Improving the Design of U-Beams for Indiana

The use of prestressed U-beams, developed as an economical and aesthetic alternative to traditional I-beams, is becoming increasingly common. While U-beams are seeing increased use, questions have arisen in the design of bridges utilizing this girder type. Specific issues include live load distribution, bridge deck behavior, and debonding limits. First, since the U-beam is a new girder type, limited guidance exists for the live load distributions to be used in design. Second, due to the increased stiffness and strength of this girder, fewer girder lines are required resulting in increased deck spans. Finally, current AASHTO debonding limits severely restrict the efficiency and economy of the section. The objective of this research program is to develop design strategies to improve the efficiency and optimize the design of the Indiana modified U-beam with a focus on the concerns related to the design of U-beams. In particular, this research program will evaluate the live load distribution appropriate for the design of U-beams, assess the behavior and design of the bridge deck when supported by U-beams, and evaluate both the shear strength and shear design of the composite U-beam system. It is important that the strength strength of pretensioned concrete beams with debonded strand be fully evaluated. Five phases of research were conducted. The first phase consisted of evaluation of a U-beam bridge constructed in Indianapolis, Indiana to assess the live load distribution factors and flexural deck behavior of this bridge. The second phase evaluated the effectiveness of debonding sheathing to ensure that proper debonding is being achieved. The third phase evaluated the influence of the percentage of debonded strands on shear strength using rectangular and I-shaped cross sections to investigate flexure-shear and web-shear strengths, respectively. While this phase concentrated on the shear strength resisted by the concrete, the influence of transverse reinforcement was also evaluated. The fourth phase evaluated the influence of varying strength concretes, which are commonly used in composite sections, on shear strength. Finally, the fifth phase evaluated the shear strength of a 50% debonded U-beam both with and without transverse reinforcement. From the results, an improved understanding of the influence of debonding on shear strength is obtained. Recommendations are provided to improve the analysis, design, and construction of U-beams as well as the design and construction of girders utilizing debonded strand in general

Cardiovascular disease related circulating biomarkers and cancer incidence and mortality:is there an association?

Aims Recent studies suggest an association between cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer incidence/mortality, but the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these associations are unclear. We aimed to examine biomarkers previously associated with CVD and study their association with incident cancer and cancer-related death in a prospective cohort study. Methods and results We used a proteomic platform to measure 71 cardiovascular biomarkers among 5032 participants in the Framingham Heart Study who were free of cancer at baseline. We used multivariable-adjusted Cox models to examine the association of circulating protein biomarkers with risk of cancer incidence and mortality. To account for multiple testing, we set a 2-sided false discovery rat

Aldosterone decreases glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in vivo in mice and in murine islets

Aldosterone concentrations increase in obesity and predict the onset of diabetes. We investigated the effects of aldosterone on glucose homeostasis and insulin secretion in vivo and in vitro

Service network analysis for agricultural mental health

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Farmers represent a subgroup of rural and remote communities at higher risk of suicide attributed to insecure economic futures, self-reliant cultures and poor access to health services. Early intervention models are required that tap into existing farming networks. This study describes service networks in rural shires that relate to the mental health needs of farming families. This serves as a baseline to inform service network improvements.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A network survey of mental health related links between agricultural support, health and other human services in four drought declared shires in comparable districts in rural New South Wales, Australia. Mental health links covered information exchange, referral recommendations and program development.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>87 agencies from 111 (78%) completed a survey. 79% indicated that two thirds of their clients needed assistance for mental health related problems. The highest mean number of interagency links concerned information exchange and the frequency of these links between sectors was monthly to three monthly. The effectiveness of agricultural support and health sector links were rated as less effective by the agricultural support sector than by the health sector (p < .05). The most highly linked across all areas of activity were Rural Financial Counsellors, the Department of Primary Industry Drought Support Workers and Community Health Centres. Hence for a mental health service network targeting farming families these are three key agencies across the spectrum of case work to program development. The study limitations in describing service networks relate to the accuracy of network bounding, self report bias and missing data from non participants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Aligning with agricultural agencies is important to build effective mental health service pathways to address the needs of farming populations. Work is required to ensure that these agricultural support agencies have operational and effective links to primary mental health care services. Network analysis provides a baseline to inform this work. With interventions such as local mental health training and joint service planning to promote network development we would expect to see over time an increase in the mean number of links, the frequency in which these links are used and the rated effectiveness of these links.</p

Integration in primary community care networks (PCCNs): examination of governance, clinical, marketing, financial, and information infrastructures in a national demonstration project in Taiwan

Background. Taiwan's primary community care network (PCCN) demonstration project, funded by the Bureau of National Health Insurance on March 2003, was established to discourage hospital shopping behavior of people and drive the traditional fragmented health care providers into cooperate care models. Between 2003 and 2005, 268 PCCNs were established. This study profiled the individual members in the PCCNs to study the nature and extent to which their network infrastructures have been integrated among the members (clinics and hospitals) within individual PCCNs. Methods. The thorough questionnaire items, covering the network working infrastructures - governance, clinical, marketing, financial, and information integration in PCCNs, were developed with validity and reliability confirmed. One thousand five hundred and fifty-seven clinics that had belonged to PCCNs for more than one year, based on the 2003-2005 Taiwan Primary Community Care Network List, were surveyed by mail. Nine hundred and twenty-eight clinic members responded to the surveys giving a 59.6 % response rate. Results. Overall, the PCCNs' members had higher involvement in the governance infrastructure, which was usually viewed as the most important for establishment of core values in PCCNs' organization design and management at the early integration stage. In addition, it found that there existed a higher extent of integration of clinical, marketing, and information infrastructures among the hospital-clinic member relationship than those among clinic members within individual PCCNs. The financial infrastructure was shown the least integrated relative to other functional infrastructures at the early stage of PCCN formation. Conclusion. There was still room for better integrated partnerships, as evidenced by the great variety of relationships and differences in extent of integration in this study. In addition to provide how the network members have done for their initial work at the early stage of network forming in this study, the detailed surveyed items, the concepts proposed by the managerial and theoretical professionals, could be a guide for those health care providers who have willingness to turn their business into multi-organizations. © 2007 Lin; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.published_or_final_versio