Effect of Obesity on Dural Puncture Epidural Analgesic Onset in Parturients Scheduled for Normal Vaginal Delivery

Background: Obese parturients are at higher risk for epidural analgesic failure, so the dural puncture epidural (DPE) technique may have particular advantage in this population. DPE has been suggested to improve the efficacy of labor epidural analgesia, potentially by facilitating the translocation of medication from the epidural to intrathecal space.   Objective: We designed this prospective interventional study to explore the influence of obesity on DPE technique regarding labor analgesia onset and quality.   Methods: Design: A prospective interventional study.   Patients: 64 parturients were consented to receive a DPE labor analgesia. Parturients were assigned according to pregestational body mass index groups into normal weight and obese groups. After successful placement of the epidural catheter and puncturing the dura, analgesic regimen was initiated.   Main outcome measure: The primary outcome was median time to onset of sensory block assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis.   Results: Using Kaplan-Meier curve, we found median time to onset of sensory block 6 min in obese parturients compared with 13 min in non obese. Difference between both groups was statistically significant (Logrank Chi-squared = 56.663, df = 1, p < 0.0001). Incidence rate ratio (95% CI) = 21.0 (9.51, 46.5). No asymmetrical block was noticed in both groups, but a higher incidence of perineal dose supplementation and postoperative nausea were observed in obese group Conclusion: DPE offers a favorable risk–benefit ratio for management of neuraxial analgesia in obese parturient. Further studies comparing different volume, concentration, method of application of DPE local anesthetic are needed

Supervisor’s Role as an Antecedent of Training Transfer and Motivation to Learn in Training Programs

Training and development program literature highlights two major characteristics ofsupervisor's role: support and communication. The ability of supervisors to provide adequate supportand practice good communication style in relation to training programs may lead to increased trainingtransfer and motivation to learn. Though the nature of this relationship is significant, little is knownabout the predictive properties of supervisor's roles in training program literatures. Therefore, thisstudy was conducted to measure the effect of supervisor's role on training transfer and motivation tolearn using 110 usable questionnaires gathered from employees who have attended training programs ina state public work agency in East Malaysia, Malaysia. The results of exploratory factor analysisconfirmed that the measurement scales used in this study satisfactorily met the acceptable standards ofvalidity and reliability analyses. Further, the outcomes of stepwise regression analysis showed fourimportant findings: first, support insignificantly correlated with motivation to learn. Second,communication significantly correlated with motivation to learn. Third, support significantly correlatedwith transfer of training. Finally, communication significantly correlated with transfer of learning.Statistically, this result confirms that support is an important antecedent of motivation to learn andcommunication is an important antecedent of motivation to learn. Conversely, support andcommunication are important antecedents of training transfer in the studied organization. In addition,discussion, implications and conclusion are elaborated

Public sector procurement: the effectiveness of monitoring mechanism / Aida Maria Ismail … [et al.]

Issues in public sector procurement have been increasing lately. These issues are related to non-compliance or frauds that have been highlighted each year by the Auditor General. However, there seems to be no effective solutions in overcoming these issues. Therefore, this study attempted to examine the relationship between monitoring mechanisms and procurement issues in the public sector. The monitoring mechanisms that were of focus are the effectiveness of procurement procedures and the role of internal auditors towards issues in public procurement. The finding is that no job rotation in high-risk areas is the top factor that influences public procurement issues. Normally, the absence of job rotations will create opportunities for procurement officers to collude with outsiders to commit fraud. Besides job rotations, the other factors that influence procurement issues are related to components of control activities in the COSO framework. The major finding of the study has shown that both procurement procedures and the role of internal auditors have a negative relationship towards procurement issues in the public sector. However, only procurement procedures have a significant relationship towards procurement issues in the public sector compared to the role of internal auditors. In conclusion, both the monitoring mechanism used in this study in terms of procurement procedures and role of internal auditors affect procurement issues in the public sector

Oscillating Magnetohydrodynamic Stability Self-gravitating Fluid Cylinder Pervaded By General Varying Magnetic Field

The dispersion relation of magnetohydrodynamic stability of an oscillation self-gravitating flowing fluid cylindrical enclosed by varying magnetic field is studied. The problem is specified, investigated analytically and the data verified mathematically, the fundamental equations are resolved, non-singular solutions are found using the proper boundary circumstances, also, derived the total second order integro-differential equation of Mathieu equation type. Just the small axisymmetric region is destabilized by the capillary force but is stabilized by the otherwise perturbation modes. The constant magnetic field that permeates the fluid is strongly stabilized regardless of the perturbation type, while the varied magnetic field bound the fluid is completely destabilized in axisymmetric mode(m=0), but it is either so or not in the non-axisymmetric ( ≥ 1) perturbation per the constraint. Moreover, the fluids oscillating flow has a potent inclination to stabilize. Once the capillary forces destabilising effect on the model is diminished and subdued, stability develops

