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This study quantifies the extent to which active tobacco smoking is deleterious toward outcomes following open and endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair.Open and endovascular AAA repairs between January 2003 and June 2020 in the Vascular Quality Initiative were queried. Rupture, symptomatic status, and lack of 90 day follow-up were exclusions. Patients were then placed into 1 of 6 groups: open AAA with active smoking (n = 3,788), open AAA with prior smoking (n = 4,614), open AAA never smokers (817), endovascular AAA active smokers (n = 14,173), endovascular AAA former smokers (n = 25,831), and endovascular AAA never smokers (n = 6,064). Comparison of baseline characteristics, comorbidities, and adverse outcomes across each of the 6 cohorts was performed with open AAA in active smokers serving as the reference. Subanalysis investigating open AAA repair in active smokers relative to open AAA in patients confirmed in Vascular Quality Initiative to have quit smoking between 30 and 90 days before surgery was performed. Smoking cessation for a minimum of 30 days before surgery was required to fall into the former smoker category.In comparing open AAA in active smokers to open AAA in former and never smokers, the active smokers experienced significantly higher rates of pneumonia (P 0.001). Combined additive morbidity and mortality was highest (54%) in active smokers (P 0.001) relative to all cohorts other than open AAA former smokers (P = 0.21). Smoking status did not impact morbidity or mortality incidence across individuals undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair. Binary logistic regression for all AAA patients (open and endovascular combined) revealed those with any history of smoking to be more likely to experience 90 day mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.5 [2.2-2.9], P 0.001) relative to never smokers. Active smokers were similarly more likely to experience 90 day mortality than prior/never smokers combined (OR 1.23 [1.07-1.38], P 0.001). Mortality within 90 days was significantly more likely (P 0.001) with aging, female gender, larger aneurysms, preoperative history of congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic renal insufficiency, peripheral artery disease, and body mass index less than 20 and more than 35 mg/kgSmoking cessation 30 days before open AAA repair reduces perioperative morbidity and mortality. Smoking status does not impact morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing endovascular AAA repair. When combining all patients (open and endovascular), higher rates of 90 day mortality are associated with any history of smoking, aging, female gender, and advanced pre-existing comorbidities on a multivariable analysis.

Introduction The purpose of this study is to identify variables significantly associated with renal function decline after elective endovascular infra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and to identify the rate and risks of subsequent progression to dialysis. Specifically, we investigate the long-term impact of supra-renal fixation, female gender, and physiologically stressful perioperative events on renal function following endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Methods Review of all EVAR cases in the Vascular Quality Initiative between 2003 and 2021 was conducted to investigate variable associations with three primary outcomes: postoperative acute renal insufficiency (ARI); greater than 30% decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in patients beyond 1 year of follow up; and new onset dialysis requirement at any point in follow up. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed for the events of acute renal insufficiency and new onset dialysis requirement. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed regarding long term GFR decline. Results Postoperative ARI occurred in 3.4% (1692/49 772) of patients. Significant ( P < .05) association with postoperative ARI was noted for: age (OR 1.014/year, 95% CI 1.008-1.021); female gender (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27-1.67); hypertension (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04-1.44); chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.20-1.50); anemia (OR 4.24, 95% CI 3.71-4.84); reoperation at index admission (OR 7.86, 95% CI 6.47-9.54); baseline renal insufficiency (OR 2.29, 95% CI 2.03-2.56); larger aneurysm diameter; increased blood loss; and higher volumes of intra-operative crystalloid. Risk factors ( P < .05) correlating with a decline of 30% in GFR at any time beyond 1 year were: female gender (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.24-1.65); body mass index (BMI) less than 20 (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.03-1.74); hypertension (HR 1.38, 95% CI 1.15-1.64); diabetes (HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.17-1.53); COPD (HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07-1.37); anemia (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.52-2.42); baseline renal insufficiency (HR 1.31, 95% CI 1.15-1.49); absence of discharge ace-inhibitor (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.13-1.42); long term re-intervention (HR 2.43, 95% CI 1.84-3.21) and larger AAA diameter. Patients who experienced long term GRF decline had a significantly higher long-term morality. New onset dialysis following EVAR occurred in .47% (234/49 772) of those meeting inclusion criteria. Higher rate (P < .05) of new onset dialysis was associated with age (OR 1.03/year, 95% CI 1.02-1.05); diabetes (OR 1.376, 95% CI 1.005-1.885); baseline renal insufficiency (OR 6.32, 95% CI4.59-8.72); Reoperation at index admission (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.03-5.67); postoperative ARI (OR 23.29, 95% CI 16.99-31.91); absence of beta blocker (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.12-2.49); long term graft encroachment on renal arteries (OR 4.91, 95% CI 1.49-16.14). Conclusions New onset dialysis following EVAR is a rare event. Perioperative variables influencing renal function following EVAR include blood loss, arterial injury, and reoperation. Supra-renal fixation is not associated with postoperative acute renal insufficiency or new onset dialysis in long term follow up. Renal protective measures are recommended for patients with baseline renal insufficiency undergoing EVAR as acute renal insufficiency following EVAR portends a 20-fold increased risk of new onset dialysis in long term follow up.

