Details of a low cost augmented-reality system for the simulation of ultrasound guided needle insertion procedures (tissue biopsy, abscess drainage, nephrostomy etc.) for interventional radiology education is presented. The system comprises physical elements; a mannequin, an ultrasound probe and a needle, and software elements; generating virtual ultrasound anatomy and allowing data collection. These two elements are linked by a pair of magnetic 3D position sensors. Virtual anatomy, for image generation, is generated based on full body CT scans of live humans. Details of the novel aspects of this system are presented including; image generation, registration and calibration.

No abstract

Marine biogenic sources contribute substantially to atmospheric gaseous and particulate components and exert significantly environmental and climatic effects (Carpenter et al., 2012;O'Dowd et al., 2004). Ocean organism-derived dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is the largest natural source of sulfur-containing gases emitted to the atmosphere (Watts, 2000), which can be oxidized and transformed into sulfate aerosols and thereby impact the cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and downward radiation over the ocean (Barnes et al., 2006;Charlson et al., 1987). A part of DMS will be oxidized to form methanesulfonic acid/methanesulfonate (MSA) by both gaseous and aqueous phase reactions in the atmosphere (Barnes et al., 2006;Hoffmann et al., 2016). MSA is one of the most abundant secondary organic aerosol (SOA) components in marine environment, and its ratio to non-sea-salt SO 4 2− (nss-SO 4 2-) ranges from less than 10 −2 to near 1 (Bates

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Modified pyrite (MPy), which was obtained from calcination in an N2 atmosphere, was used as a sorbent for removing Hg(II) from aqueous solutions. Fixed-bed column experiments were conducted to determine the Hg(II) removal ability of MPy from aqueous solutions. MPy was found to be much better than natural pyrite for mercury removal. The concentration of Hg(II) in effluents was much lower than that of the emission standard used for Hg wastewater in China (0.05 mg/L), and the removal efficiency of Hg(II) was greater than 99% before breakthrough. When the capacity was 3274 times the column bed volume (1 bed volume = 25.12 cm3), the column breakthrough and the sorption amount of Hg(II) were 54.44 mg/g. The Hg(II) content in the used MPy sorbent was up to 24.79%. The mechanism was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), field emission transmission electron microscopy (FE-TEM), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The main mechanism of Hg(II) removal by MPy was the chemical reactions between mercury ions and mineral fillers, and HgS precipitated on the surface of MPy to remove Hg(II). The reaction was also accompanied by surface complexation and adsorption. The results of this work show that MPy can be used as a sorbent for continuous Hg(II) removal.

No abstract