STS-3 Induced Environment Contamination Monitor (IECM): Quick-look report

The STS-3/Induced Environment Contamination Monitor (IECM) mission is described. The IECM system performance is discussed, and IECM mission time events are briefly described. Quick look analyses are presented for each of the 10 instruments comprising the IECM on the flight of STS-3. Finally, a short summary is presented and plans are discussed for future IECM flights, and opportunities for direct mapping of Orbiter effluents using the Remote manipulator System

Cost effectiveness analysis of laparoscopic hysterectomy compared with standard hysterectomy: results from a randomised trial

Objective: To assess the cost effectiveness of laparoscopic hysterectomy compared with conventional hysterectomy (abdominal or vaginal). Design: Cost effectiveness analysis based on two parallel trials: laparoscopic (n = 324) compared with vaginal hysterectomy (n = 163); and laparoscopic (n = 573) compared with abdominal hysterectomy (n = 286). Participants: 1346 women requiring a hysterectomy for reasons other than malignancy. Main outcome measure: One year costs estimated from NHS perspective. Health outcomes expressed in terms of QALYs based on women's responses to the EQ-5D at baseline and at three points during up to 52 weeks' follow up. Results: Laparoscopic hysterectomy cost an average of pound401 ($708; C571) more (95$471789; E380 437). The, probability that laparoscopic hysterectomy is cost effective was below 50% for a large range of values of willingness to pay for an additional QALY. Laparoscopic hysterectomy cost an average of pound186 ($328; E265) more than abdominal hysterectomy, although 95$46 893; E37 813). If the NHS is willing to pay pound30 0 00 for an additional QALY, the probability that laparoscopic hysterectomy is cost effective is 56%. Conclusions: Laparoscopic hysterectomy is not cost effective relative to vaginal hysterectomy. Its cost effectiveness relative to the abdominal procedure is finely balanced

The eVALuate study: two parallel randomised trials, one comparing laparoscopic with abdominal hysterectomy, the other comparing laparoscopic with vaginal hysterectomy

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of laparoscopic hysterectomy and abdominal hysterectomy in the abdominal trial, and laparoscopic hysterectomy and vaginal hysterectomy in the vaginal trial. DESIGN: Two parallel, multicentre, randomised trials. Setting 28 UK centres and two South African centres. Participants 1380 women were recruited; 1346 had surgery; 937 were followed up at one year. PRIMARY OUTCOME: outcome Rate of major complications. RESULTS: In the abdominal trial laparoscopic hysterectomy was associated with a higher rate of major complications than abdominal hysterectomy (11.1% v 6.2%, P = 0.02; difference 4.9%, 95% confidence interval 0.9% to 9.1%) and the number needed to treat to harm was 20. Laparoscopic hysterectomy also took longer to perform (84 minutes v 50 minutes) but was less painful (visual analogue scale 3.51 v 3.88, P = 0.01) and resulted in a shorter stay in hospital after the operation (3 days v 4 days). Six weeks after the operation, laparoscopic hysterectomy was associated with less pain and better quality of life than abdominal hysterectomy (SF-12, body image scale, and sexual activity questionnaires). In the vaginal trial we found no evidence of a difference in major complication rates between laparoscopic hysterectomy and vaginal hysterectomy (9.8% v 9.5%, P = 0.92; difference 0.3%, − 5.2% to 5.8%), and the number needed to treat to harm was 333.We found no evidence of other differences between laparoscopic hysterectomy and vaginal hysterectomy except that laparoscopic hysterectomy took longer to perform (72 minutes v 39 minutes) and was associated with a higher rate of detecting unexpected pathology (16.4% v 4.8%, P = < 0.01). However, this trial was underpowered. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic hysterectomy was associated with a significantly higher rate of major complications than abdominal hysterectomy. It also took longer to perform but was associated with less pain, quicker recovery, and better short term quality of life. The trial comparing vaginal hysterectomy with laparoscopic hysterectomy was underpowered and is inconclusive on the rate of major complications; however, vaginal hysterectomy took less time

Composition and energy spectra of cosmic ray nuclei above 500 GeV/nucleon from the JACEE emulsion chambers

The composition and energy spectra of charge groups (C - 0), (Ne - S), and (Z approximately 17) above 500 GeV/nucleon from the experiments of JACEE series balloonborne emulsion chambers are reported. Studies of cosmic ray elemental composition at higher energies provide information on propagation through interstellar space, acceleration mechanisms, and their sources. One of the present interests is the elemental composition at energies above 100 GeV/nucleon. Statistically sufficient data in this energy region can be decisive in judgment of propagation models from the ratios of SECONDARY/PRIMARY and source spectra (acceleration mechanism), as well as speculative contributions of different sources from the ratios of PRIMARY/PRIMARY. At much higher energies, i.e., around 10 to the 15th power eV, data from direct observation will give hints on the knee problem, as to whether they favor an escape effect possibly governed by magnetic rigidity above 10 to the 16th power eV

