Demand Side Management for Building Energy Efficiency Through Hybrid Daylighting System and Battery Energy Storage System

This dissertation aims to investigate demand side management (DSM) to improve building energy efficiency and reduce on-peak electricity demand. Daylighting device and battery energy storage system (BESS) for peak shaving are proposed and studied. To reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of building lighting, an innovative parabolic trough solar lighting and thermal (PTL/T) system is designed and analyzed. In the proposed system, a parabolic trough collector (PTC) controlled by two-axis solar tracking system is used as solar collector. The collected sunlight is split by a cold mirror into visible light and infrared light. The visible light is reflected by the cold mirror, re-concentrated by a second-stage Fresnel lens, and then delivered by plastic optical fiber to the buildings for daylighting. The infrared light goes through the cold mirror, reaches the thermal system, and is used for heat generation. An economic and efficiency model of the PTL/T system is built to optimize the system parameters. A case study is conducted to get a specific optimized illumination area and PTC area. Its maximum energy savings, and simple payback period in the US are calculated to demonstrate its economic feasibility. The results show the proposed PTL/T system is competitive compared with traditional solar energy systems. Peak demand charge is a significant portion of building utility cost, and battery energy storage system (BESS) is recognized as an effective technology for peak demand reduction. In this research, a mathematical model is developed to analyze the economic benefit of using lithium-ion BESS for peak shaving. The impacts of four key factors including BESS capacity, battery degradation, operation temperature, and utilization rate are quantified and compared for the first time. The simulation results show that the Net Present Value of Unit BESS (NPVU) decreases with the increase of Normalized Size Percentage (NSP). The benefit from optimizing the BESS capacity is limited by relatively low NPV because only around 4% NSP can be chosen. Due to the extremely low Utilization Rate (UR), the final cycling loss is at a super low level. The average NPVU can be improved by around 7.8% through the optimization of operation temperature in the US. In contrast, a 69.9% increase of NPVU is obtained through the increase of UR by peak-time charging. Through the comparison of all the analyzed factors, the UR is recognized as the most significant factor. After, two new DSMs based on sharing economy are proposed to maximize the utilization and savings of BESS. Peak shaving is the base function of all proposed sharing network. The simple sharing, which shares one BESS among multiple customers, is capable to work as a cloud service. The demand reduction for each customer is optimized using genetic algorithm (GA). Simulation results show the sharing among six customers can increase max NSP, optimized NSP, NPVU and UR by 97.9%, 102.5%, 515.3% and 180.6% respectively without significant battery life impact. The comprehensive sharing, which shares one BESS for different services, works in modularized method. All the services that can be conveniently applied on the customer side are evaluated, which include TOU peak load shifting, integration of PTL/T, power factor correction and combine meter effect. Economic analysis shows all the modules can provide considerable additional savings to the DSM system

Distribution of quadratic forms under skew normal settings

AbstractFor a class of multivariate skew normal distributions, the noncentral skew chi-square distribution is studied. The necessary and sufficient conditions under which a sequence of quadratic forms is generalized noncentral skew chi-square distributed random variables are obtained. Several examples are given to illustrate the results

Aquaporin-1 Deficiency Protects Against Myocardial Infarction by Reducing Both Edema and Apoptosis in Mice

Many studies have determined that AQP1 plays an important role in edema formation and resolution in various tissues via water transport across the cell membrane. The aim of this research was to determine both if and how AQP1 is associated with cardiac ischemic injury, particularly the development of edema following myocardial infarction (MI). AQP1+/+ and AQP1−/− mice were used to create the MI model. Under physiological conditions, AQP1−/− mice develop normally; however, in the setting of MI, they exhibit cardioprotective properties, as shown by reduced cardiac infarct size determined via NBT staining, improved cardiac function determined via left ventricular catheter measurements, decreased AQP1-dependent myocardial edema determined via water content assays and decreased apoptosis determined via TUNEL analysis. Cardiac ischemia caused by hypoxia secondary to AQP1 deficiency stabilized the expression of HIF-1α in endothelial cells and subsequently decreased microvascular permeability, resulting in the development of edema. The AQP1-dependent myocardial edema and apoptosis contributed to the development of MI. AQP1 deficiency protected cardiac function from ischemic injury following MI. Furthermore, AQP1 deficiency reduced microvascular permeability via the stabilization of HIF-1α levels in endothelial cells and decreased cellular apoptosis following MI

