Ribbed tiled vaulting: Innovation through two design-build workshops

Traditional tile vaults are typically constructed springing off from walls or straight arches built from support element to support element on falsework. From these, the vault's surface can be built in space with minimal or no guidework. Built on previous research and focusing on continuous surface expression and fully representing three-dimensional equilibrium surfaces in compression, this research explores the design potential of three-dimensional networks of structural ribs, made possible by new funicular form-finding approaches. This new structural typology for tile vaults was investigated and tested through two intensive, design-build workshops in Australia, the first at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) in October 2012, and the second at Monash Art Design & Architecture (MADA), in May 2013

A model for the development of rhodoliths on platforms influenced by storms: middle Miocene carbonates of the Marion Plateau (northeastern Australia)

Middle Miocene carbonates of the Marion Plateau consist of dolomitized bioclastic floatstones and rudstones with rhodoliths (up to 6 cm in size) as the most prominent component. These rhodoliths are embedded in a bioclastic matrix with Halimeda, echinoids, bivalves, gastropods, bryozoans, small coralline fragments, benthic (and planktonic) foraminifers, and rare dasyclads. Corals (not abundant) occur only as fragments and may serve as nuclei for some of the rhodoliths. Two main types of rhodoliths are evident. The commonest type is formed by Lithothamnion and Sporolithon, together with minor Hydrolithon, Mesophyllum, Spongites, and Lithoporella. The other type is made up mainly of Mesophyllum. Laminar growths are always predominant inside the rhodoliths. Both the growth types and the algal associations are characteristic of rhodoliths that formed at depths of some tens of meters and below the normal wavebase. Similar coralline associations presently occur in the Indo-Pacific area at depths between 30 and 80 m. Clearly, these depths are below the normal wavebase, but within the reach of storms. Encrusting foraminifers, serpulid worm tubes, bryozoans, and vermetids are sometimes important elements within these rhodoliths and occur either as more-or-less discrete layers interbedded with the coralline growths or in their nuclei. Bioclastic sediment is also incorporated within the rhodoliths. Some of the rhodoliths now appear partially broken and, presumably, were reworked in the environment of deposition. Others exhibit several phases of growth and reworking. Some of them have also been bored. The context in which these rhodoliths developed was that of a neritic, open-platform environment. They were reworked and partially broken and abraded during storms and then grew once more during the intervening calm periods. The internal structure of the rhodoliths is complex in detail, with successive coralline laminae encrusting more-or-less eroded former growths, and in turn being partially destroyed during the next storm event

Drivers of success in implementing sustainable tourism policies in urban areas

The existing literature in the field of sustainable tourism highlights a number of barriers that impede the implementation of policies in this area. Yet, not many studies have so far considered the factors that would contribute to putting this concept into practice, and few address the case of urban areas. The concept of sustainability has only received limited attention in urban tourism research, even though large cities are recognised as one of the most important tourist destinations that attract vast numbers of visitors. Adopting a case study approach, this paper discusses a number of drivers of success identified by policy-makers in London to contribute to the implementation of sustainable tourisms policies at the local level, and briefly looks at the relationship between these drivers and the constraints perceived by the respondents to hinder the implementation of such policies in practice. These findings may help policy-makers in other large cities to successfully develop and implement policies towards sustainable development of tourism in their area

Intestinal PPARγ signalling is required for sympathetic nervous system activation in response to caloric restriction.

Nuclear receptor PPARγ has been proven to affect metabolism in multiple tissues, and has received considerable attention for its involvement in colon cancer and inflammatory disease. However, its role in intestinal metabolism has been largely ignored. To investigate this potential aspect of PPARγ function, we submitted intestinal epithelium-specific PPARγ knockout mice (iePPARγKO) to a two-week period of 25% caloric restriction (CR), following which iePPARγKO mice retained more fat than their wild type littermates. In attempting to explain this discrepancy, we analysed the liver, skeletal muscle, intestinal lipid trafficking, and the microbiome, none of which appeared to contribute to the adiposity phenotype. Interestingly, under conditions of CR, iePPARγKO mice failed to activate their sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and increase CR-specific locomotor activity. These KO mice also manifested a defective control of their body temperature, which was overly reduced. Furthermore, the white adipose tissue of iePPARγKO CR mice showed lower levels of both hormone-sensitive lipase, and its phosphorylated form. This would result from impaired SNS signalling and possibly cause reduced lipolysis. We conclude that intestinal epithelium PPARγ plays an essential role in increasing SNS activity under CR conditions, thereby contributing to energy mobilization during metabolically stressful episodes

Parent recommendations to support physical activity for families with young children: Results of interviews in deprived and affluent communities in South Wales (United Kingdom)

