Metallized Plastic Current Collectors

Metallized plastic current collectors are an innovation patented by the Soteria Battery Innovation Group with the promise of isolating active material involved in an internal short by vaporizing and isolating the short from the rest of the cell electrode jellyroll or stack. Partnering with NREL, UCL, Coulometrics, and Soteria, NASA is leading a research effort into demonstrating the merits and understanding the phenomena of this safety innovation using prototype 18650 cylindrical cells vs control cells with standard metal foil current collectors. Cells with and without the plastic collector, with and without the on-demand internal short circuit device, and with polymer or cellulose separators were made. Safety evaluations were done with driving cells into thermal runaway (TR) with thermal and nail penetration triggers while inside our TR calorimeter and with ultra high speed X-ray videography provided at Synchrotrons. Preliminary results suggests that the thermally unstable plastic current collector innovation has great promise for preventing TR or reducing the severity of the TR output

Pathway-based predictive approaches for non-animal assessment of acute inhalation toxicity

New approaches are needed to assess the effects of inhaled substances on human health. These approaches will be based on mechanisms of toxicity, an understanding of dosimetry, and the use of in silico modeling and in vitro test methods. In order to accelerate wider implementation of such approaches, development of adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) can help identify and address gaps in our understanding of relevant parameters for model input and mechanisms, and optimize non-animal approaches that can be used to investigate key events of toxicity. This paper describes the AOPs and the toolbox of in vitro and in silico models that can be used to assess the key events leading to toxicity following inhalation exposure. Because the optimal testing strategy will vary depending on the substance of interest, here we present a decision tree approach to identify an appropriate non-animal integrated testing strategy that incorporates consideration of a substance's physicochemical properties, relevant mechanisms of toxicity, and available in silico models and in vitro test methods. This decision tree can facilitate standardization of the testing approaches. Case study examples are presented to provide a basis for proof-of-concept testing to illustrate the utility of non-animal approaches to inform hazard identification and risk assessment of humans exposed to inhaled substances

Measures of excess V ̇ CO2 and recovery V ̇ CO2 as indices of performance fatigability during exercise: a pilot study

Abstract Background The severity of performance fatigability and the capacity to recover from activity are profoundly influenced by skeletal muscle energetics, specifically the ability to buffer fatigue-inducing ions produced from anaerobic metabolism. Mechanisms responsible for buffering these ions result in the production of excess carbon dioxide (CO2) that can be measured as expired CO2 ( V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ CO2) during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). The primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of select assessment procedures for use in planning and carrying out interventional studies, which are larger interventional studies investigating the relationships between CO2 expiration, measured during and after both CPET and submaximal exercise testing, and performance fatigability. Methods Cross-sectional, pilot study design. Seven healthy subjects (30.7±5.1 years; 5 females) completed a peak CPET and constant work-rate test (CWRT) on separate days, each followed by a 10-min recovery then 10-min walk test. Oxygen consumption ( V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ O2) and V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ CO2 on- and off-kinetics (transition constant and oxidative response index), excess- V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ CO2, and performance fatigability severity scores (PFSS) were measured. Data were analyzed using regression analyses. Results All subjects that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria and consented to participate in the study completed all exercise testing sessions with no adverse events. All testing procedures were carried out successfully and outcome measures were obtained, as intended, without adverse events. Excess- V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ CO2 accounted for 61% of the variability in performance fatigability as measured by V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ O2 on-kinetic ORI (ml/s) (R 2=0.614; y = 8.474x − 4.379, 95% CI [0.748, 16.200]) and 62% of the variability as measured by PFSS (R 2=0.619; y =  − 0.096x + 1.267, 95% CI [−0.183, −0.009]). During CPET, V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ CO2 -off ORI accounted for 70% (R 2=0.695; y = 1.390x − 11.984, 95% CI [0.331, 2.449]) and V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ CO2 -off Kt for 73% of the variability in performance fatigability measured by V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ O2 on-kinetic ORI (ml/s) (R 2=0.730; y = 1.818x − 13.639, 95% CI [0.548, 3.087]). Conclusion The findings of this study suggest that utilizing V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ CO2 measures may be a viable and useful addition or alternative to V ̇ $$\dot{\mathrm{V}}$$ O2 measures, warranting further study. While the current protocol appeared to be satisfactory, for obtaining select cardiopulmonary and performance fatigability measures as intended, modifications to the current protocol to consider in subsequent, larger studies may include use of an alternate mode or measure to enable control of work rate constancy during performance fatigability testing following initial CPET

