Experimental Modeling of Eddy Current Inspection Capabilities

An experimental modeling technique based on the use of liquid mercury samples containing artificial discontinuities has been examined to establish the applicability of this approach to the assessment of eddy current inspection capabilities. Results show that the mercury modeling concept provides an accurate, rapid and inexpensive approach to the calibration and characterization of eddy current inspection techniques. Data are presented which clearly show the impact of defect size, type and location on the eddy current response developed with a surface riding “pancake” probe. The potential of mercury modeling to enhance the understanding of eddy current inspection techniques and also to guide the development of rational analytical modeling is discussed

The Impact of Fair Value Measurements on Income Statement: IFRS 13 "an Application Study in Insurance Companies"

There has been a steady shift in accounting standards over the past few years, moving away from historical cost measure towards fair value. Proponents view this as a way to deal with traditional criticisms of accounting valuation while making information more relevant to users.This paper attempts to shed some light on this issue by restating some of the financial assets of an insurance company, applying fair value instead of historical-cost-based valuations, and comparing data emerged by using historical costs principle and fair value principle. We find that the numbers on the face of the income statement change considerably and observe that the magnitude of these changes varies between the two policies. However, these findings seem to indicate that a change from historical-cost to fair-value accounting could achieve different results. Keywords:  Fair value, Historical cost, comprehensive income

The Impact of Balanced Scorecard to Strengthen the Competitiveness of Industrial Companies

This research deals with balanced scorecard method as one of the management and evaluate strategic performance methods, their impact on achieving success in the competitive field of industrial companies, achieving competitive advantages through the company to outdo competitors' capabilities, coping with the growing dynamics of the competitive environments in which they operate, and ensuring the strengthening of the competitiveness of the company.The research problem can be formulated in the following question: Does the application of balanced scorecard method affect strengthening the competitiveness?".The researcher depends on an exploratory study by scanning the field for several companies in the engineering industries sector in Syria by using a questionnaire to determine the impact of balanced scorecard method in strengthening competitiveness. The most important findings of the resulting of the research: 1-There is a good positive and direct correlation between the balanced scorecard method and enhancing cost advantage. 2- There is a good positive and direct correlation between the balanced scorecard method and enhancing quality advantage. 3- There is a good positive and direct correlation between the balanced scorecard method and enhancing environmental advantage. Keywords: Balanced scorecard, Cost Advantage, Environmental Advantage, Competitive Advantage, Quality Advantage

A preliminary study on the effect of employing bile liquid in a starter diet on performance of young heavy breed chicks

Heavy breed day-old chicks fed Isonitrogenous-Isocaloric diets supplemented with 0.0, 2.0 and 4.0% fresh bovine bile liquid, for three weeks. The three types of diets comprised the experimental dietary treatments, from which the effect of including bile liquid in heavy breed chicks diet on their most prominent economical traits were studied. Results showed that the three groups of birds, consumed almost the same amount of feed during the three weeks of experimental period. However, a significant increase in daily growth rate(DGR)occurred as a result of bile liquid in starter diets. The estimated superiority of this traits, DGR, was found to be 10.76% on an average basis, higher than that of the control group. A good reflection of this phenomenon on feed conversion ratio was observed, as birds fed diets contained 2.0 and 4.0% bile liquid surpassed the control group by 8.75 and 10.63%, respectively. Body weights at third week of age were 8.06 and 10.60% heavier for the two treated groups, respectively, than the control one. Results indicate that the nutritive value of starter diets supplemented with bile liquid warrant further investigation based on long term experiments to make a decision in this direction

A Proposed Approach for Object Detection and Recognition by Deep Learning Models Using Data Augmentation

Object detection and recognition play a crucial role in computer vision applications, ranging from security systems to autonomous vehicles. Deep learning algorithms have shown remarkable performance in these tasks, but they often require large, annotated datasets for training. However, collecting such datasets can be time-consuming and costly. Data augmentation techniques provide a solution to this problem by artificially expanding the training dataset. In this study, we propose a deep learning approach for object detection and recognition that leverages data augmentation techniques. We use deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as the underlying architecture, specifically focusing on popular models such as You Only Look Once version 3 (YOLOv3). By augmenting the training data with various transformations, such as rotation, scaling, and flipping, we can effectively increase the diversity and size of the dataset. Our approach not only improves the robustness and generalization of the models but also reduces the risk of overfitting. By training on augmented data, the models can learn to recognize objects from different viewpoints, scales, and orientations, leading to improved accuracy and performance. We conduct extensive experiments on benchmark datasets and evaluate the performance of our approach using standard metrics such as precision, recall, and mean average precision (mAP). The experimental results demonstrate that our data augmentation-based deep learning approach achieves superior object detection and recognition accuracy compared to traditional training methods without data augmentation. We compare the average accuracy of the YOLOv3-SPP model with two other variants of the YOLOv3 algorithm: one with a feature extraction network consisting of 53 convolutional layers and the other with 13 convolutional layers. The average accuracy of the proposed model (YOLOv3-SPP) is reported as accuracy of 97%, F1-score of 96%, precision of 94%, and average Intersection over Union (IoU) of 78.04%

EFFECT OF ISOTHERMAL AND ISOCHRONAL AGING ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE AND PRECIPITATE EVOLUTION IN BETA-QUENCHED N36 ZIRCONIUM ALLOY

