Underlying modal data issues for detecting damage in truss structures

Independent of the modal identification techniques employed for damage detection, use of measured modal data limits the expectations for damage location. These limitations are examined using the distribution of modal strain energy and the sensitivity of the frequency and mode shapes to structural stiffness changes. For given measured modal information of specific accuracy, this examination reveals the following: (1) damage detection is feasible for members that contribute significantly to the strain energy of the measured modes, (2) the modes which are most effective in detecting damage to certain critical members can be identified, and (3) a relationship can be drawn between the accuracy of the measured modes and frequencies and damage detection feasibility

The Dangers of Conflating Responsible and Responsive Artefact Stewardship with Illicit and illegal collecting

Archaeology and private artefact collecting have complex and inextricably linked histories. Archaeologists have long drawn attention to criminal activity among collectors, but to assume that all private owners of cultural material-and any archaeologists who interact with them-have ill-intent or engage in illegal behaviour can cause as much harm to the archaeological record as the criminal actions themselves.Non peer reviewe

Exposure to models’ negative facial expressions whilst eating a vegetable decreases women’s liking of the modelled vegetable, but not their desire to eat

Introduction: Food enjoyment can be conveyed through facial expressions. Observing others’ enjoyment of food has been found to influence adults’ desirability of liked and disliked food. Exposing adults to other eaters enjoying nutritious foods that are typically disliked (e.g., vegetables) could enhance the consumption of vegetables by young adults. However, this remains to be examined in young adult populations. This study examined the effect of models’ facial expressions towards raw broccoli on young adult women’s change in liking and change in desire to eat a modelled vegetable (raw broccoli) and a non-modelled vegetable (cucumber).Methods: Young adult women (N = 205) were randomised to watch a video of unfamiliar adult models eating raw broccoli with a positive, negative, or neutral facial expression. Participants’ change in liking and change in desire to eat the modelled and non-modelled vegetable was examined.Results: Observing models conveying negative facial expressions whilst eating raw broccoli resulted in a statistically significant reduction in liking ratings of broccoli, but not cucumber. There was no effect of models’ facial expressions on the change in desire to eat foods.Discussion: These findings suggest that watching others express a negative facial expression whilst eating a raw vegetable reduces women’s liking of the modelled vegetable, in the absence of a significant change to their desire to consume these foods. This highlights the power of others’ negative facial expressions on food liking. Further work is needed to establish the effect of others’ facial expressions on vegetable intake

Long-term effects of reduced renal mass in humans

Long-term effects of reduced renal mass in humans. The long-term risks of kidney donation have not been well defined. We carried out a meta-analysis of investigations that examined the long-term effects of reduced renal mass in humans. We used multiple linear regression to combine studies and adjust for differences in the duration of follow-up, the reason for reduced renal mass, the type of controls, age and gender. We analyzed 48 studies with 3124 patients and 1703 controls. Unilateral nephrectomy caused a decrement in glomerular filtration rate (-17.1 ml/min; 95% confidence interval -20.2 to -14.0 ml/min) that tended to improve with each 10 years of follow-up (1.4 ml/min/decade; 0.3 to 2.4 ml/min/decade). Patients with single kidneys had small, progressive increases in proteinuria (76 mg/day/decade; 52 to 101 mg/day/decade), but proteinuria was negligible after nephrectomy for trauma or kidney donation. Nephrectomy did not affect the prevalence of hypertension, but there was a small increase in systolic blood pressure (2.4 mm Hg; -0.3 to 5.1 mm Hg, P > 0.05) which rose further with duration of follow-up (1.1 mm Hg/decade; 0.0 to 2.2 mm Hg/decade). Diastolic blood pressure was higher after nephrectomy (3.1 mm Hg; 1.8 to 4.4 mm Hg), but this increment did not change with duration of follow-up. Thus, in normal individuals, unilateral nephrectomy does not cause progressive renal dysfunction, but may be associated with a small increase in blood pressure

Treatment of abdominal aortic anastomotic pseudoaneurysm with percutaneous coil embolization

AbstractIntraabdominal anastomotic pseudoaneurysms continue to be a late complication of aortic reconstructive procedures. Early surgical repair is critical but is associated with high operative mortality rates. We present a patient who was diagnosed with a distal anastomotic pseudoaneurysm 13 months after transabdominal repair of a symptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm. Because of the poor operative risk, the patient was considered for a less invasive approach and underwent coil embolization of the abdominal aortic anastomotic pseudoaneurysm. The patient remains without recurrence of pseudoaneurysm 3.5 years later. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:811-4.

