Keskusydin- ja ulkoseinäjäykisteinen korkea rakennus

Tiivistelmä. Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena oli tehdä konseptimainen tutkimus keskusydin- ja ulkoseinäjäykisteisen korkean asuinrakennuksen toteutusmahdollisuudesta elementtirakenteisena. Työssä tutkittiin tapaustutkimuksena jo suunniteltua 31-kerroksista asuinrakennusta, joka on suunniteltu jäykistettäväksi kantavien väliseinien ja keskusytimen avulla. Työssä haluttiin selvittää, onko kyseinen rakennus mahdollista jäykistää kantavan keskusytimen sekä kantavien ulkoseinäelementtien avulla sekä miten julkisivuelementtien eri suuruinen aukotus vaikuttaisi rakennuksen jäykkyyteen. Kantavana -sekä jäykistävänä julkisivurakenteena käytettiin teräsbetonista sandwich-elementtiä. Työssä vertailtiin yhdeksää erisuuruista aukkoa kolmella eri pielileveydellä sekä kolmella eri aukkopalkkikorkeudella. Yksittäisen kantavan teräsbetonisandwich-elementin painon ylärajana pidettiin noin 9000 kg. Työn teoriaosuus antaa lukijalle ymmärryksen jäykistykseen liittyvistä ilmiöistä, joita tulee ottaa huomioon suunniteltaessa korkeita rakennuksia. Työssä käydään kirjallisena tutkimuksena läpi erilaisia jäykistystapoja sekä tyypillisimpiä elementtien välisiä pystysaumaliitoksia. Tapaustutkimuksessa jäykkyyden arvioinnissa verrattiin muutoksia siirtymien, mukavuustekijöiden, seinien vetorasituksien sekä jäykistykseen osallistuvien aukkopalkkien voimasuureiden perusteella. Elementtien käyttömahdollisuutta ohjasi elementin paino sekä vaaka- ja pystysaumoissa vallitsevat voimasuureet. Työssä esitettyjen tulosten perusteella voidaan todeta, että tapaustutkimuksessa esiintyvä asuinrakennus on mahdollista toteuttaa keskusydin- ja ulkoseinäjäykisteisenä elementtirakenteita käyttäen. Julkisivuaukotuksen muutoksella on merkittävä vaikutus rakennuksen jäykkyyteen. Jäykkyyden vähentyessä suurin vaikutus on keskusytimen seinien vetorasituksissa sekä siirtymissä leikkausmuodonmuutoksien johdosta. Mukavuustekijöiden tai jäykistykseen osallistuvien aukkopalkkien leikkausvoimien osalta jäykkyyden vähennyksellä ei ole suurta merkitystä. Verrattaessa kahta eri jäykistysjärjestelmää esimerkkikerroksen osalta, keskusydin- ja ulkoseinäjäykisteisen rakennuksen kantavien pystyrakenteiden betonimäärä on noin 40 % pienempi kuin rakennuksen, joka on suunniteltu jäykistettäväksi kantavien väliseinien sekä keskusytimen avulla.Tube-in-Tube high-rise structure. Abstract. Aim of this Thesis was to create a concept of using prefabricated concrete in Tube-in-Tube High-Rise Structures. Case study reviews a 31-storey high-rise structure which isdesigned to be stiffened with shear walls and central core. The goal in this Thesis was to examine, if the studied building can be construct with Tube-in-Tube structural system using prefabricated concrete and how modifying the openings on load bearing façade would affect the rigidity of the building. Load bearing façade was created with prefabricated concrete sandwich-elements. Case study rigidity was examined with nine different openings, which was created using three different frame widths and with three different beam heights. Maximum weight of one prefabricated element was set up at around 9000 kg. The literature review gives the reader knowledge on the phenomenona that need to be considered in high-rise building structural design. Thesis reviews different ways to stiffen a building and most common used vertical joints using prefabricated concrete as a literature explanation. In case study, estimating rigidity was based on building displacements, human comfort, tension forces in central core walls and shear forces in coupling beams. Accessibility of prefabricated concrete elements was guided with the weight of the element and forces in the vertical and horizontal joints between two different elements. The results of the Thesis showed that case studied high-rise Structure can be done with Tube-in-Tube structural system using prefabricated concrete elements. Modifying the openings on load bearing façade has significant impact on the rigidity of the building. Decreasing rigidity by enlarging openings on the load bearing façade, causes increase in tension forces at central core and displacements of the building thus shear deformation. Decreasing rigidity did not impact significantly on human comfort accelerations or shear forces in coupling beams with studied openings. Comparing between two different structural systems as a layout, concrete quantity is 40 % less in Tube-in-Tube structural system than in already designed shear wall structural system

