Search

This online intervention study examined whether system- and action-related information alone, together with goal setting, or together with goal setting and feedback helps people change their video streaming activities in a pro-environmental way. The participants (N = 92) documented their video streaming activities for one week prior to the intervention (week 1), three weeks after the onset of the intervention (weeks 2–4), and in a follow-up period two weeks later (week 7). A reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with video streaming was observed over the course of the intervention, together with reduced streaming durations and lowered resolution settings across all groups. There were no differences between the groups. It appears that as regards video streaming, information combined with self-monitoring has considerable potential to change individual behaviour and its associated ecological impact.

Objective To investigate (1a) agreement of ultrasonographic, surgical, and histopathologic findings in the diagnosis of a neoplastic etiology underlying primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), (1b) the ability of ultrasonographically determined parathyroid gland size to distinguish between malignant (carcinoma) and non-malignant (hyperplasia, adenoma) pathology, and (2) variables associated with postoperative hypocalcemia in dogs undergoing surgical treatment of PHPT. Study design Ambidirectional cohort study. Animals Forty-seven client owned dogs with PHPT (34 retrospective; 13 prospective). Methods Data were extracted from medical records. Method agreements were explored using Cohen's Kappa statistic. A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to determine a cut-off separating parathyroid pathologies. Univariable and multivariable models assessed associations between postoperative hypocalcemia and potential risk factors. Results Agreement of ultrasound and surgery for number and side of affected glands was 31/47 (65.9%) and 34/47 (72.3%), respectively. In 37/47 (78.7%) cases, parathyroid tissue was correctly assessed as pathologic by the surgeon. An ultrasonographic cut-off of ≥8.0 mm (ROC AUC = 0.82) best distinguished malignant from benign pathologies. Dogs with a preoperative serum ionized calcium (iCa) concentration ≥1.75 mEq/L had 7.5 times greater odds of becoming hypocalcemic postoperatively. Conclusion A fair agreement existed between ultrasonographic and surgical findings in dogs with PHPT. A parathyroid mass ≥8.0 mm on ultrasonographic examination was suggestive of malignancy, while dogs with a preoperative serum iCa concentration ≥1.75 mEq/L were at increased risk for postoperative hypocalcemia in this study. Clinical significance This study supports the use of bilateral cervical surgical exploration to identify abnormal parathyroid glands for the treatment of PHPT.

Aims Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a standard peri-procedural imaging modality in patients undergoing percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion. An accurate device sizing is pivotal to assess stability and achieve successful closure. In this prospective study, we sought to evaluate the correlation between Watchman device compression rates (DCRs) and risk of incomplete LAA occlusion at follow-up in patients undergoing Watchman device implantation. Methods and results Two-dimensional TEE via a commercially available transducer (Vivid, Philips) was performed during the procedure and within 3 months after the procedure. LAA size, morphology, and DCRs [(original device size—size after deployment)/original device size; %] were assessed in a mid-oesophageal view at 0°, 45°, 90° and 135°, according to company recommendations. Residual leaks ≥ 3 mm were classified as significant. Between 2016 and 2018, 116 patients underwent LAA occlusion with a Watchman device at our institution. The mean age was 74 ± 9 years and 60.4% (n = 70) were males. The average CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were 4.7 ± 1.7 and 2.5 ± 1.1, respectively. The final device size was 21 mm in 11 (9.5%) patients, 24 mm in 28 (24.1), 27 mm in 27 (23.3%), 30 mm in 26 (22.4%), and 33 mm in 24 (20.7). At follow-up TEE, 16 (13.8%) patients were found to have a significant (≥3 mm) residual leak. The average DCRs measured at different angles in patients with and without leak were not significantly different (24 ± 8% vs. 26 ± 7% at 0°, P = 0.47; 23 ± 9% vs. 25 ± 7% at 45°, P = 0.58; 23 ± 8% vs. 23 ± 6% at 90°, P = 0.61; 22 ± 8% vs. 21 ± 7% at 135°, P = 0.61). At receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the areas under the curve to discriminate between patients with/without leak were 0.58, 0.57, 0.55, and 0.46 for DCRs measured at 0°, 45°, 90°, and 135° angles. Conclusions Peri-procedural assessment of DCRs does not appear to be an accurate method to predict LAA complete occlusion in patients undergoing Watchman device implantation.

