Search Results (1,610)

Decarbonising the building sector is an energy policy priority due to its major contribution to global energy consumption and related emissions. Accurate energy modelling is crucial, with significant scientific advancements being made in the last decade. As data gathering is a primary bottleneck, the potential of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing for streamlining data acquisition and integrating data sources has gained specific interest. This study aims to identify prevailing trends in scales, inputs, and outputs of energy modelling, focusing on Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems applications. A structured literature review was conducted, encompassing screening, textual analysis, and findings synthesis to identify key research trends. The results highlight a predominance of the neighbourhood scale (54%) and the reliance on building geometries as principal input (91% of studies). Remote Sensing, used in 36% of cases, is employed for defining geometric (41%) and non-geometric (45%) attributes, while 17% of studies leverage it to determine climatic variables. EnergyPlus remains the most widespread simulation engine (37%), frequently coupled with construction archetypes (50% of cases) to address data gaps. The increasing integration of these technologies in energy modelling is expected to diversify the number of inputs, ultimately enhancing output accuracy, scalability, and generalisability. Full article

The retrofit of existing residential buildings plays a critical role in reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions in the building sector. However, previous retrofit evaluations often fail to account for the age-related thermal and lighting requirements of residents in aging residential buildings, thereby overlooking the substantial behavioral heterogeneity that shapes retrofit effectiveness. This study evaluates the comprehensive performance of different building envelope retrofit strategies, considering occupants’ thermal and visual comfort, from the perspectives of energy efficiency, economic feasibility, and environmental sustainability. First, age-specific differences in occupancy patterns, thermal preferences, and lighting requirements between elderly and non-elderly comparison group occupants were systematically extracted from the literature. Then, a typical high-rise residential building was modeled in EnergyPlus to serve as the reference building, within which the differentiated occupant behavior models were implemented, and the pre-retrofit condition was defined as the baseline scenario. Next, six commonly applied exterior wall insulation materials and different glass configurations and window frames were parameterized and evaluated under varying insulation thicknesses and remaining building service life scenarios. Finally, the energy-saving performance, economic benefits, and carbon reduction potential of envelope retrofit measures were quantitatively assessed across three primary functional zones (bedroom, living room, and study), using area-normalized indicators. The results indicate that, in the retrofit of existing residential buildings, bedrooms and study rooms exhibit greater retrofit benefits than living rooms, primarily due to longer occupancy durations and higher heating demand. In terms of retrofit strategies, exterior wall insulation consistently outperforms window retrofitting in energy-saving potential, with energy-saving rates of approximately 3.2–4.3% depending on functional zone, material type, and insulation thickness. Among the evaluated materials, vitrified microbead insulation performs best overall in terms of energy, economic, and carbon benefits at 40–60 mm thickness. These findings support occupant-informed, low-carbon retrofit decision-making for existing residential buildings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a major cause of human cancer. The enzyme, nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), is overexpressed in a variety of human cancers, including OSCC. Our objective was to target NNMT with novel inhibitors and determine their anti-cancer efficacy while shedding light on their possible mechanism of action. Methods: We identified two small molecule inhibitors of NNMT (AG-670 and AO-022) based on a pharmacophore of the in silico nicotinamide binding site. These inhibitors were investigated for (i) potency to inhibit the activity of the isolated NNMT enzyme (EC₅₀ values), (ii) cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ values) against the human OSCC cell line, SCC-4, and (iii) ability to affect cellular energy metabolism, as measured by oxygen consumption, in SCC-4 cells (plus dysplastic oral keratinocytes (DOK) cells and breast cancer MCF-7 cells). Immunoblotting was used to determine whether NNMT was expressed in the aforementioned cells. Results: NNMT is expressed in SCC-4 and DOK cells (and primary human oral keratinocytes) but not MCF 7 cells. The NNMT inhibitors inhibit isolated NNMT enzyme activity and were cytotoxic to SCC-4 cells (EC₅₀ and IC₅₀ values in the micromolar range). Sublethal doses of the inhibitors were demonstrated to inhibit in situ mitochondrial oxygen consumption in SCC-4 and DOK cells but not in MCF-7 cells. It was demonstrated that the NNMT inhibitors do not directly inhibit mitochondrial electron transport chain activity. Thus, we deduce that the NNMT inhibitors affect mitochondrial activity indirectly via NNMT. Conclusions: It is concluded that NNMT is a potential drug target for oral cancer. Full article

This study develops an interpretable machine learning (ML) surrogate to predict hourly indoor air temperature and discomfort indicators for a representative Mexican social-housing prototype in San Luis Potosí (cold semi-arid, Köppen–Geiger BSk). A four-zone EnergyPlus model with constant window opening (50%) and no internal gains was used to generate a parametric dataset spanning 24 building orientations, seven roof solar absorptance levels, and two neighborhood configurations (surrounded vs. corner). Zone-specific bagged-tree regression models were trained in MATLAB using weather predictors, temporal indicators, and weather-memory features (including outdoor temperature lags and rolling averages). Orientation and roof absorptance were included as explicit design predictors, enabling the surrogate model to generalize across the full combinatorial design space rather than requiring a separate model for each configuration. Interpretability was assessed with SHAP values. Evaluated on orientation–absorptance combinations deliberately held out during training, the surrogate achieved high accuracy across zones of the house (R² = 0.98–0.99; RMSE = 0.31–0.67 °C) with stable, near-zero-centered residuals. When propagated into adaptive-comfort metrics computed directly relative to the monthly neutral temperature $T_n$, ML predictions preserved the main cold and hot discomfort degree-hour patterns across the full design space. The proposed surrogate enables rapid, physically consistent comfort-oriented screening of roof finishes and orientation choices in naturally ventilated social housing. Full article

Covered courtyards are increasingly being adopted as a passive strategy for the climatic rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings. However, their thermal behaviour is strongly conditioned by roof geometry, local climate conditions, and future climate warming, aspects that have not yet been comparatively addressed within a climate resilience framework. This study evaluates the energy and thermal performance of three representative roof typologies for covered historic courtyards—glazed dome, glazed flat roof, and south-facing sawtooth roof—across two Mediterranean climates of contrasting severity (cold continental and warm–dry), considering both current and future climatic conditions (2050–2080). Additionally, two design approaches are compared: a baseline design (BD), based exclusively on geometric configuration and standard glazing, and an enhanced passive design (EPD), which incorporates improved glazing, controlled natural ventilation, and seasonal solar control. Dynamic simulations using EnergyPlus/DesignBuilder are employed to analyse heating and cooling demands, free-running thermal behaviour, overheating risk, and the climatic robustness of each solution. The results show that roof geometry constitutes the dominant factor governing the long-term thermal resilience of covered courtyards, particularly under future climate warming scenarios, while enhanced passive strategies significantly mitigate cooling demand and overheating in the most penalised typologies. The south-facing sawtooth roof consistently exhibits the highest climatic robustness under free-running conditions across the analysed scenarios, whereas the glazed dome and flat roof solutions display greater climatic sensitivity and benefit more substantially from the application of enhanced passive design strategies. Overall, the results provide quantitative design criteria to support resilient interventions in historic covered courtyards in Mediterranean climates under climate change. Full article

The separation of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) from sour natural gas is an important step in gas processing and emission control. This study applies a rate-based Aspen Plus simulation to examine solvent-based CO₂/H₂S removal under conditions representative of the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex in Uzbekistan. Monoethanolamine (MEA) and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) are evaluated as reference solvents with respect to separation performance and energy demand. The rate-based modeling framework accounts for reaction kinetics and mass transfer effects in the absorber–regenerator system. Simulation results indicate that both solvents achieve high acid gas removal efficiencies. From an engineering perspective, the results provide practical guidance for solvent selection and energy optimization in existing acid gas removal units, supporting pilot-scale deployment under industrial operating conditions. Sensitivity analysis suggests that increasing gas throughput beyond 30 t/h leads to a gradual reduction in CO₂ capture efficiency, primarily due to mass transfer limitations. From a techno-economic perspective, the lower energy demand of the MDEA-based system may imply reduced operating costs. The captured CO₂ stream reaches a purity of around 99.5%, which is compatible with downstream soda ash production. Overall, the results provide a screening-level assessment supporting further detailed evaluation. Full article

