Visualization of Flow in Scroll Compressor by Radiography

Saving energy and resources in the air conditioning industry is required in order to protect the global environment. To save resources, miniaturization of the compressor in air conditioners is necessary. This miniaturization will increase the oil circulation rate (OCR) of the compressor because the oil separation space will be reduced. To improve the oil separation efficiency, it is necessary to understand the appearance of the flow of oil and refrigerant in the compressor chamber. This paper reports a technique to visualize the flow by using neutron radiography and X-ray radiography. Furthermore, a method to measure the oil concentration by carrying out image processing is described

Effect of intracoronary thrombectomy on 30-day mortality in non-diabetic patients with acute hyperglycemia after acute myocardial infarction

SummaryBackgroundThere is limited evidence about useful therapeutic interventions for patients with acute hyperglycemia (AH) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).MethodsWe studied 2433 consecutive non-diabetic AMI patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 24h after the onset. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of AH (admission serum glucose level ≥11.1mmol/l). We assessed the association between intracoronary thrombectomy and the clinical outcome in AMI patients with AH.ResultsPatients with AH had more risk factors than those without AH. The 30-day mortality rate of patients with AH was significantly higher than that of those without (11.7% vs 1.7%, p<0.001). Among patients with AH, the 30-day mortality rate was significantly lower for those with intracoronary thrombectomy than those without it (4.9% vs 17.2%, p=0.004). Among patients without AH, however, the 30-day mortality rate was similar between those with and without intracoronary thrombectomy (1.5% vs 1.9%, p=NS). Multivariate analysis showed that intracoronary thrombectomy was associated with an improved 30-day mortality rate for patients with AH (hazard ratio: HR 0.184, 95% CI 0.057–0.598, p=0.005).ConclusionsIn AMI patients with AH, intracoronary thrombectomy prior to PCI might improve the 30-day mortality rate

Comparison of self‐expandable metallic stent placement followed by laparoscopic resection and elective laparoscopic surgery without stent placement for left‐sided colon cancer.

Aim:Self‐expandable metallic stent (SEMS) placement for obstructive colon cancer is widely performed as a bridge to surgery (BTS) procedure before resection. This study aimed to investigate the surgical and oncological results of laparoscopic elective surgery with or without SEMS placement to assess the efficacy of SEMS placement as a BTS.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with stage II, III, and IV left‐sided colon cancer who underwent elective laparoscopic resection between 2013 and 2019. All patients were divided into two groups: with and without SEMS placement.Results:The SEMS group included 24 patients, whereas the non‐SEMS group included 86 patients. The serum hemoglobin and albumin levels were lower (P = .049, P = .03), and the serum leukocyte and C‐reactive protein levels were higher (P < .0001, P = .022) in the SEMS group. The tumor diameter and tumor circumferential rate were higher in the SEMS group (both P < .0001). No significant differences were observed in operation time, blood loss, postoperative complications, or postoperative hospital stay. After 1:1 propensity score matching, 15 patients in the SEMS group were compared with 15 patients in the non‐SEMS group. The 3‐year overall survival rates of the SEMS and non‐SEMS groups were 87.5% and 88.9%, respectively (P = .97). The 3‐year recurrence‐free survival rates of the SEMS and non‐SEMS groups were 58.2% and 81.7%, respectively (P = .233). No significant difference was found in the sites of recurrence.Conclusion:The perioperative and long‐term outcomes of SEMS placement as a BTS before laparoscopic resection could be acceptable compared with other elective laparoscopic operations without SEMS placement

Safety and pharmacokinetics of recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor (rh-HGF) in patients with fulminant hepatitis: a phase I/II clinical trial, following preclinical studies to ensure safety

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulates hepatocyte proliferation, and also acts as an anti-apoptotic factor. Therefore, HGF is a potential therapeutic agent for treatment of fatal liver diseases. We performed a translational medicine protocol with recombinant human HGF (rh-HGF), including a phase I/II study of patients with fulminant hepatitis (FH) or late-onset hepatic failure (LOHF), in order to examine the safety, pharmacokinetics, and clinical efficacy of this molecule.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Potential adverse effects identified through preclinical safety tests with rh-HGF include a decrease in blood pressure (BP) and an increase in urinary excretion of albumin. Therefore, we further investigated the effect of rh-HGF on circulatory status and renal toxicity in preclinical animal studies. In a clinical trial, 20 patients with FH or LOHF were evaluated for participation in this clinical trial, and four patients were enrolled. Subjects received rh-HGF (0.6 mg/m²/day) intravenously for 12 to 14 days.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We established an infusion method to avoid rapid BP reduction in miniature swine, and confirmed reversibility of renal toxicity in rats. Although administration of rh-HGF moderately decreased BP in the participating subjects, this BP reduction did not require cessation of rh-HGF or any vasopressor therapy; BP returned to resting levels after the completion of rh-HGF infusion. Repeated doses of rh-HGF did not induce renal toxicity, and severe adverse events were not observed. Two patients survived, however, there was no evidence that rh-HGF was effective for the treatment of FH or LOHF.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Intravenous rh-HGF at a dose of 0.6 mg/m²was well tolerated in patients with FH or LOHF; therefore, it is desirable to conduct further investigations to determine the efficacy of rh-HGF at an increased dose.</p

The Elevation in Preoperative Procalcitonin Is Associated with a Poor Prognosis for Patients Undergoing Resection for Colorectal Cancer.

