An Assessment of Global Factors towards the Financial Performance of a Containership Using a Bayesian Network Method

The movement of containerised goods made 2009 debatably the most dramatic year in the history of the box. A Bayesian network methodology associated with the cause and effect analysis technique is introduced to analyse the global economic conditions, the container market demand and the bunker fuel price in order to measure the financial performance of a containership. This method demonstrates the combination of qualitative and quantitative criteria in order to ensure that the best possible decision can be made by a shipping company. As a consequence, the result provided by the Bayesian Network method can be used as an indicator for helping shipping lines plan a cost-effective business strategy. Keywords: Bayesian Network Method; Uncertainty Treatment; Vessel Speed; Containership; Decision Making Technique.

Mini review on the preservatives for Natural Rubber Latex (NRL)

Natural rubber latex (NRL) harvested from the Hevea Brasiliense tree contains colloidal rubber particles, carbohydrates, and various plant proteins. The non-rubber substances in NRL lead to spontaneous coagulation that cause the rubber to rot within 3-5 hours. Many chemicals are used for the preservation of NRL to suppress spontaneous coagulation and putrefaction and improve the stability of the latex for long-term storage. Ammonia (NH3) is the most commonly used and most effective preservative of NRL. However, it has the potential to cause health problems. Recently several naturally occurring substances, synthetic chemicals, and nanomaterials have been introduced to NRL for preservation purposes. These preservatives are reviewed and their advantages and disadvantages are summarized in this mini-review

Spin-state driven ferromagnetic and spin glass states in layered LaSrCoO4_4

Famous for its spin-state puzzle, LaSrCoO$_4$ (Co$^{3+}$) is an intermediate between antiferromagnetic (AFM) La$_2$CoO$_4$ (Co$^{2+}$) and ferromagnetic (FM) Sr$_2$CoO$_4$ (Co$^{4+}$). The appearance of the Co$^{3+}$ valence state (not present in the end compounds) is intriguing because of the spin-state transitions associated with it. In this work, we report two magnetic transitions in LaSrCoO$_4$: (i) a transition at T $=$ T$_c$ $\simeq$ 225 K, from the paramagnetic state to a state with an inhomogeneous long-range ferromagnetic (FM) order wherein finite FM clusters coexist with infinite FM matrix in the percolation sense, and (ii) the transition to the cluster spin glass (CSG) state at T $=$ T$_g$ $\simeq$ 8 K. Finite FM clusters (which at low temperatures give rise to the cluster spin glass state) and infinite FM matrix are formed due to the spin-spin interactions brought about by the inhomogeneously distributed Co$^{3+}$ high spin (HS) and Co$^{3+}$ low spin (LS) ions. A firm support to the presence of an unconventional (inhomogeneous) ferromagnetic order comes from the anomalous values of the critical exponents $\beta$, $\gamma$ and $\delta$ for the spontaneous magnetization, `zero-field' magnetic susceptibility and the critical M - H isotherm, while the coexistence of HS Co$^{3+}$ and LS Co$^{3+}$ ions is confirmed by the results of the extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

ASSIMILATING GEOSPATIAL METAMODEL AND INVENTORY MAPPING FOR NON-STRUCTURAL MITIGATION OF LANDSLIDE

In Malaysia, issues related to disaster management are always given attention in society and by the responsible parties. However, in general, citizen do not think of the consequential impact of disaster due to less of knowledge regarding the early phase in disaster management. Therefore, citizen in those areas will be more vulnerable to landslide as the citizen face difficulties in identifying specific areas with the tendency of landslides. This paper presents a geospatial metamodel approach for non-structural mitigation of landslide using data from airborne LiDAR and aerial photograph. Disaster management metamodel with geospatial element combines activity for managing disaster along with geospatial database that makes it handy for appreciating the metamodel. On the other hand, the digital terrain model (DTM) from LiDAR and aerial photograph is required to produce landslide inventory mapping. The case study area is located in Kundasang, Sabah, where landslides occur frequently. In order to get better visual in identifying landslides in the study area, three types of data are required to carry out image interpretation. The three types of data are hillshade, topographic openness and colour composite. The result of the landslide inventory map shows that there are five types of landslide, which is debris flow, debris fall, mud flow, deep-seated landslide and shallow landslide. Finally, the result of landslide inventory map will be integrated into the developed metamodel for presentation to the users. This landslide inventory map is used as a non-structural mitigation step in one of disaster management phases that is suitable to prepare and use in mitigating the landslide hazard impact

