scholarly journals Trifluoroacetic acid deposition from emissions of HFO-1234yf in India, China, and the Middle East

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 14833-14849
Author(s):  
Liji M. David ◽  
Mary Barth ◽  
Lena Höglund-Isaksson ◽  
Pallav Purohit ◽  
Guus J. M. Velders ◽  
...  

Abstract. We have investigated trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) formation from emissions of HFO-1234yf (CF3CFH2), its dry and wet deposition, and rainwater concentration over India, China, and the Middle East with GEOS-Chem and WRF-Chem models. We estimated the TFA deposition and rainwater concentrations between 2020 and 2040 for four previously published HFO-1234yf emission scenarios to bound the possible levels of TFA. We evaluated the capability of GEOS-Chem to capture the wet deposition process by comparing calculated sulfate in rainwater with observations. Our calculated TFA amounts over the USA, Europe, and China were comparable to those previously reported when normalized to the same emission. A significant proportion of TFA was found to be deposited outside the emission regions. The mean and the extremes of TFA rainwater concentrations calculated for the four emission scenarios from GEOS-Chem and WRF-Chem were orders of magnitude below the no observable effect concentration. The ecological and human health impacts now, and the continued use of HFO-1234yf in India, China, and the Middle East, are estimated to be insignificant based on the current understanding, as summarized by Neale et al. (2021).

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liji M. David ◽  
Mary Barth ◽  
Lena Höglund-Isaksson ◽  
Pallav Purohit ◽  
Guus J. M. Velders ◽  
...  

Abstract. We have investigated trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) formation from emissions of HFO-1234yf, its dry and wet deposition, and rainwater concentration over India, China, and the Middle East with GEOS-Chem and WRF-Chem models. We estimated the TFA deposition and rainwater concentrations between 2020 and 2040 for four previously published HFO-1234yf emission scenarios to bound the possible levels of TFA. We evaluated the capability of GEOS-Chem to capture the wet deposition process by comparing calculated sulfate in rainwater with observations. Our calculated TFA amounts over the U.S., Europe, and China were comparable to those previously reported when normalized to the same emission. A significant proportion of TFA was found to be deposited outside the emission regions. The mean and the extremes of TFA rainwater concentrations calculated for the four emission scenarios from GEOS-Chem and WRF-Chem were orders of magnitude below the no observable effect concentration. The ecological and human health impacts now and the continued use of HFO-1234yf in India, China, and the Middle East are estimated to be insignificant based on the current understanding, as summarized by Neale et al. (2021).


Author(s):  
Daniel Deudney

The end of the Cold War left the USA as uncontested hegemon and shaper of the globalization and international order. Yet the international order has been unintentionally but repeatedly shaken by American interventionism and affronts to both allies and rivals. This is particularly the case in the Middle East as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as well as the nuclear negotiations with Iran show. Therefore, the once unquestioned authority and power of the USA have been challenged at home as well as abroad. By bringing disorder rather than order to the world, US behavior in these conflicts has also caused domestic exhaustion and division. This, in turn, has led to a more restrained and as of late isolationist foreign policy from the USA, leaving the role as shaper of the international order increasingly to others.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudio Bravo ◽  
Deniz Bozkurt ◽  
Andrew N. Ross ◽  
Duncan J. Quincey

AbstractThe Northern Patagonian Icefield (NPI) and the Southern Patagonian Icefield (SPI) have increased their ice mass loss in recent decades. In view of the impacts of glacier shrinkage in Patagonia, an assessment of the potential future surface mass balance (SMB) of the icefields is critical. We seek to provide this assessment by modelling the SMB between 1976 and 2050 for both icefields, using regional climate model data (RegCM4.6) and a range of emission scenarios. For the NPI, reductions between 1.5 m w.e. (RCP2.6) and 1.9 m w.e. (RCP8.5) were estimated in the mean SMB during the period 2005–2050 compared to the historical period (1976–2005). For the SPI, the estimated reductions were between 1.1 m w.e. (RCP2.6) and 1.5 m w.e. (RCP8.5). Recently frontal ablation estimates suggest that mean SMB in the SPI is positively biased by 1.5 m w.e., probably due to accumulation overestimation. If it is assumed that frontal ablation rates of the recent past will continue, ice loss and sea-level rise contribution will increase. The trend towards lower SMB is mostly explained by an increase in surface melt. Positive ice loss feedbacks linked to increasing in meltwater availability are expected for calving glaciers.


1982 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. A. Khalifa

SummaryIn a survey of 1475 urban Moslem wives in the age group 15–49 living in the capital city of the Sudan, knowledge of birth control was reported by almost all respondents while a significant proportion had used contraception at least once. The mean age of the users was 32·8 years, their duration of marriage was 15·1 years and their mean number of surviving children was 4·6. Those who had never used contraception had a higher mean age, a longer duration of marriage and more surviving children. Most of the users had an urban residential background and belonged to the high socioeconomic class. They held favourable attitudes to family planning. Although they thought that having a large family (more than five children) was not desirable, their mean preferred family size was no different from that of the never users.The results indicate that contraception is used for the purpose of spacing births rather than limiting their ultimate number. At this early stage of contraceptive adoption in Sudan, the characteristics of the pioneer acceptors are similar to those observed in other African countries.


