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Structural Monitoring in Civil Engineering – The new guideline B 09 of the German Society for Non‐Destructive Testing (DGZfP) Measurement systems for structural monitoring provide insights into their real load‐bearing and deformation behavior. The planning and technical implementation of such measures require a high level of expertise for the successful fulfillment of the tasks, both on the planning side and for the technical evaluation of the monitoring solutions offered. The German Society for Non‐Destructive Testing (DGZfP) has developed the Code of Practice "Monitoring of Civil Engineering Structures" to assist in this process. In this article, the contents of the new bulletin is presented and its place in the context of the existing literature demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science communication, as the communication in which science and society enter into an exchange with each other about scientific problems, is becoming more and more important. In contrast to scholarly communication, where science communicates within scientific communities (science-to-science), science communication uses other mechanisms, platforms and communication methods (science-to-public and public-to-science). Due to social media, the barrier for direct exchange and entry into science communication has become lower and lower for scholars. However, certain methodological, technical and social competencies are needed not only to initiate this exchange, but also to actively enter into it and accompany it. So far, these competences have rarely been part of academic training and have not been recorded and presented in a structured way. With a focus on independent digital science communication, i. e. researchers creating their own digital communication formats, a corresponding reference framework will be developed in this working paper.

Copyright of Zentralblatt fuer Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Testing UHPFRC according to DIN EN 14651 – Effect of manufacturing procedure on the test results In practice, ultra‐high performance fibre‐reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) is usually produced so that it is flowable to very flowable. The draft of the DAfStb Guideline "Ultra‐high‐Performance Concrete" defines for this case that the beams, on which the residual flexural tensile strength of UHPFRC is determined, are produced by filling the moulds from one end face. In order to ensure that reproducible test results are obtained by this method, three‐point bending tests were carried out on beams made of fine‐ and coarse‐grained UHPFRC and the distribution and orientation of the fibres were evaluated as part of a research project funded by the German Committee for Structural Concrete. In the course of these investigations, an alternative method of producing the test specimens was also tested. The residual flexural tensile strengths as well as the number of fibres, the "effective" fibre volume fraction, and the fibre orientation near the failure section were determined for all specimens. Differences were primarily found with regard to the maximum aggregate size, while a significant influence of the manufacturing procedure could not be identified. The results suggest that the investigated methods are equally suitable for manufacturing the test specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "MDR for dental technology: The basic safety and performance requirements (GruSuLa)" deals with the basic safety and performance requirements for medical devices in dental technology according to the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR). Medical devices must be safe and effective and must not endanger the clinical condition of patients or the safety of users. The handling of the products should be user-friendly and the processing processes simple and manageable. Manufacturers of medical devices must implement a risk management system to identify and reduce risks. The packaging of medical devices must ensure that there is no contamination, mix-up, or damage. The basic safety and performance requirements are described in detail in the annexes of the MDR. The article deals with deviations from safety and performance characteristics when using dental materials. Various examples of such deviations are mentioned, such as the use of undisclosed material combinations or the undersizing of crowns. The article also addresses the basic safety and performance requirements according to the MDR, particularly focusing on three substance groups: CMR substances, phthalates, and nanomaterials. It is emphasized that the use of nanomaterials can potentially be dangerous and that manufacturers must demonstrate that their products do not contain nanomaterials. The requirements for design and manufacturing are listed in a table. The text describes various requirements for medical products. It is emphasized that the quality, safety, and benefits of the products must be verified according to the applicable conformity assessment procedures. Products that are introduced into the human body and absorbed or distributed by the body must meet certain requirements. Products made from biological materials must follow certain provisions for manufacturing and processing. Requirements for products with diagnostic or measuring functions, as well as for protection against radiation and programmable electronic systems, are also described. Finally, requirements for active products and associated products are mentioned. The text describes various requirements for medical products regarding their internal or external power source, monitoring of clinical parameters, reduction of electromagnetic interference, protection against unintended electrical shocks, protection against unauthorized access, protection against mechanical and thermal risks, protection against risks from the release of energy or substances, and protection against risks during use by laypersons. These requirements are intended to ensure that the products are safe and functional. Compliance with these requirements can be demonstrated through testing and documentation in the manufacturer's technical documentation. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The lifetime prevalence of chronic urticaria (CU) is 0.5%–1%. In some patients with CU, symptomatic control is not achieved with non‐sedating second‐generation H1 antihistamines (nsAH1) alone, even with quadrupled standard doses as recommended in international guidelines. In these cases, biological treatment with omalizumab can be added. Since omalizumab is expensive compared to antihistamines, lack of adherence to guidelines for high dose nsAH1 (up to four‐fold standard dose per day) may be associated with substantial unnecessary costs. The aim was to measure the use nsAH1 before and during omalizumab use for the first time in an omalizumab treated CU population. Methods: We identified all Danish patients with CU who initiated omalizumab from March 2014 to December 2018 and evaluated new and ongoing nsAH1 treatments using the Danish nationwide registries. Results: A total of 955 CU patients initiated treatment with omalizumab within the study period (median age 40 years [IQR 28–50], 74.5% females). During the 12 months prior to omalizumab initiation, 95.6% of the patients filled at least one prescription with nsAH1 at some point, while 84.7% filled at least one prescription during the three months before omalizumab. From 3 months before omalizumab initiation till 3 months after, the proportions of users of high‐dose nsAH1 was maximum 31.1%. Conclusions: Omalizumab was usually administered before sufficient nsAH1 treatment was tried. In despite of the labelling that omalizumab should be co‐administered with high dose nsAH1, this does not happen This may lead to substantial unnecessary costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The lifetime prevalence of chronic urticaria (CU) is 0.5%–1%. In some patients with CU, symptomatic control is not achieved with non‐sedating second‐generation H1 antihistamines (nsAH1) alone, even with quadrupled standard doses as recommended in international guidelines. In these cases, biological treatment with omalizumab can be added. Since omalizumab is expensive compared to antihistamines, lack of adherence to guidelines for high dose nsAH1 (up to four‐fold standard dose per day) may be associated with substantial unnecessary costs. The aim was to measure the use nsAH1 before and during omalizumab use for the first time in an omalizumab treated CU population. Methods We identified all Danish patients with CU who initiated omalizumab from March 2014 to December 2018 and evaluated new and ongoing nsAH1 treatments using the Danish nationwide registries. Results A total of 955 CU patients initiated treatment with omalizumab within the study period (median age 40 years [IQR 28–50], 74.5% females). During the 12 months prior to omalizumab initiation, 95.6% of the patients filled at least one prescription with nsAH1 at some point, while 84.7% filled at least one prescription during the three months before omalizumab. From 3 months before omalizumab initiation till 3 months after, the proportions of users of high‐dose nsAH1 was maximum 31.1%. Conclusions Omalizumab was usually administered before sufficient nsAH1 treatment was tried. In despite of the labelling that omalizumab should be co‐administered with high dose nsAH1, this does not happen This may lead to substantial unnecessary costs.

This text is a summary of a virtual lecture given and recorded in April 2021 as part of the 17:15 colloquium series at the ETH Library in Zurich. The lecture deals with the question of what role university libraries are assigned in the new DFG (German research funding organisation) code of ethics, what role they already play in this context, and what role they can still play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, many organizations published ethical guidelines to emphasize their stance against algorithmic bias. Four of these frameworks are examined using Critical Discourse Analysis. The aim is to identify the values and value conflicts conveyed in them. The results indicate that established values from computer and information ethics are taken up and existing power structures between actors are reinforced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of Fibre Orientation and Fibre Volume Fraction on the Compressive Strength of Ultra‐High Performance Concrete Depending on the geometry and casting method, structural members made of fibre reinforced concrete may (locally) show very different fibre orientation. As a result, the fibre reinforced concrete no longer behaves isotropically, but shows different tensile and compressive behaviour depending on the direction of loading. This aspect is of special importance for ultra‐high performance concrete (UHPC), since UHPC is typically applied with high fibre volume fraction. While the influence of fibre orientation on the tensile behaviour of UHPC has already been subject of numerous studies, there was a lack of meaningful data so far in order to be able to quantify the anisotropy in compression caused by the fibres. Thus, the influence of fibre orientation and fibre volume fraction on the failure pattern and on the compressive strength of fine‐ and coarse‐grained UHPC was investigated in a series of tests. The results show that with predominantly unidirectional alignment of fibres in the plane perpendicular to the loading direction, the compressive strength increases significantly with increasing fibre volume fraction. In contrast, the influence of fibre volume fraction is marginal with predominantly unidirectional alignment of fibres in the direction of loading. Depending on the loading direction, the compressive strength tested on cubes differs by up to 26 MPa and 14 %, respectively. The difference between cube and cylinder compressive strength increases with increasing fibre volume fraction. Based on the results, a proposal for classifying UHPC in the DAfStb Guideline "Ultra‐High Performance Concrete" is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ende März 2019 beschloss das EU-Parlament die heftig umstrittene Richtlinie 2019/790 zum Urheberrecht im digitalen Binnenmarkt. Mitte April passierte sie den Rat und steht nun mit zweijähriger Frist zur Umsetzung im jeweiligen nationalen Recht der Mitgliedstaaten an. Von diversen Freihandelsabkommen abgesehen, trafen Vorhaben der EU kaum je auf ähnlich massiven Widerstand. Wie geriet ein Themenfeld, das bis vor Kurzem ausschließlich Spezialisten und Spezialistinnen kümmerte, ins Zentrum einer breiten, höchst kontrovers und emotional geführten Debatte? Herbert Gnauer schildert die Entwicklung aus durchaus persönlicher Sicht und erklärt, weshalb die Angelegenheit damit noch längst nicht erledigt ist.

