A sustainable complex fenestration system using recycled plastics

Daylighting in built spaces has several benefits. It helps in reaching satisfactory levels of energy consumption by reducing the usage of artificial lighting. Furthermore, daylighting is also a major contributor in altering the visual comfort of occupants. Consequently, it boosts occupants’ concentration and productivity, which affects their performance in work tasks. However, an inadequately designed daylighting scheme leads to excessive solar heat gain, especially in hot and arid climates, increasing the temperature of interior spaces. In addition, due to the high solar altitudes in summer, the direct sunlight may fall right beneath the fenestration system and will not reach the depth of the space this phenomena is known as the “cave effect”. Many proposed designs of blinds, louvers, shades and low emitting glass panels, tackled the side effects of the summer sun; on the other hand, a few of the proposed solutions incorporated the use of recycled materials, for an added sustainable value. The aim of this thesis is to achieve a sustainable complex fenestration system (CFS) design that can diffuse and redirect the direct daylight component through an optimized pattern on its translucent layer. The CFS will comprise recycled plastic waste, which results from the conventional household waste. The recycled plastic waste will be used as a translucent material, with an optimized prismatic array design, to ensure adequate daylighting in hot climate desert areas. An optimization model for designing a prismatic panel is developed to meet the objective of minimizing sun light near the window and redistributing the sunlight to the depth of the space, while a ray tracing program is used to validate the developed model’s results. Furthermore, Radiance, a validated ray tracing simulation program, is used to produce accurate analysis with detailed hourly illuminance measurements throughout the year for the proposed CFS design using the five-phase method. Finally, a physical small scale model is developed to prove the viability of the CFS using three different recycled plastics, polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC) polypropylene (PP). The proposed design succeeded to improve the daylight performance by redirecting an average of 50% of the direct light to an upward direction, thus levelling the daylight within the room depth. The physical prototype exhibits great performance in the redirection of daylight into deep areas of the room especially at high solar altitudes. Polycarbonate proved to be the best of the three tested recycled plastic followed by the polystyrene, while polypropylene needs further research to develop a more feasible product

A Light and Electron Microscopic Study of the Mushroom Bodies in the Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus

Die Paarweisen säulensartigen Pilzkörper (MBs) des Insektgehirns stellen ein dominierendes neuropiles für multimodal sensorische Integration, die am wichtigsten für die Organisation des olfactorischen Verhaltens und für Gedächtnis und das Lernen. Die MBs enthalten immer eine Kategorie lokale Interneurones, die Kenyon Zellen (KCs). In den erwachsenen Grillengehirnen - im Gegensatz zu anderer Insektsorte- nur wird eine Gruppe von KCs ununterbrochen eben von fortbestehenden neuroblasts während des Erwachsenlebens gebildet. Diese wachsen und unterschiedene Neuronen müssen in ein strukturell eingerichtetes, synaptisches Funktionellnetz integriert werden, das für das Organisieren des olfaktorischen Verhaltens unentbehrlich ist.In Gryllus bimaculatus studieren wir die wachsende KCs in den MB- neuropiles in Verhältnis zu unterschiedenen MB Neuronen mit Immunlicht und Konventionelle Elektronenmikroskopie. Ein Konischer Block von ungefähr 100 wachsendes KCs, der von mitotischen Neuroblasten in der Perikaryal schicht des MBs abstammend, bildet ein Faserbündel, das intensiv von Anti actin Fluoreszenz zum vorderen MB Kelch befleckt wird. Glial Elemente in dieser Region erscheinen actin- negativ. In der Kelch die zentrale wachsende KC Faserbündel bildet Radialprojektionen actin- positivem zweigförmig Projektionen verbinden sich mit unterscheidenden zweigförmige KC, den einen eingerichteten GABAergische Netz vor Beendigen am zentripetalen Rand von der Schicht von cholinergischen kreuzt, hat eingegeben Relaisneurone.Der befleckte Kompakt wachsendes Faserbündels, das ein Zehntes vom Stielband und enthalten ungefähr 800 Faser besetzt, aufbewahrt eine zentrale Position im Stiel und a- lobus und einer latero begrenzten Stelle im ß- lobus, und bleibt frei von der anti-synapin immunoreaktivität. Laser Scan-Mikroskopie von Längslaufende Sektionen enthüllt winzige zentrifugale Wachstumsspitzen, die am Rand vom wachsenden Faserbündel arrangiert werden. In der Suche nach KCs (extrinsischen Neurone) nicht Synapatische, haben wir das Verhältnis von GABA- und 5-HT- immunoreaktivität Neuronen zum wachsenden KCs untersucht. Winzige immunoflickige Fasern, die synaptische Kontakt anzeigen, beendigen hauptsächlich am seitlichen Rand von der action-positiven zentralen Fasernmasse, aber stören selten es. Synaptische Seiten wurden in Proben vollständiger, dünner Abschnitte von MB Neuropiles durch Elektronenmikroskopie entdecket. Der intensiv Anti actin beflecken von wachsen KC Faser entspricht ihrer erhöhten Elektrondichte. Synapsen angrenzend an sprießende Fasern scheinen klein und unterscheiden sich von völlig entwickelten Sypapses der extrinsischen Fasern mit KCs beim Umgeben zentrifugaler Anteile vom Stiel und loben neuropiles. Die Bildung neuer Synapsen verwickelt offensichtlich Wachstum von extrinisische Zelle zuzüglich des Sprießens von neu zusätzlichem KCs

