Energy impact and CO2 emissions of a building with different façade solutions

[EN]This work uses a simplified life cycle analysis (LCA) methodology to explore the impact reduction potential in the design phase in terms of primary energy and greenhouse gas emissions for a given building using several façade solutions. This is achieved through a review of several design criteria (wall characteristics, insulation level, reposition rate and component durability) and their combinations, and analizing how they relate to the selected impacts for the production and use stages in the building life cycle. Results show that both emissions and energy embedded into the building materials or the building process are of great relevance and impact of emissions is comparable to those due to the use stage. This work concludes that, for a given building, a significant impact reduction on the selected impact indicators can be achieved by a careful selection of building solutions and durability strategies (through maintenance or refurbishment) in the design phase.[ES]El artículo emplea una simplificación de la metodología del análisis de ciclo de vida (ACV) para explorar en fase de proyecto el potencial de reducción de impactos, en términos de energía primaria y emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, para diferentes soluciones de fachada y estrategias de durabilidad. Se evalúan a nivel de edificio varias alternativas de diseño de una fachada tipo (configuración del muro, aislamiento, frecuencia de reposición y durabilidad) y se analiza su repercusión en los impactos seleccionados para las etapas de producción y uso del edificio. Se concluye la importancia de la energía y emisiones incorporadas a los materiales y procesos de construcción en los impactos totales, siendo las emisiones en esas fases comparables a las de la fase de uso. Se concluye la posibilidad de reducir significativamente los impactos mediante una selección cuidadosa de los criterios de diseño y estrategias apropiadas de durabilidad, mantenimiento y rehabilitación.Peer reviewe

Comparison of fracture toughness values of normal and high strength concrete determined by three point bend and modified disk-shaped compact tension specimens

The modified disk shaped compact tension test is a configuration derived from standard compact tension test that is used for measuring fracture mechanical properties of primarily metallic materials. The compact tension configuration is commonly used for measurement fracture mechanical properties as e.g. fracture toughness, Young’s modulus, work of fracture etc. The modified compact tension tests imply significant modifications of the specimen morphology in order to avoid premature failure. The modified compact tension test is not proper for quasi-brittle materials due to its complicated shape (steel-concrete interface), but it is easily extracted from drill core and we do not need large amount of material for obtaining fracture properties as we need for e.g. three- or four- point bend test. Since it is a new test method, a wide range of tests is needed to be done before it can be applied. In the paper the selected outputs of the experiments performed on normal and high strength concrete will be processed and the values of fracture mechanical parameters will be discussed

Biofilm formation of Flavobacterium psychrophilum on various substrates

The ability of Flavobacterium psychrophilum to adhere to and form biofilms on different types of materials used on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) farms was evaluated in this study. F. psychrophilum NCIMB 1947T, was inoculated onto a variety of different surfaces, including stainless steel, plastic, glass, wood, and zinc pyrithione encapsulated antibacterial plastic. The samples were then cultured in a humidified chamber or transferred into fish tanks containing either (1) freshwater or (2) filtered lake water. The formation of biofilms was quantified by fluorescent microscopy. F. psychrophilum formed biofilms on all of the surfaces tested; however, the adherence of the bacterium to the antibacterial plastic was much lower than the attachment observed on the other surfaces, illustrating the bacteriostatic properties of this material for F. psychrophilum. Moreover, bacterial numbers were greater on the surfaces maintained in lake water compared with those maintained in freshwater. The mineral composition of the lake water may have been responsible for the increased bacterial adherence observed between the two types of water. Treatment of the water, regular cleaning of equipment and the use of antimicrobial material to house the fish may help reduce biofilm formation by F. psychrophilum in fish farming systems

Reglas constitutivas y racionalidad normativa en la teoría de los hechos institucionales de John Searle

En este artículo nos proponemos examinar los supuestos teóricos generales de la ontología social desarrollada por el filósofo norteamericano John Searle. Para ello, expondremos los elementos esenciales de su teoría de las instituciones, a fin de mostrar cómo para el pensador anglosajón las realidades sociales surgen de determinados actos de habla (speech acts), haciendo hincapié en el rol especial que en ello cumplen el lenguaje y lo que Searle denomina como intencionalidad colectiva (collective intentionality). Esta exposición nos permitirá poner de manifiesto una cierta insuficiencia en una aproximación de esta clase, mostrando la conveniencia, no prevista por Searle, de hacer de la racionalidad (y específicamente de la racionalidad práctica) la fuente última de toda posible normatividad. Con ello, estaremos en condiciones de asumir los desarrollos de una de las más innovadoras teorías sociales del último siglo, para así reconducirlos o reinterpretarlos a la luz de las doctrinas más clásicas sobre la vida en sociedad y el orden moral

Utility of periodontal exploration in patients with fibromyalgia

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.[Objetive]: Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain syndrome with unknown etiology, which affects predominantly women. Mitochondrial alteration could have a role in the pathophysilogical mechanisms of inflammatory conditions as FM and periodontitis. The aim of the present study was assay the relationship between both diseases and mitochondrial dysfunction. [Patients and methods]: We study the presence of periodontitis in twelve patients diagnosed of FM and mitochondrial dysfunction described. The diagnosis of FM was established according to ACR criteria and clinical symptoms were evaluated using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). [Results]: Only one patients of twelve included and agreed to participate in the study were diagnosed with periodontitis. [Conclusions]: Pending studies with larger numbers of patients, we can conclude that mitochondrial dysfunction in FM is a itself event not related with periodontitis. Periodontitis could be considered a exclusion criterion in all studies about mitochondrial dysfunction in patients.Peer Reviewe

Components determining the slowness of information processing in parkinson’s disease.

Introduction Bradyphrenia is a key cognitive feature in Parkinson's disease (PD). There is no consensus on whether information processing speed is impaired or not beyond motor performance. Objective This study aims to explore which perceptual, motor, or cognitive components of information processing are involved in the slowdown affecting cognitive performance. Methods The study included 48 patients with PD (age: 63, 3 ± 8, 18; HY I-III; UPDRS 15,46 ± 7,76) and 53 healthy controls (age: 60,09 ± 12,83). Five reaction time (RT) tasks were administered to all participants. The average RT in each of the tasks and the percentage of correct answers were measured. Patients with PD were in "ON state" at the time of the evaluation. Perceptual, motor, and cognitive components were isolated by means of a series of ANCOVAs. Results As expected, the motor component was slowed down in patients with PD. Moreover, while patients with PD showed slower RT than controls in all tasks, differences between groups did not exponentially increase with the increasing task complexity. ANCOVA analyses also revealed that the perceptual and sustained alert component resulted to be slowed down, with no differences being found in any of the remaining isolated cognitive components (i.e., response strategy-inhibition, decisional, visual search, or interference control). Conclusions The results revealed that slowness of information processing in PD was mainly associated with an impaired processing speed of the motor and perceptual-alertness components analyzed. The results may help designing new neurorehabilitation strategies, focusing on the improvement of perceptual and alertness mechanisms.post-print534 K

Development of Conjunctival Goblet Cells and Their Neuroreceptor Subtype Expression

PURPOSE. To investigate expression of muscarinic, cholinergic, and adrenergic receptors on developing conjunctival goblet cells. METHODS. Eyes were removed from rats 9 to 60 days old, fixed, and used for microscopy. For glycoconjugate expression, sections were stained with Alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff's reagent (AB/PAS) and with the lectins Ulex europeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) and Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA). Goblet cell bodies were identified using anti-cytokeratin 7 (CK7). Nerve fibers were localized using anti-protein gene product 9.5. Location of muscarinic and adrenergic receptors was investigated using anti-muscarinic and ␤-adrenergic receptors. RESULTS. At days 9 and 13, single apical cells in conjunctival epithelium stained with AB/PAS, UEA-I, and CK7. At days 17 and 60, increasing numbers of goblet cells were identified by AB/PAS, UEA-I, HPA, and CK7. Nerve fibers were localized around stratified squamous cells and at the epithelial base at days 9 and 13, and around goblet cells and at the epithelial base at days 17 and 60. At days 9 and 13, M 2 -and M 3 -muscarinic and ␤ 2 -adrenergic receptors were found in stratified squamous cells, but M 1 -muscarinic and ␤ 1 -adrenergic receptors were not detected. At days 17 and 60, M 2 -and M 3 -muscarinic receptors were found in goblet cells, whereas M 1 -muscarinic receptors were in stratified squamous cells. ␤ 1 -and ␤ 2 -Adrenergic receptors were found on both cell types. ␤ 3 -Adrenergic receptors were not detected. CONCLUSIONS. In conjunctiva, nerves, M 2 -and M 3 -muscarinic, and ␤ 1 -and ␤ 2 -adrenergic receptors are present on developing goblet cells and could regulate secretion as eyelids open. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000;41:2127-2137 T he tear film mucus layer consists of high molecular weight glycoconjugates including mucins, which are secreted mainly by conjunctival goblet cells. This layer plays an important role in protecting the ocular surface from exogenous agents (bacterial or chemical) and provides lubrication during all types of eye movements. 1 Goblet cells can release their secretory granules in a reflex response mediated by the activation of either parasympathetic or sympathetic nerves that surround them. 2,3 Previous reports from this laboratory showed the localization of nerve fibers adjacent to goblet cells in rat conjunctiva. 5 Use of immunofluorescence techniques demonstrated that M 2 -and M 3 -, but not M 1 -muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (MAchRs), are present on goblet cells and are located on membranes subjacent to secretory granules. VIP type 2 receptors (VIPR2s) are located in the basolateral membranes of goblet cells. 3 Although the role of the sympathetic agonists in stimulating goblet cell secretion is unknown, ␤ 1 -and ␤ 2 -adrenergic receptor (␤AR) subtypes appear to be present in goblet cells as well as in stratified squamous cells. Morphologic studies in developing conjunctiva suggest that based on changes in the acidity of glycoproteins in the secretory granules, goblet cells may differentiate from basal epithelial cells in the forniceal zone. 7 Watanabe et al

