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Aims The 2024 National Student Psychiatry Conference, hosted at the University of Sheffield with the theme 'Me, Myself and I,' explored the intersection of the ‘self' and the ‘other.' It delved into the dynamics of individuals in the context of their lived experiences, environment, and emerging paradigms within psychiatry and beyond. Talks and workshops aimed to heighten attendees’ interest in psychiatry by challenging societal stigma and traditional norms and expanding their perspectives of psychiatry. Methods The pre-conference questionnaire included attendees’ year of study, university/NHS trust affiliation, current likelihood of pursuing psychiatry and career aspirations, knowledge of conference themes, and ten subspecialties represented at the conference via a faculty carousel. The post-conference questionnaire enquired about changes to the above aforementioned factors, to explore changes in career aspirations. Standardized dropdown options were used in both forms to facilitate data evaluation. Results 71 attendees were included in the final evaluation; 17 were excluded due to duplication or not completing both forms. Of the attendees, 31% were in their pre-clinical years, 56% were in their clinical years, and 4% were doctors. 9% of the participants were non-medical attendees. Demographics of attendees included a majority from Yorkshire and Humber (52%), Midlands (11%), South England (6%), North England (10%), North East (8%) and Others (13%). 21% of attendees had been to a prior psychiatry-related conference and 34% were currently taking part in or had completed a psychiatry-related project in the past. The level of interest in attendees aspiring to pursue psychiatry increased from 62% to 72%. An increased interest in medical psychotherapy (82%), forensic psychiatry (68%), and perinatal psychiatry (67%) after the faculty carousel was observed. Following the conference, 97% reported increased knowledge of each theme. Findings from the faculty carousel revealed that, on average, over 90% of attendees reported an increased understanding of each speciality represented. Conclusion The National Student Psychiatry Conference plays a significant role in increasing exposure of psychiatry to medical students and increasing their understanding of the diverse career paths within the speciality. The conference fosters networking opportunities and facilitates meaningful connections within the field, positively influencing attendees' considerations and perceptions.

Objective To examine the effectiveness of rivaroxaban compared to enoxaparin in patients diagnosed with cancer and venous thromboembolism. Methods A search of Pub Med, Scopus, and Google Scholar, from inception through April 2023 was conducted. Articles comparing rivaroxaban with enoxaparin in patients with cancer and VTE/PE/DVT were included. Review Manager Version 5.2 was utilised for the analysis of the following outcomes; VTE, PE, DVT, major bleeding, and mortality. Results A total of 8 articles and 2276 patients were included in the final analysis. Pooled analysis showed that rivaroxaban had a statistically insignificant reduced association with VTE occurrence (RR:0.83, 95% CI:0.58–1.18, P:0.3) as well as a statically insignificant reduction in major bleeding (RR:0.79, 95% CI:0.53–1.18, P:0.25). Analysis showcased that there was an insignificant reduction of mortality rivaroxaban as compared to enoxaparin (RR:0.74, 95% CI: 0.46–1.20, P:0.23). Conclusion Rivaroxaban can serve as a viable alternative to enoxaparin, with no appreciable drawbacks, for preventing and managing VTE in patients with malignancy.

Objective: Breakthrough COVID-19 infections are common following immunisation with various types of vaccines. The patterns of infections have not been well established. We aimed to analyse the signs and symptoms of post vaccination infections in addition to the need for hospital admission, ER visit and supplemental oxygen in relation to age and gender. Methods: A cross-sectional cohort study was conducted in JUH from March 2021 to August 2022, we interviewed 1479 individuals who are >15 years of age and got a breakthrough infection. The statistical analysis was performed using STATA statistical software. Results: Out of the 1479 cases, 50.2 % and 69.4 % were females and less than 45 years of age respectively. Symptoms of cough, fever and headache were reported by nearly 50 % of the patients, while one-third complained of dyspnoea. We found that participants older than 45 years had worse clinical outcomes (P-value

Objectives The aim of this study is a descriptive presentation of cases of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) that were presented to Aleppo University Hospital (AUH) during the recent cholera outbreak in Syria.Design Prospective, observational, cohort study.Setting and participants A total of 1061 patients with AWD were admitted to AUH during the timeframe of 20 September 2022 to 20 October 2022. The data collection was done through a structured questionnaire. This includes comprehensive clinical observation, laboratory analyses, therapeutic interventions and holistic case evaluations.Results The analysis has revealed notable insights: a predominant proportion of patients (58.6%) were residents from urban areas and 40.3% were residents from rural areas. Intriguingly, a diverse range of potential infection sources emerged from patient data within our hospital, including uncontrolled well water, vegetables and faecal-oral transmission through contaminated street/fast food. At discharge, most patients were in good health (79.7%), followed by moderate health (17.6%) and poor health (2.3%), with a minimal percentage dying before discharge (0.4%). The most common complications reported at admission and during hospitalisation included electrolyte imbalance (28.2%), followed by severe dehydration (16.3%). In the follow-up period, the majority of patients exhibited good health (81.0%). Older patients (>60 years) had poorer outcomes, with 8.4% having poor health and 4.2% death rate.Conclusions The study found results consistent with previous AWD outbreaks in developing countries like Yemen, Nigeria and Lebanon. Preventative measures like improving water sanitation and hygiene practices are essential to prevent future outbreaks and ease the strain on healthcare systems. Therefore, future studies must investigate the risk factors that increase the spread and the severity of the disease and investigate the best management method.

