bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Power quality and modern energy for all
Authors: Jacome Veronica , Klugman Noah , Wolfram Catherine , Grunfeld Belinda , Callaway Duncan , Ray Isha
Published: July 2019

“Modern energy for all,” an internationally supported initiative to connect populations to electricity services, is expected to help reduce poverty-induced vulnerabilities. It has become a primary strategy for meeting sustainable development goals, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. However, when electricity is supplied by a capacity-constrained grid to a resource-constrained population, the service quality can vary both spatially and temporally. This research explores the quality of electricity services based on a case study of Unguja, Tanzania. Using 1) open-ended interviews, 2) detailed electricity-systems monitoring, and 3) household surveys, we show how voltage quality varies significantly, even within highly localized settings. Fluctuations result in dim lights at best and power outages and broken appliances at worst, denying many Unguja residents the expected benefits of access to modern energy. By combining an extensive understanding of the physical system together with interviews and surveys, this work presents a unique mapping of voltage quality in a system that is financially and physically constrained and highlights the consequences of poor-quality service for poor users.
Universal amplification-free molecular diagnostics by billion-fold hierarchical nanofluidic concentration
Authors: Ouyang Wei , Han Jongyoon
Published: July 2019

Significance

The need for accurate analysis of low-abundance nucleic acids and proteins is ubiquitous in biological science and engineering. The revolutionary nucleic acid amplification techniques enabled single-copy detection of nucleic acids but have many issues restricting their implementation in diagnostics and various applications. Protein analysis lags severely behind because there are no protein amplification techniques. We report a universal technique that unprecedentedly achieves billion-fold enrichment of both nucleic acids and proteins directly in complex biological samples, which may play an enabling role in the rapid analysis of ultralow-abundance biomolecules (especially proteins) in many fields. We demonstrate direct detection of attomolar nucleic acid and protein biomarkers in crude clinical samples within an hour, validating its generic functionality in clinical diagnostics.
A selective membrane-targeting repurposed antibiotic with activity against persistent methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Kim Wooseong , Zou Guijin , Hari Taylor P. A. , Wilt Ingrid K. , Zhu Wenpeng , Galle Nicolas , Faizi Hammad A. , Hendricks Gabriel L. , Tori Katerina , Pan Wen , Huang Xiaowen , Steele Andrew D. , Csatary Erika E. , Dekarske Madeline M. , Rosen Jake L. , Ribeiro Noelly de Queiroz , Lee Kiho , Port Jenna , Fuchs Beth Burgwyn , Vlahovska Petia M. , Wuest William M. , Gao Huajian , Ausubel Frederick M. , Mylonakis Eleftherios
Published: July 2019

Significance

There is a critical lack of therapeutic agents to treat infections caused by nongrowing persister forms of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA). Although membrane-disrupting agents can kill persister cells, their therapeutic potential has been mostly overlooked because of low selectivity for bacterial versus mammalian membranes. We report that the clinically approved anthelmintic drug bithionol kills MRSA persisters by disrupting membrane lipid bilayers at concentrations that exhibit low levels of toxicity to mammalian cells. The selectivity of bithionol results from the presence of cholesterol in mammalian but not in bacterial membranes. We also show that the antipersister potency of membrane-active antimicrobial agents correlates with their ability to increase membrane fluidity. Our results significantly enhance our understanding of bacterial membrane disruption and membrane selectivity.
Aging of spermatogonial stem cells by Jnk-mediated glycolysis activation
Authors: Kanatsu-Shinohara Mito , Yamamoto Takuya , Toh Hidehiro , Kazuki Yasuhiro , Kazuki Kanako , Imoto Junichi , Ikeo Kazuho , Oshima Motohiko , Shirahige Katsuhiko , Iwama Atsushi , Nabeshima Yoichi , Sasaki Hiroyuki , Shinohara Takashi
Published: July 2019

Because spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are immortal by serial transplantation, SSC aging in intact testes is considered to be caused by a deteriorated microenvironment. Here, we report a cell-intrinsic mode of SSC aging by glycolysis activation. Using cultured SSCs, we found that aged SSCs proliferated more actively than young SSCs and showed enhanced glycolytic activity. Moreover, they remained euploid and exhibited stable androgenetic imprinting patterns with robust SSC activity despite having shortened telomeres. Aged SSCs showed increasedWnt7bexpression, which was associated with decreased Polycomb complex 2 activity. Our results suggest that aberrantWnt7bexpression activated c-junN-terminal kinase (JNK), which down-regulated mitochondria numbers by suppressingPpargc1a. Down-regulation ofPpargc1aprobably decreased reactive oxygen species and enhanced glycolysis. Analyses of theKlotho-deficient aging mouse model and 2-y-old aged rats confirmed JNK hyperactivation and increased glycolysis. Therefore, not only microenvironment but also intrinsic activation of JNK-mediated glycolysis contributes to SSC aging.
UvrD helicase activation by MutL involves rotation of its 2B subdomain
Authors: Ordabayev Yerdos A. , Nguyen Binh , Kozlov Alexander G. , Jia Haifeng , Lohman Timothy M.
Published: July 2019

