On the utility of occupants’ behavioural diversity information for building performance simulation: An exploratory case study

The present study aims at investigating the potential advantages of integrating inter-occupant diversity information into occupant behaviour models used in building performance simulation. To this end, the authors model the operation of windows by occupants in a monitored open-plan office at aggregate and individual levels. The models use indoor and outdoor temperature as well as the interaction of these variables to estimate the probability of opening and closing windows in the building located in Vienna, Austria. Subsequently, a number of existing and novel metrics serve to compare the predictive performance of the aggregate and individual models. In addition, a calibrated energy model of the office area incorporates the window operation models to evaluate their potential contribution to the reliability of building performance assessments. The results of this exploratory case study suggest that individual window operation models outperform the aggregate model in capturing the peak and variations of window operation across occupants. This resulted in a more reliable thermal comfort assessment in the free-running season. The individual models, however, overestimated peak heating demand, as compared with the benchmark value resulting from the actual window operations in a single year

Explain the Experiences of Mothers with Breastfeeding Weaning in Referring to the Health Centers in Gorgan (Iran)

Background & Aim: Weaning is a major cause of mothers` concern. The process of weaning is difficult, because of infant separation from mother who is always available and touches and hugs the child. Purpose of the study was to identify and describe criteria used by mothers of young children during weaning process. Material & Methods: In this qualitative content analysis in 2014, using purposeful sampling method the women referred to the health care centers in Gorgan (Northern Iran), were invited to participate. The participants were thirty mothers of children under five years old, who had experiences of breastfeeding and natural weaning. Data were collected by individual semi-structured interviews and stopped when theoretical saturation occurred. The interviews were transcribed line by line, and coded and categorized according conventional qualitative content analysis. Results: Three main themes and eight sub-themes "appropriate time and decision, maternal styles for weaning, mental and physical burden" were emerged from data analysis and explained the experiences of mothers on weaning and the factors related to decision-making in the process. Conclusion: The mothers were motivated for breastfeeding for enough periods. They considered receiving cues from infants for stopping it, then made decision and began weaning according advices of their relatives and traditions. Nursing education always emphasis on breast feeding but have less attention to weaning, so it needs to be considered in health planning. در این مطالعه کیفی از نوع تحلیل محتوا در سال 1393 ،بر اساس نمونهگیری مبتنی بر هدف و مالک اشباع دادهها، 30 مادر مراجعه کننده به مرکز بهداشت شهر گرگان که دارای کودک زیر پنج سال، تجربه شیردهی با پستان و قطع طبیعی شیردهی بودهاند، شرکت نمودند. برای جمعآوری اطالعات از روش مصاحبه انفرادی نیمه ساختارمند تا رسیدن به اشباع دادهها استفاده شد. مصاحبهها خط به خط دست نویس و مطابق رویکرد "تحلیل محتوای مرسوم" کدگذاری و طبقه بندی شدند. یافتهها: از تحلیل دادهها سه مضمون اصلی شامل "موعد مقرر و تصمیمگیری، راهبردهای مادری از شیر گرفتن، فشار روانی- جسمی" با هشت مضمون فرعی استخراج شد که تبیین کننده تجربیات مادران در خصوص از شیر گرفتن و عوامل مرتبط بر تصمیمگیری آنها در این فرآیند بوده اس

Gold nanoparticle and mean inactivation dose of human intestinal colon cancer HT-29 cells

Background: Mean inactivation dose is a useful radiobiological parameter for the comparison of human cell survival curves. Objectives: Given the importance and accuracy of these parameters, in the present study, the radio sensitivity enhancement of colon cancer (HT-29) cells in the presence of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were studied using the mean inactivation dose (MID). Materials and Methods: Naked-GNPs with 50 nm diameters were incubated with HT-29 cells. The cytotoxicity and uptake of these particles on HT-29 cells were assessed. After determining the optimum GNPs concentration, the cells were incubated with gold nanoparticle for 24 hours. The change in the MID value as well as the radio sensitization enhancement under irradiation with 9 MV X-ray beams in the presence of GNPs were evaluated by multiple (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium)MTS assay. Results: Cell survival in the presence of GNPs was more than 90% and the maximum uptake of GNPs was observed at 60 μM of gold nanoparticles. In contrast, in the presence of GNPs combined with radiation, cell survival and MID value significantly decreased, so that the radio sensitization enhancement was 1.4. Conclusions: Due to the significant reduction in the mean inactivation dose of colon cancer cells in the presence of gold nanoparticles, it seems that GNPs are suitable options to achieve a new approach in order to improve radiotherapy efficiency without increasing the prescribed radiation dose

Combining mammaglobin and carcinoembryonic mRNA markers for early detection of micrometastases from breast cancers - a molecular study of 59 patients