Pro-poor intervention strategies in irrigated agriculture in Asia: poverty in irrigated agriculture: issues and options: Bangladesh

Irrigated farming / Poverty / Irrigation management / Water resource management / Policy / Planning / Institutions / Organizations / Local government / Non-governmental organizations / Legislation / Water users / Participatory management / Public sector / Water allocation / Cost recovery / Households / Income / Expenditure / Irrigation canals / Bangladesh

Randomized clinical trial of percutaneous transluminalangioplasty, supervised exercise and combined treatment forintermittent claudication due to femoropopliteal arterial disease

Background:The aim was to compare percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), a supervisedexercise programme (SEP) and combined treatment (PTA plus SEP) for intermittent claudication dueto femoropopliteal arterial disease.Methods: Consenting patients with femoropopliteal arterial lesions were randomized to one of threetreatment arms: PTA, SEP, or PTA plus SEP. All patients received optimal medical treatment. Patientswere assessed at baseline and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after intervention. Clinical (ankle pressures, walkingdistances, symptoms) and quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes (Short Form 36, VascuQol) were analysed.Results: A total of 178 patients (108 men, median age 70 years) were included. All three treatmentgroups demonstrated significant clinical and QoL improvements. One year after PTA (60 patients, 8withdrew), 37 patients (71 per cent) had improved (16 mild, 16 moderate, 5 marked), nine (17 per cent)showed no improvement and six (12 per cent) had deteriorated. After SEP (60 patients, 14 withdrew),32 patients (70 per cent) had improved (19 mild, 10 moderate, 3 marked), six (13 per cent) showed noimprovement and eight (17 per cent) had deteriorated. After PTA plus SEP (58 patients, 11 withdrew),40 patients (85 per cent) had improved (18 mild, 20 moderate, 2 marked), seven (15 per cent) showedno improvement and none had deteriorated. On intergroup analysis, PTA and SEP alone were equallyeffective in improving clinical outcomes, although the effect was short-lived. PTA plus SEP produced amore sustained clinical improvement, but there was no significant QoL advantage.Conclusion: For patients with intermittent claudication due to femoropopliteal disease, PTA, SEP,and PTA plus SEP were all equally effective in improving walking distance and QoL after 12 months.Registration number: NCT00798850 (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov)

Dynamic Modeling of Hydrogen Production from Photo-Fermentation in Microbial Electrolysis Cell using Sago Waste

Hydrogen has a great potential as an alternative energy and produces zero emissions, but most of hydrogen is produced from non-renewable fossil fuels via reforming. Thus, biomass is a promising replacement to fossil fuels where hydrogen can be sourced from. In this project, sago waste is chosen as raw material in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) to produce hydrogen fuel. A mathematical model with the integration of MEC with photo-fermentation has been developed and modified by using sago effluent as a substrate in a batch process. The main parameter such as concentration of microbial community has been observed in this project as it gives a huge influence on the gas product of MEC. In conclusion, the develop model was to observe the behavior of the microbial electrolysis cell where a maximum of 3.8 L/day (t = 4 days) of hydrogen production and 0.38A of MEC current were obtained

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

Background The EMPA-KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population. Methods EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110. Findings Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5–2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62–0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16–1·59), representing a 50% (42–58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1). Interpretation In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease. Funding Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council

Bromocarbons in the tropical coastal and open ocean atmosphere during the Prime Expedition Scientific Cruise 2009 (PESC 09)

