Energy efficiency for typical 2-floor buildings in Portugal

The purpose of this paper is to develop a relative evaluation, from the energetic point of view, of different building layouts. Buildings can be classified, according to their position within the lot, as perimeter yard buildings, rear yard buildings, and side yard buildings. This classification covers the layout solutions traditionally adopted by architects for 2-floor residential buildings. The thermal performance of each building layout was evaluated through the quantification of its energetic consumption (per square meter of built area), for the heating and cooling seasons, and according to the geographic orientation. The simulation tool used in this evaluation is based on the Transfer Function Method. The results obtained showed that the rear yard buildings have the better thermal performance, with an average energy consumption that is around 40% lower than in the other cases. In addition, for all building layouts studied, the North-South orientation requires the minimum energetic consumption to maintain comfortable indoor air temperature.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Simulation models of an electric-driven smart window: energy and visual performances

 The ?in-situ? measurements acquired to characterize full-scale electric-driven glasses, able to dynamically switch from opaque to transparent state, were used to develop, calibrate and validate thermal and visual simulation models of these devices. The validated models were then used, in the simulation software TRNSYS, to assess the ability of these dynamic glasses to control the indoor conditions and reduce cooling load. The analysis was conducted for an office in a historical building, comparing the simulation results associated with the electric-driven glasses with those of the conventional double-glazing ones, from energy and visual points of view. Two different switching strategies were considered: i) Daylight strategy and ii) Thermal strategy. The use of electric-driven glasses allows from the thermal point of view to reduce about 12.5% of the cooling load, while from a visual point of view, to reach the highest values of Useful Daylight Illuminance, if controlled following the Daylight strategy.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of an Electric-Driven Smart Window Model for Visual Comfort Assessment

Smart windows, especially those electric-driven, represent one of the most advanced technologies for controlling solar radiation. For a correct use, it is necessary to understand their real behaviour through in-situ measurements on full-scale application as well as calibrating and validating visual simulation models capable of predicting their performances. In this paper, the preliminary results of current research activities aimed at developing simulation models of electric-driven full-scale glazing are presented. The research activities started with the assessment of the visible solar transmittance as a function of light incident angle through in-situ measurements; different models, with related values, of the visible solar transmittance were considered. For each simulation model, the corresponding transmittance value was set in the RADIANCE ?trans? material model and the simulated illuminance values, for a defined acquisition point of a test-facility, were then compared with the experimental data. Finally, for each model, indoor luminance distributions were reported considering a typical office seating position. Preliminary results, based on the in-situ measurements approach, highlighted a sufficient accuracy for one of the models adopted; further analyses are needed in order to upgrade the simulation models available and assess the effective performances of these windows.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Defects and moisture problems in buildings from historical city centres : a case study in Portugal

Conservation of ancient buildings is a major issue for modern societies, both from economical and cultural viewpoints. Information about the ancient built heritage is vital to plan adequate remedial measures. Using a historic centre in Portugal as a case study, this paper presents an extensive survey of building typology and materials, damage in the building envelope, indoor survey of damage, and measurements in indoor air temperature and relative humidity. Water-related problems can be confirmed as the single most important defect, which are combined with inadequate sun exposure, ventilation and heating, and excessive moisture indoor production. Extremely low temperatures, high humidity and presence of mould therefore compromise the indoor quality of life of the inhabitants, being urgent repair needed at many levels

Phenylketonuria: Protein content and amino acids profile of dishes for phenylketonuric patients. The relevance of phenylalanine

Phenylketonuria is an inborn error of metabolism, involving, in most cases, a deficient activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase. Neonatal diagnosis and a prompt special diet (low phenylalanine and natural-protein restricted diets) are essential to the treatment. The lack of data concerning phenylalanine contents of processed foodstuffs is an additional limitation for an already very restrictive diet. Our goals were to quantify protein (Kjeldahl method) and amino acid (18) content (HPLC/fluorescence) in 16 dishes specifically conceived for phenylketonuric patients, and compare the most relevant results with those of several international food composition databases. As might be expected, all the meals contained low protein levels (0.67–3.15 g/100 g) with the highest ones occurring in boiled rice and potatoes. These foods also contained the highest amounts of phenylalanine (158.51 and 62.65 mg/100 g, respectively). In contrast to the other amino acids, it was possible to predict phenylalanine content based on protein alone. Slight deviations were observed when comparing results with the different food composition databases

Unveiling the impact of STEC infecting phages on the colon microbiota using an in vitro fermentation model

