bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Building a predictive model to improve the quality of government building construction projects in Iraq using Multi Linear Regression technique
Authors: ALFahham Ahmed F. H. , Alajeeli Hatem K. B. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Quality measurement is an important tool for quality improvement. Due to the lack of tools and methods used to measure quality, quality improvement in construction projects is difficult. As a result of the high cost of construction projects for public buildings and the lack of improved tools for measuring quality, there is an urgent need to develop new models. This study aims to provide necessary information for owners, project managers, designers, and contractors to determine the main and secondary factors that have a major impact on improving the quality of construction projects for government buildings and reduce maintenance. This study also contributes to building a predictive model to measure the quality of these projects, and a literature review and interviews were conducted. A personal figure to collect a list of factors affecting the quality of government building projects, and the resulting factors were subject to a survey that was sent to owners, project managers, and engineers working on general construction projects in Iraq. Adoption of the technique of multiple linear regression in the modeling process and determining the most important factors that affect the quality of the project.
Using the uniaxial tension test to satisfy the hyperelastic material simulation in ABAQUS
Authors: Esmail Jihan F. , Mohamedmeki Mohammed Z. , Ajeel Awadh E. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSince, hyperelastic materials, such rubber, are widely used in different life fields principally in engineering of elastomeric bearing pads. The present study aims to determine a suitable constitutive model dependent on strain energy potential which can characterize hyperelastic material behavior through uniaxial tension test only. Built-in ABAQUS software constitutive hyperelastic models are used to fit the experimental results of the uniaxial tension test, check the stability and obtain the material coefficients. The used models are that of Mooney-Rivlin, Polynomial, Neo-Hookean, Yeoh and Ogden. The results revealed that Polynomial, Ogden and then Yeoh models are convenient to fit the hyperelastic behavior of the rubber material while Mooney-Rivlin and Neo-Hookean models have a slight ability of fitting limited to the early stage of the linear behavior of the material.
The flow and transport parameter estimation of groundwater in a laboratory-scale sand tank aquifer
Authors: AL-Chlaibawi Shaymaa H , Gzar Hatam A 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
A laboratory study was conducted on groundwater reservoir to characterize the hydrogeological conditions and performance of wells in an unconfined aquifer using laboratory experiments and real-–time groundwater level data. A single-well step-drawdown pumping test was conducted using a two-dimensional sand tank aquifer model, followed by Hunts–Bierschenk’s graphical analyses. The step-drawdown pumping test revealed 25% well losses and 75% aquifer losses, demonstrating high well efficiency, while the well efficiency value of 75% indicated that the well was appropriately designed and developed. The laboratory results suggested that the contact point of the aquifer’s laminar flow and well-face had only slight turbulent flow. A well development factor of 0.46 reflected the effective development of the well. The hydraulic conductivity (K) value was 0.037cm/s. Our approach thus demonstrated the potential of the pumping test of a single-well step-drawdown at the laboratory scale for the estimation of safe and sustained yield from the well for groundwater exploitation within an unconfined aquifer under similar conditions in the future.
Flexural-Creep Stiffness of Asphalt Binders Measured by Simple Developed Apparatus
Authors: Abedali Abdulhaq Hadi , Kareem Yassir Nashaat A. , Jebur Yasir Mohammed , Abed Mohammed A , Almaali Yassir Abo , Fahem Fatimah , Badri Rawand M. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
As the climate temperature decreases, the flexible pavement will be subjected to high tensile stresses which exceeding to the movement resistance of asphalt binder leading to low temperature cracking. SHRP identified a Bending Beam Rheometer (BBR) for measuring the value of flexural-creep stiffness of asphalt binder at low temperatures which consider this value a good indicator for resistance of low-temperature cracking. This study developed a method for measuring the flexural-creep stiffness of asphalt binder by modification of an apparatus instead of Bending Beam Rheometer due to its expensive cost and unavailable in most research laboratories. A (40-50) penetration grade of asphalt binder used in this study at different test temperatures (-5, 0, 5)°C. The experimental results indicate to the modified apparatus and developed test is suitable for testing an asphalt binder at different temperature and loading time.
Waste time activity determination to improvement process in the Construction environment
Authors: Kh.Shati Hayfaa Abed , Breesam Hatem Khaleefah 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Waste effects inter-reliant with productivity, the Waste measurement is essential in the management of production systems, because it is an effective way to evaluate their performance. Maine aim for this paper is diagnoses the waste time factors and examined to eliminate them in the implementation ‘the tests assess the performance of the process accomplished by finding the waste time on the two case studies, the observations have been taken in Baghdad using forms developed by researchers specifically designed based on the fundamentals of work-study methods and Work measurement techniques including (Activity sampling observations sheet, the flow process chart, and foremen survey form.) the wasted time causes defined clearly inclusion the performance of general efficiency also determining the Invaluable and unnecessary activities ratio that contribute in the waste of implementation a general regression model had been made for these factors showing the power of their association. The calculations shown the Mismanagement of the site and Choosing an inefficient contractor is most significant. while the conduct of activities the direct work is 56%, and the unnecessary activities by 25.75%, that’s the activity type should target for mitigation to increase the efficiency of the construction process from Wasted Tim reduction.
