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To analyze effectively magnetic shielding effects by shields with fine structure.

Simplification of the fine structure makes it possible to analyze them efficiently. The authors have introduced a homogenization method to estimate effective permeability of magnetic composite structure for the static field. The homogenization method is applied to the analysis of magnetic shields composed of steel plates and steel rods against DC power lines to test its feasibility.

The properties of the magnetic shielding are analyzed by using the homogenization method. The errors of the magnetic fields increase in case of very few layers.

The simplification of the magnetic shields with fine structure by using the homogenization method makes it possible to analyze efficiently magnetic shielding effects, although the accuracy becomes worse in case of very few layers.

Three-dimensional (3D) mesh generation for shape optimizations needs long computational time. This makes it difficult to perform 3D shape optimizations. The purpose of this paper is to present a new meshing method with light computational cost for 3D shape optimizations.

This paper presents a new meshing method on the basis of nonconforming voxel finite element method. The 3D mesh generation is performed with light computational cost keeping the computational accuracy.

It is shown that the computational cost for 3D mesh generation can be reduced without deteriorating numerical accuracy in the FE analysis. It is reported the performance of the present method.

The validity of the nonconforming voxel elements is tested to apply it to the optimization of 3D optimizations.

Obesity can cause impairment in adipose tissue-derived hormones levels, which, in turn, might lead to metabolic syndrome occurrence. This study aims to assess the relationship between the levels of adiponectin, resistin, retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) and insulin with metabolic syndrome (MetS) indices. Also, optimal cutoff points of the adipokines and insulin for MetS prediction were determined.

In this study, 180 women (90 women with MetS and 90 women without MetS) were studied. The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria were used for MetS diagnosis. Anthropometric and biochemical indices were measured. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 21.

Serum adiponectin correlated negatively with age, BMI, waist circumference (WC), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol, SBP, DBP, FBS and positively correlated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. Both resistin and RBP4 levels correlated positively with BMI, WC, TG, SBP, DBP and FBS. Also, serum insulin correlated positively with BMI, WC, SBP and DBP. All the studied adipokines and insulin showed significant areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve. The largest area under the curve was observed for adiponectin (0.93, 95 per cent CI = 0.89-0.97, p < 0.001) with the optimal cut-off point of 11.94 µg/L. Also, the upper level of adiponectin was associated with 70 per cent lower prevalence odds of metabolic syndrome after adjusting for confounders.

The authors determined the optimal cutoff points of the adipokines and insulin for MetS prediction and calculated the diagnostic odds ratio for various cutoff values. Adiponectin could be used as a biomarker in MetS regarding its largest AUC.

This systematic review aims to gain the studies regarding the effect of Nigella Sativa (N. sativa) on adipokines including leptin, adiponectin and resistin.

Search was carried out using databases Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar with no restriction on language or date until February 2023 and alert services were applied to identify any paper after the primary search.

Eighteen animal and human studies were eligible for the current systematic review. Leptin and resistin levels showed a downward tendency after consuming N. sativa and its ingredients [e.g. oil, thymoquinone (TQ) and thymol] as well as its extracts (e.g. water extract). Furthermore, considering 4 of 8 animal research studies and 2 of 5 human studies that evaluated adiponectin levels, a significant increase was observed after using N. sativa and its ingredients (e.g. oil, TQ and thymol).

The present paper collates evidence from animal and human studies regarding the effect of N. sativa on adipokines including leptin, adiponectin and resistin.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate effects on global supply chain reconfigured in the customs duty rate of parts and specific material types brought about by Brexit and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The supply chain network is modeled and formulated using mixed integer programming. Numerical experiments are conducted using bill of materials with information such as the procurement cost of each part, 3D-CAD and an industry census.

The experiments indicates that if the customs duty rate increases by Brexit, manufacturers would be necessary to restructure supply chain configuration and locate the domestic factory and market. Additionally, when the UK leaves the EU and joins the TPP, there is a case where the total cost decreases in the global supply chain network compared to the baseline without Brexit. Therefore, it is reasonable for the UK to join the TPP.

The study shows how new trading rules from non-partnership countries can critically disrupt existing global supply chain equilibrium. Asian manufacturers should evaluate a move to more local sourcing, opening new facilities and setting up warehouses to stock finished goods or raw materials in different trading areas to overcome any barriers to the goods movement.

This study enables us to quantitatively evaluate what there are opportunities or cost increasing risks by the selection of supply chain configuration for Asian manufacturers by political and economic factors of each country, such as Brexit and participation in TPP.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors that influence patients’ long-term relationship with healthcare providers in healthcare delivery at hospitals.

Data were gathered using 170 patients in a cross-sectional survey with quantitative research methods at a public regional hospital. Results were obtained using descriptive analysis and regression analysis.

Generally, the study found that the health-related factors (the reception of staff, providers’ attitude, waiting time, competence and expertise and the hospital environment) that influence patients’ long-term relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The findings showed that overall 90.0 per cent of the patients were very satisfied with the overall healthcare services at the hospital.

Limited sample size, lack of examination of healthcare providers’ perspectives and non-application of qualitative methods make it difficult to give a true picture of how these can enhance patients’ intent to keep a long-term relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital.

The paper suggests that health policymakers and practitioners need to enhance measures that will make patients satisfied leading to their long-term commitment and cordial relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital.

The study demonstrated how health-related factors will be associated with the patients’ agreement/intent to keep a long-term relationship with their service providers at hospitals. Thus, the overall hypothesis was true that there is a relationship between patients’ satisfaction with the healthcare experienced and their long-term relationship with healthcare providers/hospital.

This is one of the few studies conducted on the topic in the context of Ghana’s health sector. It recommends that there should be a good interpersonal relationship between healthcare providers and patients, as patients’ satisfaction is not based on only receiving treatment at the health facility.

The analysis of particles trajectories in a vertical cylindrical coil shows that the magnetization force acting on paramagnetic particles has predominantly axial component which aims upwards and opposite to the gravitational force. In case of superconducting coil and depending on the value of the particle susceptibility, the axial force component can exceed several times the force of gravity. As a result, a motion of the particles in vertical upward direction appears. This effect was utilized to realize a magnetic separator, the main advantage of which is the high effectivity of separation process. A NbTi SC coil generates the magnetization force with a flux density field up to 12 T. Experiments with SiC inclusions in molten Aluminium have been performed to confirm the feasibility of this segregation concept.

The explosive growth of high‐density packaging has created a tremendous impact on the electronics assembly and manufacturing industry. Ball Grid Array (BGA), Chip Scale Packaging (CSP), Direct Chip Attach (DCA), and flip‐chip technologies are taking the lead in this advanced manufacturing process. Many major equipment makers and leading electronic companies are now gearing up for these emerging and advanced packaging technologies. In this paper, they will be briefly discussed.

A new solder‐bumped flip chip land grid array (LGA) chip scale package (CSP) called NuCSP is presented in this paper. NuCSP is a minimized body size package with a rigid substrate (interposer). The design concept is to utilize the interposer to redistribute the very fine pitch peripheral pads on the solder‐bumped chip to much larger pitch area‐array pads on the printed circuit board (PCB). Using conventional PCB substrate manufacturing processes, NuCSP offers a very low‐cost package suitable for memory chips and low pin‐count application‐specific ICs (ASICs). Also, NuCSP is surface mount technology (SMT) compatible and can be joined to the PCB with a 6‐mil (0.15mm) thick 63wt %Sn‐37% Pb solder paste.