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Jaime E Dickerson Jr,1,2 Alison E Harvey,1 Reay H Brown1,3 1Sight Sciences, Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA; 2North Texas Eye Research Institute, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA; 3Atlanta Ophthalmology Associates, Atlanta, GA, USACorrespondence: Jaime E Dickerson Jr, Email Jaime.dickerson@unthsc.eduPurpose: To determine if there was an association between severity of glaucoma and intraocular pressure (IOP) and medication (med) outcomes for patients in the ROMEO (Retrospective, Observational, Multicenter Evaluation of OMNI) study.Setting: Eleven ophthalmology practices in 8 US states.Design: Post-hoc analysis of all eyes enrolled and treated with ab interno canaloplasty and trabeculotomy in the retrospective, multicenter ROMEO study.Methods: Eyes were grouped according to visual field mean deviation (MD): mild (MD better than − 6 dB), moderate (MD between − 6 and − 12 dB), advanced (− 12 dB or worse). IOP and med outcomes at 12 months were compared across groups. Least squares regression was used to assess the relationship of MD with month 12 IOP. Outcomes for 1st and last MD deciles were compared as a sensitivity analysis.Results: One hundred and twenty-seven eyes were available for analysis including 79 mild, 42 moderate, 6 advanced. Most eyes had a reduction in IOP at Month 12 (70%) with most at 18 mmHg or less. Percentage IOP reduction was similar across the groups (mild 16.9%, moderate 18.6%, advanced 18.0%) with mean month 12 IOP between 14 and 16 mmHg. Medications were also reduced in all three groups; − 0.8 (mild, P < 0.001), − 0.55 (moderate, P < 0.05), and − 1.0 (advanced, P = 0.139, ns). Regression analysis revealed no relationship between month 12 IOP and MD. Med reductions were observed for all groups with a reduction of 1 or more medications seen in (%, 95% CI) 69%, 59– 79 (mild), 50%, 35– 65 (moderate), and 60%, 21– 99 (advanced). Secondary interventions tended to have greater incidence with worse MD likely reflecting lower desired IOP targets.Conclusion: Analysis of data from the ROMEO study suggests that similar meaningful IOP and med reductions can be expected across the range of disease severity studied.Keywords: MIGS, canaloplasty, primary open-angle glaucoma, trabeculotomy, OMNI

Mezcal is a traditional Mexican alcoholic beverage made through the fermentation of agave cenizo (Agave durangensis), for which an annual demand of 1,200,000 tons is estimated in Mexico, generating approximately 480,000 tons of bagasse waste per year. This poses an environmental problem. The recovery of fermentable reducing carbohydrates from the bagasse to obtain ethanol is an innovative option. In this research, three types of hydrolysis (acidic, enzymatic, and acid-enzymatic) were developed on the residual bagasse from mezcal production, aiming for the highest possible concentration of reducing sugars. Acid hydrolysis was carried out with HCl at three different pH values and three different times, yielding a maximum concentration of 13.03 g/L. In enzymatic hydrolysis, cellulase enzymes were used with three different bagasse-enzyme ratios, keeping time and temperature constant, showing a maximum concentration of reducing carbohydrates of 8.46 g/L. Acid-enzymatic hydrolysis used the acid hydrolysis with lower carbohydrate production (2.2 g/L), and three different enzyme concentrations were added while maintaining constant temperature and time, resulting in a concentration of 4.8 g/L. Finally, the highest concentration of reducing carbohydrates was fermented for 7 days using baker's yeast, and after distillation, 96% v/v ethanol was obtained. The results of this research suggest that agave bagasse hydrolysis could be considered an alternative for obtaining a usable energy vector on an industrial scale.

