Growth of RB Population in the Conversion Phase of Chlamydia Life Cycle

Upon infecting a host cell,the reticulate body(RB)form of the Chlamydia bacteria simply proliferates by binary fission for an extended period.Available data show only RB units in the infected cells 20 hours post infection(hpi),spanning nearly half way through the development cycle.With data collected every 4 hpi,conversion to the elementary body(EB)form begins abruptly at a rapid rate sometime around 24 hpi.By modeling proliferation and conversion as simple birth and death processes,it has been shown that the optimal strategy for maximizing the total(mean)EB population at host cell lysis time is a bang-bang control qualitatively replicating the observed conversion activities.However,the simple birth and death model for the RB proliferation and conversion to EB deviates in a significant way from the available data on the evolution of the RB population after the onset of RB-to-EB conversion.By working with a more refined model that takes into account a small size threshold eligibility requirement for conversion noted in the available data,we succeed in removing the deficiency of the previous models on the evolution of the RB population without affecting the optimal bang-bang conversion strategy.

A Review of the Life Cycle Analysis for Plastic Waste Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis is a rapidly expanding chemical-based recyclable method that complements physical recycling. It avoids improper disposal of post-consumer polymers and mitigates the ecological problems linked to the production of new plastic. Nevertheless, while there is a consensus that pyrolysis might be a crucial technology in the years to come, more discussions are needed to address the challenges related to scaling up, the long-term sustainability of the process, and additional variables essential to the advancement of the green economy. Herein, it emphasizes knowledge gaps and methodological issues in current Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), underlining the need for standardized techniques and updated data to support robust decision-making for adopting pyrolysis technologies in waste management strategies. For this purpose, this study reviews the LCAs of pyrolytic processes, encompassing the complete life cycle, from feedstock collection to end-product distribution, including elements such as energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste creation. Hence, we evaluate diverse pyrolysis processes, including slow, rapid, and catalytic pyrolysis, emphasizing their distinct efficiency and environmental footprints. Furthermore, we evaluate the impact of feedstock composition, process parameters, and scale of operation on the overall sustainability of pyrolysis-based plastic waste treatment by integrating results from current literature and identifying essential research needs. Therefore, this paper argues that existing LCA studies need more coherence and accuracy. It follows a thorough evaluation of previous research and suggests new insights into methodologies and restrictions.

A Building Information Modeling-Life Cycle Cost Analysis Integrated Model to Enhance Decisions Related to the Selection of Construction Methods at the Conceptual Design Stage of Buildings

Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) provides a systematic approach to assess the total cost associated with owning, operating, and maintaining assets throughout their entire life. BIM empowers architects and designers to perform real-time evaluations to explore various design options. However, when integrated with LCCA, BIM provides a comprehensive economic perspective that helps stakeholders understand the long-term financial implications of design decisions. This study presents a methodology for developing a model that seamlessly integrates BIM and LCCA during the conceptual design stage of buildings. This integration allows for a comprehensive evaluation and analysis of the design process, ensuring that the development aligns with the principles of low carbon emissions by employing modular construction, 3D concrete printing methods, and different building design alternatives. The model considers the initial construction costs in addition to all the long-term operational, maintenance, and salvage values. It combines various tools and data through different modules, including energy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) to execute a comprehensive assessment of the financial implications of a specific design option throughout the lifecycle of building projects. The development of the said model and its implementation involves the creation of a new plug-in for the BIM tool (i.e., Autodesk Revit) to enhance its functionalities and capabilities in forecasting the life-cycle costs of buildings in addition to generating associated cash flows, creating scenarios, and sensitivity analyses in an automatic manner. This model empowers designers to evaluate and justify their initial investments while designing and selecting potential construction methods for buildings, and enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions by assessing different design alternatives based on long-term financial considerations during the early stages of design.

