Study of ionic liquids (AIL and PIL) viscosity and its functional groups under heat treatment on cutting tool surface using fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)

This study was conducted to investigate the efficiency of Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) technique by using Modified Jatropha Oil (MJO) bio-based lubricant with the presence of 10% Ammonium Ionic Liquid (MJO+AIL10%) and 1% Phosphonium Ionic Liquid (MJO+PIL1%) additives respectively at various temperature of 200 ̊C, 300 ̊C and 400 ̊C heat treatment to determine the ability to exhibit corrosion and wear throughout the process. Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed prominent peaks of functional groups in these bio-lubricants; esters (C-O) and (C=O), alkanes (C-H), hydroxide (O-H), and nitrile groups deposited on the cutting tool surface. Initially, nitrile group is detected on cutting tool surface without lubricants at 2200 to 2300 absorption band reduced to lower intensity and most likely concealed by MJO+AIL10% compared to MJO+PIL1% where the nitrile group remains reflected in FTIR spectrum. In this work, it is proved that MJO+AIL10% has higher viscosity as compared to MJO+PIL1%. in the context of functional groups and supported the previous study on MJO+AIL10% as corrosion inhibitor

Antecedents and outcomes of brand management from the perspective of resource based view (RBV) theory

Brand management requires greater emphasis on internal factors to increase brand performance. A model of antecedents and outcomes of brand management is developed in this study based on the Resource Based View (RBV) Theory. Top management emphasis on brand, corporate supportive resources and market orientation are identified as crucial internal factors or antecedents for success of brand management. Apart from that, the brand management measurement are expanded in this study with the introduction of three new marketing constructs namely marketing capabilities, innovation and brand orientation as new dimensions in brand management which currently comprised of management related constructs. This study also contributes in the brand management of small and medium enterprise (SMEs) literature as previous studies mainly focused on the brand management for multinational companies or large organizations. One important issue of SMEs is the “internal” brand management which is currently under-researched even though it is critical in brand building and management. Therefore, this research aims to highlight the antecedents and outcomes of brand management in Malaysians’ SMEs based on RBV theory. A comprehensive literature review was done and a conceptual model is proposed in this literature review

Multi slot amplitude coding technique for high speed optical fiber communication system

The rapid progress of the high speed optical communications system is driven by the exponential growth of users demand on information and services. The trend towards high speed and high capacity transmission system are multiplexing technique such as electrical time division multiplexing (ETDM) and duty cycle division multiplexing (DCDM). Unfortunately, ETDM bit rate is limited by the speed of electronic devices and DCDM suffers from increased spectral width when the number of tributary increased. Therefore, in this research, a new multiplexing technique is proposed, known as Multi Slot Amplitude Coding (MSAC). In this technique, three, four and five tributaries can be achieved with less number of slots compared to DCDM. The performance of 310 Gbit/s MSAC is -26 dBm for receiver sensitivity (RS) and 25.5 dB for optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR). The improvement of 3.5 dB for RS and 3.7 dB for OSNR are obtained when optimize level spacing is implemented. When compared to DCDM, the spectral width is reduced by around 25%, not less than 55% improvement of chromatic dispersion (CD) tolerance, 0.6 dB better RS, and 1.5 dB better OSNR. The spectral width for 310 Gbit/s, 410 Gbit/s and 510 Gbit/s MSAC is 60 GHz, which indicates improvement of spectral efficiency. Optical spectrum of MSAC has spectral line at 10 GHz to provide an accurate clock frequency at symbol rate. In addition the performance of MSAC technique is simulated under self phase modulation (SPM) effect. The result shows that the maximum launched optical power is +12.79 dBm and +12.62 dBm for 50 km and 80 km standard single mode fiber (SSMF) with 100% compensation of dispersion using dispersion compensation fiber (DCF) at receiver. Moreover, SPM threshold improves around 2.7 dB when adopting the pre and post dispersion compensation method

Tinjauan Deskriptif: Karakteristik Faktor-Faktor Health Seeking Behavior pada Pasien Disorder of Sex Development