The valorisation of significant quantities of wood biomass ash (WBA) in the production of building and construction materials is a sustainable approach to waste management. Due to their low chemical reactivity, the challenge for WBA-based alkali-activated materials (AAM) is improving their mechanical properties. To address this issue, WBA, containing wood biomass bottom ash and wood biomass fly ash, was used as the primary precursor. One aluminosilicate-rich material (coal fly ash (CFA), metakaolin (MK), or natural zeolite (NZ)) was added as a binary precursor at 10, 20, 30, and 40% of the total precursor mass (the mass of WBA plus the binary precursor) to compare its effectiveness. In the overall composition, the proportion of these aluminosilicate precursors was only 3.3–13.3%. Alkali activators consisted of 10% calcium hydroxide, 7 mol/L sodium hydroxide, and sodium silicate with the same solute mass as sodium hydroxide. Compressive strength and microstructural examinations (SEM-EDS, TG-DTA, XRD, XRF, and FTIR) were conducted on the produced AAM to analyse the mechanical performance and reaction mechanisms. A cradle-to-gate lifecycle assessment (LCA) was performed to evaluate the environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption. The results show that NZ increased compressive strength by up to 57.62% when used at 6.6% in the composition. At the same time, MK and CFA increased strength by 33.05% and 47.15%, respectively. Binary precursors increased the greenhouse gas emissions and energy demands of AAM products, especially the MK, due to its energy-intensive calcination process. From a comprehensive view, NZ is the most efficient choice based on both mechanical and environmental insights. Full article

Aesthetic medicine has progressed from the early 2000s fascination with bio-stimulation to the current dominance of hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, prized for immediate, predictable, and reversible volumizing effects. Recently, demand for more natural results, stronger emphasis on skin quality, and increased post-pandemic self-scrutiny have renewed interest in regenerative strategies, sometimes called the “second wave of bio-stimulation.” This trend highlights the need for clearer terminology and a cautious, evidence-based reading of proposed biological mechanisms. This narrative review proposes a framework in which bio-regeneration denotes a hypothesized, controlled induction of physiological processes, fibroblast activation, collagen and elastin synthesis, extracellular matrix remodeling, and immune modulation, potentially producing sustained improvements in dermal structure and function beyond simple filling. Among emerging technologies, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) cross-linking is reported to create a stable, flexible HA scaffold with homogeneous tissue integration, favorable rheology, thermal stability, and a reduced inflammatory profile, supporting safer multimodal use with energy-based devices. The framework is illustrated with PEGDE-crosslinked HA combined with low-concentration calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA), exemplified by a PEGDE-HA filler containing CaHA microspheres plus glycine and L-proline. These formulations aim to deliver immediate correction via HA and delayed stimulatory effects possibly driven by gradual CaHA exposure and macrophage-associated signaling. Available clinical, imaging, and histological observations, including prospective ultrasound and biopsy assessments, suggest progressive dermal thickening and predominant type I collagen expression, without pathological inflammation or granuloma formation. Although evidence remains preliminary and largely non-comparative, findings are compatible with controlled remodeling and resolving inflammation; however, the underlying mechanism and any ‘regenerative’ versus ‘reparative’ classification require controlled comparative studies. Full article

The recent revision of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) introduces mandatory whole-life global warming potential (GWP) reporting, creating practical challenges for building life-cycle assessment due to incomplete life-cycle phase coverage in conventional Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). This study develops and validates an integrated BIM–LCA framework for structured whole-building GWP evaluation through harmonized life-cycle module alignment and cross-tool comparison, with emphasis on the early design stages. The workflow combines rapid BIM-based screening with detailed external LCA validation, establishing a tiered assessment strategy that enables iterative material optimization within the BIM environment prior to expert review. The methodology is applied to two residential construction systems (masonry and timber), and three functional units are evaluated: total whole-building GWP, area-normalized GWP, and material-level contributions. Five comparative scenarios are analyzed, including reference, nationally representative, optimized low-carbon, and European benchmark configurations. The results show progressive GWP reductions ranging from 5% to 30% across scenarios. Although substantial absolute deviations are observed between BIM-integrated and professional LCA tools, scenario-level rankings remain fully consistent across all functional units, confirming the robustness of the screening approach for comparative decision-making. Cross-tool validation focuses on an aligned embodied-carbon scope (A1–A3 plus selected end-of-life modules) to ensure screening robustness, while full whole-life LC-GWP (including B-modules and services) is positioned as the regulatory context for subsequent expert-stage assessment. The framework provides an efficient and transferable decision-support methodology that supports early-stage carbon optimization while preserving methodological transparency for regulatory reporting. Full article

