Design Strategies Research Articles

Crosslink-Enhanced Emission-Dominated Design Strategy for Constructing Self-Protective Carbonized Polymer Dots with Near-Infrared Room-Temperature Phosphorescence.

Self-protective carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) with advantageous crosslinked nano-structures have attracted considerable attention in metal-free room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) materials, whereas, their RTP emissions are still limited to short wavelength. Expanding their RTP emission to Near-Infrared (NIR) range is attractive but suffers from the difficulties in constructing narrow energy levels and inhibiting intense nonradiative decay. Herein, a crosslink-enhanced emission (CEE)-dominated construction strategy was proposed, achieving desired NIR RTP (710 nm) in self-protective CPDs for the first time. Structural factors, i.e.，crosslinking (covalent-bond CEE), conjugation (conjugated amine with bridging N-H and C=C group), and steric hindrance (confined-domain CEE), were confirmed indispensable for triggering NIR RTP emission in CPDs. Contrast experiments and theoretical calculations further revealed the rationality of the design strategy originating from CEE in terms of promoting the narrow energy level emission of triplet excitons and inhibiting the nonradiative quenching. This work not only firstly achieves NIR RTP in self-protective CPDs, but also helps understand the NIR RTP origin to further guide the synthesis of diverse CPDs with efficient long-wavelength RTP emission.

Functional implications of unusual NOS and SONOS covalent linkages found in proteins.

The tertiary and quaternary structures of many proteins are stabilized by strong covalent forces, of which disulfide bonds are the most well known. A new type of intramolecular and intermolecular covalent bond has been recently reported, consisting of the Lys and Cys side-chains linked by an oxygen atom (NOS). These post-translational modifications are widely distributed amongst proteins, and are formed under oxidative conditions. Similar linkages are observed during antibiotic biosynthesis, where hydroxylamine intermediates are tethered to the sulfur of enzyme active site Cys residues. These linkages open the way to understanding protein structure and function, give new insights into enzyme catalysis and natural product biosynthesis, and offer new strategies for drug design.

Mechano-Responsive Polymers and Nanocomposites: Recent Advances for Self-Adaptive Structural Applications.

Polymer nanocomposites exhibiting remarkable mechanical properties are a focus of research for decades in structural applications. However, their practical application faces challenges due to poor interfacial load transfer, nanofiller dispersion, and processing limitations. These issues are critical in achieving stiff, strong, lightweight, and structurally integrated materials. Additionally, they often suffer from predetermined properties, which may not be effective under specific loading conditions. Addressing these challenges, the development of design strategies for mechano-responsive materials has advanced, enabling self-adaptive properties that respond to various mechanical stimuli. Drawing inspiration from natural systems, these approaches have been implemented in synthetic material systems, leveraging the design flexibility of nanocomposites as needed. Key focus areas include exploring mechanoradical reactions for dynamic mechano-responsiveness, as well as utilizing biomimetic mineralization and mechanical training for self-strengthening. This work also examines multistability, enabling on-demand deformation of materials and structures. Recent advancements in viscoelastic damping and nonreciprocal materials are discussed, highlighting their potential for directional energy absorption, transmission, and vibration control. Despite the need for significant improvements for real-world applications, mechano-responsive polymers and nanocomposites are expected to offer enormous opportunities not only in structural applications but also in other fields such as biomedical engineering, energy harvesting, and soft robotics.

Disulfide-stabilized Trimeric Hemagglutinin Ectodomains Provide Enhanced Heterologous Influenza Protection

Influenza virus infection poses a continual menace to public health. Here, we developed soluble trimeric HA ectodomain vaccines by establishing interprotomer disulfide bonds in the stem region, which effectively preserve the native antigenicity of stem epitopes. The stable trimeric H1 ectodomain proteins exhibited higher thermal stabilities in comparison with unmodified HAs and showed strong binding activities towards a panel of anti-stem cross-reactive antibodies that recognize either interprotomer or intraprotomer epitopes. Negative stain transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed the stable trimer architecture of the interprotomer disulfide-stapled WA11#5, NC99#2, and FLD#1 proteins as well as the irregular aggregation of unmodified HA molecules. Immunizations of mice with those trimeric HA ectodomain vaccines formulated with incomplete Freund’s adjuvant elicited significantly more potent cross-neutralizing antibody responses and offered broader immuno-protection against lethal infections with heterologous influenza strains compared to unmodified HA proteins. Additionally, the findings of our study indicate that elevated levels of HA stem-specific antibody responses correlate with strengthened cross-protections. Our design strategy has proven effective in trimerizing HA ectodomains derived from both influenza A and B viruses, thereby providing a valuable reference for designing future influenza HA immunogens.