BackgroundCurrent treatment modalities for Major Depressive Disorder have variable efficacies and a variety of side effects. To amend this, many trials for short term, well tolerated monotherapies are underway. One such option is Zuranolone (SAGE-217), which is a recent FDA approved antidepressant for Post Partum depression (PPD) and is undergoing clinical trials for PPD, major depressive disorder (MDD) and essential tremors (ET).ObjectivesPool currently available data that compare Zuranolone to Placebo for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder and evaluate its efficacy and safety profile.MethodsWe retrieved data from PUBMED and SCOPUS from inception to July 2023. We included articles comparing Zuranolone or SAGE 217 with placebo in patients suffering from Major Depressive Disorder. Review Manager 5.4 was used to analyze the outcomes including changes in the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores from baseline as well as any treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and severe adverse events.ResultsOur review analyzed 4 trials and the data of 1,357 patients. Patients treated with Zuranolone indicated a statistically significant effect in the change from baseline in HAM-D score (p = 0.0009; MD [95% CI]: −2.03 [−3.23, −0.84]) as well as in MADRS score (p = 0.02; MD [95% CI]: −2.30[−4.31, −0.30]) and HAM-A score (p = 0.03; MD [95% CI]: −1.41[−2.70, −0.11]) on 15th day when compared to the Placebo group. Zuranolone was also significantly associated with a higher response rate (p = 0.0008; OR [95% CI]: 1.63[1.14, 2.35]) and higher remission rate (p = 0.03; OR [95% CI]: 1.65[1.05, 2.59]) when compared with the placebo. As for safety, Zuranolone was significantly associated with 1 or more TEAE (p = 0.006; RR [95% CI]: 1.14[1.04, 1.24]) but an insignificant association with side effects that lead to drug discontinuation (p = 0.70; RR [95% CI]: 1.18[0.51, 2.76]) and serious adverse events (p = 0.48; RR [95% CI]: 1.46 [0.52, 4.10]) when compared with placebo.ConclusionZuranolone is an effective and safe drug for short course major depressive disorder monotherapy. It shows results in 14 days (compared to 2–4 weeks that SSRI’s take) and has anti-anxiolytic effects as well. However, only 4 trials have been used for the analysis and the sample size was small. The trials reviewed also cannot determine the long-term effects of the drug. More trials are needed to determine long term effects.

Hydatidosis, is a zoonotic disease prevalent in sheep-raising regions globally. Musculoskeletal hydatidosis is uncommon and usually remains asymptomatic over a long period. The detection of musculoskeletal hydatidosis often signifies extensive cyst spread within the bone marrow cavity, making treatment difficult with a high recurrence rate. Unlike the conventional surgical approach for visceral hydatid cysts, treating osseous hydatidosis requires a strategy akin to oncologic therapy. We report a rare case of primary hydatidosis affecting the ulna and adjacent soft tissue in a 58-year-old woman. She presented with a painless forearm mass evolving over six years, accompanied by recent onset tenderness and restricted elbow joint mobility. Imaging revealed a cystic mass in the forearm, an intra-ulnar bone lesion, and an olecranon fracture. The primary diagnosis of musculoskeletal hydatidosis was made based on clinical findings and radiological imaging. Treatment involved resection of 2/3 of the proximal ulna and pericystectomy for the soft tissue hydatid cyst. Diagnosis of musculoskeletal hydatidosis is vital for effective preoperative planning, as internal fixation often fails without eradicating the infestation. Treatment typically involves radical operation with wide excision of the affected bone and adjacent joint structures, coupled with chemotherapy. Clinicians in endemic regions should consider musculoskeletal hydatidosis in the differential diagnosis of osteolytic lesions and slow-growing cystic masses. Diagnosis relies on clinical, serological, and radiological assessments.

Abstract The current study is focused on the lipid extract of microalgae; Pectinodesmus strain PHM3 and its general analysis in terms of chemical contents. Combinations of both chemical and mechanistic approaches were applied to obtain the maximum yield of lipids which was recorded to be 23% per gram through continuous agitation using Folch solution. The extraction methods used in this study included: Bligh and Dyers method, Continuous agitation method, Extraction using Soxhlet and Acid base extraction method. Lipid quantification of ethanol and Folch solution lipid extract was performed through gravimetric methods and qualification was done through Fourier Transmission Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS). Phytochemical analysis identified other compounds in ethanol extract and the results confirmed the presence of steroids, coumarins, tannins, phenols and carbohydrates. Transesterification of lipids showed 7% per gram dry weight yield of Pectinodesmus PHM3. GC-MS studies of extracted biodiesel suggested that 72% of biofuels was in the form of dipropyl ether, ethyl butyl ethers, methyl butyl ether and propyl butyl ether. Lipid processing of acid-base extract showed that oily nature of lipid shifted to a more precipitated form which is a common observation when mixture of lipids is converted to phosphatides.