Background:Procalcitonin (PCT) is a well-known marker for bacterial infection; however, the clinical significance of PCT in the long-term prognosis after colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery remains unclear.Methods:This is a retrospective review of 277 patients that underwent CRC surgery to investigate the relationship between preoperative PCT, clinicopathological condition, cancer-specific overall survival (OS), and relapse-free survival (RFS).Results:Median follow-up interval was 5.0 years in all patients. Thirty-six patients developed recurrence, and 46 patients died due to recurrences or metastases of CRC. Preoperative PCT levels were highest in Stage IV patients. The cancer-specific OS in patients with Stage IV/PCT ≤0.05 ng/mL was significantly higher than those with Stage IV/PCT >0.05 ng/mL (3 years survival; 42.3 vs. 14.3%, p = 0.0413). On multivariate analysis, gender, TNM classification, and PCT were identified as significant risk factors for cancer-specific OS in patients with Stage I-III CRC. The cancer-specific OS rate of these patients with PCT ≥0.08 ng/mL, compared with PCT <0.08 ng/mL, was significantly decreased (5 years survival; 59.1 vs. 92.7%, p < 0.0001). TNM classification was finally identified as an independent risk factor for cancer-specific RFS in these patients by multivariate analysis.Conclusion:High preoperative PCT values in CRC patients appeared to be associated with poor OS but not RFS following surgical treatments

ショクドウ ソウカン ニヨル フンゴウブ カンゼン リカイ オ カイケッチョウ サイケン デ シュウフクシタ ショクドウ セツジョ ノ 1レイ

症例は60 歳代, 男性. 身長162.6 cm, 体重40.0 kg, Body Mass Index（BMI）15.1 kg / m2であり, 既往歴に慢性閉塞性肺疾患（COPD）を認めた. 胸部上部食道癌 T1b N0 M0 Stage Iに対して食道亜全摘, 3領域リンパ節郭清, 胸骨後胃管再建を施行した.術当日に抜管したが, 術後肺炎に伴う呼吸不全のため, 術後6日目に気管内挿管を試みたが、食道挿管となった．再挿管, 人工呼吸管理の後に軽快し術後13日目に抜管となったが, 術後透視で吻合部周囲に造影剤漏出を認めた. 2ヶ月間の保存的加療で造影剤漏出は消失したが吻合部に長径4 cmの高度狭窄を認めた．内視鏡的拡張術での改善は困難であり, 術後243日目に消化管再建術を施行した. 手術所見として, 第2肋間より頭側の胸骨を切除したところ, 胃管の口側断端は第2肋間の高さの胸骨後面に位置していた.食道断端までは肉芽で置換されていた.胸骨前経路回結腸再建を施行し, 再建術後 8日目に食事を開始し, 合併症なく再建術後30日目に退院となった. 回結腸再建後2年経過後も食道癌の再発は認めず, 通過障害なく経口摂取のみでの生活が可能となっている．A 60s-year-old man underwent endoscopic screening during which a tumor was detected in the upper thoracic esophagus, which was diagnosed as T1bN0M0 Stage I esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. He had a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He underwent subtotal esophagectomy with 3 field lymph node dissection. Reconstruction was performed by gastric tube through the posterior sternal route. Extubation was performed on the day of surgery. Respiratory failure by postoperative pneumonia occurred, and ventilatory management was performed on the sixth postoperative day. However, the intubation was put into the esophagus. He became well and extubation was performed on the 13th postoperative day. Postoperative fluoroscopy showed contrast leakage around the anastomotic site. After 2 months of conservative treatment, the contrast leak disappeared, but there was a severe stenosis of 4 cm in length at the anastomosis. Endoscopic dilatation was not sufficient to improve the stenosis. Gastrointestinal reconstruction was performed on the 243rd postoperative day. The cephalic sternum was resected, and the gastrointestinal canal opening margin was located on the posterior surface of the sternum, at the level of the second intercostal space. The segment was replaced by a granulation. The patient underwent anterior sternal ileocolic reconstruction. Oral intake started on the 8th day after the reconstruction, and hospital discharge was on the 30 th day after the reconstruction without any complications. Two years after ileocolic reconstruction, there has been no cancer recurrence, and he lives well on oral intake only

