Acceptable Conditions Research Articles

Ventilation conditions and their influence on thermal comfort in examination classrooms in times of COVID-19. A case study in a Spanish area with Mediterranean climate.

Current evidence and recent publications have led to the recognition that aerosol-borne transmission of COVID-19 is possible in indoor areas such as educational centers. A crucial measure to reduce the risk of infection in high occupancy indoors is ventilation. In this global pandemic context of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, a study has been carried out with the main objective of analyzing the effects of natural ventilation conditions through windows on indoor air quality and thermal comfort during on-site examinations in higher education centers during the winter season, as this implies situations of unusual occupation and the impossibility in many cases of taking breaks or leaving classrooms, as well as the existence of unfavorable outdoor weather conditions in terms of low temperatures. For this purpose, in situ measurements of the environmental variables were taken during different evaluation tests. As the main results of the study, ventilation conditions were generally adequate in all the tests carried out, regardless of the ventilation strategy used, with average CO2 concentration levels of between 450 and 670 ppm. The maximum CO2 concentration value recorded in one of the tests was 808 ppm. On this basis, the limit for category IDA 2 buildings, corresponding to educational establishments, was not exceeded in any case. However, these measures affected the thermal comfort of the occupants, especially when the outside temperature was below 6 °C, with a dissatisfaction rate of between 25 and 72%. Examinations carried out with outside temperatures above 12 °C were conducted in acceptable comfort conditions regardless of outside air supply and classroom occupancy. In these cases, the dissatisfaction rate was less than 10%. The results obtained have made it possible to establish strategies for ventilation in the implementation of future exams, depending on the climatic conditions outside.

A coalgebraic take on regular and $\omega$-regular behaviours

We present a general coalgebraic setting in which we define finite and infinite behaviour with B\"uchi acceptance condition for systems whose type is a monad. The first part of the paper is devoted to presenting a construction of a monad suitable for modelling (in)finite behaviour. The second part of the paper focuses on presenting the concepts of a (coalgebraic) automaton and its ($\omega$-) behaviour. We end the paper with coalgebraic Kleene-type theorems for ($\omega$-) regular input. The framework is instantiated on non-deterministic (B\"uchi) automata, tree automata and probabilistic automata.

PCOS and Hyperprolactinemia: Conflicting Conditions or Comorbidities?

Currently, hyperprolactinemia is considered as a condition to be excluded during the diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), because it often demonstrates clinical signs similar to PCOS. However, some publications have reported “the prevalence of hyperprolactinemia in PCOS,” which does not agree with the statement above statement. The publications presented in this review demonstrate conflicting approaches to considering the association of hyperprolactinemia and PCOS. On the one hand, the current consensus on the diagnosis of PCOS assumes the exclusion of patients with hyperprolactinemia, and on the other hand, some authors consider hyperprolactinemia as an acceptable condition and estimate its prevalence in PCOS. Based on the analysis of the literature, we have demonstrated a contradictory attitude towards the association between hyperprolactinemia and PCOS. To overcome the contradiction, we consider it appropriate to use the term "potential PCOS" before the final assessment of the contribution of hyperprolactinemia to the development of symptoms similar to PCOS. The final diagnosis of PCOS in the presence of hyperprolactinemia is possible only after its correction and reassessment of all symptoms.

Evaluation of the rejuvenation of asphalt by means of oil-saturated porous aggregates

Road degradation is an increasing problem for assets managers. Roads deteriorate mainly due to the combination of different factors, such as temperature, climate and traffic loads. This causes the asphalt to age and, consequently, the bituminous mixtures become more fragile and microcracks begin to appear. To eliminate these degradation effects, the most widely used performed actions are based on the renovation of the pavement to achieve an asphalt surface under acceptable conditions of use. In order to reduce the application of corrective measures when the asphalt pavement is already facing significant defects, it is important to perform regular preventive maintenance that minimise the renovation works of the pavement and improves the asphalt durability. This paper shows a method for the continuous rejuvenation of asphalt, by analysing the evolution of asphalt mixture stiffness and the resistance to cracking on asphalt mixtures with rejuvenator added after having been submitted to a laboratory ageing protocol (short and long-term ageing). The rejuvenator was added to the mixtures following either of these two procedures: first, directly added to the mixture and the second, saturated in porous aggregates, what the authors call encapsulated. Results from this study demonstrate the effectiveness of the second method (encapsulated rejuvenator) as an original solution to achieve long-term performance mixtures with reduced cracking.

Modeling social rejection, physiological arousal, and peer influence on risky driving among adolescents and young adults

Peer passengers are a significant risk factor for young drivers to experience adverse driving outcomes. However, few studies have manipulated social evaluation contexts and individual susceptibilities to peer influence, such as physiological arousal, to measure effects on driving. The current study explored whether social evaluation affects driving outcomes and if the type of evaluation affects perception of peer norms. Young drivers (N = 75) were randomized to control, social acceptance, or social rejection conditions and observed risky or risk-averse driving norms. Results indicated that peer passengers and peer driving norms, regardless of the social-evaluative context, affected variability in driving outcomes, particularly in intersections. Physiological arousal and perceptions of social acceptance also predicted more variability in driving outcomes. These findings suggest that passengers increase irregular driving patterns, perhaps due to passengers distracting young drivers from road conditions. Further, social acceptance increases the strength of the relationship between the presence of peer passengers and inconsistent driving patterns, indicating that social rewards may precede risky behavior more often than social threats do.

Fabrication of nano battery from CdS quantum dots and organic polymer

Efficient energy storage systems are recharged from the nano batteries; however, the available energy of present nanomaterial batteries remains capable for many applications due to the limited basic charging capacity of the electrode materials. A cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystal (NCs) or quantum dots (QDs) that was prepared by chemical reaction and were fabricated nano battery device using the PVV / Li: graphite / CdS / Al. The optical properties of the CdS QDs were described by the spectrometers of ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis.) and photoluminescence (PL), the results are indicating that the CdS QDs prepared where nanocrystalline structures are formed. The energy gap (Eg) of CdS QDs measured from PL was found to be about 2.69 eV. The CdS QDs led to improving the performs of the nano battery in terms of enhancing the mobility of the carrier's charging and consequently the processes of recombination between CdS QDs and Li-ions. The characteristics of the current-voltage (I-V) indicate acceptable conditions for the generation of light at (3 Volt). The structures can be designed to determine the fundamentals of ion and electron transport for energy storage in nanostructures and to test the limits of three-dimensional nano battery technologies. The nano battery device from semiconductor substance (CdS QDs) with (Li) has been successful in operating the nano battery with a few voltages giving a good current. Fabrication of CdS QDs and Li nano battery devices was involved in enhancing the efficiency of the nano battery devices.

Error analysis of the cutting machine step adjustable drive

The implementation precision of a number of adjustment bodies of a metal-cutting machine is also the most important indicator of its quality, a strictly standardized industry standard, technical conditions for manufacturing and acceptance. Moreover, the standard for limiting the error is set depending on the used denominator of the series. An essential feature of the precision of the series being implemented is that it is determined not by an error in parts’ manufacturing, but by the disadvantages of the used method of kinematic calculation. The established modes largely determine the efficiency of processing on metal-cutting machines. If the setting is set to an underestimated mode, then the performance is reduced accordingly. In the case of the mode overestimation, this leads to a decrease in durability and losses due to increased regrinding and tool changes. Creation of a complex of mathematical models for the design kinematic calculation of the metal-cutting machines’ main movement drive, which allows reducing the error in the implementation of a series of preferred numbers and increasing machining precision. The article provides a mathematical complex for analyzing the total error components, which allows determining and evaluating the total error of the drive of a metal-cutting machine by analyzing its constituent values with high precision: errors of a permanent part, errors of a multiplier part, rounding errors of standard numbers, errors in the electric motor and belt transmission. The presented complex helps to identify the role of the rounding error of preferred numbers in the total relative error formation and makes it possible to reduce it, which allows solving the problem of increasing the step adjustable drive precision. When using a mathematical complex, a fundamentally new opportunity for creating a scientific base appears, developing algorithms and programs for engineering calculation of tables that facilitate the selection of the numbers of teeth for multiple groups, structures and guaranteeing high precision of the implemented series.

