bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Epoxy Resin Compatibilizer On Polypropylene (PP) / Recycled Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBRr) / Banana Skin Powder (BSP) Composites
Authors: Santiagoo Ragunathan , Nair Gomesh , Azan Tajarudin Husnul , Daud Zawawi , Zainal Mustaffa
Published: December 2020

Epoxy resin (EP) was use as a compatibilizer on the properties of polypropylene(PP)/recycled acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBRr)/banana skin powder (BSP) composites to determine the characterization of composites with and without compatibilization. The objective of this research was to study the mechanical properties and thermal properties of PP/NBRr/BSP composites with and without epoxy resin compatibilizer. The composites were melt using heated two roll mill at 1800C and speed of 15 rpm with 5 different composition (100/0/10, 80/20/10, 70/30/10, 60/40/10 and 40/60/10 weight %). The effects of epoxy resin on mechanical properties and morphological properties were investigated. The results showed that the incorporation of epoxy resin (EP) has improved the tensile properties of PP/NBRr/BSP-EP composite compared with uncompatibilized composite. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) study of tensile fracture surfaces of the composite indicates improved adhesion of banana skin (BSP) filler with PP/NBRr/BSP matrices in the presence of epoxy resin.
Absorption Capacity using Waste Paper Sludge as an Alternative Adsorbent for Treatment of Landfill Leachate
Authors: Yahaya Izat , Daud Zawawi , Fauzi Basirah
Published: December 2020

Adsorption treatment process is one of the techniques that has been employed to treat discharge or effluent from domestic wastewater (DWW), raw water and also landfill leachate. The potential of waste paper sludge (WPS) and activated carbon (AC) as an absorbent has been investigated to obtain the optimum mixing ratio in removing two working parameters such as ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and COD. Both WPS and AC were mixed together in different ratio. The absorption batch study is regarding the preparation of 5g composite adsorbent, 200 mL of raw leachate sample at pH 8.64, with a rotational agitation speed of 200 rpm for 300 minutes at room temperature. The result shows, the optimum ratio obtained for composite mixture absorbent is (1:3) and the concentration capacity achieved for the ratio was 870 mg/L and 496 mg/L for NH3-N and COD, respectively. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm studies for NH3-N and COD presented the adsorption mechanism that occurs on the composite adsorbent is physical and chemical reaction by obtaining the R2 in both model (< 1) respectively during the experiment.
Evaluating the Effect of the Hydrotechnical Works from the Danube’s Caleia Branch on the Spawning Migration of Sturgeons
Authors: Danalache Tiberius-Marcel , Deák György , Holban Elena , Constantin Raischi Marius , Simona Fronescu Diana , Georgeta Nicolae Carmen , Cristea Mihai-Alexandru
Published: December 2020

Over the years, to maintain navigation along the Danube, the implementation of a series of hydrotechnical works was imposed in order to ensure the continuity of economic activities. Between 2011 and 2014, one such project was built in the vicinity of the county of Braila, on a secondary branch of the Danube - The Caleia branch. The main goal was to redistribute water discharge from the secondary channel to the main branch by construction of a bottom sill. The bottom sill and subsequent discharge redistribution led to hydrodynamic alterations caused by increased water current velocities. These modifications of the hydrodynamic regime may affect the migration of anadromous sturgeon species that swim from the Black Sea to spawn upstream, therefore making the monitoring of the impact paramount. Considering the fact that the anadromous migrating species are internationally protected species, by a series of agreements and conventions, and that the stocks of the species are still in decline, a complex monitoring program was implemented in the affected area. This study presents important information regarding the site utilization during spawning migration and an evaluation of the behavior of sturgeons tagged with ultrasonic transmitters that migrated upstream over the bottom sill. During the monitoring period, the studies show that five sturgeons passed the bottom sill during their upstream migration, swimming against maximum water current velocities of 2.5 m/s.
Bioengineering technologies used for the development and equipment of complex installations to obtain energy from three renewable sources. Complex installations for coastal areas
Authors: Poteras George , Deak Gyorgy , Baraitaru Andreea-Georgiana , Viorel Olteanu Marius , Simona Raischi Nata’lia , Suriyani Che Halin Dewi
Published: December 2020

Considering that the production of energy from fossil sources causes environmental pollution, increasing health hazards or climate change, the research for new alternative energy sources and the development of high-performance renewable energy conversion systems are a basic concern nowadays. Thus, the development and the use of renewable energy sources can increase diversity in energy supply markets, help to ensure long-term sustainable energy resources, to reduce local and global air emissions, and provide commercial attractive options to meet the specific needs of energy services. This paper aims to improve the efficiency of a patented complex installation which was developed vertically to ensure high-energy efficiency in relation to the occupied area, that integrates three renewable energy sources (wind, solar and hydro), by applying bioengineering solutions. Improvements to the original installation consisted in modifying the initial characteristics of the off-shore system (number of slots, deflectors angle, width of slots and width of deflectors), modification of aerial module blades according to the bioengineering model of the thistle seed (Carduus nutans), and modification of the submerged module paddies according to the bioengineering model of a fish species swimmers. Following the tests performed on the modified complex installation, a major improvement of the energy efficiency compared to the (initial) control installation was observed.
Makerspace as an Environment to Cultivate the Maker Mindset among Industrial Design Student
Authors: Fadhli Kamaruzaman Azmul , Rasdan Ismail Ahmad , Azhar Mat Daud Khairul , Jusoh Norfadzilah
Published: December 2020

