Design Principles Research Articles

3D Covalent Organic Framework Membranes for Molecular Separations.

Membrane separation has become an indispensable separation technology in social production, playing an important role in drug production, mineral exploitation, water purification, etc. The key core of membranes lies in achieving efficient and precise sieving between substances. As a result, a typical trade-off arises: highly permeable membranes usually sacrifice selectivity and vice versa. To address this dilemma, long-term research has focused on comprehensive understanding and modelling of synthetic membranes at various scales. A significant advancement in this arena is the advent of three-dimensional covalent organic framework (3D COF) membranes, a novel category of long-range ordered porous organic polymer materials. Characterized by an abundance of interconnected channels, diverse pore wall properties, tunable structures, and robust thermal and chemical resilience, 3D COF membranes offer a promising approach for efficient substance separation. This review undertakes a meticulous investigation of the synthesis and physicochemical properties of 3D COF membranes, accentuating the underlying design principles, fabrication methods, and application attempts. A comprehensive assessment of their research trajectory and current standing in the field of membrane processes is provided. The review culminates in a forward-looking outlook, summarizing future research directions and highlighting the substantial potential of this innovative work to shape the future of efficient membrane separation processes.

How service design improves inclusivity within a new underground station

Progress towards social equity in the built environment is slow and few examples of sustainable, inclusive design transport buildings exist. The literature identifies poor experiences of inclusivity within existing stations. While there was an industry and societal desire to improve passenger experiences and inclusivity it was unclear how, when and where improvements could be achieved. This case study of a new station serving London’s Elizabeth Line at Farringdon Station showed for the first time how Service Design (SD), used in service industries, was transferred to the design of the built environment. Results show improved user experience for a typical user when travelling within the vertical and horizontal circulation system of the new station during morning and evening operations. An innovative auto-ethnographic (AE) observation method was applied, using video diaries, and a participant observer as a research instrument. The AE method identified surprising differences and similarities that identified issues with information and direction signs, seating, locations of lifts, and materials. Conclusions are that this innovative case study, which transferred SD methods during the early design stage to the Built Environment provided desirable benefits for passenger experience and inclusivity. This study could be replicated in other contexts within the built environment.

Exploration of Teaching Reform in the Course of Concrete Structure Design Principles in the Context of the New Era

In response to the requirements for cultivating applied talents in civil engineering under the background of the new era, and addressing the practical problems existing in the teaching of the course on concrete structure design principles in higher education institutions, this paper conducts an analysis of the current situation and challenges of the course teaching. It focuses on issues such as the abstract difficulty of teaching content, the singularity of teaching methods, and the lack of practical teaching. Combining the characteristics of the course and the industry’s demand for talent capabilities, the paper explores and outlines reform measures, including optimizing course content, transforming the roles of teachers and students, and integrating theory with practice. The aim is to provide insights and inspiration for the teaching of related courses.

Recent progress in high-performance thermally activated delayed fluorescence exciplexes based on multiple reverse intersystem crossing channels

In the field of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), exciplex materials with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) characteristics have garnered significant attention in recent years owing to their potential for high fluorescence efficiency, primarily achieved through the reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) process. By converting non-radiative triplet states to radiative singlet states, the RISC process can effectively regulate exciton behavior, resulting in the harvest of triplet excitons and the improvement of luminescence efficiency. Recently, multi-RISC strategies have been developed to further enhance the performance of TADF exciplex materials and devices. In this paper, we review these research progress in this area. We classify molecular design strategies according to the composition of exciplexes, discuss the design principles and energy-harvesting mechanism of high-performance TADF exciplexes based on multi-RISC strategies, and prospect their further research and development. The progressive endeavors summarized in this review may inspire further research on material design and device fabrication, and promote the development of OLED applications.

Micellar "Click" Nanoreactors: Spiking Pluronic-Based Micelles with Polymeric Ligands.

