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When fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars are used in concrete structures that are exposed to harsh environments, their service life is extended and the cost of their life cycle is reduced. FRP reinforcing bars are a better alternative to standard steel reinforcing bars. Shear behavior of reinforced concrete structural components is a complicated relationship that is dependent on the growth of interior load-carrying systems, the amount and combinations of these is currently under investigation. Several building regulations and design requirements include methods to calculate the punching shear strength of fiber reinforced concrete slabs. Building code formulae provide for the impact of axis stiffness of major rebars, the impact of slab thickness, the ratio of a crucial section's perimeter to the slab's effective depth, and fiber-reinforced polymer bars or grids on flat slabs' punching shear strength. In order to determine the punching shear capacity of concrete flat slabs reinforced with FRP bars, this research compares experimental data from the literature with building code formulae. In this study, the focus is on the ACI 440.1R-15, CSA S806-12, and JSCE-97. Concrete slabs reinforced with glass, basalt, and carbon fiber reinforced polymer bars are among the experimental examined in this paper. ACI 440.1R-15, CSA S806-12, and JSCE-97 have been demonstrated to be in satisfactory correlation with test findings when it comes to estimating punching shear capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to investigate experimentally the effects of extrusion speed on the die strength and product properties. Three factors related to the die strength are studied, indicated as extrusion load, temperature, and wear rate. A direct cold extrusion process is employed to transfer the circular section bar into a square section with an extrusion ratio of 1.67 using two types of materials; Lead and Aluminum. Three speeds (10, 50, and 150 mm/min) are implemented in the extrusion process. Results show that for the low extrusion speed, the load increased at the beginning with time, then went settled till it became constant during the extrusion process for both two materials. The extrusion load increases significantly by increasing the extrusion speed. The increase in the extrusion speed leads to a change in the behavior of the load–time curve. The temperature and wear rate increased with increasing the extrusion speed depending on the type of billet material. Moreover, the product hardness increases with increasing the speed for all materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid sloshing can be briefly defined is the irregular back and forth oscillation of fluid inside a partially filled container under periodic excitation in variety of direction. According to the pioneer, liquid sloshing is a dominant class of issue with underlying potential ramifications for the safety of liquid transportation systems. Therefore, the investigation on the waveform pattern generated by the liquid sloshing inside container is vital in order to minimize the undesired accident. The objective of this study is to develop a sloshing effect through the downscale container for the investigation of sloshing amplitude by utilization of water level sensor and Gaynes 400V transportation simulator. The circuit combinations with coding were tested and improved through diverse iterations. The ASTM D999-2015 Standard Test Methods for Vibration Testing of Shipping Containers served as the foundation for the design of the entire downscale sloshing experiment. The data collected by water lever sensor circuit were plotted. The results show that the 4 water level sensors indicated that all sensor have a sine wave pattern and was sinusoidal. The sloshing amplitude decay over time due to the damping effect. The corresponding potential and kinetic energy inside the container were stated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigma generally means contrary sentiments that individuals have about specific conditions or qualities that someone may have. In contrast, discrimination conveys the meaning of treating someone or a particular group in the public arena less decently than others. This study aims to determine the level of stigma and discrimination of the public towards COVID-19 patients and suspects. An online questionnaire with 11 items in the demographic section and 11 items was designed to evaluate the level of both stigma and discrimination. The study involved 404 respondents of Malaysian Citizens who are from different states and demographic backgrounds by using the Google Form platform. The amount of survey calculated based on Krejcie and Morgan Table, N=32 000 000, S=384. This study involved 404 respondents. All variables were measured through scales previously used by other researchers. SPSSS ver. 23 software was used in the analysis, and the results of the SPSS indicated that most Malaysian citizens do have a stigma towards the COVID-19 patients and suspects rather than discriminate against them (M=2.07). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arc Stud Welding used to weld studs (electrodes) to base metal directly, has continued to grow recently because of its applications such as, in automotive constructions, steel frameworks, containers and assembling electrical panels. In this research, stud arc welding of Nickel-base alloy with stainless steel (stud) was investigated. Main welding parameters were used; welding current and welding time at constant protrusion. Three levels of welding current (400, 600 and 800A) and fourteen levels of welding times (0.1-0.75 second). The effect of the selected parameters on mechanical properties was studied. It was shown that dissimilar welding of ASTM Inconel 600 to steel stud AISI 431 recorded higher torque strength of 85.74 N.m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In general, consuming recycled materials is considered one of the most important and main solutions to reduce pollution in the environment. To reduce pollution in the environment by using waste materials such as jute fiber, and polyester rope with mortar and investigated the effect of adding this material to the mortar, where, using the mentioned recycled materials reduces the total costs. The paper aims to investigate experimentally the mechanical properties of the mortar when adding various ratios of hybrid fiber. Hybrid fiber including steel fiber, jute fiber, and polyester rope, the adding ratio of the mentioned fiber was (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2) % of the total volume of the mortar, in addition, the mortar without the fiber considers reference mortar. The mechanical properties comprising the compressive strength, flexure strength, density, and water absorption were tested for the prepared mortars. The results conducted that the compressive strength increased with the increment of the ratio of hybrid fiber in comparison with the reference one, where the increment increased to (1.18, 12.17) % for the ratio of (0.5, 2) % respectively of the hybrid fiber of the mortar compared with the reference mortar. The flexure strength and the water absorption increased with the increase of the ratio of hybrid fiber. inconstantly, density decreased with the increment of the ratio of hybrid fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar air heater represents one of the substantial thermal systems that is utilized for collecting the heat of the solar radiation to be used for space air heating and farming products drying. This study aims to investigate the thermal performance of the solar air heater (SAH) with a multiple air pass using different arrangements of the corrugated absorber plate with a metal mesh and phase