bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observational study of environmental factors that affect body movement during normal sleep
Authors: Oota Noriaki , Yamauchi Yasuki , Abuku Masaru , Hiraguri Yasuhiro
Published: June 2023

In this observational study, body movements during sleep were evaluated. Measurements were recorded in the subject's bedroom under the normal conditions. Healthy 8 males and 8 females aged 19-56 years old participated in the experiment. Data for 20 to 30 nights were obtained for each subject and the analysis was conducted using 325 valid data. As a result, there observed significant differences among subjects for body movement and environmental factors. Concerning body movements, the results showed significant differences in gender, age group, group of The General Health Questionnaire's value, and alcohol intake. The regression line between body movement and relative humidity has a negative slope, and 12 out of 15 subjects showed a positive correlation between radiation temperature and the frequency of the body movement. For relative humidity, 3 subjects showed significant correlations with negative slopes. The factors could be categorized into two groups: those based on individual differences and those based on the environment. It was also affected by the factors that varied from day to day. The degrees of mutual influence of these factors on body movement were examined. The results showed that the relative humidity had the highest standardized coefficient for overall sleep duration, followed by gender, radiant temperature of celling, and drinking habit.
Study on ventilation issues in urban nursery facilities: Long-term field survey in Yokohama, Japan
Authors: Taneichi Shinya , Tanaka Ineko
Published: June 2023

In many urban nursery facilities in Japan, daily ventilation behavior is restricted, and poor indoor air quality has been an issue of concern. However, the lack of specific common standards for indoor environments, including ventilation in nursery facilities, has left the issue unresolved in Japan. The purpose of this study is to clarify ventilation issues at nursery facilities in urban areas and indicate future measures. To this end, indoor air quality was analyzed using data from intermittent measurements taken between 2014 and 2022 at 21 nursery facilities in Yokohama City. As a result, the nursery facilities were classified into three categories based on nursery teachers’ ventilation behavior: “window-ventilation type,” “mechanical-ventilation type,” and “combined-ventilation type.” There was a significant difference (p-value <0.001) in the mean CO2 concentration between the window-ventilation type and the mechanical-ventilation type, and between the window-ventilation type and the combined-ventilation type, confirming the difference indoor air quality due to the difference in ventilation behavior. It was clear that the mechanical-ventilation type and combined-ventilation type had significantly lower compliance rates with the minimum ventilation rate required by the Japanese Building Standard Law (20 m3/h), which buildings must have at a minimum.
Indoor Environmental Quality assessment of mixed-mode ventilation with ceiling fans in the tropics
Authors: Lei Yue , Peng Yuzhen , Chong Adrian
Published: June 2023

Mixed-mode ventilation in buildings has a potential for significant energy savings. However, previous attempts in the tropics were unsuccessful due to the hot and humid weather. Indeed, there is little to no natural ventilation potential in tropical climates if conventional air conditioning systems are used. Additionally, existing studies typically do not consider the noise and air quality constraints while the performance of mixed-mode buildings is susceptible to outdoor conditions. Using elevated air movement has proven to be an effective strategy to offset the rise in the room temperature setpoint without sacrificing occupants’ thermal comfort as it helps dissipate body heat through the convective cooling effect. Hence, this study aims at investigating the total indoor environment quality (IEQ) performance of mixed-mode ventilation operations with various air speeds based on tropically acclimatized subjects. To this end, a testbed was designed and constructed in Singapore, consisting of a variable air volume (VAV) system, ceiling fans with continuous speed control, personal ventilation (PV) desks, and plenum acoustic windows. Five operating modes have been tested: fully air-conditioned (AC) mode using VAV alone, hybrid air conditioned (AC+PV) mode using VAV and PV desks, concurrent ventilation (CV) mode using PV desks with the windows partially opened, natural ventilation (NV) mode with the windows fully opened, and acoustic natural ventilation (Acoustic NV) mode with the windows partially opened. 57 subjects were invited to the experiment and asked to complete a comprehensive IEQ survey under 16 different indoor conditions, which are combinations of these operating modes and air speeds ranging from 0.10 to 1.15 m/s. Experiment results show that NV and CV in Singapore can achieve more than 90% thermal acceptability with adequate air movement. More importantly, the median standard effective temperature (SET*) for thermal neutrality is approximately 3°C higher when operating in NV as compared to AC+PV or CV modes, indicating adaptation even when the modes switches are within the same day.
Prediction of Indoor Air Quality using Long Short-Term Memory with Adaptive Gated Recurrent Unit
Authors: Rahim Muhamad Sharifuddin Abd , Yakub Fitri , Omar Mas , Ghani Rasli Abd , Salim Sheikh Ahmad Zaki Shaikh , Masuda Shiro , Dhamanti Inge
Published: June 2023