One of the most fundamental meanings of being a human being is to make something. Maker movement which originated from the DIY movement as its name suggests is a unique combination of making things from artistry, form making, circuitry and craftsmanship and it is somehow related to the discipline of industrial design where creativity plays a more prominent role alongside with aesthetics, functionality and technological advancement in designing a creative and innovative product. Maker movement has built an extensive network by motivating and sustaining communities of builders, crafters and makers. By celebrating the arts, craft and engineering, it often consists of hobbyist, tinkerer, hacker, designer and artist who build an object or product in a playful and useful way. On the other hands, it reveals a unique set of values which emphasize on open sharing, learning and creativity over profit and also social capital. As a result of that, new ways of teaching and learning has emerged, which is the makerspace learning environment. There is a growing interest of an educator to adapt this kind of learning environment setting upon fostering creativity among students. Maker possessed of what we called a maker mindset which encompassed four aspects which are playful, growth-oriented, failure positive and collaborative. In this review paper, we will present the potential of makerspace as a learning environment that can cultivate the maker mindset for industrial design students and the potential adoption of its methodology to groom the student of industrial design to become more creative and innovative and its challenge. The expected outcome of this paper is to give insights to the reader and industrial design educator about the potential of makerspace learning environment upon cultivating the maker mindsets for industrial design students who are a vital aspect in promoting creativity among industrial design student to face the challenges in the 21st-century design world.
Working Environment at Accident and Emergency Department: An Engineering Approach Solution
Authors: Othman Rohayu , Farid Abdull Wahab Shaik , Rasdan Ismail Ahmad , Jusoh Norfadzilah
Published: December 2020

Accident and Emergency Department serves as the front line in any hospitals. Here, patients are triage according to the severity of illness before being send to respective zone, green, yellow or red. This study focuses on red zone of accident and emergency department with an objective to assesses the physical condition at accident and emergency department and suggest engineering recommendation to solve the problems found during the assessment. The study is conducted at one of Malaysian hospital, after the ethical has been obtained. During the assessment, lighting at the red zone, monitor height, bed area and body postures of two procedures are assessed and recorded. Results is compared with existing guidelines and suggestions are made on how to overcome the problem identified.
Effect of Cone Shape Condenser Plate Tilt Angle on Solar Still Productivity
Authors: Abidin Kamarul Baharin Zainal , Faez Asmi Muhammad , Rozlin Nik Masdek Nik
Published: December 2020

The demand for fresh water continues to increase and it is crucial for sustaining life. One approach to meet this demand is through desalination of sea water. Solar desalination is a low cost technique to produce fresh water with a simple working process. The still’s design parameters such as the cover angle and material can impact the yield. This research aspires to examine the influence of cone condenser plate tilt angle on the solar still throughput. Results showed that the utmost amount of fresh water produced is from the still with the tilt angle of 50 degrees.
Comparative Evaluation of Compost Quality, Process and Organic Materials and Adoptability Potential to Complement By Compost Quality Index (CQI)
Authors: Azura Zakarya Irnis , Syafiqah Suhaimi Nurain , Kamaruddin Anuar
Published: December 2020

Compost is natural fertilizer, which is organic matter that been decomposed in a process called composting. The end of result composting is an accumulation of partially decayed organic matter called humus. In this study, type of compost that have been chosen are Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) compost, Goat Dung (GD) compost, Food Waste (FW) compost, compost using bio-decomposer (FWB), and vermicompost (VC). This study aim to identify the stability and maturity of compost that been collected and to identify the quality of compost by using Compost Quality Index (CQI). Study revealed that comparable values obtained in terms of physical properties, chemical properties, stability, maturity and phytotoxicity status. Based on this study, it reveal that EFB and FWB and stable compost while FW and VC are in matured compost. However, FWB showed better results in terms of microbial population, the highest of the values obtained for the other types of compost studied and the germination index value of this compost was higher than the other types of compost. Therefore, it can conclude that using the bio-decomposer can give more quality for compost.
Assessing the Applicability of Ecological Materials Obtained with CRT Glass
Authors: Dumitru Florina-Diana , Moncea Mihaela-Andreea , Baraitaru Andreea-Georgiana , Gheorghe Petrache-Ionut , Stanciu Silvius , Deák György , Ahmad Romisuhani
Published: December 2020