A possible revival of population-representing digital human manikins in static work situations - exemplified through an evaluation of a prototype console for robotic surgery

BACKGROUND: In the 90s, digital human manikins (DHMs) were introduced in planning ofworkstations, by static or semi-static simulations. Modern DHMs can simulate dynamic work and offer a rapid way for a virtual pre-production ergonomic evaluation. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders may affect surgical performance and patient safety. A prototype of an open console, which is contrary to the conventional closed consoles and may be seen as a representative for a new generation, has been designed to reduce workload for robotic surgery surgeons. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this project was to test a new DHM tool with improved usability to evaluate the ergonomics of a console of a robotic surgical system in a pre-production stage. METHODS: The DHM tool IMMA was used together with a 3D model of the prototype console. Twelve manikins who represented females and males from two national populations were introduced. Manikin-console distances, after console adjustments per manikin, were compared with a US checklist and Swedish standard for VDU work. RESULTS: The DHM tool was useful for this case, but the distances of the checklist and the standard were needed to be obtained "manually". The automatic functions of the DHM worked smoothly but were not optimized for VDU work. The prototype fulfilled most, but not all, of the ergonomic criteria of the checklist and the standard. CONCLUSIONS: There is room for improvements of the adjustable ranges of the console prototype. DHMs may facilitate rapid pre-production evaluation of workstations for static work; if ergonomic assessment models for VDU work are built-in, there may be a revival of DHMs in static work situations

Managing Injuries of the Neck Trial (MINT) : design of a randomised controlled trial of treatments for whiplash associated disorders

Background: A substantial proportion of patients with whiplash injuries develop chronic symptoms. However, the best treatment of acute injuries to prevent long-term problems is uncertain. A stepped care treatment pathway has been proposed, in which patients are given advice and education at their initial visit to the emergency department (ED), followed by review at three weeks and physiotherapy for those with persisting symptoms. MINT is a two-stage randomised controlled trial to evaluate two components of such a pathway: 1. use of The Whiplash Book versus usual advice when patients first attend the emergency department; 2. referral to physiotherapy versus reinforcement of advice for patients with continuing symptoms at three weeks. Methods: Evaluation of the Whiplash Book versus usual advice uses a cluster randomised design in emergency departments of eight NHS Trusts. Eligible patients are identified by clinicians in participating emergency departments and are sent a study questionnaire within a week of their ED attendance. Three thousand participants will be included. Patients with persisting symptoms three weeks after their ED attendance are eligible to join an individually randomised study of physiotherapy versus reinforcement of the advice given in ED. Six hundred participants will be randomised. Follow-up is at 4, 8 and 12 months after their ED attendance. Primary outcome is the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and secondary outcomes include quality of life and time to return to work and normal activities. An economic evaluation is being carried out. Conclusion: This paper describes the protocol and operational aspects of a complex intervention trial based in NHS emergency and physiotherapy departments, evaluating two components of a stepped-care approach to the treatment of whiplash injuries. The trial uses two randomisations, with the first stage being cluster randomised and the second individually randomised

Highly consistent genetic alterations in childhood adrenocortical tumours detected by comparative genomic hybridization

