19672 research outputs found
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Sensitivity analysis of drill wear and optimization using Adaptive Neuro fuzzy –genetic algorithm technique toward sustainable machining
No full textMachining processes have an important place in the manufacturing industry and it indeed contributed to the economic growth of a country. About 75% of machining processes involved drilling operation. Tool wear is a common phenomenon in the machining operation and significantly affects the product dimension accuracy, machining efficiency, manufacturing downtime, surface roughness and economic loss. Hence, an intelligent tool condition monitoring system is needed to maximize tool life and reduce machine downtime due to the tool replacement. In this study, experiments were conducted to investigate the influence of different drilling parameters on average drilling torque and thrust force. Effects of spindle rotational speed, feed rate and diameter of drill on tool wear were determined through Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). Next, genetic algorithm (GA) was used to identify the optimal drilling parameter for different diameters of drill. Experimental results agreed well with the GA prediction results with a relative error of 3%. Hence, the results showed that ANFIS-GA is a faster and more accurate alternative to the existing methods for tool wear prediction
A New Approach to Body Donation for Medical Education: The Silent Mentor Programme
No full textCadaveric dissection is an integral component of medical education. There had been concerns about negative impact on medical students exposed to deceased donors before their clinical years, but most studies reported overall positive outcome following this form of teaching. Due to reducing number of body donations in most parts of the world, many institutions are adopting alternative models especially for the teaching of gross anatomy. A new body donation programme that incorporate humanistic values in the procurement process was initiated by Tsu Chi University of Taiwan in 1996. Early observations following teaching with the so-called “silent mentors” noted less negative emotional impact on the students. With increasing number of body donation following the initiation of the silent mentor programme as reported in some regions, we will be able to continue the time-honoured cadaveric dissection for anatomy teaching, at the same time promoting humanistic values on junior doctors
The prevalence, risk factors and outcomes of workplace bullying among junior doctors: a systematic review
No full textJunior doctors’ exposure to bullying may impact their training and compromise quality healthcare, yet little is known in relation to its predictors and effects. The aim of this paper is to assess the prevalence, factors and outcomes of workplace bullying among junior doctors. Literature search was performed to identify all primary studies examining workplace bullying among junior doctors using the following electronic databases: Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library. A total of 18 articles were included, reporting on a total of 9,597 junior doctors. The quality of evidence can be rated as moderate according to the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. From the review, a wide range (30–95%) of bullying prevalence, significant differences in bullying rates according to gender, age, height, ethnicity and subspecialty, and significant associations between bullying and mental strain, job dissatisfaction, burnout, and increased accidents at work were observed. Concurrently, heterogeneity in the terms and methodologies used to examine workplace bullying as well as definitional issues in relation to the persistency of negative interactions were noted. Evidence suggests that workplace bullying is a serious occupational hazard for junior doctors, and more research is warranted to better understand this phenomenon and address its definitional and methodological issues
Scaphochlamys disticha (Zingiberaceae), a new species with distichous inflorescence from Peninsular Malaysia
No full textA new species of ginger, Scaphochlamys disticha Y.Y. Sam & H. Ibrahim, sp. nov., from Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia is described and illustrated; colour plates and conservation status are also provided. The species is characterised by its large inflorescence with distichously arranged floral bracts
Long-Term Nasogastric Versus Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Feeding in Older Asians With Dysphagia: A Pragmatic Study
No full textBackground: A barrier to gastrostomy feeding exists among Asian clinicians and caregivers due to negative perceptions regarding complications. We compared clinical and nutrition outcomes in older dysphagic Asian patients with nasogastric (NG) or gastrostomy tube feeding using a pragmatic study design. Methods: The choice of enteral tube access was determined by managing clinicians and patients/caregivers. Comparisons of tube feeding methods were made during a 4-month period, adjusting statistically for inherent confounders. Results: A total of 102 participants (NG: n = 52, gastrostomy: n = 50) were recruited over 2 years from 2013 to 2015. Subjects on long-term NG tube feeding were older (82.67 ± 7.15 years vs 76.88 ± 7.37 years; P <.001) but both groups had similar clinical indications (stroke: 63.5% NG vs 54% gastrostomy; P =.33). After adjustment for confounders, gastrostomy feeding was associated with fewer tube-related complications (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.19; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.06–0.60) and better complication-free survival rate (aOR = 0.32; 95% CI = 0.12–0.89) at 4-month follow-up. Anthropometric and biochemical nutrition parameters improved significantly in both groups at 4 months, but no significant differences were observed at the end of the study. Conclusion: Gastrostomy feeding is associated with a greater 4-month complication-free survival and lower tube-related complications compared with long-term NG feeding in older Asians with dysphagia. However, no differences in nutrition outcomes were observed between NG and gastrostomy feeding at 4 months. © 2018 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutritio
Re-Excision Rates in Breast-Conserving Surgery for Invasive Breast Cancer after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy with and without the Use of a Radiopaque Tissue Transfer and X-ray System
