Study on Fly Ash Based Porous Ceramsite as Biological Filter Media

Using fly ash as a raw material,porous ceramic particles with an apparent density of 1.21 g/cm^(3),a visible porosity of 51.03%,and a specific surface area of 4.26 m^(2)/g were prepared and used as biofilter materials for wastewater treatment.Through SEM,XRD analysis,and heavy metal leaching analysis,it was found that porous ceramsite were porous materials with rough surfaces.After calcination,the newly formed mineral was silicate calcium feldspar.The heavy metal concentration in the leaching solution of porous ceramsite met the national surface water quality requirements.The treatment of domestic sewage showed that the volumetric loads of COD Cr,NH_(4)^(+)-N,and TN removed by the aerated biofilter were 5.23,0.98,and 0.35 kg/(m^(3)·d),respectively,with removal rates of 85.46%,96.13%,and 32.31%.

Seismic Reduction and Isolation Design Strategies for Bridges in High-Intensity Earthquake Areas

High-intensity earthquakes can cause severe damage to bridges,buildings,and ground surfaces,as well as disrupt human activities.Such earthquakes can create long-distance,high-intensity surface movements that negatively impact bridge structures.This article delves into the seismic reduction and isolation design strategies for bridges in high-intensity earthquake areas.It analyzes various seismic reduction and isolation technologies and provides case studies to help relevant units understand the design strategies of these technologies.The results of this article can be used as a guideline to effectively enhance the seismic performance of bridges in high-intensity earthquake areas.

Analysis of the Risk of Water Breakout in the Bottom Plate of High-Intensity Mining of Extra-Thick Coal Seams

In order to clarify the danger of water breakout in the bottom plate of extra-thick coal seam mining, 2202 working face of a mine in the west is taken as the research object, and it is proposed to use the on-site monitoring means combining borehole peeping and microseismic monitoring, combined with the theoretical analysis to analyze the danger of water breakout in the bottom plate. The results show that: 1) the theoretically calculated maximum damage depth of the bottom plate is 27.5 m, and its layer is located above the Austrian ash aquifer, which has the danger of water breakout;2) the drill hole peeping at the bottom plate of the working face shows that the depth of the bottom plate fissure development reaches 26 m, and the integrity of the water barrier layer has been damaged, so there is the risk of water breakout;3) for the microseismic monitoring of the anomalous area, the bottom plate of the return air downstream channel occurs in the field with a one-week lag, which shows that microseismic monitoring events may reflect the water breakout of the underground. This shows that the microseismic monitoring events can reflect the changes of the underground flow field, which can provide a reference basis for the early warning of water breakout. The research results can provide reference for the prediction of sudden water hazard.

GOAT:a simulation code for high-intensity beams

A simulation code,GOAT,is developed to simulate single-bunch intensity-dependent effects and their interplay in the proton ring of the Electron-Ion Collider in China(EicC)project.GOAT is a scalable and portable macroparticle tracking code written in Python and coded by object-oriented programming technology.It allows for transverse and longitudinal tracking,including impedance,space charge effect,electron cloud effect,and beam-beam interaction.In this paper,physical models and numerical approaches for the four types of high-intensity effects,together with the benchmark results obtained through other simulation codes or theories,are presented and discussed.In addition,a numerical application of the cross-talk simulation between the beam-beam interaction and transverse impedance is shown,and a dipole instability is observed below the respective instability threshold.Different mitigation measures implemented in the code are used to suppress the instability.The flexibility,completeness,and advancement demonstrate that GOAT is a powerful tool for beam dynamics studies in the EicC project or other high-intensity accelerators.

