Search Results (25)

Compared to traditional dense asphalt concrete mixtures, stone mastic asphalt (SMA) generally offers superior performance in terms of its mechanical resistance and extended pavement lifespan. Focusing on the Norwegian scenario, this laboratory-based study investigated the durability of SMA considering the influence of the aggregate shape and petrography. The rock aggregates were classified according to three different-shaped refinement stages involving vertical shaft impact crushing. Further, the aggregates were sourced from three distinct locations (Jelsa, Tau and Dirdal) characterized by different petrographic origins: granodiorite, quartz diorite and granite, respectively. Two mixtures with maximum aggregate sizes of 16 mm (SMA 16) and 11 mm (SMA 11) were designed according to Norwegian standards and investigated in terms of their durability performance. In this regard, two main functional tests were performed for the asphalt mixture, namely resistance against permanent deformation and abrasion by studded tyres, and one for the asphalt mortar, namely water sensitivity. Overall, the best test results were related to the aggregates sourced from Jelsa and Tau, thus highlighting that the geological origin exerts a major impact on SMA’s durability performance. On the other hand, the different aggregate shapes related to the crushing refinement treatments seem to play an effective but secondary role. Full article

In order to assess the workability of shearing connectors of steel–concrete composite beams (SCCBs), this manuscript proposed a novel solid-slipping nonlinear finite element (FE) model, which is independent of stiffness-slip function for simply supported SCCBs. The modal curvature difference and the modal flexibility difference curvature were prompted, which are able to evaluate both sole-damage and multi-damage. It was concluded that the proposed indicators can locate the damaged shear studs and quantify the damage degree correctly, having a maximum error of less than 1%. Robust analysis proved that the proposed indicators are still highly precise when the noise level is up to 8%, which is highly significant for further practical application. Full article

The Balaton Uplands National Park (BUNP) and Palić Nature Park (PNP) have significant tourism potential for the development of specific tourism forms. These lake destinations offer not just natural features but also a developed infrastructure and a variety of events that are important to the ethno-social values of the local population. In this paper, the sociocultural and economic aspects of these locations are studied. Researching these two dimensions of sustainable tourism development (STuD) is important for tourism planning, growth, and control of STuD. This article’s research focuses on socio-cultural and economic elements that are critical to the growth of tourism (ToD). They are analyzed through revenue, employment, visitor spending, cultural and culinary marketing, events, and other aspects of this eco-sensitive tourist attraction. The study’s noteworthy findings demonstrate the importance of economic and socio-cultural elements for ToD and their substantial influence on the institutional and environmental aspects of sustainability. The quantitative method involved surveying visitors to these two protected areas. A total of 810 visitors participated in this research. Respondents expressed the importance of these two sustainability groups. Also, the results of the research indicate that economic and socio-cultural factors influence the respondents’ satisfaction to a significant extent. The research findings may be significant in the creation of plans for the growth of tourism. Full article

This study conducted experiments to investigate the flexural behavior of steel–concrete composite beams with U-shaped sections, utilizing cold-formed lipped channels as web components. To enhance both flexural and shear performance, trapezoidal plates were added to the lower sides of the composite beams. A total of ten specimens were fabricated, with variables defined according to the following criteria: presence of bottom tension reinforcement and bottom studs, thickness of the trapezoidal side plates (6 mm and 8 mm), and the welding method. Four-point bending tests were conducted, and all specimens exhibited typical flexural failure at the ultimate state. Specimens with bottom tension reinforcement, specifically those in the H5-T6 and H5-T8 series, demonstrated increases in ultimate load of 28.8% and 33.5%, respectively, compared to specimens without tension reinforcement. The use of lipped channels enabled full composite action between the concrete and the steel web components, eliminating the need for stud anchors. Additionally, it was confirmed that the plastic neutral axis, reflecting the material test strengths, was located within the concrete slab as intended. This study also compared the design flexural strengths, calculated using the yield stress distribution method from structural steel design standards such as AISC 360 and KDS 14, with the experimental flexural strengths. The comparison was used to evaluate the applicability of current design standards. Full article

As drug overdose mortality rises in the United States, healthcare visits present critical opportunities to mitigate this trend. This study examines changes in healthcare visits for substance use disorders (SUDs) and remission prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Great Plains, with a focus on identifying the characteristics of those served. Data were analyzed from 109,671 patient visits (mode = one visit per patient), encompassing diverse demographics, including sex, age, race, ethnicity, and geographic location. Visits analyzed included those for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), Opioid Use Disorder (OUD), or Stimulant Use Disorder (StUD) and those in remission of these disorders between March 2019 and March 2021. Patient demographic information and geographic factors, like rurality and Medicaid expansion status, were considered, and logistic regression was utilized. Visits were primarily by White (70.83%) and Native American (21.39%) patients, non-Hispanic (91.70%) patients, and males (54.16%). Various demographic, geographic, and temporal trends were observed. Findings indicated that males were more likely to receive an AUD diagnosis, while females were more likely to receive an OUD or StUD diagnosis. Metropolitan-residing patients were more likely to receive an AUD diagnosis, while non-metropolitan patients were more likely to receive an OUD diagnosis. Remission odds increased for StUD during the pandemic but decreased for AUD and OUD. These findings illuminate the demographic and geographic patterns of SUD-related healthcare visits, suggesting critical touchpoints for intervention. The results emphasize the urgent need for targeted healthcare strategies, especially in rural and underserved areas, to address persistent health disparities. Full article

Horses were domesticated later than other farm animals. Horse breeds have been selectively developed by humans to satisfy different needs and purposes. The factory and indigenous breeds are of particular interest, having been bred in purity for many centuries without the addition of foreign blood. Data from 31 stud farms, as well as ranches, located in fifteen regions of the Russian Federation were used in this work. DNA was sampled from 102 stallions of 11 breeds: Arabian, Akhal-Teke, Don, Orlov Trotter, Vladimir Heavy Draft, Russian Heavy Draft, Soviet Heavy Draft, Kabardin, Yakut, Tuva, and Vyatka. Data on the origin of each animal from which the material was collected were taken into account. DNA genotyping was carried out using GGP Equine 70 k ^® array chips (Thermo Fisher Scientific, USA). Genetic diversity of horse breeds was estimated using Admixture 1.3. and PLINK 1.9 software. FROH inbreeding was computed via the R detectRUNS package. The minimum length for ROH was set at 1 Mb to reduce the occurrence of false positives. We conducted PCA analysis using PLINK 1.9, and used the ggplot2 library in R for visualizing the results. Indigenous equine breeds, such as Vyatka, Tuva, and Yakut, are very hardy, and well adapted to local environmental and climatic conditions. They are employed as draft power, as well as for milk and meat. Both the Akhal-Teke breed and the Arabian breed have retained a minimum effective population size over many generations. We note significant accumulations of homozygosity in these breeds. In equestrian sports, performance is a top priority. ADMIXTURE and PCA analyses showed similarities between Don equine breeds and Kabardin, as well as some Arabian breed animals. Earlier research indicated the presence of thoroughbred traits in Don stallions. The Orlov Trotter breed stands out as a separate cluster in the structural and PCA analyses. Considering the small population size of this breed, our study found high FROH in all tested animals. The general reduction in the diversity of the horse breed gene pool, due to numerous crosses for breed improvement with thoroughbreds, has lead to a decline in the differences between the top sporting breeds. Our study presents new opportunities for exploring the genetic factors that influence the formation of adaptive traits in indigenous breeds, and for finding ways to preserve genetic diversity for effective population reproduction. Full article

In terms of load transfer, the design of the joints in concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arch bridges is more critical than that in buildings due to the higher likelihood of steel–concrete-interface debonding. To improve the contact at the steel–concrete interface, a novel arch rib was manufactured by longitudinally welding perfobond-rib-shear connectors to the inner surface of a steel tube and then filling the tube with concrete. In this study, extensive numerical and analytical investigations on the mechanism of introducing loads into CFST arch ribs through perfobond-rib-shear connectors were carried out. A deck CFST arch bridge, namely, the Shuangbao Bridge in China, was selected as a typical application location. The design parameters, including the geometric dimensions of the perfobond-rib-shear connector and the arrangement of the perfobond rib along the cross-section and longitudinal section of the arch rib, were evaluated. The design flow for the joint with perfobond-rib-shear connectors between the vertical columns and the CFST arch ribs was proposed. To improve the load-transfer efficiency, the design scheme of the joint in the Shuangbao Bridge was optimized by replacing the weld studs with perfobond ribs. Significant increases of 1.84–4.02 in the shear resistance were found for the perfobond ribs compared to the welded studs. Additionally, the fabrication of the perfobond ribs was more convenient compared to that of the welded studs. Full article

The objectives of the present work were to evaluate the semen of dogs by means of proteomics methods and to compare with proteomics results of the blood of the animals, in order to increase available knowledge on the topic and present relevant reference values for semen samples. Semen samples were collected from five Beagle-breed dogs. Reproductive assessment of the animals by means of clinical, ultrasonographic and seminological examinations confirmed their reproductive health. The sperm-rich fraction and the prostatic fraction of semen were processed for proteomics evaluation. LC-MS/MS analysis was performed by means of a LTQ Orbitrap Elite system. The technology combines high separation capacity and strong qualitative ability of proteins in biological samples that require deep proteome coverage. Protein classification was performed based on their functional annotations using Gene Ontology (GO). In blood plasma, semen sperm-rich fraction, and semen prostatic fraction, 59, 42 and 43 proteins, respectively, were detected. Two proteins were identified simultaneously in plasma and the semen sperm-rich fraction, 11 proteins in plasma and the semen prostatic fraction, and three proteins in the semen sperm-rich and prostatic fractions. In semen samples, most proteins were related to cell organization and biogenesis, metabolic processes or transport of ions and molecules. Most proteins were located in the cell membrane, the cytosol or the nucleus. Finally, most proteins performed functions related to binding or enzyme regulation. There were no differences between the semen sperm-rich fraction and prostatic fractions in terms of the clustering of proteins. In conclusion, a baseline reference for proteins in the semen of Beagle-breed dogs is provided. These proteins are involved mostly in supporting spermatozoan maturation, survival and motility, enhancing the reproductive performance of male animals. There appears potential for the proteomics examination of semen to become a tool in semen evaluation. This analysis may potentially identify biomarkers for reproductive disorders. This can be particularly useful in stud animals, also given its advantage as a non-invasive method. Full article

Thermal bridges may have a significant prejudicial impact on the thermal behavior and energy efficiency of buildings. Given the high thermal conductivity of steel, in Lightweight Steel Framed (LSF) buildings, this detrimental effect could be even greater. The use of thermal break (TB) strips is one of the most broadly implemented thermal bridge mitigation technics. In a previous study, the performance of TB strips in partition LSF walls was evaluated. However, a search of the literature found no similar experimental campaigns for facade LSF walls, which are even more relevant for a building’s overall energy efficiency since they are in direct contact with the external environmental conditions. In this article the thermal performance of ten facade LSF wall configurations were measured, using the heat flow meter (HFM) method. These measurements were compared to numerical simulation predictions, exhibiting excellent similarity and, consequently, high reliability. One reference wall, three TB strip locations in the steel stud flanges and three TB strip materials were assessed. The outer and inner TB strips showed quite similar thermal performances, but with slightly higher thermal resistance for outer TB strips (around +1%). Furthermore, the TB strips were clearly less efficient in facade LSF walls when compared to their thermal performance improvement in load-bearing partition LSF walls. Full article

In this study, a deep convolutional neural network based on an improved You only look once version 3 (YOLOv3) is proposed to improve the accuracy and real-time detection of small targets in complex backgrounds when detecting leaky weld studs on an automotive workpiece. To predict stud locations, the prediction layer of the model increases from three layers to four layers. An image pyramid structure obtains stud feature maps at different scales, and shallow feature fusion at multiple scales obtains stud contour details. Focal loss is added to the loss function to solve the imbalanced sample problem. The reduced weight of simple background classes allows the algorithm to focus on foreground classes, reducing the number of missed weld studs. Moreover, K-medians algorithm replaces the original K-means clustering to improve model robustness. Finally, an image dataset of car body workpiece studs is built for model training and testing. The results reveal that the average detection accuracy of the improved YOLOv3 model is 80.42%, which is higher than the results of Faster R-CNN, single-shot multi-box detector (SSD), and YOLOv3. The detection time per image is just 0.32 s (62.8% and 23.8% faster than SSD and Faster R-CNN, respectively), fulfilling the requirement for stud leakage detection in real-world working environments. Full article

