Effect of Cutting Parameters on Power Consumption and Tool Wear during Turning of EN31 Steel under Minimum Quantity Solid Lubrication

This paper reports the comparative investigation of effect of cutting parameters i.e. cutting speed, feed and depth of cut on power consumption and too wear during turning operation of EN31. Three cooling techniques were employed during the turning operations of which one is Minimum Quantity Solid Lubrication (MQSL). Calcium Fluoride powder used as solid lubricant and mixed with SAE 40 oil, which was used as MQSL cooling technique. The experimental results highlight the power consumption was less during MQSL cooling technique. Further, the tool wear was also less in MQSL cooling compare to other cooling technique

Full-range leadership and motivation in franchising : multiple case study of franchisees within O2

Although the relationship between leadership and follower attitudes such as organisational commitment and job satisfaction has been well documented in previous research, no prior research has explored the relationship between Full-range Leadership of franchisees and their followers' motivation. By exploring the relationship between Full-range Leadership and the motivation of employees in the under-researched area of telecommunication franchising, the study fills a gap in the literature. Additionally, this research discovered the factors affecting the application of a particular leadership style (transformational, transactional or laissez faire). A multiple case study research of twenty franchisees of 02, located in the north of England was conducted. A qualitative research methodology utilised data from secondary sources and semi structured interviews with franchisees and their subordinates. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ 6s) was used alongside semi structured interviews; this led to a more in depth consideration of the seven Full-range Leadership factors. This study selected 180-degree format by interviewing franchisees and their subordinates. Data was analysed with the use of NViv08 to identify the most important themes and patterns from the data collected. The research showed that transformational leadership has a stronger relationship with motivation than transactional leadership. The laissez faire leadership style was absent amongst the franchisees under study. The research also illustrated that franchisees who exhibited a transformational style, empowered their staff more and made their followers less dependent on the leader. A practical application and observable behaviour of transformational leadership can be found in behaviours such as delegating significant authority to individuals, developing follower skills and self confidence, creating self-managed teams, providing direct access to sensitive information, eliminating unnecessary controls, and building a strong culture to support empowerment. In transactional leadership, leader follower relationships were based on a series of exchanges or bargains between leaders and followers. Franchisees that had a transactional leadership style used contingent reward to motivate followers. Transformational franchisees and their followers indicated that idealised influence had the strongest impact on motivation. Empirical evidence suggested that transformational leadership factors (idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualised consideration) had a stronger relationship with motivation than transactional leadership factors (contingent reward and management - by-exception). This study identified that several factors influenced the application of a particular leadership style: individual followers, situations, organisational performance and targets, organisational culture and franchisor's policies and procedures. Other motivational factors, besides the leader's leadership style, have been taken into consideration in this research. This study found that, in particular, monetary motivators were used in the sales driven environment of 02-franchise business to motivate followers. The findings supported the literature review in confirming that transformational franchisees used non-monetary rewards in addition to monetary rewards: giving a sense of achievement by appreciating and praising people's efforts, recognition by giving vouchers and awards, social events and competitions

A Clinical Microbiological Study of Corneal Ulcer Patients at Western Gujarat, India

Corneal ulcer is a major cause of blindness throughout the world. When the cornea is injured by foreign particles, there are chances of infection by the organism and development of ulcer. Bacterial infection in the cornea is invariably an alteration of the defense mechanism of the outer eye. It is essential to determine the local etiology within a given region when planning a corneal ulcer management strategy. Laboratory evaluation is necessary to establish the diagnosis and to guide the antibiotic therapy. One hundred corneal ulcer patients were studied by collecting their corneal scraping samples and processing at Clinical Microbiology department of Shree Meghaji Petharaj Shah Medical College, Jamnagar, Gujarat, India during a period of 17 months. All clinical microbiology laboratory procedures followed standard protocols described in the literature. 40 (40%) patients from the age group of 20-70 years had been confirmed as - any organism culture positive - within the corneal ulcer patient population. Fungi were isolated from 26 (26%) corneal ulcer patients. The bacterial etiology was confirmed in 14 (14%) corneal ulcer patients. The major risk factors for mycotic keratitis were vegetative injury (16, (62%)), followed by conjunctivitis (4, (15%)), and blunt trauma (3, (11%)). Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most commonly isolated bacterium (6, (43%)), followed by Proteus spp. (4, (29%)). Corneal Infections due to bacteria and filamentous fungi are a frequent cause of corneal damage. Microbiological investigation is an essential tool in the diagnosis of these infections. The frequency of fungal keratitis has risen over the past 20 to 30 years. Prognosis of bacterial corneal infection has improved since the introduction of specific antibacterial therapy

