"Experimental and computational approaches to historical masonry structures: A study in the direction of filling the gap"

The assessment of historical structures is a significant need for the next generations, as historical monuments represent the community’s identity and have an important cultural value to society. Most of historical structures built by using masonry which is one of the oldest and most common construction materials used in the building sector since the ancient time. Also it is considered a complex material, as it is a composition of brick units and mortar, which affects the structural performance of the building by having different mechanical behaviour with respect to different geometry and qualities given by the components.

The effect of a slow mode of BMP-2 delivery on the inflammatory response provoked by bone-defect-filling polymeric scaffolds

We investigated the inflammatory response to, and the osteoinductive efficacies of, four polymers (collagen, Ethisorb, PLGA and Polyactive) that bore either an adsorbed (fast-release kinetics) or a calcium-phosphate-coating-incorporated (slow-release kinetics) depot of BMP-2. Titanium-plate-supported discs of each polymer (n = 6 per group) were implanted at an ectopic (subcutaneous) ossification site in rats (n = 48). Five weeks later, they were retrieved for a histomorphometric analysis of the volumes of ectopic bone and foreign-body giant cells (a gauge of inflammatory reactivity), and the degree of polymer degradation. For each polymer, the osteoinductive efficacy of BMP-2 was higher when it was incorporated into a coating than when it was directly adsorbed onto the material. This mode of BMP-2 carriage was consistently associated with an attenuation of the inflammatory response. For coated materials, the volume density of foreign-body giant cells was inversely correlated with the volume density of bone (r(2) = 0.96), and the volume density of bone was directly proportional to the surface-area density of the polymer (r(2) = 0.97). Following coating degradation, other competitive factors, such as the biocompatibility and the biodegradability of the polymer itself, came into play.

Suspected paradoxical nerve root signature in a dog with right-sided intervertebral lumbar disk extrusion: a case report

A 7 year old male mongrel dog was presented with a 3 weeks history of gait disturbance in the pelvic limbs more pronounced on the left side associated with pain in the lumbar spine. At presentation neurologic deficits consisted of mild bilateral proprioceptive deficits and nerve root signature in the left pelvic limb. A large intervertebral disc herniation L3-L4 located in a right ventrolateral area of the spinal canal was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. The herniated disc was removed through right hemilaminectomy and fenestration. The dog recovered quickly and returned to the owners 4 days after surgery with a slight lameness in the left pelvic limb. On the follow-up examination 2 months later the dog showed normal gait and normal neurological examination. Nerve root signature is not always indicative for the side of the lesion in case of lateralized intervertebral disc herniation

Comparison of intraoral radiography and limited cone beam computed tomography for the assessment of root-fractured permanent teeth

AIM: To compare intraoral occlusal (OC) and periapical (PA) radiographs vs. limited cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in diagnosing root-fractured permanent teeth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In 38 patients (mean age 24 years, range 8-52 years) with 44 permanent teeth with horizontal root fractures, intraoral radiographs (PA and OC) and limited CBCT were used to evaluate the location (apical, middle, cervical third of the root) and angulation of the fracture line. Furthermore, the conventional radiographs and CBCT images were compared for concordance of fracture location. RESULTS: In the PA and OC radiographs, 28 fractures (63.6%) were located in the middle third of the root, 11 (25.0%) in the apical third and 5 (11.4%) in the cervical third. The PA/OC radiographs and the sagittal CBCT images (facial aspect) yielded the same level of root fracture in 70.5% of cases (31 teeth; 95% CI: 54.1-82.7%). The PA/OC radiographs and sagittal CBCT images (palatal aspect) showed the same level of root fracture in 31.8% of cases. There was a statistically significant association between the angle at which the root fracture line intersected the axis of the tooth and the level of root fracture in the facial aspect of the sagittal CBCT images. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of the location and angulation of root fractures based on limited CBCT imaging differs significantly from diagnostic procedures based on intraoral radiographs (PA/OC) alone. The clinical significance for treatment strategies and for the prognosis of root-fractured teeth has to be addressed in future studies.

