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High-Dimensional Fixed Effects Profiling Models and Applications in End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients: Current State and Future Directions
Get PDFProfiling analysis aims to evaluate health care providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, or dialysis facilities among others with respect to a patient outcome, such as 30-day unplanned hospital readmission or mortality. Fixed effects (FE) profiling models have been developed over the last decade, motivated by the overall need to (a) improve accurate identification or “flagging” of under-performing providers, (b) relax assumptions inherent in random effects (RE) profiling models, and (c) take into consideration the unique disease characteristics and care/treatment processes of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients on dialysis. In this paper, we review the current state of FE methodologies and their rationale in the ESKD population and illustrate applications in four key areas: profiling dialysis facilities for (1) patient hospitalizations over time (longitudinally) using standardized dynamic readmission ratio (SDRR), (2) identification of dialysis facility characteristics (e.g., staffing level) that contribute to hospital readmission, and (3) adverse recurrent events using standardized event ratio (SER). Also, we examine the operating characteristics with a focus on FE profiling models. Throughout these areas of applications to the ESKD population, we identify challenges for future research in both methodology and clinical studies
The Status of CIF Contracts between the Sale of Goods and the Sale of Documents
Get PDFThe intricate nature of international trade is encapsulated in the complexities of CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight) contracts, which stand at the intersection of the sale of goods and the sale of documents. This paper seeks to dissect the pivotal roles played by documents and goods within CIF contracts and to ascertain whether these contracts are more accurately defined as sales of documents rather than sales of goods. By examining legal cases and dissecting the contractual obligations of parties involved in CIF contracts, this study aims to shed light on the essence of these contracts in the context of international law and trade practices.
The research is divided into four main parts. Initially, it analyzes the duties of parties and the role of CIF documents in the sale of goods. The second part delves into the implications of documents and goods concerning the transfer of risk and property, probing into the critical claim of documents. The third part scrutinizes the buyer's right to refuse the documents or the goods, and which aspect takes precedence. The fourth part evaluates the claim that CIF contracts made en route are essentially 'sales of documents'.
This study culminates by presenting arguments on the nature of CIF contracts, weighing the significance of documents against the goods themselves. Despite the increasing tendency to use documents to represent physical goods in trade, this paper concludes that CIF contracts inherently constitute contracts for the sale of goods. It highlights the distinctive rights related to the rejection of either documents or goods, thereby reinforcing the primacy of the actual goods over their documentary representations in CIF contracts
Trend, Associated Factors and Concordance of Obesity by Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference and Waist-Height Ratio in Adolescents. An Analysis of a 4-Year National Survey
Get PDFIntroduction: Regarding diagnosis, identifying reliable anthropometric measures to detect adolescent obesity is fundamental. However, in this age group has different definitions, either according to the body mass index (BMI), the waist circunference (WC) and the waist-height ratio (WHtR), making the measurement of this inaccurate.
Objective: This study analyzed the prevalence, trends, and factors associated with obesity in Peruvian adolescents using data from the Demographic and Health Survey (ENDES) for 2019-2022.
Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted on 14,330 adolescents aged 15 to 19. The response variable was obesity, defined in three different ways. General obesity was assessed using the BMI was ≥ 2 standard deviations. 2) Abdominal obesity was defined through WC, with cutoff points ≥ 80.5 cm in men and ≥ 81 cm in women. 3) The relevant indicator for obesity was the WHtR, with a cutoff point ≥ 0.5. The associated factors to be evaluated were sex, age, natural region, marital status, education level, wealth, area of residence, alcohol consumption, and physical disability.
Results: The study found that based on BMI, WC, and WHtR respectively, approximately 12.80%, 29.72%, and 24.27% of participants were considered obese. Significant associations were found between obesity and variables such as gender, natural region, marital status, wealth index, area of residence, education level, alcohol consumption, and physical disability.
