Search results for: weight improved particle swarm optimization (WIPSO)

Authors: Ksenija Milošević, Davor Lončarević, Tihana Mudrinić, Jasmina Dostanić

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Heterogeneous photocatalytic processes have gained growing interest as an efficient method to generate hydrogen by using clean energy sources and degrading various organic pollutants. The main obstacles that restrict efficient photoactivity are narrow light-response range and high rates of charge carrier recombination. The formation of heterojunction by combining a semiconductor with low VB and a semiconductor with high CB and a suitable band gap was found to be an efficient method to prepare more sensible materials with improved charge separation, appropriate oxidation and reduction ability, and enhanced visible-light harvesting. In our research, various binary heterojunction systems based on the wide-band gap (TiO₂) and narrow bandgap (g-C₃N₄, CuO, and Co₂O₃) photocatalyst were studied. The morphology, optical, and electrochemical properties of the photocatalysts were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), N₂ physisorption, diffuse reflectance measurements (DRS), and Mott-Schottky analysis. The photocatalytic performance of the synthesized catalysts was tested in single and simultaneous systems. The synthesized photocatalysts displayed good adsorption capacity and enhanced visible-light photocatalytic performance. The mutual interactions of pollutants on their adsorption and degradation efficiency were investigated. The interfacial connection between photocatalyst constituents and the mechanism of the transport pathway of photogenerated charge species was discussed. A radical scavenger study revealed the interaction mechanisms of the photocatalyst constituents in single and multiple pollutant systems under solar and visible light irradiation, indicating the type of heterojunction system (Z scheme or type II).

Keywords: bandgap alignment, heterojunction, photocatalysis, reaction mechanism

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Authors: Ramy Bakir

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Advancements in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology have had a sweeping effect on the manufacturing industry in the last two decades, and have specifically allowed for the enhancement of a multitude of applications in the field of building technology. Research carried out in the architectural field in the past decade highlights how those enhancements have improved the structural and environmental performance of buildings, and/or how they developed the aesthetic value of façade or interior treatments. In developing countries, such as Egypt, the actual use of those nano-enhanced applications and their benefits rarely manifest. Hence this paper investigates the socio-technical relationship between the architectural design process and nanotechnology in Cairo using participant observation within an ethnographic study. The study focused on the socio-cultural context of an environmental design process in a specific design firm, and the role of nano-enhanced applications in it, and provided a thick description of the design decisions made within the preliminary stages of the design process of a residential building in Cairo, Egypt. Using Grounded Theory, and through the analysis and coding of the qualitative data collected, this paper was able to identify specific socio-cultural issues influencing individual architect cognition, clarifying how the context of the design process of the studied project affected the design team members’ responses to nano-enhanced materials. This paper presents those findings within a framework of the three identified statuses of response to nanotechnology and classifies the socio-cultural reasons influencing them. In doing so, the paper aims to shed more light on the relation between nanotechnology and architects in their natural environment, and hence allow both to benefit more from a clearer understanding of how the socio-cultural context, along with the benefits of using nanotechnology, influences the design decisions made.

Keywords: nanotechnology, design process, socio-cultural context, nano-enhanced applications

Procedia PDF Downloads 269

Authors: Nabil A. A. Mohamed, Alaa A. A. Balbaa, Khaled E. Ayad

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Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is the most common form of arthritis and leads to more activity limitations (e.g., disability in walking and stair climbing) than any other disease, especially in the elderly. Recently, impaired proprioceptive accuracy of the knee has been proposed as a local factor in the onset and progression of radiographic knee OA (ROA). Purpose: To compare the clinical and radiological findings in healthy with that of knee OA. Also, to determine if there is a correlation between the clinical and radiological findings in patients with knee OA. Subjects: Fifty one patients diagnosed as unilateral or bilateral knee OA with age ranged between 35-70 years, from both gender without any previous history of knee trauma or surgery, and twenty one normal subjects with age ranged from 35 - 68 years. METHODS: peak torque/body weight (PT/BW) was recorded from knee extensors at isokinetic isometric mode at angle of 45 degree. Also, the Absolute Angular Error was recorded at 45O and 30O to measure joint position sense (JPS). They made anteroposterior (AP) plain X-rays from standing semiflexed knee position and their average score of Timed Up and Go test(TUG) and WOMAC were recorded as a measure of knee pain, stiffness and function. Comparison between the mean values of different variables in the two groups was performed using unpaired student t test. The P value less or equal to 0.05 was considered significant. Results: There were significant differences between the studied variables between the experimental and control groups except the values of AAE at 30O. Also, there were no significant correlation between the clinical findings (pain, function, muscle strength and proprioception) and the severity of arthritic changes in X-rays. CONCLUSION: From the finding of the current study we can conclude that there were a significant difference between the both groups in all studied parameters (the WOMAC, functional level, quadriceps muscle strength and the joint proprioception). Also this study did not support the dependency on radiological findings in management of knee OA as the radiological features did not necessarily indicate the level of structural damage of patients with knee OA and we should consider the clinical features in our treatment plan.

Keywords: joint position sense, peak torque, proprioception, radiological knee osteoarthritis

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Authors: Nega Tesfie Asfaw, Rafik Absi, Labouda B. A, Ikram El Abbassi

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Composite materials have come to the fore a few decades ago because of their superior insulation performances. Recycling natural fiber composites and natural fiber reinforcement of waste materials are other steps for conserving resources and the environment. This paper reviewed the Thermal properties (Thermal conductivity, Effusivity, and Diffusivity) and Mechanical properties (Compressive strength, Flexural strength, and Tensile strength) of bio-composite materials for thermal insulation in the construction industry. For several years, the development of the building materials industry has placed a special emphasis on bio-source materials. According to recent studies, most natural fibers have good thermal insulating qualities and good mechanical properties. To determine the thermal and mechanical performance of bio-composite materials in construction most research used experimental methods. the results of the study show that these natural fibers have allowed us to optimize energy consumption in a building and state that density, porosity, percentage of fiber, the direction of heat flow orientation of the fiber, and the shape of the specimen are the main elements that limit the thermal performance and also showed that density, porosity, Type of Fiber, Fiber length, orientation and weight percentage loading, Fiber-matrix adhesion, Choice of the polymer matrix, Presence of void are the main elements that limit the mechanical performance of the insulation material. Based on the results of this reviewed paper Moss fibers (0.034W/ (m. K)), Wood Fiber (0.043 W/ (m. K)), Wheat straw (0.046 W/ (m. K), and corn husk fibers (0.046 W/ (m. K) are a most promising solution for energy efficiency for construction industry with interesting insulation properties and with good acceptable mechanical properties. Finally, depending on the best fibers used for insulation applications in the construction sector, the thermal performance rate of various fibers reviewed in this article are analyzed. Due to Typha's high porosity, the results indicated that Typha australis fiber had a better thermal performance rate of 89.03% with clay.

