bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomic studies of the additive and dominant genetic control on production traits of Euterpe edulis fruits
Authors: Canal Guilherme Bravim , Oliveira Gabriela França , de Almeida Francine Alves Nogueira , Péres Marcello Zatta , Moro Gabriel Lenen Javarini , dos Santos Oliveira Wagner Bastos , Azevedo Camila Ferreira , Nascimento Moysés , da Silva Ferreira Marcia Flores , Ferreira Adésio
Published: June 2023

In forest genetic improvement programs for non-domesticated species, limited knowledge of kinship can compromise or make the estimation of variance components and genetic parameters of traits of interest unfeasible. We used mixed models and genomics (in the latter, considering additive and non-additive effects) to evaluate the genetic architecture of 12 traits in juçaizeiro for fruit production. A population of 275 genotypes without genetic relationship knowledge was phenotyped over three years and genotyped by whole genome SNP markers. We have verified superiority in the quality of the fits, the prediction accuracy for unbalanced data, and the possibility of unfolding the genetic effects into their additive and non-additive terms in the genomic models. Estimates of the variance components and genetic parameters obtained by the additive models may be overestimated since, when considering the dominance effect in the model, there are substantial reductions in them. The number of bunches, fresh fruit mass of bunch, rachis length, fresh mass of 25 fruits, and amount of pulp were strongly influenced by the dominance effect, showing that genomic models with such effect should be considered for these traits, which may result in selective improvements by being able to return more accurate genomic breeding values. The present study reveals the additive and non-additive genetic control of the evaluated traits and highlights the importance of genomic information-based approaches for populations without knowledge of kinship and experimental design. Our findings underscore the critical role of genomic data in elucidating the genetic control architecture of quantitative traits, thereby providing crucial insights for driving species' genetic improvement.
The motivations and practices of vegetarian and vegan Saudis
Authors: Alnasser Aroub , Alomran Norah
Published: June 2023

In the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, the offering of a meat dish to guests is a deeply embedded cultural tradition, and a meat-based diet is the standard in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the rise of veganism and vegetarianism within Saudi Arabia is surprising and worthy of attention, as is understanding the perceptions and motivations behind this phenomenon, particularly as they relate to food and sustainability. This research was designed to investigate this emerging phenomenon and to identify key differences in dietarian identity between Saudi vegetarians and vegans using Rosenfeld and Burrow's Dietarian Identity Questionnaire. Among other results, the vegan group scored significantly higher on the prosocial motivation construct, suggesting the desire to help society as a whole is a stronger motivating factor for vegans. As well, the vegan cohort scored higher in the personal motivation category. From an environmental and public health perspective, understanding the key factors motivating individuals to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet in a meat-based culture like Saudi Arabia can be used to encourage others to pursue more healthy and sustainable food behaviors.
Using nanopore sequencing to identify fungi from clinical samples with high phylogenetic resolution
Authors: Ohta Atsufumi , Nishi Kenichiro , Hirota Kiichi , Matsuo Yoshiyuki
Published: June 2023

The study of microbiota has been revolutionized by the development of DNA metabarcoding. This sequence-based approach enables the direct detection of microorganisms without the need for culture and isolation, which significantly reduces analysis time and offers more comprehensive taxonomic profiles across broad phylogenetic lineages. While there has been an accumulating number of researches on bacteria, molecular phylogenetic analysis of fungi still remains challenging due to the lack of standardized tools and the incompleteness of reference databases limiting the accurate and precise identification of fungal taxa. Here, we present a DNA metabarcoding workflow for characterizing fungal microbiota with high taxonomic resolution. This method involves amplifying longer stretches of ribosomal RNA operons and sequencing them using nanopore long-read sequencing technology. The resulting reads were error-polished to generate consensus sequences with 99.5–100% accuracy, which were then aligned against reference genome assemblies. The efficacy of this method was explored using a polymicrobial mock community and patient-derived specimens, demonstrating the marked potential of long-read sequencing combined with consensus calling for accurate taxonomic classification. Our approach offers a powerful tool for the rapid identification of pathogenic fungi and has the promise to significantly improve our understanding of the role of fungi in health and disease.
Chitosan functionalized Mn3O4 nanoparticles counteracts ulcerative colitis in mice through modulation of cellular redox state
Authors: Mondal Susmita , Das Monojit , Ghosh Ria , Singh Manali , Adhikari Aniruddha , Darbar Soumendra , Kumar Das Anjan , Bhattacharya Siddhartha Sankar , Pal Debasish , Bhattacharyya Debasish , Ahmed Ahmed S. A. , Mallick Asim Kumar , Al-Rooqi Munirah M. , Moussa Ziad , Ahmed Saleh A. , Pal Samir Kumar
Published: June 2023

