Browsing by Author "Valenzuela, Sergio"

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    Cryptococcus bacillisporus (VGIII) Meningoencephalitis Acquired in Santa Cruz, Bolivia
    (2021) Thompson, Luis; Porte, Lorena; Diaz, Violeta; Diaz, Maria Cristina; Solar, Sebastian; Valenzuela, Pablo; Norley, Nicole; Pires, Yumai; Carreno, Fernando; Valenzuela, Sergio; Shabani, Rukmane; Rickerts, Volker; Weitzel, Thomas
    We describe a case of chronic meningoencephalitis with hydrocephalus caused by Cryptococcus bacillisporus (VGIII) in an immunocompetent patient from Santa Cruz, Bolivia. This first report of a member of the Cryptococcus gattii species complex from Bolivia suggests that C. bacillisporus (VGIII) is present in this tropical region of the country and complements our epidemiological and clinical knowledge of this group of emerging fungal pathogens in South America.
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    Proposal of an Integrated Index for Prioritization of Bridge Maintenance
    (ASCE-AMER SOC CIVIL ENGINEERS, 2010) Valenzuela, Sergio; de Solminihac, Hernan; Echaveguren, Tomas
    The bridge rating used in bridge management systems commonly uses only a structural condition. Factors such as seismic risk, hydraulic vulnerability, and strategic importance are commonly used in an isolated fashion. However, these factors are relevant when there is no possibility to calibrate deterioration models. This research uses the needs-based framework for developing an integrated bridge index (IBI) as an aid for prioritization and decisions made on maintenance and rehabilitation of bridges. The index weighs the structure distresses, hydraulic vulnerability, seismic risk, and strategic importance of the bridge. The index was calibrated using visual inspection, survey to experts, and regression analysis. After, the index was applied on six bridges placed on a primary road of Chile. To organize visual inspection, bridge inventory, and compute IBI and rank bridges, a software was developed. The calibration of the IBI index shows a correlation of 98% and all the parameters obtained were significant. Further research is needed to integrate cost with the proposed index and allocate maintenance activities.