Communication strategy tool user guide

The application of Cradle to Cradle (C2C) principles in business sites is likely to be hampered by several barriers, some of which are socio-cultural in nature. To promote change and new thinking in the way business sites are designed, built and operated, there is the need to properly understand socio-cultural issues that create ‘lock-in’ to existing practices (Peterson and Anderson, 2009) so that these can be taken into account in the way C2C is presented to different business site stakeholders to secure their commitment to C2C inspired projects. These socio-cultural barriers are deeply rooted in the basic assumptions and value priorities of stakeholders. Strategies for communicating and promoting the C2C vision must therefore be aligned with such stakeholder value priorities and assumptions

Control influence on trust and relational governance in the client-contractor dyad

The construction industry has in recent years witnessed a paradigm shift towards the use of more collaborative contracting relationships and integrated processes in an attempt to improve construction project delivery. Trust is central to the success of these contracting approaches and although efforts are usually aimed at improving trust relations in client-contractor relationships, there has so far been mixed findings on how trust is influenced by formal control mechanisms discharged via formal contracts. In construction contracting, there is therefore the need to investigate how different governance modes and control mechanisms deployed on construction projects are perceived by those being controlled and how this in turn influences trust. Through a critique of the extant literature on trust and control in construction, this study reveals that the trust-control relationship which can be both complimentary and supplementary has far reaching implications on the measurement/assessment of trust in the construction project context. The orientation of governance and control mechanisms selected by clients and the behavioural consequences of these from contractors can thus be used as a measure of the degree of trust that exists in the dyad

Dynamics of quasibound state formation in the driven Gaussian potential

The quasibound states of a particle in an inverted-Gaussian potential interacting with an intense laser field are studied using complex coordinate scaling and Floquet theory. The dynamics of the driven system is different depending on whether the driving field frequency is less than or greater than the ionization frequency. As the laser field strength is increased, a new quasibound state emerges as the result of a pitchfork bifurcation in the classical phase space. Changes in the time-averaged "dressed potential" appear related to this bifurcation and provide additional confirmation of the role of the bifurcation on the emergence of a new quasibound state. The Husimi plots of the quasibound state residues reveal strong support on the periodic orbits of the bifurcation at frequencies above the ionization frequency.Physic

Continuum Theory for Piezoelectricity in Nanotubes and Nanowires

We develop and solve a continuum theory for the piezoelectric response of one dimensional nanotubes and nanowires, and apply the theory to study electromechanical effects in BN nanotubes. We find that the polarization of a nanotube depends on its aspect ratio, and a dimensionless constant specifying the ratio of the strengths of the elastic and electrostatic interactions. The solutions of the model as these two parameters are varied are discussed. The theory is applied to estimate the electric potential induced along the length of a BN nanotube in response to a uniaxial stress.Comment: 4 pages in RevTex4, 2 epsf figure

Combined in silico/in vivo analysis of mechanisms providing for root apical meristem self-organization and maintenance.

Background and aimsThe root apical meristem (RAM) is the plant stem cell niche which provides for the formation and continuous development of the root. Auxin is the main regulator of RAM functioning, and auxin maxima coincide with the sites of RAM initiation and maintenance. Auxin gradients are formed due to local auxin biosynthesis and polar auxin transport. The PIN family of auxin transporters plays a critical role in polar auxin transport, and two mechanisms of auxin maximum formation in the RAM based on PIN-mediated auxin transport have been proposed to date: the reverse fountain and the reflected flow mechanisms.MethodsThe two mechanisms are combined here in in silico studies of auxin distribution in intact roots and roots cut into two pieces in the proximal meristem region. In parallel, corresponding experiments were performed in vivo using DR5::GFP Arabidopsis plants.Key resultsThe reverse fountain and the reflected flow mechanism naturally cooperate for RAM patterning and maintenance in intact root. Regeneration of the RAM in decapitated roots is provided by the reflected flow mechanism. In the excised root tips local auxin biosynthesis either alone or in cooperation with the reverse fountain enables RAM maintenance.ConclusionsThe efficiency of a dual-mechanism model in guiding biological experiments on RAM regeneration and maintenance is demonstrated. The model also allows estimation of the concentrations of auxin and PINs in root cells during development and under various treatments. The dual-mechanism model proposed here can be a powerful tool for the study of several different aspects of auxin function in root

Mechanotransduction of mitochondrial AMPK and its distinct role in flow-induced breast cancer cell migration

The biophysical microenvironment of the tumor site has significant impact on breast cancer progression and metastasis. The importance of altered mechanotransduction in cancerous tissue has been documented, yet its role in the regulation of cellular metabolism and the potential link between cellular energy and cell migration remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the role of mechanotransduction in AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in breast cancer cells in response to interstitial fluid flow (IFF). Additionally, we explored the involvement of AMPK in breast cancer cell migration. IFF was applied to the 3D cell-matrix construct. The subcellular signaling activity of Src, FAK, and AMPK was visualized in real-time using fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET). We observed that breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) are more sensitive to IFF than normal epithelial cells (MCF-10A). AMPK was activated at the mitochondria of MDA-MB-231 cells by IFF, but not in other subcellular compartments (i.e., cytosol, plasma membrane, and nucleus). The inhibition of FAK or Src abolished flow-induced AMPK activation in the mitochondria of MDA-MB-231 cells. We also observed that global AMPK activation reduced MDA-MB-231 cell migration. Interestingly, specific AMPK inhibition in the mitochondria reduced cell migration and blocked flow-induced cell migration. Our results suggest the linkage of FAK/Src and mitochondria-specific AMPK in mechanotransduction and the differential role of AMPK in breast cancer cell migration depending on its subcellular compartment-specific activation

Beyond sustainable buildings: eco-efficiency to eco-effectiveness through cradle-to-cradle design

Sustainable building development focuses on achieving buildings that meet performance and functionality requirements with minimum adverse impact on the environment. Such eco-efficiency strategies are however not feasible for achieving long-term economic and environmental objectives as they only result in damage reduction without addressing design flaws of contemporary industry. The cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design philosophy which has been described as a paradigm changing innovative platform for achieving ecologically intelligent and environmentally restorative buildings appears to offer an alternative vision which, if embraced, could lead to eco-effectiveness and the achievement of long-term environmental objectives. Adoption of C2C principles in the built environment has however been hindered by several factors especially in a sector where change has always been a very slow process. From a review of extant literature, it is argued that the promotion of current sustainable and/or gree n building strategies - which in themselves are not coherent enough due to their pluralistic meanings and sometimes differing solutions - are a major barrier to the promotion of C2C principles in the built environment. To overcome this barrier to C2C implementation, it is recommended that research should focus on developing clearly defined and measurable C2C targets that can be incorporated into project briefs from the inception of development projects. These targets could enable control, monitoring and comparison of C2C design outcomes with eco-efficient measures as well as serve as a guide for project stakeholders to achieve eco-effective “nutrient” management from the project conceptualization phase to the end of life of the building

Ferroelectricity in ultra-thin perovskite films

We report studies of ferroelectricity in ultra-thin perovskite films with realistic electrodes. The results reveal stable ferroelectric states in thin films less than 10 \AA thick with polarization normal to the surface. Under short-circuit boundary conditions, the screening effect of realistic electrodes and the influence of real metal/oxide interfaces on thin film polarization are investigated. Our studies indicate that metallic screening from the electrodes is affected by the difference in work functions at oxide surfaces. We demonstrate this effect in ferroelectric PbTiO$_3$ and BaTiO$_3$ films.Comment: 4 pages in REVTEX4, 4 epsf figure