An evaluation of the applicability of 4D CAD on construction projects

4D CAD models that integrate physical 3D elements with time, have been used to visualize construction processes in several projects worldwide. 4D models have been used and have been shown to have benefits over processes that span the entire lifecycle of a project such as collaboration with stakeholders, making design decisions, assessing project constructability, identifying spatial conflicts in construction and so on. Despite these benefits, several organizational and project-specific barriers have hindered the widespread adoption of 4D CAD. In order to reconcile the theoretical benefits of 4D models with the practical difficulties faced in implementation, there is an urgent need to explore the implementation of 4D models on construction sites as well as the perceptions of intended users/beneficiaries towards this implementation. This paper aims to address this need and contribute to our understanding of how 4D models must be introduced, positioned and implemented on construction sites, so as to maximize both their acceptability and their usefulness. We describe two 4D models of infrastructure projects and two 4D models of commercial projects that have been built and implemented. Through a process of structured and unstructured interviewing the paper gauges the response of project participants across various organizational levels on each of these projects as to the usefulness of 4D in project planning and control. Through qualitative and statistical analysis of the data we establish that 4D CAD is likely to be most beneficial in the project shaping or planning stage and in the construction stage. In the project shaping stage, 4D CAD is likely to be particularly useful in communicating construction plans and processes to clients, while during the construction phase, 4D CAD is likely to be particularly useful in comparing the constructability of work methods visually in order to detect conflicts or clashes, and as a visual tool for contractors, clients, subcontractors and vendors to review and plan project progress. Further, upper management and site workers are more likely to use and derive benefits from the visualization of processes using 4D given their lack of site related knowledge or skills, while construction professionals who are more construction-savvy are more likely to appreciate and benefit from the analytical and planning aids that 4D simulations provide during the construction phase. However, it is likely that despite these benefits 4D CAD models might not diffuse through the construction industry unless 4D modelling and analysis is integrated into existing project planning approaches. The paper concludes with a brief discussion on future 4D software development that seeks to bring about such integration and leverages the benefits of 4D CAD to bring about improved operational efficiencies on construction sites.     

New insights into the density of states of graphene oxide using capacitive photocurrent spectroscopy

Capacitive photocurrent spectroscopy is used to probe the electronic states of graphene-oxide, and reduced graphene-oxide. Three peaks are observed whose intensities scale with the oxygen coverage. The energy of these peaks correlate with the luminescence spectra reported for graphene-oxide. Using a fitting procedure, the density of states for graphene oxide is extracted from the data. It consists of the π/π¹ states along with a distribution of mid-gap states centered at three different energies near the Dirac point. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements are used to identify the oxygen functional groups corresponding to the observed state distribution.     

A double homotopy method for decentralised control design

An iterative algorithm that is based on the idea of two homotopy paths is proposed for output feedback decentralised ?_∞ control design. The approach follows a bilinear matrix inequality (BMI) formulation of the decentralised control problem. Along one homotopy path the BMI problem, which is non-convex, is locally linearised and solved. Along the second homotopy path the controller is deformed at each step so that in the end it attains a decentralised structure. The proposed computational algorithm can also be applied to obtain reduced-order decentralised controllers. Numerical examples are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.     

Potent inhibitors of LXXLL-based protein-protein interactions

Protein-protein interactions between estrogen receptors, ERalpha and ERbeta, and their coactivators (CoAs) are an attractive target for drug intervention. This interaction is mediated by a small pentapeptide motif (LXXLL), termed the NR box. Based on this motif, a variety of cyclic and linear peptides were synthesized in order to gain a better understanding of the association of CoA proteins with the ER isoforms. Utilizing a time-resolved florescence-based coactivator interaction assay, we determined the abilities of these peptides to inhibit this interaction. Using molecular modeling and CD spectroscopy, we have examined the structural basis of their bioactivities with both hormone receptor isoforms. Either homocysteine or penicillamine was utilized as a substitute for cysteine in the disulfide-bridged peptides, while tertiary leucine and neopentyl glycine were used as the surrogates for the NR box leucines. The most potent disufide-bridged peptide (K(i)= 70 pM, with ERalpha) incorporates neopentyl glycine in the NR box, while the most active peptide in this series with ERbeta (K(i)=350 pM) incorporates tertiary leucine. Surprisingly, several linear peptides containing a single cysteine residue showed activities with low nanomolar K(i) values. Collectively, our results suggest a synthetic approach for designing potent and selective peptidomimetics for ERalpha and ERbeta interactions with CoA proteins effecting estrogen action.     

