Development of the ASHRAE Global Thermal Comfort Database II

Fö,ldvá,ry Lid,ina, Veronika,Cheung, Toby,Zhang, Hui,de Dear, Richard,Parkinson, Thomas,Arens, Edward,Chun, Chungyoon,Schiavon, Stefano,Luo, Maohui,Brager, Gail,Li, Peixian,Kaam, Soazig Elsevier 2018 Building and environment Vol.142 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Recognizing the value of open-source research databases in advancing the art and science of HVAC, in 2014 the ASHRAE Global Thermal Comfort Database II project was launched under the leadership of University of California at Berkeley's Center for the Built Environment and The University of Sydney's Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Laboratory. The exercise began with a systematic collection and harmonization of raw data from the last two decades of thermal comfort field studies around the world. The ASHRAE Global Thermal Comfort Database II (Comfort Database), now an online, open-source database, includes approximately 81,846 complete sets of objective indoor climatic observations with accompanying “<I>right-here-right-now</I>” subjective evaluations by the building occupants who were exposed to them. The database is intended to support diverse inquiries about thermal comfort in field settings. A simple web-based interface to the database enables filtering on multiple criteria, including building typology, occupancy type, subjects' demographic variables, subjective thermal comfort states, indoor thermal environmental criteria, calculated comfort indices, environmental control criteria and outdoor meteorological information. Furthermore, a web-based interactive thermal comfort visualization tool has been developed that allows end-users to quickly and interactively explore the data.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> The scope, development, contents, and accessibility of the Comfort Database is documented. </LI> <LI> The Comfort Database II includes approximately 76,000 complete sets of thermal comfort data. </LI> <LI> The Comfort Database provides access to the collected raw data. </LI> <LI> Web-based interactive visualization tool was developed that allows end-users to interactively explore the data. </LI> </UL> </P>

Effect of Exogenous Xylanase Supplementation on the Performance, Net Energy and Gut Microflora of Broiler Chickens Fed Wheat-based Diets

Nian, F.,Guo, Y.M.,Ru, Y.J.,Li, F.D.,Peron, A. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2011 Animal Bioscience Vol.24 No.3

An experiment was carried out to assess the effects of xylanase supplementation on the performance, net energy and gut microflora of broilers fed a wheat-based diet. Day-old male broiler chicks were allocated to two dietary treatments. Each treatment was composed of six replicate cages of seven broilers per cage. The diets were wheat-based and offered as mash. The treatments included i) basal diet deficient in metabolizable energy; and ii) basal diet supplemented with a commercial xylanase added at 4,000 U/kg feed. Bird performance, nutrient utilization and gut microbial populations were measured. Heat production and net energy were determined using an auto-control, open circuit respiration calorimetry apparatus. Results showed that exogenous xylanase supplementation improved feed conversion efficiency (p<0.05) and increased diet AME (+4.2%; p<0.05), as well as heat production (HP), net energy for production (NEp), production of $CO_2$, and consumption of $O_2$. The respiratory quotient (RQ) was also increased (p<0.01) by the addition of xylanase. NEp value was increased by 26.1% while daily heat production per kg metabolizable body weight was decreased by 26.2% when the xylanase was added. Xylanase supplementation numerically increased the ileal digestibility of protein and energy by 3 and 6 percentage units respectively (p>0.05). The ileal digestibility of hemicellulose was significantly improved by xylanase addition (p<0.05).

Polymorphism of Ghrelin Gene in Twelve Chinese Indigenous Chicken Breeds and Its Relationship with Chicken Growth Traits

C. C. Li,K. Li,J. Li,D. L. Mo,R. F. Xu,G. H. Chen,Y. Z. Qiangba,S. L. Ji,X. H. Tang,B. Fan,M. J. Zhu,T. A. Xiong,X. Guan,B. Liu 아세아·태평양축산학회 2006 Animal Bioscience Vol.19 No.2

