Shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams using neural network

NoOptimum multi-layered feed-forward neural network (NN) models using a resilient back-propagation algorithm and early stopping technique are built to predict the shear capacity of reinforced concrete deep and slender beams. The input layer neurons represent geometrical and material properties of reinforced concrete beams and the output layer produces the beam shear capacity. Training, validation and testing of the developed neural network have been achieved using 50%, 25%, and 25%, respectively, of a comprehensive database compiled from 631 deep and 549 slender beam specimens. The predictions obtained from the developed neural network models are in much better agreement with test results than those determined from shear provisions of different codes, such as KBCS, ACI 318-05, and EC2. The mean and standard deviation of the ratio between predicted using the neural network models and measured shear capacities are 1.02 and 0.18, respectively, for deep beams, and 1.04 and 0.17, respectively, for slender beams. In addition, the influence of different parameters on the shear capacity of reinforced concrete beams predicted by the developed neural network shows consistent agreement with those experimentally observed

Common MEFV Mutations in Palestinian Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive inflammatory disorder caused by mutations in the MEFV gene that encodes the pyrin protein. The disease is relatively common among people originating from the Mediterranean areas. The aim of this study was to determine the common MEFV gene mutations in 270 Palestinian patients diagnosed with FMF. The patients were screened for four common MEFV gene mutations namely, p. M694V, p. M694I, p. V726A, and p. E148Q using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR). The results revealed that around 22% of the patients harbored two MEFV mutations, with the compound heterozygous forms being more prevalent than the homozygous ones. The most frequently encountered mutant allele was p. M694V which existed in around 12% of the tested chromosomes. The p. M694I, p. V226A and p. E148Q mutations were observed in around 9, 9 and 7% of the tested chromosomes, respectively. In about 29% of the patients only one mutant allele could be detected and around 49% of the patients did not show any of the investigated mutations. In conclusion, the four tested MEFV gene mutations have a significant contribution to FMF in the Palestinian population of Gaza strip. Screening for those mutations should be offered to FMF patients to confirm diagnosis and effect timely treatment. Further mutations analysis the MEFV gene should be conducted in this population in order to document additional MEFV mutations

BH-centroids: A New Efficient Clustering Algorithm

The k-means algorithm is one of most widely used method for discovering clusters in data; however one of the main disadvantages to k-means is the fact that you must specify the number of clusters as an input to the algorithm. In this paper we present an improved algorithm for discovering clusters in data by first determining the number of clusters k, allocate the initial centroids, and then clustering data points by assign each data point to one centroid. We use the idea of Gravity, by assuming each data point in the cluster has a gravity that attract the other closest points, this leads each point to move toward the nearest higher gravity toward the nearest higher gravity point to have at the end one point for each cluster, which represent the centroid of that cluster. The measure of gravity of point (X) determined by its weight, which represent the number of points that use point X as the nearest point. Our algorithm employ a distance metric based (eg, Euclidean) similarity measure in order to determine the nearest or the similar point for each point. We conduct an experimental study with real-world as well as synthetic data sets to demonstrate the effectiveness of our techniques

Factor analyses for economic growth in EU-28 and MENA-4 countries

This study uses eight main different statistical fields, as components between 2005-2014. The following step of the research is that the factor analyses, when in case of the first FACT1 three variances of the first component are, namely GDPVol2014, UnEmploy2014 and RisPov2014 are compared with two variances of the second component, namely GovDebt2014 and SocProt2014. In the second FACT2 analyse three variances of the first component, namely GDPVol2014, UnEmploy2014 and RisPov2014 are compared with two variances of the third component, namely LLeam2014 and GDPcap2014. The cluster analyse system separates the EU-28 member states and shows how these countries are closed by their special performance. The biggest group includes 22 member states closed to each other in field of their economic performance. The biggest country group originally also can be separated into 10 smaller country-group. The second country-group was consisting of two member states, namely France and Portugal, which countries were connected by mostly similarly economic growth rate with different economic developed levels. The third country-group included Spain, Cyprus, Greece and Ireland, where the low economic growth and low level of GDP volume growth were closed in case of Spain and Cyprus, but in Greece the unemployment rate was so highly and Ireland realised highly strong GovDebt2014 and SocProt2014 in its economic performance with low level for GDPVol2014 and GDPcap2014. The factor analyses and dendrogram system can show the clear selection methods for the economies, which help the researchers and policy makers to create the economic policy strategy and financial support for those countries which have the biggest backwardness in their economic development

Screening for Y-chromosome microdeletions in a population of infertile males in the Gaza Strip

