Search results for: Barari Alireza
124 Seismic Behavior of Suction Caisson Foundations
Authors: Mohsen Saleh Asheghabadi, Alireza Jafari Jebeli
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Increasing population growth requires more sustainable development of energy. This non-contaminated energy has an inexhaustible energy source. One of the vital parameters in such structures is the choice of foundation type. Suction caissons are now used extensively worldwide for offshore wind turbine. Considering the presence of a number of offshore wind farms in earthquake areas, the study of the seismic behavior of suction caisson is necessary for better design. In this paper, the results obtained from three suction caisson models with different diameter (D) and skirt length (L) in saturated sand were compared with centrifuge test results. All models are analyzed using 3D finite element (FE) method taking account of elasto-plastic Mohr–Coulomb constitutive model for soil which is available in the ABAQUS library. The earthquake load applied to the base of models with a maximum acceleration of 0.65g. The results showed that numerical method is in relative good agreement with centrifuge results. The settlement and rotation of foundation decrease by increasing the skirt length and foundation diameter. The sand soil outside the caisson is prone to liquefaction due to its low confinement.Keywords: liquefaction, suction caisson foundation, offshore wind turbine, numerical analysis, seismic behavior
Procedia PDF Downloads 119123 Arsenic and Mercury Levels in Scalp Hair of School Children of Three Villages in Kandal Province, Cambodia
Authors: Alireza Yavar, Sukiman Sarmani, Khoo Kok Siong
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The residents of villages in Kandal province of Cambodia, because of dietary habits, lifestyle and ecological conditions, are exposed to toxic elements like arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg). For comparison purpose, scalp hair samples of 12-17 school children from three villages of Anglong Romiot (AR), Svay Romiot (SR) and Kampong Kong (KK) in Kandal province of Cambodia were considered using k0- instrumental neutron activation method (k0-INAA). The samples irradiated 6 hours with 750 kW power in Malaysian nuclear agency (MNA) research reactor and subsequently found gamma peaks of radionuclides in samples using HPGe detector. The average values of arsenic and mercury were 0.0 and 3.52 (mg/kg) in AR; 1.88 and 4.26 (mg/kg) in SR; 2.81 and 3.37 (mg/kg) in KK, respectively. The results indicate KK, SR, and AR villages were in high, medium and control level of arsenic pollution, respectively. However, Hg concentration were highest in SR, then KK and AR villages, respectively. The accuracy of the method was assessed by analyzing ERM-DB001-human hair as certified reference materials (CRMs), which experimental result of ERM-DB001 was consistent with certified values. In addition, correlation between As and Hg levels was found by Pearson’s correlation test.Keywords: Kandal province of Cambodia, k0- instrumental neutron activation method., scalp human hair, arsenic and mercury
Procedia PDF Downloads 97122 The Perspective of Smart Thermoregulation in Personal Protective Equipment
Authors: Alireza Saidi
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Aside from injuries due to direct contact with hot or cold substances or objects, exposure to extreme temperatures in the workplace involves physical hazards to workers. On the other hand, a poorly acclimatized worker may have reduced performance and alertness and may, therefore, be more vulnerable to the risk of accidents and injuries. Due to the incompatibility of the standards put in place with certain workplaces and the lack of thermoregulation in many protective equipments, thermal strains remain among the physical risks most present in many work sectors. However, many of these problems can be overcome thanks to the potential of intelligent textile technologies allowing intelligent thermoregulation in protective equipment. Nowadays, technologies such as heating elements, cooling elements are applied in products intended for sport and leisure, and research work has been carried out in the integration of temperature sensors and thermal stress detectors in personal protective equipment. However, the usage of all of these technologies in personal protective equipment remains very marginal. This article presents a portrait of the current state of intelligent thermoregulation systems by carrying out a synthesis of technical developments, which is accompanied by a gap analysis of current developments. Thus, the research work necessary for the adaptation and integration of intelligent thermoregulation systems with personal protective equipment is discussed in order to offer a perspective of future developments.Keywords: personal protective equipment, smart textiles, thermoregulation, thermal strain
Procedia PDF Downloads 110121 Lessons from Vernacular Architecture for Lightweight Construction
Authors: Alireza Taghdiri, Sara Ghanbarzade Ghomi
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With the gravity load reduction in the structural and non-structural components, the lightweight construction will be achieved as well as the improvement of efficiency and functional specifications. The advantages of lightweight construction can be examined in two levels. The first is the mass reduction of load bearing structure which results in increasing internal useful space and the other one is the mass reduction of building which decreases the effects of seismic load as a result. In order to achieve this goal, the essential building materials specifications and also optimum load bearing geometry of structural systems and elements have to be considered, so lightweight materials selection particularly with lightweight aggregate for building components will be the first step of lightweight construction. In the next step, in addition to selecting the prominent samples of Iran's traditional architecture, the process of these works improvement is analyzed through the viewpoints of structural efficiency and lightweighting and also the practical methods of lightweight construction have been extracted. The optimum design of load bearing geometry of structural system has to be considered not only in the structural system elements, but also in their composition and the selection of dimensions, proportions, forms and optimum orientations, can lead to get a maximum materials efficiency for loads and stresses bearing.Keywords: gravity load, light-weighting structural system, load bearing geometry, seismic behavior