Genetically Engineered <i>Escherichia coli</i> Nissle 1917 Synbiotics Reduce Metabolic Effects Induced by Chronic Consumption of Dietary Fructose

<div><p>Aims</p><p>To assess protective efficacy of genetically modified <i>Escherichia coli</i> Nissle 1917 (<i>Ec</i>N) on metabolic effects induced by chronic consumption of dietary fructose.</p><p>Materials and Methods</p><p><i>Ec</i>N was genetically modified with fructose dehydrogenase (<i>fdh</i>) gene for conversion of fructose to 5-keto-D-fructose and mannitol-2-dehydrogenase (<i>mtl</i>K) gene for conversion to mannitol, a prebiotic. Charles foster rats weighing 150–200 g were fed with 20% fructose in drinking water for two months. Probiotic treatment of <i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq</i>), <i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq-glf-mtl</i>K), <i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq-fdh</i>) was given once per week 10⁹ cells for two months. Furthermore, blood and liver parameters for oxidative stress, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia were estimated. Fecal samples were collected to determine the production of short chain fatty acids and pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) production.</p><p>Results</p><p><i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq-glf-mtl</i>K), <i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq-fdh</i>) transformants were confirmed by restriction digestion and functionality was checked by PQQ estimation and HPLC analysis. There was significant increase in body weight, serum glucose, liver injury markers, lipid profile in serum and liver, and decrease in antioxidant enzyme activity in high-fructose-fed rats. However the rats treated with <i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq-glf-mtl</i>K) and <i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq-fdh</i>) showed significant reduction in lipid peroxidation along with increase in serum and hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities. Restoration of liver injury marker enzymes was also seen. Increase in short chain fatty acids (SCFA) demonstrated the prebiotic effects of mannitol and gluconic acid.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Our study demonstrated the effectiveness of probiotic <i>Ec</i>N producing PQQ and fructose metabolizing enzymes against the fructose induced hepatic steatosis suggesting that its potential for use in treating fructose induced metabolic syndrome.</p></div

Effect of probiotic treatment on liver enzyme tests.

<p>(A) ALP (B) AST (C) ALT activity and kidney function tests (D) Urea (E) Creatinine of serum. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 5–6 each group). ***P≤ 0.001 compared with fructose control, ^@@@P ≤ 0.001 compared to fructose control, ^$$ $ P ≤ 0.001, ^$ $ P ≤ 0.01 compared to EcN (<i>pqq</i>) group. F: Fructose.</p

Effect of different probiotic treatment on body weight gain, food intake, fasting glucose, serum insulin levels of rats.

<p>Effect of different probiotic treatment on body weight gain, food intake, fasting glucose, serum insulin levels of rats.</p

Effect of probiotic treatment on serum lipid profile.

<p>(A) LDL, (B) HDL, (C) VLDL, (D) Cholesterol and (E) Triglycerides; on hepatic lipid profile (F) Cholesterol and (G) Triglycerides; (H) mRNA of Fatty acid synthase and (I) mRNA of Acyl Coenzyme A oxidase. Values are expressed as mean ± SEM (n = 5–6 each group). ***P≤ 0.001 compared with fructose control, ^@@@P ≤ 0.001 compared to fructose control, ^$$ $ P ≤ 0.001, ^$ $ P ≤ 0.01 compared to <i>Ec</i>N (<i>pqq</i>) group, ^### ≤ 0.001. Values are expressed in mg/dl. F: Fructose.</p

Effect of probiotic treatment on Colonic SCFA, PQQ concentration in liver tissue and fecal samples and liver GSH levels in rats.

<p>Effect of probiotic treatment on Colonic SCFA, PQQ concentration in liver tissue and fecal samples and liver GSH levels in rats.</p