Land-Use Regression Modelling of Intra-Urban Air Pollution Variation in China: Current Status and Future Needs

Rapid urbanization in China is leading to substantial adverse air quality issues, particularly for NO2 and particulate matter (PM). Land-use regression (LUR) models are now being applied to simulate pollutant concentrations with high spatial resolution in Chinese urban areas. However, Chinese urban areas differ from those in Europe and North America, for example in respect of population density, urban morphology and pollutant emissions densities, so it is timely to assess current LUR studies in China to highlight current challenges and identify future needs. Details of twenty-four recent LUR models for NO2 and PM2.5/PM10 (particles with aerodynamic diameters <2.5 µm and <10 µm) are tabulated and reviewed as the basis for discussion in this paper. We highlight that LUR modelling in China is currently constrained by a scarcity of input data, especially air pollution monitoring data. There is an urgent need for accessible archives of quality-assured measurement data and for higher spatial resolution proxy data for urban emissions, particularly in respect of traffic-related variables. The rapidly evolving nature of the Chinese urban landscape makes maintaining up-to-date land-use and urban morphology datasets a challenge. We also highlight the importance for Chinese LUR models to be subject to appropriate validation statistics. Integration of LUR with portable monitor data, remote sensing, and dispersion modelling has the potential to enhance derivation of urban pollution maps

A volume-preserving sharpening approach for the propagation of sharp phase boundaries in multiphase lattice Boltzmann simulations

Lattice Boltzmann models that recover a macroscopic description of multiphase flow of immiscible liquids typically represent the boundaries between phases using a scalar function, the phase field, that varies smoothly over several grid points. Attempts to tune the model parameters to minimise the thicknesses of these interfaces typically lead to the interfaces becoming fixed to the underlying grid instead of advecting with the fluid velocity. This phenomenon, known as lattice pinning, is strikingly similar to that associated with the numerical simulation of conservation laws coupled to stiff algebraic source terms. We present a lattice Boltzmann formulation of the model problem proposed by LeVeque and Yee [J. Comput. Phys. 86, 187] to study the latter phenomenon in the context of computational combustion, and offer a volume-conserving extension in multiple space dimensions. Inspired by the random projection method of Bao and Jin [J. Comput. Phys. 163, 216] we further generalise this formulation by introducing a uniformly distributed quasi-random variable into the term responsible for the sharpening of phase boundaries. This method is mass conserving and the statistical average of this method is shown to significantly delay the onset of pinning

Targeting human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) in phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) deficient melanoma cells for personalized therapy

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss is associated with genomic instability. APE1 is a key player in DNA base excision repair (BER) and an emerging drug target in cancer. We have developed small molecule inhibitors against APE1 repair nuclease activity. In the current study we explored a synthetic lethal relationship between PTEN and APE1 in melanoma. Clinicopathological significance of PTEN mRNA and APE1 mRNA expression was investigated in 191 human melanomas. Preclinically, PTEN-deficient BRAF-mutated (UACC62, HT144, and SKMel28), PTEN-proficient BRAF-wildtype (MeWo), and doxycycline-inducible PTEN-knockout BRAF-wildtype MeWo melanoma cells were DNA repair expression profiled and investigated for synthetic lethality using a panel of four prototypical APE1 inhibitors. In human tumours, low PTEN mRNA and high APE1 mRNA was significantly associated with reduced relapse free and overall survival. Pre-clinically, compared to PTEN-proficient cells, PTEN-deficient cells displayed impaired expression of genes involved in DNA double strand break (DSB) repair. Synthetic lethality in PTEN-deficient cells was evidenced by increased sensitivity, accumulation of DSBs and induction of apoptosis following treatment with APE1 inhibitors. We conclude that PTEN deficiency is not only a promising biomarker in melanoma, but can also be targeted by a synthetic lethality strategy using inhibitors of BER, such as those targeting APE1

Using the lid-driven cavity flow to validate moment-based boundary conditions for the Lattice Boltzmann Equation

The accuracy of the Moment Method for imposing no-slip boundary conditions in the lattice Boltzmann algorithm is investigated numerically using lid-driven cavity flow. Boundary conditions are imposed directly upon the hydrodynamic moments of the lattice Boltzmann equations, rather than the distribution functions, to ensure the constraints are satisfied precisely at grid points. Both single and multiple relaxation time models are applied. The results are in excellent agreement with data obtained from state-of-the-art numerical methods and are shown to converge with second order accuracy in grid spacing

Pinacol as a new green reducing agent: molybdenum-catalyzed chemoselective reduction of sulfoxides and nitroaromatics

