Adjustment Methods for Planimetric Observations and Co-Ordinates in Survey Networks

Correction and adjustment of observed angles and sides in geodetic networks are necessary for the purpose of the correct location of coordinated points. Correction equations are usually in the form of linear overdetermined (observation) or underdetermined (condition) equations which are solved by the least squares theorem. The introduction of the electro-magnetic methods of linear measurement requires the adjustment of sides as well as the adjustment of angles necessary in classical triangulation nets. For the simultaneous adjustment of angles and sides two new sets of conditions have been introduced: (i) the area misfit condition, where the area obtained from distances and angles has to satisfy a special condition, and (ii) that the sum of the projections of the three sides of a triangle on the coordinate axes have to satisfy a zero condition. A special study has been made into the adjustment of the braced geodetic quadrilateral, as being one of the most favourable figures from the adjustment point of view. The different apices of this quadrilateral have been investigated to allow a choice to be made as to which of them shall be introduced in an angle misfit condition during adjustment. This gives rise to the conclusion that all apices will introduce the same corrections for all practical purposes. Since observed angles and sides are different physical quantities, the question of relative weighting has been given special attention and recommendations have been made in the light of various theoretical and practical investigations. The Systematic relaxation method for adjusting survey nets has been theoretically derived by Professors Southwell and Black based on the minimum strain-energy conserved in an elastic frame-work at the position of equilibrium. Using this theory mechanical analogues have been designed and constructed for the first time to carry out the adjustment of the triangulation net directly from field observations, without the necessity of forming and solving a set of linear equations. An analogue for the adjustment of angles was found to be excessively complicated mechanically and difficult to use in practice. Through the use of a direction adjustment method these limitations have been overcome. The final model constructed achieved comparable results to those obtained numerically by a least squares solution. Suggestions for a more highly developed version are made and the situations favourable to mechanical analogue computations are discussed. The use of an electrical analogue as suggested by Su using a D.C. circuit has been thoroughly investigated from both the theoretical and practical points of view, which showed that such a solution will be simple only for certain limited cases. As an alternative the possibilities of the more general purpose electronic analogue computer have been investigated via the solution of correction equations. Various examples have been solved on this computer which proved to have several advantages over other computation methods. Finally equivalent problems have been solved numerically on a digital computer for a comparison of the relative merits of analogue and digital methods for the particular case of adjustment of geodetic networks. The relative merits of these solutions are discussed in the light of different problems and circumstances

Attitudes of doctors and nurses toward patient safety within emergency departments of two Saudi Arabian hospitals

Background: A hospital culture that promotes and insures patient safety is a critical aspect for the effective delivery of hospital services and patient care. Yet there are significant patient health and safety issues in hospitals worldwide. This study aims to investigate doctors’ and nurses’ attitudes toward patient safety in the emergency departments (ED) of two Saudi hospitals. Method: A cross-sectional survey using a validated Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) was used. Total of 503 ED doctors and nurses completed SAQ. Correlation analysis, using Spearman’s Rho, was performed between the number of incidents reported and each dimension of the SAQ. Results: The mean score of each SAQ dimension was \u3c 75%, indicating that nurses and doctors generally had less than a positive safety attitudes. This was especially prominent with dimensions of stress recognition (58.1%) and perceptions of hospital management (56.9%). Furthermore, nurses reported significantly lower on the teamwork climate dimension than doctors (p \u3c .01), whereas doctors reported significantly lower on the hospital work conditions dimension than nurses (p \u3c .01). There was a significant negative correlation between the number of errors reported and teamwork climate, job satisfaction, and work conditions. Conclusion: Safety attitudes of doctors and nurses employed in EDs of Saudi hospitals are less than positive and correlate with the number of reported errors. Safety training interventions and management support would appear to be the most likely avenues to improve the safety attitudes and performance within Saudi ED’s