There is significant evidence that the COVID-19 virus may be spread by inhaling aerosols leading to risk of infections across indoor environments. Having said that, it is clear that the formulation of indoor air quality (IAQ) needs to be carefully examined. In general, IAQ can be controlled by proper ventilation system across buildings. Nevertheless, different buildings require different mechanistic approaches and it may not be an effective solution for the buildings. Thus, statistical approaches have great potential to evaluate the IAQ in real occupied buildings. Numerous machine learning (ML) techniques were introduced to forecast the indoor environmental risk across buildings. However, there is inadequate data available on how well these ML techniques perform in indoor environments. Recurrent neural network (RNN) is a ML technique that deals with sequential data or time series data. However, the RNN model gradient tends to explode and vanish, leading to inaccurate prediction outcomes. Therefore, this study presents the development of a time based prediction model, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) with adaptive gated recurrent units for the prediction of IAQ. Using an advanced LSTM model, the study focuses on the performance of the prediction accuracy and the loss during training and validation. Also, the developed model will be assessed with other RNN models for data validation and comparisons. A set of particulate matter (PM2.5) dataset from commercial buildings is assessed, preprocessed and clean to ensure quality prediction outcomes. This study demonstrates the performance of the hybrid LSTM model to remember past information, minimize gradient error and predict the future data precisely, ensuring a healthier indoor building environment.
Single- versus shared-occupancy bedrooms in long-term care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A regional cohort study of 355 facilities in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Dee Brendan Buchanan , Rysanek Adam
Published: June 2023

Long-term care homes (LTCHs) around the world have been severely impacted by COVID-19 outbreaks with exceptionally high case loads and fatalities relative to the general public. A growing body of researchers, policy makers, and advocates have raised concern that the design and operation of these specialized 24-hour eldercare facilities may be partly responsible for risk of infection from transmissible diseases. While by no means the only factor in healthcare associated infections (HAIs), bedroom occupancy has been suggested as a potential determinant due to the disparities of exposure in shared bedrooms with two or more residents when compared to the isolation provided by single-occupancy bedrooms. This cohort study examines the role of bedroom occupancy on resident attack rates (RAR) in LTCHs in British Columbia (BC), Canada, by linking public health data from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and administrative survey data from the BC Office of the Seniors Advocate (BCOSA). During the observation period which extended from March 5, 2020–February 9, 2022 (707 days), 333 outbreaks were reported at 200 of the 355 BCLTCHs (56.3%). A total of 2,519 staff cases, 4,367 resident cases, and 960 resident deaths were reported (22.0% case fatality rate). Correlation analyses show that single-occupancy bedrooms had a weak, inverse correlation with COVID-19 infections among residents, whereas number of staff cases and highest RAR of any encountered outbreak were strongly correlated with resident infections. Counter to the perception that LTCH residents of shared bedrooms were at far greater risk, these observations suggest the bedroom occupancy was a minor factor contributing to the spread of COVID-19 in BCLTCHs.
Studying the efficiency of air cleaners at removing various indoor air impurities in classrooms and the relation to pupils’ symptoms
Authors: Leppänen Hanna , Viljamaa Annika , Täubel Martin , Pulkkinen Anni-Mari , Pennanen Arto , Yli-Tuomi Tarja , Lanki Timo , Siponen Taina , Salonen Raimo O. , Hyvärinen Anne
Published: June 2023

The existing knowledge on the effect of air cleaners in reducing different indoor impurities and health symptoms in real-life applications is still insufficient. PUHHO study aimed to fill this knowledge gap with a blinded intervention study in 18 primary school classrooms. The study was conducted during 8 weeks with 2 weeks without air cleaner, 3 weeks with air cleaner in full operation (filtration) with moderate airflow (200 - 400 m3/h) and 3 weeks sham operation (air cleaner blowing air without filtration). The latter two interventions were conducted in a blinded and mixed setup. Small, but statistically non-significant reductions in particulate matter levels (PM2.5; particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 µm and PM10; diameter of particles less than 10 µm) were observed when comparing air cleaner filtration to air recirculation alone (sham operation). The use of air cleaners had no significant effect on the level of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC). Air cleaners did not have significant effect on the microbial levels or on the microbiome of the classrooms. Filtration by air cleaners was found to statistically significantly reduce upper (4.0%) and lower airway (2.5%) and other (4.0%) symptoms, but a nearly equivalent effect was observed with air recirculation alone.
Influence of Air Velocity on Thermal Comfort and Performance of Students in Naturally Ventilated Classrooms in Tropical Climate
Authors: Nor Azli Mohamad Nor Azhari , Hariri Azian , Chong Zi Yao , Khasri Muhammad Aidil , Muhamad Damanhuri Amir Abdullah , Syazwan Mustafa Mohd Syafiq , Kabrein Hashim
Published: June 2023

Air velocity is among the most important factors influencing thermal comfort in naturally ventilated spaces in hot and humid tropical climates. It is important to have air velocity that suits comfort needs and enhances the student's learning performance in the classroom, especially in schools that rely only on natural ventilation assisted by ceiling fans. In this study, the thermal comfort and learning performance of students in a selected naturally ventilated classroom at a secondary school in Segamat, Johor, Malaysia, were experimentally evaluated under different air velocity conditions during the peak temperature period during the school session. Throughout the experiment, physical measurement and a subjective evaluation questionnaire were conducted for thermal comfort analysis and to gather the student’s thermal environment evaluation in the classroom. Students’ learning performance was assessed through simple reaction and digit span tests based on the WHO Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery (NCTB). All the assessment results were statistically analyzed, and the relationships among indoor air velocity, thermal comfort, and learning performance were obtained. The result showed optimal learning performance was significant when students felt “slightly cool” and air velocity was more than 0.95 m/s. Hotter environments and a lack of air movement were found to be causes of declining student performance. In conclusion, it is suggested that the comfort zone in a naturally ventilated classroom for school students should be set within the range of -1 (slightly cool) with an air velocity greater than 0.76 m/s.
A review and comparison of studies on office window behaviour using engineering and social science methods
Authors: Zhang Pengju , Wei Shen , Murtagh Niamh
Published: June 2023

