Synthesis, Characterization and Application of Organoclay for Adsorptive Desulfurization: Isothermal, kinetic and Thermodynamics Studies

The present study encompasses the application of cost effective, organo-modified bentonite material for efficient desulfurization of model oil and real fuel. For the adsorptive desulfurization of oil, dibenzothiophene (DBT) was used as model compound. Various experimental parameters (time, temperature, adsorbent-amount and DBT concentration) were thoroughly investigated. The synthesized material was characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The modification exhibits the increase in interlayer spacing of clay as confirmed from XRD and modified material shows interesting morphology as compared to unmodified bentonite. The results showed that >90% of DBT removal was achieved under optimized conditions for B-BTC, B-BTB and B-DSS and >80% for B-BEHA, for model fuel oil. Additionally, the findings from desulfurization of real fuel oil declare that 96.76% and 95.83% removal efficiency was achieved for kerosene and diesel oil respectively, at optimized conditions and fuel properties follow ASTM specifications. The obtained findings well fitted with thermodynamic, isothermal (Langmuir) with adsorption capacity (70.8 (B-BTC), 66 (B-BTB), 61.2 (B-DSS) and 55.2 (B-BEHA) in mg/g) and pseudo-second-order kinetics. In thermodynamic studies, negative sign (\(\varDelta G^\circ )\) specifies the spontaneity whereas, \(\left(\varDelta H^\circ \right)\) endothermic and positive sign \((\varDelta S^\circ )\) show randomness after DBT adsorption.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-MANAGEMENT AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels as a result of insufficient insulin secretion, impaired insulin activity or both. Patients with diabetes mellitus are at risk for complications that can affect their quality of life. These complications can be minimized through self-management. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between self-management and quality of life in type 2 DM patients. Design: This study was a quantitative research. The design in this study was a cross-sectional analytic with a sample of 75 people who were carried out at the endocrine polyclinic RS Pusat TNI Angkatan Laut (RSPAL) DR. Ramelan Surabaya. Research instrument used the Diabetes Self-Management Questionnaire (DSMQ) developed by Schmitt et al (2013) to determine the self-management of type 2 DM patients and to measure the quality of life using the Diabetes Quality of Life Brief (DQoL Brief) instrument developed by Burrough et al (2008). The sample siza with simple random sampling method, and data analysis using spearman rank test. Results: The results showed that there was a significant relationship between self-management and quality of life in type 2 DM patients (p-value = .000, r = .394). Conclusion: There is a significant positive relationship between the level of self-management and quality of life in type 2 DM patients. From the results of the Spearman test correlation coefficient, there is a positive sign. This means that the higher the patient's self-management, it will also improve the quality of their life. The implication of this study are nurses can increase patient knowledge by providing education that focuses on improving self-management and facilitating the provision of family support as well as supervision and monitoring related to self-management by type 2 DM patients.

Effectiveness of Globalization and Human Capital on Market & Net Income Inequality in NEXT11 Countries: A Panel Data Analysis

This study scrutinizes the impact of defacto and dejure GLOB (KOF GLOB index 2018) on Income inequality on economically emerging countries; NEXT11 countries. The defacto GLOB indicates the estimate of GLOB including variables representing activities and flows; de jure estimate includes variables which show policies representing enable flows and activities. Our analysis separates the impact of globalization on net and market income inequalities. Pretax/transfer and the post-tax/transfer GINI indices were employed as the measures of income inequality. This analysis used balanced panel for NEXT11 countries for the period 1990-2015. Economic globalization both defacto and dejure showed positive sign that depicts a significant relationship with dependent variable. It explains that defacto political has positive sign and dejure political globalization decreases inequality while economic globalizations in both divisions have positive sign and significant impact on inequality. Interestingly, defacto social globalization has positive sign but dejure social has positive sign. Moreover, the purchasing power parity and age dependency both have negative sign and significant influence on inequality. These conclusions point out that social and political globalization may be a hindering factor for governance in these countries.

