Rancang Bangun Aplikasi Perencanaan Anggaran Biaya Tenaga Kerja pada Proyek Konstruksi Gedung

Construction project management planning will require manpower requirements, the calculation of labor cost budget, number of employees, the arrangement of activities and time required to complete each activity. So far, only managing assessments of workforce needs. This is because of the experience and do not know the technical calculations in calculating labor costs. As a result, the project failed and declining consumer confidence.Handling solutions to create budget planning application labor costs in building construction projects. The system is built to calculate the labor requirements, needs labor costs, and time required to complete the project.This application generates information report labor cost budget plan, the amount of manpower needs, and schedulling of the project. Based on the result of experiments performed, the application can help the process of planning manpower requirements, and planning labor costs in building construction projects

Factors Associated with Contraceptive Use among Jordanian Muslim Women: Implications for Health and Social Policy

The objectives of this quantitative study were to identify factors associated with contraceptive use by Jordanian Muslim women; to estimate factors that predict the variance in contraceptive use; and recommend appropriate health and social policies to enhance quality of life of Jordanian women. A cross -sectional design was used to collect data from 487 married non-pregnant women aged 18 to 49 years who resided in three southern governorates in Jordan using a structured interview guide. Results showed that 63.2% of women used some form of contraceptive method; IUD was the most frequently used method (44.2%). The percentage of women exposed to violence was 5% and 9.2% for physical and verbal abuse respectively. Findings also showed that there was a significant relationship between psychological wellbeing of women and contraceptive use. Furthermore, no relationship between women’s perceived religious stance towards contraceptives and their use. Predictors of contraceptive use were: women aged 40-45 years explained 23.3% of the variance in contraceptive use; and the woman’s approval of contraceptive use for birth spacing explained 21.4% of the variance in contraceptive use. The Islamic stance towards contraceptive use was not significant in these women; however further studies are needed to confirm these findings as well as the generalizability to Muslim women in other countries. The study findings have implications for health and social policies relevant to family planning services in order to enhance and increase the use of contraceptives to reduce the TFR in Jordan. Furthermore, health care providers, social and economical policy makers need to integrate women’s cultural views and contraceptive use in strategies and policies beyond health to improve women’s quality of life and build on the global consensus for women and children to achieve the Millennium Development goals

Technology transfer through industry-University-government collaboration

Abstract: This study examines technology transfer through collaboration between Government, industry and Universities. The Metal Casting Technology Station at the University of Johannesburg (MCTS-UJ) has been a reputed Technology Station and center of excellence for trouble shooting foundry problems and conducting research in South African foundries. The Department of Science and Technology in South Africa funds the Technology Stations Programme (TSP) through the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA). There are eighteen technology stations across the country at various universities and three of these focus in supporting the foundry industry. The mandate of the Technology Station is to develop human capital and support localization through technology and skills transfer. In this paper we discuss two case studies one on human capital development and the other on localization of technology with a partner university in Germany and a local manufacturer in South Africa. Both projects, Research and Innovation in Foundry Technology (RIFT) and inorganic binders for environmental friendly moulding material has benefited graduate students in acquiring the necessary skills and industry with new technology through the use of inorganic binders for environmental friendly moulding material which helped to reduce toxic fumes while mould making. This is an innovative idea used while mould making through MCTS-University of Johannesburg and Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany collaboration

The economic and social opportunities of casting technology for rural women

The study examines the economic and social opportunities of additive and casting technology. The Community Casting Project (CCP) is a University of Johannesburg Metal Casting Technology Station (UJ-MCTS) project aimed at converting community-based hand made jewellery and crafts into commercially viable, job creating entities, through a comprehensive number of interventions central to which is additive manufacturing and casting technology. This pilot project which is composed of two phases is the overture to the rollout of the larger project. The six-month pilot project aims to develop and test the business case for the casting technology at three community sites as well as the rollout requirements of the larger project in order to inform the sponsors for the complete project rollout. The paper analyses the rationale and the benefits of additive manufacturing and casting technology. The case study analyses the role of UJ-MCTS in transferring know-how and skills in additive manufacturing and casting technology in an attempt to bring about socio-economic transformation to rural and peri-urban areas of South Africa. The authors propose some opportunities to empower rural women to reap the benefits of additive manufacturing and casting technology to optimise their production processes

