The Spot Weldability of Carbon Steel Sheet

The specimens of thickness 0.8 mm carbon steel number 1.8902 in a strip form were welded. The strips of lap joints and curved peeljoints configurations have been welded. The welding parameters such as weld current and weld time have been investigated. The relation between the weld area and the joint strength properties has been presented. The obtained results were showing that the weld joint strength and the molten area (weld nugget volume) highly increase with the increasing of weld current. Therefore, the correlation between the maximum load (joint strength) and area has been given. The reliable weldability under the tensile and shearing loading was considered. Therefore, the new limits of weldability have been presented to consider these two types of loading. Moreover, the experimental results were compared with the empirical relations that consider the sheet thickness only

The construction of Complete (kn,n)-arcs in The Projective Plane PG(2,5) by Geometric Method, with the Related Blocking Sets and Projective Codes

A (k,n)-arc is a set of k points of PG(2,q) for some n, but not n + 1 of them, are collinear. A (k,n)-arc is complete if it is not contained in a (k + 1,n)-arc. In this paper we construct complete (kn,n)-arcs in PG(2,5), n = 2,3,4,5, by geometric method, with the related blocking sets and projective codes

Effect of Some Medicinal Plants on the Activity of Some Immunological Factors in Saliva and Serum of Type –?? Diabetics

The study involved 45 male and 45 females of diabetic patients type- ?? aged from 40-69years , and with the same numbers of males and females for control , all the patients and controls were without any periodontal diseases and without any systemic disease. Diabetic patients were divided in to three groups according to the degree of periodontitis , and the inflamed gingiva of all groups of diabetic patients were treated with the dried fruits powder (crude) of medicinal plants Quercus robur , Thuja occidenalis , Terminalia chebula, Anethum graveolens , respectively and mixture. Some immunological and antimicrobial factors (IgA, Lactoferrin , Lysozyme ) , were detected in serum and saliva of diabetic patients and the controls , the results revealed that the level of IgA , Lysozyme in saliva were more than in serum of the control , and this will insure that these factors are considered to be generally protected against bacteria in the oral cavity . Also there was a significant increase at (p?0.001) especially after treatment with the mixture of medicinal plants , so that the mixture of these plants can be considered the best type in the treatment of inflamed gingiva of type –?? diabetic patients

Relación entre el hematocrito y algunos parámetros biológicos del sábalo de la India, Tenualosa ilisha (Familia Clupeidae)

Haematological parameters have been recognised as valuable tools for the monitoring of fish health. Here we analyse the relationship between haematocrit and body length, sex and reproductive state in the Indian Shad Tenualosa ilisha. Haematocrit value showed a quadratic relationship to fish size (body length), incrementing as the fish body length increased up to 400 mm, after which it decreased. Male fish showed a higher haematocrit value than females. Haematocrit appeared to be higher in the pre–spawning period than in the spawning phase, but then increased slightly in the post–spawning period.Se ha demostrado que los parámetros hematológicos constituyen una valiosa herramienta para controlar la salud de los peces. En este artículo se analiza la relación entre el hematocrito y la longitud del cuerpo, el sexo y el estado reproductivo del sábalo de la India Tenualosa ilisha. Se ha encontrado una relación cuadrática entre el valor del hematocrito y el tamaño del pez (longitud del cuerpo), en aumento con la longitud del cuerpo, hasta los 400 mm, para después empezar a disminuir. Los valores del hematocrito de los peces machos son más elevados que los de las hembras. Parece que el hematocrito es más elevado en el periodo anterior al desove que durante el mismo, aunque en el período posterior se registra un ligero aumento

Comparing conventional, biochemical and genotypic methods for accurate identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae in Sudan

Klebsiella pneumoniae is recognized as one of the most important healthcare-associated pathogens worldwide due to its tendency to develop antibiotic resistance and cause fatal outcomes. Bacterial identification methods such as culture and biochemical tests are routinely used with limited accuracy in many low- and middle income countries including Sudan. The aim of this study was to test the accuracy of identification of K. pneumoniae in Khartoum, Sudan. Two hundred and fifty K. pneumoniae isolates were collected and subjected to identification by conventional phenotypical methods, biochemical using API 20E, and genotypically by amplification of 16S-23S rDNA and sequencing of rpoB, gapA, and pgi. Only 139 (55.6%) of the isolates were confirmed as K. pneumoniae genotypically by PCR and 44.4% were identified as non-K. pneumoniae. The results demonstrate that the identification panels used by the hospitals were inaccurately identifying K. pneumonia and led to over estimation of the prevalence of this organism. The current identification methods used in Khartoum hospitals are highly inaccurate, and therefore we recommend the use of a comprehensive biochemical panel or molecular methods, when possible, for accurate identification of K. pneumoniae

