Preliminary evaluation of BioFire FilmArray ® Gastrointestinal Panel for the detection of noroviruses and other enteric viruses from wastewater and shellfish

Abstract

The BioFire FilmArray^® Gastrointestinal Panel was evaluated for the rapid detection of adenovirus, astrovirus, norovirus, rotavirus and sapovirus from influent and effluent wastewater and shellfish. The multiplex BioFire FilmArray^® Gastrointestinal Panel compared well to singleplex qPCR/RT-qPCR methods for the detection of adenovirus, astrovirus, rotavirus and sapovirus from influent and effluent wastewater samples. However, the BioFire FilmArray^® Gastrointestinal Panel showed poor performance for the detection of norovirus, significantly underestimating its presence in wastewater and shellfish samples when compared with the singleplex norovirus GI and GII RT-qPCR assays. Therefore, improvement on detection efficiency for norovirus from environmental and food samples is necessary before using results from the FilmArray^® Gastrointestinal Panel to assess associated public health risks.

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Integrative 3′ Untranslated Region‐Based Model to Identify Patients with Low Risk of Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis in Operable Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer

AbstractBackground.Sentinel lymph node biopsy is the standard surgical staging approach for operable triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) with clinically negative axillae. In this study, we sought to develop a model to predict TNBC patients with negative nodal involvement, who would benefit from the exemption of the axillary staging surgery.Materials and Methods.We evaluated 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) profiles using microarray data of TNBC from two Gene Expression Omnibus datasets. Samples from GSE31519 were divided into training set (n = 164) and validation set (n = 163), and GSE76275 was used to construct testing set (n = 164). We built a six‐member 3′UTR panel (ADD2, COL1A1, APOL2, IL21R, PKP2, and EIF4G3) using an elastic net model to estimate the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM). Receiver operating characteristic and logistic analyses were used to assess the association between the panel and LNM status.Results.The six‐member 3′UTR‐panel showed a high distinguishing power with an area under the curve of 0.712, 0.729, and 0.708 in the training, validation, and testing sets, respectively. After adjustment by tumor size, the 3′UTR panel retained significant predictive power in the training, validation, and testing sets (odds ratio = 4.93, 4.58, and 3.59, respectively; p < .05 for all). A combinatorial analysis of the 3′UTR panel and tumor size yielded an accuracy of 97.2%, 100%, and 100% in training, validation, and testing set, respectively.Conclusion.This study established an integrative 3′UTR‐based model as a promising predictor for nodal negativity in operable TNBC. Although a prospective study is needed to validate the model, our results may permit a no axillary surgery option for selected patients.Implications for Practice.Currently, sentinel lymph node biopsy is the standard approach for surgical staging in breast cancer patients with negative axillae. Prediction estimation for lymph node metastasis of breast cancer relies on clinicopathological characteristics, which is unreliable, especially in triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC)—a highly heterogeneous disease. The authors developed and validated an effective prediction model for the lymph node status of patients with TNBC, which integrates 3′UTR markers and tumor size. This is the first 3′UTR‐based model that will help identify TNBC patients with low risk of nodal involvement who are most likely to benefit from exemption axillary surgery.

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Outcome of First‐Line Systemic Treatment for Unresectable Conventional, Dedifferentiated, Mesenchymal, and Clear Cell Chondrosarcoma

