Modulares Espaciales Valencia – España

The project in question is the result of many years of research and aims at achieving new, organic forms, that are better adapted to man, so that Nature presides over Architecture, becoming a part of same. On the other hand it tries to incorporate new materials which, apart from creating the aforegoing forms, prove more economical, permitting the modules to be industrialized. The combination of these modules constitutes the elementary abecedary, giving rise to several forms of joint expression responding to the different requirements of community life.El proyecto que nos ocupa, resultado de largos años de investigación, es un intento de conseguir nuevas formas orgánicas, más adaptadas al hombre, con un deseo de que la Naturaleza presida la Arquitectura integrándose en ella. Por otro lado trata de incorporar nuevos materiales que, además de crear las formas citadas, sean más económicos permitiendo industrializar los módulos. La combinación de estos módulos constituye el abecedario elemental, dando lugar a varias formas de expresión conjunta para responder a las diferentes necesidades de convivencia

Construcción arquitectónica mediante módulos tridimensionales

1. THREE-DIMENSIONAL SYSTEM OF MODULAR ARCHITECTURE (Modul-Arch). It is a building System which allows a total production in a factory of any model of Habitat based on Three-dimensional Module MA 3. The MA 3 is the Architectural Basic Unit that facilitates a complex way of habitat grouping in one or several storeys. The factory production puts to use in the habitable spaces all the industrial techniques: Mechanical repetition of processes, full control of quality in the assembly-line. In terms of labour work in can be estimated to save of 50% of man-power. Moreover it does not requires a high skill of this man-power since the factory uses moulds (for the production of its modulating skeleton of reinforced concrete), and assembly of the perfectly finished components on such skeleton (Containers) are provided by the Auxiliary Industry. The modulating skeleton of the MA 3 is a real «Container» that allows to transport to the site the habitable prefinished space enclosure. The moduls are sent to the site at the rate of three units per truck. At the site a few workers, with the help of a crane, are enough to set it up in a record time of three MA 3 every 15 minutes. 2. FACTORY The Standard Factory, with capacity for 240 m2 per day (24 MA 3), requires a site area with minimum dimensions of 80 X 180 m (1,440 m2). The start of the production can be done in two consecutive stages with the purpose of training progressively the workers. For the same reason the installations and the investments too have to be done step by step. 1st Stage Production: 80 m2 per day with 8 h of labour. Investment: 30 millions pesetas. 2nd Stage Production: 240 m2 per day with 8 h of labour. Investment: 50 millions pesetas. These costs include the mechanical equipment and the buildings, but not the price of the site. The modulating skeleton production of each MA 3 requires 31 hours of direct manual labour, equivalent to 3.03 H/m2 and 0.30 H/m2 of indirect personnel time (Managing and Administration). The installing times in the assembly line are different according to the habitat model in production and in the same way the budget of each model is also different.1. ARQUITECTURA MODULAR TRIDIMENSIONAL (Modul-Arch). Es un sistema de construcción que permite producir íntegramente en factoría cualquier modelo de Habitat a partir del Modulo Tridimensional MA 3. El MA 3 es la Unidad Básica Arquitectónica que admite múltiples modos de agrupación en una o varias plantas. La producción en factoría aplica a los espacios habitables todas las Técnicas Industriales: repetición mecánica de procesos, control máximo de calidad y montaje en cadena. En términos de ocupación laboral puede estimarse un ahorro del 50% en mano de obra. Esta precisa muy escasa especialización, por cuanto la factoría utiliza moldes (para producción de los esqueletos modulares de hormigón armado) y los montajes sobre dichos esqueletos («Containers») se refieren a componentes suministrados totalmente acabados por la Industria Auxiliar. El esqueleto modular del MA 3 es un verdadero «Container» que permite expedir al terreno espacios habitables totalmente terminados. Los módulos se envían al terreno sobre camión a razón de tres módulos por vehículo. En el terreno unos pocos operarios realizan el montaje, con auxilio de una grúa, a razón de un MA 3 cada 15 minutos. 2. FACTORÍA La Factoría Tipo, con capacidad para 240 m2 diarios (24 MA 3), precisa un terreno con dimensiones mínimas de 80 X 180 m (14.600 m2). Su entrada en producción puede realizarse en dos etapas sucesivas, con objeto de adiestrar progresivamente al personal. Por la misma razón las instalaciones e inversiones también se pueden realizar escalonadamente. 80 m2 diarios jornada de 8 h. 30 millones de pesetas. 1. Etapa: Producción: Inversión. 2. Etapa: Producción: 240 m2 diarios en jornada de 8 h. Inversión: 50 millones de pesetas. En estos costos se comprende el equipo mecánico y edificaciones, pero no el solar de los terrenos. La producción del esqueleto modular de cada MA 3 precisa 31 horas de mano de obra directa, que equivale a 3,03 h/m2 y 0,30 h/m2 de personal indirecto (Dirección y Administración). Los tiempos de montajes varían de acuerdo con el modelo de habitat en producción

