Relationships between Bacteroides 16S rRNA genetic markers and presence of bacterial enteric pathogens and conventional fecal indicators

Occurrence and prevalence of different bacterial enteric pathogens as well as their relationships with conventional (total and fecal coliforms) and alternative fecal indicators (host-specific Bacteroides 16S rRNA genetic markers) were investigated for various water samples taken from different sites with different degrees of fecal contamination. The results showed that a wide range of bacterial pathogens could be detected in both municipal wastewater treatment plant samples and in surface water samples. Logistic regression analysis revealed that total and human-specific Bacteroides 16S rRNA genetic markers showed significant predictive values for the presence of Escheriachia coli O-157, Salmonella, heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) of enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), and heat-stable enterotoxin for human (STh) of ETEC. The probability of occurrence of these pathogenic bacteria became significantly high when the concentrations of human-specific and total Bacteroides 16S rRNA genetic markers exceeded 10(3) and 10(4) copies/100 mL. In contrast, Clostridium perfringens was detected at high frequency regardless of sampling sites and levels of Bacteroides 16S rRNA genetic markers. No genes related to Shigella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae were detected in any samples analyzed in this study. Conventional indicator microorganisms had low levels of correlation with the presence of pathogens as compared with the alternative fecal indicators. These results suggested that real-time PCR-based measurement of alternative Bacteroides 16S rRNA genetic markers was a rapid and sensitive tool to identify host-specific fecal pollution and probably associated bacterial pathogens. However, since one fecal indicator might not represent the relative abundance of all pathogenic bacteria, viruses and protozoa, combined application of alternative indicators with conventional ones could provide more comprehensive pictures of fecal contamination, its source and association with pathogenic microorganisms.     

环境参数与空调行为对住宅空调能耗影响调查分析

通过对北京市一栋住宅楼夏季空调能耗的调查测试,分析了室外气候环境、空调行为模式与住宅空调能耗的关系,以及住宅空调行为节能的效果,得到室外环境参数与全楼耗电量的关系。测试结果表明,室内空调温度对空调能耗的影响较大,空调室温从25℃提高到26℃,空调能耗减少约23%,空调运行期间开启内门可使空调能耗增加1.4倍,因此住宅空调行为节能的潜力很大。     

双筒剪力墙结构动态特性分析

某电信枢纽工程主体建筑为双筒剪力墙高层建筑，根据结构特点，采用有限元法对该结构进行有限元离散，框架中的梁，柱采用空间梁单元模拟，筒体，剪力墙，楼板和屋盖采用薄板单元进行离散，探讨了整体结构动力分析模型和按对称和反对称边界条件取一半结构进行动态特性计算的差异，并与结构设计软件TBSA的计算结果进行了对比，得出一些有益的结论，可供该类型结构抗震设计与动力计算参考。     

Kinetic modelling and microbial community assessment of anaerobic biphasic fixed film bioreactor treating distillery spent wash

Anaerobic digestion, microbial community structure and kinetics were studied in a biphasic continuously fed, upflow anaerobic fixed film reactor treating high strength distillery wastewater. Treatment efficiency of the bioreactor was investigated at different hydraulic retention times (HRT) and organic loading rates (OLR 5-20 kg COD m⁻³ d⁻¹). Applying the modified Stover-Kincannon model to the reactor, the maximum removal rate constant (U_max) and saturation value constant (K_B) were found to be 2 kg m⁻³ d⁻¹ and 1.69 kg m⁻³ d⁻¹ respectively. Bacterial community structures of acidogenic and methanogenic reactors were assessed using culture-independent analyses. Sequencing of 16S rRNA genes exhibited a total of 123 distinct operational taxonomic units (OTUs) comprising 49 from acidogenic reactor and 74 (28 of eubacteria and 46 of archaea) from methanogenic reactor. The findings reveal the role of Lactobacillus sp. (Firmicutes) as dominant acid producing organisms in acidogenic reactor and Methanoculleus sp. (Euryarchaeotes) as foremost methanogens in methanogenic reactor.     

