High-intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation of Soft-tissue Tumors and Assessment of Treatment Response with Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Preliminary Study Using Rabbit VX2 Tumor Model

BackgroundHigh-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is an emerging technique for noninvasive ablative treatment. However, HIFU has rarely been performed for the treatment of soft-tissue tumors. Thus, we aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of performing extracorporeal HIFU for the treatment of soft-tissue tumor. The treatment response was assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques.Materials and methodsIn the rabbit VX2 intramuscular tumor model, HIFU was performed using an extracorporeal HIFU device (YDME FEP-BY02) by varying the electric power from 50 to 400 W, with the other parameters being fixed. The HIFU beam was insonated to one layer of focal spots having a depth of 8 mm. The degree of ablation was evaluated by histological examination and functional MRI techniques including dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map. The presence of skin burn was also evaluated.ResultsApplying HIFU with an electric power of 200 W discretely produced the ablation zone without skin burn as planned before treatment (maximal depth: 8–9 mm), which shows the suitability of using HIFU (with 200 W electric power) for the treatment of soft-tissue tumors. By contrast, HIFU with an electric power of 100 W produced an ill-marginated ablation zone with internal residual tumor foci, and HIFU with 300–400 W produced ablation zones with a maximum depth of 13–24 mm, which far exceeded the planned depth and caused skin burn. Perfusion maps of DCE-MRI demonstrated the devascularized ablation zone more conspicuously than conventional contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images, and ADC map demonstrated the surrounding edema or granulation tissue better than conventional T2-weighted images.ConclusionExtracorporeal HIFU treatment for soft-tissue tumor may be a feasible approach with adjustment of input energy level. For post-treatment assessment, functional MRI techniques including DCE-MRI and ADC map may be useful and complementary to conventional MRI

On Goals of Language Education and Teacher Diversity: Beliefs and Experiences of Japanese-Language Educators in North America

This article reports the results of the online survey on Japanese-language educators’ beliefs and experiences concerning their profession that we conducted in the fall of 2018. A total of 355 teachers in North America responded to the survey. The responses were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative data suggest that the survey respondents almost unanimously agreed on the importance of global and translingual/transcultural competence as a crucial goal for JFL education. However, the items concerning the legitimacy of language varieties (e.g., standard vs. regional dialects), the importance of accuracy (e.g., grammar, pronunciation), and the views on Japanese culture (e.g., emphasis on uniqueness) received rather conflicting responses from the participants. Moreover, qualitative comments brought up the issues of native-speakerism, nihonjinron, and heteronormativity ideologies as prevailing in JFL education. In short, the results illuminate both converging and diverging perspectives of the survey participants and contradictions or dilemmas between aspirational ideals and mundane practices

Surface silanol sites in mesoporous MFI zeolites for catalytic Beckmann rearrangement

Silanol groups were generated in siliceous MFI zeolite nanosheets, via alkali-free synthesis routes, for catalytic application for gas-phase Beckmann rearrangement. The catalytic conversion by the zeolite nanosheets was investigated at 310 or 350 degrees C with cyclohexanone oxime, 4-phenylcyclohexanone oxime and cyclododecanone oxime. Here, cyclohexanone oxime was chosen as a small reactant that should be able to diffuse into the zeolite micropores, while the others were too bulky to diffuse. The catalytic conversion was analyzed in reference to a previous method used to generate hydrogen-bonded silanol nests in bulk-crystalline MFI zeolites using NH3/NH4+. The result of the analysis indicated that the silanol nest was necessary for the catalytic conversion of cyclohexanone oxime and 4-phenylcyclohexanone oxime, but isolated silanols on the external surface were sufficient for the reaction of cyclododecanone oxime.11Nsciescopu

Direct carbon-black coating on LiCoO2 cathode using surfactant for high-density Li-ion cell

Direct carbon-black coating of the cathode material using a surfactant increases the capacity of a Li-ion cell by similar to10% compared with using bare LiCoO2. The coating method comprises two steps: (i) dispersion of aggregated carbon black using orotano(R)-a polyacrylate dispersant; (ii) carbon-black coating of the cathode material using a gelatin-an amphoteric surfactant. This technology reduces the carbon content in the electrode without sacrificing the cycle-life performance of the cell, and also improves the rate capability of the Li-ion cell. Moreover, the direct carbon-black-coated cathode exhibits excellent capacity recovery and restricted expansion of the cell thickness compared with a bare cathode during storage at 85 degreesC.close403

Control of AlPO4-nanoparticle coating on LiCoO2 by using water or ethanol

The electrochemical properties of AlPO4-coated LiCoO 2 cathodes prepared in a water or ethanol solvent were characterized with the view of stabilizing LiCoO2 at charge-cutoff voltages of 4.6 and 4.8 V. Under the influence of the AlPO4 crystallinity, the coated LiCoO2 prepared in ethanol had better capacity retention than those prepared in water. This enhancement also correlated with the improved suppression of Li-diffusivity decay in the coated cathode from the ethanol compared to that from water. In addition, the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results of the AlPO4 nanoparticle-coated LiCoO2 with ethanol showed an enhanced thermal stability.close212

Suppression of structural degradation of LiNi0.9Co0.1O2 cathode at 90 degrees C by AlPO4-nanoparticle coating

This study examined the electrochemical and structural stability of ???1.5 wt.% AlPO4-coated LiNi0.9Co0.1O2. The AlPO4-coated LiNi0.9Co0.1O2 retained ???60% of the original capacity after 50 cycles, compared with the ???30% capacity retention of the bare LiNi0.9Co0.1O2. The discharge profiles and cyclic voltammograms from 4.5 V at 90 ??C for 4 h showed enhanced structural stability. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed that the AlPO4-coated LiNi0.9Co0.1O2 had less degradation than the bare LiNi0.9Co0.1O2.close01

Synthesis of zeolite-templated carbons using oxygen-containing organic solvents

Zeolite-templated synthesis of ordered microporous carbons was performed with Ca2+ ion-exchanged Y and beta zeolites, where the conventionally used carbon source gases (e.g., ethylene and propylene) were replaced by various organic solvents, such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, and diisopropyl ether. The oxygen-containing solvents were fed to the zeolites as carried by N-2 gas through a bubbler. Mass spectrometric analyses of the carbonization stream indicated that isopropanol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, and diisopropyl ether were converted largely to propylene and H2O vapor, while ethanol and methanol to ethylene. The simultaneous generation of H2O and the olefins, without using high-pressure gas cylinders, can be merit in the Ca2+ ion-catalyzed synthesis of zeolite-templated carbons (ZTCs). The approach in this work provides a facile way to produce high quality ZTCs exhibiting excellent micropore orders and high specific capacitances in supercapacitor applications.11Nsciescopu