The aesthetic experience of learning between real and virtual

From Socrates to Dewey, learning is linked to reality and movement, in relation to the aesthetic implications of the communication/education dynamic: the possibilities offered by the virtual in the educational logic exist as a choice to increase reality, not decrease it. The article retraces stages of pedagogical thought in which the question of movement is central, opening the history of education to the work of Marshall McLuhan who first investigated the relationship media-learning. Also in the didactic practices of the current pandemic moment of "distance learning” has been introduced, we cannot disregard the idea of education as an "aesthetic experience", in search of beauty and of a balance, precarious yet rich, between real and virtual.

Experimental Investigation of Wind Pressure Characteristics for Cladding of Dome Roofs

Cladding for dome roofs is often made of membrane materials that are light and easy to install. Due to these characteristics, wind damage to dome roof cladding is very common. In particular, open or retractable dome roofs are prone to wind damage because of inadequacies in wind load calculations. In this study, the wind pressure characteristics of a dome with a central opening were investigated. Wind tunnel tests were performed, and the pressure distribution was investigated by analyzing external and internal pressure coefficients. Based on the experimental results, the peak net pressure coefficients for the cladding design of a dome roof with a central opening were proposed. For the external peak pressure coefficients, the values of leeward regions were similar despite height–span ratios and turbulence intensity values. For the internal peak pressure coefficients, negative pressure was dominant, and the coefficients were not significantly affected by changes in height–span ratio. This tendency locally increased the negative peak net pressure, in which the load acts in the upward direction, and relatively significantly increased the positive peak net pressure, in which the load acts in the downward direction.

Adaptability of the Cutter-Head of the Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Shield Machine in Water-Rich Sandy and Cobble Strata: A Case Study

Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) shield machines are considered to be the most efficient tunneling method for Metro tunnels due to their adaptability to a great variety of ground conditions, higher construction efficiency, and providing a safer working environment. There are many guidelines available for EPB shield machine selection. However, these guidelines are very general and cannot be used directly for an upcoming project. This paper takes Chengdu Metro Line 6 in China as the engineering background; the studied area is typical of a water-rich sandy and cobble stratum with high content of cobble. Three types of EPBs in the two continuous intervals exhibit significant differences in performance and encounter many difficulties such as wear of the cutter disc and tools, clogging, and severe surface settlement during the operation. These difficulties prevent the construction efficiency, increase the cost of the project, and cause delays in construction period. The causes of these difficulties are summarized by recording and comparing the operational parameters of the three types of EPBs. These parameters that are summarized include the advance rate, total thrust, torque, and the rate of rotation of the cutter-head. In addition, the surface settlements are also compared. The results indicate that the opening rate, maximum opening size, and the opening position of the cutter-head are key factors that affected the geological adaptability of the shield machine in water-rich sandy and cobble strata. Among the three factors, the maximum opening size and opening position are the most important factors influencing the strata adaptability of the cutter-head. To avoid frequent jams of the cutter-head, the maximum torque should be not less than 6,500 kNm. The maximum opening size should not be less than 420 mm × 420 mm. The effect of increasing the central opening of the cutter-head is that large cobbles and boulders can be discharged through the central opening when they cannot be discharged through the opening near the original position of the cobbles and boulders. This paper provides specific guidance on the selection of cutter-head for shield machines in water-rich sandy and cobble strata.

Nodular and sclerosing gastritis caused by Cylicospirura felineus in a puma (Puma concolor)

An adult male puma (Puma concolor), hit by a car in an urban area, died three days later despite the therapeutic support provided. At necropsy, multiple firm nodules were identified in the gastric mucosa. The nodules were coated by an intact mucosa with a central opening from which reddish and cylindrical nematodes protruded into the lumen. Twenty-seven nematodes were retrieved for morphological and morphometric evaluations. During histopathological examination of the gastric tissue, the adult nematodes appear in longitudinal and transverse sections, surrounded by thick bands of collagen, interspersed with mixed inflammatory infiltrates. The nematodes had an eosinophilic cuticle with caudal serrated projections (bulbar type), coelomyarian musculature, pseudocoelom, and females with uterus containing numerous larvated eggs, characteristics consistent with the Cylicospirura genus. Morphologically, female nematodes had six large tricuspid teeth in the oral cavity and the vulva had an opening anterior to the esophagus–intestinal junction. Male nematodes had five pairs of small papillae near the tip of the tail. These findings were consistent with Cylicospirura felineus. This parasite should be included in the differential diagnosis of nodular gastric wall lesions in wild felids.

Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Frames with Central Opening Masonry Infill under Lateral Reversed Cyclic Loading.

This paper will describe the seismic behaviour of masonry infilled RC frame with a central opening structure under reversed cyclic lateral loading. To achieve the purpose of this study, four 1/4-scale single story and single bay RC frame specimens were tested, i.e. one bare frame, one clay brick masonry infilled RC frame without opening and two clay brick masonry infills with a central opening in infills. The ratios of opening size to panel area were 25% and 40%. Through reversed cyclic lateral loading tests, the seismic performance of RC frames with a central opening brick masonry infills was investigated. As the results, significant distinctions of failure mechanism, lateral strength, stiffness, and ductility were observed between these specimens. In the case of infills with a central opening, the cracks sprouted and developed at the corners of the opening. Although the presence of the opening in infill reduces the lateral strength and stiffness overall structure, the brick infilled frames with a central opening of 25% and 40% of panel area show better seismic performance as compared to the bare frame.

Incubation behaviours of oviraptorosaur dinosaurs in relation to body size

Most birds sit on their eggs during incubation, a behaviour that likely evolved among non-avian dinosaurs. Several ‘brooding' specimens of smaller species of oviraptorosaurs and troodontids reveal these non-avian theropods sat on their eggs, although little is known of incubation behaviour in larger theropod species. Here we examine egg clutches over a large body size range of oviraptorosaurs in order to understand the potential effect of body size on incubation behaviour. Eggshell porosity indicates that the eggs of all oviraptorosaurs were exposed in the nest, similar to brooding birds. Although all oviraptorosaur clutches consist of radially arranged eggs in a ring configuration, clutch morphology varies in that the central opening is small or absent in the smallest species, becomes significantly larger in larger species, and occupies most of the nest area in giant species. Our results suggest that the smallest oviraptorosaurs probably sat directly on the eggs, whereas with increasing body size more weight was likely carried by the central opening, reducing or eliminating the load on the eggs and still potentially allowing for some contact during incubation in giant species. This adaptation, not seen in birds, appears to remove the body size constraints of incubation behaviour in giant oviraptorosaurs.