Resumo Os medicamentos combinados de β-lactâmicos / inibidores da lactamase (BLBLIs) são considerados uma alternativa eficaz aos carbapenêmicos. No entanto, existe uma preocupação crescente de que o aumento do uso de BLBLIs pode levar ao aumento da resistência. Este estudo determinou a associação temporal entre o consumo de BLBLI e a resistência antimicrobiana em bactérias gram-negativas. Neste estudo retrospectivo, os dados eletrônicos sobre as bactérias gram-negativas isoladas, incluindo A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, E. coli e K. pneumoniae de pacientes internados e os resultados dos testes de suscetibilidade foram recuperados dos registros médicos do laboratório clínico. Uma regressão linear e análise de correlação cruzada foram realizadas nos dados adquiridos. Foram observadas tendências crescentes (p < 0,05) no consumo de BIBLI e carbapenem com uma mediana de uso de 27,68 e 34,46 DDD/1000 PD por trimestre, respectivamente. Foi observada uma tendência de diminuição (p = 0,023) no consumo de fluoroquinolonas com uma mediana de uso de 29,13 DDD/1000 PD por trimestre. A taxa de resistência de K. pneumoniae foi sincronizada com os consumos de BIBLI e carbapenem com coeficiente de correlação de 0,893 (p = 0,012) e 0,951 (p = 0,016), respectivamente. A análise de correlação cruzada contra o consumo de BIBLI e K. pneumoniae resistente ao meropenem atingiu o pico no intervalo de 0 quarto (r = 951, p = 0,016). Houve uma tendência de aumento no consumo de BLBLI e carbapenêmicos. A tendência crescente nas taxas de resistência a piperacilina/tazobactam, em linha com o consumo crescente de BLBLI, sugere que BLBLI deve ser usado com cautela e não pode ser considerado diretamente como alternativa de longo prazo aos carbapenêmicos.

Abstract The β-lactam/lactamase inhibitors (BLBLIs) combination drugs are considered an effective alternative to carbapenems. However, there is a growing concern that the increased use of BLBLIs may lead to increased resistance. This study determined the temporal association between the consumption of BLBLI and the antimicrobial resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. In this retrospective study, electronic data on the Gram-negative bacterial isolates, including A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae from in-patients and susceptibility testing results were retrieved from the medical records of the clinical laboratory. A linear regression and cross-correlation analysis were performed on the acquired data. Increasing trends (p<0.05) in the consumption of BIBLI and carbapenem with a median use of 27.68 and 34.46 DDD/1000 PD per quarter were observed, respectively. A decreased trend (p=0.023) in the consumption of fluoroquinolones with a median use of 29.13 DDD/1000 PD per quarter was observed. The resistance rate of K. pneumoniae was synchronized with the BIBLI and carbapenem consumptions with a correlation coefficient of 0.893 (p=0.012) and 0.951 (p=0.016), respectively. The cross-correlation analysis against the consumption of BIBLI and meropenem resistant K. pneumoniae was peaked at 0-quarter lag (r=951, p=0.016). There was an increasing trend in the consumption of BLBLI and carbapenems. The increasing trend in the rates of resistance to piperacillin/tazobactam, in line with the increasing consumption of BLBLI, suggests that BLBLI has to be used with caution and cannot be directly considered as a long-term alternative to carbapenems.

Resumo Investigar a concentração ideal de andrógenos em cultura de folículos pilosos de carneiro Hetiano e detectar os efeitos da concentração de andrógenos na proliferação e apoptose de células foliculares, por meio de imunofluorescência e de determinação quantitativa, em tempo real, da fluorescência dos níveis de expressão gênica de proteína associada à queratina. Folículos pilosos foram isolados por microdissecção, e folículos de lã e pedaços de pele foram cultivados em várias concentrações de di-hidrotestosterona (DHT) em meio de cultura. Em seguida, medições diárias de crescimento longitudinal dos folículos capilares foram obtidas usando um micrômetro microscópico. Folículos de lã cultivados de Hetianos foram corados pelo método SACPIC para revelar a estrutura do folículo piloso, enquanto fatias de pele de carneiro foram usadas para observar a proliferação celular por imunocoloração e apoptose celular por meio do método TUNEL. Em âmbito da biologia molecular, a expressão gênica da proteína associada à queratina (Kap) foi estudada usando folículos capilares cultivados por vários dias, in vitro. Os efeitos das concentrações de andrógenos no crescimento e desenvolvimento dos folículos de lã de Hetianos foram estudados experimentalmente. Ensaios de proliferação de EdU revelaram que o andrógeno promoveu a proliferação celular dentro das papilas dérmicas do folículo piloso. A detecção de apoptose por TUNEL demonstrou que o tratamento com andrógeno poderia atrasar a apoptose celular. Os resultados da reação em cadeia da polimerase transcrição reversa quantitativa (qPCR) demonstraram que os padrões de expressão gênica da proteína de enxofre Kap1.1, KIF1.2, Kap2.12 e Kap4.2 foram significativamente maiores no grupo de ovinos Hetianos de montanha. Uma concentração de androgênio de 100 nM pode promover o crescimento de células foliculares de lã de Hetianos in vitro, resultando na superexpressão de alguns genes da família Kap.

Abstract To investigate the optimal androgen concentration for culturing Hetian sheep wool follicle and to detect effects of androgen concentration on wool follicle cell proliferation and apoptosis using immunofluorescence labeling and real-time quantitative fluorescence determinations of wool keratin-associated protein gene expression levels. Wool follicles were isolated by microdissection and wool follicles and skin pieces were cultured in various concentrations of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in culture medium. Next, daily lengthwise growth measurements of wool follicles were obtained using a microscopic micrometer. Cultured Hetian wool follicles were stained using the SACPIC method to reveal wool follicle structure, while sheep skin slices were used to observe cell proliferation by immunostaining and cell apoptosis using the TUNEL method. At the molecular biological level, keratin-associated protein (Kap) gene expression was studied using wool follicles cultured for various numbers of days in vitro. Effects of androgen concentrations on Hetian wool follicle growth and development were experimentally studied. EdU proliferation assays revealed that androgen promoted cell proliferation within wool follicle dermal papillae. TUNEL apoptosis detection demonstrated that androgen treatment could delay cell apoptosis. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results demonstrated that gene expression level patterns of Hetian mountain sheep super-high sulfur protein. Kap1.1, KIF1.2, Kap2.12 and Kap4.2 gene expression level of the mountainous experimental group was significantly higher than plains Hetian sheep. An androgen concentration of 100 nM can promote the growth of Hetian wool follicle cells in vitro, resulting in overexpression of some genes of the Kap family.

Abstract We studied the correlation between the soil microbial status and the crop yield or medicinal properties of Angelica s.. Soil from different counties of China were collected and used in this study. Readfq, SOAP denovo, MetaGeneMark, and DIAMOND Resistance Gene Identifier (RGI) software were used in the analysis. A total of 131,345 genes of high quality were obtained, with the number of genes in all samples ranging from 483-42,545 and the average length ranging from 354.88-523.47. The acidobacteria in the non-sterilized group were significantly increased by comparing with the sterilized group, while actinobacteria in the non-sterilized group were significantly reduced by comparing with the sterilized group. There was a strong correlation between the two groups of the planting group and the two groups of the non-planting group, while the correlation between the planting and non-planting group was very weak. There were significant differences in the soil microbial community structure between Min county and Yunnan, as well as significant differences between the dominant genera of Min county and Yunnan. In summary, our study showed that the soil microbial flora in different areas affected the characteristics of Angelica s. roots, while sterilized soil was not conducive to the growth of Angelica s.

Resumo Ginkgo biloba é um fitoterápico tradicional da medicina chinesa que contém vários componentes que contribuem para suas notáveis bioatividades. Variações sazonais, meteorológicos e de plantio do solo sobre os teores fitoquímicos em folhas de G. biloba, devido aos efeitos do crescimento meteorológico e parâmetros do solo, foram investigadas neste estudo. As folhas de G. biloba foram coletadas em diferentes meses e na província de Zhejiang, os teores de flavonas (quercetina, kaempferol e isorhamnetina) e lactonas terpênicas (bilobalida, ginkgolídeos A, B e C) foram quantificados por Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Eficiência (CLAE) e pelo método do detector de dispersão da luz por evaporação. Os métodos estabelecidos foram validados com boa linearidade, precisão, repetibilidade, estabilidade e recuperação. Uma análise abrangente sugeriu que o tempo de colheita adequado para G. biloba foi em outubro na província de Zhejiang. O resultado da análise de correlação com fatores meteorológicos mostra que a temperatura e a precipitação não têm efeito significativo sobre os principais componentes de G. biloba. Além disso, o tipo e composição (Mn e Zn) do solo apresentaram efeito significativo sobre o teor de flavonoides e lactonas terpênicas. Este estudo enriqueceu o conhecimento sobre o valor de desenvolvimento e utilização das folhas de G. biloba e foi útil para determinar o melhor tempo de colheita e condição de crescimento.

Abstract Ginkgo biloba is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine containing multiple components that contribute to its notable bioactivities. Variations of seasonal, meteorological and planting soil on the phytochemicals contents in G. biloba leaves due to the effects of growth meteorological and soil parameters were investigated in this study. The leaves of G. biloba were collected from different months and place in Zhejiang province, the contents of flavones (quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin) and terpene lactones (bilobalide, ginkgolides A, B and C) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) method. The established methods were validated with good linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery. Comprehensive analysis suggested the proper harvest time for G. biloba was in October of Zhejiang province. The result of correlation analysis with meteorological factors shows that the temperature and precipitation have non-significant effect on the main components of G. biloba. In addition, the type and content (Mn and Zn) of the soil showed significantly effect on the content of flavonoids and terpene lactones. This study enriched the knowledge on the development and utilization value of the G. biloba leaves and was useful for determining the optimal harvest time and growing condition.

RESUMO: Solanum nigrum L. (erva-moura), uma planta daninha perene anual de curta duração, tornou-se uma planta daninha problemática em sistemas agrícolas na China central. Foram conduzidos experimentos em laboratório e em casa de vegetação para examinar a influência de vários fatores abióticos na germinação de sementes de erva-moura para o desenvolvimento de programas eficazes de controle de plantas daninhas. As sementes germinaram em temperaturas constantes de 15 a 30 oC, mas não ocorreu germinação em temperaturas abaixo de 10 oC ou acima de 35 oC. Também foi observada germinação das sementes em regimes de temperaturas alternadas de 15/5 oC a 40/30 oC, com germinação máxima (> 93,5%) nas temperaturas alternadas de 25/15 oC e 30/20 oC. Houve redução da germinação à medida que o potencial osmótico se tornou mais negativo, e nenhuma germinação foi observada a ≤ 0,8 MPa. Além disso, foi observada redução da germinação em função do estresse salino e alcalino, e nas concentrações ≥ 200 mM de NaCl ou ≥ 150 mM de NaHCO3 não ocorreu germinação. A germinação das sementes não foi afetada de forma significativa pelos valores de pH de 5 a 10, porém a emergência de plântulas sofreu influência significativa da profundidade de sementes, com emergência máxima (93,1%) a 1 cm de profundidade.

ABSTRACT: Solanum nigrum L. (black nightshade), an annual to short-lived perennial weed, has become a problem weed in farming systems in central China. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to examine the influence of various abiotic factors on seed germination of black nightshade to develop effective weed control programs. Seeds germinated at a range of constant temperatures from 15 to 30 oC, but no germination occurred at temperatures below 10 oC or above 35 oC. Seeds also germinated at alternating temperature regimes from 15/5 to 40/30 oC, with maximum germination (> 93.5%) at the alternating temperatures of 25/15 and 30/20 oC. Germination decreased as osmotic potential became more negative, and no germination was observed at ≤ -0.8 MPa. Moreover, germination was reduced by saline and alkaline stresses and no germination occurred at ≥ 200 mM NaCl or ≥ 150 mM NaHCO3 concentrations. Seed germination was not significantly affected by pH values from 5 to 10. Seedling emergence was significantly affected by burial depth with maximum emergence (93.1%) at 1 cm depth.

