Standard Construction Research Articles

An Integration of Business Processes and Information Management for Improving the Efficiency and Reliability of Infrastructure

The construction industry has increasingly adopted digital construction processes and technologies, fueled in part by governmental mandates aimed at modernizing construction workflows. While these advancements promise efficiency across different phases of a project, the efficacy of the digitally generated information often remains contingent on its alignment with the specific information exchange requirements of individual organizations. Current efforts to establish interoperable data schemas have made strides, yet challenges persist, particularly when tailoring information to meet the unique needs of organizations responsible for the operation and management of built assets. This paper dissects the outcomes of standard digital construction processes applied to a linear infrastructure project, highlighting observed shortcomings such as information overload and the difficulty of adapting the information for asset management needs. Building upon these findings, this paper introduces a framework aimed at streamlining the production of essential project information. This framework was developed through a series of expert workshops and subsequently tested on a separate infrastructure project, offering insights into its potential benefits and limitations.

Abstract C005: Inferring global ancestry using scRNA sequencing reads of the fallopian tube and ovarian cancer

Abstract Introduction Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) is a powerful technique to profile the transcriptome of each single cell in the sample to characterize its gene expression profile. Final 10x scRNA-seq libraries are comprised of standard Illumina paired end constructs. Read 2 encodes the sequence of the actual cDNA fragment used in library preparation to amplify the RNA sequences, so read 2 is a result of transcription from the DNA encoded in a particular gene. We hypothesize that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and global ancestry can be inferred from read 2. Methods Using the read 2, FASTQ files were mapped to the reference genome using the STAR algorithm (2-pass), subsequent steps were performed according to GATK best practices. For reference populations, we selected 2142 unrelated individuals from the 1000 genomes project with admixture >80% in a single ancestral population using k=5 ancestral populations. SNPs quality control for the FT samples and reference included call rates of < 95% or minor allele frequency (MAF) < 1% which were filtered out. Genotypes of fallopian tube (FT) cases were merged with pruned reference genotypes (markers) and intersecting SNPs were used for further analysis. Data was visualized using PCA and ADMIXTURE (k=5). Clinical and demographic variables available in our dataset included age at time of surgery, race, ethnicity, country of birth and specific germline mutation. Whole genome sequencing on the matched germline DNA of the same samples was performed as a validation step. Results A total of 34 cases underwent scRNA-seq. FT with germline mutations included seven BRCA1, seven BRCA2, five PALB2, two RAD51, two MLH1 and one ATM. Additionally, we sequenced six FT with no germline mutations and four ovarian cancer tumors. Self-identified race included 2 Asian, 9 Black, 16 White Hispanic and 6 White non-hispanic. A total of 730 382 SNPs intersected between all samples and pruned references. PCA visualization showed correlation between self-identified race and inferred global ancestry using five ancestral populations. Furthermore, there was high correlation between country of birth, position of cases in the PCA and ADMIXTURE with K=5. Conclusion Inferring global ancestry from scRNA seq reads will help estimate the genetic ancestry from data in which this variable is missing or was not captured. Genetic ancestry is a powerful tool that should be considered when generalizing gene expression results to populations. Citation Format: Alex P. Sanchez-Covarrubias, Ashlee Sealy, Dylan Thompson, David Samuel, Ayodele Omotoso, Destiny Burnett, Matthew Schlumbrecht, Sophia George. Inferring global ancestry using scRNA sequencing reads of the fallopian tube and ovarian cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C005.

Historical Review and Prospect of the Rights of Ethnic Minority Children in western China

Children are the hope of the country in the future. China pays attention to the protection of children's rights and makes practical efforts for children's own interests and long-term development. In order to effectively protect the rights of children of ethnic minorities in western China, the work of safeguarding the rights of children of ethnic minorities in Tibet has been constantly improved, promoted and implemented. The author mainly discusses the historical review and prospect of the CPC's protection of the rights of ethnic minority children in Tibet from three aspects: standard construction, practical implementation and future outlook.

