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Evaluation of Size-Specific Dose Estimates (SSDE) in paediatric body imaging using 320-detector CT
No full text The radiation dose from CT is considered a high risk measure in diagnostic radiology. The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Report No. 204 has concerned the CT dose which depends on the patient size especially in the paediatric patients. We therefore used the conversion factor in AAPM 204 to evaluate size-specific dose estimates (SSDE) of the volumetric computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) for paediatric body CT imaging with 320 slice CT which is used for routinely in paediatric cases at Ramathibodi Hospital. Purpose of the study was to evaluate and compare SSDEs to displayed CT scanner output in paediatric chest and abdomen examinations acquired on 320-detector CT. Quality control was performed prior to data collection. A retrospective analysis categorized 525 paediatric CT examinations (224 chest, 92 abdomen, and 209 chest including abdomen) into four age groups. SSDE conversion factors were used as a function of effective diameter for 32-cm-diameter PMMA phantom to estimate the patient dose, based on scanner output index (displayed CTDIvol) and patient sizes. Results showed that the highest percentage difference between the displayed and SSDE CTDIvol was found in the youngest age group (0-<1 year old). In conclusion, we found that size-specific dose estimation for CT results in dose estimates different to those displayed on the CT scanner, especially in a small-sized paediatric population. The percentage differences of size-specific dose estimation CTDIvol values from displayed values in each age group for chest, abdomen and chest including abdomen CT were 133/117/85/103, 124/100/83/65 and 112/105/91/68, respectively. Radiologists should be concerned about these differences, and diagnostic technologists should estimate the SSDE dose and adjust scanning parameters appropriately before performing the CT scan. To ensure that radiation dose does not exceed diagnostic reference levels.
Keywords: 320-detector CT, size-specific dose estimates (SSDE), volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol), paediatric CT, diagnostic reference levels (DRLs)
Incidence and Risk Factors of Acute Kidney Failure in Patients Receiving Colistin in a Provincial Hospital
No full text The objectives of this study were to determine incidence and risk factors associated with acute kidney failure in patients receiving colistin. This study was a retrospective cohort study from medical records of patients who received colistin at Nakornping Hospital, Chiang Mai, during January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2013. The statistical analyses include descriptive statistic, multivariate analysis and Kaplan-Meier method. The results showed that most patients were male (65.7%) with the median age of 67 years (range of 19-95 years). The median value of serum creatinine was 0.9 mg/dl (range of 0.3-6.7 mg/dl). Approximately half of the patients (50.7%) received loading doses and 46% (171 pateints) of them received colistin more than 5 mg/kg/day. The study observed 262 patients (70.8%) developed nephrotoxicity with the median onset of 7 days (95% CI 6-7). Among the patients who experienced nephrotoxicity, the severity of acute kidney failure of 101 cases (27.3 %) were classified as “failure”, 95 cases (25.7%) were classified as “risk” and 66 cases (17.8%) were classified as “injury”. Multivariable analysis revealed the risk factors associated with acute kidney failure as follows: (1) age older than 70 years old (OR = 4.0; p = 0.001), (2) having diseases that may decrease renal blood flow (OR. = 2.1; p = 0.008), (3) receiving colistin more than 5 mg/kg/day (OR = 2.1; p = 0.007), and (4) co-administration of nephrotoxic drugs or drug affecting the glomuerulus filtration rate (OR = 1.8; p = 0.023). However, the patients with baseline serum creatinine more than 1.2 mg/dl appeared to have lower risk of acute kidney failure than the patients with the values of serum creatinine less than or equal to 1.2 mg/dl. This study showed high incidence (70.8%) of acute kidney failure in patients receiving colistin. Thus, renal functions should be closely monitored, especially in elderly patients, patients with diseases that may decrease renal blood flow, patients concurrently received nephrotoxic drugs or drug affecting the glomerular filtration rate. Besides, the patients’ weight should be used to determine the appropriate colistin dose and adjusting dose should be performed based on the pateints’ renal functions or avoiding the use of colistin doses greater than 5 mg/kg/day.
Keywords: colistin, acute kidney failure, nephrotoxicit
Beyond Living and Dying: Applying a Flow Theory Perspective on Illegal Transborder Mon Labours in Thailand
No full text Flow is an effective mental state in which an individual is so involved in an activity that time or space seem not to matter. This article investigates the “flow state” of illegal transborder Mon labours (ITMLs) from their home town in Mon State, Myanmar to Thailand during 2015-2017. The author employed qualitative research including interview in-depth and observations with thirty ITMLs. Then, the Boredom Proneness Checklist (BPC) were adopted to describe a negative experience of ITMLs. The flow state of optimal experience during their illegal transportations on AH1, Thailand revealed four motivational drivers of ITMLs. These were 1) cultural diffusion of passive, acceptance and boredom about their origin; 2) depression and inability to control their lives based on their own individual effort and creativity; 3) their personal skills of coverture equal required challenges; and 4) the holistic and joyful experience with total involvement during their journeys. For the ITMLs, the time of transportation was a motivating experience, especially for achieving their goal. The “flow” during transportation not only created self-satisfaction but also increased ability to 1) confront more challenging tasks; 2) learn to set clearer and higher goals for quality living; 3) control over individual actions; 4) forget about difficulties in time and space; and 5) establish a stronger sense of self-reliance.
