Standard ultrasonography is often insensitive for distinguishing normal vs. diseased states for canine abdominal organs. Ultrasonographic elastography is a new technique that is becoming increasingly available and may help to improve sensitivity. This study evaluated the feasibility, repeatability, and reproducibility of strain elastography of the liver, spleen, kidneys, and prostate in healthy dogs and described the elasticity of each organ using strain values and strain ratios. The reproducibility of strain elastography was excellent, and intraobserver repeatability was moderate to excellent. The strain value of each organ was not significantly different among dogs (liver = 143.38 ± 7.41, spleen = 141.04 ± 9.03, left renal cortex = 141.26 ± 7.50, right renal cortex = 145.80 ± 7.79, and prostate = 135.46 ± 5.80), except for the renal medulla (left = 51.19 ± 4.54 and right = 51.93 ± 5.09) (P < 0.05). The strain ratios for the liver, spleen, renal cortex, and prostate were similar with no significant difference (liver = 10.20 ± 1.47, spleen = 8.40 ± 1.53, left renal cortex = 9.62 ± 1.56, right renal cortex = 8.29 ± 1.63, and prostate = 8.20 ± 1.21), except for the renal medulla (left = 3.48 ± 0.68 and right = 2.95 ± 0.63) (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that strain elastography was feasible for estimating tissue stiffness in the canine liver, spleen, kidneys, and prostate. This study provides basic information for strain values and strain ratios for the liver, spleen, kidneys, and prostate in clinically normal dogs. C 2015 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is a promising renewable building block, which can replace conventional petroleum-derived terephthalic acid (TPA). Here, we develop and evaluate a new catalytic process for the production of...

2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), an eco-friendly biobased material, can replace petroleum-based terephthalic acid (TPA), in the polymer industry, for applications such as water bottle production and food packaging. In this study, an integrated process was developed for the coproduction of FDCA as a biobased plastic monomer and 1,5-pentanediol as a high-value product from lignocellulosic biomass using catalytic conversions and designing separation areas. The integrated process has several energy-intensive units that require a considerable amount of heating sources. Heat integration is performed to reduce and satisfy total heating requirements. Through a technoeconomic analysis, the minimum selling price of FDCA is determined to be US$1024/ton. Moreover, a wide range of sensitivity analyses are conducted to identify the major cost drivers among the economic and environmental parameters. Environmental impacts are compared between biomass-derived FDCA and petroleum-derived TPA productions by life-cycle assessment. In the former production, fossil depletion is lower (53%) than that of the latter production, although climate change of the former is higher (29%) than that of the latter. FDCA production can be more environmentally friendly by changing the sources for electricity generation.

Atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) are promising catalysts for the electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) and are effective model catalysts for the identification of active sites. We report the metal-dependent CO 2 RR activities of Au 25 (SR) 18 and Ag 25 (SR) 18 (SR = thiolate). While both NCs produced CO as a main CO 2 RR product, the Au 25 NC exhibited a significantly higher CO 2 RR activity than the Ag 25 NC. Theoretical and operando studies revealed that the CO 2 RR limiting potential for the Au 25 NC was significantly smaller than that for the Ag 25 NC, while both NCs contained the partially dethiolated metal sites as the active sites. Active-site engineering was performed by replacing the Ag 12 (SR) 18 shell of the Ag 25 (SR) 18 NC with the Au 12 (SR) 18 shell to generate a core−shell AuAg 12 @Au 12 (SR) 18 NC, which exhibited dramatically enhanced CO 2 RR activity compared with the Ag 25 (SR) 18 NC. The AuAg 12 @Au 12 NCs exhibited stable CO 2 -to-CO electroreduction at a commercially relevant current density of 200 mA/cm 2 and a full-cell potential of 2.1 V in a zero-gap CO 2 electrolyzer.

Multiple myeloma, a multicentric hematological malignancy, is the most common primary tumor of the spine. As epidural myeloma causing spinal cord compression is a rare condition, its therapeutic approach and clinical results have been reported to be diverse, and no clear guidelines for therapeutic decision have been established. Three patients presented with progressive paraplegia and sensory disturbance. Image and serological studies revealed multiple myeloma and spinal cord compression caused by epidural myeloma. Emergency radiotherapy and steroid therapy were performed in all three cases. However, their clinical courses and results were distinctly different. Following review of our cases and the related literature, we suggest a systematic therapeutic approach for these patients to achieve better clinical results.