Seismic Stability Analysis of Inca Earthen Walls

In many places around the world there still exist statues, walls and columns which, despite being located in areas of high seismicity, are still standing and in good conditions after several hundred years. Although Peru is located on a zone of high seismicity, some preColumbian walls are still standing after having withstood many intense earthquakes. The remarkably stable dynamic response of these structures when rocking freely due to horizontal ground motions has been extensively studied [1] [2]. The aim of the project presented in this article is to evaluate the probability of seismic overturning of Inca monuments (XVth century CE) during future strong earthquakes. The Wiracocha temple walls located near Cusco and the Inca trail walls that cross the PUCP campus in Lima were selected for this study. Both earthen walls were modelled as free-standing rigid blocks which could rotate around the corners at their base. A set of synthetic ground acceleration signals were then generated according to the seismicity and ground conditions of both sites. The artificial ground acceleration records were scaled to the uniform hazard spectrum of Peru for return periods of 500, 1000 and 2500 years and different moment magnitudes [3][4]. The rocking time history response of each wall due to these ground motions was then numerically computed and plotted in order to assess the seismic risk due to overturning of these important earthen monuments. The main conclusion is that these walls will most probably remain standing for many more centuries

Experimental investigation on the bond behavior of a compatible TRM-based solution for rammed earth heritage

Despite the current awareness of the high seismic risk of earthen structures, little has been done so far to develop proper strengthening solutions for the rammed earth heritage. Based on the effectiveness of TRM for masonry buildings, the strengthening of rammed earth walls with externally bonded fibers using earth-based mortar is being proposed as a compatible solution. In this context, the investigation of bond behavior was conducted by means of direct tensile tests, pull-out tests and single lap-shear tests. The specimens were prepared using earth-based mortars and two different types of meshes (glass and nylon) while considering different-bonded lengths. The direct tensile tests on TRM coupons showed the high capacity of the nylon mesh in transferring stresses after cracking of the mortar. The pull-out tests highlighted that in the case of glass fiber mesh, the bond was granted by friction, while the mechanical anchorage promoted by the transversal yarns granted the bond of the nylon mesh. Finally, the single lap-shear tests showed that the adopted earth-based mortar seems to limit the performance of the strengthening.This work was supported by the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia [PTDC/ECM-EST/2777/2014, SFRH/BD/131006/2017, SFRH/BPD/97082/2013]

Radiologic versus Endoscopic Placement of Percutaneous Gastrostomy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Multivariate Analysis of Tolerance, Efficacy, and Survival

PurposeTo compare percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy (PRG) and percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in terms of tolerance, efficacy, and survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Materials and Methods Forty patients with ALS (17 men; mean age, 66.1 years; range, 39–83 y) underwent 21 PEG and 22 PRG attempts (including three unsuccessful PEG attempts) from 1999 to 2005. To assess tolerance and efficacy, a successful and well tolerated placement was defined as any successful placement with no major or minor local complications or pain requiring opioid analgesic agents. Univariate analysis was performed for all recorded parameters, followed by multivariate analysis for successful and well tolerated placement, 6-month mortality rate, and survival. Results General success rates were 85.7% for PEG and 100% for PRG. Pain was more frequent in PRGs (81.8% vs 52.4%; P = .05). Successful and well tolerated placement was seen in 81.8% of PRGs and 57.1% of PEGs (P = 0.1). Advanced age (P = .02) and PRG (P = .07) were predictive of successful and well tolerated placement. The interval from diagnosis to placement (P = .001) and ability to perform spirometry (P = .002) were predictive of survival. Oximetry measurements (P = .007) and interval from diagnosis to placement (P = .02) were predictive of mortality at 6 months. Conclusions PRG is more efficacious and better tolerated than PEG, essentially because it avoids the respiratory decompensation that may occur in PEG. Therefore, PRG should be preferred in cases of ALS. Survival is linked to ALS evolution and not to the choice of PRG or PEG placement

Gastrostomie Percutanée Radiologique

Gastrostomy is mainly used to provide longterm enteral nutrition. Percutaneous techniques are generally preferred to surgery except for specific cases. Image-guided percutaneous gastrostomy, currently used less than the gastroscopy-guided technique, is a simple, reliable and advantageous technique in managing these frequently debilitated patients. The different aspects of the procedure will be described: indications, contraindications, technique, follow-up, main complications and technical variations

SaS-BCI: A New Strategy to Predict Image Memorability and use Mental Imagery as a Brain-Based Biometric Authentication

