Comparative assessment of strut models for the modelling of in-plane seismic response of infill walls

The influence of infills on the seismic response of frame structures has long been recognised. Typically, stiffness and strength of the infill and connections between infill and frame are such that the infill affects the global seismic behaviour of the structure. Hence, the presence of infills should be considered in the analysis and design of new buildings and in the seismic assessment of existing ones. To this aim, simple models for infill walls, such as the equivalent diagonal no-tension strut model, have been developed in the last decades. The objective of the present study is to assess the validity of different strut models. To this aim, 162 experimental tests available in the literature are considered. The data set includes both reinforced concrete and steel frames, as well as confined masonry structures. The mechanical characteristics of masonry and the boundary conditions between frames and infills of the test specimens take into account a large set of situations, reflecting the great variability in the materials and in the construction techniques adopted in different countries. Moreover, the type of tests and the related results are not uniform; in some cases monotonic experiments are performed, whereas in other cases cyclic tests are carried out. As expected, the presence of different types of infill-frame systems results in a large scatter of the data. However, the comparison between experimental results and predictions show that, on the average, the infill strength can be adequately estimated by resorting to the strut model whereas major uncertainties are found for the stiffness prediction

A Performance Management System in Healthcare for All Seasons?

Health systems face challenges which are inherent to care demand and supply evolution (i.e., demographic change, new technologies) or are the results of unexpected occurrence originating outside the health system, such as economic shocks or epidemic outbreaks. Both challenges often require a paradigm shift in governance and organization, financing and resource allocation, accountability frameworks, as well as public health system responses. Based on key reviews and seminal papers of performance management, public health, sustainability and resilience, the article presents three emerging challenges for performance management systems in healthcare: i) the inclusion of the population approach; ii) the measurement and consideration of the multi-facets concepts of value; iii) the importance of resilience and sustainability. Performance management systems need to evolve to cope with this changing scenario. The article sheds light on uncovered areas by performance management, and it proposes a research agenda for scholars of both performance management and health service research

THE DIAGNOSIS OF ROAD SURFACE DISTRESSES THROUGH IMAGE-BASED MODELING TECHNIQUES. EXPERIMENTAL SURVEY ON LABORATORY-RUTTED SAMPLES

In the past few years, there has been a drastic increase in the use of image-based modeling (IBM) techniques to create high quality, reality-based 3D models. The low costs of these techniques, as well as their attractive visual quality, have led many researchers and professionals to invest their energy and resources in several tests. IBM is rarely used in the field of road surface distresses as diagnosis is usually performed using other techniques and devices. Road safety statistics reveal that about a half of the total number of accidents occur mainly due to the deterioration of the pavement. The goal of effective road network management is often incompatible with economic resources designated for maintenance and rehabilitation. For this reason, IBM diagnosis of distresses seems necessary in order to both increase the level of road safety and to avoid incorrect interventions and treatments of road pavement. One of the strengthens of multi-view stereo techniques is the possibility to capture millions of points in a very short time, and to produce a 3D, textured polygonal model that can easily be used for visualizing and communicating digital assets. Our goal was to implement the IBM techniques on a laboratory-rutted sample and to verify the metric accuracy of the model and its validity for the distress diagnosis in terms of severity (rut depth). In order to assess the IBM technique, we compared its 3D model to the blue LED 3D scan (Artec Spider) of the same rutted sample

Las representaciones de directivos de ISFD acerca de al problemática de la incorporación de TIC en la formación docente

El presente trabajo fue producido en el marco del Seminario de Comunicación y Educación del segundo semestre de 2009 a cargo de la Dra. Roxana Cabello, dentro de la Licenciatura en Comunicación de la Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento (UNGS). Este contribuye como insumo a la investigación en curso Alfabetización (digital) en la formación docente que se desarrolla en el área de Comunicación de la UNGS, ubicada en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, en Argentina. El estudio se propone conocer y caracterizar las representaciones de los directivos de Institutos Superiores de Formación Docente (ISFD) respecto de la incorporación de TIC en la formación de futuros profesores. Las concepciones que construyen este imaginario se analizan aquí considerando tres ejes; en primer lugar, se describirá el eje acerca de la comprensión del fenómeno, luego se analizará la comunicación de éste, y finalmente, se expondrá la relación que efectivamente establecen los directivos de ISFD con el tema de la incorporación de TIC en la formación docente. Se trata de una aproximación exploratoria cualitativa que se desarrolló a partir de la implementación de entrevistas en profundidad a tres directivos de los ISFD de la Región 9º de la provincia de Buenos Aires.Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