Recovery and recycling of cathode ray tube (CRT) waste glasses has been the focus of research in the last decade, due to their environmental and economie issues (such as leaching of lead ions, high disposal costs). A sustainable method of valorizing this hazardous waste is to embed it in cement, as a substitute for the natural aggregate. Therefore, within the present study, ecological materials with cementitious matrix were synthesized by using glass waste recovered from cathode ray tube monitors (CRT glass), which replaced the aggregate in different proportions (varying from 10 to 30%), and by substituting 25% of cement with lime paste. The compression strength of the obtained specimens was determined after 1, 2, 7 and 28 days of hardening and highlighted that the samples with lower CRT glass substitution percentage performed relatively similar to the reference sample. This behavior can be explained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The samples microstructure revealed the presence of ettringite, calcium hydroxides, hydrosilicates and hydroaluminates, calcite and some unreacted particles. The opportunity of using these materials in practical applications was assessed by developing masonry specimens - the obtained mortar paste was interposed between two brick slabs, which were mechanically tested after 7 days of hardening. Both splitting tensile strength and flexural strength varied with the increase of CRT glass in the composition.
Sustainable Utilisation of Quarry Dust Waste in Concrete: Strength Performance
Authors: Liza Rahim Nur , Che Amat Roshazita , Mohamad Ibrahim Norlia , Aini Syafiqah Abd Rahim Noor , Hamzah Nurhidayah , Aina Misnon Noor
Published: December 2020

Each year, a large amount of quarry dust (QD) waste is disposed into landfills. This waste material was obtained as a by-product during the production of aggregates through the crushing process of rocks at the quarry site. The increasing value of waste will have a significant impact on health and the environment. Reusing such wastes by including them into building materials is a practical answer for the pollution problem. Therefore, this research was to observe the possibility of quarry dust to be included in a concrete mix. The quarry dust has been used as a partial replacement for cement proportion at different levels of replacement (25%, 30% and 35%). Quarry dust was used as the main material in this project to measure the effectiveness of concrete performance. In this research, the quarry dust composition was determined by using X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF). From the x-ray fluorescent spectrometry test result, the quarry dust displays some similar characteristics with the Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) where it comprises a high composition of Calcium Oxide (CaO). Research were done to determine the optimum percentage of quarry dust in concrete. The result shows that 25% of quarry dust and 75% of cement is the best percentage that can be used in concrete mixture to reach the standard strength. From an economic point of view, the proposed optimum concrete mix was found to be the most economical with the reducing of RM 33 per 1 m3 of the concrete mixture. The results indicated that the quarry dust waste could be utilised as cement replacement to produce durable and resilient concrete. These materials could be an alternative low-cost material for concrete and at the same time provide a new disposal method for the waste.
Recycling Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Bottom Ash as Cement Replacement in Concrete
Authors: Che Amat Roshazita , Nizar Ismail Khairul , Mohamad Ibrahim Norlia , Liza Rahim Nur
Published: December 2020

Cement was a binder material that used in concrete industry. The cost production was very expensive due to the high global demand. Therefore, as a new alternative to replace the used of cement in concrete, which was bottom ash. The objectives of this study were to investigate properties of cement matric of concrete containing bottom ash, and to observe the ability of bottom ash as a binder. Based on the result on XRF, Ordinary Portland Cement and bottom ash had nearly similar compounds of Calcium and Silica. Results of slump test indicate that concrete contains of 10 %- 30% bottom ash cause the true slump. Determination of the capability and strength of concrete obtained from water absorption test. Percentage of water absorbed increases with increasingly of proportion bottom ash. The strength of concrete for compression test was 27.5 MPa for 10 % of bottom ash that achieved the targeted. Higher percentage of bottom ash replacement affected matrix C-S-H (calcium silicate-hydrate) bond. Interfacial transition zone surface and scanning electron microscope observations confirm these findings. Therefore, municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash can act partly replace cement in concrete but would not exceed 30% of usage.
Evaluation of Pulp from Napier Grass by Biochemical Pulping For Paper Industry
Authors: Daud Zawawi , Gomesh Nair , Santiagoo Ragunathan , Azan Tajarudin Husnul , Awang Halizah , Zainuri Mohd Hatta Mohd , Baharudin Ridzuan Mohd , Detho Amir
Published: December 2020

Malaysia has high rates of accelerating faster on depleting activities compared any other tropical countries in the world. This problem also affects the economic losses of some countries that face deforestation. To overcome this, Napier grass from non-wood was chosen between new methods by xylanase enzyme treatment for pulp production. This study going through the morphological characterization, pulpability at kappa number and the characteristic for biochemical pulping process. These conclude that biochemical had a high percentage of pulp yields; with a low screening rejects; good Kappa number by TAPPI method. Thus, xylanase enzyme has a potential to be sub-treatment for Malaysia’s pulp and papermaking industry to produce a good waste-wealth product in future.
Coagulation and Flocculation Treatment of Biodiesel Wastewater Using Ferric Chloride
Authors: Daud Zawawi , Azan Tajarudin Husnul , Gomesh Nair , Santiagoo Ragunathan , Awang Halizah , Nasir Nazlizan , Detho Amir , Baharudin Ridzuan Mohd
Published: December 2020

Attempts were made this study to examine of coagulation and flocculation process using ferric chloride and polyelectrolyte (cationic) for the treatment biodiesel wastewater. Removal of SS (suspended solid), color, COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) and Oil and Grease (O&G) using ferric chloride and organic polyelectrolyte during coagulation/flocculation process were investigated. Also the optimum condition for coagulation/flocculation process, such as pH, coagulant dosage and polyelectrolyte dosage of solution were investigated using jar test experiment. The effect of different dosage of polyelectrolyte in combination with coagulant was also studied. The result revealed that in the range of pH tested, the optimal pH is 6. Percentage removal of 95%, 93%, 63%, 97% for SS, color, COD and O&G respectively, were achieved at optimum dosage value; 350 mg/L. While, 86.3%, 86.7%, 57.2, 81% removal of SS, color, COD, O&G respectively, were achieved with the addition 10 mg/L cationic to 125 mg/L ferric chloride. It can be conclude from this study that coagulation/flocculation may be a useful as a pre-treatment process for biodiesel wastewater.
Performance Evaluation of Emulsion Liquid Membrane for Simultaneous Copper and Cadmium Removal: Dispersion Tool Comparison
Authors: Abd Khalil A.T. , Shah Buddin M.M.H. , Mokhtar N.F. , Puasa S.W.
Published: December 2020

The content of heavy metal ions in industrial wastewater could be a great threat to the environment and humans’ health. Owing to this issue, the emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) is proposed as an effective technique to remove heavy metal from aqueous solution. The current work intended to compare the performance of ELM extraction using two dispersion tools; conventional stirrer and Taylor-Couette Column (TCC). The effect of stirring speed and extraction time of both devices on the removal efficiency of copper and cadmium will be looked at. Results obtained demonstrated a huge reduction in extraction time to simultaneously remove the two types of heavy metals. The maximum extraction efficiency in conventional stirrer for both copper and cadmium were found at 400 rpm in 20 mins (99.52%) and 10 mins (95.47%), respectively. Meanwhile, the highest efficiency in TCC for copper was found to be slightly lower although it offers shorter time for the performance to peak. 200 rpm of outer cylinder is required to achieve 96.38% while 600 rpm is required to remove as high as 81.59% of cadmium. The extraction time required to obtain the maximum removal in TCC is 5 mins and 3 mins for copper and cadmium, respectively.
Limestone-Zeolite Biocomposite as Potential Low-Cost Adsorbent for Landfill Leachate Remediation
Authors: Arif Rosli Mohd , Daud Zawawi , Baharudin Ridzuan Mohd , Awang Halizah
Published: December 2020

A novel approach for the low-cost bioadsorbent for the removal of leachate pollutants is presented herein. In this study, limestone is combined with zeolite in order to fabricate biocomposite media with different ratios. Results revealed that limestone-zeolite biocomposite adsorbed ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) and COD, which could possibly be used for the adsorption of NH3-N and COD efficiently from leachate. The optimum mixing ratio by means was carried out using series of batch experiments for limestone and zeolite to measure the remediation of NH3-N and COD in a stabilized leached. The optimum ratio for limestone and zeolite in the remediation of NH3-N and COD obtained were at 25:15 (82%) and 30:10 (75%), respectively. Indeed, the prepared limestone-zeolite biocomposite is a low-cost and effective adsorbent was potential used to derive the NH3-N and COD for a promising adsorption efficiency from stabilized landfill leachate.
Biotechnology of Water Treatment Based on Algae Cultures
Authors: Ileana Covaliu Cristina , Nedelcu Ancuta , Deak Gyorgy , Stoian Oana , Mohamed Noor Norazian
Published: December 2020

In the current article, we will highlight on the role of algae in the treatment of wastewater. Algae cultures are an interesting solution to tertiary and quandary treatments because of their capacity to use inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus for their growth and to remove heavy metals, as well as some toxic organic compounds, thus, avoiding a secondary pollution. Our experiments were conducted using Chlorella algae for removing lead ions from wastewater. The wastewater treatment efficiency reached a maximum of 86.67% after 80 minutes.
The insulation properties of foam concrete with the use of foam-agent and fly-ash
Authors: Rommel E , Prasetyo1 L , Rusdianto Y , Karimah R , Riyanto A.S. , N Cahyo S.A.
Published: December 2020

