Abstract: Multi-residue analysis method for penicillins was
developed and validated in bovine muscle, chicken, milk, and flatfish.
Detection was based on liquid chromatography tandem mass
spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). The developed method was validated for
specificity, precision, recovery, and linearity. The analytes were
extracted with 80% acetonitrile and clean-up by a single
reversed-phase solid-phase extraction step. Six penicillins presented
recoveries higher than 76% with the exception of Amoxicillin
(59.7%). Relative standard deviations (RSDs) were not more than
10%. LOQs values ranged from 0.1 and to 4.5 ug/kg. The method was
applied to 128 real samples. Benzylpenicillin was detected in 15
samples and Cloxacillin was detected in 7 samples. Oxacillin was
detected in 2 samples. But the detected levels were under the MRL
levels for penicillins in samples.
Abstract: We demonstrate through a sample application, Ebanking,
that the Web Service Modelling Language Ontology component
can be used as a very powerful object-oriented database design
language with logic capabilities. Its conceptual syntax allows the
definition of class hierarchies, and logic syntax allows the definition
of constraints in the database. Relations, which are available for
modelling relations of three or more concepts, can be connected to
logical expressions, allowing the implicit specification of database
content. Using a reasoning tool, logic queries can also be made
against the database in simulation mode.
Abstract: The volume of biosolids produced in Malaysia
nowadays had increased proportionally to its population size. The end
products from the waste treatments were mounting, thus inevitable
that in the end the environment will be surrounded by the waste. This
study was conducted to investigate the suitability of biosolids to be
reused as fertilizer for non-food crop. By varying the concentration of
biosolids applied onto the soil, growth of five ornamental plant
samples were tested for eight consecutive weeks. The results show
that the pH of the soil after the addition of biosolids ranges from 6.45
to 6.56 which is suitable for the plant growth. The soil samples that
contains biosolid also show higher amount of macronutrients (N, P,
K) and the heavy metals content are significantly increased in the
plant however it does not exceed the guidelines drawn by the
Environmental Protection Agency. It is also proven that there was
only small significant different in the performance of plant growth
between biosolids and commercial fertilizer. It can be seen that
biosolids was able to perform just as well as commercial fertilizer.
Abstract: In this paper, experimental testing and numerical analysis were used to investigate the effect of tube thickness on the face bending for concrete filled hollow sections connected to other structural members using Extended Hollobolts. Six samples were tested experimentally by applying pull-out load on the bolts. These samples were designed to fail by column face bending. The main variable in all tests is the column face thickness. Finite element analyses were also performed using ABAQUS 6.11 to extend the experimental results and to quantify the effect of column face thickness. Results show that, the column face thickness has a clear impact on the connection strength and stiffness. However, the amount of improvement in the connection stiffness by changing the column face thickness from 5mm to 6.3mm seems to be higher than that when increasing it from 6.3mm to 8mm. The displacement at which the bolts start pulling-out from their holes increased with the use of thinner column face due to the high flexibility of the section. At the ultimate strength, the yielding of the column face propagated to the column corner and there was no yielding in its walls. After the ultimate resistance is reached, the propagation of the yielding was mainly in the column face with a miner yielding in the walls.
Abstract: In the planning point of view, it is essential to have
mode choice, due to the massive amount of incurred in transportation
systems. The intercity travellers in Libya have distinct features, as
against travellers from other countries, which includes cultural and
socioeconomic factors. Consequently, the goal of this study is to
recognize the behavior of intercity travel using disaggregate models,
for projecting the demand of nation-level intercity travel in Libya.
Multinomial Logit Model for all the intercity trips has been
formulated to examine the national-level intercity transportation in
Libya. The Multinomial logit model was calibrated using nationwide
revealed preferences (RP) and stated preferences (SP) survey. The
model was developed for deference purpose of intercity trips (work,
social and recreational). The variables of the model have been
predicted based on maximum likelihood method. The data needed for
model development were obtained from all major intercity corridors
in Libya. The final sample size consisted of 1300 interviews. About
two-thirds of these data were used for model calibration, and the
remaining parts were used for model validation. This study, which is
the first of its kind in Libya, investigates the intercity traveler’s
mode-choice behavior. The intercity travel mode-choice model was
successfully calibrated and validated. The outcomes indicate that, the
overall model is effective and yields higher precision of estimation.
