How to scrutinise a Production Sharing Agreement: A guide for the oil and gas sector based on experience from the Caspian region

This guide discusses the provisions of a particular type of oil and gas contract, the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA). While the guide is aimed at a general civil society readership, it draws particularly on experience from Kazakhstan. The purpose of this guide is to give an accessible account of some key characteristics of PSAs, with a focus on revenue issues, and to suggest action points for civil society organisations involved with monitoring extractive industries. Indeed, in recent years the public in resource-rich states has become increasingly concerned about the management of extractive industry revenues

An Assessment of the Challenges Facing Revenue Collection Using Electronic Payment Systems: A Case of Tanzania Ports Authority in Dar es Salaam.

This study aimed at assessing the challenges facing revenue collection using electronic payment systems at Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) in Dar es Salaam. The study was guided by three specific objectives namely to examine usability challenges facing revenue collection using electronic payment system, to examine technical challenges facing revenue collection using electronic payment systems and to examine the strategies for improving revenue collection using electronic payment systems. This mixed methods study was conducted at TPA in Dar es Salaam and at the selected clearing and forwarding companies. Data was collected from 107 respondents including 95 TPA staffs and 12 staffs from the selected clearing and forwarding companies. Questionnaire method was used to collect data from TPA staffs from different departments while semi-structured interview was used to collect data from the sampled staffs of the selected clearing and forwarding agencies. Quantitative data collected using questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis while qualitative data obtained through semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. This study found that usability challenges facing revenue collection using electronic payment system includes limited IT skills and lack of IT equipment. The study also draw an inference that technical challenges troubleshooting revenue collection using electronic payment system includes poor connectivity and system breakdown. The strategies in place to improve revenue collection using electronic payment system includes training and education and provision of technical assistance. Keywords: Revenue, Electronic Payment System, Tanzania Ports Authority, Revenue Collection

Građa i optička svojstva tankih polikristaliničnih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2

Structural and optical properties of CuGaxIn1−xSe2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75) polycrystalline thin films deposited by vacuum evaporation were studied as a function of composition. The optical absorption spectra of CuGaxIn1−xSe2 thin films (x /=0) show four energy gaps (Eg1 , Eg2 , Eg3 and Eg4 ) which are attributed to the fundamental edge, band splitting by crystal-field and spin-orbit splitting, and to transitions originating from copper 3d levels, respectively. The primary transition energies exhibit bowing behaviour expressed by the relationship Eg1 (x) = 1.011 + 0.448x + 0.186x 2 . The second and third transition energies are higher than the primary transition energies by 0.10–0.11 eV and 0.18–0.185 eV, respectively. The effect of thermal treatment on the values of energy gaps is discussed in terms of the structure of the films. The primary transition energies of annealed CuGaxIn1−xSe2 can be fitted by the parabolic form Eg1 (x) = 1.04 + 0.46x + 0.22x 2 .Proučavali smo strukturna i optička svojstva tankih polikristaliničnih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2, isparenih u vakuumu, u ovisnosti o sastavu (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75). Optički apsorpcijski spektri tankih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2, (x /=0), pokazuju četiri energijska procijepa (Eg1 , Eg2 , Eg3 i Eg4 ) koji se pridjeljuju osnovnom rubu, cijepanju vrpci kristalnim poljem i cijepanju spin-staza, odnosno prijelazima iz 3d stanja bakra. Prvotni prijelazi pokazuju kvadratnu ovisnost koju izražavamo relacijom Eg1 (x) = 1.011 + 0.448x + 0.186x 2 . Druga i treća prijelazna energija su (0.10 − 0.11 eV) odnosno (0.18 − 0.185 eV) više od primarne prijelazne energije. Pomoću građe slojeva objašnjavamo učinak toplinske obrade na vrijednosti energijskih procijepa. Prvotne prijelazne energije opuštenog CuGaxIn1−xSe2 mogu se predstaviti kvadratnim izrazom Eg1 (x) = 1.04 + 0.46x + 0.22x 2

