Objective: We compared the benefits of sorafenib therapy with continued transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in TACE-refractory patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: This retrospective study reviewed intermediate-stage HCC patients who underwent the first TACE. Patients were defined as TACE-refractory and divided into two cohorts: (1) patients who switched from TACE to sorafenib and (2) those who continued TACE. We evaluated the patient overall survival (OS) and time to disease progression (TTDP; the time patients reached Child-Pugh C or developed advanced-stage HCC). Results: A total of 509 patients with HCC underwent TACE. Of 249 intermediate-stage HCC patients undergoing the first TACE, 122 were deemed refractory. At the time they were identified as refractory, 20 patients converted to sorafenib, whereas 36 patients continued TACE. We excluded patients with Child-Pugh scores of ≥8, those with advanced-stage HCC, those who had undergone hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy or other systemic therapy, and those treated with best supportive care alone. The median TTDP and OS were 22.3 and 25.4 months, respectively, in the conversion group, and 7.7 and 11.5 months, respectively, in the continued group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). Conclusions: It is possible that sorafenib conversion might prolong OS and TTDP in TACE-refractory patients with intermediate-stage HCC.

Release of alkali and alkaline earth metallic (AAEM) species was examined during pyrolysis of pulverized pine and sugarcane bagasse. The use of a wire-mesh reactor enabled the investigation of the primary release of AAEM species from pyrolyzing particles suppressing secondary interaction between them. Upon heating the pine at 1000°C s -1 up to 800°C, 15-20% of each AAEM species was released during the tar evolution and afterward. Further isothermal heating caused nearly complete release of alkalis within 150 s, while the release of alkaline earths terminated at levels of 20-40%. Heating the pine at 1°C s -1 up to 800°C brought about the release of AAEM species mainly after the tar evolution. Chlorides of AAEM species were found to be very minor volatiles over the range of conditions. Variations in K release with operating variables were reasonably explained by considering that elemental K volatilized from the charbonded AAEM species was a major volatile K species. None of AAEM species were significantly released when a fixed bed of the pine was heated at 1°C s -1 up to 900°C without forced gas flow through the bed. It was suggested that repeated desorption from and adsorption onto the char surface within the fixed bed inhibited the release of AAEM species from the fixed bed and resultantly allowed them to transform into thermally stable char-bonded ones and/or nonvolatiles such as silicates.

Two electrochemical oscillations, previously called oscillation C and D, are observed for H2O2 reduction on a Pt electrode in an acidic solution when a small amount of halide ions is added to the solution. Detailed studies, including impedance analyses and in-situ light reflectance measurements as well as mathematical simulations, have revealed that both oscillations C and D fall into hidden negative differential resistance (HNDR) oscillators, though oscillation D can be classified into a new-type HNDR oscillator not reported thus far. The H2O2 reduction on Pt has two-type NDR’s:  One arises from a decrease in the coverage of adsorbed OH (acting as an autocatalyst for the H2O2 reduction) with a negative potential shift, and the other arises from suppression of the H2O2 reduction by formation of under-potential deposited hydrogen (upd-H) in further negative potentials. Oscillation C appears from hiding of the former NDR by a decrease in the coverage (θ X) of adsorbed halide ions (acting as a site blocking agent) with the negative potential shift. Oscillation D appears from hiding of the latter NDR by not only the decrease in θ X but also an addition of a transient cathodic current due to the upd-H formation, indicating that oscillation D is really a new-type HNDR oscillator.

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