The necessity for high operational temperatures presents a considerable obstacle to the commercial viability of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The introduction of active co-dopant ions to polycrystalline solid structures can directly impact the physiochemical and electrical properties of the resulting composites including crystallite size, lattice parameters, ionic and electronic conductivity, sinterability, and mechanical strength. This study proposes cobalt–iron-substituted gadolinium-doped ceria (CoxFe1-xGDC) as an innovative, nickel-free anode composite for developing ceramic fuel cells. A new co-precipitation technique using ammonium tartrate as the precipitant in a multi-cationic solution with Co2+, Gd3+, Fe3+, and Ce3+ ions was utilized. The physicochemical and morphological characteristics of the synthesized samples were systematically analysed using a comprehensive set of techniques, including DSC/TGA for a thermal analysis, XRD for a crystallographic analysis, SEM/EDX for a morphological and elemental analysis, FT-IR for a chemical bonding analysis, and Raman spectroscopy for a vibrational analysis. The morphological analysis, SEM, showed the formation of nanoparticles (≤15 nm), which corresponded well with the crystal size determined by the XRD analysis, which was within the range of ≤10 nm. The fabrication of single SOFC bilayers occurred within an electrolyte-supported structure, with the use of the GDC as the electrolyte layer and the CoO–Fe2O3/GDC composite as the anode. SEM imaging and the EIS analysis were utilized to examine the fabricated symmetrical cells.

Abstract Background In randomized trials in women with breast cancer, exercise has been shown to have beneficial effects on cancer‐related circulating biomarkers that may impact survival. Such studies are lacking for ovarian cancer. Methods This secondary analysis of a published randomized controlled trial examined the impact of a 6‐month exercise intervention versus attention‐control on change in prespecified circulating biomarkers (cancer antigen 125 (CA‐125), C‐reactive protein (CRP), insulin‐like growth factor‐1(IGF‐1), insulin and leptin) in a subset of participants who provided a fasting blood draw (N = 104/144) at enrollment and at 6 months. Change in biomarkers between study arms was compared using a linear mixed effects model analysis. An exploratory analysis of the exercise intervention versus attention‐control on all‐cause mortality included all (N = 144) participants. All statistical tests were two‐sided. Results Participants included in the biomarker analysis were 57.0 ± 8.8 (mean ± SD) years old and 1.6 ± 0.9 years post‐diagnosis. Adherence to the exercise intervention was 176.4 ± 63.5 min/week. Post intervention IGF‐1 (group difference in change: −14.2 (−26.1 to −2.3) ng/mL (least squared means (95% CI))) and leptin (−8.9 (−16.5 to −1.4) ng/mL) were significantly reduced in the exercise group (N = 53) compared to those in attention‐control (N = 51). No group difference in change was seen for CA‐125 (p = 0.54), CRP (p = 0.95), or insulin (p = 0.37). With median follow‐up of 70 months [range 6.6–105.4 months], 50/144 (34.7%) (exercise group; 24/74 (32.4%) versus attention‐control group; 26/70 (37.1%)) participants died with no between group difference in overall survival (p = 0.99). Conclusions Further studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of exercise‐induced changes in cancer‐related circulating biomarkers in women with ovarian cancer.

Abstract Ba0.85Ca0.15Zr0.1Ti0.9O3 (BCZT) stands out among lead‐free ferroelectric oxides under consideration to replace state‐of‐the‐art high‐sensitivity piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, for a range of energy conversion ceramic technologies. However, the best performances have been reported for very coarse‐grained materials, and attempts to refine microstructure below 10 µm grain size consistently result in significant property degradation. Here a comprehensive study of the grain size effects on the properties of BCZT across the micron scale is reported, down to the verge of the submicron one. Results show a distinctive early evolution of properties for grain sizes between 1 and 5 µm. For the larger sizes in this range, an opposite effect is found for the piezoelectric charge coefficient and electric field‐induced strain with respect to the very coarse‐grained material, while very good overall performance is maintained. For the lower sizes, relaxor features appear, yet materials can still be poled indicating their ferroelectric nature. This strongly resembles size effects in the Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3‐PbTiO3 system, driven by the slowing down of the relaxor to ferroelectric transition with size reduction, though kinetics seem to slow down across much larger grain sizes for BCZT. Concomitant changes in the polymorphic phase coexistence are described and discussed by synchrotron X‐ray diffraction.

Photosensitivity to structurally diverse drugs is a common but under-reported adverse cutaneous reaction and can be classified as phototoxic or photoallergic. Phototoxic reactions occur when the skin is exposed to sunlight after administering topical or systemic medications that exhibit photosensitizing activity. These reactions depend on the dose of medication, degree of exposure to ultraviolet light, type of ultraviolet light, and sufficient skin distribution volume. Accurate prediction of the incidence and phototoxic response severity is challenging due to a paucity of literature, suggesting that phototoxicity may be more frequent than reported. This paper reports an extensive literature review on phototoxic drugs; the review employed pre-determined search criteria that included meta-analyses, systematic reviews, literature reviews, and case reports freely available in full text. Additional reports were identified from reference sections that contributed to the understanding of phototoxicity. The following drugs and/or drug classes are discussed: amiodarone, voriconazole, chlorpromazine, doxycycline, fluoroquinolones, hydrochlorothiazide, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and vemurafenib. In reviewing phototoxic skin reactions, this review highlights drug molecular structures, their reactive pathways, and, as there is a growing association between photosensitizing drugs and the increasing incidence of skin cancer, the consequential long-term implications of photocarcinogenesis.

Traditional food supply chains are often centralised and global in nature, entailing substantial resource consumption. However, in the face of growing demand for sustainability, this strategy faces significant challenges. Adoption of localised supply chains is deemed a more sustainable option, yet its efficacy requires verification. Supply chain analytics methodologies provide invaluable tools to guide decisions regarding inventory management, demand forecasting and distribution optimisation. These solutions not only enhance facilitate operational efficiency, but also pave the way for cost reduction, further aligning with sustainability objectives. This research introduces a novel decision-making approach anchored in mixed integer linear programming (MILP) and neighbourhood flow models defined in cellular automata to compare the environmental benefits and vulnerability to disruption of these two chain configurations. Additionally, a comprehensive cost analysis is integrated to assess the economic feasibility of incorporating layout changes that enhance supply chain sustainability. The proposed framework is applied on an ice cream supply chain across England over a one-year timeframe. The findings indicate the superiority of the localised configuration in terms of economic benefits, leading to savings exceeding £ 1 million, alongside important reductions in environmental impact. However, in terms of resilience, the traditional configuration remains superior in three out of the four examined scenarios.

Simple and cost-effective procedures for the direct integration of ferroelectric perovskite oxides into Ni structures are necessary to realize related multifunctional metallic microelectromechanical systems, such as dual-source energy harvesters. This is especially difficult in the case of lead-containing morphotropic phase boundary materials for high piezoelectric response because the two components are thermodynamically incompatible and the formation of NiOx or perovskite oxide reduction takes place depending on the processing conditions. We show here that low-temperature solution processing is an effective means to kinetically limit nickel oxidation, capable of providing BiFeO3–PbTiO3 films on Ni plates at only 500 °C. Bulk-like ferroelectric properties and a distinctive magnetoelectric response were attained. This perovskite system, not explored before on Ni, has a much larger switchable polarization than the widely studied Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, and it is shown here to present an excellent downscaling behavior of ferroelectric properties until the verge of the nanoscale.

Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-67 (ZIF-67) has been used in a variety of applications including catalysis, separations, and energy storage. However, the weak hydrostability of ZIF-67, due to structural hydrolysis and degradation, dramatically limits their applicability after aqueous exposure. In this work, cosolvent-stabilized superhydrophobic, highly hydrostable ZIF-67 was synthesized at room temperature using a facile, one-pot hydrothermal synthesis route, and the effect of cosolvent concentration on ZIF-67 crystal structure properties and hydrostability was studied systematically. The underlying mechanism for the cosolvent-supported hydrostability improvement was also proposed. Furthermore, the influence of hydrotreatment on the resultant ZIF-67s' catalytic performance was studied in the ‘Sabatier reaction’ for CO2 to synthetic natural gas (CH4) conversion. The ZIF-67-derived calcined catalysts obtained from the hydrotreated samples of the cosolvent-stabilized ZIF-67 exhibited no prominent loss in catalytic performance and showed better CO2 conversion, higher CH4 selectivity, and less CO production, in comparison to the conventional ZIF-67 samples. Notably, the use of a lower ligand-to-metal ratio (∼8) in the current synthesis significantly reduced the overall chemical consumption, achieving highly economically and environmentally friendly manufacturing of exceptionally hydrostable ZIF-67.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an important step in waste recovery. In Colombia, the production of citrus food significantly contributes to environmental impact via waste generation. In 2021, the waste produced, specifically citrus rind, amounted to 725,035 tons/year. During degradation, wastes generate leachate and greenhouse gases (GHGs), which negatively impact water sources (leachate), soil, and human and animal health. This article describes the design of a two-phase biodigestion system for the degradation of organic matter and biogas production. The system uses citrus waste to produce biogas with neutral emissions. The biodigestion process begins with the stabilization of the methanogenesis reactor (UASB), which takes approximately 19 days. During this period, the biogas produced contains approximately 60% methane by volume. Subsequently, the packed bed reactor operates for 7 days, where hydrolytic and acetogenic bacteria decompose the citrus waste, leading to the production and accumulation of volatile fatty acids. The final step involves combining the two phases for 5 days, resulting in a daily biogas production ranging from 700 to 1100 mL. Of this biogas, 54.90% is methane (CH4) with a yield of 0.51 LCH4gSV−1. This study assesses the methane production capacity of citrus waste, with the process benefiting from the pH value of the leachate, enhancing its degradability. Consequently, this approach leads to a notable 27.30% reduction in solids within the digestion system. The two-phase anaerobic biodigestion system described in this article demonstrates a promising method to mitigate the environmental impact of citrus waste while concurrently producing a renewable source of energy.

La dosimetría Fricke es una técnica con múltiples aplicaciones, desde la industria alimentaria hasta la medicina. En las actividades cotidianas de la planta de irradiación gamma del Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC) se usan diferentes sistemas dosimétricos para el estudio de las dosis absorbidas en los materiales, entre ellos el sistema dosimétrico Fricke. En este trabajo se realizó la comparación de la dosis absorbida determinada en el Laboratorio Secundario de Calibración Dosimétrica (LSCD), a partir de patrones trazables calibrados en el Organismo Internacional de Energía Atómica (OIEA), y la aplicación del protocolo IAEA TRS 398, en el irradiador G100 Hopewell Design que contiene una fuente de Co-60, con las dosis obtenidas mediante el sistema Fricke usado rutinariamente. Se aplicaron los protocolos establecidos en la norma ISO-STM 51026 “Práctica estándar para el uso del sistema de dosimetría Fricke”. Se elaboró la curva de calibración de los dosímetros Fricke, de la cual se obtuvo el parámetro experimental para el cálculo de la dosis absorbida en las condiciones ambientales particulares de la instalación; el sistema mostró un comportamiento lineal en el rango de 100 Gy a 350 Gy. Teniendo en cuenta el valor experimental de dosis obtenido con dicho sistema, se realizó la intercomparación con la dosis conocida determinada en el LSCD obteniendo una diferencia en el rango de dosis mencionado no mayor al 3,7 % y una incertidumbre del 3 % con una confiabilidad del 95 %. A partir del valor experimental encontrado y que la instalación planta irradiación gamma se encuentra en similares condiciones ambientales que el laboratorio secundario de calibración y que los irradiadores de estas instalaciones suministran sus dosis de manera similar, se puede construir un procedimiento propio para el cálculo de la dosis, el cual permitirá mayor precisión y operatividad a la dosimetría de la instalación.

This work presents the development of a decision-making strategy for fulfilling the power and heat demands of small residential neighborhoods. The decision on the optimal operation of a microgrid is based on the model predictive control (MPC) rolling horizon. In the design of the residential microgrid, the new approach different technologies, such as photovoltaic (PV) arrays, micro-combined heat and power (micro-CHP) units, conventional boilers and heat and electricity storage tanks are considered. Moreover, electricity transfer between the microgrid components and the national grid are possible. The MPC problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model. The proposed novel approach is applied to two case studies: one without electricity storage, and one integrated microgrid with electricity storage. The results show the benefits of considering the integrated microgrid, as well as the advantage of including electricity storage.

This paper investigates the challenging fault prediction problem in process industries that adopt autonomous and intelligent cyber-physical systems (CPS), which is in line with the emerging developments of industrial internet of things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0. Particularly, we developed an end-to-end deep learning approach based on a large volume of real-time sensory data collected from a chemical plant equipped with wireless sensors. Firstly, a novel recursive architecture with multi-lookback inputs is proposed to perform autoregression on imbalanced time-series data as a preliminary prediction. In this process, a novel learning algorithm named recursive gradient descent (RGD) is developed for the proposed architecture to reduce cumulative prediction uncertainties. Subsequently, a classification model based on temporal convolutions over multiple channels with decay effect is proposed to perform multi-class classification for fault root cause identification and localization. The overall network is named the cumulative uncertainty reduction network (CURNet), for its superior capacity in reducing prediction uncertainties accumulated over multiple prediction steps. Performance evaluations show that CURNet is able to achieve superior performance especially in terms of fault prediction recall and fault type classification accuracy, compared to the existing techniques.

Contexto: A partir de un análisis desarrollo de la tecnología en biodigestores, se observó un problema recurrente en la cuantificación rigurosa del metano. mediante una revisión bibliográfica reveló sistemas poco eficientes o de costos elevados. Este proyecto plantea un sistema accesible y eficaz que busca contribuir a proyectos académicos y de investigación afines. Método: La cuantificación de metano se realiza mediante un sensor de la serie MQ-4 acoplado a una cápsula, creando un medio parcialmente cerrado en el que se inyecta, por medio de una jeringa, una dilución de gases de muestra de metano con aire del ambiente, lo cual amplía el rango de medición del sensor. Resultados: Se elaboró una curva de calibración, ampliando el rango de medición de 0,02-1 % de concentración a 10-80 %v/v, con una varianza de ± 5 %. Conclusiones: Se desarrolló un prototipo de cuantificación de metano eficiente y accesible para uso académico y de investigación. Esto se complementa con una guía para replicar el proceso.

Background General medical conditions (GMCs) often co-occur with mental and substance use disorders (MSDs). Aims To explore the contribution of GMCs to the burden of disease in people with MSDs, and investigate how this varied by age. Method A population-based cohort of 6 988 507 persons living in Denmark during 2000–2015 followed for up to 16 years. Danish health registers were used to identify people with MSDs and GMCs. For each MSD, years lived with disability and health loss proportion (HeLP) were estimated for comorbid MSDs and GMCs, using a multiplicative model for disability weights. Results Those with any MSD lost the equivalent of 43% of healthy life (HeLP = 0.43, 95% CI 0.40–0.44) after including information on GMCs, which was an increase from 25% before including GMCs (HeLP = 0.25, 95% CI 0.23–0.27). Schizophrenia was associated with the highest burden of disease (HeLP = 0.77, 95% CI 0.68–0.85). However, within each disorder, the relative contribution of MSDs and GMCs varied. For example, in those diagnosed with schizophrenia, MSDs and GMCs accounted for 86% and 14% of the total health loss; in contrast, in those with anxiety disorders, the same proportions were 59% and 41%. In general, HeLP increased with age, and was mainly associated with increasing rates of pulmonary, musculoskeletal and circulatory diseases. Conclusions In those with mental disorders, the relative contribution of comorbid GMCs to the non-fatal burden of disease increases with age. GMCs contribute substantially to the non-fatal burden of disease in those with MSDs.

This study examines language demands in undergraduate university mathematics classes with a view to better preparing and supporting international and other culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in the United States universities. We observed and analyzed the language demands of 13 entry-level mathematics classes across two large universities. Findings showed that mathematics instruction required extensive and varied listening skills requiring students to listen to long and uninterrupted stretches of sometimes fast paced speech. Technical vocabulary contributed to the language demands, but instructors used both academic and colloquial varieties of language in instruction, interweaving mathematical nouns with phrasal verbs to explain mathematical processes. We suggest a greater focus on development of academic listening skills in English language classes as well as potential collaboration with mathematics campus resources and faculty for additional student support for preparing CLD students for potential future discourse practices.

In this work, a custom dynamic mathematical model of an industrial vertical-cylindrical type natural gas fired natural draft heater is developed using gPROMS® ProcessBuilder®. The integrated model comprises sub-models for each of the distinct sections of the fired heater which are connected by mass and energy flows. The temperature profiles of the tubular coils and the process fluid, a heat transfer fluid (HTF) are modelled using the distributed parameter system (DPS) in the axial direction (1D). The flue gas temperature in each section is modelled using the lumped parameter approach. Published empirical methods and correlations are used for estimating some unknown model parameters. The resulting model is a system of partial differential-algebraic equations (PDAEs) and serves as a basis for conducting an optimisation study to aid decision-making and to identify the best operating conditions within the specified constraints that minimise the daily operational costs. Through process simulation studies, the model predictions are adjusted to closely approximate collected actual plant data. It is demonstrated through the optimisation study that significant reduction in fuel gas consumption can be achieved compared to the current operating consumption levels. The developed models can be extended for use by other hydrocarbon processing plant operators with slight modifications, by specifying geometric parameters, HTF thermophysical properties, fuel gas composition and properties, among others.

