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Attenuating the intraoperative stress response is crucial; however, the effect of neuromuscular blockade (NMB) on surgical stress is not completely understood. We aimed to investigate the effects of NMB on the perioperative stress response during robot-assisted gastrectomy. Patients were assigned to the deep or moderate NMB group. Serum cortisol, prolactin, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and natural killer (NK) cell percentage were measured before anesthesia induction, 90 min after pneumoperitoneum, operation end (OPEnd), and postoperative day 1. Additionally, C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin levels were estimated. Additionally, intraoperative heart rate variability was evaluated. The deep NMB group showed significantly lower levels of low-frequency/high-frequency (HF) ratio at OPEnd compared to the moderate NMB group (1.4 ± 0.2 vs. 2.2 ± 0.3, respectively; Bonferroni corrected p = 0.039). Furthermore, HF power in the deep NMB group was significantly higher at OPEnd than that in the moderate NMB group (45.2 ± 3.6 vs. 33.8 ± 4.0, respectively; Bonferroni corrected p = 0.044). However, no significant differences in cortisol, prolactin, IL-6, CRP, and albumin levels and NK cell percentage were found between the two groups. The degree of NMB may have similar effects on stress-related biological markers in patients undergoing robot-assisted gastrectomy.

Simple, convenient, and reliable preoperative prognostic indicators are needed to estimate the future risk of recurrences and guide the treatment decisions associated with breast cancer. We evaluated preoperative hematological markers related to recurrence and mortality and investigated independent risk factors for recurrence and mortality in patients after breast cancer surgery. We reviewed electronic medical records of patients with invasive breast cancer diagnosed at our tertiary institution between November 2005 and December 2010 and followed them until 2015. We compared two groups of patients classified according to recurrence or death and identified risk factors for postoperative outcomes. Data from 1783 patients were analyzed ultimately. Cancer antigen (CA) 15-3 and red cell distribution width (RDW) had the highest area under the curve values among several preoperative hematological markers for disease-free survival and overall survival (0.590 and 0.637, respectively). Patients with both preoperative CA 15-3 levels over 11.4 and RDW over 13.5 had a 1.7-fold higher risk of recurrence (hazard ratio (HR): 1.655, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.154–2.374, p = 0.007) and mortality (HR: 1.723, 95% CI: 1.098–2.704, p = 0.019). In conclusion, relatively high preoperative RDW (&gt, 13.5) and CA 15-3 levels (&gt, 11.4) had the highest predictive power for mortality and recurrence, respectively. When RDW and CA 15-3 exceeded the cut-off value, the risk of recurrence and death also increased approximately 1.7 times.

Stroke volume variation (SVV) has been used to predict fluid responsiveness, however, it remains unclear whether goal-directed fluid therapy using SVV contributes to bowel function recovery in abdominal surgery. This prospective randomized controlled trial aimed to compare bowel movement recovery in patients undergoing colon resection surgery between groups using traditional or SVV-based methods for intravenous fluid management. We collected data between March 2015 and July 2017. Bowel function recovery was analyzed based on the gas-passing time, sips of water time, and soft diet (SD) time. Finally, we analyzed data from 60 patients. There was no significant between-group difference in the patients’ characteristics. Compared with the control group (n = 30), the SVV group (n = 30) had a significantly higher colloid volume and lower crystalloid volume. Moreover, the gas-passing time (77.8 vs. 85.3 h, p = 0.034) and SD time (67.6 vs. 85.1 h, p &lt, 0.001) were significantly faster in the SVV group than in the control group. Compared with the control group, the SVV group showed significantly lower scores of pain on a numeric rating scale and morphine equivalent doses during post-anesthetic care, at 24 postoperative hours, and at 48 postoperative hours. Our findings suggested that, compared with the control group, the SVV group showed a faster postoperative SD time, reduced acute postoperative pain intensity, and lower rescue analgesics. Therefore, SVV-based optimal fluid management is expected to potentially contribute to postoperative bowel function recovery in patients undergoing colon resection surgery.

