Älykkäät huonejärjestelmät perusparannetuissa koulurakennuksissa

Smart technologies in buildings can improve user satisfaction, energy efficiency and the performance of technical systems. Demand-based ventilation and heating solutions are used to achieve great indoor environment quality energy efficiently. The European Commission has introduced a Smart Readiness Indicator in the new Energy performance of buildings directive, which aims at proving the added value that smart technologies bring to the building owners, users and tenants. The objectives of the thesis are to evaluate how ICT-technology and services can be used in buildings through case examples and to integrate different systems to co-operate including building automation, HVAC and a mobile application. The measurements were conducted in seven rooms in Aalto University’s Undergraduate center. The main improvements were: the monitoring and controllability of the variable air volume ventilation- and water radiator heating-system through Aalto space – mobile app, occupancy measurements and the collection of user satisfaction feedback. The VAV-ventilation system in the case rooms worked as designed. The CO2 concentration varied with each room, but the temperatures were nearly identical and stable. Three different control strategies for the ventilation were tested, where the combination of both temperature and CO2 concentration proved to be the best solution. The ratio between exhaust and supply air flows varied from room to room, best being 100% and worst 60%. This difference could be seen in the results of the pressure differences over the building envelope. This measurement was used to assess the performance of the ventilation system. All rooms were underpressured and there was a clear difference between day and night time pressures difference over the building envelope. During the night, the air handling unit of the zone serving the case rooms was not operating. Still during the nights, some general exhaust fan operating causing the greater underpressure. Room occupancy was measured with image- and CO2 concentration-based methods. Image-based methods provided varying results. The Kinect sensor had problems in identifying people, but the AXIS-3045 worked well with 95% accuracy. CO2 concentration-based method was accurate to one person 66% of the time and 89% accurate in identifying if the room is occupied or not. The error is caused by the latency of change of the concentration in the rooms. Also, the CO2 generation rates by humans and the accuracy of the supply and exhaust air flows can cause errors. User satisfaction in the rooms was measured with a paper survey and through Aalto space – mobile app. The results indicate that people are quite satisfied with the rooms as through the paper survey 71% answered +/- 1 on the PMV scale and through Aalto Space 84% answered either four or five stars out of five. Nearly half rated the indoor temperature as slightly cool/cool or cold. The indoor temperature was considered to be acceptable by 69% and the air quality by 79% of the respondents.Rakennusten älykkäät teknologiat parantavat käyttäjätyytyväisyyttä, energiatehokkuutta sekä rakennusten elinikää. Tarpeenmukaisen ilmanvaihdon ja lämmityksen ratkaisuilla saavutetaan energiatehokkaasti korkeatasoinen sisäilmaston laatu. Euroopan komissio on julkaissut uuden Smart Readiness indikaattorin, jonka tarkoituksena on korostaa älykkäiden teknologioiden tuoma lisäarvo rakennusten omistajille, käyttäjille sekä asukkaille. Tämän työn tavoitteena on arvioida miten ICT-teknologiaa ja palveluita voidaan käyttää rakennuksissa esimerkkitapausten avulla sekä integroida eri taloteknisiä ja muita järjestelmiä, kuten rakennusautomaation ja LVI:n sekä mobiilisovelluksen yhteen. Mittaukset toteutettiin seitsemässä huoneessa Aalto-yliopiston Kandidaattikeskuksessa. Tärkeimmät parannukset olivat: muuttuvan ilmavirtasääteisen ilmanvaihdon sekä vesiradiaattorijärjestelmän seuranta sekä ohjaus Aalto Space-mobiilisovelluksella, huoneiden käyttöasteen mittaus sekä käyttäjätyytyväisyys palautteen kerääminen. Muuttuva ilmavirtasääteinen ilmanvaihto toimi huoneissa kuten se oli suunniteltu. Sisäilmaolosuhteet vaihtelivat huoneiden välillä hiilidioksidipitoisuuden osalta, mutta lämpötila oli lähes identtinen jokaisessa huoneessa. Huoneissa testattiin kolmea eri ilmanvaihdonohjausstrategiaa, joista lämpötilan ja hiilidioksidipitoisuuden yhteisohjaus osoittautui parhaaksi ratkaisuksi. Myös tulo- ja poistoilmavirtojen suhde vaihteli huoneissa. Muutamissa huoneissa ilmavirrat olivat noin 100 % tasapainossa ja joissakin huoneissa suhde oli jopa 60 %. Tämä ero näkyi esimerkiksi huoneiden paine-eroissa rakennuksen vaipan yli. Paine-ero mittauksia tehtiin arvioidakseen ilmanvaihtojärjestelmän toimivuutta. Kaikki huoneet olivat alipaineisia. Alipaine oli selvästi suurempi öisin kuin päivisin. Tämä muutos johtuu siitä, että huoneiden ilmanvaihtokone on öisin pois päältä, mutta rakennuksessa on muita poistoilmanvaihtokoneita päällä. Käyttäjätyytyväisyyttä mitattiin kuudella kysymyksellä paperisena sekä Aalto Space -mobiilisovelluksen avulla. Tulokset osoittavat, että ihmiset ovat melko tyytyväisiä huoneiden sisäilmastoon, sillä paperikyselyiden kautta 71 % vastasi +/- 1 PMV-asteikolla ja Aalto Spacen kautta 84 % vastasi joko neljä tai viisi tähteä viidestä. Lähes puolet vastaajista kertoi sisälämpötilan olevan hieman viileä, viileä tai kylmä. Hyväksyttävänä sisälämpötilaa piti 69 % ja ilmanlaatua 79 % vastaajista