Keywords: bio-based materials, thermal conductivity, compressive strength, thermal performance

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Authors: Hasika Mith, Hassany Ly, Hengsim Phoung, Rathana Sovann, Pichmony Ek, Sokuntheary Theng

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Rice is one of the most important crops used in the production of ready-to-cook (RTC) products such as rice vermicelli, noodles, rice paper, Banh Kanh, wine, snacks, and desserts. Meanwhile, extrusion is the most creative food processing method used for developing products with improved nutritional, functional, and sensory properties. This method authorizes process control such as mixing, cooking, and product shaping. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to produce rice vermicelli using a twin screw extruder, and the cooking properties of extruded rice vermicelli were investigated. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Box-Behnken design was applied to optimize extrusion conditions in order to achieve the most desirable product characteristics. The feed moisture rate (30–35%), the barrel temperature (90–110°C), and the screw speed (200–400 rpm) all play a big role and have a significant impact on the water absorption index (WAI), cooking yield (CY), and cooking loss (CL) of extrudate rice vermicelli. Results showed that the WAI of the final extruded rice vermicelli ranged between 216.97% and 571.90%. The CY ranged from 147.94 to 203.19%, while the CL ranged from 8.55 to 25.54%. The findings indicated that at a low screw speed or low temperature, there are likely to be more unbroken polymer chains and more hydrophilic groups, which can bind more water and make WAI values higher. The extruded rice vermicelli's cooking yield value had altered considerably after processing under various conditions, proving that the screw speed had little effect on each extruded rice vermicelli's CY. The increase in barrel temperature tended to increase cooking yield and reduce cooking loss. In conclusion, the extrusion processing by a twin-screw extruder had a significant effect on the cooking quality of the rice vermicelli extrudate.

Keywords: cooking loss, cooking quality, cooking yield, extruded rice vermicelli, twin-screw extruder, water absorption index

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Authors: Gunjita Shami, Noopur Anand

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The pilot run of 50 days was undertaken to test employability potential of people with visual and hearing & speech impairment. Various roles in an apparel manufacturing set up like spreading of fabric for cutting, folding, sealing and labeling cartons, pasting size barcode stickers on packed garments, removing tickets from the garments in the finishing stage were studied. Their performance was quantified basis timesheets for all the days and improvement per day was quantified. Their final day output was compared to that of the able-bodied worker. For example in the carton making activity on day one visually impaired worker was making one box every three minutes which improved to four boxes per minute on day 28 displaying 91.6% improvement compared or an improvement of 3.6% per day which was comparable to the able-bodied seasoned workers, who were making 5 boxes per minute. The performance of persons with hearing and speech impairment in the finishing department was 10% higher than that of able-bodied seasoned workers in the same process. Overall in all the activities the differently abled showed day to day improvement of 65% while able bodied displayed improvement of 52%. On the first day performance of able-bodied worker was 75% better than that of differently abled while on the 50th day it was only 20% better. Therefore the performance of persons with disabilities was found comparable to the able bodied person. The results, though on a small scale, showed a big promise of employment of persons with disability in the apparel industry. Armed with the promising result a full-scale study has been undertaken to identify the roles suitable for certain kind of disability in apparel production, work-aids required to assist the differently abled to improve performance and measures to be undertaken to make production floor 'friendlier' for them. The results have been discussed in this paper which opens doors for integrating differently abled into the world projected and assumed for only able-bodied.

Keywords: apparel sector, differently abled, employability, performance, work-aid

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Authors: Raquib Ahsan, Md. Mahir Asif, Md. Zahidul Alam

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A huge portion of old masonry buildings in Bangladesh are vulnerable to earthquake. In most of the cases these buildings contain unreinforced masonry wall which are most likely to be subjected to earthquake damages. Due to deterioration of mortar joint and aging, shear resistance of these unreinforced masonry walls dwindle. So, retrofitting of these old buildings has become an important issue. Among many researched and experimented techniques, ferrocement retrofitting can be a low cost technique in context of the economic condition of Bangladesh. This study aims at investigating the behavior of ferrocement retrofitted unconfined URM walls under different types of cyclic loading. Four 725 mm × 725 mm masonry wall units were prepared with bricks jointed by stretcher bond with 12.5 mm mortar between two adjacent layers of bricks. To compare the effectiveness of ferrocement retrofitting a particular type wire mesh was used in this experiment which is 20 gauge woven wire mesh with 12.5 mm × 12.5 mm square opening. After retrofitting with ferrocement these wall units were tested by applying cyclic deformation along the diagonals of the specimens. Then a comparative study was performed between the retrofitted specimens and control specimens for both partially reversed cyclic load condition and cyclic compression load condition. The experiment results show that ultimate load carrying capacities of ferrocement retrofitted specimens are 35% and 27% greater than the control specimen under partially reversed cyclic loading and cyclic compression respectively. And before failure the deformations of ferrocement retrofitted specimens are 43% and 33% greater than the control specimen under reversed cyclic loading and cyclic compression respectively. Therefore, the test results show that the ultimate load carrying capacity and ductility of ferrocement retrofitted specimens have improved.

Keywords: cyclic compression, cyclic loading, ferrocement, masonry wall, partially reversed cyclic load, retrofitting

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Authors: M. A. Ashour

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As it is known Egypt is one of the countries having oldest sugarcane industry, which goes back to the year 710 AD. Cane plantations are the main agricultural product in five governorates in Upper Egypt (El-Menia, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, and Aswan), producing not less than 16 million tons a year. Eight factories (Abou-korkas, Gena, Nagaa-Hamadi, Deshna, Kous, Armant, Edfuo, and Komombo), located in such upper Egypt governorates generates huge amount of wastes during the manufacturing stage, the so called bagasse which is the fibrous, and cellulosic materials remaining after the era of the sugarcane and the juice extraction, presents about 30% of such wastes. The amount of bagasse generated yearly through the manufacturing stage of the above mentioned 8 factories is approximately about 2.8 million tons, getting red safely of such huge amount, presents a serious environmental problem. Storage of that material openly in the so hot climate in upper Egypt, may cause its self-ignition under air temperature reaches 50 degrees centigrade in summer, due to the remained residual content of sugar. At the same time preparing places for safely storage for such amount is very expensive with respect to the valueless of it. So the best way for getting rid of bagasse is converting it into an added value environmentally friendly material, especially till now the utilization of it is so limited. Since oil pollution became a serious concern, the issue of environmental cleaning arises. With the structure of sugarcane bagasse, which contains fiber and high content of carbon, it can be an adsorbent to adsorb the oil contamination from the water. The present study is a trail to introduce a new material for the purification of water systems to score two goals at once, the first is getting rid of that harmful waste safely, the second is converting it to a commercial valuable material for cleaning, and purifying the water from oil spills, and petroleum pollution. Introduced the new material proved very good performance, and higher efficiency than other similar materials available in the local market, in both closed and open systems. The introduced modified material can absorb 10 times its weight of oil, while don't absorb any water.

