Interobserver agreement between senior radiology resident, neuroradiology fellow, and experienced neuroradiologist in the rating of Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS)

PURPOSE:The distribution of ischemic changes caused by infarction of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territories is usually measured using the Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS). The first interpreter of the brain computed tomography (CT) in the emergency department is the on-call radiology resident. The primary objective of this study was to describe the agreement of the ASPECTS performed retrospectively by the resident compared with expert raters. The second objective was to ascertain the appropriate window setting for early detection of acute ischemic stroke and good interobserver agreement between the interpreters.METHODS:We identified consecutive patients presenting with hemiparesis or aphasia at the emergency department who underwent brain CT and CT angiography. Each scan was rated using ASPECTS by senior radiology resident, neuroradiology fellow, and later by consensus between two expert raters. Statistical analysis included determination of Cohen’s kappa (κ) coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).RESULTS:A total of 43 patients met our study criteria. Interobserver agreements for ASPECTS varied from 0.486 to 0.678 in Cohen’s κ coefficient between consensus of two neuroradiologists and a neuroradiology fellow, and from 0.198 to 0.491 for consensus between two neuroradiologists and a senior radiology resident. ICC among three raters (expert consensus, neuroradiology fellow, and senior radiology resident), was very good when 8 HU window width and 32 HU center level setting was used.CONCLUSION:ASPECTS varied among raters. However, when using a narrowed window setting for interpretation, interobserver agreement improved

Effect of root ages on the quality of low cyanide cassava flour from Kasetsart 50

ABSTRACT Cassava flour is a food product used in many diets, that is derived from fresh edible roots of cassava, preferentially from low-cyanide sweet cassava. Despite the high cyanogenic content in fresh roots, the bitter cassava can be also used to produce flour if the fresh roots are of good quality and are processed properly. In this study, the quality of cassava flour produced by a simple process from variety Kasetsart 50 (KU50), the bitter cassava which was extensively grown in Thailand for industrial use was investigated. Flour qualities obtained were dependent on the root quality. Roots with different ages (6, 8, 10 and 12 months old) exhibited different chemical compositions and cyanide contents, which consequently produced flour containing different levels of cyanide content. Fresh roots with high cyanide content produced flour with high cyanide content. Moreover, flour prepared from fresh roots at various ages exhibited significant differences in paste viscosity. These differences were greater than that seen for extracted starches from fresh roots alone, implying the role of other non-starch components in fresh roots on determining the paste viscosity of flour. Furthermore, composite blending of flour with various paste properties was proposed to minimize the paste viscosity variation, and remedy inconsistent quality of cassava flour-based products

COVID-19 transmission among healthcare workers at a quarantine facility in Thailand: genomic and outbreak investigations

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand implemented a quarantine program at approved quarantine facilities for every international traveler. Here, we report an epidemiological and genomic investigation of a COVID-19 cluster consisting of seven healthcare workers (HCWs) at a quarantine facility and its partnered hospital in Thailand. Outbreak investigations were implemented to obtain contact tracing data and to establish chains of transmission. Genomic sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 with samples within the cohort was performed. Investigations of 951 HCWs and staff with quarantined travelers were implemented to determine the chain of transmission. Genomic and outbreak investigations identified the international travelers infected with the B.1.1.31 SARS-CoV-2 lineage as the source of this outbreak. The genomic data and the investigated timeline revealed a putative transmission chain among HCWs, pointing toward the transmission via the use of common living quarters at the investigated quarantine site. The evaluation of this cohort has led to a policy recommendation on quarantine facility management. International travel quarantine is an important strategy to contain importation of COVID-19 cases. However, a quarantine facility is likely to become a potential hotspot, requiring thorough preventive measures. Reducing the exposure risk by providing private living quarters and scheduling clinical duties at a quarantine site separated from the conventional healthcare workforce have been implemented

Development of a Sustainability Index for an Energy Management System in Thailand

The ISO 50001 energy management system (EnMS) standard was published in June 2011 and has been widely adopted by organizations from around the world, including Thailand. From 2014–2017, there was a continuous increase in the number of ISO 50001-certified companies in the East Asia and Pacific regions and, more broadly, the world, although this is not consistent with the number of companies that emerged during this period in Thailand. This information shows that the implementation of energy management in some companies may not be sustainable. This research offers a novel method for assessing the quality of energy management in the form of an energy management system sustainability index (EnMS SI) framework, presenting the economic, organizational, energy performance, and environmental aspects of sustainable energy management. Data collection, from a literature review of related research and the EnMS good practices, was implemented in order to select sustainability indicators and further develop a sustainability index for energy management. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and weighted arithmetic mean (WAM) were used to establish an EnMS SI. The study results were then assessed and validated using 31 ISO 50001-certified companies in Thailand. Direct interviews and questionnaires were used to obtain responses from energy management representatives. The studied data indicated that an EnMS SI framework can be used in qualitative analyses to effectively determine the sustainability of an EnMS. Significant sustainability indicators, consisting of continuous benefits, top management commitment, and long-term strategic planning, were found. The results also revealed that the EnMS in Thailand has been significantly economically weak. The EnMS SI framework is a tool for assessing energy management sustainability, which allows for the determination of an organization’s actual strengths and weaknesses. The benefits of this framework include the possibility of determining guidelines for correcting and improving the EnMS to achieve sustainability

