The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of pelvic floor muscle （PFM） rehabilitation in males with lifelong premature ejaculation （PE）, using intravaginal ejaculatory latency time （IELT） and t...The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of pelvic floor muscle （PFM） rehabilitation in males with lifelong premature ejaculation （PE）, using intravaginal ejaculatory latency time （IELT） and the self-report Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool （PEDT） as primary outcomes. A total of 154 participants were retrospectively reviewed in this study, with 122 completing the training protocol. At baseline, all participants had an IELT 〈60 s and PEDT score 〉11. Participants completed a 12-week program of PFM rehabilitation, including physio-kinesiotherapy treatment, electrostimulation, and biofeedback, with three sessions per week, with 20 min for each component completed at each session. The effectiveness of intervention was evaluated by comparing the change in the geometric mean of IELT and PEDT values, from baseline, at 3, 6, and 12 months during the intervention, and at 24 and 36 months postintervention, using a paired sample 2-tailed t-test, including the associated 95% confidence intervals. Of the 122 participants who completed PFM rehabilitation, 111 gained control of their ejaculation reflex, with a mean IELT of 161.6 s and PEDT score of 2.3 at the 12-week endpoint of the intervention, representing an increase from baseline of 40.4 s and 17.0 scores, respectively, for IELT and PEDT （P 〈 0.0001）. Of the 95 participants who completed the 36-month follow-up, 64% and 56% maintained satisfactory eiaculation control at 24 and 36 months oostintervention, respectively.展开更多
Dodecyl alcohol(DDA) is a promising solid-liquid phase change material(PCM) due to its favorable latent heat storage(LHS) characteristics.However,the leakage issue of PCM in a melted state during the heating period an...Dodecyl alcohol(DDA) is a promising solid-liquid phase change material(PCM) due to its favorable latent heat storage(LHS) characteristics.However,the leakage issue of PCM in a melted state during the heating period and low thermal conductivity restricts its utilization potential in thermal energy storage(TES) practices.Within the same context,the present work aims to overcome the leakage issue and improve the thermal conductivity of the DDA.With this in mind,a novel leak-proof layered double hydroxide(LDH)/DDA composite PCM is proposed through a solution-based impregnation method.The leak-proof impregnation ratio of the DDA impregnated within the cavities of the synthesized Al/Fe-LDH was determined to be 60%.Detailed morphological,physicochemical,and thermal properties of the fabricated composite were studied by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Fourier transforms infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction(XRD)spectroscopy,differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),thermalgravimetric analysis(TGA),and thermal cycling study.The results show that the LDH/DDA composite has a suitable phase change temperature(about 20℃) for passive solar thermal management of building envelopes.This composite PCM showed high LHS enthalpy(about136 J/g),good thermal stability,and cycling LHS reliability.It also showed nearly 152% higher thermal conductivity compared to that of pure DDA,ultimately reducing the melting and solidification time of the pure DDA by 44.9% and 45.5%,respectively.展开更多
Objective:To assess the acute and subacute toxicity as well as the phytochemical composition of two extracts and three fractions of Ammi majus L.Methods:The aqueous extracts were prepared separately by maceration for ...Objective:To assess the acute and subacute toxicity as well as the phytochemical composition of two extracts and three fractions of Ammi majus L.Methods:The aqueous extracts were prepared separately by maceration for 48 h and by infusion for 1 h,while the fractions were prepared by the Soxhlet extractor,successively employing cyclohexane,ethyl acetate,and ethanol.The acute toxicity study was carried out in accordance with the OECD N°423 guideline at a single dose(2000 mg/kg)in mice for 14 days.The subacute toxicity study was performed by a daily oral administration of 250 mg/kg 2 for 10 d and 100 mg/kg doses for 28 d.Phytochemical screening was performed using staining and precipitation reactions,while the chemical characterization of some analytes was detected by HPLC-MS/MS analysis.Results:In the acute toxicity study,no signs of toxicity such as convulsion,salivation,diarrhea,sleep and coma were observed during 30 minutes and 14 days,so the lethal dose was higher than 2000 mg/kg for each extract and fraction.The subacute toxicity results showed that at a dose of 250 mg/kg,61.10%of the animals died and the rest developed morbidity.On the other hand,at a dose of 100 mg/kg,all the animals were still alive after 28 days,with no morbidity and the biochemical parameters were normal with no abnormalities in the liver,kidneys and pancreas.Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of flavonoids,tannins,coumarins,and free quinones and the absence of alkaloids and anthocyanins.Conclusions:The extracts and fractions of Ammi majus L.are not toxic in the short and long term with a varied chemical composition.Toxicological tests on animals other than rodents and in the long term(more than 28 days)are needed to further confirm the safety of Ammi majus extracts.展开更多
Self-incompatibility(SI)to self-compatibility(SC)transition is one of the most frequent and prevalent evolutionary shifts in flowering plants.Prunus L.(Rosaceae)is a genus of over 200 species most of which exhibit a G...Self-incompatibility(SI)to self-compatibility(SC)transition is one of the most frequent and prevalent evolutionary shifts in flowering plants.Prunus L.(Rosaceae)is a genus of over 200 species most of which exhibit a Gametophytic SI system.Peach[Prunus persica(L.)Batsch;2n=16]is one of the few exceptions in the genus known to be a fully selfcompatible species.However,the evolutionary process of the complete and irreversible loss of SI in peach is not well understood and,in order to fill that gap,in this study 24 peach accessions were analyzed.Pollen tube growth was controlled in self-pollinated flowers to verify their self-compatible phenotypes.The linkage disequilibrium association between alleles at the S-locus and linked markers at the end of the sixth linkage group was not significant(P>0.05),except with the closest markers suggesting the absence of a signature of negative frequency dependent selection at the S-locus.Analysis of SFB1 and SFB2 protein sequences allowed identifying the absence of some variable and hypervariable domains and the presence of additionalα-helices at the C-termini.Molecular and evolutionary analysis of SFB nucleotide sequences showed a signature of purifying selection in SFB2,while the SFB1 seemed to evolve neutrally.Thus,our results show that the SFB2 allele diversified after P.persica and P.dulcis(almond)divergence,a period which is characterized by an important bottleneck,while SFB1 diversified at a transition time between the bottleneck and population expansion.展开更多
