Ruishan Chen

Nian: when Chinese mythology affects air pollution

www.thelancet.com Vol 383 June 21, 2014 2125 improve safety. Pomalidomide undergoes extensive cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism and has a toxicity profi le mainly characterised by myelosuppression. Here, we discuss the first case of pomalidomideinduced hepatotoxicity reported under post-marketing surveillance. A 50-year-old man undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma presented with jaundice and dark-yellow-coloured urine. His multiple myeloma was diagnosed 3 years earlier, with conventional cy togenetic analysis revealing deletion 13 and translocation [11,14] (without deletion 17p). After failed induction with several bortezomib-based chemotherapy regimens, he underwent autologous stem cell transplantation and achieved complete response. He received maintenance treatment with lenalidomide (15 mg daily) plus dexamethasone in 3-week cycles. However, he experienced grade 3 transaminitis (alanine aminotransferase 433 U/L) and the lenalidomide dose was reduced to 5 mg daily. This attenuated dose was associated with disease progression. Sub s e qu entl y, th e p atient received salvage platinum-based chemotherapy, a second autologous stem cell transplant, and then allogeneic stem cell transplantation from an HL A-matched sibling donor. Engraftment and full donor chimerism were achieved and he received graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis for 5 months. At this time, his multiple myeloma relapsed and he started pomalidomide plus dexamethasone. In view of lenalidomide’s hepatotoxicit y, pomalidomide was dosed at 2 mg three times weekly and then increased to daily while liver function was monitored. He achieved complete response, but 5 days later there was a mild increase in transaminases (alanine aminotransferase 200 U/L). Pomalidomide dose was reduced again to three times weekly, which The effect of cultural practices on air pollution is often overlooked. However, the smog generated by Nian festivities cannot be overlooked in China nowadays. Chinese people need to reduce the use of fireworks or find a substitute to reduce air pollution. Tensions between cultural practices and environmental protections will not be easy to solve, because such traditional practices are deeply embedded in Chinese society, but it is time to reassess and improve the relations between culture and environmental issues.

Modeling and evaluating spatial variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban lake surface sediments in Shanghai

To explore the influence of rapid urbanization development on the accumulation of 16 priority PAHs in urban environment, thirty-three surface sediments from city lakes in different urbanized areas of Shanghai were collected to evaluate the occurrence characteristic and source apportionment of PAHs. The concentrations of Σ16PAHs in lake surface sediments ranged from 55.7 to 4928 ng g-1 with a mean value of 1131 ng g-1 (standard deviation, 1228 ng g-1), of which 4-, 5- and 6-ring PAHs were the dominant components. Spatial distribution of PAHs in lake surface sediments showed a significantly declining trend along with a decreasing urbanization gradient (one-way ANOVA, p < .05). Two hotspots of sediment PAHs were mainly distributed at highly urbanized areas with intensive population density and heavy traffic activities and at burgeoning industrial towns in the suburb. Source apportionment of total PAHs identified by a constrained positive matrix factorization model revealed that vehicle emission and combustion of coal, biomass and natural gas were the absolutely predominant sources, respectively accounting for 55.0% and 40.45% of total PAHs burden in lake sediments. Land use regression (LUR) models were successfully developed to evaluate spatial variation of PAHs contamination in urban sediments based on their significant correlations with residential land, commercial land, traffic variables, industrial sources, and population density. All PAH compounds showed strong associations with one or two source indicators (the traffic congestion index and the number of industrial sources), with the fitting R2 varying from 0.529 to 0.984. Our findings suggest that energy consumption related to land use activities obviously promoted PAH accumulations in urban sediment environment during rapid development of urbanization and industrialization in Shanghai.

Climate Change and Coastal Megacities: Disaster Risk Assessment and Responses in Shanghai City

Climate change has had and will have a great impact on coastal areas. Coastal cities are increasing vulnerable to extreme climate events owing to their growing populations and assets, as well as land use change in the coastal areas. Shanghai, a mega coastal city in East Asia, has frequently affected by tropical cyclones and heavy rainfall. It is among the most vulnerable cities to floods worldwide. However, climate change and urbanization will make the situation even worse. Considering the main risk sources of coastal flooding, we combined scenario analysis, geographic information system (GIS), and hydrological models to examine the impacts of rainstorm waterlogging, typhoon storm surge, river floods, and sea-level rise in Shanghai. Based on a comprehensive review of climate risk factors, we explored the disaster prevention and adaptation measures in Shanghai. Finally, we provide some suggestions on spatial-specific emergency measures to enhance resilience in Shanghai and beyond.

An extended study on historical mercury accumulation in lake sediment of Shanghai: The contribution of socioeconomic driver.

Rapid industrialization and urbanization has caused large emission and potential contamination of mercury (Hg) in urban environment. However, little is known about the impact of socioeconomic factor on Hg accumulation in sediment. In the present study, historical record of anthropogenic Hg deposition of Shanghai was reconstructed by using three sediment cores from three park lakes (C1: Luxun Park; C2: Fuxing island Park; C3: Xinjiangwan Park). Meanwhile, the influence of socioeconomic factor to Hg emissions and sedimentary record was calculated based on an extended STIRPAT (stochastic impacts by regression on population, affluence and technology) model. The profiles of Hg levels and fluxes in the three sediment cores showed that Shanghai has recently undergone urbanization. The anthropogenic Hg fluxes exhibited fluctuant increases from ∼1900 to present and accelerated after the establishment of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949 and the implementation of reform and opening up policy in 1978. The mean flux ratios of Hg in post-2000 were 2.2, 12, and 2.7 in the C1, C2 and C3 cores, respectively. The extended STIRPAT model was constructed based on strong positive relationships between socioeconomic factors and Hg fluxes, revealing that the proportion of coal consumption, the urbanization rate, and the proportion of heavy industry were the three most important driving factors for Hg accumulations in urban sediment of Shanghai.

Time for a data revolution in China.

In March 2015, Chinas Premier Keqiang Li proposed that government data should be open to the public ([ 1 ][1]). This offers some hope for data sharing in China. How to put the advocacy of openness into practice, however, remains challenging. ![Figure][2] Government data sharing in China

Detection of Decreasing Vegetation Cover Based on Empirical Orthogonal Function and Temporal Unmixing Analysis

Vegetation plays an important role in the energy exchange of the land surface, biogeochemical cycles, and hydrological cycles. MODIS (MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index) is considered as a quantitative indicator for examining dynamic vegetation changes. This paper applied a new method of integrated empirical orthogonal function (EOF) and temporal unmixing analysis (TUA) to detect the vegetation decreasing cover in Jiangsu Province of China. The empirical orthogonal function (EOF) statistical results provide vegetation decreasing/increasing trend as prior information for temporal unmixing analysis. Temporal unmixing analysis (TUA) results could reveal the dominant spatial distribution of decreasing vegetation. The results showed that decreasing vegetation areas in Jiangsu are distributed in the suburbs and newly constructed areas. For validation, the vegetation’s decreasing cover is revealed by linear spectral mixture from Landsat data in three selected cities. Vegetation decreasing areas pixels are also calculated from land use maps in 2000 and 2010. The accuracy of integrated empirical orthogonal function and temporal unmixing analysis method is about 83.14%. This method can be applied to detect vegetation change in large rapidly urbanizing areas.