A comparative assessment of GSM and UMTS Networks

It is common knowledge that the transition of mobile networks from one generation to another is basically for the improvement in the network’s Quality of Service (QoS). Bearing this in mind, we will assumme that the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) will outperform the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), hence, the motivation to conduct this study in Calabar, Nigeria, for four mobile networks; MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9mobile. With the aid of a TEMS investigation software installed in a laptop, a measurement campaign was carried out and log files collected, with focus on Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Dropped Call Rate (DCR), Handover Success Rate (HOSR), Call Setup Time (CST), network coverage and network quality. The collected data was analyzed with the aid of a TEMS discovery software. The analyzed data for each Key Performance Indicator (KPI) was compared with the minimum benchmark of the telecommunications regulatory body, the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC). Result reveal that there was no outright improvement in the QoS and there was fluctuation in the QoS provided by the network operators. We therefore conclude that the network operators, either did not make accurate planning before installing their base stations or do not optimize their networks frequently and this led to poor QoS in most cases.

Postmarketing safety of orphan drugs: a longitudinal analysis of the US Food and Drug Administration database between 1999 and 2018

Background Information about the specific regulatory environment of orphan drugs is scarce and inconsistent. Uncertainties surrounding the postmarketing long-term safety of orphan drugs remain. This study aimed to evaluate the labelling changes of orphan drugs and to identify postmarketing safety-associated approval factors. Methods This retrospective cohort study includes all drugs with orphan drug designation approved by the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the US Food and Drug Administration between 1999 and 2018. Main outcomes are safety-related labelling changes up to 31 December 2019. We defined any safety-related labelling changes as postmarketing safety events (PMSE). Safety-related withdrawals, suspensions, and boxed warnings were further categorised as severe postmarketing safety events (SPSE). Outcome measurements include frequencies of PMSE, SPSE, and association between approval factors and the occurrence of safety events. Results Amongst the 214 drugs identified with orphan drug designation (25.7% biologics), 83.6% were approved through at least one expedited programme, and 29.4% were approved with boxed warnings. During a median follow-up of 6.74 years since approval, 69.2% and 14.5% of the analysed orphan drugs had PMSE and SPSE, respectively. Safety-related withdrawal (0%, 0/214), suspended marketing (0.46%, 1/214) and new boxed warnings are uncommon (3.7%, 8/214). The safety-related labelling changes were more frequent in the drugs approved with boxed warnings [Incidence rate ratio (IRR): 1.95 (1.02–3.73)] and approved for long-term use [IRR: 2.76 (1.52–5.00)]. Conclusions and Relevance In this long-term postmarketing analysis, approximately 70% of FDA-approved orphan drugs had safety-related labelling changes although severe safety events were rare. While maintaining early access to orphan drugs, the drug regulatory body has taken timely regulatory action with postmarketing surveillance to ensure patient safety.

Self-Assessment Reports

Quality assurance has gained momentum in the education sector also after its recognition in the industry. Quality has become a part of service providers like healthcare and education. The field of education has undergone tremendous change since the word quality penetrated into it. Choosing a higher education institution puts in many criteria of which quality assurance and accreditation also has a vital role. The process of accreditation differs from one country to another. The process depends on the outcomes expected by the accrediting agency along with the guidelines of the government regulatory body. Self-assessment report is a self-evaluation made by an institution which is prepared in a report form and submitted to accrediting agency. An expert team evaluates the application for awarding accreditation to a HEI. The role of self-assessment report is to understand the strength and weakness of the HEI.

Building the Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security Authority in the Kingdom of Morocco: Sharing Experience and Lessons Learned

Following the example of several countries, the Kingdom of Morocco adopted, in the middle of the twentieth century, nuclear techniques in the medical and industrial fields, which have experienced a greater and sustained growth following its membership of the IAEA in 1957. This chapter presents the evolution of the nuclear and radiological infrastructure in Morocco over the last 60 years and the prospects for its future development. The chapter outlines the continuous efforts made by public authorities to upgrade the national nuclear and radiological regulatory framework in compliance with international obligations related to safety, security and safeguards. In this regard, the Moroccan Agency for Nuclear and Radiological Safety and Security (AMSSNuR) has, since its inception, been driven by the will and ambition to achieve its vision of establishing itself at the national level as an independent, effective, credible and transparent regulatory body; as well as a leader at the African level and significant contributor in the international arena. The Moroccan experience in safety and security governance and management is highlighted, and the lessons learned and experience gained in this area by AMSSNuR are shared.

Demand for Financial Service in Capital Market of Nepal

Background: In the contemporary literature, access to finance is well spell-out as the key to development. The supply leading hypothesis asserts that financial deepening contributes to enhancing growth so, the growth of the financial market is regarded as an important infrastructure to influence saving and investment. The Government of Nepal opted for a policy ‘One person one bank account’ in its fiscal policy in 2018/19 (MOF, 2018). Aligning the policy, the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) launched the ‘one Nepali one D-mat account’ policy in 2018 to increase the access of the capital market throughout the country. The low-financial literacy base is a major constraint to develop the market, in the other, most of the rural population, still are not equipped with the capital market instrument. In, this background, there is an utmost need to examine the factors contributing the demand for the financial services. Objective: The primary objective of the study is to access the determinants of the demand for financial services in the capital market of Nepal, considering the supply leading hypothesis. Method: To examine the determinants of the demand for financial service, we employed the Ordinary Least Square method of regression analysis. The dependent variable employed in this study is the demand for financial services. Level of income, access to finance and financially active provinces have been taken as the independent variable along with the concerned district population. As well, the financial literacy program conducted by the capital market regulator is another major independent variable. Result: The demand following hypotheses asserts that financial literacy is the key to influence the demand for financial services. It is found that financial literacy programs conducted by the capital market regulator could not explain the demand for financial services in Nepal indicating the weak performance of the program conducted by SEBON. It is found that the number of BFIs, population and financially active provinces are highly significant with the demand for financial services indication the influential role of supply leading hypothesis. Conclusion: The study concludes that the variables selected to determine the demand for financial services in capital market are appropriate and most of them (population, per capita income, financially active provinces and access to financial services) are significant with the capital market of Nepal. It is observed that the financial literacy programs conducted by the capital market regulator have not contributed in enhancing demand of the financial services in the capital market of Nepal. Recommendation: The study is focused and based on the capital market of Nepal. Results obtained from this study could not replicate the same in the money market or insurance sector of Nepal. The findings of the study strongly recommend the regulatory body to evaluate and revise its financial literacy programs while in the meantime urge to focus on addressing demand-side inefficiencies in the long run. Originality: The research work is original and has not been published in other publications. As well, no financial support has been received for the study.

COVID 19 Outbreaks on the Growth of Self Servicing Technology Using Digital Payments

In comparison to any other International crisis, Covid19 was sudden and did not leave much time for individuals or Governments to prepare in terms of the impact it had on healthcare infrastructure or trade-in various sectors. The modern world is highly connected and stopping the inter-country movement of people is very difficult. Given the rapid increase of cases, Covid19 was declared as a pandemic and for lack of any other viable option, most Governments chose the way of locking down the economy. There was little information on how Covid19 spreads mortality rate or recovery rate, etc. Impetus on social distancing forced people to get wary of any contact including the exchange of cash which in turn resulted in the rapid adoption of alternate measures such as digital payments. Supply chain management was badly hit and demand for essential products and services increased significantly. Although overall volumes of digital payments went down due to adverse impact on several sectors, its usage as a replacement of cash increased significantly. This sudden increase and adoption by people who are not technology-savvy gave rise to frauds and cyber-attacks. Thus there arose a need for stringent regulations, the evolution of technology, and enhanced user education. There has been a significant push by the Government for achieving a cashless economy and digital payments surely will provide robust support for this objective. RBI has also proposed a self-regulatory body for digital payment and has taken initiatives like making NEFT available 24*7 and removing applicable charges. There are rising impetus and applications of digital payment technologies in day-to-day and business-related trade transactions.

An Appraisal of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment in Ethiopia: The Case of Meta Abo Brewery

