Intermediate Storage Research Articles

Analyzing the role of consumer behavior in coping with intermittent supply in water distribution systems

Abstract A substantial number of water distribution systems (WDS) worldwide are operated as intermittent water supply (IWS) systems, delivering water to consumers in irregular and unreliable manners. The IWS consumers commonly adapt to flexible consumption behaviors characterized by storing the limited water available during shorter supply periods in intermediate storage facilities for subsequent usage during more extended nonsupply periods. Nevertheless, the impacts of such consumer behavior on the performance of IWS systems have not been adequately addressed. Toward this direction, this article presents a novel open-source Python-based simulation tool (EPyT-IWS) for WDS, virtually acting like an IWS modeling extension of EPANET 2.2. The applicability of EPyT-IWS was demonstrated by conducting hydraulic simulations of a typical WDS with representative IWS attributes. Different IWS operation cases were considered by varying the amount and consistency of the water availability to the consumers. EPyT-IWS outputs showed that domestic storage of water within underground tanks and subsequent pumping into overhead tanks allows consumers to cope with the intermittent water availability and suitably meet their demands. Besides the interval, the clock time of the water supply was predicted to influence IWS consumers’ ability to meet water demands.

Part-Load Energy Performance Assessment of a Pumped Thermal Energy Storage System for an Energy Community

Research on pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) has gained considerable attention from the scientific community. Its better suitability for specific applications and the increasing need for the development of innovative energy storage technologies are among the main reasons for that interest. The name Carnot Battery (CB) has been used in the literature to refer to PTES systems. The present paper aims to develop an energy analysis of a CB comprising a high-temperature two-stage heat pump (2sHP), an intermediate thermal storage (latent heat), and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC). From a broad perspective, the CB is modeled considering two types of heat inputs for the HP: a cold reservoir in the ground (at a constant temperature of 12 °C throughout the entire year) and a heat storage at 80 °C (thermally-integrated PTES—TI-PTES). The first part defines simple models for the HP and ORC, where only the cycles’ efficiencies are considered. On this basis, the storage temperature and the kind of fluids are identified. Then, the expected power-to-power (round-trip) efficiency is calculated, considering a more realistic model, the constant size of the heat exchangers, and the off-design operation of expanders and compressors. The model is simulated using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software (Academic Professional V10.998-3D) for several working fluids and different temperature levels for the intermediate CB heat storage. The results demonstrate that the scenario based on TI-PTES operation mode (toluene as the HP working fluid) achieved the highest round-trip efficiency of 80.2% at full load and 50.6% round-trip efficiency with the CB operating at part-load (25% of its full load). Furthermore, when the HP working fluid was changed (under the same scenario) to R1336mzz(Z), the round-trip full-load and part-load efficiencies dropped to 72.4% and 46.2%, respectively. The findings of this study provide the HP and ORC characteristic curves that could be linearized and used in a thermo-economic optimization model based on a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) algorithm.

Cytokinin application improving growth, sugar content, polyphenol and flavonoid content in Yacon tuberous roots

Yacon is a tuberous crop that accumulates sugar in large quantities and has many valuable secondary compounds in medicine such as phenolic compounds and flavonoids. The objective of this study was to increase the size and content of sugars, polyphenols and flavonoids during the early growth of tubers. Therefore, early tuber stimulation and tuber size are important as they determine yield over time. Cell restructuring along with growth expansion as well as control of tuber reserves also takes place. This study investigated anatomy structure changes, fresh weight, dry weight, respiratory intensity and sugar content in different Yacon root types. A spray of N-benzyl adenine (BA) (0–25 ppm) is applied in the initial stage. Determining agronomic, physiological, and, biochemical indicators after 4 weeks of treatment, the sugar content of tubers determines the yield of tubers after 16 weeks of treatment. The results showed that Yacon crops at the stages of 5 to 9 weeks develop fibrous roots, thin fibrous roots and pre-tuberous roots at week 13, intermediate storage roots at week 17 and mature storage roots at week 17. BA 20 ppm application on Yacon crop week 13 increased the number of storage roots, fresh weight, dry weight tuber diameter, total sugar content, fructan content, total phenolic and flavonoid remarkably compared to controls, but reducing sugar content is lower than treating BA at 15 ppm. BA 20 ppm application on Yacon crop week 13 increased the parameters of sugar growth and accumulation, tuber yeild on a plant increased 2 times, dry weight increased 1.65 times, sugar content, total sugar 1.12 times, reducing sugar 3.01 times, fructan 1.36 times, total phenolic and flavonoid 1.36 and 1.26 times after 25 weeks of treatment.

Evaluation of physicochemical characteristics and centerline temperatures of Sr ceramic waste form

When disposing of spent fuel, nuclides such as Cs-137 and Sr-90, which generate short-term decay heat, must be removed from the spent nuclear fuel for efficient storage facility utilization. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been developing a nuclide management process that can enhance disposal efficiency by sorting and collecting primary nuclides and a technology for separating Sr nuclides from the spent nuclear fuels using precipitation and distillation. In this study, we prepared Sr ceramic waste form, SrTiO3, using the solid-state reaction method to immobilize the Sr nuclides, and its physicochemical properties were evaluated. Moreover, the radiological and thermal characteristics of the Sr waste form were evaluated by estimating the composition of Sr nuclides considering the spent nuclear fuel history such as burn-up and cooling period. The waste form was found to be stable with good mechanical strength and leaching properties in addition to a low coefficient of thermal expansion, which would be advantageous for intermediate storage. Based on the experimental and radiological results, the centerline temperature of the waste form caused by Sr-90 nuclide was estimated using the steady-state conduction equation. The centerline temperature increased with increasing diameter of the waste form. When generating the SrTiO3 waste form using the Sr nuclide recovered after a cooling period of 10 years, the centerline temperature was estimated to exceed the melting point of SrTiO3 at a diameter of 0.275 m, under all burn-up conditions. These results provide fundamental data for the management and intermediate storage of Sr waste.

Cache-Enabled Adaptive Video Streaming: A QoE-Based Evaluation Study

Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) has prevailed as the dominant way of video transmission over the Internet. This technology is based on receiving small sequential video segments from a server. However, one challenge that has not been adequately examined is the obtainment of video segments in a way that serves both the needs of the network and the improvement in the Quality of Experience (QoE) of the users. One effective way to achieve this is to implement and study caching and DASH technologies together. This paper investigates this issue by simulating a network with multiple video servers and a video client. It then implements both the peer-to-many communications in the context of adaptive video streaming and the video server caching algorithm based on proposed criteria that improve the status of the network and/or the user. Specifically, we investigate the scenario of delivering DASH-based content with the help of an intermediate server, apart from a main server, to demonstrate possible caching benefits for different sizes of intermediate storage servers. Extensive experimentation using emulation reveals the interplay and delicate balance between caching and DASH, guiding such network design decisions. A general tendency found is that, as the available buffer size increases, the video playback quality increases to some extent. However, at the same time, this improvement is linked to the random cache selection algorithm.

Integration of Managed Aquifer Recharge into the Water Supply System in the Algarve Region, Portugal

The Algarve region of Portugal is experiencing severe water scarcity with existing water supplies insufficient to meet demand, with limited resilience to drought. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) can provide intermediate storage and bridge the gap between water availability and demand, with success depending on the water available and the aquifer capacity to accept and store the water. We present the results of a regional study quantifying both these aspects to estimate the regional potential for MAR. Our results demonstrate that MAR can comprise 10% of the total water demand of the region (24 Mm3/yr) using water that is not otherwise captured, with quality that meets the requirements of the Groundwater Directive. MAR can replace 15 Mm3/yr of surface water used in the public irrigation perimeters and 9 Mm3/yr can be used to develop and maintain a strategic groundwater resource in the aquifers of the Central Algarve. Although climate change is predicted to result in an 8–13% decrease in MAR recharge, this can be addressed by incrementally increasing MAR design capacity. MAR has similar water resource benefits to the planned major infrastructure projects (desalination and River Guadiana abstraction), with reduced environmental impacts and lower costs than almost all feasible alternatives. We conclude that MAR is an important measure to increase water supply security and drought resilience in the Algarve region.

