595 research outputs found

    ANALISIS KELAYAKAN PENGEMBANGAN USAHA PENGOLAHAN KERUPUK IKAN LELE CLIPSS CATFISH CHIPS DI KOTA BOGOR

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    Catfish cracker processing business has enormous potential to be developed for several reasons, namely the high supply of catfish, the lack of utilization of catfish supply, and the increasing consumption trend of crackers. Clipss Catfish Chips is a catfish cracker processing business whose business development plan in the form of increasing production capacity includes the procurement of production machinery and relocation of the production house. Clipss Catfish Chips will also conduct business legalities to support the business development process. This research was conducted to assess the long-term investment planning on the development plan that Clipss will do. Data processing and analysis used in this research include feasibility analysis of non-financial aspects and financial aspects and switching value analysis. Analysis of non-financial aspects was studied qualitatively with descriptive and quantitatively with a Likert scale. Analysis of the financial aspect was studied using a few investment criteria namely Net Present Value, Net Benefit-Cost Ratio, Internal Rate of Return, and Payback Period. The results of the feasibility analysis of non-financial and financial aspects indicate that business development is feasible to run. The results of the switching value analysis show that the decrease in the amount of production is more sensitive than the increase in the price of fish and packaging. C

    Satisfactory Short‑Term Outcomes of Condylar‑Constrained Knee Implants in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

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    Background: This research set out to assess the functional prognosis of constrained condylar knee (CCK) in patients with severe intraoperative instability and/or coronal deformity undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Materials and methods: A prospective cohort study including 25 knees (21 cases) who underwent primary TKA using CCK implants. Senior surgeon operated all patients during 2020/2021 and followed clinically and radiographically at three, six and 12 months and 2 years postoperative. All cases were implanted with a single-design, second-generation CCK implant with a mean follow-up of 2 years. Results: The current research involved 25 knees (21 patients) with mean age 62.8 ± 12.2 years and most of the included patients were females (19; 76%). Preoperatively, valgus was demonstrated in six patients (24%) while varus was reported in 19 patients (76%) with mean preoperative Valgus/Varus angle            24.4 ± 9.9. Mean preoperative Knee Society Score (KSS) was 13.2 ± 2.7, mean preoperative functional KSS was 23.8 ± 19.2 and mean preoperative range of movement (ROM) was 107 ± 19.2. After 6 months, mean values of KSS was 86.2 ± 7.59. After 1 year, 2 years & over 2 years, mean values of KSS were 86.2 ± 7.6, 86.2 ± 7.5, 86.3 ± 7.7 respectively. Degree of change in KSS before and after the operation was 69.1 ± 20.9. Mean values of late functional KSS was 62.5 ± 23.3.  Degree of change in functional KSS before and after the operation was 36.8 ± 19.1. Postoperative ROM mean value was 120 ± 6.9 with degree of change 12.8 ± 6.3. Three cases reported postoperative complications; one cellulitis, one anterior femoral notching and one peroneal nerve injury. KSS increased from baseline to early postoperative with statistically significant variances (p< 0.001) however, no statistically significant changes were discovered in KSS from early postoperatively to 2 years of follow up. Conclusion: Primary TKA utilizing CCK implants in cases with severe coronal abnormalities and/or intraoperative instability had a good short-term survival rate, on par with less limited implants. With positive clinical and radiological results, CCK implants can be thought of as a good alternative in some instances. It is important to exercise caution while utilizing an elevated level of restraint, since less restricted implants should be preferred

    Wi-Fi Fingerprinting Based Room Level Indoor Localization Framework Using Ensemble Classifiers

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    Over the past decennium, Wi-Fi fingerprinting based indoor localization has seized substantial attention. Room level indoor localization can enable numerous applications to increase their diversity by incorporating user location. Real-world commercial scale deployments have not been realized because of difficulty in capturing radio propagation models. In case of fingerprinting based approaches, radio propagation model is implicitly integrated in the gathered fingerprints providing more realistic information as compared to empirical propagation models. We propose ensemble classifiers based indoor localization using Wi-Fi fingerprints for room level prediction. The major advantages of the proposed framework are, ease of training, ease to set up framework providing high room-level accuracy with trifling response time making it viable and appropriate for real time applications. It performs well in comparison with recurrently used ANN (Artificial Neural Network) and kNN (k-Nearest Neighbours) based solutions. Experiments performed showed that on our real-world Wi-Fi fingerprint dataset, our proposed approach achieved 89% accuracy whereas neural network and kNN based best found configurations achieved 85 and 82% accuracy respectively

