Parametric BIM-based Design Review

This research addressed the need for a new design review technology and method to express the tangible and intangible qualities of architectural experience of parametric BIM-based design projects. The research produced an innovative presentation tool by which parametric design is presented systematically. Focus groups provided assessments of the tool to reveal the usefulness of a parametric BIM-based design review method. The way in which we visualize architecture affects the way we design and perceive architectural form and performance. Contemporary architectural forms and systems are very complex, yet most architects who use Building Information Modeling (BIM) and generative design methods still embrace the two-dimensional 15th-century Albertian representational methods to express and review design projects. However, architecture cannot be fully perceived through a set of drawings that mediate our perception and evaluation of the built environment. The systematic and conventional approach of traditional architectural representation, in paper-based and slide-based design reviews, is not able to visualize phenomenal experience nor the inherent variation and versioning of parametric models. Pre-recorded walk-throughs with high quality rendering and imaging have been in use for decades, but high verisimilitude interactive walk-throughs are not commonly used in architectural presentations. The new generations of parametric and BIM systems allow for the quick production of variations in design by varying design parameters and their relationships. However, there is a lack of tools capable of conducting design reviews that engage the advantages of parametric and BIM design projects. Given the multitude of possibilities of in-game interface design, game-engines provide an opportunity for the creation of an interactive, parametric, and performance-oriented experience of architectural projects with multi-design options. This research has produced a concept for a dynamic presentation and review tool and method intended to meet the needs of parametric design, performance-based evaluation, and optimization of multi-objective design options. The concept is illustrated and tested using a prototype (Parametric Design Review, or PDR) based upon an interactive gaming environment equipped with a novel user interface that simultaneously engages the parametric framework, object parameters, multi-objective optimized design options and their performances with diagrammatic, perspectival, and orthographic representations. The prototype was presented to representative users in multiple focus group sessions. Focus group discussion data reveal that the proposed PDR interface was perceived to be useful if used for design reviews in both academic and professional practice settings

Comparative analysis of PID and neural network controllers for improving starting torque of wound rotor induction motor

Unlike 3-phase squirrel cage induction motor, starting-up of 3-phase wound rotor counter part can be improved by adding an external resistance to the rotor circuit.Thus, leads to reduce starting current and increase starting torque. In this paper two controllers for 3-phase wound rotor induction motor have been proposed include conventional proportional integral derivative (PID)  controller and the other based on artificial neural network (NARMA-L2). A comparison between these controllers has been conducted. It has been shown that starting torque of the motor has been improved, when utilizing the neural network controller compared to the conventional counter  part. It should be noted that MATLAB/SIMULINK has been used to implement both controllers

The impact of armed conflict on cancer among civilian populations in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Commitee On Publication Ethics ecancermedicalscience Submit article Articles Editorials Special issues Author interviews Category Sub-category Article type Volume Keyword Bookmark and Share Article metrics: 204 views https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2020.1039 Abstract | Full Article | PDF Review The impact of armed conflict on cancer among civilian populations in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review Mohammed Jawad1, Christopher Millett1, Richard Sullivan2, Fadel Alturki3, Bayard Roberts4 and Eszter P Vamos1 1Public Health Policy Evaluation Unit, Imperial College London, Hammersmith, London W6 8RP, UK 2Institute of Cancer Policy, Cancer Epidemiology, Population and Global Health, King's College London and Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Trust, London, UK 3Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon 4Department of Health Services Research and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London WC1H 9SH, UK Abstract Background: Armed conflicts are increasingly impacting countries with a high burden of cancer. The aim of this study is to systematically review the literature on the impact of armed conflict on cancer in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods: In November 2019, we searched five medical databases (Embase, Medline, Global Health, PsychINFO and the Web of Science) without date, language or study design restrictions. We included studies assessing the association between armed conflict and any cancer among civilian populations in LMICs. We systematically re-analysed the data from original studies and assessed quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data were analysed descriptively by cancer site. Results: Of 1,543 citations screened, we included 20 studies assessing 8 armed conflicts and 13 site-specific cancers (total study population: 70,172). Two-thirds of the studies were of low methodological quality (score <5) and their findings were often conflicting. However, among outcomes assessed by three or more studies, we found some evidence that armed conflict was associated with increases in the incidence and mortality of non-specific cancers, breast cancer and cervical cancer. Single studies reported a positive association between armed conflict and the incidence of stomach and testicular cancers, some as early as 3 years after the onset of conflict. Some studies reported a post-conflict impact on time to diagnosis. Conclusion: Our findings support the need for more rigorous longitudinal and cohort studies of populations in and immediately post-conflict to inform the development of basic packages of cancer services, and post-conflict cancer control planning and development

Decision-making challenges of sustainable groundwater strategy under multi-event pressure in arid environments : the Diyala River Basin in Iraq

A robust decision-making tool is needed to meet sustainability challenges and to manage water resources that are under development pressure, water scarcity, and climate change impact. To tackle such challenges, optimization modelling can be employed to explore regional sustainable management scenarios of groundwater exploitation. Multi-objective management modelling of various alternatives was developed for the Diyala River Basin in Iraq using Borg multi-objectives evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) and "-DSEA algorithms. In almost all modelled cases, the upper aquifer storage is predicted to be depleted after 40 years due to large water demands and regional recharge scarcity. Hence, there is a need to develop a strategy to reduce water stresses by 45% to achieve sustainability within the next 25 years. Optimization modelling successfully generated future predictions that can be used by decision makers to manage the predicted groundwater shortages in the future

