Specific Frame Research Articles

A flat jacks method for in situ testing of brick masonry shear characteristics

The evaluation of the seismic behaviour of existing buildings is a problem increasingly felt in Italy, due to the many earthquakes that have recently occurred. The test methods currently used for the in situ assessment of the shear characteristics of masonry structures are highly destructive for the existing buildings, especially for heritage buildings. Furthermore, the way of preparation of the test panels causes damages that can affect the effective reliability of the results obtained from these methods.A new in situ testing technique named Flat Jacks – Shear Compression Test (FJ-SCT) Method has been developed by the authors based on the use of flat jacks to apply horizontal loads: this greatly reduces the impact of the test and therefore makes the testing technique applicable in a wide range of existing buildings. A calibration campaign was performed both in laboratory, using a specific testing frame, and in situ to evaluate the operability of the defined procedures. The analysis of the results and the proposal for the processing of shear strength data were then implemented. The technique proved to be reliable, the procedures to be efficient and effective and the results to be repeatable.Furthermore, specific tests were performed on buildings seriously damaged by the 2012 Emilia region earthquake to analyse the efficiency of masonry reinforcements. The shear tests were performed on original masonry panels and repeated on consolidated panels: the results proved the FJ-SCT method to be suitable to test the applicability of these reinforcement techniques and to estimate the strength improvement of the consolidated masonry.

Short Peripheral Catheter Dwell Time and Associated Complications: A Systematic Review.

There is evidence that the risk of complications caused by short peripheral catheters (SPCs) does not increase when SPCs are replaced due to clinical indication versus at a specific time frame. In the studies, however, the dwell time does not typically exceed an average of 3.5 days. It is uncertain how long SPCs may stay in place before there is an increased risk for complications or if there is an increased risk. This systematic review was conducted to explore the current state of the science regarding SPC dwell time as a predictor of SPC complications in adult inpatients.

ENGLISH-A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF VARIANCES IN THE NATURE OF HUMAN DISPOSITION IN GHAZALIAN THEORY OF SOUL AND FREUDIAN PSYCHOANALYSIS

The present study aims at providing the venue to the mystical insights of Ghazalian theory of soul to be integrated into the study of Freudian psychoanalysis, with its principal emphasis on the variances between them. Moreover, the foundational belief of this research proceeds from the assumption that although Freudian psychoanalytic theory has enriched the world with its insightful psychological interpretations, correspondingly appropriate appraisals result from analyzing Ghazalian theory of soul. This study adopts the descriptive and analytic methodology to investigate the variances in both the models and has been developed according to the guidelines provided by Zepetnek’s (1998) theory of comparative literature. The findings of the study reveal that despite certain profound similarities in Ghazlain theory of soul and Freudian psychoanalysis, there exist some variances arising out of specific settings and distinct frames of reference in which these theories are produced. This analytical approach may lead to an alternative critical agenda for the better understanding of human mind.

Spatio-temporal networks of light pollution

Light pollution is an environmental problem produced by an unjustified escalation of upward propagated artificial lighting from inaccurately situated or designed artificial night lighting systems. The radiative transfer of the nocturnal artificial lighting in cities spreads spatio-temporally with a certain randomness, where the modelling through network theory allows to describe invariants of this phenomenon. A critical part of light pollution studies is to quantify how spatial heterogeneity relates to the lighting system. Since satellite images are the visual representation of the information captured by a sensor, they can be used to obtain information data on artificial night radiation. In this sense, the utilization of such images must be justified with the correct use algorithms for data calibration and noise reduction in order to establish the baseline of the data to be used. In this work we analyse satellite images that represent light pollution in a specific time frame. Using these images, we propose to represent the change in light pollution as a network. We calculated some classical network measurements to characterize the networks. In doing so we demonstrate the utility of this representation as an urban construct with respect to radiative transfer of artificial light. The results indicate that largest cliques and transitivity are a good interpretive structural modelling-based approach to determine aspects of light pollution that may be related to urban processes. Therefore, we hope this document will motivate future research that links urban processes with the increase of nocturnal artificial lighting.

Innovative approach of damage mechanism identification for energy equipment – A case study of oil refinery

ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to show the results of Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) analysis conducted in a refinery plant in the Middle East by applying slightly modified methodology for an RBI. Due to the complexity of the refinery, a summary of identified damage mechanisms and discussion regarding barriers are shown in chosen representative units. Application of the Innovative approach in the implementation of RBI process will be presented by defining active and passive damage mechanisms, with the emphasis on damage mechanism identification for energy equipment. Finally, the main result of application of Innovative approach lies in the fact that one can setup the system that can be more useful than the traditional approach to an RBI analysis in a way that specific time frame for triggering an RBI review can be better defined. This approach was developed and successfully applied for an RBI study covering six units where over 1100 pieces of major equipment and more than 15000 pieces of piping systems were analyzed.

Media effects on policy preferences toward free movement: evidence from five EU member states

ABSTRACT In a time when freedom of movement is being challenged by an increasing number of European Union member states, and where immigration has been dominating public debate for years, this study investigates the effects (i.e. frame salience and frame sentiment) of migration news on individuals’ attitudes about free movement. We are taking into account respondents individual media diet by linking a two-wave online survey in five European countries (n = 7,794) with an automated content analysis of online news coverage in these countries (n = 26,696). Findings indicate that overall the salience of specific frames (i.e. labour market and security), as well as sentiment, positively influence free movement attitudes among citizens. However, there are country-specific differences for both salience and sentiment effects. These findings have implications for our understanding of media effects on immigration attitudes and policy preferences as well as for comparative media effects research in general.

The older the better: a fourth-order adaptive network model for reward-driven choices of emotion regulation strategies over time

The choice of which emotion regulation strategy to use changes depending on context, which within Psychology is referred to as ‘flexibility’. Besides that, choices of emotion regulation strategies are prone to various other factors, ranging from culture to gender, expectations of their effect, age, etc. This paper considers the phenomenon where choices of emotion regulation strategies change adaptively with age. In addition, the choices within specific age frames are driven by some kind of reward that affects in an adaptive manner the learning of a specific emotion regulation strategy. These adaptive phenomena involve plasticity or metaplasticity of different orders. They have been modeled by a fourth-order adaptive mental network model where the choice of emotion regulation strategies is motivated by reward prediction, and different age phases have their own adaptive influences. Simulation results are discussed for evaluation of the adaptive network model. The fourth-order adaptive network model presented here extends a second-order adaptive network model previously addressed in a paper at the conference COMPLEX NETWORKS 2019.

Adaptation to flooding in low‐income urban settlements in the least developed countries: A systems approach

This study aims to use a whole systems approach (1) to understand the processes of adaptation to flooding of the urban poor; (2) to identify new knowledge of how low‐income settlements might better adapt to climatic risks; and (3) to begin to develop appropriate guidance on this. Low‐income urban settlements in the least developed countries (LDCs) present an extreme case where catastrophic natural hazards and chronic social hazards overlap. These low‐income urban populations face the greatest adaptation challenges as they often occupy informal settlements that are particularly exposed to hazards, and have multiple vulnerabilities arising from their lack of basic services. There is a dynamic complexity of issues arising from the many levels of actor involved and multiple social and physical factors. Analysing such a complex phenomenon calls for a specific conceptual framing, and a systems theory approach is suggested to provide a holistic perspective. The case study for this research is located in Dhaka East, where there is both high vulnerability to flooding, and a significant low‐income population. The research has adopted a mixed methods approach involving different data collection methods governed by the different scales and actors being investigated. The research develops new systems understandings of perceptions and experiences of the local population about adaptation processes in low‐income urban settlements, and how these processes may be positively influenced by integrating bottom‐up and top‐down approaches.

Linking consensus to action: does frame alignment amongst sympathizers lead to protest participation?

ABSTRACT Frame alignment theory has become a dominant perspective on how people get mobilized into social movement activities. Most theoretical accounts on micromobilization take individuals’ congruence with social movement organizations’ frames as a starting point. However, the positive effect of frame alignment on protest participation has mostly been approached as an assumption rather than as an empirical question. Additionally, measuring frame alignment and testing its effect on participation is methodologically challenging. As a result, it has remained unclear to what extent an individual’s degree of frame alignment increases the chance that he or she will participate in protest. Using panel survey data on a street demonstration organized in Belgium in 2016 (N = 2,646), we compare the frame components broadcasted by the organizers with the specific diagnostic and prognostic frame components held by both sympathizing participants and sympathizing non-participants. We test the effect of frame alignment on people’s intention to join a protest and on participation as such, while accounting for multiple alternative determinants of protest participation. Our results suggest that frame alignment affects the likelihood that a sympathizer will intend to participate, which in turn affects participation.

Early-adulthood caloric restriction is beneficial to improve renal redox status as future anti-aging strategy in rats

AimsCaloric restriction (CR) is an experimental approach proposed to alleviate age-related oxidative damage. In the present study, we investigated the consequences of CR on renal redox homeostasis in rats at a specific time frame in early-adulthood.. MethodsThree groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats; young control at 6-month-old, 2-year-old subjected to 40% CR between 18th-24th months of age, and their non-CR controls were sacrificed, and numerous redox status biomarkers including protein oxidation, glycation, lipid peroxidation, glycation end products, thiol groups, and superoxide dismutase were assayed. It was also ensured that CR rats and their non-CR corresponding rats had similar body weights at the end of the study to decrease the confounding effects of different body weights on redox homeostasis and caloric restriction. ResultsAfter CR, the detrimental effects of the protein oxidation, glycation, and lipid peroxidation were significantly improved in the renal tissue CR rats when compared to their non-CR control group. However, there were no significant difference in thiol fractions between younger controls and both of the elderly groups. ConclusionDetrimental consequences of renal senescence on redox homeostasis are significantly improved via CR especially applied in early-adulthood.

Moving towards IoT Based Digital Communication: An Efficient Utilization of Power Spectrum Density for Smart Cities

The future of the Internet of Things (IoT) is interlinked with digital communication in smart cities. The digital signal power spectrum of smart IoT devices is greatly needed to provide communication support. The line codes play a significant role in data bit transmission in digital communication. The existing line-coding techniques are designed for traditional computing network technology and power spectrum density to translate data bits into a signal using various line code waveforms. The existing line-code techniques have multiple kinds of issues, such as the utilization of bandwidth, connection synchronization (CS), the direct current (DC) component, and power spectrum density (PSD). These highlighted issues are not adequate in IoT devices in smart cities due to their small size. However, there is a need to design an effective line-code method to deal with these issues in digital IoT-based communication for smart technologies, which enables smart services for smart cities. In this paper, the Shadow Encoding Scheme (SES) is proposed to transmit data bits efficiently by using a physical waveform in the smart cities’ ecosystem. SES provides a reliable transmission over the physical medium without using extra bandwidth and with ideal PSD. In it, the shadow copy of the repeating bitstream is forwarded, rather than repeating the actual stream again and again. The PSD is calculated with the help of mathematical equations to validate SES. MATLAB simulator is used to simulate SES and compared with other well-known digital line-code techniques. The bit error rate is also compared between SES and the chirp spread spectrum (CSS) for the specific data frames. The coordinates of the PSD graph are also shown in tabular form, which shows a vivid picture of the working conditions of various line codes.

A mobile sink path planning for wireless sensor networks based on priority‐ordered dependent nonparametric trees

SummaryThe professional design of the routing protocols with mobile sink(s) in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is important for many purposes such as maximizing energy efficiency, increasing network life, and evenly distributing load balance across the network. Moreover, mobile sinks ought to first collect data from nodes which have very important and dense data so that packet collision and loss can be prevented at an advanced level. For these purposes, the present paper proposes a new mobile path planning protocol by introducing priority‐ordered dependent nonparametric trees (PoDNTs) for WSNs. Unlike traditional clustered or swarm intelligence topology‐based routing methods, a topology which has hierarchical and dependent infinite tree structure provides a robust link connection between nodes, making it easier to reselect ancestor nodes (ANs). The proposed priority‐ordered infinite trees are sampled in the specific time frames by introducing new equations and hierarchically associated with their child nodes starting from the root node. Hence, the nodes with the highest priority and energy that belong to the constructed tree family are selected as ANs with an opportunistic approach. A mobile sink simply visits these ANs to acquire data from all nodes in the network and return to where it started. As a result, the route traveled is assigned as the mobile path for the current round. We have performed comprehensive performance analysis to illustrate the effectiveness of the present study using NS‐2 simulation environment. The present routing protocol has achieved better results than the other algorithms over various performance metrics.

Picture and text: on the “iconography” of sacred spaces in middle-Byzantine ekphraseis

Abstract The present contribution engages with two representative examples of middle-Byzantine ekphraseis, Photios’ description of the Virgin of the Pharos and Leo VI’s account of the church founded by Stylianos Zautzes. It aims at showing how these texts suggest modes of viewing the sacred space and decoration that pose, more than settle, questions about images and pictures, their intended function, significance and impact within their specific cultural frames of reference. Far from being neutral and disengaged, these verbal representations have a specific agenda, which inflects the audience’s perception and interpretation of the decorated church space. Comparisons with coeval monumental evidence are also offered, in order to analyze textual and visual developments in parallel.

