Efficiency of photocatalysis depends on the surface area and materials, and we have prepared a porous ceramic substrate coated with nanosized-TiO 2 for a photocatalytic air cleaner. The surface of the porous ceramic was coated with nano-sized TiO 2 and total surface area of the board (30 × 30 × 1 cm) was 7,432 m 2 , being 14,864 m 2 as the total area in the cleaner consisting of two boards and intervened black lamps. Eighty percent of 5 ppm acetaldehyde was decomposed and generated 8 ppm of carbon dioxide for 3 hours efficiently and continuously by passing through the TiO 2 -coated ceramic (5 × 10 × 1 cm) under black light. Particulate dioxins (40 pg/m 3 ) and gaseous dioxins (16 pg/m 3 ) were removed by 7.5 and 2.8 pg/m 3 by passing through four TiO 2 -coated ceramic (30 × 30 × 2 cm) under black-light, indicating about 80% of dioxin was decomposed by the photocatalysis. This photocatalysis system was applied for inactivation of influenza aerosol. Influenza infection is spread efficiently by inhalation of aerosol-associated influenza virus. The aerosol-associated infectivity produced by nebulizer in a 754 liter cubic space was more than 10,000 plaque-forming units and was detectable for up to 30 minutes. The aerosol-associated infectivity of influenza virus was eliminated within five minutes by a photocatalytic air cleaner. The infectious aerosol-associated influenza would accumulate by the continuous production by cough and sneeze in the closed space, resulting in the efficient influenza infection. Thus a photocatalytic air cleaner efficiently decomposed organic chemicals including acetaldehyde and dioxins and inactivated aerosol-associated influenza virus infectivity.
Freeze cracking was carried out to visualize intracellular structures with scanning electron microscope (SEM). Tissues embedded in Epon 812 without any catalyst were frozen in liquid nitrogen and cracked at room temperature. After removal of the epoxy resin by displacing with propylene oxide, specimens were dried by critical point drying method. Then, the cracked face was ion-etched prior to coating with gold. The cracking technique was very easy, and the well-preserved structures of some organelles were demonstrated on the fractured faces thus obtained.
Hepatic artery aneurysm has been considered as a rare, life-threatening disease. In this study, we report on a patient requiring surgical treatment for a giant hepatic artery aneurysm by aneurysmectomy without revascularization. A 70-year-old woman who complained of epigastric pain was referred to our hospital. Enhanced computed tomography scan has revealed a giant (11×9 cm) common hepatic artery aneurysm. She then underwent emergency surgery; the intra-aortic balloon occlusion technique was applied in order to control the blood inflow into the aneurysm. The aneurysm was then incised, and direct closure of the inflow and outflow orifices was performed safely without evidence of ischemic change in the liver.
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