Practical noise measurement method for confirmation of effectiveness of sound insulation in residential houses around airports

In Japan, at airports with significant noise impact, soundproofing for dwellings is subsidized by the airport administrator in accordance with the law requiring noise mitigation. The compensation areas and zone-types are indicated according to noise impact. For each zone-type, the planned quantity of sound insulation to be achieved through soundproofing and the standard construction specifications are determined. Although noise measurement is not required upon completion of the soundproofing, it may be conducted to confirm the sound insulation effectiveness, if necessary. Methods for the measurement of sound insulation characteristics of the buildings are specified in Japanese standards (JIS), but these methods use artificial noise sources from speakers, which require many manpower and sound level meters or noise source equipment, and also cannot directly determine the quantity of sound insulation against aircraft noise. Thus, in order to examine the practical simplified method for noise measurement, we carried out measurements using aircraft noise in or around a dwelling, in parallel with the method required by the JIS standard. From the results, this paper reports the method by using even in a smaller number of microphones with the appropriate placement, to determine the quantity of sound insulation against aircraft noise in a dwelling.

Co-Design Methods for Non-Standard Multi-Storey Timber Buildings

To meet climate change goals and respond to increased global urbanisation, the building industry needs to improve both its building technology and its design methods. Constrained urban environments and building stock extensions are challenges for standard timber construction. Co-design promises to better integrate disciplines and processes, promising smaller feedback loops for design iteration and building verification. This article describes the integrated design, fabrication, and construction processes of a timber building prototype as a case study for the application of co-design methods. Emphasis is placed on the development of design and engineering methods, fabrication and construction processes, and materials and building systems. The development of the building prototype builds on previous research in robotic fabrication (including prefabrication, task distribution, and augmented reality integration), agent-based modelling (ABM) for the design and optimisation of structural components, and the systematisation of timber buildings and their components. The results presented in this article include a functional example of co-design from which best practises may be extrapolated as part of an inductive approach to design research. The prototype, with its co-designed process and resultant flat ceilings, integrated services, wide spans, and design adaptability for irregular column locations, has the potential to expand the design potential of multi-storey timber buildings.

Research on Price Discovery Function of China Pig Futures Market

On January 8, 2021, China Pig futures was listed on Dalian Commodity Exchange. Its listing has brought new tools for the risk management of hog prices, and has aroused widespread concern in the community. Research on the price discovery function of pig futures market is of great significance to the price risk management of pigs. This paper takes the China pig futures and spot market as the research object, selects the live pig futures and spot trading data of China from January 8, 2021 to September 28, 2023, and makes a preliminary effectiveness analysis on the price discovery function of the futures market through the trend of spot prices. Secondly, the data are tested for stationarity and cointegration, and then the VAR model is established. Through descriptive statistics, Granger causality test, impulse response and variance decomposition analysis, the price discovery function of China pig futures market is further analyzed. The results show that China pig futures market has played a certain price discovery function, but there is still room for improvement. Based on this, the relevant countermeasures and suggestions are put forward: to improve the relevant rules and systems of pig futures, to strengthen the standardization construction of the over-the-counter market of pigs, and to promote the enthusiasm of enterprises in the pig industry chain to participate in the futures market.

Information Modeling of Energy Saving Processes in the Field of Design, Construction and Operation

Statement of the problem. Improving energy efficiency at various stages of the life cycle of objects in the construction industry, which is an absolute imperative of the current stage of development of society, can be achieved by integrating information modeling of the life cycle of a capital construction object with energy saving technologies. However, in domestic and foreign practice, the potential of such an integration is realized only to a small extent. In this regard, this work is devoted to the formulation of methods for overcoming this situation. Results. It is shown that the addition of the base vectors of hierarchical information models with data on the thermophysical properties of isotropic materials and orthotropic elements allows solving the research problem. Also, the formats of basic structures and clusters of higher ranks have been developed, which completely determine the information model of the energy efficiency of the life cycle of an object. Methods for optimizing the technology of information transfer between heterogeneous participants in the implementation of the life cycle are formulated. For standard construction objects, methods for simplifying the energy saving information model are formulated, which allow expanding the area of practical application of the developed models. Conclusions. The integration of technologies for information modeling of the life cycle of an object and energy saving makes it possible to optimize managerial and technical decisions to increase the energy efficiency / cost ratio both at the design stage and at the stages of construction and operation. The vector hierarchical model of energy efficiency of the project life cycle allows optimizing the updating and verification of the information model, and the mechanisms for transferring information between project participants.

Relaxing Hardware Requirements for Surface Code Circuits using Time-dynamics

The typical time-independent view of quantum error correction (QEC) codes hides significant freedom in the decomposition into circuits that are executable on hardware. Using the concept of detecting regions, we design time-dynamic QEC circuits directly instead of designing static QEC codes to decompose into circuits. In particular, we improve on the standard circuit constructions for the surface code, presenting new circuits that can embed on a hexagonal grid instead of a square grid, that can use ISWAP gates instead of CNOT or CZ gates, that can exchange qubit data and measure roles, and that move logical patches around the physical qubit grid while executing. All these constructions use no additional entangling gate layers and display essentially the same logical performance, having teraquop footprints within 25% of the standard surface code circuit. We expect these circuits to be of great interest to quantum hardware engineers, because they achieve essentially the same logical performance as standard surface code circuits while relaxing demands on hardware.

Dit is Laura-se (trui)

Abstract Dutch children temporarily use a possessor se construction with proper/kinship names and pronouns, like dit is Laura-se/opa-se/hem-se jas (‘this is Laura’s/grandpa’s/his coat’). The se possessive is not available in standard Dutch, although examples of it are found on the internet. The se possessive is fully productive with all nouns in Afrikaans. In standard Dutch prenominal possessive constructions show a wide range of variations and restrictions. Dutch children avoid the complexity of the system, but what makes the children apply the se possessive in the first place? I will show that it is due to three properties specific to Dutch. Nevertheless, the se possessive does not persist in standard Dutch as it did in Afrikaans. The Dutch Achilles’ heel might be the early use of weak possessive pronouns.

Gamma-Delta (γδ) CAR-T Cells Lacking the CD3z Signaling Domain Enhance Targeted Killing of Tumor Cells and Preserve Healthy Tissues

Introduction: Chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapy has shown remarkable efficacy against B cell malignancies for patients who have limited treatment options. Successful advancement of CAR-T therapy to myeloid hematopoietic and solid malignancies, however, has been limited by the potential of life-threatening on-target, off-tumor toxicities against healthy tissues, the natural tumor heterogeneity and consequent selection pressure leading to relapse. Addressing these limitations to widen the therapeutic index is crucial as we seek safer and more effective CAR-T therapies. In this regard, γδ T cells as first responders of immunity hold promise as they can directly identify and eliminate malignant cells through the recognition of multiple tumor-associated stress antigens not commonly expressed on normal tissues. We sought to combine the tumor-sensing capabilities of γδ T cells and the localization enhancement of CAR-T by excluding the CD3ζ domain in a non-signaling CAR (nsCAR) to allow the targeted killing against tumors, while sparing healthy tissues. Methods: Standard and nsCAR constructs against CD19, CD33 and CD123 were cloned into separate second-generation lentiviral vectors. The CAR constructs contained either a scFv targeting the respective antigen (anti-CD19/anti-CD33) or an IL-3 zetakine (IL-3z) targeting the CD123 followed by a flag-tag, a hinge, a transmembrane domain and a costimulatory domain + CD3ζ. IL-15 co-expression was incorporated to enhance γδ T cell fitness and persistence. CAR activation was determined by Jurkat T cells co-cultured with target ALL or AML cell lines followed by lentivector transduction of activated and expanded Vδ2 + γδ T cells. Cellular cytotoxicity was assessed at multiple E:T ratios against respective leukemia cell lines and healthy peripheral blood cells expressing the target antigen. Results: We observed significant upregulation of CD69 surface expression indicating activation of CD3ζ+ CD19CAR/CD33CAR/IL-3z Jurkat cells (3x, 20x, and 2x respectively) following culture with Nalm6 (CD19) and KG-1 (CD33 & IL-3z). CD3ζ- ns19CAR/ns33CAR/nsIL-3z Jurkat cells did not upregulate CD69 in parallel cultures. We also observed a time-dependent reduction of the CD3ζ+ CD33 CAR + population over 7 days (43%) in Jurkat cells following extended coculture with KG-1 cells, while the nsCAR + Jurkat population remained unchanged, indicating the nsCAR may mitigate activation induced cell death (AICD). Ex vivo activated γδ T cells from healthy donors (N=4), were transduced with nsCAR lentiviral vectors with high efficiency (up to 80%). The ns19CAR cells effectively killed CD19 + Nalm6 cells and demonstrated enhanced (>1.5x) cytotoxicity compared to untransduced γδ T cells (UTD). After 48hr co-culture (E:T=2:1), the ns19CAR cells killed 79.7%+6.6% Nalm6 cells compared to 46.1%+7.2%) with UTD. Minimal cytotoxicity was observed for ns19CAR and UTD γδ T cells against B cells from healthy donor PBMC 5.2%+6.6% for ns19CAR vs. to -4.6%+7.7% with UTD. No significant difference in cytotoxicity against the CD19- K562 cells between the UTD or ns19CAR cells (73.5% vs. 71.5%, E:T=2:1) suggesting the enhanced cytotoxicity is ns19CAR directed. Similarly, ns33CAR and nsIL-3z cells, although requiring higher E:T ratios for similar killing efficiency, continued to demonstrate enhanced (up to 2.0x) killing against AML cells (HL-60, KG-1 and MOLM13) and CML cells K-562 compared to UTD in cytotoxicity assay with 24hr co-culture. Meantime, minimal cytotoxicity (<10%) was observed for ns33CAR, nsIL-3z, or UTD γδ T cells against CD33+ cells isolated from healthy donor PBMC. Conclusions: Ex vivo activated nsCAR cells efficiently recognize and kill leukemia cell lines while sparing peripheral blood cells bearing the same target antigen. The nsCAR cells also show increased cytotoxicity against leukemias over unmodified activated γδ T cells suggesting improvement in tropism and/or binding efficiency. In summary, our findings showed that the combination of nsCAR on γδ T cells may increase the therapeutic index to allow expansion of CAR-T therapy to cancers with unacceptable target expression on critical healthy cell populations. Further optimization of the nsCAR constructs may potentially enhance both the efficacy and safety profile of the next generation adoptive cell therapies against wider selection of cancers.

