Fracture patterns and petrophysical properties of carbonates undergoing regional folding : A case study from Kurdistan, N Iraq

Acknowledgements The authors thank the Ministry of Natural Resources in Iraqi Kurdistan Region for permission to publish this paper. Gulf Keystone Petroleum Ltd. and HKN Energy Ltd. are acknowledged for providing the subsurface datasets. Great thanks to Colin Taylor at the University of Aberdeen for his assistance in the laboratory work. Thoughtful reviews by two anonymous referees improved the clarity of the paper. Graham Banks is thanked for his helpful and constructive review on a late version of the manuscript, which has significantly improved this paper.Peer reviewedPostprin

Fostering niches among SMEs in Malaysia through organizational commitment, leadership, organizational culture and job satisfaction

Niche creation is a challenge among firms regardless of size, ownership and the kind of product/service they offer. Once it is created, fostering such niche becomes a greater issue.In this paper, we focused on the SMEs in emerging markets particularly in Malaysia.By using questionnaires, data was gathered from 100 employees working in SMEs particularly in Selangor, Malaysia.The purpose of this study is to let owners/managers/founders of SMEs better understand how fostering niches is influenced by organizational commitment,leadership, and organizational culture, towards job satisfaction as antecedents of competitive advantage and/or success of SMEs. Employees’ attitudes and behaviours are affected by the relationship between them and their employer.This relationship is referred to as organizational commitment.Moreover, leadership and organizational culture considerably have an influence on job satisfaction.Understanding this concept will aid employers to instil strong organizational culture and create solid organizational commitment among their employees and lead effectively so that they would be able to retain their well-experienced and skilful employees. Ultimately job satisfaction plays a very important role in the success of organizations particularly in the context of SMEs in Malaysia. The findings revealed positive relationships among the variables and their importance as determinants of job satisfaction in SMEs, which hopefully could contribute to the extant literature on job satisfaction and competitive advantage from the perspective of this country in Asia

Resonant tunnelling diode based high speed optoelectronic transmitters

Resonant tunneling diode (RTD) integration with photo detector (PD) from epi-layer design shows great potential for combining terahertz (THz) RTD electronic source with high speed optical modulation. With an optimized layer structure, the RTD-PD presented in the paper shows high stationary responsivity of 5 A/W at 1310 nm wavelength. High power microwave/mm-wave RTD-PD optoelectronic oscillators are proposed. The circuitry employs two RTD-PD devices in parallel. The oscillation frequencies range from 20-44 GHz with maximum attainable power about 1 mW at 34/37/44GHz.European Commission [645369

Non-viral microbial keratitis in children

AbstractMicrobial (non-viral) keratitis is a serious vision-threatening condition. The management of microbial keratitis in children is particularly complicated by the children’s inability to cooperate during examinations and the lack of information prior to presentation. Predisposing factors vary according to geographical location and age. Corneal trauma is the leading cause for microbial keratitis in children, followed by systemic and ocular disease. Etiologic agents are most frequently Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria commonly found in contact lens-related microbial keratitis. Mycotic keratitis is a major risk factor in tropical weather conditions, particularly when associated with agricultural trauma. Early diagnosis, intensive drug treatment, and timely planned surgical intervention may effectively improve the outcome of pediatric microbial keratitis

Comparison between neural network and P&O method in optimizing MPPT control for photovoltaic cell

The demand for renewable energy has increased because it is considered a clean energy and does not result in any pollution or emission of toxic gases that negatively affect the environment and human health also requiring little maintenance, and emitting no noise, so it is necessary to develop this type of energy and increase its production capacity. In this research a design of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control method using Neural Network (NN) for photovoltaic system is presented. First we design a standalone PV system linked to dc boost chopper with MPPT by perturbation and observation P&O technique, and then a design of MPPT by using ANN for the same system is presented. Comparative between two control methods are studied. The results explained in constant and adjustable weather settings such as irradiation and temperature. The results exposed that the proposed MPPT by ANN control can improve the PV array efficiency by reduce the oscillation around the MPP that accure in P&O method and so decreases the power losses. As well as decrease the the overshot that accure in transient response, and hence improving the performance of the solar cell

