Improving the Energy Efficiency of Petrochemical Plant Operations: A Measurement and Verification Case Study Using a Balanced Wave Optimizer

The Chinese petrochemical industry is facing pressure to meet strict targets of energy consumption and carbon emission reductions. Water pumps are the primary equipment used in most chemical and agrochemical industries sectors since water is commonly used for cooling and heating purposes, but these pumps also consume a large amount of energy. Other uses of water pumps in these industries include producing steam for heating, preparing reaction media or absorptive reagents, rinsing products, and distilling. As for the electrical components of the water pump systems, current technologies of variable frequency drives and superconducting transmission lines are unable to increase the energy efficiency of these systems with a fixed load. However, the Balanced Wave Technology (BWT) is offered as a solution to overcome these limitations. In this report, a case study using a BWT optimizer is conducted on a closed loop water circulation system. Two BWTs are added to the individual motor-controlled section of each pump that is being used on the switchboard. For the first time, a detailed example was provided on how to implement option B of the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) in China by evaluating the performance of BWT as an energy conservation measure. The evaluated periods included those of the baseline, post-installation, and actual performance of the optimizers. An average saving of energy of about 10.46% is recorded in a 5-week reporting period. On this basis, that annual electricity saved is estimated to be 66,447.18 kWh, which is equivalent to the emission of 68.94 metric tons of CO2e. This case study demonstrates in detail how option B of IPMVP can be implemented for BWTs applied on pumping systems. In addition to petrochemical production plants, other industries like textile and clothing sections, which are heavy users of water and electrical energy with fixed loads in the production processes of raw materials, fiber, yarn, and fabric, as well as textile-dyeing and final treatment, could benefit from applying this new technology

The Effectiveness of Disaster Education for Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Knowledge, Willingness, and Perceived Ability: An Evaluation Study

As future healthcare professionals, nursing students should possess the appropriate knowledge, skills, and positive attitude to respond to public health emergencies or disasters worldwide. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a disaster management training course at improving Hong Kong nursing students’ disaster knowledge, willingness, and perceived ability. A mixed-method design using a single group with pre- and post-intervention comparisons followed by qualitative focus group interviews, was conducted. A 45-h disaster management training course with theoretical and practical inputs was conducted. A total of 157 students participated in and completed the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Positive significant results in disaster knowledge (t(156) = −8.12, p < 0.01, d = −0.84) and perceived ability (t(156) = −7.95, p < 0.01, d = −0.72) were found, but no substantial change in willingness to respond to disasters was observed. The participants expressed various concerns regarding their willingness to respond, which can be summarized and grouped as (1) personal risk perceptions, (2) contextual factors of the disaster events, and (3) organizational support. Incorporating disaster training into the tertiary education curricula for basic nursing professionals’ training could be a long-term strategy to prepare and expand the competent workforce for future disasters. Government or healthcare organizations are recommended to provide strategies and adequate support to alleviate nursing professionals’ concerns and enhance their willingness

Improving the Energy Efficiency of Petrochemical Plant Operations: A Measurement and Verification Case Study Using a Balanced Wave Optimizer

The Chinese petrochemical industry is facing pressure to meet strict targets of energy consumption and carbon emission reductions. Water pumps are the primary equipment used in most chemical and agrochemical industries sectors since water is commonly used for cooling and heating purposes, but these pumps also consume a large amount of energy. Other uses of water pumps in these industries include producing steam for heating, preparing reaction media or absorptive reagents, rinsing products, and distilling. As for the electrical components of the water pump systems, current technologies of variable frequency drives and superconducting transmission lines are unable to increase the energy efficiency of these systems with a fixed load. However, the Balanced Wave Technology (BWT) is offered as a solution to overcome these limitations. In this report, a case study using a BWT optimizer is conducted on a closed loop water circulation system. Two BWTs are added to the individual motor-controlled section of each pump that is being used on the switchboard. For the first time, a detailed example was provided on how to implement option B of the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP) in China by evaluating the performance of BWT as an energy conservation measure. The evaluated periods included those of the baseline, post-installation, and actual performance of the optimizers. An average saving of energy of about 10.46% is recorded in a 5-week reporting period. On this basis, that annual electricity saved is estimated to be 66,447.18 kWh, which is equivalent to the emission of 68.94 metric tons of CO2e. This case study demonstrates in detail how option B of IPMVP can be implemented for BWTs applied on pumping systems. In addition to petrochemical production plants, other industries like textile and clothing sections, which are heavy users of water and electrical energy with fixed loads in the production processes of raw materials, fiber, yarn, and fabric, as well as textile-dyeing and final treatment, could benefit from applying this new technology

Use of Information and Communications Technology in Family Services and Its Perceived Benefits amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Hong Kong—Jockey Club SMART Family-Link Project

Introduction: We examined information and communications technology (ICT) use in family services and its perceived benefits and barriers amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. Methods: We invited all family service social workers of 12 NGOs to complete an anonymous online questionnaire in May 2020 (Part A) and a management representative from each NGO to provide written feedback on ICT use in January 2021 (Part B). Results: In Part A, of 255 respondents (response rate: 67.3%), perceived ICT use in conducting programmes, groups, casework and preventive family programmes showed net increases of 33.9–54.5%; perceived ICT use in different work processes showed net increases of 18.8–48.6%. The three most common perceived benefits were “providing another option to service users” (74.2%), “more convenient service” (60.2%) and “maintaining normal service” (59.7%). In Part B, 12 management representatives consistently reported positive impacts of ICT use on family services. They shared actionable strategies (e.g., ICT skill-related training) and concerns about data privacy and management. Conclusions: ICT use in family services markedly increased amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. It helped make the services more accessible especially when the pandemic restricted face-to-face services

Distinct Molecular Landscape of Epstein–Barr Virus Associated Pulmonary Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma Revealed by Genomic Sequencing

Pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) characterized by marked lymphocytic infiltration and association with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV). The molecular basis underlying the disease remains unclear. We sought to study the molecular landscape by multiple approaches including whole genomic sequencing, capture-based targeted sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Tumor cells from 57 EBV-positive pulmonary LELCs were isolated by careful microdissection prior to genomic sequencing. Integrated analysis revealed a distinct genomic landscape of low TP53 mutation rate (11%), low incidence of known drivers in the RTK/RAS/RAF (11%) and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways (7%), but enriched for loss-of-function mutations in multiple negative regulators of the NF-κB pathway. High level programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression was shown with 47% and 79% of the cases showing positive PD-L1 immunoreactivity at ≥50% and ≥1% tumor proportion score, respectively. Subsets of the patients with actionable fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) aberrations (4%) and mismatch repair deficiency (4%) were potentially eligible for precision medicine. Pulmonary LELC showed a distinct genomic landscape, different from major NSCLC subtypes but resembled that of EBV-associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Our work facilitated the understanding of molecular basis underlying pulmonary LELC to explore potential therapeutic options

Expanded Newborn Screening for Inborn Errors of Metabolism in Hong Kong: Results and Outcome of a 7 Year Journey

Newborn screening (NBS) is an important public health program that aims to identify pre-symptomatic healthy babies that will develop significant disease if left undiagnosed and untreated. The number of conditions being screened globally is expanding rapidly in parallel with advances in technology, diagnosis, and treatment availability for these conditions. In Hong Kong, NBS for inborn errors of metabolism (NBSIEM) began as a pilot program in October 2015 and was implemented to all birthing hospitals within the public healthcare system in phases, with completion in October 2020. The number of conditions screened for increased from 21 to 24 in April 2016 and then to 26 in October 2019. The overall recruitment rate of the NBS program was 99.5%. In the period between October 2015 and December 2022, 125,688 newborns were screened and 295 were referred back for abnormal results. The recall rate was reduced from 0.26% to 0.12% after the implementation of second-tier testing. An inherited metabolic disorder (IMD) was eventually confirmed in 47 infants, making the prevalence of IMD in Hong Kong 1 in 2674. At the time of the NBS result, 78.7% of the newborns with IMD were asymptomatic. There were two deaths reported: one newborn with methylmalonic acidemia cobalamin B type (MMACblB) died after the initial crisis and another case of carnitine palmitoyltransferase II deficiency (CPTII) died at 18 months of age after metabolic decompensation. The most common IMD noted were disorders of fatty acid oxidation metabolism (40%, 19 cases), closely followed by disorders of amino acid metabolism (38%, 18 cases), with carnitine uptake defect (19.1%, 9 cases) and citrullinemia type II (17%, 8 cases) being the two most common IMD picked up by the NBSIEM in Hong Kong. Out of the all the IMDs identified, 19.1% belonged to diverse ethnic groups. False negative cases were reported for citrullinemia type II and congenital adrenal hyperplasia during this period