Direct-Hydrogen-Fueled Proton-Exchange-Membrane Fuel Cell System for Transportation Applications

In partial fulfillment of the U.S. Department of Energy Contract No. DE-ACO2-94CE50389, {open_quotes}Direct Hydrogen-Fueled Proton-Exchange-Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell System for Transportation Applications{close_quotes}, this conceptual vehicle design report addresses the design and packaging of battery augmented fuel cell powertrain vehicles. This report supplements the {open_quotes}Conceptual Vehicle Design Report - Pure Fuel Cell Powertrain Vehicle{close_quotes} and includes a cost study of the fuel cell power system. The three classes of vehicles considered in this design and packaging exercise are the same vehicle classes that were studied in the previous report: the Aspire, representing the small vehicle class; the AIV (Aluminum Intensive Vehicle) Sable, representing the mid-size vehicle; and the E-150 Econoline, representing the van-size class. A preliminary PEM fuel cell power system manufacturing cost study is also presented. As in the case of the previous report concerning the {open_quotes}Pure Fuel Cell Powertrain Vehicle{close_quotes}, the same assumptions are made for the fuel cell power system. These assumptions are fuel cell system power densities of 0.33 kW/ka and 0.33 kW/l, platinum catalyst loading of less than or equal to 0.25 mg/cm{sup 2} total, and hydrogen tanks containing compressed gaseous hydrogen under 340 atm (5000 psia) pressure. The batteries considered for power augmentation of the fuel cell vehicle are based on the Ford Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) program. These are state-of-the-art high power lead acid batteries with power densities ranging from 0.8 kW/kg to 2 kW/kg. The results reported here show that battery augmentation provides the fuel cell vehicle with a power source to meet instant high power demand for acceleration and start-up. Based on the assumptions made in this report, the packaging of the battery augmented fuel cell vehicle appears to be as feasible as the packaging of the pure fuel cell powered vehicle

Reply: Familial ovarian screening: how to address abnormal TVU findings and its influence on the efficacy of screening?

Contains fulltext : 50362.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access

Baseline meniscal extrusion associated with incident knee osteoarthritis after 30 months in overweight and obese women

Objective: To investigate the association between baseline meniscal extrusion and the incidence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) after 30 months in a high-risk population of overweight and obese women, free of clinical and radiological KOA at baseline. Methods: 407 middle-aged overweight women (body mass index - BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) were evaluated at baseline and after 30 months of follow-up. Meniscal extrusion was defined as grade ≥2 on MRI according to MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Score (MOAKS). The primary outcome measure was KOA after 30 months follow-up, defined using the following criteria: either incidence of radiographic KOA (Kellgren & Lawrence grade 2 or higher), or clinical osteoarthritis (OA) according to the American College of Radiology (ACR) criteria, or medial or lateral joint space narrowing (JSN) of ≥1.0 mm. Using generalized estimating equations (GEE), we determined the association between knees with and without meniscal extrusion and both outcomes, corrected for the baseline differences. Results: 640 knees were available at baseline of which 24% (153) had meniscal extrusion. There was a significantly higher incidence of KOA according to the primary outcome measure in women with meniscal extrusion compared to those without extrusion (28.8%, odds ratio - OR 2.39, 95% CI 1.53, 3.73). A significantly higher incidence was found for the development of radiographic KOA (12.4%, OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.11, 6.13) and medial JSN (11.8%, OR 3.19, 95% CI 1.59, 6.41). Meniscal extrusion was not significantly associated with clinical KOA and lateral JSN. Conclusion: Meniscal extrusion was associated with a significantly higher incidence of KOA, providing an interesting target for early detection of individuals at risk for developing KOA

Prevalence of small osteophytes on knee MRI in several large clinical and population-based studies of various age groups and OA risk factors