Angka kejadian DSD 1:4, 500-5.500. Walalupun angka kejadian DSD masih rendah namun menurut penelitian banyak pasien terdiagnosis DSD ketika umur >2 tahun bahkan ada yang terdiagnosis ketika dewasa. Terdapat pasien yang mengalami late diagnose disebabkan oleh kurangnya Health Seeking Behavior. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi faktor internal dan eksternal Health Seeking Behavior pasien DSD di RSUP Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang pada tahun 2013-2017. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif dengan pendekatan cross sectional menggunakan data primer dan sekunder. Sampel diambil dengan menggunakan metode total sampling dari seluruh data rekam medik yang memenuhi kriterian inklusi. Dari 120 data pasien yang diperoleh, didapatkan 61 sampel pasien DSD di RSUP Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang pada tahun 2013-2017. Pasien terdiagnosis paling banyak saat umur >6 - ≥12 tahun sebanyak 22 pasien (36,1%). Pasien dengan jenis kelamin laki-laki lebih banyak yaitu ditemukan 54 pasien (88,5%). Orang tua pasien yang mengantar anaknya paling banyak berumur 26-35 tahun untuk umur Ibu (52,5%) dan 36-45 tahun untuk umur Ayah (39,3%). Pendidikan terakhir orang tua pasien DSD merupakan tamat SMA (78,7%). Status ekonomi orang tua pasien DSD yang datang ke RSMH paling banyak ditemukan golongan kelas atas (50,8%) dan pasien terbanyak berasal dari Palembang (23%). Pasien DSD di RSUP Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang masih banyak tergolong late diagnose ditinjau dari beberapa faktor Health Seeking Behavior

Epidemiological study of clinical and subclinical mastitis in she- camel in Samawah desert / Al Muthanna governorate

She-camel mastitis is relatively not well studied in camel-rearing areas worldwide. In Iraq, few reports have been done on the camelids in general and on mastitis in particular in compare to other livestock such as cattle, sheep and goat. This study intends to determine the clinical and subclinical mastitis and its etiological agents in she- camels in Samawah desert / Al Muthanna governorate. Thirty milk samples were collected from apparently clinical normal she- camels from 3 camelids herds during December 2016 to March 2017. The milk samples were aseptically collected from each quarter after stimulation milking process in she-camel. Each milk sample was subjected to physical and bacteriological examination and mastitis screening tests including (somatic cell count) SCC and California mastitis test (CMT). The pH of fresh camel milk was varied from 6.1 to 6.5. All milk samples revealed a bright white color with upper thick creamy layer. No any signs of clinical mastitis were observed in all examined she-camels. Meanwhile, keratosis of the teats and udder due to severe tick infestation was observed in 83.33% percentage (25 out of 30). The subclinical mastitis was determined in 30% percentage (9 out of 30) lactating she-camels using SCC, CMT and revealed various bacterial growth. These bacteria were the Enterobacterium spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp moreover, the percentage of isolates was 55.55% (5 out of 9), 33.33% (3 out of 9) and 11.11% (1 out of 9) respectively. In conclusion, this study confirmed the correlation between SCC and CMT in diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in 30% of the examined she-camel. Moreover, it approved the absence of clinical mastitis due to the nature of the milk production. The authors recommend to perform another future studies that including large number of the animals, in addition to study the natural physiological phenomena of milk production in she- camels

Effectiveness of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery in Women with Depressive Symptoms and Decreased Quality of Life

Objective: To know the effectiveness of pelvic organ prolapse surgery in decreasing depressive symptoms (based on PHQ9) and improving quality of life in women with pelvic organ prolapse. Methods: This experimental study without control is conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Hospital Palembang/Faculty of Medicine Sriwijaya University, from October 03 2012 until May 31, 2014. Data containing selfadministrated questionnaire about depressive symptoms (PHQ9) and quality of life (PFIQ and PFDI) were recorded. Questionnaire was performed before and six months after surgery. Sample included 26 women with pelvic organ prolapse seeking pelvic organ prolapse surgery, which qualified the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using Chi Square and Fisher Exact test. Data analysis was done using SPSS 18.0. Results: According to paired T test there is a significant difference between mean PHQ9 score before (6.69±3.80) and 6 months after surgery (1.96±1.75)(p=0.001). Total PFIQ score decreased from 17.15±9.39 to 2.88±4.01 with 14.27±5.38 reduction. PFDI score before surgery were 29.85±15.73 and decreased to 11.50±10.99, with a reduction of 18.35±4.74. Conclusion: There was significant reduction in depressive symptoms and improved quality of life in women with prolapse after surgery, compared to before surgery. [Indones J Obstet Gynecol 2015; 3-4: 196-199] Keywords: depression, quality of life, uterine prolaps

Cannabis and Brain: Disrupting Neural Circuits of Memory

Cannabis is a federally controlled substance, it’s very familiar to many but its neurobiological substrates are not well-characterized. In the brain, most areas prevalently having cannabinoid receptors have been associated with behavioral control and cognitive effects due to cannabinoids. Study over the last several decades suggested cannabinoids (CBs) exert copious oftentimes opposite effects on countless neuronal receptors and processes. In fact, owing to this plethora of effects, it’s still cryptic how CBs trigger neuronal circuits. Cannabis use has been revealed to cause cognitive deficits from basic motor coordination to more complex executive functions, for example, the aptitude to plan, organize, make choices, solve glitches, remember, and control emotions as well as behavior. Numerous factors like age of onset and duration of cannabis use regulate the severity of the difficulties. People with the cannabis-linked deficiency in executive functions have been found to have trouble learning and applying the skills requisite for fruitful recovery, setting them at amplified risk for deterioration to cannabis use. Exploring the impacts of cannabis on the brain is imperative. Therefore the intention of this study was to analyze the neuropsychological effects and the impact of CBs on the dynamics of neural circuits, and its potential as the drug of addiction

