Design of A Flexible, High-volume Direct Flue Gas-to-Algae Conversion Process for Value-added Bioproducts

Carbon conversion processes (where carbon dioxide is not only captured and stored, but converted to commercially-valuable products) have high barriers to sustained and large-scale commercial viability. Mass algae production as a means to carbon emissions reductions is considered to have great commercial potential, but the viability of deployment is going to rely on technological leaps supported by strong public and private investment. Presented in this Design Report is a novel pilot-scale microalgae cultivation system that successfully converts over 50% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) present in a stream of flue gas from a coal-red power plant flue gas into valuable biomass. The process operates at a carbon dioxide input rate of 200 kilograms per day from a 10% carbon dioxide by volume flue gas stream. A 9-15% Return on Investment over a 4-5 year period is reported. The project met a set of highly ambitious carbon conversion goals, and contributes to a positive outlook for the future of algae production for sustainable carbon emissions reduction and value-added product creation. This presented design should encourage investment into pilot-scale and demonstration facilities in a move towards large-scale operation. The presented process can be used to convert high volumes of CO2 to valuable biomass that can be sold for many applications ranging from feed to nutraceuticals to biofuels. The innovative Hybrid Petal Reactor design incorporates a central gas exchange column with a horizontal tubular photobioreactor system that harnesses sunlight during the day, and an internally- illuminated nighttime tank that involves innovative use of optics. The outdoor system was designed to scale with a series of tubes that branch out like petals from the central gas exchange column. The tube design is optimized for high productivity and low costs. An emphasis was placed on designing a process highly considerate of biological constraints. The presented final design offers great flexibility and opportunity for scale-up

Integrated GHz silicon photonic interconnect with micrometer-scale modulators and detectors

We report an optical link on silicon using micrometer-scale ring-resonator enhanced silicon modulators and waveguide-integrated germanium photodetectors. We show 3 Gbps operation of the link with 0.5 V modulator voltage swing and 1.0 V detector bias. The total energy consumption for such a link is estimated to be ~120 fJ/bit. Such compact and low power monolithic link is an essential step towards large-scale on-chip optical interconnects for future microprocessors

Adiponectin inhibits tumor necrosis factor-α-induced vascular inflammatory response via caveolin-mediated ceramidase recruitment and activation.

RATIONALE: Anti-inflammatory and vascular protective actions of adiponectin are well recognized. However, many fundamental questions remain unanswered. OBJECTIVE: The current study attempted to identify the adiponectin receptor subtype responsible for adiponectin\u27s vascular protective action and investigate the role of ceramidase activation in adiponectin anti-inflammatory signaling. METHODS AND RESULTS: Adiponectin significantly reduced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression and attenuated TNFα-induced oxidative/nitrative stress in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. These anti-inflammatory actions were virtually abolished by adiponectin receptor 1 (AdipoR1-), but not AdipoR2-, knockdown (KD). Treatment with adiponectin significantly increased neutral ceramidase (nCDase) activity (3.7-fold; P87% of adiponectin-induced nCDase activation was lost. Whereas adiponectin treatment failed to inhibit TNFα-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression, treatment with sphingosine-1-phosphate or SEW (sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonist) remained effective in Cav1-KD cells. AdipoR1 and Cav1 colocalized and coprecipitated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Adiponectin treatment did not affect this interaction. There is weak basal Cav1/nCDase interaction, which significantly increased after adiponectin treatment. Knockout of AdipoR1 or Cav1 abolished the inhibitory effect of adiponectin on leukocyte rolling and adhesion in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate for the first time that adiponectin inhibits TNFα-induced inflammatory response via Cav1-mediated ceramidase recruitment and activation in an AdipoR1-dependent fashion

Nucleation control of quantum dot synthesis in a microfluidic continuous flow reactor

