Stature estimation for personal identification using mandibular morphometric parameters in Italian population: a preliminary report.

Stature is fundamental in personal identification for forensic and physical anthropologists. When a full skeleton is not available, stature can be estimated from incomplete human remains. It is also important to apply a method to estimate the stature based on the same specific population of the remains. For this purpose, we measured 4 distances between cephalometric landmarks of the mandible and the stature in 56 subjects (both males and females) from Caucasian Italian population. The correlation between these parameters appeared to be statistically significant, so that it was possible to establish a regression equation to estimate the stature from the mandible in this population

Low-frequency modes in the Raman spectrum of sp-sp2 nanostructured carbon

A novel form of amorphous carbon with sp-sp2 hybridization has been recently produced by supersonic cluster beam deposition showing the presence in the film of both polyynic and cumulenic species [L. Ravagnan et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 216103 (2007)]. Here we present a in situ Raman characterization of the low frequency vibrational region (400-800 cm-1) of sp-sp2 films at different temperatures. We report the presence of two peaks at 450 cm-1 and 720 cm-1. The lower frequency peak shows an evolution with the variation of the sp content and it can be attributed, with the support of density functional theory (DFT) simulations, to bending modes of sp linear structures. The peak at 720 cm-1 does not vary with the sp content and it can be attributed to a feature in the vibrational density of states activated by the disorder of the sp2 phase.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl

The role of technology in healthy living medicine

Health care consumers are taking control of their health information and desire a greater role in managing their health. Approximately 77% of Americans now own a smartphone and the use of health apps have doubled over the past two years. These effects are particularly notable in patients with chronic disease, now representing half the adult population and responsible for 86% of United States health care (HC) costs and 70% of deaths. New opportunities exist as a result of recent advances in home-based wireless devices, apps, wearables, and interactive systems enabling health delivery systems to monitor, advise and treat disease near real time and engage patients in healthy living medicine. These technologies will provide a new framework for patient engagement and care delivery that will enhance clinical outcomes and generate precision interventions that ultimately reduce HC costs

ELITE OUTSIDE HITTERS IN VOLLEYBALL DO NOT MEET THEIR INDIVIDUAL POSSIBLE MAXIMUM IMPACT HEIGHT IN HIGH SPIKE JUMPS

It is assumed that a high impact height is a relevant factor for success in volleyball spikes. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether outside hitters hit the ball at the highest possible impact height. Spikes from position IV were analysed at a tournament of the European League. The posture of the athletes was less extended in the trunk and upper limb with increasing jump height. Regarding the body posture at the moment of impact, there was no effect on the post impact ball speed. It is concluded that there could be enhancement with respect to the impact height as jump height increases even in elite athletes without reducing ball speed. This should be addressed within the training process

STUD LENGTH AND STUD GEOMETRY OF SOCCER BOOTS INFLUENCE RUNNING PERFORMANCE ON THIRD GENERATION ARTIFICIAL TURF

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different stud lengths and stud geometries of soccer boots on soccer specific running performance. The study involved performance testing by running through two functional traction courses and corresponding subjective testing. Variables of this study were objectively measured running times and perception ratings of running performance. 15 experienced soccer players participated in the study. Players run slower when performing with shorter studs (

Symmetric Periodic Solutions of the Anisotropic Manev Problem

We consider the Manev Potential in an anisotropic space, i.e., such that the force acts differently in each direction. Using a generalization of the Poincare' continuation method we study the existence of periodic solutions for weak anisotropy. In particular we find that the symmetric periodic orbits of the Manev system are perturbed to periodic orbits in the anisotropic problem.Comment: Late

A discrete macro-model using homogenization with strain-rate dependency for the out-of-plane study of masonry panels subjected to impact loading

In recent decades, a great deal of effort has been made to develop solutions to reduce destructive damage and casualties due to blast loads and impacts, also in light of a major protection of the built heritage against terrorist attacks. In the present study, a simple and reliable Homogenization approach coupled with a Rigid Body and Spring Model (HRBSM) accounting for high strain rate effects is utilized to analyse masonry panels subjected to impact load. The homogenization approach adopted relies into a coarse FE discretization where bricks are meshed with a few elastic constant stress triangular elements and joints are reduced to interfaces with elastic-plastic softening behaviour including friction, a tension cut-off and a cap in compression. Strain rate effects are accounted for assuming the most meaningful mechanical properties in the unit cell variable through the so-called Dynamic Increase Factors (DIFs), with values from literature data. The HRBS model, which has been implemented at structural level in the commercial code ABAQUS resorts on a discretization into rigid quadrilateral elements with homogenized bending/torque non-linear springs on adjoining edges. The model is tested on a masonry parapet subjected to a standardized impact. A number of previous results obtained by literature models are available for comparison, as well as experimental data. Satisfactory agreement is found between the present results and existing literature in the field, both experimental and numerical.This work was supported by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology), within ISISE, scholarship SFRH/BD/95086/2013. This work was also partly financed by FEDER funds through the Competitivity Factors Operational Programme - COMPETE and by national funds through FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology within the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007633.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Nonlinear Discrete Homogenized Model for Out-of-Plane Loaded Masonry Walls

This paper presents a simple and reliable homogenization approach coupled with rigid elements and homogenized interfaces for the analysis of out-of-plane loaded masonry panels. The homogenization approach proposed is a coarse finite element discretization wherein bricks are meshed with a few elastic constant stress triangular elements and joints reduced to interfaces with elastoplastic softening behavior with friction, tension cutoff, and a cap in compression. Flexural behavior is deduced from membrane homogenized stress-strain relationships through thickness integration (Kirchhoff-Love plate hypothesis). The procedure is robust and allows obtaining homogenized bending moment/torque curvature relationships (also in presence of membrane pre-compression) to be used at a structural level within a rigid body and spring mass model (RBSM) implemented in a commercial code. The model relies on rigid quadrilateral elements interconnected by homogenized bending/torque nonlinear springs. The possibility of extending the procedure to a finite element package, with standard built-in solution procedures, allows for a robust reproduction of masonry out-of-plane behavior beyond the peak load, in the presence of global softening. The procedure is tested on a set of windowed and full masonry panels in two-way bending. Excellent agreement is found with both experimental data and previously presented numerical approaches.This work was supported by FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology), within ISISE, scholarship SFRH/BD/95086/2013. This work was also partly financed by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Thematic Operational Programme-COMPETE and by national funds through FCT within the scope of Project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007633.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio