ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the association between preoperative retrograde pyelography (RGP), conducted to evaluate upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), and intravesical recurrence (IVR) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Materials and Methods: Of 114 patients that underwent RNU, 72 patients without preoperative ureteroscopy and a history of bladder tumor were selectively enrolled. Variables associated with IVR were identified. Results: RGP was performed at a mean duration of 24.9 days prior to RNU in 41 (56.1%) of study subjects. During the mean follow-up period of 64.5 months, IVRs were identified in 32 (44.4%) patients at 22.3±18.8 (mean±SD) months after RNU. Despite similar tumor characteristics in the RGP and non-RGP groups, the incidence of IVR was considerably higher in the RGP group (63.4%) than in the non-RGP group (19.4%, p <0.001). The following variables differed significantly between the IVR and non-IVR groups: age (64.6±8.51 vs. 59.6±9.65 years), tumor location (lower or upper; 53.1% vs. 20%), tumor invasiveness (> pT2; 53.1% vs. 17.5%), preoperative hemoglobin (12.8±1.36 vs. 13.9±1.65), preoperative creatinine (1.29±0.32 vs. 1.11±0.22), and preoperative RGP (81.3% vs. 37.5%), respectively. Multivariate Cox regression model showed that tumor location (p=0.020, HR=2.742), preoperative creatinine level (p=0.004, HR=6.351), and preoperative RGP (p=0.045, HR=3.134) independently predicted IVR. Conclusion: Given the limitations of retrospective single-center series, performance of RGP before RNU was shown to have a negative effect on IVR after surgery.

Esmaltes celadon foram investigados por meio de análise de fluorescência de raios X, e difração de raios X e espectros de absorção de raios X usando radiação síncrotron. Os esmaltes foram preparados por mistura de matérias-primas de celadon de feldspato Masuda, calcita, quartzo e 1 peso% a mais de Fe2O3 com tratamento térmico até 1300 °C. Foi verificado que as cores dos esmaltes dependem fortemente do teor de Fe2O3 e do tratamento térmico a alta temperatura sob atmosfera oxidante e desoxidante. As cores características verde azulada, marron esverdeada esbranquecida resultam das bandas de hibridização complexa 3d5L and 3d6L. A hibridização 3d6L é induzida por interação de troca eletrônica entre o orbital vazio 3d6 e íons Fe e um orbital 2p ocupado com íons oxigênio vizinhos nas cerâmicas complexas básicas (SiO2 - Al2O3 - CaO) no estado vítreo sob tratamento térmico desoxidante.

Celadon glazes have been investigated by means of ordinary X-ray fluorescence analysis, and X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectra using synchrotron radiation. The tentative glazes are prepared by mixing raw celadon materials of Masuda feldspar, limestone, quartz, and extra-added Fe2O3 of about 1wt% at thermal treatment till about 1300 °C. It is found that the glaze-colors strongly depend on the Fe2O3 amount and the high-temperature treatment under oxidizing and deoxidizing in the used kiln. Especially, the characteristic color of blue-green, white-green-brown, and white-blue-green result from complex hybridized 3d5L and 3d6L bands. The 3d6L hybridization is induced by an electronic exchange interaction between an empty 3d6 orbital of Fe ions and an occupied 2p orbital of surrounding O ions in the (SiO2 - Al2O3 - CaO) basic complex ceramics of glass-state under the deoxidizing thermal treatment.

Celadons Hizen produzidos nas áreas de Arita e Imari no Japão nos anos de 1630 a 1790 (período Edo) foram investigados por meio de análise de fluorescência de raios X, difração de raios X e espectros de absorção usando radiação síncrotron. Foi descoberto que nos celadons Hizen o brilho na coloração dos esmaltes celadon depende da propriedade estrutural da matéria-prima cerâmica extraída em Imaizumi (Arita) e Ohkwachi (Imari), onde a primeira é principalmente quartzo-SiO2, e a última é um feldspato ((K,Na) Si3O8). Foi confirmado que CaCO3 da cinza da madeira natural adicionada artificialmente na matéria-prima cerâmica celadon produz um esmalte vítreo na superfície do corpo básico dos celadons Hizen. Uma quantidade muito pequena de íons de metal de transição (Cr, Cu, Zn) foi detectada nos esmaltes de celadons, alem de pequeno teor de Fe e Mn. Considera-se que Cu e Cr estão relacionados com o brilho na coloração verde-marron e azul-verde nos esmaltes do celadon Hizen, respectivamente.

HIZEN celadons produced at Arita and Imari areas in Japan from 1630's to 1790's (Edo period) have been investigated by means of X-ray fluorescence analysis, and X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectra using synchrotron radiation. It is found that, in the HIZEN celadons, the color brightness of the celadon glazes depends on the structural property of the raw basic ceramics taken at Imaizumi (Arita) and Ohkwachi (Imari), where the former is mainly Quartz-SiO2, and the later is Sanidine ((K,Na)Si3O8). It is confirmed that CaCO3 of natural wood ash added artificially into the raw celadon ceramics makes a glassy glaze on the surface of the basic body of the HIZEN celadons. Transition-metal ions (Cr, Cu, Zn) of very small amount are detected in the celadon glazes, in addition to Fe and Mn of small amount. It is considered that Cu and Cr are related to the color brightness of green-brown and blue-green in the HIZEN celadon glazes, respectively.

As porcelanas do estilo Kakiemon produzidas nas áreas de Arita (SAGA) na ilha Kyushu são porcelanas japonesas famosas. As técnicas de produzir porcelanas com os elegantes e brilhantes vidrados de cores vermelho brilhante foram encontradas e desenvolvidas nos anos 1650 (início do período Edo) primeiramente em fornos Kakiemon. Vidrados vermelhos e vidrados transparentes de porcelanas do estilo Kakiemon foram investigadas por meio de difração de raios X com radiação sincrotron. Os resultados sugerem que o brilho de cor vermelha é principalmente induzido pela correlação microestrutural entre finas partículas de α-Fe2O3, como elementos emissores de cor vermelha, além de outros óxidos como SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, KNaO, e PbO. A estabilidade dos vidrados na superfície da porcelana com vidrado vermelho está relacionada com a fusão interfacial dos vidros existentes no vidrado vermelho calcinado e o vidrado transparente do corpo da porcelana. As antigas téncias de porcelana do estilo Kakiemon são claramente baseadas nas propriedades microestruturais do material dos vidrados sobrepostos, os sub-postos e os transparentes, embora as técnicas tenham sido encontradas e desenvolvidas experimental e acidentalmente no período Edo.

Kakiemon-style porcelains produced at Arita areas (SAGA) in Kyushu Island are famous Japanese porcelains. The porcelain-techniques creating its elegant and bright red-color underglaze and overglaze were found and developed in 1650's (early Edo period) first by Kakiemon kiln. Red-color overglaze and transparent glaze of the Kakiemon-style porcelains have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. The results suggest that the red-color brightness is mainly induced by micro-structural correlation between α-Fe2O3 fine particles, as red-color emission elements, and other oxides of SiO2, Al2O3, CaO, KNaO, PbO. The stability of the red-overglaze on the porcelain surface is related to interfacial fusion of the glasses existing in the fritted red-overglaze and the transparent glaze on the porcelain body. The ancient porcelain-techniques of the Kakiemon-style porcelains are clearly based on the micro-structural and material properties of the overglazes, the underglazes, and the transparent glazes, though the techniques were experimentally and accidentally found and developed in the Edo period.