Perpetual Problem Research Articles

The Device for Intraventricular Entry guide: a novel solution to a perpetual problem.

The authors designed a low-profile device for reliable ventricular access and prospectively studied its safety, efficacy, and accuracy at a large academic center. A novel device for ventricular entry, the Device for Intraventricular Entry (DIVE) guide, was designed and created by the first and senior authors. Fifty patients undergoing external ventricular drainage (EVD) or shunt placement were prospectively enrolled for DIVE-assisted catheter placement at a single academic center. The primary outcome was the catheter tip location on postprocedural CT. Secondary outcomes included number of catheter passes, clinically significant hemorrhages, and procedure-related infections. Fifty patients were enrolled. Indications included subarachnoid hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, pseudotumor, and postsurgical wound drainage. In total, 76% (38/50) of patients underwent right-sided placement and 24% (12/50) underwent left-sided placement. All 100% (50/50) of patients had successful cannulation with an average of 1.06 passes. Postprocedural head CT confirmed ipsilateral frontal horn or third ventricle placement (Kakarla grade 1) in 92% (46/50) of patients and placement in the contralateral lateral ventricle in 8% (4/50) (Kakarla grade 2). There were no clinically significant track hemorrhages or procedural infections. This single-center prospective study investigated the safety and efficacy of DIVE-assisted ventricular access. In total, 100% of procedures had successful ventricular cannulation, with 92% achieving Kakarla grade 1, with an average of 1.06 passes without any clinical complications.

H2O2 treatment with rGO surface coating for interfacial solar evaporation of river sediment drying

Interfacial solar evaporation is a low-energy, low-carbon emission method used to enhance seawater desalination and sewage treatment. In this work, this technology is employed for drying of river sediment. This is an innovative approach to solve the perpetual problem of large volume and high water content river sediment. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is coated on to the surface of the mud to enhance photothermal conversion, and H2O2 is used to condition the properties of the sediment so that multitudinous pores are formed inside the mud cake aiding heat convection transfer. These two strategies were implemented simultaneously to promote drying efficiency. Indoor simulated evaporation for 2 h under 1.0 sun illumination of sediment (3 cm thickness) conditioned using 62.5 mL·kgDS-1 H2O2 (H2O2 solution concentration of v/v 30%, DS – dry solids) coated with 97 g m−2 rGO, compared with the original mud without any treatment, resulted in an increase in evaporation rate of 40%. In outdoor experiments (5 h) the evaporation rate was increased by 54%, confirming that H2O2 coupled with rGO can effectively enhance the drying efficiency of interfacial solar evaporation for river sediment. Evaporation tests on different thicknesses of sediment showed that the thinner the mud cake the more favorable it is for drying. The water diffusion coefficient in the mud cake treated with 62.5 mL·kgDS-1 of H2O2 (30% v/v) and 97 g m−2 rGO was 9.73 × 10−8 m2 s−1. The untreated mud cake that had water diffusion coefficient of 3.86 × 10−9 m2 s−1. The logarithmic thin layer model was found to describe the sediment drying process well.

ANALISIS PREDIKSI BACKLOG RUMAH DI INDONESIA PERIODE 2022 - 2030

Adequate housing is a basic human need and right, but in many countries worldwide including Indonesia, housing backlog is a perpetual problem that keep arising and never solved effectively. Home ownership backlog in Indonesia has reached 11 million units in 2022, despite continuous efforts and initiatives by GOI and all related stakeholders to solve the problem. This research aims to produce predictions of home ownership backlog and housing occupancy backlog for the period 2022 – 2030. The research predicts that by 2030, home ownership backlog in Indonesia will reach 14.9 million homes (ie around 19.4% of households) while housing occupancy backlog will reach 8 million houses (ie around 10.4% of households) in 2030. The rate of increase in the backlog of home ownership from 2022 - 2030 is predicted at around 150 thousand houses per year.

