Reaching for Peak Performance in Existing Homes -- A Cold Climate Study With Synergy Construction

Two test homes located in Millbury and Somerville, MA are examined with the goal of providing case studies that could be applied to other similar New England homes. The retrofit process for the enclosure and mechanical systems are examined in detail and the decision-making process is discussed

Performance Evaluation of a Hot-Humid Climate Community

Project Home Again is a development in New Orleans, LA created to provide new homes to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Building Science Corporation acted as a consultant for the project, advocating design strategies for durability, flood resistance, occupant comfort, and low energy use while maintaining cost effectiveness. These techniques include the use of high density spray foam insulation, LoE3 glazing, and supplemental dehumidification to maintain comfortable humidity levels without unnecessary cooling

Leveraging Limited Scope for Maximum Benefit in Occupied Renovation of Uninsulated Cold Climate Multifamily Housing

This project examines a large-scale renovation project within a 500 unit, 1960's era subsidized urban housing community. This research focuses on the airflow control and window replacement measures implemented as part of the renovations to the low-rise apartment buildings. The window replacement reduced the nominal conductive loss of the apartment enclosure by approximately 15%; air sealing measures reduced measured air leakage by approximately 40% on average

Proven Performance of Seven Cold Climate Deep Retrofit Homes

Seven test homes located in Massachusetts are examined within this report. The retrofit strategies of each home are presented along with a comparison of the pre- and post-retrofit airtightness achieved by the group. Pre- and post-retrofit utility bills were collected; energy models were used to estimate pre-retrofit energy use when bills were unavailable

Hysteroscopic resection of a uterine caesarean scar defect (niche) in women with postmenstrual spotting : a randomised controlled trial

This study is funded by ZonMw, a Dutch organization for Health Research and Development (project number 80-82305-97-12030) and was co-funded by the VU University Medical Centre Amsterdam. These sponsors had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation or writing of this article.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Expert Meeting Report. Recommendations for Applying Water Heaters in Combination Space and Domestic Water Heating Systems

The topic of this meeting was 'Recommendations For Applying Water Heaters In Combination Space And Domestic Water Heating Systems.' Presentations and discussions centered on the design, performance, and maintenance of these combination systems, with the goal of developing foundational information toward the development of a Building America Measure Guideline on this topic. The meeting was held at the Westford Regency Hotel, in Westford, Massachusetts on 7/31/2011

The Heliodome project: an innovative approach in assessing solar-optical properties of light-redirecting materials in combination with sun course simulations

The Heliodome is a new type of video-based goniophotometer to measure materials and coatings intended to be used for advanced fenestration technologies or energy-efficient luminaires. Using calibrated digital cameras combined with a light projecting surface (ellipsoidal mirror), the spectral, bi-directional transmission or reflection properties of these materials can be assessed to a reasonable degree of accuracy. Its major innovations compared to other devices are to enable an analysis of both the visible and the near-infrared portions of the solar spectrum, to provide spectral as well as photometric light distribution data, and to ensure a continuous investigation of the transmitted or reflected light in a time-efficient way. The rotating table also serves as a heliodon, an architectural design tool for visualizing sunlight distribution inside a scale model and performing analyses on appropriate sun control strategies. This automated setup is complemented by a portable, manual outdoor heliodon that uses the real sky and sun as light sources. The paper details current progress in the development of this dual use device, called the “Heliodome”, that includes an original methodology for using a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera and a near-infrared Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) camera to measure arbitrary spectra

Patterns of initiation of second generation antipsychotics for bipolar disorder: a month-by-month analysis of provider behavior

Background: Several second generation antipsychotics (SGAs) received FDA approval for bipolar disorder in the 2000s. Although efficacious, they have been costly and may cause significant side effects. Little is known about the factors associated with prescribers’ decisions to initiate SGA prescriptions for this condition. Methods: We gathered administrative data from the Department of Veterans Affairs on 170,713 patients with bipolar disorder between fiscal years 2003–2010. Patients without a prior history of taking SGAs were considered eligible for SGA initiation during the study (n =126,556). Generalized estimating equations identified demographic, clinical, and comorbidity variables associated with initiation of an SGA prescription on a month-by-month basis. Results: While the number of patients with bipolar disorder using SGAs nearly doubled between 2003 and 2010, analyses controlling for patient characteristics and the rise in the bipolar population revealed a 1.2% annual decline in SGA initiation during this period. Most medical comorbidities were only modestly associated with overall SGA initiation, although significant differences emerged among individual SGAs. Several markers of patient severity predicted SGA initiation, including previous hospitalizations, psychotic features, and a history of other antimanic prescriptions; these severity markers became less firmly linked to SGA initiation over time. Providers in the South were somewhat more likely to initiate SGA treatment. Conclusions: The number of veterans with bipolar disorder prescribed SGAs is rising steadily, but this increase appears primarily driven by a corresponding increase in the bipolar population. Month-by-month analyses revealed that higher illness severity predicted SGA initiation, but that this association may be weakening over time

Practical lessons learned for assessing and treating bipolar disorder via telehealth modalities during the COVID-19 pandemic

We briefly frame challenges and steps to overcoming those challenges in delivering care for patients with bipolar disorder via telehealth or telephone during COVID-19. Telehealth provides an invaluable opportunity to provide care for patients even under circumstances of social isolation. The issues discussed in this debate are intended to guide and assist clinicians, both in assessment and intervention, in adjusting to the use of virtual care for patients with bipolar disorder