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Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-pie-10.1177_09544089231159992 for Research on optimal multivariate thermal error modeling based on finite-element analysis by Liang Peng, Zhenlei Chen, Leilei Cheng and Changfa Wang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-pie-10.1177_09544089231159992 for Research on optimal multivariate thermal error modeling based on finite-element analysis by Liang Peng, Zhenlei Chen, Leilei Cheng and Changfa Wang in Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)–associated myocarditis is an uncommon and potentially fatal immune-related adverse event (irAE). Although corticosteroids are recommended as the first-line treatment by current guidelines, patients still have variable responses to it, and the guidelines vary significantly in terms of treatment strategies.Objectives: In this study, we performed a retrospective analysis of ICI-associated myocarditis in our hospital to propose a new comparative analysis to aid individualized treatment.Methods: We reviewed detailed records of 24 patients with confirmed ICI-associated myocarditis in our hospital from July 1, 2019, to April 1, 2021. Although all the cases in our study received recommended initial corticosteroid treatment according to the guidelines, different responses to corticosteroid were observed during the process of subsequent corticosteroid tapering. Basing on troponin cardiac troponin T rebound during corticosteroid tapering, we propose a new classification analysis of ICI-associated myocarditis that included two subgroups: corticosteroid-sensitive (n = 8) and corticosteroid-resistant group (n = 16).Results: Compared with corticosteroid-sensitive patients, larger doses of corticosteroid, longer period of treatment, and higher mortality rate were found in corticosteroid-resistant patients. Corticosteroid-resistant patients were characterized by more prominent ptosis, muscle weakness, elevated cardiac biomarkers, creatine kinase, and hepatic enzymes levels than that in the corticosteroid-sensitive patients. Tofacitinib (5 mg twice a day) was used in 11 corticosteroid-resistant patients, with seven patients recovered from ICI-associated myocarditis, showing a promising therapeutic effect.Conclusion: Our group analysis of corticosteroid responsiveness in patients with ICI-associated myocarditis may help clinicians to apply individualized treatment in this high-risk cohort. In addition, tofacitinib could provide clinical benefits when used early in the corticosteroid-resistant patients and may provide a new option for the treatment of ICI-associated myocarditis.

Converting plastic wastes into value-added products through energy-efficient pyrolysis is essential, and it requires lower pyrolysis temperatures and shorter processing times than that of other processes. An exothermic phenomenon was observed during the process high-pressure polyethylene pyrolysis. It was proven for the first time that the exotherm is caused by a pressure-induced phase transition, in which colossal heat release can be driven by relatively small pressures. A large temperature change (> 100 °C) leads to the deep cracking of polyethylene, although the set temperature is far lower than the required temperature for thermal cracking. Importantly, the heat input stops immediately when the set temperature is reached; thus, the external heating time is short. Polyethylene can be completely converted into liquid products in ~90 wt% yield and with a small number of gases. The self-exothermic phase transition only occurs within a certain range of material thickness, which is related to the corresponding phase behavior. In the self-exothermic pyrolysis process, with an increase in the thickness of polyethylene, the proportion of low-value olefins in oil products decreases gradually, while alkanes, isoalkanes and aromatics show an increasing trend, making the product composition closer to the fuel standard. This work provides a viable approach for plastic recycling at low pyrolysis temperatures and short external heating times with the help of a self-exothermic phase transition in the absence of a catalyst.

Pyrolysis is currently an effective way to recycle plastics. High-pressure conditions can change the pyrolysis product component distribution, but the microscopic mechanism has not been well elucidated. To explore the relationship of product distribution versus pressure and explain the microscopic mechanism of polyethylene high-pressure pyrolysis, experiments under a large initial pressure range from 1 bar to 51 bar at initial temperatures of 330–380 °C were carried out in an autoclave. In the process of polyethylene high-pressure pyrolysis, the temperature within the reactor exceeded the set temperature by 100 °C at a rate of 150 °C/min. The thermal runaway phenomenon was caused by the polymerization of concentrated olefins in liquid form, which was initiated by hydrocarbon radicals. As the pressure increased, the reaction peak temperature was risen and more small molecules were produced. Under an initial temperature of 340 °C and high-pressure conditions, polyethylene was completely converted into liquid and gas products. The experimental results also revealed that high-pressure conditions led to the production of aromatic compounds and isoparaffins, as well as more cycloalkanes and fewer olefins in the liquid product, making the product characteristics closer to the fuel standard. Finally, this paper proposes the radical microscopic mechanisms of polyethylene thermal degradation under atmospheric-pressure and high-pressure conditions.

Can deserts be transformed into resources, into assets, and further into cash? It is necessary to scientifically assess desert ecological assets and incorporate them into the national economic accounting system and the current evaluation system for socio-economic development. This study will provide a scientific basis and robust data for establishing a target system that is compatible with both ecological civilization and an associated reward and punishment mechanism, as well as for designing and implementing effective compensation policies for desert ecosystems. This paper first defines desert ecological assets, and then develops a framework for assessing them based on the evaluation of desert ecological resources and desert ecosystem services. This framework paves the foundation for quantitatively assessing desert ecological assets and preparing balance sheets of desert ecological assets. Finally, this paper analyzes current policies relating to desert ecological compensation, discusses how to design compensation policies based on assessment of desert ecological assets, and puts forward suggestions for improving current policies.

