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We identified factors and outcomes associated with inpatient palliative care (PC) consultation, stratified into early and late timing, for patients over age 65 with traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Patients over age 65 presenting to a single institution with TBI and intracranial hemorrhage from January 2013-September 2020 were included. Patient demographics and various outcomes were analyzed. Inpatient PC consultation was uncommon (4 % out of 576 patients). Characteristics associated with likelihood of consultation were severe TBI (OR = 5.030, 95 % CI 1.096-23.082, p =.038) and pre-existing dementia (OR = 6.577, 95 % CI 1.726-25.073, p =.006). Average consultation timing was 8.6 (standard deviation ± 7.0) days. Patients with PC consults had longer overall (p =.0031) and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stays (LOS) (p .0001), more days intubated (p .0001) and higher costs (p =.0006), although those with earlier-than-average PC consultation had shorter overall (p =.0062) and ICU (p =.011) LOS as well as fewer ventilator days (p =.030) and lower costs (p =.0003). Older patients with TBI are more likely to receive PC based on pre-existing dementia and severe TBI. Patients with PC consultations had worse LOS and higher costs. However, these effects were mitigated by earlier PC involvement. Our study emphasizes the need for timely PC consultation in a vulnerable patient population.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is caused by an expansion of the CAG repeat in the huntingtin gene leading to preferential neurodegeneration of the striatum. Disease-modifying treatments are not yet available to HD patients and their development would be facilitated by translatable pharmacodynamic biomarkers. Multi-modal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and plasma cytokines have been suggested as disease onset/progression biomarkers, but their ability to detect treatment efficacy is understudied. This study used the R6/2 mouse model of HD to assess if structural neuroimaging and biofluid assays can detect treatment response using as a prototype the small molecule p75NTR ligand LM11A-31, shown previously to reduce HD phenotypes in these mice. LM11A-31 alleviated volume reductions in multiple brain regions, including striatum, of vehicle-treated R6/2 mice relative to wild-types (WTs), as assessed with in vivo MRI. LM11A-31 also normalized changes in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and diminished increases in certain plasma cytokine levels, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6, in R6/2 mice. Finally, R6/2-vehicle mice had increased urinary levels of the p75NTR extracellular domain (ecd), a cleavage product released with pro-apoptotic ligand binding that detects the progression of other neurodegenerative diseases; LM11A-31 reduced this increase. These results are the first to show that urinary p75NTR-ecd levels are elevated in an HD mouse model and can be used to detect therapeutic effects. These data also indicate that multi-modal MRI and plasma cytokine levels may be effective pharmacodynamic biomarkers and that using combinations of these markers would be a viable and powerful option for clinical trials.

The stringent restrictions from shelter-in-place (SIP) policies placed on hospital operations during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a sharp decrease in planned surgical procedures. This study quantifies the surgical rebound experienced across a neurosurgical service post SIP restrictions in order to guide future hospital programs with resource management. We conducted a retrospective review of all neurosurgical procedures at a public Level 1 trauma center between February 15th to August 30th for the years spanning 2018-2020. We categorized patient procedures into four comparative one-month periods: pre-SIP; SIP; post-SIP; and late recovery. Patient procedures were designated as either cranial; spinal; and other; as well as Elective or Add-on (Urgent/Emergent). Categorical variables were analyzed using χ2 tests and Fisher's exact tests. A total of 347 cases were reviewed across the four comparative periods and three years studied; with 174 and 152 spinal and cranial procedures; respectively. There was a proportional increase; relative to historical controls; in total spinal procedures (p-value 0.001) and elective spinal procedures (p-value 0.001) in the 2020 SIP to Post-SIP. The doubling of elective spinal cases in the Post-SIP period returned to historical baseline levels in three months after SIP restrictions were lifted. Total cranial procedures were proportionally increased during the SIP period relative to historical controls (p-value = 0.005). We provide a census on the post-pandemic neurosurgical operative demands at a major public Level 1 trauma hospital, which can potentially be applied for resource allocations in other disaster scenarios.

OBJECTIVEObesity, a condition that is increasing in prevalence in the United States, has previously been associated with poorer outcomes following deformity surgery, including higher rates of perioperative complications such as deep and superficial infections. To date, however, no study has examined the relationship between preoperative BMI and outcomes of deformity surgery as measured by spine parameters such as the sagittal vertical axis (SVA), as well as health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures such as the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Scoliosis Research Society–22 patient questionnaire (SRS-22). To this end, the authors sought to clarify the relationship between BMI and postoperative change in SVA as well as HRQoL outcomes.METHODSThe authors performed a retrospective review of a prospectively managed multicenter adult spinal deformity database collected and maintained by the International Spine Study Group (ISSG) between 2009 and 2014. The primary independent variable considered was preoperative BMI. The primary outcome was the change in SVA at 1 year after deformity surgery. Postoperative ODI and SRS-22 outcome measures were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Generalized linear models were used to model the primary and secondary outcomes at 1 year as a function of BMI at baseline, while adjusting for potential measured confounders.RESULTSIncreasing BMI (compared to BMI < 18) was not associated with change of SVA at 1 year postsurgery. However, BMIs in the obese range of 30 to 34.9 kg/m2, compared to BMI < 18 at baseline, were associated with poorer outcomes as measured by the SRS-22 score (estimated change −0.47, 95% CI −0.93 to −0.01, p = 0.04). While BMIs > 30 appeared to be associated with poorer outcomes as determined by the ODI, this correlation did not reach statistical significance.CONCLUSIONSBaseline BMI did not affect the achievable SVA at 1 year postsurgery. Further studies should evaluate whether even in the absence of a change in SVA, baseline BMIs in the obese range are associated with worsened HRQoL outcomes after spinal surgery.

Background As part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Pandemic Influenza Plan preparedness and response strategy, the National Pre-Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Stockpile (NPIVS) program was established by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in 2005 with the goal of building and maintaining a stockpile of vaccines for influenza viruses with pandemic potential to vaccinate 20 million people in the critical workforce in the event of a pandemic. The NPIVS program continuously monitors the integrity of influenza vaccine antigens and adjuvants stored within the stockpile. In addition to monitoring physical and chemical properties in stability studies, it is important to regularly assess the safety and immunogenicity of stockpiled vaccines and adjuvants to maintain preparedness for use in the event of an influenza pandemic. Methods BARDA conducted a randomized, double-blinded Phase 2 clinical study with the oldest stockpiled influenza A(H5N1) antigen, stored over the previous 10–12 years administered with or without MF59® adjuvant, stored over the previous 2–7 years at the time of vaccination. Results Stockpiled vaccines were well-tolerated, adverse events were generally mild, and there was no drop in immunogenicity to the oldest stockpiled A(H5N1) vaccine. Compared to unadjuvanted vaccine, greater peak antibody responses were observed in subjects who were vaccinated with MF59-adjuvanted vaccines, regardless of antigen dose. Vaccination with the A(H5N1) vaccine antigen also results in cross-reactive antibody responses to contemporary circulating strains of A(H5) influenza viruses. Conclusions The frequency, type, and severity of AEs observed during this study are similar to historical clinical study data with A(H5N1) vaccines and MF59 adjuvant indicating that a stockpiled A(H5N1) vaccine appears to remain safe and tolerable. The vaccines were immunogenic when administered as a two-dose vaccine regimen in healthy adults, despite extended storage of HA antigen or MF59 adjuvant within the NPIVS. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02680002.