A 2,656 bp fragment of chicken ghrelin gene was cloned and SNPs were detected by PCR-RFLP and Allele Specific PCR (ASP) in 12 Chinese indigenous chicken breeds and a commercial chicken population. The results showed that there were 23 base variations and an amino acid change (Gln->Arg) in cloned chicken ghrelin gene. Three SNPs were confirmed in 13 populations and associations between this gene and growth traits of Tibetan chicken (TC) and Recessive White chicken (RW) were investigated. The results of haplotype analysis revealed that 26 haplotype genotypes were composed of eight haplotypes. The results of x2 tests indicated that there were significant differences between genotypes or haplotype genotype frequencies in some of the breeds or sexes at 0.05 or 0.01 levels. The results of ANOVA revealed that there were significant differences between genotypes or haplotype genotypes on some growth traits of TC and RW chicken breeds at 0.05 or 0.01 levels. Multiple comparisons showed that there were significant associations between genotype CT at site 71 and some growth traits of two chicken breeds and between genotype AG at site 1,215 and body weight at 16 wk of two chicken breeds, and there was a significant association between haplotype genotype CAA/CAG and body weight and shank girth at 16 wk of two chicken breeds.

Some Factors Affecting Freezing of Boar Semen in 5 ml Maxi-straws

Dai, J.J.,Wu, C.F.,Zhang, Defu,Yin, F.Z.,Zhang, T.Y.,Liu, D.,Wu, H.L.,Li, L.L.,Yang, S.T.,Wang, L. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2009 Animal Bioscience Vol.22 No.4

A series of experiments were conducted to determine the suitable freezing and thawing temperatures for the freezing of boar semen in 5 ml maxi-straws. The ultrastructure, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination (AI) of frozen-thawed semen were also be evaluated. The 5 cm freezing height gave the best results not only in post-thaw motility rate (54.00%), but also in normal acrosome morphology rate (NAR) (80.23%). There was no significant difference in the post-thaw motility between different thawing temperatures and corresponding thawing times (p>0.05); the group of $52^{\circ}C$ and 25 s gave the highest motility rate (45.00%). As a whole, not only from the motility but also the NAR, thawing at $42^{\circ}C$ was better than the other two treatments. In the freezing packages, 5 ml maxi-straw gave a little lower mobility (40%), viability rate (49.58%), plasma membrane integrity rate (53.91%) and NAR (52.65%) than the 0.25 ml straw, but there was no significant difference between the two straw volumes (p>0.05). The IVF capacity of frozen-thawed semen in this experiment was similar to fresh semen. From ultrastructure observation, the main damage to boar spermatozoa after freezing was seen in the acrosome, such as swelling and formation of vesicles. After AI in recipient Shanghai White sows, frozen-thawed semen from 5 ml maxi-straws and pellets produced 72.2% and 80% conception rate and 7.8 and 8 litter sizes, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the 5 ml maxi-straw and the pellet (p>0.05).

INTEGRATED VEHICLE CHASSIS CONTROL WITH A MAIN/SERVO-LOOP STRUCTURE

Li, D.,Shen, X.,Yu, F. The Korean Society of Automotive Engineers 2006 International journal of automotive technology Vol.7 No.7

In order to reduce the negative effects of dynamic coupling among vehicle subsystems and improve the handling performance of vehicle under severe driving conditions, a vehicle chassis control integration approach based on a main-loop and servo-loop structure is proposed. In the main-loop, in order to achieve satisfactory longitudinal, lateral and yaw response, a sliding mode controller is used to calculate the desired longitudinal, lateral forces and yaw moment of the vehicle; and in the servo-loop, a nonlinear optimizing method is adopted to compute the optimal control inputs, i.e. wheel control torques and active steering angles, and thus distributes the forces and moment to four tire/road contact patches. Simulation results indicate that significant improvement in vehicle handling and stability can be expected from the proposed chassis control integration.

Room temperature ferroelectric and magnetic properties of (Co, Li) coimplanted ZnO films

Li, M.,Zou, C. W.,Wang, G. F.,Wang, H. J.,Yin, M. L.,Liu, C. S.,Guo, L. P.,Fu, D. J.,Kang, T. W. American Institute of Physics 2010 JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS - Vol.107 No.10

Magnetostrictive/electrostrictive fracture of the piezomagnetic and piezoelectric layers in a multiferroic composite: Anti-plane case

Li, Y.D.,Lee, K.Y.,Feng, F.X. Pergamon Press ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2011 International journal of solids and structures Vol.48 No.9

