Maintenance Criteria Research Articles

Development of a Nuclear Safety and Security Integration Assessment Tool for Research Reactors and Associated Facilities.

Nuclear safety and security are essential elements of radiation protection. Integration of nuclear safety and security provides a means to identify conflict and synergy points. Research has not been performed to enable integrated practices at the facility level. A tool was developed through research to help staff and regulators assess the level of integration practiced within a research reactor. This tool aims to improve the identification of synergistic and conflict points. Eight criteria of nuclear safety and security integration were used to create the integration assessment tool: access control, transportation, emergency response, proper disposal of materials, testing and maintenance, defense in depth, training and education, and culture. The tool's final score can range from 0.0375 to 1, with a score of 1 indicating complete integration. The tool was used by research reactor staff to assess practiced integrative techniques. The testing and maintenance criterion scored the highest level of integration (0.84). Training and education and culture scored the lowest levels of integration (0.50). The areas with the highest scores identified points of actively practiced integration. In contrast, those areas with lower scores indicated a lack of integrative practices. The total integration score was 0.69. This tool determined that the facility practiced an adequate level of integration. By analyzing integration levels with this tool, a measurable standard of integrative practices can be employed to achieve improved radiation protection.

Permafrost Distribution in the Southern Carpathians, Romania, Derived From Machine Learning Modeling

ABSTRACTComputer modeling of sporadic and isolated patches of mountain permafrost distribution is difficult to implement without overestimating it. The main challenge is to determine the very areas where the criteria for permafrost maintenance are met. This paper aims to modeling the permafrost distribution in the Southern Carpathians (SC), a typical marginal periglacial mountain range. For this purpose, a collection of 883 bottom temperature of late winter snow cover (BTS) points was used as a proxy for permafrost presence or absence in order to train several machine learning models. The performances of each model were evaluated with AUC with varying between 0.99 for Maxent and 0.74 for K‐nearest neighbors and most models (five) exhibiting values between 0.82 and 0.86. Other tests such as confusion matrices, sensitivity analyses, data shuffling, and data size reduction tests indicated that Maxent, AdaBoost, and support vector machine offered the best results while logistic regression, neural network, and gradient boosting exhibited rather poor permafrost distributions. The final ensemble median model indicated a total permafrost area of 19.2 km2 occupying 1%–9% of the alpine area of the studied massifs. NDVI proved crucial for permafrost prediction because it allows delimiting the debris surfaces where permafrost is probable.

Immediate vs Gradual Brace Weaning Protocols in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Lack of evidence and consensus for brace weaning protocol in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) results in clinicians prescribing gradual weaning in the hope of avoiding curve deterioration after weaning. However, gradual weaning contributes to prolonged brace wear, which can affect spinal stiffness and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). To determine whether gradual weaning results in better curve magnitude and truncal balance maintenance after brace weaning vs immediate brace removal for patients with AIS. This was an open-labeled randomized clinical trial commenced in April 2017 with 24-month follow-up completed in January 2023. Outcome assessors were masked to weaning protocol assigned. The study took place at a territory-wide tertiary scoliosis clinic serving the largest number of referrals in the local population. Patients with AIS ready to wean off of brace wear were eligible (402 were screened; 33 were excluded [15 for <18 hours/day of brace-wear compliance before weaning, 11 were treated with Milwaukee brace, and 7 declined to participate]; and 369 were included), and those who were treated with a custom molded thoracolumbosacral orthosis and had reached skeletal maturity were consecutively recruited. Patients were randomized to gradual weaning protocol (n = 176) with an additional 6 months of nighttime wear before completely stopping or immediate weaning protocol (n = 193) with immediate brace removal at recruitment. Changes in major curve Cobb angle and truncal balance from the time of weaning to 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month follow-up. HRQoL was also assessed using the refined Scoliosis Research Society 22-item and EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaires. A total of 369 patients (mean [SD] age, 14.9 [1.1] years; 304 [83.4%] girls) were randomized with 284 (77.0%) completing 24-month longitudinal follow-up. Immediate and gradual weaning groups had no significant differences in change of major Cobb angle at postweaning 6-month (difference, -0.6°; 95% CI, -1.4 to 0.2; P = .17), 12-month (difference, -0.3°; 95% CI, -1.2 to 0.6; P = .47), and 24-month (difference, -0.3°; 95% CI, -1.2 to 0.7; P = .60) follow-up. The number of curve progression, nonprogression, and rebound cases were comparable (χ22 = 2.123; P = .35). Postweaning changes in truncal balance and HRQoL demonstrated no significant differences between groups. Gradual weaning did not demonstrate superiority to immediate weaning with predefined criteria of Cobb angle and truncal balance maintenance and HRQoL after brace weaning. Gradual and immediate weaning achieved very similar maintenance of brace outcomes in AIS. We therefore recommend the consideration of immediate brace weaning, which aims to benefit patients with earlier time for increased exercises and activity level. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03329716.