(Bacterio)phages are considered safe for humans consumption, being regard as excellent biocontrol tools to prevent foodborne pathogens spread. Phages major advantage is their inherent specificity towards a bacterial species, yet some reports have shown phages ability to evolve to infect different hosts when transiting the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). And so, it is of extreme importance to understand the safety outcome of using phages as biocontrol agents in food, with particular interest in the ones that target species from Enterobacteriaceae family, commonly found in the human GIT microbiota. In this study, the impact of a phage infecting Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), named E. coli phage vB_EcoS_Ace (Ace), towards the colon microbiota was investigated. An in vitro batch fermentation model was used, and the inoculum was the fecal material of three healthy donors. Fermentations metabolome was analyzed through GC and HPLC, and the concentration of both phage Ace and STEC strain were monitored along time (up to 24h). The interference with the gut microbiota composition and functional potential was assessed by shot gun metagenomics. We observed an increase in phage titre only when the host was present, suggesting that there was no other suitable host within the different microbiotas used. Also, the microbiotas composition did not alter when phage Ace was added. Nevertheless, the attenuated version of STEC strain did indeed create some perturbation in the microbiota, which led to different functional potential. This was corroborated by the differences observed for both gas and short chain fatty acid acids dynamics. The microbiotas individuality was an important factor for the observed perturbations. Moreover, phage Ace revealed to be a safe phage when intended to be used as a biocontrol agent for food products. Also, we concluded that the in vitro fermentation model is a reliable, easy, and nonexpensive safety screening methodology for phages.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An in vitro fermentation model to study the impact of bacteriophages targeting shiga toxin-encoding escherichia coli on the colonic microbiota

Lytic bacteriophages are considered safe for human consumption as biocontrol agents against foodborne pathogens, in particular in ready-to-eat foodstuffs. Phages could, however, evolve to infect different hosts when passing through the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). This underlines the importance of understanding the impact of phages towards colonic microbiota, particularly towards bacterial families usually found in the colon such as the Enterobacteriaceae. Here we propose in vitro batch fermentation as model for initial safety screening of lytic phages targeting Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). As inoculum we used faecal material of three healthy donors. To assess phage safety, we monitored fermentation parameters, including short chain fatty acid production and gas production/intake by colonic microbiota. We performed shotgun metagenomic analysis to evaluate the outcome of phage interference with colonic microbiota composition and functional potential. During the 24h incubation, concentrations of phage and its host were also evaluated. We found the phage used in this study, named E. coli phage vB_EcoS_Ace (Ace), to be safe towards human colonic microbiota, independently of the donors faecal content used. This suggests that individuality of donor faecal microbiota did not interfere with phage effect on the fermentations. However, the model revealed that the attenuated STEC strain used as phage host perturbed the faecal microbiota as based on metagenomic analysis, with potential differences in metabolic output. We conclude that the in vitro batch fermentation model used in this study is a reliable safety screening for lytic phages intended to be used as biocontrol agents.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Immunophenotypic characterization of plasma cells in patients with multiple myeloma

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Multiple myeloma is an incurable malignancy characterized by the proliferation of a single clone of plasma cells in bone marrow. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and prognostic value of the expression of aberrant phenotypes in patients with multiple myeloma by multiparametric flow cytometry. METHODS: The study was carried out at Department of Hematology and Hemotherapy of Federal University of São Paulo and 30 patients with MM were analyzed prospectively. In an attempt to identify myeloma cells by flow cytometry (FACSCalibur, BD), specific monoclonal antibodies anti-CD138, anti-CD38 and anti-CD45 were used for the selection of plasma cells. The control group comprised four healthy bone marrow donors. RESULTS: All myeloma plasma cells expressed at least one aberrant phenotype and CD56+++, CD117++, CD33++, CD13++ and CD28++ markers were more frequently observed in 88% of patients. Lymphoid markers were found in cases with a higher number of aberrant phenotypes. DISCUSSION: CD56+++ and CD28++ antigens showed high levels of β2-microglobulin, which are associated with more aggressive stages of the disease and larger tumor mass. The absence of adhesion molecule CD56 was associated with high levels of β2M and calcium ion, showing that this finding may have prognostic value. CONCLUSION: From this study it was concluded that the aberrant phenotypes are present in most cases of MM, and immunophenotyping by multiparametric flow cytometry is a useful tool to distinguish normal plasma cells from myeloma plasma cells.INTRODUÇÃO E OBJETIVO: O mieloma múltiplo (MM) é uma doença maligna incurável caracterizada pela proliferação de um único clone de plasmócitos na medula óssea. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a frequência e o valor prognóstico da expressão dos fenótipos aberrantes em pacientes com MM por meio de citometria de fluxo multiparamétrica. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi realizado no Hospital São Paulo/Disciplina de Hematologia e Hemoterapia da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), sendo analisados de maneira prospectiva 30 pacientes portadores de MM ao diagnóstico. Na tentativa de identificar as células mielomatosas por citometria de fluxo (FACScalibur, BD), foram utilizados anticorpos monoclonais anti-CD138, anti-CD38, anti-CD45 específicos para seleção dos plasmócitos. O grupo controle consistiu em quatro doadores saudáveis de medula óssea. RESULTADOS: Todos os plasmócitos mielomatosos expressaram pelo menos um fenótipo aberrante, e CD56+++, CD117++, CD33++, CD13++, CD28++ foram os marcadores mais frequentes, observados em 88% dos pacientes. Os marcadores linfoides foram encontrados nos casos com maior número de fenótipos aberrantes. DISCUSSÃO: Os antígenos CD56+++ e CD28++ apresentaram altos níveis de β2-microglobulina, sendo estes associados a estágios mais agressivos da doença e maior massa tumoral. A ausência da molécula de adesão CD56 foi relacionada com altos níveis de β2M e de cálcio iônico, mostrando que este achado pode ter valor prognóstico. CONCLUSÃO: A partir deste estudo concluiu-se que os fenótipos aberrantes estão presentes na maioria dos casos de MM e que a imunofenotipagem por citometria de fluxo multiparamétrica é uma boa ferramenta para distinguir células plasmáticas normais dos plasmócitos mielomatosos.Universidade Federal de PernambucoCentro de Estudos Superiores de Maceió Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e da SaúdeUNIFESPUNIFESPSciEL

