512 research outputs found
What sow the seeds of hardship for the poorest of the poor? Towards increasing the performance of informal sector in war affected regions of Sri Lanka
Less performance of informal sector among the poorest of the poor in the war affected regions in Sri Lanka has been caused by many reasons. Findings of an exploratory study and the factor analysis revealed four important factors namely training and skills, education, social and economic. As the extension of the exploratory study, to test this prediction empirically with a larger sample size, the present study applied a survey method using a questionnaire especially designed based on the initial exploratory study which was conducted inductively. A sample of 300 women headed households engaged in the informal sector participated in this study. The results indicates these four factors significantly predict the performance of informal sector. More specifically, while, economic factors contribute more to the performance of the informal sector, training contributes less. The study also discussed the implication of findings and area for future research. Based on the findings and conclusions, few recommendations are also made to enhance the performance of women headed households in the informal sector
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Towards Security of GSM Voice Communication
Global system for mobile communication (GSM) is widely used digital mobile service around the world. Although GSM was designed as a secure wireless system, it is now vulnerable to different targeted attacks. There is a need to address security domains especially the confidentiality of communication. This paper presents a novel framework for end to end secure voice communication over the GSM networks using encryption algorithm AES-256. A special Modem and speech coding technique are designed to enable the transmission of encrypted speech using GSM voice channel. To the best of our knowledge, this is first solution that uses single codebook for transmission of secure voice. An efficient low bit-rate (1.9 kbps) speech coder is also designed for use with the proposed modulation scheme for optimal results. Different speech characteristics such as pitch, energy and line spectral frequencies are extracted and preserved before compression and encryption of speech. Previously, the best achieved data rate was 1.6 kbps with three codebooks, whilst the proposed approach achieves 2 kbps with 0% bit error rate. The empirical results show that the methodology can be used for real time applications to transmit encrypted voice using GSM network
Genetic system for project support with the sequencing problem
One of the main problems faced by manufacturing companies in the production sequencing, also called scheduling, which consists of identifying the best way to order the production program on the machines for improving efficiency. This paper presents the integration of a simulation model with an optimization method to solve the problem of dynamic programming with stochastic demand
The Use of Municipal Solid Waste Composition in Degradated Waste Soil Effectiveness in Aras Kabu Village, Beringin Subdistrict, Deli Serdang District
Introduction: This study aims to examine alternative management of paddy fields through the giving of municipal waste compost organic fertilizer in Aras Kabu Village, Beringin Subdistrict, Deli Serdang District.
Materials and Methods: This research was conducted in Aras Kabu Village, Beringin Subdistrict, Deli Serdang District with an altitude of 11 meters above sea level. Soil analysis was carried out at the Laboratory of Soil Physics, Conservation of Soil and Water, and Technology Research in the Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara. This research was conducted in March until July 2017. This research used the non-factorial randomized block design with doses of organic matter (B) municipal waste compost, such as B0 = Control, B1 = 1.5% (28.70 ton.ha-1), B2 = 3.0% (37.40 ton.ha-1), B3 = 4.5% (96.10 ton.ha-1), B4 = 6.0% (104.80 ton.ha-1)
Results: The provision of municipal waste compost organic fertilizer at the doses of 96.10 until 104.80 ton.ha-1 can improve the soil characteristic in Aras Kabu Village, Beringin Subdistrict so that the soil organic matter content reaches 3%
Evidence for phase formation in potassium intercalated 1,2;8,9-dibenzopentacene
We have prepared potassium intercalated 1,2;8,9-dibenzopentacene films under
vacuum conditions. The evolution of the electronic excitation spectra upon
potassium addition as measured using electron energy-loss spectroscopy clearly
indicate the formation of particular doped phases with compositions
Kdibenzopentacene ( = 1,2,3). Moreover, the stability of these phases as
a function of temperature has been explored. Finally, the electronic excitation
spectra also give insight into the electronic ground state of the potassium
doped 1,2;8,9-dibenzopentacene films.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with
arXiv:1201.200
Quasi-free Compton Scattering from the Deuteron and Nucleon Polarizabilities
Cross sections for quasi-free Compton scattering from the deuteron were
measured for incident energies of 236--260 MeV at the laboratory angle -135
degrees. The recoil nucleons were detected in a liquid-scintillator array