Recent findings suggest a key role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the pathogenesis and progression of ulcerative colitis (UC). Several studies have also highlighted the efficacy of citrate functionalized Mn3O4 nanoparticles as redox medicine against a number of ROS-mediated disorders. Here we show that synthesized nanoparticles consisting of chitosan functionalized tri-manganese tetroxide (Mn3O4) can restore redox balance in a mouse model of UC induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Our in-vitro characterization of the developed nanoparticle confirms critical electronic transitions in the nanoparticle to be important for the redox buffering activity in the animal model. A careful administration of the developed nanoparticle not only reduces inflammatory markers in the animals, but also reduces the mortality rate from the induced disease. This study provides a proof of concept for the use of nanomaterial with synergistic anti-inflammatory and redox buffering capacity to prevent and treat ulcerative colitis.
Encapsulation of dopamine within SU-101: insights by computational chemistry
Authors: Medel Erika , Obeso Juan L. , Serrano-Fuentes Camilo , Garza Jorge , Ibarra Ilich A. , Leyva Carolina , Inge A. Ken , Martínez Ana , Vargas Rubicelia
Published: June 2023

Computational and experimental results indicate that dopamine is successfully encapsulated within SU-101. The dopamine interaction with SU-101 is governed by: non-conventional hydrogen bonds and coordinately unsaturated metal Bi(iii) sites.
Real-time fluorescence visualization of the evaporation crystallization process based on the AIEE mechanism
Authors: Gao Lijie , Wang Meng , Li Shuyu , Chen Kui , Zhou Lina , Li Xin , Wang Na , Huang Xin , Hao Hongxun , Wang Ting
Published: June 2023

It is difficult to study the nucleation process of crystals intuitively due to the limitations of the current methods.
Synthesis, structure diversity, and antimicrobial studies of Ag(i) complexes with quinoline-type ligands
Authors: Yousri Amal , Haukka Matti , Abu-Youssef Morsy A. M. , Salah Ayoup Mohammed , Ismail Magda M. F. , El Menofy Nagwan G. , Soliman Saied M. , Barakat Assem , Amombo Noa Francoise M. , Öhrström Lars
Published: June 2023

Self-assembled [Ag(5NO2Qu)2]BF4 and [Ag(Qu3CN)(H2O)]BF4 were analysed with Hirshfeld surfaces and tested for antimicrobial properties.
Direct dissociative recombination of HCO+via the core-excited doublet and the lowest quartet states
Authors: Lehner Martin , Jungen Martin
Published: June 2023

Direct dissociative recombination of HCO+ is studied by means of newly calculated MC-CEPA potential energy surfaces and wave packet dynamics. The improved agreement with the most recent experiments is discussed.
A strain induced polar metal phase in a ferromagnetic Fe3GeTe2 monolayer
Authors: Miao Xiaoyan , Li Si , Jiang Zhenyi , Zhang Chunmei , Du Aijun
Published: June 2023

Integration of mutually exclusive properties, i.e., electric polarization, magnetism, and metallicity within a single Fe3GeTe2 monolayer via strain.
Realizing the potential of hydrophobic crystalline carbon as a support for oxygen evolution electrocatalysts
Authors: Kim Myeong-Geun , Lee Tae Kyung , Lee Eungjun , Park Subin , Lee Hyun Ju , Jin Haneul , Lee Dong Wook , Jeong Min-Gi , Jung Hun-Gi , Im Kyungmin , Hu Chuan , Ham Hyung Chul , Song Kwang Ho , Sung Yung-Eun , Lee Young Moo , Yoo Sung Jong
Published: June 2023

Introduction of a hydrophobic crystalline carbon support enhances the performance of AEMWE and improves the corrosion resistance of carbon by reducing its interaction with water. This demonstrates the promising potential of utilizing a carbon support.
Cellulose-based natural nanofibers for fresh produce packaging: current status, sustainability and future outlook
Authors: Das Partha Pratim , Kalyani Peddapapannagari , Kumar Rahul , Khandelwal Mudrika
Published: June 2023

Cellulose-based natural nanofibers in fresh produce packaging can provide benefits, including excellent barrier and carrier properties due to high surface area-to-volume ratio, which can help prevent spoilage and extend shelf life.
Structural features of lignin–hemicellulose–pectin (LHP) orchestrate a tailored enzyme cocktail for potential applications in bark biorefineries
Authors: Dou Jinze , Wang Jincheng , Hietala Sami , Evtuguin Dmitry V. , Vuorinen Tapani , Zhao Jian
Published: June 2023

A decision-making protocol/tool is developed in which bark analytical data can be the input to predict the most appropriate enzymic systems to employ.
Evaluation of noble metals as reactive electrodes for separation of lanthanides from molten LiF-BeF2
Authors: Zuo Yong , She Chang-Feng , Jiang Feng , Huang Wei , Gong Yu
Published: June 2023

Noble metals are used as “reactive” electrodes to extract lanthanides from FLiBe melt. Au/Pt have higher depolarization effect for lanthanide reduction than non-noble Ni/Cu/Al. Proper electrodes can extract all species of lanthanides from FLiBe melt.
A competitive, bead-based assay combined with microfluidics for multiplexed toxin detection
Authors: Aghamohammadi Hamid , Thomas Kathryn E. , Srikant Sanjana , Deglint Jason , Wong Alexander , Poudineh Mahla
Published: June 2023

An integrated system combining microfluidics and competitive bead-based assay for multiplexed detection of toxins.
Additionally cross-linked organic–inorganic hybrid polybenzoxazine with a high Tg
Authors: Wang Bin , Zang Haoxiang , Liu Jiahao , Liu Shiqiang , Gao Sheng
Published: June 2023

