Effects of Long-Term Soaking on the Load-Bearing Capacity of Bitumen-Treated Saline Sabkha Soil Subgrade

This study delves into the potential of using modified sabkha soil, a low-quality material, as a cost-effective solution for road construction in Kuwait, a country grappling with resource limitations. The research evaluates the effects of adding different percentages of bitumen (0%, 4%, 8%, and 10%) to sabkha soil samples, specifically looking at their load-bearing capacity under long-term soaking conditions. The findings indicate that adding up to 8% bitumen enhances the soil's geotechnical properties and its load-bearing capacity. However, any further addition leads to a decline in these properties. Importantly, the soil's load capacity shows significant improvement under soaked conditions. These encouraging laboratory results suggest that utilizing waste sabkha soil could pave the way for effective soil waste management techniques, thereby addressing environmental concerns related to sabkha soil disposal

Cryomedia Formula: Cellular Molecular Perspective

The growing market of cell therapy medicinal products (CTMPs) and biopharmaceuticals demand effective cryopreservation with greater safety, of which the currently available cryoprotective agents [CPAs (e.g., dimethyl sulfoxide, glycerol, trehalose, etc.)] alone are unable to provide. This is due to the need of applying high concentration of CPAs to achieve verification that concomitant oxidative damages. Formulating cocktail of compounds with anti-freezing and antioxidants properties found to be advantageous to overcome the resultant damages. Each cocktail, however, demonstrate overlapping and/or unique protective and modulation effect patterns. The advance technology and research tools (e.g., OMICs) provide a deep insight on how the formulation of cryomedia can influence the cellular pathways and molecular interactions. In fact, this shed the light over the uniqueness of cryomedia formulation and how can they serve various application purposes

DOUBLE PERFORATED IMPINGEMENT PLATE (DPIP) IN SHELL-AND-TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER

This paper presents a solution to a chronic problem causing repeated tube failure at shell-and-tube heat exchangers. The problem is related to fouling process on tubes surface which accumulates downstream the impingement plate at exchanger inlet nozzle within the first tube rows due to low velocity and vortices production. In fouling services, the suspended deposits, fouling, accumulates on tubes surface downstream the impingement plate causing under-deposit corrosion and raising tubes surface temperature due to lack of cooling accelerating fouling process. Under fouling corrosion attacks tubes and causes repeated tube failure costing a lot of money in terms of material, maintenance and production losses. Normal practice of extending tubes life and delaying their failure is to upgrade the tubes metallurgy. So this paper objective is to present an economical solution option through modifying the impingement plate in shell-and-tube heat exchangers where impingement plate is recommended by Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association, TEMA. The impingement modification is to replace the solid conventional impingement plate with double spaced plates having offset holes, called Double Perforated Impingement Plate (DPIP). The objective of this work can be met through simulate and compare shell side inlet flow distribution around the conventional and modified impingement plate, DPIP, and insuring of enhancing the flow pattern distribution at the area behind impingement plate. Since experimental work in flow investigation can be time consuming and costly, computational fluid dynamics, CFD, fluent software was implemented as a cost effective helpful tool to conduct the simulation and comparison purpose. The modified impingement plate, DPIP, will destroy vortices created behind the conventional plate retarding fouling accumulation principal. DPIP will enhance shell side flow distribution downstream the impingement plate and stop fouling accumulation on the tubes to prevent under-deposit corrosion

Fear of the Unknown among Normal People, People with Psychological Disorders, and People with Organic Disorders in the Light of Some Demographic Variables

The present paper aimed to determine the fear of the unknown among normal people, people with psychological disorders, and people with organic disorders in the light of some demographic variables. The authors adopted the descriptive-comparative method and developed and applied a three-domain questionnaire to a randomly selected sample of (942) participants. The results showed that the people with psychological disorders suffer from fear of the unknown more than normal people and people with organic disorders at a significance level of (0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the different categories of psychological disorders (including generalized anxiety disorder, depression, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobia) in contrast with the organic diseases, in which cardiac and respiratory diseases were at a greater risk of being afraid of the unknown more than those with diabetes, blood pressure, and thyroid. The paper recommends conducting further studies on the concept of fear of the unknown in the Arab countries and adopting fear of the unknown as a psychological intervention for people with psychological disorders and people with cardiac and respiratory diseases

Communication through the audit report : an empirical investigation of the unqualified audit report in Saudi Arabia

This study is an examination of communication through the unqualified audit report currently in use in Saudi Arabia and the usefulness of modifying the wording of such a document. In order to assess the views of members of the Saudi Organization for Certified Public Accountants (SOCPA) (auditors group), the Financial Directors of the Saudi Corporations (preparers group), and Saudi financial statement users (e. g., loan officers and financial analysts in the io Saudi commercial banks and institutions and private shareholders - users group) a questionnaire was distributed. The identification of the underlying dimensions of the messages communicated by the unqualified audit report, part I of the questionnaire, resulted in the identification of five factors: (i) purpose of the audit, (2) auditor responsibilities, (3) financial statement reliability, (4) the entity future viability, and (5) the decision usefulness of financial statements. An expectation gap was found - particularly in relation to the responsibility factor. The purpose of an audit factor, however, suggested that the current standard audit report was a readable document which enhanced the credibility of the financial statements. Also, the current audit report appears to have been successful in clarifying the purpose of the audit. An audit expectation gap was seen to exist between auditor and non-audit groups concerning the extent of assurance given by auditors, the term `present fairly' and the extent of audit work performed. In relation to the future viability factor, the results indicate that an audit expectation gap exists over the question of whether the unqualified audit report communicates management efficiency and whether the audited financial statements are useful in monitoring the performance of the entity. Part II of the questionnaire related to the possible expansion of the contents of the audit report. This revealed significant differences in respondents' views regarding the expansion of the scope of auditors' opinion. Concerning the factor relating to the disclose of additional information about the internal controls and the auditor's assessment of the going concern status of the entity, the users, in contrast to the auditors, were of opinion that such disclosure would be useful in enhancing the value of the audit. In relation to the issue of the usefulness of adoption of the free form report factor, all three groups are in agreement that they are not interested in such a development. These results present a challenge for the SOCPA, as they indicate that considerable potential value of the financial reporting process is being lost as a result of the expectation gap in Saudi Arabia. These results also support the call by previous studies worldwide for a change from a short-form audit report to the long-form audit report and the need to educate the users about the nature of audit and responsibilities and duties of auditors.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy: long-term follow-up after surgical treatment

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcome of six children with persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (PHHI) after pancreatectomy who have been followed since 1990 at the Riyadh Military Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Patients and methods Data from six patients were retrospectively analyzed from chart review. PHHI was diagnosed on the basis of having high-insulin levels and low-glucose levels and a high insulin-to-glucose ratio. Lactate, pyruvate, ammonia, and urinary organic acid levels were recorded and tandem mass spectrometry screening was performed. The patients were assessed radiologically by MRI of the brain and by ultrasound examination of the abdomen. Patients who failed medical therapy underwent near-total pancreatectomy.Results Hypoglycemic convulsion was the most common presenting complaint. None of the patients responded to medical treatment and thus underwent surgery. Two patients still had hypoglycemic episodes after surgery, requiring medical treatment. However, they underwent subsequent surgery because of unresponsiveness to medical therapy. Three patients developed diabetes. None of them had malabsorption, and two patients later developed epilepsy.Conclusion The earlier the age at diagnosis, the better the neurological outcome. Delayed surgery might be associated with higher risk of development of diabetes. Near-total (90–95%) pancreatectomy is the treatment of choice for PHHI not responsive to medical treatment.Keywords: Near-total pancreatectomy, outcome, persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infanc

Protective role of nanoemulsion containing roman chamomile oil against mitomycin C-induced toxicity in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma bearing mice

Mitomycin-C (MC), an anticancer agent, induces oxidative stress in normal tissues causing severe toxicity. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the side effects of MC may be diminished by the incorporation of MC into nanoemulsion containing Roman chamomile oil (RCM-NE). Fifty mice were equally divided into five groups. The first and second groups were the control and the untreated Ehrlich ascites carcinoma bearing mice (EAC), respectively, while the other three groups were EAC-bearing mice treated once intraperitoneally with a dose of 200 µL of RCM-NE, 1 mg/kg−1 MC/200 µL normal saline, and 1 mg/kg−1 MC/200 µL RCM-NE. The protective effect of the RCM-NE was examined by measuring the alterations in complete blood count, organs weight indices, and levels of serum biochemical parameters. The oxidative stress was assessed by measuring lipid peroxidation and enzyme activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, and thioredoxin reductase-1. MC-RCM-NE has significantly reduced the toxicity of MC on the white blood cells and platelets. It improved the renal and cardiac biomarker levels and the antioxidants of the kidney, heart, and thymus. The protective effect of the RCM-NE on the blood and organs against MC toxicity was associated with the decreasing of oxidative stress and maintaining the activity of the antioxidants

Assessment of the possibility of stabilising Sabkha soils using oil lake residue -- Reuse of waste materials

This thesis describes the experimental work undertaken to investigate the possibility of using oil lake residue to stabilise Sabkha soils in Kuwait. Sabkha is a problematic salt-encrusted soil deposited under arid conditions which cannot be used for construction in its natural condition. The oil lake residue being considered is the waste hydrocarbons resulting from the destruction of oil wells in Kuwait during the Gulf War, 1990. The oil lake residue covers an overall area of 24 km2, and represents an environmental hazard that needs to be eliminated. The experimental programme included laboratory and field testing of physical properties and strength, consolidation and leaching aspects of the natural and oil mixed Sabkha soils. A soil survey of a large area was undertaken to select representative soil samples. Sabkha soils from four main locations were selected for the detailed experimental testing. Oil residue was added to the Sabkha soils at different percentages ranging from 0% to 10%. The focus of the experimental work was towards physical and mechanical behaviours due to low clay (less than 0.5%) and organic (less than 2%) contents of the soil and high content of non-polar compounds (85%) in the oil residue. Results showed that the addition of oil residue reduced the friction between the soil particles in the range of 5% to 28% and the facilitated sliding over each other resulted in an increase in the density of the compacted Sabkha soils of between 2% to 8.5%. The UCS increased in the range of 34% to 504% of the natural values. The shear strength slightly increased with oil addition since the internal friction decreased and the cohesion intercept values increased in the range of 45% to 150%. The adsorbed oil residue on the cemented soil lumps acted as a waterproofing agent that reduced both salt dissolution by 56% of the natural soil and the long term coefficient of permeability in the range of 73% to 88%. Under soaked conditions, the improvement in strength properties were pronounced. The natural Sabkha soil disintegrated upon soaking while oil mixed Sabkha maintained its integrity. Yield stress increased in the range of 25% to 60% from the values of natural soils and compression index and collapsibility decreased in the stabilised Sabkha. Field testing on 5% stabilised compacted test beds revealed an additional increase in CBR and UCS above that of the laboratory results. Density and shear strength of field samples showed similar results as those obtained by laboratory testing. Leachability of oil from the 5% oil stabilised Sabkha soil measured in the laboratory under a hydraulic gradient of 40 was less than 1 mg/1, which can be considered very low. Leachability of oil residue in the field was undetectable. The main conclusion of the work is that the addition of 5% oil residue improved the performance of Sabkha soils especially under soaked conditions, which may result in its applications in the construction industry. These results are encouraging. However the acceptance of oil residue as a stabilising material necessitates further research and this future programme is briefly mentioned