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Dissolution rates of alkaline rocks, including wollastonite (CaSiO3), olivine (Mg2SiO4), and phlogopite (KMg3AlSi3O10(OH)2), with high pressure aqueous CO2 solution were measured to examine the feasibility of CO2 fixation via carbonation. Influence of solid/liquid ratio (1.0-10 g/250 mL), temperature (303-353 K), and CO2 pressure (1.0-3.0 MPa) on the extraction rates of calcium or magnesium ions was investigated. Under the experimental conditions studied, the calcium ion extraction rate from wollastonite was the highest among the three rock samples studied. The calcium concentration reached about 120 mg/L, and about 12% of the calcium in wollastonite sample was extracted after 60 min at 353 K with 1.0 MPa CO2. The calcium and magnesium extraction ratios from the alkaline rocks were much lower than those from waste concrete powder. Increasing the extraction time and temperature would be an effective way to promote calcium extraction from wollastonite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was first reported in China in December 2019 and has since become a global pandemic. COVID-19 is a multisystem disease with respiratory symptoms as the main presentation. There is growing awareness of the adverse prognostic impact of cardiovascular involvement caused by COVID-19. We report a case of a patient on hemodialysis with COVID-19 who developed cardiopulmonary failure and was successfully weaned off veno-arterial-venous (VAV) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). A 54-year-old man was brought to our intensive care unit (ICU) with respiratory failure due to COVID-19, which had been diagnosed based on antigen testing results. Three days prior, he had started taking dexamethasone orally, but his respiratory distress had worsened two days prior, and he was referred to our hospital. He had a history of hypertension, atrial fibrillation, chronic heart failure, and end-stage renal disease. He was found to have circulatory shock and severe hypoxemia, and computed tomography (CT) showed ground-glass opacities throughout the lung fields. Hypoxemia persisted after ventilation. The ventilation settings for this patient were volume control ventilation, fraction of inspiratory oxygen 100%, tidal volume 360 ml, respiratory rate 22 breaths per minute, and positive end-expiratory pressure 15 mmHg. Therefore, veno-venous ECMO (VV-ECMO) was initiated. Echocardiography showed right ventricular free-wall motion disorder, which was judged to be a complication of cardiogenic shock due to septic cardiomyopathy. The patient was switched to VAV-ECMO, after which his circulatory and respiratory insufficiency gradually improved. He was switched to VV-ECMO on day 7 of hospitalization and weaned off ECMO on day 15 of hospitalization. The patient was fully weaned off the ventilator on day 37 of hospitalization and discharged from the ICU on day 38 of hospitalization. COVID-19 can cause cardiomyopathy, a rare cardiovascular disorder that can lead to cardiogenic shock; however, the cardiac and pulmonary symptoms may not occur simultaneously. Therefore, switching to VAV-ECMO after VV-ECMO was introduced; however, it is important to note that the mortality rate associated with this procedure is high., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University Ethics Committee issued approval 2023-4-069. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient and the patient’s family for the publication of this case report and accompanying images. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Itagaki et al.)