IVPF-AHP integrated VIKOR methodology in supplier selection of three-dimensional (3D) printers

Complex geometries, fine details, and various designs that are difficult to create using traditional methods can easily be turned into a tangible object with Three-Dimensional (3D) printers. 3D printers have advantages such as providing design flexibility, obtaining prototypes in the shortest possible time, allowing for personalization, and reducing waste through the use of advanced technology. These advantages emphasize the significance of 3D printers in a sustainable production model. The widespread usage of 3D printers leads to increased efficiency and cost reduction in production. When the literature is examined, it is observed that there are limited studies on the evaluation of supplier performances for company using 3D printers. The aim of this study is to address 3D printers, which are highly significant for sustainable production, and to reveal the criteria that companies utilizing these printers need to consider for determining their suppliers. As a result of the literature review and expert interviews, a model has been developed that gathers the criteria to be considered for supplier selection, which is an important cost factor for companies involved in designing and producing 3D printers under five main and 18 sub-criteria. The importance weights of the criteria have been determined using the Interval Valued Pythagorean Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (IVPF-AHP) method, and the most suitable supplier among alternative suppliers has been selected using the Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method. Finally, the supplier scores have been statistically analyzed to show the validation of the results of the proposed method. According to the results, it has been concluded that for company using 3D printers, quality and technical service criteria are more important in the supplier selection. Additionally, cost of the material/equipment, product price and easy maintenance criteria also play a critical role in the supplier selection of 3D printer.

ASSESSING RAINWATER HARVESTING OPTIONS IN TERESA, RIZAL: INCORPORATING USER PREFERENCES WITH MULTI-CRITERIA DECISION ANALYSIS

Water scarcity has emerged as a critical global challenge, necessitating the exploration of alternative water sources. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) presents a promising solution, given its abundance and ease of collection. Despite the Philippines' ample rainfall, RWH remains underutilized, capturing merely 6% of the annual precipitation. To bolster RWH adoption, this study aims to investigate residents' preferences for alternative water systems, with a specific focus on cost-effectiveness and reliability. By addressing these factors, we aim to identify key strategies for promoting and implementing RWH to mitigate water scarcity and foster sustainable water management practices in the Philippines. Preferences of rural residents (n = 185) in Teresa, Rizal on RWH alternative was then evaluated using a multi-criteria decision analysis. The main criteria assessed were reliability, cost, adoption factors, and benefits. The analysis involved assessing and converting the scores into Yield After Spillage (YAS) to establish rainfall reliability. The study employed Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to compare and evaluate various alternatives based on different factors, which were subsequently ranked under different scenarios. The study found that Alternative P10, a 1,000L plastic tank with a 20L first flush, exhibited the highest utility score among the assessed alternatives, with a score of 0.617. Notably, Alternative F30, featuring a 3,000L ferrocement tank with a 200L first flush, closely followed with a utility score of 0.614. The study employed the Jonckheere-Terpstra test and Kendall's tau with a significance level of 0.05 to determine the significance of these criteria concerning increasing income. The criteria of price, maintenance, and durability were identified as statistically significant (p-values: 0.007, 0.031, and 0.005, respectively) as residents' income increased. Consequently, residents with higher incomes placed greater importance on Alternative F50, a 5,000L ferrocement tank, due to its alignment with these influential criteria. Moreover, given the potential impacts of changing rainfall patterns and growing water demands, implementing larger storage tanks, like Alternative F50, is advisable to enhance future water sustainability in Teresa, Rizal.