Cell-Type-Specific Afferent Innervation of the Nucleus Accumbens Core and Shell

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is clearly implicated in reward processing and drug addiction, as well as in numerous neurological and psychiatric disorders; nevertheless, the circuit mechanisms underlying the diverse functions of the NAc remain poorly understood. Here, we characterized the whole-brain and monosynaptic inputs to two main projection cell types – D1 dopamine receptor expressing medium spiny neurons (D1R-MSNs) and D2 dopamine receptor expressing medium spiny neurons (D2R-MSNs) – within the NAc core and NAc shell by rabies-mediated trans-synaptic tracing. We discovered that D1R-MSNs and D2R-MSNs in both NAc subregions receive similar inputs from diverse sources. Inputs to the NAc core are broadly scattered, whereas inputs to the NAc shell are relatively concentrated. Furthermore, we identified numerous brain areas providing important contrasting inputs to different NAc subregions. The anterior cortex preferentially innervates the NAc core for both D1R-MSNs and D2R-MSNs, whereas the lateral hypothalamic area (LH) preferentially targets D1R-MSNs in the NAc shell. Characterizing the cell-type-specific connectivity of different NAc subregions lays a foundation for studying how diverse functions of the NAc are mediated by specific pathways

The impact of ESG performance on firms’ technological innovation: evidence from China

Technological innovation is crucial for creating sustainable corporate value and shaping competitive advantage in the market. ESG, as an indicator of corporate value practices, plays a significant role in enterprise technological innovation. However, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. This study analyzes the relationship between ESG performance and technological innovation in Chinese A-share listed enterprises from 2011 to 2021. The statistical data shows that strong ESG performance has a significant positive impact on corporate technological innovation. ESG performance can promote corporate technological innovation through external mechanisms, such as enhancing corporate network location and increasing institutional shareholding. Additionally, internal mechanisms, such as reducing labor costs and easing financing constraints, can also promote corporate technological innovation. The impact of ESG performance on corporations exhibits heterogeneity, with ESG performance promoting innovation more strongly among labor-intensive firms, non-state-owned firms, highly competitive industries, and mature firms. Based on the study results, it is recommended that enterprises actively practice ESG development concepts, optimize their equity structure, strengthen information communication with stakeholders, and alleviate problems such as information asymmetry to improve their technological innovation. The government should focus on enterprise characteristics, improve ESG development policies, and promote enterprise innovation through ESG performance

Dopamine promotes Klebsiella quasivariicola proliferation and inflammatory response in the presence of macrophages

BackgroundDopamine, a frequently used therapeutic agent for critically ill patients, has been shown to be implicated in clinical infections recently, however, the precise mechanisms underlying this association remain elusive. Klebsiella quasivariicola, a novel strain belonging to the Klebsiella species, exhibits potential pathogenic attributes. The impact of dopamine on K. quasivariicola infection has aroused our interest.ObjectiveConsidering the contribution of host immune factors during infection, this study aimed to investigate the intricate interactions between K. quasivariicola, dopamine, and macrophages were explored.MethodsRAW264.7 cells and C57/BL6 mice were infected with K. quasivariicola, and the bacterial growth within macrophage, the production of inflammatory cytokines and the pathological changes in mice lungs were detected, in the absence or presence of dopamine. ResultsDopamine inhibited the growth of K. quasivariicola in the medium, but promoted bacterial growth when co-cultured with macrophages. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines increased in RAW 264.7 cells infected with K. quasivariicola, and a significant rise was observed upon the addition of dopamine. The infection of K. quasivariicola in mice induced an inflammatory response and lung injury, which were exacerbated by the administration of dopamine. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that dopamine may be one of the potential risk factors associated with K. quasivariicola infection. This empirical insight provides solid references for clinical precision medicine. Furthermore, an in vitro model of microbes-drugs-host immune cells for inhibitor screening was proposed to more accurately replicate the complex in vivo environment. This fundamental work had contributed to the present understanding of the crosstalk between pathogen, dopamine and host immune cells

Nrf2 signaling pathway: current status and potential therapeutic targetable role in human cancers

