Environmental aspects of tensile membrane enclosed spaces

Buildings enclosed by fabric membranes are very sensitive to changes in environmental conditions as a result of their low mass and low thermal insulation values. Development in material technology and the understanding of the structural behaviour of tensile membrane structures along with the vast progress in computer formfinding software, has made it possible for structural design of tensile membrane structures to be approached with almost total confidence. On the contrary, understanding of the environmental behaviour in the spaces enclosed by fabric membrane and their thermal performance is still in its infancy, which to some extent has hindered their wide acceptance by the building industry. The environmental behaviour of tensile membrane structures is outlined and the possible use of the fabric’s topology and geometry particularly to enhance ventilation rates and airflow velocities within the enclosed space is discussed. A need for further research in this area is identified in order to fully realise the potential benefits offered by these structures

Final height in girls with turner syndrome after long-term growth hormone treatment in three dosages and low dose estrogens

Although GH treatment for short stature in Turner syndrome is an accepted treatment in many countries, which GH dosage to use and which age to start puberty induction are issues of debate. This study shows final height (FH) in 60 girls with Turner syndrome treated in a randomized dose-response trial, combining GH treatment with low dose estrogens at a relatively young age. Girls were randomly assigned to group A (4 IU/m(2).d; approximately 0.045 mg/kg/d), group B (first year, 4 IU/m(2).d; thereafter 6 IU/m(2).d), or group C (first year, 4 IU/m(2).d; second year, 6 IU/m(2).d; thereafter, 8 IU/m(2).d). After a minimum of 4 yr of GH treatment, at a mean age of 12.7 +/- 0.7 yr, low dose micronized 17beta-estradiol was given orally. After a mean duration of GH treatment of 8.6 +/- 1.9 yr, FH was reached at a mean age of 15.8 +/- 0.9 yr. FH, expressed in centimeters or SD score, was 157.6 +/- 6.5 or -1.6 +/- 1.0 in group A, 162.9 +/- 6.1 or -0.7 +/- 1.0 in group B, and 163.6 +/- 6.0 or -0.6 +/- 1.0 in group C. The difference in FH in centimeters, corrected for height SD score and age at start of treatment, was significant between groups A and B [regression coefficient, 4.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4, 6.9; P < 0.01], and groups A and C (coefficient, 5.0; 95% CI, 2.3, 7.7; P < 0.001), but not between groups B and C (coefficient, 0.9; 95% CI, -1.8, 3.6). Fifty of the 60 girls (83%) had reached a normal FH (FH SD score, more than -2). After starting estrogen treatment, the decrease in height velocity (HV) changed significantly to a stable HV, without affecting bone maturation (change in bone age/change in chronological age). The following variables contributed significantly to predicting FH SD score: GH dose, height SD score (ref. normal girls), chronological age at start of treatment, and HV in the first year of GH treatment. GH treatment was well tolerated. In conclusion, GH treatment leads to a normalization of FH in most girls, even when puberty is induced at a normal pubertal age. The optimal GH dosage depends on height and age at the start of treatment and first year HV

Structural analysis of the factors pertaining to attitudes toward and consciousness of organ donation : Comparison between Japanese and Americans

The purpose of this study is to analyze the background factors relating to opinions on organ donation through factorial and structural comparisons between Japanese and Americans. The data were obtained from responses to a questionnaire (371 Japanese and 41 Americans). The main findings are as follows: 1. Most of the factors, ‘a will for organ donation depending on a recipient’, ‘view of remains’, ‘understanding of brain death’ and so on showed significant differences between Japanese and Americans. 2. Japanese had a better understanding of brain death. On the other hand, the ratio of Americans who were willing to donate an organ was higher than that of Japanese. 3. It was revealed that “the approval of organ donation for the third person, not only for one's family” had an impact for having donor card showing the approval for organ donation. Furthermore, as underlying factors generating differences on organ transplant opinions, differences were found among Japanese between “approval of organ transplant” and the attitude assuming that oneself or a member of one's family was the person concerned with organ transplantation. There were also differences between Japanese and Americans on ideas about a view for life and death such as soul existence or view of remains. The argument for transplantation in Japan should consider these structural differences

Geochronology of igneous rocks in the Sierra Norte de Córdoba (Argentina): Implications for the Pampean evolution at the western Gondwana margin

U-Pb zircon data (secondary ion mass spectrometry [SIMS] and thermal ionization mass spectrometry [TIMS] analyses) from igneous rocks with differing structural fabrics in the Sierra Norte de Córdoba, western Argentina, suggest that the sedimentary, tectonic, and magmatic history in this part of the Eastern Sierras Pampeanas spans the late Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian. A deformed metarhyolite layer in metaclastic sedimentary rocks gives a crystallization age of 535 ± 5 Ma, providing a limit on the timing of the onset of D1 deformation and metamorphism. The new data coupled with published Neoproterozoic zircon dates from a rhyolite beneath the metaclastic section and detrital zircon ages from the section indicate a late Neoproterozoic to Early Cambrian depositional age, making this section time equivalent with the Puncoviscana Formation (sensu lato) of northwest Argentina. A synkinematic granite porphyry gives a crystallization age of 534 ± 5 Ma, providing a limit on the age of dextral mylonitization in the Sierra Norte area (D2 event). The new age is consistent with ages of 533 ± 4 Ma from a mylonitic granite with dextral sense-of-shear fabrics and 531 ± 4 Ma from a late-synkinematic dacitic porphyry, which broadly indicates the final age of dextral deformation. A crystallization age of zircons from the postkinematic, high-level El Tío granite (530 ± 4 Ma) suggests that both stages of Pampean deformation and regional metamorphism, accompanied by synkinematic intrusions, were followed by uplift and took place during a very short time span in the Early Cambrian. This is supported by zircon dates of 523 ± 5 Ma from a rhyolite to dacite in the western part of the Rodeito area and dates from the undeformed El Escondido rhyolite and granite of 519 ± 4 Ma and 521 ± 4 Ma, respectively. These three crystallization ages also indicate that ductile dextral shearing and mylonitization associated with the Pampean D2 event terminated in the Early Cambrian. Both stages of Pampean deformation in this segment of the western pre-Andean Gondwana margin seem to represent a continuous event that can be related to oblique dextral convergence between the overriding plate in the east and the subducting and finally colliding plate in the west. The postkinematic intrusions and extrusions are related to the late stage of the Pampean magmatic history, which terminated before Early Ordovician (Famatinian) time.Fil: Von Gosen, W.. Friedrich-Alexander-Universität; AlemaniaFil: McClelland, W. C.. University of Iowa; Estados UnidosFil: Loske, W.. Ludwig-Maximilians-UNiversität München; AlemaniaFil: Martinez, Juan Cruz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Bahía Blanca. Instituto Geológico del Sur; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Prozzi, Carlos. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Geologia. Catedra de Petrologia; Argentin