Assessment of vocal fold mobility using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound in healthy volunteers

Purpose: To verify the value of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences, fast field echo (FFE), and balanced gradient echo (true fast imaging with steady-state free precession - TRUFI) in the evaluation of vocal fold mobility in healthy volunteers, against ultrasound examination (US) as the reference test. Material and methods: Vocal fold mobility in 35 healthy volunteers (age 20-59 years, 20 women and 15 men) with no history of laryngeal disorders and neck surgeries was determined by means of US and MRI during normal breathing and phonation of the "hiiii" sound. US images were used to determine the glottic angles. During MRI two dynamic sequences, fast field echo and balanced gradient echo, were applied to determine the minimum and maximum values of the glottic angles, along with the rima glottidis area, separately for the right and left compartments. Due to differences in larynx anatomy, the abovementioned parameters were analysed separately for women and men. Results: No significant differences were observed between the glottic angle values obtained during US and dynamic MRI (FFE and TRUFI sequences). Regardless of the dynamic MRI sequence used, a positive correlation was found between the maximum values of glottic angle and the rima glottidis area. This correlation was strong and statistically significant among men, but not in women. Conclusions: Dynamic MRI of vocal folds using FFE and TRUFI sequence is an accurate method for the objective evaluation of rima glottidis width

Recommendations of the Polish Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians for removal of the uterus by vaginal, laparoscopic and abdominal routes

The recommendations represent the current procedure, which may be modified and changed where justified, after a thoroughanalysis of the given clinical situation, which may be the basis for their modification and updating in the future

Polish Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics statement on safety measures and performance of ultrasound examinations in obstetrics and gynecology during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

We present recommendations on performance and safety measures of ultrasound examinations in obstetrics and gynecologyduring the SARS COV-2 pandemic. The statement was prepared based on the current knowledge on the coronavirusby the Ultrasound Section of the Polish Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. It has to be noted that the presented guidanceis based on limited evidence and is primarily based on experiences published by authors from areas most affected bythe virus thus far, such as China, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Italy. We realize that the pandemic situation is very dynamic.New data is published every day. Despite the imposed limitations related to the necessity of social distancing, it is crucialto remember that providing optimal care in safe conditions should remain the primary goal of healthcare providers. Weplan to update the current guidelines as the situation develops

Searching for ß-delayed protons from 11 Be

ISOLDE Workshop and Usersmeeting. Wednesday 05 December - Friday 07 December 2018 .CERN ( ISOLDE User Support. PH Departmen - CERN/CH-1211 Geneve 23). --.https://indico.cern.ch/event/736872/contributions

Z zagadnień bezpieczeństwa biznesu

Praca recenzowana / peer-reviewed pape

Studies of nuclei in the region of 48 Ni using an optical time projection chamber

Rozprawa doktorska przedstawia rezultaty badania jąder w okolicy podwójnie magicznego 48Ni. W pracy opisano też użyte techniki eksperymentalne i algorytmy analizy stworzone na potrzeby opisanych badań. Eksperyment stanowiący podstawę tej pracy został przeprowadzony w ośrodku National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory będącym częścią Michigan State University. Do produkcji egzotycznych nuklidów posłużono się wiązką pierwotną 58Ni przyspieszoną do energii 160 MeV na nukleon w akceleratorach K500 i K1200. Produkty reakcji z tarczą z niklu o naturalnym składzie izotopowym były selekcjonowane z użyciem separatora A1900, a następnie implantowane w komorze dryfowej z odczytem optycznym (ang. Optical Time Projection Chamber (OTPC)), gdzie rejestrowano ich rozpady. Dla każdego zdarzenia zapisywano także dane identyfikacyjne. Detektor OTPC użyty w tym eksperymencie jest drugą generacją tego urządzenia. Istotna część pracy jest poświęcona jego dokładnemu opisowi, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem specyficznej logiki wyzwalania. Detektor OTPC został opracowany w celu rejestracji emisji cząstek naładowanych z egzotycznych jąder i działa w podobny sposób co klasyczna komora dryfowa, z dodatkowym pośrednim etapem konwersji sygnału elektrycznego na optyczny. Każde zdarzenie składa się z obrazu z kamery CCD przedstawiającego rzut zdarzenia na płaszczyznę XY i przebiegu sygnału z fotopowielacza, dającego informacje o zdarzeniu wzdłuż osi Z. Łącząc te informacje możliwa jest rekonstrukcja śladów cząstek naładowanych zatrzymanych w detektorze, co daje informacje o ich energii i kierunku emisji. Procedura pozwalająca na precyzyjną rekonstrukcję rejestrowanych zdarzeń, poprzez porównanie symulowanej odpowiedzi detektora z danym eksperymentalnymi, została opracowana na potrzeby przedstawionych w rozprawie badań. Umożliwia ona odtworzenie torów obydwu protonów emitowanych w zdarzeniach emisji dwuprotonowej z 48Ni, a także śladów protonów β-opóźnionych emitowanych z 44Cr i 46Fe o energii nie przekraczającej ~2$ MeV. Poniższa praca przedstawia szczegółowo pierwsze cztery zdarzenia w których bezpośrednio zarejestrowano emisję dwuprotonową z 48Ni. We wszystkich przypadkach przeprowadzono rekonstrukcję torów protonów w trzech wymiarach, co pozwoliło wyznaczyć energie indywidualnych protonów i ich kierunki. W pracy przedstawiono także pierwszy przypadek β-opóźnionej emisji dwóch protonów z 46Fe. Na podstawie zebranych danych obliczono czasy życia i współczynniki rozgałęzienia rozpadów 48Ni, 46Fe i 44Cr. Dla 48Ni i 46Fe obliczono przekrój czynny na ich produkcję. Przedstawiono także widma energetyczne protonów opóźnionych emitowanych z jąder 46Fe i 44Cr o energii nie przekraczającej 2 MeV.The dissertation presents results of decay spectroscopy of nuclei in the vicinity of the doubly magic 48Ni, along with employed experimental techniques and detailed presentation of analysis algorithms developed specifically for this study. The experiment providing data for the described studies was performed at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at the Michigan State University using coupled K500-K1200 cyclotrons for acceleration of 58Ni to the energy of 160 MeV per nucleon. A1900 separator was used to select ions of interest from reactions of the primary beam with a natural Ni target. Selected ions were implanted into the Optical Time Projection Chamber (OTPC), where their decays were recorded. Also recorded were ID data for each implanted event. The OTPC detector used in this study is a second version of this device and substantial part of the dissertation describes the detector itself and the experimental setup, in particular the controlling logic. The OTPC detector was developed to record events of charged particles emission from exotic nuclei. It works in a manner similar to an ordinary time projection chamber, albeit with an additional step of converting the signal from electrical form to light. Each recorded event consists of an image describing projection on the XY plane and an accompanying trace from a photo multiplier providing information along the Z axis. When combined, the data from these sources allow for complete reconstruction of traces of charged particles stopped in the detector, providing their energy and direction. A procedure for precise reconstruction of events by comparing experimental results with a simulated detector response was developed for the analysis of experimental data. This procedure allowed reconstruction of traces of both protons emitted in the 48Ni two-proton radioactivity, as well as β-delayed proton traces from 44Cr and 46Fe of energy up to ~2MeV. This dissertation presents in detail the first four events of direct observation of the two proton radioactivity from 48Ni. All these events are reconstructed in three dimensions, yielding energies and directions of individual protons. Also presented is the first observation of β-delayed two-proton emission from 46Fe. Further analysis yields half-lives and branchings ratios for decays of 48Ni, 46Fe and 44Cr. For 48Ni and 46Fe production cross-section is determined. Recorded proton spectra of low energy delayed protons from 46Fe and 44Cr are also presented

