Evaluation of Geogrid-Reinforced Flexible Pavement System Based on Soft Subgrade Soils Under Cyclic Loading

Geogrids have been successfully used to improve soft subgrade and reinforce weak base course by providing lateral confinement. However, Soft saturated fine-grained subgrade soils are distinguished by their high compressibility and low undrained shear strength. Moreover, when the stress is applied on the soft foundation soil resulting from repeated traffic load causing the soil particles to press together and the volume of the soil will decrease resulting in settlements. While applying stress on saturated soft foundation soil due to the increase of the water stress is squeezed out of the soft subsoil causing settlements. In this regard, geogrid reinforcement is the soil improvement technique which proposed to be used in this study to provide a solution for this problem. Using these techniques has been contributing to enhancing the pavement performance systems including the increase of the pavement service life. To simulate the above-mentioned situation, the experimental work included two models: raw materials model and geogrid model. A laboratory model tests are carried out to simulate the asphalt pavement layers and design cycling load system equivalent to the standard single axle load, which were prepared throughout a design and assembling of steel Container model. In this study, development of three-dimensional finite element models for flexible pavement system based on the numerical study has been carried out throughout the application of elastic model using ABAQUS software ver.6.14.4 to simulate and analyze the relationship between the number of applied load cycles and permanent displacement for the pavement layers of two model. The test results that recorded at 1600 cycle load, showed that the permanent displacement at the surface of pavement for improved models and compared with the raw material model has seen decreases by (7.75%). Also, by using the reinforced model is found to be more effective to resist vertical strain under cyclic load at the surface of subgrade soil if compared with the raw material model. Moreover. The results of ABAQUS program are very close to results of laboratory tests. Keywords: Geo-Grid Reinforcement, Soft Subgrade, ABAQUS

Vaginal misoprostol before elective cesarean section for preventing neonatal respiratory distress: a randomized controlled trial

Objective: The current study aims to evaluate the efficacy of vaginal misoprostol before elective cesarean section (ECS) for preventing the occurrence of neonatal respiratory distress (RD). Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial (NCT03239327) was carried out in a tertiary-care university-affiliated hospital between June 2016 and August 2017. All eligible pregnant women scheduled for ECS were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to two groups. One group, the Misoprostol group, received a misoprostol 50 mcg vaginal tablet 60 minutes before ECS while the other, the Control group, received no drugs before ECS. The primary outcome was the rate of neonatal RD among the study groups. Results: The study included 146 women in each arm, with no significant difference between the baseline characteristics of members in each group. Primary outcomes resulted in 22 (15.1%) newborns in the misoprostol group having RD at birth versus 44 (30.1%) newborns with RD in the control (P =0.02). No differences were found between the groups regarding the need for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (P =0.61), duration of NICU stay (P =0.08) and neonatal mortality rate (P =0.73). Conclusion: Prophylactic vaginal misoprostol at a dose of 50 mcg administered 60 minutes before ECS could reduce the rate of neonatal RD and improve the neonatal respiratory outcomes

Revisiting the anatomy of the cephalic vein, its origin, course and possible clinical correlations in relation to the anatomical snuffbox among Jordanian

Background: The cephalic vein is one of the most distinguished superficial veins of the upper limb. Its clinical value lies in venous access. There is little known about the variation of its formation in relation to the anatomical snuffbox. Hence, anatomical variants in the origin of the cephalic vein are important in clinical practice. Subsequently, this study was designed to examine the variation of the cephalic vein formation in relation to the anatomical snuffbox. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study of 438 subjects (722 hands), was prepared to study the cephalic vein among Jordanian students and staff of one of the major governmental Medical College in Jordan, by using infrared illumination system. The obtained data was analysed according to; gender, sidedness, and handedness. Results: Four sites for the formation of the cephalic vein in relation to the anatomical snuffbox were found. There was a significant relation between gender and sidedness, and the sites of formation of the cephalic vein (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.048, respectively). Conclusions: For the first time this study identified different sites for the formation of the cephalic vein in relation to the anatomical snuffbox. However, regardless of its sites of formation, the cephalic vein was running in 98% of the examined hands in the anatomical snuffbox

A novel Ph-sensitive liposome to trigger delivery of afatinib to cancer cells: Impact on lung cancer therapy

A novel drug delivery system based on cationic (CL) and pH-sensitive liposomes (PSL) for tyrosine kinase inhibitor afatinib (AFT) were developed to enhance tumor-targetability against NSCLC cells and therapeutic effect. Optimal lipid to drug ratio was selected to prepare AFT-loaded PSL and CL with desirable physiochemical properties based on particle size, drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%), stability and release profiles. Moreover, antitumor activity was performed in vitro on human lung cancer cells (H-1975) using a WST-1 assay and Annexin-V apoptosis assay. The mean particle size of the liposomes was less than 100 nm, and EE% was more than 50% with lipid to drug ratio of 1:0.5. Stability data showed that PSL and CL were physically stable for 1 months at 4 and 25oC. In vitro drug release study demonstrated the sustained release of AFT at pH 7.5; while PSL exhibited fast drug release in pH 5.5. This effect revealed that PSL showed pH-sensitive release behaviors. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity study was employed for AFT-loaded PSL due to optimal characterizations. Thus, in vitro anticancer activity revealed that AFT loaded-PSL triggered apoptosis in H-1975 cells. In addition, the inhibitory effect towards H-1975 and HCC-827 was observed, indicating, which indicated high antitumor activity of AFT-loaded PSL. Then, PSL might potentially create practical clinical strategies for better targetability and delivery of AFT for treatment of lung cancer

Multiwavelength Observations of 1ES 1959+650, One Year After the Strong Outburst of 2002

In April-May 2003, the blazar 1ES 1959+650 showed an increased level of X-ray activity. This prompted a multiwavelength observation campaign with the Whipple 10 m gamma-ray telescope, the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer, the Bordeaux Optical Observatory, and the University of Michigan Radio Astrophysical Observatory. We present the multiwavelength data taken from May 2, 2003 to June 7, 2003 and compare the source characteristics with those measured during observations taken during the years 2000 and 2002. The X-ray observations gave a data set with high signal-to-noise light curves and energy spectra; however, the gamma-ray observations did not reveal a major TeV gamma-ray flare. Furthermore, we find that the radio and optical fluxes do not show statistically significant deviations from those measured during the 2002 flaring periods. While the X-ray flux and X-ray photon index appear correlated during subsequent observations, the apparent correlation evolved significantly between the years 2000, 2002, and 2003. We discuss the implications of this finding for the mechanism that causes the flaring activity.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, 2 table

Corporate Social Responsibility Activities Factors and Their Affecting on Maintaining Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty in Hypermarket Industry in Malaysia

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to knowledge on the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities (community support, environmentally friendly, sell locally produced products, treating employees) on customer satisfaction and loyalty (hypermarkets). This study aims to examine the influence of CSR on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty of Malaysian consumers and whether they consider CSR for hypermarket before making purchase decisions of the products and services. With the support of empirical evidence and rational arguments, a set of eleven (4) hypotheses were proposed for testing. A sample of 384 respondents loyal to hypermarket has been used to collect the data using a convenience sampling method. Data was collected from the hypermarket in Kuala Lumpur. Statistical analysis was done through SPSS for primary analysis and Smart PLS for analysis of the outer model and testing the relationships hypothesized. Findings revealed that all the hypotheses were significantly effective. The originality and value of this paper is the study of consumer-oriented CSR as a variable that allows competitive differentiation of the company, by improving the relationship with the consumers and the generation of satisfaction and loyalty. One of the major conclusions of the study is that CSR and can only yield optimal performance for the customer satisfaction and customer loyalty if it is combined with the knowledge, experiences, and outstanding abilities in the use CSR activities dimensions

7-O-methylpunctatin, a novel homoisoflavonoid, inhibits phenotypic switch of human arteriolar smooth muscle cells

Remodeling of arterioles is a pivotal event in the manifestation of many inflammation-based cardio-vasculopathologies, such as hypertension. During these remodeling events, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) switch from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. The latter is characterized by increased proliferation, migration, and invasion. Compounds with anti-inflammatory actions have been successful in attenuating this phenotypic switch. While the vast majority of studies investigating phenotypic modulation were undertaken in VSMCs isolated from large vessels, little is known about the effect of such compounds on phenotypic switch in VSMCs of microvessels (microVSMCs). We have recently characterized a novel homoisoflavonoid that we called 7-O-methylpunctatin (MP). In this study, we show that MP decreased FBS-induced cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and adhesion. MP also attenuated adhesion of THP-1 monocytes to microVSMCs, abolished FBS-induced expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and NF-?B, as well as reduced activation of ERK1/2 and FAK. Furthermore, MP-treated VSMCs showed an increase in early (myocardin, SM-22?, SM-?) and mid-term (calponin and caldesmon) differentiation markers and a decrease in osteopontin, a protein highly expressed in synthetic VSMCs. MP also reduced transcription of cyclin D1, CDK4 but increased protein levels of p21 and p27. Taken together, these results corroborate an anti-inflammatory action of MP on human microVSMCs. Therefore, by inhibiting the synthetic phenotype of microVSMCs, MP may be a promising modulator for inflammation-induced arteriolar pathophysiology. - 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Funding: This work was supported by the American University of Beirut (Grant # MPP 320133 to A.E.), University of Petra (Grant #: 5/4/2019) to A.B., E.B., and A.E., and the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS) to M.F.Scopu

Multiwavelength Observations of the Blazar Mrk 421 in December 2002 and January 2003

We report on a multiwavelength campaign on the TeV gamma-ray blazar Markarian (Mrk) 421 performed during December 2002 and January 2003. These target of opportunity observations were initiated by the detection of X-ray and TeV gamma-ray flares with the All Sky Monitor (ASM) on board the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) and the 10 m Whipple gamma-ray telescope.The campaign included observational coverage in the radio (University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory), optical (Boltwood, La Palma KVA 0.6m, WIYN 0.9m), X-ray (RXTE pointed telescopes), and TeV gamma-ray (Whipple and HEGRA) bands. At TeV energies, the observations revealed several flares at intermediate flux levels, peaking between 1 and 1.5 times the flux from the Crab Nebula. While the time averaged spectrum can be fitted with a single power law of photon index Gamma =2.8, we find some evidence for spectral variability. Confirming earlier results, the campaign reveals a rather loose correlation between the X-ray and TeV gamma-ray fluxes. In one case, a very strong X-ray flare is not accompanied by a comparable TeV gamma-ray flare. Although the source flux was variable in the optical and radio bands, the sparse sampling of the optical and radio light curves does not allow us to study the correlation properties in detail. We present a simple analysis of the data with a synchrotron-self Compton model, emphasizing that models with very high Doppler factors and low magnetic fields can describe the data.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa