《建筑能效实时活动识别》

居住建筑和商业建筑的电耗过半用于采光和电器设备。这些系统的耗电直接与使用者行为活动有关。通过识别活动与确认相关可能的节能要点,可研发更多的有效策略从而设计更好的建筑和自动化系统。根据这一目的,采用归纳推理方法,引入一个框架来检测居民活动和潜在能耗浪费问题,以及可以实时转换到非高峰时段的高峰时段耗能情况。框架由三个子算法组成,用于行为检测、活动识别和浪费预估。作为实时输入,动作检测算法从传感系统接收数据,该传感系统由插头式计量器和传感器组成,以通过无监督聚类模型检测发生的动作(例如打开电器)。被检测的活动随后通过对构建本体的语义推理用于了活动识别算法。基于公认的活动,浪费估算算法可识别潜在浪费行为,并估算出节能潜力。为了评估本文设计的框架的性能,对1个5人办公室和2个单人住房进行了为期两周的实验研究。实验之后,采用了用于动作和活动的地面实况标签,评估了动作检测和动作识别算法的性能。采用了主成分分析法的高斯混合模型,对动作检测的平均准确率达97.6%,对活动识别的平均准确率为96.7%。此外,平均电器或照明系统消费的35.5%的电被认为是潜在的节约项。     

In vitro digestibility of rare sugar (D-allulose) added pectin–soy protein gels

Confectionery gels are known to be high-caloric products due their high sugar content. Changing their formulations by substituting the sugar with alternative natural sweeteners and functionalising them, the addition of proteins has gained attention. Understanding the rate of digestion of these products is also important for selecting the appropriate formulation. In this study, in vitro gastric digestion behaviour of the gels formulated with D-allulose, a low-calorie rare sugar, soy protein isolate (SPI) (1%, 2.5%) and pectin (4%) were examined. Digestion decreased the hardness of the gels (P < 0.05), but, at 2.5% SPI concentration. Moisture content of the samples increased after digestion and presence of SPI induced higher water uptake. At the end of 2 h of digestion, 1% soy protein isolate containing gels had the highest brix values showing that after a certain concentration, soy protein isolate governed the system due to improved soy protein–pectin interaction or due to improved gelation with Maillard reaction. NMR relaxometry experiments further confirmed the changes in the gels with the increase in T₂ values. Power law model was fitted for the dissolution behaviour using the ^oBrix values of the digestion medium. Dissolution of sugar and the contribution of SPI to the gel network were clearly observed in SEM images. Results showed that these gels had the potential to slow down the emptying rate of stomach thus could lead to ‘fullness’ for a longer time.     

Adenovirus-mediated regulable target gene expression in vivo

To regulate expression of a transferred gene in response to an exogenous compound, we have combined a high capacity adenoviral vector devoid of all viral coding sequences with a regulatory system that can be used to express a target gene in vivo in a selected site and at a desired time. This system uses a chimeric transactivator, GLp65, which consists of a mutated progesterone receptor-ligand binding domain fused to the GAL4 DNA binding domain and part of the activation domain of the human p65 protein, a component of the NF-kappaB complex. In the presence of the antiprogestin mifepristone, this chimeric regulator binds to a target gene containing the 17-mer GAL4 binding site, resulting in an efficient ligand-inducible transactivation of the target gene. We inserted the regulator GLp65 and a regulable human growth hormone target gene containing the 17-mer GAL4 binding site into the same adenoviral vector. To obtain tissue-specific expression of the target gene, we coupled the regulator to a liver-specific promoter. Infection of HepG2 cells and experimental mice with the adenovirus resulted in consistently high induction levels of human growth hormone in the presence of mifepristone whereas the transgene expression was undetectable in the absence of the ligand. Taken together, our regulable adenoviral vector represents an important tool for transgene regulation that can be used for potentially diverse applications, ranging from tissue-specific gene expression in transgenic animals to human gene therapy.     

Photocurable pentaerythritol triacrylate/lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate-based ink for extrusion-based 3D printing of magneto-responsive materials

Recent advances in additive manufacturing made it feasible to fabricate products with desired shapes and features. Herein, a new, photocurable 3D printer ink mainly based on pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA) is reported. To achieve rapid curing needed for 3D printing process, high performance water-soluble photoinitiator, lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP), was emulsified in PETA monomers and this suspension was evaluated for its polymerization kinetics by exposing to 395 nm UV-light. The distinct influences of LAP and triethanolamine (TEA) concentrations on photo-polymerization and printability were examined and an optimum concentration for extrusion-based 3D printing was found to be 10 mM and 1.62 M for LAP and TEA, respectively. Synthesized PETA-based 3D printer ink was functionalized by dispersing magnetic particles/flakes into the mixture, and consequently, a magneto responsive ink was obtained to be used in specialized applications. A ring-shaped structure embedded with micron sized iron flakes was printed as a prototype. This study presents a versatile photo-curable polymer formulation with possible translation to high performance 3D printing of customizable shapes that can be utilized in a wide range of areas such as micro-robotics and medical science.     

