Extended Cellular Automata Simulation Model For Fire Crowd Evacuation

In recent years, crowd evacuation in case of fire accidents has attracted considerate attention. Fire accidents occur in crowded buildings may cause heavy casualties. The study of fire crowd evacuation has become extremely necessary to minimize the loss of life and property. Large fires pose dangers; hence, computer simulations are conducted as alternative tools to the deficiencies in conducting actual fire evacuation experiments. Researchers have simulated evacuees’ movements in panic situations, such as fires, using the cellular automata (CA) model to predict and analyze evacuees’ behaviors during these panic situations. This could help minimize accidents and save lives. However, those researchers have either investigated fire accidents in a static scenario or propagate inaccurate fire circular fronts shape, such as the adoption of a square fire front shape. They have also applied a lot of constraints on the environmental and accident factors, such as fire location, fire spread speed, obstacles, which could show evacuees movements appeared unrealistic. In addition, the models used by those researchers ignored the effects of crowd pressure applied on evacuees around overcrowded exits during fire evacuation. In this research, the spiral fire movement technique was adopted using CA model to simulate the fire circular surface propagation shape, which presents a non-static fire-spreading behavior that able to estimate the average number of evacuees could be injured or killed by fire. In addition, the new extended CA parameters (fire spreading, congestion and path), the set of mathematics formulas, were introduced to simulate the decision-making of evacuees in terms of movements and judgments and their choices of actions

Productivity of 18F-FDG-PET/CT Diagnostic Tool in the Management of Pediatric Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

BACKGROUND: Lymphoblastic lymphoma (LL) comprises approximately 20% of childhood non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL); however, few studies had investigated the role of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in pediatric LL patients. We aim in this study to assess the role of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in the initial staging of newly diagnosed pediatric patients with LL as well as in the assessment of response after induction chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective study enrolled biopsy proven newly diagnosed pediatric LL patients presenting in the Children Cancer Hospital Egypt (CCHE) during the period from October 2014 to October 2016. 18F-FDG-PET/CT was done initially before therapy and after induction chemotherapy in all patients. The patients were followed until the end of April 2018 (mean 23.5 months). RESULTS: All lymphoma involvement lesions (n = 43) were FDG avid and the intensity of nodal FDG uptake was variable. Two patients (11%) had bone marrow (BM) involvement by < 25% blast cells with corresponding positive BM focal uptake in 18F-FDG-PET/CT (SUVmax = 4 and 4.5). Evaluation post induction phase; CT detected 8 residual lesions in 8 patients (44.4%), while 18F-FDG-PET/CT detected only 3 Deauville-positive residual lesions in 3 patients (16.6%). No intensification of therapy was done in all post-induction positive patients. Repeated 18F-FDG-PET/CT at week 18 for post-induction patients revealed cleared all Deauville-positive residual lesions. On the other hand, repeated CT at week 18 detected regression but still residual in 4/8 (50%) post-induction CT lesions with clearance of the rest (50%). CONCLUSION: In initial staging, 18F-FDG-PET/CT is a useful tool for disease extent evaluation of pediatric LL. Moreover, it could provide a diagnostic hint for BM involvement. 18F-FDG-PET/CT done after induction therapy has a good negative predictive value with higher specificity than CT alone, but is not an indication for treatment intensification due to false positive results. However, larger sample size is required for better conclusion

Can Absence of Cardiac Activity on Point-of-Care Echocardiography Predict Death in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest?

AimThe purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the accuracy of the absence of cardiac motion on point-of-care echocardiography (PCE) in predicting termination of resuscitation (TOR), short-term death (STD), and long-term death (LTD), in adult patients with cardiac arrest of all etiologies in out-of-hospital and emergency department setting.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted based on PRISMA guidelines. A literature search in Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, WHO registry, and ClinicalTrials.gov was performed from inspection to August 2022. Risk of bias was evaluated using QUADAS-2 tool. Meta-analysis was divided into medical cardiac arrest (MCA) and traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA). Sensitivity and specificity were calculated using bivariate random-effects, and heterogeneity was analyzed using I2 statistic.ResultsA total of 27 studies (3657 patients) were included in systematic review. There was a substantial variation in methodologies across the studies, with notable difference in inclusion criteria, PCE timing, and cardiac activity definition. In MCA (15 studies, 2239 patients), the absence of cardiac activity on PCE had a sensitivity of 72% [95% CI 62–80%] and specificity of 80% [95% CI 58–92%] to predict LTD. Although the low numbers of studies in TCA preluded meta-analysis, all patients who lacked cardiac activity on PCE eventually died.ConclusionsThe absence of cardiac motion on PCE for MCA predicts higher likelihood of death but does not have sufficient accuracy to be used as a stand-alone tool to terminate resuscitation. In TCA, the absence of cardiac activity is associated with 100% mortality rate, but low number of patients requires further studies to validate this finding. Future work would benefit from a standardized protocol for PCE timing and agreement on cardiac activity definition

