Green Interactive Installations as Conceptual Experiments towards a New Meaning of Smart Design

Nature-based design process with its embedded concept of form that follows function can be materialized as products capable of incorporating aesthetics and functionality similar to the characteristics of its natural role models. The paper addresses the topic of green installations created through a design process that simulates nature’s smart developmental mechanisms. The aim is to create an interactive installation capable of receiving and interpreting external factors that would determine the ensemble’s behavior and influence its future development and evolution. The main challenge lies in the fact that the smart feature is often achieved by intensive use of technology, which often overshadows inventive ways in which the behavioral and aesthetic properties of the material can be reinterpreted. The interactive green installation “Modgrew” investigates the possibilities of obtaining smart features through the experimental testing of two main types of configurations. The results underline the fact that, by applying the principles of biomimetic design, technologies from different fields can be combined towards obtaining a smart product. The conclusions highlight the need for future studies cover subjects such as the efficiency of automation, the possible reconfiguration of modules, behavioral optimization over time, the identification of minimal tech alternatives and the reduction of maintenance necessities.

Herbicide performance in the control of Conyza spp. where three plant heights

Intensive use of the herbicide glyphosate has led to herbicide resistant Conyza spp. populations. Thus, there is a need to indicate alternative herbicides and the appropriate developmental stage for controlling these populations. This study identifies alternatives for controlling glyphosate-resistant horseweed, with treatment applications at different plant heights. For this purpose, field experiments were conducted in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 crop years. The evaluated treatments were: glyphosate (540 g ae ha-1), glyphosate (1080 g ae ha-1), glyphosate (2160 g ae ha-1), glyphosate (3240 g ae ha-1), glyphosate + 2.4-D (1080 + 1005 g ae ha-1), glyphosate + saflufenacil (1080 + 49 g ae/ai ha-1), paraquat (400 g ai ha-1), diquat (400 g ai ha-1), ammonium glufosinate (600 g ai ha-1), and control (without application). These treatments were applied to plants with a maximum of 5 cm; plants between 6 and 15 cm; and plants between 16 and 25 cm. The results showed that glyphosate did not control weeds, regardless of rate. With the exception of 2,4-D, which needs complementation with sequential application of another contact herbicide, all alternatives were viable for the control of Conyza spp. plants with a maximum height of 5 cm.

Epidemiological features of acute respiratory infections in dentists

Aim. To study the incidence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in medical staff of dental clinics.Materials and Methods. We performed a descriptive, retrospective epidemiological study of ARI incidence by means of conducting an anonymous survey of 1,081 dentistry practitioners (358 in specialised dental clinics and 723 employees of polyclinics) in Kemerovo (2020). ARI included COVID-19, community-acquired pneumonia, and other common respiratory viral infections. The questionnaire included 12 questions about ARI, age, gender, working experience, and position.Results. The incidence of ARI in dentistry practitioners in specialised dental clinics was 2.6-fold higher as compared with those working in polyclinics [379.52 per 1,000 (95% CI = 327.10-434.11) and 146.19 per 1,000 (95% CI = 120.56-174.93), respectively, p = 0,00001], regardless of age. Prolonged and close contact with the patients along with an intensive use of aerosol-generating technologies were associated with a 2.3-fold times higher incidence of ARI in dental therapists in comparison with dental surgeons. Female dentists suffered from ARI 1.8-fold more frequently than males [410.91 per 1,000 (95% CI = 352,18-471,58) and 228.07 per 1,000 (95% CI = 127.40-358.36), p = 0,01] but most women worked as dental therapists that could confound such association. ARI incidence was not associated with age, work experience, and position (p = 0.22).Conclusion. Dentistry practitioners working in specialised clinics more frequently experienced ARI than those working in polyclinics. Dental therapists were at higher risk of ARI in comparison with dental surgeons, potentially due to the active use of aerosol generating technologies and prolonged close contact with the patients during treatment. Other factors were not among the major determinants of ARI incidence in dentistry practitioners.

Proposals for the redevelopment of deactivated landfill areas

Large amounts of the most diverse waste are produced in urban environments, being the landfill one of the most common forms of disposal of these wastes. The need for research on the redevelopment of landfill areas lies in the dynamism and externalities of urban spaces, which generates the need to rebuild degraded areas to promote economic, social, and environmental benefits. In Brazil, there is an expectation that open and controlled dumpsites will be replaced by sanitary landfills. In this sense, the present study seeks to identify alternatives to re-urbanization for areas of deactivated landfills as a way to increase the sustainability of cities, presenting solutions already adopted in Brazil and international trends. To this end, a bibliometric analysis and an extensive bibliographic review were conducted. The main alternatives found were: open spaces (parks, sports and leisure centers), use for agriculture, woods and reforestation areas, intensive use for commercial purposes, housing and energy generation. The main contribution of this article is to open the discussion about what will be the use of these new landfills in the post-closure phase of waste disposal, having in mind an adequate planning of these new landfills, allowing them not to become environmental liabilities when they are deactivated.

AGRO-ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF CREATION AND LONG-TERM INTENSIVE USE OF EARLY- AND MEDIUM-RIPENING CEREALS GRASS STANDS

The agro-energy assessment showed the high efficiency of the creation and long-term three-mowing use of cereal grass stands. The collection of metabolizable energy on agrocenoses of different ripening was 58–69 GJ/ha on average over 27 years. In the structure of its production, the main part (60–66%) is provided by natural factors.

