A Case Study of Zero Energy Home Built for Solar Decathlon Competition 2013

Energy consumption in residential homes has been a subject of research related to sustainability. Reduction in the consumption of energy is a goal of sustainable construction. The Department of Energy (DOE) started a Solar Decathlon competition in 2002 in which the students from different universities around the globe build an energy efficient and affordable home suitable for their climate and location. The main goal of this competition is to select the best home that is designed and built in a sustainable way. In this study, the home designed and constructed for participation in the competition by the students at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has been taken into consideration. This home has been designed for the desert climate. The main objectives of this study are to describe the design and construction process of this home, the energy efficient features used in the home, the cost associated with the construction of the home, and also the energy consumed by the home. In addition to this, the energy consumption data of this home collected during the competition period in Irvine, California was compared with 30 Energy Star and 30 non-Energy Star homes in Henderson, Nevada. The results showed that the zero energy home not only produced energy sufficient to run the entire home, but also proved to be more energy efficient than the Energy Star and non-Energy Star homes built in Henderson, Nevada by consuming 2% and 6% less energy respectively

Mechanism of Foreign DNA Recognition and Degradation by the Type-I CRISPR System in Escherechia coli

The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) immune system is used by bacteria and archaea to gain immunity from mobile genetic elements like phage DNA and plasmids. In Escherichia coli, small RNA derived from its CRISPR loci (crRNA) are integrated into a large ribonucleoprotein complex called Cascade, which is then used as a surveillance complex to find foreign DNA based on sequence complementary. Previous studies suggested that Cascade recruits an additional nuclease-helicase protein called Cas3 to silence foreign DNA in order to gain immunity. To understand the roles of Cascade and Cas3, we carried out structural and biochemical studies on both of these essential components of the CRISPR immune system. Here, we report the crystal structure of the Cascade complex from E. coli bound to its target DNA to 3.03 Å. The structure reveals a DNA-RNA hybrid at the core of the complex, forming a heavily distorted, discontinuous, arched-ladder that locally forms short A-form-like duplexes. Bases in both strands of the hybrid are flipped out at regular intervals due to the organization of the protein subunits in the complex. The structure presented here shows how Cascade-like complexes have evolved to form a distorted hybrid that is likely primed for recruitment of Cas3 for further degradation of the invasive DNA. We also report the crystal structure of the HD nuclease domain of Cas3 from T. thermophilus, and characterize its nuclease active site. Based on additional biochemical analysis, we show that the HD nuclease likely uses a two-metal-ion-dependent cleavage mechanism. Furthermore, using individually purified Cascade and Cas3 from E. coli, we reconstituted CRISPR-mediated plasmid degradation in vitro. Analysis of this reconstituted assay suggests that Cascade recruits Cas3 to a single-stranded region of the DNA target exposed by Cascade binding. Cas3 then nicks the exposed DNA. Recruitment and nicking is stimulated by the presence, but not hydrolysis, of ATP. Following nicking, and powered by ATP hydrolysis, the concerted actions of the helicase and nuclease domains of Cas3 proceed to unwind and degrade the entire DNA target in a unidirectional manner. Taken together, the results of our study explain how foreign DNA is identified and degraded by the CRISPR immune system, and provide a solid framework for future studies

Why construction productivity initiatives fail to deliver significant improvements?

Popper’s (1972) analytical process of conjecture and refutations highlight how a problem begets a solution that engenders new problems. Efforts, in theory and practice, to increase construction productivity at the strategic level (project delivery systems, internal and external project planning), the logistic level (scheduling theories and lean construction theories and practices) and the tactical level (work task/time studies and value stream mapping) have failed to yield significant improvements. This paper summarizes and links the systemic nature of construction to the three organizational levels in a historical perspective of productivity’s strengths and weaknesses. Structured literature review is used to identify and analyze published research regarding construction productivity at the above-mentioned three levels (Motwani et al. 1995). Sketches of organization and project models are created. These models are based on independent, dependent and interdependent variables uncovered in the literature review. The models use organization and process description language to feed a project simulation that in turn will feed a future meta-project Monte-Carlo simulation expected to generate massive quantity of data. The data will be tested internally and externally through case studies and verified against actual projects, organization and productivity theories and the experience of project personnel

Why construction productivity initiatives fail to deliver significant improvements?