Evaluating Inventory Management Practice of Antiretroviral Drugs in Public Health Facilities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

BackgroundThe right to safe and effective treatment is an exclusive right that depends on the robustness of the domestic health care system.MethodsA facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 01 to February 01, 2020. Ten eligible hospitals and 12 randomly selected health centers were parts of this study. A total of 66 RRFs and 308 bin cards were reviewed. Data were collected through observation, record and report review, and physical count using an observational checklist. In addition, 44 semi structured interviews were conducted. The collected data were entered to MS Excel sheet and analysed using SPSS (version 20) software. The correlation test result was determined statistically significant at p<0.05.ResultsTwenty-two public health facilities were included in the study of which 16 (72.72%) health facilities had at least one stock out. Availability of ARVs had very strong positive correlation ship with bin card updating practice (r=0.9 1, P<0.01), inventory accuracy rate (r=0.912, P<0.015) and very strong negative correlation ship with wastage rate (r = −0.66, P<0.001). The wastage rate due to expiration and loss was 3.9%. The mean bin card accuracy was 90.6%. RRF reports were accurate 17 (77.3%), complete 7(32%) and reported on time 14 (63.64%). Only 8 (36.36%) health facilities met acceptable storage conditions.ConclusionThe availability of bin cards and reports and resupply forms was promising, but the data quality remains low. The majority of health facilities did not meet acceptable storage conditions and had frequent stock-outs.

ARPA: An autonomous renderer placement algorithm in distributed multimedia fog networks with delay guarantees

Multimedia cloud computing has emerged as a popular paradigm for the support of delay-intolerable immersive multimedia applications with high-end three-dimensional rendering. To that end, fog computing offers distributed computational offloading solutions, by positioning rendering servers in close proximity to end users promising in this way continuous service provision, that is otherwise not easily attainable under the strictly centralized cloud-only model. Yet, in order to alleviate the multimedia providers from unnecessary capital expenditure, a strategic placement approach of the servers at the fog layer must be implemented, that can effectively cope both with the network dynamics and the overall imposed deployment cost, and still adhere to the delay bounds set forth by the multimedia application. In this paper, we formally formulate the problem as a facility location problem using constrained optimization over a finite time horizon. We then theoretically analyze the minimum acceptable conditions necessary for a decentralized location of the servers, utilizing solely local information around their immediate neighborhood, that iteratively leads to better solutions. Based on the analysis, we propose a distributed algorithm, namely the Autonomous Renderer Placement Algorithm (ARPA), to address it. ARPA employs localized service relocation to shift the placement according to simple rules that designate elastic migration, replication, and complementary consolidation of the underlying renderers. Simulation results under diversified deployment scenarios, as well as trace-driven comparisons against other approaches, testify to ARPA's accountability in obeying the delay limits and fast converge in finite time slots to a placement solution that both outperforms the baseline alternatives and is close to the optimal one, rendering it suitable for scaling up and down to meet the current demands of the offered multimedia applications.

Review on Detection and Analysis of Partial Discharge along Power Cables

Partial discharge (PD) detection and analysis plays a crucial role for acceptance testing and condition monitoring of power cables. Various aspects are related to PD in power cables from theory to practice. This paper first summarizes the PD mechanism and models used for PD analysis in power cables. Afterwards, PD detection is addressed in the aspects of off-line test, on-line test, and sensors. PD analysis is discussed in detail. Specifically, related quantities and algorithms for PD analysis are outlined. PD characteristics with affecting factors, e.g., dielectric type, load, and applied voltage are discussed. Experience on PD development trend with measurements in field is analyzed. Based on the comprehensive review, challenges of PD detection and analysis along a power cable are proposed.

