Extension of Duplexed Single-Ended Distributed Temperature Sensing Calibration Algorithms and Their Application in Geothermal Systems

Fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (DTS) has been widely used since the end of the 20th century, with various industrial, Earth sciences, and research applications. To obtain precise thermal measurements, it is important to extend the currently available DTS calibration methods, considering that environmental and deployment factors can strongly impact these measurements. In this work, a laboratory experiment was performed to assess a currently available duplexed single-ended DTS calibration algorithm and to extend it in case no temperature information is available at the end of the cables, which is extremely important in geothermal applications. The extended calibration algorithms were tested in different boreholes located in the Atacama Desert and in the Central Andes Mountains to estimate the geothermal gradient in these regions. The best algorithm found achieved a root mean square error of 0.31 ± 0.07 °C at the far end of a ~1.1-km cable, which is much smaller than that obtained using the manufacturer algorithm (2.17 ± 0.35 °C). Moreover, temperature differences between single- and double-ended measurements were less than 0.3 °C at the far end of the cable, which results in differences of ~0.5 °C km^-1 when determining the geothermal gradient. This improvement in the geothermal gradient is relevant, as it can reduce the drilling depth by at least 700 m in the study area. Future work should investigate new extensions of the algorithms for other DTS configurations and determining the flow rate of the Central Andes Mountains artesian well using the geothermal profile provided by the DTS measurements and the available data of the borehole.

Overcoming challenges to support us resumption of high specific activity cobalt-60

Domestic production of high specific activity ⁶⁰Co was halted after a target rupture in 2012 at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). The Isotope Program (IP) within the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science tasked a multilaboratory team of researchers and managers from Oak Ridge and Idaho National Laboratories with the redesign the radioisotope capsule. The objective of this effort was to create a more robust and reliable design, compared to the pre-2012 target. The team successfully completed this task to produce the DOE-IP cobalt (Co) production capsule design. Furthermore, 66 capsules were successfully fabricated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and delivered to Idaho National Laboratory (INL) for irradiation in the ATR between January 2014 and October 2016. This paper describes the efforts of the team to prepare and disposition the two initial DOE-IP Co production capsules that were processed in March 2020. These efforts include performing accurate production predictions, experimentally validating predictions with assay measurements, shipping with the Orano-furnished Battelle Energy Alliance Research Reactor shipping package, and disassembling capsules at the isotope vendor site.

Infections in primary intramedullary nailing of open tibial fractures: a review article

OBJECTIVE

Open fractures are insidious and life-threatening injuries. They frequently involve the leg. Our aim is to evaluate the efficacy of primary intramedullary nailing as a definitive treatment of open tibial fractures, compared to other fixation tools in terms of deep infections, healing fracture time and bony repair.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed the available literature concerning treatment and management of open tibial fractures.

RESULTS

Primary intramedullary nailing is similar to delayed intramedullary nailing after external fixation in terms of union, malunion and nonunion rate. Furthermore, primary intramedullary nailing is superior compared to all other fixation tools, in terms of development of deep infections, provided that a good debridement of soft tissue, lavage of the fracture site and adequate antibiotic prophylaxis should be performed before nailing.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary intramedullary nailing should be considered for the definitive treatment of open tibial fractures, providing many advantages in terms of rehabilitation, time of hospitalization and costs.

Vascular endothelial growth factor expression as a biomarker of prognosis in patients with chondrosarcoma, Ewing's sarcoma and osteosarcoma. Current concepts

With the advent of the molecularly targeted therapies, identifying molecular therapeutic targets and molecolar marker is increasingly important, especially in neoplastic diseases. Several studies show VEGF is involved in neo-angiogenesis in many solid cancers, as breast, lung, renal, gastric carcinomas, through promoting endothelial cell growth and migration. Conversely the relationship between VEFG and tumours of the musculoskeletal system is yet unclear, in particular the role of VEGF has not yet been completely understood in these tumours. Chondrosarcoma, Ewing's Sarcoma and Osteosarcoma are the tumours of the musculoskeletal system in which the activity of VEGF has been closely studied. The present study aims to give an overview focused on the relationship between VEGF and these three cancers.