Low-tech methods for the reuse of reinforced concrete structural elements

Most of existing buildings are made of concrete, new buildings are being built with it and others are demolished when still in good structural condition. This drives increased demands for raw materials, greenhouse gas emissions, and an accumulation of demolition waste. When in-situ rehabilitation or transformation is deemed unfeasible, a promising circular economy strategy to reduce these impacts is to reuse reinforced concrete (RC) load-bearing elements from obsolete donor structures into new receiving structures. Consequently, there is a need to adapt methods and processes to the specificities of RC element reuse by integrating knowledge on existing structures, deconstruction and construction techniques and structural optimization. To facilitate the supply chain of reclaimed RC components, the planning and execution of the deconstruction of an obsolete donor structure must be linked to the planning and execution of the construction of a new receiving structure. Using three recent case studies in Switzerland, this paper highlights how low-tech methods and procedures can be used to plan RC element reuse. A complete set of tools is introduced to evaluate an existing donor structure, plan its optimal deconstruction, and design the new receiving building. They include a reusability assessment method, a reuse-driven design process, and a data validation procedure. The case studies confirm that, depending on transport distances, reusing RC elements in a new structure can save up to 75% of CO2-eq emissions compared to standard RC construction techniques.

Design and structural testing of 3D printed honeycomb cores with optimised integrated blended inserts

The integration of inserts into sandwich panel constructions is a complex multi-step process with significant human intervention that also limits the geometrical freedom of the insert design. In a standard sandwich construction, the panel core is made up of multiple materials across its main components: insert, potting and core. This multi-material assembly is not only difficult to manufacture, but it also promotes stress jumps at the insert-core interface, leading to a sub-optimal load distribution from the bolt to the panel core. Additive manufacturing (AM) can lead to a single-part core and insert assembly with more optimised insert geometries that can better transmit the loads applied to the panel. Previous work by the authors has explored the manufacturing limits and the failure modes of AM inserts integrated in cores printed out of sintered AlSi10Mg. The conclusions were that the core walls and insert elements should have a minimum design thickness of 0.5 mm to survive the tapping process without facesheets attached and it was found that the main failure mode of the geometries tested in pull-out was buckling of the insert walls. Based on these results, the paper proposes a novel insert design philosophy that can delay the buckling of 3D printed inserts and move the failure point of the insert away from the bolt. A set of inserts that follow this design direction is manufactured and tested under normal pull-out loads and the optimised designs outperform standard printed insert geometries by a factor of three. The design philosophy can be further developed to offer a suitable alternative to the current insert standard.

