Comparative Analysis of Limit Bearing Capacity of a Continuous Beam Depending on the Character of the Load

Determination of the bearing capacity of a structure, as well as the assessment related tothe structure failure is very valuable, not only as a simple control of beam bearing capacity,but also as a significant basis and factor in designing of structures. When the structure isexposed to the action of a proportionally increasing load, by applying the limit analysis it ispossible to determine the limit failure load which is one of the bearing capacity indicators. Inthe case when beam systems are exposed to repeated load, the limit theorems do not yield the adequate solutions, thus the adaptation theorems which made safe limit load determination possible were developed simultaneously. Applying the limit and shakedown analysis, the analysis of bearing capacity of a continuous beam with two spans was conducted in the paper.Also displayed is the difference between the values of failure forces depending on the character of load and the beam span value in order to assess justification for application of the shakedown method in the analysis of the limit bearing capacity of the beams

VON DER (UN)MÖGLICHKEIT DER VERSÖHNUNG MIT DEM WELTGEIST IM WERK FRIEDRICH HEBBELS UND FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHES

Das Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, mittels der Untersuchung der tragischen Auffassung Friedrich Hebbels und Friedrich Nietzsches die Gemeinsamkeiten in ihrem Gedankengut fest zustellen und zu beweisen. Dazu habe ich mich der Methode des Vergleichs bedient, das heßt ich habe versucht, die Wechselbezihungen im Werk und Denken der beiden Autoren zu untersuchen. Hebbel, aber auch Nietzsche, haben sich oft in ihren Werken, aber auch in ihren Briefen und Tagebuchnotizen über das tragische Drama geäußert. Hebbel tat das desöfteren in Vorworten zu seinen Dramen und in unabhängigen Abhandlungen. Die Konzeption der beiden Dichter ist am engsten mit ihrer Weltanschauung verbunden. Im zweiten Teil dieses Beitrags hat die Autorin versucht, durch die Analyse einiger, in unter-schiedlichen Schaffensphasen Hebbels entstandenen Dramen seine Auffassung vom Tragischen zu verdeutlichen. Mit Hilfe der Einzelanalysen und durch die werkimanente Annäherungsver-suche unter Hervorhebung des tragischen Aspektes sollte klar gemacht werden, dass in den späteren Dramen des Autors das Versöhnungselement eine größere Rolle spielt, obwohl es oft unnatürlich wirkt. Beispiele dafür sind die Heiligen drei Könige in Herodes und Mariamne oder der Versöhnungsakt zwischen Vater und Sohn in Agnes Bernauer. Man kann annehmen, dass Hebbel bis heute in der internationalen germanistischen Forschung einen untergeordneten Forschungsgegenstand darstellt, dass darauf zurückzuführen ist, dass gerade die Unmöglichkeit der Versöhnung des Individuellen mit dem Weltgeist und die übertriebene Unnatürlichkeit dessen nicht nur den jugendlichen Lesenden zu fern von der Aktualität und den allgemein-menschlichen Bestrebungen erscheint.Publishe

P300 as an auxiliary method in clinical practice: A review of literature

Cognitive functions can be assessed and followed up over a period of time with cognitive evoked potentials (CEP) P300. In this context, brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) are most commonly used, but visual evoked potentials (VEP) are utilized as well. The research in this area has demonstrated that these techniques could be used as a supplemental method in diagnostics of numerous diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, epilepsy, craniocerebral trauma, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other degenerative diseases. In addition, P300 can also be used as an auxiliary method in the diagnostics of mental disorders conditions such as schizophrenia, panic disorders, narcotic drug addiction, nicotinism, alcoholism, etc. The method assists in monitoring the course of diseases leading to encephalopathy, such as liver and kidney damage and grave anaemia. The advantages of P300 testing are easy application, non-invasiveness, and an unlimited number of potential applications. Moreover, the results obtained with this method are measurable and can be compared

Den vardaliga maskeringen - kvalitativ undersökning om kläders betydelse och funktion hos socialsekreterare

