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The utilization of robotic knee arthroplasty (RKA) continues to increase across the United States. The aim of this geospatial analysis was to elucidate if RKA is distributed uniformly across the United States or if disparities exist in patient access. Publicly available provider-finding functions for 5 major manufacturers of RKA systems were used to obtain the practice locations of surgeons performing RKA along with their associated RKA system manufacturer. The average travel distance for each county to the nearest RKA surgeon was calculated and Moran's index clustering analysis was used to find hotspots and coldspots of RKA access. A logistic regression model was used to identify the predictive odds ratios between robotic hotspots and coldspots with county-level sociodemographic variables. Of the 34,216 currently practicing orthopedic surgeons in 2022, 2,571 have access to robotic assistance for knee arthroplasty. Hotspots of increased travel time were predominantly in West South Central and West North Central census regions. Hotspots were significantly more rural and consisted of predominantly White populations, with lower median income and health insurance coverage. The results of the current study align with existing literature, demonstrating absolute geographic access disparities for rural and economically disadvantaged populations. Additionally, relative access disparities persist for minority populations and individuals with high comorbidity burdens residing in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate acetabular component positioning is paramount to the success of total hip arthroplasty (THA). Two-dimensional imaging alone remains a popular tool for implant position assessment despite known limitations. We investigated the accuracy of a novel method for assessing acetabular component position based upon orthogonal simultaneous biplanar X-ray images. There were forty consecutive patients who had a preexisting THA on the contralateral side who underwent both computed tomography (CT) and simultaneous orthogonal biplanar radiographic scans for preoperative planning of THA. The operative inclination (OI) and operative anteversion (OA) of the acetabular cup were calculated by a new measurement method using the biplanar simultaneous scans. Those measurements were compared to measurement of the cup orientation on CT. The measurements were made by 2 independent observers. Interobserver correlation coefficients were calculated between the 2 observers to measure reliability. The mean error in OA measurement of the acetabular cup between simultaneous orthogonal biplanar radiographic and CT imaging was 0.5° (SD: 1.9°, minimum −4.0°, maximum 5.0°), the mean error in OI was 0.0° (SD: 1.7°, minimum −5.0°, maximum 4.0°). The average absolute error was 1.5° for OA and 1.2° for OI. Interobserver correlation coefficient was 0.83 for OA and 0.93 for OI. The novel method of measuring cup orientation using simultaneous biplanar radiographic scans utilized in this study was accurate and reproducible between observers compared to CT measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rising ownership of new energy vehicles (NEVs), accurate road traffic emission estimations are crucial. This study combined mixed traffic flow and license plate recognition (LPR) using improved 3D convolutional neural network (3D-CNN) and Transformer models. The 3D-CNN model is designed for vehicle localization and traffic flow data acquisition, while the Transformer-based LPR model accurately recognizes license plates, distinguishing NEVs from conventional vehicles. The overall model is validated by the training and test datasets, and then with field application along a primary arterial segment in the South 2nd Ring Road, Xi'an, China. The results demonstrate capability for the traffic emission approximation of the mixed traffic flow including new energy vehicles, revealing that mixed traffic flow identification plays an important role in road emission approximation. Results and procedures of the study may provide benchmark for the subsequent research and the verification of related transportation policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study describes the experience of patients who initially failed total joint arthroplasty preoperative screening criteria but were subsequently optimized and underwent surgery.Methods: Time to optimization from the patients' initial clinic visit was recorded. Following surgery, patients' body mass index and lab work were tracked to determine whether they "relapsed" to their preoptimized state. Descriptive statistics determined (1) the length of time to meet screening criteria and (2) which screening criteria took the longest to optimize.Results: Only 11 of 84 patients (13%) required greater than 1 year to meet criteria. Most patients (76%) "relapsed" to their previous nonqualifying status after surgery; however, this reversion did not contribute significantly to an increased rate of complication in short-term follow-up (P = .4298).Conclusion: Patients in this study were able to achieve preoperative screening criteria for total joint arthroplasty in less than 1 year. Relapsing after surgery does not appear to adversely affect clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying and understanding