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing (AM) is a promising route for the fabrication of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels. In this study, 14YWT ferritic steel powders were produced by gas atomization reaction synthesis (GARS). The rapid solidification resulted in the formation of stable, Y-containing intermetallic Y2Fe17 on the interior of the powder and a stable Cr-rich oxide surface. The GARS powders were consolidated with LPBF. Process parameter maps identified a stable process window resulting in a relative density of 99.8%. Transmission electron microscopy and high-energy x-ray diffraction demonstrated that during LPBF, the stable phases in the powder dissociated in the liquid melt pool and reacted to form a high density (1.7 × 1020/m3) of homogeneously distributed Ti2Y2O7 pyrochlore dispersoids ranging from 17 to 57 nm. The use of GARS powder bypasses the mechanical alloying step typically required to produce ODS feedstock. Preliminary mechanical tests demonstrated an ultimate tensile and yield strength of 474 MPa and 312 MPa, respectively.

Earthquakes are natural hazards leading to the greatest human and economic losses, which are mostly due to structural collapses. Rapid identification and assessment of earthquake-induced damage to structures is therefore an essential component of the emergency response, and instrumental to effective reconstruction plans. Typically, structural damage assessment is conducted through building-by-building inspections during post-earthquake field reconnaissance missions. These missions are expensive and time-consuming, especially if large areas need to be investigated. Remote sensing techniques provide a relatively low-cost, wide-area alternative to in-situ monitoring. Classification and change detection based on pre- and post-event optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite images are the most used approaches to detect damaged structures after earthquakes. However, these techniques only provide qualitative observations of collapsed or severely damaged structures. In this work, we present a new approach for the quantitative assessment of earthquake-induced structural damage based on displacement measurements acquired by Airborne Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR). The approach is based on the integration between LiDAR-based observations and structural indicators of damage. The application to the analysis of 684 buildings affected by the 2014 Napa earthquake, in California, demonstrates a good agreement between the LiDAR-based results and independent in-situ observations. This work sets the basis for the innovative exploitation of remote sensing data in disaster management.

The current Society for Vascular Surgery guidelines for the treatment of patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis recommend endarterectomy for patients with70% stenosis and acceptable surgical risk. The reduced rate of stroke with modern medical therapy has increased the importance of careful selection in deciding which patients should undergo elective carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic disease. It would, therefore, be very prudent to investigate preexisting variables predictive of 5-year mortality for patients meeting the criteria to undergo CEA.The Vascular Quality Initiative was queried from 2003 onward for all cases of CEA. Inclusion in the study required the following: (1) documentation of survival status; (2) complete data on all incorporated demographic study variables; and (3) asymptomatic neurologic status. The variables present at surgery were investigated using binary logistic regression to identify multivariate predictors of 5-year mortality. The highest risk variables were then interrogated for an additive effect regarding long-term mortality. A subanalysis was performed for patients aged80 years.A total of 30,615 patients met the inclusion criteria, 5414 (18%) of whom had died within 5 years. The highest risk variables were classified as those that had had an adjusted odds ratio1.25, P .001, and beta coefficient of ≥0.25. These included a body mass index 20 kg/mWe identified 12 particularly high-risk variables, which, in combination, progressively predicted for increasing mortality within 5 years of CEA performed for asymptomatic stenosis. Special attention should be given to patients aged80 years and patients with any history of congestive heart failure regardless of current symptoms, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, renal insufficiency or end-stage renal disease, peripheral artery disease, diabetes, and variables associated with frailty (BMI under 20, anemia, assisted living status).

Introduction While there exists copious short-term data regarding renal function following infra-renal endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR), long-term analysis is sparse. This is a single institution retrospective review of predictors of renal function decline 5 years after elective EVAR. Methods All EVAR between 2007 and 2015 were queried. Patients in whom renal function was documented 5 years postoperatively were included in analysis. Exclusion criteria were ruptured aneurysm, mortality before 56 months, lack of follow-up, ESRD status, and concomitant renal intervention. The primary outcome investigated was a 20% or greater drop in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 5 years postoperatively. The following variables at the time of surgery were investigated as potential predictors: age, gender, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, CAD or prior MI, COPD, prior stroke, baseline eGFR under 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, supra-renal fixation, infra-renal fixation, neck diameter, neck length, and number of contrast CT. Results 354 EVAR were identified of which 143 met inclusion criteria (211 excluded). Univariate analysis revealed female gender (OR 2.7), hypertension (OR 9.4), baseline renal insufficiency (OR 3.8), larger neck diameter, and supra-renal fixation (OR 2.32) all predictive ( P < .05) of GFR drop at 5 years. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis found female gender (multivariate OR 3.9, P = .023) and baseline renal insufficiency (multivariate OR 3.0, P = .029) as significant predictors of greater than 20% GFR drop at 5 years. Only 2 patients of the 143 progressed to dialysis requirement at 5 years. Conclusions Females and patients with baseline renal insufficiency are more vulnerable to significant decline in renal function 5 years following EVAR. Consistent with analogous literature, supra-renal fixation appears moderately deleterious toward renal function with no clinical significance in those with baseline normal renal function. The potential benefit of avoidance of supra-renal fixation in female patients with baseline renal insufficiency is worth further investigation in a more robust multi-center study.

T cells that are gene-modified with tumor-specific T cell receptors are a promising treatment for metastatic melanoma patients. In a clinical trial, we treated seven metastatic melanoma patients with autologous T cells transduced to express a tyrosinase-reactive T cell receptor (TCR) (TIL 1383I) and a truncated CD34 molecule as a selection marker. We followed transgene expression in the TCR-transduced T cells after infusion and observed that both lentiviral- and retroviral-transduced T cells lost transgene expression over time, so that by 4 weeks post-transfer, few T cells expressed either lentiviral or retroviral transgenes. Transgene expression was reactivated by stimulation with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 beads and cytokines. TCR-transduced T cell lentiviral and retroviral transgene expression was also downregulated in vitro when T cells were cultured without cytokines. Transduced T cells cultured with interleukin (IL)-15 maintained transgene expression. Culturing gene-modified T cells in the presence of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors maintained transgene expression and functional TCR-transduced T cell responses to tumor. These results implicate epigenetic processes in the loss of transgene expression in lentiviral- and retroviral-transduced T cells., Graphical Abstract, Nishimura and colleagues demonstrate that transgene expression in gene-modified anti-tumor T cells is reversibly downregulated over time in vivo and in vitro. Treatment with IL-15 or with HDAC inhibitors (sodium butyrate or vorinostat) reduced this downregulation and maintained T cell functional responses to tumor cells.

Distributed fiber-optic sensing (DFOS) technologies have been used for decades to detect damage in infrastructure. One recent DFOS technology, Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry (OFDR), has attracted attention from the structural engineering community because its high spatial resolution and refined accuracy could enable new monitoring possibilities and new insight regarding the behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. The current research project explores the ability and potential of OFDR to measure distributed strain in RC structures through laboratory tests on an innovative beam–column connection, in which a partial slot joint was introduced between the beam and the column to control damage. In the test specimen, fiber-optic cables were embedded in both the steel reinforcement and concrete. The specimen was tested under quasi-static cyclic loading with increasing displacement demand at the structural laboratory of the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center of UC Berkeley. Different types of fiber-optic cables were embedded both in the concrete and the rebar. The influence of the cable coating and cable position are discussed. The DFOS results are compared with traditional measurements (DIC and LVDT). The high resolution of DFOS at small deformations provides new insights regarding the mechanical behavior of the slotted RC beam–column connection, including direct measurement of beam curvature, rebar deformation, and slot opening and closing. A major contribution of this work is the quantification of the performance and limitations of the DFOS system under large cyclic strains. Performance is quantified in terms of non-valid points (which occur in large strains when the DFOS analyzer does not return a strain value), maximum strain that can be reliably measured, crack width that causes cable rupture, and the effect of the cable coating on the measurements. Structural damage indices are also proposed based on the DFOS results. These damage indices correlate reasonably well with the maximum sustained drift, indicating the potential of using DFOS for RC structural damage assessment. The experimental data set is made publicly available.

Background Mural thrombus in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has been associated with increased rates of aneurysm growth as well as adverse cardiovascular events. The extent of mural thrombus in thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms has recently been linked to 1-year mortality following endovascular repair and has been hypothesized as a marker for reduced cardiac reserve. This study investigates whether the extent of mural thrombus in infra-renal AAA is associated with 5-year mortality following elective repair. Methods Retrospective review of all patients undergoing elective infra-renal AAA repair at a single academic medical center between 2007 and 2016 was performed. The following variables at the time of surgery were investigated for association with 5-year mortality: age, sex, ethnicity, insurance status and co-morbidities, repair type, renal insufficiency, end-stage renal disease on dialysis, history of smoking, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, body mass index category, AAA diameter, and ratio of aortic thrombus to total aneurysm diameter. Results Amongst 427 patients undergoing infra-renal AAA repair during the study period, 232 met extensive inclusion criteria. Univariate analysis found mean age (76 vs 72, p < 0.01), age cohort over 72 years (OR = 1.9, p = 0.04), renal insufficiency (OR = 3.1, p < 0.01), ESRD (OR = 6.5, p < 0.01), AAA diameter 6 cm or greater (OR = 2.3, p < 0.01), and mean AAA diameter (61.36 vs 56.99 mm, p < 0.01) all predictive of 5-year mortality. Multivariate analysis revealed renal insufficiency ( p < 0.01) and AAA diameter 6 cm or greater ( p = 0.03) to be significantly associated with 5-year mortality. The extent of mural thrombus was identical between 5-year survivors and non-survivors. The mean inner to outer AAA diameter was 0.65 in the survivor cohort and 0.64 in the mortality cohort. Inner to outer ratio of < 0.5 was identified in 23% of 5-year survivors and 27% of the mortality group. Conclusions In our experience, the extent of mural thrombus in AAA does not influence long-term survival after elective repair. AAA repair may provide protection against circulating components of mural thrombus which have the potential to promote atherosclerotic-related adverse events. Patients with renal insufficiency and larger AAA have increased risk of mortality 5 years after elective repair.

Objective Adverse perioperative events and discharge medications both have the potential to impact survival following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). We hypothesize that variables such as blood loss, reoperation in the same hospital admission, and lack of discharge statin/aspirin have significant effect on long term survival following EVAR. Similarly, other perioperative morbidities, are hypothesized to affect long term mortality. Quantifying the mortality effect of perioperative events and treatment emphasizes to physicians the critical nature of preoperative optimization, case planning, operative execution and postoperative patient management. Methods All EVAR in the Vascular Quality Initiative between 2003 and 2021 were queried. Exclusions were: ruptured/symptomatic aneurysm; concomitant renal artery or supra-renal intervention at the time of EVAR; conversion to open aneurysm repair at the time of initial operation; and undocumented mortality status at the 5 year mark postoperatively. 18,710 patients met inclusion criteria. Multivariable Cox regression time dependent analysis was performed to investigate the strength of mortality association of the exposure variables. Standard demographic variables and pre-existing major co-morbidities were included in the regression analysis to account for disproportionate, deleterious co-variables amongst those experiencing the various morbidities. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to provide survival curves for the key variables. Results Mean follow up was 5.99 years and 5-year survival for included patients was 69.2%. Cox regression revealed increased long term mortality to be associated with the following perioperative events: reoperation during the index hospital admission (HR 1.21, P = .034), perioperative leg ischemia (HR 1.34, P = .014), perioperative acute renal insufficiency (HR 1.24, P = .013), perioperative myocardial infarction (HR 1.87, P < .001), perioperative intestinal ischemia (HR 2.13, P < .001), perioperative respiratory failure (HR 2.15, P < .001), lack of discharge aspirin (HR 1.26, P < .001), and lack of discharge statin (HR 1.26, P < .001). The following pre-existing co-morbidities correlated with increased long term mortality ( P < .001 for all) : body mass index under 20 kg/m2, hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, reported history congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral artery disease, advancing age, baseline renal insufficiency and left ventricular ejection fraction less than 50%. Females were more likely to have EBL >300 mL, reoperation, perioperative MI, limb ischemia and acute renal insufficiency than males ( P < .01 for all). Female sex trended but was not associated with increased long term mortality risk (HR 1.06, 95% CI .995-1.14, P = .072). Conclusions Survival after EVAR is improved with optimal operative planning to facilitate evading the need for reoperation and ensuring patients without contra-indication are discharged with aspirin and statin medications. Females and patients with pre-existing co-morbidity are at particularly higher risk for perioperative limb ischemia, renal insufficiency, intestinal ischemia and myocardial ischemia necessitating appropriate preparation and preventative measures.

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of several modifiable variables on the occurrence of stroke after the initial perioperative period for patients who had undergone carotid endarterectomy (CEA).The primary outcome for the present study was the development of an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to CEA after the initial hospitalization. All CEAs in the VQI between January 2003 and May 2022 were queried. We identified 171,816 CEAs in the database. The exclusion criteria for the study were the lack of follow-up data for30 days, concomitant coronary artery bypass surgery, concomitant proximal or distal carotid intervention at CEA, other arterial interventions at CEA, and stroke or TIA during the initial hospital admission, leaving 126,290 patients for analysis. We used the χThe following variables achieved significance on Cox regression for an association with development of ipsilateral hemispheric ischemic events after the index CEA hospital admission: lack of patch placement at CEA site (hazard ratio [HR], 18.24; P .0001), lack of antiplatelet therapy at long-term follow-up (LTFU; HR, 9.75; P .0001), lack of statin therapy at LTFU (HR, 3.18; P .001), lack of statin therapy at hospital discharge (HR, 1.25; P = .015), anticoagulation at LTFU (HR, 1.53; P .001), development of70% recurrent stenosis (HR, 2.15; P .001), and shunt use at surgery (HR, 1.20; P = .007). Patients with patch placement at surgery and patients with confirmed antiplatelet therapy at LTFU had had 99.8% and 99.6% freedom from an ischemic event ipsilateral to the side of the CEA at LTFU, respectively. This finding is in contrast to the 5.7% and 4.7% positivity for ischemic events for those without patch placement at surgery and those not receiving antiplatelet therapy at LTFU, respectively (P .0001 for both).Performance of patch angioplasty arterial closure was remarkably protective against ipsilateral cerebral ischemic events at LTFU after CEA. Discharging and maintaining patients with antiplatelet and statin medication after CEA significantly reduces the incidence of future ipsilateral ischemic events. Thus, a significant opportunity exists for enhanced outcomes with improved implementation of these measures.

© 2018 The International Masonry Society (IMS). The masonry viaduct at Marsh Lane is an important part of the railway network near Leeds, UK, dating from the 1860s. However, deterioration has resulted in notable deflections under train loads, which have concerned asset managers. Coupled with uncertainty regarding the true structural behaviour under serviceability conditions, this has led to detailed monitoring of the viaduct. This paper summarises the main conclusions of the monitoring installation before focusing on the evaluation of computational modelling of the viaduct, through comparison of modelling and monitoring results. In the monitoring scheme, fibre-optic cables containing Fibre-Bragg Gratings allowed measurement of dynamic in-plane barrel strains while digital image correlation captured displacements using commercial video cameras. The results illuminated a complicated three-dimensional dynamic response under train loading and highlighted the importance of interaction between adjacent spans. Separately, rail loading of the viaduct was simulated with a series of finite element models, each with increasing levels of complexity, to establish the relative stiffness contributions of various structural components. These models were then compared to detailed measurements from the real viaduct so that their validity could be evaluated. This approach revealed the impact of some common modelling assumptions and permitted assessment of nonlinear contributions to structural behaviour.

