Geotechnical problems in Sierra Valle Fertil road crossing

Fil: Rocca, Ricardo J. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Zeballos, Marcelo E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Cieri Aceituno, Paula. Dirección Nacional Vialidad, San Juan; Argentina.National Road 150 passes through the central region of Argentina and is part of a bi-oceanic corridor from Brazil to Chile. In Sierra de Valle Fertil it has traversed sedimentary rock formations where they have built five bridges and six tunnels. During construction, instabilities phenomena were seen in both tunnels and surface works. In tunnels different behaviors were observed on hard rock and soft rock. Slope instability processes include mass displacement and failures due to decompression generated by excavation. Some reported cases occured during the execution of the work, including various types of failures. In many sectors, rock masses showed a high degree of weathering. Analyses for the design and mitigation actions undertaken are described. Details emerged in the foundation of the bridges that make the section also arise.Fil: Rocca, Ricardo J. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Zeballos, Marcelo E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Cieri Aceituno, Paula. Dirección Nacional Vialidad, San Juan; Argentina.Ingeniería Civi

Effects of water erosion in road Embankments

Fil: Cieri Aceituno, Paula. Dirección Nacional Vialidad, San Juan; Argentina.Fil: Zeballos, Marcelo E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rocca, Ricardo J. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Huerta Soaje, Pedro. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Road projects are linear works that affect various geotechnical and hydrological environments. In these projects, the interaction of local soils with water draining superficially, or inside embankments, should be assessed with particular care. A partial analysis can lead to water erosion processes. In these processes, there are several factors that can cause instability in some components of the embankment. Both, internal erosion and surface erosion, are influenced by the soil type. In cohesionless soil, grain size is a feature of particular importance. This variable is linked to the accommodation of the material through the so-called contraction diameter pores. Erosion phenomena have been observed during the construction of a new road in the Valle Fertil, San Juan Province, Argentina. These phenomena are located on the embankment near the drainage works, both longitudinal and transversal. The soils used in this work are frictional and not cohesive. Some special cases which have been observed are presented, as well as factors of important occurrence. Recommendations were made to mitigate some of these phenomena.Fil: Cieri Aceituno, Paula. Dirección Nacional Vialidad, San Juan; Argentina.Fil: Zeballos, Marcelo E. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Rocca, Ricardo J. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Huerta Soaje, Pedro. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Ingeniería de la Construcció

Dirac Quantization Condition for Monopole in Noncommutative Space-Time

Since the structure of space-time at very short distances is believed to get modified possibly due to noncommutativity effects and as the Dirac Quantization Condition (DQC), $\mu e = \frac{N}{2}\hbar c$, probes the magnetic field point singularity, a natural question arises whether the same condition will still survive. We show that the DQC on a noncommutative space in a model of dynamical noncommutative quantum mechanics remains the same as in the commutative case to first order in the noncommutativity parameter $\theta$, leading to the conjecture that the condition will not alter in higher orders.Comment: 11 page

Quality of Life in Patients with Small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: The Effect of Early Endovascular Repair Versus Surveillance in the CAESAR Trial

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate and compare changes over time in health-related quality of life reported by patients with small (4.1–5.4 cm) abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) undergoing endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) or surveillance.MethodsParticipants were randomly assigned to receive either early EVAR or surveillance within a multicentre, randomised clinical trial on small AAA (Comparison of surveillance vs. Aortic Endografting for Small Aneurysm Repair, CAESAR). Patient-reported health-related quality of life was assessed before randomisation, at 6 months and yearly thereafter using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) Health Survey.ResultsBetween 2004 and 2008, 360 patients (345 males, mean age 68.9 years) were randomised, 182 to early EVAR and 178 to surveillance. There was one perioperative death. Mean follow-up was 31.8 months. No significant difference in survival was found. At baseline, comparable quality of life scores were recorded in both treatment groups: Total SF-36: 73.0 versus 75.5 (p = 0.18), Physical domain: 71.4 versus 73.3 (p = 0.33); Mental health domain: 70.9 versus 72.7 (p = 0.33), in the EVAR arm versus the surveillance arm, respectively. Six months after randomisation, Total SF-36 and Physical and Mental domain scores were all significantly higher with respect to baseline in the EVAR group, while patients of the surveillance group scored lower. The differences between EVAR and surveillance arms in score changes at 6 months were significant and in favour of EVAR: Total score: difference 5.4; p = 0.0017; Physical: difference 3.8; p = 0.02; and Mental: difference 6.0; p = 0.0005. Differences between EVAR and surveillance diminished over time. At the last assessment, patients in both groups had decreased scores with a significant drop with respect to the baseline (−3.9 in EVAR, −6.3 in surveillance). There were no significant differences between the EVAR and surveillance arms: Total score: p = 0.25; Physical: p = 0.47; and Mental: p = 0.38.ConclusionsPatients with small AAA under surveillance compared with early EVAR had significant impaired functional health at 6 months after assignment. After a mean of 31.8 months, SF-36 health-related quality of life in patients allocated to early EVAR and surveillance was similar

