A Comparative Earthquakes Risk Assessment Approach Applied to the United Arab Emirates

This paper presents the preliminary results of a long research project on the assessment and mitigation of seismic risk in major cities in the UAE. UAE’s earthquake activity has long been recognized as one of the lowest in the world. All cities have experienced moderate earthquakes in the past, and will again do in the future. Recent earthquakes in Iran (e.g., Bam in 2003, --- in 2005) have killed thousands of people. Because of the different design and construction practices, different population density concentrations and economic activities in the UAE, different damages and losses are likely to be experienced. The impact of an earthquake is not limited to direct losses, such as the loss of life, loss of structures and business interruptions. Earthquakes also cause indirect losses by producing supply shortages and demand reductions in various economic sectors. In a country such as the UAE, which is undergoing an unprecedented constructionbased development with high-rise buildings being the main feature, a large earthquake in a major city can actually cause a considerable economic loss. In this study, a framework for assessing and comparing the risk associated with the adverse consequences of earthquakes in the UAE is presented. The framework is based on a simple risk-characterization model that is used to assess the health risks associated with toxic chemicals. The model: Risk = D × RF × Pop × ER, adopted to fit our purpose of estimating the risk associated with the consequences of earthquakes, the various parameters in the above mentioned model are translated as follows: Dose (D)= seismic “force” at a specific location or weighted for an area; Response Factor (RF) = degree of damage or losses per unit “force”; Population (Pop) = a factor representing exposed population. Equivalent populations may also include exposed environment or exposed infrastructure. Emergency Response (ER) = effectiveness of available emergency response programs to reduce risk immediately as the adverse effects take place. It should be noted that emergency response in this case is different than deliberate risk management. First, the earthquake hazard and risk in the UAE, including the estimation of the amplitudes of the ground motion parameters, is stochastically assessed. Then the comparative risk framework to assess the relative impacts on people and buildings in the seven emirates and the major cities of the UAE is applied. The result is a ranking system for risk that is being integrated within a geographic information system (GIS). The database is intended for detailed development to maximize benefits to the various stake holders in the community

PENGARUH CAMPURAN BAHAN BAKAR PREMIUM, HIDROGEN DAN ETANOL 96% TERHADAP PERFOMANSI DAN EMISI GAS BUANG MESIN GENSET OTTO

Semakin berkurangnya cadangan minyak bumi dan pemakaian bahan bakar fosil yang terus meningkat menyebabkan timbulnya ancaman krisis energi. Mengantisipasi hal tersebut diperlukan pengembangan sumber energi terbarukan sebagai energi alternatif. Pencampuran bahan bakar untuk menghemat penggunaan minyak merupakan salah satu alternatif. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah mengetahui perbandingan performansi dan emisi gas buang yang dihasilkan mesin genset Otto 4 langkah merk STARKE tipe GFH1900LX dengan menggunakan bahan bakar premium 100%, etanol(96%) 100%, campuran premium 50% dengan etanol 50%, serta penambahan hidrogen sebesar 2,5% pada bahan bakar campuran etanol dan premium. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan cara menimbang bahan bakar kemudian, memberikan beban pada mesin genset yang telah dihidupkan, tegangan dan kuat arus diukur dengan multimeter, putaran diukur dengan tachometer dan waktu habis bahan bakar dihitung dengan stopwatch, kemudian data dianalisa. Dari percobaan menggunakan bahan bakar etanol 100%, sfc yang tertinggi yang dihasilkan adalah 4320g/Kw.jam tergolong boros jika di bandingkan dengan campuran bahan bakar premium 100% sebesar 3043 g/Kw.jam, serta etanol 50% + premium50% sebesar 4071 g/ Kw.jam, dan campuran (premium50% + etanol50%)97,5% + hydrogen 2,5% sebesar 3975 g/Kw.jam akan tetapi bahan bakar etanol, hidrogen, dan campuran ini tetap mempunyai keuntungan, yaitu ketersediaan bahan baku yang melimpah

