Total Value Research Articles

Spatial distribution, source identification, ecological risk assessment, and air–seawater/seawater– Sediment exchange rates of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Pars special economic energy zone, Iran

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been introduced as major pollutants released by the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Against this background, the present study examined the coastal air, seawater, and sediments in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (PSEEZ), Iran, in terms of pollution caused by such compounds. Considering the industrial facilities and residential areas in this region, the total suspended particulate (TSP), seawater, and sediments were sampled (n = 10) and then analyzed over the course of two seasons via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The total concentrations in the TSP, seawater, and sediments were found to be in the range of 346-739ngPAH/gTSP, ND-84.87 µg/L, and ND–306.7 ngg−1(dw), respectively. The positive correlation coefficients between sediment organic matter (OM) and concentrations did not show a significant relationship. Crude oil and its derivatives and biomass-coal combustion were identified as the main sources of pollution. Carcinogenic PAHs (CPAHs) were further detected at much higher concentrations near industrial facilities. Sediment qualityguidelines (SQGs) and risk quotients (RQs) showed that coastal seawater and sediments posed acceptable and moderate ecological risks. According to the fugacity diagrams, the seabed and seawater served as secondary sources of pollution. The total concentration and values obtained in earlier investigations were also comparable. Nonetheless, most maximum points could provide a point-form of the pollutant concentration. Therefore, preventive measures are required to ensure the protection of the environment.

ANALISIS HASIL PENDAPATAN DAN STRATEGI PEMASARAN INDUSTRI KAPUR (STUDI KASUS PADA KELOMPOK INDUSTRI BATU KAPUR PELITA JAYA DESA MOKONG KECAMATAN MOYO HULU)

The aim of this research is to analyze income of the lime industry business by formulating appropriate marketing strategies based on SWOT analysis and determining strategies that should be prioritized based on QSPM analysis. The data analysis method used is analyzing production quantities, production costs, receipts, income. Formulate marketing strategies using analytical tools, namely the SWOT matrix and QSPM matrix. The result of this research is an income of IDR57,955,168 per month. The results of the SWOT analysis show that the appropriate strategy to implement is an aggressive strategy with an opportunity score of 2.31 and a strength score of 2.51. Based on the QSPM analysis, the strategy ofdeveloping different types of lime variants is an alternative priority with a total attractiveness value of 6.10 and maintaining product quality and service to consumers with a total attractiveness value of 6.02.

On efficient modelling of radical production in cavitation assisted reactors

Process intensification by cavitation is gaining widespread attention due to the benefits that the intense bubble collapse conditions can provide, yet, several knowledge gaps exist in the modelling of such systems. This work studies the numerical prediction of single bubble dynamics and the various approaches that can be employed to estimate the changes in the chemical composition of cavitating bubbles. Specific emphasis is placed on the prediction of the radical production rates during bubble collapse and the computational performance, with the aim of coupling the single bubble dynamics to flow models for reactor hydrodynamics. The results reveal that the choice of chemical reaction approach has virtually no effect on the bubble dynamics, whereas the predicted radical production rates can differ substantially. It is found that evaluating the radical production only on temperature peaks, an approach commonly followed in literature, may result in the most erroneous estimations (on average 12.8 times larger than those of the full kinetic model), while a simplified kinetic model yields more accurate predictions (2.3 times larger) at the expense of increased computational times. Continuous evaluation of the bubble content by assuming equilibrium when the bubble temperature is above a certain threshold (≈1500K) is shown to be capable of predicting total radical production values close to those estimated by solving the kinetics of a detailed reaction model (19.8% difference), as well as requiring only 22.2% more computational costs compared to simulations without chemical reaction modelling. Such an equilibrium approach is therefore recommended for future studies aiming to couple flow simulations with single bubble dynamics to accurately predict radical production rates in cavitation devices, involving numerous bubbles following different flow trajectories. Furthermore, an algebraic expression that successfully approximates the full kinetic simulation results is proposed as a function of the initial nucleus size and the time integral of the liquid pressure when it is under vapor pressure. Such a model can be applied in modelling efforts that do not require local instantaneous radical concentrations, and paves the way for efficient closure modelling of radical production in CFD simulations of hydrodynamic reactors.

