Pedestrian wind comfort: feasibility study of criteria homogenisation

One of the aims of COST C14 action is the assessment and evaluation of pedestrian wind comfort. At present there is no general rule available that is applied across Europe. There are several criteria that have been developed and applied in different countries. These criteria are based on the definition of two independent parameters, a threshold effective wind speed and a probability of exceedence of this threshold speed. The difficulty of the criteria comparison arises from the two-dimensional character of the criteria definition. An effort is being made to compare these criteria, trying both to find commonalities and to clearly identify differences, in order to build up the basis for the next step: to try to define common criteria (perhaps with regional and seasonal variations). The first point is to define clearly the threshold effective wind speed (mean velocity definition parameters: averaging interval and reference height) and equivalence between different ways of defining the threshold effective wind speed (mean wind speed, gust equivalent mean, etc.) in comparable terms (as far as possible). It can be shown that if the wind speed at a given location is defined in terms of a probability distribution, e.g. Weibull function, a given criterion is satisfied by an infinite set of wind conditions, that is, of probability distributions. The criterion parameters and the Weibull function parameters are linked to each other, establishing a set called iso-criteria lines (the locus of the Weibull function parameters that fulfil a given criterion). The relative position of iso-criteria lines when displayed in a suitable two-dimensional plane facilitates the comparison of comfort criteria. The comparison of several wind comfort criteria, coming from several institutes is performed, showing the feasibility and limitations of the method.

Assessment of vehicle safety problems for special driving populations. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Online conference case study: Creating a comfort zone within an emerging community of practice

This paper outlines the context and theoretical basis for the design, implementation and evaluation of an online conference conducted in 2003. The purpose of the conference was to provide postgraduate distance learners with an opportunity to interact with human factors and healthcare professionals, thereby providing them with exposure to this emerging community of practice. The conference was delivered through a WebCT site and stimulated various modes of interaction. The paper discusses the design and format of the conference and details an analysis of the online transcript that shows development of learning communities as “comfort zones” within which the participants could communicate in a common language and atmosphere of understanding over the 2 days that the conference ran.

Modern methods for traditional tasks: Developing an electronic version of student fieldwork assessment at The University of Queensland.

Fieldwork placements are an integral part of many professional tertiary programmes. At The University of Queensland, Occupational Therapy students undertake block fieldwork affiliations off campus at a wide range of sites as part of their studies. Students’ fieldwork performance has traditionally been assessed using a hard copy format of the Student Placement Evaluation Form (SPEF), which is posted to the university on completion by the clinical supervisor. This project aimed to develop an electronic version of the UQ Occupational Therapy Student Placement Evaluation Form (SPEF), to allow the assessment to be completed and returned in an on line format. Practitioners had become very comfortable with using the existing print based form so in order to encourage and assist users to extend beyond their comfort zones, numerous steps were taken to ease the learning process including incorporating the existing page layout, consistent colour coding, considerable user instruction, testing and software enhancement cycles. Additionally, the e-version of the SPEF aimed to provide a range of benefits such as on screen assistance in the form of instructions, roll overs and feedback to supervisors, increased accuracy, faster completion, cost savings to the School, up to date design, improved security and confidential and anonymous storage of fieldwork results for potential future research.

Roof region dependent wind potential assessment with different RANS turbulence models.

The analysis of the wind flow around buildings has a great interest from the point of view of the wind energy assessment, pollutant dispersion control, natural ventilation and pedestrians wind comfort and safety. Since LES turbulence models are computationally time consuming when applied to real geometries, RANS models are still widely used. However, RANS models are very sensitive to the chosen turbulence parametrisation and the results can vary according to the application. In this investigation, the simulation of the wind flow around an isolated building is performed using various types of RANS turbulence models in the open source code OpenFOAM, and the results are compared with benchmark experimental data. In order to confirm the numerical accuracy of the simulations, a grid dependency analysis is performed and the convergence index and rate are calculated. Hit rates are calculated for all the cases and the models that successfully pass a validation criterion are analysed at different regions of the building roof, and the most accurate RANS models for the modelling of the flow at each region are identified. The characteristics of the wind flow at each region are also analysed from the point of view of the wind energy generation, and the most adequate wind turbine model for the wind energy exploitation at each region of the building roof is chosen.