Significance

UvrD helicase plays essential roles in multiple DNA metabolic processes, including methyl-directed mismatch repair. UvrD monomers can translocate along single-stranded DNA, but self-assembly or interaction with an accessory factor is required to activate processive DNA unwinding in vitro. A MutL protein dimer can activate the monomeric UvrD helicase, but the mechanism of activation is not known. The 2B subdomain of UvrD is regulatory and is rotationally flexible. Here we show that binding of MutL to a UvrD–DNA substrate complex is accompanied by rotation of the 2B subdomain to form an active helicase. The results show the important role of the 2B subdomain in regulating helicase activity.
Two PKA RIα holoenzyme states define ATP as an isoform-specific orthosteric inhibitor that competes with the allosteric activator, cAMP
Authors: Lu Tsan-Wen , Wu Jian , Aoto Phillip C. , Weng Jui-Hung , Ahuja Lalima G. , Sun Nicholas , Cheng Cecilia Y. , Zhang Ping , Taylor Susan S.
Published: July 2019

Protein kinase A (PKA) holoenzyme, comprised of a cAMP-binding regulatory (R)-subunit dimer and 2 catalytic (C)-subunits, is the master switch for cAMP-mediated signaling. Of the 4 R-subunits (RIα, RIβ, RIIα, RIIβ), RIα is most essential for regulating PKA activity in cells. Our 2 RIα
2
C
2
holoenzyme states, which show different conformations with and without ATP, reveal how ATP/Mg
2+
functions as a negative orthosteric modulator. Biochemical studies demonstrate how the removal of ATP primes the holoenzyme for cAMP-mediated activation. The opposing competition between ATP/cAMP is unique to RIα. In RIIβ, ATP serves as a substrate and facilitates cAMP-activation. The isoform-specific RI-holoenzyme dimer interface mediated by N3A–N3A′ motifs defines multidomain cross-talk and an allosteric network that creates competing roles for ATP and cAMP. Comparisons to the RIIβ holoenzyme demonstrate isoform-specific holoenzyme interfaces and highlights distinct allosteric mechanisms for activation in addition to the structural diversity of the isoforms.
African biomass burning is a substantial source of phosphorus deposition to the Amazon, Tropical Atlantic Ocean, and Southern Ocean
Authors: Barkley Anne E. , Prospero Joseph M. , Mahowald Natalie , Hamilton Douglas S. , Popendorf Kimberly J. , Oehlert Amanda M. , Pourmand Ali , Gatineau Alexandre , Panechou-Pulcherie Kathy , Blackwelder Patricia , Gaston Cassandra J.
Published: July 2019

Significance

Phosphorus (P) deposition from aerosols can stimulate primary productivity in P-depleted marine and terrestrial ecosystems. We tested the hypothesis that African dust fertilizes the Amazon Basin and Tropical Atlantic Ocean (TAO) by measuring windborne dust, P, and soluble P in samples collected at a coastal site on the northeastern edge of the Amazon. Using satellite data and models, we identified a previously underestimated source of soluble P: biomass burning aerosol transported from southern Africa that can supply P to the Amazon, TAO, and Southern Ocean. Because P associated with biomass burning emissions is more soluble than P in transported dust, biomass burning aerosols immediately impact P cycling and primary production, especially in marine ecosystems like the TAO.
Increasing crop heterogeneity enhances multitrophic diversity across agricultural regions
Authors: Sirami Clélia , Gross Nicolas , Baillod Aliette Bosem , Bertrand Colette , Carrié Romain , Hass Annika , Henckel Laura , Miguet Paul , Vuillot Carole , Alignier Audrey , Girard Jude , Batáry Péter , Clough Yann , Violle Cyrille , Giralt David , Bota Gerard , Badenhausser Isabelle , Lefebvre Gaëtan , Gauffre Bertrand , Vialatte Aude , Calatayud François , Gil-Tena Assu , Tischendorf Lutz , Mitchell Scott , Lindsay Kathryn , Georges Romain , Hilaire Samuel , Recasens Jordi , Solé-Senan Xavier Oriol , Robleño Irene , Bosch Jordi , Barrientos Jose Antonio , Ricarte Antonio , Marcos-Garcia Maria Ángeles , Miñano Jesús , Mathevet Raphaël , Gibon Annick , Baudry Jacques , Balent Gérard , Poulin Brigitte , Burel Françoise , Tscharntke Teja , Bretagnolle Vincent , Siriwardena Gavin , Ouin Annie , Brotons Lluis , Martin Jean-Louis , Fahrig Lenore
Published: July 2019