Quantifying the Educational Value of a Student-Run Free Clinic.

Student-run free clinics (SRFCs) are settings in which students in health professions gain clinical experience, often while providing free or reduced-cost health care to the surrounding community. The current literature quantifies the many benefits these clinics provide to their patients and the impact they have on students' future careers; but few previous studies have assessed the financial impact of the education provided at an SRFC. We report on a net educational benefit, an educational benefit to educational cost ratio, and a net educational benefit to educational cost ratio of one SRFC from the perspective of the university. We calculated the value of education by multiplying all student hours worked in the clinic by the associated value of 1 hour in the typical tuition-based curriculum. Clinic educational costs and student hours were obtained from clinic records from August 1, 2021 through July 31, 2022. We found the total educational value students received to be $73,571 over one academic year. The educational operating expenses of the clinic totaled $9,053, resulting in a benefit-cost ratio of 8.13. This analysis demonstrated a potential financial advantage of operating an SRFC when assessing clinic education expenses in relation to the value of university-generated education. Our research may serve as a starting point to showcase the economic benefit of SRFCs to their parent institutions and encourage further analysis of other benefits SRFCs may provide to institutions of higher education.

Assessment of Seagrass Ecosystems’ Goods and Services of India

Nearly every shallow coastal region on Earth is home to seagrass, a type of marine flowering plant. They grow down to depths where just 11% of surface light reaches the bottom after colonizing soft substrates like mud, sand, and cobbles. Seagrasses often choose wave-sheltered environments where sediments are shielded from waves and currents. The seagrass environment serves as a home to large animals like dugongs and marine mammals like ducks and geese. The seagrass serves as a feeding and refuge area for the related creatures for the entirety or a portion of their life cycles. Raw materials and food, medicine, fertilizer, coastal protection, erosion control, water purification, fisheries maintenance, nursery grounds, invertebrate habitats, carbon sequestration, tourism, recreation, support for education, and research are just a few of the goods and services provided by seagrass to the coastal community. The value of a seagrass ecosystem's products and services to human well-being can be measured, and this can be used to support the need for seagrass ecosystem preservation, transfer, and regeneration. Many valuation studies are conducted to estimate the various goods and services produced by the seagrass ecosystem. The total area of seagrass distribution in the coastal States and UTs of India is 51822 ha, distributed in 4162 seagrass patches. Using meta-analysis and an average of Benefit Transfer (BT) method, the Total Economic Value (TEV) of seagrass has been estimated as Rs. 2594342/ha/yr. ($ 55,637/ha/yr.) with a maximum of Rs. 5948650 ha/yr. ($1,27,571/ha/yr.) and a minimum of 791448/ha/yr. ($ 16,973/ha/yr.). Subsequently, the total equivalent economic benefit from seagrass beds in India has been quantified at Rs.13444 crore/yr. ($ 2,88,31,22,453/yr.).

Source analysis and health risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) in total suspended particulate matter (TSP) from Bengbu, China

The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in total suspended particulate matter (TSP) samples collected from October, 2021 to September, 2022 were analyzed to clarify the pollution characteristics and sources of 16 PAHs in the atmospheric TSP in Bengbu City. The ρ(PAHs) concentrations ranged from 1.71 to 43.85 ng/m3 and higher concentrations were detected in winter, followed by spring, autumn, and summer. The positive matrix factorization analysis revealed that, in spring and summer, PAH pollution was caused mainly by industrial emissions, gasoline and diesel fuel combustion, whereas in autumn and winter, it was coal, biomass and natural gas combustion. The cluster and potential source factor analyses showed that long-range transport was a significant factor. During spring, autumn, and winter, the northern and northwestern regions had a significant impact, whereas the coastal area south of Bengbu had the greatest influence in summer. The health risk assessment revealed that the annual total carcinogenic equivalent concentration values for PAHs varied from 0.0159 to 7.437 ng/m3, which was classified as moderate. Furthermore, the annual incremental lifetime cancer risk values ranged from 1.431 × 10−4 to 3.671 × 10−3 for adults and from 6.823 × 10−5 to 1.749 × 10−3 for children, which were higher than the standard.

Convergence Analysis of Value Iteration Adaptive Dynamic Programming for Continuous-Time Nonlinear Systems.

This article is concerned with the convergence property and error bounds analysis of value iteration (VI) adaptive dynamic programming for continuous-time (CT) nonlinear systems. The size relationship between the total value function and the single integral step cost is described by assuming a contraction assumption. Then, the convergence property of VI is proved while the initial condition is an arbitrary positive semidefinite function. Moreover, the accumulated effects of approximation errors generated in each iteration are taken into consideration while using approximators to implement the algorithm. Based on the contraction assumption, the error bounds condition is proposed, which ensures the approximated iterative results converge to a neighborhood of the optimum, and the relation between the optimal solution and approximated iterative results is also derived. To make the contraction assumption more concrete, an estimation way is proposed to derive a conservative value of the assumption. Finally, three simulation cases are given to validate the theoretical results.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SIDDHA POLY-HERBAL FORMULATION NELLIMULLI ILAGAM

Introduction: The Siddha system is an ancient, holistic system. The medicine in this system is prepared from raw materials of herbs, metals, minerals and animal products. In recent years, considerable research has focused on validation and standardisation aspects. Nellimulli ilagam is a polyherbal Siddha formulation used to manage Veluppu noi. Aim: To study the physicochemical analysis of Nellimulli ilagam. Methods: Standardization parameters such as organoleptic characteristics, physicochemical analysis, test for aflatoxins, pesticide residues, specific pathogens, and heavy metal analysis were carried out as per PLIM guidelines. Results: The results obtained from the trial drug Nellimulli ilagam study show that it has a dark, brownish-coloured semi-solid texture with a strong characteristic odour and is non-free-flowing. Physicochemical analysis reveals that pH was 7.2, total ash value was 10±0.4 and acid insoluble ash value was 0.02±0.004. Loss on drying at 105 0C is 8.4±0.9. The test for aflatoxins and pesticide residues showed negative results. Test for microbial contamination and specific pathogen shows absent. Test for heavy metals shows below the limit of quantification (BLQ).

Cost-benefit Analysis of Adopting Blockchain Technology in the Radiology Unit of a District Hospital

Background Blockchain technology has better security and immutable features, which are beneficial for healthcare data management. Decentralisation data management allows better sharing of medical images between units and departments. Objectives The objectives of this study were to determine the cost of adopting the blockchain-based system for medical images and the cost-benefit analysis for five years of adoption of this technology at a district hospital in Malaysia. Methodology Data regarding the yearly costs and workload for 2016 until 2018 were collected from a district hospital in Malaysia. The cost of blockchain implementation was obtained from a company that developed this technology. The cost-benefit analysis was done using the capital budgeting method for five years of this technology adoption. Sensitivity analysis was done to assess uncertainty conditions during this adoption. Results The total yearly cost of Radiology Unit for 2018 was MYR490,168.96. The cost for adopting blockchain technology was MYR80,000 for the software, MYR115,000 for upgrading the assets and yearly maintenance cost was MYR16,000. The total present value of net benefits for five years of technology adoption was MYR865,295.01. Sensitivity analysis shows that consumables cost-saving is the most sensitive variable. Most pessimistic situation analyses showed positive net benefits. Conclusion The adoption of blockchain technology in managing medical images offers numerous benefits to public hospitals in Malaysia. Investment in this technology can provide a good return to the organisation.

EFFECT OF GENERATOR CAUSED AIR POLLUTION ON TOTAL LEUCOCYTE COUNT (TLC) IN RATTUS RATTUS

The study was conducted to observe the influence of Generator emissions on the Total Leucocytes Count (TLC) of the common house rat, Rattus rattus linnaeus, 1758 collected from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh (India). The Total Leucocytes Count values were estimated in GroupI control and GroupII experimental which were exposed to generator emissions from 5KV diesel generator. The latter were further subdivided into four groups, based on distance of exposure [group A (2 feet), Group B (4feet), Group C (6feet), Group D (8 feet)] The results indicated significantly lower values in exposed rats suggesting that the emissions adversely affected TLC exposed as heart disease, high fever and cancer. When from 2 feet distance mortality of 33.33% was observed.

Technology exploration of micro, small, and medium enterprises in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia

The purpose of this research is to explore technology use in micro, small, and medium enterprises in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia. The data analysis method used in this study is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with programming tools that support primary data analysis in the form of Lisrel 8.8 with the population being UMKM actors totaling 791 people and the sample used was 222 MSMEs offender with random sampling technique. The structural model analysis between the technology learning orientation and the MSMEs performance shows that the estimation coefficient is positive and high at 2.94 with a t-value of 0.77, which means it is significant (the number is greater than 1.96). The results of the structural analysis between Competitive Advantage and MSMEs Performance show a coefficient value of 4.72 and a total value of 0.80. The research is expected to give more insight into the use of technology for MSMEs, especially in Indonesia, and become a reference for future research discussing about similar issues.

Ecological and economic assessment of the effectiveness of implementing bioenergy technologies in the conditions of post-war recovery of Ukraine

Purpose. Ecological and economic assessment of the effectiveness of implementing bioenergy technologies for processing organic waste in conditions of technogenic and military risks, while also addressing the need to reduce the extraction of fossil fuels. Methodology. The advanced global experience in bioenergy development is analyzed and considered using modern methods for calculating the technological parameters of biogas plants and determining the economic indicators of their effectiveness. The techno-economic evaluation and justification of the prospects of biogas energy are performed considering the regulatory framework and legislation of Ukraine and the European Union. Findings. With the development of individual biogas plants, the daily output can make approximately: biogas – 370 m3, electricity – 700 kW, thermal energy – 1100 kW. The total value of realized resources per year of operation amounts to €60,370 (of which: electricity – €31,467; thermal energy – €10,907; liquid organic fertilizers – €17,996). With investments of around €270–300 thousand and an annual profit of €21,870, the payback period of investments reaches 12–13 years. Originality. The scientific justification for the prospect and necessity of developing biogas energy in Ukraine has been established to improve overall energy security and the eco-economic efficiency of developing low-waste technologies alongside reducing the extraction of energy resources and greenhouse gas emissions. Assuming the improvement of the regulatory framework for biogas extraction and implementation in line with EU standards, as well as grant funding from various partner countries, the payback period could be reduced from 12 to 5–6 years, which is an acceptable indicator for small private enterprises. Practical value. The practical implementation of the proposed perspectives for the development of Ukraine’s energy sector in the conditions of post-war recovery will reduce dependence on fossil fuels, increase the overall level of environmental and economic efficiency in the energy sector. The possibility of reducing the payback period of capital investments in “green energy” projects by half for farm enterprises has been justified, which positively impacts the environment and energy security of Ukraine.

Pharmacognostic study and preliminary phytochemical investigation of Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall. ex Nees

