Due to the emergence of COVID-19, hospitals are required to increase vigilance in providing care. However, their readiness for infection prevention and control (IPC) as a referral hospital in providing COVID-19 services has not been determined. This study aims to evaluate the IPC structure of 30 private non-profit Indonesian referral hospitals for COVID-19 based on the World Health Organization Infection Prevention and Control Assessment Framework (WHO IPCAF). A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was used, where 30 hospitals as the COVID-19 referral hospital were selected. The data collection was conducted by an online survey using the IPCAF questionnaire created by the WHO and was analysed with descriptive analysis. The majority of the hospitals' IPC level is at an advanced level (73.3%). All type B hospitals have an advanced IPC level, while only 64.7% of type C and 71.4% of type D have an advanced level. The highest average IPC score is on the IPC guidelines component (94.0), while the lowest value of 71.9 is on the Surveillance of HAIs component. In the minimum scores, there were hospitals with the lowest scores in HAI Surveillance and Multimodal strategies, namely 20.0 and 25.0, respectively. Preparing human resource capacities, establishing functional programmes, developing and implementing IPC guidelines, and providing adequate supplies are needed to improve hospital IPC structures. CONTRIBUTION: This study demonstrates the necessity to improve hospital IPC structures to increase the resilience of health services to natural hazards and public health emergencies.

Resumo O estudo de métodos controlados de fermentação de cacau em pequena escala é importante para se avaliar a manutenção do calor gerado nos últimos dias de fermentação. A pesquisa teve como objetivo estudar o impacto da fermentação espontânea em sistemas de fermentação controlada na qualidade e aceitabilidade da amêndoa de cacau fermentada. Um planejamento fatorial completo 2×3 utilizou como variáveis diferentes sistemas de fermentação controlada (encamisado, aquecedor solar e caixa de madeira) e redução de polpa. As amostras foram analisadas quanto ao índice de fermentação e ao perfil da composição do aroma volátil, usando Headspace-Solid Phase (HS-SPME) e cromatografia gasosa acoplada à espectrometria de massa (GC-MS). O perfil dos compostos voláteis foi avaliado para as variáveis estudadas usando uma análise multivariada de componentes principais (PCA). Os resultados mostraram que o aumento do tempo de fermentação no sistema encamisado elevou a taxa de fermentação e acelerou para cinco dias de fermentação combinado com a redução de polpa. A análise de PCA mostrou diferença na composição química dos compostos voláteis que foram mais associados à redução do processo de despolpamento do que ao tipo de sistema controlado, em quatro dias de fermentação.

Abstract The study of controlled methods of cocoa fermentation on a small scale is important to assess the maintenance of heat generated in the last days of fermentation. The research aimed to study the impact of spontaneous fermentation in controlled fermentation systems on the quality and acceptability of fermented cocoa beans. A 2×3 complete factorial design used different controlled fermentation systems (jacket system, solar heater and wooden box) and pulp reduction as variables. Samples were analyzed for fermentation index and volatile aroma composition profile using Headspace-Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The profile of volatile compounds is evaluated for the studied variables using a multivariate Principal Components Analysis (PCA). The results showed increasing fermentation times in the jacket system seeing that it raised the fermentation rate and accelerated it to five days of fermentation combined with pulp reduction. The PCA analysis showed differences in the chemical composition of volatile compounds that were mainly associated with the reduction of the pulping process than the type of controlled system in four days of fermentation.

Poor performance measurement practices in the oil and gas industry can cause project cost overruns, schedule delays, and scope increases. Earned value management, as an integrated project planning and control method measuring cost and schedule performance, enables the early detection of performance issues, and allows corrective actions to be implemented in a timely manner. Through a structured interview survey, this study aimed to identify the current maturity level of earned value management practice in Malaysian oil and gas firms to determine the barriers hindering the use of this practice, and to identify critical success factors for enhancing earned value management implementation in the oil and gas industry. The findings revealed the major barriers to earned value management implementation, and potential strategies to improve the effectiveness of earned value management practice in this industry.