トウイン ニオケル キョウクウ キョウカ ショクドウ セツジョ ノ ドウニュウ ト タンキ チリョウ セイセキ ノ ケントウ

【背景】食道癌に対する胸腔鏡手術は本邦で広く行われており、施設ごとに手術手技の定型化がなされている.胸腔鏡下手術の利点として拡大視効果や緻密な手術操作が可能となることが挙げられるが、当院でも2016年より腹臥位胸腔鏡下食道手術を導入し、出血の少ない安全かつ確実な郭清を目指し、定型化に向けてその手技を刷新している.【対象と方法】】2016年4月から2019年4月までに当院で施行した胸腔鏡下食道切除38例につき、その短期成績を検討した.【結果】男:女＝32:6、年齢中央値 66歳(41-76)、cStage I / II / III / IVa: 17 / 6 / 13 / 2であった.胸腔内出血量中央値は10ml(0-53)、胸部操作時間中央値は192分(97-478)、胸腔内郭清リンパ節個数中央値は17個(1-42)であった.術後合併症は、縫合不全3例(7.9％)、反回神経麻痺7例(18.4％)、肺炎12例(31.6％)であった.術後在院日数中央値は19日(11-38)であった.導入期からの前半19例では反回神経麻痺を6例(31.6％)に認めたが、後半19例では１例(5.2％)であった(p=0.036).【結語】当院における胸腔鏡下食道切除術は安全に導入、施行可能であった.手術手技が定型化されることで反回神経麻痺を少なくする郭清が可能になると考えられた.Background: Thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE) is increasingly being used worldwide in patients with esophageal cancer. In this study, we investigated the clinical short-term outcomes of TE performed in patients placed in the prone position. Method: We investigated the surgical and clinical outcomes in 38 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent TE at our hospital between April 2016 and April 2019. Results: Of the 39 patients investigated, 32 were men. Median patient age was 66 (range 41–76) years, the median intraoperative blood loss was 10 (0–53) mL, and the median operation time for thoracoscopy was 192 (97–478) min. The mean operation time for thoracoscopy in the latter group was significantly shorter than that in the former group (188 min vs. 232 min, p=0.013). The following postoperative complications were observed: 7 (18.4%) cases of recurrent nerve palsy, 3 (7.9%) cases of anastomotic leakage, 12 (31.6%) cases of pneumonia, and 0 (0%) cases of chylothorax. The incidence of recurrent nerve palsy was lower in the latter group than in the former group (5.2% vs. 31.6%, p=0.036). Conclusions: TE in the prone position is safe and feasible. As experience performing the procedure increases, the performance of the procedure stabilizes

ドウニュウ カガク リョウホウ ニテ コンチ セツジョ ガ カノウ トナッタ ケイブ ショクドウガン ノ 1レイ

　症例は50歳代，男性．咽頭痛，嚥下障害を主訴に近医受診し，上部消化管内視鏡検査にて頸部食道に1/4周性のtype3病変(squamous cell carcinoma)と食道胃接合部に0-IIa+IIc病変(adenocarcinoma)を指摘され，当院当科紹介となった．造影CT検査にて左頸部に原発巣と一塊となった腫瘤を認め，左総頸動脈及び気管への浸潤を認めた．精査の結果，頸部食道癌cT4bN2M0 cStageIVa，バレット食道腺癌cT1bN0M0 cStageIと診断し，切除不能局所進行食道癌であり導入化学療法の方針とした．DCF(Docetaxel/Cisplatin/5-Fluorouracil) 療法3コースで病変の縮小が得られ，頸部腫瘍は長径37mmから17mmとなり，総頸動脈の浸潤が解除されたため，根治術を行う方針とした．手術は咽頭喉頭食道全摘，頸部縦隔腹部リンパ節郭清，後縦隔経路遊離空腸付加胃管再建，腸瘻造設術を施行した．術中偶発症なく，手術時間846分，出血量670mLであった．病理組織学的検査では，頸部食道癌ypT4aN2M0 ypStegeIII，治療効果Grade 1b，バレット食道癌ypT1b-SM2N0M0 ypStageI，治療効果Grade 1aであった．術後経過は概ね良好で術後9日目より経口摂取を開始し，術後18日目に退院となった．　切除不能局所進行食道癌に対する標準治療は化学放射線療法であるが，近年，DCF療法による導入化学療法後の外科的切除の有用性が報告されている．今回，導入化学療法により根治切除可能であった頸部食道癌，食道腺癌の重複例を経験したため報告する．　A 58-year-old man with sore throat and dysphagia revealed type 3 lesion in cervical esophagus and 0-IIa+IIc lesion in esophagogastric junction on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Histopathologic examination of biopsy specimens showed squamous cell carcinoma at cervical esophagus and adenocarcinoma at esophagogastric junction. Computed tomography suggested that the large tumor in left neck infiltrated into the common carotid artery and trachea. According to these findings, we diagnosed locally advanced unresectable cervical esophageal cancer (cT4bN2M0, cStageIVa) and Barret’s esophageal adenocarcinoma (cT1bN0M0, cStageI), and decided to perform induction chemotherapy with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and 5-Fluorouracil (DCF). After 3 courses of that, the primary tumor decreased from 37 mm to 17 mm as major axis and released infiltration into the common carotid artery. Therefore, we performed conversion surgery, pharyngolaryngectomy and total esophagectomy. Histopathological findings showed cervical esophageal cancer (ycT4aN2M0, ycStageIVa) and Barret’s esophageal adenocarcinoma (ycT1b-SM2N0M0, ycStageI). The postoperative course was uneventful, he resumed eating 9 days after surgery and was discharged 18 days after surgery.　Conversion surgery after induction chemotherapy for locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer may contribute to radical resection and better clinical outcome