The specific objectives of the assessment are to: 1) Synthesise and highlight the environmental and socio-economic causes and impacts of SDS, as well as available technical measures for their mitigation, at the local, regional and global levels; 2) Show how the mitigation of SDS can yield multiple sustainable development benefits; 3) Synthesize information on current policy responses for mitigating SDS and 4) Present options for an improved strategy for mitigating SDS at the local, regional and global levels, building on existing institutions and agreements.

Urban households account for most of the milk consumption in China, but their consumption is hampered by safety concerns. Using survey data collected in Beijing and Harbin in 2010, this paper simultaneously analyses urban households’ milk consumption using a multiple linear model and their willingness-to-pay for milk safety using an ordered choice model. The results of this study show that as income increases, urban households consume more milk and are willing to pay a higher premium for milk safety. Modern food marketing channels play a positive role in stimulating milk consumption and building consumers’ confidence in milk safety. The growth in the elderly population influences milk consumption positively, but their demand for milk safety is negatively affected by higher price. The combined analysis of households’ demand for milk quantity and safety may be useful to the Chinese government in promoting the development of the domestic milk industry and to dairy firms in exploring the milk market in China.

Objectives To detect the early subclinical myocardial injury during and shortly after epirubicin exposure in asymptomatic patients with large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma by two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging and high sensitive cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and to investigate whether alterations of myocardial strains and high sensitive cardiac troponin T could predict future cardiac dysfunction in patients after epirubicin exposure. Methods Seventy-five patients aged 53.9 ± 13.8 years with newly-diagnosed large B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated with anthracycline were studied. Blood collection and echocardiography were performed at baseline, 1 day after the third cycle, and 1 day after chemotherapy completion. After 4–6 months of chemotherapy, echocardiography was followed up. Levels of cTnT were detected with a highly sensitive assay. Longitudinal (LS), circumferential (CS) and radial strain (RS) were calculated using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was analysed by real-time 3D echocardiography. Cardiotoxicity was defined according to the guidelines (Cardiac Review and Evaluation Committee of Trastuzumab-associated cardiotoxicity, CREC) as a reduction of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥5% to Results LVEF remained stable and within normal limits in the whole course of chemotherapy. However it was decreased from 65.0 ± 3.8% at baseline to 60.8 ± 4.9% during follow-up (p = 0.000). Fourteen patients (18.67%) developed cardiotoxicity 4–6 months after treatment. Global LS (-18.5 ± 1.7% vs -16.5 ± 1.9%), CS (-20.9 ± 2.9% vs -19.3 ± 3.5%), RS (39.2 ± 6.4% vs 35.3 ± 5.2%) were markedly reduced and cTnT was elevated from 0.0010 ± 0.0020 ng/ml to 0.0063 ± 0.0089 ng/ml (p all 15.9% decrease in longitudinal strain ( sensitivity: 86%, specificity: 75%, AUC = 0.815, P = 0.001) and a >0.004ng/ml elevation in cTnT levels (sensitivity: 79%, specificity: 64%, AUC = 0.757, P = 0.005) from baseline to the third cycle of chemotherapy predicted later cardiotoxicity. The decrease of longitudinal strain between baseline and the third cycle of chemotherapy remained the only independent predictor of cardiotoxicity (p = 0.000). Conclusions Two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging combined with high sensitive cTnT may provide a reliable and accurate non-invasive method to detect subtle myocardial injury and to predict cardiac dysfunction in patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy. The decrease of longitudinal strain is the only independent predictor of cardiotoxicity.

Pathways for the physical disintegration of biochar (BC) and the release of water dispersible BC colloids (WDBC) have received much attention due to their unique impacts on carbon loss and contaminant. However, the current understanding of the mechanisms involved in WDBC formation and associated influencing factors is rather limited. This study systematically explored the effects of pyrolysis temperature, initial particle size, and solution chemistry on WDBC formation in aqueous solutions and examined the formation and colloidal stability of WDBC in natural solutions. Results showed that pyrolysis temperature determined the abrasion resistance of pyrolyzed BC, and the submicron fragment rate decreased in the order 400 °C (BC400) > 700 °C (BC700) > 200 °C (BC200). The WDBC yield decreased in the order BC400 (77.5–331 mg g−1) > BC700 (33.5–173 mg g−1) > BC200 (16.8–125 mg g−1) depending on BC size at a solution ionic strength (IS) ≤ 1 mM, which was positively correlated with the submicron fragment rate of bulk BC. With the exception of BC200, increasing IS (0.1–20 mM) and decreasing pH (3.0–10.0) significantly inhibited WDBC yield. Release and sedimentation dominated the WDBC formation processes with the former being more susceptible to solution chemistry. Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek interactions properly explained the effect of IS on WDBC from BC400 and BC700, while the steric resistance of abundant dissolved organic carbon on BC200 was mainly responsible for the high formation of WDBC at high IS (20–50 mM). WDBC had high colloidal stability and could form and stabilize well in natural surface waters and soil solutions, suggesting the relevant risk of long-distance migration of WDBC in environments. These findings represent new knowledge regarding the physical decomposition and the fate of BC in the environment. Refereed/Peer-reviewed