What Will Power the Hydrogen Economy? Present and Future Sources of Hydrogen Energy

During the last ten to fifteen years advances in fuel cell technology have spurred an enormous wave of interest in hydrogen. This report first examines various methods for producing hydrogen, including discussion of the production potential for the United States. It then discusses and summarizes hydrogen distribution and delivery options, including a study of the environmental pollutant emissions implications and land and water use impacts of different production options. In addition, potential regional hydrogen production strategies around the U.S., and the potential for regional hydrogen production from renewable sources are discussed. The report concludes with a look at policy implications, particularly in light of the hydrogen production option costs and benefits that are reviewed and described in the report

Open-Source, Open-Architecture SoftwarePlatform for Plug-InElectric Vehicle SmartCharging in California

This interdisciplinary eXtensible Building Operating System–Vehicles project focuses on controlling plug-in electric vehicle charging at residential and small commercial settings using a novel and flexible open-source, open-architecture charge communication and control platform. The platform provides smart charging functionalities and benefits to the utility, homes, and businesses.This project investigates four important areas of vehicle-grid integration research, integrating technical as well as social and behavioral dimensions: smart charging user needs assessment, advanced load control platform development and testing, smart charging impacts, benefits to the power grid, and smart charging ratepayer benefits

Does enternal nutrition affect clinical outcome? A systematic review of the randomized trials

Background: Both parenteral nutrition (PN) and enteral nutrition (EN) are widely advocated as adjunctive care in patients with various diseases. A systematic review of 82 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PN published in 2001 found little, if any, effect on mortality, morbidity, or duration of hospital stay; in some situations, PN increased infectious complication rates. Objective: To assess the effect of EN or volitional nutrition support (VNS) in individual disease states from available randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Design: We conducted a systematic review. RCTs comparing EN or VNS to untreated controls, or comparing EN to PN, were identified and separated according to the underlying disease state. Meta-analysis was performed when at least 3 RCTs provided data. The evidence from the RCTs was summarized into one of five grades. A or B indicated the presence of strong or weak (low quality RCTs) evidence supporting the use of the intervention. C indicated a lack of adequate evidence to make any decision about efficacy. D indicated that limited data could not support the intervention. E indicated either that strong data found no effect, or that either strong or weak data suggested that the intervention caused harm. Patients and settings: RCTs could include either hospitalized or non-hospitalized patients. The EN or VNS had to be provided as part of a treatment plan for an underlying disease process. Interventions: The RCT had to compare recipients of either EN or VNS to controls not receiving any type of artificial nutrition or had to compare recipients of EN with recipients of PN. Outcome measures: Mortality, morbidity (disease-specific), duration of hospitalization, cost, or interventional complications. Summary of grading: A – No indication was identified. B – EN or VNS in the perioperative patient or in patients with chronic liver disease; EN in critically ill patients or low birth weight infants (trophic feeding); VNS in malnourished geriatric patients. (The low quality trials found a significant difference in survival favoring the VNS recipients in the malnourished geriatric patient trials; two high quality trials found non-significant differences that favored VNS as well.) C – EN or VNS in liver transplantation, cystic fibrosis, renal failure, pediatric conditions other than low birth weight infants, well-nourished geriatric patients, non-stroke neurologic conditions, AIDS; EN in acute pancreatitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, non-malnourished geriatric patients; VNS in inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, cardiac disease, pregnancy, allergic patients, preoperative bowel preparation D – EN or VNS in patients receiving non-surgical cancer treatment or in patients with hip fractures; EN in patients with inflammatory bowel disease; VNS in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease E – EN in the first week in dysphagic, or VNS at any time in non-dysphagic, stroke patients who are not malnourished; dysphagia persisting for weeks will presumably ultimately require EN. Conclusions: There is strong evidence for not using EN in the first week in dysphagic, and not using VNS at all in non-dysphagic, stroke patients who are not malnourished. There is reasonable evidence for using VNS in malnourished geriatric patients. The recommendations to consider EN/VNS in perioperative/liver/critically ill/low birth weight patients are limited by the low quality of the RCTs. No evidence could be identified to justify the use of EN/VNS in other disease states

Uniting to end the TB epidemic: advances in disease control from prevention to better diagnosis and treatment.

Tuberculosis is a major global cause of morbidity and mortality. Despite recent advances in containing the epidemic, several challenges continue to slow progress towards elimination including the continuing impact of drug resistant disease, and the lack of appropriate tools. Curtailing the transmission of tuberculosis remains a challenge especially in high burden countries. New developments in measuring correlates of protection are urgently needed to support the evaluation of vaccines. Similarly, despite progress in molecular diagnostics, better tools are required to identify resistance to antibiotics in multi and extensively drug resistant tuberculosis. Whole Genome Sequencing may lead to the next generation of assays to rapidly detect resistance and evaluate transmission. Advances on shortening treatment are hampered by the lack of a biomarker of cure which obviates the current long wait for relapses in trials. New research is urgently needed to support development of new vaccines and better diagnostics tools and shorter treatment for drug sensitive and resistant tuberculosis

World TB Day 2016: an interview with leading experts in tuberculosis research.

In this interview, we talk to leading tuberculosis (TB) experts from University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine about the current challenges in TB research. The video of this interview is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Die7MQBec&feature=youtu.be . The video can also be downloaded via Additional file 1

Policy Considerations for Advancing Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Charging in California

Electric vehicles (EVs) are proliferating in California, with over 1.8 million operating in the state. Modern EVs have considerably larger battery packs than early models, in many cases 80-100 kWh for 250-300-mile driving ranges. Charging power for EVs is also increasing. With the appropriate wiring, residential charging at Level 2 has reached up to 19.2 kW though 7-10 kW is more typical, making EVs among the most demanding household power loads. These charging loads can stress local electricity distribution feeders, particularly in the early evening when power use typically peaks.&nbsp

Appendix F: Emissions of Nitrous Oxide and Methane From Alternative Fuels For Motor Vehicles and Electricity-Generating Plants in the U.S.: An Appendix to the Report “A Lifecycle Emissions Model (LEM): Lifecycle Emissions from Transportation Fuels, Motor Vehicles, Transportation Modes, Electricity Use, Heating and Cooking Fuels, and Materials”

This report is an appendix to the report title "A Lifecycle emissions model (LEM): lifecycle emissions from transportation fuels, motor vehicles, transportation modes, electricity use, heating and cooking fuels, and materials". It provides a database of estimates of emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles and power plants. The report also develops emission factors for nitrous oxide and methane emissions from conventional vehicles such as different alternative fuel passenger cars, light-duty trucks, and heavy-duty trucks

Electric Vehicle Charge Management Strategies to Benefit the California Electricity Grid

Recent studies suggest that there could be significant value to electric vehicle (EV) drivers and power companies from incorporating EVs into the state’s electrical power grids, known as Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI). However, the benefits could be highly variable depending on the location of the utility territory, vehicle type and battery capacity, the relevant timeframe, and whether the connection involves only managed charging or includes bidirectional charging permitting vehicle to grid (V2G) power transfer, and other factors. Various studies conducted to date generally conclude that the opportunities for V2G could have two to three times the value of managed (or “smart”) charging. However, there are considerable additional complications for grid integration, including variable and site-specific implementation costs. Some savings such as deferring distribution system upgrades can be very significant but are also site-specific and depend on the level of curren and projected demands for electric power on the individual distribution feeder lines, and are therefore difficult to predict

Appendix D: CO2 Equivalency Factors: An Appendix to the Report, “A Lifecycle Emissions Model (LEM): Lifecycle Emissions From Transportation Fuels, Motor Vehicles, Transportation Modes, Electricity Use, Heating and Cooking Fuels, and Materials”

This report is an appendix to the report, 'A Lifecycle emissions model (LEM): lifecycle emissions from transportation fuels, motor vehicles transportation modes, electricity use, heating and cooking fuels, and materials". It begins with a brief overview of greenhouse gases and climate change. Major emission sources of greenhouse gases and aerosols are discussed. Background information of estimating carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalency factors (CEFS) is presented. The report then focuses on CEFS and methods and parameter values for gases with direct radiative forcing effects and for gases with indirect effects on climate