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This study attempted to implement the pulse power supply and ignition circuits of a xenon flash lamp in intense pulsed light (IPL) systems used in electronic printing. Owing to the unique load characteristics of the xenon flash lamp, a special power supply design is essential to drive it. Specifically, the pulse power supply integrates the LCC resonant converter-based charging unit, designed to achieve high efficiency and high-power density charging, and a discharging unit, comprising the discharging IGBT and RDC snubber circuits, to realize stable pulse transfer to the load. For the ignition process, the high-voltage output trigger was designed based on the Cockcroft–Walton voltage multiplier. Meanwhile, the simmer was adopted as the step-down LCC resonant converter with the characteristics of both voltage and current sources to maintain the xenon flash lamp ignition. An auxiliary ignition circuit based on a boost-type resonant circuit was also added to stabilize the simmer output during ignition. In this study, we analyzed the sequence of operating the xenon lamp for ignition and light sintering by designing and developing appropriate parameters for each specification. Finally, the implemented power supply was verified through simulated load, and the xenon flash lamp was confirmed to be turned on normally through experiments. Additionally, the reliability was verified by applying the proposed device to the IPL system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a frequency regulation is proposed that adjusts the release of rotational kinetic energy to ensure that a wind turbine remains near the maximum power point in the event of persistent under-frequency. The proposed scheme calculates wind turbine power by multiplying the frequency deviation with the variable control gain and then adding the resulting value to the torque controller power. Considering the operational characteristics of the wind turbine, separate control gains are applied in both the over-frequency section (OFS) and the under-frequency section (UFS). When the rotor speed approaches the maximum power point (MPP), the UFS control gain decreases, causing the wind turbine to gradually transition to maximum power point tracking (MPPT). This overcomes the limitations of conventional frequency regulation, enhancing both the power output of the wind turbine and the average grid frequency. To validate the proposed scheme, an IEEE 14 bus system, including a wind power plant and a photovoltaic plant, was simulated using the EMTP-RV simulator. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme effectively performs frequency regulation in the power grid regardless of the wind penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to evaluate whether a short distal resection margin (< 1 cm) was associated with local recurrence in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiotherapy. Patients with rectal cancer who underwent preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by curative surgery were divided into two groups based on the distal resection margin (≥ 1 cm and < 1 cm). In total, 507 patients were analyzed. The median follow-up duration was 48.9 months. The 3-year local recurrence rates were 2% and 8% in the ≥ 1 cm and < 1 cm groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that a distal resection margin of < 1 cm was a significant risk factor for local recurrence (P = 0.008). Subgroup analysis revealed that a distal resection margin of < 1 cm was not an independent risk factor for local recurrence in the ypT0–1 group. However, among patients with tumor stages ypT2–4, the cumulative 3-year incidences of local recurrence were 2.3% and 9.8% in the ≥ 1 cm and < 1 cm groups, respectively (P = 0.01). A distal resection margin of < 1 cm might influence local recurrence rates in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing preoperative chemoradiotherapy, especially in patients with tumor stages ypT2–4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We analyzed the safety and feasibility of preoperative short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) followed by consolidation chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Methods: From April 2018 to May 2019, 19 patients with LARC were treated with SCRT followed by three cycles of consolidation chemotherapy with leucovorin, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX6) before surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy relied on oxaliplatin. Tumor response, patient compliance, and toxicities were analyzed. Results: The median age was 60 years (range 44–71), and 16 of the patients were male. The median tumor height was 5 cm (range 0–9) from anal verge. All patients received a total dose of 25 Gy in five fractions. The number of cycles of FOLFOX6 before surgery was three in 17, four in one, five in one. Five patients required dose reductions in consolidation chemotherapy. The median interval between initiation of SCRT and surgery was 10.6 weeks (range 8.6–16.4). A pathologic complete response was seen in two patients (11%). Grade III toxicities to the preoperative treatment were seen in five patients (26%): diarrhea in two, a decreased white blood cell count in one, and anemia in two. Postoperative complications arising within 30 days developed in five patients (26%). During the median follow-up period of 20.4 months, there was no tumor recurrence. Conclusion: Preoperative SCRT followed by oxaliplatin-based consolidation chemotherapy showed acceptable toxicity and feasibility in patients with LARC. Prospective randomized trials are warranted to verify the efficacy and safety of this treatment strategy compared with conventional long-course concurrent chemoradiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The lateral pelvic sidewall is a major site of local recurrence after radical resection of rectal cancer. Salvage lateral pelvic node dissection (LPND) may be the only way to eliminate recurrent lateral pelvic nodes (LPNs). This study aimed to describe the technical details of robotic and laparoscopic salvage LPND and assess the short-term clinical and oncological outcomes in patients with recurrent LPNs who underwent salvage LPND by a minimally invasive approach for curative intent. Methods: Between September 2010 and 2019, 36 patients who underwent salvage surgery for LPN recurrence were retrospectively analyzed from a prospectively maintained database. Patients' characteristics, index operation, MRI findings, and perioperative and pathological outcomes were analyzed. Results: Eleven and 14 patients underwent robotic and laparoscopic salvage LPND, respectively. Eight patients (32.0%) underwent a combined salvage operation for resectable extra-pelvic sidewall metastases. There were four cases of open-conversion during the laparoscopic approach due to uncontrolled bleeding of iliac vessels. In these patients, metastatic LPNs were suspected of iliac vessel invasion and were found to be larger in size (median 15 mm; range 12–20) than that in patients who underwent successful LPND using the minimally invasive approach (median 10 mm; range 5–20). The median number of metastatic LPNs and harvested LPNs was 1 (range 0–3) and 6 (range 1–16), respectively. Six patients (24.0%) experienced postoperative complications including lymphoceles and voiding difficulties. During the follow-up (median 44.6 months; range 24.0–87.7), eight patients developed recurrences, mainly the lung and para-aortic lymph nodes, and one patient developed pelvic sidewall recurrence after laparoscopic salvage LPND. The 3-year disease-free survival and overall survival after salvage LPND were 66.4% and 79.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Robotic and laparoscopic salvage LPND for recurrent LPNs are safe and feasible with favorable short-term surgical outcomes. However, the surgical approach should be carefully chosen in patients with large-sized and invasive recurrent LPNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]