AbstractBackground.Chondrosarcoma is a heterogeneous group of primary bone sarcoma with an excellent overall survival after local therapy. However, the small percentage of patients who have no surgical treatment options have a very poor prognosis. We retrospectively collected data from these patients in four sarcoma centers and compared the progression‐free survival (PFS) for the different treatment regimens used for the four chondrosarcoma subtypes.Materials and Methods.Patients diagnosed with unresectable chondrosarcoma in all four major sarcoma centers were included, and data on first‐line systemic therapy were retrospectively collected for analysis.Results.A total of 112 patients were enrolled in this retrospective analysis: 50 conventional, 25 mesenchymal, 34 dedifferentiated, and 3 clear cell chondrosarcoma patients. In conventional chondrosarcoma patients, the longest mean PFS (6.7 months) was found in the group treated with antihormonal therapy. Patients diagnosed with mesenchymal chondrosarcoma were all treated with multidrug chemotherapy, and the mean PFS was 6.7 months. Doxorubicin monotherapy seems to have an unexplained better PFS than doxorubicin‐based combination therapy in patients with dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma (5.5 vs. 2.8 months, respectively; p = .275).Conclusion.Prospective studies need to be conducted based on preclinical work to develop a uniform regimen to treat advanced chondrosarcoma patients according to the diagnosed subtype and improve survival.Implications for Practice.Currently, there are no uniform treatment lines for advanced chondrosarcoma patients, which results in a very diverse group of treatment regimens being used. In this study, the data of 112 patients was collected. It was concluded that some treatment regimens seem to have a better progression‐free survival compared with others, and that these results also differ between the chondrosarcoma subtypes. Prospective studies need to be conducted based on preclinical work to develop a uniform regimen to treat advanced chondrosarcoma patients according to the diagnosed histological subtype to improve their survival.

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Strategies for Recognizing and Managing Immune‐Mediated Adverse Events in the Treatment of Hodgkin Lymphoma with Checkpoint Inhibitors

AbstractThe programmed death‐1 (PD‐1) receptor checkpoint inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab represent an important therapeutic advance in the treatment of relapsed or refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Clinical trials have shown substantial therapeutic activity and an acceptable safety profile in heavily pretreated patients, resulting in U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of nivolumab for the treatment of cHL that has relapsed or progressed after either autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto‐HCT) and brentuximab vedotin treatment or three or more lines of systemic therapy (including auto‐HCT), and of pembrolizumab for adult or pediatric patients with refractory cHL or cHL that has relapsed after three or more prior therapies. Mechanistically, anti‐PD‐1 therapy prevents inhibitory signaling through PD‐1 receptors on T cells, thereby releasing a 'block' to antitumor T‐cell responses. However, this disinhibition can also lead to inappropriate T‐cell activation and responses against healthy tissues, resulting in immune‐mediated adverse events (IMAEs) that affect a number of organ systems. The skin, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and endocrine systems are most commonly involved, typically resulting in rash, colitis, abnormal liver enzyme levels, and thyroiditis, respectively. Notably, pneumonitis is a potentially fatal complication of checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. Hematologic oncologists who treat cHL with PD‐1 immune checkpoint inhibitors should monitor patients for IMAEs, as early recognition and treatment can rapidly reduce morbidity and mortality. This review focuses on IMAEs during the treatment of relapsed or refractory cHL with nivolumab and pembrolizumab.Implications for Practice.This article highlights the importance of monitoring for immune‐mediated adverse events (IMAEs) in patients with Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) who receive anti‐programmed death‐1 (anti‐PD‐1) therapy, with particular attention given to the recognition and management of such events. The risk of individual IMAEs differs between patients with HL and those with solid tumors, as prior treatments may predispose certain organ systems to specific IMAEs. Accurate and prompt diagnosis of IMAEs is essential for optimal management, allowing PD‐1 inhibitor therapy to be restarted in order to maintain disease control. Potential difficulties, such as distinguishing disease progression from pneumonitis, or colitis from diarrhea, are highlighted to raise clinical awareness.

https://ift.tt/2MonCLQ

Pretreatment 18F‐FDG Uptake Heterogeneity Predicts Treatment Outcome of First‐Line Chemotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer

AbstractBackground.Intratumoral heterogeneity of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (18F‐FDG) uptake in primary tumor has proven to be a surrogate marker for predicting treatment outcome in various tumors. However, the value of intraindividual heterogeneity in metastatic diseases remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate pretreatment positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) 18F‐FDG‐based heterogeneity for the prediction of first‐line treatment outcome in metastatic triple‐negative breast cancer (mTNBC).Materials and Methods.mTNBC patients from three clinical trials (NCT00601159, NCT01287624, and NCT02341911) with whole‐body 18F‐FDG PET/CT scan before first‐line gemcitabine/platinum were included. Heterogeneity index (HI) and the maximum of FDG uptake (MAX) across total metastatic lesions (‐T) on baseline PET/CT scans were assessed. HI was measured by MAX divided by the minimum FDG uptake across metastatic lesions. Optimal cutoffs were determined by time‐dependent receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by Kaplan‐Meier method and compared by log‐rank test.Results.A total of 42 mTNBC patients were included in this study. The median PFS of patients with high HI‐T (>1.9) and high MAX‐T (>10.5) was significantly shorter than patients with low HI‐T (<1.9; p = .049) and low MAX‐T (<10.5; p = .001). In terms of OS, only high MAX‐T was significant for poorer outcome (p = .013). ROC curve analysis confirmed the predictive value of MAX and HI in mTNBC patients. Area under the ROC curve for MAX‐T and HI‐T was 0.75 and 0.65, indicating a higher predictive accuracy than conventional clinical risk factors.Conclusion.HI and MAX measured among metastatic lesions on pretreatment 18F‐FDG PET/CT scans could be potential predicators for first‐line treatment outcome in patients with mTNBC.Implications for Practice.Intratumoral heterogeneity of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in primary tumor has proven to be a robust surrogate predictive marker. A novel positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) parameter‐heterogeneity index (HI) to quantify the heterogeneous characteristics of metastatic disease is proposed. Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous disease and remains a clinical challenge. The predictive performance of HI, along with the maximum FDG uptake (MAX), measured on pretreatment PET/CT scans in patients with metastatic TNBC was evaluated. Results indicate that HI and MAX may serve as applicable imaging predicators for treatment outcome of metastatic TNBC in clinical practice.

https://ift.tt/2McOG3A

Multilevel Factors Affecting Time to Cancer Diagnosis and Care Quality in Botswana

AbstractBackground.Cancer incidence is increasing in Africa, and the majority of patients are diagnosed with advanced disease, limiting treatment options and survival. We sought to understand care patterns and factors contributing to delayed diagnosis and treatment initiation among patients with cancer in Botswana.Patients and Methods.We recruited 20 patients who were enrolled in a prospective cancer cohort in Botswana to a qualitative substudy that explored cancer care pathways and factors affecting cancer care access and quality. We conducted an in‐depth interview with each participant between October 2014 and January 2015, using a a structured interview guide with questions about initial cancer symptoms, previous consultations, diagnosis, and care pathways. Medical records were used to confirm dates or treatment details when needed.Results.Individual and interpersonal factors such as cancer awareness and social support facilitated care‐seeking behaviors. However, patients experienced multiple delays in diagnosis and treatment because of provider and health system barriers. Health system factors, such as misdiagnosis, understaffed facilities, poor referral communication and scheduling, and inadequate laboratory reporting systems, affected access to and quality of cancer care.Conclusion.These findings highlight the need for interventions at the patient, provider, and health system levels to improve cancer care quality and outcomes in Botswana. Results also suggest that widespread cancer education has potential to promote early diagnosis through family and community networks. Identified barriers and facilitators suggest that interventions to improve community education and access to diagnostic technologies could help improve cancer outcomes in this setting.Implications for Practice.The majority (54%) of patients with cancer in Botswana present with advanced‐stage cancer despite universal access to free health care, limiting the options for treatment and decreasing the likelihood of positive treatment outcomes. To reduce time from symptom onset to cancer treatment initiation, causes of delay in cancer care trajectories must be identified. The narratives of the patients interviewed for this study give insight into psychosocial factors, outlooks on disease, lower‐level provider delays, and health system barriers that contribute to substantial delays for patients with cancer in Botswana. Identification of problems and barriers is essential for development of effective interventions to mitigate these factors, in order to improve cancer outcomes in this population.