Analysis of low‐temperature pumped thermal energy storage systems based on a transcritical CO2 charging process

AbstractPumped thermal energy storage (PTES) is a technology for intermediate storage of electrical energy in the form of thermal energy. In this work, PTES systems based on a transcritical CO2 charging process are investigated. A two‐zone water storage tank with a storage temperature of 115°C is used as thermal energy storage. For discharge, an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and, alternatively, a transcritical CO2 heat engine are investigated. The considered concepts are modelled and simulated as stationary processes using the EBSILON Professional software. The scaling is based on an electrical input power of 5 MW. Using an ORC with the working fluid R1234yf for the discharging process results in the highest round‐trip efficiency of 36.8%. The component costs of the different configurations are estimated using cost functions. On the basis of this, the levelized cost of storage (LCOS) is calculated. The configuration with the ORC as the discharging process has the lowest LCOS of 59.2 €cents (kWh)−1. In addition, the technological maturity is determined using the technology readiness level scale. There are no prototypes of the investigated PTES systems yet. Therefore, further investigations must be carried out to implement the technology in the future.

Hydrogen diffusion in zirconium cladding alloys with an inner liner as quantified by neutron radiography and nanoindentation

Embrittlement caused by hydride precipitates in zirconium claddings constitutes a significant risk factor for the integrity of spent nuclear fuel rods, especially during the handling and transport operations necessary before and after long-term intermediate dry storage. Zircaloy-2 is the most commonly used alloy for cladding tubes in boiling water reactors. It is typically manufactured with an inner liner to better cope with issues related to pellet-cladding interaction. Previous work showed that in clad samples possessing a liner, a significant portion of hydrogen tends to migrate towards the liner region during cool-down. In this work, the hydrogen precipitation and distribution after thermal exposures comparable to service was investigated in different commercial claddings for boiling water reactors. The resulting hydrogen distribution was quantified by means of high-resolution neutron imaging at the SINQ spallation neutron source at Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland, and the presence of hydrides was subsequently confirmed by metallography and nanoindentation mapping of selected samples. The results show that when a cooling rate of 30 °C/h is applied, the vast majority of the hydrogen tends to accumulate at the liner/substrate interface when a liner is present. At lower cooling rates, the hydrogen tends to distribute more homogenously into the liner material, and the cladding bulk material is left completely hydrogen-free. Neutron radiography of samples after water quenching from homogenization temperatures between 370 °C and 460 °C revealed a significant amount of hydrogen trapped in the hydrides form at the liner/substrate interface at temperatures up to 400 °C. Undissolved hydrides may act as nucleation seeds for hydrides upon cooling, contributing to the observed hydrogen segregation. A model that takes into account the interfacial properties of the region between the liner and the bulk material is proposed.

Development of a Control Strategy for the Hybrid Energy Storage Systems in Standalone Microgrid

The intermediate energy storage system is very necessary for the standalone multi-source renewable energy system to increase stability, reliability of supply, and power quality. Among the most practical energy storage solutions is combining supercapacitors and chemical batteries. However, the major problem in this kind of application is the design of the power management, as well as the control scheme of hybrid energy storage systems. The focal purpose of this paper is to develop a novel approach to control DC bus voltage based on the reference power's frequency decomposition. This paper uses a storage system combined of batteries and supercapacitors. These later are integrated in the multi-source renewable energy system to supply an AC load. This technique uses the low-pass filters' properties to control the DC bus voltage by balancing the generated green power and the fluctuating load. The hybrid storage system regulates power fluctuations by absorbing surplus power and providing required power. The results show good performances of the proposed control scheme, such as low battery current charge/discharge rates, lower current stress level on batteries, voltage control improvements, which lead to increase the battery life.

