Learning from the construction site: an epistemological investigation of stonemasons and architects in action

Previous studies of architectural practice have tended to treat the realization stage of the making of buildings as a mostly technical matter, with little potential for providing input for the design process. Despite the recognition of the importance of know-how involved in the construction site, the nature of this know-how and its impact on the generation of architectural knowledge is understudied. Based on the original fieldwork involving a series of interviews conducted with traditional stonemasons from Turkey and practising architects from six different countries, this thesis examines how material interactions in situ shape design knowledge in architectural practice. The observation of a unique case of design collaboration from the Sagrada Família design office in Barcelona further illustrates the dynamics of these material interactions. Making buildings is first and foremost a situated activity: it is on the site of construction that the abstract design concept comes into contact with the messy world of matter. In order to observe and analyse the interplay between material entities, physical environments and human actors in situ at the resolution stage of the design process, this thesis adopts a post-humanistic stance, where inanimate things as well as human actors are considered to possess agency. Using insights gathered from Actor-network theory (ANT) to direct the investigation, the thesis highlights the role of physical sites as active agents in the generation and accumulation of architectural knowledge. In the data gathered for this thesis, the site is found to operate in the design process in three key ways: as repository – a provider of design knowledge coded within the existing built environment; as resource – a provider of materials and skills; and as the observation platform for the assessment of the built artefact unfolding in time, interacting with natural elements and patterns of use. Although most of the work in this thesis centres on the accounts of the practice of human actors, the findings contest the notion of humans being completely in charge, and reveal the vital impact of a non-human actor, the site, that literally and metaphorically grounds the design process by acting as a framework for the generation, assessment and handing down of architectural knowledge

Cerium-Doped Fused-Silica Fibers as Wavelength Shifters

We have evaluated the performance of a Ce-doped fused-silica fiber as wavelength shifter coupled to a CeF$_{3}$ crystal using electron beams at CERN. The pulse shape and collection efficiency were measured using irradiated (100 kGy) and un-irradiated fibers. In addition, we evaluated the light yield of various Ce-doped fibers and explored the possibility of using them in the future, including for precision timing applications in a high-luminosity collider environment.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Clinical presentation of abdominal tuberculosis in HIV seronegative adults

BACKGROUND: The accurate diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis usually takes a long time and requires a high index of suspicion in clinic practice. Eighty-eight immune-competent patients with abdominal tuberculosis were grouped according to symptoms at presentation and followed prospectively in order to investigate the effect of symptomatic presentation on clinical diagnosis and prognosis. METHODS: Based upon the clinical presentation, the patients were divided into groups such as non-specific abdominal pain & less prominent in bowel habit, ascites, alteration in bowel habit, acute abdomen and others. Demographic, clinical and laboratory features, coexistence of pulmonary tuberculosis, diagnostic procedures, definitive diagnostic tests, need for surgical therapy, and response to treatment were assessed in each group. RESULTS: According to clinical presentation, five groups were constituted as non-specific abdominal pain (n = 24), ascites (n = 24), bowel habit alteration (n = 22), acute abdomen (n = 9) and others (n = 9). Patients presenting with acute abdomen had significantly higher white blood cell counts (p = 0.002) and abnormalities in abdominal plain radiographs (p = 0.014). Patients presenting with alteration in bowel habit were younger (p = 0.048). The frequency of colonoscopic abnormalities (7.5%), and need for therapeutic surgery (12.5%) were lower in patients with ascites, (p = 0.04) and (p = 0.001), respectively. There was no difference in gender, disease duration, diagnostic modalities, response to treatment, period to initial response, and mortality between groups (p > 0.05). Gastrointestinal tract alone was the most frequently involved part (38.5%), and this was associated with acid-fast bacteria in the sputum (p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Gastrointestinal tract involvement is frequent in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Although different clinical presentations of patients with abdominal tuberculosis determine diagnostic work up and need for therapeutic surgery, evidence based diagnosis and consequences of the disease does not change

Tools for conviviality: Transcribing design

This paper presents the outcomes and findings of a semester long trans-disciplinary design studio recently taught at RMIT University, involving students from the disciplines of architecture, industrial design and landscape design. The focus of the studio was to investigate the creation and appropriation of tools for innovative design processes. Drawing on craft theory and theories of design and computation, this paper illustrates how tools can transgress disciplinary boundaries and investigates how an understanding of the intricate relationship between tools, techniques, the media they operate in and the design outcome is the premise of a more informed design approach

The benefit of focused trauma ultrasonography at blunt abdominal trauma

Trauma is an important health problem that develops with preventable causes. The gold standard method for detecting intraperitoneal free fluid as a result of blunt abdominal trauma is a computerized tomography examination. Other alternative method is bedside ultrasonography method which facilitate diagnosis and follow-up. Hemodynamically unstable trauma patients may be able to evaluated with focused ultrasound on bedside and perform emergency treatment directly in the operating room without time-consuming at the times with vital care. This case, which is a case of low energy trauma which is diagnosed as intraperitoneal free fluid with focused trauma ultrasonography made and has no clinical findings except only with deep palpation when presented, is presented in order to emphasize the power and management with the method. Copyright © 2018 by Türkiye Klinikleri

A cholinergic poisoning case shaded with foreign body aspiration story [Yabanci Cisim Aspirasyonu Öyküsüyle Gölgelenmiş Bir Kolinerjik Zehirlenme Olgusu]

Organophosphates and carbamates are often seen in rural areas and vitally important. Here is presented a case referred to our hospital with the diagnosis of foreign body aspiration, however revealed the signs of cholinergic poisoning in physical examination. The aim in this case is the questioning approach related with clinical suspicion contributes substantially to diagnosis is emphasized. Copyright © 2016 by Türki ye Klinikleri

Collaborative global health E-learning: A Massive Open Online Course experience of young family doctors

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are unlimited web-based courses accessed through computers, smartphones, or other digital devices. Although they have multiple advantages, a common challenge is the low course completion rates. Young family doctors of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) from more than 20 countries recently completed an initiative that combined social media platforms with a MOOC offered by Harvard University. This resulted in a completion rate five times greater than the baseline rate. We propose perfecting and expanding this method to augment continued medical education, collaboration, and best practice exchange among WONCA's members and participating organizations worldwide