Intelligent infrastructures systems for sustainable urban environment

Extensive research is now under way around the world to develop advanced technologies to enhance the performances of infrastructure systems. While these technological advances are incremental in nature, they will eventually lead to structures which are distinctly different from the actual infrastructure systems. These new structures will be therefore capable of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), involving applications of electronics and smart materials, aiming to assist engineers in realizing the full benefits of structural health monitoring.intelligent infrastructures, environment, optimization

Μεταβολές του APC σε ασθενείς με CA παχέος εντέρου και έκφραση των παραγόντων E2F1 και P14ARF

Εισαγωγή: Το APC (Adenomatous Polyposis Coli) είναι ένα ανθρώπινο ογκοκατασταλτικό γονίδιο. Σε μετάλλαξή του, εμφανίζεται Οικογενής Αδενοματώδης Πολυποδίαση (ΟΑΠ) και σποραδικός Καρκίνος του Παχέος Εντέρου (ΚΠΕ). Οι μεταλλάξεις στο APC, λαμβάνουν χώρα στα αρχικά στάδια της ογκογενετικής διαδικασίας. Σκοπός: Η διερεύνηση της σχέσης εμφάνισης ΚΠΕ και μετάλλαξης του APC, καθώς επίσης η σχέση του APC με τις E2F1, P14ARF και KI67 πρωτεΐνες. Απώτερος στόχος είναι, μέσω εξέτασης αίματος για γονιδιακή μετάλλαξη, να διαπιστώνουμε και να προλαμβάνουμε την εμφάνιση ΚΠΕ. Μεθοδολογία: Το δείγμα της μελέτης αποτέλεσαν νεοπλασματικοί ιστοί στους οποίους έγινε μονιμοποίηση, σε κύβους παραφίνης. Ακολούθησε ενυδάτωση τομών και ανάλυσή τους με τη μέθοδο της Ανοσοϊστοχημείας. Έπειτα αφυδάτωση ιστών και κλείσιμο σε πλακάκια. Τέλος έγινε αξιολόγηση και φωτογράφιση των ιστών. Τα δεδομένα αναλύθηκαν σε πίνακες μέσω του προγράμματος SPSS v20. Η εγκυρότητα των ιστολογικών αποτελεσμάτων συσχετίζεται με ταυτόχρονη μελέτη των γονιδίων E2F1, P14ARF, όπως και του δείκτη κυτταρικού πολλαπλασιασμού Ki-67. Αποτελέσματα: Η μέση ηλικία των συμμετεχόντων ήταν 67,27 με εύρος 34-90 έτη. Το 50% των συμμετεχόντων ήταν γυναίκες. Η πλειοψηφία των ασθενών (57,7%) δεν είχε κανένα εθισμό στον καπνό. Το 3,84% ήταν παχύσαρκοι και το 19,23% είχαν την τάση να καταναλώνουν αλκοόλ. Περίπου το 30,77% είχε τουλάχιστον ένα μέλος της οικογένειας με ιστορικό καρκίνου. Από τα 88 δείγματα ασθενών με νεοπλασία που συλλέχθηκαν, το 34% εμφάνισε κακοήθες νεόπλασμα ενώ το 28% των ασθενών πραγματοποίησε Ήμικολεκτομή Δεξιά. Η ένταση της ανοσοϊστοχημικής έκφρασης του γονιδίου APC κυμαίνεται από ασθενής (79,55%) έως πολύ ισχυρή (6,82%). Θετική έκφραση του P14ARF με ταυτόχρονη θετική έκφραση του APC εμφανίζεται στο (88,23%). Επιπλέον, ένα ποσοστό θετικής έκφρασης (64,7%) P14ARF, παρουσίασε ταυτόχρονη θετική έκφραση με τα γονίδια E2F1 και APC. Συμπεράσματα: Τα δεδομένα της συγκεκριμένης έρευνας σηματοδοτούν πιθανή συσχέτιση μεταξύ του ΚΠΕ και της θετικής έκφρασης των γονιδίων APC, E2F1, P14ARF και Ki-67. Οι παραπάνω μεταλλάξεις στα δύο 12 αλληλόμορφα γονίδια APC, υποδηλώνουν ότι η απώλεια του ογκοκατασταλτικού γονιδίου APC είναι ένα πολύ κρίσιμο και πρώιμο φαινόμενο στην ογκογένεση του παχέος εντέρου. Η συσχέτιση αυτή μπορεί να συμβάλλει στην ανακάλυψη πιθανών διαγνωστικών δεικτών για την παρακολούθηση του συγκεκριμένου τύπου καρκίνου και εξέταση σε μικρότερη ηλικία για πρώιμα σημάδια Καρκίνου.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between APC gene mutations and subcellular differentiation levels of E2F1, P14ARF and KI67 proteins. Furthermore, if such connections can be used in the area of preventive health care. Materials and methods: The 30 hours Immunohistochemistry protocol used, had samples preparation, antigen retrieval, background blocking, target detection and sample visualization. Samples were viewed and captured by light microscopy. Results: The conducted research concern 88 patients with a range age of 56 years. 57,7% had no tobacco addiction, 3,84% were obese and 19,23% had the tendency to consume alcohol. About 31% had at least one family member with a history of cancer. Intensity and positivity of the genes vary as seen in tables. Conclusion: By targeting specific and simultaneously multiple pathways based on molecular signatures, enables cases to be detected at an earlier stage, when there are greater chances of cure as treatment is more effective. A plan for early detection of cancer is a key component within an overall cancer control plan. An early diagnosis program is far cheaper and easier leading to appropriate treatments which finally reduce death rates and suffering due to cancer

INTERFACIAL FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF UNCONVENTIONAL SPECIMENS: SOME KEY ISSUES

Laboratory specimens used to assess the interfacial fracture toughness of layered materials can be classified as either conventional or unconventional. We call conventional a specimen cut from a unidirectional composite laminate or an adhesive joint between two identical adherents. Assessing fracture toughness using conventional specimens is a common practice guided by international test standards. In contrast, we term unconventional a specimen resulting from, for instance, bimaterial joints, fiber metal laminates, or laminates with an elastically coupled behavior or residual stresses. This paper deals with unconventional specimens and highlights the key issues in determining their interfacial fracture toughness(es) based on fracture tests. Firstly, the mode decoupling and mode partitioning approaches are briefly discussed as tools to extract the pure-mode fracture toughnesses of an unconventional specimen that experiences mixed-mode fracture during testing. Next, we elaborate on the effects of bending-extension coupling and residual thermal stresses often appearing in unconventional specimens by reviewing major mechanical models that consider those effects. Lastly, the paper reviews two of our previous analytical models that surpass the state-of-the-art in that they consider the effects of bending-extension coupling and residual thermal stresses while they also offer mode partitioning

Condition monitoring of helical gears using automated selection of features and sensors

The selection of most sensitive sensors and signal processing methods is essential process for the design of condition monitoring and intelligent fault diagnosis and prognostic systems. Normally, sensory data includes high level of noise and irrelevant or red undant information which makes the selection of the most sensitive sensor and signal processing method a difficult task. This paper introduces a new application of the Automated Sensor and Signal Processing Approach (ASPS), for the design of condition monitoring systems for developing an effective monitoring system for gearbox fault diagnosis. The approach is based on using Taguchi's orthogonal arrays, combined with automated selection of sensory characteristic features, to provide economically effective and optimal selection of sensors and signal processing methods with reduced experimental work. Multi-sensory signals such as acoustic emission, vibration, speed and torque are collected from the gearbox test rig under different health and operating conditions. Time and frequency domain signal processing methods are utilised to assess the suggested approach. The experiments investigate a single stage gearbox system with three level of damage in a helical gear to evaluate the proposed approach. Two different classification models are employed using neural networks to evaluate the methodology. The results have shown that the suggested approach can be applied to the design of condition monitoring systems of gearbox monitoring without the need for implementing pattern recognition tools during the design phase; where the pattern recognition can be implemented as part of decision making for diagnostics. The suggested system has a wide range of applications including industrial machinery as well as wind turbines for renewable energy applications

Acoustic emission signal processing framework to identify fracture in aluminum alloys

Acoustic emission (AE) is a common nondestructive evaluation tool that has been used to monitor fracture in materials and structures. The direct connection between AE events and their source, however, is difficult because of material, geometry and sensor contributions to the recorded signals. Moreover, the recorded AE activity is affected by several noise sources which further complicate the identification process. This article uses a combination of in situ experiments inside the scanning electron microscope to observe fracture in an aluminum alloy at the time and scale it occurs and a novel AE signal processing framework to identify characteristics that correlate with fracture events. Specifically, a signal processing method is designed to cluster AE activity based on the selection of a subset of features objectively identified by examining their correlation and variance. The identified clusters are then compared to both mechanical and in situ observed microstructural damage. Results from a set of nanoindentation tests as well as a carefully designed computational model are also presented to validate the conclusions drawn from signal processing

State-of-the-art assessment on the implementations of international core data models for public administrations

Public administrations are often still organised in vertical, closed silos. The lack of common data standards (common data models and reference data) for exchanging information between administrations in a cross-domain and/or cross-border setting stands in the way of digital public services and automated flow of information between public administrations. Core data models address this issue, but are often created within the closed environment of a country or region and within one policy domain. A lack of insight exists in understanding and managing the life-cycle of these initiatives on public administration information systems for data modelling and data exchange. In this paper, we outline state-of-the-art implementations and vocabularies linked to the core data models. In particular we inventoried and selected existing core data models and identified tendencies in current practices based on the criteria creation, use, maintenance and coordination. Based on the analysis, this survey suggest research directions for policy and information management studies pointing to best practices regarding core data model implementations and their role in linking isolated data silos within a cross-country context. Finally we highlight the differences in their coordination and maintenance, depending on the state of creation and use

Special Issue on: Personalisation in E-Government and Smart Cities

The abstract is included in the text