Environmental and social sustainable operation for parking lots within the Hilla central business district (CBD)
Authors: Medlol Sadiq G. , Alwash Ali A. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Central Business District (CBD) is the undisputed center of traffic development resulting from growing industry and economic activity. Attracts people from various parts of the city as well as its area to shop and leisure services. To achieve the objective of this research the Central Commercial Area, Sector 2 in Hilla, was selected to evaluate the sustainability process on the basis of environmental and social indicators for car parks (20 parking lots), as well as identifying the level of service for the pedestrian sidewalks for three roads (Street 60, Street 40 and Bab al-Hussein). The methodology of this research can be summarized by obtaining field data for the volumes of pedestrian traffic using the imaging process, and vehicle parking data (air pollutants from vehicle exhausts, noise level and a number of accidents) through collaboration with relevant government institutions. This work is developing a method for achieving a sustainable composite index for the available information. The indicators are incorporated into environmental, social and economic indicators in a composite sustainable index in a way that overcomes the restrictions of normalization, weight, and aggregation. The results of the composite sustainable transportation index for car parking sustainability range from very low level (2 parking), low level (4 parking), moderate level (12 parking) and high level (2 parking). While the study concluded that the level of service for pedestrian sidewalks is of type (D) for Bab Al-Hussein Street and type (A) for Street 60 and Street 40.
Mechanical Properties of Steel Fiber –Waste Marble Aggregate Concrete
Authors: AL-Baghdadi Waseem H. , Al-Hussaini Osama M. , Al-Assady Fadhl A. , Jabal Qusay A. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
In this research, the enhancement of compressive, tensile and flexural strength of concrete mixtures was explored using both waste white marble instead of aggregate and steel fibers. White marble was mixed with an ordinary Portland cement replacing the mixture of both coarse and fine aggregate by 10%, 50% and 100% of weight. Besides adding the steel fibres to mixture with a total volume of concrete up to 2%. At the age of 28 days of curing, a significant increase of 24.3%, 34.5% and 38.8% was noticed in compressive, tensile and flexural strengths respectively for the replaced aggregate mixtures. Further improvement was gained by adding the steel fiber.
Experimental and Numerical Comparison of Prestressed Perforated Concrete Rafters of Different Configurations
Authors: Alkhafaji F J , Izzet A F 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
This paper demonstrates an experimental and numerical study aimed to compare the influence of openings of different configurations on the flexural behavior of prestressed concrete rafters. The experimental program consisted of testing six simply supported prestressed concrete rafters; 5 rafters are perforated, and the other one is solid as a reference. All rafters were tested under monotonic midpoint load. The variable which has been investigated in this work was the opening’s configuration (quadrilateral or circular) with the same upper and lower chords depths. The results indicate improvement in the beam flexural behavior using the circular openings compared to the quadrilateral openings, represented by increase the ultimate load capacity and decrease in deflection at the service limit. The experimental results of the tested rafters were confirmed by the non-linear finite element software (ABAQUS13.6.1). Comparisons are offered and the good agreement appears between the experimental results and the predictions of finite element analysis in terms of load-deflection and failure loads relationships.
The Effect of polypropylene fibres on the tensile performance of asphalt mixtures for road pavements
Authors: Shanbara Hayder K. , Musa Sarah S. , Dulaimi Anmar 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
The tensile strength of asphalt mixtures is one of the main parameters of deterioration and failure in flexible pavements. Hence, in this study, the effects of reinforcing asphalt mixtures, using polypropylene fibers, on their engineering performance were experimentally investigated. A set of cylindrical specimens of asphalt mixtures was prepared and subjected to a compressive load at different testing temperatures in terms of evaluation of the indirect tensile stiffness modulus. Similarly, fatigue (four-point bending) and crack propagate (three-point bending) tests were conducted for different asphalt mixtures made with and without polypropylene fibres. The impacts of such fibres on the engineering properties of asphalt mixtures were studied. The laboratory results revealed that the reinforced mixtures with polypropylene fibres had a noticeable influence on the tensile, fatigue and cracking initiation and propagation of these mixtures.
Experimentally Flexural Behaviour Study of Steel Beams with Corrugated Webs
Authors: Al-Kannoon Muslim A. , Suhiel Ibtihal A. 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
The corrugated web girders had a wide applications because of its many favourable properties. Such as there is no need for intermediate stiffeners to avoid local buckling of the web and the reduction in web to produce by this technique. This study is an experimental investigation of flexural behaviour of I-section steel beams with corrugated webs and flat flange. The study involved testing six groups of steel beams. Each group consisted of two identical specimens and the average result was taken for compression. The first two groups consisted of standard and built-up I-section beams which served as a control beams. The other four groups content a corrugated web beams with different corrugation profiles (trapezoidal, rectangular, sinusoidal and zigzag). The experimental results showed that flexural contribution of the web does not exceed 7-11% from the total beam bending capacity for all configurations types. The rectangular corrugated web had the higher bending capacity and mid-span deflection among all the corrugation types.
Inclusive Fitness of Male and Facultatively Social Female Nesting Behavior in the Socially Polymorphic Bee,Ceratina australensis(Hymenoptera: Xylocopinae)
Authors: Oppenheimer Robert L , Rehan Sandra M 
Published: August 2020

AbstractMale hymenopterans do not typically provide help with nest construction or maintenance. This is thought to be due to the decreased relatedness of males to their siblings compared to sisters, and selection for outbreeding resulting in male dispersal from natal nesting sites. However, some instances of male ‘helping’ behaviors have been observed and can usually be explained by increased access to mating with resident females. Here we report on the first observations of cohabiting males within the nests of reproductive females of the facultatively social small carpenter bee, Ceratina australensis. Social nesting in C. australensis occurs at a consistently low rate across populations. We used microsatellites markers to determine relatedness, combined with 3 yr of nest demographic data collected across three populations, to assess the relative fitness of reproductive, nonreproductive, and male individuals cohabiting in reproductive nests. We found that males were brothers of reproductive females, both remaining in their natal nest. However, there was no evidence that they were mating with their sisters across all nests observed. Males in reproductive nests did not gain any direct or indirect fitness benefits as they did not sire any brood and their presence did not increase brood productivity or survivorship. It is possible that males were waiting to mate with nieces who had not yet emerged. Why males were tolerated remains unknown. Mating biology is an important consideration in social theory which requires additional empirical studies. Future long-term studies are needed to capture unusual social behaviors including male nesting behaviors.
Practice of Academic Surgical Pathology During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ahmad Zubair , Rahim Shabina , Ud Din Nasir , Ahmed Arsalan 
Published: August 2020

Abstract

Objectives
To determine the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on our service, pre-, and postgraduate education and discuss the measures taken to ensure continued provision of quality service as well as education during the mandatory lockdown.

Methods
Measures taken to protect staff from infection and minimize virus transmission within the department as well as measures taken to allow smooth provision of quality service and uninterrupted pre- and postgraduate education were analyzed. Data were collected regarding case volumes (histology, cytology, and frozen sections) and case complexity during the lockdown and analyzed.

Results
Staggered rota was introduced for all staff. Strict social distancing measures were implemented. Staff was extensively counseled regarding the importance of protective measures. Pre- and postgraduate education, which was temporarily suspended, was quickly resumed using online teaching ensuring continuation of academic activities. The volume of cases decreased during the lockdown but complexity increased even more.

Conclusions
Immediate and effective measures were taken to protect staff from infection and ensure smooth provision of quality services. Measures were quickly taken to ensure resumption of pre- and postgraduate academic activities. The volume of cases decreased but complexity increased. There is fear among faculty and staff regarding the future.
Scopy: an integrated negative design python library for desirable HTS/VS database design
Authors: Yang Zi-Yi , Yang Zhi-Jiang , Lu Ai-Ping , Hou Ting-Jun , Cao Dong-Sheng 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundHigh-throughput screening (HTS) and virtual screening (VS) have been widely used to identify potential hits from large chemical libraries. However, the frequent occurrence of ‘noisy compounds’ in the screened libraries, such as compounds with poor drug-likeness, poor selectivity or potential toxicity, has greatly weakened the enrichment capability of HTS and VS campaigns. Therefore, the development of comprehensive and credible tools to detect noisy compounds from chemical libraries is urgently needed in early stages of drug discovery.ResultsIn this study, we developed a freely available integrated python library for negative design, called Scopy, which supports the functions of data preparation, calculation of descriptors, scaffolds and screening filters, and data visualization. The current version of Scopy can calculate 39 basic molecular properties, 3 comprehensive molecular evaluation scores, 2 types of molecular scaffolds, 6 types of substructure descriptors and 2 types of fingerprints. A number of important screening rules are also provided by Scopy, including 15 drug-likeness rules (13 drug-likeness rules and 2 building block rules), 8 frequent hitter rules (four assay interference substructure filters and four promiscuous compound substructure filters), and 11 toxicophore filters (five human-related toxicity substructure filters, three environment-related toxicity substructure filters and three comprehensive toxicity substructure filters). Moreover, this library supports four different visualization functions to help users to gain a better understanding of the screened data, including basic feature radar chart, feature-feature-related scatter diagram, functional group marker gram and cloud gram.ConclusionScopy provides a comprehensive Python package to filter out compounds with undesirable properties or substructures, which will benefit the design of high-quality chemical libraries for drug design and discovery. It is freely available at https://github.com/kotori-y/Scopy.
Vasectomy and prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis of prospective studies
Authors: Cheng Sheng , Yang Bo , Xu Liwei , Zheng Qiming , Ding Guoqing , Li Gonghui 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Epidemiological cohort studies investigating the association between vasectomy and prostate cancer risk have yielded inconsistent results. The aim of the present meta-analysis is to update the evidence on the association between vasectomy and prostate cancer. A comprehensively literature search of relevant studies was performed in December 2019 using PubMed. A DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used to calculate the summary relative risk (RR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI). A total of 15 eligible cohort studies (16 data sets) with more than four million of participants were eventually included in this meta-analysis. There was a statistically significant higher risk of prostate cancer among men who underwent vasectomy (RR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04–1.13) with obvious heterogeneity among included studies (P &lt; 0.001, I2 = 64.2%). Vasectomy was also associated with the risk of advanced prostate cancer (RR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02–1.13), which is less likely to be affected from detection bias. In conclusion, findings from this meta-analysis of prospective studies indicate that vasectomy may be positively associated with the risk of prostate cancer. Further large prospective studies with long follow-up are warranted to verify the findings from this meta-analysis. In addition, the potential underlying molecular mechanism needed further exploration with in vitro and animal studies.
Normative Analysis of Individual Brain Differences Based on a Population MRI-Based Atlas of Cynomolgus Macaques
Authors: Lv Qiming , Yan Mingchao , Shen Xiangyu , Wu Jing , Yu Wenwen , Yan Shengyao , Yang Feng , Zeljic Kristina , Shi Yuequan , Zhou Zuofu , Lv Longbao , Hu Xintian , Menon Ravi , Wang Zheng 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
The developmental trajectory of the primate brain varies substantially with aging across subjects. However, this ubiquitous variability between individuals in brain structure is difficult to quantify and has thus essentially been ignored. Based on a large-scale structural magnetic resonance imaging dataset acquired from 162 cynomolgus macaques, we create a species-specific 3D template atlas of the macaque brain, and deploy normative modeling to characterize individual variations of cortical thickness (CT) and regional gray matter volume (GMV). We observed an overall decrease in total GMV and mean CT, and an increase in white matter volume from juvenile to early adult. Specifically, CT and regional GMV were greater in prefrontal and temporal cortices relative to early unimodal areas. Age-dependent trajectories of thickness and volume for each cortical region revealed an increase in the medial temporal lobe, and decreases in all other regions. A low percentage of highly individualized deviations of CT and GMV were identified (0.0021%, 0.0043%, respectively, P &lt; 0.05, false discovery rate [FDR]-corrected). Our approach provides a natural framework to parse individual neuroanatomical differences for use as a reference standard in macaque brain research, potentially enabling inferences regarding the degree to which behavioral or symptomatic variables map onto brain structure in future disease studies.
Daratumumab (Anti-CD38) for Treatment of Disseminated Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in a Patient With Anti–Interferon-γ Autoantibodies
Authors: Ochoa Sebastian , Ding Li , Kreuzburg Samantha , Treat Jennifer , Holland Steven M , Zerbe Christa S 
Published: August 2020

