The New Method in Calculating Columns and Beams Dimensions That Meets Requirements of The Strong Column-Weak Beam and Non-Soft Story

Situated at an earthquake prone area, buildings planning in Indonesia must implement earthquake resistant building principles. One of these principles is determining dimensions of columns and beams in the process of architectural designing.This act eventually affects the behaviour of the strong column-weak beam and the probability of bending failure due to soft story. At present time, there are no simple rules architects can use in calculating the dimensions of beams and columns that meet the criteria for strong column-weak beam and non-soft story. This paper is an effort to provide an input to the architects in designing the dimensions of the columns and beams. This research is a review result of three theories namely: 1). The theory of columns and beams preliminary design, 2). The theory of the strong column-weak beam concept, and 3). The theory of soft story and column slenderness. Those theories were then synthesized into a spreadsheet. To meet the criteria for strong column-weak beam and non-soft story, the following procedures must be done : 1). Determine the columns’ dimensions according to 0.15% of the columns’ cumulative tributary area, 2). Determine the beams’ dimensions according to 1/12 of the beams’ span and the beams’ plastic modulus, 3). Determine the columns’ dimensions and the columns’plastic modulus, 4). Determine the columns’ height based on the column slenderness criteria, and 5). Compare the columns plastic modulus and the beams plastic modulus and check whether they meet the criteria “the columns’plastic modulus ≥ 1.2 * the beams’ plastic modulus”

Pengaruh Main Entrance Terhadap Aksesibilitas Pengunjung Rumah Sakit Studi Kasus: Koridor Jl. Dr. Soetomo Dan Jl. Kariadi Semarang

. RSUP1 Dr. Kariadi Semarang serves as a general hospital for the regional of Jawa Tengah. The hospital environment, as public facility, provides health care and intensive care for society. Kariadi Street and Dr.Soetomo Street are the major road that can access RSUP1 Dr.Kariadi environment. In year 2010, there was an increase volume of health services and function program that carried out by hospital. Therefore, main entrance is designed based on the bay system that could accommodate 2-3 cars. By the existence of main entrance on Kariadi Street, it could attract the street vendors to set up a tent on the pedestrian ways. On the otherhand, at Dr.Soetomo corridor, there are taxi stands around the main entrance to accomodate the passengers.Main entrance has been predicted has an influence the accessibility of visitors to the hospital environment. The result of this research is there are some influences and relations between main entrance to the hospital visitors' accessibility. There are no significant differences between the visitors' accessibility of main entrance group on Dr. Soetomo Street and Kariadi Street. There is an additional of health service function which will increase the number of visitors of Dr. Kariadi Hospital either in or out at the main entrance

Challenging behaviour in Fragile X Syndrome: Investigating its association with environmental and physiological factors

Challenging behaviours (CBs) are a common issue amongst individuals with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). The aim of the present thesis was to further understanding of this issue, through exploring physiological factors which may have a motivative influence upon the operant learning of CBs in this group. Analysis of prior literature highlighted that CBs were most commonly negatively reinforced amongst males with FXS. This may reflect an elevated motivation to escape from stressors, associated with atypical stimulus-bound arousal. Accordingly, prior data suggest autonomic hyperarousal and a systematic literature review suggested that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may be implicated in males with FXS. However, the relationship between arousal and escape-maintained CB had not previously been explored, and so was addressed through two empirical studies. In the initial study, CBs were observed in a natural environment, alongside explorations of circadian rhythmicity of salivary arousal measures (cortisol and ?-amylase) in boys with FXS and unaffected siblings. Whilst between-group differences were apparent in arousal measures, there were no associations with observed behaviours in the FXS group. In a subsequent study, behaviour and physiological responding were measured in response to a structured demand assessment, amongst individuals with intellectual disability and males with FXS. Despite between-group differences in behaviour, no differences in physiological responding or physiology-behaviour relationships were observed. A final exploratory study of parental reports of the behavioural and emotional timecourse of instances of CBs was conducted, in order to guide future research. Together the results suggest that initial hypotheses were overly simplistic and that a broad range of aspects of the FXS phenotype must be accounted for when explaining CBs in this group. Implications for future research and practice are discussed

Relaxation and Guided Imagery Significantly Reduces Androgen Levels and Distress in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Pilot Study

AIM: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often have elevated levels of the androgen testosterone, and are at increased risk of anxiety and depression. This study aimed to use psychological relaxation with guided imagery to decrease androgen levels and improve mood in PCOS. METHODS: Repeated-measures. Thirteen women with PCOS underwent six weekly treatment sessions, and a follow-up session, of calming breathing, muscle relaxation, and guided imagery. The main outcome measures were mood and quality of life (QoL) – assessed using validated questionnaires – and hormones, which were assayed in serum using tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: There was a small but statistically significant reduction in DHEAS from before to after Week 1 (p <.044) and from before to after Week 6 (p <.001). From before to after Week 6 there were also small but statistically significant reductions in androstenedione (p <.010) and cortisol (p <.003). From Week 1 to Week 6 there was a significant reduction in anxiety (p <.037). There was a significant improvement in depression from Week 1 to Week 6 (p <.034) and from Week 1 to follow-up (p <.011). There were no significant changes in free or total testosterone, nor in QoL. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to use a relaxation programme to reduce adrenal androgens in PCOS

