Linking Effective Whole Life Cycle Cost Data to Parametric Building Information Models Using BIM Technologies

Abstract ̶ This paper demonstrates the capabilities of BIM (Building Information Modeling) in leveraging Whole Life Cycle Cost (WLCC) data requirements to perform WLCC calculations and produce WLLC estimates. The research determines the extent to which WLCC data, such as time, interest rates, escalation rates and real costs can be attached to parametric BIM data to be used effectively to create speedier and more accurate real-time WLLC analysis. Without incorporating WLCC data in the BIM, a complete picture of a construction project’s WLCC cannot be formed from the default outputs of the model. BIM 5D applications such as CostX utilise the parametric properties of the model, providing users with the ability to generate information and quantities from the BIM to be used in a formatted cost plan. The benefit of the 5D process is that selected quantity surveying information in the BIM can be live linked from the model to the cost plan providing a real-time analysis of WLLC. The authors demonstrate in this paper how they leverage BIM, by incorporating WLCC data and calculations in a customised CostX workbook, thus providing the authors with the ability to live link the output values from the model to the values in the workbook to perform WLCC. This paper demonstrates the practical application of this process on a pilot project in order to complete a WLCC analysis

The effect of calcium supplementation on fat metabolism during recreational exercise

Evidence has emerged suggesting dietary calcium can modulate energy metabolism. Studies have linked whole body fat oxidation during free living activities to both acute and habitual calcium intake. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between acute calcium intake and whole body fat oxidation during simulated recreational activity. Thirty min following ingestion of 800mg calcium supplement or placebo, fat metabolism was monitored during 45min of treadmill walking. Expired air was sampled throughout by online metabolic spirometry (Cosmed CPET, Italy) and analysed for metabolic fuel using indirect calorimetry. The results showed a single, acute calcium supplement of 800mg had no effect on fat metabolism compared to the placebo condition during walking. Contrary to findings from 24 hour studies monitoring calcium intake and macronutrient oxidation, this suggests single acute calcium supplementation protocols are not enough to increase energy metabolism or influence fat metabolism. Evidence suggests that calcium intake increases energy metabolism via whole body systemic changes. Increased energy metabolism and fat oxidation may only occur when recreational exercise is combined with habitual calcium supplementation

Array-based Inhomogeneous Soundwave Generation to Enhance Sound Transmission into Solids

The acoustic excitation of energetic materials has been demonstrated to be useful in detection and defeat applications, but its efficacy is hindered by the inability to transmit a high percentage of incident acoustic energy across the air/energetic material interface. While large acoustical impedance differences usually prevent energy transmission from air into a solid, inhomogeneous incident waves have been found to transmit a significant percentage of their energy into the target material. Thus, inhomogeneous waves, whose amplitudes decay spatially in a direction different from the propagation direction, are an optimal choice for this application; however, it is difficult to create such a waveform by using a simple source. The objective of the present work is to demonstrate that by tuning the strengths and phases of sound sources in a linear array, an interference pattern can be generated such that an inhomogeneous wave forms on a surface of interest. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that by adjusting the level of inhomogeneity of the wave and its incidence angle, one can target the parameters associated with optimal sound transmission, and that these waves can be generated even in the presence of small errors in the powers and phases of the sources

Seasonality in the migration and establishment of H3N2 Influenza lineages with epidemic growth and decline

Background: Influenza A/H3N2 has been circulating in humans since 1968, causing considerable morbidity and mortality. Although H3N2 incidence is highly seasonal, how such seasonality contributes to global phylogeographic migration dynamics has not yet been established. Results: Incorporating seasonally varying migration rates improves the modeling of migration. In our global model, windows of increased immigration map to the seasonal timing of epidemic spread, while windows of increased emigration map to epidemic decline. Seasonal patterns also correlate with the probability that local lineages go extinct and fail to contribute to long term viral evolution, as measured through the trunk of the phylogeny. However, the fraction of the trunk in each community was found to be better determined by its overall human population size Conclusions: Seasonal migration and rapid turnover within regions is sustained by the invasion of 'fertile epidemic grounds' at the end of older epidemics. Thus, the current emphasis on connectivity, including air-travel, should be complemented with a better understanding of the conditions and timing required for successful establishment.Models which account for migration seasonality will improve our understanding of the seasonal drivers of influenza,enhance epidemiological predictions, and ameliorate vaccine updating by identifying strains that not only escape immunity but also have the seasonal opportunity to establish and spread. Further work is also needed on additional conditions that contribute to the persistence and long term evolution of influenza within the human population,such as spatial heterogeneity with respect to climate and seasonalityComment: in BMC Evolutionary Biology 2014, 1

Instructor and student perceptions of a videoconference course

xiii, 102 leaves ; 29 cm. --The Faculty of Arts and Science and the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Lethbridge (U of L) developed a plan to offer a number of first year courses to three remote communities via videoconferencing beginning in the fall 2005. To prepare, a pilot project was conducted during the spring semester of 2005 for an instructor, the administrators, and support staff to gain experience using videoconferencing as a teaching tool. This pilot divided a first year English course where half the students participated face-to-face with the instructor, while the other half participated via videoconferencing in a classroom a few minutes away. Halfway through the semester the two student groups switched classrooms. The purpose of this manuscript is to document all the aspects of this pilot project from the room design and technology, to the perceptions of those involved. It provides an analysis of the instructor's perspectives based on several interviews, student experiences and perspectives based on data gathered from an online survey, and the phenomenological observations of the researcher. The result produced a collection of valuable and practical information that may guide others in their implementation of videoconferencing in both the classroom and for other uses such as meetings, professional development workshops, and presentations. It is intended to inform instructors, technical support personnel, administrators, and policy makers at the U of L, across Alberta, and elsewhere. In spite of the many technical and logistical problems that occurred during this pilot, both the instructor and the students found the experience to be valuable. The instructor has expressed interest in teaching using videoconferencing again and all but two of the students indicated they would participate in a video conference class again

Synthesis and characterisation of controllably functionalised polyaniline nanofibres

A novel method for functionalising solution based polyaniline (PAni) nanofibres is reported whereby the degree of side-chain attachment can be controllably altered. The covalent attachment of functional side-groups to the surface of PAni nanostructures is achieved by post-polymerisation reflux in the presence of a nucleophile and the functionalised nanomaterial can be purified by simple centrifugation. The technique is therefore easily scalable. We demonstrate that control over the extent of side-chain attachment can be achieved simply by altering the amount of nucleophile added during reflux. We provide evidence that covalently attached carboxlate side-chains influence the doping mechanism of polyaniline and can be used to introduce self-doping behaviour. Acid functionalised nanofibres remain redox active and retain their optical switching capabilities in response to changes in the local chemical environment, thus making them suitable for adaptive sensing applications

Galaxy Pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey - III: Evidence of Induced Star Formation from Optical Colours

We have assembled a large, high quality catalogue of galaxy colours from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7, and have identified 21,347 galaxies in pairs spanning a range of projected separations (r_p < 80 h_{70}^{-1} kpc), relative velocities (\Delta v < 10,000 km/s, which includes projected pairs that are essential for quality control), and stellar mass ratios (from 1:10 to 10:1). We find that the red fraction of galaxies in pairs is higher than that of a control sample matched in stellar mass and redshift, and demonstrate that this difference is likely due to the fact that galaxy pairs reside in higher density environments than non-paired galaxies. We detect clear signs of interaction-induced star formation within the blue galaxies in pairs, as evidenced by a higher fraction of extremely blue galaxies, along with blueward offsets between the colours of paired versus control galaxies. These signs are strongest in close pairs (r_p < 30 h_{70}^{-1} kpc and \Delta v < 200 km/s), diminish for more widely separated pairs (r_p > 60 h_{70}^{-1} kpc and \Delta v < 200 km/s) and disappear for close projected pairs (r_p < 30 h_{70}^{-1} kpc and \Delta v > 3000 km/s). These effects are also stronger in central (fibre) colours than in global colours, and are found primarily in low- to medium-density environments. Conversely, no such trends are seen in red galaxies, apart from a small reddening at small separations which may result from residual errors with photometry in crowded fields. When interpreted in conjunction with a simple model of induced starbursts, these results are consistent with a scenario in which close peri-centre passages trigger induced star formation in the centres of galaxies which are sufficiently gas rich, after which time the galaxies gradually redden as they separate and their starbursts age.Comment: 17 pages. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Galaxy Pairs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey - II: The Effect of Environment on Interactions

We use a sample of close galaxy pairs selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 4 (SDSS DR4) to investigate in what environments galaxy mergers occur and how the results of these mergers depend on differences in local galaxy density. The galaxies are quantified morphologically using two-dimensional bulge-plus-disk decompositions and compared to a control sample matched in stellar mass, redshift and local projected density. Lower density environments have fractionally more galaxy pairs with small projected separations (r_p) and relative velocities (Delta v), but even high density environments contain significant populations of pairs with parameters that should be conducive to interactions. Metrics of asymmetry and colour are used to identify merger activity and triggered star formation. The location of star formation is inferred by distinguishing bulge and disk colours and calculating bulge fractions from the SDSS images. Galaxies in the lowest density environments show the largest changes in star formation rate, asymmetry and bulge-total fractions at small separations, accompanied by bluer bulge colours. At the highest local densities, the only galaxy property to show an enhancement in the closest pairs is asymmetry. We interpret these results as evidence that whilst interactions (leading to tidal distortions) occur at all densities, triggered star formation is seen only in low-to-intermediate density environments. We suggest that this is likely due to the typically higher gas fractions of galaxies in low density environments. Finally, by cross-correlating our sample of galaxy pairs with a cluster catalogue, we investigate the dependence of interactions on clustercentric distance. It is found that for close pairs the fraction of asymmetric galaxies is highest in the cluster centres.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS, 15 page