The potential impact of increased whole grain consumption among Chinese adults on reducing healthcare costs and carbon footprint

Excessive consumption of refined grains harms human health and ecosystem viability.Whole grains,as a healthy and sustainable alternative to refined grains,can benefit individual health by providing dietary fiber,B vitamins,and bioactive substances.Additionally,they aid in improving the environment due to their higher extraction rate and lower carbon emission during the processing stage.However,few studies have attempted to evaluate the economic and social benefits of increasing the amount of whole grain in grain intake.This paper estimates the potential savings in healthcare costs and reduced food carbon footprints(CFs)that could result from a shift toward whole grain consumption following the Chinese Dietary Guidelines(CDG).We investigate hypothetical scenarios where a certain proportion(5–100%)of Chinese adults could increase their whole grain intakes as proposed by CDG to meet the average shortfall of 30.2 g.In that case,the healthcare costs for associated diseases(e.g.,type2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM),cardiovascular disease(CVD),and colorectal cancer(CRC))are expected to reduce by a substantial amount,from USD 2.82 to 56.37 billion;the carbon emission levels are also projected to decrease by0.24–5.72 million tons.This study provides compelling evidence that advocating for the transition towards greater consumption of whole grain products could benefit individual health,the environment,and society,by reducing both healthcare costs and carbon emissions.

Crystalline and amorphous metal sulfide composite electrode materials with long cycle life:Preparation and performance of hybrid capacitors

Crystalline@amorphous NiCo_(2)S_(4)@MoS_(2)(v-NCS@MS)nanostructures were designed and constructed via an ethylene glycol-induced strategy with hydrothermal synthesis and solvothermal method,which simultaneously realized the defect regulation of crystal NiCo_(2)S_(4) in the core.Taking advantage of the flexible protection of an amor-phous shell and the high capacity of a conductive core with defects,the v-NCS@MS electrode exhibited high specif-ic capacity(1034 mAh·g^(-1) at 1 A·g^(-1))and outstanding rate capability.Moreover,a hybrid supercapacitor was assembled with v-NCS@MS as cathode and activated carbon(AC)as anode,which can achieve remarkably high specific energy of 111 Wh·kg^(-1) at a specific power of 219 W·kg^(-1) and outstanding capacity retention of 80.5%after 15000 cycling at different current densities.

Reflection on Full Life Cycle Green Architectural Design of Passive Priority——Taking the Award Design of China Merchants Property 2013 Green Architectural Design Competition as an Example

In the China merchants property 2013 green architectural design competition,feature of this awardwinning program is the design method based on the principles of passive priority and comprehensive utilization of full life cycle. The passive priority can be achieved by building form derived from the simulation and analysis of wind environment,improvement of the building envelope insulation and the dehumidification of fresh air,the use of solar energy. The full life cycle utilization can be accomplished by the combination of exhibition and residents' leisure activities, and the integration with local cultural tradition, thereby improving energy efficiency and the utilization of the building.

Distribution Network Equipment Location and Capacity Planning Method Considering Energy Internet Attribute from the Perspective of Life Cycle Cost

For facing the challenges brought by large-scale renewable energy having access to the system and considering the key technologies of energy Internet,it is very necessary to put forward the location method of distribution network equipment and capacity from the perspective of life cycle cost.Compared with the traditional energy network,the equipment capacity problem of energy interconnected distribution network which involves in electricity network,thermal energy network and natural gas network is comprehensively considered in this paper.On this basis,firstly,the operation architecture of energy interconnected distribution network is designed.Secondly,taking the grid connection location and configuration capacity of key equipment in the system as the control variables and the operation cost of system comprehensive planning in the whole life cycle as the goal,the equipment location and capacity optimization model of energy interconnected distribution network is established.Finally,an IEEE 33 bus energy mutual distribution grid system is taken for example analysis,and the improved chaotic particle swarmoptimization algorithm is used to solve it.The simulation results show that the method proposed in this paper is suitable for the equipment location and capacity planning of energy interconnected distribution network,and it can effectively improve the social and economic benefits of system operation.