Foam concrete is an alternative wall material that can be used in tropical buildings because of its insulation properties, good thermal conductivity, and sound absorption coefficient when compared with the normal concrete. The percentage of foam agent used in its production affects density and compressive strength. Furthermore, the use of fly-ash also has an effect on its mechanical and insulation properties. In this study, 40 units of foam concrete specimen (200x200x20) mm were tested for thermal conductivity, and cylinder (dia-100x20) mm for sound absorption. The mixture used for the concrete includes cement/sand ratio of 1:2.75 with w/c 0.425 and addition of 20% fly-ash as a cementitious material and foaming agent (ratio fa/w 1:20) at 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% by weight of cement paste, respectively. The result showed that foam concrete with 20% fly-ash and 2% foaming agent or more has a density below 2000 kg/m3 with a maximum compressive strength of 13.24 MPa. The highest sound absorption coefficient was obtained to be a = 0.89 at 20% fly-ash and 4% foaming agent. The thermal conductivity (k) of foam concrete was found to have increased using a 20% fly-ash and 1% foaming agent compared to the mixture without fly-ash at a value of 0,898. It was discovered that the use of fly-ash on foam concrete has the ability to improve thermal conductivity and sound absorption.
Comparison of gridded datasets for the simulation of streamflow in Africa
Authors: Tarek Mostafa , Brissette François P. , Arsenault Richard
Published: December 2020

In recent decades, many parts of the African continent have experienced high precipitation variability with periodic drought and flood events. However, the network of streamflow gauges is too sparse in most countries to adequately capture these variations. In addition, no observed reference climatological dataset exists to adequately represent precipitation and temperature changes within all topographic and climatic zones. Consequently, the use of global gridded datasets needs to be considered. This paper aims to use the different available gridded datasets as inputs to a hydrological model to evaluate dataset performance. Nine precipitation and two temperature gridded datasets are used to this effect. The precipitation datasets include two gauged-only products, two satellite products corrected using ground-based observations, four reanalysis products and one merged product of gauge, satellite, and reanalysis. The two temperature datasets include one gauged-only and one reanalysis product. The ten precipitation and two temperature datasets were combined in their 18 possible arrangements for analysis purposes. Each combination was used to force the HMETS lumped hydrological model. The model parameters were calibrated individually for each combination against the streamflow records of 850 African catchments. The Kling-Gupta Efficiency (KGE) was used to evaluate the simulation performance. Results show thatboth temperature datasets performed equally well. Large differences were however observed between precipitation datasets. The MSWEP merged-product was the best-performing precipitation dataset, followed by CHIRPS satellites and ERA5 reanalysis products, respectively. The performance of both gauged-only datasets (CPC and GPCC) was inferior, outlining the limitations of extrapolating information in data-sparse regions.
Finite element analysis of reinforced sand under circular footing
Authors: Rahman A.Abd El , Nagy Nabil M. , Kamal Ismail M. , Hassan Mostafa A.
Published: December 2020

This paper presents the results from numerical investigations carried out on circular footing rests on Geo-grid reinforced sand. The finite element program (Plaxis-2D) was used to study experimental results carried out by [1]. This experimental work was used to study the effect of variation of Geo–grid reinforced layers number (N = 0, 1, 2, and 3) under circular footing. The numerical validation with experimental work was considerably agreed with an average percentage of 93%. Then a parametric study was conducted to evaluate the soil performance under circular footing, while applying the same loading conditions. Several parameters have been investigated to identify the optimumsoil behaviour that achieves optimum bearing capacity and minimum settlement under the footing. The parameters include number of Geo-grid layers (N), the Geo-grid layer width (L), the spacing between the footing base and topmost Geo-grid layer (U), the spacing between Geo-grid layers (h) and the Geo-grid stiffness (K). The results indicated that by increasing the number and the width of the Geo-grid reinforced layers the bearing capacity ratio increases up to a limited extent. Moreover, the optimum number of Geo-grid layer equals four layers for circular footing.
Numerical Modeling of New Connection Pontoon under Static and Dynamic Loads
Authors: Elareshy Ahmed S , Wahab Mostafa M Abdel , Mazek Shreif A , Osman Ashraf M
Published: December 2020

The development of floating bridges is a major engineering challenge to make the existing bridges durable and easy to construct. The connection pontoon unit between the heavy communication bridge (HCB) and the assault bridge (AB-PMM71) is discussed as developed by Mazek et al. [1]. The new connection pontoon (NCP) should offer fast assembly time to operate the combat floating bridge.

The floating bridge system including the HCB, the AB-PMM71, and the NCP is modeled. The 3-D numerical model of the floating bridge system is proposed by the nonlinear finite element analysis under static and dynamic Military load Class MLC70. The field test for the new floating bridge system was conducted by [1].

The proposed finite element model of the floating bridge system is verified based on the practical field test developed by [1]. The numerical results have good agreement with those obtained by the reviewed field test.
Elements of Safety Management System in the Construction Industry and Measuring Safety Performance – A Brief
Authors: Elsebaei Mostafa , Elnawawy Omar , Othman Ayman , Badawy Mohamed
Published: December 2020

Construction industry is considered to be one of the most hazardous industries in the world. The reason could be attributed to its hazardous nature as it is an accident-prone industry. Thus, a need for better understanding of safety management system is essential for improving safety performance in this sector. This paper discusses briefly the elements of safety management by presenting different systems (such as Oregon OSHA Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and OTAR Overseas Territories Aviation Circle) and elaborating their elements. It also discusses two types of measuring safety performance the first is the lagging indicators and the second is the leading indicator. In addition, a field study was conducted to explore contractors’ perception on safety management. A questionnaire was distributed to construction firms. 200 responses were collected and analyzed. All of the results showed positive answers which indicate that safety in performance in Egypt is slightly above average as all means were close to average.
Simulation Study of Trombe Wall for Passive Solar Technique of buildings in Egypt
Authors: Ramadan Ayah Mohamed
Published: December 2020

The studies aimed to evaluate a Trombe wall, a solar wall, which is a critical component of passive solar strategies in energy usage. It is a very compact wall and can be south-facing or north-facing, which is painted black and made of exclusive material that absorbs a lot of heat. The main advantage of the Trombe wall is that they are often easily built from locally obtainable materials, very dependable, and having less repair, maintenance, and operation costs. In this study, a BASECASE model were simulate with “Design Builder” software based on “Energy Plus” with the passive solar technique of Trombe wall in Egypt of a model of residential building with two façade alternative base case. The research has shown that Trombe wall has the possibility of providing acceptable internal thermal comfort through “Mixed-Mode” ventilation strategy in hot climate, this is important in determining the possibility of Trombe wall in incorporating “Mixed-Mode” ventilation reducing energy usage in cooling demands. The conclusion of this research that Trombe walls can reduce the cooling load by 75% compared to the base case with annual energy savings.
The philosophy of visual perception of the external space Using the concept of biophilic design
Authors: Ibrahim Enjy , Khorshed Khaled M. , Sabri Sherif
Published: December 2020

The research deals with the study of the integrated relationship between the elements of visual perceptions of the void and its interaction with the vital elements of it through the study and address the concept and philosophy of visual perceptions of the void and its development through the ages and the effect of these visual perceptions on the perception of life in the vacuum at its levels the three vitals It is the first level: belief in the existence of a life of visual formations and the sense of awareness of users in a dynamic interaction, and comes the second level: with regard to the mental and mental path of the user aware of these visual perceptions as physical elements with vital visions to convey the perception to the existence of real life and not Imagine it, level 3: The presence of the user in the scope of visual perceptions interactively with the characteristics of the formations that he realized between his mental perceptions and his inner feelings and his impression of the place and his human interaction towards it in the conscious and unconscious mind of his vital qualities surrounding the pulsating quality Life has vivid images that interact with the pulse of natural ingredients in the void The research has found that the interaction between human and visual perceptions in the void has exceeded the limits of time and space and has become more oriented towards biophilic design that enhances communication between nature and human, the architect has an important role in applying the concept of biophilic and expressing it to design elements space.
Environmental Assessment of Coastal Resorts: Recreational Spaces as a Case Study
Authors: Hassan Mohamed Sobhi , Sheta Wael Ahmed , El Kordy Ahmed Mohamed
Published: December 2020

Tourism is one of the most important resources of national income in Egypt. Tourism as a vital role in bringing economic benefits to local communities, helping with conservation efforts or placing value on aspects of cultural heritage. Egypt is one of the world’s most attractive countries in terms of its natural and historical characteristics, which makes it eligible to play an important role in the international tourism market. The vision of Egypt 2030 urges all sectors of the state to adhere to the axes of sustainability. Thus, the tourism sector is studying the current situation in the hotel industry and exploring the possibility of applying sustainability to hotels and resorts. This paper studies some of the sustainable practices in outdoor recreational spaces (especially in landscape) affects positively on conservation and the reduction of operation cost. The research method applies the seven principals of Xeriscape, which is considered as one of the sustainable benchmarks to evaluate landscape practices. The research aiming at assessing the coastal resorts in the Red Sea, Egypt from an environmental standpoint, analysing the operation practices in the recreational landscape which affects positively resources, conservation and the reduction of operation cost.
Life cycle assessment of a residential building in Egypt: A case study
Authors: Morsi Dalia M.A. , Ismaeel Walaa S.E. , Abd El-Hamed A. E.
Published: December 2020

The present study discussed the significant environmental impacts of a residential building located in New Cairo, Egypt. This covered all life cycle steps from cradle to cradle with a projected 60-year life span: (i) an inventory of all the construction materials were analysed, covering the building structure as well as the energy consumption; (ii) three types of functional units were defined; (iii) the two top building materials were examined, and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate the impact associated with the choice of building materials. The result shows that two life cycle phases concerning, manufacturing and operation, were more significant in all of the impact categories. It also shows that building structure and flooring result in most of the environmental loads. In terms of the sensitivity analysis, it was found the structural concrete had the largest impact, dominating all selected impact categories except ODP. Finally, limitations and challenges are discussed to explore better design decisions for selecting buildings’ structural systems in future studies.
The impact of an external obstacle daylight in deep office spaces at hot arid zone
Authors: Saeed Doha Mohamed
Published: December 2020

The use of effective daylighting systems is one of the main factors that inflounces energy consumption in buildings especially in deep office spaces. Therefore, the need for innovative daylighting systems with optimum overall daylighting performance - especially in term of saving energy performance - is an essential design element for such spaces. Light shelf systems are the most major potential lighting systems that can be used to provide such innovative daylighting systems.

