Parameterization of the nitric acid effect on CCN activation

International audienceIn this paper we present a parameterization of the nitric acid effect on cloud droplet formation. The new parameterization is intended to be used in large scale models in order to obtain regional and global estimates of the effect of nitric acid on cloud drop concentrations and the radiative balance. The parameterization is based on numerical air parcel model simulations and can be applied for unimodal and bimodal lognormal aerosol particle size distributions in a large variety of different conditions. In addition to the aerosol particle distribution and gas-phase HNO3 concentration, the parameterization requires temperature, total pressure, updraft velocity, and the number concentration of cloud droplets formed at zero nitric acid concentration, as input parameters. The parametrization is also suitable for describing the effect of hydrochloric acid on the cloud drop concentrations, and in practice, the HNO3 and HCl concentrations can be summed up to yield the total effect. The comparison between the parameterization and the results from numerical air parcel model simulations show good consistency

On the formation of radiation fogs under heavily polluted conditions

International audienceWe have studied the effect of gaseous pollutants on fog droplet growth in heavily polluted air using a model that describes time-dependent sulfate production in the liquid phase and thermodynamical equilibrium between the droplets and the gas phase. Our research indicates that the oxidation of SO2 to sulfate has a significant effect on fog droplet growth especially when hygroscopic trace gases, for example HNO3 and NH3 are present. The increased sulfate production by dissolution of hygroscopic gases results from increased pH (caused by absorption of ammonia) and from the increased size of the fog/smog droplets. Our results indicate that unactivated fogs may become optically very thick when the droplet concentrations are on the order of several thousand per cubic centimeter of air

Design of an Auction-based Local Energy Market for Integrated Electricity and Heat Networks Coordinated with Wholesale Market

This article presents a market-based framework for coupling of electricity and heat sectors at the local level via power-to-heat (P2H) units. The considered local energy market (LEM) is designed based on an auction-based energy trading process which is settled by the integrated energy system operator (IESO) with the objective of social welfare maximization. Moreover, as part of the suggested mechanism, the coordination between the IESO and the transmission system operator (TSO) is considered to evaluate the mutual impact of the designed LEM on the wholesale electricity market (WEM) and vice versa. To this end, a bi-level programming model is employed, in which the LEM clearing problem is implemented at its upper level (UL) while the WEM clearing problem is executed at its lower level (LL). To assess the operation of the LEM and its coordination with the WEM, a case study is considered in which an integrated energy system (IES), including a 13-node electric distribution system and a 4-node district heating system, is connected to a 6-node transmission system.© IET. This publication is copyrighted. You may download, display and print it for Your own personal use. Commercial use is prohibited.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Individual fluctuations in blood lactate concentration during an ice hockey game; differences between player positions

Source at:https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijes/vol15/iss6/13The main purpose of the current study was to provide an in-depth description of individual player’s intra-game physiological responses during an ice hockey game. A secondary aim was to compare these responses between forwards and defensemen. Six elite junior ice hockey players, three forwards and three defensemen, median (interquartile range) 17 (17–17) years, 182 (180– 185) cm, and 78 (74– 80) kg were recruited to participate in the study. Capillary blood samples were taken following each shift and analyzed for blood lactate concentration (BLC). Heart rate (HR) was registered continuously throughout the game. The game was filmed and shift lengths were determined retrospectively using a time-motion analysis. All players had BLC ranging between 1.8 and 10.7 mmol/L (mean = 5.5 mmol/L), with forwards reaching a significantly higher value than defensive players (F1, 32 = 75.2, p < 0.0001), a significant effect of time was also observed (F2, 25 = 6.4, p = 0.0058). During the game, the players accumulated 11:18 ± 5:04 (minutes:seconds) above 90% of their maximal heart rate (HRmax), but the majority of the time was below 80% of HRmax. The fluctuations in BLC and heart rate demonstrate that the intensity is highly variable during games and challenges both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways. The higher BLC of forwards might indicate that they perform more high-intensity work during games than defensive players

Describing voluntarily reported fluid therapy incidents in the care of critically ill patients: Identifying, and learning from, points of risk at the national level

Background:Fluid therapy is a common intervention in critically ill patients. Fluid therapy errors may cause harm to patients. Thus, understanding of reported fluid therapy incidents is required in order to learn from them and develop protective measures, including utilizing expertise of pharmacists and technology to improve patient safety at the national level. Objectives:To describe fluid therapy incidents voluntarily reported in intensive care and high dependency units (ICUs) to a national incident reporting system, by investigating the error types,fluid products, consequences to patients and actions taken to alleviate them, and to identify at which phase of the medication process the incidents had occurred and had been detected. Methods:Medication related voluntarily reported incident (n= 7623) reports were obtained from all ICUs in2007–2017. Incidents concerning fluid therapy (n= 2201) were selected. The retrospective analysis utilized categorized data and narrative descriptions of the incidents. The results were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Results:Most voluntarily reported incidents had occurred during the dispensing/preparing phase(n= 1306, 59%) of the medication process: a point of risk. Most incidents (n= 1975, 90%) had reached the patient and passed through many phases in the medication process and nursing shift change checks before detection. One third of the errors (n=596,30%) were reported to have caused consequences to patients. One quarter (n= 492, 25%) of the errors were reported to have required an additional procedure to alleviate or monitor the consequences. Conclusions:Utilizing national incident report data enabled identifying systemic points of risk in the medication process and learning to improve patient safety. To prevent similar incidents, initial interventions should focus on the dispensing/preparing phase before implementing active medication identification procedures at each phase of the medication process and nursing shift changes. Strengthening clinical pharmacy services, utilizing technology, co-ordinated by IV Fluid Coordinators and Medication Safety Officers, could improve patient safety in the ICUs.Peer reviewe

Individual Fluctuations In Blood Lactate Concentration During An Ice Hockey Game; Differences Between Player Positions

International Journal of Exercise Science 15(6): 985-993, 2022. The main purpose of the current study was to provide an in-depth description of individual player’s intra-game physiological responses during an ice hockey game. A secondary aim was to compare these responses between forwards and defensemen. Six elite junior ice hockey players, three forwards and three defensemen, median (interquartile range) 17 (17–17) years, 182 (180–185) cm, and 78 (74– 80) kg were recruited to participate in the study. Capillary blood samples were taken following each shift and analyzed for blood lactate concentration (BLC). Heart rate (HR) was registered continuously throughout the game. The game was filmed and shift lengths were determined retrospectively using a time-motion analysis. All players had BLC ranging between 1.8 and 10.7 mmol/L (mean = 5.5 mmol/L), with forwards reaching a significantly higher value than defensive players (F1, 32 = 75.2, p \u3c 0.0001), a significant effect of time was also observed (F2, 25 = 6.4, p = 0.0058). During the game, the players accumulated 11:18 ± 5:04 (minutes:seconds) above 90% of their maximal heart rate (HRmax), but the majority of the time was below 80% of HRmax. The fluctuations in BLC and heart rate demonstrate that the intensity is highly variable during games and challenges both aerobic and anaerobic metabolic pathways. The higher BLC of forwards might indicate that they perform more high-intensity work during games than defensive players

Reminding staff of diligence during the medication process is not enough to ensure safety : Learning from wrong fluid product selection incidents in the care of critically ill patients

Background and objectives: Wrong fluid product selection may cause harm to patients. This study aimed to describe voluntarily reported wrong fluid product selection incidents, including their consequences, the reported latent conditions and active failures leading to these and the suggested safeguards to prevent their occurrence, and to compare the suggested and literature-based safeguards to improve the fluid therapy safety within the intensive care (ICU) environment. Methods: All voluntarily and anonymously reported wrong fluid product selection incidents in all Finnish ICUs during 2007–2017 were reviewed. The incident reports included categorized data that were analyzed quantitatively, and narratives that were analyzed qualitatively, using content analysis. The results were reported as frequencies and percentages and described by using Reason's model of human error. Results: Over the eleven years, one wrong fluid product selection incident was reported every six days (n=663; 584 errors, 79 near misses); most were reported to have occurred during the dispensing/preparing phase (92%). Of the 584 reported selection errors, a quarter (26%) was reported to have caused consequences to patients, and one third (35%) to have required corrective or monitoring actions. The main reported latent conditions to the incidents were Working environment and resources (e.g. workload and time pressure) (29%), Similar-looking and -sounding names or shared features of the product containers (i.e. the LASA phenomenon) (28%) and Working methods (22%); and the main reported active failures were a lack of concentration, or forgetfulness (26%). Some usable suggestions of safeguards were made, e.g. optimizing fluid storage (15%) or utilizing checking practices (21%). While requiring accuracy, i.e. reminding staff of diligence and to be more attentive to detail during the whole medication process, was emphasized in most reports (71%), involving manufacturers in redesigning labels of fluid products, utilizing technology and strengthening pharmacy services are advocated existing literature. Conclusions: Wrong fluid product selection incidents with various latent conditions and active failures were reported more than once a week. To minimize the serious LASA phenomenon,multi-professional collaboration, coordinated international discussion and agreements of solutions with manufacturers, regulators and end-users, are needed. However, work is also needed to reduce the other latent factors, such as Working environment and resources as well as cognitive biases in daily work that may contribute to the occurrence of LASA related errors.Peer reviewe

Amine-Linked Single Molecule Circuits: Systematic Trends Across Molecular Families

A comprehensive review is presented of single molecule junction conductance measurements across families of molecules measured while breaking a gold point contact in a solution of molecules with amine end groups. A theoretical framework unifies the picture for the amine-gold link bonding and the tunnel coupling through the junction using Density Functional Theory based calculations. The reproducible electrical characteristics and utility for many molecules is shown to result from the selective binding between the gold electrodes and amine link groups through a donor-acceptor bond to undercoordinated gold atoms. While the bond energy is modest, the maximum force sustained by the junction is comparable to, but less than, that required to break gold point contacts. The calculated tunnel coupling provides conductance trends for all 41 molecule measurements presented here, as well as insight into the variability of conductance due to the conformational changes within molecules with torsional degrees of freedom. The calculated trends agree to within a factor of two of the measured values for conductance ranging from 10-7 G0 to 10-2 G0, where G0 is the quantum of conductance (2e2/h).Comment: Invited paper for forthcoming special issue of Journal of Physics: Condensed Matte