With the urgent need of reducing building carbon emissions to ease climate change, it is necessary to have energy efficient buildings. An effective way of achieving this mission is adopting natural ventilation, which is commonly achieved by openable windows controlled by building occupants in most cases. In this kind of buildings, therefore, occupant window behaviour becomes significantly important on the building performance. To better understand this behaviour, researchers from both engineering domain and social science domain have contributed, but it seems like that they have different research aims, methods and findings. To promote transdisciplinary collaboration in this area, this study has carried out a thorough review of studies on window behaviour in office buildings. The review work collected 66 relevant studies, and analysed their aims, methods and main findings to figure out the differences between engineering studies and social science studies. The existing studies were mainly coming from renowned academic journals (91%) and academic conferences (9%). The comparison revealed significant differences between the two scientific domains, with some overlapping between them. To obtain deeper understanding on occupant window behaviour, critical discussions on how to better collaborate between these two domains in the future have been provided as well.
Study on the improvement of ventilation performance using a wind catcher
Authors: Takuwa Mitsuru , Kurabuchi Takashi , Kim Jeongil , Saito Koichiro
Published: June 2023

Global warming countermeasures are needed worldwide, and Japan has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In addition to the use of natural energy sources, energy-saving technologies are being considered to achieve this goal. In this study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and field measurements were conducted to determine the increase in the ventilation rate using wind catchers (WCs), which can be employed to increase the ventilation rate without CO2 emissions. The study was conducted in a pair of symmetrical dwelling units, one of which had a pair of WCs on the south wall and the other had a double sliding window on the south wall. Field measurements and CFD analyses were performed for four cases determined using a combination of openings in the subject dwelling unit. The cause was confirmed from the analysis results based on the pressure change at the opening and wind flow, and the difference between the dwelling units with and without a WC was analyzed. We found that installing a WC in a single-sided opening improves the ventilation performance. Furthermore, the WC may prevent the original inflow and outflow depending on the wind direction angle.
Parametric analysis of the free-suspended ceiling radiant cooling panel using CFD simulation
Authors: Ye Minzhi , Serageldin Ahmed A. , Nagano Katsunori
Published: June 2023

In this study, the parametric analysis was conducted on different designs of the free-suspended ceiling radiant cooling panel (CRCP) and panel area to improve its cooling performance. A three-dimensional CFD simulation model was developed to investigate the cooling capacity and heat transfer coefficient of the CRCPs. Four parameters were used to be the design parameters: the panel length L, the panel curvature radius r, the void distance between each panel or panel segment d, and the panel coverage area Ac. The L/r ratio was also considered, representing the curvature of panel. Twenty-three designs were compared under seven different cooling load conditions. The cooling capacity curve of each design was given as the regression curve of the cooling capacity and temperature difference between air and panel surface. The results show that the CRCPs with curved shape and void have better cooling performance compared to the reference results. The cooling capacity and heat transfer coefficient increase with increasing curvature radius and coverage area and decreasing the panel length. Additionally, the nominal cooling capacity is the largest when L/r is 0.5. The distance between adjacent panels or panel segments and the panel to the wall is most significant in enhancing cooling capacity.
Exploratory computational fluid and particle dynamics analyses in multi-layered vertical duct-type ventilation system for heat exchange and air purification
Authors: Qi Wang , Sung-Jun Yoo , Xin Wang , Kazuhide Ito
Published: June 2023

This study aims to develop a vertical air duct which is embedded inside the building envelop. It is also designed as a counter-flow heat recovery ventilator (HRV). The vertical air duct model in this study adopted baffle structure considering two methods to suppress the inflow of the particulate matters from outdoor: 1) trapping by wall surface and airflow structure and 2) gravitational sedimentation in the air duct. Design parametric analyses are conducted using computational fluid dynamics to determine optimal design of vertical air duct. Three types of analytical case with various set-up of baffles inside air passages are prepared, and heat exchange efficiency is estimated by heat transfer analysis inside ventilator. In addition, particulate pollutants’ behaviour inside air passages is predicted based on Euler-Lagrange particle transport analysis. Through the series of numerical analysis, differences in heat exchange efficiency and effectiveness of particulate pollutant removal corresponding to different baffle design are quantitatively discussed, and finally optimal design for air passages in HRV is determined. The building-integrated HRV introduced in this study could contribute to sustainable design of building environment.
Application of model predictive control to building design optimisation
Authors: Guo Rui , Saelens Dirk
Published: June 2023