Rationale: Endogenous endophthalmitis is a rare disease caused by hematogenous intraocular metastasis of bacteria from an infectious source. Diagnosing endogenous endophthalmitis is challenging for non-ophthalmologists. However, ophthalmic diseases can cause irreversible vision loss, making prompt diagnosis and treatment critical. Here we present a rare case of endogenous endophthalmitis initially misdiagnosed as a cataract., Patient Concerns: An 84-year-old Japanese man presented to the emergency department with fever and dysmotility. The patient was aware of a left subconjunctival hemorrhage and cloudy cornea upon arrival at the hospital, but he misunderstood it as a fall-induced subconjunctival hemorrhage and age-related cataracts., Diagnoses: On the day following admission, petechial hemorrhage on the eyelid conjunctiva and the detection of Streptococcus mitis in the blood culture results led us to suspect endophthalmitis rather than cataracts. A definitive diagnosis of endophthalmitis was made through ophthalmologic examinations, and endophthalmitis was considered secondary to endocarditis., Interventions: Subsequently, antimicrobial treatment was continued., Outcomes: However, the patient developed myocardial infarction and died on the ninth day of hospitalization., Lessons: Two important lessons were learned from the examination of this case of endogenous endophthalmitis caused by S mitis. First, endophthalmitis and cataracts can be misdiagnosed. Because the symptoms of endophthalmitis and cataracts, such as decreased vision, photophobia, and blurred vision, are similar, the eye must be cautiously examined. Second, endocarditis caused by S mitis may lead to endogenous endophthalmitis. Although S mitis is not pathogenic, endogenous endophthalmitis may occur in patients with certain risk factors, such as older age, cancer, and immunosuppression., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: The joint committee of the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine/Japanese Respiratory Society/Japanese Society of Respiratory Care Medicine on ARDS Clinical Practice Guideline has created and released the ARDS Clinical Practice Guideline 2021., Methods: The 2016 edition of the Clinical Practice Guideline covered clinical questions (CQs) that targeted only adults, but the present guideline includes 15 CQs for children in addition to 46 CQs for adults. As with the previous edition, we used a systematic review method with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system as well as a degree of recommendation determination method. We also conducted systematic reviews that used meta-analyses of diagnostic accuracy and network meta-analyses as a new method., Results: Recommendations for adult patients with ARDS are described: we suggest against using serum C-reactive protein and procalcitonin levels to identify bacterial pneumonia as the underlying disease (GRADE 2D); we recommend limiting tidal volume to 4-8 mL/kg for mechanical ventilation (GRADE 1D); we recommend against managements targeting an excessively low SpO 2 (PaO 2 ) (GRADE 2D); we suggest against using transpulmonary pressure as a routine basis in positive end-expiratory pressure settings (GRADE 2B); we suggest implementing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for those with severe ARDS (GRADE 2B); we suggest against using high-dose steroids (GRADE 2C); and we recommend using low-dose steroids (GRADE 1B). The recommendations for pediatric patients with ARDS are as follows: we suggest against using non-invasive respiratory support (non-invasive positive pressure ventilation/high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy) (GRADE 2D); we suggest placing pediatric patients with moderate ARDS in the prone position (GRADE 2D); we suggest against routinely implementing NO inhalation therapy (GRADE 2C); and we suggest against implementing daily sedation interruption for pediatric patients with respiratory failure (GRADE 2D)., Conclusions: This article is a translated summary of the full version of the ARDS Clinical Practice Guideline 2021 published in Japanese (URL: https://www.jrs.or.jp/publication/jrs_guidelines/). The original text, which was written for Japanese healthcare professionals, may include different perspectives from healthcare professionals of other countries., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest All committee members and panelists submitted disclosure forms of financial and academic conflict of interest (COI) prior to being requested to participate in individual activities. If panelists have any COI concerning each CQ, other panelists were assigned to replace the vacancy. All COI were collected according to the guideline written by Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Detailed information of COI and the roles in creating this clinical guideline are summarized in Additional file 7., (Copyright © 2022 [The Author/The Authors]. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we evaluated extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing bacteria with the newly developed primer and probe sets to detect bla CTX-M , bla TEM , and bla SHV using BD MAX TM , a fully automated multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay system. In 36 isolates confirmed by whole-genome sequencing to have bla CTX-M , bla TEM , or bla SHV , the developed primer and probe sets accurately detected each gene without being influenced by the presence of other β-lactamase genes. In nine control strains that do not harbor either bla CTX-M , bla TEM , or bla SHV no cross-reaction was observed. In 191 strains phenotypically determined to be ESBL-producers by conventional antimicrobial susceptibility tests, 189 strains were blaC TX-M -, bla TEM -, or bla SHV -positive as assessed by BD MAX TM using the developed primer and probe sets, and two strains were negative for these genes. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that these two strains were phenotypically false-positive ESBL-producers. The accuracy of the primer and probe sets seems to be satisfactory, and they may be applicable to detect CTX-M-type ESBL-producing bacteria.

The efficacy of 1% chlorhexidine-gluconate ethanol and 10% povidone-iodine for skin antisepsis of central venous catheter (CVC) sites were compared among hematology patients. The CVC site colonization rates of those groups were 11.9% and 29.2%, respectively, and the catheter-associated blood stream infections were 0.75 and 3.62 per 1,000 catheter-days, respectively. One percent chlorhexidine-gluconate ethanol was superior to povidone-iodine to reduce skin colonizers at CVC sites even when catheters were used for long duration., (Copyright © 2014 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 22-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with dilute iodine tincture poisoning. He had ingested 150 mL in a suicide attempt. On arrival, he was in need of urgent airway management as he was repeatedly vomiting. Although we had difficulty with endotracheal intubation because of remarkable pharyngolaryngeal mucosal edema induced by dilute iodine tincture, we managed to secure the airway. On the 2nd day, laryngoscope showed severe mucosal erosion from the upper to middle pharynx and epiglottis. On the 4th day, we performed a tracheoctomy in anticipation of prolonged airway management. On the 16th day, laryngoscopy showed improvement in each of the 2nd day findings. On the 30th day, the patient was transferred to a psychiatric hospital. Generally, iodine poisoning induces multiple organ disorders and there have been several reports describing iatrogenic iodine poisoning. However, cases of severe airway stenosis due to ingestion of iodine are very rare. Presently, members of the public can easily purchase dilute iodine tincture in Japan, therefore emergency medical personnel should be aware of iodine poisoning as a method of suicide attempt.

This study examined the effect of working memory on learning from texts. In Experiment 1, participants preformed a word clustering task involving key words from an explanatory text (pretest), and then read the text, which was presented sentence-by-sentence. Next, they performed a second clustering task (post-test), a problem solving task, and a reading span test (RST). The results suggested that the individual differences of the RST scores correlated with the scores for problem solving. In Experiment 2, the results suggested that the individual differences of the RST scores influenced the clustering performance at the level of the situation model when the text was presented all together. Moreover, the result of multiple dimension scaling suggested that the situation models of high-span readers reflected the structure of the text more than those of low-span readers. These results indicate that readers with high reading span scores construct coherent situation models of texts and make use of them for learning from texts.