Abstract The early detection of failures in structures is a subject of great interest in engineering; several of these techniques are linked with the elastic wave propagation, using guided waves is one of these alternatives. Several structures of interest in engineering are laminar arrangements; the wave propagation in this type of structures depends not only on the material properties, but also on the geometric parameters, such as the plate thickness. Tubular structures, pressure vessels, tanks and also parts of ships hulls could be considered laminar. The elastic wave propagation in laminar structures could be considered as a sum of modal shapes that have its wave length and frequencies defined. These mode families are characteristics of each structure and could be represented through the dispersion curves. The definition of these dispersion curves is of crucial importance to understand the propagation of guided waves in the structure studied. In the present work the dispersion curves were generated using three different methodologies, specific for metallic rectangular stems that compound the strengthening armor in flexible riser duct. Each approach presented in the analysis were carried out using standard finite element commercial packages and an experimental verification, as well. The premise is to present the topics in the simplest way, not only to understand how the dispersion curves are built but also how these curves must be interpreted.

Abstract To improve the safety of the intercity bus structure against impact scenarios and to reduce the injuries and death in traffic accidents it is crucial in a country with continental dimensions like Brazil, where the road transport matrix is fundamental in the traffic of people and goods. In this context in the present article, a numerical model of an intercity bus was built with elastoplastic beam implemented in a commercial software Ls-Dyna. This model was submitted to different frontal and semi frontal impact crash scenarios. With this model were analyzed different accidents which happened in the Brazilian highways, it was also simulated a frontal impact test and the results obtained were compared with the experimental results. Finally two numerical approaches were compared, they are: a simple model made with lumped masses and non-linear springs series connected, and the elastoplastic beam model. The different comparisons carried out let us validate the intercity bus model created using elastoplastic beam elements and propose to use this model as an effective tool to search for more efficient bus structural configurations against impact scenarios.

The collective intercity transportation by bus is currently a mean of locomotion much sought after by people. Security in accidents is a very important factor that must be taken into account in design of bus body structure, being the evaluation of passenger safety of this type of vehicle is an important subject that should be checked, because in many accidents occur disconnection between seats and fastening members causing serious passengers injury, often fatal. This work aims at evaluation the behavior of frame fixing of seats of intercity bus bodies, submitted to the frontal impact situation in a rigid wall of 100% offset, through evaluation by finite element method (FEM). This study uses a numerical model corresponding to the body structure and chassis, developed through flexible beam elements, combining with shell elements for the structure of the seats and its fastening members, with the objective of not missing the essential aspects of the problem, allowing the solution with a reduced computational time. The numerical model of bus body and seat was impacted against a rigid wall at a speed of 8.89 m/s, being its validation according to the deceleration curve established by Regulation 80. Then it was gotten the Von Mises stress in fastening members of the seat structure in bus body. It is also presented a proposal to improve the fastening of the seat structure, comparing the results of the stress gotten in the two types fastening submitted to the frontal impact.

A presente pesquisa avalia o comportamento mecânico da haste femoral não-cimentada Logical através de elementos finitos. Foram analisadas diferentes condições de contorno encontradas na prática ortopédica: a) apenas o colo exposto; b) com as aletas anti-rotatórias parcialmente expostas; e c) com as aletas totalmente expostas. Variações antropométricas foram consideradas pelas diferentes angulações de colo propostas e através de diferentes cargas aplicadas. A haste apresentou um bom coeficiente de segurança. Embora pequenos deslocamentos sejam observados em todas as condições, existe um maior deslocamento com o aumento da exposição das aletas da prótese. Mesmo para a condição extrema com as aletas totalmente expostas, a prótese suporta as cargas de trabalho e ainda há um bom fator de segurança. Tensões e deslocamentos se modificam consideravelmente com as diferentes angulações propostas para o colo, sugerindo que as variações antropométricas devam ser consideradas no futuro para otimizar o desempenho da prótese.

This paper evaluates the mechanical behavior of an uncemented hip stem using finite element analysis. The analysis is focused on the stem-bone interaction which is assessed by simulation of distinct conditions encountered daily on orthopedic practice of hip implants. Logical uncemented femoral stem was used in this work. Three distinct conditions have been modeled: a) exposed neck with fully embedded fins, b) partially exposed anti-rotational fins and c) fully exposed fins, representing real femoral hip conditions. Anthropometric variations and different angulations for the stem neck were investigated for typical body weight of populations submitted to implants. The ratio of mobilized stress to yield stress is shown to be lower than 55% indicating a safety factor against stem failure. Although small displacements are observed in all conditions, the displacement increases with the increase of both the length of exposed fins and the magnitude of applied forces. Even for the extreme condition of fully exposed fins, the prostheses will support the working loads, and the risk of bone fracture still has a safety factor. Stresses and displacements change considerably with neck angulations suggesting that anthropometric variations should be considered in the future to optimize prostheses performance. Numerical analysis of the used uncemented femoral stem demonstrated that small stresses and strains are generated under working load conditions indicating that a proper factor of safety is obtained for the static conditions tested in the present study.