https://ift.tt/2MlPeRO

10‐Year Results of Therapeutic Ratio by Intensity‐Modulated Radiotherapy Versus Two‐Dimensional Radiotherapy in Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

AbstractBackground.The purpose of this study was to verify 10‐year results of survival and late toxicities and assess the ultimate therapeutic ratio of intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) versus two‐dimensional radiotherapy (2DRT) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Materials and Methods.We retrospectively reviewed the data from 1,276 patients with nonmetastatic NPC who received IMRT or 2DRT from January 2003 to December 2006.Results.Of the 1,276 patients, 512 were treated with IMRT and 764 with 2DRT. Median follow‐up was 115 months. At 10 years, the IMRT group demonstrated significantly better results than the 2DRT group in local failure‐free survival (L‐FFS; 90% vs. 84%; hazard ratio [HR], 0.57, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40–0.81; p = .001), failure‐free survival (FFS; 69% vs. 58%; HR, 0.69, 95% CI, 0.57–0.83; p < .001), and overall survival (OS; 75% vs. 63%; HR, 0.62, 95% CI, 0.51–0.77; p < .001). Subgroup multivariate analyses showed that radiotherapeutic technique (IMRT vs. 2DRT) remained an independent prognostic factor for L‐FFS in the T1 subgroup (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.11–0.80; p = .02); for FFS in the stage II subgroup (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.24–0.73; p = .002); and for OS in the stage I (HR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.04–0.96; p = .04), stage II (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.21–0.75; p = .004), and stage IVA–B (HR, 0.74, 95% CI, 0.56–0.98; p = .04) subgroups. The incidence of grade 3–4 temporal lobe necrosis, cranial neuropathy, eye damage, ear damage, neck soft tissue damage, trismus, and dry mouth was significantly lower in the IMRT group than in the 2DRT group.Conclusion.IMRT demonstrated an improved ultimate therapeutic ratio compared with 2DRT in patients with NPC after a 10‐year follow‐up, with significant improvement of L‐FFS, FFS, and OS and decrease in most late toxicities.Implications for Practice.The ultimate therapeutic ratio of intensity‐modulated radiotherapy versus two‐dimensional radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma is unclear. In this retrospective study of 1,276 patients with nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma with a follow‐up of 115 months, intensity‐modulated radiotherapy demonstrated an improved ultimate therapeutic ratio compared with two‐dimensional radiotherapy, with significant improvement of local failure‐free survival, failure‐free survival, and overall survival and decrease in most late toxicities and noncancer deaths. However, distant control remains insufficient with this treatment modality.

https://ift.tt/2McNY6q

Use of Antidepressant Medications Moderates the Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Hospital Length of Stay in Patients with Advanced Cancer

AbstractBackground.Among patients with cancer, depressive symptoms are associated with worse clinical outcomes, including greater health care utilization. As use of antidepressant medications can improve depressive symptoms, we sought to examine relationships among depressive symptoms, antidepressant medications, and hospital length of stay (LOS) in patients with advanced cancer.Materials and Methods.From September 2014 to May 2016, we prospectively enrolled patients with advanced cancer who had an unplanned hospitalization. We performed chart review to obtain information regarding documented depressive symptoms in the 3 months prior to admission and use of antidepressant medications at the time of admission. We compared differences in hospital LOS by presence or absence of depressive symptoms and used adjusted linear regression to examine if antidepressant medications moderated these outcomes.Results.Of 1,036 patients, 126 (12.2%) had depressive symptoms documented prior to admission, and 288 (27.8%) were taking antidepressant medications at the time of admission. Patients with depressive symptoms experienced longer hospital LOS (7.25 vs. 6.13 days; p = .036). Use of antidepressant medications moderated this relationship; among patients not on antidepressant medications, depressive symptoms were associated with longer hospital LOS (7.88 vs. 6.11 days; p = .025), but among those on antidepressant medications, depressive symptoms were not associated with hospital LOS (6.57 vs. 6.17 days; p = .578).Conclusion.Documented depressive symptoms prior to hospital admission were associated with longer hospital LOS. This effect was restricted to patients not on antidepressant medications. Future studies are needed to investigate if use of antidepressant medications decreases LOS for patients hospitalized with advanced cancer and the mechanisms by which this may occur.Implications for Practice.This study investigated the prevalence of documented depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer in the 3 months prior to an unplanned hospitalization and the prevalence of use of antidepressant medications at time of hospital admission. The relationship of these variables with hospital length of stay was also examined, and it was found that documented depressive symptoms were associated with prolonged hospital length of stay. Interestingly, antidepressant medications moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and hospital length of stay. These findings support the need to recognize and address depressive symptoms among patients with advanced cancer, with potential implications for optimizing health care utilization.

