In this research, experimental and numerical studies were carried out to investigate the performance of encased glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) beams under fire. The test specimens were divided into two peer groups to be tested under the effect of ambient and elevated temperatures. The first group was statically tested to investigate the monotonic behavior of the specimens. The second group was exposed to fire loading first and then statically tested to explore the residual behavior of the burned specimens. Adding shear connectors and web stiffeners to the GFRP beam was the main parameter in this investigation. Moreover, service loads were applied to the tested beams during the fire. Utilizing shear connectors, web stiffeners, and both enhanced the load-carrying capacities of the encased beams by 100.6%, 97.3%, and 130.8%, respectively. Comparisons between the burned and unburned peer beams were presented with losses in the load-carrying capacity of the burned beams. These losses were the highest in the cases of shear connectors and web stiffeners due to the obtained severe damage, which led to more reductions in the residual behavior of the burned beams. Numerical analyses were performed using the general-purpose finite element (FE) ABAQUS package to conduct a parametric study. The investigated parameters included the effect of the exposure duration and the temperature level. The results of the FE analysis showed good agreement with the experimental results. Additional reductions in the residual capacities of the fire-damaged beams were observed due to exposure to longer fire durations. The improvements in the beam capacities due to using shear connectors and web stiffeners relative to the reference beams under the same exposure time decreased as the exposure duration increased. Furthermore, increasing the temperature to 700 °C, 800 °C, 900 °C, and 950 °C caused reductions in the residual capacities by about 25%, 45%, 70%, and 80%, respectively, for the encased beams in comparison to their peers at ambient temperature.
Background: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) leads to activation of T-helper cells (Th-1 and Th-2) which are involved in the synthesis and release of different cytokines which may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the endothelial function in patients with acute toxoplasmosis. Methods: This case-control study involved 31 patients with toxoplasmosis aged 19 - 47 years matched with 20 healthy subjects. Anti-T. gondii antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) was determined by direct antigen-antibody reaction. Interleukin-6(IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and human malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels were measured. Results: IgM, IgG and IgA levels were high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). Furthermore, IL-
... Show MoreThe present study investigated the total content of phenolic compounds, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of water extracts oat (Avena sativa) and basil (Ocimum basilicum), medicinal plants. The Folin-ciocalteu reagent assay was used to estimate the total phenolic content of plants extract. The antioxidant capacity of the plants extract was tested by ferric reducing/antioxidant power Assay (FRAP) and ferric reducing scavenging activity using DPPH method, and the antimicrobial activity was measured against [Staphylococcus epidermidis; Staphylococcus aureus; Proteus spp.; Klebsiella spp.; Escherichia coli; Candida albicans] as tester strains. The total phenolic content of Avena sativa and Ocimum basilicum extracts revealed that the
... Show MoreWith the aim of developing potential antimicrobials, a series of new 5-fluoroisatin derivatives incorporated with different secondary amines (piperidine, morpholine, pyrrolidine, dimethylamine, and diphenylamine) for monomer, and (piperazine) in case of dimer Mannich bases, separately in presence of formaldehyde to obtain Mannich bases of 5-fluoroisatin derivatives, which then each Mannich derivatives reacts with phenylhydrazine to form Schiff bases as final products. The resulting compounds were characterized by two spectroscopic analyses; (Fourier- transform infrared) FT-IR and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-NMR). In addition, the in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities were tested against some human pathogen
... Show MoreIn this article, Pb2Ba1.7Sr0.3Ca2Cu3O10+δ superconductor material was synthesized using conventional solid-state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis demonstrated one dominant phase 2223 and some impurities in the product powder. The strongest peaks in the XRD pattern were successfully indexed assuming a pseudo-tetragonal cell with lattice constants of a = 3.732, b = 3.733 and c = 14.75 Å for a Pb-Based compound. The crystallite size and lattice strain between the layers of the studied compound were estimated using several methods, namely the Scherrer, Williamson-Hall (W.H), sizestrain plot (SSP) and Halder Wagner (H.W) approach. The values of crystallite size, calculated by Scherrer, W.H, SSP and H.W methods, were 89.454077
... Show MoreThis research set out to provide a faster, easier, and more efficient process for nanoparticle (NP) synthesis of aluminum oxide NPs preparation by microwave irradiation, using plant extracts separately and in the same way (tea, coffee, rosemary), which is an easy-to-use and inexpensive method. The structural properties were investigated by X-ray diffractometer analysis technique (XRD). The X-ray analysis shows the structure has a polycrystalline nature with a hexagonal phase. The optical properties were studied using ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectrometer, where the energy gap was determined. The surface morphology properties of the prepared aluminum NPs were examined by atomic force microscope (AFM). The Fourier transform infra
... Show MorePolyvinal alcohol was Cynoethylated , complex compound with Iodin in presence of Cu++ ions were preparated and their ultra violet (U.V) and infra red( IR) spectra were investigated. The prepared derivative and complexes were evaluated as antibacterial and antifungal agents following the standard dilution method. MIC(minimum inhibitory concentration) for each polymer using ten types of gram + ve and gram _ ve bacteria were determinated in addition to three types of fungi. The results obtainded showed that MIC, s were around 0.0011 × 103 molar for different polymetric derivatives tried.
This study includes replication and attenuation of foot and mouth disease virus type O which isolated from infected calves. Many passages for the virus in chick-Embryo were established as a substitute method to the tissue culture which is highly caustic in contrast to the chick embryo. The virus passed ten consequent passages which lead to the reduce of the titer of the virus from 106.53 TCID50/ 0.1 ml in cattle testis tissue culture to 103 TCID50/ 0.1 ml. the pathogenecity of attenuated FMD virus were also studied in both chick-embryo and guinea pigs. Using agar gel diffusion test precipitation antibodies was detected in guinea pig serum after 14 and 21 days post exposure to the attenuated virus. The inoculated guine
... Show MoreIn the present study NiPcTs, CdS thin films, and Blends of NiPcTs:CdS were prepared with 1:2 content mixing ratio of NiPcTs to CdS solutions. Cadmium chloride and thiourea were used as the essential materials for deposition CdS thin films while using organic powder of NiPcTs to deposit NiPcTs nanostructure films. The spin-coating technique was employed to fabricate the NiPcTs , CdS films and NiPcTs-CdS blend. Structural properties of films have been investigated via X-Ray diffraction(XRD),and show that thin films of NiPcTs, and CdS have monoclinic and polycrystalline hexagonal structure respectively while the blend has two polycrystalline structure with cubic and hexagonal phases. Atomic force microscope (AFM) confirmed that the surf
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