Conclusion: This research uncovered an alarmingly prevalence occurrence of obesity among adolescents in Peru with fluctuating patterns over time, emphasizing the need to tackle the interconnected issues contributing to this health concern. These findings can help inform and guide obesity prevention and control strategies in this population
A Descriptive Analysis of Social Media Usage as Predictors of Study Habits among Students with Intellectual Disabilities in Calabar Metropolis: Implications for Inclusive Education
Get PDFAim: This study is a descriptive analysis of Facebook and WhatsApp as predictors of study habits among SSII students with disabilities in Public Secondary Schools of Calabar Metropolis of Cross River State, Nigeria: Implications for inclusive education. Two study objectives were stated to guide the study and achieve its goals. Two research questions were formulated. A literature review was carried out based on the variables under study, as research gaps were also stated.
Method: The study utilised the descriptive survey research design. The population of Senior Secondary School II (SSII) students with disabilities in Calabar Metropolis comprises 3,814 from 24 public Secondary Schools. The study used a stratified random sampling technique. Out of 3,814 respondents, 763 respondents were sampled for the study. A validated 15-item four-point modified Likert scale questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. The face and content validity of the instrument was established by experts in Test and Measurement from the University of Calabar, Calabar-Nigeria. The reliability estimates of 0.82 for the instruments were established using the Cronbach Alpha method. A descriptive analysis of frequency, percentages, mean, and standard deviation was used to test the research questions posed for the study.
Results: The results obtained from the data analysis revealed there is a high extent of the impact of Facebook on study habits among SSII students with disabilities, and there is also a high extent of the impact of WhatsApp on study habits among SSII students with disabilities in Public Secondary Schools of Calabar Metropolis of Cross River State, Nigeria
Conclusion: Based on the study's findings, it was concluded that Facebook and WhatsApp utilisation significantly impact study habits among SSII students with disabilities in Public Secondary Schools in the study area.
Recommendation: Based on the result of the study, it was recommended that there should be a continuity of inclusive education policies and social media usage in Cross River State and Nigeria at large
Pycnometric-Additive Determining of the Degree of Coating of High-Strength Synthetic Diamond Grinding Powders using the Actual 3D Morphology of their Grains
Get PDFThe methodological components of direct and indirect analytical determining of the degree of coating of synthetic diamond grinding powders are analyzed. It has been established that the weight method most used in practice for determining this technological property of grinding powder is not universal for different methods of applying the coating. More universal in this regard, as the review of publications showed, is the well-known indirect-analytical method based on the pycnometric-additive approach. An improved variant of this method is proposed, aimed at application to high-strength synthetic diamond grinding powders. The method takes into account the peculiarities of the 3D morphology of the grains of such powders. Using the example of grinding powder AC300 500/400, the grains of which were coated with a solution of a mixture of boron oxide, sodium silicate, and titanium carbide, the advantages of using the proposed method are illustrated. The results of a comparison of determining the degree of coating by a known method and its improved variant are presented
Cyber Security in Digitized E-Governance: Evaluating Indian IT Act 2000 (As Amended in2008) in Context
Get PDFDigital technology and Cyber-based database management system in Indian e-governance has brought about dramatic changes in the mode of operations in all governmental business transactions in India. Government organizations and Government professionals need to depend upon the electronic media and computer-generated e-records for e - governance. Information Technology poses new and complex ethical, legal and extra- legal threats to e-governance. This e-governance inter alia involves the question of security against abuses and misuses of Information Technology The situation demands a fresh look into the problem of Cyber Security in e-governance . Information stored in electronic form is cheaper, faster and easier to store, retrieve and to access than traditional paper –based government records. But the question remains:
How far these electronic e-governance records are maintainable in Indian court of law under IT Act 2000 (as amended in 2008)?
Government is aware of the advantages of e-records but is reluctant to conduct or conclude business transactions in the electronic form due to lack of legal framework in India. Globalized technological changes have created a new global economy powered by technology, fuelled by information and driven by the concept of e-governance of the ‘government’. The present paper will analyze the challenge of digitized government and will seek answer to the question mentioned above related to Cyber Security in IT- enabled environment of digitized government of India. IT Act 2000 (as amended in 2008) will be critically analyzed and evaluated to find out its efficacy and limitations in ensuring security of e-governance of India
Case Law of the ECtHR in the Legal System of the Russian Federation and the Challenges Faced by the Judicial Rulemaking
Get PDFThe article deals with the problem of determining the place and significance of international case law in the legal system of the Russian Federation. On the basis of analysis of international and domestic legal acts and judicial practice existing contradictions are identified and ways to resolve them are offered.