This paper presents an annual performance evaluation of three maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods. The used MPPT techniques (Perturb and Observe, Incremental Inductance and Sliding mode) are evaluated under an...This paper presents an annual performance evaluation of three maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods. The used MPPT techniques (Perturb and Observe, Incremental Inductance and Sliding mode) are evaluated under an annual data of atmospheric conditions of the target site. The main contribution of this work is to consider real fluctuation conditions of solar irradiations, ambient temperatures and wind velocities. It was found that the Sliding mode provides higher energy yields independently of the period. Compared to the basic P&O and the IC techniques, sliding mode has the potential of generating up to 8.18% more electrical energy than other techniques.展开更多
The quality of the airwe breathe during the courses of our daily lives has a significant impact on our health and well-being as individuals.Unfortunately,personal air quality measurement remains challenging.In this st...The quality of the airwe breathe during the courses of our daily lives has a significant impact on our health and well-being as individuals.Unfortunately,personal air quality measurement remains challenging.In this study,we investigate the use of first-person photos for the prediction of air quality.The main idea is to harness the power of a generalized stacking approach and the importance of haze features extracted from first-person images to create an efficient new stacking model called AirStackNet for air pollution prediction.AirStackNet consists of two layers and four regression models,where the first layer generates meta-data fromLight Gradient Boosting Machine(Light-GBM),Extreme Gradient Boosting Regression(XGBoost)and CatBoost Regression(CatBoost),whereas the second layer computes the final prediction from the meta-data of the first layer using Extra Tree Regression(ET).The performance of the proposed AirStackNet model is validated using public Personal Air Quality Dataset(PAQD).Our experiments are evaluated using Mean Absolute Error(MAE),Root Mean Square Error(RMSE),Coefficient of Determination(R2),Mean Squared Error(MSE),Root Mean Squared Logarithmic Error(RMSLE),and Mean Absolute Percentage Error(MAPE).Experimental Results indicate that the proposed AirStackNet model not only can effectively improve air pollution prediction performance by overcoming the Bias-Variance tradeoff,but also outperforms baseline and state of the art models.展开更多
This work is realized in the context of valorizing natural and local resources, in particular, luffa plant fruit (luffa sponge). The raw fibers of the luffa sponge have a short lifetime. Hence, when they are chemicall...This work is realized in the context of valorizing natural and local resources, in particular, luffa plant fruit (luffa sponge). The raw fibers of the luffa sponge have a short lifetime. Hence, when they are chemically treated, it constitutes a solution is prepared to limit their degradation in the long term and to improve their mechanical characteristics. Therefore, this paper studies the effect of the chemical treatment on the mechanical properties of the luffa sponge’s fibers (fibers of luffa Sponge). The chemical process consists of dipping a brunch of luffa in various concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at different time intervals and at different temperature conditions. The luffa sponge’s fibers were mechanical. Characterized before and after the treatment, mechanically (micro traction test). It has been shown that an optimum of 61% increase in mechanical properties (tensile strength) has been reached in the following conditions: treatment with 1% concentration for 90 min at 50°C.展开更多
During the COVID-19 Epidemic, nurses are usually informed of emotional exhaustion, increased workloads, and uncertainty, leading to burnout. Consequently, psychological health initiatives are essential to support nurs...During the COVID-19 Epidemic, nurses are usually informed of emotional exhaustion, increased workloads, and uncertainty, leading to burnout. Consequently, psychological health initiatives are essential to support nurses during a pandemic. This project aims to investigate the stress levels and identify the Coping Strategies of Nurses during the COVID-19 Epidemic in Sharjah Primary Health Center, as they are always at the front line of this epidemic. The nature of their work, they are mainly infected and spread the virus amongst colleagues and family. The target population is nurses working in Sharjah primary health centers, and the number sample is 230. The researcher sent the survey through the link. And in this research, we used two instruments which include the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale and The Coping Strategies Scale (CSS). This study shows that the most stressful factor is related to workload, especially related to unpredictable staffing and scheduling. On the other hand, the most coping strategies were those that were associated with Meaning-focused Coping Strategies, especially believing that valuable lessons can learn from undesirable experiences.展开更多
Mixed ammonium-transition metal salts with formula of （NH4）xMyHzPMo12O40 （M = Ni^2＋, Co^2＋ or Fe ^3＋） denoted as MPMo12 have been investigated for the oxidation of propane, with molecular oxygen, at temperature...Mixed ammonium-transition metal salts with formula of （NH4）xMyHzPMo12O40 （M = Ni^2＋, Co^2＋ or Fe ^3＋） denoted as MPMo12 have been investigated for the oxidation of propane, with molecular oxygen, at temperature range between 380 ℃ and 420 ℃ after in-situ pre-treatment performed at two heating rate of 5 or 9℃/min. They were characterized by BET method, XRD, UV-Vis and IR techniques. The catalysts were found to be active in the propane oxidation and selective to propene or acrolein, in particular for samples pre-treated with the heating rate of 9℃/min. FePMo12 was found to be a more active catalyst for propene （17.2% yield） with minimal over deep oxidation （0.3% yield in COx）.展开更多
Long wavelength GaSb-based quantum well lasers have been optimized for high coupling efficiency into an optical system. Two approaches were used to reduce the vertical far-field. In the first approach we showed the us...Long wavelength GaSb-based quantum well lasers have been optimized for high coupling efficiency into an optical system. Two approaches were used to reduce the vertical far-field. In the first approach we showed the use of V-shaped Weaker Waveguide in the n-cladding layer dramatically reduces vertical beam divergence without any performance degradation compared to a conventional broad-waveguide laser structure. Starting from a broad waveguide laser structure design which gives low threshold current and a large vertical far-field (VFF), the structure was modified to decrease the VFF while maintaining a low threshold-current density. In a first step the combination of a narrow optical waveguide and reduced refractive index step between the waveguide and the cladding layers reduce the VFF from 67? to 42?. The threshold current density was kept low to a value of ~190 A/cm2 for 1000 × 100 μm2 devices by careful adjustment of the doping profile in the p-type cladding layer. The insertion of a V-Shaped Weaker Waveguide in the n-cladding layer is shown to allow for further reduction of the VFF to a value as low as 35? for better light-coupling efficiency into an optical system without any degradation of the device performance. In the second approach, we showed that the use of a depressed cladding structure design also allows for the reduction of the VFF while maintaining low the threshold current density (210 A/cm2), slightly higher value compare to the first design.展开更多
Silicon neutron transmutation doping remains one of the most viable nuclear applications for research reactors.Providing this kind of product involves an irradiation method capable of fulfilling the quality requiremen...Silicon neutron transmutation doping remains one of the most viable nuclear applications for research reactors.Providing this kind of product involves an irradiation method capable of fulfilling the quality requirements of doping and alleviating the challenges related to the design and safety of the irradiation device.In this paper,we propose an irradiation device prototype for neutron transmutation doping of silicon ingots with diameters of 2 to 3 in.based on the Es-Salam research reactor.The thermal hydraulic analysis of the proposed irradiation device was performed to determine the optimum conditions for cooling.The effect of the mechanical vibrations induced by the circulation of coolant in the device was quantified via experimental measurements under different flow rates.The results show that the maximum temperature reached by the silicon ingots is below the temperature limit,effectively validating the design of the irradiation device.Other investigations are prospected to further optimize the design and the irradiation conditions.The irradiation of silicon ingots with a large diameter will be considered.展开更多
Objective: This study was designed to develop a dental-office-friendly diabetes self-screening tool for diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes (PreDM). Methods: Consecutive dental patients, aged 18 years or older, wit...Objective: This study was designed to develop a dental-office-friendly diabetes self-screening tool for diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes (PreDM). Methods: Consecutive dental patients, aged 18 years or older, without history of DM or PreDM, completed a 14-question questionnaire without assistance. They subsequently underwent onsite finger-sticks for capillary blood collection for glycohemoglobin (A1c) measurement. Results: Of the total 500 patients who completed the study, 302 were women (60.4%) and 198 were men (39.6%), with a collective mean age of 47.8 (±16.8) years old. The prevalence of PreDM and DM was 19.2% and 1.2%, respectively. Predictors of PreDM or DM included age, >10% above ideal body weight, waist size above 40” for men or 35” for women, reported hypertension, reported abnormal lipids, tingling of hands or feet, and visual symptoms or conditions (blurring, cataracts, glaucoma). Conclusions: This study introduces a newly developed, user-friendly, PreDM and DM self-screening tool, abbreviated as DiDDO (Diabetes detection in the dental office). This screening tool requires no body weighing or BMI calculation (undesirable by dentists) nor laboratory tests or blood pressure measurement, allowing dentists to identify patients at moderate and high risk for DM/PreDM, and perform (or refer for) diagnostic A1c testing. This dental-office-friendly self-screening tool is proposed for validation in other dental populations.展开更多
Assignment of jobs to workers, contract to contractors undergoing a bidding process, assigning nurses to duty post, or time tabling for teachers in school and many more have become a growing concern to both management...Assignment of jobs to workers, contract to contractors undergoing a bidding process, assigning nurses to duty post, or time tabling for teachers in school and many more have become a growing concern to both management and sector leaders alike. Hungarian algorithm has been the most successful tool for solving such problems. The authors have proposed a heuristic method for solving assignment problems with less computing time in comparison with Hungarian algorithm that gives comparable results with an added advantage of easy implementation. The proposed heuristic method is used to compute some bench mark problems.展开更多
In this paper, comprehensive methods to apply several formulations of nonlinear estimators to integrated navigation problems are considered and developed. The problem of linear and nonlinear filters such as Kalman Fil...In this paper, comprehensive methods to apply several formulations of nonlinear estimators to integrated navigation problems are considered and developed. The problem of linear and nonlinear filters such as Kalman Filter (KF) and Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is stated. Analog solution which is based on fisher information matrix propagation for linear and nonlinear filtering is also developed. Additionally, the idea of iterations is included through the update step both for Kalman filters and Information filters in order to improve accuracy. Through this development, two new formulations of High order Kalman filters and High order Information filters are presented. Finally, in order to compare these different nonlinear filters, special applications are analyzed by using the proposed techniques to estimate two well-known mathematical state space models, which are based on nonlinear time series used to apply these estimation algorithms. A criterion used for comparison is the root mean square error RMSE and several simulations under specific conditions are illustrated.展开更多
