Alkali Elution Behavior of Steelmaking Slag Packed in an Open Channel Vessel in Seawater

The alkali elution behavior of steelmaking slag in seawater was kinetically investigated and simulated under continuous flow in an open channel vessel with packed bed of steelmaking slag. Two types of steelmaking slags, viz. decarburization slag and dephosphorization slag, were used in this study. The alkali elution rate of decarburization slag was larger than that of dephosphorization slag due to larger free CaO content. The pH value for dephosphorization slag was almost the same as the seawater pH value in 3–4 days, whereas that for decarburization slag was stabilized in 3 days although the pH value was slightly larger than that of seawater. The capacity coefficients of alkali elution for dephosphorization and decarburization slags decreased together in an exponential manner with time. Based on a regression equation on the mass transfer capacity coefficient change with time, the alkali elution behavior was simulated and the calculated results agreed well with the experimental ones. The temporal pH change was predicted by changing slag surface area and seawater flow rate as a parameter. According to the simulation results for dephosphorization slag, the seawater pH value did not reach a high level in the ocean area

Vertex Corrections on the Anomalous Hall Effect in Spin-polarized Two-dimensional Electron Gases with Rashba Spin-orbit Interaction

We study the effect of disorder on the intrinsic anomalous Hall (AH) conductivity in a spin-polarized two-dimensional electron gas with a Rashba-type spin-orbit interaction. We find that AH conductivity vanishes unless the lifetime is spin-dependent, similar to the spin Hall (SH) conductivity in the non-magnetic system. In addition, we find that the SH conductivity does not vanish in the presence of magnetic scatterers. We show that the SH conductivity can be controlled by changing the amount of the magnetic impurities.Comment: Tex file only, no figure

Expression of Hyaluronidase-4 in a Rat Spinal Cord Hemisection Model

Study DesignExamination of hyaluronidase-4 (Hyal-4) expression in a rat spinal cord hemisection model.PurposeTo determine the status of Hyal-4 expression after hemisection of the spinal cord, and the relationship between its expression and that of chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs).Overview of LiteratureCSPGs are expressed at the site of spinal cord injury and inhibit axon regeneration. Administration of exogenous chrondroitinase ABC (ChABC), derived from bacteria, digested CSPGs and promoted axonal regrowth. Using a rat hemisection model, we have demonstrated peak CSPGs levels at by 3 weeks after injury but then decreased spontaneously. Could there be an endogenous enzyme similar to ChABC in the spinal cord? It has been suggested that Hyal-4 is involved in CSPG degradation.MethodsA rat hemisection model was prepared and spinal cord frozen sections were prepared at 4 days and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks post-cordotomy and stained for CSPGs and Hyal-4 and subjected to Western blotting.ResultsCSPGs appeared at the injury site at 4 days after hemisection, reached a peak after 3 weeks, and then decreased. Hyal-4 was observed around the injury site from 4 days after cordotomy and increased until after 5-6 weeks. Double staining showed Hyal-4 around CSPGs. Western blotting identified a band corresponding to Hyal-4 from 4 days after hemisection.ConclusionsHyal-4 was expressed in a rat hemisection model in areas surrounding CSPGs, and as its peak was delayed compared with that of CSPGs. These results suggest the involvement of Hyal-4 in the digestion of CSPGs

The baseline recurrence risk of patients with intermediate-risk cervical cancer.

Objective:This study aimed to investigate the prognosis of patients with intermediate-risk cervical cancer and to evaluate the necessity of adjuvant therapy.Methods:We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with stage IB-II cervical cancer who underwent type III radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy between 2008 and 2017. In our institution, radical hysterectomy is performed as an open surgery and not as a minimally invasive surgery, and adjuvant therapy is not administered to patients with intermediate-risk cervical cancer. The intermediate-risk group included patients with 2 or more of the following factors: tumor size >4 cm, stromal invasion >1/2, and lymphovascular stromal invasion. Intermediaterisk patients with squamous cell carcinoma were included in the I-SCC group, whereas those with endocervical adenocarcinoma, usual type, or adenosquamous carcinoma were included in the I-Adeno group.Results:There were 34 and 18 patients in the I-SCC and I-Adeno groups, respectively. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival rates in the I-SCC group were 90.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 85.3-95.7%) and 100% (95% CI, 100%), respectively, whereas those in the I-Adeno group were 54.9% (95% CI, 42.0-67.9%) and 76.1% (95% CI, 63.7-88.4%), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that endocervical adenocarcinoma, usual type, or adenosquamous carcinoma, and tumor size >4 cm had worse RFS.Conclusion:The I-SCC group had good prognosis without adjuvant therapy; therefore, adjuvant therapy may be omitted in these patients. In contrast, the I-Adeno group had poor prognosis without adjuvant therapy; therefore, adjuvant therapy should be considered in their treatment

A case-control study for differences among hepatitis B virus infections of genotypes A (subtypes Aa and Ae) and D

There are two subtypes of hepatitis B virus genotype A (HBV/A) and they are provisionally designated Aa (a standing for Africa/Asia) and Ae (e for Europe). In a case-control study, 78 HBV/Aa, 78HBV/Ae, and 78HBV/D carriers from several countries were compared. The prevalence of HBe antigen (HBeAg) in serum was significantly lower in carriers of HBV/Aa than in carriers of HBV/Ae (31% vs. 49%; P = .033), with a difference more obvious in the carriers aged 30 years or younger (34% vs. 67%; P = .029). HBV DNA levels in the carriers of HBV/Aa (median, 3.46 log copies/mL; 95% CI, 2.93-3.95) were significantly lower than those of carriers of HBV/Ae (6.09 log copies/mL; 95% CI, 4.24-7.64) or of carriers of HBV/D (5.48 log copies/mL; 95% CI, 4.06-7.02), regardless of the HBeAg status (P < .001). The most specific and frequent substitutions in 54 HBV/Aa isolates were double substitutions for T1809 (100%) and T1812 (96%) immediately upstream of the precore initiation codon, which would interfere with the translation of HBeAg in HBV/Aa infections. They were not detected in 57 HBV/Ae or 61 HBV/D isolates examined. The double mutation in the core promoter (T1762/A1764) was more frequent in both HBV/Aa (50%) and HBV/Ae (44%) than in HBV/D isolates (25%; P < .01), whereas the precore mutation (A1896) occurred in HBV/D isolates only (48%; P < .0001). In conclusion, the clearance of HBeAg from serum may occur by different mechanisms in HBV/Aa, HBV/Ae, and HBV/D infections, which may influence clinical manifestations in the Western countries where both genotypes A and D are prevalent

Multiple early gastric cancer with duodenal invasion

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