The 6th generation of wireless mobile networks is emerging as a paradigm shifting successor to unifying the experience across the physical, digital, and human worlds, pushing boundaries on performance in capacity, throughput, latency, scalability, flexibility, and reliability, while prominently addressing new major factors, including sustainability, security and privacy, as well as digital inclusion. Many research institutions and initiatives worldwide have started investigations to make 6G a reality by approximately 2030. In Germany, federal funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports a large-scale 6G initiative, with its lighthouse project, called 6G-ANNA. The core aim of this project is to develop the key aspects of a holistic, sustainable, secure, and resilient 6G system design that will simplify and improve the interaction between humans, digital assets, and the physical environment. This paper shares the vision of the project’s main technical working areas and advances, spanning topics from radio access, integration of multiple networks, as well as automation and simplification in networking to new applications and testbed scenarios, including real-time digital twins and extended reality. The industrial impact and relevance of standardization makes 6G-ANNA uniquely positioned to lead and realize the vision of next-generation wireless mobile network technologies, systems, and applications.

Self-driving cars are going to be the main future mode of transportation. However, such systems like, any other cyber-physical system, are vulnerable to attack vectors and uncertainties. As a response, resilience-based approaches are being developed. However, the approaches lack a sound attack model that recognizes the attack vectors and vulnerabilities such a system would have and that does a proper severity analysis of such attacks. Moreover, the existing attack models are too generic. Currently, the domain lacks such specific work pertaining to self-driving cars. Given the technology and architecture of self-driving cars, the field requires a domain-specific attack model. This paper gives a review of the attack models and proposes a domain-specific attack model for self-driving cars. The proposed attack model, severity-based analytical attack model for resilience (SAAMR), provides attack analysis based on existing models. Also, a domain-based severity score for attacks is calculated. Further, the attacks are classified using the decision-tree method and predictions of the type of attacks are given using long short-term memory network.

Food commodities such as shallots and garlic are still a concern for the Indonesian people, this is because prices are not fixed and fluctuate for each period. It is these price fluctuations that cause high price volatility. An illustration of the magnitude of the risks that will be faced by economic actors in the future can be illustrated by the magnitude of price changes that indicate market fluctuations in a period of time. The model that can be used to analyze the nature of price volatility is Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (ARCH) and Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH). The purpose of this study was to determine the price volatility of shallots and garlic in West Java Province for the period January 2013 to December 2021. The results showed that retail prices for garlic were heteroscedastic, so the model that was more suitable was ARCH/GARCH. As for the commodity of shallots that are homoscedastic, the model that is carried out is only up to the ARIMA model analysis. The volatility model for garlic is the ARCH(1) model. The results of the model estimation show that garlic price volatility is quite high

Objectives: The current study aimed to identify the level of ability of student teachers at Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University in writing and spelling skills. Methods: The study used the descriptive analytical method to answer the research questions. After listing the necessary skills, a test was designed to measure the spelling writing skills of the student teachers, and it was presented to the research sample. Results: The results of the study showed that the percentage of student teachers' ability is 75.3% in general, and it is below the required level of 90%. The study also used the (T) test for independent groups with the gender variable, the arithmetic mean and the standard deviation, in addition to the one-way analysis of variance test to identify differences according to the variables of specialization and cumulative average. The results also indicated that there were no statistically significant differences at the significance level (α≤0.05). Depending on the variables of gender, specialization and cumulative average. Conclusions: In the light of these results, the study recommended that care should be taken in enhancing the undergraduate students' mastery of spelling writing skills through holding training courses, due to the positive effects it achieves on the student teacher.

Hydatid disease is caused by the larvae of the parasite Echinococcus granulosus and, less commonly, Echinococcus multilocularis in the endemic regions. A hydatid cyst of Echinococcus granulosus commonly develops in the liver and lungs of the affected individual and rarely occurs in the brain, bones, and heart. The spinal hydatidosis comprises 50% of the cases affecting the bones, which usually leads to severe morbidities. We present a case of a 52-year-old Afghan woman presented to the hospital with Gibbus deformity, complaining of lower back pain and flaccid paraplegia for one year. Findings of Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the lumbosacral spine were suggestive of a hydatid cyst involving the vertebrae with extension to the paravertebral soft tissue, leading to acute kyphosis, severe canal stenosis, and cord compression. Treatment included complete cyst removal. The diagnosis was confirmed by gross and microscopic evaluation of the cyst contents. The patient was discharged after significant pain relief and deformity correction. Vertebral hydatidosis is notorious for its recurrence despite vigorous surgical and medical treatment. The hydatid cyst grows rapidly and can cause irreversible damage to the spinal cord in neglected cases. Currently, the best treatment approach is complete surgical removal of the cyst, irrigation with a scolicidal agent, and postoperative follow-up with a long-term course of albendazole. Spinal hydatidosis is a rare, severe disease with significant morbidity. Despite significant scientific advances in understanding of disease pathogenesis, the parasite’s predilection for the spine and the influence of host-specific factors on anatomical manifestations remain a mystery.