Background Development of a widely accepted standardised analgesic pathway for adult spine surgery has been hampered by the lack of quantitative analysis. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare, rank, and grade all pharmacological and regional interventions used in adult spine surgery. Methods A systematic search was performed in January 2021. We performed double study screening, selection, and data extraction. The co-primary outcomes were cumulative morphine consumption (mg) and visual analogue pain score (range 0–10) at postoperative 24 h. An NMA was performed using the Bayesian approach (random effects model). We also ranked and graded all analgesic interventions using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach for NMA. Results We screened 5908 studies and included 86 randomised controlled studies, which comprised 6284 participants. Of 20 pharmacological and 10 regional interventions, the most effective intervention was triple-drug therapy, consisting of paracetamol, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and adjunct. The pooled mean reduction in morphine consumption and pain score at postoperative 24 h were –26 (95% credible interval [CrI]: –39 to –12) mg and –2.3 (95% CrI: –3.1 to –1.4), respectively. Double-drug therapy was less effective, but showed moderate morphine reduction in a range of –15 to –17 mg and pain score reduction in a range of –1 to –1.6. Single-agent interventions were largely ineffective. Conclusions Triple-drug therapy is the most effective pain intervention in adult spine surgery with moderate-to-high certainty of evidence. We have also identified a graded analgesic effect, in which analgesic efficacy increased with the number of multimodal drugs used. Systematic review registration PROSPERO (CRD42020171326).

Conjugate vaccines are remarkable advances in vaccinology. For the preparation of polysaccharide conjugate vaccines, the polysaccharides can be conveniently functionalized and linked to vaccine carrier proteins using 1-cyano-4-dimethylaminopyridine tetrafluoroborate (CDAP), an easy-to-handle cyanylating reagent. CDAP activates polysaccharides by reacting with carbohydrate hydroxyl groups at pH 7-9. The stability and reactivity of CDAP are highly pH-dependent. The pH of the reaction also decreases during activation due to the hydrolysis of CDAP, which makes good pH control the key to reproducible activation. The original CDAP activation protocol was performed at room temperature in unbuffered pH 9 solutions. Due to the rapid reaction under this condition (

There is concern that influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) may be attenuated by passage in eggs during manufacture. We compared quadrivalent cell-culture vaccine with egg-based vaccines, most of which were trivalent, against influenza A and B during 2017-2018 when A(H3N2) and B/Yamagata (present only in quadrivalent vaccines) predominated. We retrospectively examined risk of PCR-confirmed influenza A and B in members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California aged 4-64 years. We estimated the relative VE (rVE) of cell-culture vaccine versus egg-based vaccines, and the absolute VE (aVE) of each vaccine comparing vaccinated to unvaccinated individuals. Analyses used Cox regression with a calendar timeline, stratified by birth year, and adjusted for demographics, co-morbidities and utilization. One-third (1,016,965/3,053,248) of the population was vaccinated; 932,545 (91.7% of vaccinees) received egg-based and 84,420 (8.3%) received cell-culture vaccines. The rVE against influenza A was 8.0% (95% CI: -10, 23); aVE was 31.7% (CI: 18.7, 42.6) for cell-culture and 20.1% (CI: 14.5, 25.4) for egg-based vaccines. The rVE against influenza B was 39.6% (CI: 27.9, 49.3); aVE was 40.9% (CI: 30, 50.1) for cell-culture and 9.7% (CI 3.5, 15.6) for egg-based trivalent vaccines. Inclusion of the B/Yamagata lineage in the quadrivalent cell-based vaccine provided better protection against influenza B but vaccine effectiveness against influenza A was low for both the cell-culture vaccine and the egg-based vaccines. Improving influenza vaccines requires ongoing comparative vaccine effectiveness monitoring.

Background: To date, no studies have compared the outcomes of surgical management of cervical fractures in patients

A process for the utilization of CO2 for the conversion of ethylene to ethylene oxide has been studied for the greenhouse gas life cycle analysis and compared to the commercial production of ethylene oxide which uses oxygen from an air-separation unit. Mixed- metal oxides were identified and tested in a micro-reactor for ethylene oxide yield. The mixed-metal oxides were shown to produce ethylene oxide under moderate conditions. Comparison of the single-pass yields of the CO2-utilizing route to the O2-utilizing route shows that the CO2 utilizing route is similar in ethylene conversion and ethylene oxide yield.

Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) hollow fiber membrane modules were scaled up from 2 in. diameter and 16 in. long to 4 in. diameter and 58 in. long (a factor of 90 increase in membrane area) for CO2 capture from flue gases using a membrane contactor process, which combines advantageous features of both absorption and membrane processes. Field tests of a 4-in.-diameter module with activated methyldiethanolamine (aMDEA) solvent demonstrated greater than 90% CO2 removal. The mass transfer coefficient in the absorption step was 1.2 (s)−1, which is over an order of magnitude greater than that of conventional column contactors. The membrane module was further scaled up from 4 in. to 8 in. diameter (a factor of 3 increase in membrane area). Single-gas permeation measurements indicated that 8-in. modules have an intrinsic CO2 permeance as high as 2150–2670 GPU. One 8-in.-diameter module was tested in membrane contactor mode for CO2 capture using a simulated flue gas. Carbon dioxide removal rate of 91.3% was achieved with a mass transfer coefficient of 1.5 (s)−1. Parametric tests indicated CO2 flux and capture rate increased with increasing feed pressure, solvent flow velocity and solvent temperature. PEEK hollow fiber membrane contactor is effective in capturing CO2 from low CO2-concentration feeds, showing its high potential for coal or natural gas flue gas CO2 capture.

The papers in this special section focus on foundry enabled photonic integrated circuits. This research highlights the recent progress and trends in foundries and associated technologies to develop volume manufacturing of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). As integrated photonics technology matures and potential market demands increase, foundries become critical for volume production. In recent years the developments in the offerings of foundry services and multi-project wafer (MPW) runs, in both silicon and InP based material systems, enable a path toward volume production of photonic integrated circuits. Fabrication in the foundry environment will also lead to more highly integrated circuits, performance improvements and lower cost.

Miniaturized piezoelectric/magnetostrictive contour-mode resonators have been shown to be effective magnetometers by exploiting the ΔE effect. With dimensions of ~100–200 μm across and

Receptor Expressed in Lymphoid Tissues (RELT) is a human TNFR superfamily member expressed most prominently in cells and tissues of the hematopoietic system. Mouse knockout studies indicate that RELT functions in part by negatively regulating T-cell activation. RELT has two homologous binding partners, RELL1 and RELL2, and collectively, these proteins are described as RELT family members. This study sought to identify novel protein interactions with RELT family members and to compare the expression of RELT in normal and diseased tissues. A yeast two-hybrid screen utilizing RELL1 as bait identified the cytoskeletal protein Filamin A (FlnA); physical interaction between FlnA and RELT family members was confirmed by in vitro co-immunoprecipitation. A truncated mutant of FlnA disrupts the ability of RELT family members to activate the p38 pathway. Previous reports indicate that autoantibodies against RELT are associated with breast cancer and that RELL2 prevents migration and invasion of the metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 (231), while multiple studies suggest a link between FlnA and breast cancer. We therefore sought to examine the association of RELT family members with breast cancer. Western blotting revealed significant expression of endogenous RELT family members in the breast cancer cell lines 231 and MCF-7. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed a higher intensity of RELT staining in breast cancer tissues versus normal mammary tissue. Additionally, overexpression of RELT family members enhanced apoptosis in 231 cells. Collectively, these results further our understanding of signal transduction pathways associated with RELT family members and provide evidence that RELT is upregulated in breast cancer.

Synthesis conditions were optimized for synthesizing SAPO-34 membranes towards N2/CH4 separation. Compared to previous SAPO-34 membrane preparations, synthesis gels were diluted 1.3–2.7 times and an increased crystallization temperature was used. As a result, a 3–4 fold increase in N2 permeance was observed in this study. The membranes separated N2 from CH4 with N2 permeance as high as 1300 GPU and selectivity of 7.4 at 23 °C for a 50/50 N2/CH4 mixture. Furthermore, membranes were reproducible and effectively separated gas mixtures having low N2 content which are relevant compositions of natural gas. More specifically, membranes separated N2 from CH4 with N2 permeance as high as 1160 GPU and selectivity of 7.1 at 23 °C for an 18.5/81.5 N2/CH4 mixture. The resultant SAPO-34 membranes have potential for economic N2 rejection in natural gas processing.

