Life cycle assessment of emerging technologies: Evaluation techniques at different stages of market and technical maturity

Life cycle assessment (LCA) analysts are increasingly being asked to conduct life cycleâ based systems level analysis at the earliest stages of technology development. While early assessments provide the greatest opportunity to influence design and ultimately environmental performance, it is the stage with the least available data, greatest uncertainty, and a paucity of analytic tools for addressing these challenges. While the fundamental approach to conducting an LCA of emerging technologies is akin to that of LCA of existing technologies, emerging technologies pose additional challenges. In this paper, we present a broad set of market and technology characteristics that typically influence an LCA of emerging technologies and identify questions that researchers must address to account for the most important aspects of the systems they are studying. The paper presents: (a) guidance to identify the specific technology characteristics and dynamic market context that are most relevant and unique to a particular study, (b) an overview of the challenges faced by early stage assessments that are unique because of these conditions, (c) questions that researchers should ask themselves for such a study to be conducted, and (d) illustrative examples from the transportation sector to demonstrate the factors to consider when conducting LCAs of emerging technologies. The paper is intended to be used as an organizing platform to synthesize existing methods, procedures and insights and guide researchers, analysts and technology developer to better recognize key study design elements and to manage expectations of study outcomes.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154465/1/jiec12954-sup-0001-SuppMat.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154465/2/jiec12954.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154465/3/jiec12954_am.pd

The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

Disease Risk & Landscape Attributes of Tick-Borne Borrelia Pathogens in the San Francisco Bay Area, California

Habitat heterogeneity influences pathogen ecology by affecting vector abundance and the reservoir host communities. We investigated spatial patterns of disease risk for two human pathogens in the Borrelia genus–B. burgdorferi and B. miyamotoi–that are transmitted by the western black-legged tick, Ixodes pacificus. We collected ticks (349 nymphs, 273 adults) at 20 sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA. Tick abundance, pathogen prevalence and density of infected nymphs varied widely across sites and habitat type, though nymphal western black-legged ticks were more frequently found, and were more abundant in coast live oak forest and desert/semi-desert scrub (dominated by California sagebrush) habitats. We observed Borrelia infections in ticks at all sites where we able to collect >10 ticks. The recently recognized human pathogen, B. miyamotoi, was observed at a higher prevalence (13/349 nymphs = 3.7%, 95% CI = 2.0–6.3; 5/273 adults = 1.8%, 95% CI = 0.6–4.2) than recent studies from nearby locations (Alameda County, east of the San Francisco Bay), demonstrating that tick-borne disease risk and ecology can vary substantially at small geographic scales, with consequences for public health and disease diagnosis

Summary statistics of entomologic risk for <i>Ixodes pacificus</i> infected with <i>Borrelia</i> spp. in recreational areas of the San Francisco Bay Area.

<p>¹Betsy Crowder Trail is comprised of coast live oak woodland.</p><p>²Anniversary Trail is comprised of coastal scrub and moderate grassland.</p><p>³Meadow Trail is comprised of coast live oak woodland and Douglas fir forest.</p><p>Data are presented on density of nymphal (DON) <i>I</i>. <i>pacificus</i> (i.e., number of nymphs/100m² (calculated by (number of ticks collected/meters covered by transects) x100); density of infected nymphs (DIN) for <i>Borrelia</i> spp. (calculated by <i>Borrelia</i> prevalence x DON); and for <i>B</i>. <i>miyamotoi</i>, <i>B</i>. <i>burgdorferi</i> ss, and for <i>B</i>. <i>burgdorferi</i> sl.</p

Xanthine nephrolithiasis in a galician blond beef calf

A six-month-old female Galician Blond beef calf presented signs of apathy, anorexia and weight loss. The analysis of a blood sample confirmed renal failure. Bilateral nephrolithiasis was diagnosed at necropsy. Quantitative analysis revealed the nephroliths to be composed of 100 per cent xanthine. In cattle, xanthinuria has only been described in the Japanese Black breed, but never before in other breeds. Clinical history suggested a naturally occurring xanthinuria.S

Recreational areas in the San Francisco Bay area (left) sampled for western black-legged ticks, with a close-up (right) of recreational areas sampled in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

<p>Recreational areas in the San Francisco Bay area (left) sampled for western black-legged ticks, with a close-up (right) of recreational areas sampled in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.</p

Study area showing independent variables: soil type (top left), elevation (top right), vegetation type (bottom left) and distance to roads (bottom right).

<p>Purple dots represent tick- drag transects in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.</p

Prevalence data for <i>Borrelia</i> in <i>I</i>. <i>pacificus</i> ticks from previous studies in California.

<p>¹Number positive/number tested (percentage positive, 95% CI).</p><p>Prevalence data for <i>Borrelia</i> in <i>I</i>. <i>pacificus</i> ticks from previous studies in California.</p