Methodology: The research uses general scientific and special cognitive techniques wherein legal analysis and synthesis, systemic, formal-legal, comparative-legal, historical-legal and dialectical methods are applied
Numerical and Experimental Analyses of Hybrid Composites Made from Amazonian Natural Fibers
Get PDFThe application of lignocellulosic fibers as reinforcements in composite materials has found increasing use in recent years, due to the attractive characteristics of natural fibers such as their low cost, high specific modulus, biodegradability, abundance and with many technical qualities. Natural fiber hybrid composites are very frequently used in automotive aerospace and other industries. In this work, numerical and experimental analysis is carried out to compare curauá, jute and sisal fibers in epoxy composites for use in industry. The most appropriate hybridization effect by establishing the amounts of each fiber on the mechanical properties was considered. Finite Element Models were designed and validated through mechanical tests. The number of Finite Element models and specimens performed was determined through the design of experiments using the Taguchi Method and then the results were statistically validated. Higher strength was obtained in composites made with curauá fiber, followed by jute and sisal fibers. Such behavior was achieved by FEM and experimental tests, revealing an increase in tensile strength by increasing the amount of fibers up to 35% in total. Higher strength was achieved when the composite was made with curauá (20 wt.%), jute (10 wt.%) and sisal (5 wt.%) fibers. The results show a good agreement between the FEM and the experimental tests. Furthermore, the results of the present study were compared with those obtained previously mentioned in the open literature
Socio-Economic Challenges of Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability: A Community-Based Study in Lagos, Nigeria
No full textThis study investigated the challenges facing parents of children with Intellectual disabilities (ID) in Lagos, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive research design with a purposive sampling technique to select available thirty (30) parents of children with ID drawn from the Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of Nigeria as the study sample. Four research questions were raised to guide the study. A validated self-designed questionnaire titled 'Questionnaire on Challenges Facing Parents of Children with ID (QCFPCID r=067)' was used for data collection. Data were analyzed using mean, frequency count, and simple percentages. Results revealed that family members with ID negatively affect the family economy, family living standard, and all children's education. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that government should make provisions for social welfare that will help reduce the challenges facing parents of children with ID
Conceptual Framework for Assessing Sustainability of Swamp Buffalo Production Systems
Get PDFSwamp Buffalo farming plays an important role in farmers' livelihood and in satisfying red meat demand in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. The extensive (wetland) swamp buffalo production system (SPS) and the extensive and semi-intensive dryland system (DPS) are two production systems. The production systems have high complexity and require the integrated sustainability assessment approach to measure the contribution level of sustainability indicators. This study aimed to demonstrate the conceptual framework for analyzing the sustainability of buffalo production systems in South Kalimantan. The buffalo production systems in South Kalimantan were analyzed using the comprehensive assessment framework from September-December 2021. A literature review and discussion with experts, followed by a focus group discussion to perform a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was conducted. The complex problem identifies and defines the relevant Economic, Ecological, and Societal (EES) issues, and inclusive identification and analysis of relevant stakeholders were described. Issues identified during the process were translated into relevant indicators in the EES sustainability dimensions then indicators possible for EES issues were proposed. Situation analysis in this study described and identified swamp buffalo in South Kalimantan, which is currently experiencing a population decline. The gross margin and growth and reproduction performances of the buffaloes were selected for economic benefit in both systems. Total land use and soil fertility were the possible indicators in the dimension of environment relevant for DPS, while swamp sedimentation and water pollution were considered important environmental indicators in SPS. Feed availability was measured in both systems. Social dimension indicators in both systems were focused on keeping management, the function of buffalo for livelihood, time allocation to keep buffalo, characteristics of livelihood, and possible land use conflicts