• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.251-258
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• 1999

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.550-559
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of the integrated dementia managing programme for the elderly with mild dementia in which the physiological, cognitive, emotional, sociological and spiritual aspects have considered. Methods: This study employed non-equivalent control group pre-post tests with the repeated measure design. The subjects of the study were 39 elderly with mild dementia (20 in the experimental group and 19 in the control group) who have admitted to two nursing homes in B city. The data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA. Results: There were significant interactions between two groups and times in self-efficacy (p=.011), cognitive function (p<.001), depression (p=.005), spiritual well-being (p=.002), and quality of life (p=.037). The integrated dementia managing programme of this study showed significant positive effects on the quality of life for the elderly with mild dementia. Conclusion: On considering the current trends of aging and increasing number of the elderly with dementia, this integrated programme would be highly recommended to be used in nursing homes for the elderly with mild dementia, and contribute to improving their quality of life, and saving the social and medical expenses as well.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.285-293
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• 2022

Lumped damage mechanics (LDM) is a recent nonlinear theory with several applications to civil engineering structures, such as reinforced concrete and steel buildings. LDM apply key concepts of classic fracture and damage mechanics on plastic hinges. Therefore, the lumped damage models are quite successful in reproduce actual structural behaviour using concepts well-known by engineers in practice, such as ultimate moment and first cracking moment of reinforced concrete elements. So far, lumped damage models are based in the strain energy equivalence hypothesis, which is one of the fictitious states where the intact material behaviour depends on a damage variable. However, there are other possibilities, such as the energy equivalence hypothesis. Such possibilities should be explored, in order to pursue unique advantages as well as extend the LDM framework. Therewith, a lumped damage model based on the energy equivalence hypothesis is proposed in this paper. The proposed model was idealised for reinforced concrete structures, where a damage variable accounts for concrete cracking and the plastic rotation represents reinforcement yielding. The obtained results show that the proposed model is quite accurate compared to experimental responses.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.97-106
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• 2017

This paper discusses an experimental programme that was carried out to study the effects of specimen size-shape and type of moulds on the compressive strength of concrete. For this purpose, cube specimens with 150 mm dimensions, cylinder specimens with $150{\times}300mm$ dimensions, and prism specimens with $150{\times}150{\times}375mm$ dimensions were prepared. The experimental programme was carried out with several concrete compositions belonging to strength classes C20/25, C25/30, C30/37, C40/50 and C60/75. Furthermore, the test results were curve-fitted using the least squares method to obtain the new parameters for the modified size effect law.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.473-487
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• 2021

The review of the literature and design guidelines indicates a lack of design codes governing the shear strength of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with ultrahigh-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC). This study uses the results of a 3D finite element model constructed previously by the authors and verified against an experimental programme to gain a clear understanding of the shear strength of RC beams strengthened with UHPFRC by using different schemes. Experimental results found in the literature along with the numerical results for shear capacities of normal-strength RC and UHPFRC beams without stirrups are compared with available code design guidelines and empirical models found in the literature. The results show variance between the empirical models and the experimental results. Accordingly, proposed equations derived based on empirical models found in the literature were set to estimate the shear capacity of normal-strength RC beams without stirrups. In addition, the term 'shear span-to-depth ratio' is not considered in the equations for design guidelines found in the literature regarding the shear capacity of UHPFRC beams without stirrups. Consequently, a formula estimating the shear strength of UHPFRC and RC beams strengthened with UHPFRC plates and considering the effect of shear span-to-depth ratio is proposed and validated against an experimental programme previously conducted by the authors.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.183-197
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• 2007

Field trial was conducted at the Research Farm of the Katsina State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority during the farming season of 2004 with a view to evaluate/determine the efficacy of some selected plant-derived biopesticides against the insect pests of cowpea as well as their effect on yield. The variety of the cowpea used was IT86D-719 and the plant derived biopesticides evaluated during the trial were chilli pepper, garlic, ginger, neem, sweetsop and tobacco. The experimental field was ploughed, harrowed and thereafter ridged before the commencement of the 2004 planting season. A total of twenty one (21) experimental plots were demarcated and arranged into seven treatment plots. The size of each plot was $5m{\times}4m$ while interspaces between adjacent plot and blocks were 1m and 2m, respectively. Results of the experiments showed that all the plant-derived biopesticide treatments were significantly (p>0.05) better than control treatment. The order of effectiveness of the treatments was tobacco (80-90%), sweetsop (75-85%), garlic (70-80), neem (72-78%), chilli pepper (60-70%) and ginger (30-50%). Furthermore, yield result corresponded positively with the effectiveness of the treatments. Results of the present finding suggest the use of tobacco, sweetsop and garlic as promising biopesticides in the control of cowpea insect pests.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.113-118
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• 2007

Bromophenols are a group of compounds found only in marine organisms. They accumulate and give a sea-like aroma to marine animals. Cultivated fishes generally contain low concentrations of bromophenols compared to wild fishes. Feeding cultivated fishes with bromophenol-containing seaweed could increase their bromophenol content and thus improve their flavor quality. We evaluated the effect of an experimental feed on the bromophenol content of green grouper, Epinephelus coioides, during an 8-week feeding period. Green grouper individuals were divided into two groups and fed with conventional feed or experimental feed containing dried seaweed. Fish were collected biweekly for 8 weeks for proximate analyses and bromophenol content evaluations. Bromophenols were extracted, identified, and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Both moisture and lipid contents were generally higher in the controls; however, total weight and protein content were higher in the experimental group. Only 2,4-dibromophenol and 2,4,6-tribromophenol were detected in the samples. Throughout the 8 weeks, 2,4,6-tribromophenol concentrations were higher in the experimental group (9.20-32.3 ng/g dry wt) than in the control group (7.33-18.79 ng/g dry wt), but no significant difference in 2,4-dibromophenol concentration was detected between the two groups. The total bromophenol content reached a maximum at week 4 for the experimental feed and week 6 for the control. In short, experimental feed that incorporated bromophenol-containing seaweed increased the total bromophenol content in the green grouper.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.36-45
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• 2014

Understanding steel/skin contact phenomena is important for the study of object manipulation in robotics and has been a topic of great interest. In this study, pig skin was taken as a surrogate model for human skin, and its adhesive, friction, and deformation behaviors were measured under various exposure times to air. Indentation, friction, and scratch tests were performed at $25^{\circ}C$ and 45% relative humidity. The influences of adhesion and deformation on the coefficient of friction were characterized; the pig skin was found to be sensitive to the sliding velocity and normal load under the controlled experimental conditions.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.129-140
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• 2016

Basalt is a type of volcanic rocks, grey to black in colour, contains less than 20% quartz, 10% feldspathoid, and at least 65% of the feldspar of its volume. Basalt is considered an igneous rock with fine grains due to the rapid cooling of lava. Basaltic rocks have been widely used as aggregate for various purposes. The study presented in this paper was carried out on basalts that are widespread in the Madeira Island of Portugal and that comprise the major source of local crushed rock aggregates. This paper discusses an experimental programme that was carried out to study the effects of basaltic aggregate on the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of concrete. For this purpose, cylinder specimens with $150{\times}300mm$ dimensions and prism specimens with $150{\times}150{\times}375mm$ dimensions were cast. The experimental programme was carried out with several concrete compositions belonging to strength classes C20/25, C25/30, C30/37, C40/50 and C60/75. The Eurocode 2 indicates the modulus of elasticity should be 20% higher when the aggregates are of basaltic origin, however results showed significant differences and a correction is proposed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.509-525
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• 2020

Steel-concrete composite slabs with profiled steel sheeting are widely used in the execution of floors in steel and composite buildings. The rapid construction process, the elimination of conventional replaceable shuttering and the reduction of temporary support are, in general, considered the main advantages of this structural system. In slabs with the spans currently used, the longitudinal shear resistance commonly provided by the embossments along the steel sheet tends to be the governing design mode. This paper presents an innovative reinforcing system that increases the longitudinal shear capacity of composite slabs. The system is constituted by a set of transversal reinforcing bars crossing longitudinal stiffeners executed along the upper flanges of the steel sheet profiles. This type of reinforcement takes advantage of the high bending resistance of the composite slabs and increases the slab's ductility. Two experimental programmes were carried out: a small-scale test programme - to study the resistance provided by the reinforcing system in detail - and a full-scale test programme to test simply supported and continuous composite slabs - to assess the efficacy of the proposed reinforcing system on the global behaviour of the slabs. Based on the results of the small-scale tests, an equation to predict the resistance provided by the proposed reinforcing system was established. The present study concludes that the resistance and the ductility of composite slabs using the reinforcing system proposed here are significantly increased.