This work presents experimental research using draped prestressed steel strands to improve the load-carrying capacity of prestressed concrete non-prismatic beams with multiple openings of various designs. The short-term deflection of non-prismatic prestressed concrete beams (NPCBs) flexural members under static loading were used to evaluate this improvement. Six simply supported (NPCBs) beams, five beams with openings, and one solid specimen used as a reference beam were all tested as part of the experiment. All of the beams were subjected to a monotonic midpoint load test. The configuration of the opening (quadrilateral or circular), as well as the depth of the chords, were the variables studied in this study. In comparison to a solid beam, experimental results show that beams with openings have a lower load-carrying capacity not exceeding (2.3–10.6%) and higher mid-span deflection through all loading stages of elastic, service, and ultimate loads (14–73%), (19–44%), and (31–55%), respectively. Furthermore, specimens with circular openings had stiffer behaviour under load than those with quadrilateral openings. Beams with quadrilateral openings and inclined posts, on the other hand, were stiffer than beams with quadrilateral openings and vertical posts.
A reversed-phase HPLC method with fluorescence detection for the determination of the aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in 42 animal feeds, comprising corn (16), soya bean meal (8), mixed meal (13), sunflower, wheat, canola, palm kernel, copra meals (1 each) was carried out. The samples were first extracted using acetonitrile:water (9:1), and was further cleaned-up using a multifunctional column. Optimum conditions for the extraction and chromatographic separation were investigated. By adopting an isocratic chromatographic system using a mobile phase comprising acetonitrile:methanol:water (8:27:65, v/v/v), the separation of the four aflatoxins was possible within 30 min. Recoveries for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 were 98 ± 0.7%, 95 ± 1.0%, 94
... Show MoreIn this research, the effect of reinforcing epoxy resin composites with a filler derived from chopped agriculture waste from oil palm (OP). Epoxy/OP composites were formed by dispersing (1, 3, 5, and 10 wt%) OP filler using a high-speed mechanical stirrer utilizing a hand lay-up method. The effect of adding zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, with an average size of 10-30 nm, with different wt% (1,2,3, and 5wt%) to the epoxy/oil palm composite, on the behavior of an epoxy/oil palm composite was studied with different ratios (1,2,3, and 5wt%) and an average size of 10-30 nm. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometry and mechanical properties (tensile, impact, hardness, and wear rate) were used to examine the composites. The FTIR
... Show MoreRheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive, inflammatory autoimmune disease of unidentified etiology, associated with articular, extra-articular and systemic manifestation that require long-standing treatment. Taking patient’s beliefs about the prescribed medication in consideration had been shown to be an essential factor that affects adherence of the patient in whom having positive beliefs is an essential for better adherence. The purpose of the current study was to measure beliefs about medicines among a sample of Iraqi patients with Rheumatoid arthritis and to determine possible association between this belief and some patient-certain factors. This study is a cross-sectional study carried out on 250 already diagnosed rheumatoid
... Show MoreGenetic and environmental factors are believed to have a key role in the development and pathogenesis of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD). This study aimed to investigate the association between two CTLA-4 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) CT60/rs3087243 and CT61/rs11571319 with autoimmune thyroiditis in a sample of Iraqi patients. Seventy-five patients (67 females, 8 males) and eighty-eight subjects (79 females and 9 males) matched in age, gender, and ethnicity as a control group. Thyroid autoantibodies were present in females more than in males with a total positivity of anti-TPO of 92% and anti-TG positivity of
57.3 %. Thyroid evaluation tests including T3, T4, and TSH were abnormal only in patients not receiving L-th
The objective of this study is to determine levels of some pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-12 and SIL-2R) in pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and also to determine incidence of spontaneous abortion during first trimester in pregnant women with PCOS compared with non-PCOS pregnant women. This Study was performed on (93) women, consisted of: 1- (63) pregnant women during the first trimester, which included:A- (33)PCOS pregnant women and subdivided into the following groups: (20) successful pregnant PCOS, (7) blighted Ovum PCOS and (6) missed abortion PCOS. B- (30) non-PCOS pregnant women, which included: (27) successful pregnant control and (3) non-PCOS pregnant women were withdrawn from this study because of their abortion
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