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Partial Oxidation of Methane TEA v1.0
No full textThis spreadsheet is a techno-economic analysis model that estimates the minimum selling price of hydrogen (MSPH) for a partial oxidation of methane facility, using ratio factors to estimate operating and maintenance costs (OSBL)and user-selected, location-specific assumptions. Users configure scenarios using drop-down menus and editable input cells. The model then generates MSPH results on the Output tab. Additionally, it calculates the carbon intensity of the hydrogen pathway and allows users to optionally account for incentives and carbon capture and storage configurations within each scenario
AN ANALOG APPROACH FOR UNDERSTANDING FUTURE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CLIMATE CHANGE USING RECENT RECORD CLIMATE EVENTS
Full text linkSuccessful adaptation to climate change requires an accurate understanding of future conditions. Observations made during today’s extreme periods, particularly those characterized by sustained anomalous warmth that are analogous to future projections, can complement more traditional tools for predicting the future (trends, models) to provide insight into aspects of the earth system which remain highly uncertain. These include 2nd- and 3rd-order impacts and hydrological factors. This dissertation covers three chapters of distinct record periods in the Pacific Northwest where this analog approach was applied: (1) a record warm, wet fall (2016); (2) the June 2021 heat dome; and (3) the warm winters with accompanying snow droughts of 2005 and 2015. In Chapter One, isotope measurements of precipitation coupled with satellite data, historicalrecords, and terrestrial observations, uncovered multiple novel fall climate change dynamics, including a long term (1970-2018) trend of increasing monthly rainfall (+17% decade–1 in October), more southerly storm origins, and the decoupling of leaf-fall from low temperatures. In Chapter Two, daily snowmelt in cooler, higher-elevation zones revealed multiple spring heatwaves, concluding with the 2021 heat dome itself, rapidly and dramatically accelerated snowmelt in previously resilient areas, and the heat load of these spring heatwaves has doubled since the mid-1990s. Lastly in Chapter Three, we found that warming in 2005 and 2015, which are analogous to projected mid-century warming under RCP8.5, advances the spring transition to net snowmelt by ~80 days in up to 72% of Oregon and Washington’s typically resilient higher-elevation snowpack, driven by both extreme warming (up to +2.5°C above normal) and solid-liquid precipitation phase shifts (~60% decline in solid precipitation). These findings demonstrate the value of a granular evaluation of record periods to improve model accuracy and better understand ecosystems under the warming conditions expected in the coming decades
Protein-Based Porous Materials for Sustainable, Multifunctional Filtration
Full text linkNowadays, air pollution has emerged as a serious problem for both the environment and society. It's important to use different types of air filters to protect human beings from various air pollutants (e.g. particulate matter (PM), toxic gaseous molecules, and microorganisms, etc.), especially since people spend most of their time indoors. However, in addition to limited functions, commercial air filters are made of petroleum-based polymers that are non-degradable and incompatible with the environment. Furthermore, synthesizing multifunctional filtering materials is costly, energy-consuming, and requires a complex process. Compared with other biomass, natural proteins, such as zein (corn protein) and gelatin, possess tremendous amounts of different chemical groups that can have interactions with various air pollutants. Thus, air filters derived from natural proteins that are biodegradable, multi-functional, and low-cost can potentially address the challenges of commercial air filters and avoid concerns associated with the synthesis of new filtration materials. This dissertation is on the studies of protein-derived air filters with rational structures leading to high filtration performances (high filtration efficiency and low pressure drop) and multifunctional filtration capabilities (more species of pollutants including toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde (HCHO)) for more effective, durable, and sustainable air filtration. For this purpose, three structures of protein air filters are designed and fabricated, which are two-dimension (2D) bimodal fabrics, quasi-3D fluffy fabrics, and 3D aerogels. Firstly, bimodal protein air filters are prepared to achieve high PM filtration efficiency and reduce pressure drop. It is found that the bimodal structure of the protein air filters can be tailored by co-spinning proteins in two solvent systems to enhance the filtration performance by controlling the denaturation of the proteins and the fiber diameter distribution. Secondly, a quasi-3D made of highly fluffy protein fibrous membranes to achieve high filtration performance is rationally generated by strong repulsion forces at the fiber-collector interface during electrospinning. It has been discovered that charged and hydrophilic forces, which are created and controlled by interactions at the protein-protein, collector-collector, and protein-collector interfaces, are critical in determining whether the final structure will be 2D compact or quasi-3D structures. Furthermore, to enhance the filtration capacities for multiple species of pollutants and maintain low pressure drop, 3D protein materials, zein nanofibrous aerogels and/or hybrid protein aerogels composed of zein nanofibers and gelatin foam are fabricated. The filtration performances of the resulting protein nanofibrous aerogels are remarkable in terms of both HCHO and PM2.5 removal efficiencies. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the hybrid aerogel air filters that are constructed from two types of natural proteins deliver versatile filtration capabilities, i.e., being able to capture oil/organic chemicals, toxic gaseous molecules, and PM, at a low pressure drop. This work indicates that protein-based porous materials are promising to incorporate environmental friendliness and multi-filtration capabilities for sustainable air-filtration systems