The main purpose of the present work is to study the influences of magnetostriction, electrostriction and piezomagnetic/piezoelectric stiffening on the fracture behavior of a layered multiferroic composite. For comparison, it is assumed that there is a crack, parallel to the interface, in each layer. Methods of cosine transform and Cauchy singular integral equations are used to solve the crack problem. Numerical results of the stress intensity factor (SIF) are provided and the computational accuracy is demonstrated. Discussion on the numerical results indicates that the multiferroic composite consisting of cobalt ferrite and barium titanate layers are more prone to fracture under electric loading than under magnetic loading. In the case of magnetostriction, to increase the shear modulus of the piezomagnetic layer would raise the SIF; but to increase that of the piezoelectric layer would reduce the SIF; in the case of electrostriction, inverse results are obtained. Piezomagnetic stiffening can affect the SIF when the composite is under electrostriction; piezoelectric stiffening can influence the SIF if the composite is under magnetostriction. In addition, it is also revealed that two parallel equal cracks may shield each other even if an interface exists between them.

Vehicular emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a tunnel study in Hong Kong

Ho, K. F.,Lee, S. C.,Ho, W. K.,Blake, D. R.,Cheng, Y.,Li, Y. S.,Ho, S. S. H.,Fung, K.,Louie, P. K. K.,Park, D. Copernicus GmbH 2009 Atmospheric chemistry and physics Vol.9 No.19

<P>Abstract. Vehicle emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were determined at the Shing Mun Tunnel, Hong Kong in summer and winter of 2003. One hundred and ten VOCs were quantified in this study. The average concentration of the total measured VOCs at the inlet and outlet of the tunnel were 81 250 pptv and 117 850 pptv, respectively. Among the 110 compounds, ethene, ethyne and toluene were the most abundant species in the tunnel. The total measured VOC emission factors ranged from 67 mg veh−1 km−1 to 148 mg veh−1 km−1, with an average of 115 mg veh−1 km−1. The five most abundant VOCs observed in the tunnel were, in decreasing order, ethene, toluene, n-butane, propane and i-pentane. These five most abundant species contributed over 38% of the total measured VOCs emitted. The high propane and n-butane emissions were found to be associated with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-fueled taxis. Fair correlations were observed between marker species (ethene, i-pentane, n-nonane, and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes - BTEX) with fractions of gasoline-fueled or diesel-fueled vehicles. Moreover, ethene, ethyne, and propene are the key species that were abundant in the tunnel but not in gasoline vapors or LPG. The ozone formation potential from the VOCs in Hong Kong was evaluated by the maximum increment reactivity (MIR). It was found to be 568 mg of ozone per vehicle per kilometer traveled. Among them, ethene, propene and toluene contribute most to the ozone-formation reactivity. </P>

Radio afterglows and host galaxies of gamma-ray bursts

Li, L.-B.,Zhang, Z.-B.,Huang, Y.-F.,Wu, X.-F.,Kong, S.-W.,Li, D.,Chang, H.-Y.,Choi, C.-S. Oxford University Press 2015 Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol.451 No.2

Effect of Xylanase Supplementation on the Net Energy for Production, Performance and Gut Microflora of Broilers Fed Corn/Soy-based Diet

Nian, F.,Guo, Y.M.,Ru, Y.J.,Peron, A.,Li, F.D. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2011 Animal Bioscience Vol.24 No.9

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of xylanase on net energy for production, performance, nutrient digestion and gut microflora of broilers fed corn/soy-based diet. Eighty-four day-old male broiler chicks were allocated to two groups receiving two treatments, respectively. Each treatment had six replicate cages with seven broilers per cage. The diets were based on corn and soybean. The treatments were: i) basal diet reduced in apparent metabolizable energy (-0.63 MJ/kg compared to commercial diet specifications); ii) basal diet supplemented xylanase at 4,000 u/kg feed. The experiment used the auto-control, open circuit respiration calorimetry apparatus to examine the heat production and net energy for production. The results revealed that xylanase supplementation did not affect growth performance and diet AME value, but increased $NE_p$ value by 18.2% (p<0.05) and decreased daily heat production per $kg^{0.75}$ by 31.7% (p<0.05). There was no effect (p>0.05) of xylanase supplementation on the ileal digestibility of N and hemicelluloses, but the ileum digestibility of energy was increased by 2% by xylanase supplementation (p<0.05). Xylanase supplementation increased (p<0.05) the count of lactobacillus and bifidobacterial in the caecum.