Investigation of Encountered Problems After Laparoscopic Surgery in Children

Aim: This study was planned to determine the problems and affecting factors that children encounter at hospital and at home after laparoscopic surgery.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in accordance with the descriptive cross-sectional study type in order to determine the post-operative conditions in hospital and home problems and factors affecting the operation of the study. The study was carried out on the patients of pediatric service of whom had laparoscopic surgery. Pre-operative and post-operative descriptive features form, which was developed according to literature by researchers as data collection tool, was collected by using a diagnosis form for problems occurred at home after discharge and for problems occurred in hospital after surgery. &#x0D; Results: It was found in the study that 54.5% of the children were male, 90.9% were gastrointestinal system surgeons and 65.4% were acute appendectomies. It was determined that most of the problems the children lived in hospital and at home was pain.&#x0D; Conclusion: This study will contribute to the planning of nursing interventions that will be useful for the identification, prevention and early identification of the problems that children experience both at home and in the hospital, after the surgery, and to determine the maintenance criteria.

Fatigue strength of synthetic rope: experimental methodology

Crane industries and industrial lifting companies aims to reduce the overall weight of the winch and limit the systematic use of steel wire rope in order to increase their competitiveness. This overall weight reduction can result from the lightering of the rope using synthetic material. Metallic rope fatigue behaviors are well documented and criteria for maintenance are established in the ISO 4309 standard unlike non-metallic ropes fatigue behaviors. Many unknowns remain, as failure modes, fatigue strength, ratting criteria, tribological behavior and friction, etc...In this context, CETIM and its industrial partners have launched, within a working group, a research program to evaluate the fatigue performance of synthetic ropes subjected to periodic bending stress. A specific scale 1:1 test bench which simulates the winding of the rope around the pulleys and drums was developed and Fatigue tests was performed on synthetic ropes. This test bench can be used on several rope geometries and dimensions, material (aramid, HMPE…), and loadings.This paper presents the test bench and discusses the experimental methodology developed to test synthetic ropes in fatigue bending mode.

Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Drugs for Age-Related Macular Degeneration

