Search results

This study aims to fabricate the acrylic-based polymeric composite coating with a hydrophobic surface associated with natural oil polyol (NOP) and polydimethylsiloxane with the incorporation of 3 Wt.% SiO₂ nanoparticle (SiO₂np) against the corrosive NaCl media.

The structural properties of the formulated polymeric composite coatings were investigated by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, water contact angle (WCA) and cross-hatch (X-Hatch) tests. The WCA measurement was used to study the surface wettability of the formulated polymeric composite coatings. The corrosion protection performance of the nanocomposite coated on the mild steel substrate was studied by immersing the samples in 3.5 Wt.% NaCl solution for 30 days using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

The enhanced polymeric composite coating system performed with an excellent increase in the WCA up to 111.1° which is good hydrophobic nature and very high coating resistance in the range of 10¹⁰ Ω attributed to the superiority of SiO₂np.

The incorporation of SiO₂np into the polymeric coating could enhance the surface roughness and hydrophobic properties that could increase corrosion protection. This approach is a novel attempt of using NOP along with the addition of SiO₂np.

The purpose of this paper is to develop the bio-composite organic coatings by adding the bio-based additives that are extracted from banana peels and henna leaves as the organic corrosion inhibitors.

Bioactive constituents with inhibition properties are extracted from banana peels and henna leaves by using ethanol to form the ethanolic extract. The inhibiting efficiency of these bioactive constituents on mild steel corrosion in 3.5% sodium hydroxide (NaCl) solution is investigated. The investigation is performed using electrochemical impedance studies for 30 days. The optical and adhesive properties of the bio-composite coating systems have also been studied.

The best protection is obtained as the loading ratio of the banana peels ethanolic extract (BPEE) and henna leaves ethanolic extract (HLEE) are 10 Wt.% and 30 Wt.%, respectively. Overall, the results obtained show that the BPEE and HLEE not only enhance the optical properties but also can serve as an effective inhibitor for corrosion without affecting the adhesiveness of the neat acrylic properties.

Banana peels and henna leaves consist of bioactive constituents that have anti-corrosion properties which could inhibit corrosion.

The purpose of this study is to review research on hospital-based shared governance (SG), focussing on its core elements.

A scoping review was conducted by searching the Medline (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), Medic, ABI/INFORM Collection (ProQuest) and SveMed+ databases using SG and related concepts in hospital settings as search terms (May 1998–February 2019). Only original research articles examining SG were included. The reference lists of the selected articles were reviewed. Data were extracted from the selected articles by charting and then subjected to a thematic analysis.

The review included 13 original research articles that examined SG in hospital settings. The studied organizations had implemented SG in different ways, and many struggled to obtain satisfactory results. SG was executed within individual professions or multiple professions and was typically implemented at both unit- and organization-levels. The thematic analysis revealed six core elements of SG as follows: professionalism, shared decision-making, evidence-based practice, continuous quality improvement, collaboration and empowerment.

An SG framework for hospital settings was developed based on the core elements of SG, the participants and the organizational levels involved. Hospitals considering SG should prepare for a time-consuming process that requires belief in the core elements of SG. The SG framework can be used as a tool to implement and strengthen SG in organizations.

The review resumes the tradition of systematically reviewing SG literature, which had not been done in the 21st century. General tendencies of the research scene and research gaps are pointed out.

The purpose of this study is to develop a protective coating system on mild steel panel incorporating epoxidized natural rubber with acrylic polyol resin.

In this work, a novel attempt is made to develop binder coatings using epoxidized natural rubber-based material and an organic resin (acrylic resin) for corrosion protection on metal substrate. Seven different samples of multifunctional coatings are developed by varying the compositions of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) and acrylic resin. The properties of the developed coatings have been characterized using analytical methods such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). EIS has been carried out for 30 days to evaluate the corrosion resistance after immersing into 3.5 wt.% of sodium chloride. Cross hatch cut tester (CHT) has been used to study the adhesive properties. UV–Visible Spectroscopy (UV–Vis) was also used to assess changes in the coating-film transparency of the natural rubber-based coating systems in this study.

The developed coatings have formed uniform layer on the substrate. CHT results show excellent adhesion of the coatings. Higher concentrations of ENR have higher transparency level, which reduces when the acrylic concentration increases. FTIR analysis confirms the crosslinking that occurred between the components of the coatings. Based on the impedance data from EIS, the incorporation of natural rubber can be an additive for the corrosion protection, which has the coating resistance values well above 108Ω even after 30 days of immersion.

The blending method provides a simple and practical solution to improve the strength and adhesion properties of acrylic polyol resin with epoxidized natural rubber. There is still improvement needed for long-term applications.

The work has been conducted in our laboratory. The combination of natural rubber-based materials and organic resins is a new approach in coating research.

Health disparities affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) populations have been reported in many countries. For Singapore, no large quantitative studies on mental health and well-being in the local LGBTQ community have been published. The authors conducted a community-based survey (National LGBT Census Singapore, 2013; NLCS2013) that covered a comprehensive set of demographic, social and health indicators. Here, the authors investigated mental health status and its correlates in 2,350 LGBTQ individuals within the NLCS2013 sample.

The NLCS2013 was an anonymous online survey conducted amongst self-identified LGBTQ adults (aged ≥ 21 years) residing in Singapore. The survey included the World Health Organisation Well-being Index (WHO-5) as a measure of mental well-being, with low WHO 5 scores (<13/25) indicating poor mental well-being. The authors analysed relationships between low WHO-5 score and a range of respondent characteristics using multivariate logistic regression.

Strikingly, 40.9% of 2,350 respondents analysed had low WHO-5 scores, indicating poor mental well-being. Parental non-acceptance, experience of conflict at home and bullying/discrimination in the workplace or educational environments were all significantly associated with poor mental well-being. Conversely, community participation appeared protective for mental well-being, as respondents who participated in LGBTQ community organisations or events were less likely to have poor mental well-being than non-participants.

The NLCS2013 represents one of the first broad-based efforts to comprehensively and quantitatively capture the sociodemographic and health profile, including mental health status, within Singapore’s resident LGBTQ population. These findings affirm the need to address the mental health needs of LGBTQ individuals in Singapore and to foster safe spaces and allyship.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of operating room staff towards the use of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist in a tertiary hospital in Jordan.

This was a qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 21 healthcare staff employed in the operating room (nurses, residents, surgeons and anaesthesiologists). The interviews were conducted in the period from October to December 2021. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Three main themes emerged from data analysis namely compliance with the surgical safety checklist, the impact of surgical safety checklist, and barriers and facilitators to the use of the surgical safety checklist. The use of the checklist was seen as enabling staff to communicate effectively and thus to accomplish patient safety and positive outcomes. The perceived barriers to compliance included excessive workload, congestion and lack of training and awareness. Enhanced training and education were thought to improve the utilization of the surgical safety checklist, and help enhance awareness about its importance.

While steps to utilize the surgical safety checklist by the operation room personnel may seem simple, the quality of its administration is not necessarily robust. There are several challenges for consistent, complete and effective administration of the surgical safety checklist by the surgical team members. Healthcare managers must employ interventions to eliminate barriers to and offer facilitators of adherence to the application of the surgical safety checklist, therefore promoting quality healthcare and patient safety.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the factors affecting the adoption of the e‐learning system (ELS) in mandatory and voluntary settings, through an extension of the technology acceptance model (TAM).

Regression analysis was used to observe the associations of proposed constructs.

The results of the study confirm the original TAM findings. In mandatory settings, students would only intend to use the ELS. Computer self‐efficacy demonstrated significant influence on perceived ease of use. Effects of course attributes on perceived usefulness were negatively significant. Effects of content quality on perceived usefulness were significant. This study found that the effects of subjective norm significantly influenced perceived usefulness in both settings. Also, perceived network externality exerts a significant direct effect on usage intentions, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use. This research implied that, first of all, mandatory usage is necessary for overall adoption of the ELS. The ELS should be developed to target changes in perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived network externality. Practical alternatives included enhancing content quality, developing a simple and easy‐to‐use system, and enhancing students' computer self‐efficacy. Secondly, perceived network externality was important in ELS adoption. That is, promotion of the system should emphasise the popularity of the system and future ELS products and services in order to create bandwagon effects.

These findings suggested an extended model of TAM for the ELS. This research advances theory and contributes to the foundation for future research aimed at improving our understanding of students' adoption behaviour of the e‐learning system.

To show the successful use of self‐organising fuzzy control in enhancing dynamic optimisation, a controller is used to direct the type of optimisation appropriate in each new dynamic problem. The system uses its experiences to determine which approach is most suitable under varying circumstances.

A knowledge extraction tool is used to gain basic information about the solution space with a simple computation. This information is compared with the fuzzy rules stored in the system. These rules hold a collection of facts on previous successes and failures, which were acquired through the performance monitor. Using this system the controller directs the algorithms, deciphering the most appropriate strategy for the current problem.

This procedure is designed for large scale dynamic optimisation problems, where a portion of the computational time is sacrificed to allow the controller to direct the best possible solution strategy. The results here are based on smaller scale systems, which illustrate the benefits of the technique.

The results highlight two significant aspects. From the comparison of the three algorithms without the use of the controller, a pattern can be seen in how the algorithms perform on different types of problems. Results show an improvement in the overall quality when the controller is employed.

This paper introduces a novel approach to the problem dynamic optimisation. It combines the control ability of self‐organising fuzzy logic with a range of optimisation techniques to obtain the best possible approach in any one situation.

This paper aims to describe the unique health challenges facing female commercial sex workers (FSWs), including issues related to their marginalisation and difficulty accessing health care. It proposes solutions to some of these problems.

This paper addresses this sensitive subject through the methodology of a literature review, drawing on a variety of relevant published literature to inform a modern understanding of the current health challenges faced by this population.

This paper discusses issues around criminalisation of commercial sex workers, complexities of family planning, sexually transmitted infection prevention, mental health and substance abuse and how increasing health-care worker awareness of the health needs of this vulnerable population can be a positive step in building trust within this relationship. Although adoption of the proposed recommendations put forth in this paper may help to eliminate some of the barriers encountered by female sex workers, further research is recommended.

The subject of commercial sex worker health care is neglected in the academic literature. This review explores the topic in an open and balanced manner and presents a broad and updated overview of the current health-care challenges faced by FSWs as well as opportunities for optimising access and quality of sex worker health care.