https://ift.tt/2MlP2SA

Enhancement of the biogas and biofertilizer production from Opuntia heliabravoana Scheinvar

Abstract

Waste Opuntia is an abundant source of biomass to produce biogas and biofertilizer in a small and commercial scale. This crop has a high biomass yield, wide adaptation to diverse climatic zones, rapid growth, and low input requirements. This study aimed to evaluate the combined effect of adjusting C/N ratio and an alkaline pretreatment (AP) of waste Opuntia heliabravoana Scheinvar in the production of biogas and biofertilizer in anaerobic reactors. AP bioreactors produced more biogas than the control (C, without the combined effect of AP); besides, in this process, it was not necessary to use additional water due to the high content of water that is present in the tissue of this crop. On the other hand, both biofertilizers (C and AP) had enssential microbial groups that help to enhance plant nutrition as S-reducers, S-oxidizers, amylolytic, cellulolytic bacteria, anaerobic S-mineralizers, cellulolytic fungi, and P-solubilizers. Also, the AP treatment to help to increase 1.5:1 total nitrogen (TN) concentration decreased the pathogenic microorganisms in the biofertilizer compared to the C treatment. For this reason, Opuntia spp. is a good substrate for production of biogas and biofertilizer with essential nutrients for many crops in area with water scarcity.

https://ift.tt/2ng3DE3

Assessing the impact of climate variability on maize using simulation modeling under semi-arid environment of Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

Climate change and variability are major threats to crop productivity. Crop models are being used worldwide for decision support system for crop management under changing climatic scenarios. Two-year field experiments were conducted at the Water Management Research Center (WMRC), University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan, to evaluate the application of CERES-Maize model for climate variability assessment under semi-arid environment. Experimental treatments included four sowing dates (27 January, 16 February, 8 March, and 28 March) with three maize hybrids (Pioneer-1543, Mosanto-DK6103, Syngenta-NK8711), adopted at farmer fields in the region. Model was calibrated with each hybrid independently using data of best sowing date (27 January) during the year 2015 and then evaluated with the data of 2016 and remaining sowing dates. Performance of model was evaluated by statistical indices. Model showed reliable information with phenological stages. Model predicted days to anthesis and maturity with lower RMSE (< 2 days) during both years. Model prediction for biological yield and grain yield were reasonably good with RMSE values of 963 and 451 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. Model was further used to assess climate variability. Historical climate data (1980–2016) were used as input to simulate the yield for each year. Results showed that days to anthesis and maturity were negatively correlated with increase in temperature and coefficient of regression ranged from 0.63 to 0.85, while its values were 0.76 to 0.89 kg ha⁻¹ for grain yield and biological yield, respectively. Sowing of maize hybrids (Pioneer-1543 and Mosanto-DK6103) can be recommended for the sowing on 17 January to 6 February at the farmer field for general cultivation in the region. Early sowing before 17 January should be avoided due to severe reduction in grain yield of all hybrids. A good calibrated CERES-Maize model can be used in decision-making for different management practices and assessment of climate variability in the region.

https://ift.tt/2vHuUmF

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasm with late liver metastasis

Summary

Gastric neuroendocrine neoplasms (GNENs) are classified into three types according to their aetiology. We present a clinical case of a female patient of 66 years and a well-differentiated (grade 2), type 3 GNEN with late liver metastasis (LM). The patient underwent surgical excision of a gastric lesion at 50 years of age, without any type of follow-up. Sixteen years later, she was found to have a neuroendocrine tumour (NET) metastatic to the liver. The histological review of the gastric lesion previously removed confirmed that it was a NET measuring 8 mm, pT1NxMx (Ki67 = 4%). ⁶⁸Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT reported two LM and a possible pancreatic tumour/gastric adenopathy. Biopsies of the lesion were repeatedly inconclusive. She had a high chromogranin A, normal gastrin levels and negative anti-parietal cell and intrinsic factor antibodies, which is suggestive of type 3 GNEN. She underwent total gastrectomy and liver segmentectomies (segment IV and VII) with proven metastasis in two perigastric lymph nodes and both with hepatic lesions (Ki67 = 5%), yet no evidence of local recurrence. A ⁶⁸Ga-DOTANOC PET/CT was performed 3 months after surgery, showing no tumour lesions and normalisation of CgA. Two years after surgery, the patient had no evidence of disease. This case illustrates a rare situation, being a type 3, well-differentiated (grade 2) GNEN, with late LM. Despite this, it was possible to perform surgery with curative intent, which is crucial in these cases, as systemic therapies have limited efficacy. We emphasise the need for extended follow-up in these patients.

Learning points:

GNENs have a very heterogeneous biological behaviour.

Clinical distinction between the three types of GNEN is essential to plan the correct management strategy.

LMs are rare and more common in type 3 and grade 3 GNEN.

Adequate follow-up is crucial for detection of disease recurrence.

Curative intent surgery is the optimal therapy for patients with limited and resectable LM, especially in well-differentiated tumours (grade 1 and 2).

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Sterol profiles are valuable biomarkers for phenotype expression of Conradi–Hünermann–Happle syndrome with EBP mutations

British Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2M1hlsD

Are patients with chronic pruritus more susceptible to social stress than healthy controls? An experimental case–control study

British Journal of Dermatology, EarlyView.


https://ift.tt/2KwZJQv

The quality of online health information on breast augmentation

Women spend years researching breast enlargement prior to deciding, and the majority use the Internet to begin their search. Walden et al. showed the biggest influence on a patient's decision to undergo breast augmentation was her plastic surgeon's website, second only to her own desire to change her appearance. The same study also shows the internet is the primary source of information on complications for patients1. It is crucial that online information provided is accurate, up-to-date and understandable to allow patients to make an informed decision.

https://ift.tt/2M5ZuAO

Effect of Breast Reconstruction Modality on the Development of Postmastectomy Shoulder Morbidity

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of breast reconstruction modality on the incidence of shoulder morbidity.Methods: Breast cancer patients who underwent immediate reconstructions using three modalities including tissue expander-implant, latissimus dorsi (LD) pedicled flap, or deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed. The cumulative incidence of shoulder morbidity was compared among the reconstruction modalities and risk factor analysis was performed using multivariable analysis.

https://ift.tt/2Mo9xOx

Aspect of brow position changes after bilateral ptosis correction surgery

Increased tonicity of the frontalis muscle lifts the brow to elevate the lid margin to compensate for the drooping eyelid in ptosis. Surgical intervention can alleviate the need to keep the brows elevated with the use of the frontalis muscle. Some studies have reported changes in brow position after ptosis surgery [1,2]. However, this is not a universal phenomenon and some patients experience the persistence of brow elevation even after ptosis surgery [1]. This study was aimed at evaluating the prevalence of brow elevation before and after ptosis surgery and analyzing the change in brow position in each patient.

https://ift.tt/2M90PXi

Inter-operator variability in the sensitivity of sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanoma

Plastic surgery trainees, in some circumstances, can progress to consultant level having performed only 15 generic lymph node surgeries, with no mention specifically of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) on the training log. The majority of SLNBs carried out for melanoma at our centre since 1999 have been performed by eight surgeons, six of whom had been formally trained and mentored in our unit or previously completed skin cancer fellowships. Two surgeons started performing the procedure without formal training or specialist fellowships.

