The patents in the introduction of reinforced concrete in Spain: "Alhondiga de Bilbao" case study

Reinforced concrete structures are introduced in Spain mainly by French influence. This happens in the late nineteenth century, following the scheme operating through proprietary systems prevailing in Europe. Systems initially have poor scientific support reaching, even early twentieth century, an impediment to the development of concrete structures, due to the lack of knowledge shown, as well as due to a series of accidents. Therefore, from the end of the first decade of the past century are enacted a series of regulations in many countries, that will change the design and calculation of reinforced concrete structure. The knowledge of the environment of the patent systems, its beginnings and the circumstances of their application allow us to understand the constraints of the early concrete structures, as presented in the Bilbao wine store (1906).

Neurolinguistic measure of typological effects in multilingual transfer: introducing an ERP methodology

This article has two main objectives. First, we offer an introduction to the subfield of generative third language (L3) acquisition. Concerned primarily with modeling initial stages transfer of morphosyntax, one goal of this program is to show how initial stages L3 data make significant contributions toward a better understanding of how the mind represents language and how (cognitive) economy constrains acquisition processes more generally. Our second objective is to argue for and demonstrate how this subfield will benefit from a neuro/psycholinguistic methodological approach, such as event-related potential experiments, to complement the claims currently made on the basis of exclusively behavioral experiments. Palabras clave

Results of the Austrian-Ceylonese hydrobiological mission 1970 of the 1st Zoological Institute of the University of Vienna (Austria) and the Department of Zoology of the Vidyalankara University of Ceylon, Kelaniya. Pt. 1. Preliminary report: introduction and description of the stations

The Austrian-Ceylonese hydrobiological mission of 1970 investigated and made collections from 36 flowing water systems (brooks, torrents, rivers); of these, 34 water systems were in the mountains regions of south-west and south-east of Sri Lanka. In the crystalline mountain region, the water systems are extremely poor in electrolytes, very soft and slightly acid; these torrential streams have strong falls, high flow velocities and boulder bottoms. The water temperatures increase from the sources and brooks at 2,000 m altitude to the mouths from 15°C to 28°C. The density of animal population (macro and meso-fauna) increases from the river bank regions (and pools) towards the sections with strong current and reaches on the rocks in the cascades a density of 500 to appr. 750 individuals/1/16m².

Introduction to the development of an information management system for soil mix technology using artificial neural networks

This paper introduces current work in collating data from different projects using soil mix technology and establishing trends using artificial neural networks (ANNs). Variation in unconfined compressive strength as a function of selected soil mix variables (e.g., initial soil water content and binder dosage) is observed through the data compiled from completed and on-going soil mixing projects around the world. The potential and feasibility of ANNs in developing predictive models, which take into account a large number of variables, is discussed. The main objective of the work is the management and effective utilization of salient variables and the development of predictive models useful for soil mix technology design. Based on the observed success in the predictions made, this paper suggests that neural network analysis for the prediction of properties of soil mix systems is feasible. © ASCE 2011.

The major aquatic systems of the Victoria and Kyoga lake basins

The Victoria and Kyoga lake basins form the major aquatic system of this study (Fig. I). The two lake basins share a common evolutionary history and have similar native fish faunas (Graham 1929, Worthington 1929). The two main lakes have also had similar impacts by introduction of Nile perch Lates niloticus and therefore these two lakes can be considered to be similar for ichiogeographical purposes. These lake basins have many satellite lakes isolated from one another and from the main lakes Victoria and Kyoga by swamps and other barriers. Some of these satellite lakes still possess stocks of endemic fish species which are almost extinct from the main water bodies. It was therefore considered that understanding of these lakes would contribute to the knowledge base required to solve some of the problems experienced in Lake Victoria and Kyoga especially the loss in trophic diversity arising. The study was carried out in these two main water bodies (Kyoga and Victoria) and on other satellite lakes e.g Wamala, Kachera, Mburo, Kayanja and Kayugi in the Victoria lake basin and lakes Nawampasa, Nyaguo, Agu, Gigate, Lemwa and Kawi in the Kyoga lake basin (Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6).

Building more sustainable solutions in production-consumption systems: the case of food for people with reduced access

In new product development, the ability to integrate different dimensions of sustainability at a value chain level is still a complex, problematic goal. As product-service approaches are increasingly enabling the introduction of more sustainable paths, this paper describes the authors' experience thus far when building insights into conditions for the implementation of integrated solutions in a process of co-development and testing in real life conditions, which are driven by a social need focusing on food for people with reduced access. Throughout this process, which brought together producers, consumers and other stakeholders to design and test industrialised, sustainable solutions, empirical evidence demonstrates feasibility and usefulness of the approach and insight into the conditions for implementing interactive, comprehensive multi-stakeholder processes in real life situations. In addition, results show that the delivery of innovative solutions enabled to offer social added value, economic profits and environmental improvements under specific experimental conditions. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low attenuation of GHz Rayleigh-like surface acoustic waves in ZnO/GaAs systems immersed in liquid helium

Low attenuation of Sezawa modes operating at GHz frequencies in ZnO/GaAs systems immersed in liquid helium has been observed. This unexpected behaviour for Rayleigh-like surface acoustic waves (SAWs) is explained in terms of the calculated depth profiles of their acoustic Poynting vectors. This analysis allows reproduction of the experimental dispersion of the attenuation coefficient. In addition, the high attenuation of the Rayleigh mode is compensated by the strengthening provided by the ZnO layer. The introduction of the ZnO film will enable the operation of SAW-driven single-photon sources in GaAs-based systems with the best thermal stability provided by the liquid helium bath. © 2013 American Institute of Physics.

The vibro-acoustic analysis of built-up systems using a hybrid method with parametric and non-parametric uncertainties

An existing hybrid finite element (FE)/statistical energy analysis (SEA) approach to the analysis of the mid- and high frequency vibrations of a complex built-up system is extended here to a wider class of uncertainty modeling. In the original approach, the constituent parts of the system are considered to be either deterministic, and modeled using FE, or highly random, and modeled using SEA. A non-parametric model of randomness is employed in the SEA components, based on diffuse wave theory and the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble (GOE), and this enables the mean and variance of second order quantities such as vibrational energy and response cross-spectra to be predicted. In the present work the assumption that the FE components are deterministic is relaxed by the introduction of a parametric model of uncertainty in these components. The parametric uncertainty may be modeled either probabilistically, or by using a non-probabilistic approach such as interval analysis, and it is shown how these descriptions can be combined with the non-parametric uncertainty in the SEA subsystems to yield an overall assessment of the performance of the system. The method is illustrated by application to an example built-up plate system which has random properties, and benchmark comparisons are made with full Monte Carlo simulations. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tourism Potential of Agricultural Heritage Systems

Traditional agricultural systems are threatened world-wide mainly due to the introduction of modern agricultural techniques and the emigration of farm labourers from remote rural villages. The objective of the programme 'Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems' (GIAHS), initiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 2002, is dynamic conservation of traditional agricultural systems. This article addresses the definition and content of agricultural heritage systems and discusses conservation options in the light of developing rural tourism. An explorative survey was conducted in Longxian village, situated in Zhejiang Province, southern China, focusing on the tourism potential of a typical Rice-Fish Agricultural System. The identification of heritage resources is a first step in the process of transforming an agricultural landscape into a cultural tourism landscape. However, the future of these landscapes is in the hands of a range of stakeholders and depends on their capacity to manage, in a sustainable way, tourism development strategies alongside conservation policies.

空间及言语工作记忆任务的情绪效应：来自ERP/ fMRI的证据

In the present study, based on processing efficiency theory, we used the event-related potentials (ERP) and functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) techniques to explore the underlying neutral mechanism of influences of negative emotion on three subsystems of working memory, phonological loop、 visuospatial sketh pad and the central executive. The modified DSMT (delayed matching-to-sample task) and n-back tasks were adopted and IAPS (International Affective Picture System) pictures were employed to induce the expected emotional state of subjects. The main results and conclusions obtained in the series of experiments are as the following: 1. In DSM tasks, we found P200 and P300 were reduced by negative emotion in both spatial and verbal tasks, however the increased negative slow wave were only observed in spatial tasks, not in verbal tasks. 2. In n-back tasks, the updating function of WM associated P300 was affected by negative emotion only in spatial tasks, not in verbal tasks. Current density analysis revealed strong current density in the fronto-parietal cortex only in the spatial tasks as well. 3. We adopted fMRI-block design and ROIs analysis, and found significant emotion and task effects in spatial WM-associated right superior parietal cortex; only emotion effect in verbal WM-associated Broca’s area; the interaction effect in attention-associated medial prefrontal area and bilateral inferior parietal cortex. These results implied the negative emotion mainly disturbed the spatial WM-related areas, and the attention control system play a key role in the interaction of spatial WM and negative emotion. 4. to further examine the effects of positive、negative and neutral emotion on tasks with different cognitive loads, the selective effect of emotion on the ERP components of spatial WM was only found in 2-back tasks, not in visual searching tasks. So, firstly the positive emotion as well as negative emotion selectively disturbed on spatial WM in light of the attention resource competition mechanism. Secondly, the selective influences based on the different WM systems, not the properties of spatial and verbal information. At last, the manner of the interaction of emotion and cognition is correlated with the cognitive load.

Changes in information behavior in clinical teams after introduction of a clinical librarian service

Urquhart, C., Turner, J., Durbin, J. & Ryan, J. (2007). Changes in information behavior in clinical teams after introduction of a clinical librarian service. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 95(1), 14-22. Available via PubMed central Sponsorship: North Wales NHS Trusts

Formatting information: A beginner's introduction to typesetting with LATEX

This book originally accompanied a 2-day course on using the LATEX typesetting system. It has been extensively revised and updated and can now be used or self-study or in the classroom. It is aimed at users of Linux, Macintosh, or Microsoft Windows but it can be used with LATEX systems on any platform, including other Unix workstations, mainframes, and even your Personal Digital Assistant (PDA).

Simulating the interaction of occupants with signage systems

This paper describes the introduction of chained signage systems into evacuation simulation models. Signage systems are widely used in buildings to provide information for wayfinding, thereby providing exiting information during emergencies and assisting in navigation during normal circulation of pedestrians. Recently a system was developed to introduce simple signs into egress models. The system, known as Visibility Catchment Area or VCA, allowed similated agents to interact with signs which point directly to an exit and signs which are located directly above the exit. However, this approach was not able to represent the more general situation of a sign netwokr within an arbitrarily complex building. In this paper we extend the method to include chained signage systems which provides simulated agents that are unfamiliar with the structure a means by which to navigate to an emergency exit. The model includes the associated navigation behaviours exhibited by occupants that rely on a signage system for navigation including: Searching behaviours, Backtracking behaviours, Lost behaviours and Communication behaviours. The new features are demonstrated through a series of demonstration cases and are shown to produce plausible results.