VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT OF SEISMIC RETROFIT MEASURES FOR FRAME AND WALL PRE-CODE BUILDINGS

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aman Mwafy ◽  
Anas Issa
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Seismic Retrofit ◽  
Steel Plates ◽  
Fiber Reinforced Polymers ◽  
Earthquake Scenarios ◽  
Building Inventory ◽  
Lateral Capacity ◽  
Earthquake Losses ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Before And After

The number of existing buildings that may be at risk because of insufficient seismic design provisions cannot be underestimated. Recent studies have confirmed the pressing need for the seismic retrofit of pre-code structures to reduce their probability of collapse. A number of retrofit approaches are therefore assessed in this study, namely reinforced concrete jacketing, fiber reinforced polymers wrapping, and installing externally unbonded steel plates. Detailed structural design and fiber-based modeling are carried out for five reference structures representing frame and shear wall multi-story buildings before and after retrofit. Forty earthquake records are selected to represent potential earthquake scenarios in a region of medium seismicity that was selected as a reference study area. A large number of inelastic pushover and dynamic analyses are performed to assess the lateral capacity and to derive a wide range of fragility relationships for the reference structures. The highest positive impact of retrofit is observed on the pre-code flat slab-column systems. The reductions in the vulnerability of the retrofitted structures confirmed the effectiveness of the selected techniques for mitigating the earthquake losses of pre-code building inventory.

Strategic Role of Zakat in Multidimensional Quality of Life in Sijunjung, Indonesia

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-72
Author(s):  
Herlin Hamimi ◽  
Abdul Ghafar Ismail ◽  
Muhammad Hasbi Zaenal
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Wealth Distribution ◽  
Absolute Poverty ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Status ◽  
Being There ◽  
The Impact

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam which has a function of faith, social and economic functions. Muslims who can pay zakat are required to give at least 2.5 per cent of their wealth. The problem of poverty prevalent in disadvantaged regions because of the difficulty of access to information and communication led to a gap that is so high in wealth and resources. The instrument of zakat provides a paradigm in the achievement of equitable wealth distribution and healthy circulation. Zakat potentially offers a better life and improves the quality of human being. There is a human quality improvement not only in economic terms but also in spiritual terms such as improving religiousity. This study aims to examine the role of zakat to alleviate humanitarian issues in disadvantaged regions such as Sijunjung, one of zakat beneficiaries and impoverished areas in Indonesia. The researcher attempted a Cibest method to capture the impact of zakat beneficiaries before and after becoming a member of Zakat Community Development (ZCD) Program in material and spiritual value. The overall analysis shows that zakat has a positive impact on disadvantaged regions development and enhance the quality of life of the community. There is an improvement in the average of mustahik household incomes after becoming a member of ZCD Program. Cibest model demonstrates that material, spiritual, and absolute poverty index decreased by 10, 5, and 6 per cent. Meanwhile, the welfare index is increased by 21 per cent. These findings have significant implications for developing the quality of life in disadvantaged regions in Sijunjung. Therefore, zakat is one of the instruments to change the status of disadvantaged areas to be equivalent to other areas.

Perioperative Skin Conditioning for Patients With Skin of Color

2021 ◽  
pp. 074880682198989
Author(s):  
Alix Ferdinand ◽  
Suzan Obagi
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Regimen ◽  
Skin Care ◽  
Practical Approach ◽  
Postoperative Phase ◽  
Upward Trend ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Before And After

The interest in cosmetic procedures for patients with skin of color is on an upward trend. Globally, dyschromia and hyperpigmentation remain the most common disorders for which patients seek treatment. The goals of a perioperative skin conditioning program include allowing a broad range of patients to be treated regardless of skin phototypes, maximizing results, and reducing risk of complications such as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and managing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation if it occurs. The purpose of this article is to highlight common pigmentation concerns among patients with skin of color, the topical agents used to combat these concerns, and a practical approach to creating an effective yet straightforward topical skin care regimen that can be used across a wide range of patient skin phototypes. Before and after photos of patients with a variety of pigmentation concerns are presented along with a description of the treatment regimen used to improve their conditions and to get their skin to a safer state prior to performing any office-based procedures. By understanding the main concerns of patients with skin of color, one can use a simple and effective skincare regimen to allow these patients to be more safely treated. An effective skincare regimen both prepares the skin prior to procedures and postoperatively to help minimize dyschromias in the postoperative phase.

