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In recent years, the aviation industry has taken a leading role in the integration of composite structures to develop lighter and more fuel efficient aircraft. Among the leading concepts to achieve this goal is the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) concept. The focus of most PRSEUS studies has been on developing an hybrid wing body structure, with only a few discussing the application of PRSEUS to a tube-wing fuselage structure. Additionally, the majority of investigations for PRSEUS have focused on experimental validation of anticipated benefits rather than developing a methodology to capture the behavior of stitched structure analytically. This paper presents an overview of a numerical methodology capable of accurately describing PRSEUS’ construction and how it may be implemented in a barrel fuselage platform resorting to high-fidelity mesoscale modeling techniques. The methodology benefits from fresh user defined strategies developed in a commercially available finite element analysis environment. It further proposes a new approach for improving the ability to predict deformation in stitched composites, allowing for a better understanding of the intricate behavior and subtleties of stitched aerospace structures.

Brain metastases account for the majority of malignant brain tumors and as newer cancer treatments improve patient survival, the reported incidence of brain metastases is increasing. Lung cancer is the most frequent origin of metastases to the brain, and this diagnosis is associated with significant morbidity as well as decreased quality of life and a worse prognosis. The treatment for brain metastases in NSCLC has historically been local therapy, either surgery or radiation, as many chemotherapies have limited efficacy in the brain. These strategies are highly effective but can be a source of morbidity themselves. Newer systemic therapies, including targeted small molecule drugs and immunotherapy, have shown promise in treating NSCLC associated CNS disease either alone or in combination with local therapies. Increasing evidence for this strategy is accumulating as more clinical trials allow the inclusion of patients with untreated asymptomatic brain metastases. This chapter summarizes the current use of systemic therapy in the treatment of brain metastases in NSCLC.

INTRODUCTION Dysferlin-deficient murine muscle sustains severe damage after repeated eccentric contractions. METHODS With a robotic dynamometer, we studied the response of dysferlin-sufficient and dysferlin-deficient mice to 12 weeks of concentrically or eccentrically biased contractions. We also studied whether concentric contractions before or after eccentric contractions reduced muscle damage in dysferlin-deficient mice. RESULTS After 12 weeks of concentric training, there was no net gain in contractile force in dysferlin-sufficient or dysferlin-deficient mice, whereas eccentric training produced a net gain in force in both mouse strains. However, eccentric training induced more muscle damage in dysferlin-deficient vs dysferlin-sufficient mice. Although concentric training produced minimal muscle damage in dysferlin-deficient mice, it still led to a prominent increase in centrally nucleated fibers. Previous exposure to concentric contractions conferred slight protection on dysferlin-deficient muscle against damage from subsequent injurious eccentric contractions. DISCUSSION Concentric contractions may help dysferlin-deficient muscle derive the benefits of exercise without inducing damage.

Ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and nitric oxide (NO) donors have been reported to reduce the severity of muscular dystrophies in mice associated with the absence of dystrophin or α-sarcoglycan, but their effects on mice that are dystrophic due to the absence of dysferlin have not been examined. We have tested ibuprofen, as well as isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), a NO donor, to learn whether used alone or together they protect dysferlin-null muscle in A/J mice from large strain injury (LSI) induced by a series of high strain lengthening contractions. Mice were maintained on chow containing ibuprofen and ISDN for 4 weeks. They were then subjected to LSI and maintained on the drugs for 3 additional days. We measured loss of torque immediately following injury and at day 3 postinjury, fiber necrosis, and macrophage infiltration at day 3 postinjury, and serum levels of the drugs at the time of euthanasia. Loss of torque immediately after injury was not altered by the drugs. However, the torque on day 3 postinjury significantly decreased as a function of ibuprofen concentration in the serum (range, 0.67-8.2 µg/ml), independent of ISDN. The effects of ISDN on torque loss at day 3 postinjury were not significant. In long-term studies of dysferlinopathic BlAJ mice, lower doses of ibuprofen had no effects on muscle morphology, but reduced treadmill running by 40%. Our results indicate that ibuprofen can have deleterious effects on dysferlin-null muscle and suggest that its use at pharmacological doses should be avoided by individuals with dysferlinopathies.

Summary Introduction The pornography industry is a pervasive influence on adolescents, nearly all of whom are exposed to it via the internet, either willingly or unwillingly and at a more or less premature age. Is there an association between exposure to pornography and some forms of risk behaviour? Method Eight hundred and twelve Lille students responded anonymously to a questionnaire given to them on the occasion of a consultation at a health centre. Logistic and linear regressions were used for statistical analysis. Findings Nearly all men and 80% of women had been exposed to pornography. The average age of initial exposure was 15.2 years. Exposure at a premature age is associated with sexual activity at a younger age and with a greater inclination to seek out casual partners and use cannabis more frequently. The age of exposure does not on the other hand appear to have any influence on the number of sexual partners, the practice of anal penetration, alcohol or tobacco consumption, contraceptive use and taking risks in terms of sexually transmitted infections. Frequent viewing of pornographic images is associated with sexual activity at a younger age, a larger number of sexual partners, an inclination to seek out casual partners, the practice of anal penetration, a lower level of prevention of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies and finally, a higher consumption of alcohol and cannabis. In conclusion, these findings should be taken into account, and should lead those involved in sexual health and sex education to increase the amount of information they provide to adolescents.

Resume Objectif L’objet de ce travail est d’exposer les principales dysfonctions sexuelles feminines, leurs mecanismes essentiels et les principes generaux de leur abord therapeutique. Materiel et methodes Revue des conferences de consensus et des recommandations publiees sur le sujet, avec une reflexion a partir de notre propre experience clinique, en pratique urogynecologique. Resultats Les dysfonctions sexuelles feminines sont tres frequentes et s’expriment de maniere tres differente, phenomenes douloureux, troubles du desir et difficultes a acceder au plaisir. Ces symptomes sont parfois associes a une dysfonction sexuelle masculine concomitante. Le gynecologue, s’il s’interesse a la question, sera evidemment bien place pour accueillir la demande de la patiente, et, s’il est forme a cela, la prendre en charge. Cette connaissance est essentielle pour le gynecologue dans sa pratique quotidienne, mais egalement pour l’urologue prenant en charge l’incontinence urinaire feminine et les troubles de la statique pelvienne, de meme que les dysfonctions sexuelles masculines. Conclusion Les troubles sexuels feminins alterent souvent de maniere importante la qualite de vie des patientes et de leur couple. S’agissant de symptomes souvent difficiles a aborder spontanement pour celles-ci, le praticien devra, la plupart du temps, ouvrir le dialogue sur ce sujet par des questions simples, ouvertes.

Endometriosis, defined by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, is a common but often under diagnosed pathology. The clinical manifestations are varied (chronic pelvic pain, urinary or gastrointestinal symptoms) and can sometimes be very frustrated, delaying the diagnosis. This delay in diagnosis can be a high source of stress responsible for an important psychological impact in these patients, having a sense of misunderstanding and neglect of the medical profession. This climate of stress and anxiety can cause alteration of behavior including sexual disorders. In addition, endometriosis can be revealed as part of an infertility evaluation, and the patient and the couple can already be affected by this situation. The clinical and psychological impact of endometriosis inevitably leads to an impairment of patient's quality of life and sexuality. The objective of this article is to show the psychological consequences of endometriosis and its impact on sexuality, in order to highlight this essential aspect for a comprehensive care of patients.

In recent years, intrauterine contraception has experienced a revival, explainable as much by the broadening of its indications as by the ever increasing demand, expressed by women, for a contraceptive method that is both reliable and not binding. In this review, we establish an up-to-date and comprehensive state of intrauterine contraception in 2010, by responding to key-questions, which arise from everyday practice in gynaecology.

Summary The first version of these guidelines for first-line management of a patient with erectile dysfunction in general practice was created with the support of the French Inter-University Hospital Sexology Association (AIHUS), based on an idea by its chairperson, Pierre Costa. The guidelines were financially supported by the French Urology Association (AFU), the French-language Andrology Society (SALF), the French Clinical Sexology Society (SFSC) and the International French-language Society for Urodynamics and Pelviperineology (SIFUD-PP) in 2005. The working method used was as described in the guide “Les recommandations pour la pratique clinique–Bases methodologiques pour leur realisation en France” (Clinical practice guidelines–Methodological basis for creating guidelines in France), published in 1999 by ANAES. They were updated in 2009–2010, using the same methodology.