Aims A significant amount of atrial fibrillation patients does not receive appropriate anticoagulation, owing to contraindications and side effects. Octogenarians have higher competing comorbidities with a remarkable bleeding/thromboembolic (TE) risk. We aimed at analysing the clinical outcomes of LAAO compared with direct oral anticoagulation (DOAC) in octogenarians. Methods and results Data were extracted from two prospective databases including 488 LAAO and 825 DOAC patients. Patients aged 80 years or older accounted for 37.1% (n = 181) and 39.5% (n = 326). In order to attenuate the imbalance in covariates between the groups, a propensity score matching technique was used (covariates: age, sex, CHA2DS2-VASc, and HAS-BLED scores, follow-up duration; tolerance 0.02). This method resulted in matched populations with 108 octogenarian patients per group. The annual stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) risk was estimated based on the CHA2DS2-VASc, and compared to the annualized observed risk, owing to calculate the % risk reduction associated with the two treatment strategies. A total of 216 octogenarians were included in the analysis (84 ± 3 years; CHA2DS2-VASc: 4.9 ± 1.4, HAS-BLED: 3.1 ± 0.9). A Watchman device was successfully deployed in all LAAO ≥ 80 patients; periprocedural adverse events were observed in 2.8% (n = 3) of LAAO patients. During a follow-up of 13 ± 4 months, 3 (2.8%) TE complications (1 stroke, 2 TIA) occurred in LAAO ≥ 80 pts and 4 (3.7%; 1 stroke, 3 TIA) in DOAC ≥ 80 pts (P = 0.99). The annualized risk of stroke/TIA was 2.5% in the first and 3.5% in the second group. Based on the estimated annual TE risk according to the CHA2DS2-VASc score, the % risk reduction after LAAO and DOAC was 54.5% and 36.4%, respectively. Major bleeding events were 3 [1 intracranial, 2 gastrointestinal (GI)] LAAO ≥ 80 pts, and 3 (2 intracranial, 1GI) in DOAC ≥ 80 pts (2.8% in both groups). Minor bleeding events were significantly higher in DOAC ≥ 80 pts [13.0% (n = 14) vs. 2.7% (n = 3); RR: 4.7, 95% CI: 1.4–15.7; P = 0.009]. Conclusions LAAO was safe and similar to DOAC at preventing ischaemic/major bleeding events in a matched population of patients aged ≥80 years. A significantly higher incidence of minor bleeding events was observed in the DOAC group.

Aims Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) might be particularly attractive in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, owing to a high thromboembolic risk and an even higher risk of bleeding. We sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of LAAO in CKD patients. Methods and results A total of 1238 patients undergoing LAAO at six centres were enrolled. On the basis of kidney function, as assessed via the CKD-EPI formula, patients were classified in two groups. Group1 had a GFR value ≤60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (CKD stages 3a-b, 4, and 5), whereas Group2 had a function >60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (CKD stages 1 and 2). Predicted annual rates of TE or major bleeding events were compared to the annualized observed risk of the two populations. Compared to Group 2 (n = 720, 47.5% males), patients in Group 1 (n = 518, 86.5% males) were older (mean age: 78 ± 8 vs. 75 ± 8, P Conclusions LAAO is a safe and effective approach in CKD patients. Given the increased risk of bleeding and contraindications to oral anticoagulation, CKD patients might be good candidates for LAA occlusion.

Aims Despite advances in success rate of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) ablation, outcomes of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) in patients with persistent AF are highly variable. Early persistent AF (EPsAF) is defined as AF that is sustained beyond 7 days but is less than 3 months in duration. Arrhythmia-free survival data after RFCA in this specific population are still limited. We sought to report the outcomes of RFCA in the subgroup of patients with EPsAF, compared to those with PAF and with ‘late’ persistent AF (LPsAF) lasting between 3 and 12 months. Methods and results Data from 1143 consecutive AF patients receiving their first RFCA were prospectively collected. Patients with EPsAF (n = 190) were compared with PAF (n = 531) and LPsAF (n = 422) patients. All patients received pulmonary vein antrum isolation + posterior wall and sustained non-pulmonary vein (PV) trigger ablation. Non-sustained non-PV triggers were ablated based on operator discretion. Non-PV triggers were defined as sites of firing leading to sustained (>30 s) or non-sustained arrhythmias ( Conclusions In patients with EPsAF, RFCA may result in significantly better freedom from atrial arrhythmias, compared to LPsAF. In this cohort, ablation might be reasonable as first line approach to improve outcomes and prevent AF progression.