Assessment of P-Glycoprotein Expression in Canine Soft Tissue Sarcomas
Full text linkObjective: Determine the level of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression via Western blots of protein extracts of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) in chemotherapy-naïve dogs sampled at the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital from July 2021 until October 2022.Procedures: STS samples were obtained via excisional biopsy performed by the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Surgery service on 22 cases. Samples were selected based on the following criteria: 1) pre-operative diagnosis or suspicion of STS 2) adequate tumor volume and 3) clients willing to pursue attempted surgical excision or surgical biopsy for definitive diagnosis of an STS and thus P-gp testing. Information regarding histopathologic grade was obtained in all 22 of the excisional biopsy samples. All samples were obtained fresh at the time of surgery and flash frozen in liquid nitrogen for 20 minutes prior to being stored in an –80°C freezer until Western blot processing. Western blots on protein extracts from STS samples were run in conjunction with beta actin Western blots to confirm consistent loading of the wells. This project utilized tissue samples obtained in the clinical staging or treatment of the affected patient, so interventions solely to acquire samples for this study were not needed.Results: Twenty-two canine patients met the inclusion criteria with one patient having had two tumors removed from different locations in a single surgery. Histopathologic evaluation was available for 22/23 tissue samples with the 23rd having been lost post-operatively. However, this sample was consistent with a spindle cell neoplasia on cytology prior to removal and thus was still included in this study. Histologic grade within the STS umbrella included 9 grade 1 tumors, 7 grade 2 tumors, and 4 grade 3 tumors. Two tumors were classified as oral fibrosarcomas and one sample classified as a spindle cell neoplasm via two cytology reports. The remaining samples were STS under the umbrella use of the term STS (n = 16) without a diagnosis of specific type of STS, and 4 samples were given a diagnosis of a specific tumor type under the STS umbrella: hemangiopericytoma (n=2), liposarcoma (n=1) and myxosarcoma (n=1). Western blots identified P-gp expression in samples from 7 STS with the remaining 16 having no visible P-gp expression.Conclusions and clinical relevance: These results indicate that a subset of chemotherapy-naïve canine STS constitutively express P-gp prior to chemotherapy administration. The clinical significance of this finding should be explored further to determine if P-gp expression by STS correlates with inherent chemotherapy resistance of STS, particularly regarding P-gp substrates (e.g. doxorubicin) or if P-gp expression correlates with prognosis
Ethnobiological Models of Plant and Animal Illnesses In a Changing Subsistence System
Full text linkOver many generations, human societies develop complex systems of cultural knowledge related to how people interact with and understand living things—a society’s ethnobiology. Ethnobiology includes the ways that people think about health and the internal workings of organisms, which are well-studied in terms of human-centered ethnomedicine and ethnophysiology. However, gaps remain in research into the ways people think about other organisms’ (e.g., animals’ and especially plants’) physiology. Such cultural theories about biology are especially important within the context of rapid environmental and food system changes, as is occurring in indigenous populations. There, long-held traditions that mediate human interactions with animals and plants may no longer remain feasible. Meanwhile, local beliefs and practices collide with external knowledge systems. To contribute to the understanding of cognitive anthropology and cultural evolutionary perspectives on folk science and ethnobiology, I ask the following central questions: (1) How do people explain biological processes (e.g., illnesses) for different kinds of living things, such as plants and animals? (2) How do explanations about plants and animals reflect changes in human environments and societies (e.g., following a shift to a new subsistence system and the influx of externally produced practices and knowledge)? I conducted ethnographic research with a Maasai community in Tanzania where—after centuries of semi-nomadic cattle pastoralism—economic and environmental stressors have led many families to adopt plant-based agriculture and bioscientific technology. I found that experts and lay people in the community use similar causal theories to explain illnesses for plants and animals that they also use for human ethnomedicine. Overall, participants tend to be more knowledgeable about animal illnesses than they are of plants and may have more complete mental models of livestock ethnophysiology and medicine than they do of agricultural plants. When asked to spontaneously explain an illness and its treatment in response to short vignettes describing an unwell cow and an unwell bean plant, participants tend to combine traditional Maasai ethnobiological theories with Western bioscientific interventions. These results suggest that people’s explanations reflect both cognitive biases and differences in experience with different types of organisms at the individual and cultural level
