Architecture Change in A Post-Bologna World of Higher Education in Poland – Case Study

In 2005 Joanna Serdyńska and Jerzy Witeczek published the results of a research work which covered the first 25 years of educating students at the Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology, Poland. It aimed at measuring the attractiveness and effectiveness of studies at the Faculty, and considering how some figures, i.e. previous entrance examinations, length of studies, male-female ratio and others, have been changing in time. The research turned out to be a kind of summary of the “pre-Bologna” era in architectural education. Form 2006 on, according to Bologna process, some major changes in higher education have been made, which affected organization of studies, content of study curriculum, and ways of teaching and learning. Harmonization of studies across the Europe has left architecture with a two-cycle degree study programmes, systems of credit transfer and quality assurance, and so-called student-centered learning all in the name of better quality and a lower cost. Today, in 2013, it is possible to make first recapitulations and draw some conclusions according to the new educational pattern, and, thanks to the previous research work, one can also compare those two models in terms of educational conditions. The comparison of an old and new study curriculum complements the work. The paper deals with questions about the impact of the transition to the Bologna system on study curriculum content, changes in the ways of teaching and learning, and ways in which it affects the effectiveness of studies and the quality of education

Typology of housing arrangements of Upper Silesia in 1848-2013 years – archetypes and their modernization flexibility

In the Polish literature of the subject granted to the residential architecture the most common is the theme of constructed environment, the problem of new trends both in form and design, most often in the context of the sustainable development. More and more frequent are the works on analyzing and describing the sociological perspective of dwelling. Basing on the long-term international and domestic publications and scientific research the spread and often interdisciplinary, complex works and articles concerning the social phenomena in architecture and its surrounding have recently appeared. Despite the huge in amount and the valuable literature as well as the scientific research being led in the last few years the lack of works presenting the complex condition of the residential stock shaped through centuries, in context of usability and needs of the residents, based on the possibilities and real modernisation activities is significant. The time range of the work covers the period from 1848-2013. The broad framework allows the recognition of the vast majority of the existing residential stock and gives the larger spectrum of evaluation in the spotted transformations. Industry initiated the process of the development of the number of contemporary cities.The work tries to gain the answer for:● what changes were done to the researched residential stock● in which period the changes were the most intensive● in which period the changes were the greatest in the area (both historically and in context of the usability)Author is also interested in the problem of similarity of the changes to the notes and descriptions of other authors concerning the values of durability and time (so the equipment, the interior divisions, installations, facades and constructions). The present article is used for a projection of these changes on the base of distinctive features of these arrangements and the attempt formulated of characteristic archetype in individual temporary sequences determined in examinationsIn the Polish literature of the subject granted to the residential architecture the most common is the theme of constructed environment, the problem of new trends both in form and design, most often in the context of the sustainable development. More and more frequent are the works on analyzing and describing the sociological perspective of dwelling. Basing on the long-term international and domestic publications and scientific research the spread and often interdisciplinary, complex works and articles concerning the social phenomena in architecture and its surrounding have recently appeared. Despite the huge in amount and the valuable literature as well as the scientific research being led in the last few years the lack of works presenting the complex condition of the residential stock shaped through centuries, in context of usability and needs of the residents, based on the possibilities and real modernisation activities is significant. The time range of the work covers the period from 1848-2013. The broad framework allows the recognition of the vast majority of the existing residential stock and gives the larger spectrum of evaluation in the spotted transformations. Industry initiated the process of the development of the number of contemporary cities.The work tries to gain the answer for:● what changes were done to the researched residential stock● in which period the changes were the most intensive● in which period the changes were the greatest in the area (both historically and in context of the usability)Author is also interested in the problem of similarity of the changes to the notes and descriptions of other authors concerning the values of durability and time (so the equipment, the interior divisions, installations, facades and constructions). The present article is used for a projection of these changes on the base of distinctive features of these arrangements and the attempt formulated of characteristic archetype in individual temporary sequences determined in examination

Energy Efficiency In Commercial Buildings With Concrete Core Activation

During the last years thermal insulation of commercial buildings has been improved resulting in a decreasing demand for heat energy. However, due to lower heat transmission through the facade in office and administration buildings, adverse effects can arise in summer. Through the better insulated facade, the nocturnal heat loss is strongly reduced. Together with the internal heat loads and the increased comfort requirements of the users a cooling demand in winter and during the transitional period is required. Therefore, more energy efficient buildings that have relatively low energy requirements for heating and cooling are in demand today. The heating and cooling of office and administrative buildings with environmental energies from soil, groundwater and outside air are energetically and economically very interesting. Conventional air conditioning systems generally require low system temperatures and are suitable only for limited use of environmental energy. To counteract this effect the thermal concrete core activation is particularly efficient. Water-carrying pipe systems for year-round temperature control of buildings are installed in the solid components with high heat storage capacity. If these pipes are directly supplied with cold from the ground or from a cooling tower in the surrounding air, only the energy to transport the cold water to the user is needed. The heat requirements in winter can also be covered in part with environmental energy by heat pumps. With the use of cooling towers the supply (low outside air temperatures during the night) and the demand of the building (cooling during the day) has a temporal shift. Therefore, the thermal storage capacity of the solid components is important for the temporal displacement of energy peaks. The large heat transfer surfaces allow for a significant heat and cooling capacity already at temperatures with small under- and overheat. Heat supply and heat discharge are under constant change throughout the year. This paper provides a guideline for planning and execution of concrete core activation systems

Cumulative subgroup analysis to reduce waste in clinical research for individualised medicine

Background: Although subgroup analyses in clinical trials may provide evidence for individualised medicine, their conduct and interpretation remain controversial. Methods: Subgroup effect can be defined as the difference in treatment effect across patient subgroups. Cumulative subgroup analysis refers to a series of repeated pooling of subgroup effects after adding data from each of related trials chronologically, to investigate the accumulating evidence for subgroup effects. We illustrated the clinical relevance of cumulative subgroup analysis in two case studies using data from published individual patient data (IPD) meta-analyses. Computer simulations were also conducted to examine the statistical properties of cumulative subgroup analysis. Results: In case study 1, an IPD meta-analysis of 10 randomised trials (RCTs) on beta blockers for heart failure reported significant interaction of treatment effects with baseline rhythm. Cumulative subgroup analysis could have detected the subgroup effect 15 years earlier, with five fewer trials and 71% less patients, than the IPD meta-analysis which first reported it. Case study 2 involved an IPD meta-analysis of 11 RCTs on treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension that reported significant subgroup effect by aetiology. Cumulative subgroup analysis could have detected the subgroup effect 6 years earlier, with three fewer trials and 40% less patients than the IPD meta-analysis. Computer simulations have indicated that cumulative subgroup analysis increases the statistical power and is not associated with inflated false positives. Conclusions: To reduce waste of research data, subgroup analyses in clinical trials should be more widely conducted and adequately reported so that cumulative subgroup analyses could be timely performed to inform clinical practice and further research

Computational fluid dynamic study on effect of Carreau-Yasuda and Newtonian blood viscosity models on hemodynamic parameters

Pulsatile blood flow through the human carotid artery is studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in order to investigate the effect of blood rheology on the hemodynamic parameters. The carotid artery model used is segmented and reconstructed from the Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) of a specific patient. The results of a non-Newtonian (Carreau-Yasuda) model and a Newtonian model are studied and compared. The results are represented for each peak systole where it is observed that there is significant variation in the spatial parameters between the two models considered in the study. Comparison of local shear stress magnitude in different branches namely Common Carotid Artery (CCA), Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) and External Carotid Artery (ECA) show that the shear thinning property of blood influences the Wall Shear Stress (WSS) variation. This is observed in branches where there is reduction in diameter and where the diameter reduces due to plaque deposition and also in the region where there is flow recirculation like carotid sinus

Present and future pharmacotherapeutic agents in heart failure: an evolving paradigm

Many conditions culminate in heart failure (HF), a multi-organ systemic syndrome with an intrinsically poor prognosis. Pharmacotherapeutic agents that correct neurohormonal dysregulation and haemodynamic instability have occupied the forefront of developments within the treatment of HF in the past. Indeed, multiple trials aimed to validate these agents in the 1980s and early 1990s, resulting in a large and robust evidence-base supporting their use clinically. An established treatment paradigm now exists for the treatment of HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but there have been very few notable developments in recent years. HF remains a significant health concern with an increasing incidence as the population ages. We may indeed be entering the surgical era for HF treatment, but these therapies remain expensive and inaccessible to many. Newer pharmacotherapeutic agents are slowly emerging, many targeting alternative therapeutic pathways, but with mixed results. Metabolic modulation and manipulation of the nitrate/nitrite/nitric oxide pathway have shown promise and could provide the answers to fill the therapeutic gap between medical interventions and surgery, but further definitive trials are warranted. We review the significant evidence base behind the current medical treatments for HFrEF, the physiology of metabolic impairment in HF, and discuss two promising novel agents, perhexiline and nitrite

A mathematical model to simulate physiological adjustments to extreme environments to analyse human responses to adverse environmental conditions

