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We participate in the FEMH 2018 Challenge of a bigdata subproject of the IEEE. The goal of this Challenge is pathological voice detection, and classify the different diseases, including phono trauma, neoplasm and vocal paralysis. Final, this challenge uses sensitivity, specificity and UAR as a result. The database is recorded with 50 normal voice samples and 150 samples of common voice disorders in a tertiary teaching hospital (Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, FEMH). The paper proposes a Deep Neural Networks based (DNN-based) approach in this challenge. Data preprocessing used Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCCs), which also have emotion specific information. Gradual spectral variations are captured using 13 MFCCs extracted from speech signal. In the disease detection section, we examine the performance among different DNN structures (ie, hidden layers and number of neurons). Then, In the disease classification section, examine the performance among different batch sizes and normalize or no normalize. Finally, the tested DNN structures have the best results at 5 hidden layers and 200 of neurons.

Accumulating evidence implicates gut microbiota as promising targets for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). With a randomized clinical trial, we tested the hypothesis that alteration of gut microbiota may be involved in the alleviation of T2DM with hyperlipidemia by metformin and a specifically designed herbal formula (AMC). Four hundred fifty patients with T2DM and hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to either the metformin- or AMC-treated group. After 12 weeks of treatment, 100 patients were randomly selected from each group and assessed for clinical improvement. The effects of the two drugs on the intestinal microbiota were evaluated by analyzing the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene by Illumina sequencing and multivariate statistical methods. Both metformin and AMC significantly alleviated hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and shifted gut microbiota structure in diabetic patients. They significantly increased a coabundant group represented by Blautia spp., which significantly correlated with the improvements in glucose and lipid homeostasis. However, AMC showed better efficacies in improving homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and plasma triglyceride and also exerted a larger effect on gut microbiota. Furthermore, only AMC increased the coabundant group represented by Faecalibacterium spp., which was previously reported to be associated with the alleviation of T2DM in a randomized clinical trial. Metformin and the Chinese herbal formula may ameliorate type 2 diabetes with hyperlipidemia via enriching beneficial bacteria, such as Blautia and Faecalibacterium spp. IMPORTANCE Metabolic diseases such as T2DM and obesity have become a worldwide public health threat. Accumulating evidence indicates that gut microbiota can causatively arouse metabolic diseases, and thus the gut microbiota serves as a promising target for disease control. In this study, we evaluated the role of gut microbiota during improvements in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia by two drugs: metformin and a specifically designed Chinese herbal formula (AMC) for diabetic patients with hyperlipidemia. Both drugs significantly ameliorated blood glucose and lipid levels and shifted the gut microbiota. Blautia spp. were identified as being associated with improvements in glucose and lipid homeostasis for both drugs. AMC exerted larger effects on the gut microbiota together with better efficacies in improving HOMA-IR and plasma triglyceride levels, which were associated with the enrichment of Faecalibacterium spp. In brief, these data suggest that gut microbiota might be involved in the alleviation of diabetes with hyperlipidemia by metformin and the AMC herbal formula.

Huqi San (HQS) is a Chinese herbal preparation of eight medicinal herbs that promote diuresis, detoxification, blood circulation, and cholestasis. Defects in transporter expression and function can cause cholestasis and jaundice. However, the mechanism of the cholestasis underlying HQS effects, especially on the gastrointestinal tract ion secretion, has not been elucidated. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to study the expression and localization of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) andα-ENaC in rat alimentary tract, and then the effect of HQS on the ion transport in rat distal colon mucosa was investigated using the short-circuit current (ISC) technique. The results showed that pretreatment with HQS significantly enhanced mRNA transcripts and protein content of CFTR in liver and distal colon but notα-ENaC in alimentary organs. HQS increasesISCand decreases the transepithelial resistance. Pretreatment with epithelial Na+channel blocker did not affect theISCresponses elicited by HQS, but removal of extracellular Cl−or pretreatment with Cl−channel or Na+-K+-2Cl−cotransporter blocker inhibited HQS-elicitedISCresponses. These findings demonstrated that HQS, RA, and RP can stimulate Cl−secretion in the distal colon by increasing the mRNA transcripts and protein content of CFTR in liver and distal colon.

