A medium-rise 1970s maternity hospital in the east of England: Resilience and adaptation to climate change

The late 1970s design for the Rosie Maternity Hospital on the Addenbrookes campus in Cambridge is a recurring type across the UK National Health Service, a framed three-storey courtyard configuration in brick masonry. It was selected as a case study project for the ‘Design and Delivery of Robust Hospitals in a Changing Climate’ project, pursuing the methodology developed for that research. Temperature data were collected in representative spaces within the hospital, over a two-year period. These revealed overheating in mild conditions relative to an observed 24℃ threshold for sleep but concealed within the customary 28℃ threshold marking the upper limit of acceptable conditions. The building was modelled using current climate data to predict 2010 conditions. The model was then calibrated against the observed 2010 data and used to predict the likely internal temperatures in current and 2030s. The results indicated an increase in peak temperatures. Four adaptive intervention schemes were subsequently developed: an ‘enlightened’ industry standard ‘Passivhaus’-type option providing superinsulation, sealed glazing and heat recovery; a lower technology-based scheme promoting natural cross-ventilation by providing greater opening glazing area, opening up the plan, sunshading and additional insulation; an enhanced natural ventilation scheme glazing over the courtyards to provide supply air winter gardens, and an advanced natural ventilation option pursuing passive downdraught cooling. All four schemes were modelled using the projected current and 2030s weather data and their performance was compared. The schemes were fully costed to yield relative ‘value for money’ guidance to National Health Service Trusts. Practical application: The Heat wave Plan for England 2014 warns National Health Service (NHS) organisations of the risks to patients, particularly the very young, the elderly and the seriously ill, from extreme summer heat events.1 The Chief Medical Officer in her introduction challenges each NHS locality to plan well in advance of hot spells, as appropriate. This paper describes the likely extent of overheating risk and a series of potential adaptation plans for a recurring NHS hospital building type. As a consequence, estates and facilities decision makers in NHS organisations and Public Health England officers charged with the mitigation of risk resulting from overheating of wards and clinical spaces will benefit directly in their necessary decision making from the findings. Policy makers in the Department of Health and policy advisors in the NHS Sustainable Development Unit and the Climate Change Committee Adaptation Sub-Committee will benefit from the evidence presented in advising the NHS and Department of Health. This work was undertaken at part of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council project, ‘Design and Delivery of Robust Hospital Environments in a Changing Climate’ [grant number EP/G061327/1] through the ‘Adaptation and Resilience to a Changing Climate’ (ARCC) programme under the auspices of the ‘Living with Environmental Change’ (LWEC) initiative. The Project also received funding directly from the Department of Health.This is the final version. It was first published by Sage at http://bse.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/01/30/0143624414567544

Statistical Screening of Supplementary Nitrogen Source for Enhanced Production of L-Asparaginase by Aspergillus terreus 1782

In the present work, Latin Square Design (LSD) was applied to find the best supplementary nitrogen source for extracellular L-asparaginase production by Aspergillus terreus MTCC 1782 using corn flour as substrate in submerged fermentation. The independent effect of supplementary nitrogen source such as ammonium chloride, urea and sodium nitrate was studied on growth and production of L-asparaginase by A. terreus. Statistical significance of the nitrogen sources was studied by performing analysis of variance (ANOVA) and graphical ANOVA for LSD using Data plot software. It was found that there is no significant difference on growth due to the change in supplementary nitrogen source studied. Urea was identified as best supplementary nitrogen source with mean L-asparaginase production of 33.25 IU mL–1 and mean biomass production of 12.99 mg mL–1

Optimization of Carbon and Nitrogen Sources for L-asparaginase Production by Enterobacter aerogenes using Response Surface Methodology

A full factorial central composite design (CCD) was applied to study various effects of sodium citrate, diammonium hydrogen phosphate (DAHP) and L-asparagine to determine the optimal concentration (γ) of these compounds on L-asparaginase production by Enterobacter aerogenes MTCC 2823 under shake flask fermentation conditions. A second order polynomial model describing the relationship between the variables and the L-asparaginase activity was fitted in coded units of variables. The statistical reliability and significance of the model was validated by F-test for analysis of variance at higher R2 value (R2 = 0.871). The optimum estimated concentration of sodium citrate (X1), DAHP (X2) and L-asparagine (X3) was 18.76, 5.72 and 8.58 g L–1 respectively with maximum L-asparaginase activity of 19.129 IU mL–1. The composite desirability of 98.38 % reveals the validity of the model and predicted values. The L-asparaginase activity was increased by 5.96 % than predicted activity, after optimization of carbon and nitrogen sources for L-asparaginase production by Enterobacter aerogenes MTCC 2823 using CCD

Application of Soft Landings in the Design Management process of a non-residential building