Humans are among the most adaptable species on Earth, yet extreme environmental conditions impose significant limits to human performance, wellbeing, and survival. The study of human physiology in extreme environments is challenging due to the ethical and practical constraints of conducting experiments on humans in such conditions. Investigating and understanding human physiology and the effects of extreme environments on humans is crucial for the safety and wellbeing of individuals. Information about the physiological responses to extreme environments can be transferred to study the effects of different interventions, the use of protective equipment, or the development of medical treatments. Computational models provide a tool for studying the physiological responses to extreme environments, and for predicting the effects of different interventions. This research aims to develop a computational biomedicine model with application to investigate the impact of underwater exposure on human physiology. Three contributions in this research comprise the development of the computational model, the model validation, and the development of a research infrastructure to facilitate research studies. The developed computational biomedicine model simulates the dynamic interactions between human physiology and extreme environmental conditions. It includes dynamic relationships of blood pressure, ow, and volume, and the effects of underwater exposure in the form of immersion and ambient pressure effects. The model was validated using a sensitivity and plausibility analysis to evaluate the model's predictive capabilities and accuracy to simulate the physiological responses to underwater exposure. The results demonstrated that the model is capable of predicting physiological dynamics for a general population allowing the model to be individualised. It was further demonstrated that the model predicted the physiological responses to underwater exposure in a reasonable physiological range, confirming the model's applicability to scuba diving scenarios. The work further developed an extreme underwater environment research laboratory to conduct underwater exposure experiments and research studies. An underwater exposure protocol was developed defining a recreational diving exposure profile and a list of biomedical measurements to be collected during the underwater exposure. The computational model and the research infrastructure are valuable contributions that invite further research to study the effects of extreme environments on human physiology

Erklärt die Methodenwahl höhere Suizidraten bei Männern?

Suizid gehört in den meisten Ländern weltweit zu den zehn führenden Todesursachen und wird laut Studien der WHO im Jahr 2020 2,4% des weltweiten „Burden of Disease“ ausmachen (1998:1,8%). Auch Suizidversuche, deren Zahl auf das 10-20fache der Suizide geschätzt wird, stellen eine starke Belastung und einen hohen Kostenfaktor für die Gesundheitssysteme dar. Bezüglich der vollendeten Suizide sind Männer ungefähr 2 bis 3mal so häufig betroffen wie Frauen, bei Suizidversuchen verhält es sich umgekehrt. Mit dem Ziel, dieses Phänomen zu verstehen und effektivere Suizidpräventionsmethoden zu finden, wurden diverse Gründe für die Geschlechtsunterschiede diskutiert und beforscht. Die geschlechtsspezifische Methodenwahl, verschiedene Rollenmodelle, Suchterkrankungen und soziale Unterstützung werden unter anderem als Gründe benannt. Das Ziel dieser Dissertation ist zu untersuchen, ob die Geschlechtsunterschiede in Suizidraten alleine durch die Wahl letalerer Suizidmethoden durch Männer erklärt werden können. Es wird in vielen Studien angenommen, dass Männer zu harten Suizidmethoden wie Erschießen oder Erhängen und Frauen zu weichen Suizidmethoden wie Vergiften neigen. Anhand eines Datensatzes zu Suiziden und Suizidversuchen soll die methodenspezifische „Case Fatality“ (Suizide/Suizide+Suizidversuche) ermittelt werden. Die Hypothese lautet, dass unterschiedliche „Case Fatality rates“ darauf hinweisen, dass über die Methodenwahl hinaus weitere zentrale Gründe die höheren männlichen Suizidraten erklären bzw. dass gleiche „Case Fatality rates“ annehmen lassen, dass die Methodenwahl der Hauptgrund für die Geschlechtsunterschiede ist. In dem Artikel, welcher den Kern der Dissertation ausmacht, wird gezeigt, dass die Methodenwahl bei Männern nicht der ausschlaggebende Faktor für höhere Suizidraten ist. Vielmehr scheinen Männer einzelne Suizidmethoden mit einer höheren Letalität durchzuführen. Auch nach der Kontrolle von Alterseinflüssen zeigt sich dieses Ergebnis signifikant, speziell bei den Methoden Erhängen und Vergiften, Beispiele für eine harte und eine weiche Methode. Dies weist darauf hin, dass dahinterstehende Gründe, z.B. die Intention zu sterben, eine größere Rolle spielen und in zukünftigen Studien weiter beforscht werden sollten.Background: In most countries worldwide suicide rates are higher for males whereas attempted suicide rates are higher for females. The aim is to investigate if the choice of more lethal methods by males explains gender differences in suicide rates. Methods: Data on completed and attempted suicides were collected (n=3235, Nuremberg and Wuerzburg, years 2000–2004). The research question was analyzed by comparing the methodspecific case fatality (= completed suicides /completed+attempted suicides) for males and females. Results: Among the events captured, men chose high-risk methods like hanging significantly more often than women ( =−0.27; pb0.001). However, except for drowning, case fatalities were higher for males than for females within each method. This was most apparent in “hanging” (men 83.5%, women 55.3%; =−0.28; pb0.001) and “poisoning by drugs” (men 7.2%, women 3.4%; =−0.09; pb0.001). Limitations: The sample size (n=3235) was not enough for comparing method and gender specific case fatalities with a fine-meshed stratification regarding age. Conclusions: Higher suicide rates in males not only result from the choice of more lethal methods. Other factors have to be considered