Background
Presence of intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) is a known risk factor for stroke and plaque progression. Accurate and reproducible measurement of IPH volume are required for further risk ...stratification.
Purpose
To develop a semiautomatic method to measure carotid IPH volume.
Study Type
Retrospective.
Population
Patients scheduled for carotid endarterectomy and patients with 16–79% asymptomatic carotid stenosis by ultrasound.
Field Strength
3T.
Sequence
Simultaneous noncontrast angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage (SNAP) MRI.
Assessment
A semiautomated volumetric measurement of IPH using signal intensity thresholding of 3D SNAP volume was implemented. Fourteen carotid endarterectomy patients were enrolled to determine the signal intensity threshold of IPH using histology. Thirty‐three patients with 16–79% asymptomatic stenosis were scanned twice within 1 month to evaluate reproducibility. The normalized SNAP intensity with the highest Youden index for predicting IPH on histology was used for thresholding. Scan–rescan reproducibility of IPH measurement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV).
Statistical Tests
Receiver operating characteristic curve, area under the curve, Cohen's kappa, intraclass correlation coefficient, coefficient of variance (CV), and paired t‐test.
Results
IPH detection by the algorithm had substantial agreement with manual review (kappa: 0.92; 95% confidence interval CI: 0.83, 1.00) and moderate agreement with histology (kappa: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.34, 0.68). IPH volume measurements by the algorithm were strongly correlated with histology (Spearman's rho = 0.76, P = 0.002). IPH measurements were also reproducible, with ICCs of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.96), 0.77 (95% CI: 0.32, 0.94), and 0.99 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.00) for maximum/mean normalized intensity and IPH volume, respectively. The corresponding CVs were 10.6%, 5.2%, and 11.8%.
Data Conclusion
IPH volume measurements on SNAP MRI are highly reproducible using semiautomatic measurement.
Level of Evidence 2
Technical Efficacy Stage 2
J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1055–1062.
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•Electrospinning sulfydryl-functionized mesoporous PVA/silica-based nanofiber MNF-SH.•MNF-SH can simultaneously and sequentially remove Cu(II) and BPA from water.•BPA adsorbed on ...MNF-SH can act as bridge molecular to improve adsorption of Cu(II).•Cu(II) competed with BPA for ‘–SH’ of MNF-SH so as to decrease adsorption of BPA.•Ethanol and HCl solution can sequentially desorb BPA and Cu(II) from MNF-SH.
Sulfydryl-functionalized mesoporous Polyvinyl alcohol/silica-based nanofiber (MNF-SH) was prepared as efficient adsorbent to simultaneously/sequentially remove Bisphenol A and Cu(II) from their binary solutions. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed the mesoporous structure of MNF-SH. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra further confirmed sulfydryl groups on MNF-SH. It also indicated that Cu(II) adsorption on MNF-SH was mainly attributed to the chelating interaction, while adsorption of BPA was due to the intermolecular force and hydrogen bond. In addition, the loaded BPA on MNF-SH by intermolecular force, could act as bridge molecular to adsorb Cu(II), and showed synergistic effects on Cu(II) removal in simultaneous/sequential adsorption. However, the coexistence of Cu(II) or preload Cu(II) decreased the uptake of BPA because of competition for MNF-SH sulfydryl groups. The coexistence of Cl− and NO3− increased the adsorption of Cu(II) while decrease the adsorption of BPA. Multiple adsorption-regeneration experiment indicated that more than 97% of BPA and 98% of Cu(II) could be sequentially desorbed by ethanol and HCl (4.0mol/L) solution, respectively. Even after 10 times cycles, MNF-SH could still remain more than 90% adsorption capacity for Cu(II) and BPA. Thus, MNF-SH was a promising adsorbent for simultaneous/sequential removal of Cu(II) and BPA in environmental protection.
The National Total Emission Control (NTEC) Program will continue to be implemented during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (FYP, 2011–2015) in China. Two pollutants (SO2 and NOx) are covered by NTEC, ...of which NOx is a newly added pollutant under control. NTEC requires that the national total SO2 and NOx emissions be reduced by 8% and 10% respectively in 2015 from the levels of 2010. Annual mean SO2, NO2, and PM2.5 (sulfates and nitrates) concentrations in 2010 and 2015 were simulated with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model based on the national source census data and reduction targets in the NTEC Program. Reliability of the simulation results was verified by ground-based observation data and satellite remote sensing data in 113 national key monitoring cities. The air quality improvement from NTEC was also assessed quantitatively. The assessment results indicated that the average SO2 and NO2 concentrations in all cities in 2015 would be reduced by 9.28% and 10.61% respectively from the 2010 levels. The number of cities whose annual average SO2 and NO2 concentrations fail to comply with the national ambient air quality standard will be reduced by 9 and 27 respectively. The PM2.5 simulation results demonstrated that the average sulfate and nitrate concentrations in all cities in 2010 accounted for 20.28% and 17.45% of the PM2.5 respectively. Having considered the emissions reduction effect of SO2 and NOx only, the average sulfate, nitrate, and PM2.5 concentrations in all cities in 2015 will be reduced by 6.25%, 6.04%, and 2.23% respectively from the levels of 2010. However, the annual mean PM2.5 concentration will still exceed the national standard in 77.18% of the cities in China in 2015. These percentages would be as high as 99.70% based on U.S. national standards and 100% based on the World Health Organization's guideline value.