Andrographis paniculata (family –Acanthaceae) is an annual herbaceous plant with branches that grows up to a height of 50-150 cm in moist, shaded areas. Its stem is abruptly quadrangular, heavily branched, and has a delicate texture that is readily broken. It is found in Southeast Asia, tropical and subtropical Asia, and a few other nations like Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Caribbean islands, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand etc. It is widely used in different traditional medicinal systems or countries for medicinal purposes by the traditional practitioners, tribes or community as a folklore remedies. The present communication provides a detailed account of the pharmacognostic study carried out on various parts of the Andrographis paniculata. The study includes macroscopy, microscopy, powder microscopic studies, physicochemical tests, preliminary phytochemical screening, development of HPTLC (High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) fingerprints profile and heavy metal tests. Physicochemical parameters were performed and found average values of three parts (root, stem and leaf) such as root loss on drying at 1050C 4.93% w/w, total ash value 10.16% w/w, acid insoluble ash value 0.21% w/w, alcohol soluble extractive value 13.98% w/w and water soluble extractive value 25.77%w/w. Stem loss on drying at 1050C 6.23% w/w, total ash value 6.88% w/w, acid insoluble ash value 0.25% w/w, alcohol soluble extractive value 18.46% w/w and water soluble extractive value 21.94%w/w and leaf loss on drying at 1050C was found 6.29% w/w, total ash value 7.30% w/w, acid insoluble ash value 0.13% w/w, alcohol soluble extractive value 21.93% w/w and water soluble extractive value 38.68%w/w. HPTLC (High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography) fingerprints profile of methanolic extract was done by using mobile phase toluene: ethyl acetate (7:3). Andrographolide and Ferullic acid standard markers were applied, major spots Rf values with colour were recorded before derivatization at 254nm. Rf values are 0.25 black, leaf, stem and root with Andrographolide standard marker, and 0.20 light black color of stem, and root with Ferullic acid standard marker. Andrographolide is higher present in leaf which was range from 1.51-162 than the stem range1.46-153 and root range 1.45-1.150, while Ferulic acid was higher present in stem range from 0.91-0.96 than root 0.76-0.82 but absent in leaf. Heavy metals i.e Pb, Cd, As, & Hg were tested and found under WHO limits Established parameters can be used as standards for quality control and identification of the plant in herbal compound formulations and also preparation of a monograph of the plant.

The values of cultural goods and cultural capital externalities: state of the art and future research prospects

AbstractCultural economics has largely looked toward environmental economics and used non-market valuation techniques such as contingent valuation to estimate the total economic value of cultural goods. These methods are well suited to the valuation of cultural heritage goods, where the benefits are mostly related to the level of supply and mainly take the form of existence and bequest values. This stands in contrast to cultural institutions such as theatres, libraries, exhibitions, and concerts, where the value is produced, when the goods are consumed. For this type of cultural goods, I suggest that cultural economics rather turn to find inspiration in the economics of education. The value of schooling can be divided into private returns and social returns (human capital externalities). Likewise, the value of cultural consumption can have a private and a public component, where I suggest labeling the public component cultural capital externalities. The idea is that when private consumption of arts and culture is taking place, the individual will accumulate cultural capital. This accumulated cultural capital can impact other people (e.g., through changed behavior, future decisions or interactions) and create externalities, i.e., the cultural capital externalities. The size of the externalities is expected to increase (or decrease) with the level of consumption. Without the consumption by the users, no externalities are produced. While this is one of the most fundamental arguments for cultural policy, it has not yet been extensively studied within cultural economics.

Estimation of geomagnetic components under unknown interferences for drilling tools

The geomagnetic components measurement directly influences the azimuth and magnetic Toolface of downhole drilling tools. Accurate estimation of the geomagnetic components is crucial for wellbore trajectory control. However, the unknown magnetic interferences caused by ferromagnetic drilling tools introduce significant errors in the estimation of the geomagnetic components. Firstly, this paper considers the constraint of a constant total magnetic field value and introduces the unknown axial interferences of the drilling tools as a new state. At the same time, parameter uncertainties and radial interferences within the drilling tools are regarded as unknown but bounded, leading to the establishment of a linear time-varying system model for the measurement system. Then, a state estimation method based on the Zonotopic Kalman filter (ZKF) is proposed for geomagnetic components and attitude measurements. The simulation results indicate that, compared to the ZKF method without considering nonlinear constraints, the method proposed in this paper effectively separates the axial interference of the geomagnetic components from the drilling tools during dynamic measurements. The root mean square errors of the estimated three-axis geomagnetic components are reduced to 0.0249 Gauss, 0.0082 Gauss, and 0.0148 Gauss, resulting in improvements in accuracy of 96.06%, 28.6%, and 14.1%, respectively. Furthermore, the root mean square errors of the gravity Toolface, magnetic Toolface, and azimuth estimation decreased to 1.8296°, 1.8294°, and 3.2898°, leading to enhancements in accuracy of 9.61%, 9.71%, and 96.37%, respectively. Finally, experimental validation confirms the effectiveness of the proposed method, providing a reference basis for dynamic measurement while drilling.

Antifungal Activity, Total Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity Properties of Some Spices Extracts as Alternative Natural Antimicrobial Agents

In this study, extracts were obtained from rosemary, anise, cinnamon, ginger, peppermint, turmeric, fennel, clove, laurel leaves and thyme. The total phenolic content amount, antioxidant activity value and antifungal properties of these extracts were aimed to determine the extracts. Among the extracts, clove, cinnamon, turmeric and ginger were superior in terms of total phenolic content values, clove, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, laurel leaves and rosemary extracts were superior in terms of antioxidant activity. The highest inhibition zone diameters among mold strains were determined by the use of extracts of cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, clove and laurel leaves against Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium digitatum and Aspergillus niger strains. The results suggested the potential use of cinnamon and clove extracts as natural agents.

A Blended Vitamin Supplement Improves Spatial Cognitive and Short-Term Memory in Aged Mice.

Although many types of antioxidant supplements are available, the effect is greater if multiple types are taken simultaneously rather than one type. However, it is difficult to know which type and how much to take, as it is possible to take too many of some vitamins. As it is difficult for general consumers to make this choice, it is important to provide information based on scientific evidence. This study investigated the various effects of continuous administration of a blended supplement to aging mice. In 18-month-old C57BL/6 mice given a blended supplement ad libitum for 1 month, spatial cognition and short-term memory in the Morris water maze and Y-maze improved compared with the normal aged mice (spontaneous alternative ratio, normal aged mice, 49.5%, supplement-treated mice, 68.67%, p < 0.01). No significant differences in brain levels of secreted neurotrophic factors, such as nerve growth factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, were observed between these two groups. In treadmill durability tests before and after administration, the rate of increase in running distance after administration was significantly higher than that of the untreated group (increase rate, normal aged mice, 91.17%, supplement-treated aged mice, 111.4%, p < 0.04). However, training had no reinforcing effect, and post-mortem serum tests showed a significant decrease in aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and total cholesterol values. These results suggest continuous intake of a blended supplement may improve cognitive function and suppress age-related muscle decline.

Maternal Hemodynamics from Preconception to Delivery: Research and Potential Diagnostic and Therapeutic Implications: Position Statement by Italian Association of Pre-Eclampsia and Italian Society of Perinatal Medicine.

The Italian Association of Preeclampsia (AIPE) and the Italian Society of Perinatal Medicine (SIMP) developed clinical questions on maternal hemodynamics state of the art. AIPE and SIMP experts were divided in small groups and were invited to propose an overview of the existing literature on specific topics related to the clinical questions proposed, developing, wherever possible, clinical and/or research recommendations based on available evidence, expert opinion, and clinical importance. Draft recommendations with a clinical rationale were submitted to 8th AIPE and SIMP Consensus Expert Panel for consideration and approval, with at least 75% agreement required for individual recommendations to be included in the final version. More and more evidence in literature underlines the relationship between maternal and fetal hemodynamics, as well as the relationship between maternal cardiovascular profile and fetal-maternal adverse outcomes such as fetal growth restriction and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Experts agreed on proposing a classification of pregnancy hypertension, complications, and cardiovascular states based on three different hemodynamic profiles depending on total peripheral vascular resistance values: hypodynamic (>1,300 dynes·s·cm-5), normo-dynamic, and hyperdynamic (<800 dynes·s·cm-5) circulation. This differentiation implies different therapeutical strategies, based drugs' characteristics, and maternal cardiovascular profile. Finally, the cardiovascular characteristics of the women may be useful for a rational approach to an appropriate follow-up, due to the increased cardiovascular risk later in life. Although the evidence might not be conclusive, given the lack of large randomized trials, maternal hemodynamics might have great importance in helping clinicians in understanding the pathophysiology and chose a rational treatment of patients with or at risk for pregnancy complications. · Altered maternal hemodynamics is associated to fetal growth restriction.. · Altered maternal hemodynamics is associated to complicated hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.. · Maternal hemodynamics might help choosing a rational treatment during hypertensive disorders..

