Mechanical and fracture properties of a self-compacting version of CARDIFRC Mix II

CARDIFRC is the trade name of two main groups of ultra-high performance fibre-reinforced concrete mixes – Mixes I and II – differing primarily in the maximum size of quartz sand used (0.6 mm in Mix I, and 2 mm in Mix II). In this paper, the conversion of CARDIFRC Mix II to a self-compacting and industrially competitive ultra-high performance fibre-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) is described. A full mechanical and fracture characterisation (i.e. size-independent fracture energy and the corresponding bi-linear stress-crack opening relationship) of this UHPFRC is provided

Chaos synchronization in a 6-D hyperchaotic system with self-excited attractor

This paper presented stability application for chaos synchronization using a 6-D hyperchaotic system of different controllers and two tools: Lyapunov stability theory and Linearization methods. Synchronization methods based on nonlinear control strategy is used. The selecting controller's methods have been modified by applying complete synchronization. The Linearization methods can achieve convergence according to the of complete synchronization. Numerical simulations are carried out by using MATLAB to validate the effectiveness of the analytical technique

Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Screening of New Schiff Bases Linked to Phthalimidyl Phenyl Sulfonate Moiety

A series of Schiff bases linked to phthalimidyl phenyl sulfonate moiety have been synthesized via multistep synthesis. The first step involved reaction of phthalic anhydride with aniline producing N-phenyl phthalamic acid which was subsequently dehydrated to the corresponding N-phenyl phthalimide via treatment with acetic anhydride and anhydrous sodium acetate. The synthesized imide was treated with chlorosulfonic acid in the third step producing 4-(N-phthalimidyl) phenyl sulfonyl chloride which was introduced in reaction with 4-hydroxy acetophenone in the fourth step producing 4-[4-(N-phthalimidyl) phenyl sulfonate] acetophenone and this in turn was introduced successfully in condensation reaction with various aromatic primary amines affording the desired new Schiff bases. The newly synthesized compounds were characterized through spectral data including FTIR, 1HNMR and 13CNMR. Antimicrobial activity of the prepared Schiff bases was evaluated against two types of bacteria and one type of fungi and the new Schiff bases were found to exhibit good antimicrobial activity against the tested organisms

The Benefit of Semen Cryostorage on Certain Sperm Function Parameters Following in Vitro Activation

Background: Under different circumstances, adequate production of the semen specimen followed by preparation for  intrauterine insemination (IUI) is of utmost importance at many centers. Cryostorage for 24 - 48 hours, could solve the problem of semen to the performance of IUI. It is also advantageous if the male partner has difficulty in producing a semen sample or not available at the time of IUI and reducing psychological pressure on the day of his partner's aiming for repeating insemination after 24 hr. Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate the beneficial effect of semen cryostored at 5 degrees centigrade (5°C) for 24 hr by modifying Tris Solution (MTS) mixed with 30% egg yolk (EY) on maintaining the functional and fecundity sperm parameters of patient`s semen. Materials & Methods: Thirty eight infertile patient`s semen samples (who was visiting  the High Institute of Infertility Diagnosis & Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) for three weeks) were involved in this study. Semen analysis was done for all samples as recommended by (WHO Laboratory Manual for the examination of human semen and sperm–cervical mucus interaction 1999). The patient`s semen samples were divided into two groups; both groups were activated in vitro with FertiCultTM medium using the simple layer method (SLM) for 30 min; a second group treated with (MTS) mixed with 30% (EY) and cryostorage for 24 hr after activation. Results: The results showed a highly significant (P<0.001) improved of all the certain sperm function parameters of group 2 (cryostorage group) compared with group 1. It showed also improvement of all parameters of infertile men semen. There was a highly significant (P<0.001) increase in the percentage of grade A and grade B active sperm motility in group 2 compared with group 1. Conclusions: It is concluded that the use of (MTS) with 30% (EY) maintains adequate sperm viability and fecundity after 24 hr of cryostorage, and it was extremely recommended for patients requiring intrauterine insemination (IUI) in different circumstances

