Development of a miniature Twin Rotary Compressor

In this paper, we will introduce the miniature compressor, which is designed for various applications. Twin rotary compressor structure was adopted to reduced in size and minimize vibration. The weight of the miniature rotary compressor is about 20% that of the reciprocating compressor which has equivalent cooling capacity. To minimize the noise and vibration, the muffler and the cylinder are optimized and torque control algorithm is used for the compressor controller. For a variety of applications, developed compressor is designed for both HBP and LBP condition. Considering the mass-productivity and reliability, IPM type motor is designed

Methodological Considerations of Electron Spin Resonance Spin Trapping Techniques for Measuring Reactive Oxygen Species generated from metal oxide nanomaterials

Qualitative and quantitative analyses of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated on the surfaces of nanomaterials are important for understanding their toxicity and toxic mechanisms, which are in turn beneficial for manufacturing more biocompatible nanomaterials in many industrial fields. Electron spin resonance (ESR) is a useful tool for detecting ROS formation. However, using this technique without first considering the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials and proper conditions of the spin trapping agent (such as incubation time) may lead to misinterpretation of the resulting data. In this report, we suggest methodological considerations for ESR as pertains to magnetism, sample preparation and proper incubation time with spin trapping agents. Based on our results, each spin trapping agent should be given the proper incubation time. For nanomaterials having magnetic properties, it is useful to remove these nanomaterials via centrifugation after reacting with spin trapping agents. Sonication for the purpose of sample dispersion and sample light exposure should be controlled during ESR in order to enhance the obtained ROS signal. This report will allow researchers to better design ESR spin trapping applications involving nanomaterials

Giant Cell Tumor of Soft Tissue: a Case with Atypical US and MRI Findings

We report the case of a giant cell tumor with diffuse interstitial hemorrhaging and unusually prominent cystic components in the soft tissue of the thigh which has not been reported previously. Magnetic resonance image (MRI), showed signal intensity typical of a giant cell tumor. However, because of its conspicuous large well-circumscribed cystic components, the differential diagnoses, based on the image findings from an ultrasonography (US) and MRI, were complicated epidermoid cyst, cystic change of a neurogenic tumor, and a parasitic cyst

Fibroblastic Type Osteosarcoma of the Ulna: a Case Report of a Tumor in a Rare Location with Atypical Imaging Findings

The ulna is a rare site of origin for osteosarcoma, and purely osteolytic osteosarcomas are uncommonly noted on conventional radiographs. We present a patient with a lytic lesion of the distal ulna for which imaging findings suggested an aneurysmal bone cyst. The lesion was histologically confirmed to be a fibroblastic osteosarcoma

Serum immunoglobulin fused interferon-α inhibited tumor growth in athymic mice bearing colon 26 adenocarcinoma cells

Interferon (IFN) has therapeutic potential for a wide range of infectious and proliferative disorders. However, the half-life of IFN is too short to have a stable therapeutic effect. To overcome this problem, serum immunoglobulin has been fused to IFN. In this study, the efficacy of serum immunoglobulin fused INFs (si-IFN1 and si-IFN2) was evaluated on athymic mice bearing colon 26 adenocarcinoma cells. Seven days after the implantation of tumor cells, each group of mice was injected once a week with si-IFN1 and si-IFN2 at two different concentrations (10 × : 30 µg/kg and 50 × : 150 µg/kg). A slight anti-tumoral effect was observed in all 10 × groups compared to the control. In the 50 × groups, however, si-IFN1 and si-IFN2 showed significant anti- tumoral effects compared to the control. To gain more information on the mechanisms associated with the decrease of tumor size, a Western blot assay of apoptosis-related molecules was performed. The protein expression of cytochrome c, caspase 9, 6, and 3 were increased by si-IFN1 and si-IFN2. These 2 IFNs also increased the expressions of p53, p21, Bax and Bad. Interestingly, si-IFN1 and si-IFN2 decreased the expression of VEGF-β. Taken together, serum immunoglobulin fused IFNs increased therapeutic efficacy under current experimental condition

MR Imaging Findings of a Primary Cardiac Osteosarcoma and Its Bone Metastasis with Histopathologic Correlation

An osteosarcoma of cardiac origin is extremely rare, and a comprehensive description of MR imaging (MRI) findings of cardiac osteosarcoma and its metastasis in the femur have not been reported in the literature. We present a case of cardiac osteosarcoma in a 47-year-old woman and its metastasis to the femur, focusing on the description of MRI findings of the cardiac and metastatic bony osteosarcoma with a histopathologic correlation

The Image Quality and Radiation Dose of 100-kVp versus 120-kVp ECG-Gated 16-Slice CT Coronary Angiography

