Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) provides a large-scale and safe solution to balance the fluctuations in energy production from renewable sources and energy consumption but requires a proper and ...detailed characterization of the candidate reservoirs. The scope of this study was to estimate the hydrogen diffusion coefficient for real caprock samples from two natural gas storage reservoirs that are candidates for underground hydrogen storage. A significant number of adsorption/desorption tests were carried out using a Dynamic Gravimetric Vapor/Gas Sorption System. A total of 15 samples were tested at the reservoir temperature of 45 °C and using both hydrogen and methane. For each sample, two tests were performed with the same gas. Each test included four partial pressure steps of sorption alternated with desorption. After applying overshooting and buoyancy corrections, the data were then interpreted using the early time approximation of the solution to the diffusion equation. Each interpretable partial pressure step provided a value of the diffusion coefficient. In total, more than 90 estimations of the diffusion coefficient out of 120 partial pressure steps were available, allowing a thorough comparison between the diffusion of hydrogen and methane: hydrogen in the range of 1 × 10−10 m2/s to 6 × 10−8 m2/s and methane in the range of 9 × 10−10 m2/s to 2 × 10−8 m2/s. The diffusion coefficients measured on wet samples are 2 times lower compared to those measured on dry samples. Hysteresis in hydrogen adsorption/desorption was also observed.
Concerning the emerging power-to-gas technologies, which are considered the most promising technology for seasonal renewable energy storage, Underground Hydrogen Storage (UHS) has gained attention in ...the last few years. For safe and efficient storage, possible hydrogen losses due to dissolution into the aquifer must be estimated accurately. Due to safety concerns, experimental measurements of hydrogen solubility in brine at reservoir conditions are limited. In this study, a PVT cell is used to characterize the solubility of hydrogen and its mixtures with methane in saline water/brine. The experiments were carried out at 45, 50, and 55°C and from 1 bar up to 500 bar, mimicking a significant range of possible reservoir conditions. Two brine samples representative of two different reservoirs were tested. Two mixtures of methane and hydrogen (10 mol% H2 and 50 mol% H2, respectively) were considered, along with pure hydrogen, to account for the presence of methane in the primary phase of hydrogen storage in a depleted gas reservoir. In the current paper, a comparison of the experimental results with literature models is provided. At the experiment conditions, the impact of the differences in the composition of the two analyzed brines as well as the impact of the analyzed range of temperatures was not significant. Conversely, a non-negligible variation in terms of the slope of the solubility curve was observed as a function of the gas mixture composition: the curve increased more steeply as the percentage of hydrogen reduced.
Abstract Eutylone is an emerging synthetic stimulant that is quickly gaining popularity due to its affordability and wide availability. A recent surge has been observed in Upstate New York. This ...study presents a retrospective review of deaths in which eutylone was identified in postmortem samples from January 2018 to December 2021 in the electronic database of the Onondaga County medical examiner's office in Syracuse, NY. Of the 176 subjects who met the study criteria, 128 (73%) were male and 48 (27%) were female, with a mean age of 37.6 years. Most of the subjects were listed as White (89%), followed by African American (9%). Most of the cases had multiple medical comorbidities (89%), with anxiety and hypertension being the most common illnesses. Chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to perform a qualitative analysis of femoral blood and urine samples to detect multiple drugs, including eutylone. Substance abuse disorder was present in 135 (77%) cases, with opiates and cocaine being the most common additional drugs detected. The most common cause and manner of death were drug toxicity and accident, in 137 (78%) and 143 (81%) cases, respectively. Overall, the study suggests that eutylone is a growing concern in Upstate New York, and its use is increasing in prevalence. Policymakers and health care providers should take steps to address this emerging issue and prevent further harm to individuals and communities affected by drug overdose.
Crossbows are weapons that shoot arrow-like projectiles using an elastic launching mechanism activated by a gun-like trigger. Accidental deaths due to crossbow injuries have been rarely reported in ...forensic practice. In this case report, a 40-year-old man was found dead in the woods with a wound to the upper torso. The wound was observed to have a corresponding slit-like defect in each layer of his clothing. A blood-stained crossbow with the safety features off was found at the scene, along with a nearby partially bent arrow. At autopsy, a hemorrhagic sharp-edged penetrating track was found in the left upper chest, which injured the subclavian vessels. The mechanism of death was determined to be severe bleeding due to the penetrating wound. Toxicological analyses of blood showed methamphetamines and metabolites of cocaine. According to the available evidence, the manner of death was determined to be an accident. In crossbow-related deaths, particularly when the arrow is removed from the wound, determining the weapon used proves challenging because of the similarity of the resulting wounds to the wounds of other weapons. This case report highlights the importance of integrating critical crime scene investigation with autopsy findings to reach a correct manner of death.
Although studies have examined the effectiveness of telemental health programs, optimal approaches for their evaluation remain unclear. We sought to review the outcomes used to evaluate telemental ...health programs.
We conducted a literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar for peer-reviewed studies published between January 2010 until October 2019, and we excluded review articles, opinion papers, presentations, abstracts, and program report without data.
1310 articles were identified, 34 of which were reviewed. Studies used a combination of non-clinical and clinical outcomes, most commonly engagement and impact rates, and standardised clinical measures. Very few studies examined technological feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and qualitative satisfaction reports.
This review is the first to summarise approaches to evaluate telemental health programs. Strengths and weaknesses of the evaluation outcomes are discussed in this review, highlighting essential factors that should be taken into consideration when developing a standardised framework for the evaluation of future telemental health programs.
KEY POINTS
The methods used to evaluate telemental health programs are varied and no gold-standard for measurement of success exists.
Clinical and non-clinical outcomes are being used to evaluate telemental health programs.
More emphasis should be placed on feasibility measures such as cost-effectiveness.
Therapeutic alliance should be a crucial part of evaluation of any telemental health program.
Longer follow up times and larger sample sizes, as well as more diverse populations, are needed to generalise outcomes.
Utilisation of clinical tools to assess success should be limited to standardised measures commonly used in clinical practice.
Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC) is an enzyme of the urea cycle, which converts ammonia into urea in the liver cells. OTC plays a crucial role in the breakdown and removal of nitrogen in the body. ...OTC deficiency is a rare X‐linked recessive disorder that classically presents in early life with signs of hyperammonemia and progressive central nervous system involvement resulting in seizures, coma, and death. Sentinel presentation in adulthood is quite rare. A 29‐year‐old man developed altered mental status after receiving an epidural steroid injection 3 days earlier for back pain. He presented to the emergency department severely agitated, and his workup revealed an elevated ammonia level of 125 µmol/L. He refused admission and was discharged against medical advice. The following day, his mentation deteriorated, he developed status epilepticus, and was transported to another emergency department. He was admitted with worsening hyperammonemia (levels rising to over 700 µmol/L). His clinical condition progressive deteriorated, and he developed encephalopathy and diffuse cerebral edema. Liver function testing indicated progressive liver damage, and amino acids were detected in his blood and urine. Clinical and laboratory findings suggested undiagnosed OTC enzyme deficiency. He died 2 days after admission. An autopsy showed an 1890 g liver with diffuse yellow discoloration and softening. Histology and electron microscopy revealed findings suggestive of urea cycle disorder, such as microvesicular steatosis, apoptosis, and scattered mitosis, clusters of clear hepatocytes at the PAS stain, and mitochondria abnormalities. Genetic analysis revealed a hemizygous pathogenic variant of the OTC gene (c.622G>A). OTC deficiency should be suspected in subjects with hyperammonemic encephalopathy. If a genetic mutation is identified in the deceased, surviving family members should be screened to prevent potential life‐threatening complications.
Sudden death due to leukostasis and lymphocyte thrombi in patients with chronic hematologic malignancies is rare. Leukostasis is characterized by highly elevated leukemic cell count and decreased ...tissue perfusion symptoms, leading to severe complications and even death. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder that shows a highly heterogeneous clinical course, ranging from indolent form to very aggressive disease. Due to its low metabolic and mitotic rate, there is a lower incidence of clinically significant leukostasis in patients with CLL. Two main theories have been proposed in the development of leukostasis: (1) increased blood viscosity due to large leukemic cell populations; (2) high metabolic activity and cytokine production by leukemic cells. Both mechanisms lead to local hypoxic damage.
We present a case of a 70-year-old man who died suddenly in the absence of symptoms. Autopsy and histology examinations revealed findings consistent with CLL and diffuse leukostasis involving the major organs’ vessels.
In the presence of gross and/or microscopic findings suggesting a potential hematologic malignancy, undiagnosed or relapsing hematologic malignancies should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sudden deaths.
Hanging is a common method of suicide and multiple autopsy findings can be observed at the postmortem examination. Simon's sign is a haemorrhage into the anterior aspect of the intervertebral discs ...of the lumbar region that can be observed in hangings and other traumatic causes of death. This finding is considered evidence of vitality. Several mechanisms have been proposed regarding bleeding development. In this paper, we present a case of hanging in which Simon's sign was observed at the autopsy. A review of the literature regarding Simon's bleeding has been performed, and a discussion of the potential mechanism is reported. Although Simon's sign may be observed in hangings, a careful evaluation of all the available data, including investigation, autopsy findings, and toxicology, is mandatory to avoid misinterpretation of death's cause and manner.
Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are key elements in preventing resultant life-threatening ...illnesses, such as hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and septicemia. In this report, we describe the use of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for the biodetection of pathogenic bacteria, using bacteriophages as the recognition elements. T4 bacteriophages were used to detect E. coli, while a novel, highly specific phage was used to detect MRSA. We found that the system permits label-free, real-time, specific, rapid and cost-effective detection of pathogens, for concentrations of 103 colony forming units/milliliter, in less than 20min. This system promises to become a diagnostic tool for bacteria that cause major public concern for food safety, bioterrorism, and nosocomial infections.
► MRSA is the leading cause of nosocomial infections and needs to be detected quickly. ► Antibodies are unstable to environmental fluctuations, costly to produce and cannot distinguish live from death cells. ► A cost effective, robust and easy to produce MRSA-specific phage is isolated. ► An SPR system permits label-free, real-time, specific, rapid and cost-effective detection of pathogens. ► Concentrations as low as 103 colony forming units/milliliter of pathogens are detected in less than 20min.
The use of bacteriophages as recognition elements for biosensing techniques has recently provoked much interest. Surface plasmon resonance, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy ...were used for the real-time monitoring of the attachment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteriophages to gold using several immobilization methods. The MRSA bacterial capture efficiency of phage-functionalized surfaces was studied. We found that whereas the physisorption of phages to gold surfaces affects their biofunctionality, as expressed by their lysing efficiency of bacteria, phages bound via mixed self-assembled monolayers of l-cysteine and 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid permitted both the recognition and disruption of bacterial membranes. This is due to the formation of uniform islands on the gold surfaces, permitting an oriented positioning of the phages, thus better exposing their recognition proteins.