    Failure Detection within Composite Materials in System Engineering Applications

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    This paper introduces essential key attributes of composite materials with a focus on carbon fibre (CF), followed by a description of common failure modes and proceeds to an investigation of stiffness of continuous CF laminates of 4-ply and 7-ply epoxy resin in pre-preg and wet layup. The three-point flexural test was performed with a Zwick Z010 machine, and the findings are presented. Continuing to real world failure scenarios and moving onto novel concept methods of live failure detection including scope for wood composites. Showing that early design considerations and further research can lead to advantages for system engineering

    Frequency of Stress among Medical Students

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    Stress arises once an individual is unable to handle a situation. Continuous stress may lead to certain complications. Objective: To see the frequency of stress among medical students. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 182 medical students of the fourth year and final year from different medical colleges of Pakistan. A pre-designed questionnaire was served to the students. Different questions about stress, its reasons, and handling techniques were asked. Data were analyzed with SPPS V.23. Results: 135 (88.2%) out of 182 medical students including 69 females (45.09%) and 66 males (43.13%) reported that they faced different kinds of stress i.e. continuous or random stress during their academic and clinical rotations.  Different kinds of handling techniques were isolation, handing out with friends, focusing on studies, etc. Conclusion: Most of the medical students face stress during their academics and clinical rotations. This stress may be for a smaller time or longer time depending on the nature of stress and ability of the student to cope with the stress

    Demand Side Management Techniques for Home Energy Management Systems for Smart Cities

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    In this paper, three distinct distributed energy resources (DERs) modules have been built based on demand side management (DSM), and their use in power management of dwelling in future smart cities has been investigated. The investigated modules for DERs system are: incorporation of load shedding, reduction of grid penetration with renewable energy systems (RES), and implementation of home energy management systems (HEMS). The suggested approaches offer new potential for improving demand side efficiency and helping to minimize energy demand during peak hours. The main aim of this work was to investigate and explore how a specific DSM strategy for DER may assist in reducing energy usage while increasing efficiency by utilizing new developing technology. The Electrical Power System Analysis (ETAP) software was used to model and assess the integration of distributed generation, such as RES, in order to use local power storage. An energy management system has been used to evaluate a PV system with an individual household load, which proved beneficial when evaluating its potential to generate about 20–25% of the total domestic load. In this study, we have investigated how smart home appliances’ energy consumption may be minimized and explained why a management system is required to optimally utilize a PV system. Furthermore, the effect of integration of wind turbines to power networks to reduce the load on the main power grid has also been studied. The study revealed that smart grids improve energy efficiency, security, and management whilst creating environmental awareness for consumers with regards to power usage

    Trends in the leading causes of childhood mortality from 2004 to 2016 in Qatar

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    Introduction: Childhood mortality is an important health indicator that reflects the overall health status of a population. Despite the decrease in global childhood mortality rates over the past decades, it still remains an important public health issue in Qatar. Methods: The data from 2004-2016 were extracted from the Qatar Ministry of Public Health Birth and Death Database. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) was used for coding the causes of death. The childhood mortality rate was defined as the probability of a child dying between the first and the fifth birthday, expressed as the number of deaths per 1,000 children surviving to 12 months of age. The sex ratio was calculated by dividing the mortality rate of males by that of females. Mann-Kendall trend test was performed to examine time trends. Relative risks were calculated to examine differences by nationality (Qatari and non-Qatari) and sex. Results: A significant decrease in mortality rate of children aged one to five was observed from 1.76 to 1.05 per 1000 children between 2004 and 2016 (Kendall tau=-0.6, p=0.004). Three prominent causes of mortality were motor vehicle accidents, congenital malformations of the circulatory system, and accidental drowning/submersion. A statistically non-significant decrease in childhood mortality from motor vehicle accidents was oberved for all nationalities (total (Kendall tau=-0.03), Qatari (Kendall tau=-0.14), and non-Qatari (Kendall tau=-0.12)). A significant decrease was seen for total accidental drowning and submersion (Kendall tau=-0.54, p=0.012), while no statistically significant decrease was seen for total congenital malformations of the circulatory system (Kendall tau=-0.36, NS). The Qatari population did have a significant decrease in childhood mortality due to congenital malformations of the circulatory system (Kendall tau=-0.67, p=0.003) and accidental drowning and submersion (Kendall tau=-0.55, p=0.016). Conclusion: The study is a first attempt to evaluate childhood mortality statistics from Qatar and could be useful in supporting Qatar’s ongoing national health strategy programs

