Sizing Horizontal Geothermal Heat Exchangers for Community Greenhouses in Montreal

Community greenhouses are important for the production of local food and reduction of food supply insecurities within cities. As we've seen with Covid-19, pandemics highlight the criticality of local food access to underprivileged urban districts. Since almost 60 % of the energy used in greenhouses is spent in heating and cooling, ground heat exchangers (GHEs) can play a significant role in supplying temperature regulation, but geothermal heat pump systems tend to be expensive for community organizations. An efficient way to reduce GHEs installation costs is to dig trenches to install the system horizontally and cover a part of heating and cooling loads only. In order to ensure cost effectiveness and optimize operations, this type of system was studied for urban greenhouses where ground space can be limited. Sizing calculations were performed for GHEs of a 7.62 m x 15.24 m greenhouse located on the Island of Montreal where the annual, monthly, and hourly energy consumption were estimated from previous building simulations. Three scenarios were used to specify sizing of the system in terms of excavation dimensions and percentage of the greenhouse peak loads covered;(1) number and length of trenches required for a horizontal GHE (HGHE) covering 100% of cooling and heating loads;(2) number and length of trenches required for an HGHE to cover 100% of peak heating loads and 60% of peak cooling loads and;(3) the percentage of heating and cooling peak loads that can be covered by an HGHE located under the greenhouse with similar dimensions (around 116 m2). Estimated excavation dimensions for cases 1 and 2 are 51.8 m x 8 m (414.4 m2) and 40.8 m x 8 m (326.4 m2). Estimated percentage of peak loads covered for case 3 is 40% of heating peak loads and 30% of cooling peak loads. © 2022 Geothermal Resources Council. All rights reserved.

COVID-19 reduced the detection of lung cancer in first-time visitors, but not in repeated visitors in annual lung cancer screening

Background: Chest X ray (CXR) has been the most common screen procedure for detection of lung cancer. We have shown that there is a profit to repeated visitors to the same facility for the lung cancer detection screening (Kimura T. Health Prim Car, 2021). Declaration of Emergency by Japan government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent changes made to healthcare provision impacted people's abilities to effectively manage their health condition. The hypothesis was that many people would be reluctant to visit health checkup centers, and that opportunities for detection of cancers would decrease. Methods: Our clinic “MedCity21” is a university outpatient clinic to undergo a complete medical checkup in private health screening program. The visitors with abnormalities detected in CXR were announced by call request and invited to our specialty clinic for chest CT scan as further examination. Per year from 2018 to 2021, we examined the varieties of abnormal shadows by CXR and CT scans and compared the differences between the repeated and the first-time visitors using the chisquare tests and one-way ANOVA. We determined 2018 and 2019 to be before COVID-19 and 2020 and 2021 to be during COVID-19. We have been checking for previous COVID-19, and those with previous COVID-19 can be seen after 4 weeks of recovery. Results: From 2018 to 2021, in order, there were 12540,13690, 12070, and 13409 visitors of which 45.0%, 42.5%, 32.1%, and 29.2% were first-time visitors, respectively. There was a significant decrease of first-time visitors during COVID-19 compared to before COVID-19 (p = 0.0454). From 2018 to 2021, the CXR abnormalities requiring further examinations were 2.7%, 2.4%, 2.4%, and 2.3%, of which 2.1% and 3.4% were repeated and first-time visitors, 1.8% and 3.2%, 1.8% and 3.8%, and 1.5% and 4.0%, respectively. Each year, the detection rate was significantly lower for repeated comparing to first-time visitors (p < 0.01). The CT confirmation revealed that CXR abnormalities in repeated visitors were diagnosed with different variations compared to those of first-time visitors. Repeated visitors had a significantly lower proportion of old inflammatory changes than first-time visitors. This distribution is consistent with our previous report. It should be noted that there were no lung cancer patients in first-time visitors, on the contrary, there were 3 confirmed lung cancer in repeated visitors in 2021. Conclusions: There was a significant decrease of first-time visitors during COVID-19 compared to before COVID-19, but the rate of decrease was not as high as expected. The repeated visitors had significantly lower rate of CXR abnormalities detection, but higher detection of lung cancer. The number of people with previous COVID-19 will continue to increase. If the facility has adequate infection control measures in place, it is recommended that medical checkups be conducted annually.

