Anidolic daylighting system for efficient daylighting in deep plan office building in the tropics

Daylight is a natural resource for space illumination. Providing more available daylight in buildings is highly desirable, not only for energy efficiency but also to enhance the occupants’ performance and well-being. Daylight through window is common solution to lit the indoor space, but only provides limited depth of room space. Anidolic Daylighting System (ADS) is one particularly promising technology to be used for transferring daylight into deeper interior spaces. This research determines the ADS variables that are applicable under tropical climate according to modified duct shapes, duct width, duct length and distributor configuration. Experimental scale model and Integrated Environmental Solutions (IES) computer simulation were employed in conducting the research. Physical scale model (1:10) was used to validate the simulation tool and to determine the appropriate orientation. Subsequently, the ADS was simulated in different variables of duct shapes, duct width, duct length and distributor configuration in open plan office. The analysis of results for daylight quantity was done based on absolute Work Plan Illuminance (WPI), daylight factor and daylight ratio, as well as WPI uniformity for daylight quality.The results illustrated that the ADS performed well for all orientations, but its performance in the South orientation was better than other orientations. It was shown that the developed ADS by rectangular duct shape and three meter duct width can transfer daylight as deep as 12.5m and 20m from window wall in overcast and intermediate sky conditions respectively. Moreover, the results demonstrated that effective daylighting depth could be supported with acceptable performance by developed ADS until 12.5m in both quality and quantity under intermediate sky. The new findings give insights for architects, engineers and built environment scientists to reach the complete potential of ADS in visual comfort as well as energy saving

Interaction of soil static and dynamic stiffness and buried pipeline under harmonic vibration

Problem statement: When earthquake is occur, many damages were occurred in pipelines that San Francisco (1906) and Manson (1908), Kobe (Japan) and ate are samples of this topic. So many researchers studied on the pipelines and dynamic forces. Approach: Determine static and dynamic performance parameters of the pipeline and the surrounding soil such as static stiffness, dynamic stiffness, damping and additional mass share of soil which take part with pipe mass in dynamic performance. In the static case relationship between friction forces and joint deflections in a buried element pipe had be calculated and with using of some experimental results and results are compared together. For dynamic cases, Dynamic equilibrium equation of pipeline element axial vibration in continuous system, with neglecting the effect of soil mass share which participates in producing vibration and with considering of it were abstained and values of displacement and forces were calculated. In continuous, these formulations were process for many cases and were drawn in graphs for comparison. Results: Stiffness for ω/ωn1, the ratio of dynamic to static stiffness rises rapidly and by increasing the additional mass, the value of dynamic stiffness in case of ω/ωn>1 would increase highly. Conclusion: The static performance between soil and pipe is nonlinear in axial direction and when the hysteric dominates grows, the value of force dominates between soil and pipe and dynamic stiffness would ascend. Also by increasing damping ratio, the dynamic stiffness would increase too however it depends on the static to dynamic stiffness ratio and the damping ratio

Empirical Validation of Daylight Simulation Tool for a Test Office with Anidolic Daylighting System

ABSTRACT The use of simulation tools to evaluate the daylighting performances of building design attracts enormous interest for architects, engineers and researchers. Integrated Environmental Solution <Virtual Environment> (IES<VE>) is a software tool to daylighting design and analysis. It intends to simulate daylight in buildings and to predict illuminance. The aim of this research is to validate the IES software simulated results and results measured of scale physical model with installed Anidolic Daylighting System (ADS) in a building under real condition in a tropical area. Scaled model was constructed to be tested under real sky measurement. In additional, the same model was designed in the IES<VE> for measuring illuminance. Using this software to study in the ADS, it can be found that absolute work plane illuminance in the intermediate and overcast sky recorded mean difference from the measured results, with 4.6% and 3.8% respectively also DF results illustrated promising results with 4.5% in the overcast sky. However in sunny sky is illustrated high mean difference with relative error 57%, while the trend of these results is approximately similar but the luminance ratio results shown acceptable mean measurement in sunny sky with 2.8%. The simulation results prove that inside illuminance can be modeled with comparable accuracy for ADS under real sky conditions in the intermediate and overcast sky. For future study, validation of other parameters can be carried out such as the size of the ADS, window sizes, environment setting

Considering user participation in light of level and stages of self-selection in architectural design process (ADP)

Presenting the new definition of self-selection in Architectural Design Process (ADP) needs to clarify the edges of this new concept versus the others, which exist in design area. Referring to conducting content analysis in previous published studies, the general meaning of self-selection is a situation in which user decide to do something for themselves rather than do something that has chosen for them. On the other hand, different users’ and designers’ vision of self-selection make a connection with End User’s Personalization (EUP) and User Centered Design (UCD). Both self-selection and user participation indicate the user decision-making power. Consequently, for earning a high level of user satisfaction, users should allow to contribute partially or totally, in certain decision-making processes, which have normally considered as the typical responsibility of architects. This paper by gathering a close group dissection and using brainstorming method, has attempted to argue the levels and stages of user participation in order to discover and establish the level and stages of self-selection in ADP

Audit nursing reports in intubated neonates admitted in neonatal intensive care unit of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital, Babol, Iran

