Computational and experimental simulation to analyze loss in concrete cover by reinforcement deformation in solid slabs

ABSTRACT Adequate cover thickness contributes to the correct performance of reinforced concrete structures. Spacers are recommended in standards to maintain a concrete cover; however, many regulations do not provide sufficient guidelines for their use, resulting in poor construction. A research program was developed for solid slabs through computational and experimental simulations to minimize errors in the cover by assessing different reinforcement bar diameters and spacer distribution, considering realistic element construction and standards, combining theory with practice. The results show that the use of spacers does not guarantee the design cover for some reinforcement bar diameters, as 4.2 and 5.0 mm, and regardless of the spacer distribution configuration assessed, these meshes undergo permanent deformation, thereby damaging the cover and consequently impact structural performance. Meshes of 6.3 and 8.0 mm diameters present deformation within the cover tolerance. Therefore, it is preferable to choose bigger diameters and larger mesh spacing to guarantee the projected cover, contributing to the correct performance of the structures, solving one of the major problems in this type of construction.

Sex differences in learning from exploration

Sex-based modulation of cognitive processes could set the stage for individual differences in vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. While value-based decision making processes in particular have been proposed to be influenced by sex differences, the overall correct performance in decision making tasks often show variable or minimal differences across sexes. Computational tools allow us to uncover latent variables that define different decision making approaches, even in animals with similar correct performance. Here, we quantify sex differences in mice in the latent variables underlying behavior in a classic value-based decision making task: a restless 2-armed bandit. While male and female mice had similar accuracy, they achieved this performance via different patterns of exploration. Male mice tended to make more exploratory choices overall, largely because they appeared to get 'stuck' in exploration once they had started. Female mice tended to explore less but learned more quickly during exploration. Together, these results suggest that sex exerts stronger influences on decision making during periods of learning and exploration than during stable choices. Exploration during decision making is altered in people diagnosed with addictions, depression, and neurodevelopmental disabilities, pinpointing the neural mechanisms of exploration as a highly translational avenue for conferring sex-modulated vulnerability to neuropsychiatric diagnoses.

Distributed Computing Column 83 Five Ways Not To Fool Yourself

Overview. In this edition of the column, we have a very interesting and instructive contribution from Tim Harris (Microsoft, Cambridge, UK), whose goal is to provide a systematic overview of practical, "hands-on" techniques for the correct performance evaluation of a complex distributed system.

Illocutionary Performance and Objective Assessment in the Speech Act of Arguing

This paper endorses a view of argumentation and arguments that relates both to a special type of speech action, namely, the performance of speech acts of arguing. Its aim is to advance an analysis of those acts that takes into account two kinds of norms related to their correct performance, namely, felicity conditions and objective requirements related to the “correspondence with the facts.” It assumes that the requirement that certain objective conditions be satisfied is among the set of felicity conditions of speech acts of arguing. Taking this into account helps clarify the position and role of warrants in the performance and assessment of these acts.

Normative Guidance, Evaluative Guidance, and Skill

At least since Aristotle, practical skill has been thought to be a possible model for individual ethical development and action. Jonathan Birch’s ambitious proposal is that practical skill and tool-use might also have played a central role in the historical emergence and evolution of our very capacity for normative guidance. Birch argues that human acquisition of motor skill, for example in making and using tools, involves formation of an internal standard of correct performance, which serves as a basis for normative guidance in skilled thought and action, and in the social transfer of skills. I suggest that evaluativemodeling, guidance, and learning play a more basic role in motor skill than standards of correctness as such-indeed, such standards can provide effective normative guidance thanks to being embedded within evaluative modeling and guidance. This picture better fits the evidence Birch cites of the flexibility, adaptability, and creativity of skills, and can support a generalized version of Birch’s ‘skill hypothesis’.