Determination of the best-fit multiphase flow correlation for high water-cut wells using prosper

Pressure drop in a vertical or deviated borehole is mainly due to hydrostatic changes and friction when the produced fluids flow to the surface. When the oil is flowing upwards, the flowing pressure along the tubing string will drop and gas starts to liberate from the oil. Thus, multiphase flow forms in the tubing string. Hence, adequate modeling of vertical lift performance is required to predict the pressure drop and subsequently the wellbore pressure. The bottomhole pressure prediction was realized by using PROSPER, a program developed by Petroleum Experts. The data of oilwell X-01 with high water cut (i.e., 56%) in field X was used in this research work. The most accurate correlation was chosen from 12 selected built-in correlations to predict the pressure drop via gradient matching. A sensitivity analysis has been done to observe the parameters that affected the vertical lift performance of a high water cut well. These parameters were tubing diameter, gas-oil ratio, wellhead pressure, water cut, and tubing roughness. The results show that Dun and Ros original correlation appeared to be the best-fit correlation for well X-01. Results from sensitivity analysis indicated that reduction of wellhead pressure from 390 psi to 285.3 psi could increase liquid rate by 13.2%. An adjustment of wellhead pressure gave the most significant impact on the production rate of well X-01 as compared to other four parameters studied

Concomitant homozygosity for the prothrombin gene variant with mild deficiency of antithrombin III in a patient with multiple hepatic infarctions: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Hereditary causes of visceral thrombosis or thrombosis should be sought among young patients. We present a case of a young man presenting with multiple hepatic infarctions resulting in portal hypertension due to homozygosity of the prothrombin gene mutation not previously described in literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 42-year-old Caucasian man with a previous history of idiopathic deep vein thrombosis 11 years earlier presented with vague abdominal pains and mildly abnormal liver function tests. An ultrasound and computed tomography scan showed evidence of hepatic infarction and portal hypertension (splenic varices). A thrombophilia screen confirmed a homozygous mutation for the prothrombin gene mutation, with mildly reduced levels of anti-thrombin III (AT III). Subsequent testing of his father and brother revealed heterozygosity for the same gene mutation.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Hepatic infarction is unusual due to the rich dual arterial and venous blood supply to the liver. In the absence of an arterial or haemodynamic insult causing hepatic infarction, a thrombophilia should be considered. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a hepatic infarction due to homozygosity of the prothrombin gene mutation. It is unclear whether homozygotes have a higher risk of thrombosis than heterozygotes. In someone presenting with a first thrombosis with this mutation, the case for life-long anticoagulation is unclear, but it may be necessary to prevent a second and more severe second thrombotic event, as occurred in this case.</p

In Search of the Optimal Surgical Treatment for Velopharyngeal Dysfunction in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome: A Systematic Review

<div><h3>Background</h3><p>Patients with the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22qDS) and velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) tend to have residual VPD following surgery. This systematic review seeks to determine whether a particular surgical procedure results in superior speech outcome or less morbidity.</p> <h3>Methodology/ Principal Findings</h3><p>A combined computerized and hand-search yielded 70 studies, of which 27 were deemed relevant for this review, reporting on a total of 525 patients with 22qDS and VPD undergoing surgery for VPD. All studies were levels 2c or 4 evidence. The methodological quality of these studies was assessed using criteria based on the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. Heterogeneous groups of patients were reported on in the studies. The surgical procedure was often tailored to findings on preoperative imaging. Overall, 50% of patients attained normal resonance, 48% attained normal nasal emissions scores, and 83% had understandable speech postoperatively. However, 5% became hyponasal, 1% had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and 17% required further surgery. There were no significant differences in speech outcome between patients who underwent a fat injection, Furlow or intravelar veloplasty, pharyngeal flap pharyngoplasty, Honig pharyngoplasty, or sphincter pharyngoplasty or Hynes procedures. There was a trend that a lower percentage of patients attained normal resonance after a fat injection or palatoplasty than after the more obstructive pharyngoplasties (11–18% versus 44–62%, p = 0.08). Only patients who underwent pharyngeal flaps or sphincter pharyngoplasties incurred OSA, yet this was not statistically significantly more often than after other procedures (p = 0.25). More patients who underwent a palatoplasty needed further surgery than those who underwent a pharyngoplasty (50% versus 7–13%, p = 0.03).</p> <h3>Conclusions/ Significance</h3><p>In the heterogeneous group of patients with 22qDS and VPD, a grade C recommendation can be made to minimize the morbidity of further surgery by choosing to perform a pharyngoplasty directly instead of only a palatoplasty.</p> </div