factors that influence the demand of ridesourcing market is essential for online hailing systems to improve the quality of service. This paper proposes a two-level growth model (GM) to identify the potential multi-level factors that may affect online ride-hailing service demand. By using the massive datasets from Didi Chuxing, Inc., including both Didi Express and Didi Taxi services, the order number fluctuations at different urban circle zones after the implementation of restrictions on ridesourcing in Shanghai, 2016 were analyzed, to assess the competition and mutual complementarities between Express and Taxi, the two major services provided by Didi Chuxing. The relative market share of Express was estimated to reveal the possible related spatial and temporal factors, which further demonstrates significant positive associations between ridesourcing demand and built environment factors, such as commercial/residential land use, public transport accessibility, as well as weather conditions. Metro service availability and rainy weather were found correlated with a relatively higher market share of Express service. Additionally, compared to the regular road transit service, the metro system was found to have a stronger correlation with the ridesourcing demand. Findings of this study may provide guidelines for urban planning and traffic operations, which in turn assists to achieve high-quality ridesourcing service for travellers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Effects of avenue trees on traffic pollutant dispersion were investigated. • Simulation model for estimation pollutant concentration was developed using FLUENT. • Different wind directions and velocities are considered with and without tree scenarios. • Avenue trees increase CO concentration and human exposure in asymmetric street canyons. Abstract The dispersion of traffic-related pollutants in urban street canyons is of importance for the health and quality of lives. To reveal the inherent principle, researchers have performed a lot of investigations; many dispersion phenomena have also been assessed during recent years. However, the presence of avenue trees in street canyons and their capacity for pollutant dispersion remains partly addressed. In this study, we investigated the effects of avenue trees in urban street canyons on traffic pollutant dispersion. The dispersion of CO concentration in asymmetric street canyons was simulated under varied situations. The computational results showed a good agreement with the experimental data, and the numerical model was validated to be adequate for investigating the pollutant dispersion in street canyons. Then, the numerical simulations were extended to explore the impacts of the effects of avenue trees on CO dispersion; the results indicated that avenue trees generally increase CO concentrations in asymmetric street canyons. When the wind direction is perpendicular to the street axis, a terraced building raises pollutant concentrations at the windward wall and reduces concentration at the leeward wall on the pedestrian levels. Findings of this study are expected to provide significant insight into urban road design and strategy making for avenue tree planting, particularly under the existing worldwide sustainable low-carbon urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inappropriate cruising speed, such as speeding, is one of the major contributors to the road safety, which increases both the quantitative number and severity of traffic accidents. Previous studies have indicated that traffic congestion is one of the primary causes of drivers’ frustration and aggression, which may lead to inappropriate speed choice. In this study, the large taxi floating car data (FCD) was used to empirically evaluate how traffic congestion-related negative moods, defined as state aggressiveness, affected drivers’ speed choice. The indirect effect of traffic delay on the cruising speed adjustment through the state aggressiveness was assessed through the mediation analysis. Furthermore, the moderated mediation analysis was performed to explore the effect of driver type, value of time, and working duration on the mediation role of state aggressiveness. The results proved that the state aggressiveness was the mediator of the relationship between travel delays and driving speed adjustment, and the mediation role was different across various driver types. As compared to the aggressive drivers, the normal drivers and the steady drivers tended to behave more aggressively after experiencing non-recurrent congestion during the early stage of the trips. When the value of time was high, steady drivers were more likely to adjust their speed choice although the effect was not statistically significant for other driver types. The validation results indicated that the speed model incorporating state aggressiveness could better predict the travel time than the traditional speed model that only considering the specific expected speed distribution. The prediction results for the manifest indicators of state aggressiveness, such as the maximum speed and the speed deviation, also demonstrated a reasonable reflection of the field data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the massive car-hailing data has become a popular source for analyzing traffic operation and road congestion