Axially loaded RC columns repaired on one side with cement-based mortars

[EN] This paper describes and analyses the results of an experimental programme carried out at the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia on 18 reinforced concrete (RC) columns, 12 of which had been repaired on one side with cement-based mortar before being subjected to axial loading until failure. The objective of the research was to determine the performance of the columns that had been repaired using different mortars, evaluate the influence of Class R3 and R4 mortar used and of the application of a binder or bonding agent. The results obtained were compared with those of the undamaged control columns and those of the unrepaired damaged columns to obtain values for the efficiency of the repairs and for the improvement in the load-bearing capacity of the columns. The results obtained indicate that the columns repaired with Class R3 mortar, with a lower elasticity modulus, function in better way than the Class R4 repaired ones. The presence or absence of a binder was not found to be a determining factor in improving the behaviour of the repaired elements. The chief novelty of the study lies in the fact that it is the first experimental study on RC columns totally repaired on one side only, using different types of mortar with and without the application of a binder. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The authors express their gratitude to HADES CONSTRUCCIONES Y CREACIONES 2003 for their material, human and financial support.Ortega, I.; Pellicer, TM.; Calderón García, PA.; Adam, JM. (2018). Axially loaded RC columns repaired on one side with cement-based mortars. Construction and Building Materials. 177:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.05.102S1917

Recuperacion ambiental de las marismas del rio Guadalete y San Pedro

En tiempos precuaternarios, la zona marismal objeto de estudio se encontraba cubierta por las aguas marinas formando el antiguo estuario de los ríos Guadalete y San Pedro (Sant Petri). En tiempos más recientes, estas marismas de los ríos Guadalete y San Pedro forman parte del sistema de humedales necesarios para el anidamiento y migración de multitud de aves en la ruta entre los continentes europeo y africano, presentando así un indudable valor ecológico, comparable al del Coto de Doñana desde esta perspectiva de humedad, toma de apoyo a la migración de aves. La limitada inundación mareal debida a las numerosas acciones antrópicas sufridas por esta zona han provocado la desecación de la marisma, inicialmente amplia debida a los aproximadamente 4 m. de carrera de marea media en la zona. Esta ponencia presenta las conclusiones de una reflexión conceptual con una propuesta de regeneración ambiental que pretende solucionarlos problemas introducidos por la reciente acción antrópica (últimos 40 años), generando una zona ecológicamente estable que garantice además su desarrollo socioeconómico sostenible a largo plazo del entorno en el que se ubica

Cement-based mortar patch repair of RC columns. Comparison with all-four-sides and one-side repair

[EN] This paper describes an experimental study on patch-repaired reinforced concrete columns subjected to axial loads until failure. The behaviour of four series of columns repaired with Class R3 and R4 cement-based mortar was analysed both with and without a bonding agent. The results obtained were compared with control series of undamaged and damaged but unrepaired columns to determine the effectiveness of the repairs and the subsequent improvement in the behaviour of the columns. The results of this study were compared with those of previous work by the authors on the analysis of all-four-side repairs and one-side repairs. The conclusion reached was that patch repairs are highly effective as compared to the other techniques studied and that using Class R3 mortar achieves better results on damaged columns made with low-quality concrete. It was also concluded that applying a bonding agent does not improve the results, although this element was found to be necessary to prevent the premature detachment of the repair when there is a substantial difference between the stiffness of the column concrete and that of the mortar used in the repairs. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The authors wish to express their gratitude to the HADES CONSTRUCCIONES Y CREACIONES 2003 company for their human and material contributions to this work.Ortega, I.; Pellicer, TM.; Calderón García, PA.; Adam, JM. (2018). Cement-based mortar patch repair of RC columns. Comparison with all-four-sides and one-side repair. Construction and Building Materials. 186:338-350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.07.148S33835018

An experimental study on RC columns repaired on all four sides with cementitious mortars

[EN] This paper describes a study carried out in the ICITECH laboratories (Universitat Politècnica de València) on RC columns repaired on all four sides with cementitious-based mortars. A total of 18 specimens were tested, representing a group of square 200 x 200 mm2 columns subjected to compressive axial loads. Different repair scenarios were considered in order to study the influence of the type of mortar used and the presence or absence of bonding agents between the mortar and the column concrete. The results obtained showed that bonding agents have no appreciable effect on the behaviour of the repaired columns. Of the two types of mortar used in the study (Classes R3 and R4), the columns repaired with the lower grade mortar (R3) were seen to behave better. The main novelty of this work lies in the fact that this is the first time that two types of mortar are compared in the repair of four column sides, in addition to the possible use of bonding agents between the mortar and the column.The authors are grateful to the HADES CONSTRUCCIONES Y CREACIONES 2003 company for their material and financial assistance, without which the study would not have been possible. They also wish to express their gratitude to Professor Jose L. Bonet, Dr. Javier Pereiro-Barcelo and Mr. Lino Martinez for their assistance in planning and performing the tests.Ortega, I.; Pellicer, TM.; Adam, JM.; Calderón García, PA. (2018). An experimental study on RC columns repaired on all four sides with cementitious mortars. Construction and Building Materials. 161:53-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2017.11.126S536216