Građa i optička svojstva tankih polikristaliničnih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2

Structural and optical properties of CuGaxIn1−xSe2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75) polycrystalline thin films deposited by vacuum evaporation were studied as a function of composition. The optical absorption spectra of CuGaxIn1−xSe2 thin films (x /=0) show four energy gaps (Eg1 , Eg2 , Eg3 and Eg4 ) which are attributed to the fundamental edge, band splitting by crystal-field and spin-orbit splitting, and to transitions originating from copper 3d levels, respectively. The primary transition energies exhibit bowing behaviour expressed by the relationship Eg1 (x) = 1.011 + 0.448x + 0.186x 2 . The second and third transition energies are higher than the primary transition energies by 0.10–0.11 eV and 0.18–0.185 eV, respectively. The effect of thermal treatment on the values of energy gaps is discussed in terms of the structure of the films. The primary transition energies of annealed CuGaxIn1−xSe2 can be fitted by the parabolic form Eg1 (x) = 1.04 + 0.46x + 0.22x 2 .Proučavali smo strukturna i optička svojstva tankih polikristaliničnih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2, isparenih u vakuumu, u ovisnosti o sastavu (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.75). Optički apsorpcijski spektri tankih slojeva CuGaxIn1−xSe2, (x /=0), pokazuju četiri energijska procijepa (Eg1 , Eg2 , Eg3 i Eg4 ) koji se pridjeljuju osnovnom rubu, cijepanju vrpci kristalnim poljem i cijepanju spin-staza, odnosno prijelazima iz 3d stanja bakra. Prvotni prijelazi pokazuju kvadratnu ovisnost koju izražavamo relacijom Eg1 (x) = 1.011 + 0.448x + 0.186x 2 . Druga i treća prijelazna energija su (0.10 − 0.11 eV) odnosno (0.18 − 0.185 eV) više od primarne prijelazne energije. Pomoću građe slojeva objašnjavamo učinak toplinske obrade na vrijednosti energijskih procijepa. Prvotne prijelazne energije opuštenog CuGaxIn1−xSe2 mogu se predstaviti kvadratnim izrazom Eg1 (x) = 1.04 + 0.46x + 0.22x 2

EVALUATING THE LEVELS OF OXIDATIVE DNA DAMAGE IN HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES IN RESPONSE TO CAFFEINE USING COMET ASSAY (SINGLE CELL GEL ELECTROPHORESIS)

Objectives: Caffeine asin (coffee, cola, and tea) is the most widely consumed beverages worldwide. The current study aims to evaluate the effects of caffeine in different concentrations on human cultured peripheral lymphocytes, in healthy individuals, using comet assay. The extent of DNA damage reflects a balance between oxidative stress (the presence of hydrogen peroxide H2O2 as a reactive oxygen species ROS), and DNA repair ability (the presence of anti-oxidant may be caffeine substances at known concentrations). This is an important method to prevent and avoid many cancerous diseases in an era of various pollutants.Methods: Ten milliliters of venous blood samples were collected from 40 healthy young individuals, and lymphocyte cultures were set up after lymphocyte isolation with ficoll centrifugation. The mixture of lymphocytes culture media was incubated in the sterile incubator for 5 min after adding serial concentrations of caffeine (100, 500, 5000, 10000) µg/ml, as(group1,2,3,4 respectively) to 5% H2O2. The levels of oxidative DNA damage were expressed as comet tail length.Results: At concentration 100 ug/ml, there was a significant elevation in the mean comet tail length level in cultured lymphocytes treated with hydrogen peroxide (106.96 µm) compared with the treated with All (mixture of caffeine, and H2O2), 6.670 µm.Conclusion: We've concluded that a caffeine concentration of 100 µg/ml possesses the strongest anti-oxidant properties and causes much less DNA damage in lymphocytic culture when exposed to hydrogen peroxide.Keywords: Oxidative DNA damage, Comet assay, Lymphocyte, Hydrogen peroxid