RFID Transponders : Link between information and material flows. How reliable are identification procedures?

Along with the growing complexity of logistic chains the demand for transparency of informations has increased. The use of intelligent RFID-Technology offers the possibility to optimize and control all capacities in use, since it enables the identification and tracking of goods alongside the entire supply chain. Every single product can be located at any given time and a multitude of current and historical data can be transferred. The interaction of the flow of material and the flow of information between the various process steps can be optimized by using RFID-Technology since it guarantees that all required data is available at the right time and at the right place. The local accessibility and convertibility of data allows a flexible, decentralised control of logistic systems. As additional advantages of RFID-Components can be considered that they are individually writable and that their identification can be achieved over considerable distances even if there is no intervisibility between tag and reader. The use of RFID-Transponder opens up new potentials regarding process security, reduction of logistic costs or availability of products. These advantages depend on reliability of the identification processes. The undisputed potentials that are made accessible by the use of RFID-Elements can only be beneficial when the informations that are decentralised and attached to goods and loading equipment can be reliably retrieved at the required points. The communication between tag and reader can be influenced by different materials such as metal, that can disturbed or complicate the radio contact. The communications reliability is subject of various tests and experiments that analyse the effects of different filling materials as well as different alignments of tags on the loading equipment.

Far lateral lumbar disc extrusion: MRI findings and surgical treatment

This case report describes the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and the treatment of a far lateral extrusion of disc material at the sixth and seventh lumbar vertebrae (L6-L7) in a five-year-old male Alpine Dachsbracke dog referred to our hospital for investigation of the complaint of a one week progressive lameness in the left pelvic limb and poorly localized back pain. An extra-foraminal left lateral disc herniation impinging on the sixth lumbar nerve root was diagnosed by MRI examinations. Due to the far lateral position of the extruded disc material on MRI, surgical opening of the spinal canal was not necessary. Removal of the herniated soft disc material impinging on the L6 nerve root, and fenestration of the L6-L7 disc was performed laterally. To the author's knowledge 'far-lateral' disc herniation beyond the neuroforamen without any spinal canal contact has not been described in dogs until now. A complete recovery with no evidence of pain was achieved only after a couple of weeks after surgery. We acknowledge that it is possible that other pathological mechanisms may have contributed to clinical signs and to a delayed recovery.

Normative MR Cervical Spinal Canal Dimensions

Purpose To provide normal values of the cervical spinal canal and spinal cord dimensions in several planes with respect to spinal level, age, sex, and body height. Materials and Methods This study was approved by the institutional review board; all individuals provided signed informed consent. In a prospective multicenter study, two blinded raters independently examined cervical spine magnetic resonance (MR) images of 140 healthy volunteers who were white. The midsagittal diameters and areas of spinal canal and spinal cord, respectively, were measured at the midvertebral levels of C1, C3, and C6. A multivariate general linear model described the influence of sex, body height, age, and spinal level on the measured values. Results There were differences for sex, spinal level, interaction between sex and level, and body height, while age had significant yet limited influence. Normative ranges for the sagittal diameters and areas of spinal canal and spinal cord were defined at C1, C3, and C6 levels for men and women. In addition to a calculation of normative ranges for a specific sex, spinal level, age, and body height data, data for three different height subgroups at 45 years of age were extracted. These results show a range of the spinal canal dimensions at C1 (from 10.7 to 19.7 mm), C3 (from 9.4 to 17.2 mm), and C6 (from 9.2 to 16.8 mm) levels. Conclusion : The dimensions of the cervical spinal canal and cord in healthy individuals are associated with spinal level, sex, age, and height. © RSNA, 2013 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Estimating Annual CO2 Flux for Lutjewad Station Using Three Different Gap-Filling Techniques

