Local Standards Research Articles

WATER QUALITY PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDITION OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY: A STUDY ON THE KUSHIARA RIVER

In Bangladesh around 7.5% of the fish is harvested from the rivers, being one of the main sources of fish in the country. The water quality of the river must be within standard values to maintain aquatic biodiversity. In this study, water quality, available spaces for fish, and socio-economic status of fishermen were analyzed to find their relationships in Kushiara River, Fenchuganj, Sylhet. Samples of water quality and fish species were collected from August 2017 to September 2021. At the same time, fishermen were surveyed to find out their economic status. The water quality analysis showed all the parameters analyzed (pH, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total Dissolved Solid (TDS)) are within the range of international and Bangladesh standards for surface water. The pH, DO, BOD, COD, TDS was respectively 7.1 - 7.99, 5.5 mg/l to 8.4 mg/l, 1 to 4.6 mg/l, 17 to 32 mg/l, 30 to 70 mg/l. Where the local standard is 6.5 - 8.5, more than 5 mg/l, less than 6 mg/l, 17 to 32 mg/l for pH, DO and BOD. The international standard is less than 34.2 mg/l. and 30 to 70 mg/l for COD and TDS in that order. A total of 40 species of fish are recorded in 2017 and 49 in 2021. The average income of a fisherman was 3 USD to 15 USD in the off pick season (December- February), and 7 USD to 30 USD in the peak season (September-November). The fish merchant's daily income was 4 USD to 20 USD in the off-peak season and 7 USD to 30 USD in the peak season. It is concluded that the water quality was adequate for fish diversity and to sustain the socioeconomic condition of the fishermen and fish traders in the Kushiara River.

Comparative Study on Domestic and International Criteria of Evacuation Route Designs for Improved Evacuation Safety in a Logistics Facility

This study aims to critically analyze the classification system used in domestic logistics facilities and assess local and international standards for designing evacuation routes. The goal is to identify safety issues in the evacuation processes of logistics facilities and suggest improvements for future logistics facility planning. This involved reviewing classification systems and evacuation route design standards for domestic and international logistics facilities, as well as analyzing building standards in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The results indicated the necessity for a differentiated assessment based on the risk levels, which were determined by the travel distance limit standard for evacuation routes and the separation distance to the direct exit. Furthermore, a review of enhancements was deemed essential due to the absence of standards for measuring walking distances and providing announcements about the final evacuation exit point. Specifically, in the context of mid-rise building design, there is a recognized need to refine standards such as in area restrictions and domestic guidelines, where sufficient supporting evidence is currently lacking.

Value relevance of IFRS adoption in the deposit money banks in Nigeria

The prime role of financial statements is to provide information that is useful to existing and potential investors, creditors and other users in making rational investment and similar decisions. Accounting information is a product of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), standards and other institutional settings which are presumed to shape the form and content of the financial reports. Uniform accounting standards assist investors and other market participants to effectively analyze firms from countries with accounting standards that they are familiar with and that IFRSs are adopted in order to achieve information of higher quality than local standards. Value relevance is one of the most common methods of examining the quality of accounting information. Information has the quality of relevance when it influences the economic decisions of users. This study examined value relevance of accounting information after the mandatory IFRSs adoption in the Nigerian Banking industry. Correlational research design using pre-and-post IFRSs regime analysis in a sample of 15 banks for a period of 8 years (2008-2015) was employed. Panel regression technique of data analysis was used and the study found that the adoption of IFRS has significantly improved the value relevance (decision usefulness) of accounting information of deposit money banks in Nigeria during the period covered by the study. However, the results show that the adoption of IFRS improves the value relevance of book values of equity and accounting earnings significantly. We recommend that accounting regulators should investigate the implementation credibility of IFRS in the Nigerian banks.

