Resilient critical infrastructures: An innovative methodological perspective for critical infrastructure (CI) integrated assessment models by inducing digital technologies during multi-hazard incidents.

Over the last decade, the notion of community resilience, which encompasses planning for, opposing, absorbing, and quickly recovering from disruptive occurrences, has gained momentum across the world. Critical Infrastructures (CI) are seen as critical to attaining success in today's densely populated countries. Such infrastructures must be robust in the face of multi-hazard catastrophes by implementing appropriate disaster management and recovery plans. Given these facts, it is critical to establish a new methodological perspective with an integrated system for effective disaster management of CI, as well as an intelligent application that will aid in the construction of more resilient and sustainable cities and communities. This perspective proposes a holistic gaming scenario application for assessing the vulnerability and accessibility of critical infrastructures during multi-hazard events, with a primary focus on conducting an integrated assessment for critical infrastructures and their assets. Mainly, the perspective includes a holistic gaming scenario application that will aid in accurately quantifying geographical spatial information and integrating big data into predictive and prescriptive management tools using virtual reality.•Conducting Integrated Assessment Models for evaluating vulnerability of Critical Infrastructures.•Inducing Digital Technologies during Multi-Hazard Incidents for improving Natural hazard assessment models.•Developing an open-world gaming scenario that is considered with high visual motion pictures and scenes.

Development of seismic resilience index methodology for RC structures via functionality curve.

Seismic resilience index (SRI) approach describes the post-seismic recovery phase of a single building by incorporating the time dimension. In recent decades, numerous quantitative frameworks have been developed to quantify earthquake resilience. The seismic resilience of existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures in Malaysia under far-field (FF) and near-field (NF) earthquake scenarios is examined in this research methodology using a seismic resilience index (SRI) and functionality curve. SRI is implemented to a four-story RC school building and a five-story RC hospital structure damaged by the 2015 Ranau earthquake. In addition, a total of 25 existing RC structures have been selected as target case studies for evaluating the SRI and presenting the results graphically using the Geographical Information System (GIS) platform. These buildings are primarily divided into three clusters: low, mid, and high rise. Non-linear dynamic analysis (NL-DA) is utilized in this approach to analyze the case studies and the selected buildings using the Finite Element platform (FE). Moreover, a group of seismic records encompassing of far-field and near-field are selected for simulation process using non-linear time history analysis (NL-THA). Eventually, Incremental Dynamic Analysis, fragility and vulnerability assessment, functionality assessment, time of recovery (TREC), loss of resilience (LOR), robustness (R) and SRI indicator are all part of this approach.•SRI helps decision-makers create or suggest repair or retrofitting solutions with acceptable recovery time and cost.•The consequences of failures for people's lives, properties, as well as the economy, will be mitigated.•Improve the sustainability and serviceability of structures to ensure seismic safety and meet Sustainable Development Goal 11.

Direct Intra-articular Antibiotic Administration for Acute Prosthetic Joint Infection in Knee Arthroplasty.

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains a challenge to treat. We utilized intra-articular administration of antibiotics for the treatment of two infected total knee arthroplasties. The first patient developed an early post-operative infection with persistent wound drainage within a week after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The second patient had an acute hematogenous infection, presenting with knee pain with a preceding history of leg cellulitis, one year after a primary TKA. Both patients were treated with surgical debridement, exchange of tibial insert with implant retention, and intra-articular administration of vancomycin for six weeks. Treatment was successful for both patients, with preservation of knee function and no recurrence of infection after one year. We reported two cases of PJI treated with direct intra-articular antibiotic administration following surgical debridement and implant retention.

Development of Intrinsic Seismic Vulnerability Index (ISVI) for assessing roadway system and its assets framework.