Neural stem cell (NSC) proliferation and differentiation play a pivotal role in the repair of brain function in central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) is a non-invasive and innovative treatment for many conditions, yet little is known about the effects of this treatment on NSCs. Mouse NSCs (NE-4C) were exposed to rESWT with 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 bar (500 impulses, and 2 Hz) in vitro. Cell viability test results indicated that rESWT, at a dose of 2.5 bar, 500 impulses, and 2 Hz, increased NE-4C viability within 72 h, and that the PI3K/AKT pathway was involved in its mechanisms. Exposure to rESWT also affected proliferation and differentiation of NE-4C after 8 weeks, which may be associated with Wnt/β-catenin and Notch pathways. This assessment is corroborated by the ability of inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin [Dickkopf-1 (Dkk-1)] and the Notch pathway (DAPT) to weaken proliferation and differentiation of NSCs. In summary, a proper dose of rESWT enhanced NSCs augment via the PI3K/AKT pathway initially. Also, Wnt/β-catenin and the Notch pathway play important roles in regulation of the long-term efficacy of rESWT. This study reveals a novel approach to culture NSCs in vitro and support neurogenesis.

In this paper, we report a new strategy for constructing a dye library with large Stokes shifts. By coupling a dark donor with BODIPY acceptors of tunable high quantum yield, a novel dark resonance energy transfer (DRET)-based library, named BNM, has been synthesized. Upon excitation of the dark donor (BDN) at 490 nm, the absorbed energy is transferred to the acceptor (BDM) with high efficiency, which was tunable in a broad range from 557 nm to 716 nm, with a high quantum yield of up to 0.8. It is noteworthy to mention that the majority of the non-radiative energy loss of the donor was converted into the acceptor's fluorescence output with a minimum leak of donor emission. Fluorescence imaging tested in live cells showed that the BNM compounds are cell-permeable and can also be employed for live-cell imaging. This is a new library which can be excited through a dark donor allowing for strong fluorescence emission in a wide range of wavelengths. Thus, the BNM library is well suited for high-throughput screening or multiplex experiments in biological applications by using a single laser excitation source.

Urotensin II (UII) and its receptor (UTR) have mitogenic effects on tumor growth. Our previous study demonstrated that the UII/UTR system is up-regulated in dithyinitrosamine-induced precancerous rat liver lesions. However, its role in human hepatocellular carcinoma remains unknown. In this study, the mRNA and protein expression of UII and its receptor (UTR) in human hepatocellular carcinoma samples and in the BEL-7402 human hepatoma cell line were evaluated. In addition, the effect of exogenous UII on the pathways that regulate proliferation in BEL-7402 cells in vitro were determined. Liver sections were subjected to immunohistochemical staining. mRNA expression was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, and protein levels were evaluated by western blotting. Proliferating cells were detected by BrdU incorporation. The expression of UII/UT mRNA and protein significantly increased in human hepatocellular carcinoma samples, and in BEL-7402 cells. Administration with UII increased the phosphorylation of protein kinase C (PKC), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38 MAPK). Furthermore, GF109203x, PD184352, and SB203580 partially abolished UII-induced proliferation of BEL-7402 cells. These results provide the first evidence that up-regulation of the UII/UT system may enhance proliferation of the human hepatoma cell line at least in part via PKC, ERK1/2, and p38 MAPK signaling pathways, and may provide novel therapeutic targets for inhibiting human hepatocellular carcinoma.

A new strategy for constructing large Stokes shift dyes by coupling a low quantum yield (less than 1%) BODIPY donor (BDN) with tunable high quantum yield BODIPY acceptors (BDM) has been explored to synthesize a set of novel Dark Resonance Energy Transfer (DRET) dyes, named BNM. The low quantum yield of the donor is ascribed to the intramolecular rotation of the phenyl rings, which has been proven by controlling the viscosity and temperature of the solvent. However, upon excitation of BNM compounds at the donor absorption wavelength, tunable emissions from 560 nm to 617 nm were obtained, with a high quantum yield of up to 0.75. Ultrafast dynamic studies demonstrated that the absorbed energy was transferred to the acceptor (BDM) with a high energy transfer rate, before being quenched by non-radiative intramolecular rotations. Using a dark donor makes it possible to avoid fluorescence leaks from donor emission. This is a new set of RET dyes that can be excited by a low quantum yield donor to emit a tunable wide range of high fluorescence emission.

The performance of triethanolammonium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (TDS), a type of cationic surfactant, against corrosion of Q235 carbon steel in an alkaline medium simulating concrete pore solution was studied by different electrochemical test methods. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results revealed an increase in the charge transfer resistance of specimens in the presence of TDS, compared with the blank system. Both donor and acceptor density with the increase in TDS concentration, evident in the Mott-Schottky plots. Furthermore, observations using an optical microscope and the analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements corroborated that the pitting corrosion of the metallic surface was significantly hindered with the addition of TDS into the simulated concrete pore solution.