Molecular mechanisms underlying altered neurobehavioural development of female offspring of mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome: FOS-mediated regulation of neurotrophins in placenta

Background: This study explored the mechanisms underlying altered neurobehavioural development of female offspring born to mothers with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). / Methods: In total, 20 women with PCOS and 32 healthy women who underwent caesarean deliveries with a single female foetus were recruited. Infants were assessed with Dubowitz scoring. Swan71 cell line with stable FOS overexpression was used to verify the regulatory effects of FOS on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) expression. Learning and memory in female first-generation (F1) and second-generation (F2) offspring in a rat model of PCOS was tested using the Morris water maze at puberty and adulthood. Transcriptome analysis of pubertal hippocampi and hypothalami of female F1 offspring was conducted. / Findings: Total score and behaviour subscales of Dubowitz scoring were significantly lower in female infants of women with PCOS. FOS and NGF protein levels were downregulated in placental villi of the PCOS group. FOS played a key role in BDNF inhibition and enhancing NGF in Swan71 cells. PCOS female F1 rats exhibited lower target crossing times during puberty when compared to controls. Transcriptome analysis revealed significant changes in hippocampal and hypothalamic neuronal pathways in female F1 rats at puberty. / Interpretation: FOS regulation of neurotrophins in the placenta negatively affects neurobehavioural development of female offspring of PCOS mothers

Possible impacts of a future grand solar minimum on climate: Stratospheric and global circulation changes.

This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Wiley via http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022022A future decline in solar activity would not offset projected global warmingA future decline in solar activity could have larger regional effects in winterTop-down mechanism contributes to Northern Hemisphere regional response.LJG and ACM were supported by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science's Climate Directorate. ACM also acknowledges support from the ERC ACCI project no. 267760 and an AXA Postdoctoral Fellowship. SI and AAS were supported by the Joint DECC/Defra Met Office Hadley Centre Climate Programme (GA01101). LJG and JAA were supported by a grant from the National Environmental Research Council

Where are the Pots and Pans? Collective Responses in Ireland to Neoliberalization in a Time of Crisis: Learning from Latin America

Since 2008, Ireland has experienced a profound multi-faceted crisis, stemming from the collapse of the financial and property sectors. Despite enduring six years of neoliberal austerity measures in response to this situation, popular protest has been muted. Using Silva's [(2009) Challenging Neoliberalism in Latin America (Cambridge and New York: Cambridge University Press)] framework of analysis of popular responses in Latin America to that region's debt crisis of the 1980s and 1990s, this article seeks to investigate why this has been the case. We assess how the crisis is being framed among popular and civil society groups, and whether increased associational and collective power is developing. In doing so, we look at processes of intra-group cooperation, cross-group cooperation and framing and brokerage mechanisms. We then ask, where such processes exist, if they can lead to a comprehensive challenge to the neoliberal policies currently being implemented, as happened in much of Latin America. We conclude that the crisis has not yet reached sufficient depth or longevity to foster a more robust popular response, but propose that analysis of similar processes in Latin America can help us understand better why this is the case, not just in Ireland, but in other countries of Europe experiencing similar situations

The Effect of Thawing Protocols on Follicle Conservation in Human Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation

BACKGROUND: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation has the potential to improve fertility preservation for a growing number of patients undergoing sterilising therapy, particularly where oocyte or embryo cryopreservation is not suitable. However, its success is limited by significant follicular apoptosis upon thawing, and there is wide variation in thawing protocols used with little evidence of efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To determine the best warming rates to maintain tissue viability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ovarian tissue biopsies from 11 patients were taken with informed consent and divided into four pieces, which were allocated to either fresh assessment or to one of several freeze-thaw protocols. Cryopreservation was undertaken using a Stirling cycle cryo-cooler and cryopreserved samples were exposed to different warming protocols. Tissue conservation was then assessed using a marker, neutral red, to identify viable follicles. RESULTS: The results showed greatest follicle conservation rates in fresh samples, followed by those thawed using a rapid thawing protocol (Protocol 1). Tissue thawed using an ultra fast protocol (Protocol 2) and slow warming (Protocol 3) resulted in greater follicle loss. CONCLUSION: These preliminary results indicate thawing conditions significantly affect follicle conservation in cryopreserved human ovarian tissue