This paper re-examines theories of linguistic politeness in Japanese, and holds that linguistic p... more This paper re-examines theories of linguistic politeness in Japanese, and holds that linguistic politeness is a very complicated issue influenced by multiple factors in different layers including general face wants of participants, the participants’ societal positions and social relationships, social norm that the interactants share, the interactants’ discernment or interpretation of the social rules, immediate context of the interaction, and possible strategies for the interactants to choose under the constrains of the other simultaneously functioning factors. Based on the data collected from recent Japanese TV dramas, this study maintains that, as a general principle, Brown and Levinson’s (1978, 1987) theory of face does apply to Japanese language and culture and forms the base of politeness. Similarly as in any other culture, facework in successful communication in Japanese is a result of choice by an interlocutor in accordance with normative polite practices. What makes linguistic politeness in Japanese unique is not that Japanese speakers need to act appropriately according to their social norm, but that their discernment (wakimae) and recognition of the social position and relationship (tachiba) of the participants, which form the second layer of the determining factors of politeness, make speakers of Japanese always attend to and try to fulfil the other participant’s face want including both positive and negative face, and, at the same time, maintain their own positive face but rarely claim their own negative face especially when an interactant has less power and in a lower social position in an interaction. The data also suggest a model of face-redressing strategies co-occurring with face threatening acts (FTA) in Japanese.
A total sample size consisting of 150 Diabetic male patients has been investigated by ultrasound... more A total sample size consisting of 150 Diabetic male patients has been investigated by ultrasound system General Electric using gray-scale B-mode imaging with curvilinear transducer 3 MHz to assess the impact of diabetes in kidney morphology and it is distributed in Sudan. The collected data were the patient age, height, weight, kidneys size, ultrasound findings of involved kidneys, and duration of diabetes and residence region. The analyzed data show that the diabetes has been as endemic disease in central Sudan (Khartoum & Jazeera) representing 55% and in the west of Sudan representing 38%. The BMI of diabetic patients has been significantly (R2 = 0.6) decreasing following aging. The kidney size increases significantly as R2 = 0.75 and 0.6 for left and right kidney respectively. Their correlation is fitted in the following equations: y = 3.95x + 27.26 and y = 2.41x + 35.12 for the left and right kidney respectively. The impact of duration was a reduction in size significantly as R2 = 0.61 and 0.55 with a correlation fitted in the following equations: y = ?2.22x + 139.9 and y = ?1.51x + 96.59 for the left and right kidney respectively. The mean kidney length was (14.5 cm) and the renal cortex in the range of 2 - 2.3 cm, the kidneys size were so enlarged as 92.4 ± 11.7 and 121 ± 17.1 for the right and left kidney respectively while in late case of Diabetes, the kidney is more echogenic, atrophied size with loss of corticomedullary differentiation.
An endoreversible model is used to simulate the dynamic behavior of a solar driven absorption ref... more An endoreversible model is used to simulate the dynamic behavior of a solar driven absorption refrigerator, the cycle under different operating and design conditions. A global time minimization procedure is performed to reach maximum performances. To evaluate the influence of the cold temperature on the system’s performances, results are carried out for three values of this temperature. They are presented in normalized charts for general applications. The minimum time set point temperature, entropy and maximum refrigeration load are sharp and therefore, are important to be considered for system design.
This article describes an alternative approach to the problem of AIDS. The author proposes a new ... more This article describes an alternative approach to the problem of AIDS. The author proposes a new theory. The theory of HIV is not a “classic virus”, but a parasitic program that does not have a material carrier.
In this paper, a novel technique for power amplifier (PA) linearization is presented. The Legendr... more In this paper, a novel technique for power amplifier (PA) linearization is presented. The Legendre wavelet neural networks (LWNN) is first utilized to model PA and inverse structure of the PA by applying practical transmission signals and the gradient descent algorithm is applied to estimate the coefficients of the LWNN. Secondly, this technique is implemented to identify and optimize the coefficient parameters of the proposed pre-distorter (PD), i.e., the inversion model of the PA. The proposed method is most efficient and the pre-distorter shows stability and effectiveness because of the rich properties of the LWNN. A quite significant improvement in linearity is achieved based on the measured data of the PA characteristics and out power spectrum has been compared.
