Detection and Quantitation of Left-to-Right Shunts from Radionuclide Angiocardiography Using the Homomorphic Deconvolution Technique

The homomorphic filtering method is described for the detection and quantitation of left-to-right shunts from radionuclide angiocardiography. First, the method is investigated theoreticatly and numerically using a realistic model with systemic recirculation. It is demonstrated that even in a noisy situation the shunt flow fraction can be relatively well estimated, if only the characteristics of the fiters used are suitable. Second, the method is applied to real data, i.e., the pulmonary time-activity curves from radionucUde anglocardiography. The presence or absence of a left-to-right shunt is determined using the ratio AT/MTT. The pulmonary-to-systemic flow ratios calculated from the areas of the two decomposed curves are compared with those from oximetry at cardiac catheterization. Good agreement between the Qp/Qs ratios calculated by oximetry and radionucUide angiocardiography is obtained.     

Single-pulse ultraviolet laser recording of periodically poled structures in polymer thin films

A simple fabrication technique for nonlinear polymeric optical waveguide patterns is introduced based on the two-beam interference method. We determined that the second-order nonlinearity of poled polymer films is erased by single-pulse ultraviolet (UV) laser irradiation. The erasure mechanism for second-order nonlinearity is discussed. To form a periodic structure in an optical polymer waveguide, two types of optical configuration of two-beam interference were arranged, and a single-pulse UV laser was exposed directly onto poled films. We prove that this method provides a simple way to fabricate volume-type and ridge-type periodically poled structures, i.e., chi((2)) gratings, from the submicrometer to the millimeter range.     

Ruthenium (II) complexes with π expanded ligand having phenylene–ethynylene moiety as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells

Ruthenium(II) complexes by introducing phenylene–ethynylene subunit into a tpy (tpy=2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) ligand were newly synthesized, and their photophysical and photochemical properties were characterized. The molar extinction coefficients of these dyes were larger than that of black dye. The photovoltaic performances of the solar cells based on these synthesizing dyes were investigated under AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm^?2). The conversion efficiencies of 1a and 1b were 5.7% and 2.4%, respectively.     

Arterial changes following single-dose irradiation

In this reported experiment, the serial morphologic changes in the rabbit ear central artery, following a single dose of 45 Gy 60Co gamma-ray irradiation, were investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy. Under light microscopy, mild intimal proliferation, disorganization of smooth muscle, and severe perivascular fibrosis were observed. These appeared to be caused by increased intimal cell death and lower repair capability after large single-dose irradiation. Under scanning electron microscopy, the endothelial cells did not show significant morphologic changes during the first 4 weeks. At 6 and 10 weeks after irradiation, the endothelial cells shrank in all directions and detached from the basement membrane. These changes accord with the theory that radiation damage following therapeutic dosage occurs within the DNA of the cell, and that there is no significant change until the cell attempts to divide.     

Power flow congestion relief by using customer‐side energy storage systems

In recent years, energy storage systems have increasingly been expected as a means of load leveling of the annual load factor. Of course there is an effect of installing the energy storage systems at the substation. But some customers operate their storage system in an integrated way and it also has an effect of increasing the load factor. In this paper the authors proposed that the energy storage systems on the customer side be used for congestion relief on transmission networks. However, it is not clear which kind of customer has the effect of relieving transmission line congestion. First, this paper assumes the authors determine the optimal configuration of energy equipment including energy storage systems. We propose a new contract whereby electric utility subsidizes a part of the entrance cost of the energy storage systems and customers change the output pattern of energy storage according to the request of the electric utility. This paper evaluates the possibility that the contract gives merit to both the electric utility and the customer. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 158(1): 36–45, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20299     

Near-IR sensitization of nanocrystalline TiO2 with a new ruthenium complex having a 2,6-bis(4-carboxyquinolin-2-yl)pyridine ligand

A new ruthenium(II)–polypyridine complex (1) having a 2,6-bis(4-carboxyquinolin-2-yl)pyridine ligand was synthesized as a sensitizer for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). This complex exhibited remarkable light-harvesting properties in the near-IR region. DSCs sensitized with 1 showed a 35% incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) at 900 nm.     

Importance of extended lymphadenectomy with lateral node dissection for advanced lower rectal cancer

A total of 448 patients with advanced lower rectal cancer who underwent curative wide lymphadenectomy with autonomic nerve preservation were reviewed with respect to surgical techniques, operative burdens, node status, survival rate, and mode of recurrence. Operative time and blood loss in patients who underwent lateral dissection were much greater than those encountered with conventional resection. According to the direction of lymphatic spread in patients with Dukes C disease, the incidence of upward spread was 94% and lateral spread 27%. The overall incidence of lateral metastasis was 14%. The overall 5-year survival was 70%. According to the Dukes classification, the 5-year survival rates were 92% for Dukes A, 79% for Dukes B, and 55% for Dukes C, whereas it was 43% in patients with lateral node metastasis. An analysis of the survival rate was carried out with regard to the number of node metastases, direction of lymphatic spread, and autonomic nerve preservation. The overall incidence of local recurrence was 9.3% and amounted to 16.0% in patients with Dukes C disease. The case of advanced lower rectal cancer was characterized by positive lymph nodes or circular lesions around the circumference (both diagnosed by endorectal ultrasonography). We recommend extended lymphadenectomy with lateral node dissection, as it preserves the autonomic nerve.     

Data mining assisted by theoretical calculations for improving dye-sensitized solar cell performance

Data mining using experimental data and information generated from theoretical calculations is proposed to study dye-sensitized solar cells, which are complex systems. This method led to new knowledge about the influence of imidazole derivatives as additives in an electrolytic solution on the cell performance. It was found that the solar energy conversion efficiency is strongly correlated to the Mulliken charge of the carbon atom at position 4 in the imidazole group. This result indicates that data mining assisted by theoretical calculations should facilitate the rate that cell performance is improved.