Les Gavines - Valencia

This is a summer resort for up of 103 dwelling of the same type and layout (dining-living-room, two bedrooms, kitchen and bathroom), so that each of them is at the same time independent and is related to the other dwellings, all of which face east, towards the sea, and maintaining the views towards the Albufera. It has also been managed to avoid the monotony of the classic town block, furthermore obtaining great exterior mobility, Inner Communications for pedestrians only, with traffic round the perimeter and visual control of the children's areas from most of the apartments.Se ha tratado de resolver un poblado de verano, compuesto de 103 viviendas del mismo tipo y distribución (comedor-estar, dos dormitorios, cocina y baño) de modo que cada una sea a la vez independiente y que participe de vida comunitaria, dándoles orientación este, hacia el mar, y conservando las vistas hacia la Albufera. Igualmente se ha logrado evitar la monotonía del clásico bloque urbano, consiguiéndose, además, gran movilidad exterior, comunicaciones interiores sólo peatonales, circulación rodada perimetral y dominación visual de las zonas infantiles desde la mayor parte de los apartamentos

Foundations of plasma standards

The field of low-temperature plasmas (LTPs) excels by virtue of its broad intellectual diversity, interdisciplinarity and range of applications. This great diversity also challenges researchers in communicating the outcomes of their investigations, as common practices and expectations for reporting vary widely in the many disciplines that either fall under the LTP umbrella or interact closely with LTP topics. These challenges encompass comparing measurements made in different laboratories, exchanging and sharing computer models, enabling reproducibility in experiments and computations using traceable and transparent methods and data, establishing metrics for reliability, and in translating fundamental findings to practice. In this paper, we address these challenges from the perspective of LTP standards for measurements, diagnostics, computations, reporting and plasma sources. This discussion on standards, or recommended best practices, and in some cases suggestions for standards or best practices, has the goal of improving communication, reproducibility and transparency within the LTP field and fields allied with LTPs. This discussion also acknowledges that standards and best practices, either recommended or at some point enforced, are ultimately a matter of judgment. These standards and recommended practices should not limit innovation nor prevent research breakthroughs from having real-time impact. Ultimately, the goal of our research community is to advance the entire LTP field and the many applications it touches through a shared set of expectations

Accounting for the mortality benefit of drug-eluting stents in percutaneous coronary intervention: a comparison of methods in a retrospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce rates of restenosis compared with bare metal stents (BMS). A number of observational studies have also found lower rates of mortality and non-fatal myocardial infarction with DES compared with BMS, findings not observed in randomized clinical trials. In order to explore reasons for this discrepancy, we compared outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with DES or BMS by multiple statistical methods.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We compared short-term rates of all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction for patients undergoing PCI with DES or BMS using propensity-score adjustment, propensity-score matching, and a stent-era comparison in a large, integrated health system between 1998 and 2007. For the propensity-score adjustment and stent era comparisons, we used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association of stent type with outcomes. We used McNemar's Chi-square test to compare outcomes for propensity-score matching.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Between 1998 and 2007, 35,438 PCIs with stenting were performed among health plan members (53.9% DES and 46.1% BMS). After propensity-score adjustment, DES was associated with significantly lower rates of death at 30 days (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.39 - 0.63, <it>P </it>< 0.001) and one year (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.49 - 0.68, <it>P </it>< 0.001), and a lower rate of myocardial infarction at one year (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.59 - 0.87, <it>P </it>< 0.001). Thirty day and one year mortality were also lower with DES after propensity-score matching. However, a stent era comparison, which eliminates potential confounding by indication, showed no difference in death or myocardial infarction for DES and BMS, similar to results from randomized trials.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Although propensity-score methods suggested a mortality benefit with DES, consistent with prior observational studies, a stent era comparison failed to support this conclusion. Unobserved factors influencing stent selection in observational studies likely account for the observed mortality benefit of DES not seen in randomized clinical trials.</p