The essence of being a year nine teacher

Year nine students present a perpetual problem to schools and teachers alike. Typically aged 14 or 15 years old, year nines simultaneously experience puberty and adolescence. These converging life stages result in students’ whom teachers have described as being lost, disengaged and, more alarmingly, in never-never land. A largely unrecognised group of schools and teachers in Victoria, Australia, have chosen a novel approach to engaging year nine students through specific schooling structures and targeted curriculum—I term these approaches year nine programmes. These programmes typically involve different structures to mainstream schooling, including residential components, a greater focus on learning through experience and the use of an integrated curriculum. This paper shares the stories of six teachers who work on one such programme. The stories of the teachers are shared using phenomenological found poetry in search of the ‘essences’ of being a year nine teacher. Through the presentation of these essences, I argue that teachers of year nine programmes are required to have an accoutrement of skills, in addition to the skills needed by teachers who work in more mainstream settings.

Identifying somatic changes in drug transporters using whole genome and transcriptome sequencing data of advanced tumors

Drug resistance is a perpetual problem in cancer therapy with many underlying mechanisms. Alterations in drug transport over the cancer cell membrane can severely alter intratumoral drug exposure, contributing to resistance. Here, we present the somatic mutational landscape of 48 ATP-binding cassette and 416 solute carrier transporter genes in a cohort (CPCT-02; NCT01855477) of 3290 patients with different types of advanced and metastasized cancer through analysis of whole genome and transcriptome sequencing. In order to identify potential stressor mechanisms, we stratified patients based on previous systemic therapies and subsequently investigated the enrichment of mutations and copy-number alterations of transporter genes. In tumors from patients pretreated with protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs), genes encoding for specific copper (SLC31A1 and SLC31A2, χ2-test adjusted p-values: 6.9e-09 and 2.5e-09) and nucleoside transporters (SLC28A2 and SLC28A3, χ2-test adjusted p-values: 3.5e-06 and 6.8e-07) were deleted significantly more frequently than in patients pretreated with chemotherapy. Moreover, we detected 16 transporters that were differentially expressed at RNA level between these treatment groups. These findings contradict mechanisms of selective pressure, as they would be expected to originate during treatment with chemotherapy rather than with PKIs. Hence, they might constitute primary drug resistance mechanisms and, therefore, warrant further study.

Comprehensive Investigation into the Menace of Roof Collapse in Tamale and the Way Forward

There is a perpetual problem of partial or complete roof collapse withinthe Tamale Metropolis and other parts of Ghana. This has become an issueof grave public concern since this menace affects both public buildingsof all kinds (schools, offices, churches, mosque etc.) as well as domesticbuildings.This research sets out to conduct comprehensive investigations into thenature of roof failures, causes, and effects and then propose remedialactions towards stemming the tide.The study employed the use of roof construction affirmation surveys,questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions. Relevantinformation synthesized indicates that the roof type, construction materials,building type and environmental conditions are crucial causative factors.Major consequences of roof failures include damage to personal belongingsand exposure to inclement weather conditions, the psychological traumavictims are subjected and pressure on incomes and living conditions as aresult of the cost of repair or replacement of the roofs.It is recommended that expert advice be sought in checking maintenancerequirements of existing roofs in the study area and also during the designand construction of new roofs. Tree planting programmes for this heavilydeforested region should be encouraged. The use of green timber for roofconstruction must be replaced with well-seasoned ones. Proper constructiondetailing and placement openings buildings should be done so that windflow during a windstorm is optimized.

