Impact of Advanced Health Information Systems on Medical Records Management and Archiving Quality

Current estimates suggest that 7-8% of medical records worldwide are either misplaced or incomplete, and in pediatric outpatient visits, more than 20% of medical records are unattainable when needed. This poses a significant hazard in medical record-keeping, with missing or damaged records potentially putting patients at risk. As healthcare facilities grapple with ever-increasing complexity and functionality demands, the advancement and adoption of sophisticated health information systems for managing medical records offer a glimmer of hope. These systems emphasize the handling and transformation of data and once developed, facilitate bringing computers and information directly to the patient\u27s bedside to assist healthcare providers. However, the complexity of these systems necessitates continuous upkeep to ensure effective information management for patient care. Despite case studies indicating that such systems contribute to higher healthcare quality and the reduction of clinical errors, the direct effects on medical record integrity demand further exploration, acknowledging both the benefits and pitfalls. A medical record, the healthcare provider\u27s comprehensive log detailing a patient\u27s medical history and conditions, serves as a cornerstone for ongoing and evaluative care, aiming to enhance patient health outcomes. For healthcare providers, it acts as a shield in uncertain situations, offers proof of continuous care, and ensures persistent monitoring of patient health. The caliber of a medical record reflects adherence to set standards and can be seen as emblematic of desired attributes. It is a collection of factual representations and professional assessments maintained by healthcare practitioners. Health information management is constantly confronted with an array of challenges, with essential medical data continually endangered. The swiftness of technological advancement, shifting government priorities, and societal expectations have put medical record service quality in a predicament. There is also an increasing call for improved accessibility and transferability of medical records. While cutting-edge health information systems hold the promise of enhancing the caliber of medical records, they could also pose a threat to service quality if not used, understood, and governed adeptly. These sophisticated IT systems enable organizations to handle, manipulate, and relay information efficiently. They are designed in a myriad of forms and serve a vital role in clinical decision-making and patient-to-patient service provision. For patients, these systems offer support through healthcare navigation, finding suitable practitioners, communication with providers, and managing health information transactions

Biobased Epoxy Asphalt Binder (BEAB) for Pavement Asphalt Mixtures

In recent years, there have been significant concerns about environmental issues, sustainability of infrastructure, and depletion of nonrenewable resources for pavement construction. These concerns have led to substituting petroleum-based paving materials with their biobased counterparts. Research efforts have attempted to produce asphalt from renewable bio-resources. As a special modifier for asphalt, petroleum-based epoxy resin has been used in a few asphalt paving projects that require superior performance of asphalt mixtures. This study attempts to develop a biobased epoxy modifier for asphalt, which may improve asphalt performance at lower economic and environmental costs. Based on the findings from research in the chemistry industry, an epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) and a biobased curing agent, maleic anhydride (MA), were selected to develop the epoxy modifier for asphalt. The proper proportions of ESO, MA, and a base asphalt (PG 67-22) were determined to achieve a homogenous biobased epoxy asphalt binder (BEAB) with the desired properties evaluated by a rotational viscosity test, a penetration test, and a dynamic shear rheometer test. Pavement performance related properties of asphalt mixtures using such a BEAB were also evaluated using a Marshall stability test. It was found that the optimum ratio of MA:ESO:Asphalt in the BEAB is 0.45:1:8, and the asphalt mixture containing such a binder has a higher Marshall stability and higher rutting and fatigue cracking resistance indicators than the mixture using a neat asphalt (PG 67-22). In addition, the BEAB with the optimum formula has a curing time (i.e., the time when the binder viscosity increases to 1 Pa·s) of at least 50 minutes, which is sufficient for construction of typical epoxy asphalt pavements

