Evaluation and Comparison of Thermal Environment of Atria Enclosed with ETFE Foil Cushion Envelope

AbstractThis paper presents results of on-site monitoring of foil surface temperatures and the thermal environment within two different atria covered with different compositions of ETFE foil cushion roof (one two-layer, the other three-layer) and differing ventilation regimes. Results of the study show strong vertical stratification in both atria. Foil surface temperatures respond rapidly to high solar radiation with the internal layer being hotter than both the external layer and the adjacent internal air. At night the surface temperature of external foil follows the ambient external temperature closely whilst the internal layer temperature follows approximately the mean of adjacent internal temperature in the atria and external temperature

Daylighting Performance in an Atrium with ETFE Cushion Roof and in an ETFE-Encapsulated Panel Structure

AbstractThis paper presents the results of the field work on the luminous environment conducted in an atrium enclosed by an ethylene-tetra-fluoro-ethylene (ETFE) cushion roof and a test structure constructed with ETFE-encapsulated panels. In addition to the on-site monitoring, theoretical parametric studies using a scaled physical model of the ETFE panel structure were undertaken to further investigate the lit environment created by changing the transparency of the test structure envelope. The aim is to explore how the typical homogeneous and dull luminous environment can be improved. Subjective appreciation of the lit scenes and quantitative analysis results are compared and discussed. This study concluded that selective use of translucent and opaque components in the ETFE enclosures can offer opportunities to create well balanced, yet dynamic lighting conditions. Also selective positioning of these components in different parts of the ETFE structures can help improve modelling effect and enhance visual perception

Single-board microcontrollers applied to biaxial tests for architectural membranes

The last decade has been characterised by the progressive development of several biaxial testing equipment and procedures for the mechanical characterisation of coated fabrics. The few standards available in this field led to the development of several testing machines based on different loading principles to reproduce a biaxial stress state in a fabric. The most common approach is based on the symmetrical loading of a cruciform sample by means of four actuators, one on each side. However, other concepts have been successfully applied such as the “floating frame”, where the upper reaction frame is mounted on spherical bearings and is free to move in the plane of the fabric, and the use of rigid square frame with batteries of independent servomotors on each side [6]. Two recent interlaboratory studies confirmed a fairly good correspondence in the values of stiffness obtained by the different laboratories. The financial cost of each type of biaxial testing machine is directly related to the size, the accuracy and the level of flexibility of the testing equipment. However, the level of complexity and the absence of off-the-shelf products lead to costs which are not affordable by small research institutions, manufacturing companies and engineering offices. This research aims to unveil the potential of the new generation of single-board microcontrollers (e.g. Arduino and Raspberry-Pi) for a reliable and affordable biaxial testing machine which can drastically reduce the current costs associated to the biaxial characterisation of coated fabrics and foils. The paper presents the development of a data logger based on Raspberry-Pi and able to record the data measured by four load cells a and three extensometers applied to a biaxial cruciform sample obtained from ETFE foils commonly used in Architecture. The results obtained from the experimental tests have been compared in order to estimate the level of reproducibility and accuracy which can be achieved through the cost-effective and affordable equipment

Application of IoT and BEMS to Visualise the Environmental Performance of an Educational Building

This paper presents the application of Internet of Things (IoT) Technology and Building Energy Management System (BEMS) within the Marylebone Campus of the University of Westminster, located in central London, to improve the environmental performance of the existing building as well as enhance the learning experience on energy and sustainability. Sixty IoT sensors connected to minicomputers were planned to be deployed within three floors of the building to continuously measure the real-time environmental parameters, such as dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity, illuminance level, carbon dioxide, and sound levels. Experimental workshops were also arranged with undergraduate and post-graduate students at their classrooms using IoT sensors, portable Bluetooth sensors and online questionnaires to increase awareness of the effect of environmental and behavioural changes on energy saving through real-time visualisation. Users’ subjective feedback on their workplace was also collected through Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) questionnaire surveys. The results show the effectiveness of IoT systems and BEMS in supplying the building users and management with high-resolution, low-cost data acquisition systems highlighting the existing challenges and future scopes. The study also documents the process and the improvement in students’ awareness of environmental and energy performance of their building through IoT data visualizations and POE

Bispectrum of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

We perform a detailed study of the bispectrum of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. Using an analytical model for the pressure profiles of the intracluster medium, we demonstrate the SZ bispectrum to be a sensitive probe of the amplitude of the matter power spectrum parameter sigma_8. We find that the bispectrum amplitude scales as B_SZ ~ sigma_8^{11-12}, compared to that of the power spectrum, which scales as A_tSZ ~ sigma_8^{7-9}. We show that the SZ bispectrum is principally sourced by massive clusters at redshifts around z~0.4, which have been well-studied observationally. This is in contrast to the SZ power spectrum, which receives a significant contribution from less-well understood low-mass and high-redshift groups and clusters. Therefore, the amplitude of the bispectrum at l~3000 is less sensitive to astrophysical uncertainties than the SZ power spectrum. We show that current high resolution CMB experiments should be able to detect the SZ bispectrum amplitude with high significance, in part due to the low contamination from extra-galactic foregrounds. A combination of the SZ bispectrum and the power spectrum can sharpen the measurements of thermal and kinetic SZ components and help distinguish cosmological and astrophysical information from high-resolution CMB maps.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, published in The Astrophysical Journa

