The assignment that we gave ourselves was: Cut the ecological impact of Mueller Building in half while creating healthier working conditions for all building occupants. The analysis on the following pages reveals that it is, indeed, possible to reduce significantly Mueller's aggregate impacts in many areas. The majority of environmental improvements that Mueller could make would actually save money! For example, by following the suggestions outlined in the energy portions of this study Muelle...
This paper demonstrates that interdisciplinary alliances on environmental education projects can effectively address the gap between complex environmental problems in the real world and disciplinary curricula in a university. We describe an alliance between an advanced communication course and a general science course wherein we addressed interconnections of energy efficiency, economics, and global climate change with respect to their impact on individuals, local businesses, and society. This...
This paper explores an application of Catholic theology to mitigate the current destruction of God's creation underway due to global climate destabilization. Specifically it describes the possibility of the U.S. Catholic Church adopting a systematic plan to catalyze the world energy market to shift to solar photovoltaic energy, a non-polluting renewable energy source. The science behind the ecological crisis and climate change in the context of the Catholic basis for environmental stewardship...
As the economic costs of energy and the negative externalities associated with the combustion of fossil fuels threaten the economic viability of greenhouses in northern climates there is a renewed interest in the use of waste heat. This paper presents a technical and economic methodology to determine the viability of establishing waste heat greenhouses using the waste heat from industrial processes in northern climates. A case study is presented of an exchange between a tomato greenhouse and ...
The task of providing for basic human necessities such as food, water, shelter, and employment is growing as the world’s population continues to expand amid climate destabilization. One of the greatest challenges to development and innovation is access to relevant knowledge for quick technological dissemination. However, with the rise and application of advanced information technologies there is a great opportunity for knowledge building, community interaction, innovation, and collaboration...
La mayoría de los centros médicos y laboratorios de investigación tienen un acceso limitado a las mejores herramientas debido a los exorbitantes precios del equipo patentado1. Esto resulta en un obstáculo para la salud pública. El tremendo éxito del software gratuito de código abierto2 ha llevado al desarrollo de hardware gratuito de código abierto3. El software gratuito de código abierto puede emplearse, estudiarse, copiarse, modificarse y redistribuirse sin restricción, o con rest...
Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO)estimates that together tobacco and alcohol kill about 9 million people annually despite aggressive and widespread public health controls. These legal industries persist because of the demand for their products and their substantial economic influence, which is magnified by the concentration of wealth in the executives of leading corporations that profit from increased legal drug sales.Materials and methods: This preliminary study quantifies th...
A number of risks could cause global electrical failure, including a series of high-altitude electromagnetic pulses (HEMPs) caused by nuclear weapons, an extreme solar storm, and a coordinated computer virus attack. Since modern industry depends on electricity, it is likely that much industry and machines would grind to a halt. The most challenging need to be met in these scenarios is likely to be food, and this is analyzed elsewhere in this conference. However, without industry, food cannot ...
Objective An effective method for the diagnosis of severe acute malnutrition is the measurement of the middle upper arm circumference (MUAC). Current methods to measure MUAC in a pre-hospital setting is through the use of measuring tape indicators, which require users to be trained in how to apply, adjust the tightness and read the device properly. This represents a challenge to using MUACs in many developing world contexts. This study explores the technical viability to overcome some of thes...
The majority of the world's medical care facilities and research labs have limited access to optimal tools because of the exorbitant prices of proprietary equipment. This results in both reduced acute public health and slows the rate of medical science hampering future public health. The tremendous success of free and open source software in driving innovation and lowering costs has spread to the world of hardware. Free and open-source hardware (FOSH) provides the “code” for hardware incl...
Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology represents a promising method to prevent dangerous global climate change, however full solar penetration demands substantial surface areas, possibly encroaching on arable land. To avoid repeating the mistakes of previous attempts to convert agricultural land to energy, arable land currently used for crops with known health hazards can be considered for conversion. Tobacco is the leading cause of avoidable death globally, and despite increasingly stringent co...
By 2040, more than a quarter of the U.S. population will have diagnosed arthritic conditions. Adults with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions earn less than average yet have medical care expenditures that are over 12% of average household income. Adaptive aids can help arthritis patients continue to maintain independence and quality of life; however, their high costs limit accessibility for older people and the poor. One method used for consumer price reduction is distributed manufacturi...
Introduction Open-source, self-replicating rapid prototypers (RepRaps) have radically reduced the costs of three-dimensional (3D) printing while expanding its access. Three-dimensional printing's model of distributed manufacturing can produce medical technologies at significantly reduced costs. We investigate this potential by evaluating the viability of an open-source 3D printable infant clubfoot brace.Materials and Methods Starting with a list of key features present in currently available ...
ABSTRACT Objectives: to explore the anxiolytic activity of ethanolic leaf extract of culcasian scadens in experimental animal models . Methods: The anxiolytic activity was examined by using the elevated plus maze (EPM) and open field test (OFT), hole board test and light and dark box exploration test. Twenty Swiss albino male mice were divided into five groups of four mice each. Group 1 received distilled water and served as negative control; group 2 received 100mg/kg of ECS; group 3 receiv...
A research work on the effect of self medication on women attending antenatal clinic.