Academic literature on the topic 'Interstitial Building Space'

Reef-building corals and their aragonite (CaCO3) skeletons support entire reef ecosystems, yet their formation mechanism is poorly understood. Here we used synchrotron spectromicroscopy to observe the nanoscale mineralogy of fresh, forming skeletons from six species spanning all reef-forming coral morphologies: Branching, encrusting, massive, and table. In all species, hydrated and anhydrous amorphous calcium carbonate nanoparticles were precursors for skeletal growth, as previously observed in a single species. The amorphous precursors here were observed in tissue, between tissue and skeleton, and at growth fronts of the skeleton, within a low-density nano- or microporous layer varying in thickness from 7 to 20 µm. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements, however, indicated that the mature skeletons at the microscale were space-filling, comparable to single crystals of geologic aragonite. Nanoparticles alone can never fill space completely, thus ion-by-ion filling must be invoked to fill interstitial pores. Such ion-by-ion diffusion and attachment may occur from the supersaturated calcifying fluid known to exist in corals, or from a dense liquid precursor, observed in synthetic systems but never in biogenic ones. Concomitant particle attachment and ion-by-ion filling was previously observed in synthetic calcite rhombohedra, but never in aragonite pseudohexagonal prisms, synthetic or biogenic, as observed here. Models for biomineral growth, isotope incorporation, and coral skeletons’ resilience to ocean warming and acidification must take into account the dual formation mechanism, including particle attachment and ion-by-ion space filling.

Numbers of factors such as noise exposure may constrain the use of natural ventilation, especially in the urban settings. Noise exposure was the motivation behind a previous research effort, recognizing that noise exposure hampers the operation of windows for natural ventilation. Thereby, specific designs of double-leaf façade solutions for concurrent natural ventilation and noise protection were empirically investigated. Tested variables included the position and size of the openings, the relative displacement of openings in the façade’s two layers, as well as acoustical dampening (sound absorption) in the interstitial space between the two layers. The study of the models estimated the resulting sound insulation level of double-layered façades as a function of the aforementioned variables. In the present contribution, we further examine the airflow implications of the aforementioned double-façade configurations via computational fluid dynamic application based on a generic single-zone space. Natural ventilation efficiency in the building is evaluated by means of computed mean velocity and age of air inside the zone. High-resolution 3D steady CFD simulations of single-sided ventilation are performed for 9 configurations (sizes and positions) of the openings in the double-layered façade. The results illustrate the effects of these configuration on air flow circumstances in the test space.

Comparison of the natural and synthetic phases allows an overview to be made and even an understanding of the crystal growth processes and mechanisms of the particular crystal structure formation. Thus, in this work, we review the crystal chemistry of the family of uranyl selenite compounds, paying special attention to the pathways of synthesis and topological analysis of the known crystal structures. Comparison of the isotypic natural and synthetic uranyl-bearing compounds suggests that uranyl selenite mineral formation requires heating, which most likely can be attributed to the radioactive decay. Structural complexity studies revealed that the majority of synthetic compounds have the topological symmetry of uranyl selenite building blocks equal to the structural symmetry, which means that the highest symmetry of uranyl complexes is preserved regardless of the interstitial filling of the structures. Whereas the real symmetry of U-Se complexes in the structures of minerals is lower than their topological symmetry, which means that interstitial cations and H2O molecules significantly affect the structural architecture of natural compounds. At the same time, structural complexity parameters for the whole structure are usually higher for the minerals than those for the synthetic compounds of a similar or close organization, which probably indicates the preferred existence of such natural-born architectures. In addition, the reexamination of the crystal structures of two uranyl selenite minerals guilleminite and demesmaekerite is reported. As a result of the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of demesmaekerite, Pb2Cu5[(UO2)2(SeO3)6(OH)6](H2O)2, the H atoms positions belonging to the interstitial H2O molecules were assigned. The refinement of the guilleminite crystal structure allowed the determination of an additional site arranged within the void of the interlayer space and occupied by an H2O molecule, which suggests the formula of guilleminite to be written as Ba[(UO2)3(SeO3)2O2](H2O)4 instead of Ba[(UO2)3(SeO3)2O2](H2O)3.

This review article is an update of what should be known for practicing basic lung ultrasound in the critically ill (LUCI) and is also of interest for less critical disciplines (e.g. pulmonology). It pinpoints on the necessity of a professional machine (not necessarily a sophisticated one) and probe. It lists the 10 main signs of LUCI and some of the main protocols made possible using LUCI: the BLUE protocol for a respiratory failure, the FALLS protocol for a circulatory failure, the SESAME protocol for a cardiac arrest and the investigation of a ventilated acute respiratory distress syndrome patient, etc. It shows how the field has been fully standardised to avoid confusion.Key pointsA simple ultrasonography unit is fully adequate, with minimal filters, and provides a unique probe for integrating the lung into a holistic, whole-body approach to the critically ill.Interstitial syndrome is strictly defined. Its clinical relevance in the critically ill is standardised for defining haemodynamic pulmonary oedema, pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.Pneumothorax is strictly and sequentially defined by the A′-profile (at the anterior wall in a supine or semirecumbent patient, abolished lung siding plus the A-line sign) and then the lung point.The BLUE protocol integrates lung and venous ultrasound findings for expediting the diagnosis of acute respiratory failure, following pathophysiology, allowing prompt diagnosis of pneumonia, haemodynamic pulmonary oedema, exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma, pulmonary embolism or pneumothorax, even in clinically challenging presentations.Educational aimsTo understand that the use of lung ultrasound, although long standardised, still needs educational efforts for its best use, a suitable machine, a suitable universal probe and an appropriate culture.To be able to use a terminology that has been fully standardised to avoid any confusion of useless wording.To understand the logic of the BLUE points, three points of interest enabling expedition of a lung ultrasound examination in acute respiratory failure.To be able to cite, in the correct hierarchy, the seven criteria of the B-line, then those of interstitial syndrome.To understand the sequential thinking when making ultrasound diagnosis of pneumothorax.To be able to use the BLUE protocol for building profiles of pneumonia (or acute respiratory distress syndrome) and understand their limitations.To understand that lung ultrasound can be used for the direct analysis of an acute respiratory failure (the BLUE protocol), an acute circulatory failure (the FALLS protocol) and even a cardiac arrest (SESAME protocol), following a pathophysiological approach.To understand that the first sequential target in the SESAME protocol (search first for pneumothorax in cardiac arrest) can also be used in countless more quiet settings of countless disciplines, making lung ultrasound in the critically ill cost-, time- and radiation-saving.To be able to perform a BLUE protocol in challenging patients, understanding how the best lung ultrasound can be obtained from bariatric or agitated, dyspnoeic patients.