106 research outputs found
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Modelling urban microclimates
No full textA microclimate refers to a distinctive climate of a small-scale area, such as a garden, park, valley or part of a city. Urban microclimates are both complex and dynamic. Modelling urban microclimate can provide robust measures for analysing urban physical parameters including wind, temperature and solar radiation in complex urban areas at different scales; assessing outdoor thermal environments and performing parametric studies for successful urban planning and design of a liveable urban environment for citizens. This chapter introduces a robust and fast-running tool that can be used to simulate urban solar radiation, surface temperatures, and air temperature. A case study of the implementation of this tool is demonstrated
Engineered hydrogels as functional components in controllable neuromodulation for translational therapeutics
No full textControllable neuromodulation leveraging multimodal triggers synergized with hydrogels represents a transformative therapeutic strategy for pro-regenerative neural repair. Strategic incorporation of programmable neuromodulatory interventions and engineered hydrogels within localized neural niches is critical for clinical translation, characterized by lower invasiveness and greater therapeutic efficacy. This review elucidates the physiochemical features of hydrogels, systematically classifying hydrogel-based neuromodulation into five distinct modes (electrical, ionic, biomechanical, optical, and biochemical) and highlighting the intrinsic multidimensional structural and chemical engineering employed to enhance neuromodulatory performance. Key principles of hydrogel design and fabrication are provided from the perspective of tissue–implant interactions, such as mechanical compatibility, electrointegration, adhesion, and wireless activation. Hydrogels embedded with low-impedance organic and inorganic components, such as conductive polymers and noble metals, are investigated to provide high-level evidence to enable precise cellular stimulation for intrinsic nerve repair, neural prosthesis, and brain–machine interface. Crucially, this review highlights the synergistic integration of these principles into multimodal, closed-loop systems, which combine functions like electrophysiological sensing with on-demand biochemical release for intelligent, autonomous therapies. Finally, this review confronts the critical challenges for clinical translation and discusses future directions, including the potential of artificial intelligence-driven materials design to accelerate the development of next-generation neural interfaces
Compare of Energy Efficiency of Windows in Aalborg and Chongqing:<strong/>
No full textFocus on window's energy efficiency, this paper compared the difference of windows in Aalborg and Chongqing. The author analysed the designing process, the thermal insulation performances, the sun shading devices and the ventilation of windows in Aalborg and Chongqing respectively. Furthermore, the author explored the reasons for window problems in Chongqing, found out the main barriers to overcome and measures to take for solving the problem. Deeper analysis should be made before the energy efficient windows of Aalborg used in Chongqing.Focus on window's energy efficiency, this paper compared the difference of windows in Aalborg and Chongqing. The author analysed the designing process, the thermal insulation performances, the sun shading devices and the ventilation of windows in Aalborg and Chongqing respectively. Furthermore, the author explored the reasons for window problems in Chongqing, found out the main barriers to overcome and measures to take for solving the problem. Deeper analysis should be made before the energy efficient windows of Aalborg used in Chongqing
Navigation into novel medical use of bismuth based agents as breakers of antibiotic resistance and antagonist against chemotherapy side effects
No full textBismuth-based agents have been applied in the treatment of diverse diseases for over two-hundred years owing to their economic, non-toxic, stable and easy-to-use characteristics. Nowadays, the most clinically relevant bismuth medicines such as bismuth subsalicylate, colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS), ranitidine bismuth citrate find their main medical use in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-associated gastrointestinal diseases. But the rich biological chemistry of bismuth endows it with more potentials in medication other than eradication of H.pylori. In this thesis, the roles of bismuth-based agents in the combat with antibiotic resistance and chemotherapeutic drug induced side effects are explored.
A battery of bismuth complexes with bismuth coordinating to nitrogen, oxygen and/or sulfur containing ligands are prepared to establish a compound bank in search of the drug candidates with desired properties. A primary screening gives thirteen bismuth compounds that exhibited antibacterial activity against three Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) with MIC ranging from 0.5 to 128 µg mL-1. CBS is found to significantly resensitize BCC to antibiotics, lower the mutation prevention concentration by 2~32-fold and slow down resistance development by 4 folds when it is used together with tetracycline. Either physical mixing or complexation of bismuth with a small molecule Hinokitiol dramatically enhanced the antimicrobial activity of bismuth compounds against both planktonic and biofilm Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which shed light on a novel strategy to tune the antimicrobial activity of Bi(III) compounds.
Metallo-β-lactamase (MBL) such as NDM-1 is a zinc enzyme that empowers bacteria with resistance to almost all β-lactam antibiotics. Bismuth compounds are found to be a novel class of MBL inhibitor. Through metal displacement mechanism, bismuth compounds resensitize a panel of MBL positive bacteria to meropenem with its MIC dropped by 8~32 folds. The bioactivity of compounds was found to correlate with the ligand type and coordination environment of Bi(III) ions. CBS suppresses the resistance development of NDM-1 positive E. coli. Animal study shows that the combination therapy of CBS and meropenem greatly raises the survival rate of infected mice in systemic infection model and reduce significantly bacterial loads in mouse bladder in urinary tract infection model.