INTERCASTE MARRIAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF TORAJA: Towards Contextual Theology Of Intercaste Marriage In Toraja

Intercaste marriage has been a perpetual problem faced by many, especially those who are coming from the hindus areas like India, where caste system has been part of the society. Hence, the term caste used here may not be familiar for the Toraja people, as in Toraja it is known as Tana’, a term that literally means stick or peg, actually used to mark a boundary in the rice field or of a land. However, it is also used metaphorically, that is to divide layers in society according to the appropriate level.[1] According to the Encyclopedia of Anthropology, the term caste comes from the Portugese casta (bread, lineage), and was coined by Portugese travellers to India in reference to the social, economic and religious systems they witnessed.[2] Meanwhile, according to Oxford Dictionary, the term refers to any of the Hindu social classes, a social system based on differences in family origin, rank, wealth, etc., Therefore, I insist to use it here for its parity when used in Toraja context (with its differences in society).

Solving the perpetual problem of imperative use heat curing for fly ash geopolymer cement by using sugar beet waste

This study aims to solve the perpetual problem of imperative use heat curing for fly ash (FA) geopolymer cement to obtain reasonable strength, especially at the early ages by using calcinated carbonation lime residue (CCR). The carbonation lime residue is a waste resulting from the sugar beet industry. For this purpose, FA was partially replaced with CCR at ratios fluctuated from 2.5% to 10%, by weight, with a step of 2.5%. FA geopolymer specimens with/without CCR were cured at room temperature. To investigate the effect of CCR on FA geopolymer cement, classical tests of flowability, setting time, compressive strength at various ages, water absorption and total porosity were explored. The results were analyzed by using advanced devices. The results showed that CCR is similar to CaO. The inclusion of CCR decreased setting time, flowability, water absorption and total porosity, whilst the compressive strength, especially at an early age, was enhanced. The optimum ratio of CCR was 7.5%, which provided the highest strength, lowest water absorption, lowest total porosity and acceptable setting time. Including a suitable ratio of CCR can accelerate the polymerization, form C-S-H gel, fill the pores and produce denser microstructure. The inclusion of 10% CCR showed too short setting time which did not provide enough time for handling, casting, compacting and finishing.

Assessment of traffic congestion scenario at the CBD areas in a developing city: In the context of Khulna City, Bangladesh

Central Business Districts (CBDs) are impeccable areas of traffic attractions exacerbated by the increase of rapid population density, enormous urbanization, and increasing economic and commercial activities. Traffic congestion in the CBD areas is a perpetual problem for sustainable urban development. This study detailed the traffic congestion states and the factors influencing traffic congestion in the CBD areas of Khulna City. In this regard, spot speed, journey speed, running speed, and volume of all types of vehicles in the four CBD areas during peak and off-peak hours on both weekends and weekdays have been measured through manual counting and video recording methods. The traffic congestion state in the study area has been assessed through Level of Service, Speed Performance Index, Road Segment Congestion Index. The outcome of these indices revealed the worst congestion state in all CBD areas with breakdown flow. The Active Road Performance Index explained that inadequate parking facilities, illegal road occupancy by roadside vendors, and on-street parking decreased the road efficiency by 32 to 82% in different areas. The regular road users believed that congestion occurs mostly between 6.00 PM and 9.00 PM. This study found that rapid increase in vehicle population, poor public transport, pedestrians’ behavior, illegal road occupancy, and fragile enforcement of laws are leading the traffic condition of Khulna towards an unsustainable future. The outcome of this study will provide useful information for urban planners, policymakers, and practitioners to devise appropriate strategies for reducing congestion that would help to ensure a sustainable urban transport system.

Management of Constipation through Yogic Therapy

The purpose of this review article is to identify and analyse, the problem of constipation, its causes, symptoms, risk factors and complications arising in human life. Constipation problems were recognised by some previous empirical research. Constipation presents as a perpetual problem in health-care with painful and debilitating consequences, however, it is frequently preventable. A prerequisite to prevention is an assessment of the risk of a condition occurring so that interventions can be individualised in an attempt to prevent it. Yoga is a unique way of lifestyle management of many common health misalignments for the prevention of diseases, preservation and promotion of health. Yoga, in fact, gives due importance to different layers of existence functions for maintaining positive health example physical layer (Annamaya Khosa), pranic layer (Pranamaya Khosa), mental layer (Manomaya Khosa), scientific layer (Vigyanmaya Khosa) and blissful layer (Anandamaya Khosa). Yoga is a science of integration of human consciousness with nature. The objective experimentation is the most important aspect of searching the truth employed by modern science that searches into many practices of yoga demanding both subjective as well as objective tools for understanding the effects for further application and wider acceptance. Studies have been conducted around the world on many yoga therapies for the management of the problem of constipation i.e enema that clears the constipation and provide mental peace. This enabled subsequent work to be performed to develop a risk assessment tool for constipation that could be used in clinical practice.