This paper proposes a new modular hybrid excited flux switching motor (MHEFSM) with flux gaps, adding the fault-tolerant capability to the proposed motor. The proposed motor uses an E-Shaped stator, as the middle teeth of E-core produce fault-tolerant capability, and in C-core, this capability is eradicated. The no-load flux linkage is calculated by the magnetic network model (MNM) to reduce time and disk storage. The drawback of the constant flux linkage of PM motors is overcome by employing field excitation (FE). The FE helps in regulation flux at higher speeds. The motor leading geometry variables are optimized by using Genetic Global Optimization (GGO). The GGO helped in refining the structure of the motor and has improved the flux linkage by 68.17%, average torque and torque density by 62.39% each, reduced torque ripples by 20.69%, and cogging torque by 18.48%. The volume of permanent magnet (PM) in the proposed MHEFSM is reduced by 36.24%, and 48.49% higher average torque and torque density is obtained compared to the state of art motor proposed in the literature. Furthermore, a 3D analysis of the proposed MHEFSM is done to further evaluate the electromagnetic performance.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of 5% potassium hydroxide (KOH) and 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum at a tertiary care Hospital. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Dermatology Department, Tertiary Care Hospital Karachi, from Oct 2019 to Apr 2021. Methodology: Sixty patients with molluscum contagiosum who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in the outpatient department of tertiary care hospital in Karachi. Patients were divided into two groups, A (5% KOH) and B (10% KOH) of 30 patients each. Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) solution was applied at home using the cotton-tipped applicator twice daily. Follow-up of patients was done at 2-weekly intervals for 12 weeks. Efficacy was measured based on the resolution of lesions or improvement from baseline. Results: Complete response occurred in 23 (76.7%) cases in 10% KOH Group while 6 (20%) in 5% KOH Group, Partial response occurred in 6 (20%) in 10% KOH group while 15 (50%) in 5% KOH group, No response occurred in 1 (3.33%) in 10% KOH group and 9 (30%) in 5% KOH group (p

There have been several reported cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) infection that were associated with an increased incidence of neurological manifestations, including Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS). This review aims to present information on the reports of GBS associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Our review is retrospective work examining articles published from the 1 April 2020 to the 8 May 2021 in the English language. We used the diagnostic criteria and classification published by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and Brighton Collaboration. GBS is usually a postinfectious syndrome, but GBS in the COVID-19 pandemic also takes on a para-infectious profile. In the reports, the genetic factor has a role in developing GBS in some patients. In conclusion, the association between COVID-19 and GBS is not very clear. Still, one mechanism is strongly associated with COVID-19 and immune-mediated neurological complications, which is molecular mimicry between SARS-CoV-2 and human autoantigens.

Objective: To identify students' skills and attitudes which affect fostering critical thinking in undergraduate medical students. Study Design: Modified Delphi Study. Place and Duration of Study: University of Lahore, Lahore Pakistan, from Oct 2018 to Apr 2019. Methodology: This study was carried out to develop consensus. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. A draft questionnaire was developed on Google Forms and sent to five experts for pilot study, construct validation and cognitive pre-testing. Wait Time, rating on the Likert Scale and Consensus criteria of 80% were defined before the start of the study. A new questionnaire was sent to participants in each round. Results: The study enrolled 27 experts, of which only 14 participated in all the three rounds. Experts initially identified 18 factors related to students' skills and attitudes. The consensus was achieved for 14 out of the final 16 factors. Pre-medical education through Matric/FSc. rote memorization, lack of logical and rational thinking, no active participation in interactive sessions and strategic learning by students hamper fostering critical thinking. On the other hand, students from O/A level possess better critical thinking skills because they were trained to criticize and question during class activities. Conclusion: Individual skills/attitudes of students affect fostering of critical thinking among undergraduate medical students. They should be addressed primarily in pre-medical schools for better critical thinking abilities in medical school.

Objectives: The burden of postpartum depression (PPD) is significant because it remains unrecognized, and it not only affects the mother adversely but also has a negative consequence on the family life and the development of the infant. The aim of the study was to measure the prevalence of PPD and identify the risk factors of PPD among mothers attending the well-baby clinic of six Primary Health Care centers in Abha city, Southwest Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A total of 228 Saudi women having a child aged between two weeks to one year were recruited in the study by using a consecutive sampling technique. The Arabic version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used as a screening tool to measure the prevalence of PPD. The mothers were also inquired about their socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors. Results: The prevalence rate of postpartum depression was 43.4%. Family conflict, and lack of support by spouse and family during pregnancy were found to be the strongest predictors of developing PPD. Women who had reported family conflict were at six times higher risk for developing PPD compared to those who did not have a family conflict (aOR = 6.5, 95% CI = 2.3–18.4). Women who reported a lack of spousal support during pregnancy encountered 2.3 fold increased risk for PPD (aOR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.0–4.8) and women who had not received family support during pregnancy period were more than three times (aOR = 3.5, 95 % CI 1.6–7.7) likely to experience PPD. Conclusion: The risk of PPD among Saudi postnatal women was high. PPD screening should be an integral part of postnatal care. Awareness of women, spouses and families about potential risk factors can be a preventive strategy. The early identification of high-risk women during the antenatal and post-natal period could help to prevent this condition.