Introduction: As many as 30% of node-negative breast cancer patients relapse within five years, suggesting that current histological detection methods are inadequate for identifying metastatic disease. Detecting small number of cancer cells in the breast tissue or lymph node by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays using a combination of tissue and cancer specific markers might be very useful in the early detection or monitoring of the treatment. Mammaglobin is a member of the uteroglobin gene family and appears to be expressed only in breast tissue. Carcinoembryonic antigen has been the preferred molecular marker for detection of micro metastases in lymph nodes in almost all carcinomas. Materials and Methods: Samples were collected from randomly chosen breast cancer patients undergoing modified mastectomy or breast conserving surgery between September 2003 and July 2004. RT-PCR was applied to study the expression of MMG and CEA markers. Breast cancer micrometastases in axillary lymph nodes were also assessed. Results: The MMG marker was positive in 9/10 normal breast tissues, 3/ 3 breast fibroadenomas and 37/39 of breast carcinoma tissues, giving an overall sensitivity of 94%. The sensitivity was 80% for metastatic lymph node samples. On the other hand CEA showed 95% sensitivity for malignant breast tumors and 100% sensitivity for metastatic lymph nodes. Conclusions: RT-PCR using a combination of MMG and CEA markers is a powerful tool to complement current routine histopathology techniques for detection of breast cancer metastasis in axillary nodes

The Simulation of the TBP Curve of Thymol Essence and the Separation of Natural Components with ASPEN plus Software

Based on the analysis of GCMASS device, the components of the type of Thymol essence prepared from Nishabour maintains, consist of five main components namely, ?-Pinene, ?-Terpinene, P-Cymene, ?-Terpinene, and Thymol, each of which has the percentage of 1.118, 3.831, 25.815, 14.771, and 54.465 respectively in the essence. Moreover, based on the experiment, the boiling point curve for this essence was achieved, and according to the results of the analysis of the boiling point curve, the simulation for this complex mixture for achieving the characteristics of the essence was done. The simulation of the separation unit of the main components in the pressure range of 44KPa to 101.3KPa showed that with the increase of the pressure, Thymol mole fraction increases from 0.9399 to 0.9496 in the product of the bottom of the distillation column. With the increase of the total pressure of the distillation column from 44KPa to 101.3KPa, the minimum of the return reflux decreases from 17.7 to 13.93. Keywords: Simulation; TBP; Thymol Essence; Separation; ASPEN plu

Modeling of Vapor Liquid Equilibrium Data for Thyme Essential Oil Based on UNIQUAC Thermodynamic Model

Vapor Liquid Equilibrium (VLE) data for natural ingredients and essential oils has not studied at all yet. It is because of the complexity of these mixtures. In this study, the equilibrium concentration of the mixture components was studied by using UNIQUAC model at different pressures. This model is capable of determining the temperature between 70°C to 170°C and the pressure limits 30 Kpa to 202 Kpa. The Modeling results showed Thymol in the liquid phase was increased from 50% molar to 90% molar in constant pressure by increasing the temperature from bubble point to dew point temperature. Thymol concentration in the liquid phase was increased from 42% molar to 78% molar by increasing the water concentration of the mixture at a constant pressure of 100 Kpa and constant temperature 177°C. Another obtaining result showed that Thymol concentration in the triple mixture, which includes 30% molar water, 35% molar Thymol, and 35% molar Cymene in liquid phase, was increased from 60% molar to 82% molar at constant temperature of 177°C by decreasing the pressure from 100 Kpa to 20 Kpa.   KEYWORDS: Essential oil, VLE, UNIQUAC, Modelin

The Distillation of Thymus Vulgaris Essence to Demonstrate TBP Curve

Based on a research project on Shirazi Thymus of the Eksir Gol Sorkh company, the essence of this Thymus included five main components, which based on the results gained from GC device, there are 5 main components in this Thymus namely ?-Pinene, ?-Terpinene, P-Cymen, ?-Terpinen, and Thymol, each of which has a percentage as follows 1.118, 3.831, 25.815, 14.771, and 54.465. With increasing the amount of Distillation, more Thymol can be achieved, and in this experiment, the amount of Thymol increases 18 percent to 92 percent. With passing of 81min from the 170 degrees Celsius, the temperature of essence solution, which is a stable 250 degrees Celsius in Heating (Oil/sand) bath, reaches 240 degrees Celsius. With an increase in the volume of Distillation material, the output water of condenser reaches up to 22.7 degrees Celsius from 21.9 degrees Celsius in such a way that incoming cold-water temperature has increased up to 21.9 degrees Celsius from 21.4 degrees Celsius by passing of time. In TBP diagram, with an increase in Distillation volume from 2 percent to 72 percent, the boiling temperature of Thymus essence solution has reached 240 degrees Celsius from 160 degrees Celsius. KEYWORDS: Distillation; Thymus; TBP; G

Monitored data on occupants’ presence and actions in an office building

Within a study, an open plan area and one closed office in a university building with a floor area of around 200 m2 were monitored. The present data set covers a period of one year (from 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31). The collected data pertains to indoor environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) as well as plug loads and external factors (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and global irradiance) along with occupants’ presence and operation of windows and lights. The monitored data can be used for multiple purposes, including the development and validation of occupancy-related models