Associations of Grip Strength and Change in Grip Strength With All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in a European Older Population

Objective: (1) To examine the associations between 3 measures of grip strength: static grip strength, change in grip strength, and the combination of grip strength and its change, with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and (2) to determine which measure is the most powerful predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among the European older population. Method: Data come from the first 4 waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). A Cox proportional hazard model and a competing risk regression model were used to assess the associations. To determine the best predictor, Akaike information criterion was applied. Results: Grip strength and the combination of grip strength and its change were associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Change in grip strength was correlated with only all-cause mortality. Among the 3 measures, the static measure of grip strength was the best predictor of cardiovascular mortality whereas the combined measure is that of all-cause mortality. Discussion: Grip strength is a significant indicator of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. The combination of grip strength and its change can be used to increase the accuracy for prediction of all-cause mortality among older persons

The role of education on disaster preparedness: Case study of 2012 Indian Ocean earthquakes on Thailand's Andaman Coast

In this paper we investigate how well residents of the Andaman coast in Phang Nga province, Thailand, are prepared for earthquakes and tsunami. It is hypothesized that formal education can promote disaster preparedness because education enhances individual cognitive and learning skills, as well as access to information. A survey was conducted of 557 households in the areas that received tsunami warnings following the Indian Ocean earthquakes on 11 April 2012. Interviews were carried out during the period of numerous aftershocks, which put residents in the region on high alert. The respondents were asked what emergency preparedness measures they had taken following the 11 April earthquakes. Using the partial proportional odds model, the paper investigates determinants of personal disaster preparedness measured as the number of preparedness actions taken. Controlling for village effects, we find that formal education, measured at the individual, household, and community levels, has a positive relationship with taking preparedness measures. For the survey group without past disaster experience, the education level of household members is positively related to disaster preparedness. The findings also show that disaster-related training is most effective for individuals with high educational attainment. Furthermore, living in a community with a higher proportion of women who have at least a secondary education increases the likelihood of disaster preparedness. In conclusion, we found that formal education can increase disaster preparedness and reduce vulnerability to natural hazards

Test Data on Intumescent Fire Protection for Structural Steel Sections in Thailand

Current fire safety regulations in Thailand require that primary structural steel components of buildings be protected to achieve a minimum of 3-hour fire-resistance rating. For steel roof structures, 1-hour or 2-hour fire-resistance ratings may be specified depending on the number of stories. The verification methods of fire-resistance ratings set forth in the regulations are ISO 834 and ASTM E119 standards. The current trend of fire protection system for steel structures is intumescent paint due to aesthetical reasons. However, the fire-resistance ratings attained by proprietary intumescent systems currently available in the market are inconclusive. It is therefore the aim of this paper to provide an insight of the fire-resistance ratings of different intumescent products based on the data collected from the fire tests conducted by the Fire Safety Research Center of Chulalongkorn University during the period of 2009 - 2011. A statistical analysis was also conducted to compare the test data with the fire-resistance ratings specified in the current fire safety regulations

Effects of Mixing Sequence of Polypropylene Fibers on Spalling Resistance of Normal Strength Concrete

This paper presents an experimental study on the spalling resistance of normal strength concrete with different mixing sequences of polypropylene (PP) fibers subjected to fire. The mixing sequences of PP fibers in concrete mixture investigated are: (1) mixing PP fibers with fresh concrete; (2) mixing PP fibers with coarse aggregates; and (3) mixing PP fibers with fine aggregates. According to the test results, the degree of concrete spalling is reduced for specimens containing PP fibers at 0.2% by volume in the concrete mixture. The beneficial effect on spalling resistance is maximized when the PP fibers are mixed with fresh concrete and when the PP fibers are mixed with fine aggregates. The results are confirmed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) to investigate the dispersion of PP fibers in hardened concrete. In the case of mixing PP fibers with fine aggregates, smaller amount of superplasticizer is needed to obtain the target slump, and it is therefore recommended for practical use

Experimental Investigation of the Fire Resistance of Thin Hollow-Core Concrete Slabs with Simple Supports

This paper presents an experimental study on the fire resistance of relatively thin hollow-core concrete slabs with simple supports. A series of fire tests were conducted according to ISO 834 standard on nine hollow-core concrete slab specimens with thickness not exceeding 15 mm. The key parameters investigated are the heating duration, slab thickness and load ratio. Based on the test results, it has been found that the fire-resistance ratings of all the tested specimens fall below the specified requirements in the current building regulations of Thailand. The level of concrete spalling on the fire-exposed surface increases with the heating duration. It has also been found that the fire resistance of thicker hollow-core concrete slabs may be lower, even when smaller values of maximum vertical deflection are observed during the heating period. Furthermore, a higher load ratio leads to a more rapid collapse of the tested specimen. The experimental results suggest the necessity of supplementary means of fire protection for these slabs in practical building construction

