Pre- and post-processing for Cosmic/NASTRAN on personal computers and mainframes

An interface between Cosmic/NASTRAN and GIFTS has recently been released, combining the powerful pre- and post-processing capabilities of GIFTS with Cosmic/NASTRAN's analysis capabilities. The interface operates on a wide range of computers, even linking Cosmic/NASTRAN and GIFTS when the two are on different computers. GIFTS offers a wide range of elements for use in model construction, each translated by the interface into the nearest Cosmic/NASTRAN equivalent; and the options of automatic or interactive modelling and loading in GIFTS make pre-processing easy and effective. The interface itself includes the programs GFTCOS, which creates the Cosmic/NASTRAN input deck (and, if desired, control deck) from the GIFTS Unified Data Base, COSGFT, which translates the displacements from the Cosmic/NASTRAN analysis back into GIFTS; and HOSTR, which handles stress computations for a few higher-order elements available in the interface, but not supported by the GIFTS processor STRESS. Finally, the versatile display options in GIFTS post-processing allow the user to examine the analysis results through an especially wide range of capabilities, including such possibilities as creating composite loading cases, plotting in color and animating the analysis

Studying eGovernment Trust in Developing Nations: A Case of University and Colleges Admissions and Services in Egypt

eGovernment is one of the most important ICT projects in providing opportunities for citizens to engage with their communities and engage with government. Many nations have introduced eGovernment projects, which have been implemented with mixed success. This paper reports on a study concerning the impact of citizens’ trust on using eGovernment services in developing nations. In this context, trust in the technology and eGovernment are identified as essential factors to citizen uptake. The findings of the research show that Internet security and credibility of eGovernment services are significant factors that contribute to citizens’ trust towards eGovernment projects, and in consequence their use of them

Protective effect of Garcinia against renal oxidative stress and biomarkers induced by high fat and sucrose diet

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity became major health problem in the world, the objective of this work was to examine the effect of high sucrose and high fat diet to induce obesity on antioxidant defense system, biochemical changes in blood and tissue of control, non treated and treated groups by administration of Garcinia cambogia, and explore the mechanisms that link obesity with altered renal function</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rats were fed a standard control diet for 12 week (wk) or a diet containing 65% high sucrose (HSD) or 35% fat (HFD) for 8 wk and then HFD group divided into two groups for the following 4 wks. One group was given <it>Garcinia</it>+HFD, the second only high fat, Also the HSD divided into two groups, 1^stHSD+<it>Garcinia </it>and 2^ndHSD. Blood and renal, mesenteric, Perirenal and epididymal adipose tissues were collected for biochemical assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HFD and HSD groups of rats showed a significant increase in feed intake, Body weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI). Also there were significant increases in weights of mesenteric, Perirenal and epididymal adipose tissues in HFD and HSD groups.</p> <p>HFD and HSD affect the kidney by increasing serum urea and creatinine levels and decreased level of nitric oxide (NO) and increased blood glucose, low density lipoproteins (LDL), triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activities were significantly decreased in HFD while there were significant increases in HSD and HSD+G groups p ≤ 0.05 compared with control. Moreover, renal catalase activities and MDA levels were significantly increased while NO level was lowered. These changes improved by <it>Garcinia </it>that decreased the oxidative stress biomarkers and increased NO level.</p> <p>There were significant positive correlations among BMI, kidney functions (Creatinine and urea), TG and Oxidative markers (renal MDA and catalase).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Rats fed a diet with HFD or HSD showed, hypertriglyceridemia, increased LDL production, increased oxidative stress and renal alteration. Moreover, suggesting association between lipid peroxidation, obesity and nephropathy, while <it>Garcinia </it>ameliorated the damaging effects of the HFD or HSD and decreased feed intake, MDA level and decreased oxidative stress in renal tissues.</p

The relation of high fat diet, metabolic disturbances and brain oxidative dysfunction: modulation by hydroxy citric acid

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Aims</p> <p>This study aimed to examine the effect of high fat diet (HFD) to modulate brain dysfunction, and understand the linkages between obesity, metabolic disturbances and the brain oxidative stress (BOS) dysfunction and modulation with hydroxyl citric acid of <it>G. Cambogia</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Rats were divided into 3 groups; 1^stcontrol, maintained on standard normal rat chow diet, 2^ndHFD, maintained on high fat diet along 12 week and 3^rdHFD+G, administered <it>G. Cambogia </it>for 4 weeks and each group include 8 rats. Blood, brain and abdominal fat were collected for biochemical measurements.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HFD group showed significant increase in energy intake, final BW and BW gain. Also significant increase in weight of abdominal fat in HFD group. HFD induce metabolic disturbance through increasing the lipid profile (LDL, TG, TC), γGT and α-amylase activity, uric acid level and hyperglycemia, while decreasing creatine kinase (CK) activity.</p> <p>These changes associated with lowering in brain nitric oxide (NO) level and rising in serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), brain catalase activity and MDA levels as oxidative stress markers. These alterations improved by <it>G. Cambogia </it>that decrease BOS and increased NO level.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Rats fed HFD showed, metabolic disturbances produce hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and increased LDL associated with increased BOS. Involvement of BuChE, NO and oxidative stress associated with metabolic disturbances in the pathophysiological progression in brain, suggesting association between obesity, metabolic disorders and brain alteration while, using <it>G. Cambogia</it>, ameliorate the damaging effects of the HFD via lowering feed intake and BOS.</p

Sinteza, protuupalno, analgetsko i antikonvulzivno djelovanje 1,8-dihidro-1-aril-8-alkil pirazolo(3,4-b)indola