Irradiated low-enriched uranium as target plates is used to produce,via neutron radiation and from the molybdenum-99 fission product,technetium-99m,which is a radio-element widely used for diagnosis in the field of nu...Irradiated low-enriched uranium as target plates is used to produce,via neutron radiation and from the molybdenum-99 fission product,technetium-99m,which is a radio-element widely used for diagnosis in the field of nuclear medicine.The behavior of this type of target must be known to prevent eventual failures during radiation.The present study aims to assess,via prediction,the thermal–mechanical behavior,physical integrity,and geometric stability of targets under neutron radiation in a nuclear reactor.For this purpose,a numerical simulation using a three-dimensional finite element analysis model was performed to determine the thermal expansion and stress distribution in the target cladding.The neutronic calculation results,target material properties,and cooling parameters of the KAERI research group were used as inputs in our developed model.Thermally induced stress and deflection on the target were calculated using Ansys-Fluent codes,and the temperature profiles,as inputs of this calculation,were obtained from a CFD thermal–hydraulic model.The stress generated,induced by the pressure of fission gas release at the interface of the cladding target,was also estimated using the Redlich–Kwong equation of state.The results obtained using the bonded and unbonded target models considering the effect of the radiation heat combined with a fission gas release rate of approximately 3%show that the predicted thermal stress and deflection values satisfy the structural performance requirement and safety design.It can be presumed that the integrity of the target cladding is maintained under these conditions.展开更多
This study aims to determine the relationship between several factors of governance and the level of risk in 10 Tunisian banks during an analysis period of eight years.We propose an important empirical question and ex...This study aims to determine the relationship between several factors of governance and the level of risk in 10 Tunisian banks during an analysis period of eight years.We propose an important empirical question and examine the internal mechanisms of governance aimed at reducing financial risks.This estimation is based on a model with a single equation that examines variables relative to governance and credit risk to determine their impact on banking financials.Results demonstrate that the internal mechanisms of governance present diverging effects on the financial risk of the Tunisian banks in our case study(i.e.,credit risk).Moreover,making applications work by putting together a process and model for banking risk is important.This model can be applied in any bank,and the results can be used to make decisions in real time.展开更多
The magnetic properties of Ni/Cu multilayers, prepared by the electron beam evaporation method under ultra high vacuum conditions, have been systematically studied by magnetic measurements. The temperature dependence ...The magnetic properties of Ni/Cu multilayers, prepared by the electron beam evaporation method under ultra high vacuum conditions, have been systematically studied by magnetic measurements. The temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization M (T) is well described by a T3/2 law. A spin wave theory has been used to explain the magnetization versus temperature. Based on this theory, the approximate values for the exchange interactions have been obtained.展开更多
The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential allelopathic effects of different concentrations of Zygophyllum album （donor species） aqueous extract （2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10%） on germination percentage, ...The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential allelopathic effects of different concentrations of Zygophyllum album （donor species） aqueous extract （2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10%） on germination percentage, plumule and radicle length ofBromus tectorum （weed） and Triticum aestivum （crop species） under laboratory conditions to have the greatest inhibitory allelopathic effect on the recipient species in mixed culture compared to that pure culture. The germination percentage, plumule and radicle length ofB. tectorum in mixed culture was completely inhibited at the highest concentration of aqueous extracts of the donor species level the exerted weak measures as affected by the highest concentration level of donor in pure culture. This inhibition was markedly in obvious B. tectorum that is more sensitive to tested donor. The domineering effect of aqueous extract of the donor was more prominent on weeds than crop species. The variant response to the allelopathic substance could be related to the species specific growth regulatory effect of allelochemicals and concentration dependent. There is possibility of using these allelochemicals directly or as structural leads for the discovery and development of environment friendly herbicides to control weeds.展开更多
Introduction: The impact of pregnancy on the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been debated for several decades;however, no definitive conclusions have been reached. The main objective of this study i...Introduction: The impact of pregnancy on the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been debated for several decades;however, no definitive conclusions have been reached. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the short-term influence of pregnancy on the evolution and prognosis of PTC. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive and analytical study was conducted in the Endocrinology and Diabetology Department at the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez, including patients followed for papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting with a pregnancy during the year 2019 and 2020. The follow-up of these patients was continued until 1 year postpartum. We studied the clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic factors that could influence the prognosis of the disease. Results: We included 26 patients. Our study showed a significant correlation between recurrence and the presence of unfavorable histological signs (p = 0.02) as well as the initial Tg level (0.01). However, pregnancy was not an influencing factor (p = 0.41). Conclusion: Pregnancy does not seem to be a factor aggravating the prognosis of differentiated thyroid cancers.展开更多
