Innovative co-treatment technology for effective disposal of electrolytic manganese residue.

Electrolytic manganese residue (EMR) stockpiles contain significant amounts of Mn2+ and NH4+-N which pose a risk of environmental pollution. For EMR safe disposal, an innovative approach is proposed that involves direct sodium silicate-sodium hydroxide (Na2SiO3-NaOH) collaborative technology. This approach utilises Na2SiO3 and NaOH as the solidifying agent and activator, respectively, to treat EMR without hazardous effects. The study also provides insights into the kinetics of Mn2+ leaching under the effect of Na2SiO3-NaOH. Leaching efficiency was determined by varying parameters such as stirring rate, reaction temperature, pH of the initial solution, Na2SiO3 concentration, and reaction time to investigate the efficacy of this method. The study indicates that the co-treatment technology of Na2SiO3-NaOH can achieve maximum solidification efficiencies of 99.7% and 98.2% for Mn2+ and NH4+-N, respectively. The process can successfully solidify Mn2+ by synthesising Mn(OH)2 and MnSiO3 in an alkaline environment under optimal conditions including stirring rate of 450 rpm, initial solution pH of 8, test temperature of 40 °C, test time of 420 min, and Na2SiO3 content of 5%. The findings of this study have confirmed that surface chemistry plays a vital role in regulating the test rate and the proposed equation accurately describes Mn2+ leaching kinetics. Overall, the co-treatment technology involving Na2SiO3-NaOH is a viable solution for EMR resource utilisation without compromising environmental safety. This method has the potential to be implemented for other waste streams with comparable compositions, ultimately promoting the sustainable management of waste.

A Comparative Study on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Cement-Based Materials by Direct Electric Curing and Steam Curing.

Direct electric curing (EC) is a new green curing method for cement-based materials that improves the early mechanical properties via the uniform high temperature produced by Joule heating. To understand the effects of EC and steam curing (SC) on the mechanical properties and microstructure of cement-based materials, the mortar was cured at different temperature-controlled curing regimes (40 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C). Meanwhile, the mechanical properties, hydrates and pore structures of the specimens were investigated. The energy consumption of the curing methods was compared. The results showed that the EC specimens had higher and more stable growth of mechanical strength. The hydration degree and products of EC samples were similar to that of SC samples. However, the pore structure of EC specimens was finer than that of SC specimens at different curing ages. Moreover, the energy consumption of EC was much lower than that of SC. This study provides an important technical support for the EC in the production of energy-saving and high early-strength concrete precast components.

Association of phosphatase and tension homologue deleted on chromosome ten polymorphism rs1903858, but not serum levels with the risk of non-small-cell lung cancer: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between phosphatase and tension homologue deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) gene polymorphisms and non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and further identify whether these polymorphisms influence serum PTEN levels. METHODS: A total of 152 NSCLC patients and 124 healthy controls were included in the study. PTEN gene rs11202586 (T > C) and rs1903858 (A > G) polymorphisms were detected using the multiple single-base extension technique (SNaPshot). The serum PTEN levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. RESULTS: The rs1903858 AG, GG genotypes, and G allele were associated with a higher risk of NSCLC (odds ratio (OR) =2.079, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.087-3.974, P = .027; OR = 1.897, 95%CI = 1.053-3.419, P = .033; OR = 1.505, 95%CI = 1.065-2.126, P = .020). Stratified analysis reveal that the rs1903858 GG genotype and G allele were associated with an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (OR = 3.226, 95%CI = 1.075-9.678, P = .037; OR = 1.873, 95%CI = 1.092-3.212, P = .023). Among smokers, the rs1903858 G allele carriers have an increased risk of NSCLC (OR = 1.916, 95%CI = 1.023-3.589, P = .042), but a decreased risk of NSCLC was found with the AT haplotype. With respect to the serum PTEN levels, no significant difference was noted between NSCLC patients and healthy controls in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicated that the rs1903858 gene polymorphism is associated with increased risk of NSCLC, particularly in SCC and smoker, and the haplotype AT was a protective factor for NSCLC. The serum PTEN levels were not associated with NSCLC.

[Effect of early continuous blood purification on the prognosis of children with septic shock: a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of early continuous blood purification (CBP) on the prognosis of children with septic shock. METHODS: A prospective analysis was performed for the children with septic shock who did not reach the 6-hour initial recovery target and/or had a fluid overload of >10%. According to the treatment time of CBP, they were divided into an early group with 30 children and a conventional group with 28 children. The two groups were compared in terms of the start time of CBP and 28-day mortality rate, as well as the related indexes in the children who were cured. RESULTS: The early group had a significantly earlier start time of CBP than the conventional group (P<0.05). There were 25 children cured in the early group and 22 cured in the conventional group, and there was no significant difference in 28-day mortality rate between the two groups (P>0.05). The children who were cured in the early group had significantly shorter correction time of lactic acid, urine volume, and fluid overload than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). The children who were cured in both groups had significant reductions in the percentages of T-lymphocyte subsets at the beginning (P<0.05); on reexamination on day 7, the percentages of T-lymphocyte subsets were increased and were higher in the early group than in the conventional group (P<0.05). The children who were cured in the early group had significantly shorter duration of CBP treatment, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of stay in the PICU than those in the conventional group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: For children with septic shock who do not reach the 6-hour initial recovery target and/or have a fluid overload of >10%, early CBP treatment can quickly control the disease, shorten the course of disease, and accelerate immune reconstruction.

A Review on Bubble Stability in Fresh Concrete: Mechanisms and Main Factors.

In order to improve the stability of air bubbles in fresh concrete, it is of great significance to have a better understanding of the mechanisms and main influencing factors of bubble stability. In the present review, the formation and collapse process of air bubbles in fresh concrete are essentially detailed; and the advances of major influencing factors of bubble stability are summarized. The results show that the surface tension of air-liquid interface exerts a huge impact on bubble stability by reducing surface free energy and Plateau drainage, as well as increasing the Gibbs surface elasticity. However, surface tension may not be the only determinant of bubble stability. Both the strength of bubble film and the diffusion rate of air through the membrane may also dominate bubble stability. The application of nano-silica is a current trend and plays a key role in ameliorating bubble stability. The foam stability could be increased by 6 times when the mass fraction of nano-particle reached 1.5%.

Effects of Temperature on Fluidity and Early Expansion Characteristics of Cement Asphalt Mortar.

In order to solve the problems of the sudden loss of fluidity and low expansion rate of CAM I (cement asphalt mortar type I) in a construction site with high environmental temperature, this paper studies the effect of temperature on the fluidity, expansion ratio and pH value of CAM I. The mechanism of action was analyzed by IR (infrared spectrometry), SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and other test methods. The results showed that a high temperature accelerates aluminate formation in cement paste. Aluminate adsorbs emulsifiers leading to demulsification of emulsified asphalt, and wrapped on the surface of cement particles, this causes CAM I to lose its fluidity rapidly. The aluminum powder gasification reaction is inhibited, resulting in an abnormal change in the expansion ratio. Based on findings, the application of an appropriate amount of superplasticizers can effectively improve the workability and expansion characteristics of CAM I at a high temperature.

Preparation of Green Low Strength Mixture for Foundation Reinforcement Treatment by Using Fly Ash and Waste Coal Gangue.

Effective foundation reinforcement treatment is essential for modern large and complex infrastructure, while it is significant for developing new green high-performance materials for foundation reinforcement. This study investigates a new green concrete by using high volume fly-ash and coal gangue aggregates, which is expected to apply for foundation treatment of modern infrastructure with high loading-bear ability. In this experiment, 12 mix proportions of fly ash coal gangue mixture (the material name, abbreviated FGM) were designed, and its mechanical properties and durability performance were investigated. The mechanical properties of FGM include compressive strength, dynamic elastic modulus, dynamic shear modulus, Poisson's ratio, and the stress-strain behaviors. The durability performance was evaluated by the parameters of acid resistance, which simulated an acid circumstance. After that, the environmental effects about carbon emission of this material were also investigated. Results show that the FGM with 84.6% wastes utilizing rate is a cost-effective material for foundation reinforcing treatment. Its compressive strength at 28 days and 60 days can reach more than 8 MPa and 10 MPa, respectively. After being immersed in the acid environment for 140 days, the mass loss (%) of the material could be under 3.5%. The greenness shows that the e-CO2 indices of FGM are lower than 20 kg/MPa·m3, and the e-energy indices are at below 150 MJ/MPa·m3. FGM has the advantages of acid resistance, waste recycling, and lower carbon emissions than the previous methods for foundation improvement.

Can we assess the advancements of gallbladder cancer using red blood cell distribution width?

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a rare biliary malignancy. The relationship between red blood cell distribution width (RDW) and cancer prognosis has been confirmed by many studies, however, the relationship between RDW and gallbladder cancer is rarely reported. Therefore, we aimed to assess the correlation between RDW and the advancements of GBC in this study.A retrospective study was performed on 108 GBC patients and 119 age and gender-matched individuals who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2012 to December 2018.The GBC patients had significantly higher RDW(%) levels compared to the healthy controls group (15.7 ±â€Š2.4 vs 13.5 ±â€Š0.6; P = .000). In addition, GBC patients with stage III+IV had higher levels of RDW(%) than stage I+II (16.1 ±â€Š2.5 vs 14.9 ±â€Š2.0, P = .011). Correlation analysis showed that RDW had positive correlations with TNM stage (correlation coefficient = 0.302, P = .002). The cut-off value of RDW was observed to be 14.5% in patients with GBC (area under the curve = 0.757, 95% confidence interval = 0.677-0.838, P = .000). Univariate logistic regression and multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that RDW was an independent risk factor for GBC lymph node metastasis.Our results suggest that elevated levels of RDW are independently associated with GBC patients and may serve as potential markers for the advancements of GBC.

Influence of Nano-SiO2, Nano-CaCO3 and Nano-Al2O3 on Rheological Properties of Cement-Fly Ash Paste.

Rheological curves of cement-fly ash (C-FA) paste incorporating nanomaterials including nano-SiO2 (NS), nano-CaCO3 (NC) and nano-Al2O3 (NA) at different resting times (hydration time of 5 min, 60 min, and 120 min) were tested with a rheometer. The rheological behaviors were described by the Herschel-Bulkley (H-B) model, and the influences of these nanomaterials on rheological properties of C-FA paste were compared. Results show that the types, content of nanomaterials and resting time have great influences on the rheological properties of C-FA paste. Incorporating NS and NA increases yield stress and plastic viscosity, and decreases the rheological index of C-FA paste. When the content of NS and NA were 2 wt%, the rheological index of C-FA paste was less than 1, indicating rheological behavior changes from shear thickening to shear thinning. Meanwhile, with rising resting time, yield stress and plastic viscosity increased significantly, but the rheological index decreased evidently, showing paste takes on shear thinning due to the rise of resting time. However, incorporating 3 wt% NC and the rising of resting time did not change the rheological properties of C-FA paste. These differences are mainly that the specific surface area (SSA) of NS (150 m2/g) and NA (120 m2/g) are much larger than that of NC (40 m2/g). The huge SSA of NS and NA consume lots of free water and these tiny particles accelerate the hydration process during resting time.

The potential value of red blood cell distribution width in patients with invasive hydatidiform mole.

BACKGROUND: Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has attracted increasing attention in cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the changes of RDW in patients with invasive hydatidiform mole and analyze the relationship between RDW and invasive hydatidiform mole. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 102 patients diagnosed as invasive hydatidiform mole in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2009 to March 2018. A total of 120 healthy subjects were used as a control group. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison between the invasive hydatidiform mole and control groups. Comparison of RDW with other blood parameters was performed using Spearman's. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were also determined. RESULTS: The RDW, platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and absolute lymphocyte count were significantly elevated in the invasive hydatidiform mole group compared with control group. The hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, mean red blood cell volume (MCV) and platelet count (PLT) were significantly lower in invasive hydatidiform mole group than control group. Grade III and above invasive hydatidiform mole patients had higher levels of RDW than grade I and II patients. Correlation analysis showed that RDW was negatively correlated with Hb, MCV, NLR, and neutrophil count, but positively correlated with PDW and different stages of invasive hydatidiform mole. The ROC curve showed that the AUC of the RDW was 0.660 (95% CI 0.581-0.740; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study reveals the potential value of RDW in invasive hydatidiform mole.