A PBZ hybrid with Tg of about 400 °C was synthesized by additional cross-linking via Si–O–Ph organic–inorganic hybrid bonds.
Direct observation of magnetic ordering induced via systematic lattice disorder in artificial rhombus spin ices
Authors: Cote Timothy , Petford-Long Amanda K. , Phatak Charudatta
Published: June 2023

Competing magnetic frustration governs the magnetic order in geometrically diverse rhombus artificial spin ice.
Eco-friendly and ultrathin solar cells featuring nanocrystals: advances and perspectives
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Liu Junwei , Yin Hang , Li Sunsun , Kuvondikov Vakhobjon , Ye Long
Published: June 2023

A comprehensive and critical review of the emerging eco-friendly solar cells such as AgBiS2 is presented with the goal of further advancing the photovoltaic performance and stability.
Surface sensitization of g-C3N4/TiO2via Pd/Rb2O co-catalysts: accelerating water splitting reaction for green fuel production in the absence of organic sacrificial agents
Authors: Sahar Kashaf Ul , Rafiq Khezina , Abid Muhammad Zeeshan , ur Rehman Ubaid , Rauf Abdul , Hussain Ejaz
Published: June 2023

Global warming and the energy crisis due to the fast consumption of fossil fuels obligate researchers to develop renewable, clean energy sources.
Mechanistic duality of indolyl 1,3-heteroatom transposition
Authors: Lee Yujin , Nam Yun Seung , Kim Soo Young , Ki Jeong Eun , Lee Hong Geun
Published: June 2023

A novel mechanistic duality has been revealed from the indolyl 1,3-heteroatom transposition (IHT) of N-hydroxyindole derivatives.
Mechanosynthesis of urea–hydroxybenzoic acid cocrystals as sustained-release nitrogen fertilizer
Authors: Rajbongshi Trishna , Parakatawella Shalika , Gogoi Diptajyoti , Deka Poonam , Adassooriya Nadeesh M. , Thakuria Ranjit
Published: June 2023

Mechanosynthesis of urea hydroxybenzoic acid cocrystals/salt showed improved hydration stability and sustained-release behavior. Therefore, cocrystallisation of urea can be considered as a potential tool to minimize its excessive use.
Reporting a novel visible near-infrared {Tb3}[Ga0.1Sc1.9](Al3)O12 single crystal for Faraday isolators
Authors: Hao Yuankai , Xin Xianhui , Yang Xianxian , Zhang Zhen , Fu Xiuwei , Jia Zhitai , Tao Xutang
Published: June 2023

A {Tb3}[Ga0.1Sc1.9](Al3)O12 crystal is designed and investigated for the first time. This novel single crystal exhibits excellent magneto-optical properties and is very promising for visible near-infrared Faraday applications.
On the design of efficient optimal tube‐based robust model predictive control: Quasi‐H∞ approach
Authors: Sebghati Ashkan , Esfahani Mahyar Madani , Shamaghdari Saeed
Published: June 2023

This paper proposes a tube‐based robust model predictive control (TMPC) scheme with an optimal tube for disturbance‐affected linear systems. In the literature on TMPC, there is no proper methodology to handle the considerable effects of the tube size on the closed‐loop system performance. There is usually a trade‐off between the disturbance rejection level and the amount of control effort available for the MPC problem. In some applications, it is nearly impossible to find a feasible TMPC to have a sufficient amount of states and inputs feasible sets for the MPC optimization problem. It would be a vital contribution to the TMPC designs if an algorithm is demonstrated which can investigate the suitability of TMPC for a specific system. This paper provides a solution for the mentioned challenges by introducing the concept of Quasi‐H∞ criterion and proposing a constrained optimization problem. The optimization problem is then reformulated and simplified to present an efficient methodology for the TMPC designers. The proposed TMPC scheme could benefit from a larger terminal region and result in a larger region of attraction. The achievements in TMPC designs are shown by simulations and comparisons with the previously used techniquesover numerical case studies.
Model selection and mechanism design for electricity markets in hydropower‐rich regions: Adaptation study
Authors: Liu Fang , Liu Jianhang , Yang Xiu
Published: June 2023

The development of foreign electricity markets has been relatively complete, while China's electricity market started late and the design of the market mechanism needs to be improved, so the selection of a suitable market model and the design of the market mechanism in hydropower‐rich regions is conducive to the healthy development of the electricity market. While most of the first eight pilot regions in China have entered the long‐period continuous operation stage, and all the second batch of six power spot pilots have started the simulation trial run. However, the construction of power markets in hydropower‐rich regions of China, Sichuan, and Yunnan, still faces multiple problems to be solved, such as ensuring the reliability of medium‐ and long‐term power supply, improving the efficiency of hydropower resources utilization and consumption scale, and maintaining the stability of market prices. In this paper, the authors establish a multi‐scale joint clearing model for different market models considering both long‐term and short‐term operation strategies, and conduct simulations of different market models at different time scales to compare and analyze the optimization results and electricity price fluctuations of different market models. It can stabilize the market price and reasonably reflect the true value of hydropower, and also promote the consumption of clean energy and guarantee the reliability of power supply in the medium and long terms. Finally, suggestions are made for the selection of electricity market models, the security of energy supply and the design of sustainable development mechanisms for hydropower in hydropower‐rich regions such as Yunnan and Sichuan in China, with a view to providing useful references for the construction of China's electricity market.
A novel energy router based on multi‐winding line frequency transformer
Authors: Guan Zhitao , Wang Dan , Duan Qing , Mao Chengxiong , Liu Bin
Published: June 2023