Pyridoxamine Traps Intermediates in Lipid Peroxidation Reactions in Vivo: Evidence on the Role of Lipids in Chemical Modification of Protein and Development of Diabetic Complications

Maillard or browning reactions between reducing sugars and protein lead to formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. AGE inhibitors such as aminoguanidine and pyridoxamine (PM) inhibit both the formation of AGEs and development of complications in animal models of diabetes. PM also inhibits the chemical modification of protein by advanced lipoxidation end products (ALEs) during lipid peroxidation reactions in vitro. We show here that several PM adducts, formed in incubations of PM with linoleate and arachidonate in vitro, are also excreted in the urine of PM-treated animals. The PM adducts N-nonanedioyl-PM (derived from linoleate), N-pentanedioyl-PM, N-pyrrolo-PM, and N-(2-formyl)-pyrrolo-PM (derived from arachidonate), and N-formyl-PM and N-hexanoyl-PM (derived from both fatty acids) were quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of rat urine. Levels of these adducts were increased 5-10-fold in the urine of PM-treated diabetic and hyperlipidemic rats, compared with control animals. We conclude that the PM functions, at least in part, by trapping intermediates in AGE/ALE formation and propose a mechanism for PM inhibition of AGE/ALE formation involving cleavage of alpha-dicarbonyl intermediates in glycoxidation and lipoxidation reactions. We also conclude that ALEs derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids are increased in diabetes and hyperlipidemia and may contribute to development of long term renal and vascular pathology in these diseases

Paper Session III-C - Earth Dividends From the Development of Space Vehicle Robotics: Technologies and Techniques

This paper identifies and describes advanced robotics technologies and novel applications of state-of-the-art techniques which presently focus on space-related missions but which could result in other dividends on Earth. The paper has three sections. The first section focuses on the development of technology to help NASA automate the reprocessing of low-Earth-orbit vehicles. These advanced technologies include vibration isolation for robot arms and end-effectors, automated handling of fuels and other hazardous materials, and automated safety systems for process control. The second section describes the use of state-of-the-art solid modeling techniques to assist in the design of a robot arm, camera systems, sensors, and platforms for characterizing and exploring a planetary terrain. The third section discusses the use of these advanced technologies and novel applications to provide dividends on Earth in both space- and nonspacerelated applications. Vibration isolation could improve the performance of long manipulator arms used for vehicle processing and cleaning Department of Energy waste tanks. Automated handling of hazardous fluids could help automate the fueling of commercial and passenger vehicles. The advanced safety circuit could enhance many chemical process control operations. Modeling techniques for designing terrain exploration systems could assist the design of vehicles for exploring the many sites on Earth where human entry may be unsafe or inefficient, such as nuclear waste sites, military sites with unexploded ordnance, and widespread geological and agricultural surveys

Does the use of store-and-forward telehealth systems improve outcomes for clinicians managing diabetic foot ulcers? A pilot study

Diabetic foot ulcers are one of the most hospitalised diabetes complications and contribute to many leg amputations.\ud Trained diabetic foot teams and specialists managing diabetic foot ulcers have demonstrated reductions in amputations and hospitalisation by up to 90%. Few such teams exist in Australia. Thus, access is limited for all geographical populations and may somewhat explain the high rates of hospitalisation.\ud Aim: This pilot study aims to analyse if local clinicians managing diabetic foot complications report improved access to diabetic foot specialists and outcomes with the introduction of a telehealth store-and-forward system.\ud Method: A store-and-forward telehealth system was implemented in six different Queensland locations between August 2009 and February 2010. Sites were offered ad hoc and/or fortnightly telehealth access to a diabetic foot speciality service. A survey was sent six months following commencement of the trial to the 14 eligible clinicians involved in the trial to gauge clinical perception of the telehealth system.\ud Results: Eight participants returned the surveys. The majority of responding clinicians reported that the telehealth system was easy to use (100%), improved their access to diabetic foot speciality services (75%), improved upskilling of local diabetes service staff (100%), and improved patient outcomes (100%).\ud Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that clinicians found the use of a telehealth store-and-forward system very useful in improving access to speciality services, clinical skills and patient outcomes. This study supports the recommendation that telehealth systems should be made available for diabetic foot ulcer management