Scale Model Experiments of Toxic Gas Production from the Combustion of Polymers when Applied with Different Droplet Sizes of Water Mist

This research experimentally investigated the combustion of polymeric materials with water mist application in an enclosure, with an emphasis on the production of toxic gases. Two different diameters, ~100 and ~260 μm, were tested. The experimental conditions were determined based on Froude similarity laws for low drop Reynolds number conditions. Droplets and polymers’ physical and chemical properties influence the burning/extinguishing behavior and toxic-gas evolution. In general, larger droplets can extinguish a fire in a shorter time, and toxic gas concentrations in a test chamber decreased more rapidly. However, the large droplets tended to cause the flame expansion phenomenon for thermoplastics by splashing molten polymer. This flame expansion phenomenon led to a rapid increase in toxic-gas production rate. For a smaller size of water droplets, the formation of a char layer tended to slow down the fire-extinguishing process, which caused continuous CO production

Disseminated Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection in a Patient with Anti-IFN-γ Autoantibodies

We treated a 72-year-old Japanese female with sustained high fever and overall body exhaustion. An infectious liver cyst and right lung pneumonia were suspected causes. Hepatic cystectomy and various antibiotics did not resolve symptoms. Pneumonia exacerbation and ascitic fluid retention, left lumbar spinal osteomyelitis, and peri-gastric lymph node abscess penetrating the stomach were observed. Mycobacterium avium was identified in sputum, ascites, vertebral body abscess puncture specimen, and pus mucus secretion in the stomach. We diagnosed a disseminated nontuberculous mycobacterial infection. She seemed immunocompetent, without signs of AIDS or hematological malignancy. Serum anti-IFN-γ autoantibodies tested positive and were suspected to be involved in the illness onset

Mycophenolate mofetil for immune checkpoint inhibitor‐related hepatotoxicity relapsing during dose reduction of corticosteroid: A report of two cases and literature review

[Background] Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) sometimes cause immune-related liver injury, which can lead to cessation of treatment, hospitalization, and even mortality. Although high-dose corticosteroids are usually effective in treatment of ICI-related liver injury, one fifth of affected patients require additional immunosuppressive therapy. It remains uncertain how best to treat ICI-related liver injury that relapses under corticosteroid therapy after temporary remission. [Case] Here we report two cases of ICI-related liver injury successfully treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). In the first case, a 74-year-old man with stage IIIA lung cancer underwent curative chemoradiotherapy. After the second infusion of durvalumab, grade 3 ICI-related liver injury (mixed pattern) developed. In the second case, a 46-year-old man with stage IVB lung cancer received pembrolizumab-containing chemotherapy. After the first cycle, grade 2 ICI-related hepatitis developed. In the both cases, liver injury improved with high-dose prednisolone but relapsed during tapering of the drug. After liver biopsy was performed to confirm the diagnosis of ICI-related liver injury, MMF (2000 mg/day) was added. MMF was effective for both patients and permitted discontinuation or reduction of prednisolone. [Conclusion] MMF appears to be an appropriate treatment option for ICI-related liver injury that respond to high-dose corticosteroids but relapse during steroid tapering

Distribución espacial y solapamiento de dietas entre la anchoa japonesa Engraulis japonicus y la medusa Aurelia aurita en el Mar Interior de Seto, Japón

Biological and physical surveys were conducted in order to investigate the relationship between environmental conditions and the distribution of ichthyoplankton and jellyfish, and dietary overlap between the ichthyoplankton and jellyfish in the Seto Inland Sea (SIS), Japan. Ichthyoplankton, copepods, and jellyfish were collected during two cruises in July 2005 in the Sea of Hiuchi and in July 2006 in Hiroshima Bay within the SIS. Sea surface temperature (˚C), salinity, bottom-layer dissolved oxygen (mg l-1) and the abundance (no. m-2) of fish eggs and larvae were significantly higher in the Sea of Hiuchi. Japanese anchovy was most dominant (69.3% in number of eggs and 52.3% in number of larvae) among the ichthyoplankton. Mean jellyfish biomass (g m-2) in Hiroshima Bay was significantly higher (50-folds) than that in the Sea of Hiuchi. Moon jellyfish was the most dominant among the jellyfish collected, accounting for 85.6% in wet weight. Surface temperature had a significant effect on fish egg and larval distribution: abundance of fish eggs and larvae increased with increasing temperature. Jellyfish abundance was negatively correlated with the bottom-layer oxygen concentration. Stable isotope analysis indicated dietary overlap between the Japanese anchovy and the moon jellyfish in Hiroshima Bay.Se realizaron campañas físico-biológicas a fin de investigar la relación entre las condiciones ambientales y la distribución del ictioplancton y las medusas, y el solapamiento de sus dietas en el Mar Interior de Seto (SIS), Japón. Durante dos campañas, en julio de 2005 en el mar de Hiuchi y en julio de 2006 en la bahía de Hiroshima (SIS), se recolectaron ictioplancton, copépodos y medusas. La temperatura superficial (°C), la salinidad, el oxígeno disuelto en el fondo (mg l-1) y la abundancia de los huevos y larvas de peces (no. m-2) fueron significativamente mayores en el Mar de Hiuchi. La anchoa japonesa dominó el ictioplancton (69.3% en número de huevos y 52.3% de larvas). La biomasa media de medusas (g m-2) en la bahía de Hiroshima fue significativamente mayor (50 veces) que en el Mar de Hiuchi. La medusa Aurelia aurita fue la dominante entre las medusas recogidas, lo que representó el 85.6% en peso húmedo. La temperatura superficial tuvo un efecto significativo sobre la distribución de huevos y larvas de peces: su abundancia aumentó al aumentar la temperatura. La abundancia de medusas se correlacionó negativamente con la concentración de oxígeno en la capa del fondo. Los análisis de isótopos estables indicaron una superposición en la dieta de la anchoa japonesa y la medusa Aurelia aurita en la bahía de Hiroshima

Gastric Carcinoid with Hypergastrinemia: Report of Three Cases

We report 3 cases of gastric carcinoids with hypergastrinemia. Case 1: A 60-year-old man had a 2 cm carcinoid of the stomach and underwent partial resection. Involvement of the muscularis propria and lymph nodes metastasis were observed microscopically. Follow-up gastroscopy revealed another carcinoid lesion and total gastrectomy was performed. Case 2: A 67-year-old woman with multiple carcinoids of the entire stomach underwent antrectomy. No growth of residual tumors has been detected so far. Case 3: A 61-year-old man had a tumor near the esophagogastric junction and underwent total gastrectomy. Carcinoid component was diffusely intermingled with adenocarcinoma in the tumor and invaded into the subserosa. In all 3 cases, the serum gastrin level was high and atrophic gastritis was microscopically observed. Carcinoid tumor in Case 3 was different from those in Cases 1 and 2 and interestingly, gastric carcinoid with hypergastrinemia showed various types of appearance