Use of Stone Dust in the Design of High Performance Concrete

This research evaluated the suitability of stone dust in the design and production of High Perfor-mance Concrete (HPC). HPC mix was designed, tested, costed and a comparison of concrete classes used in the market (Class 25, 30 and 35) done using Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA). The cost benefit was analyzed using Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV). Laboratory tests established the properties concrete obtained from the design mix. Compressive strength, slump, and modulus of elasticity were tested and analyzed. Structural analysis using BS 8110 was done for a 10 storey office building to establish the structural member sizes. Members obtained from concrete Classes 25, 30, 35 and the new compressive strengths from HPC (Class 80) were obtained and compared. Analysis was done for structural members’ sizes and area freed as a result of de-signing with HPC as well as the steel reinforcement used. To justify the initial cost of HPC if ado- pted, the Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) was used to estimate increased costs versus income resulting from increased let table space created. The minimum class of concrete used in design was limited to Class 25 N/mm2. The research shows that it is possible to manufacture high strength concrete using locally available stone dust. The stone dust sampled from Mlolongo quarries achieved a characteristic strength of 86.7 N/mm2 at a water cement ratio of 0.32. With the results structural analysis of a 10 storey office structures with columns spaced at 8 meters center to center was de-signed using the four classes and results compared. There was a reduction of columns from 1.2 m wide to 0.65 m wide (over 45%) when concrete class changes from Class 25 to Class 80 creating over 3% of the total space area per floor. Cost benefit analysis using Net Present Value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) presented business case for the use of HPC. With Class 80, the IRR was at 3% and NPV being 8% of the total initial investment. The steel reinforcement increased by 8.64% using Class 30, 11.68% using Class 35 and reduced by 8.37% at Class 80. Further analysis needs to be done to understand the trend of steel reinforcement keeping all the member sizes the same. In this study the member sizes were optimized based on the steel reinforcement and serviceability. This paper provides useful information to design Engineers and Architects and inform future design of multi storey structures.

From EBIT to SEBIT(Sustainable EBIT):Sustainable Performance Accounting(SPA)Using the Example of CO_(2) Accounting

Corporate sustainability reporting has become increasingly important in recent years.However,conventional approaches reach their limits when it comes to quantifying and measuring the actual sustainability performance of a company.This article presents a new approach:Sustainable Performance Accounting(SPA),which is based on an extension of bookkeeping by including ESG bookkeeping.SPA enables companies to systematically measure and manage their sustainability performance.The article provides an overview of the basics of SPA methodology and uses a comprehensive example showing how SPA can be implemented in practice.The article is aimed at interested readers from science and practice as well as decision-makers who are interested in future-oriented sustainability reporting.

Photosynthetic Water Use Efficiency of Heritage and Modern Potatoes under Limited and Unlimited Water Environments

Photosynthetic capacity for heritage (Taewa) and modern potato cultivars were compared at different water and nitrogenregimes in the glasshouse and field. The glasshouse was 2*2*4 factorial design with two irrigation: 100% ET and 60% ET;two applied N: 50 kg N ha-1 and 200 kg N ha-1, two Taewa (Moe Moe, Tutaekuri) and two modern potatoes (Moonlight, Agria). The 2009/2010 field experiment was a split-plot, with irrigation and rain-fed regimes as the main treatments: four potatoes above were sub-treatments. The 2010/2011 field experiment was a split-split-plot, with three water regimes as the main treatments: three cultivars (Moe Moe, Tutaekuri, and Agria) were subplots;two N rates were sub-sub-treatments. Gaseous exchange was measured by CIRAS-2 at different days from emergence. Leaf water potential was measured using pressure chamber method. Taewa achieved high photosynthetic WUE in glasshouse and 2010/2011 experiment by maintaining high An, low gs and low Ci compared to modern cultivars (p The An, gs and T increased with irrigation and N increase while decreasing Ci (p < 0.01). Water stress significantly increased VPD resulting in low An and photosynthetic WUE in Moonlight in the glasshouse. The leaf water potential for Taewa was very tolerant while modern potatoes were weakened by water stress. The study indicated that Taewa can be scheduled at partial irrigation without more detrimental effects on photosynthetic capacity while modern potatoes need full irrigation to avoid detrimental effects on photosynthetic capacity.

Performance Testing of Tractor Hydraulic Fluids to Simulate In-Use Conditions

Tractor hydraulic fluids are tested to maximize their performance levels and to ensure manufacturer′s standards are met.Common tractor hydraulic fluid tests include: Gear Wear Protection,Brake Chatter Reduction,Wet-Clutch Capacity,and Pump Performance tests.These tests are run by Southwest Research Institute,in the U.S.A.,for tractors built by John Deere and Case-New Holland.This paper details current methods for evaluating tractor hydraulic fluids.The tests that are described utilize full size equipment and were developed by the tractor′s original equipment manufacturers(OEMs).

Effective use of the Japan Narrow Band Imaging Expert Team classification based on diagnostic performance and confidence level

Five years have passed since the Japan Narrow Band Imaging Expert Team (JNET) classification was proposed in 2014. However, the diagnostic performance of this classification has not yet been established. We conducted a retrospective study and a systematic search of Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System On-Line. There were three retrospective single center studies about the diagnostic performance of this classification. In order to clarify this issue, we reviewed our study and three previous studies. This review revealed the diagnostic performance in regards to three important differentiations.(1) Neoplasia from non-neoplasia;(2) malignant neoplasia from benign neoplasia;and (3) deep submucosal invasive cancer (D-SMC) from other neoplasia. The sensitivity in differentiating neoplasia from non-neoplasia was 98.1%-99.8%. The specificity in differentiating malignant neoplasia from benign neoplasia was 84.7%-98.2% and the specificity in the differentiation D-SMC from other neoplasia was 99.8%-100.0%. This classification would enable endoscopists to identify almost all neoplasia, to appropriately determine whether to perform en bloc resection or not, and to avoid unnecessary surgery. This article is the first review about the diagnostic performance of the JNET classification. Previous reports about the diagnostic performance have all been retrospective single center studies. A large-scale prospective multicenter evaluation study is awaited for the validation.

The Evil of ‘Reciting’

First of all it is necessary to point out that 'reciting' is the wrong term for what Chinese students are often asked to do when they are learning English. The correct terms are, 'learning by heart' or 'rote learning'. In this article the term 'rote learning' will be used.……

The assessment of time dependent flow of Williamson fluid with radiative blood flow against a wedge

The present pagination reports both Brownian diffusion and thermophoresis aspects subject to magneto hydrodynamic Williamson fluid model.Assuming the flow is unsteady and blood is treated as Williamson fluid over a wedge with radiation.The governing equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations by using similarity variables.The analytical solutions of the transformed governing equations are obtained by using the RK 4th order method along with shooting technique solver.The effects of various physical parameters such as Hartmann number,local Weissenberg number,radiation parameter,unsteadiness parameter,Prandtl number,Lewis number,Brownian diffusion,thermophoresis,wedge angle parameter,moving wedge parameter,on velocity,temperature,concentration,skin friction,heat transfer rate and mass transfer rate have been discussed in detail.The velocity and temperature profile deprives for larger We and an opposite trend is observed for concentration.The radiation parameter is propositional to temperature and a counter behaviour is observed for Pr.

Transformation of User Interface to Activity Models and Assessing Performance of WA/WS

Quality of Service is an important attribute of a software system. In retrospect, performance assessment based on user interaction with the system has given a better understanding of underlying disciplines of the product. In this paper, we capture user interaction with the prototype/User Interface (UI). An approach for developing activity model from the user interface model is presented using workflows and functional elements. A methodology is proposed to transform UI into activity diagram. The approach is validated by an experimental setup using Amazon service. The performance of Amazon service is assessed using activity based performance prediction methodology, and the simulation results are obtained using SMTQA.

Analysis of Waste-Rock Transportation Process Performance in an Open-Pit Mine Based on Statistical Analysis of Cycle Times Data

In this paper, the performance of a waste rock transportation process in an open pit mine was assessed by using cycle time data. A computerized truck-excavator dispatch system was used to record the cycle times. The process was broken into seven steps (or components of the total cycle), durations of which were recorded for a period of 1 month, leading to N = 60,690 data points or dispatches. The open pit mine studied consisted of 12 waste types loaded by 14 excavators and hauled by 49 trucks (at a trucks-to-excavator ratio of 3.5:1) in 75 changing locations. The string-type data was coded using integers to allow a FORTRAN code to extract process performance parameters using statistical analysis. The study established a wide range of parameters including: the waste material generation rate (about 1.73 million t/month, 81% comprising waste rock), truck fill factor, f, total cycle time (Tct), production capacity, theoretical cycle time, non-productive cycle time Tnp, and cycle time performance ratio (CTPR), denoted as Tpr. The factors affecting the process performance include: truck model, excavator model, location (haul distance and road conditions) and material type. For a fixed material type and tonnage, the PDFs of the cycle time components were logarithmic in nature, capable of differentiating performance variations under different factors. It was concluded that the performance of the waste material transportation system in this mine was determined to be acceptable due to mean value of Tpr = 2.432 being closer to unity. Reduction measures were suggested to minimize the cycle time for the process bottlenecks determined from Pareto analysis (that is, full haul, empty haul and loading processes).

Analysis of Use and Outcomes of Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC-Line) in Hemato-Oncological Patients

Aims: To audit the use and outcomes of using PICC lines in hemato-oncological patients. Objectives: To study the demographics of patients: ?studying the use of PICC line in hemato-oncological patients;studying the rate of complications in PICC line;studying the cause of early removal of PICC line. Methods: All PICCs inserted in adult hemato-oncological patients in Hematology and Medical Oncology Department of Health Care Global (HCG) Hospital were studied prospectively, as per the proforma, till PICCs were removed or patient expired and the pattern of complications were noted. Results: Eighty-four PICCs were inserted over a period of initial nine months and followed for a total of 1 year with three months post insertion duration for a total of 10,868 catheter-days (mean of 129 days i.e. 4.3 months, range: 1 to 288 days). The most common indication for PICC was chemotherapy (100%). Among them 19 (22%) PICCs had complications and 12 were removed at the rate of 1.1/1000 PICC-days. Complications with haematologic malignancies were more as compared to those with solid tissue malignancies. Conclusions: Despite significant complication rates, PICCs are a relatively safe and cost effective mode of establishing central venous access.

Investigation of Excavator Performance Factors in an Open-Pit Mine Using Loading Cycle Time

This study presents the effect of excavator model, loading operation location, shift availability and truck-shovel combination on loading cycle time and productivity of an open-pit mine. The loading cycle time was used to assess the material loading system performance which is one of the key components of the total cycle time for material transportation in an open-pit mine. Loading is among the components of cycle time during which material is being handled. The data analyzed?was?collected from a computerized dispatch system at GGM from which 62,000 loading dispatches per month involving several shifts, 14 excavators and 49 trucks were loaded. About 4465 dispatches per excavator and 1276 dispatches per truck were assessed using loading cycle time data for each dispatch for a period of four months (between August and December). Under fixed tonnage loaded and waste type (33 t of non-acid forming waste rock),?it was observed that loading cycle time depends on excavator model, location and truck being loaded. Average cycle times, PDFS?and CDFS of loading cycle time series were used to identify differences in performance under different situations. It was concluded that shift availability for excavators, loading location, excavator model and truck-shovel combinations strongly affect the productivity during loading process in an open-pit mine.

A Study on Theoretical Model and Applied Evaluation of Land Use Performance of High-tech Zone in Urban Fringe: A Case Study in Haidian District, Beijing

High-tech industrial zone is an important carrier for constructing innovative cities. It also plays an important role in implementing the national independent innovative strategy. How-ever, most of the high-tech industrial zones have many problems in their development process, such as efficiency of land use, weakness of oriented function and lack of land intensive. To solve these problems, the authors of this paper introduced the concept of land use performance and established the theoretical model to assess the land use performance of high-tech industrial zones. The model consists of the following three-dimensional parts: land use benefit, land use efficiency and innovative function. Based on this theory model, an index system which was composed of three secondary indictors, eight tertiary indictors and 37 fourth-grade indictors was set up to evaluate the land use performance of high-tech zone. To avoid the defects of plus model and function model, the authors brought out a three-dimensional evaluation model to examine the index of the land use performance of the high-tech industrial parks, which equals to the evaluation indicator system of land use performance of high-tech zone based on the above research. The authors examined the land use performance of five different high-tech industrial parks in Haidian District, Beijing City. The results indicated that the indicator system per-forms better in the aspect of evaluating land use benefit, land use efficiency and function of the high-tech industrial zone compared with other models.

Soil water resources use limit in the loess plateau of China

Soil water is a key factor limiting plant growth in water-limited regions. Without limit of soil water used by plants, soil degradation in the form of soil desiccation is easy to take place in the perennial forestland and grassland with too higher density or productivity. Soil water resources use limit (SWRUL) is the lowest control limit of soil water resources which is used by plants in those regions. It can be defined as soil water storage within the maximum infiltration depth in which all of soil layers belong to dried soil layers. In this paper, after detailed discussion of characteristics of water resources and the relationship between soil water and plant growth in the Loess Plateau, the definition, quantitative method, and practical applications of SWRUL are introduced. Henceforth, we should strengthen the study of SWRUL and have a better understanding of soil water resources. All those are of great importance for designing effective restoration project and sustainable management of soil water resources in water- limited regions in the future.

Performance in Caribbean and African Literatures as Subversion of the Colonial Order

In the past oral Caribbean and African cultures,performances by the“griots”reminded the community of its heroic past.In colonial studies,performance is a way for the colonized people to reconnect with its original soul and language and to become magnificent of creativity like the storyteller Solibo in Chamoiseau’s Solibo Magnifique(Caribbean).In Chamoiseau’s novel,the Black policemen who came to investigate on Solibo’s sudden death during the performance look grotesque.They mimic the French colonizers with their“baton”and their racism at thinking evil of the Black community and they provoke laughter.Mimicry and the irony it conveys,subverts the formerly ironclad authority of the colonial order(Homi K.Bhabha in Location of Culture).The Cameroonian writer Werewere Liking-Gnépo also warns the Africans of the danger of wearing the White Mask of the colonizers(like Fanon in Black Skin,White Masks).She demonstrates in her Song/Novel She will be of Jasper and Coral,that while the African Mask empowers the performer of metaphysical powers,the White Mask of colonialism on the contrary weakens the performer who internalizes his inferiority and becomes complicit of his subjugation.Fortunately,Werewere Liking-Gnépo shows ithat the White Mask of colonialism can be used to mimic the harshness and corruption of the Colonial order and in doing so to bring back regeneration of Africa.

温度和热驯化对胡氏大生熊虫运动行为的影响

The beneficial acclimation hypothesis (BAH) predicts that animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced performance or fitness at that temperature in comparison with animals acclimated to other temperatures. The BAH has been tested by a variety of empirical examinations, and was rejected by some of them. In order to provide new evidences for the BAH, the effects of acute and acclimation temperature (AT) on locomotor performance of Macrobiotus hufelandi (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae) were investigated. The tardigrades were collected from Nanwutai, Qinling Mountains which traverse from west to east in central China. The subjects were acclimated to either 2℃ or 22℃ for 2 weeks. The animal was transferred onto a frosted slide and allowed to walk freely at the performance temperature (PT) 2℃ or 22℃. Only one individual was tested per test bout, which lasted from three to five minutes. To avoid occurrence of thermal acclimation effect, the standard adaptation time was limited to 1.5 min. Each subject was tested for once at the same PT, and was tested only at one PT. A total of 25 individuals were tested and measured at the same PT. The locomotor performance of the animals was recorded with a digital video camera mounted on a microscope at 4×10 amplification and replayed on a PC. Every subject was identified. Walking speed (WS) and percentage of time moving (PTM) at both PTs (2℃ or 22℃) were selected as the rate parameters of locomotor performance. The two-way repeated measures ANOVA with a significance level of α= 0.05 and Duncan multiple range test were used to analyze the data. WS of the animals acclimated to and tested at the same temperatures was significantly faster than that for animals acclimated to and tested at the different temperatures, similarly, PTM of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly greater than PTM of animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 2℃, which indicated that the animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced locomotor performance in that temperature relative to the animals acclimated to that temperature in other thermal environment. WS of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly faster than WS of animals acclimated to 2℃ and tested at 22℃, PTM of the animals acclimated to 22℃ and tested at 22℃ was significantly greater than PTM of animals acclimated to 2℃ and tested at 22℃. These results supported the BAH. It could be concluded that the PT and thermal acclimation as well as the interaction between the PT and AT significantly influence the locomotor performance of M.hufelandi, and that, despite the existence of a few results of this study that don’t support the BAH, some results of this study support for this hypothesis, and that the animals acclimated to a particular temperature have enhanced locomotor performance in that temperature relative to the animals acclimated to that temperature in other thermal environment, implying that any performance temperature that deviates from the acclimation temperature could cause the reduction of the walking speed which is closely related to the fitness of the M.hufelandi.