Seasonal influenza vaccines induced high levels of neutralizing cross-reactive antibody responses against different genetic group influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses

Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses have been circulating throughout the world since the 2009 pandemic. A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) virus was included in seasonal influenza vaccines for seven years altogether, providing a great opportunity to analyse vaccine-induced immunity in relation to the postpandemic evolution of the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. Serum antibodies against various epidemic strains of influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 viruses were measured among health care workers (HCWs) by haemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization tests before and after 2010 and 2012 seasonal influenza vaccinations. We detected high responses of vaccine-induced neutralizing antibodies to six distinct genetic groups. Our results indicate antigenic similarity between vaccine and circulating A(H1N1)pdm09 strains, and substantial vaccine-induced immunity against circulating epidemic viruses. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd.Peer reviewe

Exposure to persons with symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infection and relative risk of disease : self-reported observations by controls in a randomized intervention trial

Abstract Background Little is known about the quantitative relationships between a self-recognized exposure to people with symptoms of respiratory (RTI) or gastrointestinal tract infection (GTI) and subsequent occurrence of homologous symptoms in the exposed person. Methods Adult office employees, controls in an intervention trial, reported weekly own symptoms of RTI or GTI and exposures to other persons with similar symptoms. To ascertain the reliability of the self-reported data, the participants received both in-advance training and repeated instructions in the weekly Email requests for reports. The relationship of self-reported exposures to self-reported homologous symptoms during the same or the following week was analyzed including, in the statistical models, cluster effects and longitudinal aspects in the data, seasonality, and cluster-specific baseline values. Results Altogether 11,644 weekly reports were received from 230 participants during the 16-month duration of the study. The mean age of the reporters was 42.9 years (standard deviation 11.1 years), and the female/male ratio 157/68 (for 5 participants this information was not available). A reported exposure to RTI was associated with an almost 5-fold higher relative risk for a reported homologous infection during the same week (4.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.0 to 5.9), and with a 3-fold risk during the following week (3.3; CI 2.8 to 3.8). For GTI the corresponding figures were 15.1 (CI 10.4 to 21.8) and 4.3 (CI 3.1 to 5.8), respectively. On the other hand, for 24% of the designated RTI episodes, a homologous exposure had been reported during neither the same nor the preceding week. For GTI this figure was even greater (40%). For both RTI and GTI, weeks with a reported exposure were more frequent outside the workplace than only at the workplace (434 versus 262, and 109 versus 41, respectively). Conclusion A reported exposure to persons with obvious symptoms of RTI or GTI significantly increased the relative risk of reported homologous infection in the exposed adult persons. Yet, a substantial part of reported designated RTI and, especially, GTI episodes occurred without a reported exposure during the same or the previous week. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov with an identifier of NCT00821509 (12 March 2009)

Ventilation during continuous compressions or at 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio results in similar arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in an experimental model of prolonged cardiac arrest

Background: In refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, transportation to hospital with continuous chest compressions (CCC) from a chest compression device and ventilation with 100% oxygen through an advanced airway is common practice. Despite this, many patients are hypoxic and hypercapnic on arrival, possibly related to suboptimal ventilation due to the counterpressure caused by the CCC. We hypothesized that a compression/ventilation ratio of 30:2 would provide better ventilation and gas exchange compared to asynchronous CCC during prolonged experimental cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).Methods: We randomized 30 anaesthetized domestic swine (weight approximately 50 kg) with electrically induced ventricular fibrillation to the CCC or 30:2 group and bag-valve ventilation with a fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO(2)) of 100%. We started CPR after a 5-min no-flow period and continued until 40 min from the induction of ventricular fibrillation. Chest compressions were performed with a Stryker Medical LUCAS (R) 2 mechanical chest compression device. We collected arterial blood gas samples every 5 min during the CPR, measured ventilation distribution during the CPR using electrical impedance tomography (EIT) and analysed post-mortem computed tomography (CT) scans for differences in lung aeration status.Results: The median (interquartile range [IQR]) partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) at 30 min was 110 (52-117) mmHg for the 30:2 group and 70 (40-171) mmHg for the CCC group. The median (IQR) partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) at 30 min was 70 (45-85) mmHg for the 30:2 group and 68 (42-84) mmHg for the CCC group. No statistically significant differences between the groups in PaO2 (p =0.40), PaCO2 (p = 0.79), lactate (p = 0.37), mean arterial pressure (MAP) (p = 0.47) or EtCO2 (p = 0.19) analysed with a linear mixed model were found. We found a deteriorating trend in PaO2, EtCO2 and MAP and rising PaCO2 and lactate levels through the intervention. There were no differences between the groups in the distribution of ventilation in the EIT data or the post-mortem CT findings.Conclusions: The 30:2 and CCC protocols resulted in similar gas exchange and lung pathology in an experimental prolonged mechanical CPR model.Peer reviewe

Genomic and epidemiological report of the recombinant XJ lineage SARS-CoV-2 variant, detected in northern Finland, January 2022

Recombinant sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant were detected in surveillance samples collected in north-western Finland in January 2022. We detected 191 samples with an identical genome arrangement in weeks 3 to 11, indicating sustained community transmission. The recombinant lineage has a 5'-end of BA.1, a recombination breakpoint between orf1a and orf1b (nucleotide position 13,296-15,240) and a 3'-end of BA.2 including the S gene. We describe the available genomic and epidemiological data about this currently circulating recombinant XJ lineage.Peer reviewe

Genomic and epidemiological report of the recombinant XJ lineage SARS-CoV-2 variant, detected in northern Finland, January 2022

Recombinant sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant were detected in surveillance samples collected in north-western Finland in January 2022. We detected 191 samples with an identical genome arrangement in weeks 3 to 11, indicating sustained community transmission. The recombinant lineage has a 5'-end of BA.1, a recombination breakpoint between orf1a and orf1b (nucleotide position 13,296-15,240) and a 3'-end of BA.2 including the S gene. We describe the available genomic and epidemiological data about this currently circulating recombinant XJ lineage.Peer reviewe

Sinun influenssarokotuksesi on osa potilasturvallisuutta

Terveydenhuollon henkilöstön vuosittaiset influenssarokotukset ovat olennainen osa vakavasti perussairaiden henkilöiden epäsuoraa suojaamista influenssainfektiota vastaan. Erityisesti lääketieteellisiin riskiryhmiin kuuluvilla influenssainfektio voi johtaa vakavaan sairaala- tai jopa tehohoitoa vaativaan tautiin