Multigravid Women with Uterine Rupture: A Case Report

Introduction: Uterine rupture is the discontinuation of the uterine scar that creates connection between uterine and peritoneal cavity. The most common etiology for uterine rupture is dehiscence of uterine scar tissue from previous cesarean section. In patient with uterine rupture and fetal expulsion to the peritoneal cavity, fetal survival becomes extremely poor. Therefore, it is important for clinician to understand the uterine rupture and be able to give prompt treatment in order to prevent maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Case Presentation: A 34-year-old woman, G3P2A0 38 weeks of gestation complained that she had abdominal pain, couldn’t feel her baby movement, watery discharge since 10 hours before admission. Bloody discharge and trauma were all denied. Patient underwent twice cesarean section before. Patient only had four times antenatal care with obstetrician at 24, 28, 32, and 36 weeks of gestation. She was scheduled for caesarean section at 38 weeks of gestation. Patient looked alert with low blood pressure and tachycardia. On physical examination, we found that she was pale, fundal height could not be determined, and there was no fetal heart rate detected. Speculum examination showed livide portio, closed external orifice of uterus, and inactive blood. There was positive slinger sign and Douglas cavity was bulging. Ultrasound examination showed intrauterine fetal demise, complete uterine rupture on lower segment, and positive sign of free fluid on abdominal cavity. Patient underwent operation and we found the died male neonate was in the peritoneal cavity and the placenta was still attached in the uterine cavity. We delivered the baby and placenta completely. There was uterine rupture on the previous CS scar, the edge of the uterine wound was regular with no necrosis and extended to the right side of uterus. Then, we performed hysterorrhaphy in order to stop the bleeding and repair the uterus, and we also performed tubal ligation. The died neonate had maceration grade I. Conclusion: Uterine rupture causes poor fetal and maternal prognosis. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment is really important in uterine rupture. Prevention of uterine rupture could be done by meticulous antenatal care, especially visiting to obstetrician in order to review maternal and fetal condition and determine mode of delivery.

Determinants of trade flow of some selected non-traditional agricultural export commodities in Nigeria

This study analysed the determinants of trade flow of some selected non-traditional agricultural export commodities in Nigeria, for the period 2007 to 2017. The objective of the study was to analyse the factors that determine the export of these commodities. The study used trade data of thirty-six importing countries of these commodities around the world. The secondary data used was sourced from various institutions’ databases. A balanced panel data from 36 countries for the years 2007-2017 were used with one dependent variable and ten explanatory variables (a total of n=396, N=36, and T=11); all variables were expressed in natural logarithm. The gravity estimation model was used in data analysis. The Hausman test was used in model selection and the test rejected the null hypothesis (random effects were efficient). Therefore, the fixed effects model was used in the gravity model results’ interpretation. The gravity model results indicate that Nigeria’s export of non-traditional commodities (classified as HS12 in the United Nations International Trade Statistics) follows the basic gravity model apriori expectations, implying that bilateral trade flows will increase in proportion to the trading partner’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and decrease in proportion to the distance involved.The level of openness of Nigeria’s economy and that of the importing countries were major determinants of trade flow of Nigeria’s HS12 commodity exports. This variable carried the expected positive sign for both Nigeria and its trading Partners and was also statistically significant at the 5% level. However, the real exchange rate variable was not a major determinant of HS12 commodity trade. The distance variable was statistically significant indicating the need for regional trade expansion. The dummy variable of the trading partner being an African country was positive and a significant factor in the determinants of the HS12 commodities. However, colonial or official language ties were negatively signed and significant, implying that this was not a major contributor to trade in these commodities. The study recommends that favorable import and export promotion policies and trade openness to boost growth in the quantity of non-traditional exports should form part of government trade policies; and Nigeria should also take advantage of the proposed African Free Trade Area considering the gains she stands to make through proximity in distance.

Revisiting Environmental Kuznets Curve in Relation to Economic Development and Energy Carbon Emission Efficiency: Evidence from Suzhou, China

This study empirically examines the effect of economic development on carbon emissions and revisits the environmental Kuznets curve in Suzhou, China. The study made use of the Gross Domestic Product Per Capita (GDPPC) of Suzhou, China as an indicator of economic development as it depicts the entire developmental ecosystem that indicates the level of production activities and total energy consumption. Bearing this in mind, the authors postulate that economic development directly increases carbon emissions through industrial and domestic consumptions. For this purpose, linear and non-linear approaches to cointegration are applied. The study finds the existence of an inverted U-shape relationship between economic development and carbon emission in the long run. Trade openness and industrial share are positively contributing to increasing carbon emissions. Energy use shows a positive sign but an insignificant association with carbon emissions. The study concludes that carbon emissions in Suzhou should be further decreased followed by policy recommendations.