This study aimed to identify the types and frequencies of adverse events, as well as the risk factors for respiratory complications related to pediatric sedation. This single-center, prospective, observational study was conducted in a radiology suite at a tertiary university hospital for 2 years. Patients aged under 18 years, who underwent sedation solely by anesthesiologists for computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scans, were eligible for inclusion. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify the risk factors of adverse events, including respiratory complications, related to the propofol-based sedation. We further performed a sensitivity test with 1-to-5 propensity score matching analysis to assess the robustness of our findings. Among 2569 children, 3.9% experienced respiratory problems related to the sedation. After 1-to-5 propensity matching analysis, cardiac and neurologic comorbidities, crying before sedation, a history of snoring or upper respiratory infection, and prolonged duration of sedation were independently associated with the occurrence of adverse respiratory events.Conclusions: Our protocol for pediatric sedation demonstrates a high success rate and low likelihood of fatal complications, but proactive management prior to propofol-based sedation is critical to prevent adverse respiratory events in children. What is Known: • Propofol-based pediatric sedation is associated with adverse events necessarily even though performed by professional anesthesiologists solely. What is New: • Cardiac and neurologic comorbidities, crying before sedation, a history of snoring or upper respiratory infection, and prolonged duration of sedation were independently associated with the occurrence of respiratory adverse events. • Proactive management prior to sedation is critical to preventing adverse respiratory events for pediatrics.

Jae Chul Koh,1,* Hee Jung Kong,2,* Myoung Hwa Kim,3 Jung Hwa Hong,4 Hyunyoung Seong,1 Na Young Kim,2 Sun Joon Bai2 1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 3Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; 4Department of Policy Research Affairs, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Na Young Kim; Sun Joon BaiDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of KoreaTel +82 2 2228 4435; +82 2 2228 4432Email knnyyy@yuhs.ac; sjbae@yuhs.acPurpose: Oxycodone has affinities for both kappa- and mu-opioid receptors. Therefore, it has been used for postoperative analgesia of surgeries in which visceral pain is expected to be the main cause of pain. However, there are few studies of the 55:1 potency ratio of oxycodone to fentanyl when using it as intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA). Thus, we compared the analgesic and adverse effects of IV-PCA using the 55:1 potency ratio of oxycodone to fentanyl in patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy.Patients and Methods: This retrospective study included 100 patients using an automatic PCA pump with oxycodone or fentanyl who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy between January and November 2017. All patients were provided with an IV-PCA consisting of 20 μg/kg of fentanyl or 1.1 mg/kg of oxycodone mixed with 0.9% normal saline solution to a total volume of 250 mL, which was infused basally at a rate of 0.1 mL/h with a bolus dose of 1 mL and lockout time of 6 min. The primary and secondary endpoints were to evaluate the efficacies of IV-PCA using the 55:1 potency ratio of oxycodone to fentanyl on analgesic and adverse effects.Results: Pain intensity on arrival at the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU; 3.6± 1.4 vs 4.4± 2.0, P=0.031) and additional analgesic requirement within an hour after surgery (including the PACU period) (12% vs 37%; P=0.005) were significantly lower in the oxycodone group (n=49) than in the fentanyl group (n=51). Regarding adverse effects, the rate of postoperative nausea within 1 h after surgery (2% vs 16%; P=0.031) was also significantly lower in the oxycodone group than that in the fentanyl group.Conclusion: Oxycodone-based IV-PCA by dose calculations with a 55:1 potency ratio may achieve better analgesia without any significant adverse effects, when using IV-PCA in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy.Keywords: oxycodone, fentanyl, 55:1 potency ratio, intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy

Remimazolam has been suggested to improve the maintenance of hemodynamic stability when compared with other agents used for general anesthesia. This study aimed to compare the effects of remimazolam and sevoflurane anesthesia on hemodynamic stability in patients undergoing robotic gastrectomy. We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of 199 patients who underwent robotic gastrectomy with sevoflurane (n = 135) or remimazolam (n = 64) anesthesia from January to November 2021. Propensity scores were used for 1:1 matching between the groups. The primary outcome was the difference in use of intraoperative vasopressors between groups. Secondary outcomes included differences in incidence and dose of vasopressors, as well as intraoperative hemodynamic variables, between groups. Remimazolam anesthesia was associated with a significantly less frequent use of ephedrine (odds ratio (OR): 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.05–0.38, p < 0.001), phenylephrine (OR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.04–0.40, p < 0.001), and any vasopressor (OR: 0.06; 95% CI: 0.02–0.25, p < 0.001) compared with sevoflurane anesthesia. Remimazolam anesthesia enables better maintenance of hemodynamic stability than sevoflurane anesthesia. Thus, remimazolam anesthesia may be beneficial for patients who are expected to experience hypotension due to the combined effects of CO2 pneumoperitoneum and the head-up position utilized during robotic gastrectomy.

Purpose The current treatment of peritoneal cancer combines cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). The present study aimed to use the VolumeView TM system to investigate the intraoperative physiological changes, including extravascular lung water, in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC. Methods This prospective, observational study enrolled 21 patients undergoing elective cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC at our hospital between December 2014 and April 2016. In all patients, we applied the VolumeView TM system (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA). Internal jugular vein and femoral artery accesses were required to monitor hemodynamic parameters. Data were recorded and analyzed before skin incision; 30 min before HIPEC initiation; 30, 60, and 90 min after HIPEC initiation; 30 min after HIPEC completion; and 10 min before surgery completion. Results During HIPEC, patients showed a rise in body temperature, decrease in the systemic vascular resistance index, and increase in cardiac output. The global end-diastolic volume index was 715.4–809.7, and the extravascular lung water index was 6.9–7.3. Rapid insulin (mean, 6.8 units) was administered because of increased glucose levels, and lactate levels steadily increased during HIPEC. Only 1 patient had acute kidney injury postoperatively, and the mean length of hospital stay was 17 days. Conclusion Our study demonstrated the intraoperative physiological changes in patients undergoing open cytoreductive abdominal surgery with HIPEC. Advanced hemodynamic monitoring should be considered for better anesthetic management in these patients.

During cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), attenuation of inflammatory responses that increase susceptibility to postoperative complications, morbidity, and mortality is important. We aimed to evaluate whether intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion impacted inflammatory response in patients undergoing CRS with HIPEC. Fifty-six patients scheduled for CRS with HIPEC were randomly assigned to the control (n = 28) and dexmedetomidine (n = 28) groups. The primary endpoint was the effect of dexmedetomidine on the interleukin-6 (IL-6) level measured at pre-operation (Pre-OP), before HIPEC initiation (Pre-HIPEC), immediately after HIPEC, after the end of the operation, and on postoperative day (POD) 1. In both groups, the IL-6 levels from Pre-HIPEC until POD 1 and the C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on PODs 1, 2, and 3 were significantly higher than the Pre-OP values (all Bonferroni corrected, p &lt, 0.001). However, total differences in IL-6 and CRP levels, based on the mean area under the curve, were not detected between the two groups. The continuous intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine (0.4 μg/kg/h) in patients undergoing CRS with HIPEC did not significantly lower the inflammatory indices. Further dose investigative studies are needed to find the dexmedetomidine dose that provides anti-inflammatory and sympatholytic effects during HIPEC.

Background There is growing interest in the effect of postoperative analgesics on oncological outcomes after cancer surgery. We investigated the impact of tramadol after breast cancer surgery on recurrence and mortality and explored the mechanism by which tramadol affects cultured breast cancer cells in vitro. Methods Electronic medical records of patients who underwent breast cancer surgery between November 2005 and December 2010 at Severance Hospital in Korea were reviewed. Cox regression analyses were used to identify factors related to postoperative recurrence and mortality. We performed the sensitivity test with propensity score matching to adjust for selection bias. In addition, we investigated the effects of tramadol on human breast adenocarcinoma (Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 [MCF-7]) cells via assessment of cell viability, clonogenic assay, and cell cycle analysis in vitro. Results Of 2588 breast cancer patients, 36.4% had received tramadol. Those who received tramadol had a 0.71-fold decreased risk of recurrence and a 0.56-fold decrease in mortality. The MCF-7 cell viability assays showed that tramadol had an anti-proliferative effect by cell cycle arrest, suppressing colony formation, and regulation of oestrogen and progesterone receptors. Tramadol induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells via extracellular signal-regulated kinases by decreasing of 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)2B receptor and transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 expression. Conclusions After breast cancer surgery, patients who received tramadol had a decreased risk of postoperative recurrence and mortality. The anti-tumour effect of tramadol appears to involve inhibition of proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and effects on 5-HT2B receptor and TRPV-1.