Assessment of Groundwater Quality around Amaenyi and State Secretariat Dumpsites in Awka, Southeastern Nigeria

The effects of two dumpsites located at Amaenyi and State Secretariat Awka on groundwater resources was investigated using hydrochemical parameters. A total of eighteen (18) groundwater samples were collected from areas in the vicinity of the dumpsites and analysed for various hydrochemical and biological parameters using standard methods. The results of the analysis were subjected to interpretations using various methods such as spatial distribution maps, water quality indices (WQI, HPI, Cd and MEI), comparing with international and local standards and statistical analysis. The results indicate that parameters such as Ec, TDS, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Cl-, NO3- and SO42- were in compliance with the acceptable limits of World Health Organization and Nigerian Drinking Water Standard. However, HCO3-, total hardness, COD, BOD, DO1, DO5, Pb, Fe, Cd and Hg exceeded the permissible guidelines in some samples. WQI rated 20% of the samples in Amaenyi as excellent, 30% (good), 10% (poor), 20% (very poor) and the remaining 20% is unfit for consumption while in State Secretariat area, 37.5% was very poor and the remaining 62.5% was unfit for consumption. HPI rated groundwater as highly contaminated while Cd classified most of the water samples to indicate low contamination except for sample A1 which was highly contaminated. Also, MEI indicated that groundwater has low heavy metal pollution. The correlation analysis indicates strong positive relationship between BOD, COD, DO1, DO5, total hardness, bicarbonate, calcium and sulphate, lead, magnesium and chloride. It was concluded that groundwater in the study area is mostly contaminated and the contaminants is attributed to be from the waste dumpsites and other anthropogenic activities.

Obtaining morphometric standards of drone wings of separate populations of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Ukraine

Today, there are no systematic studies on the wing phenotypes of drone populations of the honeybee widespread in Ukraine. Considering that drone genomes are haploid, this allows one to establish the correspondence between the phenotype and the drone genome, thereby roughly determining the queen's genome in the part responsible for the wing phenotype. This partially compensates for the lack of resources among domestic scientists to conduct genetic research on bees. The aim of the study was to examine the wings of drones from several apiaries in the Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, and Zhytomyr regions, identify typical phenotypes, and attempt their taxonomic identification. Using discriminant analysis, 4640 drone wings were classified into three clusters. A two-step scheme for forming significantly different phenotype clusters of wings was proposed. Initially, based on the similarity of Euclidean distances and Mahalanobis distances (<2.6) between clusters, three groups were obtained, which, for refinement, underwent a second classification. As a result, average values and confidence intervals of eight morphometric traits were established: Ci, Dbi, Disc.sh, Pci, Ri, Ci.3, Ci.2.1, Ci.2.2 for the three wing groups. It is suggested to accept the trait values of these groups as reference data: one as a local population of the A. m. carnica subspecies, and the other two as regional standards for Ukrainian bees. Based on the obtained standards, a significant presence of A. m. carnica subspecies bees was established in all studied apiaries, except for the apiary with the status of a breeding ground for Ukrainian steppe bees (Kuzemin village, Sumy region), where such presence is minimal. This fact indicates the need for special measures to reproduce and expand the ranges of existence of local populations of Ukrainian steppe bees. The example of creating local and regional morphometric standards provided in this work is specifically designed to address this issue.

Improving the interoperability of drugs terminologies: Infusing local standardization with an international perspective

Objectives:The objective of this study is to describe how OCRx (Canadian Drug Ontology) has been built to address the dual need for local drug information integration in Canada and alignment with international standards requirements. Methods:This paper delves into (i) the implementation efforts to meet the Identification of Medicinal Product (IDMP) requirements in OCRx, alongside the ontology update strategy, (ii) the structure of the ontology itself, (iii) the alignment approach with several reference Knowledge Organization Systems, including SNOMED CT, RxNorm, and the list of “Code Identifiant de Spécialité” (CIS-Code), and (iv) the look-up services developed to facilitate its access and utilization. Results:Each OCRx release contains two distinct versions: the full and the up-to-date version. The full version encompasses all drugs with a DIN code sanctioned by Health Canada, while the up-to-date version is limited to drugs currently marketed in Canada. In the last release of OCRx, the full version comprises 162,400 classes; meanwhile, the up-to-date version consists of 36,909 classes. In terms of mappings with OCRx, substances in RxNorm and SNOMED CT fall below 40%, registering at 37% and 22% respectively. Meanwhile, mappings for CIS-Code achieve coverage of 61%. The strength mappings are notably low for RxNorm at 40% and for CIS-code at 28%. This affects the mapping of clinical drugs, which are predominantly alignable through post-coordinated expressions: 56% for RxNorm, 80% for SNOMED CT, and 35% for CIS-Code. The main support service of OCRx is a look-up service known as PaperRx that displays OCRx’s entities based on description logic queries (DL-queries) performed through the classified structure of OCRx. The look-up services also contain a SPARQL endpoint, an OCRx OWL file downloader, and a RESTful API. Discussion:The OCRx ontology demonstrates a significant effort towards integrating Canadian drug information with international standards. However, there are areas for improvement. In the future, our focus will be on refining the structure of OCRx for better classification capability and improvement of dosage conversion. Additionally, we aim to harness OCRx in constructing an ontology-based annotator, setting our sights on its deployment in real-world data integration scenarios.

