Description, realism, detail in architectural historical writing

Entering the architecture and language relationship we are confronted with a divergence: two opposing points of view consider language either as an integral part of architecture or simply as its accessory. In this dispute we will take the side of language accepting that architecture is an expanded system constituted not only out of the buildings themselves, but also their representation, their documentation through photographs or text, and their critical discourse. From this rather general context we will read the relation between architecture and language through a very specific lens, that of description. This way, the immense field of studying the competitiveness or the complementarity of the two disciplines acquires a much clearer shape. The "pejorative" position of language in relation to architecture as it was formed in different moments in time, is reminiscent of the position of description that we encounter in architectural discourse—a position that we will try to lighten and preserve. Paradoxically, although description is an indispensable tool to the work of the architectural historian, it has been often taken for granted and its theoretical implications are usually overlooked. In our attempt to explore the importance of description and to unravel those reasons that are liable for its pejorative sense, we will follow a rather defending line. Through our research into the notion of description in the space of literature, in arts or History and before we see its applications in architectural history, a rather stable triangle of notions was formed. Description is discussed, almost with no exceptions, in relation to the notions of "realism" and "detail". These three notions seem inextricably related, each one of them leading to the other two in a rather inevitable way. Our inquiry will approach them equally, revealing the unbreakable bonds of their relationship, aiming to see how they are defined and what their role is in architectural history. In particular, we will approach description relating it to the complementary or oppositional notion of narration, as they appear together in the space of literature, and we will initially focus more on the description of pictures. Before we attempt to answer the question of what could realism mean in architectural history, we will first descend into historical and literary realism. We will also attempt to approach the notion of "real", a notion that mostly belongs to the field of psychoanalysis and see what kind of "realities" historians create through their narration of architecture. In our discussion of the detail, the third apex of the triangle, we will focus more on Roland Barthes' "useless detail", and on the "new realism" created by Alain Robbe-Grillet and the nouveau roman where the notion of detail plays a structural role. The supposed superficial detailed description of the appearance of things will have a chance to defend its case. Description is that notion that lingers between language and vision. It is the translation of image to words in architecture, the translation of space to words. And if in every translation, like in every act of communication, there is a certain loss, it is worth seeing what is "lost in translation" in the case of description, and perhaps, what is gained also. Vision and the way we see have their own history. If the history of architecture is connected to the "history of vision", one wonders about the inevitability of a history of description in architectural history as the result of the changes in the way we see a history of how the object and the act of description change through time. In the case of literature, the question of a history of description appears easier to answer. The passage from the eighteenth century novel (Le Sage, Voltaire) to the nineteenth century realism of Balzac and Flaubert and then to modernity and the nouveau roman, was marked by shifts where the role of description was structural

Εξωτερικευμένου τύπου διαταραχές στην εφηβεία: Επιπολασμός και συσχετίσεις σε επτά ευρωπαϊκές χώρες στο πλαίσιο της μελέτης EU NET ADB