Intake of Arsenic and Selenium in a Bangladeshi population investigated using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Millions of people in Bangladesh are exposed to high concentration of the toxic element arsenic (As) through drinking water and consumption of foods. It has also been reported that Bangladeshis have a low intake of the essential element selenium (Se), which is known to be important as an antioxidant and has been suggested to counteract the toxicity of As. We report here on total intake of As and Se in a Bangladeshi population, based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) analysis of a range of Bangladeshi foods. The total daily intake of As and Se from foods was estimated to be 74.2 and 87.7 µg/day, respectively. If As from water, used for drinking and cooking rice, is included the TDI increases to 385 µg of total As per day. An important finding of our study, contrary to suggestions given in other reports, is that the Bangladeshi diet does not appear to be deficient in Se and this may explain why the blood Se concentrations in Bangladeshis is similar to the USA population. This requires further investigation and detailed dietary and human biomonitoring studies on the Bangladeshi population should be conducted. Rice and fish were the main sources of dietary As and Se for Bangladeshis. Leafy vegetables could also be a significant contributor of high concentration of As in the Bangladeshi diet. The flesh and eggs of Hilsha (Tenualosa ilisha) species of fish were found to contain particularly high levels of total arsenic (range 0.77 - 6.15 mg/kg) although this is likely to be dominated by the non-toxic organoarsenic species

Histopathological Changes of the Flaxseed Extract on Skin Wound Healing in Diabetic Rabbits

BACKGROUND: Wound healing includes phases such as cell migration, extracellular matrix deposition, remodeling, and angiogenesis. There are growing medicines that accelerate wound healing, significantly herbal medications that mainly safe and reliable. AIM: The aim of the study is to examine the histological changes induced by flaxseed oil during wound healing in diabetic animal model. METHODS: Forty-five male white New Zealand rabbits divided into two main groups diabetic and non-diabetic each group is divided into three groups (n = 9).Diabetic animal group include: (1) Study group (adding Flaxseed), (2) positive control group (adding fucidin 2% cream), and (3) negative control group (no treatment) same distribution of non-diabetic animals groups. Four linearshape,full-thickness wounds were made in both sides of the backbone skin in each animal. Tissue samples were obtained at days 4th, 7th, and 14th post wounding for microscopical analysis, histopathological parameters included inflammation, re-epithelialization, neovascularization, and surface closure rates. RESULTS: The study groups (using flax seed) in both diabetic and non-diabetic groups show significant reduction in inflammatory cells infiltration at day 14 (0.67 ± 0.753) (1.67 ± 0.516), and noticeable increase in wound closure rate (4.00+-0.000). Both diabetic and non-diabetic animal groups show high re-epithelialization potential at day 4 and day 7, respectively (2.00 ± 1.549; 4.00 ± 0.00). Diabetic animal study group using flaxseed shows high neovascularization rate at the day 14 (2.17 ± 0.753) compared with positive control diabetic animal group (2.00 ± 0.000). CONCLUSION: Topical application of flaxseed promoted healing process particularly in diabetic animal model by shortening inflammation phase, elevating surface closure rate, promoting re-epithelialization process, and enhancing neovascularization, flaxseed is suggested as a potential effective herbal base medication for facilitating wound healing

The Mechanism of Monitoring and Tracking of Healthcare Systems

This work concerned with e-healthcare that transmit digital medical data through healthcare system. Online monitoring is concentrated on the process of monitoring and tracking of people at home, car, office, and any other location. e-healthcare deals with patients that they are located far from doctor jurisdiction. Healthcare monitoring including measurements of temperature, blood pressure / pulse monitors and ECG, etc. This works deals with the development of monitoring system via adding intelligent system to distinguish the emergency cases. This work try to keep patient data privacy, reduce attack or penetration of data, reduce processing time and at the same time increasing the efficiency of the overall system. The privacy of patient data is critical so this must maintain the confidentiality of information from intrusion