THE INFLUENCE OF TEACHING COMPETENCIES ON TEACHERS’ PERFORMANCE AND STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN PRIMARY SCIENCE EDUCATION

The teaching competencies of science teachers significantly influence students' science academic achievement. It shapes the students' understanding of complex science concepts and their ability to excel in scientific exploration, ultimately nurturing their scientific literacy. This study assessed the teaching competencies influencing the teaching performance of 58 primary science teachers relative to the academic achievement of their students in science at the Tinoc District, Tinoc, Ifugao, Philippines. The significant differences by teacher demographics were also determined. This is relevant to the district's observed low scientific literacy and achievement of students in science education as assessed in recent years. Using a quantitative approach, the study employed a modified questionnaire that was validated and pilot-tested. Results disclosed that the science teachers strongly agreed that professionalism is the most common teaching competence influencing their performance, indicating their adherence to local and national standards and code of conduct. They also strongly agreed with teaching effectiveness, personal skills, educational planning, and management skills. Generally, there were no significant differences among the teaching competencies regardless of the teachers' gender, age, highest educational attainment, and years in service. Meanwhile, the students’ science academic achievement was determined to be lower average, suggesting low scientific literacy. Correspondingly, the teaching competencies and students' academic achievement were not correlated. Nonetheless, the teacher's capacity to impact the learners' scientific exploration and achievement remains intact. Further studies are recommended to be undertaken. Keywords: primary science education, primary science teachers, students’ science academic achievement, teaching competency, teacher performance

Chemical Analysis of Kitchen Waste for Developing Formulae for Compost Fertilizer

The rapid growth of the global population and changes in food consumption patterns have resulted in issues relating to food insecurity. Improved strategic solutions are needed to allow easy access to food and also to manage large volumes of waste efficiently. From this research, a microeconomic- level solution to manage the aforementioned issues is addressed. Common kitchen waste such as peels and discarded parts of fruits and vegetables can be combined to produce compost fertilizer. Producing compost fertilizer in this manner can be considered a microeconomic-level waste management strategy. Compost fertilizer produced using kitchen waste can subsequently be used in home gardening. Many vegetables and fruits can easily be cultivated in small, confined spaces such as in home gardens. This study analyzed chemical parameters such as total carbon and other total nutrient levels (N, P, Ca, Mg and K) in ten kitchen waste and two supplementary samples using standard methods. The kitchen waste samples consisted of peels and discarded parts of fruits and vegetables. The two supplementary samples- Tithonia diversifolia (Wild sunflower), and Gliricidia sepium were chosen because they are nutrient-rich organic fertilizers. The analysis results were then fed to a computer program developed for this study. It was based on the simulated annealing algorithm. The program generated different formulae for producing 100 g mixtures of raw materials for composting, by mixing the 10 kitchen waste and 2 supplementary samples in 24 different combinations. The nutrient levels of these mixtures were expected to match or exceed a calculated ―target nutrient level‖. It was calculated based on local compost fertilizer standards and the chemical analysis results. The target nutrient level calculated as the minimum required level by dry mass of each material was 25.00% Carbon, 1.25% Nitrogen, 0.63% Phosphorus, 1.25% Potassium, 0.88% Calcium, and 0.63% Magnesium. The program was able to generate mixtures of raw materials in which most of the levels matched or exceeded the target level. However, the phosphorus levels of all formulae fell below the target phosphorus level and in some mixtures, the magnesium level also was less than the targeted level. The actual nutrient level of one of the 100 g mixtures (combination C3) containing 0.19 g banana stem, 0.21 g discarded tea grounds, 0.41 g discarded scraped coconut, 0.57 g banana peel, and 97.34 g Gliricidia leaves was (% by dry mass), 85.68% Carbon, 2.20% Nitrogen, 0.25% Phosphorus, 1.32% Potassium, 2.24% Calcium and 0.71% Magnesium. This promising method can further be developed by adding more nutrient-rich raw materials to the program. The program could be a useful tool for compost fertilizer manufacturing, especially for small-scale horticultural purposes. 
 Keywords: Compost, Waste management, Nutrient analysis, Kitchen waste

A Quality Review of EIA: A Comparative Study of State-Funded and International Aid Agency-funded Development Projects in Sri Lanka

A development project's environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a tool for mitigating the effects on the environment and promoting sustainable development. EIA is an expensive and professionally engaged process that involves the public. Many countries around the world have long-standing laws in place connected to this topic, as well as solid knowledge and experience. One persistent argument against the efficacy of EIA in developing nations is that the procedure and quality differ from country to country. The International Aid Agencies (IAA) have their guidelines for protecting the environment while following local environmental assessment standards for any financing requirements. IAA involvement in the EIA process might significantly affect how well- written EIA reports are. To evaluate the assessment quality, six EIA reports from state-financed development projects (SL-EIAs) and another six development projects EIAs funded by the IAA (IAA-EIAs) in Sri Lanka were randomly chosen. LeeCooley review package (1990) was used to evaluate the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) of each EIA. In this investigation, it was discovered that IAA-EIAs and SL-EIAs had a significant difference in overall quality. IAA-EIAs show values that range from highly satisfactory to satisfactory and each share 50 percent, whereas SL-EIAs indicate 83 percent satisfactory and 17 percent of borderline quality. In comparison to the SL-EIAs, all four review areas of the IAA-EIAs performed notably well. While the SL-EIA shows good to borderline quality (0.66-0.72), all evaluated IAA-EIA reports reveal highly satisfactory to satisfactory (0.81-0.93) quality. The engagement of IAA in the environmental assessment has a considerable impact to improve assessment quality in comparison to the only domestic assessment. Finding the weak area in the SL-EIA process and adhering to the IAA standards would elevate the standard of the report.
 Keywords: EIA quality, Review, International Aid Agency, Development projects

Technology for Purifying Emissions Into the Atmosphere From a Sulfur Production Plant

At this article presents the current local environmental standards for emissions of the sulfur production plant at the TANECO PJSC enterprise. The existing methods of neutralization and disposal of waste and emissions are analyzed. Other options for neutralization and disposal of waste and emissions are given as possible methods according to information and technical reference books on the best available oil refining technologies.

Bacterial community assessment of drinking water and downstream distribution systems in highland localities of Ecuador.

Bacterial communities in drinking water provide a gauge to measure quality and confer insights into public health. In contrast to urban systems, water treatment in rural areas is not adequately monitored and could become a health risk. We performed 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to analyze the microbiome present in the water treatment plants at two rural communities, one city, and the downstream water for human consumption in schools and reservoirs in the Andean highlands of Ecuador. We tested the effect of water treatment on the diversity and composition of bacterial communities. A set of physicochemical variables in the sampled water was evaluated and correlated with the structure of the observed bacterial communities. Predominant bacteria in the analyzed communities belonged to Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The Sphingobium genus, a chlorine resistance group, was particularly abundant. Of health concern in drinking water reservoirs were Fusobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae; these families are associated with human and poultry fecal contamination. We propose the latter families as relevant biomarkers for establishing local standards for the monitoring of potable water systems in highlands of Ecuador. Our assessment of bacterial community composition in water systems in the Ecuadorian highlands provides a technical background to inform management decisions.

Evaluation of medical equipment maintenance and skilled manpower requirement among private dental centres in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A pilot study.

Adequate equipment maintenance is necessary to ensure efficient dental care facilities and satisfactory medical equipment performance. This study aimed to assess maintenance practices and manpower adequacy in private dental centres (DCs) across Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was designed to evaluate equipment maintenance and manpower strength based on international and national standards. Thirty-three private DCs were visited in-person with the designed questionnaire to conduct the study. The Chi-square test and t-test were performed. Only 21 dental centres had a scheduled maintenance plan for medical equipment, whereas the rest had no plan. Furthermore, only 22 DCs maintained equipment maintenance records, while 11 DCs did not have any records. Additionally, the study found a lack of trained personnel to handle medical equipment and overall inadequate maintenance practices. Significant differences were observed between the responses for many questions (p< 0.05). These findings increase health risks to both the patient and the user. To address these issues, DC administrators should implement stricter measures to adhere to local DCs standards and hire qualified personnel who can periodically maintain and repair medical equipment.

