bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Vaccination Behaviour of Individuals over the Age of 65 Years in Turkey: Single-Centre Experience
Authors: Ergin Ali Uğur , Karagöz Özen Düriye Sila , Demirağ Mehmet Derya
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study is to evaluate the awareness of individuals over 65 years of age who have had the COVID-19 vaccine at the Samsun Research and Training Hospital and to evaluate whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected the vaccination behaviour in the geriatric age group. A total of 290 people who were vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Samsun Training and Research Hospital between 16 April 2021 and 16 April 2022 and volunteered to participate in the study were included. The questionnaire form was created by the researchers. According to the national and global guidelines, the seasonal influenza vaccine, Td or Tdap vaccines (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), shingles vaccine, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15 or PCV20), have been recommended to all adults over the age of 65. It was questioned whether the participants had the vaccines recommended for them before and after the pandemic, if they were not vaccinated, what were the reasons, and whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected the general view on vaccination in this age group. Demographic data and comorbidities were also recorded. After each response that showed that the participant was not vaccinated, reasons were investigated with new questions to find out the causes of vaccine refusal or vaccine hesitancy. Finally, all participants were asked whether they would have the relevant vaccinations when offered. It was shown that 282 (94.3%) of the 299 people who participated in the study were considering getting a regular COVID-19 vaccine from now on, while 84.3% of the participants mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive effect on their general vaccination behaviour. While 39 (13%) people stated that their view on vaccination was not affected by the pandemic, 8 (2.7%) people stated that it was negatively affected. The most common reason about low vaccination rates before the pandemic was a lack of enough knowledge about the recommended vaccines. The pandemic increased the vaccination awareness among the adult population. We think that vaccination rates may be improved by education of the geriatric population on this subject.
SARS-CoV-2 Infection Anxiety, Knowledge and Attitudes in University Degree Pregnant Women from Romania—A Cross-Sectional Observational Survey in the First Two Pandemic Years
Authors: Preda Madalina , Dinu Rares Sebastian , Prasacu Irina , Manolescu Loredana Sabina Cornelia
Published: December 2022

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic had a high economic cost, morbidity, and death toll. Due to high rates of mortality and morbidity from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), pregnant women were at particular risk during this pandemic. We designed and conducted a cross-sectional observational survey in Romanian pregnant women to evaluate the outcome of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic along with the preventive measures taken by authorities. We applied a 43-item questionnaire. We included 147 women over 18 years old from Romania who were pregnant or gave birth between March 2020 and March 2022. All pregnancies were monitored, most of them by a gynecologist, and only 23% faced rescheduled pregnancy visits. The majority (84%) were screened through the TORCH panel, 95.91% felt anxious because of the pandemic, 87% followed SARS-CoV2 preventive recommendations, and 82% were not infected with the coronavirus. Additionally, 80% were vaccinated against COVID-19. They felt the consequences of the pandemic through anxiety, and their level of anxiety influenced their vaccination decisions, the TORCH testing and the method of giving birth despite the level of education. Fortunately, their pregnancies were monitored properly, and there were no consequences noticed for fetuses at birth.
Peri-oral Monkeypox Virus Infection: A Clinical Report with Confirmatory Polymerase Chain Reaction Findings
Authors: Ambrogio Francesca , Laface Carmelo , De Caro Anna Paola , Loconsole Daniela , Centrone Francesca , Lettini Teresa , Cazzato Gerardo , Bonamonte Domenico , Foti Caterina , Chironna Maria , Romita Paolo
Published: December 2022

Mpox Virus (MPXV) is a zoonotic infectious disease first identified in 1970 in rural villages in rainforest areas of central and western Africa when smallpox was in the final stages of eradication. Since May 2022, cases and sustained transmission chains of monkeypox have been reported for the first time in countries where the disease is not endemic and without cases having direct or immediate epidemiological links to areas of West or Central Africa (travel, importation of mammals). On 23 July 2022, WHO declared monkeypox a “Public Emergency of International Concern” (PHEIC). In this paper, we report two cases of a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-confirmed MPXV infection. A 39-year-old Italian male came to our attention for a suspected herpetic infection, fever, headache, and malaise, which were followed by the development of an erythematous plaque covered by vesicles on the chin, an oval ulcer with a white peripheral border on the lower lip, and a central erosive area and three pustules on the arms and trunk. During the physical examination, cervical lymphadenopathy was also detected. PCR investigation of the patient and his partner confirmed the presence of MPXV infection. Our report describes a possible clinical feature of Mpox disease and illustrates the challenge of a disease that seems to present itself in different ways.
mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines—Facts and Hypotheses on Fragmentation and Encapsulation
Authors: Demongeot Jacques , Fougère Cécile
Published: December 2022

Background: The adventure of the mRNA vaccine began thirty years ago in the context of influenza. This consisted in encapsulating the mRNA coding for a viral protein in a lipid particle. We show how the mRNA encoding S protein has been modified for that purpose in the context of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Results: by using data coming from genetic and epidemiologic databases, we show the theoretical possibility of fragmentation of this mRNA into small RNA sequences capable of inhibiting important bio-syntheses such as the production of beta-globin. Discussion: we discuss two aspects related to mRNA vaccine: (i) the plausibility of mRNA fragmentation, and (ii) the role of liposomal nanoparticles (LNPs) used in the vaccine and their impact on mRNA biodistribution. Conclusion: we insist on the need to develop lipid nanoparticles allowing personalized administration of vaccines and avoiding adverse effects due to mRNA fragmentation and inefficient biodistribution. Hence, we recommend (i) adapting the mRNA of vaccines to the least mutated virus proteins and (ii) personalizing its administration to the categories of chronic patients at risk most likely to suffer from adverse effects.
Hepatitis B Vaccination Coverage among Bangladeshi Healthcare Workers: Findings from Tertiary Care Hospitals
Authors: Harun Md. Golam Dostogir , Sumon Shariful Amin , Mohona Tahrima Mohsin , Rahman Aninda , Abdullah Syed Abul Hassan Md , Islam Md. Saiful , Anwar Md. Mahabub Ul
Published: December 2022

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at a four-fold higher risk of being infected with the hepatitis B virus in hospital settings. This study investigated the hepatitis B vaccination coverage among Bangladeshi HCWs in selected tertiary care hospitals. Between September 2020 to January 2021, a multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 hospitals across Bangladesh. Participants included physicians, nurses, cleaners, and administrative staff. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive and multivariate statistics were used to analyze the data. The overall hepatitis B vaccination coverage was 66.6% (1363/2046) among HCWs, with cleaning staff having the lowest at 38.8%. Among the unvaccinated, 89.2% of HCWs desired to receive the free vaccine in the near future. In the last year, over one-fourth of staff (27.9%) had at least one history of needlestick injury. Only 9.8% HCWs were found to have attended training on hepatitis B virus prevention and management in the previous two years. Multivariate analysis revealed that physicians (AOR: 7.13, 95% CI: 4.94–10.30) and nurses (AOR: 6.00, 95% CI: 4.09–8.81) were more likely to be vaccinated against hepatitis B than cleaners and administrative staff. Low uptake of hepatitis B vaccination among HCWs suggests policies that require vaccination are needed to achieve optimum vaccine coverage.
A C57BL/6 Mouse Model of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Recapitulates Age- and Sex-Based Differences in Human COVID-19 Disease and Recovery
Authors: Davis Michael A. , Voss Kathleen , Turnbull J. Bryan , Gustin Andrew T. , Knoll Megan , Muruato Antonio , Hsiang Tien-Ying , Dinnon III Kenneth H. , Leist Sarah R. , Nickel Katie , Baric Ralph S. , Ladiges Warren , Akilesh Shreeram , Smith Kelly D. , Gale Michael
Published: December 2022

We present a comprehensive analysis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and recovery using wild type C57BL/6 mice and a mouse-adapted virus, and we demonstrate that this is an ideal model of infection and recovery that phenocopies acute human disease arising from the ancestral SARS-CoV-2. Disease severity and infection kinetics are age- and sex-dependent, as has been reported for humans, with older mice and males in particular exhibiting decreased viral clearance and increased mortality. We identified key parallels with human pathology, including intense virus positivity in bronchial epithelial cells, wide-spread alveolar involvement, recruitment of immune cells to the infected lungs, and acute bronchial epithelial cell death. Moreover, older animals experienced increased virus persistence, delayed dispersal of immune cells into lung parenchyma, and morphologic evidence of tissue damage and inflammation. Parallel analysis of SCID mice revealed that the adaptive immune response was not required for recovery from COVID disease symptoms nor early phase clearance of virus but was required for efficient clearance of virus at later stages of infection. Finally, transcriptional analyses indicated that induction and duration of key innate immune gene programs may explain differences in age-dependent disease severity. Importantly, these data demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2-mediated disease in C57BL/6 mice phenocopies human disease across ages and establishes a platform for future therapeutic and genetic screens for not just SARS-CoV-2 but also novel coronaviruses that have yet to emerge.
COVID-19 Vaccination Prioritization Strategies in Malaysia: A Retrospective Analysis of Early Evidence
Authors: Hamdan Nor Elyzatul Akma , Fahrni Mathumalar Loganathan , Lazzarino Antonio Ivan
Published: December 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that can cause extreme acute respiratory syndrome has posed a catastrophic threat to public health. The vaccines had indeed restored optimism and, after more than two years of battling the pandemic, there is renewed hope for the transition to endemicity. At the start of vaccination efforts, when supply shortages of vaccines were inevitable, every nation determined the high-risk population groups to be given priority for the COVID-19 vaccines. In this paper, the characteristics of the initial COVID-19 vaccine recipients in Malaysia are described. In line with the policies of many other countries, Malaysia firstly inoculated frontline healthcare workers, and subsequently the list of front liners grew to include defense and security personnel and those involved in the provision of essential services. People with disabilities or those with special needs and several underlying medical conditions that increased their risk of developing severe COVID-related illnesses were included in the priority categories. These included patients with severe lung disease, chronic heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, neurological disease, diabetes mellitus and obesity in adults, splenic dysfunction, and severe mental illness. With little information and under circumstances of great uncertainty, the Health Ministry of a middle-income country had developed a vaccination priority-list based on the disease’s epidemiology and clinical data, vaccine type, operational considerations, and risk evaluation. Early evidence was presented and suggested that the full vaccination with any of the three predominant vaccines (AZD1222, BNT162b2, and CoronaVac) in the country had been highly effective in preventing COVID-19 infections, COVID-19-related ICU admissions, and death. As many SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoC), such as the Omicron BA.2/4/5, are emerging, future vaccination strategies may necessitate the need to change the immunogen of the vaccine, as well as considerations for when to give high-risk groups booster injections. These considerations are valuable for future planning by policymakers and healthcare providers to make vaccination policy and decisions, especially for the inclusion of the COVID-19 vaccines into national immunization programs.
Effectiveness of Messenger RNA Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hemodialysis Patients: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Alkadi Mohamad M. , Hamad Abdullah , Ghazouani Hafedh , Elshirbeny Mostafa , Ali Mohamed Y. , Ghonimi Tarek , Ibrahim Rania , Abuhelaiqa Essa , Abou-Samra Abdul Badi , Al-Malki Hassan , Butt Adeel A.
Published: December 2022

Patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are at increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and its complications compared with the general population. Several studies evaluated the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in the dialysis population but showed mixed results. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in hemodialysis (HD) patients in the State of Qatar. We included all adult ESKD patients on chronic HD who had at least one SARS-CoV-2 PCR test done after the introduction of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines on 24 December 2020. Vaccinated patients who were only tested before receiving any dose of their COVID-19 vaccine or within 14 days after receiving the first vaccine dose were excluded from the study. We used a test-negative case–control design to determine the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination. Sixty-eight patients had positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests (cases), while 714 patients had negative tests (controls). Ninety-one percent of patients received the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Compared with the controls, the cases were more likely to be older (62 ± 14 vs. 57 ± 15, p = 0.02), on dialysis for more than one year (84% vs. 72%, p = 0.03), unvaccinated (46% vs. 5%, p < 0.0001), and symptomatic (54% vs. 21%, p < 0.0001). The effectiveness of receiving two doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection was 94.7% (95% CI: 89.9–97.2) in our HD population. The findings of this study support the importance of using the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in chronic HD patients to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in such a high-risk population.
An Immunological Review of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Vaccine Serology: Innate and Adaptive Responses to mRNA, Adenovirus, Inactivated and Protein Subunit Vaccines
Authors: Al-Sheboul Suhaila A. , Brown Brent , Shboul Yasemin , Fricke Ingo , Imarogbe Chinua , Alzoubi Karem H.
Published: December 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, which is defined by its positive-sense single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) structure. It is in the order Nidovirales, suborder Coronaviridae, genus Betacoronavirus, and sub-genus Sarbecovirus (lineage B), together with two bat-derived strains with a 96% genomic homology with other bat coronaviruses (BatCoVand RaTG13). Thus far, two Alphacoronavirus strains, HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63, along with five Betacoronaviruses, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-OC43, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, have been recognized as human coronaviruses (HCoVs). SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in more than six million deaths worldwide since late 2019. The appearance of this novel virus is defined by its high and variable transmission rate (RT) and coexisting asymptomatic and symptomatic propagation within and across animal populations, which has a longer-lasting impact. Most current therapeutic methods aim to reduce the severity of COVID-19 hospitalization and virus symptoms, preventing the infection from progressing from acute to chronic in vulnerable populations. Now, pharmacological interventions including vaccines and others exist, with research ongoing. The only ethical approach to developing herd immunity is to develop and provide vaccines and therapeutics that can potentially improve on the innate and adaptive system responses at the same time. Therefore, several vaccines have been developed to provide acquired immunity to SARS-CoV-2 induced COVID-19-disease. The initial evaluations of the COVID-19 vaccines began in around 2020, followed by clinical trials carried out during the pandemic with ongoing population adverse effect monitoring by respective regulatory agencies. Therefore, durability and immunity provided by current vaccines requires further characterization with more extensive available data, as is presented in this paper. When utilized globally, these vaccines may create an unidentified pattern of antibody responses or memory B and T cell responses that need to be further researched, some of which can now be compared within laboratory and population studies here. Several COVID-19 vaccine immunogens have been presented in clinical trials to assess their safety and efficacy, inducing cellular antibody production through cellular B and T cell interactions that protect against infection. This response is defined by virus-specific antibodies (anti-N or anti-S antibodies), with B and T cell characterization undergoing extensive research. In this article, we review four types of contemporary COVID-19 vaccines, comparing their antibody profiles and cellular aspects involved in coronavirus immunology across several population studies.
Cell-Based Manufacturing Technology Increases Antigenic Match of Influenza Vaccine and Results in Improved Effectiveness
Authors: Rockman Steven , Laurie Karen , Ong Chi , Rajaram Sankarasubramanian , McGovern Ian , Tran Vy , Youhanna John
Published: December 2022