Effect of changing window type and ventilation strategy on indoor thermal environment of existing garment factories in Bangladesh

This paper presents two workable solutions that can significantly improve the indoor thermal environment within workspaces in existing ready-made garment (RMG) factories in the tropical climatic context of Bangladesh. The research involved field studies in three multi-storey factory buildings, interviews with workers and owners and simulation studies. Field data indicated that the existing window configurations and limiting the ventilation strategy to occupied hours caused overheating of the indoor environment. Among a list of proposals, the building owners saw value in implementing two solutions (i.e. altering existing window type to one with a higher effective opening area and adopting a night-time ventilation strategy) in their existing buildings as well as proposed new buildings. To quantify the benefits, a validated simulation study was conducted. The findings confirm that these two interventions can provide reductions of up to 23% in overheated working hours and in so doing, improve workers’ thermal comfort and well-being

In vitro methods in autophagy research: Applications in neurodegenerative diseases and mood disorders

BackgroundAutophagy is a conserved physiological intracellular mechanism responsible for the degradation and recycling of cytoplasmic constituents (e.g., damaged organelles, and protein aggregates) to maintain cell homeostasis. Aberrant autophagy has been observed in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington’s Disease (HD), and recently aberrant autophagy has been associated with mood disorders, such as depression. Several in vitro methods have been developed to study the complex and tightly regulated mechanisms of autophagy. In vitro methods applied to autophagy research are used to identify molecular key players involved in dysfunctional autophagy and to screen autophagy regulators with therapeutic applications in neurological diseases and mood disorders. Therefore, the aims of this narrative review are (1) to compile information on the cell-based methods used in autophagy research, (2) to discuss their application, and (3) to create a catalog of traditional and novel in vitro methods applied in neurodegenerative diseases and depression.MethodsPubmed and Google Scholar were used to retrieve relevant in vitro studies on autophagy mechanisms in neurological diseases and depression using a combination of search terms per mechanism and disease (e.g., “macroautophagy” and “Alzheimer’s disease”). A total of 37 studies were included (14 in PD, 8 in AD, 5 in ALS, 5 in %, and 5 in depression).ResultsA repertoire of traditional and novel approaches and techniques was compiled and discussed. The methods used in autophagy research focused on the mechanisms of macroautophagy, microautophagy, and chaperone-mediated autophagy. The in vitro tools presented in this review can be applied to explore pathophysiological mechanisms at a molecular level and to screen for potential therapeutic agents and their mechanism of action, which can be of great importance to understanding disease biology and potential therapeutic options in the context of neurodegenerative disorders and depression.ConclusionThis is the first review to compile, discuss, and provide a catalog of traditional and novel in vitro models applied to neurodegenerative disorders and depression

Absorbance based light emitting diode optical sensors and sensing devices

The ever increasing demand for in situ monitoring of health, environment and security has created a need for reliable, miniaturised sensing devices. To achieve this, appropriate analytical devices are required that possess operating characteristics of reliability, low power consumption, low cost, autonomous operation capability and compatibility with wireless communications systems. The use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources is one strategy, which has been successfully applied in chemical sensing. This paper summarises the development and advancement of LED based chemical sensors and sensing devices in terms of their configuration and application, with the focus on transmittance and reflectance absorptiometric measurements

Olfactory dysfunction: A plausible source of COVID-19-induced neuropsychiatric symptoms

Olfactory dysfunction and neuropsychiatric symptoms are commonly reported by patients of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Evidence from recent research suggests linkages between altered or loss of smell and neuropsychiatric symptoms after infection with the coronavirus. Systemic inflammation and ischemic injury are believed to be the major cause of COVID-19-related CNS manifestation. Yet, some evidence suggest a neurotropic property of SARS-CoV-2. This mini-review article summarizes the neural correlates of olfaction and discusses the potential of trans-neuronal transmission of SARS-CoV-2 or its particles within the olfactory connections in the brain. The impact of the dysfunction in the olfactory network on the neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with COVID-19 will also be discussed

Thermal and optical analysis of a passive heat recovery and storage system for greenhouse skin

The thermal performance of a greenhouse can be greatly affected by the thermal and optical properties of its envelope system. In this study, a novel skin for greenhouse consisting of ethene-co-tetrafluoroethene (ETFE) membrane and Phase Change Material (PCM) RT28 has been developed and has also been experimentally investigated. The optical behaviour of the developed ETFE-Phase Change Material module sample is measured using a spectrometer and a pyranometer, respectively. The results show that at liquid state, the module has higher transmittance than that of at solid state. In addition, the light transmittance is related to the PCM's temperature. In the thermal aspect, the ETFE-Phase Change Material module presents different characterisation under various irradiances. Comparative analysis is also conducted for the ETFE-Phase Change Material, ETFE-water and ETFE alone. The ETFE-Phase Change Material system shows a benefit of the thermal management than that of other systems