Cancer is a borderless global health challenge that continues to threaten human health. Studies have found that oxidative stress (OS) is often associated with the etiology of many diseases, especially the aging process and cancer. Involved in the OS reaction as a key transcription factor, Nrf2 is a pivotal regulator of cellular redox state and detoxification. Nrf2 can prevent oxidative damage by regulating gene expression with antioxidant response elements (ARE) to promote the antioxidant response process. OS is generated with an imbalance in the redox state and promotes the accumulation of mutations and genome instability, thus associated with the establishment and development of different cancers. Nrf2 activation regulates a plethora of processes inducing cellular proliferation, differentiation and death, and is strongly associated with OS-mediated cancer. What’s more, Nrf2 activation is also involved in anti-inflammatory effects and metabolic disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and multidrug resistance. Nrf2 is highly expressed in multiple human body parts of digestive system, respiratory system, reproductive system and nervous system. In oncology research, Nrf2 has emerged as a promising therapeutic target. Therefore, certain natural compounds and drugs can exert anti-cancer effects through the Nrf2 signaling pathway, and blocking the Nrf2 signaling pathway can reduce some types of tumor recurrence rates and increase sensitivity to chemotherapy. However, Nrf2’s dual role and controversial impact in cancer are inevitable consideration factors when treating Nrf2 as a therapeutic target. In this review, we summarized the current state of biological characteristics of Nrf2 and its dual role and development mechanism in different tumor cells, discussed Keap1/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway and its downstream genes, elaborated the expression of related signaling pathways such as AMPK/mTOR and NF-κB. Besides, the main mechanism of Nrf2 as a cancer therapeutic target and the therapeutic strategies using Nrf2 inhibitors or activators, as well as the possible positive and negative effects of Nrf2 activation were also reviewed. It can be concluded that Nrf2 is related to OS and serves as an important factor in cancer formation and development, thus provides a basis for targeted therapy in human cancers

Case report: Clinical features of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia presenting with cardiac tamponade: a case series study and literature review

ObjectiveThis study aims to elucidate the clinical features observed in cases of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) initially presenting with cardiac tamponade and to share treatment experiences.Materials and methodsFive pediatric patients were initially diagnosed with AML accompanied by cardiac myeloid sarcoma (MS). The diagnosis was established by examining our hospital records and reviewing pertinent literature from 1990 to July 2023, accessible through MEDLINE/PubMed. We comprehensively assessed the clinical characteristics and treatment modalities employed for these patients.ResultFive pediatric patients presented with acute symptoms, including shortness of breath, malaise, cough, and fever, leading to their hospitalization. Physical examination revealed irritability, hypoxia, tachypnea, tachycardia, and hypotension. Initial detection utilized chest X-ray or echocardiogram, leading to subsequent diagnoses based on pericardial effusion and/or bone marrow examination. Two patients received chemotherapy at the time of initial diagnosis, one with cytarabine and etoposide, and the other with cytarabine and cladribine. Post-treatment, their bone marrow achieved remission, and over a 2.5-year follow-up, their cardiac function remained favorable. Unfortunately, the remaining three patients succumbed within two weeks after diagnosis, either due to receiving alternative drugs or without undergoing chemotherapy.ConclusionThis is the first and largest case series of pediatric AML patients with cardiac MS, manifesting initially with cardiac tamponade. It highlights the rarity and high mortality associated with this condition. The critical factors for reducing mortality include identifying clinical manifestations, conducting thorough physical examinations, performing echocardiography promptly, initiating early and timely pericardial drainage, and avoiding cardiotoxic chemotherapy medications

Increased Formation of Follicular Antrum in Aquaporin-8-Deficient Mice Is Due to Defective Proliferation and Migration, and Not Steroidogenesis of Granulosa Cells

Aquaporin-8 (AQP8) is a water channel protein expressed exclusively in granulosa cells (GCs) in mouse ovary. Our previous studies of AQP8-deficient (AQP8-/-) mice demonstrated that AQP8 participates in folliculogenesis, including in the formation of follicles, ovulation, and atresia. However, its physiological function in formation of the antral follicle is still largely unknown. In the present study, we observed significantly increased numbers of antral follicles in AQP8-/- ovaries as well as significantly increased follicular antrum formation in in vitro 3D culture of AQP8-/- follicles. Functional detection of AQP8-/- GCs indicated that cell proliferation is impaired with FSH treatment, and wound healing and Transwell migration are also impaired with or without FSH treatment, compared with that in WT. However, the biosynthesis of estradiol and progesterone as well as the mRNA levels of key steroidogenic enzyme genes (CYP19A1 and StAR) in AQP8-/- GCs did not change, even with addition of FSH and/or testosterone. In order to estimate the influence of the impaired proliferation and migration on the density of GC mass, preantral follicles were injected with FITC-dextran, which distributes only in the intercellular space, and analyzed by confocal microscopy. The micrographs showed significantly higher transmission of fluorescence in AQP8-/- follicles, suggesting increased intercellular space of GCs. Based on this evidence, we concluded that AQP8 deficiency leads to increased formation of follicular antra in vivo and in vitro, and the mechanism may be associated with increased intercellular space of GCs, which may be caused by defective proliferation and migration of GCs. This study may offer new insight into the molecular mechanisms of the formation of follicular antrum