Social Rejection, Family Acceptance, Economic Recession, and Physical and Mental Health of Sexual Minorities

IntroductionThe study examines associations between social rejection, family acceptance, economic recession, and physical and mental health outcomes for sexual minorities in Greece. This is the first Greek study to evaluate the concept of minority stress theory for sexual minorities. In addition, this is among the first international studies to examine whether, during a period of economic recession, sexual minorities experience deteriorated physical and mental health.MethodsUtilizing two panel datasets (n = 866) covering the periods 2013–2014 and 2018–2019, the study examines whether social rejection, family acceptance, and economic conditions bear an association with self-rated physical and mental health.ResultsSocial rejection bears a negative association with physical and mental health. Family acceptance shares a positive association with physical and mental health. Periods characterized by worse economic conditions (2013–2014 versus 2018–2019) correlate with a decline in sexual minorities’ physical and mental health. It is found that women, trans people, people without higher education degrees, unemployed people, and relatively poor people experience worse physical and mental health than the corresponding reference categories.ConclusionsSexual minorities who experienced societal rejections, such as unfair treatment in educational, workplace environments, and/or public and health services prompted deteriorated physical and mental health. Sexual minorities who experienced acceptance from their families over their sexual orientation status, experienced better physical and mental health. Moreover, during periods of increased aggregate unemployment, the physical and mental health status of sexual minorities was deteriorated.Policy ImplicationsAntidiscrimination policies help reduce homophobic incidents and positively impact sexual/gender identity minorities’ progression, self-esteem, income, and well-being. Public health services should ensure that policies are inclusive of the physical and mental health needs of sexual/gender identity minority groups. Reducing stigma and addressing financial hardships for minority population groups should form part of the policymakers’ agenda and this study provides new evidence on the subject matter.

Breastfeeding versus free distribution of infant formulas by the Public Health System.

ABSTRACTObjective:To characterize the situation of breastfeeding and the adequacy of prescription of infant formulas to infants assisted by a secondary care program of the Public Health System.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study with analysis of medical records of 350 infants from zero to 6 months, followed up between February to April 2019.Results:The possibility of breastfeeding was present in 97.0% of mothers and no infant presented an acceptable medical condition for proscription of breastfeeding. Despite this, only 47.2% of cases were on exclusive breastfeeding before being referred to the program. Regarding the reasons for the introduction of infant formulas, complementation to breast milk was the most present (75.8%), followed by mothers returning to the job market (20.1%). The general rates of inadequacy of those prescribed were 65% before arriving at the program, increasing to 69% (standard formulas) and 80% (formulas for special purposes) during follow-up.Conclusion:The low rate of exclusive breastfeeding and the indiscriminate prescription of infant formulas are a concern for damage to maternal-child healthcare and sound finances of the Public Health System.

Effect of HVAC’s Management on Indoor Thermo-Hygrometric Comfort and Energy Balance: In Situ Assessments on a Real nZEB

This paper proposes the analysis of real monitored data for evaluating the relationship between occupants’ comfort conditions and the energy balance inside an existing, nearly zero-energy building under different operational strategies for the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system. During the wintertime, the adaptive comfort approach is applied for choosing the temperature setpoint when an air-to-air heat pump provides both heating and ventilation. The results indicate that in very insulated buildings with high solar gains, the setpoint should be decided taking into consideration both the solar radiation and the outdoor temperature. Indeed, when the room has large glazed surfaces, the solar radiation can also guarantee acceptable indoor conditions when a low setpoint (e.g., 18.7 °C) is considered. The electricity consumption can be reduced from 17% to 43% compared to a conventional setpoint (e.g., 20 °C). For the summertime, the analysis suggests the adoption of a dynamic approach that should be based on the outdoor conditions and differentiated according to room characteristics. Considering the indoor comfort and the maximization of renewable integration, the direct expansion system has better performance than the heat pump; this last system should be integrated with a pre-handling unit to be energy convenient.

Expediting Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Infrastructure Assets under Multiple Uncertainties by Deep Neural Networks

AbstractDeteriorating and at-risk infrastructure assets should be maintained at acceptable conditions by asset management systems (AMSs) to ensure the safety and welfare of communities. Project-lev...

