scholarly journals Possible future impacts of elevated levels of atmospheric CO2 on human cognitive performance and on the design and operation of ventilation systems in buildings

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 698-711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J Lowe ◽  
Gesche M Huebner ◽  
Tadj Oreszczyn
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Design Management ◽  
Indirect Impacts ◽  
Management Operation ◽  
Ventilation Systems

This paper brings together a rapid evidence assessment of impacts of elevated CO2 concentrations on human cognition with IPCC projections of atmospheric CO2 concentration by the end of the present century, and an analysis of potential consequences of increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations for ventilation systems in buildings and other enclosed spaces. Whilst only limited research has been done on the effect of CO2 on cognition (as opposed to air quality in general), half of the studies reviewed indicate that human cognitive performance declines with increasing CO2 concentrations. Hence, given the likelihood of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration by the end of the 21st century, direct impacts of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on human cognitive performance may be unavoidable. Attempts to minimise these direct impacts are likely to result in significant indirect impacts on the engineering of ventilation systems and associated energy use in all enclosed spaces including buildings and transport systems. Practical application: This paper concerns what may well be one of the most important long-term drivers of the design, management, operation and regulation of ventilation systems over the remainder of the 21st century. It will be relevant to professionals, particularly at senior levels in the building industry.

Towards the Affective Cognition Approach to Human Performance in Space

2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (6) ◽  
pp. 532-534
Author(s):  
Nicola Mammarella
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Human Performance ◽  
Space Missions ◽  
Cognition And Emotion ◽  
Dynamic Relation ◽  
Interesting Pattern

INTRODUCTION: In recent decades, there has been investigation into the effects of microgravity and microgravity-like environments on cognition and emotion separately. Here we highlight the need of focusing on emotion-cognition interactions as a framework for explaining cognitive performance in space. In particular, by referring to the affective cognition hypothesis, the significant interplay between emotional variables and cognitive processing in space is briefly analyzed. Altogether, this approach shows an interesting pattern of data pointing to a dynamic relation that may be sensitive to microgravity. The importance of examining interactions between emotion and cognition for space performance remains fundamental (e.g., stress-related disorders) and deserves further attention. This approach is ultimately interesting considering the potential effects that microgravity may play on human performance during long-term space missions and on return to Earth.Mammarella N. Towards the affective cognition approach to human performance in space. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(6):532–534.

scholarly journals African seaports and development in historical perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 185-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayodeji Olukoju
Keyword(s):  
Path Dependence ◽  
Historical Perspective ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
The Waves ◽  
Technological Flexibility

This article presents a long-term explanation of port evolution in Africa. It focuses on the economic, political and social characteristics that influenced the development of maritime infrastructures and their interaction with inland transport systems. This article demonstrates how seaport evolution in Africa has been heavily affected by path-dependence patterns. In addition, this study provides evidence of the insertion of the African economy into the waves of globalization through the modernization of seaports and the necessary institutional and technological flexibility.

scholarly journals The Challenge of Educating Purposeful Teachers in Finland

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Elina Kuusisto ◽  
Kirsi Tirri
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Student Teachers ◽  
21St Century ◽  
School Community ◽  
The Self ◽  
Moral Commitment ◽  
Mediating Factor

This article discusses the challenges of educating teachers in Finland. As a goal in teacher education for the 21st century we propose the purposeful teacher, referring to a teacher who has a long-term moral commitment to serve students, the school community and society. Our data collected from student (N = 912) and practising (N = 77) teachers yielded information on the purposes they identified as important in their lives. The survey included quantitative instruments and open- ended questions. The teachers identified happiness, relationships, work and self-actualisation as the most important contents of their aspirations. All the content categories could be understood as potential purposes in that the benefit extended beyond the teachers themselves. However, almost half of the student teachers (46%) and over half of teachers (55%) revealed only self-orientation. Less than half of them (43%, 36%, respectively) showed a beyond-the-self orientation, which is indicative of a purposeful teacher. Among the practising teachers, teaching appeared to be mainly a mediating factor in realising their purposes or aspirations. These results have implications related to contemporary teacher education in Finland. Both pre- and in-service teachers need to know about purposeful teaching in order to find meaning in their work.

scholarly journals Future Changes in Wave Conditions at the German Baltic Sea Coast Based on a Hybrid Approach Using an Ensemble of Regional Climate Change Projections