Summary Objectives To review the knowledge we have on changes that take place in a couple's sex-life when the desired pregnancy does not take place immediately, and fertility treatment is prescribed. Method A review of recent literature was conducted, and compared to observations usually made on the subject, in addition to those of the author, a gynaecologist and sexologist, in charge of a medically-assisted reproduction (MAR) centre for 15 years. Results and discussion Having a baby is still one of the most effective ways of feeling completely fulfilled from a human point of view, and few couples decide to forgo this experience. Once the decision has been taken, the desire to conceive can become extremely strong, and the consequences if it does not happen straight away can lead to a serious emotional crisis. The stronger the desire, the greater the frustration, materially, professionally and in the couple's relationship. It is clear that, in the middle of such turmoil, it cannot be easy to avoid sexual consequences, and manage to preserve an arousing and erotic environment, and avoid focusing one's sexuality on frantic activity in the middle of the ovulation cycle. And after all the efforts, if the couple does prove to be infertile, how easy is it to recover a mutually appealing sexual balance? Conclusion Better cooperation between practitioners specializing in reproduction and the other parties involved in sexology and sexual health would certainly help these couples preserve a better quality of sexual life and quality of life in general, and probably also improve the quality and the results of infertility treatment.

Vulvar pathology is located at the border between dermatology and gynaecology. The gynaecologist is concerned by VIN (vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia) lesions as patients meet them for that problem. He makes distinction with dermatologic lesions so as to refer proper patients to dermatologists. A recent classification of VIN has a major interest. One individualizes two kinds of precancerous lesions. The first one is lichen sclerosis with dermatologic treatment by dermocorticoids and the other aetiology is HPV infection with frequent association with cervical localisation. Gynaecologists are more familiar with this second aetiology. Thus, they have to (i) check for VIN, (ii) know their appearance and how the diagnosis can be made by biopsy, (iii) precise the aetiology, (iv) appreciate the severity of the disease, (v) discuss which treatment is indicated: destruction or surgery.

The three-phase PWM delta-switch rectifier is an unidirectional topology that presents interesting features, such robustness and high efficiency. Most of the delta-switch rectifier modulation strategies require current sector identification in order to properly apply the according voltage vectors. This is typically neglected in power factor correction applications due to the low displacement angle. However, in wind power generation applications the rectifier is directly connected to an electric generator and the synchronization process is not straightforward. In this context, this work proposes a phase-locked loop strategy based on the direct measurement of the rectifier ac currents and compares its performance to other strategies through theoretical and experimental analysis.

Energy generation through wind energy conversion systems (WECS) is expected to supply a considerable amount of electricity in the world's generation matrix. In this context, variable-speed wind turbines equipped with full-scale power electronic converters allow a WECS to be operated close to its maximum power point at each time instant. Furthermore, modern power converter guarantee high power quality, high conversion efficiency levels, reliability and flexibility. This work reviews and compares two types of modulation schemes to two novel ones that are able to drive a Δ-switch rectifier. The presented theoretical analysis is based on a WECS application. Circuit simulation and experimental results verify the operation with the considered strategies. It is shown that one of the novel sub-optimal modulation patterns presents very high performance without the need of a precise sector identification scheme.

Serum samples from 954 Irish adults (604 males, 350 females) aged 18 to 65 years were analyzed within 24 hours of receipt for non-fasting total serum cholesterol levels. The subjects were volunteer blood donors (Blood Transfusion Service Board, Pelican House, Dublin) presenting from June 1990 to February 1991. Serum cholesterol increased significantly with age in both males and females. Mean serum cholesterol in males increased from 4.5 (+/- 0.9) mmol/l in those25 years, to 5.7 (+/- 1.0) mmol/l at age 55-64 years. In females, mean serum cholesterol increased from 4.3 (+/- 0.9) mmol/l less than 25 years to 6.2 (+/- 0.8) mmol/l at age 55-64 years. Options for reporting cholesterol ranges are discussed. The overall mean cholesterol concentration of 5.1 mmol/l seen in this study is lower than that reported for comparable studies of U.K. and American subjects, but higher than observed in Japanese individuals. Almost 48% of the studied population had a serum cholesterol value less than 5 mmol/l and over 56% had levels less than 5.2 mmol/l.

