Investigation of thermal fatigue in fiber composite materials

Graphite-epoxy laminates were thermally cycled to determine the effects of thermal cycles on tensile properties and thermal expansion coefficients of the laminates. Three 12-ply laminate configurations were subjected to up to 5,000 thermal cycles. The cumulative effect of the thermal cycles was determined by destructive inspection (electron micrographs and tensile tests) of samples after progressively larger numbers of cycles. After thermal cycling, the materials' tensile strengths, moduli, and thermal expansion coefficients were significantly lower than for the materials as fabricated. Most of the degradation of properties occurred after only a few cycles. The property degradation was attributed primarily to the progressive development of matrix cracks whose locations depended upon the layup orientation of the laminate

Hepatoprotective and antiproliferative activity of moringinine, chlorogenic acid and quercetin

Background: The three well-characterized phytochemicals in Moringa oleifera leaves are moringinine, quercetin, and chlorogenic acid. Moringa oleifera is postulated to have the highest antioxidant content in food and also has a remarkable range of medicinal uses and high nutritional value.Methods: Evaluation of the antiproliferative effect of moringinine, quercetin and chlorogenic acid as well Moringa oleifera leaves extract on two human cell lines, breast cancer cell line (MCF7) and liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2) using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The efficacy on liver toxicity induced in rat by alloxan was carried out.Results: Our results indicated that both quercetin and moringinine are strong antitumor agents against the two human cell lines, the extract and its three active ingredients improved the induced liver toxicity.Conclusions: Quercetin and moringinine are responsible to a great extent for the antitumor activity of the whole extract. Chlorogenic acid is a potent hepatoprotective in alloxan induced liver toxicity

Congenital coronary artery anomalies in adult population detected using dual source ECG-gated CTA in a single institution

Background: Congenital anomalies of the coronary arteries (CAs) are rare and are often diagnosed incidentally during a conventional coronary angiography. Recently, the incidence of these congenital defects is on the rise particularly after the introduction of the electrocardiography (ECG) gated coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA). This innovative radiological screening modality has led to the most precise mapping of the course of the CAs on computed tomographic scan. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence and describe the CAs congenital anomalies and their variations in Kuwaiti population at a single institution experience. Materials and methods: We analysed the CCTA data obtained consecutively from 842 patients (2013–2014), retrospectively. The inclusion criteria for patients’ selection were: atypical chest pain, equivocal ECG, assessment of patency of coronary stents or grafts and pre-operative screening. Information was acquiesced using a dual-source CT scanner with ECG gating. Results: Data analysis revealed that 22 (2.61%) patients were found to have CA anomalies out of the 842 patients who underwent CCTA. Out of these CA anomalies, 13 cases showed more than two ostia, 7 cases showed the ectopic origin of a CA from opposite sinus or non-aortic sinus, 2 cases showed single coronary ostium and 1 case showed coronary artery with pulmonary fistula. Also, myocardial bridging was identified in 78 (9.26%) patients whereas ramus intermedius branch was identified in 160 (19%) patients. Conclusions: The prevalence of CA anomalies in Kuwait was 2.6%, which is relatively higher than previously reported studies from different countries

A New Control and Design of PEM Fuel Cell Powered Air Diffused Aeration System

Aeration of water by using PEM fuel cell power is not only a new application of the renewable energy, but also, it provides an affordable method to promote biodiversity in stagnant ponds and lakes. This paper presents a new design and control of PEM fuel cell powered by diffused air aeration system for a shrimp farm in Mersa Matruh in Egypt. Also Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques control is used to control the fuel cell output power by controlling input gases flow rate. Moreover the mathematical modeling and simulation of PEM fuel cell is introduced. A comparison study is applied between the performance of fuzzy logic control (FLC) and neural network control (NNC). The results show the effectiveness of NNC over FLC

Modeling and Control PV-Wind Hybrid System Based On Fuzzy Logic Control Technique

As energy demands around the world increase, the need for a renewable energy sources that will not harm the environment is increased. The overall objective of renewable energy systems is to obtain electricity with competitive cost and even benefit with respect to other energy sources. The optimal design of renewable energy system can significantly improve the economical and technical performance of power supply. This paper presents the power management control using fuzzy logic control technique. Also, a complete mathematical modeling and MATLAB/Simulink model for the proposed the electrical part of an aquaculture system is implemented to track the system performance. The simulation results show the feasibility of control technique

Diagnostic performance of alpha-fetoprotein, YKL40 and GP73 in hepatocellular carcinoma Egyptian patients

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a primary malignancy of the liver. It is responsible for a large proportion of cancer deaths worldwide. Diagnosis of HCC often requires more sophisticated modalities and represents a challenge for physician.  Methods: This study aimed to compare the diagnostic performance of AFP, YKL40 and GP73 in patients' serum with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in high-risk population in an attempt to justify the new, sensitive, specific and rapid measure for the diagnosis and detection of HCC. Serum YKL40, GP73 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were compared in a total of 60 human subjects in this study, including 20 healthy adults, and 40 patients with HCC, The main outcome measures were the specificity and sensitivity of YKL40 and GP73 in patients at risk for the development of HCC.Results: Using 4.4 relative units as a cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity of serum GP73 for HCC were 85% and 90% compared with 77% and 60% for YKL40 using 21.06 ng/ml as a cut-off value. On the same context, the sensitivity and specificity of serum AFP at 8.5ng/ml cut-off were 82% and 95%. While that for the AFP and GP73 combined detection was up to 92% and 96%, justifying that the combined detection could prevent the false negative diagnosis by any marker alone and significantly improve the detection rate of HCC.Conclusions: The current evidence indicates that serum GP73 has HCC diagnostic efficacy inferior to that of AFP and YKL40 and the clinical implementation of serum GP73 measurement as a standard test for HCC is recommended alone or in combination with AFP.

The spectrum of MEFV gene mutations and genotype-phenotype correlation in Egyptian patients with familial Mediterranean fever

Background: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disease mainly affecting subjects of the Mediterranean origin. It is an auto-inflammatory periodic disorder that is caused by mutations in the Mediterranean fever gene (MEFV) located on chromosome 16.Methods: The current study was designed to assess the prevalence and frequency of different MEFV gene mutations among 104 FMF clinically diagnosed Egyptian patients and to evaluate the change extent in the values of some biochemical markers (ESR, CRP, Fibrinogen-C, SAA and IL1) in different participants with different FMF severity scores.Results: According to allele status 28 patients (27%) were homozygous mutation carriers, 38 (36.5%) were with compound heterozygous mutations and 38 (36.5%) were identified as heterozygous for one of the studied mutations. Of the studied mutations, M694I, E148Q, V726A, M680I, and M694V accounted for 28.1%, 26.8%, 16.9%, and 11.3% of mutations respectively. The R761H and P369S mutations were rarely encountered mutations (1.4%). The clinical features with M694I were associated with more severe clinical course. There is a drastic elevation in the levels of estimated parameters as their levels were increased as long as the severity of the disease increased.Conclusions: The diagnosis of FMF cannot be performed on the basis of genetic testing or clinical criteria alone. So, we recommended the combination between clinical and molecular profiling for FMF diagnosis and scoring

An Innovative Take on Filtering Carbon Dioxide Through CryoCapture

Overview (Air Mover): Carbon dioxide plays an important role in the earth's ecosystem; the lives of many organisms are based on the balancing of this gas. Plants and animals need it for survival however, an excess of carbon dioxide can also end the organism’s life. The production of the gas mostly comes from the combustion of fossil fuel, power plants, big industries, vehicles, and processes involving natural gasses. One of the most known issues of carbon dioxide pollution is global warming. The greenhouse gas essentially traps heat in the atmosphere, increasing the global temperature. The methodology provided is an innovative solution towards the creation of an environmentally friendly carbon dioxide filter. Current air filtration systems are restricted to industrial environments limiting the ability to filter the air. Due to the large noise and low range of operation of axial fans the filtration systems need controlled environments for longevity. The paper presents a versatile air mover that can be mounted onto multiple surfaces due to its low profile and bracket mounts. Furthermore, the usage of a diagonal fan inside of a PVC pipe allows for a durable system that can operate at high efficiency and low noise. The main challenge in designing the air mover was figuring out how to quantify the scalability of the device and what parameters could be changed in order to make the device more viable. The designs most prominent feature are the inclusion of a modular enclosure that can be adapted to multiple areas and environments while withstanding harsh conditions due to the PVC piping that can be coated with a diagonal fan for high volumetric flow rates and pressure differential for versatility in environments the device is placed in as well as efficiency. Overview (Carbon Storer): The Civil and Environmental Engineering team is responsible for finding a cost effective and sustainable way to transport, store and recycle the carbon caught in the air from the Carbon Catcher designed by the other engineering teams. In the team’s design, the Carbon Catcher will reduce the harmful emissions in the air by capturing CO2, store it and then utilize it in another industry which will reduce the need to mine for more raw materials which would thus further reduce the pollution emitted into the environment. Our plan is to recycle the carbon emitted from a factory and utilize it in CO2 dry ice. It's the Civil and Environmental Engineers’ job to find a way to connect a sustainable solution with a solution that improves the public’s quality of life. There are many industries that pollute immense amounts from the mining of raw material or the emission of pollutants. The team wants to show industries that the economic solution can also be the sustainable solution. Overview (Membrane) The team’s solution focuses on the use of cryogenic carbon capture, a method in which the selective freezing points of the gaseous components of air are used to separate out carbon dioxide. For this process, the team will be utilizing a 4 step filtration process. First, the flue gas will be run through a particulate filter to catch all macroscopic particles that may be present within the air. Afterwards, the gas is then passed through a dehumidifier where a majority of water content will be extracted. Following this, The gas was then run through a long pipe and progressively cool it down to the freezing point of carbon dioxide. Finally, the filtered gas is extracted, and a bubbler is used to separate the solid carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is then compressed and recycled around the feed pipe to help in the cooling process. Along the process of this design, the team encountered problems finding the optimum materials for temperatures this low. As well, coming up with a way to eliminate heat transfer from the outside posed a huge problem. Through the experience, the team was able to gain a greater view of what benefits and drawbacks must be balanced, along with the economic interest that comes with designing an efficient process. Unlike how most designs are focused, It was understood that using a membrane only provided so much creativity when it came to filtration. As a result, the team researched other successful methods and arrived at utilizing cryogenics to filter. Goal Research to provide a single solution to remove levels of carbon dioxide in the immediate atmosphere, transport it to a storage mechanism, and find a way to recycle it. Powerful research is required to ensure effective methodologies, material usage, and flexible scalability of the overall device. This particular team seeks to find an alternative separation process to membrane filtration, the efficacy of which has not been demonstrated beyond the scale of a laboratory