Integrated modelling of control and adaptive building envelope: development of a modelling solution using a co-simulation approach

Adaptive building envelopes can dynamically adapt to environmental changes, often supported by a control system. Although adaptive building envelopes can play a significant role in improving thermal building performance, uncertainties and risks have led to a slow uptake in the built environment. A reason for this is the reluctance of practitioners to consider integrating adaptive building envelopes in building design. This may be due to Building Performance Simulation (BPS) tools that can be employed for performance prediction of design proposals with adaptive building envelopes. However, a shortcoming of existing tools is their limited adaptation that hinders proper modelling of the influence of control decisions on the dynamic behaviour of these building envelopes. This thesis investigates an approach for the integrated modelling of control and adaptive building envelope. To this aim, an interview-based industry study with experts in adaptive building envelope simulation was conducted. The interview study aimed to advance the understanding of the limitations of adaptive building envelope simulation in current design practice and to identify implications for future tool developments. The feedback from the interviewees was then used to inform the development of an integrated modelling approach using co-simulation, the accuracy and functionality of which were subsequently tested through a validation study and a multiple case study. The findings of the interview study outline the need for more flexible modelling approaches that enable designers to fully exploit adaptive building envelopes in building design. The proposed modelling approach for predicting the thermal performance of adaptive building envelopes has shown that its co-simulation setup seems to offer more flexibility in integrating the dynamic behaviour of adaptive building envelopes. What is now needed is to observe the execution of the modelling approach in design practice to obtain realistic feedback from its users and to verify that it works as intended

Genome integration structures and genotype variants of oncogenic human papillomavirus types HPV16 and HPV68 in cervical carcinoma-derived cell lines, cervical precursor lesions and carcinomas

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) is essential for cervical carcinogenesis, and is frequently followed by integration of the viral DNA into the host genome. Upon integration, the viral E2 gene is usually disrupted or deleted leading to deregulated transcription of the E6/E7 oncogenes from the upstream regulatory region (URR). Integrated HPV DNA may also affect critical cellular genes through insertional mutagenesis, which can contribute to the multi-step process of cervical carcinogenesis. HPV16 is the most frequent and HPV68 is a rare hr-HPV type, present in about 55% and less than 1% of cervical carcinomas worldwide, respectively. In this work, HPV68 DNA structures in cervical carcinoma cell lines and clinical samples were analyzed. HPV16 integration and E1-E2 sequences were studied using the novel “amplification selection pyrosequencing of HPV16” (ASP16) strategy. HPV68 is divided into two subtypes, a and b. A hallmark of HPV68b is its presence as integrated DNA in the cervical carcinoma cell line ME180. In the mutant cell line ME180R, selected for resistance to growth inhibition by tumor-necrosis-factor alpha (TNFalpha), partial deletions in the integrated HPV68b DNA had been detected. In this study, the complete structures of the integrated HPV68b in ME180 and ME180R have been determined. ME180 cells contain two disrupted HPV68b copies, integrated in a unique head-to-head arrangement into chromosome 18q21. By selection of new TNFalpha-resistant ME180 sub-lines, it was found that the rearrangements and partial deletions of HPV68b in ME180R are unnecessary for the TNFalpha-resistance phenotype. In addition, a full-length and a mutant HPV68b genome were isolated from a cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN2) precursor lesion, cloned and completely sequenced. The mutant genome carrying a 1.2-kb deletion in the E1 gene is probably integrated. Based on partial URR sequences, ten HPV68b variants, nine of them new, and one HPV68a variant have been identified in eleven clinical samples, suggesting that HPV68b is more widely distributed than HPV68a and is present in a multitude of molecular variants. ASP16 was developed for simultaneous determination of HPV16 integration junctions in multiple clinical DNA samples. It consists of four main steps: GenomePlex whole genome amplification, HPV16 E1-E2 sequence enrichment, Roche/454 GS-FLX pyrosequencing, and data analysis. In this work, computer programs for ASP16 data analysis were developed and applied. The ASP16 strategy was further optimized and used for the analysis of 25 HPV16-positive samples. The optimized ASP16 delivered longer sequence read lengths and 89% average sequence coverage. HPV16 integration junctions were identified in 3 out of 4 cell lines, and 6 out of 21 clinical samples. The HPV16 integration sites identified in the clinical samples are all located near cellular proto-oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, supporting the assumption that HPV integration contributes to cervical carcinogenesis by altering cancer-relevant cellular genes. The high E1-E2 sequence coverage also allowed HPV16 variant assignments. Altogether, the ASP16 strategy, which is the first method combining next generation sequencing technologies with HPV integration analysis in a multiplex format, shows the potential to identify HPV16 integration junctions in series of clinical samples in parallel and at the same time provides E1-E2 sequences suitable for mutation/variant analysis

Unsteady coupled convection, conduction and radiation simulations on parallel architectures for combustion applications