Power control algorithms using the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) metric in distributed radar systems (DRS) may suffer from performance degradation in infeasible conditions. In this paper, we present a Sigmoid-based Power Allocation Game (SigPAG) algorithm for target detection in DRS to minimize total power consumption while meeting predetermined target detection performance. Firstly, a physically interpretable Sigmoid function is designed to model radar detection probability as the utility function, overcoming the performance limitations and potential deviations of SINR-based utilities. Secondly, by integrating the proposed Sigmoid utility, SigPAG is established to describe the interaction among radar nodes in the DRS. The existence and uniqueness of the Nash equilibrium (NE) solution are proven by the closed-form expressions of the best response function. Furthermore, an iterative power allocation algorithm is proposed to adjust the transmit powers towards the NE point. Finally, simulation results obtained in a 4-node DRS with Radar Cross Section (RCS) values of [1, 0.3, 2, 5] m² demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves an energy efficiency improvement of 36.1% in target detection compared with the traditional SINR-based methods. Full article

The metabolic control analysis (MCA) was applied to several subsystems selected from the model of human erythrocyte energy metabolism. These subsystems represent varying degrees of simplification of energy metabolism, from the simplest subsystem of the first three glycolytic reactions that determine the steady-state rate of glycolysis, to an expanded subsystem that includes all glycolytic reactions plus passive and active ion transport across the cell membrane. The control coefficients of enzyme activities for the rate of glycolysis are found to be very different in different subsystems. However, no specific trend is observed in changes in control coefficients as the subsystem becomes more complex. Thus, in subsystems containing only glycolysis, the control coefficients of hexokinase (HK) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) together amount to 0.99. When ATPases are added, this value decreases to 0.18 and below, and the maximum control coefficient goes to ATPase (0.82–1.00). It would seem that there is a natural decrease in the contribution of HK and PFK to the regulation of the rate of glycolysis as the dimension of the system increases. However, disabling the allosteric regulation of PFK by AMP completely changes the picture. In a subsystem containing only glycolysis, disabling this regulation does not affect the control coefficients. After adding ATPase to such a subsystem, the HK and PFK control coefficients increase, and the control coefficient of ATPase takes on a negative value. Thus, we found that in extended subsystems involving glycolysis and ATPase or transmembrane ion transport, information on the initial regulation of glycolysis may not be revealed in the MCA results. It appears that the MCA alone cannot reveal regulatory mechanisms of metabolic systems in the presence of strong allosteric and feedback regulation. Full article

The conversion of plastic waste into hydrogen offers a promising waste-to-value pathway, but its industrial viability is constrained by high external energy demand associated with thermochemical processing. This study evaluates the energy performance of hydrogen production from mixed plastic waste via pyrolysis and in-line steam reforming, with a focus on reducing utility consumption through systematic heat integration. A steady-state process model was developed in Aspen Plus for a representative mixture of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene, followed by detailed energy analysis and pinch-based heat integration using Aspen Energy Analyser. Baseline utility requirements were quantified and compared against optimised configurations incorporating targeted heat exchanger network modifications. The base-case analysis identified significant recoverable heat, enabling a reduction in total external utilities from 7.14 to 2.88 GJ h⁻¹, corresponding to a 59.6% decrease in utility demand. Sequential heat integration scenarios further reduced heating and cooling duties while maintaining process operability, demonstrating the effectiveness of iterative, pinch-guided design. The results show that high-temperature waste-plastic-to-hydrogen systems need not be utility-dominated when energy integration is embedded at the design stage. These findings highlight heat integration as a critical enabler for improving the energy efficiency and sustainability of pyrolysis–reforming routes and provide a robust framework for developing scalable, low-carbon hydrogen production from plastic waste. Full article