Keywords: environment, water resources, agricultural wastes, oil pollution control, sugarcane

Procedia PDF Downloads 190

Authors: Anila Xhahysa, Migena Ceyhan, Neki Kuka, Klajdi Qoshi, Damiano Koxhaj

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The seismic event catalog has been updated in the framework of a bilateral project supported by the Central European Investment Fund and with the extensive support of Global Earthquake Model Foundation to update Albania's national seismic hazard model. The earthquake catalogue prepared within this project covers the Western Balkan area limited by 38.0° - 48°N, 12.5° - 24.5°E and includes 41,806 earthquakes that occurred in the region between 510 BC and 2022. Since the moment magnitude characterizes the earthquake size accurately and the selected ground motion prediction equations for the seismic hazard assessment employ this scale, it was chosen as the uniform magnitude scale for the catalogue. Therefore, proxy values of moment magnitude had to be obtained by using new magnitude conversion equations between the local and other magnitude types to this unified scale. The Global Centroid Moment Tensor Catalogue was considered the most authoritative for moderate to large earthquakes for moment magnitude reports; hence it was used as a reference for calibrating other sources. The best fit was observed when compared to some regional agencies, whereas, with reports of moment magnitudes from Italy, Greece and Turkey, differences were observed in all magnitude ranges. For teleseismic magnitudes, to account for the non-linearity of the relationships, we used the exponential model for the derivation of the regression equations. The obtained regressions for the surface wave magnitude and short-period body-wave magnitude show considerable differences with Global Earthquake Model regression curves, especially for low magnitude ranges. Moreover, a conversion relation was obtained between the local magnitude of Albania and the corresponding moment magnitude as reported by the global and regional agencies. As errors were present in both variables, the Deming regression was used.

Keywords: regression, seismic catalogue, local magnitude, tele-seismic magnitude, moment magnitude

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Authors: Matthew Heidman, Susan Dallabrida, Analice Costa

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Background:Accuracy of caregiver reported outcomes is essential for infant growth and tolerability study success. Crying/fussiness, stool consistencies, and other gastrointestinal characteristics are important parameters regarding tolerability, and inter-caregiver reporting can see a significant amount of subjectivity and vary greatly within a study, compromising data. This study sought to elucidate how caregiver reported questions related to stool frequency are answered before and after a short amount of training and how training impacts caregivers’ understanding, and how they would answer the question. Methods:A digital survey was issued for 90 daysin the US (n=121) and 30 days in Mexico (n=88), targeting respondents with children ≤4 years of age. Respondents were asked a question in two formats, first without a line of training text and second with a line of training text. The question set was as follows, “If your baby had stool in his/her diaper and you changed the diaper and 10 min later there was more stool in the diaper, how many stools would you report this as?” followed by the same question beginning with “If you were given the instruction that IF there are at least 5 minutes in between stools, then it counts as two (2) stools…”.Four response items were provided for both questions, 1) 2 stools, 2) 1stool, 3) it depends on how much stool was in the first versus the second diaper, 4) There is not enough information to be able to answer the question. Response frequencies between questions were compared. Results: Responses to the question without training saw some variability in the US, with 69% selecting “2 stools”,11% selecting “1 stool”, 14% selecting “it depends on how much stool was in the first versus the second diaper”, and 7% selecting “There is not enough information to be able to answer the question” and in Mexico respondents selected 9%, 78%, 13%, and 0% respectively. However, responses to the question after training saw more consolidation in the US, with 85% of respondents selecting“2 stools,” representing an increase in those selecting the correct answer. Additionally in Mexico, with 84% of respondents selecting “1 episode” representing an increase in the those selecting the correct response. Conclusions: Caregiver reported outcomes are critical for infant growth and tolerability studies, however, they can be highly subjective and see a high variability of responses without guidance. Training is critical to standardize all caregivers’ perspective regarding how to answer questions accurately in order to provide an accurate dataset.

Keywords: infant nutrition, clinical trial optimization, stool reporting, decentralized clinical trials

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Authors: Md. Abdul Aziz

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Sulfide ion is water soluble, highly corrosive, toxic and harmful to the human beings. As a result, knowing the exact concentration of sulfide in water is very important. However, the existing detection and quantification methods have several shortcomings, such as high cost, low sensitivity, and massive instrumentation. Consequently, the development of novel sulfide sensor is relevant. Nevertheless, electrochemical methods gained enormous popularity due to a vast improvement in the technique and instrumentation, portability, low cost, rapid analysis and simplicity of design. Successful field application of electrochemical devices still requires vast improvement, which depends on the physical, chemical and electrochemical aspects of the working electrode. The working electrode made of bulk gold (Au) and platinum (Pt) are quite common, being very robust and endowed with good electrocatalytic properties. High cost, and electrode poisoning, however, have so far hindered their practical application in many industries. To overcome these obstacles, we developed a sulfide sensor based on an indium tin oxide nanoparticle (ITONP)-modified ITO electrode. To prepare ITONP-modified ITO, various methods were tested. Drop-drying of ITONPs (aq.) on aminopropyltrimethoxysilane-functionalized ITO (APTMS/ITO) was found to be the best method on the basis of voltammetric analysis of the sulfide ion. ITONP-modified APTMS/ITO (ITONP/APTMS/ITO) yielded much better electrocatalytic properties toward sulfide electro-οxidation than did bare or APTMS/ITO electrodes. The ITONPs and ITONP-modified ITO were also characterized using transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Optimization of the type of inert electrolyte and pH yielded an ITONP/APTMS/ITO detector whose amperometrically and chronocoulοmetrically determined limits of detection for sulfide in aqueous solution were 3.0 µM and 0.90 µM, respectively. ITONP/APTMS/ITO electrodes which displayed reproducible performances were highly stable and were not susceptible to interference by common contaminants. Thus, the developed electrode can be considered as a promising tool for sensing sulfide.

Keywords: amperometry, chronocoulometry, electrocatalytic properties, ITO-nanoparticle-modified ITO, sulfide sensor

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Authors: Punam Kumari Mandal, Namita Yangden, Bhumika Rai, Achala Niraula, Sabitra Subedi

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introduction: Family planning not only improves women’s health but also promotes gender equality, better child health, and improved education outcomes, including poverty reduction. The objective of this study is to assess the utilization of family planning methods and associated factors in Sunsari, Nepal. methodology: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among women of the reproductive age group (15-49 years) in Sunsari in 2020. Nonprobability purposive sampling was used to collect information from 212 respondents through face-to-face interviews using a Semi-structured interview schedule from ward no 1 of Barju rural municipality. Data processing was done by using SPSS “statistics for windows, version 17.0(SPSS Inc., Chicago, III.USA”). Descriptive analysis and inferential analysis (binary logistic regression) were used to find the association of the utilization of family planning methods with selected demographic variables. All the variables with P-value <0.1 in bivariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis. A P-value of <0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance at a level of significance of 5%. results: This study showed that the mean age and standard deviation of the respondents were 26±7.03, and 91.5 % of respondent’s age at marriage was less than 20 years. Likewise, 67.5% of respondents use any methods of family planning, and 55.2% of respondents use family planning services from the government health facility. Furthermore, education (AOR 1.579, CI 1.013-2.462)., husband’s occupation (AOR 1.095, CI 0.744-1.610)., type of family (AOR 2.741, CI 1.210-6.210)., and no of living son (AOR 0.259 CI 0.077-0.872)are the factors associated with the utilization of family planning methods. conclusion: This study concludes that two-thirds of reproductive-age women utilize family planning methods. Furthermore, education, the husband’s occupation, the type of family, and no of living sons are the factors associated with the utilization of family planning methods. This reflects that awareness through mass media, including behavioral communication, is needed to increase the utilization of family planning methods.