Significance

Agricultural landscape homogenization is a major ongoing threat to biodiversity and the delivery of key ecosystem services for human well-being. It is well known that increasing the amount of seminatural cover in agricultural landscapes has a positive effect on biodiversity. However, little is known about the role of the crop mosaic itself. Crop heterogeneity in the landscape had a much stronger effect on multitrophic diversity than the amount of seminatural cover in the landscape, across 435 agricultural landscapes located in 8 European and North American regions. Increasing crop heterogeneity can be an effective way to mitigate the impacts of farming on biodiversity without taking land out of production.
Post-Traumatic Stress and Marijuana Outcomes: The Mediating Role of Marijuana Protective Behavioral Strategies
Authors: Jordan Hallie R. , Madson Michael B. , Bravo Adrian J. , Pearson Matthew R. ,   Protective Strategies Study Team
Published: July 2019

Background: The present study investigated the mediating role of protective behavioral strategies for marijuana (PBSM) on the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and marijuana outcomes (i.e. marijuana use frequency, marijuana use quantity, cannabis use disorder (CUD) symptoms, and marijuana-related problems).

Methods: Participants were 1,107 traditional age college students ( M age = 20.26, SD = 3.32; 66.5% White, non-Hispanic; 68.8% female), who reported consuming marijuana at least once in the last 30 days and completed measures of PTSD symptoms, PBSM, and marijuana-related outcomes.

Results: PBSM significantly mediated the positive relationships between PTSD symptoms and both CUD symptoms and marijuana-related problems. More specifically, PTSD symptoms were negatively associated with PBSM, which in turn was negatively associated with marijuana use frequency and marijuana use quantity, which were in turn positively associated with CUD symptoms and marijuana-related problems. Conclusion: Taken together, the associations between higher PTSD symptoms and greater experience of CUD symptoms and marijuana-related problems may occur because students use fewer PBSM and thus engage in larger quantity and frequency of marijuana use. These findings lend support to the utility of targeting PBSM as a harm reduction effort for students with PTSD symptoms who use marijuana.
Nematocidal activity of 6-O-octanoyl- and 6-O-octyl-d-allose against larvae of Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Sakoguchi Hirofumi , Shintani Tomoya , Ishiyama Hironobu , Yanagita Ryo C , Kawanami Yasuhiro , Sato Masashi
Published: July 2019

The nematocidal activities of the fatty acid esters of d-allose were examined using the larvae of C. elegans. Among the fatty acid esters, 6-O-octanoyl-d-allose (3) showed significant activity. 6-O-octanoyl-d-glucose (5) showed no activity, indicating that the D-allose moiety is essential for the nematocidal activity of 3. A nonhydrolyzable alkoxy analog 6-O-octyl-d-allose (6) also showed activity equivalent to that of 3.
Manual dexterity and outcomes in a commonly used test battery to assess auditory processing disorder (APD) in children
Authors: Ahmmed Ansar Uddin
Published: July 2019

Purpose:

Sensori-motor processing is a factor in sensory and auditory processing disorders and motor skills are related to language ability. However, data on the extent of motor impairment and its relation to different auditory processing (AP) domains are sparse. This study evaluated the prevalence of impaired manual dexterity (MD) and its relationship with different AP tests comprising a commonly used diagnostic test battery for auditory processing disorder (APD).

Method:

Data were collected retrospectively from case notes of 513 children who had routine APD assessment. Five diagnostic AP tests of the SCAN-3 test battery (‘Filtered Words’, ‘Auditory Figure Ground 0 dB’, ‘Competing Words-Directed Ears’, ‘Competing Sentences’ and ‘Time Compressed Sentences’), MD component of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-second edition (MABC-2), and Children’s Communications Checklist-2 (CCC-2) were used to assess AP, motor skill and language abilities respectively. Percentile rankings ≤10 were considered as failing the tests. Contingency tables were used to compare the proportions of participants with impaired MD between three groups of participants based on AP abilities. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationship between MD and AP tests, controlling for age, NVIQ and language.

Results:

Impaired MD were seen in 37.9%, 40.7% and 47.6% of participants who passed all, failed only one and failed two or more AP tests, respectively. A significant proportion of variance in MD was explained by ‘Competing Sentences’ and ‘Time Compressed Sentences’.

Conclusions:

Poor MD is common in children with suspected APD. Evaluation of APD needs to include motor and other transdisciplinary assessments for different co-morbid neurodevelopmental conditions to facilitate individualized support and to help formulating an operational definition of APD. The relationship between MD, ‘Competing Sentences’ and ‘Time Compressed Sentences’ supports the role of processing of sequences, working memory and time in motor coordination.
When alpha meets beta, mast cells get hyper
Authors: Ong Michelle Shuling , Tergaonkar Vinay
Published: July 2019

