APT Weighted MRI as an Effective Imaging Protocol to Predict Clinical Outcome After Acute Ischemic Stroke

To explore the capability of the amide-proton-transfer weighted (APTW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of clinical neurological deficit at the time of hospitalization and assessment of long-term daily functional outcome for patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). We recruited 55 AIS patients with brain MRI acquired within 24–48 h of symptom onset and followed up with their 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. APT weighted MRI was performed for all the study subjects to measure APTW signal quantitatively in the acute ischemic area (APTWipsi) and the contralateral side (APTWcont). Change of the APT signal between the acute ischemic region and the contralateral side (ΔAPTW) was calculated. Maximum APTW signal (APTWmax) and minimal APTW signal (APTWmin) were also acquired to demonstrate APTW signals heterogeneity (APTWmax−min). In addition, all the patients were divided into 2 groups according to their 90-day mRS score (good prognosis group with mRS score <2 and poor prognosis group with mRS score ≥2). In the meantime, ΔAPTW of these groups was compared. We found that ΔAPTW was in good correlation with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (R2 = 0.578, p < 0.001) and 90-day mRS score (R2 = 0.55, p < 0.001). There was significant difference of ΔAPTW between patients with good prognosis and patients with poor prognosis. Plus, APTWmax−min was significantly different between two groups. These results suggested that APT weighted MRI could be used as an effective tool to assess the stroke severity and prognosis for patients with AIS, with APTW signal heterogeneity as a possible biomarker

Overview of the Large-Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia Data Model Intercomparison Project (LBA-DMIP)

A fundamental question connecting terrestrial ecology and global climate change is the sensitivity of key terrestrial biomes to climatic variability and change. The Amazon region is such a key biome: it contains unparalleled biological diversity, a globally significant store of organic carbon, and it is a potent engine driving global cycles of water and energy. The importance of understanding how land surface dynamics of the Amazon region respond to climatic variability and change is widely appreciated, but despite significant recent advances, large gaps in our understanding remain. Understanding of energy and carbon exchange between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere can be improved through direct observations and experiments, as well as through modeling activities. Land surface/ecosystem models have become important tools for extrapolating local observations and understanding to much larger terrestrial regions. They are also valuable tools to test hypothesis on ecosystem functioning. Funded by NASA under the auspices of the LBA (the Large-Scale Biosphere–Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia), the LBA Data Model Intercomparison Project (LBA-DMIP) uses a comprehensive data set from an observational network of flux towers across the Amazon, and an ecosystem modeling community engaged in ongoing studies using a suite of different land surface and terrestrial ecosystem models to understand Amazon forest function. Here an overview of this project is presented accompanied by a description of the measurement sites, data, models and protocol

Precursor-induced fabrication of beta-Bi2O3 microspheres and their performance as visible-light-driven photocatalysts

Flower-like beta-Bi2O3 microspheres with high specific surface area and excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity (for degradation of Rhodamine B) were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process and subsequent calcination. By precisely adjusting the hydrothermal conditions, the composition and morphology of the microspherical precursors could be well controlled, so that upon further optimized calcination of the precursors, the selective formation of the monoclinic alpha-Bi2O3 and tetragonal beta-Bi2O3 with three dimensional (3D) hierarchical architectures could be achieved. These tetragonal beta-Bi2O3 microspheres with an average diameter of 3 mu m were constructed by nanoflakes with an average thickness of 50 nm, which, as far as we know, is the first reported result on the 3D hierarchical architectures of tetragonal beta-Bi2O3. Its flower-like microspherical architecture made the tetragonal beta-Bi2O3 possess not only much improved specific surface area but also a narrower band gap, which significantly enhanced its visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). To further optimize the synthetic conditions and realize the controllable synthesis, the formation mechanism for the morphologies and polymorphs of the Bi2O3 microspheres was discussed in detail

Precursor-induced fabrication of β-Bi2O3 microspheres and their performance as visible-light-driven photocatalysts

Flower-like β-Bi2O3 microspheres with high specific surface area and excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity (for degradation of Rhodamine B) were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process and subsequent calcination. By precisely adjusting the hydrothermal conditions, the composition and morphology of the microspherical precursors could be well controlled, so that upon further optimized calcination of the precursors, the selective formation of the monoclinic α-Bi2O3 and tetragonal β-Bi2O3 with three dimensional (3D) hierarchical architectures could be achieved. These tetragonal β-Bi2O3 microspheres with an average diameter of 3 μm were constructed by nanoflakes with an average thickness of 50 nm, which, as far as we know, is the first reported result on the 3D hierarchical architectures of tetragonal β-Bi2O3. Its flower-like microspherical architecture made the tetragonal β-Bi2O3 possess not only much improved specific surface area but also a narrower band gap, which significantly enhanced its visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB). To further optimize the synthetic conditions and realize the controllable synthesis, the formation mechanism for the morphologies and polymorphs of the Bi2O3 microspheres was discussed in detail