Article
Thermodynamics
Clifford K. Ho, Royce Binns
Summary: The study utilized computational fluid dynamics models to simulate the impact of different ventilation scenarios on airborne exposure risks in a 72-passenger school bus. Results indicated that a moving bus with at least two sets of openings separated in the forward and aft directions produced a through-flow condition that reduced concentrations significantly.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS IN HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amar Aganovic, Yang Bi, Guangyu Cao, Jarek Kurnitski, Pawel Wargocki
Summary: Using a modified Wells-Riley model, this study investigated the infection risk of different respiratory viruses under various relative humidity and ventilation conditions. The results showed that increasing indoor humidity could potentially increase the infection risk for rhinovirus and adenovirus, while it may benefit influenza virus. Increasing ventilation rate could decrease the infection risk, especially when the rate is increased from low to high levels.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Shujie Yan, Liangzhu (Leon) Wang, Michael J. J. Birnkrant, Zhiqiang (John) Zhai, Shelly L. L. Miller
Summary: Airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 primarily occurs indoors, necessitating effective mitigation strategies for different types of buildings. This study evaluated engineering mitigation strategies for five prototype commercial buildings and developed correlations between individual infection risk and building mitigation parameters. The findings showed that in-duct air treatment alone may not be sufficient for smaller spaces, and additional in-room treatment devices are needed. This research provides valuable insights for the reopening and operation of public and commercial buildings during and after the pandemic.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Amar Aganovic, Guangyu Cao, Jarek Kurnitski, Arsen Melikov, Pawel Wargocki
Summary: This study aimed to extend the Wells-Riley model to calculate infection risk in spaces where complete mixing is not present. By evaluating the time-dependent distribution of infectious quanta in each zone and solving the coupled system of differential equations based on the zonal quanta concentrations, a novel modeling approach was introduced. The results showed that using the Wells-Riley model based on the assumption of complete air mixing may overestimate or underestimate long-range airborne infection risk. Therefore, in assessing the airborne transmission risk of infectious respiratory diseases, a zonal modeling approach should be preferred in spaces with non-uniform air distribution compared to the conventional single-zone Wells-Riley models.
APPLIED MATHEMATICAL MODELLING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mojtaba Ehsanifar
Summary: Researchers are actively investigating the transmission of the coronavirus, with aerosol transmission considered possible. Precautionary control strategies to effectively reduce virus transmission need to be considered.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Andres Vignolo, Ana Paula Gomez, Martin Draper, Mariana Mendina
Summary: This paper studies the indoor air quality of a naturally ventilated elementary school classroom, measures parameters such as carbon dioxide concentration, and assesses the airborne risk of SARS-CoV-2 through simulations. The study finds that periodic ventilation significantly reduces the risk, especially in naturally ventilated environments in cold weathers.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jonathan M. Samet, Kimberly Prather, Georges Benjamin, Seema Lakdawala, John-Martin Lowe, Arthur Reingold, John Volckens, Linsey C. Marr
Summary: By examining the potential airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 using a source-to-dose framework, researchers identified gaps in addressing critical questions and provided answers with policy implications. The study focused on the generation of virus-containing droplets and aerosols and the deposition of the virus in the respiratory tract of susceptible individuals.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Simon Rahn, Marion Goedel, Gerta Koester, Gesine Hofinger
Summary: This study proposes a method to model the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at a local scale. By combining microscopic crowd simulation with a new disease transmission model, the researchers describe the transmission process between infectious and susceptible individuals. Through a parameter study of a queue, they demonstrate that the model is suitable for qualitatively assessing exposure risks, thereby enabling scientists and decision-makers to better evaluate the spread of COVID-19 and similar diseases.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Christine T. Styles, Jie Zhou, Katie E. Flight, Jonathan C. Brown, Charlotte Lewis, Xinyu Wang, Michael Vanden Oever, Thomas P. Peacock, Ziyin Wang, Rosie Millns, John S. O'Neill, Alexander Borodavka, Joe Grove, Wendy S. Barclay, John S. Tregoning, Rachel S. Edgar
Summary: The study found that propylene glycol (PG) has strong virucidal activity against a broad range of viruses, including influenza A, SARS-CoV-2, and rotavirus. It can reduce disease burden in mice and efficiently prevent infection by vaporizing PG at levels tolerated by mammals. The research presents PG vapor as a non-toxic airborne virucide that can prevent the transmission of existing and emerging viral pathogens, with immediate implications for public health.
