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BACKGROUND: Retrocorneal hyaline scrolls are a rare phenomenon. We report a case of bilateral retrocorneal hyaline scrolls that were likely induced by asymptomatic congenital syphilis. CASE SUMMARY: A 71-year-old woman presented with blurred vision due to cataracts. Slit-lamp microscopy revealed bilateral hyaline scrolls with a dichotomous branching pattern extending to the anterior chamber or rods attaching to the rough posterior surface of the cornea. The patient was positive for syphilis-specific antibodies, with no ocular or systemic evidence of congenital or acquired syphilis. Binocular cataract, retrocorneal scroll, and corneal endothelial gutta were considered. The scroll of the right eye was removed during cataract surgery and further observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining and scanning electron microscopy. The cornea of the right eye remained transparent, and the residual scroll seemed stable, however, the corneal endothelial density declined at 13 mo after surgery. In vivo confocal microscopy revealed coalescence of corneal guttae at the level of the corneal endothelium or adhesion to the posterior surface of the endothelium, with enlarged endothelial cells in both eyes. Activated keratocytes in the stroma and a highly reflective acellular structure at the level of the Descemet's membrane were observed. The removed scroll had a cartilage-like hardness and a circularly arranged fiber-like acellular structure. CONCLUSION: Occult congenital syphilis could induce corneal endothelial gutta and the formation of retrocorneal scrolls without other signs of ocular syphilis.

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The objectives of this study were to determine the environmental impacts of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDD/Fs) emitted from two typical municipal solid-waste incinerators (MSWIs), named M and L, in China. The main differences between the two MSWIs relate to incineration technologies, treatment capacities, emission standards and meteorological conditions. The distribution of PCDD/Fs in the surrounding ambient air and soils of the MWSIs were monitored and compared. In addition, air dispersion models and health risk assessments were combined to determine the behaviour and transport of PCDD/Fs. The results indicated that higher PCDD/F emission levels resulted in higher concentrations in the surrounding environment. The average PCDD/F levels emitted from the M MSWI was about seven times higher than those emitted from the L MSWI and about 10 times and 2 times higher in air and soils, respectively. The simulation results were similar to the trend of the monitored results. Both the observed and the simulation results suggested that the atmospheric pollution by PCDD/F surrounding the M MSWI was relatively serious; the environmental impact of the L MSWI was not significant.

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The conversion of bromine during the thermal decomposition of printed circuit boards (PCBs) was investigated at isothermal temperatures ranging from 800°C to 1100°C by using a quartz tube furnace. The influence of temperature, oxygen concentrations (0%, 10% and 21% in the nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere) and content of steam on conversion of bromine was studied. With the increment of temperature, the conversion from organic bromine in the PCBs to inorganic bromine in the gaseous fraction increased from 69.0% to 96.4%. The bromine was mainly evolved as HBr and Br(2) in oxidizing condition and the Br(2)/HBr mass ratio increased at stronger oxidizing atmosphere. The experimental results also indicated that the existence of steam can reduce the formation of Br(2). Furthermore, co-combustion of PCBs with S and CaO, both as addition agents, was investigated, respectively. In the presence of SO(2), Br(2)/HBr mass ratio obviously decreased. Moreover, the utilization of calcium oxide can efficiently promote the conversion of organic bromine to inorganic bromine. According to the experimental results, incinerating PCBs at high temperature can efficiently destroy the organobrominated compounds that are considered to be possible precursors of polybrominated dibenzeo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PBDD/Fs), but the Br(2) and HBr in flue gas should be efficiently controlled.

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The pyrolysis characteristics of six representative organic components of municipal solid waste (MSW) and their mixtures were studied in a specially designed thermogravimetric analysis apparatus with a maximum recorded heating rate of 864.8 degrees Cmin(-1). The pyrolysis behavior of individual components was described by the Avrami-Erofeev equation. The influence of final temperature on individual components was studied, and it was concluded that final temperature was a factor in reaction speed and intensity, but that it played only a limited role in determining the reaction mechanism. The interactions between different components were evaluated, and it was concluded that the interaction between homogeneous materials was minimal, whereas the interaction between polyethylene and biomass was significant.

