scholarly journals Monitoring the Impact of the Large Building Investments on the Neighborhood

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6537
Author(s):  
Marian Łupieżowiec
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Level ◽  
Soil Improvement ◽  
Deep Excavation ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
High Rise ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Large Building ◽  
Additional Safety ◽  
Made In

The article presents the concept of monitoring buildings and infrastructure elements located near large construction investments (the construction of high-rise buildings of the Oak Terraces housing estate in Katowice and the construction of a tunnel under the roundabout in Katowice along the intercity express road DTŚ). The impacts include deep excavation, lowering of the groundwater level over a large area, and dynamic influences related to the use of impact methods of soil improvement. The presented monitoring includes observation of the groundwater level with the use of piezometers, geodetic measurements of settlement and inclinations, as well as the measurement of vibration amplitudes generated during the works involving shocks and vibrations. It was also important to observe the development of cracks on the basis of a previously made inventory of damage. The results of the monitoring allow corrections to be made in the technology of works (e.g., reduction of vibration amplitudes, application of additional protections at excavations, etc.) or the use additional safety measures. Currently, there are also monitoring systems used during the operation of completed facilities.

Computer simulation study about the dependence of amorphous silicon photonic waveguides efficiency on the material quality

2020 ◽  
Vol 90 (3) ◽  
pp. 30502
Author(s):  
Alessandro Fantoni ◽  
João Costa ◽  
Paulo Lourenço ◽  
Manuela Vieira
Keyword(s):  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Simulation Analysis ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Deposition Process ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Sidewall Roughness ◽  
Sensing Applications ◽  
Fabrication Defects ◽  
The Impact

Amorphous silicon PECVD photonic integrated devices are promising candidates for low cost sensing applications. This manuscript reports a simulation analysis about the impact on the overall efficiency caused by the lithography imperfections in the deposition process. The tolerance to the fabrication defects of a photonic sensor based on surface plasmonic resonance is analysed. The simulations are performed with FDTD and BPM algorithms. The device is a plasmonic interferometer composed by an a-Si:H waveguide covered by a thin gold layer. The sensing analysis is performed by equally splitting the input light into two arms, allowing the sensor to be calibrated by its reference arm. Two different 1 × 2 power splitter configurations are presented: a directional coupler and a multimode interference splitter. The waveguide sidewall roughness is considered as the major negative effect caused by deposition imperfections. The simulation results show that plasmonic effects can be excited in the interferometric waveguide structure, allowing a sensing device with enough sensitivity to support the functioning of a bio sensor for high throughput screening. In addition, the good tolerance to the waveguide wall roughness, points out the PECVD deposition technique as reliable method for the overall sensor system to be produced in a low-cost system. The large area deposition of photonics structures, allowed by the PECVD method, can be explored to design a multiplexed system for analysis of multiple biomarkers to further increase the tolerance to fabrication defects.

Assessing the effect of night ventilation on PCM performance in high-rise residential buildings

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahrzad Soudian ◽  
Umberto Berardi
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Energy ◽  
Phase Change Materials ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Solidification Rate ◽  
Operative Temperature ◽  
High Rise ◽  
Ventilation Strategies ◽  
Night Ventilation ◽  
The Impact

This article investigates the possibility to enhance the use of latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) as an energy retrofit measure by night ventilation strategies. For this scope, phase change materials (PCMs) are integrated into wall and ceiling surfaces of high-rise residential buildings with highly glazed facades that experience high indoor diurnal temperatures. In particular, this article investigates the effect of night ventilation on the performance of the PCMs, namely, the daily discharge of the thermal energy stored by PCMs. Following previous experimental tests that have shown the efficacy of LHTES in temperate climates, a system comprising two PCM layers with melting temperatures selected for a year-around LHTES was considered. To quantify the effectiveness of different night ventilation strategies to enhance the potential of this composite PCM system, simulations in EnergyPlusTM were performed. The ventilation flow rate, set point temperature, and operation period were the main tested parameters. The performance of the PCMs in relation to the variables was evaluated based on indoor operative temperature and cooling energy use variations in Toronto and New York in the summer. The solidification of the PCMs was analyzed based on the amount of night ventilation needed in each climate condition. The results quantify the positive impact of combining PCMs with night ventilation on cooling energy reductions and operative temperature regulation of the following days. In particular, the results indicate higher benefits obtainable with PCMs coupled with night ventilation in the context of Toronto, since this city experiences higher daily temperature fluctuations. The impact of night ventilation design variables on the solidification rate of the PCMs varied based on each parameter leading to different compromises based on the PCM and climate characteristics.

scholarly journals Successful electroconvulsive therapy for depression in a man with cerebral amyloid angiopathy

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. e238922
Author(s):  
Geert Schurgers ◽  
Baer M G Arts ◽  
Alida A Postma ◽  
Anna de Kort
Keyword(s):  
Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy ◽  
Electroconvulsive Therapy ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Amyloid Angiopathy ◽  
Amyloid Beta Protein ◽  
Cerebral Blood Vessels ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Aβ Clearance ◽  
Cerebral Amyloid ◽  
The Impact

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a condition characterised by accumulation of amyloid beta protein (Aβ) in the wall of cerebral blood vessels which increases the risk of intracranial haemorrhage and contributes to cognitive impairment. We describe the case of a man around the age of 70 with ‘probable’ CAA according to the modified Boston criteria and severe depression whose depression was treated successfully with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). To the best of our knowledge, there are no earlier published reports of ECT in a patient with CAA. We briefly discuss possible safety measures for these patients, the impact of ECT on cognition in CAA and a possible influence of ECT on Aβ clearance.

scholarly journals Driver Liability Assessment in Vehicle Collisions in Spain

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1475
Author(s):  
Almudena Sanjurjo-de-No ◽  
Blanca Arenas-Ramírez ◽  
José Mira ◽  
Francisco Aparicio-Izquierdo
Keyword(s):  
Road Safety ◽  
Accurate Estimation ◽  
Main Hypothesis ◽  
Self Organizing Maps ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Vehicle Collisions ◽  
Promising Tool ◽  
Visual Clustering ◽  
Open Question ◽  
The Impact

An accurate estimation of exposure is essential for road collision rate estimation, which is key when evaluating the impact of road safety measures. The quasi-induced exposure method was developed to estimate relative exposure for different driver groups based on its main hypothesis: the not-at-fault drivers involved in two-vehicle collisions are taken as a random sample of driver populations. Liability assignment is thus crucial in this method to identify not-at-fault drivers, but often no liability labels are given in collision records, so unsupervised analysis tools are required. To date, most researchers consider only driver and speed offences in liability assignment, but an open question is if more information could be added. To this end, in this paper, the visual clustering technique of self-organizing maps (SOM) has been applied to better understand the multivariate structure in the data, to find out the most important variables for driver liability, analyzing their influence, and to identify relevant liability patterns. The results show that alcohol/drug use could be influential on liability and further analysis is required for disability and sudden illness. More information has been used, given that a larger proportion of the data was considered. SOM thus appears as a promising tool for liability assessment.

Handshake antimicrobial stewardship as a model to recognize and prevent diagnostic errors

Diagnosis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin B. Searns ◽  
Manon C. Williams ◽  
Christine E. MacBrayne ◽  
Ann L. Wirtz ◽  
Jan E. Leonard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Stewardship ◽  
Interrater Reliability ◽  
Diagnostic Errors ◽  
Diagnostic Error ◽  
Primary Treatment ◽  
Treatment Team ◽  
Children's Hospital ◽  
Children’S Hospital ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Made In

AbstractObjectivesFew studies describe the impact of antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) on recognizing and preventing diagnostic errors. Handshake stewardship (HS-ASP) is a novel ASP model that prospectively reviews hospital-wide antimicrobial usage with recommendations made in person to treatment teams. The purpose of this study was to determine if HS-ASP could identify and intervene on potential diagnostic errors for children hospitalized at a quaternary care children’s hospital.MethodsPreviously self-identified “Great Catch” (GC) interventions by the Children’s Hospital Colorado HS-ASP team from 10/2014 through 5/2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Each GC was categorized based on the types of recommendations from HS-ASP, including if any diagnostic recommendations were made to the treatment team. Each GC was independently scored using the “Safer Dx Instrument” to determine presence of diagnostic error based on a previously determined cut-off score of ≤1.50. Interrater reliability for the instrument was measured using a randomized subset of one third of GCs.ResultsDuring the study period, there were 162 GC interventions. Of these, 65 (40%) included diagnostic recommendations by HS-ASP and 19 (12%) had a Safer Dx Score of ≤1.50, (Κ=0.44; moderate agreement). Of those GCs associated with diagnostic errors, the HS-ASP team made a diagnostic recommendation to the primary treatment team 95% of the time.ConclusionsHandshake stewardship has the potential to identify and intervene on diagnostic errors for hospitalized children.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Gutting Blue Whiting (Micromesistius poutassou, Risso, 1827), in Spanish Supermarkets as an Anisakidosis Safety Measure

Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 862
Author(s):  
Ana Elena Ahuir-Baraja ◽  
Lola Llobat ◽  
Maria Magdalena Garijo
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Direct Relationship ◽  
Infected Fish ◽  
Total Removal ◽  
Safety Measures ◽  
Blue Whiting ◽  
Total Prevalence ◽  
The World ◽  
Human Infections ◽  
Additional Safety

Anisakidosis is a parasitic zoonotic disease which can cause gastroallergic reactions in humans. In 2010, the European Food Safety Agency estimated that approximately 20,000 cases of anisakiasis had been reported across the world, with Spain having the highest number of infections in Europe. The blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou, Risso, 1827) is one of the most widely fished species worldwide and represents around 25% of the white fish eaten in Spain. The Spanish Food Safety Authority requires obligatory evisceration of certain fish species before commercialization, but not for blue whiting. Nevertheless, some supermarkets carry this out themselves to prevent human infections and negative customer reactions deriving from the presence of ascaridoid larvae. To assess the effectiveness of eviscerations at supermarkets, a total of 320 blue whiting specimens were examined. The risk of larval migration from the visceral cavity to the musculature in gutted and ungutted fish was also assessed. Our results showed a total prevalence (25%) of ascaridoids in fish gutted at the supermarket, and a direct relationship was found between the presence of larvae in the muscle and time until evisceration. In ungutted fish, the standard length and weight were higher for infected than for non-infected fish. Also, massive infections had a higher prevalence in these larger specimens, in which the viability of larvae was also high. Larval viability was not found to be affected by a 24-h refrigeration period. Anisakis was the most prevalent genus identified in the fish examined. The results indicate that gutting at the supermarket is not an effective method for the total removal of ascaridoid larvae and that additional safety measures are advisable.

scholarly journals Optimal Solutions for the Use of Sewage Sludge on Agricultural Lands

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 585
Author(s):  
Catalina Iticescu ◽  
Puiu-Lucian Georgescu ◽  
Maxim Arseni ◽  
Adrian Rosu ◽  
Mihaela Timofti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Chemical Characteristics ◽  
Optimal Solutions ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Agricultural Areas ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Made In

The use of sewage sludge in agriculture decreases the pressure on landfills. In Romania, massive investments have been made in wastewater treatment stations, which have resulted in the accumulation of important quantities of sewage sludge. The presence of these sewage sludges coincides with large areas of degraded agricultural land. The aim of the present article is to identify the best technological combinations meant to solve these problems simultaneously. Adapting the quality and parameters of the sludge to the specificity of the land solves the possible compatibility problems, thus reducing the impact on the environment. The physico-chemical characteristics of the fermented sludge were monitored and optimal solutions for their treatment were suggested so as to allow that the sludge could be used in agriculture according to the characteristics of the soils. The content of heavy metals in the sewage sludge was closely monitored because the use of sewage sludge as a fertilizer does not allow for any increases in the concentrations of these in soils. The article identifies those agricultural areas which are suitable for the use of sludge, as well as ways of correcting some parameters (e.g., pH), which allow the improvement of soil quality and obtained higher agricultural production.

Platform Capitalism ‘Made in China’? Intelligent Manufacturing, Taobao Villages and the Restructuring of Work

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boy Lüthje
Keyword(s):  
Intelligent Manufacturing ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Employment Policy ◽  
Social Shaping Of Technology ◽  
Social Shaping ◽  
Made In China ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Conditions Of Employment ◽  
Made In

The article examines the development of advanced digital manufacturing (as outlined in the ‘Made-in-China 2025’ government plan) from the perspective of the changing socio-technical paradigms of production. The analysis focuses on the transformations of value chains and work, based on theories of social shaping of technology, regulation theory and regimes of production. Analytically, the author proposes to distinguish between ‘production-driven’ and ‘distribution-driven’ pathways of manufacturing digitalisation. The transformation of semi-rural industrial areas (‘Taobao villages’, named after China’s largest e-commerce platform Taobao) into mass production clusters for e-commerce is depicted as a paradigmatic model of distribution-driven transformation and as a characteristic Chinese strategy in this field. The article examines the impact on industry supply chains and work, leading to ever-more precarious conditions of employment. Policy recommendations focus on local strategies to stabilise supply chain structures and working conditions, as an alternative to the present top-down approaches to manufacturing modernisation in China.

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