Design and optimization strategy of electricity marketing information system supported by cloud computing platform

This paper provides an in-depth discussion on the comprehensive requirements analysis, design implementation, algorithm optimization, and experimental evaluation of an electric power marketing information system, aiming to build a modern information system that is efficient, secure, and user-friendly. In the requirements analysis phase, the importance of business process optimization, data management analysis, security compliance, system integration and scalability is emphasized, while the diversified needs of end customers are considered. For the design and implementation part, the system architecture is based on microservices and cloud-native technologies to ensure high performance and security; and modularized development is achieved through Spring Boot, Vue.js and other technology stacks. For algorithm optimization, LSTM is used for power demand prediction and anomaly detection by combining integrated learning and self-encoder, which improves the prediction accuracy and anomaly identification capability. Experimental evaluation shows that the system demonstrates good performance, security and scalability in cloud computing environment, and the cost-effectiveness is significantly better than traditional deployment.

Fostering Inclusivity for Clients with Disabilities: Universal Design in Family Therapy

Over a quarter of adults in the United States live with a disability. Historically, disability was contextualized from the lens of a medical model, which identifies disability solely as impairment for the individual and should be treated or eradicated. Individuals with disabilities have been seen as abnormal and a threat to the family system. Critical Disability Theory challenges this thought by suggesting that disability is a social construct in which one's environment prioritizes able bodies. Although numerous accommodations have been mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the environment of an individual living with disabilities frequently fails to meet their needs, including the family therapy office. Universal Design (UD) is a design strategy that increases access for individuals of all abilities, mental states, and learning types. Utilizing UD principles in family therapy settings can increase client engagement, representation, and learning in a in a safe, accessible environment.

From Design to Device: Challenges and Opportunities in Computational Discovery of p -Type Transparent Conductors

A high-performance p-type transparent conductor (TC) does not yet exist but could lead to advances in a wide range of optoelectronic applications and enable new architectures for, e.g., next-generation photovoltaic (PV) devices. High-throughput computational material screenings have been a promising approach to filter databases and identify new p-type TC candidates and some of these predictions have been experimentally validated. However, most of these predicted candidates do not have experimentally achieved properties on par with n-type TCs used in solar cells and therefore have not yet been used in commercial devices. Thus, there is still a significant divide between transforming predictions into results that are actually achievable in the laboratory and an even greater lag in scaling predicted materials into functional devices. In this perspective, we outline some of the major disconnects in this materials discovery process—from scaling computational predictions into synthesizable crystals and thin films in the laboratory to scaling laboratory-grown films into real-world solar devices—and share insights to inform future strategies for TC discovery and design. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Mixture Experimentation in Pharmaceutical Formulations: A Tutorial.

Mixture experimentation is commonly seen in pharmaceutical formulation studies, where the relative proportions of the individual components are modeled for effects on product attributes. The requirement that the sum of the component proportions equals 1 has given rise to the class of designs, known as mixture designs. The first mixture designs were published by Quenouille in 1953 but it took nearly 40 years for the earliest mixture design applications to be published in the pharmaceutical sciences literature by Kettaneh-Wold in 1991 and Waaler in 1992. Since then, the advent of efficient computer algorithms to generate designs has made this class of designs easily accessible to pharmaceutical statisticians, although the use of these designs appears to be an underutilized experimental strategy even today. One goal of this tutorial is to draw the attention of experimental statisticians to this class of designs and their advantages in pursuing formulation studies such as excipient compatibility studies. We present sufficient materials to introduce the novice practitioner to this class of design, associated models, and analysis strategies. An example of a mixture-process variable design is given as a case study.

Data Processing for Predicting DNA Damaging Properties of Complex UV Sources.