Pathological changes in mesostriatal neurons in a PKC-gamma mutant rat

The AS/AGU rat originated as a recessive mutation (agu) in a closed colony of Albino Swiss (AS) rats. The mutation is in the gene coding for the gamma isoform of protein kinase C. It is characterized by movement impairments and progressive dysfunction of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic (DA) and raphe striatal serotonergic (5-HT) systems. The movement impairments including rigidity of the hind limbs, a staggering gait, a tendency to fall over every few steps, a slight whole body tremor and difficulty in initiating movements. The dysfunction in both systems is characterised by a failure to release DA or 5-HT within the striatum and cell loss within the substantia nigra pars compacta (dopaminergic cells) and the dorsal raphe nuclei (5-HT+ve cells). In this study, three experiments were carried out to examine the possible pathological responses of midbrain cell groups to the agu mutation in the gene coding for protein kinase C-gamma (PKC-γ). Experiment 1 was carried out to examine levels of two groups of molecules in the midbrain cell groups using quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy of cell bodies or their surrounding neuropil (a) those molecules giving information about the capacity of midbrain aminergic cell bodies to synthesis transmitters; tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the dopaminergic neurons and serotonin (5-HT) in the serotonergic neurons (b) those which have been found to occur in human neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease: ubiquitin, parkin and α-synuclein (Lewy body proteins). Immunofluorescence levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (in dopaminergic cells of the SNC) and serotonin (in 5HT+ve cells of the dorsal raphe nuclei) were both significantly increased in AS/AGU (mutant) compared to the AS (control) rats aged 6 months and older. TH and 5-HT immunofluorescence levels were both significantly decreased in the striatum in the AS/AGU (mutant) compared to the AS (control) rat aged 12 months. Ubiquitin immunofluorescence show a gradual increase with age in AS and AS/AGU rats and the increase was much greater in the mutant in every region except the oculomotor and pontine nuclei. Parkin immunofluorescence show increases in the mutant within the SNC and the dorsal raphe nucleus and this increase was significant at older ages. Alpha-synuclein does not occur in the cell bodies of the substantia nigra or VTA but outside in the neuropil. Alpha-synuclein immunofluorescence levels progressively increased with age in both strains in the SN and VTA and were higher in the mutant. The levels of those molecules (ubiquitin, parkin and alpha-synuclein) do not differ in the striatum of mutants compared to controls. Experiment 2 examined SNC cell bodies to look for possible strain differences in cell size or ultrastructure or any sign of cell death using light and transmission electron microscopy. The diameter (maximum and minimum) of the SNC cells and nuclei were measured in toluidine blue paraffin wax and immunoperoxidase DAB staining for TH sections. Cell diameter was reduced in the AS/AGU mutant compared to the AS control. No obvious ultrastructural differences were seen in nigrostriatal neurons of both strains. The volume fractions of mitochondria and rough endoplasmic reticulum were significantly higher in the mutant. No Lewy bodies were present. Experiment 3 examined TH+ve nigrostriatal dopaminergic terminals in the dorsal caudate-putamen to determine whether there are (a) differences in the percentages and numbers of TH+ve terminals and (b) differences in synaptic vesicles numbers. In 12-month AS/AGU mutant, there are reduction in TH+ve terminals (40%) together with a reduction in vesicle numbers (40%) in such terminals where in 3-month AS/AGU mutant, the reduction in TH+ve terminals was more (50%) and a reduction in vesicles numbers by three quarters. TH-ve terminals are also reduced in numbers in 12 months aged AS/AGU mutant rats. In 12-month AS/AGU rats, there were significantly reduced numbers of synaptic terminals in the striatum compared to AS controls. This applied to both dopaminergic terminals (which make up 15% of the total) and to non-dopaminergic terminals. In 3-month AS/AGU rats, there is a reduction in terminal numbers, but this is restricted to the dopaminergic terminals only: non-dopaminergic ones are unaffected

Factors associated with increased survival after surgical resection of glioblastoma in octogenarians.

Elderly patients with glioblastoma represent a clinical challenge for neurosurgeons and oncologists. The data available on outcomes of patients greater than 80 undergoing resection is limited. In this study, factors linked to increased survival in patients over the age of 80 were analyzed. A retrospective chart review of all patients over the age of 80 with a new diagnosis of glioblastoma and who underwent surgical resection with intent for maximal resection were examined. Patients who had only stereotactic biopsies were excluded. Immunohistochemical expression of oncogenic drivers (p53, EGFR, IDH-1) and a marker of cell proliferation (Ki-67 index) performed upon routine neuropathological examination were recorded. Stepwise logistic regression and Kaplan Meier survival curves were plotted to determine correlations to overall survival. Fifty-eight patients fit inclusion criteria with a mean age of 83 (range 80-93 years). The overall median survival was 4.2 months. There was a statistically significant correlation between Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) and overall survival (P < 0.05). There was a significantly longer survival among patients undergoing either radiation alone or radiation and chemotherapy compared to those who underwent no postoperative adjuvant therapy (p < 0.05). There was also an association between overall survival and lack of p53 expression (p < 0.001) and lack of EGFR expression (p <0.05). In this very elderly population, overall survival advantage was conferred to those with higher preoperative KPS, postoperative adjuvant therapy, and lack of protein expression of EGFR and p53. These findings may be useful in clinical decision analysis for management of patients with glioblastoma who are octogenarians, and also validate the critical role of EGFR and p53 expression in oncogenesis, particularly with advancing age

Sintesis Selulosa Asetat dari Pemanfaatan Limbah Kulit Pisang Diaplikasikan sebagai Masker Asap Rokok

Asap rokok merupakan bahan berbahaya bagi kesehatan manusia karena mengandung nikotin, tar, timbal, arsen, kadmium serta sejumlah kecil bahan berbahaya lainnya. Penggunaan masker dapat mengurangi bahaya tersebut, akan tetapi masker yang mampu menyaring asap rokok memiliki harga yang lebih mahal dibandingkan masker medis atau masker kesehatan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah sintesis selulosa asetat yang diaplikasikan sebagai masker yang mampu menyaring bahan berbahaya dari asap rokok. Dimana selulosa sebagai bahan bakunya didapatkan dari pemanfaatan limbah kulit pisang, alasannya karena kulit pisang memiliki jumlah akumulasi limbah yang cukup besar setiap harinya dan belum termanfaatkan secara optimal. Selulosa yang didapatkan dari ekstraksi limbah kulit pisang selanjutnya dikonversi menjadi selulosa asetat melalui reaksi asetilasi menggunakan anhidrida o asetat dengan perbandingan massa 1 : 5 pada suhu 45 C dengan variasi waktu 4, 5, 6, 7 dan 8 jam. Hasil paling optimum dari sintesis selulosa asetat didapatkan pada waktu reaksi 6 jam dengan yield sebesar 50%. Selulosa Asetat yang telah didapatkan, selanjutnya diaplikasikan sebagai masker asap rokok. Masker asap rokok dianalisa menggunakan SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) untuk mengetahui struktur permukaan partikel, dan hasil analisa SEM didapatkan bahwa struktur permukaan partikel masker asap rokok lebih renggang dibandingkan struktur permukaan partikel filter selulosa asetat komersial