BACKGROUND Organ donation is a critical issue that is receiving greater attention worldwide.In Jordan,the public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation play a significant role in the availability of or...BACKGROUND Organ donation is a critical issue that is receiving greater attention worldwide.In Jordan,the public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation play a significant role in the availability of organs for transplantation.AIM To assess the public knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation in Jordan.METHODS A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 396 Jordanian citizens via an online self-reported questionnaire.RESULTS Overall,396 participants were recruited.Of the entire sample,93.9%of the participants had heard about and had sufficient knowledge about organ donation but they had limited knowledge about brain death.The most common source of information about organ donation was social media networks.Females were found to score significantly higher than males for attitude.Those who had thought about organ donation or registered their names to donate scored signi-ficantly higher in terms of attitudes to donation than their counterparts who had not.The most common reasons for limited organ donation practices in Jordan were a lack of awareness programs and insufficient knowledge in society.CONCLUSION Greater public understanding of organ donation appears to be associated with more positive attitudes toward organ donation.Most participants responded positively regarding their attitude toward organ donation as they believed that this action could give another person a chance to live.Moreover,most agreed that they would donate their organs after their death.Otherwise,the participants had limited general knowledge about brain death,and most had not registered their names to donate their organs.These findings indicate the need for public awareness campaigns and educational programs to encourage more people to become organ donors.展开更多
文摘The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of pelvic floor muscle （PFM） rehabilitation in males with lifelong premature ejaculation （PE）, using intravaginal ejaculatory latency time （IELT） and the self-report Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool （PEDT） as primary outcomes. A total of 154 participants were retrospectively reviewed in this study, with 122 completing the training protocol. At baseline, all participants had an IELT 〈60 s and PEDT score 〉11. Participants completed a 12-week program of PFM rehabilitation, including physio-kinesiotherapy treatment, electrostimulation, and biofeedback, with three sessions per week, with 20 min for each component completed at each session. The effectiveness of intervention was evaluated by comparing the change in the geometric mean of IELT and PEDT values, from baseline, at 3, 6, and 12 months during the intervention, and at 24 and 36 months postintervention, using a paired sample 2-tailed t-test, including the associated 95% confidence intervals. Of the 122 participants who completed PFM rehabilitation, 111 gained control of their ejaculation reflex, with a mean IELT of 161.6 s and PEDT score of 2.3 at the 12-week endpoint of the intervention, representing an increase from baseline of 40.4 s and 17.0 scores, respectively, for IELT and PEDT （P 〈 0.0001）. Of the 95 participants who completed the 36-month follow-up, 64% and 56% maintained satisfactory eiaculation control at 24 and 36 months oostintervention, respectively.
文摘Dodecyl alcohol(DDA) is a promising solid-liquid phase change material(PCM) due to its favorable latent heat storage(LHS) characteristics.However,the leakage issue of PCM in a melted state during the heating period and low thermal conductivity restricts its utilization potential in thermal energy storage(TES) practices.Within the same context,the present work aims to overcome the leakage issue and improve the thermal conductivity of the DDA.With this in mind,a novel leak-proof layered double hydroxide(LDH)/DDA composite PCM is proposed through a solution-based impregnation method.The leak-proof impregnation ratio of the DDA impregnated within the cavities of the synthesized Al/Fe-LDH was determined to be 60%.Detailed morphological,physicochemical,and thermal properties of the fabricated composite were studied by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),Fourier transforms infrared(FTIR) spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction(XRD)spectroscopy,differential scanning calorimetry(DSC),thermalgravimetric analysis(TGA),and thermal cycling study.The results show that the LDH/DDA composite has a suitable phase change temperature(about 20℃) for passive solar thermal management of building envelopes.This composite PCM showed high LHS enthalpy(about136 J/g),good thermal stability,and cycling LHS reliability.It also showed nearly 152% higher thermal conductivity compared to that of pure DDA,ultimately reducing the melting and solidification time of the pure DDA by 44.9% and 45.5%,respectively.
文摘Objective:To assess the acute and subacute toxicity as well as the phytochemical composition of two extracts and three fractions of Ammi majus L.Methods:The aqueous extracts were prepared separately by maceration for 48 h and by infusion for 1 h,while the fractions were prepared by the Soxhlet extractor,successively employing cyclohexane,ethyl acetate,and ethanol.The acute toxicity study was carried out in accordance with the OECD N°423 guideline at a single dose(2000 mg/kg)in mice for 14 days.The subacute toxicity study was performed by a daily oral administration of 250 mg/kg 2 for 10 d and 100 mg/kg doses for 28 d.Phytochemical screening was performed using staining and precipitation reactions,while the chemical characterization of some analytes was detected by HPLC-MS/MS analysis.Results:In the acute toxicity study,no signs of toxicity such as convulsion,salivation,diarrhea,sleep and coma were observed during 30 minutes and 14 days,so the lethal dose was higher than 2000 mg/kg for each extract and fraction.The subacute toxicity results showed that at a dose of 250 mg/kg,61.10%of the animals died and the rest developed morbidity.On the other hand,at a dose of 100 mg/kg,all the animals were still alive after 28 days,with no morbidity and the biochemical parameters were normal with no abnormalities in the liver,kidneys and pancreas.Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of flavonoids,tannins,coumarins,and free quinones and the absence of alkaloids and anthocyanins.Conclusions:The extracts and fractions of Ammi majus L.are not toxic in the short and long term with a varied chemical composition.Toxicological tests on animals other than rodents and in the long term(more than 28 days)are needed to further confirm the safety of Ammi majus extracts.
基金supported by the Tunisian“Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique”and“Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad-European Regional Development Fund,European Union”(AGL2016-77267-R and PID2019-109566RB-I00)The authors would like to gratefully thank“Sodon collection”(Bou-Selem,Tunisia)and Tunisian farmers for kindly providing plant material.
文摘Self-incompatibility(SI)to self-compatibility(SC)transition is one of the most frequent and prevalent evolutionary shifts in flowering plants.Prunus L.(Rosaceae)is a genus of over 200 species most of which exhibit a Gametophytic SI system.Peach[Prunus persica(L.)Batsch;2n=16]is one of the few exceptions in the genus known to be a fully selfcompatible species.However,the evolutionary process of the complete and irreversible loss of SI in peach is not well understood and,in order to fill that gap,in this study 24 peach accessions were analyzed.Pollen tube growth was controlled in self-pollinated flowers to verify their self-compatible phenotypes.The linkage disequilibrium association between alleles at the S-locus and linked markers at the end of the sixth linkage group was not significant(P>0.05),except with the closest markers suggesting the absence of a signature of negative frequency dependent selection at the S-locus.Analysis of SFB1 and SFB2 protein sequences allowed identifying the absence of some variable and hypervariable domains and the presence of additionalα-helices at the C-termini.Molecular and evolutionary analysis of SFB nucleotide sequences showed a signature of purifying selection in SFB2,while the SFB1 seemed to evolve neutrally.Thus,our results show that the SFB2 allele diversified after P.persica and P.dulcis(almond)divergence,a period which is characterized by an important bottleneck,while SFB1 diversified at a transition time between the bottleneck and population expansion.
文摘This paper presents an annual performance evaluation of three maximum power point tracking (MPPT) methods. The used MPPT techniques (Perturb and Observe, Incremental Inductance and Sliding mode) are evaluated under an annual data of atmospheric conditions of the target site. The main contribution of this work is to consider real fluctuation conditions of solar irradiations, ambient temperatures and wind velocities. It was found that the Sliding mode provides higher energy yields independently of the period. Compared to the basic P&O and the IC techniques, sliding mode has the potential of generating up to 8.18% more electrical energy than other techniques.
基金the Deputyship for Research and Innovation,Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research through project number PNU-DRI-RI-20-033.
文摘The quality of the airwe breathe during the courses of our daily lives has a significant impact on our health and well-being as individuals.Unfortunately,personal air quality measurement remains challenging.In this study,we investigate the use of first-person photos for the prediction of air quality.The main idea is to harness the power of a generalized stacking approach and the importance of haze features extracted from first-person images to create an efficient new stacking model called AirStackNet for air pollution prediction.AirStackNet consists of two layers and four regression models,where the first layer generates meta-data fromLight Gradient Boosting Machine(Light-GBM),Extreme Gradient Boosting Regression(XGBoost)and CatBoost Regression(CatBoost),whereas the second layer computes the final prediction from the meta-data of the first layer using Extra Tree Regression(ET).The performance of the proposed AirStackNet model is validated using public Personal Air Quality Dataset(PAQD).Our experiments are evaluated using Mean Absolute Error(MAE),Root Mean Square Error(RMSE),Coefficient of Determination(R2),Mean Squared Error(MSE),Root Mean Squared Logarithmic Error(RMSLE),and Mean Absolute Percentage Error(MAPE).Experimental Results indicate that the proposed AirStackNet model not only can effectively improve air pollution prediction performance by overcoming the Bias-Variance tradeoff,but also outperforms baseline and state of the art models.
文摘This work is realized in the context of valorizing natural and local resources, in particular, luffa plant fruit (luffa sponge). The raw fibers of the luffa sponge have a short lifetime. Hence, when they are chemically treated, it constitutes a solution is prepared to limit their degradation in the long term and to improve their mechanical characteristics. Therefore, this paper studies the effect of the chemical treatment on the mechanical properties of the luffa sponge’s fibers (fibers of luffa Sponge). The chemical process consists of dipping a brunch of luffa in various concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at different time intervals and at different temperature conditions. The luffa sponge’s fibers were mechanical. Characterized before and after the treatment, mechanically (micro traction test). It has been shown that an optimum of 61% increase in mechanical properties (tensile strength) has been reached in the following conditions: treatment with 1% concentration for 90 min at 50°C.
文摘During the COVID-19 Epidemic, nurses are usually informed of emotional exhaustion, increased workloads, and uncertainty, leading to burnout. Consequently, psychological health initiatives are essential to support nurses during a pandemic. This project aims to investigate the stress levels and identify the Coping Strategies of Nurses during the COVID-19 Epidemic in Sharjah Primary Health Center, as they are always at the front line of this epidemic. The nature of their work, they are mainly infected and spread the virus amongst colleagues and family. The target population is nurses working in Sharjah primary health centers, and the number sample is 230. The researcher sent the survey through the link. And in this research, we used two instruments which include the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale and The Coping Strategies Scale (CSS). This study shows that the most stressful factor is related to workload, especially related to unpredictable staffing and scheduling. On the other hand, the most coping strategies were those that were associated with Meaning-focused Coping Strategies, especially believing that valuable lessons can learn from undesirable experiences.