INVESTIGATION OF LIGHT INTENSITY OF LIGHT CURING UNITS AFTER DIFFERENT PERIODS OF USE

Quartz-tungsten halogen light curing units (LCUs) have been the main source of light for the polymerization of resin based composites (RBCs) for several decades. Since the beginning of the 20th century, however, their use has been reduced due to the invention and improvement of LED LCUs. Various factors can cause a decrease in the light intensity of LED LCUs, one of which is diode aging. The aim of the present paper is to study the change in light intensity of LCUs after different periods of intensive use. For this purpose, the light intensity of 94 regularly used LED LCUs aged between 1 and 10 years was measured with a digital radiometer. The devices were used in conventional mode with maximum light intensity. It was found that regardless of the type and model of LCU, there is a direct relationship between the time of use and light intensity - the longer the operation period of a device is and the more used it is, the lower its intensity is. The decrease in light intensity as devices age is different for different models, as well as for different devices of the same model. In the studied LCUs with a 10-year period of use, 77.5% have light intensity lower than the required minimum of 400 mW/cm2, which makes them unusable. It can be concluded that dentists should regularly monitor and measure the light intensity of their LCUs, especially as they age, to ensure the longevity of their restorative procedures.

Warburgia ugandensis Leaf and Bark Extracts: An Alternative to Copper as Fungicide against Downy Mildew in Organic Viticulture?

In organic viticulture, copper-based fungicides are commonly used to suppress Downy Mildew infection, caused by the oomycete Plasmopara viticola. However, the frequent and intensive use of such fungicides leads to accumulation of the heavy metal in soil and nearby waters with adverse effects on the ecosystem. Therefore, alternative, organic fungicides against Downy Mildew are urgently needed to reduce the copper load in vineyards. In this study, the use of Warburgia ugandensis Sprague (Family Canellacea) leaf and bark extracts as potential fungicides against Downy Mildew were evaluated. In vitro (microtiter) and in vivo (leaf discs, seedlings) tests were conducted, as well as field trials to determine the efficacy of the extracts against Downy Mildew. The results revealed an MIC100 of 500 µg/mL for the leaf extract and 5 µg/mL for the bark extract. Furthermore, experiments with leaf discs and seedlings demonstrated a strong protective effect of the extracts for up to 48 h under (semi-) controlled conditions. However, in field trials the efficacy of the extracts distinctly declined, regardless of the extracts’ origin and concentration.

Effect of Exit Door Width on Flow Rate in Occupant-based Fire Evacuation Scenarios in Dormitories

Student dormitories are intensely used buildings that meet the resting, accommodation and living needs of students. It is necessary to ensure the safety of students and to eliminate possible risks in dormitories as intensive use areas. Fires pose a great risk in dormitories and may cause serious casualties and injuries. The reduction of casualties and injuries can be achieved by analyzing occupant behaviour during fires according to the building use scenarios. In this paper, a type of dormitory that provides two alternative exits is explored. The building use scenarios of the dormitory were investigated by making on-site observations. Students’ use of sleeping units, dining units and partial sleeping/dining units and fire exit routes were determined. Pathfinder computer program was used to analyze the fire evacuation performance. This program was defined in accordance with occupant behaviour and different fire evacuation times were suggested depending on the building use scenarios. At the end of the study, based on the evacuation times, the flow rate at the exit doors according to the location of the occupants was analyzed. In the fire escape routes, as the upper floors are reached from the lower floors, the occupant flow rate decreases at the exit doors and the flow rates continue to be stable as the number of occupants is saturated according to the door width. The decrease in the number of occupants in the dining unit decreases the flow rate at the exit doors. It is important that various assembly units in dormitories, such as the dining unit, are designed on floors that can directly provide evacuation to a safe area. The results obtained are suitable for all dormitories, residences, hotels and other similar buildings. Keywords: building use scenario, dormitory, evacuation, flow rate, exit widths

Occupation of Cultivated Land for Urban–Rural Expansion in China: Evidence from National Land Survey 1996–2006

Construction land expansion often occurs on cultivated land in developing countries during rapid urbanization and industrialization. Understanding its characteristics and driving mechanisms is of great significance for land-use policy and sustainable development. This paper depicted the spatio-temporal patterns of China’s urban–rural expansion and its occupation of cultivated land based on national land survey data from 1996 to 2006. It further explored the influencing mechanism of cultivated land occupation for urban–rural construction land. The results showed that the establishment and expansion of various economic development zones contribute to more than half of the occupation of cultivated land while the expansion of cities and towns is relatively slower, and their sources of construction land are more diverse. The empirical results showed that (1) economic growth and investment play key roles in shaping the spatio-temporal patterns of the occupation of cultivated land for urban–rural construction land, and (2) the mechanisms of cultivated land occupation in different stages of regional development are different. In particular, the establishment of national economic development zones is conducive to the intensive use of construction land and the protection of cultivated land in inland regions, whereas provincial economic development zones have led to a waste of land resources in coastal regions. Based on the results, this study suggested that the policies to the intensive use of land resources and cultivated land protection required regional disparities.