Copper slag and stainless steel slag of Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) are two typical metallurgical solid wastes, which contain a large number of valuables, such as Fe, Cr, and Cu. The transition metal ...elements in the waste slags, such as Cr and Fe, can be recycled as the coloring ions in the black ceramic tile. In this study, the Fe/Cr molar ratio in the raw materials of copper slag and stainless steel slag was adjusted, and the black ceramic tile was subsequently prepared by sintering. The results show that the optimum process parameters for the preparation of black ceramic tiles are the Fe/Cr molar ratio of 2.0, the sintering temperature of 1150 °C, and the sintering time of 30 min. The compressive strength of the black ceramic tile at optimum sintering conditions exceeds the minimum compressive strength of the Chinese national standard for standard polished tiles, and the concentrations of harmful elements, for example, Cr, Cu, Ni, As, Zn, Pb, and Cr(VI) are within the regulation thresholds specified by the Chinese national standard.
Abstract Background Solitary Punctate Chorioretinitis (SPC) is a recently identified form of punctate inner choroidopathy (PIC) characterized by a single lesion in the fovea of the macula. Previous ...studies with a maximum follow-up of 48 months were insufficient. Our review uncovered a case sustained for 91 months. Case presentation A 28-year-old young woman experienced with sudden visual loss in her right eye. Comprehensive examinations, including assessment of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp biomicroscopy, noncontact tonometry, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), fundus autofluorescence (FAF), optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), perimetry, and microperimetry, were conducted. Over 91 months, the lesion slightly enlarged, remained yellow-white and punctate, and stayed in the central macula of the posterior pole. OCT images depicted subsidence in the inner nuclear layer (INL), the outer plexiform layer (OPL), photoreceptor layer, and disruption of the external limiting membrane (ELM), ellipsoid zone, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/Bruch’s membrane complex. Retinal herniation, focal choroidal excavation (FCE), and abnormal vessels in the choriocapillaris were noted. At the slab of the choriocapillaris, OCTA demonstrated that the lesion resembled a linear vascular structure, distinct from the structure of normal choriocapillaris. This confirmed the lesion as an abnormal vascular formation. FAF revealed a punctate hypo-autofluorescence lesion and abnormal hyper-autofluorescence near the optic disc and macula. FFA demonstrated a punctate hyper-fluorescent lesion inferotemporal to the fovea. The vascular structure remained stable without fluid exudation on OCT images, hence anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment was not administered. Visual acuity improved from counting fingers to 0.07 in 52 days, reached 0.6 after 15 months, remained at 0.6 from 56 to 80 months, and returned to 0.8 after 91 months, although accompanied by local scotomas. The lesion pattern slightly enlarged without scarring. Conclusions Throughout long-term follow-up, we had long suspected the presence of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and found the FCE in the last visit. Eventually, we concluded that SPC could potentially constitute a distinct subtype of PIC. The patient received no treatment, and vision recovered to 0.8. If CNV is suspected in SPC, anti-VEGF treatment may not be necessary without activity on OCT, but close monitoring is essential.
At present, the wind and snow loads are calculated independently when determining the design specifications for building structures. Yet, when snow drifting occurs, the basic wind and snow pressures ...exist almost simultaneously. Therefore, building specifications based on the independent calculations of the wind and snow loads cannot be used effectively in areas that are severely impacted by snow drifting. Some parts of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China have suffered particularly severe snow drifting natural disasters. In this paper, we offer an analysis of the statistical characteristics of the spatial distribution of wind and snow in this region. In particular, we extract the values of the combined distribution of the wind and snowfall in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China by using parameters such as snowfall intensity, snowfall amount, wind speed, and wind direction as indicators that show the snow drifting disasters. This study found that, after heavy snowfall events, the accumulative wind scale is high and the accumulative snowfall is large in the Altay, the Bortala Mongol Autonomous, and the Tacheng Prefectures of northern Xinjiang, and the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture of western Xinjiang. It has an important practical significance for the design of building structures and the treatment of snow drifting disasters.
Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive ingredient extracted from the hemp plant, has shown therapeutic effects in a variety of diseases, including anxiety, nervous system disorders, inflammation, and ...tumors. CBD can exert its antitumor effect by regulating the cell cycle, inducing tumor cell apoptosis and autophagy, and inhibiting tumor cell invasion, migration, and angiogenesis. This article reviews the proposed antitumor mechanisms of CBD, aiming to provide references for the clinical treatment of tumor diseases and the rational use of CBD.
Lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) staging is mainly assessed by systems that solely depend on physical examinations and lack quantitative assessment based on modern imaging.
To explore the value of ...MRI-based asymmetric volume measurements in the clinical staging of primary LEL.
92 patients with unilateral primary LEL underwent MRI examinations to determine the volume of the mid-calf (Vcl) calculated using the clinical dermatome method as well as the total volume (Vmri), musculoskeletal volume (VM), and subcutaneous volume (VS) volume of the middle calves. The difference between Vmri (DVmri) and VS (DVS) of the affected and unaffected calves was obtained and defined as the asymmetric volume difference. Meanwhile, the volume of the mid-calf (Vcl) and the difference in volume (DVcl) were calculated using the clinical circumferential method. The relationship between the asymmetric volume difference and clinical staging was then evaluated. Interobserver consistency was assessed through the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Volume comparisons between the three groups were performed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal-Wallis test. Spearman's correlation was used to assess volume and clinical stage correlation. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the value of asymmetric volume difference for clinical staging.
The asymmetric volume difference was statistically significant in stage I compared to stages II and III (p < 0.05). The asymmetric volume difference (DVmri: r = 0.753; DVS: r = 0.759) correlated more with the clinical stage than the affected Vcl (r = 0.581), Vmri (r = 0.628), VS (r = 0.743), and DVcl (r = 0.718). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for identifying the clinical stage by the asymmetric volume difference was greater than that for the affected Vcl, Vmri, VS, and DVcl, with DVS (AUC = 0.951) having the largest area under the curve to distinguish between stages I and II.
MRI-based asymmetric volume difference is an adjunctive measure for LEL clinical staging with good reproducibility. DVS could be the best indicator for differentiating between stages I and II of primary LEL.
Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) play important roles in the biological processes of immune regulation, the inflammatory response, and apoptosis. TRAF4 belongs to the TRAF ...family and plays a major role in many biological processes. Compared with other TRAF proteins, the functions of TRAF4 in teleosts have been largely unknown. In the present study, the TRAF4 homologue (EcTRAF4) of the orange-spotted grouper was characterized. EcTRAF4 consisted of 1413 bp encoding a 471-amino-acid protein, and the predicted molecular mass was 54.27 kDa. EcTRAF4 shares 99.79% of its identity with TRAF4 of the giant grouper (E. lanceolatus). EcTRAF4 transcripts were ubiquitously and differentially expressed in all the examined tissues. EcTRAF4 expression in GS cells was significantly upregulated after stimulation with red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV). EcTRAF4 protein was distributed in the cytoplasm of GS cells. Overexpressed EcTRAF4 promoted RGNNV replication during viral infection in vitro. Yeast two-hybrid and coimmunoprecipitation assays showed that EcTRAF4 interacted with the coat protein (CP) of RGNNV. EcTRAF4 inhibited the activation of IFN3, IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Overexpressed EcTRAF4 also reduced the expression of interferon (IFN)-related molecules and pro-inflammatory factors. Together, these results demonstrate that EcTRAF4 plays crucial roles in RGNNV infection.
Chromium slag is a solid waste of chromium salt production, which contains highly toxic Cr(VI) and significant amounts of valuable metals, such as Fe and Cr. Recycling chromium slag as a raw ...sintering material in sintering–ironmaking processes can simultaneously reduce toxic Cr(VI) and recover valuable metals. A micro-sintering experiment, compressive strength test, microhardness test, and first-principles calculation are performed to investigate the influence of Cr2O3 on the sintering microstructure and mechanical properties of the silico-ferrite of calcium and aluminum (SFCA) in order to understand the basis of the sintering process with chromium slag addition. The results show that the microstructure of SFCA changes from blocky to interwoven, with further increasing Cr2O3 content from 0 wt% to 3 wt%, and transforms to blocky with Cr2O3 content increasing to 5 wt%. Cr2O3 reacts with Fe2O3 to form (Fe1−xCrx)2O3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), which participates in forming SFCA. With the increase in Cr doping concentrations, the hardness of SFCA first decreases and then increases, and the toughness increases. When Cr2O3 content increases from 0 wt% to 3 wt%, the SFCA microhardness decreases and the compressive strength of the sintered sample increases. Further increasing Cr2O3 contents to 5 wt%, the SFCA microhardness increases, and the compressive strength of sintered sample decreases.
Steel scrap melting kinetics is a key factor that affects the scrap ratio and temperature trajectory of Basic Oxygen Furnace steelmaking process and the productivity and energy utilization of ...Electric Arc Furnace steelmaking process. In this paper, the interface between steel scrap and melt is analyzed and a novel theoretical model of steel scrap melting in iron-carbon bath is established. Moreover, the effects of bath temperature, bath carbon content, preheating temperature and characteristic length of steel scrap on the melting rate of steel scrap, mass transfer coefficient of carbon, heat transfer coefficient and interface carbon concentration were investigated. The results show that the ultimate steady melting rate increases from −2.04 × 10−4 to −3.32 × 10−3 m/s with the increases of bath temperature from 1793 K to 1873 K, the ultimate steady heat and mass transfer coefficient first increase and subsequently decrease, are in the range of 1.04 × 105 to 2.86 × 105 W/m2/K and 0 to 2.89 × 10−4 m/s, respectively. As the bath carbon content increase from 1.0 wt% to 4.0 wt%, the ultimate steady melting rate increases from −8.85 × 10−5 to −3.23 × 10−4 m/s, the ultimate steady heat transfer coefficient first increases and subsequently decreases, is in the range of 7.59 × 104 to 1.01 × 105 W/m2/K. Furthermore, the ultimate steady mass transfer coefficient and the ultimate steady interface carbon content gradually decreases from 1.40 × 10−4 to 5.21 × 10−5 m/s and from 0.73 to 0.69 wt%, respectively. With the increase of preheating temperature and characteristic length of steel scrap, the ultimate steady melting rate, heat transfer coefficient between steel scrap and melt, mass transfer coefficient and interface carbon concentration remain almost constant, about −8.85 × 10−5 m/s, 8.40 × 104 W/m2/K, 1.40 × 10−4 m/s and 0.70 wt%, respectively.
Inflammatory orofacial pain, in which substance P (SP) plays an important role, is closely related to the cross-talk between trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons and satellite glial cells (SGCs). SGC ...activation is emerging as the key mechanism underlying inflammatory pain through different signalling mechanisms, including glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) activation, phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathways, and cytokine upregulation. However, in the TG, the mechanism underlying SP-mediated orofacial pain generated by SGCs is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated whether SP is involved in inflammatory orofacial pain by upregulating interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α from SGCs, and we explored whether MAPK signalling pathways mediate the pain process. In the present study, complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) was injected into the whisker pad of rats to induce an inflammatory model in vivo. SP was administered to SGC cultures in vitro to confirm the effect of SP. Facial expression analysis showed that pre-injection of L703,606 (an NK-1 receptor antagonist), U0126 (an inhibitor of MAPK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase ERK kinase MEK 1/2), and SB203580 (an inhibitor of P38) into the TG to induce targeted prevention of the activation of the NK-1 receptor and the phosphorylation of MAPKs significantly suppressed CFA-induced inflammatory allodynia. In addition, SP promoted SGC activation, which was proven by increased GFAP, p-MAPKs, IL-1β and TNF-α in SGCs under inflammatory conditions. Moreover, the increase in IL-1β and TNF-α was suppressed by L703, 606, U0126 and SB203580 in vivo and in vitro. These present findings suggested that SP, released from TG neurons, activated SGCs through the ERK1/2 and P38 pathways and promoted the production of IL-1β and TNF-α from SGCs, contributing to inflammatory orofacial pain associated with peripheral sensitization.
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