A study into the design processes involved in Soft Landings is an important aspect to realising energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in buildings. Previous Soft Landings papers have focused mainly on post occupancy evaluations and aftercare. No comprehensive study has been attempted with respect to Soft Landings at the design stage. In response to this gap, this paper investigates the application of Soft Landings during the design stage of a central government building in London. It provides an insight into the working processes of a Soft Landings design team and its interaction with other team members and end users. Information from interviews with the design team, minutes of meetings, walk-through in the designed spaces were used to explore how design decisions were reached. It highlights the role the Soft Landings Champion played to ensure that the environmental sustainability objectives of the project were carried from design to construction. The paper also explains the fundamentals of Soft Landings and its potential as a client-driven management tool. The paper concludes by highlighting the implications of the result to designers, contractors and clients

Cassia javanica biodiesel blends with SiO2 nanoparticles for IC Engine applications

404-410Crude oil production and its resources have been restricted today due to its depletion and consumption rate. Biodiesel involves less production cost, environmentally friendly, renewable, non-toxic and biodegradable. In this examination, a novel source likes Cassia javanica has been used as a feedstock for biodiesel utilizing the transesterification process. The impacts in biodiesel on exhaust gas emissions vary depending on the type of biodiesel and petrodiesel. Blends of biodiesel up to 20% mixed with petrodiesel fuels have been be used in all diesel engines and is more easily storage and distribution tools. The purpose of the current study investigates the analysis of biodiesel and their blends with diesel oil in four-stroke ICE applications like unburned hydrocarbons, sulfates, particulate matter, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and nitrated aromatic hydrocarbons. It ended that Cassia javanica methyl ester biodiesel blend (B20) with the addition of SiO2 nanoparticles exhibits a better engine performance and emission reduced compared to fossil fuels. Cassia javanica methyl ester can use directly in diesel engines without requiring extensive engine changes

Copper effect on the protein composition of photosystem II

The definitive version is available at: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1399-3054.2000.1100419.xWe provide data from in vitro experiments on the polypeptide composition, photosynthetic electron transport and oxygen evolution activity of intact photosystem II (PSII) preparations under Cu(II) toxicity conditions. Low Cu(II) concentrations (Cu(II) per PSII reaction centre unit≤230) that caused around 50% inhibition of variable chlorophyll a fluorescence and oxygen evolution activity did not affect the polypeptide composition of PSII. However, the extrinsic proteins of 33, 24 and 17 kDa of the oxygen-evolving complex of PSII were removed when samples were treated with 300 μM CuCl2 (Cu(II) per PSII reaction centre unit=1 400). The LHCII antenna complex and D1 protein of the reaction centre of PSII were not affected even at these Cu(II) concentrations. The results indicated that the initial inhibition of the PSII electron transport and oxygen-evolving activity induced by the presence of toxic Cu(II) concentrations occurred before the damage of the oxygen-evolving complex. Indeed, more than 50% inhibition could be achieved in conditions where its protein composition and integrity was apparently preserved.This work was supported by the Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica (Grant PB98-1632).Peer reviewe

Single-layer graphene modulates neuronal communication and augments membrane ion currents

The use of graphenebased materials to engineer sophisticated biosensing interfaces that can adapt to the central nervous system requires a detailed understanding of how such materials behave in a biological context. Graphene's peculiar properties can cause various cellular changes, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that singlelayer graphene increases neuronal firing by altering membraneassociated functions in cultured cells. Graphene tunes the distribution of extracellular ions at the interface with neurons, a key regulator of neuronal excitability. The resulting biophysical changes in the membrane include stronger potassium ion currents, with a shift in the fraction of neuronal firing phenotypes from adapting to tonically firing. By using experimental and theoretical approaches, we hypothesize that the graphene\u2013ion interactions that are maximized when singlelayer graphene is deposited on electrically insulating substrates are crucial to these effects

Corrigendum to “A systematic strategy for estimating hERG block potency and its implications in a new cardiac safety paradigm” [Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology volume 394C (2020) 114961]

© 2020 The Author(s) The authors regret that one affiliation address is mistaken in the published paper. Matthew Bridgland-Taylor's affiliation was incorrectly listed as Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The correct affiliation is Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused

Triple Co-Administration of Ivermectin, Albendazole and Praziquantel in Zanzibar: A Safety Study

This paper describes how the use of three drugs which are used separately in mass drug distribution programmes when given together appear safe for use in large populations which have been previously treated with the same drugs separately (Mectizan [ivermectin], albendazole and praziquantel). The target diseases—lymphatic filariasis, soil-transmitted worms and schistosomiasis—were prevalent in Zanzibar up to 2000 but have been largely controlled by mass drug administration. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, with the support of WHO, initiated a small scale trial in a population of triple therapy in over 5,000 people initially in two sites, and having found there were no severe adverse events associated with the combined treatment then upscaled to treat the whole of the eligible population of over 700,000. Similarly, there were no severe adverse events. This is the first time the three drugs have been used together at the same time at scale in Africa and provide a basis for expansion of integrated preventive chemotherapy of helminths (worms). The next steps need to be initiated in populations which have heavier worm loads and such interventions need to be subject to close monitoring and ethical review