* Starting from Need* Evolution of the Toyota Production System* Further Development* Genealogy of the Toyota Production System* The True Intention of the Ford System* Surviving the Low-Growth Period

Toyota production system : beyond large-scale production

The atlas compiled by these editors is a commendable effort and welcome addition to the mycology textbook sector. Up until now, the publication of medical mycology textbooks has been sparse and those that have been published are either too detailed for a resident in training or practicing physician or do not provide sufficient photographs or illustrations of the main features of the mycotic organisms. As a lecturer in mycology for the dermatology residents at my local teaching hospital and program, there are 3 key objectives of my mycology lectures: (1) to provide some type of organizational approach to mycotic organisms, (2) to provide a concise clinical history, and (3) to provide as many photographs and illustrations of mycotic organisms as possible. This atlas provides an exemplary addition to my book collection on medical mycology textbooks and sources for illustrations of mycotic organisms. The electron photomicrographs, photoplates, and line drawings of

Atlas of Clinical Fungi

Off-site construction has gained more attention from both academia and industry during the last few years. Modular construction is one of the most efficient off-site construction methods. In this method, different parts (components) of a building are designed and fabricated off the construction site in factories as one or more modules, and then they are assembled on site to form the final product. Studies have shown that the modular building technique is applicable to different types of buildings, including residential, commercial, educational, and medical. Environmental performance is one of the most significant dimensions leading to sustainability. Since buildings account for a substantial portion of environmental burdens, the main focus of this study is on the environmental performance of modular facilities over their life cycle. This article also presents a comprehensive critical literature review on the benefits and challenges of the modular construction method, compared to its conventional counterpart. It is concluded that, on average, modular buildings have been shown to provide a better life cycle performance, for example a building׳s energy performance, among others. Further life cycle research, considering all the dimensions of sustainable construction, is recommended in order to develop a robust picture of the sustainability of modular construction.

Life cycle performance of modular buildings: A critical review

Volumetric prefabricated building construction is growing in most developed countries; for example, in Sweden the market share of prefabricated building systems in the housing industry was more than 80%. However, in Australia only approximately 3–4% of new building constructions are prefabricated buildings in a year. A major hindrance to the growth of prefab construction in Australia is that systems are developed under commercial and confidential conditions. There are limited publicly-available research and case studies for certifiers, regulators, engineers and academia to provide independent information on the performance, advantages and disadvantages of prefabricated building systems. Independent designers and structural engineers are relying on the strength of the structural and non-structural element, as well as the connections of the prefabricated building systems. This strength is estimated from the “commercial-in-confidence” test of individual components by manufactures, and it might result in undesired outcomes in design. This paper provides an overview of available literature on structural performance, benefits, constraints and challenges of prefabricated building systems. This paper also highlights the research needed on the prefabricated building systems such as full-scale tests, numerical modelling, hybrid simulations, case studies and social and economic assessments. Being supported by sound academic research will increase the market demand for prefabricated building systems in Australia as well as in other countries.

https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/bitstream/handle/11343/225779/Navaratnam _Performance Review.pdf

Performance Review of Prefabricated Building Systems and Future Research in Australia

http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/id/document/21651

Designing out construction waste using BIM technology: Stakeholders’ expectations for industry deployment

Digitization in construction has become increasingly important in recent years. Digital technologies are a way to facilitate some activities and thus save time and money on construction projects. Creating an information model of an existing building can be relatively time-consuming. The 3D scanner allows you to perform personal tasks with time savings, which is very important when managing construction projects. Digital technologies are also an effective tool for these activities. This research discusses the issue of 3D scanning of a historical building for real state surveying purposes. In this case study, the subject of the study was the chapel of St. Rosalie in Kosice. The aim of the research was to describe the course of digitization in the building in question, i.e. the creation of an information model of the building. At the same time point out the possibilities and limitations of a 3D scanner on this specific construction.

