Physical, Deformation, and Stiffness Properties of Recycled Concrete Aggregate

The construction sector is currently struggling with the reuse of waste originating from the demolition and modernization of buildings and roads. Furthermore, old buildings are gradually being replaced by new structures. This brings a significant increase of concrete debris to waste landfills. To prevent this, many studies on the possibilities of recycling concrete, known as recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), have been done. To broaden the applicability of reused concrete, an understanding of its properties and engineering behavior is required. A difficulty in sustainable, proper management of RCA is the shortage of appropriate test results necessary to assess its utility. For this reason, in the present study, the physical, deformation, and stiffness properties of RCA with gravely grain distribution were analyzed carefully in the geotechnical laboratory. To examine the mentioned properties, an extensive experimental program was planned, which included the following studies: granulometric analysis, Proctor and oedometer tests, as well as resonant column tests. The obtained research results show that RCA has lower values of deformation and stiffness parameters than natural aggregates. However, after applying in oedometer apparatus repetitive cycles of loading/unloading/reloading, some significant improvement in the values of the parameters studied was noticed, most likely due to susceptibility to static compaction. Moreover, some critical reduction in the range of linear response of RCA to dynamic loading was observed.

Practical Considerations of Wastewater–Seawater Integrated Reverse Osmosis: Design Constraint by Boron Removal

The wastewater–seawater (WW-SW) integrated reverse osmosis (RO) process has gained much attention in and out of academia due to its energy saving capability, economic benefits, and sustainability. The other advantage of this process is to reduce boron concentration in the RO permeate that can exclude the post-treatment process. However, there are multiple design constraints regarding boron removal that restrict process design in the WW-SW integrated system. In this study, uncertainties in design factors of the WW-SW integrated system in consideration of boron removal have been explored. In comprehensive consideration of the blending ratio of between WW and SW, regulatory water quality standard, specific energy consumption (SEC), specific water cost, and RO recovery rate, a range of 15,000~20,000 mg/L feed turned out to be the most appropriate. Furthermore, boron rejection tests with SWRO (seawater reverse osmosis) and BWRO (brackish water reverse osmosis) membranes under actual WW-SW integration found a critical reduction in boron rejection at less than 20 bar of operating pressure. These findings emphasize the importance of caution in the use of BWRO membranes in the WW-SW integrated RO system.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Foregut Dysmotility in Children with Intestinal Failure

Gastrointestinal dysmotility is a common problem in a subgroup of children with intestinal failure (IF), including short bowel syndrome (SBS) and pediatric intestinal pseudo-obstruction (PIPO). It contributes significantly to the increased morbidity and decreased quality of life in this patient population. Impaired gastrointestinal (GI) motility in IF arises from either loss of GI function due to the primary disorder (e.g., neuropathic or myopathic disorder in the PIPO syndrome) and/or a critical reduction in gut mass. Abnormalities of the anatomy, enteric hormone secretion and neural supply in IF can result in rapid transit, ineffective antegrade peristalsis, delayed gastric emptying or gastroesophageal reflux. Understanding the underlying pathophysiologic mechanism(s) of the enteric dysmotility in IF helps us to plan an appropriate diagnostic workup and apply individually tailored nutritional and pharmacological management, which might ultimately lead to an overall improvement in the quality of life and increase in enteral tolerance. In this review, we have focused on the pathogenesis of GI dysmotility in children with IF, as well as the management and treatment options.

Nutritional Feeding Strategies in Pediatric Intestinal Failure

Intestinal failure is defined as a critical reduction of the gut mass or function, below the minimum needed to absorb nutrients and fluids. The ultimate goal in intestinal failure is to promote bowel adaptation and reach enteral autonomy while a healthy growth and development is maintained. The condition is heterogeneous and complex. Therefore, recommendations for the type and duration of parenteral, enteral, and oral nutrition are variable, with the child’s age as an additional key factor. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of nutritional feeding strategies in this heterogeneous population. Different perspectives on nutritional management, nutrition and adaptation, and microbiome and nutrition will be discussed.

Assessment of the ability to determine the safety of people in real time

Introduction. The safety of people in a building is always taken into account at the design stage of the building. However, the level of safety of people may change during daily operation of the building, for example, due to failure of fire extinguishing systems or blocking of escape routes after the building is put into operation. One of the ways to solve this problem is to organize monitoring of people safety degree in building and taking measures in case of its critical reduction. The task of the work is to consider the possibility of determining the degree of safety of people in a building in real time. For this purpose it is proposed to modify the existing methodology for determining individual fire risk and apply it in a daily monitoring mode. Methods. The scientific analysis of the existing above-mentioned method is carried out. All coefficients of the formula for finding an individual fire risk are considered. The results of the analysis are synthesized in a comparative table. Results. Conclusions are made about the possibility of monitoring the fire risk in real time. The necessity of developing a new model and algorithms for monitoring and managing the level of safety of people in a building is justified. Conclusion. It is possible to calculate the real-time human security. It will take to combine several information systems into one for this purpose. This will allow you to get data about the current state of the support systems, the number of people in the building, and so on. These data can be used to calculate coefficients from the individual fire risk formula, virtually eliminating the need for expert assessments, determining stochastic parameters, and other random variables. Key words: fire risk, fire safety, monitoring, real-time mode.