Single dose cefazolin is safe and effective for pre-operative prophylaxis in orthopaedic oncology

Surgical site infections (SSI) are a common potentially preventable complication after surgical procedures. A standardized antibiotic prophylaxis in elective orthopaedic surgery plays a major role in lowering SSI. At present, there is little published evidence regarding standardized antibiotic prophylaxis in orthopaedic oncological surgery. We introduced a prophylactic antibiotic protocol for orthopaedic oncological surgery in our hospital. The proposed protocol consists in "one-shot" intravenous administration of Cefazolin 2g, 30 min before surgery. In our setting, this preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis regimen was associated with a markedly lower rate of SSI's. There is no current evidence in favour of greater effectiveness of prophylaxis beyond 24/48 h after surgery compared to our pre-surgical "one-shot" administration; by contrast, prolonged post-surgical prophylaxis is likely to undermine the patient's bacterial flora and select resistant pathogens. These results are preliminary and should be used to start planning a standardised prophylactic protocol to prevent SSI's after orthopaedic oncological surgery.

[Septic shock due to community-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infection treated with ertapenem: outcome in 25 cases]

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effectiveness of ertapenem in patients admitted to a surgical intensive care unit with septic shock due to community-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infection.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients undergoing emergency surgery for community-acquired complicated intra-abdominal infection were enrolled prospectively. All patients were given intravenous ertapenem at a rate of 1 g/24 h and the guidelines of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign were applied. Outcome measures were duration of antibiotic therapy, mean length of stay in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU), antibiotic failure, and death while in the surgical ICU.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patients with a mean (SD) age of 74 (14) years were enrolled. The origin of infection was the colon in 56% of the cases; most patients (76%) had generalized peritonitis. The mean stay in the surgical ICU was 10 (7) days. The mean duration of antibiotic therapy was 5.8 (1.26) days. Antibiotic failure occurred in 12%. Mortality in the surgical ICU was 28%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that patients with community-acquired intra-abdominal infection and septic shock have a good chance of survival when treated according to the guidelines of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. Ertapenem seems to give good results when used in this setting.

Obstetric and gynaecological ureteric injuries: treatment and results

OBJECTIVE

To compare endourological techniques and open surgery in the treatment of ureteric injuries following obstetric and gynaecological surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January 1982 to February 1994, 63 women (mean age 51 years, range 22-70) were treated for 72 ureteric lesions consequent upon obstetric or gynaecological surgery. In nine patients, 10 ureteric lesions were detected intra-operatively and repaired immediately. In the remaining 54 patients, the 62 ureteric injuries were diagnosed and treated after a delay; 29 patients with 37 ureteric injuries underwent repair by open surgery while 25 patients with a unilateral ureteric lesion underwent elective primary endourological treatment.

RESULTS

The results of repair were not related to the type of treatment; the cure rate was 87, 88 and 90% for delayed open surgical, endourological and immediate intra-operative repair, respectively. The site (vesico-ureteric junction, uterine artery or infundibulopelvic ligament) and the type (fistula or stenosis) of ureteric lesion had no influence on the results, regardless of the type of treatment. The results of ureteric repair were related to the surgery that caused the lesion; 88% of the poor results occurred in the patients who underwent radical hysterectomy alone or combined with radiotherapy and approximately half of the irradiated patients required major surgery.

CONCLUSION

When the patients are correctly selected, endourological treatment plays an equally important role in the treatment of gynaecologically-related ureteric injuries when compared to open surgery. Special attention should be paid to the treatment of lesions caused by radical hysterectomy alone or associated with radiotherapy, as these may lead to poor results.

Priapismo ad Alto Flusso: Diagnosi e Terapia. Descrizione di un Caso

We report a case of high flow priapism observed last year. The diagnosis was essentially made through anamnesis (trauma) and echography. Afterwards superselective arteriography of the pudenda right artery showed an afferent branch to the right corpus cavernosum and the artero-cavernosum fistula. After the catheterisation of this branch, using a Berenstein 5 F catheter, we proceded with the injection of non-absorbable embolising material. The echoDoppler emphasised disappearance of the biphasic flow and after 30 days the patient reported the spontaneous recovery in sexual relations. The corpus cavernosum biopsy, done 3 months later, showed a fair fibrosis.