status, which unfortunately has seldom been extended to capture detailed on-road traffic emissions. This study aims to investigate the relationship between road traffic emissions and the related built environment factors, as well as land uses. The Computer Program to Calculate Emissions from Road Transport (COPERT) model from European Environment Agency (EEA) was introduced to estimate the 24-h NOx emission pattern of road segments with the parameters extracted from Didi massive trajectory data. Then, the temporal Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) Clustering was used to classify road segments based on the 24-h emission rates, while Geographical Detector and MORAN’s I were introduced to verify the impact of built environment on line source emissions and the similarity of emissions generated from the nearby road segments. As a result, the spatial autoregressive moving average (SARMA) regression model was incorporated to assess the impact of selected built environment factors on the road segment emission rate based on the probabilistic results from FCM. It was found that short road length, being close to city center, high density of bus stations, more ramps nearby and high proportion of residential or commercial land would substantially increase the emission rate. Finally, the 24-h atmospheric NO 2 concentrations were obtained from the environmental monitor stations, to calculate the time variational trend by comparing with the line source traffic emissions, which to some extent explains the contribution of on-road traffic to the overall atmospheric pollution. Result of this study could guide urban planning, so as to avoid transportation related built environment attributes which may contribute to serious atmospheric environment pollutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minimally invasive stem cell therapy for stress urinary incontinence may provide an effective nonsurgical treatment for this common condition. Clinical trials of periurethral stem cell injection have been under way, and basic science research has demonstrated the efficacy of both local and systemic stem cell therapies. Results differ as to whether stem cells have a therapeutic effect by differentiating into permanent, functional tissues or exert benefits through a transient presence and the secretion of regenerative factors. This review explores the fate of therapeutic stem cells for stress urinary incontinence and how this may relate to their mechanism of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive analyses of urban traffic carbon emissions are critical in achieving low-carbon transportation. This paper started from the architecture design of a carbon emission mobile monitoring system using multiple sets of equipment and collected the corresponding data about traffic flow, meteorological conditions, vehicular carbon emissions and driving characteristics on typical roads in Shanghai and Wuxi, Jiangsu province. Based on these data, the emission model MOVES was calibrated and used with various sensitivity and correlation evaluation indices to analyze the traffic carbon emissions at microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic levels, respectively. The major factors that influence urban traffic carbon emissions were investigated, so that emission factors of CO, CO 2 and HC were calculated by taking representative passenger cars as a case study. As a result, the urban traffic carbon emissions were assessed quantitatively, and the total amounts of CO, CO 2 and HC emission from passenger cars in Shanghai were estimated as 76.95 kt, 8271.91 kt, and 2.13 kt, respectively. Arterial roads were found as the primary line source, accounting for 50.49% carbon emissions. In additional to the overall major factors identified, the mobile monitoring system and carbon emission quantification method proposed in this study are of rather guiding significance for the further urban low-carbon transportation development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban metro systems are subject to recurring service disruption for various reasons, such as mechanical or electrical failure, adverse weather, or other accidents. In recent years, studies on metro networks have attracted increasing attention because the consequence of operational accidents is barely affordable. This study proposes to measure the metro network vulnerability from the perspective of line operation by taking the Shanghai metro network as a case study. As opposed to previous studies that focused largely on disruption of important nodes or links, this study investigates the disruption from the line operation perspective. Betweenness centrality (BC) and passenger betweenness centrality (PBC), number of missed trips, weighted average path length, and weighted global efficiency were analyzed considering relative disruption probability of each line. Passenger flow distribution and re-distribution were simulated for different disruption scenarios based on all-or-nothing assignment rule. The results indicate that the metro lines carrying a large number of passengers generally have a significant impact on the network vulnerability. The lines with circular topological form also have a significant influence on passenger flow re-distribution in case of a disruption. The results of this study provide suggestions on metro system administration for potential improvement of the performance of operation, and passengers may meanwhile have an improved alternate plan for their commute trip when a disruption occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intermediate epoxy alcohols prepared via a Payne rearrangement can be trapped with arylselenide anions, giving mixtures of ring-opened products. The 1-arylseleno-2,3-diols are generally favored over the 3-arylseleno-1,2-diols in this process although the reaction of trisubstituted epoxyalcohols, for example, 17 , differs from those of disubstituted epoxyalcohols, for example, 21 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: As lane-changing behavior has received increasing attention during the recent years, various algorithms have been developed. However, most of these models were derived and validated using data such as vehicle trajectories, with no consideration of driver characteristics. In this research, focus group studies were conducted to obtain driver-related information so that the driver characteristics can be incorporated into lane-changing models. Different urban lane-changing scenarios were examined and discussed in the focus group meetings. The likelihood for initiating lane changes under each scenario was obtained. The participating drivers were categorized according to their background information and verbal responses, so that the lane-changing behavior can be related to driver characteristics for each group. Two types of information, quantitative and qualitative responses from participants, were used to establish this relationship. The paper concludes by providing recommendations related to the implementation of study findings into micro-simulators to better replicate driver behavior in urban street networks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: This study examined the single-center treatment outcomes of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brain using stereotactic radiosurgery, with regard to obliteration, predictive factors, morbidities, and patient performance status. Patients and Methods: 127 patients were treated between 1990 and 2008 by use of linear accelerator or Gamma Knife. Their median age was 37 years, the median AVM volume was 7.3 cc (range, 0.014–113.13 cc), and the median follow-up duration was 42 months (range, 6–209 months). Forty-two percent of patients presented with intracranial hemorrhage, 31% received embolization, and 8% underwent prior resection. Thirty-one percent of patients received more than one round of radiosurgery. Results: 64% of patients had complete obliteration confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging or angiography. Positive predictors of obliteration included pretreatment hemorrhage (p = 0.042), smaller AVM volume (odds ratio = 1.25; 95% CI, 1.03–1.52), and larger marginal dose (odds ratio = 0.292; 95% CI, 0.100–0.820), whereas embolization (p < 0.001) was a negative predictor . The annual risk of hemorrhage after radiosurgery was 2.2%, and the risk of death as a result of hemorrhage was 0.6–1.3%. Eleven percent of patients reported new or worsened neurologic symptoms. Radiosurgery was effective in treating AVM-related headaches (p < 0.001) but did not improve the performance status of patients. Conclusions: Stereotactic radiosurgery is an effective tool in the treatment of AVMs and amelioration of AVM-related headaches, but it did not affect the patients'' performance status. Factors affecting obliteration include prior hemorrhage, marginal dose, prior embolization, and AVM volume. Risk of hemorrhage persists in the latency period after radiosurgery, and it remains finite even after complete obliteration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A real-world driving cycle (RWDC) from electric commercial vehicles was developed. • Energy consumption was simulated using ADvanced VehIcle SimulatOR (ADVISOR). • Energy consumption sensitivity for each proposed vehicle parameter was analyzed. • Optimization schemes were proposed and compared based on energy saving and costs. Vehicular configuration optimization thus to prolong driving mileage has become an essential issue in affecting the future prospect of electric vehicles. This study proposed to simulate energy consumption of electric vehicles using real-world driving cycle (RWDC) data in urban area. First, operational data of electric commercial vehicles were obtained for RWDC development. Vehicle configuration parameters, including vehicle body, battery, tire, transmission, were chosen for the simulation in ADvanced VehIcle SimulatOR (ADVISOR) software package, by which the estimated benefits and costs by optimizing each parameter were approximated to provide a benchmark for choosing the controlled variable during the optimization. Vehicle mass, rolling resistance coefficient and accessory power were selected as the controlled variables for the cost-benefit analysis with the vehicle life cycle driving mileage as the benchmark, reducing the short-term profit limitation of the optimization evaluation. The proposed method would have practical guidance significance in formulating energy optimization schemes for electrical commercial vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Temperature-responsive polymers are attractive candidates for applications related to