situated at 20 degrees. The measured differential cross sections were used,
with the calculations of Levchuk et al., to determine the polarizabilities of
the bound nucleons. For the bound proton, the extracted values were consistent
with the accepted value for the free proton. Combining our results for the
bound neutron with those from Rose et al., we obtain one-sigma constraints of
alpha_n = 7.6-14.0 and beta_n = 1.2-7.6.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted in PR
Knowledge and attitudes about health research amongst a group of Pakistani medical students
Background
Health research training is an important part of medical education. This study was conducted to assess the level of knowledge and attitudes regarding health research in a group of Pakistani medical students at Aga Khan University, Karachi. Methods
It was a cross-sectional pilot study conducted among a group of Pakistani medical students. Through stratified random sampling, a pre-tested, structured and validated questionnaire was administered to 220 medical students. Knowledge and attitudes were recorded on a scale (graduated in percentages). Results
Mean scores of students were 49.0% on knowledge scale and 53.7% on attitude scale. Both knowledge and attitudes improved significantly with increasing years of study in medical college [Regression coefficient 4.10 (p-value; 0.019) and 6.67 (p-value; \u3c 0.001) for knowledge and attitudes, respectively]. Conclusion
Medical students demonstrate moderate level of knowledge and attitude towards health research. Intensive training in this regard is associated with significant improvement in knowledge and attitudes of students towards health research
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The Sirtuin-2 Inhibitor AK7 Is Neuroprotective in Models of Parkinson’s Disease but Not Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Cerebral Ischemia
Sirtuin deacetylases regulate diverse cellular pathways and influence disease processes. Our previous studies identified the brain-enriched sirtuin-2 (SIRT2) deacetylase as a potential drug target to counteract neurodegeneration. In the present study, we characterize SIRT2 inhibition activity of the brain-permeable compound AK7 and examine the efficacy of this small molecule in models of Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cerebral ischemia. Our results demonstrate that AK7 is neuroprotective in models of Parkinson’s disease; it ameliorates alpha-synuclein toxicity in vitro and prevents 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced dopamine depletion and dopaminergic neuron loss in vivo. The compound does not show beneficial effects in mouse models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cerebral ischemia. These findings underscore the specificity of protective effects observed here in models of Parkinson’s disease, and previously in Huntington’s disease, and support the development of SIRT2 inhibitors as potential therapeutics for the two neurodegenerative diseases
Nuclear transparency and effective kaon-nucleon cross section from the A(e, e'K+) reaction
We have determined the transparency of the nuclear medium to kaons from
measurements on C, Cu, and Au targets.
The measurements were performed at the Jefferson Laboratory and span a range in
four-momentum-transfer squared Q=1.1 -- 3.0 GeV. The nuclear
transparency was defined as the ratio of measured kaon electroproduction cross
sections with respect to deuterium, (). We further
extracted the atomic number () dependence of the transparency as
parametrized by and, within a simple model assumption,
the in-medium effective kaon-nucleon cross sections. The effective cross
sections extracted from the electroproduction data are found to be smaller than
the free cross sections determined from kaon-nucleon scattering experiments,
and the parameter was found to be significantly larger than those
obtained from kaon-nucleus scattering. We have included similar comparisons
between pion- and proton-nucleon effective cross sections as determined from
electron scattering experiments, and pion-nucleus and proton-nucleus scattering
data.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Study of the A(e,e') Reaction on H, H, C, Al, Cu and Au
Cross sections for the p()n process on H, H, C,
Al, Cu and Au targets were measured at the Thomas
Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab) in order to extract the
nuclear transparencies. Data were taken for four-momentum transfers ranging
from =1.1 to 4.8 GeV for a fixed center of mass energy of =2.14
GeV. The ratio of and was extracted from the measured
cross sections for H, H, C and Cu targets at = 2.15
and 4.0 GeV allowing for additional studies of the reaction mechanism. The
experimental setup and the analysis of the data are described in detail
including systematic studies needed to obtain the results. The results for the
nuclear transparency and the differential cross sections as a function of the
pion momentum at the different values of are presented. Global features
of the data are discussed and the data are compared with the results of model
calculations for the p()n reaction from nuclear targets.Comment: 28 pages, 19 figures, submited to PR
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