Behavior of Expansive Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular (Ecfst) Columns under Axial Loadings

Concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST) have been introduced in high-rise buildings in order to expedite construction and increase the confinement of concrete by the steel tube, and hence increase the capacity of the column cross-section. More recently, expansive additives (EAs) that counteract the shrinkage of concrete have been used in CFST to improve the bond between the concrete and steel tube. Although changing the confinement level exerted by the steel tube on concrete will have an impact on the behavior of CFSTs, little information is available regarding the influence of EAs on the mechanical characteristics of expansive concrete-filled steel tubular (ECFST) columns. The objective of this study is thus twofold: (i) to experimentally assess the behavior of concentrically loaded ECFSTs with different parameters, and (ii) to investigate the correlation between the test results and those obtained from different analytical modeling techniques and previous prediction approaches. The experimental program of this study consists of testing 16 CFST/ECFST columns. Fourteen concrete mixes are prepared with four different concrete strength values (16, 40, 50 and 90 MPa), four EA dosages (0%, 6%, 12% and 24%), and two concrete mixing approaches. Steel tubes in two different diameters (89.6 and 153.6 mm), thicknesses (2 and 3 mm), and lengths (370 and 1500 mm) are fabricated. In order to arrive at an effective prestressing action during the hardening process of concrete, two end plates are tied to each ECFST specimen immediately after casting. Each of the tested specimens is effectively instrumented using four LVDTs and several strain gauges. The behavior of the tested column specimens and those collected from previous studies is also assessed using two numerical modeling techniques, namely the fiber-based modeling (FBM) and finite element method (FEM), as well as using several prediction approaches. The results indicate that increasing the concrete strength significantly improves the axial load capacity of CFST columns by up to 76%. Using EA with a concrete strength of 40 MPa results in the most pronounced improvements in the axial load capacity of columns, whilst the most promising EA dosage for the ECFST short columns is 6%.Good agreement is observed between the experimental results and those obtained fromboth FBM and FEM in terms of ultimate load capacity, and hence the adopted modeling techniques can be used in further parametric studies on CFSTs/ECFSTs. It is also recommended to employ specific confined concrete models with the predictive approaches of Euro code 4 and AISC to arrive at the best correlation with CFST test results. This study provides insights into the behavior of pre-stressing CFST columns and presents test results with diverse parameters that contribute to filling gaps in the existing research, verify computational models and provide support for the development of prediction approaches for ECFSTs

Projeto, implementação e avaliação de um data center gateway compatível com VXLAN usando P4

Orientador: Christian Rodolfo Esteve RothenbergDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de ComputaçãoResumo: Por muitos anos as Redes Definidas por Software (SDN) têm revolucionado o comportamento das redes de computadores, dando aos administradores das mesmas a possibilidade de programar o plano de controle da rede. No entanto, a implantação de soluções SDN deu aos pesquisadores espaço para novos desafios, com o objetivo de atualizar nossas redes por meio de uma programação mais detalhada do plano de dados. O P4 é uma Linguagem de Domínio Específico (DSL) para expressar como os pacotes são processados em uma plataforma de rede programável. Considerando o objetivo de permitir a programação P4 com alto desempenho, o Multi-Architecture Compiler System for Abstract Dataplanes (MACSAD) utiliza o projeto open source OpenDataPlane (ODP) para fornecer APIs específicas, permitindo a interoperabilidade entre hardwares diferentes e minimizando a sobrecarga dos mesmos. O MACSAD é um compilador que aproveita a simplicidade da linguagem P4 e a flexibilidade das APIs do ODP para trabalhar em diferentes plataformas, mantendo o alto desempenho. Assim, o MACSAD pode ser chamado de um "sistema de compilador unificado de alto desempenho", considerando que ele pode executar o mesmo programa P4 em múltiplos hardwares com alta performance. Este projeto tem como objetivo adicionar suporte VXLAN ao MACSAD, integrá-lo a um controlador SDN, fazer uma análise de throughput, latência e da distribuição do balanceador de carga através de múltiplos polinômios. Assim, para alcançar essa integração, faremos uma implementação P4 VXLAN com uma abordagem SDN para preencher as tabelas através de um controlador simples. Por fim, faremos uma análise dos métodos de balanceamento de carga, principalmente através de funções Checksum e CRC para uma avaliação de desempenho de todo o sistema. Dessa forma, utilizaremos o Network Function Performance Analyzer (NFPA) e Open Source Network Tester (OSNT) para efetuar os testes de throughput e latência, gerando diferentes tipos de tráfego para an'alise de performance de nosso programa P4 definido na aplicação do plano de dadosAbstract: For some years, Software-Defined Networking (SDN) has been revolutionizing the networking landscape, giving administrator users the possibility to program the network control plane. However, the deployment of SDN solutions gave researchers space to new challenges, aiming to upgrade our networks to new levels through deeper data plane programmability. The Programming Protocol-Independent Packet Processors (P4) is a Domain Specific Language (DSL) to express how packets are processed on a programmable network platform. Considering the objective to allow P4 programmability with high performance, the Multi-Architecture Compiler System for Abstract Dataplanes (MACSAD) uses the OpenDataPlane (ODP) Open Source project to provide specific Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), enabling the interoperability between different hardwares and minimizing the overhead. The MACSAD is a compiler that takes advantage of the P4 language simplicity and ODP APIs flexibility to work on different platforms, but still maintaining high performance. Thus, MACSAD can be called as a "unified compiler system with high performance", considering that it can execute the same P4 program on multiple targets with high throughput. This project aims to add Virtual eXtensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) support to MACSAD,integrate it with an SDN controller, evaluate the throughput, latency and the Load balance distribution through multiple polynomials. Thus, to achieve this integration we will make a P4 VXLAN implementation and an SDN approach to populate the tables through a simple controller. Finally, we will analyze different load balancing polynomials, mainly through Checksum and CRC functions and a performance evaluation of the whole system, to perform the last one we will take advantage of Network Function Performance Analyzer (NFPA) and Open Source Network Tester (OSNT), generating different types of traffic to benchmark our P4-defined dataplane applicationMestradoEngenharia de ComputaçãoMestre em Engenharia Elétric