The main purpose of the study was to analyse the concentrations of selected essential and toxic trace elements in the hair of sports and recreational riding horses from studs located in central Poland and thus test the usefulness of this matrix for monitoring the exposure of these animals. We also measured the concentration of heavy metals in oats used as a basic component of the equine diet to investigate the interactions between these elements in the feed and hair. The basic chemical composition of oats was analysed. Elemental analysis was performed using an EcaFlow 150 GLP electrochemical analyser with an E-104L electrode and reference to a calibration curve. The chemical composition of oats was investigated by near infrared transmission (NIR) spectroscopy calibrated for an artificial neural network (ANN) using a Foss InfraXact spectrometer. Among all elements, the coefficient of variation was highest for Pb and lowest for Cd, regardless of the study group. The content of elements in horse hair was in the range of 153.56 to 185.79 mg·kg⁻¹ for Zn, 6.10 to 11.99 mg·kg⁻¹ for Cu, 0.578 to 0.813 mg·kg⁻¹ for Pb and 0.011 to 0.015 mg·kg⁻¹ for Cd (in kg of d.w.). For hair, we found a significant negative correlation for Zn-Cu (r_xy = −0.539) and Cd-Cu (r_xy = −0.676) at p ≤ 0.05. For feed, there was a highly significant positive correlation for Cu-Pb (r_xy = 0.723) and Zn-Cd (r_xy = 0.714) at p ≤ 0.01. We found significant negative oats–hair interactions for Cu-Zn, Pb-Cu, Cd-Cu and Zn-Pb, and a positive oats–hair interaction for Cu-Cu. Full article

This article is devoted to the study of the contents of zinc, cadmium, copper, and lead in lichen in the pastures of reindeer studs in the Timan and Bolshezemelskaya tundras. These areas are located in the Arctic part of Russia, to the west of the Polar Urals. These are areas where carbonate and sandstone rocks of the Permian–Mesozoic age dominate under the soil cover, as well as older deposits located in the western part of the research area (dated to the Cambrian–Devonian period). In these rocks, there is mineralization with metals, including copper. Research carried out in 2018 showed that in the surface layer of lichens, the concentration of metals was assessed differently in the upper, middle, and lower parts of the hill. On this basis, it was possible to identify clean and contaminated pastures. The high copper content in some pastures can be explained by the migration of metal ions from the parent rock. Due to the similar ionic radius of copper and the higher electrocativity in relation to zinc, the metal was probably displaced in the lichen. The observed concentrations can cause high levels of metals in the tissues and organs of deer. A high content of metals in lichens was found in samples collected near industrial enterprises, as well as at a considerable distance from them. At the same time, lichens at some locations near boiler houses or oil rigs are quite pure. In this regard, it has been suggested that the source of pollutants can be either natural factors (copper-bearing sands) or the ingress of metals from a remotely located source. Full article

