ThermoKiosk: Investigating Roles for Digital Surveys of Thermal Experience in Workplace Comfort Management

\ua9 2018 Copyright is held by the owner/author(s). Thermal comfort in shared workplaces is often contested and impacts productivity, wellbeing, and energy use. Yet, subjective and situated comfort experiences are rarely captured and engaged with. In this paper, we explore roles for digital surveys in capturing and visualising subjective experiences of comfort in situ for comfort management. We present findings from a 3-week field trial of our prototype system called ThermoKiosk, which we deployed in an open plan, shared office with a history of thermal comfort complaints. In interviews with occupants and members of facilities management, we find that the data and interactions can play an important role in initiating dialogue to understand and handle tensions, and point to design considerations for more systematically integrating them into workplace comfort practices

Engineering a Seven Enzyme Biotransformation using Mathematical Modelling and Characterized Enzyme Parts (article)

This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordThe dataset associated with this article is located in ORE at: https://doi.org/10.24378/exe.1623Multi‐step enzyme reactions offer considerable cost and productivity benefits. Process models offer a route to understanding the complexity of these reactions, and allow for their optimization. Despite the increasing prevalence of multi‐step biotransformations, there are few examples of process models for enzyme reactions. From a toolbox of characterized enzyme parts, we demonstrate the construction of a process model for a seven enzyme, three step biotransformation using isolated enzymes. Enzymes for cofactor regeneration were employed to make this in vitro reaction economical. Good modelling practice was critical in evaluating the impact of approximations and experimental error. We show that the use and validation of process models was instrumental in realizing and removing process bottlenecks, identifying divergent behavior, and for the optimization of the entire reaction using a genetic algorithm. We validated the optimized reaction to demonstrate that complex multi‐step reactions with cofactor recycling involving at least seven enzymes can be reliably modelled and optimized.Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)GlaxoSmithKlin

Highly thermostable carboxylic acid reductases generated by ancestral sequence reconstruction (article)

This is the final version. Available on open access from Nature Research via the DOI in this recordThe research data supporting this publication are openly available in ORE at https://doi.org/10.24378/exe.2003Carboxylic acid reductases (CARs) are biocatalysts of industrial importance. Their properties, especially their poor stability, render them sub-optimal for use in a bioindustrial pipeline. Here, we employed ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) – a burgeoning engineering tool that can identify stabilizing but enzymatically neutral mutations throughout a protein. We used a three-algorithm approach to reconstruct functional ancestors of the Mycobacterial and Nocardial CAR1 orthologues. Ancestral CARs (AncCARs) were confirmed to be CAR enzymes with a preference for aromatic carboxylic acids. Ancestors also showed varied tolerances to solvents, pH and in vivo-like salt concentrations. Compared to well-studied extant CARs, AncCARs had a Tm up to 35 °C higher, with half-lives up to nine times longer than the greatest previously observed. Using ancestral reconstruction we have expanded the existing CAR toolbox with three new thermostable CAR enzymes, providing access to the high temperature biosynthesis of aldehydes to drive new applications in biocatalysis.Glaxosmithkline Research & Development Lt

Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for the treatment of spinal oligometastases

Abstract not availableJ.H. Chang, S. Gandhidasan, R. Finnigan, D. Whalley, R. Nair, A. Herschtal, T. Eade, A. Kneebone, J. Ruben, M. Foote, S. Siv

ISU Faculty Woodwind Quintet Concert: Mary Finnigan, Flute; David R. Sheaffer, Oboe; Herbert Sanders, Clarinet; Philip HIllstrom, French Horn; James Thornton, Bassoon; April 22, 1971

Capen AuditoriumThursdayApril 22, 19718:15 p.m

Field observations of canopy flows over complex terrain

The investigation of airflow over and within forests in complex terrain has been, until recently, limited to a handful of modelling and laboratory studies. Here, we present an observational dataset of airflow measurements inside and above a forest situated on a ridge on the Isle of Arran, Scotland. The spatial coverage of the observations all the way across the ridge makes this a unique dataset. Two case studies of across-ridge flow under near-neutral conditions are presented and compared with recent idealized two-dimensional modelling studies. Changes in the canopy profiles of both mean wind and turbulent quantities across the ridge are broadly consistent with these idealized studies. Flow separation over the lee slope is seen as a ubiquitous feature of the flow. The three-dimensional nature of the terrain and the heterogeneous forest canopy does however lead to significant variations in the flow separation across the ridge, particularly over the less steep western slope. Furthermore, strong directional shear with height in regions of flow separation has a significant impact on the Reynolds stress terms and other turbulent statistics. Also observed is a decrease in the variability of the wind speed over the summit and lee slope, which has not been seen in previous studies. This dataset should provide a valuable resource for validating models of canopy flow over real, complex terrain

Мотивационная политика предприятия как основа новой философии управления

В современной концепции управления ключевое место отводится человеку. Именно люди, характеризующиеся не только специальным образованием и профессиональными навыками, но и яркой индивидуальностью, способны генерировать новые идеи и решать непростые задачи в высококонкурентной и динамичной бизнес-среде. Такова закономерность в развитии экономических отношений и совершенствовании менеджмента организаций. Акценты в управлении компанией смещаются к идеологическим (культурным, духовным) ценностям предприятия, носителем которых является его персонал, конкретные сотрудники, способные в этих условиях обеспечивать эффективную работу в высококонкурентной среде

Functional and structural analysis of five mutations identified in methylmalonic aciduria cbIB type

ATP:cob(I)alamin adenosyltransferase (ATR, E.C.2.5.1.17) converts reduced cob(I)alamin to the adenosylcobalamin cofactor. Mutations in the MMAB gene encoding ATR are responsible for the cblB type methylmalonic aciduria. Here we report the functional analysis of five cblB mutations to determine the underlying molecular basis of the dysfunction. The transcriptional profile along with minigenes analysis revealed that c.584G>A, c.349-1G>C, and c.290G>A affect the splicing process. Wild-type ATR and the p.I96T (c.287T>C) and p.R191W (c.571C>T) mutant proteins were expressed in a prokaryote and a eukaryotic expression systems. The p.I96T protein was enzymatically active with a K M for ATP and K D for cob(I)alamin similar to wild-type enzyme, but exhibited a 40% reduction in specific activity. Both p.I96T and p.R191W mutant proteins are less stable than the wild-type protein, with increased stability when expressed under permissive folding conditions. Analysis of the oligomeric state of both mutants showed a structural defect for p.I96T and also a significant impact on the amount of recovered mutant protein that was more pronounced for p.R191W that, along with the structural analysis, suggest they might be misfolded. These results could serve as a basis for the implementation of pharmacological therapies aimed at increasing the residual activity of this type of mutations. Hum Mutat 31:1033–1042, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78057/1/21307_ftp.pd

Participating in CaMKIN : impact on patients

Introduction: Managing long-term health conditions is a global challenge, which has necessitated developing innovative ways to deliver patient centred care. Social media allow patients to access and share personal experiences and peer support, with potential to feed back into the patient-centred development and improvement of healthcare services. The Cheshire and Merseyside Kidney Information Network (CaMKIN) was established in 2019 as part of the Kidney Information Network (KIN), providing CKD patients 24-hour online access to information and support regarding their condition. Methods A novel digital method (Vasilica et al., 2021) of a dataset retrieved from a CaMKIN patient Facebook micro-community (1,119 posts and 5,266 comments), complemented by a survey (61 CaMKIN members). The digital methods steps involved a framework analysis to create themes and subthemes, directed analysis of data, familiarisation and sense making. Findings Analysis of data identified four major themes and an additional 13 subthemes of impact. Patients used the group to ‘improve understanding of their condition’ (theme 1) through sharing useful information, accessing information from lived experiences and organizing Q&A with health professionals. The micro-community formed a peer support network with both, in person and online peer to peer support. This support extended to ‘encouragement of self-management of health’ (theme 2), including managing diet and fitness. Group members created their own healthy choices weight loss accountability group, adopting a supportive ‘weight watchers’ style. They encouraged each other to take proactive steps in self-managing their health recommending people to contact renal team or ring emergency line where necessary. CaMKIN positively contributed to ‘improved health and wellbeing outcomes’ (theme 3), by providing a safe space to air frustrations, quell anxieties, and support each other’s mental health. This was important during the COVID_19 pandemic. CaMKIN provided patients a ‘safe environment, outside clinical settings’ (theme 4), to share and receive health information related to their kidney disease or treatment. Throughout the pandemic, the group discussed or clarified information (with professionals on the network), reducing demand on the local services through the self-organisation that occurred within the group. Survey results reinforced the Facebook dataset findings; most respondents benefited from access to health care information (86.9 %), which made them feel more informed about their condition (77.1%). Patients received valuable support from peers (75.4%). Almost half of respondents agreed that it reduced isolation and it contributed to management of mental health (48.8%). Conclusion This innovative micro-community helps CKD patients understand their condition better and improve health awareness through information sharing (peer and professionally developed) and peer support that contribute to increased self-management. Demonstrated through self-reported mechanisms, CaMKIN improved mental health and reduced social isolation. During the pandemic it offered patients a safe environment to develop understanding of the volatile situation to manage their health safely. The data provides insight into an untapped opportunity, recommendations include utilising the CAMKIN to further develop service provision and communication between hospitals and patients. Further research is required to roll out and evaluate embedding KIN into local service provision, and developing a patient network at a regional and national level