The Impacts of Two Milk Packages on Climate Change in the Life Cycle Perspective

Several food companies are implementing effective strategies to evaluate the environmental impacts of their products or processes and to estimate the greenhouse gases emissions （GHG） using a life cycle approach. Particularly, a sector which can play an important role to reduce the impact on the environment through the life cycle thinking is the beverage packaging. In this context, the aim of this study was to use the life cycle assessment （LCA） method to investigate the consistency of the preference order across two alternative beverage packages through the application of two impact assessment methods, namely the IPCC 2007 which is focused on the GHG emissions estimation and the EcoIndicator 99 which considers several environmental categories including impact on climate change. The results showed that the life cycle approach employment was a useful strategy to investigate the consistency of the preference order across two beverage packages, especially, whether the results are made more reliable by the utilization of primary data. The investigation on climate change conducted on two level, initially, the quantification of the GHG emissions and secondly the estimation of the related diseases and mortality, demonstrated that the laminated carton presents lower impacts than the high-density polyethylene （HDPE） bottle.

Research on The Impact of Internal Control Quality on Accounting Information Transparency from The Perspective of Life Cycle

With the gradual change of the market, the healthy development of capital market is more and more inseparable from transparent accounting infonnation. The improvement of accounting information quality solves the problem of information asymmetry. In order to improve the transparency of accounting infonnation, over the years, China's internal control construction has been developing better and better, and has played a decisive role in corporate governance. In addition, enterprises will experience different internal control systems when facing different development states, so their structural characteristics will be completely different. The agency problem and information asymmetry will also change, and the situation of internal control will be different, which will inevitably affect the transparency of accounting information of enterprises.

Research on Ecological Assessment and Dynamic Optimization of Energy-saving and New Energy Vehicle Business Model Based on Full Life Cycle Theory

The rapid development of China’s automobile industry has brought ever-increasing impact on resources,energy and environment,the energy-saving and new energy vehicles come into being accordingly.This article firstly systematically introduces the technical route of energy-saving and new energy vehicles of China,focusing on the key bottleneck problems arising from the construction process of current assessment system of the technical route for energy-saving and new energy vehicles,establishes the energy-saving and new energy vehicle business model assessment index system afterward based on the comparative analysis on energy-saving and new energy vehicle business assessment model and the full life cycle theory,and finally makes prospects and forecasts on vital problems of system boundary,dynamic optimization,simulation system of full life cycle assessment of energy-saving and new energy vehicle.

A techno-economic and life cycle assessment for the production of green methanol from CO_(2): catalyst and process bottlenecks

The success of catalytic schemes for the large-scale valorization of CO_(2) does not only depend on the development of active,selective and stable catalytic materials but also on the overall process design.Here we present a multidisciplinary study(from catalyst to plant and techno-economic/lifecycle analysis)for the production of green methanol from renewable H2 and CO_(2).We combine an in-depth kinetic analysis of one of the most promising recently reported methanol-synthesis catalysts(InCo)with a thorough process simulation and techno-economic assessment.We then perform a life cycle assessment of the simulated process to gauge the real environmental impact of green methanol production from CO_(2).Our results indicate that up to 1.75 ton of CO_(2) can be abated per ton of produced methanol only if renewable energy is used to run the process,while the sensitivity analysis suggest that either rock-bottom H2 prices(1.5$kg1)or severe CO_(2) taxation(300$per ton)are needed for a profitable methanol plant.Besides,we herein highlight and analyze some critical bottlenecks of the process.Especial attention has been paid to the contribution of H2 to the overall plant costs,CH4 trace formation,and purity and costs of raw gases.In addition to providing important information for policy makers and industrialists,directions for catalyst(and therefore process)improvements are outlined.

Life cycle assessment in the environmental impact evaluation of urbandevelopment--a case study of land readjustment project,Hyogo District, Japan

In this paper, the Life Cycle of Urban Development was firstly analyzed, and the phases of Life Cycle Assessment applied to Urban Development (ULCA) were described. As a case study, ULCA was applied in the environmental impact assessment of the land readjustment project of Hyogo District of Saga, Japan. In addition, mitigation proposals for reducing CO2 were also presented and the relevant environmental ef-fects were simulated.