Objective of the paper is to present an investigation into the dynamic performance of a novel solar photovoltaic/loop-heat-pipe (PV/LHP) heat pump system for potential use in space heating or hot water generation. The methods used include theoretical computer simulation, experimental verification, analysis and comparison. The fundamental equations governing the transient processes of solar transmission, heat transfer, fluid flow and photovoltaic (PV) power generation were appropriately integrated to address the energy balances occurring in different parts of the system, e.g., glazing cover, PV cells, fin sheet, loop heat pipe, heat pump cycle and water tank. A dedicated computer model was developed to resolve the above grouping equations and consequently predict the system’s dynamic performance. An experimental rig was constructed and operated under the real weather conditions for over one week in Shanghai to evaluate the system living performance, which was undertaken by measurement of various operational parameters, e.g., solar radiation, photovoltaic power generation, temperatures and heat pump compressor consumption. On the basis of the first- (energetic) and second- (exergetic) thermodynamic laws, an overall evaluation approach was proposed and applied to conduct both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the PV/LHP module’s efficiency, which involved use of the basic thermal performance coefficient (COPth) and the advanced performance coefficient (COPPV/T) of such a system. Moreover, a simple comparison between the PV/LHP heat-pump system and conventional solar/air energy systems was conducted. The research results indicated that under the testing outdoor conditions, the mean daily electrical, thermal and overall energetic and exergetic efficiencies of the PV/LHP module were 9.13%, 39.25%, 48.37% and 15.02% respectively, and the average values of COPth and COPPV/T were 5.51 and 8.71. The PV/LHP module was found to achieve 3–5% higher solar exergetic efficiency than standard PV systems and about 7% higher overall solar energetic efficiency than the independent solar collector. Compared to the conventional solar/air heat pump systems, the PV/LHP heat pump system could achieve a COP figure that is around 1.5–4 times that for the conventional systems. It is concluded that the computer model is able to achieve a reasonable accuracy in predicting the system’s dynamic performance. The PV/LHP heat pump system is able to harvest significant amount of solar heat and electricity, thus enabling achieving enhanced solar thermal and electrical efficiencies. All these indicate a positive implication that the proposed system has potential to be developed into a high performance PV/T technology that can contribute to significant fossil fuel energy saving and carbon emission.

In Chinese medicine-based therapeutics, Angong Niuhuang pill (ANP) is one of the three most effective formulas for febrile diseases, and it is also used to treat other diseases. This paper reviews current knowledge regarding the clinical and pharmacological effects of ANP for treating different central nervous system (CNS) diseases to confirm its validity and efficacy. These diseases are like centric fever, coma, stroke, and viral encephalitis. This review reveals that various diseases could be treated using the same agent, which is one of the most important principles of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). According to the “Same Treatment for Different Diseases” principle, ANP might be efficacious in other CNS diseases.

Background. The study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal decoction in treating outpatients with T2DM. Methods. All patients enrolled received decoction for at least 6 months. The primary outcome was the control rate of HbA1c and the change in HbA1c. FPG, 2hPG, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-β were also collected and evaluated. Results. The control rates after treatment at months 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 were 45.07%, 52.78%, 47.22%, 45.83%, 50.00%, 57.14%, and 40.00%. Multiple linear regression showed the change of HbA1c has a significant relationship with the baseline HbA1c and duration of DM and BMI (p0.05). Both FPG and 2hPG levels significantly decreased compared to the baseline (p0.05). Chinese herbal decoction also improved islet cell function with decreased HOMA-IR and increased HOMA-β (p0.05). 19 and 4 subjects deactivated the antidiabetes drugs or insulin, respectively, after taking decoction. One subject developed DKD and one developed DPN, and another subject showed abnormal liver function which was irrelevant to decoction treatment. Conclusions. Chinese herbal decoction significantly enhanced the hypoglycemic action and had certain effect on protecting islet cell function. As a candidate diabetes therapy, it may reduce the use of antidiabetes drugs and slow the progression to diabetes complications.