Strategic priorities for public policy to counter tax evasion using offshore jurisdictions

The authors substantiate the relevance of the formation and implementation of state policy in strengthening the financial security of Ukraine by combating tax evasion using offshore zones. The novelty of the research results is the coordination of strategic tasks and strategic priorities of the state policy within the strategic sequences. The practical significance of the results makes them applicable for central authorities to develop a strategy and tactics to strengthen the state's financial security and combat tax evasion using offshore zones. The study uses a scientific method of analysis and synthesis to justify the strategic tasks and strategic priorities of the state policy of strengthening the financial security of Ukraine by combating tax evasion using offshore zones. The purpose of the state policy is defined as strengthening the financial security of Ukraine by combating tax evasion using offshore jurisdictions. The achievement of this goal is connected with the strengthening of a budgetary, monetary-credit, debt security. The authors suggest the following strategic objectives of the state policy: a critical reduction in the unpaid tax payments through the use of offshore jurisdictions and the increase of tax revenues to the budget; preservation of capital in the country and its productive use, in particular as an investment resource; systemic economic de-shadowing; eliminating the manifestations of deviant behaviour by economic agents; formation of the “equal” competitive environment for stimulating the development of SMEs, legal management, innovation, and technological entrepreneurship. The following strategic priorities of state economic regulation should be achieved: improvement of the organizational-managerial system of combating offshore market; establishment of an effective system for monitoring and control of abuses using offshore jurisdictions; building up a full-fledged institutional infrastructure of de-offshoring and de-shadowing of the economy.

Possibilities of magnetic resonance imaging in predicting of the critical reduction of left ventricle contractile function in patients with coronary artery disease after direct myocardial revascularization

Aim.To identify the criteria for reversibility of structural changes in the myocardium of patients with coronary artery disease after revascularization based on analysis of data obtained using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Materials and methods.We studied the long-term results of surgical treatment of 53 patients with critical reduction of left ventricle contractile function (ejection fraction less than 30%) undergoing coronary bypass surgery. Before the operation, all patients underwent cardiac MRI and transthoracic echocardiography (EchoCG). Immediate and long-term results were assessed according to EchoCG.Results.The average observation period was 25,0±15,4 months. We found that significant predictors of improving of left ventricle contractile function are diastolic interventricular septum thickness (according to EchoCG and MRI) >10,5 mm (p<0,05); diastolic posterior wall thickness (according to EchoCG and MRI) >9,5 mm (p<0,05); degree of initially scarred myocardium according to MRI <33 points (p<0,05).Conclusion.Detection of a viable myocardium is a prognostically important sign of a possible improvement in the functional state of left ventricle after revascularization surgery in patients with coronary artery disease, complicated by a critical reduction of myocardium contractile function. Thus, this problem can be solved by contrasting MRI.

Biblical Performance Criticism: Survey and Prospects

Biblical Performance Criticism (BPC) analyzes communication events of biblical traditions for audiences. Every communication event of a tradition has four aspects: a communicator, traditions re-expressed, an audience, and a social situation. This essay surveys the history of BPC and its current prospects and points to the future work of developing a fine-grained theoretical foundation for its work. In the analytical mode, a scholar gathers and examines data from a past performance event to describe it, and its effects, in detail. In the heuristic mode, a performer presents a tradition to an audience in order to better understand its dynamics. In the practical mode, a person reflects on the performance of biblical traditions in daily life. In these ways, BPC reunites biblical scholarship fragmented by critical reduction, and bridges the academic and popular use of biblical traditions.

PRESENT STATUS OF NATURAL REPRODUCTION OF STURGEON (ACIPENSERIDAE) IN THE URAL RIVER

In the current conditions of a critical reduction of sturgeon stocks and the imposed moratorium on industrial sturgeon catching it is necessary to take urgent and cardinal measures to save the Caspian populations of these valuable fish species. To restore the number of sturgeons in the Ural-Caspian basin it is first of all necessary to increase the efficiency of natural reproduction. The Urals is the only river in the basin of the Caspian Sea with an undisturbed hydrological regime that allows to maintain the normal dynamics of migrations of sturgeon fishes and conditions for spawning and the subsequent ramp of the young. The current state of the natural reproduction of sturgeon in the Ural river was analyzed; data on the dynamics of sloping migration of young sturgeon, their number and mass are given. It has been established that the main factors affecting the reproduction of sturgeon are the hydrological conditions of the river of a particular year, as well as the number of producers that are allowed to enter spawning grounds. It has been stated that the beginning of sturgeon juveniles ramp into the Ural River shifted to later period and can be registered only since June; ramp duration has greatly decreased; average mass of ramping juveniles also decreased; since 2007 Acipenser nudiventris juveniles haven’t been observed, and since 2010 stellate sturgeon juveniles haven’t been come across. It is shown that at present, due to a number of reasons, the efficiency of natural reproduction of sturgeon in the Ural River is reduced to zero.