Ophthalmic Artery Chemosurgery for Less Advanced Intraocular Retinoblastoma: Five Year Review

BACKGROUND: Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC) for retinoblastoma was introduced by us 5 years ago for advanced intraocular retinoblastoma. Because the success was higher than with existing alternatives and systemic side effects limited we have now treated less advanced intraocular retinoblastoma (Reese-Ellsworth (RE) I-III and International Classification Retinoblastoma (ICRB) B and C). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Retrospective review of 5 year experience in eyes with Reese Ellsworth (Table 1) I (7 eyes), II (6 eyes) or III (6 eyes) and/or International Classification (Table 2) B (19 eyes) and C (11 eyes) treated with OAC (melphalan with or without topotecan) introduced directly into the ophthalmic artery. Patient survival was 100%. Ocular event-free survival was 100% for Reese-Ellsworth Groups I, II and III (and 96% for ICRB B and C) at a median of 16 months follow-up. One ICRB Group C (Reese-Ellsworth Vb) eye could not be treated on the second attempt for technical reasons and was therefore enucleated. No patient required a port and only one patient required transfusion of blood products. The electroretinogram (ERG) was unchanged or improved in 14/19 eyes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery for retinoblastoma that was Reese-Ellsworth I, II and III (or International Classification B or C) was associated with high success (100% of treatable eyes were retained) and limited toxicity with results that equal or exceed conventional therapy with less toxicity

MODELING OF A TiO2-COATED QUARTZ -WOOL PACKED-BED PHOTOCATALYTIC REACTOR

A fixed-bed, photocatalytic laboratory reactor aimed to degrade pollutants from water streams was designed and built. Quartz wool coated with a thin film of TiO2 was employed as the reactor filling. The photocatalyst was placed in the reactor forming a loose packing to guarantee the intimate contact among reactants, photons, and the photocatalytic surface. This reactor was employed to study the photocatalytic decomposition of a model pollutant (formic acid). A reactor-radiation-reaction model was developed, which was comprised of the reactor mass balance, radiation model, and kinetic model for the degradation of formic acid. The local superficial rate of photon absorption, which was necessary to evaluate the kinetic, was obtained from the results of a radiation model. The Monte Carlo approach was employed to solve the radiation model, where the interaction between photons and the TiO2-coated fibers of the packing was considered. The kinetic model was derived from a plausible kinetic scheme. Experimental results obtained in the packed-bed reactor, operating in a differential mode and without mass transfer limitations, were used to estimate the parameters of the kinetic model. A satisfactory agreement was observed between model simulations with the derived parameters and experimental results, with a root mean square error less than 8.3%. The developed methodology can be used for scaling up purposes

Evaluating Mechanical Properties of Macro-Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Various Types and Contents

Concrete, as one of the most widely used construction materials, has a brittle behavior. Adding fibers with different types and contents would affect the ductility behavior and mechanical properties of concrete. Hence, an experimental study was conducted to investigate effects of type and content of polymer fibers on mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete such as flexural strength, compressive strength, indirect tensile strength, and elastic modulus. In the present research, the concrete samples were made and, then, evaluated, using three different types of polymer fibers, including twisted, barchip, and fibrillated, with the contents of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 volume percentages, respectively. The results showed that by adding fibers to the concrete samples, the flexural and tensile strength was increased by 19.6–81.69% and 0.84–34.29%, respectively; besides, the addition of the fibers to concrete reduced the compressive strength and elasticity modulus by 4.57–26.32% and 12.48–37.08%, respectively. The concrete containing twisted and barchip fibers, despite the different types of fibers, had similar flexural performance.Бетон как один из наиболее широко используемых строительных материалов характеризуется хрупкими свойствами. Добавление в бетон волокон различного типа и содержимого влияет на податливость и механические характеристики бетона. Проведено экспериментальное исследование для оценки влияния типа и содержимого полимерных волокон на механические свойства армированного волокнами бетона (прочность при изгибе, прочность при сжатии, косвенный предел прочности при растяжении, модуль упругости). Образцы из бетона были выполнены с применением трех различных типов полимерного волокна (скрученное, щепкообразные прутки, фибриллированное) с содержанием 0.2, 0.4 и 0.6 об.% соответственно. Установлено, что, добавление волокна в образцы из бетона повышает пределы прочности на изгиб и растяжение на 19.6–81.69% и 0.84–34.29% соответственно и понижает предел прочности при сжатии и модуль упругости на 4.57–26.32% и 12.48–37.08% соответственно. Бетон, содержащий скрученные волокна и волокна в виде щепкообразных прутков, несмотря на различные типы волокон, имеет одинаковые изгибные характеристики.Бетон як один із будівельних матеріалів, що найбільш широко використовується, має крихкі властивості. Добавляння в бетон різного типу і вмісту волокон впливає на його піддатливість і механічні характеристики. Експериментально досліджено вплив типу і вмісту полімерних волокон на механічні характеристики армованого волокнами бетону (міцність при згині і при стиску, умовна границя міцності при розтязі, модуль пружності). Зразки з бетону виготовляли з добавлянням трьох типів полімерного волокна (скручене 0,2 об.%, тріскоподібні прутики 0,4 об.%, фібрильоване 0,6 об.%). Установлено, що добавляння волокна в зразки з бетону підвищує границі міцності при згині і розтязі на 19,6...81,69% та 0,84...34,29% відповідно і знижує границю міцності при стиску і модуль пружності на 4,57...26,32% і 12,48...37,08% відповідно. Назважаючи на різні типи волокон (скручене, тріскоподібні прутики), бетон має однакові характеристики при згині