Abstract TP47: When Folks Stroke at a Freestand: Building Successful Stroke Workflows for Freestanding Emergency Departments

Background: Services offered at freestanding emergency departments (FSED) vary and often have inconsistent clinical education and workflow standardization. Delivery of clinical education and implementation of hospital-based emergency department (ED) workflows to FSEDs contributes to a successful system of care. All sites in a mostly rural region are held to PSC standards with 24/7 ED physician coverage from a local, contracted group. All sites have 24/7 neurology provider coverage from an internal Neurohospitalist group that responds to stroke alerts in person or via telestroke. Nursing, radiology, and pharmacy leadership across the region participate in regional stroke and quality committees. Methods: Clinical education for FSED staff aligns with hospital-based EDs but includes competencies related to lack of ancillary services at the FSEDs. NIHSS certification is required and renewed every two years. Quarterly stroke education posters team are at all sites and new hire training is standardized. Availability of thrombolytics is maintained by pharmacy even though they are not on site at FSEDs. Volume and accuracy of 2022 stroke alert activations were reviewed as were door to CT first slice times, total thrombolytic cases, and median D2N times. FSED data was compared to local hospital-based ED outcomes and national stroke standards. Results: There were 27 total FSED stroke alert activations in 2022; 13 had a final coded stroke diagnosis. This 48% accuracy rate is above the range of 35-40% across the region’s hospital-based EDs and meets national standards for alert accuracy. Median door to CT time was 20 minutes and is among the best for the region though slightly longer than national standards. There were 5 FSED thrombolytic cases with a median D2N time of 55 minutes—below the 60-minute national recommendation for treatment time. Conclusion: Providing clinical education and standardizing workflows in the FSEDs resulted in stroke metrics aligning with (or exceeding) regional and national standards. leading to a positive impact patient care when stroke patients present for emergent evaluation and treatment at a FSED.

Treatment options and outcome of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma with brain or bone metastases: Real world evidence from a German retrospective multi-center analysis.

387 Background: Brain (BM) and bone metastases (BOM) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are associated with poor outcome. We evaluated real-world treatment paradigms of RCC patients with BM and BOM. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed RCC patients with BM and/or BOM treated at 18 German tertiary cancer centres from 2003 to 2023. Adverse events (AE) were reported according to CTCAE 5.0, objective response rate (ORR) according to local standard. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from start of treatment to progression or death, respectively and determined by KM plots. Results: We included 453 patients with a median age of 64 years (IQR 56-71). 93% of all patients had BOM, 15% BM and 8% both. Most patients (79%) had clear cell RCC, 7% of all patients had sarcomatoid differentiation. 82% of patients had an ECOG PS of 0/1. IMDC risk was favorable/intermediate/poor in 20/56/24%. 64% received prior nephrectomy. Patients with BOM received first-line IO-combinations in 61% (IO-IO: 38%, TKI-IO: 62%), TKI-monotherapy in 39%, while patients with BM received IO-combinations in 68% (IO-IO: 37%, TKI-IO: 63%) and TKI in 32%. IO-based first-line therapy increased from 2003 to 2023. AE of all grades occurred in 87% and 69% during IO-based therapy or TKI monotherapy, and CTCAE grade ≥ 3 in 42% or 25%. Best ORR and survival outcomes with median follow-up of 23 months (IQR 9-42) are described in table 1. 56% and 58% of all patients with BOM and BM received second-line treatment, with Cabozantinib (34%; 34%) and Nivolumab (17%, 23%) being the most common treatment options. In the subgroup of RCC with sarcomatoid features (n=36), 34 patients had BOM and 7 had BM, of which were treated with IO-combinations in 88% (BOM; IO-IO: 41%, TKI-IO: 59%) or 66% (BM; IO-IO: 50%, TKI-IO: 50%) and TKI-monotherapy in 12% (BOM) or 34% (BM) of all patients. Response rates (ORR/SD/PD) were 48%/28%/24% for IO-based therapy and 0%/50%/50% for TKI-monotherapy in RCC with sarcomatoid features, mOS was 41 months (95% CI 16.7-65.3). Conclusions: RCC patients with BOM and BM are increasingly treated with IO-combinations but lead to higher rates of AE grade ≥ 3. In patients with BOM, IO-TKI revealed higher ORR compared to IO-IO combination, but not in patients with BM. However, the small sample size and retrospective design are major limitations of our analysis. Prospective studies evaluating treatment options for BOM and BM in patients with RCC is critical. [Table: see text]

Assessing global good agricultural practices standard adoption: insights from fruit and vegetable farmers in Pakistan.