Optimisation algorithms offer a valuable tool for enhancing the energy efficiency of buildings by fine-tuning specific design parameters. Model Predictive Control (MPC) emerges as a compelling technology to address the rising need for improved efficiency and adaptable operation within building energy systems. A simulation study using MATLAB and EnergyPlus was conducted to examine the influence of MPC and building design optimisation (BDO) on wall insulation thickness and internal mass area. The focus was on their impact on heating energy use and indoor thermal comfort in an office room located in Brussels, Belgium. The study revealed that the sole implementation of MPC led to a 7.6% decrease in heating energy use, while the application of BDO resulted in a more significant reduction of 12.8%. Remarkably, the fusion of MPC and BDO yielded the highest energy savings, cutting heating electricity usage by 23.4% compared to the baseline model. Moreover, MPC effectively maintained indoor temperature within the desired thermal comfort boundaries. The optimal wall insulation thickness and internal mass area were also ascertained through BDO, both of which exceeded the levels set by the baseline model. BDO, in conjunction with MPC, demanded the maximum permissible insulation thickness of 320 mm for the external north and south walls. Interestingly, when BDO was combined with MPC, the requirement for the internal mass area reduced by 11.7 m2 compared to utilising BDO alone. The study’s results underscore the potential of integrating MPC with BDO to elevate building energy efficiency. Furthermore, this strategy may be adaptable to optimising other building parameters at the early design stage, thereby augmenting overall building energy efficiency.
Investigation of the appropriate phase change temperatures for an enhanced passive indoor thermal regulation in a semi-arid climate: Tunable PCM case
Authors: Laasri Imad Ait , Es-sakali Niima , Outzourhit Abdelkader , Mghazli Mohamed Oualid
Published: June 2023

Researchers in the building industry are becoming increasingly interested in phase change materials (PCM). As these PCMs might provide passive temperature adjustment, this will aid in lowering the energy consumption of Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) devices. To prevent leakage during phase change, an enclosure is needed when installing PCMs in buildings. The need to assess the passive thermal regulation of the PCMs at different melting temperature is necessary, so that we can get a sense of how much energy will be saved for this passive thermal regulation method. Hence, this paper will evaluate and identify the optimum phase change transition temperatures during the whole year for wall composition with tunable PCM in a semi-arid climate. Thus, the main objective of this study is to assess the indoor air temperature fluctuation reduction and the PCM activation while suggesting an appropriate phase change transition temperature that can be beneficial in the whole year and very practical. The results reveal a good passive temperature regulation during the summer period.
Influence of External Surface Radiation Properties on Thermal Performance of Walls——Take a typical office building in Chengdu as an example
Authors: Ran Jiandong , Feng Ya , Dou Mei , Zhong Huizhi
Published: June 2023

In this paper, taking a typical office building in Chengdu as an example, the coupling relationship between the radiation properties (short-wave absorption coefficient and long-wave emission coefficient) of the external surface materials of the wall and the insulation types and the insulation performance is studied by using software simulation method. The results show that the internal insulation wall is beneficial to reduce the heating load while the external insulation wall is beneficial to reduce the cooling load. And the external surface material's radiative properties hardly affect the wall insulation type choice. Still, in the case of Chengdu office buildings, interior insulated walls are more conducive to year-round building energy efficiency. In summer, the radiation characteristics of the outer surface material will affect the choice of the best heat transfer coefficient (U-value) of the wall. When the short-wave radiation absorption coefficient is small, the wall with good insulation performance will appear anti-energy-saving phenomenon. Therefore, it is recommended that the regions with high cooling loads fully consider the influence of the external surface material's radiation properties on the wall's thermal performance in the design of the thermal performance of the wall.
Experimental investigation of methods to reduce outgassing from core materials in the fabrication process of transparent vacuum insulation panels
Authors: Miyata Takato , Hirvonen Erkki , Katsura Takao , Nagano Katsunori
Published: June 2023

The notion that modern buildings should strive to be net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs) is widely accepted. In order to improve window’s insulation in existing buildings, structured-core transparent vacuum insulation panels (TVIPs) are proposed. TVIPs mainly consist of the structured core material, the low-emissivity film, and the transparent gas barrier envelope. TVIPs have high insulation performance and are inexpensive to manufacture and can be easily installed. However, it is necessary to overcome the issue of preventing the pressure rise inside TVIP after vacuum sealing. The authors constructed an experimental setup by applying the pressure-rate-of-rise-method to establish the fabrication process for TVIPs that prevents the pressure rise. In this experiment, a gas barrier film with a straw was used as the vacuum chamber. This could reproduce the pressure increase in the TVIP after sealing and the gas flow rate in the TVIP is evaluated. The experimental results showed that the internal pressure of TVIP could be reduced to about 1 Pa after vacuuming while heating for 8 hours, coating the core material, and sealing the getter material.
Investigation on Longer Service Life of Vacuum Insulation Panels by Applying Double Envelopes
Authors: Katsura Takao , Nagano Katsunori
Published: June 2023

The conversion of existing buildings to ZEB requires high thermal insulation. Vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) have a potential to be used for retrofitting thermal insulation of existing buildings from the viewpoint of low thermal conductivity, small thickness, and light weight. However, in order to realize vacuum insulation panels applicable to building insulation, it is necessary to overcome the challenge of maintaining the low pressure at which the high insulation performance can be achieved for several decades. The authors applied the double envelopes to VIPs and investigated longer service life of VIPs. The double envelope VIP is fabricated by fabricating a normal VIP, then wrapping the VIP with core materials, and then inserting it into the envelope for vacuum sealing. By applying the double envelopes, the pressure difference and the permeation of gas in inner VIP can be drastically reduced, resulting in a longer VIP lifetime. In this paper, the gas permeabilities of the gas barrier envelopes were experimentally estimated. Then, the pressure ageing in the double envelope VIP is calculated. The inner pressure after 25 years was 1.6 Pa for the envelope of aluminium composite film and 59.3 Pa for the envelope of transparent gas barrier film, indicating that long-term insulation performance could be improved. Next, the authors carried out acceleration test, in which the double envelope VIPs were put in a chamber at 80oC and remove once a month to measure the thermal conductivity. Even after 136 weeks, one sample showed only a 9.1% decrease in thermal resistance. From this result, it was confirmed that long-term insulation performance can be greatly improved by fabricating double envelope VIPs with the getter agent inside and the desiccant agent outside.
Comparing model predictive control and reinforcement learning for the optimal operation of building-PV-battery systems
Authors: Zhan Sicheng , Lei Yue , Chong Adrian
Published: June 2023