Mineralogical-petrographical and chemical research of gneiss as the key to rational management of mineral deposit

W artykule scharakteryzowano wyniki analiz petrograficznych i chemicznych gnejsu ze złoża Doboszowice 1. Złoże cechuje się złożoną budową geologiczną, warunkowaną zarówno przez obecność licznych odmian petrograficznych kopaliny, jak i zmienną miąższość nadkładu i występowaniem licznych przerostów i dyslokacji. Analiza budowy złoża ułatwia planowanie selektywnej eksploatacji złoża i dywersyfikację kierunków wykorzystania kopaliny oraz odpadów wydobywczych. Takie działanie wpisuje się w zasady racjonalnej, niskoemisyjnej gospodarki zasobami naturalnymi o obiegu zamkniętym.Results of the petrographic and chemical analyses of the gneiss from the Doboszowice 1 deposit have been described in this paper. The deposit is characterised by the complicated geological setting, conditioned by the presence of the various petrographic types of gneiss, variable thickness of the cover and the occurence of the mumerous overgrowths and dislocations. The examination of the deposit’s structure makes planning of the selective extraction and diversity of the post-mining wastes usage directions easier. Such activities fit into the rules of rational, low-emission natural resources management and circular economy

Pre- and Postoperative Ultrasound and MRI Examinations in Assessing Vocal Folds in Patients with Goiter

Aim of the study: To determine the value of dynamic examinations ultrasound (US) and MRI in the 1.5T field in the assessment of the mobility of vocal folds (VF) in comparison to laryngoscopy in patients with thyroid gland resection. Materials and methods: A total of 44 patients with goiter, before and after thyroidectomy, were subjected to videolaryngoscopy and dynamic examinations of the vocal folds using ultrasound and the following MRI sequences: generic gradient echo (GRE) and true fast imaging with steady-state precession (TRUFI). The qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed, i.e., the angles of deviation from the midline of the vocal folds and the area of the right and left rima glottidis compartments. Results: The analysis of qualitative data showed that the results obtained by laryngoscopy, US and MRI are independent of the diagnostic method used in the group of patients pre and post thyroidectomy. Between the pre- and postoperative examinations in the group of paralyzed vocal folds, statistically significant differences were found in the minimum and maximum values of the angles for the MRI-GRE and MRI-TRUFI sequences and the maximum value of the angles in the US examination, but also in the maximum value of the area of the glottis compartments in both MRI-GRE and MRI-TRUFI dynamic sequences and the minimum value of the area in the sequence MRI-GRE. Statistically significant differences were found in both MRI sequences during phonation, both for the value of the angles and the area of the affected vocal folds. However, no statistically significant differences were found in the values of the angles or the areas in both vocal fold imaging methods without identified mobility abnormalities. Conclusions: Ultrasound and MRI examinations using dynamic sequences have a similar diagnostic value to laryngoscopy in the assessment of vocal fold paralysis in patients with goiter. The GRE sequence seems to be the most reliable one in determining vocal fold paralysis, and the most reliable parameter is the maximum area of the rima glottidis compartment. The inclusion of dynamic short sequences widely available in 1.5T scanners in standard neck examination protocols represents a novelty of the method and a promising diagnostic perspective in the diagnosis of vocal fold paralysis