INVESTMENT CLIMATE OF TOURISM INDUSTRY IN CALABARZON: INPUTS TO BUSINESS OPERATIONS INITIATIVES

This study will identify the investment climate of tourism in CALABARZON. More specifically: it will assess the quality of investment climate of tourism industry in CALABARZON in terms of macro fundamental, governance and infrastructure; to test if there is significant difference on the assessment of the respondents to quality of investment climate when grouped according to LGU, residents and tourists; to propose a business operations initiative based on the results. The researcher used descriptive method to determine the investment climate and attractiveness of tourism industry in CALABARZON. The questionnaire is one of the major instruments used by the researcher to gather and collect the needed data. Results showed that majority of the respondents belonged to the young age group, female, single, college graduate and has an average income. The tourists, local residents and local government unit all agreed that CALABARZON region is moderately favorable for investment among investors since the climate is good and the competition is healthy. There is significant relationship on the assessment of the respondents to quality of investment with regard to governance. The researcher proposed business operations initiative win order for the tourism industry in CALABARZON region more competitive

Design and analysis of a low-profile two-axis solar tracker with hybridized control

The adoption of solar power technologies throughout the world is increasing rapidly. Solar trackers are a necessary component in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) applications and have also shown up to 46% per annum energy increase in photovoltaic (PV) panels when compared with fixed mounted panels. To resist wind forces, trackers typically incorporate heavy structural components and reinforced concrete foundations. Thus, the manufacture and installation of trackers is costly due to their size, weight, and careful consideration of geological conditions. This work presents a new solar tracker design for use with concentrating solar power and photovoltaic panels. The tracker is comprised of two coplanar perpendicular linear actuators and one linkage arm that can track the sun in two axes. A hybrid control strategy combines time and location based solar position estimates, with a two-axis misalignment sensor for a robust control strategy. Part cost is lowered by the low profile tracker geometry by allowing lighter structural and actuation components to combat gusty conditions, and installation costs are reduced by the wide footprint of the system, mitigating the need for deep foundations. A tracker prototype is built and tested for functionality and tracking accuracy. Testing shows an average mechanical pointing hysteresis of 0.05 [degrees]. The tracker is outfitted with a parabolic mirror and blackbody receiving cavity, and in full sun reaches a steady-state temperature of 670 [degrees] C

Numerical Modelling of Flood Forces due to Storm Surges

早稲田大学博士(工学)早大学位記番号:新9353doctoral thesi

Problem-based learning approach enhances the problem solving skills in Chemistry of high school students

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of problem-based learning (PBL) approach in enhancing the problem solving skills in Chemistry of Grade 9 students in a public high school in the Philippines. The level of problem solving skills of the students in the non-PBL and PBL group before and after their exposure to non-PBL and PBL approaches was determined respectively. The comparison of their levels before and after the intervention was done to determine the effectiveness of the non-PBL and PBL approaches. Then comparison of the effectiveness of non-PBL and PBL approach was assessed. Using the descriptive-comparative and pretest-posttest experimental design in processing the data from 96 students, the following revelations were obtained: (1) the level of problem solving skills before and after their exposure to non-PBL approach is generally very low; (2) the level of problem solving skills was initially very low but was comparatively increased to low after exposure to PBL; (3) there was a significant difference in the level of problem solving skills of the students in the PBL group; (4) between these two approaches in this study, the PBL approach of teaching the chemistry concepts to Grade 9 students was proven more effective than the non-PBL approach

Laboratory Scale Testing of Ignition Overpressure for Space Vehicle Launch Pad Environments

A scale model of a NASA representative space vehicle is used to develop a refined estimate of the transient pressure loads that are expected to form at the base of the vehicle in the event of a vapor cloud explosion. Flammable vapor clouds are known to form prior to engine startup due to the significant amount of unburned hydrogen that is ejected from the combustion chamber. In the event of a vapor cloud explosion, the vehicle and payload must be able to withstand the resulting overpressure waves. The study comprises an array of pressure sensors located along the base heat shield of the scale model space vehicle as well as the interior wall and throat plug plane of the solid rocket booster. A spark source generator is used to simulate the overpressure wave produced by a vapor cloud explosion while measurements are acquired with and without the effect of a mobile launcher. Time- resolved schlieren images of the simulated vapor cloud explosion reveal the path and impact of both the initial wave and several reflected waves on the various components at the base of the space vehicle. In some instances, the reflected waves superpose to create waves that are higher in amplitude than the initial overpressure wave. A time frequency analysis of the pressure waveforms measured inside the solid rocket booster reveal a ring down tone corresponding to a standing wave that is four times the length of the nozzle

Polychlorinated biphenyls, Polybrominated biphenyls, Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and Polychlorinated dibenzofurans

Environmental contamination levels, human exposure, toxicokinetics, and health effects of PCBs, PBBs, PCDDs/PCDFs are discussed

Different modes of variation for each BG lineage suggest different functions.

Mammalian butyrophilins have various important functions, one for lipid binding but others as ligands for co-inhibition of αβ T cells or for stimulation of γδ T cells in the immune system. The chicken BG homologues are dimers, with extracellular immunoglobulin variable (V) domains joined by cysteines in the loop equivalent to complementarity-determining region 1 (CDR1). BG genes are found in three genomic locations: BG0 on chromosome 2, BG1 in the classical MHC (the BF-BL region) and many BG genes in the BG region just outside the MHC. Here, we show that BG0 is virtually monomorphic, suggesting housekeeping function(s) consonant with the ubiquitous tissue distribution. BG1 has allelic polymorphism but minimal sequence diversity, with the few polymorphic residues at the interface of the two V domains, suggesting that BG1 is recognized by receptors in a conserved fashion. Any phenotypic variation should be due to the intracellular region, with differential exon usage between alleles. BG genes in the BG region can generate diversity by exchange of sequence cassettes located in loops equivalent to CDR1 and CDR2, consonant with recognition of many ligands or antigens for immune defence. Unlike the mammalian butyrophilins, there are at least three modes by which BG genes evolve.Wellcome Trust (Grant IDs: RG49834 (Studentship), 089305 and a Senior Investigator Award), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Studentship)This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from The Royal Society via http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsob.16018

Incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing minimally invasive valve surgery

BackgroundWe hypothesize that minimally invasive valve surgery in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is superior to a conventional median sternotomy.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 1945 consecutive patients who underwent isolated valve surgery. Included were patients with CKD stages 2 to 5. In-hospital mortality, composite complication rates, and intensive care unit and total hospital lengths of stay of those who underwent a minimally invasive approach were compared with those who underwent a standard median sternotomy. Resource use was approximated based on intensive care unit and total hospital lengths of stay.ResultsThere were 688 patients identified; 510 (74%) underwent minimally invasive surgery, and 178 (26%) underwent a median sternotomy. There was no significant difference in mortality. Minimally invasive surgery was associated with fewer composite complications (33.1% vs 49.4%; odds ratio, 0.5; P ≤ .001), shorter intensive care unit (48 [interquartile range {IQR}, 33-74] hours vs 71 [IQR, 42-96] hours; P < .01), and hospital (8 [IQR, 6-9] days vs 10 [IQR, 8-15] days; P < .001) lengths of stay, and a lower incidence of acute kidney injury (8% vs 14.7%; odds ratio, 0.5; P = .01), compared with median sternotomy. In a multivariable analysis, minimally invasive surgery was associated with a 60% reduction in the risk of development of postoperative acute kidney injury.ConclusionsIn patients with CKD undergoing isolated valve surgery, minimally invasive valve surgery is associated with reduced postoperative complications and lower resource use

Hydrolytic Reactivity Trends among Potential Prodrugs of the O2-Glycosylated Diazeniumdiolate Family. Targeting Nitric Oxide to Macrophages for Antileishmanial Activity

Glycosylated diazeniumdiolates of structure R2NN(O)dNO-R ′ (R ′ ) a saccharide residue) are potential prodrugs of the nitric oxide (NO)-releasing but acid-sensitive R2NN(O)dNO- ion. Moreover, cleaving the acid-stable glycosides under alkaline conditions provides a convenient protecting group strategy for diazeniumdiolate ions. Here, we report comparative hydrolysis rate data for five representative glycosylated diazeniumdiolates at pH 14, 7.4, and 3.8-4.6 as background for further developing both the protecting group application and the ability to target NO pharmacologically to macrophages harboring intracellular pathogens. Confirming the potential in the latter application, adding R2NN(O)dNO-GlcNAc (where R2N) diethylamino or pyrrolidin-l-yl and GlcNAc) N-acetylglucosamin-l-yl) to cultures of infected mouse macrophages that were deficient in inducible NO synthase caused rapid death of the intracellular protozoan parasite Leishmania major with no host cell toxicity