A bolted–welded hybrid demountable shear connector for use in deconstructable steel–concrete composite buildings and bridges was proposed. The hybrid connector consisted of a partially threaded stud, which was welded on the flange of a steel section, and a machined steel tube with compatible geometry, which was bolted on the stud. Four standard pushout tests according to Eurocode 4 were carried out to assess the shear performance of the hybrid connector. The experimental results show that the initial stiffness, shear resistance, and slip capacity of the proposed connector were higher than those of traditional welded studs. The hybrid connector was a ductile connector, according to Eurocode 4, with slip capacity higher than 6 mm. A nonlinear finite-element model was calibrated against the pushout tests and found capable of reproducing the experimental behavior with good agreement. The verified finite-element model was then used to conduct a series of parametric studies in order to assess the effect of infilled grout, concrete slab strength, stud diameter, stud tensile strength, tube thickness, and tube tensile strength on the shear resistance and stiffness of the hybrid connector. Based on the experimental and numerical results, a design equation is proposed for the prediction of the shear resistance of the novel connector.
A load-shedding controller suitable for small to medium size loads is designed and implemented based on preprogrammed priorities and power consumption for individual loads. The main controller decides if a particular load can be switched ON or not according to the amount of available power generation, load consumption and loads priorities. When themaximum allowed power consumption is reached and the user want to deliver power to additional load, the controller will decide if this particular load should be denied receiving power if its priority is low. Otherwise, it can be granted to receive power if its priority is high and in this case lower priority loads are automatically switched OFF in order not to overload the power generation. The
... Show MoreLandfill and incineration are the most common and widely used methods to dispose of solid wastes; both of these techniques are considered the main sources of pollution in the world due to the harmful toxic emissions that are considered an environmental problem. Because of the large areas used by landfills, they are not always considered an economical method. With the increase in the production of solid materials, solid wastes increase the pressure on incinerators and landfills, making the environmental pollution hazard more serious. Instead, these waste materials can be used in some other applications. One of the most important of these applications is asphalt pavements, which are the most used types of pavements in the
... Show MoreTraditionally, path selection within routing is formulated as a shortest path optimization problem. The objective function for optimization could be any one variety of parameters such as number of hops, delay, cost...etc. The problem of least cost delay constraint routing is studied in this paper since delay constraint is very common requirement of many multimedia applications and cost minimization captures the need to
distribute the network. So an iterative algorithm is proposed in this paper to solve this problem. It is appeared from the results of applying this algorithm that it gave the optimal path (optimal solution) from among multiple feasible paths (feasible solutions).
Porous materials play an important role in creating a sustainable environment by improving wastewater treatment's efficacy. Porous materials, including adsorbents or ion exchangers, catalysts, metal–organic frameworks, composites, carbon materials, and membranes, have widespread applications in treating wastewater and air pollution. This review examines recent developments in porous materials, focusing on their effectiveness for different wastewater pollutants. Specifically, they can treat a wide range of water contaminants, and many remove over 95% of targeted contaminants. Recent advancements include a wider range of adsorption options, heterogeneous catalysis, a new UV/H2O
Background: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor historically recognized for its role in the regulation of toxicity mediated by environmental chemicals. Recent research points to AhR's critical participation in male reproductive physiology, particularly in spermatogenesis, hormone signaling, and the maintenance of sperm quality. Both endogenous ligands (e.g., dietary and gut microbiota-derived metabolites) and exogenous pollutants (e.g., dioxins and benzo-α-pyrene) influence AhR-mediated pathways, making it a key link between environmental exposures and male fertility. Results: This review highlights AhR's influence on the male reproductive system, emphasizing the role of endogenous AhR ligands an
... Show MoreHyperprolactinemia is a common endocrine abnormality caused by physiological factors like pregnancy and lactation, drug-induced factors like antipsychotics, pituitary adenomas that secrete prolactin, or stalk compression or section that reduces dopamine inhibition. Dopamine agonists cure most prolactinomas.
To assess response to treatment in micro versus macroprolactinoma.
The deficiency of potable water resources and energy supply is emerging as a significant and concerning obstacle to sustainable development. Solar and waste heat-powered humidification dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems become essential due to the severe impacts of global warming and water shortages. This problem highlights the need to apply boosted water desalination solutions. Desalination is a capital-intensive process that demands considerable energy, predominantly sourced from fossil fuels worldwide, posing a significant carbon footprint risk. HDH is a very efficient desalination method suitable for remote areas with moderate freshwater requirements for domestic and agricultural usage. Several operational and maintenance conce
... Show MoreThe problem of this research lies in the fact that there is a lack of accurate scientific perceptions about the size of the use of Iraqi women’s social networking sites and the motives behind this use and the expectations generated by them.
The goals of the research are as follows:
1- Determine the extent of Iraqi women’s use of social networking sites (Facebook, YouTube, twitter, and Instagram).
2- Investigative the motives behind the use of social networking sites by Iraqi women.
3- Detecting the repercussions of Iraqi women’s use of social networking sites (Facebook, you tube, twitter, and Instagram).
The research is classified as a descriptive one. The researchers use the survey methodology. The research commu