Better understanding of protein higher order structures (HOS) is of major interest to researchers in the field of biotechnology and biopharmaceutics. Monitoring a protein's HOS is crucial towards understanding the impact of molecular conformation on the biotechnological application. In addition, maintaining the HOS is critical for achieving robust processes and developing stable formulations of therapeutic proteins. Loss of HOS contributes to increased aggregation, enhanced immunogenicity and loss of function. Selecting the proper biophysical methods to monitor the secondary and tertiary structures of therapeutic proteins remains the central question in this field. In this study, both Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy are employed to characterize the secondary structures of various proteins as a function of temperature and pH. Three proteins with different secondary structures were examined, human serum albumin (HSA), myoglobin, and the monoclonal antibody, ofatumumab. This work demonstrates that VCD is useful technique for monitoring subtle secondary structure changes of protein therapeutics that may occur during processing or handling.

Aims Urotensin II (UII) is a vasoactive neuropeptide involved in migration and invasion in various cell types. However, the effects of UII on human hepatoma cells still remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role and mechanism of UII on migration and invasion in human hepatoma cells. Methods Migration was measured by wound healing assays and a Transwell ® methodology, and invasion was analyzed using Matrigel ® invasion chambers. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected using a 2′, 7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate probe, and flow cytometry, and protein expression levels were evaluated by western blotting. Cell proliferation and actin polymerization were examined using cell proliferation reagent WST-1 and F-actin immunohistochemistry staining. Results Exposure to UII promoted migration and invasion in hepatoma cells compared with that in cells without UII. UII also increased matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) expression in a time-independent manner. Furthermore, UII markedly enhanced ROS generation and NADPH oxidase subunit expression, and consequently facilitated the phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). The UT antagonist urantide or the antioxidant/NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin decreased UII-induced ROS production. JNK phosphorylation, migration, invasion, and MMP9/2 expression were also reversed by pretreatment with apocynin. Urantide and JNK inhibitor SP600125 abrogated migration, invasion, or MMP9/2 expression in response to UII. UII induced actin polymerization and fascin protein expression, and could be reversed by apocynin and SP600125. Conclusions Exogenous UII induced migration and invasion in hepatoma cells that mainly involved NADPH oxidase-derived ROS through JNK activation. UT played an additional role in regulating hepatoma cells migration and invasion. Thus, our data suggested an important effect of UII in hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis.

Background. The study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal decoction in treating outpatients with T2DM.Methods. All patients enrolled received decoction for at least 6 months. The primary outcome was the control rate of HbA1c and the change in HbA1c. FPG, 2hPG, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-βwere also collected and evaluated.Results. The control rates after treatment at months 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 were45.07%,52.78%,47.22%,45.83%,50.00%,57.14%, and40.00%. Multiple linear regression showed the change of HbA1c has a significant relationship with the baseline HbA1c and duration of DM and BMI (p<0.05). Both FPG and 2hPG levels significantly decreased compared to the baseline (p<0.05). Chinese herbal decoction also improved islet cell function with decreased HOMA-IR and increased HOMA-β(p<0.05). 19 and 4 subjects deactivated the antidiabetes drugs or insulin, respectively, after taking decoction. One subject developed DKD and one developed DPN, and another subject showed abnormal liver function which was irrelevant to decoction treatment.Conclusions. Chinese herbal decoction significantly enhanced the hypoglycemic action and had certain effect on protecting islet cell function. As a candidate diabetes therapy, it may reduce the use of antidiabetes drugs and slow the progression to diabetes complications.

For introducing the WOrk-reLated Flow Inventory which was developed by Bakker (2008) to the research of work-related flow in China, and examing the reliability and validity of the scale, Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis have s howed us that the scale was composed of 3 factors such as, absorption, enjoyment and intrinsic motivation. The Cronbach α of the 3 subscales were between 0.68 and 0.80, and the Cronbach α of WLOF was 0.87. Furthermore, the fitting index of model is well. Therefore, the Chinese version of WOLF has showed to be reliable and valid. I ntroduction Recently, pressure for people appears to be growing with the development of social and material living conditions. Therefore it is urgent and important to maintain a positive mental attitude at work. Different disciplines' and fields' scholars studied a host of work-related variables, including positive emotion state as well as flow at work. The notion of flow at work was advocated in the 1970's by Csikszemtmihalyi, who has been studying for the states of optimal experience over 20 years. Flow at work means a state of concentration so focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity. Everyone experiences flow from time to time and will reflect the self-enjoyment emotion state (1). In early studies, most of them were aimed at special g roups of the career, such as musician and professional athlete, and on this basis they developed a series of flow scales, of which Flow State Scale (FSS) and Dispositional Flow Scale (DFS) were the most widely used(2). Then scholars designed the abbreviated Flow State Scales---FSS-2 and DFS-2. With the further advances of scientific research, the introduction of flow is becoming increasingly important in organizational behavior. In 2008, a new kind of scale called Work-ReLated Flow inventory (WOLF) was developed by Bakker, and this type of scale was specifically designed for the general work fields. However, because of the late arrival, WOLF is seldom used in previous empirical studies in China. Hence, we aim to analyze the WOLF through confirmatory factor analysis and provide foundation for future research.

Despite the growing number of studies on the motivations of organizational citizenship behavior(OCB) in work context, there are few studies which take Chinese culture into account such as guanxi. Based on literature review and theoretical analysis, authors discuss the motivations of OCB's altruism from a perspective of guanxi in Chinese organizations and argue OCB can be triggered by al truistic or self-interested motivations that are produced by Confucianism and guanxi culture. By this way, it is necessary to provide reference to expand the future researches on OCB and improve the practice of management in Chinese context.

A 41-wk growth trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary protein levels on the long-term growth response and fitting growth models of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) with an initial body weight of 1.85 ± 0.17 g. The dietary protein levels were designed at 320 (P32), 360 (P36), 400 (P40), and 440 g/kg (P44), respectively. The growth curves of the gibel carp for each group were fitted and analyzed with four nonlinear regression models (Gompertz, logistic, von Bertalanffy and Richards). The final body weights (mean ± SD) of the fish were 226 ± 6, 231 ± 7, 242 ± 2, and 236 ± 2 g for P32, P36, P40, and P44, respectively. Feed conversion ratio of P40 and P44 groups was significantly lower than that of P32 and P36 groups (P

The rapidly increasing diabetes mellitus (DM) is becoming a major public health issue globally; considerable progress has been made in the field of western hypoglycemic drug and insulin, but some shortages still exist. As one of the most important parts in complementary and alternative therapies, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) performs a good clinical practice and is showing a bright future in the treatment of DM. TCM therapy has certain advantages of less toxicity and/or side effects, and Chinese herbal medicine which usually contains various active ingredients could provide multiple therapeutic effects. Huang Lian (Rhizoma coptidis, RC) is a herb frequently used in many traditional formulas for properties of “clearing damp-heat, quenching fire, and counteracting poison” in Asia for centuries. In this review, we summarize the application ofRCin the treatment of DM from two aspects of contents. Firstly, theoretical principles are explained, including the properties and related records aboutRCin ancient references and modern pharmacological researches and pharmacokinetics onRCand its active components. Secondly, the clinical application ofRCis mainly reviewed, such as applicable stage and syndrome, the reasonable dose range, the preparation formulations, and the toxicity and/or side effects and solutions to its adverse actions. This review provides scientific evidence about the effective components, pharmacological researches, and toxicity ofRC, as well as introducing traditional Chinese medical theory and clinical experience, in order to guide clinician to useRCmore suitably and reasonably in the clinical practice.

Pain physicians pay close attention to neuropathic pain (NP), since there is currently no ideal treatment. Radial shock wave therapy (RSWT) is a noninvasive treatment to chronic pain of soft tissue disorders. So far, there is no information on the use of RSWT for the treatment of NP. Therefore we observe the effects of RSWT on a NP model induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) in rats.Four different energy densities (1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 bar) RSWT administered as a single session or repeated sessions in rats with NP induced by CCI of the sciatic nerve. The analgesic effect was assessed by measuring mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL). The safety was assessed through calculating sciatic functional index (SFI).MWT and TWL increased after a single session of RSWT from day 1 to day 5 but returned to baseline levels by day 10. Following repeated sessions of RSWT, both the MWT and TWL were significantly higher than NP group (P0.01) for at least 4 weeks. In addition, no significant changes of SFI were observed in any groups after repeated sessions of RSWT and no increased pain or other side effects in any animals.A single session of RSWT is rapidly effective in the treatment of CCI, but the efficacy maintained in a short period. However, repeated sessions of RSWT have prolonged efficacy.

