CO-COMBUSTION OF KOREAN ANTHRACITE WITH VARIOUS FUELS IN A COMMERCIAL CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED BED BOILER

The effect of co-combustion of various fuels such as bituminous coal, imported anthracite, RDF and wood pellet with Korean anthracite on the combustion and environmental performance was observed in the commercial CFB boiler. The temperatures in the furnace and cyclones exits decreased with increasing the cocombustion ratio of the bituminous coal, which could achieve more stable operation of the CFB boiler. During Co-combustion of the RDF and wood pellets, the temperature of the furnace exit increased slightly with due to volatiles re-combustion which could restrict to increase the co-combustion ratio of the RDF and wood pellets in the CFB boiler. It was limited for the electrostatic precipitator (EP) to maintain the stable operation above 5% of the RDF co-combustion ratio according to decrease of the output voltages of the EP collecting plate. High content of CaO in the RDF and the wood pellet made the required limestone flow rates decrease. The emissions NOx, HCl and dioxin during co-combustion of the RDF and wood pellets did not change appreciably when compared with firing only Korean anthracite, which were also low enough to meet Korean regulation limits. On the other hand, chlorine content in the ashes emitted from the boiler increased gradually with increasing the RDF co-combustion ratio because of absorption by limestone. The co-combustion of various fuels with Korean anthracite in the commercial CFB boiler was found to be of great use up to a certain co-combustion ratio of each fuel without the technical and environmental problems

Rat Model of Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B-Induced Rhinosinusitis

ObjectivesIt has been proposed that microbial persistence, superantigen (SA) production, and host T-cell response may be involved in the development of chronic rhinosinusitis. According to the SA hypothesis, a single intranasal application of SA such as staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) may induce chronic eosinophilic rhinosinusitis. This study aimed to develop a rat model of rhinosinusitis induced by intranasally applied SEB.MethodsForty µL of SEB (100 µg/mL) or phosphate buffered saline was applied intranasally through each naris in 4 week-old Sprague-Dawley test rats (N=36) and controls (N=16), respectively. Following sacrifice at 1, 5, 14, and 28 days, the obtained nasal cavity and sinuses were prepared for histologic investigation. The histologic sections were examined in a blind manner for the ratio of the sinus spaces occupied by inflammatory cell clusters and the number of inflammatory cells in the lamina propria.ResultsInfiltration of neutrophils in the lamina propria and appearance of neutrophil clusters in the sinus spaces were observed in the SEB-applied rats. The ratio of the sinus spaces occupied by neutrophil clusters and the number of neutrophils infiltrated in the lamina propria increased significantly at day 1 as compared with the control rats.ConclusionIntranasally applied SEB induces acute neutrophilic rhinosinusitis in rats. Eosinophilic inflammation was not demonstrated. The mere presence of SA in the nose does not necessarily induce SA-induced inflammation, as suggested by the SA hypothesis

Outbreak investigation of Serratia marcescens neurosurgical site infections associated with a contaminated shaving razors

Abstract Background Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common healthcare-associated infection. We report an outbreak of neurosurgical site infections caused by Serratia marcescens after craniotomy in a tertiary care hospital. Methods Between August 6 and 21, 2018, five cases of early-onset SSI caused by S. marcescens after craniotomy were recorded in a 1786-bed tertiary care hospital. Cultures were collected from potential environmental sources and healthcare workers. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to investigate the genetic relationships among S. marcescens isolates. Results The outbreak involved five patients; S. marcescens was isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid, pus, tissue, and blood samples from these patients. S. marcescens was also isolated from shaving razors and brushes. All S. marcescens isolates from the infected patients and razors showed the same resistance patterns on antibiotic-susceptibility tests. WGS revealed close clustering among four of five isolates from the patients and among three of four isolates from the razors. No additional patient developed S. marcescens infection after we stopped using the razors for scalp shaving. Conclusions We report an outbreak of neurosurgical site infections after craniotomy, which was associated with shaving razors contaminated by S. marcescens. Shaving scalps with razors should be avoided to prevent SSI

Coupling of Semiconductor Nanowires with Neurons and Their Interfacial Structure

We report on the compatibility of various nanowires with hippocampal neurons and the structural study of the neuron–nanowire interface. Si, Ge, SiGe, and GaN nanowires are compatible with hippocampal neurons due to their native oxide, but ZnO nanowires are toxic to neuron due to a release of Zn ion. The interfaces of fixed Si nanowire and hippocampal neuron, cross-sectional samples, were prepared by focused ion beam and observed by transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the processes of neuron were adhered well on the nanowire without cleft

The effects of co-brand marketing mix strategies on customer satisfaction, trust and loyality for medium and small traders and manufactures

Due to Korea’s recent economic depression, polarised consumption, and intensifying competition, its medium and small traders and manufacturers find it increasingly difficult to compete for sales in the domestic and foreign markets. The reality is that their survival is being threatened by the weakness of their brand power compared to that of large businesses and global enterprises. As the brand has become a key method for identifying products and guaranteeing quality owing to the spread of the Internet, the position of medium and small traders and manufacturers with relatively weak brand power has become tenuous. Accordingly, securing the brand marketing function is becoming a crucial factor for those medium and small traders and manufacturers who wish to leap into the middle ranks through sales increases and business stabilization achieved by market extension. Therefore, this study presents a model that clarifies the effect of the Co-Brand Marketing Mix Strategy when used by medium and small traders and manufacturers on customer satisfaction and loyalty and offers hypotheses to clarify the relationship among variables by examining previous studies on co-brand, the Marketing Mix Strategy, customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty. The fact that customer satisfaction increases loyalty, thus triggering repurchase intentions and recommendation intentions, will also be verified. This paper is, therefore, clearly different from existing studies targeting large, medium, and small businesses since it focuses on medium and small traders and manufacturers. The significance of this study is in its assertion that the co-brand strategy can become a method for medium and small traders and manufacturers to secure their competitiveness

The effects of co-brand marketing mix strategies on customer satisfaction, trust and loyality for medium and small traders and manufactures

Due to Korea’s recent economic depression, polarised consumption, and intensifying competition, its medium and small traders and manufacturers find it increasingly difficult to compete for sales in the domestic and foreign markets. The reality is that their survival is being threatened by the weakness of their brand power compared to that of large businesses and global enterprises. As the brand has become a key method for identifying products and guaranteeing quality owing to the spread of the Internet, the position of medium and small traders and manufacturers with relatively weak brand power has become tenuous. Accordingly, securing the brand marketing function is becoming a crucial factor for those medium and small traders and manufacturers who wish to leap into the middle ranks through sales increases and business stabilization achieved by market extension. Therefore, this study presents a model that clarifies the effect of the Co-Brand Marketing Mix Strategy when used by medium and small traders and manufacturers on customer satisfaction and loyalty and offers hypotheses to clarify the relationship among variables by examining previous studies on co-brand, the Marketing Mix Strategy, customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty. The fact that customer satisfaction increases loyalty, thus triggering repurchase intentions and recommendation intentions, will also be verified. This paper is, therefore, clearly different from existing studies targeting large, medium, and small businesses since it focuses on medium and small traders and manufacturers. The significance of this study is in its assertion that the co-brand strategy can become a method for medium and small traders and manufacturers to secure their competitiveness

The safety and efficacy of haemostasis with a catechol-conjugated, chitosan-based haemostatic dressing versus a chitosan-based haemostatic dressing after transfemoral approach for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization : a randomized controlled trial

Purpose: To compare the haemostatic efficacy (i.e. efficacy to prevent access site complications) of the InnoSEAL haemostatic pad and Clo-Sur PLUS P.A.D. after femoral arterial puncture for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). Material and methods: This randomized controlled trial compared the safety and efficacy of an InnoSEAL haemostatic pad (n = 48) and a Clo-Sur PLUS P.A.D. (n = 52) for haemostasis of arterial puncture sites after TACE with femoral arterial access using a 5-Fr sheath. Primary endpoints were incidence of major (necessitating surgery) and moderate access site complications (ASC) (necessitating blood transfusion/thrombin injection). Secondary endpoints were incidence of minor ASC (no therapy required) and time to haemostasis. Results: No major or moderate ASC was seen with either device. Minor ASC (6.3% [3/48] vs. 19.2% [10/52], p = 0.075) and ecchymosis (classified as minor ASC; 4.2% [2/48] vs. 17.3% [9/52]; p = 0.053, p-value cut-off after Bonferroni correction = 0.025) were less frequently observed with the InnoSEAL haemostatic pad. The time to haemostasis did not differ significantly between the 2 devices (5.6 ± 1.0 vs. 5.3 ± 0.7 minutes; p = 0.118). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed a lower risk of ASC with the InnoSEAL pad (adjusted OR, 0.174; 95% CI: 0.034-0.890; p = 0.036). Conclusions: No major ASC was seen with either pad, and no significant difference of minor ASC was observed between 2 pads