What Is the Issue?&#x0D; &#x0D; Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a serious health concern that causes reduced vision-related function, poor overall quality of life, and increased health care resource usage.&#x0D; Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs are the first-line treatment for wet AMD, and they are injected into the eye. These drugs can slow disease progression but are expensive and require trained medical professionals to administer and monitor treatment response.&#x0D; The criteria for initial injection, maintenance, and discontinuation of anti-VEGF drugs in patients with wet AMD remain unclear.&#x0D; &#x0D; What Did We Do?&#x0D; &#x0D; To inform decisions about the appropriate use of anti-VEGF drugs to treat adults with wet AMD, CADTH sought to identify and summarize recommendations about criteria for the diagnosis of wet AMD and best practices for subsequent treatment with anti-VEGF drugs.&#x0D; An information specialist searched the peer-reviewed and grey literature for clinical practice guidelines published since 2018.&#x0D; &#x0D; What Did We Find?&#x0D; &#x0D; Three evidence-based guidelines recommend optical coherence tomography (OCT) to assess patients with suspected wet AMD. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines then strongly recommend fundus fluorescein angiography only when OCT does not exclude neovascular disease.&#x0D; The evidence-based guidelines recommend anti-VEGF drugs for wet or neovascular AMD in adults, particularly for patients with recent disease progression. One guideline suggests starting anti-VEGF treatment as soon as possible once the diagnosis of wet AMD is made.&#x0D; The NICE guideline suggests that there may not be any clinically significant distinctions in the effectiveness and safety of various anti-VEGF treatments, including aflibercept, bevacizumab, and ranibizumab, indicating a need for an individualized approach when selecting specific anti-VEGF drugs. However, 1 guideline is inconsistent with NICE, as it suggests choosing bevacizumab first.&#x0D; During the maintenance phase of using anti-VEGF drugs, it is important to closely monitor the patient's response and the disease activity and adjust the injection intervals accordingly.&#x0D; Guidelines recommend taking an individualized approach and emphasizing active patient involvement in switching and discontinuing anti-VEGF drugs for adults with wet AMD.&#x0D; Guidelines or guidance documents without a literature search or unclear methods provided generally consistent recommendations with the included evidence-based guidelines.&#x0D; We did not identify any evidence-based guidelines regarding the use of faricimab or brolucizumab. However, NICE published technology appraisals supporting the use of recently approved anti-VEGF drugs (faricimab and brolucizumab) as alternative options for patients who meet similar criteria for treatment with bevacizumab or aflibercept, and under agreed pricing conditions.&#x0D; &#x0D; What Does It Mean?&#x0D; &#x0D; All identified guidelines consistently recommend anti-VEGF drugs for adults with wet active AMD, with some providing guidance on the use of OCT and other ophthalmological assessments to identify criteria for starting and adjusting treatment.&#x0D; These guidelines recommend personalized and patient-centred approaches for selecting, switching, and discontinuing anti-VEGF medications. Cost is also a crucial factor in decision-making, especially for aflibercept, ranibizumab, and recently approved anti-VEGF drugs such as faricimab and brolucizumab.&#x0D; Further research and evidence-based guidelines are necessary to confirm whether newer drugs can be used in similar situations as older drugs.&#x0D;

A time-domain fatigue damage assessment approach for the tripod structure of offshore wind turbines

Welded features in the tubular joints are one of the most severe sources of fatigue failure in supporting structure for offshore wind turbines (OWTs). Therefore, fatigue resistance becomes a vital design, inspection and maintenance criterion for tripod supporting structures. This paper proposes a time-domain fatigue damage assessment approach for tripod structures by establishing a detailed finite element model for the critical zones and simplified beam model for the remaining regions. The stress influence matrix (SIM) is formed once by utilizing multiple finite element analyses. Based on the equivalent static loads and linear superposition principle, the time-variant stress can be efficiently calculated. By comparing the fatigue damage caused by multiple loads to that caused by a single load in a particular direction, we conclude that the advantage of the proposed method over the conventional stress concentration factors method. Afterwards, we investigate the effects of environmental conditions on the cumulative fatigue damage of critical zones. The fatigue resistances of various structures by altering angles between the main barrel and up brace, and a novel structure inspired by topology optimization, are promptly verified. All results indicate that the present approach can determine the fatigue damage for the tripod structure with precision and efficiency.

The influence of personalized and precision medicine on the nursing profession

Several expectations concerning the effect of molecular biology studies on the Precision-Medicine (PM) have been aroused by the significant investment and growth of this field over the past few decades, particularly after the end of the Human Genome Project. To attain the novel criteria for maintenance, the omics sciences should be involved in the field of nursing, particularly in nursing healthcare. The development of functional genomics study, which collectively comprises the omics sciences includes epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics has been made possible by enhanced methods built on structural genomics understanding. The recent issue is to turn this more comprehensive body of data into therapeutic advantages for patients, such as extra exact diagnoses, treatment, and care which is adapted to the particular requirements of individuals and communities. Integrating omics sciences into educational and professional activities is a significant barrier for nursing, as it prevents nurses from being autonomously, securely, and scientifically empowered to provide tailored care to patients and their families who rely on the PM. The article discusses the impact of PM and the challenges it faces in clinical practice

Comparison of sleep microarchitecture in screen failure subjects with insomnia complaints and randomized subjects from two phase 3 studies on insomnia disorder

IntroductionDaridorexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, was shown to be effective and safe in improving sleep and daytime functioning in subjects with insomnia in two Phase 3 studies. All patients screened had subjective insomnia, but many did not meet the study eligibility criteria.ObjectivesAs the randomized subjects represent only a subsection of the real-world population, we analyzed differences in sleep microarchitecture between included and excluded subjects in both studies.MethodsOut of 7016 screened subjects, 1851 randomized (included) subjects and 602 screen-failure (SF, excluded) subjects that had at least 1 scored eligibility polysomnography available, were included in this analysis. For the remaining SF subjects, no scored polysomnography was available. The randomized subjects met the DSM 5 insomnia disorder criteria and objective and subjective criteria for disrupted sleep. The main reasons for the 602 SF subjects were not meeting at least 1 objective sleep criteria for sleep onset latency, sleep maintenance, or total sleep time, however all excluded subjects had subjective insomnia. Delta (1-3Hz), theta (4-7Hz), alpha (8-12Hz), and beta (13-38Hz), band spectral power of sleep EEGs were estimated using multi-taper spectrograms (2s window/1s overlap). Relative power was computed using the sum of these four band powers within the 2s window as the denominator. The resulting relative and band power ratios were then aggregated to 30s epochs and assessed by sleep stages (N1, N2, N3, REM, Awake). Sleep spindles (amplitude, peak frequency, oscillation count, symmetry index, slow oscillation phase peak, duration, density, and dispersion) were calculated in N2 sleep using an open-source Luna package. Statistical analysis was done using a univariate analysis of spindle and spectral features via linear mixed-effects regression.ResultsAge and sex distribution were similar between groups (Median age: 59vs59 years and 68%vs70% Females for included and excluded subjects, respectively). Included subjects had higher relative alpha power (5.6%; p&lt;0.001) and lower relative delta power (-2.3%; p0.031) in N1 than excluded subjects. The mean relative spectral power did not differ significantly for other relative powers in N1 and for any relative powers in stages N2, N3, REM and AWAKE. Included subjects had lower spindle density (-9.8%; p0.005) than excluded subjects. Other spindle features did not significantly differ between the groups.ConclusionsThis comparison of sleep architecture between included and excluded subjects, showed only minor differences in sleep microarchitecture. This suggests that the sleep microarchitecture of the randomized subjects is similar to a broader insomnia population that has subjective insomnia but that does not meet all eligibility criteria including objective and subjective sleep duration thresholds.Disclosure of InterestT. Di Marco Employee of: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Y. Dauvilliers Consultant of: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, T. Scammell Consultant of: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Neurocrine, Epilog, Roche and Jazz Pharmaceuticals, I. Djonlagic Grant / Research support from: NIH, Consultant of: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, UCSD, A. Datta Consultant of: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Neurocrine, Epilog, Roche and Jazz Pharmaceuticals, G. Zammit Grant / Research support from: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Consultant of: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, D. Seboek Kinter Employee of: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, N. Tjiptarto Grant / Research support from: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, J. Donoghue Grant / Research support from: Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Design of Methodological Platform to Support the Integration of Standardized Quality Management Systems Applicable in the Mining Industry

Although quality management systems are discussed in the professional field, methodological recommendations guiding modification processes related to the integration or conversion of standardized quality management systems are absent in both scientific and professional circles. The presented paper reflects on these facts and offers an instance of the development and application of a new methodology that would help in decision-making processes in companies. Although the authors' methodology is presented in the context of educational institutions, given the aim of ISO 9001 and the need for changes in the sectors related to ensuring increasingly high-quality processes in companies, this methodology can also be applied in the mining industry, the manufacturing sector and service sector. The Slovak Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (SAAHE) issued new quality standards for Slovak universities in 2020 (SAAS 2020). The previous accreditation rules determined requirements and criteria for quality management system (QMS) implementation, maintenance and improvement. Therefore, some Slovak universities implemented ISO 9001 in the past. It is necessary to convert their QMS from ISO 9001 to SAAS 2020. The main objectives of this paper are: to identify selected common requirements of both standards, to define three basic dimensions of QMS conversion, to use vector analysis for quantifying conversion relevance (CR) and conversion strength (CS) and to recommend which requirement should be preserved or converted. Conversion is vector AB, where initial position A = (Ax, Ay, Az) represents ISO 9001 and the new position B = (Bx, By, Bz) represents SAAS 2020.

