Differential diagnosis of acute testicular pain using color-coded duplex ultrasonography: difference between testicular torsion and epididymitis

OBJECTIVE: To assess retrospectively the accuracy of colour-coded duplex sonography (CCDS) in distinguishing testicular torsion from epididymitis as the cause of acute testicular pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The results of CCDS were analysed for all 81 patients (mean age 27.2 years [6 weeks to 60 years]), admitted between 1.1.1995 and 30.6.1996 with the diagnosis of acute testicular pain. Testicular torsion was diagnosed when CCDS failed to detect perfusion in one testis. Regular arterial and venous perfusion of both testes excluded torsion. Epididymitis was diagnosed when hyperperfusion of the epididymis was demonstrated by CCDS. RESULTS: 20 of 22 cases of torsion, subsequently diagnosed at surgery, had been correctly diagnosed by CCDS (sensitivity 90.9%, specificity 98.3%). 55 patients had epididymitis, confirmed by the clinical course and follow-up having excluded torsion. Other causes (trauma, tumour, inguinal hernia) were found in the remainder of patients. CONCLUSION: With a positive predictive value of 95.2% and a negative one of 96.6% CCDS is a highly suitable method for recognizing or excluding testicular torsion and thus clarifying the cause of acute testicular pain.     

Value of color-coded Doppler sonography in the differential diagnosis of nodular thyroid gland changes

AIM: The incidence of functional autonomous adenomas, detected in every second nodular goiter by scintigraphic methods is very high in an area of iodine deficiency. The color-coded Doppler sonography (CCDS) as a diagnostic tool in differentiating thyroid nodules is discussed controversially. METHODS: In this prospective study we investigated the value of CCDS in 200 patients with nodular thyroid alterations compared with 99m-Technetium (Tc) scintigraphy. RESULTS: Focal maximas of Tc-uptake were detected in 22.5% of all patients, and 44.5% of the thyroid nodules showed increased vascularity. There was no correlation between nodular vascularity and thyroid 99m-Tc uptake (TcTU). In contrast to this we could demonstrate a significant relation between vascularity and the diameter of the nodule (p < 0.0001). The results are discussed in the context of method specific limitations of ultrasound examinations. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm that CCDS has no great importance in the differentiation of thyroid nodules. Scintigraphy remains the diagnostic method of choice to assess the topographic thyroid function.     

Superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant status of larvae and adults of Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Haemonchus contortus and Ostertagia circumcincta

By means of modern color-coded duplex sonography (CCDS) even very small vessels can be visualized. Maximum resolution nowadays is about 0.5 mm diameter of the vessel. We compared the use of CCDS and angiography in studying of acral perfusion. Besides morphologic criteria, hemodynamic criteria were recorded. Arteries in healthy fingers appear as long and straight vessels with a clearly defined border. The physiological maximal blood flow velocity exceeded 20 cm/s. CCDS revealed tortuosity of finger arteries as typical finding in thrombangiitis obliterans. Segmental stenosis can either be identified morphologically or quantified by measurement of the flow velocity with poststenotic maximal systolic velocities of less than 20 cm/s or by the acceleration of the blood flow within the stenosis, as proven by angiographic examinations. CCDS is suitable for evaluation of acral perfusion in patients suffering from secondary Raynaud's syndrome. Apart from diagnosis of disturbed acral circulation, other possible applications of CCDS are in in the surgical field, for example replantations in hand or finger surgery.     

Value of Doppler color ultrasonography in diagnosis of arterial occlusive disease of the lower extremity. A direct comparison with percutaneous angiography

A Direct Comparison with Percutaneous Angiography: AIM: To compare colour-coded Doppler sonography (CCDS) with conventional angiography in severe occlusive vascular disease of the lower limb. METHODS: In 55 patients 1141 vessel segments were evaluated, 700 of them with atheromatous plaques, 270 with stenoses, 208 with occlusions and 6 with aneurysms. RESULTS: Deeper-seated vessels such as the abdominal aorta, the pelvic arteries, the superficial femoral artery at the level of the adductor canal and parts of the lower leg arteries are less accessible for direct CCDS. Many pathological changes however can be diagnosed indirectly by changes in the spectral wave form distal to the lesion. In superficial vascular segments (the common femoral artery, the profunda femoris artery, the superficial femoral artery above the adductor canal and the popliteal artery) image quality was excellent, more pathological changes were found, and the degree of stenosis was better estimated in comparison to angiography. CONCLUSION: The value of CCDS in patients with intermittent claudication is limited to those who have been examined with angiography e.g. before angioplasty, to follow-up examinations after vascular dilatation or surgery and to supplementary visualisation after angiography especially in readily accessible (superficial) vascular segments.     