An Earth-mass planet in a time of COVID-19: KMT-2020-BLG-0414Lb

We report the discovery of KMT-2020-BLG-0414Lb, with a planet-to-host mass ratio q (2) = 0.9-1.2 x 10(-5) = 3-4 circle plus at 1 sigma, which is the lowest mass-ratio microlensing planet to date. Together with two other recent discoveries (4 less than or similar to q/q (circle plus) less than or similar to 6), it fills out the previous empty sector at the bottom of the triangular (log s, log q) diagram, where s is the planet-host separation in units of the angular Einstein radius theta E. Hence, these discoveries call into question the existence, or at least the strength, of the break in the mass-ratio function that was previously suggested to account for the paucity of very low-q planets. Due to the extreme magnification of the event, A (max) similar to 1450 for the underlying single-lens event, its light curve revealed a second companion with q (3) similar to 0.05 and ;log s (3);similar to 1, i.e., a factor similar to 10 closer to or farther from the host in projection. The measurements of the microlens parallax pi (E) and the angular Einstein radius theta E allow estimates of the host, planet and second companion masses, (M (1), M (2), M (3)) similar to (0.3 M (circle dot), 1.0 M (circle plus), 17 M-J ), the planet and second companion projected separations, (a (perpendicular to,2), a (perpendicular to,3)) similar to (1.5, 0.15 or 15) au, and system distance D (L) similar to 1 kpc. The lens could account for most or all of the blended light (I similar to 19.3) and so can be studied immediately with high-resolution photometric and spectroscopic observations that can further clarify the nature of the system. The planet was found as part of a new program of high-cadence follow-up observations of high-magnification events. The detection of this planet, despite the considerable difficulties imposed by COVID-19 (two KMT sites and OGLE were shut down), illustrates the potential utility of this program.

P39-4 Activities report of a support program for cancer patients and their families at Jichi Medical University Hospital

Background: We report the progress of our support program activities (“Cancer Salon Rainbow”) in the last 6 years and consider the future direction. Methods: The cancer salon is opened to the public and conducted once a month in our hospital. The program consists of mini-lectures, relaxation, and interaction among the participants. In FY2019, the program also included a time to think about ACP. A questionnaire survey was conducted at each session. Results: The salon has been held 60 times from April 2014 to February 2020. Each annual numbers of participants were 369, 283, 376, 495, 389, and 299, respectively. Participants included many repeaters. They mainly consisted of cancer patients in our hospital and their families. A high percentage of them were women by sex, 60's by age. Main cancer patients were newly diagnosed within 5 years < over 5 years by periods after diagnosis, breast cancer by site (43 % other than 5 major cancers), and under treatment. In FY2019, their purposes of participation were mainly reported “acquisition of professional information” 67%, “taking relaxation” 54%, and “meeting peers”, “exchanging information based on actual experience” 45%. 74% of them answered that they have changed after participation, “The way of thinking about cancer” 73%, “The way of thinking about life” 66%, and “How to deal with others” 54%. Conclusion: The number of participants and the rate of evaluations have been steady. The useful program, activated their self-management and peer-support function, changes they felt after the participation as well might be factors. In the future, first, in response to their voices, we are considering the restart of the salon in the era of COVID-19. Second, according to their needs, we will provide proper information, relaxation, and promotion of peer support continuously. Finally, we aim at creating the salon where new participants with more various backgrounds can participate.

A critical analysis of the impacts of COVID-19 on the global economy and ecosystems and opportunities for circular economy strategies.

