This study examines the relationship between the increase in the number of tourists coming to Tunisia and GDP during the period 1995-2017, using the methodology of joint integration, causal testing and error correction model. The research found the time series instability of the logarithm of the number of tourists coming to Tunisia and the output logarithm but after applying the first differences, these chains become stable, THUS these time series are integrated in the first differences. Using the Johansson method, we found the possibility of a simultaneous integration relationship between the logarithm of the number of tourists coming to Tunisia and the logarithm of GDP in Tunisia, and there is a causal relationship in one direc

Background: Although iron chelation therapies have been available for many years for thalassemia intermedia patients, iron accumulation remains the major cause of death. Therefore, the need for additional chelation options is in demand. This randomized controlled study aimed to understand the effects of green tea on iron balance in thalassemia intermedia patients.

Methods: Using a random selection method, 141 thalassemia intermedia patients were initially screened for inclusion in this trial; only 68 patients included after applying exclusion criteria. Two equal groups were generated (n=34/group): green tea (three cups/day after meals) + usual treatment (deferasirox iron chelat

This paper describes flexural behavior of two spans continuous rectangular concrete beams reinforced with mild steel and partially prestressing strands, to evaluate using different prestressing level and prestressing area in continuous prestressed beams at serviceability and ultimate stages. Six continuous concrete beams with 4550 mm length reinforced with mild steel reinforcement and partially prestressed with two prestressing levels of (0.7fpy  or 0.55fpy.) of and different amount of 12.7 mm diameter seven wire steel strand were used. Test results showed that the partially prestressed reinforced beams with higher prestressing level exhibited the narrowest crack width, smallest deflection and strain in both steel and concrete at ul

Improving the accuracy of load-deformation behavior, failure mode, and ultimate load capacity for reinforced concrete members subjected to in-plane loadings such as corbels, wall to foundation connections and panels need shear strength behavior to be included. Shear design in reinforced concrete structures depends on crack width, crack slippage and roughness of the surface of cracks.

This paper illustrates results of an experimental investigation conducted to investigate the direct shear strength of fiber normal strength concrete (NSC) and reactive powder concrete (RPC). The tests were performed along a pre-selected shear plane in concrete members named push-off specimens. The effectiveness of concrete compressiv

Six proposed simply supported high strength-steel fiber reinforced concrete (HS-SFRC) beams reinforced with FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) rebars were numerically tested by finite element method using ABAQUS software to investigate their behavior under the flexural failure. The beams were divided into two groups depending on their cross sectional shape. Group A consisted of four trapezoidal beams with dimensions of (height 200 mm, top width 250 mm, and bottom width 125 mm), while group B consisted of two rectangular beams with dimensions of (125 ×200) mm. All specimens have same total length of 1500 mm, and they were also considered to be made of same high strength concrete designed material with 1% volume fraction of steel fiber.

In this paper, the behavior of spliced steel girders under static loading is investigated. A group of seven steel I-girders were tested experimentally. Two concentrated loads were applied to each specimen at third points and the load was increased incrementally up to the yield of the specimen. Two types of splices were considered; the bearing type and the friction-grip type splices. For comparison, an analytical study was made for the tested girders in which the finite element analysis program (Abaqus) was used for analysis. It was found that the maximum test load for spliced girders with bearing type splices was in the range of (34%) to (67%) of the maximum test load for the reference girder. For girders spliced by using friction-grip t

The polymeric hydrogels composed of poly vinyl alcohol (m.wt 72000) and glutaraldehyde(5%,8% and 10%) , have been thermally prepared for the purpose of studying their swelling and drug release behavior . The swelling ratio was measured for all the hydrogel samples at 37°C, in three different media pH (1.2, 4.7 and 6.8) as a function of time. The results show that the maximum swelling ratios were arranged as follows :pH =6.8 > pH =4.7 > pH =1.2 hydrogels cross linked PVA showed a typical pH responsive behavior such as high pH has maximum swelling while low pH shows minimum swelling.

Water is the basis of the existence of all kinds of life, so obtaining it with good quality represents a challenge to human existence and development especially in the desert and remote cities because these areas contain small populations and water purification requires great materials and huge amounts of fossil fuels resulting pollution of the environment. Cheap and environmentally friendly desalination methods have been done by using solar distillations. Passive solar stills have low yields, so in this research, the problem is overcome by connecting four heat pipes which are installed on the parabolic concentrator reflector with passive solar still to increase the temperature of hot water to more than 90°C, as a resul

Brucella melitensis isolates were obtained from human infections , and milk which obtained from aborted sheep at Mosul city vicinity . One isolate from each source was used in carrying out this study. Brucella liquid culture was added to sheep milk at 2.5 % for treatments . To first treatment 2 % of yoghurt starter ( Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus ( 1: 1 ) ) . Second treatment was carried out without addition of yoghurt starter but the pH was lowered using lactic acid in pattern similar to first treatment . Third treatment was similar to the first treatment but contained buffer to alleviate the reduction in pH , which reduced to 6.1 in comparison to 4.9 of the first treatment .