Reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation in malignant lymphoma: current status

stem cell transplantation （allo-SCT） is a potential cure for patients with malignant lymphoma that is based on the graft-versus-lymphoma （GVL） effect. Myeloablative conditioning allo-SCT is associated with high mortality and morbidity, particularly in patients older than 45 years, heavily pretreated patients （prior hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or more than two lines of conventional chemotherapy） or patients affected by other comorbidities. Therefore, conventional allo-SCT is restricted to younger patients （〈50 to 55 years） in good physical condition. Over the last decade, allo-SCT with reduced-intensity conditioning （RIC-allo-SCT） has been increasingly used to treat patients with lymphoma. This treatment is associated with lower toxicity and substantial decrease in the incidence of transplant- related mortality, and has the potential to lead to long-term remissions. Therefore, patients who are not suitable to undergo conventional allo-SCT can benefit from the potentially curative GVL effects of allo-SCT. Although RIC-allo-SCT has improved the survival of lymphoma patients, high post-transplant relapse rates or disease progression mainly results in treatment failure. Thus, further improvement is clearly needed. The role and timing of RIC-allo-SCT in the treatment of lymphoma remains unclear. Therefore, more prospective studies should clarify the effectiveness of this method. In this article, we review the recent literature on RIC-alIo-SCT as a treatment for major lymphoma subtypes. Areas that require further investigation in the context of clinical trials are also highlighted.

Characteristics of high arsenic groundwater in Hetao Basin,Inner Mongolia,northern China

It is well known that the Hetao Basin is one of the most seriously arsenic-affected groundwater areas in China. In order to understand the characteristics of high arsenic （As） groundwater in the Basin, a brief overview of arsenic in groundwater follows. High arsenic in the Basin commonly occurs in shallow groundwater and the total arsenic concentrations range from 0.58 to 572 μg/L （average 99.73 μg/L）, exceeding the maximum mandated value of 10 μg/L for drinking water in China; As（III） is the predominant species. The regional distribution pattern of arsenic in the groundwater increases from south/southeast to north/northwest. Hangjinhouqi and Wuyuan counties are considered as the most seriously affected areas, with high incidences of endemic arsenicosie diseases in the Hetao Basin. High groundwater arsenic correlates with the increase of well depth. Previous studies proposed that groundwater arsenic in the Basin is mainly originated from desorption of some natural solid materials in the sediments, under reducing condition. Generally, reducing condition is believed to be the primary factor for arsenic releasing from the sediment to groundwater in the region. Under inorganic Or bacterial processes, Fe2O3 changes to FeS and arsenic adsorbed to Fe（OH）3 dissolves into groundwater, and As（V） is re- duced to As（W）. Besides, reducing environments, groundwater hydraulic gradients, organic matter, pH, evapotranspiration, and soil texture are presumed to be the predominant factors that control arsenic mobilization.

Paleoproductivity and Paleoredox Condition of the Huai Hin Lat Formation in Northeastern Thailand

The petroleum exploration has been conducted in the Khorat Plateau since 1962 and two gas fields have been discovered and commercially produced. The lacustrine facies of the Huai Hin Lat Formation is believed to be one of the main source rocks of the gas. Therefore, investigation and analysis of the Huai Hin Lat shale for understanding the paleoenvironment and petroleum source rock are carried out in this study. Petrographical study and geochemical analysis of shale samples were performed to explain the paleoproductivity and past redox condition. The palynofacies assemblage comprises abundant AOM, acritarchs, phytoclasts, and very small amount of spores and pollen. Geochemical analysis was used to determine the total organic carbon（TOC） and the concentration of major, trace, and rare earth elements. The paleoproductivity proxies are composed of palynofacies, TOC, excess SiO2, Ba/Al, and P/Al. They reflect a high paleoproductivity except the middle of the lower part（bed 3） and the lower bed 13 of the upper part. Bed 3 shows the highest peak of TOC and the lower bed 13 exhibits a relatively lower TOC, which can be explained by the excellent and the poorer preservation condition, respectively. The paleoredox proxies consist of U/Th, V/Cr, Ni Co,（Cu＋Mo）/Zn, Ni/V, and Ce anomaly. They are used to establish the depositional environments, to characterize the organic matter content, and to assess the source rock potential. They reflect many high peaks and predominantly high values of paleoredox proxies except the middle part and the lower bed（lower bed 13） of the upper part. They indicate that the section was mainly under anoxic or reducing condition, which is supported by the high Ce/Ce＊（〉0.8） and V/Cr（〉2.0） values. The middle of the lower part（bed 3） shows lower productivity but it contains the highest peak of TOC, which is conformed to be the excellent preservation of organic matters in the strong reducing condition. The middle part, which shows high productivity, contains relatively lower TOC as it possesses a less reducing condition compared to the more reducing intervals. The lower bed 13 of the upper part shows a less reducing condition and a lower TOC, which conforms to a lower productivity. The organic matters of the Huai Hin Lat Formation consist mainly of AOM and acritarchs and possess good to excellent TOC（2%–7%）. They belong mainly to type I and type II kerogens with some mixture of type III as indicated by the presence of phytoclasts, spores, and pollen. The organic matters of the Huai Hin Lat Formation, based on the kerogen type and the thermal history, have already generated significant amount of oil and some gas to the Sap Phlu Basin.

Comprehensive Mathematical Model for Coal Combustion in a Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustor

Char combustion is on a special reducing condition in the dense bed of a circulating fluidized bed combustor. Experimental findings were used to develop a comprehensive mathematical model to simulate the hydrodynamic and combustion processes in a circulating fluidized bed combustor. In the model, gas solid interaction was used to account for the mass transfer between the bubble phase and the emulsion phase in the dense bed, which contributes to the reducing atmosphere in the dense bed. A core annular structure was assumed in the dilute area rather than a one dimensional model. The submodels were combined to build the comprehensive model to analyze the combustion in a circulating fluidized bed combustor and the effect of operating parameters on the coal combustion. The model predictions agree well with experimental results.