Soil abrasiveness for EPB-TBM along Tehran metro tunnel line 7, Iran

Full-face shielded tunnel boring machines (TBM) including earth pressure balance (EPB) shields have been used almost exclusively for soft ground tunneling because of the many advantages the offer in comparison to the conventional methods. The total number of EPB-TBMs that were utilized for tunneling between 2005 and 2010 is approximately 350 units worldwide as reported by [1]. These machines encounter a wide range of geological conditions and hazards. One of the most critical adverse conditions is encountering abrasive soils and excessive wear on the cutting tools and the cutterhead as has been reported in many EPB tunneling projects worldwide [2], [3]. Inspection and maintenance of cutting tools below the groundwater table is usually performed under hyperbaric conditions where air pressure is used to provide tunnel face stability. This involves creating a plug at the face, removing the spoils (muck), applying compressed air, and allowing the crew into the cutting chamber via an air lock. This entire process can take days to complete. Consequently, the tool inspection and maintenance in soft ground tunneling is a time consuming, risky, dangerous, and costly [4]. Abrasiveness of soil and rock is a factor with considerable influence on the wear of tools. The wear of excavation tools is an important measurable indicator of rock and soil excavation in tunnelling, in addition to the volume of material excavated (Fig. 1). [5]. In mechanized tunneling the term wear is classified into two categories, primary wear and secondary wear. Primary wear is an expected type of wear that can occur on several parts of the excavation tools, such as drag bits, disc cutters, scrapers and buckets, etc. Secondary wear, on the other hand, is an unplanned type of wear that affects the cutterhead spokes, cutter saddles, bulkheads and also much conveyance parts such as the screw conveyor. The first type of wear requires replacement at appropriate intervals whereas the second type is not and therefore the parts are not anticipated to be replaced regularly. As such the TBM performance may be affected significantly if sever secondary wear occurs [6]. In this paper, an investigation was undertaken to discern the main cause of the observed wear on EPB-TBM of Tehran Metro Line 7 (North-South lot). The wear potential of soils and rocks are assessed with respect to approach on the matter was introduced by [5] and Cerchar test, respectively

School adaptation of B class students from the point of view of their teachers (Field Study in Basic Education Schools in Homs City)

  The research aims to measure the level of school adaptation of the  B-class curriculum students  from the point of view of their teachers .Through the application of The school adjustment scale on a sample included (44) students, The terms of this scale were answered by(4) teacher By depending on the appropriate statistical methods and the use of descriptive approach, the following results have been found: B- class students have a high level of school adaptation. There is no difference in the averages of the answers of the teachers of the B-class curriculum on the school adaptation scale due to the variety of the prior learning, Residence, gender, level of the educational attainment of the mother of the student in B-class, his parents presence is alive. The results of the study also revealed differences in the averages of the answers of the teachers of the B-class curriculum on the school adaptation scale due to school leaving.  Help the B-class curriculum students adapt to school

Ya Quds! Academic Cultural News Letter, Issue No. 2

Greetings and a warm welcome to the second issue of Ya Quds!. Ya Quds! received many good words of encouragement following the first issue. We thank all those who have expressed their views and shared their suggestions. After all, it is you, our readers, whom we care about, so your comments and suggestions are very important to us. We hope that Ya Quds! will continue to offer valuable information and stimulate productive discussion about the city of Jerusalem. In this issue, as in the first, we did not seek to focus on a particular theme but have rather left it to the individual authors to select themes of interest and importance to them. All the articles are different, yet all are united by the word “Al-Quds.” Ya Quds! is written about and for Jerusalem and its inhabitants, the stories and articles help to deconstruct the complex mystery and charm of this city. What you will find in the following pages is a collection of ten articles, five in Arabic and five in English, written by academics and researchers whose contributions we are honoured to have in Ya Quds! . The five articles in English reflect various perspectives: historical ( The Fatimids in Jerusalem ), social ( The Gypsies of Jerusalem ), political ( Mussala al-Marwani: An unrecognised Palestinian triumph? ; and On the 16th Anniversary of the Camp David Negotiations ), and urban planning ( Urban Spatial Changes during Political Uncertainty ). There are so many topics about Jerusalem on which we have yet to hear, so take hold of your pens and add your voices. We hereby send out a call for articles for the third issue of Ya Quds! . Articles may be in Arabic or English and should not exceed 1200 words. The deadline for submission is December 12, 2016. We look forward to your contributions. The Centre for Jerusalem Studies team is also working hard to prepare for the upcoming conference on Production of Inequalities: Realities and Prospects for Change in Jerusalem, to be held on December 3–5 in Jerusalem and Abu Dis. We take this opportunity to invite all those interested in the topic to join us for this event