Quantifying the annoyance caused by flat tops on the wheels of railway vehicles

As part of a research project by the Federal Environment Agency measurements of the pass-by noise of railway vehicles with and without flat spots on the wheels were conducted. The aim of the project was to define an acoustic maintenance criterion for the wheels. To do so listening tests were carried out to quantify the annoyance the noise caused by a flat spot. In order to determine the level adjustment equivalent to the increased annoyance caused by the flat spot, the following method of adjustment was used. The test subjects were each presented a pair of sounds consisting of a vehicle passing with and a vehicle passing without a flat spot. By raising or lowering the level of the signal without a flat spot, the test subjects were able to adjust the two signals individually to "equal annoyance". Furthermore different noise levels and psychoacoustic indices were tested in order to describe the impact of the flat spot on the caused annoyance.

Towards Wayside Wheel Flat Detection and Classification Based on Psychoacoustic Quantities

Somewhat similar to the acoustic problems that were uncovered with the replacement of combustion engines with electric motors in cars, the retrofitting of all DB Cargo freight wagons with low-noise brakes caused other disturbing noise emissions to become more prominent. Among these, the periodic beating sounds originating from flattened wheel treads attract most attention. As there is no sufficiently validated solution for wayside wheel flat detection which meets the requirements of precise detection, focus on acoustic relevance and economic feasibility, the German Federal Environmental Agency has initiated a research project to determine an acoustic maintenance criterion for flat spots. In this contribution, we present the results of psychoacoustic analyses performed on a dataset comprising audio recordings of 200 cargo train passings. Regions with perceptible flat spots are labelled by trained ears. Common acoustic and psychoacoustic quantities are calculated for signal windows of classes "flat spot" and "no flat spot" and statistical analyses are performed to find quantities which qualify best for a separation of both classes. The effects of window size and sample rate are examined. Based on the results of listening tests, an acoustic classification criterion for the annoyance of wheel flats is proposed.

Economic dispatch of thermal and PV powers: Frequency maintenance, smoothing effect based statistic model and peak-cut operation

Smart grid allows the penetration of a high percentage of power from renewable energy sources (RES). The intermittent nature of RES makes accurate prediction of its output power impossible, and the prediction uncertainty is inevitable. This imposes a great challenge to the operation of smart grid. This paper focuses on photovoltaic (PV) generation and proposes a robust stochastic approach for the grid operation. First, we show that the uncertainty can be significantly reduced by the smoothing effect of PVs and build a simplified statistical model for the prediction of the total PV power, together with a bound of prediction uncertainty. After that, a criterion for the frequency maintenance is derived, which relates the allowable bound of frequency deviation to that of the PV power uncertainty. Then, a robust stochastic economic dispatch of the thermal power is formulated based on this criterion. Further, we propose an optimal PV dispatch method based on a peak-cut operation to maximize the PV output while guaranteeing the frequency performance. Finally, the operation performance is analyzed in detail on an annual basis by simulations using actual solar radiation data. It is revealed that the frequency quality is maintained with a 5% increase in fuel cost and an 11% reduction of PV power for a penetration ratio over 30%, compared with the case w/o frequency maintenance.