The proposed model is beneficial, due to the fact that, it is receptive
to a lot of variables, and can be employed to determine the impact of
modifications in the numerous characteristics on the need for various
travel modes. Estimations of the model might also be of valuable to
planners, who can estimate possibilities for various modes and
determine the impact of unique policy modifications on the need for
intercity travel.
Abstract: An area-integrating method that uses the technique of total integrated light scatter for evaluating the root mean square height of the surface Sq has been presented in the paper. It is based on the measurement of the scatter power using a flat photodiode integrator rather than an optical sphere or a hemisphere. By this means, one can obtain much less expensive and smaller instruments than traditional ones. Thanks to this, they could find their application for surface control purposes, particularly in small and medium size enterprises. A description of the functioning of the measuring unit as well as the impact caused by different factors on its properties is presented first. Next, results of measurements of the Sq values performed for optical, silicon and metal samples have been shown. It has been also proven that they are in a good agreement with the results obtained using the Ulbricht sphere instrument.
Abstract: This research is aimed to compare the percentages of correct classification of Empirical Bayes method (EB) to Classical method when data are constructed as near normal, short-tailed and long-tailed symmetric, short-tailed and long-tailed asymmetric. The study is performed using conjugate prior, normal distribution with known mean and unknown variance. The estimated hyper-parameters obtained from EB method are replaced in the posterior predictive probability and used to predict new observations. Data are generated, consisting of training set and test set with the sample sizes 100, 200 and 500 for the binary classification. The results showed that EB method exhibited an improved performance over Classical method in all situations under study.
Abstract: Erroneous computer entry problems [here: 'e'errors] in hospital labs threaten the patients-–health carers- relationship, undermining the health system credibility. Are e-errors random, and do lab professionals make them accidentally, or may they be traced through meaningful determinants? Theories on internal causality of mistakes compel to seek specific causal ascriptions of hospital lab eerrors instead of accepting some inescapability. Undeniably, 'To Err is Human'. But in view of rapid global health organizational changes, e-errors are too expensive to lack in-depth considerations. Yet, that efunction might supposedly be entrenched in the health carers- job description remains under dispute – at least for Hellenic labs, where e-use falls behind generalized(able) appreciation and application. In this study: i) an empirical basis of a truly high annual cost of e-errors at about €498,000.00 per rural Hellenic hospital was established, hence interest in exploring the issue was sufficiently substantiated; ii) a sample of 270 lab-expert nurses, technicians and doctors were assessed on several personality, burnout and e-error measures, and iii) the hypothesis that the Hardiness vs Alienation personality construct disposition explains resistance vs proclivity to e-errors was tested and verified: Hardiness operates as a resilience source in the encounter of high pressures experienced in the hospital lab, whereas its 'opposite', i.e., Alienation, functions as a predictor, not only of making e-errors, but also of leading to burn-out. Implications for apt interventions are discussed.
Abstract: In present study, two kinds of thermal power plant ashes; one the fly ash and the other waste ash are mixed with adhesive tragacanth and cement to produce new composite materials. 48 new samples are produced by varying the percentages of the fly ash, waste ash, cement and tragacanth. The new samples are subjected to some tests to find out their properties such as thermal conductivity, compressive strength, tensile strength and sucking capability of water. It is found that; the thermal conductivity decreases with increasing amount of tragacanth in the mixture. The compressive, tensile strength increases when the rate of tragacanth is up to 1%, whilst as the amount of tragacanth increases up to 1.5%, the compressive, tensile strength decreases slightly. The rate of water absorption of samples was more than 30%. From this result, it is concluded that these materials can not be used as external plaster or internal plaster material that faces to water. They can be used in internal plaster unless touching water and they can be used as cover plaster under roof and riprap material in sandwich panels. It is also found that, these materials can be cut with saw, drilled with screw and painted with any kind of paint.
Abstract: The purpose of the present study is to determine the level of reading habit of future classroom teachers, to discuss the obtained results according to their socio-demographic features and to define the factors which are influential on taking up reading in the context of future teachers experiences. The target population of the study consists of the fourth grade students at 62 faculties of education, department of classroom teaching from Turkish state universities. The sampling of the study consists of the fourth grade students from seven faculties of education, department of classroom teaching from each region. In the study, in the first and the second aspects, there will be a questionnaire to be developed concerning the measurement of future teachers level of reading habits and their socio-demographic features. The questionnaire was applied to all the students in the sample.
