Status of Using Quantitative Methods in Project Risk Management

This study aims to evaluate the current project risk management within UNRWA in Gaza in all areas related to the Agency’s mandate. Projects implemented by UNRWA in Gaza are subject to risks due to the volatile situation and the adverse situation representing risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and that impede the effective and timely implementation of projects according to their plans. This negatively impacts the outputs of these projects and creates grave repercussions and disruption consuming the project resources and budgets. This will also have a negative impact on the Agency’s image and funding as the relationship with the donor community will be also distorted

Load capacity predictions of continuous concrete deep beams reinforced with GFRP bars

YesNine continuous concrete deep beams reinforced with glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars were experimentally tested to failure. Three main parameters were investigated, namely, shear span-to-overall depth ratio, web reinforcement and size effect. The experimental results confirmed the impacts of web reinforcement and size effect that were not considered by the strut-and-tie method (STM) of the only code provision, the Canadian S806-12, that addressed such elements. The experimental results were employed to evaluate the applicability of the methods suggested by the American, European and Canadian codes as well as the previous studies to predict the load capacities of continuous deep beams reinforced with GFRP bars. It was found that these methods were unable to reflect the influences of size effect and/or web reinforcement, the impact of which has been confirmed by the current experimental investigation. Therefore, a new effectiveness factor was recommended to be used with the STM. Additionally, an upper-bound analysis was developed to predict the load capacity of the tested specimens considering a reduced bond strength of GFRP bars. A good agreement between the predicted results and the experimental ones was obtained with the mean and coefficient of variation values of 1.02 and 5.9%, respectively, for the STM and 1.03 and 8.6%, respectively, for the upper-bound analysis.Higher Committee of Education Development in Iraq (HCED

Preparation and Comparative Evaluation of Fe+2/Fe+3 and Mg+2/Fe+3 LDHs as Promising Nanocarriers for Class II and Class IV Drugs

Application of NPs is a promising nanocarriers strategy for development of new drug delivery system. To accomplish such strategy, two types of NPs of layered double hydroxides (Fe+2/Fe+3) and (Mg+2/Fe+3) were synthesized, each one was separately loaded with two types of drugs, montelukast sodium (class II) and cefdinir (class IV) by application of two methods of drug loading (ion-exchange and intercalation methods). The final dried powder were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermal analysis (TGA), Zeta Potential analyzer, Powder X-ray diffraction pattern (PXRD) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and evaluated by measuring solubility, percentage yield and drug loading capacity, in vitro dissolution, in vitro diffusion and biological activity. The results indicated that Fe+2/Fe+3 LDHs NPs is more suitable nanocarrier for class IV as well as class II drugs since it gave smaller particle size, improved permeability, higher loading capacity and improved biological activity therefore, it could be used to give sustained release pattern that can prolong the action of the drug in the body. Keywords: Fe+2/Fe+3-LDHs, Mg+2/Fe+3-LDHs, drug loading, cefdinir, montelukas

High Studies Deanery Faculty of Commerce Business Administration Department

This study aimed to show the influence of information overload on the decision making process, using the descriptive analytical method to study the influence of information overload represented through three dimensions (email overload, information characteristics and information & communication technology). The study was applied on INGOs that work in Gaza Strip. The questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. The study population was (106) who are all managers (Top and Middle levels Management) in INGOs. A census has been used for the target population. Because of the policy of some organizations regarding confidentiality and privacy of work environment, only (86) questionnaires were collected and all were retrieved and analyzed. Results of the analysis of the questionnaire data demonstrate significant relationship of information overload with the managers ‘decision making process

THE USE OF SIMULATION TO EVALUATE AND ENHANCE THE PERFORMANCE OF PASSPORTS AND CIVIL AFFAIRS SECTOR

In this thesis, the proposed project intends to study the use of Decision Support Systems in simulating Gaza Civil Affairs and Passports Directorate (GCAPD) through identifying the current environment, analyzing the status, and proposing a new system using simulation to determine the optimal number of service providers for the system in order to reduce the postponement of the public services

