Voltage-temperature charge verification testing of 34 ampere-hour nickel-cadmium cells

This testing was designed to evaluate various voltage-temperature (V-T) charge curves for use in low-Earth-orbit (LEO) applications of nickel-cadmium battery cells. The trends established relating V-T level to utilizable capacity were unexpected. The trends toward lower capacity at higher V-T levels was predominant in this testing. This effect was a function of the V-T level, the temperature, and the cell history. This effect was attributed to changes occurring in the positive plate. The results imply that for some applications, the use of even lower V-T levels may be warranted. The need to limit overcharge, especially in the early phases of missions, is underlined by this test program

Intra-cavitary uterine pathology in women with abnormal uterine bleeding: a prospective study of 1220 women.

OBJECTIVES: Our primary aim was to assess how patients characteristics, bleeding pattern, sonographic endometrial thickness (ET) and additional features at unenhanced ultrasound examination (UTVS) and at fluid instillation sonography (FIS) contribute to the diagnosis of intracavitary uterine pathology in women presenting with abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB). We further aimed to report the prevalence of pathology in women presenting with AUB. METHODS: 1220 consecutive women presenting with AUB underwent UTVS, colour Doppler imaging (CDI) and FIS. Most women (n = 1042) had histological diagnosis. RESULTS: Mean age was 50 years and 37% were postmenopausal. Of 1220 women 54% were normal, polyps were diagnosed in 26%, intracavitary fibroids in 11%, hyperplasia without atypia in 4% and cancer in 3%. All cancers were diagnosed in postmenopausal (7%) or perimenopausal (1%) women. ET had a low predictive value in premenopausal women (LR+ and LR- of 1.34 and 0.74, respectively), while FIS had a LR+ and LR- of 6.20 and 0.24, respectively. After menopause, ET outperformed all patient characteristics for the prediction of endometrial pathology (LR+ and LR- of 3.13 and 0.24). The corresponding LR+ and LR- were 10.85 and 0.71 for CDI and 8.23 and 0.26 for FIS. CONCLUSION: About half of the women presenting to a bleeding clinic will have pathology. In premenopausal women, benign lesions are often the cause of AUB. For the prediction of intracavitary pathology ET is of little value in premenopausal women. CDI and FIS substantially improve the diagnostic accuracy

Intraduodenal sarcoma recurrence of retroperitoneal origin: an unusual cause for a duodenal obstruction.

Soft tissue sarcomas are uncommon tumors, and intraduodenal soft tissue sarcoma manifestation is even more rare. Only three cases of intraduodenal sarcomas have been reported in the literature thus far. Here, we report a case of an intraduodenal recurrence of a retroperitoneal sarcoma causing bowel obstruction. This unusual recurrence pattern likely relates to the patient's previous resection and radiation treatment, and highlights the benefits, limitations and follow-up strategies after multimodality treatment

Energy transfer processes in Er-doped SiO2 sensitized with Si nanocrystals

We present a high-resolution photoluminescence study of Er-doped SiO2 sensitized with Si nanocrystals (Si NCs). Emission bands originating from recombination of excitons confined in Si NCs and of internal transitions within the 4f-electron core of Er3+ ions, and a band centered at lambda = 1200nm have been identified. Their kinetics have been investigated in detail. Based on these measurements, we present a comprehensive model for energy transfer mechanisms responsible for light generation in this system. A unique picture of energy flow between subsystems of Er3+ and Si NCs is developed, yielding truly microscopic information on the sensitization effect and its limitations. In particular, we show that most of the Er3+ ions available in the system are participating in the energy exchange. The long standing problem of apparent loss of optical activity of majority of Er dopants upon sensitization with Si NCs is clarified and assigned to appearance of a very efficient energy exchange mechanism between Si NCs and Er3+ ions. Application potential of SiO2:Er sensitized by Si NCs is discussed in view of the newly acquired microscopic insight.Comment: 30 pages 13 figure

Practical guidance for applying the ADNEX model from the IOTA group to discriminate between different subtypes of adnexal tumors.

All gynecologists are faced with ovarian tumors on a regular basis, and the accurate preoperative diagnosis of these masses is important because appropriate management depends on the type of tumor. Recently, the International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) consortium published the Assessment of Different NEoplasias in the adneXa (ADNEX) model, the first risk model that differentiates between benign and four types of malignant ovarian tumors: borderline, stage I cancer, stage II-IV cancer, and secondary metastatic cancer. This approach is novel compared to existing tools that only differentiate between benign and malignant tumors, and therefore questions may arise on how ADNEX can be used in clinical practice. In the present paper, we first provide an in-depth discussion about the predictors used in ADNEX and the ability for risk prediction with different tumor histologies. Furthermore, we formulate suggestions about the selection and interpretation of risk cut-offs for patient stratification and choice of appropriate clinical management. This is illustrated with a few example patients. We cannot propose a generally applicable algorithm with fixed cut-offs, because (as with any risk model) this depends on the specific clinical setting in which the model will be used. Nevertheless, this paper provides a guidance on how the ADNEX model may be adopted into clinical practice

Dosimetric and Deformation Effects of Image-Guided Interventions during Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy of the Prostate using an Endorectal Balloon

During Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) for the treatment of prostate cancer, an inflatable endorectal balloon (ERB) may be used to reduce motion of the target and reduce the dose to the posterior rectal wall. This work assessed the dosimetric impact of manual interventions on ERB position in patients receiving prostate SBRT and investigated the impact of ERB interventions on prostate shape. Daily kilovoltage (kV) cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging was performed to localize the PTV, and an automated fusion with the planning images yielded displacements required for PTV re-localization. When the ERB volume and/or position were judged to yield inaccurate repositioning, manual adjustment (ERB re-inflation and/or repositioning) was performed. Based on all 59 CBCT image sets acquired, a deformable registration algorithm was used to determine the dose received by, displacement of, and deformation of the prostate, bladder, and anterior rectal wall. This dose tracking methodology was applied to images taken before and after manual adjustment of the ERB (intervention), and the delivered dose was compared to that which would have been delivered in the absence of intervention. Interventions occurred in 24 out of 35 (69%) of the treated fractions. The direct effect of these interventions was an increase in the prostate radiation dose that included 95% of the PTV (D95) and an increase in prostate coverage. Additionally, ERB interventions reduced prostate deformation in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction, reduced errors in the sagittal rotation of the prostate, and increased the similarity in shape of the prostate to the radiotherapy plan. Image-guided interventions in ERB volume and/or position during prostate SBRT were necessary to ensure the delivery of the dose distribution as planned.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Dynamics and microscopic origin of fast 1.5 μm emission in Er-doped SiO<inf>2</inf> sensitized with Si nanocrystals

We investigate the origin of fast 1.5 μm photoluminescence from Er-doped SiO2 sensitized with silicon nanocrystals, which appears and decays within the first microsecond after a short laser excitation pulse. Time-resolved and temperature-dependent measurements on the 1.5 μm emission from Er-doped and Er-free samples reveal that the major part of this emission is Er related. A possible contribution from other photoluminescence bands, specifically of the defect-related band centered around 1.3 μm, has also been considered. All the results obtained indicate the dominant contribution of Er3+ ions to the fast 1.5 μm emission in the investigated materials. We propose two possible mechanisms behind the fast excitation and quenching of Er3+ 1.5 μm emission, which are both facilitated by Er-related trap centers with ionization energy of EA ∼60 meV. © 2011 American Physical Society

Electric Dipole Radiation from Spinning Dust Grains

We discuss the rotational excitation of small interstellar grains and the resulting electric dipole radiation from spinning dust. Attention is given to excitation and damping of rotation by: collisions with neutrals; collisions with ions; plasma drag; emission of infrared radiation; emission of microwave radiation; photoelectric emission; and formation of H_2 on the grain surface. We introduce dimensionless functions F and G which allow direct comparison of the contributions of different mechanisms to rotational drag and excitation. Emissivities are estimated for dust in different phases of the interstellar medium, including diffuse HI, warm HI, low-density photoionized gas, and cold molecular gas. Spinning dust grains can explain much, and perhaps all, of the 14-50 GHz background component recently observed in CBR studies. It should be possible to detect rotational emission from small grains by ground-based observations of molecular clouds.Comment: 59 pages, 19 eps figures, uses aaspp4.sty . Submitted to Ap.

Hanging Out in the Past: Looking for Trouble or Romance? An Exploration of the Practice and Meaning of Hanging Out for Young Dutch People in 1930–60

Young people’s ‘hanging out’ has had different meanings in the recent and distant past in various countries and cultures, including delinquency or a common social phenomenon. Although there is evidence for hanging out as social behaviour in various countries, Dutch research on hanging out as a common social phenomenon is scarce. This article retrospectively explores the practice and meaning of hanging out for young people in the Netherlands between 1930 and 1960. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 60) were analysed using the Constant Comparative Method, resulting in three key themes: familiarity, features and the meanings assigned to hanging out. Results indicate that hanging out was practised and known by most respondents, and included particular features (time, location, gender and routines). Meet, flirt with and date other young people was the most frequently mentioned meaning associated with hanging out. Accordingly, hanging out can indeed be considered to have been a common social phenomenon

Strategies to diagnose ovarian cancer: new evidence from phase 3 of the multicentre international IOTA study

Background: To compare different ultrasound-based international ovarian tumour analysis (IOTA) strategies and risk of malignancy index (RMI) for ovarian cancer diagnosis using a meta-analysis approach of centre-specific data from IOTA3. Methods: This prospective multicentre diagnostic accuracy study included 2403 patients with 1423 benign and 980 malignant adnexal masses from 2009 until 2012. All patients underwent standardised transvaginal ultrasonography. Test performance of RMI, subjective assessment (SA) of ultrasound findings, two IOTA risk models (LR1 and LR2), and strategies involving combinations of IOTA simple rules (SRs), simple descriptors (SDs) and LR2 with and without SA was estimated using a meta-analysis approach. Reference standard was histology after surgery. Results: The areas under the receiver operator characteristic curves of LR1, LR2, SA and RMI were 0.930 (0.917–0.942), 0.918 (0.905–0.930), 0.914 (0.886–0.936) and 0.875 (0.853–0.894). Diagnostic one-step and two-step strategies using LR1, LR2, SR and SD achieved summary estimates for sensitivity 90–96%, specificity 74–79% and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) 32.8–50.5. Adding SA when IOTA methods yielded equivocal results improved performance (DOR 57.6–75.7). Risk of Malignancy Index had sensitivity 67%, specificity 91% and DOR 17.5. Conclusions: This study shows all IOTA strategies had excellent diagnostic performance in comparison with RMI. The IOTA strategy chosen may be determined by clinical preference