Characteristics and response cutoff of octreotide suppression test in thyrotrophin (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenomas.

CONTEXT: Somatostatin analogs are recommended for preoperative therapy in thyrotrophin secreting pituitary adenomas (TSHomas). Octreotide suppression test (OST) was designed to differentiate TSHomas with resistance to thyroid hormones, while its ability to test the sensitivity of SSA has not been fully studied. OBJECTIVE: To test the sensitivity of SSA in TSHomas with OST. PATIENTS: We collected 48 pathologically confirmed TSHoma patients with complete 72 h' data of OST into analysis. INTERVENTION: Octreotide suppression test. MAIN OUTCOME: Sensitivity timepoint and cutoff of OST. RESULTS: During the entire OST, the TSH descended maximally 89.07% (73.85%, 96.77%), while the FT3 and FT4 declined slowly [43.40% (37.80%, 54.44%) and 26.59% (19.01%, 33.13%), respectively]. The 24th hour was the timepoint wherein the stability occurs for TSH, and the 48th hour for FT3 and FT4 during OST. In the patients who received both short- and long-acting somatostatin analogs (SSA), the 24-h timepoint was the most predictive timepoint for the percentage of TSH decline (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r = .571, p < .001), while the 72-h timepoint was optimal for predicting the magnitude of TSH decline (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r = .438, p = .005). In the 24th timepoint, a positive correlation was also observed between TSH suppression rate and the percentage decrease and absolute value decrease of FT3 and FT4. Furthermore, in patients treated with long-acting SSA, the 72-h timepoint was optimal for predicting both the percentage (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r = .587, p = .01) and magnitude (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r = .474, p = .047) of TSH decline. The 24th hour was the optimal timepoint with 44.54% (50% of median value of TSH in 72-hOST) decrease of TSH being the observing cutoff. The adverse effect of OST was predominantly occurred in the gastrointestinal system and no severe event occurred during OST. Paradoxical response could occur in OST and it did not influence the effect of SSA as long as sensitivity was confirmed. A high level of hormonal control was achieved in the SSA-sensitive patients. CONCLUSION: OST can be used as an efficient tool to guide the adequate use of SSA.

Changes in vaginal microbiome after focused ultrasound treatment of high-risk human papillomavirus infection-related low-grade cervical lesions.

BACKGROUND: In this study, the changes of vaginal microbiome after focused ultrasound (FU) treatment were evaluated to explore the possible mechanism of FU in the treatment of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection. METHODS: This study was nested in the FU arm of a prospective cohort study. A total of 37 patients diagnosed with HR-HPV infection-related cervical low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in this study from October 2020 to November 2021, and these patients were treated with FU. We used 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA) gene amplicon sequencing to profile the vaginal microbiota composition of patients before and 3 months after FU treatment. RESULTS: After FU treatment, HR-HPV was cleared in 24 patients, with a clearance rate of 75.0% (24/32). Lactobacillus iners was the predominant species among all samples. No significant difference was found in alpha-diversity index before and 3 months after FU treatment (P > 0.05), but the rarefaction curves showed that the vaginal microbial diversity before FU treatment was higher than that after FU treatment. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) showed that Bifidobacterium contributed the most to the difference between the two groups at the genus level, and the abundance after FU treatment was significantly higher than that before treatment (P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: The decrease of vaginal microbial diversity may be related to the clearance of HR-HPV infection, and FU treatment contributed to the decrease of vaginal microbial diversity. Increased Bifidobacterium abundance in the vaginal microbiome may be associated with clearance of HR-HPV infection, and FU treatment may contribute to the increase in Bifidobacterium abundance. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:  This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry on 23/11/2020 (ChiCTR2000040162).

High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Patients With Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 2/3: A Prospective One-Arm Study.