This article presented a theoretical analysis of the heat transfer limits associated with a gravitational loop heat pipe (LHP), which involves the utilization of an innovative liquid feeding/distributing and vapour/liquid-separating structure. The mathematical equations governing the heat transport capacity were applied to simulate several commonly known heat transfer limits of the pipe, namely, viscous, sonic, entrainment, capillary, boiling and liquid filling mass limits. This will allow the determination of the actual figure of the limitation and analyses of the factors effecting the limits, including the loop operational temperature, wick type, evaporator diameter/length, evaporator inclination angle, vapour column diameter in the three-way fitting, liquid filling mass and evaporator-to-condenser height difference. During the study, the heat-transfer limits associated with the three-way fitting for liquid feeding/distribution and vapour/liquid separation were given particular attention. The results derived from the analytical model indicated that the compound screen mesh wick can achieve better thermal performance over the sintered powder and open rectangular groove wicks. It was also found that the heat transport capacity of such LHP operation is positively proportional to the operational temperature, evaporator diameter, evaporator inclination angle, vapour column diameter within the three-way fitting, liquid filling mass and evaporator-to-condenser height difference, and in a reciprocal order to the evaporator length. With the specified loop configuration and operational conditions, the LHP can achieve a high heat transport capacity of around 900 W. Overall, the work presented in this article provided an approach to determine the heat transfer limitations for such a specific LHP operation that will be of practical use for the associated system design and performance evaluation. Copyright , Oxford University Press.

This paper introduced the concept, potential application and benefits relating to a novel solar photovoltaic/loop-heat-pipe (PV/LHP) heat pump system for hot water generation. On this basis, the paper reported the process and results of characterizing the performance of such a system, which was undertaken through dedicated thermo-fluid and energy balance analyses, computer model development and operation, and experimental verification and modification. The fundamental heat transfer, fluid flow and photovoltaic governing equations were applied to characterize the energy conversion and transfer processes occurring in each part and whole system layout; while the energy balance approach was utilized to enable inter-connection and resolution of the grouped equations. As a result, a dedicated computer model was developed and used to calculate the operational parameters, optimise the geometrical configurations and sizes, and recommend the appropriate operational condition relating to the system. Further, an experimental rig was constructed and utilized to acquire the relevant measurement data that thus enabled the parallel comparison between the simulation and experiment. It is concluded that the testing and modelling results are in good agreement, indicating that the model has the reasonable accuracy in predicting the system’s performance. Under the given experimental conditions, the electrical, thermal and overall efficiency of the PV/LHP module were around 10%, 40% and 50% respectively; whilst the system’s overall performance coefficient (COPPV/T) was 8.7. Impact of the operational parameters (i.e. solar radiation, air temperature, air velocity, heat-pump’s evaporation temperature, glazing covers, and number of the absorbing heat pipes) to the performance of the system (in terms of efficiencies of the PV/LHP module and the system’s overall performance coefficient COPPV/T) was investigated individually. The results indicated that lower solar radiation, lower air temperature, higher air velocity and smaller cover number led to enhanced electrical efficiency but reduced thermal efficiency of the module; whereas lower heat-pump’s evaporation temperature and larger number of heat absorbing pipes gave rise to both thermal and electrical efficiencies of the module. The research results would assist in developing a high efficient solar (space or hot water) heating system and thus contribute to realisation of the energy saving and associated carbon emission targets set for buildings globally.

In this paper, the global market potential of solar thermal, photovoltaic (PV) and combined photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) technologies in current time and near future was discussed. The concept of the PV/T and the theory behind the PV/T operation were briefly introduced, and standards for evaluating technical, economic and environmental performance of the PV/T systems were addressed. A comprehensive literature review into RD (2) optimise the structural/geometrical configurations of the existing PV/T systems; (3) study long term dynamic performance of the PV/T systems; (4) demonstrate the PV/T systems in real buildings and conduct the feasibility study; and (5) carry on advanced economic and environmental analyses. This review research helps finding the questions remaining in PV/T technology, identify new research topics/directions to further improve the performance of the PV/T, remove the barriers in PV/T practical application, establish the standards/regulations related to PV/T design and installation, and promote its market penetration throughout the world.

Building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) has potential of becoming the mainstream of renewable energy and has been identified as the most economical renewable energy resource to contribute to world electrical energy demand and to protect environment against pollution for fossil fuel consumption. The first installation of BIPV was realized in 1991 in Aachen, Germany. The photovoltaic elements were integrated into a curtain wall facade with isolating glass. Today, BIPV become more and more rapid development in China. In this paper, the present situation and development prospects of BIPV system in China are introduced, while the design rules, operation principle, the forms of BIPV and advantages are also discussed. Furthermore, an impressive MW-grade grid-connected BIPV installation, Shanghai Solar Energy Research Center (Shanghai, China) with more than 7000m2 of photovoltaics integrated into the roof and facade will be built in Shanghai this year. Its design, BIPV modules, grid-connected scheme and present situation are reported in this paper.