Keywords: family planning methods, utilization. factors, women, community

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Authors: Çisem Gündüz Arabacı

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Deliberation has been seen one of the most important components of democratic ideals especially since liberal democratic attributions have been under fire. Deliberative democracy advocates that people should participate in collective decision-making processes by other mechanisms rather than conventional ones in order to reach legitimate decisions. Deliberative democratic theory makes emphasis on deliberative communication between people and encourages them not to merely express their political opinions (through surveys and referendum) but to form those opinions through public debates. This paper focuses on deliberative democratic visions of Gezi Park Public Forums by taking deliberative democracy as theoretical basis and examining Gezi Park Public Forums in the light of core elements of deliberative democracy. Gezi Movement started on 28 May 2013 in İstanbul as a reaction to local government's revision plans for Taksim Gezi Park, spread throughout the country and created new zones in public sphere which are called Public Park Forums. During the summer of 2013, especially in İstanbul but also in other cities, people gathered in public parks, discussed and took collective decisions concerning actions which they will take. It is worth to mention that since 3 and half years some Public Park Forums are still continuing their meetings regularly in city of İzmir. This paper analyzes four 'Public Park Forums' in İzmir which are called Bornova Public Forum; Karşıyaka Public Forum, Foça Public Forum and Güzelyalı Public Forum. These Forums are under investigation in terms of their understanding of democracy and the values that support that understanding. Participant observation and in-depth interview methods are being used as research methods. Core element of deliberative democracy are being collected under three main category: common interest versus private interest, membership, rational argument and these values are being questioning within one of each Forum in order to draw an overall picture and also make comparison between them. Discourse analysis is being used in order to examine empirical data and paper aims to reveal how participants of public forums perceive deliberative democratic values and whether they give weight to these values.

Keywords: deliberative democracy, Gezi Park movement, public forums, social movement

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Authors: John Olorunfemi Abe, Olawale Muhammed Popoola, Abimbola Patricia Idowu Popoola

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Hydrogen is an appealing alternative to fossil fuels because of its abundance, low weight, high energy density, and relative lack of contaminants. However, its low density presents a number of storage challenges. Therefore, this work studies the influence of refractory nitride additives consisting of 5 wt. % each of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), titanium nitride (TiN), and aluminum nitride (AlN) on hydrogen storage and electrochemical characteristics of Ti6Al4V-based materials produced by spark plasma sintering. The microstructure and phase constituents of the sintered materials were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (in conjunction with energy-dispersive spectroscopy) and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Pressure-composition-temperature (PCT) measurements were used to assess the hydrogen absorption/desorption behavior, kinetics, and storage capacities of the sintered materials, respectively. The pure Ti6Al4V alloy displayed a two-phase (α+β) microstructure, while the modified composites exhibited apparent microstructural modifications with the appearance of nitride-rich secondary phases. It is found that the diffusion process controls the kinetics of the hydrogen absorption. Thus, a faster rate of hydrogen absorption at elevated temperatures ensued. The additives acted as catalysts, lowered the activation energy and accelerated the rate of hydrogen sorption in the composites relative to the monolithic alloy. Ti6Al4V-5 wt. % h-BN appears to be the most promising candidate for hydrogen storage (2.28 wt. %), followed by Ti6Al4V-5 wt. % TiN (2.09 wt. %), whereas Ti6Al4V-5 wt. % AlN shows the least hydrogen storage performance (1.35 wt. %). Accordingly, the developed hydride system (Ti6Al4V-5h-BN) may be competitive for use in applications involving short-range continuous vehicles (~50-100km) as well as stationary applications such as electrochemical devices, large-scale storage cylinders in hydrogen production locations, and hydrogen filling stations.

Keywords: hydrogen storage, Ti6Al4V hydride system, pressure-composition-temperature measurements, refractory nitride additives, spark plasma sintering, Ti6Al4V-based materials

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Authors: Sarah Gounden, Mukesh Dheda, Boikhutso Tlou, Elizabeth Ojewole, Frasia Oosthuizen

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Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been effective in the reduction of mortality and resulted in an improvement in the prognosis of HIV-infected patients. However, treatment with antiretrovirals (ARVs) has led to the development of many adverse drug reactions (ADRs). It is, therefore, necessary to determine the safety profile of these medicines in a South African population in order to ensure safe and optimal medicine use. Objectives: The aim of this study was to quantify ADRs experienced with the different ARVs currently used in South Africa, to determine the safety profile of ARV medicine in South Africa based on reported ADRs, and to determine the ARVs with the lowest risk profile based on specific patient populations. Methodology: This was a quantitative study. Individual case safety reports for the period January 2010 – December 2013 were obtained from the National Pharmacovigilance Center; these reports contained information on ADRs, ARV medicine, and patient demographics. Data was analysed to find associations that may exist between ADRs experienced, ARV medicines used and patient demographics. Results: A total of 1916 patient reports were received of which 1534 met the inclusion criteria for the study. The ARV with the lowest risk of ADRs were found to be lamivudine (0.51%, n=12), followed by lopinavir/ritonavir combination (0.8%, n=19) and abacavir (0.64%, n=15). A higher incidence of ADRs was observed in females compared to males. The age group 31–50 years and the weight group 61–80 kg had the highest incidence of ADRs reported. Conclusion: This study found that the safest ARVs to be used in a South African population are lamivudine, abacavir, and the lopinavir/ritonavir combination. Gender differences play a significant role in the occurrence of ADRs and both anatomical and physiological differences account for this. An increased BMI (body mass index) in both men and women showed an increase in the incidence of ADRs associated with ARV therapy.

Keywords: adverse drug reaction, antiretrovirals, HIV/AIDS, pharmacovigilance, South Africa

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Authors: Pilly Joseph Kagosi

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The study aims at assessing challenges observed during the implementation of participatory irrigation management (PIM) approach for food security in semi-arid areas of Tanzania. Data were collected through questionnaire, PRA tools, key informants discussion, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), participant observation, and literature review. Data collected from the questionnaire was analysed using SPSS while PRA data was analysed with the help of local communities during PRA exercise. Data from other methods were analysed using content analysis. The study revealed that PIM approach has a contribution in improved food security at household level due to the involvement of communities in water management activities and decision making which enhanced the availability of water for irrigation and increased crop production. However, there were challenges observed during the implementation of the approach including; minimum participation of beneficiaries in decision-making during planning and designing stages, meaning inadequate devolution of power among scheme owners. Inadequate and lack of transparency on income expenditure in Water Utilization Associations’ (WUAs), water conflict among WUAs members, conflict between farmers and livestock keepers and conflict between WUAs leaders and village government regarding training opportunities and status; WUAs rules and regulation are not legally recognized by the National court and few farmers involved in planting trees around water sources. However, it was realized that some of the mentioned challenges were rectified by farmers themselves facilitated by government officials. The study recommends that the identified challenges need to be rectified for farmers to realize impotence of PIM approach as it was realized by other Asian countries.

Keywords: challenges, participatory approach, irrigation management, food security, semi arid areas

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Authors: Razmik Atabekyan, V. Atabekyan

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This article discusses a new alternative method for determination of seismic loads on buildings, based on resistance of structures to deformations of vibrations. The basic principles for determining seismic loads by spectral method were developed in 40… 50ies of the last century and further have been improved to pursuit true assessments of seismic effects. The base of the existing methods to determine seismic loads is response spectrum or dynamicity coefficient β (norms of RF), which are not definitively established. To this day there is no single, universal method for the determination of seismic loads and when trying to apply the norms of different countries, significant discrepancies between the results are obtained. On the other hand there is a contradiction of the results of macro seismic surveys of strong earthquakes with the principle of the calculation based on accelerations. It is well-known, on soft soils there is an increase of destructions (mainly due to large displacements), even though the accelerations decreases. Obviously, the seismic impacts are transmitted to the building through foundation, but paradoxically, the existing methods do not even include foundation data. Meanwhile acceleration of foundation of the building can differ several times from the acceleration of the ground. During earthquakes each building has its own peculiarities of behavior, depending on the interaction between the soil and the foundations, their dynamic characteristics and many other factors. In this paper we consider a new, alternative method of determining the seismic loads on buildings, without the use of response spectrum. The following main conclusions: 1) Seismic loads are revealed at the foundation level, which leads to redistribution and reduction of seismic loads on structures. 2) The proposed method is universal and allows determine the seismic loads without the use of response spectrum and any implicit coefficients. 3) The possibility of taking into account important factors such as the strength characteristics of the soils, the size of the foundation, the angle of incidence of the seismic ray and others. 4) Existing methods can adequately determine the seismic loads on buildings only for first form of vibrations, at an average soil conditions.

Keywords: seismic loads, response spectrum, dynamic characteristics of buildings, momentum

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Authors: Fariba Tadayon, Elmira Hassanlou, Hasan Bagheri, Mostafa Jafarian

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Heavy metals are released into water, plants, soil, and food by natural and human activities. Lead has toxic roles in the human body and may cause serious problems even in low concentrations, since it may have several adverse effects on human. Therefore, determination of lead in different samples is an important procedure in the studies of environmental pollution. In this work, an ultrasonic assisted-ionic liquid based-liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-IL-DLLME) procedure for the determination of lead in zucchini, pomegranate, and lettuce has been established and developed by using flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). For UA-IL-DLLME procedure, 10 mL of the sample solution containing Pb2+ was adjusted to pH=5 in a glass test tube with a conical bottom; then, 120 μL of 1-Hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoro phosphate (CMIM)(PF6) was rapidly injected into the sample solution with a microsyringe. After that, the resulting cloudy mixture was treated by ultrasonic for 5 min, then the separation of two phases was obtained by centrifugation for 5 min at 3000 rpm and IL-phase diluted with 1 cc ethanol, and the analytes were determined by FAAS. The effect of different experimental parameters in the extraction step including: ionic liquid volume, sonication time and pH was studied and optimized simultaneously by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) employing a central composite design (CCD). The optimal conditions were determined to be an ionic liquid volume of 120 μL, sonication time of 5 min, and pH=5. The linear ranges of the calibration curve for the determination by FAAS of lead were 0.1-4 ppm with R2=0.992. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection (LOD) for lead was 0.062 μg.mL-1, the enrichment factor (EF) was 93, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) for lead was calculated as 2.29%. The levels of lead for pomegranate, zucchini, and lettuce were calculated as 2.88 μg.g-1, 1.54 μg.g-1, 2.18 μg.g-1, respectively. Therefore, this method has been successfully applied for the analysis of the content of lead in different food samples by FAAS.

Keywords: Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction, Central composite design, Food samples, Flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

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Authors: Pascal Mwenge, Tumisang Seodigeng

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The combination of world population and the third industrial revolution led to high demand for fuels. On the other hand, the decrease of global fossil 8fuels deposits and the environmental air pollution caused by these fuels has compounded the challenges the world faces due to its need for energy. Therefore, new forms of environmentally friendly and renewable fuels such as biodiesel are needed. The primary analytical techniques for methanolysis yield monitoring have been chromatography and spectroscopy, these methods have been proven reliable but are more demanding, costly and do not provide real-time monitoring. In this work, the in situ monitoring of biodiesel from sunflower oil using FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) has been studied; the study was performed using EasyMax Mettler Toledo reactor equipped with a DiComp (Diamond) probe. The quantitative monitoring of methanolysis was performed by building a quantitative model with multivariate calibration using iC Quant module from iC IR 7.0 software. 15 samples of known concentrations were used for the modelling which were taken in duplicate for model calibration and cross-validation, data were pre-processed using mean centering and variance scale, spectrum math square root and solvent subtraction. These pre-processing methods improved the performance indexes from 7.98 to 0.0096, 11.2 to 3.41, 6.32 to 2.72, 0.9416 to 0.9999, RMSEC, RMSECV, RMSEP and R2Cum, respectively. The R² value of 1 (training), 0.9918 (test), 0.9946 (cross-validation) indicated the fitness of the model built. The model was tested against univariate model; small discrepancies were observed at low concentration due to unmodelled intermediates but were quite close at concentrations above 18%. The software eliminated the complexity of the Partial Least Square (PLS) chemometrics. It was concluded that the model obtained could be used to monitor methanol of sunflower oil at industrial and lab scale.

Keywords: biodiesel, calibration, chemometrics, methanolysis, multivariate analysis, transesterification, FTIR

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Authors: Afshin Zohdi, Selçuk Özdemir, Mustafa Aksoy

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Tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) is a widely utilized material for cold forming dies, including those employed in fastener production. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of the pack boriding method in improving the surface properties of WC-Co cold forging dies. The boriding process involved embedding WC-Co samples, along with a steel control sample, within a chamber made of H13 tool steel. A boriding powder mixture was introduced into the chamber, which was then sealed using a paste. Subsequently, the samples were subjected to a temperature of 700°C for 5 hours in a furnace. Microstructural analysis, including cross-sectional examination and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confirmed successful boron diffusion and its presence on the surface of the borided samples. The microhardness of the borided layer was significantly increased (3980 HV1) compared to the unborided sample (1320 HV3), indicating enhanced hardness. The borided layer exhibited an acceptable thickness of 45 microns, with a diffusion coefficient of 1.125 × 10-7 mm²/s, signifying a moderate diffusion rate. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping revealed an increase in boron content, desirable for the intended purpose, while an undesired increase in oxygen content was observed. Furthermore, the pin-on-disk wear test demonstrated a reduction in friction coefficient, indicating improved mechanical and tribological properties of the surface. The successful implementation of the pack boriding process highlights its potential for enhancing the performance of WC-Co cold forging dies.