scholarly journals Genetic Differentiation in Anthocyanin Content among Berry Fruits

2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-51
Author(s):  
Alicja Ponder ◽  
Ewelina Hallmann ◽  
Martyna Kwolek ◽  
Dominika Średnicka-Tober ◽  
Renata Kazimierczak
Keyword(s):  
Essential Role ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Skin Pigmentation ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Anthocyanin Content ◽  
Healthy Nutrition ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Berry Fruits ◽  
Red Currant

Anthocyanins are widely distributed secondary metabolites that play an essential role in skin pigmentation of many plant organs and microorganisms. Anthocyanins have been associated with a wide range of biological and pharmacological properties. They are also effective agents in the prevention and treatment of many chronic diseases. Berries are particularly abundant in these compounds; therefore, their dietary intake has health-promoting effects. The aim of this study was to identify and determine the anthocyanin content in selected species and cultivars of berry fruits, such as raspberry, blackberry, red currant, blackcurrant, and highbush blueberry, widely consumed by Europeans. The concentrations of anthocyanins were determined by HPLC, identifying individual compounds: cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-rutinoside, cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-O-galactoside, cyanidin-3-O-galactoside, and malvidin-3-O-galactoside. The experimental data showed that the selected species and cultivars of berry fruits differ significantly in the contents of anthocyanins. Among all species tested, blackberry and blackcurrant were characterized significantly by the highest content of anthocyanins (sum), while the lowest content was found in red currant fruits. Additionally, the content of individual anthocyanin compounds in particular species and cultivars was also different. Considering the high content of anthocyanins and their potential positive impact on human health and protection against disease, berries should be part of healthy nutrition.

The Effects of Technology Supports on Community Grocery Shopping Skills for Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Meta-Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 016264342198997
Author(s):  
Sojung Jung ◽  
Ciara Ousley ◽  
David McNaughton ◽  
Pamela Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Analytic Review ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Impact

In this meta-analytic review, we investigated the effects of technology supports on the acquisition of shopping skills for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) between the ages of 5 and 24. Nineteen single-case experimental research studies, presented in 15 research articles, met the current study’s inclusion criteria and the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) standards. An analysis of potential moderators was conducted, and we calculated effect sizes using Tau-U to examine the impact of age, diagnosis, and type of technology on the reported outcomes for the 56 participants. The results from the included studies provide evidence that a wide range of technology interventions had a positive impact on shopping performance. These positive effects were seen for individuals across a wide range of ages and disability types, and for a wide variety of shopping skills. The strongest effect sizes were observed for technologies that provided visual supports rather than just auditory support. We provide an interpretation of the findings, implications of the results, and recommended areas for future research.

scholarly journals Changes in Cellular Regulatory Factors before and after Decompression of Odontogenic Keratocysts

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Slmaro Park ◽  
Han-Sung Jung ◽  
Young-Soo Jung ◽  
Woong Nam ◽  
Jung Yul Cha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recurrence Rate ◽  
Biological Behavior ◽  
Nuclear Antigen ◽  
Epithelial Cyst ◽  
Ki 67 ◽  
Proliferation Markers ◽  
Odontogenic Keratocysts ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Cyst Lining

Decompression followed by enucleation, which is one of the treatments used for odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs), is frequently used in OKC lesions of large sizes. This method offers the advantage of minimizing the possibility of sensory impairment without creating a wide-range bone defect; moreover, the recurrence rate can be significantly lower than following simple enucleation. This study aimed to assess the changes in histology and expression of proliferation markers in OKCs before and after decompression treatment. A total of 38 OKC tissue samples from 19 patients who had undergone decompression therapy were examined morphologically and immunohistochemically to observe changes in proliferative activity before and after decompression. The markers used for immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining were Bcl-2, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Ki-67, P53, PCNA, and SMO. The immunohistochemistry positivity of the 6 markers was scored by using software ImageJ, version 1.49, by quantifying the intensity and internal density of IHC-stained epithelium. The values of Bcl-2, Ki-67, P53, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and SMO in OKCs before and after decompression showed no significant change. No correlation between clinical shrinkage and morphologic changes or expression of proliferation and growth markers could be found. There was no statistical evidence that decompression treatment reduces potentially aggressive behavior of OKC within the epithelial cyst lining itself. This might indicate that decompression does not change the biological behavior of the epithelial cyst lining or the recurrence rate.