► We confirm the accuracy of CMAQ model using Satellite-ground Observed Data. ► We assess air quality improvement effect under NTEC program conduct with CMAQ. ► The cities where annual mean SO2 concentration over limit reduce by 9 under NTEC. ► The cities where annual mean NO2 concentration over limit reduce by 27 under NTEC. ► The cities where annual mean PM2.5 concentration over limit reduce by 7 under NTEC.
Due to the transboundary nature of air pollutants, a province's efforts to improve air quality can reduce PM2.5 concentration in the surrounding area. The inter-provincial PM2.5 pollution transport ...could bring great challenges to related environmental management work, such as financial fund allocation and subsidy policy formulation. Herein, we examined the transport characteristics of PM2.5 pollution across provinces in 2013 and 2020 via chemical transport modeling and then monetized inter-provincial contributions of PM2.5 improvement based on pollutant emission control costs. We found that approximately 60% of the PM2.5 pollution was from local sources, while the remaining 40% originated from outside provinces. Furthermore, about 1011 billion RMB of provincial air pollutant abatement costs contributed to the PM2.5 concentration decline in other provinces during 2013–2020, accounting for 41.2% of the total abatement costs. Provinces with lower unit improvement costs for PM2.5, such as Jiangsu, Hebei, and Shandong, were major contributors, while Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian, bearing higher unit costs, were among the main beneficiaries. Our study identifies provinces that contribute to air quality improvement in other provinces, have high economic efficiency, and provide a quantitative framework for determining inter-provincial compensations. This study also reveals the uneven distribution of pollution abatement costs (PM2.5 improvement/abatement costs) due to transboundary PM2.5 transport, calling for adopting inter-provincial economic compensation policies. Such mechanisms ensure equitable cost-sharing and effective regional air quality management.
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•Approximately 60% of PM2.5 pollution originated locally, while 40% came from other provinces.•During 2013–2020, 41.2% of air pollution control costs contributed to lower PM2.5 exposure in other provinces.•More cost-effective PM2.5 pollution control strategies were analyzed considering inter-province pollution transport.
Based on the China high resolution emission gridded data（1 km spatial resolution）, this article is aimed to create a Chinese city carbon dioxide（CO2） emission data set using consolidated data sources ...as well as normalized and standardized data processing methods. Standard methods were used to calculate city CO2 emissions, including scope 1 and scope 2. Cities with higher CO2 emissions are mostly in north, northeast, and eastern coastal areas. Cities with lower CO2 emissions are in the western region. Cites with higher CO2 emissions are clustered in the Jing-Jin-Ji Region（such as Beijing, Tianjin, and Tangshan）, and the Yangtze River Delta region（such as Shanghai and Suzhou）.The city per capita CO2 emission is larger in the north than the south. There are obvious aggregations of cities with high per capita CO2 emission in the north. Four cities among the top 10 per capita emissions（Erdos, Wuhai, Shizuishan, and Yinchuan） cluster in the main coal production areas of northern China. This indicates the significant impact of coal resources endowment on city industry and CO2 emissions. The majority（77%） of cities have annual CO2 emissions below 50 million tons. The mean annual emission, among all cities, is 37 million tons. Emissions from service-based cities, which include the smallest number of cities, are the highest. Industrial cities are the largest category and the emission distribution from these cities is close to the normal distribution. Emissions and degree of dispersion, in the other cities（excluding industrial cities and service-based cities）, are in the lowest level. Per capita C02 emissions in these cities are generally below 20 t/person（89%） with a mean value of 11 t/person. The distribution interval of per capita CO2 emission within industrial cities is the largest among the three city categories. This indicates greater differences among per capita CO2 emissions of industrial cities. The distribution interval of per capita CO2 emission of other cities is the lowest, indicating smaller differences of per capita CO2 emissions among this city category. Three policy suggestions are proposed: first, city CO2 emission inventory data in China should be increased,especially for prefecture level cities. Second, city responsibility for emission reduction, and partitioning the national goal should be established, using a bottom-up approach based on specific CO2emission levels and potential for emission reductions in each city. Third, comparative and benchmarking research on city CO2 emissions should be conducted, and a Top Runner system of city CO2emission reduction should be established.