Atmospheric concentrations of very short-lived species (VSLS) bromocarbons, including CHBr3, CH2Br2, CHCl2Br, CHClBr2, and CH2BrCl, were measured in the Strait of Malacca and the South China and Sulu–Sulawesi seas during a two-month research cruise in June–July 2009. The highest bromocarbon concentrations were found in the Strait of Malacca, with smaller enhancements in coastal regions of northern Borneo. CHBr3 was the most abundant bromocarbon, ranging from 5.2 pmol mol−1 in the Strait of Malacca to 0.94 pmol mol−1 over the open ocean. Other bromocarbons showed lower concentrations, in the range of 0.8–1.3 pmol mol−1 for CH2Br2, 0.1–0.5 pmol mol−1 for CHCl2Br, and 0.1–0.4 pmol mol−1 for CHClBr2. There was no significant correlation between bromocarbons and in situ chlorophyll a, but positive correlations with both MODIS and SeaWiFS satellite chlorophyll a. Together, the shortlived bromocarbons contribute an average of 8.9 pmol mol−1 (range 5.2–21.4 pmol mol−1) to tropospheric bromine loading, which is similar to that found in previous studies from global sampling networks (Montzka et al., 2011). Statistical tests showed strong Spearman correlations between brominated compounds, suggesting a common source. Log–log plots of CHBr3/CH2Br2 versus CHBr2Cl/CH2Br2 show that both chemical reactions and dilution into the background atmosphere contribute to the composition of these halocarbons at each sampling point. We have used the correlation to make a crude estimate of the regional emissions of CHBr3 and to derive a value of 32 Gg yr−1 for the Southeast (SE) Asian region (10◦ N–20◦ S, 90–150◦ E). Finally, we note that satellite-derived chlorophyll a (chl a) products do not always agree well with in situ measurements, particularly in coastal regions of high turbidity, meaning that satellite chl a may not always be a good proxy for marine productivity

Novi analitički pristup sa smanjenom potrošnjom organskih otapala u spektrofotometrijskoj analizi temeljenoj na prijenosu naboja: Primjena u analizi nekih antihipertenziva

The present study describes the development of a novel analytical approach that can reduce by 50-fold the consumption of organic solvents in the charge transfer (CT)-based spectrophotometric analysis. The proposed approach employed 96-microwell assay plates for carrying out the reaction. The CT reaction between the electron-donating analyte and electron-accepting reagent was performed in microwells (200-µL of organic solvent) and the color signals were measured with a microwell-plate reader. Optimum conditions for the proposed approach were established for two antihypertensive drugs, namely ramipril (RML) and lisinopril (LSL) as model compounds for the electron-donating analytes, and 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ) as a -electron acceptor. Under the optimum conditions, Beer’s law was obeyed in the concentration range of 6–100 and 6–60 g mL1 for RML and LSL, respectively. The limits of detection were 0.97 and 1.10 g mL1 for RML and LSL, respectively. The precision of the methods was satisfactory; the values of relative standard deviations did not exceed 1.1 %. The proposed approach was successfully applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical dosage forms with good accuracy and precision. The results were comparable with those of the reported methods. The approach described herein is of great practical value in pharmaceutical analysis because it reduces the exposure of analysts to the toxic effects of organic solvents, lowers the analysis cost by 50-fold, and it has a high throughput property. Although the approach was validated for RML and LSL, the same methodology could be used for any electron-donating analyte for which a CT-reaction can be performed.U radu je opisan razvoj novog analitičkog pristupa koji 50 puta smanjuje potrošnju organskih otapala u spektrofotometrijskoj analizi na bazi prijenosa naboja (CT). Predložena metoda koristi ploče s 96 jažica za izvođenje analize. CT reakcije između elektron-donora i elektron-akceptora izvodi se u jažicama s 200-µL organskog otapala. Promjene boje mjere se pomoću posebnog mikročitača za ploče s jažicama. Određeni su optimalni uvjeti za dva antihipertenzivna lijeka, ramipril (RML) i lizinopril (LSL) koji su upotrebljeni kao modelni spojevi za elektron-donorske analite, i 2,3-diklor-5,6-dicijano-1,4-benzokinon (DDQ) kao -elektronski akceptor. U optimalnim uvjetima Beerov zakon je vrijedio u koncentracijskom području 6–100 i 6–60 g mL1 za RML, odnosno LSL. Granice detekcije bile su 0,97 i 1,1 g mL1 za RML, odnosno LSL. Preciznost metode bila je zadovoljavajuća, a relativna standardna devijacija bila je manja od 1,1 %. Predložena metoda uspješno je primijenjena za analizu doziranih farmaceutskih pripravaka koji sadrže ispitivane lijekove, uz dobru točnost i preciznost. Rezultati predložene metode usporedivi su s rezultatima poznatih metoda. Postupak opisan u ovom radu vrlo je praktičan: analitičari su manje izloženi toksičnim učincima organskih otapala, troškovi analize smanjeni su 50 puta, a također ju odlikuje visoka propusnost. Iako je postupak validiran za RML i LSL, ista metoda može se upotrijebiti za elektron-donirajući analit koji ulazi u CT reakciju