Influence of Shear Reinforcement on Reinforced Concrete Continuous Deep Beams

yesTest results of 24 reinforced concrete continuous deep beams are reported. The main variables studied were concrete strength, shear span-to-overall depth ratio (a/h) and the amount and configuration of shear reinforcement. The results of this study show that the load transfer capacity of shear reinforcement was much more prominent in continuous deep beams than in simply supported deep beams. For beams having an a/ h of 0.5, horizontal shear reinforcement was always more effective than vertical shear reinforcement. The ratio of the load capacity measured and that predicted by the strutand-tie model recommended by ACI 318-05 dropped against the increase of a/h. This decrease rate was more remarkable in continuous deep beams than that in simple deep beams. The strut-and-tie model recommended by ACI 318-05 overestimated the strength of continuous deep beams having a/ h more than 1.0

Influence of Type and Replacement Level of Recycled Aggregates on Concrete Properties.

yesTest results of nine recycled aggregate concretes and a control concrete using only natural aggregates are reported. The recycled aggregates used were classified into three different types according to their measured specific gravity and water absorption, namely, RG I for recycled coarse aggregate having a specific gravity of 2.53 and water absorption of 1.9%; RG III for recycled coarse aggregate having a specific gravity of 2.4 and water absorption of 6.2%; and RS II for recycled fine aggregate having a specific gravity of 2.36 and water absorption of 5.4%. The replacement levels of both recycled coarse and fine aggregates were 30, 50, and 100% in separate mixtures. Slump loss and the amount of bleeding with time were recorded for fresh concrete. Compressive and tensile strengths, moduli of rupture and elasticity, and unrestrained shrinkage strain were also measured for hardened concrete. The properties of fresh and hardened concrete tested, together with a comprehensive database reported in the literature, were evaluated with respect to the relative water absorption of aggregates combining the quality and volume of recycled aggregates used. In addition, the properties of hardened concrete with different replacement levels and quality of recycled aggregates were compared with the design equations of ACI 318-05 and empirical equations proposed by Oluokun for natural aggregate concrete, whenever possible. Test results clearly showed that the properties of fresh and hardened concrete containing recycled aggregates were dependent on the relative water absorption of aggregates. In addition, the moduli of rupture and elasticity of recycled aggregate concrete were lower than the design equations specified in ACI 318-05, when the relative water absorption of aggregates is above 2.5% and 3.0%, respectively

LOADING OF CLARITHROMYCIN AND PACLITAXEL ON SYNTHESIZED CdS/NiO NANOPARTICLES AS PROMISING NANOCARRIERS

Objective: In this study cadmium sulfide (CdS) and nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized and applied as novel nanocarriers for antibacterial drug clarithromycin (CLA) and anticancer drug paclitaxel (PTX) to improve their physical properties and biological activities.Methods: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) and nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical co-precipitation and thermochemical processing techniques respectively and loaded with clarithromycin (CLA) and paclitaxel (PTX) by simple new one-step reaction. Analytical measures including FTIR, PXRD, SEM, AFM, TGA, DSC and zeta potential where used for characterization. The in vitro release, antibacterial as well as anticancer activities were evaluated.Results: Analytical measures revealed that the loading involved physical complex formation rather than chemical modification with the high percent surface loading of the drugs on the nanoparticles. Solubility/dissolution study revealed higher significant* improvement in the solubility of CLA from NiO nanoparticles than that from CdS nanoparticles while the antibacterial activity of CLA was non-significantly improved. For PTX loaded on CdS and NiO nanoparticles showed non-significant change in its solubility, but remarkable significant* increase in its antitumor activity on MCF-7 cell line accompanied with significant* reduction in its cytotoxicity on normal mammary cell line (MCF-10A) indicating the selectivity and targeting of PTX-CdS/NiO nanocarriers with reduced side effects of the drug and the used metal nanocarriers.Conclusion: This work provided most selective and safe delivery system for PTX and best method for enhancement of CLA solubility.Keywords: Clarithromycin (CLA), Paclitaxel (PTX), Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles, Nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticlesÂ