Business and Marketing Ethics in Islam: A Conceptual Study

Islamic ethics positions men in relation to Allah, his own self and the universe. Interest about Islamic ethics in business and marketing practices has been growing among the various segments of populations including academics, manufacturers, consumers, workers, and mass people. The present study aimed at exploring the ethical concept of business and Marketing in Islam. As the study is a conceptual in nature, it is mainly based on content analysis and used secondary data and information. To attain the objectives, the study consulted Holy Qur’an, different books of Hadith, journal and related literature. The study revealed that, the principle of faithful observance of contracts, abstaining from false advertising and mis-presentation, accurate measurement, non-indulgence in hoarding and profiteering, avoiding destruction of surplus produce, prohibition of interest and unlawful trade, fair and just recruitment practices, brotherly treatment of workers, protection from environmental pollution, are only illustrative of business ethics in Islam. This study also emphasizes the necessity of further study on the implications of Islamic principles in the context of present-day business and marketing situation so that these principles could be operationalized

On the Realization of Non-Linear Pseudo-Noise Generator for various Signal Processing and Communication Applications

In digital communication systems and digital signal processing, the design of pseudo-noise (PN) sequences having good correlation properties has been one of the most important development steps. Its well-known application areas include spread spectrum communications, Multiuser Communications, Digital Signal Processing for reduction of power spectral density, mitigation of Multiple Access Interference (MAI) and improvement of signal to noise ratio (SNR) respectively. In this paper a performance of non- linear PN code generator for interference rejection improvement of signal to noise ratio in signal processing applications have been studied.  The signal of interest can be considered to be a digitally controlled wide band digital chaotic signal, which has been implemented by conventional PN code generators.  The proposed technique can be used as an alternative code for improvement in signal to noise ratio, interference rejection, spreading code for various signal processing and communication applications.  The proposed scheme has been implemented using matlab as a simulation tool.  Power spectral density, auto-correlation and cross-correlation property have been thoroughly studied and has been compared with conventional scheme and are presented in the paper. Keywords: PN Code Generator, Spread Spectrum Modulation, Auto-correlation, Cross-correlation, Power Spectral Density

Ethnic Entrepreneurship In OECD Countries: A Systematic Review Of Performance Determinants Of Ethnic Ventures

This paper seeks to examine the evolution of determinants under scrutiny by academics publishing on performance of ethnic companies in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Using the systematic literature review method, we first provide a descriptive analysis of articles gathered, and then make an in-depth examination of the determinants focused on. A database of 40 papers published between 2002 and 2011 was collected – the topic was precise enough to yield only a few articles – from a wide range of journals. We provide a systemized summary of the current status of this body of work, examine areas where research is lacking, and explain why further study of the role of cultural and ethical values as determinants of ethnic entrepreneurship is critical

A cohort study on the rate of progression of diabetic chronic kidney disease in different ethnic groups.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of progression of diabetic chronic kidney disease in different ethnic groups. DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal observational study. PARTICIPANTS: All new patients attending a tertiary renal unit in east London with diabetic chronic kidney disease between 2000 and 2007 and followed up till 2009 were included. Patients presenting with acute end-stage kidney failure were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was annual decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in different ethnic groups. Secondary end points were the number of patients developing end-stage kidney failure and total mortality during the study period. RESULTS: 329 patients (age 60±11.9 years, 208 men) were studied comprising 149 south Asian, 105 White and 75 Black patients. Mean follow-up was 6.0±2.3, 5.0±2.7 and 5.6±2.4 years for White, Black and south Asian patients, respectively. South Asian patients were younger and had a higher baseline eGFR, but both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher in Black patients (p<0.05). Baseline proteinuria was highest for the south Asian group followed by the White and Black groups. Adjusted linear regression analysis showed that an annual decline in eGFR was not significantly different between the three groups. The numbers of patients developing end-stage kidney failure and total mortality were also not significantly different between the three groups. ACE or angiotensin receptor blockers use, and glycated haemoglobin were similar at baseline and throughout the study period. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that ethnicity is not an independent factor in the rate of progression renal failure in patients with diabetic chronic kidney disease

Targeting DNA Repair Mechanisms in Bacterial Persisters

Bacterial persisters, cells able to survive high concentrations of antimicrobial agents, are problematic in the medical field due to being responsible for recurring infections, and in industrial settings due to causing contamination in pipes. Furthermore, bacterial biofilms add complexity due to being more enduring than stand alone planktonic bacteria. The inability to successfully eradicate persisters present in patients with recurring bacterial infections and from industrial pipes has prompted interest in targeting persisters through metabolomics. Moreover, interest has expressed in determining the distribution of persisters in biofilms, if any, and why persisters would be more localized in one area than in another. Targeting the DNA repair mechanisms of bacteria, and mapping persister distribution in biofilms are of much interest. The expression of RecA, a protein essential for catalyzing the SOS response for damaged DNA, was targeted in wild type E.coli in order to create RecA lacking E.coli mutants. The mutants were then treated with ofloxacin, a fluroquinolone that causes DNA damage, in order to examine the effects of inhibiting the SOS response. Separately, wild type E.coli biofilms were grown and subsequently sectioned into different categories, with the determining factor being color, to then be treated with antibiotics in order to determine the distribution of persisters. The implications of this study show that targeting DNA repair mechanisms in bacteria can lead to a significant reduction of persisters, as well as that persisters in biofilms are not localized in some areas more than others despite differences in color.Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department ofHonors Colleg

ATTENUATION CHARACTERISTICS OF SAUDI ARABIAN RESERVOIR SANDSTONE AND LIMESTONE CORES

INTRODUCTION Lithology, porosity, permeability, pore fluids, and effective pressure are some of the important criteria for reservoir characterization. These parameters significantly affect the seismic signature of a reservoir. Thus, establishing correlations between seismic properties on one hand, and lithology, porosity, permeability, and stress on the other, will increase the reliability of reservoir property predictions from seismic measurements. Another advantage of seismic attributes is that they are much easier to measure in-situ than the above mentioned reservoir properties, and since such measurements are noninvasive, an observed correlation between them could also prove useful as an important exploration tool for oil and gas reservoirs. In recent years, with the improvement in borehole sonic sources and receivers, full waveforms are being recorded and processed at the rig site itself. Enough expertise is gained to accurately compute the attenuation quality factors from the full waveforms recorded in the laboratory and borehole sonics. In this paper attenuation quality factors of several Saudi Arabian reservoir sandstone and limestone cores are computed and possible correlation between quality factors and reservoir properties like porosity, permeability, velocities, and wetting state are studied. OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper is to study the pressure dependent behavior of quality factor and to discuss the possible correlation of the seismic attributes like attenuation to the more relevant reservoir characterization properties like porosity, permeability, velocity, and saturation. It has been observed that quality factor Q does not have a good correlation with either porosity or permeability LABORATORY MEASUREMENTS A total of twenty sandstone and limestone reservoir cores have been tested for porosity, permeability, P-and S-wave velocities and quality factors under dry and water saturated conditions. The dried cores were flushed with air, therefore in effect, dry core samples are air saturated dry rocks. Nine simultaneous P-and S-wave measurements were made in the pressure range of 0 -82 MPa. The dry and water saturated P-and S-wave velocities and quality factors were measured on the same core sample. First the measurements on dry core were completed, the core sample was then fully saturated with water and then the Pand S-wave velocities and quality factors were measured on the water saturated core back to contents SCA 2001-57 2 sample under the same confining pressure conditions. Simultaneous Porosity and Permeability measurements in the same pressure range were made on a different sister sample from the same depth. The full wave broadband ultrasonic waves used in this study had a central frequency of 700 KHz. The attenuation quality factors were calculated using spectral ratio method (Toksoz et al., 1979). Correction for diffraction loss due to the finite size of the transducer and the non-planar wavefronts (Papadakis, 1968) were applied using tabulated data of To validate the calculation and diffraction correction procedure for the quality factors, Q, some experiments were performed on French Gres&apos; des Vesges sandstone samples and the results were compared to those available in the literature RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Several investigators In SCA 2001-57 3 CONCLUSIONS • A new parameter, the ratio of P-wave to S-wave quality factors Qp/Qs gives a good correlation to porosity and permeability. • The results presented in this paper confirm the previously published results in literature. • In most of the studies reported in literature, outcrop rocks with emphasis on sandstone were used. Whereas in this paper sandstone and limestone reservoir cores are used. Therefore correlations developed using outcrop samples give a good estimate of reservoir rock properties