In this study, the effect of isothermal and isochronal aging is reported to investigate the precipitate evolution and recrystallization of N36 zirconium alloy after β-quenching. Two groups of samples were cut from the as-received sheet of N36 zirconium alloy and subjected to solution treatment and subsequent aging at 580, 640, and 700 °C for 40 and 600 min, respectively. Optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) were utilized to characterize the microstructure and second-phase particle (SPPs) evolution. Results show that the implemented quenching after solution treatment produces fine interlaced α-plates structure conserved inside prior β grain boundaries with 12 variant directions that follow Burger misorientation characteristics. After aging for a short time, initial α-plates conserve their shape and become softer, and SPPs spread along their boundaries. Recrystallizations are finished for specimens aged at a higher temperature or for a longer time. The recrystallized structure exhibits non-uniform grains and a random SPPs distribution. Despite the differences in morphology, some recrystallization grains retain the orientation feature from the initial α-plates. Hardness declines as temperature and time rise, and no hardness peak is seen. Roughness and wettability rise with increasing ageing temperatures

Acute effects of cigarette smoking on the cardiac diastolic functions

AbstractBackgroundSmoking is an independent risk factor for coronary heart diseases and it increases all causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.Aim of the workTo assess the acute effect of cigarette smoking on ventricular diastolic functions (LV and RV) in healthy, young, and slim smokers.MethodsThirty volunteers who had recently commenced smoking (less than one year) and who smoked 1–2 cigarettes per day, underwent ECG, 2D and M-mode echocardiography, standard Doppler echocardiography, pulsed TDI (tissue Doppler imaging) on septal and lateral side of mitral annulus and lateral tricuspid annulus. Vp values were measured. The investigator asked them to hold smoking for at least two days after which echocardiographic examination was conducted before smoking one cigarette and the second examination conducted immediately after smoking one cigarette containing at least 0.4mg of nicotine.ResultsDoppler findings over the mitral valve showed the E wave was significantly reduced from 82.7±10.4 to 74.6±10.4 after smoking; the A wave increased; the E/A ratio was reduced from 1.5±0.3 to 1.2±0.2; the E′ septal significantly decreased (15.3±2.4 vs. 11.2±1.1) after smoking, and the E/E′ ratio increased from 5.5±1.1 to 6.7±1.1. Doppler findings over the tricuspid valve showed the E wave was reduced from 60.6±9.7 to 52.7±9.6; the A wave increased from 42.2±6.5 to 50.1±6.6; and the E/A ratio decreased (1.45±0.25 vs. 1.06±0.19). The E′ significantly decreased from 14.1±1.8 to 10.9±2.4, while the A′ increased (10.2±2.4 vs. 12.7±3.6) after smoking; and the IVRT of the RV was significantly prolonged from 62.9±7.5 to 68.7±7.9 after smoking. The Vp was markedly reduced from 67.8±8 to 55.2±3.5 after smoking. These findings reflected on the LV filling pressure (LVFvp) which increased from 9.8±1.4 to 10.5±1.3 after smoking. All changes were statistically significant at P<0.001.ConclusionsOur study reveals that cigarette smoking can result in significant acute alteration in the diastolic functions of both ventricles

Carbamylated darbepoetin in combination with ethoxydol attenuates doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy in rats

Doxorubicin is the drug of choice in the treatment of many malignant neoplasms, but its use is limited due to the risk of developing severe cardiomyopathy. This problem necessitates the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cardiomyopath

The effect of polymeric films of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose ( HPMC) /chitosan on ofloxacin release, diffusion, and biological activity

Infectious diseases caused by resistant bacteria have been investigated by several researchers recently. Ofloxacin is a quinolone antibiotic used against resistant microorganisms and in different routes of administration. Transdermal drug delivery is used to reduce drug toxicity, avoid first‐pass metabolism, and reduce fluctuations in drug concentration in the body. Ofloxacin was formulated in a transdermal polymeric formula using hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and chitosan at different ratios in the presence of palmitic acid as a permeation enhancer. Physical characterization, drug release and diffusion, drug matrix association, and antimicrobial assay have been investigated using different techniques including HPLC, fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Franz cells diffusion, and UV spectroscopy. Ofloxacin release was successfully accomplished in many polymeric formulas containing a high ratio of HPMC with a maximum drug release of 53%. Formulas selected for antimicrobial assay indicate that sustained release patches have successfully inhibited microbial and biofilm growth with a percentage inhibition of more than 90%. In conclusion, antibiotics can be formulated in transdermal polymeric film to target skin infection and reduce drug toxicity and avoid drug first metabolism for drugs reaching systemic circulation which has a direct influence on drug activity

Efficiency Increase and Fuel Save Benefits of Combined Cycle Operation (Garri Power Plant as a Case Study)

Thermal power plants’ overall efficiency increase, and fuel consumption decrease draw worldwide researcher’s attention due to the limited resources and high cost of fossil fuel. Considering Al-Jaily power plant, the so-called Garri power plants 1 and 2 in Sudan as the case study, this paper compares overall plant efficiency and fuel save with the combined cycle and open cycle operation in which both plants could run. Evaluation of plant’s efficiency is based on the first law of thermodynamics. The results reveal advantage of the combined cycle operation mode in terms of efficiency increase, and on the other hand, in terms of fuel consumption decrease with the same amount of energy produced