STAR Data Production Workflow on HPC: Lessons Learned & Best Practices

The Solenoidal Tracker at RHIC (STAR) is a multi-national supported experiment located at Brookhaven National Lab. The raw physics data captured from the detector is on the order of tens of PBytes per data acquisition campaign, which makes STAR fit well within the definition of a big data science experiment. The production of the data has typically run on standard nodes or on standard Grid computing environments. All embedding simulations (complex workflow mixing real and simulated events) have been run on standard Linux resources at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) aka PDSF. However, HPC resources such as Cori have become available for STAR’s data production as well as embedding, and STAR has been the very first experiment to show feasibility of running a sustainable data production campaign on this computing resource. The use of Docker containers with Shifter is required to run on HPC @ NERSC – this approach encapsulates the environment in which a standard STAR workflow runs. From the deployment of a tailored Scientific Linux environment (requiring many of its own libraries and special configurations required to run) to the deployment of third-party software and the STAR specific software stack, it has become impractical to rely on a set of containers containing each specific software release. To this extent, solutions based on the CERN VM File System (CVMFS) for the deployment of software and services have been employed in HENP, but one needs to make careful scalability considerations when using a resource like Cori, such as not allowing all software to be deployed in containers or bare node. Additionally, CVMFS clients are not compatible on Cori nodes and one needs to rely on an indirect NFS/DVS mount scheme. In our contribution, we will discuss our strategies from the past and our current solution based on CVMFS. Furthermore, running on HPC is not a simple task as each aspect of the workflow must be enabled to scale, run efficiently, and the workflow needs to fit within the boundaries of the provided queue system (SLURM in this case). Lastly, we will also discuss what we have learned so far about what is the best method for grouping jobs to maximize a single 48 core HPC node within a specific time frame and maximize our workflow efficiency.

Supply chain pinch analysis to optimal planning of biogas production

Supply chain is essential for an organization as it helps to maximize the operations which are profitable through the production, capacity, subcontracting, inventory and stock outs optimum levels. The traditional supply chain involves high documentation cost, with data involved that are mostly inaccurate and useless. In supply chain, the system of production plays an important role. The pinch analysis concept is initially used in the approach of energy conservation, and has extended to the optimization of resources and process integration. This paper presents the application of supply chain using pinch and cascade analysis for biogas production from palm oil mill effluent (POME). Biogas falls under the renewable energy where it can be produced via anaerobic digestion of POME. POME contributes to huge environmental impact mainly due to its high organic content. Supply chain via pinch analysis is used targeting to eliminate or reduce the difficulties faced in conventional supply chain. In this biogas supply chain analysis, it aims to meet the demand in a specific time frame. Minimum production rates are determined as accordance to the demand of electricity from 2020 to 2050. The pinch points are the points where the supply and demand are at the minimum, which the optimum production rate of electricity is able to determine from supply chain via pinch analysis. Monte Carlo Simulation tool is involved in the later stage of the study. It is used in the findings of analysing the increment of more than 10% of up-scale and down-scale production demand for each year for 35 years. The simulation is done from 2016 to 2035 of every five years interval. At the end of the study, the optimization of biogas production was achieved with the application of supply chain via pinch analysis. The supply and demand of biogas to electricity projection from 2020 to 2050 is forecasted. The optimal planning of electricity production from biogas was indicated in the supply chain cascade analysis.

Innovative Development of Mechanical Engineering Complex Based on Project Management

The relevance of the study is driven by peculiar features of the current economic model characterized as rapidly changing and requiring maximum flexibility from all market agents. In this situation such factors as scientific, technological, innovative, informational development come to the fore. Accordingly, it is necessary to choose adequate methods for the management of key industries, which include mechanical engineering. In our opinion, for the purposes of mechanical engineering further development it is necessary to develop a strategy for the scientific and technological development of the entire complex aimed at modernizing the material and technical base, organization, technology, socio–environmental sector, personnel and information support of production, increasing the investment attractiveness of mechanical engineering and expanding the markets for domestic products sale. To overcome the crisis, the main strategic objective of the Russian government should be to recover and ensure intensive growth of domestic markets for industrial products consumption. This is only possible with the implementation of many large infrastructure projects that will ensure domestic demand. Project management, which gradually replaced traditional management, is based on the preliminary development of a comprehensive system model in order to achieve the original goal and is aimed at implementing this model within the specific time frames. It is important to keep in mind that the objective in project management is usually distinguished by elements of novelty and, therefore, the project itself is original, non–traditional. The concept of project portfolio management should be defined separately. Project portfolio management helps determine the optimal level of investment for each project, which should be well combined with each other and not contradict the overall strategic plan. The result is the best balance between current and new strategic initiatives. At the same time project portfolio management is a tool for achieving strategic goals (including industry goals).

