In recent years, the search for economic and environmentally friendly alternatives has become a global necessity to achieve sustainability and preserve raw materials. From this concept, natural bitumen (NB) derived from sulphur springs is now one of the most promising alternative energy resources for many applications, especially in asphalt pavement construction. Its low price and abundance characterise NB since sulphur springs produce thousands of tonnes of NB annually and are used in very limited fields. Two main objectives were adopted for this work. The first objective is to examine the virgin NB properties from five sulphur springs and compare them with petroleum asphalt. The second objective is to enhance NB properties by applying heat treatment. The experimental results reveal that heat treatment is highly effective in improving the NB properties. This was confirmed by conducting many tests, such as asphalt, Marshall, SEM-EDX, and indirect tensile strength tests. Based on the experimental test outcomes, virgin NB properties do not conform to asphalt specification limits and are unsuitable for flexible roads. Also, MS-NB significantly affected the mechanical properties of the asphalt mixture, as Marshall's stability increased by 41.3% compared to the conventional mixture. In addition, SS-NB was more effective in moisture damage resistance due to increasing the tensile strength ratio by 5.72 % and provided a higher stiffness index than the conventional mixture by 40.36%. In conclusion, the treated NB can successfully be used as a binder material in hot asphalt mixtures. ABSTRAK: Beberapa tahun kebelakangan, pencarian alternatif baharu ekonomi dan mesra alam telah menjadi satu keperluan global bagi mencapai kemampanan dan memelihara bahan mentah. Melalui konsep ini, bitumen asli (NB) yang diperoleh daripada mata air sulfur kini merupakan satu sumber tenaga alternatif yang berguna bagi digunakan dalam pelbagai aplikasi, terutamanya dalam pembinaan turapan asfalt. NB dicirikan oleh harga yang rendah dan kelimpahannya kerana mata air sulfur menghasilkan beribu-ribu tan NB setiap tahun dan digunakan dalam bidang terhad. Dua objektif utama telah dipakai untuk kajian ini. Objektif pertama adalah memeriksa sifat NB dara daripada lima mata air sulfur dan membandingkannya dengan asfalt petroleum. Objektif kedua adalah meningkatkan sifat NB dengan menggunakan rawatan haba. Dapatan eksperimen mendedahkan bahawa rawatan haba sangat berkesan dalam meningkatkan sifat NB. Ini disahkan dengan menjalankan pelbagai ujian, seperti ujian asfalt, ujian Marshall, ujian SEM-EDX, dan ujian kekuatan tegangan tidak langsung. Berdasarkan dapatan eksperimen, sifat NB dara tidak mematuhi had spesifikasi asfalt dan tidak sesuai untuk jalan fleksibel. Selain itu, MS-NB mempunyai kesan ketara pada sifat mekanikal campuran asfalt kerana kestabilan Marshalls meningkat sebanyak 41.3% berbanding campuran konvensional. Tambahan, SS-NB lebih berkesan dalam rintangan kerosakan lembapan kerana meningkatkan nisbah kekuatan tegangan sebanyak 5.72 % dan memberikan indeks kekukuhan yang lebih tinggi daripada campuran konvensional sebanyak 40.36%. Kesimpulannya, NB yang dirawat boleh berjaya digunakan sebagai bahan pengikat dalam campuran asfalt panas.
The present research aims to test the effect of cognitive complexity as an independent variable in organizational agility as a responsive variable among the leaders working at the headquarters of the Iraqi Petroleum Products Distribution Company.
To conclude a number of recommendations that contribute in the organizational agility in the company, and due to the importance of this research in public organizations and its notable role in community organizations. The research was carried out on a random sample of 101 individuals out of a total of 308, which represents the high leaders in the company (general managers, head of departments, and division officials). A questionnaire was used as information
... Show MoreBackground Bilateral cleft lip deformity is much more difficult to correct than unilateral cleft lip deformity. The complexity of the deformity and the sensitive relationships between the arrangement of the muscles and the characteristics of the external lip necessitate a comprehensive preoperative plan for management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the repair of bilateral cleft lip using the Byrd modification of the traditional Millard and Manchester methods. A key component of this repair technique is focused on reconstruction of the central tubercle.
Methods Fourteen patients with mean age of 5.7 months presented with bilateral cleft lip deformity and were operated on using a mod
... Show MoreBackground: Restoration of root canal treated teeth with a permanent restoration affect in the success of endodontically treated teeth. This in vitro study was performed to evaluate and compare the fracture strength of endodontically treated teeth restored by using custom made zirconium posts and cores, prefabricated carbon fiber, glass fiber and zirconium ceramic posts. Materials and method: Forty intact human mandibular second premolars were collected for this study and were divided into five groups. Each group contains 8 specimens: Group1: Teeth restored with Carbon Fiber Posts; Group2: Teeth restored with Glass Fiber Posts; Group3: Teeth restored with Zirconium Ceramic prefabricated Posts; Group4: Teeth restored with Zirconium Posts
... Show MoreBackground: Painful elbow joint over the lateral epicondyle especially with resisted wrist extension are common signs of lateral epicondyle tendinopathy, also called tennis elbow. Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcome of local platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection in patients with chronic tennis elbow compared with a steroid (Depomedrol 40 mg) injection. Methods: A total of 88 patients with chronic tennis elbow were treated at Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and private clinics. All patients had chronic pain for about 24 weeks or more and had failed first line treatment. The patients dividing into two groups, Group A injected with PRP (n = 44), and group B injected with depomedrol 40 mg (n = 44). A good clinical result w
... Show MoreBackground. Aneurysms of the distal anterior cerebral artery (DACA) are uncommon; they often form near the pericallosal-callosomarginal junction and are typically small. To our knowledge, giant DACA aneurysms developing from the more distant parts of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), A4-5, have been described only once in the literature. Case description. A 66-year-old gentleman reported with a brief loss of consciousness followed by weakness in his right lower leg. The patient was admitted with a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 15. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the head revealed a left hyperdense mass in the frontal parasagittal supracallosal region. Contrast MRI revealed a heterogeneously enhancing mass measuring 35x30x25 mm. C
... Show MoreBackground: Painful elbow joint over the lateral epicondyle especially with resisted wrist extension are common signs of lateral epicondyle tendinopathy, also called tennis elbow.
Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcome of local platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection in patients with chronic tennis elbow compared with a steroid (Depomedrol 40 mg) injection.
Methods: A total of 88 patients with chronic tennis elbow were treated at Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital and private clinics. All patients had chronic pain for about 24 weeks or more and had failed first line treatment. The patients dividing into two groups, Group A injected with PRP (n = 44), and group B injected with d
... Show MoreABSTRACT Background:- White spot lesions are common esthetic problem that compromise the success of orthodontic treatment. This study aimed to assess white spot lesions in patients with fixed orthodontic appliance at different time intervals. Materials & Methods:- Thirty two patients (24 females and 8 males) were included in this study and they underwent clinical examination for white spot lesions using enamel decalcification index at four time intervals: (2-3 weeks after appliance insertion, 2, 4 and 6 months). Results:- The patients were free of white spot lesions at the appliance insertion visit. The mean of white spot lesions was 2.22 which were increased significantly during six months to reach 24.59 at the end of study. There was a si
... Show MoreBackground: evaluate the effects of three different intracoronal bleaching agents on the shear bond strengths (SBS) and failure site of stainless steel and monocrystalline (sapphire) orthodontic brackets bonded to endodontically treated teeth using light cured orthodontic adhesive in vitro. Materials and methods: Eighty extracted sound human upper first premolars were selected, endondontically treated and randomly divided equally (according to the type of the brackets used) into two main groups (n = 40 per group). Each main group were subdivided (according to the bleaching agent used) into four subgroups 10 teeth each; as following : control (un bleached) group, hydrogen peroxide group (Hp) 35%, carbamide peroxide group (CP) 37% group and s
... Show MoreThe aims of this study are to measure the defect rate and analyze the problems of production of ready concrete mixture plant by using Six Sigma methodology which is a business strategy for operations improvement depending basically on the application of its sub-methodology DMAIC improvement cycle and the basic statistical tools where the process sigma level of concrete production in the case study was 2.41 σ.
This study was conducted to determine the effect of vitamin A ( 10 mg/kg ) on avearage testis weight and sexual glands ( Prostate and Seminal Vesicle ) for albino male mice treated with Hexavalent chromium ( 1000 ppm ) .The current study 40 mice were divided into fife groups : 1st group treated with distilled water and considered an control group (C) / the 2nd group treated with sesame oil ( T1) / 3rd group was givin hexavalent chromium ( 1000 ppm ) (T2) / 4th group treated with vitamin A ( 10 mg / kg ) and exposed to hexavalent chromium ( 1000 ppm ) (T3) / 5th group treated with vitamin A ( 10 mg kg ) (T4) . The expermint lasted 35 day . the results showed a significant ( P ? 0.05 ) decrease in avearage testis weight and sexual glan
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