Modeling Concrete Masonry Walls Subjected To Explosive Loads

Concrete masonry unit walls subjected to blast pressure were analyzed with the finite element method, with the goal of developing a computationally-efficient and accurate model. Wall behavior can be grouped into three modes of failure, which correspond to three ranges of blast pressures. Computational results were compared to high-speed video images and debris velocities obtained from experimental data. A parametric analysis was conducted to determine the sensitivity of computed results to critical modeling values. It was found that the model has the ability to replicate experimental results with good agreement. However, it was also found that, without knowledge of actual material properties of the specific wall to be modeled, computational results are not reliable predictors of wall behavior

Experimental bond behaviour of GFRP and masonry bricks under impulsive loading

Fibre Reinforced Polymers have become a popular material for strengthening of masonry structures. The performance of this technique is strongly dependent on the bond between the FRP and the substrate. Understanding the strain rate effect on these materials and strengthening techniques is important for proper design and proper modelling of these systems under impacts or blast loads. This work aims to study the behaviour of the bond between GFRP and brick at different strain rates. A Drop Weight Impact Machine specially developed for pull-off tests (single shear tests) is used with different masses and different heights introducing different deformation rates. The strain rate effect on the failure mode, shear capacity and effective bond length is determined from the experimental results. Empirical relations of dynamic increase factors (DIF) for these materials and techniques are also presented.This work was performed under Project CH-SECURE (PTDC/EMC/120118/2010) funded by the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology – FCT. The authors acknowledge the support. The first author also acknowledges the support from his PhD FCT grant with the reference SFRH/BD/45436/2008

Elucidating HSp27 action mechanisms reveals TCTP as a novel therapeutic target in castration resistant prostate cancer

Le cancer de la prostate (CaP) représente la deuxième cause de mortalité par cancer chez l'homme. La suppression androgénique (castration-thérapie) demeure la seule thérapie efficace du CaP avancé du fait de son caractère castration-sensible. Cependant, elle n'empêche pas la progression castration-résistante (CR) de la maladie dans les 1 à 3 ans après le début du traitement hormonal. Récemment, l'implication d'Hsp27 (Heat shock protein 27) dans l'échappement thérapeutique des CaPs a été montrée et un oligonucléotide antisens inhibiteur d'Hsp27, OGX-427, est en cours d'évaluation clinique II/III pour le traitement des CaPs CR. Afin de comprendre le rôle d'Hsp27 dans le mécanisme de résistance à la castration, nous avons réalisé le criblage de l'ensemble des protéines partenaires d'Hsp27 par double hybride. Mes travaux de thèse ont permis d'identifier une nouvelle protéine cliente d'Hsp27, TCTP (translationally controlled tumor protein) dont l'expression est indétectable dans les cellules normales. J'ai également montré que la progression CR des CaPs corrélait avec une surexpression de TCTP, une perte de P53 et que l'inhibition de TCTP par un oligonucléotide antisens restaurait l'expression de P53. Cette étude suggère, pour la première fois, un lien direct entre P53 et la sensibilité à la castration des CaPs. De plus, l'étude de l'interactome d'Hsp27 a mis en évidence son implication dans de nouvelles fonctions telles que la réparation de l'ADN ou l'épissage alternatif des ARNm. L'ensemble de ces travaux ont permis de mieux comprendre les mécanismes d'action d'Hsp27 dans la progression CR des CaPs et de développer de nouvelles approches thérapeutiques.Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in men in the Western world. Androgen ablation (castration-therapy) is usually the initial therapy in patients with advanced or metastatic disease. Unfortunately, the disease gradually progresses to a metastatic castration-resistant (CR) state, which remains incurable. Recently, the involvement of Hsp27 (Heat Shock Protein 27) in CR progression has been identified and an oligonucleotide antisense (OGX-427), inhibitor of Hsp27 is currently in phase II/III clinical trials to treat CRPC. In order to understand Hsp27 mechanisms of action in CR progression, we started to screen for Hsp27 partner proteins by using two-hybrid system. My PhD work has reported that Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) was a new Hsp27 protein partner that mediated Hsp27 cytoprotection in CRPC and that TCTP expression was absent in normal prostate tissues. We have further found that CR progression correlated with TCTP overexpression, the loss of P53 and that TCTP silencing using an antisense was able to restore P53 expression and function. This study suggests for the first time that castration-sensitivity is directly linked to P53 expression. In addition, we revealed exciting new aspects of the Hsp27 involvement in essential metabolic and cellular processes such as DNA repair and mRNA splicing. In summary, my PhD results have provided an enriched understanding of Hsp27 mechanisms of cytoprotection contributing to CRPC progression and opened a new promising field of research for multi-target therapeutic approaches