change material (PCM) as a thermal storage system experimentally. The test rig of SAH was consisted of an external insulated container, absorber corrugated plate, double glass sheets, air fan, and measuring devices. A black-coated corrugated Aluminum sheet of 900 mm in length, 500 mm in width, and thickness of 1 mm was installed inside the SAH container as absorber plate and supplied with 20 kg of Paraffin wax as PCM for thermal storage. Four cases of the SAH with a corrugated absorber plate at different arrangements are evaluated experimentally in April 2022 under Baghdad city climatic conditions to investigate optimal thermal performance of the SAH. Double pass and triple pass air flow SAH are examined in the first and second cases respectively. While a triple pass with a metal mesh and PCM assisted absorber plate are tested in the third and fourth cases respectively. The results revealed that the enhancement in the SAH outlet air temperature for case 4 was 21% compared with other test cases during low solar radiation hours. A relatively low air flowrate of 0.0095 kg/s has reflected a higher outlet air temperature by about 12 % compared with the other air flowrates 0.012 and 0.0134 kg/s considered in this work. Higher thermal efficiency for the solar air heater was 74, 73, 71.6, and 70% for cases 3, 2, 1, and 4 respectively at peak solar radiation hours, while at low solar radiation period, case 4 reflected a higher efficiency by about 15% compared with other test cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cold extrusion procedure for a 13 mm solid rod of aluminum alloy AA 2024 T3 was carried out in this study, employing three molds to generate rods of different diameters (12, 11, and 10 mm), and three passes. Before and after the extrusion process, XRD inspection, microstructure, hardness, and wear tests were evaluated. The adhesion wear specification was investigated using the equipment type a pin on disk was utilized to conduct the wear test with various parameters: sliding times of (5-15 min), applied loads of (0.5 to 2 kg) and sliding distances of (8.6, 12.5 and 16.4 cm) under dry conditions. The results reveal that as the number of extrusion passes increases, the strain hardening increases. Also, as the number of passes increases, the wear rate lowers because of an increase in plastic deformations caused by extrusion. X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals the precipitation phases (AlCu and Al2Cu) that contributed to improving the wear resistance. The results demonstrate that three passes have a higher hardness and wear resistance than the other passes, which impacts wear response. The extrusion procedure aided in decreasing the wear rate. The best wear resistance result was achieved after three extrusion passes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable construction becomes the main agenda in the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. One of the efforts is the material selection that builds the numbers of Embodied Energy (EE) or Embodied Carbon (EC), which is the total energy or carbon consumed throughout the life cycle of the material, starting from production, continue to construction until demolition. The life cycle has been a major consideration in the decision-making of material selection and the construction process. The use of available local materials becomes one of the approaches to achieving low EE for achieving sustainable construction. This study investigated the consideration of using locally available materials in supporting sustainable construction and compared the amount of EE before and after the construction process. The brick wall is determined as the scope for this study and the concept of Just-in-Time (JIT) is also be used to simulate the implementation of lean construction. There are two scenarios investigated in this study, which are construction process without JIT compared with JIT. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches through survey, observations, and focus group discussion (FGD) were applied as the research methodology. Further, the analysis also included the comparison of EE brick wall value on the common construction process and the JIT method. It is found that integrated consideration for sustainable and lean construction supports the achievement of sustainable development, where the implementation of JIT reduces the EE value and cost to improve construction efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human teeth and associated structures were lost as a result of trauma or tooth extraction due to an abscess as a result of aging or unexpected accidents, dentures are produced as dental prosthetic for this reason. Denture fracture has occurred in two cases, fracture of the denture base can occur either inside the mouth as a consequence of repeated chewing forces or as a result of a collision with a solid object, Out-of-mouth denture fracture can occur when the denture is dropped onto a hard surface, even during cleaning, or when coughing or sneezing can result in high-impact pressures. The main objective of this work is to increase properties of dentures against fracture by adding various concentration levels of chopped E-glass fiber (4, 8, and 12 wt. %) the specimens of auto-polymerized acrylic resin were prepared and randomly divided into four group: one is (control) and three repaired groups. One group was repaired with auto-polymerized resin while the other three groups were repaired using auto-polymerized resin reinforced with 4 wt. %, 8 wt. % and 12 wt. % glass fiber. And see how affected the mechanical (impact strength, flexural strength and hardness) and physical (density, water absorption) qualities of PMMA-repaired acrylic resin denture bases. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was employed to observe the fractured surface of the specimens and XRD to relieve the phases which be found in composite. The Reinforcing PMMA with chopped E-glass fiber at different concentration increase flexural and impact value compared to the pure sample. Flexural strength increases from (80.23 MPa) for control sample to (100.59, 97.21, and 95.72 MPa) for chopped E-glass with concentration 4%, 8% and 12% repressively. While impact strength value increased from (9.63KJ/m2) for control PMMA to (14.25 12.03 and 10.33 KJ/m2) repressively. Also the hardness shore D increase from (78.16) for control sample to (81.1, 83.96, and 85.43) repressively. In addition, density and water absorption increase with fiber concentration increase. It's concluded that 4% reinforcement with PMMA showed the maximum compared with other group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation aims to investigate the impact of nickel addition on the mechanical properties of Aluminum-Copper alloy (Al-4%Cu-1.5%Mg). Percentages of nickel %wt. 0, 6, 9, and 13 were additives. The alloys were artificial aging at 250 oC for different periods; 5, 25, 125, 175, 250, and 300 minutes. There were microstructure, hardness, and tensile tests performed. According to the findings of the tensile test, the artificial aging of the alloy improves its ultimate tensile strength, yield stress, and elongation. Adding nickel to the alloy with different percentages improves the above properties compared to the nickel-free alloy. The tensile strength, yield stress, and elongation of an alloy containing 9% nickel and aging in 250 minutes are 240 MPa, 125 MPa, and 10%, respectively, while for a nickel-free alloy, are 70 MPa, 60 MPa, and 0.5% respectively. The results showed that increasing nickel improves mechanical properties, and the best was achieved at 9% of nickel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper provides an experimental study for the recycling of machining chips waste by Friction Extrusion to produce a wire. AA 6061-T6 