149 research outputs found
A Community Project: The students have their say, what can we learn?
No full textThe Gold Coast of Australia is noted for its real estate development around artificial canals connected to the Pacific Ocean. The coastline has been altered from the growth of both the tourism industry and the population, from 8,400 inhabitants in 1947 to over 555,000 inhabitants today (ABS 2015). Several districts have emerged from this process and Surfers Paradise is one of them, standing as an example of the densified waterfront, concentrated services, tourist attractions and housing.Griffith Sciences, Griffith School of EnvironmentFull Tex
Representations for evolutionary design modelling
No full textThis research looked at using the metaphor of biological evolution as a way of solving architectural design problems. Drawing from fields such as language grammars, algorithms and cellular biology, this thesis looked at ways of encoding design information for processing. The aim of this work is to help in the building of software that support the architectural design process and allow designers to examine more variations
The importance of cystoscopy and bladder biopsy in women with refractory overactive bladder: the urogynaecologist's point of view?
No full textObjectives: To assess the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of cystoscopy and the clinical value of bladder biopsy in women with refractory overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms. Study design: Prospective observational study carried out in a tertiary referral urogynaecology unit in London. Consecutive women with OAB resistant to pharmacotherapy who underwent cystoscopy, hydrodistention and bladder biopsy were studied. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of cystoscopy as well as histological findings for chronic cystitis were evaluated. Results: 106 women aged 22-91 years were studied. Histopathology showed chronic cystitis in 94 women, follicular cystitis 3, acute and chronic cystitis in 2, transitional cell carcinoma in 6 and no abnormality in 1 woman. Trabeculations and increased vascularity were the most common cystoscopic findings, seen in 71% and 72% of women respectively. Haemorrhages on first filling and haemorrhages on refilling had specificities of 86.6% and 80% respectively for chronic cystitis. Their sensitivities were 9.8% and 13.1% respectively. Trabeculations and increased vascularity had sensitivities of 68.1% and 68.1% and their specificities were 11.6% and 4.5% respectively. Trabeculations, increased vascularity, haemorrhages on first filling and haemorrhages on refilling all had a PPV over 80% for chronic cystitis. Conclusions: More than 90% of women with refractory OAB symptoms have chronic cystitis on histopathology. Cystoscopy alone is useful, but not always adequate to diagnose chronic cystitis. Antibiotic therapy in those women might be beneficial before starting anticholinergics. Larger randomised controlled trials are mandatory to confirm our hypothesis. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Does the onset or bother of mixed urinary incontinence symptoms help in the urodynamic diagnosis?
No full textObjective: To determine whether evaluation of the first occurring symptom and bother of mixed urinary incontinence (MUI) might help in the clinical assessment of incontinent women. Study design: Prospective observational study carried out in a tertiary referral urogynaecology unit in London. Women who underwent urodynamic investigations for MUI were asked whether stress or urgency incontinence was the first occurring symptom and which was the most bothersome one. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative,predictive value (NPV) for the first occurring symptom and most bothersome component of their mixed urinary incontinence symptoms in relation to the urodynamic diagnosis were calculated. Results: One hundred and eighty women with MUI were studied. Initial or most bothersome urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) had a good specificity and PPV for diagnosing detrusor overactivity (DO). When UUI was the initial and most bothersome symptom the specificity and NPV increased up to 93% and 73%. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) as first occurring or most bothersome had a moderate specificity, PPV and NPV for diagnosing urodynamic stress incontinence (USI). When SUI was the initial and most bothersome symptom the specificity, PPV and NPV increased up to 91%, 70% and 78%. Initial or most bothersome UUI with antecedent or most bothersome SUI had a high specificity and good NPV for a mixed urodynamic diagnosis of DO and USI. Conclusions: Determination of the first occurring and most bothersome symptom in women with MUI relates closely to the urodynamic diagnosis. Therefore, our symptom-guided approach may in some cases provide useful information directing the clinician towards a more appropriate therapy when urodynamics are inconclusive or cannot be performed. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Acknowledging the Sea
No full textThis design is inspired by sea life, shells, molluscs and radiolarian to create a set of vertical turbines distributed through the site including the extra zones. A centre-stage piece that is inspired by the symmetry of radiolarian was proposed as a sculpture with wind turbines hidden within it. The aim of this was to show the diversity and richness of nature, especially ocean life.
The turbines also act as markers for an augmented reality show in the night time displaying virtually marine creature swimming through the air.
Energy: Each turbine is sized to the size of a 500 Watt unit. While vertical turbines generate less energy than horizontal ones, they will work under all conditions.