Older than they look: Cryptic recycled xenotime on detrital zircon

Abstract Dating of xenotime outgrowths (XOs) has been used to obtain depositional age constraints on sedimentary sequences devoid of volcanic tuffs and biostratigraphically useful fossils (i.e., most of Earth history). Here, we present geochronological and geochemical data from XOs on detrital zircon from the Early Cretaceous Broome Sandstone, NW Australia. Ages of XOs predate the palynologically constrained deposition of the Broome Sandstone by at least 150 m.y., suggesting that these XOs were detrital and transported together with the zircon to which they are attached. This finding contrasts with the general assumption that XOs are principally authigenic phases. Integration of geochronology and geochemistry links Broome Sandstone XOs to intermediate geological events in the sediment source area. These results emphasize the importance of evaluating a potential detrital origin for XOs because sedimentary transport does not appear to universally destroy nor liberate them from their zircon substrate. Despite this, the study of XOs provides an important means to reconstruct complexities of source-to-sink sediment histories, including intermediate storage and overprinting, e.g., during diagenetic, metamorphic, hydrothermal, and igneous activity. Such information is critical for more holistic geological reconstructions but is not retained within the most applied provenance tool (detrital zircon).

A model for assessing pathways to integrate intermittent renewable energy for e-methanol production

Renewable methanol has potential to be a key vector for attaining net zero emissions by providing a pathway to carbon neutrality for the value chains of carbon intensive industries with hard to abate emissions. To deliver an accurate assessment of feasibility, it is critical to understand the integrated operation and economies of the connected generation and conversion technologies that make up Power-to-Methanol (PtM) pathways. Given the highly variable nature of renewable energy (RE) and green hydrogen generation, it is also important to consider the need for feedstock and energy buffers to achieve reliable operation. Herein, we developed a globally applicable open-source cost framework consisting of a farm-to-gate model of Power-to-Methanol (PtM) populated with performance and cost functions from process simulation, recent literature, and industry consultation. This open-source tool was developed to evaluate PtM projects at various scales and locations, utilizing different recycled carbon feedstock sources, with a range of renewable power generation and electrolyser configurations, as well as balancing technologies including intermediate feedstock and power storage options. A key feature of the tool is the ability to analyse and optimize the incorporation of these balancing technologies. By using present cost estimates and defining design constraints to maintain operational viability, we apply this framework to map out the economies of PtM for potentially suitable Australian and international locations as case studies. The study estimates indicative levelized cost of methanol (LCMeOH) of 1360 A$/tMeOH and 1710 A$/tMeOH corresponding to PtM including CO2 sourced from industrial flue gas (IFG) and direct air capture (DAC) respectively. While the case studies analysed in this work consist mainly of Australian locations, the open-source tool is applicable for other global locations as demonstrated by the cases evaluated for PtM in Chile and Germany. The tool presented here aims to serve as a customisable framework to support the assessment, optimization, and deployment of commercial scale e-methanol projects.

A system for monitoring the safety and quality of salad production based on vegetables and fruits

