[en] While normal ultrasound measurement of the gallbladder (GB) is well established in adults, little attention has been focused on the normal measurement of the pediatric gallbladder. Normal parameters of the pediatric gallbladder may be significant to establish disease criteria, because some gallbladder diseases are only accompanied by changes in gallbladder size. We therefore wish to document the normal ultrasonic parameters of the pediatric gallbladder. Five hundred and ten children with normal clinical findings and laboratory data were included in this study. Ultrasonography was performed as a part of a health screening examination from the Dec. 1994 to Feb. 1995. Sonographic parameters included gallbladder size, volume, and clinical parameters such as age, height, weight, and body surface area were noted stastical significance between the sonographic and clinical parameters was analyzed through correlation and regression analysis. The patient age was ranged from 0 to 16 years, and the male; female ratio was 1.5;1. The longitudinal length of GB showed significant positive correlation with patient age(0.504), height(r=0.527), body weight(r=0.492), and bod surface(r=0.522)(p<0.0001). The result of correlation analysis and regression analysis to the volume of gallbladder was also significant(r;0.403-0.515, p<0.0001). The correlation analysis to the transverse length of gallbladder shows relatively low correlation coefficiency(r=0.290-0.398), however, the result of regression analysis shows significance(p<0.001). The range of mean value of gallbladder size according to age was 3.32(±0.73)-6.81(±1.05)cm in longitudinal length, 1.10(±0.37)-2.01(±0.57)cm in transverse length, and 2.46(±1.66)-15.35(±8.18)cm³ in volume. The mean values of pediatric gallbladder may be an useful index for the clinical application to vanior gallbladder disease

[en] Highlights: •Hydrogen storage properties can be varied by changing the crystal lattice volume. •Crystal lattice volume is related with molar ratios of the elements. •Atomic radius factor is defined by atomic radii and molar ratios of each element. •Hydrogen storage properties can be controlled using the atomic radius factor. •Low-cost alloys (Nd-free/Ce-rich) can be prepared using the atomic radius factor. -- Abstract: Atomic radius factor—a factor related to the composition in (La,Ce,Nd,Pr)(Ni,Co,Mn,Al)₅ alloys, was deduced and used to prepare low-cost alloys. The plateau pressure and hydrogen storage capacity were changed with respect to the crystal lattice volume of the (La,Ce,Nd,Pr)(Ni,Co,Mn,Al)₅, which could be controlled by changing the ratio of the elements in the alloy. Therefore, the plateau pressure and hydrogen storage capacity were adjusted by using the atomic radius factor, defined as the summation of the multiplication of the atomic radii and molar ratios of each element in the alloy. Finally, low-cost alloys (Nd-free/Ce-rich) were designed and prepared using the atomic radius factor. By simultaneously increasing the amounts of Ce and Mn in the alloy, the atomic radius factor and the crystal lattice volume of the alloy could be made similar to those of a commercial alloy. Consequently, it is possible to control the hydrogen storage properties and to prepare low-cost alloys with hydrogen storage properties similar to those of commercial alloy using the atomic radius factor

[en] To evaluate the changes of cerebral blood flow velocity according to the time, before and after surfactant administration in hyaline membrane disease using Doppler ultrasonography. The patients were 15 premature babies who were clinically and radiologically diagnosed HMD. The ratio of male : female was 11:4, the mean gestational age was 30.1 ± 2.5 wks, mean body weight was 1.4 ± 0.6 kg,mean Apgar score at 5 min was 6.28, and type of delivery was C-section : vaginal delivery 9.6. Before and after, 10 mm, 30 min, 1 hr, 6 hr, 12 hr, 1 day, 3 day, 5 day and 7 day after surfactant administration, peak systolic and end-diastolic cerebral blood flow velocity (PSFV, EDFV) and resistive index (RI) were estimated by Doppler ultrasonography measuring MCA flow velocity using temporal window. The averages of all data according to the time were obtained and analyzed statistical significance. For the evaluation of the clinical status systemic BP, FiO2, pH, and respiratory rate were also checked according to the same time. The clinical status of FiO2, metabolic acidosis, and tachypnea was significantly improved after surfactant administration. There was no significant change of cerebral blood flow velocity (PSFV, EDFV) after the surfactant administration. The change of RI was nor statistically significant. The changes of the systemic BP had no significant changes. In spite of clinical improvement, there were no significant increases of cerebral blood flow velocity and changes of RI after surfactant administration in hyaline membrane disease.