Idronefrosi da anomalia giuntale con voluminosa calcificazione della parete pielica

We report on a 47-year-old man with hydronephrosis secondary to ureteropelvic junction obstruction with renal pelvic calcification. Calcium deposit was found in the wall of the severely dilated renal pelvis. Pathological examination revealed a damaged and hyalinized fibrous renal pelvic wall while serum calcium level was normal. Thus, we speculated that this calcification was dystrophic. Chronic extensive dilatation with intermittent hemorrhage of the renal pelvic wall may have caused this dystrophic renal pelvic calcification.

Follow-up e considerazioni fisiopatologiche sulla fibrosi dei corpi cavernosi dopo autoiniezione con PGE1

12 of the 24 patients who for 4 years have been practising PGE1 self-injection, underwent pharmaco-erection with papaverine (20 mg) then, two days after, with PGE1 (10 μg). In both bases we did an echoDoppler registration looking at arterial growth until the plateau was reached. In 6 patients corpus cavernosum biopsy was done using a 21 G bioptic needle. In this study the Authors suggest that the corpus cavernosum involution is caused not by the chemical-physical nature of the drug but by its hypertensive action. The PGE1 vasodilative action seems to be less quick than the papaverine one (50″ vs 10″). This fact would allow the cavernula to adapt more easily to the hypertensive state.

Azoospermia Ostruttiva: Incidenza, Tecnica e Risultati

From 1991 to February 1994 we observed 40 patients affected by azoospermia. The reasons for azoospermia were various: contraceptive vasectomy 2 patients, deferential agenesia 2 patients, bilateral testicular hypotrophy 12 patients, specific and aspecific infections 8 patients, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism 1 patient, Klinefelter syndrome 1 patient, 5 patients had severe oligoastenospermia (< 5 mil/ml) with mono and bilateral epididymal cysts connected with left varicocele in one patient. 9 patients with azoospermia had II and III degree varicocele. In 5 patients recanalization was carried out: epididymovasostomy in 2 cases (1 laterolateral and 1 terminoterminal) and vasovasostomy (3 cases). In the 2 patients who underwent microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) we took from 12 to 38 millions of spermatozoa. 40 days after the recanalization, spermatozoa appeared in the semen of all the patients. In the azoospermic patients affected by varicocele who underwent venous reflux correction, no spermatozoa were found after 18 months. Only a few azoospermic patients (12.5%) could undergo the recanalization treatment.

Linfomi non Hodgkin ad Esordio Apparentemente Urologico: Presentazione di due Casi

We present the cases two patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma to illustrate the variety of urological problems that can occur in this group of malignancies. Most cases with urogenital involvement are in an advanced state of the disease and cannot be cured by operation alone. Surgery is most useful to obtain tissue for diagnosis and to preserve renal function while chemotherapy and or radiotherapy dissolves the tumour.

Pulmonary and disseminated infection due to Mycobacterium kansasii: a decade of experience

Fifty-five patients with Mycobacterium kansasii isolates (47 pulmonary and eight disseminated) were identified at a large Texas hospital from 1975 to 1985. The mean age of patients was 60 years, and there was a slight male predominance. Isolation of M. kansasii usually represented disease. The great majority of patients with pulmonary infection due to M. kansasii had underlying pulmonary diseases, and 70% had nonpulmonary predisposing factors. M. kansasii pulmonary disease clinically and radiographically resembled pulmonary tuberculosis. Disseminated M. kansasii infection occurred in severely immunocompromised patients, who frequently had pulmonary predispositions as well. Disseminated infection most of ten involved the lung, reticuloendothelial system, bone, joint, and skin and presented with signs and symptoms related to these organs. Despite only moderate in vitro susceptibility of M. kansasii to routine antituberculous drugs, most patients responded to rifampin-containing regimens. The prognosis of patients with M. kansasii disease was determined primarily by their underlying diseases.