Characterisation of an urban bridge portfolio and multi-risk prioritisation accounting for deterioration and seismic vulnerability

This contribution proposes a procedure to prioritise retrofit interventions on stocks of bridges according to their seismic vulnerability. The procedure also combines a previously presented approach to evaluate deterioration effects on bridges at a territorial scale. Thereby, the combi-nation of the two approaches provides a multi-risk classification method for bridge stocks. This method also allows refined prioritisation within each class, based on the proposed quantitative indices and on multicriteria decision-making methods. The method was applied to the bridge stock managed by the municipality of Padova, in North-East Italy. First, an extensive charac-terisation of the analysed stock is provided, according to typological, geometric, and structural parameters. Then, the application of the combined approach is presented, highlighting which bridge types resulted more vulnerable to either seismic actions or deterioration effects

Analysis of lower limb internal kinetics and electromyography in elite race walking.

The aim of this study was to analyse lower limb joint moments, powers and electromyography patterns in elite race walking. Twenty international male and female race walkers performed at their competitive pace in a laboratory setting. The collection of ground reaction forces (1000 Hz) was synchronised with two-dimensional high-speed videography (100 Hz) and electromyography of seven lower limb muscles (1000 Hz). As well as measuring key performance variables such as speed and stride length, normalised joint moments and powers were calculated. The rule in race walking which requires the knee to be extended from initial contact to midstance effectively made the knee redundant during stance with regard to energy generation. Instead, the leg functioned as a rigid lever which affected the role of the hip and ankle joints. The main contributors to energy generation were the hip extensors during late swing and early stance, and the ankle plantarflexors during late stance. The restricted functioning of the knee during stance meant that the importance of the swing leg in contributing to forward momentum was increased. The knee flexors underwent a phase of great energy absorption during the swing phase and this could increase the risk of injury to the hamstring muscles

Inositol administration reduces oxidative stress in erythrocytes of patients with polycistic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Possibly due to a deficiency of insulin mediators, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is often associated with insulin resistance (IR) and hyperinsulinemia, likely responsible for an elevated production of reactive oxygen species. We investigated oxidative-related alterations in erythrocytes and anti-inflammatory effects of inositol in women with PCOS before and after treatment with myo-inositol (MYO). METHODS: Twenty-six normal-weight PCOS patients were investigated before and after MYO administration (1200 mg/day for 12 weeks; n=18) or placebo (n=8) by evaluating serum testosterone, serum androstenedione, fasting serum insulin, fasting serum glucose, insulin area under the curve (AUC), and glucose AUC after oral glucose tolerance test and homeostasis model of assessment-IR. In erythrocytes, band 3 tyrosine phosphorylation (Tyr-P) level, glutathione (GSH) content, and glutathionylated proteins (GSSP) were also assessed. RESULTS: Data show that PCOS patients' erythrocytes underwent oxidative stress as indicated by band 3 Tyr-P values, reduced cytosolic GSH content, and increased membrane protein glutathionylation. MYO treatment significantly improved metabolic and biochemical parameters. Significant reductions were found in IR and serum values of androstenedione and testosterone. A significant association between band 3 Tyr-P levels and insulin AUC was found at baseline but disappeared after MYO treatment, while a correlation between band 3 Tyr-P and testosterone levels was detected both before and after MYO treatment. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS patients suffer from a systemic inflammatory status that induces erythrocyte membrane alterations. Treatment with MYO is effective in reducing hormonal, metabolic, and oxidative abnormalities in PCOS patients by improving IR

Correlated Λd\Lambda d pairs from the Kstop−A→ΛdA′K^{-}_{stop} A \to \Lambda d A' reaction

Correlated $\Lambda d$ pairs emitted after the absorption of negative kaons at rest $K^{-}_{stop}A\to \Lambda d A'$ in light nuclei $^6Li$ and $^{12}C$ are studied. $\Lambda$-hyperons and deuterons are found to be preferentially emitted in opposite directions. The $\Lambda d$ invariant mass spectrum of $^6Li$ shows a bump whose mass is 3251$\pm$6 MeV/c$^2$. The bump mass (binding energy), width and yield are reported. The appearance of a bump is discussed in the realm of the [$\bar{K}3N$] clustering process in nuclei. The experiment was performed with the FINUDA spectrometer at DA$\Phi$NE (LNF).Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.

Continuous increase in HIV-1 incidence after the year 2000 among men who have sex with men in Rome: insights from a 25-year retrospective cohort study

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Flow angle from intermediate mass fragment measurements

Directed sideward flow of light charged particles and intermediate mass fragments was measured in different symmetric reactions at bombarding energies from 90 to 800 AMeV. The flow parameter is found to increase with the charge of the detected fragment up to Z = 3-4 and then turns into saturation for heavier fragments. Guided by simple simulations of an anisotropic expanding thermal source, we show that the value at saturation can provide a good estimate of the flow angle, $\Theta_{flow}$, in the participant region. It is found that $\Theta_{flow}$ depends strongly on the impact parameter. The excitation function of $\Theta_{flow}$ reveals striking deviations from the ideal hydrodynamical scaling. The data exhibit a steep rise of \Theta_{\flow} to a maximum at around 250-400 AMeV, followed by a moderate decrease as the bombarding energy increases further.Comment: 28 pages Revtex, 6 figures (ps files), to appear in Nucl.Phys.

Loop quantum gravity: the first twenty five years

This is a review paper invited by the journal "Classical ad Quantum Gravity" for a "Cluster Issue" on approaches to quantum gravity. I give a synthetic presentation of loop gravity. I spell-out the aims of the theory and compare the results obtained with the initial hopes that motivated the early interest in this research direction. I give my own perspective on the status of the program and attempt of a critical evaluation of its successes and limits.Comment: 24 pages, 3 figure

The background scale Ward identity in quantum gravity

We show that with suitable choices of parametrization, gauge fixing and cutoff, the anomalous variation of the effective action under global rescalings of the background metric is identical to the derivative with respect to the cutoff, i.e. to the beta functional, as defined by the exact RG equation. The Ward identity and the RG equation can be combined, resulting in a modified flow equation that is manifestly invariant under global background rescalings

Antiproton stopping power in He in the energy range 1–900 keV and the Barkas effect

AbstractThe p¯ stopping power in helium from 1 keV kinetic energy is evaluated. Contrary to the effect observed around and below the maximum, Obelix data indicate a p¯ stopping power higher than that for proton, the difference being of the order of 15±5% at ≈700 keV. The result contributes to assert the fundamental difference between p¯ stoppings in the simplest gases (He, H2) and in solid targets below some MeV