Evaluation of the techniques to mitigate early shrinkage cracking through an image analysis methodology

This is the accepted version of the following article: [Ruiz-Ripoll, L., Barragán, B. E., Moro, S., and Turmo, J. (2016) Evaluation of the Techniques to Mitigate Early Shrinkage Cracking through an Image Analysis Methodology. Strain, 52: 492–502. doi: 10.1111/str.12191], which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/str.12191/abstractNowadays, new products are introduced in concrete mixes to reduce the effects of shrinkage, which are the main reason of most of early age cracking phenomena, especially when curing is not performed in accordance to best practices. The lack of a standardized methodology to quantify concrete cracking complicates the determination of the effectiveness of different solutions and comparison between them. This research presents an evaluation through images of the suitability of fibres and shrinkage-reducing admixtures to control early shrinkage cracking in slab-type concrete elements. The use of this technique has permitted quantifying the typical cracking parameters objectively and analyse probabilistically the average crack width. Results show a delay and reduction of cracking after adding shrinkage-reducing admixtures and fibres in concrete, especially 1kgm-3 of polymeric microfibres. The incorporation of these components directly into the mix modified the behaviour of concrete, reducing shrinkage cracking from the beginning of moisture losses.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Modelling trust evolution within small business lending relationships

Trust is a key dimension in the principal-agent relationship and it has been studied extensively. However, the dynamics, evolution, and intrinsic motivation and mechanisms have received less attention. This paper investigates the intrinsic motivation of trust and it proposes a theoretical model of trust evolution that is based on the notion of ‘trust response’ and ‘trust spiral’. We then specifically focus on trust within the lending relationship between banks and small businesses, and we run numerical simulations to further illustrate the evolution of involved mutual trust over time. Our model provides implications for future research in both trust evolution and small business lending relationships

Aneurysmal Bone Cyst located in the Mandibular Condyle

A rare case of aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) located in the mandibular condyle in a 10-year-old boy is presented. The patient came to our attention for a sudden swelling in the right temporomandibular region, the mouth opening was not reduced

Digital quantification of effects of admixtures on early shrinkage cracking

The study of the effect of early shrinkage is important to prevent aesthetic defects and, especially, to avoid the reduction of durability of concrete elements due to surface cracking. This paper presents the application of a new digital imaging methodology to quantify the effects of polypropylene macrofibres, microfibres and glycolether shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA) on early shrinkage cracking. This way, the effectiveness of different admixtures incorporated into the common base mix design of concrete can be compared impartially through the total cracking area, maximum crack width, total crack length, among other parameters that this methodology provides. The results demonstrate the great capacity of the methodology to isolate and determine the characteristics of an entire cracking pattern, and the similarity of behaviour between admixtures. Nevertheless, the presence of 1 kg/m3 of microfibres leads to the delay and the decrease of early shrinkage cracking pattern.Postprint (published version

COMBATE À MEDIOCRIDADE NA REDE: NOTÍCIAS FALSAS E GOVERNANÇA DOS ALGORITMOS

OBJETIVOS DO TRABALHO Tendo como ponto de partida a mediocridade descrita na obra “O homem medíocre” de José Ingenieros (s.d.), obra cujo ponto focal é um personagem que não tem pensamento próprio e que se deixa levar pelo pensamento coletivo, foi estabelecido para o trabalho um objetivo geral de determinar até que ponto o marco civil da internet pode servir como instrumento de combate à mediocridade na rede, atendendo à necessidade atual de equilíbrio entre informação real e virtual, verdadeira e falsa, bem como buscar outras formas de tornar esse equilíbrio uma realidade.

ANTEPARTUM DISTRESS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Background: The present study investigates the impact of the Coronavirus diseases 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic on the subjective experience of pregnant women, as well as the impact of the pandemic on this population in terms of psychopathological correlates. Subjects and methods: Pregnant women referring to the Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the General Hospital of Perugia, Italy, were recruited from 1st May, 2021 to 15th June, 2021. Socio-demographic and clinical data was collected, as well as information regarding the Covid-19 pandemic impact on the subjective experience of pregnancy. Psychopathology was evaluated by means of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y), the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Prenatal Distress Measure (Pre-DM). Descriptive analyses were performed. Significant associations between distress symptoms and the collected sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed by using the Pearson correlation (p<0.05). Results: 25 women were included in the study. Among these, 18 (72%) reported that the Covid-19 pandemic negatively impacted their experience of pregnancy. Were detected an average Pre-DM total score of 7.28±4.33 and an average state anxiety scale value of 35.56+-9.21 and an average trait anxiety scale value of 34.04+-7.44 at the STAI-Y. A global severity index > 1 at SCL-90 was detected in 8.3% of the sample. Conclusions: The identification of antepartum distress and the early treatment of perinatal psychopathology represent a priority during the Covid-19 pandemic era