Background It remains unclear whether deep neuromuscular blockade results in better postoperative recovery than does moderate neuromuscular blockade. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to compare the effects of deep neuromuscular blockade and moderate neuromuscular blockade on the quality of postoperative recovery in patients undergoing robotic gastrectomy. Methods In this prospective, double-blind, single-center randomized controlled superiority trial with two parallel groups, 56 adult patients (19-80 years) scheduled for elective robotic gastrectomy were randomly assigned to a moderate neuromuscular blockade group or a deep neuromuscular blockade group in a 1:1 ratio. In the deep and moderate neuromuscular blockade groups, the infusion rate for rocuronium was adjusted to maintain a post-tetanic count of 1-2 or a train-of-four count of 1-2, respectively. The primary outcome was the Quality of Recovery-40 (QoR-40) score on postoperative day 1. Secondary outcomes included the QoR-40 score on postoperative day 2, intraoperative hemodynamic data, intraoperative respiratory data, visual analog scale score for pain, postoperative incidences of nausea and vomiting, postoperative rescue analgesic use, and postoperative rescue antiemetic use. Results The postoperative QoR-40 score was similar between the two groups on postoperative days 1 and 2. Moreover, the two groups showed no differences in intraoperative hemodynamic and respiratory data or postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, and rescue medication use. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the quality of recovery after robotic gastrectomy is similar for deep and moderate neuromuscular blockade. Therefore, deep neuromuscular blockade during robotic gastrectomy may be unnecessary, at least in patients with normal body mass index.

This study was carried out to offer basic information for the promotion of the goat industry and the improvement of mountainous-pasture management by investigating seasonal changes in forage and livestock productivity according to the grazing-pasture type. The forage productivity of rangeland was the highest (p

Background Although systemic lidocaine and magnesium have been widely studied as perioperative analgesic adjuvants, they have been rarely evaluated with respect to recovery quality under the same conditions. We compared the quality of recovery 40 (QoR-40) scores of female patients who received intravenous lidocaine, magnesium, and saline during thyroidectomy to investigate their effects on comprehensive recovery from anesthesia. Methods In this prospective, double-blind trial, 135 female patients scheduled for open thyroidectomy were randomly assigned to the lidocaine group (group L), magnesium group (group M), or control group (group C). Immediately after induction, lidocaine (2 mg/kg for 15 minutes followed by 2 mg/kg/h) was administered in group L and magnesium sulfate (20 mg/kg over 15 minutes followed by 20 mg/kg/h) was administered in group M. Group C received an equivalent volume of saline. The QoR-40 survey was conducted on postoperative days 1 and 2. Results The mean global QoR-40 scores on postoperative day 1 were 186.3 (standard deviation, 5.5) in group L, 184.3 (4.7) in group M, and 179.4 (17.8) in group C, and there was a significant difference only between group L and group C (mean difference, 6.9; adjusted P = .018). Among the 5 dimensions of QoR-40, emotional state, physical comfort, and pain were superior in group L compared to group C. Conclusions Lidocaine administered intravenously during anesthesia led to better quality of postoperative recovery measured by QoR-40 compared with the group C. Magnesium was found to be insufficient to induce any significant improvement with the dose used in the present study.

// Myoung Hwa Kim 1, 2 , Dong Wook Kim 3 , Joo Heung Kim 4 , Ki Young Lee 1, 2 , Seho Park 4 and Young Chul Yoo 1, 2 1 Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 2 Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea 3 Department of Policy Research Affairs, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Goyang, Republic of Korea 4 Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea Correspondence to: Seho Park, email: PSH1025@yuhs.ac Young Chul Yoo, email: SEAOYSTER@yuhs.ac Keywords: anesthesia, breast cancer, propofol, recurrence, volatile agent Received: April 28, 2017 Accepted: August 28, 2017 Published: September 18, 2017 ABSTRACT Background: Although previous studies have suggested that propofol inhibits cancer recurrence and metastasis, the association between anesthetic agents and the recurrence of breast cancer has not been clearly investigated. We compared total intravenous anesthesia and balanced anesthesia with volatile agents to investigate the differences in their effects on recurrence-free survival and overall survival after breast cancer surgery. Materials and Methods: The electronic medical records of 2,729 patients who underwent breast cancer surgery between November 2005 and December 2010 were retrospectively reviewed to analyze the factors associated with recurrence-free survival after surgery. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify the risk factors for cancer recurrence and overall mortality after breast cancer surgery. Results: Data from 2,645 patients were finally analyzed. The recurrence-free survival rate in this study was 91.2%. Tumor-node-metastasis staging exhibited the strongest association with breast cancer recurrence. However, we were unable to identify significant differences between the preventive effects of total intravenous anesthesia and those of volatile agents on postoperative breast cancer recurrence using Cox regression analyses and propensity score matching. Furthermore, the survival probability with regard to postoperative recurrence and mortality showed no significant differences among anesthetic agents. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the effects of total intravenous anesthesia are comparable with those of volatile agents with regard to postoperative recurrence-free survival and overall survival in patients with breast cancer.

Introduction We aimed to compare the effects of intraoperative lidocaine and magnesium on postoperative functional recovery and chronic pain after mastectomy due to breast cancer. Systemic lidocaine and magnesium reduce pain hypersensitivity to surgical stimuli; however, their effects after mastectomy have not been evaluated clearly. Methods In this prospective, double-blind, clinical trial, 126 female patients undergoing mastectomy were randomly assigned to lidocaine (L), magnesium (M), and control (C) groups. Lidocaine and magnesium were administered at 2 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg for 15 minutes immediately after induction, followed by infusions of 2 mg/kg/h and 20 mg/kg/h, respectively. The control group received the same volume of saline. Patient characteristics, perioperative parameters, and postoperative recovery profiles, including the Quality of Recovery 40 (QoR-40) survey, pain scales, length of hospital stay, and the short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ) at postoperative 1 month and 3 months were evaluated. Results The global QoR-40 scores on postoperative day 1 were significantly higher in group L than in group C (P = 0.003). Moreover, in sub-scores of the QoR-40 dimensions, emotional state and pain scores were significantly higher in group L than those in groups M and C (P = 0.027 and 0.023, respectively). At postoperative 3 months, SF-MPQ and SF-MPQ-sensitive scores were significantly lower in group L than in group C (P = 0.046 and 0.036, respectively). Conclusions Intraoperative infusion of lidocaine improved the quality of recovery and attenuated the intensity of chronic pain in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery.

The influence of different head and neck positions on the effectiveness of ventilation with the air-Q® self-pressurizing airway remains unevaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different head and neck positions on ventilation with the air-Q® SP airway.In this prospective, randomized crossover study, we enrolled 51 female patients who were to undergo elective gynaecological or breast surgery under general anaesthesia. An air-Q® SP airway was placed in all patients, and mechanical ventilation was performed using a volume-controlled mode with a tidal volume of 10 ml kg−1 and a respiratory rate of 12 bpm. The expiratory tidal volume, peak inspiratory pressure, oropharyngeal leak pressure, and ventilation score were assessed first for the neutral head position and then for the extended, flexed, and rotated head positions in a random order.All parameters were similar for the rotated head and neck position and the neutral position. Compared with the neutral position, the oropharyngeal leak pressure and peak inspiratory pressure decreased in the extended position but increased significantly in the flexed position (P0.001). However, the expiratory tidal volume and ventilation score decreased significantly in only the extended position (P0.001) but were similar in the flexed and neutral positions.Ventilation was not adversely affected in the rotated or flexed head and neck positions, whereas head and neck extension negatively influenced ventilation. Clinically, it is better to avoid head and neck extension during ventilation with an air-Q® SP airway.NCT02402387.