A series of 1,8-dihydro-1-aryl-8-alkyl pyrazolo(3,4-b)indoles 4a-j, 5a-j and 6a-j has been synthesized and tested for their anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant activities. Formation of the pyrazoloindole derivatives was achieved by treating arylhydrazones of N-alkyl indole-3-carboxaldehydes 1a-j, 2a-j and 3a-j with ten times their mass of polyphosphoric acid as a condensing agent. The newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anticonvulsant activities compared to indomethacin, flufenamic acid and diazepam as positive controls. Detailed synthesis, spectroscopic and toxicity data are reported.Serija 1,8-dihidro-1-aril-8-alkil pirazolo(3,4-b)indola 4a-j, 5a-j i 6a-j sintetizirana je i testirana na protuupalno i antikonvulzivno djelovanje. Pirazolindol derivati pripravljeni su reakcijom arilhidrazona N-alkil indol-3-karboksaldehida 1a-j, 2a-j i 3a-j s deset puta većom masom polifosforne kiseline kao sredstva za kondenzaciju. Novosintetizirani spojevi testirani su na protuupalno, analgetsko i antikonvulzivno djelovanje i uspoređeni s djelovanjem indometacina, flufenaminske kiseline i diazepama. U radu su dati detaljni sintetski, spektroskopski i toksikološki podaci

Functionality of Inorganic Nanostructured Materials onto Wool Fabric

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared through chemical reduction method and characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectra to examine its formation with different AgNO3 and sodium borohydride concentrations and by transmission electron microscope (TEM) to evaluate its particle size and size distribution. The wool fabric was first treated separately with AgNPs and titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) and then dyed with C.I. Acid Orange 74 (AO74). The dye uptake of pre-treated wool fabric with nanoparticles was compared to conventional dyeing of wool. The existence of AgNPs and TiO2NPs on wool fabric during acid dyeing increases the dye uptake up to 27 and 39%, respectively. The dyeing kinetic of wool fabric was positively affected by treating with AgNPs and TiO2NPs. Also, the activation energy of AO74 diffusion was calculated before and after NPs-treatment that confirms the physicsorption dyeing process. The NPs-treatment leads to produce a wool fabric with excellent antibacterial and photocatalytic properties for TiO2NPs-treated wool fabric and very good antibacterial and good photocatalytic properties for AgNPs-treated wool fabric. In addition, NPs-treatment has no adverse effects on fastness properties of the functionalized dyed wool fabric. Keywords: Silver nanoparticles, Titanium dioxide nanoparticles, Wool, Acid dyeing

Interpretation of multispectral and infrared thermal surveys of the Suez Canal Zone, Egypt

Remote sensing airborne surveys were conducted, as part of the plan of rehabilitation, of the Suez Canal Zone using I2S multispectral camera and Bendix LN-3 infrared passive scanner. The multispectral camera gives four separate photographs for the same scene in the blue, green, red, and near infrared bands. The scanner was operated in the microwave bands of 8 to 14 microns and the thermal surveying was carried out both at night and in the day time. The surveys, coupled with intensive ground investigations, were utilized in the construction of new geological, structural lineation and drainage maps for the Suez Canal Zone on a scale of approximately 1:20,000, which are superior to the maps made by normal aerial photography. A considerable number of anomalies belonging to various types were revealed through the interpretation of the executed multispectral and infrared thermal surveys

Robust Parameters Tuning of Different Power System Stabilizers Using a Quantum Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer

Electrical power system abnormalities may have several negative consequences on its stable operation. As a result, preserving its stability under such operational states has become an ongoing challenge for power engineers. PSSs are created as auxiliary controllers to address the instability issues produced upon disturbances. They dampen the oscillations induced by the disturbances by giving the system the necessary damping torque. This research aims at presenting a comprehensive study for the optimum tuning of power system stabilizer (PSS) of different structures. This aim is accomplished with the help of a novel modified optimization algorithm called Quantum Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimizer. The modified optimizer\u27s validation is first investigated with the well-known benchmark optimization functions and shows superiority over Gorilla Troops Optimizer and competitive algorithms. The research is extended to the application of the optimum tuning of various PSS structures of the single machine to the infinite bus model. The proposed optimization algorithm shows fast convergence over investigated optimization algorithms. Moreover, the Tilt-integral-derivative based PSS shows better performance characteristics in terms of lower settling time and lower maximum and undershoot values over the conventional lead-lag PSS, dual input PSS, and fractional-order proportional-integral-derivative based PSS

Variation of soils erodibility according to physico-chemical and biogeographic parameters in Allal Al Fassi watershed, Middle Atlas, Morocco.

In order to the conservation of soil resources and the preservation of water and biodiversity, the study of the variation of soil erodibility according to physico-chemical and biogeographical parameters in Allal Al Fassi watershed is of great importance. The measurement of soil erodibility according to the Wischmeier and Smith model requiring a series of physico-chemical analyses of several intrinsic soil parameters (texture, structure, permeability, organic matter content, etc.) is performed on 9 transects with 150 samples. The first, the results are combined with the biogeographical parameters of the soils (slope, pedology, lithology and land use) and then are submitted to a multivariate statistical analysis, were able to highlight both the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the watershed. Soil erodibility in Allal Al Fassi watershed is moderately strong, ranging from 0.05 to 0.38 t. ha. h. ha-1MJ-1.m-1. Statistical analysis shows that soil erodibility (K) is closely related to texture, organic matter content and especially land use. It is more important in farmland, unlike soils occupied by matorral. Soils become more erodible when the silty fraction dominates and clay and organic matter levels decrease

Factorization and Lie point symmetries of general Lienard-type equation in the complex plane

We present a variational approach to a general Lienard-type equation in order to linearize it and, as an example, the Van der Pol oscillator is discussed. The new equation which is almost linear is factorized. The point symmetries of the deformed equation are also discussed and the two-dimensional Lie algebraic generators are obtained