Nutcracker syndrome (a Delphi consensus).

Background: Nutcracker syndrome (NCS) describes the symptomatic compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and superior mesenteric artery. Whereas asymptomatic compression is a common radiological finding, patients with NCS can report a range of symptoms. There are no specific diagnostic criteria and interventions include a range of open surgical and endovascular procedures.

Performance Evaluation of a Miniature and Disposable Endovascular Robotic Device.

Purpose: The LIBERTY® Robotic System is a miniature, single-use device designed to facilitate remote-controlled navigation to intravascular targets. We aim to evaluate the robot's performance to manipulate a range of microguidewires and microcatheters during percutaneous endovascular procedures.

Materials And Methods: Six interventional radiologists performed selective robotic-assisted catheterization of eight pre-determined vascular targets in a pig model.

Deep venous stenting in females.

Deep venous stenting has gained increasing prominence in recent years. This issue focuses on special considerations in female patients. The specific challenge relates to the fact that these patients are often much younger than those in whom arterial stents are placed.

Charge-separated spectra of suprathermal highly charged bismuth ions in a dual laser-produced plasma soft x-ray source.

We investigated the charge-separated spectra of highly charged suprathermal bismuth (Bi) ions from a dual laser-produced plasma soft x-ray source developed for soft x-ray microscopy. The charge distribution of these suprathermal ions emitted from a solid planar Bi target was measured by an electrostatic energy analyzer. The maximum ionic charge state was observed to be Z = 17 and to possess a maximum energy of about 200 keV.

Soft X-ray spectral analysis of laser produced molybdenum plasmas using the fundamental and second harmonics of a Nd:YAG laser.

Our measurement of the soft X-ray emission of Mo plasmas produced by picosecond Nd:YAG lasers emitting on the fundamental (1064 nm, 150 ps) and second (532 nm, 130 ps) harmonics is presented. The contrast in intensity between spectral peaks and the intensity outside them is lower for the second harmonic produced plasmas probably due to the presence more intense satellite emission and higher optical thickness. The measured spectra are absolutely calibrated and the observed output photon flux was (7 - 9) × 10 photons/sr in the water-window (2.

Intense water-window soft x-ray emission by spectral control using dual laser pulses.

We demonstrate intense emission in the water-window soft x-ray spectral region by controlling the spectral behavior through changing the balance between emissivity and self-absorption in an expanding plasma. The number of photons obtained from a dual laser irradiated target with a 150-ps pre-pulse was maximized at 3.8 × 10 photons/sr in λ = 2.

Emission of water-window soft x-rays under optically thin conditions using low-density foam targets.

The effect of optical thickness in a bismuth water-window soft x-ray source is considered by comparing the emission from laser-produced plasmas of a 7.5% atomic density foam target and a solid-density target. The number of photons recorded in the 4 nm region was comparable for both targets at a plasma-initiating laser pulse duration of 6 ns.

Selection of target elements for laser-produced plasma soft x-ray sources.

We demonstrated the upper limitation to the number of shots, i.e., target lifetime, together with the number of photons emitted in the water-window soft x-ray spectral region from a number of targets used as sources in this spectral region, for multi-shot irradiation at the same position on the target surface.

Dynamics characteristics of highly-charged ions in laser-produced SiC plasmas.

The radiation and dynamic properties of C VI, C V, Si VI and Si V ions from laser-produced SiC plasmas in a vacuum are studied both experimentally and theoretically. The EUV emission spectra of SiC plasmas are measured using the spatio-temporally resolved laser-produced plasma spectroscopy technique. To explore the dynamic evolution of highly-charged ions in such plasmas, an extended radiation hydrodynamics model is developed.

Evaluation of a flat-field grazing incidence spectrometer for highly charged ion plasma emission in soft x-ray spectral region from 1 to 10 nm.

