Characterisation of an urban bridge portfolio and multi-risk prioritisation accounting for deterioration and seismic vulnerability

This contribution proposes a procedure to prioritise retrofit interventions on stocks of bridges according to their seismic vulnerability. The procedure also combines a previously presented approach to evaluate deterioration effects on bridges at a territorial scale. Thereby, the combi-nation of the two approaches provides a multi-risk classification method for bridge stocks. This method also allows refined prioritisation within each class, based on the proposed quantitative indices and on multicriteria decision-making methods. The method was applied to the bridge stock managed by the municipality of Padova, in North-East Italy. First, an extensive charac-terisation of the analysed stock is provided, according to typological, geometric, and structural parameters. Then, the application of the combined approach is presented, highlighting which bridge types resulted more vulnerable to either seismic actions or deterioration effects

Theorizing palimpsestuousness through bodies and form

All research is a story. If this particular research project strikes you as more storied than most you would not be remiss. Indeed, there are aspects of what follows that are figments of my imagination. But reader, I ask you this: what is research but the imagining of possibilities? If research is indeed the act of creating and shaping realities, as John Law suggests (2004, p. 6-7), than surely the story told here must be scrutinized for what reality it supports as much as any other research endeavour that seeks to bring meaning to a world storied with physical laws and interacting molecular compounds. By crafting a tale in an attempt at theorizing the body as palimpsestuous, my aim was also to create a portal of possibility whereby the queer potential of non-linear palimpsestuous relationality could offer a new way of engaging with the multiplicity of current and future realities

The tactical mimicry of social enterprise strategies: acting ‘as if’ in the everyday life of third sector organizations

Using England as a paradigmatic case of the „enterprising up ‟ of the third sector through social enterprise policies and programs, this article sheds light on resistance as enacted through dramaturgical identification with government strategies. Drawing from a longitudinal qualitative research study, which is interpreted via Michel de Certeau‟s theory of the everyday, we present the case study of Teak, a charitable regeneration company, to illustrate how its Chief Executive Liam „acted as ‟ a social entrepreneur in order to gain access to important resources. We establish „tactical mimicry ‟ as a sensitizing concept to suggest that third sector practitioners ‟ identification with the normative premises of „social enterprise ‟ is part of a parasitical prosaics geared toward appropriating public money. While tactical mimicry conforms to strategies only in order to exploit them, its ultimate aim is to increase potentials of collective agency outside the direct influence of power. The contribution we make is threefold: first, we extend the recent debate on productive resistance by highlighting how „playing the game ‟ without changing existing relations of power can nevertheless produce largely favorable outcomes. Second, we suggest that recognition of the productive potential of tactical mimicry requires methodologies which pay attention to the spatial and temporal dynamics of resistance. And third, we argue that explaining „social enterprise‟ without consideration of the non-discursive, mainly financial resources made available to those who identify with it, necessarily risks overlooking a crucial element of the dramaturgical dynamic of discourse

The comparison of two different seasons oestrus synchronization results with fixed-time AI protocols

The aim of this study, was to compare two different oestrus synchronization methods with fixed-time Artificial Insemination (AI) protocols for Holstein Friesian cow during winter and summer seasons in the Mediterranean region. For this purpose, oestrus was induced using prostaglandins in 110 Holstein Friesian cows kept on an intensive dairy farm. Oestrus was prolonged using progesterone and fixed-time AI applied. Cows were randomly allocated to two groups: The prostaglandin F2? (Lutealyse) group (n = 60), in which cows received 2 injections of prostaglandin 11 days apart; the progesterone group (n = 50), in which cows received an implant at the base of the ear. When the treatments were applied to animals during the summer months the conception rate decreased from 64.81-54.16%. The efficiency of oestrus synchronization with treatments was satisfactory in the winter season, but in the summer months both treatments will require improvements to achieve better results. © Medwell Journals, 2009

Proximate analysis. Fatty acid profiles and mineral contents of meats: A comparative study

The aim of this study was to compare chemical parameters, fatty acid composition and mineral contents of farm animal meats which are marketed in Turkey. Different kinds of meats were purchased from the meat market including beef, lamb, broiler, turkey, ostrich and quail meat, which are mostly preferred for different reasons by consumers. However, little information exists about the composition of meats of different farm animal species. The results of proximate analysis showed that the high level of protein (24.38%) and low level crude fat (1.19 ± 0.13%) were found in turkey meats, while the low level of protein (18.75%) and high level fat (8.79%) were found in lamb meats. The fatty acid compositions of meats were in the range of 22.68-48.37% for saturated, 21.38-42.45% for monounsaturated and 3.75-47.47% for polyunsaturated acids. The highest micro mineral was determined as zinc (5.7417 ppm) in lamb and ostrich (5.0923 ppm). Practical Applications: Consumers attitudes toward meat " safety" greatly affect their overall choices and the variety of meat types available for sale. Some meats are more likely to cause heart disease - saturated fats and trans fats. These fats are usually found in foods from animals such as meat milk, cheese and butter. The dietary saturated fatty acids elevate serum cholesterol concentrations, whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce serum cholesterol concentrations and monounsaturated fatty acids have little or no effect. Therefore, knowledge concerning the exact fatty acid composition of the meat is extremely important for the consumer and processing sector. This study provides comparative information to consumer and processing sector about proximate and fatty acid compositions and mineral contents of beef, lamb, broiler, turkey, ostrich and quail meats. © 2010, Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Modeling strategies for non-linear seismic analyses: Comparison among EFM and FEM results on an existing URM case study

Italian building heritage is widely composed of masonry buildings, whose characteristics largely vary depending on geographical location, construction techniques and materials typology. This type of structures has shown a high vulnerability to horizontal loads that must not be ignored, especially due to the high seismic hazard of Italian territory. Hence, appropriate numerical models are required to assess the complex structural behavior of unreinforced masonry (URM) existing structures, implementing the non-linear behavior of both materials and structure. In this framework, two different approaches have been widely acknowledged: the Equivalent Frame Model (EFM) and the continuum Finite Element Model (FEM). This paper presents the application and comparison of these modeling strategies to an URM building dating back to XVII century, located in the Italian Alpine region (Roana, Vicenza). Non-linear static analyses were carried out by means of the software 3Muri (EFM), DIANA FEA and Midas FEA-NX (FEM). Results were compared in terms of ultimate resistance, capacity, ductility, and evolution of the damage state. Finally, assessment of the global behavior was carried out according to the Italian seismic code, pointing out the differences of the two approaches. Results showed that the EFM appears to be more conservative than FEM

Seismic strengthening of existing URM structures through CLT elements: Numerical analysis of the application of a novel intervention technique

The retrofit of existing masonry buildings plays a relevant role in the Italian building context, both for preservation and requalification of the cultural and architectural heritage. Historically, timber has been widely used in unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings, mainly for horizontal structures. In recent years, the use of timber in the retrofit of existing buildings has gained an increasing interest for the improvements of both structural and energetic performances. Indeed, wooden elements present good hygrothermal properties and, thanks to their lightweight and stiffness, they are suitable for the seismic improvement of masonry buildings. The aim of this paper is to numerically investigate the seismic strengthening of existing URM structures by means of cross laminated timber (CLT) panels, evaluating the coupling degree of the timber-masonry integrated system. The investigation was carried out through a finite element modelling. First a parametric local model of a CLT-masonry coupled wall was calibrated with literature experimental data. Then, the study was extended to a XVII-century URM building located in the Italian Alpine region (Roana, Vicenza province). Non-linear static analyses were carried out in order to assess the local and global behavior of the URM-CLT system and its potential benefits. Results suggested a seismic capacity improvement due to shear strength increase and global weight reduction

Regenerative effects of spring water-derived bacterial lysates on human skin fibroblast in in vitro culture: preliminary results

Objective: Previous studies have shown regenerative power of the skin with Comano (Trento, Italy) spring water and resident non-pathogenic microflora. This study investigated the action of bacterial lysates that were isolated from Comano spring water on in vitro culture of human skin fibroblasts. Methods: For this study, we selected the following four bacterial lysates: L1 (closest relative: Rudaea cellulosilytica), L2 (closest relative: Mesorhizobium erdmanii), L3 (closest relative: Herbiconiux ginsengi), and L4 (closest relative: Fictibacillus phosphorivorans). Human fibroblasts were cultured under Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM) with bacterial lysates added or DMEM (controls). Cell proliferation was evaluated by spectrophotometric absorbance analysis after the XTT-Microculture Tetrazolium Assay. Results: At 24 hours, cultures with L2, L3, and L4 showed a higher absorbance compared with controls. At 48 hours, cultures with L1, L2, and L3 showed slightly lower absorbance compared with controls, and culture with L4 showed a higher absorbance than in the other experimental conditions. At 72 hours, absorbance was lower in cultures with L1, L2, and L3 than in controls, and absorbance was higher in culture with L4 than in the other experimental conditions. Conclusions: Our study indicates a favorable action of Comano spring water microbiota on proliferation of human skin fibroblasts