Urban identity through quantifiable spatial attributes: coherence and dispersion of local identity through the automated comparative analysis of building block plans

This analysis investigates whether and to what degree quantifiable spatial attrib-utes, as expressed in plan representations, can capture elements related to the ex-perience of spatial identity. By combining different methods of shape and spatial analysis it attempts to quantify spatial attributes, predominantly derived from plans, in order to illustrate patterns of interrelations between spaces through an ob-jective automated process. The study focuses on the scale of the urban block as the basic modular unit for the formation of urban configurations and the issue of spa-tial identity is perceived through consistency and differentiation within and amongst urban neighbourhoods

Urban identity through quantifiable spatial attributes: Coherence and dispersion of local identity through the comparative analysis of building block plans

The present analysis investigates whether and to what degree quantifiable spatial attributes, as expressed in plan representations, can capture elements related to the experience of spatial identity. Spatial identity is viewed as a constantly rearranging system of relations between discrete singularities. It is proposed that the structure of this system is perceived, inter alia, through its reflection in patterns of variable associations amongst constant spatial features. The examination of such patterns could thus reveal aspects of spatial identity in terms of degrees of differentiation and identification between discrete spatial unities. By combining different methods of shape and spatial analysis it is attempted to quantify spatial attributes, predominantly derived from plans, in order to illustrate patterns of interrelations between spaces through an objective automated process. Variability of methods aims at multileveled spatial descriptions, based on features related to scalar, geometrical and topological attributes of plans. The analysis focuses on the scale of the urban block as the basic modular unit for the formation of urban configurations and the issue of spatial identity is perceived through consistency and differentiation within and amongst urban neighbourhoods. The abstract representation of spatial units enables the investigation of the structure of relations, from which urban identity emerges, based on generic spatial attributes, detached from specific expressions of architectural style

Coronal shocks associated with CMEs and flares and their space weather consequences

We study the geoeffectiveness of a sample of complex events; each includes a coronal type II burst, accompanied by a GOES SXR flare and LASCO CME. The radio bursts were recorded by the ARTEMIS-IV radio spectrograph, in the 100-650 MHz range; the GOES SXR flares and SOHO/LASCO CMEs, were obtained from the Solar Geophysical Data (SGD) and the LASCO catalogue respectively. These are compared with changes of solar wind parameters and geomagnetic indices in order to establish a relationship between solar energetic events and their effects on geomagnetic activity.Comment: Universal Heliophysical Processes, Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, IAU Symposium, Volume 257, p. 61-6

Analysis of thermal comfort in a complex atrium under current and future climatic conditions

Because of their multiple functions atria have become very popular among low-energy buildings. In terms of energy efficiency their most significant function is probably their ability to induce stack ventilation and act as a buffer zone for surrounding offices. The purpose of this study was to investigate the thermal performance of a naturally ventilated case study atrium under current and future climatic conditions and their impact on thermal comfort. Thermal comfort conditions under current climatic conditions was estimated through field measurements of Dry Bulb Temperature ( C) and Relative Humidity (%) while possible impacts of global warming were estimated through analysis of dynamic simulation results from TAS with the help of a DSY (Design Summer Year) weather file. In order to understand better the effect of several design characteristics on the thermal performance of the atrium, different simulations were run in TAS initially including and afterwards lacking those design characteristics. The characteristics found significant to be studied in the certain way involved the large internal gains occurring from the basement plant room and the protection border around the cafe area. Conclusions on the effect of the cafe entrance on thermal conditions in the atrium were drawn from a single simulation as it was allowed to do so by its operation schedule. What occurred from this study is that the cafe area of the atrium space does overheat and this tendency will increase significantly in the future. To the overheating, the gains occurring from the plant room have the most critical contribution. However, even though ambient temperatures might seem high, the corresponding dry resultant temperatures that are closely related to thermal comfort, are reduced by the enhanced air flow resulting from the excess heat gains from the basement plant room. Their existence helps maintain internal temperatures higher than external during hot spills thus maintaining the stack for longer. In reducing overheating in the cafe area the protection border also contributes positively. The stack and therefore air flow are strong because of the excess gains of the plant room and the large air intake, but the protection border manages to prevent warm buoyant air from the basement to enter the cafe area. Also, the cafe entrance, when opened, provides an extra air flow into the atrium space that increases the cooling capacity of ventilation. During heating season the buffer zone formed by the atrium space is responsible for maintaining internal temperatures over the often very low external temperatures. In fact, the heat gains from the plant room provide heating to the unconditioned atrium that not only make thermal comfort conditions bearable in the cafe area but also help reduce heating energy demand for the surrounding offices. However, the protection border of the cafe prevents the weak warm buoyant air flow from entering the cafe area and provide heating effectively

Tectonostratigraphy of Heraklia Island, based on geological mapping, structural analysis and LA-ICP-MS detrital zircon dating.