Getting One of the Basics Right for Distributed Simulations: A Mobility Service/Server for the Present and Future

Fall 2003 Simulation Interoperability Workshop, Paper Number 123 & Presentation.Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization (SISO) SIW Conference PaperAs computer hardware and models improve and the use of computer models and simulations (M&S) escalates, users subsequently demand more realism and, thus, fidelity requirements tend to increase. Many standalone, high fidelity, engineering level models have been developed, accepted, and repeatedly used in analysis and studies by the Department of Defense. For example, in the area of ground movement, the NATO Reference Mobility Model (NRMM) is the Army Model and Simulation Office (AMSO) standard for single vehicle ground movement representation. While representation of ground vehicle mobility in both entity- and aggregate-level M&S has typically been simplified, many of the speed limiters incorporated in NRMM are ignored. Developing M&S such as COMBATXXI and OneSAF Objective System (OOS) have functional and operational requirements to portray mobility at a higher fidelity. This paper describes the development of an NRMM-based Standard Mobility Application Programming Interface as a means of readily achieving higher-fidelity movement representation by incorporating terrain-limited speeds into M&S. The Standard Mobility API was written in Java and utilized Extensible Markup Language (XML) for database structures. The API design concept encompassed a range of M&S; this paper will focus on the tactical/entity-level implementation. The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the US Army TRADOC Analysis Center – White Sands Missile Range (TRAC) collaborated on the API development and integration into COMBATXXI as a testbed. By providing a standard interface for applications, this work helps reduce the proliferation of differing mobility models, provides access to standard speed prediction algorithms, and promotes reuse/consistency

Fully Coupled FE Analyses of Buried Structures

Current procedures for determining the response of buried structures to the effects of the detonation of buried high explosives recommend decoupling the free-field stress analysis from the structure response analysis. A fully coupled (explosive–soil structure) finite element analysis procedure was developed so that the accuracies of current decoupling procedures could be evaluated. Comparisons of the results of analyses performed using this procedure with scale-model experiments indicate that this finite element procedure can be used to effectively evaluate the accuracies of the methods currently being used to decouple the free-field stress analysis from the structure response analysis

Chromatographie liquide sur colonne courte pour un controle à cadence élevée des préparations de cytotoxiques (exemple du docétaxel)

Dans notre Unité de Reconstitution Centralisée, les préparations magistrales de docétaxel (TAXOTERE®) représentent 10% de la production annuelle. Leur dosage s'inscrit dans une démarche d'assurance qualité. Afin de respecter les Bonnes Pratiques de Préparations Hospitalières, un dosage rapide et en ligne des préparations a lieu avant leur administration aux patients. Le RCP mentionnant que dilué, le TAXOTERE® n'est stable que 4h, il faut donc mettre en place une méthode de contrôle en ligne rapide des préparations. Ceci est complété par une étude de stablité physico-chimiques et microbiologiques des préparations. Le dosage se fait par Chromatographie Liquide Haute Performance ayant la particularité d'utiliser une colonne courte de 50 mm, et un détecteur à barettes de diodes. L'étude de stabilité physico-chimiques a été réalisée en spectrométrie de masse, l'étude de stabilité microbiologique par ensemencement direct de culture. La CLHP a été sélectionnée pour sa qualité et sa haute cadence d'analyse. L'intérêt principal de cette approche analytique est la rapidité, obtenue en utilisant une colonne courte permettant un temps d'analyse de 2 min par échantillon.CHATENAY M.-PARIS 11-BU Pharma. (920192101) / SudocSudocFranceF