This study investigates the implementation and follow-up of the environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) in Meta Abo Brewery in Ethiopia. Specifically, it aims to assess the implementation mechanism and status of ESIA monitoring and evaluation, the adequacy of the legal and administrative framework for ESIA implementation and follow-up, and the perception of residents towards the ESIA implementation and follow-up by the proponent. A mixed research approach was employed to collect and analyze both qualitative and quantitative data. Thematic and descriptive data analysis was used to analyze data collected through key informant interviews (KII), focus group discussion (FGD), closed-ended questions, and document review. Data were obtained from 11 purposely selected interviewees and 6 FGD participants, as well as 175 randomly selected respondents. This study found the practical implementation mechanism of ESIA monitoring and evaluation as well as weak ESIA monitoring and evaluation status through the case study. The main causes of this weak ESIA system are weak implementation of ESIA monitoring and evaluation by the regulatory body and proponent, weak cooperation among regulatory body and proponent, weak institutional capacity, and weak managerial commitments. The study also indicated a lack of adequate legal and administrative frameworks and the absence of regular revision of relevant legislation. Additionally, the study identified that the proponent has some weaknesses in the ESIA implementation and follow-up. The findings regarding the legal and administrative framework can be developed to guide the formulation and amendment of the ESIA legal and administrative framework not only for Ethiopia, but other developing countries as well. Moreover, the findings of this study can be a groundwork for future studies to fill the gap by understanding the social-cultural barrier and finding appropriate strategies to enhance the ESIA system in developing countries.

Kajian pembentukan peraturan mengenai sistem pendingin reaktor dan sistem terkait untuk reaktor berpendingin gas

IN 2021, BAPETEN, AS THE REGULATORY BODY, IS ESTABLISHING A BAPETEN REGULATION REGARDING THE REACTOR COOLANT SYSTEM AND RELATED SYSTEMS, WHICH CURRENTLY ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. Therefore, it is crucial to establish the BAPETEN Regulation. Based on the reasons, before setting the BAPETEN Regulation, it is necessary to conduct a study that is expected to provide a more comprehensive description and provide recommendations on what things need to be regulated in the BAPETEN Regulation, especially for gas-cooled reactors. The method used in this study is a literature study from various relevant references. The result of this study is that it is essential to require a capacity of the ultimate heat sink, including the spent nuclear fuel storage pool and a minimum period of the ability of the top heat sink in the accident analysis if the decay heat in the storage pool and the residual heat in the reactor core fail simultaneously. On the other hand, it is also necessary to require a margin of uncertainty to evaluate a situation and take corrective action. Likewise, independent and redundant access to the ultimate heat sink is needed to increase reliability. As for gas-cooled reactors, it is required to adapt the terms used. In addition, it is necessary to determine the appropriate definition because some of the terms used in water-cooled reactors have the same terms as gas-cooled reactors but have different functions. Keywords: Regulatory assessment, coolant system, related systems, gas-cooled reactors

Tinjauan peraturan keselamatan utilisasi dan modifikasi instalasi nuklir nonreaktor

The service life of Non-Reactor Nuclear Installations (INNR) in Indonesia is quite long, so it is essential to make modifications. In addition, developments of technology and market demand with the products could modify INNR, such as replacing and adding a control system to interim storage of nuclear-spent fuel facility (KHIPSB3) [1]. Due to the absence of technical regulations related to the modification and utilization of the new INNR and to provide uniformity of format and content in carrying out the further utilization and modification of the INNR, it is necessary to study the literature, compare regulations and consult with resource persons. From the results of these studies and consultations, an overview and solution of arrangements before, during, and after the new utilization or modification of INNR are obtained, making it easier for permit holders or evaluators to carry out activities related to the further utilization or modification of INNR. From the review results, we can conclude that special regulations related to the safety of new utilization or modification of INNR need to be issued immediately by the regulatory body. This review is expected to be a reference in making regulations for the further utilization and modification of INNR, which regulates the format and content of the modification or new utilization of INNR, which becomes a guideline for licensee and evaluators in implementing further utilization and modification of INNR. Keywords: modification, utilization, INNR

Characterisation of a Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Torch for Medical Applications: Demonstration of Device Safety

The safety and effectiveness of plasma devices are of crucial importance for medical applications. This study presents the novel design of an atmospheric plasma torch (SteriPlas) and its characterisation. The SteriPlas was characterised to ascertain whether it is safe for application on human skin. The emission spectrum discharged from the SteriPlas was shown to be the same as the emission from the MicroPlaSter Beta. The UV emitted from the SteriPlas was measured, and the effective irradiance was calculated. The effective irradiance enabled the determination of the maximum UV exposure limits, which were shown to be over two hours: significantly longer than the current two-minute treatment time. The use of an extraction system with a higher flow rate appears to reduce slightly the effective irradiance at the treatment area. The NOx and ozone emissions were recorded for both SteriPlas configurations. The NOx levels were shown to be orders of magnitude lower than their safety limits. The ozone emissions were shown to be safe 25 mm from the SteriPlas cage. A discussion of how safety standards differ from one regulatory body to another is given.