Several epidemiological studies have suggested that carotenoids have antineoplasic activities. Th... more Several epidemiological studies have suggested that carotenoids have antineoplasic activities. The objective of this study was to determine the antiproliferative effect of rich carotenoid lipophilic extracts of papaya fruit pulp ( Carica papaya L., cv Maradol) in breast cancer cells, MCF-7 (estrogen receptor positive) and MDA-MB-231 (estrogen receptor negative), and in non-tumoral mammary epithelial cells MCF-12F. Antiproliferative effect was evaluated using the methylthiazolydiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and testing lipophilic extracts from different papaya fruit ripening stages (RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4), at different times (24, 48 and 72 h). Papaya lipophilic extracts do not inhibit cell proliferation of MCF-12F and MDA-MB-231 cells. However, MCF-7 cells showed a significant reduction in proliferation at 72 h with the RS4 papaya extract. Results suggested that lipophilic extracts had different action mechanisms on each type of cells and therefore, more studies were required to elucidate such mechanisms.
Two biotinylated derivatives of the fungal metabolite galiellalactone (1) were synthesized in ord... more Two biotinylated derivatives of the fungal metabolite galiellalactone (1) were synthesized in order to facilitate the investigation of the molecular mechanism of action of the galiellalactonoids. Galiellalactone is a STAT3-signaling inhibitor that inhibits growth in vitro as well as in vivo of prostate cancer cells expressing activated STAT3. To provide a suitable point of attachment for biotin, the 8-hydroxymethyl derivative (3) and its 7-phenyl analogue 4 were synthesized by a modified tandem Pd-catalysed carbonylation and intramolecular vinyl allene Diels-Alder procedure previously developed. The two primary alcohols obtained, 3 and 4, were coupled to biotin as the 6-aminohexanoic acid amide, activated as the acid chloride, yielding the derivatives 5 and 6.
A substantial body of research since the early fifties has been conducted addressing the economic... more A substantial body of research since the early fifties has been conducted addressing the economic benefits from higher education. A more limited body of research has further demonstrated that there exist important qualitative differences in the academic returns or academic performances due to college education. It has been established that such qualitative differences occur because of the choice of the major, quality of institution and quality of the students. Although graduates from higher quality institutions generally exhibit higher academic performance, this can explain only a small proportion of the variability of student’s performance. The present study attempts to address the institutional quality issue from a value-added perspective. We investigate how the business school education from an undergraduate institution can affect the academic performance of its students. Data for this study were collected in a four-year college in the northeast region of the United States. The School of Business in that institution offers majors in Accounting, Business Administration (with five specializations), and Economics. All business students must take a common core of required courses including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, information technology, and statistics prior to taking their courses in the major discipline. Our sample size contains 415 graduating students over two time periods: 2008 and 2012. Results suggest that undergraduate business school education accounts for about 25% to 35% of the variability of the academic performance for the students.
The sense of touch as a man-machine communication channel can be as acute as the sense of sight a... more The sense of touch as a man-machine communication channel can be as acute as the sense of sight and sound. In some scenarios such as those seen in aerobatics, stunt flying, and combat flights, tactile sensors can even outperform the conventional non-contact sensors in terms of situation awareness. Fusion of tactile sensory information with those obtained via sight and sound can avoid diverting the user’s attention away from the operational task at hand as well. In this study, the performance of an operator, to servo control the motion of a 2-dof model helicopter with pitch/yaw maneuverability, subjected to an intuitive body-referenced arrangement of a cluster of vibro-tactile sensors is investigated. A blindfolded operator will then control the helicopter to a safe attraction zone via a joystick based on this tactile sensory information. A fine-tuned local controller would take over for the end-of-motion precise homing. This study can pave the way towards a systematic integration and characterization of tactile sensors in high performance weapon platforms with improved situation awareness in visually awkward maneuvers such as those seen in aerial combat scenarios.
Schiff bases are known to possess anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antitubercular, anti-inf... more Schiff bases are known to possess anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antitubercular, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antimalarial properties. In this paper antibacterial studies against variety of plants and human pathogenic bacteria with eight newly synthesized Schiff bases and several intermediate silyl compounds have been reported. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized compounds were primarily determined by paper disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each compound was also determined by tube dilution process. Seven different human pathogenic bacteria and eighteen different plant pathogenic bacteria were used for the antibacterial activity studies. While all synthesized compounds have shown significant antibacterial activity, one intermediate silyl compound has shown remarkably high antibacterial property. 5-substituted derivatives have shown relatively higher activity than non-substituted compounds. Polar substituent which increases hydrophilicity may have a positive impact on the antibacterial property.
The mainstream research in interest-rate modeling has been focusing on a collection of risk tools... more The mainstream research in interest-rate modeling has been focusing on a collection of risk tools and pricing formulas which are developed based on the simplified market assumptions and hypotheses. Despite the elegance of the structure, it is noticed that a crucial yet natural factor is missing: the relationship between curve-fitting algorithms and no-arbitrage restrictions on a bond portfolio. Also, the discrepancy between risk-free and default-free bonds is often ignored. This study discusses the modeling conundrums and proposes a framework based on the preferred-habitat hypothesis for advanced term-structure construction that overcomes these limitations in current models. This article serves as an introduction for future work.
