Renovation Of Infrastructure Research Articles

Method to decode stress-strain diagrams to identify the structure-strength relationships in aged aluminum alloys

Leading-edge infrastructure renovation is driven by innovations in materials processing to optimize desired properties. The immediate challenge for the metal industry is the development of effective and efficient materials quality-control practices. At present, mechanical and sheet forming properties are assessed using standard tensile tests to measure yield and ultimate tensile strengths, as well as the total elongation to failure. The resulting stress-strain data is used as a “pass-fail” test to ensure that the product meets industry specifications. We report a new method of constitutive relation analyses (CRA) that can extract fundamental information regarding the underlying crystalline mechanisms of deformation and failure from standard stress-strain data. The CRA method is applied to industrial extrusion product made from AA6063 aluminum alloy to demonstrate how this type of forensic examination can be used to direct changes to thermo-mechanical processing to optimize desired material properties. The CRA prediction of point-defect generation and nano-void formation leading to ductile failure during plastic flow was validated by small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies.

Impact of a district-wide health center strengthening intervention on healthcare utilization in rural Rwanda: Use of interrupted time series analysis

BackgroundEvaluations of health systems strengthening (HSS) interventions using observational data are rarely used for causal inference due to limited data availability. Routinely collected national data allow use of quasi-experimental designs such as interrupted time series (ITS). Rwanda has invested in a robust electronic health management information system (HMIS) that captures monthly healthcare utilization data. We used ITS to evaluate impact of an HSS intervention to improve primary health care facility readiness on health service utilization in two rural districts of Rwanda.MethodsWe used controlled ITS analysis to compare changes in healthcare utilization at health centers (HC) that received the intervention (n = 13) to propensity score matched non-intervention health centers in Rwanda (n = 86) from January 2008 to December 2012. HC support included infrastructure renovation, salary support, medical equipment, referral network strengthening, and clinical training. Baseline quarterly mean outpatient visit rates and population density were used to model propensity scores. The intervention began in May 2010 and was implemented over a twelve-month period. We used monthly healthcare utilization data from the national Rwandan HMIS to study changes in the (1) number of facility deliveries per 10,000 women, (2) number of referrals for high risk pregnancy per 100,000 women, and (3) the number of outpatient visits performed per 1,000 catchment population.ResultsPHIT HC experienced significantly higher monthly delivery rates post-HSS during the April-June season than comparison (3.19/10,000, 95% CI: [0.27, 6.10]). In 2010, this represented a 13% relative increase, and in 2011, this represented a 23% relative increase. The post-HSS change in monthly rate of high-risk pregnancies referred increased slightly in intervention compared to control HC (0.03/10,000, 95% CI: [-0.007, 0.06]). There was a small immediate post-HSS increase in outpatient visit rates in intervention compared to control HC (6.64/1,000, 95% CI: [-13.52, 26.81]).ConclusionWe failed to find strong evidence of post-HSS increases in outpatient visit rates or referral rates at health centers, which could be explained by small sample size and high baseline nation-wide health service coverage. However, our findings demonstrate that high quality routinely collected health facility data combined with ITS can be used for rigorous policy evaluation in resource-limited settings.

Implementing the Xpert® MTB/RIF Diagnostic Test for Tuberculosis and Rifampicin Resistance: Outcomes and Lessons Learned in 18 Countries.

BackgroundThe Xpert® MTB/RIF (Xpert) is an automated molecular test for simultaneous detection of tuberculosis (TB) and rifampicin resistance, recommended by the World Health Organization as the preferred diagnostic method for individuals presumed to have multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) or HIV-associated TB. We describe the performance of Xpert and key lessons learned during two years of implementation under routine conditions in 33 projects located in 18 countries supported by Médecins Sans Frontières across varied geographic, epidemiological and clinical settings.MethodsXpert was used following three strategies: the first being as the initial test, with microscopy in parallel, for all presumptive TB cases; the second being only for patients at risk of MDR-TB, or with HIV- associated TB, or presumptive paediatric TB; and the third being as the initial test for these high-risk patients plus as an add-on test to microscopy in others. Routine laboratory data were collected, using laboratory registers. Qualitative data such as logistic aspects, human resources, and tool acceptance were collected using a questionnaire.FindingsIn total, 52,863 samples underwent Xpert testing from April 2011 to December 2012. The average MTB detection rate was 18.5%, 22.3%, and 11.6% for the three different strategies respectively. Analysis of the results on samples tested in parallel showed that using Xpert as add-on test to microscopy would have increased laboratory TB confirmation by 49.7%, versus 42.3% for Xpert replacing microscopy. The main limitation of the test was the high rate of inconclusive results, which correlated with factors such as defective modules, cartridge version (G3 vs. G4) and staff experience. Operational and logistical hurdles included infrastructure renovation, basic computer training, regular instrument troubleshooting and maintenance, all of which required substantial and continuous support.ConclusionThe implementation of Xpert was feasible and significantly increased TB detection compared to microscopy, despite the high rate of inconclusive results. Xpert implementation was accompanied by considerable operational and logistical challenges. To further decentralize diagnosis, simpler, low-cost TB technologies well-suited to low-resource settings are still urgently needed.