PROCEDURAL JUSTICE AS A MODERATOR IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL COMMUNICATION AND JOB SATISFACTION

This study was conducted to examine the effect of performance appraisal communication (i.e., feedback and interactional style) and procedural justice on job satisfaction using 150 usable questionnaires collected from employees who work in a national post office, Sarawak, Malaysia. The results of exploratory factor analysis confirmed that the measurement scales used in this study satisfactorily met the standards of validity and reliability analyses. Further, the outcomes of hierarchical regression analysis showed that interaction between procedural justice and performance appraisal communication (i.e., feedback and interactional style) significantly correlated with job satisfaction. Statistically, this result confirms that procedural justice does act as a moderating variable in the relationship between performance appraisal communication and job satisfaction in the studied organization. In addition, discussion, implications and conclusion are elaboratedThis study was conducted to examine the effect of performance appraisal communication (i.e., feedback and interactional style) and procedural justice on job satisfaction using 150 usable questionnaires collected from employees who work in a national post office, Sarawak, Malaysia. The results of exploratory factor analysis confirmed that the measurement scales used in this study satisfactorily met the standards of validity and reliability analyses. Further, the outcomes of hierarchical regression analysis showed that interaction between procedural justice and performance appraisal communication (i.e., feedback and interactional style) significantly correlated with job satisfaction. Statistically, this result confirms that procedural justice does act as a moderating variable in the relationship between performance appraisal communication and job satisfaction in the studied organization. In addition, discussion, implications and conclusion are elaborated

Magnetohydrodynamic Stability of Self-gravitating Streaming Fluid Cylinder

The stability self- gravitating magneto-hydrodynamic of the cylinder flowing fluid was examined. Relation of eigenvalue is derivative. Analytical, the findings were explained, and numerically, they were confirmed. The magnetic and capillary are very strong stabilise, while the streaming is destabilise. The (un)-stable domains are specified. Checked the capillary effect and magnetic fields have an effect just on models self-gravitating instabilities

The Extent of Depending on Handouts and other Learning Sources in University Education: An Empirical Study on Students in Sudanese Universities in Khartoum State

صاحب النمو المطرد في أعداد مؤسسات التعليم العالي وأعداد الطلبة المقبولين فيها، في ظل ما يعرف بثورة التعليم العالي، العديد من المشكلات والقضايا التي أثرت في جودة مخرجات التعليم العالي في السودان. ويُعد اعتماد الطلبة على المذكرات الدراسية في التحصيل الأكاديمي من أهم تلك المشكلات التي تواجه التعليم الجامعي في السودان. وقد تناولت هذه الدراسة موضوع تنامي الاعتماد على المذكرات الدراسية في التدريس الجامعي، من خلال إجراء دراسة ميدانية على عينة حجمها (600) من طلبة الجامعات السودانية بولاية الخرطوم في عام 2018م، باستخدام استبانة مقننة اتسمت بالصدق والثبات. وتوصلت الدراسة إلى أن معظم الطلبة يعتمدون على المذكرات الدراسية كمصدر أساسي للتحصيل الأكاديمي. وتوصلت الدراسة إلى وجود مشكلات متعلقة بالمذكرات الدراسية، من أهمها: عدم وضوح طباعة النصوص والصور والرسومات التوضيحية، وعدم كفاية المادة العلمية. كما توصلت الدراسة إلى تحديد أسباب استخدام المذكرات الدراسية، ودوافع إعداد المذكرات الدراسية من قبل أساتذة الجامعات، بالإضافة إلى تحديد عدد من المعوقات التي تحد من استخدام مصادر المعلومات الأخرى في الجامعات السودانية. وبناءً على تلك النتائج، قدمت الدراسة عدداً من التوصيات، ستسهم- في حال الأخذ- في تقليل الاعتماد على المذكرات الدراسية. الكلمات المفتاحية: المذكرة الدراسية، مصادر المعلومات، الجامعات السودانية، التحصيل الأكاديمي.The steady growth in higher education institutions and the number of students admitted in these institutions have affected the quality of higher education in Sudan. Students’ dependence on handouts in academic achievement is one of the most important problems facing university education in Sudan. To achieve the study objectives, a field study on a sample of 600 students from Sudanese universities in Khartoum State was carried out in 2018 using a structured questionnaire characterized by both validity and reliability. The study results showed that most students rely on handouts as a primary source of academic achievement. The study also found that there are many problems related to using handouts, including lack of clarity in texts, pictures, and illustrations, and insufficient scientific materials. The study also identified the reasons for using handouts and reasons for the preparation of handouts by university teaching staff, as well as difficulties that limit the use of information resources in Sudanese universities. Based on these findings, the study presented a number of recommendations that, if adopted, would contribute to reducing reliance on handouts. Keywords: Handout, Information sources, Sudanese universities, Academic achievement

Alam sebagai sumber reka bentuk motif-motif seni hiasan fabrik masyarakat melayu / Abd. Rasid Ismail, Ahmadrashidi Hasan dan Shahariah Mohamed Roshdi

Penyelidikan ini adalah tentang motif-motif fabrik masyarakat Melayu dengan tujuan untuk memperlihatkan keindahan yang terdapat pada motif-motif tersebut dari segi struktur binaan dan maknanya. Tiga jenis fabrik dipilih sebagai sampel kajian, ia itu songket, batik dan tekat. Fabrik tersebut dianggap sebagai yang paling utama. Kaedah analisis dalam kajian ini ialah menggunakan teknik analisis motif dari sudut deslaiptif, analisis, interpretasi dan evaluasi seperti yang dicadangkan oleh Ragan. Attribusi kajian adalah mengambil aspek-aspek visual seperti yang dicadangkan oleh Kumpulan Bahaus yang merangkumi elemen seni visual dan prinsip-prinsip rekaan seni visual. Dalam analisis itu tumpuan diberi kepada aspek binaan, iaitu bagaimana unsur dan prinsip itu digabungjalin sehingga menerbitkan motif yang berkaitan. Di samping itu kajian ini juga meneliti aspek isi, iaitu makna-makna yang terpancar daripada miotif-motif tersebut. Penemuan penyelidikan ini menunjukkan bahawa meskipun orang Melayu yang menjadi pandai tukang dan pereka seni tersebut tidak terdidik secara fomal tentang seni visual tetapi pengetahuan dan kemahiran yang mereka miliki adalah pada tahap yang tinggi. Mutu dan keindahan fabrik tersebut sangat bergantung kepada motif-motif yang dihasilkan oleh tukan atau perekanya. Motif-motif berkenaan juga bukan sahaja indah secara visual tetapi juga memancarkan falsafah dan nilai hidup masyarakat yang mendukungnya. Pemilihan subjek yang selektif dan penampilan motif berkenaan sangat serasi dengan budaya, pemikiran dan gaya hidup Melayu. Penyelidikan ini diharapkan dapat memberi kenyakinan bukan sahaja kepada pereka tetapi juga kepada umum bahawa motif tradisional itu indah dan patut dilestarikan

A Systematic Design of a Compact Wideband Hybrid Directional Coupler Based on Printed RGW Technology

Printed ridge gap waveguide (PRGW) is considered among the state of art guiding technologies due to its low signal distortion and low loss at Millimeter Wave (mmWave) spectrum, which motivates the research community to use this guiding structure as a host technology for various passive microwave and mmWave components. One of the most important passive components used in antenna beam-switching networks is the quadrature hybrid directional coupler providing signal power division with 90° phase shift. A featured design of a broadband and compact PRGW hybrid coupler is propose in this paper. A novel design methodology, based on mode analysis, is introduced to design the objective coupler. The proposed design is suitable for mmWave applications with small electrical dimensions ( 1.2λo×1.2λo ), low loss, and wide bandwidth. The proposed hybrid coupler is fabricated on Roger/RT 6002 substrate material of thickness 0.762 mm. The measured results highlight that the coupler can provide a good return loss with a bandwidth of 26.5% at 30 GHz and isolation beyond 15 dB. The measured phase difference between the coupler output ports is equal 90∘± 5∘ through the interested operating bandwidth. A clear agreement between the simulated and the measured results over the assigned operating bandwidth has been illustrated

An ingenious multiple communicator concept for next generation smart metering communication system

In this article, we propose and study a self-switching network concept known as an ingenious multiple communicator mechanism which can be applied to energy provider’s smart metering device. We outline reasons why such multiple connections networks are required through real case study scenarios and key components that drive towards such concept. We have gathered actual measurement values for a particular network and identified in what situation this is most suitable and applicable. We have come out with the basic system model for this multiple communicator. We also observed that a less fluctuating and similar pattern of network performance helps to design better network predictive analytics function. Finally numerical examples and analysis of the results are presented