Spectral Finite Element Modeling of Complex Structures for Applications in Real-time Structural Health Monitoring

In this paper we discuss the recent progresses in spectral finite element modeling of complex structures and its application in real-time structural health monitoring system based on sensor-actuator network and near real-time computation of Damage Force Indicator (DFI) vector. A waveguide network formalism is developed by mapping the original variational problem into the variational problem involving product spaces of 1D waveguides. Numerical convergence is studied using a h()-refinement scheme, where is the wavelength of interest. Computational issues towards successful implementation of this method with SHM system are discussed.

湍流大小尺度涡量方程组及其封闭

利用流体大小尺度（LSS）方程组推导出湍流大小尺度涡量（LSSV）方程组，给出两个关于湍流大小尺度涡量的命题，从而得到湍流封闭大小尺度涡量（CLSSV）方程组。同时，对近程相互作用命题进行了推广。

Evaluación de la comprensión lectora en alumnos de 12 años.

Comprobar el rendimiento en comprensión lectora de los alumnos y profundizar en las causas individuales, del entorno o del centro escolar, que hacen que el nivel de comprensión lectora sea diferente en cada alumno. Las pruebas se aplican a alumnos de 12 años, de 6õ de Primaria, de 35 colegios pertenecientes a Comunidades Autónomas diversas, algunas con lengua propia. Se inicia con una fundamentación teórica, en la que se revisan las teorías actuales sobre evaluación de comprensión lectora y los distintos enfoques y modelos. En la segunda parte, el estudio empírico, se plantea el procedimiento para la obtención de datos, el diseño de la prueba para evaluar la comprensión lectora, la aplicación de la prueba final y los cuestionarios de opinión. Por último, en la tercera parte, se analizan los resultados y la influencia de la escuela en la comprensión lectora en aspectos como el tiempo de dedicación a la materia, las actividades escolares, la confianza y seguridad del alumno, el clima escolar o la influencia del profesorado en el rendimiento escolar. Las buenas relaciones entre los distintos colectivos y en el interior de cada uno de ellos, alumnos, profesores y equipos directivos, están en la base de un peor o mejor rendimiento de la comprensión. Se trata de una investigación cuantitativa, descriptivo-correlacional de carácter evaluativo. Se parte de un análisis de cada pregunta con la que se trabaja estadísticamente, una descripción de datos univariados y una serie de análisis correlacionales. Después se realizan análisis inferenciales, a partir de la definición de constructos, y análisis de varianza, de covarianza y de regresión múltiple. Además de los factores antes citados, son las propias características de cada alumno las que pueden marcar las diferencias en su rendimiento respecto al de los demás. La edad que tiene en relación con el curso, el sexo, la edad con que comenzó la escolaridad, las actividades fuera del horario escolar, son posibles aspectos diferenciadores del rendimiento.

Nuevo manual de la UNESCO para la enseñanza de las ciencias.

Trabajo que actualiza el Manual de la Unesco para la Enseñanza de las Ciencias y recoje los enfoques modernos de la enseñanza científica en los niveles elementales y de los primeros ciclos de la enseñanza secundaria. La obra se estructura en cuatro apartados: recursos, facilidades y técnicas para la enseñanza de las ciencias, ciencias físicas, ciencias biológicas, y ciencias de la tierra y el espacio. Siguiendo una metodología experimental ha sido proyectado para que constituya una fuente de ideas para planificar actividades científicas simples, investigaciones y experimentos susceptibles de ser realizados por los mismos alumnos y para la construcción de un instrumental científico sencillo, empleando materiales disponibles en la localidad donde se imparta la enseñanza..

