Failure Investigation of Two Story Load Bearing Building in Omdurman

This study investigated the reasons that caused severe cracks in a two-story residential building located in Althowra Alhara –19, and suggested the appropriate methods for its treatment and maintenance. Structural Analysis Program SAP90 was used for computing the stresses along the foundation strip at foundation level and up to one meter below it. Some field and laboratory tests were conducted such as excavating tests pits, performing cone penetration and plate load tests mainly to recognize the engineering index properties and the soil strength on which the building was constructed. From the test results, it was found that the foundation soil is collapsible. This type of soil possesses relative high strength but with the increase of it’s moisture content it can loose most of this strength. Moisture increase may be due to rainwater and leakage from septic tanks pipes and fresh water supplies. Remedial methods for treatment and maintenance of these problems were give

Thyroid Dysfunction in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome in Sudan

Metabolic syndrome defined by the presence of hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemias.   This study is about thyroid dysfunction in Sudanese patients with metabolic syndrome. The study was conducted in two specialized centers in Khartoum, the first one is Jabir Abu Eliz Specialized Diabetes Centre and Quasbaa specialized Diabetes and Endocrine center, in the period from September to December 2019. The importance of such study is that both condition carry increased cardiovascular risks. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction among patients with metabolic syndrome in Sudanese patients. It also aims at evaluation of metabolic syndrome components in relation to thyroid status. The patients with metabolic syndrome were randomly selected during their regular visits to the mentioned centers. The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) depended on the IDF worldwide used criteria. Thyroid function tests were done in all patients. Patients’ history, clinical exam including BP, WC, BMI, record of FBS, HbA1c, were all recorded. Obtained data were then analyzed using SPSS software Version 16.  Thyroid dysfunction (TD) is a prevalent disorder detected in 38% of Sudanese patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS ).  Female are more frequently affected (68%) by metabolic syndrome and thyroid dysfunction than men. High TSH level is associated with increased BMI in euthyroid patients. TD is common in patients with metabolic syndrome. Females are by far more common to develop metabolic syndrome and thyroid dysfunction. Screening tests in such patients should be considered for early detection and management to ameliorate cardiovascular risk

Transcolostomy-site endorectal pullthrough for Hirschsprung’s disease

Purpose To present our results for an endorectal pullthrough operation as the second stage for the treatment of Hirschsprung’s disease through the colostomy site.Materials and methods This study included 13 patients, four girls and nine boys. Their ages ranged from 9 months to 7 years. They presented with a leveling colostomy with a diagnosis of Hirschsprung’s disease. The colostomy was carried out in the neonatal period because of neonatal intestinal obstruction in three patients (one female and two males), in two patients because of recurrent attacks of enterocolitis, and three patients because of the inability of the patient to withstand major surgery. Four patients presented without a clear history of the cause for the colostomy. One patient aged 7 years presented with sigmoid volvulus. All the patients were subjected to a transcolostomy endorectal pullthrough.Results The operation was completed as described in all patients. The time from colostomy to pullthrough ranged from 3 to 7 months (median 4.7 months). The operation time ranged from 95 to 140 min (median 113 min). All the patients passed stool within 24–48 h. Stool output ranged from two to six stools per day. Optimal wound healing occurred in all patients without wound complications. Postoperative perineal excoriation occurred in four patients. A urinary tract infection developed in one patient. A patient with a history of recurrent attacks of preoperative enterocolitis developed mild enterocolitis 2 weeks after the operation. Adhesive intestinal obstruction occurred in one patient. Recurrence of symptoms occurred in two patients because of stricture at the anastomotic site, one responded to repeated dilatation and the other required internal sphincterotomy.Conclusion Transcolostomy endorectal pullthrough has the following advantages: it is associated with less pain and a shorter hospitalization than the classic endorectal pullthrough. Wound complications are rare. The cosmetic result is better than the classic Soave operation. It has no specific technique-related complications. Long-term outcome and functional results are good. To our knowledge, this approach has not been described before. Keywords: Hirschsprung’s disease, leveling colostomy, pullthroug