Sustainable urban futures from transportation and planning to networked urban mobilities

When discussing the future of cities, there is a tendency to focus on technology that will make cities and mobilities more sustainable. A bit further down the line the question of understanding or changing everyday practice arises – how to get people to transform their current mobility practice, or to adjust to the technologies introduced. As a key to understanding and changing practice I argue that storytelling plays a crucial role on different scales. In line with this, the concept of structural stories can be used to understand how specific framings of modes of transport guides everyday practices. To illustrate this, I will use the example of a concept of redesigning Copenhagen’s streets. On these streets space is redistributed so that pedestrians, cyclists and busses get more space, and more space is created for public places and city life. Consequently, the space allocated for cars and parking is scaled down.

Introduction

Abstract This introduction to the Special Issue on Networked Emotion and Stancetaking summarizes the individual and collective contribution of the included five research articles. We argue for the relevance of discourse-pragmatic theories, methods, and concepts for furnishing cross-disciplinary perspectives into the study of emotion online. Such perspectives are arguably needed in order to clarify the intricate connections between (re)presentations of emotion online and changing practices of news-making and news consumption, story sharing and participation, and public stancetaking in social media and beyond. We propose that empirical analyses of networked practices of stancetaking – epistemic, affective, or narrative – can pinpoint the construction and dissemination of different types of participant positions and stances, including multimodal ones, as well as the creation and uptake of specific frames for interpreting events and crises affectively.

Are older people putting themselves at risk when using their walking frames?

BackgroundWalking aids are issued to older adults to prevent falls, however, paradoxically their use has been identified as a risk factor for falling. To prevent falls, walking aids must be used in a stable manner, but it remains unknown to what extent associated clinical guidance is adhered to at home, and whether following guidance facilitates a stable walking pattern.It was the aim of this study to investigate adherence to guidance on walking frame use, and to quantify user stability whilst using walking frames. Additionally, we explored the views of users and healthcare professionals on walking aid use, and regarding the instrumented walking frames (‘Smart Walkers’) utilized in this study.MethodsThis observational study used Smart Walkers and pressure-sensing insoles to investigate usage patterns of 17 older people in their home environment; corresponding video captured contextual information. Additionally, stability when following, or not, clinical guidance was quantified for a subset of users during walking in an Activities of Daily Living Flat and in a gait laboratory. Two focus groups (users, healthcare professionals) shared their experiences with walking aids and provided feedback on the Smart Walkers.ResultsIncorrect use was observed for 16% of single support periods and for 29% of dual support periods, and was associated with environmental constraints and a specific frame design feature. Incorrect use was associated with reduced stability. Participants and healthcare professionals perceived the Smart Walker technology positively.ConclusionsClinical guidance cannot easily be adhered to and self-selected strategies reduce stability, hence are placing the user at risk. Current guidance needs to be improved to address environmental constraints whilst facilitating stable walking. The research is highly relevant considering the rising number of walking aid users, their increased falls-risk, and the costs of falls.

Irracjonalizm w zmediatyzowanym społeczeństwie wiedzy. Ramowanie, słownik, retoryka, ikonografia

Cel/teza: Identyfikacja ram konceptualnych nauki i wiedzy naukowej w komunikowaniu organizacji i jednostek otwarcie walczących z oficjalną wersją wiedzy naukowej: przeciwników szczepień ochronnych, proponentów teorii płaskiej ziemi oraz zwolenników alternatywnej wersji historii Polski. Metody badawcze: Opierając się na wcześniejszej konceptualizacji, użyto analizy zawartości opartej na modelu dyskursywnym oraz narzędzi analizy ramowania. Wyniki i wnioski: Zlokalizowano w badanym materiale cztery główne ramy interpretacyjne oraz cztery modelowe stylistyki. Wnioski dotyczą względnie jednolitego ramowania zagadnienia wiedzy w komunikacji grup antynaukowych, niezależnie od ich głównego celu, a także wzajemnego przenikania się ich argumentacji. Dostrzeżono także fenomen irracjonalizmu banalnego – postaw antyracjonalnych i antynaukowych wyrażanych przez uczestników komunikacji medialnej bezwiednie, odruchowo, żartem lub przez nieuwagę. Wartość poznawcza: Wiąże się z diagnostycznym i prognostycznym wymiarem analizy. Swoiste instrumentalne ramowanie nauki i wiedzy to niezbędny element strategii komunikacyjnych zwolenników „wiedzy alternatywnej”, zatem jego analiza powinna pomóc w dalszych badaniach nad mechanizmami rozpowszechniania antyracjonalizmu i irracjonalizmu w mediach. To istotne, ponieważ walka z antyracjonalizmem w komunikowaniu jest dziś jednym z najważniejszych społecznych zadań medioznawcy.