The aim of this study was to ascertain the safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2/3 (CIN 2/3) in patients with fertility requirements. This was a prospective one-arm study. Consecutive CIN 2/3 patients diagnosed with histopathology were screened, enrolled and treated from September 2019 to September 2020 in the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College. All patients were treated with a combination of HIFU and antiviral treatment with REBACIN. The scheduled follow-up visits were 1 week, 1 mo, 3 mo, 6 mo and 12 mo after surgery. The primary outcomes included cure and human papillomavirus clearance rates. We screened 287 consecutive CIN 2/3 patients in our hospital, 29 of whom were enrolled and treated in this study. The cure rate reached 82.8% at 7 mo after treatment and 96.6% within 1 y. The HPV-negative rate reached 72.4% (21/29) around 6 mo after treatment, with mild side effects during and after the procedure. Our study suggests that in CIN 2/3 study participants with fertility requirements, HIFU + REBACIN therapy is a safe and effective therapeutic option with a high cure rate, HPV clearance and few side effects.

Combination of transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery and presurgical somatostatin analogs in thyrotropin (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenomas: Treatment outcome and long-term remission at a single pituitary center.

Background: Thyrotropin (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenomas (TSHomas) account for an extremely rare group of pituitary adenomas. Few studies examined the sensitivity and efficacy of presurgical somatostatin analogs (SSAs) and described the long-term remission under such treatment modality. The aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy of presurgical SSA treatment and long-term remission after surgery. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 65 TSHoma patients who received endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery between 2011 and 2020 in a single pituitary center in China was established. Data were analyzed for sex differences and different types of SSA and ultimately to explore the hormonal cutoff for remission prediction. Results: TSHomas had a predominant female preference in this cohort (43 women vs. 22 men). Baseline FT3 was higher in men [7.543 ± 2.407 vs. 5.58 (4.99, 6.58), p = 0.019], which was consistent with its longer diagnosis time and larger tumor volume. The median medication time for hormonal control was 2. 5 days for short-acting SSA and 4. 0 weeks for long-term SSA. Patients with long-acting SSA had a shrinking maximum tumor diameter at a median of 1.0 (-1.6, 4.925) mm. Only 10 patients (15.38%) were not in complete remission among whom 8 patients were not en-bloc resected and 2 patients had tumor recurrence after 81.6 and 10. 7 months of complete removal. Postsurgical thyroid hormones (within 1 week) of TSH <0.094 µIU/ml were identified as the cutoff for remission using the ROC curve. Conclusions: The combination of endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery and presurgical SSA TSHomas provided a higher long-term remission for TSHomas.

Additional dydrogesterone for the treatment of chronic endometritis treated with antibiotic in premenopausal women with endometrial polyps: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: To assess the efficacy of dysdrogesterone in the treatment of chronic endometritis (CE) treated with antibiotic in premenopausal women with endometrial polyps (EPs). METHODS: Routine detection of endometrium was simultaneously conducted to determine whether there was CE by syndecan-1 (CD138), while women underwent hysteroscopic polypectomy in our hospital. Antibiotic was given for the treatment of CE. A total of 235 premenopausal women with CE who underwent hysteroscopic polypectomy were enrolled in the retrospective observational study. In the control group, single antibiotic was given for the treatment of CE form January 2016 to December 2018, and in the treatment group additional dydrogesterone was used from January 2019 to November 2020. Comparison of cure rates of CE with different treatment regimens was performed. RESULTS: The cure rates of CE in dydrogesterone and antibiotic combination group and the single antibiotic group were 85.2% and 74.3%, respectively, with overall cure rate of 80.0% (188/235). The combination group showed better effects regarding the cure rate of CE (P < .05). Multivariate analysis confirmed that the cure rate of CE was not affected by age, body mass index, number of EPs, the status of estrogen receptor and the status of progesterone receptor. Conversely, dydrogesterone and endometrial scratching were beneficial factors for cure rate increase with antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: Combination of dydrogesterone and antibiotic was more effective for cure rate of CE than antibiotic alone in premenopausal women after hysteroscopic polypectomy. Endometrial scratching also contributed to the cure rate increase with antibiotic treatment.