Popper’s (1972) analytical process of conjecture and refutations highlight how a problem begets a solution that engenders new problems. Efforts, in theory and practice, to increase construction productivity at the strategic level (project delivery systems, internal and external project planning), the logistic level (scheduling theories and lean construction theories and practices) and the tactical level (work task/time studies and value stream mapping) have failed to yield significant improvements. This paper summarizes and links the systemic nature of construction to the three organizational levels in a historical perspective of productivity’s strengths and weaknesses. Structured literature review is used to identify and analyze published research regarding construction productivity at the above-mentioned three levels (Motwani et al. 1995). Sketches of organization and project models are created. These models are based on independent, dependent and interdependent variables uncovered in the literature review. The models use organization and process description language to feed a project simulation that in turn will feed a future meta-project Monte-Carlo simulation expected to generate massive quantity of data. The data will be tested internally and externally through case studies and verified against actual projects, organization and productivity theories and the experience of project personnel

Associate Instructional Professor

Popper’s (1972) analytical process of conjecture and refutations highlight how a problem begets a solution that engenders new problems. Efforts, in theory and practice, to increase construction productivity at the strategic level (project delivery systems, internal and external project planning), the logistic level (scheduling theories and lean construction theories and practices) and the tactical level (work task/time studies and value stream mapping) have failed to yield significant improvements. This paper summarizes and links the systemic nature of construction to the three organizational levels in a historical perspective of productivity’s strengths and weaknesses. Structured literature review is used to identify and analyze published research regarding construction productivity at the above-mentioned three levels (Motwani et al. 1995). Sketches of organization and project models are created. These models are based on independent, dependent and interdependent variables uncovered in the literature review. The models use organization and process description language to feed a project simulation that in turn will feed a future meta-project Monte-Carlo simulation expected to generate massive quantity of data. The data will be tested internally and externally through case studies and verified against actual projects, organization and productivity theories and the experience of project personnel

Associate Instructional Professor

Popper’s (1972) analytical process of conjecture and refutations highlight how a problem begets a solution that engenders new problems. Efforts, in theory and practice, to increase construction productivity at the strategic level (project delivery systems, internal and external project planning), the logistic level (scheduling theories and lean construction theories and practices) and the tactical level (work task/time studies and value stream mapping) have failed to yield significant improvements. This paper summarizes and links the systemic nature of construction to the three organizational levels in a historical perspective of productivity’s strengths and weaknesses. Structured literature review is used to identify and analyze published research regarding construction productivity at the above-mentioned three levels (Motwani et al. 1995). Sketches of organization and project models are created. These models are based on independent, dependent and interdependent variables uncovered in the literature review. The models use organization and process description language to feed a project simulation that in turn will feed a future meta-project Monte-Carlo simulation expected to generate massive quantity of data. The data will be tested internally and externally through case studies and verified against actual projects, organization and productivity theories and the experience of project personnel

In vitro reconstitution of Cascade-mediated CRISPR immunity in Streptococcus thermophilus

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-encoded immunity in Type I systems relies on the Cascade (CRISPR-associated complex for antiviral defence) ribonucleoprotein complex, which triggers foreign DNA degradation by an accessory Cas3 protein. To establish the mechanism for adaptive immunity provided by the Streptococcus thermophilus CRISPR4-Cas (CRISPR-associated) system (St-CRISPR4-Cas), we isolated an effector complex (St-Cascade) containing 61-nucleotide CRISPR RNA (crRNA). We show that St-Cascade, guided by crRNA, binds in vitro to a matching proto-spacer if a proto-spacer adjacent motif (PAM) is present. Surprisingly, the PAM sequence determined from binding analysis is promiscuous and limited to a single nucleotide (A or T) immediately upstream (-1 position) of the proto-spacer. In the presence of a correct PAM, St-Cascade binding to the target DNA generates an R-loop that serves as a landing site for the Cas3 ATPase/nuclease. We show that Cas3 binding to the displaced strand in the R-loop triggers DNA cleavage, and if ATP is present, Cas3 further degrades DNA in a unidirectional manner. These findings establish a molecular basis for CRISPR immunity in St-CRISPR4-Cas and other Type I systems