This works presents a motor drive application for small passenger all electric vessels. The aim is the construction of a zero emission electric propulsion boat to be used for public transportation and water sports events. The boat is a wave-piercing Catamaran powered by lithium-ion batteries that are charged at the harbor and, partially, with photovoltaic panels for an increased range. A dc-dc converter is used to provide a steady dc-bus feeding multi-state switching cells based voltage source inverter that drive two 12 kW permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM).

This work proposes a methodology to design a micro wind energy conversion system (μWECS) based on the steady state characteristics of the wind turbine, permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) and PWM rectifier. The aerodynamic control behavior is analyzed and included in the modeling procedure since it influences the system operation modes. The aerodynamic control limits the power at the generator axis in order to properly operate the system. This type of power limitation poses constraints to an optimized design of the WECS and is considered in the proposed methodology. The steady state and dynamic models of the employed wind turbine, PMSG and power converter are presented with a detailed systematic procedure to analyze the system. A complete WECS simulation model is presented and the obtained simulation results are used to validate the results.

Methods: Leptin levels were measured in 103 consecutive women with anorexia nervosa. Results: Spine BMD and Z-score values were found to be significantly lower in the low tertile compared with the highest tertile. Duration of amenorrhea and leptin level accounted for 27% of the variance in lumbar spine BMD. The purpose of this study was to assess leptin levels and other biological variables in a population of anorexia nervosa patients. Leptin levels were measured consecutively in 103 women with anorexia nervosa (AN) with a mean age of 24.9 ± 7.4 years. Osteodensitometry was also performed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Spine bone mineral density (BMD) and Z-score values were found to be significantly lower in the low tertile compared with the highest tertile. Duration of amenorrhea and leptin level accounted for 27% of the variance in lumbar spine BMD. The mean leptin level was 3.9 ± 4.6 ng/mL (normal values, 3.5-11 ng/mL). The distribution of leptin values was not a Gaussian distribution, and a log-transformed was therefore performed. A significant correlation was found between leptin level and spinal BMD (r = 0.3; p = 0.002); significant correlations were observed for both femoral neck and total hip BMDs. When leptin level values were divided into tertiles, spine BMD and Z-score values were found to be significantly lower in the lower tertile (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02) compared with the highest tertile. For femoral neck BMDs, the T-score was slightly lower between low and high tertile, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.07). When multivariate analyses were performed, two independent factors which could possibly account for the variance in spinal BMDs were found. Duration of amenorrhea and leptin level accounted for 27% of the variance (p

A digital simulation and stability study of the Bradley Lake (Alaska) hydroelectric project is discussed. The basic system consists of two 45-MW, multiple-jet impulse turbines supplied by a three-mile conduit. A digital governor is utilized. Once produced, the simulation is used to investigate the stability of the system. The system was found to be locally stable, but unstable to large perturbations. Due to economic constraints in plant design, the response of the system to load acceptance is poor. >

The synthesis of a viable control strategy for the multiple-jet impulse turbines utilized in the Bradley Lake hydroelectric project in Alaska is discussed. Digital simulation is used to assess modifications to various control schemes. Control is locally stable, but unstable to large perturbations. A strategy is developed which achieves global stability of the system. The new control is primarily based on enhancing deflector contributions to control. >

Electroconvulsive seizure has a proven therapeutic application in the treatment of severe depression and treatment-resistant depression. Despite the efficacy of electroconvulsive seizure as a non-chemical antidepressant treatment, the mechanism of action is unclear. Elevation in hippocampal trophic factor expression and concomitant cellular proliferation are thought to play a role in its action. We examined whether the reported induction of angiogenic factors and endothelial cell proliferation leads to an increase in vascular density. Two hippocampal regions, the dentate gyrus and the stratum lacunosum moleculare (SLM), were examined employing a combination of vascular density quantification, angiogenic gene expression analysis and immunohistochemistry. A 6% increase in vascular density was observed in the dentate gyrus but this did not achieve statistical significance. The SLM of the hippocampus exhibited a robust 20-30% increase in vascular density and was accompanied by an increase in expression of inhibitor of differentiation-3. There was also an induction of the angiogenesis markers alphaVbeta3 integrin and Del1. Increases in the vascular density of the SLM could be in response to enhanced metabolic activity in this region. This is supported by the induction of glutamine synthetase and the glutamate transporter GLT1.