Investigating The Microbial Contamination Of Cellular Phones Among Dental Students In Faculty Of Dentistry _ Tishreen University

Infection transmission in dentistry is an inevitable issue that occurs regularly and by different ways as dentists’ mobile phone. The aim of this study was to assess the microbial contamination of cellular phones among students in faculties of dentistry and arts and humanities – Tishreen University and to assess the effectiveness of disinfectant (Cavi Wipes) for decontamination. A questionnaire was completed by participants that consisted of 18 questions about the pattern of using mobile phones and their disinfection. (50) Dental students as a test group and (15) students of faculty of arts and humanities as a control group were enrolled in this study. Sampling was taken from each participant’s phone by a sterile cotton swab moistened by normal saline, two swabs were taken before and after wiping the devices with (Cavi Wipes), then samples were transferred to the laboratory where they were cultured in (Nutrient agar & Blood agar) and allowed to incubate at 37 C for 48 hours. Questionnaire results revealed that 92% of the test group and 60% of the control group believe that mobile phone can serve as a source of pathogens, the study showed that microbial growth was (100%) in all samples from participants mobile phones. A significant difference were found between (CFU/ Colony Forming Units) before and after wiping the devices with (Cavi Wipes) (P-value < 0.05). The present study revealed the potential role of mobile phones as a way of cross contamination between patients and dental staff, in order to minimize the use of mobile phones in the clinical environments and regular disinfecting mobile phones are recommended.   يُعد انتقال الإنتان أمراً حتمياً في طب الأسنان، إذ يحدث بكثرة وعبر طرائق متعددة كأجهزة خليوي أطباء الأسنان. تهدف هذه الدراسة لتقييم التلوث الجرثومي على سطوح أجهزة الخليوي لطلاب كليتي طب الأسنان والآداب في جامعة تشرين وتقييم فعالية مناديل (Cavi Wipes) المطهرة في خفض نسبة التلوث المسجلة في هذه الدراسة، حيث تم ملء استبيان للرأي من قبل المشاركين مؤلف من 18 سؤالاً حول طريقة استخدام الأجهزة الخليوية وكيفية تطهيرها. شارك بهذه الدراسة (50) طالباً من كلية طب الأسنان ممثلين لعينة الاختبار، و(15) طالباً من طلاب كلية الآداب ممثلين للعينة الشاهدة. تم أخذ العينات من جهاز كل مشارك عبر ماسحات قطنية مرطبة بمحلول ملحي فيزيولوجي بمعدل مسحتين، وذلك قبل وبعد مسح هذه الأجهزة بمناديل (Cavi Wipes) ثم نقلت العينات إلى المختبر، حيث تم زرعها ضمن أوساط (Nutrient agar)، (Blood agar) وحضنت لمدة 48 ساعة في درجة حرارة 37 درجة مئوية. بينت نتائج استبيان الرأي أن 92 % من عينة الدراسة و60 % من العينة الشاهدة يعتقدون أن الأجهزة الخليوية قد تكون مصدراً محتملاً للإنتانات. أوضحت الدراسة أن النمو الجرثومي بلغ نسبة (100%) في جميع العينات المأخوذة من أجهزة خليوي المشاركين في هذه الدراسة. ووجدت فروقاً ذات دلالة إحصائية مهمة بين معدل المستعمرات النامية على الأوساط وذلك قبل وبعد مسح الأجهزة بمناديل (Cavi Wipes) (P-value < 0.05). تعكس الدراسة الحالية الدور المهم لأجهزة الخليوي كوسيلة لانتقال العدوى بين أفراد الطاقم الطبي السني والمرضى في محاولة لتقليص نسبة استخدامها في البيئات السريرية مع التأكيد على ضرورة التطهير المنتظم لسطوح هذه الأجهزة

الشخصيات في برامج القنوات الفضائية المخصصة للأطفال (دراسة تحليلية للشخصيات الظاهرة في برامج الأطفال على قناة CN)

