RELEVANCE: This paper reports two cases of congenital inferior turbinate hypertrophy in neonates that resulted in significant respiratory distress, feeding difficulties and sleep disturbance. Both patients were successfully treated surgically by endoscopic nasal dilatation and stenting. A literature search was performed to identify articles on congenital inferior turbinate hypertrophy in neonates and its management.
CONCLUSION: Albeit rare, congenital inferior turbinate hypertrophy should be considered a differential diagnosis in newborns presenting with respiratory distress at birth.
METHODS: This article provides a comprehensive review on various electrolytes for electrodeposition procedures developed to obtain the Ge nanostructures of desired structure, diameter, and density. We discuss the growth mechanisms and influence of different parameters such as type of solution, concentration, and value of applied potential or current density.
RESULTS: The ionic liquids can be used for the development of Ge nanostructures and provide extensive electrochemical windows for electrodeposition. The obtained SixGe1-x structures also exhibited strong color change (from red to blue) at room temperature during the electrodeposition, which is likely to be due to a quantum size effect.
CONCLUSION: The main advantages of the ionic liquids are 'it does not decompose', easy to purify and dry. Moreover, it exhibits fairly extensive electrochemical windows greater than 5 V for electrodeposition. Electrodeposition of SixGe1-x nanostructures from ionic liquids is quite a favorable process. The 3DOM Ge electrode is a promising material for nextgeneration lithium ion battery because of its high irreversible specific capacity. Few relevant patents to the topic have been reviewed and cited.
METHODS: Nanostructured SnO2-Ge multi-layer thin films were fabricated using electron beam evaporation and resistive heating techniques. Alternate layers of SnO2 and Ge were deposited on glass substrate at a substrate temperature of 300 °C in order to obtain uniform and homogeneous deposition. The substrate temperature of 300 °C has been determined to be effective for the deposition of these multi-layer films from our previous studies. The films were characterized by investigating their structural and optical properties. The structural properties of the as-deposited films were characterized by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and Raman spectroscopy and optical properties by Ultra-Violet-Near infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) spectroscopy.
RESULTS: RBS studies confirmed that the layer structure has been effectively formed. Raman spectroscopy results show that the peaks of both Ge and SnO2 shifts towards lower wavenumbers (in comparison with bulk Ge and SnO2, suggesting that the films consist of nanostructures and demonstrate quantum confinement effects. UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopy showed an increase in the band gap energy of Ge and SnO2 and shifting of transmittance curves toward higher wavelength by increasing the number of layers. The band gap lies in the range of 0.9 to 1.2 eV for Ge, while for SnO2, it lies between 1.7 to 2.1 eV.
CONCLUSION: Analysis of results suggests that the nanostructured SnO2-Ge multi-layer thin film can work as heterojunction materials with quantum confinement effects. Accordingly, the present SnO2-Ge multi-layer films may be employed for photovoltaic applications. Few relevant patents to the topic have been reviewed and cited.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate efficacy of using a bismuth breast shield and optimized scanning parameter to reduce breast absorbed doses from CT thorax examination.
METHODS: Five protocols comprising the standard CT thorax clinical protocol (CP1) and four modified protocols (CP2 to CP5) were applied in anthropomorphic phantom scans. The phantom was configured as a female by placing a breast component on the chest. The breast component was divided into four quadrants, where 2 thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLD-100) were inserted into each quadrant to measure the absorbed dose. The bismuth shield was placed over the breast component during CP4 and CP5 scans.
RESULTS: The pattern of absorbed doses in each breast and quadrant were approximately the same for all protocols, where the 4th quadrant > 3rd quadrant > 2nd quadrant > 1st quadrant. The mean absorbed dose value in CP3 was reduced to almost 34% of CP1's mean absorbed dose. It was reduced even lower to 15% of CP1's mean absorbed dose when the breast shield was used in CP5.
CONCLUSION: This study showed that CT radiation exposure on the breast could be reduced by using a bismuth shield and low tube potential protocol without compromising the image quality.