Integration of blockchains with management information systems

In the era of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), many Management Information Systems (MIS) integrate real-time data collection and use technologies such as big data, machine learning, and cloud computing, to foster a wide range of creative innovations, business improvements, and new business models and processes. However, the integration of blockchain with MIS offers the blockchain trilemma of security, decentralisation and scalability. MIS are usually Web 2.0 clientserver applications that include the front end web systems and back end databases; while blockchain systems are Web 3.0 decentralised applications. MIS are usually private systems that a single party controls and manages; while blockchain systems are usually public, and any party can join and participate. This paper clarifies the key concepts and illustrates with figures, the implementation of public, private and consortium blockchains on the Ethereum platform. Ultimately, the paper presents a framework for building a private blockchain system on the public Ethereum blockchain. Then,integrating the Web 2.0 client-server applications that are commonly used in MIS with Web 3.0 decentralised blockchain applications

Penerapan Teknologi Tepat Guna dalam Upaya Meningkatkan Produktivitas Pengupasan Bawang Pengusaha Coto Makassar

Indonesia merupakan negara agraris dengan sumber daya alam yang melimpah khususnya pada rempah-rempah. Salah satu rempah-rempah yang banyak dibutuhkan oleh masyarakat Indonesia adalah bawang. Bawang merupakan salah satu komoditi yang sangat dibutuhkan dalam kehidupan masyarakat, khususnya pada olahan bahan makanan (kuliner). Bawang terdiri dari beberapa jenis seperti bawang merah, bawang putih dan bawang bombai. Salah satu jenis makanan yang membutuhkan bawang adalah makanan khas Makassar yaitu coto Makassar. UMKM rumah makan coto mengolah bawangnya secara mandiri dan menggunakan metode tradisional. Proses pengolahannya terdiri dari tahap (1) pengupasan, (2) pencacahan, dan (3) penggorengan. Rata-rata kebutuhan bawang untuk UMKM rumah makan coto Makassar berkisar 50 kg/hari dan membutuhkan waktu pengupasan selama 12 jam. Program PkM ini menggunakan metode Research and Development. Hasil dari PkM ini adalah:(1) mesin pengupas bawang sederhana yang dapat diimplementasikan di UMKM rumah makan coto Makassar, (2) efisiensi waktu pengupasan 4 jam 10 menit untuk 50kg bawang atau berkisar 65.27%, dan (3) penerapan teknologi untuk mengatasi permasalahan yang terjadi pada UMKM rumah makan coto Makassar

Variability in locomotor dynamics reveals the critical role of feedback in task control.

Animals vary considerably in size, shape, and physiological features across individuals, but yet achieve remarkably similar behavioral performances. We examined how animals compensate for morphophysiological variation by measuring the system dynamics of individual knifefish (Eigenmannia virescens) in a refuge tracking task. Kinematic measurements of Eigenmannia were used to generate individualized estimates of each fish's locomotor plant and controller, revealing substantial variability between fish. To test the impact of this variability on behavioral performance, these models were used to perform simulated 'brain transplants'-computationally swapping controllers and plants between individuals. We found that simulated closed-loop performance was robust to mismatch between plant and controller. This suggests that animals rely on feedback rather than precisely tuned neural controllers to compensate for morphophysiological variability

Northeast Ohio GRIDs Monitor

Groups of Regional Industry Drivers (GRIDs) were identified in Northeast Ohio (NEO). GRIDs are wealth-creating industries that have a strong regional specialization, growing output, rising productivity, and local competitive advantage. Overall, the three identified GRIDs—Professional Services, Growing Legacy Manufacturing, and Oil and Gas—contributed nearly 40% ($90.4 billion) to NEO’s total output and employed 20% (369,054 people) of NEO workforce in 2018. This research provides an update on the performance of GRIDs economy focusing on 2017-18 changes and projections for 2019. Calculations in this monitor are based on the data from Moody\u27s Analytics Economy.com

Making investment decisions on RFID technology: an evaluation of key adoption factors in construction firms

The importance of RFID technology is increasing as a means of enhancing productivity and efficiency, and reducing costs. The purpose of this research paper is to study the influence of technological, organizational, environmental, and innovation factors on the adoption of RFID technology by construction companies in Australia. With the growth of Australia's economy, in particular, the construction sector, the logistics departments in construction companies should pay attention to the adoption of more efficient technologies to provide better services for their customers. This paper provides a consolidated framework of RFID technology adoption based on studies on RFID technology adoption in particular from an IS perspective. The paper combines an integrated model of the Technology-Organization-Environment framework, the Diffusion of Innovation theory, and Actor-Network Theory to establish a more comprehensive innovation adoption framework for RFID technology. The data gathered to study the factors affecting the adoption of RFID technology are analysed from the results of a survey of construction companies in Australia, in which 297 Information Technology (IT) staff were participants in this research. The research results show that the factors which had a statistically significant and positive impact on the adoption of RFID services in construction companies were: relative advantage, compatibility, cost, expected benefits, top management support, external support and organization size. The findings from this research study have the potential to provide insights to firms seeking to make investment decisions on the adoption of RFID technology

Intrahepatic cholestasis in subclinical and overt hyperthyroidism: two case reports

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Non-specific abnormalities in liver function tests might accompany the clinical course of hyperthyroidism. Hyperthyroidism can cause the elevation of hepatic enzymes and bilirubin. Jaundice is rare in overt hyperthyroidism, especially in subclinical hyperthyroidism. On the other hand, the use of anti-thyroid drugs has rarely been associated with toxic hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>Here we present two cases of cholestasis that accompanied two distinct forms of clinical hyperthyroidism. The first patient had a clinical presentation of severe cholestasis in the absence of congestive failure related to hyperthyroidism. The second case had developed intrahepatic cholestasis in the presence of subclinical hyperthyroidism, and improved with rifampicin treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Hyperthyroidism should be a consideration in non-specific liver dysfunction.</p

Predictors of Antibiotics Co-prescription with Antimalarials for Patients Presenting with Fever in Rural Tanzania.

Successful implementation of malaria treatment policy depends on the prescription practices for patients with malaria. This paper describes prescription patterns and assesses factors associated with co-prescription of antibiotics and artemether-lumefantrine (AL) for patients presenting with fever in rural Tanzania. From June 2009 to September 2011, a cohort event monitoring program was conducted among all patients treated at 8 selected health facilities in Ifakara and Rufiji Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS).It included all patients presenting with fever and prescribed with AL. Logistic regression was used to model the predictors on the outcome variable which is co-prescription of AL and antibiotics on a single clinical visit. A cohort of 11,648 was recruited and followed up with 92% presenting with fever. Presumptive treatment was used in 56% of patients treated with AL. On average 2.4 (1 -- 7) drugs was prescribed per encounter, indicating co-prescription of AL with other drugs. Children under five had higher odds of AL and antibiotics co-prescription (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46 -- 0.85) than those aged more than five years. Patients testing negative had higher odds (OR = 2.22, 95%CI: 1.65 -- 2.97) of AL and antibiotics co-prescription. Patients receiving treatment from dispensaries had higher odds (OR = 1.45, 95% CI: 0.84 -- 2.30) of AL and antibiotics co-prescription than those from served in health centres even though the deference was not statistically significant. Regardless the fact that Malaria is declining but due to lack of laboratories and mRDT in most health facilities in the rural areas, clinicians are still treating malaria presumptively. This leads them to prescribe more drugs to treat all possibilities

Regiospecific analysis of Mono and Diglycerides in Glycerolysis products by GC x GC TOF-MS.

Comprehensive bidimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF-MS) was used for the characterization of regiospecific mono- and diglycerides (MG-DG) content in the glycerolysis products derived from five different lipids included lard (LA), sun flower seed oil (SF), corn oil (CO), butter (BU), and palm oil (PA). The combination of fast and high temperature non-orthogonal column set namely DB17ht (6 m × 0.10 mm × 0.10 μm) as the primary column and SLB-5 ms (60 cm × 0.10 mm × 0.10 μm) as the secondary column was applied in this work. System configuration involved high oven ramp temperature to obtain precise mass spectral identification and highest effluent’s resolution. 3-Monopalmitoyl-sn-glycerol (MG 3-C16) was the highest concentration in LA, BU and PA while monostearoyl-sn-glycerol (MG C18) in CO and 1,3-dilinoleol-rac-glycerol (DG C18:2c) in SF. Principal component analysis accounted 82% of variance using combination of PC1 and PC2. The presence of monostearoyl-sn-glycerol (MG C18), 3-Monopalmitoyl-sn-glycerol (MG 3-C16), 1,3-dilinoleol-rac-glycerol (DG C18:2c), 1,3-dipalmitoyl-glycerol (DG 1,3-C16), and 1,3-dielaidin (DG C18:1t) caused differentiation of the samples tested

Real-time PCR assay and rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of clinically suspected malaria patients in Bangladesh

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>More than 95% of total malaria cases in Bangladesh are reported from the 13 high endemic districts. <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>and <it>Plasmodium vivax </it>are the two most abundant malaria parasites in the country. To improve the detection and management of malaria patients, the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) has been using rapid diagnostic test (RDT) in the endemic areas. A study was conducted to establish a SYBR Green-based modified real-time PCR assay as a gold standard to evaluate the performance of four commercially-available malaria RDTs, along with the classical gold standard- microscopy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Blood samples were collected from 338 febrile patients referred for the diagnosis of malaria by the attending physician at Matiranga</p> <p>Upazila Health Complex (UHC) from May 2009 to August 2010. Paracheck RDT and microscopy were performed at the UHC. The blood samples were preserved in EDTA tubes. A SYBR Green-based real-time PCR assay was performed and evaluated. The performances of the remaining three RDTs (Falcivax, Onsite Pf and Onsite Pf/Pv) were also evaluated against microscopy and real-time PCR using the stored blood samples.</p> <p>Result</p> <p>In total, 338 febrile patients were enrolled in the study. Malaria parasites were detected in 189 (55.9%) and 188 (55.6%) patients by microscopy and real-time PCR respectively. Among the RDTs, the highest sensitivity for the detection of <it>P. falciparum </it>(including mixed infection) was obtained by Paracheck [98.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 95.8-99.9] and Falcivax (97.6%, 95% CI 94.1-99.4) compared to microscopy and real-time PCR respectively. Paracheck and Onsite Pf/Pv gave the highest specificity (98.8%, 95% CI 95.7-99.9) compared to microscopy and Onsite Pf/Pv (98.8, 95% CI 95.8-99.9) compared to real-time PCR respectively for the detection of <it>P. falciparum</it>. On the other hand Falcivax and Onsite Pf/Pv had equal sensitivity (90.5%, 95% CI 69.6-98.8) and almost 100% specificity compared to microscopy for the detection of <it>P. vivax</it>. However, compared to real-time PCR assay RDTs and microscopy gave low sensitivity (76.9%, 95% CI 56.4-91) in detecting of <it>P. vivax </it>although a very high specificity was obtained (99- 100%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that the SYBR Green-based real-time PCR assay could be used as an alternative gold standard method in a reference setting. Commercially-available RDTs used in the study are quite sensitive and specific in detecting <it>P. falciparum</it>, although their sensitivity in detecting <it>P. vivax </it>was not satisfactory compared to the real-time PCR assay.</p