2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1579-1595 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Galy-Lacaux ◽  
D. Laouali ◽  
L. Descroix ◽  
N. Gobron ◽  
C. Liousse

Abstract. Long-term precipitation chemistry have been recorded in the rural area of Banizoumbou (Niger), representative of a semi-arid savanna ecosystem. A total of 305 rainfall samples ~90% of the total annual rainfall) were collected from June 1994 to September 2005. From ionic chromatography, pH major inorganic and organic ions were detected. Rainwater chemistry is controlled by soil/dust emissions associated with terrigeneous elements represented by SO42−, Ca2+, Carbonates, K+ and Mg2+. It is found that calcium and carbonates represent ~40% of the total ionic charge. The second highest contribution is nitrogenous, with annual Volume Weighed Mean (VWM) for NO3− and NH4+ concentrations of 11.6 and 18.1 μeq.l−1, respectively. This is the signature of ammonia sources from animals and NOx emissions from savannas soil-particles rain-induced. The mean annual NH3 and NO2 air concentration are of 6 ppbv and 2.6 ppbv, respectively. The annual VWM precipitation concentration of sodium and chloride are both of 8.7 μeq.l−1 which reflects the marine signature of monsoonal and humid air masses. The median pH value is of 6.05. Acidity is neutralized by mineral dust, mainly carbonates, and/or dissolved gases such NH3. High level of organic acidity with 8μeq.l−1 and 5.2 μeq.l−1 of formate and acetate were also found. The analysis of monthly Black Carbon emissions and Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) values show that both biogenic emission from vegetation and biomass burning could explain the rainfall organic acidity content. The interannual variability of the VWM concentrations around the mean (1994–2005) is between ±5% and ±30% and mainly due to variations of sources strength and rainfall spatio-temporal distribution. From 1994 to 2005, the total mean wet deposition flux in the Sahelian region is of 60.1 mmol.m−2.yr−1 ±25%. Finally, Banizoumbou measurements are compared to other long-term measurements of precipitation chemistry in the wet savanna of Lamto (Côte d'Ivoire) and in the forested zone of Zoétélé (Cameroon). The total chemical loading presents a maximum in the dry savanna and a minimum in the forest (from 143.7, 100.2 to 86.6 μeq.l−1), associated with the gradient of terrigeneous sources. The wet deposition fluxes present an opposite trend, with 60.0 mmol.m−2.yr−1 in Banizoumbou, 108.6 mmol.m−2.yr−1 in Lamto and 162.9 mmol.m−2.yr−1 in Zoétélé, controlled by rainfall gradient along the ecosystems transect.


Author(s):  
I. Labinskaya

Political developments in North Africa and the Middle East that have begun in January 2011 are gaining strength and involve an increasing number of Arab countries. The participants of the Roundtable – experts from IMEMO, Institute of Oriental Studies (RAS), Institute of the USA and Canada (RAS) and Mrs. E. Suponina from “Moscow News” newspaper analyzed a wide range of issues associated with these events. Among them are: 1) the reasons for such a large-scale explosion, 2) the nature of the discussed developments (revolutions, riots?) and who are the subjects of the current “Arab drama”, 3) the role of Islam and political Islamism, 4) the role of external factors.


Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amar M Salam ◽  
Kadhim Sulaiman ◽  
Robert O Bonow ◽  
Jassim Al-Suwaidi ◽  
Khalid AlHabib ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVES: No previous studies have specifically examined the effects of ethnicity on factors precipitating hospital admissions for heart Failure (HF). The aim of the current study was to identify factors precipitating HF hospitalizations peculiar to Middle-Eastern Arab and South Asian ethnicities using a large multinational multicenter Middle-Eastern HF registry in which these two ethnicities are most prevalent. METHODS: From February 2012 to November 2013, consecutive patients hospitalized with HF were enrolled from 47 hospitals in 7 Middle East countries. Identifiable factors contributing to HF hospitalization were pre-specified and captured at admission. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to ethnicity, Arabs and South Asians (referred to as Asians) and the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS: During the study period 5005 patients with HF were enrolled of whom 4989 patients were from the 2 ethnicities under study; 4516 Arabs (90.5%) and 473(9.5%) Asians with the mean age of 60 years for Arabs and 55 years for Asians. The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 37 % for Arabs compared to 33.8 % for Asians, P=0.001. Among the precipitating factors studied, nonadherence to medications and infections were significantly more prevalent in Arabs compared to Asians (19.9% vs. 13.5% and 15.3% vs.8.5%, both P=0.001) whereas myocardial ischemia and uncontrolled hypertension were significantly more prevalent in Asians (40.4% vs. 25.9% and 11.6% vs.7.8%, both P=0.001). In both groups, however, myocardial ischemia and nonadherence to medications were the commonest two factors precipitating hospital admissions for HF (table). CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies for the first time important ethnic related differences in precipitating factors for HF hospitalizations among Arabs and Asians living in the Middle-East. The current study underscores the need to consider ethnicity in studies of HF hospitalizations and HF outcomes.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo D. Jimenez Castro ◽  
Abhinaya Venkatesan ◽  
Elizabeth Redman ◽  
Rebecca Chen ◽  
Abigail Malatesta ◽  
...  