Dans l'industrie aéronautique, la génération d'énergie dépend presque exclusivement de la combustion d'hydrocarbures. La meilleure façon d'améliorer le rendement de ces systèmes et de contrôler leur impact environnemental, est d'optimiser le processus de combustion. Avec la croissance continue du de la puissance des calculateurs, la simulation des systèmes complexes est devenue abordable. Jusqu'à très récemment dans les applications industrielles le rayonnement des gaz et la conduction de chaleur dans les solides ont été négligés. Dans ce travail les outils nécessaires à la résolution couplée des trois modes de transfert de chaleur ont été développés et ont été utilisés pour l'étude d'une chambre de combustion d'hélicoptère. On montre que l'inclusion de tous les modes de transfert de chaleur peut influencer la distribution de température dans le domaine. Les outils numériques et la méthodologie de couplage développés ouvrent maintenant la voie à un bon nombre d'applications tant scientifiques que technologiques. ABSTRACT : In the aeronautical industry, energy generation relies almost exclusively in the combustion of hydrocarbons. The best way to improve the efficiency of such systems, while controlling their environmental impact, is to optimize the combustion process. With the continuous rise of computational power, simulations of complex combustion systems have become feasible, but until recently in industrial applications radiation and heat conduction were neglected. In the present work the numerical tools necessary for the coupled resolution of the three heat transfer modes have been developed and applied to the study of an helicopter combustion chamber. It is shown that the inclusion of all heat transfer modes can influence the temperature repartition in the domain. The numerical tools and the coupling methodology developed are now opening the way to a good number of scientific and engineering applications

Translational Research in Cancer

Translational research in oncology benefits from an abundance of knowledge resulting from genome-scale studies concerning the molecular pathways involved in tumorigenesis. Translational oncology represents a bridge between basic research and clinical practice in cancer medicine. The vast majority of cancer cases are due to environmental risk factors. Many of these environmental factors are controllable lifestyle choices. Experimental cancer treatments are studied in clinical trials to compare the proposed treatment to the best existing treatment through translational research. The key features of the book include: 1) New screening for the development of radioprotectors: radioprotection and anti-cancer effect of β-Glucan (Enterococcus faecalis) 2) Translational perspective on hepatocellular carcinoma 3) Brachytherapy for endometrial cancer 4) Discovery of small molecule inhibitors for histone methyltransferases in cance

Computational Modelling of Concrete and Concrete Structures

Computational Modelling of Concrete and Concrete Structures contains the contributions to the EURO-C 2022 conference (Vienna, Austria, 23-26 May 2022). The papers review and discuss research advancements and assess the applicability and robustness of methods and models for the analysis and design of concrete, fibre-reinforced and prestressed concrete structures, as well as masonry structures. Recent developments include methods of machine learning, novel discretisation methods, probabilistic models, and consideration of a growing number of micro-structural aspects in multi-scale and multi-physics settings. In addition, trends towards the material scale with new fibres and 3D printable concretes, and life-cycle oriented models for ageing and durability of existing and new concrete infrastructure are clearly visible. Overall computational robustness of numerical predictions and mathematical rigour have further increased, accompanied by careful model validation based on respective experimental programmes. The book will serve as an important reference for both academics and professionals, stimulating new research directions in the field of computational modelling of concrete and its application to the analysis of concrete structures. EURO-C 2022 is the eighth edition of the EURO-C conference series after Innsbruck 1994, Bad Gastein 1998, St. Johann im Pongau 2003, Mayrhofen 2006, Schladming 2010, St. Anton am Arlberg 2014, and Bad Hofgastein 2018. The overarching focus of the conferences is on computational methods and numerical models for the analysis of concrete and concrete structures

Building Performance Simulation and Characterisation of Adaptive Facades:

The book “Performance Simulation and Characterisation of Adaptive Facades” responds to the need of providing a general framework, standardised and recognised methods and tools to evaluate the performance of adaptive facades in a quantitative way, by means of numerical and experimental methods, in different domains of interest. This book represents the main outcome of the activities of the Working Group 2 of the COST Action TU1403 Adaptive Façades Network, “Components performance and characterisation methods”, by integrating in one publication the main deliverables of WG2 described in the Memorandum of Understanding: D 2.1. Report on current adaptive facades modelling techniques; D 2.4. Report on the validation of developed simulation tools and models; D 2.5. Report on the developed experimental procedures. These are extended by additional sections regarding structural aspects and key performance indicators for adaptive façade systems. This book is a comprehensive review of different areas of research on adaptive façade systems and provides both general and specific knowledge about numerical and experimental research methods in this field. The fast pace at which building technologies and materials develop, is slowly but constantly followed by the development of numerical and experimental methods and tools to quantify their performance. Therefore this book focuses primarily on general methods and requirements, in an attempt to provide a coherent picture of current and near future possibilities to simulate and characterise the performance of adaptive facades in different domains, which could remain relevant in the coming years. In addition, specific know-how on selected cases is also presented, as a way to clarify and apply the more general approaches and methods described. The present book is published to support practitioners, researchers and students who are interested in designing, researching, and integrating adaptive façade systems in buildings. It targets both the academic and the not-academic sectors, and intends to contribute positively to an increased market penetration of adaptive façade systems, components and materials, aimed at rationalising energy and material resources while achieving a high standard of indoor environmental quality, health and safety in the built environment