The evolutionary conservation of the catalytically inactive α-tryptase gene has remained a mystery. In this issue of JEM, Le et al. (2019. J. Exp. Med. https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20190701) unveil the existence of a novel but natural tryptase, heteromeric α/β-tryptase, a critical mediator of α-tryptase–associated diseases.
Stern–Gerlach splitting of low-energy ion beams
Authors: Henkel Carsten , Jacob Georg , Stopp Felix , Schmidt-Kaler Ferdinand , Keil Mark , Japha Yonathan , Folman Ron
Published: July 2019

We present a feasibility study with several magnetic field configurations for creating spin-dependent forces that can split a low-energy ion beam by the Stern–Gerlach (SG) effect. To the best of our knowledge, coherent spin-splittings of charged particles have yet to be realised. Our proposal is based on ion source parameters taken from a recent experiment that demonstrated single-ion implantation from a high-brightness ion source combined with a radio-frequency Paul trap. The inhomogeneous magnetic fields can be created by permanently magnetised microstructures or from current-carrying wires with sizes in the micron range, such as those recently used in a successful implementation of the SG effect with neutral atoms. All relevant forces (Lorentz force and image charges) are taken into account, and measurable splittings are found by analytical and numerical calculations.
Electrical connectors for neural implants: design, state of the art and future challenges of an underestimated component
Authors: Koch Julia , Schuettler Martin , Pasluosta Cristian , Stieglitz Thomas
Published: July 2019

Technological advances in electrically active implantable devices have increased the complexity of hardware design. In particular, the increasing number of stimulation and recording channels requires innovative approaches for connectors that interface electrodes with the implant circuitry. Objective. This work aims to provide a common theoretical ground for implantable connector development with a focus on neural applications. Approach. Aspects and experiences from several disciplines are compiled from an engineering perspective to discuss the state of the art of connector solutions. Whenever available, we also present general design guidelines. Main results. Degradation mechanisms, material stability and design rules in terms of biocompatibility and biostability are introduced. Considering contact physics, we address the design and characterization of the contact zone and review contaminants, wear and contact degradation. For high-channel counts and body-like environments, insulation can be even more crucial than the electrical connection itself. Therefore, we also introduce the requirements for electrical insulation to prevent signal loss and distortion and discuss its impact on the practical implementation. Significance. A final review is dedicated to the state of the art connector concepts, their mechanical setup, electrical performance and the interface to other implant components. We conclude with an outlook for possible approaches for the future generations of implants.
Mapping the availability of bushmeat for consumption in Central African cities
Authors: Fa Julia E , Wright Juliet H , Funk Stephan M , Márquez Ana Luz , Olivero Jesús , Farfán Miguel Ángel , Guio Fanny , Mayet Luc , Malekani Divin , Holo Louzolo Charles , Mwinyihali Robert , Wilkie David S , Wieland Michelle
Published: July 2019

The trade of bushmeat from rural areas to supply burgeoning cities is a major conservation and livelihood concern. Using a whole-city sampling strategy we mapped the distribution and numbers of meat outlets in the Kinshasa–Brazzaville metropolitan area, two neighboring capital cities in Central Africa. We show that both cities differ in the number and density of meat outlets, with more in Brazzaville per area sampled and inhabitants. The number of meat outlets is related to human population densities and primarily concentrated along the banks of the Congo River, in the more affluent areas of the cities. Across the two cities, roughly 22% of all sampled markets (50% in Brazzaville and 19% in Kinshasa) and 24% of all visited restaurants (24% in each city) were selling bushmeat during our survey. Despite the relatively low number of establishments offering bushmeat for sale, extrapolated to the entire area and population of both cities, we expect the overall amount of wild animal meat consumed per annum to be significantly high. We suggest that the supply of such numbers of wild animal meat will strongly impact the animal populations sourcing these cities. Our data also indicate that the number of domestic meat outlets may be adequate to supply urban dwellers with sufficient animal protein.
Intensity-duration-frequency curves at the global scale
Authors: Courty Laurent G , Wilby Robert L , Hillier John K , Slater Louise J
Published: July 2019

Intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves usefully quantify extreme precipitation over various durations and return periods for engineering design. Unfortunately, sparse, infrequent, or short observations hinder the creation of robust IDF curves in many locations. This paper presents the first global, multi-temporal (1–360 h) dataset of generalized extreme value (GEV) parameters at 31 km resolution dubbed PXR-2 (Parametrized eXtreme Rain). Using these data we generalize site-specific studies to show that that GEV parameters typically scale robustly with event duration (r
2 > 0.88). Thus, we propose a universal IDF formula that allows estimates of rainfall intensity for a continuous range of durations (PXR-4). This parameter scaling property opens the door to estimating sub-daily IDF from daily records. We evaluate this characteristic for selected global cities and a high-density rain gauge network in the United Kingdom. We find that intensities estimated with PXR-4 are within ±20% of PXR-2 for durations ranging between 2 and 360 h. PXR is immediately usable by earth scientists studying global precipitation extremes and a promising proof-of-concept for engineers designing infrastructure in data-scarce regions.
Key Performance Indicators for Sustainable Urban Development: Case Study Approach
Authors: Genta C , Lombardi P , Mari V , Moghadam S Torabi
Published: July 2019