MOF-Based Materials with Sensing Potential: Pyrrolidine-Fused Chlorin at UiO-66(Hf) for Enhanced NO2 Detection

An efficient strategy to develop porous materials with potential for NO2 sensing was based in the preparation of a metal-organic framework (MOF), UiO-66(Hf), modified with a very small amount of meso-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl) N-methylpyrrolidine-fused chlorin (TCPC), TCPC@MOF. Chlorin’s incorporation into the UiO-66(Hf) framework was verified by several characterization methods and revealed that the as-synthesized TCPC@MOF brings together the chemical stability of UiO-66(Hf) and the photophysical properties of the pyrrolidine-fused chlorin which is about five times more emissive than the porphyrin counterpart. TCPC@MOF was further incorporated into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the resulting TCPC@MOF@PDMS film was tested in NO2 gas sensing. It showed notable sensitivity as well as a fast response in the range between 0.5 and 500 ppm where an emission intensity quenching is observed up to 96% for 500 ppm. This is a rare example of a chlorin-derivative used for gas-sensing applications through emission changes, and an unusual case of this type of optical-sensing composites of NO2.FCT-MCTE

Solid polymer electrolytes based on lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide/poly(vinylidene fluoride -co-hexafluoropropylene) for safer rechargeable lithium-ion batteries

The increasing use of electronic portable systems and the consequent energy demand, leads to the need to improve energy storage systems. According to that and due to safety issues, high-performance non-flammable electrolytes and solid polymer electrolytes (SPE) are needed.SPE containing different amounts of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) into a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), PVDF-HFP, polymer matrix have been prepared by solvent casting. The addition of LiTFSI into PVDF-HFP allows to tailor thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of the composite.In particular, the ionic conductivity of the composites increases with LiTFSI content, the best ionic conductivities of 0.0011 mS/cmat 25 degrees C and 0.23 mS/cmat 90 degrees C were obtained for the PVDF-HFP/LiTFSI composites with 80 wt % of LiTFSI.This solid electrolyte allows the fabrication of Li metallic/SPE/C-LiFePO4 half-cells with a discharge capacity of 51.2 mAh/ g at C/20. Further, theoretical simulations show that the discharge capacity value depends on the lithium concentration and percentage of free ions and is independent of the solid polymer electrolyte thickness. On the other hand, the voltage plateau depends on the SPE thickness. Thus, a solid electrolyte is presented for the next generation of safer solid-state batteries.The authors thank the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) for financial support under the framework of Strategic Funding grants UID/FIS/04650/2013, UID/EEA/04436/2013 and UID/QUI/0686/2016; and project no. PTDC/FIS-MAC/28157/2017. The authors also thank the FCT for financial support under grant SFRH/BPD/112547/2015 (C.M.C.). Financial support from the Basque Government Industry Department under the ELKARTEK and HAZITEK programs is also acknowledged. JMMD and JLGR acknowledge funding by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through the project MAT2016-76039-C4-1 and 3-R (including the FEDER financial support) CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the VI National R&D&i Plan 2008–2011, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions and financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund