Potential Reuse of Electric-Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD) in Concrete

This study investigated electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) reuse as a raw material in concrete mixes. A comprehensive experimental program consisting of two phases of testing was carried out. The first phase included the replacement of ordinary Portland (Type I) cement by unsieved dust with the percentages of 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10%. The second phase included the replacement of quartz (filler) by sieved dust with the percentages of 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10%. Leaching tests were carried out to find out if arsenic, chromium and lead were contained in concrete. The study concluded that the workability of fresh concrete increased with increasing the percentage of used dust. The use of 2.5% dust resulted in concrete with similar compressive strength and acceptable splitting strength when compared to that of the standard mix. The concrete mixes containing sieved and unsieved EAFD were able to contain arsenic and chromium. Additionally, the concrete mixes containing sieved EAFD were able to contain lead

Transcriptome Analysis of Neuro-2a Cells Treated with Asiatic and Madecassic Acid

Traditional herbal medicine is ingrained as a source of therapeutic compounds to medicate various diseases. The family Araliaceae (Ginseng family) is rich in traditional medicine species, such as Centella asiatica (CA). For many centuries, CA has been used by the indigenous Indian and Chinese in Ayurvedic and traditional medicine, respectively, to improve intelligence, learning, memory, and cognitive performance. Previous studies on cell culture and animal models supported the beneficial effects of CA on the nervous system. However, the exact composition of CA extract and its molecular mechanism that leads to neuroprotection is still unclear. We examined the effect of asiatic acid (AA) and madecassic acid (MA) on neuronal growth, and hypothesized that AA and MA, major neurite promoting factors in CA extract, would induce expression of genes involved in neurite outgrowth and survival. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effects of AA and MA on murine neuroblastoma cells, Neuro-2a (N2a). N2a cells were incubated for two days in a medium containing either 5 µM AA or MA in ethanol or ethanol alone (vehicle). Following incubation, various parameters of neurite outgrowth were measured using NeuronJ software. To explore the impact of AA, MA, and ethanol (vehicle) on neuronal gene expression, transcriptome analysis was used. The results demonstrated that AA and MA facilitate neuronal extension in N2a cultures, and that AA and MA samples had unique transcriptomes compared to the ethanol (vehicle). Furthermore, several of the predicted proteins from the core transcriptome of cells treated with AA and MA have the potential to be involved in neurite outgrowth and related functions

Response Transmissibility for Load Identification Improved By Optimal Sensor Locations

A knowledge of loads acting on a structure is important for analysis and design. There are many applications in which it is difficult to measure directly the dynamic loads acting on a component. In such situations, it may be possible to estimate the imposed loads through a measurement of the system output response. Load identification through output response measurement is an inverse problem that is not only ill-conditioned, but in general leads to multiple solutions. Therefore, additional information, such as number and locations of the imposed loads must be provided ahead of time in order to allow for a unique solution. This dissertation focuses on cases where such information is not readily accessible and presents a method for identification of loads applied to a structure using the concept of response transmissibility. The solution approach is divided into two phases that involve finding the number and location of forces first followed by a reconstruction of the load vector. To achieve the first phase, a complete description of the structure in terms of degrees of freedom needs to be specified and a numerical model, usually a finite element model is built. In order to determine the number of forces and their locations, the proposed algorithm combines the dynamic responses measured experimentally along with the transmissibility matrices obtained from the numerical model. Once the number of loads and their locations are known, a regeneration of the load vector is achieved during the second phase by combining the measured dynamic responses with the transmissibility matrix from the numerical model. In this dissertation, identification of loads through measurement of structural response at a finite number of optimally selected locations is also investigated. Optimum sensor locations are identified using the D-optimal design algorithm. Two different types of measurements are considered, acceleration measurements using accelerometers and the strain measurements using strain gages. A series of simulated results on multi-degree of freedom (MDOF) discrete and continuous systems are presented to illustrate the load identification technique based on response transmissibility. One of the factors that affects the accuracy of load reconstruction is the number of vibration modes included in the analysis, which can be a large number. Improvements using model order reduction, not only help reconstruct the input forces accurately, but it also reduces the computational burden significantly. The developed algorithms are implemented using the finite element tool ANSYS in conjunction with MATLAB software. Numerical sensitivity analysis is also implemented to examine the effect of presence of uncertainties (noise) in experimental data. The results obtained confirm that the techniques presented are robust even in the presence of simulated noise; it is seen that the applied loads are recovered accurately