Keywords: Flow Theory, ITML
Application of the Forecasting Technique by hybrid model for Forecasting the Electricity Demands of Rajabhat Universities
Get PDF Electricity consumption at the education institutions studied is expected to increase which means that a more efficient and relevant model for managing electricity consumption is needed. To achieve this, statistical forecasting technique was applied. An accurate forecast of consumption would be great help for executives and for those concerning to establish a power-saving policy in the universities. The objective of this research was to forecast electricity consumption by using hybrid models (mixing the Box-Jenkins modeling and a support vector regression model). Three Rajabhat Universities: Nakorn Ratchatsima, Ubon Ratchathani and Loei, were included in the modeling. Time series data on the energy consumption on a monthly basis, covering the period from January, 2006 to September, 2017, were available on the website of the Energy Ministry. Data for the period of January, 2006 to December, 2016 were used for our research purposes, and R-language based forecast model that we developed was used for analysis. The most suitable model was selected by using the Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE). The most suitable model obtained from the data series from January to September, 2017 was used to measure the accuracy of the forecast produced. Our results indicated that the proposed model was more efficient, with greater accuracy, in forecasting the energy consumption than the conventional model currently used in the universities participating in the study. For these universities, the MAPE was 7.65428 for Nakorn Ratchatsima Rajabhat University, 6.35679 for Ubon Ratchathani and 4.13581 for Loei Rajabhat Universities.
Keywords: Electricity Consumption, Hybrid models, Box-Jenkins Model, Support Vector Regression Model
 
A Class of Exponential Estimator to Estimate the Population Mean in the Presence of Non-Response
Get PDF This paper presents a class of exponential estimator to estimate the population mean in the presence of non-response using a small amount of known auxiliary information, when non-response occurs only on the study variable. Furthermore, the study also proposes a modified exponential estimator using a linear combination of a few members of the proposed class. Properties of the proposed estimators are obtained up to first order approximation. Results from theoretical and empirical studies have shown that the proposed modified exponential estimator at its optimum performs more efficient than all other relevant estimators.
Keywords: Exponential estimator, Study variable, Auxiliary variable, Non-respons
Utilization of Waste Plastic Bags to Improve Stability of Para-Asphalt Concrete : A Case Study of the Entrance Road at Ao Nang Subdistrict Administration Organization, Krabi Province
Get PDF Utilization of waste plastic bags as an admixture to enhance the stability of para-asphalt concrete is a part of integrated solution to the problem of the continuous dropping of prices of natural rubber, a crisis for the rubber production industry, and the environmental crisis of accumulated plastic waste. The target community was Ban Thung Village, Moo 5, Tambon Ao Nang, Muang District, Krabi Province. The process started from sorting out wastes to construct a prototype road for the community. It is found from this investigation that the community was able to segregate 200 kg of plastic bags, accounting to 1.83% of the total waste generated. These bags were then mixed into para-asphalt concrete in the laboratory and tested for its stability by the Marshall Test. It is revealed that the concrete samples with a 10% mixture of the waste plastic bags by weight of the para-asphalt concrete have the stability of 13.7 kN, which is higher than the 12.7 kN of regular para-asphalt concrete and 9.8 kN of the standard criterion specified by the Department of Highways. The concrete is able to be used for constructing a road or an activity field in the community by mixing 5 mm waste plastic bags into the asphalt concrete while surfacing the road. The temperature of the concrete should be higher than 140°C in order for the plastic to fully melt into the concrete. The road surface is then pressed solidly and open for public use.
Keywords: Para-Asphalt Concrete, Natural Rubber-Modified Asphalt Concrete, Waste Plastic Bag
Achievement of Using Multimedia Activities Package on Basic Chemical Thermodynamics with “Gifted” Science Students
Get PDF This research aimed to develop students’ learning process and teachers’ instruction, to construct a multimedia activity package on basic chemical thermodynamics and to study the achievement of using the multimedia activity package with “Gifted” students who were keen on science. The sample group consisted of 40 “Gifted” students from Samakkhi Witthayakhom School, Chiang Rai. The multimedia activity package was implemented for 12 hours. After that, the final exam was conducted to examine the academic performance of the students. The test was comprised of 30 items of four-multiple-choices. The result was analyzed in terms of mean, standard deviation, and t-test values. The results have shown that the efficient criterion were 87.45/86.04 after using the multimedia activity package on basic chemical thermodynamics. It was higher than the standard efficient criterion 80/80. Therefore, the learning achievement of the students in the post-test was better than the one in pre-test with statistical significance at 0.05. Professional Learning Community (PLC) was implemented in the instructional process. It was the process that allowed students to learn through self-directed method and reflective learning method. The results illustrated that the students were satisfied with their performance with the mean of 4.56 or it was accounted for 91.20 percent.
Keywords: Multimedia Activities Package, Science Teacher, Chemical Thermodynamics, Professional Learning Communit