Fountain of Hasanuddin University Campus in Gowa as a Focal Point and a Thermal Control

In architectural designs, ponds and the like generally have a primary function other than as an aesthetic element, it also becomes the thermal controller of the surrounding environment. Hasanuddin University Campus in Gowa has a fountain pool located at the front entrance of Library Building and Center of Technology (CoT) Building. In fact, the existence of this fountain pond is relatively not become the attraction for people who pass around the pool area. Physically the function as a thermal controller is also not felt by those around them. This study finds out why the design of fountain ponds did not work as a focal point of the visual design composition? Why does not the fountain pool serve as a thermal controller from the surrounding environment? What should be done so that the expected fountain pool function as a focal point and as a thermal controller can be achieved? The results show that the existence of a fountain does not succeed to be a campus focal point because the visual design composition ignores the site requirements and visual elements that influence people to direct the view toward the fountain

The effects of thickness on biomechanical behavior of articular cartilage: a finite element analysis

It is important to study joint contact mechanics in order to understand the human joint function and degeneration. In previous studies, the cartilage behavior was investigated using computational method assuming the cartilage to be flat and an ideal thickness. But, this assumption may not appropriate because the joint is naturally curved and the cartilage thickness varies across the articular cartilage. In this study, finite element (FE) analysis was performed to investigate the effect of cartilage thickness on contact pressure and pore pressure of cartilage in indentation test. An axisymmetric FE model of cartilage was developed according to the thickness and radius measured in the experiment. The cartilage was modeled as biphasic material to describe the properties of cartilage. Based on the result, the lowest cartilage thickness of 0.3 mm thickness generated 48% higher in contact pressure and 59% higher in pore pressure, compared to the highest thickness cartilage. This could indicate that the cartilage thickness does affect the contact pressure and pore pressure

Effect of fertilizer management on growth and yield of fragrant fine rice varieties in rainfed condition

A field experiment was carried out at the Banglasesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) farm, Mymensingh during July to December 2010, to find out optimum variety and optimum fertility management of aromatic fine rice grown in transplant rainfed condition. The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications assigning the variety in the main plot and different fertilizer management in the sub-plot. Results indicated that the effect of aromatic fine rice varieties and fertilizer management showed significant variation in respect of yield contributing characters and yield. At harvest, maximum number of effective tillers/hill (12.7 and 12.5), number of grains/panicle (105.6 and 115.2), 1000 grain weight (13.25 and 19.97 g), grain yield (3.29 and 3.30 t/ha) and straw yield (5.0 and 5.7 t/ha) were obtained from the application of T6 (NPKSZn; RD BARC, 2005) @ 126.9, 19.81, 65, 43.3 and 1.8 kg/ha+Cow dung at 5.0 t/ha) and T9 (Urea super granules (USG) @ 1 (1.8 g) granules/spot) + PKSZn; (RD BARC, 2005 @19.81, 65, 43.3 and 1.8 kg/ha). The fertilizer management T6 (NPKSZn; RD BARC, 2005) @ 126.9, 19.81, 65, 43.3 and 1.8 kg/ha+Cow dung at 5.0 t/ha) and T9 (Urea super granules (USG) @ 1 (1.8 g) granules/spot)+PKSZn; (RD BARC,2005 @ 19.81, 65, 43.3 and 1.8 kg/ha) produced the highest grain yield of Ukunimadhu (2.95 t/ha) and Kataribhog (3.96 t/ha)

Stochastic Processes in Yellow and Red Pulsating Variables

Random changes in pulsation period are well established in cool pulsating stars, in particular the red giant variables: Miras, semi-regulars of types A and B, and RV Tau variables. Such effects are also observed in a handful of Cepheids, the SX Phe variable XX Cyg, and, most recently, the red supergiant variable, BC Cyg, a type C semi-regular. The nature of such fluctuations is seemingly random over a few pulsation cycles of the stars, yet the regularity of the primary pulsation mechanism dominates over the long term. The degree of stochasticity is linked to the dimensions of the stars, the randomness parameter 'e' appearing to correlate closely with mean stellar radius through the period 'P', with an average value of e/P = 0.0136+-0.0005. The physical processes responsible for such fluctuations are uncertain, but presumably originate in temporal modifications of envelope convection in such stars.Comment: Poster given at the "Stellar Pulsation: Challenges for Theory and Observation" conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico (2009

The effects of physiological biomechanical loading on intradiscal pressure and annulus Stress in lumbar spine: a finite element analysis

The present study was conducted to examine the effects of body weight on intradiscal pressure (IDP) and annulus stress of intervertebral discs at lumbar spine. Three-dimensional finite element model of osseoligamentous lumbar spine was developed subjected to follower load of 500 N, 800 N, and 1200 N which represent the loads for individuals who are normal and overweight with the pure moments at 7.5 Nm in flexion and extension motions. It was observed that the maximum IDP was 1.26 MPa at L1-L2 vertebral segment. However, the highest increment of IDP was found at L4-L5 segment where the IDP was increased to 30% in flexion and it was more severe at extension motion reaching to 80%. Furthermore, the maximum annulus stress also occurred at the L1-L2 segment with 3.9 MPa in extension motion. However, the highest increment was also found at L4-L5 where the annulus stress increased to 17% in extension motion. Based on these results, the increase of physiological loading could be an important factor to the increment of intradiscal pressure and annulus fibrosis stress at all intervertebral discs at the lumbar spine which may lead to early intervertebral disc damage

Mutation analysis of HIF prolyl hydroxylases (PHD/EGLN) in individuals with features of phaeochromocytoma and renal cell carcinoma susceptibility

Germline mutations in the von Hippel–Lindau disease (VHL) and succinate dehydrogenase subunit B (SDHB) genes can cause inherited phaeochromocytoma and/or renal cell carcinoma(RCC). Dysregulation of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcription factors has been linked to VHL and SDHB-related RCC; both HIF dysregulation and disordered function of a prolyl hydroxylase domain isoform 3 (PHD3/EGLN3)-related pathway of neuronal apoptosis have been linked to the development of phaeochromocytoma. The 2-oxoglutarate-dependent prolyl hydroxylase enzymes PHD1 (EGLN2), PHD2 (EGLN1) and PHD3 (EGLN3) have a key role in regulating the stability of HIF-a subunits (and hence expression of the HIF-a transcription factors). A germline PHD2 mutation has been reported in association with congenital erythrocytosis and recurrent extra-adrenal phaeochromocytoma. We undertook mutation analysis of PHD1, PHD2 and PHD3 in two cohorts of patients with features of inherited phaeochromocytoma (nZ82) and inherited RCC (nZ64) and no evidence of germline mutations in known susceptibility genes. No confirmed pathogenic mutations were detected suggesting that mutations in these genes are not a frequent cause of inherited phaeochromocytoma or RCC