Flexible bronchoscopy in children: Utility and complications

AbstractBackground and objectivesThe flexible bronchoscope has become widely used by pediatric pulmonologists as a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. Nevertheless, there are several gaps in our knowledge to help refine its use and reduce its complications. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the utility and complications of pediatric bronchoscopy.Design and settingWe conducted a retrospective review of bronchoscopy cases between March 2006 and April 2015 at a tertiary care medical center (King Fahad Medical City). One-hundred forty nine patients were studied.Patients and methodsWe evaluated how bronchoscopy contributed to the patients' diagnosis, assessed the accuracy of bronchoalveolar lavage white blood cell count (BAL WBC) to differentiate between infectious and non-infectious conditions, assessed the ability of clinical factors to predict high risk of desaturation during bronchoscopy, and finally summarized the reported procedural complications.ResultsWe found pediatric bronchoscopy was a crucial diagnostic (confirming, ruling out, and discovering unexpected diagnosis) and therapeutic tool. The accuracy of BAL WBC counts is poor (AUC (95% CI) = 0.609 (0.497–0.712)); however, using two cutoff values (≤10 WBCs (sensitivity = 84.44% and specificity = 29.27%) to rule out, and ≥400 WBCs (sensitivity = 33.33% and specificity 81.49%) to rule in infection) helped in early differentiation between infectious and non-infectious conditions. From the factors that we test, none we found predictive of desaturation. The most common procedural complication was desaturation (pooled incidence (95% CI) = 13 (8–19)%) followed by cough, mild airway bleeding, and spasm.ConclusionsFlexible bronchoscopy is an important and relatively safe diagnostic and therapeutic tool in pediatric medicine, and utilization of this service should be encouraged after a careful consideration of which patient needs this procedure and a rigorous estimate of its pros and cons

Role of Omeprazole as An Antifungal Agent

The antifungal activity of various concentrations of omeprazole (0.1mg/ml, 0.25mg/ml, 0.5mg/ml, 1mg/ml, 2.5mg/ml, 5mg/ml, 10mg/ml, and 20mg/ml) were studied in different pH media (5 and 7) against Aspergillus niger, and Trichophyton urbrum.The laboratory results showed the inhibitory effect of omeprazole against Aspergillus niger at pH 7 and starting from concentration 10mg/ml, and against Trichophyton urbrum starting from 1mg/ml. While its antifungal activity in a medium with pH 5 was extended to reach the lower concentrations 0.25mg/ml against selected fungi. Accordingly, omeprazole is pH dependent.It seems that omeprazole changed cell membrane potential of selected fungal species which led to depolarization of cell membrane as a result of inhibition of the proton pump mechanism. This made the fungal cell not willing to uptake chemicals needed for living.Keywords: omeprazole, proton pump inhibitor, antifungal agent, Aspergillus niger, and Trichophyton urbrum

Yield of testing for micronutrient deficiencies associated with pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in a clinical setting: an observational study

