A Sustainable Industrial Waste Management Solution: Application Of Silica Fume To Enhance Asphalt Binder Rheological Properties

This thesis investigates the practical feasibility of using silica fume, an industrial waste material, to enhance the rheological properties of asphalt binder. It has been widely reported that asphalt binder oxidation reduces the service life of asphalt pavement by negatively impacting its rheological properties. When asphalt binder is oxidized, its viscoelastic properties are diminished; this can be evidenced by the reduction in asphalt phase angle as measured through dynamic shear and torsion tests. This can lead to a more brittle pavement, which is more prone to cracks due to thermal stress and traffic loading and leads to premature pavement failure. In this thesis, the effectiveness of the application of silica-fume-based additives to reduce asphalt oxidative aging is investigated. It is hypothesized that fine-graded silica fume with nano- to micro-level particle size can be used to reduce asphalt oxidation. To test this hypothesis, various percentages of silica fume were introduced to base binders; then a series of experiments in binder and mixture level was conducted to evaluate the effects of silica fume addition

Roles of Capsule Endoscopy and Balloon-Assisted Enteroscopy in the Optimal Management of Small Bowel Bleeding

The small bowel had long been considered a dark unapproachable tunnel until the invention of capsule endoscopy and doubleballoon enteroscopy in the 21st century, which revolutionized the diagnosis and management of small bowel diseases, including bleeding. Various imaging modalities such as computed tomographic enterography, angiography, capsule endoscopy, and balloonassisted enteroscopy play vital roles in the diagnosis and management of small bowel bleeding. The choice of modality to use and timing of application differ according to the availability of the modalities, patient’s history, and physician’s experience. Small bowel bleeding is managed using different strategies as exemplified by medical treatment, interventional radiology, endoscopic therapy, or surgical intervention. Balloon-assisted enteroscopy enables endoscopic interventions to control small bowel bleeding, including electrocautery, argon plasma coagulation, clip application, and tattooing as a prelude to surgery. In this article, we clarify the recent approaches to the optimal diagnosis and management of patients with small bowel bleeding

RSM approach for modeling and optimization of designing parameters for inclined fins of solar air heater

In the present study, a simulation and response surface methodology (RSM) combined approach has been applied to investigate the thermal and thermo-hydraulic performance parameter (THPP) of solar air heater (SAH) with inclined fins. CFD based software (ANSYS Fluent v16.1) is used to simulate the SAH. RNG k-Ɛ turbulence model was selected to carry out a two-dimensional simulation modeling. Moreover, RSM is applied to analyze the results of finite volume method and to optimize the process parameters of SAH. A numerical model describing the heat transfer characteristics of SAH having inclined fins has been developed and employed to study the effects of various design of fins on the average Nusselt number, fiction factor as well as THPP. The study covered different length of fin in the range of 1.5–2.5 mm, different slant angle (α) of fin in the range of 30°–60°, different pitch (P) of fin in the range of 15–25 mm, and a range of 4000–24,000 for the Reynolds numbers. Based on results of the model, the optimized values of design parameters for the optimal operation of SAH to provide the optimal THPP of 1.928 were found to be; length of fin = 1.52 mm, the pitch of fin = 19.04 mm, slant angle = 49° and Reynolds number at 18243.5. According to the optimized values of design parameters, the enhancement ratio of Nusselt number and friction factor were found to be 2.53 and 2.22, respectively. Finally, the thermal performance of the proposed inclined fin in terms of THPP was compared to other roughness geometries, such as circle (THPP = 1.65), square-sectioned (THPP = 1.80) and L-shaped (THPP = 1.90). Accordingly, a better THPP of 1.928 was observed for the current study

Maintenance Therapies for Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas after Autologous Transplantation: A Consensus Project of ASBMT, CIBMTR, and the Lymphoma Working Party of EBMT

Importance: Maintenance therapies are often considered as a therapeutic strategy in patients with lymphoma following autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT) to mitigate the risk of disease relapse. With an evolving therapeutic landscape, where novel drugs are moving earlier in therapy lines, evidence relevant to contemporary practice is increasingly limited. The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT), Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR), and European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) jointly convened an expert panel with diverse expertise and geographical representation to formulate consensus recommendations regarding the use of maintenance and/or consolidation therapies after auto-HCT in patients with lymphoma. Observations: The RAND-modified Delphi method was used to generate consensus statements where at least 75% vote in favor of a recommendation was considered as consensus. The process included 3 online surveys moderated by an independent methodological expert to ensure anonymity and an in-person meeting. The panel recommended restricting the histologic categories covered in this project to Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and follicular lymphoma. On completion of the voting process, the panel generated 22 consensus statements regarding post auto-HCT maintenance and/or consolidation therapies. The grade A recommendations included endorsement of: (1) brentuximab vedotin (BV) maintenance and/or consolidation in BV-na\uefve high-risk HL, (2) rituximab maintenance in MCL undergoing auto-HCT after first-line therapy, (3) rituximab maintenance in rituximab-na\uefve FL, and (4) No post auto-HCT maintenance was recommended in DLBCL. The panel also developed consensus statements for important real-world clinical scenarios, where randomized data are lacking to guide clinical practice. Conclusions and Relevance: In the absence of contemporary evidence-based data, the panel found RAND-modified Delphi methodology effective in providing a rigorous framework for developing consensus recommendations for post auto-HCT maintenance and/or consolidation therapies in lymphoma.

Enhanced structural, electrical, mechanical properties and antibacterial activity of Cs/PEO doped mixed nanoparticles (Ag/TiO2) for food packaging applications

In this paper, silver (Ag) nanoparticles were synthesized by utilizing an aqueous extract of fresh leaves of Chenopodium murale which is considered a cost-effective and eco-friendly approach. The sol-gel technique was used to syntheses TiO2 nanoparticles and different methods were used to characterize the nanoparticles (Ag and TiO2) including UV–Vis spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM. Also, new nanocomposites were prepared using the solution casting method. The prepared films were characterized by different analytical methods. The absorption peak of the silver nanoparticles shown by the UV–visible spectrum was around 430 nm. The crystalline average size of the Ag NPs was 20 nm while TiO2 NPs was 15 nm as displayed by the XRD pattern. Meanwhile, the degree of amorphicity of the Cs/PEO blend was increased as a result of adding Ag and TiO2 NPs. It was evident through the FTIR spectroscopy that there was an interaction between the functional groups of the polymer blend and the Ag/TiO2 nanofiller. In addition, there was an increase of mechanical properties of the prepared films such as the Young's modulus, elongation, and tensile strength with increasing the Ag/TiO2 content. It was clear through the impedance spectroscopic study that the iconic conductivity was improved with the addition of Ag and TiO2 nanoparticles into the polymer blend system. The highest conductivity was log −9.34 S cm−1 at Cs/PEO/0.3%Ag/0.8%TiO2. It was also evident from the results that the antibacterial activity of the pure Cs/PEO blend was increased as a result of doping Ag/TiO2 nanoparticles to the polymer blend. The activity index (%) of the antibacterial activity at sample blend + (0.3%) Ag + (0.8%) TiO2 of the E. coli, S. aureus, C. Albicans, A. niger was 32, 45.8, 77.8, and 92 (%) respectively. Thus, these results indicate the applicability and potential of the nanocomposites for use in food packaging applications