Security authentication is one of the most important levels of information security. Nowadays, human biometric techniques are the most secure methods for authentication purposes that cover the problems of older types of authentication like passwords and pins. There are many advantages of recent biometrics in terms of security; however, they still have some disadvantages. Progresses in technology made some specific devices, which make it possible to copy and make a fake human biometric because they are all visible and touchable. According to this matter, there is a need for a new biometric to cover the issues of other types. Brainwave is human data, which uses them as a new type of security authentication that has engaged many researchers. There are some research and experiments, which are investigating and testing EEG signals to find the uniqueness of human brainwave. Some researchers achieved high accuracy rates in this area by applying different signal acquisition techniques, feature extraction and classifications using Brain–Computer Interface (BCI). One of the important parts of any BCI processes is the way that brainwaves could be acquired and recorded. A new Signal Acquisition Strategy is presented in this paper for the process of authorization and authentication of brain signals specifically. This is to predict image memorability from the user’s brain to use mental imagery as a visualization pattern for security authentication. Therefore, users can authenticate themselves with visualizing a specific picture in their minds. In conclusion, we can see that brainwaves can be different according to the mental tasks, which it would make it harder using them for authentication process. There are many signal acquisition strategies and signal processing for brain-based authentication that by using the right methods, a higher level of accuracy rate could be achieved which is suitable for using brain signal as another biometric security authentication

Expression of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits in the cervical spinal cord of wobbler mice

BACKGROUND: The localisation of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits was studied in a model of degeneration of cervical spinal motoneurons, the wobbler mouse. Cervical regions from early or late symptomatic wobbler mice (4 or 12 weeks of age) were compared to lumbar tracts (unaffected) and to those of healthy mice. RESULTS: No differences were found in the distribution of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits at both ages. Western blots analysis showed a trend of reduction in AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits, mainly GluR1 and NR2A, exclusively in the cervical region of late symptomatic mice in the triton-insoluble post-synaptic fraction but not whole homogenates. Colocalisation experiments evidenced the expression of GluR1 and NR2A receptors in activated astrocytes from the cervical spinal cord of wobbler mice, GluR2 did not colocalise with GFAP positive cells. No differences were found in the expression of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits in the lumbar tract of wobbler mice, where neither motoneuron loss nor reactive gliosis occurs. CONCLUSION: In late symptomatic wobbler mice altered levels of GluR1 and NR2A receptor subunits may be a consequence of motoneuron loss rather than an early feature of motoneuron vulnerability

Volume and outcomes relationship in laparoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair

BackgroundThere is no published data regarding the relationship between hospital volume and outcomes in patients undergoing laparoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair. We hypothesize that hospitals performing high case volume have improved outcomes compared to low-volume hospitals.Materials and methodsWe reviewed the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database between 2008 and 2012 for adults with the diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia who underwent elective laparoscopic repair of diaphragmatic Hernia and/or Nissen fundoplication. Pediatric, emergent, and open cases were excluded. Main outcome measures included logistic regression analysis of factors predictive of in-hospital mortality and outcomes according to annual hospital case volume.ResultsA total of 31,228 laparoscopic diaphragmatic hernia operations were analyzed. The overall in-hospital mortality was 0.14%. Risk factors for higher in-hospital mortality included renal failure (AOR: 6.26; 95% CI: 2.48-15.78; p < 0.001), age>60 years (AOR: 5.06; 95% CI: 2.38-10.76; p < 0.001), and CHF (AOR: 3.80; 95% CI: 1.39-10.38; p = 0.009) while an incremental increase in volume of 10 cases/year (AOR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81-0.98; p = 0.019) and diabetes (AOR: 0.34; 95% CI: 0.12-0.93; p = 0.036) decreases mortality. There was a small but significant inverse relationship between hospital case volume and mortality with a 10% reduction in adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality for every increase in 10 cases per year. Using 10 cases per year as the volume threshold, low-volume hospitals (≤10 cases/year) had almost a twofold higher mortality compared to high-volume hospitals (0.23 vs. 0.12%, respectively, p = 0.02).ConclusionsThere was a small but significant inverse relationship between the hospitals' case volume and mortality in laparoscopic diaphragmatic hernia repair

Reconceptualizing power and gendered subjectivities in domestic cooking spaces

Drawing on evidence from the Global North and South, this paper explores the power dynamics of domestic kitchens in different geographical contexts. Noting the gendered nature of domesticity, it contrasts those perspectives which regard women’s primary responsibility for foodwork as inherently oppressive, with others which see kitchens and associated domestic spaces as sites of potential empowerment for women. The paper explores the complex, spatially-distributed, character of power surrounding domestic foodwork, decentring Anglo-American understandings of the relationship between gender, power and domestic space by foregrounding the experiences of a range of women from across the globe. The paper also examines the increasing role of men in domestic settings, particularly in the Global North, assessing the extent to which their engagement in cooking and other domestic practices may be challenging conventional understandings of the relationship between gender, power and space. Focusing on the spatial dynamics of the domestic kitchen, this paper advances a more nuanced understanding of the co-constitutive nature of the relationship between gender and power, including the instabilities and slippages that occur in the performance of various domestic foodwork tasks. The paper advocates future research on the boundaries of home, work and leisure, focusing on their significance in the constitution and transformation of male and female subjectivities