A Study on Binder Jetting of High Dimensional Stability Alloy

This work opens a new pathway to fabricate high dimensional stability Invar36 aerospace devices with Binder Jetting technology, for applications where temperature fluctuations directly interfere in the correct performance of high sensibility systems. Since full density part fabrication is one of the main ongoing challenges for Binder Jetting, the leading objective of this work is to study and optimise the main process parameters to increase the final density of Invar36 printed parts. Microstructural analysis and obtained density and CTE values, confirmed the feasibility to fabricate Invar36 parts.

Analysis of Spaciotemporal Indicators of Penalty Corners in Field Hockey at the World Cup 2018

The article provides a statistical analysis of the data on accounting for penalty corners in field hockey. As in many team sports, one of the decisive moments and a very important playing situation is the penalty corners. Of the total number of goals scored in international competitions, during penalty corners, one third of them lead to a goal. The article presents the results of the successful delivery of a penalty corner, and its correct performance, which depends on three main components: 1) the player performing the pass from the penalty corner, 2) the player stopping the ball behind the line of the penalty space and 3) the player performing a shot on goal (Fig. 1). It has been confirmed that the first components are the most stable, although their implementation is equal to or more important than the last phase. It is the shot on goal phase that has a large number of variations, since it can be performed both with a direct shot on goal and with playing on the field

Toolmaking and the evolution of normative cognition

We are all guided by thousands of norms, but how did our capacity for normative cognition evolve? I propose there is a deep but neglected link between normative cognition and practical skill. In modern humans, complex motor skills and craft skills, such as toolmaking, are guided by internally represented norms of correct performance. Moreover, it is plausible that core components of human normative cognition evolved as a solution to the distinctive problems of transmitting complex motor skills and craft skills, especially skills related to toolmaking, through social learning. If this is correct, the expansion of the normative domain beyond technique to encompass more abstract norms of fairness, reciprocity, ritual and kinship involved the elaboration of a basic platform for the guidance of skilled action by technical norms. This article motivates and defends this “skill hypothesis” for the origin of normative cognition and sets out various ways in which it could be empirically tested.

A survey on analytical methods for the characterization of green synthesized nanomaterials

: Nowadays, nanotechnologies are well established and the uses of a great variety of nanomaterials show exponential growth. The development of green synthesis procedures experienced a great development thanks to the contribution of researchers of diverse origins. The versatility of green chemistry allows producing a wide range of organic and inorganic nanomaterials with numerous promising applications. In all cases it is of paramount importance to carefully characterize the resulting nanomaterials because their properties will determine its correct performance to accomplish the function to which they were synthesized or even their detrimental effects like nanotoxicological behavior. This review provides an overview of frequently employed characterization methods and their applications for green synthesized nanomaterials. However, while several different nanoscale materials and their associated green construction methodology are being developed, other important techniques would be extensively incorporated to this field soon. The aim is to encourage researchers in the field to employ a variety of these techniques for achieving an exhaustive characterization of new nanomaterials and for contributing to the development of validated green synthesis procedures.

Sex differences in learning from exploration

Sex differences in cognitive processes could set the stage for sex-modulated vulnerability to neuropsychiatric disorders. While value-based decision making processes in particular have been proposed to be influenced by sex differences, the overall correct performance across sexes often show minimal differences. Computational tools allow us to uncover latent variables in reinforcement learning that define different decision making approaches, even in animals with similar correct performance. Here, we quantify sex differences in latent variables underlying behavior in a classic value-based decision-making task: a restless 2-armed bandit. While males and females had similar accuracy, they achieved this performance via different patterns of exploration. Males made more exploratory choices overall, largely because they appeared to get stuck in exploration once they had started. Females explored less, but learned more quickly when they did so. Together, these results suggest that sex exerts stronger influences on learning and decision making during periods of self-initiated exploration than during stable choices. These findings pinpoint the neural mechanisms of exploration as potentially conferring sex-biased vulnerability to addictions, neurodevelopmental disabilities, and other neuropsychiatric disorders.