We have examined 11 cases of childhood adrenocortical tumours for copy number changes using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The changes seen are highly consistent between cases, and are independent of tumour type (carcinoma versus adenoma) or the presence of a germline TP53 mutation. The regions of chromosomal gain and loss identified in this study indicate the location of genes that are potentially important in the development and progression of childhood adrenocortical tumours. Finally, the copy number changes identified in childhood tumours are distinctly different to those seen in adult cases (Kjellman et al (1996) Cancer Res56: 4219–4223), and we propose that this indicates that childhood tumours are of embryonal origin. © 1999 Cancer Research Campaig

KIAA0101 Is Overexpressed, and Promotes Growth and Invasion in Adrenal Cancer

Background: KIAA0101 is a proliferating cell nuclear antigen-associated factor that is overexpressed in some human malignancies. Adrenocortical neoplasm is one of the most common human neoplasms for which the molecular causes are poorly understood. Moreover, it is difficult to distinguish between localized benign and malignant adrenocortical tumors. For these reasons, we studied the expression, function and possible mechanism of dysregulation of KIAA0101 in human adrenocortical neoplasm. Methodology/Principal Findings: KIAA0101 mRNA and protein expression levels were determined in 112 adrenocortical tissue samples (21 normal adrenal cortex, 80 benign adrenocortical tumors, and 11 adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). SiRNA knockdown was used to determine the functional role of KIAA0101 on cell proliferation, cell cycle, apoptosis, soft agar anchorage independent growth and invasion in the ACC cell line, NCI-H295R. In addition, we explored the mechanism of KIAA0101 dysregulation by examining the mutational status. KIAA0101 mRNA (9.7 fold) and protein expression were significantly higher in ACC (p,0.0001). KIAA0101 had sparse protein expression in only a few normal adrenal cortex samples, which was confined to adrenocortical progenitor cells. KIAA0101 expression levels were 84 % accurate for distinguishing between ACC and normal and benign adrenocortical tumor samples. Knockdown of KIAA0101 gene expression significantly decreased anchorage independent growth by 80 % and invasion by 60 % (p = 0.001; p = 0.006). W

The Scandinavian multicenter hemodynamic evaluation of the SJM Regent aortic valve

Background: 112 patients who received small and medium sized St.Jude Regent heart valves (19-25 mm) at 7 Scandinavian centers were studied between January 2003 and February 2005 to obtain non-invasive data regarding the hemodynamic performance at rest and during Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) testing one year after surgery. Material and methods: 46 woman and 66 men, aged 61.8 +/- 9.7 (18-75) years, were operated on for aortic regurgitation (17), stenosis (65), or mixed dysfunction (30). Valve sizes were 19 mm (6), 21 mm (33), 23 mm (41), 25 mm (30). Two patients receiving size 27 valves were excluded from the hemodynamic evaluation. Pledgets were used in 100 patients, everted mattress in 66 and simple interrupted sutures in 21. Valve orientation varied and was dependent on the surgeons' choice. 34 patients (30.4%) underwent concomitant coronary artery surgery. Results: There were two early deaths (1.8%) and three late deaths, one because of pancreatic cancer. Late events during follow-up were: non structural dysfunction (1), bleeding (2), thromboembolism (2). At one year follow up 93% of the patients were in NYHA classes 1-2 versus 47.8% preoperatively. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) was performed in a total of 66 and maximal peak stress was reached in 61 patients. During DSE testing, the following statistically significant changes took place: Heart rate increased by 73.0%, cardiac output by 85.5%, left ventriclular ejection fraction by 19.6%, and maximal mean prosthetic transvalvular gradient by 133.8%, whereas the effective orifice area index did not change. Left ventricular mass fell during one year from 215 +/- 63 to 197 +/- 62 g (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The Dobutamine test induces a substantial stress, well suitable for echocardiographic assessment of prosthesis valve function and can be performed in the majority of the patients. The changes in pressure gradients add to the hemodynamic characteristics of the various valve sizes. In our patients the St. Jude Regent valve performed satisfactory at rest and under pharmacological stress situation