In recent years, the development of nanoreactors, such as micellar nanoreactors (MNRs) for catalytic transformations, has gained significant attention due to their potential in enhancing reaction rates, selectivity, efficiency, and, as importantly, the ability to conduct organic chemistry in aqueous solutions. Among these, the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction represents a pivotal transformation and is widely used in the synthesis of bioconjugates, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials. This study aims toward advancing our understanding of the design and utilization of polymeric amphiphiles containing tris-triazole ligands as an integral element for CuAAC reactions within MNRs. Specifically, our investigation delves into three critical factors that influence the reaction rate within MNRs: hydrophobicity, architectural configuration of the polymeric ligands, and their concentration. Utilizing the high molecular precision of dendritic amphiphiles, we synthesized polymeric ligands with two distinct architectures, namely, PEG-ditris-triazole amphiphile (DTA) and PEG-monotris-triazole amphiphile (MTA), and explored their CuAAC reactivity through coassembly with commercially available Pluronic P123 amphiphiles. The results indicate that the architecture and the concentration of the polymeric ligands play more dominant roles in influencing the reaction rate than the hydrophobicity of the dendritic blocks. Notably, while MNRs assembled from solely DTA showed a dampened reaction rate, spiking P123 micelles with DTA yielded an MNR with significantly faster rates. Moreover, P123 MNRs spiked with the synthesized MTA demonstrated increased CuAAC reaction rates compared to those spiked with the DTA, and they even outperformed the widely used Tris(benzyltriazolylmethyl)amine ligand. These findings provide valuable insights into the design principles of polymer-based ligands for constructing reactive MNRs and other types of nanoreactors for efficient catalytic transformations.

Psychological Understanding for Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency through Spatial Design

Children’s delinquent behaviour which is often met with rejection and misinterpretation of their immediate environment necessitates specific treatment for juveniles. The continuous rise in juvenile offences in India, particularly in crowded urban areas, has been an urgent challenge in recent years. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, 31,170 cases have been registered against juveniles in 2021, with a 4.7% increase over 2020. At the crux of such deviance is deprivation, poor-quality environment, and ignorance of its value causing adverse childhood experiences, social problems, and mental disorders. Neighbourhood design affects a person’s behaviour, directly influencing deviance, or creating a hostile communal bond with a juvenile who might eventually exhibit deviance. This study investigates the intersection of psychology, architecture, and policies regarding juvenile crime prevention at the neighbourhood scale. It explores how the built environment influences the behaviour and development of children, and how strategic design interventions can prevent juvenile delinquency. The study also examines the CPTED approach of various countries to understand the design principles that influence social behaviour. The inferences drawn are applied to understand crime preventive design strategies in Indian urban low-income neighbourhoods with higher juvenile crime rates. While CPTED focuses on general crime prevention strategies, juvenile crimes, which require a more comprehensive approach and an understanding of the root causes of future crimes, have not been delved into. Hence, this paper proposes an integrated framework that promotes holistic neighbourhood design to prevent juvenile delinquency by creating safe, inclusive communities that nurture positive youth development.

19F-Labeled NMR Probes for the Detection and Discrimination of Nitrogen-Containing Analytes

AbstractThe development of 19F-labeled NMR probes has become a pivotal tool in analytical chemistry. Recent advancements in probe design enable precise identification of nitrogen-containing analytes, significantly enhancing the analysis of these biologically important analytes in complex mixtures. This short review highlights recent progress with probes based on covalent derivatization and dynamic exchange strategies, which yield distinct 19F NMR signals for each nitrogen-containing analyte. These strategies facilitate separation-free multicomponent analysis and chiral discrimination. Discussions will cover design principles, scope, limitations, and strategies to enhance the sensitivity and resolving ability. By addressing current challenges, 19F-labeled NMR probes hold the potential to revolutionize the detection of biologically relevant molecules, catalyzing new discoveries in chemical and biochemical research.1 Introduction2 19F-Labeled Probes Based on Covalent Derivatization2.1 Non-Chiral 19F-Labeled Probes Based on Covalent Derivatization2.2 Chiral 19F-Labeled Probes Based on Covalent Derivatization3 19F-Labeled Probes Based on Dynamic Ligand Exchange3.1 Non-Chiral 19F-Labeled Probes Based on Dynamic Ligand Exchange3.2 Chiral 19F-Labeled Probes Based on Dynamic Ligand Exchange4 Conclusion and Outlook

Ergonomics in Bicycle Saddle Design: Application of TRIZ Innovation System Method with IPA-Kano Model Validation