Materials: The main materials used in this are recycled aluminium and recycled plastics (that are 3d printed).Full Tex
Sustainability in post disaster road infrastructure recovery projects and asset management
No full textCivil infrastructure and especially roads are being impacted with increasing frequency by flood, Tsunami,\ud
cyclone related natural and manmade disasters in the world. Responding to such events and in preparing for more\ud
regular and intense climate-change induced events in future, the road governing agencies are reviewing how postdisaster road infrastructure recovery projects are best planned and delivered. In particular, there is awareness that rebuilding such infrastructure require sustainable asset management strategies across economic, environmental and social dimensions.\ud
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A comprehensive asset management framework for pre and post disaster situations can minimize negative impacts on\ud
our communities, economy and environment. This research paper is focused on post disaster management in road\ud
infrastructures and road infrastructure asset management strategies used by road authorities. Analyzing the\ud
implications of disruption to transport network and associated services is an important part of preparing local and regional responses to the impacts of disasters. This research paper will contribute to strategic infrastructure asset planning, management leading to safe, efficient and integrated transport system that supports sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes.\ud
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This paper also focuses on proper asset management, governance and engineering principles which should be\ud
followed and adopted in post disaster recovery projects to maximize sustainability in environmental, social and\ud
economic dimensions
Solving planning problems with evolutionary computation
No full textEvolutionary design (ED) is a strategy that makes use of computational power to couple generative techniques with evaluation methods, to put forward designs that are better with each iteration. In this research, we present a representation scheme for solving spatial layout problems that is simple to implement as well as extend. The mechanisms for evaluation and mutation are defined and also shown to be extendable. Ultimately, the topic explored here is the ways in which ED and computation can enhance our design thinking and how computers can provide the background to new design processes and workflows.No Full Tex
Recapitulation in generating spatial layouts: Representations of embryogenesis in evolutionary design modelling
No full textThe noted 19th century biologist, Ernst Haeckel, put forward the idea that the growth (ontogenesis) of an organism recapitulated the history of its evolutionary development. While this idea is defunct within biology, the idea has been promoted in areas such as education (the idea of an education being the repetition of the civilizations before). In the research presented in this paper, recapitulation is used as a metaphor within computer-aided design as a way of grouping together different generations of spatial layouts. In most CAD programs, a spatial layout is represented as a series of objects (lines, or boundary representations) that stand in as walls. The relationships between spaces are not usually explicitly stated. A representation using Lindenmayer Systems (originally designed for the purpose of modelling plant morphology) is put forward as a way of representing the morphology of a spatial layout. The aim of this research is not just to describe an individual layout, but to find representations that link together lineages of development. This representation can be used in generative design as a way of creating more meaningful layouts which have particular characteristics. The use of genetic operators (mutation and crossover) is also considered, making this representation suitable for use with genetic algorithms
Terra Preta (Agriculture+Art+Algorithm)
No full textTerra Preta is a site-specific bio-energy project which aims to create a synergy between the public and the pre-existing engineered landscape of Freshkills Park on Staten Island, New York. The project challenges traditional paradigms of public space by proposing a dynamic and ever-changing landscape. The initiative allows the publuc to self-organise the landscape and to engage in 'algorithmic processes' of growth, harvest and space creation
Terra Preta : bioenergy, soil restoration, urban agriculture, art algorithm
No full textThe 2010 LAGI competition was held on three underutilized sites in the United Arab Emirates. By choosing Staten Island, New York in 2012 the competition organises have again brought into question new roles for public open space in the contemporary city. In the case of the UEA sites, the competition produced many entries which aimed to create a sculpture and by doing so, they attracted people to the selected empty spaces in an arid climate. In a way these proposals were the incubators and the new characters of these empty spaces. The competition was thus successful at advancing understandings of the expanded role of public open spaces in EAU and elsewhere. LAGI 2012 differs significantly to the UAE program because Fresh Kills Park has already been planned as a public open space for New Yorkers - with or without these clean energy sculptures. Furthermore, Fresh Kills Park is already an (gas) energy generating site in its own right. We believe Fresh Kills Park, as a site, presents a problem which somewhat transcends the aims of the competition brief. Advancing a sustainable urban design proposition for the site therefore requires a fundamental reconsideration of the established paradigms public open space. Hence our strategy is to not only create an energy generating, site specific art work, but to create synergy between the public and the site engagement while at the same time complement the idiosyncrasies of the pre-existing engineered landscape. Current PhD research about energy generation in public open spaces informs this work
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