Implementation of the HACCP system in the food industry for the production of salad based on vegetables and fruits. Development of a system for monitoring the safety and quality of the production of salads based on vegetables and fruits in a restaurant according to the HACCP system. For the production of salad based on vegetables and fruits in a restaurant establishment according to the HACCP system, certain studies were carried out, the technology of salads based on vegetables and fruits was analyzed, as well as requirements for its safety and quality were established, a system for monitoring raw materials for the production of salads based on vegetables and fruits was developed, a system for monitoring the sanitary and hygienic condition of production was developed, and the effectiveness of the developed system was monitored. Critical control points were established at the stages of raw material acceptance, intermediate storage of raw materials, and production. In the course of the work, a system for monitoring the safety and quality of the production of salads based on vegetables and fruits, namely vitamin salad for a restaurant establishment based on HACCP principles, was developed. The technology and organization of salad production, namely vitamin salad, were analyzed and requirements for its safety and quality were established. A monitoring system was developed at all stages of salad production, as well as a system for monitoring the sanitary and hygienic conditions, and a critical control point was established to ensure compliance with quarantine requirements by personnel at all stages of product production. Monitoring procedures were defined based on the developed measures, as well as corrective actions, and the effectiveness of the developed system was evaluated.

Perspective: The Role of Cryopreservation Techniques in Manufacturing, Transport, and Storage of Car-T Therapy Products

Several clinical trials have proved the efficacy and safety of T-cells chimeric antigen receptor (CAR-T cells) in treatment of malignant lymphoma and the first products were registered in the European Union in 2018. The shelf-life of CAR-T cell products in the liquid state is short, so cryopreservation offers a significant benefit for logistics in manufacturing and patient management. Direct shipment of the cryopreserved CAR-T cell therapy products to the clinical department is feasible, nevertheless, intermediate storage in the hospital cryostorage facility gives significant advantage in planning of their administration to patients. Moreover, some manufacturers prefer transport of the starting material cryopreserved at the collection site. The cryopreservation protocol used for starting material by the authors is based on combining dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) with hydroxyethyl starch (HES) and slow controlled cooling in cryobags housed in metal cassettes. This achieves the mononuclear cell post-thaw viability of 98.8 ± 0.5 % and recovery of 72.8, ± 10.2 %. Transport of the starting material to the manufactures and return transport of the CAR-T therapy product is performed by authorized courier companies. Intermediate cryostorage of the final CAR-T cell therapy product is performed in a separate dry-storage liquid nitrogen container. On the day of infusion, the cryopreserved products are transported to the clinical department in a dry shipper. On the wards the product is removed from the cassette, inserted into a sterile plastic bag, thawed in a 37 °C water bath followed by immediate intravenous administration. The authors discuss the adherence of the used technology to good manufacturing practice (GMP) principles and genetic safety assurance rules.

ITRAQ-Based Proteomic and Physiological Analyses Reveal the Mechanisms of Dehydration and Cryopreservation Tolerance of Sophora tonkinensis Gagnep. Seeds.

Sophora tonkinensi is a shrub of the genus Sophora in the family Fabaceae with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. While the cultivation, chemical makeup, and medicinal properties of S. tonkinensis have been reported, the physiological mechanisms governing its dehydration and cryopreservation tolerance of seeds remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the morphological, physiological, biochemical, and protein expression characteristics of S. tonkinensis seeds subjected to dehydration and cryopreservation techniques via the observation of cell microstructure, determination of antioxidant enzyme activity, and iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis, respectively. The results of the study demonstrated that the seeds possessed a certain level of tolerance to dehydration. The highest germination percentage of 83.0% was observed after 2 h of dehydration (10.1% water content), which was identified as the optimal time point for cryopreservation. However, the germination percentage was reduced to only 30.5% when the water content reached 5.4%, indicating that S. tonkinensis seeds exhibit intermediate storage behavior. Further investigation revealed that during seed dehydration and cryopreservation treatment, liposomes were gradually and highly fused, whereas the activities of ROS scavenging and stress defense were significantly enhanced. During dehydration, the seed tissues formed a protective mechanism of stress resistance based on protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum and antioxidant system, which was related to the dehydration tolerance. Moreover, only three differentially expressed LEA proteins were identified, and it is speculated that the strengthening of intracellular metabolism and the absence of specific LEA and dehydrins could be crucial factors for the reduced germination percentage after excessive dehydration and cryopreservation.

