As Internet of Things devices and cloud-based platforms become more mature, Energy Management and Information Systems (EMIS) are increasingly gaining momentum in the building industry. In large commercial buildings, Fault-Detection and Diagnostic (FDD) and energy information systems (EIS) are now established technologies with tens of providers and thousands of deployment sites across North America. The new frontier for the EMIS technology is now represented by control systems that use advanced system optimization (ASO) methods to improve the operations of the HVAC system. Given the complexity of the integration of such systems with the existing building automation systems (BAS) and the higher risk involved with direct control of the HVAC, these systems are still emerging in the market. This paper presents the results of a project in which a start-up company partnered with a research institution to develop a cloud-based software EMIS solution and deployed it in a university campus in California. The software system included advanced sensing, data acquisition, storage and advanced control and analytics applications developed on top of the native BAS. The new platform controls ten buildings on the campus and the FDD and the ASO applications deployed on this platform were able to generate energy savings of up to 35% and 25% in certain buildings for each functionality respectively. Where the platform did not save energy, it improved building service (air quality). Lessons learned include the importance of collaborating with and training the building operators and evaluating whether the legacy system can work reliably with the new technology.

Although Li- and Mn-rich transition metal oxides have been extensively studied as high-capacity cathode materials for Li-ion batteries, the crystal structure of these materials in their pristine state is not yet fully understood. Here we apply complementary electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques at multi-length scale on well-formed Li1.2(Ni0.13Mn0.54Co0.13)O2 crystals with two different morphologies as well as two commercially available materials with similar compositions, and unambiguously describe the structural make-up of these samples. Systematically observing the entire primary particles along multiple zone axes reveals that they are consistently made up of a single phase, save for rare localized defects and a thin surface layer on certain crystallographic facets. More specifically, we show the bulk of the oxides can be described as an aperiodic crystal consisting of randomly stacked domains that correspond to three variants of monoclinic structure, while the surface is composed of a Co- and/or Ni-rich spinel with antisite defects.

BACKGROUND:Establishing a diagnosis of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) preoperatively still remains challenging. Recently, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-through-the-needle biopsy (EUS-TTNB) using microforceps in PCLs has been made available. AIM:To assess the efficacy and safety of EUS-TTNB in the diagnosis of PCLs. METHODS:We retrospectively collected data of patients with PCLs who underwent both EUS-fine-needle aspiration (FNA) for cytology and EUS-TTNB at our institution since 2016. EUS-FNA for cytology was followed by EUS-TTNB in the same session. Evaluation of the cyst location, primary diagnosis, adverse events, and comparison between the cytologic fluid analyses and histopathology was performed. Technical success of EUS-TTNB was defined as visible tissue present after biopsy. Clinical success was defined as the presence of a specimen adequate to make a histologic or cytologic diagnosis. RESULTS:A total of 56 patients (mean age 66.9 ± 11.7, 53.6% females) with PCLs were enrolled over the study period. The mean cyst size was 28.8 mm (12-85 mm). The EUS-TTNB procedure was technically successful in all patients (100%). The clinical success rate using EUS-TTNB was much higher than standard EUS-FNA, respectively 80.4% (45/56) vs 25% (14/56). Adverse events occurred in 2 patients (3.6%) who developed mild pancreatitis that resolved with medical therapy. Using TTNB specimens, 23 of 32 cases (71.9%) with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm were further differentiated into gastric type (19 patients) and pancreaticobiliary type (4 patients) based on immunochemical staining. CONCLUSION:EUS-TTNB for PCLs was technically feasible and had a favorable safety profile. Furthermore, the diagnostic yield for PCLs was much higher with EUS-TTNB than standard EUS-FNA cytology and fluid carcinoembryonic antigen. EUS-TTNB should be considered as an adjunct to EUS-FNA and cytologic analysis in the diagnosis and management of PCLs.

Video 1This video is our description of use of the novel dynamic rigidizing overtube in a challenging colonoscopy case in which looping was causing significant bradycardia and inability to advance the colonoscope to the cecum. The rigidizing overtube, through sequential cycles of its flexible and rigidized state, allowed for easy movement of the colonoscope to the cecum.

Background/aims

Patients with Barrett's esophagus are at increased risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma. Endoscopic therapies aim to eradicate dysplastic and metaplastic tissues. Hybrid argon plasma coagulation (hybrid-APC) utilizes submucosal fluid injection to create a protective cushion prior to ablation that shields the submucosa from injury. We performed a pooled meta-analysis to evaluate the safety and efficacy of hybrid-APC.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search of major electronic databases in April 2022. Studies that included patients with dysplastic and non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus undergoing treatment with hybrid-APC were eligible for inclusion. Outcome measures included complete remission of intestinal metaplasia (CR-IM), stricture formation, serious adverse events, and number of sessions necessary to achieve CR-IM.

Results

Overall pooled CR-IM rate for patients undergoing hybrid-APC was 90.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.872-0.939; I2=0%). Pooled stricture rate was 2.0% (95% CI, 0.005-0.042; I2=0%). Overall serious adverse event rate was 2.7% (95% CI, 0.007-0.055; I2=0%).

Conclusion

Results of the current meta-analysis suggest that hybrid-APC is associated with high rates of CR-IM and a favorable safety profile. Interpretation of these results is limited by the inclusion of retrospective cohort and case series data. Randomized controlled trials that standardize treatment and outcome evaluation protocols are necessary to understand how this treatment option is comparable to the current standards of care.

Metal-insulator transitions (MITs) in resistive switching materials can be triggered by an electric stimulus that produces significant changes in the electrical response. When these phases have distinct magnetic characteristics, dramatic changes in the spin excitations are also expected. The transition metal oxide La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) is a ferromagnetic metal at low temperatures and a paramagnetic insulator above room temperature. When LSMO is in its metallic phase, a critical electrical bias has been shown to lead to an MIT that results in the formation of a paramagnetic resistive barrier transverse to the applied electric field. Using spin-transfer ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy, we show that even for electrical biases less than the critical value that triggers the MIT, there is magnetic phase separation, with the spin-excitation resonances varying systematically with applied bias. Therefore, voltage-triggered MITs in LSMO can alter magnetic resonance characteristics, offering an effective method for tuning synaptic weights in neuromorphic circuits.