Οι εξωτερικευμένου τύπου διαταραχές, οι οποίες περιλαμβάνουν επιθετικές και παραβατικές συμπεριφορές, κατά την διάρκεια της εφηβείας αποτελούν το αντικείμενο μελέτης της συγκεκριμένης έρευνας. Συγκεκριμένα, εξετάζεται ο επιπολασμός ατομικοί (φύλο, ηλικία, Δ.Μ.Σ, μετανάστευση , ακαδημαϊκή επίδοση) και οικογενειακοί παράγοντες (ηλικία, εργασιακή κατάσταση, οικογενειακή κατάσταση, ακαδημαϊκό επίπεδο, μετανάστευση γονέων, ύπαρξη αδερφιών) που συσχετίζονται με την εμφάνισή τους. Η μελέτη πραγματοποιήθηκε σε σχολεία δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης το χρονικό διάστημα μεταξύ Οκτωβρίου 2011 και Μαΐου 2012 και προέκυψε τελικό δείγμα 10.930 εφήβων , 14-17 ετών, από την Ελλάδα, την Ισπανία, την Πολωνία, την Ολλανδία, τη Ρουμανία και την Ισλανδία. Οι έφηβοι συμμετέχοντες συμπλήρωσαν ανώνυμα ερωτηματολόγια αυτοαναφοράς, σχετικά με ατομικά και οικογενειακά τους στοιχεία αλλά και την κλίμακα αυτοαναφοράς Youth Self Report (YSR) κατά τη διάρκεια μιας σχολικής ώρας. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας, ο επιπολασμός των εξωτερικευμένων διαταραχών στο σύνολο του δείγματος ανέρχεται σε 7%, με την Ισλανδία να έχει το μικρότερο επιπολασμό (4%) και την Πολωνία τον μεγαλύτερο (10%). Από ατομικούς και οικογενειακούς παράγοντες που μελετήθηκαν, η ακαδημαϊκή επίδοση των εφήβων κατά το τελευταίο σχολικό έτος και ο Δ.Μ.Σ τους σχετίζεται με την εμφάνιση εξωτερικευμένων διαταραχών. Συγκεκριμένα, οι έφηβοι με πολύ χαμηλή σχολική επίδοση (1 - 9.9) έχουν σχεδόν πενταπλάσιες πιθανότητες εμφάνισης των εν λόγω διαταραχών, οι μαθητές με επίδοση 10-11.9 τριπλάσιες πιθανότητες, αυτοί με επίδοση 12-14,9 διπλάσιες πιθανότητες και αυτή με βαθμούς 15-17,9 1,5 πιθανότητες σε σχέση με τους συμμαθητές τους με άριστη επίδοση (18-20). Τέλος, οι παχύσαρκοι έφηβοι έχουν σχεδόν τριπλάσιες πιθανότητες σε σχέση με τους εφήβους φυσιολογικού βάρους. Από τους οικογενειακούς παράγοντες, η χαμηλή ή μέτρια μόρφωση των γονέων και της μητέρας ξεχωριστά συσχετίζονται με την εμφάνιση Ε.Δ στους εφήβους.This study focuses on externalizing disorders, consisting of aggressive and delinquent behaviors, during adolescence. Its aim is to estimate prevalence and determine which personal (gender, age, Β.Μ.Ι, immigration, school grades) and family factors (parents’ age, work status, relationship status, educational level, immigration and the presence of siblings) are associated with externalizing disorders. The study took place in secondary schools of Greece, Spain, Poland, The Netherlands, Romania and Iceland between October 2011 and May 2012. 7,495 adolescents, 14-17 years old, completed self-administered, anonymous questionnaires with personal and family data and the Youth Self Report (YSR) scale. The results of the statistical analysis suggest that the prevalence of externalizing disorders in the six countries is 7% overall, while Iceland reports the smallest prevalence of 4% and Poland the largest with a prevalence of 10%. The factors that seem to be associated with externalizing disorders in adolescence are the adolescent’s school performance and BMI. Specifically, adolescents with very low school performance (1- 9.9/20) have almost five times the odds of suffering from externalizing disorders, those with grades 10-11.9 three times the odds, those with grades 12-14.9 twice the odds and students with grades 15-17.9 1.5 times the odds compared to adolescents with high school grades (18-20). Οbese adolescents have almost three times the odds of externalizing disorders compared to normal weight adolescents. Parental low or medium academic level and mother’s academic level are also linked to externalizing disorders in adolescents

Εφαρμογή Γεωηλεκτρικής Τομογραφίας για την διερεύνηση των υπεδαφικών συνθήκων στη θέση θεμελίωσης του νέου κτιρίου των Ερευνητικών Εργαστηρίων της Οδοντιατρικής Σχολής του ΕΚΠΑ

Στην παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία παρουσιάζεται μέρος της γεωτεχνικής μελέτης που πραγματοποιήθηκε για την επικείμενη κατασκευή του νέου τετραώροφου κτιρίου της Οδοντιατρικής Σχολής, του Εθνικού και Καποδιστριακού Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών, στον σημερινό υπαίθριο χώρο στάθμευσης της Σχολής στο Γουδή. Η γεωλογική ενότητα που επικρατεί ως υπόβαθρο στο πεδίο έρευνας, είναι η ήπιας μεταμόρφωσης υποενότητα του Αλεποβουνίου και συγκεκριμένα ο σχηματισμός των «Σχιστόλιθων Αθηνών». Η γεωτεχνική μελέτη χωρίζεται σε δύο φάσεις, με διαφορετικούς επιστημονικούς συντελεστές η κάθε μία. Συνολικά έχουν εκτελεστεί οκτώ (8) δειγματοληπτικές γεωτρήσεις, οι λιθολογικές στήλες των οποίων παρουσιάζονται αναλυτικά, μαζί με τις μετρήσεις στάθμης που πραγματοποιούνται σε δύο από αυτές. Στην Β’ φάση της γεωτεχνικής μελέτης (Ιανουάριος 2022), εκτελέσθηκε και η εκτεταμένη επιφανειακή γεωφυσική έρευνα για τη διερεύνηση των υπεδαφικών συνθηκών, τμήμα της οποίας αποτελεί η παρούσα εργασία. Εκτελέσθηκε γεωηλεκτρική διασκόπηση, με εφαρμογή της τεχνικής της γεωηλεκτρικής τομογραφίας (electrical resistivity tomography - ERT). Χρησιμοποιήθηκε η διάταξη διπόλου-διπόλου (dipole-dipole), με την υλοποίηση τριών (3) γεωηλεκτρικών τομογραμμάτων, συνολικού μήκους 130 μέτρων και βάθους διασκόπησης περίπου 5 μέτρα. Η τοπογραφική αποτύπωση των γεωφυσικών μετρήσεων και λοιπών θέσεων ενδιαφέροντος στο πεδίο έρευνας, πραγματοποιήθηκε με διαφορικό δέκτη GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Τα αποτελέσματα της επεξεργασίας των γεωφυσικών μετρήσεων αναδεικνύουν τιμές ειδικής ηλεκτρικής αντίστασης στην περιοχή ανέγερσης του κτιρίου μεταξύ 60-150 Ωm, με εξαίρεση την παρουσία ενός ιδιαίτερα αντιστατικού στόχου (>500 Ωm) κοντά στο νότιο άκρο του υπαίθριου χώρου. Συνδυάζοντας τα αποτελέσματα των γεωφυσικών μετρήσεων, με τα ευρήματα των δειγματοληπτικών γεωτρήσεων, οι χαμηλές τιμές ειδικής ηλεκτρικής αντίστασης που διερευνώνται αποδίδονται στην ύπαρξη των παλαιών τεχνητών επιχώσεων. Ο αντιστατικός στόχος που διερευνήθηκε στον νότιο τμήμα του πεδίου μελέτης, αξιολογείται ως πιθανός ‘κενός χώρος’, πχ μία τεχνητή υπόγεια στοά ή παλαιές, πολύ αδρομερείς, ανθρώπινες αποθέσεις με μεγάλα κενά (μπάζα μη συμπυκνωμένα). Τέλος, με την παρούσα τεχνική, δεν κατέστη δυνατός ο εντοπισμός του ‘βραχώδους’ σχιστολιθικού υπόβαθρου και του υδροφόρου ορίζοντα, καθώς το πεδίο έρευνας δεν επιτρέπει μεγαλύτερο ανάπτυγμα της τεχνικής.This thesis presents a part of the geotechnical study carried out for the upcoming construction site of the new four-storey building of the School of Dentistry, of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in the current outdoor parking area of the School in Goudi, Athens. The geological unit prevailing as substratum in the field of research is the mild-metamorphic sub-unit Alepovouniou and specifically the formation of the "Athenian Schist". The geotechnical study is divided into two phases, each with different scientific contributors. In total, eight (8) sampling boreholes have been carried out, the lithological columns of which are presented in detail, along with the aquifer level measurements that are performed on two of them. In phase B’ of the geotechnical study (January 2022), an extended surface geophysical survey was also carried out to investigate the subsurface conditions, part of which is the present work. The Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) technique was performed, using the dipole-dipole array, with the implementation of three (3) geoelectric tomograms, of a total length of 130 meters and an investigation depth of about 5 meters. The topographical correction of all the geophysical measurements and other points of interest in the research field was carried out using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver. The results of processing of the geophysical measurements reveal values of specific electrical resistivity in the area between 60-150 Ωm, where the building is being constructed, with the exception of the presence of a particularly resistant target (>500 Ωm) near the southern end of the outdoor space. Combining the results of the geophysical measurements with the findings of the sampling boreholes, the low values of specific electrical resistivity investigated are attributed to the existence of old artificial deposits. The resistant target investigated in the southern part of the study area is evaluated as a possible "void space", for example an artificial underground gallery or old, very poorly consolidated, human deposits with large voids (uncompacted deposits). Finally, with the current technique, it was not possible to locate the solid schist bedrock and the aquifer level, as the free space of the research area is limited for the further development of the technique

