Toplinska percepcija tinejdžera u hladnom vanjskom okruženju: Analiza slučaja

Subjective thermal sensation of late teenagers was examined aiming to reveal potential discrepancies in its estimation compared to adults. Since teenagers have different clothing habits and preferences from adults, it is important to know whether the conclusions reached by studies on thermal sensation, usually involving adults, can be also applied to teenagers. A group of late teenagers was interviewed, based on a structured questionnaire, in an outdoor environment during two winter days and under an unexpected Saharan dust transport event during the second day, while meteorological measurements were obtained by the closest to the interview site weather station. Moreover, the performance of the bioclimatic index Cooling Power in simulating subjects’ thermal sensation was evaluated. Although differences in clothing thermal insulation of late teenagers compared to that suggested by similar studies were recognized, generally the results of this study were in agreement with the findings of similar field surveys focusing on individual thermal sensation and with no evidence of effects of the dust transport event on thermal sensation. Cooling Power based on the Mediterranean thermal sensation scale predicted thermal sensation vote fairly well.Ispitan je subjektivni toplinski osjet ugode starijih tinejdžera s ciljem da se otkrije njegovo moguće neslaganje s procjenom s osjetom ugode u odraslih. Kako se navike i sklonosti oblačenja tinejdžera razlikuju od onih u odraslih, važno je znati da li su zaključci dobiveni na temelju studija o toplinskom osjetu ugode, koji se uglavnom odnose na odrasle, primjenjivi i na tinejdžere. Grupa starijih tinejdžera anketirana je u vanjskom okruženju putem strukturiranog upitnika tijekom dva zimska dana, od kojih je drugi bio obilježen neočekivanim prodorom saharskog pijeska. Meteorološka mjerenja su dobivena s meteorološke postaje koja je bila najbliža mjestu anketiranja. Nadalje, ocijenjena je primjenjivost bioklimatskog indeksa ohlađivanja (Cooling Power) pri simuliranju toplinskog osjeta ugode ispitanika. Iako postoje razlike u toplinskoj izolaciji odjeće starijih tinejdžera u usporedbi s odjećom ispitanika u drugim studijama, rezultati ove studije općenito su u skladu s rezultatima sličnih studija koje se bave individualnim toplinskim osjetom. Nadalje, utjecaj transporta saharskog pijeska na toplinski osjet nije zabilježen. Indeks ohlađivanja koji se temelji na mediteranskoj skali toplinskog osjeta ugode prilično je dobro predvidio rezultate anketa o toplinskom osjetu ugode

A Systemic Model Proposed for the Management of Local Environmental Education, Awareness and Protection

The present study proposes a systemic model for the operation of small local environmental centers, as a key factor for the implementation of environmental policies that are close to local communities. The presentation and analysis of the required activities of local environmental organizations and the duties of their staff highlights their complex and demanding multidisciplinary character. The consequent necessity to optimize their operation, in order to respond more holistically and effectively to their complex mission, has been the motivation for the present study, proposing a planned operation based on techniques from Systems Science

An Application of Systems Science for the Usage of Web–tools in Environmental Education: The Case of Western Attica, Greece

Geography plays a leading role in developing the objectives of Environmental Education. Through Geography lessons, applications and tools, pupils should learn about the major environmental and developmental problems through issue-based learning. They must be given opportunities to explore how these issues relate to their everyday lives and what is the impact on the quality of the natural and social environment. Teachers can promote a holistic outlook, through promoting a multidimensional study of environmental problems on a variety of scales, e.g., through historical maps, which are of significant value, because through them students gain perspective on the living environment and the changes caused by the human intervention in coastal areas and environment. The purpose of this paper is to propose new, modern and up-to-date web-tools, as for example Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing applications, generally applicable for any geographical area although demonstrated in the area of Western Attica (Greece), in order to improve pupils’ knowledge and skills on Environmental Education issues. Additionally, a framework of Systems Science is suggested for planning the didactics of this multidimensional approach, for facilitating teachers in their related educational duties

Towards Sustainable Development and Green Economy in European Union

Sustainable development is suggested by environmentalists as the solution for confronting the intense environmental, social and economic problems that emerge globally in the last decades. This study presents the recent features and trends of the associated concepts, like the green economy, green entrepreneurship, green professions and labour-market, with a particular reference to European Union countries. In the course of transforming the current economic model towards a green direction, vocational education appears as a fundamental prerequisite that will prepare the future workforce of green economy. In this respect, a small-scale research is also presented, recording the relevant opinions of senior high-school students in Western Attica (Greece), being an area of acute environmental, social and economic problems

Determining the Opinions of Pupils on Space Professions

The purpose of this study was to plan educational interventions for informing the school population of Western Attica (Greece), an area with acute social and environmental problems (unemployment and natural disasters), about Space professions and their career perspectives. Accordingly, a questionnaire for determining the opinions of senior high-school pupils on the related issues had been designed and used for conducting a limited preliminary survey, to evaluate the entire process. This survey indicated that pupils are not aware of the related career prospects. The recording of the opinions about Space professions revealed that they are strongly associated with the profession of astronaut, although there are many more that can contribute to social welfare and environmental protection. Therefore, an educational intervention should be planned around three main points; these of presenting: Space professions, available career options and motives for pursuing them

An application of Systems Science in the context of Greek Environmental Education for planning interventions against volcanic hazards

Schools (amid in secondary and primary education) are installations vulnerable to all kinds of hazards. Because within the last 70 years, at least, there has not been any experience of volcanic activity in Greece, this kind of hazard is not extensively referred to, by official plans, local communities as well as teachers and pupils. In this paper and by using the systemic methodology of Systems Inquiry, the authors make an exploratory analysis of school-units located at the relatively short distances of 2 to 50 Km from volcanoes with registered “Volcanic Explosivity Index” (VEI) activity. Data regarding schools, adopted from the official database of the Greek government and Ministry of Education, have been utilized. The results indicate, regarding only the historically registered VEI activity and not the following consequences/phenomena (as for example, a tsunami), that vulnerable schools are located in Sousaki (East Corinth prefecture), Methana, Milos, Santorini, Nisyros and Kos Islands. The possible number of educational personnel, pupils and infrastructures is estimated. New approaches in the context of Greek environmental education are proposed for the presentation of these hazards in the educational personnel

Planning Educational Activities for Learning “Road Safety”

In this paper, a project of the local sustainability network of schools in the area of Western Attica (Greece) is described. The subject of this project is “Road Safety”, and it was addressed to third grade pupils of junior high-schools. It has been planned as the result of collaboration between the local Secondary Education Directorate, a few voluntary organizations, some private Vehicle Technical Inspection Centers and the local traffic-police department. This educational activity had been mainly implemented through the teaching and learning method of “experiential learning”. The pupils were divided into groups and attended six workshops that were designed accordingly. The entire process aims at establishing educational activities that in long-term will deal effectively with the acute problem of road safety

Klotho pathways, myelination disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and epigenetic drugs

In this review we outline a rationale for identifying neuroprotectants aimed at inducing endogenous Klotho activity and expression, which is epigenetic action, by definition. Such an approach should promote remyelination and/or stimulate myelin repair by acting on mitochondrial function, thereby heralding a life-saving path forward for patients suffering from neuroinflammatory diseases. Disorders of myelin in the nervous system damage the transmission of signals, resulting in loss of vision, motion, sensation, and other functions depending on the affected nerves, currently with no effective treatment. Klotho genes and their single-pass transmembrane Klotho proteins are powerful governors of the threads of life and death, true to the origin of their name, Fates, in Greek mythology. Among its many important functions, Klotho is an obligatory co-receptor that binds, activates, and/or potentiates critical fibroblast growth factor activity. Since the discovery of Klotho a little over two decades ago, it has become ever more apparent that when Klotho pathways go awry, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction take over, and age-related chronic disorders are likely to follow. The physiological consequences can be wide ranging, potentially wreaking havoc on the brain, eye, kidney, muscle, and more. Central nervous system disorders, neurodegenerative in nature, and especially those affecting the myelin sheath, represent worthy targets for advancing therapies that act upon Klotho pathways. Current drugs for these diseases, even therapeutics that are disease modifying rather than treating only the symptoms, leave much room for improvement. It is thus no wonder that this topic has caught the attention of biomedical researchers around the world.https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/biores.2020.0004Published versio

Pathogenic mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic abnormalities

Herein we trace links between biochemical pathways, pathogenesis, and metabolic diseases to set the stage for new therapeutic advances. Cellular and acellular microorganisms including bacteria and viruses are primary pathogenic drivers that cause disease. Missing from this statement are subcellular compartments, importantly mitochondria, which can be pathogenic by themselves, also serving as key metabolic disease intermediaries. The breakdown of food molecules provides chemical energy to power cellular processes, with mitochondria as powerhouses and ATP as the principal energy carrying molecule. Most animal cell ATP is produced by mitochondrial synthase; its central role in metabolism has been known for >80 years. Metabolic disorders involving many organ systems are prevalent in all age groups. Progressive pathogenic mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of genetic mitochondrial diseases, the most common phenotypic expression of inherited metabolic disorders. Confluent genetic, metabolic, and mitochondrial axes surface in diabetes, heart failure, neurodegenerative disease, and even in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcp.2021.11480

NDVI and E. de Martonne Indices in an Environmentally Stressed Area (Thriasio Plain – Greece)

AbstractIn this paper we examine the possible differentiations of the E. de Martonne climatic aridity index in conjunction to Normalized Difference Vegetation Index – NDVI index. For this purpose meteorological data cover the period from 1958 to 2011 was used. Also for three Landsat satellite images NDVI index was performed. The results for the climatic index show a trend towards characterizing the climate as warmer and drier. The latter conclusion is consistent with intense land use change in the area of interest, and is due to a shift in the management of surface waters used for crops irrigation in the region