文摘Mixed ammonium-transition metal salts with formula of （NH4）xMyHzPMo12O40 （M = Ni^2＋, Co^2＋ or Fe ^3＋） denoted as MPMo12 have been investigated for the oxidation of propane, with molecular oxygen, at temperature range between 380 ℃ and 420 ℃ after in-situ pre-treatment performed at two heating rate of 5 or 9℃/min. They were characterized by BET method, XRD, UV-Vis and IR techniques. The catalysts were found to be active in the propane oxidation and selective to propene or acrolein, in particular for samples pre-treated with the heating rate of 9℃/min. FePMo12 was found to be a more active catalyst for propene （17.2% yield） with minimal over deep oxidation （0.3% yield in COx）.
文摘Long wavelength GaSb-based quantum well lasers have been optimized for high coupling efficiency into an optical system. Two approaches were used to reduce the vertical far-field. In the first approach we showed the use of V-shaped Weaker Waveguide in the n-cladding layer dramatically reduces vertical beam divergence without any performance degradation compared to a conventional broad-waveguide laser structure. Starting from a broad waveguide laser structure design which gives low threshold current and a large vertical far-field (VFF), the structure was modified to decrease the VFF while maintaining a low threshold-current density. In a first step the combination of a narrow optical waveguide and reduced refractive index step between the waveguide and the cladding layers reduce the VFF from 67? to 42?. The threshold current density was kept low to a value of ~190 A/cm2 for 1000 × 100 μm2 devices by careful adjustment of the doping profile in the p-type cladding layer. The insertion of a V-Shaped Weaker Waveguide in the n-cladding layer is shown to allow for further reduction of the VFF to a value as low as 35? for better light-coupling efficiency into an optical system without any degradation of the device performance. In the second approach, we showed that the use of a depressed cladding structure design also allows for the reduction of the VFF while maintaining low the threshold current density (210 A/cm2), slightly higher value compare to the first design.
基金supported by the Nuclear Research Centre of Birine of Algerian Atomic Energy Commission.
文摘Silicon neutron transmutation doping remains one of the most viable nuclear applications for research reactors.Providing this kind of product involves an irradiation method capable of fulfilling the quality requirements of doping and alleviating the challenges related to the design and safety of the irradiation device.In this paper,we propose an irradiation device prototype for neutron transmutation doping of silicon ingots with diameters of 2 to 3 in.based on the Es-Salam research reactor.The thermal hydraulic analysis of the proposed irradiation device was performed to determine the optimum conditions for cooling.The effect of the mechanical vibrations induced by the circulation of coolant in the device was quantified via experimental measurements under different flow rates.The results show that the maximum temperature reached by the silicon ingots is below the temperature limit,effectively validating the design of the irradiation device.Other investigations are prospected to further optimize the design and the irradiation conditions.The irradiation of silicon ingots with a large diameter will be considered.
文摘Objective: This study was designed to develop a dental-office-friendly diabetes self-screening tool for diabetes mellitus (DM) and prediabetes (PreDM). Methods: Consecutive dental patients, aged 18 years or older, without history of DM or PreDM, completed a 14-question questionnaire without assistance. They subsequently underwent onsite finger-sticks for capillary blood collection for glycohemoglobin (A1c) measurement. Results: Of the total 500 patients who completed the study, 302 were women (60.4%) and 198 were men (39.6%), with a collective mean age of 47.8 (±16.8) years old. The prevalence of PreDM and DM was 19.2% and 1.2%, respectively. Predictors of PreDM or DM included age, >10% above ideal body weight, waist size above 40” for men or 35” for women, reported hypertension, reported abnormal lipids, tingling of hands or feet, and visual symptoms or conditions (blurring, cataracts, glaucoma). Conclusions: This study introduces a newly developed, user-friendly, PreDM and DM self-screening tool, abbreviated as DiDDO (Diabetes detection in the dental office). This screening tool requires no body weighing or BMI calculation (undesirable by dentists) nor laboratory tests or blood pressure measurement, allowing dentists to identify patients at moderate and high risk for DM/PreDM, and perform (or refer for) diagnostic A1c testing. This dental-office-friendly self-screening tool is proposed for validation in other dental populations.
文摘Assignment of jobs to workers, contract to contractors undergoing a bidding process, assigning nurses to duty post, or time tabling for teachers in school and many more have become a growing concern to both management and sector leaders alike. Hungarian algorithm has been the most successful tool for solving such problems. The authors have proposed a heuristic method for solving assignment problems with less computing time in comparison with Hungarian algorithm that gives comparable results with an added advantage of easy implementation. The proposed heuristic method is used to compute some bench mark problems.
文摘In this paper, comprehensive methods to apply several formulations of nonlinear estimators to integrated navigation problems are considered and developed. The problem of linear and nonlinear filters such as Kalman Filter (KF) and Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is stated. Analog solution which is based on fisher information matrix propagation for linear and nonlinear filtering is also developed. Additionally, the idea of iterations is included through the update step both for Kalman filters and Information filters in order to improve accuracy. Through this development, two new formulations of High order Kalman filters and High order Information filters are presented. Finally, in order to compare these different nonlinear filters, special applications are analyzed by using the proposed techniques to estimate two well-known mathematical state space models, which are based on nonlinear time series used to apply these estimation algorithms. A criterion used for comparison is the root mean square error RMSE and several simulations under specific conditions are illustrated.