A growing number of experimental evidence emphasizes that photobiological phenomena are not always the sum of the effect of individual wavelengths present in the emission spectrum of light sources. Unfortunately, tools are missing to identify such non-additive effects and predict effects of various exposure conditions. In the present work, we addressed these points for the formation of pyrimidine dimers in DNA upon co-exposure to UVC, UVB and UVA radiation. We first applied a combination index approach to determine whether mixtures of theses UV ranges exhibited additive, inhibitory or synergistic effects on the formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, (6-4) photoproducts and Dewar valence isomers. A predictive approach based on an experimental design strategy was then used to quantify the contribution of each wavelength range to the formation of DNA photoproducts. The obtained models allowed us to accurately predict the level of pyrimidine dimers in DNA irradiated under different conditions. The data were found to be more accurate than those obtained with the simple additive approach underlying the use of action spectra. Experimental design thus appears as an attractive concept that could be widely applied in photobiology even for cellular experiments.

Sustainable Urban Infrastructure: Innovations in Green Building Technologies and Urban Planning

The burgeoning challenges of rapid urbanization, climate change, and resource depletion necessitate a paradigm shift in urban infrastructure towards sustainability. the intersection of green building technologies and urban planning as pivotal components in fostering sustainable urban development. In recent years, green building technologies have emerged as a cornerstone of sustainable urban infrastructure. From energy-efficient design to the integration of renewable energy sources, these technologies offer solutions to mitigate the environmental impact of urbanization while enhancing residents' quality of life. Furthermore, innovations such as passive design strategies, green roofs, and smart building systems demonstrate the potential to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in urban environments.

Strong electronic coupling between Ni-based MOF and Ni2P enables high-efficiency oxygen evolution reaction for various application scenarios

The high overpotential and sluggish kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER) severely hinder the widespread application of electrochemical water splitting, especially at industrial-level current densities. Herein, we report a novel heterostructural Ni-based metal organic framework (MOF)-Ni2P in-situ grown on iron foam (NiMOF-Ni2P/IF), which shows remarkable OER activity and stability. We demonstrate that the work function difference between NiMOF and Ni2P leads to the strong electron coupling effect by promoting electron transfer at the interface and results in a discernible upward shift of the d-band center of Ni sites for favorable OH− adsorption. The as-fabricated NiMOF-Ni2P/IF exhibits an ultralow overpotential of 330 mV and a small cell voltage of 1.796 V to drive NiMOF-Ni2P/IF‖Pt/C system at 1000 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH, outperforming the majority of state-of-the-art non-noble-metal-based electrocatalysts. Furthermore, the catalyst shows remarkable performance even under harsh industrial conditions of 40, 60, and 80 °C in 6 M KOH. In addition, NiMOF-Ni2P/IF holds great promise with remarkable stability of 200 h and 600 cycles in simulated seawater and secondary zinc-air batteries (ZABs), respectively. This work offers a rational design strategy for low cost, high activity, and long durability OER electrocatalyst based on in-depth comprehension of the electronic coupling effect.

Impact of Design and Mixing Strategies on Biogas Production in Anaerobic Digesters

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process that breaks down organic matter in the absence of oxygen, producing biogas and nutrient-rich digestate. Various reactor designs and mixing strategies are well-established in AD processes, each with their own advantages and benefits. The presented study summarizes and investigates the state of the art of AD in domestic wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in an Austrian alpine region, with a primary focus on finding similarities among the most efficient plants regarding digester design, mixing approaches, and biogas production. By combining surveys and detailed field studies in cooperation with 34 WWTPs, the study provides a comprehensive overview of common AD practices, reactor shapes, and inherent mixing methods, highlighting their potential regarding energetic efficiency and biogas production. The results of the survey reveal qualitative trends in efficient AD design alongside detailed quantitative data derived from the supervised in-field optimization studies. Notably, one of the studies demonstrated energetic savings of 52% with no decrease in biogas production, achieved by transitioning from gas injection to mechanical agitation. Redundant impeller-based overmixing was also practically investigated and demonstrated in another field study. After optimization, the adaptations also resulted in energy savings of 30%, still proving sufficient substrate mixing with biomethane potential analysis. In conclusion, this research emphasizes the economic and environmental importance of energy-refined practices and optimized processes while highlighting the sustainability of AD, particularly for large domestic WWTPs but also for different comparable applications.

