A Literature Review on the Correlation Between Shear Bond Strength and the Degree of Conversion of Orthodontic Adhesive Systems

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive literature review on the correlation between shear bond strength and the degree of conversion of the orthodontic adhesive systems. Thus, this is considered as a major issue for the success of the orthodontic bonding techniques. Material and Methods: Electronic searches were performed in Pubmed and Scopus databases using relevant keywords. Textbook searching was also applied. Following the selection, full-text English language papers were fully reviewed to ensure that they met both the inclusion and the exclusion criteria. Results: Recent studies suggest that when increasing the DC, the SBS will increase. Thus, this results to a stiffer and a more durable resin. Conclusions: There is a wide range of factors affecting the SBS, DC, and their correlation. Some of them are related to the tooth etching techniques, adhesive related factors, curing units, and bracket materials. More research is required to develop more understanding of the role of these factors in determining the bonding success. This is because there are no specific published papers which were directly linked to the correlation between the SBS and the DC of orthodontic adhesives

The efficiency and productivity of Malaysian banks:an output distance function approach

This study employs stochastic frontier analysis to analyze Malaysian commercial banks during 1996-2002, and particularly focuses on determining the impact of Islamic banking on performance. We derive both net and gross efficiency estimates, thereby demonstrating that differences in operating characteristics explain much of the difference in outputs between Malaysian banks. We also decompose productivity change into efficiency, technical, and scale change using a generalised Malmquist productivity index. On average, Malaysian banks experience mild decreasing return to scale and annual productivity change of 2.37 percent, with the latter driven primarily by technical change, which has declined over time. Our gross efficiency estimates suggest that Islamic banking is associated with higher input requirements. In addition, our productivity estimates indicate that the potential for full-fledged Islamic banks and conventional banks with Islamic banking operations to overcome the output disadvantages associated with Islamic banking are relatively limited. Merged banks are found to have higher input usage and lower productivity change, suggesting that bank mergers have not contributed positively to bank performance. Finally, our results suggest that while the East Asian financial crisis had an interim output-increasing effect in 1998, the crisis prompted a continuing negative impact on the output performance by increasing the volume of non-performing loans

Efficiency in Islamic and conventional banking:an international comparison

The paper investigates the efficiency of a sample of Islamic and conventional banks in 10 countries that operate Islamic banking for the period 1996 to 2002, using an output distance function approach. We obtain measures of efficiency after allowing for environmental influences such as country macroeconomic conditions, accessibility of banking services and bank type. While these factors are assumed to directly influence the shape of the technology, we assume that country dummies directly influence technical inefficiency. The parameter estimates highlight that during the sample period, Islamic banking appear to be associated with higher input usage. Furthermore, by allowing for international differences in the underlying inefficiency distributions, we are also able to demonstrate statistically significant differences in efficiency across countries even after controlling for specific environmental characteristics and Islamic banking. Thus, for example, our results suggest that Sudan and Yemen have relatively higher inefficiency while Iran and Malaysia have lower estimated inefficiency. Except for Sudan, where banks exhibits relatively strong returns to scale, most sample banks exhibit very slight returns to scale, although Islamic banks are found to have moderately higher returns to scale than conventional banks. However while this suggests that Islamic banks may benefit from increased scale, we would emphasize that our results suggest that identifying and overcoming the factors that cause Islamic banks to have relatively high input requirements will be the key challenge for Islamic banking in the coming decades

Implementation of 2-point 2-step methods for the solution of first order ODEs.

In this paper the 2 point 2 step methods (2PG, M2PG, M2PF) for solving system of first order ordinary differential equations are proposed. These methods at each step will approximate the solutions of initial value problems at two points simultaneously using variable step size. In addition, the stability of the proposed method are discussed. Examples are presented to illustrate the computational aspect of these methods

Origin of the high Seebeck coefficient of the misfit [Ca2_2CoO3_3]0.62_{0.62}[CoO2_2] cobaltate from site-specific valency and spin-state determinations

Layered misfit cobaltate [Ca$_2$CoO$_3$]$_{0.62}$[CoO$_2$], which emerged as an important thermoelectric material~[A. C. Masset et al. Phys. Rev. B, 62, 166 (2000)], has been explored extensively in the last decade for the exact mechanism behind its high Seebeck coefficient. Its complex crystal and electronic structures have inhibited consensus among such investigations. This situation has arisen mainly due to difficulties in accurate identification of the chemical state, spin state, and site symmetries in its two subsystems (rocksalt [Ca$_2$CoO$_3$] and triangular [CoO$_2$]). By employing resonant photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy along with charge transfer multiplet simulations (at the Co ions), we have successfully identified the site symmetries, valencies and spin states of the Co in both layers. Our site-symmetry observations explain the experimental value of the high Seebeck coefficient and also confirm that the carriers hop within the rocksalt layer, which is in contrast to earlier reports where hopping within triangular CoO$_2$ layer has been held responsible for the large Seebeck coefficient.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures and 1 supplementary with 3 figure