Procedia PDF Downloads 543120 Use of Oral Midazolam in Endoscopy
Authors: Alireza Javadzadeh
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Background: The purpose of this prospective, randomized study was to compare the safety and efficacy of oral versus i.v. midazolam in providing sedation for pediatric upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy. Methods: Sixty-one children (age < 16 years) scheduled for upper GI endoscopy were studied. Patients were randomly assigned to receive oral or i.v. midazolam. Measurements were made and compared for vital signs, level of sedation, pre- and post-procedure comfort, anxiety during endoscopy, ease of separation from parents, ease and duration of procedure, and recovery time. Results: Patients were aged 1–16 years (mean 7.5 ± 3.42 years); 30 patients received oral medication, and 31 received i.v. medication. There were no statistically significant differences in age or gender between groups. There were no significant differences in level of sedation, ease of separation from parents, ease of ability to monitor the patient during the procedure, heart rate, systolic arterial pressure, or respiratory rate. Oxygen saturation was significantly lower in the i.v. group than the oral group 10 and 30 min after removal of the endoscope, and recovery time was longer in the oral than the i.v. group. Conclusions: Oral administration of midazolam is a safe and effective method of sedation that significantly reduces anxiety and improves overall tolerance for children undergoing esophagogastroduodenoscopy.Keywords: children, endoscopy, midazolam, oral, sedation
Procedia PDF Downloads 345119 5-[Aryloxypyridyl (or Nitrophenyl)]-4H-1,2,4-Triazoles as Flexible Benzodiazepine Analogs: Synthesis, Receptor Binding Affinity and the Lipophilicity-Dependent Anti-Seizure Onset of Action
Authors: Latifeh Navidpour, Shabnam Shabani, Alireza Heidari, Manouchehr Bashiri, Azadeh Ebrahim-Habibi, Soraya Shahhosseini, Hamed Shafaroodi, Sayyed Abbas Tabatabai, Mahsa Toolabi
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A new series of 5-(2-aryloxy-4-nitrophenyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazoles and 5-(2-aryloxy-3-pyridyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazoles, possessing C-3 thio or alkylthio substituents, was synthesized and evaluated for their benzodiazepine receptor affinity and anti-seizure activity. These analogues revealed similar to significantly superior affinity to GABAA/ benzodiazepine receptor complex (IC50 values of 0.04–4.1 nM), relative to diazepam as the reference drug (IC50 value of 2.4 nM). To determine the onset of anti-seizure activity, the time-dependent effectiveness of i.p. administration of compounds on pentylenetetrazole induced seizure threshold was studied and a very good relationship was observed between the lipophilicity (cLogP) and onset of action of studied analogues (r2 = 0.964). The minimum effective dose of the compounds, determined at the time the analogues showed their highest activity, was demonstrated to be 0.025–0.1 mg/kg, relative to diazepam (0.025 mg/kg).Keywords: 1, 2, 4-triazole, flexible benzodiazepines, GABAA/bezodiazepine receptor complex, onset of action, PTZ induced seizure threshold
Procedia PDF Downloads 104118 Study of the Chronic Effects of CRACK on Some Biochemical Parameters Including Triglycerides, Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, Amylase, Lipase, Albumin, Protein in Rat
Authors: Alireza Jafarzadeh, Bahram Amu-Oqhli Tabrizi, Hadi Khayat Nouri, Arash Khaki
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30 head of adult Vistar rats were chosen to evaluate the chronic narcotic effects of crack on some biochemical parameters. The rats weighted approximately 200 to 250 g. They were divided into 5 groups of 6 and were housed in identical condition in terms of food and ambience. Rats were maintained at 12 hours light and 12 hours darkness. Rats were injected 7.8 mg/kg BW crack intraperitoneally. The groups one to four received daily medication for one to four weeks respectively. The control groups were injected identical dose of saline. The blood was taken from control and test groups then serum was separated from. Serum biochemical parameters of amylase, lipase, triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL, LDL, VLDL, protein and albumin were measured by diagnostic kits. Serum protein and albumin levels did not show statistically significant changes. Serum lipase and amylase showed significant changes both of which were increased. The serum levels of cholesterol, LDL and HDL demonstrated no significant changes. Triglycerides values showed a significant increase in serum. Serum VLDL in groups 3 and 4 exhibited significant changes compare to other groups.Keywords: albumin, amylase, cholesterol, crack, HDL, LDL, lipase, protein, rat, triglycerides, VLDL
Procedia PDF Downloads 698117 A Nonlinear Visco-Hyper Elastic Constitutive Model for Modelling Behavior of Polyurea at Large Deformations
Authors: Shank Kulkarni, Alireza Tabarraei
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The fantastic properties of polyurea such as flexibility, durability, and chemical resistance have brought it a wide range of application in various industries. Effective prediction of the response of polyurea under different loading and environmental conditions necessitates the development of an accurate constitutive model. Similar to most polymers, the behavior of polyurea depends on both strain and strain rate. Therefore, the constitutive model should be able to capture both these effects on the response of polyurea. To achieve this objective, in this paper, a nonlinear hyper-viscoelastic constitutive model is developed by the superposition of a hyperelastic and a viscoelastic model. The proposed constitutive model can capture the behavior of polyurea under compressive loading conditions at various strain rates. Four parameter Ogden model and Mooney Rivlin model are used to modeling the hyperelastic behavior of polyurea. The viscoelastic behavior is modeled using both a three-parameter standard linear solid (SLS) model and a K-BKZ model. Comparison of the modeling results with experiments shows that Odgen and SLS model can more accurately predict the behavior of polyurea. The material parameters of the model are found by curve fitting of the proposed model to the uniaxial compression test data. The proposed model can closely reproduce the stress-strain behavior of polyurea for strain rates up to 6500 /s.Keywords: constitutive modelling, ogden model, polyurea, SLS model, uniaxial compression test
