Intelligent Materials Tracking System for Construction Projects Management

An essential factor adversely affecting the performance of construction projects is the improper handling of materials during site activities. In addition, paper-based reports are mostly used to record and exchange information related to the material components within the supply chain, which is problematic and inefficient. Generally, technologies (such as wireless systems and RFID) are not being adequately used to overcome human errors and are not well integrated with project management systems to make tracking and management of materials easier and faster. Findings from a literature review and surveys showed that there is a lack of positive examples of such tools having been used effectively. Therefore, this research focused on the development of a materials tracking system that integrates RFID-based materials management with resources modelling to improve on-site materials tracking. Rapid prototyping was used to develop the system and testing of the system was carried out to examine the functionality and working appropriately. The proposed system is intended to promote the employment of RFID for automatic materials tracking with integration of resource modelling (Microsoft (R) Office Project) in the project management system in order to establish which of the tagged components are required resources for certain project tasks. In conclusion, the system provides an automatic and easy tracking method for managing materials during materials delivery and inventory management processes in construction projects

Hypoxic Culture Conditions as a Solution for Mesenchymal Stem Cell Based Regenerative Therapy

Cell-based regenerative therapies, based on in vitro propagation of stem cells, offer tremendous hope to many individuals suffering from degenerative diseases that were previously deemed untreatable. Due to the self-renewal capacity, multilineage potential, and immunosuppressive property, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are considered as an attractive source of stem cells for regenerative therapies. However, poor growth kinetics, early senescence, and genetic instability during in vitro expansion and poor engraftment after transplantation are considered to be among the major disadvantages of MSC-based regenerative therapies. A number of complex inter-and intracellular interactive signaling systems control growth, multiplication, and differentiation of MSCs in their niche. Common laboratory conditions for stem cell culture involve ambient O-2 concentration (20%) in contrast to their niche where they usually reside in 2-9% O-2. Notably, O-2 plays an important role in maintaining stem cell fate in terms of proliferation and differentiation, by regulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) mediated expression of different genes. This paper aims to describe and compare the role of normoxia (20% O-2) and hypoxia (2-9% O-2) on the biology of MSCs. Finally it is concluded that a hypoxic environment can greatly improve growth kinetics, genetic stability, and expression of chemokine receptors during in vitro expansion and eventually can increase efficiency of MSC-based regenerative therapies.Article Link: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/tswj/2013/632972

Keterlibatan Perempuan Dalam Dinamika Hukum Di Indonesia

Women in practice can meet life as a wife in a family environment, also in an institution (organization, civil servant, and Private workers) can be complementary and supporting even be a factor in important: in fighting for the rights of individuals and groups. Women as the full force of the law in color by various activities, in terms of employment can be a Judge in deciding the case can also be a person who convicts/which was sentenced to violate the Law. In Indonesia women in their involvement with the job so diverse that it is free from the influence of the social strata, lack of economics, involvement in government, politics, world artists and others

Sediment Yield Problems in Khassa Chai Watershed Using Hydrologic Models

Upland erosion and sedimentation are one of the severe problems which faces dams as sediments occupy spaces within reservoirs storage, hence, decreasing live water storage which is the main purpose of dam’s construction. Iraq is one of the countries that will face a significant shortage of water income as a result of both the increment in water demand and of the reduction of water shares from the source countries. Thus, the existing dams in Iraq represent a strategic resource to fulfill water demands, and the sedimentation at these dams is studied to assess the quantity of sediments that reach to these reservoirs and decrease available water volume and useful life of reservoir. In the current study, Khassa Chai Dam is located in the Northeast of Iraq and its main watershed basin covers an area of about 412 km2 between Kirkuk and Al Sulaymaniyah Governorates has been selected to estimate and predict the amount of sediment yield based on 30 years of daily climate data and the events of different intensity rainstorms. Automated geospatial watershed assessment (AGWA) tool model has been used to simulate Khassa Chai Dam catchment area. This model utilizes the geographic information system (GIS) application to analyze the required data from GIS layer for digital elevation model, soil type, land use, and land cover by interference with the required climate data. The key components of AGWA model are the soil and water assessment tool model and kinematic runoff and erosion (KINEROS) model which are able to simulate complex watershed behavior to explicitly account for spatial variability of soils, rainfall distribution patterns, and vegetation. The hydrologic characteristics for Khassa Chai catchment area according to the SWAT outputs show that the most erosive sub-basins are not able to deliver the eroded material or sediments to the reservoir due to their transmission losses, percolation, and other minor obstacles. KINEROS model simulation for sediment yield is much closer to the behavior of Khassa Chai watershed in erosion and sediment transport according to the single storm events and for individually selected sub-watersheds which are closed in their location to reservoir inlet

The Awareness Of ICT Implementation For Materials Management In Construction Projects

