material. Furthermore, for increasing initial void volume fraction, it is shown that the effect of gradients becomes more important to the overall response but less...

Sample handling of clinical specimens for ultratrace element analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornelis, R.

1987-01-01

Some simple logistics to an improved sample handling of clinical specimens are presented. This comprises clean room conditions, clean laboratory ware, ultra-pure reagents and good analytical practice. Sample handling procedures for blood, urine, soft tissues and pharmaceuticals are briefly discussed. (author) 26 refs

Air void structure and frost resistance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasholt, Marianne Tange

2014-01-01

). This observation is interesting as the parameter of total surface area of air voids normally is not included in air void analysis. The following reason for the finding is suggested: In the air voids conditions are favourable for ice nucleation. When a capillary pore is connected to an air void, ice formation...... on that capillary pores are connected to air voids. The chance that a capillary pore is connected to an air void depends on the total surface area of air voids in the system, not the spacing factor.......This article compiles results from 4 independent laboratory studies. In each study, the same type of concrete is tested at least 10 times, the air void structure being the only variable. For each concrete mix both air void analysis of the hardened concrete and a salt frost scaling test...

Urine Galactomannan-to-Creatinine Ratio for Detection of Invasive Aspergillosis in Patients with Hematological Malignancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Reischies, Frederike M J; Raggam, Reinhard B; Prattes, Juergen; Krause, Robert; Eigl, Susanne; List, Agnes; Quehenberger, Franz; Strenger, Volker; Wölfler, Albert; Hoenigl, Martin

2016-03-01

Galactomannan (GM) testing of urine specimens may provide important advantages, compared to serum testing, such as easy noninvasive sample collection. We evaluated a total of 632 serial urine samples from 71 patients with underlying hematological malignancies and found that the urine GM/creatinine ratio, i.e., (urine GM level × 100)/urine creatinine level, which takes urine dilution into account, reliably detected invasive aspergillosis and may be a promising diagnostic tool for patients with hematological malignancies. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01576653.). Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Monitoring Hydration Status Pre- and Post-Training among University Athletes Using Urine Color and Weight Loss Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Marquitta C.; Salandy, Sinead T.; Beckford, Safiya E.

2016-01-01

Objective: To investigate the hydration status pre- and post-training among university athletes using urine color and weight loss as indicators. Participants: Participants were 52 university athletes training for campus games in a developing country. Methods: Pre- and post-training urine specimens were compared with a standard urine color scale.…

Characterizing the effects of elevated temperature on the air void pore structure of advanced gas-cooled reactor pressure vessel concrete using x-ray computed tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Withers P.J.

2013-07-01

Full Text Available X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT has been applied to nondestructively characterise changes in the microstructure of a concrete used in the pressure vessel structure of Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGR in the UK. Concrete specimens were conditioned at temperatures of 105 °C and 250 °C, to simulate the maximum thermal load expected to occur during a loss of coolant accident (LOCA. Following thermal treatment, these specimens along with an unconditioned control sample were characterised using micro-focus X-ray CT with a spatial resolution of 14.6 microns. The results indicate that the air void pore structure of the specimens experienced significant volume changes as a result of the increasing temperature. The increase in the porous volume was more prevalent at 250 °C. Alterations in air void size distributions were characterized with respect to the unconditioned control specimen. These findings appear to correlate with changes in the uni-axial compressive strength of the conditioned concrete.

Influence of root canal sealer on the radiographic appearance of filling voids in maxillary single-rooted teeth.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodanezi, Augusto; Munhoz, Etiene Andrade; Capelozza, Ana Lúcia Álvares; Bernardineli, Norberti; Moraes, Ivaldo Gomes de; Garcia, Roberto Brandão; Bramante, Clovis Monteiro

2012-01-01

This study compared the influence of three epoxy resin-based sealers with distinct radiopacities on the observers' ability to detect root canal filling voids during radiographic analysis. The root canals of 48 extracted maxillary canines were prepared and divided into three groups. Each group was laterally condensed with one sealer (AH Plus®, Acroseal® or a non-radiopaque sealer), and a longitudinal void was simulated in half of the specimens from each group (n=8). Buccolingual radiographs were obtained and randomly interpreted for voids by a radiologist and an endodontist in a blinded fashion. Teeth were cut and inspected under a microscope to confirm the position of void. Differences in sensitivity and specificity between groups and examiners were compared using the Fisher's Exact and McNemar tests, respectively (α=0.05). Significantly lower sensitivity levels (p<0.05) were observed in the coronal portion of fillings performed with both radiopaque sealers. Specificity values for Acroseal® were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the coronal and apical portions of fillings. The type of root canal sealer can affect the observers' ability to detect root canal filling voids during radiographic analysis of upper single-rooted teeth.

New Markers: Urine Xanthine Oxidase and Myeloperoxidase in the Early Detection of Urinary Tract Infection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pınar Ciragil

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate if xanthine oxidase and myeloperoxidase levels quantitation method may alternate routine culture method, which takes more time in the diagnosis of urinary tract infections. Material and Methods. Five hundred and forty-nine outpatients who had admitted to Clinic Microbiology Laboratory were included in the study. The microorganisms were identified by using VITEK System. The urine specimens that were negative from the quantitative urine culture were used as controls. The activities of MPO and XO in spot urine were measured by spectrophotometric method. Results. Through the urine cultures, 167 bacteria were isolated from 163 urine specimens; 386 cultures yielded no bacterial growth. E. coli was the most frequent pathogen. In infection with E. coli both XO and MPO levels were increased the most. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for XO were 100%, 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. These values for MPO were 87%, 100%, 100%, and 94%, respectively. Conclusion. These data obtained suggest that urine XO and MPO levels may be new markers in the early detection of UTI.

Utility of pooled urine specimens for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in men attending public sexually transmitted infection clinics in Mumbai, India, by PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindan, Christina; Mathur, Meenakshi; Kumta, Sameer; Jerajani, Hermangi; Gogate, Alka; Schachter, Julius; Moncada, Jeanne

2005-04-01

Pooling urogenital specimens for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae by nucleic acid amplification tests is an attractive alternative to individual testing. As pooling can reduce the costs of testing as well as labor, it has been advocated for use in resource-poor settings. However, it has neither been widely adopted nor evaluated for use in developing countries. We evaluated the practical use of pooling first-catch urine (FCU) specimens for the detection of C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae from 690 men in Mumbai, India, by PCR. FCU, urethral smears, and swabs were collected from men seen at two sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics. All laboratory testing was done at the Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital. Gram stain smears and culture isolation for N. gonorrhoeae were performed. Each FCU was tested individually and in pools using the Roche Amplicor PCR for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae with an internal control for inhibition. Specimen pools consisted of aliquots from five consecutively processed FCUs combined into an amplification tube. An optical density reading of > or =0.20 indicated a pool for which subsequent testing of individual samples was required. Prevalence by PCR on single specimens was 2.2% (15/690) for C. trachomatis and 5.4% (37/690) for N. gonorrhoeae. Compared to individual FCU results, pooling for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae had an overall sensitivity of 96.1% (50/52). Specificity was 96.5% (83/86) in that three pools required single testing that failed to identify a positive specimen. Pooling missed two positive specimens, decreased the inhibition rate, and saved 50.3% of reagent costs. In this resource-limited setting, the use of pooling to detect C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae by PCR proved to be a simple, accurate, and cost-effective procedure compared to individual testing.

CTF Void Drift Validation Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salko, Robert K. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Gosdin, Chris [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States); Avramova, Maria N. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Gergar, Marcus [Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)

2015-10-26

This milestone report is a summary of work performed in support of expansion of the validation and verification (V&V) matrix for the thermal-hydraulic subchannel code, CTF. The focus of this study is on validating the void drift modeling capabilities of CTF and verifying the supporting models that impact the void drift phenomenon. CTF uses a simple turbulent-diffusion approximation to model lateral cross-flow due to turbulent mixing and void drift. The void drift component of the model is based on the Lahey and Moody model. The models are a function of two-phase mass, momentum, and energy distribution in the system; therefore, it is necessary to correctly model the ow distribution in rod bundle geometry as a first step to correctly calculating the void distribution due to void drift.

Pre-analytical Factors Influence Accuracy of Urine Spot Iodine Assessment in Epidemiological Surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Doggui, Radhouene; El Ati-Hellal, Myriam; Traissac, Pierre; El Ati, Jalila

2018-03-26

Urinary iodine concentration (UIC) is commonly used to assess iodine status of subjects in epidemiological surveys. As pre-analytical factors are an important source of measurement error and studies about this phase are scarce, our objective was to assess the influence of urine sampling conditions on UIC, i.e., whether the child ate breakfast or not, urine void rank of the day, and time span between last meal and urine collection. A nationwide, two-stage, stratified, cross-sectional study including 1560 children (6-12 years) was performed in 2012. UIC was determined by the Sandell-Kolthoff method. Pre-analytical factors were assessed from children's mothers by using a questionnaire. Association between iodine status and pre-analytical factors were adjusted for one another and socio-economic characteristics by multivariate linear and multinomial regression models (RPR: relative prevalence ratios). Skipping breakfast prior to morning urine sampling decreased UIC by 40 to 50 μg/L and the proportion of UIC analytical factors is a key step toward improving accuracy and comparability of survey results for assessing iodine status from spot urine samples. These recommendations have to be evaluated by future research.

Influence of voids in the hybrid layer based on self-etching adhesive systems: a 3-D FE analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Paula Martini

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The presence of porosities at the dentin/adhesive interface has been observed with the use of new generation dentin bonding systems. These porosities tend to contradict the concept that etching and hybridization processes occur equally and simultaneously. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the micromechanical behavior of the hybrid layer (HL with voids based on a self-etching adhesive system using 3-D finite element (FE analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three FE models (Mr were built: Mr, dentin specimen (41x41x82 μm with a regular and perfect (i.e. pore-free HL based on a self-etching adhesive system, restored with composite resin; Mp, similar to M, but containing 25% (v/v voids in the HL; Mpp, similar to Mr, but containing 50% (v/v voids in the HL. A tensile load (0.03N was applied on top of the composite resin. The stress field was obtained by using Ansys Workbench 10.0. The nodes of the base of the specimen were constrained in the x, y and z axes. The maximum principal stress (σmax was obtained for all structures at the dentin/adhesive interface. RESULTS: The Mpp showed the highest peak of σmax in the HL (32.2 MPa, followed by Mp (30 MPa and Mr (28.4 MPa. The stress concentration in the peritubular dentin was high in all models (120 MPa. All other structures positioned far from voids showed similar increase of stress. CONCLUSION: Voids incorporated into the HL raised the σmax in this region by 13.5%. This behavior might be responsible for lower bond strengths of self-etching and single-bottle adhesives, as reported in the literature.

Measurements of void fraction by an improved multi-channel conductance void meter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Chul-Hwa; Chung, Moon Ki; No, Hee Cheon

1998-01-01

An improved multi-channel Conductance Void Meter (CVM) was developed to measure a void fraction. Its measuring principle is basically based upon the differences of electrical conductance of a two-phase mixture due to the variation of void fraction around a sensor. The sensor is designed to be flush-mounted to the inner wall of the test section to avoid the flow disturbances. The signal processor with three channels is specially designed so as to minimize the inherent error due to the phase difference between channels. It is emphasized that the guard electrodes are electrically shielded in order not to affect the measurements of two-phase mixture conductance, but to make the electric fields evenly distributed in a measuring volume. Void fraction is measured for bubbly and slug flow regimes in a vertical air-water loop, and statistical signal processing techniques are applied to show that CVM has a good dynamic resolution which is required to investigate the structural developments of bubbly flow and the propagation of void waves in a flow channel. (author)

Oncoprotein DEK as a tissue and urinary biomarker for bladder cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Datta, Antara; Adelson, Martin E; Mogilevkin, Yakov; Mordechai, Eli; Sidi, Abraham A; Trama, Jason P

2011-01-01

Bladder cancer is a significant healthcare problem in the United States of America with a high recurrence rate. Early detection of bladder cancer is essential for removing the tumor with preservation of the bladder, avoiding metastasis and hence improving prognosis and long-term survival. The objective of this study was to analyze the presence of DEK protein in voided urine of bladder cancer patients as a urine-based bladder cancer diagnostic test. We examined the expression of DEK protein by western blot in 38 paired transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) bladder tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissue. The presence of DEK protein in voided urine was analyzed by western blot in 42 urine samples collected from patients with active TCC, other malignant urogenital disease and healthy individuals. The DEK protein is expressed in 33 of 38 bladder tumor tissues with no expression in adjacent normal tissue. Based on our sample size, DEK protein is expressed in 100% of tumors of low malignant potential, 92% of tumors of low grade and in 71% of tumors of high grade. Next, we analyzed 42 urine samples from patients with active TCC, other malignant urogenital disease, non-malignant urogenital disease and healthy individuals for DEK protein expression by western blot analysis. We are the first to show that the DEK protein is present in the urine of bladder cancer patients. Approximately 84% of TCC patient urine specimens were positive for urine DEK. Based on our pilot study of 38 bladder tumor tissue and 42 urine samples from patients with active TCC, other malignant urogenital disease, non-malignant urogenital disease and healthy individuals; DEK protein is expressed in bladder tumor tissue and voided urine of bladder cancer patients. The presence of DEK protein in voided urine is potentially a suitable biomarker for bladder cancer and that the screening for the presence of DEK protein in urine can be explored as a noninvasive diagnostic test for bladder cancer

An innovative HIV testing service using the internet: Anonymous urine delivery testing service at drugstores in Beijing, China.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoxia He

Full Text Available Innovative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV testing services will be needed to achieve the first 90 (90% of HIV-positive persons aware of their infection status of the 90-90-90 target in China. Here, we describe an internet-based urine delivery testing service delivered through three pilot drugstores in Beijing that send specimens to a designated laboratory for HIV. From May 2016 to January 2017, we provided 500 HIV urine-testing service packs for display at the drugstores, and a total of 430 (86.0% urine specimens were mailed back. All of the 430 urine specimens were of good quality and were tested. 70 urine specimens were HIV positive, showing a 16.3% (70/430 positivity rate. A total of 94.3% (66/70 of the HIV-positive participants obtained their test results through the internet, and 69.7% (46/66 of these participants received follow-up care. A total of 40 out of 46 (87.0% participants agreed to have their results confirmed by a blood test, and 39 out of 40 (97.5% participants were confirmed as HIV-1 positive, including two individuals that were previously diagnosed. Lastly, 28 out of 37 (75.7% of the study participants were referred to the hospital and provided free antiviral treatment. Our data indicate that this innovative HIV testing service is effective and play an important role in HIV testing and surveillance.

Urine Creatinine Concentrations in Drug Monitoring Participants and Hospitalized Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Love, Sara A; Seegmiller, Jesse C; Kloss, Julie; Apple, Fred S

2016-10-01

Urine drug testing is commonly performed in both clinical and forensic arenas for screening, monitoring and compliance purposes. We sought to determine if urine creatinine concentrations in monitoring program participants were significantly different from hospital in-patients and out-patients undergoing urine drug testing. We retrospectively reviewed urine creatinine submitted in June through December 2015 for all specimens undergoing urine drug testing. The 20,479 creatinine results were categorized as hospitalized patients (H) and monitoring/compliance groups for pain management (P), legal (L) or recovery (R). Median creatinine concentrations (interquartile range, mg/dL) were significantly different (P creatinine concentrations were significantly lower in the R vs. L group (Pcreatinine concentration and may indicate participants' attempts to tamper with their drug test results through dilution means. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cosmology with void-galaxy correlations.

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Hamaus, Nico; Wandelt, Benjamin D; Sutter, P M; Lavaux, Guilhem; Warren, Michael S

2014-01-31

Galaxy bias, the unknown relationship between the clustering of galaxies and the underlying dark matter density field is a major hurdle for cosmological inference from large-scale structure. While traditional analyses focus on the absolute clustering amplitude of high-density regions mapped out by galaxy surveys, we propose a relative measurement that compares those to the underdense regions, cosmic voids. On the basis of realistic mock catalogs we demonstrate that cross correlating galaxies and voids opens up the possibility to calibrate galaxy bias and to define a static ruler thanks to the observable geometric nature of voids. We illustrate how the clustering of voids is related to mass compensation and show that volume-exclusion significantly reduces the degree of stochasticity in their spatial distribution. Extracting the spherically averaged distribution of galaxies inside voids from their cross correlations reveals a remarkable concordance with the mass-density profile of voids.

The dark matter of galaxy voids

Science.gov (United States)

Sutter, P. M.; Lavaux, Guilhem; Wandelt, Benjamin D.; Weinberg, David H.; Warren, Michael S.

2014-03-01

How do observed voids relate to the underlying dark matter distribution? To examine the spatial distribution of dark matter contained within voids identified in galaxy surveys, we apply Halo Occupation Distribution models representing sparsely and densely sampled galaxy surveys to a high-resolution N-body simulation. We compare these galaxy voids to voids found in the halo distribution, low-resolution dark matter and high-resolution dark matter. We find that voids at all scales in densely sampled surveys - and medium- to large-scale voids in sparse surveys - trace the same underdensities as dark matter, but they are larger in radius by ˜20 per cent, they have somewhat shallower density profiles and they have centres offset by ˜ 0.4Rv rms. However, in void-to-void comparison we find that shape estimators are less robust to sampling, and the largest voids in sparsely sampled surveys suffer fragmentation at their edges. We find that voids in galaxy surveys always correspond to underdensities in the dark matter, though the centres may be offset. When this offset is taken into account, we recover almost identical radial density profiles between galaxies and dark matter. All mock catalogues used in this work are available at http://www.cosmicvoids.net.

Urine: Waste product or biologically active tissue?

Science.gov (United States)

2018-03-01

Historically, urine has been viewed primarily as a waste product with little biological role in the overall health of an individual. Increasingly, data suggest that urine plays a role in human health beyond waste excretion. For example, urine might act as an irritant and contribute to symptoms through interaction with-and potential compromise of-the urothelium. To explore the concept that urine may be a vehicle for agents with potential or occult bioactivity and to discuss existing evidence and novel research questions that may yield insight into such a role, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease invited experts in the fields of comparative evolutionary physiology, basic science, nephrology, urology, pediatrics, metabolomics, and proteomics (among others) to a Urinology Think Tank meeting on February 9, 2015. This report reflects ideas that evolved from this meeting and current literature, including the concept of urine quality, the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics of urine, including the microbiota, cells, exosomes, pH, metabolites, proteins, and specific gravity (among others). Additionally, the manuscript presents speculative, and hopefully testable, ideas about the functional roles of urine constituents in health and disease. Moving forward, there are several questions that need further understanding and pursuit. There were suggestions to consider actively using various animal models and their biological specimens to elaborate on basic mechanistic information regarding human bladder dysfunction. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Urine colorimetry to detect Low rifampin exposure during tuberculosis therapy: a proof-of-concept study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zentner, Isaac; Schlecht, Hans P; Khensouvann, Lorna; Tamuhla, Neo; Kutzler, Michele; Ivaturi, Vijay; Pasipanodya, Jotam G; Gumbo, Tawanda; Peloquin, Charles A; Bisson, Gregory P; Vinnard, Christopher

2016-06-01

The cost and complexity of current approaches to therapeutic drug monitoring during tuberculosis (TB) therapy limits widespread use in areas of greatest need. We sought to determine whether urine colorimetry could have a novel application as a form of therapeutic drug monitoring during anti-TB therapy. Among healthy volunteers, we evaluated 3 dose sizes of rifampin (150 mg, 300 mg, and 600 mg), performed intensive pharmacokinetic sampling, and collected a timed urine void at 4 h post-dosing. The absorbance peak at 475 nm was measured after rifamycin extraction. The optimal cutoff was evaluated in a study of 39 HIV/TB patients undergoing TB treatment in Botswana. In the derivation study, a urine colorimetric assay value of 4.0 × 10(-2) Abs, using a timed void 4 h after dosing, demonstrated a sensitivity of 92 % and specificity of 60 % to detect a peak rifampin concentration (Cmax) under 8 mg/L, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.92. In the validation study, this cutoff was specific (100 %) but insensitive (28 %). We observed similar test characteristics for a target Cmax target of 6.6 mg/L, and a target area under the drug concentration-versus-time curve (AUC0-8) target of 24.1 mg•hour/L. The urine colorimetric assay was specific but insensitive to detect low rifampin serum concentrations among HIV/TB patients. In future work we will attempt to optimize sampling times and assay performance, with the goal of delivering a method that can translate into a point-of-care assessment of rifampin exposure during anti-TB therapy.

Void-assisted grain boundary migration in ion-irradiated austenitic stainless steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaidya, W.V.

1983-01-01

A number of austenitic stainless steels (15 wt% Cr-15 wt% Ni) were irradiated in the solution-annealed condition with 46 MeV Nisup(6+)-ions to a dose-level of 64 dpa at 848 K. Though the microstructure was initially well-equilibrated, under irradiation a general interface migration was observed, the most pronounced being at grain boundaries followed by that at incoherent and even at coherent twins. Changes at the migrating interfaces, features of the migration and variations in the near grain boundary voidage are described. After considering various possibilities which might have caused the migration, it is shown that the observed migration was void-assisted. This has led to the conclusion that voids by nature do not constitute an obstacle for the migrating interface but on the contrary, they offer driving force. Therefore, migration becomes feasible even in the solution-annealed specimens in which inherently there should be a least tendency for such a migration. (orig.)

Void-assisted grain boundary migration in ion-irradiated austenitic stainless steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaidya, W.V.

1983-01-01

A number of austenitic stainless steels (15 wt% Cr-15 wt% Ni) were irradiated in the solution-annealed condition with 46 MeV Ni 6+ -ions to a dose-level of 64 dpa at 848 K. Though the microstructure was initially well-equilibrated, under irradiation a general interface migration was observed, the most pronounced being at grain boundaries followed by that at incoherent and even at coherent twins. Changes at the migrating interfaces, features of the migration and variations in the near grain boundary voidage are described. After considering various possibilities which might have caused the migration, it is shown that the observed migration was void-assisted. This has led to the conclusion that voids by nature do not constitute an obstacle for the migrating interface but on the contrary, they offer driving force. Therefore, migration becomes feasible even in the solution-annealed specimens in which inherently there should be a least tendency for such a migration. (orig.)

Urine Concentration and Pyuria for Identifying UTI in Infants.

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Chaudhari, Pradip P; Monuteaux, Michael C; Bachur, Richard G

2016-11-01

Varying urine white blood cell (WBC) thresholds have been recommended for the presumptive diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) among young infants. These thresholds have not been studied with newer automated urinalysis systems that analyze uncentrifuged urine that might be influenced by urine concentration. Our objective was to determine the optimal urine WBC threshold for UTI in young infants by using an automated urinalysis system, stratified by urine concentration. Retrospective cross-sectional study of infants aged UTI in the emergency department with paired urinalysis and urine culture. UTI was defined as ≥50 000 colony-forming units/mL from catheterized specimens. Test characteristics were calculated across a range of WBC and leukocyte esterase (LE) cut-points, dichotomized into specific gravity groups (dilute UTI prevalence was 7.8%. Optimal WBC cut-points were 3 WBC/high-power field (HPF) in dilute urine (likelihood ratio positive [LR+] 9.9, likelihood ratio negative [LR‒] 0.15) and 6 WBC/HPF (LR+ 10.1, LR‒ 0.17) in concentrated urine. For dipstick analysis, positive LE has excellent test characteristics regardless of urine concentration (LR+ 22.1, LR‒ 0.12 in dilute urine; LR+ 31.6, LR‒ 0.22 in concentrated urine). Urine concentration should be incorporated into the interpretation of automated microscopic urinalysis in young infants. Pyuria thresholds of 3 WBC/HPF in dilute urine and 6 WBC/HPF in concentrated urine are recommended for the presumptive diagnosis of UTI. Without correction of specific gravity, positive LE by automated dipstick is a reliably strong indicator of UTI. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Effect of a shear modified Gurson model on damage development in a FSW tensile specimen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kim Lau; Tvergaard, Viggo

2009-01-01

For a friction stir welded aluminum plate the resistance to ductile failure is studied by analyzing tensile test specimens cut out across the weldline. As the stress triaxiality is rather low in these tests, the Gurson material model is not expected to give a very accurate description of the void......, such that the damage parameter does not really represent the void volume fraction. Various amounts of the additional damage evolution are compared with predictions of the original Gurson model. The analyses are carried out for different yield stress profiles transverse to the weld and for different specimen widths....... It is found that the modification does provide additional damage development in the friction stir weld, which may help to fit experimental data. But the suggested modification depends strongly on the overall stress state, and may have a too strong effect in some cases where the stress triaxiality is rather...

Void consolidation during open-die forging for ultralarge rotor shafts. (1. Formulation of void-closing behavior)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Shin-ichi; Minami, Katsuyuki; Ochiai, Tomoyuki; Iwadate, Tadao; Nakata, Shin-ichi.

1995-01-01

Open-die forging experiments using different die geometries under hot isothermal conditions and three-dimensional simulations using rigid-plastic finite-element method were performed to formulate a void-closing behavior using only two factors; the integral of hydrostatic stress and the equivalent strain. First, upsetting, side-upsetting and V-shape die cogging of several cylinders with a spherical void at the center are carried out and the information on the void volume reduction is obtained. Seconds, the same forgings, but without voids is treated numerically and the development of stress and strain at the location of voids is investigated. Then, by combining these results, and using regression analysis, it is found that the void volume reduction is expressed as a polynomial function of the two factors. When the polynomial function is used, various forging methods can be evaluated quantitatively in terms of void-closing behavior. Therefore it is beneficial to optimize the forging process for a large rotor shaft. (author)

Choice of urine collection methods for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection in young, febrile infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Alan R; Newman, Thomas B; Wasserman, Richard C; Finch, Stacia A; Pantell, Robert H

2005-10-01

The optimal method of urine collection in febrile infants is debatable; catheterization, considered more accurate, is technically difficult and invasive. To determine predictors of urethral catheterization in febrile infants and to compare bag and catheterized urine test performance characteristics. Prospective analysis of infants enrolled in the Pediatric Research in Office Settings' Febrile Infant Study. A total of 219 practices from within the Pediatric Research in Office Settings' network, including 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. A total of 3066 infants aged 0 to 3 months with temperatures of 38 degrees C or higher. We calculated adjusted odds ratios for predictors of catheterization. Diagnostic test characteristics were compared between bag and catheterization. Urinary tract infection was defined as pure growth of 100 000 CFU/mL or more (bag) and 20 000 CFU/mL or more (catheterization). Seventy percent of urine samples were obtained by catheterization. Predictors of catheterization included female sex, practitioner older than 40 years, Medicaid, Hispanic ethnicity, nighttime evaluation, and severe dehydration. For leukocyte esterase levels, bag specimens demonstrated no difference in sensitivity but somewhat lower specificity (84% [bag] vs 94% [catheterization], PInfection rates were similar in bag and catheterized specimens (8.5% vs 10.8%). Ambiguous cultures were more common in bag specimens (7.4% vs 2.7%, Purinary tract infection. Although both urine cultures and urinalyses are more accurate in catheterized specimens, the magnitude of difference is small but should be factored into clinical decision making.

Urine Test: Microalbumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (For Parents)

Science.gov (United States)

... could interfere with test results. Be sure to review all your child's medications with your doctor. The Procedure Your child will be asked to urinate (pee) into a clean sample cup in the doctor's office or at home. Collecting the specimen should only take a few minutes. If your child isn' ...

Experimental investigation of effect of specimen thickness on fracture toughness of Al-TiC composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. S. Raviraj

2016-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper, the macro and micro-mechanical fracture behavior was studied for aluminum (Al6061 alloy matrix, reinforced with various proportions of TiC particles such as 3wt%, 5wt% and 7wt%. The Al6061-TiC metal matrix composites were produced by stir casting method to ensure uniform distribution of the TiC particulates in the Al matrix. The compact tension (CT specimens were machined according to ASTM E399 specifications to evaluate the fracture toughness for Al6061-TiC metal matrix composites. The CT specimens were machined for crack to width (a/W ratio of 0.5 and thickness to width (B/W ratios of 0.2 to 0.7 with an increment of 0.1. Load versus crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD data was plotted to estimate stress intensity factor KQ for various thicknesses of the specimen. The fracture toughness KIC was obtained by plotting stress intensity factor versus thickness to width ratios of specimen data. The fracture toughness of these composites varied between 16.4-19.2 MPa√m. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM studies was made on the fractured surface of the specimens to understand the micro-mechanisms of failure involved in these composites. Void initiation is more significant in the matrix near the interface. The micro-cracks grow from these micro-voids and crack propagates by linking these micro cracks locating the crack path preferentially in the matrix adjacent to the interface indicating ductile fracture.

Influence of root canal sealer on the radiographic appearance of filling voids in maxillary single-rooted teeth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Augusto Bodanezi

2012-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study compared the influence of three epoxy resin-based sealers with distinct radiopacities on the observers' ability to detect root canal filling voids during radiographic analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The root canals of 48 extracted maxillary canines were prepared and divided into three groups. Each group was laterally condensed with one sealer (AH Plus®, Acroseal® or a non-radiopaque sealer, and a longitudinal void was simulated in half of the specimens from each group (n=8. Buccolingual radiographs were obtained and randomly interpreted for voids by a radiologist and an endodontist in a blinded fashion. Teeth were cut and inspected under a microscope to confirm the position of void. Differences in sensitivity and specificity between groups and examiners were compared using the Fisher's Exact and McNemar tests, respectively (α=0.05. RESULTS: Significantly lower sensitivity levels (p<0.05 were observed in the coronal portion of fillings performed with both radiopaque sealers. Specificity values for Acroseal® were significantly higher (p<0.05 in the coronal and apical portions of fillings. CONCLUSIONS: The type of root canal sealer can affect the observers' ability to detect root canal filling voids during radiographic analysis of upper single-rooted teeth.

A trend analysis of laboratory positive propoxyphene workplace urine drug screens before and after the product recall.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, James

2015-01-01

Propoxyphene was withdrawn from the US market in November 2010. This drug is still tested for in the workplace as part of expanded panel nonregulated testing. A convenience sample of urine specimens (n = 7838) were provided by workers from various industries. The percentage of positive specimens with 95% confidence intervals was calculated for each year of the study. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of the year upon the propoxyphene result. The prevalence of positive propoxyphene tests was much higher before the product's withdrawal from the market. Logistic regression provided evidence of a decreasing linear trend (P < 0.000; β = -0.71). The odds ratio signifies that for every additional year the urine specimens were 0.49 times less likely to be positive for propoxyphene. This favors the determination that the change in propoxyphene positive drug test over the years is not by chance. The conclusion supports no longer performing nonregulated workplace propoxyphene urine drug testing for this population.

On cavitation instabilities with interacting voids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvergaard, Viggo

2012-01-01

voids so far apart that the radius of the plastic zone around each void is less than 1% of the current spacing between the voids, can still affect each others at the occurrence of a cavitation instability such that one void stops growing while the other grows in an unstable manner. On the other hand...

PRECISION COSMOGRAPHY WITH STACKED VOIDS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavaux, Guilhem; Wandelt, Benjamin D.

2012-01-01

We present a purely geometrical method for probing the expansion history of the universe from the observation of the shape of stacked voids in spectroscopic redshift surveys. Our method is an Alcock-Paczyński (AP) test based on the average sphericity of voids posited on the local isotropy of the universe. It works by comparing the temporal extent of cosmic voids along the line of sight with their angular, spatial extent. We describe the algorithm that we use to detect and stack voids in redshift shells on the light cone and test it on mock light cones produced from N-body simulations. We establish a robust statistical model for estimating the average stretching of voids in redshift space and quantify the contamination by peculiar velocities. Finally, assuming that the void statistics that we derive from N-body simulations is preserved when considering galaxy surveys, we assess the capability of this approach to constrain dark energy parameters. We report this assessment in terms of the figure of merit (FoM) of the dark energy task force and in particular of the proposed Euclid mission which is particularly suited for this technique since it is a spectroscopic survey. The FoM due to stacked voids from the Euclid wide survey may double that of all other dark energy probes derived from Euclid data alone (combined with Planck priors). In particular, voids seem to outperform baryon acoustic oscillations by an order of magnitude. This result is consistent with simple estimates based on mode counting. The AP test based on stacked voids may be a significant addition to the portfolio of major dark energy probes and its potentialities must be studied in detail.

Comparison of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron concentrations of elements in 24-h urine and spot urine in hypertensive patients with healthy renal function.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tianjing; Chang, Xiaoyu; Liu, Wanlu; Li, Xiaoxia; Wang, Faxuan; Huang, Liping; Liao, Sha; Liu, Xiuying; Zhang, Yuhong; Zhao, Yi

2017-12-01

Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper and iron are associated with the sequela of hypertension. The most reliable method for testing those elements is by collecting 24-h urine samples. However, this is cumbersome and collection of spot urine is more convenient in some circumstance. The aim of this study was to compare the concentrations of different elements in 24-h urine and spot urine. Data was collected from a sub-study of China Salt Substitute and Stroke Study. 240 participants were recruited randomly from 12 villages in two counties in Ningxia, China. Both spot and 24-h urine specimens were collected from each patient. Routine urine test was conducted, and concentration of elements was measured using microwave digestion and Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry. Partial correlation analysis and Spearman correlation analysis were used to investigate the concentration of different elements and the relationship between 24- h urine and spot urine. A partial correlation in sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron was found between paired 24-h urine and spot urine samples except copper and zinc: 0.430, 0.426, 0.550, 0.221 and 0.191 respectively. Spot urine can replace 24-h urine for estimating some of the elements in hypertensive patients with normal renal function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Statistics and geometry of cosmic voids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaite, José

2009-01-01

We introduce new statistical methods for the study of cosmic voids, focusing on the statistics of largest size voids. We distinguish three different types of distributions of voids, namely, Poisson-like, lognormal-like and Pareto-like distributions. The last two distributions are connected with two types of fractal geometry of the matter distribution. Scaling voids with Pareto distribution appear in fractal distributions with box-counting dimension smaller than three (its maximum value), whereas the lognormal void distribution corresponds to multifractals with box-counting dimension equal to three. Moreover, voids of the former type persist in the continuum limit, namely, as the number density of observable objects grows, giving rise to lacunar fractals, whereas voids of the latter type disappear in the continuum limit, giving rise to non-lacunar (multi)fractals. We propose both lacunar and non-lacunar multifractal models of the cosmic web structure of the Universe. A non-lacunar multifractal model is supported by current galaxy surveys as well as cosmological N-body simulations. This model suggests, in particular, that small dark matter halos and, arguably, faint galaxies are present in cosmic voids

Detection of excretory Entamoeba histolytica DNA in the urine, and detection of E. histolytica DNA and lectin antigen in the liver abscess pus for the diagnosis of amoebic liver abscess

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khairnar Krishna

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Amoebic liver abscess (ALA and pyogenic liver abscesses (PLA appear identical by ultrasound and other imaging techniques. Collection of blood or liver abscess pus for diagnosis of liver abscesses is an invasive procedure, and the procedure requires technical expertise and disposable syringes. Collection of urine is a noninvasive procedure. Therefore, there has been much interest shown towards the use of urine as an alternative clinical specimen for the diagnosis of some parasitic infections. Here, we report for the first time the detection of E. histolytica DNA excreted in the urine for diagnosis of the cases of ALA. Results E. histolytica DNA was detected in liver abscess pus specimen of 80.4% of ALA patients by a nested multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR targeting 16S-like r RNA gene. The nested PCR detected E. histolytica DNA in all 37 (100% liver abscess pus specimens collected prior to metronidazole treatment, but were detected in only 53 of 75 (70.6% pus specimens collected after therapy with metronidazole. Similarly, the PCR detected E. histolytica DNA in 21 of 53 (39.6% urine specimens of ALA patients. The test detected E. histolytica DNA in only 4 of 23 (17.4% urine specimens collected prior to metronidazole treatment, but were detected in 17 of 30 (56.7% urine specimens collected after treatment with metronidazole. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA for the detection of lectin E. histolytica antigen in the liver abscess pus showed a sensitivity of 50% and the indirect haemagglutination (IHA test for detection of amoebic antibodies in the serum showed a sensitivity of 76.8% for the diagnosis of the ALA. Conclusion The present study for the first time shows that the kidney barrier in ALA patients is permeable to E. histolytica DNA molecule resulting in excretion of E. histolytica DNA in urine which can be detected by PCR. The study also shows that the PCR for detection of E. histolytica DNA in urine of

The evolution of voids in the adhesion approximation

Science.gov (United States)

Sahni, Varun; Sathyaprakah, B. S.; Shandarin, Sergei F.

1994-08-01

We apply the adhesion approximation to study the formation and evolution of voids in the universe. Our simulations-carried out using 1283 particles in a cubical box with side 128 Mpc-indicate that the void spectrum evolves with time and that the mean void size in the standard Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE)-normalized cold dark matter (CDM) model with H50 = 1 scals approximately as bar D(z) = bar Dzero/(1+2)1/2, where bar Dzero approximately = 10.5 Mpc. Interestingly, we find a strong correlation between the sizes of voids and the value of the primordial gravitational potential at void centers. This observation could in principle, pave the way toward reconstructing the form of the primordial potential from a knowledge of the observed void spectrum. Studying the void spectrum at different cosmological epochs, for spectra with a built in k-space cutoff we find that the number of voids in a representative volume evolves with time. The mean number of voids first increases until a maximum value is reached (indicating that the formation of cellular structure is complete), and then begins to decrease as clumps and filaments erge leading to hierarchical clustering and the subsequent elimination of small voids. The cosmological epoch characterizing the completion of cellular structure occurs when the length scale going nonlinear approaches the mean distance between peaks of the gravitaional potential. A central result of this paper is that voids can be populated by substructure such as mini-sheets and filaments, which run through voids. The number of such mini-pancakes that pass through a given void can be measured by the genus characteristic of an individual void which is an indicator of the topology of a given void in intial (Lagrangian) space. Large voids have on an average a larger measure than smaller voids indicating more substructure within larger voids relative to smaller ones. We find that the topology of individual voids is strongly epoch dependent

Void nucleation at heterogeneities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyyedi, S.A.; Hadji-Mirzai, M.; Russell, K.C.

