Life cycle energy efficiency in building structures: A review of current developments and future outlooks based on BIM capabilities

The continuous developments of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry supported by the advancements in material resourcing and construction processes could offer engineers the essential decision-making procedures to leverage the raising demands for sustainable structural designs. This article brings together the theory of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the capabilities of BIM to survey the current developments in the energy efficiency of structural systems. In addition, the article explores the engineering dimensions of common decision-making procedures within BIM systems including optimisation methods, buildability and safety constraints and code compliance limitations. The research presents critical expositions in both engineering and sustainable energy domains. The article then argues that future innovations in the sustainable decision-making of buildings’ structures would require BIM-integrated workflows in order to facilitate the conflicting nature of both energy efficient and engineering performance indexes. Finally, the study puts forward a series of research guidelines for a consolidated decision paradigm that utilises the capabilities of BIM within the engineering and sustainable energy domains in a synergistic manner

Dynamic finite element modelling and updating of loaded structures.

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN029922 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Higher locus coeruleus MRI contrast is associated with lower parasympathetic influence over heart rate variability

The locus coeruleus (LC) is a key node of the sympathetic nervous system and suppresses parasympathetic activity that would otherwise increase heart rate variability. In the current study, we examined whether LC-MRI contrast reflecting neuromelanin accumulation in the LC was associated with high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), a measure reflecting parasympathetic influences on the heart. Recent evidence indicates that neuromelanin, a byproduct of catecholamine metabolism, accumulates in the LC through young and mid adulthood, suggesting that LC-MRI contrast may be a useful biomarker of individual differences in habitual LC activation. We found that, across younger and older adults, greater LC-MRI contrast was negatively associated with HF-HRV during fear conditioning and spatial detection tasks. This correlation was not accounted for by individual differences in age or anxiety. These findings indicate that individual differences in LC structure relate to key cardiovascular parameters

Unique proteome signature of post-chemotherapy ovarian cancer ascites-derived tumor cells

Eighty % of ovarian cancer patients diagnosed at an advanced-stage have complete remission afterinitial surgery and chemotherapy. However, most patients die within <5 years due to episodesof recurrences resulting from the growth of residual chemoresistant cells. In an effort to identifymechanisms associated with chemoresistance and recurrence, we compared the expression of proteinsin ascites-derived tumor cells isolated from advanced-stage ovarian cancer patients obtained atdiagnosis (chemonaive, CN) and after chemotherapy treatments (chemoresistant/at recurrence, CR)by using in-depth, high-resolution label-free quantitative proteomic profiling. A total of 2,999 proteinswere identified. Using a stringent selection criterion to define only significantly differentially expressedproteins, we report identification of 353 proteins. There were significant differences in proteinsencoding for immune surveillance, DNA repair mechanisms, cytoskeleton rearrangement, cell-celladhesion, cell cycle pathways, cellular transport, and proteins involved with glycine/proline/argininesynthesis in tumor cells isolated from CR relative to CN patients. Pathway analyses revealed enrichmentof metabolic pathways, DNA repair mechanisms and energy metabolism pathways in CR tumor cells.In conclusion, this is the first proteomics study to comprehensively analyze ascites-derived tumor cellsfrom CN and CR ovarian cancer patients

Respiratory sequelae of COVID-19: pulmonary and extrapulmonary origins, and approaches to clinical care and rehabilitation

Although the exact prevalence of post-COVID-19 condition (also known as long COVID) is unknown, more than a third of patients with COVID-19 develop symptoms that persist for more than 3 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. These sequelae are highly heterogeneous in nature and adversely affect multiple biological systems, although breathlessness is a frequently cited symptom. Specific pulmonary sequelae, including pulmonary fibrosis and thromboembolic disease, need careful assessment and might require particular investigations and treatments. COVID-19 outcomes in people with pre-existing respiratory conditions vary according to the nature and severity of the respiratory disease and how well it is controlled. Extrapulmonary complications such as reduced exercise tolerance and frailty might contribute to breathlessness in post-COVID-19 condition. Non-pharmacological therapeutic options, including adapted pulmonary rehabilitation programmes and physiotherapy techniques for breathing management, might help to attenuate breathlessness in people with post-COVID-19 condition. Further research is needed to understand the origins and course of respiratory symptoms and to develop effective therapeutic and rehabilitative strategies

Knockdown of stem cell regulator Oct4A in ovarian cancer reveals cellular reprogramming associated with key regulators of cytoskeleton-extracellular matrix remodelling

Oct4A is a master regulator of self-renewal and pluripotency in embryonic stem cells. It is a well-established marker for cancer stem cell (CSC) in malignancies. Recently, using a loss of function studies, we have demonstrated key roles for Oct4A in tumor cell survival, metastasis and chemoresistance in in vitro and in vivo models of ovarian cancer. In an effort to understand the regulatory role of Oct4A in tumor biology, we employed the use of an ovarian cancer shRNA Oct4A knockdown cell line (HEY Oct4A KD) and a global mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomic analysis to investigate novel biological targets of Oct4A in HEY samples (cell lysates, secretomes and mouse tumor xenografts). Based on significant differential expression, pathway and protein network analyses, and comprehensive literature search we identified key proteins involved with biologically relevant functions of Oct4A in tumor biology. Across all preparations of HEY Oct4A KD samples significant alterations in protein networks associated with cytoskeleton, extracellular matrix (ECM), proliferation, adhesion, metabolism, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stem cells (CSCs) and drug resistance was observed. This comprehensive proteomics study for the first time presents the Oct4A associated proteome and expands our understanding on the biological role of this stem cell regulator in carcinomas

STING pathway expression in low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary: an unexpected therapeutic opportunity?

Ovarian carcinoma histotypes are distinct diseases with variable clinical outcomes and response to treatment. There is a need for new subtype-specific treatment modalities, especially for women with widespread and chemo-resistant disease. Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a part of the cGAS-STING pathway that mediates innate immune defence against infectious DNA-containing pathogens and also detects tumour-derived DNA and generates intrinsic antitumour immunity. The STING signalling pathway is suppressed by several mechanisms in a variety of malignant diseases and, in some cancers that may be a requirement for cellular transformation. The aim of this study was to use immunohistochemistry to evaluate STING protein expression across normal tissue, paratubal and ovarian cysts, and ovarian tumour histotypes including ovarian carcinomas. Herein, we show that the fallopian tube ciliated cells express STING protein, whereas the secretory cells are negative. STING expression differs among ovarian cancer histotypes; low-grade serous ovarian carcinomas and serous borderline tumours have uniform high STING expression, while high-grade serous and endometrioid carcinomas have heterogeneous expression, and clear cell and mucinous carcinomas show low expression. As low-grade serous carcinomas are known to be genomically stable and typically lack a prominent host immune response, the consistently high STING expression is unexpected. High STING expression may reflect pathway activation or histogenesis and the mechanisms may be different in different ovarian carcinoma histotypes. Further studies are needed to determine whether the STING signalling pathway is active and whether these tumours would be candidates for therapeutic interventions that trigger innate immunity activation