Abstract With more and more emphasis on reducing the operating costs for beam units, operators are examining several approaches to cut costs. One of the biggest costs in beam unit operations is the electrical power cost. Controlling pumping units to adjust to the optimum counterbalance will reduce the electrical bill. Several pumping untits have been checked with a PC software program (POWER), which allows the operator to determine how far out of balance the units are and what it will take to properly balance them. Properly balanced pumping units will result in electrical savings both in demand and in consumption, thus reducing total electrical costs. Examples from several fields are provided illustrating actual power costs and the reduction in expenses that occurred. Introduction The first approach in determining whether the pumping unit requires re-balancing or motor downsizing is to conduct a power survey of the field. When the POWER software first became available, it was used on several individual wells to determine if the unit had an out of balance problem or the motor was too large. The "POWER" program requires actual data. Two current and three voltage probes are connected to the incoming electrical lines. During two strokes of the pumping unit, power and current data is stored in computer memory for interpretation. The power data is converted to gear box torque and if out of balance condition is observed the program recommends the counterweight adjustment required to achieve a better balance. The actual time to measure these values is small, but all the data is necessary to properly interpret the condition of the well. If the well is operated with a pump-off controller, one must determine the condition of the well for the majority of the run time, since pumping conditions may vary widely from first coming on to just before pump-off. The first small field surveyed consisted of 17 producing wells in the Waddell Field, near Crane, Texas. Production depths ranged from 2,635 m to 2,937 m (8,700 to 9,700 ft.) and all wells were equipped with beam pump units. The Waddell field has a history of high gas-oil ratios, which has caused some lifting problems in the past. Incomplete pump fillage is not uncommon since, in some cases, the tubing intake is located above the perforations, due to the presence of liners and open-hole completions. Direction of pumping unit rotation was checked to determine the direction that resulted in lower electrical power consumption. In some cases, changing the direction of rotation did help reduce the electrical power costs and the rotation was permanently changed to take advantage of the savings. Other work was performed to determine which tap on a high-slip motor is best, and whether direction of rotation makes a difference in operations. Preliminary recommendations are to operate in the high-torque mode and rotate counterclockwise, unless rod overloading becomes a problem. Table 1 lists the wells in the Waddell area and data gathered from the field survey.

A high performance dielectric layer having a capacitance 100 nF/cm2 has been developed for thin film electroluminescent (EL) devices. Based on SrTiO3, this layer is ∼2m thick with 200, and can support 250 volts. When incorporated into an EL device, self-healing behaviour is observed, and steep B-V behaviour is obtained. Completed green and red emitting oxide phosphor EL devices on Corning 1737 glass substrates are described.

The records of 40 867 men employed for at least one year in the rubber and cablemaking industries have now been observed for eight years. This analysis compares the mortality pattern for 1972-74 with that previously reported for 1968-71. It indicates a significant excess of deaths due to cancer of the bladder throughout the industry including men who had not been exposed to acknowledged bladder carcinogens. This excess is in deaths occurring in 1973 and 1974 in the 45-64 and 65 years plus age groups. The two sectors of the industry where this excess is significant are footwear and footwear supplies except adhesives, and the tyre sector. The excess of all cancers taken together previously noted throughout the study population for 1968-71 is confirmed for 1972-74 as is the excess for lung cancers. The greater excess in the tyre sector is also confirmed, particularly in those men in the 55-64 year age group and those who entered the industry between 1950 and 1960. While men employed in 1967 on moulding, press, autoclave, and pan curing, and workers in finished goods, stores, packaging, and despatch continue to have more lung cancer deaths than expected for 1972-74, the excess is no longer statistically significant. An excess of cancer of the stomach which was overlooked in 1968-71 is not confirmed in 1972-74 but is nevertheless high when the total period of study 1968-74 is considered. The limitations of the study are discussed with particular reference to extrapolating the results to the whole industry. We conclude that there is a higher rate of lung cancer in the tyre sector of the industry and that immediate investigations are required to test the hypothesis concerning the recent excess of bladder cancers. Attention should now be paid to the control of exposures to all potential hazards in the industry.

Experiments on a VUV xenon excimer laser working at medium pressure (3–7 atm) are reported. Xenon gas was excited by an intense electron beam (550 keV, 13 kA, 20 ns) from a 520 Apex machine (S3). Dielectric mirror dammage of intracell cavity and gaz pollution were studied. At 6 atm, we obtained typically 10 MW, 10 ns pulse, with 4 nm spectral width and 1% medium efficiency. This value obtained at 6 atm instead of 12 atm (Hughes) is in agreement with our calculations from kinetics.