Combined impact of aging and saline solution on the swelling characteristics of compacted GMZ bentonite

The swelling characteristics of compacted bentonite preferred as an ideal buffer material are of pivotal importance to the sealing functionality of the multi-barrier system in the context of nuclear waste disposal. The aging process resulted from the intermediate storage period in real case is typically ignored, while the impact of saline solution on bentonite should be generally accounted. To get a more comprehensive understanding on the swelling, this study presents an experimental investigation on the impacts of potential aging time (0–90 days) and saline solution (salinity: 0–12.3 g/L) on the swelling pressure and deformation of compacted GMZ bentonite at an initial dry density of 1.70 Mg/m3. Combined uses of Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were also adopted to capture the microstructure characteristics, aiming to make a reasonable interpretation from a microscopic view. Test results show that the swelling potential decreases with increasing aging time and/or solution salinity, while the aging impact appears to be ignorable over 30 days. The exfoliation of clay particles/aggregates is expected to happen before saturation due to aging, and this feature was also found to be more obvious in aged specimens, with smaller inter-aggregates and more uniform pore spaces. Clear contraction of clay aggregates is observed after immersion in saline solution, which can be attributed to the decrease in the repulsion between particles and limited inhibition of expansion in interlayer spaces, leading to a decrease in swelling potential. Specially, the aging effect is believed to be related with the phenomenon of cation demixing, during which the monovalence and bivalence cations tend to be separated from each other, resulting in a structure modification and hence a weaker swelling potential. This study highlights the importance to carefully evaluate the engineering properties of compacted bentonite considering the whole process after its manufacture.

Strategies for flexible operation of power-to-X processes coupled with renewables

Power-to-X (PtX) is a large-scale, long-term energy storage approach for converting renewable electrical energy into various chemical fuels. Unlike conventional fossil fuel production processes that operate continuously, PtX processes encounter operational challenges due to fluctuations in renewable power supply. To improve the operational flexibility of PtX processes for industrial applications, it is crucial to develop systematic strategies that can adapt to these fluctuations, which will increase PtX's energy and cost efficiencies. This study comprehensively explores various strategies for flexible operation of renewable-powered PtX processes, which include the use of additional energy buffers and grid connections. Power and material allocation models are developed for PtX processes based on islanded; grid-assisted; and grid-assisted, bidirectional connections by using three possible energy buffers (i.e., hydrogen intermediate storage, Li-ion batteries, and Carnot batteries). Surrogate model-based optimization is performed to establish an economically optimal design for each case. A power-to-methanol process implemented in Kramer Junction, California is studied to investigate the effects of flexible operation strategies on process performance in terms of production cost, renewable penetration, and energy efficiency. The findings of this study offer new insights into the operational flexibility of PtX processes and provide general recommendations for improving the flexibility and performance of PtX, particularly with respect to the establishment of a grid connection and the selection of an appropriate energy buffer.

Sector Coupling through Vehicle to Grid: A Case Study for Electric Vehicles and Households in Berlin, Germany

A key factor in limiting global warming is the conversion of conventional electricity generation to renewable energy sources. However, a major obstacle is that renewable energy generation and energy demand often do not coincide in time, and energy must therefore be stored temporarily. Vehicle to grid (V2G) can be used to store excess renewable energy in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and feed it back into the electric grid when needed. For effective V2G operation, the grid may have to be expanded, as the energy needs to be transported to BEVs. However, the grid should only be strengthened where renewable energy demand exceeds current grid capacity due to high grid expansion costs. This requires a method that determines the spatial distribution of V2G potential at a high resolution. Since such a method has not yet been reported in the existing literature, and so is developed in this paper. The method is demonstrated for the city of Berlin and its 448 sub-districts. For each sub-district, the method allows determining the percentage of residential and BEV energy demand that can be met by renewables if V2G is deployed, and answers the question of whether a full renewable supply is possible. The results show that BEVs can be effectively used as intermediate storage for renewable energy. If 30% of the BEVs participate in V2G, more than 99% of the energy demand of households and BEVs in Berlin can be covered by renewables on certain days. On the other hand, V2G deployment increases the average peak load in the districts by up to 100% and results in a nearly double load on vehicle batteries. High shares of renewable energy can be observed in districts with a high degree of motorization, which are predominantly found in the outskirts of the city.