A flat-field grazing incidence spectrometer operating on the spectral region from 1 to 10 nm was built for research on physics of high temperature and high energy density plasmas. It consists of a flat-field grating with 2400 lines/mm as a dispersing element and an x-ray charged coupled device (CCD) camera as the detector. The diffraction efficiency of the grating and the sensitivity of the CCD camera were directly measured by use of synchrotron radiation at the BL-11D beamline of the Photon Factory (PF).

Radiation properties and hydrodynamics evolution of highly charged ions in laser-produced silicon plasma.

We present a simplified radiation hydrodynamic model based on the fluid dynamic equations and the radiative transfer equation, which can be used to investigate the radiation properties and dynamics evolution of highly charged ions in a laser-produced plasma in vacuum. The outputs of the model consist of the evolution of the electron temperature, atom, and ion density, and the temporal and spatial evolution of various transient particles in plasma, as well as the simulated spectrum related to certain experimental conditions in a specified spectral window. In order to test the model and provide valuable experimental feedback, a series of EUV emission spectra of silicon plasmas have been measured using the spatio-temporally resolved laser produced plasma technique.

Control of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Sickle Cell Disease with the Nrf2 Activator Dimethyl Fumarate.

Aims: Heme derived from hemolysis is pro-oxidative and proinflammatory and promotes vaso-occlusion in murine models of sickle cell disease (SCD), suggesting that enhanced detoxification of heme may be beneficial. Nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) transcription pathway is the principal cellular defense system responding to pro-oxidative and proinflammatory stress. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), a drug approved for treatment of multiple sclerosis, provides neuroprotection by activating Nrf2-responsive genes.

Note: development of a volume-limited dot target for a high brightness extreme ultraviolet microplasma source.

We report on production of volume-limited dot targets based on electron beam lithographic and sputtering technologies for use in efficient high brightness extreme ultraviolet microplasma sources. We successfully produced cylindrical tin (Sn) targets with diameters of 10, 15, and 20 μm and a height of 150 nm. The calculated spectrum around 13.

Note: Enhancement of the extreme ultraviolet emission from a potassium plasma by dual laser irradiation.

Emission spectra from multiply charged potassium ions ranging from K(3+) to K(5+) have been obtained in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral region. A strong emission feature peaking around 38 nm, corresponding to a photon energy of 32.6 eV, is the dominant spectral feature at time-averaged electron temperatures in the range of 8-12 eV.

Characteristics of extreme ultraviolet emission from mid-infrared laser-produced rare-earth Gd plasmas.

We characterize extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission from mid-infrared (mid-IR) laser-produced plasmas (LPPs) of the rare-earth element Gd. The energy conversion efficiency (CE) and the spectral purity in the mid-IR LPPs at λL = 10.6 μm were higher than for solid-state LPPs at λL = 1.

An extraosseous plasmacytoma of the nasopharynx.

Unlabelled: A 75-year-old long-term male smoker and poorly controlled hypertensive presented with a 3-month history of intermittent epistaxis refractory to cauterisation with silver nitrate. Nasopharyngeal examination revealed a mass in the post nasal space. An urgent endoscopic biopsy confirmed an extraosseous plasmacytoma.

Results of the multicenter first-in-man study of a novel scoring balloon catheter for the treatment of infra-popliteal peripheral arterial disease.

Objective: To evaluate the AngioSculpt (ASC), a novel scoring balloon catheter designed to treat complex diffuse fibro-calcific atherosclerotic lesions and avoid device slippage during deployment, in patients with infra-popliteal disease.

Methods: The ASC incorporates a flexible nitinol scoring element containing three or more spiral struts which encircle a minimally compliant balloon to create focal concentration of the dilating force. Patients scheduled for percutaneous intervention of infra-popliteal arteries or planned amputation and with a reference vessel diameter of 1.

Dopexamine increases internal mammary artery blood flow following coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: Vasoactive agents and inotropes influence conduit-coronary blood flow following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). It was hypothesized that dopexamine hydrochloride, a dopamine A-1 (DA-1) and beta(2) agonist would increase conduit-coronary blood flow. A prospective randomized double blind clinical trial was carried out to test this hypothesis.