Biosafety Cabinets in Laboratory Planning

The purpose of this research and white paper is to design architectural module layouts for practical laboratory use by integrating biosafety cabinets (BSCs) in replacement of traditional fume hood ducting systems and discuss the findings. The desired outcome of this work is to use knowledge gained from research to propose potential BSC layouts within a laboratory type building, and how BSCs can benefit laboratory design. Based on advantages and restrictions between each BSC class, BSCs are strategically placed in appropriate locations throughout the structure. The results show that implementing BSCs reduces the floor-to-floor height and allows for more flexible module layouts. The research findings offer effective credibility for implementing BSCs into United States laboratory designs.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/research_based_design/1080/thumbnail.jp

Daylighting Optimization Study: Rock Creek High School Commons Skylight Optimization

The aim of this study is to optimize the shape of the skylights in order to enhance daylighting. Rhino, Diva, Grasshopper, and Galapagos ore the softwares utilized to test differing shapes on top and bottom of the shaft of the skylight, and the findings show preference to those with beneficial impacts on Spatial daylighting autonomy (sDA) of greater than 55% and Annual Solar Exposure (ASE) of less than l 0%. Selecting metrics within the above parameters result in optimal skylight geometry with highest daylighting output. The initial purpose of the experiment was to optimize the design of the skylight shaft with the goal of providing the best distribution of daylight while minimizing potential for glare; however, it appears that this shaping may hove negligible effects on how the skylight performs as long as the sDA is greater than 55%.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/research_based_design/1086/thumbnail.jp

Daylighting Optimization Study: Rock Creek High School Commons Skylight Optimization

The aim of this study is to optimize the shape of the skylights in order to enhance daylighting. Rhino, Diva, Grasshopper, and Galapagos are the softwares utilized to test differing shapes on top and bottom of the shaft of the skylight, and the findings show preference to those with beneficial impacts on Spatial daylighting autonomy (sDA) of greater than 55% and Annual Solar Exposure (ASE) of less than 10%. Selecting metrics within the above parameters result in optimal skylight geometry with highest daylighting output. The initial purpose of the experiment was to optimize the design of the skylight shaft with the goal of providing the best distribution of daylight while minimizing potential for glare; however, it appears that this shaping may have negligible effects on how the skylight performs as long as the sDA is greater than 55%

Νομοθετικό έργο της Βουλής και αρχή της καλής νομοθέτησης

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία έχει ως αντικείμενο το νομοθετικό έργο της Βουλής, η οποία οφείλει κατά την άσκηση των νομοθετικών της αρμοδιοτήτων να τηρεί τις διατάξεις του Συντάγματος και του Κανονισμού της Βουλής, που άπτονται της αρχής της καλής νομοθέτησης και να ενεργεί με βάση το πνεύμα των παραπάνω διατάξεων, προκειμένου να αποτρέπονται περιπτώσεις ανασφάλειας δικαίου και αδιαφάνειας. Παρόλο που το Σύνταγμα και ο Κανονισμός της Βουλής περιέχουν πληθώρα διατάξεων, με τις οποίες διασφαλίζεται η ορθή νομοθέτηση, κατά την κοινοβουλευτική πρακτική αναδεικνύονται συχνά φαινόμενα αποσπασματικής, χωρίς διαβούλευση και συστηματικότητα νομοθέτησης. Το αποτέλεσμα είναι η αύξηση της ανασφάλειας δικαίου και η απαξίωση των θεσμών. Η ελλιπής διάδραση της Βουλής με την κοινωνία και η έλλειψη εμπιστοσύνης της νομοθετικής εξουσίας προς την εκτελεστική εξουσία αποτυπώνεται στον τρόπο νομοθέτησης, που ακολουθείται τα τελευταία χρόνια με ευθύνη τόσο της εκτελεστικής όσο και της νομοθετικής εξουσίας.This thesis has as its object the legislative work of Parliament, which has in the exercise of its legislative powers to respect the provisions of the Constitution and the Standing Orders, concerning the principle of better regulation and act in the spirit of above provisions, in order to prevent cases of legal uncertainty and opacity. Although the Constitution and the Standing Orders contain a wealth of provisions that ensure proper lawmaking, during the parliamentary practice emerging phenomena often fragmented, without consultation lawmaking and legislating in a non-systematic manner. The result is to increase the legal uncertainty and the obsolescence of institutions. Poor interaction of parliament with society and distrust of the legislative power to the executive power are reflected on how to legislate mainly in recent years with responsibility for both the executive and the legislative power

Epigenetic chromatin modifiers in barley: IV. The study of barley Polycomb group (PcG) genes during seed development and in response to external ABA

