An explicit finite element modelling method for masonry walls under out-of-plane loading

An explicit finite element modelling method is formulated using a layered shell element to examine the behaviour of masonry walls subject to out-of-plane loading. Masonry is modelled as a homogenised material with distinct directional properties that are calibrated from datasets of a “C” shaped wall tested under pressure loading applied to its web. The predictions of the layered shell model have been validated using several out-of-plane experimental datasets reported in the literature. Profound influence of support conditions, aspect ratio, pre-compression and opening to the strength and ductility of masonry walls is exhibited from the sensitivity analyses performed using the model.

Carrying coal and loading potatoes; Juedische Winterhilfe der Juedische Gemeinde; Berlin Jewish Institutions

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Plastic response of orthotropic spherical shells under blast loading

The plastic response of a segment of a simply supported orthotropic spherical shell under a uniform blast loading applied on the convex surface of the shell is presented. The blast is assumed to impart a uniform velocity to the shell surface initially. The material of the shell is orthotropic obeying a modified Tresca yield hypersurface conditions and the associated flow rules. The deformation of the shell is determined during all phases of its motion by considering the motion of plastic hinges in different regimes of flow. Numerical results presented include the permanent deformed configuration of the shell and the total time of shell response for different degrees of orthotropy. Conclusions regarding the plastic behaviour of spherical shells with circumferential and meridional stiffening under uniform blast load are presented.

Immediate, cumulative and residual effects of short- and long-term low plane of nutrition on milk protein and casein composition

Immediate and residual effects of two lengths of low plane of nutrition (PON) on the synthesis of milk protein and protein fractions were studied at the Mutdapilly Research Station, in south-east Queensland. Thirty-six multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows, between 46 and 102 days in milk (DIM) initially, were used in a completely randomised design experiment with three treatments. All cows were fed on a basal diet of ryegrass pasture (7.0 kg DM/cow.day), barley-sorghum concentrate mix (2.7 kg DM/cow.day) and a canola meal-mineral mix (1.3 kg DM/cow.day). To increase PON, 5.0 kg DM/cow.day supplemental maize and forage sorghum silage was added to the basal diet. The three treatments were (C) high PON (basal diet + supplemental silage); (L9) low PON (basal diet only) for a period of 9 weeks; and (L3) low PON (basal diet only) for a period of 3 weeks. The experiment comprised three periods (1) covariate – high PON, all groups (5 weeks), (2) period of low PON for either 3 weeks (L3) or 9 weeks (L9), and (3) period of high PON (all groups) to assess ability of cows to recover any production lost as a result of treatments (5 weeks). The low PON treatment periods for L3 and L9 were end-aligned so that all treatment groups began Period 3 together. Although there was a significant effect of L9 on yields of milk, protein, fat and lactose, and concentrations of true protein, whey protein and urea, these were not significantly different from L3. There were no residual effects of L3 or L9 on protein concentration or nitrogen distribution after 5 weeks of realimentation. There was no significant effect of low PON for 3 or 9 weeks on casein concentration or composition.

Synthesis of Silica Vesicles with Controlled Entrance Size for High Loading, Sustained Release, and Cellular Delivery of Therapeutical Proteins

A rationally designed two-step synthesis of silica vesicles is developed with the formation of vesicular structure in the first step and fine control over the entrance size by tuning the temperature in the second step. The silica vesicles have a uniform size of ≈50 nm with excellent cellular uptake performance. When the entrance size is equal to the wall thickness, silica vesicles after hydrophobic modification show the highest loading amount (563 mg/g) towards Ribonuclease A with a sustained release behavior. Consequently, the silica vesicles are excellent nano-carriers for cellular delivery applications of therapeutical biomolecules.

Precipitation-induced runoff and leaching from milled peat mining mires by peat types : a comparative method for estimating the loading of water bodies during peat pruduction

Precipitation-induced runoff and leaching from milled peat mining mires by peat types: a comparative method for estimating the loading of water bodies during peat production. This research project in environmental geology has arisen out of an observed need to be able to predict more accurately the loading of watercourses with detrimental organic substances and nutrients from already existing and planned peat production areas, since the authorities capacity for insisting on such predictions covering the whole duration of peat production in connection with evaluations of environmental impact is at present highly limited. National and international decisions regarding monitoring of the condition of watercourses and their improvement and restoration require more sophisticated evaluation methods in order to be able to forecast watercourse loading and its environmental impacts at the stage of land-use planning and preparations for peat production.The present project thus set out from the premise that it would be possible on the basis of existing mire and peat data properties to construct estimates for the typical loading from production mires over the whole duration of their exploitation. Finland has some 10 million hectares of peatland, accounting for almost a third of its total area. Macroclimatic conditions have varied in the course of the Holocene growth and development of this peatland, and with them the habitats of the peat-forming plants. Temperatures and moisture conditions have played a significant role in determining the dominant species of mire plants growing there at any particular time, the resulting mire types and the accumulation and deposition of plant remains to form the peat. The above climatic, environmental and mire development factors, together with ditching, have contributed, and continue to contribute, to the existence of peat horizons that differ in their physical and chemical properties, leading to differences in material transport between peatlands in a natural state and mires that have been ditched or prepared for forestry and peat production. Watercourse loading from the ditching of mires or their use for peat production can have detrimental effects on river and lake environments and their recreational use, especially where oxygen-consuming organic solids and soluble organic substances and nutrients are concerned. It has not previously been possible, however, to estimate in advance the watercourse loading likely to arise from ditching and peat production on the basis of the characteristics of the peat in a mire, although earlier observations have indicated that watercourse loading from peat production can vary greatly and it has been suggested that differences in peat properties may be of significance in this. Sprinkling is used here in combination with simulations of conditions in a milled peat production area to determine the influence of the physical and chemical properties of milled peats in production mires on surface runoff into the drainage ditches and the concentrations of material in the runoff water. Sprinkling and extraction experiments were carried out on 25 samples of milled Carex (C) and Sphagnum (S) peat of humification grades H 2.5 8.5 with moisture content in the range 23.4 89% on commencement of the first sprinkling, which was followed by a second sprinkling 24 hours later. The water retention capacity of the peat was best, and surface runoff lowest, with Sphagnum and Carex peat samples of humification grades H 2.5 6 in the moisture content class 56 75%. On account of the hydrophobicity of dry peat, runoff increased in a fairly regular manner with drying of the sample from 55% to 24 30%. Runoff from the samples with an original moisture content over 55% increased by 63% in the second round of sprinkling relative to the first, as they had practically reached saturation point on the first occasion, while those with an original moisture content below 55% retained their high runoff in the second round, due to continued hydrophobicity. The well-humified samples (H 6.5 8.5) with a moisture content over 80% showed a low water retention capacity and high runoff in both rounds of sprinkling. Loading of the runoff water with suspended solids, total phosphorus and total nitrogen, and also the chemical oxygen demand (CODMn O2), varied greatly in the sprinkling experiment, depending on the peat type and degree of humification, but concentrations of the same substances in the two sprinklings were closely or moderately closely correlated and these correlations were significant. The concentrations of suspended solids in the runoff water observed in the simulations of a peat production area and the direct surface runoff from it into the drainage ditch system in response to rain (sprinkling intensity 1.27 mm/min) varied c. 60-fold between the degrees of humification in the case of the Carex peats and c. 150-fold for the Sphagnum peats, while chemical oxygen demand varied c. 30-fold and c. 50-fold, respectively, total phosphorus c. 60-fold and c. 66-fold, total nitrogen c. 65-fold and c. 195-fold and ammonium nitrogen c. 90-fold and c. 30-fold. The increases in concentrations in the runoff water were very closely correlated with increases in humification of the peat. The correlations of the concentrations measured in extraction experiments (48 h) with peat type and degree of humification corresponded to those observed in the sprinkler experiments. The resulting figures for the surface runoff from a peat production area into the drainage ditches simulated by means of sprinkling and material concentrations in the runoff water were combined with statistics on the mean extent of daily rainfall (0 67 mm) during the frost-free period of the year (May October) over an observation period of 30 years to yield typical annual loading figures (kg/ha) for suspended solids (SS), chemical oxygen demand of organic matter (CODmn O2), total phosphorus (tot. P) and total nitrogen (tot. N) entering the ditches with respect to milled Carex (C) and Sphagnum (S) peats of humification grades H 2.5 8.5. In order to calculate the loading of drainage ditches from a milled peat production mire with the aid of these annual comparative values (in kg/ha), information is required on the properties of the intended production mire and its peat. Once data are available on the area of the mire, its peat depth, peat types and their degrees of humification, dry matter content, calorific value and corresponding energy content, it is possible to produce mutually comparable estimates for individual mires with respect to the annual loading of the drainage ditch system and the surrounding watercourse for the whole service life of the production area, the duration of this service life, determinations of energy content and the amount of loading per unit of energy generated (kg/MWh). In the 8 mires in the Köyhäjoki basin, Central Ostrobothnia, taken as an example, the loading of suspended solids (SS) in the drainage ditch networks calculated on the basis of the typical values obtained here and existing mire and peat data and expressed per unit of energy generated varied between the mires and horizons in the range 0.9 16.5 kg/MWh. One of the aims of this work was to develop means of making better use of existing mire and peat data and the results of corings and other field investigations. In this respect combination of the typical loading values (kg/ha) obtained here for S, SC, CS and C peats and the various degrees of humification (H 2.5 8.5) with the above mire and peat data by means of a computer program for the acquisition and handling of such data would enable all the information currently available and that deposited in the system in the future to be used for defining watercourse loading estimates for mires and comparing them with the corresponding estimates of energy content. The intention behind this work has been to respond to the challenge facing the energy generation industry to find larger peat production areas that exert less loading on the environment and to that facing the environmental authorities to improve the means available for estimating watercourse loading from peat production and its environmental impacts in advance. The results conform well to the initial hypothesis and to the goals laid down for the research and should enable watercourse loading from existing and planned peat production to be evaluated better in the future and the resulting impacts to be taken into account when planning land use and energy generation. The advance loading information available in this way would be of value in the selection of individual peat production areas, the planning of their exploitation, the introduction of water protection measures and the planning of loading inspections, in order to achieve controlled peat production that pays due attention to environmental considerations.

Feature selection and the concept of immediate neighborhood in the context of clustering techniques

The concept of feature selection in a nonparametric unsupervised learning environment is practically undeveloped because no true measure for the effectiveness of a feature exists in such an environment. The lack of a feature selection phase preceding the clustering process seriously affects the reliability of such learning. New concepts such as significant features, level of significance of features, and immediate neighborhood are introduced which result in meeting implicitly the need for feature slection in the context of clustering techniques.

Immediate and residual effects of heat stress and restricted intake on milk protein and casein composition and energy metabolism

The effects of heat stress on dairy production can be separated into 2 distinct causes: those effects that are mediated by the reduced voluntary feed intake associated with heat stress, and the direct physiological and metabolic effects of heat stress. To distinguish between these, and identify their effect on milk protein and casein concentration, mid-lactation Holstein-Friesian cows (n = 24) were housed in temperature-controlled chambers and either subjected to heat stress HS; temperature-humidity index (THI) ~78 or kept in a THI < 70 environment and pair-fed with heat-stressed cows (TN-R) for 7 d. A control group of cows was kept in a THI < 70 environment with ad libitum feeding (TN-AL). A subsequent recovery period (7 d), with THI < 70 and ad libitum feeding followed. Intake accounted for only part of the effects of heat stress. Heat stress reduced the milk protein concentration, casein number, and casein concentration and increased the urea concentration in milk beyond the effects of restriction of intake. Under HS, the proportion in total casein of αS1-casein increased and the proportion of αS2-casein decreased. Because no effect of HS on milk fat or lactose concentration was found, these effects appeared to be the result of specific downregulation of mammary protein synthesis, and not a general reduction in mammary activity. No residual effects were found of HS or TN-R on milk production or composition after THI < 70 and ad libitum intake were restored. Heat-stressed cows had elevated blood concentrations of urea and Ca, compared with TN-R and TN-AL. Cows in TN-R had higher serum nonesterified fatty acid concentrations than cows in HS. It was proposed that HS and TN-R cows may mobilize different tissues as endogenous sources of energy.

Feature selection and the concept of immediate neighborhood in the context of clustering techniques

The concept of feature selection in a nonparametric unsupervised learning environment is practically undeveloped because no true measure for the effectiveness of a feature exists in such an environment. The lack of a feature selection phase preceding the clustering process seriously affects the reliability of such learning. New concepts such as significant features, level of significance of features, and immediate neighborhood are introduced which result in meeting implicitly the need for feature slection in the context of clustering techniques.

A review on exploring the behavior of multi-layer composite structures under dynamic loading

This paper reviews the recent research progress on multi-layer composite structures composed of variety of materials. The utilization of multi-layer composite system is found to be common in metal structures and pavement systems. The layer of composite structure designed to encounter heavy dynamic energy should have sufficient ductility to counteract the intensity of energy. Therefore, the selection of materials and enhancement of interface bonding become crucial and both are discussed in this paper. The failure modes have also been explored in conjunction with stresses at failures and inferred solutions are also revealed. The paper attempts to reveal all technical facts on multi-layer composite structure in a broad field.