EMBO MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Fan Liu, Zhiwen Luo, Hua Qian
Summary: There are various vertical temperature gradients in different types of buildings, and it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding of the impact of temperature-stratified indoor environments on infection risk. In this study, the airborne transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 in different thermally stratified indoor environments is evaluated using a previously developed airborne infection risk model. The results show that temperature gradients in different indoor spaces can lead to multiple peaks of transmission risk, and specific intervention policies should be considered based on the types of indoor environments.
BUILDING SIMULATION
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yuguo Li, Hua Qian, Jian Hang, Xuguang Chen, Pan Cheng, Hong Ling, Shengqi Wang, Peng Liang, Jiansen Li, Shenglan Xiao, Jianjian Wei, Li Liu, Benjamin J. Cowling, Min Kang
Summary: By analyzing a COVID-19 outbreak in a restaurant in Guangzhou, China, the study assessed the possibility of airborne transmission of the virus and characterized the associated environmental conditions. The findings suggest that airborne transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is possible in crowded spaces with a ventilation rate of 1 L/s per person.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Neurosciences
Chiara Ferrari, Tomaso Vecchi, Giuseppe Sciamanna, Fabio Blandini, Antonio Pisani, Silvia Natoli
Summary: Visual recognition of facial expressions is crucial for social interactions, but the current pandemic is leading to detrimental effects on society and psychology. While recommended measures like social distancing and wearing facemasks are effective in reducing virus spread, they may also impact neural responses to facial cues, potentially impairing behaviors.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana Maria Hernandez-Hernandez, Rodrigo Huerta-Quintanilla
Summary: The global COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of schools, with students transitioning to virtual learning. Some areas briefly resumed in-person classes before returning to online teaching due to a resurgence in cases. Simulation studies indicate that isolating students and reducing classroom sizes are effective strategies in reducing contagion risks.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alessio Andronico, Cecile Tran Kiem, Juliette Paireau, Tiphanie Succo, Paolo Bosetti, Noemie Lefrancq, Mathieu Nacher, Felix Djossou, Alice Sanna, Claude Flamand, Henrik Salje, Cyril Rousseau, Simon Cauchemez
Summary: The study reports and evaluates control strategies implemented in French Guiana during a large SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in June-July 2020, which involved curfews, targeted lockdowns, and other measures resulting in a reduction of the basic reproduction number of the virus. The authors estimate that due to the young demographics, the risk of hospitalization following infection was 0.3 times that of metropolitan France, and about 20% of the population was infected by July. The study demonstrates how mathematical modeling can support healthcare planning in uncertain situations and highlights the importance of identifying effective control measures for different populations in SARS-CoV-2 management.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Amar Aganovic, Yang Bi, Guangyu Cao, Finn Drangsholt, Jarek Kurnitski, Pawel Wargocki
Summary: This study found that increasing ventilation rate is more effective in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to adjusting indoor relative humidity. A change in humidity had minimal impact on infection risk at a ventilation rate of 0.5 ACH, while increasing the ventilation rate to 6 ACH had a much larger effect, decreasing infection risk by half compared to the impact of humidity.
BUILDING AND ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaoxiao Feng, Xiaole Zhang, Jing Wang
Summary: This study developed a method to update the SO2 emission inventory in Chongqing, which is useful for evaluating the SO2 pollution and designing effective emission reduction policies. The updated emission inventory was estimated by integrating the a priori knowledge of the baseline emissions and the current observations using Bayesian inference. The adjustment of the emissions improved the accuracy in predicting SO2 concentrations with the developed method.
