Magnetska rezonancija u dijagnostici ozljeda koljenskoga zgloba

The possibilities of MR diagnosing knee pathology on high field scanners of 1T and 1.5T are well known. A sensitivity of 87%-100% and specificity of 64%-100% in diagnosing meniscal pathology are quoted in the literature. The aim of this work was to define the sensitivity and specificity of evaluation of meniscal lesions and cruciate ligament tears with a 0.2T permanent magnet of low field strength, as well as of other associated lesions of the bone, cartilage and collateral ligaments. We wished to estimate the value of particular sequences and projections of scanning chosen for certain pathology, and to recommend the type of scanning. MR findings were correlated with arthroscopy as the "gold standard method" in evaluating knee pathology. Two radiologists of different clinical experience interpreted MR findings by the principle of "interobserver difference". A total of 40 patients were examined, 32 men and 8 women, aged 17-46, mean age 27±5 years. The following sequences were used always in three projections: SE 1500/38; SE 1500/25; SE 1700/40; SE 200/38; SR 550/25; SR 550/38; GE 100/23/45; GE 100/23/60; and GE 500/23/40. We conclude that low field MRI is as sensitive and specific as diagnostic arthroscopy for traumatic meniscal lesions, yet better due to its noninvasiveness. MRI 0.2 T is of a lower specificity and sensitivity in detecting anterior cruciate ligament and chondral lesions in comparison with arthroscopy.Mogućnosti MR dijagnostike patologije koljenskoga zgloba na uređajima 1 i 1.5 T su poznate. U literaturi se navodi osjetljivost od 87%-100% i specifičnost od 64%-100% u dijagnostici patologije meniska na tim uređajima. Cilj rada bio je ustanoviti osjetljivost i specifičnost, odnosno vrijednost MR-e u pregledu meniska i ukriženih ligamenata koljenskoga zgloba MR-om 0.2T, niske jačine magnetskog polja, kao i procijeniti pridružene ozljede MR-om (ozljede hrskavice, kosti, kolateralnih ligamenata). Dobiveni MR nalazi korelirani su s artroskopijom kao zlatnim standardom. MR nalaze provjerilo je dvoje radiologa po načelu među promatračima ("interobserver difference"). Pregledano je ukupno 40 bolesnika, od toga 32 muškarca i 8 žena, u dobi od 17-46 godina, prosječne životne dobi 27±5 godina. Sljedeće sekvence su bile napravljene uvijek u tri projekcije: SE 1500/38; SE 1500/25; SE 1700/40; SE 200/38; SR 550/25; SR 550/38; GE 100/23/45; GE 100/23/60; GE 500/23/40. U zaključku: MR 0.2T je jednako osjetljiva metoda kao dijagnostička artroskopija u procjeni traumatskih ozljeda meniska, no dajemo joj prednost zbog neinvazivnosti. MR niske jačine polja slabije je osjetljiva metoda od artroskopije u procjeni lezije prednjega ukriženog ligamenta te ozljeda hrskavice

Mechanistic insight into biopolymer induced iron oxide mineralization through quantification of molecular bonding

Microbial production of iron (oxyhydr)oxides on polysaccharide rich biopolymers occurs on such a vast scale that it impacts the global iron cycle and has been responsible for major biogeochemical events. Yet the physiochemical controls these biopolymers exert on iron (oxyhydr)oxide formation are poorly understood. Here we used dynamic force spectroscopy to directly probe binding between complex, model and natural microbial polysaccharides and common iron (oxyhydr)oxides. Applying nucleation theory to our results demonstrates that if there is a strong attractive interaction between biopolymers and iron (oxyhydr)oxides, the biopolymers decrease the nucleation barriers, thus promoting mineral nucleation. These results are also supported by nucleation studies and density functional theory. Spectroscopic and thermogravimetric data provide insight into the subsequent growth dynamics and show that the degree and strength of water association with the polymers can explain the influence on iron (oxyhydr)oxide transformation rates. Combined, our results provide a mechanistic basis for understanding how polymer-mineral-water interactions alter iron (oxyhydr)oxides nucleation and growth dynamics and pave the way for an improved understanding of the consequences of polymer induced mineralization in natural systems

