Teaching Construction in the Virtual University: the WINDS project

This paper introduces some of the Information Technology solutions adopted in Web based INtelligent Design Support (WINDS) to support education in A/E/C design. The WINDS project WINDS is an EC-funded project in the 5th Framework, Information Society Technologies programme, Flexible University key action. WINDS is divided into two actions: ·The research technology action is going to implement a learning environment integrating an intelligent tutoring system, a computer instruction management system and a set of co-operative supporting tools. ·The development action is going to build a large knowledge base supporting Architecture and Civil Engineering Design Courses and to experiment a comprehensive Virtual School of Architecture and Engineering Design. During the third year of the project, more than 400 students all over Europe will attend the Virtual School. During the next three years the WINDS project will span a total effort of about 150 man-years from 28 partners of 10 European countries. The missions of the WINDS project are: Advanced Methodologies in Design Education. WINDS drives a breakdown with conventional models in design education, i.e. classroom or distance education. WINDS implements a problem oriented knowledge transfer methodology following Roger Schank's Goal Based Scenario (GBS) pedagogical methodology. GBS encourages the learning of both skills and cases, and fosters creative problem solving. Multidisciplinary Design Education. Design requires creative synthesis and open-end problem definition at the intersection of several disciplines. WINDS experiments a valuable integration of multidisciplinary design knowledge and expertise to produce a high level standard of education. Innovative Representation, Delivery and Access to Construction Education. WINDS delivers individual education customisation by allowing the learner access through the Internet to a wide range of on-line courses and structured learning objects by means of personally tailored learning strategies. WINDS promotes the 3W paradigm: learn What you need, Where you want, When you require. Construction Practice. Construction industry is a repository of ""best practices"" and knowledge that the WINDS will profit. WINDS system benefits the ISO10303 and IFC standards to acquire knowledge of the construction process directly in digital format. On the other hand, WINDS reengineers the knowledge in up-to-date courses, educational services, which the industries can use to provide just-in-time rather than in-advance learning. WINDS IT Solutions The missions of the WINDS project state many challenging requirements both in knowledge and system architecture. Many of the solutions adopted in these fields are innovative; others are evolution of existing technologies. This paper focuses on the integration of this set of state-of-the-art technologies in an advanced and functionally sound Computer Aided Instruction system for A/E/C Design. In particular the paper deals with the following aspects: Standard Learning Technology Architecture The WINDS system relies on the in progress IEEE 1484.1 Learning Technology Standard Architecture. According to this standard the system consists of two data stores, the Knowledge Library and the Record Database, and four process: System Coach, Delivery, Evaluation and the Learner. WINDS implements the Knowledge Library into a three-tier architecture: 1.Learning Objects: ·Learning Units are collections of text and multimedia data. ·Models are represented in either IFC or STEP formats. ·Cases are sets of Learning Units and Models. Cases are noteworthy stories, which describes solutions, integrate technical detail, contain relevant design failures etc. 2.Indexes refer to the process in which the identification of relevant topics in design cases and learning units takes place. Indexing process creates structures of Learning Objects for course management, profile planning procedures and reasoning processes. 3.Courses are taxonomies of either Learning Units or a design task and Course Units. Knowledge Representation WINDS demonstrates that it is possible and valuable to integrate a widespread design expertise so that it can be effectively used to produce a high level standard of education. To this aim WINDS gathers area knowledge, design skills and expertise under the umbrellas of common knowledge representation structures and unambiguous semantics. Cases are one of the most valuable means for the representation of design expertise. A Case is a set of Learning Units and Product Models. Cases are noteworthy stories, which describe solutions, integrate technical details, contain relevant design failures, etc. Knowledge Integration Indexes are a medium among different kind of knowledge: they implement networks for navigation and access to disparate documents: HTML, video, images, CAD and product models (STEP or IFC). Concept indexes link learning topics to learning objects and group them into competencies. Index relationships are the base of the WINDS reasoning processes, and provide the foundation for system coaching functions, which proactively suggest strategies, solutions, examples and avoids students' design deadlock. Knowledge Distribution To support the data stores and the process among the partners in 10 countries efficiently, WINDS implements an object oriented client/server as COM objects. Behind the DCOM components there is the Dynamic Kernel, which dynamically embodies and maintains data stores and process. Components of the Knowledge Library can reside on several servers across the Internet. This provides for distributed transactions, e.g. a change in one Learning Object affects the Knowledge Library spread across several servers in different countries. Learning objects implemented as COM objects can wrap ownership data. Clear and univocal definition of ownerships rights enables Universities, in collaboration with telecommunication and publisher companies, to act as "education brokers". Brokerage in education and training is an innovative paradigm to provide just-in-time and personally customised value added learning knowledg

Robustezza nei modelli lineari normali con effetti casuali

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Laparoscopic peritoneal lavage. Our experience and review of the literature

NTRODUCTION: Over the years various therapeutic techniques for diverticulitis have been developed. Laparoscopic peritoneal lavage (LPL) appears to be a safe and useful treatment, and it could be an effective alternative to colonic resection in emergency surgery. AIM: This prospective observational study aims to assess the safety and benefits of laparoscopic peritoneal lavage in perforated sigmoid diverticulitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We surgically treated 70 patients urgently for complicated sigmoid diverticulitis. Thirty-two (45.7%) patients underwent resection of the sigmoid colon and creation of a colostomy (Hartmann technique); 21 (30%) patients underwent peritoneal laparoscopic lavage; 4 (5.7%) patients underwent colostomy by the Mikulicz technique; and the remaining 13 (18.6%) patients underwent resection of the sigmoid colon and creation of a colorectal anastomosis with a protective ileostomy. RESULTS: The 66 patients examined were divided into 3 groups: 32 patients were treated with urgent surgery according to the Hartmann procedure; 13 patients were treated with resection and colorectal anastomosis; 21 patients were treated urgently with laparoscopic peritoneal lavage. We had no intraoperative complications. The overall mortality was 4.3% (3 patients). In the LPL group the morbidity rate was 33.3%. CONCLUSIONS: Currently it cannot be said that LPL is better in terms of mortality and morbidity than colonic resection. These data may, however, be proven wrong by greater attention in the selection of patients to undergo laparoscopic peritoneal lavage

Will the Kaplan Fiber Complex Be the ''New Anterolateral Ligament''? Insights from Direct Surgical Exploration in the Context of ACL Injury and Reconstruction

According to the most popular scientific literature database in 2022, nearly 20 papers mentioning the "Kaplan Fiber" complex have been published in the last 2 years, highlighting the role of this anatomical structure in the context of anterior cruciate ligament tear [...]

Surface Operators in Superspace

We generalize the geometrical formulation of Wilson loops recently introduced in arXiv:2003.01729v2 to the description of Wilson Surfaces. For N=(2,0) theory in six dimensions, we provide an explicit derivation of BPS Wilson Surfaces with non-trivial coupling to scalars, together with their manifestly supersymmetric version. We derive explicit conditions which allow to classify these operators in terms of the number of preserved supercharges. We also discuss kappa-symmetry and prove that BPS conditions in six dimensions arise from kappa-symmetry invariance in eleven dimensions. Finally, we discuss super-Wilson Surfaces - and higher dimensional operators - as objects charged under global $p$-form (super)symmetries generated by tensorial supercurrents. To this end, the construction of conserved supercurrents in supermanifolds and of the corresponding conserved charges is developed in details.Comment: 47 pages, added references, adjusted notation in App

Unstable Type III Wrisberg-type Lateral Discoid Meniscus: All-inside Arthroscopic Repair:

Background: The Type III Wrisberg-type represents the rarest subtype of discoid meniscus. It exhibits a normal non-discoid "C"-shape with possible posterior horn hypertrophy, but meniscotibial ligaments and capsular restraints are lacking, leading to a clinical scenario of knee pain, popping, and catching due to meniscal hypermobility. Moreover, concomitant tears can be present due to repeated meniscal traumas. Indications: Type III Wrisberg-type lateral discoid meniscus with hypermobility, dislocation, or tear. Technique Description: Through standard arthroscopic portals, the meniscus is reduced in its anatomical position (if displaced). Abnormal mobility and anatomy should be noted. All-inside sutures are used in the posterior horn and body to stabilize the meniscus to the capsule and popliteus tendon. In the case of radial tears, horizontal stitches are used. Results: Patients are expected to return to sport approximately 4 to 5 months after the procedure with relief of pain, popping sensation, and knee locking. Conclusion: Arthroscopic all-inside repair is an effective treatment for unstable and displaced Type III Wrisberg-type lateral discoid meniscus. However, the diagnosis can be challenging, especially without frank meniscal dislocation

Estudo e aplicação de ferramentas de minimização de riscos em aplicações de curto prazo no mercado à vista de ações da BM&FBOVESPA : um caso prático

Orientador : Lauro Brito de AlmeidaMonografia (especialização) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas, Curso de Especialização MBA em Auditoria IntegralInclui referênciasResumo : O presente estudo apresenta uma análise de técnicas de minimização de riscos ao se operar no mercado acionário brasileiro, bem como apresenta, ao final, os resultados da aplicação dessas ferramentas em um caso real, desenvolvido de outubro de 2015 a julho de 2016. O estudo prático se limitou às ações negociadas na BM&FBOVESPA, em operações no mercado à vista. Quanto à metodologia empregada, no tipo e técnica de pesquisa, o estudo pode ser classificado como qualitativo; no levantamento e tratamento das informações, utilizou-se a pesquisa bibliográfica, sites do mercado financeiro e vídeo-aulas. Após a análise teórica, demonstram-se os resultados obtidos na prática, pelo próprio autor, na negociação desses ativos, por meio de Home Broker. Sendo que a meta inicial era primordialmente não perder dinheiro e, posteriormente, se possível, superar simultaneamente os rendimentos do índice Bovespa - IBOVESPA e uma boa aplicação de renda fixa, pode-se afirmar que o objetivo foi atingido com êxito, o que demonstra que mesmo investidores iniciantes, se imbuídos de dedicação ao assunto, metodologia e paciência, podem lograr sucesso nesse oscilante e conturbado ambient

Biomechanical Modeling For Prediction Of Laxity And Failure After Anterior Crucitate Ligament Reconstruction

The role of meniscal lesions and their removal or repair in combination with Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction has been studied, but mostly in cadaveric setting; thus, the in-vivo role remains unexplored. Another emerging topic is the role of anatomy -and in particular the role of posterior tibial slope- as risk factor for ACL failure. Moreover, the role of anatomy has been investigated also regarding the genesis of joint laxity, but only in cadaveric models or with static radiographic studies. The present PhD thesis has 4 main aims developed within 11 original studies, which investigate the role of meniscus and joint anatomy in the genesis of laxity before and after ACL reconstruction (Aim 1 and 2), and their role on the outcomes of ACL reconstruction (Aim 3 and 4). To answer the Aim 1 and Aim 2, a systematic review and in-vivo experimental studies with surgical navigation were performed, while to answer the Aim 3 and Aim 4, prospective and retrospective cohorts of patients undergoing ACL reconstruction were investigated. The results of literature search and in-vivo navigations studies highlighted the biomechanical importance of medial and lateral meniscus integrity in pre-and post-operative laxity, and a novel insight regarding the ability of Lateral Notch Sign -among all anatomical parameters- to detect “high grade” laxity is provided (Aim 1 and 2). In the clinical setting, medial and lateral meniscal removal or repair demonstrated to affect outcomes and reoperations, either at short and long-term follow-up. Finally, anatomical parameter -in particular Tibial Plateau Slope- were identified as possible risk-factors for failure of ACL reconstruction and contralateral ACL injuries (Aim 3 and 4)

Functional progression milestones following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are more appropriate than time-based criteria:a survey among the ESSKA

Purpose The aim of this study was to report current rehabilitation recommendations after ACL reconstruction in ESSKA community, with a particular focus on the specific criteria utilized to guide activity progression Methods A web-based survey was developed to investigate preferences between time-based and functional ACL reconstruction rehabilitation progression milestones of ESSKA community. Results Eight hundred and twenty completed questionnaires were received. Responders were from 86 different countries worldwide, 63% of them from European countries. Functional criteria were considered more appropriate to decide if a patient can start specific activities/exercises by 67% of the responders. Good core and lower extremity neuromuscular control were the most often used functional criteria for decision-making regarding readiness for sport-specific rehabilitation (66%), sport-specific drills without (65%) and with contact (66%). Strength assessed with an isokinetic dynamometer was considered by about half of the responders a determinant to initiate sport-specific drills without (51%-isokinetic strength, LSI > 80%) and with contact (58%-isokinetic strength, LSI > 85-90%). To determine readiness for sport-specific drills, hop tests were used by 40% of respondents for drills without contact and 48% of respondents for drills with contact. Conclusion The results of this survey involving mainly orthopaedic surgeons indicate that functional measures are considered more appropriate than milestones based on time from surgery to guide progression through the postoperative rehabilitation process after ACLR. The main clinical relevance of this study is that updated information on collective agreement could be useful for clinicians and physiotherapists to delineate their postoperative treatments after ACLR. These results should be interpreted with caution, as this sample represents only a small portion of ESSKA community involved in knee surgery and treating patients following ACLR

The Use of 3D-Printed Custom-Made Implants as an Attractive Potential Alternative to the Treatment of Segmental Bone Loss in Foot and Ankle

The treatment of segmental tibial and ankle bone loss after radical surgery for chronic osteomyelitis is one of the most challenging problems encountered by orthopaedic surgeons [...]