Procedia PDF Downloads 243116 The Predictive Value of Extensor Grip Test for the Effectiveness of Treatment for Tennis Elbow: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Mohammad Javad Zehtab, S. Alireza Mirghasemi, Ali Majlesara, Parvin Tajik, Babak Siavashi
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Objective: There are different modalities proposed for tennis elbow treatment with few randomized trials comparing them. We designed a study to compare the effectiveness of five different modalities and determine the usefulness of recently proposed extensor grip test (EGT) in predicting the response to treatment. Methods: In a randomized controlled clinical trial 92 of 98 tennis elbow patients in Sina hospital of Tehran, Iran between 2006 and 2007 fulfill trial entry criteria, among these patients 56 (60.9%) had positive EGT result. Stratified on EGT result, patients allocated randomly to 5 treatment groups: Brace (B) group, physiotherapy (P), brace + physiotherapy (BP), injection (I) and injection + physiotherapy (IP). Results: Patients who had positive result of EGT had better response to treatments: less SOC (p = 0.06), less PFFQ and patients’ satisfaction scores (p < 0.001). Among the treatment IP was the most successful, then BP, P and B, respectively; injection was the worst treatment modality. Response to treatment was comparable in all groups between EGT positive and negative patients except bracing; in which positive EGT was correlated with a dramatic response to treatment. Conclusion: In all patients IP and then BP is recommended but in EGT negatives, bracing seems to be of no use. Injection alone is not recommended in either group.Keywords: tennis elbow, extensor grip test, physiotherapy, tennis elbow treatment
Procedia PDF Downloads 284115 Applied Methods for Lightweighting Structural Systems
Authors: Alireza Taghdiri, Sara Ghanbarzade Ghomi
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With gravity load reduction in the structural and non-structural components, the lightweight construction will be achieved as well as the improvement of efficiency and functional specifications. The advantages of lightweight construction can be examined in two levels. The first is the mass reduction of load bearing structure which results in increasing internal useful space and the other one is the mass reduction of building which decreases the effects of seismic load as a result. In order to achieve this goal, the essential building materials specifications and also optimum load bearing geometry of structural systems and elements have to be considered, so lightweight materials selection particularly with lightweight aggregate for building components will be the first step of lightweight construction. In the next step, in addition to selecting the prominent samples of Iran's traditional architecture, the process of these works improvement is analyzed through the viewpoints of structural efficiency and lightweighting and also the practical methods of lightweight construction have been extracted. The optimum design of load bearing geometry of structural system has to be considered not only in the structural system elements, but also in their composition and the selection of dimensions, proportions, forms and optimum orientations, can lead to get a maximum materials efficiency for loads and stresses bearing.Keywords: gravity load, lightweighting structural system, load bearing geometry, seismic behavior
Procedia PDF Downloads 521114 Characterization of the Physicochemical Properties of Raw and Calcined Kaolinitic Clays Using Analytical Techniques
Authors: Alireza Khaloo, Asghar Gholizadeh-Vayghan
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The present work focuses on the characterization of the physicochemical properties of kaolinitic clays in both raw and calcined (i.e., dehydroxylated) states. The properties investigated included the dehydroxylation temperature, chemical composition and crystalline phases, band types, kaolinite content, vitreous phase, and reactive and unreactive silica and alumina. The thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffractometry and infrared spectroscopy results suggest that full dehydroxylation takes place at 639°C, converting kaolinite to reactive metakaolinite (Si₂Al₂O₇). Application of higher temperatures up to 800 °C leads to complete decarbonation of the calcite phase, and the kaolinite converts to mullite at temperatures exceeding 957 °C. Calcination at 639°C was found to cause a 50% increase in the vitreous content of kaolin. Statistically meaningful increases in the reactivity of silica, alumina, calcite and sodium carbonate in kaolin were detected as a result of such thermal treatment. Such increases were found to be 11%, 47%, 240% and 10%, respectively. The ferrite phase, however, showed a 36% decline in reactivity. The proposed approach can be used as an analytical method to determine the viability of the source of kaolinite and proper physical and chemical modifications needed to enhance its suitability for geopolymer production.Keywords: physicochemical properties, dehydroxylation, kaolinitic clays, kaolinite content, vitreous phase, reactivity
Procedia PDF Downloads 162113 Photoleap: An AI-Powered Photo Editing App with Advanced Features and User Satisfaction Analysis
Authors: Joud Basyouni, Rama Zagzoog, Mashael Al Faleh, Jana Alireza
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AI is changing many fields and speeding up tasks that used to take a long time. It used to take too long to edit photos. However, many AI-powered apps make photo editing, automatic effects, and animations much easier than other manual editing apps with no AI. The mobile app Photoleap edits photos and creates digital art using AI. Editing photos with text prompts is also becoming a standard these days with the help of apps like Photoleap. Now, users can change backgrounds, add animations, turn text into images, and create scenes with AI. This project report discusses the photo editing app's history and popularity. Photoleap resembles Photoshop, Canva, Photos, and Pixlr. The report includes survey questions to assess Photoleap user satisfaction. The report describes Photoleap's features and functions with screenshots. Photoleap uses AI well. Charts and graphs show Photoleap user ratings and comments from the survey. This project found that most Photoleap users liked how well it worked, was made, and was easy to use. People liked changing photos and adding backgrounds. Users can create stunning photo animations. A few users dislike the app's animations, AI art, and photo effects. The project report discusses the app's pros and cons and offers improvements.Keywords: artificial intelligence, photoleap, images, background, photo editing