ANTEPARTUM DISTRESS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Background: The present study investigates the impact of the Coronavirus diseases 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic on the subjective experience of pregnant women, as well as the impact of the pandemic on this population in terms of psychopathological correlates. Subjects and methods: Pregnant women referring to the Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the General Hospital of Perugia, Italy, were recruited from 1st May, 2021 to 15th June, 2021. Socio-demographic and clinical data was collected, as well as information regarding the Covid-19 pandemic impact on the subjective experience of pregnancy. Psychopathology was evaluated by means of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Form Y (STAI-Y), the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) and the Prenatal Distress Measure (Pre-DM). Descriptive analyses were performed. Significant associations between distress symptoms and the collected sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed by using the Pearson correlation (p<0.05). Results: 25 women were included in the study. Among these, 18 (72%) reported that the Covid-19 pandemic negatively impacted their experience of pregnancy. Were detected an average Pre-DM total score of 7.28±4.33 and an average state anxiety scale value of 35.56+-9.21 and an average trait anxiety scale value of 34.04+-7.44 at the STAI-Y. A global severity index > 1 at SCL-90 was detected in 8.3% of the sample. Conclusions: The identification of antepartum distress and the early treatment of perinatal psychopathology represent a priority during the Covid-19 pandemic era

O planejamento escolar como estrutura fundamental para a construção do conhecimento e a promoção da aprendizagem significativa

O presente artigo aborda a construção do conhecimento e a promoção da aprendizagem significativa através do planejamento de ensino como estrutura fundamental para tal aprendizagem. Vivemos inúmeras situações que envolvem o planejamento de nossas ações como educadores, em um contexto escolar não podemos nos distanciar disto. Procuramos planejar nossas aulas, as atividades de lazer, os compromissos profissionais, sociais e diversas outras atividades que desenvolvemos no decorrer de nosso dia a dia. Desta forma, verificamos que todas as ações humanas requerem um planejamento para que sejam bem executadas e possam alcançar um determinado êxito. O planejamento de ensino é para o professor o norteador das ações que são necessárias para que o processo de ensino e aprendizagem seja significativo e para que sejam atingidos os resultados desejados. O planejamento nas escolas requer uma sistematização de ações interdisciplinares e de forma integrada entre os componentes curriculares de cada área do conhecimento, e também entre as áreas de acordo com os PCN e não simplesmente em componentes curriculares isolados. Inúmeras são as dificuldades encontradas pelos professores na estruturação do planejamento proposto, porém não podemos encará-lo como apenas uma atividade burocrática a ser cumprida

O Planejamento Escolar como Estrutura Fundamental para a Construção do Conhecimento e a Promoção da Aprendizagem Significativa

This article discusses the construction of knowledge and the promotion of meaningful learning through planning education as a fundamental framework for such learning. We live in numerous situations involving planning our actions as educators in a school setting can not distance ourselves from it. We try to plan our classes, recreational activities, professional, social and various other activities that we developed in the course of our day-to-day commitments. Thus, we find that all human actions require planning so they are well executed and can achieve a certain success. The planning of teaching is to the teacher guiding the actions that are necessary for the process of teaching, learning is meaningful, and that the desired results are achieved. The planning in schools requires systematic interdisciplinary actions and seamlessly between the curricular components of each area of knowledge, and also between areas according to the National Curricular Parameters and not just in isolated curricular components. There are several difficulties encountered by teachers in structuring the proposed plan, but we can not look at him as just a bureaucratic activity to be accomplished. http://dx.doi.org/10.18226/23185279.v2iss2p39O presente artigo aborda a construção do conhecimento e a promoção da aprendizagem significativa através do planejamento de ensino como estrutura fundamental para tal aprendizagem. Vivemos inúmeras situações que envolvem o planejamento de nossas ações como educadores, em um contexto escolar não podemos nos distanciar disto. Procuramos planejar nossas aulas, as atividades de lazer, os compromissos profissionais, sociais e diversas outras atividades que desenvolvemos no decorrer de nosso dia a dia. Desta forma, verificamos que todas as ações humanas requerem um planejamento para que sejam bem executadas e possam alcançar um determinado êxito. O planejamento de ensino é para o professor o norteador das ações que são necessárias para que o processo de ensino e aprendizagem seja significativo e para que sejam atingidos os resultados desejados. O planejamento nas escolas requer uma sistematização de ações interdisciplinares e de forma integrada entre os componentes curriculares de cada área do conhecimento, e também entre as áreas de acordo com os Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais e não simplesmente em componentes curriculares isolados. Inúmeras são as dificuldades encontradas pelos professores na estruturação do planejamento proposto, porém não podemos encará-lo como apenas uma atividade burocrática a ser cumprida. http://dx.doi.org/10.18226/23185279.v2iss2p3