Overheating in retrofitted flats: occupant practices,learning and interventions

ABSTRACT

The overheating risk in flats (apartments) retrofitted to energy-efficient standards has been identified by previous studies as one that is particularly high. With climate change and rising mean temperatures this is a growing concern. There is a need to understand the kinds of practices, learning and interventions adopted by the occupants of individual homes to try to reduce overheating, as this area is poorly understood and under-researched. This case study focuses on the impact of different home-use practices in relation to the severity of overheating in 18 flats in one tower block in northern England. Internal temperatures monitored in comparable flats show that the percentage of time spent above the expected category II threshold of thermal comfort according to BS EN 15251 can differ by over 70%. Extensive monitoring, covering a full year, including two summer periods, has identified emergent changes in heatwave practices linked with increased home-use skills and understanding among the research participants. Close analysis of design intentions versus reality has identified key physical barriers and social learning opportunities for appropriate adaptation in relation to heatwaves. Recommendations for designers and policy-makers are highlighted in relation to these factors.     

底层框架-抗震墙砖房的抗震性能

探讨了决定底层框架-抗震墙砖房抗震性能的几个问题,主要有:底层的钢筋砼框架-抗震墙体系应合理设置,底层钢筋砼墙宜为带边框开竖缝的低矮墙,过渡楼层的抗剪和抗弯能力应给予增强和底层与上部砖房的抗震能力宜相匹配等.     

Elastic–brittle–plastic analysis of circular openings in Hoek–Brown media

A closed-form solution is presented in this paper for the prediction of displacements around circular openings in a brittle rock mass subject to a hydrostatic stress field. The rock mass is assumed to be governed by Hoek–Brown yield criterion and a non-associated flow rule is used. For the elastic–brittle–plastic analysis of circular openings in an infinite Hoek–Brown medium, the existing analytical solutions were found to be incorrect. The present closed-form solution is based on a theoretically consistent method and the solution does not require the use of any numerical method.The present closed-form solution was validated by using the finite element method. In the finite element analysis, the infinite boundary was simulated “exactly” by using the newly developed elastic support method. Several cases were analyzed and the present closed-form solutions for stresses and displacements were found to be in an excellent agreement with those obtained by using the finite element method.     

Variability between domestic buildings: the impact on energy use

Variations in operational use (in the time domain) and in design and use (between buildings) are critical for district systems. The effects on energy use of behavioural (stochastic profiles of occupancy and end uses) and physical variations (size, orientation, insulation and air tightness) amongst many buildings is examined. Rather than investigating just the variability of these factors, the aim is to identify subsequent impacts on building energy use. To achieve this, dynamic building energy simulations in EnergyPlus are performed. Results include total demands and their distributions, and temporal and probabilistic profiles. Very large variations in total heating demand are noted. Temporal profiles show changes in peak loads, load durations and periods of zero load. Probabilistic profiles and cumulative distributions show that a few buildings are responsible for the majority of total loads. Full detailed simulations are identified as critical when assessing temporal effects such as peak loads and storage sizing.     

Risk-chasing behaviour in on-site construction decisions

Risk-chasing behaviour in on-site construction decision-making can result in illogical decisions and, thus, significant project losses. Accordingly, the authors conducted a set of experiments in order to detect the existence of such behaviour under a range of typical project conditions within a set of common situations. Fifty-three project leaders participated in the experiments by making choices framed by a set of 24 questions. Each question related to a known behavioural tendency, included the influence of an external parameter, and contained information from which expected values could be derived. Participants were well distributed by geography, age and experience. Contrary to the common perception that construction decision-makers are relentlessly risk-averse, they demonstrated risk-chasing behaviour when the decision occurred in over-budget project conditions. Younger participants were even more risk chasing in such conditions. Understanding and identifying where such behaviour occurs could ultimately lead to the development of means of avoiding the resulting losses.     

椭圆形钢管混凝土长柱偏压力学性能研究

利用有限元分析软件ABAQUS建立了椭圆形钢管混凝土长柱偏压力学性能分析的有限元模型,并对12个椭圆形钢管混凝土长柱的偏压试验结果与有限元模拟结果进行对比。结果表明:有限元计算与试验所得的荷载-挠度全过程曲线、承载力及破坏形态吻合较好。在此基础上对其受力过程中钢管及混凝土应力、应变分布情况进行分析,同时给出钢管与混凝土之间的相互作用,并对长细比、偏心距、材料强度、钢管壁厚等参数对长柱偏压极限承载力及荷载-柱中挠度曲线的影响进行比较。结果表明:椭圆形钢管混凝土长柱在H/2处发生侧向挠曲破坏,长细比、混凝土抗压强度、钢管壁厚及偏心距等参数对其力学性能影响显著,钢管屈服强度对其力学性能影响不明显。