Probabilistic Based Design of FRP Structures

This thesis presents the results of an analytical probabilistic based design procedure for concentrically loaded compression members and simply supported beams of fiber-reinforced polymeric (FRP) composite materials. Resistance factors for use in an LRFD format are developed for columns for both flexural buckling and local buckling of doubly symmetric sections, both flexural buckling and flexural-torsional buckling of equal leg angles, and material failure. Resistance factors are developed for lateral-torsional buckling of simply supported doubly symmetric beams loaded with concentrated vertical loads at mid-spans. The developed resistance factors are a function of the coefficient of variation of the appropriate material properties. The proposed resistance factors were determined to provide a reliability index of 3.0 for stability failure modes and a reliability index of 3.5 for the material failure mode

An Exploratory Study and Impact of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on SMEs in the Middle East

The evolution of industrial creation over a period of time can be seen through its first version in 1784 until today 4th Industrial revolution, where cyber-physical system components will communicate with each other using IoT concept. The driving forces of industries are dynamic leadership and emerging technologies. Small and medium enterprises are constantly emerging and facing the challenges of market leaders. Thus there is a need to spot and react immediately seeing the new competitions on the horizon. It is been observed that structure of today will not suit the companies of tomorrow and thus change in the industries and leadership is evolved as 4.0. In this research we have looked at the concept of 4th Industrial Revolution and its impact on SMEs through the leaders of tomorrow. Research also proposed the changes required as robust & strategic planning, acquiring a culture of engaging people, the readiness of SMEs and enhanced communication plans.  &nbsp

Utilization of Cement Incorporated with Water Treatment Sludge

This study investigated the use of water treatment sludge to replace cement in the production of paving tiles for external use. The study utilized sludge-cement replacement percentages of 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%. Produced tiles were tested for water absorption and breaking (bending) strength. Leaching of sludge metals from tiles was assessed using TCLP. The study showed that all produced tiles exhibited a water absorption ratio of around 10%. The study concluded that produced tiles, except for 50% sludge-cement replacement, comply with the breaking strength requirements of 2.8 MPa for tiles for external use. The TCLP results indicated that metal leaching from tiles is negligible

Occupational hazards among laboratory workers in Palestinian governmental hospitals in the West Bank