Use of a 3D scanner technology to create an information model of historic buildings - a case study

The current trend based on the current needs of construction industry points to the increasing application of digital technologies in construction projects. Nowadays, digital technologies are becoming an essential part of construction in the phase of preparation and implementation of construction projects. Probably the greatest progress in the use of digital technologies is seen in the development of a virtual object data model of the building. The main advantages of this trend can be presented by the use of BIM technology, thus an information model of building, where other information attributes are assigned to the geometric model itself. The model created in this way has great information potential in the process of planning and preparation of construction, but also during its implementation. The technology of mixed reality (MR) has recently been added to the BIM technology, which significantly contributes to the expansion of workers' knowledge and at the same time has the potential to reveal the shortcomings that have arisen during the construction. The paper offers solutions of the possible use of BIM technology and mixed reality as tools to support the implementation of construction projects. These technologies were applied to the construction project Bastion Office Center in Košice - an administrative building.

Benefits of BIM models and mixed reality in the implementation phase of construction projects

The article deals with Digital twin (DT) technology, as one of the latest technologies, which, unlike construction, is already widely used in other industries. The theoretical knowledge basis of this technology in construction industry lies in understanding the characteristics of the digital twin and in using knowledge about it from other areas of application. Based on acquired theoretical knowledge and an example from construction practice, the aim of the article is to demonstrate the development process of a digital twin and to indicate the benefits of using Asset Information Model (AIM) as an essential source of information for development of DT during the phases of the life cycle of buildings. The case study analyses the process of development of a digital twin of the heating system in family house, from the initial design of a heating project, through use of 3D scanning to create a virtual model and the integration of various tools of Internet of Things technology to the creation of its virtual model. Reflexion on the benefits of AIM in various phases of the life cycle of buildings, induced from the study of theoretical knowledge and based on the case study, is an essential part of the article.

The possibilities of using digital twin technology in the life cycle of buildings


 
 
 Type of funding sources: Public Institution(s). Main funding source(s): Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine
 
 
 
 Cardioprotective mechanisms in the hypertrophied or insulin resistant heart is not fully elucidated. Insulin like growth factor IGF-1 through downstream kinases PI3K/Akt/GSK3beta is known to exert cardioprotective effects and regulate myocardial remodeling, glucose metabolism, cell survival, apoptosis, oxidative stress etc. The aim was to characterize IGF-1/PI3K/Akt-mediated cardioprotection in hypertrophied or insulin resistant hearts after hypoxic preconditioning in response to severe whole body hypoxia or isolated heart ischemia/reperfusion.
 
 
 
 Experiments were performed in male adult Wistar rats, and SHR with long-term heart hypertrophy. Insulin resistance (IR) was induced by high fat diet (58% kcal from fat). The animals were exposed to hypoxic preconditioning using mild hypobaric hypoxia séances in barochamber (5600 m, 3 h). In 24 h, hearts were isolated with urethane narcosis and subjected to ischemia/reperfusion in a Langendorff mode, infarct size was detected with TTC staining. The other group of rats after preconditioning were subjected to severe hypoxia (9000 m, 3 h). Inhibitor of PI3K wortmannin or blocker of IGF-1R picropodophyllin were used for testing of cytoprotective signalling. Protein expression were examined using Western blotting.
 
 
 
 In SHR, the myocardial expression of IGF-1 and Akt was lower by 42% or 63%, respectively, compared to Wistar. IR increased GSK-3beta expression and phosphorylation. Hypoxic preconditioning intensified IGF-1/PI3K/Akt-mediated cardioprotection, less pronounced in hypertrophied or insulin resistant hearts. Blockade of PI3K or IGF-1Rdecreased Akt phosphorylation, and abolished cytoprotective effects of preconditioning in view of mortality caused severe hypoxia, or of infarct size and cardiac function recovery in postischemic reperfusion. In SHR, hypoxia-induced cardioprotective effects and influences of the blockers were significantly reduced.
 
 
 
 The long-term left ventricular hypertrophy is accompanied with reduction of IGF-1/IGF-1R/PI3K/Akt-dependent prohypertrophic and cardioprotective signalling. Hypoxic preconditioning mediated by IGF-1/PI3K/Akt-signalling loses its effectiveness during prolonged cardiac hypertrophy, as well as insulin resistance development.


Mária Kozlovská

Papers

Use of a 3D scanner technology to create an information model of historic buildings - a case study

Benefits of BIM models and mixed reality in the implementation phase of construction projects

The possibilities of using digital twin technology in the life cycle of buildings

Hypoxic preconditioning effects change in hypertrophied or insulin resistant rat hearts

Analysis of Selected Quality Criteria of Wooden Buildings