Abstract: The present work deals with the stabilisation of
organic clay using hydrated lime. Artificial organic clays were
prepared by adding kaolin and different humic acid contents. Results
given by physical testing show that the presence of humic acid has a
drawback effect on the untreated organic clay. The decrease in
specific gravity value was accompanied by a decrease in dry density
and plasticity of clay at higher humic acid contents. Significant
increase in shear strength at 7 days of curing period is observed in the
lime-treated samples up to 5% lime content. However shear strength
of lime-treated organic clay decreases at longer curing periods. The
results given by laboratory testing is further verified by
microstructure analysis. Based on the results obtained in this study, it
can be concluded that the presence of more than 1.5% humic acid
reduces significantly the efficiency of lime stabilization in organic
clays.
Abstract: The principal objective of a water treatment plant is to
produce water that satisfies a set of drinking water quality standards
at a reasonable price to the consumers. The gravel-bed flocculator
provide a simple and inexpensive design for flocculation in small
water treatment plants (less than 5000 m3/day capacity). The packed
bed of gravel provides ideal conditions for the formation of compact
settleable flocs because of continuous recontact provided by the
sinuous flow of water through the interstices formed by the gravel.
The field data which were obtained from the operation of the
water supply treatment unit cover the physical, chemical and
biological water qualities of the raw and settled water as obtained by
the operation of the treatment unit. The experiments were carried out
with the aim of assessing the efficiency of the gravel filter in
removing the turbidity, pathogenic bacteria, from the raw water. The
water treatment plant, which was constructed for the treatment of
river water, was in principle a rapid sand filter.
The results show that the average value of the turbidity level of
the settled water was 4.83 NTU with a standard deviation of turbidity
2.893 NTU. This indicated that the removal efficiency of the
sedimentation tank (gravel filter) was about 67.8 %. for pH values
fluctuated between 7.75 and 8.15, indicating the alkaline nature of
the raw water of the river Shatt Al-Hilla, as expected. Raw water pH
is depressed slightly following alum coagulation. The pH of the
settled water ranged from 7.75 to a maximum of 8.05.
The bacteriological tests which were carried out on the water
samples were: total coliform test, E-coli test, and the plate count test.
In each test the procedure used was as outlined in the Standard
Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater (APHA,
AWWA, and WPCF, 1985). The gravel filter exhibit a low
performance in removing bacterial load. The percentage bacterial
removal, which is maximum for total plate count (19%) and
minimum for total coliform (16.82%).
Abstract: The effect of chemical treatment in CdCl2 and thermal
annealing in 400°C, on the defect structures of potentially useful
ZnS\CdS solar cell thin films deposited onto quartz substrate and
prepared by vacuum deposition method was studied using the
Thermoluminesence (TL) techniques. A series of electron and hole
traps are found in the various deposited samples studied. After
annealing, however, it was observed that the intensity and activation
energy of TL signal increases with loss of the low temperature
electron traps.
Abstract: Temperature dependence of force of gravitation is one
of the fundamental problems of physics. This problem has got special
value in connection with that the general theory of relativity,
supposing the weakest positive influence of a body temperature on its
weight, actually rejects an opportunity of measurement of negative
influence of temperature on gravity in laboratory conditions. Really,
the recognition of negative temperature dependence of gravitation,
for example, means basic impossibility of achievement of a
singularity («a black hole») at a gravitational collapse. Laboratory
experiments with exact weighing the heated up metal samples,
indicating negative influence temperatures of bodies on their physical
weight are described. Influence of mistakes of measurements is
analyzed. Calculations of distribution of temperature in volume of the
bar, agreed with experimental data of time dependence of weight of
samples are executed. The physical substantiation of negative
temperature dependence of weight of the bodies, based on correlation
of acceleration at thermal movement of micro-particles of a body and
its absolute temperature, are given.
Abstract: In this paper, an Interactive Compromise Approach
with Particle Swarm Optimization(ICA-PSO) is presented to solve the
Economic Emission Dispatch(EED) problem. The cost function and
emission function are modeled as the nonsmooth functions,
respectively. The bi-objective including both the minimization of cost
and emission is formulated in this paper. ICA-PSO is proposed to
solve EED problem for finding a better compromise solution. The
solution methodology can offer a global or near-global solution for
decision-making requirements. The effectiveness and efficiency of
ICA-PSO are demonstrated by a sample test system. Test results can
be shown that the proposed method provide a practical and flexible
framework for power dispatch.
Abstract: This paper develops the fiscal health index of 21 local
governments in Taiwan over the 1984 to 2010 period. A quantile
regression analysis was used to explore the extent that economic
variables, political budget cycles, and legislative checks and balances,
impact different quantiles of fiscal health index for a country over a
sample period of time. Our findings suggest that local governments at
the lower quantile are significantly benefited from political budget
cycles and the increase in central government revenues, while
legislative effective checks and balances and the increase in central
government expenditures have a significantly negative effect on local
fiscal health. When local governments are in the upper tail of the
distribution, legislative checks and balances and growth in
macroeconomics have significant and adverse effects on the fiscal
health of local governments. However, increases in central
government revenues have significant and positive effects on the
health status of local government in Taiwan.
Abstract: In Southeast Asia, during the dry season (August to
October) forest fires in Indonesia emit pollutants into the atmosphere.
For two years during this period, a total of 67 samples of 2.5 μm
particulate matters were collected and analyzed for total mass and
elemental composition with ICP - MS after microwave digestion. A
study of 60 elements measured during these periods suggest that the
concentration of most of elements, even those usually related to
crustal source, are extremely high and unpredictable during the haze
period. In By contrast, trace element concentration in non - haze
months is more stable and covers a lower range. Other unexpected
events and their effects on the findings are discussed.
Abstract: The presence of heavy metals in the environment
could constitute a hazard to food security and public health. These
can be accumulated in aquatic animals such as fish. Samples of four
popular brands of canned fish in the Iranian market (yellowfin tuna,
common Kilka, Kawakawa and longtail tuna) were analyzed for level
of Cr after wet digestion with acids using graphite furnace atomic
absorption spectrophotometry. The mean concentrations for Cr in the
different brands were: 2.57, 3.24, 3.16 and 1.65 μg/g for brands A, B,
C and D respectively. Significant differences were observed in the Cr
levels between all of the different brands of canned fish evaluated in
this study. The Cr concentrations for the varieties of canned fishes
were generally within the FAO/WHO, U.S. FDA and U.S. EPA
recommended limits for fish.
Abstract: Considering toxicity of heavy metals and their
accumulation in domestic wastes, immobilization of lead and
cadmium is envisaged inside glass-ceramics. We particularly
focused this work on calcium-rich phases embedded in a
glassy matrix.
Glass-ceramics were synthesized from glasses doped with
12 wt% and 16 wt% of PbO or CdO. They were observed and
analyzed by Electron MicroProbe Analysis (EMPA) and
Analytical Scanning Electron Microscopy (ASEM). Structural
characterization of the samples was performed by powder XRay
Diffraction.
Diopside crystals of CaMgSi2O6 composition are shown to
incorporate significant amounts of cadmium (up to 9 wt% of
CdO). Two new crystalline phases are observed with very
high Cd or Pb contents: about 40 wt% CdO for the cadmiumrich
phase and near 60 wt% PbO for the lead-rich phase. We
present complete chemical and structural characterization of
these phases. They represent a promising way for the
immobilization of toxic elements like Cd or Pb since glass
ceramics are known to propose a “double barrier" protection
(metal-rich crystals embedded in a glass matrix) against metal
release in the environment.
Abstract: This paper reports the tensile fracture location
characterizations of dissimilar friction stir welds between 5754
aluminium alloy and C11000 copper. The welds were produced using
three shoulder diameter tools; namely, 15, 18 and 25 mm by varying
the process parameters. The rotational speeds considered were 600,
950 and 1200 rpm while the feed rates employed were 50, 150 and
300 mm/min to represent the low, medium and high settings
respectively. The tensile fracture locations were evaluated using the
optical microscope to identify the fracture locations and were
characterized. It was observed that 70% of the tensile samples failed
in the Thermo Mechanically Affected Zone (TMAZ) of copper at the
weld joints. Further evaluation of the fracture surfaces of the pulled
tensile samples revealed that welds with low Ultimate Tensile
Strength either have defects or intermetallics present at their joint
interfaces.