Procedia PDF Downloads 60112 Global Voltage Harmonic Index for Measuring Harmonic Situation of Power Grids: A Focus on Power Transformers
Authors: Alireza Zabihi, Saeed Peyghami, Hossein Mokhtari
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With the increasing deployment of renewable power plants, such as solar and wind, it is crucial to measure the harmonic situation of the grid. This paper proposes a global voltage harmonic index to measure the harmonic situation of the power grid with a focus on power transformers. The power electronics systems used to connect these plants to the network can introduce harmonics, leading to increased losses, reduced efficiency, false operation of protective relays, and equipment damage due to harmonic intensifications. The proposed index considers the losses caused by harmonics in power transformers which are of great importance and value to the network, providing a comprehensive measure of the harmonic situation of the grid. The effectiveness of the proposed index is evaluated on a real-world distribution network, and the results demonstrate its ability to identify the harmonic situation of the network, particularly in relation to power transformers. The proposed index provides a comprehensive measure of the harmonic situation of the grid, taking into account the losses caused by harmonics in power transformers. The proposed index has the potential to support power companies in optimizing their power systems and to guide researchers in developing effective mitigation strategies for harmonics in the power grid.Keywords: global voltage harmonic index, harmonics, power grid, power quality, power transformers, renewable energy
Procedia PDF Downloads 127111 Investigating the Effect of Industrial Wastewater Application on the Concentration of Nitrate and Phosphate in the Soil of the Land Space of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Sefid Dasht Steel Company
Authors: Seyed Alireza Farrokhzad, Seyed Amin Alavi, Ebrahim Panahpour
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The use of industrial wastewater affects the properties of soil, including its chemical properties. This research was conducted randomly in order to investigate the effect of industrial wastewater application on the concentration of nitrate and phosphate in loamy soil in the land space of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Sefid Dasht Steel Company. Industrial wastewater was added in ten irrigation periods in the three months of summer 2022 and was used in a part of the land space of the factory. After finishing the irrigation process with wastewater, the soil nitrate and phosphate values were measured at the depths of 0-25, 25-50 and 50-100 cm. The results showed that adding sewage to the soil increased nitrate and phosphate. The increase of these ions in the soil became loamy. Also, the results showed that the amount of phosphate in the soil decreases with increasing depth, while the amount of nitrate in the soil increases with increasing depth, which is due to the high mobility of nitrate along the soil profile. Also, with the increase in the level of use of wastewater, the amount of nitrate accumulation in the lower layers of the soil increased.Keywords: industrial wastewater, soil chemical properties, loamy texture, land space
Procedia PDF Downloads 84110 River Stage-Discharge Forecasting Based on Multiple-Gauge Strategy Using EEMD-DWT-LSSVM Approach
Authors: Farhad Alizadeh, Alireza Faregh Gharamaleki, Mojtaba Jalilzadeh, Houshang Gholami, Ali Akhoundzadeh
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This study presented hybrid pre-processing approach along with a conceptual model to enhance the accuracy of river discharge prediction. In order to achieve this goal, Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition algorithm (EEMD), Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and Mutual Information (MI) were employed as a hybrid pre-processing approach conjugated to Least Square Support Vector Machine (LSSVM). A conceptual strategy namely multi-station model was developed to forecast the Souris River discharge more accurately. The strategy used herein was capable of covering uncertainties and complexities of river discharge modeling. DWT and EEMD was coupled, and the feature selection was performed for decomposed sub-series using MI to be employed in multi-station model. In the proposed feature selection method, some useless sub-series were omitted to achieve better performance. Results approved efficiency of the proposed DWT-EEMD-MI approach to improve accuracy of multi-station modeling strategies.Keywords: river stage-discharge process, LSSVM, discrete wavelet transform, Ensemble Empirical Decomposition Mode, multi-station modeling
Procedia PDF Downloads 175109 An Investigation of the Effects of Emotional Experience Induction on Mirror Neurons System Activity with Regard to Spectrum of Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Elyas Akbari, Jafar Hasani, Newsha Dehestani, Mohammad Khaleghi, Alireza Moradi
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The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of emotional experience induction in the mirror neurons systems (MNS) activity with regard to the spectrum of depressive symptoms. For this purpose, at first stage, 449 students of Kharazmi University of Tehran were selected randomly and completed the second version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Then, 36 students with standard Z-score equal or above +1.5 and equal or equal or below -1.5 were selected to construct two groups of high and low spectrum of depressive symptoms. In the next stage, the basic activity of MNS was recorded (mu wave) before presenting the positive and negative emotional video clips by Electroencephalography (EEG) technique. The findings related to emotion induction (neutral, negative and positive emotion) demonstrated that the activity of recorded mirror neuron areas had a significant difference between the depressive and non-depressive groups. These findings suggest that probably processing of negative emotions in depressive individuals is due to the idea that the mirror neurons in motor cortex matched up the activity of cognitive regions with the person’s schema. Considering the results of the present study, it could be said that the MNS provides a substrate where emotional disorders can be studied and evaluated.Keywords: emotional experiences, mirror neurons, depressive symptoms, negative and positive emotion