The energetics and kinetics of void nucleation at dislocations and interfaces are analyzed. These are potential void nucleation sites only when they are not point defect sinks. Both kinds of site are found to be excellent catalysts in the presence of inert gas

Changes in urination according to the sound of running water using a mobile phone application.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Whi-An; Kim, Sung Han; Kim, Sohee; Joung, Jae Young; Chung, Jinsoo; Lee, Kang Hyun; Lee, Sang-Jin; Seo, Ho Kyung

2015-01-01

The sound of running water (SRW) has been effectively used for toilet training during toddlerhood. However, the effect of SRW on voiding functions in adult males with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has not been evaluated. To determine the effect of SRW on urination in male patients with LUTS, multiple voiding parameters of uroflowmetry with postvoid residual urine (PVR) were assessed according to the presence of SRW played by a mobile application. Eighteen consecutive male patients with LUTS were prospectively enrolled between March and April 2014. Uroflowmetry with PVR measured by a bladder scan was randomly performed once weekly for two consecutive weeks with and without SRW in a completely sealed room after pre-checked bladder volume was scanned to be more than 150 cc. SRW was played with river water sounds amongst relaxed melodies from a smartphone mobile application. The mean age of enrolled patients and their mean International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) were 58.9 ± 7.7 years (range: 46-70) and 13.1 ± 5.9, respectively. All patients had not been prescribed any medications, including alpha-blockers or anti-muscarinic agents, in the last 3 months. There was a significant increase in mean peak flow rate (PFR) with SRW in comparison to without SRW (15.7 mL/s vs. 12.3 mL/s, respectively, p = 0.0125). However, there were no differences in other uroflowmetric parameters, including PVR. The study showed that SRW from a mobile phone application may be helpful in facilitating voiding functions by increasing PFR in male LUTS patients.

CT measurements of SAP voids in concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laustsen, Sara; Bentz, Dale P.; Hasholt, Marianne Tange

2010-01-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning is used to determine the SAP void distribution in hardened concrete. Three different approaches are used to analyse a binary data set created from CT measurement. One approach classifies a cluster of connected, empty voxels (volumetric pixel of a 3D image......) as one void, whereas the other two approaches are able to classify a cluster of connected, empty voxels as a number of individual voids. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) have been used to incorporate air into concrete. An advantage of using SAP is that it enables control of the amount and size...... of the created air voids. The results indicate the presence of void clusters. To identify the individual voids, special computational approaches are needed. The addition of SAP results in a dominant peak in two of the three air void distributions. Based on the position (void diameter) of the peak, it is possible...

Urine Collection in the Emergency Department: What Really Happens in There?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harrison Alter

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In women with suspected urinary tract infection (UTI, a non-contaminated voidedspecimen is considered important for valid urinalysis and culture results. We assess whethermidstream parted-labia catch (MSPC instructions were provided by nurses, understood, andperformed correctly, according to the patient.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of English- and Spanish-speaking female patientssubmitting voided urine samples for urinalysis for suspected UTI. The survey was conducted in apublic teaching hospital emergency department (ED from June to December 2010, beginning 2months after development and dissemination of a nursing MSPC instructions protocol. Researchassistants administered the survey within 2 hours of urine collection. Nurses were unaware of thestudy purpose.Results: Of 129 patients approached, 74 (57% consented and were included in the analysis.Median age was 35; 44% were Latino. Regarding instructions from nurses, patients reported thefollowing: 45 (61%; 95% CI 50-72% received any instructions; of whom 37 (82%; 95% CI 71-93%understood them completely. Sixteen (36%; 95% CI 22-51% were instructed to collect midstream;and 7 (16%; 95% CI 6-29% to part the labia. Regardless of receiving or understanding instructions,33 (45%; 95% CI 33-57% reported actually collecting midstream, and 11 (15%, 95% CI 8-25%parting the labia.Conclusion: In this ED, instructions for MSPC urine collection frequently were not given, despite anursing protocol, and patients rarely performed the essential steps. An evidence-based approachto urine testing in the ED that considers urine collection technique, is needed.

Convenient radioimmunoassay for urinary human choriogonadotropin without interference by urinary human lutropin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wehmann, R.E.; Harman, S.M.; Birken, S.; Canfield, R.E.; Nisula, B.C.

1981-01-01

We have devised a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for human choriogonadotropin (hCG) in first morning-voided urine specimens. Concanavalin A, a lectin, is used to extract and concentrate the hCG from urine. A high-affinity antiserum is used, directed to the hCGβ carboxy-terminal peptide, a unique immunological determinant not shared by the beta subunit of human lutropin. This ensures that urinary human lutropin-related molecules, which interfere with RIAs involving antisera to the intact hCGβ subunit, will not cross react in this assay. A concentration of hCG as low as 0.4 μg/L can be detected in the first morning-voided urine. The effective sensitivity of this assay for the unequivocal detection of hCG production is somewhat better than that achieved with the serum hCG RIA involving antisera to the hCGβ subunit. The improved specificity and sensitivity of this assay, and the greater convenience of collecting samples of urine rather than blood, are clinically useful advantages of this approach to assessing hCG production in humans

Alignment of voids in the cosmic web

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Platen, Erwin; van de Weygaert, Rien; Jones, Bernard J. T.

2008-01-01

We investigate the shapes and mutual alignment of voids in the large-scale matter distribution of a Lambda cold dark matter (Lambda CDM) cosmology simulation. The voids are identified using the novel watershed void finder (WVF) technique. The identified voids are quite non-spherical and slightly

Prolonged Detection of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Urine and Whole Blood in a Returned Short-term Traveler.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, G Khai Lin; Tio, Shio Yen; Caly, Leon; Nicholson, Suellen; Thevarajan, Irani; Papadakis, Georgina; Catton, Mike; Tong, Steven Y C; Druce, Julian

2017-01-01

We describe a fatal case of Japanese encephalitis virus infection following short-term travel to Thailand. Viral RNA was detected in urine and whole blood out to 26 and 28 days, respectively, after the onset of symptoms. Live virus was isolated from a urine specimen from day 14.

Analysis on void reactivity of DCA lattice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, B. J.; Noh, K. H.; Choi, H. B.; Yang, M. K.

2001-01-01

In case of loss of coolant accident, the void reactivity of CANDU fuel provides the positive reactivity and increases the reactor power rapidly. Therefore, it is required to secure credibility of the void reactivity for the design and analysis of reactor, which motivated a study to assess the measurement data of void reactivity. The assessment of lattice code was performed with the experimental data of void reactivity at 30, 70, 87 and 100% of void fractions. The infinite multiplication factors increased in four types of fuels as the void fractions of them grow. The infinite multiplication factors of uranium fuels are almost within 1%, but those of Pu fuels are over 10% by the results of WIMS-AECL and MCNP-4B codes. Moreover, coolant void reactivity of the core loaded with plutonium fuel is more negative compared with that with uranium fuel because of spectrum hardening resulting from large void fraction

Chromogenic culture media or rapid immunochromatographic test: Which is better for detecting Klebsiella pneumoniae that produce OXA-48 and can they be used in blood and urine specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Genc, Ozlem; Aksu, Evrim

2018-05-01

Our goal was to compare a rapid test (OXA-48K-SeT) and four different chromogenic media (CHROMagar KPC, CHROMagar mSuperCARBA, ChromID Carba and ChromID OXA-48) for the detection of OXA-48 producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and spiked urine/blood samples with these bacteria. In total 100 K.pneumoniae isolates, including 60 OXA-48 positive, 15 other carbapenemase producing, 15 Extended spectrum betalactamases (ESBL) positive and 10 carbapenem sensitive K.pneumoniae were included in the study. After all samples were inoculated into all chromogenic media, temocillin discs were placed onto the media. OXA-48K-SeT was studied according to the manufacturer's instructions and the lower detection limit was determined. Sensitivities and specificities of all chromogenic media and rapid test were detected as 100%. All of the OXA-48 producers were found resistant to temocillin on all chromogenic media. The lower detection limit of the rapid assay was determined as 10 6 in both direct bacterial samples and in spiked urine/blood samples. As a result, four chromogenic culture media and OXA-48 K-SeT can be used safely for detection of OXA-48 positive K.pneumoniae isolates. Although direct clinical specimens were not used, our study suggests that this media and OXA-48 K-SeT may be used in patient samples like blood and urine. Further studies are needed to assess this suggestion. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of human papillomavirus DNA in urine. A review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Vorsters, A; Micalessi, I; Bilcke, J; Ieven, M; Bogers, J; Van Damme, P

2012-05-01

The detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in urine, a specimen easily obtained by a non-invasive self-sampling method, has been the subject of a considerable number of studies. This review provides an overview of 41 published studies; assesses how different methods and settings may contribute to the sometimes contradictory outcomes; and discusses the potential relevance of using urine samples in vaccine trials, disease surveillance, epidemiological studies, and specific settings of cervical cancer screening. Urine sampling, storage conditions, sample preparation, DNA extraction, and DNA amplification may all have an important impact on HPV DNA detection and the form of viral DNA that is detected. Possible trends in HPV DNA prevalence in urine could be inferred from the presence of risk factors or the diagnosis of cervical lesions. HPV DNA detection in urine is feasible and may become a useful tool but necessitates further improvement and standardization.

Temperature controlled 'void' formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dasgupta, P.; Sharma, B.D.

1975-01-01

The nucleation and growth of voids in structural materials during high temperature deformation or irradiation is essentially dependent upon the existence of 'vacancy supersaturation'. The role of temperature dependent diffusion processes in 'void' formation under varying conditions, and the mechanical property changes associated with this microstructure are briefly reviewed. (author)

Dynamic void behavior in polymerizing polymethyl methacrylate cement.

Science.gov (United States)

Muller, Scott D; McCaskie, Andrew W

2006-02-01

Cement mantle voids remain controversial with respect to survival of total hip arthroplasty. Void evolution is poorly understood, and attempts at void manipulation can only be empirical. We induced voids in a cement model simulating the constraints of the proximal femur. Intravoid pressure and temperature were recorded throughout polymerization, and the initial and final void volumes were measured. Temperature-dependent peak intravoid pressures and void volume increases were observed. After solidification, subatmospheric intravoid pressures were observed. The magnitude of these observations could not be explained by the ideal gas law. Partial pressures of the void gas at peak pressures demonstrated a dominant effect of gaseous monomer, thereby suggesting that void growth is a pressure-driven phenomenon resulting from temperature-dependent evaporation of monomer into existing trapped air voids.

49 CFR 40.71 - How does the collector prepare the specimens?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... this requirement: you may use excess urine to conduct clinical tests (e.g., protein, glucose) if the... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false How does the collector prepare the specimens? 40.71 Section 40.71 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation PROCEDURES FOR...

Positive void reactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamond, D.J.

1992-09-01

This report is a review of some of the important aspects of the analysis of large loss-of-coolant accidents (LOCAs). One important aspect is the calculation of positive void reactivity. To study this subject the lattice physics codes used for void worth calculations and the coupled neutronic and thermal-hydraulic codes used for the transient analysis are reviewed. Also reviewed are the measurements used to help validate the codes. The application of these codes to large LOCAs is studied with attention focused on the uncertainty factor for the void worth used to bias the results. Another aspect of the subject dealt with in the report is the acceptance criteria that are applied. This includes the criterion for peak fuel enthalpy and the question of whether prompt criticality should also be a criterion. To study the former, fuel behavior measurements and calculations are reviewed. (Author) (49 refs., 2 figs., tab.)

Software quality assurance plan for void fraction instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimera, M.

1994-01-01

Waste Tank SY-101 has been the focus of extensive characterization work over the past few years. The waste continually generates gases, most notably hydrogen, which are periodically released from the waste. Gas can be trapped in tank waste in three forms: as void gas (bubbles), dissolved gas, or absorbed gas. Void fraction is the volume percentage of a given sample that is comprised of void gas. The void fraction instrument (VFI) acquires the data necessary to calculate void fraction. This document covers the product, Void Fraction Data Acquisition Software. The void fraction software being developed will have the ability to control the void fraction instrument hardware and acquire data necessary to calculate the void fraction in samples. This document provides the software quality assurance plan, verification and validation plan, and configuration management plan for developing the software for the instrumentation that will be used to obtain void fraction data from Tank SY-101

Failure by void coalescence in metallic materials containing primary and secondary voids subject to intense shearing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kim Lau; Tvergaard, Viggo

2011-01-01

Failure under intense shearing at close to zero stress triaxiality is widely observed for ductile metallic materials, and is identified in experiments as smeared-out dimples on the fracture surface. Numerical cell-model studies of equal sized voids have revealed that the mechanism governing...... this shear failure mode boils down to the interaction between primary voids which rotate and elongate until coalescence occurs under severe plastic deformation of the internal ligaments. The objective of this paper is to analyze this failure mechanism of primary voids and to study the effect of smaller...... secondary damage that co-exists with or nucleation in the ligaments between larger voids that coalesce during intense shearing. A numerical cell-model study is carried out to gain a parametric understanding of the overall material response for different initial conditions of the two void populations...

Elastic wave scattering from multiple voids (porosity)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, D.O.; Rose, J.H.; Thompson, R.B.; Wormley, S.J.

1983-01-01

This paper describes the development of an ultrasonic backscatter measurement technique which provides a convenient way to determine certain characteristics of a distribution of voids (porosity) in materials. A typical ultrasonic sample prepared by placing the ''frit'' in a crucible in an RF induction heater is shown. The results of the measurements were Fourier transformed into an amplitude-frequency description, and were then deconvolved with the transducer response function. Several properties needed to characterize a void distribution are obtained from the experimental results, including average void size, the spatial extent of the voids region, the average void separation, and the volume fraction of material contained in the void distribution. A detailed comparison of values obtained from the ultrasonic measurements with visually determined results is also given

Using voids to unscreen modified gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Falck, Bridget; Koyama, Kazuya; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Cautun, Marius

2018-04-01

The Vainshtein mechanism, present in many models of gravity, is very effective at screening dark matter haloes such that the fifth force is negligible and general relativity is recovered within their Vainshtein radii. Vainshtein screening is independent of halo mass and environment, in contrast to e.g. chameleon screening, making it difficult to test. However, our previous studies have found that the dark matter particles in filaments, walls, and voids are not screened by the Vainshtein mechanism. We therefore investigate whether cosmic voids, identified as local density minima using a watershed technique, can be used to test models of gravity that exhibit Vainshtein screening. We measure density, velocity, and screening profiles of stacked voids in cosmological N-body simulations using both dark matter particles and dark matter haloes as tracers of the density field. We find that the voids are completely unscreened, and the tangential velocity and velocity dispersion profiles of stacked voids show a clear deviation from Λ cold dark matter at all radii. Voids have the potential to provide a powerful test of gravity on cosmological scales.

Evaluation of the ARCHITECT urine NGAL assay: Assay performance, specimen handling requirements and biological variability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grenier, F.C.; Ali, S.; Syed, H.; Workman, R.; Martens, F.; Liao, M.; Wang, Y.; Wong, P.Y.

2010-01-01

Objectives: NGAL (Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin) has emerged as a new biomarker for the identification of acute kidney injury. Reliable clinical evaluations require a simple, robust test method for NGAL, and knowledge of specimen handling and specimen stability characteristics. We

Morphological Segregation in the Surroundings of Cosmic Voids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ricciardelli, Elena; Tamone, Amelie [Laboratoire d’Astrophysique, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1290 Sauverny (Switzerland); Cava, Antonio [Observatoire de Genève, Université de Genève, 51 Ch. des Maillettes, 1290 Versoix (Switzerland); Varela, Jesus, E-mail: elena.ricciardelli@epfl.ch [Centro de Estudios de Física del Cosmos de Aragón (CEFCA), Plaza San Juan 1, E-44001 Teruel (Spain)

2017-09-01

We explore the morphology of galaxies living in the proximity of cosmic voids, using a sample of voids identified in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. At all stellar masses, void galaxies exhibit morphologies of a later type than galaxies in a control sample, which represent galaxies in an average density environment. We interpret this trend as a pure environmental effect, independent of the mass bias, due to a slower galaxy build-up in the rarefied regions of voids. We confirm previous findings about a clear segregation in galaxy morphology, with galaxies of a later type being found at smaller void-centric distances with respect to the early-type galaxies. We also show, for the first time, that the radius of the void has an impact on the evolutionary history of the galaxies that live within it or in its surroundings. In fact, an enhanced fraction of late-type galaxies is found in the proximity of voids larger than the median void radius. Likewise, an excess of early-type galaxies is observed within or around voids of a smaller size. A significant difference in galaxy properties in voids of different sizes is observed up to 2 R {sub void}, which we define as the region of influence of voids. The significance of this difference is greater than 3 σ for all the volume-complete samples considered here. The fraction of star-forming galaxies shows the same behavior as the late-type galaxies, but no significant difference in stellar mass is observed in the proximity of voids of different sizes.

[Microbiota of urine and vagina of healthy postmenopausal women (a pilot study)].

Science.gov (United States)

Naboka, Yu L; Rymashevsky, A N; Kogan, M I; Gudima, I A; Borovleva, O A; Jalagonia, K T; Zarutskiy, S A

2016-02-01

Studying microbiota of different urogenital tract habitats in healthy postmenopausal women is of practical importance in deciding on the appropriateness of correction of dysbiotic disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the vaginal and urine microbiota of healthy postmenopausal women. The study included 20 healthy postmenopausal women (mean age 59,0+/-2,1 years). Duration of menopause in all subjects was more than 8 years. Bacteriological testing of urine and vaginal specimen was carried out on the extended media (15) for cultivating facultative anaerobic bacteria (FAB) and nonclostridial anaerobic bacteria (NAB) and included PCR of midstream morning urine. Among FAB in the urine and vagina dominated coagulase-negative staphylococci and NAB. Bacterial patterns of studied habitats turned out to be similar in many respects. In the urine Megasphaera spp., Veillonella spp., Prevotella spp., Mobiluncus spp., Fusobacterium spp. were found, whereas in the vagina these microorganisms were not present. Cluster analysis revealed no significant differences in the concentration of the same microorganisms isolated from the urine and vagina. When comparing the frequency of microorganism detection in urine by bacteriological method and by PCR, bacterial patterns were identical in 56% of cases.

Alpha-fetoprotein as a tool to distinguish amniotic fluid from urine, vaginal discharge, and semen.

Science.gov (United States)

Mor, Amir; Tal, Reshef; Haberman, Shoshana; McCalla, Sandra; Irani, Mohamad; Perlman, Jaqueline; Seifer, David B; Minkoff, Howard

2015-02-01

To estimate whether alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) can be used to distinguish amniotic fluid absorbed in sanitary pads from other similarly absorbed substances (semen, urine, and normal vaginal discharge). A prospective cohort study. Urine and amniotic fluid specimens were collected from 52 pregnant women admitted for labor. Semen specimens were collected from 17 men undergoing infertility evaluation. Alpha-fetoprotein concentrations were measured directly from urine, amniotic fluid, and semen and from pads instilled with samples from these specimens. Alpha-fetoprotein concentrations were also measured from pads absorbed with normal vaginal discharge collected from 27 pregnant women. Alpha-fetoprotein levels in amniotic fluid (245.38 ± 21.03 ng/mL, n = 52) were significantly higher than those measured in maternal urine (0.84 ± 0.17 ng/mL, n = 52, P < .001), or semen (1.52 ± 0.35 ng/mL, n = 17, P < .001). The same trend was seen when AFP was extracted from pads: amniotic fluid levels (19.44 ± 1.98 ng/mL, n=52) were significantly higher than those of urine (undetectable, n=52), semen (undetectable, n = 17), or normal vaginal discharge (0.53 ± 0.16 ng/mL, n = 27, P < .001). Receiver operator characteristic curve analysis demonstrated 96.2% sensitivity and 100% specificity for distinguishing the presence of amniotic fluid from normal vaginal discharge on sanitary pads (cutoff 3.88 ng/mL, area under the curve 0.99). When the diagnosis of rupture of membranes is in doubt, AFP levels can assist in differentiating amniotic fluid from other bodily fluids. A method that utilizes sanitary pads and an assay for AFP quantification may be an accurate and convenient way to confirm the diagnosis of rupture of membranes.

Indications for ureteropyeloscopy based on radiographic findings and urine cytology in detection of upper urinary tract carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takao, Akira; Saika, Takashi; Uehara, Shinya; Monden, Koichi; Abarzua, F.; Nasu, Yasutomo; Kumon, Hiromi

2010-01-01

The objective of this study was to verify the indication of diagnostic ureteropyeloscopy based on clinical features for upper urinary tract urothelial cancer with over 100 patients and over a 10-year series. From January 1997 to December 2008, consecutive 129 units in 124 patients underwent ureteropyeloscopy to obtain a definitive diagnosis of upper urinary tract cancer or to rule out a malignancy. Patients were divided into four subgroups based on voided urine cytology and preoperative radiographic findings: group A (n=8), positive urine cytology and positive radiographic findings; group B (n=4), positive cytology and negative radiographic findings; group C (n=55), negative cytology and positive radiographic findings and group D (n=62), gross hematuria originating from the upper urinary tract with negative cytology and negative radiographic findings. Ureteropyeloscopic findings were compared with radiographic and cytological results. Adverse effects were also investigated. In group A, all patients had confirmed cancer. In group B, one revealed small cancer and the remaining three confirmed carcinoma in situ by biopsy with ureteropyeloscopy. In groups C and D, 33 patients (60%) and four (6.5%) revealed cancer. Seventy-eight patients out of 80 (97.5%) in groups C and D were confirmed to have benign disease. No patient was found with malignancy during follow up after negative finding of ureteropyeloscopy. Ureteropyeloscopy can help in detecting upper urinary tract cancer or to rule out malignancy for patients with negative voiding cytology. However, ureteropyeloscopy is redundant for patients with positive radiographic findings and positive voiding cytology. (author)

Importance of sample preparation for molecular diagnosis of lyme borreliosis from urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmann, A R; Schmidt, B L; Derler, A-M; Aberer, E

2002-12-01

Urine PCR has been used for the diagnosis of Borrelia burgdorferi infection in recent years but has been abandoned because of its low sensitivity and the irreproducibility of the results. Our study aimed to analyze technical details related to sample preparation and detection methods. Crucial for a successful urine PCR were (i) avoidance of the first morning urine sample; (ii) centrifugation at 36,000 x g; and (iii) the extraction method, with only DNAzol of the seven different extraction methods used yielding positive results with patient urine specimens. Furthermore, storage of frozen urine samples at -80 degrees C reduced the sensitivity of a positive urine PCR result obtained with samples from 72 untreated erythema migrans (EM) patients from 85% in the first 3 months to samples was proven by hybridization with a GEN-ETI-K-DEIA kit and for a 10 further positive amplicons by sequencing. By using all of these steps to optimize the urine PCR technique, B. burgdorferi infection could be diagnosed by using urine samples from EM patients with a sensitivity (85%) substantially better than that of serological methods (50%). This improved method could be of future importance as an additional laboratory technique for the diagnosis of unclear, unrecognized borrelia infections and diseases possibly related to Lyme borreliosis.

The void nucleation mechanism within lead phase during spallation of leaded brass

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yang; Wang, Can; Chen, Xingzhi; Chen, Kaiguo; Hu, Haibo; Fu, Yanan

2018-07-01

The incipient spall behaviours of Cu-34%Zn-3%Pb leaded brass samples with annealed and cryogenic-treated conditions were loaded using one-stage light gas gun experiments. The effect of Pb-phase on dynamic damage nucleation in leaded brass specimens was investigated by means of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and x-ray computer tomography. It was found that the voids of incipient spall were mainly nucleated in the interior of the lead (no tensile stress would be produced within lead according to the impact theory) instead of nucleated at the phase interface as expected by quasi-static damage fracture theory. A nucleation model is proposed in the present work that is the asymmetry high compression zones in the centre of the lead-phase were formed by the rarefaction wave convergence effects of matrix/quasi-spherical lead interface, which caused adiabatic temperature rise that exceeded melting point of lead due to severe plastic deformation, finally led to local melting and void nucleation. In addition, the spall strength and damage rate increased with the increase in the Pb-phase number.

Development of the impedance void meter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Moon Ki; Song, Chul Hwa; Won, Soon Yeon; Kim, Bok Deuk [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1994-06-01

An impedance void meter is developed to measure the area-averaged void fraction. Its basic principle is based on the difference in the electrical conductivity between phases. Several methods of measuring void fraction are briefly reviewed and the reason why this type of void meter is chosen to develop is discussed. Basic principle of the measurement is thoroughly described and several design parameters to affect the overall function are discussed in detail. As example of applications is given for vertical air-water flow. It is shown that the current design has good dynamic response as well as very fine spatial resolution. (Author) 47 refs., 37 figs.

Is specific gravity a good estimate of urine osmolality?

Science.gov (United States)

Imran, Sethi; Eva, Goldwater; Christopher, Shutty; Flynn, Ethan; Henner, David

2010-01-01

Urine specific gravity (USG) is often used by clinicians to estimate urine osmolality. USG is measured either by refractometry or by reagent strip. We studied the correlation of USG obtained by either method with a concurrently obtained osmolality. Using our laboratory's records, we retrospectively gathered data on 504 urine specimens on patients on whom a simultaneously drawn USG and an osmolality were available. Out of these, 253 USG's were measured by automated refractometry and 251 USG's were measured by reagent strip. Urinalysis data on these subjects were used to determine the correlation between USG and osmolality, adjusting for other variables that may impact the relationship. The other variables considered were pH, protein, glucose, ketones, nitrates, bilirubin, urobilinogen, hemoglobin, and leukocyte esterase. The relationships were analyzed by linear regression. This study demonstrated that USG obtained by both reagent strip and refractometry had a correlation of approximately 0.75 with urine osmolality. The variables affecting the correlation included pH, ketones, bilirubin, urobilinogen, glucose, and protein for the reagent strip and ketones, bilirubin, and hemoglobin for the refractometry method. At a pH of 7 and with an USG of 1.010 predicted osmolality is approximately 300  mosm/kg/H(2)O for either method. For an increase in SG of 0.010, predicted osmolality increases by 182  mosm/kg/H(2) O for the reagent strip and 203  mosm/kg/H(2)O for refractometry. Pathological urines had significantly poorer correlation between USG and osmolality than "clean" urines. In pathological urines, direct measurement of urine osmolality should be used. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Stability studies of amphetamine and ephedrine derivatives in urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez, C; de la Torre, R; Ventura, M; Segura, J; Ventura, R

2006-10-20

Knowledge of the stability of drugs in biological specimens is a critical consideration for the interpretation of analytical results. Identification of proper storage conditions has been a matter of concern for most toxicology laboratories (both clinical and forensic), and the stability of drugs of abuse has been extensively studied. This concern should be extended to other areas of analytical chemistry like antidoping control. In this work, the stability of ephedrine derivatives (ephedrine, norephedrine, methylephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and norpseudoephedrine), and amphetamine derivatives (amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)) in urine has been studied. Spiked urine samples were prepared for stability testing. Urine samples were quantified by GC/NPD or GC/MS. The homogeneity of each batch of sample was verified before starting the stability study. The stability of analytes was evaluated in sterilized and non-sterilized urine samples at different storage conditions. For long-term stability testing, analyte concentration in urine stored at 4 degrees C and -20 degrees C was determined at different time intervals for 24 months for sterile urine samples, and for 6 months for non-sterile samples. For short-term stability testing, analyte concentration was evaluated in liquid urine stored at 37 degrees C for 7 days. The effect of repeated freezing (at -20 degrees C) and thawing (at room temperature) was also studied in sterile urine for up to three cycles. No significant loss of the analytes under study was observed at any of the investigated conditions. These results show the feasibility of preparing reference materials containing ephedrine and amphetamine derivatives to be used for quality control purposes.

Proximal tubule proteins are significantly elevated in bladder urine of patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction and may represent novel biomarkers: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerber, Claire; Harel, Miriam; Lynch, Miranda L; Herbst, Katherine W; Ferrer, Fernando A; Shapiro, Linda H

2016-04-01

Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is the major cause of hydronephrosis in children and may lead to renal injury and early renal dysfunction. However, diagnosis of the degree of obstruction and severity of renal injury relies on invasive and often inconclusive renal scans. Biomarkers from voided urine that detect early renal injury are highly desirable because of their noninvasive collection and their potential to assist in earlier and more reliable diagnosis of the severity of obstruction. Early in response to UPJO, increased intrarenal pressure directly impacts the proximal tubule brush border. We hypothesize that single-pass, apically expressed proximal tubule brush border proteins will be shed into the urine early and rapidly and will be reliable noninvasive urinary biomarkers, providing the tools for a more reliable stratification of UPJO patients. We performed a prospective cohort study at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. Bladder urine samples from 12 UPJO patients were obtained prior to surgical intervention. Control urine samples were collected from healthy pediatric patients presenting with primary nocturnal enuresis. We determined levels of NGAL, KIM-1 (previously identified biomarkers), CD10, CD13, and CD26 (potentially novel biomarkers) by ELISA in control and experimental urine samples. Urinary creatinine levels were used to normalize the urinary protein levels measured by ELISA. Each of the proximal tubule proteins outperformed the previously published biomarkers. No differences in urinary NGAL and KIM-1 levels were observed between control and obstructed patients (p = 0.932 and p = 0.799, respectively). However, levels of CD10, CD13, and CD26 were significantly higher in the voided urine of obstructed individuals when compared with controls (p = 0.002, p = 0.024, and p = 0.007, respectively) (Figure). Targeted identification of reliable, noninvasive biomarkers of renal injury is critical to aid in diagnosing patients at risk, guiding

38 CFR 3.207 - Void or annulled marriage.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 38 Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Void or annulled marriage... Void or annulled marriage. Proof that a marriage was void or has been annulled should consist of: (a... marriage void, together with such other evidence as may be required for a determination. (b) Annulled. A...

Effects of two-phase mixing and void drift models on subchannel void fraction predictions in vertical bundles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leung, K.H. [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario (Canada)], E-mail: leungk4@mcmaster.ca

2009-07-01

The evaluation of the subchannel code ASSERT against the OECD/NEA BFBT benchmark data demonstrated that at low pressures, the void fraction in the corner and side subchannels of a vertical bundle was over-predicted. Preliminary results suggest that this was due to the use of Carlucci's empirical correlation for void drift beyond its applicable range of pressure. Further examination indicates that the choice of the mixing and void drift models has a negligible effect on the error of the subchannel void fraction predictions. A single, isolated subchannel was simulated and results suggest that the root cause behind the over-prediction is inadequate mixing at the sides and corners of the bundle. Increasing the magnitude of the void drift coefficients in Carlucci's model at low pressure was found to improve the overall accuracy of the predictions. A simple correlation relating {omega} to the outlet pressure was found to increase the number of points falling within experimental error by 1.0%. (author)

Effects of two-phase mixing and void drift models on subchannel void fraction predictions in vertical bundles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leung, K.H.

2009-01-01

The evaluation of the subchannel code ASSERT against the OECD/NEA BFBT benchmark data demonstrated that at low pressures, the void fraction in the corner and side subchannels of a vertical bundle was over-predicted. Preliminary results suggest that this was due to the use of Carlucci's empirical correlation for void drift beyond its applicable range of pressure. Further examination indicates that the choice of the mixing and void drift models has a negligible effect on the error of the subchannel void fraction predictions. A single, isolated subchannel was simulated and results suggest that the root cause behind the over-prediction is inadequate mixing at the sides and corners of the bundle. Increasing the magnitude of the void drift coefficients in Carlucci's model at low pressure was found to improve the overall accuracy of the predictions. A simple correlation relating Ω to the outlet pressure was found to increase the number of points falling within experimental error by 1.0%. (author)

Sample handling for mass spectrometric proteomic investigations of human urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Petri, Anette Lykke; Høgdall, Claus; Christensen, Ib Jarle; Simonsen, Anja Hviid; T'jampens, Davy; Hellmann, Marja-Leena; Kjaer, Susanne Krüger; Fung, Eric T; Høgdall, Estrid

2008-09-01

Because of its non-invasive sample collection method, human urine is an attractive biological material both for discovering biomarkers and for use in future screening trials for different diseases. Before urine can be used for these applications, standardized protocols for sample handling that optimize protein stability are required. In this explorative study, we examine the influence of different urine collection methods, storage temperatures, storage times, and repetitive freeze-thaw procedures on the protein profiles obtained by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS). Prospectively collected urine samples from 11 women were collected as either morning or midday specimens. The effects of storage temperature, time to freezing, and freeze-thaw cycles were assessed by calculating the number, intensity, and reproducibility of peaks visualized by SELDI-TOF-MS. On the CM10 array, 122 peaks were detected and 28 peaks were found to be significantly different between urine types, storage temperature and time to freezing. On the IMAC-Cu array, 65 peaks were detected and 1 peak was found to be significantly different according to time to freezing. No significant differences were demonstrated for freeze-thaw cycles. Optimal handling and storage conditions are necessary in clinical urine proteomic investigations. Collection of urine with a single and consistently performed protocol is needed to reduce analytical bias. Collecting only one urine type, which is stored for a limited period at 4°C until freezing at -80°C prior to analysis will provide the most stable profiles. Copyright © 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Void Measurement by the ({gamma}, n) Reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rouhani, S Zia

1962-09-15

It is proposed to use the ({gamma}, n) reaction for the measurement of the integrated void volume fraction in two phase flow of D{sub 2}O inside a duct. This method is applicable to different channel geometries, and it is shown to be insensitive to the pattern of void distribution over the cross-sectional area of the channels The method has been tested on mock-ups of voids in a round duct of 6 mm inside diameter. About 40 m.c. {sup 24}Na was used as a source of gamma-rays. The test results show that the maximum measured error in this arrangement is less than 2.5 % (net void) for a range of 2.7 % to 44.44 % actual void volume fractions.

Void Measurement by the (γ, n) Reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouhani, S. Zia

1962-09-01

It is proposed to use the (γ, n) reaction for the measurement of the integrated void volume fraction in two phase flow of D 2 O inside a duct. This method is applicable to different channel geometries, and it is shown to be insensitive to the pattern of void distribution over the cross-sectional area of the channels The method has been tested on mock-ups of voids in a round duct of 6 mm inside diameter. About 40 m.c. 24 Na was used as a source of gamma-rays. The test results show that the maximum measured error in this arrangement is less than 2.5 % (net void) for a range of 2.7 % to 44.44 % actual void volume fractions

Automated urinalysis: first experiences and a comparison between the Iris iQ200 urine microscopy system, the Sysmex UF-100 flow cytometer and manual microscopic particle counting

OpenAIRE

Shayanfar, Noushin; Tobler, Ulrich; von Eckardstein, Arnold; Bestmann, Lukas

2007-01-01

Background: Automated analysis of insoluble urine components can reduce the workload of conventional microscopic examination of urine sediment and is possibly helpful for standardization. We compared the diagnostic performance of two automated urine sediment analyzers and combined dipstick/automated urine analysis with that of the traditional dipstick/microscopy algorithm. Methods: A total of 332 specimens were collected and analyzed for insoluble urine components by microscopy and automated ...

Estimation of creatinine in Urine sample by Jaffe's method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wankhede, Sonal; Arunkumar, Suja; Sawant, Pramilla D.; Rao, B.B.

2012-01-01

In-vitro bioassay monitoring is based on the determination of activity concentrations in biological samples excreted from the body and is most suitable for alpha and beta emitters. A truly representative bioassay sample is the one having all the voids collected during a 24-h period however, this being technically difficult, overnight urine samples collected by the workers are analyzed. These overnight urine samples are collected for 10-16 h, however in the absence of any specific information, 12 h duration is assumed and the observed results are then corrected accordingly obtain the daily excretion rate. To reduce the uncertainty due to unknown duration of sample collection, IAEA has recommended two methods viz., measurement of specific gravity and creatinine excretion rate in urine sample. Creatinine is a final metabolic product creatinine phosphate in the body and is excreted at a steady rate for people with normally functioning kidneys. It is, therefore, often used as a normalization factor for estimation of duration of sample collection. The present study reports the chemical procedure standardized and its application for the estimation of creatinine in urine samples collected from occupational workers. Chemical procedure for estimation of creatinine in bioassay samples was standardized and applied successfully for its estimation in bioassay samples collected from the workers. The creatinine excretion rate observed for these workers is lower than observed in literature. Further, work is in progress to generate a data bank of creatinine excretion rate for most of the workers and also to study the variability in creatinine coefficient for the same individual based on the analysis of samples collected for different duration

Evaluation of upper urinary tract tumors by FISH in Chinese patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Shan, Zhengfei; Wu, Peng; Zheng, Shaobin; Tan, Wanlong; Zhou, Haikuan; Zuo, Yi; Qi, Huan; Zhang, Peng; Peng, Hongmei; Wang, Yanfen

2010-12-01

Upper urinary tract tumor (UUTT) usually presents a high grade and stage, and recurs frequently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay on chromosomes 3, 7, 9, and 17 as a reliable and noninvasive method for the diagnosis of Chinese patients with UUTT. Urine specimens from 50 patients with UUTT and 25 donors without evidence of urothelial tumors were analyzed by cytology and FISH. Voided urine samples from 20 normal individuals were used to establish the cut-off values for FISH assay. The McNemar test was applied for sensitivity and specificity. The overall sensitivity of FISH was statistically significantly greater than that of cytology (84.0 vs. 40.0%, P = 0.000). The overall specificities of FISH and urine cytology were all 96.0% (P = 1.000). Polysomy in chromosomes 3, 7, and 17 were 38, 42, and 30%, respectively. Heterozygous and homozygous loss of the p16 locus was found in 36 and 32%, respectively. FISH analysis performed on cells collected from voided urine is feasible, and FISH could prove to be a reliable and less invasive ancillary test and improve the sensitivity of urine cytology in the diagnosis of UUTT. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Parabens in 24 h urine samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank from 1995 to 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Moos, Rebecca K; Koch, Holger M; Angerer, Jürgen; Apel, Petra; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Brüning, Thomas; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

2015-10-01

Parabens are widely used as antimicrobial preservatives in personal care and consumer products, food and pharmaceuticals. Due to their ubiquity, humans are constantly exposed to these chemicals. We assessed exposure to nine parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, n- and iso-propyl-, n- and iso-butyl-, benzyl-, pentyl- and heptyl paraben) in the German population from 1995 to 2012 based on 660 24h urine samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) using on-line HPLC coupled to isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.5 μg/L for all parabens. We detected methyl-, ethyl- and n-propyl paraben in 79-99% of samples, followed by n-butyl paraben in 40% of samples. We infrequently detected iso-butyl-, iso-propyl- and benzyl paraben in 24%, 4% and 1.4% of samples, respectively. Urinary concentrations were highest for methyl paraben (median 39.8 μg/L; 95th percentile 319 μg/L) followed by n-propyl paraben (4.8 μg/L; 95th percentile 74.0 μg/L) and ethyl paraben (2.1 μg/L; 95th percentile 39.1 μg/L). Women had significantly higher urinary levels for all parabens than men, except for benzyl paraben. Samples from the ESB revealed that over the investigation period of nearly 20 years urinary paraben levels remained surprisingly constant; only methyl paraben had a significant increase, for both men and women. We found strong correlations between methyl- and n-propyl paraben and between n- and iso-butyl paraben. These results indicate that parabens are used in combination and arise from common sources of exposure. Urinary excretion factors are needed to extrapolate from individual urinary concentrations to actual doses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Pores and Void in Asclepiades’ Physical Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Leith, David

2012-01-01

This paper examines a fundamental, though relatively understudied, aspect of the physical theory of the physician Asclepiades of Bithynia, namely his doctrine of pores. My principal thesis is that this doctrine is dependent on a conception of void taken directly from Epicurean physics. The paper falls into two parts: the first half addresses the evidence for the presence of void in Asclepiades’ theory, and concludes that his conception of void was basically that of Epicurus; the second half focuses on the precise nature of Asclepiadean pores, and seeks to show that they represent void interstices between the primary particles of matter which are the constituents of the human body, and are thus exactly analogous to the void interstices between atoms within solid objects in Epicurus’ theory. PMID:22984299

A NEW STATISTICAL PERSPECTIVE TO THE COSMIC VOID DISTRIBUTION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pycke, J-R; Russell, E.

2016-01-01

In this study, we obtain the size distribution of voids as a three-parameter redshift-independent log-normal void probability function (VPF) directly from the Cosmic Void Catalog (CVC). Although many statistical models of void distributions are based on the counts in randomly placed cells, the log-normal VPF that we obtain here is independent of the shape of the voids due to the parameter-free void finder of the CVC. We use three void populations drawn from the CVC generated by the Halo Occupation Distribution (HOD) Mocks, which are tuned to three mock SDSS samples to investigate the void distribution statistically and to investigate the effects of the environments on the size distribution. As a result, it is shown that void size distributions obtained from the HOD Mock samples are satisfied by the three-parameter log-normal distribution. In addition, we find that there may be a relation between the hierarchical formation, skewness, and kurtosis of the log-normal distribution for each catalog. We also show that the shape of the three-parameter distribution from the samples is strikingly similar to the galaxy log-normal mass distribution obtained from numerical studies. This similarity between void size and galaxy mass distributions may possibly indicate evidence of nonlinear mechanisms affecting both voids and galaxies, such as large-scale accretion and tidal effects. Considering the fact that in this study, all voids are generated by galaxy mocks and show hierarchical structures in different levels, it may be possible that the same nonlinear mechanisms of mass distribution affect the void size distribution.

Validation and calculation of uncertainties of the method of determination of creatinine in urine in internal dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sierra Barcedo, I.; Hernandez Gonzalez, C.; Benito Alonso, P.; Lopez Zarza, C.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the methodology used Lo conduct the validation of the quantification technique of content by specLrophoLomeLry creatinine in urine sarnples of exposed workers at risk of internal counterirritant, and the sludgy of ah sources uncertainty that influence in the proceas. This technique is used Lo carry ouL Lhe normahizaLion of Lhe amount of urine to urinary 24h, necessary for dosimeLric purposes, as well as a criterion for accepLance ox rejecLion of urine specimens received by the laboraLory.

49 CFR Appendix C to Part 219 - Post-Accident Testing Specimen Collection

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... the transfer of the blood tubes on the second line of STEP 5 (the chain of custody block). E. Collect... (the chain of custody block). F. Seal the Individual Employee Kit a. The blood and urine specimens have... railroad representatives handling the box shall document chain of custody of the shipping box and shall...

Urine exosomes from healthy and hypertensive pregnancies display elevated level of - α-subunit and cleaved - α- and γ-subunits of the epithelial sodium channel--ENaC

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Maria Ravn; Frederiksen-Møller, Britta; Langkilde, Rikke Zachar

2017-01-01

Preeclampsia is characterized by hypertension, proteinuria, suppression of plasma renin-angiotensin-aldosterone, and impaired urine sodium excretion. Aberrantly filtered plasmin in urine may activate proteolytically the γ-subunit of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and promote Na+ reabsorption...... aldosterone was higher in pregnancy compared to non-pregnancy, and the urine Na/K ratio was lower in preeclampsia compared to healthy pregnancy. Exosome markers ALIX and AQP-2 were stably associated with exosomes across groups. Exosomal α-ENaC-subunit migrated at 75 kDa and dominantly at 50 k......Da and was significantly elevated in pregnancy. In human kidney cortex tissue and two of four pelvis catheter urine, ~90-100 kDa full-length γ-ENaC was detected while no full-length γ-ENaC but 75, 60, and 37 kDa variants dominated in voided urine exosomes. There was no difference in γ-ENaC protein abundances between...

Nonlocal plasticity effects on interaction of different size voids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvergaard, Viggo; Niordson, Christian Frithiof

2004-01-01

A nonlocal elastic-plastic material model is used to show that the rate of void growth is significantly reduced when the voids are small enough to be comparable with a characteristic material length. For a very small void in the material between much larger voids the competition between...... dimensional array of spherical voids. It is shown that the high growth rate of very small voids predicted by conventional plasticity theory is not realistic when the effect of a characteristic length, dependent on the dislocation structure, is accounted for. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved....

Effect of helium on void formation in nickel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brimhall, J.L.; Simonen, E.P.

1977-01-01

This study examines the influence of helium on void formation in self-ion irradiated nickel. Helium was injected either simultaneously with, or prior to, the self-ion bombardment. The void microstructure was characterized as a function of helium deposition rate and the total heavy-ion dose. In particular, at 575 0 C and 5 X 10 -3 displacements per atom per second the void density is found to be proportional to the helium deposition rate. The dose dependence of swelling is initially dominated by helium driven nucleation. The void density rapidly saturates after which swelling continues with increasing dose only from void growth. It is concluded that helium promotes void nucleation in nickel with either helium implantation technique, pre-injection or simultaneous injection. Qualitative differences, however, are recognized. (Auth.)

The urine metabolome differs between lean and overweight Labrador Retriever dogs during a feed-challenge.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josefin Söder

Full Text Available Obesity in dogs is an increasing problem and better knowledge of the metabolism of overweight dogs is needed. Identification of molecular changes related to overweight may lead to new methods to improve obesity prevention and treatment. The aim of the study was firstly to investigate whether Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR based metabolomics could be used to differentiate postprandial from fasting urine in dogs, and secondly to investigate whether metabolite profiles differ between lean and overweight dogs in fasting and postprandial urine, respectively. Twenty-eight healthy intact male Labrador Retrievers were included, 12 of which were classified as lean (body condition score (BCS 4-5 on a 9-point scale and 16 as overweight (BCS 6-8. After overnight fasting, a voided morning urine sample was collected. Dogs were then fed a high-fat mixed meal and postprandial urine was collected after 3 hours. Metabolic profiles were generated using NMR and 45 metabolites identified from the spectral data were evaluated using multivariate data analysis. The results revealed that fasting and postprandial urine differed in relative metabolite concentration (partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA 1 comp: R2Y = 0.4, Q2Y = 0.32; cross-validated ANOVA: P = 0.00006. Univariate analyses of discriminant metabolites showed that taurine and citrate concentrations were elevated in postprandial urine, while allantoin concentration had decreased. Interestingly, lean and overweight dogs differed in terms of relative metabolite concentrations in postprandial urine (PLS-DA 1 comp: R2Y = 0.5, Q2Y = 0.36, cross-validated ANOVA: P = 0.005 but not in fasting urine. Overweight dogs had lower postprandial taurine and a trend of higher allantoin concentrations compared with lean dogs. These findings demonstrate that metabolomics can differentiate 3-hour postprandial urine from fasting urine in dogs, and that postprandial urine metabolites may be more useful than fasting

Should measurement of maximum urinary flow rate and residual urine volume be a part of a "minimal care" assessment programme in female incontinence?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sander, Pia; Mouritsen, L; Andersen, J Thorup

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of routine measurements of urinary flow rate and residual urine volume as a part of a "minimal care" assessment programme for women with urinary incontinence in detecting clinical significant bladder emptying problems. MATERIAL AND METHODS....... Twenty-six per cent had a maximum flow rate less than 15 ml/s, but only 4% at a voided volume > or =200 ml. Residual urine more than 149 ml was found in 6%. Two women had chronic retention with overflow incontinence. Both had typical symptoms with continuous leakage, stranguria and chronic cystitis...

Urine Cytology

Science.gov (United States)

Urine cytology Overview Urine cytology is a test to look for abnormal cells in your urine. It's used with other tests and procedures to diagnose ... bladder cancer. Your doctor might recommend a urine cytology test if you have blood in your urine ( ...

Impact of benign prostatic hyperplasia surgical treatment on voiding and urinary bladder filling symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milićević Snježana

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP is one of the most common diseases of elderly men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia to voiding and urinary bladder filling symptoms. Quantification of voiding and filling symptoms was done with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS. Method. The study included 80 patients with BHP, of whom 40 were treated with open prostatectomy (group A, and other 40 with transurethral resection of prostate gland (group B. All the patients were under 80 years old (average age in the group A was 70.23 years with a variation interval of 21 years, and in the group B 69.37 years with a variation interval of 22 years, with a value of IPSS > 19 points, quantity of residual urine higher than 150 mL, the weight of benign prostatic gland hyperplasia tissue over 30 grams for the method of prostate transurethral resection, and over 80 grams for the method of open prostatectomy. To all patients, for two times, the value of IPSS was determined, and then in a postoperative period in time intervals of 4 and 12 weeks. Results. Arithmetic mean of IPSS preoperatively was 32.05 points in the group A and 31.75 points in the group B. During the postoperative check-ups in time intervals of 4 and 12 weeks, arithmetic means of IPSS in the group A were 5.4 and 1.85 points, respectively, and in the group B 11.425 and 9.025 points, respectively. Surgical treatment had better effect on voiding symptoms than on urinary bladder filling ones. Conclusion. After the mentioned surgical procedures a significant reduction of the lower urinary tract symptoms quantified by the IPSS was observed. Surgical treatment of BHP had a more pronounced effect on the voiding symptoms in relation to filling ones.

Voids and superstructures: correlations and induced large-scale velocity flows

Science.gov (United States)

Lares, Marcelo; Luparello, Heliana E.; Maldonado, Victoria; Ruiz, Andrés N.; Paz, Dante J.; Ceccarelli, Laura; Garcia Lambas, Diego

2017-09-01

The expanding complex pattern of filaments, walls and voids build the evolving cosmic web with material flowing from underdense on to high density regions. Here, we explore the dynamical behaviour of voids and galaxies in void shells relative to neighbouring overdense superstructures, using the Millenium simulation and the main galaxy catalogue in Sloan Digital Sky Survey data. We define a correlation measure to estimate the tendency of voids to be located at a given distance from a superstructure. We find voids-in-clouds (S-types) preferentially located closer to superstructures than voids-in-voids (R-types) although we obtain that voids within ˜40 h-1 Mpc of superstructures are infalling in a similar fashion independently of void type. Galaxies residing in void shells show infall towards the closest superstructure, along with the void global motion, with a differential velocity component depending on their relative position in the shell with respect to the direction to the superstructure. This effect is produced by void expansion and therefore is stronger for R-types. We also find that galaxies in void shells facing the superstructure flow towards the overdensities faster than galaxies elsewhere at the same relative distance to the superstructure. The results obtained for the simulation are also reproduced for the Sky Survey Data Release data with a linearized velocity field implementation.

Void migration, coalescence and swelling in fusion materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, G.A.

2003-01-01

A recent analysis of the migration of voids and bubbles, produced in neutron irradiated fusion materials, is outlined. The migration, brought about by thermal hopping of atoms on the surface of a void, is normally a random Brownian motion but, in a temperature gradient, can be slightly biassed up the gradient. Two effects of such migrations are the transport of voids and trapped transmutation helium atoms to grain boundaries, where embrittlement may result; and the coalescence of migrating voids, which reduces the number of non-dislocation sites available for the capture of knock-on point defects and thereby enables the dislocation bias process to maintain void swelling. A selection of candidate fusion power plant armour and structural metals have been analysed. The metals most resistant to void migration and its effects are tungsten and molybdenum. Steel and beryllium are least so and vanadium is intermediate

VIDE: The Void IDentification and Examination toolkit

Science.gov (United States)

Sutter, P. M.; Lavaux, G.; Hamaus, N.; Pisani, A.; Wandelt, B. D.; Warren, M.; Villaescusa-Navarro, F.; Zivick, P.; Mao, Q.; Thompson, B. B.

2015-03-01

We present VIDE, the Void IDentification and Examination toolkit, an open-source Python/C++ code for finding cosmic voids in galaxy redshift surveys and N-body simulations, characterizing their properties, and providing a platform for more detailed analysis. At its core, VIDE uses a substantially enhanced version of ZOBOV (Neyinck 2008) to calculate a Voronoi tessellation for estimating the density field and performing a watershed transform to construct voids. Additionally, VIDE provides significant functionality for both pre- and post-processing: for example, VIDE can work with volume- or magnitude-limited galaxy samples with arbitrary survey geometries, or dark matter particles or halo catalogs in a variety of common formats. It can also randomly subsample inputs and includes a Halo Occupation Distribution model for constructing mock galaxy populations. VIDE uses the watershed levels to place voids in a hierarchical tree, outputs a summary of void properties in plain ASCII, and provides a Python API to perform many analysis tasks, such as loading and manipulating void catalogs and particle members, filtering, plotting, computing clustering statistics, stacking, comparing catalogs, and fitting density profiles. While centered around ZOBOV, the toolkit is designed to be as modular as possible and accommodate other void finders. VIDE has been in development for several years and has already been used to produce a wealth of results, which we summarize in this work to highlight the capabilities of the toolkit. VIDE is publicly available at http://bitbucket.org/cosmicvoids/vide_public and http://www.cosmicvoids.net.

Development of quick-response area-averaged void fraction meter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Hironori; Iguchi, Tadashi; Kimura, Mamoru; Anoda, Yoshinari

2000-11-01

Authors are performing experiments to investigate BWR thermal-hydraulic instability under coupling of neutronics and thermal-hydraulics. To perform the experiment, it is necessary to measure instantaneously area-averaged void fraction in rod bundle under high temperature/high pressure gas-liquid two-phase flow condition. Since there were no void fraction meters suitable for these requirements, we newly developed a practical void fraction meter. The principle of the meter is based on the electrical conductance changing with void fraction in gas-liquid two-phase flow. In this meter, metal flow channel wall is used as one electrode and a L-shaped line electrode installed at the center of flow channel is used as the other electrode. This electrode arrangement makes possible instantaneous measurement of area-averaged void fraction even under the metal flow channel. We performed experiments with air/water two-phase flow to clarify the void fraction meter performance. Experimental results indicated that void fraction was approximated by α=1-I/I o , where α and I are void fraction and current (I o is current at α=0). This relation holds in the wide range of void fraction of 0∼70%. The difference between α and 1-I/I o was approximately 10% at maximum. The major reasons of the difference are a void distribution over measurement area and an electrical insulation of the center electrode by bubbles. The principle and structure of this void fraction meter are very basic and simple. Therefore, the meter can be applied to various fields on gas-liquid two-phase flow studies. (author)

Immunohistochemical detection of hTERT in urothelial lesions: a potential adjunct to urine cytology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalbuss Walid

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Urine cytology has a critical role in evaluation for bladder carcinoma. Due to the low sensitivity of this technique, ancillary modalities such as the detection of markers of malignancy by immunochemistry are desirable. Promising factors in this context are components of the human telomerase enzyme complex. Telomerase repairs and extend telomeres, which when eroded beyond a critical limit trigger a senescence checkpoint. Accordingly, while absent in normal somatic cells, telomerase activity has been detected in the great majority of malignant tumor specimens tested, and so has potential value for the recognition of malignant cells in clinical specimens. Methods In this study, we investigated whether the immunohistochemical detection of the catalytic subunit of telomerase (hTERT can aid cytology in the diagnosis of bladder lesions. Findings from the retrospective evaluation of over 100 cell blocks, including urine sediments from confirmed malignant and benign conditions, were compared with routine urine cytology data. Results The presence of hTERT protein was indicative of the transformation of urothelia to a malignant phenotype. Nucleolar hTERT was expressed in 27 (93% of 29 samples obtained from patients with confirmed primary bladder cancer. Conversely, hTERT was detectable in only 3 (0.8% of 39 samples from benign conditions. The hTERT assay showed higher diagnostic sensitivity (84.8% than published urine cytology data (~65% for confirmed bladder carcinoma, however, the hTERT assay was less specific than cytology (65.2% vs. ~95% respectively. Conclusion As a highly sensitive marker, immunohistochemical hTERT detection in urine sediments represents a reliable adjunct to cytology in the accurate diagnosis of urothelial neoplasms.

Three-dimensional simulations of void collapse in energetic materials

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Nirmal Kumar; Udaykumar, H. S.

2018-03-01

The collapse of voids in porous energetic materials leads to hot-spot formation and reaction initiation. This work advances the current knowledge of the dynamics of void collapse and hot-spot formation using 3D reactive void collapse simulations in HMX. Four different void shapes, i.e., sphere, cylinder, plate, and ellipsoid, are studied. For all four shapes, collapse generates complex three-dimensional (3D) baroclinic vortical structures. The hot spots are collocated with regions of intense vorticity. The differences in the vortical structures for the different void shapes are shown to significantly impact the relative sensitivity of the voids. Voids of high surface area generate hot spots of greater intensity; intricate, highly contorted vortical structures lead to hot spots of corresponding tortuosity and therefore enhanced growth rates of reaction fronts. In addition, all 3D voids are shown to be more sensitive than their two-dimensional (2D) counterparts. The results provide physical insights into hot-spot formation and growth and point to the limitations of 2D analyses of hot-spot formation.

Nucleation of voids - the impurity effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, I-W; Taiwo, A.

1984-01-01

Nucleation of voids under irradiation in multicomponent alloys remains an unsolved theoretical problem. Of particular interest are the effects of nonequilibrium solute segregation phenomena on the critical nucleus and the nucleation rate. The resolution of the multicomponent nucleation in a dissipative system also has broader implication to the field of irreversible thermodynamics. The present paper describes a recent study of solute segregation effects in void nucleation. We begin with a thermodynamic model for a nonequilibrium void with interfacial segregation. The thermodynamic model is coupled with kinetic considerations of solute/solvent diffusion under a bias, which is itself related to segregation by the coating effect, to assess the stability of void embryos. To determine nucleation rate, we develop a novel technique by extending the most probable path method in statistical mechanics for nonequilibrium steady state to simulate large fluctuation with nonlinear dissipation. The path of nucleation is determined by solving an analogous problem on particle trajectory in classical dynamics. The results of both the stability analysis and the fluctuation analysis establish the paramount significance of the impurity effect via the mechanism of nonequilibrium segregation. We conclude that over-segregation is probably the most general cause for the apparently low nucleation barriers that are responsible for nearly ubiquitous occurrence of void swelling in common metals

The Metallicity of Void Dwarf Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Kreckel, K.; Croxall, K.; Groves, B.; van de Weygaert, R.; Pogge, R. W.

2015-01-01

The current ΛCDM cosmological model predicts that galaxy evolution proceeds more slowly in lower density environments, suggesting that voids are a prime location to search for relatively pristine galaxies that are representative of the building blocks of early massive galaxies. To test the assumption that void galaxies are more pristine, we compare the evolutionary properties of a sample of dwarf galaxies selected specifically to lie in voids with a sample of similar isolated dwarf galaxies in average density environments. We measure gas-phase oxygen abundances and gas fractions for eight dwarf galaxies (Mr > -16.2), carefully selected to reside within the lowest density environments of seven voids, and apply the same calibrations to existing samples of isolated dwarf galaxies. We find no significant difference between these void dwarf galaxies and the isolated dwarf galaxies, suggesting that dwarf galaxy chemical evolution proceeds independent of the large-scale environment. While this sample is too small to draw strong conclusions, it suggests that external gas accretion is playing a limited role in the chemical evolution of these systems, and that this evolution is instead dominated mainly by the internal secular processes that are linking the simultaneous growth and enrichment of these galaxies.

Oral Fluid vs. Urine Analysis to Monitor Synthetic Cannabinoids and Classic Drugs Recent Exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Blandino, Vincent; Wetzel, Jillian; Kim, Jiyoung; Haxhi, Petrit; Curtis, Richard; Concheiro, Marta

2017-01-01

Urine is a common biological sample to monitor recent drug exposure, and oral fluid is an alternative matrix of increasing interest in clinical and forensic toxicology. Limited data are available about oral fluid vs. urine drug disposition, especially for synthetic cannabinoids. To compare urine and oral fluid as biological matrices to monitor recent drug exposure among HIV-infected homeless individuals. Seventy matched urine and oral fluid samples were collected from 13 participants. Cannabis, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cocaine and opiates were analyzed in urine by the enzyme-multipliedimmunoassay- technique and in oral fluid by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS). Eleven synthetic cannabinoids were analyzed in urine and in oral fluid by LC-MSMS. Five oral fluid samples were positive for AB-FUBINACA. In urine, 4 samples tested positive for synthetic cannabinoids PB-22, 5-Fluoro-PB-22, AB-FUBINACA, and metabolites UR-144 5-pentanoic acid and UR-144 4-hydroxypentyl. In only one case, oral fluid and urine results matched, both specimens being AB-FUBINACA positive. For cannabis, 40 samples tested positive in urine and 30 in oral fluid (85.7% match). For cocaine, 37 urine and 52 oral fluid samples were positive (75.7% match). Twenty-four urine samples were positive for opiates, and 25 in oral fluid (81.4% match). For benzodiazepines, 23 samples were positive in urine and 25 in oral fluid (85.7% match). These results offer new information about drugs disposition between urine and oral fluid. Oral fluid is a good alternative matrix to urine for monitoring cannabis, cocaine, opiates and benzodiazepines recent use; however, synthetic cannabinoids showed mixed results. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Post Operative Voiding Efficacy after Anterior Colporrhaphy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behnoosh Miladpoor

2010-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the most effective and suitable time to remove the urinary catheter (Foley after anterior and posterior colporrhaphy surgery. Patients who experience anterior Colporrhaphy operation for genuine stress incontinency or pelvic organ prolapsed will have post operative voiding dysfunction. These patients need postoperative drainage. One of the methods preferred for this purpose is to apply Foley Catheter, but there is no particular regimen available for the exact time of catheter removal in these patients. We have tried to find out the best time to remove Foley catheter after which the repeated Foley catheter is not required or minimized. One hundred and eighty nine patients who have been undergone Colporrhaphy have been selected randomly and divided into three groups' as 1, 2 and 4 days of catheter removal. The number of patients in each group was 62, 63 and 64 respectively. In all three groups, before removing urinary catheter, it was clamped every 4 hrs, for 3 times. After removing of Foley, the patients were guided for urination; the voiding and residual volume was measured. In the patients with an increase of residual volume, the  repeated Foley requirement was increased. However,  5.6 % of the patients with residual volume of ≤ 33 percent and 23.9% of the patients with residual volume between 33 to 68 percent, and finally  64.8% of the patients with residual volume of ≥ 68% had repeated Foley insertion. When considering the number of days, 85, 65 and 35.7 percent of the patients needed repeated Foley after 1, 2, and 4 days of catheter removal respectively. Interestingly, in the third group ( 4 days of the catheter removal with residual volume of ≤ 33% the repeated Foley requirement was nil, with no increase risk of urinary infection. We suggest that the best time to remove the urinary Foley catheter after anterior and posterior Colporrhaphy is the day four.

Effect of void cluster on ductile failure evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvergaard, Viggo

2016-01-01

The behavior of a non-uniform void distribution in a ductile material is investigated by using a cell model analysis to study a material with a periodic pattern of void clusters. The special clusters considered consist of a number of uniformly spaced voids located along a plane perpendicular...

Bilirubin - urine

Science.gov (United States)

Conjugated bilirubin - urine; Direct bilirubin - urine ... Bilirubin is not normally found in the urine. ... Increased levels of bilirubin in the urine may be due to: Biliary tract disease Cirrhosis Gallstones in the biliary tract Hepatitis Liver disease ...

Coolant Void Reactivity Analysis of CANDU Lattice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jin Su; Lee, Hyun Suk; Tak, Tae Woo; Lee, Deok Jung [UNIST, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Models of CANDU-6 and ACR-700 fuel lattices were constructed for a single bundle and 2 by 2 checkerboard to understand the physics related to CVR. Also, a familiar four factor formula was used to predict the specific contributions to reactivity change in order to achieve an understanding of the physics issues related to the CVR. At the same time, because the situation of coolant voiding should bring about a change of neutron behavior, the spectral changes and neutron current were also analyzed. The models of the CANDU- 6 and ACR-700 fuel lattices were constructed using the Monte Carlo code MCNP6 using the ENDF/B-VII.0 continuous energy cross section library based on the specification from AECL. The CANDU fuel lattice was searched through sensitivity studies of each design parameter such as fuel enrichment, fuel pitch, and types of burnable absorber for obtaining better behavior in terms of CVR. Unlike the single channel coolant voiding, the ACR-700 bundle has a positive reactivity change upon 2x2 checkerboard coolant voiding. Because of the new path for neutron moderation, the neutrons from the voided channel move to the no-void channel where they lose energy and come back to the voided channel as thermal neutrons. This phenomenon causes the positive CVR when checkerboard voiding occurs. The sensitivity study revealed the effects of the moderator to fuel volume ratio, fuel enrichment, and burnable absorber on the CVR. A fuel bundle with low moderator to fuel volume ratio and high fuel enrichment can help achieve negative CVR.

Friction stir welding process to repair voids in aluminum alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Rosen, Charles D. (Inventor); Litwinski, Edward (Inventor); Valdez, Juan M. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

The present invention provides an in-process method to repair voids in an aluminum alloy, particularly a friction stir weld in an aluminum alloy. For repairing a circular void or an in-process exit hole in a weld, the method includes the steps of fabricating filler material of the same composition or compatible with the parent material into a plug form to be fitted into the void, positioning the plug in the void, and friction stir welding over and through the plug. For repairing a longitudinal void (30), the method includes machining the void area to provide a trough (34) that subsumes the void, fabricating filler metal into a strip form (36) to be fitted into the trough, positioning the strip in the trough, and rewelding the void area by traversing a friction stir welding tool longitudinally through the strip. The method is also applicable for repairing welds made by a fusing welding process or voids in aluminum alloy workpieces themselves.

Antibiogram of escherichia coli isolated from urine samples at a tertiary care hospital

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudary, Z.A.; Hasan, A.; Alizai, S.A.

2015-01-01

To determine prevalence and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the E. coli isolated from urine in our setup, especially in low income group of population. Methodology: The study was carried out from July 2010 to June 2011 at surgical and urological units of a hospital in Islamabad. E.coli were isolated from urine specimens by following standard microbiological techniques. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed by using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion techniques according to CLSI guidelines. Results: The prevalence of E. coli isolated from urine samples was 28.22%. Highest resistance was seen against ampicillin (80.3%). Imipenem was found out to be highly effective. Conclusion: Imipenem, ciprofloxacin and sparfloxacin can be reliably used against E. coli causing urinary tract infections. Gentamicin and moxifloxacin also showed satisfactory results. (author)

On nonlinear excitation of voids in dusty plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nebbat, E.; Annou, R.; Bharuthram, R.

2007-01-01

The void, which is a dust-free region inside the dust cloud in the plasma, results from a balance of the electrostatic force and the ion-drag force on a dust particulate that has numerous forms, some of which are based on models whereas others are driven from first principles. To explain the generation of voids, K. Avinash, A. Bhattacharjee, and S. Hu [Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 075001 (2003)] proposed a time-dependent nonlinear model that describes the void as a result of an instability. We augment this model by incorporating the grain drift and reintroducing the velocity convective term as well as by replacing the modeled ion-drag force by a more accurate one. The analysis is conducted in a spherical configuration. It is revealed that the void formation is a threshold phenomenon, i.e., it depends on the grain size. Furthermore, the void possesses a sharp boundary beyond which the dust density decreases and may present a corrugated aspect. For big size grains, the use of both ion-drag forces leads to voids of the same dimension, though for grains of small sizes, the Avinash force drives voids of a higher dimension. The model shows good agreement with the experiment

Specimen preparation by ion beam slope cutting for characterization of ductile damage by scanning electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Besserer, Hans-Bernward; Gerstein, Gregory; Maier, Hans Jürgen; Nürnberger, Florian

2016-04-01

To investigate ductile damage in parts made by cold sheet-bulk metal forming a suited specimen preparation is required to observe the microstructure and defects such as voids by electron microscopy. By means of ion beam slope cutting both a targeted material removal can be applied and mechanical or thermal influences during preparation avoided. In combination with scanning electron microscopy this method allows to examine voids in the submicron range and thus to analyze early stages of ductile damage. In addition, a relief structure is formed by the selectivity of the ion bombardment, which depends on grain orientation and microstructural defects. The formation of these relief structures is studied using scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction and the use of this side effect to interpret the microstructural mechanisms of voids formation by plastic deformation is discussed. A comprehensive investigation of the suitability of ion beam milling to analyze ductile damage is given at the examples of a ferritic deep drawing steel and a dual phase steel. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Simulation of dust voids in complex plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Goedheer, W. J.; Land, V.

2008-12-01

In dusty radio-frequency (RF) discharges under micro-gravity conditions often a void is observed, a dust free region in the discharge center. This void is generated by the drag of the positive ions pulled out of the discharge by the electric field. We have developed a hydrodynamic model for dusty RF discharges in argon to study the behaviour of the void and the interaction between the dust and the plasma background. The model is based on a recently developed theory for the ion drag force and the charging of the dust. With this model, we studied the plasma inside the void and obtained an understanding of the way it is sustained by heat generated in the surrounding dust cloud. When this heating mechanism is suppressed by lowering the RF power, the plasma density inside the void decreases, even below the level where the void collapses, as was recently shown in experiments on board the International Space Station. In this paper we present results of simulations of this collapse. At reduced power levels the collapsed central cloud behaves as an electronegative plasma with corresponding low time-averaged electric fields. This enables the creation of relatively homogeneous Yukawa balls, containing more than 100 000 particles. On earth, thermophoresis can be used to balance gravity and obtain similar dust distributions.

High performance of a new PCR-based urine assay for HPV-DNA detection and genotyping.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanzi, Elisabetta; Bianchi, Silvia; Fasolo, Maria Michela; Frati, Elena R; Mazza, Francesca; Martinelli, Marianna; Colzani, Daniela; Beretta, Rosangela; Zappa, Alessandra; Orlando, Giovanna

2013-01-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing has been proposed as a means of replacing or supporting conventional cervical screening (Pap test). However, both methods require the collection of cervical samples. Urine sample is easier and more acceptable to collect and could be helpful in facilitating cervical cancer screening. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of urine testing compared to conventional cervical smear testing using a PCR-based method with a new, designed specifically primer set. Paired cervical and first voided urine samples collected from 107 women infected with HIV were subjected to HPV-DNA detection and genotyping using a PCR-based assay and a restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) were calculated using the McNemar's test for differences. Concordance between tests was assessed using the Cohen's unweighted Kappa (k). HPV DNA was detected in 64.5% (95% CI: 55.1-73.1%) of both cytobrush and urine samples. High concordance rates of HPV-DNA detection (k = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.90-1.0) and of high risk-clade and low-risk genotyping in paired samples (k = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.67-0.92 and k = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.60-0.88, respectively) were observed. HPV-DNA detection in urine versus cervix testing revealed a sensitivity of 98.6% (95% CI: 93.1-99.9%) and a specificity of 97.4% (95% CI: 87.7-99.9%), with a very high NPV (97.4%; 95% CI: 87.7-99.9%). The PCR-based assay utilized in this study proved highly sensitive and specific for HPV-DNA detection and genotyping in urine samples. These data suggest that a urine-based assay would be a suitable and effective tool for epidemiological surveillance and, most of all, screening programs. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Void formation and its impact on Cu−Sn intermetallic compound formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, Glenn; Vuorinen, Vesa; Paulasto-Kröckel, Mervi

2016-01-01

Void formation in the Cu−Sn system has been identified as a major reliability issue with small volume electronic interconnects. Voids form during the interdiffusion of electrochemically deposited Cu and Sn, with varying magnitude and density. Electroplating parameters include the electrolytic chemistry composition and the electroplating current density, all of which appear to effect the voiding characteristics of the Cu−Sn system. In addition, interfacial voiding affects the growth kinetics of the Cu_3Sn and Cu_6Sn_5 intermetallic compounds of the Cu−Sn system. The aim here is to present voiding data as a function of electroplating chemistry and current density over a duration (up to 72 h) of isothermal annealing at 423 K (150 °C). Voiding data includes the average interfacial void size and average void density. Voids sizes grew proportionally as a function of thermal annealing time, whereas the void density grew initially very quickly but tended to saturate at a fixed density. A morphological evolution analysis called the physicochemical approach is utilised to understand the processes that occur when a voided Cu/Cu_3Sn interface causes changes to the IMC phase growth. The method is used to simulate the intermetallic thickness growths' response to interfacial voiding. The Cu/Cu_3Sn interface acts as a Cu diffusion barrier disrupting the diffusion of Cu. This resulted in a reduction in the Cu_3Sn thickness and an accelerated growth rate of Cu_6Sn_5. - Highlights: • Average void size is proportional linearly to thermal annealing time. • Average void density grows initially very rapidly followed by saturation. • Voids located close to the Cu/Cu_3Sn interface affect IMC growth rates. • Voids act as a diffusion barrier inhibiting Cu diffusion towards Sn. • Voids located at the interface cause Cu_3Sn to be consumed by Cu_6Sn_5.

Myoglobin urine test

Science.gov (United States)

Urine myoglobin; Heart attack - myoglobin urine test; Myositis - myoglobin urine test; Rhabdomyolysis - myoglobin urine test ... The test involves only normal urination, which should cause no discomfort.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository

Science.gov (United States)

McMonigal, Kathleen A.; Pietrzyk, Robert a.; Johnson, Mary Anne

2008-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository (Repository) is a storage bank that is used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. Samples from the International Space Station (ISS), including blood and urine, will be collected, processed and archived during the preflight, inflight and postflight phases of ISS missions. This investigation has been developed to archive biosamples for use as a resource for future space flight related research. The International Space Station (ISS) provides a platform to investigate the effects of microgravity on human physiology prior to lunar and exploration class missions. The storage of crewmember samples from many different ISS flights in a single repository will be a valuable resource with which researchers can study space flight related changes and investigate physiological markers. The development of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository will allow for the collection, processing, storage, maintenance, and ethical distribution of biosamples to meet goals of scientific and programmatic relevance to the space program. Archiving of the biosamples will provide future research opportunities including investigating patterns of physiological changes, analysis of components unknown at this time or analyses performed by new methodologies.

Kvaliteten af resistensbestemmelser på urin i almen praksis er generelt god

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Per; Knudsen, Anette Flindt; Højbjerg, Tove

2012-01-01

a program for quality assessment. National quality requirements for susceptibility examinations have already been established. The clinical microbiological departments send simulated urines with bacteria of common UTI strains. The specimens are examined in general practice with routine methods. The results...... for a two-year period of susceptibility examinations are reported. Generally, the quality criteria were met....

Estimating population salt intake in India using spot urine samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Kristina S; Johnson, Claire; Mohan, Sailesh; Rogers, Kris; Shivashankar, Roopa; Thout, Sudhir Raj; Gupta, Priti; He, Feng J; MacGregor, Graham A; Webster, Jacqui; Santos, Joseph Alvin; Krishnan, Anand; Maulik, Pallab K; Reddy, K Srinath; Gupta, Ruby; Prabhakaran, Dorairaj; Neal, Bruce

2017-11-01

To compare estimates of mean population salt intake in North and South India derived from spot urine samples versus 24-h urine collections. In a cross-sectional survey, participants were sampled from slum, urban and rural communities in North and in South India. Participants provided 24-h urine collections, and random morning spot urine samples. Salt intake was estimated from the spot urine samples using a series of established estimating equations. Salt intake data from the 24-h urine collections and spot urine equations were weighted to provide estimates of salt intake for Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh. A total of 957 individuals provided a complete 24-h urine collection and a spot urine sample. Weighted mean salt intake based on the 24-h urine collection, was 8.59 (95% confidence interval 7.73-9.45) and 9.46 g/day (8.95-9.96) in Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, respectively. Corresponding estimates based on the Tanaka equation [9.04 (8.63-9.45) and 9.79 g/day (9.62-9.96) for Delhi and Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, respectively], the Mage equation [8.80 (7.67-9.94) and 10.19 g/day (95% CI 9.59-10.79)], the INTERSALT equation [7.99 (7.61-8.37) and 8.64 g/day (8.04-9.23)] and the INTERSALT equation with potassium [8.13 (7.74-8.52) and 8.81 g/day (8.16-9.46)] were all within 1 g/day of the estimate based upon 24-h collections. For the Toft equation, estimates were 1-2 g/day higher [9.94 (9.24-10.64) and 10.69 g/day (9.44-11.93)] and for the Kawasaki equation they were 3-4 g/day higher [12.14 (11.30-12.97) and 13.64 g/day (13.15-14.12)]. In urban and rural areas in North and South India, most spot urine-based equations provided reasonable estimates of mean population salt intake. Equations that did not provide good estimates may have failed because specimen collection was not aligned with the original method.