This study examines the challenges Pakistani farmers face in adopting global good agricultural practices (GGAP) and highlights the limitations in infrastructure and cost-based clauses. A questionnaire based on GGAP's fruit and vegetable module version 5.0 was developed and validated by the Department of Environmental Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad. This was a survey-based study of 15 farmers divided into 5 groups according to their annual farm turnover. The findings of the study indicated that, although the basic paperwork requirements of GGAP were implementable, clauses related to capital investment and technical record-keeping were not. Results showed that 90-100% of farmers considered risk assessments, training, and documentation on their farms. However, 42-56% of clauses related to record-keeping, installation, visual presentation, and infrastructure development, and 24-37% of clauses related to external testing, health, safety, and hygiene were declared not implementable. The study revealed a need for adapting GGAP standards to Pakistan's unique agricultural conditions, suggesting the development of localized standards for more practical implementation. The study's findings highlight crucial insights for policymakers and stakeholders in the agriculture sector and suggest the need for target strategies to overcome implementation barriers and optimize the adaptation of Global GAP in Pakistan that would help to increase exports of agricultural commodities.

The effect of voluntary international financial reporting standards adoption on information asymmetry in the stock market: Evidence from Japan

This study investigates how voluntary International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) adoption impacts information asymmetry in the stock market. We analyze data from firms in Japan, where local accounting standards have substantially converged with IFRS but are more rules-based than principles-based IFRS. These different implementation approaches allow us to investigate how increased accounting flexibility influences recognition and measurement practices, attenuating the effects of accounting standard differences on the level of accounting rule existence or non-existence. We find that information asymmetry increases after voluntary IFRS adoption, which is driven by small- and medium-sized IFRS adopters’ decrease in earnings quality after voluntary IFRS adoption. Additional analyses reveal that firms’ reporting incentives and accounting resources influence these changes. These results suggest that IFRS’s increased accounting flexibility in recognition and measurement practices worsens the information environments of firms with weak incentives to commit to transparent financial reporting or fewer accounting resources (i.e., small- and medium-sized firms).

3D modelling of the hydraulic performance of open-graded asphalt using the DEM and CFD methods

In this study, we propose a modelling approach that combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the discrete element method (DEM) to simulate the hydraulic performance of three-dimensional (3D) porous asphalt (PA) specimens. Initially, realistic aggregate appearances are captured through the image analysis technique. This information is then transferred to DEM software for the reconstruction of pore structure with distinct aggregate shapes following the real particle size distribution (PSD) as identified by local construction standards. The pore structure, reproduced via DEM, is used as input for CFD simulation to assess the hydraulic performance. To capture the dynamic of water motion simulation, the multiphase model, volume of fluid method (VOF), within CFD is applied to track and predict the interactions between different material phases, and the effect of porous structure to the hydraulic behaviour and performance. Results of numerical simulations indicate that PA samples with higher total porosity (air voids) have better pore connectivity and more effective porosity. For samples with the total porosity of 20%, the difference between the total porosity and the effective porosity was 14.8%; while a much lower difference of 8.3% was found for the higher porosity (25%) specimen. Compared with effective porosity, the reduction in active porosity reaches 58.8% in deeper layers for the sample at 20% total porosity, and only 32.2% for the sample at 25% total porosity. Overall, the results show that there is about a 4.57 times difference in hydraulic performance represented by mass flow rate among PA samples with 5% total porosity difference.

