[en] This study examines the photoelectric conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) when nanometer-sized Zr (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mol %)-TiO₂ prepared using a solvothermal method is utilized as the working electrode material. The particle sizes observe in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images are < 30 nm in all samples. The absorption band is slightly broadened at the tail for the 0.1 mol % Zr-TiO₂, and the intensity of the photoluminescence (PL) curves of the Zr-incorporated TiO₂ is significantly smaller than that of the pure TiO₂. Compared to that using pure TiO₂, the energy conversion efficiency is enhanced considerably by the application of Zr-TiO₂ in the DSSCs to approximately 6.17% for 0.5 mol % Zr-TiO₂ with the N719 dye (10.0 μm film thickness and 5.0 mm x 5.0 mm cell area) under 100 mW/cm² of simulated sunlight

[en] Steam generator is one of the major components of nuclear reactor pressure boundary. It's main function os transferring heat which generated in the reactor to turbine generator through steam generator tube. In these days, steam generator tubing materials of operating plant are used Inconel 600 alloys. But according to the operation time, there are many degradation phenomena which included mechanical damage due to flow induced vibration and corrosion damage due to PWSCC, IGA/SCC and pitting etc. Recently Inconel 690 alloys are selected as new and replacement steam generator tubes for domestic nuclear power plant. But there are few study about mechanical and corrosion properties of Inconel 600 and 690. The objectives of this study is to evaluate and compare mechanical and corrosion propertied of steam generator tube materials

[en] To investigate the value of the computed tomography (CT) in the study of diagnostic and post-treatment findings of pulmonary actinomycosis. Clinical data and CT findings were retrospectively analyzed in 10 patients with histopathologically confirmed pulmonary actinomycosis. We analyzed the initial CT findings in search of patterns and distributions which suggest possible lung abnormalities and found the pleura, chest wall, and lymphadenopathy to be involved as part of the indicators of lung abnormalities. We analyzed follow-up CT findings for changes in the lungs after antibiotic therapy and recurrence after surgery. Of the 10 patients analyzed by CT for lung lesions, seven had been diagnosed with alcoholism and nine were male. The initial CTs (n = 10) indicated that all the pulmonary lesions were solitary without chest wall involvement. However, a transfissural extension was observed in 20% of the study population (n = 2). Furthermore, peripheral lung distribution and adjacent pleural thickening was observed in 70% of the study population (n = 7). Within the consolidation (n = 6) or mass (n = 4), a central low density with peripheral enhancement was seen in 70% of the study population (n = 7). A follow-up CT of the seven cases following antiobiotic therapy revealed that four cases showed minimal improvement or aggravation of their lung lesions, whereas three cases showed resolution or improvement. The improvement of the central low density was related to the improvement of consolidation or mass. Furthermore the presence of fibrosis was observed after the resolution of pulmonary lesions (n = 2). No relationship was found between the duration and response of antibiotic therapy. A follow-up CT (n = 4) subsequent to a lung resection revealed the onset of chest wall actinomycosis and a thickened pleura in one case. The results of this study highlight the value of the CT in pulmonary actinomycosis in order to diagnose and evaluate antibiotic responses, complications, or post-surgical recurrences of lung lesions

[en] Studies about the biology, treatment pattern, and treatment outcome of metastatic/recurrent neuroendocrine tumor (NET) have been few. We enrolled patients with metastatic/recurrent NET diagnosed between January 1996 and July 2007 and retrospectively analyzed. A total of 103 patients were evaluated. Twenty-six patients (25.2%) had pancreatic NET, 27 (26.2%) had gastrointestinal NET, 2 (1.9%) had lung NET, 28 (27.2%) had NET from other sites, and 20 (19.4%) had NET from unknown origin. The liver was the most common metastatic site (68.9%). Thirty-four patients had grade 1 disease, 1 (1.0%) had grade 2 disease, 15 (14.6%) had grade 3 disease, 9 (8.7%) had large cell disease, and 7 (6.8%) had small cell disease. Sixty-six patients received systemic treatment (interferon, somatostatin analogues or chemotherapy), 64 patients received local treatment (TACE, radiofrequency ablation, metastasectomy, etc.). Thirty-six patients received both systemic and local treatments. Median overall survival (OS) was 29.0 months (95% confidence interval, 25.0-33.0) in the103 patients. OS was significantly influenced by grade (p = .001). OS was 43.0, 23.0, and 29.0 months in patients who received local treatment only, systemic treatment only, and both treatments, respectively (p = .245). The median time-to-progression (TTP) was 6.0 months. Overall response rate was 34.0% and disease-control rate was 64.2%. TTP was influenced by the presence of liver metastasis (p = .011). OS of metastatic/recurrent NET was different according to tumor grade. TTP was different according to metastasis site. Therefore, development of optimal treatment strategy based on the characteristics of NET is warranted

[en] Gingival fibroblast cells (rGF) from aged rats have an age-related decline in proliferative capacity compared with young rats. We investigated G1 phase cell cycle regulation and MMP-9 expression in both young and aged rGF. G1 cell cycle protein levels and activity were significantly reduced in response to interleukin-1β (IL-1β) stimulation with increasing in vitro age. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression was also decreased in aged rGF in comparison with young rGF. Mutational analysis and gel shift assays demonstrated that the lower MMP-9 expression in aged rGF is associated with lower activities of transcription factors NF-κB and AP-1. These results suggest that cell cycle dysregulation and down-regulation of MMP-9 expression in rGF may play a role in gingival remodeling during in vitro aging.