Natural ventilation and indoor air quality in educational buildings: experimental assessment and improvement strategies

Indoor environmental conditions in classrooms, in particular temperature and indoor air quality, influence students’ health, attitude and performance. In recent years, several studies regarding indoor environmental quality of classrooms were published and natural ventilation proved to have great potential, particularly in southern European climate. This research aimed to evaluate indoor environmental conditions in eight schools and to assess their improvement potential by simple natural ventilation strategies. Temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration were measured in 32 classrooms. Ventilation performance of the classrooms was characterized using two techniques, first by fan pressurization measurements of the envelope airtightness and later by tracer gas measurements of the air change rate assuming different envelope conditions. A total of 110 tracer gas measurements were made and the results validated ventilation protocols that were tested afterward. The results of the ventilation protocol implementation were encouraging and, overall, a decrease on the CO2 concentration was observed without modifying the comfort conditions. Nevertheless, additional measurements must be performed for winter conditions.

Machine Learning algorithm on seat comfort level measurement, mapping pressure values with body regions

The comfort level of the seat has a major effect on the usage of a vehicle; thus, car manufacturers have been working on elevating car seat comfort as much as possible. However, still, the testing and evaluation of comfort are done using exhaustive trial and error testing and evaluation of data. In this thesis, we resort to machine learning and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to develop a fully automated approach. Even though this approach has its advantages in minimizing time and using a large set of data, it takes away the degree of freedom of the engineer on making decisions. The focus of this study is on filling the gap in a two-step comfort level evaluation which used pressure mapping with body regions to evaluate the average pressure supported by specific body parts and the Self-Assessment Exam (SAE) questions on evaluation of the person’s interest. This study has created a machine learning algorithm that works on giving a degree of freedom to the engineer in making a decision when mapping pressure values with body regions using ANN. The mapping is done with 92% accuracy and with the help of a Graphical User Interface (GUI) that facilitates the process during the testing time of comfort level evaluation of the car seat, which decreases the duration of the test analysis from days to hours.

Assessment Of The Fixation Of Mandibular Symphysis Fractures Using Conical Cannulated Screws: Mechanical And Photoelastic Tests.

The aim of this study was to use mechanical and photoelastic tests to compare the performance of cannulated screws with other fixation methods in mandibular symphysis fractures. Ten polyurethane mandibles were allocated to each group and fixed as follows: group PRP, 2 perpendicular miniplates; group PLL, 1 miniplate and 1 plate, parallel; and group CS, 2 cannulated screws. Vertical linear loading tests were performed. The differences between mean values were analyzed with the Tukey test. The photoelastic test was carried out using a polariscope. The results revealed differences between the CS and PRP groups at 1, 3, 5, and 10 millimeters of displacement. The photoelastic test confirmed higher stress concentration in all groups close to the mandibular base, whereas the CS group showed it throughout the region assessed. Conical cannulated screws performed well in mechanical and photoelastic tests.

Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Assessment Of Interstitial Myocardial Fibrosis And Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy In Hypertensive Mice Treated With Spironolactone.

Nearly 50% of patients with heart failure (HF) have preserved LV ejection fraction, with interstitial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy as early manifestations of pressure overload. However, methods to assess both tissue characteristics dynamically and noninvasively with therapy are lacking. We measured the effects of mineralocorticoid receptor blockade on tissue phenotypes in LV pressure overload using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Mice were randomized to l-nitro-ω-methyl ester (l-NAME, 3 mg/mL in water; n=22), or l-NAME with spironolactone (50 mg/kg/day in subcutaneous pellets; n=21). Myocardial extracellular volume (ECV; marker of diffuse interstitial fibrosis) and the intracellular lifetime of water (τic; marker of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy) were determined by CMR T1 imaging at baseline and after 7 weeks of therapy alongside histological assessments. Administration of l-NAME induced hypertensive heart disease in mice, with increases in mean arterial pressure, LV mass, ECV, and τic compared with placebo-treated controls, while LV ejection fraction was preserved (>50%). In comparison, animals receiving both spironolactone and l-NAME (l-NAME+S) showed less concentric remodeling, and a lower myocardial ECV and τic, indicating decreased interstitial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy (ECV: 0.43 ± 0.09 for l-NAME versus 0.25 ± 0.03 for l-NAME+S, P<0.001; τic: 0.42 ± 0.11 for l-NAME groups versus 0.12 ± 0.05 for l-NAME+S group). Mice treated with a combination of l-NAME and spironolactone were similar to placebo-treated controls at 7 weeks. Spironolactone attenuates interstitial fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in hypertensive heart disease. CMR can phenotype myocardial tissue remodeling in pressure-overload, furthering our understanding of HF progression.

The Inadequacy Of The Y-axis Of Growth (sngn) For The Vertical Pattern Assessment In Patients With Sagittal Discrepancies.

The aim of this cephalometric study was to evaluate the influence of the sagittal skeletal pattern on the 'Y-axis of growth' measurement in patients with different malocclusions. Lateral head films from 59 patients (mean age 16y 7m, ranging from 11 to 25 years) were selected after a subjective analysis of 1630 cases. Sample was grouped as follows: Group 1 - class I facial pattern; group 2 - class II facial pattern; and Group 3 - class III facial pattern. Two angular measurements, SNGoGn and SNGn, were taken in order to determine skeletal vertical facial pattern. A logistic regression with errors distributed according to a binomial distribution was used to test the influence of the sagittal relationship (Class I, II, III facial patterns) on vertical diagnostic measurement congruence (SNGoGn and SNGn). RESULTS show that the probability of congruence between the patterns SNGn and SNGoGn was relatively high (70%) for group 1, but for groups II (46%) and III (37%) this congruence was relatively low. The use of SNGn appears to be inappropriate to determine the vertical facial skeletal pattern of patients, due to Gn point shifting throughout sagittal discrepancies. Clinical Significance: Facial pattern determined by SNGn must be considered carefully, especially when severe sagittal discrepancies are present.

Assessment Of Robustness On Analysis Using Headspace Solid-phase Microextraction And Comprehensive Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography Through Experimental Designs.

Plackett-Burman experimental design was applied for the robustness assessment of GC×GC-qMS (Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography with Fast Quadrupolar Mass Spectrometric Detection) in quantitative and qualitative analysis of volatiles compounds from chocolate samples isolated by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME). The influence of small changes around the nominal level of six factors deemed as important on peak areas (carrier gas flow rate, modulation period, temperature of ionic source, MS photomultiplier power, injector temperature and interface temperature) and of four factors considered as potentially influential on spectral quality (minimum and maximum limits of the scanned mass ranges, ions source temperature and photomultiplier power). The analytes selected for the study were 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine, 2-octanone, octanal, 2-pentyl-furan, 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine, and 2-nonanone e nonanal. The factors pointed out as important on the robustness of the system were photomultiplier power for quantitative analysis and lower limit of mass scanning range for qualitative analysis.

Bacterial Diversity Assessment In Soil Of An Active Brazilian Copper Mine Using High-throughput Sequencing Of 16s Rdna Amplicons.

Mining activities pose severe environmental risks worldwide, generating extreme pH conditions and high concentrations of heavy metals, which can have major impacts on the survival of organisms. In this work, pyrosequencing of the V3 region of the 16S rDNA was used to analyze the bacterial communities in soil samples from a Brazilian copper mine. For the analysis, soil samples were collected from the slopes (geotechnical structures) and the surrounding drainage of the Sossego mine (comprising the Sossego and Sequeirinho deposits). The results revealed complex bacterial diversity, and there was no influence of deposit geographic location on the composition of the communities. However, the environment type played an important role in bacterial community divergence; the composition and frequency of OTUs in the slope samples were different from those of the surrounding drainage samples, and Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, and Gammaproteobacteria were responsible for the observed difference. Chemical analysis indicated that both types of sample presented a high metal content, while the amounts of organic matter and water were higher in the surrounding drainage samples. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (N-MDS) analysis identified organic matter and water as important distinguishing factors between the bacterial communities from the two types of mine environment. Although habitat-specific OTUs were found in both environments, they were more abundant in the surrounding drainage samples (around 50 %), and contributed to the higher bacterial diversity found in this habitat. The slope samples were dominated by a smaller number of phyla, especially Firmicutes. The bacterial communities from the slope and surrounding drainage samples were different in structure and composition, and the organic matter and water present in these environments contributed to the observed differences.

[the Modified Us7 Score In The Assessment Of Synovitis In Early Rheumatoid Arthritis].

To evaluate the modified US7 score (MUS7 score SYN) in the assessment of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA). In addition, dorsal and palmar recesses of the wrists as well as of small joints of the hands and feet were examined for the presence of synovitis by means of a global assessment of joints. The study sample comprised 32 patients treated for arthritis, with an average disease duration of 13 months. An ultrasound machine with high frequency transducer was used. Hands were also X-rayed and analysed by Larsen score. Out of the 832 examined joints, synovitis was detected in 173 (20,79%), tenosynovitis in 22 (4,91%), and erosions in 3 (1,56%). Synovitis was predominantly detected in the dorsal recess (73,38%) of MCP and PIP joints, when compared with palmar recess (26%). The presence of synovitis in the joints evaluated correlated with clinical (HAQ-DI, DAS28), laboratory (ACPA, RF, CRP), and ultrasound results (r = 0,37 to r = 0,42; p = 0,04 to p = 0,003). We found correlation of the MUS7 score SYN of the gray scale US or of the power Doppler US with DAS28 (PCR) values (r = 0,38; p = 0,0332), and with CRP results (r = 0,39; p = 0,0280), respectively. The dorsal recess, the wrist, and small joints can be considered as important sites to detect synovitis by the MUS7 score SYN in patients with ERA.

Usefulness Of Vaginal Cytology Tests In Women With Previous Hysterectomy For Benign Diseases: Assessment Of 53,891 Tests.

To assess the value of vaginal screening cytology after hysterectomy for benign disease. This cross-sectional study used cytology audit data from 2,512,039 screening tests in the metropolitan region of Campinas from 2000 to 2012; the object was to compare the prevalence of abnormal tests in women who had undergone a hysterectomy for benign diseases (n=53,891) to that of women who had had no hysterectomy. Prevalence ratios (95% confidence intervals, 95% CI) were determined, and chi-square analysis, modified by the Cochrane-Armitage test for trend, was used to investigate the effects of age. The prevalence of atypical squamous cells (ASC), low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion or squamous-cell carcinoma (HSIL/SCC) was 0.13%, 0.04% and 0.03%, respectively, in women who had undergone hysterectomy, and 0.93%, 0.51% and 0.26% in women who had not undergone hysterectomy. The prevalence ratios for ASC, LSIL and HSIL/SCC were 0.14 (0.11-0.17), 0.08 (0.06-0.13) and 0.13 (0.08-0.20), respectively, in women with a hysterectomy versus those without. For HSIL/SCC, the prevalence ratios were 0.09 and 0.29, respectively, for women <50 or ≥50years. The prevalence rates in women with a previous hysterectomy showed no significant variation with age. The prevalence rates of ASC, LSIL and HSIL/SCC were significantly lower in women with a previous hysterectomy for benign disease compared with those observed in women with an intact uterine cervix. This study reinforces the view that there is no evidence that cytological screening is beneficial for women who have had a hysterectomy for benign disease.

Burden Of Focal Cryoablation Versus Brachytherapy Versus Active Surveillance In The Treatment Of Very Low-risk Prostate Cancer: A Preliminary Head-to-head Comprehensive Assessment.

Focal cryoablation (FC), brachytherapy (B) and active surveillance (AS) were offered to patients diagnosed with very low-risk prostate cancer (VLRPC) in an equal access protocol. Comprehensive validated self-report questionnaires accessed patients' erectile (IIEF-5) and voiding (IPSS) functions, Beck scales measured anxiety (BAI), hopelessness (BHS) and depression (BDI), SF-36 reflected patients' quality of life added to the emotional thermometers including five visual analogue scales (distress, anxiety, depression, anger and need for help). Kruskal-Wallis or ANOVA tests and Spearman's correlations were obtained among groups and studied variables. Thirty patients were included, median follow-up 18 months (15-21). Those on AS (n = 11) were older, presented higher hopelessness (BHS) and lower general health perceptions (SF-36) scores than patients opting for FC (n = 10) and B (n = 9), P = 0.0014, P = 0.0268 and P = 0.0168 respectively. Patients on B had higher IPSS scores compared to those under FC and AC, P = 0.0223. For all 30 included patients, Spearman's correlation (rs ) was very strong between BHS and general health perceptions (rs  = -0.800, P < 0.0001), and weak/moderate between age and BHS (rs  = 0.405, P = 0.026) and age and general health perceptions (rs  = -0.564, P = 0.001). The sample power was >60%. To be considered in patients' counselling and care, current study supports the hypothesis that even VLRPC when untreated undermines psychosocial domains.