Development of maritime education and training for ratings in Bangladesh : a proposed path to the next century

This dissertation focuses on the maritime education and training system for ratings in Bangladesh, under the prevailing shipping environment. The paper discusses the present situation and highlights the difficulties being experienced in attempting to upgrade the system particularly in the areas of employment, education and training. The investigation identifies a number of factors inhibiting the development that is needed to overcome the current shortage of qualified ratings. These include a lack of policy initiatives in the promotional field, inadequate appraisal of human resource development in the maritime sector, a lack of administrative and industry support, inadequate legislation, poor training facilities and a shortage of qualified instructors. The project focuses on the vital need for chanqes in the present system in the light of the technological advancements and legal developments taking place in the maritime world. Examination is made of training systems in the U.K., Germany, Australia and Japan, where administrations have been forced to restructure their approach to ratings training to meet the challenges of new technology and economic competition. On the basis of this investigation, the dissertation proposes changes in the current Bangladesh system through the adoption of a multi-skilled training, which would provide flexibility and mobility to Bangladeshi ratings seeking career development at sea as well as in other related industries. It also specifies the need for the continued upgrading of seafarer education. In Conclusion, recommendations are offered as to measures that might be taken to ameliorate some of the problems faced by the declining community of Bangladeshi seafarers

Trend in Global Environmental Pollution

The context of environmental pollution especially economic development being associated to each other studied. Time series data for several years are studied, analyzed and used to develop statistical models and inferred for helping the planners. The models for environmental problem areas of greenhouse gas emission, noise pollution, plastic pollution, municipal waste, fertilizer pollution and industrial process pollution show consistent increasing. The models of environmental problem areas of the aspects of safe drinking water, safe sanitation, life expectancy and death rate show consistent improvement. It is recommended that the measures to prevent the environmental problems must be mad as inbuilt into the relevant project body and must be implemented

An Exploratory Review of Bangladesh Gas Sector: Latest Evidence and Areas of Further Research

This paper reviews and explores the latest evidence from the gas sector of Bangladesh and highlights areas that would benefit from further research. The study reported actual consumption of gas by different sectors; projection of demands by various studies and plan documents; estimates of gas reserves and potential by various studies; and operation of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Bangladesh.Gas Sector, Bangladesh

INTESTINAL ABSORPTION OF EPROSARTAN MESYLATE FROM SELF EMULSIFYING SYSTEM AND CYCLODEXTRIN COMPLEX

Objective: The aim of this work was to determine the intestinal membrane transport parameters of eprosartan mesylate (EM) and to investigate self-nano emulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) and inclusion complexation with hydroxypropyl b cyclodextrin (HPbCD) for enhanced intestinal absorption of eprosartan mesylate. Methods: The intestinal absorption was monitored using the in situ rabbit intestinal perfusion technique. SNEDDS was developed using labrafil, Lauroglycol with a tween in the presence of ethanol. Inclusion complexation was achieved by construction of phase solubility diagram in the presence of HPbCD. The prepared complex was evaluated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results: The drug was found to be poorly absorbed from the jejuno-ileum and the colon with the absorption being mainly through paracellular pathway. An inclusion complex was developed between the drug and HPβCD. Perfusion of the drug in the nanoemulsion formulation or as an inclusion complex resulted in a significant increase in the intestinal absorption of the drug compared with the control.Conclusion: SNEDDS and inclusion complexation are promising strategies for enhanced intestinal absorption of eprosartan mesylate

Corporate efficiency, credit status and investment

This paper considers the relationship between financial frictions and investment. In an effort to clarify the role of cash flow in examining the impact of capital-market imperfections, endogenous switching regression models (SRM) are estimated for a panel of 1122 UK firms listed on the London Stock Exchange over the period of 1981 to 2009. Not only is the financial regime which the firm faces endogenous, we also allow the regime to change over time via modelling efficiency using stochastic frontier analysis. The results reveal that a firm’s constrained credit status changes with the improvement of its efficiency. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that financially constrained firm’s investment is comparatively more sensitive to its cash flow. Moreover this sensitivity is statistically significant and is negatively related with corporate efficiency

Evidence for the interaction of Endophilin A3 with endogenous K(Ca)2.3 channels in PC12 cells

Background/Aims: Small-conductance calcium-activated (SK) channels play an important role by controlling the after-hyperpolarization of excitable cells. The level of expression and density of these channels is an essential factor for controlling different cellular functions. Several studies showed a co-localization of KCa2.3 channels and Endophilin A3 in different tissues. Endophilin A3 belongs to a family of BAR- and SH3 domain containing proteins that bind to dynamin and are involved in the process of vesicle scission in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Methods: Using the yeast two-hybrid system and the GST pull down assay we demonstrated that Endophilin A3 interacts with the N-terminal part of KCa2.3 channels. In addition, we studied the impact of this interaction on channel activity by patch clamp measurements in PC12 cells expressing endogenous KCa2.3 channels. KCa2.3 currents were activated by using pipette solutions containing 1 µM free Ca(2+). Results: Whole-cell measurements of PC12 cells transfected with Endophilin A3 showed a reduction of KCa2.3 specifc Cs(+) currents indicating that the interaction of Endophilin A3 with KCa2.3 channels also occurs in mammalian cells and that this interaction has functional consequences for current flowing through KCa2.3 channels. Since KCa2.3 specific currents could be increased in PC12 cells transfected with Endophilin A3 with DC-EBIO (30 µM), a known SK-channel activator, these data also implicate that Endophilin A3 did not significantly remove KCa2.3 channels from the membrane but changed the sensitivity of the channels to Ca(2+) which could be overcome by DC-EBIO. Conclusion: This interaction seems to be important for the function of KCa2.3 channels and might therefore play a significant role in situations where channel activation is pivotal for cellular function

The treatment of achalasia patients with esophageal varices: an international study

Background: Treatment options for achalasia include endoscopic and surgical techniques that carry the risk of esophageal bleeding and perforation. The rare coexistence of esophageal varices has only been anecdotally described and treatment is presumed to carry additional risk. Methods: Experience from physicians/surgeons treating this rare combination of disorders was sought through the International Manometry Working Group. Results: Fourteen patients with achalasia and varices from seven international centers were collected (mean age 61 9 years). Five patients were treated with botulinum toxin injections (BTI), four had dilation, three received peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), one had POEM then dilation, and one patient underwent BTI followed by Heller’s myotomy. Variceal eradication preceded achalasia treatment in three patients. All patients experienced a significant symptomatic improvement (median Eckardt score 7 vs 1; p < 0.0001) at 6 months follow-up, with treatment outcomes resembling those of 20 non- cirrhotic achalasia patients who underwent similar therapy. No patients had recorded complications of bleeding or perforation. Conclusion: This study shows an excellent short-term symptomatic response in patients with esophageal achalasia and varices and demonstrates that the therapeutic outcomes and complications, other than transient encephalopathy in both patients who had a portosystemic shunt, did not differ to disease-matched patients without varices

Correction to: Impact of Continuous Professional Education on Leadership for Rehabilitation Professionals in Bangladesh: A Pilot Study

In the publication of this article, the abstract, full-text of the article and the author's affiliations had some mistakes with regards to the writing/language. The abstract, full-text and the affiliations of the authors has now been updated in the original article. The authors declare that the correction does not change the results or conclusion of this paper

Cyclotron Resonance in the Layered Perovskite Superconductor Sr2RuO4

We have measured the cyclotron masses in Sr2RuO4 through the observation of periodic-orbit-resonances - a magnetic resonance technique closely related to cyclotron resonance. We obtain values for the alpha, beta and gamma Fermi surfaces of (4.33+/-0.05)me, (5.81+/-0.03)me and (9.71+/-0.11)me respectively. The appreciable differences between these results and those obtained from de Haas- van Alphen measurements are attributable to strong electron-electron interactions in this system. Our findings appear to be consistent with predictions for a strongly interacting Fermi liquid; indeed, semi-quantitative agreement is obtained for the electron pockets beta and gamma.Comment: 4 pages + 3 figure