Laser-Assisted In Vitro Fertilization Facilitates Fertilization of Vitrified-Warmed C57BL/6 Mouse Oocytes with Fresh and Frozen-Thawed Spermatozoa, Producing Live Pups

The utility of cryopreserved mouse gametes for reproduction of transgenic mice depends on development of assisted reproductive technologies, including vitrification of unfertilized mouse oocytes. Due to hardening of the zona pellucida, spermatozoa are often unable to penetrate vitrified-warmed (V-W) oocytes. Laser-assisted in vitro fertilization (LAIVF) facilitates fertilization by allowing easier penetration of spermatozoa through a perforation in the zona. We investigated the efficiency of V-W C57BL/6NTac oocytes drilled by the XYClone laser, compared to fresh oocytes. By using DAP213 for cryoprotection, 83% (1,470/1,762) of vitrified oocytes were recovered after warming and 78% were viable. Four groups were evaluated for two-cell embryo and live offspring efficiency: 1) LAIVF using V-W oocytes, 2) LAIVF using fresh oocytes, 3) conventional IVF using V-W oocytes and 4) conventional IVF using fresh oocytes. First, the groups were tested using fresh C57BL/6NTac spermatozoa (74% motile, 15 million/ml). LAIVF markedly improved the two-cell embryo efficiency using both V-W (76%, 229/298) and fresh oocytes (69%, 135/197), compared to conventional IVF (7%, 12/182; 6%, 14/235, respectively). Then, frozen-thawed C57BL/6NTac spermatozoa (35% motile, 15 million/ml) were used and LAIVF was again found to enhance fertilization efficiency, with two-cell embryo rates of 87% (298/343) using V-W oocytes (P<0.05, compared to fresh spermatozoa), and 73% (195/266) using fresh oocytes. Conventional IVF with frozen-thawed spermatozoa using V-W (6%, 10/168) and fresh (5%, 15/323) oocytes produced few two-cell embryos. Although live offspring efficiency following embryo transfer was greater with conventional IVF (35%, 18/51; LAIVF: 6%, 50/784), advantage was seen with LAIVF in live offspring obtained from total oocytes (5%, 50/1,010; conventional IVF: 2%, 18/908). Our results demonstrated that zona-drilled V-W mouse oocytes can be used for IVF procedures using both fresh and frozen-thawed spermatozoa, producing live pups. The ability to cryopreserve mouse gametes for LAIVF may facilitate management of large-scale transgenic mouse production facilities.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH National Research Service Award (T32-RR070036))National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH National Cancer Institute Program Project (P01CA10451)

AMELIORATING THE METABOLIC DISORDER IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS BY HAEMATOCOCCUS PLUVIALIS EXTRACT