Keywords: WC-Co, cold forging dies, pack boriding, surface hardness, wear resistance, microhardness, diffusion coefficient, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy

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Authors: Fryanto Anugrah Rhamdhani Rhamdhani, Hana Riana Permatasari

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The aim of this study analyzes the inclusive of economic growth and analyzes the inclusive of economic growth determinant in regency and city (West Java Province). The background this study Economic Growth can do not afford to reduce poverty, Disparity and expand The Workforce. Referring Central Bureau Of Statistic West Java Province report in 2015 recorded only 5 regions able reduce poverty, 3 regions able reduce Gini Ratio and 7 regions able Workforce Absorption, meanwhile, 11 regions was improved Economic Growth. The Inclusive of Economic Growth definition based on various literature means the quality Economic Growth able reduce Poverty, Gini Ratio, and Workforce absorption. This study adopted the measurement Inclusive Economic of Growth Klassen and analyzes factor in Term Reducing Poverty, Gini Ratio, and the workforce Absorption. Data used panels data composite time series and cross-section including 25 regency and cities regions from Central Bureau Of Statistic West Java Province during 2014-2015. As a result, the measurement inclusive economic of growth Klassen 2014-2015 from 25 regency and cities shows all region does not inclusive reducing Poverty, only 2 regions able reduce Gini Ratio and 3 regions able increase Workforce absorption. Different from the result the measurement Inclusive Economic of Growth for workforce absorption, several regions shows a negative coefficient indicates Economic Growth decline Workforce absorption. The outcome of this study analyzes factor of Inclusive economic of Growth, so that give recommendations for government achieve inclusive economic of growth toward Sustainable Economic. Can be Concluded above low-quality Economic Growth, that due to all region does not inclusive Economic of Growth.

Keywords: inclusive economic growth, Gini ratio, poverty, workforce

Procedia PDF Downloads 262

Authors: Louise Jones, Rafael De Andrade Moral, John C. Stephens

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Background: Minerals are an essential component of correct nutrition. Conserved hay/haylage is an important component of many horse's diets. Variations in the mineral content of conserved forage should be considered when assessing dietary intake. Objectives: This study describes the levels and differences in 15 commonly analysed minerals in conserved forage fed to horses in the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland (IRL), and France (FRA). Methods: Hay (FRA n=92, IRL n=168, UK n=152) and haylage samples (UK n=287, IRL n=49) were collected during 2017-2020. Mineral analysis was undertaken using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Statistical analysis was performed using beta regression, Gaussian, or gamma models, depending on the nature of the response variable. Results: There are significant differences in the mineral content of the UK, IRL, and FRA conserved forage samples. FRA hay samples had a significantly higher (p < 0.05) levels of Sulphur (0.16 ± 0.0051 %), Calcium (0.56 ± 0.0342%), Magnesium (0.16 ± 0.0069 mg/ kg DM), Iron (194 ± 23.0 mg/kg DM), Cobalt (0.21 ± 0.0244 mg/kg DM) and Copper (4.94 ± 0.196 mg/kg DM) content compared to hay from the other two countries. UK hay samples had significantly less (p < 0.05) Selenium (0.07 ± 0.0084 mg/kg DM), whilst IRL hay samples were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Chloride (0.9 ± 0.026mg/kg DM) compared to hay from the other two countries. IRL haylage samples were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Phosphorus (0.26 ± 0.0102 %), Sulphur (0.17 ± 0.0052 %), Chloride (1.01 ± 0.0519 %), Calcium (0.54 ± 0.0257 %), Selenium (0.17 ± 0.0322 mg/kg DM) and Molybdenum (1.47 ± 0.137 mg/kg DM) compared to haylage from the UK. Main Limitations: Forage samples were obtained from professional yards and may not be reflective of forages fed by most horse owners. Information regarding soil type, species of grass, fertiliser treatment, harvest, or storage conditions were not included in this study. Conclusions: At a DM intake of 2% body weight, conserved forage as sampled in this study will be insufficient to meet Zinc, Iodine, and Copper NRC maintenance requirements, and Se intake will also be insufficient for horses fed the UK conserved forage. Many horses receive hay/haylage as the main component of their diet; this study highlights the need to consider forage analysis when making dietary recommendations.

Keywords: conserved forage, hay, haylage, minerals

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Authors: Jone Ibarruri, Mikel Manso, Marta Cebrián

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A high amount of food is lost or discarded in the World every year. In addition, in the last decades, an increasing demand of new alternative and sustainable sources of proteins and other valuable compounds is being observed in the food and feeding sectors and, therefore, the use of food by-products as nutrients for these purposes sounds very interesting from the environmental and economical point of view. However, the direct use of discarded fruit and vegetables that present, in general, a low protein content is not interesting as feeding ingredient except if they are used as a source of fiber for ruminants. Especially in the case of aquaculture, several alternatives to the use of fish meal and other vegetable protein sources have been extensively explored due to the scarcity of fish stocks and the unsustainability of fishing for these purposes. Fish mortality is also of great concern in this sector as this problem highly reduces their economic feasibility. So, the development of new functional and natural ingredients that could reduce the need for vaccination is also of great interest. In this work, several fermentation tests were developed at lab scale using a selected mixture of fruit and vegetable discards from a wholesale market located in the Basque Country to increase their protein content and also to produce some bioactive extracts that could be used as additives in aquaculture. Fruit and vegetable mixtures (60/40 ww) were centrifugated for humidity reduction and crushed to 2-5 mm particle size. Samples were inoculated with a selected Rhizopus oryzae strain and fermented for 7 days in controlled conditions (humidity between 65 and 75% and 28ºC) in Petri plates (120 mm) by triplicate. Obtained results indicated that the final fermented product presented a twofold protein content (from 13 to 28% d.w). Fermented product was further processed to determine their possible functionality as a feed additive. Extraction tests were carried out to obtain an ethanolic extract (60:40 ethanol: water, v.v) and remaining biomass that also could present applications in food or feed sectors. The extract presented a polyphenol content of about 27 mg GAE/gr d.w with antioxidant activity of 8.4 mg TEAC/g d.w. Remining biomass is mainly composed of fiber (51%), protein (24%) and fat (10%). Extracts also presented antibacterial activity according to the results obtained in Agar Diffusion and to the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) tests determined against several food and fish pathogen strains. In vitro, digestibility was also assessed to obtain preliminary information about the expected effect of extraction procedure on fermented product digestibility. First results indicated that remaining biomass after extraction doesn´t seem to improve digestibility in comparison to the initial fermented product. These preliminary results show that fermented fruit and vegetables can be a useful source of functional ingredients for aquaculture applications and a substitute of other protein sources in the feeding sector. Further validation will be also carried out through “in vivo” tests with trout and bass.

