The reappearance of iranian vernacular architecture using natural ventilation and passive cooling strategies to improve conditions for food security and education in developing countries with hot climates

ABSTRACT : The largest problem facing human beings today is global warming. Every day, due to heavy consumption of petroleum and nuclear products, a huge amount of electricity is used. This electricity, in turn, fuels the global industry that produces cooling and warming systems for buildings, and this worrying reality has created a lot of biological disasters by adding pollution to our environment, including the increase of greenhouse gas etc. Currently, seventy percent of developing countries are located in hot temperature climates. In addition to dealing with hot climate issues, these countries have other fundamental economic problems like: hunger, lack of conservation of agricultural products, food security and educational opportunities, in particular, having appropriate classroom space for children. . In this research, several realistic, effective and operative solutions have been proposed through the use of economic passive cooling strategies of bioclimatic architecture in order to resolve some of the main problems facing many people who live in these areas. These economic solutions enriched from antique traditional methods of architecture, come from ancient Middle Eastern civilizations in conjunction with contemporary bioclimatic architecture technologies and methodologies of passive cooling systems.ABSTRACT : The largest problem facing human beings today is global warming. Every day, due to heavy consumption of petroleum and nuclear products, a huge amount of electricity is used. This electricity, in turn, fuels the global industry that produces cooling and warming systems for buildings, and this worrying reality has created a lot of biological disasters by adding pollution to our environment, including the increase of greenhouse gas etc. Currently, seventy percent of developing countries are located in hot temperature climates. In addition to dealing with hot climate issues, these countries have other fundamental economic problems like: hunger, lack of conservation of agricultural products, food security and educational opportunities, in particular, having appropriate classroom space for children. . In this research, several realistic, effective and operative solutions have been proposed through the use of economic passive cooling strategies of bioclimatic architecture in order to resolve some of the main problems facing many people who live in these areas. These economic solutions enriched from antique traditional methods of architecture, come from ancient Middle Eastern civilizations in conjunction with contemporary bioclimatic architecture technologies and methodologies of passive cooling systems

Neuroplastic Changes Following Brain Ischemia and their Contribution to Stroke Recovery: Novel Approaches in Neurorehabilitation

Ischemic damage to the brain triggers substantial reorganization of spared areas and pathways, which is associated with limited, spontaneous restoration of function. A better understanding of this plastic remodeling is crucial to develop more effective strategies for stroke rehabilitation. In this review article, we discuss advances in the comprehension of post-stroke network reorganization in patients and animal models. We first focus on rodent studies that have shed light on the mechanisms underlying neuronal remodeling in the perilesional area and contralesional hemisphere after motor cortex infarcts. Analysis of electrophysiological data has demonstrated brain-wide alterations in functional connectivity in both hemispheres, well beyond the infarcted area. We then illustrate the potential use of non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques to boost recovery. We finally discuss rehabilitative protocols based on robotic devices as a tool to promote endogenous plasticity and functional restoration

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the treatment of tinnitus: Effects on cortical excitability

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Low frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been proposed as an innovative treatment for chronic tinnitus. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the underlying mechanism and to evaluate the relationship between clinical outcome and changes in cortical excitability. We investigated ten patients with chronic tinnitus who participated in a sham-controlled crossover treatment trial. Magnetic-resonance-imaging and positron-emission-tomography guided 1 Hz rTMS were performed over the auditory cortex on 5 consecutive days. Active and sham treatments were separated by one week. Parameters of cortical excitability (motor thresholds, intracortical inhibition, intracortical facilitation, cortical silent period) were measured serially before and after rTMS treatment by using single- and paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation. Clinical improvement was assessed with a standardized tinnitus-questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We noted a significant interaction between treatment response and changes in motor cortex excitability during active rTMS. Specifically, clinical improvement was associated with an increase in intracortical inhibition, intracortical facilitation and a prolongation of the cortical silent period. These results indicate that intraindividual changes in cortical excitability may serve as a correlate of response to rTMS treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The observed alterations of cortical excitability suggest that low frequency rTMS may evoke long-term-depression like effects resulting in an improvement of subcortical inhibitory function.</p

Using EMG to deliver lumbar dynamic electrical stimulation to facilitate cortico-spinal excitability