Background: Accurate and complete documentation of nursing records is one of the preconditions of the evidence-based cares and is considered as one of the most important professional tasks in nursing. The aim of the present study was to audit the nursing reports in intubated neonates admitted in neonatal intensive care unit of Ayatollah Rouhani hospital, Babol. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 100 nursing reports were randomly selected from the neonatal intensive care unit. Data were collected by a researcher using a checklist which was developed in accordance with the standard and indicators of nursing documentation in national and international reliable sources and then compared after determining the content validity and reliability (observers' agreement coefficient). Data were analyzed using SPSS20, and statistical methods of Man-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis were used at a significant level of p<0.05. Results: The quality of 93%, 1% and 6% of nursing records was good, moderate and poor, respectively. Overall, the quality of nursing records was desirable in terms of content and structure and there was no significant difference in nursing documentation record in dimensions of structure and content according to overtime (P=0.92 and P=0.11), work experience (P=0.61 and P=0.16) and age group (P=0.09 and P=0.76). Conclusions: The quality of nursing records in neonatal intensive care unit of Ayatollah Rouhani Hospital of Babol has been improved according to the Accreditation of Health Care Centers. In addition, the increase of nurses' knowledge about legal and professional issues has also been effective on improving the quality of the documentation

Zinc Supplements and Bone Health: The Role of the RANKL-RANK Axis as a Therapeutic Target

Background: To this day, empirical data suggests that zinc has important roles in matrix synthesis, bone turnover, and mineralization and its beneficial effects on bone could be mediated through different mechanisms. The influence of zinc on bone turnover could be facilitated via regulating RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway in bone tissue. Therefore, the aim of the study was to conduct a review to investigate the possible effect of the zinc mediated bone remodeling via RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway. Methods: A comprehensive systematic search was performed in MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar to explore the studies investigating the effect of zinc as a bone remodeling factor via RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway regulation. Subsequently, the details of the pathway and the impact of zinc supplements on RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway regulation were discussed. Results: The pathway could play an important role in bone remodeling and any imbalance between RANKL/RANK/OPG components could lead to extreme bone resorption. Although the outcomes of some studies are equivocal, it is evident that zinc possesses protective properties against bone loss by regulating the RANKL/RANK/OPG pathway. There are several experiments where zinc supplementation resulted in upregulation of OPG expression or decreases RANKL level. However, the results of some studies oppose this. Conclusion: It is likely that sufficient zinc intake will elicit positive effects on bone health by RANKL/RANK/OPG regulation. Although the outcomes of a few studies are equivocal, it seems that zinc can exert the protective properties against bone loss by suppressing osteoclastogenesis via downregulation of RANKL/RANK. Additionally, there are several experiments where zinc supplementation resulted in upregulation of OPG expression. However, the results of limited studies oppose this. Therefore, aside from the positive role zinc possesses in preserving bone mass, further effects of zinc in RANKL/RANK/OPG system requires further animal/human studies. © 2019 Elsevier Gmb

World Addiction Medicine Reports : formation of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) Global Expert Network (ISAM-GEN) and Its global surveys

Funding: All the infrastructure funding of this initiative is supported by the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM). We will be open to fundraising for specific projects within the platform and future collaboration with external partners.Addiction medicine is a dynamic field that encompasses clinical practice and research in the context of societal, economic, and cultural factors at the local, national, regional, and global levels. This field has evolved profoundly during the past decades in terms of scopes and activities with the contribution of addiction medicine scientists and professionals globally. The dynamic nature of drug addiction at the global level has resulted in a crucial need for developing an international collaborative network of addiction societies, treatment programs and experts to monitor emerging national, regional, and global concerns. This protocol paper presents methodological details of running longitudinal surveys at national, regional, and global levels through the Global Expert Network of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM-GEN). The initial formation of the network with a recruitment phase and a round of snowball sampling provided 354 experts from 78 countries across the globe. In addition, 43 national/regional addiction societies/associations are also included in the database. The surveys will be developed by global experts in addiction medicine on treatment services, service coverage, co-occurring disorders, treatment standards and barriers, emerging addictions and/or dynamic changes in treatment needs worldwide. Survey participants in categories of (1) addiction societies/associations, (2) addiction treatment programs, (3) addiction experts/clinicians and (4) related stakeholders will respond to these global longitudinal surveys. The results will be analyzed and cross-examined with available data and peer-reviewed for publication.Peer reviewe

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

Background: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. Methods: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. Findings: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96–1·28). Interpretation: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme

Effectiveness of a national quality improvement programme to improve survival after emergency abdominal surgery (EPOCH): a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Emergency abdominal surgery is associated with poor patient outcomes. We studied the effectiveness of a national quality improvement (QI) programme to implement a care pathway to improve survival for these patients. METHODS: We did a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial of patients aged 40 years or older undergoing emergency open major abdominal surgery. Eligible UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals (those that had an emergency general surgical service, a substantial volume of emergency abdominal surgery cases, and contributed data to the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit) were organised into 15 geographical clusters and commenced the QI programme in a random order, based on a computer-generated random sequence, over an 85-week period with one geographical cluster commencing the intervention every 5 weeks from the second to the 16th time period. Patients were masked to the study group, but it was not possible to mask hospital staff or investigators. The primary outcome measure was mortality within 90 days of surgery. Analyses were done on an intention-to-treat basis. This study is registered with the ISRCTN registry, number ISRCTN80682973. FINDINGS: Treatment took place between March 3, 2014, and Oct 19, 2015. 22 754 patients were assessed for elegibility. Of 15 873 eligible patients from 93 NHS hospitals, primary outcome data were analysed for 8482 patients in the usual care group and 7374 in the QI group. Eight patients in the usual care group and nine patients in the QI group were not included in the analysis because of missing primary outcome data. The primary outcome of 90-day mortality occurred in 1210 (16%) patients in the QI group compared with 1393 (16%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·11, 0·96-1·28). INTERPRETATION: No survival benefit was observed from this QI programme to implement a care pathway for patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. Future QI programmes should ensure that teams have both the time and resources needed to improve patient care. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research Programme