Muslim Women’s Right to Divorce and Gender Equality Issues in Bangladesh: A Proposal for Review of Current Laws

In Bangladesh, sharia law goes hand in hand with the statutory laws of the land. These laws are both conjointly used to regulate and monitor the issues of divorce among Muslims of the country. Orthodox Islamic laws provide husbands with the authority of issuing divorce or talaq to their wives known as Talaq-e-Tawfiz (popularly known as tawfiz) in the kabinnama (the written document of the contract of marriage). Women’s power to exercise the tawfiz, however, depends solely on the will of their husbands. Although Muslim women are capable of repudiating their marriages by the process of khula or mubarat, these are only executable under the free consent of their husbands. Also, the statutory laws of Bangladesh address Muslim women’s right to the dissolution of marriage by the intervention of the court, only under several grounds. The traditional interpretation of sharia law and the statutory laws of the country are both unwilling to establish Muslim women’s absolute right to renounce marriage as with their male counterparts. Current research reveals that this violation of gender equality and women’s rights generates female subordination in society and gives birth to numerous socio-legal complications

Improvement of Machinability of Mild Steel during Turning Operation by Magnetic Cutting

This paper presents the details of improvement of machinability of mild steel using magnetic cutting during turning operation. Improvement of machinability was evaluated in terms of tool life, surface roughness and chip morphology. Machine tool chatter is a type of intensive self-excited vibrations of individual components of Machine-Tool-Fixture-Work (MTFW) system. Chatter causes unwanted excessive vibratory motion in between the tool and the work-piece causing adverse effects on the product quality and machine-tool and tool life. In addition to the damage of the work-piece surface due to chatter marks, the occurrence of severe chatter results in many adverse effects, which include poor dimensional accuracy of the work-piece, reduction of tool life, and damage to the machine. Chatter is formed as resonance phenomena during machining because of the instability of the closed-loop system formed by machine tool structure and metal-cutting process. In this study, magnets were used to avoid the chatter formation zone and its effect on machinability was investigated. Improvements in tool life and surface finish were observed during magnetic cutting of the mild steel. An obvious change in the chip behaviour was also present. These observations further enhance the possibility of using this magnetic cutting to eliminate the chatter formation zones and hence eliminate the adverse effect of chatter on machinability

Investigating of the Effect of Rectangular and Trapezium Cross Section of Gating System by CFD Simulation in Cooling of Aluminium Alloy in a Permanent Mould Casting

This paper presents a systemic study of the effect of different cross section of gate in permanent mould casting of aluminium alloy. To ensure best quality of the product the mould cavity must be filled with clean metal in a controlled manner to ensure smooth, uniform and complete filling. A gating system controls smooth, uniform and complete filling of the cavity by the molten metal. In this paper, CFD models illustrating the effect of rectangular and trapezium cross sections of gating on cooling of Aluminium alloy in a permanent mould casting were investigated. Same hydraulic diameter was assigned for each of the cross section of gating systems. Bottom gating system is used for its low gas entrapment and less surface defect characteristics. By analyzing it has been observed that in rectangular cross section the cooling is more rapid than trapezium cross sections considered in the investigation

Potent inhibition of cartilage biosynthesis by coincubation with joint capsule through an IL-1-independent pathway

The reason for the increased risk for development of osteoarthritis (OA) after acute joint trauma is not well understood, but the mechanically injured cartilage may be more susceptible to degradative mediators secreted by other tissues in the joint. To establish a model for such interactions, we coincubated bovine cartilage tissue explants together with normal joint capsule and found a profound (∼70%) reduction in cartilage proteoglycan biosynthesis. This reduction is due to release by the joint capsule of a heat-labile and non-toxic factor. Surprisingly, while cultured synovium is a canonical source of interleukin-1 (IL-1), blockade either by soluble IL-1 type II receptor (sIL-1r) or IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) had no effect. Combined blockade of IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) also had no effect. To support the clinical relevance of the findings, we harvested joint capsule from post-mortem human knees. Human joint capsule from a normal adult knee also released a substance that caused an ∼40% decrease in cartilage proteoglycan biosynthesis. Furthermore, this inhibition was not affected by IL-1 blockade with either sIL-1r or IL-1RA. These results suggest that joint capsule tissue from a normal knee joint can release an uncharacterized cytokine that potently inhibits cartilage biosynthetic activity by an IL-1- and TNF-independent pathway.Whitaker FoundationGlaxoSmithKlineNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (grant AR-45779)National Institutes of Health (U.S.). Specialized Centers Of Interdisciplinary Research (grant ARP50-39239

A practical approach for outdoors distributed target localization in wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks are posed as the new communication paradigm where the use of small, low-complexity, and low-power devices is preferred over costly centralized systems. The spectra of potential applications of sensor networks is very wide, ranging from monitoring, surveillance, and localization, among others. Localization is a key application in sensor networks and the use of simple, efficient, and distributed algorithms is of paramount practical importance. Combining convex optimization tools with consensus algorithms we propose a distributed localization algorithm for scenarios where received signal strength indicator readings are used. We approach the localization problem by formulating an alternative problem that uses distance estimates locally computed at each node. The formulated problem is solved by a relaxed version using semidefinite relaxation technique. Conditions under which the relaxed problem yields to the same solution as the original problem are given and a distributed consensusbased implementation of the algorithm is proposed based on an augmented Lagrangian approach and primaldual decomposition methods. Although suboptimal, the proposed approach is very suitable for its implementation in real sensor networks, i.e., it is scalable, robust against node failures and requires only local communication among neighboring nodes. Simulation results show that running an additional local search around the found solution can yield performance close to the maximum likelihood estimate

