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- Mainini, A. G., et al.
(author)
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Demonstration in Relevant Environments
- 2022
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In: SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology. - Cham : Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. ; , s. 95-119
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Three building case studies were chosen with the purpose of demonstrating the BIM4EEB BIM-based toolkit. The selected buildings are both social houses and residential apartments respecting the needs of vulnerable inhabitants. To increase the representativeness of the test case the buildings are located in three different locations with different climatic conditions, specifically Italy, Poland, Finland. For all the case studies analysed, BIM models were created with different levels of detail (LOD), which, thanks to the interaction with the BIMMS, make it possible to create a common environment for the representation and use of the data collected and subsequently shared between the different tools. Among the three demonstration sites, the Italian site is undergoing building envelope renovation interventions such as the realization of the thermal insulation with ETICS technologies and the replacement of external windows. In order to test the different tools, a demonstration procedure has been defined for them, constituted mainly by workshop activities and quantitative and qualitative evaluations. To assess the level of accomplishment with respect to stated objectives and project success a validation methodology based on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) was delineated. Precisely, two categories of KPIs have been identified: “mandatory” and “secondary” addressing project objectives and in connection with the literature review and project use cases and tools. To calculate the KPIs standard baselines were estimated, such as are currently in an ongoing process to assess the traditional process that can be compared with the actual value associated with the BIM-based process. The chapter will present the methods and the first intermediate results of a demonstration process that is currently not yet completed and will later see a further application of the tools in dedicated demo sites. Environmental monitoring sensors were installed in selected apartments in Polish and Italian demo site, while were installed in common spaces for the Finnish building. Specific sensors set up have been analysed and chosen to fulfil the different needs related to the specific project outcomes. Inhabitants’ availability, technical condition and flat exposition were criteria followed for the choice of apartments. Sensors allowed to improve the occupancy monitoring and to have a historical record of environmental values such as temperature, humidity and light strictly connected to users’ preferences. The mobile application about renovation activities performed and residents’ indoor home conditions—BIM4Occupants—has been installed by the users and specific workshops with inhabitants were carried out for registration purposes. The BIM Management System is currently collecting sensors’ data stream and data stream between tools such as BIM4Occupants and BIMPlanner. Project monitoring and better communication among users were tested in a different workshop by applying the BIMPlanner tool in the plans and progress site operations. The functionalities of the refurbishment scenario simulation tool—BIMeaser—were tested in qualitative and quantitative design workshops respectively with the construction professionals using the two pilot sites in Italy and in Finland and with the aim of assessing the achieved time savings of using this tool compared to the manual data input process of the scenario simulation. © 2022, The Author(s).
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- Pussinen, PJ, et al.
(author)
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Periodontitis decreases the antiatherogenic potency of high density lipoprotein.
- 2004
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In: Journal of Lipid Research. - 0022-2275 .- 1539-7262. ; 45:1, s. 139-147
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Periodontitis, a consequence of persistent bacterial infection and chronic inflammation, has been suggested to predict coronary heart disease (CHD). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of periodontitis on HDL structure and antiatherogenic function in cholesterol efflux in vitro. HDL was isolated from 30 patients (age 43.6 +/- 6.1 years, mean +/- SD) with periodontitis before and after (3.2 +/- 1.4 months) periodontal treatment. The capacity of HDL for cholesterol efflux from macrophages (RAW 264.7), HDL composition, and key proteins of HDL metabolism were determined. After periodontal treatment, phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) activity was 6.2% (P<0.05) lower, and serum HDL cholesterol concentration, PLTP mass, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity were 10.7% (P<0.001), 7.1% (P=0.078), and 19.4% (P<0.001) higher, respectively. The mean HDL2/HDL3 ratio increased from 2.16 +/- 0.87 to 3.56 +/- 0.48 (P<0.05). HDL total phospholipid mass and sphingomyelin-phosphatidylcholine ratio were 7.4% (P<0.05) and 36.8% (P<0.001) higher, respectively. The HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux tended to be higher after periodontal treatment; interestingly, this increase was significant (P<0.05) among patients whose C-reactive protein decreased (53.7% reduction, P=0.015) and who were positive by PCR for Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. These results suggest that periodontitis causes similar, but milder, changes in HDL metabolism than those that occur during the acute-phase response and that periodontitis may diminish the antiatherogenic potency of HDL, thus increasing the risk for CHD.
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- Pussinen, PJ, et al.
(author)
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Severe periodontitis enhances macrophage activation via increased serum lipopolysaccharide.
- 2004
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In: Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology. - 1079-5642 .- 1524-4636. ; 24:11, s. 2174-2180
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: In periodontitis, overgrowth of Gram-negative bacteria and access of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to circulation may activate macrophages leading to foam cell formation. We investigated whether periodontal treatment affects proatherogenic properties of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and, thus, macrophage activation. METHODS AND RESULTS: LDL was isolated and characterized before and after treatment from 30 systemically healthy patients with periodontitis. Production of cytokines and LDL cholesteryl ester (LDL-CE) uptake by macrophages (RAW 264.7) was determined. Baseline periodontal variables correlated positively with serum LPS and C-reactive protein concentrations, as well as macrophage cytokine production and LDL-CE uptake. LPS concentration correlated positively with serum concentration of oxidized LDL and cytokine production. Higher cytokine production and LDL-CE uptake were induced by LDL isolated from patients with elevated number of affected teeth before treatment. Patients with serum LPS concentrations above the median (0.87 ng/mL) at baseline had higher serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (baseline versus after treatment, 1.30+/-0.19 versus 1.48+/-0.28 mmol/L; P=0.002) and HDL/LDL ratio (0.31+/-0.01 versus 0.34+/-0.10; P=0.048), but lower serum LPS concentration (1.70+/-0.49 versus 0.98+/-0.50 ng/mL; P=0.004) and autoantibodies to beta2-glycoprotein I (0.11+/-0.06 versus 0.09+/-0.04 ELISA units; P=0.022) after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in systemically healthy patients, the infected/inflamed area in periodontitis is associated with macrophage activation via increased serum LPS concentration.
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| 5. |
- Seppänen, M, et al.
(author)
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Complement and c4 null alleles in severe chronic adult periodontitis.
- 2007
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0300-9475 .- 1365-3083. ; 65:2, s. 176-181
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Severe forms of chronic periodontitis affect up to 10% of adults. Tumour necrosis factor and lymphotoxin-alpha genes in the major histocompatibility complex are associated with severe periodontitis. Complement factor C4 is a nearby, polymorphic, functionally relevant gene region. Although associated with chronic mucosal infections, C4 deficiencies have not been assessed in adult periodontitis patients. We tested whether complement levels are systemically altered and C4 deficiencies associated with severe chronic periodontitis. In a case-control study, we analysed levels of plasma C3, and C4, serum classical pathway haemolytic activity, C4 allotypes and C4 gene numbers in 37 patients with severe chronic periodontitis and in 150 voluntary controls. Plasma levels of C3 were higher, and classical pathway haemolytic activity was lower in patients than in controls. Partial C4 gene deficiencies were more frequent in patients than in controls (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval 1.1-5.5, P = 0.032). Changes in complement levels may reflect chronic, recurring inflammation. C4 gene deficiencies are associated with predisposition to chronic periodontitis.
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