High-intensity focused ultrasound compared with uterine artery chemoembolization with methotrexate for the management of cesarean scar pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness and safety of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) versus uterine artery chemoembolization with methotrexate for the management of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP). METHODS: A total of 170 women with CSP were enrolled in the retrospective cohort study from April 2016 to September 2020. One hundred women received HIFU followed by suction curettage, and 70 women were treated with uterine artery chemoembolization followed by suction curettage. RESULTS: The median blood loss during suction curettage was 20 ml (range 2-800 ml) in the HIFU group versus 20 ml (range 5-200 ml) in the chemoembolization group (P = 0.837). The mean time for ß-human chorionic gonadotropin normalization was 28.52 ± 10.82 days versus 26.69 ± 8.97 days (P = 0.246), respectively. The mean time of menstruation recovery was 34.36 ± 10.63 days versus 31.93 ± 8.53 days (P = 0.114), respectively. The incidence of adverse effects in the HIFU group was lower than that in the chemoembolization group (P = 0.028). The median hospitalization time in the HIFU group was longer than that in the chemoembolization group (P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: HIFU was as effective and safe as uterine artery chemoembolization in the management of CSP, and the incidence of adverse effects was lower.

Combination of Dydrogesterone and Antibiotic Versus Antibiotic Alone for Chronic Endometritis: a Randomized Controlled Trial Study.

To evaluate the impact of dydrogesterone in the treatment of chronic endometritis with antibiotic treatment in premenopausal women. A total of 188 chronic endometritis patients diagnosed by syndecan-1 (CD138) expression were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial study. Dydrogesterone and doxycycline were given in the treatment group, while single antibiotic was given in the control group. CD138, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor expression in samples of the endometrium was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Comparison of chronic endometritis cure rate between groups was performed based on conversion of CD138 expression from positive to negative. The 188 cases included in the statistical analysis consisted of 93 cases in the treatment group and 95 cases in the control group. The cure rates of chronic endometritis in the dydrogesterone and antibiotic combination group and the single antibiotic group were 86.0% (80/93) and 72.6% (69/95), respectively, with an overall cure rate of 79.3% (149/188). The dydrogesterone and antibiotic combination group showed better effects regarding the cure rate of chronic endometritis (P<.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the cure rate of chronic endometritis was not affected by age, clinical diagnosis, hysteroscopic resection, estrogen receptor status, or progesterone receptor status (all P>.05). Addition of dydrogesterone was effective for the treatment of chronic endometritis with antibiotic treatment in premenopausal women. The study was retrospectively registered to Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000040227) in November 2020.

Clinical and Therapeutic Characteristics of Pituitary TSH-Secreting Adenoma in Adolescent-Onset Patients: Six Case Studies and Literature Review.

Background: Thyrotropin-secreting adenoma (TSH-oma) is a very rare kind of functional pituitary adenoma, especially that which occurs in adolescents. However, its potential clinical and therapeutic characteristics are still unknown. Objectives: The study was aimed to summarize the clinical and therapeutic characteristics of patients with adolescent-onset TSH-oma. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed six (4.1%) adolescent-onset TSH-oma cases from 148 patients who were diagnosed with TSH-oma at our hospital between January 2012 and October 2020. A literature review was performed on the PubMed online database, and 14 adolescent-onset TSH-oma cases were retrieved. Then, the characteristics of clinical manifestations, treatment outcomes, and follow-ups were analyzed and compared to the adult TSH-oma patients. Results: Altogether, 20 adolescent-onset cases were included in this study having mean onset age of 13.4 ± 3.3 years. Males were found to be slightly predominant (M: F = 1.5:1) in our study. The median baseline levels of TSH, FT3, and FT4 in adolescent-onset cases were found to be 6.30 [interquartile range (IQR) 9.82] µIU/ml, 9.18 (IQR 11.61) pg/ml, and 3.22 (IQR 1.90) ng/dl, respectively, which were all significantly higher than the adult patients of our hospital. Also, the adolescent-onset cases showed more large tumor ratio (36.8% vs. 9.3%, p = 0.007) compared to the adult patients. Compared to the patients of all ages in the literature, the biochemical remission rate of SSAs (57.1%) and remission rate of TSS (38.9%) were found to be considerably lower in adolescent-onset patients, while the recurrence rate (44.4%) was found to be considerably higher. Conclusions: Adolescent-onset TSH-oma patients showed higher TSH and thyroid hormone levels, more large tumors, and worse treatment outcomes than adult cases. Hence, early diagnosis, multidisciplinary therapy, and close follow-up should be highlighted to improve the prognosis.