A Vision of the Policy Concerning the Financing and Management of Physical Infrastructure in Network Industries in Slovenia

There are many reasons why Slovenia needs to change its management of network industry infrastructure and question the legacy we wish to pass onto the next generation. However, these issues are not at the forefront of the public debate despite being as relevant today as the pension reform, if not even more. Until now, no government in Slovenia has adopted a systemic approach to infrastructure-related issues; instead, they have let partial interests prevail. This paper and the vision of infrastructure management present a synthesis of the current state of profession and past experiences in infrastructure management and financing acquired by the most developed countries, as well as practical experiences concerning the regulation, financing, and management of network industry infrastructure. The practical experience and empirical findings call for a consistent use of the RAB principles and for the restructuring of certain and partial privatization of all network industries. Foreign experience tells us that if the changes are correctly implemented, the current state of infrastructure can be significantly improved and could lead to a considerable decrease in real infrastructure costs and/or an increase in the availability of funds for infrastructure renovation or expansion. In the future, EU regulations might also expand and raise their requirements to meet the state of the art, but Slovenia need not wait for the EU. The introduction of such a policy would also mean a quantum leap in terms of the competitiveness of Slovenia's economy and bring the country closer to the world's most developed economies.

Public HBCUs’ Financial Resource Distribution Disparities in Capital Spending

While higher education is becoming a dynamic, global commodity, management is becoming increasingly more complex (Kaiser, 2009). Research, conducted by higher education scholars, identifies the challenges associated with aging and expanding facilities as one of the top change drivers in the field, exceeded only by insufficient financial resources, technological upgrades, and student demographic transformations (Fried, 2011). Not surprisingly, facilities' needs, encompassing new construction, capital renewals, maintenance and repairs, and major equipment upgrades, have been increasing, in part driven by technological revolutions (Kaiser, 2009), Due to the enormous non-recurring investment costs, capital spending has often been pushed aside for other priorities (Marmolejo, 2007).States' physical plant or capital asset funds subsidize the cost of higher education, new construction, infrastructure renovations, major repairs and upgrades, land purchases and the acquisition of major equipment (Brown & Gamber, 2002). The states' governing boards appropriate dollars for requirements as a major maintenance component for operations and maintenance (OM replacements for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC); electrical systems; and plumbing systems or construction projects with a larger scope for space (Kaiser, 2009).Public financial investments in higher education institutions are necessary for states to fulfill the needs of its citizens and to remain economically competitive (Cohen & Kisker, 2010). For the public institutions, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) were denied the resources given to similarly situated, predominantly white institutions (PWI; Gasman et al. …

Controlling Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Bangladesh

Controlling Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Bangladesh

Factors influencing the implementation of a safety management system for construction sites

The objective of the study was to determine the influential safety factors that governed the success of a safety management system for construction sites. The number of incidences among construction workers and the level of awareness on matters concerning safety were also determined. The study involved a self-administered three-part questionnaire among the workers and interviews with industry experts involved in brick-laying, concreting and in related assorted trades. Part A of the questionnaire concerned personal particulars, Part B involved training and experience and Part C was based on 28 industry-accepted safety factor elements. The construction sites ranged from high rise buildings, landed houses and infrastructure renovation. The sample size was 275. From the survey it was found that the most influential safety factor was personal awareness followed closely by communication. Suggestions and recommendations on equipment design and improved work practices and procedures to improve the efficiency and productivity of construction workers were proposed. Management was urged to get their workers better informed about safety matters.