The parametric approach was implemented where all possible combinations of the various design parameters for the main two design elements of the light shelf system (light shelf and room specifications) were computed through Diva-for-Rhino (Grasshopper). The study of optimized light shelf systems in deep office spaces has been carried out in case of an external obstacle (neighbor) and without it – according to the Egyptian building codes - in order to identify the impact of such design elements on the performance of the optimized light shelf system in the main four directions in hot arid zone climate.
Structural Behavior of Light Weight Ferrocement Walls
Authors: Shaheen Prof.Yousry B. I. , Mousa Dr.Mohsen , Gamal Eng.Eman
Published: December 2020

This paper presents the experimental results of research to develop ferrocement sandwich panels for use as wall bearing units. The proposed panels are lighter in weight relative to the conventional reinforced concrete panels The sandwich panels consisted of two thin ferrocement layers reinforced with one or two layers of closely spaced galvanized welded wire mesh and expanded steel mesh. The core of the panel was made of light weight brick. Steel wires were used to tie the steel meshes of the two skin layers together and to act as shear connectors to transfer shear between the two ferrocement skin layers. These steel wires were embedded in the mortar joints of the brick. The thickness of the ferrocement skin layer was 10mm when single layer of wire mesh was used and 15mm when two layers of mesh reinforcement were used. Experimental investigation was conducted on the proposed panels. A total of 10 sandwich panels Having the dimensions of 600mm width and 700mm height were tested under compressive loadings until failure. The deformation characteristics and cracking behavior were measured and observed for each wall panel. The results showed that high ultimate and serviceability loads, crack resistance control, high ductility, and good energy absorption properties could be achieved by using the proposed panels. This could be of great construction advantages for both developed and developing counties.
The TRIM9/TRIM67 neuronal interactome reveals novel activators of morphogenesis
Authors: Menon Shalini , Goldfarb Dennis , Ho Chris T. , Cloer Erica W. , Boyer Nicholas P. , Hardie Christopher , Bock Andrew J. , Johnson Emma C. , Anil Joel , Major M. Ben , Gupton Stephanie L.
Published: December 2020

Unbiased proximity biotinylation revealed an overlapping interactome of E3 ubiquitin ligases TRIM9 and TRIM67. The interactome is enriched in proteins that regulate neuronal growth and arborization, cytoskeletal dynamics, and membrane remodeling. One validated interactor, Myo16, plays a role in netrin-dependent axon branching with TRIM9 and TRIM67.
Characterizing Pain and Generalized Sensory Sensitivity According to Trauma History Among Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Pierce Jennifer , Hassett Afton L , Brummett Chad M , McAfee Jenna , Sieberg Christine , Schrepf Andrew , Harte Steven E
Published: December 2020

Background

Childhood trauma and adversity have been linked to chronic pain and pain sensitivity, particularly centralized pain. Yet, there remain numerous gaps in our understanding of this link.

Purpose

We explored the association between nonviolent and violent childhood trauma and a component of centralized pain (i.e., generalized sensory sensitivity) and pain sensitivity using self-report measures of centralized pain and quantitative sensory testing (QST).

Methods

Patients scheduled for a total knee arthroplasty (n = 129) completed questionnaires and QST prior to surgery.

Results

We found that self-report measures of centralized pain (i.e., widespread pain, somatic awareness, and sensory sensitivity) displayed a graded relationship across trauma groups, with patients with a history of violent trauma reporting the highest scores. Univariable multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that higher sensory sensitivity was associated with increased risk of being in the nonviolent trauma group compared to the no trauma group. Furthermore, higher widespread pain, higher somatic awareness, and higher sensory sensitivity distinguished the violent trauma group from the no trauma group. In multivariable analyses, sensory sensitivity is uniquely distinguished between the violent trauma group and the no trauma group. QST did not distinguish between groups.

Conclusions

The findings highlight the need for future research and interventions that reduce sensory sensitivity for chronic pain patients with a history of violent childhood trauma.
Early transcriptional response to gravistimulation in poplar without phototropic confounding factors
Authors: Lopez David , Franchel Jérôme , Venisse Jean-Stéphane , Drevet Joël R , Label Philippe , Coutand Catherine , Roeckel-Drevet Patricia
Published: December 2020

In response to gravistimulation under anisotropic light, tree stems showing an active cambium produce reaction wood that redirects the axis of the trees. Several studies have described transcriptomic or proteomic models of reaction wood relative to the opposite wood. However, the mechanisms leading to the formation of reaction wood are difficult to decipher because so many environmental factors can induce various signalling pathways leading to this developmental reprogramming. Using an innovative isotropic device where the phototropic response does not interfere with gravistimulation we characterized the early molecular responses occurring in the stem of poplar after gravistimulation in an isotropic environment, and without deformation of the stem. After 30 min tilting at 35° under anisotropic light, we collected the upper and lower xylems from the inclined stems. Controls were collected from vertical stems. We used a microarray approach to identify differentially expressed transcripts. High-throughput real-time PCR allowed a kinetic experiment at 0, 30, 120 and 180 min after tilting at 35°, with candidate genes. We identified 668 differentially expressed transcripts, from which we selected 153 candidates for additional Fluidigm qPCR assessment. Five candidate co-expression gene clusters have been identified after the kinetic monitoring of the expression of candidate genes. Gene ontology analyses indicate that molecular reprogramming of processes such as ‘wood cell expansion’, ‘cell wall reorganization’ and ‘programmed cell death’ occur as early as 30 min after gravistimulation. Of note is that the change in the expression of different genes involves a fine regulation of gibberellin and brassinosteroid pathways as well as flavonoid and phosphoinositide pathways. Our experimental set-up allowed the identification of genes regulated in early gravitropic response without the bias introduced by phototropic and stem bending responses.
Classification and gene selection of triple-negative breast cancer subtype embedding gene connectivity matrix in deep neural network
Authors: Liu Jin , Su Ran , Zhang Jiahang , Wei Leyi
Published: December 2020

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has been a challenging breast cancer subtype for oncological therapy. Normally, it can be classified into different molecular subtypes. Accurate and stable classification of the six subtypes is essential for personalized treatment of TNBC. In this study, we proposed a new framework to distinguish the six subtypes of TNBC, and this is one of the handful studies that completed the classification based on mRNA and long noncoding RNA expression data. Particularly, we developed a gene selection approach named DGGA, which takes correlation information between genes into account in the process of measuring gene importance and then effectively removes redundant genes. A gene scoring approach that combined GeneRank scores with gene importance generated by deep neural network (DNN), taking inter-subtype discrimination and inner-gene correlations into account, was came up to improve gene selection performance. More importantly, we embedded a gene connectivity matrix in the DNN for sparse learning, which takes additional consideration with weight changes during training when obtaining the measurement of the relative importance of each gene. Finally, Genetic Algorithm was used to simulate the natural evolutionary process to search for the optimal subset of TNBC subtype classification. We validated the proposed method through cross-validation, and the results demonstrate that it can use fewer genes to obtain more accurate classification results. The implementation for the proposed method is available at https://github.com/RanSuLab/TNBC.
Critical Mindfulness in Social Work: Exploring the Potential of Reflexive Self-Care in the Journey from Student to Social Worker
Authors: McCusker Pearse
Published: December 2020

This article reports on one aspect of a study investigating mindfulness in social work education and practice. Specifically, it explores its potential as a reflexive form of self-care in the journey from student to newly qualified social worker. Comprising a participatory action research approach, longitudinal qualitative design and bespoke mindfulness programme that included compassion-based and non-violent communication practices, the study tracked six participants who completed the programme from the end of the first year of their MSc in Social Work to six months into post-qualifying practice. The experiences of three other participants who were unable to complete were also considered. Data were gathered using interviews, discussions groups, questionnaires and the researchers’ reflections and analysed using thematic and framework analysis, and transformative learning theory. The findings suggest that a critical framing of mindfulness encouraged reflexive forms of self-care in three key ways: validating the importance of self-care and developing awareness of internalised oppression; supporting reflexive engagement with service users; and better mitigating work-related stress and role conflict. Further study of these emergent findings is recommended, focusing on the synergies between critical mindfulness and reflexivity and the profession’s social justice aims.
Multivariate morphometric analysis supported by an anatomical approach to assess species delimitation inXyris(Xyridaceae) in New Caledonia
Authors: Morel Jérémie , Le Moguédec Gilles , Munzinger Jérôme
Published: December 2020

Xyridaceae are represented in New Caledonia only by the genus Xyris, the description of which was last revised in the 1960s, and three endemic species were recognized there at that time, X. pancheri, X. neocaledonica and X. guillauminii. However, no specimens of X. guillauminii were reported from P or L, although some type material was present. In addition, most material was unidentified at the species level in international herbaria (up to 45% for the NOU herbarium), showing that the family had not been studied in the framework of the Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie. In total, 129 herbarium specimens were examined for an ascendant hierarchical classification and a principal coordinates analysis based on 18 morphological characters regarded as diagnostic at the species level (including six used in the original revision). The analyses revealed three well-delimited groups that potentially correspond to species-level units. A sub-sampling of 21 specimens, representative of these three groups, was studied anatomically (leaf cross-sections) and by scanning electron microscopy (leaf surface and seeds) and provided ten additional characters. This additional dataset validated the taxonomy in three species-level units. The resulting entities were then compared with nomenclatural types, which showed that the first corresponded to X. neocaledonica, the second represents a well-delimited, undescribed species, and the third includes types of both X. pancheri and X. guillauminii, this last being in need of synonymization. The findings of the present study provide a basis for undertaking a taxonomic revision of Xyris in New Caledonia, including the description of the new species. All New Caledonian species have an axile placentation and a trilocular ovary, so they belong to Xyris section Pomatoxyris, which is no longer endemic to Australia.