Infertility is an extraordinary public health problem in the Arab world, as it affects about 15% of couples seeking children. The male partner is responsible for infertility in approximately half of these cases. Classic microdeletions of the Y-chromosome involving the azoospermia factor (AZF) regions are known to be associated with spermatogenic impairment, and non-obstructive azoospermia must be differentiated on the basis of endocrine evaluation and testicular biopsy. Partial AZFc deletions remain controversial because there is no clear agreement regarding their role in spermatogenic failure. In the current study, 50 fertile males (controls) and 125 patients with primary idiopathic male infertility were studied in order to describe the frequency of Y-chromosome mirodeletions among male infertility patients in the Gaza Strip-Palestine area. No Y chromosome classical microdeletions could be detected in any of the 125 infertile men, suggesting that ethnic factors, genetic background, and Y chromosome haplogroups are key factors in such deletions. On the other hand, six gr/gr and one b1/b3 AZFc partial deletions were detected in the infertile population. The gr/gr deletion was also noted in relatives of four of the six patients with this deletion, and in one of the fertile controls. In conclusion, our study shows that the incidence of Y-chromosome microdeletions in our population is rare; these data suggest that other genetic, epigenetic, nutritional and/or local factors are responsible for impairments in semen parameters observed in this Gazan population. We further hypothesise that the gr/gr deletion is not associated with male infertility, at least in this sub-group

Flow and Compressive Strength of Alkali-Activated Mortars.

yesTest results of thirty six ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS)-based mortars and eighteen fly ash (FA)-based mortars activated by sodium silicate and/or sodium hydroxide powders are presented. The main variables investigated were the mixing ratio of sodium oxide (Na2O) of the activators to source materials, water-to-binder ratio, and fine aggregate-to-binder ratio. Test results showed that GGBS based alkali-activated (AA) mortars exhibited much higher compressive strength but slightly less flow than FA based AA mortars for the same mixing condition. Feed-forward neural networks and simplified equations developed from nonlinear multiple regression analysis were proposed to evaluate the initial flow and 28-day compressive strength of AA mortars. The training and testing of neural networks, and calibration of the simplified equations were achieved using a comprehensive database of 82 test results of mortars activated by sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide powders. Compressive strength development of GGBS-based alkali-activated mortars was also estimated using the formula specified in ACI 209 calibrated against the collected database. Predictions obtained from the trained neural network or developed simplified equations were in good agreement with test results, though early strength of GGBS-based alkali-activated mortars was slightly overestimated by the proposed simplified equations

Properties of cementless mortars activated by sodium silicate.

yesThe present paper reports the testing of 12 alkali-activated mortars and a control ordinary portland cement (OPC) mortar. The main aim is to develop cementless binder activated by sodium silicate powder. An alkali quality coefficient combining the amounts of main compositions of source materials and sodium oxide (Na2O) in sodium silicate is proposed to assess the properties of alkali activated mortars, based on the hydration mechanism of alkali-activated pastes. Fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) were employed as source materials. The ratio of Na2O-to-source material by weight for different mortars ranged between 0.038 and 0.164; as a result, alkali quality coefficient was varied from 0.0025 to 0.0365. Flow loss of fresh mortar, and shrinkage strain, compressive strength and modulus of rupture of hardened mortars were measured. The compressive strength development of alkali activated mortar was also compared with the design equations for OPC concrete specified in ACI 209 and EC 2. Test results clearly showed that the flow loss and compressive strength development of alkali-activated mortar were significantly dependent on the proposed alkali quality coefficient. In particular, a higher rate of compressive strength development achieved at early age for GGBS-based alkali-activated mortar and at long-term age for FA-based alkali-activated mortar. In addition, shrinkage strain and modulus of rupture of alkali-activated mortar were comparable to those of OPC mortar

Chromosomal aberrations in males occupationally exposed to chemical pollutants in the gaza strip-palestine

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes from Palestinian males exposed to various chemical pollutants during their daily work. Subjects and Methods: The study population consisted of 32 males (mean age 35.5 years) distributed as: 14 farmers, 3 plumbers, 5 taxi drivers, 6 paint factory workers, and 4 gas station workers, exposed to pollutants like pesticide, petrol derivatives etc. The control group consisted of 10 healthy Palestinian individuals of the same age and gender, but not exposed directly to pollutants in their jobs. Chromosomes were prepared from peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures using standard methods. The evaluation of chromosomal aberrations was performed following the IPCS (International Program Chemical Safety) guidelines for the monitoring of genotoxicity effects of carcinogens in humans. Results: A significantly higher incidence (2.14%, p< 0.05) of chromosomal aberrations (chromatid breaks, iso-chromatid breaks, chromatid deletions, and acentric fragments) were detected in lymphocyte of the study population. Interestingly, no chromosomal damage at all was recorded in the control group lymphocyte. Conclusion: These results suggest that occupational exposure to chemical pollutants is the cause of the chromosomal aberrations observed in the study population, which could be related to exposure time, since chromosomal aberrations were more frequent in workers exposed for longer times. The increased chromosomal damage detected in the study population can be attributed to the complex mixture of genotoxic compounds to which