MODIFIKASI KOPOLIMER KARET ALAM SIKLIS GRAFTING ASAM OLEAT MENGGUNAKAN INISIATOR BENZOIL PEROKSIDA DAN BAHAN PENGISI BENTONIT-CETIL TRIMETIL AMONIUM BROMIDA

Research on the modification of Cyclic Natural Rubber (CNR) grafting Oleic Acid (OA) copolymer using initiator of Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO) and the filler of bentonite-Cetil Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) has been carried out, which aims to determine the method of modifying Cyclic Natural Rubber (CNR) and Oleic Acid (OA) so it can produce CNR-g-OA copolymer through grafting method with BPO initiator mixed together with bentonite-CTAB. This research was conducted in three stages. The first stage is the process of dissolving CNR using xylene. The second stage is the process of mixing CNR solution and OA with the composition (70:30) phr, followed by the addition of BPO initiator and bentonite-CTAB filler. The third stage is characterization using FTIR and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results of the analysis using FT-IR showed an absorption at 1708,23 cm-1 which indicated the presence of C=O bonds from oleic acid which had been grafted on CNR, and increased intensity after addition of bentonite-CTAB at 1568,96 cm-1; 1446,13 cm-1; 1255,66 cm-1; and 866,94 cm-1. Characterization results using SEM showed that the mixing of Bentonite-CTAB in KAS-g-OA was evenly distributed and quite homogeneous

Pakistan earthquake - WatSan reconstruction strategy

This paper presents an overview of the formulation process and salient features of the strategy for reconstruction and rehabilitation of water and sanitation facilities and infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the earthquake of 08 October 2005. The strategy was prepared through a consultative process that involved line agencies, NGOs and development partners at sub-district, district, provincial and federal levels. The salient features of the strategy include overview of damages, vision, objectives, scope, strategies for building back better, component activities, district-wise budget estimates, implementation arrangements, targets, indicative work plan, monitoring and evaluation mechanism and district-wise inventory of 3,880 affected water and sanitation schemes

Formulation of WatSan policies in Pakistan

This paper describes the process of formulation of National Drinking Water and Sanitation Policies in Pakistan. The process, which was led by the Ministry of Environment and supported by UNICEF, involved evidence based advocacy for policy development; preparation of a working paper; development of background papers for stakeholder consultation; preparation of provincial papers on the basis of stakeholders’ workshops; development of draft policies on the basis of provincial papers; circulation of the draft policies among relevant federal ministries, provincial departments and other stakeholders; and finalization in light of stakeholders’ comments. The National Sanitation Policy has been approved by the Federal Cabinet and is currently under implementation. The Drinking Water Policy, however, is still in the draft form due to delays mainly attributable to fragmentation of the responsibility of water resource conservation, management and control across several Ministries and line departments

WATSAN response to earthquake in Pakistan

This paper summarizes the experiences of WatSan emergency response to the devastating earthquake which struck Pakistan on 08 October 2005. The response entailed distribution of pre-positioned supplies, establishing coordination mechanism, rehabilitation of major water supply systems, water trucking, promotion of household water treatment options, effective water quality surveillance, support to solid waste management, construction of sanitation facilities and most importantly hygiene promotion. Over 700,000 people received safe water and sanitation facilities through UNICEF assistance. There was no major outbreak of diseases reported in the earthquake affected areas while morbidity and mortality indicators remained more or less similar to the rest of country not affected by the earthquake, indicating the effectiveness of water, sanitation and hygiene services

A Study to Evaluate the Attitude of Faculty Members of Public Universities of Pakistan towards Shared Governance

This paper is based on the evaluation of the attitude of faculty members toward shared governance. Four indicators were used for share governance: role of dean, role of faculty, role of board, and role of joint decision making. Five points liker scale questionnaire of Baker-Brown was used in this study. There were 90 samples for this study from all public universities of Pakistan. Two research questions were formulated for this study.  A multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) approach was used to answer research questions. SAS 9.3 software used to analyze the data.  A one-way MANOVA result indicates that there is a significant difference in the perception of shared governance in all four indicators by the faculty rank group at a=0.05 since F (12, 219.89) = 4.68, p <. 001 correspondence to Wilks’ ? = .548, partial eta squared = .182. Power to detect the effect was .99. There is 55% of variance for shared governance perception is accounted by faculty position. The gender group one-way MANOVA result also indicates that there is a significant difference in the perception of shared governance in all four indicators by gender group at a=0.05 since F (4, 85) = 5.97, p <. 001, correspondence to Wilks’ ? = .781, partial eta squared = .182. Power to detect the effect was .99. There is 55% of variance for shared governance perception is accounted by faculty position. Follow-up tests indicates that there was a significance difference in the dean role and join decision making role indicators of shared governance according to the faculty position. There was also significance difference found in the overall MANOVA when analyzed by gender group since Wilks’ ? = .781, F (4, 85) = 5.97, p <. 001, partial eta squared = .219. Power to detect the effect was .98. The result shows that there was 22% of variance for shared governance perception is accounted by male and female group. Keywords: shared governance, faculty role, university, decision making.