Roadway systems and their assets are the backbone of the transport sector and are vital for social and economic prosperity. Hence, it is important to design and develop transportation networks that can withstand natural hazards such as earthquakes. In recent decades, research concerning disaster risk management for roadway systems has received a lot of attention, particularly via the use of seismic vulnerability assessment methods. The majority of those models focus on a single criterion e.g., physical degradation of road assets, traffic disturbance, and/or functionality loss of the network, rather than considering how different criteria interact, such as association between asset damage, functionality, and network traffic. The main purpose of this study is to provide an integrated methodology for evaluating the seismic vulnerability of road networks to inform decision-making for risk mitigation. The proposed framework correlates the Intrinsic Seismic Vulnerability Index (ISVI) scores with the variation of accessibility rates to critical service centers. The methodology is demonstrated through an application to a part of a road network for specific seismic scenarios. The ISVI quantifies the impact caused by a parameter's physical performance on the road behaviour using Non-Linear Dynamic Analysis (NLDA) technique, which can reduce or limit the role of the studies that are based on expert opinion decisions. The validated results shows that the embankment height is considered the most effective parameter in the physical assessment approach, followed by the number of lanes, while the soil type and pavement strength are the least effective parameters with a better effectiveness for soil type compared to pavement strength. Additionally, the integration between the physical assessment approach and the analysed accessibility rates is clearly showing compatibility between the vulnerability and accessibility approach, demonstrating more precise assessment tool by considering the correlation between the vulnerability rates and the reduced accessibility levels. The proposed approach can assist infrastructure owners and operators to reduce risk and boost emergency accessibility. • Conducting ISVI for roadway and its assets based on physical damage approach. • Assessing road networks accessibility rates by introducing an accessibility index (AI) using different geographical aspects. • Formulating an integrated model between physical damage and traffic accessibility through building transport performance maps.

Development of seismic vulnerability index methodology for reinforced concrete buildings based on nonlinear parametric analyses.

This paper presents a simplified method in the seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) buildings based on proposed seismic vulnerability index (SVI) methodology. The employed procedure is derived with some modifications from the Italian GNDT and the European Macro-seismic approaches. Eight parameters were modeled in three distinct vulnerability classes to estimate the vulnerability indices of RC structures. The vulnerability classes were categorized based on the earthquake resistant design (ERD) defined as; (Low, Moderate, and High)-ERDs. Nonlinear time history analysis (NL-THA) and nonlinear static analysis (NL-SA) were carried out to define the weight of each parameter in order to calculate the seismic vulnerability index in a specific intensity (PGA) of an earthquake event. Knowing that it ranges from 0 to 1 from less vulnerable to most vulnerable with respect to the seismic intensity. In addition, the engineering demand parameter (EDP) used to determine the vulnerability index as the maximum top displacement of the structure. After determining the (SVI), The mean damage states were developed to evaluate the estimated physical damage of buildings in distinct seismic intensities. •This simplified methodology helps to manage and implements strategies for the safety of the communities before earthquake takes place by investigating the vulnerability classes for each building type.•Modeling the parameters that have an influence on the structural behavior without considering the past-damages observations through an analytical approach.•Developing the seismic vulnerability index can reduce or limit the role of the rapid visual screening methods, which is based on expert opinion decisions, and depends on observations of damages caused by earthquakes, and can be a useful framework criterion in earthquake filed.

Dataset on the dynamic structural parameters of an old existing building exposed to earthquake loading before and after strengthening techniques - A case study, Lebanon.

This paper provides data and information on Beirut Arab University׳s existing old building in Lebanon. The building was primarily designed to resist gravity loads only, with no attention to seismic or lateral load effects. The data shows that there is a need to improve the conditions of the existing old building by applying new features that function as seismic capacity resistance. The first feature was applied by adding RC-shear walls to the existing building, and the second feature was by implementing concentric steel bracing at the peripheral face of the building. In this article, a set of critical parameters to identify the seismic design of buildings was associated in this data. The parameters were described in terms of dynamic properties as follows: (a) natural fundamental period, (b) mode shapes, (c) torsional irregularity, (d) stiffness and ductility, and (e) plastic hinges formation. Particularly, the estimated cost analysis of added materials plays an important role in choosing the suitable retrofitting technique for old buildings.

Intraoperative echocardiographic delineation of the high take-off coronary ostia during an extensive surgical repair of the bicuspid aortic valve and dilated sinotubular junction: a case report.

BACKGROUND: This study reports the efficacy of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for evaluation of high take-off coronary ostia and proximal coronary arterial flows as an alternative to preoperative coronary angiography. CASE PRESENTATION: In a 65-year old male undergoing the bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) repair and the extensive remodeling of dilated sinus and tubular junction, and preoperative coronary angiography were unsuccessfully completed due to an allergic reaction to the contrast medium. Intraoperative TEE by employing various 3-dimensional volume images of coronary ostia and Doppler tracings of the coronary arterial flows enabled a thorough pre-procedural evaluation of the high take-off coronary arteries and post-procedural evaluation by confirming the absence of any compromise in coronary arterial flow. CONCLUSION: In the present case, intraoperative application of various TEE imaging modalities enabled comprehensive evaluation of high-taking off coronary artery, as an alternative to preoperative coronary angiography, in a patient undergoing an extensive aortic valve and aortic root repair procedure.