Harvesting waste thermal energy using a carbon-nanotube-based thermo-electrochemical cell.

Low efficiencies and costly electrode materials have limited harvesting of thermal energy as electrical energy using thermo-electrochemical cells (or "thermocells"). We demonstrate thermocells, in practical configurations (from coin cells to cells that can be wrapped around exhaust pipes), that harvest low-grade thermal energy using relatively inexpensive carbon multiwalled nanotube (MWNT) electrodes. These electrodes provide high electrochemically accessible surface areas and fast redox-mediated electron transfer, which significantly enhances thermocell current generation capacity and overall efficiency. Thermocell efficiency is further improved by directly synthesizing MWNTs as vertical forests that reduce electrical and thermal resistance at electrode/substrate junctions. The efficiency of thermocells with MWNT electrodes is shown to be as high as 1.4% of Carnot efficiency, which is 3-fold higher than for previously demonstrated thermocells. With the cost of MWNTs decreasing, MWNT-based thermocells may become commercially viable for harvesting low-grade thermal energy.

Non-inferiority of mammalian cell-derived quadrivalent subunit influenza virus vaccines compared to trivalent subunit influenza virus vaccines in healthy children: a phase III randomized, multicenter, double-blind clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: The safety and immunogenicity of mammalian cell-derived quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVc) as compared with trivalent influenza vaccines (TIV1c/TIV2c) was evaluated in children aged ≥4 to <18 years. METHODS: Two thousand three hundred and thirty-three subjects were randomized 2:1:1 to receive either one or two doses of study vaccine depending on previous vaccination status. Hemagglutination inhibition antibody responses for all four influenza strains were performed 3 weeks after the last dose. Reactogenicity and safety were also assessed (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01992107). RESULTS: QIVc met the non-inferiority criteria against all four vaccine strains and demonstrated superiority for both influenza B strains over the unmatched B lineage included in the comparator vaccines, when geometric mean titers and seroconversion rates were compared at 3 weeks after the last vaccination. Similar percentages of subjects experienced solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) across all subgroups. Unsolicited AEs, serious AEs, medically attended AEs, and new onset chronic disease were reported in comparable percentages of subjects in all study groups. No vaccine-related serious AEs or deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: QIVc demonstrated a similar safety profile and immunogenicity responses against all four vaccine strains without signs of immune interference on addition of an alternate lineage B strain compared with TIV1c/TIV2c and may provide broader protection against both influenza B lineages in children.

Gatifloxacin 0.5% administered twice daily for the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis in patients one year of age or older.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gatifloxacin 0.5% ophthalmic solution administered twice daily for treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. METHODS: Two identically designed, double-masked, multicenter studies in the United States and India enrolled patients 1 year or older with acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Patients were randomized to gatifloxacin 0.5% or vehicle treatment for 5 days. Clinical success in clearing conjunctival hyperemia and discharge at day 6 (primary endpoint) and day 4 and microbiological cure were determined. Isolates from positive conjunctival samples were tested for sensitivity and susceptibility. Safety measures included adverse events (AEs). Data from these 2 studies were pooled for these analyses. RESULTS: Of the 1437 randomized patients, 658 constituted the modified intent-to-treat population. Patient characteristics were similar between the pooled treatment groups. Clinical success occurred for 58.0% of gatifloxacin 0.5%-treated versus 45.5% vehicle-treated patients at day 6 (P=0.001) and for 23.7% versus 15.4% in the respective groups at day 4 (P=0.007). Microbiological cure was higher with gatifloxacin 0.5% than vehicle at days 4 and 6 (P<0.001 for both time points). The combined minimum inhibitory concentration required to inhibit 90% of isolates for gatifloxacin 0.5% was 2.0 µg/mL for gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. AEs were reported by 11.6% and 13.3% of patients in the gatifloxacin 0.5% and vehicle safety populations, respectively. One patient in each treatment group experienced a serious AE; neither was treatment related. CONCLUSIONS: The 0.5% concentration of gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution was safe and effective for treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis with twice-daily administration for 5 days.