AbstractThe hookworm Ancylostoma caninum is the most prevalent nematode parasite of dogs. Recently, we confirmed multiple-drug resistance (MDR) in several A. caninum isolates to all anthelmintic drug classes approved for the treatment of hookworms in dogs in the United States (USA). Cases of MDR hookworms appear to be highly overrepresented in greyhounds, suggesting that the MDR worms evolved on racing greyhound farms/kennels. The aims of this study were to evaluate the range of drug-resistant phenotypes and genotypes of the A. caninum infecting greyhounds. Fecal samples from recently retired greyhounds originating from geographically diverse areas of the USA were acquired from two greyhound adoption kennels, one active greyhound racing kennel, and three veterinary practices that work with adoption kennels. Fecal egg counts (FECs) were performed on fecal samples from 219 greyhounds, and despite almost all the dogs having been treated with one or more anthelmintics in the previous two to four weeks, the mean FEC was 822.4 eggs per gram (EPG). Resistance to benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones were measured using the egg hatch assay (EHA) and the larval development assay (LDA) respectively. We performed 23 EHA and 22 LDA on either individual or pooled feces, representing 81 animals. Mean and median IC50 and IC95 values for the EHA were 5.3 uM, 3.6 uM, and 24.5 uM, 23.4 uM respectively. For the LDA, mean and median IC50 values were 749.8 nM, >1000 nM respectively. These values range from 62 to 68 times higher than those we measured in our susceptible laboratory isolates. Pre-treatment fecal samples could not be obtained, however, post-treatment samples representing 219 greyhounds were collected. For samples collected <10 days post-treatment with albendazole, moxidectin, or a combination of febantel-pyrantel-moxidectin, the mean FEC were 349, 333, and 835 EPG, respectively. Samples collected 10-21 days post-treatment with albendazole, moxidectin, or pyrantel, yielded mean FEC of 1874, 335, and 600 EPG, respectively. Samples collected >21 days post-treatment with albendazole or moxidectin yielded mean FEC of 1819 and 1117 EPG, respectively. We obtained DNA from hookworm eggs isolated from 70 fecal samples, comprised of 60 individual dogs and 10 pools from multiple dogs. Deep sequencing of the isotype 1 β-tubulin gene revealed the presence of the F167Y (TTC>TAC) resistance polymorphism in 99% of these samples, with 69% having ≥75% resistant allele frequency. No resistance-associated polymorphisms were seen at any of the other β-tubulin codons previously reported as associated with benzimidazole resistance in Strongylid nematodes. These clinical, in vitro, and genetic data provide strong evidence that racing and recently retired greyhound dogs in the USA are infected with MDR A. caninum at very high levels in terms of both prevalence and infection intensity.


Author(s):  
Jessica R Marden ◽  
Claudio Santos ◽  
Brian Pfister ◽  
Richard Able ◽  
Henry Lane ◽  
...  

Aim: To describe reasons for switching from prednisone/prednisolone to deflazacort and associated clinical outcomes among patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD and BMD, respectively) in the USA. Methods: A chart review of patients with DMD (n = 62) or BMD (n = 30) who switched from prednisone to deflazacort (02/2017–12/2018) collected demographic/clinical characteristics, reasons for switching, outcomes and common adverse events. Results: The mean ages at switch were 20.1 (DMD) and 9.2 (BMD) years. The primary physician-reported reasons for switching were ‘to slow disease progression’ (DMD: 83%, BMD: 79%) and ‘tolerability’ (67 and 47%). Switching was ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ effective at addressing the primary reasons in 90–95% of patients. Conclusion: Physician-reported outcomes were consistent with deflazacort addressing patients' primary reasons for switching.


Author(s):  
Karen E Skinner ◽  
Amin Haiderali ◽  
Min Huang ◽  
Lee S Schwartzberg

Aim: Evaluation of monthly cost during metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) treatment. Patients & methods: Retrospective electronic medical record review of US females aged ≥18 years diagnosed with mTNBC between 1 January 2010 and 31 January 2016. Mean monthly costs per patient were evaluated from start of mTNBC treatment until transfer to hospice, end of record or 3 months prior to death. Results: The mean monthly cost of first line was $21,908 for 505 treated patients; 50.2% of cost was attributable to hospitalization and emergency department visits, and 32.7% to anticancer therapy. Similar patterns were observed for subsequent lines of therapy. Conclusion: The majority of costs were attributable to hospitalization and emergency department services, suggesting a need for effective interventions to reduce utilization of costly services.


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