[en] The purpose of this study is to analyse Doppler findings in patients with chronic venous insufficiency, and evaluate the usefulness of color Doppler ultrasonography. Thirty-seven limbs in 29 patients were evaluated with color Doppler ultrasound for suspected chronic venous insufficiency. To determine luminal patency and valvular competence, the venous system was examined more than 1 sec of reflux flow during valsalva maneuver and after release of distal compression in the popliteal vein indicated incompetence. In cases of chronic venous insufficiency, color Doppler ultrasound is useful for the defining the exact site of venous incompetence and evaluating venous luminal patency. (author). 23 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs

[en] The pseudoaneurysms are resulted from complication of vascular catheterization, trauma, etc. and recently, the reports on pseudoaneurysms have been increasing. Successful treatment of pseudoaneurysms have been described using direct compression guided by color doppler ultrasound, instead of invasive surgical treatment authors experienced three cases of pseudoaneurysm; two resulted from post-catheterization and one from trauma. We successfully treated two post-catheterization cases using C-clamp compression under the color-doppler US-guidance. The traumatic case was treated by embolization instead of US-guided compression. We suggest that the compression of pseudoaneurysm using C-clamp under the US-guidance is more useful than hand or probe compression method

[en] The equilibrium lattice parameters, formation energy, and diffusion behavior of hydrogen atoms in vanadium hydrides with and without Ti substitution were calculated by ab initio calculations and quantum correction by zero point energy was achieved using phonon vibration calculations. The calculated formation energies indicated that Ti substitution induces instability in the vanadium hydrides and electron density calculations showed that hydrogen has strong electrochemical affinity with Ti. The diffusion behavior was examined by the nudged elastic band (NEB) method to investigate the transition states of the hydrides. It revealed that Ti substitution is shown to reduce the diffusion coefficient and this effect was decreased with increasing temperature. The results of this study are expected to provide useful guidelines for understanding hydrogen absorption and desorption properties of hydrogen storage materials. - Highlights: • Ti substitution expands any crystal structure of vanadium metal or hydride. • H atoms are repulsed by Ti atoms despite their high electrochemical affinity. • Strong electrochemical bonding between Ti and H lowers the formation energy. • Ti substitution reduces hydrogen diffusion by over 90% at room temperature

[en] Lesions primarily involving the middle mediastinum are uncommon and include lymph node diseases, cystic lesions, neurogenic tumors, mesenchymal tumors, tumors of mediastinal organ, and other benign processes. In this article, we illustrate imaging findings of a variety of middle mediastinal lesions with pathologic correlation

[en] Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease and common in Japan. The typical clinical features are hypotonia with an early infantile onset and severe developmental delay. The diagnosis is based on pathologic evidence of muscular dystrophy revealed by biopsy or an increased serum creatine kinase levels. Involvement of the brain is characterized by abnormal cerebral cortical dysplasia, cerebellar dysplasia, and white matter changes. We encountered a case of Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy in which brain MRI findings were typical, and present this case together with a review of the literature

[en] Colloid cyst is a congenital lesion which is thought to be derived from the primitive neuro epithelium, and is most frequently located in the anterior half of the third ventricle. Colloid cysts rarely occur in the pituitary gland, and we describe a case of pituitary colloid cyst, including the CT, MRI and pathologic findings

[en] Although approximately 13% of neurilemmomas occur in the extracranial head and neck region, those originating in the trachea or at the base of the tongue are rare. We report the CT and MR imaging findings of two cases of neurilemmoma, one arising in the trachea and the other at the base of the tongue