The use of microfluidics in chemical synthesis is topical due to the potential to improve reproducibility and the ability promptly interrogate a wide range of reaction parameters, the latter of which is necessary for the training of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Applying microfluidic techniques to semiconductor nanocrystals, or quantum dots (QDs), is challenging due to the need for a high-temperature nucleation event followed by particle growth at lower temperatures. Such a high-temperature gradient can be realized using complex, segmented microfluidic reactor designs, which represents an engineering approach. Here, an alternative chemical approach is demonstrated using the cluster seed method of nanoparticle synthesis in a simple microfluidic reactor system. This enables quantum dot nucleation at lower temperatures due to the presence of molecular organometallic compounds (NMe4)4[Cd10Se4(SPh)16] and (NMe4)4[Zn10Se4(SPh)16]. This integration of cluster seeding with microfluidics affords a new mechanism to tailor the reaction conditions for optimizing yields and tuning product properties

Measures of outcome for stimulant trials: ACTTION recommendations and research agenda

BACKGROUND: The development and approval of an efficacious pharmacotherapy for stimulant use disorders has been limited by the lack of a meaningful indicator of treatment success, other than sustained abstinence. METHODS: In March, 2015, a meeting sponsored by Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations, Innovations, Opportunities, and Networks (ACTTION) was convened to discuss the current state of the evidence regarding meaningful outcome measures in clinical trials for stimulant use disorders. Attendees included members of academia, funding and regulatory agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare organizations. The goal was to establish a research agenda for the development of a meaningful outcome measure that may be used as an endpoint in clinical trials for stimulant use disorders. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Based on guidelines for the selection of clinical trial endpoints, the lessons learned from prior addiction clinical trials, and the process that led to identification of a meaningful indicator of treatment success for alcohol use disorders, several recommendations for future research were generated. These include a focus on the validation of patient reported outcome measures of functioning, the exploration of patterns of stimulant abstinence that may be associated with physical and/or psychosocial benefits, the role of urine testing for validating self-reported measures of stimulant abstinence, and the operational definitions for reduction-based measures in terms of frequency rather than quantity of stimulant use. These recommendations may be useful for secondary analyses of clinical trial data, and in the design of future clinical trials that may help establish a meaningful indicator of treatment success

Relationship between monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and radiation exposure in Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors.

Radiation exposure is a possible predisposing factor for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), but the association has been uncertain. We investigated the relationship between radiation exposure and MGUS prevalence by using data from the M-protein screening for Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors between 1988 and 2004. Radiation exposure was assessed by exposure distance from the hypocenter and exposure radiation dose. We computed prevalence ratios (PRs) and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusting for exposure age and sex. A total of 1082 cases of MGUS were identified from 52 525 participants. MGUS prevalence was significantly higher in people exposed at distance within 1.5 km than beyond 3.0 km (PR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.1-1.9) among those exposed at age 20 years or younger, but it was not found among those exposed at age 20 years or older. MGUS prevalence was also significantly higher in people exposed to more than 0.1 Gy than those exposed to less than 0.01 Gy (PR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.0-2.8) among those exposed at age 20 years or younger. Thus, people exposed at younger age exhibited a significantly high risk of MGUS when exposed to a high radiation dose. There was no clear association between radiation exposure and the malignant progression of MGUS. Further detailed analysis is needed

Shallow waters: social science research in South Africa's marine environment

This paper provides an overview of social science research in the marine environment of South Africa for the period 1994–2012. A bibliography based on a review of relevant literature and social science projects funded under the SEAChange programme of the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR) was used to identify nine main themes that capture the knowledge generated in the marine social science field. Within these themes, a wide diversity of topics has been explored, covering a wide geographic area. The review suggests that there has been a steady increase in social science research activities and outputs over the past 18 years, with a marked increase in postgraduate dissertations in this field. The SEAChange programme has contributed to enhancing understanding of certain issues and social interactions in the marine environment but this work is limited. Furthermore, there has been limited dissemination of these research results amongst the broader marine science community and incorporation of this information into policy and management decisions has also been limited. However, marine scientists are increasingly recognising the importance of taking a more holistic and integrated approach to management, and are encouraging further social science research, as well as interdisciplinary research across the natural and social sciences. Possible reasons for the lack of communication and coordination amongst natural and social scientists, as well as the limited uptake of research results in policy and management decisions, are discussed and recommendations are proposed.Web of Scienc