SKYSCRAPER-08: A phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of first-line (1L) tiragolumab (tira) + atezolizumab (atezo) and chemotherapy (CT) in patients (pts) with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

245 Background: Inhibition of TIGIT, a novel checkpoint inhibitor, may further amplify immune responses by complementing the PD-L1/PD-1 pathway. Anti-tumor activity has been demonstrated with cancer immunotherapy in ESCC. SKYSCRAPER-08 (NCT04540211) is evaluating the efficacy and safety of tira (anti-TIGIT) + atezo (anti-PD-L1) in combination with CT compared with placebo + CT as 1L treatment (tx) in an Asian population with unresectable locally advanced (LA), unresectable recurrent, or metastatic (R/M) ESCC. Methods: Eligible pts (confirmed LA or R/M ESCC; ECOG PS 0–1; no prior systemic tx) were randomized 1:1 to receive tira 600mg + atezo 1200mg + CT (paclitaxel 175mg/m2 + cisplatin 60–80mg/m2, local standard of care) or placebo + CT on Day 1 of each 21-day cycle (cycles 1–6); followed by tira + atezo or placebo maintenance until loss of clinical benefit/unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoints: independent review facility (IRF)-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints: investigator (INV)-assessed PFS, objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DoR), and safety. Results: Overall, 461 pts were randomized (tira + atezo + CT, n= 229; placebo + CT, n=232). Pt characteristics were generally balanced between arms. As of 15 June 2022 (minimum survival follow-up 6.5 months [mo]; PFS primary analysis), median IRF-assessed PFS was 6.2 mo for tira + atezo + CT vs 5.4 mo for placebo + CT (HR 0.56; 95% CI: 0.45, 0.70; P&lt;0.0001). As of 13 Feb 2023 (minimum survival follow-up 14.5 mo; OS final analysis), median OS was 15.7 mo for tira + atezo + CT vs 11.1 mo for placebo + CT (HR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.55, 0.88; P= 0.0024). INV-assessed PFS, IRF-assessed ORR and DoR are presented in Table. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 98.2% of pts (both arms); Grade 3/4 TRAEs in 59.6% (tira + atezo + CT) and 56.4% (placebo + CT) of pts; Grade 5 TRAEs in 2.6% (tira + atezo + CT) and 0.9% (placebo + CT) of pts. Conclusions: The study met both primary endpoints of IRF-assessed PFS and OS, demonstrating statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in PFS and OS for tira + atezo + CT over placebo + CT. Generally consistent benefit was observed across subgroups, including PD-L1 status. The safety profile was consistent with the known risks of the individual tx. Clinical trial information: NCT04540211 . [Table: see text]

Traceable frequency measurements with counters

Received signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are nowadays widely used by industry laboratories for ensuring metrological traceability for their respective range of calibration services in the field of time and frequency. Usually, a local frequency standard is steered by continuous GNSS signal reception providing at its output stable and accurate reference signals for the laboratory measurement equipment, in general for synthesizers and counters. Reception of GNSS signals is surely an adequate and practical tool for the purpose, however further steps are needed to establish traceability in a strict metrological sense. Based on already available guidelines and publications, this paper is a contribution to the discussion how metrological traceability to internationally accepted standards can be established in a calibration laboratory. We restrict the discussion to equipment in common use which may not necessarily be of the highest sophistication. In this spirit, we develop a detailed scheme for an uncertainty budget comprising all links of the traceability chain from the device under test to the SI second, the scale-unit of Coordinated Universal Time. Then we go through and apply this scheme step by step to a demonstration setup for frequency measurements with a counter with varying operational parameters. In this framework, a novel approach to distinguish between components of statistical measurement uncertainty is introduced. Furthermore, the limiting uncertainty contributions are discussed and based on a suitable set of parameters an expression for the best measurement capability is given. With this scheme at hand a user may develop an uncertainty budget adapted to his own setup, especially if acceptance from a national accreditation body is sought.

The Determinant Factors for the Adoption of IFRS in Africa

Many countries worldwide have converted local accounting standards to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Although most countries embraced the IFRS, only a few African countries adopted global accounting standards in their current form. This paper extends the literature by investigating potential factors influencing the adoption of IFRS on the African continent and contributes significantly to the current knowledge in the field. The study employs a panel data logistic regression using the random‑effects statistical estimation technique to compare African countries that adopted the IFRS to non‑adopting countries from 2005 to 2019. The findings suggest that culture, external pressure, investor protection, market capitalisation, and trade openness are the predicted springboards determining African countries’ decisions to adopt the IFRS. These findings provide valuable insight for standard‑setters, enabling them to effectively promote the IFRS among African countries that have not adopted the IFRS in their current form.