Multiple bottlenecks sorting criterion at initial sequence in solving permutation flow shop scheduling problem

This paper proposes a heuristic that introduces the application of bottleneck-based concept at the beginning of an initial sequence determination with the objective of makespan minimization. Earlier studies found that the scheduling activity become complicated when dealing with machine, m greater than 2, known as non-deterministic polynomial-time hardness (NP-hard). To date, the Nawaz-Enscore-Ham (NEH) algorithm is still recognized as the best heuristic in solving makespan problem in scheduling environment. Thus, this study treated the NEH heuristic as the highest ranking and most suitable heuristic for evaluation purpose since it is the best performing heuristic in makespan minimization. This study used the bottleneck-based approach to identify the critical processing machine which led to high completion time. In this study, an experiment involving machines (m =4) and n-job (n = 6, 10, 15, 20) was simulated in Microsoft Excel Simple Programming to solve the permutation flowshop scheduling problem. The overall computational results demonstrated that the bottleneck machine M4 performed the best in minimizing the makespan for all data set of problems

Facilitating inter-spousal communication for birth spacing--a feasibility study of Pakistani couples for policy implications

Objective: To test three practices introduced to couples for adaptation of a non-permanent modern method of family planning and the role that each partner played during the process.SETTING: Urban and sub-urban areas of Karachi, Lahore, and Quetta.Methods: \u27Behavioral trials\u27 was conducted which is a formative research method in which researcher and participants negotiate behavior(s) that the participant agrees to try for a specific amount of time. Interviews were conducted on 72 married couples (144 men and women) living in urban and sub-urban areas of Karachi, Lahore and Quetta. Study participants were either non-users of modern methods of family panning, or using traditional methods. The three behaviors negotiated were: a) Discuss benefits of birth spacing with spouse; b) discuss specific methods of family planning and decide on the most appropriate one and c) initiate use of a modern temporary method of family planning.Results: After the introduction of first practice, of 72 couples 38 reported failure to initiate the discussion with their spouse. Where women initiated the discussion the response from spouse was not as favorable as where men initiated the discussion. After introduction of second practice 28 couples were successful in discussing about selection of a family planning method. Twenty-four couples finally selected and used a method. Traditional users were more likely to adopt a modern method than non-users, especially those with 3-5 children.CONCLUSION: Strategies to cultivate a culture of inter-spousal communication on use of family planning methods should be developed as a component of family planning programs

Conductivity Study on Plasticized Solid bio-electrolytes CMC-NH4Br and Application in Solid-state Proton Batteries

This paper present the development of plasticized solid bio-electrolytes (PSBs) which has been accomplished by incorporating various composition of plasticizer namely ethylene carbonate (EC) with carboxy methylcellulose doped NH4Br via solution casting method. The plasticized polymer–salt ionic conduction of PSBs has been analyzed by electrical impedance spectroscopy. Plasticization using EC in PSBs system assists the enhancement of NH4Br dissociation and therefore increases the protonation process in the system. The highest ionic conductivity obtained for CMC−NH4Br containing with 25 wt. % NH4Br was achieved at 1.12 x 10-4 Scm-1 and improved to 3.31 x 10-3 Scm-1 when EC was added in PSBs system. The ionic conductivity-temperature for PSBs system was found to obey the Arrhenius relationships where the ionic conductivity increases with temperature. The solid-state proton batteries were assembled with the formation of Zn + ZnSO4.7H2O || highest conducting PSBs system || MnO2 and achieve with a maximum open circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.48 V at room temperature and showed good in rechargeablity performance with more than 10 cycles

Digital Technology: the Effect of Connected World to Computer Ethic and Family

The development of digital technology such as smartphones, tablets and other gadgets grows very rapidly in the last decade so does the development of mobile applications for those mobile systems or smartphones. Unfortunately, those applications often do not specify the age range for their users. This is actually a problem in the world of digital technology and software development. It is not yet known whether the applications is good be used for children or not. Nowadays, parents are faced with the dilemma of allowing their children to use these modern gadgets, which often lead to serious addiction or keeping them in the dark and risk raising ignorant kids. This research shows 80% of respondents agree or strongly agree that the gadget will affect to the development of children social skill. Therefore, in this research, the framework for ethical assessment is introduced and it can be applied to digital technology included gadget and its application in order to mitigate the negative effect of digital technology and gadgets

Enhancement of boresight radiation for leaky wave antenna array

An array of half-width microstrip leaky-wave antennas (HW-MLWAs) of two uniform elements was designed to obtain maximum boresight radiation. Achieve this, two uniform of HW-MLWAs are placed at 180◦ and fed by a probe located at the center between the elements, two uniforms of HW-MLWAs, loaded terminated by 50Ω lumped element. Two beams from two branches individual merge to form the resultant directive beam. The simulation represents the susceptibility of the proposed array of uniform HW-MLWAs to the radiation broadside direction effectively. The predict bandwidth matched of the array is 582 MHz (4.18–4.76 GHz). The direction of its main beam in boresight happens over a wide 13%, relatively (4.18-4.76 GHz) band. The proposed peak gain at the boresight direction of the array is 9.91 dBi

Perancangan dan Implementasi Sistem Otomatisasi Pemeliharaan Tanaman Hidroponik

Nowadays automatitation is become a trend, even though people still using manual ways to do agriculture, especially in hydroponics plantation. By using this device, people don't have to do watering and maturing hydroponics plants again, because the system will do it automatically

Does a monetary incentive improve the response to a postal questionnaire in a randomised controlled trial? : the MINT incentive study

Background: Sending a monetary incentive with postal questionnaires has been found to improve the proportion of responders, in research in non-healthcare settings. However, there is little research on use of incentives to improve follow-up rates in clinical trials, and existing studies are inconclusive. We conducted a randomised trial among participants in the Managing Injuries of the Neck Trial (MINT) to investigate the effects on the proportion of questionnaires returned and overall non-response of sending a £5 gift voucher with a follow-up questionnaire. Methods: Participants in MINT were randomised to receive either: (a) a £5 gift voucher (incentive group) or (b) no gift voucher (no incentive group), with their 4 month or 8 month follow-up questionnaire. We recorded, for each group, the number of questionnaires returned, the number returned without any chasing from the study office, the overall number of non-responders (after all chasing efforts by the study office), and the costs of following up each group. Results: 2144 participants were randomised, 1070 to the incentive group and 1074 to the no incentive group. The proportion of questionnaires returned (RR 1.10 (95% CI 1.05, 1.16)) and the proportion returned without chasing (RR 1.14 (95% CI 1.05, 1.24) were higher in the incentive group, and the overall non-response rate was lower (RR 0.68 (95% CI 0.53, 0.87)). Adjustment for injury severity and hospital of recruitment to MINT made no difference to these results, and there were no differences in results between the 4-month and 8-month follow up questionnaires. Analysis of costs suggested a cost of £67.29 per additional questionnaire returned. Conclusion: Monetary incentives may be an effective way to increase the proportion of postal questionnaires returned and minimise loss to follow-up in clinical trials