The primary objective of this study was to develop a climate-sensitive modular-based structural stand density management model (SSDMM) for red pine (Pinus resinosa Aiton) plantations situated within the western Great Lakes—St. Lawrence and south-central Boreal Forest Regions of Canada. For a given climate change scenario (e.g., representative concentration pathway (RCP)), geographic location (longitude and latitude), site quality (site index) and crop plan (e.g., initial espacement density and subsequent thinning treatments), the resultant hierarchical-based SSDMM consisting of six integrated modules, enabled the prediction of a multitude of management-relevant performance metrics over rotational lengths out to the year 2100. These metrics included productivity measures (e.g., mean annual volume, biomass and carbon increments), volumetric yield estimates (e.g., total and merchantable volumes), pole and log product distributions (e.g., number and size distribution of pulp and saw logs, and utility poles), biomass production and carbon sequestration outcomes (e.g., oven-dried masses of above-ground components and associated carbon mass equivalents), recoverable end-product volumes and associated monetary values (e.g., volumes and economic worth estimates of recovered chip and dimensional lumber products extractable via stud and randomized length mill processing protocols), and crop tree fibre attributes reflective of end-product potential (e.g., wood density, microfibril angle, and modulus of elasticity). The core modules responsible for quantifying stand dynamics and structural change were developed using 491 tree-list measurements and 146 stand-level summaries obtained from 98 remeasured permanent sample plots situated within 21 geographically separated plantation-based initial spacing and thinning experiments distributed throughout southern and north-central Ontario. Computationally, the red pine SSDMM and associated algorithmic analogue (1) produced mathematically compatible stem and end-product volume estimates, (2) accounted for density-dependent as well as density-independent mortality losses, response delay following thinning and genetic worth effects, (3) enabled end-users to specify merchantability standards (log and pole dimensions), product degrade factors and cost profiles, and (4) addressed climate change impacts on rotational yield outcomes by geo-referencing RCP-specific effects on stand dynamical processes via the deployment of a climate-driven biophysical site-based height-age model. In summary, the provision of the red pine SSDMM and its unique ability to account for locale-specific climate change effects on crop planning forecasts inclusive of utility pole production, should be of consequential utility as the complexities of silvicultural decision-making intensify during the Anthropocene. Full article

This study aimed to examine the retentive characteristics of each retentive element material and the effects from thermocycling using the two implant-retained mandibular overdenture model. Two stud abutments and three retentive element materials; nylon, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and polyvinylsiloxane (PVS) were used in this study. Four tested groups, with a total of 40 overdentures, were fabricated, including a Locator^® abutment with nylon retention insert (NY), Novaloc^® abutment with PEEK retention insert (PK), Locator^® abutment with PVS retention insert (RL), and Novaloc^® abutment with PVS retention insert (RN). The retentive force (N) was measured before thermocycling, and at 2500, 5000, and 10,000 cycles after thermocycling. Significant changes in the percentage of retention loss were found in the NY and PK groups (p < 0.05) at 6 and 12 months for the RL group (p < 0.05) after artificial aging. The RN group exhibited a constant retentive force (p > 0.05). The tendency of the percentage of retention loss significantly increased for PEEK, nylon, and PVS silicone over time. The results of the present study implied that retentive element materials tend to lose their retentive capability as a result of thermal undulation and water dispersion. Nylon and PEEK, comprising strong polar groups in polymer chains, showed a higher rate of retention loss than polyvinylsiloxane. Full article

The old Swedish city Visby, located on the island Gotland, has, for several years, reported higher PM₁₀ concentrations than any other city in Sweden. In Visby, local limestone is used, both in road paving and as sand used for anti-slip measures, resulting in a clear annual pattern of PM₁₀ with the highest concentrations during winter/spring when studded tires are allowed. This study analyzes the short-term associations between PM₁₀ and daily number of patients with acute respiratory problems (ICD–10 diagnoses: J00–J99) seeking care at the hospital or primary healthcare units in Visby during the period of 2013–2019. The daily mean of PM₁₀ was on average 45 µg m⁻³ during winter/spring and 18 µg m⁻³ during summer/autumn. Four outcome categories were analyzed using quasi-Poisson regression models, stratifying for period and adjusting for calendar variables and weather. An increase in respiratory visits was associated with increasing concentrations in PM₁₀ during the summer/autumn period, most prominent among children, where asthma visits increased by 5% (95% CI: 2–9%) per 10 µg m⁻³ increase in PM₁₀. For the winter/spring period, no significant effects were observed, except for the diagnose group ‘upper airways’ in adults, where respiratory visits increased by 1% (95% CI: 0.1–1.9%) per 10 µg m⁻³ increase. According to the results, limestone in particles seem to be relatively harmless at the exposure concentrations observed in Visby, and this is in line with the results from a few experimental and occupational studies. Full article