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epigenetic phenomena have been associated with the regulation of active and silent chromatin states achieved by modifications of chromatin structure through DNA methylation, and histone post-translational modifications. The latter is accomplished, in part, through the action of PcG (Polycomb group) protein complexes which methylate nucleosomal histone tails at specific sites, ultimately leading to chromatin compaction and gene silencing. Different PcG complex variants operating during different developmental stages have been described in plants. In particular, the so-called FIE/MEA/FIS2 complex governs the expression of genes important in embryo and endosperm development in <it>Arabidopsis</it>. In our effort to understand the epigenetic mechanisms regulating seed development in barley (<it>Hordeum vulgare</it>), an agronomically important monocot plant cultivated for its endosperm, we set out to characterize the genes encoding barley PcG proteins.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four barley <it>PcG </it>gene homologues, named <it>HvFIE</it>, <it>HvE(Z), HvSu(z)12a</it>, and <it>HvSu(z)12b </it>were identified and structurally and phylogenetically characterized. The corresponding genes <it>HvFIE</it>, <it>HvE(Z), HvSu(z)12a</it>, and <it>HvSu(z)12b </it>were mapped onto barley chromosomes 7H, 4H, 2H and 5H, respectively. Expression analysis of the <it>PcG </it>genes revealed significant differences in gene expression among tissues and seed developmental stages and between barley cultivars with varying seed size. Furthermore, <it>HvFIE </it>and <it>HvE(Z) </it>gene expression was responsive to the abiotic stress-related hormone abscisic acid (ABA) known to be involved in seed maturation, dormancy and germination.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study reports the first characterization of the <it>PcG </it>homologues, <it>HvFIE, HvE(Z)</it>, <it>HvSu(z)12a </it>and <it>HvSu(z)12b </it>in barley. All genes co-localized with known chromosomal regions responsible for malting quality related traits, suggesting that they might be used for developing molecular markers to be applied in marker assisted selection. The <it>PcG </it>differential expression pattern in different tissues and seed developmental stages as well as in two barley cultivars with different seed size is suggestive of a role for these genes in barley seed development. <it>HvFIE </it>and <it>HvE(Z) </it>were also found to be induced by the plant hormone ABA implying an association with ABA-mediated processes during seed development, germination and stress response.</p

The Making Assessment Count (MAC) consortium- maximising assessment and feedback design by working together

The Making Assessment Count (MAC) project started at the University of Westminster in 2008. It sought to align staff and student expectations of feedback and support greater use of feed-forward approaches. A baseline analysis of staff views in the School of Life Sciences suggested that students did not make strategic use of the feedback they received. A similar analysis of the student position revealed that as a group they felt that the feedback provided to them was often insufficiently helpful. To address this dichotomy, a MAC process was developed in the School of Life Sciences and trialled with a cohort of about 350 first year undergraduate students. The process was based on a student-centred, three-stage model of feedback: Subject specific, Operational, and Strategic (SOS model). The student uses the subject tutor’s feedback on an assignment to complete an online self-review questionnaire delivered by a simple tool. The student answers are processed by a web application called e-Reflect to generate a further feedback report. Contained within this report are personalised graphical representations of performance, time management, satisfaction and other operational feedback designed to help the student reflect on their approach to preparation and completion of future work. The student then writes in an online learning journal, which is shared with their personal tutor to support the personal tutorial process and the student’s own development plan (PDP). Since the initial development and implementation of the MAC process within Life Sciences at Westminster, a consortium of universities has worked together to maximise the benefits of the project outcomes and collaboratively explore how the SOS model and e-Reflect can be exploited in different institutional and subject contexts. This paper presents and discusses an evaluation of the use of the MAC process within Life Sciences at Westminster from both staff and student perspective. In addition, the paper will show how the consortium is working to develop a number of scenarios for utilisation of the process as a whole as well as the key individual process components, the SOS model and e-Reflec

Reconnecting a Fragmented Monument through Digital Mapping: The City Walls of Athens

The fortifications of Athens have been a recurrent theme of archaeological investigation. In the past two centuries, parts of the walls have been located during rescue interventions at numerous sites in the urban fabric. At present, the visibility of the entire monument remains rather low as the traces of the walls are hidden beneath the modern city, marginalized within larger archaeological sites or preserved entirely by record. Despite the high level of scholarly work devoted to synthesize the available material, the volume of information accumulated over the years requires a novel approach that would systematize different types of evidence using digital media. In this respect, we attempt to revisit the city walls of Athens through the use of geospatial technologies. We target the informed development of an efficient GIS platform to record, store, integrate, explore and eventually disseminate resources on the Athenian fortifications. Our research employs published and archival sources (e.g. excavation drawings) in combination with historical maps (e.g. early cadastral maps, first maps of modern Athens) and complementary historical evidence (e.g. writings, illustrations, photography) to locate, document and integrate in space and time available data on lost and surviving fortification remains

In situ investigation of dissociation and migration phenomena at the Pt/electrolyte interface of an electrochemical cell

The development of efficient energy conversion systems requires precise engineering of electrochemical interfaces and thus asks for in situ techniques to probe the structure and the composition of the dynamic electrode/electrolyte interfacial region. This work demonstrates the potential of the near ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (NAPXPS) for in situ studies of processes occurring at the interface between a metal electrode and a liquid electrolyte. By using a model membrane-electrode assembly of a high temperature phosphoric acid-imbibed proton exchange membrane fuel cell, and combining NAPXPS measurements with the density functional theory, it was possible to monitor such fundamental processes as dissociation and migration of the phosphoric acid within a nanostructured Pt electrode under polarization

enhancing the circular economy with nature based solutions in the built urban environment green building materials systems and sites

Abstract The objective of this review paper is to survey the state of the art on nature-based solutions (NBS) in the built environment, which can contribute to a circular economy (CE) and counter the negative impacts of urbanization through the provision of ecosystem services. NBS are discussed here at three different levels: (i) green building materials, including biocomposites with plant-based aggregates; (ii) green building systems, employed for the greening of buildings by incorporating vegetation in their envelope; and (iii) green building sites, emphasizing the value of vegetated open spaces and water-sensitive urban design. After introducing the central concepts of NBS and CE as they are manifested in the built environment, we examine the impacts of urban development and the historical use of materials, systems and sites which can offer solutions to these problems. In the central section of the paper we present a series of case studies illustrating the development and implementation of such solutions in recent years. Finally, in a brief critical analysis we look at the ecosystem services and disservices provided by NBS in the built environment, and examine the policy instruments which can be leveraged to promote them in the most effective manner – facilitating the future transition to fully circular cities