scholarly journals Modeling Building Stock Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 723
Author(s):  
Antti Kurvinen ◽  
Arto Saari ◽  
Juhani Heljo ◽  
Eero Nippala
Keyword(s):  
Model Development ◽  
Housing Demand ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Test Arena ◽  
Climate Targets ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Key Variables ◽  
The Impact

It is widely agreed that dynamics of building stocks are relatively poorly known even if it is recognized to be an important research topic. Better understanding of building stock dynamics and future development is crucial, e.g., for sustainable management of the built environment as various analyses require long-term projections of building stock development. Recognizing the uncertainty in relation to long-term modeling, we propose a transparent calculation-based QuantiSTOCK model for modeling building stock development. Our approach not only provides a tangible tool for understanding development when selected assumptions are valid but also, most importantly, allows for studying the sensitivity of results to alternative developments of the key variables. Therefore, this relatively simple modeling approach provides fruitful grounds for understanding the impact of different key variables, which is needed to facilitate meaningful debate on different housing, land use, and environment-related policies. The QuantiSTOCK model may be extended in numerous ways and lays the groundwork for modeling the future developments of building stocks. The presented model may be used in a wide range of analyses ranging from assessing housing demand at the regional level to providing input for defining sustainable pathways towards climate targets. Due to the availability of high-quality data, the Finnish building stock provided a great test arena for the model development.

scholarly journals Impact of Diagnosed and Undiagnosed Respiratory Pseudomonas on VAP and VAE During Long-Term Acute Care

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s258-s259
Author(s):  
James Harrigan ◽  
Ebbing Lautenbach ◽  
Emily Reesey ◽  
Magda Wernovsky ◽  
Pam Tolomeo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Community ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
16S Sequencing ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Background: Clinically diagnosed ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is common in the long-term acute-care hospital (LTACH) setting and may contribute to adverse ventilator-associated events (VAEs). Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common causative organism of VAP. We evaluated the impact of respiratory P. aeruginosa colonization and bacterial community dominance, both diagnosed and undiagnosed, on subsequent P. aeruginosa VAP and VAE events during long-term acute care. Methods: We enrolled 83 patients on LTACH admission for ventilator weaning, performed longitudinal sampling of endotracheal aspirates followed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing (Illumina HiSeq), and bacterial community profiling (QIIME2). Statistical analysis was performed with R and Stan; mixed-effects models were fit to relate the abundance of respiratory Psa on admission to clinically diagnosed VAP and VAE events. Results: Of the 83 patients included, 12 were diagnosed with P. aeruginosa pneumonia during the 14 days prior to LTACH admission (known P. aeruginosa), and 22 additional patients received anti–P. aeruginosa antibiotics within 48 hours of admission (suspected P. aeruginosa); 49 patients had no known or suspected P. aeruginosa (unknown P. aeruginosa). Among the known P. aeruginosa group, all 12 patients had P. aeruginosa detectable by 16S sequencing, with elevated admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance (median, 0.97; IQR, 0.33–1). Among the suspected P. aeruginosa group, all 22 patients had P. aeruginosa detectable by 16S sequencing, with a wide range of admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance (median, 0.0088; IQR, 0.00012–0.31). Of the 49 patients in the unknown group, 47 also had detectable respiratory Psa, and many had high P. aeruginosa proportional abundance at admission (median, 0.014; IQR, 0.00025–0.52). Incident P. aeruginosa VAP was observed within 30 days in 4 of the known P. aeruginosa patients (33.3%), 5 of the suspected P. aeruginosa patients (22.7%), and 8 of the unknown P. aeruginosa patients (16.3%). VAE was observed within 30 days in 1 of the known P. aeruginosa patients (8.3%), 2 of the suspected P. aeruginosa patients (9.1%), and 1 of the unknown P. aeruginosa patients (2%). Admission P. aeruginosa abundance was positively associated with VAP and VAE risk in all groups, but the association only achieved statistical significance in the unknown group (type S error <0.002 for 30-day VAP and <0.011 for 30-day VAE). Conclusions: We identified a high prevalence of unrecognized respiratory P. aeruginosa colonization among patients admitted to LTACH for weaning from mechanical ventilation. The admission P. aeruginosa proportional abundance was strongly associated with increased risk of incident P. aeruginosa VAP among these patients.Funding: NoneDisclosures: None