The objective of the study was actually the investigation of the effect of various organic wastes... more The objective of the study was actually the investigation of the effect of various organic wastes on the ability of urine in absorbing CO2. Urine alone or mixed with olive-oil-mill waste waters (O), poultry litter (P) or meat bone meal (M) was used on the absorption of CO2 from a gas bottle. The absorption capacity (1.35 - 2.85 gCO2/gNH4) was bigger than other solvents such as ammonia and amines. The range of CO2 absorption was significantly bigger for the organic mixtures P and PM with urine (9.1 - 11.8) g/L than urine alone 6.5 g/L. These organic wastes could be used to increase CO2 absorption in urine and reduce gas emissions.
Due to globalization, there is a need for nurses with skills and competence in providing safe, co... more Due to globalization, there is a need for nurses with skills and competence in providing safe, competent and culturally appropriate care. The aim of the study was to investigate whether International Study Experiences (ISE) in other countries during basic nursing education had an impact on newly graduated nurses as regards to self-reported competence. Moreover, a second aim was to explore what background factors that facilitated or constituted a hindrance for nursing students to choose to conduct part of their basic nursing education abroad. At 11 Universities/University Colleges (henceforth called Higher Education Institutions [HEIs]) in Sweden, 565 nursing students responded to the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale. Students with ISE rated their competence significantly higher on three NPC competence areas—“Legislation in nursing and safety planning”, “Leadership and development of nursing” and “Education and supervision of staff/students”. Background factors that significantly seemed to enhance ISE were living alone, not having children or other commitments in relation to family, international focus at the HEI and previous international experience. Lack of financial means was reported to prevent students from choosing ISE. The study implies that several background factors are of importance whether students choose ISE or not. ISE during basic nursing education might result in better self-reported competence in leading and developing nursing care, including education of future nurses, and in providing safe care.
A situational analysis of aspects related to the physical area of elderly residents of permanent ... more A situational analysis of aspects related to the physical area of elderly residents of permanent stay of the city of Chihuahua was performed. Participating in the study 51 subjects, 30 women and 21 men, Tinetti and trunk flexion EUROFIT scales were applied to assess fall risk and range of motion. The poor results in balance, gait and range of motion can be stated that most of them are in serious risk of falling. The results obtained show the urgency of starting a physical activation program that emphasizes directly in recovery mobile independence so that enable seniors asylees enhance your ability to perform activities of daily life and reduce the burden on their caregivers.
Radix aucklandiae from Yunnan Province in China is a significant medicinal plant. In the present ... more Radix aucklandiae from Yunnan Province in China is a significant medicinal plant. In the present study, the essential oil composition from Radix aucklandiae roots was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 23 compounds representing 57.95% of the essential oil were tentatively identified. The main constituents were eremanthin (12.74%), d-Guaiene (6.26%), ζ-Himachalene (6.16%) and l-Caryophyllene (4.84%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the essential oil from R. aucklandiae were evaluated against three Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus and Bacillus subtilis) three Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae). Results revealed that the essential oil exhibited significant in vitro antimicrobial property. Among all the tested microorganisms, the essential oil showed the strongest inhibitory effect against S. typhimurium. The data of this study suggests that the essential oil from Radix aucklandiae has great potential for application as a natural antimicrobial agent to preserve food.
Objective: Nationwide dissemination of public-access defibrillation (PAD) contributed to an incre... more Objective: Nationwide dissemination of public-access defibrillation (PAD) contributed to an increase of survival rate in Japan. We analysed cardiac arrests (CAs) that occurred in railroad stations in Tokyo to evaluate PAD in the metropolis. Methods: We collected Utstein data from the Tokyo Fire Department (TFD) and analysed CA cases that occurred in stations. In total, 245 non-traumatic CAs from January 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008 were analysed; CAs in children under 8 years were excluded. Results: The rates of pre-hospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were 41 out of 145 witnessed CA patients (28.3%) and 12 ROSC out of 100 unwitnessed CA patients (12%). Of 245 CA cases, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed in 156 (63.7%), automated external defibrillator (AED) used in 117 (47.8%) and shock delivered in 65 (26.5%). Rates of ROSC were 31.6% (37/117) with AED use significantly higher than those of 12.5% (16/128) without AED use (P < 0.001). Most CAs occurred on platforms; the use of AEDs on platforms increased from 18/31 (58.1%) in 2007 to 32/43 (74.4%) in 2008 and ROSC rates increased from 8 (25.8%) to 14 (32.6%), respectively. On train CAs: ROSC cases were very few, 1 case each year (8.3%; 7.7%) while the use of AED increased from 8/12 (66.7%) in 2007 to 10/13 (76.9%) in 2008. Conclusion: Bystander CPR and the use of AED at railroad stations improved ROSC for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. AED location and strategies for dealing with CAs on trains should be re-evaluated.
