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Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) modulates the tumor immune microenvironment of multiple cancer types, including esophageal cancer, which potentially induces both immunogenicity and immunosuppression by upregulating the presentation of tumor-specific antigens and immune checkpoint molecules in tumors, respectively. The prognostic effects of immune modification by CRT in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain controversial because of the lack of detailed immunological analyses using paired clinical specimens before and after CRT. We aimed to clarify the immunological changes in the tumor microenvironment caused by CRT and elucidate the predictive importance of clinical response and prognosis and the rationale for the necessity of subsequent programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor treatment. Methods: In this study, we performed a comprehensive immunological analysis of paired biopsy specimens using multiplex immunohistochemistry before and after CRT in patients with unresectable locally advanced ESCC. Results: CRT significantly increased the intra-tumoral infiltration and PD-1 expression of CD8+ T cells and conventional CD4+ T cells but decreased those of regulatory T cells and the accumulation of tumor-associated macrophages. Multivariate analysis of tumor-infiltrating T-cell phenotypes revealed that the density of PD-1+CD8+ T cells in the tumor after CRT could predict a confirmed complete response and favorable survival. Conclusions: This study showed that CRT improved the immunological characteristics of unresectable locally advanced ESCC and identified the density of PD-1+CD8+ T cells as a predictive factor for prognosis. This finding supports the rationale for the necessity of subsequent PD-1 inhibitor treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolytic synergistic interactions, in which the production of pyrolyzates is enhanced or inhibited, commonly occur during the co-pyrolysis of different polymeric materials, such as plastics and biomass. Although these interactions can increase the yield of desired pyrolysis products under controlled degradation conditions, the desired compounds must be separated from complex pyrolyzates and further purified. To balance these dual effects, this study was aimed at examining pyrolytic synergistic interactions during slow heating co-pyrolysis of biodegradable plastics including polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexaoate) (PHBH) and petroleum-based plastics including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). Comprehensive investigations based on thermogravimetric analysis, pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, and evolved gas analysis-mass spectrometry revealed that PLA and PHBH decompose at lower temperatures (273–378 °C) than HDPE, PP, and PS (386–499 °C), with each polymer undergoing independent decomposition without any pyrolytic interactions. Thus, the independent pyrolysis of biodegradable plastics, such as PLA and PHBH, with common plastics, such as HDPE, PP, and PS, can theoretically be realized through temperature control, enabling the selective recovery of their pyrolyzates in different temperature ranges. Thus, pyrolytic approaches can facilitate the treatment of mixed biodegradable and common plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CLIP1-LTK fusion was recently discovered as a novel oncogenic driver in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK inhibitor, exhibited a dramatic clinical response in a NSCLC patient harboring CLIP1-LTK fusion. However, it is expected that acquired resistance will inevitably develop, particularly by LTK mutations, as observed in NSCLC induced by oncogenic tyrosine kinases treated with corresponding tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In this study, we evaluate eight LTK mutations corresponding to ALK mutations that lead to on-target resistance to lorlatinib. All LTK mutations show resistance to lorlatinib with the L650F mutation being the highest. In vitro and in vivo analyses demonstrate that gilteritinib can overcome the L650F-mediated resistance to lorlatinib. In silico analysis suggests that introduction of the L650F mutation may attenuate lorlatinib-LTK binding. Our study provides preclinical evaluations of potential on-target resistance mutations to lorlatinib, and a novel strategy to overcome the resistance. A novel strategy using gilteritinib can overcome resistance to lorlatinib in non-small cell lung cancer with CLIP1-LTK-L650F mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of technological approaches for the defluorination of waste fluoropolymers and recovery of eliminated F– may contribute to the development of fluorine recycling routes. In this study, we investigated the effects of alkalinity, phase transfer catalyst (PTC) concentration, reaction temperature, and solvent types on the defluorination of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) by alkaline wet processing. The rate of defluorination of PVDF in 4.0 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and 50 mM tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) under aqueous conditions reached 89.2%. In addition, the defluorination reaction proceeded faster in solvents such as diethylene glycol (DEG) and triethylene glycol (TEG) than in water because of the high affinity between PVDF and these diols. To investigate the feasibility of developing a fluorine recycling route, the defluorination of a photovoltaic (PV) backsheet and subsequent CaF2 precipitation from the eliminated F– was examined. A total of 88.3% of F contained in the PV backsheet was recovered as CaF2, which satisfied the quality standards of commercial fluorspar. This study demonstrated that alkaline wet processing is effective for the defluorination of PVDF and that the establishment of a F recycling route along the F supply chain may be feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer cells employ glycolysis for their survival and growth (the "Warburg effect"). Consequently, surrounding cells including immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are exposed to hypoglycemic, hypoxic, and low pH circumstances. Since effector T cells depend on the glycolysis for their survival and functions, the metabolically harsh TME established by cancer cells is unfavorable, resulting in the impairment of effective antitumor immune responses. By contrast, immunosuppressive cells such as regulatory T (Treg) cells can infiltrate, proliferate, survive, and exert immunosuppressive functions in the metabolically harsh TME, indicating the different metabolic dependance between effector T cells and Treg cells. Indeed, some metabolites that are harmful for effector T cells can be utilized by Treg cells; lactic acid, a harmful metabolite for effector T cells, is available for Treg cell proliferation and functions. Deficiency of amino acids such as tryptophan and glutamine in the TME impairs effector T cell activation but increases Treg cell populations. Furthermore, hypoxia upregulates fatty acid oxidation via hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) and promotes Treg cell migration. Adenosine is induced by the ectonucleotidases CD39 and CD73, which are strongly induced by HIF-1α, and reportedly accelerates Treg cell development by upregulating Foxp3 expression in T cells via A2AR-mediated signals. Therefore, this review focuses on the current views of the unique metabolism of Treg cells dictated by cancer cells. In addition, potential cancer combination therapies with immunotherapy and metabolic molecularly targeted reagents that modulate Treg cells in the TME are discussed to develop "immune metabolism-based precision medicine". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the standard therapy for patients with unresectable locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), poor survival has been reported. Although the complete response (CR) rate is strongly correlated with good prognosis, the predictive factors for CR have not been elucidated. Methods: This registry study aimed to identify predictors of CR to definitive CRT in patients with unresectable locally advanced ESCC. "Unresectable" was defined as the primary lesion invading unresectable adjacent structures such as the aorta, vertebral body, and trachea (T4b), or the regional and/or supraclavicular lymph nodes invading unresectable adjacent structures (LNT4b). Results: Overall, 175 patients who started definitive CRT between January 2013 and March 2020 were included. The confirmed CR (cCR) rate was 24% (42/175). The 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of cCR cases vs. non-cCR cases were 59% vs. 2% (log-rank p < 0.001) and 90% vs. 31% (log-rank p < 0.001), with a median follow-up period of 18.5 and 40.5 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis of clinicopathological factors revealed that tumor length ≥ 6 cm [odds ratio (OR) 0.446; 95% CI 0.220–0.905; p = 0.025] was a predictor of cCR. Conclusions: Favorable PFS and OS rates were observed in patients with cCR. Tumor length was a predictive factor for cCR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovering fluorine from end-of-life products is crucial for the sustainable production and consumption of fluorine-containing compounds because fluorspar, an important natural resource for fluorine, is currently at a supply risk. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of chemically recycling a fluorine-containing photovoltaic (PV) backsheet for fluoropolymer recycling. Herein, a PV backsheet consisting of laminated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was treated with different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to hydrolyze the PET layer to water-soluble sodium terephthalate (Na2TP) and to separate pure PVDF layer as a solid material. Optimized alkaline conditions (up to 10 M NaOH at 100 °C for 2 h) were determined, under which 87% of the PET layer could be decomposed without any significant deterioration of the PVDF layer. The hydrolysis kinetics of PET layer in NaOH could be explained by the modified shrinking-core model. Considering that the mass of end-of-life PV panels in Japan is estimated to increase to approximately 280,000 tons per year by 2036, PV backsheets are attractive candidates for fluoropolymer recycling, which can be effectively achieved using chemical recycling approach demonstrated in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, poly-lactic acid (PLA) and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate (PHBH) were pyrolyzed at various temperatures (300, 350, 400, 500, 600, and 700 °C) and heating rates (5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 °C min−1) using a pyrolysis–gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (Py–GC/MS). The results revealed that the main pyrolysis products of PLA were acetaldehyde, lactide (including meso-lactide and d-, l-lactide), and oligomers. Crotonic acid and its oligomers accounted for most of the PHBH pyrolyzates. The pyrolysis temperature significantly correlated with the product distribution, but the heating rate had a small effect on the product distribution. Lactide and crotonic acid were two kinds of high-value chemicals, and their highest yields were obtained at 400 and 600 °C with 29.7 and 72.6 area %, respectively. Secondary reactions could not be neglected at 700 °C, and acetaldehyde and crotonic acid decreased to 65.0 and 69.6 area %, respectively. These results imply that pyrolyzate selectivity can be controlled by temperature management during pyrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regulatory T (Treg) cells suppress effective antitumor immunity in tumor-bearing hosts, thereby becoming promising targets in cancer immunotherapy. Despite the importance of Treg cells in tumor immunity, little is known about their differentiation process and epigenetic profiles in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we showed that Treg cells in the TME of human lung cancers harbored a completely different open chromatin profile compared with CD8+ T cells, conventional CD4+ T cells in the TME, and peripheral Treg cells. The integrative sequencing analyses including ATAC, single-cell RNA, and single-cell ATAC sequencing revealed that BATF, IRF4, NF-κB, and NR4A were important transcription factors for Treg cell differentiation in the TME. In particular, BATF was identified as a key regulator, which leveraged Treg cell differentiation through epigenetically controlling activation-associated gene expression, resulting in the robustness of Treg cells in the TME. The single-cell sequencing approaches also revealed that tissue-resident and tumor-infiltrating Treg cells followed a common pathway for differentiation and activation in a BATF-dependent manner heading toward Treg cells with the most differentiated and activated phenotypes in tissues and tumors. BATF deficiency in Treg cells remarkably inhibited tumor growth, and high BATF expression was associated with poor prognosis in lung cancer, kidney cancer, and melanoma. These findings indicate one of the specific chromatin remodeling and differentiation programs of Treg cells in the TME, which can be applied in the development of Treg cell–targeted therapies. BATF controls tumoral Treg cells: Regulatory T (Treg) cells suppress antitumor immune responses, promoting tumor growth. However, it is unclear what transcription factors control the suppressive nature of Treg cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, Itahashi et al. used ATAC-seq and RNA-seq of PBMC and tumor samples from patients with non–small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) to identify BATF as a key regulator of chromatin accessibility, differentiation, and activation of intratumoral, suppressive Treg cells. This was confirmed in mouse models, where Treg cells lacking BATF were poorly activated, poor at infiltrating tumors, and unable to suppress CD8+ T cells. Tumor growth was also slower in mice with BATF knocked out in Treg cells, and NSCLC patients with low tumoral BATF expression had better prognosis. Thus, BATF regulates the immune suppressive activity of Treg cells in tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different Mg–Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs), OH⋅Mg–Al LDH and CO3⋅Mg–Al LDH, are prepared and utilized for the efficient removal of acidic gases. The former contains OH− anions intercalated between the Mg–Al layers, whereas the latter contains CO32−. The synthesized Mg–Al LDHs were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and tested for their ability to remove three important acidic gases, HCl, NO2, and SO2 via chemical reaction with the intercalated OH− and CO32− anions (for HCl and NO2) and surface adsorption (in case of SO2). Both OH⋅Mg–Al LDH and CO3⋅Mg–Al LDH showed appreciable gas removal abilities with respect to HCl and NO2. However, in case of OH⋅Mg–Al LDH, a higher gas removal efficiency was observed due to the facile reaction between the acidic gases and the intercalated OH− anions between the LDH layers. Briefly, the HCl removal amount was 0.53 mmol for OH⋅Mg–Al LDH and 0.49 mmol for CO3⋅Mg–Al LDH in 90 min. The NO2 removal amount was 0.09 mmol for OH⋅Mg–Al LDH and 0.07 mmol for CO3⋅Mg–Al LDH in 90 min. The SO2 removal amounts by the LDHs were comparable since the gas was adsorbed on the surface of the LDHs. The SO2 removal amount was 0.04 mmol for OH⋅Mg–Al LDH and 0.04 mmol for CO3⋅Mg–Al LDH in 90 min. The XRD results indicated that the LDHs retained their structures after gas removal, despite attenuation of the XRD peak intensities. Thus, two easily synthesized LDHs with efficient acidic gas removal characteristics have been developed via judicious utilization of the reactions that dictate gas removal by LDHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we conducted bench-scale investigations for the recovery of Cu wires, PVC coatings, and plasticizers from long non-uniform cables by wet and dry rod milling, using n-butyl acetate or acetone as swelling solvents at ambient temperatures of 17, 25, and 35 °C. In wet milling, acetone presented a faster separation rate at ≥ 35 °C due to its improved swelling power. However, at 17 and 25 °C, the separation rates of both solvents were comparable. During the dry milling, the acetone-swollen cables tended to de-swell rapidly, whereas cables swollen with n-butyl acetate remained swollen for a longer period, resulting in a greater separation rate. At optimal conditions, both methods fully recovered Cu wires, PVC coatings, and near-quantitative diisononyl phthalate yield. Overall, the results can significantly contribute to the development of future industrial wet or dry milling processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is one of the most aggressive tumour types. Targeted therapies stratified by oncogenic drivers have substantially improved therapeutic outcomes in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC)1. However, such oncogenic drivers are not found in 25–40% of cases of lung adenocarcinoma, the most common histological subtype of NSCLC2. Here we identify a novel fusion transcript of CLIP1 and LTK using whole-transcriptome sequencing in a multi-institutional genome screening platform (LC-SCRUM-Asia, UMIN000036871). The CLIP1–LTK fusion was present in 0.4% of NSCLCs and was mutually exclusive with other known oncogenic drivers. We show that kinase activity of the CLIP1–LTK fusion protein is constitutively activated and has transformation potential. Treatment of Ba/F3 cells expressing CLIP1–LTK with lorlatinib, an ALK inhibitor, inhibited CLIP1–LTK kinase activity, suppressed proliferation and induced apoptosis. One patient with NSCLC harbouring the CLIP1–LTK fusion showed a good clinical response to lorlatinib treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first description of LTK alterations with oncogenic activity in cancers. These results identify the CLIP1–LTK fusion as a target in NSCLC that could be treated with lorlatinib.Whole-transcriptome sequencing of a subset of 75 non-small-cell lung cancer specimens in a multi-institutional genome screening study identified a fusion of the CLIP1 and LTK genes with transformational potential due to constitutive LTK kinase activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PD-1 blockade exerts antitumor effects by reinvigorating tumor antigen–specific CD8+ T cells. Whereas neoantigens arising from gene alterations in cancer cells comprise critical tumor antigens in antitumor immunity, a subset of non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) harboring substantial tumor mutation burden (TMB) lack CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which results in resistance to PD-1 blockade therapy. To overcome this resistance, clarifying the mechanism(s) impairing antitumor immunity in highly mutated NSCLCs is an urgent issue. Here, we showed that activation of the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway contributed to the development of a noninflamed TME in tumors with high TMB. NSCLCs that lacked immune cell infiltration into the TME despite high TMB preferentially up-regulated the WNT/β-catenin pathway. Immunologic assays revealed that those patients harbored neoantigen-specific CD8+ T cells in the peripheral blood but not in the TME, suggesting impaired T cell infiltration into the TME due to the activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling. In our animal models, the accumulation of gene mutations in cancer cells increased CD8+ T cell infiltration into the TME, thus slowing tumor growth. However, further accumulation of gene mutations blunted antitumor immunity by excluding CD8+ T cells from tumors in a WNT/β-catenin signaling-dependent manner. Combined treatment with PD-1 blockade and WNT/β-catenin signaling inhibitors induced better antitumor immunity than either treatment alone. Thus, we propose a mechanism-oriented combination therapy whereby immune checkpoint inhibitors can be combined with drugs that target cell-intrinsic oncogenic signaling pathways involved in tumor immune escape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal treatment of plastic solid wastes has been widely considered as an environmentally friendly process for converting the inherent polymeric units into fuel or chemicals. In the proposed study, the co-pyrolysis of printed circuit boards (PCB) and waste tires (WT) was performed using thermogravimetry (TG) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. PCB and WT were blended in various ratios to investigate synergistic effects on the product characteristics and heteroatom migration. The TG results show that the PCB/WT blends shifted the PCB decomposition peak from 325 to 357 °C but accelerated the WT decomposition at the later stages. The pyrolysis products of PCB consisted of phenolic and brominated compounds, whereas olefins were the predominant products during WT pyrolysis. The addition of WT significantly improved the formation of small phenolics at the expense of bisphenol A, leading to a 40–51% and 24–92% increase in the production of phenol and p-isopropylphenol, respectively. Meanwhile, the production of major compounds from WT pyrolysis, including isoprene and D -limonene, was significantly reduced, indicating that the H-donor sources in WT could be favorable for further decomposing PCB, while improving the phenol production. Furthermore, the co-pyrolysis of PCB and WT resulted in a 26–47% and 50–59% decrease in tetrabromobisphenol A and benzothiazole production, respectively, indicating the excellent removal of toxic compounds. Characterization of the pyrolytic char indicated that co-pyrolysis was beneficial for transforming sulfur compounds into sulfates, whereas the addition of 75% WT was able to capture 12 times the amount of bromine in the char. The results suggest that the co-pyrolysis of PCB and WT can be a potential treatment to increase the production of phenol in oils with a low bromine content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been extensively researched for their anion exchange capabilities and exhibit a layered structure with a host layer of octahedrally coordinated metal cations and a guest layer (interlayer) of anions. In this study, we synthesized a CM-β-CD•Zn–Al LDH by anion exchange method to study the anionization of cyclodextrin (CD) to promote its incorporation into the LDH interlayers and its stability therein. Ni2+ adsorption by the CMCD•Zn–Al LDH by the anion exchange method was compared with the results co-precipitation method. The X-ray diffraction spectra of NO3•Zn–Al LDH and CM-β-CD•Zn–Al LDH synthesized by the anion exchange method exhibit that the product peaks were attributable to Z n 6 A l 2 O H 16 C O 3 4 H 2 O and possessed an LDH structure. Furthermore, all CM-β-CD•Zn–Al LDHs exhibited the presence of some CM-β-CD. The CM-β-CD•Zn–Al LDH was hypothesized to be composed of two types of layers: a CM-β-CD layer in which two molecules of CM-β-CD7-, with cavity axes perpendicular to the LDH host layer, are vertically overlaid, and a NO3-type Zn–Al LDH layer used as a precursor. CM-β-CD•Zn–Al LDH adsorbed Ni2+ in an aqueous solution. To determine whether Ni2+ adsorption by the CM-β-CD•Zn–Al LDH is driven chemically or physically, we fitted the data to the Freundlich and Langmuir adsorption models; the results showed that Ni2+ adsorption by