Endovascular Management of Traumatic Iliac Vessel Disruption—Report of Two Cases

AbstractVascular injuries in a multi-trauma patient are associated with significant cardiovascular instability and organ injury. Injuries with active bleeding are best treated with a quick, safe and the least less invasive procedure available to the trauma surgeon. We report two cases of blunt trauma induced common and external iliac vessel injury, managed by endovascular treatment. In the second case, endovascular treatment prevented histological examination of the artery, which would have revealed an alternative diagnosis

Pharmacological characterization of the excitatory ‘Cys‐loop’ GABA receptor family in Caenorhabditis elegans

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136449/1/bph13736.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136449/2/bph13736_am.pd

Numerical Modeling of a Pile Group Subjected to Seismic Loading Using the Hypoplasticity Model

Various simple and complicated models have been utilized to simulate the stress-strain behavior of the soil. These models are used in Finite Element Modeling (FEM) for geotechnical engineering applications and analysis of dynamic soil-structure interaction problems. These models either can't adequately describe some features, such as the strain-softening of dense sand, or they require several parameters that are difficult to gather by conventional laboratory testing. Furthermore, soils are not completely linearly elastic and perfectly plastic for the whole range of loads. Soil behavior is quite difficult to comprehend and exhibits a variety of behaviors under various circumstances. As a result, a more realistic constitutive model is needed, one that can represent the key aspects of soil behavior using simple parameters. In this regard, the powerful hypoplasticity model is suggested in this paper. It is classified as a non-linear model in which the stress increment is stated in a tonsorial form as a function of strain increment, actual stress, and void ratio. Eight material characteristics are needed for the hypoplastic model. The hypoplastic model has a unique way to keep the state variables and material parameters separated. Because of this property, the model can implement the behavior of soil under a variety of stresses and densities while using the same set of material properties

Correlation Between Polymer Packing And Gas Transport Properties For Co2/N2 Separation In Glassy Fluorinated Polyimide Membrane

Gas separation performance of a membrane highly hinges on its physical properties. In this study, the interplay between polymer packing of a membrane and its gas transport behaviours (permeability and selectivity) was investigated through a series of 6FDA-DAM:DABA (3:2) polyimide membranes with different polymer compactness. The chemical structure and the polymer packing of the resulting membrane were characterized using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and packing density measurement, respectively. CO2/N2 separation efficiency of the membrane was evaluated at 25oC with feed pressure up to 6 bar. N2 permeability was found to rely on the membrane’s packing density, which signified its greater dependence on molecular sieving. In contrast, sorption showed a more vital role in determining the CO2 permeability. In this work, the membrane with a final thickness of 97±2 μm had successfully surpassed the Robeson’s 2008 upper bound plot with a CO2 permeability of 83 Barrer and CO2/N2 selectivity of 97 at 3 bar permeation

The effects of fermented feed on broiler production and intestinal morphology

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of wet feed and fermented feed on the intestinal morphology and histology of broiler chicks. A total of 360 one day old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly assigned (CRD) into six treatment groups. Chicks were fed: (T1) Control group of dry feed; (T2) Fed on wet feed (1:1, feed: water); (T3) 25% fermented feed + 75% dry feed; (T4) 50% fermented feed + 50% dry feed; (T5) 75% fermented feed + 25% dry feed and (T6) 100%, fermented feed throughout the experimental period. Each treatment group was replicated three times using 20 chicks per replicate. The chicks were raised at a temperature and in humidity controlled room with a 24-h. constant light and had ad. libitum access to water and feed throughout the experimental period which lasted for six weeks. The results showed that all diets containing fermented feed, especially 100%, had dependent effects on the evaluated production characteristics. The feeds had significantly (P < 0.05) increased the relative weight and length of the small intestine. Likewise, it raised the villi height, crypt depth and the percentage of the villi height to crypt depth in duodenum, jejunum and ileum increased. In conclusion, the results of the current experiment indicated that fermented feed with probiotic would be beneficial economically since the broiler feed conversion ratio had been improved (2.4% in T2; 4.1% in T3; 5.3% in T4; 5.3% in T5 and 7.7% in T6) as a consequence to enhance their intestinal morphology

Waterpipe tobacco use in the United Kingdom: A cross-sectional study among university students and stop smoking practitioners

© 2016 Jawad et al.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Introduction: Despite cigarette-like adverse health outcomes associated with waterpipe tobacco smoking and increase in its use among youth, it is a much underexplored research area. We aimed to measure the prevalence and patterns of waterpipe tobacco use and evaluate tobacco control policy with respect to waterpipe tobacco, in several universities across the UK. We also aimed to measure stop smoking practitioners' encounter of waterpipe tobacco smoking. Methods: We distributed an online survey to six UK universities, asking detailed questions on waterpipe tobacco. Multivariable logistic regression models, adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, graduate status, university and socioeconomic status (SES) assessed associations between waterpipe tobacco smoking (single use and dual use with cigarettes) and sociodemographic variables. SES was ascertained by average weekly self-spend on non-essentials. We also descriptively analysed data from a 2012 survey of stop smoking practitioners to assess the proportion of clients that used waterpipe regularly. Results: f 2217 student responses, 66.0%(95% CI 63.9-68.0%) had tried waterpipe tobacco smoking; 14.3%(95% CI 12.8-15.8%) reported past-30 day use, and 8.7% (95% CI 7.6-9.9%) reported at least monthly users. Past-30 day waterpipe-only use was associated with being younger (AOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91-0.99), male (AOR 1.44, 95% CI 1.08-1.94), higher SES (AOR 1.16, 95% CI 1.06-1.28) and belonging to non-white ethnicities (vs. white, AOR 2.24, 95% CI 1.66-3.04). Compared to less than monthly users, monthly users were significantly more likely to have urges to smoke waterpipe (28.1% vs. 3.1%,