THE INFLUENCE OF THE SENSUAL ENVIRONMENT OF THE URBAN SPACE ON THE USERS

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Acute compartment syndrome of the forearm as a rare complication of toxic epidermal necrolysis: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Toxic epidermal necrolysis lies within the spectrum of severe cutaneous adverse reactions induced by drugs, affecting skin and mucous membranes. Toxic epidermal necrolysis is considered a medical emergency as it is considered to be potentially fatal and carries a high mortality rate. To the best of our knowledge the association of toxic epidermal necrolysis and compartment syndrome has been rarely mentioned in the literature. In this case we treated the compartment syndrome promptly despite the poor general condition and skin status of our patient. Despite the poor skin condition, wound healing was uneventful with no complications.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 62-year-old Caucasian man with a generalized macular-vesicular rash involving 90% of his body surface area and mucous membranes, as well as impaired renal and hepatic functions following ingestion of allopurinol for treatment of gout, was admitted to our hospital. Skin biopsies were taken and he was started on a steroid infusion. Within hours of admission, he developed acute compartment syndrome of the dominant forearm and hand.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Despite its rare incidence, toxic epidermal necrolysis is a condition with a high incidence of complications and mortality. Patients with severe conditions affecting a large degree of the skin surface area should be treated as promptly and effectively as patients with burns, with close monitoring and the anticipation that rare musculoskeletal complications might arise. The association of compartment syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis might lead to a rapid deterioration and fatal systemic involvement and multiple organ failures.</p

Uterine Artery Occlusion for Treatment of Symptomatic Uterine Myomas

Both laparoscopic occlusion and superselective embolization of the uterine artery for symptomatic uterine leiomyomata improved clinical symptoms in the majority of patients

Synthesis and studies on chromene based reactive azo dyes and their applications on different fabrics

A number of reactive azo dyes based on chromene moiety were prepared through two inversed routes using 2-amino-7-hydroxy-4-phenyl-4H-chromene-3-carbonitrile, which when coupled to different diazonium salts, yielded the corresponding dyes which were then further reacted with cyanuric chloride. The structures of the prepared dyes were elucidated from their spectral data, elemental analyses and colour measurements. Dyeing of cellulosic and nylon fibers using the prepared dyes was done under suitable conditions. Some properties of the prepared dyes such as fastness properties (washing, rubbing and perspiration) and colour measurements were investigated. The dyes showed very good fastness to washing properties when attached to nylon fibers but poor fastness to light properties were shown

Apoptotic Potential of Artemsia sieberia Besser (Asteraceae) Fraction against Human Cancer Cell Lines

Purpose: To investigate the anti-proliferative and apoptotic activity of crude and dichloromethane fraction of A. sieberi against seven cancer cell lines (Colo20, HCT116, DLD, MCF7, Jurkat, HepG2 and L929).Methods: A. sieberi was extracted with methanol and further purification was carried out using liquidliquid extraction with hexane, dichloromethane and ethyl acetate. Each extract was assayed for cytotoxic potential against cancer cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay. The morphology of the HepG2 cell nucleus was investigated by Hoechst 33342, DNA-binding dye. A Tali™ image-based cytometer was used to assess cell viability, death and apoptosis using annexin-v /pi (propidium iodide). A chromatographic fingerprint was constructed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).Results: The most effective anticancer activity of the unrefined methanol extract was against HepG2 cell lines (LC50 = 161.5 μg/mL). The hexane and ethyl acetate fractions showed no antiproliferative activity. The dichloromethane fraction displayed higher cytotoxic activity (LC50 = 61.75 μg/mL) and also repressed the migration of the cells. About 50 % of HepG2 cells were apoptotic when treated for 24 h with the dichloromethane fraction at the concentration of 120 μg/mLConclusion: A. sieberi possesses apoptotic activity and inhibited the migration of the HepG2 cell lines.Keywords: Artemsia Sieberia, Apoptosiss, Cytotoxicity, Hoescht staining, HepG2 cell line

Textiles Printing Using Microencapsulated Pigments in Biodegradable Thickeners

Micro-encapsulated pigments were formulated into biodegradable printing pastes and their properties were analyzed. The pigment was used as the core material and polylactic-based biodegradable thickener was used as the wall-former. Cotton/polyester blend fabric was printed with micro-encapsulated pigment using screen-printing technique without dispersing agents, penetrating agents, leveling agents or other auxiliaries. Micro-encapsulated pigment has been characterized in terms of average particle size and size distribution, morphological structure and elemental composition using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The variations in viscosity and paste stability were observed upon storing over 7 days at ambient temperature. For permanence, the micro-encapsulation process afforded better colorfastness properties against light, washing, rubbing, and perspiration

Functionality of Inorganic Nanostructured Materials onto Wool Fabric

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared through chemical reduction method and characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectra to examine its formation with different AgNO3 and sodium borohydride concentrations and by transmission electron microscope (TEM) to evaluate its particle size and size distribution. The wool fabric was first treated separately with AgNPs and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and then dyed with C.I. Acid Orange 74 (AO74). The dye uptake of pre-treated wool fabric with nanoparticles was compared to conventional dyeing of wool. The existence of AgNPs and TiO2NPs on wool fabric during acid dyeing increases the dye uptake up to 27 and 39%, respectively. The dyeing kinetic of wool fabric was positively affected by treating with AgNPs and TiO2NPs. Also, the activation energy of AO74 diffusion was calculated before and after NPs-treatment that confirms the physicsorption dyeing process. The NPs-treatment leads to produce a wool fabric with excellent antibacterial and photocatalytic properties for TiO2NPs-treated wool fabric and very good antibacterial and good photocatalytic properties for AgNPs-treated wool fabric. In addition, NPs-treatment has no adverse effects on fastness properties of the functionalized dyed wool fabric. Keywords: Silver nanoparticles, Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, Wool, Acid dyeing