A Case Study of Six Sigma Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) Methodology in Garment Sector

This paper demonstrates the empirical application of Six Sigma and Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) methodology to reduce product defects within a garments manufacturing organization in Bangladesh which follows the DMAIC methodology to investigate defects, root causes and provide a solution to eliminate these defects. The analysis from employing Six Sigma and DMAIC indicated that the broken stitch and open seam influenced the number of defective products. Design of experiments (DOE) and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) techniques were combined to statistically determine the correlation of the broken stitch and open seam with defects as well as to define their optimum values needed to eliminate the defects. Thus, a reduction of about 35% in the garments defect was achieved, which helped the organization studied to reduce its defects and thus improve its Sigma level from 1.7 to 3.4

Integrating life cycle assessment and machine learning to enhance black soldier fly larvae-based composting of kitchen waste

Around 40% to 60% of municipal solid waste originates from kitchens, offering a valuable resource for compost production. Traditional composting methods such as windrow, vermi-, and bin composting are space-intensive and time-consuming. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) present a promising alternative, requiring less space and offering ease of handling. This research encompasses experimental data collection, life cycle assessment, and machine learning, and employs the Levenberg– Marquardt algorithm in an Artificial Neural Network, to optimize kitchen waste treatment using BSFL. Factors such as time, larval population, aeration frequency, waste composition, and container surface area were considered. Results showed that BSFL achieved significant waste reduction, ranging from 70% to 93% by weight and 65% to 85% by volume under optimal conditions. Key findings included a 15-day treatment duration, four times per day aeration frequency, 600 larvae per kilogram of waste, layering during feeding, and kitchen waste as the preferred feed. The larvae exhibited a weight gain of 2.2% to 6.5% during composting. Comparing the quality of BSFL compost to that obtained with conventional methods revealed its superiority in terms of waste reduction (50% to 73% more) and compost quality. Life cycle assessment confirmed the sustainability advantages of BSFL. Machine learning achieved high accuracy of prediction reaching 99.5%.Web of Science1516art. no. 1247

The Process of Crafting an Authentic Identity in the Context of Immigration to Canada: The Muslim Experience

This study looked at the experience of religion and the formation of a contemporary ethnoreligious identity in the lives of first generation Pakistani Muslim immigrant men and women who have been residents of Canada for five to ten years. The present research explored the life experiences of Muslim immigrants from Pakistan who immigrated to Canada with their immediate families and resolved the ensuing cultural dislocation. In order to understand the subjective meanings of immigrants’ lived experiences in Canada, the present study used a Grounded Theory framework. The analysis of data revealed a four stage theory of Muslim identity formation. Those stages describe the step-by-step process that highlights immigrants’ experience of culture shock, resolution of culture shock through immigrants’ reaffirmation of their religion that lays the groundwork for an authentic identity through differentiation of self from their country of origin, and formation of an authentic Muslim identity in the host society. It is proposed that the resolution of culture shock and the creation of a post-immigration identity mirrors the developmental process of Differentiation of Self and Other as outlined by Watson (2011) in her process model of becoming a self-governing person. Using their faith as a key resource to cope, these immigrants achieve a renewed sense of self and a revitalized faith. Immigrants come to an enhanced appreciation of Islam as the best system of life for themselves. An improved relationship with faith enhances immigrants’ awareness about the actual philosophy of its system and helps immigrants internalize the desirable Muslim character traits which focus on altruism, modesty, tolerance, fairness, forgiveness, and inclusion. Internalizing the pro social values of Islam brings about a fundamental shift in these immigrants’ perspectives about self and the host society. They successfully differentiate themselves from their country of origin to thrive in their adopted country. Canada provides them a conducive context which helps them access their positive potential in becoming their ideal self, the true Muslims. They come to an increased appreciation of the new society and accept it as their new home, thus form a new identity that speaks for the authentic version of Islam.Ph

Household Level Consumption and Ecological Stress in an Urban Area

Rapid urbanization and human consumption are continuously threatening the balances of natural environmental systems. This study investigated the increasing stress on the natural environment from household consumption at the neighborhood level. We collected and analyzed household-level data of Ward 24 of the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) area to quantify and represent household consumption and entrenching stresses on the natural environment. We followed the component and direct method to determine the ecological footprint (demand). We also derived the biocapacity (supply) from the available bioproductive lands of the study area. Thus, the gap between demand and supply was identified and represented as a stress area through a Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping technique. We found that the per capita ecological footprint accounts for Ward 24 were about 0.7161 gha/capita for the year 2015. Moreover, the biocapacity for the same year was determined as 0.0144 gha/capita for Ward 24. The ecological demand for the household-based consumption of Ward 24 exceeded its ecological capacity by 49.73 times. We found that Ward 24 would require an area that was 162 times larger in order to support the present level of resource demand and waste sequestration. These study findings can play an essential role in policy formulation, ensuring the practices of environmental justice at the local scale

Sequence and Structural Characterization of Toll-Like Receptor 6 from Human and Related Species

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the innate immune response against various pathogens. They serve as expected targets of natural selection in those species which are adapted to habitats with contrasting pathogen burdens. Till date, sufficient literature about TLRs especially TLR6 is not available. The current study was therefore planned to show evolutionary patterns of human TLRs generally and TLR6 specifically along with their conservation and diversity. The study also deals with characteristic polymorphic patterns of TLR6 in humans which are involved in serious clinical consequences. The sequence analysis of TLR6 from different mammals revealed conserved regions in the protein sequence. With respect to TLR6 evolution, human showed a close evolutionary relationship with chimpanzee and orangutans, while monkeys were appeared in a separate clade showing a distant evolutionary relationship. Old World monkeys and New World monkeys made their separate clades but both have evolved from a common ancestor. The C-terminal of human TLRs (TLR1 to TLR10) exhibited more conservation as compared to other regions. The phylogram of human TLRs showed that TLR6 is closely related to TLR1 and both TLRs shared a common ancestor with TLR10. The domain analysis has revealed that TLR1 and TLR10 have least (i.e., 4) number of leucine-rich repeat (LRR) while TLR6 contains five LRRs. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms were found in TLR6 which were found to be associated with benign. Conclusively, the current comparative sequence analyses and phylogenetic analyses provided informative insights into the process of TLR evolution in mammals. Furthermore, the polymorphism analysis would serve as a useful marker in the early detection of susceptibility and resistance against cancers and other diseases in humans