Built environment energy efficiency improvement at the urban scale plays a key role to reduce the detrimental environmental impacts. However, the design and implementation of sustainable development scenarios is a complex process involving a large number of decision criteria and actors. An on-going Interreg project, “CesbaMED”, emphasizes to employ a common sustainability assessment framework at the urban scale, which is a set of eight regional assessment tools, named CESBA MED SNTool. This tool is an innovative decision-making process, which supports the development of energy efficiency plans for building stock in the context of their surrounding neighbourhoods. Moreover, this tool produces the MED Passport, which compares the sustainability performances of buildings and neighbourhoods. This study aims at presenting the on-going research activities with a specific focus on the selection of the set of relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) among the indicators of CesbaMED project for the case study of the city of Turin (Italy), based on stakeholders’ preferences. A workshop was organized to select the criteria and to assign the stakeholders’ preferences using the “Delphi” survey method. This method is used in order to investigate the stakeholders’ perspectives on the impact of each indicator on the different future sustainable scenarios. The results show that the stakeholders decided to remove and modify some KPIs for the specific case study of Turin with respect to its particularities.
Strategies for the Sustainable Reindustrialization of Brownfields
Authors: Canevaro E , Ingaramo R , Lami I M , Morena M , Robiglio M , Saponaro S , Sezenna E
Published: July 2019

The rapid de-industrialization of Western economies has left an enormous impact on the urban landscape in Europe, leaving behind vacant warehouses and production facilities. Industrial sites reuse is a crucial issue for sustainable land and urban development. This work is concerned with the fundamental aspects of industrial heritage and the ways to incorporate brownfields back into the urban fabric as a value-adding element. Adaptive reuse represents the most sustainable form of reuse, as it is based on maximal conservation of built assets, minimizing time, materials, embodied energy waste, and preserving site identity. For industrial areas redevelopment and reuse often site remediation is required. This activity is usually designed, carried out and assessed before and independently from urban design, planning and real estate strategies. This independence leads to higher remediation costs and often implies demolition of built industrial infrastructures, preventing any potential adaptive reuse. The former industrial site of Acciaierie Lucchini in Settimo Torinese, just outside of Turin, offered the chance to test a holistic approach, based on the multidisciplinary integration of knowledge and skills during the whole design process in order to define real policy proposals trying to improve the technical framework for more sustainable reuse procedures. In the 93.000 m2 area, abandoned and left to degenerate since 2000, trading in ferrous materials and then steel manufacturing were carried out for over fifty years, leaving a legacy in the form of heavy metal contaminated backfill material and underneath soil. Isolation from the city centre, poor accessibility for pedestrians and the location within an industrial zone make this site inadequate for any form of residential development. Whereas re-industrialization of this brownfield can bring new value to the site, transforming the abandoned spaces into an innovative industrial hub able to combine logistic, production, leisure and temporary living, experimenting with mixed-use programs the new relation between innovative production and the city.
Vapor intrusion evaluation for redevelopment of former industrial facilities
Authors: Lonati G , Saponaro S , Sezenna E
Published: July 2019

Former industrial facilities in our cities are finding new life as they are repurposed for use as nonindustrial commercial or even residential spaces. Often, these buildings are brownfield properties, complicating redevelopment because of past industrial uses that led to soil and/or water contamination at the site. In case site contaminants include volatile chemicals (VCs), concerns about air quality at the site may arise. VCs can vaporize from the subsurface and migrate through soil to outdoor air or into indoor spaces of overlying buildings, where they may accumulate.

Vapour intrusion is a relevant problem especially at sites where building modernization and revitalization is to be carried out, as environmental investigations may be complicated by the structure of the built environment, and the contamination may remain undetected. Moreover, upgrading structures to meet building codes and energy conservation requirements can create tight buildings that may enhance the effects of vapor intrusion.

For accurately predicting whether indoor air quality is being or will be adversely affected by subsurface contaminations a multiple lines of evidence approach should be used. Many issues can in fact introduce uncertainty in predicting indoor air concentrations related to vapor intrusion, including i) sampling and analytical methods ii) modelling of fate & transport from subsurface into building, iii) indoor/ambient background sources.

This work refers about the risk management strategy at a site in Milan (Italy) where soil remediation (excavation and off-site disposal) left a residual volume of soil polluted with petroleum-derived hydrocarbons next to redeveloped buildings. Furthermore, the site was also affected by an extended plume of chlorinated solvents in groundwater from an unknown source, likely external to the site. Indoor air, outdoor air, crawl-space air and soil gas samplings were carried out to collect robust information for evaluating decisions points in the vapor intrusion process. Despite few ambient air and crawl-space measurements resulted in episodic high values, as a general trend, the average outdoor and indoor concentrations did not differ significantly from the background values, suggesting other sources than soil pollution were affecting the quality of the air at the site. Although not strictly necessary in terms of time-averaged health risk, a mitigation system of the residual soil contamination was, however, installed to prevent future uncontrolled exposure.
Mobility management at Politecnico di Milano: New infrastructures and behavioural change
Authors: Messori G , Morello E , Perotto E , Infussi F , Mondini G , Faroldi E , Tolentino S , Ugolini M
Published: July 2019

Transportation has significant and long lasting economic, social and environmental impacts, making it one of the main challenges to be addressed by policy makers, public managers and scholars worldwide. For Universities, students and staff transportation represents one of the largest impacts on the environment and society, since in many cases it represent a noticeable share of urban traffic. A wide literature is available on the policies that support reducing car usage and improve the environmental and social sustainability of commuting to University. This paper presents the situation in the Politecnico di Milano, recorded through mobility surveys carried out in 2015 and 2017 to investigate the key issues and design possible solutions. The aim of this study is to share the set of actions and activities planned to improve the current mobility patterns of the Politecnico di Milano in favour of more sustainable means of transport. The main strategies will be the redesign of the campuses and the new infrastructure to be installed, together with the promotion of sustainable behaviours among the whole University population thanks to various activities in the framework of the ‘Città Studi Campus Sostenibile’ initiative. A special mention will be given to the ‘Vivi.Polimi’ project, which aims to improve the liveability of the Politecnico spaces, and which will give sustainable mobility a new impulse. Indeed, the planned measures include the reduction of the parking spaces inside the historical main campus while providing new infrastructure targeted at the promotion of alternative means of transport, like increasing the number of bike shelters to encourage active mobility or installing new charging stations for electric cars.
Environmental sustainability of the retrofitting of a vernacular dwelling in the Liguria seaside
Authors: Sabbadini S , Amato C G , Dotelli G
Published: July 2019

In the Genova hinterland, a traditional rural dwelling has been completely restored with the addition of new buildings respecting the landscape and the relationship with the existing vernacular construction. The project, in compliance with all the bio-architecture criteria of intervention associates traditional natural materials such as stone and lime with cutting-edge materials and techniques such as raw earth and hempcrete.

Both the recovery and the new buildings have been the subject of meticulous bio-design in terms of material choices and diversification of construction techniques according to the area of intervention and of the local material culture. The original stone walls have been preserved and consolidated with fibre-reinforced lime mortar applied directly on the stone wall after removing the old mortar. Timber beams and wooden floors have been almost completely renovated, but preserving and consolidating wherever possible the original structures. External walls have been re-plastered with thermo-plaster based on lime and diatomite. On the interior, a hemp lime mortar has been used.

Environmental sustainability of the whole retrofitting has been assessed by using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology in compliance with the international ISO standards 14040 and 14044. The scenario is from cradle to construction, i.e. A1-A5 in terms of European directive EN 15804. The study is fully compliant with this directive in terms of impact indicators and additional benefits.
A decision-making process for resilience assessment in adaptive reuse
Authors: Morandotti M , Besana D , Cecchini C , Chiesa A
Published: July 2019

In the field of public heritage valorisation through renovation, resilience assessment is crucial to foresee the impact of each project action, monitor the transformability thresholds and achieve more sustainable restoration projects. Within this framework, methodologies to achieve early evaluation of different project alternatives since the very preliminary design phases are supposed to be a key factor for the success of the building process, as it is highlighted by the Italian public procurement code (D.Lgs 50/2016). Therefore, the role of the contracting authority is crucial, as it is called both to activate the process through the definition of the project requirements and to accomplish the evaluation of the proposed solutions by respecting the principles of public interests, legality, transparency and responsibility.

In order to achieve these goals, the research proposes a standard methodology composed of a list of synthetic indicators and the criteria for their combination, aiming to assess the residual performances of the building and evaluate the compliance with new intended uses through the match with a set of conceivable design strategies. In this direction, two assessment tools are defined: the PAV (Performance Adequacy and Vulnerability), which is calculated on the actual state of the building for the evaluation of its residual efficiency with reference to some transformative hypothesis and then integrated in a grid of design strategies, and the RTE (Resilience Threshold Evaluation) though to measure the expected transformative impacts on the building and their positive or negative implications within its resilience thresholds.