Winter presence and temperature-related diel vertical migration of Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) in an extreme high flow passage in the inner Bay of Fundy

During a multi-year fish tracking study, sub-adult and adult life stages of Shubenacadie River Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) were detected throughout winter in the well-mixed, hypertidal waters of the Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy. Thirty-five percent of the Striped Bass tagged with Vemco V16 transmitters were detected by two Minas Passage receiver arrays. Transmissions were received on 82% of winter days (December to April) and by all receivers spanning the width of the passage. Tagged Striped Bass were detected largely within the top 20-40 m during the day. The extent of vertical migration to shallower waters at night showed a strong relationship with water temperature, however, there was no diel vertical movement pattern observed at water temperaturesThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Predicting the impacts of escaped farmed Atlantic Salmon on wild salmon populations

The escape of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) from aquaculture facilities can result in both negative genetic and ecological interactions with wild populations, yet the ability to predict the associated risk to wild populations has remained elusive. Here we assess the potential of a spatiotemporal database of aquaculture facility locations, production estimates and escape events to predict the distribution of escaped farmed salmon and genetic impacts on wild populations in the Northwest Atlantic. Industry production data, reported escape events, and in-river detections of escaped farmed salmon were collected from across the Northwest Atlantic. Genetic estimates of impact were obtained using single nucleotide polymorphisms (95 loci) representing aquaculture and wild salmon throughout the region (30 populations, 3048 individuals). Both the number of escaped farmed salmon detected at counting facilities and the magnitude of genetic impacts were positively correlated with a cumulative spatial measure of aquaculture production. Our results suggest that the risk of escapees and genetic introgression from wild-farmed salmon interactions can be assessed using information on farm production characteristics. This represents a first step in predicting the impact of existing cage-based farms on wild Atlantic salmon.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Evaluation of Cytotoxicity and Oxidative Stress of Whole Aerosol from Vuse Alto ENDS Products

Assessment of in vitro cytotoxicity is an important component of tobacco product toxicological evaluations. However, current methods of regulatory testing involve exposing monolayer cell cultures to various preparations of aerosols from cigarettes or other emerging products such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), which are not representative of human exposure. In the present study, a whole aerosol (WA) system was used to expose lung epithelial cultures (2D and 3D) to determine the potential of six Vuse Alto ENDS products that varied in nicotine content (1.8%, 2.4%, and 5%) and flavors (Golden Tobacco, Rich Tobacco, Menthol, and Mixed Berry), along with a marketed ENDS and a marked cigarette comparator to induce cytotoxicity and oxidative stress. The WA from the Vuse Alto ENDS products was not cytotoxic in the NRU and MTT assays, nor did it activate the Nrf2 reporter gene, a marker of oxidative stress. In summary, Vuse Alto ENDS products did not induce cytotoxic or oxidative stress responses in the in vitro models. The WA exposures used in the 3D in vitro models described herein may be better suited than 2D models for the determination of cytotoxicity and other in vitro functional endpoints and represent alternative models for regulatory evaluation of tobacco products

Stable Marking and Transgene Expression Without Progression to Monoclonality in Canine Long-Term Hematopoietic Repopulating Cells Transduced with Lentiviral Vectors

Lentiviral gene transfer vectors have a number of potential advantages over gammaretroviral vectors including more efficient transduction of nondividing cells, a more favorable integration site profile, and the ability to accommodate large transgenes. Here, we present long-term follow-up data of animals that received lentivirus-transduced CD34-enriched cells. Six long-term surviving dogs were available for analysis. Transgene expression was analyzed from at least 12 months to more than 5 years after transplantation in peripheral blood cells and multiple cell lineages. All animals demonstrated long-term stable transgene expression in peripheral blood myeloid, lymphoid, and red blood cells as well as in platelets. Vector integration sites were analyzed by linear amplification-mediated polymerase chain reaction and showed a polyclonal repopulation pattern in all animals. There was no evidence of any development of monoclonality or leukemia in the animals. The stable long-term multilineage transgene expression, together with detection of the same integration site in myeloid and lymphoid cells, strongly suggests the transduction of long-term repopulating stem cells. Our data demonstrate safe and efficient transduction of multilineage long-term repopulating cells with lentiviral vectors and support the use of such vectors for gene therapy studies in patients