This study investigates the innovative design of a bicycle saddle by incorporating sustainable ergonomics, universal design principles, and systematic innovation methods. Initially, the literature related to bicycle saddle design and its impact on the human body during riding was analyzed. The TRIZ contradiction matrix was then used to identify relevant invention principles, which served as references for the innovative design of the bicycle saddle. Biomechanics and the human–machine system analysis within human factors engineering were applied to ensure the innovative design is ergonomic and user-friendly. The design features a horizontally expandable and foldable bicycle saddle, enhancing its adaptability and sustainability. Universal design principles were applied to make the innovative design more accessible to the general public, and the prototype was simulated using Inventor drawing software. The research results include: (1) An innovative bicycle saddle design with horizontal expansion and folding functions is proposed. This design divides the saddle into three components, enabling the left and right parts to expand or retract based on user preferences. (2) A bicycle backrest design featuring vertical adjustability is introduced. It incorporates a quick-release adjustment mechanism at the junction of the backrest and saddle, allowing users to freely adjust the backrest height. (3) A quick-operation bicycle saddle design is presented, utilizing quick-release screws to facilitate the swift operation of the horizontal expansion and folding mechanisms. This validation method confirmed that the innovative design meets both sustainable ergonomic standards and user expectations. The systematic innovation approach used in this study can serve as a valuable reference for future research and design applications.

Beyond Aesthetics: Players, Player-Characters and Interactivity-as-Demand in Cozy Games

Cozy games are often defined by their soft visual design, ambient audio, and low risk gameplay that addresses a range of themes from casual to meaningful. Typically, they also center on simple gameplay in terms of control schema and the ability to disconnect, as a safe, relaxing play space, and with its easy exits points to quit the game. While these aspects have been discussed in both scholarly and media entertainment writing, the demands (or lack thereof) have yet to be explored from a theoretical perspective. Through the lens of interactivity-as-demand theory, this paper aims to explore the connection between the gameplay experience as it relates to cognitive, physical, social, and emotional demands and the in-game representations of the player-character. Through this analytical lens, it is possible to understand the consistency and disconnect of demands as experienced by the player compared to how they are (re)presented on screen which has potential implications related to the player’s expectations and design principles of cozy games.

CHARM and EvoETR: Precision epigenetic tools for gene silencing.

With the advent of gene editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9, it has become possible to edit genomic regions of interest for research and therapeutic purposes. These technologies have also been adapted to alter gene expression without changing their DNA sequence, allowing epigenetic edits. While genetic editors make edits by cutting the genome at specified regions, epigenetic editors leverage the same targeting mechanism but act based on the epigenetic modifier fused to them, such as a methyltransferase. Here, we discuss two recently employed epigenetic editors (epi-editors) that silenced target genes involved in disease to mitigate their effects. Neumann etal. reported the construction of an epigenetic editor called CHARM that could methylate and silence the prion gene in mouse brains and subsequently switch itself off. Additionally, Capelluti etal. developed an epi-editor called EvoETR that knocked down Pcsk9 in the murine liver to reduce LDL levels. We aim to highlight the design principles underlying the design of these epi-editors to inform future editor designs.

Synthesis and Evaluation of a ZnO-Chitosan Adduct for Safe and Sustainable Enhanced Ultra-Violet (UV) Sunscreens Protection.

Chitosan (Ch), a natural polysaccharide, is known for its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and various beneficial properties, including antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The objective of this study is to investigate the functionalization of zinc oxide (ZnO) with chitosan to develop a novel ZnO@Ch adduct for use in cosmetic formulations, specifically as a sun protection agent. The functionalization was achieved through ionotropic gelation, which enhanced the stability and reduced the photocatalytic activity of ZnO, thereby improving its safety profile for skin applications. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the successful functionalization, while TGA and DSC characterized the thermal properties and stability. The Zeta potential and particle size analyses demonstrated improved stability of ZnO@Ch across various pH levels compared to uncoated ZnO. The structure of the obtained adduct was also confirmed by SEM analysis. The ZnO@Ch adduct exhibited enhanced stability at neutral and slightly alkaline pH values, reduced photocatalytic activity compared to pure ZnO, and had lower cytotoxicity in 3T3 cells compared to pure ZnO, particularly at higher concentrations. The ZnO@Ch adduct provided a higher Sun Protection Factor (SPF) and UVA Protection Factor (UVA-PF) than pure ZnO, indicating enhanced UV protection. The adduct's ability to provide higher SPF at lower ZnO concentrations offers economic and environmental benefits, aligning with sustainable product design principles. Future studies will focus on optimizing the formulation and testing the efficacy and safety at higher concentrations to fully realize its potential as a natural, eco-friendly sunscreen ingredient.