Objective: Osteophytes, also small ones, are an important imaging feature of OA. However, due to their high prevalence on MR, the question has arisen whether these are truly pathophysiologic features of early OA, a result of physiologic aging, or rather a merely transient phenomenon. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of osteophytes on MR in various locations of the knee, with special emphasis on small osteophytes, across multiple large studies conducted in our institution comprising a wide range of subjects at different ages. Method: Retrospective explorative study of the prevalence of osteophytes, particularly grade 1 according to MOAKS, among four studies with a wide variety in age and OA risk factors. Results: A large number of grade 1 osteophytes were found in all four studies. The largest number of osteophytes were present in the youngest age group of &lt;30 years (69.6%) compared to 36.8% in the age group of ≥30 ​&lt; ​50 years and 54,3% when aged ≥50 years, of which most were grade 1 osteophytes. Conclusion: Small osteophytes are highly prevalent among populations with varying age and OA risk factors, in particular among young subjects without other OA features. This might suggest that these “osteophytes” do not necessarily represent early OA, but rather indicate a transient physiologic phenomenon.</p

InP/InGaAs photodetector on SOI photonic circuitry

We present an InP-based membrane p-i-n photodetector on a silicon-on-insulator sample containing a Si-wiring photonic circuit that is suitable for use in optical interconnections on Si integrated circuits (ICs). The detector mesa footprint is 50 µm2, which is the smallest reported to date for this kind of device, and the junction capacitance is below 10 fF, which allows for high integration density and low dynamic power consumption. The measured detector responsivity and 3-dB bandwidth are 0.45 A/W and 33 GHz, respectively. The device fabrication is compatible with wafer-scale processing steps, guaranteeing compatibility toward future-generation electronic IC processing

Reducing progression of knee OA features assessed by MRI in overweight and obese women: Secondary outcomes of a preventive RCT

Objective: To evaluate the preventive effects of a randomized controlled trial on progression of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) features of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in overweight and obese women. Design: In a 2 × 2 factorial design, 2.5 years effects of a diet and exercise program and of glucosamine sulphate (double-blind, placebo-controlled) were evaluated in 407 middle-aged women with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2 without clinical signs of knee OA at baseline (ISRCTN 42823086). MRIs were scored with the MRI Osteoarthritis Knee Score (MOAKS). Progression was defined for bone marrow lesions (BMLs), cartilage defects, osteophytes, meniscal abnormalities and meniscal extrusion. Analyses on knee level were performed over the four intervention groups using adjusted Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE). Results: 687 knees of 347 women with mean age 55.7 years (±3.2 SD) and mean BMI 32.3 kg/m2 (±4.2 SD) were analyzed. Baseline prevalence was 64% for BMLs, 70% for cartilage defects, 24% for osteophytes, 66% for meniscal abnormalities and 52% for meniscal extrusions. The diet and exercise program + placebo intervention showed significantly less progression of meniscal extrusion compared to placebo only (12% vs 22%, OR 0.50, 95% CI [0.27-0.92]). The interventions did not result in significant differences on other OA MRI features. Conclusions: In subjects at high risk for future knee OA development, a diet and exercise program, glucosamine sulphate and their combination showed small and mainly non-significant effects on the progression of OA MRI features. Only progression of meniscal extrusion was significantly diminished by the diet and exercise program

Stress evokes stronger medial posterior cingulate deactivations during emotional distraction in slower paced aging

Pathophysiology, epidemiology and therapy of agein

Indium phosphide based membrane photodetector for optical interconnects on silicon

We have designed, fabricated and characterized an InP-based membrane photodetector on an SOI wafer containing a Si-wiring photonic circuit. New results on RF characterization up to 20 GHz are presented. The detector fabrication is compatible with wafer scale processing steps, guaranteeing compatibility towards future generation electronic IC processing

InGaAs/InP membrane photodetector bonded on silicon

We present the design, fabrication and characterization of a compact photodetector suitable for photonic interconnections on electronic ICs. In our approach, the InP-based optical sources and detectors are linked via Si photonic waveguides in an interconnection layer on top of the CMOS circuitry. The photonic device processing is compatible with Si wafer scale fabrication steps, which guarantees compatibility with future ICs manufacture. The detector maskes use of an InP membrane waveguide to couple the light out of the interconnection layer and carry it towards the absorption region. A responsivity of 0.45 A/W and a rather flat frequency response in the 0-20 GHz range were measured