Effects of water injection on reaction temperature and hydrogen production in horizontal co-axial underground coal gasification.

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is process of directly recovering energy as combustible gases such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide by combusting unmined coal resources in situ. During UCG process, the temperature in the gasification zone can exceed 1,300 °C, raising concerns about the potential melting of the steel pipe for oxidant injection. To control the temperature in the gasification zone, the use of water injection as an injection agent can be an option.

Efficacy of a Novel Respiratory Motion Reduction Block in Reducing Motion Artifact on Myocardial Perfusion Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography.

Purpose: Motion artifacts caused by heart motion during myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can compromise image quality and diagnostic accuracy. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the novel respiratory motion reduction block (RRB) device in reducing motion artifacts by compressing the hypochondrium and improving SPECT image quality.

Methods: In total, 91 patients who underwent myocardial perfusion SPECT with Tc-sestamibi were retrospectively analyzed.

Monitoring the gasification area and its behavior in underground coal gasification by acoustic emission technique instead of temperature measurement.

Underground Coal Gasification (UCG) requires monitoring of the gasification area because the gasification process is invisible and the reaction temperature exceeds 1000 °C. Many fracturing events that occurred due to coal heating can be captured with Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring technique during UCG. However, the temperature conditions to generate fracturing events during UCG have not yet been clarified.

Comparison of the detectability of hot lesions on bone SPECT using six state-of-the-art SPECT/CT systems: a multicenter phantom study to optimize reconstruction parameters.

Single-photon emission computed tomography with X-ray computed tomography (SPECT/CT) systems have diversified due to the remarkable developments made by each manufacturer. This study aimed to optimize the reconstruction parameters of six state-of-the-art SPECT/CT systems and compare their image quality of bone SPECT. SPECT images were acquired on SPECT/CT systems, including Symbia Intevo, Discovery NM/CT 670, Discovery NM/CT 870 CZT, Brightview XCT, and VERITON-CT.

Feasibility of using counts-per-volume approach with a new SPECT phantom to optimize the relationship between administered dose and acquisition time.

We developed a phantom for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), with the objective of assessing image quality to optimize administered dose and acquisition time. We investigated whether the concept of counts-per-volume (CPV), which is used as a predictor of visual image quality in positron emission tomography, can be used to estimate the acquisition time required for each SPECT image. QIRE phantoms for the head (QIRE-h) and torso (QIRE-t) were developed to measure four physical indicators of image quality in a single scan: uniformity, contrast of both hot and defective lesions with respect to the background, and linearity between radioactivity concentration and count density.

The Incidence and Its Associated Factors Relevant to Brain Radionecrosis That Requires Intervention Following Single or Fractionated Stereotactic Radiosurgery Using Vero4DRT for Brain Metastases.

Purpose: Several factors, including the surrounding brain volume receiving specific doses, have hitherto been reported to correlate with brain radionecrosis (BR) after single or fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (sSRS or fSRS) for brain metastases (BMs); however, those, especially for fSRS, have not yet been fully elucidated. Furthermore, the clinical outcome data of patients with BM treated with SRS using Vero4DRT are extremely limited. Therefore, this study aimed to demonstrate the incidence of BR requiring intervention (BRRI) and its highly correlated factors.

Optimization of cross-calibration factor for quantitative bone SPECT without attenuation and scatter correction in the lumbar spine: head-to-head comparison with attenuation and scatter correction.

Objectives: Quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with computed tomography (SPECT/CT) is known to improve diagnostic performance. Although SPECT-alone systems are used widely, accurate quantitative SPECT using these systems is challenging. This study aimed to improve the accuracy of quantitative bone SPECT of the lumbar spine with the SPECT-alone system.

Automatic quantification package (Hone Graph) for phantom-based image quality assessment in bone SPECT: computerized automatic classification of detectability.

Objective: We previously developed a custom-design thoracic bone scintigraphy-specific phantom ("SIM bone phantom") to assess image quality in bone single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). We aimed to develop an automatic assessment system for imaging technology in bone SPECT and demonstrate the validity of this system.

Methods: Four spherical lesions of 13-, 17-, 22-, and 28-mm diameters in the vertebrae of SIM bone phantom simulating the thorax were filled with radioactivity (target-to-background ratio: 4).

[Usefulness of Post-processing Scatter Correction in Portable Abdominal Radiography Using a Low Ratio Anti-scatter Grid].

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate an influence of post-processing scatter correction in portable abdominal radiography using a low ratio anti-scatter grid (grid).

Methods: To assess tube voltage on portable abdominal radiography, a burger phantom was used to measure for inverse of image quality figure (IQF). For evaluation of the influence on using or not the grid, IQF were measured.

[Examination for Effectiveness of Scatter Correction in Portable Chest Radiography].

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of scatter correction in the portable chest radiography.

Methods: Digital radiographies were performed without anti-scatter grid (grid), with the scatter correction and with the grid ratio of 3 : 1 in this study. The scatter fraction and the detectability of low contrast signals were measured using the four acrylic phantoms of different thicknesses.

[Development of a Novel Body Phantom with Bone Equivalent Density for Evaluation of Bone SPECT].

We developed a custom-designed phantom for bone single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)-specific radioactivity distribution and linear attenuation coefficient. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the phantom. The lumbar phantom consisted of the trunk of a body phantom (background) containing a cylinder (vertebral body), a sphere (tumor), and a T-shaped container (processus).

[Usefulness of spatially adaptive noise reduction processing in computer-assisted diagnosis system for bone scintigraphy].

Objectives: The goal of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of Pixon-processed images in comparison with raw images for computer-assisted interpretation of bone scintigraphy (BONENAVI).

Methods: Whole-body scans of 57 patients with prostate cancer who had undergone bone scintigraphy for suspected bone metastases were obtained approximately 3 h after intravenous injection of 740 MBq (99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate. We obtained two image sets: raw images and images processed using the Pixon method.

A double mutant between fission yeast telomerase and RecQ helicase is sensitive to thiabendazole, an anti-microtubule drug.

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, deletion of trt1(+) causes gradual telomere shortening, while deletion of pot1(+) causes rapid telomere loss. The double mutant between pot1 and RecQ helicase rqh1 is synthetically lethal. We found that the trt1 rqh1 double mutant was not synthetically lethal.

[Novel phantom for evaluating contrast resolution in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)].

Objectives: We have designed a phantom to evaluate acquisition and reconstruction parameters using contrast transfer function (CTF). The goal of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the phantom for contrast resolution.

Methods: The phantom consisted of spaced (0-14 mm, 1 mm intervals) pairs of cubic containers (5 mm wide, 20 mm long, and 50 mm high).

Involvement of Kv channel subtypes on GABA release in mechanically dissociated neurons from the rat substantia nigra.

The seven members of Shaker-related K(+) channel family, which are known to regulate membrane excitability and transmitter release, have been identified in the CNS. It is known that the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) receives GABAergic inputs mainly from the striatum and sends GABAergic outputs to the thalamus. An immunohistochemical study shows that the Kv1 family, particularly Kv1.

Activation of presynaptic GABAA receptors increases spontaneous glutamate release onto noradrenergic neurons of the rat locus coeruleus.

In order to further explore how GABA can modulate the excitability of noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC), we investigated the presence of GABA(A) receptors on glutamatergic nerve terminals and the functional consequences of their activation. We used mechanically dissociated immature rat LC neurons with adherent nerve terminals and patch-clamp recordings of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents. Activation of presynaptic GABA(A) receptors by muscimol facilitated spontaneous glutamate release by activating tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na(+) channels and high-threshold Ca(2+) channels.