Evaluating assumptions of scales for subjective assessment of thermal environments – Do laypersons perceive them the way, we researchers believe?

International audienc

Evaluating assumptions of scales for subjective assessment of thermal environments – Do laypersons perceive them the way, we researchers believe?

People's subjective response to any thermal environment is commonly investigated by using rating scales describing the degree of thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability. Subsequent analyses of results collected in this way rely on the assumption that specific distances between verbal anchors placed on the scale exist and that relationships between verbal anchors from different dimensions that are assessed (e.g. thermal sensation and comfort) do not change. Another inherent assumption is that such scales are independent of the context in which they are used (climate zone, season, etc.). Despite their use worldwide, there is indication that contextual differences influence the way the scales are perceived and therefore question the reliability of the scales’ interpretation. To address this issue, a large international collaborative questionnaire study was conducted in 26 countries, using 21 different languages, which led to a dataset of 8225 questionnaires. Results, analysed by means of robust statistical techniques, revealed that only a subset of the responses are in accordance with the mentioned assumptions. Significant differences appeared between groups of participants in their perception of the scales, both in relation to distances of the anchors and relationships between scales. It was also found that respondents’ interpretations of scales changed with contextual factors, such as climate, season, and language. These findings highlight the need to carefully consider context-dependent factors in interpreting and reporting results from thermal comfort studies or post-occupancy evaluations, as well as to revisit the use of rating scales and the analysis methods used in thermal comfort studies to improve their reliability

The Scales Project, a cross-national dataset on the interpretation of thermal perception scales

Thermal discomfort is one of the main triggers for occupants’ interactions with components of the built environment such as adjustments of thermostats and/or opening windows and strongly related to the energy use in buildings. Understanding causes for thermal (dis-)comfort is crucial for design and operation of any type of building. The assessment of human thermal perception through rating scales, for example in post-occupancy studies, has been applied for several decades; however, long-existing assumptions related to these rating scales had been questioned by several researchers. The aim of this study was to gain deeper knowledge on contextual influences on the interpretation of thermal perception scales and their verbal anchors by survey participants. A questionnaire was designed and consequently applied in 21 language versions. These surveys were conducted in 57 cities in 30 countries resulting in a dataset containing responses from 8225 participants. The database offers potential for further analysis in the areas of building design and operation, psycho-physical relationships between human perception and the built environment, and linguistic analyses

The Scales Project, a cross-national dataset on the interpretation of thermal perception scales

Thermal discomfort is one of the main triggers for occupants' interactions with components of the built environment such as adjustments of thermostats and/or opening windows and strongly related to the energy use in buildings. Understanding causes for thermal (dis-)comfort is crucial for design and operation of any type of building. The assessment of human thermal perception through rating scales, for example in post-occupancy studies, has been applied for several decades; however, long-existing assumptions related to these rating scales had been questioned by several researchers. The aim of this study was to gain deeper knowledge on contextual influences on the interpretation of thermal perception scales and their verbal anchors by survey participants. A questionnaire was designed and consequently applied in 21 language versions. These surveys were conducted in 57 cities in 30 countries resulting in a dataset containing responses from 8225 participants. The database offers potential for further analysis in the areas of building design and operation, psycho-physical relationships between human perception and the built environment, and linguistic analyses

Non-nociceptive roles of opioids in the CNS: opioids' effects on neurogenesis, learning, memory and affect.

Mortality due to opioid use has grown to the point where, for the first time in history, opioid-related deaths exceed those caused by car accidents in many states in the United States. Changes in the prescribing of opioids for pain and the illicit use of fentanyl (and derivatives) have contributed to the current epidemic. Less known is the impact of opioids on hippocampal neurogenesis, the functional manipulation of which may improve the deleterious effects of opioid use. We provide new insights into how the dysregulation of neurogenesis by opioids can modify learning and affect, mood and emotions, processes that have been well accepted to motivate addictive behaviours

The effects of in-ovo injection of glucose on hatchability, hatching weight and subsequent performance of newly-hatched chicks

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of an in-ovo injection of glucose on hatchability, weight and subsequent performances of newly-hatched chickens. The 720 fertile eggs used in this experiment were obtained from a Cobb-500 broiler breeder flock of 28 weeks of age. Treatments were the following: 1) control group (withou- injection), 2) group injected with 0.5 ml deionized water (sham group), 3) group injected with 0.5 ml glucose 15% in deionized water, 4) group injected with 0.5 ml glucose 20% in deionized water and 5) group injected with 0.5 ml glucose 25% in deionized water. There werh four replicates per treatment and 36 eggs per replicate. The experimental design was a completely randomized design. Upon hatch, hatchability and weight of newly-hatched chicks were measured, and 20 chicks per replicate were transferred to an experimental house and reared for 42 days. Live weight and feed intakeswere measured for each experimental unit at 21 and 42 days of age and then weight gai, and feed conversion ratio were calculated. The results of the study indicate that group that received glucose at 15%, 20% and 25% had significantly higher hatching weight as compared with the control and the sham groups,tbut,eggs injected in ovo had significantly lower hatchability than the controls (p < 0.01). Also, there were no significant treatment effects on feed intake between 0 and 21 days post-hatch. Chicks that received in-ovo injection of glucose haddbetter feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio compared with chicks hatched from the control and the sham groups. The obtained Data suggest that in-ovo injection may increase weight and improve the performancs of newly-hatched chickens