Keywords: fungal solid state fermentation, protein increase, functional extracts, feed ingredients

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Authors: Liudmila Garzanova, Lidia Ananyeva, Olga Koneva, Olga Ovsyannikova, Oxana Desinova, Mayya Starovoytova, Rushana Shayahmetova, Anna Khelkovskaya-Sergeeva

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Objectives: The duration of the disease could be one of the leading factors in the effectiveness of therapy in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The aim of the study was to assess how the duration of the disease affects the changes of lung function in patients(pts) with interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with SSc during long-term RTX therapy. Methods: We prospectively included 113pts with SSc in this study. 85% of pts were female. Mean age was 48.1±13years. The diffuse cutaneous subset of the disease had 62pts, limited–40, overlap–11. The mean disease duration was 6.1±5.4years. Pts were divided into 2 groups depending on the disease duration - group 1 (less than 5 years-63pts) and group 2 (more than 5 years-50 pts). All pts received prednisolone at mean dose of 11.5±4.6 mg/day and 53 of them - immunosuppressants at inclusion. The parameters were evaluated over the periods: at baseline (point 0), 13±2.3mo (point 1), 42±14mo (point 2) and 79±6.5mo (point 3) after initiation of RTX therapy. Cumulative mean dose of RTX in group 1 at point 1 was 1.7±0.6 g, at point 2 = 3.3±1.5g, at point 3 = 3.9±2.3g; in group 2 at point 1 = 1.6±0.6g, at point 2 = 2.7±1.5 g, at point 3 = 3.7±2.6 g. The results are presented in the form of mean values, delta(Δ), median(me), upper and lower quartile. Results. There was a significant increase of forced vital capacity % predicted (FVC) in both groups, but at points 1 and 2 the improvement was more significant in group 1. In group 2, an improvement of FVC was noted with a longer follow-up. Diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide % predicted (DLCO) remained stable at point 1, and then significantly improved by the 3rd year of RTX therapy in both groups. In group 1 at point 1: ΔFVC was 4.7 (me=4; [-1.8;12.3])%, ΔDLCO = -1.2 (me=-0.3; [-5.3;3.6])%, at point 2: ΔFVC = 9.4 (me=7.1; [1;16])%, ΔDLCO =3.7 (me=4.6; [-4.8;10])%, at point 3: ΔFVC = 13 (me=13.4; [2.3;25.8])%, ΔDLCO = 2.3 (me=1.6; [-5.6;11.5])%. In group 2 at point 1: ΔFVC = 3.4 (me=2.3; [-0.8;7.9])%, ΔDLCO = 1.5 (me=1.5; [-1.9;4.9])%; at point 2: ΔFVC = 7.6 (me=8.2; [0;12.6])%, ΔDLCO = 3.5 (me=0.7; [-1.6;10.7]) %; at point 3: ΔFVC = 13.2 (me=10.4; [2.8;15.4])%, ΔDLCO = 3.6 (me=1.7; [-2.4;9.2])%. Conclusion: Patients with an early SSc have more quick response to RTX therapy already in 1 year of follow-up. Patients with a disease duration more than 5 years also have response to therapy, but with longer treatment. RTX is effective option for the treatment of ILD-SSc, regardless of the duration of the disease.

Keywords: interstitial lung disease, systemic sclerosis, rituximab, disease duration

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Authors: Md. Refat Jahan Rakiba, M. Belal Hossaina, Rakesh Kumarc, Md. Akram Ullaha, Sultan Al Nahiand, Nazmun Naher Rimaa, Tasrina Rabia Choudhury, Samia Islam Libaf, Jimmy Yub, Mayeen Uddin Khandakerg, Abdelmoneim Suliemanh, Mohamed Mahmoud Sayedi

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Microplastics (MPs) have become an emerging global pollutant due to their wide spread and dispersion and potential threats to marine ecosystems. However, studies on MPs of estuarine and coastal ecosystems of Bangladesh are very limited or not available. In this study, we conducted the first study on the abundance, distribution, characteristics and potential risk assessment of microplastics in the sediment of Karnaphuli River estuary, Bangladesh. Microplastic particles were extracted from sediments of 30 stations along the estuary by density separation, and then enumerated and characterize by using steromicroscope and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. In the collected sediment, the number of MPs varied from 22.29 - 59.5 items kg−1 of dry weight (DW) with an average of 1177 particles kg−1 DW. The mean abundance was higher in the downstream and left bank of estuary where the predominant shape, colour, and size of MPs were films (35%), white (19%), and >5000 μm (19%), respectively. The main polymer types were polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyethylene, cellulose, and nylon. MPs were found to pose risks (low to high) in the sediment of the estuary, with the highest risk occuring at one station near a sewage outlet, according to the results of risk analyses using the pollution risk index (PRI), polymer risk index (H), contamination factors (CFs), and pollution load index (PLI). The single value index, PLI clearly demonastated that all sampling sites were considerably polluted (as PLI >1) with microplastics. H values showed toxic polymers even in lower proportions possess higher polymeric hazard scores and vice versa. This investigation uncovered new insights on the status of MPs in the sediments of Karnaphuli River estuary, laying the groundwork for future research and control of microplastic pollution and management.

Keywords: microplastics, polymers, pollution risk assessment, Karnaphuli esttuary

Procedia PDF Downloads 85

Authors: Hannah Patricia S., Louise Margarrette R., Josking Oliver L., Denisse Katrina C., Justine Kali O.

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Aims: In the Philippines, there has been an astronomical increase in the population of elderly sent to nursing home facilities which has been studied to induce despair and loss of self-worth. Nurses in institutionalized facilities generally care for the elderly. Although supportive group therapy has been explored to mend this psychological disparity, nursing research has limited published studies about this in the institutionalized setting. Hence, the study determined the effectiveness of supportive group therapy in depression, self-esteem and quality of life among institutionalized elderly. Methodology: A one-group pre-test-post-test design was conducted among 20-purposively selected institutionalized elderly after the Ethics Research Board approval. All eligible participants underwent the supportive group therapy after being subdivided into session groups. The Geriatric Depression Scale, which has a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.90; the Rosenberg Self-Esteem, which has a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient = 0.84; and the Older People Quality of Life, which has a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient =0.88, were utilized to measure depression, self-esteem, and quality of life, respectively. Descriptive statistics and Repeated Measures-Multivariate Analysis of Variance (RM-MANOVA) analyzed gathered data. Results: Results showed that the supportive group therapy significantly decreased post-test depression scores (F(1,19)=78.69,p=0.0001,partial η2=0.805), significantly improved post-test self-esteem score (F(1,19)=28.07,p=0.0001,partial η2=0.596), and significantly increased the post-test quality of life (F(1,19)=79.73,p=0.0001,partial η2=0.808) after the intervention has been rendered. Conclusion: Supportive group therapy is effective in alleviating depression and in improving self-esteem and quality of life among institutionalized elderly and can be utilized by nursing homes as an intervention to improve the over-all psychosocial status of elderly patients.