Background: Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of mortality worldwide. Early childhood is a critical period when healthy behaviours can be instilled for a future active lifestyle. We explored community, societal and environmental factors affecting child and family physical activity and sought parent recommendations to support physical activity in families with young children. Methods: We interviewed 61 parents expecting a child or with a baby ≤12 months (35 mother and father paired interviews and 26 interviews with mothers only). We purposively sampled families for neighbourhood deprivation status (Townsend Index; 26 affluent; 35 deprived). We conducted thematic analysis of interview transcripts using Bronfenbrenner's socio-ecological framework to guide interpretation. Results: We identified four themes: work family-life balance; spaces for activity; beliefs and attitudes; and physical activity facilitators. We found that parents from deprived neighbourhoods were more likely to be underactive because of a complex web of community, social and personal factors which reduced motivation and hindered opportunity for physical activity. To increase knowledge and opportunity, respondents suggested ‘help not tell’ messages covering ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘where’ information about physical activity, and using physical activity to support community engagement and social interaction. Conclusions: Recommendations from parents highlight effective communication about the importance of early child and family physical activity and improved community access to safe facilities and opportunities. Both parents need to be engaged in designing interventions to support greater physical activity and healthy behaviours which are relevant and achievable in individuals’ lives

Microstructure, magnetic and mechanical properties of Ni-Zn ferrites prepared by Powder Injection Moulding

Nowadays, the electronic industry demands small and complex parts as a consequence of the miniaturization of electronic devices. Powder injection moulding (PIM) is an emerging technique for the manufacturing of magnetic ceramics. In this paper, we analyze the sintering process, between 900 °C and 1300 °C, of Ni–Zn ferrites prepared by PIM. In particular, the densification behaviour, microstructure and mechanical properties of samples with toroidal and bar geometry were analyzed at different temperatures. Additionally, the magnetic behaviour (complex permeability and magnetic losses factor) of these compacts was compared with that of samples prepared by conventional powder compaction. Finally, the mechanical behaviour (elastic modulus, flexure strength and fracture toughness) was analyzed as a function of the powder loading of feedstock. The final microstructure of prepared samples was correlated with the macroscopic behaviour. A good agreement was established between the densities and population of defects found in the materials depending on the sintering conditions. In general, the final mechanical and magnetic properties of PIM samples were enhanced relative those obtained by uniaxial compaction

ToF-SIMS and Machine Learning for Single-Pixel Molecular Discrimination of an Acrylate Polymer Microarray

© 2020 American Chemical Society. Combinatorial approaches to materials discovery offer promising potential for the rapid development of novel polymer systems. Polymer microarrays enable the high-throughput comparison of material physical and chemical properties - such as surface chemistry and properties like cell attachment or protein adsorption - in order to identify correlations that can progress materials development. A challenge for this approach is to accurately discriminate between highly similar polymer chemistries or identify heterogeneities within individual polymer spots. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) offers unique potential in this regard, capable of describing the chemistry associated with the outermost layer of a sample with high spatial resolution and chemical sensitivity. However, this comes at the cost of generating large scale, complex hyperspectral imaging data sets. We have demonstrated previously that machine learning is a powerful tool for interpreting ToF-SIMS images, describing a method for color-tagging the output of a self-organizing map (SOM). This reduces the entire hyperspectral data set to a single reconstructed color similarity map, in which the spectral similarity between pixels is represented by color similarity in the map. Here, we apply the same methodology to a ToF-SIMS image of a printed polymer microarray for the first time. We report complete, single-pixel molecular discrimination of the 70 unique homopolymer spots on the array while also identifying intraspot heterogeneities thought to be related to intermixing of the polymer and the pHEMA coating. In this way, we show that the SOM can identify layers of similarity and clusters in the data, both with respect to polymer backbone structures and their individual side groups. Finally, we relate the output of the SOM analysis with fluorescence data from polymer-protein adsorption studies, highlighting how polymer performance can be visualized within the context of the global topology of the data set

Towards a gendered political economy of water and tourism

In many holiday destinations, the tourism industry exerts an enormous strain on water supplies. This generates a range of social problems, not least because local inhabitants often have to compete with the tourism sector over the access, allocation and use of water for their personal and domestic needs. Nevertheless, there has been very little academic research on the link between tourism and the impact of water scarcity on destination populations in developing countries. While there is a wealth of literature on gender and tourism development, such research has tended to focus on employment relations and tourism policy and planning, neglecting ecological issues such as water. Drawing on original ethnographic research conducted in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, in 2013, this paper makes a preliminary attempt to address this gap in the literature by developing a gendered political economy approach to water in tourism development. Three key themes are identified from this research: the salience of intersectional inequalities of gender, class and nationality, in particular the different experiences of Nicaraguan women, Costa Rican women and women from the Global North; how the role of social reproduction is vital to understanding gender and water in Tamarindo due to enduring assumptions about women’s perceived responsibility for water; and the gendered dimensions of conflicts over water. Such conflicts are highly gendered and contribute to reshaping of power relations in this international tourism destination. In the conclusions, we argue that our findings demonstrate the need to pay attention to both intersectionality and social reproduction, as well as to identify a future research agenda for developing a gendered political economy approach to tourism and water