the CM-β-CD•Zn–Al LDH is consistent with the Langmuir equation and could be considered a chemical adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed a one-pot wet ball-milling method for the recovery of highly pure copper wire, poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) coating, and diisononyl phthalate (DINP) plasticizer from waste wire harnesses. n-Butyl acetate, acetone, or ethyl acetate was used as the solvent to simultaneously extract the DINP and separate the Cu and PVC, by swelling the PVC coating and physically impacting the cables with milling balls, achieving the whole process in one pot. The swelling ratios suggested the order of solvent power for PVC as n-butyl acetate > acetone > ethyl acetate at ~ 25 °C after 80-min submersion; while on increasing temperature, this order changed to acetone > n-butyl acetate > ethyl acetate. Due to the temperature rise induced by oblique ball-to-ball and ball-to-reactor collisions during milling, acetone exhibited the best separation efficiency, achieving complete separation of 20-cm-long cables in 40-min wet milling at 25 rpm, with the simultaneous, nearly quantitative recovery of DINP. Of the recovered Cu wires, nearly ~ 90% exceeded 10-cm lengths, which facilitated quantitative recovery in the separation step. Furthermore, 100% of the de-plasticized PVC was recovered, and ~ 85% of the solvent was regenerated by distillation for re-use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the ultimate aim of reducing the volume of radioactive-cesium-contaminated soil generated by the nuclear power plant accident in Fukushima Prefecture in 2011, this study focuses on the desorption of Cs+ ions from minerals that strongly adsorb Cs+, such as clay, using the ion-association reagents sodium tetrakis(4-fluorophenyl)borate hydrate (NaTFPB) and sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) under mild conditions. A-type zeolite was selected as a representative aluminosilicate mineral with a high cesium adsorption capacity. NaTFPB exhibits stronger hydrophobic interactions with Cs+ and improved Cs+ compared to NaTPB; a desorption efficiency of 89.4% was achieved at a 10:1 NaTFPB/cesium molar ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The utilization and storage of surplus waste bagasse in underdeveloped sugar mills is problematic due to limited space within the sugar factories and pollution from bagasse debris, thus, pyrolysis offers a possible solution for the clearance of factory bagasse wastes. In this study, Fijian sugarcane bagasse was subjected to pyrolysis, and the effects of combined acetic acid (CH3COOH) pretreatment and high temperature on the distribution of gaseous products were investigated. Bagasse wastes delivered from Fiji were pretreated with different concentrations of CH3COOH (1, 3, 6, and 9 mol L−1 (M)) to partially hydrolyze cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The pretreatment disrupted the bagasse cell structures and enhanced bagasse pyrolysis. The gas yield from untreated bagasse at 500 °C (117.7 mL g−1) significantly increased (350.4 mL g−1) with the combination of 1 M CH3COOH pretreatment and thermal cracking at 800 °C. This study will aid the recovery of energy or chemical feedstock from surplus Fijian bagasse, which cannot be otherwise used effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study undertook the testing of Cu2+ and Ni2+ adsorption using synthesized oxalic acid-crosslinked chitosan (CTS)-modified montmorillonite (MMT), as well as a kinetic analysis and equilibrium analysis. We believe that our study makes a significant contribution to the literature because we showed that the interlayer distance of untreated MMT was increased from 1.23 to 2.05–2.21 nm, and thus verified the intercalation of CTS into the MMT interlayer. The maximum adsorption of Cu2+, as calculated using the Langmuir equation, was significantly higher for oxalic acid-crosslinked CTS-modified MMT, relative to untreated MMT or the non-crosslinked CTS-modified-MMT. The oxalic acid-crosslinked CTS-modified MMT could also take up more Cu2+ than Ni2+ from a solution containing a mixture of Cu2+-Ni2+. The selective adsorption of oxalic acid-crosslinked CTS-modified-MMT (i.e. Ni2+ < Cu2+) is governed by the selective adsorption of CTS and the oxalic acid. This reveals the effect of the complex formation with CTS and oxalic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective and efficient dehalogenation for automobile shredder residue (ASR) was successfully carried out in an NaOH/ethylene glycol solvent at 190 °C with an up-scale ball mill reactor. The element content and plastic in different fractions of ASR samples were analyzed. 1.2 ± 0.4 wt% Cl and 0.1 ± 0.1 wt% Br were measured in the fine mixture of ASR; consequently, dehalogenation was essential to mitigate the formation of hazardous compounds during thermal treatment. Sufficiently high dechlorination and debromination capacities were obtained by adjusting ball numbers and NaOH content, and the effectiveness of the treatment for throughput scale-up was confirmed. Dehalogenated ASR achieved lower than 0.1 wt% of Cl and negligible Br content, making the product suitable for feedstock recycling to recover metals and petrochemicals. We performed a life cycle assessment on the up-scale dehalogenation process and identified two beneficial impacts in comparison with the landfilling of ASR: reductions in carcinogenic effects and ecotoxicity. To mitigate impacts on climate change and resource depletion, improving dehalogenation efficiency by scaling up the throughput, enhancing the heat insulation system, and including a process for ethylene glycol recycling need to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Cr were removed from municipal solid waste fly ash through chloride volatilization method using poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) as the chlorinating agent. To investigate the effective utilization of PVC, chloride volatilization at 700–900 °C was conducted for 0–120 min under three conditions: elevated heating (~ 40 °C/min), isothermal heating, and isothermal heating with Ca(OH)2 as a HCl trapping agent. PVC was a better chlorinating agent than CaCl2 and removed ~ 100% Pb and Zn and ~ 50% Cu and Mn by isothermal heating at 900 °C for 120 min. Ca(OH)2 reduced Pb removal at 700 °C by ~ 20% and Cu removal at 900 °C by ~ 50%; however, it promoted Zn volatilization by 10–20% at all temperatures. The effects of co-existing elements on the chloride volatilization behaviors of these heavy metals were determined by conducting thermodynamic simulations under equilibrium conditions. The combined experimental and thermodynamic approach suggested that Pb and Zn were mainly volatilized as metal chlorides via reaction with the HCl produced by PVC pyrolysis, whereas Mn was volatilized by both CaCl2 and Na2O. Thus, CaO, CaCO3, MgO, and residual carbon in fly ash could inhibit the chlorination of Pb, Cu, and Cr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) swelling coupled with ball milling was employed for the simultaneous recovery of high-purity Cu and PVC from waste wire harness under ambient conditions. The experimentally determined performances of 15 organic solvents for PVC swelling and phthalate plasticiser extraction were compared with those predicted considering Hansen solubility parameters. As a result, n-butyl acetate and acetone were identified as the two best solvents for adequate PVC swelling without PVC dissolution and almost complete plasticiser extraction within 60 min. The swelling was concluded to contribute to the control of phthalate plasticisers, the use of which in wire harness has recently been limited by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive. Cables swollen with n-butyl acetate or acetone were subjected to dry ball milling