This study investigated medical students’ perceptions of their learning environment and how these... more This study investigated medical students’ perceptions of their learning environment and how these related to well-being in terms of experienced exhaustion and losing interest in personal studies. The goal was to also examine whether students’ perceptions and experiences of well-being related to their academic self-concept. Experiences were compared between lecture-based learning (LBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) environments. The MED NORD questionnaire was used to measure students’ experiences of their learning environment, experienced well-being (i.e. exhaustion and lack of interest) and academic self-concept. A total of 610 students participated. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate relationships between the variables under study. A cross-sectional design was used to compare experiences between different medical schools. Worry about future workload was found to positively relate to exhaustion, whereas worry and study satisfaction both negatively related to lack of interest. Experienced high workload related to both exhaustion and lack of interest. In turn, lack of interest was negatively related to academic self-concept, whereas exhaustion was positively related to it. PBL students reported higher levels of worry concerning future workloads, but they also experienced receiving more feedback. In addition, novice PBL students experienced higher levels of exhaustion and better academic self-concept than LBL students. No such differences were found between students in the clinical phase. Lack of interest concerning personal studies appeared to be more unfavourable than experiences of exhaustion, because the former was related to low academic self-concept. The PBL environment appeared challenging, but only during the first years of study.
Target based association rules extract the correlation between targets in and around strategicall... more Target based association rules extract the correlation between targets in and around strategically specified regions. These rules can be used to predict and estimate the future results and find the faulty targets, etc. To extract these rules efficiently and effectively data preparation is required. The existing mechanisms of data preparation have the problem of redundancy in the data. As a consequence, extra energy is required for the sensors which used to monitor the targets. In this paper, authors propose a novel data preparation approach for target based association rule mining from the point of coverage wireless sensor networks, which reduces the redundancy in the data and thus enhances the performance of the network.
The aim of this study was to determine the larvicidal activity of Lawsonia inermis against Anophe... more The aim of this study was to determine the larvicidal activity of Lawsonia inermis against Anopheles stephensi as the main malaria vector in Iran. This study was carried out from February to July 2011. Larvicidal activity of >L. inermis was studied in the range of 4 - 4000 PPM in the laboratory against early and late stages of larvae of An. stephensi. The larvae were reared in the insectarium. The LC50 and LC90 values of the larval stages of An. stephensi were calculated by probit analysis and regression line draw using Microsoft office excel 2003 software. The highest toxic effect of L. inermis was found at 4000 PPM and the lowest at 4 PPM against larval stages I and II. The same result was found against larval stages III and IV. The LC50 and LC90 was found as 413.8 and 3366.3 respectively against larval stages I and II while against late stages found as 696.9 and 3927.7 respectively. This study suggests that L. inermis extract can be used as an alternative larvicidal compound during the IPM programs for the An. stephensi control. It is recommended to investigate the competency of other similar plants to malaria control.
Background: There has been a great interest in tracking health-related fitness across the United ... more Background: There has been a great interest in tracking health-related fitness across the United States. The NFL PLAY 60 FITNESSGRAM Partnership Project (NFL P60FGPP) is a large participatory research network that involves the surveillance of fitness among more than 1000 schools spread throughout the country. Fitness data are collected by school staff and therefore these data can vary in quality and representativeness. Therefore, careful screening procedures are needed to ensure that the data can reflect actual patterns in the schools. This study examined the impact of different data screening procedures on outcomes of aerobic fitness (AF) collected from the NFL P60FGPP. Methods: Data were compiled from 149,101 youth from 504 schools and were processed using the established age- and gender-specific AF FITNESSGRAM health-related standards. Data were subjected to three different screening procedures (based on grade size and boy-to-girl ratio per grade). Linear models were computed to obtain unadjusted and adjusted (for age, BMI-Z, and socio-economic status) estimates of % youth in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) in order to determine if, 1) there were differences in % in the HFZ and 2) if differences could be explained by changes in the representativeness of the sample due to the different data screening procedures. Results: Depending on the screening procedure used, the final sample ranged from 96,999 (no screening) to 46,572 youth (most stringent criteria). The proportion of youth achieving appropriate levels of AF ranged from 56% to 61% with unscreened data resulting in consistently lower percentages of youth achieving the standard (P < 0.05). Overall, these differences were not explained by possible changes in demographic characteristics as the result of applying different screening criteria. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the importance of establishing appropriate screening procedures that maximize sample size while also ensuring generalizability of the findings.