يهدف البحث إلى تحديد نوع وسمات الشخصيات الظاهرة في برامج الأطفال لقناة CN، ولتحقيق ذلك اخترنا المنهج الوصفي التحليلي الذي يعتمد على تحليل المحتوى كأداة للبحث وتم بناء شبكة لتحليل المضمون مؤلفة من (6) فئات رئيسة، وتم تطبيقها على (295) برنامج أطفالمن برامج قناة CNوالمسجلة على امتداد بث أسبوع كامل، وبالاعتماد على التكرارات والنسب المئوية تم التوصل إلى النتائج الآتية: من أهم الموضوعات التي تتناولها برامج الأطفال على قناة CN الموضوعات الاجتماعية والخيالية. استخدمت اللغة العربية الفصحى في الموضوعات التي قدمتها برامج الأطفال. سيطرة الإنتاج الأجنبي على مصادر إنتاج برامج الأطفال. سيطرت الشخصية الذكورية على الشخصيات المقدمة في برامج أطفال قناة CN، واحتلت نسبة قدرها (%53.81) من مجمل الشخصيات الظاهرة. من أهم صفات الشخصيات الذكورية: قوي وشجاع، سعيد، وذو مظهر عصري. من أهم سمات الشخصيات الأنثوية:المظهر العصري، سعيدة، واثقة من نفسها وشجاعة

Evaluation of tool wear in EPB tunneling of Tehran Metro, Line 7 Expansion

Wear of cutting tools and other components of the pressurized face tunnel boring machine which come in contact with the muck is an important parameter in soft ground tunneling. This is due to the need for cutterhead inspection and tool maintenance under pressurized conditions or “hyperbaric interventions” which is a time consuming, dangerous, risky, and costly activity. This study investigates the tool wear of an EPB-TBM used in Tehran metro line 7 over the initial 6500 m of tunnel. The ground along the tunnel alignment is mostly alluvial deposits, composed of gravely sand with clay/silt and sandy gravel with clay. In this project, the number of cutting tools replaced were 1169, including 654 rippers, 357 scrapers and 153 disc cutters. In this paper the influence of geological parameters and operational factors on tool wear is examined. The results show that by increasing TBM thrust, earth pressure, and torque, the cutter consumption generally increases. Also, soil conditioning plays an important role in controlling cutter wear, so that the tool wear can be reduced even in coarse-grained soils by improving the soil conditioning parameters. Quantitative analysis of these parameters for this project and a brief discussion of their implications is offered. Also, multiple linear regression analysis was used to seek the best correlation between the cutter wear and ground / opening variables, and correlation coefficient of up to 0.98 have been observed. This highlights the potential of developing models for tool wear prediction by multiple regression, if sufficient data is collected in soft ground tunneling projects

The Impact of EGDT on Sepsis Mortality in a Single Tertiary Care Center in Lebanon

Background. EGDT (Early Goal Directed Therapy) or some portion of EGDT has been shown to decrease mortality secondary to sepsis and septic shock. Objective. Our study aims to assess the effect of adopting this approach in the emergency department on in-hospital mortality secondary to sepsis/septic shock in Lebanon. Hypothesis. Implementation of the EGDT protocol of sepsis in ED will decrease in-hospital mortality. Methods. Our retrospective study included 290 adult patients presenting to the ED of a tertiary center in Lebanon with severe sepsis and/or septic shock. 145 patients between years 2013 and 2014 who received protocol care were compared to 145 patients treated by standard care between 2010 and 2012. Data from the EHR were retrieved about patients’ demographics, medical comorbidities, and periresuscitation parameters. A multivariate analysis using logistic regression for the outcome in-hospital mortality after adjusting for protocol use and other confounders was done and AOR was obtained for the protocol use. 28-day mortality, ED, and hospital length of stay were compared between the two groups. Results. The most common infection site in the protocol arm was the lower respiratory tract (42.1%), and controls suffered more from UTIs (33.8%). Patients on protocol care had lower in-hospital mortality than that receiving usual care, 31.7% versus 47.6% (p=0.006) with an AOR of 0.429 (p =0.018). Protocol patients received more fluids at 6 and 24 hours (3.8 ± 1.7 L and 6.1 ± 2.1 L) compared to the control group (2.7 ± 2.0 L and 4.9 ± 2.8 L p=<0.001). Time to and duration of vasopressor use, choice of appropriate antibiotics, and length of ED stay were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion. EGDT- (Early Goal Directed Therapy-) based sepsis protocol implementation in EDs decreases in-hospital mortality in developing countries. Adopting this approach in facilities with limited resources, ICU capabilities, and prehospital systems may have a pronounced benefit