bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Priced Timed Petri Nets
Authors: Mayr Richard M. , Abdulla Parosh Aziz
Published: July 2014

We consider priced timed Petri nets, i.e., unbounded Petri nets where each
token carries a real-valued clock. Transition arcs are labeled with time
intervals, which specify constraints on the ages of tokens. Furthermore, our
cost model assigns token storage costs per time unit to places, and firing
costs to transitions. This general model strictly subsumes both priced timed
automata and unbounded priced Petri nets. We study the cost of computations
that reach a given control-state. In general, a computation with minimal cost
may not exist, due to strict inequalities in the time constraints. However, we
show that the infimum of the costs to reach a given control-state is computable
in the case where all place and transition costs are non-negative. On the other
hand, if negative costs are allowed, then the question whether a given
control-state is reachable with zero overall cost becomes undecidable. In fact,
this negative result holds even in the simpler case of discrete time (i.e.,
integer-valued clocks).
Incarnation in Ludics and maximal cliques of paths
Authors: Quatrini Myriam , Fouqueré Christophe
Published: July 2014

Ludics is a reconstruction of logic with interaction as a primitive notion,
in the sense that the primary logical concepts are no more formulas and proofs
but cut-elimination interpreted as an interaction between objects called
designs. When the interaction between two designs goes well, such two designs
are said to be orthogonal. A behaviour is a set of designs closed under
bi-orthogonality. Logical formulas are then denoted by behaviours. Finally
proofs are interpreted as designs satisfying particular properties. In that
way, designs are more general than proofs and we may notice in particular that
they are not typed objects. Incarnation is introduced by Girard in Ludics as a
characterization of "useful" designs in a behaviour. The incarnation of a
design is defined as its subdesign that is the smallest one in the behaviour
ordered by inclusion. It is useful in particular because being "incarnated" is
one of the conditions for a design to denote a proof of a formula. The
computation of incarnation is important also as it gives a minimal denotation
for a formula, and more generally for a behaviour. We give here a constructive
way to capture the incarnation of the behaviour of a set of designs, without
computing the behaviour itself. The method we follow uses an alternative
definition of designs: rather than defining them as sets of chronicles, we
consider them as sets of paths, a concept very close to that of play in game
semantics that allows an easier handling of the interaction: the unfolding of
interaction is a path common to two interacting designs.
Polynomial Path Orders
Authors: Avanzini Martin , Moser Georg
Published: July 2014

This paper is concerned with the complexity analysis of constructor term
rewrite systems and its ramification in implicit computational complexity. We
introduce a path order with multiset status, the polynomial path order POP*,
that is applicable in two related, but distinct contexts. On the one hand POP*
induces polynomial innermost runtime complexity and hence may serve as a
syntactic, and fully automatable, method to analyse the innermost runtime
complexity of term rewrite systems. On the other hand POP* provides an
order-theoretic characterisation of the polytime computable functions: the
polytime computable functions are exactly the functions computable by an
orthogonal constructor TRS compatible with POP*.
Size distribution of fullerenol nanoparticles in cell culture medium and their influence on antioxidative enzymes in Chinese hamster ovary cells
Authors: Srdjenovic Branislava , Slavic Marija , Stankov Karmen , Kladar Nebojsa , Jovic Danica , Seke Mariana , Bogdanovic Visnja
Published: July 2014

Fullerenol (C60(OH)24) nanoparticles (FNP) have a significant role in
biomedical research due to their numerous biological activities, some of
which are cytoprotective and antioxidative properties. The aim of this study
was to measure distribution of fullerenol nanoparticles and zeta potential in
cell medium RPMI 1640 with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and to investigate
the influence of FNP on Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) survival, as
well as to determine the activity of three antioxidative enzymes:
superoxide-dismutase, glutathione-reductase and glutathione-S-transferase in
mitomycin C-treated cell line. Our investigation implies that FNP, as a
strong antioxidant, influence the cellular redox state and enzyme activities
and thus may reduce cell proliferation, which confirms that FNP could be
exploited for its use as a cytoprotective agent.
Comparative analysis of milling results on the tail-end reduction passages of the wheat flour milling process: Conventional vs. eight-roller milling system
Authors: Fistes Aleksandar
Published: July 2014

Introduction of the eight-roller mill into the wheat flour milling process
significantly reduces the investment costs and overall energy requirements
compared to the conventional milling system. However, the conditions for
controlled milling are less favorable and could result in deterioration of
flour yield and quality. Paper compares milling results obtained using a
conventional process and process with an eight-roller mill employed on the
tail-end passages of the reduction system. At the same roll gap and under the
same sieving conditions, the flour release was lower in the process with the
eight-roller mill compared to the conventional milling system. By decreasing
the roll gap and increasing the upper size limit (granulation) of flour in
the process with the eight-roller mill it is possible to increase flour yield
and decrease milling energy consumption per unit mass of flour produced. This
can be achieved without deterioration of flour quality as determined by ash
content.
The content of essential and toxic elements in wheat bran and flour
Authors: Ludajic Gordana , Pezo Lato , Filipovic Nada , Filipovic Jelena
Published: July 2014