We report an efficient high-power laser action in Ar-Xe mixtures at 1.4 atm, without an e-beam, using a simple UV preionized discharge. A "wall-plug" efficiency of 1.5 percent is obtained with an output energy of 48 mJ, and 70 percent of this energy is delivered on the 1.73 μm line. We describe the experimental optimization of the laser efficiency by varying the partial and total pressures of the gas mixtures, the deposited energy density, and the intensity of the UV preionization. The best performances are obtained for a relatively low energy density (about 10 J/l). This result was expected, due to the very strong ionization rate constant of the xenon excited states. We have also achieved interesting results in Kr-Xe, He-Xe, He-Kr, and He-Ar mixtures.

Identification particulars were obtained for over 7000 men who were at some time between 1940 and 1974 exposed to vinyl chloride monomer in the manufacture of polyvinyl chloride. Approximately 99% of these men have been traced and their mortality experience studied. The overall standardised mortality ratio, 75-4, shows a significant reduction compared with the national rates. Four cases of liver cancer were found. Two of these have been confirmed by a panel of liver pathologists as angiosarcoma and two as not angiosarcoma. There is no evidence to support the hypothesis that cancers other than those of the liver are associated with exposure to vinyl chloride monomer. The two cases of angiosarcoma were found in men who had been exposed to high concentrations of the monomer although the second man died only eight years after first exposure. The industry in Great Britain has expanded considerably since the second world war with over 50% of men having entered with the last decade. Conclusions drawn about the effect of vinyl chloride monomer on the mortality experience of men in this industry must consequently be tempered by the reservation that the full impact may not yet be in evidence.

Two visual display systems for use with flight simulators, the Singer variable anamorphic motion picture system (referred to as the VAMP*) and the Singer scanned motion picture system (referred to as the SCAMP*), both use, as the image storing medium, film taken from an aircraft flying a prescribed flight path. Terrain photographed from a given point and attitude, so having a given perspective, is altered by both systems to show the same terrain viewed from a different point and attitude, with correspondingly different perspective. Data recorded during filming provide a digital computer with information about the position, velocity, etc. of the filming aircraft. Differences between the filmed flight path and the simulator flight path are used to cause the systems to correct the visual scene perspective to that corresponding to the simulator's actual spatial position. In the VAMP Visual System, the changes are produced optically, and in the SCAMP Visual System, electronically. Used with flight simulators, both systems enable pilots to "fly" maneuvers under various day and night conditions, in fog, and under, in and above clouds.© (1975) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.

Research within the past five years (e.g., References 1 to 5) identified a multitude of mechanisms whereby shock interactions can affect turbulence. These mechanisms include: (1) direct vorticity amplification, (2) production of vorticity from incident sound and entropy modes, (3) bulk compression and (4) shock-induced streamline curvature as “extra rates of strain,” (5) instantaneous shock focusing, and (6) direct effects of shock motion/dynamics/instability. The present paper addresses three facets of this last issue, the effects of shock motion upon turbulence/“unsteady vorticity.”

In order that the Navy might determine qualitatively its officer manpower requirements for mobilization, research was undertaken to -Investigate the methods and techniques by which the occupational classification of naval officer billets can be accomplished; classify and code all officer billets, contained in the billet supplements for each naval activity, in accordance with the Navy's Mobilization Personnel Allocation Plan; validate the Manual of Officer Navy Job Classifications (ONJC) through the classification and coding experience; and conduct field validation studies in difficult classification problem areas, to acquire essential billet data, and to validate both coding and the ONJC.

A new hollow cathode design (HCD) consisting of a cylindrical set of five water-cooled tubes using a 'tulip' shape connection with water reservoirs has been investigated. Contrary to conventional HCDs, this 'tulip' HCD allows one to obtain simultaneously a laser beam of large area (8 mm diameter), high output power, good discharge stability and homogeneity in a quasi-CW IR Cu II laser. A maximum quasi-continuous laser output power of 400 mW for multiline operation was achieved at lambda approximately=780 nm. This design, derived from the helical HCD represents a significant improvement in long HCDs.