Overcoming process-related barriers in modular high-rise building projects

Modular projects can be of higher quality, a safer, faster and more predictable construction process, and less environmental nuisance compared to a traditional on-site project. High-rise projects seem to be particularly suitable for modular building methods, however there are still some process-related barriers. Research so far has not focused on collaboration forms for modular high-rise projects. This paper examines which collaboration form fits best for a modular high-rise project by conducting an international case study research. From the case studies it is debatable whether the current PDMs meet the need for modular concepts; modular buildings will benefit more from a long-term collaboration with fixed partnerships. This requires a complete different approach to the construction industry. Until then, the best match should be sought by matching the customer profile to the PDM characteristics. The most suitable PDM is dependent on the client profile that can be determined by 17 selection criteria

Влияние иноязычных заимствований на коммуникативное ядро русского лексикона

Общеизвестно, что на земном шаре насчитывается около 5000 языков [7, с. 330]. Носителями этих языков являются представители разных культур и народностей. Все они имеют свои особенности и свою специфику, что является, как указывает А. А. Потебня, неотъемлемой составляющей существования человечества: «Если бы объединение человечества по языку и вообще по народности было возможно, оно было бы гибельно для общечеловеческой мысли, как замена многих чувств одним, хотя бы это одно было не осязанием, а зрением. Для существования человека нужны другие люди; для народности – другие народности

A polymeric colchicinoid prodrug with reduced toxicity and improved efficacy for vascular disruption in cancer therapy

Colchicinoids are very potent tubulin-binding compounds, which interfere with microtubule formation, giving them strong cytotoxic properties, such as cell mitosis inhibition and induction of microcytoskeleton depolymerization. While this makes them promising vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) in cancer therapy, their dose-limiting toxicity has prevented any clinical application for this purpose. Therefore, colchicinoids are considered attractive lead molecules for the development of novel vascular disrupting nanomedicine. In a previous study, a polymeric colchicinoid prodrug that showed favorable hydrolysis characteristics at physiological conditions was developed. In the current study, this polymeric colchicinoid prodrug was evaluated in vitro and in vivo for its toxicity and vascular disrupting potential. Cell viability studies with human umbilical vein endothelial cells, as an in vitro measure for colchicine activity, reflected the degradation kinetics of the prodrug accordingly. Upon intravenous treatment, in vivo, of B16F10 melanoma-bearing mice with colchicine or with the polymeric colchicinoid prodrug, apparent vascular disruption and consequent tumor necrosis was observed for the prodrug but not for free colchicine at an equivalent dose. Moreover, a five-times-higher dose of the prodrug was well tolerated, indicating reduced toxicity. These findings demonstrate that the polymeric colchicinoid prodrug has a substantially improved efficacy/toxicity ratio compared with that of colchicine, making it a promising VDA for cancer therapy

Révision taxonomique et morphologie pollinique du genre <i>Gongrodiscus</i> (Sapindaceae).

Une révision du genre Gongrodiscus Radlk. (Sapindaceae), endémique de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, est présentée. Une espèce nouvelle, G. bilocularis, est décrite. Une clef et les descriptions des trois espèces sont données. De plus, la morphologie du pollen est décrite.The endemic New Caledonian genus Gongrodiscus Radlk. (Sapindaceae) is revised. One new species is described: G. bilocularis. A key to the three species and descriptions are given. In addition, the morphology of the pollen is described

Pollen morphology of genus Rubus L. Part III. Studies on the Malesian species of subgenera Chamaebatus L. and Idaeobatus L.

The results of pollen morphology of Malesian Rubus species are presented. The pollen samples represented 2 subgenera; 2 species of subgenus Chamaebatus (R. calycinus, R. pectinellus) and 13 species of subgenus Idaeobatus (R. acuminatissimus, R. alpestris, R. archboldianus, R. chrysogaeus, R. copelandii, R. ellipticus, R. ferdinandi-muelleri, R. fraxinifolius, R. niveus, R. lorentzianus, R. macgregorii, R. montis-wilhelmi, R. papuanus). The examination of these species has been made by SEM for the first time and also by LM. Detailed descriptions of the pollen grains are given. As in the majority of Rubus species, pollen grains of both subgenera are isopolar and trizonocolporate. The pollen grains were small for some species of the subgenus Idaeobatus only, medium for both subgenera: Chamaebatus and Idaeobatus. The thickest exine was observed among the species of subgenus Chamaebatus and in R. macgregorii of subgenus Idaeobatus. The ornamentation of the studied pollen has shown a great variability. Except for the typical striate ornamentation of the genus, rugulate (R. archboldianus), striatescabrate (R. lorentzianus) and striate-rugulate (R. macgregorii) ornamentation has been observed.New Guinean morphologically similar pinnate Rubus ferdinandi-muelleri, R. montis-wilhelmi, R. papuanus, have pollen with specific type of striate pattern, which is characterised by relatively high muri with variable thickness and lumina filled with granules. Some of their muri resemble baculae typical only for R. chamaemorus. The pollen morphology analysis leads to the conclusion that Rubus montis-wilhelmi and R. papuanus of subgenus Idaeobatus are the closest related species and morphologically very close to R. ferdinandi-muelleri. Since Focke placed the latter species in section Pungentes of the subgenus Idaeobatus, and the two first species were unknown to him - the authors suggest to include them into this section.Despite of the different origin and various types of leaves R. chrysogaeus, R. acuminatissimus and R. niveus have shown similarities in pollen morphology and are grouped together. On the basis of the same criteria, R. copelandii, R. ellipticus and R. fraxinifolius could have been grouped together, as well as R. alpestris and R. macgregorii. Trifoliolate R. archboldianus and R. lorentzianus have not shown similarities of pollen ornamentation to each other and to the previous mentioned species

Molecular and Morphological Characterization of a New Monotypic Genus of Annonaceae, Mwasumbia, from Tanzania

The coastal lowland rain forests of eastern Africa are well known for their high levels of plant endemism. A new genus of Annonaceae, Mwasumbia , is described from Tanzania, underscoring this high biodiversity and represented by a single species, Mwasumbia alba . The new genus presents several morphological characters suggesting a close relationship to two other African genera, Greenwayodendron and Polyceratocarpus. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian molecular phylogenetic analyses based on two plastid markers, rbcL and the trnL-trnF region, strongly support the close relationship of these three genera to one another as well as to two other African genera, Annickia and Piptostigma. Together these five genera form a moderately supported clade within the so-called short-branch clade of Annonaceae. A detailed morphological and palynological comparison between Mwasumbia and the four other genera shows that this new genus exhibits a combination of features unique within this group: intermediate tertiary leaf venation, exclusively bisexual flowers, slightly imbricate sepals, valvate petals, outer and inner petals equal in length, numerous stamens, four carpels, few and uniseriate ovules, few and sessile monocarps, and verrucate sulculate pollen grains. Phylogenetic analyses also suggest the genus Piptostigma, as currently circumscribed, to be paraphyletic. An IUCN conservation status of VU D2 is proposed, reflecting the narrow distribution of the single species