Model of Universe as Described by Dynamic Universe Model

In this paper we will see the model of Universe according to Dynamic Universe Model of Cosmology by visualizing various processes that are happening in the Universe as per experimental evidences. For simplifying the matter here, we will see in part 1: about the Galaxy life cycle, where the birth and death of Galaxies discussed. Probably Universe gives guidance for the movement of Galaxies. We call this Part 1: Thinking and Reproducing Universe or Mindless Universe? (Galaxy life cycle). We see every day Sun, Stars, Galaxies etc., dissipating enormous energy in the form of radiation by the way of fusion of Hydrogen to helium. So after sometime all the Hydrogen is spent and Universe will die, is it not? … Dynamic Universe Model says that the energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation passing grazingly near any gravitating mass changes in frequency and finally will convert into neutrinos (mass). Hence Dynamic Universe Model proposes another process where energy will be converted back into matter and the cycle energy to mass to energy continues, sustaining the Universe to maintain this present status for ever in this form something like a Steady state model without any expansion. This we will see in Part 2: Energy - Mass - Energy Cycle. After converting energy into mass “how various elements are formed and where they are formed?” will be next logical question. Dynamic Universe Model says that these various particles change into higher massive particles or may get bombarded into stars or planets and various elements are formed. Here we bifurcate the formation of elements into 6 processes. They are for Elementary particles and elements generated in frequency changing process, By Cosmic rays, By Small stars, By Large Stars, By Super Novae and Manmade elements By Neutron Stars. This we will discuss in Part 3: Nucleosynthesis.

EXACT SOLUTION FOR RECTANGULAR SLAB WITH THREE EDGES SIMPLY-SUPPORTED AND OTHER FREE

In this paper,we give all-sided pastic analysis of the rectangular slab with three edges simply-supported and other free.Here we discuss the following four cases:(1)The uniformly distributedload over the area a slab.(2).A concentrated load act at midpoint of free edges slab.(3)A concen-trated load act at the center a slab.(4)The line load act along free edge of slab.

Augmenting the Heat Sink for Better Heat Dissipation

Heat sinks were invented to absorb heat from an electronic circuit conduct, and then to dissipate or radiate this heat to the surrounding supposedly, ventilated space, at a rate equal to or faster than that of its buildup. Ventilation was not initially recognized as an essential factor to thermal dispersion. However, as electronic circuit-boards continued to heat up, circuit failure became a problem, forcing the inclusion of miniaturized high speed fans. Later, heat sinks with fins and quiet fans were incorporated in most manufactured circuits. Now heat sinks come in the form of a fan with fans made to function as fins to disperse heat. Heat sinks absorb and radiate excess heat from circuit-boards in order to prolong the circuit’s life span. The higher the thermal conductivity of the material used the more efficient and effective the heat sink is. This paper is an attempt to theoretically design a heat sink with a temperature gradient lower than that of the circuit board’s excess heat.

Quantitative Comparative Study of the Performance of Lossless Compression Methods Based on a Text Data Model

Data compression plays a key role in optimizing the use of memory storage space and also reducing latency in data transmission. In this paper, we are interested in lossless compression techniques because their performance is exploited with lossy compression techniques for images and videos generally using a mixed approach. To achieve our intended objective, which is to study the performance of lossless compression methods, we first carried out a literature review, a summary of which enabled us to select the most relevant, namely the following: arithmetic coding, LZW, Tunstall’s algorithm, RLE, BWT, Huffman coding and Shannon-Fano. Secondly, we designed a purposive text dataset with a repeating pattern in order to test the behavior and effectiveness of the selected compression techniques. Thirdly, we designed the compression algorithms and developed the programs (scripts) in Matlab in order to test their performance. Finally, following the tests conducted on relevant data that we constructed according to a deliberate model, the results show that these methods presented in order of performance are very satisfactory:- LZW- Arithmetic coding- Tunstall algorithm- BWT + RLELikewise, it appears that on the one hand, the performance of certain techniques relative to others is strongly linked to the sequencing and/or recurrence of symbols that make up the message, and on the other hand, to the cumulative time of encoding and decoding.