Case study based approach to integration of sustainable design analysis, performance and building information modelling

This paper presents a case study based research of both the method and technology for integration of sustainable design analysis (SDA) and building information modelling (BIM) within smart built environments (SBE). Level 3 BIM federation and integration challenges are recognised and improvements suggested, including issues with combining geometry and managing attribute data. The research defines SDA as rapid and quantifiable analysis of diverse sustainable alternatives and ‘what if’ scenarios posed by a design team and client during the early stages of the project, where the benefits of correct decisions can significantly exceed the actual investment required. The SDA concept and BIM integration findings are explained through a convergence from conceptualisation to calculation stages, emphasising the importance of an iterative over a linear approach. The approach allowed for a multitude of “what if” scenarios to be analysed, leading to more informed sustainable solutions at the right stages of the project development, with a generally lower level of detail (LOD) and computational/modelling effort required. In addition, the final stage of Building Regulations Part L compliance calculations was reached with a lot greater level of certainty, in terms of its requirements. Finally, a strategy for long term performance monitoring and evaluation of the building design in terms of its environmental sustainability is presented, via integration between BIM and SBE (Smart Built Environment) technologies

Just how expert are “expert” video-game players? Assessing the experience and expertise of video-game players across “action” video-game genres

Video-game play (particularly “action” video-games) holds exciting promise as an activity that may provide generalized enhancement to a wide range of perceptual and cognitive abilities (for review see Latham et al., 2013a). However, in this article we make the case that to assess accurately the effects of video-game play researchers must better characterize video-game experience and expertise. This requires a more precise and objective assessment of an individual's video-game history and skill level, and making finer distinctions between video-games that fall under the umbrella of “action” games. Failure to consider these factors may partly be responsible for mixed findings (see Boot et al., 2011)

The precision of experienced action video-game players: Line bisection reveals reduced leftward response bias

Twenty-two experienced action video-game players (AVGPs) and 18 non-VGPs were tested on a pen-and-paper line bisection task that was untimed. Typically, right-handers bisect lines 2 % to the left of true centre, a bias thought to reflect the dominance of the right-hemisphere for visuospatial attention. Expertise may affect this bias, with expert musicians showing no bias in line bisection performance. Our results show that experienced-AVGPs also bisect lines with no bias with their right hand and a significantly reduced bias with their left hand compared to non-AVGPs. Bisections by experienced-AVGPs were also more precise than those of non-AVGPs. These findings show the cognitive proficiencies of experienced-AVGPs can generalize beyond computer based tasks, which resemble their training environment

Tomography of atomic number and density of materials using dual-energy imaging and the Alvarez and Macovski attenuation model

Dual-energy computed tomography and the Alvarez and Macovski [Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976)] transmitted intensity (AMTI) model were used in this study to estimate the maps of density (ρ) and atomic number (Z) of mineralogical samples. In this method, the attenuation coefficients are represented [Alvarez and Macovski, Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976)] in the form of the two most important interactions of X-rays with atoms that is, photoelectric absorption (PE) and Compton scattering (CS). This enables material discrimination as PE and CS are, respectively, dependent on the atomic number (Z) and density (ρ) of materials [Alvarez and Macovski, Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976)]. Dual-energy imaging is able to identify sample materials even if the materials have similar attenuation coefficients at single-energy spectrum. We use the full model rather than applying one of several applied simplified forms [Alvarez and Macovski, Phys. Med. Biol. 21, 733 (1976); Siddiqui et al., SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (Society of Petroleum Engineers, 2004); Derzhi, U.S. patent application 13/527,660 (2012); Heismann et al., J. Appl. Phys. 94, 2073–2079 (2003); Park and Kim, J. Korean Phys. Soc. 59, 2709 (2011); Abudurexiti et al., Radiol. Phys. Technol. 3, 127–135 (2010); and Kaewkhao et al., J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transfer 109, 1260–1265 (2008)]. This paper describes the tomographic reconstruction of ρ and Z maps of mineralogical samples using the AMTI model. The full model requires precise knowledge of the X-ray energy spectra and calibration of PE and CS constants and exponents of atomic number and energy that were estimated based on fits to simulations and calibration measurements. The estimated ρ and Z images of the samples used in this paper yield average relative errors of 2.62% and 1.19% and maximum relative errors of 2.64% and 7.85%, respectively. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the method accounts for the beam hardening effect in density (ρ) and atomic number (Z) reconstructions to a significant extent.S.J.L., G.R.M., and A.M.K. acknowledge funding through the DigiCore consortium and the support of a linkage grant (LP150101040) from the Australian Research Council and FEI Company

Birthing Positions: Is There a Connection Between Acutal Nursing Experience and Evidence-Based Research?