Carbonation and Corrosion Problems in Reinforced Concrete Structures

Reinforced concrete (RC) has been commonly used as a construction material for decades due to its high compressive strength and moderate tensile strength. However, these two properties of RC are frequently hampered by degradation. The main degradation processes in RC structures are carbonation and the corrosion of rebars. The scientific community is divided regarding the process by which carbonation causes structural damage. Some researchers suggest that carbonation weakens a structure and makes it prone to rebar corrosion, while others suggest that carbonation does not damage structures enough to cause rebar corrosion. This paper is a review of the research work carried out by different researchers on the carbonation and corrosion of RC structures. The process of carbonation and the factors that contribute to this process will be discussed, alongside recommendations for improving structures to decrease the carbonation process. The corrosion of rebars, damage to passive layers, volume expansion due to steel oxidation, and crack growth will also be discussed. Available protection methods for reducing carbonation, such as rebar structure coating, cathodic protection, and modifier implementation, will also be reviewed. The paper concludes by describing the most significant types of damage caused by carbonation, testing protocols, and mitigation against corrosion damage

Carbonation and Corrosion Problems in Reinforced Concrete Structures

Reinforced concrete (RC) has been commonly used as a construction material for decades due to its high compressive strength and moderate tensile strength. However, these two properties of RC are frequently hampered by degradation. The main degradation processes in RC structures are carbonation and the corrosion of rebars. The scientific community is divided regarding the process by which carbonation causes structural damage. Some researchers suggest that carbonation weakens a structure and makes it prone to rebar corrosion, while others suggest that carbonation does not damage structures enough to cause rebar corrosion. This paper is a review of the research work carried out by different researchers on the carbonation and corrosion of RC structures. The process of carbonation and the factors that contribute to this process will be discussed, alongside recommendations for improving structures to decrease the carbonation process. The corrosion of rebars, damage to passive layers, volume expansion due to steel oxidation, and crack growth will also be discussed. Available protection methods for reducing carbonation, such as rebar structure coating, cathodic protection, and modifier implementation, will also be reviewed. The paper concludes by describing the most significant types of damage caused by carbonation, testing protocols, and mitigation against corrosion damage

Prediction of Chloride Diffusion Coefficient in Concrete Modified with Supplementary Cementitious Materials Using Machine Learning Algorithms

The chloride diffusion coefficient (Dcl) is one of the most important characteristics of concrete durability. This study aimed to develop a prediction model for the Dcl of concrete incorporating supplemental cementitious material. The datasets of concrete containing supplemental cementitious materials (SCMs) such as tricalcium aluminate (C3A), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), and fly ash were used in developing the model. Five machine learning (ML) algorithms including adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), and extreme learning machine (ELM) were used in the model development. The performance of the developed models was tested using five evaluation metrics, namely, normalized reference index (RI), coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean square error (RMSE). The SVM models demonstrated the highest prediction accuracy with R2 values of 0.955 and 0.951 at the training and testing stage, respectively. The prediction accuracy of the machine learning (ML) algorithm was checked using the Taylor diagram and Boxplot, which confirmed that SVM is the best ML algorithm for estimating Dcl, thus, helpful in establishing reliable tools in concrete durability design

Prediction of Chloride Diffusion Coefficient in Concrete Modified with Supplementary Cementitious Materials Using Machine Learning Algorithms

The chloride diffusion coefficient (Dcl) is one of the most important characteristics of concrete durability. This study aimed to develop a prediction model for the Dcl of concrete incorporating supplemental cementitious material. The datasets of concrete containing supplemental cementitious materials (SCMs) such as tricalcium aluminate (C3A), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS), and fly ash were used in developing the model. Five machine learning (ML) algorithms including adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), and extreme learning machine (ELM) were used in the model development. The performance of the developed models was tested using five evaluation metrics, namely, normalized reference index (RI), coefficient of determination (R2), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean square error (RMSE). The SVM models demonstrated the highest prediction accuracy with R2 values of 0.955 and 0.951 at the training and testing stage, respectively. The prediction accuracy of the machine learning (ML) algorithm was checked using the Taylor diagram and Boxplot, which confirmed that SVM is the best ML algorithm for estimating Dcl, thus, helpful in establishing reliable tools in concrete durability design

Application of Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide Software in Saudi Arabia

The present study explores the structural pavement design techniques related to pavement distresses in terms of pavement rutting, cracking and International Roughness Index (IRI) based on the materials properties, roadbed characteristics, climate and traffic loads for highway network of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study was focused on selected site conditions at four regions in KSA: Central (Riyadh); Eastern (Al-Ahsa); Western (Jeddah) and Northern (Arar). Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) software was used to calibrate and predict pavement design life according to the mentioned distresses for different regions in the KSA. This is the first time where the exact weather stations were selected to run analysis on the software determining realistic pavement distresses. In the study, the pavement structure design is different for low traffic (700 AADTT) and high traffic (2000, 6000, and 10,000 AADTT). The tests were run on the MEPDG software to analyze the distresses predicted by the software for an interval of 5, 10, 15, and 20 years. The results predicted by the software show that the preliminary example design satisfies all the target distresses for the mentioned design life, even for 20 years. The study provides a base pavement design for pavement designers that can be modified as per project requirements using the specific data for traffic, material properties, thickness, and distress limit to achieve target design life

Application of Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide Software in Saudi Arabia

The present study explores the structural pavement design techniques related to pavement distresses in terms of pavement rutting, cracking and International Roughness Index (IRI) based on the materials properties, roadbed characteristics, climate and traffic loads for highway network of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study was focused on selected site conditions at four regions in KSA: Central (Riyadh); Eastern (Al-Ahsa); Western (Jeddah) and Northern (Arar). Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) software was used to calibrate and predict pavement design life according to the mentioned distresses for different regions in the KSA. This is the first time where the exact weather stations were selected to run analysis on the software determining realistic pavement distresses. In the study, the pavement structure design is different for low traffic (700 AADTT) and high traffic (2000, 6000, and 10,000 AADTT). The tests were run on the MEPDG software to analyze the distresses predicted by the software for an interval of 5, 10, 15, and 20 years. The results predicted by the software show that the preliminary example design satisfies all the target distresses for the mentioned design life, even for 20 years. The study provides a base pavement design for pavement designers that can be modified as per project requirements using the specific data for traffic, material properties, thickness, and distress limit to achieve target design life

Understanding Corrosion Degradation Processes of a Multi-Component CoNiCrAlY-Coating System

The thermal insulation and integrity of the thermal barrier coating is hampered by the formation of mixed oxide at intermediate bond coat. The existing reported work correlates growth of mixed oxide to the microstructural and phase changes. The track mostly used to study these changes is scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical testing. Oxide growth is principally an electrochemical process; hence a thirst exists to study this aspect by using advanced electrochemical techniques. In this study scanning electrochemical microscopy is used to reveal the electrochemical activity in the closest vicinity of the surface. A raster scan of 500 µm area was carried out by microelectrode in an electrolyte at a distance of 5 µm above the surface to record the current profile. The activity at the surface was confirmed by current distance curves. The tip of the microelectrode was approached from 60 µm height to 2 µm above the surface. The current–distance curves for the coating without heat-treatment show an active surface while the heat-treated one show non active surface. The average coating electrochemical response was further studied by polarization curves impedance spectroscopy. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that oxidation and formation of the mixed oxide increase with polarization

A Study on Sustainable Concrete with Partial Substitution of Cement with Red Mud: A Review

Every year, millions of tons of red mud (RDM) are created across the globe. Its storage is a major environmental issue due to its high basicity and tendency for leaching. This material is often kept in dams, necessitating previous attention to the disposal location, as well as monitoring and maintenance during its useful life. As a result, it is critical to develop an industrial solution capable of consuming large quantities of this substance. Many academics have worked for decades to create different cost-effective methods for using RMD. One of the most cost-effective methods is to use RMD in cement manufacture, which is also an effective approach for large-scale RMD recycling. This article gives an overview of the use of RMD in concrete manufacturing. Other researchers’ backgrounds were considered and examined based on fresh characteristics, mechanical properties, durability, microstructure analysis, and environmental impact analysis. The results show that RMD enhanced the mechanical properties and durability of concrete while reducing its fluidity. Furthermore, by integrating 25% of RDM, the environmental consequences of cumulative energy demand (CED), global warming potential (GWP), and major criteria air pollutants (CO, NOX, Pb, and SO2) were minimized. In addition, the review assesses future researcher guidelines for concrete with RDM to improve performance