This paper investigates the tunnel-building interaction (TSI); in particular, the contribution of shear structure deformations to TSI is addressed. An elastic solution is adopted based on beam elements con- nected to an elastic continuum. Bearing wall structures are modelled as Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko simple beams (located at the ground level and mid-height of the structure), whereas plane frames are adopted for the frames on a continuous strip footing. Tunnelling-induced displacements, deformations, and internal forces at the beam axes and foundation members are detailed. Results show that shear flexibility of Timoshenko beams and framed configurations alter the TSI mechanism and can lead to greater tunnelling-induced deformations. For frames, the stiffening effect of the higher storeys is minor. Finally, results also display the extent to which stiff elements experience larger tunnelling-induced internal forces with respect to flexible beams. The potential for structural failure within RC elements is estimated with a simplified procedure.

This discussion considers the procedure proposed by Haji, Marshall and Tizani for the assessment of the structural stiffness of frame structures subjected to tunnelling. The discussion focuses on the potential contribution of both shear and bending flexibilities to the response of frame structures to tunnelling, as well as the role of the foundation scheme on the boundary conditions at the base of the structure. The validity of applying the proposed set of equations within currently available methods of prediction of tunnelling-induced deformations, based on modification factors, is also discussed.

The research for this book was conducted using a qualitative approach. Qualitative research is “characterized by the search for meaning and understanding, ” which uses the “researcher as the primary instrument of data collection and analysis” (Merriam, 2002, p. 6). The researcher uses an “inductive investigative strategy” to complete “a richly descriptive end product” (Merriam, 2002, p. 6). As the broader notions of teaching and teacher are considered through understanding how teachers mentor students, a qualitative approach better serves to capture the nuances and complexities inherent in present day secondary schools.

While the previous chapter discussed how teachers understand and enact mentoring, this chapter seeks to understand how students view the mentoring process. While it is true that teachers might reflect on their mentoring practice to consider what they have found to be helpful or problematic in mentoring students, students may, at times, have their own opinions of what is and is not effective in mentoring based on their own experiences as mentees. Therefore, this chapter will explore the stories, assumptions, and beliefs of mentored students several years after graduation.

Mentor begins not as a phenomenon, but as a name. Homer’s The Odyssey introduces the Greek hero Odysseus who, upon leaving for the Trojan War, leaves his son Telemachus “in the care of Mentor” (Mullen, 2005, p. 30). Keller (2010) notes that, “In this case, mentoring entailed substantial responsibility for raising a youth at the request of an absent parent ” (p. 25). Thus, mentors, as seen in this tale, or even in real life examples such as Aristotle’s relationship with Alexander the Great, were ever more than teachers. They were often hired by the powerful to groom children into becoming successful rulers.

Marshall (1996) suggests that there are at least three major strategies to choosing appropriate participants. The first is the convenience strategy whereby, for the sake of this book, teachers would be chosen simply because they were accessible. Such participant selection would provide “poor quality data” (Marshall, 1996, p. 523) and might present the research as lacking “intellectual credibility” (Marshall, 1996, p. 523). This strategy was therefore excluded.

As a former youth worker, I led youth groups that focused on mentoring junior high and secondary school students. My practice centred on recruiting and training adult mentors from a wide variety of backgrounds to mentor students on a weekly basis, both in small groups and one-on-one sessions. Though much of the youth mentoring literature focuses on at-risk students, the mentors that were part of our programs noticed that even students who were not at-risk, which were the majority of our students, still grappled with major life issues, from deep relational difficulties with parents or siblings, feelings of failure and insecurity at school, and pessimism about their post-secondary school opportunities.

