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Steam gasification of the HyperCoals (ash-free coal extracts) with the physical addition of 5.8%-6.0% K 2 CO 3 was conducted at 1023 K on a thermogravimetric apparatus that was equipped with an on-line quadrupole mass spectrometer. The catalytic gasification of the HyperCoals demonstrated a much higher gasification rate than the catalytic gasification of the raw coals. Interactions of K 2 CO 3 with mineral matter in the raw coal formed water-insoluble potassium compounds, such as potassium aluminosilicates, and reduced the catalytic activity, whereas no such negative reactions occurred for the HyperCoals. The steam gasification of the HyperCoals with K 2 CO 3 was also determined to be favorable for the high-yield production of hydrogen. From these experimental results, the catalytic steam gasification of HyperCoal would potentially be a more efficient process for the production of hydrogen in the future.

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Background In dogs with protein‐losing enteropathy (PLE), data on the clinical characteristics of food‐responsive PLE (FR‐PLE) remain scarce. Objective To determine the clinical characteristics of FR‐PLE in dogs responsive to ultralow‐fat diet (ULFD) management. Animals Thirty‐three dogs diagnosed with PLE based on standard diagnostic criteria. Methods Retrospective review of medical records. Clinical findings were compared between dogs with FR‐PLE (FR‐PLE group) and those with immunosuppressant‐responsive PLE (IR‐PLE) or nonresponsive PLE (NR‐PLE) (IR/NR‐PLE group). The area under the curve (AUC) of a receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the ability of factors to differentiate the FR‐PLE and IR/NR‐PLE groups. Survival time was compared between the FR‐PLE and IR/NR‐PLE groups. Results Twenty‐three dogs responded to ULFD management and were diagnosed with FR‐PLE. The canine chronic enteropathy clinical activity index (CCECAI) was significantly lower in the FR‐PLE group than in the IR/NR‐PLE group (P < .001). The AUC of CCECAI for differentiating the FR‐PLE group was 0.935 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.845‐1.000) with an optimal cutoff value of 8 (sensitivity, 0.826; specificity, 0.889). Survival times were significantly longer in the FR‐PLE group (median, not reached) than in the IR/NR‐PLE group (median, 432 days; P < .001). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Dogs that respond to ULFD management and are diagnosed with FR‐PLE are expected to have a favorable prognosis. Clinical scores, specifically the CCECAI, could be useful for differentiating FR‐PLE from IR‐PLE or NR‐PLE.

The interaction between coal char and mixtures of calcium oxide, quartz, and meta-kaolinite were investigated by heating to 1600 °C under Ar. Calcium oxide was gradually reduced by coal char in the temperature range 950−1450 °C, and then rapidly carbided above 1450 °C, releasing CO. In the case of CaSiO3, the carbothermal reduction of the SiO2 component started at 1200 °C in preference of the CaO component, forming SiC and Ca2SiO4; at higher temperature, both of the SiO2 and CaO components in Ca2SiO4 were carbided significantly. When CaO was mixed with meta-kaolinite, the two phases reacted with each other below 1200 °C. In the chemically bound CaO−SiO2−Al2O3 system, the reactivity sequence of carbothermal reduction was SiO2 > CaO > Al2O3; the reduction of the SiO2 component also began at 1200 °C, forming SiC; upon heating to 1600 °C, the presence of a calcium alumimum oxide carbide (approximately CaAl1.9O4C0.4) was notable. CaO became difficult to reduce as it was chemically combined with Al2O3. On the other hand, it was found that two demineralized coal chars were appreciably graphitized in the presence of calcium species. Free CaO exerted a strong catalytic effect on the graphitization of coal char, mainly forming the graphitic carbon at 1600 °C. As CaO incorporated with meta-kaolinite or quartz, the action of CaO toward the graphitization of coal char weakened, primarily resulting in the turbostratic carbon at 1600 °C.

BackgroundA strong correlation between left atrial (LA) dysfunction and the severity of cardiac disease has been described in human patients with various cardiac diseases. The role of LA dysfunction in dogs with chronic mitral valvular heart disease (CMVHD) has not been addressed.ObjectivesTo investigate the correlation between LA function and the prognosis of dogs with CMVHD.AnimalsThirty‐eight client‐owned dogs with CMVHD.MethodsProspective clinical cohort study. Dogs were divided into 2 groups (survivors and nonsurvivors) based on the onset of cardiac‐related death within 1 year. Physical examination and echocardiographic variables were compared between the groups. For the assessment of the comparative accuracy in identifying patients with cardiac‐related death, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and multivariate logistic analysis were used.ResultsThe highest accuracy was obtained for the LA active fractional area change (LA‐FAC act), with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.95, followed by the left atrial to aortic root ratio (LA/Ao), with an AUC of 0.94; peak early diastolic mitral inflow velocity (E), with an AUC of 0.85; and LA total fractional area change (LA‐FAC total), with an AUC of 0.85. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, LA‐FAC act emerged as the only independent correlate of cardiac‐related death within 1 year (odds ratio = 1.401, P = .002).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceRegarding both the size and function, the LA has a strong correlation with the prognosis of dogs with CMVHD. The most significant independent predictor of mortality in this study was LA‐FAC act.