Weibull Strength Analysis of Pineapple Leaf Fiber

Pineapple leave fiber (PALF) can be considered as one of the green materials to the industries, which is the potential to replace the non-renewable synthetic fiber. However, the high disparity in the mechanical properties of PALF becomes an issue in structural composite design. Hence, improved Weibull distribution is utilised to quantify the tensile strength variation of PALF in various gauge lengths. The single fiber tensile test was performed after the fiber surface treatment and fiber diameter scanning. The predicted PALF strength by applying the improved Weibull distribution incorporating with conical frustum model is well compromised with experimental data compared to the traditional Weibull model

A Sarawak experience on the use of IPC ID PEP regimen in patients bitten by laboratory confirmed rabies animals

On 1st July 2017, rabies outbreak was declared in the state of Sarawak, which is located in the Borneo Island following the deaths of 3 children due to human rabies infection. Rabies has the highest case fatality rate but is highly preventable through prompt and effective post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

The influence of injection molding parameter on properties of thermally conductive plastic

Thermally conductive plastic is the composite between metal-plastic material that is becoming popular because if it special characteristic. Injection moulding was regarded as the best process for mass manufacturing of the plastic composite due to its low production cost. The objective of this research is to find the best combination of the injection parameter setting and to find the most significant factor that effect the strength and thermal conductivity of the composite. Several parameter such as the volume percentage of copper powder, nozzle temperature and injection pressure of injection moulding machine were investigated. The analysis was done using Design Expert Software by implementing design of experiment method. From the analysis, the significant effects were determined and mathematical models of only significant effect were established. In order to ensure the validity of the model, confirmation run was done and percentage errors were calculated. It was found that the best combination parameter setting to maximize the value of tensile strength is volume percentage of copper powder of 3.00%, the nozzle temperature of 195oC and the injection pressure of 65%, and the best combination parameter settings to maximize the value of thermal conductivity is volume percentage of copper powder of 7.00%, the nozzle temperature of 195oC and the injection pressure of 65% as recommended

Viability analysis and apoptosis induction of breast cancer cells in a microfluidic device: effect of cytostatic drugs

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among non-smoking women worldwide. At the moment the treatment regime is such that patients receive different chemotherapeutic and/or hormonal treatments dependent on the hormone receptor status, the menopausal status and age. However, in vitro sensitivity testing of tumor biopsies could rationalize and improve the choice of chemo- and hormone therapy. Lab-on-a-Chip devices, using microfluidic techniques, make detailed cellular analysis possible using fewer cells, enabling working with a patients’ own cells and performing chemo- and hormone sensitivity testing in an ex vivo setting. This article describes the development of two microfluidic devices made in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) to validate the cell culture properties and analyze the chemosensitivity of MCF-7 cells (estrogen receptor positive human breast cancer cells) in response to the drug staurosporine (SSP). In both cases, cell viability was assessed using the life-stain Calcein-AM (CAAM) and the death dye propidium iodide (PI). MCF-7 cells could be statically cultured for up to 7 days in the microfluidic chip. A 30 min flow with SSP and a subsequent 24 h static incubation in the incubator induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, as shown by a disappearance of the aggregate-like morphology, a decrease in CAAM staining and an increase in PI staining. This work provides valuable leads to develop a microfluidic chip to test the chemosensitivity of tumor cells in response to therapeutics and in this way improve cancer treatment towards personalized medicine

An Analysis of Material Requirements Planning (Mrp) Benefits Using Alternating Conditional Expectation (Ace)

Journal of Operations Management13135-58JOTM

Customization of Product Software: Insight from an Extensive IS Literature Review

Track V: Innovative Trends in Information Systems ResearchInternational audienceIn recent years, companies started not only to ask customers by means of market research but to integrate them into the innovation process. Within information systems (IS) research, both customization as a way to serve the uniqueness of customers (inside-out) and as a form of customer integration and value co-creation (outside-in) has been considered. However, since many software vendors have consummated the shift from being manufacturers to being service firms, in practice, customization as a service highlights the continuance of customization projects. This paper addresses the research question of how concepts of customization are distinguished in recent IS literature. By conducting an extensive review of the IS literature between 2001 and 2011 we find that future research could benefit from considering knowledge interactions in customization processes more deeply