Ground Anchor Bearing Capacity Improvement by Blasting in Bore-Hole

The cylindrical ground anchors has gained wide acceptance as an economical and highly versatile anchoring method over the past decade, particularly due to fast and simple performance by using the soil/rock boring and grouting procedure. However, these cylindrical anchors reach very low bearing capacities when they are performed in such a soil as a clay, silt or sand. The paper is concerning with the set of data and results which are collected after the in situ investigations of some 30 short vertical anchors installed in clay and in silty sand, as well. The bearing capacity of cylindrical and spherical anchors were also compared. Spherical cavity at the bottom of the borehole was produced by controlled point blasting effect, which was studied in the first place. Finally, the proper analytical method for estimation of the ultimate uplift capacity was established, based on a very useful hypothesis of Vesie (1965) and some his later works, Vesie (1971). This model has showed a good agreement with field test pullout results

An evolutionary study on the role of the PEX11 gene family as a key player in peroxisome proliferation in A. thaliana

Peroxisomen (PX) sind mobile Organellen, die in fast allen eukaryotischen Zellen vorkommen und von einer einfachen Membran umhüllt sind. In höheren Pflanzen sind PX in eine Vielzahl von physiologischen und biochemischen Stoffwechselfunktionen involviert, wie z.B. in der Photorespiration und der Biosynthese von Lipiden und Hormonen. Es sind 30 sogenannten Peroxine (PEX Proteine) bekannt, die eine wesentliche Rolle in der Biogenese von PX spielen. Innerhalb dieser Proteingruppe spielt vor allem die PEROXIN11 (PEX11) Protein Familie eine wesentliche Rolle in der Proliferation von PX. In einer gemeinschaftlichen Studie wurde die Auswirkung von PEX11 Proteinen aus drei unterschiedlichen Organismen, Hefe (ScPEX11, ScPEX25 und ScPEX27), Mensch (PEX11α, β and γ) und Pflanzen (AtPEX11A bis-E), auf die Erscheinungsform und Anzahl der PX in Pflanzenzellen untersucht. Meine Untersuchen haben gezeigt, dass alle PEX11 Proteine aus den drei verschiedenen Organismen gezielt an die peroxisomale Membran binden und die Überexpression der meisten PEX11 Proteine in unterschiedlichen Ausmaß einen Effekt auf die Anzahl und Erscheinungsform von PX hat. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die PEX11 Proteinfamilie einen hohen Konservierungsgrad bezüglich der Lokalisierung der PEX11 Proteine zwischen den unterschiedlichen Organismen aufweist, die einzelnen Proteine jedoch teilweise auch unterschiedliche Funktionen ausführen können. Ein weiterer Aspekt meiner Arbeit war die Promotoranalyse von AtPEX11D, sowie die Suche nach möglichen Transkriptionsfaktoren, welche dessen Expression regulieren könnten. Mit Hilfe von Deletionskonstrukten wurde ein essentieller Bereich im Promoter von AtPEX11D ermittelt, welcher für einen Hefe One-Hybrid Screen verwendet wurde. Für einen der dabei identifizierten Transkriptionsfaktoren konnte ein Einfluss auf die AtPEX11D Promoter abhängige Expression gezeigt werden.Peroxisomes (PX) are highly dynamic organelles present in nearly all eukaryotic cells. In higher plants, PX are involved in a variety of essential physiological and biochemical processes such as photorespiration, lipid catabolism and biosynthesis of plant hormones. Over 30 proteins, the so-called peroxins, are known to be involved in PX biogenesis. Among these the PEROXIN 11 (PEX11) protein family members were identified as PX proliferation factors. In a collaborative effort we studied the capacity of PEX11-protein family members of yeast (ScPEX11, ScPEX25 and ScPEX27), human (PEX11α, β and γ) and plant (AtPEX11-A to E) to induce peroxisomal proliferation in plants cells, by analysing the number and appearance of PX. Our experiment showed that all PEX11 proteins, despite their origin are efficiently targeted to the peroxisomal membrane. The overexpression of the various PEX11 proteins affected the PX number and induced the formation of peroxisomal cluster to different degrees. This suggests that although the localisation to PX is conserved throughout the three kingdoms the individual PEX11 proteins may differ in some of their functions. In a second approach we performed promoter studies on AtPEX11D and tried to identify a putative transcription factor regulating AtPEX11D expression. Five different deletion constructs of the AtPEX11D promoter region were created and the expression was analyzed via a GUS reporter system in plants. We could identify a short promoter region sufficient to mediate expression, which was used in a yeast One-Hybrid system to screen for potential transcription factor(s) binding to the AtPEX11D promoter. So far, one identified transcription factor could be confirmed to alter AtPEX11D promoter driven expression in plant cells

