Histomorphological changes after neodymium: YAG laser-coagulation of the human prostate with the Side Focus fiber: Effect of power setting and time

The objective of our study was to determine optimal treatment parameters and appropriate methods of examination for neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) high-power laser coagulation of the human prostate in relation to power setting and time. Transurethral free-beam laser coagulation was performed with the Side-Focus side-firing laser fiber in ten patients prior to planned radical surgery, of whom six underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic lymphadenectomy and laser coagulation 4-9 days prior to open surgery. Depth and volume of coagulated prostatic tissue were measured at power setting/time combinations of 40 W/90 s and 60 W/60 s, respectively, while holding total energy delivery constant. Microscopic examination in the early phase showed that epithelial cells had become loose from the basal-cell membrane. By 4-9 days there was evidence of conspicuous squamous epithelial metaplasia with a high proliferation rate as a sign of reepithelialization. Using the Side Focus side-firing laser fiber, both treatment modalities showed comparable volume coagulation. In contrast there was a significant difference between those prostates removed at 4-9 days and those removed at 60-210 min after laser coagulation. We conclude that laser-induced changes in the human prostate are conclusively discernible only after 4 day

Evaluation of self-sealing structures for space vehicle application

Self-sealing structures to protect pressurized space vehicle compartments in micrometeorite environmen

Multiband theory of multi-exciton complexes in self-assembled quantum dots

We report on a multiband microscopic theory of many-exciton complexes in self-assembled quantum dots. The single particle states are obtained by three methods: single-band effective-mass approximation, the multiband $k\cdot p$ method, and the tight-binding method. The electronic structure calculations are coupled with strain calculations via Bir-Pikus Hamiltonian. The many-body wave functions of $N$ electrons and $N$ valence holes are expanded in the basis of Slater determinants. The Coulomb matrix elements are evaluated using statically screened interaction for the three different sets of single particle states and the correlated $N$-exciton states are obtained by the configuration interaction method. The theory is applied to the excitonic recombination spectrum in InAs/GaAs self-assembled quantum dots. The results of the single-band effective-mass approximation are successfully compared with those obtained by using the of $k\cdot p$ and tight-binding methods.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Alpha-particle formation and clustering in nuclei

The nucleonic localization function has been used for a decade to study the formation of alpha-particles in nuclei, by providing a measure of having nucleons of a given spin in a single place. However, differences in interpretation remain, compared to the nucleonic density of the nucleus. In order to better understand the respective role of the nucleonic localization function and the densities in the alpha-particle formation in cluster states or in alpha-decay mechanism, both an analytic approximation and microscopic calculations, using energy density functionals, are undertaken. The nucleonic localization function is shown to measure the anti-centrifugal effect, and is not sensitive to the level of compactness of the alpha-particle itself. It probes the purity of the spatial overlap of four nucleons in the four possible (spin, isospin) states. The density provides, in addition, information on the compactness of an alpha-particle cluster.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Comparing virtual patients with synthesized and natural speech

Virtual Patient (VP) simulations are often designed to use pre-recorded speech in order to provide more realism and immersion. However, using actors for recording these utterances has certain downsides. It can add to the cost during implementation, can take considerable time especially when a large number of VPs have to be created, and is not very flexible for example when sentences or words have to be added frequently. This study aims to explore the use of synthesized speech as an alternative to pre-recorded speech for VPs. Two medical scenarios have been prepared for this study, and both have been implemented using a VP with natural language or with synthesized speech. In a pilot study we explored students' retention rates of the symptoms reported by the VP under both conditions to investigate whether synthesized speech can serve as a good enough alternative

Determination of sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in aqueous and solid samples from an Italian wastewater treatment plant

This study addresses the issue of whether it is possible to accurately predict the removalefficiencies of metals of environmental concern (i.e., Al, Ag, As, B, Ba, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Hg, Ni,Pb, Cu, V, and Zn) in a wastewater treatment plant. The plant in question (at Fusina, Venice,Italy) is fed by mixed wastes from municipal and industrial sources (300 000 equivalentinhabitants) and discharges the treated effluent into the Venice lagoon. The year-long samplingcampaign (2001-2002) yielded a substantial amount of analytical data and relatively wide rangesof concentrations of metals in the influent samples, which made it possible to study the removalefficiencies by plotting the terms (inlet concentration - outlet concentration) vs (inlet concentration)for each metal investigated. The data in the plots were fitted using the linear regressionmodel Y ) BX. The slope rates (terms B), which were estimated by the least-squares method,have been adopted as the removal efficiencies, and they can be considered as constants in theconcentration ranges recorded in this work. The relative abundance of metals in the rawwastewaters feeding Fusina WWTP followed the order Al > Fe > B > Zn > Ba > Mn > Cu >Pb > Hg ) Ni > Cr ) As > V > Ag > Cd, while in the effluent the order was Fe > Al > Zn >Mn > Ba > Ni > Cu > Pb > Cr > Ag > As > Hg ) V > Cd. The removal percentages (%) of themetals were Al ) 92 ( 1; Ag ) 94 ( 1; As ) 76 ( 3; B ) n.d.; Ba ) 85 ( 2; Cd ) 85 ( 2; Cr )87 ( 1; Fe ) 90 ( 1; Mn ) 61 ( 2; Hg ) 93 ( 1; Ni ) 50 ( 3; Pb ) 92 ( 1; Cu ) 93 ( 1; V )74 ( 2; and Zn ) 75 ( 3

A multiscale approach to image analysis using markov random fields

The use of Markov Random Field (MRF) models within the framework of global bayesian estimation luis recently brought new powerful solutions to standard image analysis problems . These models are generally associated with greedy relaxation algorithms. This is the reason why multiresolution methods, well known in Computational Mathematics, are widely used to speed up the convergence rate of these algorithms . But for the moment there is no real mathematical framework which associates in a simple and efficient way multigrid strategies and markovian models most previous multiresolution markovian models have been defined using various heuristics, especially as far as the adjustment of parameters over scale is concerned . In this paper we present a new class of globally consistent multiscale MRF models . The models we consider here are both mathematically consistent and computationally tractable and are related to a multiscale exploration of the set of solutions . We detail the application of these new models to two basic issues in motion analysis from an image sequence motion detection and 2D-motion estimation . e show the advantages of the new approach : it allows the relaxation schemes to converge faster than those associated with standard multiresolution approaches, and toward better estimates (i.e. estimates of lower energy) .L'introduction d'une modélisation statistique par champs de Markov a récemment permis des avancées importantes dans nombre de problèmes classiques en analyse d'images. Ces modèles sont généralement associés à des algorithmes d'optimisation globale par relaxation qui restent coûteux en temps de calcul dans certaines applications. Or les techniques multigrilles, par ailleurs classiques en analyse numérique, peuvent conduire à des gains importants sur ce point. Pour l'heure il n'existe cependant pas réellement de support théorique permettant d'associer de façon simple et efficace stratégie multigrille et modélisation markovienne. Les modèles markoviens multirésolutions utilisés pour l'instant sont donc élaborés de manière heuristique, en particulier en ce qui concerne l'ajustement des différents paramètres en fonction de la résolutio