Marketing Mix Influence on Consumer Buying Behavior: A Case Study on the Cosmetics Industry

Purpose: This purpose of this manuscript is to study the effect of marketing mix on consumer purchasing behaviour in the context of the Malaysian cosmetics sector.   Theoretical framework: The conceptual model for this study was developed based on previous research in the field of consumer behaviour and marketing globally. The conceptual model has four variables that affects consumer purchasing behaviour   Design/methodology/approach: A survey instrument in the form of a structured questionnaire was designed based on a careful review of pertinent literature. This study collected empirical data from 240 respondents of cosmetic customers. Multiple regression is used to test the significance of the research model.   Findings: Promotion and location are significant predictors of consumer behaviour. Promotion and location have a substantial impact on customer purchase behaviour in the local cosmetics business, although goods and price have no significance effect   Research, Practical & Social implications:The implication drawn from this study aids marketing managers to focus their resource on the key variables that consumer buying behaviour.   Originality/value: This study contributes information to the academia and practitioners on marketing factors that can improve the sales performance and give the organization a competitive advantage in the marketplace

Suitability of various plant derived gelling agents as agar substitute in microbiological growth media

Eleven putative gelling agents were investigated as agar substitutes. These included arrowroot (Maranta arundinaceae), coconut powder (Cocos nucifera), corn flour (Zea mays var. amylacea), gel rite (a water-soluble polysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas elodea), glue (Cyanoacrylates), katira gum (Cochlospermum religiosum), guar gum (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus L.), isubgol husk (Plantago ovata), pectin and rice (Oryza sativa L.) powder. Among these, guar gum was found a promising alternate candidate for agar. Media solidified with 2.8% guar gum was transparent and supportive for the growth of three test fungi (Trichoderma harzianum, Alternaria alternata and Alternaria solani) as good as agar. Guar gum also excelled in terms of cost benefit ratio when compared with agar. Guar gum fortified media was found to cost $0.005/L as compared to agar supplemented media costing$ 1.17/L. Further, guar gum is easily available and can be added with ease thereby serving as a suitable and inexpensive substitute of agar and thus, can be adopted for routine microbiological testing in resource poor countries.Key words: Guar gum, media, agar, gelling agents

The reality of camel breeding in Basra governorate

Camel is unique animal. In Holy Quran, Allah Almighty remember people about the creation of camel (AL- GHASHIY AH 17 (Then do they not look at the camels – how they are created?). This verse remind us about the different aspects of the camel creation, which have aroused the attention o researchers around the world. The camels have gained reputation as the ship of the desert, since ancient times because they have superior ability to withstand thirst for long periods. Basra is one of the important governorate in Iraq and it is located in the south. Basra has very severe weather and low levels of the rainfall especially at al- Zubair desert resulted in a lack of vegetation and the deterioration in the soil. These environmental factors have a negative impact on the breeding of camels in Basra. This study intended to focus on the reality of camel husbandry and field’s problem the in Basra governorate. Continuous veterinary work teams and follow up for camels and its behaviors and preview the seasonal movement of Camel herders accompanied b their animals were reported. In addition, some common diseases, especially internal and external parasites, were also reported. In conclusion, this study described the camel’s herds in Basra governorate with special focus on the most importan problems that face the breeding of camels in this governorate

Implementation of MPI environment for solving large systems of ODEs using block method.

Parallel 2-point and 3-point block method will simultaneously compute the numerical solutions at two and three points respectively are suitable for solving large system of first order ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using variable step size. The Gauss Seidel iteration will be implemented for the block methods. The parallelism across the system is considered for the parallelization of the proposed methods using the Message Passing Interface (MPI) communication environment which runs on High Performance Computing (HPC). Numerical examples are given to illustrate the efficiency of the parallel implementation of the proposed method using 2, 4 and 6 processors with respect to the sequential one

Flexible Wearable Antenna on Electromagnetic Band Gap using PDMS substrate

A robust and low-profile electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) based on flexible wearable antenna covering 2.4 GHz frequency band is presented. The incorporated EBG with antenna reduces the  radiation into the human body around 17 dB and decreases the impacts of frequency detuning. The overall dimension of the antenna integrated with EBG is 56 x 56 x 4 mm3 with relative impedance bandwidth of 8.3% is achieved. The proposed design has improved the gain up to 7 dBi. Specific absorption rate (SAR) assessment is also studied to certify the performance of the antenna when it is located proximity to human tissue. The flexible antenna with aforementioned performances could be chosen as a good candidate for integration into a range of wearable devices for medical application