In recent years, the study of aromatic plants has seen an increase, with great interest from industrial, academic, and pharmaceutical industries. Among plants attracting increased attention are the Mentha spp. (mint), members of the Lamiaceae family. Mint essential oils comprise a diverse class of molecules known as terpenoids/isoprenoids, organic chemicals that are among the most diverse class of naturally plant derived compounds. The terpenoid profile of several Mentha spp. is dominated by menthol, a cyclic monoterpene with some remarkable biological properties that make it useful in the pharmaceutical, medical, cosmetic, and cleaning product industries. As the global market for Mentha essential oils increases, the desire to improve oil composition and yield follows. The monoterpenoid biosynthesis pathway is well characterised so metabolic engineering attempts have been made to facilitate this improvement. This review focuses on the Mentha spp. and attempts at altering the carbon flux through the biosynthetic pathways to increase the yield and enhance the composition of the essential oil. This includes manipulation of endogenous and heterologous biosynthetic enzymes through overexpression and RNAi suppression. Genes involved in the MEP pathway, the menthol and carvone biosynthetic pathways and transcription factors known to affect secondary metabolism will be discussed along with non-metabolic engineering approaches including environmental factors and the use of plant growth regulators.

Rich oral language practices, including the opportunity and ability to participate in cognitively and linguistically challenging extended discourse, are foundational to early literacy development. To meet children's needs in their first exposure to the languages of schooling, educators may engage students in extended discourse multilingually. The current study focuses on student-centered translanguaging conversations to examine strategies that preschool teachers employ to support young children's emerging bilingual and biliteracy development in a Mandarin immersion preschool serving primarily non-heritage learners of Mandarin in the United States. Findings indicate that, despite the school's Mandarin-only policy, teachers engaged in covert translanguaging practices to extend and deepen discourse. Specifically, teachers used 13 discourse strategies across two critical areas of schooling: translanguaging for (1) socializing students not just into the Mandarin language but into the norms of schooling; and (2) focusing not just on Mandarin language but also on content area learning. The study concludes with implications for schools and teachers.

This study presents the analysis of the exergy load distribution in a separation process by extractive distillation for ethanol dehydration. The methodology carried out is divided into three parts: the calculation of the flow exergy considering the physical and chemical exergies of the distillation process; the calculation of the primary and transformed exergy contributions considering the consumed exergy; and finally, the overall process efficiency, which shows the real percentage of energy being used in the process. The simulation of an extractive distillation separation system is carried out using Aspen Plus®, from Aspen Tech Version 9. In general, heat transfer processes (heating or cooling) are the ones that generate the greatest exegetic destruction, which is why they must be the operations that must be optimized. As a result of our case study, the local exergy efficiency of the extractive distillation column is 13.80%, which is the operation with the greatest energy loss, and the overall exergy efficiency of the separation system is 30.67%. Then, in order to increase exergy efficiency, a sensitivity analysis is performed with the variation of the azeotrope feed, number of stages, reflux ratio, and solvent feed variation on ethanol purity to reach an overall efficiency of 33.53%. The purity of ethanol is classified as higher than that of the specified, 99.65%.

Natural polymers such as cellulose have interesting tribo- and piezoelectric properties for paper-based energy harvesters, but their low performance in providing sufficient output power is still an impediment to a wider deployment for IoT and other low-power applications. In this study, different types of celluloses were combined with nanosized carbon fillers to investigate their effect on the enhancement of the electrical properties in the final nanogenerator devices. Cellulose pulp (CP), microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were blended with carbon black (CB), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The microstructure of the nanocomposite films was characterized by scanning electron and probe microscopies, and the electrical properties were measured macroscopically and at the local scale by piezoresponse force microscopy. The highest generated output voltage in triboelectric mode was obtained from MCC films with CNTs and CB, while the highest piezoelectric voltage was produced in CNF-CNT films. The obtained electrical responses were discussed in relation to the material properties. Analysis of the microscopic response shows that pulp has a higher local piezoelectric d33 coefficient (145 pC/N) than CNF (14 pC/N), while the macroscopic response is greatly influenced by the excitation mode and the effective orientation of the crystals relative to the mechanical stress. The increased electricity produced from cellulose nanocomposites may lead to more efficient and biodegradable nanogenerators.

Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a complex disease in which both non-genetic and genetic factors interplay. To date, 40 GWAS hits have been associated with PC risk in individuals of European descent, explaining 4.1% of the phenotypic variance. Methods We complemented a new conventional PC GWAS (1D) with genome spatial autocorrelation analysis (2D) permitting to prioritize low frequency variants not detected by GWAS. These were further expanded via Hi-C map (3D) interactions to gain additional insight into the inherited basis of PC. In silico functional analysis of public genomic information allowed prioritization of potentially relevant candidate variants. Results We identified several new variants located in genes for which there is experimental evidence of their implication in the biology and function of pancreatic acinar cells. Among them is a novel independent variant in NR5A2 (rs3790840) with a meta-analysis p value = 5.91E−06 in 1D approach and a Local Moran’s Index (LMI) = 7.76 in 2D approach. We also identified a multi-hit region in CASC8—a lncRNA associated with pancreatic carcinogenesis—with a lowest p value = 6.91E−05. Importantly, two new PC loci were identified both by 2D and 3D approaches: SIAH3 (LMI = 18.24), CTRB2/BCAR1 (LMI = 6.03), in addition to a chromatin interacting region in XBP1—a major regulator of the ER stress and unfolded protein responses in acinar cells—identified by 3D; all of them with a strong in silico functional support. Conclusions This multi-step strategy, combined with an in-depth in silico functional analysis, offers a comprehensive approach to advance the study of PC genetic susceptibility and could be applied to other diseases.

Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is a severe respiratory disease caused by Sin Nombre virus in North America (SNV). As of January 1, 2020, SNV has caused 143 laboratory-confirmed cases of HCPS in Canada. We review critical aspects of SNV virus epidemiology and the ecology, biology, and genetics of HCPS in Canada.

Objective: This study determined if the caregivers of children in the emergency department (ED) have the same COVID-19 vaccination status as the child, the reasons they chose to not vaccinate the child, and self-identified barriers to vaccination to determine if the ED is appropriate for vaccination intervention.Methods: A survey was administered to caregivers of pediatric ED patients at four Children’s Hospitals in: Augusta, GA, Buffalo, NY, Madison, WI, and Sacramento, CA. Participants were asked about their and the child’s demographics, vaccination status, and barriers to vaccination. We used descriptive statistics, Cohen's kappa, and logistic regression to analyze responses.Results: 941 caregivers were considered for enrollment, and 800 consented to participation. Participants were 75% women with a mean age of 40.9 ± 8.9 years. 51% (409) of the pediatric ED patients were COVID-19 vaccinated, as were 74% (591) of the caregivers. There was variation across sites, but overall, 15% of caregivers of unvaccinated children wanted the child tobe vaccinated with the most common barriers to vaccination identified as safety data (25%), time availability (20%), and ability to obtain an appointment (13%). The most common reason for not wanting the child COVID-19 vaccinated was concern the vaccine didn’t work or had too many side effects.Conclusion: A small but clinically important group of pediatric ED patients are not COVID-19 vaccinated but their caregivers want them to be vaccinated, indicating that consideration should be given to offering vaccination in the ED. Reasons for avoiding COVID-19 vaccination were primarily concerns with efficacy and side effects.

Current Caltrans Standard Specifications for rubberized hot mix asphalt–gap-graded (RHMA-G) do not allow the inclusion of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). This report summarizes the research conducted by the UCPRC in support of the Caltrans-industry initiative “10% RAP in RHMA-G,” whose goal is to evaluate the use of up to 10% RAP (by aggregate replacement) in RHMA-G mixes, provided that the research does not identify significant potential problems for durability. Five pilot projects were built by Caltrans as part the initiative. In each of the pilots, a control RHMA-G (without RAP) and an RHMA-G with 10% RAP were placed. The mixes were sampled during production and tested using performance-related tests at the UCPRC laboratory. The results of the testing of the mixes—including stiffness, four-point bending fatigue resistance, and rutting resistance—indicate that the addition of 10% RAP had minor effects on the mechanical properties of the RHMA-G. With just a few exceptions related to changes in the total binder content of the mix, the effect of the RAP addition was negligible compared with project-to-project differences. Modeling with CalME software based on four-point bending testing results indicated that the impact of the RAP addition on the cracking performance of the pavement was either negligible or comparable to project-to-project differences. From the constructability point of view, the addition of the RAP did not create any problems. The life cycle assessment presented in this report indicates that the addition of 10% RAP to the RHMA-G can reduce the greenhouse gasses emissions associated with the RHMA-G production (cradle-to-gate) by up to 5%.

Background: In the United States, community overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs have demonstrated efficacy in reducing opioid-related mortality. OEND programs have expanded across San Diego County, California, but differential naloxone accessibility among people who use drugs (PWUD) has not been assessed. We examined factors that shape individual naloxone accessibility in San Diego.Methods: We employed a convergent parallel mixed methods design using surveys (n=194) and qualitative interviews (n=20). Ordinal logistic regression examined factors associated with personal naloxone accessibility (i.e., the frequency with which participants could access naloxone within five minutes, categorized as never, sometimes, or always). Qualitative interviews explored participant perceptions of naloxone accessibility and whether and how they maintained naloxone. We organized multilevel findings into a modified social-ecological model.Results: In quantitative and qualitative samples, participants were majority male (72% and 70% respectively), non-White race/ethnicity (55% and 75%), with an average age around 42 years. In the quantitative sample, 24% never had personally accessible naloxone, 52% sometimes did, and 24% always did. Factors independently associated with greater personal naloxone accessibility were female gender (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AdjOR]: 2.51, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.31–4.85), monthly income

Limited estimates exist on risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in Asian, Hispanic, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander women. Participants in this study included 1734 Asian (n = 785 case and 949 control participants), 266 Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (n = 99 case and 167 control participants), 1149 Hispanic (n = 505 case and 644 control participants), and 24 189 White (n = 9981 case and 14 208 control participants) from 11 studies in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for risk associations by race and ethnicity. Heterogeneity in EOC risk associations by race and ethnicity (P ≤ .02) was observed for oral contraceptive (OC) use, parity, tubal ligation, and smoking. We observed inverse associations with EOC risk for OC use and parity across all groups; associations were strongest in Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and Asian women. The inverse association for tubal ligation with risk was most pronounced for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander participants (odds ratio (OR) = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.13-0.48) compared with Asian and White participants (OR = 0.68 [95% CI, 0.51-0.90] and OR = 0.78 [95% CI, 0.73-0.85], respectively). Differences in EOC risk factor associations were observed across racial and ethnic groups, which could be due, in part, to varying prevalence of EOC histotypes. Inclusion of greater diversity in future studies is essential to inform prevention strategies. This article is part of a Special Collection on Gynecological Cancers.

This report is a comprehensive review of natural and human-made materials with the potential to reduce cement content in concrete by partially replacing portland cement or as additives. The review aims to reveal possible source materials as alternative supplementary cementitious materials (ASCMs) to coal-burned fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag as these SCMs supplies rapidly decline. Information required to estimate supplies of each ASCM was gathered, and ASCM candidates with enough abundance to support California’s concrete paving sector were identified for further laboratory evaluation. In addition, the required chemical, thermal, and mechanical treatments of the source materials were gathered so the environmental and economic impacts of the processes could be considered. A review of scientific literature on the technical performance of the studied materials in cement paste, mortar, or concrete was also conducted when that information was available.The reviewed feedstock material categories include biomass sources, construction and demolition wastes, natural pozzolans (volcanic and sedimentary materials), and post-consumer waste. As part of the biomass category, biopolymer-based nanomaterials were also included in the review for their promise to reduce cement content from added strength. The following information was included for each material considered in this report: feedstock description, the potential mechanism of performance in concrete, physical and chemical properties, feedstock supplies and processing method, technology readiness level (TRL), a summary of technical performance in cementitious systems based on the scientific literature, environmental impacts of the production phase, and cost considerations.Based on the comprehensive information gathered, several materials present potential as ASCMs, fillers, and admixtures for the California paving industry. However, most materials identified are at TRL 3 or 4, requiring more research and development to move toward implementation. In addition, some of these ASCMs may not fully satisfy the current regulations for SCMs. For example, biomass ash from some sources may contain a high alkaline content and a greater than 6% unburnt carbon content. Furthermore, some natural pozzolans impose a high water demand and have slow strength gain. In addition, the reported performance in the literature for the biobased nanomaterials studied is conflicting and performance data in concrete is scarce. Finally, some reviewed materials were not selected for more advanced laboratory evaluation because a supplier was not found in California. These materials include municipal solid waste ash, wastewater treatment sludge, and seashell waste. In addition, ground glass, harvested coal-burnt fly ash, and fines from carpet recycling were not chosen for laboratory evaluation because they are being investigated in other Caltrans and non-Caltrans research contracts.