Effects of nucleosomes and anti-tumor drugs on the catalytic activity of type II DNA topoisomerase from rat testis

To gain insight into the relative catalytic efficiencies of mammalian type I and type II DNA topoisomerases, in the cellular context, we have used naked DNA and DNA incorporated into nucleosomes as substrates. We observed that the relaxation activity of both the enzymes declined with DNA containing increasing densities of nucleosomes; however, kinetic analysis revealed that topoisomerase I seemed less affected than topoisomerase II. The addition of histone H1, in stoichiometric amounts, to naked DNA or minichromosomes lessened the activity of topoisomerase II, and required 7-fold less for complete inhibition when the latter was used as the substrate. To ascertain if the observed differences are specific to topoisomerase II from testis, we examined the effect of nucleosomes on the catalytic efficiency of its isoform from liver. Interestingly, the suppression of relaxation activity of liver topoisomerase II required substrates containing higher mass ratios of histone octamer/DNA. Studies on the effect of nucleosomes on the action of teniposide displayed significant differences in the kinetics of the reaction, in its IC50 values, and have provided biochemical evidence for the first time that nucleosomes increased inhibition caused by teniposide. Further, this feature appears to be specific for topoisomerase II-directed drugs and is not shared by the generic class of either DNA-intercalating or non-DNA-intercalating ligands.     

Effect of Shot Blasting and Shot Peening Parameters on Residual Stresses Induced in Connecting Rod

This paper investigates the effect of shot blasting and shot peening parameters on residual stresses induced in connecting rod. Compressive residual stresses are induced using shot peening to increase fatigue life of connecting rod. Shot peening is also responsible for increase in surface roughness. Surface roughness is detrimental for fatigue life of the connecting rod. This necessitates shot blasting to reduce surface roughness. Shot peening and shot blasting processes are analysed to find optimum process parameters which will induce required value of compressive residual stress on the surface of connecting rod. Compressive residual stresses induced in the connecting rod specimen have been experimentally measured using X-ray stress analyser. The experimental results have been analysed using grey relational analysis to find optimum values of process parameters for target value of compressive residual stress and surface roughness. The experimental investigation and the analysis of it have resulted in achieving the desired value of compressive residual stress, which is 10.5% higher over the existing connecting rod. Surface roughness also decreases to 3.84 Ra which is 8.5% lesser than specified value to achieve better fatigue life.     

Purification and functional characterization of type II DNA topoisomerase from rat testis and comparison with topoisomerase II from liver

Human hexokinase type I is a 100-kDa enzyme with the catalytic site located in the C-terminal domain. We had previously expressed this domain in Escherichia coli, however only a small amount of the recombinant enzyme was catalytically active. To overcome this problem we have now expressed the "mini"-hexokinase using the pET expression system. An average of 1000 U of enzyme per liter of culture was obtained. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity by a combination of ion-exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, and dye-ligand chromatography. The enzyme was unstable under ultrafiltration; thus, a multicolumn purification procedure was developed in order to avoid the ultrafiltration steps. The recombinant "mini"-hexokinase was found to have the same kinetic properties as the entire enzyme. Using the method described, the enzyme can be obtained in sufficient quantities for biophysical and biochemical investigations.     

Fluidised bed membrane reactor for ultrapure hydrogen production via methane steam reforming: Experimental demonstration and model validation

Hydrogen is emerging as a future alternative for mobile and stationary energy carriers in addition to its use in chemical and petrochemical applications. A novel multifunctional reactor concept has been developed for the production of ultrapure hydrogen from light hydrocarbons such as methane for online use in downstream polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. A high degree of process intensification can be achieved by integrating perm-selective hydrogen membranes for selective hydrogen removal to shift the methane steam reforming and water-gas-shift equilibriums in the favourable direction and perm-selective oxygen membranes for selective oxygen addition to supply the required reaction energy via partial oxidation of part of the methane feed and enable pure CO₂ capture without costly post-treatment. This can be achieved in a proposed novel multifunctional bi-membrane bi-section fluidised bed reactor [Patil, C.S., van Sint Annaland, M., Kuipers, J.A.M., 2005. Design of a novel autothermal membrane assisted fluidized bed reactor for the production of ultrapure hydrogen from methane. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research 44, 9502-9512]. In this paper, an experimental proof of principle for the steam reforming/water-gas-shift section of the proposed novel fluidised bed membrane reactor is presented. A fluidised bed membrane reactor for steam reforming of methane/water-gas-shift on a commercial noble metal-based catalyst has been designed and constructed using 10 H₂ perm-selective Pd membranes for a fuel cell power output in the range of 50-100 W. It has been experimentally demonstrated that by the insertion of the membranes in the fluidised bed, the thermodynamic equilibrium constraints can indeed be overcome, i.e., increased CH₄ conversion, decreased CO selectivity and higher product yield (H₂ produced/CH₄ reacted). Experiments at different superficial gas velocities and also at different temperatures and pressures (carried out in the regime without kinetic limitations) revealed enhanced reactor performance at higher temperatures and pressures (3-4 bar). With a phenomenological two-phase reactor model for the fluidised bed membrane reactor, incorporating a separately developed lumped flux expression for the H₂ permeation rate through the used Pd-based membranes, the measured data from the fluidised bed membrane reactor could be well described, provided that axial gas back-mixing in the membrane-assisted fluidised bed reactor is negligible. This indicates that the membrane reactor behaviour approached that of an ideal isothermal plug flow reactor with maximum H₂ permeation.