A sustainable approach towards solventless organic oxidations catalyzed by polymer immobilized Nb(V)-peroxido compounds with H2O2 as oxidant

New heterogeneous catalysts comprising of peroxidoniobium(V) complexes immobilized on amino acid grafted cross-linked poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) resin has been developed. Results of FTIR, Raman, NMR, XPS, XRD, EDX, SEM, BET, TGA, and elemental analysis confirmed the successful anchoring of triperoxidoniobium(V), [Nb(O2)3]− species to the host polymer via the pendant amino acid groups. The supported catalysts exhibited excellent performance in epoxidation of styrene and a range of cyclic and terpenic compounds under environmentally acceptable solvent-free condition, with aqueous H2O2 as oxidant. The catalytic protocols provided excellent conversion to the desired epoxide (up to 100%) with selectivity > 99%, TON as high as 1000, and high H2O2 utilization efficiency (92–97%). Moreover, the catalysts efficiently facilitated chemoselective solvent-free oxidation of a variety of thioethers to sulfones at room temperature. Simple operational strategy, easy recyclability for multiple reaction cycles with the consistent activity-selectivity profile are the additional significant attributes of the developed catalytic processes.

Wood flooring in combination with underfloor heating systems

The main objective of the article is to inform about the wood flooring in combination with underfloor water heating systems. Wood is a very sensitive material that responds to its surroundings. For this reason, it is necessary to select a suitable wood, meeting the criteria of suitability for laying as flooring in combination with underfloor heating systems. It is also important to comply with the conditions of storage of wooden flooring and its installation under acceptable climatic conditions at the construction site, together with the technical regulations for the installation of wooden flooring in combination with underfloor heating systems, during the whole life cycle of the wood flooring. This article defines the basic input premise for the implementation of wooden floors in combination with underfloor heating systems, regarding the relevant technical standards and technological procedures valid in the Czech Republic. At the same time, the article describes possible failures of wooden floors in case of non-compliance with the above conditions. In the conclusion, we propose measures based on the described installation process failures of the wooden flooring in combination with underfloor heating systems, and after its use.

Seasonal content of heavy metals in the "soil-feed-milk-manure" system in horse husbandry in Kazakhstan.

Background and Aim:The quality of food, especially animal-based food, is crucial for human health. However, the quality of milk and other animal products has become an acute cause for concern in Kazakhstan. Technogenic dispersion of heavy metals (HMs) causes adverse effects on living organisms and creates unfavorable conditions for the existence of humans, animals, and plants. The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of several HMs in samples of soil, horse feed (hay, mixed feed, and bran), mare’s milk, and manure to assess bioaccumulation and possible adverse effects on the bodies of horses. An additional purpose was to identify areas with acceptable conditions for obtaining environmentally safe horse breeding products in the agricultural zones of the Almaty region, Kazakhstan.Materials and Methods:Samples were obtained from two farms in the Almaty region in 2020 (spring, summer, and autumn). In total, 72 soil samples were analyzed, which were taken from the upper humus horizon to the depth of the arable layer. Eighty-six samples were taken from the feed of horses. Green feed was represented by perennial and annual grasses (alsike clover, Medicago sativa, sweet yellow clover, as well as pea and oat mix). Barley and wheat bran stored in the warehouses of the farm were sampled for the research as feed supplements. The mixed feed comprised components such as maize and sunflower. In addition, 46 samples of mare’s milk and 28 samples of horse manure were collected. The HM analysis was performed in the laboratory of the Kazakh-Japanese Innovation Center. The residual amounts of HMs were determined using an absorption spectrometer with a voltammetric analyzer. The content of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) in all the studied samples of soil, feed, mare’s milk, and manure did not exceed the threshold limit values (TLVs), suggesting that the intake of these toxic elements into the human body with food was low.Results:The average Cd concentration was in the range of 0.29-0.31 mg/kg in soil samples and in the range of 0.20-0.27 mg/kg in feed samples. In milk, the Cd concentration varied from 0.01 to 0.02 mg/L and was lower in summer and higher in fall. The total average Cd content in horse manure was 0.1844 mg/kg. The concentration of Pb in soil samples ranged from 1.09 to 1.30 mg/kg with the lowest value in spring and the highest in fall. In the feed, the concentration of Pb varied from 0.14 to 0.76 mg/kg and in milk from 0.03 to 0.15 mg/L. The average concentrations of Hg and As in soil samples averaged 0.022 and 0.019 mg/kg, respectively, and were within the TLVs.Conclusion:In the study areas, the calculated transition rates in the soil–feed–milk–manure system revealed that the greatest transition of HMs was observed for Pb and Cd, and a smaller migration was observed for Hg and As. The tendency of accumulation of trace elements continued in the feed.