Decentralised Hybridised Energy Management Systems (DHEMS) in power grids

The integration of electric batteries along the power supply chain is crucial for the transformation of the energy sector towards a new flexible grid that allows the penetration of renewable power generation while ensuring stability and supply security. Batteries penetration in the grid can be boosted through an efficient management of heterogeneous generation sources, controllable loads and batteries, according to different criteria of stability, efficiency, cost, maintenance and power flow requirements. The Distributed Hybrid Energy Management System (DHEMS) is a management software tool able to solve an optimization problem maximizing renewable energy sources exploitation. The DHEMS has been designed with two control layers. First, the Cloud DHEMS layer accepts external setpoints (from a VPP, DSO or TSO) and dispatchs the total active and reactive power to be exchanged with the grid by a set of distributed plants. Second, the Local DHEMSs are in charge of distributing received set points and commands among the local sets that form each power plant. Different real control and communication tests have been done, in La Plana facility (owned by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy).

Correlation of percentage and intensity of CPB attacks on production and loss of products due to various levels of cocoa plantation care

Aceh Tamiang District is currently developing cocoa plantations. The cocoa plantation management problem is the high attack of Plant Pest Species, especially the Cocoa Pod Borer (CPB), which causes cocoa productivity to decline. This study aimed to determine the percentage and intensity of CPB pests attacks on cocoa plantations. This research was carried out in three sub district in Aceh Tamiang District, Aceh Province. The research location was determined purposively. The selected garden samples had four different care levels: not being treated for, being treated for in moderation, being treated conventionally and practicing IPM. The results showed that CPB pests attacked all of the cacao plantation maintenance criteria. In sequence, the percentage and intensity of CPB pest attacks from the highest to the lowest were found in the criteria for farm care that practiced IPM, were treated conventionally, were treated for and not treated. The farms that were not treated had the highest percentage of attacks and CPB attack intensity. The lowest percentages in the criteria of farms that have been treated with IPM practice. The regression analysis of the relationship between the intensity of the attack and the loss of yield due to the CPB attack. The results showed that the levels of incursions by CPB pests was different depending on the classification level of the plantation The findings highlighted the importance of implementing the practice of IPM to reduce instances of CPB incursion.

Evaluation of Popular Recreation Places in Konya in Terms of Safety and Maintenance Criteria: In The Case of Kalehan Ecdat and Japon Parks

Both the negative impact of the covid pandemic that we have experienced in the last 2 years, and the understanding of having green areas with higher standards have come to the fore more today. While the longing for green spaces has increased in individuals who are closed in their homes in the pandemic environment, the necessity of these green spaces to be more well-maintained and safer has emerged, considering the pandemic conditions. The aim of this research is to determine the status of the facilities and the park in general in Kalehan-Ecdat and Japon Parks, two of the most popular urban parks in Konya, and to compare them with each other in terms of maintenance and security. These two popular parks constitute the main material of the research. A total of 256 visitors using the parks were surveyed on a voluntary basis, paying attention to the pandemic hygiene conditions, face-to-face and online using Google surveys. Kalehan-Ecdat and Japon parks were evaluated by the park users in terms of the well-maintained and safety of the facilities they contain and the park in general, in order to determine their current status and to compare them with each other. While 60% of the users found both parks well-maintained, 4% found them unmaintained. When the security conditions of the parks were evaluated, Kalehan-Ecdat park, which has straight access roads and patrols in the park, was found to be 70% safe in terms of circulation, while the Japon park, which had deserted areas in places due to its lively design, was found to be 50% safe.

Preliminary of Maintenance Criteria Analysis tool, “PMCA” to integrate maintenance into the design

The objective of this study is to propose a tool for Preliminary of Maintenance Criteria Analysis. It makes it possible to integrate maintenance into the design of agri-food equipment for small and medium-sized enterprises and micro-enterprises in developing countries. It is a graphic tool which is similar to a "maintenance wall" built by the various actors intervening in the life cycle of the equipment and makes it possible to highlight through the "missing bricks" and the profile of the wall the points related to maintenance to be taken into consideration during the definition phase of the equipment. It is based on the ex-ante analysis of the risks of rejection of the equipment to be designed, taking into account the whole of its future social, cultural, economic and technical environment.

Preliminary of Maintenance Criteria Analysis tool, "PMCA" to integrate maintenance into the design

Preliminary of Maintenance Criteria Analysis tool, "PMCA" to integrate maintenance into the design