Simulation of coupled heat and moisture transfer in air-conditioned buildings

The simultaneous heat and moisture transfer in the building envelope has an important influence on the indoor environment and the overall performance of buildings. In this paper, a model for predicting whole building heat and moisture transfer was presented. Both heat and moisture transfer in the building envelope and indoor air were simultaneously considered; their interactions were modeled. The coupled model takes into account most of the main hygrothermal effects in buildings. The coupled system model was implemented in MATLAB-Simulink, and validated by using a series of published testing tools. The new program was applied to investigate the moisture transfer effect on indoor air humidity and building energy consumption under different climates. The results show that the use of more detailed simulation routines can result in improvements to the building's design for energy optimisation through the choice of proper hygroscopic materials, which would not be indicated by simpler calculation techniques.

Conditioned ethanol preference in rats

The question of whether ethanol has intrinsically rewarding properties, or whether, as a discriminative stimulus, it can become a conditioned reinforcer as a function of context association was examined. Paired rats consumed more of an ethanol solution than isolated rats over a 15 day 'conditioning' phase and their ingestion rate was increased significantly over the 15 day period. Furthermore, animals exposed to the solution with a conspecific companion during this conditioning phase subsequently showed a marked preference for ethanol over water throughout a 10 day test phase (when all animals were alone) compared to those with prior experience of the solution in isolation. Both groups consumed significantly more ethanol than the controls (with no prior ethanol experience at all) during this test phase. The results suggest that the total context of initial exposure to ethanol mediate its subsequent reinforcing properties, with the prior pleasurable context of being with a conspecific companion generalizing to the ethanol stimulus for the paired group.

Screw conveyor device for laboratory tests on conditioned soil for EPB tunneling operations

Earth pressure balanced (EPB) full face tunneling machines have experienced a remarkable increase in the number of applications throughout the world due to both mechanical developments and a more effective use of additives to condition the ground. Conditioning modifies the mechanical and hydraulic properties of a soil by making it suitable for the pressure control in the bulk chamber and extraction with the screw conveyor. The extraction system plays a fundamental role during the EPB operations particularly for a correct application of the face pressure. Despite the extensive use of the EPB technique, little knowledge exists concerning the understanding of the behavior of conditioned soil, particularly for noncohesive ground (sand and gravel). This paper presents and describes a prototype laboratory device, which simulates the extraction of the ground from a pressurized tank with a screw conveyor. The results of a preliminary test program carried out on a medium sized sand show that the prototype device is efficient in verifying the effects of foam for an optimal use in EPB conditioning. © 2007 ASCE.

Ultrafast coherent control and quantum encoding of molecular vibrations in D2+ using intense laser pulses

Intense, few-femtosecond pulse technology has enabled studies of the fastest vibrational relaxation processes. The hydrogen group vibrations can be imaged and manipulated using intense infrared pulses. Through numerical simulation, we demonstrate an example of ultrafast coherent control that could be effected with current experimental facilities, and observed using high-resolution time-of-flight spectroscopy. The proposal is a pump-probe-type technique to manipulate the D2+ ion with ultrashort pulse sequences. The simulations presented show that vibrational selection can be achieved through pulse delay. We find that the vibrational system can be purified to a two-level system thus realizing a vibrational qubit. A novel scheme for the selective transfer of population between these two levels, based on a Raman process and conditioned upon the delay time of a second control-pulse is outlined, and may enable quantum encoding with this system.

Monocyte-dependent oncostatin M and TNFa synergize to stimulate unopposed matrix metalloproteinase-1/3 secretion from human lung fibroblasts in tuberculosis

Leukocyte-derived matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are implicated in the tissue destruction characteristic of tuberculosis (TB). The contribution of lung stromal cells to MMP activity in TB is unknown. Oncostatin M (OSM) is an important stimulus to extrapulmonary stromal MMP induction, but its role in regulation of pulmonary MMP secretion or pathophysiology of TB is unknown. We investigated OSM secretion from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb)-infected human monocytes/macrophages and the networking effects of such OSM on lung fibroblast MMP secretion. Mtb increased monocyte OSM secretion dose dependently in vitro. In vivo tuberculous granulomas immunostained positively for OSM. Further, conditioned media from Mtb-infected monocytes (CoMTb) induced monocyte OSM secretion (670 ± 55 versus 166 ± 14 pg/mL in controls), implicating an autocrine loop. Mtb-induced OSM secretion was prostaglandin (PG) sensitive, and required activation of surface G-protein coupled receptors. OSM induction was ERK MAP kinase dependent, p38-requiring but JNK-independent. OSM synergized with TNF-, a key cytokine in TB granuloma formation, to stimulate pulmonary fibroblast MMP-1/-3 secretion, while suppressing secretion of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-1/-2. In summary, Mtb infection of monocytes results in PG-dependent OSM secretion, which synergizes with TNF- to drive functionally unopposed fibroblast MMP-1/-3 secretion, demonstrating a previously unrecognized role for OSM in TB.

Improved Process Monitoring Using Nonlinear Principal Component Models

This paper presents two new approaches for use in complete process monitoring. The firstconcerns the identification of nonlinear principal component models. This involves the application of linear
principal component analysis (PCA), prior to the identification of a modified autoassociative neural network (AAN) as the required nonlinear PCA (NLPCA) model. The benefits are that (i) the number of the reduced set of linear principal components (PCs) is smaller than the number of recorded process variables, and (ii) the set of PCs is better conditioned as redundant information is removed. The result is a new set of input data for a modified neural representation, referred to as a T2T network. The T2T NLPCA model is then used for complete process monitoring, involving fault detection, identification and isolation. The second approach introduces a new variable reconstruction algorithm, developed from the T2T NLPCA model. Variable reconstruction can enhance the findings of the contribution charts still widely used in industry by reconstructing the outputs from faulty sensors to produce more accurate fault isolation. These ideas are illustrated using recorded industrial data relating to developing cracks in an industrial glass melter process. A comparison of linear and nonlinear models, together with the combined use of contribution charts and variable reconstruction, is presented.

Improving neural network training solutions using regularisation

This paper describes the application of regularisation to the training of feedforward neural networks, as a means of improving the quality of solutions obtained. The basic principles of regularisation theory are outlined for both linear and nonlinear training and then extended to cover a new hybrid training algorithm for feedforward neural networks recently proposed by the authors. The concept of functional regularisation is also introduced and discussed in relation to MLP and RBF networks. The tendency for the hybrid training algorithm and many linear optimisation strategies to generate large magnitude weight solutions when applied to ill-conditioned neural paradigms is illustrated graphically and reasoned analytically. While such weight solutions do not generally result in poor fits, it is argued that they could be subject to numerical instability and are therefore undesirable. Using an illustrative example it is shown that, as well as being beneficial from a generalisation perspective, regularisation also provides a means for controlling the magnitude of solutions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of the acanthocephalan parasite Echinorhynchus truttae on the feeding ecology of Gammarus pulex (Crustacea : Amphipoda)

The amphipod Gammarus pulex is an intermediate host to the acanthocephalan fish parasite Echinorhynchus truttae. Gammarus pulex has a wide trophic repertoire, feeding as a herbivore, detritivore and predator. In this study an examination was made of the effects of E. truttae parasitism on components of the G. pulex diet: stream-conditioned leaves, dead chironomids and live juvenile isopods Asellus aquaticus. Over 21 days, parasitism had no effect on daily feeding rates or wet weights of G. pulex fed on leaves or chironomids. Parasitism had a significant effect on the number of A. aquaticus killed by G. pulex, with parasitized individuals killing significantly fewer than their unparasitized counterparts. In addition, unparasitized amphipods killed all size classes of A. aquaticus indiscriminately, whereas parasitized animals tended to kill the smaller size classes. The impacts of the parasitism of G. pulex throughout the wider freshwater community are discussed.