Abstract
Patients with autoantibodies to interferon-γ (IFN-γ) may develop severe nontuberculous mycobacterial infections. We describe the novel use of daratumumab in a patient with autoantibodies to IFN-γ who had progressive infection, resulting in clinical and radiographic improvement.
Incidence of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Higher Among People Notified With Markers of Hepatitis C Virus Infection: Population-based Surveillance in Victoria, Australia, 2001–2017
Authors: Gibney Katherine B , MacLachlan Jennifer , Coutts Rachel , Higgins Nasra , Strachan Janet 
Published: August 2020

Abstract

Background
Worse outcomes from invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) have been reported among those coinfected with hepatitis C. We aimed to establish if IPD notification rates are higher among people notified with markers of hepatitis C virus infection than the general population.

Methods
IPD cases notified in Victoria, Australia, from July 2001–December 2017 were linked with hepatitis C cases (diagnosed by serology or PCR testing) notified from January 1991–December 2017. IPD incidence was calculated using population data and the estimated number of Victorians with hepatitis C.

Results
From July 2001–December 2017, 6407 IPD cases were notified. Hepatitis C infection was notified in 342 (5.3%) of IPD cases overall, and 24.4% among IPD cases aged 45–49 years. Among IPD cases also notified with hepatitis C, 55.3% were infected with 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine serotypes and 82.8% with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine serotypes. Compared with IPD cases without hepatitis C, IPD cases also notified with hepatitis C were younger (mean age, 45.7 vs 49.4 years; P = .011) and more often male (65.5% vs 55.5%, P &lt; .001). Annual IPD notification incidence was 6.8/100 000 among people without hepatitis C and 39.4/100 000 among people with hepatitis C (IRR, 5.8; 95% CI, 5.2–6.4; P &lt; .001).

Conclusions
IPD notification incidence was 5 times higher among people notified with markers of hepatitis C than the general population. Pneumococcal vaccination should be offered to people with markers of hepatitis C virus infection. To facilitate appropriate treatment, young and middle-aged adults with IPD should be tested for hepatitis C.