Energia, huoltovarmuus ja geopoliittiset siirtymät

Hanke on toteutettu Pöyryn ja Helsingin yliopiston Aleksanteri-instituutin yhteistyöhankkeena, ja se käsittelee energiasektorin muutostrendien vaikutusta geopolitiikkaan ja huoltovarmuuteen. Työn tavoitteena on ollut kehittää strategisiin energiasiirtymiin liittyvien poliittisten riskien ja epävarmuustekijöiden ennakointia kolmen Pöyryn valitseman energiaskenaarion (hitaan kehityksen skenaario, perusskenaario ja nopean kehityksen skenaario) kautta vuoteen 2040 saakka. Raportti antaa kokonaiskuvan tulevaisuuden energiantuotantorakenteesta keskittyen erityisesti hiilivetyjen kysynnän kehittymiseen ja uusiin teknologioihin. Lopputuloksena on arvioitu muutoksen merkitystä Venäjälle ja edelleen sen vaikutusta Suomen huoltovarmuuteen ja turvallisuuspolitiikkaan. Tulevaisuuden kehitys vastaa todennäköisesti perus- ja nopean kehityksen skenaarion välimuotoa, ja etenkin nopean kehityksen skenaario voi johtaa globaalisti merkittävään hiilivetyjen ylitarjontatilanteeseen. Energian ja sähkön kysyntä kasvaa, ja hiilivetyjen kysyntä laskee globaalisti ja alueellisesti molemmissa skenaarioissa. Suomen huoltovarmuuden kannalta tilanne paranee tuontipolttoaineiden osuuden vähenemisen myötä, taloudellinen riippuvuus Venäjästä vähenee ja Venäjän kyky vaikuttaa energian kautta laskee. Venäjä käyttää todennäköisesti vähemmän suoria vaikutuskeinoja mutta epäsuorien keinojen käyttö on mahdollista. Kriittisimmäksi tekijäksi Suomen huoltovarmuuden kannalta nousee polttoaineiden logistiikan turvaaminen (lämmöntuotannossa biopolttoaineet ja liikenteessä öljytuotteet ja nestemäiset biopolttoaineet) ja sähköverkon toimivuus etenkin tilanteissa, joissa Suomessa sijaitsevan tuotantokapasiteetin ja huippukulutuksen erotus on suuri. Jotta Venäjän mahdollisiin epäsuoriin vaikutuskeinoihin voidaan varautua myös tulevaisuudessa, viranomaisten, ministeriöiden ja yksityisen sektorin välinen yhteistyö on olennaista erilaisten epävarmuustekijöiden ja riskien ennakoimisessa sekä politiikkavalmisteluss

Antenatal screening for HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis and rubella susceptibility in the EU/EEA : A Member State survey of policies and practices in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission

The results of this survey and the available surveillance data indicate that there is ongoing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis and rubella, especially among certain high-risk populations. This suggests that the effectiveness of the antenatal screening practice – despite of considerable breaths – can be optimised. Factors that compromise effectiveness include low screening coverage, limited access to antenatal care services, and limited access to testing for several subpopulations. While the case rates of MTCT of HIV and congenital syphilis are below the WHO global targets for the elimination in the EU/EEA (<50 cases per 100 000 live births), antenatal care coverage and testing still needs to be scaled up in several countries, with increased attention to be given to improving access to antenatal screening for vulnerable groups. Few countries collect data robust enough for a comprehensive evaluation of antenatal screening programme effectiveness, and even fewer countries make the results of such evaluations publically available. It would therefore be helpful to develop a set of process and outcome indicators to guide countries in the monitoring and evaluation of antenatal screening programme effectiveness. Several national surveillance systems in EU/EEA countries do not currently identify and record all MTCT cases in people born in the reporting country. Recording these cases is essential for the informative value of national screening programmes. In addition, the notification of congenital syphilis cases is not mandatory in some countries. Enhanced surveillance of MTCT cases with comprehensive collection of information about the mother and the child would improve the assessment of the incidence of MTCT and would provide valuable information on risk factors. This information could then be used to inform national policies and would probably lead to scaled-up antenatal screening for the most-at-risk subpopulations. Ongoing mother-to-child transmission particularly affects certain vulnerable groups that are not adequately reached by, or do not have access to, testing services and prevention interventions that are available to the majority of the population. Member States should consider targeted interventions for such populations at risk, based on an assessment of disease epidemiology and risk profile. ECDC is currently developing an evidence-based guidance to strengthen antenatal screening among vulnerable groups. The guidance will answer two central questions: a) What are the decisive elements of national programmes for antenatal infection screening with regard to their effectiveness and b) how can vulnerable groups be reached to increase the uptake of prenatal care in order to prevent or reduce mother-to-child transmission of infectious diseases