An Evaluation of the Smart Readiness Indicator proposed for Buildings

The European Commission (EC) recently introduced the smart readiness indicator (SRI) scheme. This framework evaluates the capacity of a building to use information and communication technologies (ICTs) to adapt to the needs of the occupants and the grid. Researchers and industry practitioners have carried out preliminary studies to examine its methodology and scope. This study aimed to complement previous work and analyse the new framework to identify its strengths, as an indicator that will enhance the performance of the building stock, and its improvement opportunities. For this purpose, an evaluation was conducted, following a review of the current literature and the implementation of the proposed methods in two non-domestic buildings. The evaluation indicated that the SRI has the potential to offer multiple benefits, from improving occupants’ health and wellbeing to increasing the energy efficiency of the European building stock and supporting the development of smart energy grids. However, SRI is an indicator that in its current format, cannot address actual performance, and its assessment may not provide equal incentive for all the European Union’s (EU) goals for 2050. Moreover, its simplified methodology was found to offer more favourable results when compared against the detailed methodology. Its checklist approach and lack of clear guidelines may also lead to subjective decisions during the assessment, resulting in inconsistent certifications. By addressing these inconsistencies and by supporting the scheme with additional policy measures, the EU will benefit from a credible and fairer rating scheme

Προσομοίωση υδρολογικής απόκρισης πριν και μετά από πυρκαγιά στην πειραματική λεκάνη Αγίου Νικολάου Ευρυτανίας

Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο--Μεταπτυχιακή Εργασία. Διεπιστημονικό-Διατμηματικό Πρόγραμμα Μεταπτυχιακών Σπουδών (Δ.Π.Μ.Σ.) “Επιστήμη και Τεχνολογία Υδατικών Πόρων

WOMEN FACULTY MEMBERS’ PRESENTATION AND ACTIVATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC FIELD: A REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGICAL SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE

The aim of this paper is to investigate and present the position of women faculty members in the international academic field, as well as the challenges they face in their professional careers, within the framework of a review of contemporary sociological scientific literature. In addition, the representation of women academics in administrative positions and positions of power in the academic field is investigated along with the potential existence of sex discrimination. The findings from related scientific studies are in agreement on the following: (a) women faculty members in the international field continue to be found lower down the academic hierarchy compared to their male counterparts. This is due to the fact that they face various challenges, the most significant of which is the lack of balance between their professional and social roles. These challenges hinder their progression and permanence in the academic field. (b) Women academics globally are under-represented and are in a minority in administrative positions within the university field. The factors that deter women faculty members from taking up or going after administrative positions are mainly linked to gender stereotypes and attitudes that predominate in the academic field regarding leadership style. And (c) gender inequality and sex discrimination continue to exist in the international university field. However, their extent is linked to the national–cultural factors of the various nations.  Article visualizations

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

Urban agriculture initiatives: Understanding the role of citizens in sustainable development

Within a highly complex and interconnected system of cities, community involvement tools that engage citizens in developing the urban context could move towards more sustainable solutions while bringing social change. Literature shows that urban agriculture conducted in the form of shared community gardens can be a significant component of sustainable community development strategies, particularly in disadvantaged neighbourhoods (Ohmer et al, 2009).  In the last decades, several socioeconomic challenges combined with the climate change has resulted in social and economic polarization within the cities. Greece, witnessed numerous transitions regarding the degradation of urban space (Latinopoulos, 2022). Severe lack of public green spaces, abandoned open spaces in neighbourhoods, limited access to natural settings, indifference of residents to participate to collective activities are some of the main characteristics of Greek cities highlighting the need to further explore the reasons behind it. Thessaloniki is selected as a representative paradigm of a contemporary city that deals with these challenges providing a limited number of urban agriculture and social entrepreneurship initiatives. The study aims to point out the significance of urban agriculture as a participatory tool that, when combined with the concept of social entrepreneurship can be the spark for social change within the city of Thessaloniki. Findings are supported by primary data given from interviewees who are users of seven urban gardens in the metropolitan area of Thessaloniki. Data also demonstrate that, in spite of acknowledging the positive impact of urban agriculture, participants show limited awareness on the concepts of sustainable development and social entrepreneurship. To conclude, identifying beliefs and behaviours of civilians can be the starting point towards a more sustainable future for our cities. As Brenner & Schmid attest (2015), the city is re-emerging as the key site in which pioneering solutions and responses to the global challenges will occur.

Urban agriculture initiatives: Understanding the role of citizens in sustainable development

Within a highly complex and interconnected system of cities, community involvement tools that engage citizens in developing the urban context could move towards more sustainable solutions while bringing social change. Literature shows that urban agriculture conducted in the form of shared community gardens can be a significant component of sustainable community development strategies, particularly in disadvantaged neighbourhoods (Ohmer et al, 2009).  In the last decades, several socioeconomic challenges combined with the climate change has resulted in social and economic polarization within the cities. Greece, witnessed numerous transitions regarding the degradation of urban space (Latinopoulos, 2022). Severe lack of public green spaces, abandoned open spaces in neighbourhoods, limited access to natural settings, indifference of residents to participate to collective activities are some of the main characteristics of Greek cities highlighting the need to further explore the reasons behind it. Thessaloniki is selected as a representative paradigm of a contemporary city that deals with these challenges providing a limited number of urban agriculture and social entrepreneurship initiatives. The study aims to point out the significance of urban agriculture as a participatory tool that, when combined with the concept of social entrepreneurship can be the spark for social change within the city of Thessaloniki. Findings are supported by primary data given from interviewees who are users of seven urban gardens in the metropolitan area of Thessaloniki. Data also demonstrate that, in spite of acknowledging the positive impact of urban agriculture, participants show limited awareness on the concepts of sustainable development and social entrepreneurship. To conclude, identifying beliefs and behaviours of civilians can be the starting point towards a more sustainable future for our cities. As Brenner & Schmid attest (2015), the city is re-emerging as the key site in which pioneering solutions and responses to the global challenges will occur.

Study of cerebral histopathologic changes after resuscitation with different oxygen concentrations: an experimental model of normocapnic hypoxia in newborn piglets

Objective: The evaluation of neuronal changes in the central nervous system in an experimental model of neonatal normocapnic hypoxia and reoxygenation in piglets.Materials and Methods: Normocapnic hypoxia was induced in 40 male Landrace/Large-White piglets. When bradycardia (HR<60) or severe hypotension (MAP<15 mm Hg) occurred, reoxygenation was initiated. Animals were allocated in 4 groups according to the oxygen concentration (fiO2) they were resuscitated with: group 1, 2, 3, 4 received 18%, 21%, 40%, 100% O2 respectively. At histology, Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E)-stained brain cortex sections were examined for apoptotic bodies observing 10 consecutive high power fields. Results: Histological examination of control piglets did not show any pathological change. On the contrary asphyxiated piglets exhibited apoptosis of cortical neurons in 35 out of 40 treated animals (87.5%); in the majority of cases, it was scattered, inter-mingled among adjacent normal neurons, appearing more diffuse in some cases, in absence of vascular changes, suggesting an interindividual variability. When specimens were examined according to the percentage of oxygen used for resuscitation, we found marked intergroup variability, with a higher number of apoptotic neurons in the piglets of group 4 (oxygen 100%), compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Our data clearly show that normocapnic hypoxia and reoxygenation in Landrace/Large White piglets resulted in significant histological changes in the brain cortex. The degree of pathological changes in cortical neurons appeared to be significantly associated to fiO2 used for reoxygenation, exhibiting a higher percentage of apoptotic neurons in piglets reoxygenated with 100% compared to 18% O2 and more important, 21% O2. This data with the marked interindividual variability observed within each group, laying an individual susceptibility of each animal to hypoxia and reoxygenation, suggest the need for a different approach to each neonate in clinical practice.Σκοπός: Η αξιολόγηση των ιστοπαθολογικών αλλαγών σε νευρώνες εγκεφαλικού φλοιού κατά την επανοξυγόνωση με διαφορετικές συγκεντρώσεις οξυγόνου σε πειραματικό μοντέλο νεογνικής νορμοκαπνικής υποξαιμίας σε χοιρίδια. Υλικό - Μέθοδος: Στο συγκεκριμένο πειραματικό μοντέλο προκήθηκε νορμοκαπνική υποξαιμία σε 40 αρσενικά χοιρίδια τύπου Landrace/Large-White. Με την έλευση βραδυκαρδίας (καρδιακή συχνότητα < 60/λεπτό) ή σοβαρής υπότασης (Μέση αρτηριακή πίεση <15 mmHg), γινόταν έναρξη επανοξυγόνωσης. Τα χοιρίδια τυχαιοποιήθηκαν τυφλά σε 4 ομάδες , ανάλογα με τη συγκέντρωση οξυγόνου η οποία χρησιμοποιήθηκε κατά την επανοξυγόνωση – οι ομάδες Α, Β, Γ και Δ επανοξυγονώθηκαν με 18%, 21%, 40% και 100% αντίστοιχα. Κατά την ιστοπαθολογική εξέταση, έγινε χρώση των τεμαχιδίων εγκεφαλικού φλοιού με αιματοξυλίνη-ηωσίνη και μελέτη με ηλεκτρονικό μικροσκόπιο προς μέτρηση αποπτωτικών κυττάρων, η οποία έγινε με χρήση 10 οπτικών πεδίων υψηλής ευκρίνειας.Αποτελέσματα: Η ιστολογική εξέταση των χοιριδίων ελέγχου (δεν έδειξε καμία παθολογική αλλαγή. Αντιθέτως, σε 35 από τα 40 χοιρίδια που υπέστησαν ασφυξία (87.5%), οι νευρώνες του εγκεφαλικού φλοιού παρουσίασαν σημεία απόπτωσης. Οι αποπτωτικοί νευρώνες ήταν, στις περισσότερες περιπτώσεις, διάσπαρτοι και αναμεμειγμένοι με γειτονικούς υγιείς νευρώνες ενώ σε ορισμένες περιπτώσεις η απόπτωση εμφανιζόταν πιο διάχυτη, χωρίς αγγειακές αλλοιώσεις. Όταν οι εγκέφαλοι εξετάστηκαν σε σχέση με τη συγκέντρωση οξυγόνου με την οποία έγινε η επανοξυγόνωση των χοιριδίων, παρατηρήθηκαν σημαντικές διαφορές μεταξύ των ομάδων με μεγαλύτερο αριθμό (59.2%) αποπτωτικών κυττάρων στα χοιρίδια της ομάδας Δ (100% οξυγόνο) Συμπέρασμα: Τα αποτελέσματα αυτής της μελέτης έδειξαν ότι η υποξαιμία και επανοξυγόνωση σε νεογνά χοιρίδια έχει σαν αποτέλεσμα σημαντικές ιστοπαθολογικές αλλαγές του εγκεφαλικού φλοιού. Ο βαθμός των παθολογικών αλλοιώσεων φαίνεται να είναι ανάλογος της συγκέντρωσης οξυγόνου κατά την ανάνηψη, καθώς το ποσοστό αποπτωτικών νευρώνων ήταν υψηλότερο στην ομάδα χοιριδίων που επανοξυγονώθηκαν με 100% οξυγόνο σε σχέση με 18% και 21%. Τα δεδομένα αυτά και η σημαντική διακύμανση που παρατηρήθηκε μεταξύ των ζώων της ίδιας ομάδας, συνιστούν μια πιθανή ατομική προδιάθεση του κάθε ζώου στην υποξία και επανοξυγόνωση, το οποίο στην κλινική πράξη θα σήμαινε πιθανώς μια διαφορετική προσέγγιση για το κάθε νεογνό ξεχωριστά

