Developing Community in Online Distance Learning

Describes how a sense of community was developed among a group of learners participating in a course in teaching and training online conducted primarily online at a distance via FirstClass computer conferencing software. Drawing on the literature of online communities and their experience of running virtual team projects, the authors developed a method for creating a sense of community among course participants. This method included establishment of an email list prior to course commencement, a two-day face-to-face meeting which concentrated on developing knowledge and skills for participation as well as community building, and inclusion of community building activities among the initial online course exercises. Students responded positively to this combination of activities. Tutors spent less time assisting students with socialisation and adjustment to the online environment, increasing the time available for content-related tutoring. The authors confirm the importance of sense of community among online learners, and recommend closer attention be paid to factors associated with early development of community, including functional factors such as familiarity with the online environment. They conclude with recommendations for more structured research on how antecedent factors and events are associated with the development of online community

Einfluss der dynamischen Boden-Struktur-Interaktion-Analysen auf Scherung Gebäude

Despite extensive research there is still controversy regarding the role of SSI in the seismic performance of structures founded on soft soil. Neglecting SSI effects is currently being suggested in many seismic codes as a conservative simplification that would supposedly lead to improved safety margins. The interest in studying the seismic SSI is motivated by the necessity of computing the effective earthquake excitation to a structure (Foundation Input Motion) with respect to the free-field ground motion. The latter strongly influences the structure seismic demand as it takes into account both the soil-foundation coupling (i.e. the dynamic impedance function of the soil-foundation system) and the scattering effects caused by the motion of foundations (i.e. the kinematic interaction effects). A systematic application of complete SSI analyses to different types of buildings (up to twenty storeys), has been performed; the compliance of the ground has been evaluated by means of the computer program SASSI2000 (Lysmer et al., 1999). Concrete shear-type structures have been modeled as generalized Single Degree Of Freedom (SDOF) systems using the principle of virtual displacements, while different soil conditions (consistent with the EC8-I), foundation depths and seismic excitations are taken into account. SSI effect has been also evaluated in terms of maximum displacements/accelerations at the top of the buildings and a systematic comparison with the fixed-base solutions has been performed. The final goal is the set-up of simplified charts and tables that can be easily used by consultants who want to face the task of SSI in an immediate and simplified manner. Such tool could be very useful for engineers, especially concerning the design of medium-rise reinforced-concrete buildings and/or for pre-design stages, where the SSI effect must be estimated and cannot be excluded a priori.Trotz umfangreicher Forschung bestehen nach wie vor kontroverse Auffassungen über die Rolle der Boden-Struktur-Interaktion (BSI) beim seismischen Leistungfähigkeit von auf weichem Untergrund errichteten Strukturen. Die Vernachlässigung der BSI-Effekte wird gewöhnlich in vielen seismischen Codes als konservative Vereinfachung empfohlen, was vermutlich zu erhölten Sicherheitsspielräumen führt. Das Interesse an der Untersuchung der seismischen BSI begründet auf der Notwendigkeit die effektive Erdbebenerregung auf eine Struktur zu errechnen (Untergrund Input Bewegung) unter Berücksichtigung der Freifeldbewegung. Die letzteren beeinflussen stark die seismische Strukturanforderung, da sowohl die Bodenfundamentverbindung (d.h. die dynamische Impedanzfunktion des Unterfrund-Fundament-Systems) und die Streueffekte (Scattering) auf Grund der Bewegungen der Fundamente (d.h. die kinematischen Interaktionseffekte), beachtet wurden. Es wurde eine systematische Anwendung der gesamten BSI-Analyse auf verschiedene Gebäudearten (bis zu zwanzig Stockwerken) durchgeführt; die Weichheit des Grundes wurde mit hilfe des Computerprogramms SASSI2000 (Lysmer et al., 1999) bewertet. Konkrete Scherstrukturen wurden als allgemeine Single Degree Of freedom (SDOF) Systeme modelliert, wobei das Prinzip der virtuellen Verschiebungen angewandt wurde, während man unterschiedlichen Bodenverhältnissen (in Übereinstimmung mit EC8-I), Grundlagentiefen und seismischen Bewegungen Rechnung trug. Der BSI-Effekt wurde auch bewertet im Hinblick auf die maximalen Verschiebungen/Beschleunigungen des obersten Teils eines Gebäudes und es fand ein systematischer Vergleich mit den Festverankerungslösungen statt. Das Endziel ist die Ausarbeitung von vereinfachten Diagrammen und Tabellen, die für Fachberater einfach zu konsultieren sind, welche die Aufgabe der BSI auf unmittelbare und vereinfachte Art angehen wollen. Dieses Arbeitsinstrument wird Ingenieuren eine groe Hilfe sein, besonders was die Projektierung halbhoher betonverstärker Gebäude und/oder die Vorentwurf-Phasen betrifft, wo der BSI-Effekt geschätzt werden muss und nicht a priori ausgeschlossen werden kann

Influence of Soil-Structure Interaction on Seismic Response of Shear Buildings

The beneficial or detrimental effect of dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction (SSI) is a controversial issue. With reference to an idealized R/C shear building, a comprehensive comparison between the results obtained with a classical fixed-base analysis and a complete SSI analysis is provided in the present paper. The shear-type structure is modeled as generalized Single Degree Of Freedom (SDOF) system using the principle of virtual displacements. The foundation consists of surface square foundations resting on different soil conditions, consistent with the provisions of EC8-part I. SSI effects in the far-field of earthquakes was evaluated by direct application of the elastic pseudo-acceleration/displacement design spectra proposed in EC8, taking into account the change in natural period and damping of the soil-structure system. SSI effect in near-field area of earthquakes was analyzed using the computer program SASSI2000 (Lysmer et al., 1999), by means of a set of ten actual earthquakes recorded within a distance of 20 km from fault The proposed analyses can be easily used by consultants who want to face the task of SSI in an immediate and simplified manner, without devoting resources into complex analysis. The charts proposed in this paper could be incorporated in seismic guidelines

