• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.90 no.5
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• pp.467-480
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• 2024

The mechanical properties and durability of concrete pavements may be degraded in extreme situations, resulting in the need for partial repair or total replacement. During the past few decades, there has been a growing body of research on substituting a portion of Portland cement with alternative cementitious materials for improving concrete properties. In this study, two different configurations of powdered and granulated blast furnace slag were implemented, replacing fine aggregates (by 12 wt.%) and Portland cement (by 0, 20, 40, and 60 wt.%) in the making of roller-compacted concrete (RCC) mixes. The specimens were fabricated to investigate the mechanical properties and durability specifications, involving freeze-thaw, salt-scaling, and water absorption resistance. The experimental results indicated that the optimum mechanical properties of RCC mixes could be achieved when 20-40 wt.% of powdered slag was added to concrete mixes containing slag aggregates. Accordingly, the increases in compressive, tensile, and flexural strengths were 45, 50, and 28%, in comparison to the control specimen at the age of 90 days. Also, incorporating 60 wt.% of powdered slag gave rise to the optimum mix plan in terms of freeze-thaw resistance such that a negligible strength degradation was experienced after 300 cycles. In addition, the optimal moisture content of the proposed RCC mixtures was measured to be in the range of 5 to 6.56%. Furthermore, the partial addition of granulated slag was found to be more advantageous than using entirely natural sand in the improvement of the mechanical and durability characteristics of all mixture plans.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.524-531
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• 1996

Purpose : To evaluate the pattern- of skeletal metastases and to classify the pattern of renal uptakes on bone scans in renal cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods : We reviewed the bone scans of 158 patients with RCC established pathologically. In order to identify individual scan lesion as a bone metastasis, we reviewed all available correlative radiological studies, follow-up bone scans, and biopsies for each lesion. The metastatic bone lesions were divided into seven anatomic regions; skull, spine, shoulder girdle, sternum, ribs, pelvis, and long bones of extremities. The individual scan lesions were divided into two groups as the pattern of uptakes, hot and cold lesion. In addition, the contours and uptakes of kidneys with RCC were classified into 6 groups ; normal uptake, photon-deficient lesion, faint up-take with enlargement, uneven uptake with enlargement, lateralization with crescentic shape, and increased uptake. Results : Twenty out of 158(12.7%) patients with RCC at varying stages showed 71 metastatic bone lesions at presentation and on follow- up bone scans. Nearly 80% of all metastatic lesions were in the axial skeleton with predominantly increased uptake of the radioactivity However a considerable number(22.5%) showed cold lesions on bone scan. A half of bone scans revealed abnormal uptake of involved kidney and much more(82.4%) in case of bone metastases. Two common patterns of abnormal renal uptake were photon-deficient lesion (50%) and faint uptake with enlargement(24.3%). In four patients with bone pain or pathologic fracture, bone scans were useful for the serendipitious localization of previously unrecognized primary lesion of RCC as well as for the detection of bone metastases from RCC. Conclusion : The understanding of the pat-terns of skeletal metastases and renal uptakes on bone scans in RCC is important for the useful information about primary lesion(RCC) as well as detection of bone metastases.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.232-237
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• 2003

The present study examined functional effects of a new selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, 1-[4-ethoxy-3-(6,7-dihydro-1-methyl-7-thioxo-3-propyl-1H-pyrazolo[ 4,3]pyrimidin-5-yl)phenylsulphonyl]-4-methyl piperazine (KJH-1002), in the isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum (RCC). Relaxing effects of KJH-1002 were also compared with those of sildenafil, which is currently used as an oral therapy for penile erectile dysfunction. In the isolated RCC precontracted with phenylephrine, both KJH-1002 and sildenafil in the concentration range of 1 to 1000 nM, produced a comparable potentiation of the electical field stimulation-induced relaxation in a concentration-dependent manner. In the sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-induced relaxation, the $IC_{50}$/ values, concentrations of SNP required to produce a 50％ relaxation of the phenylephrine-induced contraction, were significantly decreased to the similar extent by treatments with KJH-1002 and sildenafil. The results suggest that a new selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, KJH-1002, has an augmentative effect on penile erection comparable to that of sildenafil and can be useful for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7497-7500
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• 2013

Background: This study concerns clinical characteristics and survival of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients in University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), as well as the prognostic significance of presenting symptoms. Materials and Methods: The clinical characteristics, presenting symptoms and survival of RCC patients (n=151) treated at UMMC from 2003-2012 were analysed. Symptoms evaluated were macrohaematuria, flank pain, palpable abdominal mass, fever, lethargy, loss of weight, anaemia, elevated ALP, hypoalbuminemia and thrombocytosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the prognostic significance of these presenting symptoms. Kaplan Meier and log rank tests were employed for survival analysis. Results: The 2002 TNM staging was a prognostic factor (p<0.001) but Fuhrman grading was not significantly correlated with survival (p=0.088). At presentation, 76.8% of the patients were symptomatic. Generally, symptomatic tumours had a worse survival prognosis compared to asymptomatic cases (p=0.009; HR 4.74). All symptoms significantly affect disease specific survival except frank haematuria and loin pain on univariate Cox regression analysis. On multivariate analysis adjusted for stage, only clinically palpable abdominal mass remained statistically significant (p=0.027). The mean tumour size of palpable abdominal masses, $9.5{\pm}4.3cm$, was larger than non palpable masses, $5.3{\pm}2.7cm$ (p<0.001). Conclusions: This is the first report which includes survival information of RCC patients from Malaysia. Here the TNM stage and a palpable abdominal mass were independent predictors for survival. Further investigations using a multicentre cohort to analyse mortality and survival rates may aid in improving management of these patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.4503-4506
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• 2016

Background: Lymph node and distant metastases are known as the prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Clinical parameters are needed to predict metastases preoperatively. The aim of this study was to assess clinical predictive factors for lymph node and distant metastases. Materials and Methods: We collected RCC data from January 1995 until December 2015 at Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital in Jakarta. We only reviewed data that had renal cell carcinoma histopathology by operation or biopsy. Clinical information such as patient age, gender, hemoglobin (Hb), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and tumor size (clinical T stage) were reviewed and analyzed by Chi-squre and logistic regression to establish clinical predictive value. Results: A total of 102 patients were reviewed. There were 32 (31.4%) with lymph node metastases and 27 (26.5%) with distant metastases. Age, Hb and clinical T staging were associated with nodal metastases. However, only Hb and clinical T staging were found to be associated with distant metastases. By logistic regression, we found T3-4 in clinical T-stage to be the only predictor of nodal metastases (OR 5.14; 1.87 - 14.09) and distant metastases (OR 3.42; 1.27 - .9.23). Conclusions: Clinical T-stages of T3 and T4 according to The AJCC TNM classification could be used as independent clinical predictive factors for lymph node or distant metastases in patients with RCC.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.168-172
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• 2022

A 10-year-old female Pomeranian weighing 2.25 kg with a history of gradual weight loss and an intraabdominal mass confirmed with ultrasonography at a local hospital was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Jeju National University. Physical examination revealed abdominal distention. Blood analysis revealed hypoglycemia (57 mg/dL; reference range, 60-110 mg/dL). On abdominal ultrasonography, a heterogeneously hyperechoic mass measuring 7.51 × 10.6 cm was found at the level of the left kidney. Computed tomographic findings showed a unilateral left kidney mass with a 10-cm diameter and vessel contrast enhancement in the corticomedullary phase. Unilateral nephrectomy and ovariohysterectomy were performed because left ovary enlargement was observed during surgery. The renal mass was adjacent to the aorta and vena cava and attached to a portion of the small intestine, greater omentum, and left ovary. The mass was huge (12.5 × 10 × 7 cm) and was 16.5% of the body weight. Histopathological examination revealed renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and ovarian metastasis. After surgery, clinical signs improved remarkably, and serum glucose level returned to normal. As RCC is resistant to radiation and chemotherapy, the owner decided not to proceed with postoperative adjunctive therapies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of ovarian metastasis with huge RCC in a dog.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.359-367
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• 2023

High-rise structures are considered as symbols of economic power and leadership. Developing countries like India are also emerging as centers for new high-rise buildings (HRB). As the land is expensive and scarce everywhere, construction of tall buildings becomes the best solution to resolve the problem. But, as building's height increases, its stiffness reduces making it more susceptible to vibrations due to wind and earthquake forces. Several systems are available to control vibrations or deflections; however, outrigger systems are considered to be the most effective systems in improving lateral stiffness and overall stability of HRB. In this paper, a 42-storey RCC HRB is analyzed to determine the optimum position of outriggers of different materials. The linear static analysis of the building is performed with and without the provision of virtual outriggers of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) and pre-stressed concrete (PSC) at different storey levels by response spectrum method using finite element based Extended3D Analysis of building System (ETABS) software for determining responses viz. storey displacement, base shear and storey drift for individual models. The maximum allowable limit and percentage variations in earthquake responses are verified using the guidelines of Indian seismic codes. Results indicate that the outriggers contribute in significantly reducing the storey displacement and storey drift up to 28% and 20% respectively. Also, it is observed that the PSC outriggers are found to be more efficient over RCC outriggers. The optimum location of both types of outriggers is found to be at the mid height of building.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.36-43
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• 1992

In this paper, a robot assembly wrist, which is able to assemble chamferless parts, has been developed. The RCC (Remote Center Compliance) structure is used as a basic structure. 5 position sensors and 4 pneumatic actuators are installed additionally to measure the deformation of RCC structure and correct the errors actively. Due to the restricted direction of actuation, a decision rule which selects the suitable actuator according to the position sensor signals is needed. For this purpose, a neural network is used and it is experimentally shown that the nerual network overcomes system's nonlinearity. This paper presents fundamental experiment results for the insertion of parts with several clearance.

• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.42-51
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• 2020

In this paper, the authors propose the pseudo complex correlation coefficient (PCCC) of the two complex random variables (RV), because the four real correlation coefficients (RCC) of the corresponding four real RVs cannot be obtained only from the complex correlation coefficient (CCC) of given two complex RV. Such observation is motivated by the general statement; "The complex jointly-Gaussian random M-vector cannot be completely described by the complex covariance matrix, even though the real Gaussian random 2M-vector can be completely descried by the real covariance matrix. Therefore, in order to describe completely the complex jointly-Gaussian random M-vector, we need an additional matrix, namely the complex pseudo-covariance matrix, along with the complex covariance matrix." Then, we apply PCCC to correlated information sources (CIS) for non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) in 5G system, and investigate impact of the proposed PCCC on the achievable data rate of the stronger channel user in the conventional successive interference cancellation (SIC) NOMA with CIS. It is shown that for the given same CCC, the achievable data rates with the different PCCC are different, because the corresponding RCC are different. We also show that as the absolute value of the same CCC increases, the impact of the different PCCC becomes more significant.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2013

Objective : We investigated the effectiveness of stereotactic gamma knife Radiosurgery (GKR) for radioresistant brain metastases with the impact upon histology. Methods : Between April 2004 and May 2011, a total of 23 patients underwent GKR for 67 metastatic brain tumors from 12 renal cell cancers, 5 sarcomas and 6 melanomas. The mean age was 56 years (range, 18 to 79 years). Most of the patients were classified as the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis class II (91.3%). The synchronous metastasis was found in 6 patients (26.1%) and metachronous metastasis in 17 patients (73.9%). We analyzed the local control rate, intracranial progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results : The mean tumor volume for GKR was 2.24 cc and the mean prescription dose was 19.4 Gy (range, 10 to 24) to the tumor margin. Out of metachronous metastases, the median duration to intracranial metastasis was 3.3 years in renal cell cancer (RCC), 2.4 years in melanoma and 1.1 years in sarcoma (p=0.012). The total local control rate was 89.6% during the mean 12.4 months follow-up. The six-month and one-year local control rate was 90.2% and 83% respectively. Depending on the pathology, the control rate of RCC was 95.7%, sarcoma 91.3% and melanoma 80.5% during the follow-up. The common cause of local failure was the tumor bleeding in melanoma. The median PFS and OS were 5.2 and 8.4 months in RCC patients, 6.5 and 9.8 months in sarcoma, and 3.8 and 5.1 months in melanoma. Conclusion : The GKR can be one of the effective management options for the intracranial metastatic tumors from the radioresistant tumors. The melanoma showed a poor local control rate compared to other pathologies because of the hemorrhage.