It is well known in sustainable energy research that metallic copper functions as an electrocatalyst for the reduction of CO2 to multicarbon products such as alcohols and hydrocarbons. However, it remains a great challenge to develop a cost-effective, selective, and stable catalyst/electrode material for this reaction. This work furthers previous studies concerning the potential of carbonized copper MOF-derived electrocatalysts as catalyst materials for the electrochemical reduction of CO2. Two commercial copper-decorated metal organic frameworks (MOFs), HKUST-1 and PCN-62, pyrolyzed at variable temperatures, 400−800 °C, were coated on both metallic nickel and copper supports as inks. The electrocatalysts’ potential to reduce CO2 was gauged using an electrochemical cell with both GC-TCD and GC-FID analyses. Many of the previously reported products of this reaction were formed, however, most notably, GC-FID analysis confirmed the formation of isopropanol, a product not previously reported to the best of our knowledge. It was observed that MOF-derived coatings can produce electrodes with both better current density and selectivity towards isopropanol compared to that of uncoated copper electrodes. Amongst all the carbon products observed, the best performing electrocatalyst demonstrated isopropanol faradaic efficiency (FE) of over 72 %. Preliminary techno-economic analysis was conducted to identify target cell operating voltage in order to make the proposed electrochemical CO2 reduction process economically feasible. The desired cell operating voltage is less than 1.9 V, preferably less than 1.6 V. Future work will focus on electrochemical cell design and electrocatalyst morphology to further improve isopropanol selectivity and minimize hydrogen FE.

Background & Aims Exposure to hormone contraception has been associated with an increased risk of relapse of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Little is known about the effects of cancer therapies, specifically hormone therapies, on the course of IBD. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study, collecting data from 5 medical centers, on patients with IBD who received a subsequent diagnosis of breast or prostate cancer from 1997 through 2018. For patients with quiescent IBD at their cancer diagnosis, the primary outcome was relapse of IBD. For patients with active IBD at their cancer diagnosis, the primary outcome was IBD remission. Results Our analysis included 447 patients with IBD (44% with Crohn's disease, 53% with ulcerative colitis, and 3% with IBD unclassified) who had either breast (78%) or prostate (22%) cancer. At their cancer diagnosis, 400 patients (90%) had inactive IBD, and 47 (10%) had active IBD. Among patients with inactive IBD, 112 (28%) developed active IBD. Previous exposure to steroids, immunomodulators, or biologics was associated with IBD relapse after a cancer diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] for steroids, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.18–2.71; HR for immunomodulators, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.38–3.55; HR for biologics, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.01–5.36). Hormone monotherapy (HR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.21–3.29) and combination cytotoxic and hormone therapy (HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.01–3.43) was associated with IBD relapse. Among 34 patients who received only cytotoxic chemotherapy, 75% remained in remission from IBD at 250 months compared with 42% of those who received hormone monotherapy (log rank, 0.02). Among patients with active IBD at their cancer diagnosis, 14 (30%) entered remission from IBD, but there were no significant factors of achieving IBD remission. Conclusions In a multicenter retrospective study, we found that patients with IBD and breast or prostate cancer who receive hormone therapy have an increased risk for relapse of IBD and related adverse outcomes.