Firefighter and victims protecting solution based on wireless body area network nodes

Interconnectivity between Web systems and sensor networks is used to provide smart services for the Internet of Things. These services are based on data collection and processing to obtain useful information about the supervised environment. With this information it is possible to provide smart services, but some of them must be considered as protected by the legislation regarding privacy of personal data. In order to face this issue, security and privacy mechanisms must be used. So as to deal with the limited resources in sensor networks, these mechanisms must be as lightweight as possible to preserve the enough Quality of Service. However, these mechanisms must fulfill security and privacy requirements defined by the regulations. This paper describes a Wireless Body Area Network application providing services to protect firefighter work in hazardous environments. The firefighter wears a special shirt with sensors embedded. These sensors are able to monitor not only the firefighter health status, but also they can be connected to external sensors in order to monitor the health status of the victims. These external sensors are part of the equipment carried by the firefighter to face the emergencies and save lives. Thus, they are able to obtain external medical aid

Bitter, Sweet, Salty, Sour and Umami Taste Perception Decreases with Age: Sex-Specific Analysis, Modulation by Genetic Variants and Taste-Preference Associations in 18 to 80 Year-Old Subjects

There is growing interest in relating taste perception to diet and healthy aging. However, there is still limited information on the influence of age, sex and genetics on taste acuity as well as on the relationship between taste perception and taste preferences. We have analysed the influence of age on the intensity rating of the five basic tastes: sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami (separately and jointly in a ``total taste score´´) and their modulation by sex and genetics in a relatively healthy population (men and women) aged 18-80 years (n = 1020 Caucasian European participants). Taste perception was determined by challenging subjects with solutions of the five basic tastes using standard prototypical tastants (6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP), NaCl, sucrose, monopotassium glutamate and citric acid) at 5 increasing concentrations (I to V). We also measured taste preferences and determined the polymorphisms of the genes taste 2 receptor member 38 (TAS2R38), taste 1 receptor member 2 (TAS2R38) and sodium channel epithelial 1 beta subunit (SCNN1B), as TAS2R38-rs713598, TAS1R2-rs35874116 and SCNN1B-rs239345 respectively. We found a statistically significant decrease in taste perception (total taste score) with increasing age for all the concentrations analysed. This association was stronger for the higher concentrations (p = 0.028; p = 0.012; p = 0.005; p = 4.20 x 10(-5) and p = 1.48 x 10(-7), for I to V in the multivariable-adjusted models). When we analysed taste qualities (using concentration V), the intensity rating of all the 5 tastes was diminished with age (p < 0.05 for all). This inverse association differed depending on the test quality, being higher for bitter (PROP) and sour. Women perceived taste significantly more intense than men (p = 1.4 x 10(-8) for ``total taste score´´). However, there were differences depending on the taste, umami being the lowest (p = 0.069). There was a complex association between the ability to perceive a taste and the preference for the same. Significant associations were, nevertheless, found between a higher perception of sour taste and a higher preference for it in women. In contrast, the higher perception of sweet was significantly associated with a higher preference for bitter in both, men and women. The TAS2R38-rs713598 was strongly associated with bitter (PROP) taste (p = 1.38 x 10(-50)), having a significant interaction with sex (p = 0.030). The TAS1R2-rs35874116 was not significantly associated with sweet, whereas the SCNN1B-rs239345 was associated (p = 0.040) with salty taste. In conclusion, the inverse association between age and perceived taste intensity as well as the additional influence of sex and some genetic polymorphisms give rise to large inter-individual differences in taste perception and taste preferences that should be taken into account in future studies and for applications in precision nutrition for healthy aging.This study was partially funded, by the Spanish Ministry of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) and the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad-Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) (grants CIBER 06/03, PRX17/00500, PI16/00366, PI06/1326 and SAF2016-80532-R); the University Jaume I (grants P1-1B2013-54 and COGRUP/2016/06); the Fundacio La Marato de TV3 (grant 538/U/2016); the Real Colegio Complutense at Harvard University and the Generalitat Valenciana (grant PROMETEO2017/017).S

Inflammatory biomarkers and brain health indicators in children with overweight and obesity: The ActiveBrains project

INTRODUCTION: Chronic inflammation plays an important role on the pathogenesis of several cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, as well as on brain function and behaviour. The aim of the present study was to examine the associations between inflammatory biomarkers and a wide range of brain health indicators (i.e., academic performance, executive function, behavioural and emotional functioning, and brain volume) in children with overweight/obesity. METHODS: A total of 107 children (10.0 ± 1.1 years, 41% girls) from the ActiveBrains project were included in the analysis. Five inflammatory biomarkers were analysed in plasma: white blood cell (WBC) count, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Academic performance was assessed by Woodcock-Munoz Tests of Achievement. Executive function was assessed through the Design Fluency Test for cognitive flexibility, the Stroop test for cognitive inhibition, and the Delayed Non-Match-to-Sample task for working memory. Behavioural and emotional functioning was evaluated through the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) questionnaire. Total and regional brain volume was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: IL-6 was inversely associated with adaptive skills (beta = -0.228; p = 0.030), while TNF-alpha was related to mathematics (beta = -0.198; p = 0.034). In addition, CRP was positively associated with externalizing (beta = 0.246; p = 0.046) and internalizing problems (beta = 0.234; p = 0.039), as well as the behavioural symptoms index (beta = 0.236; p = 0.047). However, these significant associations disappeared after multiple comparisons correction. Inflammatory biomarkers were not associated with executive function and total brain volumes. Regarding regional brain analyses, WBC was positively associated with gray matter volume in the left middle temporal gyrus (beta = 0.387; p < 0.001, k = 44), and CRP was positively associated with gray matter volume in the right superior temporal gyrus (beta = 0.439; p < 0.001, k = 29). Additionally, when adjusting by total brain volume, CRP was positively associated with gray matter volume in the right supplementary motor cortex (beta = 0.453; p < 0.001, k = 51). Moreover, both, IL-6 (beta = 0.366; p < 0.001, k = 81) and TNF-alpha (beta = 0.368; p < 0.001, k = 62) were positively associated with white matter volume around the right inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis, while CRP was inversely associated with white matter volume around the left superior frontal gyrus (beta = -0.482; p < 0.001, k = 82). After adjusting by total brain volume, CRP was also inversely associated with white matter volume in 3 additional clusters (beta ranging from -0.473 to -0.404; p < 0.001, k = 87). CONCLUSIONS: Inflammation was slightly associated with brain health (i.e., academic performance, behavioural and emotional functioning and regional brain volume) in children with overweight or obesity. Further larger longitudinal and interventional studies are warranted to elucidate the short-term and long-term effect of systemic low-grade inflammation on children's brain health

Pharmacophore Hybridization To Discover Novel Topoisomerase II Poisons with Promising Antiproliferative Activity

We used a pharmacophore hybridization strategy to combine key structural elements of merbarone and etoposide and generated new type II topoisomerase (topoII) poisons. This first set of hybrid topoII poisons shows promising antiproliferative activity on human cancer cells, endorsing their further exploration for anticancer drug discovery

Evaluación de fallas en un transportador de cangilones. Caso de estudio

A failure in the bottom sheet of a bucket conveyor (KZBQ.AUMUND) during service was investigated. Sheets are coupled to the chain throught a screw connection; they operate in variable load scenarios causing fatigue. A chemical and microstructural analysis was made showing that sheet was built in steel with 0.15 % of Carbone without alloying elements that contribute to the refined grain and resistance increase. Strength calculation, used to determinate safety factor, consider load system and type material. Results concluded that geometry and thickness value do not provide an adequate fatigue resistance coefficient.Es investigada la falla en las láminas del fondo de un transportador de cangilones KZB-Q.AUMUND durante su servicio. Las láminas están acopladas a una cadena a través de uniones atornilladas y operan bajo un régimen de cargas variables causándoles fatiga. Se realiza un análisis químico y microestructural el cual evidencia que las láminas fueron elaboradas de un acero con 0,15 % de carbono sin elementos de aleación que contribuyan al afinamiento del grano y al incremento de la resistencia. Se calculan las tensiones para determinar el coeficiente de seguridad a la fatiga considerando el sistema de cargas y el material de las láminas. Los resultados concluyen que la geometría y los valores de espesor no le proporcionan a las láminas un adecuado coeficiente de resistencia a la fatiga

Inflammatory markers and bone mass in children with overweight/obesity: the role of muscular fitness

Objectives To examine which inflammatory markers are associated with bone mass and whether this association varies according to muscular fitness in children with overweight/obesity. Methods Plasma interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), epidermal growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), and C-reactive protein were analyzed in 55 children aged 8–11 years. A muscular fitness score was computed. Bone mineral content (BMC) of the total body-less head (TBLH) and lumbar spine (LS) were assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results IL-6 (β = −0.136) and VEGF (β = −0.099) were associated with TBLH BMC, while TNF-α (β = −0.345) and IL-1β (β = 0.212) were associated with LS BMC (P < 0.05). The interaction effect of muscular fitness showed a trend in the association of VEGF with TBLH BMC (P = 0.122) and TNF-α with LS BMC (P = 0.057). Stratified analyses by muscular fitness levels showed an inverse association of VEGF with TBLH BMC (β = −0.152) and TNF-α with LS BMC (β = −0.491) in the low-fitness group, while no association was found in the high-fitness group. Conclusion IL-6, VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-1β are significantly associated with bone mass. Higher muscular fitness may attenuate the adverse effect of high VEGF and TNF-α on bone mass