This paper re-examines theories of linguistic politeness in Japanese, and holds that linguistic p... more This paper re-examines theories of linguistic politeness in Japanese, and holds that linguistic politeness is a very complicated issue influenced by multiple factors in different layers including general face wants of participants, the participants’ societal positions and social relationships, social norm that the interactants share, the interactants’ discernment or interpretation of the social rules, immediate context of the interaction, and possible strategies for the interactants to choose under the constrains of the other simultaneously functioning factors. Based on the data collected from recent Japanese TV dramas, this study maintains that, as a general principle, Brown and Levinson’s (1978, 1987) theory of face does apply to Japanese language and culture and forms the base of politeness. Similarly as in any other culture, facework in successful communication in Japanese is a result of choice by an interlocutor in accordance with normative polite practices. What makes linguistic politeness in Japanese unique is not that Japanese speakers need to act appropriately according to their social norm, but that their discernment (wakimae) and recognition of the social position and relationship (tachiba) of the participants, which form the second layer of the determining factors of politeness, make speakers of Japanese always attend to and try to fulfil the other participant’s face want including both positive and negative face, and, at the same time, maintain their own positive face but rarely claim their own negative face especially when an interactant has less power and in a lower social position in an interaction. The data also suggest a model of face-redressing strategies co-occurring with face threatening acts (FTA) in Japanese.
A total sample size consisting of 150 Diabetic male patients has been investigated by ultrasound... more A total sample size consisting of 150 Diabetic male patients has been investigated by ultrasound system General Electric using gray-scale B-mode imaging with curvilinear transducer 3 MHz to assess the impact of diabetes in kidney morphology and it is distributed in Sudan. The collected data were the patient age, height, weight, kidneys size, ultrasound findings of involved kidneys, and duration of diabetes and residence region. The analyzed data show that the diabetes has been as endemic disease in central Sudan (Khartoum & Jazeera) representing 55% and in the west of Sudan representing 38%. The BMI of diabetic patients has been significantly (R2 = 0.6) decreasing following aging. The kidney size increases significantly as R2 = 0.75 and 0.6 for left and right kidney respectively. Their correlation is fitted in the following equations: y = 3.95x + 27.26 and y = 2.41x + 35.12 for the left and right kidney respectively. The impact of duration was a reduction in size significantly as R2 = 0.61 and 0.55 with a correlation fitted in the following equations: y = ?2.22x + 139.9 and y = ?1.51x + 96.59 for the left and right kidney respectively. The mean kidney length was (14.5 cm) and the renal cortex in the range of 2 - 2.3 cm, the kidneys size were so enlarged as 92.4 ± 11.7 and 121 ± 17.1 for the right and left kidney respectively while in late case of Diabetes, the kidney is more echogenic, atrophied size with loss of corticomedullary differentiation.
An endoreversible model is used to simulate the dynamic behavior of a solar driven absorption ref... more An endoreversible model is used to simulate the dynamic behavior of a solar driven absorption refrigerator, the cycle under different operating and design conditions. A global time minimization procedure is performed to reach maximum performances. To evaluate the influence of the cold temperature on the system’s performances, results are carried out for three values of this temperature. They are presented in normalized charts for general applications. The minimum time set point temperature, entropy and maximum refrigeration load are sharp and therefore, are important to be considered for system design.
This article describes an alternative approach to the problem of AIDS. The author proposes a new ... more This article describes an alternative approach to the problem of AIDS. The author proposes a new theory. The theory of HIV is not a “classic virus”, but a parasitic program that does not have a material carrier.
In this paper, a novel technique for power amplifier (PA) linearization is presented. The Legendr... more In this paper, a novel technique for power amplifier (PA) linearization is presented. The Legendre wavelet neural networks (LWNN) is first utilized to model PA and inverse structure of the PA by applying practical transmission signals and the gradient descent algorithm is applied to estimate the coefficients of the LWNN. Secondly, this technique is implemented to identify and optimize the coefficient parameters of the proposed pre-distorter (PD), i.e., the inversion model of the PA. The proposed method is most efficient and the pre-distorter shows stability and effectiveness because of the rich properties of the LWNN. A quite significant improvement in linearity is achieved based on the measured data of the PA characteristics and out power spectrum has been compared.
Several epidemiological studies have suggested that carotenoids have antineoplasic activities. Th... more Several epidemiological studies have suggested that carotenoids have antineoplasic activities. The objective of this study was to determine the antiproliferative effect of rich carotenoid lipophilic extracts of papaya fruit pulp ( Carica papaya L., cv Maradol) in breast cancer cells, MCF-7 (estrogen receptor positive) and MDA-MB-231 (estrogen receptor negative), and in non-tumoral mammary epithelial cells MCF-12F. Antiproliferative effect was evaluated using the methylthiazolydiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and testing lipophilic extracts from different papaya fruit ripening stages (RS1, RS2, RS3, RS4), at different times (24, 48 and 72 h). Papaya lipophilic extracts do not inhibit cell proliferation of MCF-12F and MDA-MB-231 cells. However, MCF-7 cells showed a significant reduction in proliferation at 72 h with the RS4 papaya extract. Results suggested that lipophilic extracts had different action mechanisms on each type of cells and therefore, more studies were required to elucidate such mechanisms.
Two biotinylated derivatives of the fungal metabolite galiellalactone (1) were synthesized in ord... more Two biotinylated derivatives of the fungal metabolite galiellalactone (1) were synthesized in order to facilitate the investigation of the molecular mechanism of action of the galiellalactonoids. Galiellalactone is a STAT3-signaling inhibitor that inhibits growth in vitro as well as in vivo of prostate cancer cells expressing activated STAT3. To provide a suitable point of attachment for biotin, the 8-hydroxymethyl derivative (3) and its 7-phenyl analogue 4 were synthesized by a modified tandem Pd-catalysed carbonylation and intramolecular vinyl allene Diels-Alder procedure previously developed. The two primary alcohols obtained, 3 and 4, were coupled to biotin as the 6-aminohexanoic acid amide, activated as the acid chloride, yielding the derivatives 5 and 6.
A substantial body of research since the early fifties has been conducted addressing the economic... more A substantial body of research since the early fifties has been conducted addressing the economic benefits from higher education. A more limited body of research has further demonstrated that there exist important qualitative differences in the academic returns or academic performances due to college education. It has been established that such qualitative differences occur because of the choice of the major, quality of institution and quality of the students. Although graduates from higher quality institutions generally exhibit higher academic performance, this can explain only a small proportion of the variability of student’s performance. The present study attempts to address the institutional quality issue from a value-added perspective. We investigate how the business school education from an undergraduate institution can affect the academic performance of its students. Data for this study were collected in a four-year college in the northeast region of the United States. The School of Business in that institution offers majors in Accounting, Business Administration (with five specializations), and Economics. All business students must take a common core of required courses including accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, information technology, and statistics prior to taking their courses in the major discipline. Our sample size contains 415 graduating students over two time periods: 2008 and 2012. Results suggest that undergraduate business school education accounts for about 25% to 35% of the variability of the academic performance for the students.
The sense of touch as a man-machine communication channel can be as acute as the sense of sight a... more The sense of touch as a man-machine communication channel can be as acute as the sense of sight and sound. In some scenarios such as those seen in aerobatics, stunt flying, and combat flights, tactile sensors can even outperform the conventional non-contact sensors in terms of situation awareness. Fusion of tactile sensory information with those obtained via sight and sound can avoid diverting the user’s attention away from the operational task at hand as well. In this study, the performance of an operator, to servo control the motion of a 2-dof model helicopter with pitch/yaw maneuverability, subjected to an intuitive body-referenced arrangement of a cluster of vibro-tactile sensors is investigated. A blindfolded operator will then control the helicopter to a safe attraction zone via a joystick based on this tactile sensory information. A fine-tuned local controller would take over for the end-of-motion precise homing. This study can pave the way towards a systematic integration and characterization of tactile sensors in high performance weapon platforms with improved situation awareness in visually awkward maneuvers such as those seen in aerial combat scenarios.
Schiff bases are known to possess anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antitubercular, anti-inf... more Schiff bases are known to possess anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antitubercular, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antimalarial properties. In this paper antibacterial studies against variety of plants and human pathogenic bacteria with eight newly synthesized Schiff bases and several intermediate silyl compounds have been reported. The antibacterial activities of the synthesized compounds were primarily determined by paper disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of each compound was also determined by tube dilution process. Seven different human pathogenic bacteria and eighteen different plant pathogenic bacteria were used for the antibacterial activity studies. While all synthesized compounds have shown significant antibacterial activity, one intermediate silyl compound has shown remarkably high antibacterial property. 5-substituted derivatives have shown relatively higher activity than non-substituted compounds. Polar substituent which increases hydrophilicity may have a positive impact on the antibacterial property.
The mainstream research in interest-rate modeling has been focusing on a collection of risk tools... more The mainstream research in interest-rate modeling has been focusing on a collection of risk tools and pricing formulas which are developed based on the simplified market assumptions and hypotheses. Despite the elegance of the structure, it is noticed that a crucial yet natural factor is missing: the relationship between curve-fitting algorithms and no-arbitrage restrictions on a bond portfolio. Also, the discrepancy between risk-free and default-free bonds is often ignored. This study discusses the modeling conundrums and proposes a framework based on the preferred-habitat hypothesis for advanced term-structure construction that overcomes these limitations in current models. This article serves as an introduction for future work.
The objective of the study was actually the investigation of the effect of various organic wastes... more The objective of the study was actually the investigation of the effect of various organic wastes on the ability of urine in absorbing CO2. Urine alone or mixed with olive-oil-mill waste waters (O), poultry litter (P) or meat bone meal (M) was used on the absorption of CO2 from a gas bottle. The absorption capacity (1.35 - 2.85 gCO2/gNH4) was bigger than other solvents such as ammonia and amines. The range of CO2 absorption was significantly bigger for the organic mixtures P and PM with urine (9.1 - 11.8) g/L than urine alone 6.5 g/L. These organic wastes could be used to increase CO2 absorption in urine and reduce gas emissions.
Due to globalization, there is a need for nurses with skills and competence in providing safe, co... more Due to globalization, there is a need for nurses with skills and competence in providing safe, competent and culturally appropriate care. The aim of the study was to investigate whether International Study Experiences (ISE) in other countries during basic nursing education had an impact on newly graduated nurses as regards to self-reported competence. Moreover, a second aim was to explore what background factors that facilitated or constituted a hindrance for nursing students to choose to conduct part of their basic nursing education abroad. At 11 Universities/University Colleges (henceforth called Higher Education Institutions [HEIs]) in Sweden, 565 nursing students responded to the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale. Students with ISE rated their competence significantly higher on three NPC competence areas—“Legislation in nursing and safety planning”, “Leadership and development of nursing” and “Education and supervision of staff/students”. Background factors that significantly seemed to enhance ISE were living alone, not having children or other commitments in relation to family, international focus at the HEI and previous international experience. Lack of financial means was reported to prevent students from choosing ISE. The study implies that several background factors are of importance whether students choose ISE or not. ISE during basic nursing education might result in better self-reported competence in leading and developing nursing care, including education of future nurses, and in providing safe care.
A situational analysis of aspects related to the physical area of elderly residents of permanent ... more A situational analysis of aspects related to the physical area of elderly residents of permanent stay of the city of Chihuahua was performed. Participating in the study 51 subjects, 30 women and 21 men, Tinetti and trunk flexion EUROFIT scales were applied to assess fall risk and range of motion. The poor results in balance, gait and range of motion can be stated that most of them are in serious risk of falling. The results obtained show the urgency of starting a physical activation program that emphasizes directly in recovery mobile independence so that enable seniors asylees enhance your ability to perform activities of daily life and reduce the burden on their caregivers.
Radix aucklandiae from Yunnan Province in China is a significant medicinal plant. In the present ... more Radix aucklandiae from Yunnan Province in China is a significant medicinal plant. In the present study, the essential oil composition from Radix aucklandiae roots was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 23 compounds representing 57.95% of the essential oil were tentatively identified. The main constituents were eremanthin (12.74%), d-Guaiene (6.26%), ζ-Himachalene (6.16%) and l-Caryophyllene (4.84%). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the essential oil from R. aucklandiae were evaluated against three Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus and Bacillus subtilis) three Gram-negative bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae). Results revealed that the essential oil exhibited significant in vitro antimicrobial property. Among all the tested microorganisms, the essential oil showed the strongest inhibitory effect against S. typhimurium. The data of this study suggests that the essential oil from Radix aucklandiae has great potential for application as a natural antimicrobial agent to preserve food.
Objective: Nationwide dissemination of public-access defibrillation (PAD) contributed to an incre... more Objective: Nationwide dissemination of public-access defibrillation (PAD) contributed to an increase of survival rate in Japan. We analysed cardiac arrests (CAs) that occurred in railroad stations in Tokyo to evaluate PAD in the metropolis. Methods: We collected Utstein data from the Tokyo Fire Department (TFD) and analysed CA cases that occurred in stations. In total, 245 non-traumatic CAs from January 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008 were analysed; CAs in children under 8 years were excluded. Results: The rates of pre-hospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were 41 out of 145 witnessed CA patients (28.3%) and 12 ROSC out of 100 unwitnessed CA patients (12%). Of 245 CA cases, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed in 156 (63.7%), automated external defibrillator (AED) used in 117 (47.8%) and shock delivered in 65 (26.5%). Rates of ROSC were 31.6% (37/117) with AED use significantly higher than those of 12.5% (16/128) without AED use (P < 0.001). Most CAs occurred on platforms; the use of AEDs on platforms increased from 18/31 (58.1%) in 2007 to 32/43 (74.4%) in 2008 and ROSC rates increased from 8 (25.8%) to 14 (32.6%), respectively. On train CAs: ROSC cases were very few, 1 case each year (8.3%; 7.7%) while the use of AED increased from 8/12 (66.7%) in 2007 to 10/13 (76.9%) in 2008. Conclusion: Bystander CPR and the use of AED at railroad stations improved ROSC for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. AED location and strategies for dealing with CAs on trains should be re-evaluated.