Chemical Composition, Nutrient Quality and Acceptability of Edible Insects Are Affected by Species, Developmental Stage, Gender, Diet, and Processing Method.

Edible insects have been considered as either nutritious food itemsper se, or as wholesome ingredients to various dishes and components of traditional subsistence. Protein, fat, mineral and vitamin contents in insects generally satisfy the requirements of healthy food, although there is considerable variation associated with insect species, collection site, processing method, insect life stage, rearing technology and insect feed. A comparison of available data(based on dry weight) showed that processing can improve the nutrient content, taste, flavour, appearance and palatability of insects, but that there are additional factors, which can impact the content and composition of insect species that have been recommended for consumption by humans. This review focuses on factors that have received little attention in connection with the task to improve acceptability or choice of edible insects and suggests ways to guarantee food security in countries where deficiencies in protein and minerals are an acute and perpetual problem. This review is meant to assist the food industry to select the most suitable species as well as processing methods for insect-based food products.

Large-scale survey of parental antibiotic use for paediatric upper respiratory tract infections in China: implications for stewardship programmes and national policy

Inappropriate use of antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) in Chinese children is rampant. Parents' decision-making processes with respect to treatment choices and antibiotic use for paediatric URTIs were investigated to identify key constructs for effective interventions that target the public. Data were collected between June 2017 and April 2018 from a random cluster sample of 3188 parents of children aged 0-13 years across three Chinese provinces, representing different stages of economic development. Risk factors of parents' treatment choices and antibiotic use for paediatric URTIs were assessed using binary and multinomial logistic regressions, adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. A total of 1465 (46.0%) children of the 3188 parents who self-diagnosed their children with a URTI were given antibiotics, with or without prescription. Among these children, 40.5% were self-medicated with antibiotics by their parents and 56.1% obtained further antibiotic prescriptions at healthcare facilities. About 70% of children (n=2197) with URTI symptoms sought care; of these, 54.8% obtained antibiotic prescriptions and 7.7% asked for antibiotic prescriptions, with 79.4% successfully obtaining them. Those perceiving antibiotics as effective for treating the common cold and fever (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=1.82[95% confidence interval, 1.51-2.19] and 1.77[1.47-2.13], respectively), who had access to non-prescription antibiotics (aOR=5.08[4.03-6.39]), and with greater perceived severity of infection (aOR=2.01[1.58-2.56]), were more likely to use antibiotics. Multifaceted, context-appropriate interventions are vital to untangle the perpetual problem of self-medication, over-prescription and ill-informed demands for antibiotics. The findings in this study emphasise the need to prioritise interventions that enhance clinical training, neutralise the pressure from patients for antibiotics, educate on appropriate home care, discourage antibiotic self-medication and improve antibiotic dispensing.

Dyan Elliott, The Corrupter of Boys: Sodomy, Scandal, and the Medieval Clergy. The Middle Ages Series. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2020, 378 p.

A perpetual problem in church history is ecclesiastics setting the bar too high for human success: compulsory celibacy, sought because Church leaders believed it preserved priests’ purity and status, inevitably led to problems that threatened both sacerdotal purity and clerical prestige. In The Corrupter of Boys, Dyan argues that clerical discipline settled on openly punishing clerics’ transgressions with women rather than correcting the “unnamable vice” of sodomy among men and boys. The relegation of sodomy to the realm of the unmentionable had the additional consequence that clerics repeatedly failed to address the structural inequities in the cloister and priesthood that made boys and adolescents open to abuse and exploitation.

Rice Husk Ash as a Low Cost Soil Ameliorant for Abating Iron Toxicity in Lowland Rice

Background: The Fe toxicity is a perpetual problem of low lying poorly drained acid soils. It also affects the solubility and availability of most of the plant nutrients, by reducing toxic concentrations of iron, aluminum and manganese. To overcome these constraint, application of lime is inevitable but high cost of liming materials necessitate the use of low-cost, internally sourced, environmentally friendly and adoptable organic sources. In present study rice husk ash was used as a soil ameliorant in lieu of liming. Methods: A field experiment was conducted at Rice Research Station, Moncompu during 2017-2018 with nine treatments replicated thrice in RBD using rice variety Uma. A customized formulation with composition of K (8.9 %), Mg (3.2 %), Ca (3.7 %), Zn (2.1 %), Mn (0.23 %), B (3.5 %) and Cu (0.96 %) was developed based on the available nutrient status of the region and crop requirement and used for supplementary foliar nutrition. Result: It was found that treatment comprising of Soil test based RDF + Rice husk ash @ lime (based on pH) + foliar spray of 0.5 % solution of customized formulation @ 5 kg ha-1 as foliar application of 0.5 % solution in two splits at maximum tillering and panicle initiation stage was the best treatment in increasing yield by 23 % compared to recommended dose of lime and fertilizer application and B:C ratio increased from 1.53 to 1.91. Effect of rice husk ash in ameliorating soil acidity was found to be on par with application of lime based on pH in acid sulphate soils of Kuttanad zone.

Erotic Absence and Sacramental Hope: Rowan Williams on Augustinian Desire

Both church and culture seem perplexed by desire and what it says about us as human beings. Amid the increasing freedom to identify with our desires, there remains the perpetual problem of insatiety, coupled with the increasing isolation of a digitalized age. Our cultural and religious impulses become blurred as we seek always a little more, in our hopes that we might finally quiet our ontological restlessness. Rowan Williams, drawing from Augustine, identifies this restlessness as central to understanding ourselves and our relation to God and others. This erotic absence that disallows any premature closure offers not satiety but sacrament, and a place in a body larger than our own.

Living with Breakthrough: Two-Dimensional Liquid-Chromatography Separations of a Water-Soluble Synthetically Grafted Bio-Polymer

In this study, we evaluate the use of various two-dimensional liquid chromatographic methods to characterize water-soluble, synthetically grafted bio-polymers, consisting of long poly(acrylic acid) chains and short maltodextrin grafts. The confirmation of the presence of grafting and the estimation of its extent is challenging. It is complicated by the limited solubility of polymers, their structural dispersity and chemical heterogeneity. Moreover, the starting materials (and other reagents, reaction products and additives) may be present in the product. Reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC), hydrophilic-interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) were used to characterize the product, as well as the starting materials. Additionally, fractions were collected for off-line characterization by infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The one-dimensional separation methods were found to be inconclusive regarding the grafting question. Breakthrough (the early elution of polymer fractions due to strong injection solvents) is shown to be a perpetual problem. This issue is not solved by comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC), but information demonstrating the success of the grafting reaction could be obtained. SEC × RPLC and HILIC × RPLC separations are presented and discussed.

A Survey of Road Traffic Congestion Measures towards a Sustainable and Resilient Transportation System

Traffic congestion is a perpetual problem for the sustainability of transportation development. Traffic congestion causes delays, inconvenience, and economic losses to drivers, as well as air pollution. Identification and quantification of traffic congestion are crucial for decision-makers to initiate mitigation strategies to improve the overall transportation system’s sustainability. In this paper, the currently available measures are detailed and compared by implementing them on a daily and weekly traffic historical dataset. The results showed each measure showed significant variations in congestion states while indicating a similar congestion trend. The advantages and disadvantages of each measure are identified from the data analysis. This study summarizes the current road traffic congestion measures and provides a constructive insight into the development of a sustainable and resilient traffic management system.

