FRCM retrofitting techniques for masonry walls: a literature review and some laboratory tests

The experimental characterisation of externally bonded composite materials as strengthening solutions for masonry structures, such as basalt textile reinforced mortar (BTRM) or fiber reinforced concrete (FRC), has been receiving increasing attention due to their outstanding mechanical performance. Several studies have been demonstrated the efficiency of this retrofitting solution for increasing the mechanical strength and the displacement capacity of masonry material. In this paper the state-of-art of the most relevant achievements in the experimental investigations and numerical analysis of retrofitted masonry wall have been critically reviewed. Firstly, a detailed collection of several experimental tests using different textile reinforced mortar and/or fiber reinforced mortar has been conducted. Special focus has been given to the test set-up and load configuration type adopted for experiments. Subsequently, several modelling techniques have been treated in order to detect the best approach simulating the interaction between reinforcement system and masonry ranging from macro and micro modelling, concentrated and diffused plasticity model and diverse constitutive laws. Finally, an overview of some original experimental outcomes from laboratory tests is presented. This results will play a major role in for the validation of the numerical models for the prediction of the shear strength and the ductile behavior of reinforced masonry that will be developed in a further step of this research

Semi-annual seasonal pattern of serum thyrotropin in adults

Circannual rhythmicity in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) secretion is proposed, whereas evidences on seasonal peripheral thyroid hormones' fluctuation are contradictory. This study was designed to evaluate hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) seasonal secretion pattern using a big data approach. An observational, retrospective, big data trial was carried out, including all TSH measurements performed in a single laboratory between January 2010 and December 2017. A large dataset was created matching TSH data with patients' age, gender, environmental temperature exposure, and free triiodothyronine (fT3) and free thyroxine (fT4) when available. The trend and seasonal distributions were analysed using autoregressive integrated moving average models. A total of 1,506,495 data were included in the final database with patients mean age of 59.00 +/- 18.44 years. The mean TSH serum levels were 2.08 +/- 1.57 microIU/mL, showing a seasonal distribution with higher levels in summer and winter seasons, independently from age, gender and environmental temperatures. Neither fT3 nor fT4 showed a seasonal trend. TSH seasonal changes occurred independently from peripheral thyroid hormone variations, gender, age and environmental temperatures. Although seasonal TSH fluctuation could represent a residual ancestral mechanism to maintain HPT homeostasis, the underlying physiological mechanism remains unclear and specific studies are needed to clarify its impacting role in humans

Multiple algebraisations of an elliptic Calogero-Sutherland model

Recently, Gomez-Ullate et al. (1) have studied a particular N-particle quantum problem with an elliptic function potential supplemented by an external field. They have shown that the Hamiltonian operator preserves a finite dimensional space of functions and as such is quasi exactly solvable (QES). In this paper we show that other types of invariant function spaces exist, which are in close relation to the algebraic properties of the elliptic functions. Accordingly, series of new algebraic eigenfunctions can be constructed.Comment: 9 Revtex pages, 3 PS-figures; Summary, abstract and conclusions extende

Kidney transplantation in patients with previous renal cancer: a critical appraisal of current evidence and guidelines

Due to the increasing occurrence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the general population and the high prevalence of chronic kidney disease among cancer patients, many people with a previous RCC may eventually require renal replacement therapy including kidney transplantation. They should accordingly be evaluated to assess their life expectancy and the risk that the chronic immunosuppressive therapy needed after grafting might impair their long-term outcome. Current guidelines on listing patients for renal transplantation suggest that no delay is required for subjects with small or incidentally discovered RCC, while the recommendations for patients who have been treated for a symptomatic RCC or for those with large or invasive tumours are conflicting. The controversial results reported by even recent studies focusing on the cancer risk in kidney graft recipients with a prior history of malignancy do not help to clarify the doubts arising in everyday clinical practice. Several tools, including integrated scoring systems, are currently available to assess the prognosis of patients with a previous RCC and, although they have not been validated in subjects receiving long-term immunosuppressive drugs, they can be used to identify patients suitable to be listed for grafting. Among these, the Leibovich score is currently the most widely used as it has proved simple and reliable enough and helps categorize renal transplant candidates. According to this system, subjects with a score from 0 to 2 are at low risk and may be listed without delay, while those with a score of 6 or higher should be excluded from grafting. In addition, other factors have an established positive prognostic value, including chromophobe or clear cell papillary tumour, or G1 grade cancer; on the contrary, medullary or Bellini’s duct carcinoma or those with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation at histological examination should be excluded. All other patients would be better submitted to careful individual evaluation by an Oncologist before being listed for renal transplantation, pending studies specifically focusing on cancer risk evaluation in people already treated for malignancy receiving long-term immunosuppressive therapy

the tempio della consolazione in todi integrated geomatictechniques for a monument description including structuraldamage evolution in time

The Tempio della Consolazione in Todi (16th cent.) has always been one of the most significant symbols of the Umbrian landscape. Since the first times after its completion (1606) the structure has exhibited evidences of instability, due to foundation subsiding and/or seismic activity. Structural and geotechnical countermeasures have been undertaken on the Tempio and its surroundings from the 17th century until recent times. Until now a truly satisfactory analysis of the overall deformation and attitude of the building has not been performed, since the existing surveys record the overhangs of the pillars, the crack pattern or the subsidence over limited time spans. Describing the attitude of the whole church is in fact a complex operation due to the architectural character of the building, consisting of four apses (three polygonal and one semicircular) covered with half domes, which surround the central area with the large dome. The present research aims to fill the gap of knowledge with a global study based on geomatic techniques for an accurate 3D reconstruction of geometry and attitude, integrated with a historical research on damage and interventions and a geotechnical analysis. The geomatic survey results from the integration of different techniques: GPS-GNSS for global georeferencing, laser scanning and digital photogrammetry for an accurate 3D reconstruction, high precision total station and geometric leveling for a direct survey of deformations and cracks, and for the alignment of the laser scans. The above analysis allowed to assess the dynamics of the cracks occurred in the last 25 years by a comparison with a previous survey. From the photographic colour associated to the point cloud was also possible to map the damp patches showing on the domes intrados, mapping their evolution over the last years

Formation of hydroxyl radicals by irradiated 1-nitronaphthalene (1NN): oxidation of hydroxyl ions and water by the 1NN triplet state

International audienceThe excited triplet state of 1-nitronaphthalene (31NN*) reacts with OH- with a second-order reaction rate constant of (1.66 ± 0.8)¥107 M-1 s-1 (m ± s). The reaction yields the ∑OH radical and the radical anion 1NN-∑. In aerated solution, the radical 1NN-∑ would react with O2 to finally produce H2O2 upon hydroperoxide/superoxide disproportionation. The photolysis of H2O2 is another potential source of ∑OH, but such a pathway would be a minor one in circumneutral (pH 6.5) or in basic solution ([OH-] = 0.3-0.5 M). The oxidation of H2O by 31NN*, with rate constant 3.8 ± 0.3 M-1 s-1, could be the main ∑OH source at pH 6.5

The “hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy” of endothelial dysfunction markers in human fertility

Endothelial dysfunction is an early event in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and represents the first step in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. The evaluation of endothelial health is fundamental in clinical practice and several direct and indirect markers have been suggested so far to identify any alterations in endothelial homeostasis. Alongside the known endothelial role on vascular health, several pieces of evidence have demonstrated that proper endothelial functioning plays a key role in human fertility and reproduction. Therefore, this stateof‐the‐art review updates the endothelial health markers discriminating between those available for clinical practice or for research purposes and their application in human fertility. Moreover, new molecules potentially helpful to clarify the link between endothelial and reproductive health are evaluated herein

The added value of operator’s judgement in thyroid nodule ultrasound classification arising from histologically based comparison of different risk stratification systems.

Objective: Several ultrasound classifications for thyroid nodules were proposed but their accuracy is still debated, since mainly estimated on cytology and not on histology. The aim of this study was to test the diagnostic accuracy and the inter-classification agreement of AACE/ACE-AME, American Thyroid Association (ATA), British Thyroid Association (BTA), and Modena Ultrasound Thyroid Classification (MUT) that stratifies malignancy risk considering also the clinician subjective impression. Methods: A prospective study collecting thyroid nodule features at ultrasound and histological diagnosis was conducted. Ultrasound features were collected following a preformed checklist in candidates for surgery because of indeterminate, suspicious, or malignant cytology. All the nodules, besides the cytologically suspicious one, were blinded analyzed. MUT score was applied prospectively, and the others retrospectively. Sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic cut-off value, and accuracy of each classification were calculated. The overall agreement between classifications was tested by Bland-Altman, and agreement between single nodule analysis by different classifications by Weighted Cohen's Kappa. Results: In classifying a total of 457 nodules, MUT has the highest accuracy (AUC 0.808) and specificity (89%), followed by ATA and BTA, and finally by AACE/ACE-AME. ATA, BTA, and MUT are highly interchangeable. Considering agreement between single nodule analyses, ATA and BTA had the best (κ = 0.723); AACE/ACE-AME showed slight agreement with BTA (κ = 0.177) and MUT (κ = 0.183), and fair agreement with ATA (κ = 0.282); MUT had fair agreement with both ATA (κ = 0.291) and BTA (κ = 0.271). Conclusion: Classifications have an acceptable overall diagnostic accuracy, improved using a less rigid system that takes into consideration operator subjective impression