No full textBackground: Significant re-excision rates in breast-conserving surgery (BCS) after neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy may result from difficulties in defining the surgical target particularly in cases with excellent treatment response. Devices allowing an exact topographic localisation of the lesion in the resected tissue could reduce re-excision rates by optimising the intraoperative detection of involved margins. Methods: 80 patients with invasive breast cancer receiving BCS after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included in this non-randomized case-control study. 40 patients with specimen radiography performed in a standard approach (control group) were compared to 40 patients with use of a radiopaque tissue transfer system (study group). Results: 19/80 (23.75%) patients required re-excision because of involved margins; among those, 14/40 (35%) were in the control group and 5/40 (12.5%) in the study group. The association between the use of the radiopaque tissue transfer system and the lower re-excision rate was statistically significant (p = 0.023). Conclusion: Our analysis provides a rationale for the routine use of a radiopaque tissue transfer system for specimen radiography in BCS after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for invasive breast cancer in order to reduce re-excision rates. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel. All rights reserved
A facile one-step hydrothermal synthesis of HfO2/graphene nanocomposite and its physio-chemical properties
No full textA facile one-step hydrothermal synthesis of Hafnium oxide/Graphene (HfO 2 /Gr) Nanocomposite was successfully synthesized. The crystallinity index and the overall phase transformation process during the synthesis process was observed using x-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern. The surface morphology of the prepared composite was analyzed using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Transmission electron microscopy studies (HR-TEM) were conducted to measure the particle sizes. The presence of different types of functional groups was confirmed using FT Raman spectroscopy. UV-Visible spectrum analysis with optical ingestion was conducted to observe the optical properties of the prepared sample. The dielectric properties and conductivity of the prepared sample were investigated whereby the frequencies and the temperatures were altered. The results showed that both the phenomenon of the dielectric consistent and the dielectric loss were frequency and temperature dependent. The thermal conductivity behavior of the prepared samples was checked by calculating AC conductivity values at various temperatures
Generation of four-wave mixing with highly sharp idlers using 2 mm home-made side-polished fiber deposited by ZnO nanorod
No full textA side-polished fiber with embedded zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO-NRs) is proposed, fabricated, and tested to generate four-wave-mixing (FWM). The side-polished fiber is manufactured by polishing a conventional single mode fiber to completely remove 2 mm of its cladding and its core partially, after which the fiber is simply immersed into a solution consisting of ZnO-NRs and allowing it to dry. A pump and a signal wavelength of 1550 and 1551 nm are injected into the fiber and generate idlers at 1549 and 1552 nm which agree well with theoretical values. Our experimental results show that the optimum FWM range is determined to be a 6 nm shifted away from the pump wavelength and occurs in the pump and wavelength spacing as narrow as 0.1 nm. The proposed system allows for the easy integration of optically active materials into a fiber
An Efficient IDS Using Hybrid Magnetic Swarm Optimization in WANETs
No full textSophisticated Intrusion attacks against various types of networks are ever increasing today with the exploitation of modern technologies which often severely affect wireless networks. In order to improve the effectiveness of intrusion detection systems (IDSs), data analysis methods such as data mining and classification methods are often integrated with IDSs. Though, numerous studies have contributed in various ways to improve the utilization of data mining for IDS, effective solution often depends on the network setting where the IDS is deployed. In this paper, we propose an efficient IDS based on hybrid heuristic optimization algorithm which is inspired by magnetic field theory in physics that deals with attraction between particles scattered in the search space. Our developed algorithm works in extracting the most relevant features that can assist in accurately detecting the network attacks. These features are extracted by tagged index values that represent the information gain out of the training course of the classifier to be used as a base for our developed IDS. In order to improve the accuracy of artificial neural network (ANN) classifier, we have integrated our proposed hybrid magnetic optimization algorithm-particle swarm optimization (MOA-PSO) technique. Experimental results show that using our proposed IDS based on hybrid MOA-PSO technique provides more accuracy level compared to the use of ANN based on MOA, PSO and genetic algorithm. Updated KDD CUP data set is formed and used during the training and testing phases, where this data set consists of mixed data traffics between attacks and normal activities. Our results show significant gain in terms of efficiency compared to other alternative mechanisms
How does terrorism affect the international trade of Muslims countries?
No full textIn this paper, we propose a new model, namely the terrorism-trade and investment diversion simulator (TTID-Simulator). The simulator allows us to analyze the impact of terrorism on trade and investment diversion anywhere and anytime. Our central objective is to use the new model to evaluate the trade and investment diversion due to terrorism, and the ultimate effect on inflation rate, unemployment rate, and poverty rate. More specifically, we apply TTID-simulator to evaluate the economic effect of terrorism on Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Syria, four countries which suffered a lot of terrorist activity in recent years. The focus of our analysis is trade and investment diversion, and our sample period runs from 1980 to 2016