Behaviour-based authentication in the built enviromnent

This paper proposes a novel method of authentication of users in secure buildings. The main objective is to investigate whether user actions in the built environment can produce consistent behavioural signatures upon which a building intrusion detection system could be based. In the process three behavioural expressions were discovered: time-invariant, co-dependent and idiosyncratic.

Regeneration reuse in the context of the waste management cycle of the built environment

This original study creates a philosophy of regeneration reuse, which is a conceptual framework that utilises construction and demolition waste products by building component, relocation and adaptive reuse. Case studies from the greater Brisbane, wider southeast Queensland region and greater London area are used to demonstrate the principles of regeneration reuse through research activities, analysis and evaluation. The regeneration reuse conceptual process draws upon assessing embodied carbon and sustainable benefits to deconstruct rather than destruct, and consider alternative options to waste treatment technologies in the built environment. The importance of waste management is examined, specifically the impacts of governance to the principles of regeneration reuse through analysis of legislation in the Australian and UK jurisdictions. Design process considerations when incorporating the principles of regeneration reuse are defined, and phasing and staging assessment explored to determine the most effective point of intervention in the design process to include waste management strategies.

Can water security be achieved in the urban environment through the implementation of the Neo Institutional theory government regulation and legislation?

The research seeks to address the current global water crisis and the built environments effect on the increasing demand for sustainability and water security. The fundamental question in determining the correct approach for water security in the built environment is whether government regulation and legislation could provide the framework for sustainable development and the conscious shift providing that change is the only perceivable option, there is no alternative. This article will attempt to analyse the value of the neo institutional theory as a method for directing individuals and companies to conform to water saving techniques. As is highlighted throughout the article, it will be investigated whether an incentive verse punishment approach to government legislations and regulations would provide the framework required to ensure water security within the built environment. Individuals and companies make certain choices or perform certain actions not because they fear punishment or attempt to conform; neither do they do so because an action is appropriate or feels some sort of social obligation. Instead, the cognitive element of neo institutionalism suggests that individuals make certain choices because they can conceive no alternative. The research seeks to identify whether sustainability and water security can become integrated into all aspects of design and architecture through the perception that 'there is no alternative.' This report seeks to address the omission of water security in the built environment by reporting on a series of investigations, interviews, literature reviews, exemplars and statistics relating to the built environment and the potential for increased water security. The results and analysis support the conclusions that through the support of government and local council, sustainability in the built environment could be achieved and become common practice for developments. Highlighted is the approach required for water management systems integration into the built environment and how these can be developed and maintained effectively between cities, states, countries and cultures.

Osteoporosis case finding in the general practice: phalangeal radiographic absorptiometry with and without risk factors for osteoporosis to select postmenopausal women eligible for lumbar spine and hip densitometry

Mass screening for osteoporosis using DXA measurements at the spine and hip is presently not recommended by health authorities. Instead, risk factor questionnaires and peripheral bone measurements may facilitate the selection of women eligible for axial bone densitometry. The aim of this study was to validate a case finding strategy for postmenopausal women who would benefit most from subsequent DXA measurement by using phalangeal radiographic absorptiometry (RA) alone or in combination with risk factors in a general practice setting. The sensitivity and specificity of this strategy in detecting osteoporosis (T-score < or =2.5 SD at the spine and/or the hip) were compared with those of the current reimbursement criteria for DXA measurements in Switzerland. Four hundred and twenty-three postmenopausal women with one or more risk factors for osteoporosis were recruited by 90 primary care physicians who also performed the phalangeal RA measurements. All women underwent subsequent DXA measurement of the spine and the hip at the Osteoporosis Policlinic of the University Hospital of Berne. They were allocated to one of two groups depending on whether they matched with the Swiss reimbursement conditions for DXA measurement or not. Logistic regression models were used to predict the likelihood of osteoporosis versus "no osteoporosis" and to derive ROC curves for the various strategies. Differences in the areas under the ROC curves (AUC) were tested for significance. In women lacking reimbursement criteria, RA achieved a significantly larger AUC (0.81; 95% CI 0.72-0.89) than the risk factors associated with patients' age, height and weight (0.71; 95% C.I. 0.62-0.80). Furthermore, in this study, RA provided a better sensitivity and specificity in identifying women with underlying osteoporosis than the currently accepted criteria for reimbursement of DXA measurement. In the Swiss environment, RA is a valid case finding tool for patients with risk factors for osteoporosis, especially for those who do not qualify for DXA reimbursement.

Needleless connectors:the way forward in the prevention of catheter-related infections?

Letter to the Editor

The C=S stretching frequency and the “-N-C=S bands” in the infrared

A correlation of the infrared spectra of thiocarbonyl derivatives based on the literature data has been carried out. Assignments have also been made in some new systems. Since simple alkyl thioketones are unstable, we have prepared thiofenchone in order to obtain a reference C=S stretching frequency. The C=S stretching frequency in thiofenchone has been found around 1180 cm−1 which is in fair agreement with the value calculated for thioformaldehyde. In the case of the thiocarbonyl derivatives where the C=S group is linked to elements other than nitrogen, the stretching frequency is generally found in the region 1025–1225 cm−1. Strong vibrational coupling is operative in the case of the nitrogen containing thiocarbonyl derivatives and three bands seem to consistently appear in the regions 1395–1570 cm−1, 1260–1420 cm−1, 940–1140 cm−1 due to the mixed vibrations. These bands, which may be tentatively designated as the “-N-C=S I, II and III bands”, could be useful in qualitative analysis.

Engagement of CF3 Group in N-H center dot center dot center dot F-C Hydrogen Bond in the Solution State: NMR Spectroscopy and MD Simulation Studies

Unambiguous evidence for the engagement of CF3 group in N-H center dot center dot center dot F-C hydrogen bond in a low polarity solvent, the first observation of its kind, is reported. The presence of such weak molecular interactions in the solution state is convincingly established by one and two-dimensional H-1, F-19, and natural abundant N-15 NMR spectroscopic studies. The strong and direct evidence is derived by the observation of through-space couplings, such as, (1h)J(FH), (1h)J(FN), and (2h)J(FF), where the spin polarization is transmitted through hydrogen bond. In an interesting example of a molecule containing two CF3 groups getting simultaneously involved in hydrogen bond, where hydrogen bond mediated couplings are not reflected in the NMR spectrum, F-19-F-19 NOESY experiment yielded confirmatory evidence. Significant deviations in the strengths of (1)J(NH), variable temperature, and the solvent induced perturbations yielded additional support. The NMR results are corroborated by both DFT calculations and MD simulations, where the quantitative information on different ways of involvement of fluorine in two and three centered hydrogen bonds, their percentage of occurrences, and geometries have been obtained. The hydrogen bond interaction energies have also been calculated.

On the Utility of Microscopy and C-Scan Techniques in the Study of Defects Arising From Resin Infusion Process and a Study on the Influence of Voids on the Impact Behavior of CFRP Composites

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic composites were fabricated through vacuum resin infusion technology by adopting two different processing conditions, viz., vacuum only in the first and vacuum plus external pressure in the next, in order to generate two levels of void-bearing samples. They were relatively graded as higher and lower void-bearing ones, respectively. Microscopy and C-scan techniques were utilized to describe the presence of voids arising from the two different processing parameters. Further, to determine the influence of voids on impact behavior, the fabricated +45 degrees/90 degrees/-45 degrees composite samples were subjected to low velocity impacts. The tests show impact properties like peak load and energy to peak load registering higher values for the lower void-bearing case where as the total energy, energy for propagation and ductility indexes were higher for the higher void-bearing ones. Fractographic analysis showed that higher void-bearing samples display lower number of separation of layers in the laminate. These and other results are described and discussed in this report.

Functional roles of N-terminal and C-terminal domains in the overall activity of a novel single-stranded DNA binding protein of Deinococcus radiodurans

Single-stranded DNA binding protein (Ssb) of Deinococcus radiodurans comprises N- and C-terminal oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide binding (OB) folds connected by a beta hairpin connector. To assign functional roles to the individual OB folds, we generated three Ssb variants: Ssb(N) (N-terminal without connector), Ssb(NC) (N-terminal with connector) and Ssb(C) (C-terminal), each harboring one OB fold. Both Ssb(N) and Ssb(NC) displayed weak single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding activity, compared to the full-length Ssb (Ssb(FL)). The level of ssDNA binding activity displayed by SsbC was intermediate between Ssb(FL) and Ssb(N). Ssb(C) and Ssb(FL) predominantly existed as homo-dimers while Ssb(NC)/Ssb(N) formed different oligomeric forms. In vitro, Ssb(NC) or Ssb(N) formed a binary complex with Ssb(C) that displayed enhanced ssDNA binding activity. Unlike Ssb(FL), Ssb variants were able to differentially modulate topoisomerase-I activity, but failed to stimulate Deinococcal RecA-promoted DNA strand exchange. The results suggest that the C-terminal OB fold is primarily responsible for ssDNA binding. The N-terminal OB fold binds weakly to ssDNA but is involved in multimerization. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Federation of European Biochemical Societies. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.