Phase Separation to Resolve Growth-Related Circuit Failures.

Fluctuations in host cell growth poses a significant challenge to synthetic gene circuits, often disrupting circuit function. Existing solutions typically rely on circuit redesign with alternative topologies or additional control elements, yet a broadly applicable approach remains elusive. Here, we introduce a new strategy based on liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) to stabilize circuit performance. By engineering a self-activating circuit with transcription factors (TF) fused to an intrinsically disordered region (IDR), we enable the formation of TF condensates at the promoter region, maintaining local TF concentration despite growth-mediated dilution. This condensate formation preserves bistable memory in the self-activating circuit, demonstrating that phase separation can robustly counteract growth fluctuations, offering a novel design principle for resilient synthetic circuits.

History lessons. Search for forms of rental housing – experience of the USSR in the era of constructivism

In development of the topic raised in IP magazine No. 14 / 2023, the main attention is paid to mass and experimental rental housing designed and/or built in the USSR in the 1920s - early 1930s, as well as its architectural and typological features. The object of the study is the residential environment of the rental (municipal) type, the subject of the study is the factors influencing the typological evolution of housing. The purpose of the study is to systematize, generalize and critically retrospective analyze the domestic experience of economical housing, identifying its forms characteristic of the Soviet era. Based on a content analysis of data published in open sources, it was concluded that mass housing, which had pronounced socially oriented properties and minimal parameters, became one of the key tools for ensuring the stability of society. Despite this, today the architectural and planning structure of this housing does not meet the needs of the population. It is necessary to search for new design principles.

Photocatalyst Design Principles for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation with CdS Nanosheets

Photocatalyst Design Principles for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production and Benzyl Alcohol Oxidation with CdS Nanosheets

Executive function training curriculum to enhance emotional intelligence in early childhood: Theory adaptation in educational design research

Emotional intelligence (EI) is vital for early childhood development and is closely linked to executive function (EF). EF is a foundation of cognitive ability in early childhood. Educational design research (EDR) offers an adaptive methodology for curriculum development. This study aimed to (1) analyze and explore perspectives for designing an executive function training (EFT) curriculum to enhance EI, (2) design and develop the EFT curriculum, and (3) evaluate and reflect on the EFT curriculum. The research underscores the need to enhance EI, social skills, self-help abilities, and positive attitudes in early childhood students. Developed through a collaborative effort involving multiple stakeholders, the EFT curriculum aligns with Thailand's Ministry of Education standards. It significantly improves EI scores across six assessments of EI's five elements: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and adeptness in relationships. The EFT curriculum emphasizes inhibitory control, shift/cognitive flexibility, emotional control, working memory, planning/organizing, and incorporating sleep to support cognitive and emotional development, a total of 150 hours. Developed with stakeholder input and rigorous design principles, the EFT curriculum prepares children for future learning and life challenges.

Early Identification of Learning and Developmental Disorders in School-Age Children

The aim of developing an online quiz assessment tool is to identify learning disabilities like ‘Dyslexia’, ‘Dyscalculia’, ‘ADHD’ and ‘Anxiety’ as early as possible in children for better educational outcomes. This study applied modern web technologies, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and FLASK to come up with an easy interface that combines the extensive questionnaire with analytical algorithms. This tool also collects user data as they use it and hence gives information and feedback to a user as well as other stakeholders instantly. By means of user testing, the interface was characterized as easily applicable which contributed to the increase of the attention to the educational needs of the target audience. The main conclusions are that the tool promotes the detection of learning disorders in children as early as possible and encourages minimizing delays in treatment. The presented project is also focused on the application of technologies in the management of development difficulties as well as principles of design that are aimed at making the assessment tools more useful.

Mussel-Inspired, Self-Healing, Highly Effective Fully Polymeric Fire-Retardant Coatings Enabled by Group Synergy.