The research was conducted with the aim of examining the presence of toxic
elements (Pb, Cd, As and Hg) and essential elements (Zn, Cu, Fe and Mn) in
selected samples of wheat flour and bran by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass
Spectrometry. The principal component analysis has been used for assessing
the variety of samples. Quality results show that the first two principal
components, accounting for 84.22% of the total variability, can be considered
sufficient for data representation and the first two principal components for
toxic elements and essential microelements. Zn (16.38%), Mn (16.19%), Cu
(15.73), Fe (15.44%) and Cd (14.99%) have been found the most influential for
the first factor coordinate calculation, while the contribution of Hg
(89.09%) has been the most important variable for the second factor
coordinate calculation.
Sociospacial identity of Belgrade in the context of urban and regional development of Serbia
Authors: Vujovic Sreten
Published: July 2014

Based on the analyses of sociologists, historians, economists, demographers,
anthropologists, and based on author?s own research, the aim of the paper is
to point to the complex and dynamic sociospatial identity of contemporary
Belgrade in the context of urban and regional development of post-socialist
Serbia. The analytical framework includes, first of all, the definition of
the city?s identity in terms of self-awareness of a city as sociospatial
collectivity, which historically originates and develops in dependency which
the city and the individuals in it establish in relationships with other
cities. It then cites the various concepts by means of which identity of the
modern city is constructed: the entrepreneurial city (Harvey), the creative
city (Florida and Landry), the exciting city (Richards and Palmer), the city
as a text (Radovic), a competitive identity of the city (Anholt) and so on.
In particular, Belgradization as a process of concentration of money and
power in the capital is analyzed and it is concluded that the network of
Serbian cities is pyramidal, that the regionalization of Serbia is
asymmetric, and that Belgrade is a primate city, too big and too powerful for
Serbia i.e. that Belgradization increases regional imbalance in Serbia. The
paper concludes with an optimistic assessment that Belgrade, despite numerous
problems in its development, has the potential to become the ?European
Capital of Culture? in 2020.
FGF21 Maintains Glucose Homeostasis by Mediating the Cross Talk Between Liver and Brain During Prolonged Fasting
Authors: Liang Qingning , Zhong Ling , Zhang Jialiang , Wang Yu , Bornstein Stefan R. , Triggle Chris R. , Ding Hong , Lam Karen S.L. , Xu Aimin
Published: July 2014

Hepatic gluconeogenesis is a main source of blood glucose during prolonged fasting and is orchestrated by endocrine and neural pathways. Here we show that the hepatocyte-secreted hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) induces fasting gluconeogenesis via the brain-liver axis. Prolonged fasting induces activation of the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α (PPARα) in the liver and subsequent hepatic production of FGF21, which enters into the brain to activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis for release of corticosterone, thereby stimulating hepatic gluconeogenesis. Fasted FGF21 knockout (KO) mice exhibit severe hypoglycemia and defective hepatic gluconeogenesis due to impaired activation of the HPA axis and blunted release of corticosterone, a phenotype similar to that observed in PPARα KO mice. By contrast, intracerebroventricular injection of FGF21 reverses fasting hypoglycemia and impairment in hepatic gluconeogenesis by restoring corticosterone production in both FGF21 KO and PPARα KO mice, whereas all these central effects of FGF21 were abrogated by blockage of hypothalamic FGF receptor-1. FGF21 acts directly on the hypothalamic neurons to activate the mitogen-activated protein kinase extracellular signal–related kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), thereby stimulating the expression of corticotropin-releasing hormone by activation of the transcription factor cAMP response element binding protein. Therefore, FGF21 maintains glucose homeostasis during prolonged fasting by fine tuning the interorgan cross talk between liver and brain.
Mitochondrial GTP Insensitivity Contributes to Hypoglycemia in Hyperinsulinemia Hyperammonemia by Inhibiting Glucagon Release
Authors: Kibbey Richard G. , Choi Cheol Soo , Lee Hui-Young , Cabrera Over , Pongratz Rebecca L. , Zhao Xiaojian , Birkenfeld Andreas L. , Li Changhong , Berggren Per-Olof , Stanley Charles , Shulman Gerald I.
Published: July 2014

Mitochondrial GTP (mtGTP)-insensitive mutations in glutamate dehydrogenase (GDHH454Y) result in fasting and amino acid–induced hypoglycemia in hyperinsulinemia hyperammonemia (HI/HA). Surprisingly, hypoglycemia may occur in this disorder despite appropriately suppressed insulin. To better understand the islet-specific contribution, transgenic mice expressing the human activating mutation in β-cells (H454Y mice) were characterized in vivo. As in the humans with HI/HA, H454Y mice had fasting hypoglycemia, but plasma insulin concentrations were similar to the controls. Paradoxically, both glucose- and glutamine-stimulated insulin secretion were severely impaired in H454Y mice. Instead, lack of a glucagon response during hypoglycemic clamps identified impaired counterregulation. Moreover, both insulin and glucagon secretion were impaired in perifused islets. Acute pharmacologic inhibition of GDH restored both insulin and glucagon secretion and normalized glucose tolerance in vivo. These studies support the presence of an mtGTP-dependent signal generated via β-cell GDH that inhibits α-cells. As such, in children with activating GDH mutations of HI/HA, this insulin-independent glucagon suppression may contribute importantly to symptomatic hypoglycemia. The identification of a human mutation causing congenital hypoglucagonemic hypoglycemia highlights a central role of the mtGTP–GDH–glucagon axis in glucose homeostasis.
Perceived Risk of Co-Occurrent Substance Abuse
Authors: Hittner James B. , Warner Margaret A.
Published: July 2014