    Knowledge and Perception of Diabetes and Available Services among Diabetic Patients in the State of Qatar

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    Introduction: Diabetes is a major public health concern in Qatar. This study examined diabetes knowledge and perception of available services for diabetes control among diabetic patients in Qatar. Methods: Data from 300 diabetic patients were collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire between February and May 2015 at Hamad Medical Corporation healthcare facilities in Qatar. Survey responses were represented as frequencies, and Chi-square tests were used to compare proportions across gender. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: 31% of patients had Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) (females 36.6%, males 26.5%) and 54% had Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) (males 56.6%, females 50%). Knowledge about diabetes types did not differ by sex (P=0.16). 32.3% of patients were treated for diabetes-related complications including: high cholesterol (39.2%), vision problems (33.1%), hypertension (30.0%), and foot problems (25.1 %). Most patients were diagnosed at primary care clinics (41.7%). During visits, 78.3% of patients reported that they were fully advised about different diabetes tests. 57.0% of patients had ≥4 visits for diabetes checkups in the past 12 months. 66.7% of patients reported that they were confident or very confident in managing their diabetes as a result of their healthcare visits in the past year. The majority of patients reported receiving diabetes-related guidance from physicians (89.7%). Conclusions: Study participants had variable knowledge of diabetes, its complications and risk factors, and services available to diabetics. More comprehensive education and awareness about diabetes is recommended for both patients and family members. At the provider level, further improvement in patient counseling and promotion of available services can be beneficial

    The Effect of Ephedra Foeminea Extract as an Antimicrobial and Antifungal Agent

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    Drugs derived from natural sources play a significant role in the prevention and treatment of human diseases. In many developing countries, traditional medicine is an essential part of primary healthcare systems (Abdallah, 2011). Due to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, it is essential to investigate new drugs with lesser resistance especially ones that can be derived from natural resources like plants. Ephedra is likely one of the oldest medicinal plants that are still currently in use. Antimicrobial and antifungal activities of some ephedra species have been noticed in recent years (ZHANG Ben-Mei et al,2018). The aim of the study is to observe and understand the effects of E. foeminea extracts as antimicrobial and antifungal agents. It is an experimental study; four different types of bacteria including, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MRSA, and Escherichia coli as well as two different types of fungi including, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Candida albicans were used as test microorganisms. Maceration extraction technique (William P. Jones,2012) for the dried stem of E. foeminea will be used by methanol / water 90/10 for 2 days (Ali Parsaeimehr et el,2010). Three concentrations of the extract will be used on 30 plates for each type of microorganism in the laboratories of the University of Palestine. Antimicrobial activity will be tested by using plate methods in which a variable diameter of a growth inhibition zone in most types of bacteria will appear. The MIC values may also be evaluated using the broth serial dilution method according to standard methods (CLSI, 2012)

    Effect of Phytosynthesized Selenium and Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) against Stripe Rust Disease

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    In this study, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) and cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) were synthesized by using the extract of Melia azedarach leaves, and Acorus calamusas rhizomes, respectively, and investigated for the biological and sustainable control of yellow, or stripe rust, disease in wheat. The green synthesized NPs were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The SeNPs and CeONPs, with different concentrations (i.e., 10, 20, 30, and 40 mg/L), were exogenously applied to wheat infected with Puccinia striformis. SeNPs and CeONPs, at a concentration of 30 mg/L, were found to be the most suitable concentrations, which reduced the disease severity and enhanced the morphological (plant height, root length, shoot length, leaf length, and ear length), physiological (chlorophyll and membrane stability index), biochemical (proline, phenolics and flavonoids) and antioxidant (SOD and POD) parameters. The antioxidant activity of SeNPs and CeONPs was also measured. For this purpose, different concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200 and 400 ppm) of both SeNPs and CeONPs were used. The concentration of 400 ppm most promoted the DPPH, ABTS and reducing power activity of both SeNPs and CeONPs. This study is considered the first biocompatible approach to evaluate the potential of green synthesized SeNPs and CeONPs to improve the health of yellow, or stripe rust, infected wheat plants and to provide an effective management strategy to inhibit the growth of Puccinia striformis.This research was funded by projects APOGEO (Cooperation Program INTERREG-MAC 2014–2020, with European Funds for Regional Development-FEDER). “Agencia Canaria de Investigación, Innovación y Sociedad de la Información (ACIISI) del Gobierno de Canarias” (Project ProID2020010134), and Fundación CajaCanarias (Project 2019SP43).Peer reviewe
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