Género, apoyo social informal y malnutrición en adultos mayores de Puerto Vallarta

Objective: Characterize the relationship between gender, social situation, nutritional status, and informal support network of older adults living in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico. Method: Cross-sectional, correlational, multivariate study. It shows 387 older adults between 60 and 98 years old, mean age 70, 234 (60.5%) women, 153 (39.5%) men. Body weight and anthropometric measurements were determined. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), the Social Situation survey and the MOS scale for social support were applied. Results: Older adults with work activity, 294 (75.9%) with their own home, 261 (67.4%) with medical social security [IMSS and ISSSTE] 234 (60.5%). Based on the classification made by the MNA with respect to nutritional status Body mass index [BMI] an average of 28.4 in women and 27.06 in men, finding malnutrition and risk through MNA at 23.3% and in the normal range at 76.7% comparing With WHO parameters we have a prevalence of overweight and obesity. ANOVAS of one factor were carried out to compare whether the scores in the different types of emotional, instrumental, and affective support are the same in the three nutritional states: normal, risk of malnutrition and malnutrition, the following values ​​were obtained equally: Malnutrition value of p<.05 equal to .000 Risk of malnutrition = .0017, Normal = to .200. Conclusions: There is a relationship between the type of support that older adults receive and their nutritional status, however, the gender differences are not significant.Objetivo: Caracterizar la relación  entre el género, situación social, estado nutricional y red de apoyo informal de los adultos mayores que viven en Puerto Vallarta Jalisco México. Método: Estudio multivariado correlacional, transversal. Muestra 387 adultos mayores entre 60 y 98 años, media de 70 años 234 (60.5%) mujeres 153 (39.5%) hombres. Se determinó el peso corporal y medidas antropométricas. Se aplicó el Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), la encuesta de la Situación Social y la escala de MOS para apoyo social. Resultados: Adultos mayores con actividad laboral, 294 (75.9%) con vivienda propia, 261 (67.4%) con seguridad social médica [IMSS e ISSSTE] 234 (60.5%). Con base en la clasificación que hace el MNA con respecto al estado nutricio Índice de masa corporal [IMC] una media de 28.4 en mujeres y 27.06 en hombres encontrando con malnutrición y riesgo mediante MNA a 23.3 % y en rango normal a un 76.7% comparando con parámetros OMS tenemos una prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad. Se realizaron ANOVAS de un factor, para comparar si los puntajes en los diferentes tipos de apoyo emocional, instrumental y afectivo son los mismos en los tres estados nutricios normal, riesgo de mal nutrición y mal nutrición se obtuvieron los siguientes valores por igual:  Mal nutrición valor de p<.05  igual a  .000 Riesgo de malnutrición = .0017, Normal = a .200. Conclusiones: Existe una relación entre el tipo de apoyo que reciben los adultos mayores y su estado nutricional, no obstante, las diferencias de género no resultan significativas