Chondroprotective Potential of Fruit Extracts of Phyllanthus emblica in Osteoarthritis

There is a need for effective nutraceuticals for osteoarthritis care. The fruit of Phyllanthus emblica is used as a powerful rejuvenator in Ayurvedic medicine. This study measured the chondroprotective potential of P. emblica (‘Amalaki’) fruits in vitro. We used aqueous extracts of unprocessed P. emblica fruit powder (powder A), and the powder obtained after hot water extraction and drying of powder A (powder B). Chondroprotection was measured in three different assay systems. First, we tested the effects of both fruit powders on the activities of the enzymes hyaluronidase and collagenase type 2. Second, an in vitro model of cartilage degradation was set-up with explant cultures of articular knee cartilage from osteoarthritis patients. Cartilage damage was assayed by measuring glycosaminoglycan release from explants treated with/without P. emblica fruit powders. Aqueous extracts of both fruit powders significantly inhibited the activities of hyaluronidase and collagenase type 2 in vitro. Third, in the explant model of cartilage matrix damage, extracts of glucosamine sulphate and powder B (0.05 mg/ml) exhibited statistically significant, long-term chondroprotective activity in cartilage explants from 50% of the patients tested. This result is important since glucosamine sulphate is the leading nutraceutical for osteoarthritis. Powder A induced a statistically significant, short-term chondroprotective activity in cartilage explants from all of the patients tested. This is the first study to identify and quantitate new chondroprotective activities of P. emblica fruits. These data provide pilot pre-clinical evidence for the use of P. emblica fruits as a chondroprotective agent in osteoarthritis therapy

Emotion Recognition using Wireless Signals

This paper demonstrates a new technology that can infer a person's emotions from RF signals reflected off his body. EQ-Radio transmits an RF signal and analyzes its reflections off a person's body to recognize his emotional state (happy, sad, etc.). The key enabler underlying EQ-Radio is a new algorithm for extracting the individual heartbeats from the wireless signal at an accuracy comparable to on-body ECG monitors. The resulting beats are then used to compute emotion-dependent features which feed a machine-learning emotion classifier. We describe the design and implementation of EQ-Radio, and demonstrate through a user study that its emotion recognition accuracy is on par with state-of-the-art emotion recognition systems that require a person to be hooked to an ECG monitor. Keywords: Wireless Signals; Wireless Sensing; Emotion Recognition; Affective Computing; Heart Rate VariabilityNational Science Foundation (U.S.)United States. Air Forc

AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) Mediates Nutrient Regulation of Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein (TXNIP) in Pancreatic Beta-Cells

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) regulates critical biological processes including inflammation, stress and apoptosis. TXNIP is upregulated by glucose and is a critical mediator of hyperglycemia-induced beta-cell apoptosis in diabetes. In contrast, the saturated long-chain fatty acid palmitate, although toxic to the beta-cell, inhibits TXNIP expression. The mechanisms involved in the opposing effects of glucose and fatty acids on TXNIP expression are unknown. We found that both palmitate and oleate inhibited TXNIP in a rat beta-cell line and islets. Palmitate inhibition of TXNIP was independent of fatty acid beta-oxidation or esterification. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has an important role in cellular energy sensing and control of metabolic homeostasis; therefore we investigated its involvement in nutrient regulation of TXNIP. As expected, glucose inhibited whereas palmitate stimulated AMPK. Pharmacologic activators of AMPK mimicked fatty acids by inhibiting TXNIP. AMPK knockdown increased TXNIP expression in presence of high glucose with and without palmitate, indicating that nutrient (glucose and fatty acids) effects on TXNIP are mediated in part via modulation of AMPK activity. TXNIP is transcriptionally regulated by carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP). Palmitate inhibited glucose-stimulated ChREBP nuclear entry and recruitment to the Txnip promoter, thereby inhibiting Txnip transcription. We conclude that AMPK is an important regulator of Txnip transcription via modulation of ChREBP activity. The divergent effects of glucose and fatty acids on TXNIP expression result in part from their opposing effects on AMPK activity. In light of the important role of TXNIP in beta-cell apoptosis, its inhibition by fatty acids can be regarded as an adaptive/protective response to glucolipotoxicity. The finding that AMPK mediates nutrient regulation of TXNIP may have important implications for the pathophysiology and treatment of diabetes

Protective effects of a compound herbal extract (Tong Xin Luo) on free fatty acid induced endothelial injury: Implications of antioxidant system

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tong-Xin-Luo (TXL) – a mixture of herbal extracts, has been used in Chinese medicine with established therapeutic efficacy in patients with coronary artery disease.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the protective role of TXL extracts on endothelial cells injured by a known risk factor – palmitic acid (PA), which is elevated in metabolic syndrome and associated with cardiovascular complications. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were preconditioned with TXL extracts before exposed to PA for 24 hours.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that PA (0.5 mM) exposure induced 73% apoptosis in endothelial cells. However, when HAECs were preconditioned with ethanol extracted TXL (100 μg/ml), PA induced only 7% of the endothelial cells into apoptosis. Using antibody-based protein microarray, we found that TXL attenuated PA-induced activation of p38-MAPK stress pathway. To investigate the mechanisms involved in TXL's protective effects, we found that TXL reduced PA-induced intracellular oxidative stress. Through AMPK pathway, TXL restored the intracellular antioxidant system, which was depressed by the PA treatment, with an increased expression of thioredoxin and a decreased expression of the thioredoxin interacting protein.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, our study demonstrates that TXL protects endothelial cells from PA-induced injury. This protection is likely mediated by boosting intracellular antioxidant capacity through AMPK pathway, which may account for the therapeutic efficacy in TXL-mediated cardiovascular protection.</p