USE of the ANOVA approach for sensitive building energy design

The article presents a new approach in which the Analysis Of Variance (ANOVA) is used to identify the design variables that have the most impact on the variation of the building energy performance for a typical office building and to allocate the contribution of each variable to this variation. Moreover, the study addresses an important issue concerning the identification and the setting of a set of simple and concise variables that can be used during the conceptual design stage of office buildings.The analysis shows that the suggested approach could be useful for architects to evaluate the degree to which each design variable contributes to the variability of the building energy performance. Besides, the results may be helpful to support policymakers during the elaboration of energy codes by providing adequate information for the selection and handling of the parameters that control the variability of the energy needs.     

Two 20-Residue-Long Peptides Derived from Plasmodium vivax Merozoite Surface Protein 10 EGF-Like Domains Are Involved in Binding to Human Reticulocytes

Plasmodium parasites’ invasion of their target cells is a complex, multi-step process involving many protein-protein interactions. Little is known about how complex the interaction with target cells is in Plasmodium vivax and few surface molecules related to reticulocytes’ adhesion have been described to date. Natural selection, functional and structural analysis were carried out on the previously described vaccine candidate P. vivax merozoite surface protein 10 (PvMSP10) for evaluating its role during initial contact with target cells. It has been shown here that the recombinant carboxyl terminal region (rPvMSP10-C) bound to adult human reticulocytes but not to normocytes, as validated by two different protein-cell interaction assays. Particularly interesting was the fact that two 20-residue-long regions (³⁸⁸DKEECRCRANYMPDDSVDYF⁴⁰⁷ and ⁴¹⁵KDCSKENGNCDVNAECSIDK⁴³⁴) were able to inhibit rPvMSP10-C binding to reticulocytes and rosette formation using enriched target cells. These peptides were derived from PvMSP10 epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains (precisely, from a well-defined electrostatic zone) and consisted of regions having the potential of being B- or T-cell epitopes. These findings provide evidence, for the first time, about the fragments governing PvMSP10 binding to its target cells, thus highlighting the importance of studying them for inclusion in a P. vivax antimalarial vaccine.     

Impact of additives on the rheological properties of associating water-soluble multiblock polyelectrolytes

The impact of additives on the rheological behavior of four associating water-soluble multiblock polyelectrolytes previously synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization was described. These polyelectrolytes contained different number of blocks ranged from 1 to 7 divided into hydrophilic and hydrophobic. The rheological analyses of polymers were performed at 25°C at a given concentration (0.1–15 wt%) in the presence of sodium chloride (NaCl) 0.1–0.5 M, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) 2–10 mM or a mixture of both. Data demonstrated an increase in the viscosity of macroRAFT (ɳ = 0.002–9 Pa·s) and triblock copolymer-TBC (ɳ = 0.003–0.04 Pa·s) versus the concentration of NaCl. Meanwhile, the viscosity of penta and heptablock copolymer exhibited a diminution whatever the (NaCl) used. Results from the rheological analyses of the associative polyelectrolytes at different (SDS) revealed that the viscosity of macroRAFT and triblock copolymer was kept constant in spite of the increment of the (SDS) while the viscosity of PBC and HBC displayed a pronounced diminution at the lower (SDS). Finally, the results from the rheological analyses of these polyelectrolytes versus a mixture of NaCl-SDS showed a diminution in the viscosity of these solutions at any concentration of additives.     

Paving the way to collaborative context-aware mobile applications: a case study on preventing worsening of allergy symptoms

Multimedia Tools and Applications - In recent years, the evolution of smartphones and their software applications has grown exponentially; together with the advance of the Internet of Things and...     

Assessment of poly(L-lactide) as an environmentally benign CO2 capture and storage adsorbent

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) in conjunction with an increasing use of renewables provides a clean pathway to sustainable development and climate change mitigation. In selecting a low temperature CCS adsorbent, parameters such as selectivity, regeneration energy, and economicity play a crucial role. Poly(L-lactide) (PLA) is one of the most promising materials in science and engineering, not only because it is a green polymer progressively replacing petrobased plastics, but also for its carbon dioxide (CO₂)-philic nature that makes it a suitable candidate for greenhouse gas capture and climate change mitigation. Literature data point to PLA as a valid CCS candidate, although no direct gaseous CO₂ adsorption investigation or with mild preparation/regenerative energy was reported. In the present experimental work, a deeper investigation of the adsorption/desorption properties of PLA in presence of gaseous CO₂ at room temperature was undertaken by means of a home-made Sievert-type apparatus. The effects of pressure (0–15 bar), morphology (commercial pellets, powder, and flakes), and regenerative energy (303 and 333 K) were investigated. PLA samples were also characterized by helium picnometry to obtain skeletal density and by XRD and SEM to obtain morphological and structural information. Results show that PLA represents a valid and ecological alternative among the materials for the capture of CO₂. The PLA absorption capacity reaches 16 wt% at 15 bar and 303 K, and is closely linked to the thermal treatment, morphology, and crystalline structure of the material.     

The long-term relationship between economic development and regional inequality: South-West Europe, 1860–2010

This paper analyses the long-term relationship between regional inequality and economic development. Our data set includes information on national and regional per capita GDP for four countries: France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, compiled on a decadal basis for the period 1860–2010. Using parametric and semiparametric regressions, our results confirm the rise and fall of regional inequalities over time although in recent decades they are on the rise again. Finally, we identify structural change as being a significant transmission mechanism of the inverted-U relationship. The arrival of technological shocks, beginning during the onset of industrialization, and the transition from agrarian to industrial economies, would explain this result.