ATMOSPHERIC ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ranxue Yu, Alessandro Senocrate, Francesco Bernasconi, Tina Kunniger, Luca Mueller, Robin Pauer, Corsin Battaglia, Xinhou Wang, Jing Wang
Summary: Novel conductive and porous membranes are designed by facile and scalable approach to fabricating conformally coated gold layers on electrospun PVDF fibers. These membranes exhibit high electrical conductivity, low sheet resistance, hydrophobicity, gas permeability, and excellent mechanical durability. They show practical suitability as gas diffusion electrodes for electrochemical CO2 reduction.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaole Zhang, Xiaoxiao Feng, Jie Tian, Yong Zhang, Zhiyu Li, Qiyuan Wang, Junji Cao, Jing Wang
Summary: Millions of premature mortalities are caused by PM2.5 air pollution globally each year. To address this issue, the researchers updated the emission inventories and harmonized the results from source-oriented and receptor models, finding a significant reduction in pollutant emissions in Beijing and successfully identifying temporal changes during the Spring Festival.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhengyuan Pan, Qisheng Ou, Francisco J. Romay, Weiqi Chen, Tianle You, Yun Liang, Jing Wang, David Y. H. Pui
Summary: The microstructure of filter media plays a crucial role in determining its macroscopic properties. This study investigated the dust loading process in structure-resolved filter media using microscale simulations. The results provide insights into the influence of structural factors on the dust holding capacity of the filter media and propose a strategy for designing innovative filters.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yongsheng Ling, Chengfeng Liu, Qing Shan, Daqian Hei, Xiaojun Zhang, Chao Shi, Wenbao Jia, Jing Wang
Summary: During severe nuclear accidents, radioactive materials are expected to be released into the atmosphere. A deep learning-based method that utilizes field environmental monitoring data was developed to estimate the source term, improving the estimation accuracy compared to traditional methods.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tiezhu Guo, Di Zhou, Min Gao, Shungui Deng, Mohammad Jafarpour, Jonathan Avaro, Antonia Neels, Erwin Hack, Jing Wang, Jakob Heier, Chuanfang (John) Zhang
Summary: Large-area uniform transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) with excellent optoelectronic performance have been achieved for the first time using solution-processed Ti3C2Tx MXene aqueous inks. The conductive MXene nanosheets are forced to orientate horizontally during the slot-die coating process, resulting in highly aligned MXene TCEs without percolation issues.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fuze Jiang, Bei Liu, Yang Yue, Yile Tao, Zhen Xiao, Meng Li, Zheng Ji, Jiukai Tang, Guangyu Qiu, Martin Spillmann, Junji Cao, Lianjun Zhang, Jing Wang
Summary: This study presents a highly specific bioanalysis platform with an extremely low limit of detection and good analytical accordance with RT-qPCR for accurate identification and quantitation of low doses of HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2 viruses in urban ambient air. The platform was tested using cultivated coronavirus to simulate the airborne spread of SARS-CoV-2, and it reliably detected airborne coronavirus and revealed transmission characteristics. Real-world HCoV-229E and SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in airborne particulate matters collected from different regions were quantitatively measured and verified by RT-qPCR.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Min Gao, Yi-Bo Zhao, Zhi-Jun Zhao, Guangyu Qiu, Yile Tao, Guochen Bao, Ying Du, Martin Spillmann, Jiukai Tang, Soonhyoung Hwang, Jun-Ho Jeong, Jing Wang
Summary: Multiplex sensing platforms are crucial for various applications such as intelligent diagnosis and environmental monitoring. The development of nanofabrication technologies has greatly improved the performance of these sensors in the past decades. However, there are still challenges in achieving cost-effective and large-scale fabrication processes. Nano-transfer printing and imprinting technology have shown potential in fabricating 100 nm structures efficiently.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
V. Agarwal, Y. Yue, X. Zhang, X. Feng, Y. Tao, J. Wang
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a serious problem, and animal farms are a major hotspot for AMR. The study found that ARGs and MGEs in the air of a cattle farm mainly originated from cow manure, and farm workers may be at risk of infection with resistant bacteria and respiratory issues.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jiaming Sun, Tingting Wu, Hui Wu, Wei Li, Lei Li, Shouxin Liu, Jing Wang, Wim J. Malfait, Shanyu Zhao
Summary: By imitating natural water circulation, artificial water generation processes can produce clean water by utilizing readily available and inexhaustible solar energy. Aerogels offer a great potential due to their three-dimensional, monolithic structure and porous, interconnected network. This paper reviews the material specifications and structural designs that aim to improve the evaporation performance, and discusses the challenges and future perspectives for the commercialization of aerogel-based water production systems.
