The demand of increasing price in fossil fuel has prompted the global oil industry to look at the alternative sources of fuel from renewable energy source which is biodiesel. Biodiesel is considered ...as better option because of its environmental friendly characteristics while giving almost the same functional properties like fossil fuels.
This paper will focus on the biodiesel produced in Malaysia. Palm oil is the main raw stock for biodiesel production in Malaysia as the country is one of the leading palm oil producers in the world. There are many advantages and disadvantages from the economical social and environmental aspects in the Malaysian biodiesel production in specific palm oil biodiesel. The aim of this paper is to analyze the past, current and future of palm oil biodiesel industry in Malaysia.
This paper includes the technology aspect used in the palm oil biodiesel production and characteristics of pure palm oil biodiesel to meet the international market standard. Malaysia faces tough competition from other biodiesel producers like Indonesia and Brazil. The scope of this study covers the worldwide biodiesel development in brief in continuation with the challenges faced by Malaysia in becoming the top biodiesel exporter in the world with the advantages and disadvantage of using palm oil as the feedstock.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Abstract
Context:
Pediatric bone sarcoma is a rare entity with low incidence of around 2.5–6 per million population in India. Management of this condition is well standardized, and global survival ...data are available; however, there is a paucity of data in the Indian perspective.
Aim of the Study:
The aim of this study is to analyze various prognostic factors and survival outcome. The purpose of this study is to assess the role of surgery, multiagent chemotherapy, and radiation in the management of these tumors. Patients and
Methods:
Retrospective analysis of patients aged 18 and less, diagnosed as bone sarcomas and treated in our tertiary cancer center. All the patients received at least one form of therapy depending on stage and site of the primary lesion.
Results:
Twenty-one patients of Ewing sarcoma and 20 patients of osteosarcomas were eligible and were included in the study. In Ewing sarcoma, completing the full course of standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the local site was associated with improved survival. In osteosarcoma, limb salvage surgery (LSS) had a significant difference in overall survival compared to amputation. Induction chemotherapy was associated with better percentage of necrosis and showed improved survival. The percentage of necrosis correlated positively with survival which was statistically significant (
P
= 0.015).
Conclusion:
The median survival in both these bone sarcomas is inferior to global trends. Probable reasons for such discrepancy are lack of compliance to treatment protocols due to age factors and late presentation. Completion of multiagent chemotherapy in both the tumors add to better survival. Radiotherapy in Ewing sarcoma improves survival. In osteosarcoma, LSS is an oncologically safe alternative to amputation. The percentage of necrosis following chemotherapy in osteosarcoma is a reliable predictor of prognosis.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
•The effect of RHA and GBFS on the compressive performance of UHPC was investigated.•The compressive strength of the UHPC with 30% GBFS was 151.3 MPa.•The dynamic compressive strength of the proposed ...UHPC was insensitive to strain rate.•The UHPC with RHA and GBFS had a lower CI index compared to the normal UHPC.•The proposed UHPC reduces the environmental impact without sacrificing the strength.
This paper investigates the effect of using alternative cementitious constituents on the compressive performance of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) for both static and dynamic conditions. The grounded blast furnace slag (GBFS) and rice husk ash (RHA) with different portions were used to replace 30% ordinary Portland cement (OPC) of a reference mix (UHPC-R1). Two alternative UHPC mixes including an UHPC mix with 30% GBFS mix (UHPC-AC1) and an UHPC mix with 15% GBFS and 15% RHA mix (UHPC-AC2) were considered. The quasi-static compressive strength and dynamic compressive strength of the proposed UHPC mixes were then determined using a compression testing machine and a Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar, respectively. The results indicated that UHPC-AC1 and UHPC-AC2 yielded a comparable performance compared to the reference mix UHPC-R1. In particular, the static compressive strength of UHPC-AC1 and UHPC-AC2 mixes were found to only be 5% and 10% less than those of the UHPC-R1 mix, respectively. In addition, the study also found that UHPC-AC1 and UHPC-AC2 achieved a similar dynamic compressive strength compared to the UHPC-R1, and the compressive strength of UHPC-AC1 and UHPC-AC2 were not strain rate sensitive. For the environmental aspect, UHPC-AC1 and UHPC-AC2 have a lower embedded CO2 emission index compared to the reference UHPC-R1.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Phase diagram modelling and U-Pb monazite ages reveal a clockwise Pressure-Temperature-time metamorphic evolution in the Paranaguá Terrane (Ribeira Belt - SE Brazil) and characterized important ...tectonic events. Comparisons of our dataset with the Dom Feliciano and Kaoko belts indicate a contrasting metamorphic evolution of South American and African units during West Gondwana assembly. The Paranaguá Terrane is considered an arc-related unit formed during the western Gondwana accretion, comprising Paleoproterozoic basement inliers, metasedimentary rocks and late Neoproterozoic granites. Metapelites mineral assemblages and chemistry combined with isotopic data indicate three tectonometamorphic stages for the terrane. M1 (640-610 Ma) is associated with collisional processes that resulted in a greenschist to lower amphibolite facies regional metamorphism (540-580°C and ~6-8 kbar). The progression of the metamorphism followed a decompression path of c. 2-4 kbars and reached P-T conditions of ~725°C at ~5 kbars (M2 - 610-580 Ma). M2 is associated with post-collisional processes related to slab-break off and partial exhumation of deeply buried sequences. Metapelites low-temperature retrograde conditions define a late M3 (540-500 Ma) metamorphic event. Our results demonstrate the similarities and differences of the Paranaguá-Dom Feliciano-Kaoko orogenic system. The metamorphic evolution of the Paranaguá Terrane and Northern Dom Feliciano Belt exhibits a geothermal gradient controlled by broad magmatic activity and post-collisional processes. In contrast, their suggested African counterpart (Kaoko Belt) shows a Barrovian metamorphic trend. This dataset permitted a refined time-space evolution of these southwest Gondwana units.
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BFBNIB, GIS, IJS, KISLJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM, UPUK
STUDY QUESTION
Is there a need for a specific guide addressing studies of seminal quality?
SUMMARY ANSWER
The proposed guidelines for the appraisal of SEMinal QUAlity studies (SEMQUA) reflect the ...need for improvement in methodology and research on semen quality.
WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
From an examination of other instruments used to assess the quality of diagnostic studies, there was no guideline on studies of seminal quality.
STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATION
Through systematic bibliographic search, potential items were identified and grouped into four blocks: participants, analytical methods, statistical methods and results.
PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING AND METHODS
Our findings were presented to a panel of experts who were asked to identify opportunities for improvement. Then, a checklist was designed containing the questions generated by the items that summarize the essential points that need to be considered for the successful outcome of a SEMQUA.
MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
Eighteen items were identified, from which 19 questions, grouped into four blocks, were generated to constitute the final checklist. An explanation for the inclusion of each item was provided and some examples found in the bibliographic search were cited.
LIMITATIONS AND REASONS FOR CAUTION
We consider that not all items are equally applicable to all study designs, and so the hypothetical results are not comparable. For that reason, a score would not be fair to critically appraise a study. This checklist is presented as an instrument for appraising SEMQUAs and therefore remains open to constructive criticism. It will be further developed in the future, in parallel with the continuing evolution of SEMQUAs.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
The final configuration of the SEMQUA is in the form of a checklist, and includes the items generally considered to be essential for the proper development of a SEMQUA. The final checklist produced has various areas of application; for example, it would be useful for designing and constructing a SEMQUA, for reviewing a paper on the question, for educational purposes or as an instrument for appraising the quality of research articles in this field.
STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S)
None.
Edge Vertex Prime Labeling of Union of Graphs Simaringa, M.; Muthukumaran, S.
International journal of engineering and advanced technology,
12/2019, Volume:
9, Issue:
1s6
Journal Article
Open access
A graph is said to be an edge vertex prime labeling if its vertices and edges are labeled with distinct positive numbers not exceeding such that for any edge and are pairwise relatively prime. We ...prove that some class of union of graphs such as is even for and when and one point union of wheel and cycle related graphs are edge vertex prime.
Hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases may lead to an increase in medical costs for patients. We attempted to clarify the relationship between hypertension and long-term medical costs by a ...cohort study utilizing existing data as well as baseline blood pressures and medical costs over a 10-year period. The participants included 4191 Japanese National Health Insurance beneficiaries aged 40-69 years, living in one area, who were not taking anti-hypertensive medication and did not have a history of major cardiovascular disease. They were classified into four categories according to their blood pressure. We evaluated the mean medical costs per month, cumulative hospitalization, and all-cause mortality for each blood pressure category. Hypertension-related medical costs attributable to hypertensive individuals, as compared to normotensive individuals, were estimated. There was a positively graded correlation between blood pressure and personal total medical costs, especially for men. The odds ratio for cumulative hospitalization and hazard ratio for all-cause mortality in severe hypertensive men were also higher than those in normotensive men. However, the hypertension-related medical costs for mild to moderate hypertensives were higher than those for severe hypertensives. The hypertension-related medical costs for all hypertensives accounted for 23.7% of the total medical costs for the Japanese population. In conclusion, high blood pressure was a useful predictor for excess medical costs; moreover, concomitant hypertension, regardless of the grade, increased the medical costs of Japanese National Health Insurance beneficiaries.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
We have developed PLEMO to assist hemiplegic stroke patients in upper-limb rehabilitation using a passive haptic device with electrorheological (ER) fluid brakes. The PLEMO has no moving parts, ...ensuring safe rehabilitation assistance in the clinical setting. The previously reported version of the PLEMO can determine the operating force and the displacement of the grip by using conventional sensor devices; however, it was not enough to provide information evaluating stroke patient motor function. To cover such shortcomings of the conventional systems, we developed a new grip and motor-functional evaluation software that detects synergy, a symptomatic feature in stroke patients. In clinical evaluation of 14 stroke patients - two Brunnstrom Recovery Stage III, three Stage IV, and nine Stage V - we studied the correlation between PLEMO evaluation and rehabilitation evaluation, and found a strong correlation between them, e.g., changes in wrist movement range and table-reaction force provided useful information on stroke severity.
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