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on the 11th of March 2020, but the world is still reeling from its aftermath. Originating from China, cases quickly spread across the globe, prompting the implementation of stringent measures by world governments in efforts to isolate cases and limit the transmission rate of the virus. These measures have however shattered the core sustaining pillars of the modern world economies as global trade and cooperation succumbed to nationalist focus and competition for scarce supplies. Against this backdrop, this paper presents a critical review of the catalogue of negative and positive impacts of the pandemic and proffers perspectives on how it can be leveraged to steer towards a better, more resilient low-carbon economy. The paper diagnosed the danger of relying on pandemic-driven benefits to achieving sustainable development goals and emphasizes a need for a decisive, fundamental structural change to the dynamics of how we live. It argues for a rethink of the present global economic growth model, shaped by a linear economy system and sustained by profiteering and energy-gulping manufacturing processes, in favour of a more sustainable model recalibrated on circular economy (CE) framework. Building on evidence in support of CE as a vehicle for balancing the complex equation of accomplishing profit with minimal environmental harms, the paper outlines concrete sector-specific recommendations on CE-related solutions as a catalyst for the global economic growth and development in a resilient post-COVID-19 world.

Low prevalence of SARS-COV-2 infection among asymptomatic patients with chronic liver disease in Osaka, Japan

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has recently become an emerging pandemic threat worldwide The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection is relatively low in Japan;3,269 confirmed cases and 984 deaths were reported as of July 16, 2020 However, prevalence of subclinical SARS-CoV-2 infection remains to be determined In addition, whether it affects the clinical course of chronic liver diseases is still unknown Materials and Methods: A total of 1,462 serum samples were collected from patients without respiratory symptoms who visited outpatient clinic of Department of Hepatology in our hospital: 600 were taken before the SARS-CoV-2 endemic (Jun-Aug 2018 and Dec 2018-Feb 2019) as controls, and 862 were taken after SARSCoV- 2 was identified (Jan-Jun 2020). Of the 862 patients (63 ± 15 years old, 388 women and 474 men), 137 (15 9%) had HBsAg and 447 (51 9%) had anti-HCV;138 (16 0%) had HCC IgM and IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were detected in serum by using the SARS-CoV-2 IgM & IgG Quantum Dot Immunoassay (Mokobio Biotechnology R & D Center Inc ) Results: The positive rates of IgM and IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 throughout the study period are shown in Table Even before the SARS-CoV-2 endemic, IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 values were positive in 11/600 (1 8%) patients (median 0 16, range 0 10- 1 51), but IgM anti-SARS-CoV-2 were negative in all patients After SARS-CoV-2 identified, IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 values were positive in 6/300 (2 0%) patients (median 0 26, range 0 14-1 08), and among them, 1/6 (17%) patient was also positive for IgM anti-SARS-CoV-2 (value, 4 38) between Janand Mar 2020 Moreover, between Apr and Jun 2020, IgG anti- SARS-CoV-2 values were positive in 10/562 (1 8%) patients (median 0 27, range 0 12-4 16), and among them, 6/10 (60%) patients was also positive for IgM anti-SARS-CoV-2 (median 0 66, range 0 32-1 36) Of the 7 IgM anti-SARS-CoV-2 positive patients (70 ± 8 years old, 4 women and 3 men), 2 (29%) had HBsAg, 4 (57%) had anti-HCV, and 1 (14%) had autoimmune hepatitis (receiving prednisolone);none had HCC or other types of cancer Comorbidities included hypertension in 2 patients, diabetes in 1 and rheumatoid arthritis in 2 (including 1 receiving prednisolone). No significant worsening of liver diseases was observed in any patients Conclusion: The false positive rates of IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 were 1 to 2%, a little higher in patients with chronic liver diseases than the reported rates The results of IgM anti-SARS-CoV-2 testing suggested that subclinical SARS-CoV-2 infection is rare in Osaka, Japan, but the prevalence is increasing over time We found no evidence that subclinical SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with progression of chronic liver diseases.