Long-term measurements of CO2 flux can be obtained using the eddy covariance technique, but these datasets are affected by gaps which hinder the estimation of robust long-term means and annual ecosystem exchanges. We compare results obtained using three gap-fill techniques: multiple regression (MR), multiple imputation (MI), and artificial neural networks (ANNs), applied to a one-year dataset of hourly CO2 flux measurements collected in Lutjewad, over a flat agriculture area near the Wadden Sea dike in the north of the Netherlands. The dataset was separated in two subsets: a learning and a validation set. The performances of gap-filling techniques were analysed by calculating statistical criteria: coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), maximum absolute error (MaxAE), and mean square bias (MSB). The gap-fill accuracy is seasonally dependent, with better results in cold seasons. The highest accuracy is obtained using ANN technique which is also less sensitive to environmental/seasonal conditions. We argue that filling gaps directly on measured CO2 fluxes is more advantageous than the common method of filling gaps on calculated net ecosystem change, because ANN is an empirical method and smaller scatter is expected when gap filling is applied directly to measurements.

Increased intraoperative epidural pressure in lumbar spinal stenosis patients with a positive nerve root sedimentation sign

Purpose The sedimentation sign (SedSign) has been shown to discriminate well between selected patients with and without lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). The purpose of this study was to compare the pressure values associated with LSS versus non-LSS and discuss whether a positive SedSign may be related to increased epidural pressure at the level of the stenosis. Methods We measured the intraoperative epidural pressure in five patients without LSS and a negative SedSign, and in five patients with LSS and a positive SedSign using a Codman TM catheter in prone position under radioscopy. Results Patients with a negative SedSign had a median epidural pressure of 9 mmHg independent of the measurement location. Breath and pulse-synchronous waves accounted for 1–3 mmHg. In patients with monosegmental LSS and a positive SedSign, the epidural pressure above and below the stenosis was similar (median 8–9 mmHg). At the level of the stenosis the median epidural pressure was 22 mmHg. A breath and pulse-synchronous wave was present cranial to the stenosis, but absent below. These findings were independent of the cross-sectional area of the spinal canal at the level of the stenosis. Conclusions Patients with LSS have an increased epidural pressure at the level of the stenosis and altered pressure wave characteristics below. We argue that the absence of sedimentation of lumbar nerve roots to the dorsal part of the dural sac in supine position may be due to tethering of affected nerve roots at the level of the stenosis.

5-year results comparing mineral trioxide aggregate and adhesive resin composite for root-end sealing in apical surgery

INTRODUCTION Recent meta-analyses of the outcome of apical surgery using modern techniques including microsurgical principles and high-power magnification have yielded higher rates of healing. However, the information is mainly based on 1- to 2-year follow-up data. The present prospective study was designed to re-examine a large sample of teeth treated with apical surgery after 5 years. METHODS Patients were recalled 5 years after apical surgery, and treated teeth were classified as healed or not healed based on clinical and radiographic examination. (The latter was performed independently by 3 observers). Two different methods of root-end preparation and filling (primary study parameters) were to be compared (mineral trioxide aggregate [MTA] vs adhesive resin composite [COMP]) without randomization. RESULTS A total of 271 patients and teeth from a 1-year follow-up sample of 339 could be re-examined after 5 years (dropout rate = 20.1%). The overall rate of healed cases was 84.5% with a significant difference (P = .0003) when comparing MTA (92.5%) and COMP (76.6%). The evaluation of secondary study parameters yielded no significant difference for healing outcome when comparing subcategories (ie, sex, age, type of tooth treated, post/screw, type of surgery). CONCLUSIONS The results from this prospective nonrandomized clinical study with a 5-year follow-up of 271 teeth indicate that MTA exhibited a higher healing rate than COMP in the longitudinal prognosis of root-end sealing.

Distribution of cutin and suberin biomarkers under forest trees with different root systems