Effects of Different Calcining Temperatures on the Properties of Ceramsite Prepared by High-carbon Gasification Slag

The structure and characteristics of high-performance lightweight aggregates produced by high-carbon gasification slag were investigated by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,thermogravimetry/differential thermogravimetr,differential scanning calorimetry-Fourier transform infrared,and mercury intrusion porosimetry,respectively.The experimental results show that the ceramsite undergoes two weightless stages in the calcining process.With the increase in the calcining temperature,a large number of pores are formed inside the ceramsite,its structure becomes denser,but the calcining temperature band of the ceramsite becomes narrow.The crystalline phase of the ceramsite changes at different calcining temperatures and the mineral phase changes from the earlieralbite,quartz,oligoclase,hematite,etc,to a silica-aluminum-rich glass phase.The 1130℃ is a more suitable calcining temperature,and the cylinder compressive strength of ceramics is 11.59 MPa,the packing density,apparent density,porosity,and water absorption are 939.11 kg/m^(3),1643.75 kg/m^(3),28.11%,and 10.35%,respectively,which can meet the standards for high-strength lightweight aggregates.

Workability and Strength of Ceramsite Self-Compacting Concrete with Steel Slag Sand

This study focuses on the workability and compressive strength of ceramsite self-compacting concrete with fine aggregate partially substituted by steel slag sand(CSLSCC)to prevent the pollution of steel slag in the environment.The SF,J-ring,visual stability index,and sieve analysis tests are primarily employed in this research to investigate the workability of freshly mixed self-compacting concrete containing steel slag at various steel slag sand replacement rates.The experiment results indicate that CSLSCC with the 20%volume percentage of steel slag(VPS)performs better workability,higher strength,and higher specific strength.The 7-day compressive strength of CSLSCC with the 0.4 of the water-binder ratio(W/B),decreases with the increase of steel slag content,while the 28-day compressive strength increases significantly.The ceramsite self-compacting concrete with good comprehensive performance can be obtained when the substitution rate of steel slag sand for fine aggregate is less than 20%(volume percentage).

Biomass Carbon Improves the Adsorption Performance of Gangue-Based Ceramsites:Adsorption Kinetics and Mechanism Analysis

The large accumulation of coal gangue,a common industrial solid waste,causes severe environmental problems,and green development strategies are required to transform this waste into high-value-added products.In this study,low-cost ceramsites adsorbents were prepared from waste gangue,silt coal,and peanut shells and applied to remove the organic dye methylene blue from wastewater.We investigated the microstructure of ceramsites and the effects of the sintering atmosphere,sintering temperature,and solution pH on their adsorption performance.The ceramsites sintered at 800℃under a nitrogen atmosphere exhibited the largest three-dimensional-interconnected hierarchical porous structure among the prepared ceramsites;further,it exhibited the highest methylene blue adsorption performance,with an adsorption capacity of 0.954 mg·g^(−1),adsorption efficiency of over 95%,and adsorption equilibrium time of 1 h at a solution pH of 9.The removal efficiency remained greater than 75%after five adsorption cycles.The adsorption kinetics data were analyzed using various models,including the pseudosecond-order kinetic model and Langmuir equation,and the adsorption was attributed to electrostatic interactions between the dyes and ceramsites,n-interactions,and hydrogen bonds.The prepared coal gangue ceramsites exhibited excellent adsorption capacities,removal rates,and cyclic stabilities,demonstrating their promising application prospects for the comprehensive utilization of solid waste and for wastewater treatment.

Preparation of Lightweight Alumina-silica Castables by Replacing Closed-cell Perlite Aggregates with Coal Gangue Ceramsites

Lightweight alumina-silica castables were prepared using closed-cell perlite(2-4 mm),open-cell perlite(4-6 mm)and coal gangue ceramsites(2-5 mm)as aggregates,floating beads(0.3-0.5 mm),sinking beads(0.6-0.8 mm),silica micropowder,α-Al_(2)O_(3) micropowder,zirconia and zircon micropowder as fines,and Secar 71 cement(calcium aluminate cement)as the binder.The effects of the coal gangue ceramsites addition(0,6%,12%,18%and 24%,by mass)on the properties of the as-prepared lightweight alumina-silica castables were investigated.The results show that:(1)the addition of coal gangue ceramsites can reduce the sintering shrinkage of the specimens and help to improve the strength and thermal shock resistance;(2)the samples with the addition of coal gangue ceramsites can produce pores in the matrix of the sintered samples,which provides enough space for the growth of CA6 complex solid solution and expands the irregular lamellar structure;(3)with the addition of coal gangue ceramsites increasing,the linear shrinkage of the samples heat treated at 1000 or 1200℃firstly reduces and then increases,the bulk density increases and the apparent porosity decreases;the cold compression strength and the thermal shock resistance of the specimens heat treated at 1200℃firstly increase and then decrease.Thus,the optimal addition of coal gangue ceramsites is 18%.

Managing spindle cell sarcoma with surgery and high-intensity focused ultrasound:A case report

BACKGROUND Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas,also known as spindle cell sarcomas,are a relatively uncommon subtype of soft tissue sarcomas in clinical practice.CASE SUMMARY We present a case report of a 69-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with undifferentiated spindle cell soft tissue sarcoma on her left thigh.Surgical excision was initially performed,but the patient experienced a local recurrence following multiple surgeries and radioactive particle implantations.High-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU)was subsequently administered,resulting in complete ablation of the sarcoma without any significant complications other than bone damage at the treated site.However,approximately four months later,the patient experienced a broken lesion at the original location.After further diagnostic workup,the patient underwent additional surgery and is currently stable with a good quality of life.CONCLUSION HIFU has shown positive outcomes in achieving local control of limb spindle cell sarcoma,making it an effective non-invasive treatment option.

High-Intensity Interval Training v/s Steady-State Cardio in Rehabilitation of Neurological Patients

Neuropathy is nerve damage that can cause chronic neuropathic pain, which is challenging to cure and has a significant financial burden. Exercise therapies, including High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and steady-state cardio, are being explored as potential treatments for neuropathic pain. This systematic review compares the effectiveness of HIIT and steady-state cardio for improving function in neurological patients. This article provides an overview of the systematic review conducted on the effects of exercise on neuropathic patients, with a focus on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and steady-state cardio. The authors conducted a comprehensive search of various databases, identified relevant studies based on predetermined inclusion criteria, and used the EPPI automation application to process the data. The final selection of studies was based on validity and relevance, with redundant articles removed. The article reviews four studies that compare high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on various health outcomes. The studies found that HIIT can improve aerobic fitness, cerebral blood flow, and brain function in stroke patients;lower diastolic blood pressure more than MICT and improve insulin sensitivity and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content in obese individuals, potentially helping with the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. In people with multiple sclerosis, acute exercise can decrease the plasma neurofilament light chain while increasing the flow of the kynurenine pathway. The available clinical and preclinical data suggest that further study on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and its potential to alleviate neuropathic pain is justified. Randomized controlled trials are needed to investigate the type, intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise, which could lead to consensus and specific HIIT-based advice for patients with neuropathies.

Lax Facial Skin Treated with High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Devices: Efficacy and Safety Evaluations

Background: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been introduced to improve skin laxity in recent years. However, very few studies have evaluated the safety and effectiveness of HIFU in Chinese populations. Methods: In the study, 30 Chinese participants underwent HIFU (Bolida, Inc., Changsha, China) rejuvenation between February 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022. There were three different focal depths used depending on the area where shots were captured (4.5 mm, 4 MHz;3 mm, 7 MHz;1.5 mm, 7 MHz). After 3 months and 6 months of treatment, efficacy and safety were assessed by quantitative analysis. Results: Patients were satisfied with the clinical effects of HIFU rejuvenation after one session. In terms of effectiveness, HIFU was most successful in areas around the jawline, cheek, and perioral. In four cases, erythema was observed, in two cases, swollen gums were seen, but all of these effects were transient and mild. Conclusion: Bolida system can be safe and effective for facial tightening, additionally, they are most effective for jawline, cheek, and perioral improvements. In clinical practice, the Bolida system can be recommended as a reliable treatment option. .

Effect of Ceramsite Structure on Microstructure of Interfacial Zone and Durability of Combined Aggregate Concrete

Structure characteristics of three kinds of ceramsite with different water absorption and the influence on microstructure of interfacial zone as well as performance of chloride permeabil-ity and frost resistance of combined aggregate concrete were investigated. The results show that, dense shell and closed internal pore have sharp effects on lowering water absorption of ceramsite. However, the ceramsite with high water absorption has obvious effect on the densification of interfa-cial paste which would develop a structure with lower porosity, finer aperture and higher microhard-ness. Furthermore, the impermeability and frost-resistance of concrete can be improved due to the ef-fect of water absorption and releasing by ceramsite with higher water absorption.

Preparation and Microstructure of Green Ceramsite Made from Sewage Sludge

A pilot study was conducted to produce high performance green ceramsite by using sewage sludge, fly ash and silt. According to the theory of Riley, the proportions of raw materials were chosen to perform the sintering experiments. Thereby, the optimum proportion of sludge, fly ash and silt and sintering parameters were determined. The microstructure of the optimized mixture and the leaching of heavy metal elements were also analyzed. The lab testing results show that sintering parameters have significant impact on the performance of ceramsite. For solid waste ceramsite with high loss of ignition, inadequate pre-burning process lowers the strength and increases the water absorption. Low water absorption can be achieved by the enameled surface and closed pore structure. The high performance green ceramsite has the density grade of 700, water absorption of 6% and compressive strength of 6.6 MPa. The ceramsite is mainly composed of cristobalite and mullite. The leaching of heavy metal elements from the solid waste ceramsite are lower than the limits required by the national standard. This study shows that the utilization of solid waste ceramsite as the light Weight aggregate is feasible and safe.

Ceramsite Containing Iron Oxide and its Use as Functional Aggregate in Microwave Absorbing Cement-based Materials

Electromagnetic（EM） wave absorbing cement-based composite has promising applications in protecting civil and military buildings from electromagnetic interferences. A new idea of preparing EM wave absorbing cement-based composite is proposed by using ceramsite containing iron oxide as EM wave absorbing functional aggregate. The ceramsite was synthesized by adding 10 wt% Fe3O4 into clay and sintering at 1 200 ℃, which shows obvious dielectric and magnetic loss properties for electromagnetic wave. The maximum reflection loss（RL） of the concrete specimens prepared with the ceramsite is between-10.2--10.7 dB（corresponding to absorption greater than 90% EM energy） in the bandwidth of 8-18 GHz. In addition, the compressive strength at 28 days age of the concrete is 46 MPa, showing the potentiality of being used as structural components in buildings.

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation:An effective bridging therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma patients

AIM:To analyze whether high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU) ablation is an effective bridging therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS:From January 2007 to December 2010,49 consecutive HCC patients were listed for liver transplantation(UCSF criteria).The median waiting time for transplantation was 9.5 mo.Twenty-nine patients received transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) as a bringing therapy and 16 patients received no treatment before transplantation.Five patients received HIFU ablation as a bridging therapy.Another five patients with the same tumor staging(within the UCSF criteria) who received HIFU ablation but not on the transplant list were included for comparison.Patients were comparable in terms of Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease scores,tumor size and number,and cause of cirrhosis.RESULTS:The HIFU group and TACE group showed no difference in terms of tumor size and tumor number.One patient in the HIFU group and no patient in the TACE group had gross ascites.The median hospital stay was 1 d(range,1-21 d) in the TACE group and two days(range,1-9 d) in the HIFU group(P < 0.000).No HIFU-related complication occurred.In the HIFU group,nine patients(90%) had complete response and one patient(10%) had partial response to the treatment.In the TACE group,only one patient(3%) had response to the treatment while 14 patients(48%) had stable disease and 14 patients(48%) had progressive disease(P = 0.00).Seven patients in the TACE group and no patient in the HIFU group dropped out from the transplant waiting list(P = 0.559).CONCLUSION:HIFU ablation is safe and effective in the treatment of HCC for patients with advanced cirrhosis.It may reduce the drop-out rate of liver transplant candidate.

Safety trial of high-intensity focused ultrasound therapy for pancreatic cancer

AIM:To evaluate the safety and clinical application of high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU)therapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer(PC).METHODS:Thirty PC patients(16 cases in stage III and 14 cases in stage IV)with visualized pancreatic tumors were admitted for HIFU therapy as an optional local therapy in addition to systemic chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy.Informed consent was obtained.This study began at the end of 2008 and was approved by the ethics committee of our hospital[Institutional Review Board(IRB):890].The HIFU device used was the FEP-BY02(Yuande Bio-Medical Engineering,Beijing,China).RESULTS:The mean tumor size after HIFU therapy changed to 30.9±1.7 mm from 31.7±1.7 mm at pre-therapy.There were no significant changes in tumor size,mean number of treatment sessions(2.7±0.1 mm),or mean total treatment time(2.4±0.1 h).The rate of symptom relief effect was 66.7%.The effectiveness of primary lesion treatment was as follows:complete response,0;partial response,4;stable disease,22;progressive disease,4.Treatment after HIFU therapy included 2 operations,24 chemotherapy treatments,and 4 best supportive care treatments.Adverse events occurred in 10%of cases,namely pseudocyst formation in 2 cases and mild pancreatitis development in 1.However,no severe adverse events occurred in this study.CONCLUSION:We suggest that HIFU therapy is safe and has the potential to be a new method of combination therapy for PC.

Preparation and Physical Properties of Ceramsite Filter Media for Water Treatment Obtained from Municipal Solid Wastes

Sludge,solid waste of sewage treatment plants,poses a threat as a secondary pollution if it is not handled properly.In this study,artifical ceramsite filter material(ACFM)for water treatment,was obtained from sludge by high-temperature sintering process,and then it’s physical properties,leaching toxicity and sintering mechanisms were investigated.The results showed that the preferred conditions for the preparation of ACFM were that the mass ratio of sludge,river sediment and fly ash was 5∶4∶1,preheated at 400℃for 20 min and sintered at 1 150℃for 5 min.After the optimal sintering conditions treatment,the physical properties of the rate of breaking and wear,solubility in hydrochloric acid,silt carrying capacity,void fraction and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller(BET)specific surface area of ACFM were 0.2%,0.01%,0.2%,71.1%and 0.75×104cm2/g,respectively.The results confirmed that the ACFM’s physical properties were totally aligned to the requirements of China’s industry standard(CJ/T 299—2008).The leaching toxicity results indicated that the leaching contents of heavy metals,such as Cr,Zn and Cu,were much lower than the thresholds of China’s national standards(GB 5085.3—2007 and GB 8978—1996).

High-intensity focused ultrasound treatment for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive method of solid tissue ablation therapy. However, only a few studies have reported the effect of HIFU for unresectable pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical benefits, survival time and complications associated with the use of HIFU ablation in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer were enrolled in our study. All patients received HIFU therapy for tumors at least once. The therapeutic effects of HIFU was evaluated in terms of Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores, pain relief, serum CA19-9, and imaging by B-US and CT before and after the therapy. We also recorded median overall survival time and complications caused by the treatment. RESULTS: In the 25 patients, KPS scores were above 60, and increased KPS was observed in 23 patients after treatment. Pain relief occurred in 23 patients. Serum CA19-9 levels were significantly reduced one month after HIFU treatment and became negative in 5 patients. B-US revealed enhanced tumor echogenicity in 13 patients and decreased tumor blood supply in 9. Tumor necrosis was confirmed by CT in 8 patients one month after HIFU treatment. The median overall survival time was 10 months, and the 1-year survival rate was 42%. No severe complications were observed after HIFU treatment. CONCLUSION: HIFU can effectively relieve pain, increase KPS, decrease tumor growth and prolong the survival time of patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Enhancement of antitumor vaccine in ablated hepatocellular carcinoma by high-intensity focused ultrasound

AIM:To investigate whether tumor debris created by high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU)could trigger antitumor immunity in a mouse hepatocellular carcinoma model. METHODS:Twenty C57BL/6J mice bearing H22 hepatocellular carcinoma were used to generate antitumor vaccines.Ten mice underwent HIFU ablation,and the remaining 10 mice received a sham-HIFU procedure with no ultrasound irradiation.Sixty normal mice were randomly divided into HIFU vaccine,tumor vaccine and control groups.These mice were immunized with HIFU-generated vaccine,tumor-generated vaccine,and saline,respectively.In addition,20 mice bearing H22 tumors were successfully treated with HIFU ablation. The protective immunity of the vaccinated mice was investigated before and after a subsequent H22 tumor challenge.Using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay,the cytotoxicity of splenic lymphocytes co-cultured with H22 cells wasdetermined in vitro before the tumor challenge,and tumor volume and survival were measured in vivo after the challenge in each group.The mechanism was also explored by loading the vaccines with bone marrowderived dendritic cells(DCs). RESULTS:Compared to the control,HIFU therapy, tumor-generated and HIFU-generated vaccines significantly increased cytolytic activity against H22 cells in the splenocytes of the vaccinated mice(P<0.001). The tumor volume was significantly smaller in the HIFU vaccine group than in the tumor vaccine group(P <0.05)and control group(P<0.01).However,there was no tumor growth after H22 rechallenge in the HIFU therapy group.Forty-eight-day survival rate was 100%in mice in the HIFU therapy group,30%in both the HIFU vaccine and tumor vaccine groups,and 20% in the control group,indicating that the HIFU-treated mice displayed significantly longer survival than the vaccinated mice in the remaining three groups(P< 0.001).After bone marrow-derived DCs were incubated with HIFU-generated and tumor-generated vaccines, the number of mature DCs expressing MHC-Ⅱ + ,CD80 + and CD86 + molecules was significantly increased,and interleukin-12 and interferon-γlevels were significantly higher in the supernatants when compared with immature DCs incubated with mouse serum(P<0.001). However,no differences of the number of mature DCs and cytokine levels were observed between the HIFU- generated and tumor-generated vaccines(P>0.05). CONCLUSION:Tumor debris remaining after HIFU can improve tumor immunogenicity.This debris releases tumor antigens as an effective vaccine to develop host antitumor immune response after HIFU ablation.

Preparation and Bloating Mechanism of Porous Ultra-lightweight Ceramsite by Dehydrated Sewage Sludge and Yellow River Sediments

To solve the disposal problems of solid wastes, dehydrated sewage sludge and Yellow River sediments were tested as components for production of ultra-lightweight ceramsite. The effects of Yellow River sediments addition on the characteristics of ceramsite were investigated. Ceramsite with different Yellow River sediments additions was characterized using thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, morphological structures analyses, pore size distributions and porosity analyses. Chemical components, especially ratios of Si O2 ＋ Al2O3/Flux, were used to explain the glassy shell formation, physical properties and pores distribution of ultralightweight ceramsite; physical forces for instance expansion force and frictional resistance which combined with Si O2 ＋ Al2O3/Flux ratios were used to explain the bloating mechanism. Results showed that the maximum addition of Yellow River sediments for making ultra-lightweight ceramsite was 35%. Macropores（between 0.226 μm and 0.554 μm） of ultra-lightweight ceramsite were dominant in the pore structures of ultra-lightweight ceramsite and its porosity was up to 67.7%. Physical force of expansion force was constant with the variation of Yellow River sediments content and physical force of frictional resistance was decreased with the increase of Yellow River sediments addition. The relationship between expansion and frictional resistance could determine the expansion rate of ceramsite. Larger pores inside the ceramsite bodies could be obtained as Yellow River sediments additions ranged from 10% to 30%. Ceramsite with higher Yellow River sediments additions of 40%（Si O2 ＋ Al2O3/Flux ratios 4.25） became denser and have lower porosity. Crystal components analysis proved that the sintering process made some components of raw materials transfer into other crystals having better thermostability.