”Are you recording the conversation?” - A study of individuals' attitudes and needs of the recording of phone calls.

Den här studien handlar om inspelning av mobiltelefonsamtal. Studiens syfte var att undersöka privatpersoners inställning samt behov av inspelning av mobiltelefonsamtal och identifiera hur de anses kunna dra nytta av denna funktionalitet. För att få reda på huruvida privatpersoner förhåller sig till detta intervjuades 15 respondenter utifrån en kvalitativ ansats. I studiens insamlade material framkom det att respondenterna hade blandade åsikter kring inspelning av mobiltelefonsamtal. Den viktigaste aspekten som framkom under studien var hanteringen av känslig information och hur den personliga integriteten skall skyddas från kränkning. Baserat på de utmaningar som identifierades i studien har ett stort behov varit att kunna använda de inspelade samtalen för att lyssna igenom vad som har sagts under samtalen, men även för att påvisa vad som har sagts. Något som var förvånande i studien var att många var skeptiska kring delningen av känslig information och hur individers integritet skall skyddas från kränkning, trots detta var majoriteten av respondenterna positiva till de fiktiva funktioner av delning för de inspelade mobiltelefonsamtalen och såg sig ha ett behov för att använda dem. Resultatet som vi fått fram är att det finns ett behov till inspelning av mobiltelefonsamtal bland privatpersoner och att de flesta har en positiv inställning till denna funktionalitet, samtidigt finns det faktorer som tillit till andra individer och integritetsaspekter som kan göra att individer väljer att inte använda vissa funktioner