210Po and 210Pb radioactivity levels in local and imported tobacco used in Palestine and Jordan.

This study aimed to assess the concentrations of 210Po and 210Pb in various tobacco samples from Palestine and Jordan. Cigarette smoking is recognized as a significant contributor to the radiation dose received by individuals, primarily due to the elevated levels of 210Pb and 210Po found in tobacco. The analysis revealed that the average concentrations of 210Po in locally sourced tobacco and cigarette samples in Palestine are 16.8 ± 2.3mBq/g and 18.5 ± 2.0mBq/g, with a total average of 17.8 ± 7.4mBq/g (15.5mBq/cigarette). Similarly, the average concentrations of 210Pb in these samples are 18.5 ± 2.6mBq/g and 20.3 ± 2.2mBq/g, with a total average of 19.6 ± 8.1mBq/g (17.0mBq/cigarette). In Jordan, the average concentrations of 210Po in cigarette samples and narghile tobacco are 20.1 ± 2.4mBq/g and 18.3 ± 4.1mBq/g, with a total average value of 19.6 ± 9.9mBq/g (18.0mBq/cigarette), while the average concentrations of 210Pb are 22.2 ± 2.6mBq/g and 20.2 ± 4.5mBq/g, with a total average value of 21.6 ± 10.8mBq/g (19.9mBq/cigarette). The annual effective doses resulting from inhalation were calculated for smokers of these samples. The findings revealed that the levels of 210Po and 210Pb radioactivity in certain investigated samples exceeded the results of studies in many countries of the world. The associated effective doses per year from smoking for all brands products in Palestine range from 34.7μSv/y to 186.5μSv/y with an average of 109.5μSv/y, while in Jordan 54.5μSv/y to 289.1μSv/y with an average of 130.9μSv/y.

Defect Detection in Grouting Sleeve Grouting Material by Piezoelectric Wave Method

The construction defects in grouting sleeves can jeopardize the safety of precast reinforced concrete structures. Thus, efficient and accurate defect detection is critical in engineering construction. In this paper, a defect detection method based on piezoelectric wave theory was proposed. Two piezoelectric ceramics were arranged within the grouting sleeve. One piezoelectric ceramic was affixed on the top of the steel bar, while the other was embedded in the grouting material, serving as the driver and sensor, respectively. The compactness defects, air cavity defects, steel anchoring defects, and water–binder ratio defects were set in the grouting sleeves, and the trends in time domain signals and signal evaluation indicators based on the wavelet packet total energy value (WPTEV) of different specimens were investigated. Based on the WPTEV, the evaluation index (EI) was proposed. In addition, the effect of the grouting material’s age on the piezoelectric wave signal was verified. Furthermore, the influence of grouting material defects on signals was simulated in ABAQUS, and the time domain signals and wavelet packet energy of sensor signals for specimens with varying defect dimensions were evaluated. The results showed that: (1) The defects in the grouting materials reduced the stress waves propagated through the grouting materials, resulting in a decrease in attenuation and an increasing trend in the signal; (2) The peak-to-peak values of piezoelectric ceramic sensors and the WPTEV of the signal increased with the degree of defects, and the WPTEV was more pronounced. For specimen M68, the WPTEV was 3.3 times that of the healthy specimen, however, the peak-to-peak value was only 2.3 times that of the healthy specimen; (3) The degree of defects was accurately determined by the defect evaluation index (EI) based on the WPTEV; (4) The signal was significantly attenuated with the increase in the age of the grouting material, especially in the first three days, and finally the signal achieved a stable value; (5) The numerical simulation indicated that the defects in the length and thickness of the air cavity in the grouting material were efficiently detected by the proposed piezoelectric arrangement in this study.