The objectives of this study were to determine whether there was an association between clinical nursing knowledge of four birthing positions and current evidence-based research of those same positions and also to identify possible areas where nursing knowledge of those birthing positions was inadequate. This pilot study used convenience sampling to survey registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) on labor and delivery units. The survey was distributed to three hospitals in the southeastern United States, and twenty-four RNs and LPNs participated. Participants’ knowledge did not reflect current clinical evidence in two key areas, (1) the best position to minimize blood loss and (2) the best position to decrease the likelihood anal sphincter tears. Respectively, only 13% and 27.3% of participants selected the correct position. Continuing education for maternity nurses regarding current evidence-based practice concerning various birthing positions remains a need, and incorporating this could include more frequent opportunities for education classes and unit inservices. Results from this study should not be generalized, and more research is needed in this area to validate these findings

Effects of Dietary Amino Acid Supplementation on Measures of Whole-Body and Muscle Protein Metabolism in Aged Horses

Sarcopenia is a condition that is most common in aged animals, and is characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass and integrity, and can lead to physical disability and poor quality of life. Since skeletal muscle protein synthesis can be limited by the availability of amino acids, supplementation of limiting amino acids to ameliorate the progression of sarcopenia has become a topic of interest in companion animal research. Although there is some data to support the idea that amino acid supplementation improves maintenance of muscle mass in aged horses, the cellular mechanisms behind that improvement have yet to be elucidated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of amino acid supplementation in aged horses on markers of whole body and muscle protein metabolism. In a cross-over design, six old horses were studied while receiving each of three treatments in a replicated Latin square design. For all three treatments, horses received 1.8% BW/d of timothy hay cubes and 0.5% BW/d of experimental concentrate. The three treatments included a control (CON) treatment concentrate that was designed to meet all requirements of mature horses when fed in combination with the timothy hay cubes, and two supplemented concentrates, LYS/THR with additional lysine and threonine (40 mg/kg BW/d and 31 mg/kg BW/d, respectively), and LYS/THR/MET with additional lysine, threonine, and methionine (40 mg/kg BW/d, 31 mg/kg BW/d and 11mg/kg BW/d respectively). In each 15 d period, following a 9-day adaptation, horses were fitted with a collection harness, and total urine and feces were collected for 72 hours for assessment of nitrogen balance and creatinine output. Blood samples were taken directly before feeding and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, and 240 minutes post-feeding for analysis of plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), glucose, insulin, and plasma amino acid concentrations. Muscle biopsy samples were taken for analysis of proteins in the mTOR pathway. Additionally, horses underwent stable isotope infusion procedures, and comparisons of phenylalanine kinetics were used to determine whole-body rates of protein synthesis and degradation. There was no significant effect of treatment on creatinine output (P=0.58), relative abundance of proteins in the mTOR pathway (P\u3e0.05), nitrogen retention (P=0.70), or phenylalanine kinetics (P\u3e0.05). PUN concentrations were significantly (P=0.0058) higher for LYS/THR and LYS/THR/MET than for CON. Atrogin-1 activation was significantly higher for the pre-feeding CON sample compared to the post-feeding CON sample. Lack of significant difference in creatinine output suggests that there were not significant differences in muscle mass between treatments. Lack of significant differences in mTOR protein activation suggests that amino acid supplementation did not result in improvements in protein synthesis. Lack of significant differences in nitrogen retention and phenylalanine kinetics suggests that whole-body protein metabolism was not improved. Additionally, higher PUN concentrations in the supplemented diets suggests that the supplemented amino acids being provided were catabolized. However, increased activation of Atrogin-1 in the pre-feeding CON samples, but not the pre-feeding samples of supplemented treatments, suggests amino acid supplementation may have reduced protein degradation in the post-absorptive state. Data from the present study suggests that amino acid availability may not have been limiting protein synthesis in the sedentary aged horses in the present study