Evaluating nitrogen utilization efficiency of nonpregnant dry cows offered solely fresh cut grass at maintenance levels

The present study aimed to identify key parameters influencing N utilization and develop prediction equations for manure N output (MN), feces N output (FN), and urine N output (UN). Data were obtained under a series of digestibility trials with nonpregnant dry cows fed fresh grass at maintenance level. Grass was cut from 8 different ryegrass swards measured from early to late maturity in 2007 and 2008 (2 primary growth, 3 first regrowth, and 3 second regrowth) and from 2 primary growth early maturity swards in 2009. Each grass was offered to a group of 4 cows and 2 groups were used in each of the 8 swards in 2007 and 2008 for daily measurements over 6 wk; the first group (first 3 wk) and the second group (last 3 wk) assessed early and late maturity grass, respectively. Average values of continuous 3-d data of N intake (NI) and output for individual cows ( = 464) and grass nutrient contents ( = 116) were used in the statistical analysis. Grass N content was positively related to GE and ME contents but negatively related to grass water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), NDF, and ADF contents ( < 0.01), indicating that accounting for nutrient interrelations is a crucial aspect of N mitigation. Significantly greater ratios of UN:FN, UN:MN, and UN:NI were found with increased grass WSC contents and ratios of N:WSC, N:digestible OM in total DM (DOMD), and N:ME ( < 0.01). Greater NI, animal BW, and grass N contents and lower grass WSC, NDF, ADF, DOMD, and ME concentrations were significantly associated with greater MN, FN, and UN ( < 0.05). The present study highlighted that using grass lower in N and greater in fermentable energy in animals fed solely fresh grass at maintenance level can improve N utilization, reduce N outputs, and shift part of N excretion toward feces rather than urine. These outcomes are highly desirable in mitigation strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from livestock. Equations predicting N output from BW and grass N content explained a similar amount of variability as using NI and grass chemical composition (excluding DOMD and ME), implying that parameters easily measurable in practice could be used for estimating N outputs. In a research environment, where grass DOMD and ME are likely to be available, their use to predict N outputs is highly recommended because they strongly improved of the equations in the current study.

Minimum inhibitory concentrations of Staphylococcus aureus recovered from clinical and subclinical cases of bovine mastitis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Nutritional risk and anthropometric evaluation in pediatric liver transplantation

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the nutritional status of pediatric patients after orthotopic liver transplantation and the relationship with short-term clinical outcome. METHOD: Anthropometric evaluations of 60 children and adolescents after orthotopic liver transplantation, during the first 24 hours in a tertiary pediatric intensive care unit. Nutritional status was determined from the Z score for the following indices: weight/age, height/age or length/age, weight/height or weight/length, body mass index/age, arm circumference/age and triceps skinfold/age. The severity of liver disease was evaluated using one of the two models which was adequated to the patients' age: 1. Pediatric End-stage Liver Disease, 2. Model for End-Stage Liver Disease. RESULTS: We found 50.0% undernutrition by height/age; 27.3% by weight/age; 11.1% by weight/height or weight/length; 10.0% by body mass index/age; 61.6% by arm circumference/age and 51.0% by triceps skinfold/age. There was no correlation between nutritional status and Pediatric End-stage Liver Disease or mortality. We found a negative correlation between arm circumference/age and length of hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Children with chronic liver diseases experience a significant degree of undernutrition, which makes nutritional support an important aspect of therapy. Despite the difficulties in assessment, anthropometric evaluation of the upper limbs is useful to evaluate nutritional status of children before or after liver transplantation.

Specific and Nonspecific Psychological Interventions for PTSD Symptoms: A Meta-Analysis With Problem Complexity as a Moderator

CONTEXT The necessity of specific intervention components for the successful treatment of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder is the subject of controversy. OBJECTIVE To investigate the complexity of clinical problems as a moderator of relative effects between specific and nonspecific psychological interventions. METHODS We included 18 randomized controlled trials, directly comparing specific and nonspecific psychological interventions. We conducted moderator analyses, including the complexity of clinical problems as predictor. RESULTS Our results have confirmed the moderate superiority of specific over nonspecific psychological interventions; however, the superiority was small in studies with complex clinical problems and large in studies with noncomplex clinical problems. CONCLUSIONS For patients with complex clinical problems, our results suggest that particular nonspecific psychological interventions may be offered as an alternative to specific psychological interventions. In contrast, for patients with noncomplex clinical problems, specific psychological interventions are the best treatment option.