Vad gör du i klassrummet? : En studie om några fritidspedagogers uppfattningar av sina arbetsuppgifter i klassrummet och deras syn på sin framtida roll

Denna uppsats syftar till att studera några fritidspedagogers uppfattningar av sina arbetsuppgifter i klassrummet och deras syn på sin framtida roll. Inledningsvis i forskningsbakgrunden beskrivs fritidshemsverksamhetens historia, fritidspedagogsutbildningen samt fritidspedagogens inträde i skolan. Vidare i forskningsbakgrunden beskrivs fritidspedagogens syn på sin yrkesroll och deras huvudsakliga arbetsuppgifter samt samverkan med övriga yrkeskategorier inom skolans verksamhet. Genom semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer med fem (5) fritidspedagoger har vi fått fram material som vi sedan analyserat samt diskuterat i förhållande till litteraturen. Vårt resultat visar på att våra respondenter är medvetna om vad de gör i klassrummet och de trycker på att läraren inte klarar sig utan fritidspedagogen då grupperna blir allt större. Våra respondenter menar även att det är de som besitter kunskaper gällande social kompetens och de praktisk/estetiska ämnena men de känner också en osäkerhet över sin framtida yrkesroll

Practical Communication Approach in Maritime English

This paper is based on the PraC-MARENG project research and it aims to present the research outputs during the project implementation. The paper focuses on the results of the questionnaire analysis targeting to identify the causes of common communication problems on board in order to identify the best practices in using Maritime English. It contains a set of questions addressed to the seafarers in various ranks. In parallel, accidents caused by communication failures were selected and studied in each partner country (France, Turkey, Romania, Lithuania, and Slovenia). The partnership within PraC-MARENG will develop an online course for seafarers at various levels in order to provide practical and communication based learning and assessment materials taking into account the real conversations and accidents contributed by communication failures. The project will design a practical learning and assessment tool that provides the user with a genuine certificate for the newly acquired skills. This will be presented in a programme having a tailor made course. The learning will be organized on different phases (elementary to intermediate) to train seafarers working on different levels of command