Synthetic route to low damping in ferromagnetic thin-films

Previous theory indicated that the individual monolayers within transition metal ferromagnet thin-films contribute different magnitudes to the total ferromagnetic damping. Here, the aim was to investigate if the thin-film damping could be reduced by electronic engineering of the higher damping regions via localized doping. We present new theoretical analysis and experimental results for sputtered Co thin-films in which the upper and lower surface regions were locally doped with Cr. Theory indicates that local doping does reduce the damping and the experiments show a comparable reduction of the damping with increasing local doping up to 30% Cr, while the measured damping falls further with higher local doping, which may be attributed to changes in the film structure. This work opens a route to create low-damping magnetic thin-films

Study of the Weights and Dimensions of the Body in the Iraqi Awassi Sheep

اجريت الدراسة في حقل القطاع الخاص لتربية الاغنام في منطقة سدة الهندية – محافظة بابل للمدة من كانون الاول2017 ولغاية اذار2018, لدراسة تأثير نوع الولادة وجنس المولود في صفات الوزن عند الميلاد والوزن عند الفطام وابعاد الجسم التي شملت ( طول الجسم و محيط الصدر و الارتفاع عند المقدمة و الارتفاع عند المؤخرة ) لدى الاغنام &nbsp;العواسية العراقية. أظهرت النتائج &nbsp;تفوق معنوي ((P&lt;0.05 للولادات التوأمية على مثيلاتها الفردية في صفة طول الجسم عند الولادة (40.9 سم و 39.33 سم على التوالي). لوحظ تفوق معنوي((P&lt;0.05 للذكور على الاناث في صفة طول الجسم عند الولادة معنويا(41.14 سم و 38.76 سم على التوالي) وفي صفة الارتفاع في المقدمة عند الميلاد معنويا(41.03 سم و40.07 سم على التوالي). ولم يكن لنوع الولادة او جنس الحملان اي تأثير معنوي في بقية الصفات المدروسة.This study was undertaken at the native feilds of the sheep farms in Sadet Al-hindia, Babylon Governorate, over period from December 2017 to March 2018. The aim of this was &nbsp;study the effect of type of birth and sex of lambs on the traits of birth and weaning weight, body dimensions(body length, chest circumference, height at the front and back)in awassi sheep. the results showed that significant superiority (p˂0.05) for twins lambs (40.9cm) on single lambs(39.33cm)&nbsp; in body length at the birth .for the sex of lambs, male lambs has significant superiority (p˂0.05) on female lambs in heightin front (41.03,40.07 cm Respectevly), but the type of birth and sex of lambs had nonsignificant effect of other parameters

Outcome of patients with visceral leishmaniasis in Diyala province

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis is the second largest parasitic killer in the world after malaria. Objective: The outcome of patient with visceral leishmaniasis in hospital samples depending on spot test for diagnosis. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in Al-Batool Teaching Hospital in Baqubah- Diyala province, during the period from January 2015 to December 2015. Thirty five collecting cases were suspected to have visceral leishmaniasis. History was taken regarding residence, gender, age, animal contact, blood group type. Clinical examination and investigation were done using complete blood count, abdominal ultrasound and spot test. Results: In this study, thirty-five children were diagnosed as visceral leishmaniasis. It is found more among males (60%) than females (40%), more common in spring and winter, than in summer and autumn; which was (48.5%, 31%, 14% and 0.05%) respectively. High percentage recorded among patient with type (A) and (B) blood group, and less in (AB) and (O) (57%,22%,5%,14%) respectively also infection in rural area (71%) more than in urban (29%). Regarding the site of infection, organomegaly was (57%), splenomegaly (14%), hepatomegaly (17%), hepatosplenomegaly (26%) no-organomegaly(43%). All patients were anemic (43%), mild anemia (10 mg% and less) and (57%) severe anemia (7mg% and less). The percentage of duration of fever was 17%2 weeks. Conclusion: Visceral leishmaniasis is a common in patients live in rural areas that have contact with animals (Dog, fox and jackals)

The effect of 980 nm and 1480 nm pumping on the performance of newly Hafnium Bismuth Erbium-doped fiber amplifier