The integration of renewable energy, such as solar photovoltaics (PV), is critical to reducing carbon emissions but has exerted pressure on power grid operations. Microgrids with buildings, distributed energy resources, and energy storage systems are introduced to alleviate these issues, where optimal operation is necessary to coordinate different components on the grid. Model predictive control (MPC) and reinforcement learning (RL) have been proven capable of solving such operation problems in proof-of-concept studies. However, their applications in real-world buildings are limited by the low reproducibility and the high implementation costs. There is a lack of systematic and quantitative understanding of their strength and weakness in actual applications. Hence, this study aims to improve the scalability of optimal control solutions for smart grid operations by comparing MPC and RL regarding their requirements and control performance. We leveraged the CityLearn simulation framework to implement and compare alternative control solutions based on MPC and RL for the energy management of microgrids. In addition to the control performance of cost saving and carbon reduction, other factors such as robustness and transferability were also examined. While both methods achieved promising results, MPC had slightly better performance and could be transferred more smoothly. Given the standardized framework, MPC is more suitable in most cases for the purpose of microgrid operations. However, RL could be preferable for its quickness in making decisions if a large number of energy systems are involved.
On the generation of full-scale urban pedestrian level wind in the wind tunnel using passive and active turbulence generators
Authors: Yu Yichen , Zhou Siqi , Niu Jianlei
Published: June 2023

The utilization of outdoor spaces is affected by their thermal environment. Wind, which determines the convective and evaporative heat loss from the human body, is one of the most influencing factors of thermal comfort. In the prevailing outdoor thermal comfort models, the convective heat transfer coefficients were pre-measured on a thermal manikin in a wind tunnel, where the wind speed was mostly stable. However, field measurements suggested that a typical outdoor wind process over complex terrains, like urban landscapes, are generally non-stationary. There is no experimental data on how the misrepresentation of wind may affect the convective heat transfer prediction for outdoor thermal comfort prediction. This study simulates urban pedestrian-level wind patterns in a wind tunnel by employing active and passive turbulence generators. Results show the turbulence scale through an active gust generator is approximately one to two orders of magnitude larger than the turbulence scale through a passive grid system. The eddy length scale can be adjusted through the rotation speed of the shutters. This opens the possibility of performing studies on measuring convective heat transfer coefficient under unsteady wind conditions, similar to the real outdoor environments.
Coupled simulation of CFD and human thermoregulation model in outdoor wind environment
Authors: Liang Haobin , Tanabe Shin-ichi , Niu Jianlei
Published: June 2023

Understanding of dynamic and transient wind environment is crucial to evaluating the outdoor thermal comfort of pedestrians. The thermophysiological responses of the human body depend on both the interaction with the climate and internal thermoregulation. The coupled simulation of CFD and thermoregulation model provides a pathway to predict human responses under non-uniform conditions where local effects may dominate thermal comfort. In this work, we explore the potential of coupled simulation under outdoor environmental conditions. The thermoregulation model JOS-3, which consists of 85 nodes and 17 body segments, is used to simulate the physiological responses and the obtained mean skin temperature is fed into CFD as the boundary condition of the thermal manikin. The thermal interactions between the human and surrounding environment in the wind tunnel, represented by convective and radiant heat transfer coefficient, are calculated by CFD and serve as inputs for the JOS-3 thermoregulation model. The results exhibit that under the wind velocity of 1 m/s and turbulent intensity of 11.6%, the coupling can converge within two iterations. This is because the convective heat transfer coefficient is not significantly affected by the body skin temperature under the assigned outdoor airflow velocity, which is higher than the value in an indoor environment. The study demonstrates the workflow of coupled simulation in an outdoor wind environment and could be a useful tool for evaluating outdoor thermal comfort under different conditions in the future.
Effect of existing residential renovation strategies on heating and cooling load in Shanghai
Authors: Zhang Huibo , Qiu Luo , Yu Hui
Published: June 2023

To provide a reference for the renovation of Shanghai’s existing residential districts, this study quantifies and compares the relationships between common renovation strategies, microclimate, heating and cooling loads. These common strategies include improving the greening rate (G), improving the reflectivity of pavement (P), improving the reflectivity of wall materials (W), and improving the reflectivity of roof materials or applying green roof (R). These strategies are applied to a typical model extracted from existing residential areas in Shanghai, China. ENVI-met and EnergyPlus are combined to simulate the microclimate represented by the average meteorological parameters in front of building surfaces and the building heating and cooling load on a typical meteorological day in winter and summer. The results show that applying microclimate data around target building contributes to a significant difference in air conditioning load in both summer and winter. For summer, G, W, and R reduced their total cooling load, whereas P increased this parameter. R contributed the most significant decrease in the total cooling load, followed by W, and G contributed the least. G3P1W3R3 and G1P3W1R1 were the scenarios with the lowest and highest cooling load. The total cooling load under G3P1W3R3 was 136 kWh (12.7%) less than that under G1P3W1R1. For winter, P and applying green roof (R4) reduced the heating load of the target building, whereas G, W and improving roof reflectivity (R2, R3) increased it. G1P3W1R4 and G3P1W3R3 were the scenarios with the lowest and highest heating load. The heating load under G1P3W1R4 was 145 kWh (14.5%) less than that under G3P1W3R3.
Review of future weather data for building simulations available in Japan and confirmation of its characteristics
Authors: Arima Yusuke , Fujiwara Kunihiko , Azegami Yasuhiko , Iseda Hajime , Ozaki Akihito , Choi Younhee
Published: June 2023

Buildings use a large amount of energy, depending on the climate. To design buildings with high energy and thermal performance in the future, it is necessary to use weather data that reflect future climatic information. Some future weather files for building simulations have been developed. However, these datasets are based on different predictions, and each future weather file has a different creation process. Such methodological differences may lead to differences in predicting the energy and thermal performance of buildings. Understanding the characteristics of each data type is necessary for its appropriate use. However, limited information is available for properly utilizing future weather data for building simulations. This study aims to provide information on the characteristics of future weather data for better utilization. After thoroughly reviewing the existing data and creation methods, we propose a framework for understanding future weather data based on their creative process. We collected five types of future weather datasets available in Japan and compared their characteristics. One of these datasets is the future weather dataset based on climate information provided by the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). We confirmed the degree of variation in each weather element and predicted cooling/heating demand using future weather data available in Japan.
Data-driven calibration for cup anemometer at different measurement locations around buildings using transfer learning based on domain adaptation
Authors: Li Rongmao , Kikumoto Hideki , Jia Hongyuan
Published: June 2023

In recent years, high-precision sensors, e.g., ultrasonic anemometers, have been widely used for wind measurement. However, conventional sensors, e.g., cup anemometers, are yet to be replaced owing to their low-cost advantages and high robustness in an uncertain environment. Considering that data-driven calibration methods are used to improve the measurement accuracy of cup anemometers, this study proposed a transfer learning method based on domain adaptation, so that existing measurement data can be used for model training in new measurement scenarios, thus reducing the cost of secondary data collection. In summary, at the corner and side of a building in a new measurement site considered for experiments, the results of the proposed method indicated that the relative errors of pulsation parameters, e.g., the standard deviation wind speed, turbulence intensity, and gust factor, more significantly reduced compared to the conventional machine learning method.
Weiterbildungsdidaktik in der Alterspsychiatrie und -psychotherapie
– Eine Literaturübersicht
Authors: Pinilla Severin , Lerch Seraina , Nendaz Mathieu , Huwendiek Sören , Klöppel Stefan
Published: June 2023

Hintergrund Aufgrund des demographischen Wandels, der zunehmend auch die
ältere Bevölkerung einschliessenden Entstigmatisierung
psychischer Erkrankungen und nicht zuletzt dem erheblichen Zuwachs an
spezifischen diagnostischen und therapeutischen Verfahren gewinnt das Fachgebiet
der Alterspsychiatrie und Psychotherapie an Relevanz für die
Grundversorgung. Entsprechend wichtig ist eine qualitativ hochwertige
ärztliche Weiterbildung im Fachgebiet Alterspsychiatrie. Fragestellung
Das Ziel der hier vorgestellten Übersichtsarbeit war es die Literatur zu
medizindidaktischen Aspekten in der alterspsychiatrischen Weiterbildung zu
sichten und aktuellen internationalen Entwicklungen in der kompetenz-basierten
Weiterbildung gegenüberzustellen.

Methode Für diese Übersichtsarbeit wurde die
Scoping-Review-Methode nach Arksey und O’Malley verwendet.

ErgebnisseDie initiale Suche ergab 913 Treffer. Nach Volltextsichtung
wurden 20 Originalartikel für die Datenextraktion verwendet. Die
Studieninhalte wurden drei Kategorien zugeordnet: Nachwuchsrekrutierung, Dauer
und Struktur von Weiterbildungscurricula in der Alterspsychiatrie sowie
alterspsychiatrische Lernziele und Kompetenzen. Mehrheitlich wurden Umfragen
oder Expertenkonsensus als Methoden verwendet. Klinische Arbeitserfahrung mit
alterspsychiatrischen Patient:innen und entsprechende medizindidaktische
Betreuung von Assistenzärzt:innen war ein wichtiger Faktor für
Interesse am Fachgebiet Alterspsychiatrie. Einzelne Evaluationsstudien weisen
auf das Potential von digitalen Lehr- und Lernformaten und Simulationstrainings
für alterspsychiatrische Inhalte. Insgesamt liegen bisher keine Studien
in der Alterspsychiatrie mit explizitem Bezug zu kompetenz-basierten
Weiterbildungskonzepten vor.