Objective: The purpose of the current study is to evaluate the antidiabetic influence of Haematococcus pluvialis (H. pluvialis) ethanolic extract on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rats.Methods: This influence was assessed by measuring; asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), von willebrand factor (vWf), 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and lipoxin-A4 (LXA4). The histopathological examinations of cardiac and renal tissues were also performed.Results: The presented  results showed an elevation in the levels of ADMA, vWf, 15-LOXand 5-LOX with percentage increase  430.30, 77.54, 61.05 and 81.09 %, respectively in diabetic rats. However, the EGF and LXA4 levels were decreased significantly (44.17 and51.94%, respectively) compared to normal control rats. On the other hand, treatment of diabetic rats with H. pluvialis improved ADMA, vWf, 15-LOX, 5LOX, EGF and LXA4 levels with amelioration percentages; 269.69, 54.77, 55.78, 72.68, 53.39 and 56.58%, respectively. Additionally, the histopathological examination of diabetic cardiac tissue revealed congestion of myocardial blood vessel, vacuolation of the sarcoplasm of cardiac myocytes and focal necrosis of myocytes associated with inflammatory cells infiltration. Beside, vacuolation of epithelial lining of renal tubules and endothelial lining glomerular tuft as well as cystic dilatation of renal tubules were detected. However, cardiac tissue  and renal tubules of diabetic rats treated with H. pluvialis ethanolic extract (150 mg/kg b.wt.) showed normal cardiac myocytes, vacuolation of epithelial lining renal tubules and endothelial lining glomerular tuft, congestion of glomerular tuft and intertubular renal blood vessels.Conclusion: These results confirmed the improving role of H. pluvialis in controlling type 2diabetes.Â

Antioxidant and AntiproliferativeEffects on Human Liver HePG2Epithelial Cells from Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) By-Products

Cynara scolymus L.is a medicinal plant frequently used in traditional medicine for liver diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and Anti-tumer effect in human Liver HePG2 epithelial cells of artichoke. The antioxidant activity of the free phenolic of bracts methanolic extract, as measured with the DPPH.freeradical scavenging activity and iron chelating showed significant antioxidant activity &gt; 0.05  as well as yielded the largest quantity of  phenolics and flavonoids  compounds. A significant increase was observed in hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HePG2) 78.3 % treated with free phenolic extract of bracts higher than that found in by the heart of artichoke 36.7%. This work showed that extracts with high antioxidant activity can be obtained from artichoke and artichoke by-products. Therefore, this study indicate that the free phenolic extract from bracts of Cynara scolymusL. might be of interest within the developing market of nutritional ingredients and is capable of yielding nutritional supplements with antioxidant and anticancer activities. Key words: Artichoke by-products, antioxidant, antitumor, HepG

Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SCCs): A Panacea to Accessing Funds for Housing Development to Workers of Public Institutions in Nigeria

This paper assesses the impact of Savings and Credit Cooperative Societies (SCCS) as a panacea to providing funds for housing development to workers in Nigeria public service. The Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria-Nigeria was used as a case study for the research. Questionnaires were administered to 82 staff of the institution that belongs to the institute cooperative society (IAR Rangwame Multipurpose Cooperative Society (IRMCS)) and a separate designed questionnaire was given to 3 officials of the society. Descriptive analysis, chi-square test and cooperators satisfaction index (CSI) was used for analyzing the data collected. The findings from the analysis showed that 7(8.5%) of IRMCS members have bare lands, 11(13.4%) have their houses under construction and 5(6.1%) have completed their houses while the remaining 59 members did not benefited IRMCS housing loan. The CSI on each attribute of “interest rate”, “affordability”, “transaction cost”, “availability” and “collateral” for cooperative loan are greater than 4 (close to 5) except for “availability” which is close to 4 and the aggregated CSI for all attributes is 4.17 which is also close to 5 is very high compared to National Housing Fund (NHF) CSI’s on each attributes which are all less than 2.7 with an aggregated CSI of 2.5. Also, the cooperators range of dissatisfaction index (RDI) was determined and it was found that cooperative loan had the lowest (0.832) against NHF of 2.41 and this indicates that IRMCS members are well satisfied with cooperative loans compared to the NHF. The paper concludes that SCCS can be a viable instrument in impacting positively towards funding housing projects to workers of public institutions. Keywords: SCCS, Informal sources of finance, Housing, NHF, CSI, RD

A Comparative Study on the Active Constituents, Antioxidant Capacity and Anti-Cancer Activity of Cruciferous Vegetable Residues

أجريت هذه الدراسة لتقييم كفاءة وفعالية مخلفات أربعة أنواع من خضروات العائلة الصليبية (البراسيكا) تم ستخلاصهم بمذيبين (الميانولي&nbsp; - المائي) وهم كاتالي البروكولي ، كرنب بروكسل ، القرنبيط ، الفجل الأحمر. وتم تقييم المستخلصات من حيث محتواها الكلي من المركبات الفعالة مثل الفينولات و الفلاڤونيدات والتانينات وڤيتامين سي واتعرف عليها بالـ HPLC ودراسة نشاطاتها المضادة للأكسدة بأكثر من طريقة مثل الـ DPPH· والـ Fe2+-chelating والـ Reducing power وكذلك دراسة كفاءتها في كبح جماح ومنع إنتشار وتكاثر ثلاثة أنواع من الخلايا السرطانية للإنسان علي النطاق المعملي مثل خلايا سرطان الكبد HePG2 و خلايا سرطان القولون HTC116 وخلايا سرطان الثدي MCF7. أظهرت النتائج أن المستخلص الميثانولي لمخلفات البروكولي وكرنب بروكسيل أعطي أعلي محتوي من المركبات الفعالة و أعلي نشاط مضاد للأكسدة في كبح جماح الشق الحر الـ DPPH· و وأعلي قدرات إختزلية ضد الحديديك الـ Reducing power. بينما أظهر المستخلص المائي لكل من كرنب بروكسيل والقرنبيط اعلى نشاط في عملية خلب الحديدوز الـ Fe2+-chelating. أكد تحليل HPLC للتعرف علي المركبات الفينولية الموجودة في مستخلصات مخلفات خضروات البراسيكا التي تم التعرف عليها أن المستخلص الميثانولي يمتلك كميات مرتفعة من الكاتشين والروتين والكيوماريك والبنزويك و الليتيولين. كما أظهر المستخلص الميثانولي لمخلفات كرنب بروكسيل تأثيراً مثبطاً و مانع للإنتشار وقاتل مع كافة أنواع الخلايا السرطانية وكان ذلك متبوعاً بالبروكولي والفجل الاحمر على التوالي. أكدت هذه النتائج أن مخلفات كرنب بروكسيل تحتوي على مركبات كيميائية فعالة يمكنها أن تمنع تكاثر الخلايا السرطانية. لذلك ، اقترحت هذه النتائج أن مخلفات خضروات البراسيكا يمكن إستخدامها كمضادات أكسدة قوية ومضادة لإنتشار الخلايا السرطانية وذلك في تطبيقات الصناعات الغذائية و الدوائية.This study is pointed out to estimate the effectiveness of two solvents in the extraction and evaluating the active ingredients and their antioxidant activity as well as anti-cancer efficiency. Therefore, residues from four different Brassica vegetables viz. broccoli, Brussels sprout, cauliflower, and red cherry radish were extracted using two procedures methods: methanolic and water crude extracts. Methanol extracts showed the highest content of total phenolic (TP), total flavonoids (TF), and total tannins (TT) for broccoli and Brussels sprouts residues. Methanolic extract of broccoli and Brussels sprouts residues showed the highest DPPH· scavenging activity (IC50 = 15.39 and 18.64 µg/ml). The methanol and water extracts of Brussels sprout residues showed the highest chelating activity (IC50 = 11.77 and 5.94 µg/ml) and exhibited the highest reducing power (EC50 =14.38 and 20.18 µg/ml) with broccoli respectively. The HPLC analysis of phenolic compounds confirmed that the methanol extract of all the residues examined possessed high amounts of catchine, rutin, cumaric, benzoic, and luteolin. The methanol extract at 100 µg/ml of Brussels sprouts residues displayed a rise cytotoxic effect on HePG2 (80.40%), MCF7 (75.49%) and HCT116 (22.74%) followed by broccoli and red cherry radish, respectively. This result confirmed that Brussels sprouts residue contain effective chemical compounds that can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. Therefore, these results proposed that those Brassica vegetable residues might be beneficial as a potent antioxidant and anticancer agents and strongly recommended as fixing in constituent's food applications and pharmaceutical industries