Anthrax Toxin Receptor Drives Protective Antigen Oligomerization and Stabilizes the Heptameric and Octameric Oligomer by a Similar Mechanism

Anthrax toxin is comprised of protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF), and edema factor (EF). These proteins are individually nontoxic; however, when PA assembles with LF and EF, it produces lethal toxin and edema toxin, respectively. Assembly occurs either on cell surfaces or in plasma. In each milieu, PA assembles into a mixture of heptameric and octameric complexes that bind LF and EF. While octameric PA is the predominant form identified in plasma under physiological conditions (pH 7.4, 37°C), heptameric PA is more prevalent on cell surfaces. The difference between these two environments is that the anthrax toxin receptor (ANTXR) binds to PA on cell surfaces. It is known that the extracellular ANTXR domain serves to stabilize toxin complexes containing the PA heptamer by preventing premature PA channel formation--a process that inactivates the toxin. The role of ANTXR in PA oligomerization and in the stabilization of toxin complexes containing octameric PA are not understood.Using a fluorescence assembly assay, we show that the extracellular ANTXR domain drives PA oligomerization. Moreover, a dimeric ANTXR construct increases the extent of and accelerates the rate of PA assembly relative to a monomeric ANTXR construct. Mass spectrometry analysis shows that heptameric and octameric PA oligomers bind a full stoichiometric complement of ANTXR domains. Electron microscopy and circular dichroism studies reveal that the two different PA oligomers are equally stabilized by ANTXR interactions.We propose that PA oligomerization is driven by dimeric ANTXR complexes on cell surfaces. Through their interaction with the ANTXR, toxin complexes containing heptameric and octameric PA oligomers are similarly stabilized. Considering both the relative instability of the PA heptamer and extracellular assembly pathway identified in plasma, we propose a means to regulate the development of toxin gradients around sites of infection during anthrax pathogenesis

Failure of available scoring systems to predict ongoing infection in patients with abdominal sepsis after their initial emergency laparotomy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To examine commonly used scoring systems, designed to predict overall outcome in critically ill patients, for their ability to select patients with an abdominal sepsis that have ongoing infection needing relaparotomy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from a RCT comparing two surgical strategies was used. The study population consisted of 221 patients at risk for ongoing abdominal infection. The following scoring systems were evaluated with logistic regression analysis for their ability to select patients requiring a relaparotomy: APACHE-II score, SAPS-II, Mannheim Peritonitis Index (MPI), MODS, SOFA score, and the acute part of the APACHE-II score (APS).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The proportion of patients requiring a relaparotomy was 32% (71/221). Only 2 scores had a discriminatory ability in identifying patients with ongoing infection needing relaparotomy above chance: the APS on day 1 (AUC 0.61; 95%CI 0.52-0.69) and the SOFA score on day 2 (AUC 0.60; 95%CI 0.52-0.69). However, to correctly identify 90% of all patients needing a relaparotomy would require such a low cut-off value that around 80% of all patients identified by these scoring systems would have negative findings at relaparotomy.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>None of the widely-used scoring systems to predict overall outcome in critically ill patients are of clinical value for the identification of patients with ongoing infection needing relaparotomy. There is a need to develop more specific tools to assist physicians in their daily monitoring and selection of these patients after the initial emergency laparotomy.</p> <p>Trial registration number</p> <p>ISRCTN: <a href="http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN 51729393">ISRCTN 51729393</a></p

