Building Information Modelling (BIM) value realisation framework for asset owners

The paper is presenting a value realisation framework for asset owners based on an exploratory study. The study is descriptive in nature and adopting a qualitative approach towards data collection. The paper adopts the viewpoint of BIM business value measurement considering that; (i) if the process is better as a result of BIM-based processes, then it is different in some relevant way; (ii) if it is different in some relevant way as a result of certain BIM properties or characteristics, then the change is observable; (iii) if the change is observ-able because of certain direct BIM benefits, then it is countable; (iv) if it is countable using defined measurement metrics, then it is measurable; (v) if it is measurable using established measurement techniques, an organisation can value each unit and therefore, realise the benefits of BIM. The specific contribution of paper is to improve asset owners’ understanding of BIM-business value measurement techniques and approaches

Similar early mortality risk after cemented compared with cementless total hip arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis: data from 188,606 surgeries in the Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association database

Background and purpose - Current literature indicates no difference in 90-day mortality after cemented compared with cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, previous studies are hampered by potential selection bias and suboptimal adjustment for comorbidity confounding. Therefore, we examined the comorbidity-adjusted mortality up to 90 days after cemented compared with cementless THA performed due to osteoarthritis.Patients and methods - Using the Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association database, 2005-2013, we included 108,572 cemented and 80,034 cementless THA due to osteoarthritis. We calculated the Charlson comorbidity index of each patient based on data from national patient registers. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate unadjusted all-cause mortality. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for 14, 30-, and 90-day mortality comparing cemented with cementless THA, adjusting for age, sex, comorbidity, nation, and year of surgery.Results - Cumulative all-cause mortality within 90 days was 0.41% (CI 0.37-0.46) after cemented and 0.26% (CI 0.22-0.30) after cementless THA. The adjusted HR for cemented vs. cementless fixation was 0.97 (CI 0.79-1.2), and similar risk estimates were obtained for mortality within 14 (adjusted HR 0.91 [CI 0.64-1.3]) and 30 days (adjusted HR 0.94 [CI 0.71-1.3]). We found no clinically relevant differences in mortality between cemented and cementless THA in analyses stratified by age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, or year of surgery.Interpretation - After adjustment for comorbidity as an important confounder, we observed similar early mortality between the 2 fixation techniques

The P2X1 receptor and platelet function

Extracellular nucleotides are ubiquitous signalling molecules, acting via the P2 class of surface receptors. Platelets express three P2 receptor subtypes, ADP-dependent P2Y1 and P2Y12 G-protein-coupled receptors and the ATP-gated P2X1 non-selective cation channel. Platelet P2X1 receptors can generate significant increases in intracellular Ca2+, leading to shape change, movement of secretory granules and low levels of αIIbβ3 integrin activation. P2X1 can also synergise with several other receptors to amplify signalling and functional events in the platelet. In particular, activation of P2X1 receptors by ATP released from dense granules amplifies the aggregation responses to low levels of the major agonists, collagen and thrombin. In vivo studies using transgenic murine models show that P2X1 receptors amplify localised thrombosis following damage of small arteries and arterioles and also contribute to thromboembolism induced by intravenous co-injection of collagen and adrenaline. In vitro, under flow conditions, P2X1 receptors contribute more to aggregate formation on collagen-coated surfaces as the shear rate is increased, which may explain their greater contribution to localised thrombosis in arterioles compared to venules within in vivo models. Since shear increases substantially near sites of stenosis, anti-P2X1 therapy represents a potential means of reducing thrombotic events at atherosclerotic plaques

La symbolique de la tortue

La tortue appartient aux nouveaux animaux de compagnie que le vétérinaire peut rencontrer en consultation. Mais bien plus qu'être un simple animal de compagnie, la tortue a une grande importance symbolique dans de nombreuses civilisations. Certains aspects de la symbolique de la tortue peuvent être directement reliés avec la biologie de cet animal, comme par exemple pour les aspects de fécondité, de lenteur ou encore de longévité. De parla forme de sa carapace, la tortue est aussi prédisposée à une relation privilégiée avec le monde qui est étudiée dans la deuxième partie de cette étude. En effet la tortue peut être une représentation symbolique du monde (cosmographie) mais elle est aussi l'animal qui porte le monde (cosmophore) dans de nombreuses civilisations. Enfin la tortue intervient dans de nombreux récits de la création du monde (cosmogonie). Dans la dernière partie de ce travail, sont étudiées les relations entre l'homme et la tortue, à travers la littérature, l'utilisation pratique de la tortue et les représentations qui en sont faites.MAISONS-ALFORT-Ecole Vétérin (940462302) / SudocSudocFranceF

LCA enhancement perspectives to facilitate scaling up from building to territory

International audienceEnvironmental performance considerations in the construction sector extend from buildings to neighbourhoods, cities and territory. This transition implies a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) adaptation to efficiently treat such complex systems. Indeed, performing environmental performance evaluations has already been done over the past few years but the existing LCA tools have to be improved regarding their userfriendliness to allow everyday urban planning stakeholders to use them. Providing keys to help the practice is a main subject to spread the large scale LCA evaluation and ensure a better urban planning trending to sustainable solutions. This objective is also motivated by local, national and European policies, particularly within the context of Paris COP21. The aim of this study is to explore enhancement perspectives to facilitate LCA scaling up from building to territory. This work is based on observations from case studies underlining operational issues due to the evaluation time consumption. The urban planning process is analysed to focus, at different stages, on operational responses that could be proposed considering objectives, stakeholders’ needs and potential drivers. In particular, for early stage decision making, an approach introducing urban typo-morphologies has been adopted to facilitate the comparison of large scale evaluations and scenarios. Such typo-morphologies, representing elemental bricks at building or block scale to build neighbourhoods or larger, have been widely described in the past. However, this work concentrates on the applicability of the approach to integrate this sort of description for environmental evaluation based on a multicomponent (buildings, energy, water, public spaces, transportation) description of the systems. Particularly, a focus has to be given to scaling up mechanism. Expert systems sets on heuristic rules could help exploiting a typo-morphologies database. This solution should ease the practice of urban environmental assessments