The effects of dissolved organic matter （DOM） on the removal of nitrate-nitrogen from the model contaminated water have been investigated utilizing the strong base anion exchange resins. With the ...increase of gallic acid concentration from 0 to 400 mg/L, the adsorption amount of nitrate-nitrogen on the commercial resins, including D201, Purolite A 300 （A300） and Purolite A 520E （A520E）, would significantly decrease. However, the presence of tannin acid has little impact on nitrate-nitrogen adsorption on them. Compared to D201 and A300 resins, A520E resin exhibited more preferable adsorption ability toward nitrate-nitrogen in the presence of competing organic molecules, such as gallic acid and tannin acid at greater levels in aqueous solution. Attractively, the equilibrium data showed that the adsorption isotherm of nitrate-nitrogen on A520E resin was in good agreement with Langmuir and Fretmdlich equations. The rate parameters for the intra particle diffusion have been estimated for the different initial concentrations. In batch adsorption processes, nitrate-nitrogen diffuse in porous adsorbent and rate process usually depends on t1/2 rather than the contact time. The pseudo first- and the second-order kinetic models fit better for nitrate-nitrogen adsorption onto A520E resin. The observations reported herein illustrated that A520E resin will be an excellent adsorbent for enhanced removal of nitrate-nitrogen from contaminated groundwater.
Pt nanowire-anchored dodecahedral Ag3PO4{110} was constructed for organics photodegradation. SEM and TEM images confirmed that the Pt nanowires were grafted on dodecahedral Ag3PO4, which was entirely ...bounded by {110} facets. All the X-ray diffraction peaks of the samples were indexed to the body-centered cubic phase of Ag3PO4, indicating that Pt nanowire-anchored dodecahedral Ag3PO4 well maintained the original crystal structure. The rhombic dodecahedral Ag3PO4 entirely bounded by {110} facets achieved high photocatalytic activity. Due to the formation of a Schottky barrier, the Pt nanowires improved the separation of the charge carriers of Ag3PO4. Furthermore, they provided a fast expressway to transfer the photogenerated electrons and prolonged the lifetime of the charge carriers via long-distance transport, resulting in the accumulation of holes on Ag3PO4 for organics degradation. More importantly, the Pt nanowires improved the reduction potential of the photogenerated electrons for O2 reduction to ·O2−, which enhanced the photocatalytic activity and anti-photocorrosion properties of Ag3PO4. We found that 99.5% of Rhodamine B (RhB) could be removed over 0.5ωt% Pt nanowire-anchored dodecahedral Ag3PO4 within 10 min. Even after 10 cycles, the photocatalytic activity was still high. photoluminescence (PL), time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–visDRS), and photoelectrochemical analysis showed that Pt nanowire-anchored dodecahedral Ag3PO4 exhibited lower bandgap, higher photocurrent intensity, better electronic conductivity, and longer charge carriers lifetime than other types of Ag3PO4 crystals. Radical trapping experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis demonstrated that the holes were the main active species for organics photodegradation.
The trade-off and synergy relationship of ecosystem services is an important topic in the current assessment. The value of each service provided by the ecosystem is substantially affected by human ...activities, and conversely, its changes will also affect the relevant human decisions. Due to varying trade-offs among ecosystem services and synergies between them that can either increase or decrease, it is difficult to optimize multiple ecosystem services simultaneously, making it a huge challenge for ecosystem management. This study firstly develops a global Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) accounting framework. It uses remote sensing data with a spatial resolution of 1 km to estimate the ecosystem services of forests, wetlands, grasslands, deserts, and farmlands in 179 major countries in 2018. The results show that the range of global GEP values is USD 112–197 trillion, with an average value of USD 155 trillion (the constant price), and the ratio of GEP to gross domestic product (GDP) is 1.85. The trade-offs and the synergies among different ecosystem services in each continent and income group have been further explored. We found a correspondence between the income levels and the synergy among ecosystem services within each nation. Among specific ecosystem services, there are strong synergies between oxygen release, climate regulation, and carbon sequestration services. A trade-off relationship has been observed between flood regulation and other services, such as water conservation and soil retention services in low-income countries. The results will help clarify the roles and the feedback mechanisms between different stakeholders and provide a scientific basis for optimizing ecosystem management and implementing ecological compensation schemes to enhance human well-being.
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•Analyze composition and distribution of Gross Ecosystem Product in 179 countries.•Quantifying trade-offs and synergistic interactions among ecosystem services.•Reveal relationship between Gross Ecosystem Product and natural-social factors.•Open publication of the datasets also makes it possible for further exploration.
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