Thermal characterisation of Bio Based Building Materials

The characterisation of indigenous renewable biomass sources applicable for making bio-based building (BBB) materials is crucial as it can significantly affect the cost of production and the quality of material. Nowadays in any specific area, wide ranges of biomass sources are usually available but only a few sources may be suitable for making BBB material. Therefore the suited sources should be determined. In this paper, the use of BBB materials is focused on Insulation Materials which are widely used in the buildings. Compared with currently used materials, these materials are bio-degradable. Insulation material with a good energy-adsorbing property and binder material have been developed as a mixture of renewable biomass and concrete under certain of reaction conditions. In detail, the BBB material can contribute to energy saving in terms of consumption of low energy during its production process, as well as of degradability. The experimental assessment of non steady-state thermal characteristics of a BBB material is presented here. The results will be useful to develop a database of the physical properties available for the building industry

EL CONTENIDO CURRICULAR COMO ESTRATEGIA DE CONTENCION DE ALUMNOS DE 1º AÑO DE LA CARRERA DE ARQUITECTURA. FAUD.UNC.

El ingreso a la Universidad implica una inflexión en la vida y en la formación del estudiante. Es una etapa crítica del proceso de crecimiento y maduración, que debería generar un mayor grado de autonomía y autogestión. Los alumnos ingresantes en Arquitectura, presentan un grado importante de dispersión en cuanto a los contenidos curriculares aprendidos en el nivel medio y una gran disparidad de habilidades y hábitos de trabajo adquiridos en las etapas formativas previas. El curso de nivelación intenta paliar algunos de estas debilidades, pero es necesario que las asignaturas de primer año asuman en forma conjunta el objetivo nivelador para evitar la frustración de un grupo importante de estudiantes que fracasa en esta etapa. En los últimos años se detecta, además, una importante deserción de estudiantes al promediar el primer año. La propuesta pedagógica debe proveer alternativas para afrontar el escenario de un ingreso masivo, con condiciones infraestructurales deficitarias y una relación docente - alumno que dista mucho de ser óptima. Las asignaturas de los ciclos básicos universitarios son mediadoras en el proceso de aprendizaje que produce el paso de la escuela media a los estudios superiores y por lo tanto desempeñan un papel fundamental. Deben aportar instrumentos formativos acerca de los roles profesionales, de las posibilidades y alcances de la formación disciplinar y del contexto social y cultural de inserción. Nuestra Cátedra propone la implementación de un conjunto de estrategias de abordaje que permitan superar algunas de las disfunciones detectadas, potenciar las fortalezas y aprovechar las oportunidades, a través de una visión histórico-crítica de los ambientes humanos que, creemos, puede posibilitar la comprensión de los procesos de desarrollo profesional, y no solamente proveer información acerca de obras, autores o escenario

Circulating tumour cells in colorectal cancer

Abstract Background The detection of circulating tumour cells (CTC) in blood sample in patients with early or advanced colorectal cancer has a potential prognostic value. Methods The challenge of CTC detection is related to the requirement of high sensitivity combined with high specificity method. CTCs detection can be distinguished between indirect and direct methods. The former ones are based on the recognition of tissue-, organ- or tumour-specific markers by immuno-histochemistry (indirect immuno-mediated methods) or (real-time) RT-PCR (indirect molecular methods), whilst the latter are related to CTCs selection based on the physical properties of density and sizes. Ongoing and future isolation by size of epithelial tumour cells (ISET) developments concerning automated image analysis on the filter and transmission of high definition images through the web for 'on line' cytopathological consultations are aimed to speed up the work of cytopathologists on CTC/ circulating tumour microemboli (CTM) detection. Conclusions CTC detection in colorectal cancer (CRC) correlates with pathological stage and clinical outcome in particular in those patients with advanced disease. CRC CTC level before and after CT are an independent prognostic factor for progression-free and overall survival. The positive prognostic value of complete clearance CTC after surgery may be useful to select patients for adjuvant chemotherapy

Alexithymia, Attachment styles and Dissociative experiences in a sample of drug addicts