Measuring Technical Efficiency of the Smallholder Crop Farms Using Stochastic Production Frontier Approach

Agricultural productivity in Africa is the lowest in the world with many households not being able to feed themselves. In Africa, women play a major role in agriculture sector constituting about 70–80 per cent of the labour force there. Regrettably, their farm productivity is relatively low mainly due to their inefficient use of farm inputs, which has a serious implication for their socio-economic condition as well as health and nutrition status. With this backdrop in mind, the study investigated the technical efficiency (TE) of the female crop farmers in Niger Delta, Nigeria. Stochastic production frontier approach and ANOVA models were applied to analyse the primary data collected on the 216 female farmers randomly selected from 18 communities of the 3 states in the Delta. It has been found that the farm size and the quantity of labour positively influence TE of these farmers. However, farmer’s age shows a negative sign implying a decrease in technical inefficiency in age whereas the years of schooling shows a positive sign implying an increase in inefficiency with schooling thereby a resulting decrease in TE with schooling. Farm efficiency level in Delta and Akwa Ibom States was not significantly different. However, TE level in both Delta and Akwa Ibom States was significantly different from Rivers State. Since, the age of farmers showed positive influence on TE, farmers should form group and organise regular meetings to enable share knowledge and experiences on the efficient use of farm resources in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria.

Detection Of Change In Land Cover In Jabalpur District From 1991-2021 Using Remote Sensing

Land use/ land cover is an important component in understanding the interactions of human activities with the environment and thus it is necessary to monitor and detect the changes to maintain a sustainable environment. In this paper, an attempt has been made to study the changes in land use and land cover of Jabalpur district in the last 4 decades from 1991 to 2021 classifying majorly in Forest (Medium to Dense), Trees, Waterbody, Settlements & Agricultural fields. The study was carried out through the Remote Sensing and GIS approach using High-resolution Imagery from Google Earth, and LANDSAT 8, 7, 5 imagery of 2021, 2011, 2001, 1991 respectively. The land use/land cover classification was performed based on the Supervised Classification approach available in ArcGIS. GIS software is used to prepare the thematic maps and ground truth observations were also performed to check the accuracy of the classification. The present study has brought out that the Tree cover has been decreased from 12.97–5.40% during 1991-2021 showing a considerable decrease in Forest area as well. The settlement area increased from 4.26% in 1991 to 12.46% in 2021. The areas under natural streams, have shown no significant change and can be considered as a positive sign for sustainable development.

University-industry collaboration importance in innovative brazilian industrial firms: a sectorial model

This article examines empirically the university-industry collaboration (UIC) importance in innovative firms on Brazilian industry. This relation is considered an important tool for economic growth in innovation-led firms. It was used a hierarchical regression model for 25.667 innovative industrial firms in the year 2005, the innovation involves product, process, or organizational change. The Total Factor Productivity was introduced as independent variable, because it can be used in all firms as performance measure, and it was average centralized. The TFP is explained by firm’s internal capabilities, and in industry by the UIC importance. The found results are upward average (positive sign), and downward average (negative sign). The sectorial impact of UIC in the TFP is positive, but near zero. The internal capabilities present exchanged signs between the firm and the industry, only innovative labor have both signs positive. The random effects identify nine industries with upward productivity gains, 8,26 % of total Brazilian industry, and these industries are traditional, low-tech intensity, only the automotive industry is medium-technology. Twenty industries have downward productivity gains, 18,35 % of total Brazilian industry, and between them are high-technology industries, as diverse capital tools, and electronics.

Functional and diagnostic significance of the fMRI-response type to motor loads in patients after traumatic brain damage

Aim of the study. Clarification of the functional and diagnostic significance of topography, or the type of fMRI-response recorded during active and passive hand movements in patients after traumatic brain injury.Material and methods. fMRI-responses gained during active and passive hand movements were analyzed in 40 patients with posttraumatic motor function disturbances and compared with results gained from 17 healthy volunteers (control group ).Results. In analyzed patients the increase of percentage of diffuse fMRI-response has been shown along with the areas of activation not typical for movement activation pattern typical healthy volunteers. The fMRI response type being it local or multifocal does not clearly correlate with the presence of motor function impairment (hemiparesis). However, it was found that with greater severity of hemiparesis there is a larger percentage of multifocal fMRI-response.The transition from a multifocal form of a motor fMRI-response to a local one observed in a dynamic study is accompanied by an improvement of patient’s general condition, a shift towards normalization of a number of morphofunctional indicators of the central nervous system, the tendency of regression of motor disorders.Conclusion. The increase of multifocal fMRI-responses in patients after traumatic brain injury is one of the signs of cerebral dysfunction. Dynamically observed transformation from multifocal to local fMRI-responses is associated with current or long-term improvement in motor activity as well, wit the regression of other clinical impairments and can be considered as prognostically positive sign of the course of post-traumatic illness.