Evaluation of Green Elements and Thermal Comfort Condition of Assyafaah Mosque, Singapore

A mosque is a place for worship and religious activities that are traditionally built with a typical design and shape with a dome and minaret as its traditional symbols. The most basic design of a mosque is a simple single-storey rectangular-shaped building with a prayer hall inside it. Design in the past was influenced by social and cultural aspects. However, regional and climatic differences have led to thermal discomfort and unnecessary energy use if the mosque is not properly designed. Therefore, there is a need to consider comprehensive planning and review for passive design to avoid thermal discomfort and excessive use of energy. Assyafaah Mosque in Singapore is one example that considers sustainable elements in its design. While Singapore is located very near to the hot equatorial line, many passive and green features have been integrated into the design and construction of the mosque, and this made it possible to achieve an acceptable thermal condition according to the adaptive and PMV thermal comfort model. The design maximizes the potential of naturally ventilated design with other passive strategies which allow for both thermal comfort and energy saving. This paper aims to study the impact of natural ventilation and other passive design decisions on the thermal comfort of the Assyafaah mosque in a hot and humid climate.

Features of metabolic disorders in chromium mine workers

Introduction. Working conditions, clinical and laboratory status of 236 workers of a chromium mine were investigated. Materials and methods. The observation group included 162 underground employees working in conditions of the combined impact of negative occupational factors (dust, noise, vibration, tension and severity there, cooling microclimate) - class 3.3-3.4. The comparison group included 74 mine employees working in acceptable working conditions - class 2. Results. In the observation group, the pathology of the cardiovascular and endocrine system (ICD-10: I00-I99, E00-E07) was detected 2.8-3.3 times more often (p = 0.001-0.02), the relative risk of disease formation was 2.7-3.2 times higher than in the comparison group (RR = 2.7-3.2; DI = 1.44-9.2; p = 0.001-0.02). Under the conditions of the combined effect of negative production factors, as features of metabolic disorders, it was noted that the most unfavourable - abdominal form of obesity was diagnosed 1.4 times more often (42.0%, p = 0.013), the atherogenic index was 1.2 times higher, and the level HDL is 1.2 times lower than in the comparison group (p = 0.017-0.047); “Metabolic indices” - lipid accumulation coefficient (LAP) and visceral obesity index (VAI) were 1.2-1.4 times higher than the values in the comparison group (p = 0.001-0.048). Conclusions. To implement a complex of medical and preventive measures aimed at increasing life expectancy and working longevity, early prevention of CVD, including among those working in the extraction of chrome ore, it is advisable to consider the introduction of the calculation of early markers of metabolic disorders - VAI and LAP indices in the medical examination programs.

Effect of three productive stages of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) under hyper-intensive recirculation aquaculture system on the growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

In this research, the effect of different productive stages of tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) in a hyper-intensive aquaculture system on the growth of tomatoes was evaluated. Fish were cultivated in a final density of 80 kg m 3 considering three development stages (an average of fingerling of 1.487 g, juvenile of 62 g, and adult of 203.75 g, respectively). The quality of water was measured by determining temperature, pH, electric conductivity, and dissolved oxygen. Biometric data were registered throughout the growth of fish and tomatoes. Results showed that the survival, growth, and health of fish are not affected by the hyper density of culture; as well as the quality water was maintained under acceptable conditions for the development of organisms. Besides, it was obtained that the early productive stages (fingerlings and juveniles) gave the best results for tomato growth. These results suggest using the wastewater from fingerlings and juveniles of a hyper intensive recirculation aquaculture system to produce hydroponic tomato; to achieve sustainable production systems with maximum use of the resources.