Objective: This study was conducted to assess the feasibility of performing 100-kVp electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated coronary CT angiography, as compared to 120-kVp ECG-gated coronary CT angiography. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated one hundred eighty five gencler- and body mass index-matched 16-slice coronary CT sets of data, which were obtained using either 100 kVp and 620 effective mAs or 120 kVp and 500 effective mAs. The density measurements (image noise, vessel density, signal-to-noise ratio [SNR] and contrast-to-noise ratio [CNR]) and the estimated radiation dose were calculated. As a preference test, two image readers were independently asked to choose one image from each pair of images. The results of both protocols were compared using the paired t-test or the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results: The 100-kVp images showed significantly more noise and a significantly higher vessel density than did the 120-kVp images. There were no significant differences in the SNR and CNR. The estimated reduction of the radiation dose for the 100-kVp protocol was 24%; 7.8 +/- 0.4 mSV for 1 00-kVp and 10.1 +/- 1.0 mSV for 120-kVp (p < 0.001). The readers preferred the 1 00-kVp images for reading (reader 1, p = 0.01; reader 2, p = 0.06), with their preferences being stronger when the subject`s body mass index was less than 25. Conclusion: Reducing the tube kilovoltage from 120 to 100 kVp allows a significant reduction of the radiation dose without a significant change in the SNR and the CNR.Stolzmann P, 2008, RADIOLOGY, V249, P71, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2483072032Earls JP, 2008, RADIOLOGY, V246, P742, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2463070989Stolzmann P, 2008, EUR RADIOL, V18, P592, DOI 10.1007/s00330-007-0786-8Schoenhagen P, 2008, EUR HEART J, V29, P153, DOI 10.1093/eurheartj/ehm614Heyer CM, 2007, RADIOLOGY, V245, P577, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2452061919Paul JF, 2007, EUR RADIOL, V17, P2028, DOI 10.1007/s00330-007-0584-3McCollough CH, 2007, RADIOLOGY, V243, P775, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2433061165Schueller-Weidekamm C, 2006, RADIOLOGY, V241, P899, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2413040128Hsieh J, 2006, MED PHYS, V33, P4236, DOI 10.1118/1.2361078d`Agostino AG, 2006, EUR RADIOL, V16, P2137, DOI 10.1007/s00330-006-0218-1Hohl C, 2006, EUR RADIOL, V16, P1841, DOI 10.1007/s00330-005-0124-yJohnson TRC, 2006, EUR RADIOL, V16, P1409, DOI 10.1007/s00330-006-0298-yAbada HT, 2006, AM J ROENTGENOL, V186, pS387, DOI 10.2214/AJR.05.0216Hausleiter J, 2006, CIRCULATION, V113, P1305, DOI 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.602490NAKAYAMA Y, 2006, AM J ROENTGENOL, V187, pW490Ghersin E, 2006, AM J ROENTGENOL, V186, P177, DOI 10.2214/AJR.04.1232Haberl R, 2005, AM HEART J, V149, P1112, DOI 10.1016/j.ahj.2005.02.048Wintersperger B, 2005, EUR RADIOL, V15, P334, DOI 10.1007/s00330-004-2575-ySigal-Cinqualbre AB, 2004, RADIOLOGY, V231, P169, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2311030191Kalra MK, 2004, RADIOLOGY, V230, P619, DOI 10.1148/radiol.2303021726Jung B, 2003, EUR RADIOL, V13, P2560, DOI 10.1007/s00330-003-2111-5Jakobs TF, 2002, EUR RADIOL, V12, P1081, DOI 10.1007/s00330-001-1278-xHuda W, 2000, RADIOLOGY, V217, P430Kalender WA, 1999, EUR RADIOL, V9, P3231

Transcatheter Arterial Embolization of Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding with N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 1999 and December 2002, TAE for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding was performed in 93 patients. The endoscopic approach had failed or was discarded as an approach for control of bleeding in all study patients. Among the 93 patients NBCA was used as the primary embolic material for TAE in 32 patients (28 men, four women; mean age, 59.1 years). The indications for choosing NBCA as the embolic material were: inability to advance the microcatheter to the bleeding site and effective wedging of the microcatheter into the bleeding artery. TAE was performed using 1:1-1:3 mixtures of NBCA and iodized oil. The angiographic and clinical success rate, recurrent bleeding rate, procedure related complications and clinical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: The angiographic and clinical success rates were 100% and 91% (29/32), respectively. There were no serious ischemic complications. Recurrent bleeding occurred in three patients (9%) and they were managed with emergency surgery (n = 1) and with a successful second TAE (n = 2). Eighteen patients (56%) had a coagulopathy at the time of TAE and the clinical success rate in this group of patients was 83% (15/18). CONCLUSION: TAE with NBCA is a highly effective and safe treatment modality for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, especially when it is not possible to advance the microcatheter to the bleeding site and when the patient has a coagulopathy

Is restrictive transfusion sufficient in colorectal cancer surgery? A retrospective study before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea

Purpose Blood transfusion is one of the most common procedures used to treat anemia in colorectal surgery. Despite controversy regarding the adverse effects of blood products, surgeons have maintained standards for administering blood transfusions. However, this trend was restrictive during the COVID-19 pandemic because of a shortage of blood products. In this study, we conducted an analysis to investigate whether the restriction of blood transfusions affected postoperative surgical outcomes. Methods Medical records of 318 patients who underwent surgery for colon and rectal cancer at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital between June 2018 and March 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. The surgical outcomes between the liberal and restrictive transfusion strategies in pre– and post–COVID-19 groups were analyzed. Results In univariate analysis, postoperative transfusion was associated with infectious complications (odds ratio [OR], 1.705; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.015–2.865; P=0.044). However, postoperative transfusion was not an independent risk factor for the development of infectious complications in multivariate analysis (OR, 1.305; 95% CI, 0.749–2.274; P=0.348). In subgroup analysis, there was no significant association between infectious complications and the hemoglobin threshold level for the administration of a transfusion (OR, 1.249; 95% CI, 0.928–1.682; P=0.142). Conclusion During colorectal surgery, the decision to perform a blood transfusion is an important step in ensuring favorable surgical outcomes. According to the results of this study, restrictive transfusion is sufficient for favorable surgical outcomes compared with liberal transfusion. Therefore, modification of guidelines is suggested to minimize unnecessary transfusion-related side effects and prevent the overuse of blood products