for ~ 60 min to completely separate PVC and Cu and achieve the quantitative recovery of these components from 20-cm-long cables. Thus, this work unveils the high potential of recycling the otherwise non-recyclable long and non-uniform waste wire harness cables and is expected to impact the related (e.g., automotive, electrical, and electronics) industries, contributing to the establishment of a more sustainable society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize improved wastewater treatment processes, the study investigated the processing of boron and fluorine and the processing of real landfill leachate using MgO with different specific surface areas. By optimizing the MgO absorbent, the time required for boron and fluorine processing can be reduced dramatically and uniform wastewater quality standards can be achieved. The rate constants for boron and fluorine removal increased with both temperature and specific surface area. In the processing of actual wastewater, which contained many coexisting ions, MgO was successfully applied to the removal of boron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fate of heavy metals in the environment is significantly influenced by their adsorption onto clay minerals. Herein, we investigate the mechanism of MnO4− and Cd2+ removal by nitrate-intercalated Mg–Al-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) in aqueous solution and optimize the corresponding conditions, showing that these adsorbents can effectively remove Zn, Mn, and Cd from mine wastewater and revealing that adsorbent structure is retained after wastewater treatment. The removal of MnO4− ions from aqueous solution is demonstrated to proceed via their exchange for NO3− ions intercalated within LDHs and is well described by the Freundlich adsorption model, following pseudo-second-order kinetics and featuring chemisorption as the rate-determining step. In contrast, Cd2+ is shown to be removed via the formation of Cd5(OH)8(NO3)2·2H2O (at LDH2) and Cd(NO3)2·Cd(OH)2 (at LDH1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolysis is a promising technique for the recovery of useful gas, tar, and solid products from biomass waste. However, the low tar yields obtained from lignocellulosic biomass are a significant drawback. To enhance tar yields, sugarcane bagasse, which is the most abundant agricultural waste in Fiji, was pretreated at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure using various sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4) concentrations. Here, the ether bonds of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin were partially hydrolyzed. The pretreated samples were then pyrolyzed at 500 °C, and it was confirmed that H 2 SO 4 -pretreatment disrupted the bagasse cell structure, with the thermogravimetry and differential thermogravimetry results confirming that decomposition occurred at lower temperatures after pretreatment. In addition, tar yields were significantly enhanced from 5.6 wt% to 13.4 wt% for the untreated and 3 M H 2 SO 4 -pretreated samples respectively. The main components detected in this tar product were levoglucosan, andcellulose-and hemicellulose-derived products, whose proportions were increased following pretreatment. Thus, our work demonstrates that dilute acid pretreatment enhances tar production from sugarcane bagasse due to the production of shorter chain components via the partial hydrolysis of ether bonds. • Hydrolysis of bagasse components occurred by ambient temperature H 2 SO 4 pretreatment. • Moderate H 2 SO 4 concentrations enhanced the pyrolysis tar and gaseous production. • Char formation also increased with increasing H 2 SO 4 concentration. • Levoglucosan production was also enhanced by H 2 SO 4 pretreatment. • Lignin hydrolysis was effective with acid pretreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce sludge volume, Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) was used to remove pollutants from mine wastewater. Mg-Al LDH can remove both cations and anions from mine wastewater via co-precipitation and anion exchange mechanisms, respectively. We herein investigated the difference in removal efficiencies between Mg-Al LDH and Ca(OH)2. Initial As and Fe concentrations of 8.4 and 308.6 mg/L led to final concentrations of <0.001 and 15.4 mg/L, respectively, when 5 g/L LDH with an Mg/Al molar ratio of 2:1 was employed. This suggests that As was removed in the form of , which exchanged with intercalated in the Mg-Al LDH structure, while Fe was removed by the formation of Fe-Al LDH via co-precipitation. In contrast, treatment with 5 g/L Ca(OH)2 gave As and Fe concentrations of 0.1 and <0.01 mg/L, respectively. Thus, under Ca(OH)2 treatment, As is removed by the co-precipitation of arsenate with the formation of ferric oxyhydroxide (FeO(OH)), while Fe is removed by co-precipitation of the formed Fe(OH)3. The sludge volume obtained using Mg-Al LDH was approximately ten times lower than that obtained when using Ca(OH)2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pyrolysis of bisphenol A (BPA), an essential process ingredient used in industry and many everyday life products, helps produce low-industrial-demand chemicals such as isopropenyl- and isopropyl-phenols (IPP and iPrP). In this study, tandem micro-reactor gas chromatography/mass spectrometry combined with an H2 generator (H2-TR-GC/MS) was employed for the first time to investigate the selective recovery of phenol via simultaneous hydrogenation/dealkylation of IPP and iPrP. After investigating the iPrP dealkylation performances of several zeolites, we obtained full iPrP conversion with over 99% phenol selectivity using the Y-zeolite at 350 °C. In contrast, when applied to IPP, the zeolite acid centres caused IPP polymerisation and subsequent IPP-polymer cracking, resulting in many byproducts and reduced phenol selectivity. This challenge was overcome by the addition of 0.3 wt% Ni on the Y-zeolite (0.3Ni/Y), which enabled the hydrogenation of IPP into iPrP and subsequent dealkylation into phenol (full IPP conversion with 92% phenol selectivity). Moreover, the catalyst deactivation and product distribution over repetitive catalytic use were successfully monitored using the H2-TR-GC/MS system. We believe that the findings presented herein could allow the recovery of phenol-rich products from polymeric waste with BPA macro skeleton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Background and objective: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common pulmonary manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc). It is unknown whether radiographic fibrosis score predicts mortality in SSc‐associated ILD (SSc‐ILD). We retrospectively analysed patients with SSc‐ILD to evaluate whether radiographic fibrosis score was a useful predictor of mortality. Methods: We identified SSc‐ILD patients evaluated at Kurashiki Central Hospital (Japan) from 2006 to 2016, and radiographic fibrosis scores based on the extent of reticulation and honeycombing on high‐resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scanning were calculated by manually tracing around each fibrotic area. Independent predictors of overall survival were determined using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: The study included 48 patients, of whom 19 had usual interstitial pneumonia on HRCT. The median follow‐up period was 56.6 months, and over the follow‐up period 15 patients died. The 5‐year survival was 72.4%. In the multivariate analysis, radiographic fibrosis score, age, being male and forced vital capacity were independently associated with an increased risk of death, while HRCT pattern was not. Conclusion: A high radiographic fibrosis score was a poor prognostic factor in SSc‐ILD. More widespread fibrosis was associated with an increased risk of death, independent of HRCT pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pneumococcal pneumonia causes high morbidity and mortality among adults. This study aimed to identify risk factors for bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia, and to construct a prediction model for the development of bacteremia in patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia between April 2007 and August 2015. Logistic regression models were applied to detect risk factors for pneumococcal bacteremia, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to devise a prediction model.Results: Based on the results of sputum cultures, urine antigen tests, and/or blood cultures, 389 patients were diagnosed with pneumococcal pneumonia, 46 of whom had bacteremia. In the multivariate analysis, age < 65 years, serum albumin level < 3.0 g/dL, need for intensive respiratory or vasopressor support (IRVS), and C-reactive protein level > 20 mg/dL were identified as independent risk factors for the development of pneumococcal bacteremia. The bacteremia prediction score based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis had a sensitivity of 0.74 and a specificity of 0.78 in patients with two risk factors. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70-0.85).Conclusions: Age < 65 years, hypoalbuminemia, IRVS, and high C-reactive protein level on admission are independent risk factors for the development of bacteremia in patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia. A prediction model based on these four risk factors could help to identify patients with community-acquired pneumococcal pneumonia at high risk of developing bacteremia; this can be used to guide antibiotic choices.Trial Registration: UMIN-CTR UMIN 000004353 . Registered 7 October 2010. Retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) woven fibers are one of the hardest-to-recycle polymeric materials. Herein we investigate the possibility of recycling both PVC and PET through alkaline hydrolysis of PET. The coated woven fabrics were treated with NaOH, hydrolyzing the PET fibers into water-soluble sodium terephthalate, while the PVC could be removed by filtration. The PET fibers were completely hydrolyzed between 120 and 180 °C in the presence of 1 M NaOH solution, quantitatively yielding terephthalic acid. A minimum PVC dechlorination rate of 1% was simultaneously achieved at 120 °C. Furthermore, no alkaline hydrolysis of the plasticizer contained in the PVC, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, was observed. Thus, the possibility of simultaneously recycling PET and PVC from PVC-coated woven fabrics was demonstrated. Kinetic analyses of PET hydrolysis and PVC dechlorination revealed that the simultaneously occurring reaction processes did not affect the progress of each other. Thus, the absence of interactions between PET, PVC, or their degradation products enables the design of a simplified recycling process without considering the interactions between the materials derived from coated woven fabrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previously reported prognostic tools for patients with resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) include factors found postoperatively, but not preoperatively. However, it would be important to predict patient prognosis before NSCLC resection. To suggest a novel preoperative prognostic tool, we evaluated the relationship of preoperative prognostic factors with the survival of patients with resected NSCLC.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of two independent cohorts of patients with completely resected NSCLC. To develop the prognostic index in one cohort, the overall survival (OS) was evaluated using the Cox proportional hazards model. We assessed the disease-free survival (DFS) and OS of three risk groups defined according to the prognostic index. Then, the prognostic index was validated in the other cohort.Results: Seven independent risk factors for OS were selected: age ≥ 70 years, ever-smokers, vital capacity <80%, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio ≥ 2.1, cytokeratin 19 fragment >normal limit, non-usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern, and UIP pattern. Three risk groups were defined: low-risk (36.9%), intermediate-risk (54.0%), and high-risk (9.1%). In the derivation cohort, the 5-year DFS rate was 77.8%, 58.8%, and 22.6% (P < 0.001), and the 5-year OS rate was 95.2%, 70.4%, and 28.9% (P < 0.001), respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that the prognostic index predicted DFS and OS, independent of pathological stage and tumor histology, in both derivation and validation cohorts.Conclusions: We developed and validated a simple preoperative prognostic index composed of seven variables, which may help clinicians predict prognosis before surgery in patients with NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To identify the prognostic factors for survival in patients with interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) who meet the serological domain of the IPAF criteria.Methods: We retrospectively analysed 99 IPAF patients who met the serological domain and were hospitalised at the Respiratory Medicine Unit of Kurashiki Central Hospital from 1999 to 2015. The high-resolution computed tomography findings were usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP; n = 1), non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP; n = 63), NSIP with organizing pneumonia (OP) overlap (n = 15), and OP (n = 20). One patient who had radiological UIP pattern, and met the serological and clinical domains was excluded. The clinical characteristics, radiological findings, administered therapy, and prognosis of the remaining 98 IPAF patients who met the serological and morphological domains were analysed.Results: The median age of the 98 IPAF patients was 68 years, and 41 (41.8%) of them were men. Twelve (12.2%) of the 98 IPAF patients developed other characteristics and were diagnosed with connective tissue disease (CTD) later during the median follow-up of 4.5 years. Univariate Cox analysis revealed systemic sclerosis (SSc)-specific and SSc-associated antibodies (ANA nucleolar pattern, ANA centromere pattern, anti-ribonucleoprotein and anti-Scl-70) positive IPAF, radiological NSIP pattern, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid lymphocytes >15%, and age as significant prognostic factors for survival. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed radiological NSIP pattern (hazard ratio [HR], 4.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-15.77, p = 0.02) and age (HR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11, p = 0.01) were significantly associated with worse survival.Conclusions: We confirmed that radiological NSIP pattern and age are poor prognostic factors for the survival of IPAF patients. This study suggested that the autoantibodies that are highly specific for certain connective tissue diseases might be less important for the prognosis of IPAF compared with the radiological-pathological patterns. The relatively high proportion of IPAF patients who developed CTD later suggests the importance of careful observation for evolution to CTD in IPAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease (LD) have a heterogeneous prognosis. This study aimed to develop and validate a prognostic scoring model for these patients using independent risk factors for survival.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with MAC-LD from two hospitals (cohort 1, n = 368; cohort 2, n = 118). Cohort 1 was evaluated using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model to identify independent risk factors for overall survival (OS). A prognostic scoring model composed of these factors was developed, and cohort 1 was stratified into three groups according to risk using the log-rank test. Finally, the prognostic scoring model was validated using the data of cohort 2.Results: Seven independent risk factors for OS were selected from cohort 1, including the male sex, age ≥ 70 years, the presence of a malignancy, body mass index <18.5 kg/m2, lymphocyte count <1000 cells/μL, serum albumin levels <3.5 g/dL, and fibrocavitary disease. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the prognostic scoring model were 0.84 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.80 - 0.89] for cohort 1 and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.75 - 0.92) for cohort 2. The 5-year OS rates of patients stratified into low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 97.6, 76.6, and 30.8%, respectively (P < 0.001), in cohort 1, and 97.2, 82.3, and 45.4%, respectively (P < 0.001), in cohort 2.Conclusions: This study is the first to develop and validate a prognostic scoring model for patients with MAC-LD. This model may prove useful in clinical settings and practical in estimating the prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic fibrosing idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (CFIIP) has a potential risk of acute exacerbation (AE). However, the usefulness of cellular analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) has never been evaluated. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the lymphocyte differential count > 15% in BALF on the mortality of patients with AE of CFIIP.Methods: We retrospectively analysed 37 patients with AE of CFIIP who underwent BAL on admission. Patients were divided into two groups: one group consisting of those with a lymphocyte differential count > 15% and the other consisting of those with a lymphocyte differential count ≤ 15%. We compared the 90-day mortality between the two groups as the primary outcome, using the two-tailed log-rank test.Results: The median follow-up duration was 6.9 months. Twenty-four patients had a lymphocyte differential count > 15%. The 90-day mortality was significantly higher in the group with a lymphocyte differential count ≤ 15% than in the group with a lymphocyte differential count > 15% (long rank test, p = 0.003). In the multivariate analysis a lymphocyte differential count > 15% was shown to be an independent favourable prognostic factor for 90-day mortality (HR: 0.125; 95% CI: 0.0247-0.589; p = 0.009).Conclusions: A lymphocyte differential count > 15% in BALF may be associated with favourable outcomes in patients with AE of CFIIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic contamination in groundwater is an environmental problem that affects large populations on the global scale. The anion exchange material, Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (Mg-Al LDH) intercalated with NO , is an effective adsorbent for removing As(V) from aqueous solutions. In this study, we prepared Mg-Al LDH with a high anion exchange capacity by the co-precipitation method, and investigated its adsorption isotherm and reaction kinetics with As(V). The adsorption process is well described by the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacities were determined to be 142.86 and 76.92 mg/g for LDHs synthesized with initial Mg/Al molar ratios of 2 and 4, respectively. The reaction kinetics of As(V) with Mg-Al LDH is demonstrated to be pseudo-second order, which indicates that chemisorption (i.e., anion exchange of HAsO with the intercalated NO ) is the rate determining step. The values of the activation energy also indicate that anion exchange is the predominant adsorption mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling of printed circuit boards (PCBs) is complicated by the presence of flame retardants containing halogen and phosphorus, as the degradation products of these retardants reduce the quality of the produced gases and liquids. Moreover, during thermal treatment, corrosive and toxic compounds are released and the volatilization of undesirable metals incorporated in the PCB matrix is enhanced. To combat this problem, we investigated the effects of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)) on the thermal decomposition of both phenol and epoxy resin paper-laminated PCBs containing tetrabromobisphenol-A. Pyrolysis experiments revealed a maximum removal of 94 % HBr, 98 % brominated phenols, and 98 % phosphorus from the gaseous and liquid pyrolysis products. In addition, Br-induced metal volatilization was inhibited, improving the recovery amount in the solid fraction. Thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry revealed that Ca(OH) enhanced the evolution of phenolic compounds produced from the PCB matrix, mainly below 300 °C, while the fixation of brominated compounds took place primarily above 300 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for 'Enhanced production of phenol and debromination by co-pyrolysis of the non-metallic fraction of printed circuit boards and waste tires' by Chuan Ma et al., Green Chem., 2021, 23, 6392–6404, DOI: 10.1039/D1GC01176F. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Cardiac involvement of myasthenia gravis (MG) accompanies a poor prognosis. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between ECG abnormality and cardiac involvement. Methods. Of 178 patients diagnosed with MG between 2001 and 2013 at our hospital, we retrospectively analyzed consecutive 58 patients who underwent both ECG and echocardiography and without underlying cardiovascular disease. ECG abnormalities were defined by computer-assigned Minnesota-codes. Cardiac damage was defined as either (1) ejection fraction (EF) <55% on echocardiography or (2) elevated E/e′, the ratio of mitral velocity to early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus >8 on echocardiography. Results. Thirty-three patients (56.8%) had ECG abnormality. An elevated E/e′ was observed in patients with ECG abnormality compared to those without ECG abnormality (11.2±3.2, 8.7±2.2, resp., p=0.03). Among patients with ECG abnormality, 14 of 15 patients showed cardiac damage. Among patients without ECG abnormality, 6 of 33 patients showed cardiac damage (p=0.003). Reduced EF was observed in five patients (8.6%) with ECG abnormality and none in patients without ECG abnormality. Conclusions. ECG may aid as the first step for the further examination of cardiac damage in patients with MG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognosis of follicular lymphoma (FL) is significantly associated with host immunity and tumor microenvironment. Lymphopenia has been identified as a negative prognostic factor for FL. The association between monocytosis and progression-free survival (PFS) in FL remains controversial. It is unknown whether the ratio of peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte count to absolute monocyte count (ALC/AMC) at diagnosis is associated with FL prognosis. We studied 99 consecutive patients with FL who were treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy at Kitano Hospital or Kyoto University Hospital between 2000 and 2012. We analyzed individual variables associated with the ALC/AMC ratio before treatment, as well as known prognostic factors of FL, and found that an ALC/AMC ratio of 4.7 was the best cut-off value for PFS. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that a decreased ALC/AMC ratio was associated with inferior PFS ( P = 0.022). Multivariate analysis showed that a decreased ALC/AMC ratio was a significant poor prognostic factor independent of other variables (hazard ratio, 2.714; 95 % confidence interval, 1.060-6.948; P = 0.037). The ALC/AMC ratio before treatment may be a significant prognostic factor predicting PFS of FL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) resin and metal-/metal oxide-containing PET composites were thermally decomposed in the presence of Ca(OH) using a tube reactor. The effects of batch and continuous processing, the presence of Ca(OH), and PET size on benzene production were investigated. A maximum benzene yield and purity of 82.9 % and 78.8 wt%, respectively, were obtained at 700 °C in the presence of Ca(OH) when using small PET particles; further, a continuous feed reactor was favored over a batch reactor. Effective contact between PET and Ca(OH) was important in the PET degradation, which promoted hydrolysis of PET and decarboxylation of terephthalic acid, whereas pyrolysis was suppressed. Furthermore, the results of thermal decomposition of PET-based waste-PET-based X-ray films, magnetic tape, and prepaid cards-indicated that the metal and metal oxides contained in the waste had no significant catalytic effect on PET degradation or on the recovery of benzene-rich oil in the presence of Ca(OH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A selective catalytic reduction process is generally used to treat NOx; however, this approach results in the leakage of ammonia and requires expensive catalysts. In light of these issues, the specific objective of this study was to develop a new treatment method for a NOx gas stream with a Mg−Al oxide slurry. In this study, we examined the ability of a Mg−Al oxide slurry to treat NO and NO2 gas streams. The Mg−Al oxide slurry only partially removed the NO and NO2. The ability of Mg−Al oxide to remove NO is based on the adsorption of NO molecules onto the surface of the Mg−Al oxide rather than the formation of an Mg−Al layered double hydroxide (Mg−Al LDH) intercalated with NO– 2. NO2 removal was greater than NO removal because of the higher solubility of NO2. For NO2 removal, the Mg−Al oxide adsorbed NO– 2 and NO– 3 onto the surface and formed Mg−Al LDH intercalated with NO– 2 and NO– 3. Based on these results, we conclude that the Mg−Al oxide slurry is an effective treatment for NOx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a method for discriminating between a speech shot and a narrated shot to extract genuine speech shots from a broadcast news video. Speech shots in news videos contain a wealth of multimedia information of the speaker, and could thus be considered valuable as archived material. In order to extract speech shots from news videos, there is an approach that uses the position and size of a face region. However, it is difficult to extract them with only such an approach, since news videos contain non-speech shots where the speaker is not the subject that appears in the screen, namely, narrated shots. To solve this problem, we propose a method to discriminate between a speech shot and a narrated shot in two stages. The first stage of the proposed method directly evaluates the inconsistency between a subject and a speaker based on the co-occurrence between lip motion and voice. The second stage of the proposed method evaluates based on the intra- and inter-shot features that focus on the tendency of speech shots. With the combination of both stages, the proposed method accurately discriminates between a speech shot and a narrated shot. In the experiments, the overall accuracy of speech shots extraction by the proposed method was 0.871. Therefore, we confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In patients with non-HIV Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PjP), computed tomography imaging reveals ground grass opacities (GGO). Previous reports show that some patients with non-HIV PjP exhibit GGO with crazy paving. However, there have been no studies on the association between crazy paving GGO and non-HIV PjP clinical outcomes. Here, at the diagnosis of non-HIV PjP, we reviewed high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings that included GGO types and evaluated the prognostic impact of crazy paving GGO on the clinical outcomes of non-HIV PjP immunocompromised patients.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical information including the HRCT findings of patients diagnosed with non-HIV PjP from five institutions between 2006 and 2015. The GGO types included those with or without crazy paving. The associations between clinical factors such as HRCT findings and in-hospital mortality were assessed using the Cox regression model.Results: Sixty-one patients were included in our study. Nineteen patients died at a hospital. All patients exhibited GGO on HRCT imaging at diagnosis of non-HIV PjP. The HRCT findings included crazy paving GGO (29 patients, 47.5%), consolidations (23 patients, 37.7%), bronchiectasis (14 patients, 23.0%), and centrilobular small nodules (30 patients, 49.2%). Cysts were not observed in any patient. Multivariate analysis revealed that crazy paving GGO and low serum albumin levels were independent risk factors for mortality.Conclusions: At the diagnosis of non-HIV PjP, patients with crazy paving GGO on HRCT imaging and low serum albumin levels may have a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling wood/plastic composites in municipal and industrial wastes currently represents a challenge which needs to be overcome. In this work, we considered the concept of independent pyrolysis of wood and plastic in wood/plastic mixtures for enabling a versatile catalytic process design which is capable of producing recoverable final products from both components. In order to reveal the influence of plastic on wood pyrolysis, the pyrolysis of beech wood (BW, wood material) in a polyethylene (PE) melt (polyolefin material) was performed at 350 °C. The combined use of thermogravimetric analysis, product recovery studies, in situ radical characterisations, and microscopic analysis revealed the influence of the PE melt on the BW pyrolysis. More specifically, a physical prevention of the intermolecular condensation and hydrogen abstraction from PE pyrolysates in the liquid/solid phase was observed. These interactions enhanced the production of levoglucosan and methoxyphenols by factors of 1.7 and 1.4, respectively, during the BW pyrolysis in the PE melt. Based on these results, we concluded that the observed synergistic effects could potentially control the yield and quality of useful products, as well as the utilisation of mixed wood/plastic wastes, which cannot be effectively recycled otherwise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE) is a unique disorder that is usually diagnosed on the basis of high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings. It is unclear whether CPFE is an independent prognostic factor in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, we conducted a retrospective analysis to assess the impact of CPFE on the prognosis of patients with completely resected NSCLC. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 365 patients diagnosed with NSCLC who underwent complete resection at the Tazuke Kofukai Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital between January 2007 and December 2012. Patients were classified into four groups according to chest HRCT findings: those with CPFE, those with fibrosis, those with emphysema or those with a normal lung except for the presence of a tumour. We evaluated disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) using the two-tailed log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS The two-tailed log-rank test demonstrated that the four groups had significantly different DFS and OS (P < 0.01). In the multivariate analysis, CPFE was found to be an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS compared with a normal lung [hazard ratio (HR): 2.52; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.24−5.13; P = 0.01 and HR: 4.53; 95% CI: 1.91−10.7; P < 0.01, respectively]. CONCLUSIONS CPFE is a significant, unfavourable prognostic factor for NSCLC patients after curative resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]