Laboratory workers are exposed to a wide range of hazards associated with the materials they employ and the methods they use in the course of their work. These occupational hazards are chemical, physical, biological, psychosocial, and ergonomics hazards. This study aims to assess the exposure to occupational health hazards and safety for workers in Palestinian governmental hospitals in the West Bank. Cross sectional study was conducted using self-administered 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire. The study sample consists of all laboratory workers in the governmental hospitals. The total number of the study sample was 164 laboratory workers, 146 responded with a response rate 89%.The results of the study showed that 75% of the participants have exposed to biological hazards, 70% exposed to chemical hazards,64% exposed to physical hazards,60% exposed to psychological hazards, and 52% exposed to ergonomic hazards. The results also showed that the biological hazards were the more severe with 68%, chemical hazards 64%, psychological hazards58%, physical hazards51%, and ergonomic hazards 49%. The results showed that the participants have a very high degree of knowledge about occupational hazards. Results also showed that the degree of performance information and satisfaction was medium, and the laboratory workers apply safety measures. Moreover, there are no statistically significant differences of occupational hazards according to social status variable, educational level variable. Similarly, there are no statistically significant differences of occupational hazards perception and knowledge, safety measures, performance information and satisfaction domains, according to age, monthly income, and years of experience variables. On the other hand, there are significant differences in the work environment, according to age,gender, monthly income, and years of experience variables. The results showed that there are no significant differences of safety measures and performance information and satisfaction domains, attributed to gender variable, and there are significant differences of occupational hazards perception and knowledge domain, according to gender variable.VII Finally, the results showed that the participants have a very high degree of knowledge about occupational hazards, means of prevention and safety that related to work environment are available, more than half of participants exposed to hazard regardless of the type of hazards, where the biological hazards was the highest and more severe. According to the study results, several recommendations have been suggested including creating a specialized section for occupational health and safety, linked directly to senior management, to ensure the provision of specialized committees and supervisors to provide follow- and control means and safety proceduresيتعرض العاملون في المختبرات للعديد من المخاطر المرتبطة مع المواد التي يستخدمونها و الوسائل التي تستخدم في سياق عملهم. هذه المخاطر المهنية هي مخاطركيميائية وفيزيائية وبيولوجية ونفسيةاجتماعية، واخطار المالئمة مع بيئة العمل . تهدف هذه الدراسة لتقييم التعرض لمخاطر الصحة والسالمة المهنية للعاملين في المختبرات الطبية في مستشفيات وزارة الصحة الفلسطينية الحكومية في الضفة الغربية . وقد أجريت دراسة مقطعية باستخدام مقياس ليكرت الخماسي. تكونت عينة الدراسة من جميع العاملين في المختبرات في المستشفيات الحكومية في الضفة الغربية. وكان العدد اإلجمالي لعينة الدراسة 461 ، ونسبة االستجابة 98.٪ وأظهرت نتائج الدراسة ان 57 ٪ من المشاركين يتعرضون لمخاطر بيولوجية ، و 57 ٪ يتعرضون لمخاطر كيميائية ، و 61 ٪ يتعرضون لمخاطر فيزيائية، و 67 ٪ يتعرضون لمخاطر نفسية اجتماعية ، و 75 ٪ يتعرضون لمخاطر المالئمة مع بيئة العمل. وأظهرت النتائج أيضا أن المخاطر البيولوجية كانت أكثر خطورة بنسبة 69، ٪ تليها المخاطر الكيمييائية بنسبة 61,٪ والمخاطر النفسية االجتماعية بنسبة 79, %و المخاطر الفيزيائية بنسبة74,%ومخاطر المالئمة مع بيئة العمل بنسبة 18 %حسب وجهة نظر المشاركين في الدراسة اظهرت نتائج الدراسة ان المشاركين لديهم درجة عالية جدا من المعرفة حول المخاطر المهنية . وأظهرت النتائج أيضا أن درجة معلومات األداء والرضا الوظيفي كانت متوسطة, وان العاملين في المختبرات يستخدموم وسائل وتدابير السالمة. وعالوة على ذلك ، ال توجد فروق ذات داللة إحصائية من المخاطر المهنية وفقا لمتغير الحالة االجتماعية، ومتغير المستوى التعليمي. وبالمثل ال توجد فروق ذات داللة إحصائية للوعي المهني للمخاطر المهنية ، وتدابير السالمة ،و معلومات عن األداء و الرضا الوظيفي ، وفقا لمتغيرات العمر ، والدخل الشهري ، و سنوات من الخبرة. و من ناحية أخرى هناك فروق ذات داللة إحصائية في بيئة العمل ، وفقا لمتغيرات العمر والجنس و الدخل الشهري و سنوات من الخبرة المتغيرات أظهرت النتائج ايضا أنه ال توجد فروق ذات داللة إحصائية لمجاالت تدابير السالمة و معلومات األداء و الرضا الوظيفي تعزى لمتغير الجنس، وهناك فروق ذات داللة إحصائية للمخاطر المهنية في مجال الوعي المهني وفقا لمتغير الجنس. أخيرا ، أظهرت النتائج أن المشاركين لديهم درجة عالية جدا من المعرفة حول المخاطر المهنية ، ووسائل الوقاية و السالمة المتوفرة والتي تعود لبيئة العمل ،وان أكثر من نصف العاملين في المختبرات يتتعرضون للمخاطر المهنية بغض النظر عن نوع تلك المخاطر ، حيث كانت المخاطر البيولوجية ذات الدرجة األعلى واألكثر خطورة وفقا لنتائج الدراسة تم اقتراح عدة توصيات منها إنشاء قسم متخصص بالصحة و السالمة المهنية ، وترتبط مباشرة إلى اإلدارة العليا ، لضمان توفير اللجان و المشرفين المتخصصون لمتابعة ومراقبة وسائل و إجراءات السلامة

Reinforcement Learning-Driven Decision-Making for Live Virtual Machine Migration in Fog Computing

Virtualization is an essential mechanism in fog computing that enables elasticity and isolation, which in turn helps achieve resource efficiency. To bring high flexibility in a fog environment, migration of virtual machines from one node to another is required. This can be achieved by live virtual machine migration to reduce downtime and delays. Multiple existing studies have discussed live virtual machine migration in a fog environment. However, these studies have some limitations, such as pre-migrating the virtual machines based on mobility prediction only or based on the load only, which causes an issue of late and early handover. Due to the dynamic nature of fog environments, VM migration decisions require consideration of multiple factors. Hence, there is a need to develop a system that considers multiple factors to decide to migrate a virtual machine or not to solve the issue of early and late handover. This study proposes a novel approach to live virtual machine migration that applies reinforcement learning for decision-making. Experiments show that the proposed approach significantly reduces the latency of time-critical applications. The proposed system, outperforms the existing systems in terms of total average reward. The system  outperformed the mobility-only-based system by 97% when tested with two fog nodes and by 80% when tested with sixteen fog nodes in terms of average reward. Further, the proposed system outperforms the load-based system by 50% and 75% when the environment consists of two fog nodes and sixteen fog nodes, respectively. This proved that considering multiple factors in deciding virtual machine migration in a fog environment can be effectively applied in time-critical applications to reduce latency