Restaurants Going Local: Motivations and Challenges for Sourcing Local Food

Visitors to destinations are frequently looking to partake of the local fare when travelling, either away from home or to another country (CRFA, 2016). Couple this with the local food movement and the increasing propensity for sustainable travel (Dodds and Holmes, 2017; Loureiro and Umberger, 2005), it begs the question of why restaurants might look towards sourcing locally and the barriers they face. This paper looks to investigate the greatest motivations for restaurants to implement local food in regard food quality, guest interests and appreciation, and social and environmental justice. As well, looking to gain an understanding of the barriers they face and strategies they use to overcome these barriers. This study also considers the wider sustainability implications of using local food. By focusing on how current restaurants can utilize local food, and mitigate barriers to achieving such outcomes, locations can begin to increase the representation of local food on menus. It is also useful to understand restaurants opinions on offerings such as local food to consumers from a Canadian context. By looking to have restaurants increase their use of local ingredients, destinations can improve regional economic development all the while providing the tourist with greater opportunity to experience what the local terroir has to offer

Return Link Optimized Resource Allocation for Satellite Communications in the Ku/Ka-Band

Broadband satellite networks play an important role in today’s worldwide telecommunication infrastructure, providing services to an increasing number of users. Therefore, an efficient management of the spectrum resources is required in order to meet the fast-growing service demand. To this purpose, this paper addresses the optimization of the return carrier frequency plan for a broadband network benefiting from adaptive return channel selection (ARCS). The optimization problem is formulated as a multiobjective instance aiming at minimizing the total bandwidth and the unused throughput by using integer linear programming techniques. So as to capture events in which multiple terminals experience fade simultaneously, the spatial correlation of the attenuation fields has been incorporated in the optimization process. Moreover, physical layer characteristics and a minimum guaranteed throughput per user have been included as optimization constraints. Hence, the final outcome of this paper is a general technique providing an optimized carrier allocation plan, i.e., the number of carriers required to cover a certain area and guarantee a given throughput to each user

Mechanosensation of tight junctions depends on ZO-1 phase separation and flow

Cell-cell junctions respond to mechanical forces by changing their organization and function. To gain insight into the mechanochemical basis underlying junction mechanosensitivity, we analyzed tight junction (TJ) formation between the enveloping cell layer (EVL) and the yolk syncytial layer (YSL) in the gastrulating zebrafish embryo. We found that the accumulation of Zonula Occludens-1 (ZO-1) at TJs closely scales with tension of the adjacent actomyosin network, revealing that these junctions are mechanosensitive. Actomyosin tension triggers ZO-1 junctional accumulation by driving retrograde actomyosin flow within the YSL, which transports non-junctional ZO-1 clusters toward the TJ. Non-junctional ZO-1 clusters form by phase separation, and direct actin binding of ZO-1 is required for stable incorporation of retrogradely flowing ZO-1 clusters into TJs. If the formation and/or junctional incorporation of ZO-1 clusters is impaired, then TJs lose their mechanosensitivity, and consequently, EVL-YSL movement is delayed. Thus, phase separation and flow of non-junctional ZO-1 confer mechanosensitivity to TJs

Harmonized definition of occupational burnout : A systematic review, semantic analysis, and Delphi consensus in 29 countries

Funding Information: This study was supported by the University of Lausanne and European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Action CA 16216 "Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts” (OMEGA-NET). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health. All rights reserved.Objective A consensual definition of occupational burnout is currently lacking. We aimed to harmonize the definition of occupational burnout as a health outcome in medical research and reach a consensus on this definition within the Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts (OMEGA-NET). Methods First, we performed a systematic review in MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase (January 1990 to August 2018) and a semantic analysis of the available definitions. We used the definitions of burnout and burnout-related concepts from the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) to formulate a consistent harmonized definition of the concept. Second, we sought to obtain the Delphi consensus on the proposed definition. Results We identified 88 unique definitions of burnout and assigned each of them to 1 of the 11 original definitions. The semantic analysis yielded a first proposal, further reformulated according to SNOMED-CT and the panelists` comments as follows: "In a worker, occupational burnout or occupational physical AND emotional exhaustion state is an exhaustion due to prolonged exposure to work-related problems". A panel of 50 experts (researchers and healthcare professionals with an interest for occupational burnout) reached consensus on this proposal at the second round of the Delphi, with 82% of experts agreeing on it. Conclusion This study resulted in a harmonized definition of occupational burnout approved by experts from 29 countries within OMEGA-NET. Future research should address the reproducibility of the Delphi consensus in a larger panel of experts, representing more countries, and examine the practicability of the definition.Peer reviewe

Recognition of COVID-19 with occupational origin: a comparison between European countries

Objectives This study aims to present an overview of the formal recognition of COVID-19 as occupational disease (OD) or injury (OI) across Europe. Methods A COVID-19 questionnaire was designed by a task group within COST-funded OMEGA-NET and sent to occupational health experts of 37 countries in WHO European region, with a last update in April 2022. Results The questionnaire was filled out by experts from 35 countries. There are large differences between national systems regarding the recognition of OD and OI: 40% of countries have a list system, 57% a mixed system and one country an open system. In most countries, COVID-19 can be recognised as an OD (57%). In four countries, COVID-19 can be recognised as OI (11%) and in seven countries as either OD or OI (20%). In two countries, there is no recognition possible to date. Thirty-two countries (91%) recognise COVID-19 as OD/OI among healthcare workers. Working in certain jobs is considered proof of occupational exposure in 25 countries, contact with a colleague with confirmed infection in 19 countries, and contact with clients with confirmed infection in 21 countries. In most countries (57%), a positive PCR test is considered proof of disease. The three most common compensation benefits for COVID-19 as OI/OD are disability pension, treatment and rehabilitation. Long COVID is included in 26 countries. Conclusions COVID-19 can be recognised as OD or OI in 94% of the European countries completing this survey, across different social security and embedded occupational health systems.This publication is based on work from COST Action CA16216 (OMEGA-NET), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology)

a review of methodological design choices

Publisher Copyright: © 2023 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.This systematic literature review aimed to provide an overview of the characteristics and methods used in studies applying the Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) concept for infectious diseases within European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA)/European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and the United Kingdom. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched for articles reporting the assessment of DALY and its components. We considered studies in which researchers performed DALY calculations using primary epidemiological data input sources. We screened 3,053 studies of which 2,948 were excluded and 105 studies met our inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 22 were multi-country and 83 were single-country studies, of which 46 were from the Netherlands. Food- and water-borne diseases were the most frequently studied infectious diseases. Between 2015 and 2022, the number of burden of infectious disease studies was 1.6 times higher compared to that published between 2000 and 2014. Almost all studies (97%) estimated DALYs based on the incidence- and pathogen-based approach and without social weighting functions; however, there was less methodological consensus with regards to the disability weights and life tables that were applied. The number of burden of infectious disease studies undertaken across Europe has increased over time. Development and use of guidelines will promote performing burden of infectious disease studies and facilitate comparability of the results.publishersversionepub_ahead_of_prin