block was used to produce machining chips by using a CNC milling machine with length, width, and thickness of 3.2, 0.5, and 0.08 mm respectively. A tool steel chamber and a rotating die with a central hole of 2.4 mm were used to produce an extruded wire by frictional heat in a single step. In order to enhance the wire's mechanical properties and with a uniform structure, solution heat treatment followed by artificial aging for different periods of time (30, 60, and 90 min.) was done. Results for the tension test, microhardness test, and microstructure test showed that heat treatment contributed to improving mechanical properties; aging for 60 min. provides the highest results. Due to the production of finely dispersed precipitates, precipitation hardening successfully enhanced the UTS to 388 Mpa with an increase of about 41%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the effect of additives and forward extrusion die profiles on the improvement of mechanical properties of foam aluminum alloy. The sintering and dissolution method was used to produce the foam aluminum alloy, which contains 30% NaCl only, and another alloy with the additive of 1.5% (Mg+Sn). Two forward extrusion dies were designed and manufactured according to concepts of cosine and Bezier curve with a reduced area of 55% and die length of 20 mm. The results show that the additives improved the compressive stress and hardness of the alloy by 10.6% and 10.5%, while these ratios increased to 30.3% and 41.1%, respectively, after extrusion with the Bezier curve profile of the die. Also, the additives improved the energy absorption during the compression test of the alloy by 35%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) was carried out for Nickel-base super alloy (718) under welding conditions using ENi-CI (80) A DC current (DCRP) and 20 volts, ENiCrMO-3 with (85) A, 23 volts, ENiCr-1 with of (83) A, 22 volts A DC current (DCRP) was used and travel speed of 90 mm per minute and welded through three passes. The objective was to evaluate the effect of filler metals; on the mechanical properties and microstructure of joints welding and base metal. Optical microscopy was employed to detect the welded joint microstructure and base metal. Some of the mechanical properties of the welded joint are investigated, for example, micro-hardness and tensile. The phase structure of the bonded joint was investigated and identified using multilayer X-Ray Diffraction analysis. Every analyzed filler alloy sample was alternatively polished. The aim is to properly identify the phases that have formed. By wire cutting close to the junction, the samples were divided into sections, layer (1), layer (2), and layer (3). In this study, an EDS micro-point scan is used to determine the chemical composition of the observed phases in the bond zone as well as the structural profile across the bond. The aim of this research is to shed light assess and study the effect of the Characterize the bond microstructure that is formed during the diffusion arc welding of IN718 using three filler alloys (E NiCrMo-3), (E NiCr-1), and (E Ni-CI). Analyze how the microstructure of the weldment affects its mechanical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on sustainable energy is assisted by a variety of structural and functional materials that have advanced during the past ten years. Functional materials are very effective in the physical processes, whereas structural materials provide the functionality of load support. With the innovative development in the material's electrical, magnetic, optical, or chemical capabilities, multifunctional structures and gadgets are used in a wide variety of applications. Graphene (2D material) to create nanocomposite materials is mostly used functional material, to improve the conductivity and reproducibility of the cathode material. Structural materials are having their limitations hence dense anode materials are used to avoiding such issues like converting, alloy and dealloying process. Ionic liquids for electrochemical energy storages are still under research, although the Lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) are providing a considerable level of power storage and power potential. This chapter examines the role and technology of nanomaterials from its inception to prospective developments in the future for sustainable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graph formed by deleting the non-units of a commutative ring R from the complement unit graph, where the units of R represent its vertex set, is referred to as an induced subgraph. A subset C of the vertex set of an induced subgraph of a complement unit graph of R is called a perfect code if the balls of radius 1 centered at C form a partition of the vertex set. In this paper, our focus is on investigating perfect codes within induced subgraphs of complement unit graphs associated with specific commutative rings containing unity. Therefore, by establishing some mathematical theorems, we characterize R for which the induced subgraphs of the complement unit graphs admit either a trivial or a non-trivial perfect code. In addition, some examples are provided as applications of the theorems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Automation in pharmacy is the biggest blessing for those impaired people who are facing challenges, particularly those with contagious diseases and autoimmune diseases such as Alzheimer's. Recent studies have developed some pharmacy automation systems. However, besides automated drug administration, the timely monitoring of the vital signs of patients is equally important for effective treatment in various clinical conditions. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a solution with a smart healthcare system that employs modern technology to monitor the vital signs and medication schedules of patients. The proposed solution comprises two major sub-systems, one is the vital sign monitoring unit that deals with temperature, oxygen saturation, and heart rate, whereas, the second one is the pill dispensing system. Furthermore, the dispenser includes an alarm system that triggers an alarm when the patient misses a dose. In order to promote adherence to the prescribed medication schedule, an automated notification is sent to both the patient's family members and healthcare provider, informing them about the missed medication. This remote-based accessibility to both family members and healthcare providers enables them to stay updated on the general health of the patient and their medication schedule. Hence, this comprehensive system shows promising benefits to improve patient care and assist caregivers in effectively managing medication routines. Its primary goal is to enhance patient well-being by ensuring timely and accurate medication intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticipating the load carrying capacity of deep beams with the aim of controlling the predominant shear failure led to the consideration of the behaviour of deep beams, which is dissimilar from the behaviour of normal beams. Therefore, the usual design methods are not safe due to the fact that theoretical stresses are less than actual stresses. As a result, special design methods based on nonlinear stress distribution are used, which artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the load capacity of simply supported deep beams reinforced with CFRP. Thorough experimental results have been compiled from several previous studies to build up a database that can be used to train and test the developed ANN model. Different input neurons were adopted including the shear span to depth ratio (a/d), the effective concrete compressive strength of concrete (fc′), the cross-sectional area of the diagonal strut (Astrut) and the sin angle of the inclined strut (sinɸ). On the other hand, the ANN output was the ultimate load of simply supported deep beams. Parametric research is also carried out to determine the extent to which certain parameters employed in the created neural network model have an impact on the load capacity. The results showed that ANN can reasonably estimate the load capacity of simply supported CFRP deep beams reinforced with CFRP. occur even in the elastic load range. This research mainly focuses on developing a multi-layer backpropagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to reveal the relationship and influence between strategic foresight through its sub-dimensions and the strategic initiative at the level of an intentional sample of officers working in the Najaf Police Command, based on a major problem that was diagnosed with several questions that included the extent of awareness of the relationship and influence between variables in the field. On the model ((Paliokaite.et.al, 2014:164, Amniattalap, 2016:8)) to measure strategic foresight, which consists of three dimensions: (environmental survey capabilities, strategic choice capabilities, and integration capabilities) and a model (Podrug, et al. 2022 2) To measure the strategic initiative, which included four main dimensions (top management support, networks, innovation, and independence). The researcher used the field survey method by distributing two questionnaires. The first was distributed to a sample of (133) officers who hold positions (Directorate Director, Section Director, Division Director). The number of questionnaires valid for statistical analysis was (122). The analysis was conducted based on a number of statistical methods such as the SPSS v26 and SMART PLS programs. The research then reached a set of statistical results represented by the existence of a correlation and a significant (positive) effect of strategic foresight in the strategic initiative, and this means that the perception of the officers in the research sample The concept of strategic foresight will contribute to building the strategic initiative, which will be reflected in its organizational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoking has a profound effect on human health and can even be fatal. Smoking can have a negative impact on various blood parameters, leading due to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and weakened immune system. In this study, the effects of smoking were examined in relation to a number of criteria that are thought to be indicators of serious health issues in humans. Fifty male smokers from Iraq who had been smoking for at least ten years and who smoked at least ten cigarettes a day participated in the study in Samawah city. Vein was used to obtain the blood samples (5ml), which were then placed in non-heparinized tubes and dismissed at 3000 rpm for 15 minutes. Due to the sake of statistical comparison, the group consists of 25 male smokers, aged 25 to 55, and 25 male non-smokers, also recruited within the same age range. As a result of the study, blood measures such as hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and platelets all showed significant increases (PLT) in smokers participants in comparison with non-smokers. Taken together, Smoking has negative effects on blood parameters and could cause significant issues in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, it is considered to be an auto-immune disease and it is widely spread in Al Samawah city in Iraq. However, Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties are all provided by honey. It was hypothesized that locally applied honey on infected joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis could reduce the inflammatory clinical signs in patients. In this study, three groups of patients participated, the rheumatoid arthritis patients with or without local honey applications compared with the control group. A statistical survey for patients with rheumatoid arthritis was conducted according to the statistical records in Al-Hussein General Hospital in Al Samawah city in Iraq to have the statistical distribution in the city. Hematological parameters by Complete Blood Count for groups of patients were done to measure the difference in White blood count, C reactive protein and rheumatoid factor. The protein expression in the synovial fluid in the knee joints was detected by western blotting all groups. The X-Ray was used to detect the bone re/degeneration of bone articulation surface. The results showed that in general most of the infected population in Al Samawah city was males (54%) compared to females (46%), the infections were concentrated in between 20-65 years old at the first season of the year. Hematological, the WBC count, CRP and RF was significantly elevated in Rh patients but it was reduced according to honey intake and local application for 2 weeks. In addition, it was obvious that the inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-17, IL-1 and TNF-alpha) production in the synovial fluid was dramatically reduced after intake and applying honey of the infected joints compared to Rh patients and the control group. The X-ray showed that the articulation surfaces of bones were improved by enhancing the intra-synovial space and synovial fluid increase compared to the X-ray in Rh patients and the control group. Taken together, it is suggested that the inflammatory signs of rheumatoid arthritis could be relieved by two weeks intake and/or external applying of honey solutions on joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients, as honey could act as an anti-inflammatory reagent and enhance the immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A progression of Polyaniline (PANI) and Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by an in-situ polymerization strategy within the sight of TiO2 NPs. PANI, and PANI/TiO2 were also deposited on gold (Au) interdigitated electrode (IDE) by the drop-coating method as a sensing material for the determination of ammonia gas sensor. The subsequent nanocomposites were analyzed by using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDX. (PANI/TiO2). Nanocomposites were prepared by the addition of TiO2 with two weight ratios (0.3 and 0.5 wt. %) during the polymerization of PANI. The outcomes showed good collaboration among PANI and TiO2. FTIR spectral shows a shift to higher wave numbers in the peaks of PANI/TiO2 nanocomposites, due to the Coulomb force that resulted from the interaction between the TiO2 nanoparticles with PANI.XRD pattern shows that the TiO2 NPs and PANI have an effect on the crystallization performance of nanocomposites, it was identified that the TiO2 NPs form a relatively irregular distribution in the PANI chain. SEM results show that the TiO2 nanoparticles enwrap the polyaniline and agglomeration uneven distribution of TiO2 particles can be seen in the PANI matrix. The intensity of the peak in the EDX analyses was found to appear by adding the nanoparticles. The gas sensing for NH3 appears that the sensitivity was increased by adding the TiO2 nanoparticles and it was higher at 100 oC than it was in the RT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To Hearing Impairment is a challenging part for the people in the society to communicate their essential thoughts. Internets of things are used to make all the possible ways to think and act smart for the impairments through technical aspects. The proposed system suggests an Automated Visual Recognition System (AVRS) based Lip-to-Speech Converter to help people with hearing loss communicate more effectively. The device uses a webcam to record a speaker's lip movements, which are then translated into speech using an AVR microcontroller. An AVR microprocessor, a speaker, and a camera module are all parts of