Characteristics of central collision events in Fe-nucleus interactions for 20 - 60 GeV/nucleon

A counter emulsion hybrid chamber in Japanese-American Cooperative Emulsion Experiment (JACEE-3) was flown on a balloon at the altitude (5.4 g/sq cm) in 1982 with the objective of probing the heavy nuclear collisions above 20 GeV per nucleon. In the energy region, it is suggested that nucleus-nucleus collisions provide dense collisions complex through compression and secondary particle production. In the lower energy region, an evidence of collective flow has been reported. And also, at higher energy region, it has been argued that nucleus has rather large stopping power. In this paper, the high multiplicity characteristics of Fe nucleus central collisions with energies 20 to 50 GeV/nucleon are presented. This is considered to be relevant to compressibility and collective flow of nuclear matter

Laboratory and pilot field-scale testing of surfactants for environmental restoration of chlorinated solvent DNAPLs

This project is composed of two phases and has the objective of demonstrating surfactant-enhanced aquifer remediation (SEAR) as a practical remediation technology at DOE sites with ground water contaminated by dense, non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs), in particular, chlorinated solvents. The first phase of this project, Laboratory and Pilot Field Scale Testing, which is the subject of the work so far, involves (1) laboratory experiments to examine the solubilization of multiple component DNAPLs, e.g., solvents such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), by dilute surfactant solutions, and (2) a field test to demonstrate SEAR technology on a small scale and in an existing well

Primary cosmic ray spectra in the range 20-60 GeV/n

Energy spectra for primary cosmic rays C-Fe above 20 GeV/n were measured on a balloon flight from Greenville S.C. in June 1982 with a hybrid electronic counter-emulsion chamber experiment. Fluxes above the atmosphere appear in general agreement with previously published values. The heavy events included in this data will be used along with the JACEE passive chamber data to provide a heavy composition direct measurement from 10 to the 12th power to approximately 10 to the 15th power eV total energy

The response of a scintillation counter below an emulsion chamber to heavy nucleus interactions in the chamber

In 1982 a hybrid electronic counter-emulsion chamber experiment was flown on a balloon to study heavy nucleus interactions in the 20 to approximately 100 GeV/AMU energy range. A gas Cerenkov counter, two solid Cerenkov counters, and a proportional counter hodoscope gave the primary energy, the primary charge and the trajectory of the particles, respectively. Using the trajectory information cosmic ray nuclei of Z 10 were found reliably and efficiently, and interaction characteristics of the Fe group nuclei were measured in the chamber. A plastic scintillator below the emulsion chamber responded to showers resulting from interactions in the chamber and to noninteracting nuclei. Data on the response of the counter have been compared with simulations of hadronic-electromagnetic cascades to derive the average neutral energy fraction released by the heavy interactions, and to predict the performance of this kind of counter at higher energies. For the interacting events of highest produced particles multiplicity comparison between various simulations and the shower counter signal have been made

The changing pattern of domestic cannabis cultivation in the UK and its impact on the cannabis market

With improvements in both technology and information cannabis is being increasingly grown indoors for domestic use, rather than being imported. This study examines 50 cannabis farms detected by an English police force, and examines the characteristics of the 61 suspects associated with them. The study highlights a UK pattern in domestic cultivation, that is moving away from large scale commercial cultivation, at times co-ordinated by South East Asian organised crime groups, to increased cultivation within residential premises by British citizens. Offenders range from those who have no prior criminal history to those who are serious and persistent offenders. The ramifications for law enforcement agencies and policy formers are discussed

Monitoring wild animal communities with arrays of motion sensitive camera traps

Studying animal movement and distribution is of critical importance to addressing environmental challenges including invasive species, infectious diseases, climate and land-use change. Motion sensitive camera traps offer a visual sensor to record the presence of a broad range of species providing location -specific information on movement and behavior. Modern digital camera traps that record video present new analytical opportunities, but also new data management challenges. This paper describes our experience with a terrestrial animal monitoring system at Barro Colorado Island, Panama. Our camera network captured the spatio-temporal dynamics of terrestrial bird and mammal activity at the site - data relevant to immediate science questions, and long-term conservation issues. We believe that the experience gained and lessons learned during our year long deployment and testing of the camera traps as well as the developed solutions are applicable to broader sensor network applications and are valuable for the advancement of the sensor network research. We suggest that the continued development of these hardware, software, and analytical tools, in concert, offer an exciting sensor-network solution to monitoring of animal populations which could realistically scale over larger areas and time spans