An experimental study on the comparison of optical amplifying performance between 980 nm and 1480 nm pumping for the newly Hafnium Bismuth Erbium co-doped fiber (HB-DF) has been presented. A short length of 1-meter HB-EDF was used as the gain medium of the optical amplifier. 1480 nm pumping is found to provide higher attainable gain and lower noise figure compared to 980 nm pumping. At 1480 nm pumping, the average small signal gain for HB-EDFA in the single pass configuration has improved by 13.4 dB in the C-band region range from 1525 nm to 1565 nm. In the double-pass configuration, a maximum small signal gain of 36.6 dB was achieved at the wavelength of 1560 nm, this is 11.6 dB higher compared to the HB-EDFA with 980 nm pumping. The double pass HB-EDFA with 1480 nm pumping has exhibited a reduction of average noise figure by 23.4% and 29.8% for-30 dBm and-10 dBm of input signal power respectively in the C- and L-band region

Delamination characteristics of glare laminates containing doubler and splice features under high cycle fatigue loading

A modified cohesive zone model (CZM) has been developed to simulate damage initiation and evolution inGlare™ Fibre-Metal Laminate (FML) specimens containing both splice and doubler features under high-cycle fatigue loading. The model computes the cohesive stiffness degradation under mixed-mode loading based on user-defined crack growth rate data and is implemented in a VUMAT subroutine for the FEA software Abaqus/Explicit. To validate the model experimental data has been obtained for a number of Glare 4B specimens containing splice and doubler features monitored using digital image correlation (DIC) to provide full-field displacement and strain data and Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring to detect damage initiation and propagation. The model was used to predict the initiation and growth of damage in splice joints under quasi-static loading. The results were verified against the cohesive zone model available in Abaqus and then validated against experimental data on Glare specimens. The codes are currently being extended to incorporate a mixed-mode fatigue damage evolution model based on input Paris laws, which have been extracted from high cycle fatigue experiments on Glare specimens containing both splice and doubler joints

Polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated gold nanoparticles inhibit endothelial cell viability, proliferation, and ERK1/2 phosphorylation and reduce the magnitude of endothelial-independent dilator responses in isolated aortic vessels

Background: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) demonstrate clinical potential for drug delivery and imaging diagnostics. As AuNPs aggregate in physiological fluids, polymer surface modifications are utilised to allow their stabilisation and enhance their retention time in blood. However, the impact of AuNPs on blood vessel function remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of AuNPs and their stabilisers on endothelial cell (EC) and vasodilator function. Methods: Citrate-stabilised AuNPs (12±3 nm) were synthesised and surface-modified using mercapto polyethylene glycol - (mPEG) and polyvinilpyrrolidine (PVP) polymers. Their uptake by isolated ECs and whole vessels was visualised using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and quantified using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Their biological effects on EC proliferation, viability, apoptosis and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 signalling pathway were determined using the automated cell counter, flow cytometry, and western blotting, respectively. Endothelial-dependent and independent vasodilator functions were assessed using isolated murine aortic vessel rings, ex vivo. Results: AuNPs were located in endothelial endosomes within 30 min exposure, while their surface modification delayed this cellular uptake over time. After 24 hr exposure, all AuNPs (including polymer-modified AuNPs) induced apoptosis and decreased cell viability/proliferation. These inhibitory effects were lost after 48 hr exposure (except for the PVP-modified AuNPs). Furthermore, all AuNPs decreased acetylcholine (ACh)-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, a key signalling protein of cell function. mPEG-modified AuNPs had lower cytostatic effects than PVP-modified AuNPs. Citrate-stabilised AuNPs did not alter endothelial-dependent vasodilation induced by ACh but attenuated endothelial-independent responses induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP). PVP-modified AuNPs attenuated ACh-induced dilation whereas mPEG-modified AuNPs did not, though this was dose-related. Conclusions: We demonstrate that mPEG-modified AuNPs, at a therapeutic dosage, show lower cytostatic effects and are less detrimental to vasodilator function than PVP-modified AuNPs, indicating greater potential as agents for diagnostic imaging and therapy