Aims Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with the Watchman device is an effective alternative to oral anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation at high thromboembolic risk. We sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of LAAO for stroke and bleeding prevention in patients at very high stroke risk. Methods and results Data were extracted from a prospective database of 488 AF patients who underwent LAA closure with a Watchman device. Periprocedural complications, thromboembolic (TE), and bleeding event rates among patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc ≥ 5 were reported. Predicted annual rates of TE or major bleeding events were compared to the annualized observed risk of the population. Overall, 209 patients with a CHA2DS2-VASc ≥5 (CHA2DS2-VASc: 6.0 ± 1.0; HAS-BLED: 3.7 ± 1.1) were included in the study. The mean age was 78 ± 6 years and 52.2% (n = 109) were males. Watchman implantation was successful in all patients. Overall procedure-related complication rate was 3.3% (n = 7). Two major complications were observed (1.0%): one pericardial tamponade requiring surgery and one major bleeding event at 3 days post-procedure. The incidence of minor complications was 2.3% (n = 5). Specifically, two patients experienced a pericardial effusion that required drainage and three had a groin hematoma. During a mean follow-up duration of 12 ± 5 months (193 pt/years), six TE events (2.9%/annualized rate: 3.1%) were documented after a median of 6.3 months (IQR: 2.2–9.6). Based on the estimated annual TE risk according to the CHA2DS2-VASc score (8.5%), the % risk reduction after LAAO was 63.5%. Four major bleeding events [1.9% (median time to event: 2.1 months; IQR: 1.0–3.4)] and five minor bleeding events occurred (2.5%) during follow-up. Compared to the expected rate of bleeding events as assessed by the HAS-BLED of the population (8.03%), LAAO led to a 42% reduction of bleeding risk. Conclusions In a population at very high TE risk, LAAO with the Watchman device was a safe and effective approach, and led to a 63.5% of stroke risk.

Documentation in the field of the longitudinal progression of freezing in woody stems during winter has recently become feasible due to development of advanced instrumentation. Similar techniques to detect the radial progression of freezing fronts in the stem have remained challenging and, so far, unresolved. Here we address this problem with a smart sensor, based on an inner fringing dielectric technique, but combined with a new analytical model of radial freezing-thawing-fronts. These fronts, occurring in night and daytime of winter, respectively, are considered as vectors, both moving radially from the outside of the stem inward. We present laboratory calibration data and a field experiment in a 14-year old apple orchard to demonstrate the novel capability of this noninvasive sensor for in situ determination of ice content. We track the diurnal and seasonal variation of ice content, identify the radial location of the freezing/thawing-front, link this to anatomical features of the stem, and characterize hysteresis in freezing and subsequent thawing. We document homeostasis of total tissue water content during winter which allowed quantification of ice and liquid water content over both diurnal and seasonal cycles. Moreover, the progressive, day-to-day, decrease in liquid water during cold acclimation in autumn and increase during de-acclimation in spring are shown, along with the associated transpirational fluxes. These data contribute to fundamental knowledge of the water relations of trees, demonstrate a practical technique to monitor multiple trees in the field, and thus provide insight into the ecophysiological processes involved as trees overwinter.

Das Kreissägen metallischer Werkstoffe ist ein etabliertes Verfahren zur Vor- und Fertigbearbeitung von Bauteilen in der spanenden Fertigung. Allerdings stößt das Verfahren bei schwer zerspanbaren Werkstoffen an seine Grenzen durch die hohe Temperaturentwicklung und den resultierenden Werkzeugverschleiß. Die Entwicklung einer inneren Zufuhr mit bedarfsgerechter Kühlschmierstoffmenge für Kreissägewerkzeuge wirkt diesem Problem entgegen. Das Kühlmedium wird durch das Werkzeug direkt der Zerspanstelle zugeführt und kann dort die bestmögliche Kühl- und Schmierwirkung erzielen. Circular sawing of metals is an established process for pre-machining and finishing components in cutting production. However, for hard-to-cut materials, the process is limited and does not allow for an economic machining. This is due to the intense heat during machining and the resulting tool wear. A solution is the development of saw blades with internal coolant supply. The internal coolant supply enables sufficient cooling and lubrication of the cutting edge region.

We introduce an equivalent-circuit element based on the theory of interface pinning in random systems to analyze the contribution of domain wall motion below the coercive field to the impedance of a ferroelectric, as a function of amplitude [Formula: see text] and frequency [Formula: see text] of an applied ac electric field. We demonstrate our model on a bulk [Formula: see text] (PZT) reference sample and then investigate capacitor stacks, containing ferroelectric [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] (BCZT) thin films, epitaxially grown by pulsed laser deposition on Nb-doped [Formula: see text] single crystal substrates and covered with Au electrodes. Impedance spectra from [Formula: see text] Hz to 1 MHz were collected at different [Formula: see text]. Deconvolution of the spectra is achieved by fitting the measured impedance with an equivalent-circuit model of the capacitor stacks, and we extract for [Formula: see text] kV/cm, a frequency-dependent permittivity of [Formula: see text] for the BCZT films from the obtained fit parameters. From an extended Rayleigh analysis, we obtain a coupling strength of 0.187 cm/kV between dielectric nonlinearity and dielectric dispersion in the BCZT films and identify different domain-wall-motion regimes. Finally, we construct a schematic diagram of the different domain-wall-motion regimes and discuss the corresponding domain-wall dynamics. Our approach can be utilized to replace purely phenomenological constant phase elements (CPEs) in modeling the impedance response of ferroelectrics and extracting material properties.

The International X-ray Observatory IXO, a candidate follow-on mission for XMM/Newton and CHANDRA, has been studied in Europe in the frame of two parallel industrial assessment studies commissioned by ESA as part of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 programme. One of these studies was successfully carried out by EADS Astrium. The present paper is focussed on the results obtained by Astrium GmbH in this study, i.e. on the optical, mechanical and thermal design of the IXO telescope mirror and on the predicted telescope performance. The IXO telescope mirror consists of nearly 1700 Silicon Pore Optics (SPO) mirror modules [1] accommodated on eight identical petal-shaped support structures. These petals are themselves supported by an optical bench. Design drivers proved to be the allowable mass, the required optical throughput as well as the axial and lateral stiffness required by the launch vehicle. To ensure light-weighting, low thermal gradients as well as robustness during AIV, the petals and the optical bench are deliberately made of a high-modulus carbon fibre material with high thermal conductivity. The telescope optical performance achievable with this design has been analysed based on rigorous finite element, thermal and optical modelling. It has been found to be fully compliant with the required optical throughput and image quality, thus enabling the scientific benefit of the IXO mission.

This study sought to determine the long-term outcomes of catheter ablation (CA) of ventricular tachycardia (VT) in a series of patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) without background implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy.Endo-epicardial CA of VT has been demonstrated to be highly effective in reducing recurrent VT in patients with ARVC.Thirty-two patients (age 45 ± 13 years, 72% male) with ARVC and VT underwent CA in the absence of ICD therapy. ICD was recommended in all cases, but implantation was not performed due to patient refusal (63%) or financial hardship (37%). CA was guided by activation/entrainment mapping for mappable VT and pace mapping/targeting of abnormal substrate in cases of unmappable VT.Symptoms associated with clinical VT included palpitations (78%), chest pain and shortness of breath (22%), pre-syncope (16%), and syncope (13%). Prior to ablation, 22 patients (69%) failed a mean of 1.3 ± 0.5 antiarrhythmic drugs. Epicardial mapping and ablation was performed as first-line strategy (20 [63%]) or in case of recurrent VT or persistent inducibility after endocardial-only ablation (3 [9%]-surgical epicardial cryoablation in 1 patient). After a mean of 1.6 (range 1 to 3) procedures, all patients demonstrated noninducibility of sustained VT from at least 2 RV sites; 75% also had stimulation on isoproterenol with no inducible VT. At a median follow-up of 46 months (range 26 to 65 months) following the last ablation, no deaths were observed and freedom from recurrent VT was 81%.In this multicenter international registry of patients with ARVC and VT, CA performed in the absence of background ICD was associated with a low rate of symptomatic VT recurrence (19%) without mortality during 46-month median follow-up. These data suggest that further prospective studies may refine selection of patients with structural heart disease at low risk for SCD, possibly obviating the benefit of ICD therapy.

Adjuvants such as surfactants are commonly incorporated into agrochemical formulations to enhance the biological efficiency of foliar sprays by improving the wetting behavior of the spray and/or the penetration of the active ingredients into the leaf tissues. Penetration accelerating adjuvants are known to increase the cuticular permeability and may alter the cuticular barrier to water loss. However, none or very little emphasis has been given to the impacts of adjuvants on crop water balance or drought tolerance, a very important factor affecting crop performance under water scarcity. Two model crops with strongly varying leaf traits, kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea) and apple (Malus domestica) seedlings were grown in controlled environments. Three adjuvants with varying solubility in the cuticle, i.e. octanol-water partition coefficients (logKow) were selected: rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and the surfactants alkyl polyglycoside (APG) and polyoxyethylated tallow amine (POEA). The higher the logKow of the adjuvant, the stronger was the increase of minimum epidermal conductance (gmin, an essential parameter describing plant drought tolerance). However, such effects depended on the physio-chemical properties of the leaf surface. In comparison to kohlrabi, the adjuvant effects on gmin of apple leaves were relatively weak. The increase of gmin was associated with a decrease in contact angle and with an alteration of the wax microstructure. Furthermore, POEA affected photochemical efficiency of kohlrabi leaves. Some adjuvants could have a temporal influence on transpirational water loss and gmin. At repeated applications, they might alter the effective water use and possibly reduce drought tolerance of some horticultural crops.

Additive Fertigungsverfahren bieten durch ihren schichtweisen Aufbau einzigartige Gestaltungsfreiheiten. Hieraus leitet sich ein enormes Potential für den strukturellen Leichtbau ab. Bionische Leichtbaustrukturen, integrierte Funktionalitäten sowie topologieoptimierte Bauteile lassen sich direkt produzieren. Neben dem strukturellen Leichtbau lassen sich durch die Verwendung hochfester Werkstoffe oder von Werkstoffen mit geringer Dichte ebenfalls Leichtbauprodukte generieren. Ein Beispiel für werkstofflichen Leichtbau sind Faserverbundstrukturen, welche geringe Materialdichte mit hoher Festigkeit kombinieren. Durch Bündelung der Vorteile additiver Fertigungsverfahren mit Halbzeugen aus Hochleistungswerkstoffen – beispielsweise kohlenstofffaserverstärkten Kunststoffen – werden noch leichtere Produkte möglich. Besonders die Funktionsintegration und die Designfreiheit additiver Verfahren schaffen hier völlig neue Gestaltungsmöglichkeiten und einen Individualisierungsgrad, der im Leichtbau bisher unbekannt ist. Anhand eines Produktbeispiels wird aufgezeigt, welche Potentiale additiver Hybrid-Leichtbau eröffnet. Ausgehend von einer topologieoptimierten Form erfolgt die Ableitung eines Bauteils. Dies wird im Lasersinterverfahren (SLS) gefertigt und in Kombination mit Kohlenstofffaserverbund (CFK)-Rohren sowie weiteren additiv gefertigten Bauteilen zum Produkt „Hocker“ zusammengefügt. Parallel wird das Verbundsystem digital abgebildet und simulativ überprüft. Additive manufacturing technology offers unique design flexibility due to its layer-based construction approach. This provides new potential for lightweight construction. Bionic lightweight structures, integrated functionality, and topology-optimized structures can now be manufactured. Another method to generate lightweight design is the use of high-strength materials with low density. For example, fiber reinforced materials which combine high-tensile fibers with low material density. The combination of these two unique benefits leads towards ultra-light products. The degree of individualization through additive manufacturing represents a new tool in the field of lightweight design, providing new construction possibilities. This paper presents the potential of hybrid lightweight design with the help of a specific product. An ergonomic lightweight seat starts with a topology optimized 3D form. The construction combines additive manufactured parts with carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) pre-products. Additionally, the interaction between the constituent parts has been simulated.

There is various evidence that the presence of condensed water, e.g. dew, improves plant water relations. Because particularly plants in drier environments are expected to benefit from atmospheric water, it may be assumed that special adaptations promoting exploitation of dew water evolved in these habitats. Surface characteristics affect dewfall and retention of dew water. Leaf surface characteristics such as hairs (trichomes), which are often present in plants of arid environments, may therefore play a substantial role in dew harvesting. In this study, it is analysed to what extent (1) the presence of hygrophilic aerosoles promotes dewfall by reducing vapour saturation pressure (‘early condensation’), (2) dew water can be stored within a dense trichome layer, (3) the presence of dew water increases humidity directly above the leaf surface, thereby reducing water loss from the leaf interior by decreasing the water potential gradient between leaf interior and exterior, and (4) dew evaporation reduces transpiration further by evaporative cooling. A physical framework is provided in this contribution that shows that these processes are in fact possible under natural conditions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Aerosols are an ubiquitous component of the atmospheric environment of plants but their ecophysiological role is largely unknown. Here we address this role by comparing the water relations of plants grown in ventilated greenhouses with ambient air (AA), and filtered air (FA) where particle concentrations had been reduced by more than 99%. Beans and sunflowers were grown in well watered soil or hydroponics. Humidity response curves of gas exchange were recorded along with sap flow, water potentials, and osmotic potentials. Hydroponically grown FA sunflowers and FA beans showed 20–40% lower stomatal conductance and lower transpiration compared to the respective AA plants under identical conditions. In sap flow measurements, the leaf-area related transpiration of soil-grown FA sunflowers was about 20–30% lower than for AA plants, partially due to lower night time values. Midday water potentials as well as osmotic potentials of FA plants were higher compared to the respective AA plants, while pre-dawn water potentials did not differ. Reduced transpiration of FA plants with stable photosynthesis was observed for beans and can be explained by the “hydraulic activation of stomata”, where deposited hygroscopic aerosols form liquid water connections along the stomatal walls, thereby forming a second, liquid-water type of stomatal transpiration. Simultaneously decreased transpiration and photosynthesis were observed for sunflower and point to a smaller stomatal aperture of FA plants. To our knowledge, this is the first study allocating an important functional role to natural aerosol concentrations. It further supports the idea that particulate air pollution may decrease the water use efficiency and the drought tolerance of plants.

Summary In reviewing life cycle assessment (LCA) literature of utility-scale concentrating solar power (CSP) systems, this analysis focuses on reducing variability and clarifying the central tendency of published estimates of life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through a metaanalytical process called harmonization. From 125 references reviewed, 10 produced 36 independent GHG emissions estimates passing screens for quality and relevance: 19 for parabolic trough (trough) technology and 17 for power tower (tower) technology. The interquartile range (IQR) of published estimates for troughs and towers were 83 and 20 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour (g CO2-eq/kWh), 1 respectively; median estimates were 26 and 38 g CO2-eq/kWh for trough and tower, respectively. Two levels of harmonization were applied. Light harmonization reduced variability in published estimates by using consistent values for key parameters pertaining to plant design and performance. The IQR and median were reduced by 87% and 17%, respectively, for troughs. For towers, the IQR and median decreased by 33% and 38%, respectively. Next, five trough LCAs reporting detailed life cycle inventories were identified. The variability and central tendency of their estimates are reduced by 91% and 81%, respectively, after light harmonization. By harmonizing these five estimates to consistent values for global warming intensities of materials and expanding system boundaries to consistently include electricity and auxiliary natural gas combustion, variability is reduced by an additional 32% while central tendency increases by 8%. These harmonized values provide useful starting points for policy makers in evaluating life cycle GHG emissions from CSP projects without the requirement to conduct a full LCA for each new project.

Bioremediation of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) is more challenging than bioremediation of other chlorinated solvents, such as tetrachloroethene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE). TCA transformation often occurs under methanogenic and sulfate-reducing conditions and is mediated by Dehalobacter. The source area at the project site contains moderately permeable medium sand with a low hydraulic gradient and is approximately 0.5 acre. TCA contamination generally extended to 35 feet, with the highest concentrations at approximately 20 feet. The concentrations then decreased with depth; several wells contained 300 to 600 mg/L of TCA prior to bioremediation. The area of treatment also contained 2 to 30 mg/L of TCE from an upgradient source. Initial site groundwater conditions indicated minimal biotic dechlorination and the presence of up to 20 mg/L of nitrate and 90 mg/L of sulfate. Microcosm testing indicated that TCA dechlorination was inhibited by the site's relatively low pH (5 to 5.5) and high TCA concentration. After the pH was adjusted and TCA concentrations were reduced to less than 35 mg/L (by dilution with site water), dechlorination proceeded rapidly using whey (or slower with sodium lactate) as an electron donor. Throughout the remediation program, increased resistance to TCA inhibition (from 35 to 200 mg/L) was observed as the microbes adapted to the elevated TCA concentrations. The article presents the results of a full-scale enhanced anaerobic dechlorination recirculation system and the successful efforts to eliminate TCA- and pH-related inhibition. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.