A Comparative Study of Data and Physically Based Gas Turbine Modeling for Long-Term Monitoring Scenarios: Part II — Emission Prediction Utilizing Different Levels of Design Information

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moritz Lipperheide ◽  
Thomas Bexten ◽  
Manfred Wirsum ◽  
Martin Gassner ◽  
Stefano Bernero
Keyword(s):  
Gas Turbine ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Fine Tuning ◽  
Plant Operator ◽  
Engine Model ◽  
Physically Based ◽  
Design Type ◽  
The Impact

Reliable engine and emission models allow for an online monitoring of commercial gas turbine operation and help the plant operator and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to ensure emission compliance of the aging engine. However, model development and validation require fine-tuning on the particular engines, which may differ in a fleet of a single design type by production, assembly and aging status. For this purpose, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) offer a good and fast alternative to traditional physically-based engine modeling, because the model creation and adaption is merely an automatized process in commercially available software environments. However, ANN performance depends strongly on the availability of suitable data and a-priori data processing. The present work investigates the impact of specific engine information from the OEM’s design tools on ANN performance. As an alternative to a strictly data-based benchmark approach, engine characteristics were incorporated into ANNs by a pre-processing of the raw measurements with a simplified engine model. The resulting ‘virtual’ measurements, i.e. hot gas temperatures, then served as inputs to ANN training and application during long-term gas turbine operation. When processed input parameters were used for ANNs, overall long-term NOx prediction improved by 55%, and CO prediction by 16% in terms of RMSE, yielding comparable overall RMSE values to the physically-based model.

scholarly journals Congenital Micropenis: Aetiology And Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Rita Stancampiano ◽  
Kentaro Suzuki ◽  
Stuart O’Toole ◽  
Gianni Russo ◽  
Gen Yamada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Racial Differences ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Penile Length ◽  
Appearance Quality ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Abstract In the newborn, penile length is determined by a number of androgen dependent and independent factors. The current literature suggests that there are inter-racial differences in stretched penile length in the newborn and although congenital micropenis should be defined as a stretched penile length of less than 2.5SDS of the mean for the corresponding population and gestation, a pragmatic approach would be to evaluate all boys with a stretched penile length below 2 cm, as congenital micropenis can be a marker for a wide range of endocrine conditions. However, it remains unclear as to whether the state of micropenis, itself, is associated with any long-term consequences. There is a lack of systematic studies comparing the impact of different therapeutic options on long-term outcomes, in terms of genital appearance, quality of life and sexual satisfaction. To date, research has been hampered by a small sample size and inclusion of a wide range of heterogeneous diagnoses; for these reasons, condition specific outcomes have been difficult to compare between studies. Lastly, there is a need for a greater collaborative effort in collecting standardized data so that all real-world or experimental interventions performed at an early age can be studied systematically into adulthood.

scholarly journals Arts-Based Interventions for Professionals in Caring Roles During and After Crisis: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominik Havsteen-Franklin ◽  
Megan Tjasink ◽  
Jacqueline Winter Kottler ◽  
Claire Grant ◽  
Veena Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Safe Place ◽  
Practice Elements ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Crisis Events ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

Crisis events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, can have a devastating effect on communities and the care professionals within them. Over recent years, arts-based interventions have helped in a wide range of crisis situations, being recommended to support the workforce during and after complex crisis but there has been no systematic review of the role of arts-based crisis interventions and whether there are cogent themes regarding practice elements and outcomes. We, therefore, conducted a systematic review to (i) define the arts-based change process used during and after crisis events, and (ii) explore the perceptions of intermediate and long-term mental health benefits of arts-based interventions for professionals in caring roles. Our search yielded six studies (all qualitative). All data were thematically aggregated and meta-synthesized, revealing seven practice elements (a safe place, focusing on strengths and protective factors, developing psychosocial competencies to support peers, emotional expression and processing, identifying and naming the impact of the crisis, using an integrative creative approach, and cultural and organizational sensitivity) applied across all six studies, as well as a range of intermediate and long-term benefits shared common features (adapting, growing, and recovering; using the community as a healing resource; reducing or preventing symptoms of stress or trauma reactions, psychophysiological homeostasis). The ways in which these studies were designed independently from one another and yet used the same practice elements in their crisis interventions indicates that there is comparability about how and why the arts-based practice elements are being used and to what effect. Our findings provide a sound basis and meaningful parameters for future research incorporating quantitative and qualitative approaches to firmly establish the effectiveness of art-based interventions, and how arts can support cultural sensitivity, acceptability and indicated outcomes, particularly those relating to stress and trauma during or following a crisis.

scholarly journals Exploring the Impact of Formal Internships on Biomedical Graduate and Postgraduate Careers: An Interview Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. ar20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepshikha Chatterjee ◽  
J. Kevin Ford ◽  
Julie Rojewski ◽  
Stephanie W. Watts
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Career Exploration ◽  
Interview Study ◽  
National Institutes Of Health ◽  
Career Management ◽  
Management Skills ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Self Development ◽  
The Impact

Graduate students and postdocs in science, technology, engineering, and math fields are faced with a wide range of career paths to employment, but they are often not trained to effectively pursue these opportunities. The lack of career management skills implies long tenures in graduate school for many students, especially as tenure-track positions in academia dwindle. At our university, we used a cohort model in which graduate students and postdocs were encouraged to apply to the Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training program (BEST under the aegis of the National Institutes of Health) that provided opportunities to gain career management skills, engage in career exploration, and complete at least one formal internship. In this interview study of the BEST trainees, we investigated the efficacy of internships as career exploration tools and associated outcomes. Our findings show that internships were seen as effective career exploration and self-development vehicles that influenced participants’ long-term career goals. Graduate students and postdocs reported gaining transferable knowledge and skills, in addition to receiving valuable industry mentoring and networking opportunities.

scholarly journals Regional Integration: Do Intra-African Trade and Migration Improve Income in Africa?

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 587-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blaise Gnimassoun
Keyword(s):  
Regional Integration ◽  
Capita Income ◽  
Per Capita Income ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Migration Flows ◽  
And Migration ◽  
The Impact

Regional integration in Africa is a subject of great interest, but its impact on income has not been studied sufficiently. Using cross-sectional and panel estimations, this article examines the impact of African integration on real per capita income in Africa. Accordingly, we consider intra-African trade and migration flows as quantitative measures reflecting the intensity of regional integration. To address the endogeneity concerns, we use a gravity-based, two-stage least-squares strategy. Our results show that, from a long-term perspective, African integration has not been strong enough to generate a positive, significant, and robust impact on real per capita income in Africa. However, it does appear to be significantly income-enhancing in the short and medium terms but only through intercountry migration. These results are robust to a wide range of specifications.

Role of fracturing and regional tectonic structures on secondary porosity generation in a CO2 storage plant: Hontomin pilot-plant (Spain)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrià Ramos ◽  
José F. Mediato ◽  
Raúl Pérez-López ◽  
Miguel A. Rodríguez-Pascua ◽  
Roberto Martínez-Orío ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Plant ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
Co2 Storage ◽  
Fracture Pattern ◽  
Test Facility ◽  
Fracture System ◽  
Secondary Porosity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

&lt;p&gt;The long-term managing from the geological hazard point of view of the Hontom&amp;#237;n onshore pilot-plant for CO&lt;sub&gt;2 &lt;/sub&gt;storage, located in Spain and recognized as the first and only key-test facility in Europe, is one of the main objectives stated in the ENOS European project. This project is led and funded by the European Network of Excellence on the Geological Storage of CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; (CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;GeoNet).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The complex geological emplacement of the Hontom&amp;#237;n Carbon capture and storage plant is considered rather relevant to analyse the impact of fracturing and both local and regional strain field on the reservoir parameters. The reservoir of Hontom&amp;#237;n pilot-plant is formed by highly fractured Middle Jurassic dolomites with associated secondary porosity. This parameter is one of the main concerns when managing CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; storage and monitoring.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In order to characterize the fracture pattern and its implications on a proper CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; monitoring, we characterized the surface structural elements through the study area and their relationship with fractures affecting the reservoir porosity. The methodology followed in this work is mainly based on detailed geological mapping (field work complimented with orthophoto analysis), adding missing information from previous works. This analysis does not increase the cost for long-term monitoring, given that they are low-cost and the results are acquired in a few months.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The main structural trend in the study area, concerning faults with a wide range of displacement and metric to decametric folds, follows a regional E-W orientation. On the other hand, fractures show two main sets of trends, from NW-SE to NE-SW.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This fracturing pattern, considered as a conjugate fracture system, corresponds to the tectonic stress recorded in both Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary successions where the Hontom&amp;#237;n pilot-plant is placed. Riddle faults formed from a nearby regional right-lateral strike slip fault (Ubierna Fault) are the responsible structures for the fracture system affecting the area and the reservoir. Moreover, this fracturing pattern is in agreement with local to regional active tectonic field from Cenozoic times to present-day, when the Ubierna Fault recorded its maximum right-lateral displacement (15 km).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Secondary porosity within the reservoir can be produced from this fracture pattern, highly increasing the permeable migration paths for CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; migration after the injection. Therefore, we state that a combination between fracture analysis and structural and tectonic study, should be considered as mandatory in the monitoring phases of the CO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; plume, during and after injection operations.&lt;/p&gt;

MANAGING AN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH PROGRAMME FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: AN INSTITUTE WITHOUT WALLS

2006 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. M. STIRLING ◽  
D. HARRIS ◽  
J. R. WITCOMBE
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Renewable Natural Resource ◽  
The Impact

There is no one widely accepted method of managing international agricultural research and numerous different models exist. Here we review one in particular, referred to as the ‘institute without walls’, from the perspective of the UK Department for International Development's (DFID) Renewable Natural Resource (RNR) Research Strategy (1990–2006). We begin with a brief history of the RNR Research Strategy from 1990 to 2004. We then draw on nearly 15 years experience of managing one of the programmes within the RNR Research Strategy to assess critically the impact of externally and internally imposed organizational and management changes on the performance of the DFID Plant Sciences Programme (PSP). The current RNR Research Strategy (1995–2006), with its emphasis on demand-led research, has greatly increased the relevance and effectiveness of DFID's natural resources research. A comparison between the PSP in 2004 and the early 1990s inevitably concludes that the programme has been transformed: unlike in 1991, research is now firmly demand-driven, much is based in developing countries and farmers are benefiting from the research. Over time, the outputs of the long-term strategic research have been applied in practical plant breeding and participatory crop improvement programmes. Key to the success of the PSP has been the provision of continuous, long-term funding which has allowed projects time to develop and produce outputs of real value to end users. Alongside this, the ability of the PSP to build long-term, in-country partnerships has ensured the effective adoption of its research outputs. We conclude that the successes of the PSP have largely derived from (i) identification of research that is clearly demand driven, (ii) continuous long-term funding that has allowed research to move from the strategic to adaptive phase, (iii) continuity of management, and (iv) the flexibility to develop a wide range of partnerships, both in-country and overseas, based on their ability to deliver.

scholarly journals Assessment of the impact of the BN-800 reactor operation on the radionuclides content in local foodstuffs in the vicinity of Beloyarsk NPP

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-50
Author(s):  
A. V. Panov ◽  
A. V. Trapeznikov ◽  
N. N. Isamov ◽  
A. V. Korzhavin ◽  
V. K. Kuznetsov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Specific Activity ◽  
Background Level ◽  
Artificial Radionuclides ◽  
Private Households ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Continue Research ◽  
Permissible Levels ◽  
Aerosol Emissions ◽  
The Impact