Advancing Sustainable Construction: Discrete Modular Systems & Robotic Assembly

This research explores the SL-Block system within an architecture framework by embracing building modularity, combinatorial design, topological interlocking, machine learning, and tactile sensor-based robotic assembly. The SL-Block, composed of S and L-shaped tetracubes, possesses a unique self-interlocking feature that allows for reversible joining and the creation of various 2D or 3D structures. In architecture modularity, the high degree of reconfigurability and adaptability of the SL-Block system introduces a new element of interest. Unlike modularization strategies that emphasize large-scale volumetric modules or standardized building components, using small-scale generic building blocks provides greater flexibility in maximizing design variations and reusability. Furthermore, the serial repetition and limited connectivity of building elements reduce the efforts required for bespoke manufacturing and automated assembly. In this article, we present our digital design and robotic assembly strategies for developing dry-jointed modular construction with SL-Blocks. Drawing on combinatorics and graph theory, we propose computational design methods that can automatically generate hierarchical SL-Block assemblies from given shapes. To address the physical complexities of contact-rich assembly tasks, we develop robotics using two distinct methods: pre-programmed assembly and sensor-based reinforcement learning. Through a series of demonstrators, we showcase the ability of SL-Blocks not only to reconfigure conventional building tectonics but also to create new building configurations.

Exploring Smartphone User Interface Experience-Sharing Behavior: Design Perception and Motivation-Driven Mechanisms through the SOR Model

This study investigates user experience (UX) sharing behaviors in the context of smartphone user interface (UI) design, emphasizing their significance for UI enhancement and effective marketing strategies. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) framework, we examine how design perception attributes—perceived usability, novelty, enjoyment, and brand image—influence UX sharing, with a spotlight on the mediating role of individual motivation. A quantitative analysis (N = 472), Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and mediation analysis were conducted. Our findings confirm that these components can positively impact UX sharing by bolstering personal expectations and self-efficacy in knowledge sharing, with perceived usability being an exception as it unexpectedly showed a negative association with sharing frequency. Moreover, perceived brand image and individual self-expectancy and self-efficacy enhance sharing outcomes. This research enriches our understanding of the strategic importance of user interface (UI) design in the context of smartphones, furnishing empirical grounding for devising sustainable UI design strategies and productive marketing tactics. Consequently, it bears considerable relevance to both theoretical insights and practical applications.

Materials selection and fashion design: strengthening reflections on fibre’s nature in fibres and textiles selection

Textile ecosystems are complex productive realities, in the eye of the cyclone when it comes sustainability-related analysis. Being characterised by very complex value-chains and interconnection of productive actors, textiles production and use represent one of the most crucial challenges for the circular and sustainable transition. Their deployment is esteemed to be in growing for the next years, therefore reflections on how to improve product and materials circularity in this sector is of increasing interest in research and industrial practice. In this contribution, authors will try to map the material properties that can influence textiles application in the fashion sector, focusing on the coupling of material selection activity and application of design strategies to anticipate at best the reflections upon textiles use and recirculation. Results of this activity are then shown and discussed to question the applicability of the reported data into a fashion design activity, to promote awareness and critical reflections upon materials use while designing new fashion goods.

Conjugated Nitroxide Radical Polymer with Low Temperature Tolerance Potential for High-Performance Organic Polymer Cathode.

Low-temperature operation poses a significant challenge for current commercial rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Organic polymer electrode materials, exhibiting a nonintercalation redox mechanism, offer a viable solution to mitigate the decline in electrochemical performance at low temperatures in LIBs. Herein, a radical polymer P(DATPAPO-TPA) with a conjugated nitrogen-rich triphenylamine derivative as the backbone and high-density nitroxide pendants has been synthesized. Due to the large interstitial spaces between adjacent structural units and polymer chains, resulting from the significant torsion angle between the benzene rings in the P(DATPAPO-TPA) skeleton, ions could effectively transport. This structural feature demonstrated a notable discharge capacity of 143.3 mA h·g-1 and a high charge-discharge plateau at ∼3.75 V vs Li+/Li, outperforming most reported radical polymer cathode materials. In addition, its capacity retention could reach 83.1% after 2000 cycles at an ultrahigh current density of 50 C, showing excellent rate capability and promising cyclability. Also notable was P(DATPAPO-TPA)'s favorable low-temperature performance that maintains a high discharge capacity of 139.2 mA h·g-1 at 0 °C. The synthesized P(DATPAPO-TPA) is a tangible illustration of a viable design strategy for low-temperature electrode materials, thereby contributing to broadening applications for radical polymer electrode materials.

