A mass-balance-based emission inventory of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) for solvent use in China

Non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) are important precursors of ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA), which play key roles in tropospheric chemistry. A huge amount of NMVOC emissions from solvent use are complicated by a wide spectrum of sources and species. This work presents a long-term NMVOC emission inventory of solvent use during 2000&ndash;2017 in China. Based on a mass (material) balance method, NMVOC emissions were estimated for six categories, including coatings, adhesives, inks, pesticides, cleaners, and personal care products. The results show that NMVOC emissions from solvent use in China increased rapidly from 2000 to 2014 then kept stable after 2014. The total emission increased from 1.6&thinsp;Tg (1.2&ndash;2.2&thinsp;Tg at 95&thinsp;% confidence interval) in 2000 to 10.6&thinsp;Tg (7.7&ndash;14.9&thinsp;Tg) in 2017. The substantial growth is driven by the large demand for solvent products in both industrial and residential activities. However, increasing treatment facilities in the solvent-related factories in China restrained the continued growth of solvent NMVOC emissions in recent years. Rapidly developing and heavily industrialized provinces such as Jiangsu, Shandong, and Guangdong contributed significantly to the solvent use emissions. Oxygenated VOCs, alkanes, and aromatics were the main components, accounting for 42&thinsp;%, 28&thinsp;%, and 21&thinsp;% of total NMVOC emissions in 2017, respectively. Our results and previous inventories are generally comparable within the estimation uncertainties (&minus;27&thinsp;%&ndash;52&thinsp;%). However, there exist significant differences in the estimates of sub-categories. Personal care products were a significant and quickly rising source of NMVOCs, which were probably underestimated in previous inventories. Emissions from solvent use were growing faster compared with transportation and combustion emissions, which were relatively better controlled in China. Environmentally friendly products can reduce the NMVOC emissions from solvent use. Supposing all solvent-based products were substituted with water-based products, it would result in 37&thinsp;%, 41&thinsp;%, and 38&thinsp;% reduction of emissions, ozone formation potential (OFP), and secondary organic aerosol formation potential (SOAP), respectively. These results indicate there is still large potential for NMVOC reduction by reducing the utilization of solvent-based products and implementation of end-of-pipe controls across industrial sectors. </div

Use of a stent-graft and vascular occlude to treat primary and re-entry tears in a patient with a Stanford type B aortic dissection

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for aortic dissections is recognized as an effective treatment. We herein report the case of a 72-year-old male with a Stanford type B aortic dissection. A stent-graft and double-disk vascular occluder was used to repair the primary and re-entry tears, respectively. At 3 month postoperatively, computed tomographic angiography revealed no endoleaks, the stent-graft and vascular occluder to be in optimal positions, the false lumen was almost completely thrombosed, and the visceral arteries were patent. This case illustrates that it is feasible to treat re-entry tears with a vascular occluder after primary proximal stent-graft repairs

Effects of different freezing methods on the quality and microstructure of lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) root

The effects of three freezing methods, air blast freezing (ABF), immersion freezing (IF) and ultrasound-assisted immersion freezing (UIF), on quality and microstructure of lotus roots were investigated. The parameters used to evaluate the freezing methods effect were the freezing time, color, firmness, drip loss, vitamin C and microstructure of the final frozen products. The results showed that the UIF products had several advantages in terms of the freezing time, color, firmness and drip loss over ABF and IF. No significant difference (p > 0.05) of vitamin C content was observed between the ABF and IF products, while significant difference (p < 0.05) of vitamin C was observed between UIF and ABF/IF products. ABF caused the largest destruction to the tissue, while the microstructure of the UIF products was the best preserved. It is concluded that UIF processing was a better freezing method for lotus root with improved quality and less damaged microstructure than the two other methods. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and IIR

Effects of ultrasound on glass transition temperature of freeze-dried pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) using DMA thermal analysis

The effect of ultrasound pretreatment at various power (360 W, 600 W and 960 W, frequency 20 kHz) on the glass transition temperature of freeze dried pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) has been studied. DMA temperature plots were divided into four sections (A - glassy region, B - transition region, C - Rubbery plateau region and D - terminal region) with the aim to analyze their properties changed with sonication. Under the same freeze drying condition, with the increase in ultrasonic power, dried pear showed higher glass transition in terms of storage modulus, loss modulus and loss tangent peak. Also a decrease in

Development of a Process for Separation of Mogroside V from Siraitia grosvenorii by Macroporous Resins

molecule

Low oil French fries produced by combined pre-frying and pulsed-spouted microwave vacuum drying method

French fries were prepared by a combined method of pre-frying and pulsed-spouted microwave vacuum drying (PSMVD). The impact of pre-frying and PSMVD on the quality (oil content, color, texture, microstructure and shrinkage in volume) of French fries was studied and the sample was compared with that of only vacuum fried ones. The results indicated that the French fries prepared by the combined method had lower oil content (25%, db) than that of vacuum-fried sample (40%). Other property analysis also showed that the combined technique processed samples exhibited comparable food texture and color to that of vacuum fried samples, and had a porous microstructure with relatively smaller pore size. It was concluded that the combined method of pre-frying and PSMVD could be an alternative method to produce high quality French fries with low oil content. © 2016 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Comparision of Ligasure hemorrhoidectomy and conservative treatment for thrombosed external hemorrhoids (TEH) in pregnancy

Abstract Background Ligasure hemorrhoidectomy for thrombosed external hemorrhoids in pregnancy has been rarely studied. Objective The purpose of this article is to study the efficacy and safety of Ligasure hemorrhoidectomy comparing with conservative treatment for thrombosed external hemorrhoids in pregnancy. Design This was a retrospective cohort study. Setting The patients were treated at a tertiary referral center in China. Patients 94 pregnant patients hospitalized for thrombosed external hemorrhoids from September 2020 to December 2021. Interventions Ligasure hemorrhoidectomy treatment or conservative treatment according to the patient’s wishes. Main outcome measures Symptom relief, recurrence and satisfaction of thrombosed external hemorrhoids in pregnancy with different interventions. Results There were no differences between groups in maternal age, gestational age, body mass index, parity, constipation and a prior history of thrombosed external hemorrhoids. The pain scores were less in surgical group than in conservative group in post-treatment days 1 and 7. Time to return to normal activities was shorter in surgical group than in conservative group (6.51 vs. 13.52 days, P < 0.001). Post-treatment complications were mild in surgical group and there were no significant differences concerning the rate of abortion, preterm birth, cesarean delivery and weight of fetus. Recurrence rate was significantly lower in surgical group (8.57% vs. 30.43%, P = 0.017). The patient satisfaction scores were significantly higher in surgical group than in conservative group (Z = − 2.979, P = 0.003). Limitations This was a retrospective study with a limited number of patients, the data was obtained from only one center. Conclusions Comparing with conservative treatment, Ligasure hemorrhoidectomy for TEH in pregnancy results in more rapid pain relief, shorter time to return to normal activities, lower incidence of recurrence, and better patient satisfaction. This type of surgery has low and mild postoperative complications, is not attended by any risk to the mother or her fetus