Patterns of vascular graft infection in 18F-FDG PET/CT

BACKGROUND: 18F-FDG PET/CT has become an important tool in diagnosis of prosthetic vascular graft infections (PVGI). The aim of the study was to identify the patterns of vascular graft infection in 18F-FDG PET/CT. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed in 24 patients with vascular graft infection, in 17 patients implanted in an open surgery mode and in 7 patients by endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). Vascular prostheses were evaluated by two visual scales and semi-quantitative analysis with maximum standardized uptake values (SUV max). RESULTS: In the 3-point scale: 23 patients were in grade 1 and one patient was in grade 2. In the 5-point scale: 19 patients were in grade 5 with the highest activity in the focal area, 4 patients were in grade 4 and one patient in grade 3. The visual evaluation of 18F-FDG PET/CT study revealed that peri-graft high metabolic activity was associated with occurrence of morphological abnormalities (n = 21) like gas bubbles and peri-graft fluid retention or without abnormal CT findings (n = 3). The presence of the gas bubbles was linked to higher uptake of 18F-FDG (p < 0.01, SUVmax 11.81 ± 4.35 vs 7.36 ± 2.80, 15 vs 9 pts). In EVAR procedure, the highest metabolic activity was greater than in classical prosthesis (SUVmax 21.5 vs 13). CONCLUSIONS: 18F-FDG PET/CT is a very useful tool for assessment of vascular graft infections. CT findings like gas bubbles, or peri-graft fluid retention were associated with significantly higher glucose metabolism; however, in some cases without anatomic alterations, increased metabolic activity was the only sign of infection

Mapping of the three-dimensional lymphatic microvasculature in bladder tumours using light-sheet microscopy

Background: Cancers are heterogeneous and contain various types of irregular structures that can go undetected when examining them with standard two-dimensional microscopes. Studies of intricate networks of vasculature systems, e.g., the tumour lymphatic microvessels, benefit largely from three-dimensional imaging data analysis.Methods: The new DIPCO (Diagnosing Immunolabeled Paraffin-Embedded Cleared Organs) imaging platform uses three-dimensional light-sheet microscopy and whole-mount immunolabelling of cleared samples to study proteins and micro-anatomies deep inside of tumours.Results: Here, we uncovered the whole three-dimensional lymphatic microvasculature of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumours from a cohort of 30 patients with bladder cancer. Our results revealed more heterogeneous spatial deviations in more advanced bladder tumours. We also showed that three-dimensional imaging could determine tumour stage and identify vascular or lymphatic system invasion with higher accuracy than standard two-dimensional histological diagnostic methods. There was no association between sample storage times and outcomes, demonstrating that the DIPCO pipeline could be successfully applied on old FFPE samples.Conclusions: Studying tumour samples with three-dimensional imaging could help us understand the pathological nature of cancers and provide essential information that might improve the accuracy of cancer staging.</div

Fabrication and properties of the field emission array with self-alignment gate electrode, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2001, nr 1

A new method for the fabrication of field emission arrays (FEA) based on bulk/surface silicon micromachining and diamond-like-carbon (DLC) coating was developed. A matrix of self-aligned electron field emitters is formed in silicon by mean anisotropic etching in alkali solution of the front silicon film through micro holes opened in silicon oxide layer. The field emission of the fabricated emitter tips is enhanced by a diamond-like-carbon film formed by chemical vapor deposition on the microtips. Back side contacts are formed by metal patterning. Detailed Raman, Auger and TEM investigations of the deposited DLC films (nanocrystalline diamond smaller than 10 nm) will be presented. In this paper we discuss the problems related to the development of field emission arrays technology. We also demonstrate examples of devices fabricated according to those technologies

Wstępne badania nad możliwością wykorzystania przepracowanych olejów jako komponentów do produkcji paliwa

Tyt. z nagłówka.Bibliografia s. 191-[192].Dostępny również w formie drukowanej.STRESZCZENIE: W artykule przedstawiono regulacje prawne dotyczące kierunków i możliwości wykorzystania oraz postępowania z przepracowanymi olejami. Zaprezentowane zostały wstępne wyniki badań własnych nad zastosowaniem olejów jako komponentu do produkcji paliwa z udziałem innych odpadów takich jak muł węglowy, trociny, osady ściekowe. ABSTRACT: The paper presents the law regulations concerning directions and possibilities of application and treating the worked oils. The initial results of investigations over oil applications as component to fuel production were presented, taking into consideration other wastes as coal slurry, wood shavings and sludge. KEYWORDS: wastes, fuel, worked oils. SŁOWA KLUCZOWE: odpady, paliwo, oleje przepracowane

Research over the influence of energetic mixture compounds on combustion heat

Tyt. z nagł.Bibliogr. s. [89].W artykule przedstawiono wstępne badania nad możliwością energetycznego zagospodarowania wybranych odpadów z grup: 06, 13, 05 i 01. Oceniano zmianę wartości ciepła spalania w utworzonych mieszankach energetycznych wraz ze zmianą w nich udziału poszczególnych komponentów. Zaproponowano także wykorzystanie metod regresji w celu obliczenia ciepła spalania, a następnie dokonano porównania ciepła wyznaczonego empirycznie z obliczonym teoretycznie.The paper presents the initial investigation of possible energetic applications of chosen wastes from groups: 06, 13, 05 and 01. The change of combustion heat value was evaluated in produced energetic mixtures together with the change of their individual components. Furthermore, the application of regressive method was proposed in purpose of calculating combustion heat value and then the comparison of empirically determined and theoretically calculated heat values was performed.Dostępny również w formie drukowanej.SŁOWA KLUCZOWE: odpady, ciepło spalania, spalanie, muł węglowy. KEYWORDS: combustion heat, wastes, combustion, coal slime

Numerical research of biomechanical system with SMA prosthesis

In this paper the modelling of special biomechanical mechanism and application of shape memory materials are presented. The model of the human middle ear is made as multibody system. The basic 3dof ear model of the healthy middle ear is modified to represent the damaged ear. A damaged of the ossicular chainis taken into account by adding gap in visco-elastic joints. In addition, an attempt of the ossicles chain reconstruction through prosthesis made of shape memory alloy is presented. Moreover, a new description of the hysteresis sub-loop which characterise prosthesis material is proposed. Finally, dynamic responses of healthy, damaged and reconstructed models of the middle ear are compared by quality index