To ensure that vaccination offers the best protection against an infectious disease, sequence identity between the vaccine and the circulating strain is paramount. During replication of nucleic acid, random mutations occur due to the level of polymerase fidelity. In traditional influenza vaccine manufacture, vaccine viruses are propagated in fertilized chicken eggs, which can result in egg-adaptive mutations in the antigen-encoding genes. Whilst this improves infection and replication in eggs, mutations may reduce the effectiveness of egg-based influenza vaccines against circulating human viruses. In contrast, egg-adaptive mutations are avoided when vaccine viruses are propagated in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell lines during manufacture of cell-based inactivated influenza vaccines. The first mammalian cell-only strain was included in Flucelvax® Quadrivalent in 2017. A sequence analysis of the viruses selected for inclusion in this vaccine (n = 15 vaccine strains, containing both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase) demonstrated that no mutations occur in the antigenic sites of either hemagglutinin or neuraminidase, indicating that cell adaptation does not occur during production of this cell-based vaccine. The development of this now entirely mammalian-based vaccine system, which incorporates both hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, ensures that the significant protective antigens are equivalent to the strains recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in both amino acid sequence and glycosylation pattern. The inclusion of both proteins in a vaccine may provide an advantage over recombinant vaccines containing hemagglutinin alone. Findings from real world effectiveness studies support the use of cell-based influenza vaccines.
Macrophages as a Potential Immunotherapeutic Target in Solid Cancers
Authors: Mishra Alok K. , Banday Shahid , Bharadwaj Ravi , Ali Amjad , Rashid Romana , Kulshreshtha Ankur , Malonia Sunil K.
Published: December 2022

The revolution in cancer immunotherapy over the last few decades has resulted in a paradigm shift in the clinical care of cancer. Most of the cancer immunotherapeutic regimens approved so far have relied on modulating the adaptive immune system. In recent years, strategies and approaches targeting the components of innate immunity have become widely recognized for their efficacy in targeting solid cancers. Macrophages are effector cells of the innate immune system, which can play a crucial role in the generation of anti-tumor immunity through their ability to phagocytose cancer cells and present tumor antigens to the cells of adaptive immunity. However, the macrophages that are recruited to the tumor microenvironment predominantly play pro-tumorigenic roles. Several strategies targeting pro-tumorigenic functions and harnessing the anti-tumorigenic properties of macrophages have shown promising results in preclinical studies, and a few of them have also advanced to clinical trials. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the pathobiology of TAMs and their role in the progression of solid malignancies. We discuss various mechanisms through which TAMs promote tumor progression, such as inflammation, genomic instability, tumor growth, cancer stem cell formation, angiogenesis, EMT and metastasis, tissue remodeling, and immunosuppression, etc. In addition, we also discuss potential therapeutic strategies for targeting TAMs and explore how macrophages can be used as a tool for next-generation immunotherapy for the treatment of solid malignancies.
Advancements in Cancer Immunotherapies
Authors: Roy Ruchi , Singh Sunil , Misra Sweta
Published: December 2022

Recent work has suggested involvement of the immune system in biological therapies specifically targeting tumor microenvironment. Substantial advancement in the treatment of malignant tumors utilizing immune cells, most importantly T cells that play a key role in cell-mediated immunity, have led to success in clinical trials. Therefore, this article focuses on the therapeutic approaches and developmental strategies to treat cancer. This review emphasizes the immunomodulatory response, the involvement of key tumor-infiltrating cells, the mechanistic aspects, and prognostic biomarkers. We also cover recent advancements in therapeutic strategies.
La genómica, una herramienta para el mejoramiento contínuo de la efiencia reproductiva
Authors: Taipe Taipe María Verónica , Caiza de la Cueva Francisco Iván , Aranguren Méndez José Atilio
Published: December 2022

En la rentabilidad de las explotaciones pecuarias, tiene vital importancia la eficiencia reproductiva del hato y particularmente del toro, ya que se enmarca como un parámetro importante dentro de la producción animal, debido a que ayudan a mejorar la calidad de la progenie y alcanzar altos niveles de productividad. El estudio de los genes y la caracterización genético-molecular de las especies a través de la identificación de secuencias y de marcadores genéticos, así como su correlación con dichas características se ha convertido en una herramienta útil para la selección asistida por marcadores, lo que permite elejir ejemplares con alta eficiencia reproductiva, en cualquier etapa de su desarrollo, acelerando los procesos de mejoramiento genético. Las relaciones existentes entre genes y los rasgos reproductivos del toro han sido poco estudiados o no se conoce los avances científicos hasta la fecha, por esto se hizo una recopilación de las investigaciones realizadas hasta el momento, para identificar los genes relacionados con la eficiencia reproductiva del toro. Se estima que 2000 genes, están involucrados en espermatogénesis, la mayoría se expresan en el testículo participando en los procesos reproductivos del toro, así también 65 genes se expresaron en embriones derivados de toros de alta fertilidad con alta tasa de concepción. Los genes más estudiados son: GnRHR, hormona de crecimiento, CATSPER, protamina 1 y 2, TSPY, glutatión-S-transferasa (GST), glutatión-S-transferasa M1 (GSTM1), PARK2, GALNT13, CYCS, TFB2M, MEPCE, NDUFA1 y SFXN4.
An Experimental Study to Improve Solar Heating Water Using PCM and Integrated with Helical Heat Exchanger
Authors: Fahad Fahad , Koc Ibrahim
Published: December 2022

Solar energy can only be used when it's sunny outside. Therefore, solar heating is only efficient during the day and decreases at night or on overcast days. Consumer energy needs have a distinct seasonal structure, and solar energy cannot completely meet those needs. In order to satisfy customer demand, energy storage is essential. In order to maximize the use of solar energy and to increase the energy and efficiency of the solar absorption system, superior thermal properties of sophisticated materials, such as phase change materials, are important [1]. In the current study, 20 kg of phase change material (PCM) is integrated with solar water heating and fed into a storage tank to enhance the solar water heating efficiency. Helical coil heat exchangers were added to the storage tank as an external load. The trials were conducted in four separate months (September 2021, April, May, and June 2022) that were chosen on the first day. The effectiveness, heat gain, and significance of the phase change material in increasing heating efficiency throughout the day were studied using a range of variables, including water volume flow rate (2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 L/min) and inlet water temperature (25, 30, and 35 °C). The results showed that, given an initial temperature of 25 °C, the daily efficiency range, was 0.58 to 0.65, and that the daily final outlet temperature was enhanced outlet temperature over 65 °C. Additionally, on all test days, the heat released by the phase change material was audible in the evening and increased the utilization time.
Behaviour of New Curved in Plan Composite Reinforced Concrete Beams
Authors: Witwit Dolfocar , Jasim Nabeel
Published: December 2022

New composite reinforced concrete beams, in which reinforced concrete component is connected to steel T-section, are proposed. The stirrups of the beam were utilized as shear connectors by passing them through drilled holes in the web of the steel T-section. Experimental test and numerical analysis were conducted to determine the behaviour of such beams when subjected to combined shear, torsion, and bending stresses. Full scale one conventional reinforced concrete curved in plan beam C1, and four composite reinforced concrete ones, C2 to C5, were tested. The degree of shear connection between the two components of beams C2 to C5 was changed by varying the number of stirrups which are used as shear connectors. The increase in load carrying capacity of the composite reinforced concrete beams reached 55 % for beam C4 as compared to that of ordinary reinforced concrete beam. The experimental results demonstrated that the stirrups are very effective in providing the interaction between the two components of the beams. The degree of shear connection emerged not to have effect on the behaviour of tested beams. Three-dimensional finite element analysis was conducted using commercial software ABAQUS. To model the shear connection in composite reinforced concrete beam, the stirrups were connected to the web of the steel T-section by springs at the location of the stirrups. Good agreement is obtained between the results of the experimental tests and the finite element analysis.
Thermal Analysis of a Perforated Vertical Wellbore
Authors: Mohammed Haider , Sultan Hussein , Khazal Emad
Published: December 2022

A numerical simulation of the effect evaluation of heat loss and temperature distribution along the wellbore is performed, for two models, the first is an open hole (without perforation) and the other is a perforated vertical wellbore. In this study, the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software code ANSYS FLUENT 15.0 has been used, for simulate a model of 3-D turbulent flow with stander k-ϵ model. The results of this show that, increasing the heat losses leads to an increase in the temperature gradient, while the temperature gradient decreases with increasing inlet main velocity. Also, the temperature of the produced crude oil decreases with increasing the length of the wellbore.
Effect of Spanwise Semicircular Groove on NACA 0012 Airfoil
Authors: Almusawi Mahdi , Rishack Qais , Al-fahham Mohammed
Published: December 2022

The efficiency of an airfoil can be improved by adjusting its surface. CFD software was used to investigate a 2D airfoil with and without a spanwise semicircular groove on the upper surface. NACA0012 airfoils with and without grooves were analyzed using the k-ω turbulence model. The lift and drag coefficients were used to compared. To investigate the effect of groove location on airfoil efficiency, a groove was added in various locations and compared to a smooth airfoil. The flow velocity remained constant at 20 m/s at all angles of attack (AOA). According to this study, which used ANSYS software to simulate it numerically, the presence of a semicircular groove affects the aerodynamics of the airfoil, resulting in an improved efficiency coefficient of lift, which has risen by 2.25 percent, while the drag coefficient has decreased by 4.32 percent.
Study the Effect of Quenching and Tempering Conditions on the Fatigue Coefficients for Low Carbon Steel
Authors: Hassan Azzam , Almtori Safaa , Nema Atef
Published: December 2022

Four groups of AISI 1020 specimens were heat-treated at 850 °C in a muffle furnace for 30 minutes then quenched in oil. The samples were tempered at 400 °C with a time period for each group as (group B, 2 hours), (group C, 3 hours), and (group D, 4 hours). The mechanical properties of the samples were studied using universal tensile testing equipment and a Brinell hardness testing machine. The hardness values of the quenched samples were calculated from a given modified equation. The torsional fatigue behavior of AISI 1020 was discovered in this investigation for heat-treated specimens and compared with the original specimens. All groups were subjected to an analysis using an optical microscope. Pearlite is formed when is heated in the austenitic region and then cooled below a lower critical temperature. It was concluded that the heat treatment increases the hardness for the specimens while decreased the shear fatigue ductility coefficient. Also, the heat treatment increased the shear fatigue strength coefficient. Furthermore, increasing in the time period of the tempering process was leaded to decrease the coefficient of shear fatigue strength and increased the coefficient of shear fatigue ductility.
Effect of Phase Change Material and Roof Shading on Cooling Load of Residential Unit in Basrah
Authors: Naser Haider , Hammadi Salman
Published: December 2022