Consumption of clothing, fashion and shopping has increased and the fashion industry is driven by the constant need for bigger profits while fashion consumption today is a major villain in the globalization debate. New shopping centers and malls are steadily built throughout Sweden, and the craving never seems appeased. But what is it that drives us to continually consume this excess amount of clothes? It is not necessarily the amount of clothing, or even desire. Clothes are symbols and message brokers, which aims to tell something about the person wearing the clothes, to the surroundings. We relate and identify the own identity in the clothes we choose to dress ourselves in. Through our clothes, we feel connected to some people, and belonging to groups, areas or locations. Clothing can often also be chosen based on the own culture or music taste. Clothing is an interesting but complex and context-dependent phenomenon. The purpose of this essay was to highlight the importance of apparel and function, but also to examine the dress codes at social administrations. The study was based on a qualitative study in which semi-structured interviews carried out. The result has been developed following interviews with six social workers in various social welfare departments. The results obtained during our qualitative study has been presented and analyzed based on Erving Goffman's dramaturgical theory and the sociological perspective. Based on respondents' statements, we conclude that there is no specific dress code for social workers, however, that there still are rules and norms about what is appropriate. The answer our respondents have given describes a sub consciousness in choice of clothing. We have concluded that there is controlling factors, but which are not always conscious actions. Our respondents' answers showed that though there isn’t a specific dress code within the social well fear there are many governing factors that control their choice of clothing. Many of these factors are unaware and strongly associated with social norms

The significance of adiponectin as a biomarker in metabolic syndrome and/or coronary artery disease

© 2015, Institut za Vojnomedicinske Naucne Informacije/Documentaciju. All rights reserved. Background/Aim. Adiponectin exerts profound protective actions during insulin resistence or prediabetes progression towards more severe clinical entities such as metabolic syndrome and/or cardiovascular disease. Since hypoadiponectinaemia contributes to the pathophysiology of the metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease the level of circulating adiponectin may be an early marker of cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to determine the relationships between serum adiponectin levels and parameters of both insulin sensitivity and obesity in patients with the metabolic syndrome and/or coronary artery disease, as well as to assess predictive value of adiponectin serum levels as a biomarker of these entitetis. Methods. The study included 100 patients with metabolic syndrome and/or coronary artery disease with different degree of insulin resistance and healthy, normoglycemic individuals. The control group comprising healthy, normoglycemic individuals was used for comparison. Serum level of adiponectin, fasting glucose, fasting insulinemia Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMAIR) index and anthropometric parameters were determined in all the subjects. Adiponectin was measured by using the ultrasensitive ELISA method. Insulinemia was measured by the radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. The presence of glycemic disorders was assessed on the basis of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Results. Adiponectin level was inversely correlated with age (ϱ = - 0.015), parameters of both obesity (R = 0.437; p < 0.001) and insulin resistance (R = 0.374; p < 0.01). Decreasing in the level of adiponectin was strongly implicated in the development of insulin resistance. Most importantly, a statistically significant rapid decrease in adiponectin was in the prediabetic stages (p < 0.01). The predictor value of adiponectin was 1,356.32 ± 402.65 рg/mL. Conclusions. The obtained resultats suggest that adiponectin may be a useful marker in identification of individuals with risk of developing metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease, as well as a predictor of prediabetes

Avelumab in Combination With Cetuximab and Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Patients With Advanced Squamous NSCLC

Avelumab; Cetuximab; Non–small cell lung cancerAvelumab; Cetuximab; Càncer de pulmó de cèl·lules no petitesAvelumab; Cetuximab; Cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñasIntroduction We present the results of a phase 2a trial of first-line avelumab (anti–programmed death-ligand 1 antibody) plus cetuximab (anti–EGFR antibody) in patients with advanced squamous NSCLC. Methods Patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous NSCLC received avelumab 800 mg (d 1 and 8), cetuximab 250 mg/m2 (d 1) and 500 mg/m2 (d 8), cisplatin 75 mg/m2 (d 1), and gemcitabine 1250 mg/m2 (d 1 and 8) for four 3-week cycles, followed by avelumab 800 mg and cetuximab 500 mg/m2 every 2 weeks. The primary end point was the best overall response; the secondary end points were progression-free survival, duration of response, overall survival, and safety. Efficacy analyses were reported from an updated data cutoff. Results A total of 43 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 6.6 months for the primary analyses and 9.2 months for the efficacy analyses. In the efficacy analyses, 15 patients had a confirmed partial response (objective response rate, 34.9% [95% confidence interval: 21.0%–50.9%]), and the median duration of response was 7.1 months (95% confidence interval: 4.2–12.5 mo). The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 6.1 months and 10.0 months, respectively. In the safety analyses (primary analysis), 38 patients (88.4%) had a treatment-related adverse event, of whom 24 (55.8%) had a grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse event. Conclusions The combination of avelumab + cetuximab and chemotherapy showed antitumor activity and tolerable safety; however, the ORR was not improved compared with those reported for current standards of care (NCT03717155).This study was sponsored by the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100009945) as part of an alliance between the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer. Employees of the sponsor are coauthors of this manuscript and contributed to the design, execution, interpretation of the analyses, writing the report, and the decision to submit the article for publication, along with other coauthors. We thank the patients and their families, the investigators, co-investigators, and study teams at each participating center and the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. Medical writing support was provided by Abhijith Thippeswamy of ClinicalThinking and funded by the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany (CrossRef Funder ID: 10.13039/100009945) and Pfizer

Risk factors for brain metastases in surgically staged IIIA non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy

mortality among patients with carcinomas. The aim of this study was to point out risk factors for brain metastases (BM) appearance in patients with IIIA (N2) stage of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with three-modal therapy. Methods. We analyzed data obtained from 107 patients with IIIA (N2) stage of NSCLC treated surgically with neoadjuvant therapy. The frequency of brain metastases was examined regarding age, sex, histological type and the size of tumor, nodal status, the sequence of radiotherapy and chemotherapy application and the type of chemotherapy. Results. Two and 3-year incidence rates of BM were 35% and 46%, respectively. Forty-six percent of the patients recurred in the brain as their first failure in the period of three years. Histologically, the patients with nonsquamous cell lung carcinoma had significantly higher frequency of metastases in the brain compared with the group of squamous cell lung carcinoma (46%: 30%; p = 0.021). Examining treatment-related parameters, treatment with taxane-platinum containing regimens was associated with a lower risk of brain metastases, than platinum-etoposide chemotherapy regimens (31%: 52%; p = 0.011). Preoperative radiotherapy, with or without postoperative treatment, showed lower rate of metastases in the brain compared with postoperative radiotherapy treatment only (33%: 48%; p = 0.035). Conclusion. Brain metastases are often site of recurrence in patients with NSCLC (IIIA-N2). Autonomous risk factors for brain metastases in this group of patients are non-squamous NSCLC, N1-N2 nodal status, postoperative radiotherapy without preoperative radiotherapy

A step forward towards exploring nutritional and biological potential of mushrooms: a case study of Calocybe gambosa (Fr.) donk wild Growing in Serbia

Edible mushrooms have been appreciated globally for their organoleptic, nutritional and chemical properties. In the present study, fruiting body of Calocybe gambosa, wild growing in Serbia, has been chemically characterized (content of macronutrients, soluble sugars, tocopherols, fatty and organic acids) and its bioactive (antimicrobial and antioxidant) properties were evaluated. The results obtained suggest that this mushroom is a source of carbohydrates and proteins (72 g/100 g dry weight (dw) and 16 g/100 g dw, respectively), with a low fat content (1.5 g/100 g dw). Sugar analysis revealed the presence of trehalose (3.82 g/100 g dw) and mannitol (0.22 g/100 g dw). Tocopherol composition revealed the presence of α-tocopherol (7.8 μg/100 g dw), while fatty acid analysis revealed the presence of 24 fatty acids with the prevalence of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Amongst organic acids, oxalic, quinic, malic, citric and fumaric acid were detected (2.8 g/100 g dw, 1.45 g/100 g dw, 11.3 g/100 g dw, 1.3 g/100 g dw, 0.08 g/100 g dw, respectively). Comprehensive antioxidant activity analysis (reducing power, DPPH radical scavenging activity, β-carotene/linoleate and TBARS assays) indicate that the mushroom is a perspective antioxidant source, whereas its antimicrobial potential turned out to be moderate. Nevertheless, at a sub- -inhibitory level, the methanolic extract disrupted cell-to-cell communication using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 as a model system. Finally, enrichment of oatmeal cookies with C. gambosa flakes not only improved their nutritional value, but was praised among the participants in sensory evaluation test, indicating that along with results of chemical composition and biological activity, this mushroom has a potential to be regarded as functional food.This research was funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, grant number 451-03-9/2021-14/ 200007. The authors acknowledge the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio