The design , fabrication and assembly of an asymptotic timber gridshell

This paper describes and discuss the design, fabrication and assembly of an asymptotic gridshellbuilt of plywood laths. The overall question concerns how geometry, structural action, andecient production can interplay and inform spatial design. The environment is a two-dayworkshop where architects, engineers and researchers with specialization in structural and digitaldesign cooperate with undergraduate students in a compulsory parametric design and digitalfabrication course. The gridshell shape is based on an Enneper surface of threefold rotationalsymmetry with a boundary baseplate inscribed within a circle of 4.5 m in radius. Utilizing theconcept of asymptotic curves, which are surface curves whose osculating plane coincides withthe tangent plane of the surface, the structure was built using planar straight laths of plywoodmade using manually operated drills and saws

Milk products in the treatment of hypophosphatemic rickets: A pilot study

Background: Standard treatment of hypophosphatemic rickets (HR) is oral phosphate tablets plus vitamin D. Due to the rapid absorption of phosphate tablets, frequent daily doses are necessary, which is cumbersome and may cause fluctuations in plasma phosphate and risk of secondary hyperparathyroidism. It was hypothesized that phosphate from milk or cheese is less rapidly absorbed, and reduces fluctuations in plasma phosphate. Objectives: The current randomized, multiple crossover study aimed at investigating if an equivalent phosphate dose given as milk or cheese is comparable to phosphate tablets in patients with HR. Methods: Seven females with HR were included. They went through three different four-day treatment sessions of either oral phosphate tablets consisting of 800 mg elemental phosphorus divided into five doses over the day or an equivalent phosphorus dose ingested as skimmed milk or cheese divided over five daily doses. Blood and urine samples were taken from patients after each treatment session. Except the usual doses of vitamin D, no phosphate or calcium-modifying treatments were allowed. Statistical analyses were performed using mixed models. Results: Treatment feasibility was independent of the phosphorus source. The study demonstrated reduced plasma levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), reduced fluctuations in plasma phosphate and plasma PTH, and reduced renal phosphate excretion when ingesting phosphorus supplementation as milk compared to phosphate tablets. The same trend was observed when administering phosphorus as cheese, though not statistically significant. Conclusions: Phosphorus supplements can be administered as phosphate tablets, milk or cheese when given in equimolar doses. The current study findings indicated that milk may be superior to phosphate tablets as the phosphate source in patients with HR

Investigation of itch in Parkinson disease

Introduction: Sensory abnormalities (eg, pain) are common in Parkinson disease (PD) with a negative impact on quality of life. As itch is less studied in PD, and pain and itch partially share sensory pathways, we designed this study to identify the occurrence and pattern of spontaneous itch, and responsiveness to a surrogate itch model in PD. Methods: The study protocol was approved (N-20180079) and PD patients and their best matched controls were recruited. A questionnaire was used to collect general information on itch. Sensory alterations were determined by subjective ratings and mechanical sensitivity threshold before and after a standard histamine-dependent itch model on forearms. Itch and pain intensities were rated on visual and numerical rating scales, respectively. Dispersion of itch was drawn on arm charts. Presence and area of alloknesis and hyperknesis were determined. Group comparisons were performed in SPSS with a significant level of 0.05. Descriptive statistic was used for questionnaire’s analysis. Results:Patients(n=20;68.10±7.91y,F/Mratio:8/12)andcontrols(n=20;67.35±7.65y,F/Mratio:8/12)wereexamined.PD patients rated less physical and emotional descriptors, except for the stinging (P = 0.028). No difference was found between the groups in histamine-provoked itch intensity (P = 0.799) or the itchy area. A significantly larger area of hyperknesis was found in PD (P = 0.011), but not for the area of alloknesis (P = 0.221). Sex-related responses yielded only a tendency toward higher responses in female patients. Discussion:PDdoesnotseemtoinfluenceperceptionofitch,neitherspontaneousnorevokeditch,exceptforhyperknesisarea,which was found significantly larger in PD patients following the application of histamine. This finding proposes a potential alteration in central processing of itch that needs further investigation and whether and how it is affected by, for example, PD pathogenesis

Per and polyfluorinated substances in the Nordic Countries:Use, occurence and toxicology

This Tema Nord report presents a study based on open information and custom market research to review the most common perfluorinated substances (PFC) with less focus on PFOS and PFOA.The study includes three major parts: 1) Identification of relevant per-and polyfluorinated substances and their use in various industrial sectors in the Nordic market by interviews with major players and database information. 2) Emissions to and occurence in the Nordic environment of the substances described in 1). 3) A summary of knowledge of the toxic effects on humans and the environment of substances prioritized in 2). There is a lack of physical chemical data, analystical reference substances, human and environmental occurrence and toxicology data, as well as market information regarding PFCs other than PFOA and PFOS and the current legislation cannot enforce disclosure of specific PFC substance information