Copyright of German Journal of Sports Medicine / Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Sportmedizin is the property of Verein zur Forderung der Sportmedizin Hannover e.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Abstract: Effect of Specimen Geometry on the Compressive Strength of Ultra‐High Performance Concrete The conformity check for ultra‐high performance concrete (UHPC), which is subject of the current draft of the DAfStb Guideline “Ultra‐High Performance Concrete”, requires factors that allow a conversion between compressive strengths obtained for UHPC specimens with different shape and size. Up to now, there was a lack of reliable test results that could form the basis for defining generally applicable conversion factors. Therefore, the influence of the specimen geometry on the results of compressive strength tests on normal strength concrete, high strength concrete, and UHPC was investigated experimentally within the scope of a research project funded by the German Committee for Structural Concrete. The mean cylinder compressive strengths of the individual series ranged between approx. 30 MPa and 200 MPa. With maximum grain sizes of 0.5 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm, and 8 mm, the UHPC mixtures largely covered the scope of the forthcoming DAfStb Guideline. Besides cylinders with h/d [mm] = 300/150 and cubes with an edge length d = 150 mm, whose characteristic compressive strength will be used to classify UHPC, smaller cylinders with h/d [mm] = 200/100 and smaller cubes with d = 100 mm were tested. The draft of the DAfStb Guideline “Ultra‐High Performance Concrete” classifies UHPC by the strength classes C130/140, C150/155 and C175/180. The denominations adequately reflect the small difference between cylinder and cube strength observed in the tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the German Transfusion Law, the periodically updated guidelines "Richtlinien zur Gewinnung von Blut und Blutbestandteilen und zur Anwendung von Blutprodukten" ("Hämotherapierichtlinien") are intended to provide the current knowledge and state of the art of blood transfusion practice in Germany. The novel update 2017 contains relevant changes for blood donation, especially the extension of the exclusion period of persons at risk for sexually transmitted HBV, HCV and HIV diseases to 12 months. Moreover, the guidelines provide several changes relevant to blood transfusion practice in anesthesiology, such as: all autologous hemotherapy procedures including normovolemic hemodilution, cell saver, and autologous blood donation and transfusion require formal registration at the regulatory authority. A special detailed protocol is required for every cell saver use. A formal quality control procedure for cell saver use is necessary at least every 3 months. Retransfusion of unprocessed shed blood is generally not permitted. Guidance is provided for the clinical situation of lacking consent for blood transfusion in emergency situations (under certain circumstances blood transfusion may still be allowed). For the first time, the concept of "patient blood management" is explicitly mentioned and recommended in the guidelines. Especially the novel regulations regarding autologous blood use impose new challenges in clinical practice in anesthesiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Load bearing capacity of angle profiles under compression with realistic boundary conditions. In this paper the compression capacities of tests in literature are compared with results of a numerical study considering realistic boundary conditions. The main focus is on compression members with bolted connections on both ends. The presented compression capacities are also compared with design rules of different codes for transmission towers and steel structures (buildings). At the end of the article, an example shows the suggested design procedure in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue behaviour of X-joints made of rectangular hollow sections. In 1984 Mang and Bucak ([8], [9]) presented their first detailed proposal for FAT-classes for welded X-sections made of rectangular hollow sections (RHS) to the committee of regulations for the DIN EN 1993-1-9 [1]. The proposal was based on experimental investigations of welded X-joints of RHS with different width (b/bo) and thickness (to/t) ratios, but were not accepted because the scope of the Eurocode 3 regulation should not be enlarged at that time. There are no FAT-classes for welded X-sections made of RHS in the current version of DIN EN 1993-1-9 [1], the IIW document [2] and the FKM guideline [4] for a nominal stress approach. There are specifications in the crane construction code DIN EN 13001-3-1 [3] but they are very conservative. CIDECT Design Guide No. 8 [12] also does not contain information referring this issue based on the nominal stress