Measuring Performance Efficiency Indicators

Measuring performance efficiency indicators is considered one of the most important topics that public or private companies should undertake, as it provides extensive information on its reality and highlights the most important strengths and weaknesses that guide the company's management, which is considered a fundamental basis for the decision-making process. This study was conducted on the General Company for Agricultural Supplies "GCAS" of the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture in order to estimate the criteria of the efficiency of its performance in the years (2016) and (2018) and to make comparisons between the two years. The results showed that most of the performance criteria for the year (2018) fell below the base year (2016), which requires a pause to improve the performance efficiency in order to develop its future activity in a manner commensurate with its position in preparing the various agricultural requirements that the agricultural sector deals with. The research included some conclusions related to the decrease in the efficiency of the company's performance in managing working capital in (2018) comparing to the year (2016) as the liquidity ratio fell below the acceptable rates, which indicates that the company's ability to meet its obligations in the future has decreased. The working capital turnover rate also decreased, indicating that it was not used correctly in addition to other reasons. The research also included some important recommendations that enable the company to overcome the failures that it faced during the study period

An Experimental Study on Violent Geysers in Vertical Shafts

A Geyser in a stormwater (SW) and combined sewer system (CSS) is an oscillatory and violent release of a mixture of air and water through vertical shafts. Violent geysers are highly destructive. In the case of combined sewer systems, many municipalities operate their systems at a fraction of their maximum capacity to avoid transients and geysers. Operating CSSs at a fraction of their capacity means that these systems are not fully utilized and hence, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) occur more often than they should. These overflows contain not only stormwater but also untreated human and industrial waste, toxic materials, and debris. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that in 31 states and the District of Columbia, 772 combined sewer systems with more than 9,000 CSO outfalls annually discharge about 850 billion gallons of untreated wastewater and stormwater. Geysers have been studied numerically and experimentally for over three decades. Even though geysers were studied for a relatively long time, their violent behavior was neither reproduced experimentally nor numerically. The motivation of this thesis is to present the results of an experimental study that for the first time produced violent geysers (few consecutive eruptions with heights that may exceed 30m) that resemble those observed in the field. This experimental study also included tests of a retrofitting method for minimizing geyser intensity in terms of height and eruption velocity. The retrofitting consists of a simple diameter reduction (e.g., orifice) at the bottom of the dropshaft. The dimensionless eruption height and velocity were found to have a good fit with the power forms obtained in the dimensional analysis. The eruption height and velocity were found to increase with the dimensionless air mass flow rate and the ratio between dropshaft height and dropshaft diameter. Results indicate that the eruption height and velocity decrease with a decrease in orifice diameter (e.g., lower air mass flow rate). For the experimental conditions considered in the present study, the proposed retrofitting method was found to be an effective strategy for minimizing the intensity of violent geysers where a geyser eruption is nearly eliminated when the ratio between orifice diameter and dropshaft diameter is about 1/8

Beyond Traditional Teaching: The Potential of Large Language Models and Chatbots in Graduate Engineering Education

In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, digital technologies have repeatedly disrupted traditional pedagogical methods. This paper explores the latest of these disruptions: the potential integration of large language models (LLMs) and chatbots into graduate engineering education. We begin by tracing historical and technological disruptions to provide context and then introduce key terms such as machine learning and deep learning and the underlying mechanisms of recent advancements, namely attention/transformer models and graphics processing units. The heart of our investigation lies in the application of an LLM-based chatbot in a graduate fluid mechanics course. We developed a question bank from the course material and assessed the chatbot's ability to provide accurate, insightful responses. The results are encouraging, demonstrating not only the bot's ability to effectively answer complex questions but also the potential advantages of chatbot usage in the classroom, such as the promotion of self-paced learning, the provision of instantaneous feedback, and the reduction of instructors' workload. The study also examines the transformative effect of intelligent prompting on enhancing the chatbot's performance. Furthermore, we demonstrate how powerful plugins like Wolfram Alpha for mathematical problem-solving and code interpretation can significantly extend the chatbot's capabilities, transforming it into a comprehensive educational tool. While acknowledging the challenges and ethical implications surrounding the use of such AI models in education, we advocate for a balanced approach. The use of LLMs and chatbots in graduate education can be greatly beneficial but requires ongoing evaluation and adaptation to ensure ethical and efficient use.Comment: 44 pages, 16 figures, preprint for PLOS ON

Laparoscopic Hernia Repair in Infancy and Childhood; Evaluation of Two Different Techniques

Background/Purpose: There are many techniques available for laparoscopic hernia repair in infancy and childhood. The objective of this study is to compare two different laparoscopic techniques as regards operative time, recurrence rate, hydrocele formation and post operative cosmetic results. Materials & Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was carried out in the Pediatric Surgery Unit of Al- Azhar University Hospitals, over three years period. ne-hundred and fifty patients with congenital inguinal hernia were randomized into two equals groups; (n = 75). Group A was subjected to purse-string suture around the internal inguinal ring (IIR) using two needle holders (TNH). Group B was subjected to laparoscopic hernia repair of inguinal hernia by Reverdin Needle (RN). Inclusion criteria included; bilateral inguinal hernia, recurrent hernia, hernia in obese child, incarcerated hernia and hernia on ipsilateral with questionable contralateral side. Exclusion criteria included; unilateral inguinal hernia, and hernia with undescended testicles. The main outcome measurements were; operative time, hospital stay, postoperative hydrocele formation, recurrence rate, and cosmetic results. Results: There were no significant differences as regard age, sex and mode of presentation between both groups. All cases were completed successfully without conversion. There were significant statistical differences in the operative time between the studied groups, while there were no significant statistical differences in the hospital stay, post operative hydrocele formation and recurrence rate. The cosmetic result is excellent in group B. Conclusion: Laparoscopic hernia repair by RN is an effective line of hernia repair in infancy and childhood. It resulted in marked reduction of operative time and excellent cosmetic results with low recurrence. Index Word: Laparoscopic, Reverdin Needle, Purse-string, Intracorporeal sutures