Background: Many studies demonstrate that early trauma affects the development of cognitive and affective processing, the integration between thoughts and feelings and the ability to understand and regulate emotional experiences. Some researchers emphasize the role of dissociation. Methods: In our study, we involved 62 participants that have completed the following questionnaires:  TAS-20, TEC, DES-II, PBI, and RQ. The aim was to evaluate, through descriptive statistics, univariate variant analysis and hierarchical regression analysis, the correlation between alexithymia, traumatic, dissociative experiences, parenting style, and adult relational style in two groups. Results: The results of our research have partially confirmed the significant differences between clinical group and control group. In the clinical group we observed dysfunctional parenting and relationship style in rapport with an alexithymic condition. In addition, alexithymia would also represent a risk factor for the development of an addictive behavior. Regarding to the relationship between dissociation and trauma, our data confirm a significant relationship between these two variables. Conclusions: Our study underlines the importance to consider the role of emotional experiences linked to early traumatic experiences and dissociative defensive reactions.

Event-based surveillance during EXPO Milan 2015. Rationale, tools, procedures, and initial results

More than 21 million participants attended EXPO Milan from May to October 2015, making it one of the largest protracted mass gathering events in Europe. Given the expected national and international population movement and health security issues associated with this event, Italy fully implemented, for the first time, an event-based surveillance (EBS) system focusing on naturally occurring infectious diseases and the monitoring of biological agents with potential for intentional release. The system started its pilot phase in March 2015 and was fully operational between April and November 2015. In order to set the specific objectives of the EBS system, and its complementary role to indicator-based surveillance, we defined a list of priority diseases and conditions. This list was designed on the basis of the probability and possible public health impact of infectious disease transmission, existing statutory surveillance systems in place, and any surveillance enhancements during the mass gathering event. This article reports the methodology used to design the EBS system for EXPO Milan and the results of 8 months of surveillance

ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING STEEL FRAMES WITH INFILLS UNDER MULTIPLE EARTHQUAKES

Many existing steel multi-storey frames in Europe were designed prior to the provisions of modern seismic design codes; therefore, they often exhibit low resistance to earthquakes due to their insufficient energy dissipation capacity. However, the current framework for assessing existing structures in EC8-3 is inadequate and should be reviewed. Particular attention should be paid to the contribution from masonry infill walls as they significantly affect the modal properties and the lateral stiffness of structures. To this end, two 3D models of a two-storey steel moment-resisting frame were developed to assess the applicability of the current framework in EC8-3 to the infilled structures under multiple earthquakes through nonlinear analyses. The modelling of masonry infill walls was achieved through a macro-model using equivalent diagonal struts. The ground motions utilised during the analyses took the records of the recent 2016 Central Italy earthquake sequence. As part of the project HITFRAMES, this paper serves as a preparation for the experiment to be conducted in Greece

La vivienda moderna argentina, miradas desde la periferia: Córdoba, Tucumán y Rosario

Housing is the constant type amongst different ones throughout history. It is therefore the most appropriate to address the analysis on how central models reach the Argentinian reality in an incipient modern movement during the twentieth century’s first part. Buenos Aires is the epicenter for the new ideas and as the main adherent to the universal responses, it issues at the same time those responses to provinces such as Córdoba, Tucumán and Rosario, which from their inner regions look for their own architecture by developing particular and exogenous positions. Aiming to reflect on the distinct views associated to this modern transcultural movement, this paper goes through case studies where the   formal proposals are intended to be provided with identity by understanding the spirit of both the place and the time, thus generating unique projects in Argentina.Entre las diferentes tipologías, la vivienda constituye el tipo constante a lo largo de la historia. En tal condición, es el más acertado para abordar el análisis de cómo llegan los modelos centrales a la realidad argentina en un incipiente movimiento moderno durante la primera parte del siglo XX. El epicentro receptor de esas nuevas ideas es Buenos Aires y como adherente principal a las respuestas universales, es a la vez el emisor de tales respuestas a provincias como Córdoba, Tucumán y Rosario, las cuales buscan desde el interior de las regiones la propia arquitectura entre posturas particulares y exógenas. Con el propósito de reflexionar acerca de las distintas miradas a ese movimiento moderno transculturado, en el presente artículo se recurre a casos de estudios concretos en los que cada exponente busca dotar de identidad a las propuestas formales mediante la comprensión del espíritu del lugar y del tiempo, para generar así soluciones singulares en el territorio argentino