Swak prestasiebestuurpraktyke in die olie- en gasindustrie lei tot die oorskryding van projek begrotings, skedule vertragings en omvang toenames. Verdiendewaarde bestuur wat as 'n geïntegreerde projekbeplanning en -beheermetode gebruik word om koste en skedule prestasie te meet stel die bestuurder in staat om prestasie probleme vroegtydig op te spoor. Dienooreenkomstige korrigerende stappe kan dan tydig geneem word. Hierdie studie se doelstelling was om deur middel van 'n gestruktureerde onderhoud opname die huidige volwassenheidsvlak van verdiendewaarde bestuurpraktyke in die Maleisiese olie- en gasindustrie te bepaal, om hindernisse tot die gebruik van hierdie praktyk te bepaal, en om kritiese suksesfaktore wat die implementering van verdiendewaarde bestuur aanmoedig te identifiseer. Die bevindinge het groot hoof hindernisse tot die implementering van verdiendewaarde prestasiebestuur in hierdie industrie ontbloot.

ABSTRACT This experiment aimed to discover the effect of reducing dietary protein supplemented with lysine, methionine, and threonine on growth performance, volatile fatty acid profile, and intestinal villus height and crypt depth of broilers, as well as the microflora counts isolated from broiler chicken faeces. A total of 288-day-old broilers were allocated to eight treatments with six replicates consisting of 36 birds per treatment. The diets contained dietary protein from 21 to 18% in starter diet and 18 to 16% in finisher diet supplemented with L-lysine, DL-methionine, and L-threonine at the same ratio for all dietary treatments. Body weight and feed intake were determined, and feed conversion ratio was calculated. Blood, intestine, and digesta samples were collected at 21 and 42 days for further analysis. Dietary protein supplemented with amino acids improved growth performance, reduced pathogenic bacteria, and increased beneficial bacteria counts, small intestine villi height and crypt depth, and ileal-digesta volatile fatty acid concentrations of broiler chickens. However, reducing 2% of dietary protein supplemented with lysine, methionine, and threonine showed the best results, especially in growth performance, feed conversion ratio, microflora count, duodenal and jejunal villi height, and ileal-digesta volatile fatty acid concentrations, such as butyric and valeric acids. It is believed that by reducing the level of dietary protein in broiler diet while supplementing with synthetic amino acid may enhance the intestinal morphology, nutrient digestibility, and absorption in broiler chickens and will simultaneously result in better performance.

ABSTRACT An in vitro study was carried out to identify the effects of different inclusion levels of postbiotics from Lactobacillus plantarum RG14 on rumen fermentation profiles, gas production kinetics, and microbial population in rumen fluid collected from goats. Postbiotics were added at different levels (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2%) and incubated for 72 h with 200 mg dry matter (DM) of a substrate containing 60% Guinea grass and 40% commercial concentrate. The experiment was conducted in triplicate on different days with four replications per treatment. Rumen fermentation kinetics, pH, organic matter digestibility (OMD), volatile fatty acids (VFA), and microbial populations were investigated. Net gas production and gas production from the immediate soluble fraction (a) increased linearly, and the volume of gas produced from the insoluble fraction (b) and potential gas production (a + b) quadratically increased with the increasing levels of postbiotics. A significant linear increase in OMD was observed for increasing postbiotic levels. Total and individual molarity of ruminal VFA and acetic acid to propionic ratio were also significantly increased by postbiotic inclusion. Populations of total bacteria, cellulolytic bacteria ( Fibrobacter succinogenes , Ruminococcus albus , Ruminococcus flavefaciens ), and total protozoa were significantly increased in the postbiotic treatment. Postbiotics in the ruminal fluid in vitro enhance rumen fermentation and improve digestibility and VFA production without any adverse effects on pH.