LAS REPRESENTACIONES DE DIRECTIVOS DE ISFD ACERCA DE LA PROBLEMÁTICA DE LA INCORPORACIÓN DE TIC EN LA FORMACIÓN DOCENTE

El presente trabajo fue producido en el marco del Seminario de Comunicación y Educación del segundo semestre de 2009 a cargode la Dra. Roxana Cabello, dentro de la Licenciatura en Comunicación de la Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento (UNGS).Este contribuye como insumo a la investigación en curso Alfabetización (digital) en la formación docente que se desarrolla en elárea de Comunicación de la UNGS, ubicada en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, en Argentina.El estudio se propone conocer y caracterizar las representaciones de los directivos de Institutos Superiores de Formación Docente(ISFD) respecto de la incorporación de TIC en la formación de futuros profesores.Las concepciones que construyen este imaginario se analizan aquí considerando tres ejes; en primer lugar, se describirá el ejeacerca de la comprensión del fenómeno, luego se analizará la comunicación de éste, y finalmente, se expondrá la relación queefectivamente establecen los directivos de ISFD con el tema de la incorporación de TIC en la formación docente.Se trata de una aproximación exploratoria cualitativa que se desarrolló a partir de la implementación de entrevistas en profundidada tres directivos de los ISFD de la Región 9º de la provincia de Buenos Aires

Las representaciones de directivos de ISFD acerca de al problemática de la incorporación de TIC en la formación docente

El presente trabajo fue producido en el marco del Seminario de Comunicación y Educación del segundo semestre de 2009 a cargo de la Dra. Roxana Cabello, dentro de la Licenciatura en Comunicación de la Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento (UNGS). Este contribuye como insumo a la investigación en curso Alfabetización (digital) en la formación docente que se desarrolla en el área de Comunicación de la UNGS, ubicada en la Provincia de Buenos Aires, en Argentina. El estudio se propone conocer y caracterizar las representaciones de los directivos de Institutos Superiores de Formación Docente (ISFD) respecto de la incorporación de TIC en la formación de futuros profesores. Las concepciones que construyen este imaginario se analizan aquí considerando tres ejes; en primer lugar, se describirá el eje acerca de la comprensión del fenómeno, luego se analizará la comunicación de éste, y finalmente, se expondrá la relación que efectivamente establecen los directivos de ISFD con el tema de la incorporación de TIC en la formación docente. Se trata de una aproximación exploratoria cualitativa que se desarrolló a partir de la implementación de entrevistas en profundidad a tres directivos de los ISFD de la Región 9º de la provincia de Buenos Aires.Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Socia

Gender influence on professional satisfaction and gender issue perception among young oncologists. A survey of the Young Oncologists Working Group of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM)

Background: The professional gender gap is increasingly recognised in oncology. We explored gender issues perception and gender influence on professional satisfaction/gratification among young Italian oncologists. Methods: Italian oncologists aged 6440 years and members of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology were invited to participate in an online survey addressing workload/burnout, satisfaction in professional abilities and relations, relevant factors for professional gratification, and gender barriers. \u3c72 test for general association or \u3c72 test for trend was used to analyse the data. Results: 201 young oncologists participated in the survey: 67% female, 71% aged 30-40 years, 41% still in training and 82% without children. Women and men were equally poorly satisfied by the relations with people occupying superior hierarchical positions. There was heterogeneity between women and men in current (p=0.011) and expected future (p=0.007) satisfaction in professional abilities: women were more satisfied by current empathy and relations with colleagues and were more confident in their future managerial and team leader skills. The most important elements for professional gratification indicated by all participants were, in general, work-life balance (36%) and intellectual stimulation/research (32%); specifically for women, work-life balance (48%) and intellectual stimulation/research (20%); and specifically for men, career (29%) and social prestige/recognition (26%). Heterogeneity within the same gender emerged. For example, the elements indicated by men as the most important were intellectual stimulation/research (39%) and work-life balance (21%) in general, versus social prestige/recognition (24%) and career (24%), respectively, specifically for men (p<0.0001). More women versus men perceived gender issue as an actual problem (60% vs 38%, p=0.03); men underestimated gender barriers to women's career (p=0.011). Conclusions: Satisfaction in professional abilities varied by gender. Work-life balance is important for both women and men. Stereotypes about gender issues may be present. Gender issue is an actual problem for young oncologists, mostly perceived by women