Several bismuth drugs such as BSS and CBS are reported to antagonize cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity via the induction of metallothionein. Through cell-based screening, two types of bismuth compounds, bismuth tetraphenylporphyrinate (Bi(TPP)) and bismuth thiolates are identified to have higher cytoprotective activity than either CBS or BSS. Animal studies reveal that pretreatment of Bi(TPP) significantly protect the renal function and raise the survival rate of mice receiving cisplatin administration while showing no compromisation on the antineoplastic action of CDDP. Protective mode of action of Bi(TPP) was unveiled via transcriptomic analysis. Bi(TPP) was found to upregulate some key survival factors i.e., Pik3cd, Egf, Igf2 and downregulate some key death factors i.e., Fas, Tnf, Casp8 in signaling pathway related to apotosis and inflammation. Bioinformatics study further indicates that, beyond MT induction, protection offered by Bi(TPP) tightly correlates with protein binding, ion binding, catalytic activity, apoptotic signaling.published_or_final_versionChemistryDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph
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Occupants’ behavioural adaptation in workplaces with non-central heating and cooling systems
No full textOccupants’ behaviour when improving the indoor environment plays a significant role in saving energy
in buildings. Therefore the key step to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions from
buildings is to understand how occupants interact with the environment they are exposed to in terms of
achieving thermal comfort and well-being; though such interaction is complex. This paper presents
a dynamic process of occupant behaviours involving technological, personal and psychological adaptations
in response to varied thermal conditions based on the data covering four seasons gathered from the
field study in Chongqing, China. It demonstrates that occupants are active players in environmental
control and their adaptive responses are driven strongly by ambient thermal stimuli and vary from
season to season and from time to time, even on the same day. Positive, dynamic, behavioural adaptation
will help save energy used in heating and cooling buildings. However, when environmental parameters
cannot fully satisfy occupants’ requirements, negative behaviours could conflict with energy saving. The
survey revealed that about 23% of windows are partly open for fresh air when air-conditioners are in
operation in summer. This paper addresses the issues how the building and environmental systems
should be designed, operated and managed in a way that meets the requirements of energy efficiency
without compromising wellbeing and productivity
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A mathematical model for a rapid calculation of the urban canyon albedo and its applications
No full textUrban canyon albedo (UCA) is a primary indicator used to evaluate the impact of urban geometry on radiation absorption. A rapid and effective theoretical calculation for the UCA is helpful in urban design. This research establishes a simplistic but robust mathematical model for calculating the UCA. The model was validated using prior observational studies showing that the maximum root mean square error (RMSE) is 0.03, and the minimum Pearson correlation coefficient (r) is 0.63. The model was then used to evaluate the influence of urban canyon geometry and materials on UCA. The results show that the canyon aspect ratio controls the UCA, especially when the canyon aspect ratio is less than 4. Furthermore, high-albedo facades can effectively increase UCA, and high-albedo pavements are recommended only if the urban canyon aspect ratio is less than 1. Finally, the solar performance of urban canyons on an urban scale was estimated by combining our model with digital elevation model (DEM) data. This study can be used in urban planning to estimate the radiation performance of an urban canyon quickly before full-scale urban thermal environment simulation
Cooperation of IRAK1/4 inhibitor and ABT-737 in nanoparticles for synergistic therapy of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
No full textXiaoyan Wu,1 Lin Wang,1 Yining Qiu,1 Bingyu Zhang,1 Zhenhua Hu,2 Runming Jin1 1Department of Pediatrics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 2Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China Abstract: T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is caused by clonal expansion of variant T cell progenitors and is considered as a high risk leukemia. Contemporary single chemotherapy has a limited effect due to dynamic and versatile properties of T-ALL. Here IRAK1/4 inhibitor and ABT-737 were co-encapsulated into polyethylene glycol modified poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (IRAK/ABT-NP) to enhance synergistic therapy of T-ALL. The formulation was optimized to achieve high drug loading using Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology. The optimal parameter comprised 2.98% polymer in acetonitrile, a ratio of oil phase to water phase of 1:8.33, and 2.12% emulsifier concentration. High drug loading and uniform spherical shape was achieved. In vitro release study showed sustained release of IRAK1/4 inhibitor for 72 hours as well as sustained release of ABT-737 for more than 120 hours. Uptake efficiency of IRAK/ABT-NP and induced apoptotic T-ALL fraction by IRAK/ABT-NP were much higher than the IRAK1/4 and ABT-737 combined solution. IC50 of IRAK/ABT-NP was two-fold lower than free drug combination in Jurkat cells. Additionally, we conducted in vivo experiments in which IRAK/ABT-NP exhibited greater cytotoxicity toward T-ALL cells, the capacity to significantly restore white blood cell number in peripheral blood, and improved survival time of T-ALL mouse model compared to the IRAK1/4 and ABT-737 combined solution. Keywords: T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, IRAK1/4 inhibitor, ABT-737, Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology, PEG-PLG
Catalytic coupling boosting efficient production of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural from glucose
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A study of thermal comfort in residential buildings on the Tibetan Plateau, China
No full textTibet is located on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in China, the highest and largest plateau in the world. It is in the Cold and Severe Cold zones according to the Chinese climatic division for building design and has unique climatic characteristics and traditional cultural background. In order to obtain a comprehensive understanding about the real indoor thermal environment and the residents’ thermal comfort status in Tibet, a field investigation of residential buildings was conducted in the Tibetan Alpine region with on-site environmental parameter measurements and a simultaneous survey using a subjective thermal comfort questionnaire. Based on the analysis of the data collected from the field study, the value of the adaptive coefficient λ in the adaptive thermal comfort model "aPMV=" "PMV " /"1+λPMV" " " suitable to the Tibet area has been obtained as -0.34; and thus the acceptable thermal comfort temperature range for residential buildings in this area has been produced. The research findings provide comprehensive knowledge and a useful reference for the development of a design and evaluation standard for indoor thermal environments in the Tibet region
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