A design methodology for an innovative racing mini motorcycle frame

Sports equipment design is a young and evolving engineering discipline focused on the best simultaneous optimization of user and product as a system. In motorsports, in particular, the final performance during a race depends on many parameters related to the vehicle, circuit, weather, and tyres and the personal feelings of every single driver. Top teams in high-tech categories can invest huge amounts of money in developing simulators, but such economic commitment is not sustainable for all those teams that operate in minor but very popular categories, such as karts or mini-motorcycles. In these fields, the most common design approach is trial and error on physical prototypes. Such an approach leads to high costs, long optimization times, poor innovation, and inefficient management of the design knowledge. The present paper proposes a driver centred methodology for the design of an innovative mini racing motorcycle frame. It consists of two main phases: the drivers’ feelings translation into engineering requirements and constraints, and the exploration of the design solution space. Expected effects of the application of the proposed methodology are an overall increase in the degree of innovation, time compression, and cost reduction during the development process, with a significant impact on the competitiveness of small racing teams in minor categories

Innovative Business Models in Ports' Logistics

Since the global request for freight transportation is increasing as a consequence of the increasing requirements of the modern economy, logistics processes need to be optimized through the application of innovative technologies, to ensure a high level of quality, flexibility, and effectiveness in logistics operations. The adoption of innovative technologies allows the creation and development of new products and services, able to optimize the existing logistics processes and create value. In particular, one of the most promising technology for logistics applications is the 5G communication network that allows, together with companion technologies such as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, and the Cloud, the collection, integration, and sharing of a large amount of data from different sources. However, to ensure the market adoption of innovative products and services, the different actors and stakeholders of the logistics chain must be involved from the early stages of the development. This allows them to keep into account their actual needs in the development process of the business models and for the future exploitation of the solutions. This paper analyzes the process of development of collaborative business models in the context of 5G-LOGINNOV, a project aimed at the development of 5G-based solutions to optimize the logistics operations in ports and retro-ports

Isolation and Cryopreservation of Animal Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Scientific progress in cellular and molecular biotechnology has led to the development of advanced therapies, such as gene therapy, cell therapy, and tissue engineering. The application of stem cells as therapeutic agents has been investigated for several years in human medicine and, more recently, the same approach has been considered in the veterinary field as a novel opportunity for the treatment of animal diseases. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapies seem to contribute to the healing process by several mechanisms due to their peculiar biological features. It has been shown that MSCs could effectively differentiate into the required cell type to replace the damaged tissue. Furthermore, due to their autocrine and paracrine secretory activities, these cells are a powerful source of trophic mediators, growth factors, cytokines, and extracellular matrix components. The clinical application of MSCs needs great amounts of cells designed for in vivo implantation that can be obtained following their in vitro isolation, serial subcultivations, cryopreservation, and thawing. These procedures could determine their feature changes which could interfere with the therapeutic outcome. For these reasons, to preserve MSCs after in vitro manipulation for future applications, standardized quality controls and a reliable long-term cryopreservation method are required

Recent Progresses in the Preparation of Chlorinated Molecules: Electrocatalysis and Photoredox Catalysis in the Spotlight

Among halogenated molecules, those containing chlorine atoms are fundamental in many areas such as pharmaceuticals, polymers, agrochemicals and natural metabolites. Despite the fact that many reactions have been developed to install chlorine on organic molecules, most of them rely on toxic and hazardous chlorinating reagents as well as harsh conditions. In an attempt to move towards more sustainable approaches, photoredox catalysis and electrocatalysis have emerged as powerful alternatives to traditional methods. In this review, we collect the most recent and significant examples of visible-light- or current-mediated chlorination published in the last five years

Delays in cancer diagnosis: challenges and opportunities in Europe

Background and aim: Early cancer diagnosis is a public health priority, but large proportions of patients are diagnosed with advanced disease or as an emergency, even in countries with universal healthcare coverage. The study aimed at examining factors contributing to diagnostic delays and inequalities in cancer care, discussing challenges and opportunities for improving the diagnosis of cancer. // Methods: We performed a critical review of the literature examining factors contributing to delays and inequalities in cancer diagnosis, published between 2019-2023, in Europe with a specific focus on Italy. // Results: Disparities in screening, cancer diagnosis and treatment have been reported in many European countries, with poorer outcomes for some population sub-groups. For example, some Northern regions in Italy have six-times higher screening participation versus Southern regions. In 2019 36% of the Italian population aged 50-74 reported colorectal cancer screening, higher than the EU average (33%), but lower than in countries like Denmark (>60%). In Italy, the EU country with the largest percentage of people aged 65+, incident cancers are expected to rise by 19.6% over two decades. Older age is also associated with multimorbidity, with physical and mental health morbidities possibly affecting cancer diagnostic pathways. For example, colon cancer patients with pre-existing mental health conditions were 28% less likely to have a prompt colonoscopy when presenting with red-flag symptoms, according to recent UK research. Covid-19 has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities, with reductions in scheduled surgery and oncological treatments, especially affecting women, older and less educated individuals. // Conclusions: For ensuring appropriate care, it is crucial to better understand how different factors, including physical and mental health morbidities, impact cancer diagnosis. The “NextGenerationEU” program and the “National Recovery and Resilience Plan” (PNNR in Italy) following the Covid-19 pandemic offer opportunities for reducing inequalities, improving cancer care and chronic disease management for ageing populations