Procedia PDF Downloads 358108 The Effect of Exposure to High Noise Level on the Performance and Rate of Error in Manual Activities
Authors: Zahra Zamanian, Alireza Zamanian, Jafar Hasanzadeh
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Background: Unwanted sound, as one of the most important physical factors in the majority of production units, imposes a great number of problems on the industrial workers. Sound is one of the environmental factors which can cause physical as well as psychological damages and also affects the individuals’ performance and productivity. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of noise exposure on human performance. Methods: The present study assessed the effect of noise on the performance of 50 students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (25 males and 25 females) at the sound pressures of 70, 90, and 110 dB by using two factors of physical features and the creation of different conditions of sound pressure source as well as applying Two-Arm coordination Test. Results: The results of the present study revealed no significant difference between male and female subjects as well as different conditions of creating sound pressure regarding the length of performance (p> 0.05). In addition, as the sound pressure increased, the length of performance increased, as well. According to the results, no significant difference was found between the performance at 70 and 90 dB. On the other hand, the performance at 110 dB was significantly different from the performance at 70 and 90 dB (p<0.05 and p<0.001). Conclusion: In general, as the sound pressure increases, the performance decreases which results in a considerable increase in the individuals’ rate of error.Keywords: physical factors, two-arm coordination test, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, noise
Procedia PDF Downloads 305107 Effect of Organic Matter Pre-Treatment on Germination and Seedlings Growth Indices on Marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) under Drought Stress
Authors: Fahimeh Helali Soltanahmadi, Alireza Nourabdi
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To investigate the effects of seed pretreatment on drought tolerance, an experimental Marigold (Calendula officinalis L) was tested in 2017-2018. A germination experiment was performed in the laboratory of Urmia University. The experiment was performed as a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with three replications. The experimental treatments were dry levels of polyethylene glycol in four levels (control, -3, -6 and -9 bar) and treatments of Humic acid (72 mg / l), salicylic acid (2000 μmol) and ascorbic acid (200 ppm), and control were performed. The results of the germination experiment showed that with increasing drought levels caused by polyethylene glycol, germination indices were significantly reduced, so that the highest value obtained from the measured traits was observed in normal irrigation and in priming treatments, and the lowest amount of these traits was observed at the -9 bar drought level due to polyethylene glycol in the control treatment. The results of this study showed an increase in drought tolerance and improved Marigold germination under stress by applying seed priming with salicylic acid, which is recommended in sustainable and organic agriculture.Keywords: Marigold, organic matter, seed pretreatment, drought stress, allometric coefficient
Procedia PDF Downloads 62106 A Kinetic Study on Recovery of High-Purity Rutile TiO₂ Nanoparticles from Titanium Slag Using Sulfuric Acid under Sonochemical Procedure
Authors: Alireza Bahramian
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High-purity TiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) with size ranging between 50 nm and 100 nm are synthesized from titanium slag through sulphate route under sonochemical procedure. The effect of dissolution parameters such as the sulfuric acid/slag weight ratio, caustic soda concentration, digestion temperature and time, and initial particle size of the dried slag on the extraction efficiency of TiO₂ and removal of iron are examined. By optimizing the digestion conditions, a rutile TiO₂ powder with surface area of 42 m²/g and mean pore diameter of 22.4 nm were prepared. A thermo-kinetic analysis showed that the digestion temperature has an important effect, while the acid/slag weight ratio and initial size of the slag has a moderate effect on the dissolution rate. The shrinking-core model including both chemical surface reaction and surface diffusion is used to describe the leaching process. A low value of activation energy, 38.12 kJ/mol, indicates the surface chemical reaction model is a rate-controlling step. The kinetic analysis suggested a first order reaction mechanism with respect to the acid concentrations.Keywords: TiO₂ nanoparticles, titanium slag, dissolution rate, sonochemical method, thermo-kinetic study
Procedia PDF Downloads 255105 Particle Filter Supported with the Neural Network for Aircraft Tracking Based on Kernel and Active Contour
Authors: Mohammad Izadkhah, Mojtaba Hoseini, Alireza Khalili Tehrani
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In this paper we presented a new method for tracking flying targets in color video sequences based on contour and kernel. The aim of this work is to overcome the problem of losing target in changing light, large displacement, changing speed, and occlusion. The proposed method is made in three steps, estimate the target location by particle filter, segmentation target region using neural network and find the exact contours by greedy snake algorithm. In the proposed method we have used both region and contour information to create target candidate model and this model is dynamically updated during tracking. To avoid the accumulation of errors when updating, target region given to a perceptron neural network to separate the target from background. Then its output used for exact calculation of size and center of the target. Also it is used as the initial contour for the greedy snake algorithm to find the exact target's edge. The proposed algorithm has been tested on a database which contains a lot of challenges such as high speed and agility of aircrafts, background clutter, occlusions, camera movement, and so on. The experimental results show that the use of neural network increases the accuracy of tracking and segmentation.Keywords: video tracking, particle filter, greedy snake, neural network
Procedia PDF Downloads 342104 Alcohols as a Phase Change Material with Excellent Thermal Storage Properties in Buildings
Authors: Dehong Li, Yuchen Chen, Alireza Kaboorani, Denis Rodrigue, Xiaodong (Alice) Wang
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Utilizing solar energy for thermal energy storage has emerged as an appealing option for lowering the amount of energy that is consumed by buildings. Due to their high heat storage density, and non-corrosive and non-polluting properties, alcohols can be a good alternative to petroleum-derived paraffin phase change materials (PCMs). In this paper, ternary eutectic PCMs with suitable phase change temperatures were designed and prepared using lauryl alcohol (LA), cetyl alcohol (CA), stearyl alcohol (SA), and xylitol (X). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results revealed that the phase change temperatures of LA-CA-SA, LA-CA-X, and LA-SA-X were 20.52°C, 20.37°C, and 22.18°C, respectively. The latent heat of phase change of the ternary eutectic PCMs was all stronger than that of the paraffinic PCMs at roughly the same temperature. The highest latent heat was 195 J/g. It had good thermal energy storage capacity. The preparation mechanism was investigated using Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and it was found that the ternary eutectic PCMs were only physically mixed among the components. Ternary eutectic PCMs had a simple preparation process, suitable phase change temperature, and high energy storage density. They are suitable for low-temperature architectural packaging applications.Keywords: thermal energy storage, buildings, phase change materials, alcohols
Procedia PDF Downloads 97103 The Quantitative Analysis of Tourism Carrying Capacity with the Approach of Sustainable Development Case Study: Siahsard Fountain
Authors: Masoumeh Tadayoni, Saeed Kamyabi, Alireza Entezari
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Background and goal of the research: In planning and management system, the tourism carrying capacity is used as a holistic approach and supportive instrument. Evaluating the carrying capacity is used in quantitative the resource exploitation in line with sustainable development and as a foundation for identifying the changes in natural ecosystem and for the final evaluation and monitoring the tensions and decays in regressed ecosystem. Therefore, the present research tries to determine the carrying capacity of effective, physical and real range of Siahsard tourism region. Method: In the present research, the quantitative analysis of tourism carrying capacity is studied by used of effective or permissible carrying capacity (EPCC), real carrying capacity (PCC) and physical carrying capacity (RCC) in Siahsard fountain. It is analyzed based on the field survey and various resources were used for collecting information. Findings: The results of the analysis shows that, 3700 people use the Siahsard tourism region every day and 1350500 people use it annually. However, the evaluation of carrying capacity can be annually 1390650 people in this place. It can be an important tourism place along with other places in the region. Results: Siahsard’s tourism region has a little way to reach to its carrying capacity that needs to be analyzed. However, based on the results, some suggestions were offered for sustainable development of this region and as the most logical alternations for tourism management.Keywords: carrying capacity, evaluation, Siahsard, tourism
Procedia PDF Downloads 271102 Numerical Investigation of AL₂O₃ Nanoparticle Effect on a Boiling Forced Swirl Flow Field
Authors: Ataollah Rabiee1, Amir Hossein Kamalinia, Alireza Atf
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One of the most important issues in the design of nuclear fusion power plants is the heat removal from the hottest region at the diverter. Various methods could be employed in order to improve the heat transfer efficiency, such as generating turbulent flow and injection of nanoparticles in the host fluid. In the current study, Water/AL₂O₃ nanofluid forced swirl flow boiling has been investigated by using a homogeneous thermophysical model within the Eulerian-Eulerian framework through a twisted tape tube, and the boiling phenomenon was modeled using the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) approach. In addition to comparing the results with the experimental data and their reasonable agreement, it was evidenced that higher flow mixing results in more uniform bulk temperature and lower wall temperature along the twisted tape tube. The presence of AL₂O₃ nanoparticles in the boiling flow field showed that increasing the nanoparticle concentration leads to a reduced vapor volume fraction and wall temperature. The Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results show that the average heat transfer coefficient in the tube increases both by increasing the nanoparticle concentration and the insertion of twisted tape, which significantly affects the thermal field of the boiling flow.Keywords: nanoparticle, boiling, CFD, two phase flow, alumina, ITER
Procedia PDF Downloads 125101 Strategies to Combat the Covid-19 Epidemic
Authors: Marziye Hadian, Alireza Jabbari
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Background: The World Health Organization has identified COVID-19 as a public health emergency and is urging governments to stop the virus transmission by adopting appropriate policies. In this regard, the countries have taken different approaches to cutting the chain or controlling the spread of the disease. Methods: The present study was a systematize review of publications relating to prevention strategies for covid-19 disease. The study was carried out based on the PRISMA guidelines and CASP for articles and AACODS for grey literature. Finding: The study findings showed that in order to confront the COVID-19 epidemic, in general, there are three approaches of "mitigation", "active control" and "suppression" and four strategies of "quarantine", "isolation", "social distance" as well as "lockdown" in both individual and social dimensions to deal with epidemics that the choice of each approach requires specific strategies and has different effects when it comes to controlling and inhibiting the disease. Conclusion: The only way to control the disease is to change your behavior and lifestyle. In addition to prevention strategies, use of masks, observance of personal hygiene principles such as regular hand washing and non-contact of contaminated hands with the face, as well as observance of public health principles such as control of sneezing and coughing, safe extermination of personal protective equipment, etc. have not been included in the category of prevention tools. However, it has a great impact on controlling the epidemic, especially the new coronavirus epidemic.Keywords: novel corona virus, COVID-19, prevention tools, prevention strategies
