The efforts embedded in this paper have been devoted to designing, preparing, and testing warm mix asphalt (WMA) mixtures and comparing their behavior against traditional hot mix asphalt mixtures. For WMA preparation, the Sasobit wax additive has been added to a 40/50 asphalt binder with a concentration of 3%. An experimental evaluation has been performed by conducting the Marshall together with volumetric properties, indirect tensile strength, and wheel tracking tests to acquire the tensile strength ratio (TSR), retained stability index (RSI), and rut depth. It was found that the gained benefit of reduction in mixing and compaction temperatures was reversely associated with a noticeable decline in Marshall properties and moisture susceptibility indices designated by TSR, and RSI, and even the rut resistance was adversely affected. Modification of WMA mixtures by 3% of Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) polymer coupled with replacement of virgin ingredient by 50% of recycled asphalt concrete granted a 20% and 15% growth in Marshall stability and tensile strength, respectively. Moreover, both TSR and IRS indices have risen to 87% and 90%, respectively associated with a 39% increase in rutting resistance ability.
A new modified differential evolution algorithm DE-BEA, is proposed to improve the reliability of the standard DE/current-to-rand/1/bin by implementing a new mutation scheme inspired by the bacterial evolutionary algorithm (BEA). The crossover and the selection schemes of the DE method are also modified to fit the new DE-BEA mechanism. The new scheme diversifies the population by applying to all the individuals a segment based scheme that generates multiple copies (clones) from each individual one-by-one and applies the BEA segment-wise mechanism. These new steps are embedded in the DE/current-to-rand/bin scheme. The performance of the new algorithm has been compared with several DE variants over eighteen benchmark functions including sever
... Show MoreIn the theoretical part, removal of direct yellow 8 (DY8) from water solution was accomplished using Bentonite Clay as an adsorbent. Under batch adsorption, the adsorption was observed as a function of contact time, adsorbent dosage, pH, and temperature. The equilibrium data were fitted with the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models, and the linear regression coefficient R2 was used to determine the best fitting isotherm model. thermodynamic parameters of the ongoing adsorption mechanism, such as Gibb's free energy, enthalpy, and entropy, have also been measured. The batch method was also used for the kinetic calculations, and the day's adsorption assumes first-order rate kinetics. The kinetic studies also show that the intrapar
... Show MoreIntroduction and Aim: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a nosocomial infection with an ability to develop high levels of antibiotic resistance. The efflux pump system is one of the mechanisms that is linked to multidrug resistance in P. aeruginosa. In this study, we employed siRNA loaded on gold nanoparticles against the MexA efflux pump gene to decrease the MexA gene expression in P. aeruginosa and estimated antibiotic resistance after gene silencing. Materials and Methods: This study examined four strains of P. aeruginosa isolated from patients in various hospitals in Baghdad. Bacteria isolated were identified by biochemical tests and Vitek compact 2 system. Single-stranded siRNA (33bp) designed in this study was loaded onto gold
... Show MoreBackground: The mechanical and physical properties of Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) don’tfulfill the entire ideal requirements of denture base materials. The purpose of this study was to produce new modified polymer nanocomposite (PMMA /ZrO2-TiO2) andassess itsimpact strength, transverse strength and thermal conductivity in comparison to the conventionalheat polymerized acrylic resin. Materials and Methods: Both ZrO2 and TiO2nano fillers were silanized with TMSPM (trimethoxysilyl propyl methacrylate) silane coupling agent before beingdispersed by ultrasonication with the methylmethacrylate (monomer) and mixed with the polymer by means of 2% by weight in (1:1) ratio, 60 specimens were constructed by conventional water bath processing
... Show MoreSludge from stone-cutting (SSC) factories and stone mines cannot be used as decorative stones, stone powder, etc. These substances are left in the environment and cause environmental problems. This study aim is to produce artificial stone composite (ASC) using sludge from stone cutting factories, cement, unsaturated resin, water, silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC-NPs), and nano-graphene oxide (NGO) as fillers. Nano graphene oxide has a hydrophobic plate structure that water is not absorbed due to the lack of surface tension on these plates. NGO has a significant effect on the properties of artificial stone due to its high specific surface area and low density in the composite. Its uniform distribution in ASC is very low due to its hydropho
... Show MoreShort Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes functionalized with OH group (MWCNTs-OH) were used to synthesize flexible MWCNTs networks. The MWCNTs suspension was synthesized using Benzoquinone (BQ) and N, N Dimethylformamide alcohol (DMF) in specific values and then deposited on filter paper by filtration from suspension (FFS) method. Polypyrrole (PPy) conductive polymer doped with metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) prepared using in-situ chemical polymerization method. To improve the properties of the MWCNTs networks, a coating layer of (PPy) conductive polymer, PPy:Ag nanoparticles, and PPy: Cu nanoparticles were applied to the network. The fabricated networks were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), UV-Vis. spectrometer, and Ato
... Show MoreAbstract: An unfavorable complication of root canal is vertical root fracture. The aim of present study is to evaluate the vertical root fracture of treated teeth filled with gutta percha and Resilon obturating material using different sealers. Forty mandibular premolars used in the study. Canals randomly divided into four groups (n=10). Group-A eugenol-based (Endofill) sealer with gutta percha; GroupB epoxy-amine (AH Plus) sealer with gutta percha; Group-C resin-based (Real Seal) sealer with Resilon; or Group-D epoxide-based (Perma Evolution) sealer with gutta percha. Roots mounted vertically in cold cure acrylic blocks and subjected to vertical loading with a crosshead speed of 1mm ̸min. The point at which fracture of the roots occurred
... Show MoreIn this work semi–empirical method (PM3) calculations are carried out by (MOPAC) computational packages have been employed to calculate the molecular orbital's energies for some organic pollutants. The long– chain quaternary ammonium cations called Iraqi Clays (Bentonite – modified) are used to remove these organic pollutants from water, by adding a small cationic surfactant so as to result in floes which are agglomerates of organobentonite to remove organic pollutants. This calculation which suggests the best surface active material, can be used to modify the adsorption efficiency of aniline , phenol, phenol deriviatives, Tri methyl glycine, ester and pecticides , on Iraqi Clay (bentonite) by comparing the theoretical results w
... Show MoreThe aim of this essay is to use a single-index model in developing and adjusting Fama-MacBeth. Penalized smoothing spline regression technique (SIMPLS) foresaw this adjustment. Two generalized cross-validation techniques, Generalized Cross Validation Grid (GGCV) and Generalized Cross Validation Fast (FGCV), anticipated the regular value of smoothing covered under this technique. Due to the two-steps nature of the Fama-MacBeth model, this estimation generated four estimates: SIMPLS(FGCV) - SIMPLS(FGCV), SIMPLS(FGCV) - SIM PLS(GGCV), SIMPLS(GGCV) - SIMPLS(FGCV), SIM PLS(GGCV) - SIM PLS(GGCV). Three-factor Fama-French model—market risk premium, size factor, value factor, and their implication for excess stock returns and portfolio return
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