Exploring the Interplay between CAD and FreeFem++ as an Energy Decision-Making Tool for Architectural Design

The energy modelling software tools commonly used for architectural purposes do not allow a straightforward real-time implementation within the architectural design programs. In addition, the surrounding exterior spaces of the building, including the inner courtyards, hardly present a specific treatment distinguishing these spaces from the general external temperature in the thermal simulations. This is a clear disadvantage when it comes to streamlining the design process in relation to the whole-building energy optimization. In this context, the present study aims to demonstrate the advantages of the FreeFem++ open source program for performing simulations in architectural environments. These simulations include microclimate tests that describe the interactions between a building architecture and its local exterior. The great potential of this mathematical tool can be realized through its complete system integration within CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software such as SketchUp or AutoCAD. In order to establish the suitability of FreeFem++ for the performance of simulations, the most widely employed energy simulation tools able to consider a proposed architectural geometry in a specific environment are compared. On the basis of this analysis, it can be concluded that FreeFem++ is the only program displaying the best features for the thermal performance simulation of these specific outdoor spaces, excluding the currently unavailable easy interaction with architectural drawing programs. The main contribution of this research is, in fact, the enhancement of FreeFem++ usability by proposing a simple intuitive method for the creation of building geometries and their respective meshing (pre-processing). FreeFem++ is also considered a tool for data analysis (post-processing) able to help engineers and architects with building energy-efficiency-related tasks

On the Influence of Shade in Improving Thermal Comfort in Courtyards

This study analyzes the thermal performance of courtyards in traditional buildings in the city center of Córdoba (South of Spain), one of them displaying a shading component, to determine the influence of this precise element. The courtyards have been monitored simultaneously during a summer period when temperatures during the day reached over 45 °C. The obtained data was contrasted, and we confirmed that the shading element provided an improvement of the thermal performance of the courtyard which doubled the thermal leap between outdoor and inside the courtyard temperatures when the shading element was installed, in comparison to the courtyard without shade. Therefore, the tempering effect of courtyards can be significantly improved by means of using these simple elements

Product Validation in Creative Processes: A Gender Perspective in Industrial Design Projects

[EN] Design education and practice are continuously evolving. Educational institutions must include intellectual complexities and new curriculum to support good design education. The design education future emerges multidisciplinary knowledge, teaching innovation and employment necessities. This paper describes a methodology centered in product validation with industrial design students. Focusing on discovering the student experience during the project execution, in addition to observing closely the female design student's perception on the methodology and process developed. The academic project was the design of a novel tool board. The students developed the proposed project in a period of eight weeks. Sixteen students participated as a sample of this research. The methodology consisted of eight phases that spanned from project brief to project conclusion, introducing two phases focused on validation exercises for the elements created to reach the solution of the tool board. During the end of the two evaluation phases, two surveys were applied asking for information on his previous experience during his design education and three elements that assessment the design methodology implementation: utility, novelty, and relevance. Using multiple choice and Likert scale answers the students answered the surveys. The survey's findings revealed relevant information on the project implementation focused on evaluation phases during the product design. The results revealed how students reflected on their previous experience developing projects, and how the design tool board integrate important phases like validation. Also, the students evaluated with a positive value the utility, novelty, and relevance of the developed project. However, the most important finding was the female perception comparing male students. The female assessment of novelty and relevance increased during project implementation, highlighting novelty as a perceived element to a greater range than men. This research results allowed us to discover more information about female students experience with creative and validation processes.The authors would also like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the NOVUS grant ID: N20-158-41 (Validación científica como herramienta educativa en proyectos de carácter creativo), as well as the support of the Writing Lab and TecLabs at Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico, throughout the production of this work.Rojas, J.; Higuera-Trujillo, JL.; Muniz, G.; Marín-Morales, J. (2021). Product Validation in Creative Processes: A Gender Perspective in Industrial Design Projects. IEEE. 760-765. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON46332.2021.9453948S76076

Correlations between GIS-Based Urban Building Densification Analysis and Climate Guidelines for Mediterranean Courtyards

This study identifies and proposes A GIS-based exploration of the relationships between aspect ratio of inner courtyards, porosity of the urban fabric and the climatic factors where it is located. To perform that comparison, morphological and measurement methods have been used to delineate spatial boundaries of urban densification. This methodology has been applied to a case study in Spain, where regulation establishes several climatic zones. Examples of cities in these zones have been examined to establish possible correlations. This paper analyses the particularities of these different urban scenarios, considering the effects of climate on the real urban densification. The purpose of this study is to find a relationship between the historical inner courtyards dimensions and the climate of the zone where they are located. In order to frame the real thermal behaviour of the inner courtyard in the context of the vernacular typologies studied, a representative sample of inner courtyards has been selected. The monitoring data presented allow quantifying the courtyard’s ability to temper the maximum temperature values

Análisis de las estructuras de gestión del servicio en empresas del sector de servicios

The study that guided this article was done with the purpose of evaluating different service approaches that are articulated as part of the strategies that guide the philosophy of eight organizations. To achieve this, different theoretical perspectives about the service are used, and with the method of case study eight successful companies from Antioquia that developed their organizational structures for service management are studied. The review using models obtained by the literature and the comparison of each case study approaches, allowed to find similarities that can set some guidelines to follow in formulating a service structure, considered as a strategy of differentiation and success factor. The study gives an idea of how to implement models to analyse and evaluate the performance of service, which in future can also be studied from clients / customers. The limitations are related to the recent use of the concept of “servitization” practices which are still subject of discussionEl estudio que orientó este artículo se hizo con el propósito de evaluar diferentes enfoques del servicio articulados como parte de las estrategias que orientan la filosofía de las organizaciones. Para lograrlo, se realizó una revisión documental sobre diferentes perspectivas teóricas acerca del servicio, las cuales son aplicadas para evaluar, desde el método de estudio de caso, los aspectos con los que ocho empresas exitosas de Antioquia –que declaran, implícita o explícitamente, querer diferenciarse en servicios– han desarrollado sus estructuras organizacionales para la gestión del servicio. La revisión a partir de los enfoques propiciados por la teoría y la comparación de cada caso estudiado permitió encontrar similitudes que definen unas pautas a seguir en la formulación de una estructura de servicio como estrategia de diferenciación y factor de éxito. El estudio da una idea de cómo implementar los modelos para analizar y evaluar las prestaciones de servicio, lo que, a futuro, puede estudiarse también desde los clientes/usuarios. Las limitantes se relacionan con las prácticas de “servitización” que por ser recientes están sujetas a comprobar los resultados de su aplicació

Extending the adaptive thermal comfort models for courtyards

Temperatures in Mediterranean cities are rising due to the effects of climate change, with a consequent increase in the heat waves frequency. Recent research has shown the tempering potential of semi-outdoor spaces such as courtyards, which are semi-enclosed spaces that are widely used by the users of buildings in Mediterranean cities. International standards addressing thermal comfort parameters provide technical guidelines for indoor spaces only. Expanding this concept, this paper focuses on the potential to extend and interpret the existing calculation models for indoor thermal comfort, EN 16798 and ASHRAE 55, to determine thermal comfort, monitoring two different courtyards in Cordoba, Spain, during both typical summer and heat wave periods. The results show that during the typical summer, the monitored courtyards can reach temperatures up to 8.4 °C cooler than outside. Subsequently can be considered to be in thermal comfort on average for 88% of the time according to EN 16798, and 75% according to ASHRAE 55, which drop to 71% and 52% respectively during heat wave (HW) periods, in spite of increasing thermal gap (TG) up to 13.9 °C. The results are also compared with the PET indicator used for evaluation of outdoor thermal comfort, which provides comparable figures: 81% summer and 73% HW. Implications of implementing passive shading strategies to increase comfort in these transition spaces are also evaluated. The research highlights the thermal potential and usefulness of courtyards in warm climates, so they can ultimately be included in the building analysis as a potentially comfortable and habitable space

Factores de riesgo asociados con el desarrollo de asfixia perinatal en neonatos en el Hospital Universitario del Valle, Cali, Colombia, 2010-2011

Introduction: Perinatal asphyxia is one of the main causes of perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide and it generates high costs for health systems; however, it has modifiable risk factors.Objective: To identify the risk factors associated with the development of perinatal asphyxia in newborns at Hospital Universitario del Valle, Cali, Colombia.Materials and methods: Incident cases and concurrent controls were examined. Cases were defined as newborns with moderate to severe perinatal asphyxia who were older than or equal to 36 weeks of gestational age, needed advanced resuscitation and presented one of the following: early neurological disorders, multi-organ commitment or a sentinel event. The controls were newborns without asphyxia who were born one week apart from the case at the most and had a comparable gestational age. Patients with major congenital malformations and syndromes were excluded.Results: Fifty-six cases and 168 controls were examined. Premature placental abruption (OR=41.09; 95%CI: 4.61-366.56), labor with a prolonged expulsive phase (OR=31.76; 95%CI: 8.33-121.19), lack of oxytocin use (OR=2.57; 95% CI: 1.08 - 6.13) and mothers without a partner (OR=2.56; 95% CI: 1.21-5.41) were risk factors for the development of perinatal asphyxia in the study population. Social difficulties were found in a greater proportion among the mothers of cases.Conclusions: Proper control and monitoring of labor, development of a thorough partograph, and active searches are recommended to ensure that all pregnant women have adequate prenatal care with the provision of social support to reduce the frequency and negative impact of perinatal asphyxia.Introducción. La asfixia perinatal constituye una de las principales causas de morbilidad y mortalidad perinatal en el mundo, tiene factores de riesgo modificables y genera altos costos para los sistemas de salud.Objetivo. Determinar los factores de riesgo asociados al desarrollo de asfixia perinatal en recién nacidos en el Hospital Universitario del Valle, Cali, Colombia.Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio de casos incidentes y controles concurrentes. Los casos se definieron como neonatos con asfixia perinatal moderada a grave, de edad de gestación mayor o igual a 36 semanas, que requirieron reanimación avanzada y presentaron, al menos, una de las siguientes condiciones: alteraciones neurológicas tempranas, falla orgánica múltiple o aparición de un evento centinela. Los controles se definieron como neonatos sin diagnóstico de asfixia, nacidos hasta con una semana de diferencia con respecto al caso y de edad de gestación comparable. Se excluyeron los pacientes con malformaciones congénitas mayores y síndromes.Resultados. Se estudiaron 56 casos y 168 controles. El desprendimiento prematuro de la placenta (odds ratio, OR=41,09; IC95% 4,61-366,56), un trabajo de parto con fase expulsiva prolongada (OR=31,76; IC95% 8,33-121,19), no usar oxitocina (OR=2,57; IC95% 1,08-6,13) y ser madre soltera (OR=2,56; IC95% 1,21-5,41) fueron factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de asfixia perinatal en la población bajo estudio. En las madres de los casos se encontraron dificultades sociales en mayor proporción.Conclusiones. Se recomienda un control adecuado y una vigilancia apropiada del trabajo de parto, hacer un estricto partograma, y una búsqueda activa, de manera que cada mujer embarazada tenga un adecuado control prenatal y reciba apoyo social

Colistin Dosage without Loading Dose Is Efficacious when Treating Carbapenem- Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Ventilator- Associated Pneumonia Caused by Strains with High Susceptibility to Colistin.

Objectives This study aims to analyze the mortality and the length of ICU stay (LOS) of A. baumannii VAP compared to respiratory colonization in patients with mechanical ventilation (MV). Methods A prospective cohort study was performed in an ICU of adult patients (February 2010–June 2011). One hundred patients on MV with A. baumannii in lower respiratory airways were recruited, and classified as VAP or airways colonization according to CPIS criteria, with a punctuation 6. LOS, 30-days mortality, A. baumannii bacteremia, and clinical features including antibiotic therapy were recorded. Multivariate analysis (linear and Cox regression) and survival analysis (Kaplan-Meier curves) were performed. Results Fifty-seven VAP and 43 colonized A. baumannii patients were analyzed. Among the A. bau- mannii strains, 99% were non-susceptible to carbapenems and the MIC 90 of colistin was 0.12 mg/l. Therapy was appropriate in 94.6% of VAP patients, most of them with colistin 6 MIU/day, although in 13 (23.6%) cases colistin was started 48 hours after the onset of VAP. Mortality was similar in both groups (VAP 24.6% vs. colonized 27.9%, p = 0.7). Bacteremia and acute kidney insufficiency were associated with decreased survival (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively) in VAP patients. LOS was 21.5 (11.5–42.75) vs. 9 (6–22) days for VAP and colonized patients (p = 0.004). VAP (p = 0.003) and age (p = 0.01) were independently related to a longer LOS. Conclusions Multidrug-resistant A. baumannii VAP treated with colistin does not have a different mortality compared to lower airways colonization, among patients on mechanical-ventilation, in a set- ting of high susceptibility to colistin of A. baumannii.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad REIPI RD12/ 0015/000