Background and aims Differences in chemical composition of root compounds and root systems among tree species may affect organic matter (OM) distribution, source and composition in forest soils. The objective of this study was to elucidate the contribution of species specific cutin and suberin biomarkers as proxies for shoot- and root-derived organic carbon (OC) to soil OM at different depths with increasing distance to the stems of four different tree species. Methods The contribution of cutin- and suberin-derived lipids to OM in a Cutanic Alisol was analyzed with increasing soil depth and distance to the stems of Fagus sylvatica L., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Quercus robur L. and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. Cutin and suberin monomers of plants and soils were analyzed by alkaline hydrolysis and subsequent gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Results The amount and distribution of suberin-derived lipids in soil clearly reflected the specific root system of the different tree species. The amount of cutin-derived lipids decreased strongly with soil depth, indicating that the input of leaf/needle material is restricted to the topsoil. In contrast to the suberin-derived lipids, the spatial pattern of cutin monomer contribution to soil OM did not depend on tree species. Conclusions Our results document the importance of tree species as a main factor controlling the composition and distribution of OM in forest soils. They reveal the impact of tree species on root-derived OM distribution and the necessity to distinguish among different zones when studying soil OM storage in forests.

Historia de los medios de comunicación de Misiones: LT 85 TV Canal 12, el canal de TV de los Misioneros. 16H295

Actividades llevadas adelante por los investigadores del proyecto: 1- Garcia Da Rosa, Carlos: a) En proceso de redacción de su tesis doctoral en Comunicación Social que se dicta en la Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Social de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP). b) Evaluador en la VI Expocom en la Categoría: “Comunicación Gráfica”, realizada en Viedma (Río Negro) en el marco del 9º Encuentro de Carreras de Comunicación Social. 6 al 8 de octubre de 2011. c) Tercer encuentro de cátedras de periodismo de investigación Carácter de participación: Asistente. Lugar: Facultad de Periodismo y Comunicación Social de la UNLP – 11 de marzo de 2011 2- De Lima Roberto: a) Cursos Asistidos y Aprobados de la Maestría en Periodismo y Medios de Comunicación, Universidad Nacional de La PLata (UNLP). "METODOLOGÍA DE LA INVESTIGACIÓN" Dictado por la doctora Dora Coria, nota final (nueve) 9. "PESRPECTIVAS DEL PERIODISMO AUDIOVISUAL CONTEMPORÁNEO" dictado por el Doctor Alfredo Alfonzo, nota final diez (10). Trabajo final presentado en la cátedra "PLANIFICACIÓN Y GESTIÓN DE MEDIOS", dictado por el profesor Víctor Ego Ducrot. En proceso de Evaluación. b) Asistencia a Cursos de Postgrado: Asistencia al curso "CULTURA, POLÍTICA Y SUBJETIVIDADES " dictado por la doctora Alicia Entel, los días 4 y 5 de mayo de 2011, organizado por el Departamento de Comunicación Social, aprobado por Reslución HCD N° 074/11 con una duración de veinte (20) horas. c) Desgravaciones de las entrevistas y organización de imágenes fotográficas para conformación del archivo de Canal 12 en sus cuarenta años existencia (18 noviembre de 2012). 3- Milton, Terencio: a) Participación como organizador en las V Jornadas Universitarias “La Radio del Nuevo Siglo” Audiencias (Posadas-Misiones, 22 al 24 de septiembre de 2011). b) Asistencia a Cursos y Seminarios: Curso de Postgrado sobre “Cultura, Política y Subjetividades”, dictado por la Dra. Alicia Entel (Posadas-Misiones, 4 y 5 de mayo de 2011). “Curso Capacitación en Informática: Socializando la Web, gestor de contenidos y publicación de Sitios Web” (Posadas-Misiones, 8 al 29 de junio de 2011). Jornada “El Periodismo en Misiones. Fortalezas y Debilidades del Campo Profesional” (Posadas – Misiones, 7 de junio de 2011). Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales de la UNaM. Jornada “Reflexiones sobre la Práctica Periodística” (Posadas – Misiones, 7 de junio de 2011). Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales de la UNaM. Asistencia a la jornada “Cómo hacer periodismo de investigación. Experiencias de casos en la Triple Frontera” (Posadas – Misiones, 11 de abril de 2011). Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales de la UNaM. c) Actividades: Desgravaciones de las entrevistas realizadas para la entrega posterior a los informantes. Sistematización de la organización de las fotografías que han sido facilitadas para la construcción de la investigación. 3- Pyke, Jorge Nelson: a) Durante el año 2011 se abocó a la elaboración del guión y la producción de un Material Documental, sobre la historia de ““LT 85 Canal 12 y la instalación de un canal en las Islas Malvinas”, en abril de 1982.”. El trabajo se encuentra en su etapa final de edición y posproducción, para ser presentado el 10 de junio de 2012, en el marco de los treinta años de la guerra de Malvinas y los 40 años de vida de Canal 12. 4- Alvarez, Norma Graciela: Coordinadora en las V Jornadas Universitarias “La Radio del Nuevo Siglo Audiencias” Resolución Consejo Directivo Nº 086/2011. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Universidad de Misiones. Posadas, 22 al 24 de septiembre de 2011. Evaluadora en la VI Expocom en la Categoría: “Comunicación Institucional y Organizacional”, realizada en Viedma (Río Negro) en el marco del 9º Encuentro de Carreras de Comunicación Social. 6 al 8 de octubre de 2011. Redacción final de la tesis doctoral en evaluación del director. 5- Monte, José Luis: Organizador y Coordinación General en las V Jornadas Universitarias “La Radio del Nuevo Siglo Audiencias”, Resolución Consejo Directivo Nº 086/2011. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Universidad de Misiones. Posadas, 22 al 24 de septiembre de 2011. Actividades: filmación de las entrevistas realizadas a los informantes.

Historia de los medios de comunicación de Misiones: LT 85 TV Canal 12, el canal de TV de los Misioneros. 16H295

Actividades desarrolladas durante el período: avance en la búsqueda de información respecto de documentación y de fuentes orales de información sobre la historia del Canal 12; rescate testimonios fotográficos y de cintas fílmicas de los primeros años del Canal 12 que están en poder de particulares; rescate de material fílmico existente en el Canal; desgravaciones de las entrevistas realizadas para la entrega posterior a los informantes. Sistematización de la organización de las fotografías que han sido facilitadas para la construcción de la investigación.

El paisaje como patrimonio : paisaje costero del canal Zanjón Cacique Guaymallén : investigación, sistematización y propuesta

El objetivo del trabajo ha sido la revalorización del Canal Zanjón Cacique Guaymallén como un patrimonio cultural ambiental de los mendocinos. La metodología aplicada incluye el análisis de la trayectoria histórica del asentamiento del Gran Mendoza, el zanjón como parte de la cuenca del río Mendoza, como parte del sistema de drenaje, como parte del sistema de riego. Luego, el reconocimiento de los paisajes particulares del zanjón y una posterior catalogación y ordenación, con el fin de ser material útil al planificador territorial primero y al diseñador urbano después. A modo de conclusión el autor menciona la necesidad implícita de proteger, enriquecer e integrar a la vida y memoria urbanos el cauce, las márgenes, el entorno y el oasis al que da vida el zanjón; junto con la urgencia de proyectar a futuro nuevamente los cursos de agua como potenciales ordenadores del territorio y su rol central en la planificación urbana.

Tab. 1: Age of biogene material from the ice margin, Kofoed-Hansen Bræ and Storstrømmen

Early Holocene recession of the ice cover over Germania Land in North-East Greenland 7.5 ka B.P. brought the Inland Ice margin back to a position close to the present. Continued recession after that time lead to the formation of a "Storstrømmen Sound" which separated Germania Land from mainland Greenland in the period from about 6 to 1 ka B.P. The present filling of the approximately 100 km long sound by the glaciers of Storstrømmen and Kofoed-Hansen Bræ must therefore have taken place during the Little lce Age. In an archaeological sense this implies deterioration of the living conditions of Neo-Eskimos compared to those of Palaeo-Eskimos. The neoglacial re-formation and present existence of the glaciers as a Little Ice Age relict may imply a present-day instability in their dynamics, as demonstrated by the pulsations (surge-like behaviour) in the last part of the 20th century. An earlier Little Ice Age advance might possibly have had the same amplitude as that documented from the 20th century but its exact age and character is not known. The glacio-isostatic response of the earth's crust to the variations in the Holocene glacier load implies a relatively slow and slight emergence and subsequent submergence. The shift from emergence to submergence must have taken place between about 2 and 1 ka B.P.