Prenatal Hyperandrogenization Induces Metabolic and Endocrine Alterations Which Depend on the Levels of Testosterone Exposure

Prenatal hyperandrogenism is able to induce polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in rats. The aim of the present study was to establish if the levels of prenatal testosterone may determine the extent of metabolic and endocrine alterations during the adult life. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were prenatally injected with either 2 or 5 mg free testosterone (groups T2 and T5 respectively) from day 16 to day 19 day of gestation. Female offspring from T2 and T5 displayed different phenotype of PCOS during adult life. Offspring from T2 showed hyperandrogenism, ovarian cysts and ovulatory cycles whereas those from T5 displayed hyperandrogenism, ovarian cysts and anovulatory cycles. Both group showed increased circulating glucose levels after the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test (IPGTT; an evaluation of insulin resistance). IPGTT was higher in T5 rats and directly correlated with body weight at prepubertal age. However, the decrease in the body weight at prepubertal age was compensated during adult life. Although both groups showed enhanced ovarian steroidogenesis, it appears that the molecular mechanisms involved were different. The higher dose of testosterone enhanced the expression of both the protein that regulates cholesterol availability (the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR)) and the protein expression of the transcriptional factor: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma). Prenatal hyperandrogenization induced an anti-oxidant response that prevented a possible pro-oxidant status. The higher dose of testosterone induced a pro-inflammatory state in ovarian tissue mediated by increased levels of prostaglandin E (PG) and the protein expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2, the limiting enzyme of PGs synthesis). In summary, our data show that the levels of testosterone prenatally injected modulate the uterine environment and that this, in turn, would be responsible for the endocrine and metabolic abnormalities and the phenotype of PCOS during the adult life

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Stability Analysis of the New Section in Raising the Existing Composite Wala Dam Using Finite Element Methods

Jordan is a country with a population that increases steadily but is punctuated by waves of refugees. Henceforth, Jordan will be destabilized with prolonged and potential water shortages. With both climate and population changes, the nation needs to implement comprehensive reform. In many cases, raising the height of an existing dam would help reduce the gap between the sources and water demands. Consequently, the original Wala dam in Jordan with a capacity of 9.3 million cubic meters (MCM) was raised to achieve a capacity of 25 MCM. The Wala dam was raised uniquely and unusually, which raises concerns about its stability and safety. In this paper, a two-dimensional plane strain model was conducted using finite element modeling (FEM) on the Wala dam to investigate the stability conditions of the raised dam. Several material properties were used in this study. These properties are density, Poisson’s ratio, elastic modulus, and friction angle. Stresses and deformations of the new section within the dam body, dam foundation, and an earthfill embankment are presented and compared with the original dam. Results showed that the stresses after raising the height of the dam body are below 1.5 MPa, and it is within the allowable range. Moreover, the stability analysis showed that the stresses and deformation are minimal and negligible. Also, no failure was observed or reported within the soil. Furthermore, a stability analysis of the slip surface of the new body of the dam structure using the finite element method is introduced. Two potential slip surfaces were examined, and a surface-to-surface contact element is modeled to simulate the slip surface. In addition, settlement field observations for 16 months are presented and discussed in this paper