Final Technical Report

The Department of Energy’s Industrial Assessment Center at Colorado State University (CSU IAC) has been helping manufacturers in Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region save energy, reduce waste, and save money while helping to produce highly-trained and highly-capable energy engineers since 1984. The most recent four-year contract continues that trend. This contract ran from September 1, 2002 through May 31, 2007 and included assessments conducted from September 1, 2002 through August 31, 2006. During this contract, the CSU IAC served 77 manufacturers in six Rocky Mountain States and recommended about 311,800 MMBtu/yr in energy savings, 12.6 million gallons of waste water reduction per year, nearly 650,000 pounds of solid waste reduction per year, and more than 5,600 gallons of hazardous solid waste per year, saving more than $9.54 million dollars per year in utility, waste disposal, raw material, and labor costs. Total expenditures for the period were about$814,000 for the period or about $203,500 per year. Thus, the CSU IAC generated almost 12 times more recommended cost savings than the project cost. In addition, the program employed 24 undergraduate mechanical and civil engineering students and seven graduate mechanical engineering students. Of these students, more than 75% have gone on to successful careers in energy engineering or manufacturing, where they continue to provide additional energy and cost savings for industry and the country

A Full MALDI-Based Approach to Detect Plasmid-Encoded KPC-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae represents a severe public health concern worldwide. The rapid detection of these isolates is of fundamental importance for the adoption of proper antibiotic treatment and infection control measures, and new applications of MALDI-TOF MS technology fit this purpose. In this study, we present a full MALDI-based approach to detect plasmid-encoded KPC-producing strains, accomplished by the automated detection of a KPC-specific peak (at 11,109 m/z) by a specific algorithm integrated into the MALDI Biotyper system (Bruker Daltonik), and the confirmation of carbapenemase activity by STAR-Carba imipenem hydrolysis assay. A total of 6209 K. pneumoniae isolates from Italy and Germany were investigated for the presence of the KPC-related peak, and a subset of them (n = 243) underwent confirmation of carbapenemase activity by STAR-Carba assay. The novel approach was further applied directly to positive blood culture bottles (n = 204), using the bacterial pellet obtained with Sepsityper kit (Bruker Daltonik). The novel approach enabled a reliable and very fast detection of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae strains, from colonies as well as directly from positive blood cultures. The automated peak detection enabled the instant detection of KPC-producing K. pneumoniae during the routine identification process, with excellent specificity (100%) and a good sensitivity (85.1%). The sensitivity is likely mainly related to the prevalence of the specific plasmid harboring clones among all the KPC-producing circulating strains. STAR-Carba carbapenemase confirmation showed 100% sensitivity and specificity, both from colonies and from positive blood cultures

Sensor Calibration Systems and Methods for Infrared Cameras

Systems and methods directed to calibration techniques for infrared cameras are disclosed for some embodiments. For example, a method of determining infrared sensor calibration information, in accordance with an embodiment, includes performing a calibration operation on an infrared sensor to obtain calibration information, wherein the infrared sensor is not within an infrared camera core, and storing the calibration information

Classification and Identification of Bacteria by Mass Spectrometry and Computational Analysis

Background: In general, the definite determination of bacterial species is a tedious process and requires extensive manual labour. Novel technologies for bacterial detection and analysis can therefore help microbiologists in minimising their efforts in developing a number of microbiological applications. Methodology: We present a robust, standardized procedure for automated bacterial analysis that is based on the detection of patterns of protein masses by MALDI mass spectrometry. We particularly applied the approach for classifying and identifying strains in species of the genus Erwinia. Many species of this genus are associated with disastrous plant diseases such as fire blight. Using our experimental procedure, we created a general bacterial mass spectra database that currently contains 2800 entries of bacteria of different genera. This database will be steadily expanded. To support users with a feasible analytical method, we developed and tested comprehensive software tools that are demonstrated herein. Furthermore, to gain additional analytical accuracy and reliability in the analysis we used genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms by mass spectrometry to unambiguously determine closely related strains that are difficult to distinguish by only relying on protein mass pattern detection. Conclusions: With the method for bacterial analysis, we could identify fire blight pathogens from a variety of biological sources. The method can be used for a number of additional bacterial genera. Moreover, the mass spectrometry approac

Evaluation of a Novel MALDI Biotyper Algorithm to Distinguish Mycobacterium intracellulare From Mycobacterium chimaera

Accurate and timely mycobacterial species identification is imperative for successful diagnosis, treatment, and management of disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). The current most widely utilized method for NTM species identification is Sanger sequencing of one or more genomic loci, followed by BLAST sequence analysis. MALDI-TOF MS offers a less expensive and increasingly accurate alternative to sequencing, but the commercially available assays used in clinical mycobacteriology cannot differentiate between Mycobacterium intracellulare and Mycobacterium chimaera, two closely related potentially pathogenic species of NTM that are members of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Because this differentiation of MAC species is challenging in a diagnostic setting, Bruker has developed an improved spectral interpretation algorithm to differentiate M. chimaera and M. intracellulare based on differential spectral peak signatures. Here, we utilize a set of 185 MAC isolates that have been characterized using rpoB locus sequencing followed by whole genome sequencing in some cases, to test the accuracy of the Bruker subtyper software to identify M. chimaera (n = 49) and M. intracellulare (n = 55). 100% of the M. intracellulare and 82% of the M. chimaera isolates were accurately identified using the MALDI Biotyper algorithm. This subtyper module is available with the MALDI Biotyper Compass software and offers a promising mechanism for rapid and inexpensive species determination for M. chimaera and M. intracellulare

Das Stigma von Suchterkrankungen verstehen und überwinden = Understanding and overcoming the stigma of substance use disorders

Understanding and overcoming the stigma of substance use disorders Abstract. Stigma does harm to individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), and it increases the burden of SUDs. It presents a barrier to help seeking, results in lower treatment quality and increases social and health related consequences of SUDs. This applies to both the individual, societal and economic consequences of substance use. Moreover, stigmatizing persons with addictions is an ethical problem, since it discriminates against a certain group and infringes on their human dignity. Dealing with substance use disorders without stigma is possible. Eliminating the stigma of SUDs means finding better ways to deal with SUDs and to make these ways available to everyone. Instead of devaluing, marginalizing and disciplining persons with SUD, empowerment and appreciation need to be at the core of dealing with SUD in prevention, treatment and every day life

Multi-messenger observations of a binary neutron star merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ~1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40+8-8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 Mo. An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ~40 Mpc) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One- Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ~10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ~9 and ~16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta

Multi-messenger Observations of a Binary Neutron Star Merger

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ∼ 1.7 {{s}} with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of {40}-8+8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 {M}ȯ . An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ∼ 40 {{Mpc}}) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One-Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ∼10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ∼ 9 and ∼ 16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC 4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta.</p

Electronic Patient Briefing and Informed Consent: Creating Patient Trust and Information Satisfaction through Social Presence and Personalization

Patient consultation and briefing are essential for patients to make informed, self-determined decisions in their medical treatment. However, cost and time pressures lead to medical specialists spending less time with patient consultation, which may result in decreasing consultation quality. Electronic consultations are a potential solution to this problem. We propose patients’ trust and information satisfaction as key indicators of high consultation quality. We argue that the degree of social presence and personalization of information systems for informed consent and consultation positively influence these measures. Electronic consultation systems may therefore need to be designed to promote social presence and personalization. We develop five hypotheses on this relationship based on social presence theory. These hypotheses will be tested in a university hospital’s radiology department in the scope of an interdisciplinary research project on cancer therapy