Second-generation Thienopyridine use is not Associated with Better Early Perioperative Outcome During Carotid Stenting

AbstractObjectiveManagement of anti-platelet therapy during carotid artery stenting (CAS) is mainly based on indirect evidence from coronary stenting experience. There is common agreement on the use of thienopyridine (mainly second-generation) during CAS, but some patients are unsuitable for clopidogrel treatment and data on the benefit of its use in large CAS populations are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate whether clopidogrel was associated with reduced perioperative morbidity in patients undergoing CAS.MethodsConsecutive patients undergoing CAS for primary carotid stenosis from 2004 to 2009 were reviewed. The independent association of clopidogrel and perioperative morbidity was assessed using multivariable analysis.ResultsA total of 1083 patients were treated (29% females, mean age 71.6 years); 825 (76%) patients were given clopidogrel starting before treatment. Clopidogrel use was associated with a non-significant reduction of perioperative stroke/death (4.3% vs. 2.4%; p = 0.13) and disabling stroke (1.2% vs. 1.0%; p = 1) rates. The non-significant stroke/death difference was similar in symptomatic (5.8% vs. 4.0%, p = 0.37) and asymptomatic (3.7% vs. 1.9%; p = 0.17) patients. After adjusting for demographics, co-morbidities and other therapies with multivariable analysis, clopidogrel use failed to show any significant independent association in decreasing operative risks. The only independent protective factor was use of statins (p = 0.010). The additional use of dual anti-platelet therapy did not add any advantage to the use of clopidogrel alone.ConclusionsThe suggested benefit of clopidogrel in decreasing the incidence of complications in patients undergoing CAS may be overestimated due to the overlapping effect of other more relevant factors (e.g., pleiotropy and plaque stabilisation from statins). More data and level I evidence are needed to understand which is the best medical management of CAS that will help improve outcomes of the procedure

Higgs boson production at the LHC using the qTq_T subtraction formalism at N3LON^3LO QCDQCD

We consider higher-order QCD corrections to Higgs boson production through gluon-gluon fusion in the large top quark mass limit in hadron collisions. We extend the transverse-momentum (qT ) subtraction method to next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N3LO) and combine it with the NNLO Higgs-plus-jet calculation to numerically compute differential infrared-safe observables at N3LO for Higgs boson production in gluon fusion. To cancel the infrared divergences, we exploit the universal behaviour of the associated qT distributions in the small-qT region. We document all the necessary ingredients of the transverse-momentum subtraction method up to N3LO. The missing third-order collinear functions, which contribute only at qT = 0, are approximated using a prescription which uses the known result for the total Higgs boson cross section at this order. As a first application of the third-order qT subtraction method, we present the N3LO rapidity distribution of the Higgs boson at the LHC

A

Abstract:  Introduction: A screening tool was recently published in English to detect feeding/swallowing difficulties and malnutrition in children with cerebral palsy (CP) aimed at their caregivers. An adaptation of the tool for Argentina is not available. Aim: To cross-culturally adapt the Feeding and Nutrition Screening Tool (Bell et. al., 2019) for children aged 2-19 years with CP that is culturally appropriate to the Argentine population, and that is semantically and metrically equivalent to the original Australian version. Methods: cross-sectional study. The transcultural adaptation included the translation of the tool into Spanish (Argentine) language by two translators, subsequent there was an equivalence consensus by two experts, back translation and review by two of the original authors. A pretest with cognitive interviews was carried out with a sample of 10 caregivers of children with CP between 2 and 19 years old from Argentina. Heterogeneity was sought in the sample group of interviewees. For data analysis, tables developed by the Australian group for the adaptation of these instruments were used. Each table had a checklist to evaluate each of the stages, assessing the equivalence of concepts (cultural), meanings (semantic) and comprehension through suggestions. Results: In the translation stage, changes were made at the time of back-translation and revision of the Australian authors. Semantic and cultural equivalence conflicts were detected in five items that were corrected (e.g., ¨major problems¨ translated as “problema grave” was changed to ¨serios problemas¨). The pretest stage was composed of 10 relatives of children with CP, 90% of whom were female. Regarding their children with CP, 70% had severe motor impairment, and 30% had mild-moderate impairment. In these cognitive interviews, cultural equivalence and comprehension problems arose, which required the modification of five items (e.g., changing "I don\u27t know" to "I am not sure"). The final version was approved by the original authors. Conclusion: A transcultural adapted Food and Nutrition Screening Tool for Children with CP was constructed for Argentina. This tool is in the process of validation.Resumen:  Introducción: Recientemente se publicó una herramienta de screening en inglés para detectar dificultades de alimentación/deglución y desnutrición en niños con parálisis cerebral (PC) dirigida a sus cuidadores. No se cuenta con una adaptación de la herramienta para Argentina. Objetivo: Adaptar transculturalmente la Herramienta Clínica de Screening de Alimentación y Nutrición (Bell et. al., 2019) para niños de 2 a 19 años con PC que resulte culturalmente adecuada a la población Argentina, y que sea semántica y metricamente equivalente a la versión original de Australia. Métodos: estudio observacional transversal. La adaptación transcultural abarcó la traducción al idioma español (argentino) de la herramienta por dos traductores, posterior consenso de equivalencia mediante dos expertos, traducción inversa y revisión por parte de dos de los autores originales. Se realizó un pretest con entrevistas cognitivas en una muestra de 10 cuidadores de niños entre 2 y 19 años con PC en Argentina, utilizando un guión de preguntas. Se buscó en el grupo de entrevistados heterogeneidad. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizaron tablas elaboradas por el grupo Australiano para la adaptación de estos instrumentos. Cada tabla contó con una lista de cotejo para evaluar cada una de las etapas, evaluando la equivalencia de conceptos (cultural), significados (semántica) y comprensión mediante sugerencias. Resultados: En la etapa de traducción se realizaron cambios al momento de la retrotraducción y revisión de los autores australianos. Se detectaron conflictos de equivalencia semántica y cultural en cinco ítems que fueron corregidos (ej: ¨major problems¨ traducido como problema grave a ¨serios problemas¨). La etapa de pretest estuvo compuesta por 10 familiares de niños con PC, 90% de sexo femenino. Respecto a sus niños con PC, 70% tenía compromiso motor severo, y 30% tenía compromiso leve-moderado. En estas entrevistas cognitivas surgieron inconvenientes de equivalencia cultural y de comprensión, que requirieron modificar cinco ítems (ej: cambiar ¨No sé¨ por ¨No estoy seguro/a¨). La versión final fue aprobada por los autores originales. Conclusión: Finalmente se construyó una Herramienta de Screening de Alimentacion y Nutrición para Niños con PC adaptada transculturalmente a la Argentina. Esta herramienta se encuentra en proceso de validación.

Les Houches 2013: Physics at TeV Colliders: Standard Model Working Group Report

This Report summarizes the proceedings of the 2013 Les Houches workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Session 1 dealt primarily with (1) the techniques for calculating standard model multi-leg NLO and NNLO QCD and NLO EW cross sections and (2) the comparison of those cross sections with LHC data from Run 1, and projections for future measurements in Run 2.Comment: Proceedings of the Standard Model Working Group of the 2013 Les Houches Workshop, Physics at TeV Colliders, Les houches 3-21 June 2013. 200 page

Les Houches 2015: Physics at TeV Colliders Standard Model Working Group Report

This Report summarizes the proceedings of the 2015 Les Houches workshop on Physics at TeV Colliders. Session 1 dealt with (I) new developments relevant for high precision Standard Model calculations, (II) the new PDF4LHC parton distributions, (III) issues in the theoretical description of the production of Standard Model Higgs bosons and how to relate experimental measurements, (IV) a host of phenomenological studies essential for comparing LHC data from Run I with theoretical predictions and projections for future measurements in Run II, and (V) new developments in Monte Carlo event generators.Comment: Proceedings of the Standard Model Working Group of the 2015 Les Houches Workshop, Physics at TeV Colliders, Les Houches 1-19 June 2015. 227 page