Increased expression of T- cell- surface CXCR4 in asthmatic children

Background: Signals delivered through the chemokine receptor CXCR4 upon interaction with its ligand, SDF-1 α/β result in the most efficacious chemoattraction of T lymphocytes to the asthmatic airways with the resultant lung inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness. Objective: The extensive pharmacological and physiological evidence that CXCR4 chemokine receptor influences the allergic airway disease has stimulated us to study the relation between its expression in peripheral blood T lymphocytes and the exacerbation of asthmatic attacks of varying severity. Methods: The chemokine receptor CXCR4 was assayed by flow cytometry in peripheral blood T lymphocytes from 25 asthmatic children, during asthma exacerbation and after complete remission of symptoms and physical signs. The results were compared to those of 30 healthy children. Results: The CXCR4 expression in peripheral blood T lymphocytes was significantly increased in children with acute exacerbations of bronchial asthma as compared to controls (mean ± SD = 62.27 ± 17.57% versus 24.76 ± 6.88%; p < 0.001). After remission of acute attacks, the CXCR4 expression decreased significantly as compared to the values during attacks (mean ± SD = 40.90 ± 13.25%), however, the level of expression during quiescence was still significantly higher than the values of the controls (mean ± SD = 40.90 ± 13.25%; p < 0.001). The CXCR4 expression was significantly higher in children with acute severe asthma as compared to those with either mild or moderate attacks. During remission, patients with mild intermittent asthma had less expression of CXCR4 when compared to any grade of persistent asthma, while the results were comparable between all groups of persistent asthma of varying severity. A significant positive correlation could link the CXCR4% to the absolute eosinophilic count during acute asthma attacks. Conclusion: CXCR4 is over-expressed in T lymphocytes of asthmatic children. It was found to be related to disease activity and seems to be involved in the establishment and maintenance of chronic inflammation of the airways.Keywords: Asthma, chemokine receptors, CXCR4, children, T lymphocytesEgypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2003; 1(2): 80-

An Empirical Study of Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction of Malaysian Air Passenger

The vast majority of Malaysian air passenger have competitive choices among airlines and different service options. Customer satisfaction is what guarantees the survival of airlines and it is achievable only by matching the passengers needs with the services. Assessment of service quality and its subsequent management is of utmost importance for them to be competitive and successful in this industry. Thus, the purpose of this study was set to determine the relationship between service quality (SERVQUAL) and customer satisfaction of Malaysian air passenger. An adopted SERVQUAL instrument including five service quality constructs: empathy, tangibles, responsiveness, reliability and assurance were employed to measure the passengers perceptions about the service quality of airlines. Data were collected from 187 respondents using convenience sampling. The outcome of multiple regression analysis showed that responsiveness, reliability and assurance have a positive significant impact on customer satisfaction. However, empathy and tangible variables recorded an insignificant relationship with customer satisfaction. Conclusion and recommendation were discussed.     Keywords: service quality, customer satisfaction, air passenge

A model-based approach for mapping rangelands covers using Landsat TM image data.

Empirical models are important tools for relating field-measured biophysical variables to remotely sensed data. Regression analysis has been a popular empirical method of linking these two types of data to estimate variables such as biomass, percent vegetation canopy cover, and bare soil. This study was conducted in a semi-arid rangeland ecosystem of Qazvin province, Iran. This paper presents the development of a regression model for predicting rangeland biophysical variables using the original image data of Landsat TM nonthermal bands. The biophysical variables of interest within the rangeland ecosystem were percent vegetation canopy cover, bare soil extent, and stone and gravel which their correlations were analyzed in relation to Landsat TM original data. The results of applying stepwise multiple regression showed that there is a significant correlation between Landsat TM band 2 reflectance values and biophysical variables. The developed models were applied to Landsat TM band 2 and relevant maps were generated. We concluded that such problems as an inexact location of field samples on the image, small size of samples, vegetation heterogeneity may significantly affect the modeling of real rangeland Landsat TM data relationships

International security after the cold war: Utilization of the network technique to prioritize world threats