Community Energy Efficiency Program 2023-2025 biennial report to the Washington State Legislature
Full text linkWorking in partnership with Commerce and community partners, WSU has managed the Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP) since 2009. Over the 2023-2025 biennium, six dedicated community partners have upgraded homes and small businesses with high-efficiency equipment such as heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, induction ranges, and miscellaneous weatherization measures. They have also educated residents and business owners on proven conservation strategies. This work has lowered energy costs, reduced fossil fuel use, and strengthened local economies while advancing Washington’s climate and equity goals
Conformational Changes in HSV gC and Fusion Activity of HSV Glycoproteins from a Hyperfusogenic Virus
Full text linkHerpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) affects 60 to 90 percent of the world population. There is currently no vaccine available for HSV, and the only treatment for active infections is antivirals. Once infected with HSV, there is a lifelong latent infection with the possibility of reactivation caused by stress or in patients that are immunocompromised. Viral entry during infection is a target for vaccine development, so understanding the mechanisms of viral entry are important. For HSV entry to occur, viral glycoproteins B, D, H, and L are required. HSV glycoprotein C (gC) is important for low pH entry where it optimizes the function of the main fusogen glycoprotein B. Here we determined that mildly acidic pH triggered reversible conformational change in gC itself. A monoclonal antibody that binds to a linear sequence that includes residues within gC amino acids 33 to 123 inhibited low pH entry of HSV. This suggests that the gC N-terminus is particularly important. We also examined the fusion-from-without strain ANG strain of HSV-1 that has unique entry and fusion phenotypes. Sequencing revealed several mutations in HSV-1 ANG gB, gC, gD, gH, and gL genes. ANG gB, when expressed with wild type gD and gH/gL, increased membrane fusion, suggesting that ANG gB has hyperfusogenic cell-cell fusion activity. Replacing the wild type gD, gH, or gL with the corresponding ANG alleles did not enhance cell-cell fusion. Overall, we have increased our understanding of herpesviral membrane fusion and revealed novel potential viral determinants
Simple Modifications of Epoxy into Vitrimer with Superior Processibility, Balanced Properties, and Versatile Applications
Full text linkEpoxy resin stands as a remarkable engineering polymer, renowned for its exceptional mechanical performance, chemical resistance, and thermal stability. These qualities render it a versatile material that finds extensive employment across diverse industries. Nevertheless, a significant challenge arises once epoxy products undergo curing, forming enduring crosslinked networks, thereby impeding their recyclability and reuse potential. This quandary leads to the inconvenient disposal of waste epoxy items, often resulting in careless abandonment and environmentally harmful incineration practices. This research introduces dynamic chemistry into traditional epoxy resins, revolutionizing their recyclability and reusability. A spectrum of modified epoxy resins variations has been developed and showcased, highlighting their capacity for recycling and reuse in various applications. Additionally, recognizing the nonrenewable origins of current epoxy resins, the incorporation of biobased ingredients has been pursued to create new epoxy resins. This innovation not only broadens the range of epoxy resin options but also contributes to the ongoing quest for a sustainable society.In the realm of traditional acid-cured epoxy systems, the integration of methacrylate groups was served as a pivotal tool for the purpose of modification. A groundbreaking strategy was taken by incorporating glycidyl methacrylate in conjunction with soybean oil-based dimer acid. This combination resulted in the creation of three distinct epoxy resins, which were utilized to extend the main chain and finely adjust the mechanical properties of the resulting materials, ranging from rigid to flexible polymers. Leveraging the sensitivity of methacrylate moieties to UV light, these resins can be rapidly manufactured using photocuring methods. Moreover, these resins hold great potential as biobased UV inks for DLP 3D printing. The presence of hydroxyl-ester bonds within the system enables the cured polymer to undergo dynamic transesterification, allowing for reprocessing and repairing when subjected to heat. This unique characteristic bestows the printed objects with remarkable welding and shape-changing properties, thereby amplifying their adaptability and broadening their horizon of conceivable applications.As for amine-cured epoxies, commercially available aldehydes were introduced into the crosslinked networks to transform commonly used bisphenol A epoxy DER 331 into a Schiff base vitrimer. The as-mixed resin exhibited