The methodology is implemented in a BIM-based process with the definition of a simplified informative model that makes it possible to retrieve all the information and to define the calculation rules in order to activate the defined methodology with the advantage of ensuring time-saving, data-safety and transparency in the process.
Occupant perception of spectral light content variations due to glazing type and internal finish
Authors: Potočnik J , Cadena J D B , Košir M , Poli T
Published: July 2019

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) is a key issue in the design and renovation of any indoor building environment. It is comprised of different aspects (e.g. visual, thermal, acoustic comfort, etc.), which directly affect the building occupants’ wellbeing. Studies on this topic have grown rapidly in recent years, as the time that occupants spend indoors is increasing. In this regard, indoor luminous conditions are crucial for providing sufficient task illuminance as well as to stimulate the human circadian system. Insufficient lighting conditions have been proven to be related with reduced productivity/learnability, mood swings and health disorders, thus emphasizing the necessity for further research in this field. Therefore, proper performance evaluation criteria for managing and optimizing lighting spectral composition is needed. For instance, indoor lighting conditions can be evaluated by quantity, intensity, and/or uniformity, but also by spectral content, which determines the energy conveyed and the level at which the human body is stimulated. This spectral content can vary depending on the preferred or prevalent light source, interior finishes and glazing properties generating a singular indoor lighting environment. Thus, a preliminary study on the variation of the indoor daylight spectral content is conducted using a scaled model, applying various glazing types and interior finishes. Then, daylight simulations are performed on a calibrated virtual model to evaluate the effect of various environmental conditions. Results show a considerable impact of the interior finishes as well as glazing type on the attained circadian potential of studied indoor environment.
Environmental consequences of refurbishment vs. demolition and reconstruction: a comparative life cycle assessment of an Italian case study
Authors: Pittau F , Amato C , Cuffari S , Iannaccone G , Malighetti L E
Published: July 2019

In the building sector, the new standards for energy efficiency are reducing the energy consumption and the carbon emissions for building operation to nearly zero. As a result, the greenhouse gases emissions and related environmental impacts from materials production, and especially insulation, are becoming dominant. In the next future, most of building stock is expected to be refurbished and a great amount of construction materials will be consequently required. A relevant share of waste is generated from building construction and demolition and limiting the volume is a priority of the EU community. In this work the renovation of industrial buildings in a dismissed area located in Lecco, Italy, was considered as case study. Five alternative construction systems for renovating the building envelopes were assumed, and a life cycle assessment (LCA) adopted in order to measure the environmental impact of each alternative. The results where compared with a scenario which includes demolition and reconstruction of a similar building with the same net volume and thermal resistance. The results showed that timber and concrete are the most valuable materials to rebuild the structures in case of demolition, contrarily to steel which leads generally to higher environmental impacts, except land use. Refurbishment scenarios generally account for a lower global warming potential (GWP) even if demolition, waste treatment and benefit from recycling/reuse are taken into account.
Rehabilitation of public housing buildings in a life cycle perspective
Authors: Guardigli L , Ferrer C , Peters C , Fotopoulou A , Bragadin M A , Ferrante A
Published: July 2019

Planning the life cycle of a building, that is designing its resilience, is progressively increasing its relevance: the rehabilitation is considered a sustainable approach to the performance improvement of the built patrimony, which enables the extension of the useful life, compared to the more radical intervention of demolition and reconstruction. The most relevant aspects related to building performance regard the seismic rehabilitation of structures and the energy retrofitting of envelopes and installations. However, these are invasive and economically relevant interventions, that a private investor unlikely faces without specific normative or economic inputs. For this reason, the rehabilitation of public buildings and, particularly of public housing assumes a leading role in the building sector. The integrated approach of deep renovations leads to new strategies of life cycle planning and management based on the identification of environmental performance indicators with the goal of evaluating intervention alternatives, balancing the two – seismic and energy – strategies. An innovative approach to the seismic and energy rehabilitation of public housing in the Mediterranean area has been studied in the European research project Pro-GET-onE, coordinated by the University of Bologna. The research is based on the realization of an experimental exoskeleton to improve the combined seismic and energy performances. The solution also generates an economic surplus as a consequence of the increased living surfaces. This paper reports some results of the Life Cycle Assessment and the Life Cycle Cost Assessment related to this project.
Technical and economic assessment of a battery storage system for a nZEB in the Mediterranean climate
Authors: Causone F , Tatti A , Pagliano L
Published: July 2019

In recent years, the promotion of nearly-Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB), has become a priority for European member states. In order to get this label, typically, a monthly or yearly energy balance of energy use through the exploitation of renewable energy sources (RES) is required, but not a hourly balance. This approach may determine a low exploitation of the RES on site in the case of solar and wind energy, because they are intermittent by nature. Moreover, energy production and energy use peaks are often in mismatch during the day. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) offer a solution to better integrate RES into buildings as well as into the grid, increasing its reliability and minimizing interactions. The cost of these systems is rapidly decreasing, opening new economic opportunities for investors. However, for many applications they do not yet represent the optimal cost-effective solution due to the lifespan of their short-lived components. The paper investigates the technical and economic feasibility of integrating a BESS into a high-performance residential building in the Mediterranean climate based on the outcomes of an original case study based research. The existing photovoltaic system combined with the BESS may substantially optimize the energy use, maximizing the self-consumption and minimizing grid interactions; nevertheless, the pay-back time may become fully-attractive for the analysed building, only if BESS costs will halve by 2030.
Smart envelope and climate context
Authors: Milardi M , Musarella C C
Published: July 2019