Evaluation of high-resolution mass spectrometry for urine toxicology screening in a pain management setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Crews, Bridgit O; Pesce, Amadeo J; West, Robert; Nguyen, Hugh; Fitzgerald, Robert L

2012-01-01

To evaluate liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HR-MS) for urine toxicology screening, 29 analytes were quantitated in 152 urine specimens from patients with chronic pain using two unique mass spectrometry platforms. De-identified specimens were quantitated in April of 2011 by liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) and by full-scan LC-HR-MS at Millennium Laboratories. Considering LC-MS-MS as the reference method, false positive results were identified in 19 specimens measured by LC-HR-MS. Application of relative retention times using deuterium labeled internal standards improved the rate of false positive detection to only five specimens, with four occurring for the same analyte. Ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry (R = 100,000 at m/z 200) showed no improvement over high-resolution mass spectrometry (R = 10,000 at m/z 200) in the number of false positives detected. Quantitative results measured by LC-MS-MS and LC-HR-MS showed good agreement over four orders of dynamic range. This study demonstrates that LC-HR-MS is a suitable platform for toxicology screening for a pain management population and that quantitative accuracy and sensitivity are comparable to that achieved with LC-MS-MS. The specificity of LC-HR-MS is improved by the addition of deuterium labeled internal standards and the implementation of relative retention time matching.

Ketones urine test

Science.gov (United States)

Ketone bodies - urine; Urine ketones; Ketoacidosis - urine ketones test; Diabetic ketoacidosis - urine ketones test ... Urine ketones are usually measured as a "spot test." This is available in a test kit that ...

An observation on positive rate of HBsAg in the urine of patients suffering from positive serum HBsAg

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peixun, Lin; Mingzheng, Zeng; Xiaoling, Chai [Wuhan Eighth Municipal Hospital, HB (China). Dept. of Laboratory

1989-08-01

In 1983, the Virus Research Office of the Shanxi Research Insitute of Preventive Medicine found out the granules of hepatitis B virus from the urine of patients and proved that this kind of virus can be spread through the urine. With the help of self-developed method of radio immunoelectrophoresis, our research office has purified and concentrated the urine of the patients suffering from positive serum HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen). Among them 25 are male, and another 25 are female. The result shows that the positive rate of HBsAg accounts for 80%. This is of important significance to the care of urine specimens, the protection of experimentalists and the development of clinical medicine.

Learning from errors: analysis of medication order voiding in CPOE systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kannampallil, Thomas G; Abraham, Joanna; Solotskaya, Anna; Philip, Sneha G; Lambert, Bruce L; Schiff, Gordon D; Wright, Adam; Galanter, William L

2017-07-01

Medication order voiding allows clinicians to indicate that an existing order was placed in error. We explored whether the order voiding function could be used to record and study medication ordering errors. We examined medication orders from an academic medical center for a 6-year period (2006-2011; n  = 5 804 150). We categorized orders based on status (void, not void) and clinician-provided reasons for voiding. We used multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association between order voiding and clinician, patient, and order characteristics. We conducted chart reviews on a random sample of voided orders ( n  = 198) to investigate the rate of medication ordering errors among voided orders, and the accuracy of clinician-provided reasons for voiding. We found that 0.49% of all orders were voided. Order voiding was associated with clinician type (physician, pharmacist, nurse, student, other) and order type (inpatient, prescription, home medications by history). An estimated 70 ± 10% of voided orders were due to medication ordering errors. Clinician-provided reasons for voiding were reasonably predictive of the actual cause of error for duplicate orders (72%), but not for other reasons. Medication safety initiatives require availability of error data to create repositories for learning and training. The voiding function is available in several electronic health record systems, so order voiding could provide a low-effort mechanism for self-reporting of medication ordering errors. Additional clinician training could help increase the quality of such reporting. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Air void clustering.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-01

Air void clustering around coarse aggregate in concrete has been identified as a potential source of : low strengths in concrete mixes by several Departments of Transportation around the country. Research was : carried out to (1) develop a quantitati...

Void formation and its impact on Cu−Sn intermetallic compound formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, Glenn, E-mail: Glenn.Ross@aalto.fi; Vuorinen, Vesa; Paulasto-Kröckel, Mervi

2016-08-25

Void formation in the Cu−Sn system has been identified as a major reliability issue with small volume electronic interconnects. Voids form during the interdiffusion of electrochemically deposited Cu and Sn, with varying magnitude and density. Electroplating parameters include the electrolytic chemistry composition and the electroplating current density, all of which appear to effect the voiding characteristics of the Cu−Sn system. In addition, interfacial voiding affects the growth kinetics of the Cu{sub 3}Sn and Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5} intermetallic compounds of the Cu−Sn system. The aim here is to present voiding data as a function of electroplating chemistry and current density over a duration (up to 72 h) of isothermal annealing at 423 K (150 °C). Voiding data includes the average interfacial void size and average void density. Voids sizes grew proportionally as a function of thermal annealing time, whereas the void density grew initially very quickly but tended to saturate at a fixed density. A morphological evolution analysis called the physicochemical approach is utilised to understand the processes that occur when a voided Cu/Cu{sub 3}Sn interface causes changes to the IMC phase growth. The method is used to simulate the intermetallic thickness growths' response to interfacial voiding. The Cu/Cu{sub 3}Sn interface acts as a Cu diffusion barrier disrupting the diffusion of Cu. This resulted in a reduction in the Cu{sub 3}Sn thickness and an accelerated growth rate of Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5}. - Highlights: • Average void size is proportional linearly to thermal annealing time. • Average void density grows initially very rapidly followed by saturation. • Voids located close to the Cu/Cu{sub 3}Sn interface affect IMC growth rates. • Voids act as a diffusion barrier inhibiting Cu diffusion towards Sn. • Voids located at the interface cause Cu{sub 3}Sn to be consumed by Cu{sub 6}Sn{sub 5}.

Automated color classification of urine dipstick image in urine examination

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmat, R. F.; Royananda; Muchtar, M. A.; Taqiuddin, R.; Adnan, S.; Anugrahwaty, R.; Budiarto, R.

2018-03-01

Urine examination using urine dipstick has long been used to determine the health status of a person. The economical and convenient use of urine dipstick is one of the reasons urine dipstick is still used to check people health status. The real-life implementation of urine dipstick is done manually, in general, that is by comparing it with the reference color visually. This resulted perception differences in the color reading of the examination results. In this research, authors used a scanner to obtain the urine dipstick color image. The use of scanner can be one of the solutions in reading the result of urine dipstick because the light produced is consistent. A method is required to overcome the problems of urine dipstick color matching and the test reference color that have been conducted manually. The method proposed by authors is Euclidean Distance, Otsu along with RGB color feature extraction method to match the colors on the urine dipstick with the standard reference color of urine examination. The result shows that the proposed approach was able to classify the colors on a urine dipstick with an accuracy of 95.45%. The accuracy of color classification on urine dipstick against the standard reference color is influenced by the level of scanner resolution used, the higher the scanner resolution level, the higher the accuracy.

Extravasation of the contrast media during voiding cystourethrography in a long-term spinal cord injury patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Kovindha, A; Sivasomboon, C; Ovatakanont, P

2005-07-01

To present complications and pitfalls in voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) and introduce a guideline for performing VCUG in a long-term spinal cord injury (SCI) patient with neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NBD) and contracted bladder. A case report. Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. We describe a chronic C(5) tetraplegic man with NBD and contracted bladder, who developed autonomic dysreflexia (AD), gross hematuria and extravasation of contrast median during VCUG. A foley catheter was retained after VCUG. AD was resolved and urine cleared after a week of continuous bladder irrigation. VCUG should be performed with caution in a long-term SCI patient with NBD and contracted bladder. Forceful pushing of the contrast media by the hand-injection method caused abrupt distention of the contracted bladder, damaged bladder mucosa and aggrevated AD. We suggest a guideline as follows: report bladder capacity and AD, if present, in an X-ray requisition form; use the gravity-drip method, stop the drip and drain the contrast media if a sudden headache and rising of blood pressure (BP) develop; observe urine colour, and report if bleeding or AD occurs.

N-Acetyl-S-(n-Propyl)-L-Cysteine in Urine from Workers Exposed to 1-Bromopropane in Foam Cushion Spray Adhesives

Science.gov (United States)

Hanley, Kevin W.; Petersen, Martin R.; Cheever, Kenneth L.; Luo, Lian

2009-01-01

1-Bromopropane (1-BP) has been marketed as an alternative for ozone depleting and other solvents; it is used in aerosol products, adhesives, metal, precision, and electronics cleaning solvents. Mechanisms of toxicity of 1-BP are not fully understood, but it may be a neurological and reproductive toxicant. Sparse exposure information prompted this study using 1-BP air sampling and urinary metabolites. Mercapturic acid conjugates are excreted in urine from 1-BP metabolism involving debromination. Research objectives were to evaluate the utility of urinary N-acetyl-S-(n-propyl)-L-cysteine (AcPrCys) for assessing exposure to 1-BP and compare it to urinary bromide [Br(−)] previously reported for these workers. Forty-eight-hour urine specimens were obtained from 30 workers at two factories where 1-BP spray adhesives were used to construct polyurethane foam seat cushions. Urine specimens were also obtained from 21 unexposed control subjects. All the workers' urine was collected into composite samples representing three time intervals: at work, after work but before bedtime, and upon awakening. Time-weighted average (TWA) geometric mean breathing zone concentrations were 92.4 and 10.5 p.p.m. for spraying and non-spraying jobs, respectively. Urinary AcPrCys showed the same trend as TWA exposures to 1-BP: higher levels were observed for sprayers. Associations of AcPrCys concentrations, adjusted for creatinine, with 1-BP TWA exposure were statistically significant for both sprayers (P < 0.05) and non-sprayers (P < 0.01). Spearman correlation coefficients for AcPrCys and Br(−) analyses determined from the same urine specimens were highly correlated (P < 0.0001). This study confirms that urinary AcPrCys is an important 1-BP metabolite and an effective biomarker for highly exposed foam cushion workers. PMID:19706636

LOG-NORMAL DISTRIBUTION OF COSMIC VOIDS IN SIMULATIONS AND MOCKS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Russell, E.; Pycke, J.-R., E-mail: er111@nyu.edu, E-mail: jrp15@nyu.edu [Division of Science and Mathematics, New York University Abu Dhabi, P.O. Box 129188, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates)

2017-01-20

Following up on previous studies, we complete here a full analysis of the void size distributions of the Cosmic Void Catalog based on three different simulation and mock catalogs: dark matter (DM), haloes, and galaxies. Based on this analysis, we attempt to answer two questions: Is a three-parameter log-normal distribution a good candidate to satisfy the void size distributions obtained from different types of environments? Is there a direct relation between the shape parameters of the void size distribution and the environmental effects? In an attempt to answer these questions, we find here that all void size distributions of these data samples satisfy the three-parameter log-normal distribution whether the environment is dominated by DM, haloes, or galaxies. In addition, the shape parameters of the three-parameter log-normal void size distribution seem highly affected by environment, particularly existing substructures. Therefore, we show two quantitative relations given by linear equations between the skewness and the maximum tree depth, and between the variance of the void size distribution and the maximum tree depth, directly from the simulated data. In addition to this, we find that the percentage of voids with nonzero central density in the data sets has a critical importance. If the number of voids with nonzero central density reaches ≥3.84% in a simulation/mock sample, then a second population is observed in the void size distributions. This second population emerges as a second peak in the log-normal void size distribution at larger radius.

Void nucleation at elevated temperatures under cascade-damage irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semenov, A.A.; Woo, C.H.

2002-01-01

The effects on void nucleation of fluctuations respectively due to the randomness of point-defect migratory jumps, the random generation of free point defects in discrete packages, and the fluctuating rate of vacancy emission from voids are considered. It was found that effects of the cascade-induced fluctuations are significant only at sufficiently high total sink strength. At lower sink strengths and elevated temperatures, the fluctuation in the rate of vacancy emission is the dominant factor. Application of the present theory to the void nucleation in annealed pure copper neutron-irradiated at elevated temperatures with doses of 10 -4 -10 -2 NRT dpa showed reasonable agreement between theory and experiment. This application also predicts correctly the temporal development of large-scale spatial heterogeneous microstructure during the void nucleation stage. Comparison between calculated and experimental void nucleation rates in neutron-irradiated molybdenum at temperatures where vacancy emission from voids is negligible showed reasonable agreement as well. It was clearly demonstrated that the athermal shrinkage of relatively large voids experimentally observable in molybdenum at such temperatures may be easily explained in the framework of the present theory

Urine cup for collection of urine from cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Fellner, V; Weiss, M F; Belo, A T; Belyea, R L; Martz, F A; Orma, A H

1988-08-01

A urine cup for continuous and complete collection of urine from cows was constructed from Plastisol, cotton webb strapping, Velcro Brand touch fasteners [corrected], snap-fasteners, denim patches, weather stripping, and vacuum hose. The urine cup was made from Plastisol using a heated lead mold. It was large enough to enclose a 9 cm x 6 cm area around the vulva of a cow and was attached by strapping and Velcro Brand touch fasteners [corrected] to patches glued to the rump. Urine cups were used repeatedly and provided for long-term collection of urine from cows, eliminating the need for indwelling catheters. Applications include long-term nutrient balance, radioisotope, and metabolism studies.

Influence of void ratio on thermal performance of heat pipe receiver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gui Xiaohong; Tang Dawei; Liang Shiqiang; Lin Bin; Yuan Xiugan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The temperature gradient increases significantly and the utility ratio of PCM decreases obviously as void ratio increases. ► Void cavity influences the process of phase change greatly. ► PCM melts slowly during sunlight periods and freezes slowly during eclipse periods as void ratio increases. ► The temperature gradient of PCM zone is very significant with the effect of void cavity. - Abstract: In this paper, influence of void ratio on thermal performance of heat pipe receiver under microgravity is numerically simulated. Accordingly, mathematical model is set up. Numerical method is offered. The temperature field of Phase Change Material (PCM) canister is shown. Numerical results are compared with numerical ones of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Numerical results show that the temperature gradient increases significantly and the utility ratio of PCM decreases obviously as void ratio increases. Void cavity influences the process of phase change greatly. PCM melts slowly during sunlight periods and freezes slowly during eclipse periods as void ratio increases. The thermal resistance of void cavity is much bigger than that of PCM canister wall. Void cavity prevents the heat transfer between PCM zone and canister wall. The temperature gradient of PCM zone is very significant with the effect of void cavity. So the thermal stress of heat pipe receiver may increase, and the lifetime may decrease as void ratio increases.

Evaluation of the Urine Protein/Creatinine Ratio Measured with the Dipsticks Clinitek Atlas PRO 12.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermida, Fernando J; Soto, Sonia; Benitez, Alfonso J

2016-01-01

Screening for urine proteins is recommended for the detection of albuminuria in high risk groups. The aim of this study was to compare the Clinitek Atlas PRO12 reagent urine strip with quantitative methods for the determination of protein/creatinine ratio and to evaluate the usefulness of the semi-quantitative Clinitek Atlas PRO12 reagent urine strip as a tool in the early detection of albuminuria among the general population. Six hundred first morning urine specimens were collected from outpatients with various clinical conditions. The results showed that the test data for the urine dipstick Clinitek Atlas PRO12 show good agreement with the quantitative measurement of protein, creatinine and protein/creatinine ratio. In addition, this study shows that 97.2% of the samples which gave "normal" protein/creatinine ratios by the semi-quantitative method, showed albumin/creatinine ratio < 30 mg/g by the quantitative methods. Our results show that Clinitek Atlas PRO12 reagent strips can be used for the purposes of albuminuria screening in the general population.

Natural Ca Isotope Composition of Urine as a Rapid Measure of Bone Mineral Balance

Science.gov (United States)

Skulan, J.; Gordon, G. W.; Morgan, J.; Romaniello, S. J.; Smith, S. M.; Anbar, A. D.

2011-12-01

Naturally occurring stable Ca isotope variations in urine are emerging as a powerful tool to detect changes in bone mineral balance. Bone formation depletes soft tissue of light Ca isotopes while bone resorption releases isotopically light Ca into soft tissue. Previously published work found that variations in Ca isotope composition could be detected at 4 weeks of bed rest in a 90-day bed rest study (data collected at 4, 8 and 12 weeks). A new 30-day bed rest study involved 12 patients on a controlled diet, monitored for 7 days prior to bed rest and 7 days post bed rest. Samples of urine, blood and food were collected throughout the study. Four times daily blood samples and per void urine samples were collected to monitor diurnal or high frequency variations. An improved chemical purification protocol, followed by measurement using multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) allowed accurate and precise determinations of mass-dependent Ca isotope variations in these biological samples to better than ±0.2% (δ44/42Ca) on studies as seen by X-ray measurements. This Ca isotope technique should accelerate the pace of discovery of new treatments for bone disease and provide novel insights into the dynamics of bone metabolism.

Microbiological test results using three urine pretreatment regimes with 316L stainless steel

Science.gov (United States)

Huff, Timothy L.

1993-01-01

Three urine pretreatments, (1) Oxone (Dupont) and sulfuric acid, (2) sodium hypochlorite and sulfuric acid, (3) and ozone, were studied for their ability to reduce microbial levels in urine and minimize surface attachment to 316L stainless steel coupons. Urine samples inoculated with Bacillus insolitus and a filamentous mold, organisms previously recovered from the vapor compression distillation subsystem of NASA Space Station Freedom water recovery test were tested in glass corrosion cells containing base or weld metal coupons. Microbial levels, changes in pH, color, turbidity, and odor of the fluid were monitored over the course of the 21-day test. Specimen surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy at completion of the test for microbial attachment. Ozonated urine samples were less turbid and had lower microbial levels than controls or samples receiving other pretreatments. Base metal coupons receiving pretreatment were relatively free of attached bacteria. However, well-developed biofilms were found in the heat-affected regions of welded coupons receiving Oxone and hypochlorite pretreatments. Few bacteria were observed in the same regions of the ozone pretreatment sample.

Void growth and coalescence in metals deformed at elevated temperature

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klöcker, H.; Tvergaard, Viggo

2000-01-01

For metals deformed at elevated temperatures the growth of voids to coalescence is studied numerically. The voids are assumed to be present from the beginning of deformation, and the rate of deformation considered is so high that void growth is dominated by power law creep of the material, without...... any noticeable effect of surface diffusion. Axisymmetric unit cell model computations are used to study void growth in a material containing a periodic array of voids, and the onset of the coalescence process is defined as the stage where plastic flow localizes in the ligaments between neighbouring...... voids. The focus of the study is on various relatively high stress triaxialties. In order to represent the results in terms of a porous ductile material model a set of constitutive relations are used, which have been proposed for void growth in a material undergoing power law creep....

Performance of a veterinary urine dipstick paddle system for diagnosis and identification of urinary tract infections in dogs and cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Ybarra, Winnie L; Sykes, Jane E; Wang, Yenlie; Byrne, Barbara A; Westropp, Jodi L

2014-04-01

To evaluate the performance of a veterinary urine dipstick paddle (UDP) for diagnosis and identification of urinary tract infection (UTI) in dogs and cats. Prospective, randomized, blinded study. 207 urine specimens. UDPs were inoculated by 2 investigators and incubated according to manufacturer's instructions. Results, including presence or absence of bacterial growth, organism counts, and identification of uropathogens, were compared between investigators and with microbiology laboratory results. A subset of UDPs with bacterial growth was submitted to the laboratory for confirmation. The laboratory reported 64 (30.9%) specimens had growth of bacteria. Bacterial growth was reported for 63 (30.4%) and 58 (28.0%) of the UDPs by investigators 1 and 2, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of the UDP for detection of bacterial growth were 97.3% and 98.6%, respectively, for investigator 1 and 89.1% and 99.3%, respectively, for investigator 2. For UPDs with ≥ 10(5) colony-forming units/mL, organism counts correlated well between the laboratory and investigators 1 (r = 0.95) and 2 (r = 0.89). Pathogen identification was not always accurate. Only 25 of 33 (75.8%) UDPs submitted for confirmation yielded bacteria consistent with those isolated from the original bacterial culture of urine. The veterinary UDP system was a sensitive test for screening patients for bacterial UTI, but uropathogen identification was not always accurate. When UDPs have bacterial growth, a fresh urine specimen should be submitted to the laboratory to confirm the identity of the organisms and to permit antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Effect of the critical size of initial voids on stress-induced migration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoyagi, Minoru

2004-01-01

The stress-induced migration phenomenon is one of the problems related to the reliability of metal interconnections in semiconductor devices. This phenomenon causes voids and fractures in interconnections. The basic feature of this phenomenon is vacancy migration to minute initial voids. Expanding initial voids grow into larger voids and fractures. The purpose of this work is to theoretically clarify the effects of residual thermal stress and void surface stress on the behavior of the initial voids which exist immediately after a passivation process. Using a spherical metal sample with a spherical void under external stress, vacancy absorption or emission was investigated between the void surface and the sample surface. The behavior of vacancies and atoms was also investigated in interconnections under residual thermal stress. We show that the void or sample surface becomes a vacancy sink or source, depending on the mutual relationship between the surface stress due to the surface-free energy and the residual thermal stress. We also reveal that the initial voids, which exist immediately after a passivation process, grow into larger voids and fractures when the size of the initial voids exceeds the critical size. If the size of the initial void can be controlled to below the critical size, voids and fractures do not occur

Stability of void lattices under irradiation: a kinetic model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benoist, P.; Martin, G.

1975-01-01

Voids are imbedded in a homogeneous medium where point defects are uniformly created and annihilated. As shown by a perturbation calculation, the proportion of the defects which are lost on the cavities goes through a maximum, when the voids are arranged on a translation lattice. If a void is displaced from its lattice site, its growth rate becomes anisotropic and is larger in the direction of the vacant site. The relative efficiency of BCC versus FCC void lattices for the capture of point defects is shown to depend on the relaxation length of the point defects in the surrounding medium. It is shown that the rate of energy dissipation in the crystal under irradiation is maximum when the voids are ordered on the appropriate lattice

Stability of void lattices under irradiation: a kinetic model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benoist, P.; Martin, G.

1975-01-01

Voids are imbedded in a homogeneous medium where point defects are uniformly created and annihilated. As shown by a perturbation calculation, the proportion of the defects which are lost on the cavities goes through a maximum, when the voids are arranged on a translation lattice. If a void is displaced from its lattice site, its growth the rate becomes anisotropic and is larger in the direction of the vacant site. The relative efficiency of BCC versus FCC void lattices for the capture of point defects is shown to depend on the relaxation length of the point defects in the surrounding medium. It is shown that the rate of energy dissipation in the crystal under irradiation is maximum when the voids are ordered on the appropriate lattice [fr

Work Capacity of the Bladder During Voiding: A Novel Method to Evaluate Bladder Contractile Function and Bladder Outlet Obstruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ning Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Work in voiding (WIV of the bladder may be used to evaluate bladder status throughout urination rather than at a single time point. Few studies, however, have assessed WIV owing to the complexity of its calculations. We have developed a method of calculating work capacity of the bladder while voiding and analyzed the associations of bladder work parameters with bladder contractile function and bladder outlet obstruction (BOO. Methods: The study retrospectively evaluated 160 men and 23 women, aged >40 years and with a detrusor pressure at maximal flow rate (P det Q max of ≥40 cmH 2 O in men, who underwent urodynamic testing. The bladder power integration method was used to calculate WIV; WIV per second (WIV/t and WIV per liter of urine voided (WIV/v were also calculated. In men, the relationships between these work capacity parameters and P det Q max and Abrams-Griffiths (AG number were determined using linear-by-linear association tests, and relationships between work capacity parameters and BOO grade were investigated using Spearman′s association test. Results: The mean WIV was 1.15 ± 0.78 J and 1.30 ± 0.88 J, mean WIV/t was 22.95 ± 14.45 mW and 23.78 ± 17.02 mW, and mean WIV/v was 5.59 ± 2.32 J/L and 2.83 ± 1.87 J/L in men and women, respectively. In men, WIV/v showed significant positive associations with P det Q max (r = 0.845, P = 0.000, AG number (r = 0.814, P = 0.000, and Schafer class (r = 0.726, P = 0.000. Conversely, WIV and WIV/t showed no associations with P det Q max or AG number. In patients with BOO (Schafer class > II, WIV/v correlated positively with increasing BOO grade. Conclusions: WIV can be calculated from simple urodynamic parameters using the bladder power integration method. WIV/v may be a marker of BOO grade, and the bladder contractile function can be evaluated by WIV and WIV/t.

NASA Biological Specimen Repository

Science.gov (United States)

McMonigal, K. A.; Pietrzyk, R. A.; Sams, C. F.; Johnson, M. A.

2010-01-01

The NASA Biological Specimen Repository (NBSR) was established in 2006 to collect, process, preserve and distribute spaceflight-related biological specimens from long duration ISS astronauts. This repository provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning may missions. The NBSR collects blood and urine samples from all participating ISS crewmembers who have provided informed consent. These biological samples are collected once before flight, during flight scheduled on flight days 15, 30, 60, 120 and within 2 weeks of landing. Postflight sessions are conducted 3 and 30 days after landing. The number of in-flight sessions is dependent on the duration of the mission. Specimens are maintained under optimal storage conditions in a manner that will maximize their integrity and viability for future research The repository operates under the authority of the NASA/JSC Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects to support scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment. The NBSR will institute guidelines for the solicitation, review and sample distribution process through establishment of the NBSR Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will be composed of representatives of all participating space agencies to evaluate each request from investigators for use of the samples. This process will be consistent with ethical principles, protection of crewmember confidentiality, prevailing laws and regulations, intellectual property policies, and consent form language. Operations supporting the NBSR are scheduled to continue until the end of U.S. presence on the ISS. Sample distribution is proposed to begin with selections on investigations beginning in 2017. The availability of the NBSR will contribute to the body of knowledge about the diverse factors of spaceflight on human physiology.

Automated air-void system characterization of hardened concrete: Helping computers to count air-voids like people count air-voids---Methods for flatbed scanner calibration

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, Karl

Since the discovery in the late 1930s that air entrainment can improve the durability of concrete, it has been important for people to know the quantity, spacial distribution, and size distribution of the air-voids in their concrete mixes in order to ensure a durable final product. The task of air-void system characterization has fallen on the microscopist, who, according to a standard test method laid forth by the American Society of Testing and Materials, must meticulously count or measure about a thousand air-voids per sample as exposed on a cut and polished cross-section of concrete. The equipment used to perform this task has traditionally included a stereomicroscope, a mechanical stage, and a tally counter. Over the past 30 years, with the availability of computers and digital imaging, automated methods have been introduced to perform the same task, but using the same basic equipment. The method described here replaces the microscope and mechanical stage with an ordinary flatbed desktop scanner, and replaces the microscopist and tally counter with a personal computer; two pieces of equipment much more readily available than a microscope with a mechanical stage, and certainly easier to find than a person willing to sit for extended periods of time counting air-voids. Most laboratories that perform air-void system characterization typically have cabinets full of prepared samples with corresponding results from manual operators. Proponents of automated methods often take advantage of this fact by analyzing the same samples and comparing the results. A similar iterative approach is described here where scanned images collected from a significant number of samples are analyzed, the results compared to those of the manual operator, and the settings optimized to best approximate the results of the manual operator. The results of this calibration procedure are compared to an alternative calibration procedure based on the more rigorous digital image accuracy

Closure behavior of spherical void in slab during hot rolling process

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Rong; Zhang, Jiongming; Wang, Bo

2018-04-01

The mechanical properties of steels are heavily deteriorated by voids. The influence of voids on the product quality should be eliminated through rolling processes. The study on the void closure during hot rolling processes is necessary. In present work, the closure behavior of voids at the center of a slab at 800 °C during hot rolling processes has been simulated with a 3D finite element model. The shape of the void and the plastic strain distribution of the slab are obtained by this model. The void decreases along the slab thickness direction and spreads along the rolling direction but hardly changes along the strip width direction. The relationship between closure behavior of voids and the plastic strain at the center of the slab is analyzed. The effects of rolling reduction, slab thickness and roller diameter on the closure behavior of voids are discussed. The larger reduction, thinner slab and larger roller diameter all improve the closure of voids during hot rolling processes. Experimental results of the closure behavior of a void in the slab during hot rolling process mostly agree with the simulation results..

Lack of clinical utility of urine gram stain for suspected urinary tract infection in pediatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantey, Joseph B; Gaviria-Agudelo, Claudia; McElvania TeKippe, Erin; Doern, Christopher D

2015-04-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common infections in children. Urine culture remains the gold standard for diagnosis, but the utility of urine Gram stain relative to urinalysis (UA) is unclear. We reviewed 312 pediatric patients with suspected UTI who had urine culture, UA, and urine Gram stain performed from a single urine specimen. UA was considered positive if ≥10 leukocytes per oil immersion field were seen or if either nitrates or leukocyte esterase testing was positive. Urine Gram stain was considered positive if any organisms were seen. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated using urine culture as the gold standard. Thirty-seven (12%) patients had a culture-proven UTI. Compared to urine Gram stain, UA had equal sensitivity (97.3% versus 97.5%) and higher specificity (85% versus 74%). Empirical therapy was prescribed before the Gram stain result was known in 40 (49%) patients and after in 42 (51%) patients. The antibiotics chosen did not differ between the two groups (P=0.81), nor did they differ for patients with Gram-negative rods on urine Gram stain compared to those with Gram-positive cocci (P=0.67). From these data, we conclude that UA has excellent negative predictive value that is not enhanced by urine Gram stain and that antibiotic selection did not vary based on the urine Gram stain result. In conclusion, the clinical utility of urine Gram stain does not warrant the time or cost it requires. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Evaluation of the Air Void Analyzer

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

concrete using image analysis: Petrography of cementitious materials. ASTM STP 1215. S.M. DeHayes and D. Stark, eds. Philadelphia, PA: American...Administration (FHWA). 2006. Priority, market -ready technologies and innovations: Air Void Analyzer. Washington D.C. PDF file. Germann Instruments (GI). 2011...tests and properties of concrete and concrete-making materials. STP 169D. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International. Magura, D.D. 1996. Air void

On the observability of coupled dark energy with cosmic voids

Science.gov (United States)

Sutter, P. M.; Carlesi, Edoardo; Wandelt, Benjamin D.; Knebe, Alexander

2015-01-01

Taking N-body simulations with volumes and particle densities tuned to match the sloan digital sky survey DR7 spectroscopic main sample, we assess the ability of current void catalogues to distinguish a model of coupled dark matter-dark energy from Λ cold dark matter cosmology using properties of cosmic voids. Identifying voids with the VIDE toolkit, we find no statistically significant differences in the ellipticities, but find that coupling produces a population of significantly larger voids, possibly explaining the recent result of Tavasoli et al. In addition, we use the universal density profile of Hamaus et al. to quantify the relationship between coupling and density profile shape, finding that the coupling produces broader, shallower, undercompensated profiles for large voids by thinning the walls between adjacent medium-scale voids. We find that these differences are potentially measurable with existing void catalogues once effects from survey geometries and peculiar velocities are taken into account.

Urine culture

Science.gov (United States)

Culture and sensitivity - urine ... when urinating. You also may have a urine culture after you have been treated for an infection. ... when bacteria or yeast are found in the culture. This likely means that you have a urinary ...

Void formation in irradiated binary nickel alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shaikh, M.A.; Ahmed, M.; Akhter, J.I.

1994-01-01

In this work a computer program has been used to compute void radius, void density and swelling parameter for nickel and binary nickel-carbon alloys irradiated with nickel ions of 100 keV. The aim is to compare the computed results with experimental results already reported

Local, zero-power void coefficient measurements in the ACPR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivard, J B; Thome, F V [Sandia Laboratories (United States)

1974-07-01

Changes in reactivity may be stimulated in the ACPR by the local introduction of voids into the reactor coolant. The local void coefficients of reactivity which describe this effect are of interest from a reactor safety point-of-view, and their determination is the subject of this presentation. Bottled nitrogen gas was used to produce the voids. The gas was forced out of a small diameter tube which was positioned vertically in the core lattice with its open end below the fuel. The gas was passed through a pressure regulator, a valve, and a flowmeter to establish a steady flow condition, following which a delayed-critical (zero-power) reactor state was established. Correlation of the average volume of core void created by the nitrogen flow with the reactivity worth of the delayed-critical control-rod bank position produced the values of the zero-power void coefficients of reactivity. The void coefficients were determined at various core positions from {approx}6 mm to 142 mm beyond the central irradiation space and for three different flow rates. For the range of void fractions investigated, these coefficients are negative, with values ranging between -$0.02 and -$0.12. Tabular and graphical results of the measurements are presented, and details of the coefficient determination are explained. (author)

Local, zero-power void coefficient measurements in the ACPR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rivard, J.B.; Thome, F.V.

1974-01-01

Changes in reactivity may be stimulated in the ACPR by the local introduction of voids into the reactor coolant. The local void coefficients of reactivity which describe this effect are of interest from a reactor safety point-of-view, and their determination is the subject of this presentation. Bottled nitrogen gas was used to produce the voids. The gas was forced out of a small diameter tube which was positioned vertically in the core lattice with its open end below the fuel. The gas was passed through a pressure regulator, a valve, and a flowmeter to establish a steady flow condition, following which a delayed-critical (zero-power) reactor state was established. Correlation of the average volume of core void created by the nitrogen flow with the reactivity worth of the delayed-critical control-rod bank position produced the values of the zero-power void coefficients of reactivity. The void coefficients were determined at various core positions from ∼6 mm to 142 mm beyond the central irradiation space and for three different flow rates. For the range of void fractions investigated, these coefficients are negative, with values ranging between -$0.02 and -$0.12. Tabular and graphical results of the measurements are presented, and details of the coefficient determination are explained. (author)

Comparative study of void fraction models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, R.C.; Freitas, R.L.

1985-01-01

Some models for the calculation of void fraction in water in sub-cooled boiling and saturated vertical upward flow with forced convection have been selected and compared with experimental results in the pressure range of 1 to 150 bar. In order to know the void fraction axial distribution it is necessary to determine the net generation of vapour and the fluid temperature distribution in the slightly sub-cooled boiling region. It was verified that the net generation of vapour was well represented by the Saha-Zuber model. The selected models for the void fraction calculation present adequate results but with a tendency to super-estimate the experimental results, in particular the homogeneous models. The drift flux model is recommended, followed by the Armand and Smith models. (F.E.) [pt

Molecular dynamics modeling and simulation of void growth in two dimensions

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, H.-J.; Segurado, J.; Rodríguez de la Fuente, O.; Pabón, B. M.; LLorca, J.

2013-10-01

The mechanisms of growth of a circular void by plastic deformation were studied by means of molecular dynamics in two dimensions (2D). While previous molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in three dimensions (3D) have been limited to small voids (up to ≈10 nm in radius), this strategy allows us to study the behavior of voids of up to 100 nm in radius. MD simulations showed that plastic deformation was triggered by the nucleation of dislocations at the atomic steps of the void surface in the whole range of void sizes studied. The yield stress, defined as stress necessary to nucleate stable dislocations, decreased with temperature, but the void growth rate was not very sensitive to this parameter. Simulations under uniaxial tension, uniaxial deformation and biaxial deformation showed that the void growth rate increased very rapidly with multiaxiality but it did not depend on the initial void radius. These results were compared with previous 3D MD and 2D dislocation dynamics simulations to establish a map of mechanisms and size effects for plastic void growth in crystalline solids.

Molecular dynamics modeling and simulation of void growth in two dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, H-J; Segurado, J; LLorca, J; Rodríguez de la Fuente, O; Pabón, B M

2013-01-01

The mechanisms of growth of a circular void by plastic deformation were studied by means of molecular dynamics in two dimensions (2D). While previous molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in three dimensions (3D) have been limited to small voids (up to ≈10 nm in radius), this strategy allows us to study the behavior of voids of up to 100 nm in radius. MD simulations showed that plastic deformation was triggered by the nucleation of dislocations at the atomic steps of the void surface in the whole range of void sizes studied. The yield stress, defined as stress necessary to nucleate stable dislocations, decreased with temperature, but the void growth rate was not very sensitive to this parameter. Simulations under uniaxial tension, uniaxial deformation and biaxial deformation showed that the void growth rate increased very rapidly with multiaxiality but it did not depend on the initial void radius. These results were compared with previous 3D MD and 2D dislocation dynamics simulations to establish a map of mechanisms and size effects for plastic void growth in crystalline solids. (paper)

Alignment of galaxy spins in the vicinity of voids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slosar, Anže; White, Martin

2009-01-01

We provide limits on the alignment of galaxy orientations with the direction to the void center for galaxies lying near the edges of voids. We locate spherical voids in volume limited samples of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey using the HB inspired void finder and investigate the orientation of (color selected) spiral galaxies that are nearly edge-on or face-on. In contrast with previous literature, we find no statistical evidence for departure from random orientations. Expressed in terms of the parameter c, introduced by Lee and Pen to describe the strength of such an alignment, we find that c0.11(0.13) at 95% (99.7%) confidence limit within a context of a toy model that assumes a perfectly spherical voids with sharp boundaries

Urine colorimetry for therapeutic drug monitoring of pyrazinamide during tuberculosis treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zentner, Isaac; Modongo, Chawangwa; Zetola, Nicola M; Pasipanodya, Jotam G; Srivastava, Shashikant; Heysell, Scott K; Mpagama, Stellah; Schlect, Hans P; Gumbo, Tawanda; Bisson, Gregory P; Vinnard, Christopher

2018-03-01

Pyrazinamide is a key drug in the first-line treatment regimen for tuberculosis, with a potent sterilizing effect. Although low pyrazinamide peak serum concentrations (C max ) are associated with poor treatment outcomes, many resource-constrained settings do not have sufficient laboratory capacity to support therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). The objective of this study was to determine whether a colorimetric test of urine can identify tuberculosis patients with adequate pyrazinamide exposures, as defined by serum C max above a target threshold. In the derivation study of healthy volunteers, three dose sizes of pyrazinamide were evaluated, and intensive pharmacokinetic blood sampling was performed over an 8-h period, with a timed urine void at 4h post-dosing. Pyrazinamide in urine was isolated by spin column centrifugation with an exchange resin, followed by colorimetric analysis; the absorbance peak at 495nm was measured. The urine assay was then evaluated in a study of 39 HIV/tuberculosis patients in Botswana enrolled in an intensive pharmacokinetic study. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were used to measure diagnostic accuracy. The guideline-recommended pyrazinamide serum C max target of 35mg/l was evaluated in the primary analysis; this target was found to be predictive of favorable outcomes in a clinical study. Following this, a higher serum C max target of 58mg/l was evaluated in the secondary analysis. At the optimal cut-off identified in the derivation sample, the urine colorimetric assay was 97% sensitive and 50% specific to identify 35 of 39 HIV/tuberculosis patients with pharmacokinetic target attainment, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.81 (95% confidence interval 0.60-0.97). Diagnostic accuracy was lower at the 58mg/l serum C max target, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.48-0.84). Men were less likely than women to attain either serum pharmacokinetic target. The urine colorimetric assay was

Structure-dependent behavior of stress-induced voiding in Cu interconnects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Zhenyu; Yang Yintang; Chai Changchun; Li Yuejin; Wang Jiayou; Li Bin; Liu Jing

2010-01-01

Stress modeling and cross-section failure analysis by focused-ion-beam have been used to investigate stress-induced voiding phenomena in Cu interconnects. The voiding mechanism and the effect of the interconnect structure on the stress migration have been studied. The results show that the most concentrated tensile stress appears and voids form at corners of vias on top surfaces of Cu M1 lines. A simple model of stress induced voiding in which vacancies arise due to the increase of the chemical potential under tensile stress and diffuse under the force of stress gradient along the main diffusing path indicates that stress gradient rather than stress itself determines the voiding rate. Cu interconnects with larger vias show less resistance to stress-induced voiding due to larger stress gradient at corners of vias.