outstanding flowability that is in favor of material processing. Throughout the curing process, diamine exhibited the capacity to engage in two distinct reactions: it could either react with aldehyde to form dynamic imine bond, or it could react with epoxy to build a crosslinked network. Hence, by manipulating the equivalent of amine/aldehyde/epoxy, the obtained vitrimer exhibited tunable mechanical and thermal properties. Notably, the formation of flexible imine chains by diamine and dialdehyde provided the vitrimer with impressive toughness in contrast to commercial epoxy thermosets. Moreover, the dynamic behaviors of Schiff base vitrimer is controllable by its chemical structure. Different aldehydes were adopted in this system to investigate the exchange efficiency of Schiff base vitrimer via control the chemical structure. Model compounds were synthesized to elucidate the mechanism of the locations of substituents affecting the dynamic behaviors of Schiff base vitrimers. This ternary Schiff base epoxy vitrimer has been successfully demonstrated for applications in carbon fiber composites and coatings. The resulting composites can be decomposed under mild conditions (200°C, 4h, 0.2 M HCl) in a pressure reactor, and the recovered carbon fiber presented performance comparable to the original material. The coating formulated from this epoxy vitrimer showed comparable hardness, adhesion, and solvent resistance, and could undergo repairing after heating while being removed with a mild acidic solution.Building upon the precedent of the ternary epoxy vitrimer system, a more sustainable approach was pursued by employing renewable hempseed oil-based epoxy and limonene amine to fashion an environmentally friendly resin and its corresponding hemp fiber composite. Considering the inherent challenge of the feeble interface in biocomposite, the introduction of amino silane into the formulation was undertaken to act as a coupling agent. Notably, the pliant nature of the silane not only facilitated improved interfacial interactions but also contributed to the heightened toughness of the resulting vitrimer. Intriguingly, both the ester bonds originating from the hempseed oil-based epoxy and the imine bonds within the system exhibited susceptibility to aminolysis. This attribute proved crucial as it allowed for the vitrimer and its associated biocomposite to undergo degradation under mild conditions, specifically in an ethanolamine solution maintained at 100°C for a duration of 3 hours
Efficacy of pink noise and earplugs for mitigating the effects of intermittent environmental noise exposure on sleep
No full textStudy: Objectives Nighttime environmental noise (EN) exposure disturbs sleep and increases morbidity and mortality. Affordable and effective countermeasures are needed, but rigorous research is scarce. This study investigates the efficacy of pink noise (PN) and earplugs for mitigating the effects of intermittent EN on sleep. Methods: Twenty-five healthy adults (mean +/- SD age 28.5 +/- 5.9 years, seven male) participated in a seven-night polysomnographic laboratory study with different noise conditions including exposure to EN (93 events; maximum sound pressure level 45 to 65 dBA), PN (40 or 50 dBA), earplugs, and their combination. In the morning, participants completed cognitive tests, cardiovascular measurements, hearing tests, and surveys. Results: Compared to a noise-free control night, EN reduced N3 deep sleep (p < .0001) while PN reduced REM sleep (p < .001). Adding PN to EN worsened sleep structure, despite minor dose-dependent improvements of EN-induced sleep fragmentation and N3 sleep increases. Earplugs mitigated nearly all EN effects on sleep but started failing at the highest EN level (65 dBA). Morning cognition, cardiovascular measures, and hearing were not affected by nighttime noise, but subjective assessments of sleep, alertness and mood were significantly worse after EN and PN exposure. Conclusions: In contrast to PN, earplugs proved efficacious in mitigating the effects of EN on sleep. Considering the importance of REM sleep for memory, emotion regulation, and neurodevelopment, the negative effects of PN on REM sleep caution against the widespread and indiscriminate use of broadband noise (BN). Additional research on optimal BN color/level and long-term use is needed, especially in vulnerable populations.Clinical Trial Registration Registered at clinicaltrials.gov under "Broadband Sound and Sleep"; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05774977; registration # NCT05774977
A TEST THE GENERATIONALLY-LINKED ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPROACH EVALUATED WITH 4,000 YEARS OF SALISH SEA ARCHAEOLOGICAL FAUNA AND FLORA
Full text linkWe are pleased to announce a new archaeological article on our new book: "Living-Off-The-Land" for 4,000 Years on the Salish Sea, by Ed Carriere, Master Basketmaker, and myself, Wet/Waterlogged Archaeological Sites Specialist. We detail, in Ed's own words, the use of 44 natural resources (shellfish, fish, ducks, mammals, berry crops, raw materials to make basketry traps and nets) and compare these 44 resources to the fauna (bones, shells) and flora (seeds, charcoal) found in 9 archaeological sites within 20 miles of Ed's home (mostly Seattle area) for 4,000 years. We found generationally-linked CONTINUITY and SUSTAINABILITY for 200 generations of peoples supporting their families and communities for this time period, with no overuse or species driven to extinction for these millennia; unfortunately this is what's seen over the last 200 years. Hopefully we help to turn that around!!