Universal Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi Relations for C–C,C–O,C–N,N–O,N–N,and O–O Dissociation Reactions

Abstract  

It is shown that for all the essential bond forming and bond breaking reactions on metal surfaces, the reactivity of the metal surface correlates linearly with the reaction energy in a single universal relation. Such correlations provide an easy way of establishing trends in reactivity among the different transition metals.     

Synthesis and characterization of pyrrole and thiophene functional polystyrenes via “click chemistry”

Novel side-chain pyrrole or thiophene functional polystyrenes (PS-Py and PS-Th) were synthesized by using ‘‘click chemistry’’ strategy. First, approximately 40% of chloro groups of poly(styrene-co-chloromethylstyrene) P(S-co-CMS), prepared by nitroxide mediated radical polymerization (NMRP), were converted to azido groups by using NaN₃ in N,N-dimethylformamide. Propargyl pyrrole was prepared by etherification of 4-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)phenol prepared by Clauson-Kaas reaction using propargylbromide. Propargyl thiophene was synthesized by heterogeneous esterification reaction between 3-thiophenecarboxylic acid and propargylbromide. Finally, azido-functionalized polystyrene was coupled to these propargyl functional heterocyclics with high efficiency by click chemistry. The intermediates at various stages and final polymers were characterized by spectral analysis and cyclic voltammetry.     

Performance-based evaluation of RFID-based indoor location sensing solutions for the built environment

Indoor location information is of great value to the building industry in improving the utilization and maintenance of facilities. The paper identifies previous academic accomplishments of radio frequency identification (RFID)-based indoor location sensing (ILS) solutions. The paper summarizes the major location sensing methods used in previous RFID-based solutions, and provides a review of 21 research projects, with their algorithm design, devices, test setup, and performance evaluation presented in detail. Based on this review, the paper summarizes the intensive use of the proximity method in RFID-based ILS, and analyzes the underlying rationale. The findings point out that no single solution satisfies all criteria for widespread implementations, and that the adaptability of these solutions to built environments need to be further justified. Finally, the paper outlines the gaps for future research, including modifying ILS solution design, developing a seamless outdoor/indoor location sensing solution, and building a context-aware information delivery mechanism for the building industry.     

An improved approach for determination of index positions on CNC magazines with cutting tool duplications by integrating shortest path algorithm

Optimisation of automatic tool changer (ATC) indexing problem, where cutting tools are allocated to the stations on a turret magazine of a CNC machine, is one of the challenging problems in machining. The aim of the problem is to minimise the total indexing time of ATC. This problem becomes even more challenging if duplication of cutting tools is allowed and a bidirectional ATC is used. The problem has a unique feature which has not been stressed yet by other researchers, that is, although ATC indexing (master problem) is the main optimisation problem, objective function evaluation of this problem is a standalone optimisation problem (sub problem) indeed. Although an approximation algorithm does not guarantee optimality for the master problem, the subproblem must be solved optimally; otherwise, deficiencies arising from ill-defined objective function might be encountered. Considering this interesting future, a novel methodology, which employs a shortest path algorithm, is developed. Thus, the subproblem of this complicated problem can be optimally solved. Moreover, two metaheuristics, based on threshold accepting and descent first improvement greedy methodologies, are proposed for generating efficient solutions. Finally, several benchmarking instances are generated and solved to test the proposed algorithms.     

Investigation of sodium borohydride production process: “Ulexite mineral as a boron source”

Currently, the energy requirements of the entire world are mostly provided by hydrocarbon-based fossil fuels, such as coal, fuel oil, or natural gas. Because of environmental pollution, decrease in energy sources, and difficulties in storing electricity, more attention is dedicated to new sources of energy, such as hydrogen. Presently, sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) appears to be an excellent hydrogen-storage medium due to its high theoretical hydrogen yield by weight, 10.6%. The main aim of the present study is to investigate NaBH₄ production from ulexite mineral (NaCaB₅O₉·8H₂O). The experimental investigation consists of four steps, such as (1) Characterization of NaCaB₅O₉·8H₂O by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal and thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and attenuated total reflectance of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy; (2) Preparation of ulexite–borosilicate glass (NaCaB₅O₉·SiO₂); (3) Synthesis of NaBH₄ from ulexite–borosilicate glass; and (4) Separation of NaBH₄ from the reaction mixture. NaBH₄ can thus be produced by heating ulexite mineral form of borosilicate glass with metallic sodium under 3-atm. hydrogen pressure at 450–500 °C for 4 h.