A strong negative correlation between perceptions of risk for co-occurrent substance abuse and the variability associated with those risk perceptions was found in two independent samples.
Visuomotor Control in Continuous Response Time Tasks across Different Age Groups
Authors: Liu Guanmin , Chen David D. , Qin Chunbo , Chan John S. Y. , Peng Kaiping , Yan Jin H.
Published: July 2014

The goal was to examine whether visuomotor control and choice response time shared age-related developmental trajectories, and if prior computer experience played an important role in control processes. Children (6–7, 8–9, 10–11 yr.), younger adults (24 yr.) and older adults (76 yr.) performed the cursor pointing and choice response time (CRT) tasks with a computer mouse. Participants moved the mouse cursor back and forth to click two targets on the screen as fast and accurately as possible. In the CRT, based on visual stimuli, participants moved and clicked one of the three targets on the screen as fast and accurately as possible; the time between stimulus onset and clicking the correct target was recorded as the choice response time. Visuomotor performance increased with age to younger adulthood but was worse in the older adult group. CRT performance was also positively related to age among the groups of children, with scores leveling off in the young adult group. Computer experience was statistically significantly related only to visuomotor control, but not to CRT. Optimal CRT performance required only sub-optimal visuomotor control. Cognitive and sensory age declines may be related to the poorer CRT performance in the oldest age group.
No Motion without Emotion: Getting Started with Hard Facts on a Soft Topic
Authors: Gröppel-Klein Andrea
Published: July 2014

The power of emotions is evident in almost all areas of marketing and consumer behavior. Consumers often strive for "affect optimization": At the end of the day, they want their emotional balance to be positive. That means products, advertisements and other people - anything that can make us happy - all have a high potential for success. Hundreds of empirical studies demonstrate the importance of emotions in marketing and consumer behavior. But emotions are very diverse and can be researched from different perspectives. Methods for measuring emotions are as diverse as the various theoretical approaches. They range from verbal self-evaluation and picture-based scales to neuroscientific measures like heart rate, electrodermal reactions or regional brain response. Other popular approaches include observational methods that attempt to capture emotional facial expressions. Which method fits best needs to be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Stressed Out: How Stress Develops and How to Cope with it
Authors: Mortillaro Marcello , Scherer Klaus R.
Published: July 2014

Our experience of stress depends on how we evaluate the circumstances impacting our individual well-being. In principle, any event can be a stressor. Certain events can produce complex emotional states, such as a mixture of anger and worry. If such states are prolonged, they can lead to stress. Stress can be identified by means of such expressive components as facial expression and signs of stress in the voice. Indeed, the voice is particularly sensitive to stress and is frequently used to measure stress levels. Coping strategies differ from person to person and are not mutually exclusive. Often, people use multiple strategies at the same time. Not all of these strategies are good for individual well-being or favor a cooperation-based work culture. To avoid employee burnout, companies should keep an eye on the stress load of their employees and develop trainings to increase emotional competences and improve constructive stress management.
Feels Right … Go Ahead? When to Trust Your Feelings in Judgments and Decisions
Authors: Tuan Pham Michel
Published: July 2014

Not only are subjective feelings an integral part of many judgments and decisions, they can even lead to improved decisions and better predictions. Individuals who have learned to trust their feelings performed better in economic-negotiation games than their rational-thinking opponents. But emotions are not just relevant in negotiations and decisions. They also play a decisive role in forecasting future events. Candidates who trusted their feelings made better predictions than people with less emotional confidence. Emotions contain valuable information about the world around us. This information is not as readily available in our mind as hard facts but rather lies in the background of our conscious attention. In negotiation situations like the ultimatum game, feelings provide an intuitive sense of what offer is about right and what offer is too high or too low. But feelings also summarize statistical relationships among things that, on the surface, may seem disconnected. These statistical relationships make more probable futures feel more right than less probable futures. However, researchers warn that you should not always trust your feelings. Feelings that tend to help are those based on general knowledge, not those based on easy-to-verbalize local knowledge.
Breaking Up is Hard to Do: The Ups and Downs of Divorcing Brands
Authors: Fournier Susan
Published: July 2014

Relationships with brands are like relationships between people. Even when they were very close, they can fail for diverse reasons. The disadoption of favorite brands doesn't happen overnight. It tends to be an extended, often painful process and not a clear-cut, one-off event. Breakups are not isolated to the person and the brand. Friends and family often get involved and offer their opinions and advice. Other brand relationships are also affected by the disconnection, and this can speed up or delay the process of breaking up. The brand relationship changes its form and can go from being a best friend to a platonic love, a distant friend, a stalker or even an enemy. A breakup is never the end of the relationship. Rather, it redefines the relationship and is part of a never-ending cycle of change. If the former relationship is perceived positively, it is easier to eventually activate and intensify it. If negative aspects prevail, negative word of mouth is a danger and companies must be able to counter it. Some relationships reach a point of no return. But there are also customers who might regret having abandoned a brand. With some sensitivity, it might be possible to win them back.
There´s No Passion; I Need Passion: Why Some Brands Excite Consumers So Much
Authors: Hemetsberger Andrea
Published: July 2014

Not all brands have the potential to develop into meaningful objects for consumers. They need to serve certain psychological and symbolic functions in order to qualify as passion brands. They need to help consumers define and express their personality, combine potentially conflicting social roles or experiment with new roles. Brand passion is lived in very different ways. Some fans invest a lot of time and money in their beloved objects; others join brand communities to collectively enjoy the brand. Others yet act as missionaries on behalf of the brand or develop their own rituals in dealing with it. Companies can encourage customers' relationships with their brands by helping consumers care for the brand and enhance or maintain it. True passion, however, also needs a pinch of magic in extraordinary and unique experiences and transformations. Creating such magical moments is the true challenge for brand management.
Do Pleasant Emotional Ads Make Consumers Like Your Brand More?
Authors: Geuens Maggie , De Pelsmacker Patrick , Tuan Pham Michel
Published: July 2014

Emotionally pleasant TV commercials are often preferred over merely factual ones. A large-scale study of Belgian TV ads confirms this notion and shows that such commercials also create more positive feelings toward the advertised brand. Interestingly, these effects depend on neither the level of involvement associated with the product category nor the type of product. Independent of the perceived creativity of the commercial or its informational value, emotionality had a significant impact on the evaluation of a brand. However, the effects were slightly more pronounced for products that align themselves with pleasure and experience than for functional products. Advertisers should therefore leverage the power of emotions not only because these ads are better liked, but more importantly because they lead to more favorable brand attitudes.
Writ Large on Your Face: Observing Emotions Using Automatic Facial Analysis
Authors: Dieckmann Anja , Unfried Matthias
Published: July 2014

Emotions affect all of our daily decisions and, of course, they also influence our evaluations of brands, products and advertisements. But what exactly do consumers feel when they watch a TV commercial, visit a website or when they interact with a brand in different ways? Measuring such emotions is not an easy task. In the past, the effectiveness of marketing material was evaluated mostly by subsequent surveys. Now, with the emergence of neuroscientific approaches like EEG, the measurement of real-time reactions is possible, for instance, when watching a commercial. However, most neuroscientific procedures are fairly invasive and irritating. For an EEG, for instance, numerous electrodes need to be placed on the participant's scalp. Furthermore, data analysis is highly complex. Scientific expertise is necessary for interpretation, so the procedure remains a black box to most practitioners and the results are still rather controversial. By contrast, automatic facial analysis provides similar information without having to wire study participants. In addition, the results of such analyses are intuitive and easy to interpret even for laypeople. These convincing advantages led GfK Company to decide on facial analysis and to develop a tool suitable for measuring emotional responses to marketing stimuli, making it easily applicable in marketing research practice.
Palliative radiotherapy at the end of life: A critical review
Authors: Jones Joshua A. , Lutz Stephen T. , Chow Edward , Johnstone Peter A.
Published: July 2014

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE

When delivered with palliative intent, radiotherapy can help to alleviate a multitude of symptoms related to advanced cancer. In general, time to symptom relief is measured in weeks to months after the completion of radiotherapy. Over the past several years, an increasing number of studies have explored rates of radiotherapy use in the final months of life and have found variable rates of radiotherapy use. The optimal rate is unclear, but would incorporate anticipated efficacy in patients whose survival allows it and minimize overuse among patients with expected short survival. Clinician prediction has been shown to overestimate the length of survival in repeated studies. Prognostic indices can provide assistance with estimations of survival length and may help to guide treatment decisions regarding palliative radiotherapy in patients with potentially short survival times. This review explores the recent studies of radiotherapy near the end of life, examines general prognostic models for patients with advanced cancer, describes specific clinical circumstances when radiotherapy may and may not be beneficial, and addresses open questions for future research to help clarify when palliative radiotherapy may be effective near the end of life. CA Cancer J Clin 2014;64:295–310. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
CORROSION OF GALVANIZED STEEL AND COPPER IN AQUEOUS ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Moniruzzaman Md. , Bepari Md. Mohar Ali , Haque M. Merajul , Limon S. Alam
Published: July 2014

