Strategic Analysis (United States)

Rigorous stakeholder-vetted techno-economic analysis (TEA) was conducted to estimate the cost of hydrogen (H₂) production using Proton-Conducting Solid Oxide (PSO) electrolysis. The analysis evaluates Current (2025) and Future (2035) technology cases at centralized plant scales of 50 and 500 metric tonnes per day (MTD), assuming electricity, water, and air as the only system inputs. Untaxed, unsubsidized levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is projected to range from 2020 $1.81 to $2.47/kg H₂ at an electricity price of $0.03/kWh and 97% capacity factor under Nth-of-a-kind (NOAK) deployment assumptions. Total installed capital cost was developed using bottom-up Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) stack cost modeling and detailed balance-of-plant estimates, including mechanical and electrical subsystems, installation, site preparation, engineering, and contingency. Stack performance assumptions include thermoneutral operation, degradation over time, and periodic replacement. LCOH was calculated using the Hydrogen Analysis (H2A) discounted cash flow model in constant 2020 dollars. Results indicate PSO electrolysis has potential for competitive hydrogen production costs under low-cost electricity and mature manufacturing conditions.

Hydrogen is seen as a potential energy intermediary between renewable energy sources and end-use applications including transportation, power, and industrial feedstocks. Central to this approach is low-cost generation of hydrogen via water electrolysis. Significant research has been undertaken to improve the electrolysis stack technology, including enhancements in electrical efficiency, lowering performance degradation, and lowering total stack cost. Strategic Analysis Inc. (SA) has developed a process-based Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) cost model for Alkaline, Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM), and Anion Exchange Membrane (AEM) electrolysis cell stacks. We assess the impact of technology improvement and manufacturing scale-up on the projected selling price of electrolyzer stacks for near-term and future deployments.Relative to the total cost of installing an electrolysis plant, the stacks contribute less than 50% of the initial capital investment. Therefore, from an electrolysis project perspective, the mechanical balance of plant and electrical systems required to operate the plant are equally important to understand. To explore the near-term and future cost projection for levelized cost of hydrogen via electrolysis, SA has developed a bottom-up project cost model for Alkaline, PEM and AEM hydrogen production plants. This project cost model incorporates: 1) Stack cost, 2) Mechanical Balance of Plant Cost, including process equipment, piping, valves, and instrumentation, derived from equipment quotes, scaling, database values, and Aspen estimates; 3) Electrical Balance of Plant Cost, including wiring, rectification, and electrical infrastructure upgrades, derived from time and material cost correlations; 4) Site Preparation Cost, focused on green field installation; and 5) Construction Overhead Cost, including engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) costs and project contingency. Through a project level perspective, potential stack cost improvements through catalyst optimization and cell refinement can be contextualized against cost reductions from scaling up hydrogen plant deployment. The SA project cost model results are fed into a Levelized Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH) model that accounts for the full CapEx and OpEx involved in plant operation, including electricity and water consumption, labor, maintenance, and stack replacements.The SA project cost model and the LCOH model are used to conceptualize electrolysis system sizes from 10 MW to 1 GW for Alkaline, PEM, and AEM electrolysis systems. From a project perspective, electricity costs contribute 50-80% to the LCOH while capital and maintenance costs contribute the remaining 20-50% to the LCOH. Although improvements in stack performance and cost can provide incremental LCOH reductions, significant cost decreases will require optimization of the stack cell voltage and operating current density, as well as reductions in net electricity prices through integration with low-cost electricity. SA will explore potential opportunities to reduce hydrogen production costs through stack operating point optimization and scenarios where hydrogen production plants can selectively use low-cost renewable electricity to reduce net hydrogen costs.

The Ensembles of Photosynthetic Nanoreactors (EPN) Energy Frontier Research Center is gaining new knowledge that will help bridge the gap in solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency between what is observed, i.e. <1%, and necessary, i.e. >10%, to substantially mitigate the effects of global climate change. A major focus is to couple correlative microscopic and spectroscopic measurements with numerical simulations. By doing so, we are overturning conventional wisdom in the understanding of the basic science and engineering that dictate several observations in the field of photocatalytic solar water splitting.Notably, charge separation in state-of-the-art Rh-doped SrTiO3 and BiVO4 nanoparticles is not driven by electric fields due to band bending, but instead by differences in mobility and/or lifetime of mobile electronic carriers. Moreover, we have observed that dopants in Rh,La-codoped SrTiO3 nanoparticles sometimes reside in unexpected crystallographic locations. We have also observed extensive incorporation of Pt cocatalysts into the bulk of Rh-doped SrTiO3 nanoparticles during Pt photodeposition, which coincides with the induction period for observation of H2. Also, using atomic layer deposition to deposit ultrathin permeable oxide coatings on Rh-doped SrTiO3 nanoparticles, we have observed increased selectivity for photocatalytic H2 evolution. Lastly, using thermodynamically rigorous detailed balance models, which support observations from experiments, we have shown that the solar-to-hydrogen energy conversion efficiency of an ensemble of optically thin light absorbers can exceed that of optically thick materials, providing new motivation for the study and advancement of photocatalytic, over photoelectrochemical, solar water splitting.Collectively, our discoveries support new approaches, and motivate additional research pathways, toward the development of technoeconomically promising artificial photosynthetic devices.