Applications of Machine Learning in Spectrum Sensing for Cognitive Radios

Spectrum sensing is an essential component in cognitive radios. The machine learning (ML) approach is part of artificial intelligence which develops systems capable of learning and improving from experience. ML algorithms are promising techniques for spectrum sensing as a favored solution to tackle the limitations of conventional spectrum sensing techniques while improving detection performance. The supervised ML algorithms, support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (kNN), decision tree (DT), and ensemble are applied to detect the existence of primary users (PUs) in the TV spectrum band. This is accomplished by building classifiers using the collected data for the TV spectrum over different locations in the city of Windsor, Ontario. Then, the dimensionality reduction technique named Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is incorporated to reduce the duration of training and testing of the model, as well as reduce the risk of overfitting. This is achieved by transforming the input data into a lower-dimensional representation, which is known as the principal components. The Ensemble classification-based approach is employed to enhance the classifier predictivity and performance. Furthermore, the performance of the Ensemble classification method is compared with SVM, kNN, and DT classifiers. Simulation results have shown that the highest performance is achieved by combining multiple classifiers, i.e., the Ensemble, therefore, the detection performance has significantly improved. Simulation results have shown the impact of employing PCA on lowering the duration of training while maintaining the performance

Sacrococcygeal teratoma: 10-year experience in upper Egypt

Purpose To evaluate our experience with 45 patients with sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) in our community (upper Egypt) over a period of 10 years between 2001 and 2011 and determine the outcome of the management and recommendations for treatment strategies.Patients and methods A retrospective study was conducted at our Pediatric Surgical Unit, Assiut University Hospital. The medical records were reviewed for age at presentation, clinical manifestations and investigations, time of surgical approach, histopathology, recurrences, bladder and anorectal function, and cosmetic outcome.Results Forty-five patients with SCT were referred to the Pediatric Surgical Unit. The time of referral was as follows: immediately after birth in the case of five patients; during the first week for 17 patients (four of them died before surgery because of hemodynamic instability and other associated congenital anomalies and were excluded from the study); later in infancy for 22 patients; and at one and half years of age for one child. The lesion was excised in the case of 41 patients. Teratomas were of type I (n =9), type II (n = 20), type III (n= 11), and type IV (n =1) (Altman’s classification). The age of patients at surgery ranged from 2 days to 1.5 years. Histological analysis of results revealed mature teratoma (n =27), immature teratoma (n =9), and malignant teratoma (n= 5). The coccyx was not removed in two cases during the early period of the study. The follow-up period ranged from 3 months to 10 years. Recurrence occurred in five (12%) cases, wound infection in four (9.7%), and diarrhea in two (4.8%) cases. The a-fetoprotein level was high in 35 cases and was normal in two patients; it decreased after excision. Fetal diagnosis was made in five cases by means of a prenatal sonographic scan.Conclusion Prenatal diagnosis of SCT is very important and it is recommended to save the baby from obstructed labor. Early diagnosis allows early surgical intervention and avoids malignant transformation. The coccyx should be excised to decrease the risk of recurrence. Skin flap modification is feasible for large teratomas with healthy skin. Keywords: infants, neonates, sacrococcygeal teratom

Study and Evaluation of the Factors That Determine the Quality of Marketing Education in Higher Education Institutions in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Objective: The tremendous growth in the preparation of higher education institutions for management – marketing, has resulted in the need for and necessity to discuss the quality of that education. From here, the aim of this research was to determine the factors that affect the quality of management education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to clarify its nature and importance, and the mutual effects on the quality of learning outcomes for marketing education at the individual student and program level, and at the level of the educational institution and its competitiveness. Design / Methodology: The determination of the factors affecting the quality of management education through a review of the literature and then testing its validity and its effects on the quality of marketing education outcomes at the individual, program, and institution level through practical study using survey lists for the teaching courses of government and private universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Findings: The studies showed that almost all of the factors studied are highly reliable among themselves, and that they must be seen as coherent, when analyzing their impact on the learning outcomes of marketing education. Applications: The study provided guidance for, administrators, curriculum and course designers, and marketing teachers, to design high-quality marketing-management education programs, and in developing a self-diagnostic tool in which universities can determine their susceptibility to success and competition. Rooting / value: the current literature has shed light on the factors affecting the quality of management education. However, it was taken separately. Therefore, the research contributes to the existing literature by identifying the interrelationships between these factors, which have a role in improving the quality of marketing education