Chitosan nanoparticle as protein delivery carrier - Systematic examination of fabrication conditions for efficient loading and release

Chitosan nanoparticles fabricated via different preparation protocols have been in recent years widely studied as carriers for therapeutic proteins and genes with varying degree of effectiveness and drawbacks. This work seeks to further explore the polyionic coacervation fabrication process, and associated processing conditions under which protein encapsulation and subsequent release can be systematically and predictably manipulated so as to obtain desired effectiveness. BSA was used as a model protein which was encapsulated by either incorporation or incubation method, using the polyanion tripolyphosphate (TPP) as the coacervation crosslink agent to form chitosan-BSA-TPP nanoparticles. The BSA-loaded chitosan-TPP nanoparticles were characterized for particle size, morphology, zeta potential, BSA encapsulation efficiency, and subsequent release kinetics, which were found predominantly dependent on the factors of chitosan molecular weight, chitosan concentration, BSA loading concentration, and chitosan/TPP mass ratio. The BSA loaded nanoparticles prepared under varying conditions were in the size range of 200-580 nm, and exhibit a high positive zeta potential. Detailed sequential time frame TEM imaging of morphological change of the BSA loaded particles showed a swelling and particle degradation process. Initial burst released due to surface protein desorption and diffusion from sublayers did not relate directly to change of particle size and shape, which was eminently apparent only after 6 h. It is also notable that later stage particle degradation and disintegration did not yield a substantial follow-on release, as the remaining protein molecules, with adaptable 3-D conformation, could be tightly bound and entangled with the cationic chitosan chains. In general, this study demonstrated that the polyionic coacervation process for fabricating protein loaded chitosan nanoparticles offers simple preparation conditions and a clear processing window for manipulation of physiochemical properties of the nanoparticles (e.g., size and surface charge), which can be conditioned to exert control over protein encapsulation efficiency and subsequent release profile. The weakness of the chitosan nanoparticle system lies typically with difficulties in controlling initial burst effect in releasing large quantities of protein molecules. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiation induced bystander signals are independent of DNA damage and DNA repair capacity of the irradiated cells.

Evidence is accumulating that irradiated cells produce signals, which interact with non-exposed cells in the same population. Here, we analysed the mechanism for bystander signal arising in wild-type CHO cells and repair deficient varients, focussing on the relationship between DNA repair capacity and bystander signal arising in irradiated cells. In order to investigate the bystander effect, we carried out medium transfer experiments after X-irradiation where micronuclei were scored in non-targeted DSB repair deficient xrs5 cells. When conditioned medium from irradiated cells was transferred to unirradiated xrs5 cells, the level of induction was independent of whether the medium came from irradiated wild-type, ssb or dsb repair deficient cells. This result suggests that the activation of a bystander signal is independent of the DNA repair capacity of the irradiated cells. Also, pre-treatment of the irradiated cells with 0.5% DMSO, which suppresses micronuclei induction in CHO but not in xrs5 cells, suppressed bystander effects completely in both conditioned media, suggesting that DMSO is effective for suppression of bystander signal arising independently of DNA damage in irradiated cells. Overall the work presented here adds to the understanding that it is the repair phenotype of the cells receiving bystander signals, which determines overall response rather than that of the cell producing the bystander signal.

Investigation of an electron string ion source with field emission cathode

The string mode of operation for an electron beam ion source uses axially oscillating electrons in order to reduce power consumption, also simplifying the construction by omitting the collector with cooling requirements and has been called electron string ion source (ESIS). We have started a project (supported by INTAS and GSI) to use Schottky field emitting cathode tips for generating the electron string. The emission from these specially conditioned tips is higher by orders of magnitude than the focused Brillouin current density at magnetic fields of some Tesla and electron energies of some keV. This may avoid the observed instabilities in the transition from axially oscillating electrons to the string state of the electron plasma, opening a much wider field of possible operating parameters for an ESIS. Besides the presentation of the basic features, we emphasize in this paper a method to avoid damaging of the field, emission tip by backstreaming ions. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.