To a More Sustainable Construction Method for Electrically Conductive Heated Pavement Systems

Snow and ice damage to the pavement in the United States, particularly in colder regions, costs the US economy millions of dollars each year. Conventional methods for keeping snow off roads after heavy snowfall are judged prohibitively expensive. As a result, an alternative solution is required to reduce costs while also improving pavement resiliency. An electrically heated pavement system (EHPS) has been regarded as a viable alternative to older approaches in recent years. The majority of earlier research concentrated on improving the conductivity characteristics of paving materials. On the other hand, this study takes a different approach by focusing on the construction method rather than changing the properties of materials. This study focuses on the construction method, followed by using two ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE COMPOSITE materials, such as WPU-GP and EP-GP, and coated on the PCC substrate using the parallel stripe method. The results show that the construction approach utilizing WPU-GP produced 22.5%, and EP-GP produced 17.5% GP validated the concept of sustainable EHPS construction. Furthermore, increasing the coating thickness improves the heating effect of the pavement surface, and resistive heating performance improves steadily with higher voltage application, although lower coating spacing demonstrated better surface heating performance

ASSESSING PROFITABILITY AND GROWTH OF INSURANCE SECTOR IN SAUDI ARABIA: USING FINANCIALS AND TANGIBLES

The purpose: The purpose of this study to find out the contribution of internal (financial) and external (tangible & human resource) factors of growth and development of the Saudi insurance sector and facilitate suggestions. Methodology: The study considers financial data of insurance companies of Saudi Arabia for the period 2013 to 2017for internal analysis while data from 2010 to 2015 for external analysis. Trend indices (chain based index numbers & fixed base index numbers) from financial statements and insurance establishments and human resources of the insurance industry are prepared to know the internal and external factors responsible for growth and development. The averages of trend indices are obtained to get the results of the analysis. Findings: The study finds that there is negativity in operational efficiency. It also finds that the internal liabilities or shareholders’ equities are decreasing continuously. Also, establishments engaged in insurance activities are not enough to cover all prospective customers. Implications: The finding implies that the increase in revenues is not enough. The findings also imply a weak long term paying ability towards this the study recommends further investment in profitable options like securities and avoid excess liquidity and increase insurance penetration. Novelty: This study is one of the few that assesses the performance of the insurance sector of Saudi Arabia. In the process, it performs internal analysis using operational and financial factors; and an external analysis using tangibles and intangibles

PENERAPAN PENDIDIKAN KARAKTER MELALUI KEGIATAN KEDISIPLINAN SISWA

Character education is a very important tool in shaping, growing, and developing the personality of students. Education plays a very important role in improving the lives of students to become qualified and useful individuals. The existence of disciplinary activities at school is a benchmark in developing character education. The purpose of this title is to find out the application of character education through student discipline activities at SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Kartasura. Given how important the application of character education is by getting used to living a disciplined life so that students who have a sense of responsibility in carrying out everything and become more effective people. In the application of character education, the role of counseling guidance is also very influential in the process of development and character-building in students. The research method used is a descriptive qualitative method with direct interviews by the teacher concerned through observations and interviews with school parties such as supervising teachers and students of the school. The results of the research obtained related to the application of character education here have been implemented quite well, with the existence of disciplinary activities in the form of ceremonies every Monday, the application of Monday and Thursday fasting at the beginning of each month, dhuha prayers in congregation, tadarus al-Qur'an and muroja'ah together and BTA (reading and writing al-Qur'an) which is carried out in the morning guided by the school with the aim of achieving the school's mission in encouraging graduates who are devoted, qualified, have the skills to live and berakhlaqul karimah

Airway management in a patient with bullous pemphigoid

Airway management in patients with pemphigoid lesions has anaesthetic implications. We report a case of a 23 years old female with bullous pemphigoid who presented with laryngeal stenosis and critical airway narrowing. The airway was initially managed with jet ventilation. Anaesthesia was maintained with propofol infusion and ventilation was performed by introducing a size 10 French gauge suction catheter through the stenotic laryngeal orifice. Thirty minutes into anaesthesia, she developed subcutaneous emphysema and decreased air entry on right side of the chest but remained hemodynamically stable. The airway was further managed by tracheostomy. This case report highlights complications that can occur during the anaesthetic management of such cases

Frequency of preoperative anxiety in Pakistani surgical patients

OBJECTIVE: To measure the frequency of preoperative anxiety in patients coming to our hospital and to correlate Visual analogue scale (VAS) with State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) questionnaire. METHODS: This cross sectional study included 300 ASA I and II adult surgical in-patients admitted over a period of one year. STAI questionnaire and VAS was used as study tools. STAI score of \u3e 44 or VAS score of \u3e or = 50 were considered as significant anxiety. Enrolled patients were visited by primary investigator the day before surgery and patients were asked to fill the STAI questionnaire and VAS score. RESULTS: Significant preoperative anxiety was seen in 62% patients (73% females and 42% males). Frequency of anxiety decreased with advancing age but increased with higher educational status. A total of 77% of patients with no previous exposure to surgery and 26% of patients who had previous surgery, were anxious. Also 49% of patients who had visited the clinic and 86% of patients who had not visited the clinic were anxious. VAS correlated with STAI in 90% cases. Cut off value of VAS which showed positive correlation with STAI was 45. CONCLUSION: Frequency of preoperative anxiety was 62%. Female gender, younger age and higher educational status were positively correlated while prior experience of surgery while preoperative anaesthesia clinic visit were negatively correlated with anxiety. VAS correlated well with STAI