Nanoparticle recovery using a fume collector comprised of carbonized refuse-derived fuel

A breakthrough use of refuse-derived fuel (RDF), i.e., as a dust/fume collector, is proposed in this article. In the experiments, RDF was first carbonized under different thermal conditions and then its ability to recover nanoparticles was studied using thermogravimetry with a gas analyzer, and compared with other carbonaceous materials for cleaning combustion waste gas. The recovery property of various samples was monitored by suing smoke of joss stick, with a size of 400 nm. As a result, due to its unique structure, carbonized RDF was observed as being the most effective for recovering the particles among various samples. The filtering property of carbonized RDF significantly depended on the thermal conditions followed during carbonization. Its recovery property was improved when it underwent preheating for a shorter period of time and at a higher carbonizing temperature. These results present the possibility of carbonized RDF being used as an efficient nanoparticle collector. This study was initiated to examine whether carbonized RDF can be used as a packed material for recovering fine iron powder generated in an electric arc furnace (EAF).     

No pigment deposition in a patient with advanced retinitis punctata albescens

A 51-year-old woman had had night blindness since childhood and a progressive visual field defect. She was the product of a consanguineous marriage. The patient also exhibited numerous whitish-yellow punctate spots with no pigment deposition in her fundi, nonrecordable electroretinographic responses after 30 min of dark adaptation, and constricted visual fields bilaterally. We believe that our patient may be a case of retinitis punctata albescens without pigment.     

Novel mutations of the glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase gene in two Japanese patients with glutaric aciduria type I

We identified three different point mutations in the glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase (GCDH) gene in two unrelated Japanese patients with glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I). One patient was a homozygote for Arg355His and the other a compound heterozygote for Ser305Leu and Met339Val. Arg355His and Met339Val are mutations hitherto undescribed, and all three mutations are predicted to alter the secondary structure of GCDH. Molecular analysis is useful for definite diagnosis and/or prenatal diagnosis of GA-I.     

Patient dose estimation for multi-detector-row CT examinations

The spread of Multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) has been remarkable. Here, various organ and tissue doses were evaluated with six types of MDCT scanners in common use in Japan; using thermoluminescence dosimeters and anthropomorphic phantoms under condition of routine clinical examinations of the chest in adult and child, of the head in child and of the abdomen-pelvis in adult. Estimated lung doses and averaged effective dose in chest examinations were 19.2 +/- 2.03 mGy and 9.54 +/- 0.90 mSv for the adult and 15.7 +/- 1.88 mGy and 7.42 +/- 0.82 mSv for the child phantom, respectively. The numerical difference between effective dose and organ or tissue doses was about 2-2.5 times. For the adult abdomen-pelvis examinations, averaged effective dose was 13.0 +/- 3.72 mSv. Averaged effective dose for the child head examinations was 2.6 +/- 1.32 mSv. In one case, the dose approached 80 mGy for the brain in the head examination, giving a difference from the effective dose of 10 times or more.     

Using capacitance measurements as the detection method in antigen-containing layer-by-layer films for biosensing

The layer-by-layer technique is employed here to immobilize antigen-containing liposomes, so-called proteoliposomes, onto Au-interdigitated substrates, which are capable of molecular recognition of anti-pasteurellosis antibodies. Detection was carried out using a novel strategy entirely based upon capacitance measurements, and to enhance sensitivity, we combine the response of three different sensing units in a similar procedure used for taste sensors. With the three-electrode array immunoglobulin G (IgG) against pasteurellosis is detected at concentrations as low as nanograms per milliliter. Furthermore, because of the molecular recognition capability, a distinction can be made between specific and nonspecific IgG. The concepts behind the biosensors reported here may have a large impact for clinical tests, as the procedures to detect the antibody take only a few minutes and the biosensors are relatively low cost.     

Radiative characteristics and flame structure of small-pool flames

A new way of using thermography for radiative objects like pool flames has been developed by the author. The thermography method, which has already been applied to large pool fires, is applied to small pool flames in this paper. The radiative characteristics and flame structure of small pool flames are considered by examining flame temperature distribution from a radiation point of view. In addition, it is shown that pool flame structure for various fuels becomes clearer using the standard deviation and the coefficient of variation obtained from thermographic data.