Mental Health Professionals' Disability Competence: Measuring Self-Awareness, Perceived Knowledge, and Perceived Skills.

Objective: To describe mental health professionals' self-reported competence when working with clients with disabilities. Study Design: Survey administered with a measure of social desirability. Participants and Setting: One hundred eight professionals in counseling offices, disability services offices, and doctoral counseling programs. Main Outcome Measure: Competence as self-reported on the Counseling Clients With Disabilities Survey (CCDS). Results: CCDS scores paralleled participants' disability experience. Participants reported most competence in awareness, less competence in knowledge, and least competence in skills. Neither socially desirable responding nor years of experience accounted for these results. Conclusions: Findings indicate the need for mental health professionals to develop (a) awareness/beliefs/attitudes toward disability, (b) knowledge of disability and disability-related issues, and (c) skills/behaviors working with clients with disabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Low-Dimensional Proper Orthogonal Decomposition Modeling as a Fast Approach of Aerodynamic Data Estimation

The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) method is used and assessed as a fast technique for estimation of aerodynamics data with variation of some aerodynamics parameters. In this way, four extensions to the POD method are considered for steady viscous/inviscid compressible aerodynamic applications. The first extension is a coupling between the POD method with a cubic spline interpolation, as introduced for inviscid flows. The second and the third ones are essentially new techniques which are introduced here for the first time. In these methods, some additional calibrations (including a kind of filtering and reprojection) are needed to achieving more accurate estimations. The so-called gappy POD, is considered as the fourth extension, which is a known method in reconstruction and repairing the missed aerodynamics data. The methods are applied on the steady viscous and inviscid flows and for subsonic, transonic, and supersonic flow regimes. The results show good agreements between the new proposed methods and the other methods.     

Despiking Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter Data

A new method for detecting spikes in acoustic Doppler velocimeter data sequences is suggested. The method combines three concepts: (1) that differentiation enhances the high frequency portion of a signal, (2) that the expected maximum of a random series is given by the Universal threshold, and (3) that good data cluster in a dense cloud in phase space or Poincaré maps. These concepts are used to construct an ellipsoid in three-dimensional phase space, then points lying outside the ellipsoid are designated as spikes. The new method is shown to have superior performance to various other methods and it has the added advantage that it requires no parameters. Several methods for replacing sequences of spurious data are presented. A polynomial fitted to good data on either side of the spike event, then interpolated across the event, is preferred by the authors.     

Real-time homogeneous assay of rapid cycle polymerase chain reaction product for identification of Leptonema illini

The validation study is described of a new modelling method that has been developed, using tracer kinetic modelling with positron emission tomography (PET) to achieve non-invasive measurement of myocardial metabolic rate of glucose (MMRGlc). Eight data sets obtained from dynamic cardiac PET 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) studies on human subjects are employed, and the estimation of MMRGlc using both the new and traditional methods is compared. The results from all eight human FDG studies are consistent with those from previous computer simulations. With the new method, the estimated mean of K (a parameter directly proportional to MMRGlc) increases by about 8%, and that of k 4 (the rate constant of FDG dephosphorylation) decreases by about 48%. The approach should be more suitable for use in dynamic cardiac PET studies when non-invasive means are used to obtain the plasma time-activity curve from left-ventricle PET images.     

Using Bargaining-Game Theory for Negotiating Concession Period for BOT-Type Contract

This paper extends the build-operate-transfer (BOT) concession model (BOTCcM) to a new method for identifying a concession period by using bargaining-game theory. Concession period is one of the most important decision variables in arranging a BOT-type contract, and there are few methodologies available for helping to determine the value of this variable. The BOTCcM presents an alternative method by which a group of concession period solutions are produced. Nevertheless, a typical weakness in using BOTCcM is that the model cannot recommend a specific time span for concessionary. This paper introduces a new method called BOT bargaining concession model (BOTBaC) to enable the identification of a specific concession period, which takes into account the bargaining behavior of the two parties concerned in engaging a BOT contract, namely, the investor and the government concerned. The application of BOTBaC is demonstrated through using an example case.     