Recent advancements in our understanding of the association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis (MS), along with progress in EBV vaccine development, warrant serious considerations of future EBV vaccine-based MS-prevention studies. The clinical, financial, logistical, and technological considerations for designing and conducting retrospective and/or prospective prevention studies with the primary objective of evaluating the effectiveness of EBV vaccines in preventing MS and other EBV-associated sequelae are presented here. As implementation of these studies may require hundreds of thousands of participants, millions of dollars, and decades to observe if meaningful reductions in MS incidence occur, alternative approaches using pragmatic phase IV, post-licensure study designs focused on either the prevention of MS or infectious mononucleosis (IM), a common clinical manifestation of EBV infection that has been associated with increased risk of MS, are also explored. Current knowledge gaps in technology, funding, and research that must be addressed for a study protocol to be successfully designed and implemented are also discussed.

Approximately 1 in 10 U.S. newborns are born preterm (<37 weeks of gestation), facing risks of low birth weight, respiratory and birth deficits often requiring surgery, mechanical ventilation, and prolonged sedation. Such long-term exposure to sedatives in these babies can potentially pose neurodevelopmental risks and can further impact changes later in life. The present study focused on midazolam (MDZ), a benzodiazepine class drug commonly used as sedative in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Using a robust preclinical rodent model mimicking chronic MDZ exposure, we did a comprehensive characterization on the phenotypic, molecular, biochemical, and behavioral outcomes in these exposed neonates across key developmental milestones. Our findings indicate that long-term MDZ exposure during the neonatal period negatively affects physical attributes in early childhood. While adult bodyweights between control and MDZ-exposed rats remain comparable, the MDZ rats exhibit accelerated and robust weight gain, potentially indicating a predisposition for binge eating behavior. Additionally, dopamine release in MDZ-exposed rats is markedly reduced in adulthood. Elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and growth factors in the brain during adulthood suggest a shift in development due to early MDZ exposure. Further, trends of heightened anxiety-like behavior and reduced social interaction during early adolescence compared to other stages were observed. Collectively, our study provides a comprehensive assessment of how long-term MDZ exposure during neonatal stages impacts outcomes throughout life, laying the foundation for understanding mechanisms that contribute to neurodevelopmental complications associated with long-term MDZ use in neonates.

Background: Fewer than 20% of adults with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms have accessed care to evaluate or manage their symptoms. We sought to characterize whether adults with chronic GI symptoms would use an app for symptom monitoring and the effects of participation in a digitally delivered GI chronic care program.Methods: We provided a digital digestive care management app to adults via their employer-sponsored benefits. We evaluated participants’ self-reported GI symptoms at baseline and between 30 and 90 days post-registration. GI symptoms (e.g., abdominal pain and constipation) were rated on a scale of 0 (no symptoms) to 4 (very severe symptoms).Results: A total of 1936 participants were enrolled (75% female; 67% White, 11% Asian/Pacific Islander, 6% Hispanic, 7% Black; mean age: 43 years). Their most common GI conditions were irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and acid reflux. Participants of all genders and races reported statistically significant improvements in all symptoms between baseline and the end of the intervention (P < 0.05). At baseline, 79.5% of participants reported at least moderate GI symptom severity for at least one symptom. In contrast, at the end of the intervention, only 47.8% of participants reported moderate or severe symptoms, and 310 (16.0%) participants reported no symptoms. Participants who were scheduled with their care team reported greater symptom improvement than those who were not scheduled (P = 0.004). Participants reported feeling greater control of their health (83%), better management of their digestive symptoms (83%), increased happiness (76%), and greater productivity at work (54%).Conclusion: Demographically diverse participants engaged with a digital digestive chronic care program and reported significant improvements in digestive symptom severity.