Design, fabrication and assembly of a geodesic gridshell in a student workshop

This paper describes the design, fabrication and assembly of an 11x11 m gridshell built of plywood laths during a two and a half day workshop in a new undergraduate course about parametric design and digital fabrication. The question was how to use full-scale prototyping to summarize and integrate the learning outcomes in this course. A challenge was how to execute all production during two consecutive days utilizing all 35 students. Exploiting a geodesic grid design, that is curves whose curvature vector is parallel with the surface normal, the gridshell was made of straight predrilled laths that were bent and locked into shape using a sequential erection method. The design was incorporated in a full parametric model including automated design checks and the generation of all necessary production drawings.The workshop and the preparatory work described in this paper was a collaboration between Chalmers, BIG Engineering, Buro Happold and Thornton Tomasetti\u27s CORE studio

A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity.

BACKGROUND: In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) posted reports claiming that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. These claims clash with recommendations from the World Health Organization and World Federation of Chiropractic. We discuss the scientific validity of the claims made in these ICA reports. MAIN BODY: We reviewed the two reports posted by the ICA on their website on March 20 and March 28, 2020. We explored the method used to develop the claim that chiropractic adjustments impact the immune system and discuss the scientific merit of that claim. We provide a response to the ICA reports and explain why this claim lacks scientific credibility and is dangerous to the public. More than 150 researchers from 11 countries reviewed and endorsed our response. CONCLUSION: In their reports, the ICA provided no valid clinical scientific evidence that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. We call on regulatory authorities and professional leaders to take robust political and regulatory action against those claiming that chiropractic adjustments have a clinical impact on the immune system

Effekter av ILAV-infeksjon på stressresponsgener i Atlantisk laks (Salmo salar L.) : En sammenligning av høypatogene og lavpatogene ILAV-isolat

Infeksiøs lakseanemi virus (ILAV) er et akvatisk orthomyxovirus som forårsaker en multisystemisk sykdom i oppdrettslaks (Salmo salar L.), noe som fører til store økonomiske tap for oppdrettsnæringen. Sykdomsutbrudd varierer i stor grad med hensyn på sykdomsforløp og kliniske tegn. Europeiske ILAV-isolat kan grupperes i forhold til om de forårsaker en akutt eller kronisk sykdom, og i tillegg kan de genotypes på bakgrunn av delesjonsmønster i HPR, hvor de fleste sekvenser som tilhører en gitt HPR-gruppe stammer fra utbrudd med liknende sykdomsutvikling. Selv om to ILAV-isolat tilhører den samme gruppen kan de likevel forårsake en ulik patogenisitet in vivo. I denne oppgaven ønsket vi å undersøke om det var forskjeller mellom ILAV-isolatenes evne til å aktivere noen av de medfødte cellulære immunresponser som kan bidra til å gi en forklaring på den ulike patogenisiteten som observeres in vivo. En bedre forståelse av patogenisiteten til ILAV vil kunne gi et bedre grunnlag for å utvikle effektive vaksiner mot viruset. ASK-celler ble infisert med to høypatogene og to lavpatogene ILAV-isolat, henholdsvis ILAV 2 og ILAV 4 samt ILAV 7 og ILAV 10. Tre dager etter at cellene ble infisert, ble ekspresjon av et utvalg gener analysert ved bruk av sanntids kvantitativ PCR, og i tillegg ble kvantitet og eventuell grad av fosforylering til utvalgte signalproteiner studert ved hjelp av westernblotting. De ulike ILAV-isolatene induserte ekspresjon av stort sett de samme genene, men i ulik grad. Det ble observert en kraftig induksjon av interferon-α (IFN-α) og de interferoninduserte genene ISG-15 og MX i celler infisert med det høypatogene isolatet ILAV 4, mens celler infisert med ILAV 2 derimot, viste en lav oppregulering av de samme genene. Genekspresjonen av Hsp 70, som kan indusere proliferering av CD4 T-celler og CD8 T-celleresponser, var mest oppregulert i celler infisert med de lavpatogene isolatene. Dette kan indikere at ILAV 7 og ILAV 10 induserer en kraftigere stimulering av det adaptive immunsystemet enn ILAV 2 og ILAV 4. Oppreguleringen i genekspresjon ble derimot ikke gjenspeilet på proteinnivå, noe som gjør denne observasjonen tvilsom. Det ble heller ikke observert en forskjell i fosforylering av stressrespons-proteinene p38 og ERK