Background: Potentiation of synaptic activity in spinal networks is reflected in the magnitude of modulation of motor responses evoked by spinal and cortical input. After spinal cord injury, motor evoked responses can be facilitated by pairing cortical and peripheral nerve stimuli. Objective: To facilitate synaptic potentiation of cortico-spinal input with epidural electrical stimulation, we designed a novel neuromodulation method called dynamic stimulation (DS), using patterns derived from hind limb EMG signal during stepping. Methods: DS was applied dorsally to the lumbar enlargement through a high-density epidural array composed of independent platinum-based micro-electrodes. Results: In fully anesthetized intact adult rats, at the interface array/spinal cord, the temporal and spatial features of DS neuromodulation affected the entire lumbosacral network, particularly the most rostral and caudal segments covered by the array. DS induced a transient (at least 1 min) increase in spinal cord excitability and, compared to tonic stimulation, generated a more robust potentiation of the motor output evoked by single pulses applied to the spinal cord. When sub-threshold pulses were selectively applied to a cortical motor area, EMG responses from the contralateral leg were facilitated by the delivery of DS to the lumbosacral cord. Finally, based on motor-evoked responses, DS was linked to a greater amplitude of motor output shortly after a calibrated spinal cord contusion. Conclusion: Compared to traditional tonic waveforms, DS amplifies both spinal and cortico-spinal input aimed at spinal networks, thus significantly increasing the potential and accelerating the rate of functional recovery after a severe spinal lesion

Breathing-controlled electrical stimulation could modify the affective component of neuropathic pain after amputation: a case report

In this case, a 31-year-old male suffered phantom neuropathic pain for more than 3 years after an above-the-knee amputation. His shooting phantom pain disappeared after the first session of breathing-controlled electrical stimulation, and reappeared or was triggered 28 days after an experimental error during which he received sustained electrical stimulation. In other words, painful shooting stimuli may not have been “cured” but forgotten and retriggered by a fearful event due to the experimental error. Therefore, this accidental finding provides a unique opportunity to understand sensory and affective components of neuropathic pain, and a novel intervention could modify the affective component of it

From Photography to fMRI

Hysteria, a mysterious disease known since antiquity, is said to have ceased to exist. Challenging this commonly held view, this is the first cross-disciplinary study to examine the current functional neuroimaging research into hysteria and compare it to the nineteenth-century image-based research into the same disorder. Paula Muhr's central argument is that, both in the nineteenth-century and the current neurobiological research on hysteria, images have enabled researchers to generate new medical insights. Through detailed case studies, Muhr traces how different images, from photography to functional brain scans, have reshaped the historically situated medical understanding of this disorder that defies the mind-body dualism

From Photography to fMRI

Hysteria, a mysterious disease known since antiquity, is said to have ceased to exist. Challenging this commonly held view, this is the first cross-disciplinary study to examine the current functional neuroimaging research into hysteria and compare it to the nineteenth-century image-based research into the same disorder. Paula Muhr's central argument is that, both in the nineteenth-century and the current neurobiological research on hysteria, images have enabled researchers to generate new medical insights. Through detailed case studies, Muhr traces how different images, from photography to functional brain scans, have reshaped the historically situated medical understanding of this disorder that defies the mind-body dualism

From Photography to fMRI: Epistemic Functions of Images in Medical Research on Hysteria

Hysteria, a mysterious disease known since antiquity, is said to have ceased to exist. Challenging this commonly held view, this is the first cross-disciplinary study to examine the current functional neuroimaging research into hysteria and compare it to the nineteenth-century image-based research into the same disorder. Paula Muhr's central argument is that, both in the nineteenth-century and the current neurobiological research on hysteria, images have enabled researchers to generate new medical insights. Through detailed case studies, Muhr traces how different images, from photography to functional brain scans, have reshaped the historically situated medical understanding of this disorder that defies the mind-body dualism

Seasons for a Cynic: A Compositional Process Utilizable for a Program Symphony

The technique of symphonic composition requires a deliberate and methodical process by the composer; when the symphony is intended to aesthetically convey a specific subject matter, the compositional process must become even more deliberate. First a subject must be chosen and examined in a contemporary standpoint. Then the composer must determine how to reflect this subject through his or her composing. Ideally, the end result of this composition should encompass the subject matter as thoroughly as possible. While the great majority of textbooks on music theory and composition centralize themselves on elements of pitch in music, the composer has many other elements to consider, notably rhythm, texture, timbre, and form. These elements – be they working independently of one another, supporting one another, or at odds with one another – can be influenced by a wide variety of both traditional and developmental artistic movements. Oftentimes, a composer may find it ideal to synthesize both older techniques of one element with newer techniques in another. This synthesis was the objective in composing a modern program symphony based on the four seasons. Emulating different styles and affects of the twentieth century, this work aimed to synthesize both older and newer techniques. This thesis explains in detail the compositional process used for this program symphony