Void Fraction Instrument operation and maintenance manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borgonovi, G.; Stokes, T.I.; Pearce, K.L.; Martin, J.D.; Gimera, M.; Graves, D.B.

1994-09-01

This Operations and Maintenance Manual (O ampersand MM) addresses riser installation, equipment and personnel hazards, operating instructions, calibration, maintenance, removal, and other pertinent information necessary to safely operate and store the Void Fraction Instrument. Final decontamination and decommissioning of the Void Fraction Instrument are not covered in this document

Thick Concrete Specimen Construction, Testing, and Preliminary Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clayton, Dwight A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hoegh, Kyle [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States); Khazanovich, Lev [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

2015-03-01

The purpose of the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Program is to develop technologies and other solutions that can improve the reliability, sustain the safety, and extend the operating lifetimes of nuclear power plants (NPPs) beyond 60 years. Since many important safety structures in an NPP are constructed of concrete, inspection techniques must be developed and tested to evaluate the internal condition. In-service containment structures generally do not allow for the destructive measures necessary to validate the accuracy of these inspection techniques. This creates a need for comparative testing of the various nondestructive evaluation (NDE) measurement techniques on concrete specimens with known material properties, voids, internal microstructure flaws, and reinforcement locations. A preliminary report detailed some of the challenges associated with thick reinforced concrete sections and prioritized conceptual designs of specimens that could be fabricated to represent NPP concrete structures for using in NDE evaluation comparisons. This led to the construction of the concrete specimen presented in this report, which has sufficient reinforcement density and cross-sectional size to represent an NPP containment wall. Details on how a suitably thick concrete specimen was constructed are presented, including the construction materials, final nominal design schematic, as well as formwork and rigging required to safely meet the desired dimensions of the concrete structure. The report also details the type and methods of forming the concrete specimen as well as information on how the rebar and simulated defects were embedded. Details on how the resulting specimen was transported, safely anchored, and marked to allow access for systematic comparative NDE testing of defects in a representative NPP containment wall concrete specimen are also given. Data collection using the MIRA Ultrasonic NDE equipment and

Effects of Void Uncertainties on Pin Power Distributions and the Void Reactivity Coefficient for a 10X10 BWR Assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jatuff, F.; Krouthen, J.; Helmersson, S.; Chawla, R.

2004-01-01

A significant source of uncertainty in Boiling Water Reactor physics is associated with the precise characterisation of the axially-dependent neutron moderation properties of the coolant inside the fuel assembly channel, and the corresponding effects on reactor physics parameters such as the lattice neutron multiplication, the neutron migration length, and the pin-by-pin power distribution. In this paper, the effects of particularly relevant void fraction uncertainties on reactor physics parameters have been studied for a BWR assembly of type Westinghouse SVEA-96 using the CASMO-4, HELIOS/PRESTO-2 and MCNP4C codes. The SVEA-96 geometry is characterised by the sub-division of the assembly into four different sub-bundles by means of an inner bypass with a cruciform shape. The study has covered the following issues: (a) the effects of different cross-section data libraries on the void coefficient of reactivity, for a wide range of void fractions; (b) the effects due to a heterogeneous vs. homogeneous void distribution inside the sub-bundles; and (c) the consequences of partly inserted absorber blades producing different void fractions in different sub-bundles. (author)

Relationship between voided volume and the urge to void among patients with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Blaivas, Jerry G; Tsui, Johnson F; Amirian, Michael; Ranasinghe, Buddima; Weiss, Jeffrey P; Haukka, Jari; Tikkinen, Kari A O

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between voided volume (VV) and urge to void among patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. Consecutive adult patients (aged 23-90 years) were enrolled, and completed a 24 h bladder diary and the Urgency Perception Scale (UPS). Patients were categorized as urgency or non-urgency based on the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score. The relationship between UPS and VV (based on the bladder diary) was analyzed by Spearman's rho and proportional odds model. In total, 1265 micturitions were evaluated in 117 individuals (41 men, 76 women; 56 individuals in the urgency and 61 in the non-urgency group). The mean (± SD) VV and UPS were 192 ± 127 ml and 2.4 ± 1.2 ml in the urgency group and 173 ± 124 ml and 1.7 ± 1.1 ml in the non-urgency group, respectively. Spearman's rho (between UPS and VV) was 0.21 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.13-029, p < 0.001] for the urgency group, 0.32 (95% CI 0.25-0.39, p < 0.001) for the non-urgency group, and 0.28 (95% CI 0.23-0.33, p < 0.001) for the total cohort. Urgency patients had higher UPS [odds ratio (OR) 3.1, 95% CI 2.5-3.8]. Overall, each additional 50 ml VV increased the odds of having a higher UPS with OR 1.2 (95% CI 1.2-1.3). The relationship between VV and UPS score was similar in both groups (p = 0.548 for interaction). Although urgency patients void with a higher UPS score, among both urgency and non-urgency patients there is only a weak correlation between VV and the urge to void. This suggests that there are factors other than VV that cause the urge to void.

Mechanism of Void Prediction in Flip Chip Packages with Molded Underfill

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kuo-Tsai; Hwang, Sheng-Jye; Lee, Huei-Huang

2017-08-01

Voids have always been present using the molded underfill (MUF) package process, which is a problem that needs further investigation. In this study, the process was studied using the Moldex3D numerical analysis software. The effects of gas (air vent effect) on the overall melt front were also considered. In this isothermal process containing two fluids, the gas and melt colloid interact in the mold cavity. Simulation enabled an appropriate understanding of the actual situation to be gained, and, through analysis, the void region and exact location of voids were predicted. First, the global flow end area was observed to predict the void movement trend, and then the local flow ends were observed to predict the location and size of voids. In the MUF 518 case study, simulations predicted the void region as well as the location and size of the voids. The void phenomenon in a flip chip ball grid array underfill is discussed as part of the study.

Sodium voiding analysis in Kalimer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Won-Pyo; Jeong, Kwan-Seong; Hahn, Dohee

2001-01-01

A sodium boiling model has been developed for calculations of the void reactivity feedback as well as the fuel and cladding temperatures in the KALIMER core after onset of sodium boiling. The sodium boiling in liquid metal reactors using sodium as coolant should be modeled because of phenomenon difference observed from that in light water reactor systems. The developed model is a multiple -bubble slug ejection model. It allows a finite number of bubbles in a channel at any time. Voiding is assumed to result from formation of bubbles that fill the whole cross section of the coolant channel except for liquid film left on the cladding surface. The vapor pressure, currently, is assumed to be uniform within a bubble. The present study is focused on not only demonstration of the sodium voiding behavior predicted by the developed model, but also confirmation on qualitative acceptance for the model. In results, the model catches important phenomena for sodium boiling, while further effort should be made for the complete analysis. (author)

Reliability Impact of Stockpile Aging: Stress Voiding; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ROBINSON, DAVID G.

1999-01-01

The objective of this research is to statistically characterize the aging of integrated circuit interconnects. This report supersedes the stress void aging characterization presented in SAND99-0975, ''Reliability Degradation Due to Stockpile Aging,'' by the same author. The physics of the stress voiding, before and after wafer processing have been recently characterized by F. G. Yost in SAND99-0601, ''Stress Voiding during Wafer Processing''. The current effort extends this research to account for uncertainties in grain size, storage temperature, void spacing and initial residual stress and their impact on interconnect failure after wafer processing. The sensitivity of the life estimates to these uncertainties is also investigated. Various methods for characterizing the probability of failure of a conductor line were investigated including: Latin hypercube sampling (LHS), quasi-Monte Carlo sampling (qMC), as well as various analytical methods such as the advanced mean value (Ah/IV) method. The comparison was aided by the use of the Cassandra uncertainty analysis library. It was found that the only viable uncertainty analysis methods were those based on either LHS or quasi-Monte Carlo sampling. Analytical methods such as AMV could not be applied due to the nature of the stress voiding problem. The qMC method was chosen since it provided smaller estimation error for a given number of samples. The preliminary results indicate that the reliability of integrated circuits due to stress voiding is very sensitive to the underlying uncertainties associated with grain size and void spacing. In particular, accurate characterization of IC reliability depends heavily on not only the frost and second moments of the uncertainty distribution, but more specifically the unique form of the underlying distribution

The association of age of toilet training and dysfunctional voiding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hodges SJ

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Steve J Hodges, Kyle A Richards, Ilya Gorbachinsky, L Spencer KraneDepartment of Urology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USAObjective: To determine whether age of toilet training is associated with dysfunctional voiding in children.Materials and methods: We compared patients referred to the urologic clinics for voiding dysfunction with age-matched controls without urinary complaints. Characteristics including age and reason for toilet training, method of training, and encopresis or constipation were compared between both groups.Results: Initiation of toilet training prior to 24 months and later than 36 months of age were associated with dysfunctional voiding. However, dysfunctional voiding due to late toilet training was also associated with constipation.Conclusion: Dysfunctional voiding may be due to delayed emptying of the bowel and bladder by children. The symptoms of dysfunctional voiding are more common when toilet training early, as immature children may be less likely to empty in a timely manner, or when training late due to (or in association with constipation.Keywords: voiding dysfunction, constipation

Structural control of void formation in dual phase steels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azuma, Masafumi

The objective of this study is to explore the void formation mechanisms and to clarify the influence of the hardness and structural parameters (volume fraction, size and morphology) of martensite particles on the void formation and mechanical properties in dual phase steels composed of ferrite...... and (iii) strain localization. The critical strain for void formation depends on hardness of the martensite, but is independent of the volume fraction, shape, size and distribution of the martensite. The strain partitioning between the martensite and ferrite depends on the volume fraction and hardness...... of the martensite accelerates the void formation in the martensite by enlarging the size of voids both in the martensite and ferrite. It is suggested that controlling the hardness and structural parameters associated with the martensite particles such as morphology, size and volume fraction are the essential...

Void fraction fluctuations in two-phase gas-liquid flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulbrich, R.

1987-01-01

Designs of the apparatus in which two-phase gas-liquid flow occurs are usually based on the mean value of parameters such as pressure drop and void fraction. The flow of two-phase mixtures generally presents a very complicated flow structure, both in terms of the unsteady formation on the interfacial area and in terms of the fluctuations of the velocity, pressure and other variables within the flow. When the gas void fraction is near 0 or 1 / bubble or dispersed flow regimes / then oscillations of void fraction are very small. The intermittent flow such as plug and slug/ froth is characterized by alternately flow portions of liquid and gas. It influences the change of void fractions in time. The results of experimental research of gas void fraction fluctuations in two-phase adiabatic gas-liquid flow in a vertical pipe are presented

Solute segregation and void formation in ion-irradiated vanadium-base alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loomis, B.A.; Smith, D.L.

1985-01-01

The radiation-induced segregation of solute atoms in the V-15Cr-5Ti alloys was determined after either single- dual-, or helium implantation followed by single-ion irradiation at 725 0 C to radiation damage levels ranging from 103 to 169 dpa. Also, the effect of irradiation temperature (600-750 0 C) on the microstructure in the V-15Cr-5Ti alloy was determined after single-ion irradiation to 200 and 300 dpa. The solute segregation results for the single- and dual-ion irradiated alloy showed that the simultaneous production of irradiation damage and deposition of helium resulted in enhanced depletion of Cr solute and enrichment of Ti, C and S solute in the near-surface layers of irradiated specimens. The observations of the irradiation-damaged microstructures in V-15Cr-5Ti specimens showed an absence of voids for irradiations of the alloy at 600-750 0 C to 200 dpa and at 725 0 C to 300 dpa. The principle effect on the microstructure of these irradiations was to induce the formation of a high density of disc-like precipitates in the vicinity of grain boundaries and intrinsic precipitates and on the dislocation structure. 8 references, 4 figures

A variational void coalescence model for ductile metals

KAUST Repository

Siddiq, Amir

2011-08-17

We present a variational void coalescence model that includes all the essential ingredients of failure in ductile porous metals. The model is an extension of the variational void growth model by Weinberg et al. (Comput Mech 37:142-152, 2006). The extended model contains all the deformation phases in ductile porous materials, i.e. elastic deformation, plastic deformation including deviatoric and volumetric (void growth) plasticity followed by damage initiation and evolution due to void coalescence. Parametric studies have been performed to assess the model\\'s dependence on the different input parameters. The model is then validated against uniaxial loading experiments for different materials. We finally show the model\\'s ability to predict the damage mechanisms and fracture surface profile of a notched round bar under tension as observed in experiments. © Springer-Verlag 2011.

Atomistic simulations of void migration under thermal gradient in UO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desai, Tapan G.; Millett, Paul; Tonks, Michael; Wolf, Dieter

2010-01-01

It is well known that within a few hours after startup of a nuclear reactor, the temperature gradient within a fuel element causes migration of voids/bubbles radially inwards to form a central hole. To understand the atomic processes that control this migration of voids, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on single crystal UO 2 with voids of diameter 2.2 nm. An external temperature gradient was applied across the simulation cell. At the end of the simulation run, it was observed that the voids had moved towards the hot end of the simulation cell. The void migration velocity obtained from the simulations was compared with the available phenomenological equations for void migration due to different transport mechanisms. Surface diffusion of the slowest moving specie, i.e. uranium, was found to be the dominant mechanism for void migration. The contribution from lattice diffusion and the thermal stress gradient to the void migration was analyzed and found to be negligible. By extrapolation, a crossover from the surface-diffusion-controlled mechanism to the lattice-diffusion-controlled mechanism was found to occur for voids with sizes in the μm range.

Modification of SRIM-calculated dose and injected ion profiles due to sputtering, injected ion buildup and void swelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Jing, E-mail: jing.wang@pnnl.gov [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354 (United States); Texas A& M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States); Toloczko, Mychailo B. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354 (United States); Bailey, Nathan [University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Garner, Frank A.; Gigax, Jonathan; Shao, Lin [Texas A& M University, College Station, TX 77843 (United States)

2016-11-15

In radiation effects on materials utilizing self-ion irradiations, it is necessary to calculate the local displacement damage level and ion injection profile because of the short distance that self-ions travel in a material and because of the strong variation of displacement rate with depth in a specimen. The most frequently used tool for this is the software package called Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM). A SRIM-calculated depth-dependent dose level is usually determined under the implicit assumption that the target does not undergo any significant changes in volume during the process, in particular SRIM ignores the effect of sputtering, injected ions, and void swelling on the redistribution of the dose and injected ion profiles. This approach become increasingly invalid as the ion fluence reaches ever higher levels, especially for low energy ion irradiations. The original surface is not maintained due to sputter-induced erosion, while within the irradiated region of the specimen, injected ions are adding material, and if void swelling is occurring, it is creating empty space. An iterative mathematical treatment of SRIM outputs to produce corrected dose and injected ion profiles based on these phenomenon and without regard to diffusion is presented along with examples of differences between SRIM-calculated values and corrected values over a range of typical ion energies. The intent is to provide the reader with a convenient tool for more accurately calculating dose and injected ion profiles for heavy-ion irradiations.

Physics study of Canada deuterium uranium lattice with coolant void reactivity analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jin Su; Lee, Hyun Suk; Tak, Tae Woo; Lee, Deok Jung [Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Ho Cheol [Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Central Research Institute (KHNP-CRI), Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-02-15

This study presents a coolant void reactivity analysis of Canada Deuterium Uranium (CANDU)-6 and Advanced Canada Deuterium Uranium Reactor-700 (ACR-700) fuel lattices using a Monte Carlo code. The reactivity changes when the coolant was voided were assessed in terms of the contributions of four factors and spectrum shifts. In the case of single bundle coolant voiding, the contribution of each of the four factors in the ACR-700 lattice is large in magnitude with opposite signs, and their summation becomes a negative reactivity effect in contrast to that of the CANDU-6 lattice. Unlike the coolant voiding in a single fuel bundle, the 2 x 2 checkerboard coolant voiding in the ACR-700 lattice shows a positive reactivity effect. The neutron current between the no-void and voided bundles, and the four factors of each bundle were analyzed to figure out the mechanism of the positive coolant void reactivity of the checkerboard voiding case. Through a sensitivity study of fuel enrichment, type of burnable absorber, and moderator to fuel volume ratio, a design strategy for the CANDU reactor was suggested in order to achieve a negative coolant void reactivity even for the checkerboard voiding case.

Evaluation and comparison of multiple test methods, including real-time PCR, for Legionella detection in clinical specimens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Peci

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Legionella is a gram-negative bacterium that can cause Pontiac fever, a mild upper respiratory infection and Legionnaire’s disease, a more severe illness. We aimed to compare the performance of urine antigen, culture and PCR test methods and to determine if sputum is an alternative to the use of more invasive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL. Data for this study included specimens tested for Legionella at PHOL from January 1, 2010 to April 30, 2014, as part of routine clinical testing. We found sensitivity of UAT compared to culture to be 87%, specificity 94.7%, positive predictive value (PPV 63.8% and negative predictive value (NPV 98.5%. Sensitivity of UAT compared to PCR was 74.7%, specificity 98.3%, PPV 77.7% and NPV 98.1%. Of 146 patients who had a Legionella positive result by PCR, only 66(45.2% also had a positive result by culture. Sensitivity for culture was the same using either sputum or BAL (13.6%; sensitivity for PCR was 10.3% for sputum and 12.8% for BAL. Both sputum and BAL yield similar results despite testing methods (Fisher Exact p-values=1.0, for each test. In summary, all test methods have inherent weaknesses in identifying Legionella; thereforemore than one testing method should be used. Obtaining a single specimen type from patients with pneumonia limits the ability to diagnose Legionella, particularly when urine is the specimen type submitted. Given ease of collection, and similar sensitivity to BAL, clinicians are encouraged to submit sputum in addition to urine when BAL submission is not practical, from patients being tested for Legionella.

Studies of void formation in pure metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanore, J.M.; Glowinski, L.; Risbet, A.; Regnier, P.; Flament, J.L.; Levy, V.; Adda, Y.

1975-01-01

Recent experiments on the effect of gases on the final configuration of vacancy clustering (void or loop), and on the local effects at dislocations are described. The contribution of this data to a general knowledge of void formation will be discussed, and Monte Carlo calculations of swelling induced by irradiation with different particles presented [fr

Studies of void formation in pure metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanore, J.M.; Glowinski, L.; Risbet, A.; Regnier, P.; Flament, J.L.

1975-01-01

Recent experiments on the effect of gases on the final configuration of vacancy clustering (void or loop), and on the local effects at dislocations are described. The contribution of this data to our general knowledge of void formation will be discussed, and Monte Carlo calculations of swelling induced by irradiation with different particles presented

Measurement of local void fraction in a ribbed annulus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steimke, J.L.

1992-01-01

The computer code FLOWTRAN-TF is used to analyze hypothetical hydraulic accidents for the nuclear reactor at the Savannah River Site. During a hypothetical Large Break Loss-of-Coolant Accident (LOCA), reactor assemblies would contain a two-phase mixture of air and water which flows downward. Reactor assemblies consist of nested, ribbed annuli. Longitudinal ribs divide each annulus into four subchannels. For accident conditions, air and water can flow past ribs from one subchannel to another. For FLOWTRAN-TF to compute the size of those flows, it is necessary to know the local void fraction in the region of the rib. Measurements have previously been made of length-average void fraction in a ribbed annulus. However, no direct measurements were available of local void fraction. Due to the lack of data, a test was designed to measure local void fraction at the rib. One question addressed by the test was whether void fraction at the rib is solely a function of azimuthal-average void fraction or a function of additional variables such as pressure boundary conditions. This report provides a discussion of this test

Partial discharges within two spherical voids in an epoxy resin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Illias, H A; Mokhlis, H; Tunio, M A; Chen, G; Bakar, A H A

2013-01-01

A void in a dielectric insulation material may exist due to imperfection in the insulation manufacturing or long term stressing. Voids have been identified as one of the common sources of partial discharge (PD) activity within an insulation system, such as in cable insulation and power transformers. Therefore, it is important to study PD phenomenon within void cavities in insulation. In this work, a model of PD activity within two spherical voids in a homogeneous dielectric material has been developed using finite element analysis software to study the parameters affecting PD behaviour. The parameters that have been taken into account are the void surface conductivity, electron generation rate and the inception and extinction fields. Measurements of PD activity within two spherical voids in an epoxy resin under ac sinusoidal applied voltage have also been performed. The simulation results have been compared with the measurement data to validate the model and to identify the parameters affecting PD behaviour. Comparison between measurements of PD activity within single and two voids in a dielectric material have also been made to observe the difference of the results under both conditions. (paper)

A sharp interface model for void growth in irradiated materials

Science.gov (United States)

Hochrainer, Thomas; El-Azab, Anter

2015-03-01

A thermodynamic formalism for the interaction of point defects with free surfaces in single-component solids has been developed and applied to the problem of void growth by absorption of point defects in irradiated metals. This formalism consists of two parts, a detailed description of the dynamics of defects within the non-equilibrium thermodynamic frame, and the application of the second law of thermodynamics to provide closure relations for all kinetic equations. Enforcing the principle of non-negative entropy production showed that the description of the problem of void evolution under irradiation must include a relationship between the normal fluxes of defects into the void surface and the driving thermodynamic forces for the void surface motion; these thermodynamic forces are identified for both vacancies and interstitials and the relationships between these forces and the normal point defect fluxes are established using the concepts of transition state theory. The latter theory implies that the defect accommodation into the surface is a thermally activated process. Numerical examples are given to illustrate void growth dynamics in this new formalism and to investigate the effect of the surface energy barriers on void growth. Consequences for phase field models of void growth are discussed.

From Voids to Yukawaballs And Back

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Land, V.; Goedheer, W. J.

2008-01-01

When dust particles are introduced in a radio-frequency discharge under micro-gravity conditions, usually a dust free void is formed due to the ion drag force pushing the particles away from the center. Experiments have shown that it is possible to close the void by reducing the power supplied to the discharge. This reduces the ion density and with that the ratio between the ion drag force and the opposing electric force. We have studied the behavior of a discharge with a large amount of dust particles (radius 3.4 micron) with our hydrodynamic model, and simulated the closure of the void for conditions similar to the experiment. We also approached the formation of a Yukawa ball from the other side, starting with a discharge at low power and injecting batches of dust, while increasing the power to prevent extinction of the discharge. Eventually the same situation could be reached.

A variational void coalescence model for ductile metals

KAUST Repository

Siddiq, Amir; Arciniega, Roman; El Sayed, Tamer

2011-01-01

We present a variational void coalescence model that includes all the essential ingredients of failure in ductile porous metals. The model is an extension of the variational void growth model by Weinberg et al. (Comput Mech 37:142-152, 2006

Archaeology of Void Spaces

Science.gov (United States)

Look, Cory

The overall goal of this research is to evaluate the efficacy of pXRF for the identification of ancient activity areas at Pre-Columbian sites in Antigua that range across time periods, geographic regions, site types with a variety of features, and various states of preservation. These findings have important implications for identifying and reconstructing places full of human activity but void of material remains. A synthesis for an archaeology of void spaces requires the construction of new ways of testing anthrosols, and identifying elemental patterns that can be used to connect people with their places and objects. This research begins with an exploration of rich middens in order to study void spaces. Midden archaeology has been a central focus in Caribbean research, and consists of an accumulation of discarded remnants from past human activities that can be tested against anthrosols. The archaeological collections visited for this research project involved creating new databases to generate a comprehensive inventory of sites, materials excavated, and assemblages available for study. Of the more than 129 Pre-Columbian sites documented in Antigua, few sites have been thoroughly surveyed or excavated. Twelve Pre-Columbian sites, consisting of thirty-six excavated units were selected for study; all of which contained complete assemblages for comparison and soil samples for testing. These excavations consisted almost entirely of midden excavations, requiring new archaeological investigations to be carried out in spaces primarily void of material remains but within the village context. Over the course of three seasons excavations, shovel test pits, and soil augers were used to obtain a variety of anthrosols and archaeological assemblages in order to generate new datasets to study Pre-Columbian activity areas. The selection of two primary case study sites were used for comparison: Indian Creek and Doigs. Findings from this research indicate that accounting for the

Residual cannabis levels in blood, urine and oral fluid following heavy cannabis use.

Science.gov (United States)

Odell, Morris S; Frei, Matthew Y; Gerostamoulos, Dimitri; Chu, Mark; Lubman, Dan I

2015-04-01

An understanding of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) kinetics and residual levels after cannabis use is essential in interpreting toxicology tests in body fluids from live subjects, particularly when used in forensic settings for drug abuse, traffic and interpersonal violence cases. However the current literature is largely based on laboratory studies using controlled cannabis dosages in experienced users, with limited research investigating the kinetics of residual THC concentrations in regular high dose cannabis users. Twenty-one dependent cannabis users were recruited at admission to two residential detoxification units in Melbourne, Australia. After being provided with information about, and consenting to, the study, subjects volunteered to provide once-daily blood, urine and oral fluid (saliva) samples for seven consecutive days following admission, involving cessation and abstinence from all cannabis use. Blood and oral fluid specimens were analysed for THC and urine specimens for the metabolite THC-COOH. In some subjects THC was detectable in blood for at least 7 days and oral fluid specimens were positive for THC up to 78 h after admission to the unit. Urinary THC-COOH concentrations exceeded 1000 ng/mL for some subjects 129 h after last use. The presented blood THC levels are higher and persist longer in some individuals than previously described, our understanding and interpretation of THC levels in long term heavy cannabis users may need to be reconsidered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of voids-controlled vacancy supersaturations on B diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcelot, O.; Claverie, A.; Cristiano, F.; Cayrel, F.; Alquier, D.; Lerch, W.; Paul, S.; Rubin, L.; Jaouen, H.; Armand, C.

2007-01-01

We present here preliminary results on boron diffusion in presence of pre-formed voids of different characteristics. The voids were fabricated by helium implantation followed by annealing allowing the desorption of He prior to boron implantation. We show that under such conditions boron diffusion is always largely reduced and can even be suppressed in some cases. Boron diffusion suppression can be observed in samples not containing nanovoids in the boron-rich region. It is suggested that direct trapping of Si(int)s by the voids is not the mechanism responsible for the reduction of boron diffusion in such layers. Alternatively, our experimental results suggest that this reduction of diffusivity is more probably due to the competition between two Ostwald ripening phenomena taking place at the same time: in the boron-rich region, the competitive growth of extrinsic defects at the origin of TED and, in the void region, the Ostwald ripening of the voids which involves large supersaturations of Vs

Effect of voids-controlled vacancy supersaturations on B diffusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marcelot, O. [CEMES/CNRS, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, 31055 Toulouse (France)]. E-mail: marcelot@cemes.fr; Claverie, A. [CEMES/CNRS, 29 rue Jeanne Marvig, 31055 Toulouse (France); Cristiano, F. [LAAS/CNRS, 7 av. du Col. Roche, 31077 Toulouse (France); Cayrel, F. [LMP, Universite de Tours, 16 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 7155, 37071 Tours (France); Alquier, D. [LMP, Universite de Tours, 16 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, BP 7155, 37071 Tours (France); Lerch, W. [Mattson Thermal Products GmbH, Daimlerstr. 10, D-89160 Dornstadt (Germany); Paul, S. [Mattson Thermal Products GmbH, Daimlerstr. 10, D-89160 Dornstadt (Germany); Rubin, L. [Axcelis Technologies, 108 Cherry Hill Drive, Beverly MA 01915 (United States); Jaouen, H. [STMicroelectronics, 850 rue Jean Monnet, 38926 Crolles (France); Armand, C. [LNMO/INSA, Service analyseur ionique, 135 av. de Rangueil, 31077 Toulouse (France)

2007-04-15

We present here preliminary results on boron diffusion in presence of pre-formed voids of different characteristics. The voids were fabricated by helium implantation followed by annealing allowing the desorption of He prior to boron implantation. We show that under such conditions boron diffusion is always largely reduced and can even be suppressed in some cases. Boron diffusion suppression can be observed in samples not containing nanovoids in the boron-rich region. It is suggested that direct trapping of Si(int)s by the voids is not the mechanism responsible for the reduction of boron diffusion in such layers. Alternatively, our experimental results suggest that this reduction of diffusivity is more probably due to the competition between two Ostwald ripening phenomena taking place at the same time: in the boron-rich region, the competitive growth of extrinsic defects at the origin of TED and, in the void region, the Ostwald ripening of the voids which involves large supersaturations of Vs.

Void initiation from interfacial debonding of spherical silicon particles inside a silicon-copper nanocomposite: a molecular dynamics study

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Yi; Chen, Zengtao

2017-02-01

Silicon particles with diameters from 1.9 nm to 30 nm are embedded in a face-centered-cubic copper matrix to form nanocomposite specimens for simulation. The interfacial debonding of silicon particles from the copper matrix and the subsequent growth of nucleated voids are studied via molecular dynamics (MD). The MD results are examined from several different perspectives. The overall mechanical performance is monitored by the average stress-strain response and the accumulated porosity. The ‘relatively farthest-traveled’ atoms are identified to characterize the onset of interfacial debonding. The relative displacement field is plotted to illustrate both subsequent interfacial debonding and the growth of a nucleated void facilitated by a dislocation network. Our results indicate that the initiation of interfacial debonding is due to the accumulated surface stress if the matrix is initially dislocation-free. However, pre-existing dislocations can make a considerable difference. In either case, the dislocation emission also contributes to the subsequent debonding process. As for the size effect, the debonding of relatively larger particles causes a drop in the stress-strain curve. The volume fraction of second-phase particles is found to be more influential than the size of the simulation box on the onset of interfacial debonding. The volume fraction of second-phase particles also affects the shape of the nucleated void and, therefore, influences the stress response of the composite.

Dependence of calculated void reactivity on film-boiling representation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitlock, J.; Garland, W.

1992-01-01

Partial voiding of a fuel channel can lead to complicated neutronic analysis, because of highly nonuniform spatial distributions. An investigation of the distribution dependence of void reactivity in a Canada deuterium uranium (CANDU) lattice, specifically in the regime of film boiling, was done. Although the core is not expected to be critical at the time of sheath dryout, this study augments current knowledge of void reactivity in this type of lattice

On the formation of voids in internal tin Nb$_{3}$Sn superconductors

CERN Document Server

Scheuerlein, C; Haibel, A

2007-01-01

In this article we describe three void growth mechanisms in Nb$_{3}$Sn strands of the internal tin design on the basis of combined synchrotron micro-tomography and x-ray diffraction measurements during in-situ heating cycles. Initially void growth is driven by a reduction of void surface area by void agglomeration. The main void volume increase is caused by density changes during the formation of Cu3Sn in the strand. Subsequent transformation of Cu-Sn intermetallics into the lower density a-bronze reduces the void volume again. Long lasting temperature ramps and isothermal holding steps can neither reduce the void volume nor improve the chemical strand homogeneity prior to the superconducting A15 phase nucleation and growth.

Misclassification of iodine intake level from morning spot urine samples with high iodine excretion among Inuit and non-Inuit in Greenland.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Stig; Waagepetersen, Rasmus; Laurberg, Peter

2015-05-14

Iodine nutrition is commonly assessed from iodine excretion in urine. A 24 h urine sample is ideal, but it is cumbersome and inconvenient. Hence, spot urine samples with creatinine to adjust for differences in void volume are widely used. Still, the importance of ethnicity and the timing of spot urine samples need to be settled. We, thus, collected 104 early morning spot urine samples and 24 h urine samples from Inuit and non-Inuit living in Greenland. Diet was assessed by a FFQ. Demographic data were collected from the national registry and by questionnaires. Iodine was measured using the Sandell-Kolthoff reaction, creatinine using the Jaffe method and para-amino benzoic acid by the HPLC method for the estimation of completeness of urine sampling and compensation of incomplete urine samples to 24 h excretion. A population-based recruitment was done from the capital city, a major town and a settlement (n 36/48/20). Participants were seventy-eight Inuit and twenty-six non-Inuit. The median 24 h iodine excretion was 138 (25th-75th percentile 89-225) μg/97 (25th-75th percentile 72-124) μg in Inuit/non-Inuit (P= 0.030), and 153 (25th-75th percentile 97-251) μg/102 (25th-75th percentile 73-138) μg (P= 0.026) when including compensated iodine excretion. Iodine excretion in 24 h urine samples increased with a rising intake of traditional Inuit foods (P= 0.005). Iodine excretion was lower in morning spot urine samples than in 24 h urine samples (P< 0.001). This difference was associated with iodine intake levels (P< 0.001), and was statistically significant when the iodine excretion level was above 150 μg/24 h. In conclusion, the iodine intake level was underestimated from morning spot urine samples if iodine excretion was above the recommended level.

Occurrence and Profiles of the Artificial Endocrine Disruptor Bisphenol A and Natural Endocrine Disruptor Phytoestrogens in Urine from Children in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingyue Zhang

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Exposure to artificial or natural endocrine disruptors, such as bisphenol A (BPA and phytoestrogens has been demonstrated to have health effects, especially in children. Biomonitoring of BPA and phytoestrogens in human urine can be used to assess the intake levels of these compounds. Methods: In this study, BPA and phytoestrogens in urine specimens (n = 256 collected from children in China were measured by liquid chromatography (LC-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS. Results: BPA was detected in most specimens, with a geometric mean concentration of 1.58 ng/mL. For the first time, levels of urinary phytoestrogens in Chinese children were reported. Daidzein and enterolactone are the typical isoflavones and lignans compounds in urine, respectively. Conclusions: Relatively high levels of urinary BPA indicate an increasing risk of BPA exposure to Chinese children. Urinary concentrations of daidzein in Chinese children are higher when compared with those reported in the U.S. children, while concentrations of urinary enterolactone and enterodiols are significantly lower. This suggests a significant difference in phytoestrogen intake between the children from China and from the U.S.

Interfacial area, velocity and void fraction in two-phase slug flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojasoy, G.; Riznic, J.R.

1997-01-01

The internal flow structure of air-water plug/slug flow in a 50.3 mm dia transparent pipeline has been experimentally investigated by using a four-sensor resistivity probe. Liquid and gas volumetric superficial velocities ranged from 0.55 to 2.20 m/s and 0.27 to 2.20 m/s, respectively, and area-averaged void fractions ranged from about 10 to 70%. The local distributions of void fractions, interfacial area concentration and interface velocity were measured. Contributions from small spherical bubbles and large elongated slug bubbles toward the total void fraction and interfacial area concentration were differentiated. It was observed that the small bubble void contribution to the overall void fraction was small indicating that the large slug bubble void fraction was a dominant factor in determining the total void fraction. However, the small bubble interfacial area contribution was significant in the lower and upper portions of the pipe cross sections

On hydrogen-induced plastic flow localization during void growth and coalescence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, D.C.; Sofronis, P. [Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 West Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Dodds, R.H. Jr. [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 205 North Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States)

2007-11-15

Hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP) is recognized as a viable mechanism of hydrogen embrittlement. A possible way by which the HELP mechanism can bring about macroscopic material failure is through hydrogen-induced accelerated void growth and coalescence. Assuming a periodic array of spherical voids loaded axisymmetrically, we investigate the hydrogen effect on the occurrence of plastic flow localization upon void growth and its dependence on macroscopic stress triaxiality. Under a macroscopic stress triaxiality equal to 1 and prior to void coalescence, the finite element calculation results obtained with material data relevant to A533B steel indicate that a hydrogen-induced localized shear band forms at an angle of about 45 {sup circle} from the axis of symmetry. At triaxiality equal to 3, void coalescence takes place by accelerated hydrogen-induced localization of plasticity mainly in the ligament between the voids. Lastly, we discuss the numerical results within the context of experimental observations on void growth and coalescence in the presence of hydrogen. (author)

The urine marker test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elbe, Anne-Marie; Jensen, Stine Nylandsted; Elsborg, Peter

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Urine sample collection for doping control tests is a key component of the World Anti-Doping Agency's fight against doping in sport. However, a substantial number of athletes experience difficulty when having to urinate under supervision. Furthermore, it cannot always be ensured...... that athletes are actually delivering their own urine. A method that can be used to alleviate the negative impact of a supervised urination procedure and which can also identify urine as coming from a specific athlete is the urine marker test. Monodisperse low molecular weight polyethylene glycols (PEGs......) are given orally prior to urination. Urine samples can be traced to the donor by analysis of the PEGs previously given. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the use of the urine marker during urine doping control testing. METHODS: Two studies investigated athletes' acceptance...

Comment on theories for helium-assisted void nucleation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, K.C.

1976-01-01

Voids form by agglomeration of irradiation-induced vacancies which remain after preferential absorption of self interstitials at dislocation lines. Helium which is formed by (n,α) transmutations and, in simulation studies, may be ion-implanted, often plays an important, but puzzling role. In some materials, very few voids form in the absence of helium, even after intense irradiation. In many other materials , voids form readily under a variety of irradiation conditions, even in the absence of helium. Why some materials require helium - typically in the 10 -6 apa (atom per atom) range - and others do not, and the reason for that particular level are by no means clear. The physics of void nucleation, particularly the role of helium, have been the subject of several theoretical papers. This note presents a critique of these theories, and then briefly outlines a new analysis which is not subject to their limitations. (Auth.)

Radionuclide measurement of urinary flow rates and residual urine in the evaluation of bladder outflow obstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groshar, D.; Embon, O.M.; Sazbon, A.; Koritny, E.; Frankel, A.

1986-01-01

A radionuclide method was developed to evaluate bladder outflow obstruction. Forty-seven patients with prostatic hypertrophy and 29 controls were studied. Urinary mean (MRF) and peak (PFR) flow rates were determined from the time-activity curves of bladder emptying. Residual urine (RU) was calculated by the volume voided and the bladder ejection fraction. A corrected PFR was calculated [CPFR = PFR/(vol. voided + RU)/sup 1/2/]. There was significant difference between patients and controls (MFR = 4 +- 2 vs. 9 +- 4 ml/sec, P <.001; PFR = 10 +- 6 vs. 20 +- 7, P <.001; CPFR = 0.57 +- 0.21 vs. 1.22 +- 0.32, P <.0001). RU was 13 +- 13 ml in controls and 155 +- 285 ml in patients (P <.01). CPFR was less than 0.89 in 94% of patients and 10% of controls, PFR was less than 14 ml/sec in 79% of patients and 17% of controls, and MFR was less than 7 ml/sec in 91% of patients and 21% of controls. The method enables good separation between patients and controls in a single examination that measures both flow and volume

Nucleation and growth of voids by radiation. Pt. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, R.M.; Brown, L.M.

1980-01-01

The original model of Brown, Kelly and Mayer [1] for the nucleation of interstitial loops has been extended to take into account the following: (i) mobility of the vacancies, (ii) generation and migration of gas atoms during irradiation, (iii) nucleation and growth of voids, and (iv) vacancy emission from voids and clusters at high temperatures. Using chemicalrate equations, additional expressions are formulated for the nucleation and growth of vacancy loops and voids. (orig.)

Elevated CXC chemokines in urine noninvasively discriminate OAB from UTI.

Science.gov (United States)

Tyagi, Pradeep; Tyagi, Vikas; Qu, Xianggui; Chuang, Yao Chi; Kuo, Hann-Chorng; Chancellor, Michael

2016-09-01

Overlapping symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB) and urinary tract infection (UTI) often complicate the diagnosis and contribute to overprescription of antibiotics. Inflammatory response is a shared characteristic of both UTI and OAB and here we hypothesized that molecular differences in inflammatory response seen in urine can help discriminate OAB from UTI. Subjects in the age range of (20-88 yr) of either sex were recruited for this urine analysis study. Urine specimens were available from 62 UTI patients with positive dipstick test before antibiotic treatment. Six of these patients also provided urine after completion of antibiotic treatment. Subjects in cohorts of OAB (n = 59) and asymptomatic controls (n = 26) were negative for dipstick test. Urinary chemokines were measured by MILLIPLEX MAP Human Cytokine/Chemokine Immunoassay and their association with UTI and OAB was determined by univariate and multivariate statistics. Significant elevation of CXCL-1, CXCL-8 (IL-8), and CXCL-10 together with reduced levels for a receptor antagonist of IL-1A (sIL-1RA) were seen in UTI relative to OAB and asymptomatic controls. Elevated CXCL-1 urine levels predicted UTI with odds ratio of 1.018 and showed a specificity of 80.77% and sensitivity of 59.68%. Postantibiotic treatment, reduction was seen in all CXC chemokines with a significant reduction for CXCL-10. Strong association of CXCL-1 and CXCL-10 for UTI over OAB indicates mechanistic differences in signaling pathways driving inflammation secondary of infection in UTI compared with a lack of infection in OAB. Urinary chemokines highlight molecular differences in the paracrine signaling driving the overlapping symptoms of UTI and OAB. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Radiation-induced void swelling in metals and alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zelinskij, V.F.; Neklyudov, I.M.; Ozhigov, L.S.; Reznichenko, Eh.A.; Rozhkov, V.V.; Chernyaeva, T.T.

1979-01-01

Main regularities in the development of radiation-induced void swelling are considered. Special attention is paid to consideration of a possibility to obtain information on material behaviour under conditions of reactor irradiation proceeding from the data of simulation experiments and to methods of rate control, for the processes which occur in material during irradiation and further annealing by the way of rationalized alloying, of thermomechanical treatment and programmed change of irradiation conditions under operation. Problems of initiation and growth of voids in irradiated materials are discussed as well as the ways to decrease the rate of radiation-induced void swelling

Numerical simulation of void growth under dynamic loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iqbal, A.

1996-01-01

Following a brief general review of developments in material behavior under high strain rates, a cylindrical cell surrounding a spherical void in OFHC copper is numerically simulated by Zerri-Armstrong model. This simulation results show that the plastic deformation tends to be concentrated in the vicinity of voids either in the axial or transverse direction depending upon the stress state. This event is associated with the accelerated void through accompanying coalescence causing ductile fracture. A3-node triangular mesh generation code used as input for finite element code is developed by a 'Central Generation' technique. (author)

Method of simulating spherical voids for use as a radiographic standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foster, B.E.

1977-01-01

A method of simulating small spherical voids in metal is provided. The method entails drilling or etching a hemispherical depression of the desired diameter in each of two sections of metal, the sections being flat plates or different diameter cylinders. A carbon bead is placed in one of the hemispherical voids and is used as a guide to align the second hemispherical void with that in the other plate. The plates are then bonded together with epoxy, tape or similar material and the two aligned hemispheres form a sphere within the material; thus a void of a known size has been created. This type of void can be used to simulate a pore in the development of radiographic techniques of actual voids (porosity) in welds and serve as a radiographic standard

Size-effects at a crack-tip interacting with a number of voids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvergaard, Viggo; Niordson, Christian Frithiof

2008-01-01

A strain gradient plasticity theory is used to analyse the growth of discretely represented voids in front of a blunting crack tip, in order to study the influence of size effects on two competing mechanisms of crack growth. For a very small void volume fraction the crack tip tends to interact...... of the characteristic material length relative to the initial void radius. For a case showing the multiple void mechanism, it is found that the effect of the material length can change the behaviour towards the void by void mechanism. A material model with three characteristic length scales is compared with a one...

Evaluation and analytical validation of a handheld digital refractometer for urine specific gravity measurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara P. Wyness

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Refractometers are commonly used to determine urine specific gravity (SG in the assessment of hydration status and urine specimen validity testing. Few comprehensive performance evaluations are available demonstrating refractometer capability from a clinical laboratory perspective. The objective of this study was therefore to conduct an analytical validation of a handheld digital refractometer used for human urine SG testing. Design and methods: A MISCO Palm Abbe™ refractometer was used for all experiments, including device familiarization, carryover, precision, accuracy, linearity, analytical sensitivity, evaluation of potential substances which contribute to SG (i.e. “interference”, and reference interval evaluation. A manual refractometer, urine osmometer, and a solute score (sum of urine chloride, creatinine, glucose, potassium, sodium, total protein, and urea nitrogen; all in mg/dL were used as comparative methods for accuracy assessment. Results: Significant carryover was not observed. A wash step was still included as good laboratory practice. Low imprecision (%CV, <0.01 was demonstrated using low and high QC material. Accuracy studies showed strong correlation to manual refractometry. Linear correlation was also demonstrated between SG, osmolality, and solute score. Linearity of Palm Abbe performance was verified with observed error of ≤0.1%. Increases in SG were observed with increasing concentrations of albumin, creatinine, glucose, hemoglobin, sodium chloride, and urea. Transference of a previously published urine SG reference interval of 1.0020–1.0300 was validated. Conclusions: The Palm Abbe digital refractometer was a fast, simple, and accurate way to measure urine SG. Analytical validity was confirmed by the present experiments. Keywords: Specific gravity, Osmolality, Digital refractometry, Hydration, Sports medicine, Urine drug testing, Urine adulteration

New insight on bubble-void transition effects in irradiated materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubinko, V.I.

1993-01-01

An account of elastic interaction between cavities and point defects is shown to result in new critical quantities for bubblevoid transition effects in irradiated cubic crystals. In contrast to previous theories, the present one gives not only critical quantities which determine the onset of bias-driven void swelling but the maximum stationary number density and the corresponding mean radius of voids as well as the duration of the bimodal regime. The void density and swelling rate are shown to be independent from the gas level. In the region of low temperatures/high dose rates, the void density appears to be independent from irradiation parameters as well. The relationships among material constants are found at which the stabilization of gas bubbles occurs via the dislocation loop punching mechanism resulting in a drastic change in the cavity behaviour under irradiation such as the saturation (or even suppression) of void swelling and void lattice formation. The theoretical results are compared with experimental data and further experimental tests are proposed. (author). 38 refs., 1 tab., 11 figs

Urine - abnormal color

Science.gov (United States)

... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003139.htm Urine - abnormal color To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. The usual color of urine is straw-yellow. Abnormally colored urine ...

Automated urinalysis: first experiences and a comparison between the Iris iQ200 urine microscopy system, the Sysmex UF-100 flow cytometer and manual microscopic particle counting.

Science.gov (United States)

Shayanfar, Noushin; Tobler, Ulrich; von Eckardstein, Arnold; Bestmann, Lukas

2007-01-01

Automated analysis of insoluble urine components can reduce the workload of conventional microscopic examination of urine sediment and is possibly helpful for standardization. We compared the diagnostic performance of two automated urine sediment analyzers and combined dipstick/automated urine analysis with that of the traditional dipstick/microscopy algorithm. A total of 332 specimens were collected and analyzed for insoluble urine components by microscopy and automated analyzers, namely the Iris iQ200 (Iris Diagnostics) and the UF-100 flow cytometer (Sysmex). The coefficients of variation for day-to-day quality control of the iQ200 and UF-100 analyzers were 6.5% and 5.5%, respectively, for red blood cells. We reached accuracy ranging from 68% (bacteria) to 97% (yeast) for the iQ200 and from 42% (bacteria) to 93% (yeast) for the UF-100. The combination of dipstick and automated urine sediment analysis increased the sensitivity of screening to approximately 98%. We conclude that automated urine sediment analysis is sufficiently precise and improves the workflow in a routine laboratory. In addition, it allows sediment analysis of all urine samples and thereby helps to detect pathological samples that would have been missed in the conventional two-step procedure according to the European guidelines. Although it is not a substitute for microscopic sediment examination, it can, when combined with dipstick testing, reduce the number of specimens submitted to microscopy. Visual microscopy is still required for some samples, namely, dysmorphic erythrocytes, yeasts, Trichomonas, oval fat bodies, differentiation of casts and certain crystals.

Stress Voiding in IC Interconnects - Rules of Evidence for Failure Analysts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

FILTER, WILLIAM F.

1999-09-17

Mention the words ''stress voiding'', and everyone from technology engineer to manager to customer is likely to cringe. This IC failure mechanism elicits fear because it is insidious, capricious, and difficult to identify and arrest. There are reasons to believe that a damascene-copper future might be void-free. Nevertheless, engineers who continue to produce ICs with Al-alloy interconnects, or who assess the reliability of legacy ICs with long service life, need up-to-date insights and techniques to deal with stress voiding problems. Stress voiding need not be fearful. Not always predictable, neither is it inevitable. On the contrary, stress voids are caused by specific, avoidable processing errors. Analytical work, though often painful, can identify these errors when stress voiding occurs, and vigilance in monitoring the improved process can keep it from recurring. In this article, they show that a methodical, forensics approach to failure analysis can solve suspected cases of stress voiding. This approach uses new techniques, and patiently applies familiar ones, to develop evidence meeting strict standards of proof.

Evaluation and Comparison of Multiple Test Methods, Including Real-time PCR, for Legionella Detection in Clinical Specimens

Science.gov (United States)

Peci, Adriana; Winter, Anne-Luise; Gubbay, Jonathan B.

2016-01-01

Legionella is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause Pontiac fever, a mild upper respiratory infection and Legionnaire’s disease, a more severe illness. We aimed to compare the performance of urine antigen, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test methods and to determine if sputum is an acceptable alternative to the use of more invasive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Data for this study included specimens tested for Legionella at Public Health Ontario Laboratories from 1st January, 2010 to 30th April, 2014, as part of routine clinical testing. We found sensitivity of urinary antigen test (UAT) compared to culture to be 87%, specificity 94.7%, positive predictive value (PPV) 63.8%, and negative predictive value (NPV) 98.5%. Sensitivity of UAT compared to PCR was 74.7%, specificity 98.3%, PPV 77.7%, and NPV 98.1%. Out of 146 patients who had a Legionella-positive result by PCR, only 66 (45.2%) also had a positive result by culture. Sensitivity for culture was the same using either sputum or BAL (13.6%); sensitivity for PCR was 10.3% for sputum and 12.8% for BAL. Both sputum and BAL yield similar results regardless testing methods (Fisher Exact p-values = 1.0, for each test). In summary, all test methods have inherent weaknesses in identifying Legionella; therefore, more than one testing method should be used. Obtaining a single specimen type from patients with pneumonia limits the ability to diagnose Legionella, particularly when urine is the specimen type submitted. Given ease of collection and similar sensitivity to BAL, clinicians are encouraged to submit sputum in addition to urine when BAL submission is not practical from patients being tested for Legionella. PMID:27630979

"Dark energy" in the Local Void

Science.gov (United States)

Villata, M.

2012-05-01

The unexpected discovery of the accelerated cosmic expansion in 1998 has filled the Universe with the embarrassing presence of an unidentified "dark energy", or cosmological constant, devoid of any physical meaning. While this standard cosmology seems to work well at the global level, improved knowledge of the kinematics and other properties of our extragalactic neighborhood indicates the need for a better theory. We investigate whether the recently suggested repulsive-gravity scenario can account for some of the features that are unexplained by the standard model. Through simple dynamical considerations, we find that the Local Void could host an amount of antimatter (˜5×1015 M ⊙) roughly equivalent to the mass of a typical supercluster, thus restoring the matter-antimatter symmetry. The antigravity field produced by this "dark repulsor" can explain the anomalous motion of the Local Sheet away from the Local Void, as well as several other properties of nearby galaxies that seem to require void evacuation and structure formation much faster than expected from the standard model. At the global cosmological level, gravitational repulsion from antimatter hidden in voids can provide more than enough potential energy to drive both the cosmic expansion and its acceleration, with no need for an initial "explosion" and dark energy. Moreover, the discrete distribution of these dark repulsors, in contrast to the uniformly permeating dark energy, can also explain dark flows and other recently observed excessive inhomogeneities and anisotropies of the Universe.

Void growth suppression by dislocation impurity atmospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weertman, J.; Green, W.V.

1976-01-01

A detailed calculation is given of the effect of an impurity atmosphere on void growth under irradiation damage conditions. Norris has proposed that such an atmosphere can suppress void growth. The hydrostatic stress field of a dislocation that is surrounded by an impurity atmosphere was found and used to calculate the change in the effective radius of a dislocation line as a sink for interstitials and vacancies. The calculation of the impurity concentration in a Cottrell cloud takes into account the change in hydrostatic pressure produced by the presence of the cloud itself. It is found that void growth is eliminated whenever dislocations are surrounded by a condensed atmosphere of either oversized substitutional impurity atoms or interstitial impurity atoms. A condensed atmosphere will form whenever the average impurity concentration is larger than a critical concentration

Two-dimensional void reconstruction by neutron transmission

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakaib, G.D.; Harms, A.A.; Vlachopoulos, J.

1978-01-01

Contemporary algebraic reconstruction methods are utilized in investigating the two-dimensional void distribution in a water analog from neutron transmission measurements. It is sought to ultimately apply these techniques to the determination of time-averaged void distribution in two-phase flow systems as well as for potential usage in neutron radiography. Initially, projection data were obtained from a digitized model of a hypothetical two-phase representation and later from neutron beam traverses across a voided methacrylate plastic model. From 10 to 15 views were incorporated, and decoupling of overlapped measurements was utilized to afford greater resolution. In general, the additive Algebraic Reconstruction Technique yielded the best reconstructions, with others showing promise for noisy data. Results indicate the need for some further development of the method in interpreting real data

Nucleation of voids in materials supersaturated with mobile interstitials, vacancies and divacancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfer, W.G.; Si-Ahmed, A.

1982-01-01

In previous void nucleation theories, the void size has been allowed to change only by one atomic volume through vacancy or interstitial absorption or through vacancy emission. To include the absorption of divacancies, the classical nucleation theory is here extended to include double-step transitions between clusters. The new nucleation theory is applied to study the effect of divacancies on void formation. It is found that the steady-state void nucleation rate is enhanced by several orders of magnitude as compared to results with previous void nucleation theories. However, to obtain void nucleation rates comparable to measured ones, the effect of impurities, segregation and insoluble gases must still be invoked. (author)

The irradiation induced microstructural development and the role of γ' on void formation in Ni-based alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, T.; Nakata, K.; Masaoka, I.; Takahashi, H.; Takeyama, T.; Ohnuki, S.; Osanai, H.

1984-01-01

The microstructural development for Inconel X-750, Ni-13 at% Al, and Ni-11.5 at% Si alloys during irradiation was investigated. These alloys were previously heat-treated at temperatures of 723-1073 K, and γ' precipitates were produced. Irradiation was performed in a high voltage electron microscope in the temperature range 627-823 K. In the case of solution-treated Inconel, interstitial dislocation loops were formed initially, while voids were nucleated after longer times. When the Inconel specimen containing a high number density of small γ' was irradiated, dislocation loops were formed in both the matrix and precipitate-matrix interface. The loops formed on the interface scarcely grew during irradiation. On the other hand, for the Ni-Al alloy fine γ' nucleated during irradiation, the large γ' precipitated by pre-aging, dissolved. A similar resolution process was also observed in Ni-Si alloy. Furthermore, in the Ni-Si alloy precipitates of γ' formed preferentially at interstitial dislocation loops and both specimen surfaces. (orig.)

Effect of Dark Energy Perturbation on Cosmic Voids Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Endo, Takao; Nishizawa, Atsushi J.; Ichiki, Kiyotomo

2018-05-01

In this paper, we present the effects of dark energy perturbation on the formation and abundance of cosmic voids. We consider dark energy to be a fluid with a negative pressure characterised by a constant equation of state w and speed of sound c_s^2. By solving fluid equations for two components, namely, dark matter and dark energy fluids, we quantify the effects of dark energy perturbation on the sizes of top-hat voids. We also explore the effects on the size distribution of voids based on the excursion set theory. We confirm that dark energy perturbation negligibly affects the size evolution of voids; c_s^2=0 varies the size only by 0.1% as compared to the homogeneous dark energy model. We also confirm that dark energy perturbation suppresses the void size when w -1 (Basse et al. 2011). In contrast to the negligible impact on the size, we find that the size distribution function on scales larger than 10 Mpc/h highly depends on dark energy perturbation; compared to the homogeneous dark energy model, the number of large voids of radius 30Mpc is 25% larger for the model with w = -0.9 and c_s^2=0 while they are 20% less abundant for the model with w = -1.3 and c_s^2=0.

Black Urine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rahim Vakili

2016-06-01

Full Text Available A 2-year-old boy was born at term of healthy, non-consanguineous Iranian parents. His mother attended in the clinic with the history of sometimes discoloration of diapers after passing urine. She noticed that first at the age of one month with intensified in recent months. His Physical examination and growth parameters were normal. His mother denied taking any medication (sorbitol, nitrofurantoin, metronidazole, methocarbamol, sena and methyldopa (5. Qualitative urine examination showed dark black discoloration. By this history, alkaptonuria was the most clinical suspicious. A 24-hour-urine sample was collected and sent for quantitative measurements. The urine sample was highly positive for homogentisic acid and negative for porphyrin metabolites.

Radiographic and Histologic Evaluation of a Bone Void that Formed After Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2-Mediated Sinus Graft Augmentation: A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hyun-Joo; Jun, Choong-Man; Yun, Jeong-Ho

2016-01-01

In the present case report, the authors describe radiographic and histologic observations of a bone void that formed after a sinus augmentation using a graft material that contained recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and discuss clinical and histologic implications of their findings. Sinus augmentation was performed using a graft material comprising 1 g of hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate, which contained 1 mg of rhBMP-2. Radiographic evaluation was conducted with panoramic radiographs and computed tomography images of the augmented maxillary sinus, which were analyzed using a three-dimensional image-reconstruction program. Histologic evaluation was also performed on a biopsy specimen obtained 6 months after the sinus augmentation. The total augmented volume increased from 1,582.2 mm(3) immediately after the sinus augmentation to 3,344.9 mm3 at 6 months after the augmentation because of the formation of a bone void. Twenty-six months after the sinus augmentation, the bone void remained but had reduced in volume, with the total augmented volume reduced to 2,551.7 mm(3). Histologically, new bone was observed to be in contact with the grafted particles, and a fatty marrow-like tissue was present in the area of the bone void. This case report shows that the bone void that had formed after sinus augmentation resolved over time and seemed to be partially replaced with new bone. Furthermore, none of the implants failed, and clinical adverse events were not observed during the follow-up period.

Void coalescence mechanism for combined tension and large amplitude cyclic shearing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kim Lau; Andersen, Rasmus Grau; Tvergaard, Viggo

2017-01-01

Void coalescence at severe shear deformation has been studied intensively under monotonic loading conditions, and the sequence of micro-mechanisms that governs failure has been demonstrated to involve collapse, rotation, and elongation of existing voids. Under intense shearing, the voids are flat...

Biological characteristics of human-urine-derived stem cells: potential for cell-based therapy in neurology.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Jun-Jie; Niu, Xin; Gong, Fei-Xiang; Hu, Bin; Guo, Shang-Chun; Lou, Yuan-Lei; Zhang, Chang-Qing; Deng, Zhi-Feng; Wang, Yang

2014-07-01

Stem cells in human urine have gained attention in recent years; however, urine-derived stem cells (USCs) are far from being well elucidated. In this study, we compared the biological characteristics of USCs with adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) and investigated whether USCs could serve as a potential cell source for neural tissue engineering. USCs were isolated from voided urine with a modified culture medium. Through a series of experiments, we examined the growth rate, surface antigens, and differentiation potential of USCs, and compared them with ASCs. USCs showed robust proliferation ability. After serial propagation, USCs retained normal karyotypes. Cell surface antigen expression of USCs was similar to ASCs. With lineage-specific induction factors, USCs could differentiate toward the osteogenic, chondrogenic, adipogenic, and neurogenic lineages. To assess the ability of USCs to survive, differentiate, and migrate, they were seeded onto hydrogel scaffold and transplanted into rat brain. The results showed that USCs were able to survive in the lesion site, migrate to other areas, and express proteins that were associated with neural phenotypes. The results of our study demonstrate that USCs possess similar biological characteristics with ASCs and have multilineage differentiation potential. Moreover USCs can differentiate to neuron-like cells in rat brain. The present study shows that USCs are a promising cell source for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

The effect of voids on the hardening of body-centered cubic Fe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakai, Ryosuke, E-mail: ryosuke.nakai@jupiter.qse.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01-2, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aobaku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579 (Japan); Yabuuchi, Kiyohiro, E-mail: k-yabuuchi@iae.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01-2, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aobaku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579 (Japan); Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011 (Japan); Nogami, Shuhei, E-mail: shuhei.nogami@qse.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01-2, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aobaku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579 (Japan); Hasegawa, Akira, E-mail: akira.hasegawa@qse.tohoku.ac.jp [Department of Quantum Science and Energy Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-01-2, Aramaki-Aza-Aoba, Aobaku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8579 (Japan)

2016-04-01

The mechanical properties of metals are affected by various types of defects. Hardening is usually described through the interaction between dislocations and obstacles, in the so-called line tension theory. The strength factor in the line tension theory represents the resistance of a defect against the dislocation motion. In order to understand hardening from the viewpoint of the microstructure, an accurate determination of the strength factor of different types of defects is essential. In the present study, the strength factor of voids in body-centered cubic (BCC) Fe was investigated by two different approaches: one based on the Orowan equation to link the measured hardness with the average size and density of voids, and the other involving direct observation of the interaction between dislocations and voids by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The strength factor of voids induced by ion irradiation estimated by the Orowan equation was 0.6, whereas the strength factor estimated by the direct TEM approach was 0.8. The difference in the strength factors measured by the two approaches is due to the positional relationship between dislocations and voids: the central region of a void is stronger than the tip. Moreover, the gliding plane and the direction of dislocation may also affect the strength factor of voids. This study determined the strength factor of voids in BCC Fe accurately, and suggested that the contribution of voids to the irradiation hardening is larger than that of dislocation loops and Cu-rich precipitates. - Highlights: • The strength factor of voids in BCC Fe was experimentally investigated. • The strength factor of voids estimated by the line tension theory was 0.6. • The strength factor of voids estimated by the bowing angle of dislocations was 0.8. • The different strength factors are due to the positional relationship.

Void Fraction Measurement in Subcooled-Boiling Flow Using High-Frame-Rate Neutron Radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kureta, Masatoshi; Akimoto, Hajime; Hibiki, Takashi; Mishima, Kaichiro

2001-01-01

A high-frame-rate neutron radiography (NR) technique was applied to measure the void fraction distribution in forced-convective subcooled-boiling flow. The focus was experimental technique and error estimation of the high-frame-rate NR. The results of void fraction measurement in the boiling flow were described. Measurement errors on instantaneous and time-averaged void fractions were evaluated experimentally and analytically. Measurement errors were within 18 and 2% for instantaneous void fraction (measurement time is 0.89 ms), and time-averaged void fraction, respectively. The void fraction distribution of subcooled boiling was measured using atmospheric-pressure water in rectangular channels with channel width 30 mm, heated length 100 mm, channel gap 3 and 5 mm, inlet water subcooling from 10 to 30 K, and mass velocity ranging from 240 to 2000 kg/(m 2 .s). One side of the channel was heated homogeneously. Instantaneous void fraction and time-averaged void fraction distribution were measured parametrically. The effects of flow parameters on void fraction were investigated

ON THE STAR FORMATION PROPERTIES OF VOID GALAXIES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moorman, Crystal M.; Moreno, Jackeline; White, Amanda; Vogeley, Michael S. [Department of Physics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (United States); Hoyle, Fiona [Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Ecuador, 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, Quito (Ecuador); Giovanelli, Riccardo; Haynes, Martha P., E-mail: crystal.m.moorman@drexel.edu [Center for Radiophysics and Space Research, Space Sciences Building, Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States)

2016-11-10

We measure the star formation properties of two large samples of galaxies from the SDSS in large-scale cosmic voids on timescales of 10 and 100 Myr, using H α emission line strengths and GALEX FUV fluxes, respectively. The first sample consists of 109,818 optically selected galaxies. We find that void galaxies in this sample have higher specific star formation rates (SSFRs; star formation rates per unit stellar mass) than similar stellar mass galaxies in denser regions. The second sample is a subset of the optically selected sample containing 8070 galaxies with reliable H i detections from ALFALFA. For the full H i detected sample, SSFRs do not vary systematically with large-scale environment. However, investigating only the H i detected dwarf galaxies reveals a trend toward higher SSFRs in voids. Furthermore, we estimate the star formation rate per unit H i mass (known as the star formation efficiency; SFE) of a galaxy, as a function of environment. For the overall H i detected population, we notice no environmental dependence. Limiting the sample to dwarf galaxies still does not reveal a statistically significant difference between SFEs in voids versus walls. These results suggest that void environments, on average, provide a nurturing environment for dwarf galaxy evolution allowing for higher specific star formation rates while forming stars with similar efficiencies to those in walls.

Modelling the void deformation and closure by hot forging of ingot castings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Peter; Hattel, Jesper Henri; Kotas, Petr

2012-01-01

by mechanical deformation. The aim of this paper is to analyze numerically if and to what degree the voids areclosed by the forging. Using the commercial simulation software ABAQUS, both simplified model ingots and physically manufactured ingots containing prescribed void distributions are deformed and analyzed....... The analysis concernsboth the void density change and the location of the voids in the part after deformation. The latter can be important for the subsequent reliability of the parts, for instance regarding fatigue properties. The analysis incorporates the Gurson yield criterion for metals containing voids...... and focuses on how the voids deform depending on their size and distribution in the ingot as well ashow the forging forces are applied....

Convex-based void filling method for CAD-based Monte Carlo geometry modeling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Shengpeng; Cheng, Mengyun; Song, Jing; Long, Pengcheng; Hu, Liqin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We present a new void filling method named CVF for CAD based MC geometry modeling. • We describe convex based void description based and quality-based space subdivision. • The results showed improvements provided by CVF for both modeling and MC calculation efficiency. - Abstract: CAD based automatic geometry modeling tools have been widely applied to generate Monte Carlo (MC) calculation geometry for complex systems according to CAD models. Automatic void filling is one of the main functions in the CAD based MC geometry modeling tools, because the void space between parts in CAD models is traditionally not modeled while MC codes such as MCNP need all the problem space to be described. A dedicated void filling method, named Convex-based Void Filling (CVF), is proposed in this study for efficient void filling and concise void descriptions. The method subdivides all the problem space into disjointed regions using Quality based Subdivision (QS) and describes the void space in each region with complementary descriptions of the convex volumes intersecting with that region. It has been implemented in SuperMC/MCAM, the Multiple-Physics Coupling Analysis Modeling Program, and tested on International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Alite model. The results showed that the new method reduced both automatic modeling time and MC calculation time

Infiltration properties of covering soil into the void of buried concrete waste due to fluctuation of ground water level and its prevention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takatsu, Tadashi; Tadano, Hideki; Abe, Satoshi; Imai, Jun; Yanagisawa, Eiji; Mitachi, Toshiyuki

1999-01-01

Low level radioactive concrete waste will be produced in future by breaking up the nuclear facilities, and the waste will be disposed in shallow depth of ground. In order to prepare for those situation, it is needed to clarify the infiltration properties of the covering soil into the void of buried concrete waste due to the fluctuation of ground water level and to develop the prevention methods against the infiltration of the covering soil. In this study, full-scale concrete structure specimens were broken up, and were compacted in large scale testing boxes and a series tests changing water level up and down in the concrete waste and covering soil were performed. From the test results, it was found that the appropriate filter installed between the covering soil and the concrete waste, enable us to prevent the infiltration of covering soil into the void of concrete waste. (author)

Controlling Interfacial Separation in Porous Structures by Void Patterning

Science.gov (United States)

Ghareeb, Ahmed; Elbanna, Ahmed

Manipulating interfacial response for enhanced adhesion or fracture resistance is a problem of great interest to scientists and engineers. In many natural materials and engineering applications, an interface exists between a porous structure and a substrate. A question that arises is how the void distribution in the bulk may affect the interfacial response and whether it is possible to alter the interfacial toughness without changing the surface physical chemistry. In this paper, we address this question by studying the effect of patterning voids on the interfacial-to-the overall response of an elastic plate glued to a rigid substrate by bilinear cohesive material. Different patterning categories are investigated; uniform, graded, and binary voids. Each case is subjected to upward displacement at the upper edge of the plate. We show that the peak force and maximum elongation at failure depend on the voids design and by changing the void size, alignment or gradation we may control these performance measures. We relate these changes in the measured force displacement response to energy release rate as a measure of interfacial toughness. We discuss the implications of our results on design of bulk heterogeneities for enhanced interfacial behavior.

Void migration in fusion materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, G.A.

2002-01-01

Neutron irradiation in a fusion power plant will cause helium bubbles and voids to form in the armour and blanket structural materials. If sufficiently large densities of such defects accumulate on the grain boundaries of the materials, the strength and the lifetimes of the metals will be reduced by helium embrittlement and grain boundary failure. This Letter discusses void migration in metals, both by random Brownian motion and by biassed flow in temperature gradients. In the assumed five-year blanket replacement time of a fusion power plant, approximate calculations show that the metals most resilient to failure are tungsten and molybdenum, and marginally vanadium. Helium embrittlement and grain boundary failure is expected to be more severe in steel and beryllium

Void migration in fusion materials

Science.gov (United States)

Cottrell, G. A.

2002-04-01

Neutron irradiation in a fusion power plant will cause helium bubbles and voids to form in the armour and blanket structural materials. If sufficiently large densities of such defects accumulate on the grain boundaries of the materials, the strength and the lifetimes of the metals will be reduced by helium embrittlement and grain boundary failure. This Letter discusses void migration in metals, both by random Brownian motion and by biassed flow in temperature gradients. In the assumed five-year blanket replacement time of a fusion power plant, approximate calculations show that the metals most resilient to failure are tungsten and molybdenum, and marginally vanadium. Helium embrittlement and grain boundary failure is expected to be more severe in steel and beryllium.

A void fraction model for annular two-phase flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tandon, T.N.; Gupta, C.P.; Varma, H.K.

1985-01-01

An analytical model has been developed for predicting void fraction in two-phase annular flow. In the analysis, the Lockhart-Martinelli method has been used to calculate two-phase frictional pressure drop and von Karman's universal velocity profile is used to represent the velocity distribution in the annular liquid film. Void fractions predicted by the proposed model are generally in good agreement with a available experimental data. This model appears to be as good as Smith's correlation and better than the Wallis and Zivi correlations for computing void fraction.

Electromigration of intergranular voids in metal films for microelectronic interconnects

CERN Document Server

Averbuch, A; Ravve, I

2003-01-01

Voids and cracks often occur in the interconnect lines of microelectronic devices. They increase the resistance of the circuits and may even lead to a fatal failure. Voids may occur inside a single grain, but often they appear on the boundary between two grains. In this work, we model and analyze numerically the migration and evolution of an intergranular void subjected to surface diffusion forces and external voltage applied to the interconnect. The grain-void interface is considered one-dimensional, and the physical formulation of the electromigration and diffusion model results in two coupled fourth-order one-dimensional time-dependent PDEs. The boundary conditions are specified at the triple points, which are common to both neighboring grains and the void. The solution of these equations uses a finite difference scheme in space and a Runge-Kutta integration scheme in time, and is also coupled to the solution of a static Laplace equation describing the voltage distribution throughout the grain. Since the v...

Fimch antiserum inhibits the adherence of Escherichia coli to cells collected by voided urine specimens of diabetic women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meiland, Ruby; Geerlings, Suzanne E.; Langermann, Solomon; Brouwer, Ellen C.; Coenjaerts, Frank E. J.; Hoepelman, Andy I. M.

2004-01-01

PURPOSE: With the increasing problem of resistance in pathogenic microorganisms the development of nonantimicrobial therapies is important. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased incidence of urinary tract infections. The majority of Escherichia coli strains, which is the most

Tank SY-101 void fraction instrument functional design criteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McWethy, L.M.

1994-01-01

This document presents the functional design criteria for design, analysis, fabrication, testing, and installation of a void fraction instrument for Tank SY-101. This instrument will measure the void fraction in the waste in Tank SY-101 at various elevations

Risk management of low air void asphalt concrete mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

Various forms of asphalt pavement distress, such as rutting, shoving and bleeding, can be attributed, in many cases, to low air voids in : the mixtures during production and placement. The occurrence of low air void contents during plant production m...

Microscopic Void Detection for Predicting Remaining Life in Electric Cable Insulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horvath, David A.; Avila, Steven M.

2003-01-01

A reliable method of testing for remaining life in electric cable insulation has continued to elude the nuclear industry as it seeks to extend the life and license of its nuclear stations. Until recently, a trendable, measurable electrical property has not been found, and unexpected cable failures continue to be reported. Most reliable approaches to date rely on monitoring mechanical properties, which are assumed to degrade faster than the insulation's electrical properties. This paper introduces a promising technique based on void characterization, which is dependent on an electrical property related to dielectric strength. A relationship between insulation void characteristics (size and density) and the onset of partial discharge is known to exist. A similar relationship can be shown between void characteristics and unacceptable leakage currents (another typical cable failure criterion). For low-voltage cables, it is believed void content can be correlated to mechanical property degradation.This paper will report on an approach for using void information, research results showing the existence of trendable void characteristics in commonly used electric insulation materials, and techniques for detecting the voids (both laboratory- and field-based techniques). Acoustical microscopy was found to be potentially more suitable than conventional ultrasound for nondestructive in situ detection and monitoring of void characteristics in jacketed multiconductor insulation while ignoring the jacket. Also, optical and scanning electron microscope techniques will play an essential role in establishing the database necessary for continued development and implementation of this promising technique

Specimen rejection in laboratory medicine: Necessary for patient safety?

Science.gov (United States)

Dikmen, Zeliha Gunnur; Pinar, Asli; Akbiyik, Filiz

2015-01-01

The emergency laboratory in Hacettepe University Hospitals receives specimens from emergency departments (EDs), inpatient services and intensive care units (ICUs). The samples are accepted according to the rejection criteria of the laboratory. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the sample rejection ratios according to the types of pre-preanalytical errors and collection areas. The samples sent to the emergency laboratory were recorded during 12 months between January to December, 2013 in which 453,171 samples were received and 27,067 specimens were rejected. Rejection ratios was 2.5% for biochemistry tests, 3.2% for complete blood count (CBC), 9.8% for blood gases, 9.2% for urine analysis, 13.3% for coagulation tests, 12.8% for therapeutic drug monitoring, 3.5% for cardiac markers and 12% for hormone tests. The most frequent rejection reasons were fibrin clots (28%) and inadequate volume (9%) for biochemical tests. Clotted samples (35%) and inadequate volume (13%) were the major causes for coagulation tests, blood gas analyses and CBC. The ratio of rejected specimens was higher in the EDs (40%) compared to ICUs (30%) and inpatient services (28%). The highest rejection ratio was observed in neurology ICU (14%) among the ICUs and internal medicine inpatient service (10%) within inpatient clinics. We detected an overall specimen rejection rate of 6% in emergency laboratory. By documentation of rejected samples and periodic training of healthcare personnel, we expect to decrease sample rejection ratios below 2%, improve total quality management of the emergency laboratory and promote patient safety.

Effect of initial void shape on ductile failure in a shear field

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvergaard, Viggo

2015-01-01

For voids in a shear field unit cell model analyses have been used to show that ductile failure is predicted even though the stress triaxiality is low or perhaps negative, so that the void volume fraction does not grow during deformation. Here, the effect of the void shape is studied by analyzing...... with circular cross-section, i.e. the voids in shear flatten out to micro-cracks, which rotate and elongate until interaction with neighboring micro-cracks gives coalescence. Even though the mechanism of ductile failure is the same, the load carrying capacity predicted, for the same initial void volume fraction...

Measurements of void fraction in a heated tube in the rewetting conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, R.L.

1983-01-01

The methods of void fraction measurements by transmission and diffusion of cold, thermal and epithermal neutrons were studied with cylindrical alluminium pieces simulating the steam. A great set of void fraction found in a wet zone was examined and a particulsar attention was given to the sensitivity effects of the method, mainly for high void fraction. Several aspects of the measurement techniques were analyzed, such as the effect of the phase radial distribution, neutron energy, water tempeture, effect of the void axial gradient. The technique of thermal neutron diffusion measurement was used to measure the axial profile of void fraction in a steady two-phase flow, where the pressure, mass velocity and heat flux are representative of the wet conditions. Experimental results are presented and compared with different void fraction models. (E.G.) [pt

Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) used as a marker for completeness of 24 hour urine: effects of age and dosage scheduling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, J.; Pedersen, Agnes Nadelmann; Ovesen, L.

2003-01-01

collections in this age group will be rejected unjustly (false-negatives). Also, with the currently recommended dosage schedule (PABA taken with the main meals) the risk of false-positive 24 h urine collections prevails. With refinement of the PABA test procedure, ie employing a specific analytical method......Objective: To examine the age dependency of the urinary para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) excretion, and if a delayed PABA excretion can be overcome by advancing intake schedule; and to examine the recovery of PABA in fractionated urinary samples collected during 24 h after single and repeated doses...... specimens for 24 h after a morning dose of 80 mg of PABA, and another subgroup of 10 subjects collected individual urine specimens for 24 h after ingestion of 80 mg of PABA three times at mealtimes. Subjects: Employees and relatives from the Danish Food Administration. Setting: Ninety-nine healthy...

Discrete modelling of ductile crack growth by void growth to coalescence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tvergaard, Viggo

2007-01-01

of the ligaments between the crack-tip and a void or between voids involves the development of very large strains, which are included in the model by using remeshing at several stages of the plastic deformation. The material is here described by standard isotropic hardening Mises theory. For a very small void...

Leukocyte counts in urine reflect the risk of concomitant sepsis in bacteriuric infants: A retrospective cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harper Marvin B

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background When urine infections are missed in febrile young infants with normal urinalysis, clinicians may worry about the risk – hitherto unverified – of concomitant invasion of blood and cerebrospinal fluid by uropathogens. In this study, we determine the extent of this risk. Methods In a retrospective cohort study of febrile 0–89 day old infants evaluated for sepsis in an urban academic pediatric emergency department (1993–1999, we estimated rates of bacteriuric sepsis (urinary tract infections complicated by sepsis after stratifying infants by urine leukocyte counts higher, or lower than 10 cells/hpf. We compared the global accuracy of leukocytes in urine, leukocytes in peripheral blood, body temperature, and age for predicting bacteruric sepsis. The global accuracy of each test was estimated by calculating the area under its receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests compared count data. Medians for data not normally distributed were compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results Two thousand two hundred forty-nine young infants had a normal screening dipstick. None of these developed bacteremia or meningitis despite positive urine culture in 41 (1.8%. Of 1516 additional urine specimens sent for formal urinalysis, 1279 had 0–9 leukocytes/hpf. Urine pathogens were isolated less commonly (6% vs. 76% and at lower concentrations in infants with few, compared to many urine leukocytes. Urine leukocytes (AUC: 0.94 were the most accurate predictors of bacteruric sepsis. Infants with urinary leukocytes Conclusion In young infants evaluated for fever, leukocytes in urine reflect the likelihood of bacteriuric sepsis. Infants with urinary tract infections missed because of few leukocytes in urine are at relatively low risk of invasive bacterial sepsis by pathogens isolated from urine.

Effective void fraction for a BWR assembly with boiling in the bypass region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galperin, A.; Segev, M.; Knoglinger, E.

1991-09-01

Average BWR assembly cross-sections for nominal conditions, namely for zero bypass void, can be utilised in the analysis of transient conditions with boiling in the bypass. A model is developed to yield an effective channel void for such conditions. The use of this void in conjunction with the 'nominal conditions' cross section library approximately preserves the assembly K-infinity corresponding to the true channel and bypass voids. The effective void is an augmentation of the actual channel void. The augment is proportional to the bypass-to-channel volume ratio, to the bypass void, and to a weight W which is introduced to quantify the fact that a water molecule in the bypass has a different assembly criticality worth than one in the channel. The formula developed is superior to the practice of choosing W=1, namely a simple, non-weighted, transfer of water from channel to bypass. The use of this approximate effective channel void reproduces actual K-infinity values of assemblies to better than 5 mk, whereas the use of a simple model sometimes misspredicts the assembly K-infinity by 40 mK. The effective void model cannot handle cases in which both channel and bypass void value are high, simply because then the effective void α ch eff becomes meaningless. A method to treat the α eff >1 domain is developed by which corrections to cross sections are provided. Such corrections are synthesised as functions of the assembly parameters. (author) figs., tabs., refs

Comparison of 4.2 MeV Fe+ and 46.5 MeV Ni6+ ion irradiation for the study of void swelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blamires, N.G.; Worth, J.H.

1975-11-01

Void formation in pure nickel and 316 steel containing 10 ppm He has been studied using 4.2 MeV Fe+ ions from the Harwell Van de Graaff accelerator. The dose dependence of swelling in nickel at 525degC and the dose and temperature dependence of swelling in 316 steel is reported. The results are compared with those of other workers, especially those sup(13,14) using 46.5 MeV Ni 6+ ions. In general, there is good agment, except for a marked decrease in swelling of 316 steel at 650degC and 700degC compared with the Ni 6+ bombardment. The reason for this is thought to result from the restricted width of the damaged region in the low energy case which at the high temperatures is comparable with the inter-void spacing. Anomalous void distributions adjacent to grain boundaries are reported and are probably caused by grain boundary movement. Denuded zones at grain boundaries in 316 steel vary in width from approximatly 1300A at 450degC to approximatly 8800A at 700degC. The region adjacent to the surface of the nickel specimens exhibits an abnormally high swelling. Possible explanations are suggested

Force field inside the void in complex plasmas under microgravity conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kretschmer, M.; Khrapak, S.A.; Zhdanov, S.K.; Thomas, H.M.; Morfill, G.E.; Fortov, V.E.; Lipaev, A.M.; Molotkov, V.I.; Ivanov, A.I.; Turin, M.V.

2005-01-01

Observations of complex plasmas under microgravity conditions onboard the International Space Station performed with the Plasma-Kristall experiment-Nefedov facility are reported. A weak instability of the boundary between the central void (region free of microparticles) and the microparticle cloud is observed at low gas pressures. The instability leads to periodic injections of a relatively small number of particles into the void region (by analogy this effect is called the 'trampoline effect'). The trajectories of injected particles are analyzed providing information on the force field inside the void. The experimental results are compared with theory which assumes that the most important forces inside the void are the electric and the ion drag forces. Good agreement is found clearly indicating that under conditions investigated the void formation is caused by the ion drag force

Direct evidence of void passivation in Cu(InGa)(SSe)2 absorber layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Dongho; Kim, Young-Su; Mo, Chan B.; Huh, Kwangsoo; Yang, JungYup; Nam, Junggyu; Baek, Dohyun; Park, Sungchan; Kim, ByoungJune; Kim, Dongseop; Lee, Jaehan; Heo, Sung; Park, Jong-Bong; Kang, Yoonmook

2015-01-01

We have investigated the charge collection condition around voids in copper indium gallium sulfur selenide (CIGSSe) solar cells fabricated by sputter and a sequential process of selenization/sulfurization. In this study, we found direct evidence of void passivation by using the junction electron beam induced current method, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The high sulfur concentration at the void surface plays an important role in the performance enhancement of the device. The recombination around voids is effectively suppressed by field-assisted void passivation. Hence, the generated carriers are easily collected by the electrodes. Therefore, when the S/(S + Se) ratio at the void surface is over 8% at room temperature, the device performance degradation caused by the recombination at the voids is negligible at the CIGSSe layer

Clinical Evaluation of the Cepheid Xpert TV Assay for Detection of Trichomonas vaginalis with Prospectively Collected Specimens from Men and Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwebke, Jane R; Gaydos, C A; Davis, T; Marrazzo, J; Furgerson, D; Taylor, S N; Smith, B; Bachmann, L H; Ackerman, R; Spurrell, T; Ferris, D; Burnham, C A; Reno, H; Lebed, J; Eisenberg, D; Kerndt, P; Philip, S; Jordan, J; Quigley, N

2018-02-01

Trichomoniasis is the most prevalent curable sexually transmitted disease (STD). It has been associated with preterm birth and the acquisition and transmission of HIV. Recently, nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) have been FDA cleared in the United States for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis in specimens from both women and men. This study reports the results of a multicenter study recently conducted using the Xpert TV ( T. vaginalis ) assay to test specimens from both men and women. On-demand results were available in as little as 40 min for positive specimens. A total of 1,867 women and 4,791 men were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. In women, the performance of the Xpert TV assay was compared to the patient infected status (PIS) derived from the results of InPouch TV broth culture and Aptima NAAT for T. vaginalis The diagnostic sensitivities and specificities of the Xpert TV assay for the combined female specimens (urine samples, self-collected vaginal swabs, and endocervical swabs) ranged from 99.5 to 100% and 99.4 to 99.9%, respectively. For male urine samples, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 97.2% and 99.9%, respectively, compared to PIS results derived from the results of broth culture for T. vaginalis and bidirectional gene sequencing of amplicons. Excellent performance characteristics were seen using both female and male specimens. The ease of using the Xpert TV assay should result in opportunities for enhanced screening for T. vaginalis in both men and women and, hopefully, improved control of this infection. Copyright © 2018 Schwebke et al.

Theory of void swelling, irradiation creep and growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, M.H.; Bullough, R.; Hayns, M.R.

Recent progress in our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms involved in swelling, creep and growth of materials subjected to irradiation is reviewed. The topics discussed are: the sink types and their strengths in the lossy continuum; swelling and void distribution analysis, including recent work on void nucleation; and, irradiation creep and growth of zirconium and zircaloy are taken as an example

'False-positive' and 'false-negative' test results in clinical urine drug testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Reisfield, Gary M; Goldberger, Bruce A; Bertholf, Roger L

2009-08-01

The terms 'false-positive' and 'false-negative' are widely used in discussions of urine drug test (UDT) results. These terms are inadequate because they are used in different ways by physicians and laboratory professionals and they are too narrow to encompass the larger universe of potentially misleading, inappropriate and unexpected drug test results. This larger universe, while not solely comprised of technically 'true' or 'false' positive or negative test results, presents comparable interpretive challenges with corresponding clinical implications. In this review, we propose the terms 'potentially inappropriate' positive or negative test results in reference to UDT results that are ambiguous or unexpected and subject to misinterpretation. Causes of potentially inappropriate positive UDT results include in vivo metabolic conversions of a drug, exposure to nonillicit sources of a drug and laboratory error. Causes of potentially inappropriate negative UDT results include limited assay specificity, absence of drug in the urine, presence of drug in the urine, but below established assay cutoff, specimen manipulation and laboratory error. Clinical UDT interpretation is a complicated task requiring knowledge of recent prescription, over-the-counter and herbal drug administration, drug metabolism and analytical sensitivities and specificities.

Understanding void fraction in steady state and dynamic environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chexal, B.; Maulbetsch, J.; Harrison, J.; Petersen, C.; Jensen, P.; Horowitz, J.

1997-01-01

Understanding void fraction behavior in steady-state and dynamic environments is important to accurately predict the thermal-hydraulic behavior of two-phase or two-component systems. The Chexal-Lellouche (C-L) void fraction mode described herein covers the full range of pressures, flows, void fractions, and fluid types (steam-water, air-water, and refrigerants). A drift flux model formulation is used which covers the complete range of concurrent and countercurrent flows. The (1996) model revises the earlier C-L void fraction correlation, improves the capability of the model in countercurrent flow based on the incorporation of additional data, and improves the characteristics of the correlation that are important in transient programs. The model has been qualified with data from a number of steady state two-phase and two-component tests, and has been incorporated into the transient analysis code RELAP5 and RETRAN-3D and evaluated with a variety of transient and steady state tests. A 'plug-in' module for the void fraction correlation has been developed and implemented in RELAP5 and RETRAN-3D. The module is available as source code for inclusion into other thermal-hydraulic programs and can be used in any program that utilizes the same interface variables

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CULTURE AND SENSITIVITY PATTERNS OF PRE OPERATIVE MID STREAM URINE WITH RENAL PELVIC URINE AND STONE TO PREDICT UROSEPSIS FOLLOWING PERCUTANEOUS NEPHROLITHOTOMY: A PROSPECTIVE CLINICAL STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bhargava Vardhana Reddy

2015-11-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION : Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL is the most frequently performed surgery for stone disease at our institution. Nearly 100 PCNL procedures are being performed in a year at our institution. Septicemia following PCNL can be catastrophic despite sterile preoperative urine and prophylactic antibiotics. Infected stones, obstructed kidneys , and comorbidit y have been held responsible. In this study we analyzed various culture specimens, namely Mid - stream urine (MSU, renal pelvic urine and crushed stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS : We performed a prospective clinical study in all our patients undergoing PCNL b etween January 2013 and December 2014. MSU was sent for culture and sensitivity testing (C&S one day prior to surgery. Percutaneous access into the ipsilateral pelvicaliceal system is achieved under image intensification using a fine, 14 gauge Kellet need le. Urine from the pelvicaliceal system is first aspirated and sent as pelvic urine C&S. Stone fragments are collected to be proces0sed for C&S. The data collected were divided into 3 main groups, that is MSU C&S, pelvic urine C&S and stone C&S. RESULTS : A total of 83 patients were included in the study, of this MSU C&S was positive in 9/83 (10.8% patients, Pelvic C&S in 10 /73 (13.7% patients and Stone C&S in 25/83 (30.1% patients. Out of 25 cases of stone culture positive patients 17 patients develope d Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS but only 2 patients developed SIRS in MSU C & S positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that positive stone C&S is the better predictor of potential urosepsis than MSU. Stone cultur e is available only after surgery but appears to be the best guide for antibiotic therapy in case of sepsis. So the routine collection of stone for C&S will be beneficial

Illicit drugs in alternative biological specimens: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Margalho, Cláudia; Franco, João; Corte-Real, Francisco; Vieira, Duarte Nuno

2011-04-01

Postmortem tissues (e.g. liver, kidney) have been long used in forensic applications especially in those cases where blood is unavailable. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the importance of the information provided to the forensic toxicologist at the time of carrying out the toxicological analysis, especially in cases where the samples commonly used in forensic toxicology are unavailable. This work describes the toxicological findings in a violent death resulting from a man who was hit by a train. Vitreous humor, liver and kidney were sent for toxicological analysis, once it was not possible to obtain blood and urine. The validated procedures used in the routine casework of Forensic Toxicology Laboratory of the Centre Branch of the National Institute of Legal Medicine, were applied in the analysis of liver, kidney and vitreous humor, using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-flame ionization detector for the analysis of drugs of abuse and ethanol, respectively. Morphine, codeine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester were found in the liver and in the kidney and no ethanol was found in the vitreous humor. The method validation included the study of specificity, selectivity, limits of detection, recovery and carryover. Although blood and urine are the most common and preferred matrices used for toxicological studies involving drugs of abuse, sometimes the choice of specimen is determined by the case under investigation. The forensic pathologist must be aware that relevant information must be provided so that the toxicological analysis can be conducted in accordance with case history, particularly when the only samples available for analysis are these "unconventional" specimens, since the interpretation of the obtained results is more difficult. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Effect of blood contamination on results of dipstick evaluation and urine protein-to-urine creatinine ratio for urine samples from dogs and cats.

Science.gov (United States)

Vientós-Plotts, Aida I; Behrend, Ellen N; Welles, Elizabeth G; Chew, Dennis J; Gaillard, Philippe R; Busler, Jessica N; Lee, Hollie P

2018-05-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate effects of blood contamination on dipstick results, specific gravity (SG), and urine protein-to-urine creatinine ratio (UPCR) for urine samples from dogs and cats. SAMPLE Urine samples collected from 279 dogs and 120 cats. PROCEDURES Urine pools were made for each species (dogs [n = 60] and cats [30]). Blood was added to an aliquot of a pool, and serial dilutions were prepared with the remaining urine. Color and dipstick variables were recorded, and SG and UPCR were measured. For cats, 1 set of pools was used; for dogs, 2 sets were used. Comparisons were made between undiluted urine and spiked urine samples for individual colors. Repeated-measures ANOVA on ranks was used to compare dipstick scores and UPCR results; χ 2 tests were used to compare proteinuria categorizations (nonproteinuric, borderline, or proteinuric). RESULTS Any blood in the urine resulted in significantly increased dipstick scores for blood. In both species, scores for bilirubin and ketones, pH, and SG were affected by visible blood contamination. No significant difference for the dipstick protein reagent results was evident until a sample was visibly hematuric. The UPCR was significantly increased in dark yellow samples of both species. Proteinuria categorizations differed significantly between undiluted urine and urine of all colors, except light yellow. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Any degree of blood contamination affected results of dipstick analysis. Effects depended on urine color and the variable measured. Microscopic blood contamination may affect the UPCR; thus, blood contamination may be a differential diagnosis for proteinuria in yellow urine samples.

Antibiotic prescribing practices for catheter urine culture results.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Jonathan; Thompson, G William; Austin, Thomas W; Hussain, Zafar; John, Michael; Bombassaro, Anne Marie; Connelly, Sarah E; Elsayed, Sameer

2013-01-01

The literature suggests that positive results of catheter urine cultures frequently lead to unnecessary antimicrobial prescribing, which therefore represents an important target for stewardship. To assess the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing in response to the results of urine cultures from patients with indwelling urinary catheters. This retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary care centre and involved adults with indwelling urinary catheters from whom urine specimens were obtained for culture. Patients with positive or negative culture results were identified from microbiology laboratory reports. The medical records of consecutive patients were screened to select a sample of 80 inpatients (40 per group). Abstracted patient histories were independently evaluated by an expert panel of 3 infectious diseases consultants blinded to the decisions of prescribers and of fellow panelists. The primary end point was concordance of each patient's treatment decision (with respect to the indication) between the expert panel (based on majority agreement, i.e., at least 2 of the 3 expert panelists) and the prescriber. The secondary end points were unnecessary days of therapy and selected outcomes over a predefined period after urine was obtained for culture. A total of 591 charts were screened to generate the targeted number of patients. Baseline demographic characteristics were comparable for the 2 groups, except antibiotic exposure before urine collection was significantly more frequent for the group with negative culture results. The treatment decision was concordant in 40% (16/40) of the patients with a positive culture result and 85% (34/40) of those with a negative culture result (p < 0.001). The most common reason for discordance was administration of antibiotics when not indicated (23 of 24 patients with a positive result and 5 of 6 patients with a negative result), which accounted for 165 and 32 unnecessary days of therapy per 1000 inpatient

Daily intake and hazard index of parabens based upon 24 h urine samples of the German Environmental Specimen Bank from 1995 to 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Moos, Rebecca K; Apel, Petra; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike; Brüning, Thomas; Koch, Holger M

2017-11-01

In recent years, exposure to parabens has become more of a concern because of evidence of ubiquitous exposure in the general population, combined with evidence of their potency as endocrine disruptors. New human metabolism data from oral exposure experiments enable us to back calculate daily paraben intakes from urinary paraben levels. We report daily intakes (DIs) for six parabens based on 660 24 h urine samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank collected between 1995 and 2012. Median DI values ranged between 1.1 μg/kg bw/day for iso-butyl paraben and 47.5 μg/kg bw/day for methyl paraben. The calculated DIs were compared with acceptable levels of exposure to evaluate the hazard quotients (HQs) that indicate that acceptable exposure is exceeded for values of >1. Approximately 5% of our study population exceeded this threshold for individual paraben exposure. The hazard index (HI) that takes into account the cumulative risk of adverse estrogenic effects was 1.3 at the 95th percentile and 4.4 at maximum intakes, mainly driven by n-propyl paraben exposure. HI values of >1 indicate some level of concern. However, we have to point out that we applied most conservative assumptions in the HQ/HI calculations. Also, major exposure reduction measures were enacted in the European Union after 2012.

Isolation of Infective Zika Virus from Urine and Saliva of Patients in Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Kely A. B.; de Castro, Marcia G.; Gerber, Alexandra L.; de Almeida, Luiz G. P.; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Vasconcelos, Ana Tereza R.

2016-01-01

Background Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emergent threat provoking a worldwide explosive outbreak. Since January 2015, 41 countries reported autochthonous cases. In Brazil, an increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome and microcephaly cases was linked to ZIKV infections. A recent report describing low experimental transmission efficiency of its main putative vector, Ae. aegypti, in conjunction with apparent sexual transmission notifications, prompted the investigation of other potential sources of viral dissemination. Urine and saliva have been previously established as useful tools in ZIKV diagnosis. Here, we described the presence and isolation of infectious ZIKV particles from saliva and urine of acute phase patients in the Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Methodology/Principal Findings Nine urine and five saliva samples from nine patients from Rio de Janeiro presenting rash and other typical Zika acute phase symptoms were inoculated in Vero cell culture and submitted to specific ZIKV RNA detection and quantification through, respectively, NAT-Zika, RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. Two ZIKV isolates were achieved, one from urine and one from saliva specimens. ZIKV nucleic acid was identified by all methods in four patients. Whenever both urine and saliva samples were available from the same patient, urine viral loads were higher, corroborating the general sense that it is a better source for ZIKV molecular diagnostic. In spite of this, from the two isolated strains, each from one patient, only one derived from urine, suggesting that other factors, like the acidic nature of this fluid, might interfere with virion infectivity. The complete genome of both ZIKV isolates was obtained. Phylogenetic analysis revealed similarity with strains previously isolated during the South America outbreak. Conclusions/Significance The detection of infectious ZIKV particles in urine and saliva of patients during the acute phase may represent a critical factor in the spread of virus. The epidemiological

Isolation of Infective Zika Virus from Urine and Saliva of Patients in Brazil.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myrna C Bonaldo

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Zika virus (ZIKV is an emergent threat provoking a worldwide explosive outbreak. Since January 2015, 41 countries reported autochthonous cases. In Brazil, an increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome and microcephaly cases was linked to ZIKV infections. A recent report describing low experimental transmission efficiency of its main putative vector, Ae. aegypti, in conjunction with apparent sexual transmission notifications, prompted the investigation of other potential sources of viral dissemination. Urine and saliva have been previously established as useful tools in ZIKV diagnosis. Here, we described the presence and isolation of infectious ZIKV particles from saliva and urine of acute phase patients in the Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil.Nine urine and five saliva samples from nine patients from Rio de Janeiro presenting rash and other typical Zika acute phase symptoms were inoculated in Vero cell culture and submitted to specific ZIKV RNA detection and quantification through, respectively, NAT-Zika, RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. Two ZIKV isolates were achieved, one from urine and one from saliva specimens. ZIKV nucleic acid was identified by all methods in four patients. Whenever both urine and saliva samples were available from the same patient, urine viral loads were higher, corroborating the general sense that it is a better source for ZIKV molecular diagnostic. In spite of this, from the two isolated strains, each from one patient, only one derived from urine, suggesting that other factors, like the acidic nature of this fluid, might interfere with virion infectivity. The complete genome of both ZIKV isolates was obtained. Phylogenetic analysis revealed similarity with strains previously isolated during the South America outbreak.The detection of infectious ZIKV particles in urine and saliva of patients during the acute phase may represent a critical factor in the spread of virus. The epidemiological relevance of this finding, regarding the contribution

Neutron gauging to detect voids in polyurethane

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsang, F.Y.; Alger, D.M.; Brugger, R.M.

1978-01-01

Thermal-neutron radiography and fast-neutron gauging measurements were made to evaluate the feasibility of detecting voids in a polyurethane block placed between steel plates. This sandwich of polyurethane and steel simulates the walls of a canister being designed to hold explosive devices. The polyurethane would act as a shock absorber in the canister. A large fabrication cost saving would result by casting the polyurethane, but a nondestructive testing (NDT) method is needed to determine the uniformity of the polyurethane fill. The radiography measurements used a beam of thermal neutrons, while the gauging used filtered beams of 24 keV and fission spectrum neutrons. For the 83-mm-thick polyurethane and 130-mm-thick steel matrix, the thermal-neutron radiography was able to detect only those voids equal to about one-half the polyurethane thickness. The gauging detected voids in the path of the neutron beam of a few millimetres thickness in seconds to minutes. The gauging is feasible as an NDT method for the canister application

Voids and the Cosmic Web: cosmic depression & spatial complexity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Weygaert, Rien; Shandarin, S.; Saar, E.; Einasto, J.

2016-01-01

Voids form a prominent aspect of the Megaparsec distribution of galaxies and matter. Not only do theyrepresent a key constituent of the Cosmic Web, they also are one of the cleanest probesand measures of global cosmological parameters. The shape and evolution of voids are highly sensitive tothe

Blind void filling in LR-EPONs: How efficient it can be?

KAUST Repository

Elrasad, Amr; Shihada, Basem

2015-01-01

This work proposes a novel blind void (idle periods) filling in Long-Reach Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (LR-EPONs) namely Size Controlled Batch Void Filling (SCBVF). We emphasize on reducing grant delays and hence reducing the average packet delay. SCBVF delay reduction is achieved by early flushing data during the idle time periods (voids) between allocated grants. The proposed approach can be integrated with almost all of the previously reported dynamic bandwidth allocation schemes. SCBVF is less sensitive to differential distance between ONUs and can work well in case of small differential distances compared to previously reported void filling schemes. We support our work by extensive simulation study considering bursty traffic with long range dependency. Numerical results show a delay reduction up to 35% compared to non-void filling scheme outperforming its main competitors that can achieve up to 7% delay reduction.

Blind void filling in LR-EPONs: How efficient it can be?

KAUST Repository

Elrasad, Amr

2015-07-01

This work proposes a novel blind void (idle periods) filling in Long-Reach Ethernet Passive Optical Networks (LR-EPONs) namely Size Controlled Batch Void Filling (SCBVF). We emphasize on reducing grant delays and hence reducing the average packet delay. SCBVF delay reduction is achieved by early flushing data during the idle time periods (voids) between allocated grants. The proposed approach can be integrated with almost all of the previously reported dynamic bandwidth allocation schemes. SCBVF is less sensitive to differential distance between ONUs and can work well in case of small differential distances compared to previously reported void filling schemes. We support our work by extensive simulation study considering bursty traffic with long range dependency. Numerical results show a delay reduction up to 35% compared to non-void filling scheme outperforming its main competitors that can achieve up to 7% delay reduction.

Effect of main stream void distribution on cavitating hydrofoil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, J.

1993-01-01

For the safety analysis of a loss of coolant accident in a pressurized water reactor, it is important to establish an analytical method which predicts the pump performance under gas-liquid two-phase flow condition. J.H. Kim briefly reviewed several major two-phase flow pump models, and discussed the parameters that could significantly affect two-phase pump behavior. The parameter pointed out to be of the most importance is void distribution at the pump inlet. This says that the pipe bend near the pump inlet makes the void distribution at the pump inlet nonuniform, and this matter can have a significant effect on the impeller blade performance. This paper proposes an analytical method of solution for a partially cavitating hydrofoil placed in the main stream of incompressible homogeneous bubbly two-phase flow conditions whose void fraction is exponentially distributed normal to chordline. The paper clarifies the effect of main stream void distribution parameter on the partially cavitating hydrofoil characteristics

Urine and oral fluid drug testing in support of pain management.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwong, Tai C; Magnani, Barbarajean; Moore, Christine

2017-09-01

In recent years, the abuse of opioid drugs has resulted in greater prevalence of addiction, overdose, and deaths attributable to opioid abuse. The epidemic of opioid abuse has prompted professional and government agencies to issue practice guidelines for prescribing opioids to manage chronic pain. An important tool available to providers is the drug test for use in the initial assessment of patients for possible opioid therapy, subsequent monitoring of compliance, and documentation of suspected aberrant drug behaviors. This review discusses the issues that most affect the clinical utility of drug testing in chronic pain management with opioid therapy. It focuses on the two most commonly used specimen matrices in drug testing: urine and oral fluid. The advantages and disadvantages of urine and oral fluid in the entire testing process, from specimen collection and analytical methodologies to result interpretation are reviewed. The analytical sensitivity and specificity limitations of immunoassays used for testing are examined in detail to draw attention to how these shortcomings can affect result interpretation and influence clinical decision-making in pain management. The need for specific identification and quantitative measurement of the drugs and metabolites present to investigate suspected aberrant drug behavior or unexpected positive results is analyzed. Also presented are recent developments in optimization of test menus and testing strategies, such as the modification of the standard screen and reflexed-confirmation testing model by eliminating some of the initial immunoassay-based tests and proceeding directly to definitive testing by mass spectrometry assays.

Kvaliteten af resistensbestemmelser på urin i almen praksis er generelt god

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Per; Knudsen, Anette Flindt; Højbjerg, Tove

2012-01-01

In Denmark, many microbiological tests (microscopy, culture and susceptibility examinations) are done in general practice for the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI). In 2006, the costs of susceptibility examinations were 28 million DKK. Some regional health authorities have established...... a program for quality assessment. National quality requirements for susceptibility examinations have already been established. The clinical microbiological departments send simulated urines with bacteria of common UTI strains. The specimens are examined in general practice with routine methods. The results...

On localization and void coalescence as a precursor to ductile fracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Tekoğlu, C; Hutchinson, J W; Pardoen, T

2015-03-28

Two modes of plastic flow localization commonly occur in the ductile fracture of structural metals undergoing damage and failure by the mechanism involving void nucleation, growth and coalescence. The first mode consists of a macroscopic localization, usually linked to the softening effect of void nucleation and growth, in either a normal band or a shear band where the thickness of the band is comparable to void spacing. The second mode is coalescence with plastic strain localizing to the ligaments between voids by an internal necking process. The ductility of a material is tied to the strain at macroscopic localization, as this marks the limit of uniform straining at the macroscopic scale. The question addressed is whether macroscopic localization occurs prior to void coalescence or whether the two occur simultaneously. The relation between these two modes of localization is studied quantitatively in this paper using a three-dimensional elastic-plastic computational model representing a doubly periodic array of voids within a band confined between two semi-infinite outer blocks of the same material but without voids. At sufficiently high stress triaxiality, a clear separation exists between the two modes of localization. At lower stress triaxialities, the model predicts that the onset of macroscopic localization and coalescence occur simultaneously. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Fluid intake and voiding; habits and health knowledge in a young, healthy population.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Rebekah N; Grimmer-Somers, Karen A

2012-01-01

Health professionals commonly advise patients with incontinence and other lower urinary tract symptoms about modifiable contributing factors such as drinking and voiding habits. Poor drinking and voiding habits may begin early in life, before symptoms emerge. However, little is known about the habits and knowledge young people have regarding healthy drinking and voiding behaviors. This research aimed to assess the habits and health knowledge of young people regarding fluid intake and voiding. A questionnaire was used to assess the drinking and voiding behaviors of first year university students and their knowledge about healthy fluid intake and voiding. The average daily fluid intake was >2 L/day for both genders. Poor drinking and voiding habits (such as high consumption of caffeinated drinks and alcohol, or nocturia) were common. Widely reported myths about the benefits of a high fluid intake were commonly believed. More informed public education regarding healthy fluid intake, and drinking and voiding habits, is required as part of the effort to reduce the development of lower urinary tract symptoms, including incontinence.

Influence of the void fraction in the linear reactivity model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castillo, J.A.; Ramirez, J.R.; Alonso, G.

2003-01-01

The linear reactivity model allows the multicycle analysis in pressurized water reactors in a simple and quick way. In the case of the Boiling water reactors the void fraction it varies axially from 0% of voids in the inferior part of the fuel assemblies until approximately 70% of voids to the exit of the same ones. Due to this it is very important the determination of the average void fraction during different stages of the reactor operation to predict the burnt one appropriately of the same ones to inclination of the pattern of linear reactivity. In this work a pursuit is made of the profile of power for different steps of burnt of a typical operation cycle of a Boiling water reactor. Starting from these profiles it builds an algorithm that allows to determine the voids profile and this way to obtain the average value of the same one. The results are compared against those reported by the CM-PRESTO code that uses another method to carry out this calculation. Finally, the range in which is the average value of the void fraction during a typical cycle is determined and an estimate of the impact that it would have the use of this value in the prediction of the reactivity produced by the fuel assemblies is made. (Author)

Variation of serum and urine cotinine in passive and active smokers and applicability in preconceptional smoking cessation counseling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weerd, Sabina de; Thomas, Chris M.G.; Kuster, Josien E.T.G.; Cikot, Rolf J.L.M.; Steegers, Eric A.P.

2002-01-01

This study assessed the applicability of serum and urine cotinine as a biochemical marker of self-reported smoking habits for use in a preconception smoking cessation program. The variation of serum and urine cotinine over the course of the day was investigated in a sample of 21 smokers and 8 passive smokers who reported their smoking habits and exposure to smoke daily in a questionnaire for 10 consecutive days. Blood and urine samples were collected on two sampling days, 1 week apart. Both serum and urine cotinine assay could distinguish between passive and active smokers, but not between higher categories of smokers (1019 and ≥20 cigarettes per ay) due to significant intersubject overlap. In serum, no significant differences were found between morning and afternoon cotinine concentrations in either day, in contrast to urine cotinine (with lower excretions observed n the morning). An overall coefficient of variation of 22- was observed for both specimens in smokers. Because serum cotinine is subject to lower variability over the course of the day, it is more practical for use in a clinical setting where appointments are scheduled throughout the day in order o confirm smoking status

The use of graphite for the reduction of void reactivity in CANDU reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Min, B.J.; Kim, B.G.; Sim, K-S.

1995-01-01

Coolant void reactivity can be reduced by using burnable poison in CANDU reactors. The use of graphite in the fuel bundle is introduced to reduce coolant void reactivity by adding an appropriate amount of burnable poison in the central rod. This study shows that sufficiently low void reactivity which in controllable by Reactor Regulating System (RRS) can be achieved by using graphite used fuel with slightly enriched uranium. Zero void reactivity can be also obtained by using graphite used fuel with a large central rod. A new fuel bundle with graphite rods can substantially reduce the void reactivity with less burnup penalty compared to previously proposed low void reactivity fuel with depleted uranium. (author)

Comparative Study of Seven Commercial Kits for Human DNA Extraction from Urine Samples Suitable for DNA Biomarker-Based Public Health Studies

Science.gov (United States)

El Bali, Latifa; Diman, Aurélie; Bernard, Alfred; Roosens, Nancy H. C.; De Keersmaecker, Sigrid C. J.

2014-01-01

Human genomic DNA extracted from urine could be an interesting tool for large-scale public health studies involving characterization of genetic variations or DNA biomarkers as a result of the simple and noninvasive collection method. These studies, involving many samples, require a rapid, easy, and standardized extraction protocol. Moreover, for practicability, there is a necessity to collect urine at a moment different from the first void and to store it appropriately until analysis. The present study compared seven commercial kits to select the most appropriate urinary human DNA extraction procedure for epidemiological studies. DNA yield has been determined using different quantification methods: two classical, i.e., NanoDrop and PicoGreen, and two species-specific real-time quantitative (q)PCR assays, as DNA extracted from urine contains, besides human, microbial DNA also, which largely contributes to the total DNA yield. In addition, the kits giving a good yield were also tested for the presence of PCR inhibitors. Further comparisons were performed regarding the sampling time and the storage conditions. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, an important gene related to smoking has been genotyped using the developed tools. We could select one well-performing kit for the human DNA extraction from urine suitable for molecular diagnostic real-time qPCR-based assays targeting genetic variations, applicable to large-scale studies. In addition, successful genotyping was possible using DNA extracted from urine stored at −20°C for several months, and an acceptable yield could also be obtained from urine collected at different moments during the day, which is particularly important for public health studies. PMID:25365790

Comparative study of seven commercial kits for human DNA extraction from urine samples suitable for DNA biomarker-based public health studies.