Implied Contribution Under the Federal Securities Laws: A Reassessment

Exposure to a strong T-helper 2 (Th2)-like environment during fetal development may promote allergy development. Increased cord blood (CB) levels of the Th2-associated chemokine CCL22 were associated with allergy development during the first 2 y of life. The aim of the present study was to determine whether CB Th1- and Th2-associated chemokine levels are associated with allergy development during the first 6 y of life, allowing assessment of respiratory allergic symptoms usually developing in this period. The CB levels of cytokines, chemokines, and total IgE were determined in 56 children of 20 women with allergic symptoms and 36 women without allergic symptoms. Total IgE and allergen-specific IgE antibody levels were quantified at 6, 12, 24 mo, and 6 y of age. Increased CB CCL22 levels were associated with development of allergic sensitization and asthma and increased CCL17 levels with development of allergic symptoms, including asthma. Sensitized children with allergic symptoms showed higher CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels and higher ratios between these Th2-associated chemokines and the Th1-associated chemokine CXCL10 than nonsensitized children without allergic symptoms. A pronounced Th2 deviation at birth, reflected by increased CB CCL17 and CCL22 levels, and increased CCL22/CXCL10 and CCL17/CXCL10 ratios might promote allergy development later in life

The (cost-)effectiveness of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention on the recovery from neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers

BACKGROUND: Neck and upper limb symptoms are frequently reported by computer workers. Work style interventions are most commonly used to reduce work-related neck and upper limb symptoms but lifestyle physical activity interventions are becoming more popular to enhance workers health and reduce work-related symptoms. A combined approach targeting work style and lifestyle physical activity seems promising, but little is known on the effectiveness of such combined interventions. METHODS/DESIGN: The RSI@Work study is a randomised controlled trial that aims to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention to reduce neck and upper limb symptoms in computer workers. Computer workers from seven Dutch companies with frequent or long-term neck and upper limb symptoms in the preceding six months and/or the last two weeks are randomised into three groups: (1) work style group, (2) work style and physical activity group, or (3) control group. The work style intervention consists of six group meetings in a six month period that take place at the workplace, during work time, and under the supervision of a specially trained counsellor. The goal of this intervention is to stimulate workplace adjustment and to improve body posture, the number and quality of breaks and coping behaviour with regard to high work demands. In the combined (work style and physical activity) intervention the additional goal is to increase moderate to heavy physical activity. The control group receives usual care. Primary outcome measures are degree of recovery, pain intensity, disability, number of days with neck and upper limb symptoms, and number of months without neck and upper limb symptoms. Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and six and 12 months after randomisation. Cost-effectiveness of the group meetings will be assessed using an employer's perspective. DISCUSSION: This study will be one of the first to assess the added value of a lifestyle physical activity intervention in addition to a work style intervention in reducing neck and upper limb symptoms of computer workers. The results of the study are expected in 2007

Analyses of associations between three positionally cloned asthma candidate genes and asthma or asthma-related phenotypes in a Chinese population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Six asthma candidate genes, ADAM33, NPSR1, PHF11, DPP10, HLA-G, and CYFIP2, located at different chromosome regions have been positionally cloned following the reported linkage studies. For ADAM33, NPSR1, and CYFIP2, the associations with asthma or asthma-related phenotypes have been studied in East Asian populations such as Chinese and Japanese. However, for PHF11, DPP10, and HLA-G, none of the association studies have been conducted in Asian populations. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to test the associations between these three positionally cloned genes and asthma or asthma-related phenotypes in a Chinese population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two, five, and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the identified top regions of PHF11, DPP10, and HLA-G, respectively, were genotyped in 1183 independent samples. The study samples were selected based on asthma affectation status and extreme values in at least one of the following three asthma-related phenotypes: total serum immunoglobulin E levels, bronchial responsiveness test, and skin prick test. Both single SNP and haplotype analyses were performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that DPP10 was significantly associated with bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) and BHR asthma after the adjustment for multiple testing; while the associations of PHF11 with positive skin reactions to antigens and the associations of HLA-G with BHR asthma were only nominally significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study is the first one to provide additional evidence that supports the roles of DPP10 in influencing asthma or BHR in a Chinese population.</p