the system architecture. The AVR microcontroller processes real-time footage of the speaker's lips that was captured by the camera module. The microcontroller extracts the lip movements from the video stream using image processing techniques, and then converts them into speech using a text-to-speech (TTS) translation algorithm. The converted speech is then played through the speaker, enabling the audience to comprehend the speaker's message without the use of lip reading or sign language. The suggested method enhances hearing-impaired people's ability to communicate in real time while being affordable and portable. The AVR-based lip-to-speech converter is a tool designed to help people who have speech problems communicate more easily. This gadget makes use of a camera and an AVR microcontroller to record the user's lip movements. The algorithm used to analyze the collected data transforms the lip movements into speech sounds. Following that, the voice sounds are synthesized and broadcast over speakers. The device is intended to be portable and is simple to adjust for various users. During testing with a group of people who had speech problems, the system's accuracy and efficacy were assessed, and the findings revealed promising performance. The AVR-based lip-to-speech converter provides a low-cost way to help people who have speech difficulties communicate better, and it has the potential to be applied in a variety of contexts, including healthcare, education, and private communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) has been emerging in the high-performance and have played important roles for the past few years and are promising materials for electrochemical devices applications. Methylcellulose was chosen as a primary host as it conducts relatively low conductivity besides biodegradable, environmentally friendly and essential commercial cellulose that has been used in many industrial applications. This study is conducted to investigate the morphology of membrane using Methylcellulose (MC) as host, doping with potassium hydroxide (KOH), polyethylene glycol (PEG) as plasticizer and graphene. The properties of MC with the additive on the structure and performances of the membrane was studied. The obtained membrane was prepared via the casting technique method and was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). XRD pattern shows the crystalline structure shifted to amorphous nature of polymer electrolyte (PE) when adding the PEG onto the membrane. The presence of PE has potential application in electrochemical devices based on the results obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lime peel waste could contaminate nearby water bodies and ground water if not treated before disposal. The main purpose of this study is to extract essential oil using a simple distillation method from Calamansi lime (citrofortunella microcarpa) and key lime (citrus aurantiifolia) using water and ethanol as a solvent. The essential oil recovered for key lime EO/water, calamansi EO/water, key lime EO/ethanol, and calamansi EO/ethanol is 16 mL, 14 mL, 10 mL, and 8 mL, respectively, for every 100 g of peel. These solvents were used to observe t both limes' different chemical compounds and physical properties DSC analyses were conducted over a temperature range from-20 °C to 200 °C at a heating rate of 10 °C/min for thermal characterization. These results demonstrate the successful extraction of lime essential oil using calamansi and key lime. In conclusion, the us distillation has proven to successfully extract essential oils. The recommendation for future researchers should prepare a sample using the best quality of lime possible in the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sunscreens are normally based on synthetic chemicals with a high capacity to absorb sunlight at the region of UVB (320–290 nm) and UVA (400–320 nm) spectrum. In this study, Kaolin has been used as a physical material in sunscreen that will reflect UV light. Meanwhile, coffee bean oil is used as chemical material due to its properties that contain a high percentage of antioxidants and polyphenols. The UV analysis shows that the addition of kaolin and into emulsion give better results compared to the basic emulsion. Sample F7 gives the best result with the value of SPF 15. The F7 also gives a good value for a skin analysis (TEWL and Hydration test). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating water quality for drinking purposes has significant importance to avoid the impact of pollutants that exist in water. This study aimed to assess the quality of drinking water in Brifkan Village, Duhok region, Iraq, by studying some physicochemical properties. To achieve this goal, 20 samples from two main wells and tab water were collected, followed by assessing some parameters including pH, EC, temperature, cations (Ca, Mg, Na and K), anions (Cl, NO3, and SO4), total hardness (T.H), total alkalinity and TDS). The desired properties were selected depending on their suitability for drinking and human consumption and then subjected to standard analysis methods. The collected data were then compared to standards based by the World Health Organization (WHO). The results obtained showed that: (pH 6.9-7.36, electrical conductivity (EC) 418-662 µS/cm, Dissolved Solids(TDS) 267-424.8 mg/l, total hardness 260-400, Cl 14-48, SO4 15-44.4, NO3 2.4-6.3, Na 3.1-29.2, Ca 52.8-99.2, Mg 15.6-48.8, K 0.5-2.6) indicated that the water samples are considered to be high in quality, except for total alkalinity were almost more than 200 mg/l, calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is leached from rocks and soil, accounts for the majority of alkalinity in water. However, the quality of both wells was in good condition for human consumption and many different uses. Periodic testing for the wells should be done to maintain the quality of the region's water to avoid pollution from the surrounding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum oxide was deposited on the substrate using an Nd: YAG laser to prepare aluminum oxide nanocoating. The analysis tests showed that the nanocoating is polycrystalline and inhomogeneous distribution. The average surface roughness of the nanocoating increased from 1.33 nm to 3.7 nm with increased laser energy, and the number of pulses from 700 mJ and 100 pulses to 900 mJ and 300 pulses and a higher growth rate. UV-Visible Spectrophotometer was shown that sharp absorption in the ultraviolet (UV) region and high transmittance in the spectral region. The energy gap decreased from 4.1 eV to 4 even with the increased thickness of nanocoating from 56.4 nm to 176 nm. The nanocoating hardness test was carried out using the nanoindentation technique. The results showed that the hardness decreased from 33.83 GPa to 11.84 GPa with increased laser energy and a pulse from 700 mJ and 100 pulses to 900 mJ and 300 pulses due to internal defects caused by the increase in the thickness of the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral-based products can now be replaced with bio-fluids (vegetable oils). They can be obtained in high quantities from renewable resources. The purpose of this study is to discover if using sunflower seed oil for cooling will increase electric motor performance in the same method that mineral oil can at different load levels. The four-ball tester was used in the investigation. ASTM D4172-B oil was utilized in the experiments. A pumping system was used to test the motor's performance, and the results indicate that sunflower seed oil has appropriate cooling qualities when compared to commercial cooling fluid. Depending on their characteristics, they have the potential to become key sources of bio fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chance to use sunlight as a clean source of energy has arisen as a result of a gradual rise in user requests for eco-friendly power sources and severe government laws for their usage, because its production from a renewable, natural, and eco-friendly resource, in this paper, the performances characteristics of the liquid pumping unit were investigated experimentally when running the laboratory pumping rig by photovoltaic power system under various operating conditions. The study checks the best tilt angle to maximize the output energy. Tests have been performed under various tilt angles 45° and 32°, with a sunny weather condition and within a period between (11:00:00 AM to 4:00:00 PM). The experimental results of the work show that the best PV panel tilt angle to produce maximum power output was at 32˚, also, output power was proportional to radiation, increasing the irradiance will increase the output power of the PV panels. In addition, storing energy into the battery was compensate source of power to continue the pump running during reduced solar radiation. The daily output of the solar pumping system varies according to the amount of direct sunlight that falls on the solar panel, that mean with the increased sunlight the water pumping increased about 24.9 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, holes with circular cross-sections are calculated on vibration and noise with a practical pilot test; Where the number of holes 7 in the gears of identical dimensions regardless of lubrication, as the diameter of the holes is 24 mm and the distance is 50 mm and 43 mm from the center of rotation, to validate the results, it was applied in a very concrete way. The results were compared with theoretical values. It is worth noting that multiple instances and speeds were taken by applying a stable load to the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overarching goal of the Medical Waste Management Plan is to avoid and/or reduce the detrimental impacts of medical waste on human health and the environment. Design is the method through which humans achieve their intended results. The design of the Smart waste container is quite sophisticated since the Smart waste container operates in a very complicated environment. To acquire the best and most suitable design of Smart waste container to withstand various stresses and pressures, finite element analysis with Solidworks suggests the minimal design standard. Pro/Engineer Solidworks 2018 for finite element analysis is used for this purpose. Optimization is a procedure that delivers the optimum choice and outcome. Following observation and modelling, an optimization study was carried out. It is concerned with weight comparison and minimizing the size of the Smart waste container by analyzing numerous elements that impact performance, such as stress. The purpose of doing this research was to demonstrate the Container behaviour impacted by fatigue phenomena owing to fatigue tests and to examine the results for additional time and cost, as two extremely important metrics related to production. The analysis shows that with totally continual loading, it is possible to predict the lifespan of a Smart Waste container but also identify the crucial spots when crack formation is most likely to occur. The fatigue results we obtained for the improved design were Alternating Stress (1.72E+05 N/m^2) Cycles 1.00E+06 Which shows that the design is good and has a long service life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the design of power electronics converters, the operating temperature of semiconductor devices is vital. In this paper, the electrical model is integrated with a more accurate thermal model, which was performed in a circuit simulator and includes a temperature-dependent power losses model. The bidirectional DC-DC converter operating concept and performance are investigated in this work. The PLECS simulation software is utilized to simulate the high-voltage and the low-voltage side switches, both of which have switching losses. In this paper, the performance of two prominent non-isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters (CUK and Buck-Boost) is studied. The SCT50N120 MOSFET model is employed to compare the performance of the two selected converters with an output power of 1 kW. The comparison is based on two nominated ambient temperatures which are 25 °C and 40 °C. A thermal simulation is performed to estimate the safe, better temperature for the MOSFET and higher efficiency. The results show that the Cuk converter exhibits better temperature and fewer losses than the buck-boost converter with the selected operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing bio-oils in liquid pumping unites are considered as a one of the most important parts in the water filtration and pumping stations especially in the area of automatic control. In this paper using bio-oils are being investigated which have high degradability and it is environmentally friendly. The thermal performance features of the liquid pumping unit lubricated with bio sunflower seed vegetable oil was investigated and compared with the performance features with mineral oil (MO10W-30). The study includes, oil temperature, density, power and tourq under different rational speed (1200-1500 rpm) for the pump. From experimental investigations carried out in this study, it can be concluded that biodegradable vegetable oils are adequate alternative to the mineral oil as a renewable bio cooling and lubricate. An automatic pumping unit was implemented (three tanks one as a source and two auxiliary) based on two types of controllers. These two are: PID controller and artificial neural networks. The results in neural back propagation that more accurate than PID controller. The over shoot is improving in artificial network is zero where compare with PID result 0.8 m3/s flow rate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial equipment especially water pumps required a high accuracy and safety control system, to reduce the dangers of the working process and the cost of maintenance. This paper presents the implementation of a water pump system that uses an automatic controlling system. Intelligence controller based on Fuzzy logic control (FLC) depending on an intelligent valve control circuit according to water level. The controller had been investigated experimentally by a microcontroller Arduino Mega 2560 under various operating conditions utilizing the laboratory pumping rig based on the delay time. Operation tests have been performed during the day from 11:00:00 AM to 4:00:00 PM. FLC was used to check the accuracy and stability of the flow rate using MATLAB program simulation. The variable ball valve sensor control was used to control the pumping process and the ultrasonic level sensor to detect the water level in the tank. Valve control depends on opening percentage considering the flow rate and pressure parameters. The simulation results using FLC shows the high accuracy and stability of the water management and can be adequate for any kind of liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Riemann-Liouville fractional model with nonuniform time steps is presented to simulate the process of metal-laser drilling to overcome the initial singularity. In addition, two distinct operators conformable fractional derivatives, and Caputo-Fabrizio are applied. The spatial derivatives are approximated by the radial point interpolation method. The simulation results of Riemann-Liouville show significant improvement in the agreement with experimental data and the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are the most widely renewable technologies used to generate power. In this paper, smart monitoring and fault detection on the off-grid solar system is proposed and designed to improve the solar PV system's operation more effectively. Environmental conditions, equipment interference, and changes in existing parameters normally cause problems in the system. A real-time monitoring system is required to monitor the performance of the solar PV system circuit. The internet of things (IoT) is used in this project to directly observe the energy in the system via an application platform. Also, this paper discussed solar PV system faults detection based on the difference in voltage and current values measured during usual and unusual periods based on parameters value. This project will reduce the time and effect in searching for faults in the solar system. The results show several categories, including open circuits and short circuits, are classified as faults in this system. In general, the fault detection system and smart power utilization using IoT monitoring for the photovoltaic system is the focus of this project's development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of motivational factors on educators' emotional exhaustion in the education sector in Malaysia. Three motivational factors were selected: job performance, organisational commitment, and job satisfaction. Meanwhile emotional exhaustion is one of the dimensions of burnout which show people who are tired, exhausted and tiredness. The situation will affect educators working style. This study used focused on a cross-sectional study and survey method. The findings show that job performance, organisational commitment, and job satisfaction were great tools in reducing the emotional exhaustion level of educators. The researchers suggest expanding factors of motivational factors, key points, and emotional exhaustion in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some studies show a strong relationship between personality traits and burnout, especially among educators in the higher education sector. The study aims to investigate the role of neuroticism, extraversion, and agreeableness personality traits in job burnout in academicians at a public university in Malaysia. The Big Five Personality Traits and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory were used in the study to measure personality traits and job burnout. The quantitative approach used to distribute the questionnaire was by using online and offline surveys to academicians in a public university. This cross-sectional survey study involved 152 respondents. The data were analysed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The findings show that the personality traits of neuroticism and extraversion strongly influenced academicians' job burnout. The limitation of this study is that only three personality traits were selected for the study. Thus, the researchers recommended including other constructs of personality traits in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper investigates the effects of body weight and physical activities on the electrical generating capability of piezoelectric generators. The objectives of this paper include investigating the application of piezoelectric generators in converting mechanical energy from human activities to generate electricity, assessing the effect of active and sedentary activities on piezoelectric generation, and evaluating if different body weight affects the electrical output. To accomplish these objectives, two piezoelectric generators were built. The first generator was built to harvest electrical energy from jumping, walking, and running, and the second was built to harvest electrical energy from sitting. Next, an Arduino device was programmed as an oscilloscope to track the power output from the piezoelectric device. The experiment's sample size was five participants, with three males and two females. The results of the investigation concluded that active activities are more capable of producing higher amounts of power than sedentary activities. However, fatigue is observed when doing active activities, whereas sedentary activities do not show any sign of fatigue. Furthermore, this experiment reported that the body weight factor does not significantly affect the final power generation due to a possible limitation of the piezoelectric material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of bamboo fiber has gained significant attention in various industries, such as construction, packaging, and automotive applications. This study focused on the Schizostachyum Grande species of bamboo fiber and investigated the effect of treatment with a silane coupling agent on its physical characteristics. The characterization was done using techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. Results showed that treated bamboo fiber exhibited a stronger and more closely bound fiber structure with a surface that reacted better to silane coupling agents, as seen in SEM images. TGA analysis revealed that thermal degradation occurred completely at a higher temperature for treated bamboo fiber compared to untreated bamboo fiber. FTIR analysis also showed changes in functional groups, with the appearance of peaks related to Si-O-Si and Si-O-C stretching vibrations after treatment. Overall, this study highlights the effectiveness of silane coupling agent treatment in enhancing the surface morphology and chemical properties of bamboo fiber, making it suitable for hydrophobic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this research was to examine the moderating roles of motivation on the relationship with emotional intelligence on women's leadership behaviour in the manufacturing industry. This study employed a quantitative approach with the distribution of self-directed questionnaires. Convenient sampling is employed in this research. The sample size was made up of 391 employees from manufacturing companies located in Malaysia. This study provided empirical evidence on the impact of emotional intelligence and motivation on women's leadership behaviour in the manufacturing industry. The results showed that motivation significantly moderated the relationship between emotional intelligence and women's leadership behaviour (β=-.0380; p=.000). Meanwhile, some practical implications have been reached and can be communicated to manufacturing company executives. This research was necessary to make sure that the national goals for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on gender equality can be met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is evidence to suggest that Malaysian housemen are becoming more burned out. This study examines relationships between role ambiguity, organisational justice, organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB), and burnout among housemen at the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MoH). The questionnaire was distributed at random to the study's participants. PLS-SEM was used to analyse the data (version 4.0). The quantitative technique was used to distribute a questionnaire to housemen at 15 public hospitals in Malaysia. The partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method was used to analyse the data. The MoH can be advised to use the study's results to pinpoint elements of role ambiguity and OCB that can reduce burnout among Malaysian housemen. According to the research, organisational justice and OCB have positive effects on burnout while role ambiguity has a negative effect. In Malaysian public hospitals, the results show that two independent variables can reduce housemen's burnout. However, role ambiguity did not lessen the importance of burnout among housemen. In order to draught and implement the necessary policies, top management in all public hospitals will use the study's findings as a guide. If the nation can find a way to lessen housemen burnout by managing the implementation of policies that are related to role ambiguity and OCB, it might be able to better serve the communities in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the number of women leaders is increasing year after year, where many women are working in male-dominated sectors. Despite the fact that women have contributed to the success of male-dominated businesses, there have been few studies on women's leadership behaviour. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the influences of work-life balance, personality, and emotional intelligence on women's leadership behaviour among Malaysian engineers. This study also looked at motivation as a moderating variable in the link between personality and emotional intelligence in women leaders. In this study, all independent variables (work-life balance, personality, and emotional intelligence) were shown to be substantially connected to the dependent variable (women's leadership behaviour). Motivation, as a moderating variable, was discovered to have a considerable impact on the link between personality and emotional intelligence and women's leadership behaviour. Based on the results, the practical implications can be used as a guide for future studies. It is recommended to do more in-depth studies by focusing on more dimensions for each of the selected variables to learn more about the factors that cause women to become leaders in a male-dominated field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of organisational justice and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB) on burnout among housemen who work in Malaysian public hospitals. Health institutions have the highest employee attrition rate due to housemen not doing their duties. Two organisational factors, which are organisational justice and OCB, have been investigated as the potential determinants of burnout in this study. Additionally, age and ethnicity have been analysed as moderating variables in this study. To obtain the relevant data, 417 questionnaires were digitally distributed to 15 public hospitals operated under the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Malaysia in the urban zones of the country. 417 housemen filled out the questionnaire in its entirety. The Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) method has been used to analyse the obtained data. Based on the results of the study, housemen's burnout is significantly affected by both organisational justice and OCB. It was interesting to see that the connection between organisational justice and burnout among housemen in this study could only be moderated by age. On the other hand, the relationship between OCB and burnout is merely moderated by ethnicity. The results of this study have significant implications for top management in all of the Malaysian public hospitals with regards to the creation and application of the pertinent justice and OCB policies. Therefore, fresh information on lowering the level of burnout among the Malaysian housemen may assist the nation in better service. Several suggestions for additional study directions are highlighted at the end of this study. The MoH can use the findings of this study to update the strategy and standard operating procedure (SOP) for managing the Malaysian housemen. The results of this study might also change the Malaysian housemen's perspectives on the subject and assist them in preventing burnout while working. Not only that, but understanding the scope and origins of burnout might promote a favourable atmosphere in the medical setting, particularly in the hospital management, housemen, and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Producing Bio-Methane gas from biomass to generate energy has been researched and studied thoroughly by many global researchers since the awakening of the importance of renewable energy. In this study, Durian Musang King's waste has been chosen as the substrate for Anaerobic Digestion (AD) to produce biogas for renewable energy. Three manipulated factors were tested in the one-week design experiment through the Bio Methane Potential (BMP) Test, namely (1) pre-treatment of substrate, (2) change in Inoculum to Substrate Ratio (ISR) and (3) change in the type of inoculum to be compared with a Standard Solution (1.05 g untreated substrate, 3:1 ISR and EM-1 inoculant as inoculum). The experiment results show that applying the pre-treatment process of grinding on Durian waste was unnecessary as there was no significant improvement in the biogas production. Using ISR 2:1 rather than 3:1 drastically increased the biogas generation from durian waste and elongated the biogas generation period. Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), another type of inoculum in the third experiment to compare with a commercial EM-1 Microbial Inoculant, has resulted in POME ranked below EM-1 in the total volume of biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limestone is used in many countries for road pavement, such as Poland, USA and France. However, there are limitations in terms of mechanical and surface properties, but it has been used in some regions for years, particularly in Perlis, Malaysia, due to the need for a local source. The reason is that of caution of fear, in spite of wanting to explore the opportunities of Perlis limestone being used and understand the advantages and disadvantages of that aggregate. This study focused on the stability, flow, and volumetric by using a combination of Perlis limestone and granite in hot mixed asphalt (HMA) mixtures. The combination of Perlis Limestone and granite was analysed and tested to specification for roadworks by PWD, Malaysia. Furthermore, there will be a cost increment in road construction due to logistic and transportation problems in delivering imported granite aggregate from Kedah state. The result showed that HMA with less Perlis limestone aggregate showed a higher value of stability, flow and stiffness. As for the conclusion, HMA with more granite aggregate has better strength with less deformation compared with HMA with more Perlis limestone aggregate. HMA with more granite aggregate was also was stiffer, mainly due to the interlocking and frictional resistance of the aggregate due to the angularity and rougher surface of granite. However, since all the samples complied with the PWD specification, Perlis limestone proved it can be an alternative aggregate to be used in HMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, technical and statistical analysis of Smart Living, one of the most important aspects of the next generation, has been provided with detailed information. Smart living refers to using technology and the internet of things (IoT) to pursue a more efficient, controllable, and productive lifestyle. In this century, with the increase in the global population, smart living is a significantly important criterion to ensure equal opportunities for all. Here a complete overview and case implementation are discussed, followed by an analysis of statistical data about the demand for smart living from a Techno-Socio point of view. Lastly, a few aspects and issues of Smart Living have been discussed, and a proposal is given to improvise it further for future research and possible implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of smart industries and cities is expected to have profound effects, and the rapid advancement of smart gadgets may cause safety and security problems. In order to increase training and learning opportunities while simultaneously addressing the considerable challenges that educational institutions will face, higher education 4.0 will make use of modern technologies. By examining the key components, traits, and motivators of education 4.0, this paper intends to contribute to the development of smart education for a smart city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]