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Thermal management of Li-ion battery packs is a critical technological challenge that directly impacts safety and performance. Removal of heat generated in individual Li-ion cells into the ambient is a considerably complicated problem involving multiple heat transfer modes. This paper develops an iterative analytical technique to model conjugate heat transfer in coolant-based thermal management of a Li-ion battery pack. Solutions for the governing energy conservation equations for thermal conduction and convection are derived and coupled with each other in an iterative fashion to determine the final temperature distribution. The analytical model is used to investigate the dependence of the temperature field on various geometrical and material parameters. This work shows that the coolant flowrate required for effective cooling can be reduced significantly by improving the thermal conductivity of individual Li-ion cells. Further, this work helps understand key thermal-electrochemical trade-offs in the design of thermal management for Li-ion battery packs, such as the trade-off between temperature rise and energy storage density in the battery pack.

Background: In kidney transplantation, concerns have been raised regarding increased incidence of viral opportunistic infections in hepatitis C virus (HCV) nucleic acid test (NAT)‐negative (‐) recipients who received HCV NAT‐positive (+) donor kidneys, specifically BK polyomavirus (BKPyV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of these three viral opportunistic infections in HCV NAT‐ recipients who have undergone kidney transplantation with HCV NAT+ donor kidneys at our institution. Methods: This was an Institutional Review Board‐approved, single‐center, retrospective case‐control study of HCV NAT‐ kidney transplant recipients with HCV NAT+ donors from 2018 to 2021. The primary outcome was the cumulative incidence of viral infections of BKPyV, CMV, and/or EBV within 1 year following kidney transplantation. Results: A total of 231 patients were included, 77 in the exposed (donor HCV NAT+) group and 154 in the control (donor HCV NAT‐) group. The adjusted cumulative incidence of viremia within 1 year did not statistically differ between groups (77% exposed group versus 66% for the control group, hazard ratio 1.34, 95% confidence interval 0.95–1.89). In addition, no statistically significant differences were observed for secondary outcomes with the exception of CMV viremia (62% exposed versus 49% control, p = 0.021). However, there were more patients in the exposed group at high risk for CMV viremia based on serostatus (CMV Donor+/Recipient‐, D+/R‐). Conclusion: Among patients who received HCV NAT+ donor kidneys, no clear association was observed between exposure to HCV NAT+ donor kidneys and viral infections of BKPyV, CMV, or EBV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing worldwide waste management challenges have prompted research efforts for sustainable solutions, especially in green energy technologies. This study highlights robotics' critical role in modern waste management by putting forth a novel strategy incorporating cutting‐edge technologies. The research aims to create an effective waste monitoring system to measure the amounts of methane gas and organic waste at disposal sites. The main component of this method is a 3D‐printed spider robot driven by a servo motor with solid and flexible claws. This robotic system communicates gas level readings to the ThingSpeak platform on the Internet of Things, while it navigates waste disposal sites autonomously. The study also investigates how to develop robotic systems more economically and efficiently by using a portable, low‐power microcontroller, such as the Arduino Nano. The study uses a rigorous testing methodology to assess the performance and viability of the microcontroller and robotic system. The results are expected to emphasise a practical and economic development approach while offering insightful information on developing sustainable waste management technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is associated with high rates of post-colonoscopy colorectal cancer [PCCRC], but further in-depth qualitative analyses are required to determine whether they result from inadequate surveillance or aggressive IBD cancer evolution. Methods All IBD patients who had a colorectal cancer [CRC] diagnosed between January 2015 and July 2019 and a recent [<4 years] surveillance colonoscopy at one of four English hospital trusts underwent root cause analyses as recommended by the World Endoscopy Organisation to identify plausible PCCRC causative factors. Results In total, 61% [ n  = 22/36] of the included IBD CRCs were PCCRCs. They developed in patients with high cancer risk factors [77.8%; n  = 28/36] requiring annual surveillance, yet 57.1% [ n  = 20/35] had inappropriately delayed surveillance. Most PCCRCs developed in situations where [i] an endoscopically unresectable lesion was detected [40.9%; n  = 9/22], [ii] there was a deviation from the planned management pathway [40.9%; n  = 9/22], such as service-, clinician- or patient-related delays in acting on a detected lesion, or [iii] lesions were potentially missed as they were typically located within areas of active inflammation or post-inflammatory change [36.4%; n  = 8/22]. Conclusions IBD PCCRC prevention will require more proactive strategies to reduce endoscopic inflammatory burden, and to improve lesion optical characterization, adherence to recommended surveillance intervals, and patient acceptance of prophylactic colectomy. However, the significant proportion appearing to originate from non-adenomatous-looking mucosa which fail to yield neoplasia on biopsy yet display aggressive cancer evolution highlights the limitations of current surveillance. Emerging molecular biomarkers may play a role in enhancing cancer risk stratification in future clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]