Enhancing the physical and tribological characteristics of modified jatropha oil via the incorporation of hybrid nanoparticle additives

The objective of this study is to examine the physicochemical and tribological characteristics of Jatropha oil (MJO) that have been modified by incorporating 0.025 wt.% of activated carbon (AC) (MJOa), MJOa with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)(MJOah) MJOa with titanium dioxide (TiO2) (MJOat), as well as MJOa with tungsten disulphide (WS2) (MJOaw). The physicochemical properties of the samples were assessed using kinematic viscosity and viscosity index measurements. The tribological performance of the samples was evaluated using the four-ball test. The findings indicate that MJOat exhibits favorable physicochemical characteristics, with a kinematic viscosity of 16.64 mm2/s at 40°C and 5.93 mm2/s at 100°C. The MJOat exhibited the highest viscosity index, measured at 360 followed by MJOah (339). In terms of tribological performance, it is observed that MJOah exhibits a commendable coefficient of friction (COF) value of 0.05465 and possesses the lowest surface roughness (Ra) of 0.23 μm. On the other hand, MJOah also demonstrates a smaller mean wear scar diameter (MWSD) of 595.3 μm and the lowest volume wear rate (2.964 × 10-7 mm3/s). SEM image of MJOah shows a smoother ball bearing worn surface compared to other samples. In general, utilizing MJO with hybrid additives demonstrates outstanding efficacy in enhancing both physicochemical and tribological characteristics

Experimental study on physical properties of modified jatropha oilbased nanofluids for machining purposes

Vegetable-based crude jatropha oil (CJO) was utilized to substitute petroleum-based oil as a metalworking fluid. The usage of petroleum-oil based as a metalworking fluid causes a major concern to the environment and health issues. Besides that, it has a high quantity of free fatty acid (FFA), which causes physical deterioration. This study aims to physically test the new formulation oil-based on modified jatropha nanofluids as the metalworking fluid for machining purposes. To create modified jatropha oil (MJO), CJO was chemically modified through the esterification and transesterification process. MJO was combined with nanoparticles which are activated carbon (AC) at the concentration of 0.01 wt%, 0.025 wt% and 0.05 wt% to create the nanofluids. The properties of MJO nanofluids were tested using ASTM standards for viscosity and acid value and were compared with the synthetic ester (SE). All of the results indicate that the physical qualities improved during the storage period. MJOa3 (MJO + 0.05 wt% AC), it may be inferred, has potential as a long-term metalworking fluid for the machining process. Based on the experiment result, for kinematic viscosity, MJOa3 shows better results during the period from day 1 to day 7 compared to non-additive MJO. MJOa3 recorded the highest viscosity index (184). In addition, MJOs have the lowest acid value of 0.4 to 0.48 mg NaOH/g. In conclusion, the presence of AC helps MJO to improve their properties and MJOa3 shows excellent lubricant properties from all the samples

Natural Products for Neurodegeneration: Regulating Neurotrophic Signals

Neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are heterogeneous groups of ailments typically characterized by progressive damage of the nervous system. Several drugs are used to treat NDs but they have only symptomatic benefits with various side effects. Numerous researches have been performed to prove the advantages of phytochemicals for the treatment of NDs. Furthermore, phytochemicals such as polyphenols might play a pivotal role in rescue from neurodegeneration due to their various effects as anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and antiamyloidogenic agents by controlling apoptotic factors, neurotrophic factors (NTFs), free radical scavenging system, and mitochondrial stress. On the other hand, neurotrophins (NTs) including nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), NT4/5, and NT3 might have a crucial neuroprotective role, and their diminution triggers the development of the NDs. Polyphenols can interfere directly with intracellular signaling molecules to alter brain activity. Several natural products also improve the biosynthesis of endogenous genes encoding antiapoptotic Bcl-2 as well as NTFs such as glial cell and brain-derived NTFs. Various epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the initiation of these genes could play an essential role in the neuroprotective function of dietary compounds. Hence, targeting NTs might represent a promising approach for the management of NDs. In this review, we focus on the natural product-mediated neurotrophic signal-modulating cascades, which are involved in the neuroprotective effectsThis work was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University through the Fast-track Research Funding ProgramS