We examine the leading-power fragmentation of fully heavy pentaquarks in high-energy hadronic collisions. To this end, we complete the release of the hadron structure-oriented PQ5Q1.0 fragmentation functions by discussing the $P_{5c}$ set and delivering the $P_{5b}$ one. These functions incorporate an improved computation of the initial-scale input for the constituent heavy-quark fragmentation channel, making them particularly suitable for describing both the direct formation of a compact multicharm state and the hadronization from a diquark–antiquark–diquark configuration. For phenomenological applications, we employ the data-validated (sym)Jethad framework to compute and analyze NLL/NLO⁺ semi-inclusive production rates of pentaquark-plus-jet systems at the upcoming HL-LHC and the future FCC. This study marks a further step toward connecting hadronic structure, precision QCD, and the emerging physics of exotic matter. Full article

In this study, a techno-economic and carbon footprint (GHG, CO₂-equivalent) analysis was conducted on two alternative biofuels, green diesel and bio-jet fuel, produced from renewable lipids. The focus of the work is the comparison of various lipid feedstocks, including waste cooking oil, and four types of vegetable oils: cardoon, soybean, palm, and sunflower. Process optimization and design were performed to minimize production costs by using the process simulation software Aspen Plus^®. Green diesel and bio-jet fuel were obtained via hydrodeoxygenation and hydroisomerization/hydrocracking, respectively. Sensitivity analyses confirmed consistent results across the tested vegetable oils. Hydrodeoxygenation achieved triglyceride molar conversions exceeding 97%, with overall mass yields into the diesel fraction surpassing 79%. Conversely, hydroisomerization/hydrocracking of green diesel resulted in over 90% conversion of n-paraffins and more than 50% overall mass yield. The economic analysis showed that the primary cost factor influencing the payback selling price of the biofuels is the price of the lipid feedstocks. Biofuels are economically viable only when lipid prices are below 1000 €/ton and hydrogen prices are below 3000 €/ton. An important aspect is also represented by the combined-cycle energy recovery system, which strongly affects the overall capital cost and increases internal power generation efficiency. The carbon footprint calculated over a cradle-to-grave boundary showed shows net GHG reductions versus the fossil reference fuels for all scenarios. Net avoided emissions range from 1.74 to 3.63 kgCO₂-eq/kg green diesel and from 0.80 to 3.70 kgCO₂-eq/kg bio-jet fuel across the investigated feedstocks, approximately 40–84% and 20–95% of the respective savings relative to the fossil reference fuels under the stated background and logistics assumptions. Results are expressed per kg of produced fuel as a functional unit, using literature-derived upstream emission factors for oil supply and background inputs (hydrogen, Italian grid electricity and transport). For the bio-jet configuration, co-product burdens were partitioned by mass; the Discussion section highlights the sensitivity of the GD vs. BJF comparison to co-product handling and allocation choices. In this context, the choice of feedstock is essential in establishing the resulting GHG intensity of the two biofuels. From both economic and climate change perspectives, waste cooking oil emerges as the most promising option, particularly given its classification as waste-derived feedstock in the system boundary, unlike the virgin oil sources. Full article

Synthetic natural gas (SNG) production from biomass residues represents a promising strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance energy security in regions with abundant agricultural waste. This study evaluates the thermodynamic performance of SNG synthesis from rice husk (RH) and empty fruit bunches (EFB) bio-oils, major residues in the department of Bolívar, Colombia. The process was simulated in Aspen Plus^®, integrating syngas data and methanation under equilibrium conditions at 320 °C and 30 bar, complemented by hydrogen injection via alkaline electrolysis to maintain an H₂/CO ratio above 3. Energy and exergy analyses were performed to quantify efficiencies and irreversibilities. Results indicate carbon conversion rates of 48.3% for EFB and 47.4% for RH, producing SNG with 96% CH₄ suitable for grid injection. Energy efficiencies reached 71.9% and 71.0%, while exergy efficiencies were 87.2% and 82.9%, respectively, aligning with or surpassing literature benchmarks. The main irreversibilities occurred in methanation and CO₂ removal, highlighting thermal integration and gas recycling as key improvement strategies. These findings demonstrate the potential of leveraging local biomass for clean energy production and support the development of Power-to-Gas systems in Colombia. Full article