The research results are presented as an analysis of long-term data on the effect of gas-aerosol emissions and liquid discharges of Beloyarsk NPP and the Institute of Reactor Materials on the content of artificial radionuclides in local foodstuffs. It was noted that the distance and directions from radiation-hazardous facilities do not significantly affect the accumulation of 90Sr and 137Cs in potatoes and milk. The investigation of a wide range of foodstuffs from the private households of 23 settlements, forests, rivers, and a reservoir of the 30-km zone of the Beloyarsk NPP influence showed that the operation of the BN-800 reactor since 2016 did not lead to a registered increase in the content of artificial radionuclides in agricultural and natural foodstuffs. The maximum specific activities of 90Sr (0.84 Bq/kg) and 137Cs (0.26 Bq/kg) in root vegetables, potatoes, melons and vegetables were noted before the start of operation of the new power unit and were 45 and 300 times, respectively, lower than the current SanPiN standards. The highest content of 90Sr in milk (0.41 Bq/l) was 60 times lower than the requirements of SanPiN, 137Cs (0.11 Bq/l) was 900 times less than the permissible levels. In poultry, the specific activity of 90Sr (0.2-0.3 Bq/kg) and 137Cs (0.13-0.16 Bq/kg) has remained stable low in recent years, and the standardised content of 137Cs in beef (maximum 0.12 Bq/kg) more than 1.5 thousand times lower than the requirements of SanPiN. The highest concentration of 137Cs in wild berries, found in strawberries (1.27 Bq/kg), was 125 times less than SanPiN standards. The content of 90Sr in mushrooms was at the level of 0.1-2.5 Bq/kg, the content of 137Cs is slightly higher than - 0.6-5.8 Bq/kg. The maximum recorded specific activity of 137Cs in mushrooms was more than 80 times lower than the requirements of SanPiN. During the observation period, a decrease of up to 20% or more in the content of artificial radionuclides in samples of 5 fish species was noted; the maximum levels of 90Sr and 137Cs in it were 14 times lower than the strictest SanPiN standards (using fish for baby food). Selective radiation monitoring of foodstuffs of Beloyarsk NPP area aimed at 3H and 14C showed that the content of these radionuclides in foodstuffs was low, close to the background level. In agricultural products, 3H and 14C accumulated to a greater extent in potatoes and milk, and in natural products – in rough boletus and bream. There was noted a need to continue research on the accumulation of 3H and 14C in foodstuffs of Beloyarsk NPP vicinity.

scholarly journals The Grain Market between the Reigns of Alexey Mikhailovich and Catherine the Great: Was there a ‘Price Revolution’?

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Mustafin
Keyword(s):  
Eighteenth Century ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Grain Market ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Regions Of Russia ◽  
Grain Prices

The author of this article attempts to reveal and systematise archival data on grain prices in Russia between the 1650s and 1700s and analyse their dynamics by comparing them with data for the eighteenth century. The study is based on a wide range of archival sources from the funds of the RSAAA (RGADA), CSA of Moscow (TsGA of Moscow), DM NLR (OR RNB), and SFI CANNR (GKU TsANO). The data from these sources make it possible to construct time series describing rye and oat price dynamics in the northern and central non-black earth regions of Russia. The author substantiates the homogeneity and reliability of the data received and determines the real prices. The resulting numbers make the author doubt the “price revolution” in eighteenth-century Russia. Throughout the eighteenth century, the average real prices remained below the level of the 1660s and 1670s. Only in the 1790s did prices briefly exceed this level. Overall, the Russian grain market was characterised by long-term price fluctuations. The author aims to explain this dynamic by analysing supply and demand in the grain market. More particularly, for the first time in the historiography, the author examines the connection between Russian grain prices and yield in the second half of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It is established that in most cases, the relationship between these indicators was direct: as grain yield increased, prices did too. The article explains this seeming paradox. The data published by the author help not only to estimate the impact of various factors on grain prices during the period in question, but also solve practical tasks regarding various price indicators in grain equivalents.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document