injectable delivery of biologically active therapeutics, such as stem cells. In this study, we evaluate the potential of thermosensitive hydroxybutyl chitosan (HBC) as a biomaterial for the culture of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) and cells derived from the intervertebral disk, with the eventual goal of using the HBC polymer as an injectable matrix/cell therapeutic. Conjugation of hydroxybutyl groups to chitosan renders the polymer water soluble and thermally responsive. Below its lower critical solution temperature, a solution of HBC can be maintained indefinitely in its solvated state. Upon exposure to a 37°C environment, within 60s, a 3.8wt% HBC solution rapidly forms a gel that can be maneuvered with forceps. Upon cooling, the gel once again is able to revert to its solvated state. The gel exhibits a dramatic increase in both and with increasing temperature, signifying a temperature-dependent enhancement of gel mechanical properties. Although a solid structure upon gelation, due to its physical nature of polymer interaction and gel formation, the gel exhibits a fluid-like viscoelastic behavior when exposed to shear stresses of up to 10% strain, with both and approaching zero with increasing shear stress. Formulations of HBC gels presented in this study have gelation temperatures ranging from 13.0 to 34.6°C and water contents of 67–95%. Minimal cytotoxicity in MSC and disk cell cultures was observed with these polymers up to a concentration of 5wt%. Detection of metabolic activity, genetic analysis of synthesized mRNA, and histological staining of MSC and disk cell cultures in these gels collectively indicate cell proliferation without a loss in metabolic activity and extracellular matrix production. This study suggests the potential of HBC gel as an injectable carrier for future applications of delivering therapeutics to encourage a biologically relevant reconstruction of the degenerated disk. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With the increasing urbanization and motorization, transportation has become one of the primary sources of carbon emission and air pollution, causing serious diseases to city residents. This study focuses on assessing pollutant dispersion patterns under multi-scenario situations and verifying the effectiveness of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation model using wind tunnel experiments and field measurements. A single-vehicle model was built to obtain the spatiotemporal distribution of Carbon Monoxide (CO) concentrations around the vehicle. Pressure coefficients of monitoring points were measured to compare with the values from the wind tunnel test. Then, numerical simulations were extended to car-following platoon and empirical street canyon scenarios. On-site measurements were carried out to ensure that the CFD model reflects the actual flow field around a vehicle in a certain precision range for given experimental design. The results indicated that the traffic-related pollutants were concentrated in the semicircle with the exhaust pipe as the center, with a radius of 1.5 m behind the vehicle. The podium building structure in the street perpendicular to the prevailing wind direction tends to induce the deposition of pollutants at the corner and bottom of the podium. Exhaust concentration at the right-angle area of a podium building on the leeward side of the wind direction is 221.1% higher than that in the windward side. Findings of this study may shed light on the street architecture design and the future applications of CFD model to estimate pollutant concentration along urban street canyons, thus to eventually improve urban environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an important component of urban roads, signalized intersections have contributed significantly to motor vehicle emissions, which however has not been modelled in high accuracy. This paper uses the International Vehicle Emission (IVE) model to obtain the localized emission factors, so that a dispersion model, CAL3QHC was introduced and modified to incorporate the vehicle acceleration and deceleration states. Two emission reduction schemes for urban signalized intersections, the Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) system and the no-obstacle driveway design, were proposed, by taking the intersection of Wen'er West Road and Liangmu Road in Hangzhou, China as an empirical example. The overall performance and roadside emission dispersion were simulated using VISSIM software package, with the improved CAL3QHC model. The GLOSA system and the no-obstacle driveway design were found to mitigate the roadside CO concentration by 21.2% and 22.1%, respectively. Findings of the study may assist to monitor roadside pollutant concentrations, formulate and evaluate emission mitigation strategies in urban intersections. Image 1 • IVE model was introduced to localize the emission factors of the traffic fleet in Hangzhou, China. • Acceleration and deceleration phases were modelled in CAL3QHC software package. • Two traffic emission reduction schemes, GLOSA and no-obstacle driveway designs, were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current studies on shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) and road congestion pricing (RCP) mainly focus on their independent effect on mobility, and rarely consider the joint impact of the two policies on accessibility. In light of this incentive, this paper establishes a bi-level programming model with multi-objective functions and multi-decision variables to solve the joint optimal pricing problem of SAVs and RCP considering accessibility. Because of the complex relationship between the decision variables and the objective functions, the proposed bi-level programming model belongs to a black-box problem. A machine learning algorithm based on multi-objective Bayesian optimization was developed to solve the proposed model, by taking Jiangyin City as an empirical case study. The results show that the combined implementation of SAVs and RCP plays an essential role in enhancing the performance of land-use and transportation systems. However, this advantageous outcome relies on an appropriately appropriate pricing strategy. Failing to account for the influence of the pricing strategy on implementation efficacy, SAVs and RCP could result in a 22.2 % and 5.0 % degradation in regional accessibility and total flow time, respectively. In contrast, the joint optimal pricing strategy of SAVs and RCP can not only mitigate traffic congestion and improve transportation network efficiency but also optimize urban spatial distribution and promote compact urban development, ultimately achieving a 14.0 % improvement in regional accessibility and 18.5 % reduction in total flow time. Sensitivity analysis reveals that with the increase in SAV market penetration rate, regional accessibility sees a steady rise. Conversely, the total flow time initially escalates before experiencing a decline. The method proposed in this paper serves not only in determining the joint optimal pricing strategy of SAVs and RCP to enhance accessibility, but also in analyzing and optimizing the accessibility impact of other land-use and transportation policies. • The joint optimal pricing problem of shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) and road congestion pricing (RCP) is studied. • A bi-level model with multi-objective functions and multi-decision variables is established. • The multi-objective Bayesian optimization algorithm is developed to solve the model. • SAVs and RCP can optimize accessibility under an appropriate pricing strategy. • Sensitivity analysis of SAV market penetration rate on the objective functions is performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe utilization patterns of ureteral stent placement during extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL).Methods: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Databases for Florida (2010-2012), Iowa (2010-2012), California (2010-2011), and New York (2006-2012) were used to identify patients undergoing ESWL with or without concomitant ureteral stent placement. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with ureteral stent placement. Postoperative ER visits and reoperation were compared between groups with multivariate logistic regression.Results: A total of 128,040 patients undergoing ESWL during the study period were identified. Concomitant ureteral stent placement during ESWL was performed in 20,800 (16.2%) cases. Stent placement was more common among older patients (odds ratio [OR] 1.003 per year, 95% confidence interval 1.002-1.004) and those with greater comorbidity burden (OR 1.10, 1.09-1.11), but also among those with higher income (OR 1.13, 1.08-1.19) and private insurance (OR 1.05, 1.01-1.10). Patients undergoing concomitant ureteral stent placement had higher rates of 30-day postoperative ER visits (8.9% vs 7.3%, P<.0001) and 90-day reoperation (13.4% vs 8.2%, P<.0001) compared to patients undergoing ESWL alone.Conclusion: A significant portion of patients treated with ESWL undergo concomitant ureteral stent placement, despite clinical guidelines over the last 2 decades discouraging this practice. Use of ureteral stent during ESWL appears driven by both clinical and nonclinical factors. Ureteral stent placement confers no perceivable advantage in postoperative ER visits or reoperation after ESWL based on administrative data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the passing decade, taxi floating car data (FCD) has become an important tool to investigate urban trip choice behaviors and activities. The corresponding taxi exhaust reduction issue is also with rather significance for traffic emission mitigation in urban areas. By taking Shanghai as an empirical case, this paper analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics of multimode travelers by combining the taxi FCD (from Qiangsheng Inc.), the metro smartcard data and the GPS trajectories of Mobike, one of the most popular shared bicycles in China, 2018). Binomial logit models (BNL) were proposed to estimate mode choices for both peak and off-peak periods by incorporating socio-economic, demographic, urban morphology, land use properties, and various trip-related variables. The choices between metro and taxi, Mobike and taxi were analyzed, respectively, with the corresponding influential factors identified. The results indicated that the percentage of residential and commercial land uses, the number of educational facilities have significant impacts on travel mode choice during peak hours, while the percentage of commercial land, the number of hospitals and bus lines are