Synthesis, spectral Characterization and studies of Some Divalent Metal Ion Complexes with Ligand of [3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-(3-(4-methoxybenzoyl)thiouereido)propanoic acid] (MTP)

In this work, prepared new ligand[3- (1H-indol-3-yl) -2- (3-(4-methoxybenzoyl)thiouereido) propanoic acid](MTP) has been synthesized by reaction of 4-Methoxybenzoyl isothiocyanate with tryptophane(1:1), The ligand was characterized by elemental microanalysis C.H.N.S, FT-IR, UV-Vis and 1H,13C NMR spectra, Some transition metals complexes of this ligand were prepared and characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis spectra, conductivity measurements, magnetic susceptibility and atomic absorption, From obtained results the molecular formula of all prepared complexes were [M(MTP)2] (M+2 =Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Hg), the proposed geometrical structure for all complexes were tetrahedral except copper complex has a square planer geometry around metallic ion with bidentate ligand(MTP)

Diversity of SCCmec Elements in Methicillin-Resistant Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Clinical Isolates

in MR-CoNS can generate useful information on the mobilization and evolution of this element.). in MR-CoNS

External quality assessment of the molecular diagnostics and genotyping of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Two multicentre external quality assessments (EQA) for the molecular detection and genotyping of meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were arranged. Firstly, 11 samples containing various amounts of inactivated MRSA strains, meticillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), meticillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) or Escherichia coli were distributed to 82 laboratories. Samples containing 102 or 103 MRSA cells were correctly scored in only 16 and 46% of the datasets returned, respectively. Two of the used MSSA strains contained an SCCmec cassette lacking the mecA gene. There was a marked difference in the percentage of correct results for these two MSSA strains (37 and 39%) compared to the MSSA strain lacking the SCCmec cassette (88%). Secondly, a panel for MRSA genotyping, consisting of ten samples (two identical, three genetically related and five unique strains) was distributed to 19 laboratories. Seventy-three percent of the datasets recorded all samples correctly. Most pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) protocols proved to be suboptimal, resulting in inferior resolution in the higher or lower fragment regions. The performance of molecular diagnostics for MRSA shows no significant changes since our first EQA in 2006. The first molecular typing results are encouraging. Both assessments indicate that programme expansion is required and that major performance discrepancies continue to exist

Improving the melting performance in a triple-pipe latent heat storage system using hemispherical and quarter-spherical fins with a staggered arrangement

Data availability statement: The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/Supplementary Material; further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.This study aims to evaluate the melting characteristics of a phase change material (PCM) in a latent heat storage system equipped with hemispherical and quarter-spherical fins. A vertical triple-pipe heat exchanger is used as the PCM-based heat storage unit to improve the melting performance compared with a double-pipe system. Furthermore, the fins are arranged in inline and staggered configurations to improve heat transfer performance. For the quarter-spherical fins, both upward and downward directions are examined. The results of the system equipped with novel fins are compared with those without fins. Moreover, a fin is added to the heat exchanger’s base to compensate for the natural convection effect at the bottom of the heat exchanger. Considering similar fin volumes, the results show that the system equipped with four hemispherical fins on the side walls and an added fin on the bottom wall has the best performance compared with the other cases with hemispherical fins. The staggered arrangement of the fins results in a higher heat transfer rate. The downward quarter-spherical fins with a staggered configuration show the highest performance among all the studied cases. Compared with the case without fins, the heat storage rate improves by almost 78% (from 35.6 to 63.5 W), reducing the melting time by 45%.King Khalid University Deanship of Scientific Research Large Groups [Project under grant number (RGP. 2/142/43)]; Brunel University London

A Sustainable Cold Mix Asphalt Mixture Comprising Paper Sludge Ash and Cement Kiln Dust

Concerns about the environment, the cost of energy, and safety mean that low-energy cold-mix asphalt materials are very interesting as a potential replacement for present-day hot mix asphalt. The main disadvantage of cold bituminous emulsion mixtures is their poor early life strength, meaning they require a long time to achieve mature strength. This research work aims to study the protentional utilization of waste and by-product materials as a filler in cold emulsion mixtures with mechanical properties comparable to those of traditional hot mix asphalt. Accordingly, cold mix asphalt was prepared to utilize paper sludge ash (PSA) and cement kiln dust (CKD) as a substitution for conventional mineral filler with percentages ranging from 0–6% and 0–4%, respectively. Test results have shown that the incorporation of such waste materials reflected a significant improvement in the mixture’s stiffness and strength evolution. The cementitious reactivity of PSA produces bonding inside the mixtures, while CKD is used as an additive to activate the hydration process of PSA. Therefore, based on the results, it will be easier to build cold mixtures by shortening the amount of time needed to reach full curing conditions