Abstract In the water-deficient area, river-changed ponds are common and vital for aquatic species. This paper studies the relationship between the environmental factors and the benthic invertebrate communities in varying ponds under river habitat modifications (RHM). For analysis, numerous samples are collected from river-changed ponds in Beijing, China. These ponds are classified into five types, including totally reinforced ponds, channel reinforced ponds, bank reinforced ponds, natural ponds, and restored ponds. Results indicate: 1) the biodiversity of benthic invertebrates is dependent strongly on the pond type; 2) habitat quality explains a considerable amount of variations in benthic invertebrate communities, and RHM show strong power in explaining variations in habitat quality; 3) RHM on the pond bank has stronger impact on the habitat quality than that on the pond bottom. These findings suggest that RHM can affect the benthic invertebrate community through changing habitat quality. And we suggest that ecological restoration of pond bank should be a useful way to improve invertebrate biodiversity for rive-changed ponds in Beijing.

Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is a prevalent occupational disorder that impairs auditory function in workers exposed to prolonged noise. However, serum microRNA expression in ONIHL subjects has not yet been studied. We aimed to compare the serum microRNA expression profiles in male workers of ONIHL subjects and controls. MicroRNA microarray analysis revealed that four serum microRNAs were differentially expressed between controls (n=3) and ONIHL subjects (n=3). Among these microRNAs, three were upregulated (hsa-miR-3162-5p, hsa-miR-4484, hsa-miR-1229-5p) and one was downregulated (hsa-miR-4652-3p) in the ONIHL group (fold change >1.5 and Pbon value <0.05). Real time quantitative PCR was conducted for validation of the microRNA expression. Significantly increased serum levels of miR-1229-5p were found in ONIHL subjects compared to controls (n=10 for each group; P<0.05). A total of 659 (27.0%) genes were predicted as the target genes of miR-1229-5p. These genes were involved in various pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Overexpression of miR-1229-5p dramatically inhibited the luciferase activity of 3′ UTR segment of MAPK1 (P<0.01). Compared to the negative control, HEK293T cells expressing miR-1229-5p mimics showed a significant decline in mRNA levels of MAPK1 (P<0.05). This preliminary study indicated that serum miR-1229-5p was significantly elevated in ONIHL subjects. Increased miR-1229-5p may participate in the pathogenesis of ONIHL through repressing MAPK1 signaling.

Alveolar epithelia play an essential role in maintaining the integrity and homeostasis of lungs, in which alveolar epithelial type II cells (AECII) are a cell type with stem cell potential for epithelial injury repair and regeneration. However, mechanisms behind the physiological and pathological roles of alveolar epithelia in human lungs remain largely unknown, partially owing to the difficulty of isolation and culture of primary human AECII cells. In the present study, we aimed to characterize alveolar epithelia generated from A549 lung adenocarcinoma cells that were cultured in an air-liquid interface (ALI) state. Morphological analysis demonstrated that A549 cells could reconstitute epithelial layers in ALI cultures as evaluated by histochemistry staining and electronic microscopy. Immunofluorescent staining further revealed an expression of alveolar epithelial type I cell (AECI) markers aquaporin-5 protein (AQP-5), and AECII cell marker surfactant protein C (SPC) in subpopulations of ALI cultured cells. Importantly, molecular analysis further revealed the expression of AQP-5, SPC, thyroid transcription factor-1, zonula occludens-1 and Mucin 5B in A549 ALI cultures as determined by both immunoblotting and quantitative RT-PCR assay. These results suggest that the ALI culture of A549 cells can partially mimic the property of alveolar epithelia, which may be a feasible and alternative model for investigating roles and mechanisms of alveolar epithelia in vitro.

The synthesis of 3-hydroxy-2-naphthyl hydroxamic acid (H2O5) as a collector for bastnaesite is described. The flotation performance of H2O5 with respect to bastnaesite was investigated by flotation tests, measurements of the surface adsorption capacity, and polarizing microscopy. The results indicated that H2O5 exhibits superior collecting performance compared with direct flotation recovery of bastnaesite, with recoveries above 90% at pH 8-9. The adsorption mechanism of H2O5 on bastnaesite was studied by solution chemistry analysis and Ç-potential tests. The results showed that the adsorption of H2O5 is associated with the types and concentrations of hydrolysis products of rare earth cations on the bastnaesite surface. At pH 8-9, the hydrolysis-dominant components RE(OH)²+ and RE(OH)2+ of the rare earth cations were adsorbed onto the bastnaesite surfaces, which were considered to be the major positive active points and were beneficial to chemical adsorption of the reagents. The pH range of 7-10 was optimum for bastnaesite floatability, and the adsorption of H205 on bastnaesite was by means of chemical adsorption through formation of a five-membered ring chelate.

Ractopamine is a beta-adrenergic agonist that increases leanness and carcass weight in finishing pigs. Our previous study observed that dietary ractopamine increased the abundance of several glycolytic enzymes in the sarcoplasmic proteome of post-rigor pork longissimus thoracis muscle. Pork semimembranosus is an economically important muscle and demonstrates differences in biochemistry compared with longissimus thoracis. Nonetheless, the effects of ractopamine on sarcoplasmic proteome of semimembranosus have not been evaluated yet. Therefore, this study examined the influence of ractopamine on sarcoplasmic proteome of post-rigor pork semimembranosus. Analyses of sarcoplasmic proteome of semimembranosus muscles from control (CON; diet without ractopamine) and ractopamine-fed (RAC; 7.4 mg/kg for 14 days followed by 10.0 mg/kg for 14 days) barrows revealed that haemoglobin subunit beta, alpha-crystallin B, and titin fragments were over-abundant in CON. In contrast, myosin light chain 1/3 and tripartite motif-containing protein 72 were over-abundant in RAC. The low abundance of haemoglobin subunit beta and alpha crystallin B in RAC could be attributed to fibre type shift (from oxidative to glycolytic) in response to ractopamine. The over-abundance of MLC 1/3 and tripartite motif-containing protein 72 in RAC could be due to the increased myofibrillar protein synthesis and muscle mass in ractopamine-fed pigs. Dietary ractopamine decreased the abundance of sarcoplasmic proteins involved in oxygen transport and chaperone activity, but increased the abundance of proteins involved in muscle contraction and plasma membrane repair in pork semimembranosus muscle.

Altitude, as an important factor in the expression of terroir, may affect wine quality. We evaluated the effect of altitude and its related climatic conditions on the phenolic characteristics and antioxidant activity of red wines made from grapes originating from high-altitude areas. The content of total phenolic compounds, total flavonoids and total anthocyanins increased with altitude in Merlot (ME) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) wines. Cabernet Sauvignon wines showed richer tannins with increasing altitude. Merlot and CS wines from higher altitude vineyards, showed a greater antioxidant capacity. Salicylic acid, syringic acid, caffeic acid, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, and the sum of individual phenolic compounds in the wines increased with altitude based on the results of HPLC. The scores of the sensory evaluation of ME wines increased with higher altitude. The highest score was determined for CS wine originating from 2 608 m. A clear grouping of wines according to grape cultivar and vineyard altitude was observed by principal component analysis. Regression analysis showed that altitude, followed by sunshine hours, made the greatest contribution to differences in the phenolic characteristics and antioxidant activity of red wines at different sites in a high-altitude region.

This study aimed to test the diagnostic performance of a fully quantitative fibrosis assessment tool for liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A total of 117 patients with liver fibrosis were included in this study, including 50 patients with CHB, 49 patients with PBC and 18 patients with NASH. All patients underwent liver biopsy (LB). Fibrosis stages were assessed by two experienced pathologists. Histopathological images of LB slices were processed by second harmonic generation (SHG)/two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) microscopy without staining, a system called qFibrosis (quantitative fibrosis) system. Altogether 101 quantitative features of the SHG/TPEF images were acquired. The parameters of aggregated collagen in portal, septal and fibrillar areas increased significantly with stages of liver fibrosis in PBC and CHB (P<0.05), but the same was not found for parameters of distributed collagen (P>0.05). There was a significant correlation between parameters of aggregated collagen in portal, septal and fibrillar areas and stages of liver fibrosis from CHB and PBC (P<0.05), but no correlation was found between the distributed collagen parameters and the stages of liver fibrosis from those patients (P>0.05). There was no significant correlation between NASH parameters and stages of fibrosis (P>0.05). For CHB and PBC patients, the highest correlation was between septal parameters and fibrosis stages, the second highest was between portal parameters and fibrosis stages and the lowest correlation was between fibrillar parameters and fibrosis stages. The correlation between the septal parameters of the PBC and stages is significantly higher than the parameters of the other two areas (P<0.05). The qFibrosis candidate parameters based on CHB were also applicable for quantitative analysis of liver fibrosis in PBC patients. Different parameters should be selected for liver fibrosis assessment in different stages of PBC compared with CHB.

During endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), a needle is commonly used with a stylet, although recently the stylet has been omitted. This prospective study aimed to compare the quality of specimens obtained by EBUS-TBNA performed with and without a stylet. Between November 2013 and November 2014, 131 patients with lung cancer underwent EBUS-TBNA, with a total of 148 mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes sampled both with and without an inner-stylet, yielding 296 cytological specimens. Specimens were scored cytologically using five parameters: background blood or clot, amount of cellular material, degree of cellular degeneration, degree of cellular trauma, and retention of appropriate architecture. The procedure with a stylet required significantly longer operation time than without a stylet (14.5±0.8 vs 12.7±1.1 min, P<0.001). Excellent specimens were obtained in 261/296 and 260/296 samples in the procedures with and without a stylet, respectively (P=0.9), while the remaining 35 and 36 samples, respectively, were adequate. The diagnosing and staging of lung cancer using EBUS-TBNA did not differ significantly between the groups. In conclusion, specimen collection by EBUS-TBNA without a stylet is easier and faster than the procedure using a stylet and absence of a stylet did not alter specimen quality or diagnostic accuracy.

Contact force (CF) sensing technology allows real-time monitoring during catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the effect of CF sensing technology on procedural parameters and clinical outcomes still needs clarification. Because of the inconsistent results thus far in this area, we performed a meta-analysis to determine whether CF sensing technology can improve procedural parameters and clinical outcomes for the treatment of AF. Studies examining the benefits of CF sensing technology were identified in English-language articles by searching the MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases (inception to May 2015). Ten randomized, controlled trials involving 1834 patients (1263 males, 571 females) were included in the meta-analysis (681 in the CF group, 1153 in the control group). Overall, the ablation time was significantly decreased by 7.34 min (95%CI=-12.21 to -2.46; P=0.003, Z test) in the CF group compared with the control group. CF sensing technology was associated with significantly improved freedom from AF after 12 months (OR=1.55, 95%CI=1.20 to 1.99; P=0.0007) and complications were significantly lower in the CF group than in the control group (OR=0.50, 95%CI=0.29 to 0.87; P=0.01). However, fluoroscopy time analysis showed no significantly decreased trend associated with CF-guided catheter ablation (weighted mean difference: -2.59; 95%CI=-9.06 to 3.88; P=0.43). The present meta-analysis shows improvement in ablation time and freedom from AF after 12 months in AF patients treated with CF-guided catheter ablation. However, CF-guided catheter ablation does not decrease fluoroscopy time.

Lump coals are currently employed to replace part of coke in the COREX melter-gasifier for ironmaking. In order to optimize the process, the pyrolysis kinetics of Datong coal used in the COREX process was studied. A sectioning method is proposed to overcome certain shortcomings of traditional methods for studying the pyrolysis of coal. Based on the sectioning method and the characteristics of the coal pyrolysis process, the temperature range was divided into three intervals. In the first, the adsorbed gas and water of crystallization were removed; in the second, the coal was transformed into semi-coke; and finally, the semi-coke was further coked. Three models of reaction were then established to study the different stages of the pyrolysis process: an interfacial chemical reaction model, a random pore model, and internal diffusion with shrinking volume. The results showed that the experimental data fitted the models well, with all correlation coefficients (r²) exceeding 0.97. Finally, the mechanisms of reaction and kinetic parameters for each temperature range were derived, which laid a necessary foundation for optimizing the usage of non-coking coal in the COREX process.