more prominent during off-peak periods. To quantify the emission reduction benefits, localized calculation of automobile exhaust was established according to the Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) based measurements obtained from the Portable Emission Measurement System (PEMS) experiments. Then, five corresponding emission mitigation schemes were proposed based on the model findings, and the cost-benefit of each countermeasure was further analyzed. Comparing with releasing the peak-hour crowdedness of metro stations, increasing Mobike supply, updating taxis into electric vehicles, and equipping taxis with catalytic converters, the scheme of removing non-motor vehicle restrictions was found with the shortest payback period and was consequently recommended as accordance with the proposal of urban eco and non-motorized transportation. Findings of this study is useful for transportation management in improving the mode share of metro and bicycles, thus to alleviate the congestion and auto emissions in urban areas. • Binomial logit models (BNL) were proposed to estimate mode choices between metro and taxi, Mobike and taxi, respectively. • Localized emission model EMISSION MODEL was developed based on Portable Emission Measurement System (PEMS) experiments. • Cost-benefit of five taxi emission reduction countermeasures were analyzed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: l-Serine is required for the synthesis of glycine and d-serine, both of which are NMDA receptor co-agonists. Although roles for d-serine and glycine have been suggested in schizophrenia, little is known about the role of the l-serine synthesizing cascade in schizophrenia or related psychiatric conditions. Here we report a patient with schizophrenia carrying a balanced chromosomal translocation with the breakpoints localized to 3q13.12 and 9q21.2. We examined this proband and her son with schizotypal personality disorder for chromosomal abnormalities, molecular expression profiles, and serum amino acids. Marked decrease of l-serine and glutamate was observed in the sera of the patient and her son, compared with those in normal controls. Interestingly, expression of PSAT1 gene, which is located next to the breakpoint and encodes one of the enzymes in the l-serine synthesizing cascade, was reduced in both patient and her son. Direct effect of impaired PSAT1 gene expression on decreased serum l-serine level was strongly implicated by rat astrocyte experiments. In summary, we propose an idea that PSAT1 may be implicated in altered serine metabolism and schizophrenia spectrum conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Radioactive iodine-129 (129I) and technetium-99 (99Tc) pose a risk to groundwater due to their long half-lives, toxicity, and high environmental mobility. Based on literature reviewed in Moore et al. (2019) and Pearce et al. (2019), natural and engineered materials, including iron oxides, low-solubility sulfides, tin-based materials, bismuth-based materials, organoclays, and metal organic frameworks, were tested for potential use as a deployed technology for the treatment of 129I and 99Tc to reduce environmental mobility. Materials were evaluated with metrics including capacity for IO 3 − and TcO 4 − uptake, selectivity and long-term immobilization potential. Batch testing was used to determine IO 3 − and TcO 4 − sorption under aerobic conditions for each material in synthetic groundwater at different solution to solid ratios. Material association with IO 3 − and TcO 4 − was spatially resolved using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microprobe mapping. The potential for redox reactions was assessed using X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. Of the materials tested, bismuth oxy(hydroxide) and ferrihydrite performed the best for IO 3 −. The commercial Purolite A530E anion-exchange resin outperformed all materials in its sorption capacity for TcO 4 −. Tin-based materials had high capacity for TcO 4 −, but immobilized TcO 4 − via reductive precipitation. Bismuth-based materials had high capacity for TcO 4 −, though slightly lower than the tin-based materials, but did not immobilize TcO 4 − by a redox-drive process, mitigating potential negative re-oxidation effects over longer time periods under oxic conditions. Cationic metal organic frameworks and polymer networks had high Tc removal capacity, with TcO 4 − trapped within the framework of the sorbent material. Although organoclays did not have the highest capacity for IO 3 − and TcO 4 − removal in batch experiments, they are available commercially in large quantities, are relatively low cost and have low environmental impact, so were investigated in column experiments, demonstrating scale-up and removal of IO 3 − and TcO 4 − via sorption, and reductive immobilization with iron- and sulfur-based species. Unlabelled Image • 129I and 99Tc are a risk to groundwater due to toxicity, long half-life, and mobility. • Natural and engineered materials were tested for potential to reduce mobility. • Bismuth oxy(hydroxide) was the most promising material for iodate immobilization. • Anion-exchange resins outperformed all materials for pertechnetate sorption. • Immobilization capacity of material depends on uptake mechanism and reaction product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]