Bus Transportation – Córas Iompair Éireann and Michael Scott

The book acts as a companion to the Irish pavilion at the 2014 Venice Biennale for Architecture. This chapter examines the context of roads transport and then analyses how its architectural infrastructure developed in this period, concentrating on the work carried out mainly by one Irish firm: Michael Scott and Partners.

Lady Nugent and Tom Cringle on the veranda : early nineteenth century observations on a Caribbean architectural feature

This study of the veranda as seen through the eyes of Lady Maria Nugent and Michael Scott, alias Tom Cringle, clearly demonstrates the important role that the piazza, as it was then more commonly known, played in the life of early nineteenth century Caribbean colonial society. The popularity of the veranda throughout the region, in places influenced by different European as well as African cultures, and among all classes of people, suggests that the appeal of this typical feature was based on something more than architectural fashion. A place of relative comfort in hot weather, the veranda is also a space at the interface of indoors and outdoors which allows for a wide variety of uses, for solitary or small or large group activities, many of which were noted by Nugent and Scott. Quintessentially, the veranda is a place in which to relax and take pleasure, not least of which is the enjoyment of the prospect, be it a panoramic view, a peaceful garden or a lively street scene. Despite the great changes in the nature of society, in the Caribbean and in many other parts of the world, the veranda and related structures such as the balcony continue to play at least as important a role in daily life as they did two centuries ago. The veranda of today’s Californian or Australian bungalow, and the balcony of the apartment block in the residential area of the modern city are among the contemporary equivalents of the lower and upper piazzas of Lady Nugent’s and Tom Cringle’s day.

Soft-bottom benthic assemblages and levels of contaminants in sediments and biota at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and nearby shelf waters off the coast of Georgia (2000 and 2001)

A series of studies was initiated to assess the condition of benthic macroinfauna and chemical contaminant levels in sediments and biota of the Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary (GRNMS) and nearby shelf waters off the coast of Georgia. Four key objectives of the research are (1) to document existing environmental conditions within the sanctuary in order to provide a quantitative benchmark for tracking any future changes due to either natural or human disturbances; (2) to examine broader cross-shelf spatial patterns in benthic fauna and sediment contaminant concentrations and to identify potential controlling factors associated with the observed patterns; (3) to assess any between-year temporal variability in benthic fauna; and (4) to evaluate the importance of benthic fauna as prey for higher trophic levels. Such questions are being addressed to help fulfill long-term science and management goals of the GRNMS. However, it is anticipated that the information will be of additional value in broadening our understanding of the surrounding South Atlantic Bight (SAB) ecosystem and in bringing the knowledge to bear on related resourcemanagement issues of the region. We have begun to address the first three of these objectives with data from samples collected in spring 2000 at stations within GRNMS, and in spring 2001 at stations within the sanctuary and along three cross-shelf transects extending from the mouths of Sapelo, Doboy, and Altamaha Sounds out to sanctuary depths (about 17-20 m). This report provides a description of baseline conditions within the sanctuary, based on results of the spring 2000 survey (Section II), and uses data from both 2000 and 2001 to examine overall spatial and temporal patterns in biological and chemical variables within the sanctuary and surrounding inner-shelf environment (Section III). (PDF contains 65 pages)

Hepatocyte growth factor enhances the generation of high-purity oligodendrocytes from human embryonic stem cells

Generation of homogeneous oligodendrocytes as donor cells is essential for human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based cell therapy for demylinating diseases. Herein we present a novel method for efficiently obtaining mature oligodendrocytes from hESCs with high purity (79.7 +/- 6.9%), using hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and G5 supplement(containing insulin, transferrin, selenite, biotin, hydrocortisone, basic fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor) in a four-step method. We induced hESCs into neural progenitors (NP) with HGF (5 ng/ml) and G5 (1 x) supplemented medium in an adherent differentiation system. The purified NPs were amplified in suspension as neurospheres for 1 month, and terminal oligodendrocyte differentiation was then induced by G5 supplement withdrawal and HGF treatment (20 ng/ml). The cells generated displayed typical morphologies of mature oligodendrocytes and expressed oligodendrocyte markers O4 and myelin basic protein (MBP). Our result revealed that HGF significantly enhanced the proliferation of hESC-derived NPs and promoted the differentiation as well as the maturation of oligodendrocytes from NPs. Further studies suggest that HGF/c-Met signaling pathway might play an important role in oligodendrocyte differentiation in our system. Our studies provide a means for generating the clinically relevant cell type and a platform for deciphering the molecular mechanisms that control oligodendrocyte differentiation. (C) 2009 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

QUANTITATIVE THREE DIMENSIONAL ELASTICITY IMAGING

Neoplastic tissue is typically highly vascularized, contains abnormal concentrations of extracellular proteins (e.g. collagen, proteoglycans) and has a high interstitial fluid pres- sure compared to most normal tissues. These changes result in an overall stiffening typical of most solid tumors. Elasticity Imaging (EI) is a technique which uses imaging systems to measure relative tissue deformation and thus noninvasively infer its mechanical stiffness. Stiffness is recovered from measured deformation by using an appropriate mathematical model and solving an inverse problem. The integration of EI with existing imaging modal- ities can improve their diagnostic and research capabilities. The aim of this work is to develop and evaluate techniques to image and quantify the mechanical properties of soft tissues in three dimensions (3D). To that end, this thesis presents and validates a method by which three dimensional ultrasound images can be used to image and quantify the shear modulus distribution of tissue mimicking phantoms. This work is presented to motivate and justify the use of this elasticity imaging technique in a clinical breast cancer screening study. The imaging methodologies discussed are intended to improve the specificity of mammography practices in general. During the development of these techniques, several issues concerning the accuracy and uniqueness of the result were elucidated. Two new algorithms for 3D EI are designed and characterized in this thesis. The first provides three dimensional motion estimates from ultrasound images of the deforming ma- terial. The novel features include finite element interpolation of the displacement field, inclusion of prior information and the ability to enforce physical constraints. The roles of regularization, mesh resolution and an incompressibility constraint on the accuracy of the measured deformation is quantified. The estimated signal to noise ratio of the measured displacement fields are approximately 1800, 21 and 41 for the axial, lateral and eleva- tional components, respectively. The second algorithm recovers the shear elastic modulus distribution of the deforming material by efficiently solving the three dimensional inverse problem as an optimization problem. This method utilizes finite element interpolations, the adjoint method to evaluate the gradient and a quasi-Newton BFGS method for optimiza- tion. Its novel features include the use of the adjoint method and TVD regularization with piece-wise constant interpolation. A source of non-uniqueness in this inverse problem is identified theoretically, demonstrated computationally, explained physically and overcome practically. Both algorithms were test on ultrasound data of independently characterized tissue mimicking phantoms. The recovered elastic modulus was in all cases within 35% of the reference elastic contrast. Finally, the preliminary application of these techniques to tomosynthesis images showed the feasiblity of imaging an elastic inclusion.

Use of breakpoint combination sensitivity testing as a simple and convenient method to evaluate the combined effects of ceftazidime and tobramycin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia complex isolates in vitro

An in vitro method of determining the activity of antibiotics in combination which is simple and convenient to perform and which could be used routinely in clinical microbiology laboratories is desirable. We investigated the activity, against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia complex clinical isolates, of ceftazidime and tobramycin in combination using a broth macrodilution sensitivity method based on breakpoint minimum inhibitory concentrations and compared the results obtained using this method with those obtained using the microtitre checkerboard method. There was good agreement in interpretation of results between the two methods for both P. aeruginosa (90%) and B. cepacia complex isolates (70%) with tobramycin and for P. aeruginosa isolates (70%) with ceftazidime. As the breakpoint combination sensitivity testing method employs only four tubes and does not require initial determination of individual antibiotic minimum inhibitory concentrations, it is simpler and more convenient for determining the activity of antibiotics in combination than the microtitre checkerboard method. The use of this method in routine microbiology laboratories to determine the activity of antibiotic combinations against clinical isolates should optimise treatment of infection by ensuring that appropriate antibiotic combinations are prescribed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teenagers in adult psychiatric inpatient care in Northern Ireland

Objectives: To investigate the nature and pattern of teenage admissions (13-18yrs) to the 14 adult psychiatric units in Northern Ireland (NI) between 1989 and 1995.

John O. McKellar (ship) certificates, 1952-1983.

The John O. McKellar was a ship that belonged to the Scott Misener fleet. The first ship named after McKellar was launched on Januaray 25, 1929, from Wallsend, England, and was bound for Sault St. Marie, Ontario. This ship became part of the Colonial Steamship Company in 1950, and in 1952 was renamed the J.G. Irwin when construction of a new John O. McKellar was completed. John Oscar McKellar was born on June 28, 1878 in Lobo Township, Middlesex County, west of London, Ont. He worked as a marine engineer, and became acquainted with Robert Scott Misener when the two were shipmates serving with the Algoma central fleet. In 1919, the two men joined forces to run a shipping company. Together, they purchased the wooden steamer "Simon Langell", and worked together on the ship for the next three years. Throughout his career with Misener's company, John McKellar served as Chief Engineer, then Marine Superintendent, and finally Secretary-Treasurer. He died on September 19, 1951.

Gilles Deleuze : the problem of aesthetic constructions with case studies on the architectural projects of Louis Kahn

Analyses the late aesthetic writings of philosopher Gilles Deleuze, arguing that : Deleuze continuously refers to modern art and architecture as models of modernist thinking; his method can serve in the analysis and creation of architecture; this can be demonstrated through analysis of the work of architect Louis Kahn.

From cytoplasm to environment: The inorganic ingredients for the origin of life

Early in its history, Earth's surface developed from an uninhabitable magma ocean to a place where life could emerge. The first organisms, lacking ion transporters, fixed the composition of their cradle environment in their intracellular fluid. Later, though life adapted and spread, it preserved some qualities of its initial environment within. Modern prokaryotes could thus provide insights into the conditions of early Earth and the requirements for the emergence of life. In this work, we constrain Earth's life-forming environment through detailed analysis of prokaryotic intracellular fluid. Rigorous assessment of the constraints placed on the early Earth environment by intracellular liquid will provide insight into the conditions of abiogenesis, with implications not only for our understanding of early Earth but also the formation of life elsewhere in the Universe. Copyright © 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2013.