Solar radiation-based method for early design stages to balance daylight and thermal comfort in office buildings

There is a lack of facade design methods for early design stages to balance thermal comfort and daylight provision that consider the obstruction angle as an independent variable without using modeling and simulations. This paper aims to develop easy-to use solar radiation-based prediction method for the design of office building facades (i.e., design parameters: room size, window-to-floor ratio, and glazing thermal/optical properties) located in urban canyons to balance daylight provision according to the European standard EN 17037:2018 and thermal comfort through specific cooling capacity. We used a simulation-based methodology that includes correlation analyses between building performance metrics and design parameters, the development of design workflows, accuracy analysis, and validation through the application of the workflows to a new development office building facades located in Tallinn, Estonia. The validation showed that the mean percentage of right/conservative predictions of thermal comfort classes is 98.8% whereas for daylight provision, it is higher than 75.6%. The use of the proposed prediction method can help designers to work more efficiently during early design stages and to obtain optimal performative solutions in much shorter time: window sizing in 73,152 room combinations in 80 s

Outdoor Thermal Comfort Optimization in a Cold Climate to Mitigate the Level of Urban Heat Island in an Urban Area

Climatic and micro-climatic phenomena such as summer heat waves and Urban Heat Island (UHI) are increasingly endangering the city’s livability and safety. The importance of urban features on the UHI effect encourages us to consider the configuration of urban elements to improve cities’ sustainability and livability. Most solutions are viable when a city redevelops and new areas are built to focus on aspects such as optimum design and the orientation of building masses and streets, which affect thermal comfort. This research looks beyond outdoor thermal comfort studies using UHI data and geoprocessing techniques in Tallinn, Estonia. This study supposes that designing urban canyons with proper orientation helps to mitigate the UHI effect by maximizing outdoor thermal comfort at the pedestrian level during hot summer days. In addition, optimizing the orientation of buildings makes it possible to create shaded and cooler areas for pedestrians, reducing surface temperature, which may create more comfortable and sustainable urban environments with lower energy demands and reduced heat-related health risks. This research aims to generate valuable insights into how urban environments can be designed and configured to improve sustainability, livability, and outdoor thermal comfort for pedestrians. According to the study results, researchers can identify the most effective interventions to achieve these objectives by leveraging UHI data and geoprocessing techniques and using CFD simulations. This evaluation is beneficial in guiding urban planners and architects in proposing mitigation solutions to enhance thermal comfort in cities and creating suitable conditions for approved thermal comfort levels. Results of the study show that in the location used for the survey, Tallinn, Estonia, the orientation of West-East offers the optimum level of comfort regarding thermal comfort and surface temperature in the urban environment

Analysis of climatic and anthropogenic forcing in the reduction of water in the Copiapó river basin, Chile (28° S) using satellite products

[EN] A water shortage has been affecting Chile in recent years. Due to the negative effects that water deficit can generate on the environment and the population, an improved understanding of the influence of climatic and anthropogenic factor on water depletion is needed, especially in arid regions such as northern Chile. The main objective of this study is to assess the implications of climatic and anthropogenic variables on the water deficit of the Copiapó River basin, Atacama region, Chile. The study period spans from 2001/02 to 2021/22 seasons. MODIS satellite products (MOD10a2 and MOD16a2) and Landsat images were used for this analysis. Water extraction information obtained from the Chilean National Water Agency (DGA) was also included for this study. The analyzed variables include actual evapotranspiration (ETr), Snow Water Equivalent (SWE), and water use for mining and agriculture. Changes in Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) in the Andes were analyzed as climatic variables, while changes in irrigation and water extraction for mining were used as anthropogenic variables. The amount of water lost by the basin through actual evapotranspiration (ETr) was estimated to quantify changes in water reduction. The results show a significant reduction (p<0.05) of water at a rate of 0.7 Mton/year. Through correlation analysis, an important relationship was found between this reduction and the consumption of the mining sector (-0.52), suggesting that the anthropogenic forcing influences the water deficit more than the climate. Enhanced monitoring of water extraction will contribute to a more accurate identification of its effects on water availability.[ES] Una escasez hídrica ha estado afectando a Chile en los últimos años. Debido a los efectos negativos que puede generar el déficit de agua en el medio ambiente y en la población, es necesario mejorar nuestro entendimiento sobre la influencia de los factores climáticos y antropogénicos en la reducción hídrica, especialmente en regiones áridas como el norte de Chile. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es evaluar las implicancias de las variables climática y antropogénica en el déficit hídrico de la cuenca del río Copiapó, región de Atacama, Chile. El periodo de estudio comprende entre las temporadas 2001/02 y 2021/22. Para este análisis se utilizaron los productos satelitales de MODIS (MOD10a2 y MOD16a2) e imágenes Landsat. Información de la extracción de agua obtenida por la Dirección General de Aguas también fue incluida para este estudio. Las variables analizadas incluyen evapotranspiración real (ETr), Equivalente de Agua en la Nieve (SWE) y uso de agua para minería y agricultura. Cambios de SWE en los Andes fueron analizados como variables climáticas, mientras que cambios en la irrigación y extracción de agua para minería fueron utilizados como variables antropogénicas. La cantidad de agua que pierde la cuenca mediante ETr fue estimada para cuantificar los cambios en la reducción de agua. Los resultados muestran una reducción significativa (p<0,05) de agua a una tasa de 0,7 Mton/año. Mediante análisis de correlación, se encontró una importante relación entre esta reducción y el consumo del sector minero (-0,52), sugiriendo que el forzante antropogénico influye más que el clima en el déficit hídrico. Un mejor monitoreo de la extracción de agua ayudará a identificar de mejor manera sus efectos en la disponibilidad de agua.Direccion de Postgrado Universidad de ConcepciónGonzález, A.; Mattar, C.; Sepúlveda, HH. (2024). Análisis de los forzantes climáticos y antropogénicos en la reducción de agua en la cuenca del río Copiapó, Chile (28° S) utilizando productos satelitales. Revista de Teledetección. (63):53-63. https://doi.org/10.4995/raet.2024.2004753636

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Modifies the Changes Induced in Non-Nervous Organs and Tissues by Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Models

This study reveals the existence of oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species (ROS)) in non-nervous organs and tissues in multiple sclerosis (MS) by means of a model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in rats. This model reproduces a similar situation to MS, as well as its relationship with intestinal microbiota starting from the changes in bacterial lipopolysaccharide levels (LPS) in the outer wall of the gram-negative bacteria. Finally, the administration of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), hydroxytirosol (HT), and oleic acid (OA) exert beneficial effects. Twenty-five Dark Agouti two-month-old male rats, weighing around 190 g, were distributed into the following groups: Control, EAE (experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis group), EAE + EVOO, EAE + HT, and EAE + OA. The glutathione redox system with the EAE was measured in heart, kidney, liver, and small and large intestines. The LPS and the correlation with oxidative stress in the small and large intestines were also investigated. The results showed that (1) the oxidative damage in the EAE model affects non-nervous organs and tissues; (2) The LPS is related to inflammatory phenomena and oxidative stress in the intestinal tissue and in other organs; (3) The administration of EVOO, HT, and OA reduces the LPS levels at the same time as minimizing the oxidative damage; (4) EVOO, HT, and OA improve the disease’s clinical score; and (5) on balance, EVOO offers a better neuroprotective effect

Benchmarking of tools for axon length measurement in individually-labeled projection neurons

Projection neurons are the commonest neuronal type in the mammalian forebrain and their individual characterization is a crucial step to understand how neural circuitry operates. These cells have an axon whose arborizations extend over long distances, branching in complex patterns and/or in multiple brain regions. Axon length is a principal estimate of the functional impact of the neuron, as it directly correlates with the number of synapses formed by the axon in its target regions; however, its measurement by direct 3D axonal tracing is a slow and labor-intensive method. On the contrary, axon length estimations have been recently proposed as an effective and accessible alternative, allowing a fast approach to the functional significance of the single neuron. Here, we analyze the accuracy and efficiency of the most used length estimation tools—design-based stereology by virtual planes or spheres, and mathematical correction of the 2D projected-axon length—in contrast with direct measurement, to quantify individual axon length. To this end, we computationally simulated each tool, applied them over a dataset of 951 3D-reconstructed axons (from NeuroMorpho.org), and compared the generated length values with their 3D reconstruction counterparts. The evaluated reliability of each axon length estimation method was then balanced with the required human effort, experience and know-how, and economic affordability. Subsequently, computational results were contrasted with measurements performed on actual brain tissue sections. We show that the plane-based stereological method balances acceptable errors (~5%) with robustness to biases, whereas the projection-based method, despite its accuracy, is prone to inherent biases when implemented in the laboratory. This work, therefore, aims to provide a constructive benchmark to help guide the selection of the most efficient method for measuring specific axonal morphologies according to the particular circumstances of the conducted research

Compromiso y motivación escolar: Una discusión conceptual

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo ahondar en los conceptos de “motivación escolar” y “compromiso escolar” en el contexto de los procesos educativos, examina en qué medida las conceptualizaciones que ofrece la bibliografía anglosajona son compatibles o están representadas en la iberoamericana, con miras a precisar con mayor detalle sus diferencias para favorecer futuras investigaciones o intervenciones. Para ello, se llevó a cabo una revisión teórica que pone en discusión los avances en el análisis de ambos conceptos, se descubrieron similitudes y diferencias en las dimensiones constitutivas de cada una. La de origen iberoamericano trata ambos conceptos como homologables entre sí y produce confusiones conceptuales. Esta revisión permite precisar las diferencias, lo que puede ser de utilidad para favorecer futuras investigaciones o intervenciones

Common or multiple futures for end of life care around the world? Ideas from the ‘waiting room of history’

Around the world there is growing interest in the manner in which care is delivered to people at the end of life. However, there is little unanimity on what constitutes a ‘good death’ and the appropriate societal responses to the issue of delivering culturally relevant and sustainable forms of end of life care in different settings are not subjects of broad agreement. In this critical conceptual paper we focus on the emerging narratives of global palliative care and offer an assessment of their implications. We relate this to calls to improve end of life care across jurisdictions and settings, attempts to map and grade the development of palliative care provision, and to the emergence of a widely recognised global ‘quality of death index’. We consider an alternative approach to framing this debate, drawn from a subaltern and post-colonial studies perspective and suggest that adopting a truly global perspective will require acceptance of the plurality of past and present local problems and issues relating to end of life care, as well as the plural possibilities of how they might be overcome. In that context, we would not aim to universalise or privilege one particular global future for end of life care. Instead of homogenising end of life interventions, we seek to be open to multiple futures for the care of the dying

Optimización de modelos poblacionales no lineales de efectos mixtos mediante cómputo evolutivo.

Tesis (Maestría en ciencias en sistemas digitales), Instituto Politécnico Nacional, SEPI, Citedi, 2014, 1 archivo PDF, (77 pàginas). tesis.ipn.m

Delightful Daylighting: A Framework for Describing the Experience of Daylighting in Nordic Homes and Coupling It with Quantitative Assessments

In this conceptual article we propose a framework for describing the experience of delightful daylighting in Nordic homes and a method to correlate it with an existing quantitative daylighting assessment. In contrast to earlier research on daylighting, the present work gives priority to developing the methodology for researching the experience of the inhabitant in a real situation and relying the quantitative assessment on an existing method. In this way, we shift the focus of daylight studies from quantitative evaluations towards qualitative descriptions of the human experience of daylight. The framework enables future research that can broaden the way the experience of daylighting is described and to see if the quantitative assessment according to the standard EN 17037:2018 Daylighting in buildings correlates with these descriptions. Firstly, the current state of research on subjective daylight preferences and daylight assessment is reviewed. Secondly, a novel method, the long-term spatial interview, is introduced. The aim of the method is to describe a long-term experience of a spatial phenomenon, in this case, delightful daylighting of Nordic homes, through a phenomenological perspective and enable localisation of the qualitative research results. Finally, the use of the existing EN-standard as a tool to quantitatively describe the daylight situation of spaces is explained and a correlation analysis of the quantitative and qualitative results is explicated. Future research based on the framework can provide useful information for designers aiming at creating delightful daylighting experiences in Nordic homes

Delightful Daylighting: A Framework for Describing the Experience of Daylighting in Nordic Homes and Coupling It with Quantitative Assessments

In this conceptual article we propose a framework for describing the experience of delightful daylighting in Nordic homes and a method to correlate it with an existing quantitative daylighting assessment. In contrast to earlier research on daylighting, the present work gives priority to developing the methodology for researching the experience of the inhabitant in a real situation and relying the quantitative assessment on an existing method. In this way, we shift the focus of daylight studies from quantitative evaluations towards qualitative descriptions of the human experience of daylight. The framework enables future research that can broaden the way the experience of daylighting is described and to see if the quantitative assessment according to the standard EN 17037:2018 Daylighting in buildings correlates with these descriptions. Firstly, the current state of research on subjective daylight preferences and daylight assessment is reviewed. Secondly, a novel method, the long-term spatial interview, is introduced. The aim of the method is to describe a long-term experience of a spatial phenomenon, in this case, delightful daylighting of Nordic homes, through a phenomenological perspective and enable localisation of the qualitative research results. Finally, the use of the existing EN-standard as a tool to quantitatively describe the daylight situation of spaces is explained and a correlation analysis of the quantitative and qualitative results is explicated. Future research based on the framework can provide useful information for designers aiming at creating delightful daylighting experiences in Nordic homes