Hanging Fatalities in Central Bangkok, Thailand: A 13-Year Retrospective Study

Hanging is violent asphyxial death. The objective of this study is to assess the data of hanging cases. A descriptive-retrospective study was conducted. We studied 244 hanging cases autopsied in Forensic Division, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand, between January 2001 and December 2013. The study included 197 men (80.7%) and 47 women (19.2%). Their age ranged from 14 to 93 years. Most of these cases were incomplete hanging (83.6%). Features of hanging victims, such as tongue protrusion; congestion of face; petechial hemorrhage of face, conjunctiva, and internal organs; and neck injuries, significantly correlated with complete hanging. The predominant occupation of hanging victims was in the service industry (63.1%). Suicides usually occurred in private homes or apartments (84.8%). A suicide note was found in 6.1% of cases. The most common ligature material used was nylon rope, found in 61.1% of cases. The most underlying diseases of the victims in hanging cases were tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection, 9 cases each. Blood ethanol levels of 29 cases (11.8%) were detected to be higher than 150 mg%. Methamphetamine and benzodiazepine were detected in 5.3% and 3.3% of cases, respectively. This study provides comprehensive baseline data of hanging cases in central Bangkok

Uptake and Response of Maize (Zea mays L.) Varieties to Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizers in Semi-arid Areas of Eastern Ethiopia

ABSTRACT A field experiment was conducted on two locations of semi-arid areas of Eastern Ethiopia during the rainy seasons of 2003 and 2004. The objective of this study was to determine grain yield and N and P contents and uptakes of maize (Zea mays L.) varieties in semi-arid areas of Eastern Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted with factorial combinations of three levels of N (0, 41 and 64 kg N/ha), three levels of P (0, 46 and 69 kg P 2 O 5 /ha) and two maize varieties laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences due to the different levels of applied N for almost all of the yield and agronomic parameters studied, where P fertilizer had a significant effect only on stover biomass and grain yield. Interaction effect of N and P on grain yield was significant. Among all of the N and P treatment combinations, maximum grain yield of maize 3868 kg/ha in Babile and 5069 kg/ha in Dire Dawa were obtained with the application of 64 kg N/ ha and 46 kg P 2 O 5 /ha in both locations. Melkassa I recorded the highest value for yield and other parameters, where local variety showed the least value for yield in both locations. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations and uptakes in the maize varieties increased with increasing levels of N and P fertilizers. Compared with the control concentration of N in the maize plant of both varieties, it increased up to the highest levels of N application, indicating possible improvement in the crude protein content of the maize grains. Generally, application of N enhanced uptakes and concentrations of N and P nutrients in the maize tissues than P fertilizer applied. Total plant N and P uptakes by the above ground parts of both varieties in both locations, the sum of uptake by grain yield and stover in kg/ha, increased relatively at the rates of 0 and 64 kg N/ha and 0 and 69 kg P 2 O 5 /ha, respectively. Efficiency in N fertilizer was calculated for Melkassa I and Local maize varieties in both locations and Melkassa I variety had a higher efficiency of N fertilizer than the local maize variety in both locations, indicating that Melkassa I produced much more grain and was thus more efficient in converting fertilizer nitrogen in to grain

Heat transfer in turbulent tube flow inserted with loose-fit multi-channel twisted tapes as swirl generators

Heat transfer and flow behaviors in three-dimensional circular tubes with loose-fit multiple channel twisted tapes were numerically studied. The investigation was examined for Reynolds numbers (Re) ranging from 5000 to 15,000, by using air as testing fluid. Effects of the multiple channel number (N=2,3, and 4), clearance ratio (CR=0.0, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075) on heat transfer enhancement and flow friction were examined. The numerical results indicate that the tubes with loose-fit multiple channel twisted tapes perform higher heat transfer rates than the plain tube. The enhanced heat transfer rate is escorted with larger pressure drop. Both heat transfer and pressure drop increase with increasing multiple channel number (N) and decreasing clearance ratio (CR). Heat transfer augmented by the loose-fit multiple channel twisted tape with N=4 is higher than those enhanced by the ones with N=2 and 3 by around 9.5–17.8% and 5.8–7.8%, respectively. In addition, the loose-fit multiple channel twisted tapes with clearance ratio of 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075 give lower heat transfer rates than the one with CR=0.0 by around 8.4%, 17.5%, and 28.8%, respectively

The Effect of Water's Cations on the Consolidation Settlement Process of Clay with Kaolinite

Due to high effect on stability of construction, settlement is very important factor in construction and foundation engineering. Before implementing any project, we should determine the potential of soil in terms of the amount and type of settlement. In saturated clays, water loss from soil performs after a long time (due to low permeability and high water absorption) causes high settlements which are named settlements of consolidations. In this research, experimental study of changes in the initial consolidation settlement process on kaolinite clay (kaolinite) by oedometer test, with the addition of solved cations with concentrations of 50, 150 and 300 Mg/lit (milligrams per liter) in saturated water. Research findings show that application of aluminum (Al+3), magnesium (Mg+2), calcium (Ca+2), sodium (Na+ ) and potassium (K+ ) cations with different concentrations changes the initial consolidation settlement values in appropriation with the concentration and type of cations. The highest reduction in initial consolidation settlement of kaolinite valued at 30.29% related to the sample made with cations magnesium with concentration of 300 Mg/lit