scholarly journals Caregiver Burden: Caregiving Workshops Have a Positive Impact on Those Caring for Individuals With Dementia in Arkansas

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 237437352110180
Author(s):  
Robin E. McAtee ◽  
Laura Spradley ◽  
Leah Tobey ◽  
Whitney Thomasson ◽  
Gohar Azhar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Caregiver Burden ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Complex Care ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Dementia Caregivers ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Burden Scale

Millions of Americans live with dementia. Caregivers of this population provide countless hours of multifaceted, complex care that frequently cause unrelenting stress which can result in immense burden. However, it is not fully understood what efforts can be made to reduce the stress among caregivers of persons with dementia (PWD). Therefore, the aim of this pretest–posttest designed study was to evaluate changes in caregiver burden after providing an educational intervention to those caring for PWD in Arkansas. Forty-one participants completed the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale before and after attending a 4-hour dementia-focused caregiving workshop. The analysis of the means, standard deviations, and paired t tests showed that there was an increase in the confidence and competence in caring for PWD 30 to 45 days after attending the workshop. Health care providers need to understand both the vital role caregivers provide in managing a PWD and the importance of the caregiver receiving education about their role as a caregiver. Utilizing caregiver educational programs is a first step.

352 Feasibility of Hypnosis as Adjunctive Treatment for Subjective Sleep Disturbance: A Pilot Study and Proof of Concept

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A140-A141
Author(s):  
Emma Zhao ◽  
Afik Faerman ◽  
David Spiegel
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Adjunctive Treatment ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sleep Complaints ◽  
Subjective Sleep ◽  
Before And After

Abstract Introduction Hypnosis-based interventions have been shown to have a positive impact on several dimensions of sleep health. However, current evidence is limited as only a paucity of studies included populations with sleep complaints. Here we present a pilot data set to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a hypnosis-based adjunctive treatment for subjective sleep complaints. Methods Eleven adults (42% female; mean age 45±16.87 years) who sought treatment at the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center or Center for Integrative Medicine for subjective sleep complaints received hypnosis as adjunctive treatment. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess the weekly frequency of subjective sleep disturbances experienced before and after treatment, as well as 5-point Likert scale ratings of perceived qualitative improvement in symptom severity and overall sleep quality. Results Five participants (45%) reported a reduction in symptom frequency and severity after hypnosis treatment. All five participants attributed at least some of the improvement to hypnosis treatment. Most participants (63%) observed post-treatment improvements in their overall sleep quality. No participants reported adverse effects of hypnosis. Conclusion Results suggest hypnosis-based adjunctive treatment may be effective for alleviating subjective sleep disturbances. The findings serve as preliminary support for further randomly controlled trials in larger samples. Support (if any):

Changes of Periodontal Tissues Because of Orthodontic Treatment: A Retrospective Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 232020682110034
Author(s):  
Hamad Alzoman ◽  
Khalid Alamoud ◽  
Waad K. Alomran ◽  
Abdullazez Almudhi ◽  
Naif A. Bindayel
Keyword(s):  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Orthodontic Treatment ◽  
Tooth Movement ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Gingival Recession ◽  
Confounding Factors ◽  
Crown Height ◽  
Periodontal Tissues ◽  
Before And After

Aim: To evaluate the periodontal status before and after orthodontic treatment and to analyze the confounding factors associated with it. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective study analyzed pre- and posttreatment records of a total of 60 patients. Intraoral digital photographs before and after the orthodontic treatment were used to measure the following three periodontal variables: (a) width of the keratinized gingiva, (b) gingival recession, and (c) the status of interdental papilla. The ImageJ 46 software imaging program was used to perform the required measurements. The clinical data were then analyzed in an association with the participants’ demographic data, the type of orthodontic tooth movement, and other confounding factors. The data obtained were manually entered into the statistical package and analyzed using a significance level set at P < .05. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and Pearson’s correlation analysis were used to identify differences among the studied variables. Results: Among the 60 patients, the majority (66.7%) were females. Most cases of the treated malocclusion were Class II, and most patients underwent intrusion and retrusion movements. The width of keratinized gingiva increased for most sites of upper teeth. In contrast, the lower teeth showed a mix of improvement and compromised width of keratinized gingiva. As a measure of gingival recession, the difference of clinical crown height revealed the tendency toward a reduced clinical crown height for most sites. Upper left lateral incisors and canines showed significant values with regard to keratinized gingival width measurements and tooth movements such as extrusion and intrusion movements. Likewise, with regard to the clinical crown height, upper right central incisors showed significant differences when correlated with the interincisal angle, lower incisors to the mandibular plane, and upper incisors to the NA line. The upper lateral incisors also showed significant correlations to certain cephalometric measurements. Conclusions: The orthodontic treatment was found to exert a significantly positive impact on the surrounding periodontium, particularly in the upper canine areas. Likewise, various types of tooth movement were found to positively affect the periodontium.

Finite Deformation Stiffness of Sliding Elastomeric Bearings

2011 ◽  
Vol 374-377 ◽  
pp. 1858-1862
Author(s):  
Jian Chun Xiao ◽  
Peng Liu ◽  
Ke Jian Ma
Keyword(s):  
Parametric Analysis ◽  
Steel Plates ◽  
Structural Behavior ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Force Vector ◽  
Elastomeric Bearings ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Bearing Stiffness ◽  
Vector Formula

Anchor bolts are set in some elastomeric bearings of large-span column-supported spatial steel roofs. Besides helping the bearing in-site assembly, the bolts play the roles of sliding position limitation and vertical anchorage. To analyze the effect of bearings on nonlinear structural behavior, the bearing stiffness change is studied just before and after the elastomer pad is in contact with the bolts. For the bearing that the pad is glued with the top/bottom steel plates, three kinds of relation of pad and bolts are discussed and an approximate horizontal stiffness formula is obtained with parametric analysis method. Based on the analysis results a stiffness expression for sliding elastomeric bearings is deduced. To solve the computational problem caused by the bearing stiffness changes, an improved imbalance force vector formula is proposed. Case study shows that the bolts have influence upon the computed results more significantly.

Space Modeling of Problem Solving Strategies of “Prisoner's Dilemma”

2021 ◽  
pp. 99-116
Author(s):  
D.J. Balanev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Prisoner's Dilemma ◽  
Prisoner’S Dilemma ◽  
Real People ◽  
Space Modeling ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Before And After

An iterated version of the game "Prisoner's Dilemma" is used as a model of cooperation largely due to the wide range of strategies that the subjects can use. The problem of the effec-tiveness of strategies for solving the Iterated Prisoner's Dilemma (IPD) is most often considered from the point of view of information models, where strategies do not take into account the relationship that arise when real people play. Some of these strategies are obvious, others depend upon social context. In our paper, we use one of the promising directions in the development of studying IPD strategies – the use of artificial neural networks. We use neural networks as a modeling tool and as a part of game environment. The main goal of our work is to build an information model that predicts the behavior of an individual person as well as group of people in the situation of solving of social dilemma. It takes into account social relationship, including those caused by experimental influence, gender differences, and individual differences in the strategy for solving cognitive tasks. The model demonstrates the transition of individual actions into socially determined behavior. Evaluation of the effect of socialization associated with the procedure of the game provides additional information about the effectiveness and characteristics of the experimental impact.The paper defines the minimum unit of analysis of the IPD player's strategy in a group, the identity with which can be considered as a variable. It discusses the influence of the experi-mentally formed group identity on the change of preferred strategies in social dilemmas. We use the possibilities of neural networks as means of categorizing the results of the prisoner's iterative dilemma in terms of the strategy applied by the player, as well as social factors. We define the patterns of changes in the IPD player's strategy before and after socialization are determined. The paper discusses the questions of real player's inclination to use IPD solution strategies in their pure form or to use the same strategy before and after experimental inter-ventions related to social identity formation. It is shown that experimentally induced socialization can be considered as a mechanism for increasing the degree of certainty in the choice of strategies when solving IPD task. It is found out that the models based on neural networks turn out to be more efficient after experi-mentally evoked social identity in a group of 6 people; and the models based on neural net-works are least effective in the case of predicting a subject's belonging to a gender group. When solving IPD problems by real people, it turns out to be possible to talk about generalized strategies that take into account not only the evolutionary properties of «pure» strategies, but also reflect various social factors.

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