Construction materials usually constitute a major portion of the total cost in a building construction project. Despite the potential benefit of ICT, convincing construction organisations to embrace its use and implementation has proved a difficult task. This research seeks to identify the implementation of ICT in construction materials management processes and to investigate on the acceptance of contractors for ICT transformation to the materials management in construction projects. In relation to that, current constraints that are found hindering the acceptance of ICT in materials management processes are also identified. A triangulation research approach which consists of standard derived questionnaires, semi structured interviews with class A contractors and review of previous research were conducted. The findings from this research reveal that the implementation of ICT in the materials management for construction projects in Malaysia is at early stage. Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet and handheld devices are found to be the common ICT tools adopted in the materials management processes. Meanwhile, there is only an average level of acceptance towards the transformation of ICT implementation in the construction materials management. The main barrier is found to be the cost involvement at the initial stage or overall implementation of ICT in the materials management processes. Finally, it can be concluded that there is a lack of awareness towards the ICT implementation of materials management in the construction projects

Some chemical properties of oil palm decanter meal

The aims of this study were to investigate the rancidity and chemical properties of oil palm decanter meal (OPDM) after been kept over an extended period of time. Samples were collected daily and analyzed for some rancidity properties, including peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and for chemical composition, including proximate analysis, fiber, mineral and fatty acid (FA) content. The correlation coefficient between time of storage and the rancidity (PV and TBA) of OPDM were positive with R2 of 0.9792 and 0.9678, respectively. During ten days of observation, the compositions of longchain FA, including stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic except for palmitic were significantly (P<0.05) different. The compositions of short-chain FA, including acetic, propionic, isobutyric, butiryc, isovaleric and valeric, were also significantly (P<0.05) different. Furthermore, PV and TBA were significantly (P<0.05) different during the extended time of 10-days storage. The correlation coefficient between PV and long-chain FA (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and linolenic) were 0.61, 0.16, -0.82, -0.3 and -0.84, respectively, and the correlation composition between TBA and the composition of long-chain FA (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic) were 0.40, 0.34, -0.91, -0.02 and 0.62, respectively. It could be summarized that physically and chemically, the fresh OPDM might be used as an alternative feed, especially for ruminant.Key word: Oil palm decanter meal, fatty acid, oxidation, rancidity, peroxide, thiobarbituric

Effect Inundation Period to Summed Dominant Ratio (SDR) and Biomass Rice Weeds of Method SRI (System of Rice Intensification) in Indonesia

Research by title the effect inundation period to summed dominant ratio (SDR) and biomass rice weeds of method SRI (system of rice intensification) in Indonesia. Research have been conducted in the Faculty of Agricultural Land Andalas University, Limau Manih, Padang, from February to May 2018. The study aims to identify noxious weed found in SRI method of paddy cultivation in Indonesia. Weeds that have summed Dominance Ratio (SDR) and the highest biomass in this study is a weed Cyperus rotundus, Scirpus juncoides Roxb., Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl, Cyperus pedunculatus and Richardia brasiliensis Gomez. Highest weed biomass obtained in the treatment of inundation 3 days old and weed biomass lowest is 15 days long inundation

Overview of Knowledge of Pregnant Women About the Dangers of Covid-19 During Pregnancy

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease that attacks the respiratory tract, and one of the groups vulnerable to exposure to the virus is pregnant women due to physiological changes in pregnant women.  Case studies conducted with a qualitative method are descriptive, the population used is pregnant women who are less knowledgeable about the dangers of Covid-19 during pregnancy in the form of purposive sampling.  The data taken are primary data and calculations of questionnaire results using the guttman scale.  Based on a case study that has been carried out on 2 respondents who are in accordance with the inclusion criteria in knowing the Picture of Knowledge of Pregnant Women about the danger signs of Covid-19 during Pregnancy in the Maccini Sawah Puakesmas Work Area which was carried out for 4 days, the case study obtained by the level of knowledge of pregnant women was categorized as good with a value of 95%-100% after being given knowledge with education.  The Level of Knowledge of Pregnant Women Regarding the Danger Signs of Covid-19 during Pregnancy is greatly influenced by the level of knowledge and the environment, the lack of information also greatly affects the level of knowledge of pregnant women about the Dangers of Covid-19 during pregnancy. Pregnant women need to understand and know the dangers of Covid-19 to pregnancy, so it is very necessary to increase knowledge to avoid the risk of being infected with Covid-19

Aplikasi Asap Cair Pada Lateks

Asap cair (liquid smoke) atau dengan nama lain bio oil merupakan salah satu sumber energi terbarukan yang dapat digunakan untuk berbagai keperluan baik pangan maupun non pangan. Salah satu aplikasinya pada non pangan yaitu untuk menggumpalkan lateks dan mencegah timbulnya bau dan tumbuhnya jamur pada lembaran sit lateks. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa asap cair yang berasal dari tempurung kelapa dengan konsentrasi 1 % dan 2% dapat menggumpalkan lateks dan menghambat tumbuhnya jamur pada lembaran Sit yang dibuat serta mencegah timbulnya bau