A method for calculating the volume of an intermediate storage tank in storm sewer systems for management and treatment

The purpose of the article is to clarify and supplement the methodology given in the current regulatory and methodological framework for the purpose of engineering calculation of the storm flow management scheme for sewage treatment plants. The flow control scheme, including an intermediate tank, a pumping station and a separation chamber, is analyzed by mathematical modeling using a computer algebra system. Changes are proposed in the calculation formula for determining the volume of storage tank for the scheme of emptying the tank by pumps, taking into account all types of separation chambers. The dependence is established and graphs are shown showing the effect on the volume of the tank of the coefficient, which takes into account the variability of the flow diverted by the separation chamber into the collector.

Pre-analytical sample handling standardization for reliable measurement of metabolites and lipids in LC-MS-based clinical research

The emerging disciplines of lipidomics and metabolomics show great potential for the discovery of diagnostic biomarkers, but appropriate pre-analytical sample-handling procedures are critical because several analytes are prone to ex vivo distortions during sample collection. To test how the intermediate storage temperature and storage period of plasma samples from K3EDTA whole-blood collection tubes affect analyte concentrations, we assessed samples from non-fasting healthy volunteers (n = 9) for a broad spectrum of metabolites, including lipids and lipid mediators, using a well-established LC-MS-based platform. We used a fold change-based approach as a relative measure of analyte stability to evaluate 489 analytes, employing a combination of targeted LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS screening. The concentrations of many analytes were found to be reliable, often justifying less strict sample handling; however, certain analytes were unstable, supporting the need for meticulous processing. We make four data-driven recommendations for sample-handling protocols with varying degrees of stringency, based on the maximum number of analytes and the feasibility of routine clinical implementation. These protocols also enable the simple evaluation of biomarker candidates based on their analyte-specific vulnerability to ex vivo distortions. In summary, pre-analytical sample handling has a major effect on the suitability of certain metabolites as biomarkers, including several lipids and lipid mediators. Our sample-handling recommendations will increase the reliability and quality of samples when such metabolites are necessary for routine clinical diagnosis.

Evaluation of Germination under Different Storage Conditions of Four Endemic Plant Species from Ethiopia: Implications for Ex Situ Conservation in Seed Banks

The conservation of endemic plant species is a major concern, as the species are with restricted distribution range. Since in situ conservation alone will not guarantee their maintenance, ex situ conservation measures must be undertaken to support the conservation of these species. Investigation of the impact of the storage environment of seeds gives baseline information. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of different storage conditions (room temperature, 4 °C and −10 °C) and different storage periods over one year. Four Ethiopian endemic plant species, namely Euryops pinifolius, Kniphofia foliosa, Lobelia rhynchopetalum, and Solanecio gigas, were considered. Multivariate analyses revealed a significant (p < 0.05) effect of storage condition and period on seed germination. The storage of seeds at room temperature before drying may not be recommended for short-term storage of the studied species, except K. foliosa. After drying of seeds, E. pinifolius, K. foliosa, and L. rhynchopetalum seeds showed high germination percentage (above 80%) after storage even at sub-zero temperatures for one year. The germination percentage of S. gigas stored at room temperature before drying for thirteen months was 60% and that stored at 4 °C was 6%, which indicates that the seeds may be categorized under intermediate storage behavior. The three species can be grouped in the orthodox seed storage category. Research on desiccation screening should be undertaken to predict an optimal combination of storage moisture content and suitable storage temperature to determine storage category with certainty.