Effect of Diameter on Bond Failure of Steel Rebar Embedded into Concrete Using Epoxies at High Temperatures

A series of pull-out tests were conducted to examine the bond deterioration of epoxy resins at elevated temperatures through the relationship between the critical temperature and bond stress. The steel rebars investigated were deformed bars with varying diameters of 12 mm, 16 mm, 20 mm and 25 mm. Two different types of epoxy resins were used. The test results show that the critical temperature for both types of epoxy resins tends to decrease with the increasing bond stress. In addition, the critical temperature is significantly lower for steel rebar with larger diameters. Meanwhile, the effect from varying types of epoxy resins on the bond characteristics is negligible. In order to illustrate the effect of rebar size, a mechanical model for the adhesive bonding stress between steel rebar and concrete interface at elevated temperatures is presented. The model provides good prediction of the bond stress at failure temperature.  &nbsp

Postpartum care in Thailand: Experience, practice and policy.

In developing countries, hundreds of thousands of women still die shortly after giving birth and thousands who make it to survive suffer with short-term or longterm health problems related to pregnancy and childbirth that impact their quality of life. However, empirical evidence shows that the majority of these women did not receive any care after delivery. Unlike antenatal and obstetric care, relatively little is known about the factors that explain levels of postpartum care use. This thesis examines the utilisation of postpartum care services in the context of Thailand, which is best known among the developing countries for its success on maternal and child healthcare improvement. Thailand's maternal mortality rate is low (12 deaths per 100,000 live births) and 92 per cent of women have at least four antenatal visits and 97 per cent of women deliver in hospitals. However, rates of postpartum service use remain low at 61.2 per cent. The thesis considers the explanations for low levels of postpartum service use observed in Thailand from a range of perspectives: women, health providers, policy actors and interrelationships among them. Using sequential mixed methods, the study first examines quantitatively the contemporary context of postpartum services and the individual-level factors influencing the use of postpartum services. This is followed by a qualitative analysis which explores the attitudes and perceptions of women, health providers and policy actors towards postpartum care services. Analyses reveal interacting influences that facilitate and impede women's use of postpartum care service. Whilst the quantitative study reveals several demographic, socio-economic and motivating factors, the qualitative study shows that women's perception of the content of postpartum care services and healthcare systems, as well as their experience of encounters with health providers, have significant impact on decisions whether to use postpartum services. The health service delivery system has some significant negative impacts on women's use of postpartum services. Although Thailand has had postpartum care policies in place since the 1960s, the significance of postpartum care for the mother's health has been neglected. The study finds that there is a complex array of individual, health system-related and political factors that influence the utilisation of postpartum care services. Unless adequate attention is given to these factors and their interrelation, it is unlikely that women's use of postpartum care services will be improved

Modeling of Precast Concrete Load-Bearing Walls Exposed to Fire

The performance of precast concrete load-bearing walls exposed to fire is investigated using 3-D thermal and structural models. The thermal model is validated by comparing the predicted temperatures with results from the fire tests carried out in the present study, previous experimental studies, and Eurocode 2. The structural model is validated by comparing the predicted displacements and crack patterns with results from the fire tests carried out in the present study. It is found that the results obtained from the thermal model and the structural model are in line with the experimental data and Eurocode 2 results. The validated 3-D model of precast concrete load-bearing walls is used to study the effect of load level, slenderness ratio and boundary conditions on the fire performance of the walls. The results show that the fire resistance rating of load-bearing walls decreases with increasing load level and slenderness ratio, while the fire resistance rating of the walls increases when rotational restraints are imposed at the ends of the walls. Finally, equations are presented for estimating the fire resistance rating of the walls with different support conditions

Social Participation and Disaster Risk Reduction Behaviours: Case Study of Tsunami-risk Areas in Southern Thailand

This paper aims to examine the relationships between social participation and disaster reduction actions. A survey of 557 households in tsunami-prone areas in Phang Nga, Thailand was conducted following the 2012 Indian Ocean earthquakes. We use a multivariate probit model to jointly estimate the likelihood of three responses to earthquake hazards, including keeping close watch of news, preparing survival kits and/or having a family evacuation plan, having an intention to migrate, and community participation. We find that those who experienced losses from the 2004 tsunami are more likely to participate in community activities and respond to earthquake hazards. Compared to men, women are more likely to prepare survival kits and/or have an emergency plan as well as have a greater intention to migrate. Individuals living in a community with a higher proportion of women with tertiary education also have a greater propensity to engage in community activities and carry out disaster reduction measures. The conditional probabilities of carrying out all three risk reduction actions for individuals who have participated in village-based activities are 5.2% higher compared to those not engaging in community activities. This implies that encouraging participation in community activities can have externalities in disaster mitigation, providing opportunities for community members to exchange information and experiences that may impact disaster responses at the individual level