High-Temperature Alloys for High-Power Thermionic Systems: Final Report

The need for structural materials with useful strength above 1600 k has stimulated interest in refractory-metal alloys. Tungsten possesses an extreme high modulus of elasticity as well as the highest melting temperature among metals, and hence is being considered as one of the most promising candidate materials for high temperature structural applications such as space nuclear power systems. This report is divided into three chapters covering the following: (1) the processing of tungsten base alloys; (2) the tensile properties of tungsten base alloys; and (3) creep behavior of tungsten base alloys. Separate abstracts were prepared for each chapter. (SC

Acute inflammatory myelopathies

Inflammatory injury to the spinal cord causes a well-recognized clinical syndrome. Patients typically develop bilateral weakness, usually involving the legs, although the arms may also become affected, in association with a pattern of sensory changes that suggests a spinal cord dermatomal level. Bowel and bladder impairment is also common in many patients. Recognition of the clinical pattern of spinal cord injury should lead clinicians to perform imaging studies to evaluate for compressive etiologies. MRI of the spine is particularly useful in helping visualize intraparenchymal lesions and when these lesions enhance following contrast administration a diagnosis of myelitis is made. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis can also confirm a diagnosis of myelitis when a leukocytosis is present. There are many causes of non-compressive spinal cord injury including infectious, parainfectious, toxic, nutritional, vascular, systemic as well as idiopathic inflammatory etiologies. This review focuses on inflammatory spinal cord injury and its relationships with multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and systemic collagen vascular and paraneoplastic diseases