The past century witnessed major events of historical magnitude. In the first fifty years of the 20th century, the world suffered two World Wars and several regional conflicts that were very costly in lives and property. A promising future based on information technology and the computer science era provided man with unlimited hope for a healthier future, better job opportunities, medical treatments of serious diseases and much-improved standards of living. The 1990s will be remembered as the years of the death of an old system and the birth of a new one. Those years marked the transition from a world governed by the Cold War issues to new and unclear security arrangements and challenges. The main objectives of this paper are to describe the threats and dangers that would shape the future of the world, to identify the main factors that will bring change to the international order and to utilize engineering tools and techniques in an attempt to study their relative relationship and ranking with respect to each other

Diving accidents treated at a military hospital-based recompression chamber facility in Peninsular Malaysia.

This paper describes the pattern of diving accidents treated in a military hospital-based recompression chamber facility in Peninsular Malaysia. A retrospective study was carried out to utilize secondary data from the respective hospital medical records from 1st January 1996 to 31st December 2004. A total of 179 cases categorized as diving accidents received treatment with an average of 20 cases per year. Out of 179 cases, 96.3% (n=173) received recompression treatment. Majority were males (93.3%), civilians (87.2%) and non-Malaysian citizens (59.2%). Commercial diving activities contributed the highest percentage of diving accidents (48.0%), followed by recreational (39.2%) and military (12.8%). Diving accidents due to commercial diving (n=86) were mainly contributed by underwater logging activities (87.2%). The most common cases sustained were decompression illness (DCI) (96.1%). Underwater logging and recreational diving activities which contribute to a significant number of diving accidents must be closely monitored. Notification, centralised data registration, medical surveillance as well as legislations related to diving activities in Malaysia are essential to ensure adequate monitoring of diving accidents in the future

5-6 GHz Front End Low Noise Amplifier

This paper presents 5-6 GHz front end Low Noise Amplifier application for IEEE standard 802.11 system for WLAN application. This amplifier uses FHX76LP Low noise SuperHEMT device designed for DBS application from Eudyna Device USA Inc.This paper is present design and simulation of single stage LNA circuits. A single stage LNA has successfully designed with 26.92 dB forward gain and 1.32 dB noise figure, which stable along the UNII frequency band

Issues and Economic Role of Waqf In Higher Education Institution: Malaysian Experience

As early as 1980, the Malaysianfederal government’s spending on education, was the highest in East Asia andhigher than the OECD average of 3.4% of GDP. This demonstrates that theMalaysian Government has big expenses from educational sector and respectivelyis amenability for Malaysian economic budget. In other side Waqf in Malaysia isone of large financial source that has not been fully explored. By using qualitative methodology through content analysis this paper attempt to explore the issues andeconomic role of Waqf in Malaysia, especially in Higher Education Institution(HEI) and attempt to study how Waqf fund empowering the education. Thisstudy found that taking the que from the institutions of Waqf, the explorationand development of waqf fund can be exalarate through the formation of formalorganizations at state and federal level and rearrange the Malaysian educationalbudget and policy to support the better quality of HEI.DOI: 10.15408/aiq.v8i1.2514

Low Noise Amplifier For Front End Transceiver At 5.8 GHz

This paper presents the design of 5.8 GHz front end Low Noise Amplifier application for IEEE standard 802.11 systems for WLAN application. Revolution and demand of WLAN technology have urged development of low cost, low power and small size transceiver by using microstrip technology [1]. This paper is present design and simulation of single stage LNA circuits. This paper is focusing on development of Low Noise Amplifier operating at 5.75-5.85GHz (5GHz upper U-NII band) for WLAN application. The amplifier design used FHX76LP Low noise SuperHEMT from Eudyna Device USA Inc. The design circuit uses lumped elements to implement the matching networks. The purpose single stage of input and output matching network is to produces 50Ω impedance at the input and output port of the LNA. The matching network is used at both sides of the transistor [2],[3]. The target simulation are gain (S21)with >10dB, noise figure with <10dB and input and output return loss <-10dB at 5.8 GHz. A single stage LNA has successfully designed with 15.924 dB forward gain , 0.552 dB noise figure, -11.182 dB output return loss(S22) and -13.246 dB input return loss(S11) by using ADS software