Analgesics in Older People with Chronic Pain

La douleur chronique dont la prévalence est en augmentation en particulier chez les sujets âgés est considérée comme l’un des problèmes de santé les plus graves, non seulement en termes de souffrance humaine et de conséquences physiques et psychiques associées mais aussi en terme économique pour le système de santé et la société. Sa prise en charge reste toujours complexe surtout chez les sujets âgés d’une part pour des raisons liées aux mécanismes physiopathologiques variées de la douleur et à la pharmacopée insatisfaisante et d’autre part, pour des raisons de changements liés à l'âge, de modifications pharmacocinétiques et pharmacodynamiques. Dans ce contexte, ce travail de thèse issu principalement de la sous-cohorte S.AGE douleur chronique, nous donne l’opportunité (1) de décrire l’état actuel de la prise en charge médicamenteuse de la douleur chronique chez les sujets âgés non institutionnalisés par des médecins généralistes en fonction du genre des médecins; (2) d’identifier les facteurs prédictifs de chute chez les sujets âgés souffrant de douleur chronique et; (3) d’estimer le coût de consommation de soins dans cette population ainsi que d’identifier les facteurs associés aux coûts et leur évolution au cours de temps.Les principaux résultats sont:(1) Aucune différence n’a été mise en évidence entre les médecins hommes et femmes dans la prescription d’antalgiques de palier 1, 2 ou 3 (selon la classification d’OMS). Cependant, comparés aux médecins femmes, les médecins hommes ont prescrit plus de médicaments pour la douleur neuropathique et moins de médicaments Anti-Arthrosiques Symptomatiques d’Action Lente (AASAL) même après l’ajustement sur plusieurs facteurs de confusion;(2) Les facteurs prédictifs de chute identifiés chez les personnes âgées souffrant de douleur chronique sont: les antécédents préalables de chute, la dépendance dans les activités quotidiennes mesurée par l’échelle ADL, l'âge ≥75 et le fait de vivre seul à domicile. Ces facteurs non spécifiques à la douleur chronique se sont avérés pertinents dans les sous-cohortes S.AGE fibrillation atriale (FA) et diabète de type 2 (DT2).(3) Le coût moyen total de consommation de soins au premier semestre du suivi à été estimé à 2548€ ± 8885€/patient. Les facteurs indépendants associés aux coûts étaient: les comorbidités associées, la dépendance dans les activités quotidiennes, la dépression clinique probable, la nature permanente de la douleur, la douleur de type neuropathique, le fait de vivre seul à domicile, la lombalgie chronique et les fractures vertébrales/ tassement vertébraux. Dans les 18 mois suivants, les coûts de soins de santé ont augmenté de 48% (p <0,0001) (78%, 26%, 14% et 7% pour les hospitalisations, les prescriptions médicamenteuses, les visites médicales et paramédicales, respectivement).En conclusion, ce travail de thèse apporte des résultats sur plusieurs aspects de la douleur chronique chez les sujets âgés, leurs conséquences et leur prise en charge. Les résultats suggèrent une différence liée au genre de médecin dans la prescription des médicaments contre la douleur neuropathique et AASAL. Les résultats ont identifié également différents facteurs associés aux chutes et aux dépenses de santé sur lesquels des actions préventives de santé pourraient contribuer à une meilleure prise en charge des sujets âgés dans le futur.Chronic pain whose prevalence is increasing particularly in the elderly is considered as one of the most serious health problems not only in terms of human suffering and associated physical and psychological consequences but also in terms of huge economic consequences for the health care system and society. Its management remains complex in the elderly on one hand for reasons related to the various pathophysiological mechanisms of pain and unsatisfactory pharmacopoeia. On the other hand, for reasons of changes related to age, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes. In this context, this thesis derived mainly from the sub-cohort S.AGE chronic pain gives us the opportunity (1) to describe the current state of medical management of elderly suffering from chronic pain by general practitioners (GPs) according to the gender of the practitioner; (2) to identify predictors of falls in elderly patients with chronic pain; (3) to estimate health care consumption costs in this population as well as to identify factors associated to cost.The main results are: (1) no differences were found between male and female GPs in prescribing analgesics step1, 2 or 3 (according to World Health Organization classification). However, compared to women GPs, male GPs have prescribed more drugs for neuropathic pain and less Symptomatic Slow Acting Drugs for Osteoarthritis (SySADOA), even after adjustment for several confounding factors; (2) predictors of falls in the elderly with chronic pain are: fall history, dependence in daily activities measured by the ADL scale, ≥75 age and living alone at home. These factors have proven to be relevant in the sub cohort S.AGE atrial fibrillation and type 2 diabetes mellitus;(3) The average total cost of care consumption in the first semester was estimated to € 2.548 ± € 8.885. Independent factors associated with the costs were comorbidities, dependence in daily activities, the probable clinical depression, permanent pain, neuropathic pain, living alone at home, chronic low back pain and vertebral fractures/ vertebral compression. Health care costs increased significantly by 48% (p <0.0001) (78%, 26%, 14% and 7% for hospitalizations, medications, medical and paramedical visits, respectively) during the follow-up period.In conclusion, this thesis brings results on several aspects of chronic pain in the elderly, their consequences and management. The results suggest a difference by physician gender in prescription of drugs against neuropathic pain and SySADOA. The results also identified different predictors of falls and cost, which could contribute to a better prevention and care for elderly in the future

Gold Nanoparticle Cytotoxicity

The industry of nanotechnology is growing faster than the understanding of nanoparticle’s long term health and environmental effects, which has brought about research regarding nanoparticle cytotoxicity. Our research focused on studying interactions between supported lipid bilayers with varying sized bare unconjugated gold nanoparticles. The interactions were monitored on an instrument, known as a Quartz crystal microbalance. From the results, size wasn’t a variable that governed how the bare gold nanoparticles affected the membrane. A major factor in the results was the lack of reproducibility. The existence of defects during the formation of the SLB is in itself a variable in the experiment and will need to be treated thusly in future nanoparticle-lipid bilayer research

Percutaneous mitral valve repair: A new treatment for mitral regurgitation

Mitral valve disease affects more than 4 million people in the United States. The gold standard of treatment in these patients is surgical repair or replacement of the valve with a prosthesis. The MitraClip (Abbott Vascular, Menlo Park, CA) is a new technology, which offers an alternative to open surgical repair or replacement via a minimally invasive route. We present an evidence-based clinical update that provides an overview of this technology as it relates to managing patients with significant mitral regurgitation. This review article is particularly useful to noninterventional cardiologists and interventional cardiologists who will be managing patients with this novel technology in increased volumes over the next decade but who do not perform this procedure