PURPOSE To study the utility of high-dose contrast enhancement in the detection of recurrent herniated disk fragments. METHODS Recurrent herniated disks were modeled in nine dogs by placing a fragment of normal autologous disk tissue in the epidural space at laminectomy. MR was performed at 30, 60, and 90 days with 0.3 mmol/kg of gadoteridol and repeated 24 hours later with 0.1 mmol/kg of gad...

We investigate direct-modulated waveguide-coupled microspiral disk lasers for on-chip optical interconnects. Microspiral resonators, with a rotationally asymmetric shape and a waveguide directly gapless coupled to the notch, offer a compact unidirectional-emission on-chip laser source. We employ spatially selective injection by means of a ring-shaped p-contact on top of the microdisk rim region...

Single Langmuir probe measurements are presented for a two-dimensional array of locations in the near Discharge Cathode Assembly (DCA) region of a 30-cm diameter ring-cusp ion thruster over a range of thruster operating conditions encompassing the high-power half of the NASA throttling table. All data were analyzed assuming an electron population consisting of Maxwellian electrons only yielding...

We present laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements of Xe II (4D7/2) in the FMT2 ion engine plume. Three 605.1 nm beams from a ring dye laser are focused through a single lens into a submillimeter interrogation volume, from which we collect LIF at 529.2 nm. Fourier-transform deconvolution of the LIF spectra returns ion velocity distribution estimates along the three laser beam directions. ...

We investigate the structure and the stabilities of a protoplanetary disk, which is heated by viscous process in itself and by its central star. The disk is set to rotate with the Keplerian velocity and has the surface density distribution of the minimum mass solar nebula. We assume the vertical hydrostatic equilibrium and the radiative equilibrium at each point, and solve the two-dimensional r...

BACKGROUND Catheter colonization and bloodstream infection during the first week after insertion of a central venous catheter have been shown to result from the patient's own skin flora. METHODS The backs of 32 healthy subjects were prepped with a 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG)/70% isopropyl alcohol antiseptic. Three dressings, 2 of which contained CHG, were placed on the prepped skin in a ...

In many applications there is a need for high position resolution VUV and UV imagers. For these applications we have developed and successfully tested 1D and 2D VUV imaging detectors based on microgap RPCs. Two versions of these detectors were extensively tested: one filled with photosensitive vapours and the other one with the GaAs cathode coated by a 400 nm thick CsI layer. The main feature o...

This article describes the analysis and interpretation of rovibrational spectra involving highly excited vibrational states in the molecule of HCN. The spectra were obtained by means of the vibrationally mediated photodissociation technique. Analysis of the spectra revealed four bands with Sigma-Sigma structures that, once fitted, provided the energies and rotational constants of four new, high...