Controlling Ionic Conductivity in Organometallic Ionic Liquids through Light-Induced Coordination Polymer Formation and Thermal Reversion.

Owing to their high ionic conductivity and negligible vapor pressure, ionic liquids (ILs) find applications in various electronic devices. However, fabricating IL-based photocontrollable devices remains a challenge. In this study, we developed organometallic ILs with reversible light- and heat-controlled ionic conductivities for potential use in tunable devices.

[Usefulness of Electron Density Calculated from Dual Energy CT in Differential Diagnosis between Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatic Hemangioma].

Purpose: The aim of this study were to compare electron density (ED), obtained by dual energy computed tomography (DECT), between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and hemangioma, and to assess the differential diagnostic performance of ED between HCC and hemangioma.

Methods: A total of 46 patients (27 men and 19 women; mean age, 65.7±14.

Assessing the progression of segmental fibrosis in chronic liver disease using extracellular volume fractions.

Purpose: To assess the segmental difference of liver fibrosis during the progression of chronic liver disease (CLD) using hepatic extracellular volume fractions (fECVs) obtained by dual-energy CT.

Methods: A total of 218 patients (92 men and 126 women; mean age, 67.8 ± 11.

[Evaluation of Long-term Fluctuation of Geometric Distortion in MRI for Radiation Therapy Planning by Using an Automatic Analysis Tool].

High tissue contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows better radiotherapy planning. However, geometric distortion in MRI induces inaccuracies affecting such planning, making it necessary to evaluate the characteristics of such geometric distortion. Although many studies have considered geometric distortion, most of these involved measurements performed only a few times.

A three-dimensional cross-directional bilateral filter for edge-preserving noise reduction of low-dose computed tomography images.

Background: Image-based noise reduction techniques are useful because they can be applied across various computed tomography (CT) scanner models from different vendors, regardless of the iterative reconstruction availability. The purpose of this study was to propose a 3-dimensional cross-directional bilateral filter (3D-CDBF) and compare the edge-preserving noise reduction on low-dose CT images to a model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR).

Methods: The 3D-CDBF comprises a bilateral filter and a smoothing filter applied in range filtering.

A Universal Design Method for Reflecting Physical Characteristics Variability: Case Study of a Bicycle Frame.

To achieve a Universal Design, designers must consider diverse users' physical and functional requirements for their products. However, satisfying these requirements and obtaining the information which is necessary for designing a universal product is very difficult. Therefore, we propose a new design method based on the concept of set-based design to solve these issues.

[Development of simple processing for deleting undershooting artifact using the FBP method ─evaluation of simulation data─].

The undershooting artifact occurs using the filtered back projection (FBP) method. This artifact is influenced by a ramp filter. Thereby, the fall of the target accumulation and a deficit arise and it becomes a clinical problem.

Heat-induced formation of myosin oligomer-soluble filament complex in high-salt solution.

Heat-induced aggregation of myosin into an elastic gel plays an important role in the water-holding capacity and texture of meat products. Here, we investigated thermal aggregation of porcine myosin in high-salt solution over a wide temperature range by dynamic light scattering experiments. The myosin samples were readily dissolved in 1.

[Comparison of the absorbed dose at calibration depth of photon beams using the Japan Society of Medical Physics 12 beam quality conversion factor in the presence or absence of a waterproofing sleeve].

In standard external beam radiotherapy dosimetry, which is based on absorbed dose by water, the absorbed dose at any calibration depth is calculated using the same beam quality conversion factor, regardless of the presence or absence of a waterproofing sleeve. In this study, we evaluated whether there were differences between absorbed doses at calibration depths calculated using a beam quality conversion factor including a wall correction factor that corresponds to a waterproofing sleeve thickness of 0.3 mm, and without a waterproofing sleeve.

[A comparison of absorbed doses to water in photon beams in Japan Society of Medical Physics 01 and 12].

A comparison of absorbed doses to water at a calibration depth determined by Japan Society of Medical Physics (JSMP) 12 and 01 was conducted, using a farmer type ionization chamber. The absorbed dose to water calibration factor (ND,W,Q0) and beam quality conversion factor (kQ,Q0) for JSMP 12 were smaller than the absorbed dose to water calibration factor and beam quality conversion factor for JSMP 01. Differences in absorbed doses at a calibration depth were -0.

[Usefulness of top-hat transform processing in whole body bone scintigraphy].

To assess the usefulness of top-hat transform processing in whole body bone scintigraphy, five radiological technicians interpreted both original and top-hat processed images to determine the improvement of lesion detectability and interpretation time. For the evaluation of detectability, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. The area under the curve (AUC) calculated from the ROC curve was improved in all observers (from 0.

Estimation of aortic-to-radial artery distribution of arterial wall elasticity.

Objects: The purpose of this paper is to clarify the cause of the peaking/steepening phenomenon and pressure gradient after cardiopulmonary bypass by measuring the distribution of intra-arterial pressures and that of pulse wave velocities and estimating the vascular wall elasticity's from the aorta to radial artery.

Methods: We measured the intra-arterial pressures and pulse wave velocities simultaneously from aorta to radial artery using a guide-wire tipped with a pressure transducer before and after cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB), and calculated the distribution of the stiffness parameters (called β) of aorta-to-radial artery wall. Thereafter, we converted β's into the wall elasticity's.

Estimating input original waveform from catheter-manometer system output waveform--an experimental study with pulmonary artery catheter.

The present study was performed to investigate the precision of and problems in arithmetic operations for synthesis/estimation of the input waveform from the output waveform of a pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) manometer system, by imposing arterial pressure waveform as an input pressure waveform. When a PAC manometer system is regarded as a second-order system, the input waveform can be synthesized/estimated from the output waveform by determining the natural frequency (fn), and damping coefficient (ζ) of the said system. The precision of synthesis/estimation diminished with the decreasing fn of the PAC manometer system.

Design and its application of the f(n)-zeta chart capable of direct readout of the highest frequency indicating the limit of obtaining distortion-free waveforms.

We have already reported that the highest frequency (f(h)) could serve as an index for evaluating the fidelity of pressure waveform derived via a catheter manometer system and be read off by the f(n)-zeta chart. Fh is determined by the natural frequency (f(n)) and damping coefficient ( zeta ) in the frequency characteristics of the system. Inversely, f(h) determines two pairs of f(n) and zeta in the f(n)-zeta chart, one in the case of zeta < 0.