Dengue fever (DF) is endemic to Makkah and Jeddah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). However, until recently, the circulation of dengue virus (DENV) in Aedes mosquitoes in these areas was unknown. Serological surveillance of DENV in Ae aegypti is a powerful tool for early detection of dengue outbreaks and essential for developing effective control strategies. Therefore, this research aimed to examine a sample of adult Ae aegypti mosquitoes from Makkah, KSA, to detect DENV. In total, 1295 Ae aegypti mosquitoes were collected from the field from target areas of Makkah with a high incidence and prevalence of DF. The samples were divided into 259 coded pools (five mosquitoes in each) and preserved in 1.5 mL plastic tubes. The tubes were labeled, capped, and stored at−86°C until use. RT-PCR was used to detect DENV in the samples. All positive pools were confirmed by RT-PCR. The RT-PCR products were analyzed by gel electrophoresis (1.5% agarose in Tris-acetate EDTA buffer), stained with ethidium bromide, and visualized. DENV was isolated from six female Ae Aegypti collected from six pools (out of 259 pools). No other viruses were detected. Only five of the nine target localities had positive pools. Samples from the remaining four localities yielded negative results. Four DENV-positive mosquitoes were collected at the aquatic stages, and two were collected at the adult stage. These results show the circulation of DENV in adult mosquitoes and offspring, indicating vertical transmission of DENV. In conclusion, this study found that, in Makkah, DENV is circulating in dengue vectors with a high significance rate, suggesting the possibility of a dengue outbreak in the future; therefore, a sensitive surveillance system is vital to predict the outbreak and for early intervention and control.

We propose a new data partitioning approach to improve the performance of heterogeneous parallel applications in modern high-performance computing (HPC) systems. Existing approaches do not consider an important aspect that has a critical impact on the performance of parallel applications: the method of assigning partitions to each processor so as to minimize the communication cost and hence minimize data movement, which dominates energy and performance cost. Such an aspect for managing data locality is important for a large range of applications. Therefore, to achieve efficient data partitioning, we propose a method for distribution considering this aspect. Our algorithm seeks to minimize execution time by using two models. The first is a fine-grained computational model of heterogeneous processors, which is sufficiently adequate and accurate to guarantee efficient partitioning results that maximize utilization. The second is a communication model of heterogeneous processors to minimize data motion and hide communication overheads. The correctness of our algorithm was analyzed and validated. The complexity of our algorithm is approximately of order $\mathbf {O}(\mathbf {p}\times \mathbf {log \,\,s}+\mathbf {p}\times \mathbf {s}^{\mathbf {2}})$ , where $s$ is problem size/steps (where steps is the step size between data points in the computational model of each processor), and $p$ is the number of heterogeneous processors. The experiments were performed on AZIZ supercomputer using two types of applications: an application with no dependency between its partitions, i.e., matrix multiplication, and another one with high dependency between its partitions, i.e., the Jacobi method. The results show the efficiency of our algorithm in improving performance.

Sudah banyak pemberitaan lokal maupun nasional terkait isu penarikan sertifikasi guru untuk sementara waktu apabila selama lima tahun yang bersangkutan tidak membuat karya ilmiah. Hal ini menunjukkan minat guru untuk meneliti dan menyusun karya ilmiah masih kurang. Diantara penyebabnya adalah sebagian besar guru kurang motivasi maupun kurang pemahaman tentang analisis data penelitian khususnya terkait Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK). Pada pengabdian masyarakat ini, guru MTs Yapi Pakem akan diberikan pembekalan beberapa materi mengenai konsep dasar penelitian beserta analisis data yang tepat untuk menyelesaikan suatu permasalahan. Diharapkan dengan pemahaman yang cukup mengenai analisis data yang tepat, para guru lebih terampil dalam menyelesaikan permasalahan sehingga menjadi lebih termotivasi dalam penulisan karya ilmiah berkualitas. Dari hasil pelaksanaan pengabdian yang sudah dilakukan kurang lebih empat bulan dengan rangkaian kegiatan berupa: pelatihan mengenai konsep dasar penelitian dengan mendatangkan pakar di bidangnya dan pemberian workshop analisis data sederhana untuk menghitung data kuantitatif, dan pendampingan guru untuk melakukan PTK. Dari hasil pelaksanaan diperoleh kesimpulan bahwa minat guru dalam membuat PTK masih kurang dikarenakan dari pihak institusi tidak mewajibkan setiap guru membuat PTK sebagai revolusi pembelajaran sehingga motivasi dan waktu untuk memikirkan PTK sangat rendah. Hal ini dibuktikan dengan hasil kuesioner yang diisi oleh para guru. Hasil analisis dari kuesioner tersebut mengindikasikan permasalahan real ada pada motivasi guru dan minat guru yang rendah untuk melakukan penelitian sehingga target yang harusnya dicapai belum terpenuhi.