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING R-REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yi-Bo Zhao, Nathalie Hayeck, Najat A. Saliba, Claudia Schreiner, Markus Zennegg, Fuze Jiang, Renato Figi, Davide Bleiner, Jing Wang
Summary: The long-term effects of the 2020 Beirut port explosion on air quality and public health are inconclusive. This study collected PM10 samples in Beirut one month and three months after the explosion and compared the concentrations of various components with previous years. The results suggest that the explosion had minimal impact on post-explosion PM concentrations, but investigations on chemical contaminations in soil and water are urgently needed.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Xiaobao Cao, Tomas Buryska, Tianjin Yang, Jing Wang, Peter Fischer, Aaron Streets, Stavros Stavrakis, Andrew deMello
Summary: Droplet-based microfluidic systems have become popular in high throughput screening due to their flexibility, high-throughput capabilities, and efficient processing of small volumes. However, the challenges of performing customized operations on user-defined droplets have limited their use in complex screening applications. To address this, the integration of droplet- and valve-based microfluidic technologies provides a solution for controlling droplet manipulations while maintaining analytical throughput. This article presents a microfluidic platform that combines microvalve technology with droplet-based compartmentalization to achieve programmable fluid handling. The platform allows for the execution of user-defined reaction protocols within storage chambers by merging droplets containing specified reagents.
Proceedings Paper
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Hangxing Liu, Fuze Jiang, Dongwon Lee, Yuguo Sheng, Adam Wang, Marco Saif, Ying Kong, Zhikai Huang, Thomas Burger, Jing Wang, Hua Wang
Summary: This work presents a fully integrated CMOS electrochemical biosensor chip that detects localized and concurrent electrochemical signals. Each pixel has an individual potentiostat, a current sensor, and three on-chip electrodes, eliminating the need for external electrodes and addressing issues of pixel-to-pixel crosstalk. By using electropolymerization of a conductive polymer film and an intercalating redox compound, this platform achieves an electrode-immobilization-free sensing mechanism, enabling highly sensitive and rapid molecular diagnostic analysis.
IEEE 49TH EUROPEAN SOLID STATE CIRCUITS CONFERENCE, ESSCIRC 2023
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Guangyu Qiu, Xiaole Zhang, Andrew J. deMello, Maosheng Yao, Junji Cao, Jing Wang
Summary: Airborne pathogens pose a significant threat to public health, and on-site airborne pathogen detection can be an effective non-pharmaceutical intervention strategy. However, there are still challenges that need to be addressed.
CHEMICAL SOCIETY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Wenyu Jiang, Yuming Qiao, Guofeng Su, Xin Li, Qingxiang Meng, Hongying Wu, Wei Quan, Jing Wang, Fei Wang
Summary: This paper presents a novel hierarchical convolutional neural network (WFNet) for modeling wildfire spread patterns. By defining the spread spatiotemporal distribution field (SSDF) and implementing a hierarchical State-Condition mechanism, WFNet can efficiently encode high-order features of multimodal elements and exhibits competitive performance in computation time and model accuracy.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2023)