Cas3 is a limiting factor for CRISPR-Cas immunity in Escherichia coli cells lacking H-NS

Background: CRISPR-Cas systems provide adaptive immunity to mobile genetic elements in prokaryotes. In many bacteria, including E. coli, a specialized ribonucleoprotein complex called Cascade enacts immunity by “an interference reaction" between CRISPR encoded RNA (crRNA) and invader DNA sequences called “protospacers”. Cascade recognizes invader DNA via short “protospacer adjacent motif” (PAM) sequences and crRNA-DNA complementarity. This triggers degradation of invader DNA by Cas3 protein and in some circumstances stimulates capture of new invader DNA protospacers for incorporation into CRISPR as “spacers” by Cas1 and Cas2 proteins, thus enhancing immunity. Co-expression of Cascade, Cas3 and crRNA is effective at giving E. coli cells resistance to phage lysis, if a transcriptional repressor of Cascade and CRISPR, H-NS, is inactivated (Δhns). We present further genetic analyses of the regulation of CRISPR-Cas mediated phage resistance in Δhns E. coli cells. Results: We observed that E. coli Type I-E CRISPR-Cas mediated resistance to phage λ was strongly temperature dependent, when repeating previously published experimental procedures. Further genetic analyses highlighted the importance of culture conditions for controlling the extent of CRISPR immunity in E. coli. These data identified that expression levels of cas3 is an important limiting factor for successful resistance to phage. Significantly, we describe the new identification that cas3 is also under transcriptional control by H-NS but that this is exerted only in stationary phase cells. Conclusions: Regulation of cas3 is responsive to phase of growth, and to growth temperature in E. coli, impacting on the efficacy of CRISPR-Cas immunity in these experimental systems

Illustrating the process of gender and culturally sensitive health promotion of women through Fit4Life program

Vertiö, Kati and Mulepati, Traijila. Illustrating the process of gender and culturally sensitive health promotion of women through Fit4Life program. 36 pages. 2 appendices. Language: English. Spring 2018. Diaconia University of Applied Sciences. Degree Program in Social Services and Community Development. Degree: Bachelor of Social Services (AMK). This is a development-oriented thesis that aimed to illustrate the holistic process of a participant in Fit4Life health promotion program through a sample of a model. Fit4Life promotes the overall health and well-being of multicultural women in Finland and it encourages to lead a healthy lifestyle by using sports as a tool. It addresses a variety of important aspects of health such as physical activity, nutrition, mental well-being and social participation in its activities. This thesis consists of following parts: the literature review and the description of the process of creating a sample model of the participant’s process in Fit4Life program. The literature review discourses the key concepts of holistic health promotion as well as the gender sensitive and culturally sensitive approaches in health promotion work. Also, the working life partner and the previous research of Fit4Life are presented in the thesis. The model (appendix 2) presents the different stages and actions connected to the experiences of the participant. It helps to understand the participant’s experience more deeply and indicates the desired and undesired scenarios in the end of the process. It can be utilized as a tool by organizations, professionals and students for developing effective procedures and methods in health promotion work. The thesis addresses that aspects and impacts of gender and culturally sensitive work approach should be researched and recognized better for the health promotion of women in Finland from decision-making level to the daily work of professionals. The model that was created in this thesis shows that cultural background and gender have an impact on the overall process of improving one’s health and gender and culturally sensitive approach in health promotion work is essential. Over time, gender and culturally sensitive work approach will influence positively in saving the costs of public health care through increased physical activity and awareness of healthy lifestyle. Keywords: Health promotion, gender-sensitivity, cultural sensitivity, model, process, physical activit