Pinacol is disclosed as a new chemoselective and environmentally benign reducing agent for sulfoxides and nitroaromatics assisted by readily available dichlorodioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes as catalysts. A wide range of substrates including those bearing challenging functional groups has been efficiently and selectively reduced with acetone and water being the only by-products of these reactionsMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MICINN) and FEDER (CTQ2010-15358 and CTQ2009-09949/BQU) and Junta de Castilla y Leon (BU021 A09 and GR-172) for financial support. P.G.-G. and M.A.F.-R. thank MICINN for "Juan de la Cierva" and "Ramon y Cajal" contractsThis is the peer reviewed version of the following article:García, N., García-García, P., Fernández-Rodríguez, M. A., Rubio, R., Pedrosa, M. R., Arnáiz, F. J. and Sanz, R. (2012), Pinacol as a New Green Reducing Agent: Molybdenum- Catalyzed Chemoselective Reduction of Sulfoxides and Nitroaromatics. Adv. Synth. Catal., 354: 321–327. doi: 10.1002/adsc.201100877 , which has been published in final form at 10.1002/adsc.201100877. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archivin

Prevalence and Predictors of Vitamin D Insufficiency in Children: A Great Britain Population Based Study

Objectives To evaluate the prevalence and predictors of vitamin D insufficiency (VDI) in children In Great Britain. Design A nationally representative cross-sectional study survey of children (1102) aged 4–18 years (999 white, 570 male) living in private households (January 1997–1998). Interventions provided information about dietary habits, physical activity, socio-demographics, and blood sample. Outcome measures were vitamin D insufficiency (<50 nmol/L). Results Vitamin D levels (mean = 62.1 nmol/L, 95%CI 60.4–63.7) were insufficient in 35%, and decreased with age in both sexes (p<0.001). Young People living between 53–59 degrees latitude had lower levels (compared with 50–53 degrees, p = 0.045). Dietary intake and gender had no effect on vitamin D status. A logistic regression model showed increased risk of VDI in the following: adolescents (14–18 years old), odds ratio (OR) = 3.6 (95%CI 1.8–7.2) compared with younger children (4–8 years); non white children (OR = 37 [95%CI 15–90]); blood levels taken December-May (OR = 6.5 [95%CI 4.3–10.1]); on income support (OR = 2.2 [95%CI 1.3–3.9]); not taking vitamin D supplementation (OR = 3.7 [95%CI 1.4–9.8]); being overweight (OR 1.6 [95%CI 1.0–2.5]); <1/2 hour outdoor exercise/day/week (OR = 1.5 [95%CI 1.0–2.3]); watched >2.5 hours of TV/day/week (OR = 1.6[95%CI 1.0–2.4]). Conclusion We confirm a previously under-recognised risk of VDI in adolescents. The marked higher risk for VDI in non-white children suggests they should be targeted in any preventative strategies. The association of higher risk of VDI among children who exercised less outdoors, watched more TV and were overweight highlights potentially modifiable risk factors. Clearer guidelines and an increased awareness especially in adolescents are needed, as there are no recommendations for vitamin D supplementation in older children

Biomimetic three-dimensional glioma model printed in vitro for the studies of glioma cells and neurons interactions

The interactions between glioma cells and neurons are important for glioma progression but are rarely mimicked and recapitulated in in vitro three-dimensional (3D) models, which may affect the success rate of relevant drug research and development. In this study, an in vitro bioprinted 3D glioma model consisting of an outer hemispherical shell with neurons and an inner hemisphere with glioma cells is proposed to simulate the natural glioma. This model was produced by extrusion-based 3D bioprinting technology. The cells survival rate, morphology, and intercellular Ca2+ concentration studies were carried out up to 5 days of culturing. It was found that neurons could promote the proliferation of glioma cells around them, associate the morphological changes of glioma cells to be neuron-like, and increase the expression of intracellular Ca2+ of glioma cells. Conversely, the presence of glioma cells could maintain the neuronal survival rate and promote the neurite outgrowth. The results indicated that glioma cells and neurons facilitated each other implying a symbiotic pattern established between two types of cells during the early stage of glioma development, which were seldom found in the present artificial glioma models. The proposed bioprinted glioma model can mimic the natural microenvironment of glioma tissue, provide an in-depth understanding of cellâ cell interactions, and enable pathological and pharmacological studies of glioma.The work was supported by the Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China [52275291], [51675411], [81972359], the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and the Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities

A hybrid model approach for estimating health burden from NO2 in megacities in China: a case study in Guangzhou

Background: Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) poses substantial public health risks in large cities globally. Concentrations of NO2 shows high spatial variation, yet intra-urban measurements of NO2 in Chinese cities are sparse. The size of Chinese cities and shortage of some datasets is challenging for high spatial resolution modelling. The aim here was to combine advantages of dispersion and land-use regression (LUR) modelling to simulate population exposure to NO2 at high spatial resolution for health burden calculations, in the example megacity of Guangzhou. Methods: Ambient concentrations of NO2 simulated by the ADMS-Urban dispersion model at 83 'virtual' monitoring sites, selected to span both the range of NO2 concentration and weighting by population density, were used to develop a LUR model of 2017 annual-mean NO2 across Guangzhou at 25 m × 25 m spatial resolution. Results: The LUR model was validated against both the 83 virtual sites (adj R 2: 0.96, RMSE: 5.48 μg m−3; LOOCV R 2: 0.96, RMSE: 5.64 μg m−3) and, independently, against available observations (n = 11, R 2:: 0.63, RMSE: 18.0 μg m−3). The modelled population-weighted long-term average concentration of NO2 across Guangzhou was 52.5 μg m−3, which contributes an estimated 7270 (6960−7620) attributable deaths. Reducing concentrations in exceedance of the China air quality standard/WHO air quality guideline of 40 μg m−3 would reduce NO2-attributable deaths by 1900 (1820–1980). Conclusions: We demonstrate a general hybrid modelling method that can be employed in other cities in China to model ambient NO2 concentration at high spatial resolution for health burden estimation and epidemiological study. By running the dispersion model with alternative mitigation policies, new LUR models can be constructed to quantify policy effectiveness on NO2 population health burden

Nucleation and growth of biomimetic apatite layers on 3D plotted biodegradable polymeric scaffolds : effect of static and dynamic coating conditions

Apatite layers were grown on the surface of newly developed starch/polycaprolactone (SPCL)-based scaffolds by a 3D plotting technology. To produce the biomimetic coatings, a sodium silicate gel was used as nucleating agent, followed by immersion in a simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. After growing a stable apatite layer for 7 days, the scaffolds were placed in SBF under static, agitated (80 strokes min!1) and circulating flow perfusion (Q = 4 ml min!1; tR = 15 s) for up to 14 days. The materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thin-film X-ray diffraction. Cross-sections were obtained and the coating thickness was measured. The elemental composition of solution and coatings was monitored by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. After only 6 h of immersion in SBF it was possible to observe the formation of small nuclei of an amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) layer. After subsequent SBF immersion from 7 to 14 days under static, agitated and circulating flow perfusion conditions, these layers grew into bone-like nanocrystalline carbonated apatites covering each scaffold fiber without compromising its initial morphology. No differences in the apatite composition/chemical structure were detectable between the coating conditions. In case of flow perfusion, the coating thickness was significantly higher. This condition, besides mimicking better the biological milieu, allowed for the coating of complex architectures at higher rates, which can greatly reduce the coating step.The authors acknowledge the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PhD grant to A.L.O., SFRH/BD/10956/2002 and post-doctoral Grant to R.A.S., SFRH/BPD/17151/2004, under the POCTI Program). This work was partially supported by FCT through POCTI and/or FEDER programmes and also partially supported by the EU Project HIPPOCRATES (NMP3-CT-2003-505758) and EXPERTISSUES (NMP-CT-2004-500283)

Reduced Recombination in High Efficiency Molecular Nematic Liquid Crystalline: Fullerene Solar Cells

Bimolecular recombination in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells is theprocess by which nongeminate photogenerated free carriers encounter eachother, and combine to form a charge transfer (CT) state which subsequentlyrelaxes to the ground state. It is governed by the diffusion of the slower andfaster carriers toward the electron donor–acceptor interface. In an increasingnumber of systems, the recombination rate constant is measured to be lowerthan that predicted by Langevin’s model for relative Brownian motion and thecapture of opposite charges. This study investigates the dynamics of chargegeneration, transport, and recombination in a nematic liquid crystallinedonor:fullerene acceptor system that gives solar cells with initial power conversionefficiencies of >9.5%. Unusually, and advantageously from a manufacturingperspective, these efficiencies are maintained in junctions thickerthan 300 nm. Despite finding imbalanced and moderate carrier mobilitiesin this blend, strongly suppressed bimolecular recombination is observed,which is ≈150 times less than predicted by Langevin theory, or indeed, morerecent and advanced models that take into account the domain size andthe spatial separation of electrons and holes. The suppressed bimolecularrecombination arises from the fact that ground-state decay of the CT state issignificantly slower than dissociation