Search results for "STING"

Stress transfer mechanism investigation in hybrid steel trussed-concrete beams by push-out tests

2014

Abstract Results of push-out tests carried out on Hybrid Steel Trussed–Concrete Beams (HSTCBs) before and after the concrete casting are presented and interpreted. Firstly, in order to check the ability of weldings before casting, tensile tests were performed on specimens reproducing different types of welded joints. Simplified design formulae were used to predict their ultimate strength. Secondly, results obtained by push-out tests on specimen representative of the beam before and after the concrete casting are presented and discussed. Finally, simplified analytical models proposed by the current European building code were adapted to the specific typology to roughly predict the ultimate s…

On the improvement of monumental structure safety: a case study

2006

The present paper deals with the problem of the preservation of the monumental patrimony and discusses a practical application. The analysis methodology based on modern dynamic identification techniques was used for a monumental church in the historic area of Catania (Italy). The dynamic response of the church was measured in terms of accelerations, by means of vibration tests in situ. The numerical analyses highlighted the vulnerability of the drum dome system. Hence interest focused on this part of the building. A reduced scale model of the above system was built to be subjected to dynamic tests on a shaking table at the ENEA laboratory at Casaccia (Rome). Different kinds of reversible de…

First morphogenetic analysis of parasite eggs from Schistosomiasis haematobium infected sub-Saharan migrants in Spain and proposal for a new standard…

2021

International audience; Schistosomiasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease caused by trematode species of the genus Schistosoma. Both, autochthonous and imported cases of urogenital schistosomiasis have been described in Europe. The present study focuses on eggs, considered pure S. haematobium by genetic characterisation (intergenic ITS region of the rDNA and cox1 mtDNA). A phenotypic characterisation of S. haematobium eggs was made by morphometric comparison with experimental populations of S. bovis and S. mansoni, to help in the diagnosis of S. haematobium populations infecting sub-Saharan migrants in Spain. Analyses were made by Computer Image Analysis System (CIAS) applied on the basis of …

Boosting working memory with accelerated clocks

2021

Our perception of time varies with the degree of cognitive engagement in tasks. The perceived passage of time accelerates while working on demanding tasks, whereas time appears to drag during boring situations. Our experiment aimed at investigating whether this relationship is mutual: Can manipulated announcements of elapsed time systematically affect the attentional resources applied to a cognitive task? We measured behavioral performance and the EEG in a whole report working memory paradigm with six items of different colors that each had to be reported after a short delay period. The 32 participants were informed about the current time after each 20 trials, while the clock was running at…

Shot-clay MX-80 bentonite: An assessment of the hydro-mechanical behaviour

2014

This study presents the results of an experimental study conducted to characterise the hydro-mechanical behaviour of shot-clay MX-80 bentonite. In the shot-clay process, granular bentonite was mixed continuously with water and shot on the walls of a tunnel section at the Grimsel Underground Research Laboratory (URL), in Switzerland. The shot-clay was placed to create a layer of bentonite in direct contact with the host rock to avoid preferential water and/or gas flow along the tunnel wall. Samples for an experimental programme were collected during the shooting. The index properties, microstructural features, swelling potential and water retention properties of the shot-clay were analysed. …

External Volume Expansion Increases Subcutaneous Thickness, Cell Proliferation, and Vascular Remodeling in a Murine Model

2012

Background Fat grafting is a powerful tool for soft-tissue reconstruction; however, the science behind recipient bed preparation has not been thoroughly explored. External volume expansion using suction before fat grafting has been used clinically to improve reliability and consistency of graft survival. The authors developed a murine model to investigate the underlying mechanism of external volume expansion. Methods The authors created an external volume expansion device using a soft-silicone dome connected to a vacuum source (25 mmHg) to treat the dorsum of mice, and the response was compared with treatment with an occlusive dressing. Treated areas were monitored with magnetic resonance i…

The Role of Anisotropy on the Volumetric Behaviour of Opalinus Clay upon Suction Change

2017

An experimental investigation to analyse the anisotropic volumetric response of shaly and sandy facies of Opalinus Clay upon suction variations is presented. Obtained results demonstrate the different behaviour of the tested facies to a wetting-drying cycle. The shaly facies exhibits higher water retention capacity and stronger volumetric response than the sandy facies. Anisotropic response is experienced by both facies with the strain perpendicular to bedding higher than in the parallel direction. The sandy facies exhibits a more pronounced anisotropic behaviour in particular during the drying phase. A detailed analysis of the response in the two directions with respect to the bedding orie…

Long-range & Self-powered IoT Devices for Agriculture & Aquaponics Based on Multi-hop Topology

2019

This article presents the prototype design and testing of a long-range, self-powered IoT devices for use in precision agriculture and aquaponics. The devices are designed using the ultra-low power nRF52840 microcontroller with Bluetooth 5 support and ambient energy harvesting. A power of 942µW is harvested in an indoor environment. The devices are therefore suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, as natural sunlight will provide far more energy compared to artificial indoor lights. A line-of-sight range of up to 1.8km is achieved with the use of coded transmissions. However, the coverage area and range can be extended significantly by deploying the devices in multi-hop network topology. T…

Cover Feature: Boosting the Supercapacitive Behavior of CoAl Layered Double Hydroxides via Tuning the Metal Composition and Interlayer Space (Batteri…

2020

Prediction of banana quality indices from color features using support vector regression

2015

Banana undergoes significant quality indices and color transformations during shelf-life process, which in turn affect important chemical and physical characteristics for the organoleptic quality of banana. A computer vision system was implemented in order to evaluate color of banana in RGB, L*a*b* and HSV color spaces, and changes in color features of banana during shelf-life were employed for the quantitative prediction of quality indices. The radial basis function (RBF) was applied as the kernel function of support vector regression (SVR) and the color features, in different color spaces, were selected as the inputs of the model, being determined total soluble solids, pH, titratable acid…