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PURPOSE: To report clinical and histopathological characteristics of postoperative amyloidosis recurrence in a patient with lattice corneal dystrophy (LCD) type I. METHODS: The clinical manifestation of recurrent amyloidosis in the residual stroma was delineated in a patient with LCD type I after deep lamellar keratoplasty (DLKP) for 6.5 years. Complete removal of the residual recipient stroma and regrafting of a new cryopreserved donor button were accomplished by a secondary DLKP. The primary DLKP donor graft and the underlying residual stroma of the recipient obtained by the secondary DLKP were examined for analysis of histopathologic and ultrastructural changes. RESULTS: A tongue-shaped retained stroma with linear opacity was observed underneath the primary DLKP donor graft. The retained stromal layer was thoroughly detached from Descemet membrane, removed, and followed by grafting a new cryopreserved button. The primary donor button exhibited a normal epithelium, fewer keratocytes, an intact Descemet membrane, and mild positive Congo red staining in the middle layer of the stroma. The total retained recipient stroma removed by the secondary DLKP measured approximately 20 mum in thickness, showing thick and massive amyloid accumulation. The surface of the removed residual stroma toward Descemet membrane showed collagen fibers in an interwoven fashion without bundle structure under a scanning electron microscope. CONCLUSION: Incomplete removal of the recipient stroma by DLKP can lead to the recurrence of amyloidosis in the residual stroma in patients with LCD. Clinical and histologic findings in the primary graft and in the residual recipient stroma implicate stromal genesis of recurrence of LCD after DLKP.

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In order to eliminate the secondary pollution caused by MSW incineration, fluidized bed gasification and swirl-flow melting process is proposed which produces less emission. MSW of China can be effectively gasified in fluidized bed at about 600 degrees C. Combustion fly ash of MSW can be melted into vitrification at about 1300 degrees C and that of MSW combusted with coal can be done at about 1 400 degrees C, during which dioxins (PCDD/Fs) is decomposed over 99.99% and heavy-metals are mostly solidified. Two novel and improved MSW gasification and melting schemes are brought forward preferably: (1) The gasification and melting system based on integrated disposal of MSW. (2) The gasification and melting system of original MSW + assistant fuel. It is testified that the two schemes are suitable for China by thermo-performance analysis.

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The combustion behavior of typical components of MSW was examined with a thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA). The experiments were done over the temperature range of room temperature to 1000 degrees C at a heating rate of 10 degrees C/min and in an oxidizing atmosphere. The results indicated that the entire weight loss process of each typical component of MSW consists of one to three distinct combustion stages. The combustion of typical components of MSW could be modeled by one to three independent reactions. The corresponding parameters of typical components of MSW such as activation energy, pre-exponential factor, and reaction order were determined. The calculated results using the comprehensive kinetic model composed of one to three independent and consecutive reactions, agreed well with experimental results.

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With the fluidized bed as main reactor, the configuration of chars of waste tire was investigated. The change of specific surface area, porosity and specific pore volume of chars received at various temperature, diameter of bed materials and superficial fluidization number was mainly researched. The specific surface area and porosity of chars had the peak value at 650 degrees C or 750 degrees C, which showed there exists the best pyrolysis temperature from the angle of char quality and it will decrease with smaller diameter of bed materials, 0.135-0.304mm. The porosity of chars decreases with the fluidization number increasing. The change tendency of the specific surface area of chars with the fluidization number is correlated with the pyrolysis temperature. At 550 degrees C the specific surface area of chars decreases with the fluidization number increasing, while at 650 degrees C the other way round. The change tendency of the specific pore volume of chars with the temperature is correlated with the diameter of bed materials. With larger bed materials (0.304-0.4mm), the specific pore volume of chars rises at fisrt, then decreases with the temperature increasing, and with smaller bed materials, it decreases with the temperature increasing.

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