Prediction of Axial Compressive Strength of Hybrid Reinforced Concrete Columns under Static Loading

Steel corrosion is thought to be one of the primary causes of the inadequate durability of concrete buildings in the maritime environment. Because of this, adopting Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) bars in harsh settings has attracted a lot of attention for its appealing mechanical properties as well as to prevent corrosion issues. But because there hasn't been much research in this area, we don't fully understand how fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars behave when they are compressed. This work's goal is to assess the expected axial compressive strength of columns when hybrid reinforcement is used in place of steel reinforcement. Hybrid bars are steel bars surrounded by a cover shell of Glass or Carbon FRP (hybrid-steel) for longitudinal reinforcement and/or transverse reinforcement. 17 column specimens were included in an experimental study program that was created.The specimens were tested to failure with an axial loading condition. The parameters studied were the type of fibers, the percentage of steel in the hybrid reinforcement for longitudinal main reinforcement ρL(0.96, 0.44, and 0.25), the ratio of the web reinforcement (internal ties), the proportion of fiber in the hybrid bars, as well as the columns' cross sections' rectangularity. Based on the data, mathematical models were devised and assessed to forecast the load bearing capability of the column. The findings indicate that hybrid reinforced concrete columns have acceptable levels of dependability index in general

Klason Method: An Effective Method for Isolation of Lignin Fractions from Date Palm Biomass Waste

Klason lignin extraction method is one of the robust techniques for isolation of lignin from lignocellulosic palm biomass waste for future production of High Value Chemicals (HVCs). To elucidate the mechanism of hemicellulose and cellulose glycosidic bond distraction, lignocellulos

Role of laparoscopy in ureteropelvic junction obstruction with concomitant pathology: a case series study

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty is considered a standard treatment for ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). However, the presence of another pathology makes it a more challenging operation and guides the surgeon towards open conversion. In this study, we present our experience in difficult pyeloplasty cases managed by laparoscopy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Six patients (4 females and 2 males) with an average age of 44 and a range of 27 to 60 years old, were diagnosed for UPJO. Three were on the left side and 3 on the right side. In addition to UPJO, 2 patients had renal stones, one patient had both renal ptosis and an umbilical hernia, 3 patients had a para-pelvic cyst, hepatomegaly and malrotated kidney, respectively. All patients had a preoperative ultrasound, CT or IVU, and a renal isotope scan. Laparoscopic pyeloplasty was performed according to the dismembered Anderson-Hynes technique with auxiliary maneuver, according to the pathology. RESULTS: All patients were treated successfully for UPJO and the concomitant pathologies, except hepatomegaly and malrotation. Mean operative time was 125 minutes and estimated blood loss was <50 ml. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty can be performed in difficult situations provided that the surgeon has enough experience with laparoscopy

Development of A New Local Mineral Admixture for Enhancing Concrete properties

Proceeding from the saying of our God almighty on his book, the holy Qur'an: "Then ignite for me, O Hāmān, (a fire) upon the clay (From which bricks are made) and make for me a tower....". Therefore, this paper presents an investigation on, using calcined ball-clay (CBC) as mineral pozzolanic admixture for concrete production. CBC is obtained from calcination processes for local ball-clay at specified conditions. To evaluate ball-clay calcination process, various temperatures (600–900 ºC) and burning durations (2, 3 and 4 hours) are used and the optimum temperature and burning time for calcination are assessed by strength activity index at age of 28 days. The hardened properties development of concrete mixtures containing 0%, 10%, 15% and 20% CBC as cement partial replacement are analysed in terms of compressive strength at 7, 28, 90 and 180 days, water absorption, ultra-sonic pulse velocity and electrical resistivity. In addition, microstructure by XRD of the cement pastes incorporating CBC was studied. The results showed that the optimum calcination process to obtain CBC are carried out at temperature 800 °C for 4 hours. The replacement of cement by 10% of CBC is an optimal dosage for concrete mixtures since it achieved an increase of compressive strength by 28% as compared with control one. Therefore, adding CBC can lead to a beneficial utilization of natural local resources, which reduces energy consumption and minimizes CO2 footprint during the manufacturing of cement concrete, thus, concrete can become an eco-friendly and sustainable material