Contrasting effects of temperature and winter mixing on the seasonal and inter-annual variability of the carbonate system in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean

Future climate change as a result of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations is expected to strongly affect the oceans, with shallower winter mixing and consequent reduction in primary production and oceanic carbon drawdown in low and mid-latitudinal oceanic regions. Here we test this hypothesis by examining the effects of cold and warm winters on the carbonate system in the surface waters of the Northeast Atlantic Ocean for the period between 2005 and 2007. Monthly observations were made between the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay using a ship of opportunity program. During the colder winter of 2005/2006, the maximum depth of the mixed layer reached up to 650 m in the Bay of Biscay, whilst during the warmer (by 2.6 a± 0.5 a°C) winter of 2006/2007 the mixed layer depth reached only 300 m. The inter-annual differences in late winter concentrations of nitrate (2.8 ± 1.1 μmol l−1) and dissolved inorganic carbon (22 a± 6 μmol kg−1, with higher concentrations at the end of the colder winter (2005/2006), led to differences in the dissolved oxygen anomaly and the chlorophyll <i>α</i>-fluorescence data for the subsequent growing season. In contrast to model predictions, the calculated air-sea CO2 fluxes (ranging from +3.7 to ĝ̂'4.8 mmol mĝ̂'2 d−1) showed an increased oceanic CO2 uptake in the Bay of Biscay following the warmer winter of 2006/2007 associated with wind speed and sea surface temperature differences. ©Author(s) 2010. CC Attribution 3.0 License

Environmental drivers of coccolithophore abundance and calcification across Drake Passage (Southern Ocean)

Although coccolithophores are not as numerically common or as diverse in the Southern Ocean as they are in subpolar waters of the North Atlantic, a few species, such as Emiliania huxleyi, are found during the summer months. Little is actually known about the calcite production (CP) of these communities or how their distribution and physiology relate to environmental variables in this region. In February 2009, we made observations across Drake Passage (between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula) of coccolithophore distribution, CP, primary production, chlorophyll a and macronutrient concentrations, irradiance and carbonate chemistry. Although CP represented less than 1% of total carbon fixation, coccolithophores were widespread across Drake Passage. The B/C morphotype of E. huxleyi was the dominant coccolithophore, with low estimates of coccolith calcite ( 0.01 pmol C coccolith-/ from biometric measurements. Both cell-normalised calcification (0.01–0.16 pmol C cell-1 d-1/ and total CP (< 20 μmol C m-1 d-1/were much lower than those observed in the subpolar North Atlantic where E. huxleyi morphotype A is dominant. However, estimates of coccolith production rates were similar (0.1–1.2 coccoliths cell-1 h-1/ to previous measurements made in the subpolar North Atlantic. A multivariate statistical approach found that temperature and irradiance together were best able to explain the observed variation in species distribution and abundance (Spearman’s rank correlation D0.4, p < 0.01). Rates of calcification per cell and coccolith production, as well as community CP and E. huxleyi abundance, were all positively correlated (p < 0.05) to the strong latitudinal gradient in temperature, irradiance and calcite saturation states across Drake Passage. Broadly, our results lend support to recent suggestions that coccolithophores, especially E. huxleyi, are advancing polewards. However, our in situ observations indicate that this may owe more to sea-surface warming and increasing irradiance rather than increasing CO2 concentrations

Nature Based Solution for indoor air quality treatment

CISBAT 2021 Carbon-neutral cities - energy efficiency and renewables in the digital era 8-10 September 2021, EPFL Lausanne, SwitzerlandPlants have the ability to absorb and degrade VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Foliage can intercept particulate matter (PM) and thus, help to reduce its concentration in the air. Plants can be used as filters in indoor conditions adding an ecosystem service to the decorative purpose. A plant-based air filtration system that actively improves indoor air quality has been developed and installed at a students’ residence at Brunel University, London. This unit replaces an existing window with a mini-greenhouse containing upwards of 30 plants and is connected to anaircircuittotreattheindoorair. Amonitoringplaniscollectingdataontheperformanceof the solution until at least the end of 2021. Preliminary results are presented, which indicate good effectiveness at reducing tVOCs and lower efficiency at reducing PM

Fennoscandian freshwater control on Greenland hydroclimate shifts at the onset of the Younger Dryas

Sources and timing of freshwater forcing relative to hydroclimate shifts recorded in Greenland ice cores at the onset of Younger Dryas, ∼12,800 years ago, remain speculative. Here we show that progressive Fennoscandian Ice Sheet (FIS) melting 13,100–12,880 years ago generates a hydroclimate dipole with drier–colder conditions in Northern Europe and wetter–warmer conditions in Greenland. FIS melting culminates 12,880 years ago synchronously with the start of Greenland Stadial 1 and a large-scale hydroclimate transition lasting ∼180 years. Transient climate model simulations forced with FIS freshwater reproduce the initial hydroclimate dipole through sea-ice feedbacks in the Nordic Seas. The transition is attributed to the export of excess sea ice to the subpolar North Atlantic and a subsequent southward shift of the westerly winds. We suggest that North Atlantic hydroclimate sensitivity to FIS freshwater can explain the pace and sign of shifts recorded in Greenland at the climate transition into the Younger Dryas

Growth and mortality of coccolithophores during spring in a temperate Shelf Sea (Celtic Sea, April 2015)

Coccolithophores are key components of phytoplankton communities, exerting a critical impact on the global carbon cycle and the Earth’s climate through the production of coccoliths made of calcium carbonate (calcite) and bioactive gases. Microzooplankton grazing is an important mortality factor in coccolithophore blooms, however little is currently known regarding the mortality (or growth) rates within non-bloom populations. Measurements of coccolithophore calcite production (CP) and dilution experiments to determine microzooplankton (≤63 µm) grazing rates were made during a spring cruise (April 2015) at the Central Celtic Sea (CCS), shelf edge (CS2), and within an adjacent April bloom of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi at station J2. CP at CCS ranged from 10.4 to 40.4 µmol C m−3 d−1 and peaked at the height of the spring phytoplankton bloom (peak chlorophyll-a concentrations ∼6 mg m−3). Cell normalised calcification rates declined from ∼1.7 to ∼0.2 pmol C cell−1 d−1, accompanied by a shift from a mixed coccolithophore species community to one dominated by the more lightly calcified species E. huxleyi and Calciopappus caudatus. At the CCS, coccolithophore abundance increased from 6 to 94 cells mL−1, with net growth rates ranging from 0.06 to 0.21 d−1 from the 4th to the 28th April. Estimates of intrinsic growth and grazing rates from dilution experiments, at the CCS ranged from 0.01 to 0.86 d−1 and from 0.01 to 1.32 d−1, respectively, which resulted in variable net growth rates during April. Microzooplankton grazers consumed 59 to >100% of daily calcite production at the CCS. Within the E. huxleyi bloom a maximum density of 1986 cells mL−1 was recorded, along with CP rates of 6000 µmol C m−3 d−1 and an intrinsic growth rate of 0.29 d−1, with ∼80% of daily calcite production being consumed. Our results show that microzooplankton can exert strong top-down control on both bloom and non-bloom coccolithophore populations, grazing over 60% of daily growth (and calcite production). The fate of consumed calcite is unclear, but may be lost either through dissolution in acidic food vacuoles, and subsequent release as CO2, or export to the seabed after incorporation into small faecal pellets. With such high microzooplankton-mediated mortality losses, the fate of grazed calcite is clearly a high priority research direction