La boîte à outils géotechniques de demain: EN 1997-1: 202x Règles générales

This paper describes the development of the final Project Team (PT) draft of the next generation of Eurocode 7 Part 1 (EN 1997-1:202x). The use of Nationally Determined Parameters and the drive for ease-of-use is highlighted. Key changes from the previous version of EN 1997-1 are explained, including the introduction of the Geotechnical Design Model; revision of the Geotechnical Categories and their application; the implementation of Consequence Classes and Geotechnical Complexity Classes in achieving the reliability required by the Eurocodes; elaboration on the use of numerical methods within Eurocode 7; the treatment of rock on an equal basis with soil; and greater emphasis on the Observational Method.Postprint (published version

Road Markings Segmentation from LIDAR Point Clouds using Reflectivity Information

Lane detection algorithms are crucial for the development of autonomous vehicles technologies. The more extended approach is to use cameras as sensors. However, LIDAR sensors can cope with weather and light conditions that cameras can not. In this paper, we introduce a method to extract road markings from the reflectivity data of a 64-layers LIDAR sensor. First, a plane segmentation method along with region grow clustering was used to extract the road plane. Then we applied an adaptive thresholding based on Otsu s method and finally, we fitted line models to filter out the remaining outliers. The algorithm was tested on a test track at 60km/h and a highway at 100km/h. Results showed the algorithm was reliable and precise. There was a clear improvement when using reflectivity data in comparison to the use of the raw intensity data both of them provided by the LIDAR sensor

Fluid-assisted brecciation of Lower Cretaceous Maiolica limestone in the Umbria-Marche Apennines: Hydrodynamical implications

The formation of the “expansion breccia” observed in the Lower Cretaceous Maiolica limestone in the Umbria-Marches region of Italy is attributable to a fluidassisted brecciation process that occurred during the late Miocene exhumation of the Northern Apennines. The hydrothermal fluids probably originated as brine solutions trapped in the Burano anhydrite while it was in a plastic state. The migration of the Burano from the plastic to the brittle domain during unroofing resulted in liberation and injection of over-pressured hydrothermal fluids into the overlying limestone, causing hydraulic fracturing. Mapping of breccia morphology along a 400-m transect showed structures produced by different flow regimes, with chaotic and mosaic breccia characterizing the core parts of the section and mineral-filled fractures and veins in the margins. Based on the clast size in the chaotic breccia, the estimated velocities for fluidizing the aggregates of clasts and sustaining the clasts in suspension are, respectively, 15 cm/s and 65 cm/s. Crack growth was probably the main mechanism for the fragmentation of the limestone. Explosion fracturing patterns were only sporadically observed in the breccia, indicating substantial heat loss of the over-pressured fluids during their ascent to the Earth’s surface

Proceso de adquisición de bienes en la calidad del gasto público de un gobierno local de La Convención, Cusco, 2021

La presente tesis tuvo como objetivo determinar la Influencia de los procesos de adquisiciones del Estado en la calidad del gasto público en una Municipalidad Distrital, La convención, 2021. La investigación fue de tipo básica, descriptiva explicativa. La población estuvo conformada por los trabajadores de un municipio en la Convención. La muestra estuvo conformada por 100 trabajadores. La técnica utilizada para la recolección de información fue la encuesta y el instrumento fue el cuestionario, para la recolección de información de la variable proceso de adquisiciones se elaboró un cuestionario con 34 ítems; y para medir la variable calidad de gasto público se elaboró un cuestionario con 20 ítems, y se utilizó el software estadístico SPSS versión 25 para procesar los datos. Los resultados de las pruebas estadísticas realizada mostraron un Chi cuadrado de 34.311 y un coeficiente de Nagelkerke de 0.372. Por tanto, se concluyó que la variable proceso de adquisiciones explica en un 37.2% la variabilidad de calidad del gasto público

Development of a ROS-based Architecture for Intelligent Autonomous on Demand Last Mile Delivery

This paper presents the development of the JKU-ITS Last Mile Delivery Robot. The proposed approach utilizes a combination of one 3D LIDAR, RGB-D camera, IMU and GPS sensor on top of a mobile robot slope mower. An embedded computer, running ROS1, is utilized to process the sensor data streams to enable 2D and 3D Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, 2D localization and object detection using a convolutional neural network

Transcriptional regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-1 and collagen 1A2 explains the anti-fibrotic effect exerted by proteasome inhibition in human dermal fibroblasts

INTRODUCTION: Extracellular matrix (ECM) turnover is controlled by the synthetic rate of matrix proteins, including type I collagen, and their enzymatic degradation by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Fibrosis is characterized by an unbalanced accumulation of ECM leading to organ dysfunction as observed in systemic sclerosis. We previously reported that proteasome inhibition (PI) in vitro decreases type I collagen and enhances MMP-1 production by human fibroblasts, thus favoring an antifibrotic fibroblast phenotype. These effects were dominant over the pro-fibrotic phenotype induced by transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta. Here we investigate the molecular events responsible for the anti-fibrotic phenotype induced in fibroblasts by the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. METHODS: The steady-state mRNA levels of COL1A1, COL1A2, TIMP-1, MMP-1, and MMP-2 were assessed by quantitative PCR in human dermal fibroblasts cultured in the presence of TGF-beta, bortezomib, or both. Transient fibroblast transfection was performed with wild-type and mutated COL1A1 and MMP-1 promoters. Chromatin immunoprecipitation, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and DNA pull-down assays were used to assess the binding of c-Jun, SP1, AP2, and Smad2 transcription factors. Immunoblotting and immunofluorescent microscopy were performed for identifying phosphorylated transcription factors and their cellular localization. RESULTS: Bortezomib decreased the steady-state mRNA levels of COL1A1 and COL1A2, and abrogated SP1 binding to the promoter of COL1A2 in both untreated and TGF-beta-activated fibroblasts. Reduced COL1A2 expression was not due to altered TGF-beta-induced Smad2 phosphorylation, nuclear translocation, or binding to the COL1A2 promoter. In contrast to collagen, bortezomib specifically increased the steady-state mRNA levels of MMP-1 and enhanced the binding of c-Jun to the promoter of MMP-1. Furthermore, disruption of the proximal AP-1-binding site in the promoter of MMP-1 severely impaired MMP-1 transcription in response to bortezomib. CONCLUSIONS: By altering the binding of at least two transcription factors, c-Jun and SP1, proteasome inhibition results in increased production of MMP-1 and decreased synthesis of type I collagen in human dermal fibroblasts. Thus, the antifibrotic phenotype observed in fibroblasts submitted to proteasome inhibition results from profound modifications in the binding of key transcription factors. This provides a novel rationale for assessing the potential of drugs targeting the proteasome for their anti-fibrotic properties