The unique properties of mesostructured cellular foam (MCF) silica such as, large pore size, continuous three-dimensional (3D) pore system and hydrothermal robust materialallow favorable conditions for incorporating active sites to produce modified MCF silica as catalysts, biocatalysts and adsorbents. Recently, the modified MCF silicas were reported to be efficient catalysts for the hydrogenation of phenylacetylene, heck coupling reaction of arylboronic acid, etc. Biocatalysts derived from modified MCF silicas were found to be a potential to convert glucose to gluconic acid, hydrolysis of N-benzoyl-DLarginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) and casein, transesterification of racemic 1 phenyl- ethanol and hydrolytic, etc. Several separation processes such as CO2 capture and adsorption of L-tryptophan, lysozyme and bovine serum were sucessfully conducted using adsorbents derived from modified MCF silicas. This paper reviews the synthesis of the MCF silica material and the incorporation of active sites or immobilization of enzymes in the MCF silica material. Additionally, a detailed understanding of the characterization of the modified MCF silicas, which includes pore size, active sites/enzymes sizes, amount of active sites/enzymes bound with the MCF silica, was also discussed to obtain their potentialities as catalysts, biocatalysts and adsorbents. The review also describes recent progress on the applications of the MCF silica.

Abstract Roundabout is a channelized intersection where traffic moves around a central island, clockwise for left-side driving and anti-clockwise for right-side driving. Efficiently designed roundabouts can handle traffic very smoothly without causing any delay. The capacity of roundabouts used to be calculated by the weaving theory in India. However, calculation of the entry capacity in the recent literature is based on critical gaps and follow-up times, and the Highway Capacity Manual of US (HCM 2010) provides an equation to estimate the entry capacity of a roundabout by using the flow in passenger car unit per hour (PCU/h), critical gaps and follow-up times at the entry section. In order to examine whether the HCM equation applies to Indian traffic condition or not, we collected data from five roundabouts in India in this study. Relevant data were extracted/estimated to calibrate parameters of the HCM equation. The PCU for a vehicle was estimated on the basis of lagging headway and width of the vehicle, and the critical gap value for a vehicle was estimated by minimizing the sum of absolute difference in a gap with respect to the highest rejected and accepted gaps. Results show that the critical gap values obtained under heterogeneous traffic conditions are much lower than those given in the literature for homogeneous traffic conditions. In addition, the modified HCM equation based on the critical gap values was verified using the field data taken during the formation of a continuous and stable queue at the entry of a roundabout. It was found that a multiplicative adjustment factor needs to be calculated for different sizes of roundabouts to ensure the adjusted HCM equation represents well the traffic condition prevailing in developing countries like India. A test conducted at another roundabout validated that the entry capacity estimated from the calibrated and adjusted HCM model was consistent with the field entry capacity, and the calibrated and adjusted HCM model could predict the entry capacity of an approach to a roundabout quite accurately.

This paper presents an approach to implement learning objects for teaching and learning problem-solving techniques based on computer programming. The demonstrated approach exploits computer-based interactive animations and computer graphics. The main feature of this approach is its simplicity for exploring the concepts and structures of the programming that are used to implement a solution for a problem under consideration. The developed learning objects feature the possibility of reusability and adaptability in e-learning settings. Moreover, the learning objects can be utilized as a hands-on experience for the learners of a certain subject matter. The approach applied for the design and implementation of the learning objects for computer programming-based problem solving can be extended to other disciplines of science and technology. As a demonstration of the proposed methodology, we showed an application that utilizes the approach to implement a learning object for solving a well-known statistics and probability problem.

Within the past few years, organizational security has emerged as a critical challenge for industries, security agencies, academic institutions and organizations. The current security system lacks efficiency which influences organizations’ security parameters negatively. While dealing with a violent or terroristic activity human guards may not be able to response effectively under pressure, due to some limitation or lack of continuous attention. In present conditions where guards are not active enough to generate a quick response against threat, human eagerly need to design an effective virtual security system which would be responsible to analyze collective measures, process, and procedure that ensure protections of virtualization environment. In order to increase efficiency of security, eliminate security holes and to obtain quick response towards suspicious activities, there is need to replace humansecurity-guard with a virtual-security-guard system. This virtual guard will be an embedded machine, which will act like a complete security guard that will work under ‘Human Based Psychology’. This system would be reflection of an ideal virtual security guard which will generate intelligent and quick response towards abnormal activities by making intelligent decisions based on selective attention mechanism. The proposed system can be efficient enough to focus both functional and non-functional requirements (resistibility in smoke, fog, rain, dark and dust).

