355 research outputs found
Innovative construction and the role of boundary objects: a Gehry case study
© 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Physical objects have long been used in addressing the challenges involved in constructing innovative buildings, yet their significance for collaborative problem solving in inter-organizational projects is rarely acknowledged. The aim of this research is to investigate what happens when a project team has to collaboratively innovate to address radical design challenges in a construction setting. We focus on the role of a full-scale mock-up of a façade in transforming the design intent for a building by Frank Gehry into design realization. The concept of boundary objects is used as an analytical lens via a case study methodology utilizing non-participant observation of weekly meetings and workshops over a period of 10 months covering client, consultant and contractor involvement. The research shows the role of mock-ups in radical construction settings is in tension along three delivery dimensions: performance, aesthetic and technical construction. Task completion competed with the requirements for experimentation around innovative problem solving with the how to construct it problem left unresolved. The findings suggest that co-location and synchronicity are critical conditions for collaborative and innovative problem solving in radical construction contexts. Project teams need to create open-ended ‘moments’ for iterating critical objects and the interactions that take place around them
Lineamientos a 2030 para la adaptación y mitigación al riesgo del aumento del nivel del mar (ANM) en el sector turístico del borde litoral de Cartagena de Indias-Colombia
Ponencia presentada en: VIII Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología celebrado en Salamanca entre el 25 y el 28 de septiembre de 2012.[ES]El ANM es uno de los efectos más contraproducentes del cambio climático en las costas
Colombianas. El borde litoral de Cartagena de Indias D. T y C, ha sufrido procesos de inundación y
erosión costera, especialmente en la zona comprendida entre Bocagrande y la Boquilla. Producto de
esto y de que no se observa una gestión integral para enfrentar el problema, se analizó la gestión
institucional del manejo del riesgo y la problemática asociada al ANM, para plantear lineamentos que
fortalecen procesos institucionales para la adaptación y mitigación con prospectiva a 20 años. En el
proceso, se evaluaron impactos ambientales generados y proyectados a 2030 y se caracterizó el
proceso de gestión institucional desarrollado en torno a esta temática.[EN]The sea level rise is one of the most counterproductive effects of climate change in Colombia’s
coast. The coastal edge of Cartagena has undergone flooding processes and coastal erosion especially
in the area between Bocagrande and La Boquilla. Based on this and the lack of an integral
management process to address the problem. We analyzed the institutional risk management and the
problems associated to the sea level rise in order to set guidelines that strengthen institutional
processes for adaptation and mitigation with 20 years prospective.
In the process, generated environmental impacts were evaluated and projected to 2030 and the
characterization of the institutional management process which was developed in relation to this
topic
Feasibility of Using Electronic Health Records for Cascade Monitoring and Cost Estimates in Implementation Science Studies in the Adolescent Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions
Background:One of the most difficult areas in the fight against HIV/AIDS is reaching out to youth aged 13 to 24 years. The proportion of youth living with HIV/AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and who are virally undetectable is low, highlighting significant challenges for reaching the Joint United Nations Program on HIV targets.
Objective:This study aimed to assess the feasibility of obtaining key clinical indicators and monitoring treatment, viral suppression, and retention components of the youth HIV treatment cascade in Adolescent Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions clinics using electronic health record (EHR) downloads and to provide baseline characteristics for the study participants.
Methods:EHR data were systematically obtained from multiple clinical sites and used to meaningfully capture clinical characteristics, initiation of antiretrovirals, and retention in care, which are part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 4 continuum of care measures. In addition, this study used standard cost values attached to Current Procedural Terminology codes to estimate the cost per visit.
Results:Only 2 of the 4 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention treatment cascade measures were assessed using routine EHR data. EHR data are not adequate for monitoring HIV testing or linkage to care because denominator data are not available. However, the data work well for measuring ART initiation and adequately for retention in care. The sites were broadly able to provide information for the required data. However, in most cases, these data are insufficient for identifying patterns of missed appointments because such misses are not captured in the EHR system. Sites with good access to data management resources can operate more efficiently for cascade monitoring study purposes.
Conclusions:Data other than EHRs are needed to measure HIV testing and linkage to youth care. EHR data are useful for measuring ART initiation and work moderately well for measuring retention in care. Site data management resources should be part of the selection process when looking for site partners for clinical studies that plan to use EHR data. Study planners should determine the feasibility of additional funding for organizations in need of additional information technology or data management resources
Hadronization of a Quark-Gluon Plasma in the Chromodielectric Model
We have carried out simulations of the hadronization of a hot, ideal but
effectively massive quark-gluon gas into color neutral clusters in the
framework of the semi-classical SU(3) chromodielectric model. We have studied
the possible quark-gluon compositions of clusters as well as the final mass
distribution and spectra, aiming to obtain an insight into relations between
hadronic spectral properties and the confinement mechanism in this model.Comment: 34 pages, 37 figure
Improved X-ray detection and particle identification with avalanche photodiodes
Avalanche photodiodes are commonly used as detectors for low energy x-rays.
In this work we report on a fitting technique used to account for different
detector responses resulting from photo absorption in the various APD layers.
The use of this technique results in an improvement of the energy resolution at
8.2 keV by up to a factor of 2, and corrects the timing information by up to 25
ns to account for space dependent electron drift time. In addition, this
waveform analysis is used for particle identification, e.g. to distinguish
between x-rays and MeV electrons in our experiment.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
Modified Quark-Meson Coupling Model for Nuclear Matter
The quark-meson coupling model for nuclear matter, which describes nuclear
matter as non-overlapping MIT bags bound by the self-consistent exchange of
scalar and vector mesons, is modified by introducing medium modification of the
bag constant. We model the density dependence of the bag constant in two
different ways: one invokes a direct coupling of the bag constant to the scalar
meson field, and the other relates the bag constant to the in-medium nucleon
mass. Both models feature a decreasing bag constant with increasing density. We
find that when the bag constant is significantly reduced in nuclear medium with
respect to its free-space value, large canceling isoscalar Lorentz scalar and
vector potentials for the nucleon in nuclear matter emerge naturally. Such
potentials are comparable to those suggested by relativistic nuclear
phenomenology and finite-density QCD sum rules. This suggests that the
reduction of bag constant in nuclear medium may play an important role in low-
and medium-energy nuclear physics.Comment: Part of the text is reordered, revised version to appear in Phys.
Rev. C. 19 pages, ReVTeX, 4 figures embedde
Neutron star properties in the quark-meson coupling model
The effects of internal quark structure of baryons on the composition and
structure of neutron star matter with hyperons are investigated in the
quark-meson coupling (QMC) model. The QMC model is based on mean-field
description of nonoverlapping spherical bags bound by self-consistent exchange
of scalar and vector mesons. The predictions of this model are compared with
quantum hadrodynamic (QHD) model calibrated to reproduce identical nuclear
matter saturation properties. By employing a density dependent bag constant
through direct coupling to the scalar field, the QMC model is found to exhibit
identical properties as QHD near saturation density. Furthermore, this modified
QMC model provides well-behaved and continuous solutions at high densities
relevant to the core of neutron stars. Two additional strange mesons are
introduced which couple only to the strange quark in the QMC model and to the
hyperons in the QHD model. The constitution and structure of stars with
hyperons in the QMC and QHD models reveal interesting differences. This
suggests the importance of quark structure effects in the baryons at high
densities.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figures, to appear in Physical Review
Elevated MED28 expression predicts poor outcome in women with breast cancer
Abstract Background MED28 (also known as EG-1 and magicin) has been implicated in transcriptional control, signal regulation, and cell proliferation. MED28 has also been associated with tumor progression in in vitro and in vivo models. Here we examined the association of MED28 expression with human breast cancer progression. Methods Expression of MED28 protein was determined on a population basis using a high-density tissue microarray consisting of 210 breast cancer patients. The association and validation of MED28 expression with histopathological subtypes, clinicopathological variables, and disease outcome was assessed. Results MED28 protein expression levels were increased in ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast compared to non-malignant glandular and ductal epithelium. Moreover, MED28 was a predictor of disease outcome in both univariate and multivariate analyses with higher expression predicting a greater risk of disease-related death. Conclusions We have demonstrated that MED28 expression is increased in breast cancer. In addition, although the patient size was limited (88 individuals with survival information) MED28 is a novel and strong independent prognostic indicator of survival for breast cancer
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