Science.gov (United States)

El Bali, Latifa; Diman, Aurélie; Bernard, Alfred; Roosens, Nancy H C; De Keersmaecker, Sigrid C J

2014-12-01

Human genomic DNA extracted from urine could be an interesting tool for large-scale public health studies involving characterization of genetic variations or DNA biomarkers as a result of the simple and noninvasive collection method. These studies, involving many samples, require a rapid, easy, and standardized extraction protocol. Moreover, for practicability, there is a necessity to collect urine at a moment different from the first void and to store it appropriately until analysis. The present study compared seven commercial kits to select the most appropriate urinary human DNA extraction procedure for epidemiological studies. DNA yield has been determined using different quantification methods: two classical, i.e., NanoDrop and PicoGreen, and two species-specific real-time quantitative (q)PCR assays, as DNA extracted from urine contains, besides human, microbial DNA also, which largely contributes to the total DNA yield. In addition, the kits giving a good yield were also tested for the presence of PCR inhibitors. Further comparisons were performed regarding the sampling time and the storage conditions. Finally, as a proof-of-concept, an important gene related to smoking has been genotyped using the developed tools. We could select one well-performing kit for the human DNA extraction from urine suitable for molecular diagnostic real-time qPCR-based assays targeting genetic variations, applicable to large-scale studies. In addition, successful genotyping was possible using DNA extracted from urine stored at -20°C for several months, and an acceptable yield could also be obtained from urine collected at different moments during the day, which is particularly important for public health studies.

The Urine Marker Test: An Alternative Approach to Supervised Urine Collection for Doping Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Elbe, Anne-Marie; Jensen, Stine Nylansted; Elsborg, Peter; Wetzke, Monika; Woldemariam, Getachew A; Huppertz, Bernd; Keller, Ruprecht; Butch, Anthony W

2016-01-01

Urine sample collection for doping control tests is a key component of the World Anti-Doping Agency's fight against doping in sport. However, a substantial number of athletes experience difficulty when having to urinate under supervision. Furthermore, it cannot always be ensured that athletes are actually delivering their own urine. A method that can be used to alleviate the negative impact of a supervised urination procedure and which can also identify urine as coming from a specific athlete is the urine marker test. Monodisperse low molecular weight polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are given orally prior to urination. Urine samples can be traced to the donor by analysis of the PEGs previously given. The objective of this study was to investigate the use of the urine marker during urine doping control testing. Two studies investigated athletes' acceptance of this new method via two questionnaires (n = 253). Furthermore, a third study (n = 91) investigated whether ingestion of the marker can identify the urine as coming from a specific person and whether the marker interferes with the detection of prohibited substances. The results indicate that this new method finds wide acceptance both from athletes who have only heard about the procedure and those who have actually tested the new method. Furthermore, the marker, which can identify urine as coming from a specific person, does not interfere with the detection of prohibited substances.

A DRAGON-MCNP comparison of void reactivity calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marleau, G [Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal, PQ (Canada). Inst. de Genie Nucleaire; Milgram, M S [Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, ON (Canada)

1996-12-31

The determination of the reactivity coefficients associated with coolant voiding in a CANDU reactor is a subject which has attracted a large amount of interest in the last few years both from the theoretical and experimental point of view. One expects that deterministic codes such as DRAGON and WIMS-AECL or the MCNP4 Monte Carlo code should be able to adequately simulate the cell behaviour upon coolant voiding. However, the absence of an experimental database at equilibrium and discharge burnups has not permitted the full validation of any of these lattice codes, although a partial validation through comparison of two different computer codes has been considered. Here we present a comparison between DRAGON and MCNP4 of the void reactivity evaluation for fresh fuel. (author). 16 refs., 5 tabs.

A DRAGON-MCNP comparison of void reactivity calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marleau, G.

1995-01-01

The determination of the reactivity coefficients associated with coolant voiding in a CANDU reactor is a subject which has attracted a large amount of interest in the last few years both from the theoretical and experimental point of view. One expects that deterministic codes such as DRAGON and WIMS-AECL or the MCNP4 Monte Carlo code should be able to adequately simulate the cell behaviour upon coolant voiding. However, the absence of an experimental database at equilibrium and discharge burnups has not permitted the full validation of any of these lattice codes, although a partial validation through comparison of two different computer codes has been considered. Here we present a comparison between DRAGON and MCNP4 of the void reactivity evaluation for fresh fuel. (author). 16 refs., 5 tabs

Breaking the vicious circle: Onabotulinum toxin A in children with therapy-refractory dysfunctional voiding

NARCIS (Netherlands)

L.A. 't Hoen (Lisette); J. van den Hoek (Joop); K.P. Wolffenbuttel (Katja); F. van der Toorn; J.R. Scheepe (Jeroen)

2015-01-01

textabstractIntroduction An increased activity of the external urethral sphincter or pelvic floor muscles during voluntary voiding leads to dysfunctional voiding. Frequently reported symptoms are urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections and high post-void residuals. Dysfunctional voiding is a

The Cutoff Level for Urine Protein in Urine Immunofixation Electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellidag, Hamit Yasar; Curek, Gulten; Eren, Esin; Aydin, Ozgur; Yilmaz, Necat

2015-01-01

Immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) maintains its importance in diagnosing monoclonal gammopathies. In particular, urine IFE detects free light chains (FLC) in urine samples even at low concentrations and offers higher sensitivity compared to serum electrophoresis and serum IFE. The aim of the present study was to determine the place and significance of quantitative urinary protein measurement before IFE in interpreting the results of subsequent IFE and to determine the most appropriate protein concentrations for the appearance of bands. The records of a total of 600 patients, who underwent screening for Bence Jones proteinuria using IFE on 24-hour urine, were retrospectively reviewed. Urine IFE was performed using Helena SAS-I and SAS-I devices. The total protein concentration in the urine was quantitatively determined by the Pyrogallol red method, and the urine albumin level was determined using the immunoturbidimetric method. These analyses were measured on an Olympus/Beckmann AU5800. The evaluation of IFE results revealed that 311 patients had normal results, 108 patients had monoclonal bands, five patients had biclonal bands, 28 had polyclonal bands, and 148 patients had various degrees of proteinuria. ROC curves were created in order to determine the most appropriate urinary protein and albumin levels to observe bands in IFE. Accordingly, urine baseline protein level (mg/dL) showed the highest AUC value (cutoff value: 19.4 mg/dL, sensitivity: 92%, specificity: 98.2%, AUC: 0.972). The present study showed that quantitative protein measurement before IFE eliminated the disadvantages associated with the IFE method and its interpretation.

Urine Odor

Science.gov (United States)

... doctor. Brunzel NA. Physical examination of urine. In: Fundamentals of Urine and Body Fluid Analysis. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013:97. McPherson RA, et al., eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 23rd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: ...

Void fraction instrument software, Version 1,2, Acceptance test report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gimera, M.

1995-01-01

This provides the report for the void fraction instrument acceptance test software Version 1.2. The void fraction will collect data that will be used to calculate the quantity of gas trapped in waste tanks

Air void clustering : [technical summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2015-06-01

Air void clustering around coarse aggregate in concrete has been : identified as a potential source of low strengths in concrete mixes by : several Departments of Transportation around the country. Research : was carried out to (1) develop a quantita...

Characteristics of dust voids in a strongly coupled laboratory dusty plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Bailung, Yoshiko; Deka, T.; Boruah, A.; Sharma, S. K.; Pal, A. R.; Chutia, Joyanti; Bailung, H.

2018-05-01

A void is produced in a strongly coupled dusty plasma by inserting a cylindrical pin (˜0.1 mm diameter) into a radiofrequency discharge argon plasma. The pin is biased externally below the plasma potential to generate the dust void. The Debye sheath model is used to obtain the sheath potential profile and hence to estimate the electric field around the pin. The electric field force and the ion drag force on the dust particles are estimated and their balance accounts well for the maintenance of the size of the void. The effects of neutral density as well as dust density on the void size are studied.

Experimental study of average void fraction in low-flow subcooled boiling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Qi; Wang Xiaojun; Xi Zhao; Zhao Hua; Yang Ruichang

2005-01-01

Low-flow subcooled void fraction in medium pressure was investigated using high-temperature high-pressure single-sensor optical probe in this paper. And then average void fraction was obtained through the integral calculation of local void fraction in the cross-section. The experimental data were compared with the void fraction model proposed in advance. The results show that the predictions of this model agree with the data quite well. The comparisons of Saha and Levy models with low-flow subcooled data show that Saha model overestimates the experimental data distinctively, and Levy model also gets relatively higher predictions although it is better than Saha model. (author)

Radiographic determination of urinary bladder volume and residual urine volume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klumair, J.

1977-01-01

In the course of a long study the author has tested most of the methods for determination of urinary bladder volume. A radiographic method which can state bladder volume exactly in cc's is attainable only with great time and effort. In the author's experience, however, it is possible, by means of a pattern in connection with a IVP, to estimate residual urine volume from a post-void picture of the bladder with sufficient accuracy for practical purposes. An account is given of the production of this pattern and of two relatively simple calculations for residual volume based on AP and lateral views of circular- and ellipsoid-shaped bladders. Also discussed is the radiation exposure which varies with the radiographic methods used. In male patients, the radiation exposure appears to be negligible, especially when the testicles are protected by a radiation shield. In female patients - which make up only a small fraction of all patients -, radiation exposure is higher but must be accepted. (orig./MG) [de

The metallurgical approach on the solder voids behaviour in surface mount devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohabattul Zaman Bukhari

1996-01-01

Solder voids are believed to cause poor heat dissiption in the Surface Mount devices and reduce the reliability of the devices at higher operating services. There are a lot of factors involved in creating voids such as gas/flux entrapment, wettability, outgasseous, air bubbles in the solder paste, inconsistency of solder coverage and improper metal scheme selection. This study was done to observe the behaviour of the solder voids in term of flux entrapmentt and wettability. It is believed that flux entrapment and wettability are verify this hypothesis. Two types of metal scheme were chosen which are Nickel (Ni) plated and Tin (Sn) plated heatsink. X-ray techniques such as Radiographic Inspection Analysis and EDAX were used to detect the minute solder voids. The solder voids observed on the heatsinks and Copper shims after the reflow process are believed to be a non contact voids that resulted from some portion of the surface not wetting properly

(100) faceted anion voids in electron irradiated fluorite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, E.

1979-01-01

High fluence electron irradiation of fluorite crystals in the temperature range 150 to 320 K results in formation of a simple cubic anion void superlattice. Above 320 K the damage structure changes to a random distribution of large [001] faceted anion voids. This voidage behaviour, similar to that observed in a range of irradiated metals, is discussed in terms points defect rather than conventional colour centre terminology. (Auth.)

The irradiation-induced microstructural development and the role of γ' on void formation in Ni-based alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Takahiko; Nakata, Kiyotomo; Masaoka, Isao; Takahashi, Heishichiro; Takeyama, Taro; Ohnuki, Soumei; Osanai, Hisashi

1984-05-01

The microstructural development for Inconel X-750, N1-13 at%A1, and Ni-11.5 at%Si alloys during irradiation was investigated. These alloys were previously heat-treated at temperatures of 723-1073 K, and γ' precipitates were produced. Irradiation was performed in a high voltage electron microscope (1000 kV) in the temperature range 673-823 K. In the case of solution-treated Inconel, interstitial dislocation loops were formed initially, while voids were nucleated after longer times. When the Inconel specimen containing a high number density of small γ' was irradiated, dislocation loops were formed in both the matrix and precipitate-matrix interface. The loops formed on the interface scarcely grew during irradiation. On the other hand, for the Ni-Al alloy fine γ' nucleated during irradiation, the large γ' precipitated by pre-aging, dissolved. A similar resolution process was also observed in Ni-Si alloy. Furthermore, in the Ni-Si alloy precipitates of γ' formed preferentially at interstitial dislocation loops and both specimen surfaces.

Partial discharges in ellipsoidal and spheroidal voids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Crichton, George C; Karlsson, P. W.; Pedersen, Aage

1989-01-01

Transients associated with partial discharges in voids can be described in terms of the charges induced on the terminal electrodes of the system. The relationship between the induced charge and the properties which are usually measured is discussed. The method is illustrated by applying it to a s......Transients associated with partial discharges in voids can be described in terms of the charges induced on the terminal electrodes of the system. The relationship between the induced charge and the properties which are usually measured is discussed. The method is illustrated by applying...

Fuzzy Reasoning to More Accurately Determine Void Areas on Optical Micrographs of Composite Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Dominquez, Jesus A.; Tate, Lanetra C.; Wright, M. Clara; Caraccio, Anne

2013-01-01

Accomplishing the best-performing composite matrix (resin) requires that not only the processing method but also the cure cycle generate low-void-content structures. If voids are present, the performance of the composite matrix will be significantly reduced. This is usually noticed by significant reductions in matrix-dominated properties, such as compression and shear strength. Voids in composite materials are areas that are absent of the composite components: matrix and fibers. The characteristics of the voids and their accurate estimation are critical to determine for high performance composite structures. One widely used method of performing void analysis on a composite structure sample is acquiring optical micrographs or Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of lateral sides of the sample and retrieving the void areas within the micrographs/images using an image analysis technique. Segmentation for the retrieval and subsequent computation of void areas within the micrographs/images is challenging as the gray-scaled values of the void areas are close to the gray-scaled values of the matrix leading to the need of manually performing the segmentation based on the histogram of the micrographs/images to retrieve the void areas. The use of an algorithm developed by NASA and based on Fuzzy Reasoning (FR) proved to overcome the difficulty of suitably differentiate void and matrix image areas with similar gray-scaled values leading not only to a more accurate estimation of void areas on composite matrix micrographs but also to a faster void analysis process as the algorithm is fully autonomous.

Development of quick-response area-averaged void fraction meter. Application to BWR condition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iguchi, Tadashi; Watanabe, Hironori; Kimura, Mamoru; Anoda, Yoshinari [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

2001-05-01

Authors have been developed a practical conductance-type void fraction meter to measure instantaneously area-averaged void fraction in rod bundle. The principle of the meter is based on the fact that the electrical conductance changes with the change of void fraction in gas-liquid two-phase flow. According to air/water two-phase flow experiment, the void fraction was approximated by {alpha}=1-I/I{sub 0}, where {alpha} and I are void fraction and current (I{sub 0} is current at {alpha}=0). Authors investigated the performance of the void fraction meter under high temperature/high pressure conditions (BWR condition; 290degC, 7MPa). The results indicated that the void fraction was approximated by {alpha}=1-I/I{sub 0} even under high temperature/high pressure condition of stem/water flow. However, it is necessary to take account of temperature dependency of water specific conductance. Therefore, authors derived a correction equation for temperature dependency. Further, for applying the void fraction meter to a large-scale facility, it was found to be necessary to reduce the capacitance of the circuit. Then, authors developed the method to reduce the capacitance effect. Finally, authors succeeded to measure the void fraction in 2 x 2 bundle flow path at the range of 0% - 70% in the error of 10% under high temperature/high pressure and mass flux of less than 133 kg/m{sup 2}s. Developed void fraction meter is theoretically not affected by flow rate. Therefore, it can be applied to the condition of oscillating flow. (author)

Parallel Void Thread in Long-Reach Ethernet Passive Optical Networks

KAUST Repository

Elrasad, Amr; Shihada, Basem

2015-01-01

This work investigates void filling (idle periods) in long-reach Ethernet passive optical networks. We focus on reducing grant delays and hence reducing the average packet delay. We introduce a novel approach called parallel void thread (PVT), which

Void formation by annealing of neutron-irradiated plastically deformed molybdenum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petersen, K.; Nielsen, B.; Thrane, N.

1976-01-01

The positron annihilation technique has been used in order to study the influence of plastic deformation on the formation and growth of voids in neutron irradiated molybdenum single crystals treated by isochronal annealing. Samples were prepared in three ways: deformed 12-19% before irradiation, deformed 12-19% after irradiation, and - for reference purposes -non-deformed. In addition a polycrystalline sample was prepared in order to study the influence of the grain boundaries. All samples were irradiated at 60 0 C with a flux of 2.5 x 10 18 fast neutrons/cm 2 . After irradiation the samples were subjected to isochronal annealing. It was found that deformation before irradiation probably enhanced the formation of voids slightly. Deformation after irradiation strongly reduced the void formation. The presence of grain boundaries in the polycrystalline sample had a reducing influence on the growth of voids. (author)

Tracer techniques for urine volume determination and urine collection and sampling back-up system

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez, R. V.

1971-01-01

The feasibility, functionality, and overall accuracy of the use of lithium were investigated as a chemical tracer in urine for providing a means of indirect determination of total urine volume by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry method. Experiments were conducted to investigate the parameters of instrumentation, tracer concentration, mixing times, and methods for incorporating the tracer material in the urine collection bag, and to refine and optimize the urine tracer technique to comply with the Skylab scheme and operational parameters of + or - 2% of volume error and + or - 1% accuracy of amount of tracer added to each container. In addition, a back-up method for urine collection and sampling system was developed and evaluated. This back-up method incorporates the tracer technique for volume determination in event of failure of the primary urine collection and preservation system. One chemical preservative was selected and evaluated as a contingency chemical preservative for the storage of urine in event of failure of the urine cooling system.

Investigation of CTF void fraction prediction by ENTEK BM experiment data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoang Minh Giang; Hoang Tan Hung; Nguyen Phu Khanh

2015-01-01

Recently, CTF, a version of COBRA-TF code is reviewed to validate its simulation models by several experiments such as Castellana 4x4 rod bundle, EPRI 5x5 bundle tests, PSBT bundle tests and TPTF experiment. These above experiments provide enthalpy, mass flux (Castellana), temperature (EPRI) and void fraction (PSBT, TPTF) at exit channel only. In order to simulate PWR rod bundle flow behavior, it is necessary to review CTF with more experiment in high pressure condition and it is found that the ENTEK BM facility is suitable for this purpose. The ENTEK BM facility is used to simulate Russia RBMK and VVER rod bundle two phase flow with pressure at 3 and 7 MPa and it gives measured void fraction distribution along the channel. This study focus on two points: (a) accuracy assessment between CTF void fraction distribution predictions versus experiment void fraction distributions and (b) investigation of void fraction prediction uncertainty from propagation of input deviations caused by measured accuracy. (author)

The Effects of Void on Natural Ventilation Performance in Multi-Storey Housing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fakhriah Muhsin

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Enhancing natural ventilation performance in multi-storey housing is very important for the living environment in terms of health and thermal comfort purposes. One of the most important design strategies to enhance natural ventilation in multi-storey housing is through the provision of voids. A void is a passive architectural feature, which is located in the middle of deep plan buildings. It is very crucial to consider the configurations of voids in the buildings for enhancing natural ventilation, especially for multi-storey housing. In this study, Malaysian Medium Cost Multi-Storey Housing (MMCMSH, which is an example of multi-storey housing located in a suburban area, has been selected in this study. This study aims to investigate the potential of void for enhancing natural ventilation performance in multi-storey housing by the comparison of two different void configurations. Field measurement of MMCMSH has been conducted to validate Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD model and Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL is an important parameter for setting up the CFD Model’s domain. Ventilation rate (Q, which is necessary for comfort and health reasons, is an important parameter for the comparison of the different void configurations. This study revealed that the provision of void can enhance natural ventilation performance in multi-storey housing with an increase in the value of Q, from 3.44% to 40.07%, by enlarging the void’s width by 50% compared to the existing void.

Void distributions in liquid BiBr{sub 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maruyama, K [Faculty of Science, Niigata University, Niigata 950-2181 (Japan); Endo, H [Faculty of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8224 (Japan); Hoshino, H [Faculty of Education, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki 036-8560 (Japan); Kawakita, Y [Faculty of Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 810-8560 (Japan); Kohara, S; Itou, M [Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute(JASRI), Sayo-cho 679-5198 (Japan)

2008-02-15

The X-ray diffraction experiments and the reverse Monte Carlo analysis for liquid BiBr{sub 3} have been performed to clarify the distribution of Bi and Br ions around voids, comparing with previous results derived in the neutron diffraction experiments. The hexagonal cages involving voids are formed by the corner-sharing of the trigonal pyramidal BiBr{sub 3} blocks. The neighboring cages are linked together in highly correlated fashion. The observed pre-peak in S(Q) at 1.3A{sup -1} is related to the pre-peak of the void-based S'{sub CC} (Q) due to an intermediate chemical order in the structure. The pre-peak intensity increases with increasing temperature. This characteristic change for the pre-peak intensity is discussed by considering the modifications of the topology and stacking in the hexagonal cages.

Simple questionnaire and urine reagent strips compared to microscopy for the diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium in a community in northern Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogoch, Isaac I; Andrews, Jason R; Dadzie Ephraim, Richard K; Utzinger, Jürg

2012-10-01

To evaluate the utility of a simple questionnaire and urine reagent strip testing for the rapid diagnosis of Schistosoma haematobium in rural northern Ghana. Cross-sectional parasitological and questionnaire survey in a community in northern Ghana. Participants provided two urine specimens that were examined under a microscope using a centrifugation method. The first urine sample was additionally subjected to reagent strip testing. A short questionnaire was administered to all participants. Microscopy of urine samples obtained from 208 individuals aged 1-77 years revealed an S. haematobium prevalence of 6.8%. The presence of any blood or protein on a urine reagent strip was 100% and 42% sensitive, and 93% and 80% specific for S. haematobium diagnosis. Questionnaires were completed by 198 individuals. Self-reported haematuria showed a sensitivity of 53% and a specificity of 85%. A dichotomous two-question panel was helpful in S. haematobium diagnosis, with working and playing near the river significantly associated with S. haematobium infection (P < 0.001). The use of urine reagent strips, coupled with questions pertaining to water contact patterns, might be considered for point-of-contact diagnosis of S. haematobium where microscopy is unavailable. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

X-ray Computed Tomography Assessment of Air Void Distribution in Concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Haizhu

Air void size and spatial distribution have long been regarded as critical parameters in the frost resistance of concrete. In cement-based materials, entrained air void systems play an important role in performance as related to durability, permeability, and heat transfer. Many efforts have been made to measure air void parameters in a more efficient and reliable manner in the past several decades. Standardized measurement techniques based on optical microscopy and stereology on flat cut and polished surfaces are widely used in research as well as in quality assurance and quality control applications. Other more automated methods using image processing have also been utilized, but still starting from flat cut and polished surfaces. The emergence of X-ray computed tomography (CT) techniques provides the capability of capturing the inner microstructure of materials at the micrometer and nanometer scale. X-ray CT's less demanding sample preparation and capability to measure 3D distributions of air voids directly provide ample prospects for its wider use in air void characterization in cement-based materials. However, due to the huge number of air voids that can exist within a limited volume, errors can easily arise in the absence of a formalized data processing procedure. In this study, air void parameters in selected types of cement-based materials (lightweight concrete, structural concrete elements, pavements, and laboratory mortars) have been measured using micro X-ray CT. The focus of this study is to propose a unified procedure for processing the data and to provide solutions to deal with common problems that arise when measuring air void parameters: primarily the reliable segmentation of objects of interest, uncertainty estimation of measured parameters, and the comparison of competing segmentation parameters.

Three-dimensional core analysis on a super fast reactor with negative local void reactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao Liangzhi; Oka, Yoshiaki; Ishiwatari, Yuki; Ikejiri, Satoshi

2009-01-01

Keeping negative void reactivity throughout the cycle life is one of the most important requirements for the design of a supercritical water-cooled fast reactor (super fast reactor). Previous conceptual design has negative overall void reactivity. But the local void reactivity, which is defined as the reactivity change when the coolant of one fuel assembly disappears, also needs to be kept negative throughout the cycle life because the super fast reactor is designed with closed fuel assemblies. The mechanism of the local void reactivity is theoretically analyzed from the neutrons balance point of view. Three-dimensional neutronics/thermal-hydraulic coupling calculation is employed to analyze the characteristics of the super fast reactor including the local void reactivity. Some configurations of the core are optimized to decrease the local void reactivity. A reference core is successfully designed with keeping both overall and local void reactivity negative. The maximum local void reactivity is less than -30 pcm

The dipole moment of a wall-charged void in a bulk dielectric

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McAllister, Iain Wilson

1993-01-01

The dipole moment of a wall-charged void is examined with reference to the spatial extent of the surface charge density σ and the distribution of this charge. The salient factors influencing the void dipole moment are also examined. From a study of spherical voids, it is shown that, although the σ......-distribution influences the dipole moment, the spatial extent of σ has a greater influence. This behavior is not unexpected. For a void of fixed dimensions, the smaller the charged surface area, the greater is the charges, and thus the greater the dipole moment...

Uroflowmetry in neurologically normal children with voiding disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, K M; Nielsen, K.K.; Kristensen, E S

1985-01-01

of neurological deficits underwent a complete diagnostic program including intravenous urography, voiding cystography and cystoscopy as well as spontaneous uroflowmetry, cystometry-emg and pressure-flow-emg study. The incidence of dyssynergia was 22%. However, neither the flow curve pattern nor single flow...... variables were able to identify children with dyssynergia. Consequently uroflowmetry seems inefficient in the screening for dyssynergia in neurological normal children with voiding disorders in the absence of anatomical bladder outlet obstruction....

Direct evidence of void passivation in Cu(InGa)(SSe){sub 2} absorber layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dongho; Kim, Young-Su; Mo, Chan B.; Huh, Kwangsoo; Yang, JungYup, E-mail: jungyupyang@gmail.com, E-mail: ddang@korea.ac.kr; Nam, Junggyu; Baek, Dohyun; Park, Sungchan; Kim, ByoungJune; Kim, Dongseop [PV Development Team, Energy Solution Business Division, Samsung SDI, 467 Beonyeong-ro, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do 331-330 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jaehan [Core Technology Laboratory, Battery Research Center, Samsung SDI, 130 Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 443-803 (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Sung; Park, Jong-Bong [Analytical Engineering Group, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, 130 Samsung-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do 443-803 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Yoonmook, E-mail: jungyupyang@gmail.com, E-mail: ddang@korea.ac.kr [KUKIST Green School, Graduate School of Energy and Environment, Korea University, 145 Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-02-23

We have investigated the charge collection condition around voids in copper indium gallium sulfur selenide (CIGSSe) solar cells fabricated by sputter and a sequential process of selenization/sulfurization. In this study, we found direct evidence of void passivation by using the junction electron beam induced current method, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The high sulfur concentration at the void surface plays an important role in the performance enhancement of the device. The recombination around voids is effectively suppressed by field-assisted void passivation. Hence, the generated carriers are easily collected by the electrodes. Therefore, when the S/(S + Se) ratio at the void surface is over 8% at room temperature, the device performance degradation caused by the recombination at the voids is negligible at the CIGSSe layer.

Internal Nano Voids in Yttria-Stabilised Zirconia (YSZ Powder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Barad

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Porous yttria-stabilised zirconia ceramics have been gaining popularity throughout the years in various fields, such as energy, environment, medicine, etc. Although yttria-stabilised zirconia is a well-studied material, voided yttria-stabilised zirconia powder particles have not been demonstrated yet, and might play an important role in future technology developments. A sol-gel synthesis accompanied by a freeze-drying process is currently being proposed as a method of obtaining sponge-like nano morphology of embedded faceted voids inside yttria-stabilised zirconia particles. The results rely on a freeze-drying stage as an effective and simple method for generating nano-voided yttria-stabilised zirconia particles without the use of template-assisted additives.

The performance of fully automated urine analysis results for predicting the need of urine culture test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hatice Yüksel

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Urinalysis and urine culture are most common tests for diagnosis of urinary tract infections. The aim of our study is to examine the diagnostic performance of urine analysis and the role of urine analysis to determine the requirements for urine culture. Methods: Urine culture and urine analysis results of 362 patients were retrospectively analyzed. Culture results were taken as a reference for chemical and microscopic examination of urine and diagnostic accuracy of the test parameters, that may be a marker for urinary tract infection, and the performance of urine analysis were calculated for predicting the urine culture requirements. Results: A total of 362 urine culture results of patients were evaluated and 67% of them were negative. The results of leukocyte esterase and nitrite in chemical analysis and leukocytes and bacteria in microscopic analysis were normal in 50.4% of culture negative urines. In diagnostic accuracy calculations, leukocyte esterase (86.1% and microscopy leukocytes (88.0% were found with high sensitivity, nitrite (95.4% and bacteria (86.6% were found with high specificity. The area under the curve was calculated as 0.852 in ROC analysis for microscopic examination for leukocytes. Conclusion: Full-automatic urine devices can provide sufficient diagnostic accuracy for urine analysis. The evaluation of urine analysis results in an effective way can predict the necessity for urine culture requests and especially may contribute to a reduction in the work load and cost. J Clin Exp Invest 2014; 5 (2: 286-289

Voids in the Cosmic Web as a probe of dark energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Novosyadlyj

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The formation of large voids in the Cosmic Web from the initial adiabatic cosmological perturbations of space-time metric, density and velocity of matter is investigated in cosmological model with the dynamical dark energy accelerating expansion of the Universe. It is shown that the negative density perturbations with the initial radius of about 50 Mpc in comoving to the cosmological background coordinates and the amplitude corresponding to the r.m.s. temperature fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background lead to the formation of voids with the density contrast up to -0.9, maximal peculiar velocity about 400 km/s and the radius close to the initial one. An important feature of voids formation from the analyzed initial amplitudes and profiles is establishing the surrounding overdensity shell. We have shown that the ratio of the peculiar velocity in units of the Hubble flow to the density contrast in the central part of a void does not depend or weakly depends on the distance from the center of the void. It is also shown that this ratio is sensitive to the values of dark energy parameters and can be used to find them based on the observational data on mass density and peculiar velocities of galaxies in the voids.

Fast and interrupted expansion in cyclic void growth in dusty plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van de Wetering, F M J H; Brooimans, R J C; Nijdam, S; Beckers, J; Kroesen, G M W

2015-01-01

Low-pressure acetylene plasmas are able to spontaneously form dust particles. This will result in a dense cloud of solid particles that is levitated in the plasma. The formed particles can grow up to micrometers. We observed a spontaneous interruption in the expansion of the so-called dust void. A dust void is a macroscopic region in the plasma that is free of nanoparticles. The phenomenon is periodical and reproducible. We refer to the expansion interruption as ‘hiccup’. The expanding void is an environment in which a new cycle of dust particle formation can start. At a certain moment in time, this cycle reaches the (sudden) coagulation phase and as a result the void will temporarily shrink. To substantiate this reasoning, the electron density is determined non-intrusively using microwave cavity resonance spectroscopy. Moreover, video imaging of laser light scattering of the dust particles provides their spatial distribution. The emission intensity of a single argon transition is measured similarly. Our results support the aforementioned hypothesis for what happens during the void hiccup. The void dynamics preceding the hiccup are modeled using a simple analytical model for the two dominant forces (ion drag and electric) working on a nanoparticle in a plasma. The model results qualitatively reproduce the measurements. (paper)

Void worths in subcritical cores cooled by lead-bismuth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallenius, Janne; Tucek, Kamil; Gudowski, Waclaw

2001-01-01

The introduction lead-bismuth coolant in accelerator driven transmutation systems (ADS) was: good neutron economy (higher source efficiency); natural circulation possible (decay heat removal); synergy with spallation target (simplified coolant management); high temperature of boiling (larger overpower margin); smaller void worths (operation at higher k-values). This paper deals with different aspects of the void worths in JAERI ADS

Urine Tests (For Parents)

Science.gov (United States)

... the urine sample. In certain situations, a sterile bag can be placed around a baby’s diaper area to collect a urine sample. If you have any questions about urine tests, talk with your doctor. Reviewed by: Yamini Durani, MD ...

Analysis of sodium-void-worths in ZPPR-3 modified phase 3 core

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Takeda, T.; Arai, K.; Otake, I. [Osaka Univ. (JP)

1980-09-15

The sodium-void-worths in the ZPPR-3 modified phase 3 core, in which singularities such as control-rods and sodium-followers were voided, have been analyzed using a unified diffusion coefficient. The unified diffusion coefficient is obtained by applying the Benoist formula to a super-cell consisting of different drawers, and is applicable not only to fuel drawers but also to control-rod drawers or sodium-followers. Using the coefficient the interference effect of neutron streaming between different drawers can be taken into account. The applicability of the unified diffusion coefficient to sodium-void-worth calculations has been checked in a slab model and a RZ model. The sodium-void-worths in the ZPPR-3 modified phase 3 core have been analyzed by carrying out 16-group three-dimensional diffusion calculations using the unified diffusion coefficient and the results have been compared with experimental data. The comparison indicates that the unified diffusion coefficient is useful in calculating the sodium-void-worth in a region including sodium-voided singularities.

Shallow Reflection Method for Water-Filled Void Detection and Characterization

Science.gov (United States)

Zahari, M. N. H.; Madun, A.; Dahlan, S. H.; Joret, A.; Hazreek, Z. A. M.; Mohammad, A. H.; Izzaty, R. A.

2018-04-01

Shallow investigation is crucial in enhancing the characteristics of subsurface void commonly encountered in civil engineering, and one such technique commonly used is seismic-reflection technique. An assessment of the effectiveness of such an approach is critical to determine whether the quality of the works meets the prescribed requirements. Conventional quality testing suffers limitations including: limited coverage (both area and depth) and problems with resolution quality. Traditionally quality assurance measurements use laboratory and in-situ invasive and destructive tests. However geophysical approaches, which are typically non-invasive and non-destructive, offer a method by which improvement of detection can be measured in a cost-effective way. Of this seismic reflection have proved useful to assess void characteristic, this paper evaluates the application of shallow seismic-reflection method in characterizing the water-filled void properties at 0.34 m depth, specifically for detection and characterization of void measurement using 2-dimensional tomography.

Simultaneous LC-MS/MS determination of JWH-210, RCS-4, ∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol, and their main metabolites in pig and human serum, whole blood, and urine for comparing pharmacokinetic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, Nadine; Kettner, Mattias; Laschke, Matthias W; Schlote, Julia; Peters, Benjamin; Bregel, Dietmar; Menger, Michael D; Maurer, Hans H; Ewald, Andreas H; Schmidt, Peter H

2015-05-01

A series of new synthetic cannabinoids (SC) has been consumed without any toxicological testing. For example, pharmacokinetic data have to be collected from forensic toxicological case work and/or animal studies. To develop a corresponding model for assessing such data, samples of controlled pig studies with two selected SC (JWH-210, RCS-4) and, as reference, ∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) should be analyzed as well as those of human cases. Therefore, a method for determination of JWH-210, RCS-4, THC, and their main metabolites in pig and human serum, whole blood, and urine samples is presented. Specimens were analyzed by liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and multiple-reaction monitoring with three transitions per compound. Full validation was carried out for the pig specimens and cross-validation for the human specimens concerning precision and bias. For the pig studies, the limits of detection were between 0.05 and 0.50 ng/mL in serum and whole blood and between 0.05 and 1.0 ng/mL in urine, the lower limits of quantification between 0.25 and 1.0 ng/mL in serum and 0.50 and 2.0 ng/mL in whole blood and urine, and the intra- and interday precision values lower than 15% and bias values within ±15%. The applicability was tested with samples taken from a pharmacokinetic pilot study with pigs following intravenous administration of a mixture of 200 μg/kg body mass dose each of JWH-210, RCS-4, and THC. The cross-validation data for human serum, whole blood, and urine showed that this approach should also be suitable for human specimens, e.g., of clinical or forensic cases.

Plasticity size effects in voided crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hussein, M. I.; Borg, Ulrik; Niordson, Christian Frithiof

singularities in an elastic material. The lattice resistance to dislocation motion, dislocation nucleation, dislocation interaction with obstacles and annihilation are incorporated through a set of constitutive rules. Over the range of length scales investigated, both the discrete dislocation and strain......The shear and equi-biaxial straining responses of periodic voided single crystals are analysed using discrete dislocation plasticity and a continuum strain gradient crystal plasticity theory. In the discrete dislocation formulation the dislocations are all of edge character and are modelled as line...... predictions of the two formulations for all crystal types and void volume fractions considered when the material length scale in the non-local plasticity model chosen to be $0.325\\mu m$ (around ten times the slip plane spacing in the discrete dislocation models)....

Plasticity size effects in voided crystals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hussein, M.I.; Borg, Ulrik; Niordson, Christian Frithiof

2008-01-01

as line singularities in an elastic material. The lattice resistance to dislocation motion, dislocation nucleation, dislocation interaction with obstacles and annihilation are incorporated through a set of constitutive rules. Over the range of length scales investigated, both the discrete dislocation......The shear and equi-biaxial straining responses of periodic voided single crystals are analysed using discrete dislocation plasticity and a continuum strain gradient crystal plasticity theory. In the discrete dislocation formulation, the dislocations are all of edge character and are modelled...... between predictions of the two formulations for all crystal types and void volume fractions considered when the material length scale in the non-local plasticity model is chosen to be 0.325 mu m (about 10 times the slip plane spacing in the discrete dislocation models)....

Void reactivity decomposition for the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor in equilibrium fuel cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun Kaichao, E-mail: kaichao.sun@psi.ch [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Krepel, Jiri; Mikityuk, Konstantin; Pelloni, Sandro [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Chawla, Rakesh [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

2011-07-15

Highlights: > We analyze the void reactivity effect for three ESFR core fuel cycle states. > The void reactivity effect is decomposed by neutron balance method. > Novelly, the normalization to the integral flux in the active core is applied. > The decomposition is compared with the perturbation theory based results. > The mechanism and the differences of the void reactivity effect are explained. - Abstract: The Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor (SFR) is one of the most promising Generation IV systems with many advantages, but has one dominating neutronic drawback - a positive sodium void reactivity. The aim of this study is to develop and apply a methodology, which should help better understand the causes and consequences of the sodium void effect. It focuses not only on the beginning-of-life (BOL) state of the core, but also on the beginning of open and closed equilibrium (BOC and BEC, respectively) fuel cycle conditions. The deeper understanding of the principal phenomena involved may subsequently lead to appropriate optimization studies. Various voiding scenarios, corresponding to different spatial zones, e.g. node or assembly, have been analyzed, and the most conservative case - the voiding of both inner and outer fuel zones - has been selected as the reference scenario. On the basis of the neutron balance method, the corresponding SFR void reactivity has been decomposed reaction-, isotope-, and energy-group-wise. Complementary results, based on generalized perturbation theory and sensitivity analysis, are also presented. The numerical analysis for both neutron balance and perturbation theory methods has been carried out using appropriate modules of the ERANOS code system. A strong correlation between the flux worth, i.e. the product of flux and adjoint flux, and the void reactivity importance distributions has been found for the node- and assembly-wise voiding scenarios. The neutron balance based decomposition has shown that the void effect is caused mainly by the

Void reactivity decomposition for the Sodium-cooled Fast Reactor in equilibrium fuel cycle