Detection of immunoglobulin indexes by immunoturbidimetry: patients with chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to explore the clinical effect of immunoglobulin test in patients with chronic hepatitis B. METHODS: Fifty patients with chronic hepatitis B, 50 patients with liver failure and 50 patients with cirrhosis were selected from the Third People's Hospital of Baoji as experimental groups, and 50 healthy people as the control group. The immunoglobulin M (IgM), IgG and IgA levels in serum of the patients were tested by immunoturbidimetry before and after targeted treatment. RESULTS: Before treatment, the level of Ig in patients with hepatitis B, liver failure and cirrhosis were significantly higher than those in normal people; the level of Ig in patients with hepatitis B were significantly lower than those in patients with liver failure and cirrhosis, and the level of Ig in patients in different groups increased significantly as the disease developed. After treatment, the level of Ig in patients in different groups decreased significantly; patients in the experimental group who had good treatment result had significant decrease of Ig level, while patients in the experimental group who had aggravated disease condition had significant increase of Ig level. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of serum Ig level in patients with chronic hepatitis B can effectively help determine the condition of patients before and after treatment, so as to formulate appropriate treatment plan.

Aptamer-functionalized chitosan magnetic nanoparticles as a novel adsorbent for selective extraction of ochratoxin A.

The preparation and application of aptamer-functionalized chitosan magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@CTS@Apt nanoparticles) for selective extraction and determination ochratoxin A (OTA) were described in this study. Magnetic nanoparticle was synthesized by the coprecipitation method followed by coating with chitosan to improve its stability and biocompatibility. Further characterization was performed by scan electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and magnetic property measurement, and the results clearly indicated that the obtained magnetic chitosan nanoparticle was composed of magnetic core and chitosan coating layer. Aptamers specific to OTA were coupled onto the magnetic chitosan nanoparticles, and an extraction procedure was developed by optimization. When challenged with food samples fortified with OTA at 5 and 10 µg/kg, recoveries ranging from 91.3% to 99.1% with relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤ 4.2% were achieved by aptamer-functionalized magnetic extraction, which is very close to the results obtained by immunoaffinity chromatography extraction, indicating that this magnetic adsorbent could be hopefully used to achieve a fast and efficient extraction and detection of OTA in food samples.

miR-199a-5p promotes proliferation and metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition through targeting PIAS3 in cervical carcinoma.

Cervical carcinoma is the second most frequent gynecological malignancies in females worldwide. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of miR-199a-5p and protein inhibitor of activated signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (PIAS3) in cervical carcinoma. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was utilized to detect miR-199a-5p and PIAS3 expression in cervical carcinoma tissues and cells. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide Kit, transwell assay were used to explore the biological functions of miR-199a-5p in cervical carcinoma. Western blot analysis was applied to determine the expression level of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins and PIAS3 expression. The relationship between miR-199a-5p and PIAS3 was verified by luciferase activity reporter assay. We found that miR-199a-5p was upregulated in cervical carcinoma tissues and cell lines, and overexpression of miR-199a-5p promoted cell proliferation and metastasis in cervical carcinoma. In addition, Western blot analysis indicated that the enforced upregulation of miR-199a-5p enhanced mesenchymal markers vimentin and N-cadherin expressions, whereas reduced epithelial marker E-cadherin expressions. miR-199a-5p directly targeted PIAS3 and negatively regulated PIAS3 level in cervical carcinoma cells. And upregulation of PIAS3 reversed the effects of miR-199a-5p in cervical carcinoma. Collectively, our data provide evidence for miR-199a-5p function in cervical carcinoma growth, EMT, and metastasis; it may be act as a therapeutic strategy target for patients with cervical carcinoma.

Chitosan microparticle-based immunoaffinity chromatography supports prepared by membrane emulsification technique: Characterization and application.

In this study, chitosan microparticles intended to be used as matrix support for immunoaffinity chromatography were prepared by membrane emulsification technique. Regular spherical chitosan microparticles were obtained with an average diameter of 62.9µm and a size distribution index of 1.9 and showed stable under wide pH range (4.0 to 10.0) and various chemical conditions. Size distribution and chemical stability of the prepared chitosan microparticles were relatively close to those of Sepharose 4B. Polyclonal antibody against zearalenone (ZEN) as a model ligand was coupled onto chitosan microparticles or Sepharose 4B to obtain immunoaffinity columns. Further characterization indicated that chitosan microparticle-based column exhibited a maximum binding capacity of 6.1µg/mL gel, higher than that (3.1µg/mL gel) of Sepharose 4B-based column, and a column-to-column variation of 6.0%, slightly lower than that (8.6%) of Sepharose 4B-based column. When challenged with cornmeal samples fortified with ZEN at 50 and 100ng/g, satisfied recoveries of 92.1-100.2% with relative standard deviation (RSD)≤7.6% and 88.3-107.3% with RSD≤7.6% were both yielded by chitosan microparticle- and Sepharose 4B-based column, respectively, indicating that the obtained chitosan microparticles could be hopefully used as matrix support for immunoaffinity chromatography with reproducible extraction behavior and high extraction efficiency.

Rac GTPase activating protein 1 promotes oncogenic progression of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Rac GTPase activating protein 1 (RacGAP1) can regulate cytokinesis and cell differentiation. The oncogenic role of RacGAP1 has been partially studied in gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer. In the present study, we endeavor to evaluate its expression and functions in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We retrospectively collected the clinicopathological information of 117 patients who underwent curative surgery for EOC. Expression of RacGAP1 protein in primary tumor tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, which was significantly associated with tumor pathological grade, tumor stage, and lymph node metastasis. Patients with lower RacGAP1 level had a longer survival time and lower recurrence risk. Multivariate results identified the independent prognostic role of RacGAP1 for both recurrence and survival in EOC patients. Cellular studies showed that RacGAP1 can positively regulate the activation of RhoA and Erk proteins. In addition, wound healing assay and Transwell assay found that RacGAP1 can up-regulate the migration and invasion process of EOC cells, respectively. In all, our results not only confirmed the prognostic role of RacGAP1 for recurrence and survival in EOC patients, but also highlighted its possible potency for drug development.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan microparticles for immunoaffinity extraction and determination of enrofloxacin.

The use of chitosan microparticles as chromatographic support has received much attention. In this study, the effects of process parameters, namely, chitosan molecular weight, chitosan concentration, molar ratio of amino group to aldehyde group, volume ratio of water to oil phase and stirring speed on the size and size distribution of chitosan microparticles and their application for immunoaffinity extraction were extensively investigated. Size distribution analysis indicated that the average diameter of the microparticles was 124µm with Span value of 1.1. The obtained microparticles exhibited low non-specific adsorption and kept stable in the pH range 4.0-10.0. Immunoaffinity chromatography (IAC) column was prepared by coupling antibody against enrofloxacin (ENR) with chitosan microparticles. Further characterization indicated that the binding capacity of the column was 4392ng ENR/mL gel and the variation of ENR extraction efficiency among columns was less than 5.2%. When challenged with ENR-fortified bovine milk samples, recoveries of ENR by immunoaffinity extraction were found to be in the range of 85.9% to 101.9%, demonstrated the feasibility of the prepared IAC columns for sample clean-up in ENR residue determination.

Combined effects of age and polymorphisms in Notch3 in the pathogenesis of cerebral infarction disease.

Cerebral infarction disease is a severe hypoxic ischemic tissue necrosis in the brain, often leading to long-term functional disability and residual impairments. The Notch signaling pathway plays key roles in proliferation and survival of the stem/progenitor cells of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Notch3 is an important member of the pathway, but the relationships between the genetic abnormalities and cerebral infarction disease still remain unclear. The aim of this work was to evaluate variations in Notch3 gene for their possible associations with the cerebral infarction disease. We sequenced the Notch3 gene for 260 patients with cerebral infarction disease, 300 normal controls with old ages and 300 normal controls with younger ages, and identified the variations. The statistical analyses were conducted using Chi-Square Tests as implemented in SPSS (version 19.0). The Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium test of the population was carried out using the online software OEGE. Six variations, including rs1044116, rs1044009, rs1044006, rs10408676, rs1043996 and rs16980398 within or near the Notch3 gene, were found. The genetic heterozygosity of rs1044116, rs1044009, rs1044006, and rs1043996 was very high, whereas that of rs10408676 and rs16980398 was very low. Statistical analyses showed that rs1044009 and rs1044006 were associated with the risk of cerebral infarction disease in the Chinese Han agedness population. The SNPs rs1044009 and rs1044006 in the Notch3 gene were associated with the risk of cerebral infarction diseases in the Chinese Han agedness population.

New Iridoid Glycosides with Antidepressant Activity Isolated from Cyperus rotundus.

Based on bioactive screening results, two new iridoid glycosides, named rotunduside G (1) and rotunduside H (2), were isolated from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus, together with four known ones, negundoside (3), nishindaside (4), isooleuropein (5) and neonuezhenide (6). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods and from literature values. In mice models of despair, 1 and 2 showed significant antidepressant activity.

Probabilistic design of a near-surface CO2 leak detection system.

A methodology is developed for predicting the performance of near-surface CO(2) leak detection systems at geologic sequestration sites. The methodology integrates site characterization and modeling to predict the statistical properties of natural CO(2) fluxes, the transport of CO(2) from potential subsurface leakage points, and the detection of CO(2) surface fluxes by the monitoring network. The probability of leak detection is computed as the probability that the leakage signal is sufficient to increase the total flux beyond a statistically determined threshold. The methodology is illustrated for a highly idealized site monitored with CO(2) accumulation chamber measurements taken on a uniform grid. The TOUGH2 code is used to predict the spatial profile of surface CO(2) fluxes resulting from different leakage rates and different soil permeabilities. A response surface is fit to the TOUGH2 results to allow interpolation across a continuous range of values of permeability and leakage rate. The spatial distribution of leakage probability is assumed uniform in this application. Nonlinear, nonmonotonic relationships of network performance to soil permeability and network density are evident. In general, dense networks (with ∼10-20 m between monitors) are required to ensure a moderate to high probability of leak detection.

An investigation on the potential of metal recovery from the municipal waste incinerator in Taiwan.

This study aimed to identify distribution of metals and to estimate the amount of these metals that can be potentially recovered from incineration residues. First, the partitioning behavior of Cr, Cu, Fe, Cd, Al, Zn, and Pb in bottom ash and fly ash was investigated in one large municipal waste incinerator in Taiwan. In addition, the material flow analysis (MFA) method was used to estimate the material flux of metals within incinerator plant, and to calculate the amount of metal recovery. According to the findings of this study, six metals (Fe, Al, Cu, Zn, Cr, and Pb) concentrated in bottom ash mostly, while Cd existed primarily in fly ash. The weight percentages of Fe (4.49%), Al (5.24%), Cu (1.29%), Zn (2.21%), and Pb (0.58%) in incinerator ash are high, and even higher than the compositions of natural minerals. Finally, the amount of Cr, Cu, Fe, Cd, Al, Zn and Pb that can be potentially recovered from incineration residues will reach 2.69 x 10(2), 1.46 x 10(4), 4.91 x 10(4), 6.92 x 10(1), 5.10 x 10(4), 1.85 x 10(4) and 4.66 x 10(3) ton/yr, respectively.