Impact of direct laryngoscopy vs. videolaryngoscopy on signal quality of recurrent laryngeal nerve monitoring in thyroid surgery : a randomised parallel group trial

In thyroid surgery, intra-operative neuromonitoring signals of the recurrent laryngeal nerve can be detected by surface electrodes on a tracheal tube positioned at the vocal fold level. The incidence of difficult tracheal intubation in patients undergoing thyroidectomy for nodular goitre ranges from 5.3% to 20.5%. The aim of this study was to compare videolaryngoscopy with conventional direct laryngoscopy as methods for proper placement of the surface electrode to prevent insufficient intra-operative nerve signal quality. In this prospective randomised trial, adult patients requiring tracheal intubation during thyroid surgery were randomly allocated to two groups of C-MAC® (Macintosh style blade) videolaryngoscope or direct laryngoscopy using the Macintosh laryngoscope. Primary outcome was the incidence of insufficient signal electromyogram amplitude level (< 500 μV) after successful tracheal intubation. A total of 260 (130 per group) participants were analysed. An insufficient signal was more frequent with direct laryngoscopy (35/130, 27%), compared with C-MAC (12/130, 9%, p < 0.001). First-pass tracheal intubation success rate was lower with direct laryngoscopy (86/130 (66%)) compared with the C-MAC (125/130 (96%)) (p < 0.0001). Cormack and Lehane grade ≥ 3 was observed more frequently with direct laryngoscopy (16/130 (12%)), compared with the C-MAC (0/130, (0%)) (p < 0.0001). The results suggest that videolaryngoscopy has an impact on the quality of the initial intra-operative neuromonitoring signal in patients undergoing thyroid surgery, and this technique can provide optimised surface electrode positioning

MAX-DOAS measurements of bromine explosion events in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

Reactive halogen species (RHS) are responsible for ozone depletion and oxidation of gaseous elemental mercury and dimethyl sulphide in the polar boundary layer, but the sources and mechanisms controlling their catalytic reaction cycles are still not completely understood. To further investigate these processes, ground– based Multi–Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) observations of boundary layer BrO and IO were made from a portable instrument platform in McMurdo Sound during the Antarctic spring of 2006 and 2007. Measurements of surface ozone, temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed and direction were also made, along with fourteen tethersonde soundings and the collection of snow samples for mercury analysis. A spherical multiple scattering Monte Carlo radiative transfer model (RTM) was developed for the simulation of box-air-mass-factors (box-AMFs), which are used to determine the weighting functions and forward model differential slant column densities (DSCDs) required for optimal estimation. The RTM employed the backward adjoint simulation technique for the fast calculation of box-AMFs for specific solar zenith angles (SZA) and MAX-DOAS measurement geometries. Rayleigh and Henyey-Greenstein scattering, ground topography and reflection, refraction, and molecular absorption by multiple species were included. Radiance and box-AMF simulations for MAX-DOAS measurements were compared with nine other RTMs and showed good agreement. A maximum a posteriori (MAP) optimal estimation algorithm was developed to retrieve trace gas concentration profiles from the DSCDs derived from the DOAS analysis of the measured absorption spectra. The retrieval algorithm was validated by performing an inversion of artificial DSCDs, simulated from known NO2 profiles. Profiles with a maximum concentration near the ground were generally well reproduced, but the retrieval of elevated layers was less accurate. Retrieved partial vertical column densities (VCDs) were similar to the known values, and investigation of the averaging kernels indicated that these were the most reliable retrieval product. NO₂ profiles were also retrieved from measurements made at an NO₂ measurement and profiling intercomparison campaign in Cabauw, Netherlands in July 2009. Boundary layer BrO was observed on several days throughout both measurement periods in McMurdo Sound, with a maximum retrieved surface mixing ratio of 14.4±0.3 ppt. The median partial VCDs up to 3km were 9.7±0.07 x 10¹² molec cm ⁻ in 2007, with a maximum of 2.3±0.07 x 10¹³ molec cm⁻², and 7.4±0.06 x 10¹² molec cm⁻² in 2006, with a maximum of 1.05 ± 0.07 x 1013 molec cm⁻². The median mixing ratio of 7.5±0.5 ppt for 2007 was significantly higher than the median of 5.2±0.5 ppt observed in 2006, which may be related to the more extensive first year sea ice in 2007. These values are consistent with, though lower than estimated boundary layer BrO concentrations at other polar coastal sites. Four out of five observed partial ozone depletion events (ODEs) occurred during strong winds and blowing snow, while BrO was present in the boundary layer in both stormy and calm conditions, consistent with the activation of RHS in these two weather extremes. Air mass back trajectories, modelled using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model, indicated that the events were locally produced rather than transported from other sea ice zones. Boundary layer IO mixing ratios of 0.5–2.5±0.2 ppt were observed on several days. These values are low compared to measurements at Halley and Neumayer Stations, as well as mid-latitudes. Significantly higher total mercury concentrations observed in 2007 may be related to the higher boundary layer BrO concentrations, but further measurements are required to verify this

A characteristics framework for Semantic Information Systems Standards

Semantic Information Systems (IS) Standards play a critical role in the development of the networked economy. While their importance is undoubted by all stakeholders—such as businesses, policy makers, researchers, developers—the current state of research leaves a number of questions unaddressed. Terminological confusion exists around the notions of “business semantics”, “business-to-business interoperability”, and “interoperability standards” amongst others. And, moreover, a comprehensive understanding about the characteristics of Semantic IS Standards is missing. The paper addresses this gap in literature by developing a characteristics framework for Semantic IS Standards. Two case studies are used to check the applicability of the framework in a “real-life” context. The framework lays the foundation for future research in an important field of the IS discipline and supports practitioners in their efforts to analyze, compare, and evaluate Semantic IS Standard

Characterisation of strain-induced precipitation behaviour in microalloyed steels during thermomechanical controlled processing

The temperature at which thermomechanical controlled processing is undertaken strongly influences strain-induced precipitation (SIP) in microalloyed steels. In this study, the recrystallisation-precipitation-time-temperature curve was simulated to determine the full recrystallisation temperature, recrystallisation-stop temperature and the temperature where precipitation would occur at the shortest time. The calculated temperatures were verified by experimental testing for rolling between 1100 °C and 850 °C. On the basis of this a finishing deformation of 850 °C was chosen in order to maximise the precipitate number density formed in a fully unrecrystallised austenite. The orientation relationship between the SIP in austenite, and subsequent transformation to ferrite was identified by calculation from the coordinate transformation matrix, and by electron diffraction in the transmission electron microscope. The NbC formed as coherent/semi-coherent precipitates in the austenite, and remained coherent/semi-coherent in the ferrite, indicating a Kurdjumov-Sachs orientation relationship between the austenite and ferrite on transformation

Novel epoxy-free construction method for fabricating dipole magnets and test results

Three model superconducting dipole magnets, lm length and having a bore diameter of 76mm, fabricated without epoxy resins or other adhesives, have been built and the first two have been tested in He I and He II. The conductor is the 23-strand Rutherford-type cable used in the Fermilab Doubler/Saver magnets, and is insulated with Mylar and Kapton. The two-layer winding is highly compessed by a system of structural support rings and tapered collets. Little training was required. Quench currents greater than 95% of short sample were obtained in He I with rise-times of 15 to 20 seconds to a central field of 4.6 T; 6.0 T in Helium II

Measurements of Higgs boson production and couplings in diboson final states with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements are presented of production properties and couplings of the recently discovered Higgs boson using the decays into boson pairs, H →γ γ, H → Z Z∗ →4l and H →W W∗ →lνlν. The results are based on the complete pp collision data sample recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 25 fb−1. Evidence for Higgs boson production through vector-boson fusion is reported. Results of combined fits probing Higgs boson couplings to fermions and bosons, as well as anomalous contributions to loop-induced production and decay modes, are presented. All measurements are consistent with expectations for the Standard Model Higgs boson

Standalone vertex finding in the ATLAS muon spectrometer

A dedicated reconstruction algorithm to find decay vertices in the ATLAS muon spectrometer is presented. The algorithm searches the region just upstream of or inside the muon spectrometer volume for multi-particle vertices that originate from the decay of particles with long decay paths. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using both a sample of simulated Higgs boson events, in which the Higgs boson decays to long-lived neutral particles that in turn decay to bbar b final states, and pp collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011

Measurement of the production cross section for W-bosons in association with jets in pp collisions at s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This Letter reports on a first measurement of the inclusive W + jets cross section in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV at the LHC, with the ATLAS detector. Cross sections, in both the electron and muon decay modes of the W-boson, are presented as a function of jet multiplicity and of the transverse momentum of the leading and next-to-leading jets in the event. Measurements are also presented of the ratio of cross sections sigma (W + >= n)/sigma(W + >= n - 1) for inclusive jet multiplicities n = 1-4. The results, based on an integrated luminosity of 1.3 pb(-1), have been corrected for all known detector effects and are quoted in a limited and well-defined range of jet and lepton kinematics. The measured cross sections are compared to particle-level predictions based on perturbative QCD. Next-to-leading order calculations, studied here for n <= 2, are found in good agreement with the data. Leading-order multiparton event generators, normalized to the NNLO total cross section, describe the data well for all measured jet multiplicitie