Energy routers based on the electronic power transformer are suitable for the AC–DC hybrid grid with multiple voltage levels, but their structures are complex. This paper proposes a novel energy router based on the multi‐winding line frequency transformer. By a combination of a multi‐winding line frequency transformer and power electronic devices, the proposed energy router can take advantage of the high reliability of the multi‐winding line frequency transformer and the high controllability of power electronic devices. The proposed energy router is suitable for the AC–DC hybrid grid with multiple voltage levels and has the characteristic of a simple structure. The simulations and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed energy router.
A stochastic contour path finite‐difference time‐domain method for uncertainty analysis of metal slot size
Authors: Wang Xutong , Zhou Yifu , Mao Congguang , Wang Wenbing , Qin Feng , Zhao Mo , Wu Wei
Published: June 2023

A stochastic contour path finite‐difference time‐domain (S‐CP‐FDTD) algorithm is presented for electromagnetic wave propagation in metallic enclosures with uncertain slot size. The correlation coefficient between the field and size of slot was set to one. This new algorithm can efficiently obtain the mean and variance of the field. The simulation results indicate that the efficiency of the S‐CP‐FDTD method is much higher than that of the Monte Carlo (MC) method, that is, the S‐FDTD method only takes about 3% of the computation time of the MC method with excellent accuracy. The proposed method can be used to predict the influence of slots in metal structures with random sizes on the field.
Development of a Python-based algorithm for adaptive thermal comfort: Theoretical formulation and application cases
Authors: Garcia Daniel Sanchez , Huertas David Bienvenido , Pulido Arcas Jesus Alberto , Bellido Carlos Rubio
Published: June 2023

Adaptive thermal comfort has gained momentum within the scientific community as a cost effective and affordable way of maintaining acceptable levels of comfort in dwellings while abating energy expenditure. At the moment two international standards, namely the European EN16798-1 and the American ASHRAE55-2010 shape the understanding of adaptive comfort around the world. However, in recent years concerns have raised about whether they can accurately represent comfort conditions considering the cultural and societal background of different countries, and whether adaptive thermal comfort will be still feasible in future scenarios of climate change. Considering these challenges, this study presents an algorithm which can model different adaptive comfort models; additionally, it can be implemented into energy simulation engines and therefore used to predict energy consumption under different climates, building typologies, and dynamic comfort conditions. This contribution presents the development of the aforementioned algorithm, called ACCIS (Adaptive-Comfort-Control-Implementation Script), originally written in EnergyPlus Runtime Language (ERL) and later nested in a Python package called ACCIM (Adaptive-Comfort-Control-Implemented Model)”, its main characteristics, and also the implementation into two cases studies: The thermal comfort in social dwellings in Spain and Japan considering present and future climate change scenarios namely Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 for years 2050, 2080 and 2100. The results show that the predicted energy consumption of low-income families is strongly influenced by the adaptive comfort model chosen to model their thermal routine and suggest that international standards should be put under revision to consider the local particularities of dwellers in subsidized housing projects. The results of this research can be useful to devise public policies aimed at abating energy cost for low-income dwellers that benefit from social housing programs, particularly in the light of the increment of energy costs for heating and cooling associated with climate change..
Thermal resilience to overheating assessment in a Belgian educational building with passive cooling strategies during heatwaves and power outages
Authors: Sengupta Abantika , Al Assaad Douaa , Steeman Marijke , Breesch Hilde
Published: June 2023

Airtight and highly insulated educational buildings are subjected to overheating risks, even in moderate climates, due to unforeseeable events like frequent heatwaves (HWs) and power outages (POs) leading to heat-stress and negative impact on the health conditions and cognitive performance of the students. The focus of this paper is to evaluate thermal resilience for two lecture rooms equipped with the low-energy cooling strategies natural night ventilation (NNV) and indirect evaporative cooling (IEC). To assess the thermal resilience to overheating, the lecture rooms were tested with and without passive cooling strategies for 3 Typical meteorological years (TMYs), 3 severe HWs and those 3 HWs + POs. Results evaluating the existing indicators unmet degree hours, indoor overheating degree (IOD), ambient warmness degree (AWD), and overheating escalation factor (αIOD) demonstrated that with passive cooling strategies the two test lecture rooms have good thermal resilience during TMY and HW periods (except long-term severe HW), with 18% higher unmet degree hours during HWs. Lecture room with heavier thermal mass demonstrated higher thermal resilience to overheating in long-term assessment. Furthermore the need to develop a holistic resilience indicator taking into account building and system parameters was also pointed out in this study.
Influence of indoor environmental quality and dwelling satisfaction aspects on overall satisfaction: Findings from a Swedish national survey
Authors: Psomas Theofanis , Kolias Pavlos , Teli Despoina , Langer Sarka
Published: June 2023