concept, but it gives detailed specifications like assessment formulas and graphs for the determination of the stresses (SCF) and strains (SCNF) for welded rectangular and hollow sections on the base of the structural stress concept. At the university of applied sciences Munich and the Labor für Stahl und Leichtmetallbau GmbH, Kissing, further investigations in the research project [13] were executed upon request of several industrial partners with focus on the fatigue behaviour of welded X-sections made of RHS. Based on the results, a verification and extension of the code proposal of Mang and Bucak ([8], [9]) has been prepared. The main focus of this new investigation was the fatigue behaviour of bigger thickness ratios (to/t ≥ 2,0) as well as actual tube grades and welding procedures with high process reliability. This article summarizes the results and the #new code proposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Technisches Messen is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Rechtsmedizin is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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Belastungsversuche sind in Deutschland seit 15 Jahren durch die Richtlinie des Deutschen Ausschusses für Stahlbeton (DAfStb) geregelt. Weiterentwicklungen der Bewertungsverfahren und die Einführung der Eurocodes führten dazu, dass der DAfStb eine Überarbeitung der bestehenden Richtlinie beschloss. Dieser Beitrag stellt die internationalen Regelungen zu Belastungsversuchen vor und gibt einen Überblick über die bekannten Bewertungsverfahren in verschiedenen Ländern. Neben der Beschreibung der gegenwärtigen deutschen Regeln wird gezeigt, welche Entwicklung die Anwendung von Belastungsversuchen in den USA in den letzten Jahren nahm und welche aktuellen Regeln dort bestehen. An praktischen Beispielen werden die deutschen und amerikanischen Regeln miteinander verglichen und Schlussfolgerungen zu Anforderungen an eine Neufassung der Richtlinie gezogen. Load testing – international state of the art For 15 years load testing in Germany is regulated by the guideline of the Deutscher Ausschuss für Stahlbeton (DAfStb). Further research activity resulted in an improvement of the existing evaluation criteria. This and the introduction of the Eurocode into practice led to the need to revise the existing guideline. This paper summarizes the actual international rules for load testing and compares the different existing evaluation criteria. In addition to the description of the german standard, the actual development of the method of load testing in the USA is shown. Practical examples compare the German and American guidelines. It is concluded which requirements are demanded for the amendment of the guideline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Türme und Maste sind nach Brücken das zweitwichtigste Ingenieurbauwerk der Gegenwart. Dieses Prädikat resultiert aus ihrer Präsenz und ihrer Vielfältigkeit hinsichtlich Alter, Nutzung, Konstruktion und Materialien. Fortschreitende technische Neuerungen, zum Beispiel die Offshore-Windindustrie und die LTE-Mobilfunktechnologie, erfordern auch in Zukunft die Weiternutzung vorhandener und die Errichtung neuer Bauwerke. Stahlmaste und -türme sind vielseitig einsetzbar, leicht zu warten und kostengünstig zu ersetzen. Dank der Verzinkung sind konkurrenzfähige Standzeiten auch ohne zusätzlichen Korrosionsschutz erreichbar. Stahlanwendungen im Bereich der Maste und Türme sind wegen ihrer vergleichsweise leichten Bauweise gut zu modularisieren und typisieren. Auch die Eigenschaften heutiger Stahlsorten bezüglich Schweißbarkeit, Festigkeit und Zähigkeit haben zum Erfolg der Bauweise beigetragen. Die Inspektionszyklen dieser Ingenieurbauwerke sind sehr von ihrer Nutzung abhängig und in den entsprechenden Normen und Vorschriften festgelegt. Towers and masts made of steel - Examples of their range of use and construction. Towers and masts constitute nowadays after bridges the second most important engineering structure. This claim is reasoned by presence and the diversity in terms of age, use, construction and materials. Technical innovations (e. g. offshore wind industry and LTE mobile technology) will continue to require the use of the existing and construction of new buildings. Steel masts and towers are versatile, easy to maintain and their replacement is inexpensive. Thanks galvanizing competitive life expectations can also be reached without additional corrosion protection. Steel masts and towers can easily modularized and standardized due to light design. Moreover the modern steel grades with respect to their weldability, strength and ductility have contributed to the success of this type of structure. The needed inspection cycles given in the pertinent standards and regulations depend highly on the kind-of-use oft he considered structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]