Keywords: supportive group therapy, institutionalized elderly, depression, self-esteem, quality of life

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Authors: Tahira Hyder, Saima Quraeshi, Zohaib Akram

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Salvadora Persica (SP) is known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-coagulant and anti-bacterial properties that may provide therapeutic benefits in the treatment of chronic periodontitis (CP). The current clinical trial was designed to investigate the clinical and anti-microbial effects of SP gel as an adjunct to scaling and root planning (SRP) in subjects with generalized CP. Sixty-six subjects with CP were randomized allocated into two groups: SRP + SP gel (test group) and SRP only (control group). Clinical parameters (periodontal pocket depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, bleeding score and plaque score) were recorded at baseline before SRP and at 6 weeks. At baseline and 6 weeks subgingival plaque samples were collected and periodontopathogen Porphyromonas Gingivalis (Pg) quantified using Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Both therapies reduced the mean periodontal pocket depth (PPD), plaque score (PS) and bleeding score (BOP) and improved the mean clinical attachment level (CAL) between baseline and 6 weeks. In subjects receiving adjunctive SP gel a statistically significant improvement was observed in BOP at follow-up compared to control group (15.01±3.47% and 22.81±6.81% respectively, p=0.001), while there was no statistically significant difference in periodontal pocket depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level and plaque score between both groups. The test group displayed significantly greater Pg reduction compared to the control group after 6 weeks. The current study establishes that local delivery of SP gel into periodontal pocket in CP stimulated a significant reduction in bacteria Pg level and an improvement in gingival health, as evident from a reduced bleeding score, when used as an adjunct to SRP.

Keywords: miswak, scaling and root planing, porphyromonas gingivalis, chronic periodontitis

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Authors: Cherif Y., Ghariani R., Derbal S., Farhati S., Ben Dahmen F., Abdallah M.

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Introduction: Tuberculosis (TBC) is a frequent infection and is still a major public health problem in Tunisia. The aim of this work is to focus on diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics of TBC in patients referred to our internal medicine department. Patients and Methods: The study was retrospective and descriptive of a cohort of consecutive cases treated from January 2016 to December 2019, collecting patients with latent or patent TBC. Twenty-eight medical records of adults diagnosed with TBC were reviewed. Results: Twenty-eight patients, including 18 women and 10 men, were diagnosed with TBC. Their mean age is 48 years (range: 22-78 years). Five patients have a medical history of diabetes mellitus, 1 patient was followed for systemic lupus erythematosus treated with corticosteroids and immunosuppressant drugs, and another was treated with corticosteroids for Mac Duffy syndrome. The TBC is latent in 12 cases and patent in 16 cases. The most common symptoms were fever and weight loss and were found in 10 cases, a cough in 2 cases, sputum in 3 cases, lymph nodes in 4 cases, erythema nodosum in 2 cases, and neurological signs in 3 cases. Lymphopenia is noticed in 3 cases and a biological inflammatory syndrome in 18 of the cases. The purified protein derivate reaction was positive in 17 cases, anergic in 3 cases, negative in 5 cases, and not done in 3 cases. The acid-fast bacilli stain culture was strongly positive in one patient. The histopathological study was conclusive in 11 patients and showed granulomatosis with caseous necrosis. TBC was pulmonary in 7 patients, lymph node in 7 cases, peritoneal in 7 cases, digestive in 1 case, neuromeningeal in 3 cases, and thyroïd in 1 case. Seven patients had multifocal TBC. All the patients received anti-tuberculosis treatment with a mean duration of 8 months with no failure or relapse with an average follow-up time of 10.58 months. Conclusion: Diagnosis and management of TBC remain essential to avoid serious complications. The survey is necessary to ensure timely detection and treatment of infected adults to decrease its incidence. The best treatment remains preventive through vaccination and improving social and economic conditions.

Keywords: tuberculosis, infection, autoimmune disease, granulomatosis

Procedia PDF Downloads 188

Authors: Mahzabin Afroz, Indubhushan Patnaikuni, Srikanth Venkatesan

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It is well-known that fly ash can be used in high volume as a partial replacement of cement to get beneficial effects on concrete. High volume fly ash (HVFA) concrete is currently emerging as a popular option to strengthen by fiber. Although studies have supported the use of fibers with fly ash, a unified model along with the incorporation into finite element software package to estimate the maximum flexural loads need to be developed. In this study, nonlinear finite element analysis of steel fiber reinforced high strength HVFA concrete beam under static loadings was conducted to investigate their failure modes in terms of ultimate load. First of all, the experimental investigation of mechanical properties of high strength HVFA concrete was done and validates with developed numerical model with the appropriate modeling of element size and mesh by ANSYS 16.2. To model the fiber within the concrete, three-dimensional random fiber distribution was simulated by spherical coordinate system. Three types of high strength HVFA concrete beams were analyzed reinforced with 0.5, 1 and 1.5% volume fractions of steel fibers with specific mechanical and physical properties. The result reveals that the use of nonlinear finite element analysis technique and three-dimensional random fiber orientation exhibited fairly good agreement with the experimental results of flexural strength, load deflection and crack propagation mechanism. By utilizing this improved model, it is possible to determine the flexural behavior of different types and proportions of steel fiber reinforced HVFA concrete beam under static load. So, this paper has the originality to predict the flexural properties of steel fiber reinforced high strength HVFA concrete by numerical simulations.

Keywords: finite element analysis, high volume fly ash, steel fibers, spherical coordinate system

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Authors: Ankit Shah, R. K. Shrivastava

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Flood and drought are two main features of hydrology which affect the human life. Floods are natural disasters which cause millions of rupees’ worth of damage each year in India and the whole world. Flood causes destruction in form of life and property. An accurate estimate of the flood damage potential is a key element to an effective, nationwide flood damage abatement program. Also, the increase in demand of water due to increase in population, industrial and agricultural growth, has let us know that though being a renewable resource it cannot be taken for granted. We have to optimize the use of water according to circumstances and conditions and need to harness it which can be done by construction of hydraulic structures. For their safe and proper functioning of hydraulic structures, we need to predict the flood magnitude and its impact. Hydraulic structures play a key role in harnessing and optimization of flood water which in turn results in safe and maximum use of water available. Mainly hydraulic structures are constructed on ungauged sites. There are two methods by which we can estimate flood viz. generation of Unit Hydrographs and Flood Frequency Analysis. In this study, Regional Flood Frequency Analysis has been employed. There are many methods for estimating the ‘Regional Flood Frequency Analysis’ viz. Index Flood Method. National Environmental and Research Council (NERC Methods), Multiple Regression Method, etc. However, none of the methods can be considered universal for every situation and location. The Narmada basin is located in Central India. It is drained by most of the tributaries, most of which are ungauged. Therefore it is very difficult to estimate flood on these tributaries and in the main river. As mentioned above Artificial Neural Network (ANN)s and Multiple Regression Method is used for determination of Regional flood Frequency. The annual peak flood data of 20 sites gauging sites of Narmada Basin is used in the present study to determine the Regional Flood relationships. Homogeneity of the considered sites is determined by using the Index Flood Method. Flood relationships obtained by both the methods are compared with each other, and it is found that ANN is more reliable than Multiple Regression Method for the present study area.

Keywords: artificial neural network, index flood method, multi layer perceptrons, multiple regression, Narmada basin, regional flood frequency

Procedia PDF Downloads 422