An exPerimental study of effect of solder joint geometry on thermal cycle life in SMT

The geometry of solder joint in SMT is one of the important factors whichdetermine the solder joint reliability. In this study, a type of solder joint specimen has beendesigned and is subjected to thermal cycling to failure between -55 ℃ to +125 ℃ with a 36℃/min heating and cooling rate and 10 min temperature holding times. The solder jointgeometry is castellated and controlled with different solder fillet shape and stand off height.A statistical analysis of the scattered thermal cycle lives of solder joints by two parameterWeibull's probability density function has been carried out in this paper. The experimentalresults show that the more reliable solder joint geometry has flat or slight convex solderfillet with a stand off height larger than 0.1 mm. The results may be the recommendedguideline to design optimal solder joint geometry.

High energy density performance of hydrothermally produced hydrous ruthenium oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotubes composite: Design of an asymmetric supercapacitor with excellent cycle life

Hydrous ruthenium oxide(h-Ru O) nanoparticles and its composite with multiwalled carbon nanotubes(h-Ru O/MWCNT) were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method and proved to have potential application as hybrid supercapacitor material.The h-Ru Oand h-Ru O/MWCNT were characterized for their physico-chemical properties by PXRD,BET surface area,Raman,SEM-EDS and TEM techniques.The electrochemical performance of the materials were investigated,specific capacitance(Cs) of h-Ru Oand hRu O/MWCNT estimated by their cyclic voltammetric studies were found to be 604 and 1585 F/g respectively at a scan rate of 2 m V/s in the potential range 0–1.2 V.Further,this value was found to be nearly three times higher than that of pure h-Ru O.An asymmetric supercapacitor(AS) device was fabricated by employing h-Ru O/MWCNT as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode.The device exhibited Cs of 61.8 F/g at a scan rate of 2 m V/s.Further,the device showed excellent long term stability for 20,000 cycles with 88% capacitance retention at a high current density of 25 A/g.

Investigation of the environmental impacts of steel deck pavement based on life cycle assessment

To investigate the environmental impacts of steel deck pavement through the whole life cycle,the steel deck pavement was divided into five stages:raw materials production,asphalt mixture mixing,pavement construction,operation management,and pavement removing stage.Based on the process-based life cycle assessment(PLCA)method,the calculation methods of energy consumption and gas emissions of two typical steel deck pavement systems(EA+EA pavement and GA+SMA pavement)were determined.The data lists of two pavements were analyzed,and the calculation model was built.Four characteristic indices including primary energy demand(PED),global warming potential(GWP),acidification potential(AP)and respiratory inorganics(RI)were used to quantify the environmental impacts of two pavements.The results show that the environmental impact of the GA+SMA pavement is more than 1.3 times that of the EA+EA pavement.Moreover,the critical stage of energy-saving and emission-reduction of EA+EA pavement and GA+SMA pavement are the raw material production stage and asphalt mixture mixing stage,respectively.

Life Cycle Assessment of Creosote-Treated Wooden Railroad Crossties in the US with Comparisons to Concrete and Plastic Composite Railroad Crossties

Creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties have been used for more than a century to support steel rails and to transfer load from the rails to the underlying ballast while keeping the rails at the correct gauge. As transportation engineers look for improved service life and environmental performance in railway systems, alternatives to the creosote-treated wooden crosstie are being considered. This paper compares the cradle-to-grave environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) results of creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties with the primary alternative products: concrete and plastic composite (P/C) crossties. This LCA includes a life cycle inventory (LCI) to catalogue the input and output data from crosstie manufacture, service life, and disposition, and a life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) to evaluate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, fossil fuel and water use, and emissions with the potential to cause acidification, smog, ecotoxicity, and eutrophication. Comparisons of the products are made at a functional unit of 1.61 kilometers (1.0 mile) of rail-road track per year. This LCA finds that the manufacture, use, and disposition of creosote-treated wooden railroad crossties offers lower fossil fuel and water use and lesser environmental impacts than competing products manufactured of concrete and P/C.

The Use of Life Cycle Management Principles in Biosystems Engineering： A Pragmatic Approach to Solving Agri-industrial Sustainability Problems

LCM （life cycle management） is a systematic approach, mindset and culture that considers economic, social, and environmental factors among other factors in the decision making process throughout various business or organizational decisions that affect both inputs and outputs of a product or service life cycle. It is a product, process, or activity management system aimed at minimizing environmental and socio-economic burdens associated with an organization＇s product or process during its entire life cycle and value chain. LCM＇s application is gaining wider acceptance both in the corporate and governmental organizations as an approach to reduce ecological footprints and to improve the sustainability of human activities. But where and how can it be used in agricultural engineering applications？ This study highlights the potential areas of LCM application in agricultural and allied sectors and how it can be utilized. The study revealed that LCM tools such as design for environment and life cycle analysis can be used to evaluate the environmental impacts of-and to improve the products, equipment, and structures produced by biosystems engineers as well as the processes used to generate them.

Life Cycle Assessment of CCA-Treated Wood Highway Guard Rail Posts in the US with Comparisons to Galvanized Steel Guard Rail Posts

A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment is done to identify the environmental impacts of chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated timber used for highway guard rail posts, to understand the processes that contribute to the total impacts, and to determine how the impacts compare to the primary alternative product, galvanized steel posts. Guard rail posts are the supporting structures for highway guard rails. Transportation engineers, as well as public and regulatory interests, have increasing need to understand the environmental implications of guard rail post selection, in addition to factors such as costs and service performance. This study uses a life cycle inventory (LCI) to catalogue the input and output data from guard rail post manufacture, service life, and disposition, and a life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) to assess anthropogenic and net greenhouse gas (GHG), acidification, smog, ecotoxicity, and eutrophication potentially resulting from life cycle air emissions. Other indicators of interest also are tracked, such as fossil fuel and water use. Comparisons of guard rail post products are made at a functional unit of one post per year of service. This life cycle assessment (LCA) finds that the manufacture, use, and disposition of CCA-treated wood guard rails offers lower fossil fuel use and lower anthropogenic and net GHG emissions, acidification, smog potential, and ecotoxicity environmental impacts than impact indicator values for galvanized steel posts. Water use and eutrophication impact indicator values for CCA-treated guard rail posts are greater than impact indicator values for galvanized steel guard rail posts.

The Combination of BIM Technology with the Whole Life Cycle of Green Building

In the rapid development of modern cities, the construction of green low-car- bon livable cities and the realization of energy-saving and beautification of buildings are now being strongly promoted and havebecome an important indicator of urban development. With the implementation of green building and BIM technology, the combination of BIM technology with green building is a new momentum in the development of the construction industry. The application of BIM can make the quantitative management of green buildings in the whole life cycle, get rid of the shackles of traditional models, make the design and construction process more accurate, and also make the whole process of green buildings more standardized. Among them, the core of BIM is the information model, and the core of green building is: low energy consumption, green and sustainable. This paper firstly explains the concepts and advantages of BIM technology and green building, and separately elaborates the significance of using both in the construction field. Secondly, the current development status of BIM technology and green building is obtained by studying and analyzing the development status and connection between them. Finally, combining BIM technology in the whole life cycle of green building, analyzing the current situation and advantages and disadvantages of using the combination of green building and BIM in actual engineering, clarifying the importance of using BIM in the whole life cycle of green building, and highlighting the combination of BIM technology and the whole life cycle of green building as an important tool for the future development of the construction industry.

Life cycle assessment for the "implicit" environmental impact of construction projects

The paper has established an assessment system and a quantitative calculation method of the 'implicit' environmental impact including environmental impact indicator,resources consumption indicator and energy consumption indicator. The quantitative calculation of the environmental impact indicator is based on the life cycle assessment system and the evaluation software BEES. The paper identifies normalization reference values and weights for 12 categories of the environmental impact. It also analyzes the environmental impact indicator in life cycle stages,raw materials,transportation,manufacturing,utilization,and end of life. A university refectory project is studied. The result has shown that human health,global warming and acidification are the first three environmental impacts in 12 categories. The environmental impact indicator per m2 of this project is 18.448×10-2 standard human equivalent weight. Moreover,97.3% of the total environmental impact occurs at the raw material stage,in which the most severe environmental impact is cancerous health effect; the global warming is the main impact at the transportation and manufacturing stages; the indoor air quality impact is at the usage stage.