The objective of this study is to contribute to the discussion on the impact of dwelling satisfaction aspects (size, standard, layout, appearance/aesthetics, well-being, cost and area/neighbourhood) and perceived indoor environmental quality (thermal comfort, air quality, satisfaction with daylight and acoustic comfort) on occupants’ overall satisfaction. This article uses data from the Swedish National Survey, BETSI (2007/08). The results are representative of adults living in multi-family and single-family buildings (1597 responses/955 buildings). Linear regression models are developed with overall satisfaction as the dependent variable and independent variables: seven satisfaction aspects, four indoor environmental quality factors and all combined (eleven). An all-model explained 54.7% of the results (best performed). All the retained variables (except satisfaction with daylight) are statistically significant predictors. Satisfaction with well-being (b = 0.286) and satisfaction with dwellings’ standard (b = 0.188) have the greatest effect on overall satisfaction. The model with the IEQ aspects explained only 35.5% of the results. Reliability statistics (Cronbach’s alpha) and confirmatory factor analysis have been implemented in the dataset. The responses can be categorized into two clusters. The two clusters were significantly different across living duration, dwelling type, age category and tenure status.
Sound absorption performance test of grass compression board to promote resource circulation
Authors: Masuda Tadafumi , Takano Ken , Hiyama Kyosuke
Published: June 2023

Grass resources such as miscanthus sinensis, reeds, and rushes have been used as materials for roofs and floors in Japan since ancient times. These materials are the most eco-friendly and sustainable building materials from the viewpoint of resource recycling, but their use has been declining in modern times due to the spread of high-performance building materials created in the process of modern industrialization. This research is to find a way to utilize such grass resources as sound absorbing materials in interior spaces as one possibility to utilize them again in modern life, and to explore their practical possibilities. As a result of measuring the sound absorption performance of compression-molded boards made from grass resources at different densities and thicknesses, it was confirmed that boards made from Miscanthus sinensis at a density of 0.35 g/cm3 showed a peak sound absorption at around 900 Hz, indicating high sound absorption performance in the sound range of human speech. COVID-19 has caused the problem of noisy talking voices from online meetings in offices, and demand for this material can be expected as one of the means to solve this problem.
Black Carbon and PM2.5 impact analysis in an urban school
Authors: Park Dongjun , Kim Taeyeon , Kang Kyungmo
Published: June 2023

Poor outdoor air quality increases air pollutants indoors. Indoor and outdoor air pollutants adversely affect human health, especially in children, who are particularly vulnerable. In this study, indoor and outdoor BC (Black Carbon) and PM2.5 were measured in an elementary school classroom located in an urban city in South Korea. Indoor and outdoor concentrations (BC and PM2.5) were monitored for 7 days (140 hours) during the winter of December 2021. In addition, the classroom schedule was surveyed to identify the occupancy conditions. The reason for air pollution in the urban school was traffic. Classroom BC and PM2.5 concentrations were affected by outdoor and indoor factors. The primary outdoor factor was infiltration, and the impact was larger for BC than for PM2.5. The primary indoor factor was occupant behavior and the impact was more significant for PM2.5 than for BC.
Analysis of the Effect of Climate on Mortality over Time
Authors: Aoyama Kyoko , Mori Taro , Hayashi Motoya
Published: June 2023

Malignant neoplasms, cardiac disease, and cerebrovascular disease are Japan's most common causes of death, with cardiac disease and cerebrovascular disease increasing during the winter season. The indoor environment of Japanese houses is poor in winter. To reduce medical costs for the further aging of the population, it is essential to study the relationship between mortality and the indoor environment. This paper analysed mortality rates by location, age group, year of death, and energy efficiency classification to clarify the relationship between climate and mortality rates in each region. Data were constructed by merging mortality data with climate data. Mortality sensitivity measures the mortality rate increases when the outside temperature falls by 1 ˚C. We also found that mortality among those who died in residential settings was more strongly affected by the cooler outside temperature environment than in nonpresidential settings. It suggests that the mortality rate was more strongly affected by residential areas, which tend to have cooler indoor temperatures during the winter, than non-residential buildings such as hospitals and elderly care facilities. The analysis by age group showed that the sensitivity was higher for older age groups and warmer energy efficiency classification categories in Kyushu and Okinawa.
Study on adaptive model and behavioural adaptation for thermal comfort of Japanese office buildings
Authors: Khadka Supriya , Rijal Hom B. , Amano Katsunori , Saito Teruyuki , Imagawa Hikaru , Uno Tomoko , Genjo Kahori , Takata Hiroshi , Tsuzuki Kazuyo , Nakaya Takashi , Nishina Daisaku , Hasegawa Kenichi , Mori Taro
Published: June 2023

This study focuses on the behavioural aspects of the occupants in Japanese office buildings. The behavioural adaptations such as window opening, heating/cooling use, clothing adjustments are important contributor factors for the adaptive thermal comfort. Therefore, understanding the behavioural aspects of the office workers can lead to have the guidelines to explain the mechanism of the adaptive model. The main aim of this study is to identify the differences in behavioural adaptation of the occupants in Japanese office buildings. Environmental parameters such as air temperature, relative humidity, and so on were measured in five mixed-mode office buildings located in Aichi prefecture were analysed for 15 months’ survey with 35 occupants. Thermal comfort survey together with the occupants’ behavioural survey were conducted in these office buildings. An adaptive relationship can be derived to estimate the indoor comfort temperature estimated by Griffiths method from the prevailing outdoor temperature. The results suggest that the proportion of heating and cooling use is related to the outdoor air temperature. The proportion of clothing adjustment is different for the different modes and are correlated to the outdoor air temperature. The acknowledge of the adaptive thermal comfort and the occupant behaviour of the selected buildings will be fruitful in designing the building with maximum thermal comfort in the future.
Enhancing displacement ventilation performance: Proposal of a new portable air purifying displacement ventilation unit
Authors: Essa Aya , Yamanaka Toshio , Choi Narae , Kobayashi Tomohiro , Kobayashi Noriaki , Komori Miharu , Matsui Nobuki , Okamoto Tetsuya , Arakawa Takeshi , Yamoto Yuki , Otaka Shougo
Published: June 2023

Displacement Ventilation (DV) has been known as an energy saving system as it relies on buoyancy force to draw hot air upwards to be displaced by cool air. The main strength of DV that recommends it nowadays is that a well-designed DV system prevents mixing of contaminants as they are dragged along the hot air upward flow leaving the occupied zone, breathing zone in particular, clean. However, the system’s effectiveness is lowered in large rooms due to design problem such as difficult balance between sufficient supply flow volume and low inlet velocity, furniture arrangement acting as obstacles, or room geometry. Hence, DV feasibility is limited to small and mid-size rooms. In order to expand the DV potential and applicability to all space types and sizes, this study proposes a portable DV air purifying unit. The unit is designed to be mobile consisting of air recycling unit with no duct connections which widens the range of use to cover a variety of indoor spaces as well as small to medium sized room. The unit has two main functions, one is reinforcing the temperature gradient as stratification crucial for DV, and the second is purifying recycled air. To investigate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed DV unit, block model calculations and CFD analysis were conducted. In a basic office room, multiple cases were calculated and assessed in terms of temperature distribution and stratification height. In addition, exhaled contaminants were simulated and the contaminant concentration was used as an indicator for the air quality. Observations on the proposed unit’s performance and design aspects were highlighted.
The impact of Displacement Ventilation with Breathing Zone Air Supply onInfectious Spread in Office: Field study and CFD simulation
Authors: Namba Wakako , Yamanaka Toshio , Choi Narae , Kobayashi Tomohiro , Kobayashi Noriaki , Shikano Nana
Published: June 2023

Office spaces where many people spend long times need effective ventilation systems to prevent infections. This paper suggests a new ventilation method called “Displacement Ventilation with Breathing zone Air Supply” as a way to achieve that. In conventional displacement ventilation, all supply air is provided from the floor level. However, in the new system, supply air is provided from both breathing zone (breathing zone air supply) and floor level (floor level air supply). This new system aims to improve air quality of the breathing zone by controlling air flow of breathing zone air supply which is modified its supply condition considering the temperature stratification. The system also aims to be energy efficient due to increasing the average temperature of supply air. In this research, the performance of this ventilation system was examined through a full-scale experiment and CFD analysis assumed an office space. The results were discussed in the temperature and concentration distribution. The results showed that the temperature stratification was formed even when air was supplied in the breathing zone. By optimizing the air supply conditions, the new ventilation system is considered to be more effective than conventional displacement ventilation to prevent infectious diseases.
Effects of biophilic design on hygrothermal environment and human sensation in a large artificial garden of a public building
Authors: Yang Xianzhe , Ozaki Akihito , Takatsuji Ryo , Nagase Osamu , Arima Yusuke , Choi Younhee
Published: June 2023

Biophilic design is aimed at creating a good habitat for people by enhancing the connectedness between people and nature in the urban environment; its effects on promoting psychological health are well known, but further studies are required to quantify the effects on physical and physiological aspects to provide a holistic view to support design practice. In this study, we focused on the physical aspect and quantitatively analyzed the effects of biophilic design on the thermal environment and occupants' thermal sensations. Field measurements and questionnaire surveys were conducted at a multifloor indoor garden in a public building in Kumamoto, Japan, with an artificial waterfall, pond, plants, and natural light as biophilic elements. Predicted mean vote was calculated using field measurement results as an objective indicator to assess thermal comfort. Questionnaires were used to verify the psychological effects and clarify the occupants' thermal sensations by comparing with field measurement results. The effects of the waterfall were studied when it was switched on and off. The results suggest the rationality behind incorporating biophilic design inside buildings, in terms of the physical aspect, highlighting the psychological effectiveness, especially during winter, and the benefits of thermal comfort, especially during summer.
Understanding current retrofit practices to prevent the unintended consequences affecting IEQ and health
Authors: Petsou Athina , Medina Hector Altamirano , Pender Robyn , Hong Sung Min
Published: June 2023

The climate crisis demands an urgent societal shift, and the UK government has responded with a strong policy targeting energy retrofit to improve the energy performance of homes to achieve the net zero target by 2050. However, research has shown that standard retrofit measures have resulted in undesirable unintended consequences. Incorrect interventions such as using incompatible materials can affect the equilibrium of the building, increasing the risk of surface and interstitial condensation due to excessive humidity levels. Mould growth may develop under high levels of humidity, damaging the building fabric but also posing a risk to the occupants; it has been linked to asthma exacerbation and other respiratory infections. Therefore, what is needed is a well-integrated retrofit approach that not only reduces energy use but protects the building and the health and well-being of its occupants. This paper discusses the retrofit practices, the main challenges that retrofit practitioners face in the UK, and which guidance and tools they work with through the lens of the impact on occupants. A deeper understanding of the current practices is needed if those unintended consequences are to be avoided. For instance, replacing a 'fabric-first' mindset with a 'people-first' approach that considers more factors like the causes of thermal discomfort, and the gains to be made from passive and adaptive comfort approaches, could contribute to deliverer energy and carbon savings and increased building's indoor environment quality and usability justified.
Numerical study on high induction air diffusers for improved indoor environmental quality in vehicles
Authors: Bode Florin , Joldos Titus , Nastase Ilinca , Sirbu Gabriel Mihai
Published: June 2023

The amount of time spent in traffic by vehicle occupants has increased dramatically over the last two decades. This is because the average commute length and time spent stuck in traffic without a way out have increased at rates far exceeding population growth. At the same time, the quality of life has increased, in many areas of this world, leading vehicle users to prefer increased thermal comfort conditions inside the cabins when they are in traffic, a better thermal comfort in the vehicle being nowadays an important parameter when choosing a new vehicle. A solution to improve the thermal comfort of vehicle users is to uniformize the airflow inside vehicle by enhancing the mixing of the freshly introduced air with the ambient air. Based on literature previous research, air mixing can be improved by passive means using innovative air diffusers which have the ability of entraining more air than regular air diffusers. A comparative numerical study between different air diffusers will be carried out in the present paper with the help of Ansys Fluent software. The results revealed that a particular air diffuser, based on the lobed shaped cross orifice was found to entertain with 35% more air than a regular air diffuser.
Environmental Parasitic Disease Affecting the Health Status in Rwanda
Authors: Burns Holly
Published: June 2023

The analysis gleaned from Rwanda’s history following the 1994 genocide to the post-war aftermath has provided the ability to examine the improvements in life expectancy, health care, and social disparities within this country. The following paper describes Rwanda’s environmental and social health determinants, examines health literacy, and evaluates the inequalities within this country. Understanding the multiple influences surrounding the ecological living conditions that lead to tungiasis was pursued to reduce the prevalence of the parasitic disease. Policies should be established to enhance better environmental living conditions so Rwandan citizens can overcome several health barriers. Low socioeconomic status is associated with impoverished housing conditions and unhygienic living environments. Poor housing conditions, elevated indoor relative humidity levels, and unhygienic living environments expose Rwandan citizens to bacterial, viral, and parasitic risks. Therefore, examinations of peer-reviewed scholarly articles assist with determining the efforts used through governmental policies and programs to reduce health disparities in Rwanda. Finally, developing policies can help reduce exposure to a prevalent parasitic disease affecting many Rwandan individuals. Rwanda has many obstacles to reducing exposure to tungiasis, like managing healthy living environments, large city populations, access to quality sanitation systems, contaminated water, and funding for improved water treatment. Approximately 23% of the participants in three primary schools acquired tungiasis by walking barefoot in the sand, with unclean feet, in poor living environments, with elevated relative humidity levels, and in impoverished housing with dirt floors [5 & 12]. Aligned with overcoming Rwandans' barriers, tungiasis can be reduced and eliminated through paved concrete floors in residential housing, controlling indoor atmospheric conditions, education on tungiasis, knowledge of proper hygiene, environmental remedies, social policy reformation, and cultural modifications. In conclusion, goals should be established to create social change to protect at-risk Rwandan citizens from exposure to Tungiasis, especially school children.
Statistical Analysis Approach of Single-sided Ventilation Based on Particle Track Technique Using Large Eddy Simulation
Authors: Jiang Zitao , Kobayashi Tomohiro , Sandberg Mats , Yamanaka Toshio , Choi Narae , Sano Kayuki
Published: June 2023

The main objective of this study is to investigate the airflow characteristics in single-sided ventilation. A CFD method of large eddy simulation (LES) using particle track technique was conducted in this study, and the simulation results are validated by experiment results. The mostly used ventilation efficiency indicators of natural ventilation are Air Flow Rate (AFR) and Purging Flow Rate (PFR). AFR is the volumetric airflow exchange rate through the openings and PFR is the effective airflow rate that removes indoor air pollutants. The ventilation efficiency (εν) of natural ventilation, which is defined as the ratio of PFR and AFR, is not well investigated in previous research, therefore, this study discusses the case of the εν of single-sided ventilation and tries to explain the distinction between AFR and PFR by statistical analysis approach based on particle movements. Particles are emitted from the opening and the particles’ movements are tracked by tracing their locations at different time steps. The residence time measures the time between the time that particles enter the room and the time that particles leave the room, and indoor travel distance indicates the sum of the displacement when the particle travels in the room. The Probability Density Function (PDF) of the residence time and indoor travel distance is used to depict airflow characteristics of the ventilation path of single-sided ventilation. The analysis method of study might be another useful approach to studying natural ventilation in detail.
Experimental Investigation on the velocity profile of supply flow in impinging jet ventilation system
Authors: Yamasawa Haruna , Kobayashi Tomohiro , Yamanaka Toshio , Choi Narae , Koshida Moe , Cehlin Mathias , Ameen Arman
Published: June 2023