The Principles and Evaluation of Green Construction of Tunnels in Frigid Plateau Regions

Green construction is an advanced concept and development trend in engineering construction. It is cold and arid in frigid plateau regions in western China, where the ecological environment is vulnerable to engineering constructions and other human activities. Hence, the time and cost for environmental remediation are much larger than in other areas. Based on the principles and category of green construction, this paper discusses the overall and partial relationship between green construction and green construction operation, presents the technical construction process of the green construction of a tunnel, and puts forward the key points of green construction with the construction practice for tunnels in frigid plateau regions as the engineering background. The main contents and results are as follows: (1) The breakthrough points of the research on green construction include five first-level evaluation indicators of savings the land, energy, water resources, materials, and human resources, as well as protection for personnel health and environment, i.e., five savings and two protections. A comprehensive evaluation system suitable for green construction is proposed and established. (2) The paper summarizes the following essential aspects: the fine classification and safety evaluation of surrounding rock, the changes in the seepage field in the construction process, and the establishment of a standardized construction system. (3) A green construction evaluation was conducted on the tunnel of the Yindajihuang Project, and the green evaluation results were obtained. The evaluation results are basically consistent with the actual situation. In addition, intelligent construction technology should be the orientation of green construction for tunnels. The research would be helpful to the implementation of green construction ideas and technologies for tunnels in frigid plateau regions and the persistence of green and sustainable development.

Когнитивные механизмы цветообозначений в рекламном туристическом нарративе (на примере озера Байкал)

The aim of the study is to determine the cognitive mechanisms of colour terms in the advertising tourist narrative. The scientific novelty of the work is accounted for by the problem statement: it is the first time that colour terms have been considered taking into account the mechanisms of their cognitive organisation in the advertising tourist narrative using Lake Baikal as an example. The paper analyses the views of researchers describing colour terms in the Russian linguistic worldview, the advertising discourse, cognitive linguistics, historical and comparative linguistics. The study emphasises that colour as a culture code is a significant cognitive category and colour terms possess associativity and axiological value, are connected to the history of the nation, its peculiarities in relation to ethnic norms, traditions, customs and rituals. As a result of the study, it has been found that the main cognitive mechanisms of colour terms in the advertising tourist narrative include foregrounding as the informational-pragmatic core in the structure of the textual whole; metaphor as a source of figurative naming; standard comparative constructions and realised comparisons. The analysis of the material attests to the fulfillment of the potential of lexical units with secondary colour naming in such main conceptual-thematic areas as “Animate nature” and “Inanimate nature”.

Impact of Website Quality on Customer Satisfaction and Purchase Intention in the E-Commerce Sector in India

E-commerce is on the rise both in India and abroad as the economy is becoming digital and consumers are using online platforms to search for information and for making purchases of different types of services and products. Retail e-commerce sales were 5.2 trillion Dollars approximately worldwide in 2021. It is forecasted that this figure will grow by 56 percent over the next few years, and reach 8.1 trillion dollars by 2026. (as per Global retail e-commerce sales 2014-2026, Published by Stephanie Chevalier, Sep 21, 2022). Websites are an important component of the rapidly growing E-commerce market. In the overall marketing communication mix, the websites complement the direct selling activities, helps to improve the corporate image and provide basic information about the company to its customers using an online platform. There is a need to study the measures of Website designs which help to improve their quality as well as the customer satisfaction towards the website design of the company, which may also lead to purchase intention of the consumer. Customer reaction to the website has been studied by the author taking into consideration the Amazon India and Flipkart websites as they are comparable names. Study was conducted in Delhi-NCR and data was gathered from 658 respondents out of which 300 were from Delhi 358 were from NCR covering the areas – Gurgaon, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad etc. The construct used to collect the data was a standard construct – WebQualtm, a measure of Website quality. 12 dimensions of WebQualtm were taken into consideration to study the satisfaction of customers towards the Website Quality of Amazon and Flipkart. Another linkage that was studied was whether this customer satisfaction towards Website quality led to purchase Intention among the Customers or not. PLS-SEM was used for analysing the hypothesized relationship among the constructs and was found that Website Quality significantly influenced the Customer Satisfaction which in turn leads to Purchase intention of the customer.

The ideal Muslim: Interpreting construction of new self standards in @ukhtiakhiantiselfie Instagram account

Media as a medium of construing discourse, for example a dominant figure religion. In Islam the ideal muslim shown by the media that has a role as a medium for forming new ideologies in religious aspects. This research aims to explore the ideal Muslim discourse on the Instagram social media account @ukhtiakhiantiselfie. This research uses a qualitative method with content analysis in the form of Norman Fairclough's critical discourse analysis and focuses on the level of text presented in the content on the Instagram social media account @ukhtiakhiantiselfie. To find out the extent of the truth of the research, the author uses data validity techniques in the form of triangulation of data sources. Meanwhile, data analysis techniques consist of data selection, interpretation and interpretation of the text, data presentation and discussion, to draw conclusions. The results of this study indicate that the ideology constructed in the Instagram account @ukhtiakhiantiselfie is in the form of a ban on uploading photos to social media for men (muslimin) and women (muslimah). In addition, there is an ideal Muslim standard for Muslims, namely individuals who do not upload photos of themselves, achievements, possessions, and others to the public via social media. Meanwhile, the discourse that is presented refers to the ideal Muslim character according to Hamka in the form of istiqomah, namely showing firm actions towards the establishment and carrying out the commands of Allah SWT and avoiding His prohibitions. The results of this research show that the ideology constructed in the Instagram account @ukhtiakhiantiselfie is a prohibition on uploading photos to social media for men (Muslims) and women (Muslimah). Apart from that, there is an ideal Muslim standard for Muslims, namely individuals who do not upload photos of themselves, their achievements, possessions and so on to the public via social media. Meanwhile, the discourse presented refers to the ideal Muslim characteristic according to Hamka in the form of istiqomah, namely showing firm actions towards standing and carrying out the commands of Allah SWT and staying away from His prohibitions. The results of this research show that the ideology constructed in the Instagram account @ukhtiakhiantiselfie is a prohibition on uploading photos to social media for men (Muslims) and women (Muslimah). Apart from that, there is an ideal Muslim standard for Muslims, namely individuals who do not upload photos of themselves, their achievements, possessions and so on to the public via social media. Meanwhile, the discourse presented refers to the ideal Muslim characteristic according to Hamka in the form of istiqomah, namely showing firm actions towards standing and carrying out the commands of Allah SWT and staying away from His prohibitions.

Re-evaluation and modification of dehydrogenase activity tests in assessing microbial activity for wastewater treatment plant operation

Reliable and cost-effective methods for monitoring microbial activity are critical for process control in wastewater treatment plants. The dehydrogenase activity (DHA) test has been recognized as an efficient measure of biological activity due to its simplicity and broad applicability. Nevertheless, the existing DHA test methods suffer from imperfections and are difficult to implement as routine monitoring techniques. In this work, an accurate and cost-effective modified DHA approach was developed and the procedure for the DHA test was critically evaluated with respect to the standard construction, sample pretreatment, incubation and extraction conditions. The feasibility of the modified DHA test was demonstrated by comparison with the oxygen uptake rate and adenosine triphosphate in a sequencing batch reactor. The sensitivities of the two typical tetrazolium salts to toxicant inhibition by heavy metals and antibiotics were compared, revealing that 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) exhibited a higher sensitivity. Furthermore, the sensitivity mechanism of the two DHA tests was elucidated through electrochemical experiments, theoretical analysis and molecular simulations. Both tetrazolium salts were found to be effective artificial electron acceptors due to their low redox potentials. Molecular docking simulations revealed that TTC could outperform other tetrazolium salts in accepting electrons and hydrogens from dehydrogenase. Overall, the modified DHA approach presents an accurate and cost-effective way to measure microbial activity, making it a practical tool for wastewater treatment plants.