Tanaman cabai adalah bumbu masakan yang saling melengkapi. Harga cabai selalu berfluktuasi. Tercatat dari 2012 hingga 2017, produksi tanaman cabai besar (ton) di setiap provinsi berfluktuasi. Pemerintah membutuhkan prediksi ketersediaan tanaman cabai berdasarkan provinsi di Indonesia untuk meningkatkan ketahanan pangan, terutama produksi cabai. Penelitian ini memberikan kontribusi kepada pemerintah untuk dapat memprediksi ketersediaan tanaman cabai berdasarkan provinsi di Indonesia di masa depan. Data yang digunakan adalah data dari Badan Pusat Statistik melalui situs web www.bps.go.id. Data tersebut adalah data tentang ketersediaan tanaman cabai menurut provinsi di Indonesia dari 2012 hingga 2017. Algoritma yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Jaringan Syaraf Tiruan dengan metode Backpropogation. Variabel input yang digunakan adalah data 2012 (X1), data 2013 (X2), data 2014 (X3), dan data 2015 (X4) dengan 4 pelatihan arsitektur dan model pengujian, 4-2-1, 4-3-1, 4-4-1, dan 4-5-1. Data target diambil dari data 2016 (T). Output yang dihasilkan adalah pola terbaik dari arsitektur JST. Model arsitektur terbaik adalah 4-5-1 dengan zaman 670, MSE 0,010651, dan tingkat akurasi 99,97.

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the range of the application of total quality standards in accordance with the European Foundation Quality Management (EFQM) in the strategic planning of the University of Science and Technology (UST), Yemen, by answering the main question:- To what extent the total quality standards that are based on the EFQM are applied in the strategic planning from the viewpoint of UST senior management and medium management? In order to achieve the objectives of the study, the researchers adopted the descriptive analytical method by using the case study. the researchers reached the following findings: 1- The findings showed that the senior management at the university has a role in the process of planning as the respondents agreed with the rate (%74.7). This role represented in some aspects such as formation of work teams for planning, training, and participating in some of their works. 2- The findings also showed that there is a limited participation of staff in the process of strategic planning at UST as the respondents agreed with the rate (%63.3). 3- The findings showed that there is acceptable application for some modern methods that are used to determine the customer’s needs during the process of strategic planning at UST. The respondents agreed with rate (%63.0). 4- The findings investigated that there is acceptable dependence on accurate information in the strategic planning at UST. The respondents agreed with the rate (%67.9). 5- The findings illustrated that there is a lack in disseminating the strategy for all staff at UST as the respondents agreed with the rate (%59.2). The findings generally show that there is a clear weakness in the application of total quality standards based on the EFQM during the planning process.

Four different alkaline earth metal oxides i.e. MgO, CaO, SrO and BaO were used as heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production from palm oil. Effects of critical process variables i.e. reaction time, methanol to oil ratio and temperature were investigated. The results were then fitted to a historical design to study the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), to characterize interactions between variables and to simulate the process. MgO did not show good catalytic activity while CaO produced undesired products at longer reaction time. BaO showed the best biodiesel result with a yield of up to 95 %, followed by SrO with a yield of 91 %. A methanol to oil ratio of 9:1 and 60 ºC were found to be the optimum conditions. The experimental data were satisfactorily predicted at 99 % confidence level under various conditions with R2 values higher than 0.92. Characterizations of the catalysts before and after the transesterification process were also performed using a surface analyzer, scanning electron microscopy, Hammett indicator and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometeric (AAS) methods. The catalytic activity was in the order of BaO > SrO > CaO. However, due to lixiviation of BaO in the product, SrO was found to be the most potential catalyst.

The NO removal over oxide sorbents (K2O/Al2O3 , CaO/Al2O3 and BaO/Al2O3) at a loading of up to 25 wt.% was investigated using a synthetic diesel exhaust gas containing 1,000 ppm NO, 1000 ppm iso-butane (i-C4H10), 8% O2 and N2 balance. The reactor was operated at 250 oC to 450 oC for the activity study. NO was effectively stored (removal efficiencies between 30-60 %) as nitrate under experimental conditions after surface oxidation to NO2; and the maximum removal efficiency decreased in the order of K2O/Al2O3 (55.4 %) > BaO/Al2O3 (39.0 %) > CaO/Al2O3 (37.0 %). K2O/Al2O3 had higher mobility; but loadings higher than 15 wt.% were detrimental to the morphological properties. Despite higher basicity, CaO/Al2O3 showed lower removal efficiency of NO compared to BaO(10)/Al2O3 due to low catalytic NO2 formation activity. Unlike K2O(10)/Al2O3, BaO(10)/Al2O3 showed increasing NO removal between 350 oC and 450 oC. K2O(5)BaO(5)/Al2O3 resulted in better surface area and volume leading to about 65 % of NO removal. This was attributed to synergic effects between physicochemical, catalytic and NO removal properties of the components.The high performance of K2O(5)BaO(5)/Al2O3 wassuccessfully elucidated based on the characteristics of the sorbent.

The Malaysian government has long recognized the significance of mastering the English language among its citizenry. The government has planned, and subsequently, implemented many policies to ensure Malaysians master the English language. Although civil servants have a strong desire to master the English language to perform their duties more efficiently, poor English communication skills have become a major concern in this regard. Therefore, this research aims to investigate common errors in writing the English language among non-academic staff at "Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin" (UniSZA), a public university in Malaysia. The study employed an Error Analysis approach by conducting document analysis where every respondent was required to write a paragraph in the English language in about 150-200 words on the topic "My greatest challenge as a UniSZA officer". The findings revealed that a sizeable number of non-academic staff committed different types of errors in writing the English language, including errors related to subject-verb agreement, passive voice, plurality, choice of word, omission of word, use of article, tense sequence, word ordering, gerund, addition of word/redundancy, and comparison of adjective. It was observed that lack of linguistic skills, lack of exposure, and inadequate practices in written English were the main factors contributing to the English writing errors among the non-academic staff. These findings could help the university management to develop appropriate programs that can assist the non-academic staff to develop English writing competence. However, this study is limited to English writing errors. Further research may focus on other language skills such as speaking and listening.