In this research, ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by spray-pyrolysis method using the zinc acetate dihydrate as starting material at synthesis temperature of 900°C with various concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1.0 M, respectively). The physico-chemical property of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles was characterized by XRD, SEM, FT-IR, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles indicated particle size with two-type shape. With increased precursor concentration, the ZnO nanoparticles were shown not only increasing from 0.8 to 1.5 μm at primary particles but also similar tendency (15 to 35 nm) at secondary particles. Also, the photocatalytic activities of ZnO synthesized in different precursor concentration was evaluated by removal rate of methyleneblue (MB) under UV irradiation (365 nm) at room temperature. The results showed that the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles was enhanced by increased precursor concentration.

Spherical-shape Zn 2 SiO 4: Mn phosphor particles with the mean particle size from submicron to micron sizes were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. A droplet separator was introduced to control the size distribution of the phosphor particles with spherical shape. The Zn 2 SiO 4: Mn phosphor particles with 2 mol% doping concentration of manganese have decay time and have photoluminescence intensities comparable with those of the latest commercial product prepared by the solid state reaction method. The size of the phosphor particles was decreased from 1000 to 200 nm as the inorganic salt solution concentration was changed from 0 to 5 M. The phosphor particles prepared from the solutions above 0.5 M have photoluminescence intensities comparable with that of the latest commercial product.

Metal-doped ZnO films with various metal contents ( Al , Ag and Li of 0–10 wt.%) were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering system with specially designed ZnO targets. The structural, optical and electrical properties of MZO films depended on the type and content of doping in target. Electrical resistivity of LZO thin films increased with increasing Li doping amounts between 0 and 4 wt.%, suggesting that an epitaxial LZO film has high resistivity. We observed morphology in pure ZnO films by using different etchant. In addition, etching rate were contrasted with the etchant concentration and pH. The etching rate is proportional exponentially to pH value. These data will be the technical basis for TCO application. Also, the dry etching rate decreased with increasing the Cl 2 concentration in CH 4/ H 2/ Ar + additive Cl 2 gas mixture but metal dopants were etched effectively.

Metal-doped ZnO films with various metal contents (Al, Ag and Li of 0–10 wt.%) were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering system with specially designed ZnO targets. The structural, optical and electrical properties of MZO films depended on the type and content of doping in target. Electrical resistivity of LZO thin films increased with increasing Li doping amounts between 0 and 4 wt.%, suggesting that an epitaxial LZO film has high resistivity. We observed morphology in pure ZnO films by using different etchant. In addition, etching rate were contrasted with the etchant concentration and pH. The etching rate is proportional exponentially to pH value. These data will be the technical basis for TCO application. Also, the dry etching rate decreased with increasing the Cl2 concentration in CH4/H2/Ar + additive Cl2 gas mixture but metal dopants were etched effectively.

We deposited ZnO thin films at room temperature by RF magnetron sputtering method with home-made targets, and for application tests using these films as transparent conductive oxide (TCO) anodes, wet-chemical etching behaviors of ZnO films were also investigated using various chemicals. In order to fabricate ZnO-based OLED devices, various etchants such as HCl, HNO3, H2SO4 and H3PO4 have been studies for the wet etching of ZnO thin film. In this experiment, we introduced two new different chemicals as etchants, ferric chloride (FeCl3 ∙ 6H2O) and oxalic acid (C2H2O4) which were controlled with various concentrations in ZnO etching process and showed an anisotropy etching shape of ZnO films.

BACKGROUND Preoperative anxiety is known to be related with the postoperative outcomes, although it remains unclear whether pharmacologic anxiolysis preoperatively leads to better postanesthesia recovery. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess whether midazolam premedication would result in improved Quality of Recovery-40 survey scores, as a postoperative recovery parameter, in female patients undergoing mastectomy. METHODS This randomized double-blind study was performed at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Eighty-two females undergoing breast cancer surgery with propofol-remifentanil anesthesia were enrolled and randomized to receive midazolam 0.02 mg kg (group M) or saline (group C). Anesthesia was conducted with total intravenous anesthesia using propofol and remifentanil. On postoperative day 1, the Quality of Recovery-40 survey scores were surveyed. RESULTS The global Quality of Recovery-40 survey scores on postoperative day 1 did not significantly differ between groups M and C (183 vs 181, P = 0.568). However, the induction time was significantly shorter in group M (3.2 vs 4.5 min, P

Carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption and increased intra-abdominal pressure can adversely affect perioperative physiology and postoperative recovery. Deep muscle relaxation is known to improve the surgical conditions during laparoscopic surgery. We aimed to compare the effects of deep and moderate neuromuscular block in laparoscopic colorectal surgery, including intra-abdominal pressure. In this prospective, double-blind, parallel-group trial, 72 adult patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal surgery were randomized using an online randomization generator to achieve either moderate (1-2 train-of-four response, n = 36) or deep (1-2 post-tetanic count, n = 36) neuromuscular block by receiving a continuous infusion of rocuronium. Adjusted intra-abdominal pressure, which was titrated by a surgeon with maintaining the operative field during pneumoperitoneum, was recorded at 5-minute intervals. Perioperative hemodynamic parameters and postoperative outcomes were assessed. Six patients from the deep and 5 from the moderate neuromuscular block group were excluded, leaving 61 for analysis. The average adjusted IAP was lower in the deep compared to the moderate neuromuscular block group (9.3 vs 12 mm Hg, P

Silicon carbide (SiC) nano-structures would be favorable for application in high temperature, high power, and high frequency nanoelectronic devices. In this study, we have deposited cubic-SiC nanowires on Au-deposited Si(001) substrates using 1,3-disilabutane as a single molecular precursor through a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method. The general deposition pressure and temperature were 3.0 x 10(-6) Torr and 1000 degrees C respectively, with the deposition carried out for 1 h. Au played an important role as a catalyst in growing the SiC nanowires. SiC nanowires were grown using a gold catalyst, with amorphous carbon surrounding the final SiC nanowire. Thus, the first step involved removal of the remaining SiO2, followed by slicing of the amorphous carbon into thin layers using a heating method. Finally, the thinly sliced amorphous carbon is perfectly removed using an Ar sputtering method. As a result, this method may provide more field emission properties for the SiC nanowires that are normally inhibited by the amorphous carbon layer. Therefore, exclusion of the amorphous carbon layer is expected to improve the overall emission properties of SiC nanowires.

ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by spray pyrolysis method using the zinc acetate dihydrate as starting material at various synthesis temperatures. The structures of the synthesized ZnO were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR), and UV-vis spectroscopy. With increasing synthesis temperature, the mean diameter of ZnO nanoparticles increased, and their crystallinity was improved. The photocatalytic activity of ZnO was studied by the photocatalytic degradation of methyleneblue (MB) under UV irradiation (365nm) at room temperature. The results show that the photocatalytic efficiency of ZnO nanoparticles was enhanced by increasing synthesis temperature.

BACKGROUND: Shivering is a frequent event during spinal anesthesia and meperidine is a well-known effective drug for prevention and treatment of shivering. Nefopam is a non-opiate analgesic and also known to have an anti-shivering effect. We compared nefopam with meperidine for efficacy of prevention of shivering during spinal anesthesia. METHODS: Sixty five patients, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II, aged 20-65 years, scheduled for elective orthopedic surgery under spinal anesthesia were investigated. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, meperidine (Group M, n = 33) and nefopam (Group N, n = 32) groups. Group M and N received meperidine 0.4 mg/kg or nefopam 0.15 mg/kg, respectively, in 100 ml of isotonic saline intravenously. All drugs were infused for 15 minutes by a blinded investigator before spinal anesthesia. Blood pressures, heart rates, body temperatures and side effects were checked before and at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after spinal anesthesia. RESULTS: The incidences and scores of shivering were similar between the two groups. The mean arterial pressures in Group N were maintained higher than in Group M at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after spinal anesthesia. The injection pain was checked in Group N only and its incidence was 15.6%. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that nefopam can be a good substitute for meperidine for prevention of shivering during spinal anesthesia with more stable hemodynamics, if injection pain is effectively controlled.