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 167
Author(s):  
Norman Dreier ◽  
Edgar Nehlsen ◽  
Peter Fröhle ◽  
Diana Rechid ◽  
Laurens M. Bouwer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Wind Wave ◽  
Regional Climate ◽  
Hybrid Approach ◽  
Wave Modelling ◽  
Long Term Changes ◽  
Mean Wave Period ◽  
Wave Conditions ◽  
Sea Coast

In this study, the projected future long-term changes of the local wave conditions at the German Baltic Sea coast over the course of the 21st century are analyzed and assessed with special focus on model agreement, statistical significance and ranges/spread of the results. An ensemble of new regional climate model (RCM) simulations with the RCM REMO for three RCP forcing scenarios was used as input data. The outstanding feature of the simulations is that the data are available with a high horizontal resolution and at hourly timesteps which is a high temporal resolution and beneficial for the wind–wave modelling. A new data interface between RCM output data and wind–wave modelling has been developed. Suitable spatial aggregation methods of the RCM wind data have been tested and used to generate input for the calculation of waves at quasi deep-water conditions and at a mean water level with a hybrid approach that enables the fast compilation of future long-term time series of significant wave height, mean wave period and direction for an ensemble of RCM data. Changes of the average wind and wave conditions have been found, with a majority of the changes occurring for the RCP8.5 forcing scenario and at the end of the 21st century. At westerly wind-exposed locations mainly increasing values of the wind speed, significant wave height and mean wave period have been noted. In contrast, at easterly wind-exposed locations, decreasing values are predominant. Regarding the changes of the mean wind and wave directions, westerly directions becoming more frequent. Additional research is needed regarding the long-term changes of extreme wave events, e.g., the choice of a best-fit extreme value distribution function and the spatial aggregation method of the wind data.

scholarly journals EXPRESS: Two Variations and One Similarity in Memory Functions Deployed by Mice and Humans to Support Foraging

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110105
Author(s):  
Spencer Talbot ◽  
Todor Gerdjikov ◽  
Carlo De Lillo
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Memory Functions ◽  
Term Memory

Assessing variations in cognitive function between humans and animals is vital for understanding the idiosyncrasies of human cognition and for refining animal models of human brain function and disease. We determined memory functions deployed by mice and humans to support foraging with a search task acting as a test battery. Mice searched for food from the top of poles within an open-arena. Poles were divided into groups based on visual cues and baited according to different schedules. White and black poles were baited in alternate trials. Striped poles were never baited. The requirement of the task was to find all baits in each trial. Mice’s foraging efficiency, defined as the number of poles visited before all baits were retrieved, improved with practice. Mice learnt to avoid visiting un-baited poles across trials (Long-term memory) and revisits to poles within each trial (Working memory). Humans tested with a virtual-reality version of the task outperformed mice in foraging efficiency, working memory and exploitation of the temporal pattern of rewards across trials. Moreover, humans, but not mice, reduced the number of possible movement sequences used to search the set of poles. For these measures interspecies differences were maintained throughout three weeks of testing. By contrast, long-term-memory for never-rewarded poles was similar in mice and humans after the first week of testing. These results indicate that human cognitive functions relying upon archaic brain structures may be adequately modelled in mice. Conversely, modelling in mice fluid skills likely to have developed specifically in primates, requires caution.

scholarly journals The projected impacts of smart decline on urban runoff contamination levels

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Zhu ◽  
Galen Newman
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Stormwater Runoff ◽  
Baseline Scenario ◽  
Vacant Land ◽  
Smart Decline ◽  
Contamination Levels ◽  
Indirect Impacts

AbstractThere has been mounting interest about how the repurposing of vacant land (VL) through green infrastructure (the most common smart decline strategy) can reduce stormwater runoff and improve runoff quality, especially in legacy cities characterized by excessive industrial land uses and VL amounts. This research examines the long-term impacts of smart decline on both stormwater amounts and pollutants loads through integrating land use prediction models with green infrastructure performance models. Using the City of St. Louis, Missouri, USA as the study area, we simulate 2025 land use change using the Conversion of Land Use and its Effects (CLUE-S) and Markov Chain urban land use prediction models and assess these change’s probable impacts on urban contamination levels under different smart decline scenarios using the Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment (L-THIA) performance model. The four different scenarios are: (1) a baseline scenario, (2) a 10% vacant land re-greening (VLRG) scenario, (3) a 20% VLRG scenario, and (4) a 30% VLRG scenario. The results of this study illustrate that smart decline VLRG strategies can have both direct and indirect impacts on urban stormwater runoff and their inherent contamination levels. Direct impacts on urban contamination include the reduction of stormwater runoff and non-point source (NPS) pollutants. In the 30% VLRG scenario, the annual runoff volume decreases by 11%, both physical, chemical, and bacterial pollutants are reduced by an average of 19%, compared to the baseline scenario. Indirect impacts include reduction of the possibility of illegal dumping on VL through mitigation and prevention of future vacancies.

scholarly journals Effect of Cocoa and Cocoa Products on Cognitive Performance in Young Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3691
Author(s):  
María Angeles Martín ◽  
Luis Goya ◽  
Sonia de Pascual-Teresa
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Early Adulthood ◽  
Blood Oxygenation ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
Cocoa Products ◽  
Cocoa Flavanols

Increasing evidence support a beneficial role of cocoa and cocoa products on human cognition, particularly in aging populations and patients at risk. However, thorough reviews on the efficacy of cocoa on brain processes in young adults do not exist precisely due to the limited number of studies in the matter. Thus, the aim of this study was to summarize the findings on the acute and chronic effects of cocoa administration on cognitive functions and brain health in young adults. Web of Science and PubMed databases were used to search for relevant trials. Human randomized controlled studies were selected according to PRISMA guidelines. Eleven intervention studies that involved a total of 366 participants investigating the role of cocoa on cognitive performance in children and young adults (average age ≤25 years old) were finally selected. Findings from individual studies confirm that acute and chronic cocoa intake have a positive effect on several cognitive outcomes. After acute consumption, these beneficial effects seem to be accompanied with an increase in cerebral blood flow or cerebral blood oxygenation. After chronic intake of cocoa flavanols in young adults, a better cognitive performance was found together with increased levels of neurotrophins. This systematic review further supports the beneficial effect of cocoa flavanols on cognitive function and neuroplasticity and indicates that such benefits are possible in early adulthood.

Mind the (Unbridgeable) Gaps

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Ambasciano
Keyword(s):  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Scientific Fields

In this paper, I explore two of the most pernicious kinds of scientific distortions and misconceptions pertinent to the study of religion (i.e., pseudoscientific trends focused on allegedly paranormal/supernatural phenomena and discontinuity between human and non-human cognition), arguing that: a) the adherence to the prestigious reputation of Eliadean academic frameworks may still cause grave distortions in the comprehension of relevant scientific fields; b) a reliance on cognition alone does not guaranteeipso factoa more epistemically warranted study of religion; c) an evolutionary and cognitively continuist approach to the study of religion is, instead, the most promising and fundamental scholarly tool to bridge the gap between the humanities and the natural sciences, even though it remains a long-term goal; d) the obsolete language of “aboriginal cultures” as open-air museums for our past is rooted in the aforementioned misconceptions and, though basically flawed, is still very much alive.

High Fat Diet Mediates Amyloid-β Cleaving Enzyme 1 Phosphorylation and SUMOylation, Enhancing Cognitive Impairment in APP/PS1 Mice

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Jian Bao ◽  
Zheng Liang ◽  
Xiaokang Gong ◽  
Jing Yu ◽  
Yifan Xiao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
High Fat Diet ◽  
Amyloid Β ◽  
Normal Diet ◽  
Standard Diet ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Augmented Learning ◽  
Biochemical Analyses ◽  
Modifiable Lifestyle Factors

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in older adults and extracellular accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) is one of the two characterized pathologies of AD. Obesity is significantly associated with AD developing factors. Several studies have reported that high fat diet (HFD) influenced Aβ accumulation and cognitive performance during AD pathology. However, the underlying neurobiological mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the underlying neurobiological mechanisms of HFD influenced Aβ accumulation and cognitive performance during AD pathology. Methods: 2.5-month-old male APP/PS1 mice were randomly separated into two groups: 1) the normal diet (ND) group, fed a standard diet (10 kcal%fat); and 2) the HFD group, fed a high fat diet (40 kcal%fat, D12492; Research Diets). After 4 months of HFD or ND feeding, mice in the two groups were subjected for further ethological, morphological, and biochemical analyses. Results: A long-term HFD diet significantly increased perirenal fat and impaired dendritic integrity and aggravated neurodegeneration, and augmented learning and memory deficits in APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, the HFD increased beta amyloid cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) dephosphorylation and SUMOylation, resulting in enhanced enzyme activity and stability, which exacerbated the deposition of amyloid plaques. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that long-term HFD consumption aggravates amyloid-β accumulation and cognitive impairments, and that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as obesity, can induce BACE1 post-modifications which may contribute to AD pathogenesis.

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