Preference of the metallic blue ladybeetle Curinus coeruleus Mulsant for different nymphal instars of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Homoptera: Psyllidae)

The preference of the metallic blue ladybeetle, Curinus coeruleus Mulsant for Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama was investigated in the insectary. The aim was to determine whether there was any preference by C. coeruleus at different stages for different instars of the psyllid D. citri. The 1st and 2nd instar larvae exhibited preference for smaller-sized prey, while the 3rd and 4th instar larvae and adult mostly preferred the 4th and 5th instar nymphs. The highest preference value recorded for each stage of the predator, 1st to 4th instar larvae and adult, were 0.49, 0.29, 0.33, 0.33 and 0.34, respectively on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 4th and 4th instar nymphs. The probability of capture indicated significant differences among prey instars captured by each stage of predator. The 1st and 2nd instar larvae captured significantly more 1st and 2nd instar nymphs than the other instar nymphs. In contrast, 3rd and 4th instar larvae and adult predator captured significantly more 4th and 5th instar nymphs. Hence, the results suggest that C. coeruleus exhibited body size preference for D. citri nymphs comparable to or slightly smaller than predator's size (stages). This preference was due to the probability of success in capturing the prey

Life table and demographic parameters of the metallic blue ladybeetle, Curinus coeruleus mulsant, fed with the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama

Life table parameters were calculated for the blue metallic ladybeetle, Curinus coeruleus Mulsant, fed with the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, at temperatures of 26 - 28° and 75 - 85% RH and natural photoperiod in the insectary of Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia. The development of immature stages took 19.1± 0.3 days; mated adult females lived for 34.2 ± 4.7 (range 24-39) days and produced a mean of 80.3 ± 13.6 progeny female-1 during oviposition period of 21.3 ± 1.4 days, with a sex ratio of 1:1.8 (:). The net reproductive rate (R0) was 59.1 and the capacity for increase (rc) was 0.113. The finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.29 female-1 day-1 while the intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) was 0.116 female-1 day-1. Each female contributed 60.2 individuals to the population in a mean generation time (T) of 35.3 days. , Ibrahim, Y.B., Ibrahim, R. and Osman M.S

A decentralized proportional-integral sliding mode tracking controller for a 2 D.O.F robot arm

Trajectory tracking with high accuracy is a very challenging topic in direct drive robot control. This is due to the nonlinearities and input couplings present in the dynamics of the arm. This paper deals with the tracking control of a class of direct-drive robot manipulators. A robust Proportional-Integral (PI) sliding mode control law is derived so that the robot trajectory tracks a desired trajectory as closely as possible despite the highly non-linear and coupled dynamics. The controller is designed using the decentralized approaches. Application to a two degree of freedom direct drive robot arm is considered

Hygrothermal performance of building envelopes in the tropics under operative conditions : condensation and mould growth risk appraisal

Poor indoor hygrothermal performance increases the risk of indoor moisture problems and deterioration due to mould growth, corrosion and damage to archival materials. Hence, proper control of indoor thermohygric intensity abates indoor moisture and its associated problems. This paper presents the results of envelopes hygrothermal performance assessments in a hot and humid climate building with varying operational profile between adjacent spaces. The case-studied building runs on 24hrs cooling mode in one part against natural and/or mechanical supply-exhaust fan means on the other. In-situ experiments were combined with hygrothermal analytical methods to assess the envelope thermal quality together with the operative conditions against condensation and mould growth risks. The results show that the building is overcooled leading to poor envelope hygrothermal performance with associated condensation and mould growth problems on non-airconditioned sides of the envelopes