Corrosion test of galvanized steel and copper (Cu) has been carried out in three different aqueousenvironments e.g. 5% NaCl solution, sea water and rain water by immersion test technique. Corrosion rate ismeasured in mdd (mg/dm2/day) unit. Corrosion characteristics of the corroded samples are investigated by XRD,XRF and SEM analysis. Irrespective of the exposure duration, Cu is seen better corrosion resistant thangalvanized steel in 5% NaCl solution. Cu corrosion behavior is similar in 5% NaCl solution and the sea wateras well. Formation of protective Cu2O scale on Cu surface is believed to decrease its corrosion rate withincreasing exposure time both in 5% NaCl solution and sea water. Pitting corrosion occurs on Cu surface. Forvery short time exposure Cu is more corrosion resistant but galvanized steel becomes more useful than Cu forlonger exposure in rain water.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jme.v43i2.17828
PERFORMANCE OF A STATIONARY SAVONIUS ROTOR WITH CIRCULAR ARC BLADE PROFILE
Authors: Adhikary Anik , Islam Md. Quamrul , Ali Mohammad
Published: July 2014

Static torque and drag coefficients of a stationary Savonius rotor with circular arc blade profile havebeen investigated by measuring the pressure distribution on the blade surfaces for different rotor angles.Experiments have been performed at a Reynolds Number 1.8×105 with rotors having no overlap. Resultsindicate that static torque coefficients vary considerably with the rotor angle.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jme.v43i2.17830
AN EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF FIBER REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE THERMOPLASTICS FOR AEROSPACE APPLICATIONS
Authors: Kumar K. Vijaya , Safiulla Mir , Ahmed A.N. Khaleel
Published: July 2014

Fiber reinforced thermosetting composites have wide scope in the field of Aerospace and MilitaryApplications. These materials exhibit high strength and high stiffness, besides these composites have long fatiguelife, corrosion resistance, environmental stability, thermal insulation and conductivity. Researchers areexploring possibilities to use natural fiber reinforced polymer composites (NFRPCs) in response to the increasingdemand for environmentally friendly materials and also to develop reusable fiber reinforced thermoplastics withthe desire to reduce the cost and to promote the replacement of thermosetting composites.In this work efforts are put to fabricate fiber thermoplastics made of jute, glass and carbon with (PP)polypropylene as the matrix. The mechanical strength of these fiber reinforced thermoplastics was evaluated andcompared with that of fiber reinforced thermosetting polymers made of same fibers along with epoxy matrix. Thetests clearly indicate that the laminates made of fiber reinforced polypropylene have 7 to 8 times less strengthcompared to thermosetting polymers made of fiber epoxy and it is found that for achieving better strength of thematerial, the polypropylene layers should be more than that of the epoxy matrix or to use alternative thermoplasticmaterials like polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetherimide (PEI) and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Hence thesematerials are feasible for fabricating low load bearing aircraft interior cabin parts and automobile interiorswhich can be reused or reshaped making them easy to re-work and repair.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jme.v43i2.17832
PERFORMANCE OF A SOLAR PAPER DRIER FOR SMALL-SCALE PAPER SHEET PRODUCTION
Authors: Hjort Mikael , Thomas Daniel E.
Published: July 2014

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of a paper drier operating on solar-heated hotwater. A small-scale prototype of a flat tank paper drier was built and tested in a variety of conditions and witha variety of handmade paper types. The tests showed consistent performance, with a specific energyconsumption of about 3.5 MJ per kg of water evaporated from the paper. This corresponds to a drier efficiencyof up to 80%, with reference to the latent heat of evaporation. Drier temperature variations were minimal, andthe performance was considered satisfactory to continue with further development of the drier for localhandmade paper production facilities. Measured drying rates compared well with predicted values calculatedusing correlations based on Stefan's law.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jme.v44i1.19491
INVESTIGATIONS ON CERAMIC COATED DIESEL ENGINE WITH BRASS PISTON MATERIAL
Authors: Reddy S. Sunit Kumar , Pandurangadu V.
Published: July 2014

With the enormous energy demand and environmental concern the interest on the alternate fuels tothe diesel engines has been increased. Among all the fuels alcohols have received a considerable attentionbecause these are bio-based, renewable and are oxygenated. But due to its properties they require higheroperating temperatures in the combustion chambers. Hence in the present work a ceramic coated insulatedengine is developed by incorporating an air gap between piston skirt and crown for the study of alcoholsperformance and emission characteristics. The combustion efficiency depends on the mixture strength, pistonmaterial and turbulence in the chamber. So, in this work an attempt is made with brass piston and brass insertwith nine and twelve grooves. Among all the pistons tested the brass insert with nine grooves is best in terms ofengine performance and emissions. With the elevated temperatures the main problems faced are drop involumetric efficiency and lubricating oil deterioration and can be avoided with turbo compounding system andnew lubricants.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jme.v44i1.19492
ANALYSIS OF INDUSTRIES BECOMING SICK BY RATIO ANALYSIS
Authors: Hoque A.K.M. Solayman , Biswas S.K. , Wazed M. A.
Published: July 2014

Industries becoming sick has become a great problem everywhere in this industrial world especially in the 3rd world countries. Many researches have been done to analyze the problem and suggest opinions about solving this problem as huge amount of capital is lost if an industry becomes sick and go out of business. If the numbers become multiple, such happenings might affect national economy and thus it draws attention of political and business leaders besides new entrepreneurs of the country. In this paper an attempt has been made to analyze this problem by using financial ratio analysis. Various financial ratios of two numbers of medium and large industries of one industrial corporation in Bangladesh have been calculated by using actual financial data of the industries. The data has been analyzed and a correlation has been shown with various financial ratios with the industries becoming sick. The authors hope that the findings of the analysis will attract attention of academicians, industrialists, political leaders, and the owners of the industries which are becoming sick and will also show a guiding path to new entrepreneurs. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jme.v44i1.19495
Operative Outcome of Acute Extradural Haematoma, Operated at Different Time Interval and Review of International Guidelines
Authors: Haque MM Ehsanul , Sultana S , Ahamed SU , Alamgir Md. Abdullah
Published: July 2014

Objective: To determine the prognostic factors of the functional outcome of patients surgically treated for acute extradural haematoma.Methods: Sixty three cases of extradural haematoma was studied over a period of two years from July 2001 to July 2003 in dept of neurosurgery Dhaka Medical college & Hospital. Study was prospective for their clinical profile and operative measures. Clinical characteristics, radiologic findings, and the time intervals with regard to treatment course were investigated to determine the interactions between all these factors and functional outcome. Their clinical presentation varied from intense headache to deep coma and fixed pupil. Patients were divided into two groups on the basis of the GCS level on admission and also on the basis of the operative time interval. All patients were treated surgically and haematoma evacuated.Results: Out of 63 cases 26 cases (41.3%) were in 3rd decade. Male to female ratio was 14:1, where males were 93.6% (59 cases) out of total 63. Most common mode of injury causing EDH was due to RTA 57% followed by assault (26.9%) & fall from height (15.8%). CT scan confirms site of EDH which was more common in temporal region in 26 cases(41.2%) followed by frontal 13 cases (20.6%), parietal 11 cases (17.4%), temporoparietal region 10 cases (15.8%)& occipital region 3 cases(4.76%). The mean interval between injury and operation in two groups were 36 hours & 5 days(Av). Most important finding was the operative outcome where mortality was 30.1%.This mortality was dependent on the GCS level rather than the preoperative time. But the number of patients achieved good recovery (resume normal life GOS 5) was significantly more among them who were treated within 3 days (mean 24.15 hours) than those who were treated within 5.26 days .Conclusion: This study identifies the risk factors involved in the functional outcome of patients who underwent surgical treatment for acute epidural hematomas. Excessive delay occurred in recognizing the condition and in subsequent transfer of patients. Early intervention in traumatic EDH cases should not be delayed. It gives not only the better result but also reduces the number of disabled vegetative person and reduces morbidity and above all reduces social burden, hospital staying and cost.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jpsb.v1i2.19522
Lubrication of Meatus and Circumcision Site for Prevention of Post-circumcision Meatal Stenosis in Children Younger Than Two Years Old
Authors: Mondal Susankar Kumar , Hasina Kaniz , Huq Md. Ashraf Ul , Ali Md. Ansar , Alam Md. Mahbub-Ul , Hoque Muhammed Moinul , Khan Jaglul Gaffer , Rahman A K M Mizanur , Islam Shahnoor
Published: July 2014

Introduction: Approximately one in three men is circumcised globally, but there are relatively few data on the safety of the procedure1. Circumcision is a surgical procedure performed for centuries for medical, religious and several other reasons. Circumcision is the most common surgical procedure performed in boys through out the world. Meatal stenosis is one of its late complications. We evaluated the topical use of lubricant jelly (Vaseline- petroleum jelly) after circumcision in boys in order to reduce or prevent the risk of meatal stenosis.Objective: To see the effectiveness of use of lubricants and to determine the functional outcome, that is prevention of post circumcision meatal stenosis.Materials and Methods: A randomized control trial was performed, in which two groups of boys younger than two years old underwent circumcision according to dissection (sleeve) method . The parents in the study groups were strictly instructed to use petroleum jelly on the meatus and circumcision site at every morning or after each diaper change where necessary for three months, on the other hand parents in the control group were instructed not to use any lubricants or topical medication on the same site. The boys were followed up regularly and evaluated for meatal stenosis, bleeding and infection.Results: A total of 120 boys, 60 in each group completed the study. None of the boys in the study group develop meatal stenosis , but 6(10%) in the control group develop meatal stenosis ( p < 0.05 ). Infection of the circumcision site was seen in 1 (0.6%) and 3 (5%) children in the lubricant and control groups, respectively (p<0.05) and bleeding was seen in 3 (5.0%) and 6(10.0%) respectively.Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, it seems logical to use a lubricant jelly for prevention of post circumcision meatal stenosis and other complications.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jpsb.v1i2.19528
Use of Betel Leaves in Pediatric Stoma Care
Authors: Huq Md. Ashraf Ul , Rahman A K M Mizanur , Hossain Tahmina
Published: July 2014

Background: To find out a practicable, cost effective and easily available alternative of commercial stoma care devices for pediatric patients in a developing country.Methods: The study was conducted in the department of Pediatric Surgery in Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh, during two years period from May 2009 to April 2011. Number of patients was 162 with age range 2 days to 7 years, mean age 2.3 years. As early as a colostomy or ileostomy had started functioning, a central hole was made in a betel leaf. The hole could just snugly accommodate the stoma. After applying a layer of zinc oxide paste over the peristomal skin the leaf was placed as such the stoma rotrudes through the hole. The smooth shiny surface of the leaf would face upwards and rough surface downwards. Another intact betel leaf with the shiny surface also facing upwards would cover the stoma. The leaves did not act as a reservoir rather simply acted as a barrier between the effluent and the peristomal skin. Fifty seven patients with colostomy and 11 with leostomy used stoma appliances (wafer with bag). Eighty six patients with colostomy and 8 patients with ileostomy used betel leaves and zinc oxide paste. Mean length of time between creation and closure of a colostomy was 9 months and that of an ileostomy was three months. It was ensured that each individual patient had used his or her respective stoma care method till closure of the stomas. Two parameters were used to evaluate the outcome of the above mentioned stoma care methods: (a) peristomal skin excoriation and (b) insultto the stomal mucosa in the form of ulceration.Results: Among the patients who used stoma appliances 21.53% developed peristomal skin excoriation, 7.69% developed mucosal ulceration and 6.34% patients developed local hypersensitivity reaction to stoma adhesive. On the contrary, patients who were managed with betel leaves 20.93% developed peristomal skin excoriation and 8.13% developed mucosal ulceration. No incidence of allergic reaction to local application of betel leaf and zinc oxide occurred. Average cost for betel leaves was less than 0.50 US$ per month in comparison to about 30 US$ for ostomy appliances.Conclusion: Betel leaves may be used as a cheap, easily available, non irritant and effective alternative of commercial appliances to protect the stomas and peristomal skin in pediatric patients.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jpsb.v1i2.19534
Inflammatory Pseudotumour of Mesentery - A Case Report
Authors: Mirza Bilal , Sheikh Afzal
Published: July 2014

Not available.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jpsb.v1i2.19538
Philosophy of Education: An Islamic Perspective
Authors: Sultana Qazi Nusrat
Published: July 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pp.v51i1-2.17676
Information Ethics and its Implications for Library and Information Professionals: A Contemporary Analysis
Authors: Hoq Kazi Mostak Gausul
Published: July 2014

Information ethics provides an ethical framework for the information professionals for carrying out various information related works like acquiring, storing, processing and using of information. This has become vitally important in modern times, which has been dubbed as information age, because of the central role played by information in the socio-economic development of world nations. This also poses unique challenges for the library and information professionals, because the emergence of an ICT-driven information society has made their job much more challenging than before. This article explores the key questions related to information ethics and, in the light of codes of ethics promoted by national and international information organizations, discusses how information professionals could discharge their duties in an ethical and morally justifiable manner.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pp.v51i1-2.17677
Pondering dialectical nature in Indian thoughts
Authors: Joarder Siddhartha Shakar
Published: July 2014

The aim of this paper is to explore the basic trend of Indian thoughts from early date to the present day. This can never be denied that it is dialectics or contradictory approach which might be thought to be the basic tenet of its socio- scientific ameliorations. Dialectics, here, is taken to be synonymous with contradictions or debate. Accordingly, the intention is to show the major contending passions of this land and their reconciliations thereby which become the most pivotal issue for Indian argumentations.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pp.v51i1-2.17679
Modernity in Philosophy and Sociology: An Appraisal with Special Reference to Bangladesh
Authors: Mondal Lipon Kumar
Published: July 2014

The paper aims to explore the philosophical and sociological foundations of modernity as well as to figure out the pattern of modernity in Bangladesh. Modernity in philosophy refers to the fundamental modification of pre-modern political philosophy of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle by Machiavelli, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Bacon and Newton. Later, in this project, people who employed themselves as original contributors are Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Kant, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Russell, Heidegger, Popper, Foucault, Derrida, and so on. Amongst these thinkers some were associated to develop the project of modernity based on the Western epistemological and ontological contemplates and some were appeared as the critic of this mundane venture. Modernity, however, in sociology refers to the move from feudal social order to the capitalistic social order under the grand project of industrialization, secularization and rationalization. Modernity, from its commencement, possesses two innate characteristics: one is epistemological or conjectural which is the actual motif of philosophy, and another one is ontological or applied which is congruence to the motif of sociology. Both philosophy and sociology take modernity as a vocation and shared the same epistemological and ontological standpoints. In the context of Bangladesh I tried to explain modernity under the framework of philosophy and sociology as well as conceptualized the pattern of modernity as ?copied because the type of modernity is found here as the simulation of Western and Eastern cultural and social values.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pp.v51i1-2.17682
A Prototype Tool to Enable Farmers to Measure and Improve the Welfare Performance of the Farm Animal Enterprise: The Unified Field Index
Authors: Colditz Ian , Ferguson Drewe , Collins Teresa , Matthews Lindsay , Hemsworth Paul
Published: July 2014

Schemes for the assessment of farm animal welfare and assurance of welfare standards have proliferated in recent years. An acknowledged short-coming has been the lack of impact of these schemes on the welfare standards achieved on farm due in part to sociological factors concerning their implementation. Here we propose the concept of welfare performance based on a broad set of performance attributes of an enterprise and describe a tool based on risk assessment and benchmarking methods for measuring and managing welfare performance. The tool termed the Unified Field Index is presented in a general form comprising three modules addressing animal, resource, and management factors. Domains within these modules accommodate the principle conceptual perspectives for welfare assessment: biological functioning; emotional states; and naturalness. Pan-enterprise analysis in any livestock sector could be used to benchmark welfare performance of individual enterprises and also provide statistics of welfare performance for the livestock sector. An advantage of this concept of welfare performance is its use of continuous scales of measurement rather than traditional pass/fail measures. Through the feedback provided via benchmarking, the tool should help farmers better engage in on-going improvement of farm practices that affect animal welfare.
Reductions of PAH and Soot by Center Air Injection
Authors: Yamamoto Kazuhiro , Takemoto Masahiro
Published: July 2014

In this study, to reduce the amount of pollutant PAH and soot in the flame, we examined the burner system equipped with a center air injection. For this purpose, by using PAH-LIF and soot LII, we evaluated relative PAH and soot amounts in both the triple port burner and the conventional co-axial burner (double port burner) to discuss effects of center air injection on the formation of PAH and soot. The fuel was propane. In the triple port burner, two different blue flames are observed near the burner rim, followed by bright luminous flames with soot. The flame length is longer when the fuel flow velocity is increased. On the other hand, the flame length is shorter with an increase in internal air flow velocity. As for PAH and soot, these amounts of the triple port burner are much smaller than those of the double port burner. For the triple port burner, due to the center air injection, the fuel consumption occurs in both inner and outer flames. On the other hand, for the double port burner, the oxygen is supplied from one side air, and as a result, the fuel consumption rate is relatively lower. Hence, by the center air injection, the fuel consumption is largely accelerated, resulting in the reduction of PAH and soot.
Cellular Levels of 8-Oxoguanine in either DNA or the Nucleotide Pool Play Pivotal Roles in Carcinogenesis and Survival of Cancer Cells
Authors: Nakabeppu Yusaku
Published: July 2014

8-Oxoguanine, a major oxidized base lesion formed by reactive oxygen species, causes G to T transversion mutations or leads to cell death in mammals if it accumulates in DNA. 8-Oxoguanine can originate as 8-oxo-dGTP, formed in the nucleotide pool, or by direct oxidation of the DNA guanine base. MTH1, also known as NUDT1, with 8-oxo-dGTP hydrolyzing activity, 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) an 8-oxoG DNA glycosylase, and MutY homolog (MUTYH) with adenine DNA glycosylase activity, minimize the accumulation of 8-oxoG in DNA; deficiencies in these enzymes increase spontaneous and induced tumorigenesis susceptibility. However, different tissue types have different tumorigenesis susceptibilities. These can be reversed by combined deficiencies in the defense systems, because cell death induced by accumulation of 8-oxoG in DNA is dependent on MUTYH, which can be suppressed by MTH1 and OGG1. In cancer cells encountering high oxidative stress levels, a high level of 8-oxo-dGTP accumulates in the nucleotide pool, and cells therefore express increased levels of MTH1 in order to eliminate 8-oxo-dGTP. Suppression of MTH1 may be an efficient strategy for killing cancer cells; however, because MTH1 and OGG1 protect normal tissues from oxidative-stress-induced cell death, it is important that MTH1 inhibition does not increase the risk of healthy tissue degeneration.
Bioassay-Guided Chemical Study of the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Senna villosa (Miller) H.S. Irwin & Barneby (Leguminosae) in TPA-Induced Ear Edema
Authors: Susunaga-Notario Ana , Pérez-Gutiérrez Salud , Zavala-Sánchez Miguel , Almanza-Pérez Julio , Gutiérrez-Carrillo Atilano , Arrieta-Báez Daniel , López-López Ana , Román-Ramos Rubén , Flores-Sáenz José , Alarcón-Aguilar Francisco
Published: July 2014

Senna villosa (Miller) is a plant that grows in México. In traditional Mexican medicine, it is used topically to treat skin infections, pustules and eruptions and to heal wounds by scar formation. However, studies of its potential anti-inflammatory effects have not been performed. The aim of the present study was to determine the anti-inflammatory effect of extracts from the leaves of Senna villosa and to perform a bioassay-guided chemical study of the extract with major activity in a model of ear edema induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). The results reveal that the chloroform extract from Senna villosa leaves has anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties. Nine fractions were obtained from the bioassay-guided chemical study, including a white precipitate from fractions 2 and 3. Although none of the nine fractions presented anti-inflammatory activity, the white precipitate exhibited pharmacological activity. It was chemically characterized using mass spectrometry and infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, resulting in a mixture of three aliphatic esters, which were identified as the principal constituents: hexyl tetradecanoate (C20H40O2), heptyl tetradecanoate (C21H42O2) and octyl tetradecanoate (C22H44O2). This research provides, for the first time, evidence of the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties of compounds isolated from Senna villosa.