In several countries, residential buildings are responsible for high energy consumption. The majority of energy is consumed on air conditioning to ensure maximum indoor comfort. In Iraq, the demand for electricity increases significantly, especially during the summer for cooling purposes. In this paper, two technologies are proposed for buildings to reduce the cooling load. These approaches included the use of phase-changing materials (PCM) in different locations in the walls and roof, in addition to roof shading by galvanized iron. The effects of these proposals were simulated in the latest software tool (designbuilder) and compared with the standard building model. The results were clear when PCM was installed on the outer surface of the wall and roof, which achieved the highest reduction in the cooling load of about 18 %. While the roof shading method using corrugated galvanized iron proved its effectiveness by decreasing the cooling load to 5 % compared to the standard case.
Effect of Defects Parameters of Welded Joints on Fatigue Life using Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Abdullatif Laila , Saleh Nathera
Published: December 2022

The present investigation's main goal is to assess butt joint and T-joint plates containing misalignment, undercut and porosity welding defects by studying the influence of the defect’s parameters on the fatigue life. The fatigue life is predicted using ANSYS ver. 19 Software. The results of finite element analysis are used in the regression analysis to find relationship between the fatigue life and defects parameters. The findings demonstrated that finite element modeling and the pervious published experimental tests were in good agreement with maximum error percentage 4 %. The fatigue life differed substantially depending on the defect’s parameters.
Numerical Analysis of Slotted Wings Using Fluid-Structure Interaction
Authors: Hassan Makarim , Laftah Rafil , Ismael Muneer
Published: December 2022

For shorter landing and take-off path in airports, the aircrafts should reduce their speed with keeping high lifting force. This paper is to identify solutions to increase the lift force of the wing significantly under several flight scenarios (such as takeoff and landing) using leading-edge slats and their relationship with the dynamic parameters of the aerodynamic wing. The study is performed by the use of ABAQUS 2016 software. The problem is solved for turbulent flow and 2-dimensional composite wing at constant Reynolds’s number of (6.49 × 105) and constant boundary conditions. Various depths have been used for the auxiliary airfoil at constant width and gap. All stresses at the wing base were obtained. The pressure distribution on the airfoil surface was determined, air velocity distribution was tracked over the surface, lift and drag forces and their coefficients were computed. The results show that the highest value of the lift coefficient is 0.489 at the depth (-3 %) of the wing chord, it decreases when the depth of the slat becomes zero %, and the rise returns with increasing depth to (4 %), but it does not reach the maximum value, while the highest drag coefficient was (1.89) at depth (4 %) of the wing chord. The maximum value of Von Mises stress was found at depth of 4 % with value of 1.605 × 105 Pa.
The Impact of the Corona Pandemic on the Size of Provisions and Reserves in Jordanian Islamic Banks
Authors: Jumah Khaled , Zakarneh Samer , Khasawneh Yehea , Saadeh Abdullah
Published: December 2022

The study aimed to find out the difference between the average Provisions and Reserves of Jordanian Islamic Banks during the years 2018 and 2021, before and after the Corona Pandemic. The study consisted of the three Jordanian Islamic Banks. The study followed the descriptive approach and the T-test for two related samples Test. The study found that; Although there is a strong correlation between the income tax provision before and after the Corona Pandemic, the Pandemic did not have a significant impact on the average Provisions and Reserves as a whole, before and after the Corona Pandemic. The study also showed that the size of the Islamic Bank was affected by a positive relative change before and after the Corona Pandemic, and this may be attributed to the nature of the operations of Jordanian Islamic Banks. The study recommended the importance of building Provisions and Reserves in Islamic Banks, according to the actual need for Islamic bank operations.
The Role of Distance Learning in Educational Achievement of Zarqa University Students during the Coronavirus Pandemic
Authors: Al-Ananbah Ahmad , Al-Tahat Othman
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to investigate the role of distance learning in educational achievement of Zarqa University students during the Coronavirus pandemic. The population of the study consisted of all male and female students at Zarqa University in Jordan. The sample included (120) students representing the population. The study adopted the analytical descriptive approach, and data was collected through questionnaire. Findings of the study included the following: the total score of the questionnaire, from the perspectives of sample members, was rated high; the lack of statistically significant differences at the significance level of (0.05) among the opinions of sample members on the axes of the questionnaire as a whole, as regards the variables of gender and educational level. Recommendations of the study include the following: seeking to exchange international experiences through distance learning media; the necessity of increasing students' desire and motivation for distance learning; and working in spreading technical culture to help establish an electronic community capable of keeping in pace with the developments of the present time.
Local perception on the impacts of biodiversity conservation on livelihood activities in Old Oyo national park, Nigeria
Authors: Oluyinka Oloyede Osunsina Israel , Monsuru Shittu Oiawale , Alade Yisau Muideen , Kabiru Adebowale Taiwo , Adekunle Ogunjinmi Anthony , Osunsina Olujide
Published: December 2022

The study examined the socio-economic activities of rural communities in Old Oyo National Park and their perception towards conservation. Ten villages were randomly chosen from the five ranges based on their proximity to the park. A total of one hundred and fifty-two (152) structured questionnaire were administered to obtain information from the local community. The questionnaire was designed to elicit information on the livelihood practices and the impacts of the park on their livelihoods. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The major occupations of the respondents around the park were farming (25.7%), trading (22.4%), Artisan (19.1%), and Students (12.5%). The results showed that the majority of the respondents were male (69.1%) while 31.9% were female. Many of the respondents (39.5%) experience a loss of right/control over protected resources. The result further revealed that the respondents (28.9%) experienced the loss of traditional access to the park, with  serious impact on the livelihood of the respondents. Chi-square analysis showed that there is an association between gender (χ2 = 1.857 p<0.05)  and perceived access to natural resources. The result further showed a significant relationship between the respondents’ perceived access to the park-related resources and their marital status (χ2 = 10.184 p<0.001), indicating that marital status positively affected their perception of the park resources. It is, therefore, recommended that there should be training on alternative sources of livelihood and also sensitize the communities about the needs for conservation.
Importância relativa das variáveis preditoras no processo de modelagem da produtividade florestal
Authors: Henrique Breda Binoti Daniel , Garcia Leite Helio , Carlos Lima de Andrade Valdir , da Conceição Marcio , Felix de Barros Filho Nairam , Machado Pires Leonardo , Otávio Rodrigues Pinto Luiz , Fernandes Araujo Paes Thuliany
Published: December 2022

A modelagem do crescimento e produção florestal é um grande desafio para os gestores florestais em função da grande quantidade de variáveis envolvidas e da importância das estimativas geradas para a tomada de decisão no empreendimento florestal. Diversos métodos estatísticos e de inteligência artificial podem ser utilizados visando a verificação da importância das variáveis e seleção das mesmas para o processo de modelagem florestal. Neste estudo é demostrado o uso do método de perturbação em modelos de Redes Neurais Artificiais na definição da importância relativa de variáveis preditoras (silviculturais, climáticas e de manejo) da produtividade de povoamentos de eucalipto ao final da rotação (produção florestal). Foram utilizados dados de 320 talhões de plantios de eucalipto localizados no norte do Estado de Minas Gerais, com idade superior a sete anos. A precipitação distribuída em diversas idades e o teor de argila do solo foram as variáveis de maior importância para a predição do volume na idade de corte.
The effect of international relations on democratization of Turkey between 2002-2010 during justice and development party rule
Authors: Bilgin Recep , Ekici Seydali , Sezgin Fatih
Published: December 2022

Democratization takes place under different conditions in every country. The social structure and that of state play important roles, and there are many other internal and external factors for this process. Turkey also went through different phases for democratization processes. This is a qualitative study and formed by reviewing related literature and evaluating. It focuses on external factors between 2002 and 2010 because there was a struggle and long-lasting conflicts between secular elites and conservative democrats during this time. With the help and encouragement of European Union (EU), Justice and Development Party governments were able to eliminate the status quo inherited from 1980 military coup. Although democratization of Turkey proceeded with the effect of many different factors, the effect of international relations in this era was priceless for the governments of that time. Especially Turkey’s candidate process to membership of EU enforced conditionality by these countries. Even more the ruling party consented to democratize. Under the control of them, Turkey made a relatively smooth transition to more democratic state.
Courtyard Housing: A Mid-Density Alternative House-Type
Authors: Turner David
Published: December 2022

The main objectives of housing policy in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland are to increase the city’s density and to increase its total stock of affordable housing. In the current market, family housing for lower-priced mid-density intensification projects is typologically limited to two low-rise alternatives. These are terraced housing at the lower density ranges and small walk-up apartment blocks in the higher scales. From recent practice it is apparent that both typologies have reached their maximum possible site densities, and that further increases can only be gained at the cost of unacceptable residential standards. To diversify market options, this paper suggests that a third house-type, the mid-density courtyard, could be more widely used. Although a rarity in Aotearoa New Zealand’s cities, it is a house type well-suited to our climate, and it is characteristically private, secure, and buildable using standard practices in the housing industry. The paper argues that in a period of domestic price indicators rising but property price inflation showing signs of receding, architects and developers could consider an additional house-type: one that is widely used elsewhere and that has advantages in Aotearoa New Zealand’s culture of urban housing. Conclusions suggest that the courtyard house-type has not been sufficiently explored in mid-density developments and that more examples would prove the merits of this alternative.
Günübirlik Kapadokya Turunda Ziyaret Noktaları ve Turist Rehberlerinin Verdiği Bilgiler
Authors: MISTIK Selçuk , ÇEŞMECİ Nihat
Published: December 2022

Amaç ve Önem: Bu çalışmanın amacı, Kapadokya Bölgesi'nde en sık uygulanan ve “Kırmızı Tur” olarak adlandırılan günübirlik turda: (a) durulacak yerlerin; (b) bu yerlerde anlatım yapılan noktaların; (c) anlatımlarda kullanılan kaynakların ve (d) anlatılan konuların tespit edilmesidir. Bu konuda elde edilecek bulgular ışığında gelecekte bu tur ve benzeri turlarda güzergâh ve rehberlerce verilen bilgiler konusunda mümkün olduğunca bir standardın oluşturulmasına ve turu gerçekleştirecek rehberlere tur planlaması ve yönetiminde ve bilgilendirmede de yol gösterici bir kaynak oluşturacağı düşünülmektedir.Yöntem: Konuyla ilgili öncelikle literatür taraması yapılmış ve amaç doğrultusunda buradan yola çıkılarak görüşme formu oluşturulmuştur. Bölgede tecrübeli olan beş rehberle yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme gerçekleştirilmiş ve kaydedilmiştir. Sonrasında kayıtlar çözümlenmiş ve veriler içerik analizi ile manuel olarak analiz edilmiştir.Bulgular: Turda en sık uğranılan yerlerin Göreme Açıkhava Müzesi, Güvercinlik Vadisi, Üç Güzeller, Devrent ve Paşabağ gibi çekicilikler olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bazı rehberlerin turda Zelve, Çavuşin, Ürgüp, Mustafapaşa ve Saruhan gibi çekiciliklere hiç gitmediği ortaya çıkmıştır. Anlatım yapılan çekiciliklerin en önemlisinin Göreme Açıkhava Müzesi olduğu ve rehberlerin, misafirlerine buraya gelmeden birkaç saat önce detaylı olarak Anadolu kronolojisini anlattıkları tespit edilmiştir. Bölgenin jeolojik yapısının anlatımı için ise Devrent, Üç Güzeller, Esentepe ya da Güvercinlik Vadisi’nin tercih edildiği belirlenmiştir.Özgünlük/Bilimsel Katkı: Rehberlerin turdaki bilgilendirme rolünü ele alan ve özellikle tura hazırlık ve planlamayı kapsayan çalışmalar sınırlıdır. Bu çalışmanın, tur planlama, gerçekleştirme ve rehberlik mesleğine yönelik uygulamalar konusunda yazındaki boşluğu doldurmaya yönelik bir katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir. Bunun yanı sıra, bölge ile ilgili turların düzenlenmesinde bir yol gösterici olarak seyahat acentalarına ve bu turlarda hizmet veren tecrübesiz turist rehberlerine de yol gösterici olacağı umulmaktadır.Sınırlılıklar: Çalışmada sadece destinasyondaki odaya üye olan rehberler dâhil edilmiştir. Araştırmaya dâhil edilen katılımcı sayısının az olması da çalışmanın diğer önemli bir kısıtlılığı olarak değerlendirilebilir.Anahtar Kelimeler: Kapadokya, günlük tur, turist rehberi, tur planlama, bilgilendirme
Turist Rehberliği Eğitiminde Türk İşaret Dili İncelemesi
Authors: ALTUN Selin , KİZİLİRMAK İsmail , ESER Seçkin
Published: December 2022

Amaç ve Önem: İşitme engelli bireylerin turizm ve seyahat faaliyetlerine katılımları, diğer engelli bireylere göre sınırlı gereksinimlerle gerçekleştirilebilir. İşitme engelli bireylerin turizm faaliyetlerine katılımlarının daha az olması, turist rehberlerinin işaret dili bilme düzeylerinin yüksek olmaması ile ilintilidir. Bu araştırmanın amacı Türkiye’de yükseköğrenim düzeyinde turist rehberliği eğitimi veren ön lisans, yüksekokul, fakülte ve Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığının izni ile TUREB tarafından açılan sertifika programlarının ders müfredatlarının incelenerek işaret dili eğitimine yönelik herhangi bir ders olup olmadığının belirlenmesidir. Böylece, işitme engelli turistlerin aldıkları turist rehberliği hizmetinde işaret dili yeterliliğinin ortaya konması amaçlanmıştır. Turist rehberliği hizmetinin işitme engelli bireylere yönelik daha etkin verilebilmesi için yol haritası çizilmiştir.Yöntem: Araştırma kapsamında nitel araştırma yöntemi temel alınarak doküman analizi tekniği kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada öncelikle turist rehberliği eğitimi ile ilgili literatür taraması yapılmıştır. Buradan yola çıkarak araştırmada kullanılan veriler üniversitelerin web sitelerinin ve ders müfredatlarının titizlikle incelenmesi yolu ile elde edilmiştir. 2020-2021 Eğitim-öğretim yılı sürecinde, Türkiye’de turist rehberliği alanında eğitim veren birimlerin ders müfredatlarında işaret dili dersi incelemesi yapılmıştır. Ayrıca TUREB tarafından verilen sertifika programları dersleri de incelenerek araştırmaya dahil edilmiştir.Bulgular: Turist rehberliği eğitimi veren yükseköğrenim kurumları bünyesindeki 12 üniversitenin “Türk İşaret Dili” eğitimine seçmeli ders olarak müfredatlarında yer verdiği görülmüştür. Ayrıca ilgili konuda yapılan kavramsal araştırmada, çalışma sonuçları ve önerileri kapsamında, işaret dili bilen rehberlerin olması gerekliliğinin vurgulandığı açıkça görülmektedir.Özgünlük/Bilimsel Katkı: Araştırma, hem Türkiye turizminde önemli rol oynayan turist rehberlerinin eğitimine yeni bir bakış açısı kazandıracak hem de işitme engelli bireylerin seyahate katılmaları önünde sorun olarak görülen “Türk İşaret Dili” bilmeyen rehberlerin yetişmesine olanak sağlayacak öneriler sunmaktadır.Anahtar Kelimeler: Turist rehberliği, eğitim, türk işaret dili, müfredat