Emerging Targeted Therapies for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Until recently, few therapeutic options were available for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Since 2010, four new molecules with a demonstrated benefit (sipuleucel-T, cabazitaxel, abiraterone, and denosumab) have been approved in this setting, and to-date several other agents are under investigation in clinical trials. The purpose of this review is to present an update of targeted therapies for CRPC. Presented data are obtained from literature and congress reports updated until December 2011. Targeted therapies in advanced phases of clinical development include novel androgen signaling inhibitors, inhibitors of alternative signaling pathways, anti-angiogenic agents, inhibitors that target the bone microenvironment, and immunotherapeutic agents. Radium-223 and MDV3100 demonstrated a survival advantage in phase III trials and the road for their introduction in clinical practice is rapidly ongoing. Results are also awaited for phase III studies currently underway or planned with new drugs given as monotherapy (TAK-700, cabozantinib, tasquinimod, PROSTVAC-VF, ipilimumab) or in combination with docetaxel (custirsen, aflibercept, dasatinib, zibotentan). The optimal timing, combination, and sequencing of emerging therapies remain unknown and require further investigation. Additionally, the identification of novel markers of response and resistance to these therapies may better individualize treatment for patients with CRPC

Metabolic profile of patients with severe endometriosis: a prospective experimental study

Endometriosis is a common disease affecting women in reproductive age. There are several hypotheses on the pathogenesis of this disease. Often, its lesions and symptoms overlap with those of many other medical and surgical conditions, causing a delay in diagnosis. Metabolomics represents a useful diagnostic tool for the study of metabolic changes during a different physiological or pathological status. We used 1H-NMR to explore metabolic alteration in a cohort of patients with endometriosis in order to contribute to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and to suggest new useful biomarkers. Thirty-seven patients were recruited for the metabolomic analysis: 22 patients affected by symptomatic endometriosis and 15 not affected by it. Their serum samples were collected and analyzed with 1H-NMR. Multivariate statistical analysis was conducted, followed by univariate and pathway analyses. Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) was performed to determine the presence of any differences between the non-endometriosis and endometriosis samples (R2X = 0.596, R2Y = 0.713, Q2 = 0.635, and p &lt; 0.0001). β-hydroxybutyric acid and glutamine were significantly increased, whereas tryptophan was significantly decreased in the endometriosis patients. ROC curves were built to test the diagnostic power of the metabolites (β-hydroxybutyric acid: AUC = 0.85 CI = 0.71–0.99; glutamine: AUC = 0.83 CI = 0.68–0.98; tryptophan: AUC = 0.75 CI = 0.54–0.95; β-hydroxybutyric acid + glutamine + tryptophan AUC = 0.92 CI = 0.81–1). The metabolomic approach enabled the identification of several metabolic alterations occurring in women with endometriosis. These findings may provide new bases for a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease and for the discovery of new biomarkers. Trial registration number NCT0233781

Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS) Metabolites Analysis in Endometriosis Patients: A Prospective Observational Translational Study

Background: Endometriosis affects women of reproductive age, and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Typically, it overlaps other similar medical and surgical conditions, determining a delay in early diagnosis. Metabolomics allows studying metabolic changes in different physiological or pathological states to discover new potential biomarkers. We used the gas chromatography–mass spectrometer (GC–MS) to explore metabolic alterations in endometriosis to better understand its pathophysiology and find new biomarkers. Methods: Twenty-two serum samples of patients with symptomatic endometriosis and ten without it were collected and subjected to GC–MS analysis. Multivariate and univariate statistical analyses were performed, followed by pathway analysis. Results: Partial least squares discriminant analysis was performed to determine the differences between the two groups (p = 0.003). Threonic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, and proline increased significantly in endometriosis patients, while alanine and valine decreased. ROC curves were built to test the diagnostic power of metabolites. The pathway analysis identified the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies and the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan as the most altered pathways. Conclusions: The metabolomic approach identifies metabolic alterations in women with endometriosis. These findings may improve our understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of disease and the discovery of new biomarkers