Obesity, a condition that is increasing in prevalence in the United States, has previously been associated with poorer outcomes following deformity surgery, including higher rates of perioperative complications such as deep and superficial infections. To date, however, no study has examined the relationship between preoperative BMI and outcomes of deformity surgery as measured by spine parameters such as the sagittal vertical axis (SVA), as well as health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures such as the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Scoliosis Research Society-22 patient questionnaire (SRS-22). To this end, the authors sought to clarify the relationship between BMI and postoperative change in SVA as well as HRQoL outcomes.The authors performed a retrospective review of a prospectively managed multicenter adult spinal deformity database collected and maintained by the International Spine Study Group (ISSG) between 2009 and 2014. The primary independent variable considered was preoperative BMI. The primary outcome was the change in SVA at 1 year after deformity surgery. Postoperative ODI and SRS-22 outcome measures were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Generalized linear models were used to model the primary and secondary outcomes at 1 year as a function of BMI at baseline, while adjusting for potential measured confounders.Increasing BMI (compared to BMI18) was not associated with change of SVA at 1 year postsurgery. However, BMIs in the obese range of 30 to 34.9 kg/m2, compared to BMI18 at baseline, were associated with poorer outcomes as measured by the SRS-22 score (estimated change -0.47, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.01, p = 0.04). While BMIs30 appeared to be associated with poorer outcomes as determined by the ODI, this correlation did not reach statistical significance.Baseline BMI did not affect the achievable SVA at 1 year postsurgery. Further studies should evaluate whether even in the absence of a change in SVA, baseline BMIs in the obese range are associated with worsened HRQoL outcomes after spinal surgery.

SAPO-34 membranes were synthesized by several routes towards N2/CH4 separation. Membrane synthesis parameters including water content in the gel, crystallization time, support pore size, and aluminum source were investigated. High performance N2-selective membranes were obtained on 100-nm-pore alumina tubes by using Al(i-C3H7O)3 as aluminum source with a crystallization time of 6 h. These membranes separated N2 from CH4 with N2 permeance as high as 500 GPU with separation selectivity of 8 at 24 °C for a 50/50 N2/CH4 mixture. Nitrogen and CH4 adsorption isotherms were measured on SAPO-34 crystals. The N2 and CH4 heats of adsorption were 11 and 15 kJ/mol, respectively, which lead to a preferential adsorption of CH4 over N2 in the N2/CH4 mixture. Despite this, the SAPO-34 membranes were selective for N2 over CH4 in the mixture because N2 diffuses much faster than CH4 and differences in diffusivity played a more critical role than the competitive adsorption. Preliminary economic evaluation indicates that the required N2/CH4 selectivity would be 15 in order to maintain a CH4 loss below 10%. For small nitrogen-contaminated gas wells, our current SAPO-34 membranes have potential to compete with the benchmark technology cryogenic distillation for N2 rejection.

Optical single side-band (SSB) signal modulation combined with direct-detection (DD) is favorable for data center interconnections and short-reach metro networks, because it alleviates the power fading and improves the spectrum efficiency (SE). However, in addition to the transmitted baseband signal, both its Hilbert transform and the signal-signal beat interference (SSBI) can be generated and hence introduce the interference. We analyze the generation of the linear and nonlinear interference in theory and experimentally demonstrate the interference mitigation schemes in an optical single side-band Nyquist-pulse shaping PAM-4 (NPAM-4) system.

Surface/ground waters could be polluted when rain-water and/or snow-melt water infiltrate through waste rock piles at mine sites and dissolve secondary minerals (salts) from rock surfaces. It is important to reduce solute loading by the optimal configuration of waste rock piles. This requires the proper definition and determination of the characteristic properties of waste rock piles in terms of metal leaching and, in particular, rate control mechanisms and scaling laws, and their dependence upon configuration variables. For revealing these characteristic properties this paper proposes a pile-scale C-Q relation: C = Cs(1 − e-P/Q), (P ≡ kλβψ), where C and Cs are respectively solute concentration and particle's saturation concentration, Q is the flow rate of the water through a waste rock pile, k represents the effective or average dissolution coefficient of a mineral specie from rock surfaces, β represents rock pile depth, λ represents the ratio of the sum of the surface areas of rocks to the volume that the rocks occupy, and ψ is the sum of the cross-sections of water-flow channels in a waste rock pile. The two characteristic properties revealed by the C-Q relation are: (1) P, the product of k, λ, β, and ψ (P ≡ kλβψ), which is the characteristic property of a waste rock pile in terms of metal leaching, named here the solute production potential; and (2) the ratio of P to Q, P/Q, a non-dimensional number, designated as α (α ≡ P/Q), named here the rate control quotient, which is the scaling law and the rate control mechanism indicator. The value of α quantitatively indicates what controls the rate of mineral dissolution, and it also relates smaller-scale metal-leaching testing results to their corresponding full scales. When α becomes small, say α 2.5, solute concentration would become close to its saturation concentration Cs, and Q determines solute loading (that is, the solute loading is proportional to Q). When 0.5

The feasibility of utilizing a super-hydrophobic polyether ether ketone (PEEK) hollow fiber membrane contactor in combination with chemical solvents to separate and capture CO 2 from simulated flue gases was investigated. Greater than 90% CO 2 capture with greater than 95% CO 2 purity has been achieved in one stage with both activated methyldiethanolamine (aMDEA) and activated K 2 CO 3 solvents. The measured volumetric mass transfer coefficient was as high as 1.7 s −1 , which is more than 20 times greater than the mass transfer coefficient of a packed column. Preliminary tests indicated that the CO 2 capture performance was not affected by flue gas contaminants, including O 2 , NO 2 , and SO 2 , with aMDEA solvent. The PEEK membrane module showed good mechanical properties and stable permeation properties at process design conditions for duration of the test (120 h). The process economics were evaluated assuming direct substitution of the conventional absorber by the membrane contactor, while using a conventional packed column in the regeneration step. Relative to the cost estimation with no CO 2 capture, the evaluation indicates a 56% increase in the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for the PEEK membrane contactor technology, which is 29% lower than DOE’s benchmark amine absorption technology (85% increase in LCOE).

With financial assistance from the US Department of Energy and the Illinois Clean Coal Institute, Gas Technology Institute (GTI) has been working with the University of California, Berkeley, for further development of their UCSRP-HP (University of California Sulfur Recovery Process-High Pressure) technology. The key focus of the UCSRP-HP technology is integrated multi-contaminant removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbonyl sulfide (COS), ammonia (NH3), chlorides and heavy metals present in coal-derived syngas. The process has two major components: 1) removal of various trace components with a solvent (e.g., diethylene glycol or water) using a high-pressure scrubbing unit and 2) removal of H2S as sulfur via reaction with SO2 (in the presence of a solvent mixed a small quantity of a homogeneous catalyst) at 120?C to 150?C and at any syngas pressure. During this research, data critical to developing and evaluating UCSRP-HP technology for multi-contaminant removal from syngas derived from Illinois #6 coal were obtained. In this paper, we have presented key economic evaluations of the UCSRP-HP process, including potential integrations with other technology options for CO2 and hydrogen separations, for a nominal Illinois #6-coal-based 550-MWe Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) facility with CO2 capture and sequestration. GTI is exploring various options to demonstrate this technology in a pilot plant using actual syngas from a coal gasifier.

State-of-the-art compact antennas rely on electromagnetic wave resonance, which leads to antenna sizes that are comparable to the electromagnetic wavelength. As a result, antennas typically have a size greater than one-tenth of the wavelength, and further miniaturization of antennas has been an open challenge for decades. Here we report on acoustically actuated nanomechanical magnetoelectric (ME) antennas with a suspended ferromagnetic/piezoelectric thin-film heterostructure. These ME antennas receive and transmit electromagnetic waves through the ME effect at their acoustic resonance frequencies. The bulk acoustic waves in ME antennas stimulate magnetization oscillations of the ferromagnetic thin film, which results in the radiation of electromagnetic waves. Vice versa, these antennas sense the magnetic fields of electromagnetic waves, giving a piezoelectric voltage output. The ME antennas (with sizes as small as one-thousandth of a wavelength) demonstrates 1–2 orders of magnitude miniaturization over state-of-the-art compact antennas without performance degradation. These ME antennas have potential implications for portable wireless communication systems., The miniaturization of antennas beyond a wavelength is limited by designs which rely on electromagnetic resonances. Here, Nan et al. have developed acoustically actuated antennas that couple the acoustic resonance of the antenna with the electromagnetic wave, reducing the antenna footprint by up to 100.

Background In June 2018, the CDC reported that influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) against A(H3N2) influenza virus for the 2017–2018 season was ~24%. This lower than expected VE was hypothesized to be partially related to genetic changes arising in the vaccine virus during passage in eggs. Flucelvax™ (Seqirus) is a cell culture-based inactivated influenza vaccine (ccIIV) which is not manufactured in eggs. We investigated whether the VE of ccIIV against influenza A differed from that of egg-based IIV (ebIIV) during the 2017–2018 influenza season. Methods The study included all Kaiser Permanente Northern California members aged 4–64 years. We identified all individuals who were positive for influenza by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This cohort analysis estimated the relative VE of ccIIV vs. ebIIV by comparing the ccIIV vaccinees vs. the ebIIV vaccinees with respect to the risk of PCR-confirmed influenza. We separately estimated the absolute VE of ccIIV and ebIIV by comparing each group of vaccinees with unvaccinated individuals. We used Cox regression with a calendar timeline, stratified by birth year, and adjusted for facility, race, years of membership, prior season influenza vaccine, co-morbidities, and number of inpatient admits in the prior year. We calculated VE as 1 − hazard ratio (HR). Results Of the 3,015,891 members aged 4–64 years, 1,017,314 were vaccinated. Of these, 932,874 (91.7%) received ebIIV and 84,440 (8.3%) received ccIIV. Most ebIIV (86.2%) was trivalent. Comparing ccIIV with ebIIV, the adjusted relative VE against influenza A was 6.8% (95% CI: 11.2, 21.9; P = 0.43). The adjusted absolute VE vs. unvaccinated of ccIIV was 30.2% (95% CI: 17.1, 41.3; P < 0.0001) and of ebIIV was 17.9% (95% CI: 12.1, 23.3; P < 0.0001). Conclusion Both cell-culture and egg-based IIV vaccines showed relatively low effectiveness during the 2017–2018 influenza season in which A(H3N2) predominated. The findings of this study show there was no significant difference in the effectiveness of cell-culture IIV compared with egg-based IIVs. Improvements in influenza vaccines will require ongoing monitoring of vaccine effectiveness. Disclosures N. P. Klein, GSK: Investigator, Research support. Sanofi Pasteur: Investigator, Research support. Merck: Investigator, Research support. Pfizer: Investigator, Research support. Protein Science: Investigator, Research support. MedImmune: Investigator, Research support. Dynavax: Investigator, Research support.

A series novel fluorinated copolyimides were synthesized with various diamine compositions by chemical imidization in a two-pot procedure. The gas permeation behavior of 2,2'-bis(3,4'-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA)-2,4,6-trimethyl-1,3-phenylenediamine (TMPDA)/2,6-diamino toluene (DAT) polyimides was investigated. The physical properties of the copolyimides were characterized by IR, DSC and TGA. All the copolyimides were soluble in most of the common solvents. The gas permeabilities and diffusion coefficients decreased with increasing DAT content; however, the permselectivity of gas pairs such as H-2/N-2, O-2/N-2, CO2/CH4 and CO2/N-2 was enhanced with the incorporation of DAT moiety. The permeability coefficients of H-2, O-2, N-2, CO2 and CH4 were found to decrease with the increasing order of kinetic diameters of the penetrants gases. Moreover, all of the copolyimides studied in this work exhibited performance near, lying on or above the existing upper bound trade-off line between permselectivity and permeability. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The method of phase demodulation for wood grain orientation measurement has been improved by employing a laser sampling system instead of a laser scanning system and using an edge detection algorithm rather than an intensity detection algorithm. The laser sampling system is able to determine the average grain angle and estimate the wood defect distribution much faster and more accurate than the laser scanning system. The edge detection algorithm is able to transform not only an oriented laser pattern but also an oriented wood texture into a periodic histogram. For the hardwoods with weak tracheid effect but the texture direction indicative of the grain orientation, the orientation measurement of laser pattern can be replaced by the orientation measurement of wood texture.