文摘Irradiated low-enriched uranium as target plates is used to produce,via neutron radiation and from the molybdenum-99 fission product,technetium-99m,which is a radio-element widely used for diagnosis in the field of nuclear medicine.The behavior of this type of target must be known to prevent eventual failures during radiation.The present study aims to assess,via prediction,the thermal–mechanical behavior,physical integrity,and geometric stability of targets under neutron radiation in a nuclear reactor.For this purpose,a numerical simulation using a three-dimensional finite element analysis model was performed to determine the thermal expansion and stress distribution in the target cladding.The neutronic calculation results,target material properties,and cooling parameters of the KAERI research group were used as inputs in our developed model.Thermally induced stress and deflection on the target were calculated using Ansys-Fluent codes,and the temperature profiles,as inputs of this calculation,were obtained from a CFD thermal–hydraulic model.The stress generated,induced by the pressure of fission gas release at the interface of the cladding target,was also estimated using the Redlich–Kwong equation of state.The results obtained using the bonded and unbonded target models considering the effect of the radiation heat combined with a fission gas release rate of approximately 3%show that the predicted thermal stress and deflection values satisfy the structural performance requirement and safety design.It can be presumed that the integrity of the target cladding is maintained under these conditions.
文摘This study aims to determine the relationship between several factors of governance and the level of risk in 10 Tunisian banks during an analysis period of eight years.We propose an important empirical question and examine the internal mechanisms of governance aimed at reducing financial risks.This estimation is based on a model with a single equation that examines variables relative to governance and credit risk to determine their impact on banking financials.Results demonstrate that the internal mechanisms of governance present diverging effects on the financial risk of the Tunisian banks in our case study(i.e.,credit risk).Moreover,making applications work by putting together a process and model for banking risk is important.This model can be applied in any bank,and the results can be used to make decisions in real time.
文摘The magnetic properties of Ni/Cu multilayers, prepared by the electron beam evaporation method under ultra high vacuum conditions, have been systematically studied by magnetic measurements. The temperature dependence of the spontaneous magnetization M (T) is well described by a T3/2 law. A spin wave theory has been used to explain the magnetization versus temperature. Based on this theory, the approximate values for the exchange interactions have been obtained.
文摘The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential allelopathic effects of different concentrations of Zygophyllum album （donor species） aqueous extract （2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10%） on germination percentage, plumule and radicle length ofBromus tectorum （weed） and Triticum aestivum （crop species） under laboratory conditions to have the greatest inhibitory allelopathic effect on the recipient species in mixed culture compared to that pure culture. The germination percentage, plumule and radicle length ofB. tectorum in mixed culture was completely inhibited at the highest concentration of aqueous extracts of the donor species level the exerted weak measures as affected by the highest concentration level of donor in pure culture. This inhibition was markedly in obvious B. tectorum that is more sensitive to tested donor. The domineering effect of aqueous extract of the donor was more prominent on weeds than crop species. The variant response to the allelopathic substance could be related to the species specific growth regulatory effect of allelochemicals and concentration dependent. There is possibility of using these allelochemicals directly or as structural leads for the discovery and development of environment friendly herbicides to control weeds.
文摘Introduction: The impact of pregnancy on the prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has been debated for several decades;however, no definitive conclusions have been reached. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the short-term influence of pregnancy on the evolution and prognosis of PTC. Materials and Methods: A prospective descriptive and analytical study was conducted in the Endocrinology and Diabetology Department at the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez, including patients followed for papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting with a pregnancy during the year 2019 and 2020. The follow-up of these patients was continued until 1 year postpartum. We studied the clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic factors that could influence the prognosis of the disease. Results: We included 26 patients. Our study showed a significant correlation between recurrence and the presence of unfavorable histological signs (p = 0.02) as well as the initial Tg level (0.01). However, pregnancy was not an influencing factor (p = 0.41). Conclusion: Pregnancy does not seem to be a factor aggravating the prognosis of differentiated thyroid cancers.
文摘BACKGROUND Organ donation is a critical issue that is receiving greater attention worldwide.In Jordan,the public’s knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation play a significant role in the availability of organs for transplantation.AIM To assess the public knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation in Jordan.METHODS A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 396 Jordanian citizens via an online self-reported questionnaire.RESULTS Overall,396 participants were recruited.Of the entire sample,93.9%of the participants had heard about and had sufficient knowledge about organ donation but they had limited knowledge about brain death.The most common source of information about organ donation was social media networks.Females were found to score significantly higher than males for attitude.Those who had thought about organ donation or registered their names to donate scored signi-ficantly higher in terms of attitudes to donation than their counterparts who had not.The most common reasons for limited organ donation practices in Jordan were a lack of awareness programs and insufficient knowledge in society.CONCLUSION Greater public understanding of organ donation appears to be associated with more positive attitudes toward organ donation.Most participants responded positively regarding their attitude toward organ donation as they believed that this action could give another person a chance to live.Moreover,most agreed that they would donate their organs after their death.Otherwise,the participants had limited general knowledge about brain death,and most had not registered their names to donate their organs.These findings indicate the need for public awareness campaigns and educational programs to encourage more people to become organ donors.