Towards Industry 4.0, Malaysian Manufacturing Firms need to identify back their manufacturing capabilities especially to increase the performance and profit. This research is conducted to identify the role of manufacturing practices towards manufacturing capabilities. From this information it can provide valuable ingredients for companies in sustainable their operation. The identified factor of manufacturing practices is time based management and the dependent variables is manufacturing capabilities(focusing on agility. Through the survey, a total of 119 firms representing various industries in Northern Region of Malaysia had responded. The hypotheses involved were tested using correlation and regression techniques. The results of the study support the hypotheses. The multiple regression analysis indicates that there are significant relationships among this role on manufacturing capabilities. It is believed that results of this study will be beneficial to the top management of Malaysian manufacturing industries to focus on tim e based management and agility to increase the manufacturing capabilities.

Malaysia government still identify the best system in giving people solution on renewable energy. This study will focus on the performance of PV module. The characteristic of PV module still can be argued especially in absorbing the direct effect of sun light energy. The previous authors were not having a specific solution on the problem of the PV module implication after received the direct effect of sun light. This study will suggesting on the innovation of the process and system of PV module and restructuring the characteristic and provides information. The tools of quality PDCA and (OEE) will be used to identify the best solution using the different type of cooling system. From this information, the stake holder can decrease the cost of using this type of technology.

Reading is a complex process that involves cognitive, physical, intellectual, cultural, and linguistic processes. Research shows that learners who read extensively tend to accomplish a high level of academic achievement. In Malaysia, the educational goal has shifted from simply forming literate citizens to nurturing a well-educated and intellectual society. Promoting efficient reading habits can be an effective approach to realizing this goal. This study, therefore, aims to examine reading habits and ascertain their correlation with reading achievement among final-year English as a Second Language (ESL) learners in selected Malaysian secondary schools. The study utilized a cross-sectional survey in which data were gathered from a sample of 351 ESL learners using questionnaires and written tests as data-gathering instruments. The analysis was conducted by means of descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression. The findings revealed a significant relationship between ESL learners' reading habits and their reading achievement. Additionally, ESL learners' reading habits contribute significantly to their reading achievement. These findings highlight the significance of reading habits in determining ESL learners' reading achievement itself. However, this study is limited to reading habits and reading achievement among students in selected secondary schools. Thus, further research may replicate this study in the context of computer-assisted or blended learning.

Background: Presurgical orthopaedics has been employed since the 1950s as an adjunctive neonatal therapy for the correction of cleft lip and palate. It is accepted that presurgical orthopaedic plates facilitate lip repair and balanced orofacial growth. Aims: The aims of this retrospective study of newborns with bilateral cleft lip and palate were two-fold: to describe the use of a fixed appliance to reposition the displaced fragments, and to determine if the magnitude of the palatal changes was age-related.

Flooding is the most significant natural hazard in Malaysia in terms of population affected, frequency, flood extent, flood duration and social economic damage. Flooding causes loss of lives, injuries, property damage and leave some economic damage to the country especially when it occurs in a rural area where the main income is dependent on agricultural area. This study focused on flooding in oil palm plantations, rubber plantations and fruits and vegetables area. InfoWorks ICM was used to develop a flood model to study the impact of flooding and to mitigate the floods using a retention pond. Later, Geographical Information System (GIS) together with the flood model were used for the analysis on flood damage assessment and management of flood risk. The estimated total damage for three different flood event; 10 ARI, 50 ARI and 100 ARI involved millions of ringgits. In reducing the flood impact along the Selangor River, retention pond was suggested, modeled and tested. By constructing retention pond, flood extents in agricultural area were reduced significantly by 60.49% for 10 ARI, 45.39% for 50 ARI and 46.54% for 100 ARI.

Flood disasters are one of the worst natural disasters and they occur almost daily. Correspondingly, city managers are nowadays increasingly investing in data collection and modelling activities. Typically, flows in pipes and channels have been modelled using a one-dimensional (1D) approach. Also, if the flood flows on the ground are confined to streets and curbs, the use of 1D/1D modelling approach (a.k.a. as dual drainage concept) may be a feasible way forward. However, if the flows are two-dimensional with complex interactions taking place through surface/sub-surface links, then the required approach would be the so-called 1D/2D modelling approach. The ever-increasing power of computers is now allowing a 3D fluid dynamics analysis of overflow and manhole structures, and in time these may be coupled with 1D models that may be used in situations where flow characteristics require with higher dimensionality. With the use of 2D models, the importance of terrain data has become a growing issue. The current paper discusses some of the key modelling approaches and makes particular reference to the terrain data processing and collection which can either improve or deteriorate their predictive capability