This study investigated medical students’ perceptions of their learning environment and how these... more This study investigated medical students’ perceptions of their learning environment and how these related to well-being in terms of experienced exhaustion and losing interest in personal studies. The goal was to also examine whether students’ perceptions and experiences of well-being related to their academic self-concept. Experiences were compared between lecture-based learning (LBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) environments. The MED NORD questionnaire was used to measure students’ experiences of their learning environment, experienced well-being (i.e. exhaustion and lack of interest) and academic self-concept. A total of 610 students participated. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate relationships between the variables under study. A cross-sectional design was used to compare experiences between different medical schools. Worry about future workload was found to positively relate to exhaustion, whereas worry and study satisfaction both negatively related to lack of interest. Experienced high workload related to both exhaustion and lack of interest. In turn, lack of interest was negatively related to academic self-concept, whereas exhaustion was positively related to it. PBL students reported higher levels of worry concerning future workloads, but they also experienced receiving more feedback. In addition, novice PBL students experienced higher levels of exhaustion and better academic self-concept than LBL students. No such differences were found between students in the clinical phase. Lack of interest concerning personal studies appeared to be more unfavourable than experiences of exhaustion, because the former was related to low academic self-concept. The PBL environment appeared challenging, but only during the first years of study.
Target based association rules extract the correlation between targets in and around strategicall... more Target based association rules extract the correlation between targets in and around strategically specified regions. These rules can be used to predict and estimate the future results and find the faulty targets, etc. To extract these rules efficiently and effectively data preparation is required. The existing mechanisms of data preparation have the problem of redundancy in the data. As a consequence, extra energy is required for the sensors which used to monitor the targets. In this paper, authors propose a novel data preparation approach for target based association rule mining from the point of coverage wireless sensor networks, which reduces the redundancy in the data and thus enhances the performance of the network.
The aim of this study was to determine the larvicidal activity of Lawsonia inermis against Anophe... more The aim of this study was to determine the larvicidal activity of Lawsonia inermis against Anopheles stephensi as the main malaria vector in Iran. This study was carried out from February to July 2011. Larvicidal activity of >L. inermis was studied in the range of 4 - 4000 PPM in the laboratory against early and late stages of larvae of An. stephensi. The larvae were reared in the insectarium. The LC50 and LC90 values of the larval stages of An. stephensi were calculated by probit analysis and regression line draw using Microsoft office excel 2003 software. The highest toxic effect of L. inermis was found at 4000 PPM and the lowest at 4 PPM against larval stages I and II. The same result was found against larval stages III and IV. The LC50 and LC90 was found as 413.8 and 3366.3 respectively against larval stages I and II while against late stages found as 696.9 and 3927.7 respectively. This study suggests that L. inermis extract can be used as an alternative larvicidal compound during the IPM programs for the An. stephensi control. It is recommended to investigate the competency of other similar plants to malaria control.
Background: There has been a great interest in tracking health-related fitness across the United ... more Background: There has been a great interest in tracking health-related fitness across the United States. The NFL PLAY 60 FITNESSGRAM Partnership Project (NFL P60FGPP) is a large participatory research network that involves the surveillance of fitness among more than 1000 schools spread throughout the country. Fitness data are collected by school staff and therefore these data can vary in quality and representativeness. Therefore, careful screening procedures are needed to ensure that the data can reflect actual patterns in the schools. This study examined the impact of different data screening procedures on outcomes of aerobic fitness (AF) collected from the NFL P60FGPP. Methods: Data were compiled from 149,101 youth from 504 schools and were processed using the established age- and gender-specific AF FITNESSGRAM health-related standards. Data were subjected to three different screening procedures (based on grade size and boy-to-girl ratio per grade). Linear models were computed to obtain unadjusted and adjusted (for age, BMI-Z, and socio-economic status) estimates of % youth in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) in order to determine if, 1) there were differences in % in the HFZ and 2) if differences could be explained by changes in the representativeness of the sample due to the different data screening procedures. Results: Depending on the screening procedure used, the final sample ranged from 96,999 (no screening) to 46,572 youth (most stringent criteria). The proportion of youth achieving appropriate levels of AF ranged from 56% to 61% with unscreened data resulting in consistently lower percentages of youth achieving the standard (P < 0.05). Overall, these differences were not explained by possible changes in demographic characteristics as the result of applying different screening criteria. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate the importance of establishing appropriate screening procedures that maximize sample size while also ensuring generalizability of the findings.
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