BACKGROUND Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) can be difficult to diagnose and causes maldigestion symptoms and malabsorption. There has been a number of studies that have identified PEI associated micronutrient deficiencies (PEI-MD), however there is variation in both the frequency and type of PEI-MD reported, with the majority of studies including patients with PEI due to chronic pancreatitis (CP) or CP without PEI. There is a paucity of information regarding the prevalence of PEI-MD in patients with PEI without CP and the yield of testing for PEI-MD in a clinical setting in patients with suspected benign pancreatic diseases. AIM To prospectively assess the yield and type of PEI–MD in patients with and without PEI secondary to benign pancreatic disease. METHODS Patients investigated for maldigestion symptoms with Faecal Elastase-1 (FEL-1) and suspected or proven benign pancreatic disease were prospectively identified. At the time of FEL-1 testing, serum samples were taken for micronutrients identified by previous studies as PEI-MD: prealbumin, retinol binding protein, copper, zinc, selenium, magnesium and later in the study lipid adjusted vitamin E. FEL-1 was recorded, with a result < 200 µg/g considered diagnostic of PEI. Patients underwent computed tomography (CT) imaging when there was a clinical suspicion of CP, a new diagnosis of PEI recurrent, pancreatic type pain (epigastric abdominal pain radiating to back with or without previous acute pancreatitis attacks) or weight loss. RESULTS After exclusions, 112 patients were recruited that underwent testing for FEL-1 and PEI-MD. PEI was identified in 41/112 (36.6%) patients and a pancreatic CT was performed in 82 patients. Overall a PEI-MD was identified in 21/112 (18.8%) patients. The yield of PEI-MD was 17/41 (41.5%) if PEI was present which was significantly higher than those without 4/71 (5.6%) (P = 0.0001). The yield of PEI–MD was significantly higher when PEI and CP were seen together 13/22 (59.1%) compared to CP without PEI and PEI without CP (P < 0.03). Individual micronutrient assessment showed a more frequent occurrence of prealbumin 8/41 (19.5%), selenium 6/41 (14.6%) and magnesium 5/41 (12.2%) deficiency when PEI was present (< 0.02). The accuracy of using the significant micronutrients identified in our cohort as a predictor of PEI showed a positive predictive value of 80%-85.7% [95% confidence interval (CI): 38%-100%] and a low sensitivity of 9.8%-19.5% [95% CI: 3.3%-34.9%]. CONCLUSION Testing for PEI-MD in patients with suspected pancreatic disease has a high yield, specifically when PEI and CP are found together. PEI-MD testing should include selenium, magnesium and prealbumin

Assessing the Potential of Hybrid-Based Metaheuristic Algorithms Integrated with ANNs for Accurate Reference Evapotranspiration Forecasting

Evapotranspiration (ETo) is one of the most important processes in the hydrologic cycle, with specific application to sustainable water resource management. As such, this study aims to evaluate the predictive ability of a novel method for monthly ETo estimation, using a hybrid model comprising data pre-processing and an artificial neural network (ANN), integrated with the hybrid particle swarm optimisation–grey wolf optimiser algorithm (PSOGWO). Monthly data from Al-Kut City, Iraq, over the period 1990 to 2020, were used for model training, testing, and validation. The predictive accuracy of the proposed model was compared with other cutting-edge algorithms, including the slime mould algorithm (SMA), the marine predators algorithm (MPA), and the constriction coefficient-based particle swarm optimisation and chaotic gravitational search algorithm (CPSOCGSA). A number of graphical methods and statistical criteria were used to evaluate the models, including root mean squared error (RMSE), Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE), coefficient of determination (R2), maximum absolute error (MAE), and normalised mean standard error (NMSE). The results revealed that all the models are efficient, with high simulation levels. The PSOGWO–ANN model is slightly better than the other approaches, with an R2 = 0.977, MAE = 0.1445, and RMSE = 0.078. Due to its high predictive accuracy and low error, the proposed hybrid model can be considered a promising technique

The Current Risk Management Practices and Knowledge in the Construction Industry

Construction is a critical sector of any economy in terms of value production, labor, and contributing to the gross national product. Managing risk is a relatively young area in Yemen’s construction sector, but it is gaining traction as building activity and competition rise. Construction firms mitigate risk by using a variety of risk management methods. Therefore, there is a need to assess these procedures in order to detect shortcomings. This research aims to establish the existing risk management strategies used in Yemeni building projects. Survey questionnaires were used to collect data. Respondents were drawn from Yemeni construction businesses. Risk management is not executed systematically, intentionally, or continuously, and most firms’ risk management procedures are reactive, semipermanent, informal, and unstructured, with no or few dedicated resources to address risks. This strategy is inconsistent with generally accepted risk management principles. Nonetheless, the findings suggest a general understanding of risk management and a willingness to learn from previous errors. The study of the findings suggests that risk identification approaches such as judgment and historical data are employed for risk analysis, and that the industry typically attempts to avoid or transfer risks in Yemeni building projects. The results shed light on the shortcomings of Yemen’s project management practices. To guarantee that construction projects obtain maximum value for money, project managers of big construction businesses in Yemen need a strong understanding of and training in globally accepted systematic risk management procedures. Finally, this study can help future stakeholders determine how to work together to manage risk