The effects of quercetin on SW480 human colon carcinoma cells: a proteomic study

BACKGROUND: High fruit and vegetable intake is known to reduce the risk of colon cancer. To improve understanding of this phenomenon the action of different phytochemicals on colon cells has been examined. One such compound is quercetin that belongs to the group known as flavonoids. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of quercetin on the proteome of the SW480 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, specifically to identify proteins that could be the molecular targets of quercetin in its amelioration of the progression of colon cancer. To this end, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were used to identify proteins that underwent a change in expression following treatment of the cells with 20 μM quercetin. This could elucidate how quercetin may reduce the progression of colon cancer. RESULTS: Quercetin treatment of the SW480 human colon cancer cells was found to result in the decreased expression of three proteins and the increased expression of one protein. The identified proteins with decreased expression were type II cytoskeletal 8 keratin and NADH dehydrogenase Fe-S protein 3. The other protein with decreased expression was not identified. The protein with increased expression belonged to the annexin family. CONCLUSION: Several proteins were determined to have altered expression following treatment with quercetin. Such changes in the levels of these particular proteins could underlie the chemo-protective action of quercetin towards colon cancer

Combining Optimal Control Theory and Molecular Dynamics for Protein Folding

A new method to develop low-energy folding routes for proteins is presented. The novel aspect of the proposed approach is the synergistic use of optimal control theory with Molecular Dynamics (MD). In the first step of the method, optimal control theory is employed to compute the force field and the optimal folding trajectory for the atoms of a Coarse-Grained (CG) protein model. The solution of this CG optimization provides an harmonic approximation of the true potential energy surface around the native state. In the next step CG optimization guides the MD simulation by specifying the optimal target positions for the atoms. In turn, MD simulation provides an all-atom conformation whose positions match closely the reference target positions determined by CG optimization. This is accomplished by Targeted Molecular Dynamics (TMD) which uses a bias potential or harmonic restraint in addition to the usual MD potential. Folding is a dynamical process and as such residues make different contacts during the course of folding. Therefore CG optimization has to be reinitialized and repeated over time to accomodate these important changes. At each sampled folding time, the active contacts among the residues are recalculated based on the all-atom conformation obtained from MD. Using the new set of contacts, the CG potential is updated and the CG optimal trajectory for the atoms is recomputed. This is followed by MD. Implementation of this repetitive CG optimization - MD simulation cycle generates the folding trajectory. Simulations on a model protein Villin demonstrate the utility of the method. Since the method is founded on the general tools of optimal control theory and MD without any restrictions, it is widely applicable to other systems. It can be easily implemented with available MD software packages

Individual Assessment of Arteriosclerosis by Empiric Clinical Profiling

BACKGROUND: Arteriosclerosis is a common cause of chronic morbidity and mortality. Myocardial infarction, stroke or other cardiovascular events identify vulnerable patients who suffer from symptomatic arteriosclerosis. Biomarkers to identify vulnerable patients before cardiovascular events occur are warranted to improve care for affected individuals. We tested how accurately basic clinical data can describe and assess the activity of arteriosclerosis in the individual patient. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 269 in-patients who were treated for various conditions at the department of general medicine of an academic tertiary care center were included in a cross-sectional study. Personal history and clinical examination were obtained. When paraclinical tests were performed, the results were added to the dataset. The numerical variables in the clinical examination were statistically compared between patients with proven symptomatic arteriosclerosis (n = 100) and patients who had never experienced cardiovascular events in the past (n = 110). 25 variables were different between these two patient groups and contributed to the disease activity score. The percentile distribution of these variables defined the empiric clinical profile. Anthropometric data, signs of arterial, cardiac and renal disease, systemic inflammation and health economics formed the major categories of the empiric clinical profile that described an individual patient's disease activity. The area under the curve of the receiver operating curve for symptomatic arteriosclerosis was 0.891 (95% CI 0.799-0.983) for the novel disease activity score compared to 0.684 (95% CI 0.600-0.769) for the 10-year risk calculated according to the Framingham score. In patients suffering from symptomatic arteriosclerosis, the disease activity score deteriorated more rapidly after two years of follow-up (from 1.25 to 1.48, P = 0.005) compared to age- and sex-matched individuals free of cardiovascular events (from 1.09 to 1.19, P = 0.125). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Empiric clinical profiling and the disease activity score that are based on accessible, available and affordable clinical data are valid markers for symptomatic arteriosclerosis