Fire-retardant coatings represent a universal cost-effective approach to providing fire protection for various substrates without compromising substrates' bulk properties. However, it has been attractive yet highly challenging to create waterborne polymeric fire-retardant coatings combining high-efficiency, generally strong adhesion, and self-repairability due to a lack of rational design principles. Inspired by mussel's unique adhesive, self-healing, and char-forming mechanisms, herein, a "group synergy" design strategy is proposed to realize the combination of self-healing, strong adhesion, and high efficiency in a fully polymeric fire-retardant coating via multiple synergies between catechol, phosphonic, and hydroxyethyl groups. As-created fire-retardant coating exhibits a rapid room-temperature self-healing ability and strong adhesion to (non)polar substrates due to multiple dynamic non-covalent interactions enabled by these groups. Because these functional groups enable the formation of a robust structurally intact yet slightly expanded char layer upon exposure to flame, a 200µm-thick such coating can make extremely flammable polystyrene foam very difficult to ignite and self-extinguishing, which far outperforms previous strategies. Moreover, this coating can provide universal exceptional fire protection for a variety of substrates from polymer foams, and timber, to fabric and steel. This work presents a promising material design principle to create next-generation sustainable high-performance fire-retardant coatings for general fire protection.

Designing multicomponent hydrides with potential high Tc superconductivity

While hydrogen-rich materials have been demonstrated to exhibit high Tc superconductivity at high pressures, there is an ongoing search for ternary, quaternary, and more chemically complex hydrides that achieve such high critical temperatures at much lower pressures. First-principles searches are impeded by the computational complexity of solving the Eliashberg equations for large, complex crystal structures. Here, we adopt a simplified approach using electronic indicators previously established to be correlated with superconductivity in hydrides. This is used to study complex hydride structures, which are predicted to exhibit promisingly high critical temperatures for superconductivity. In particular, we propose three classes of hydrides inspired by the Fm[Formula: see text]m RH[Formula: see text] structures that exhibit strong hydrogen network connectivity, as defined through the electron localization function. The first class [RH[Formula: see text]X[Formula: see text]Y] is based on a Pm[Formula: see text]m structure showing moderately high Tc, where the Tc estimate from electronic properties is compared with direct Eliashberg calculations and found to be surprisingly accurate. The second class of structures [(RH[Formula: see text])[Formula: see text]X[Formula: see text]YZ] improves on this with promisingly high density of states with dominant hydrogen character at the Fermi energy, typically enhancing Tc. The third class [(R[Formula: see text]H[Formula: see text])(R[Formula: see text]H[Formula: see text])X[Formula: see text]YZ] improves the strong hydrogen network connectivity by introducing anisotropy in the hydrogen network through a specific doping pattern. These design principles and associated model structures provide flexibility to optimize both Tc and the structural stability of complex hydrides.

Development and commissioning of ion-optical elements for ion and antiproton beams with energies up to 5 keV

In nuclear and atomic physics experiments, charged ion beams often need to be guided from the ion production to the experimental site. In the PUMA experiment, an ion source beamline was developed, which can be operated with up to 5 keV beam energy at a base pressure of 10-9 mbar or better. In this technical report, a low-energy pulsed drift tube for beam energy modification, a hybrid einzel lens assembly for beam focusing and steering and an iris shutter assembly for separating beamline sections with different vacuum requirements are described with their design principles and performances.

Spontaneous built-in electric field in W-W2C@C heterostructure: Accelerating Sn2- directed migration in Li-S batteries

The commercialization of Li-S batteries is severely hindered by shuttle effect and sluggish redox reaction kinetics of LiPSs. Heterostructure can resolve the above shortcomings through the synergistic effect of adsorption and catalysis. However, long-chain LiPSs dissolving in electrolyte tend to cluster, resulting in low sulfur utilization and preventing kinetic conversion Thus, it is necessary to regulate the diffusion of Sn2− to achieve the directional diffusion from adsorbent to catalyst. Nevertheless, the design principle has not yet been clarified. W-W2C@C heterostructure with W of strong adsorption ability and high work function and W2C of excellent catalytic activity and low work function is designed by theoretical screening. Due to work function difference, this heterostructure controls the direction of the interface built-in electric field (BIEF), realizing the directional migration process of Sn2− from adsorptive W to catalytic W2C, thereby achieving a continuous “trapping-directional migration-conversion” reaction mechanism. The batteries have an excellent Li+ diffusion rate, high initial discharge specific capacity (1400.6 mAh/g at 0.2C), excellent rate capability (853.2 mAh/g at 2C), high reversible capacity (977.9 mAh/g after 150 cycles at 0.2C) and an extremely low capacity decay rate of 0.09 % per cycle after 300 cycles at 1C.