Strategic Facilities Planning: A Focus On Health Care

Turbulent market conditions have forced the health care sector to re-examine its business and operational practices. Health care has become increasingly complex as decisions and planning are reframed in light of the current lagging economy, an increased demand for services, new global competition, and impending legislation reform. The stress is felt most keenly within the nation’s hospitals and consortia of health care facilities. Facility planning decisions are no exception. Hospital administrators are abandoning the once commonplace rules governing aging infrastructure renovations. Instead, administrators are basing decisions within their respective strategic context and are attempting to align buildings, services, personnel, and technology to an overall plan that looks at markets, operations, and finances as resources for competitive advantage. This paper reviews the strategic facilities planning literature and applies those best practices which support this organizational alignment for health care. An application in the mid-Atlantic demonstrates that hospital facilities, by design, need to support the current and future needs of health care delivery systems, while dated structures impede industry advances. Health care infrastructure improvements must proactively address technological, regulatory, and financial changes facing the sector.

Analisis Produksi Beras di Indonesia

Most of Indonesian still needs rice as a staple food. More and more quantity of people in a region will be increasing amount consumption of food in region, while decrease of rice field area that become different to public building or industrial affairs and economic transformation from agrarian affairs to nonagrarian affairs will be consequence rice production descend. Until now, domestic rice production was not able to meet its growing demand, so that Indonesia remains dependent upon rice import. This condition was made worse by conversion of fertile lowland in Java. Therefore, rice production growth was leveling-off. In the future, there should be some efforts to increase rice production, although land conversion is still going on. This study is aimed to assess the performance of lowland use, its contribution and prospect to increase rice production. The results showed that lowland is the main source of rice production. Another potential is improvement of intensification through promotion of intensification with integrated crops management. The implementation of these strategic policies should be supported by development and renovation of infrastructures as well as establishment of credit scheme to enable farmers to adopt modern technology.

Innovations in the Automation of the Electric Power Railway Substations

This paper highlights the main problems connected to the technological renovation of infrastructures applied for electrical supply of the contact line. This paper has been developed in cooperation with RFI (the Italian Railway Network), addressing with particular attention the railway electrical substations (ESS). The purpose of this study consists of the identification of some innovative technical solutions for the realization of3kV(sub dc)ESS. In fact, to satisfy the increase of market demand for railway transport during the next 10 years, the whole Italian electrical railway network has to be radically improved. The paper briefly analyze the actual status of the RFI ESS structures, and point out the limitations of the traditional technologies. From this study, it is evident that there is a need to critically analyze two crucial aspects of the modernization: some strategies of interventions are proposed, with the purpose of achieving a convenient technical-economic management for the infrastructure.

Sustainable development strategies for China's Du Jiang Yan Water Resources Project

SUMMARY China's Du Jiang Yan Irrigation Project, dating back to 256 BC, is one of the world's earliest water resources projects. Although it has been benefiting the Sichuan Basin area for over 2000 years, it is facing increasing problems due to ecological deterioration, over-exploitation from local industries and agriculture, suboptimal resource allocation arising from supply and demand mismatches, and an aging infrastructure. The traditional water resources development model is no longer appropriate for current and future needs of the area. Therefore, a sustainable development framework is envisioned in which population, economy and environment coexist in harmony. Within this framework, major strategies, such as construction and renovation of infrastructure, promotion of water conserving irrigation through non-engineering measures, pollution control and ecological improvements, restructuring of management entities and exploration of new funding sources, are proposed. An evaluation system is also introduced to assess the degree of sustainability and to monitor progress towards a high level of sustainable development.

The rehabilitation of the historical centre of Madrid

Due to its large surface, over 320 hectares, the historical centre of Madrid included areas with a very high level of architectural, urban, social and environmental decay, there being greatly marginalised districts which shelter immigrant population . In view of this on-going urban decay of the historical centre, the three administrations (state, regional and local) entered several agreements for the Rehabilitation of the Residential and Urban Heritage, which, together with the Cohesion Funds and the URBAN projects for Cinema and Theatre Itineraries, both financed by the European Union, intend to regenerate the urban base Coordination and management are in the hands of the Municipal Housing Corporation. The formula selected to intervene in the historical centre has been the declaration of Preferential Rehabilitation Areas, which focuses on the squares or main streets in each district. Another f ormula to intervene has been the rehabilitation of streets within the Cinema and Theatre Itineraries under the URBAN projects, the base of which is connected to the rehabilitation areas containing streets with prostitution and social marginalisation. The Cohesion Funds to upgrade the urban environment of Lavapies aim at adapting this district to the new needs of its population. Interventions aim at infrastructure renovation, street design improvement, accessibility, environment upgrading, rehabilitation of housing blocks to improve the quality of life of their inhabitants, developing accesses for cultural activities, support for the arts and crafts industry and small enterprises, social programmes and economic activity improvement Total investment in the Historical Centre amounts to 52,489 million pesetas (315 million euros) up to the year 2002 .