The use of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis and argon-arc overlaying when strengthening the surface of products made of titanium alloys

A new method for the deposition of protective coatings (wear-resistant overlaying) that are 2 to 10 mm thick and more on the surface of titanium articles is suggested, developed, approved, and patented. The method, called “SHS-arc overlaying,” combines the exothermic synthesis of adding material (AM) and argon-arc overlaying, which proceed simultaneously with the deposition of the coating. AMs made of exothermic mixtures are developed. Using this new method, protective composite coatings for titanium articles are obtained. The physicochemical, microstructural, and exploitation properties of the overlaying are investigated. Its operational characteristics exceed the characteristics of standard samples by a factor of 1.5–2.0. This new technology can be recommended for the deposition of protective coatings on products of wide indentation made of titanium alloys.     

Improving calibration accuracy in gel dosimetry

A new method of calibrating gel dosimeters (applicable to both Fricke and polyacrylamide gels) is presented which has intrinsically higher accuracy than current methods, and requires less gel. Two test-tubes of gel (inner diameter 2.5 cm, length 20 cm) are irradiated separately with a 10 x 10 cm2 field end-on in a water bath, such that the characteristic depth-dose curve is recorded in the gel. The calibration is then determined by fitting the depth-dose measured in water, against the measured change in relaxivity with depth in the gel. Increased accuracy is achieved in this simple depth-dose geometry by averaging the relaxivity at each depth. A large number of calibration data points, each with relatively high accuracy, are obtained. Calibration data over the full range of dose (1.6-10 Gy) is obtained by irradiating one test-tube to 10 Gy at dose maximum (Dmax), and the other to 4.5 Gy at Dmax. The new calibration method is compared with a 'standard method' where five identical test-tubes of gel were irradiated to different known doses between 2 and 10 Gy. The percentage uncertainties in the slope and intercept of the calibration fit are found to be lower with the new method by a factor of about 4 and 10 respectively, when compared with the standard method and with published values. The gel was found to respond linearly within the error bars up to doses of 7 Gy, with a slope of 0.233 +/- 0.001 s(-1) Gy(-1) and an intercept of 1.106 +/- 0.005 Gy. For higher doses, nonlinear behaviour was observed.     

Simultaneous Determination of Critical Slip Surface and Reliability Index for Slopes

This paper presents a new method for applying reliability-based design approaches to slope stability analysis. In this method the soil properties are considered to be random variables. The factor of safety of the slope is found using Bishop’s simplified method for noncircular slip surfaces. By considering the variability of the soil properties, the probability of failure is determined from the reliability index (β). The minimization problem (determination of the lowest β value for the range of variables and possible slip surfaces considered) is solved using a genetic algorithm approach, which simultaneously locates the critical slip surface and determines the reliability index. The performance of the new method is compared to some existing reliability approaches when applied to case histories of slope failures from the geotechnical literature. The new approach is seen to provide reasonable and consistent estimates of the reliability index and critical slip surface.     

高炉炉缸壁三维简化为二维的数值模拟建模

利用有限元法计算了炉缸壁3种模型的温度分布及热应力分布,得出结论:将高炉炉缸壁简单地看作轴对称体进行温度、应力的计算,存在较大的误差.提出了将三维炉缸壁简化为二维炉缸壁进行温度、热应力计算的新方法.此方法不仅适用炉缸、炉底的数值计算,也适用高炉炉体的数值计算.     

Practice of Improving Roll Deformation Theory in Strip Rolling Process Based on Boundary Integral Equation Method

Precise strip-shape control theory is significant to improve rolled strip quality, and roll flattening theory is a primary part of the strip-shape theory. To improve the accuracy of roll flattening calculation based on semi-infinite body model, a new and more accurate roll flattening model is proposed in this paper, which is derived based on boundary integral equation method. The displacement fields of the finite length semi-infinite body on left and right sides are simulated by using finite element method (FEM) and displacement decay functions on left and right sides are established. Based on the new roll flattening model, a new 4Hi mill deformation model is established and verified by FEM. The new model is compared with Foppl formula and semi-infinite body model in different strip width, roll shifting value and bending force. The results show that the pressure and flattening between rolls calculated by the new model are more precise than other two models, especially near the two roll barrel edges.     

An improved assessment method for the temperature dependence of yield strength values

In Europe work is in progress to establish new standards for materials and it is very important that accurate data are used as a basis for property values in these standards. In addition reliable evaluation methods must be employed when the values are derived. A systematic evaluation method for yield strengths at elevated temperatures has been developed which is a modification of the ISO 2605/111 (ENV22605-3) procedure. The method has been applied to a number of steel types and has proven to provide values in good accordance with experimental data. Comparisons with existing national and international standards showed the importance of using experimental values when establishing new standards. The method is intended for use in the standard developments by the European Committee for Iron and Steel Standardisation (ECISS).     

Numerical calculation of energy deposition by high-energy electron beams: III-B. Improvements to the 6D phase space evolution model

The phase space evolution model of Huizenga and Storchi, Morawska-Kaczyńska and Huizenga and Janssen et al has been modified to (i) allow application on currently available computer equipment with limited memory (128 Megabytes) and (ii) allow 3D dose calculations based on 3D computer tomographic patient data. This is a further development aimed at the use of the phase space evolution model in radiotherapy electrons beam treatment planning. The first modification regards the application of depth evolution of the phase space state combined with an alternative method to transport back-scattered electrons. This depth evolution method requires of the order of 15 times less computer memory than the energy evolution method. Results of previous and new electron transport methods are compared and show that the new electron transport method for back-scattered electrons hardly affects the accuracy of the calculated dose distributions. The second modification regards the simulation of electron transport through tissues with varying densities by applying distributed electron transport through similarly composed media with a limited number of fixed densities. Results of non-distributed and distributed electron transport are compared and show that the distributed electron transport method hardly affects the accuracy of the calculated dose distributions. It is also shown that the results of the new dose distribution calculations are still in good agreement with and require significantly less computation time than results obtained with the EGS4 Monte Carlo method.     

Particle-Size-Grouping Model of Precipitation Kinetics in Microalloyed Steels

The formation, growth, and size distribution of precipitates greatly affects the microstructure and properties of microalloyed steels. Computational particle-size-grouping (PSG) kinetic models based on population balances are developed to simulate precipitate particle growth resulting from collision and diffusion mechanisms. First, the generalized PSG method for collision is explained clearly and verified. Then, a new PSG method is proposed to model diffusion-controlled precipitate nucleation, growth, and coarsening with complete mass conservation and no fitting parameters. Compared with the original population-balance models, this PSG method saves significant computation and preserves enough accuracy to model a realistic range of particle sizes. Finally, the new PSG method is combined with an equilibrium phase fraction model for plain carbon steels and is applied to simulate the precipitated fraction of aluminum nitride and the size distribution of niobium carbide during isothermal aging processes. Good matches are found with experimental measurements, suggesting that the new PSG method offers a promising framework for the future development of realistic models of precipitation.     

Frequency Domain Identification of Multi-Input, Multi-Output Systems Considering Physical Relationships between Measured Variables

This paper presents a new frequency domain identification method for multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) systems. Based on experimentally determined frequency response function data, rational polynomial transfer function models of structural systems are identified. Known physical relationships between the measured variables are incorporated in this MIMO frequency domain identification method. The method has three stages: (1) an initial estimation model is generated using a linear least-squares method, (2) the Steiglitz–McBride method is applied to improve the initial estimation model, and (3) a maximum likelihood estimator is optimized using the Levenberg–Marquardt method. For verification of the method, two experimental studies are conducted using shaking table tests; one is the system identification of a smart base-isolated structure employing a magnetorheological (MR) damper, and the other is for an actively controlled two-story, bench-scale building employing an active mass driver. Using the developed method, system models of the experimental structures are estimated, and simulated time histories for the models are compared with measured responses. These comparisons demonstrate that the proposed method is quite effective and robust for system identification of MIMO systems. A graphic user interface program, named MFDID, has been developed to realize the suggested method.     

A new scheduling method for time-limited counseling.

The conventional method of scheduling counseling sessions in an equal-interval manner (e.g., weekly sessions) is not optimal, as it rests on an incorrect assumption that the client's need for help and retention of the therapeutic effects of counseling are linear functions of time. A new method is described in which sessions are scheduled in a nonlinear manner, because both the need for counseling and the retention of therapeutic effects are often nonlinear functions of time. An example of such a schedule, derived from work in addiction treatment, is presented. This particular method is called the relapse-sensitive schedule. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

模拟热轧板带三维变形的条层法及仿真实例

提出一种模拟板带轧制过程三维变形的新的数值方法———条层法。首先沿高向将变形区均匀地划分为若干层 ,然后再沿着金属的流动轨迹将变形区内的每层带材划分为若干流线条元 ,为了方便分析和计算 ,又将流线条元映射为矩形条元。横向位移的纵向分布被构造为四次曲线 ,横向分布用三次样条插值函数表示 ,高向分布用二次曲线拟合。根据塑性力学流动理论 ,分析推导了变形区三维变形和应力的数学模型。与本文作者曾经提出的流线条元法相比 ,考虑了应力与变形沿高向的不均匀分布 ,实现了精确的三维分析和计算。关于热带钢连轧和厚板轧制的仿真实例表明 ,提出的方法和模型符合实际 ,为板带轧制过程的三维力学仿真提供了一个新的实用工程数值方法。