The previously considered themes revealed important perspectives when approaching the discussion of secondary school teachers as mentors to students. Such perspectives indicate that, in varying degrees, teachers often perform in ways similar to classical notions of a mentor. They, at times, assume a role in place of the absent parent. Mentors need to actively engage the diversity of their students, addressing complexity rather than avoiding it, realizing that much more important to the success of the relationship is the competence of the mentor and the duration of the relationship.

This chapter presents findings from interviews with teachers where participants were asked seven exploratory questions. This structure allowed for follow-up questions and inquiries that were specific to the individual teacher. The flexible format of the interview also allowed teachers to offer materials that were pertinent to their mentoring experiences including, in the case of Maggie, sharing resources that she had chosen to use in class with students in need of support. Annie offered emails and correspondence between herself and her students, particularly those who had graduated and were still looking for direction and life encouragement from her.

Fifty-one participants in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria volunteered to examine the relationship between metaphor and mentoring. Metaphor was considered the “attempt to understand one experience in terms of another” (Morgan, 1997). A mentor was considered an “older, more experienced adult,” over the age of twenty-one, that agreed to a formal program-based relationship with an “unrelated, younger protege” (Rhodes, 2002). This descriptive study generated findings to indicate that both mentors and mentees used metaphor in part to guide their way through the mentoring relationship. The use of metaphor suggested that such comparisons could be beneficial to the relationship, but that the use of metaphor should be approached with caution. The findings further indicated that a continuing discussion between mentors and mentees about their metaphorical perceptions could be a useful tool in the relationship. This paper reports on the use of a few of these metaphors, namely the friend vs. family metaphor, as well as the actual provided metaphor of Big Brother Big Sister.

The Marsh Lane viaduct is a masonry railway bridge constructed during the 19th century nearby Leeds Central Railway Station. The bridge appears significantly damaged due to the increase of the operational train loads over the last decades and due to environmental effects. Due to this degradation, extensive repair was conducted in 2015. After this repair work, an extensive fibre optic sensor network was installed below three spans of the bridge to monitor surface strains at 68 locations on the underside of the arch spans. The paper compares data collected from two monitoring periods, 16 months apart. Combining statistical analysis and signal processing techniques, the results show that local damage, as well as change in the global dynamic behaviour of the structure over time, can be effectively detected with the use of Fibre Bragg Grating sensors., This work is being funded by the Lloyd���s Register Foundation, EPSRC and Innovate UK through the Data-Centric Engineering programme of the Alan Turing Institute and through the Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC). Funding for the monitoring installation was provided by EPSRC under the Ref. EP/N021614/1 grant and by Innovate UK under the Ref. 920035 grant.

© 2016 International Masonry Society. All rights reserved. Following the collapse of a tympanum pinnacle at Beverley Minster in Yorkshire, a research project was undertaken to investigate the wind forces which act on stone pinnacles. A survey was conducted and the most common failure modes were identified, which highlighted the importance of dynamic forces in addition to the static drag force. Further, the potential impact of decorative crockets on these forces was of interest. Both static and dynamic forces on pinnacles were investigated through a series of wind tunnel tests. The results demonstrate the relative magnitude of these forces, and that the decorative crockets do appreciably affect both the drag force and wind-induced vibration. The experimental data was used to derive general relationships for wind forces acting on stone pinnacles for potential use in engineering practice.

The efficient preservation of masonry monuments presents several challenges given that they are characterized by much larger uncertainties than ordinary buildings and conventional analysis tools may fail in providing a reliable characterization of their structural behavior. A complete understanding of the structural behavior of masonry monuments requires integration of historical, topographical, structural, and geotechnical information. From 2010, an interdisciplinary committee has been established to study the Cathedral of Modena, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture in Italy. Great effort has been devoted to the assessment of the structural health of the Cathedral, revealing that the vaults are the most vulnerable components, and that the dynamic response may be significantly affected by differential soil properties at the supports. The Discrete Element Method provides a useful numerical tool to assess the dynamic behavior of masonry buildings, though previous work has been primarily focused on the structural response with less attention devoted to soil-structure interaction. In this study, a simplified modeling technique is employed to account for soil structure interaction within the DEM framework. More specifically, a specific cross section of the Cathedral, characterized by different soil properties at the supports and the absence of tie-rods, is studied. The results indicate the importance of the soil effects on the structural response.