Accurate high-resolution single-crystal diffraction data from a Pilatus3 X CdTe detector.

Hybrid photon-counting detectors are widely established at third-generation synchrotron facilities and the specifications of the Pilatus3 X CdTe were quickly recognized as highly promising in charge-density investigations. This is mainly attributable to the detection efficiency in the high-energy X-ray regime, in combination with a dynamic range and noise level that should overcome the perpetual problem of detecting strong and weak data simultaneously. These benefits, however, come at the expense of a persistent problem for high diffracted beam flux, which is particularly problematic in single-crystal diffraction of materials with strong scattering power and sharp diffraction peaks. Here, an in-depth examination of data collected on an inorganic material, FeSb2, and an organic semiconductor, rubrene, revealed systematic differences in strong intensities for different incoming beam fluxes, and the implemented detector intensity corrections were found to be inadequate. Only significant beam attenuation for the collection of strong reflections was able to circumvent this systematic error. All data were collected on a bending-magnet beamline at a third-generation synchrotron radiation facility, so undulator and wiggler beamlines and fourth-generation synchrotrons will be even more prone to this error. On the other hand, the low background now allows for an accurate measurement of very weak intensities, and it is shown that it is possible to extract structure factors of exceptional quality using standard crystallographic software for data processing (SAINT-Plus, SADABS and SORTAV), although special attention has to be paid to the estimation of the background. This study resulted in electron-density models of substantially higher accuracy and precision compared with a previous investigation, thus for the first time fulfilling the promise of photon-counting detectors for very accurate structure factor measurements.

Exploring the potential of a new 1,2,4-triazole derivative for corrosion protection of carbon steel in HCl: A computational and experimental evaluation

Carbon steel is a commonly used alloy in petroleum refining equipment. Nonetheless, its weak corrosion resistance is a perpetual problem for these industries. In the present study, we manifest the usefulness of a novel 1,2,4-triazole derivative, namely 5-hexylsulfanyl-1,2,4-triazole (HST) in inhibiting the carbon steel (CS) corrosion in 1.0 M HCl using mass loss measurements, electrochemical, scanning electron microscopy coupled with X-ray detection (SEM-EDX), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and computational techniques. We deduced from the gravimetric study that the optimal concentration of HST is 10−3 M. Its inhibition efficiency can reach 97 % based on electrochemical data. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) results suggest an increased impedance in the presence of HST and mixed nature of inhibitor action, respectively. The compound HST mitigates corrosion at the temperature range of 298 K–338 K, with an inhibition efficiency of 89 % at 338 K. Free Gibbs energy obtained from the Langmuir isotherm model suggests that the inhibitor molecules hinder the acid attack mainly by chemisorption. A computational study based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations was performed in an attempt to identify the factors most associated with anti-corrosive properties of the tested compound.

Discussion on Islamic Finance and Small Medium Enterprises’ Financial Accessibility

This study attempts to provide insights on SMEs’ financial accesibility through Islamic finance and its successfulness in Malaysia. The innovation in the Malaysia financial landscape especially Islamic finance has benefits the SMEs in accessing financial assistance without rely on traditional mode of financing. SMEs in Indonesia represent about 99 percent in all economic sector and involved labor participation of almost 95 percent but the issue of financial accessibility remain perpetual problem and block the development of SMEs in Indonesia. Therefore, the present study utilizes content analysis to critically look at the successful of SMEs Islamic financing in Malaysia and various published report and literature in generate better overview on the progression of SMEs. At the end of the study, this study provides some recommendations based on Malaysian SMEs financing successfulness for Indonesian authority to further restructure and enhance their existing financial assistance to the SMEs based on Islamic financing.