Procedia PDF Downloads 140100 Numerical Study of Partial Penetration of PVDs In Soft Clay Soils Treatment Along With Surcharge Preloading (Bangkok Airport Case Study)
Authors: Mohammad Mehdi Pardsouie, Mehdi Mokhberi, Seyed Mohammad Ali Zomorodian, Seyed Alireza Nasehi
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One of the challenging parts of every project, including prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs), is the determination of the depth of installation and its configuration. In this paper, Geostudio 2018 was used for modeling and verification of the full-scale test embankments (TS1, TS2, and TS3), which were constructed to study the effectiveness of PVDs for accelerating the consolidation and dissipation of the excess pore-pressures resulting from fill placement at Bangkok airport. Different depths and scenarios were modeled and the results were compared and analyzed. Since the ultimate goal is attaining pre-determined settlement, the settlement curve under soil embankment was used for the investigation of the results. It was shown that nearly in all cases, the same results and efficiency might be obtained by partial depth installation of PVDs instead of complete full constant length installation. However, it should be mentioned that because of distinct soil characteristics of clay soils and layers properties of any project, further investigation of full-scale test embankments and modeling is needed prior to finalizing the ultimate design by competent geotechnical consultants.Keywords: partial penetration, surcharge preloading, excess pore water pressure, Bangkok test embankments
Procedia PDF Downloads 20799 Plasma Collagen XVIII in Response to Intensive Aerobic Running and Aqueous Extraction of Black Crataegus Elbursensis in Male Rats
Authors: A. Abdi, A. Abbasi Daloee, A. Barari
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Aim: The adaptations that occur in human body after doing exercises training are a factor to help healthy people stay away from certain diseases. One of the main adaptations is a change in blood circulation, especially in vessels. The increase of capillary density is dependent on the balance between angiogenic and angiostatic factors. Most studies show that the changes made to angiogenic developmental factors resulted from physical exercises indicate the low level of stimulators compared with inhibitors. It is believed that the plasma level of VEGF-A, the important angiogenic factor, is reduced after physical exercise. Findings indicate that the extract of crataegus plant reduces the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) autophosphorylation in human's fibroblast. More importantly, crataegus (1 to 100 mg in liter) clearly leads to the inhibition of PDGFR autophosphorylation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Angiogenesis is a process that can be classified into physiological and pathophysiological forms. collagen XVIII is a part of extracellular protein and heparan sulfate proteoglycans in vascular epithelial and endothelial basement membrane cause the release of endostatin from noncollagenous collagen XVIII. Endostatin inhibits the growth of endothelial cells, inhibits angiogenesis, weakens different types of cancer, and the growth of tumors. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect of intensive aerobic running with or without aqueous extraction of black Crataegus elbursensis on Collagen XVIII in male rats. Design: Thirty-two Wistar male rats (4-6 weeks old, 125-135 gr weight) were acquired from the Pasteur's Institute (Amol, Mazandaran), and randomly assigned into control (n = 16) and training (n = 16) groups. Rats were further divided into saline-control (SC) (n=8), saline-training (ST) (n=8), crataegus pentaegyna extraction -control (CPEC) (n=8), and crataegus pentaegyna extraction - training (CPET) (n=8). The control (SC and CPEC) groups remained sedentary; whereas the training groups underwent a high running exercise program. plasma were excised and immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen. Statistical analysis was performed using a one way analysis of variance and Tukey test. Significance was accepted at P = 0.05. Results: The results show that aerobic exercise group had the highest concentration collagen XVIII compared to other groups and then respectively black crataegus, training-crataegus and control groups. Conclusion: In general, researchers in this study concluded that the increase of collagen XVIII (albeit insignificant) as a result of physical activity and consumption of black crataegus extract could possibly serve as a regional inhibitor of angiogenesis and another evidence for the anti-cancer effects of physical activities. Since the research has not managed in this study to measure the amount of plasma endostatin, it is suggested that both indices are measured with important angiogenic factors so that we can have a more accurate interpretation of changes to angiogenic and angiostatic factors resulted from physical exercises.Keywords: aerobic running, Crataegus elbursensis, Collagen XVIII
Procedia PDF Downloads 32598 Identification and Classification of Gliadin Genes in Iranian Diploid Wheat
Authors: Jafar Ahmadi, Alireza Pour-Aboughadareh
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Wheat is the first and the most important grain of the world and its bakery property is due to glutenin and gliadin qualities. Wheat seed proteins were divided into four groups according to solubility. Two groups are albumin and globulin dissolving in water and salt solutions possessing metabolic activities. Two other groups are inactive and non-dissolvable and contain glutelins or glutenins and prolamins or gliadins. Gliadins are major components of the storage proteins in wheat endosperm. Gliadin proteins are separated into three groups based on electrophoretic mobility: α/β-gliadin, γ-gliadin, and ω-gliadin. It seems that little information is available about gliadin genes in Iranian wild relatives of wheat. Thus, the aim of this study was the evaluation of the wheat wild relatives collected from different origins of Zagros Mountains in Iran, involving coding gliadin genes using specific primers. For this, forty accessions of Triticum boeoticum and Triticum urartu were selected. For each accession, genomic DNA was extracted and PCRs were performed in total volumes of 15 μl. The amplification products were separated on 1.5% agarose gels. In results, for Gli-2A locus, three allelic variants were detected by Gli-2As primer pairs. The sizes of PCR products for these alleles were 210, 490 and 700 bp. Only five (13%) and two accessions (5%) produced 700 and 490 bp fragments when their DNA was amplified with the Gli.As.2 primer pairs. However, 37 of the 40 accessions (93%) carried 210 bp allele, and three accessions (8%) did not yield any product for this marker. Therefore, these germplasm could be used as rich gene pool to broaden the genetic base of bread wheat.Keywords: diploied wheat, gliadin, Triticum boeoticum, Triticum urartu
Procedia PDF Downloads 25197 Behavioral Assessment of the Role of Brain 5-HT4 Receptors on the Memory and Cognitive Performance in a Rat Model of Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Siamak Shahidi, Nasrin Hashemi-Firouzi, Sara Soleimani-Asl, Alireza Komaki
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Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive memory and cognitive performance. Recently, an involvement of the serotonergic system and their receptors are suspected in the AD progression. In the present behavioral study, the effects of BIMU (selective 5-HT4 receptor agonist) on cognition and memory in the rat model of AD was investigated. Material and Methods: The animal model of the AD was induced by intracerebroventricular (Icv) injection of amyloid beta (Aβ) in adult male Wistar rats. Animals were divided into experimental groups included control, sham, Aβ, Aβ +BIMU groups. The treatment substances were icv injected (1 μg/μL) for thirty consecutive days. Then, novel object recognition (NOR) and passive avoidance learning (PAL) tests were applied to investigate memory and cognitive performance. Results: Aβ decrease the discrimination index of NOR test. Also, it increases the time spent in the dark compartment during PAL test, as compared with sham and control groups. In addition, compared to Aβ groups, BIMU significantly increased the discrimination index of NOR test and decreased the time spent in the dark compartment of PAL test. Conclusion: These findings suggest that 5-HT4 receptor activation prevents progression of memory and cognitive impairment in a rat model of AD.Keywords: Alzheimer disease, cognition, memory, serotonin receptors
Procedia PDF Downloads 13296 A Prospective Study of a Modified Pin-In-Plaster Technique for Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures
Authors: S. alireza Mirghasemi, Shervin Rashidinia, Mohammadsaleh Sadeghi, Mohsen Talebizadeh, Narges Rahimi Gabaran, S. Shahin Eftekhari, Sara Shahmoradi
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Purpose: There are various pin-in-plaster methods for treating distal radius fractures. This study is meant to introduce a modified technique of pin-in-plaster. Materials and methods: Fifty-four patients with distal radius fractures were followed up for one year. Patients were excluded if they had type B fractures according to AO classification, multiple injuries or pathological fractures, and were treated more than 7 days after injury. Range of motion and functional results were evaluated. Radiographic parameters including radial inclination, tilt, and height, were measured preoperatively and postoperatively. Results: The average radial tilt was 10.6° and radial height was 10.2 mm at the sixth month postoperatively. Three cases of pin tract infection were recorded, who were treated totally with oral antibiotics. There was no case of pin loosening. Of total 73 patients underwent surgery, three cases of radial nerve irritation were recorded at the time of cast removal. All of them resolved at the 6th month follow up. No median nerve compression and carpal tunnel syndrome have found. We also had no case of tendon injury. Conclusion: Our modified technique is effective to restore anatomic congruity and maintain reduction.Keywords: distal radius fracture, percutaneous pinning, pin-in-plaster, modified method of pin-in-plaster, operative treatment
Procedia PDF Downloads 50995 Evaluation of the Effect of Intravenous Dexamethasone on Hemodynamic Variables and Hypotension in Female Undergoing Cesarean Section With Spinal Anesthesia
Authors: Shekoufeh Behdad, Sahar Yadegari, Alireza Ghehrazad, Amirhossein Yadegari
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Background: In this study, we compared the effect of intravenous dexamethasone with placebo on hemodynamic variables and hypotension in patients undergoing cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. Materials and methods: This double-blind, randomized clinical trial was conducted with the approval of the university ethics committee. Written informed consent was obtained from all participating patients. Before spinal anesthesia, patients were randomly assigned to receive either dexamethasone (8 mg IV) or placebo (normal saline). Hemodynamic variables, including systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures, as well as heart rate, were measured before drug administration and every 3 minutes until the birth of the neonate and then every 5 minutes until the end of surgery. Side effects such as hypotension, bradycardia, nausea, and vomiting were assessed and recorded for all the patients. Results: There were no significant differences in mean systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures before and after administration of the studied drugs in both groups (P.Value>0.05), but heart rate and the incidence of hypotension in the dexamethasone group were less than placebo significantly. Conclusions: Intravenous administration of 8 mg dexamethasone before spinal anesthesia in females undergoing cesarean section can reduce the incidence of post-spinal hypotension without causing serious side effects.Keywords: cesarean section, hypotension, spinal anesthesia, dexamethasone
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