Not only are there large number of guides, protocols and other support tools available for the clinical decision-making process in the Spanish National Health System, but there is also a major degree of variability among them, reflecting inconsistencies and low quality of those documents. This study is aimed at conducting an inventory of the Clinical Practice Guideline assessment scales and clinical analysis tools and to propose a scale or set of criteria for assessing the quality of the Clinical Practice Guidelines put out in Spain. A systematic search of critical evaluation scales was conducted. The inclusion criteria and the concordance analysis of the items by three evaluators were independently applied. The discordances were resolved by explicit consensus. Ten suggested critical assessment scales and sets of criteria from eleven institutions were identified, eight of which consist of scales and tools proposed for assessing the quality of the Clinical Practice Guidelines, the other two being proposals for assessing the implementation and inclusion of the Clinical Practice Guidelines in a register. In the comparative analysis, the criteria most often repeated on the scales analysed were related to the areas included in the AGREE Instrument. The areas considered in most of the critical assessment scales were the same as those of the AGREE Instrument. Although this tool does not take in criteria for guide implementation assessment purposes, it is considered suitable for use in the assessment prior to inclusion a the national CPG register.

La gran proliferación de guías, protocolos y otros instrumentos de apoyo a la decisión clínica en el Sistema Nacional de Salud español está acompañada de una amplia variabilidad que refleja inconsistencias y baja calidad de estos documentos. Este estudio pretende realizar un inventario de escalas de valoración e instrumentos para el análisis crítico de las Guías de Práctica Clínica y proponer una escala o conjunto de criterios que sirva para evaluar la calidad de las Guías de Práctica Clínica producidas en España. Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de escalas de valoración crítica. Se aplicaron los criterios de inclusión y el análisis de concordancia de los ítems por tres evaluadores de forma independiente. Las discordancias se resolvieron por consenso explícito. Se identificaron 10 propuestas de escalas de valoración crítica y de grupos de criterios procedentes de 11 instituciones. Ocho son escalas e instrumentos que se proponían evaluar la calidad de las Guías de Práctica Clínica, y dos propuestas para evaluar la implantación y la inclusión de las Guías de Práctica Clínica en un registro. En el análisis comparativo los criterios más repetidos en las escalas analizadas se refieren a las áreas incluidas en el instrumento AGREE. Las áreas consideradas en la mayor parte de las escalas de valoración crítica se corresponden con el Instrumento AGREE. Esta herramienta, aunque no aborda criterios para evaluar la implementación de guías, se considera como una escala adecuada para utilizar en la evaluación previa a la inclusión en un registro nacional de GPC.

Not only are there large number of guides, protocols and other support tools available for the clinical decision-making process in the Spanish National Health System, but there is also a major degree of variability among them, reflecting inconsistencies and low quality of those documents. This study is aimed at conducting an inventory of the Clinical Practice Guideline assessment scales and clinical analysis tools and to propose a scale or set of criteria for assessing the quality of the Clinical Practice Guidelines put out in Spain. A systematic search of critical evaluation scales was conducted. The inclusion criteria and the concordance analysis of the items by three evaluators were independently applied. The discordances were resolved by explicit consensus. Ten suggested critical assessment scales and sets of criteria from eleven institutions were identified, eight of which consist of scales and tools proposed for assessing the quality of the Clinical Practice Guidelines, the other two being proposals for assessing the implementation and inclusion of the Clinical Practice Guidelines in a register. In the comparative analysis, the criteria most often repeated on the scales analysed were related to the areas included in the AGREE Instrument. The areas considered in most of the critical assessment scales were the same as those of the AGREE Instrument. Although this tool does not take in criteria for guide implementation assessment purposes, it is considered suitable for use in the assessment prior to inclusion a the national CPG register.

La gran proliferación de guías, protocolos y otros instrumentos de apoyo a la decisión clínica en el Sistema Nacional de Salud español está acompañada de una amplia variabilidad que refleja inconsistencias y baja calidad de estos documentos. Este estudio pretende realizar un inventario de escalas de valoración e instrumentos para el análisis crítico de las Guías de Práctica Clínica y proponer una escala o conjunto de criterios que sirva para evaluar la calidad de las Guías de Práctica Clínica producidas en España. Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de escalas de valoración crítica. Se aplicaron los criterios de inclusión y el análisis de concordancia de los ítems por tres evaluadores de forma independiente. Las discordancias se resolvieron por consenso explícito. Se identificaron 10 propuestas de escalas de valoración crítica y de grupos de criterios procedentes de 11 instituciones. Ocho son escalas e instrumentos que se proponían evaluar la calidad de las Guías de Práctica Clínica, y dos propuestas para evaluar la implantación y la inclusión de las Guías de Práctica Clínica en un registro. En el análisis comparativo los criterios más repetidos en las escalas analizadas se refieren a las áreas incluidas en el instrumento AGREE. Las áreas consideradas en la mayor parte de las escalas de valoración crítica se corresponden con el Instrumento AGREE. Esta herramienta, aunque no aborda criterios para evaluar la implementación de guías, se considera como una escala adecuada para utilizar en la evaluación previa a la inclusión en un registro nacional de GPC.