Η νήσος Ηρακλειά, στο κέντρο περίπου του Αττικοκυκλαδικού μεταμορφικού συμπλέγματος συνδέει τις νήσους Νάξο και Ίο, στις οποίες εμφανίζονται Βαρίσκια προαλπικά πετρώματα και μεταμορφωμένα πετρώματα της Κυανοσχιστολιθικής Ενότητας των Κυκλάδων (Cycladic Blueschist Unit). Σε αυτήν την εργασία παρουσιάζουμε προκαταρκτικά αποτελέσματα από την εφαρμογή LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ραδιοχρονολόγησης σε ζιρκόνια σε συνδυασμό με λεπτομερή γεωλογική χαρτογράφηση σε κλίμακα 1:10.000 και τεκτονική ανάλυση. Στη νήσο Ηρακλειά η Κυανοσχιστολιθική Ενότητα των Κυκλάδων παρουσιάζει λιθολογική ποικιλία με πολύχρωμα μάρμαρα και λευκά υπερμυλονιτικά μάρμαρα στο κεντρικό και βόρειο μέρος και χαλαζιακούς μαρμαρυγιακούς σχιστόλιθους, με φακοειδείς ενστρώσεις ορθογνευσιακών πετρωμάτων στο νότιο και νοτιοδυτικό. Τα πετρώματα εμφανίζουν ομοιότητες με το νοτιοανατολικό τμήμα της Νάξου καθώς έχουν διατηρηθεί ορυκτά της Hωκαινικής κυανοσχιστολιθικής φάσης (κυρίως γλαυκοφανής) σε υπολειμματική μορφή ως εγκλείσματα σε πορφυροβλάστες αστρίων της κυρίαρχης ανάδρομης Ολιγομειοκαινικής πρασινοσχιστολιθικής φάσης. Τα ορυκτά της πρασινοσχιστολιθικής φάσης διαμορφώνουν την κυρίαρχη (μυλονιτική) φύλλωση, πάνω στην οποία παρατηρείται ισχυρή γράμμωση έκτασης με διεύθυνση ~Β-Ν, παράλληλα με τους άξονες ισοκλινών πτυχών που διακρίνονται. Από την εφαρμογή της μεθόδου LA-ICP-MS U-Pb σε ζιρκόνια σχιστολιθικών και γνευσιακών λιθολογιών προέκυψαν μέγιστες ηλικίες απόθεσης που κυμαίνονται από τα ~550Ma (Παναφρικανική ορογένεση) στους κατώτερους σχιστόλιθους, στα ~230Ma στα ορθογνευσιακά πετρώματα και τέλος στα ~80Ma (Ανώτερο Κρητιδικό) στους ανώτερους σχιστόλιθους. Με βάση αυτές τις ηλικίες και σε συνδυασμό με τη γεωλογική χαρτογράφηση και τεκτονική ανάλυση η τεκτονοστρωματογραφική διάρθρωση της νήσου Ηρακλειάς είναι αρκετά περίπλοκη.The small Heraklia Island, located at the center of the Attic-Cycladic core complex in the Aegean, is bridging the gap between the islands of Naxos and Ios, in which Variscan basement and Cycladic Blueschist Unit rocks crop out. In this paper we present preliminary results obtained with LA-ICP-MS U-Pb detrital zircon dating combined with detailed geological mapping and structural observations. On Heraklia Island the Cycladic Blueschist Unit (CBU) comprises variegated marbles, white ultramylonitic marbles (central and northern part of the island) and quartz-mica schists interbedded with lenses of orthogneissic rocks (south and southwest). The CBU rocks of Heraklia bear similarities with the sequences in SE Naxos as they preserve relics of the Eocene HP event in the form of glaucophane inclusions within feldspar porphyroblasts of the retrograde greenschists facies assemblages. The greenschist facies minerals form a penetrative (mylonitic) foliation and a ~N-S stretching lineation, subparallel to isoclinal folding in all scales. LA-ICP-MS U-Pb detrital zircon dating of schists and gneisses yielded diverse maximum deposition ages (MDA) that span from ~550Ma (Panafrican) in the lowermost quartz-mica schists, to Triassic in the orthogneisses (~230Ma) and finally to late Cretaceous in the quartz-mica schists (~80Ma). These ages point to a complicated tectonostratigraphy and highlight the areas that need further studying

An analysis of the determining factors of fuel poverty among students living in the private-rented sector in Europe and its impact on their well-being

Existing research suggests that students are an under-reported and under-supported group of the population that frequently lives in fuel poverty. Furthermore, studies show that students do not realize that they live in fuel poor conditions and are rarely recognized as a group vulnerable to fuel poverty. The aim of the research presented in this paper is to understand, evaluate and consequently reveal the experiences of students living in the private-rentedd sector, quantify their possible exposure to fuel poverty, and to determine the impacts of this exposure on their well-being. Three thousand five hundred and twelve students from seven European countries participated in this research making it the largest study to date targeting this specific social group. Our results demonstrate that this group is vulnerable to fuel poverty and that their exposure to such conditions can have a detrimental effect on both their mental and physical health, as well as their social life

«Έχω μαλώσει με την ορθογραφία, έχω μαλώσει άσχημα»: Διερευνώντας τις απόψεις και την εκπαιδευτική εμπειρία μαθητών ενός δημοτικού σχολείου, που φέρουν τη διάγνωση της δυσλεξίας, αναφορικά με τις διδακτικές μεθόδους και τη μαθησιακή προσέγγιση του γραπτού λόγου.

Στην παρούσα εργασία διερευνάται η οπτική των παιδιών σε σχέση με τη νοηματοδότηση της δυσλεξίας, τον γραπτό λόγο και τις διδακτικές μεθόδους και μαθησιακές προσεγγίσεις που εφαρμόζονται στην τάξη τους. Δίνεται η ευκαιρία στους μαθητές να καταθέσουν την εμπειρία τους από το πλαίσιο της τάξης σε σχέση με τις πρακτικές που βιώνουν, τις προκλήσεις που πιθανόν συναντούν και παράλληλα να προτείνουν αλλαγές. Η έρευνα πλαισιώνεται από θεωρίες για την κλινική αλλά και κοινωνική διάσταση της δυσλεξίας, τον γραπτό λόγο και συγκεκριμένες ενταξιακές διδακτικές μεθόδους και μαθησιακές προσεγγίσεις. Πρόκειται για ποιοτική έρευνα εμπειριών και απόψεων με ερευνητικό εργαλείο την ημιδομημένη συνέντευξη. Το δείγμα επιλέχθηκε με τη μέθοδο της βολικής δειγματοληψίας και συνίσταται από δέκα μαθητές διαγνωσμένους με δυσλεξία, από ένα δημοτικό σχολείο αστικής περιοχής. Η μέθοδος ανάλυσης των ευρημάτων είναι η θεματική ανάλυση περιεχομένου. Τα ευρήματα δείχνουν ότι οι αντιλήψεις των παιδιών περί της δυσλεξίας, του γραπτού λόγου και των μαθησιακών προσεγγίσεων είναι διάχυτα επηρεασμένες από το κοινωνικό τους περιβάλλον. Διακρίνεται ένας ελλειμματικός τόνος στην προσέγγιση της δυσλεξίας. Ο γραπτός λόγος προσδιορίζεται κυρίως δίνοντας έμφαση στον μηχανισμό του κι όχι τόσο στη λειτουργία του με την έννοια της άντλησης νοήματος. Η αναγκαιότητά του περιορίζεται στο πλαίσιο του σχολείου ενώ μεγαλύτερα σε ηλικία παιδιά φαίνεται να τον συνδέουν με αρνητικά συναισθήματα. Οι προκλήσεις των μαθητών, με το άγχος να λαμβάνει την πρώτη θέση, παρουσιάζουν έναν βαθμό συσχέτισης με την εκπαιδευτική πρακτική και εκφράζονται οι προτάσεις αλλαγής των ίδιων των παιδιών για την αντιμετώπιση των προκλήσεων δίνοντας έμφαση στην ενεργή και βιωματική μάθηση.The present study researches children’s view regarding the meaning of dyslexia, literacy and the teaching methods and learning approaches implemented in their class. Pupils are given the opportunity to express their experience regarding the educational practice, the challenges they may face as well as propose changes. The research is framed by theories of the medical but also social dimension of dyslexia, literacy and specific inclusive teaching methods and learning approaches. This research is concerned to be a quality research of experiences and opinions with research tool the semistructural interview. The sample was chosen by the convenience sampling method and consists of ten pupils with the diagnosis of dyslexia from a primary school in an urban area. The method used for the qualitative analysis is the thematic content analysis. Findings demonstrate that children’s perceptions regarding dyslexia, literacy and learning approaches are diffusely influenced by their social environment. A deficit tone is discerned in the approach of dyslexia. Literacy is approached mainly emphasizing on its mechanism and not its function of extracting meaning. Its necessity is confined in the school frame while negative feelings regarding literacy are mainly expressed by the older children. Pupils’ challenges, with stress taking the first place, are connected with educational practice and children’s own suggestions of change, in order to cope with challenges, are expressed emphasizing on active and experiential learning