A Study to Evaluate the Attitude of Faculty Members of Public Universities of Pakistan towards Shared Governance

This paper is based on the evaluation of the attitude of faculty members toward shared governance. Four indicators were used for share governance: role of dean, role of faculty, role of board, and role of joint decision making. Five points liker scale questionnaire of Baker-Brown was used in this study. There were 90 samples for this study from all public universities of Pakistan. Two research questions were formulated for this study.  A multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) approach was used to answer research questions. SAS 9.3 software used to analyze the data.  A one-way MANOVA result indicates that there is a significant difference in the perception of shared governance in all four indicators by the faculty rank group at a=0.05 since F (12, 219.89) = 4.68, p <. 001 correspondence to Wilks’ ? = .548, partial eta squared = .182. Power to detect the effect was .99. There is 55% of variance for shared governance perception is accounted by faculty position. The gender group one-way MANOVA result also indicates that there is a significant difference in the perception of shared governance in all four indicators by gender group at a=0.05 since F (4, 85) = 5.97, p <. 001, correspondence to Wilks’ ? = .781, partial eta squared = .182. Power to detect the effect was .99. There is 55% of variance for shared governance perception is accounted by faculty position. Follow-up tests indicates that there was a significance difference in the dean role and join decision making role indicators of shared governance according to the faculty position. There was also significance difference found in the overall MANOVA when analyzed by gender group since Wilks’ ? = .781, F (4, 85) = 5.97, p <. 001, partial eta squared = .219. Power to detect the effect was .98. The result shows that there was 22% of variance for shared governance perception is accounted by male and female group. Keywords: shared governance, faculty role, university, decision making.

Molecular and in vivo characterization of cancer-propagating cells derived from MYCN-dependent medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant pediatric brain tumor. While the pathways that are deregulated in MB remain to be fully characterized, amplification and/or overexpression of theMYCNgene, which is has a critical role in cerebellar development as a regulator of neural progenitor cell fate, has been identified in several MB subgroups. Phenotypically, aberrant expression of MYCN is associated with the large-cell/anaplastic MB variant, which accounts for 5-15% of cases and is associated with aggressive disease and poor clinical outcome. To better understand the role of MYCN in MBin vitroandin vivoand to aid the development of MYCN-targeted therapeutics we established tumor-derived neurosphere cell lines from the GTML (Glt1-tTA/TRE-MYCN-Luc) genetically engineered mouse model. A fraction of GTML neurospheres were found to be growth factor independent, expressed CD133 (a marker of neural stem cells), failed to differentiate upon MYCN withdrawal and were highly tumorigenic when orthotopically implanted into the cerebellum. Principal component analyzes using single cell RNA assay data suggested that the clinical candidate aurora-A kinase inhibitor MLN8237 converts GTML neurospheres to resemble non-MYCN expressors. Correlating with this, MLN8237 significantly extended the survival of mice bearing GTML MB allografts. In summary, our results demonstrate that MYCN plays a critical role in expansion and survival of aggressive MB-propagating cells, and establish GTML neurospheres as an important resource for the development of novel therapeutic strategies

Stipulation in contract from Islamic and Malaysian legal perspectives

Generally, a subject of legal obligation is bound to perform his/her obligation regardless of whether the source of the obligation comes from the Lawgiver or is initiated by the subject of the law himself. Contract is a source of obligation which is initiated by a subject of legal obligation. Therefore, a person who makes a contract is responsible to the contract he concludes. Thus he is obliged to observe and perform his duty as agreed upon in the contract. In some cases, additional conditions or stipulations are included in the contract. Theses stipulations or conditions present a form of obligation that has to be complied with by contracting parties. The purpose of this study therefore, is to examine whether additional conditions can be added into the contract from the perspective of Islamic law and Malaysian law or otherwise. Thus, this study attempts to elaborate on the concept of stipulations its nature and types from Islamic and Malaysian laws points of view. The study also analyzes the similarities and differences of the concept of stipulations between both laws. The study uses comparative and analytical methods. The finding of the study shows that the term of stipulation and its types in Islamic law and Malaysian law are similar. Therefore, it is suggested that the contracting parties before making any stipulation to their contract to seek the advice of experts in order to make sure their contract is according with the law and is Shari’ah compliant

Combined MYC and P53 defects emerge at medulloblastoma relapse and define rapidly progressive, therapeutically targetable disease

We undertook a comprehensive clinical and biological investigation of serial medulloblastoma biopsies obtained at diagnosis and relapse. CombinedMYCfamily amplifications and P53 pathway defects commonly emerged at relapse, and all patients in this group died of rapidly progressive disease postrelapse. To study this interaction, we investigated a transgenic model of MYCN-driven medulloblastoma and found spontaneous development ofTrp53inactivating mutations. Abrogation of p53 function in this model produced aggressive tumors that mimicked characteristics of relapsed human tumors with combined P53-MYC dysfunction. Restoration of p53 activity and genetic and therapeutic suppression of MYCN all reduced tumor growth and prolonged survival. Our findings identify P53-MYC interactions at medulloblastoma relapse as biomarkers of clinically aggressive disease that may be targeted therapeutically.Additional co-authors: Louise Howell, Colin Kwok, Abhijit Joshi, Sarah Leigh Nicholson, Stephen Crosier, David W. Ellison, Stephen B. Wharton, Keith Robson, Antony Michalski, Darren Hargrave, Thomas S. Jacques, Barry Pizer, Simon Bailey, Fredrik J. Swartling, William A. Weiss, Louis Chesler, Steven C. Cliffor

Prediction of crack depth and fatigue life of an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene cantilever beam using dynamic response

n this article, a methodology is proposed that can be used to predict the crack growth and fatigue life of a cantilever beam made of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) manufactured with fused deposition modeling. Three beam configurations based on length (L = 110, 130, and 150 mm) are considered. Empirical relationships are formulated between the natural frequency and the crack growth. The analytical and experimental results are found to be in good agreement for all configurations. Using the experimental data, a global relation is formulated for the crack depth prediction. This global relation is useful for an in situ crack depth prediction with an error of less than 10 %. Later, a residual fatigue life of these specimens is compared with a metallic structure (Aluminum 1050) of similar configuration available in the literature. It is found that the ABS material has more residual fatigue life compared with the metallic structure at the same frequency drop. Based on the remaining fatigue life, ABS material can be a potential material to manufacture machine components under cyclic loads