Markers of neural degeneration and regeneration in Down syndrome patients

On the trisomy Down syndrome Critical Region (DSCR1) is located the APP gene, which accelerates amyloid peptide protein (APP) expression leading to cerebral accumulation of APP-derived amyloid-beta peptides (Ab) and age-dependent cognitive sequelae. Also DSCR1 attenuates endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis required for tissue repair. The aim of the present work is to determine markers of neural degeneration and regeneration in the blood of young and adolescent Down syndrome (DS) patients as well as controls. Markers of regeneration were measured in terms of circulating mononuclear cells expressing Nestin and CD34, while markers of degeneration were measured in terms of plasma Ab42 and advanced glycation end products receptors (RAGES). Results showed a significant increase in plasma Ab42 (20 ± 5.1 vs. 11.9 ± 3.4) and RAGES leucocytes mRNA relative expression (1.9 ±0.2 vs. 1.1 ±0.6) in adolescentDS patients compared to young DS. Both parameters were also significantly increased in DS compared to controls: Ab42 (15.4 ± 5.9 vs. 12. 3± 4.5); RAGES (1.4 ± 0.5 vs. 0.7± 0.2). Nestin (5.2 ± 1.4 vs. 6.3± 0.6) and CD34 (52 ± 2.5 vs. 53± 4.7) were non-significantly lower in adolescent DS patients compared to young DS, but significantly lower in DS patients compared to controls: Nestin (6.3 ± 1.5 vs. 9±4.4); CD34 (54 ± 3.4 vs. 60± 4.8). The significant decrease in the number of mononuclear cells bearing Nestin and CD34 markers accompanied by a significantincrease in Ab42 and RAGES indicate that degeneration in DS is an ongoing process, which is not counterbalanced by the regenerative mechanism

The Nature of Domestic Demand for Authentic Ethnic Experiences in Egypt: Exploring Egyptian Visitors’ Perspectives and Assessments of Bedouin Cultural Attractions

Much emphasis in the literature on Bedouin tourism in the Arab world has been given to the demands, perceptions, motivations and experiences of international tourists while domestic demands are not fully understood. Thus, this study challenges the status quo, being one of a few studies in which Egyptians are represented as tourists consuming Egyptian ethnic culture. A mix of qualitative research methods, including 29 semi-structured interviews with domestic visitors, observational data and document analysis, was employed to explore Egyptian visitors’ perspectives and assessments of Bedouin cultural attractions in Egypt. The findings revealed that the concept of experiencing existential authenticity through interactions with the workers and performers appeared to be outside the visitors’ sphere of thought, as they focused almost exclusively on tangible elements of the site offerings. This study has important implications for Bedouin tourism suppliers as well as tourism researchers. Egyptian visitors can be viewed as a powerful potential market for Bedouin attractions. Thus, site management should reconsider their approach to Egyptian visitors, as well as rethink the mission and goals of their site. Theoretically, the findings of this study strongly contest the notion that objective authenticity is no longer essential in ethnic tourism

Synthesis of some new antipyrine-thiophene hybrids and their evaluations as antioxidant and antibacterial agents

ABSTRACT. A novel series of antipyrinyl thienyl ketones 4a-c, 7a-c, 10a-c, and 13a-b was chemically synthesized through the cyclocondensation of 4-chloroacetylantipyrine with various 2-substituted-thioacetanilide scaffolds, including 3-arylazo-4-mercapto-4-phenylamino-buten-2-ones, ethyl 2-arylazo-3-mercapto-3-phenylamino-acrylate, 2-cyano-3-mercapto-3-(phenylamino)-N-arylacrylamide, 4-mercapto-4-(phenylamino)but-3-en-2-one, and/or ethyl-3-mercapto-3-(phenylamino)acrylate. Indeed, the reaction of 4-chloroacetylantipyrine with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde followed by refluxing with 2-cyanoacetohydrazide yielded 2-cyano-N'-(4-(2-(antipyrin-4-yl)-2-oxoethoxy)benzylidene)-acetohydrazide 17 as a building compound, which was used consequentially to synthesize a set of new antipyrinyl thienyl hybrids 19a-d. The chemical structures of newly synthesised compounds were unambiguously confirmed using extensive elemental and spectral data analyses. The newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Compared to the test reference (Ascorbic acid, 88.0%), the antipyrinyl thienyl ketones 13a and 13b substituted with methyl and/or hydroxyl groups at the thiophene ring system displayed excellent antioxidant properties, 87.8% and 87.2%, respectively. Additionally, antipyrinyl thienyl ketones 13a and 13b showed high antibacterial activities, and their relative activity index (which ranges from 68% to 91.7%) was close to that of a reference compound, Ampicillin.   KEY WORDS: 4-Chloroacetylantipyrine, Thioacetanilide, Antipyrinyl thienyl ketones, Antioxidant, Antimicrobial   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(1), 123-140.                                                              a DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i1.1

Safety attitudes in hospital emergency departments: A systematic review

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to perform and report a systematic review of published research on patient safety attitudes of health staff employed in hospital emergency departments (EDs). DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: An electronic search was conducted of PsychINFO, ProQuest, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed and CINAHL databases. The review included all studies that focussed on the safety attitudes of professional hospital staff employed in EDs. FINDINGS: Overall, the review revealed that the safety attitudes of ED health staff are generally low, especially on teamwork and management support and among nurses when compared to doctors. Conversely, two intervention studies showed the effectiveness of team building interventions on improving the safety attitudes of health staff employed in EDs. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Six studies met the inclusion criteria, however, most of the studies demonstrated low to moderate methodological quality. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Teamwork, communication and management support are central to positive safety attitudes. Teamwork training can improve safety attitudes. Given that EDs are the front-line of hospital care and patients within EDs are especially vulnerable to medical errors, future research should focus on the safety attitudes of medical staff employed in EDs and its relationship to medical errors

Validation of RELAP5 model of experimental test rig simulating the natural convection in MTR research reactors

In an attempt to understand the buildup of natural circulation in MTR pool type upward flow research reactors after loss of power, an experimental test rig was built to simulate the loop of natural circulation in MTR reactors. In this test rig the reactor core is simulated by two electrically heated, rectangular parallel channels. The channel's coolant and surface temperature at different operating conditions were measured. The measurements and their interpretation were published by the first three authors. In the present article the thermal hydraulic behavior of the test rig is complemented by theoretical analysis using RELAP5 system code. The analysis consisting of two parts; in the first part RELAP5 model is validated against the experimental measurements and in the second part the other non-measured hydraulic parameters are presented and analyzed. In spite of the low pressure of the test rig, the results show that RELAP5 Mode 3.3 qualitatively predicts the thermal hydraulic behaviour and the accompanied phenomenon of flow inversion in such facilities. Quantitatively, there is a difference between the predicted and measured values especially the surface temperature of channel's wall. This difference may be return to the uncertainties in initial conditions of experimental runs, the position of the thermocouples which buried inside the heat structure, and the heat transfer package in RELAP5

Variation in hospital morbidities in an Australian neonatal intensive care unit network

Objective: There is an expectation among the public and within the profession that the performance and outcome of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) should be comparable between centres with a similar setting. This study aims to benchmark and audit performance variation in a regional Australian network of eight NICUs. Design: Cohort study using prospectively collected data. SettingL All eight perinatal centres in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Patients: All live-born infants born between 23+0 and 31+6 weeks gestation admitted to one of the tertiary perinatal centres from 2007 to 2020 (n=12 608). Main outcome measures: Early and late confirmed sepsis, intraventricular haemorrhage, medically and surgically treated patent ductus arteriosus, chronic lung disease (CLD), postnatal steroid for CLD, necrotising enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), surgery for ROP, hospital mortality and home oxygen. Results: NICUs showed variations in maternal and neonatal characteristics and resources. The unadjusted funnel plots for neonatal outcomes showed apparent variation with multiple centres outside the 99.8% control limits of the network values. The hierarchical model-based risk-adjustment accounting for differences in patient characteristics showed that discharged home with oxygen is the only outcome above the 99.8% control limits. Conclusions: Hierarchical model-based risk-adjusted estimates of morbidity rates plotted on funnel plots provide a robust and straightforward visual graphical tool for presenting variations in outcome performance to detect aberrations in healthcare delivery and guide timely intervention. We propose using hierarchical model-based risk adjustment and funnel plots in real or near real-time to detect aberrations and start timely intervention

Monitoring of pesticide residues in some Egyptian herbs, fruits and vegetables.

Abstract: One hundred thirty two samples of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices collected from Egyptian local markets were analyzed for pesticide residues. Contamination with pesticide residues reached 54.55% while samples free from contamination reached 45.45%. Only one sample from 132 analyzed samples violated the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) of the Codex Committee. From the 132 analyzed samples, 72 samples (54.55%) were contaminated, from which 43.18% contaminated with residues from one pesticide residue, 6.06% with 2 residues and 5.3% with more than 2 residues. In addition, 2 caraway and one fennel samples contained 4 pesticide residues, one sample of marjoram contained 5 pesticide residues and one mint sample contained 6 pesticide residues. Six of the pesticides detected as residues in the analyzed food items were considered to be carcinogens at different levels of assurance