Schlussfolgerungen Klinische Rotationen und Mentoring fördern das
Interesse bei Assistenzärzt:innen am Fachgebiet Alterspsychiatrie.
Weiterhin ist eine systematische Verankerung von klinischen Rotationen mit
entsprechender strukturierter Wissens- und Fertigkeitsvermittlung in der
alterspsychiatrischen Weiterbildung ein wichtiger Faktor. Medizindidaktische
Begleitforschung im Fachgebiet Alterspsychiatrie mit Bezug zu
Patientenparametern scheint ein sinnvoller nächster Schritt.
Was wissen Fachkräfte im Gesundheitswesen über Vorsorgedokumente?
Authors: Fleischmann Carolin , Henking Tanja , Schuler Michael , Neuderth Silke
Published: June 2023

Einleitung Vorsorgedokumente sind bedeutsame Instrumente zur Wahrung der Autonomie bei einwilligungsunfähigen Patientinnen und Patienten und werden von vielen Gesundheitsfachkräften in ihrer beruflichen Praxis als hilfreich angesehen. Ihr Wissen zu den Dokumenten ist jedoch unbekannt. Fehlvorstellungen können Entscheidungen am Lebensende ungünstig beeinflussen. Diese Studie erfasst das Wissen von Gesundheitsfachkräften zu Vorsorgedokumenten sowie relevante Korrelate.

Methoden Im Jahr 2021 erfolgte eine Befragung von Gesundheitsfachkräften verschiedener Berufsgruppen in Würzburg mittels eines standardisierten Fragebogens, u.a. zu Vorerfahrungen mit, Beratung zu und Anwendung von Vorsorgedokumenten, sowie mittels eines objektiven Wissenstests mit 30 Fragen. Neben der deskriptiven Analyse der Wissensfragen wurde der Einfluss verschiedener Parameter auf den Wissensstand geprüft.

Ergebnisse Es nahmen 363 Gesundheitsfachkräfte aus unterschiedlichen Versorgungssettings teil, u.a. Ärzte, Sozialarbeiter, Pflegefachkräfte und Rettungsdienstpersonal. 77,5% arbeiteten in der Patientenversorgung, wovon 39,8% täglich bis mehrfach pro Monat Entscheidungen auf Basis einer Patientenverfügung trafen. Hohe Quoten inkorrekter Antworten im Wissenstest belegen Wissenslücken zu Entscheidungen bei einwilligungsunfähigen Patienten; im Mittel wurden 18 von 30 Punkten erreicht. Signifikant bessere Ergebnisse im Wissenstest hatten Ärzte, männliche Gesundheitsfachkräfte und Befragte mit mehr persönlicher Erfahrung mit Vorsorgedokumenten.

Diskussion Die Gesundheitsfachkräfte weisen ethisch und berufspraktisch relevante Wissensdefizite sowie einen hohen Fortbildungsbedarf zu Vorsorgedokumenten auf. Vorsorgedokumente nehmen bei der Wahrung der Patientenautonomie eine wichtige Rolle ein und sollten in der Aus- und Fortbildung unter Beteiligung nicht ärztlicher Berufsgruppen mehr Beachtung finden.
Update Mammakarzinom 2022 Teil 6 – Brustkrebs in fortgeschrittenen Krankheitsstadien
Authors: Lüftner Diana , Lux Michael P. , Fehm Tanja N. , Welslau Manfred , Müller Volkmar , Schütz Florian , Fasching Peter A. , Janni Wolfgang , Thomssen Christoph , Witzel Isabell , Beierlein Milena , Belleville Erik , Untch Michael , Thill Marc , Ditsch Nina , Aktas Bahriye , Banys-Paluchowski Maggie , Kolberg-Liedtke Cornelia , Wöckel Achim , Kolberg Hans-Christian , Harbeck Nadia , Stickeler Elmar , Tesch Hans , Hartkopf Andreas D.
Published: June 2023

Die in den letzten Jahren begonnenen großen Studienprogramme zu den CDK4/6-Inhibitoren, den zielgerichteten Therapien und den Antikörper-Medikament-Konjugaten resultieren in Ergebnissen, die von aktuellen Studien auf internationalen Kongressen und Fachzeitschriften veröffentlicht werden. In diesem Zusammenhang sind neue Ergebnisse der großen CDK4/6-Inhibitor-Studien verfügbar. Auch werden zunehmend Daten von großen genomischen Studien zu Effektivitäts- und Resistenzmechanismen für Patientinnen, die mit CDK4/6-Inhibitoren behandelt worden sind, veröffentlicht. Basierend auf diesen Ergebnissen sollten nicht zuletzt Studien in Bezug auf Kombinationspartner und Therapiesequenzen geplant werden. Mit Sacituzumab Govitecan ist aufgrund neuester Veröffentlichungen nun ein zweites Antikörper-Medikament-Konjugat vorhanden, das bei hormonrezeptorpositiven (HRpos)/HER2-negativen (HER2neg) Patientinnen einen Gesamtüberlebensvorteil mit sich bringt. Diese Übersichtsarbeit fasst die neuesten Entwicklungen zusammen und ordnet sie in den aktuellen Forschungsstand ein.
Qualitätsvariation in der Schweiz: Analyse der Mamma-Resektionen bei Brustkrebs anhand des Qualitätsindikators der Brusterhaltung
Authors: Moser Dominik , von Ahlen Christine , Geissler Alexander
Published: June 2023

Ziel der Studie Die Studie geht der Frage nach, ob in der Schweiz regionale Unterschiede bei den Behandlungsergebnissen von elektiven Mamma-Resektionen bei Brustkrebs bestehen und falls ja, ob eine mögliche Ursache in der Krankenhausplanung seitens der Kantone zu Grunde liegen könnte.

Methodik Anhand der Inpatient Quality Indicators (CH-IQI) wird die Ergebnisqualität auf Ebene der Schweizer Kantone analysiert und mit den kantonalen Anforderungen, um diese Behandlung durchführen zu können, verglichen.

Ergebnisse Kantonale Unterschiede wurden sowohl bei der Ergebnisqualität anhand des Qualitätsindikators der Brusterhaltung als auch bei dem Detaillierungsgrad der Anforderungen an die Struktur- und Prozessqualität deutlich.

Schlussfolgerung Die Behandlungsqualität ist in der Schweiz kaum transparent vergleichbar; eine Interpretation der verfügbaren Qualitätsinformationen ist anspruchsvoll und für Patienten kaum möglich. Um die aufgezeigten Qualitätsunterschiede zu reduzieren, sollte die Krankenhausplanung interkantonal erfolgen, wie dies in der hochspezialisierten Medizin umgesetzt wird.
Does Functional Imaging Play a Role in Pre-Operative Diagnosis of
Brain Tumours?
Authors: Oancea Alexandra A. , Saleh Christian , Cordier Dominik , Schoepfer Raphaela , Lieb Johanna
Published: June 2023

Although there is a large variability in the neural organization of language
function between individuals, there is an ongoing debate about functional
imaging as a standard procedure in the preoperative setting of brain tumors.
Brain mapping of the language centers differs from individual to individual in
multilingual patients and changes in its architecture may occur as a result of
neuroplasticity induced by a mass lesion. This article discusses the role of
functional imaging in the preoperative setting.
Endoscopic screening of the upper gastrointestinal tract for second primary tumors in patients with head and neck cancer in a Western country
Authors: van Tilburg Laurelle , van de Ven Steffi E. M. , de Jonge Pieter Jan F. , de Graaf Wilmar , Spaander Manon C. W. , Nikkessen Suzan , Hardillo Jose A. , Sewnaik Aniel , Monserez Dominiek A. , Mast Hetty , Keereweer Stijn , Bruno Marco J. , Baatenburg de Jong Robert J. , Koch Arjun D.
Published: June 2023

Background Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) can develop second primary tumors (SPTs) in the esophagus. Endoscopic screening could lead to detection of SPTs at early stages and improve survival.

Methods We performed a prospective endoscopic screening study in patients with curably treated HNSCC diagnosed between January 2017–July 2021 in a Western country. Screening was performed synchronously (< 6 months) or metachronously (≥ 6 months) after HNSCC diagnosis. Routine imaging for HNSCC consisted of flexible transnasal endoscopy with positron emission tomography/computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, depending on primary HNSCC location. The primary outcome was prevalence of SPTs, defined as presence of esophageal high grade dysplasia or squamous cell carcinoma.

Results 202 patients (mean age 65 years, 80.7 % male) underwent 250 screening endoscopies. HNSCC was located in the oropharynx (31.9 %), hypopharynx (26.9 %), larynx (22.2 %), and oral cavity (18.5 %). Endoscopic screening was performed within 6 months (34.0 %), 6 months to 1 year (8.0 %), 1–2 years (33.6 %), and 2–5 years (24.4 %) after HNSCC diagnosis. We detected 11 SPTs in 10 patients (5.0 %, 95 %CI 2.4 %–8.9 %) during synchronous (6/85) and metachronous (5/165) screening. Most patients had early stage SPTs (90 %) and were treated with curative intent with endoscopic resection (80 %). No SPTs in screened patients were detected with routine imaging for HNSCC before endoscopic screening.

Conclusion In 5 % of patients with HNSCC, an SPT was detected with endoscopic screening. Endoscopic screening should be considered in selected HNSCC patients to detect early stage SPTs, based on highest SPT risk and life expectancy according to HNSCC and comorbidities.
Opioid-Sparing Pain Control after Rhinoplasty: Updated Review of the Literature
Authors: Liu Rui Han , Xu Lucy J. , Lee Linda N.
Published: June 2023

Rhinoplasty is one of the most performed elective surgeries, and given the opioid crisis, increasing research and studies are focused on successful pain control with multimodality opioid-sparing techniques, such as acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and gabapentin. Although limiting overuse of opioids is critical, this cannot be at the expense of inadequate pain control, particularly as insufficient pain control can be correlated with patient dissatisfaction and the postoperative experience in elective surgery. There is likely significant opioid overprescription, as patients often report taking less than 50% of their prescribed opioids. Furthermore, excess opioids provide opportunities for misuse and opioid diversion if not disposed of properly. To optimize postoperative pain control and minimize opioid requirements, interventions must occur at the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative time points. Preoperative counseling is imperative to set expectations for pain and to screen for predisposing factors for opioid misuse. Intraoperatively, use of local nerve blocks and long-acting analgesia in conjunction with modified surgical techniques can lead to prolonged pain control. Postoperatively, pain should be managed with a multimodal approach, incorporating acetaminophen, NSAIDs, and potentially gabapentin with opioids reserved for rescue analgesia. Rhinoplasty represents a category of short-stay, low/medium pain, and elective procedures highly susceptible to overprescription and consequently, are readily amenable to opioid minimization through standardized perioperative interventions. Recent literature on regimens and interventions to help limit opioids after rhinoplasty are reviewed and discussed here.