Mechanical Behavior of a Novel Precast Concrete Beam–Column Joint Using the Mortise–Tenon Connection

The construction industry has been a significant contributor to global carbon emissions. Fortunately, it is well known that precast concrete structures possess the benefit of reducing carbon emission, of which the beam–column joint plays a crucial role in resisting severe loads. Nowadays, the cast-in-place joint is mostly adopted for beam–column joint The authors declare no conflict of interests of precast concrete structures, and the building industrialization degree is insufficient. In light of this, a novel precast concrete beam–column joint using the mortise–tenon (MT) connection is proposed inspired by traditional timber structures, and the contrastive analysis of mechanical behaviors of this joint and the same-sized cast-in-place joint is conducted by the finite element method. The results indicate that the proposed MT joint has a better mechanical behavior by comparing with the corresponding cast-in-place joint as the beam–column joint. Meanwhile, the MT connection mode has the characteristics of standardized construction, in line with the concept of sustainable development, which can greatly save the construction period. This research demonstrates the feasibility of MT joints in traditional timber structures as beam–column joints in precast concrete structures, and the application of MT joints may be promoted if the size and shape of that are further optimized. Furthermore, this in turn helps research and innovation of precast building construction technology and promotes the sustainable development of the construction industry in the direction of energy conservation and environmental protection.

Forging a “civil discourse”

Abstract The academic and, subsequently, social legitimation of Basque studies – namely, their constitution as a subject of scholarly inquiry in the early twentieth century – is proposed as a key factor in the early process of standardisation of the Basque language: this legitimation created a climate that was propitious to the development of civil discourse and favourable to the pursuit of consensus regarding the construction of a literary standard. In its support, I evidence the breadth and strength of the involved actors’ ideology, as well as the influence of civil discourse and the spirit of consensus upon the three phases that characterised Basque standardisation: (1) the ideological polarisation that led to consensual failure around 1901; (2) the ideological depolarisation that culminated in the foundation of the Academy of the Basque Language in 1918; and (3) the ideological repolarisation that caused the breakdown of civil discourse during Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship (1923–1930). Its standardisation was closely linked to the promotion of the journal Revista Internacional de Estudios Vascos and the use of scientific-inductive method in modern Bascology. Oddly, historians and linguists have almost completely ignored the influence of the legitimation of an area study (linked to a particular language) on that language’s standardisation.

Increased Union Rates in Subtalar Joint Arthrodesis with Hybrid Nitinol Dynamic Compression Device

Category: Hindfoot Introduction/Purpose: Subtalar joint arthrodesis (STJA) is a well-established and widely accepted surgical procedure utilized for the treatment of numerous hindfoot conditions. Several fixation constructs in STJA have been described in the literature. With the current advancements in orthopedic technology, new devices utilizing nitinol elements have been developed in an effort to maintain sustained compression in the event of bony resorption which may occur during arthrodesis healing. The primary aim of our study is to introduce a hybrid nitinol dynamic compression (HNDC) device for STJA which provides dynamic compression without proximal locking fixation and compare union rates with a previous nitinol dynamic compression nail (NDCN) as well as a standard two-compression screw fixation construct. The secondary aim was to compare hardware removal rates amongst the three cohorts. Methods: From May 2019 through February 2022, 26 consecutive patients treated with a novel HNDC for STJA were compared to 15 patients treated with NDCN for STJA and 41 patients undergoing STJA using a two-compression screw fixation method. Patients were included in our study if they were greater than 18 years of age, underwent STJA with the use of one of the internal fixation constructs under investigation, and had a minimum 1-year follow-up with radiographs; there were no other exclusion criteria. Arthrodesis sites were augmented with autologous bone graft with or without bone graft substitute in all patients. Standard postoperative protocols were used amongst all three cohorts. Primary outcomes included subtalar joint union rates determined by radiographic and clinical assessment. The incidence of hardware removal was recorded and compared between groups. Patient-specific risk factors were studied to assess any potential negative effects on STJA union rates. Results: Union rates between the HNDC device and the NDCN group did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference at final follow-up. There was a statistically significant difference in union rates between subjects who underwent STJA with the HNDC device versus those who underwent STJA with a two-compression screw construct. Furthermore, there was a statistically significant increase in union rates in subjects who received nitinol dynamic compression fixation devices, HNDC or NDCN, versus standard compression screws. There was not a statistically significant difference in hardware removal rates among the 3 cohorts. No significant relationship was seen between smoking, diabetes, or alcohol consumption and union rates. Conclusion: Our data supports the HNDC device to have superior union rates to the two-screw fixation group. In addition, the HNDC device provides improved union rates, though not statistically significant, when compared to the NDCN. Furthermore, the HNDC device was found to have lower rates of hardware removal when compared to the two-screw fixation and the NDCN groups though this was not statistically significant. The early results of this HNDC device for STJA are encouraging and appear to offer a further improved alternative fixation construct with excellent union rates and minimal complications.