Stresses in a thick plate with a circular hole under axisymmetric loading

An exact theoretical solution is given for the stresses and displacements in an infinite plate of finite thickness having a circular hole and subjected to axisymmetric normal leading. The solution is given in the form of Fourier-Bessel series and integral. Numerical results are given for stresses in plates having different thickness to hole diameter ratios and loadings. The results are compared with the available approximate theoretical and experimental results.

Disturbance in boreal spruce forest - immediate dynamics from stand to understorey level

The immediate effects of two human-related vegetation disturbances, (1) green tree retention (GTR) patch felling and scarification by harrowing and (2) experimental understorey vegetation layer removal, were examined in boreal forest stands in Finland. Effects of GTR patch felling and scarification on tree uprootings, on coarse woody debris (CWD) and on epixylic plant community were followed in upland and in paludified forest types. Uprootings increased considerably during 2-3 years after the fellings and were more frequent (47%) in the paludified than in the upland forest (13%). Scarification reduced 68% of the CWD in the felling area. Cover and especially species richness of epixylics declined in the both areas during 1-2 years after the felling. The increasing size of GTR patch correlated positively with the species richness. Regeneration of understorey vegetation community and Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium vitis-idaea after different removals of vegetation layers in an old-growth forest took four years. The regeneration occurred mainly by vegetative means and it was faster in the terms of species richness than in the cover. In the most severe treatment, recovery occurred merely by sexual reproduction. V. myrtillus recovered mainly by producing new shoots. V. vitis-idaea recovered faster than V. myrtillus, mainly by increasing length growth. For ecological reasons, use of larger GTR patches on paludified biotope would be recommendable. In felling areas, scarification by harrowing could be replaced with some other spot-wise method. After moderate intensity level disturbance, recovery occurs rapidly by vegetative regrowth of the dominating species. High level of intensity may prevent the recovery of vegetation community for years, while enabling also the genetic regeneration of the initial species. Local anthropogenic-related disturbances are currently increasing and they can interact during temporally short times, which should be taken in to account in the future forest management plans.

Immediate Breast Reconstructions in the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common form of potentially fatal cancer in women in the Western world. Better understanding of the breast cancer disease process together with developments in treatments have led to improved survival and reduced risk of recurrence, significantly influencing the acceptance of breast reconstructions as part of breast cancer treatment. Skin-sparing mastectomy followed by immediate breast reconstruction has proved superior to other forms of breast reconstruction in terms of aesthetic outcome. However, due to the relatively recent introduction of skin-sparing mastectomy concerns on the surgical and oncological safety of the operation persist. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the surgical and oncological safety of skin-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction in a consecutive patient series with ensuing follow-up. Subsequent aims of the study are to examine possibilities of reducing surgical complications of the operation and to assess the feasibility of sentinel node biopsy together with immediate breast reconstruction. The study population comprises a consecutive series of patients having undergone skin-sparing mastectomy followed by immediate breast reconstruction at the Helsinki University Central Hospital between 1992 and 2006. In Study I, the hospital records of 207 patients, operated between 1992 and 2001, were analyzed for surgical complications and recurrences of breast cancer during follow-up. In Study II, 60 consecutive patients were randomized into either conventional diathermy or radiofrequency coagulation groups to examine possibilities of reducing skin-flap complications. Study III consists of 62 consecutive breast cancer patients evaluated for the feasibility of sentinel node biopsy simultaneously with immediate breast reconstruction. In Study IV, hospital records were analyzed to examine local recurrence of breast cancer in a consecutive series of 146 patients with Stage I or II disease. Post-operative complications in Study I included native skin-flap necrosis (10.1%), hematoma (10.1%), anastomose thrombosis (5.3%), infection (3.4%), hernia (2.6%) and loss of one microvascular flap (0.7%). The Stage I and II patients in Study IV had a local recurrence rate of 2.7%, an isolated regional lymph node recurrence rate of 2.1% and a systemic recurrence rate of 2.7%, during a mean follow-up time of 51 months. The Stage III patients in study I had a locoregional recurrence rate of 31.3% during follow-up. Radiofrequency coagulation in Study II did not decrease skin-flap complications when compared with conventional diathermy. An increased skin-flap complication rate in Study II was associated with smoking and the type of skin incision used. In Study III, eleven patients had tumor positive sentinel nodes, nine of which were detected intraoperatively. Skin-sparing mastectomy followed by immediate breast reconstruction is a safe procedure both surgically and oncologically, especially for early stage breast cancer. Tennis racket type incision is associated with an increased skin-flap complication rate. Sentinel node biopsy with intraoperative assessment of sentinel node metastases is feasible in patients undergoing immediate breast reconstruction.