Design of hospitals for the post-pandemic era: an international survey of design professionals on infection control design strategies

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic placed unpreceded stress on healthcare systems, highlighting their deficiencies and vulnerabilities. The risk of cross-infection among patients and healthcare workers increased significantly, hindering the overall healthcare process. Hospital design should meet the challenges that will be posed by future pandemics, especially infection control. This paper reports on the results of an online survey for healthcare design professionals and academics from across the globe. The questionnaire addressed how hospital design can contribute to the infection control during future pandemic situations. Respondents agreed that the benefits of designing hospitals to meet the needs of pandemic/emergency situations outweigh the additional cost, and that infection control should play a more pronounced role when designing hospitals for the coming era. Results indicate that the overall organization of hospitals should allow for the compartmentation of critical/isolation departments/units and the creation of separate circulation routes to suit this compartmentation during pandemic times. The circulation system of the emergency departments and Intensive Care Units (ICU) should allow for the separation of infectious patients from others during pandemic times. 20–30% of the ICU beds of tertiary level care hospitals should be designed as single patient rooms. 53% of these rooms should be easily convertible to Air-Borne-Infection Isolation (AII) rooms, 44% should have an additional space for adding anterooms during pandemics, and 55% of these rooms should have permanent storage spaces for Personal Protective Equipment. The inpatient units should also be designed to support infection control. AII rooms should be grouped in designated inpatient units.

Block Copoly (Ester-Carbonate) Electrolytes for LiFePO4|Li Batteries with Stable Cycling Performance

To address the challenges posed by the narrow oxidation decomposition potential window and the characteristic of low ionic conductivity at room temperature of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs), carbon dioxide (CO2), epichlorohydrin (PO), caprolactone (CL), and phthalic anhydride (PA) were employed in synthesizing di-block copolymer PCL-b-PPC and PCL-b-PPCP. The carbonate and ester bonds in PPC and PCL provide high electrochemical stability, while the polyether segments in PPC contribute to the high ion conductivity. To further improve the ion conductivity, we added succinonitrile as a plasticizer to the copolymer and used the copolymer to assemble lithium metal batteries (LMBs) with LiFePO4 as the cathode. The LiFePO4/SPE/Li battery assembled with PCL-b-PPC electrolyte exhibited an initial discharge-specific capacity of 155.5 mAh·g−1 at 0.5 C and 60 °C. After 270 cycles, the discharge-specific capacity was 140.8 mAh·g−1, with a capacity retention of 90.5% and an average coulombic efficiency of 99%, exhibiting excellent electrochemical performance. The study establishes the design strategies of di-block polymer electrolytes and provides a new strategy for the application of LMBs.

Analyzing the Influence of International Remittances on Multidimensional Poverty: Insights from BRI Countries

ABSTRACT Efforts to facilitate international remittances hold substantial potential to impact various dimensions of poverty, underscoring the importance of comprehending this relationship in developing economies. International remittances between Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries have shown a marked growth trajectory. Unlike other studies that focus on the impact of remittances on income-based poverty in developing countries, this research delves into a more comprehensive analysis of how remittances affect various facets of poverty. Therefore, this paper aims to estimate the broader global implications of international remittances on multidimensional poverty in selected BRI countries. This study applied Driscoll-Kraay and Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square estimators to evaluate international remittances’ impact on MPI in BRI countries between 2010 and 2022. The results reflected a significant effect on countries that have contributed to the Belt and Road Initiative, with its impact on MPI courtesy of political stability, international remittances, agricultural growth, and forest plantation. Besides, the results of the Granger causality indicated a bi-directional causal link between forest plantation and MPI and a uni-directional causal link between MPI and international remittance. Countries along the BRI should enact policies to attract more remittances and design strategies to reduce unemployment and poverty.

The Effects of the Carrier and Ligand Spatial Conformation on RNA Nanodrug Cell Delivery.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) highlights the immense therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. The major challenge in siRNA therapy is the effective RNA nanodrug delivery system, which is facilitated by the ligand and the carrier. In this study, we analyzed the binding specificity of linear RGD and circular RGD to αVβ3 integrins by mapping the morphology using super-resolution direct stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy. Meanwhile, the binding dynamics was investigated using single-molecule force spectroscopy. Then, the effects of the ligand and carrier on RNA nanodrug cell entry dynamic parameters were evaluated at the single particle level by the force tracing technique. Furthermore, the delivery efficiency of RNA nanodrugs was assessed using AFM-based nanoindentation at the single cell level. This report will provide valuable insights for rational design strategies aiming to achieve improved efficiency for nanodrug delivery systems.