Upravljanje vjetroagregatom otporno na oštećenja kaveza asinkronog generatora

Wind turbines are usually installed on remote locations and in order to increase their economic competence malfunctions should be reduced and prevented. Faults of wind turbine generator electromechanical parts are common and very expensive. This paper proposes a fault-tolerant control strategy for variable-speed variable-pitch wind turbines in case of identified and characterised squirrel-cage generator rotor bar defect. An upgrade of the torque control loop with flux-angle-based torque modulation is proposed. In order to avoid or to postpone generator cage defects, usage of pitch controller in the low wind speed region is introduced. Presented fault-tolerant control strategy is developed taking into account its modular implementation and installation in available control systems of existing wind turbines to extend their life cycle and energy production. Practical implementation aspects such as estimation of variables used in control and estimate errors are considered and respected in operation, as well as fault-induced asymmetries. Simulation results for the case of a megawatt class wind turbine and the identified rotor bar fault are presented.Vjetroagregati se obično postavljaju na udaljene, nepristupačne lokacije te je potrebno spriječiti nastanak kvarova da bi se povećala njihova ekonomska konkurentnost. Kvarovi elektromehaničkih dijelova generatora vjetroagregata česti su i vrlo skupi. U ovom radu predstavljen je koncept upravljanja vjetroagregatima s promjenjivom brzinom vrtnje i zakretom lopatica za slučaj identificiranog i okarakteriziranog oštećenja kaveza asinkronog generatora. Predložena je nadogradnja na postojeći algoritam upravljanja momentom zasnovana na njegovoj modulaciji s obzirom na položaj magnetskog toka generatora. Da bi se izbjeglo ili usporilo širenje napuknuća kaveza generatora, predložena je primjena regulacijskog kruga za zakret lopatica i u režimu rada vjetroagregata ispod nazivne brzine vrtnje. Predstavljena strategija upravljanja razvijena je uvažavajući mogućnost modularnog nadovezivanja na postojeće metode upravljanja već postavljenih vjetroagregata s ciljem produženja njihova životnog vijeka i povećanja proizvodnje energije. Razmatrani su i uvaženi aspekti vezani uz praktičnu izvedbu, kao što je estimacija varijabli korištenih u upravljačkom algoritmu i pripadajuće pogreške estimata, kao i nesimetrije uzrokovane nastankom kvara. U radu su dani simulacijski rezultati za slučaj vjetroagregata iz megavatne klase s dijagnosticiranim napuknućem kaveza rotora

Transfer Reaction Studies with Spectrometers

The revival of transfer reaction studies benefited from the construction of the new generation large solid angle spectrometers, coupled to large gamma arrays. The recent results of gamma-particle coincident measurements in Ca-40+Zr-96 and Ar-40+Pb-208 reactions demonstrate a strong interplay between single-particle and collective degrees of freedom that is pertinent to the reaction dynamics. The development of collectivity has been followed in odd Ar isotopes populated in the Ar-40+Pb-208 reaction through the excitation of the 11/2(-) states, understood as the coupling of single particle degrees of freedom to nuclear vibration quanta. Pair transfer modes is another important degree of freedom which is presently being studied with Prisma in inverse kinematics at energies far below the Coulomb barrier. First results from the Zr-96+Ca-40 reaction elucidate the role played by nucleon-nucleon correlation

Evidence of proton-proton correlations in the 116Sn+60Ni transfer reactions

One and two proton transfer channels have been measured in 116Sn+60Ni with the magnetic spectrometer PRISMA by making an excitation function at several bombarding energies, from above to well below the Coulomb barrier. The total kinetic energy loss distributions show the predominance of quasi-elastic processes in the sub-barrier regime. The data have been compared with calculations performed with the GRAZING program, based on semiclassical formalism, and in the Distorted Wave Born Approximation (DWBA), which provided a good theoretical description of the extracted transfer probabilities for the one proton transfers. The much larger values of the experimental two proton transfers compared with those evaluated within an independent particle transfer mechanism, indicate the presence of strong proton-proton correlations. The results complement the ones of the previously analyzed one- and two-neutron transfers, providing significant new information on the subject compared to past works

Structure of 24Mg excited states and their influence on nucleosynthesis

The main idea of the two presented experiments is to study the decay of resonances in 24Mg at excitation energies above the 12C+12C decay thresh- old, in the astrophysical energy region of interest. The measurement of the 12C(16O,α)24Mg* reaction was performed at INFN-LNS in Catania. Only the α+20Ne decay channel of 24Mg is presented here, because it was a motivation for conducting a new experiment, a study of the 4He(20Ne,4He)20Ne reaction, performed at INFN-LNL in Legnaro. Some preliminary results of this measurement are also presented

Mass correlation between light and heavy reaction products in multinucleon transfer 197Au+130Te collisions

We studied multinucleon transfer reactions in the 197Au+130Te system at Elab=1.07 GeV by employing the PRISMA magnetic spectrometer coupled to a coincident detector. For each light fragment we constructed, in coincidence, the distribution in mass of the heavy partner of the reaction. With a Monte Carlo method, starting from the binary character of the reaction, we simulated the de-excitation process of the produced heavy fragments to be able to understand their final mass distribution. The total cross sections for pure neutron transfer channels have also been extracted and compared with calculations performed with the grazing code

Light and heavy fragments mass correlation in the 197Au+130Te transfer reaction

We studied multinucleon transfer (MNT) processes in the 197Au+130Te at Elab=1.07 GeV system coupling the PRISMA magnetic spectrometer to NOSE, an ancillary particle detector. We constructed a mass correlation matrix associating to each light fragment identified in PRISMA the corresponding mass distribution of the heavy partner detected in NOSE and, through the comparison with Monte Carlo simulations, we could infer about the role of neutron evaporation in multinucleon transfer reactions for the population of neutron-rich heavy nuclei

Analysis of states in ¹³C populated in ⁹Be + ⁴He resonant scattering

Measurements of 9Be+α resonant scattering have been performed using the thick-target approach with a 4He gas volume and a large area silicon strip detector. 9Be beam energies in the range 12 to 21.4 MeV were used to measure the 13C excitation energy spectrum between 13.2 and 16.2 MeV. An R-matrix analysis has been performed to characterize the spins and widths of 13C resonances, some of which have been proposed to be associated with a 3α+n molecular band

13C+4He resonant elastic scattering on a thick gas target

Resonant elastic scattering of 13C on a thick 4He target has been measured. Reaction products from 13C(4He, 4He) were detected at several beam energies and gas pressures. Raw yield was efficiency corrected using Monte Carlo simulations and an averaged yield spectrum was produced. The observed peaks correspond well to the previously measured elastic scattering data