The construction sector today is characterized by demands for new qualities in the field of energy efficiency. This attention has taken on an even more incisive role with the European Directives 2010/31/UE and 2012/27/UE, which obliged Member States to implement actions for energy saving by paying more attention to the planning phase. The general goal of the research is to analyse the smart envelope by verifying the influence that the reference climate context has on the energy efficiency of buildings, making progress in the study of the principles of smart buildings linked to an integrated renewable energy system monitored in order to put it directly in communication with the final user. In fact, it is important not only the choice of materials, but also the right contextualization and their correct installation to provide more information for better control and more efficient energy management from the building level up to small urban areas, “matrioska effect”. The envelope thus becomes the protagonist par excellence for the correct management of energy flows both in and out.

The energy efficiency of buildings, in fact, is mainly determined by the performance of the envelopes, the efficiency of the facilities, the use of renewable energy sources, the passive control systems of winter and summer comfort. Performance that depends on various factors, such as shape, orientation, transparent surfaces, solar gains, ventilation, technological systems used, materials … This need to design in a “renovated” has changed the concept of technical construction elements developing increasingly smart components following the rules of automation, or more specifically those of automation and management of technologies through the use of domotic for existing interactions with the climate context of reference. Therefore the research aims to develop a methodology that provides more information on the energy performance of home automation systems.
Present and future potential of natural night ventilation in nZEBs
Authors: Erba S , Sangalli A , Pagliano L
Published: July 2019

The increase in the energy need for cooling is one of the major challenges in nearly Zero Energy Buildings. Recent constructions are characterized by high thermal insulation levels, which can be effective in preventing summer discomfort in combination with accurate control of solar gains through glazed surfaces and discharge of overall gains via ventilation. In addition, urbanization, densification and the global warming trends registered in the last decades can increase the risk and magnitude of overheating effect if an accurate design and use of correct technologies and good practices are not considered. The paper investigates the effects and the potential of natural night ventilation, as a strategy to reduce the energy need for cooling even taking into account the evolution of surrounding urban area with the exacerbation of urban heat island under future weather projections. Among the different tools available for the assessment of the cooling potential in buildings, the research focuses on two methodologies, which are adaptable to the conceptual design phase, where a first approximation of the natural ventilation potential is required. The study is developed on the weather datasets referred to the area of Milan and shows the future evolution of the night cooling potential, highlighting the importance of orienting building design towards greater integration between different passive cooling strategies for the summer period.
Active House and user-friendly visualization of sensors’ monitored data: VELUXlab, a real cognitive and smart NZEB prototype
Authors: Imperadori M , Brunone F
Published: July 2019

European standards had already set Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) as the current and mandatory goal for the construction market. Thus, several design strategies have been developed, in order to define the best practices towards NZEB targets: high performances of construction components, integrated with high energy-efficiency solutions for building systems. The Active House Vision and evaluative approach on buildings summarize the current protocols, accounting the three principles of Comfort, Energy and Environment to parametrically design and assess buildings until their “as-built” status. However, at that point of the design process, this evaluation relies mainly on design simulations, which do not properly consider the occupants’ component, resulting in a gap between forecast and real performances. Since predictive models of users-building interactions are underway, the paper focuses on the building operation stage of existing and validated NZEBuildings, addressing the performance-gap as related to the final users’ mismanagement of the building system (envelope and installations). Referring to cognitive buildings as sensors-equipped and smart Active Houses, the method proposes a user-friendly visualization of (big) real-data as a possible solution for the final-user training and awareness. This approach has been applied to the case study of VELUXlab, a real building prototype of Politecnico di Milano, already validated as the first Italian NZEB inside a university campus and “as-built” Active House. The outcomes of the paper enhance the potentials of the current knowledge and design practice to achieve a sustainable and healthier built environment, looking at the future but working today.
NZEB schools: global sensitivity analysis to optimize design features of school buildings
Authors: Bazzocchi F , Ciacci C , Naso V Di , Rocchetti A
Published: July 2019

In the context of “2030 climate & energy framework” and “2050 low-carbon economy” it is essential to understand which the elements that affect most buildings energy needs are. The main aim of this study is to identify and to optimize these factors in order to improve energy performance of schools by minimizing energy consumption. The study presented was carried out through a sensitivity analysis in order to determine which factors most affect energy consumption with respect a school typological model adopted as the reference model considering climate zones D and B. The analysis evaluated: shape, different materials for insulation, thickness of insulation layer for façade and for roof, window to wall ratio (WWR) for each orientation, type of solar shading for south orientation, integration of vertical solar shading for east and west orientation, contribution of ventilation and some parameters related to systems. Results pointed out that for this type of buildings the ventilation requirements for air changes is the factor that most affects the energy demand both for heating and cooling. At the same time also the variation of shape, of thickness insulation layer for roof and of WWR influence is significant.