https://ift.tt/2Mo9xy1

A factor analysis of landscape metrics of particles deposited on leaf surface

Abstract

Particulate matter in the airborne environment is one of the top environmental concerns, as well as reasons of deaths and diverse diseases. Urban green infrastructure can improve the air quality by mitigating particulate matters from airborne environment and provide high spatial monitoring of particles by means of leaf particles as indicators. Three common species in Beijing (ailanthus, ash, and willow) were chosen to represent three different leaf characteristics. Then, we analyzed the correlation relationship of the particle metrics at landscape, class, and patch levels and implemented the principal components analysis and factor analysis. Firstly, at landscape level, metrics are mostly correlated with each other and the correlation relationship of metrics of ailanthus and willow were stronger than that of ash, which has coarse-texture leaves without hair. At class level, most of the metrics were correlated and the correlation relationship of metrics of ailanthus, whose leaves have microgrooves without hair, was weaker than that of ash and willow. At patch level, judging from proximity, the distance between particles from the same range was smaller for particles with complicated shape. Secondly, particles from four ranges were analyzed separately. The shape complexity of particles decreased and increased as the area increased respectively for PM1 (diameter ≤ 1 μm) and large particles (diameter ≥ 10 μm). Two principle components were identified for landscape and class levels respectively. These results will be useful for the in-depth understanding of the particles deposited on the leaf surface.

https://ift.tt/2vp3Bhz

Nexus between financial development and CO 2 emissions in Saudi Arabia: analyzing the role of globalization

Abstract

This study examines the contribution of financial development to environmental degradation in Saudi Arabia in the period from 1971 to 2016, controlling the model for globalization and electricity consumption. The autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) and vector error correction methods (VECM) are applied to the long-run and causal relationship, respectively. Empirical results indicate that financial development contributes to CO₂ emissions and degrades environmental quality. The results also show that the role of globalization in environmental degradation is insignificant and that electricity consumption is the main culprit behind the growing CO₂ emissions in Saudi Arabia. In addition, bidirectional causality exists between globalization and CO₂ emissions in the long run, and financial development and CO₂ emissions Granger-cause each other. Insights from the study help policymakers to understand the roles of financial development and globalization in environmental degradation and to comply with global mandate for the reduction of CO₂ emissions.

https://ift.tt/2ng5GrG

Estimating short-term mortality and economic benefit attributable to PM 10 exposure in China based on BenMAP

Abstract

With the rapidly booming economy, China has been suffering from serious particulate matter (PM) pollution in recent years. In order to improve the air quality, Chinese government issued a new China National Ambient Air Quality Standard (No. GB3095-2012) in 2012. In this study, PM₁₀ exposure level was simulated based on the data of 912 newly constructed monitoring sites and Voronoi Neighborhood Averaging (VNA) interpolation method. It is widely accepted that PM₁₀ can cause short-term health effects. We calculated the short-term health benefit due to decreasing PM₁₀ concentration to the levels of China National Ambient Air Quality Standard based on Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). Our results indicated that if the daily average concentration of PM₁₀ reduced to the daily Grade II standard (150 μg/m³), the avoided deaths for all cause, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory disease would be 82,000 (95%CI: 49,000–120,000), 56,000 (95%CI: 34,000–78,000), and 16,000 (95%CI: 10,000–22,000) in 2014, respectively. The economic benefits of avoiding deaths due to all cause for rolling back the concentration of PM₁₀ to the level of 50 μg/m³ were estimated to be 240 billion CNY and 16 billion CNY using willingness to pay (WTP) and human capital (HC) methods, respectively, which accounted for 0.38% (95%CI: 0.11–0.64%) and 0.03% (95%CI: 0.02–0.03%) of the total annual gross domestic product (GDP) of China in 2014.

https://ift.tt/2vI5xkO