scholarly journals Study on a thermophysiological model for health assessment of showering environment in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 2069 (1) ◽  
pp. 012179
Author(s):  
Y Ying ◽  
P C Shi ◽  
Y N Li ◽  
X Tan ◽  
Y H Li ◽  
...  

Abstract In China, the thermal environment of family showers in old communities is quite different from that of other living spaces, especially when the thermal environment changes drastically during showering, which can easily cause health problems. The human thermal physiological model is an effective tool to predict and evaluate the non-uniform and unstable shower thermal environment and human health risks. In this research, the showering experiment was carried out in a typical bathroom in an old community in China, during which environmental parameters such as air temperature, wall temperature and water temperature of the bathroom during the showering were recorded, and physiological parameters such as skin temperature, core temperature and blood pressure during the whole showering process were detected. Based on the multi-node numerical human body model of Stowljik and a cardiovascular control model with human body temperature as the driving force, a temperature-blood pressure coupling prediction model was established. The validity of the proposed model was examined for blood circulation. This predictive model can accurately reflect changes in physiological parameters and is verified as suitable for the health assessment of showering environment in residential buildings.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4530
Author(s):  
Youcef Bouzidi ◽  
Zoubayre El Akili ◽  
Antoine Gademer ◽  
Nacef Tazi ◽  
Adil Chahboun

This paper investigates adaptive thermal comfort during summer in medical residences that are located in the French city of Troyes and managed by the Association of Parents of Disabled Children (APEI). Thermal comfort in these buildings is evaluated using subjective measurements and objective physical parameters. The thermal sensations of respondents were determined by questionnaires, while thermal comfort was estimated using the predicted mean vote (PMV) model. Indoor environmental parameters (relative humidity, mean radiant temperature, air temperature, and air velocity) were measured using a thermal environment sensor during the summer period in July and August 2018. A good correlation was found between operative temperature, mean radiant temperature, and PMV. The neutral temperature was determined by linear regression analysis of the operative temperature and Fanger’s PMV model. The obtained neutral temperature is 23.7 °C. Based on the datasets and questionnaires, the adaptive coefficient α representing patients’ capacity to adapt to heat was found to be 1.261. A strong correlation was also observed between the sequential thermal index n(t) and the adaptive temperature. Finally, a new empirical model of adaptive temperature was developed using the data collected from a longitudinal survey in four residential buildings of APEI in summer, and the obtained adaptive temperature is 25.0 °C with upper and lower limits of 24.7 °C and 25.4 °C.


Author(s):  
Zhibin Ren ◽  
Hongbo Zhao ◽  
Yao Fu ◽  
Lu Xiao ◽  
Yulin Dong

AbstractPlanting trees along urban streets is one of the most important strategies to improve the urban thermal environment. However, the net impacts of urban street trees on human thermal comfort and physiological parameters are still less clear. On three similar east–west orientated streets with different degrees of tree cover—low (13%), medium (35%), and high (75%), urban microclimatic parameters and human physiological indices for six male students were simultaneously measured on three cloudless days in summer 2018. The results show that the differences in tree cover were predominant in influencing urban thermal environment and comfort. The street with the highest tree cover had significantly lower physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and more comfortable than the other two streets. The frequency of strong heat stress (PET > 35 °C) was 64%, 11%, and 0%, respectively, for streets with low, medium, and high tree cover. For the six male university students, human physiological indices varied greatly across the three streets with different tree cover. Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and pulse rate increased with decreasing tree cover. The results also suggest that urban thermal environment and comfort had considerable impact on human physiological parameters. Our study provides reasons for urban planners to plant trees along streets to improve the thermal environment and promote urban sustainability.


2020 ◽  
Vol 172 ◽  
pp. 15009
Author(s):  
Pengcheng Shi ◽  
Yonghui Li ◽  
Yuan Ying ◽  
Shuichi Hokoi

Bathing is a typical daily behavior among Chinese elderly people, which causes large thermal environmental fluctuations especially in winter. Rapid fluctuations of the thermal environment can lead to a drastic change in human blood pressure and may cause accidents while bathing. The most common style of Chinese bathing is showers. Information on the thermal environment during bathing is limited, making analysis difficult. This study aims to understand the current situation of bathing in old residences in Nanjing, China. To examine elderly bathing behaviors and thermal environments in bathrooms during bathing, we monitored the thermal environment in three elderly families and administered a questionnaire survey from which 49 responses were obtained. Results were categorized into environmental and personal factors that affect blood pressure during bathing. In winter, the temperature in a bathroom is often below 10℃. A heating device is installed close to the head (87%); thus, the thermal environment is vertically non-uniform (air temperature difference often exceeds 10℃). Most elderly individuals bathe for less than 30 minutes and the rise in air temperature often exceeds 10℃. This information will be used as the boundary conditions for thermo-physiological models that can quantitatively assess the impact of the environment on the elderly, and for the renovation of bathrooms.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 4720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu ◽  
Ren ◽  
Wei ◽  
Song ◽  
Li ◽  
...  

In this paper, onsite measurements and a subjective questionnaire were conducted to study the thermal environment and heating condition of bedrooms during the winter in rural areas in China’s hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) region. Indoor and outdoor thermal environmental parameters were measured to evaluate the thermal conditions of bedrooms. Thermal sensation/tendency/acceptance, heating, and health condition were investigated to complete the analysis of attitudes of local residents on the thermal environment of bedrooms, heating and health issues, as well as the analysis of buildings. The observed results demonstrate that occupants in this region have a strong tolerance to low-temperature environments with the 80% acceptable lower temperature of 4.7 °C and a neutral temperature of 10.7 °C, with an average clothing insulation over 2.2 clo. Oversized volume and acreage of buildings and windows induce a lower temperature in the bedroom. Infants have a significant effect on heating requirements, including heating duration and temperature setpoint. Local residents are highly concerned about the costs, safety, and health related to heating and thermal environments. All evidence obtained through this investigation shows that it is beneficial to formulate regulations for the shape, envelope, and centralized heating policy for rural residential buildings in the HSCW region.


2012 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-18
Author(s):  
Raksha Diwakar ◽  
◽  
Sheikh Rafik Manihar Ahmed ◽  
Jayant Rajpurohit ◽  
◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Yuqian Wang ◽  
Mingyan Jiang ◽  
Yinshu Huang ◽  
Zhiyi Sheng ◽  
Xiao Huang ◽  
...  

This study illustrated the physiological and psychological effects of watching videos of different durations showing bamboo forests with varied structures. Physiological indicators, including EEG (electroencephalogram), blood pressure, skin conductance, and pulse, were monitored in 180 Chinese university students (mean age: 20.72 ± 2.56 years) while they were watching bamboo videos. Before and after watching the videos, their psychological indicators, including positive and negative moods, were measured using the Profile of Mood States questionnaire. After watching the bamboo videos of different durations, all of the physiological indicators responded to the stimulation after only 1 min. The indicators showed different trends at 1, 3 and 5 min. EEG decreased and then was maintained at a stable level after 1 min, and the high β, low β, and α waves had no significant differences between 1, 3 and 5 min. Blood pressure dropped to a stable state after 3 min, and the decline was significantly different greater after 3 min than after 1 min. Skin conductance increased for 1 to 5 min, and it did not stabilize after a long time (5 min). Pulse decreased after 1 min but increased after 5 min. After watching the videos with bamboo of varying structures, the physiological and psychological indicators showed significantly different changes. Skin conductance significantly increased (mean value: 6.78%), and the amount of sweat was more effectively reduced, thereby reducing tension, when the students viewed videos of sympodial bamboo forests compared with monopodial bamboo forests. Bamboo forests with a higher canopy density (0.83–0.85) could significantly decrease α waves (mean value: 1.50 Hz), relaxing the human body. High β and low β waves showed greater decreases, with tension reduced more effectively, when bamboo forests with a low tilt ratio (< 1.5%) were viewed. Bamboo forests with neat undergrowth could have more beneficial physiological and psychological effects on the human body.


RSC Advances ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (41) ◽  
pp. 25731-25737
Author(s):  
Maria Cristina Righetti ◽  
Maria Laura Di Lorenzo ◽  
Patrizia Cinelli ◽  
Massimo Gazzano

At room temperature and at the human body temperature, all the amorphous fraction is mobile in poly(butylene succinate).


Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 156
Author(s):  
Charles Carlson ◽  
Vanessa-Rose Turpin ◽  
Ahmad Suliman ◽  
Carl Ade ◽  
Steve Warren ◽  
...  

Background: The goal of this work was to create a sharable dataset of heart-driven signals, including ballistocardiograms (BCGs) and time-aligned electrocardiograms (ECGs), photoplethysmograms (PPGs), and blood pressure waveforms. Methods: A custom, bed-based ballistocardiographic system is described in detail. Affiliated cardiopulmonary signals are acquired using a GE Datex CardioCap 5 patient monitor (which collects ECG and PPG data) and a Finapres Medical Systems Finometer PRO (which provides continuous reconstructed brachial artery pressure waveforms and derived cardiovascular parameters). Results: Data were collected from 40 participants, 4 of whom had been or were currently diagnosed with a heart condition at the time they enrolled in the study. An investigation revealed that features extracted from a BCG could be used to track changes in systolic blood pressure (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.54 +/− 0.15), dP/dtmax (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.51 +/− 0.18), and stroke volume (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.54 +/− 0.17). Conclusion: A collection of synchronized, heart-driven signals, including BCGs, ECGs, PPGs, and blood pressure waveforms, was acquired and made publicly available. An initial study indicated that bed-based ballistocardiography can be used to track beat-to-beat changes in systolic blood pressure and stroke volume. Significance: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no other database that includes time-aligned ECG, PPG, BCG, and continuous blood pressure data is available to the public. This dataset could be used by other researchers for algorithm testing and development in this fast-growing field of health assessment, without requiring these individuals to invest considerable time and resources into hardware development and data collection.


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