Purpose:The purpose of the study is to analyze and evaluate the remote work of public sector employees during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, taking into account the evaluation of the efficiency of the tasks performed, taking into account the type of position held, the experience of the employees, technical and organizational aspects, the inconvenience of the work and the level of digital competence.Design/methodology/approach: Providing remote work is becoming increasingly common, especially in the context of the Sars-CoV2 pandemic.Both employees and employers recognize the benefits of a flexible work model, as well as several limitations and challenges.The findings of past research on remote work and the study's results indicate the relevance of this research area.This is particularly important concerning the public sector, which is not the subject of as much interest as the private sector.The problem of remote work is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, hence the need for research using various research methods and techniques.Therefore, our research is based on a mixed approach.They took advantage of the literature analysis and legal regulations on remote work in the public sector and applied a diagnostic survey using a survey questionnaire.In turn, statistical methods such as the chi-square test, p-value, and Pearson's coefficient were used for analysis.Findings: The results of our study showed that the evaluation of the effectiveness of remote work by public sector employees varies.In addition, of the seven hypotheses posed, three were positively verified: (1) the effectiveness of remote work depends on organizational conditions;(2) the effectiveness of remote work depends on the support of supervisors;(3) The effectiveness of remote work is related to perceptions of changes in the quality of services during the e pandemic.The results also suggest the need to develop management training programs that consider the role of support and communication with employees in the context of remote work. Research limitations/implications:The study provided valuable information on evaluating remote work in the public sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.However, the study has some limitations.On the one hand, confirmation of three of the seven hypotheses indicates the existence of relationships between the variables studied, but at the same time, highlights the need for further research.The analysis focuses on the public sector, which may not be entirely E. Bielińska-Dusza, A. Dyśko, A. Stępnik representative of other sectors, and the focus on employee perceptions may affect the subjectivity of the results obtained.Practical implications: The study's results highlight several critical recommendations for organizations in the public sector.First, there is a need to develop training programs that focus on support and communication in the context of remote work to ensure higher efficiency.Second, there is a need to implement a communication strategy to ensure that information flows effectively when working remotely.In addition, organizations should regularly monitor and analyze employee satisfaction and performance to identify areas for improvement.Finally, analyzing the impact of remote work on the quality of services provided is essential to identify and provide the necessary resources or support in relevant areas.Originality/value: The article addresses the timely and relevant topic of the impact of pandemic on remote work, which represents a research gap.From the literature, the issue has been analyzed in the context of the commercial sector, while limited research exists for the government sector.Our research fills a gap in the literature on remote work in the public sector in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing valuable information on the effectiveness and factors affecting the quality of remote work in this sector.

IntroductionResearch over the last couple of decades has demonstrated a relationship between psychophysiological measures, specifically cardiac functions, and cognitive performance. Regulation of the cardiac system under parasympathetic control is commonly referred to as cardiac vagal tone and is associated with the regulation of cognitive and socioemotional states. The goal of the current study was to capture the dynamic relationship between cardiac vagal tone and performance in a vigilance task.Method/ResultsWe implemented a longitudinal growth curve modeling approach which unveiled a relationship between cardiac vagal tone and vigilance that was non-monotonic and dependent upon each person.DiscussionThe findings suggest that cardiac vagal tone may be a process-based physiological measure that further explains how the vigilance decrement manifests over time and differs across individuals. This contributes to our understanding of vigilance by modeling individual differences in cardiac vagal tone changes that occur over the course of the vigilance task.

Zero-dose children, or children who have not received any routine vaccination, are a priority population for global health policy makers as these children are at high risk of mortality from vaccine-preventable illnesses. We conducted a narrative review to identify potential interventions, both within and outside of the health sector, to reach zero-dose children. We reviewed the peer-reviewed and grey literature and identified 27 relevant resources. Additionally, we interviewed six key informants to enhance the synthesis of our findings. Data were organized into three priority settings: (1) urban slums, (2) remote or rural communities, and (3) conflict settings. We found that zero-dose children in the three priority settings face differing barriers to vaccination and, therefore, require context-specific interventions, such as leveraging slum health committees for urban slums or integrating with existing humanitarian response services for conflict settings. Three predominant themes emerged for grouping the various interventions: (1) community engagement, (2) health systems’ strengthening and integration, and (3) technological innovations. The barriers to reaching zero-dose children are multifaceted and nuanced to each setting, therefore, no one intervention is enough. Technological interventions especially must be coupled with community engagement and health systems’ strengthening efforts. Evaluations of the suggested interventions are needed to guide scale-up, as the evidence base around these interventions is relatively small.