Using the impinging jet ventilation system (IJV), it is possible to accomplish high ventilation effectiveness by creating temperature and contaminant stratification within the room. Since the air is supplied toward the floor and directly spreads into the occupied zone at the lower level, it is important to understand the flow feature of supplied jet around the floor. To understand this, the velocity profile of the jet over the floor at the central cross-section was measured using hotwire anemometer under isothermal conditions, and particle image velocimetry (PIV) under isothermal, cooling, and heating conditions. As a result, the obtained velocity profiles at the central cross-section by the hotwire anemometer and PIV are almost the same in the region more than 0.5 m horizontally away from the supply duct. The velocity in the region close to the supply duct was underestimated when using PIV, due to the insufficient entrainment of the seeding tracer. However, its measurement accuracy is assumed to be sufficient for the flow that goes into the occupied zone. In addition, it was also shown that at the central-cross section, the velocity profiles under isothermal and cooling conditions are almost the same.
Analyzing the effects of passive design strategies on building ventilation performance and thermal comfort using simulation-based approach
Authors: Rajput Tripti Singh , Thomas Albert
Published: June 2023

One of the sustainable approaches to improving indoor thermal comfort and building ventilation efficiency, particularly in developing and populated countries, is to implement the optimum passive design solutions. However, the interaction between ventilation performance, indoor thermal comfort, and passive design features of buildings is scarcely studied in the domain of airflow modeling. Therefore, this study aims at assessing the ventilation performance and indoor thermal comfort with regards to passive design strategies, specifically, opening characteristics such as the Opening to Wall ratio (OWR) and Window to Wall ratio (WWR) in a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) environment. The CFD simulations run is found pivotal for determining the spatial variation of Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD) to gauge thermal comfort and the natural ventilation performance in terms of air change rate per hour (ACH). The proposed methodology is implemented in classroom spaces of an academic building located in a warm and humid region. In the study, a field investigation is carried out to collect precise temperature and air velocity data needed to validate the resulting CFD model. The findings show that increasing OWR and WWR percentages can enhance ventilation efficiency and indoor thermal comfort.
Development of an automatic opening system for sliding and casement windows to control the natural ventilation rate
Authors: Tsutsumi Akane , Lee Sihwan , Toriumi Yoshihiro , Kurabuchi Takashi , Oura Yutaka , Asaoka Yukiyasu
Published: June 2023

Under the influence of COVID-19, ventilation is recommended to reduce the risk of infection in the room. Window openings can increase the ventilation rate caused by indoor and outdoor temperature differences. However, there is a concern that opening the window in the air-conditioned room will increase the heating and cooling loads due to air leakage. In addition, it is difficult to maintain an adequate ventilation rate because the outdoor temperature changes from time to time. To solve this problem, we have developed an automatic opening system to control the natural ventilation rate. This system can control the adequate ventilation rate for the room by adjusting the opening area of the window automatically. In this study, the control equations for the system for sliding windows were derived, and actual measurements were taken with the system. Additionally, the flow coefficients of the casement windows were numerically analyzed. Then, the control equation for the system for casement windows was derived from the relationship between the opening angle and the flow coefficient. As a result, the ventilation rate could be controlled using an automatic opening system for the sliding windows. Also, the flow coefficient of the casement window could be approximated by a sinusoidal function of the opening angle.
Investigation of aerosol dispersion and air purifier performance in a hospital patient room using CFD and measurements
Authors: Chan Maverick , Rogak Steve , Rysanek Adam
Published: June 2023

Transmission of airborne disease is a concern in many indoor spaces. Recent studies have identified correlations between poor indoor air quality (IAQ) and COVID-19 vulnerability and mortality. Studying the role building design and ventilation play in both the spread and mitigation of airborne viruses in high-density spaces is thus imperative. However, guidance for IAQ improvement and COVID-19 risk mitigation is general and insufficient for specific application in at-risk spaces like British Columbia’s (BC) patient settings and long-term care homes. What remains underdefined is a workflow for translating site specific data on indoor aerosol spread into actionable tools health officials can use towards building retrofit and intervention planning. The objective of this project was thus to develop a library of ‘digital twin’ models of at-risk indoor spaces that can provide accurate and rapid investigations of indoor air quality improvement measures using computation fluid dynamics (CFD) software. To calibrate these models, 41 repeated controlled experiments of aerosol dispersion and removal were conducted to assess the ventilation patterns of a 4-bed hospital room. From these experiments, a 3D CFD model of the room was created using the RhinoCFD modelling package, calibrated with measured IAQ sensor data, and validated against the results of the live study. This paper presents the methodology and in-progress results of this CFD modelling process.