Changes in lung function in European adults born between 1884 and 1996 and implications for the diagnosis of lung disease:a cross-sectional analysis of ten population-based studies

Background: During the past century, socioeconomic and scientific advances have resulted in changes in the health and physique of European populations. Accompanying improvements in lung function, if unrecognised, could result in the misclassification of lung function measurements and misdiagnosis of lung diseases. We therefore investigated changes in population lung function with birth year across the past century, accounting for increasing population height, and examined how such changes might influence the interpretation of lung function measurements. Methods: In our analyses of cross-sectional data from ten European population-based studies, we included individuals aged 20-94 years who were born between 1884 and 1996, regardless of previous respiratory diagnoses or symptoms. FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC), height, weight, and smoking behaviour were measured between 1965 and 2016. We used meta-regression to investigate how FEV1 and FVC (adjusting for age, study, height, sex, smoking status, smoking pack-years, and weight) and the FEV1/FVC ratio (adjusting for age, study, sex, and smoking status) changed with birth year. Using estimates from these models, we graphically explored how mean lung function values would be expected to progressively deviate from predicted values. To substantiate our findings, we used linear regression to investigate how the FEV1 and FVC values predicted by 32 reference equations published between 1961 and 2015 changed with estimated birth year. Findings: Across the ten included studies, we included 243 465 European participants (mean age 51·4 years, 95% CI 51·4-51·5) in our analysis, of whom 136 275 (56·0%) were female and 107 190 (44·0%) were male. After full adjustment, FEV1 increased by 4·8 mL/birth year (95% CI 2·6-7·0; p<0·0001) and FVC increased by 8·8 mL/birth year (5·7-12·0; p<0·0001). Birth year-related increases in the FEV1 and FVC values predicted by published reference equations corroborated these findings. This height-independent increase in FEV1 and FVC across the last century will have caused mean population values to progressively exceed previously predicted values. However, the population mean adjusted FEV1/FVC ratio decreased by 0·11 per 100 birth years (95% CI 0·09-0·14; p<0·0001). Interpretation: If current diagnostic criteria remain unchanged, the identified shifts in European values will allow the easier fulfilment of diagnostic criteria for lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but the systematic underestimation of lung disease severity. Funding: The European Respiratory Society, AstraZeneca, Chiesi Farmaceutici, GlaxoSmithKline, Menarini, and Sanofi-Genzyme

Assessment of the potential for geological storage of carbon dioxide in Ireland and Northern Ireland

The project used a multi-disciplinary approach to assess the potential for carbon capture and storage (CCS) offshore and onshore Ireland and Northern Ireland. The project work flow has used internationally recognised methodology to produce an integrated capture to storage road map for the island of Ireland. Using a basin-by-by basin approach, each sedimentary basin was individually assessed for carbon dioxide (CO2) storage potential in hydrocarbon fields and saline aquifers. CSLF methodology was applied to calculate storage capacity for the identified sites; each potential storage site was categorised according to the CSLF techno-economic resource pyramid [S. Bachu, D. Bonijoly, J. Bradshaw, R. Burruss, N.P. Christensen, S. Holloway, O.M. Mathiassen, Estimation of CO2 Storage Capacity in Geological Media, Phase 2. Prepared for the Task Force on CO2 Storage Capacity Estimation for the Technical Group of the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, 2007]. Identification and characterisation of point sources allowed hub scenarios to be developed between the major CO2 point source emissions and the most promising geological storage sites. This allowed potential pipeline routes to be identified and engineering specification and costs to be addressed as well as consideration of planning, public safety and environmental issues. A range of capture transport and storage options were produced and subjected to rigorous economic assessment. The major hubs identified are as follows: • Moneypoint (Co. Clare) - Kinsale Head Gas Field, North Celtic Sea • Kilroot (Co. Antrim) - Closed structures in the Portpatrick Basin • Cork - Kinsale Head Gas Field, North Celtic Sea The potential geological storage sites were subjected to FEP (Feature Event and Processes) and scenario analysis [P. Maul, D. Savage, A Generic FEP database for the Assessment of Long-term Performance and Safety of the Geological Storage of CO2. Quintessa. QRS-1060A-1, 2004] with respect to the potential risks of geological storage

Geoengineering and economic assessment of a potential carbon capture and storage site in Southeast Queensland, Australia

© 2009. Society of Petroleum EngineersY. Cinar, P.R. Neal, W.G. Allinson and J. Sayer

A feasibility study of ECBM recovery and CO2 storage for a producing CBM field in Southeast Qinshui Basin, China

This paper presents a geo-engineering and economic analysis of the potential for enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery and CO storage in the South Shizhuang CBM Field, Southeast Qinshui Basin, China. We construct a static model using the well log and laboratory data and then upscale this model to use in dynamic simulations. We history match field water and gas rates using the dynamic model. The parameters varied during the history match include porosity and permeability. Using the history matched dynamic model, we make predictions of CBM and ECBM recoveries for various field developments. We build a techno-economic model that calculates the incremental nominal net present value (NPV) of the ECBM incremental recovery and CO storage over the CBM recovery. We analyse how the NPV is affected by well spacing, CH price, carbon credit and the type of coal.Our analyses suggest that 300m is the optimum well spacing for the study area under the current CH price in China and with a zero carbon credit. Using this well spacing, we predict the recoveries for different injection gas compositions of CO and N and different injection starting times. The results show that gas injection yields incremental CBM production whatever the composition of the injected gas. Pure CO injection yields highest ECBM for low swelling coals while flue gas injection gives highest ECBM for high swelling coals. However, the differences in recoveries are small.Injection can be economically viable depending on the CH price and the carbon credit. At current prices and no carbon credit, flue gas injection is commercial. At higher CH prices and/or with the introduction of carbon credits, co-optimisation could be commercially viable. High carbon credits favour injecting pure CO rather than other gases because this stores more CO. Injecting CO at late stage increases CO storage but decreases the project's NPV. High-swelling coals require about $20/tonnes additional carbon credit