La imagen y la narrativa como herramientas para el abordaje psicosocial en escenarios de violencia. Departamento de Cundinamarca

En Colombia muchas de las consecuencias que se encuentran directamente relacionadas al conflicto armado son la violencia, la pobreza, el desempleo y los altos índices de desplazamiento forzado; afectando así a una parte importante del territorio en la que las víctimas no solo llevan en su memoria el dolor, el miedo y la pérdida, si no que, desde sus relatos, al reasentarse en una nueva ciudad que parece ofrecerle mejorar su calidad de vida sufren de estigmatizaciones sociales y un abandono por parte del Estado, posterior a todos los hechos victimizantes. Esto demuestra que el conflicto armado acaba con todo a su alrededor, causando una lucha de poder y control territorial contra el gobierno, dejando como resultado ese impacto negativo en las víctimas. El presente informe se basa teóricamente en las relaciones y el abordaje de las diferentes temáticas como son los emergentes psicosociales, la narrativa de historias y la foto voz. Iniciando con los relatos tomados de Voces: Historias de violencia y esperanza de Colombia, se analizan las experiencias de las víctimas para situarnos paulatinamente en esa representación de violencia que ha tenido en los involucrados. A partir de lo anterior, se hace una apropiación de los impactos psicosociales desde la formulación de preguntas circulares, reflexivas y estratégicas, que permitan dejar al imaginario emociones, sentimientos y pensamientos resilientes en el caso escogido de Alfredo Campo, donde fue víctima de desplazamiento por amenazas de grupos armados, desarraigando su cultura, territorio y familia. A su vez desde los imaginarios, es así como el relato de “Peñas Coloradas” llega como una representación que acerca a una visión diferente, en la que los emergentes psicosociales se evalúan esta vez hacia la incursión y el hostigamiento militar que sufrió la población, el estigma social de ser "cómplice de un actor armado"; desde este análisis se postulan estrategias y acciones psicosociales que podrían contribuir en el apoyo de la situación de crisis. Por otro lado, se relacionan un enfoque narrativo y la implementación de una herramienta foto voz en cada entorno que rodea al estudiante: Niza, Soacha, Ciudad Bolívar y San Cristóbal Sur; para realizar un análisis descriptivo, reflexivo, y desde un significado simbólico de la imagen permitir dar a conocer la identificación de problemáticas y territorios que han sido marcados por las consecuencias de la violencia.In Colombia many of the consequences that are directly related to the armed conflict are violence, poverty, unemployment and high rates of forced displacement; thus affecting an important part of the territory in which the victims not only carry pain, fear and loss in their memory, but also, from their stories, by resettling in a new city that seems to offer to improve their quality of life they suffer from social stigmatization and abandonment by the State, after all the victimizing acts. This shows that the armed conflict destroys everything around it, causing a struggle for power and territorial control against the government, leaving a negative impact on the victims as a result. This report is theoretically based on the relationships and approach to different themes such as psychosocial emergents, storytelling and photo voice. Starting with the stories taken from Voices: Stories of violence and hope from Colombia, the experiences of the victims are analyzed to gradually situate ourselves in that representation of violence that it has had on those involved. Based on the above, an appropriation of the psychosocial impacts is made from the formulation of circular, reflexive and strategic questions, which allow to leave resilient emotions, feelings and thoughts in the imaginary in the chosen case of Alfredo Campo, where he was a victim of displacement by threats from armed groups, uprooting their culture, territory and family. In turn, from the imaginary, this is how the story of "Peñas Coloradas" arrives as a representation that approaches a different vision, in which the psychosocial emergents are evaluated this time towards the incursion and military harassment suffered by the population, the social stigma of being "an accomplice of an armed actor"; From this analysis, psychosocial strategies and actions are postulated that could contribute to the support of the crisis situation. On the other hand, a narrative approach and the implementation of a photo voice tool are related in each environment that surrounds the student: Niza, Soacha, Ciudad Bolívar and San Cristóbal Sur; to carry out a descriptive, reflexive analysis, and from a symbolic meaning of the image, to allow the identification of problems and territories that have been marked by the consequences of violence