Importance of microclimate conditions and CO 2 control in educational buildings: a case study

ArticleCurrent efforts to minimize energy losses and maximize energy savings for heating of all houses are most often gained by insulating facades and replacing windows. However, these measures can have a significant negative impact on human health and these problems can occur in buildings with a high concentration of people, such as school buildings. The aim of this paper is to analyse the results of measurements of air temperature, relative air humidity and carbon dioxide in winter period in the classrooms of two universities, Estonian University of Life Sciences (EULS) in Tartu and Czech University of Life Sciences (CULS) in Prague. The measurements have carried out in 2017 2018 in eight classrooms of the EULS and two classr ooms of the CULS. The external and internal temperature, relative humidity and concentration of carbon dioxide have measured in the classrooms during a few days in the winter period. In the lecture rooms of CULS, when the air conditioning was off, the leve ls of CO 2 exceeded the recommended levels about two times. The average internal temperature and CO 2 concentrations in the classrooms of EULS follows the norms and refers on good ventilation. The extremely low relative humidity in the classrooms of EULS at 17.1 ± 2.6% refers to a high risk of allostatic load and respiratory symptoms among students. It is important to pay attention on regular ventilation and relative air humidity control in the teaching rooms, especially with high number of students to preven t seasonal sickness of upper respiratory tract

Synthesis, photophysical and electroluminescent properties of 1,3-diphenyl-1H-benzo[g]pyrazolo[3,4–b]quinoxaline

Abstract Experimental investigations of electroluminescence spectra for new azaacene derivative have been performed. Azaacene was used as dopant in {PVK} matrices in electroluminescence devices with ITO/PEDOT:PSS/active layer/Ca/Al light-emitting diode configuration. The yellow emission was obtained with the electroluminance of 1530 cd/m2 at 15.0V

Capacitación y supervisión a equipos técnicos: saldando una deuda pendiente en temas de discapacidad y vejez

El presente trabajo hace referencia a la experiencia que surge de la implementación del proyecto aprobado y financiado en 2010 por Extensión Universitaria de la UNLP, denominado “Capacitación y Supervisión a equipos interdisciplinarios: saldando una deuda pendiente en temas de vejez y discapacidad”. Fueron partícipes de esta experiencia estudiantes avanzados, graduados y profesores de las Facultades de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación, Psicología y Trabajo Social (en carácter de Unidad Ejecutora), y como co-participantes la Comisión Universitaria sobre Discapacidad (CUD), el INSSJyP – Pami, la Red Mayor Nodo La Plata y la Dirección de Servicios Sociales de la UNLP. La implementación del proyecto implicó las instancias de capacitación y supervisión institucional, destinado a equipos técnicos y profesionales que se desempeñaban en centros de salud, áreas de acción social municipal, organizaciones específicas de adultos mayores e instituciones de personas con discapacidad. La implementación del proyecto dio lugar a que se establecieran tres aspectos a analizar al momento de realizar la evaluación final del mismo: a) la realización de trabajos finales de los diversos destinatarios que con sus diferentes matrices disciplinarias problematizaron la temática de la vejez y la discapacidad, la apropiación de nuevos conocimientos que potenciaron el cuestionamiento de las prácticas vigentes, la incorporación de metodologías de análisis diagnóstico, el conocimiento, diseño e implementación de modelos de gestión y el fortalecimiento del trabajo interdisciplinario; b) la función de Extensión Universitaria de responder a las demandas de la sociedad ante las carencias en la formación académica de los graduados; y finalmente c) impulsar la formación de estudiantes avanzados que a través de la extensión acompañaron el proyecto y participaron activamente en el cumplimiento del mismo. Por otro lado, se debe destacar que esta experiencia de intervención aporta a la política pública a partir del trabajo multidimensional de los diversos actores implicados en la propuesta (Universidad; Estado Nacional; Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil; Ciudadanos), así como la intención del proyecto en sí mismo de buscar constantemente el conocimiento y la reflexión que permita mejorar la calidad de trabajo de los profesionales, generar ambientes laborales saludables en las diversas instituciones, y consecuentemente contribuir a la mejora de la calidad de vida de quienes reciben los aportes profesionales, en este caso, la población adulta mayor y las personas con discapacidad

Compound tool construction by New Caledonian crows

The construction of novel compound tools through assemblage of otherwise non-functional elements involves anticipation of the affordances of the tools to be built. Except for few observations in captive great apes, compound tool construction is unknown outside humans, and tool innovation appears late in human ontogeny. We report that habitually tool-using New Caledonian crows (Corvus moneduloides) can combine objects to construct novel compound tools. We presented 8 naive crows with combinable elements too short to retrieve food targets. Four crows spontaneously combined elements to make functional tools, and did so conditionally on the position of food. One of them made 3- and 4-piece tools when required. In humans, individual innovation in compound tool construction is often claimed to be evolutionarily and mechanistically related to planning, complex task coordination, executive control, and even language. Our results are not accountable by direct reinforcement learning but corroborate that these crows possess highly flexible abilities that allow them to solve novel problems rapidly. The underlying cognitive processes however remain opaque for now. They probably include the species' typical propensity to use tools, their ability to judge affordances that make some objects usable as tools, and an ability to innovate perhaps through virtual, cognitive simulations

Sex estimation using measurements of the proximal femur in a historical population from Poland

Sex estimation is one of the most important components in assessing the biological profile of an individual. In an archaeological context, the pelvis, which is the most dimorphic part of the skeleton, is often poorly preserved, which can cause an inability to use morphological sex estimation methods. Therefore, alternative methods are required in such cases. Because the utility of the metric methods based on the femur measurement has been confirmed, and the bone is usually available for examination due to its good preservation, developing methods using the landmarks of the femur could have important implications in sex estimation.  This study aimed to derive a discriminant function equation for a Polish archaeological population based on measurements of the proximal end of the femur.  The study sample included individuals from a medieval cemetery in Milicz (n = 62) and an early modern necropolis at Czysty Square in Wrocław, Poland (n = 162). The analysis included seven measurements collected from the right and left proximal femora. To estimate the reproducibility of the measurements, intra-and interobserver errors and reliability coefficients were calculated. Subsequently, univariate and stepwise discriminant analyses were performed, and the sex sectioning points and equations were proposed.  No differences were observed between measurements of the right and left femora. The results indicated a high utility and reproducibility of the FHD measurement (regardless whether left or right femur was measured). The discriminant equations for sex estimation reached an accuracy of 83.0–92.3%, which implies the utility of the function on Polish historical populations when the other methods for sex estimation cannot be used.

Men With a Terminal Illness Relax Their Criteria for Facial Attractiveness

According to the life history paradigm, in life-threatening conditions, sexual selection criteria are relaxed in order to increase the probability of a last resort reproduction, ultimately contributing to reproductive success. This should be reflected in loosened mating preferences — a process observed in nonhuman animals. Studies investigating this aspect in humans, however, are scarce. This study explored the aesthetic preferences towards facial and nonfacial stimuli in terminally ill patients with heart failure (HF) and their healthy, same-sex peers. The aim was to examine if these two groups of men demonstrate different patterns of aesthetic judgments. Using a 7-point scale, 65 male patients with HF and 143 healthy men evaluated the perceived attractiveness of 15 photographs (five adult male faces, five adult female faces, and five nonfacial pictures). A mixed-design analysis of variance was run to assess group differences in aesthetic preferences. Compared to healthy controls, stimuli. HF patients rated the pictures using significantly higher scores, but this applied only to male and female, but not nonfacial, stimuli. We propose that lower criteria for facial attractiveness in HF patients are linked to relaxation of mate preferences as a result of a life-threatening conditions, and that this process can be an adaptive mating strategy from an ultimate, evolutionary perspective. However, other mechanisms (e.g., seeking social support) may be also responsible for the observed patterns

The effect of warning signs on the presence of snare traps in a Ugandan rainforest

BCFS receives core funding from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. The Budongo Snare Removal Project is funded by Oakland Zoo. PF was funded by the European Research Council project grant to CC (grant agreement number: 679787). DPD was funded by the National Science Centre (grant number: 2020/04/X/NZ8/00865).Since chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) conservation often involves local human populations, conservation strategies must consider psychological factors that impact their behavior. In Budongo Forest, Uganda, for example, local communities commonly engage in snare trap (hereafter: snare) setting for wild meat. This illegal activity posits a substantial threat to wild chimpanzees, causing permanent wounds or death for those who are snared. Despite various schemes previously implemented to address snare setting?an activity that is fueled by poverty, the problem and its detrimental impact on chimpanzees persists. Here, we experimentally tested a novel intervention, a systematic display of specially designed warning signs aimed at local poachers. We monitored the presence of snares before and after introducing these signs over a total period of two years and compared it with that of a similar sized control area with no intervention. Results show that snares were less likely to be present during the ?sign? period than during the ?non-sign? period in the experimental but not in the control area. We discuss the potential of this cost-effective intervention for limiting illegal activities that pose a severe threat to chimpanzees and other species inhabiting tropical forests.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A pilot study of the novel J-PET plastic scintillator with 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole as a wavelength shifter

For the first time a molecule of 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole containing benzoxazole and stilbene groups is applied as a scintillator dopant acting as a wavelength shifter. In this article a light yield of the plastic scintillator, prepared from styrene doped with 2 wt% of 2,5-diphenylbenzoxazole and 0.03 wt% of 2-(4-styrylphenyl)benzoxazole, is determined to be as large as 60% $\pm$ 2% of the anthracene light output. There is a potential to improve this value in the future by the optimization of the additives concentrations